ã€ŠRebirth from the Ashesã€‹


 Chapter 1

    <h4>Chapter 1: Passing Out</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The pain woke Shen Xi up. The searing agony that tore through her flesh resulted in spasms across her body.

    There were people speaking beside her.

    ¡°Dad, beat her to death. Despite Wanwan¡¯s kindness to her, she¡¯s a cruel b*tch and treated her horribly!¡±

    ¡°Dear, I¡¯ve already told you not to take her back, since you wouldn¡¯t understand the temperament of a child whom you haven¡¯t brought up on your own. Yet, you didn¡¯t listen.¡±

    Gradually, everything went dark before Shen Xi¡¯s eyes, and her vision blurred. To her, the scene that unfolded in front of her seemed funny.

    The three people standing by her side were, in name, her blood rtives.

    Nevertheless, the looks they cast her were nothing but indifference, disdain and anger. They could not wait to get rid of her.

    They did not treat her as their kin at all. Instead, they regarded her as their enemy.

    The handsome, middle-aged man who carried a whip in his hand was her father, Su Yi.

    The beautiful woman next to him with a cold expression and a pair of bloodshot eyes was her mother, Li Jingran.

    There was another young man with a charming face yet a dangerous gaze in his eyes. He was her second elder brother, Su Muyan.

    She had undergone a rebirth. After she hadpleted her mission of traveling through 66 astral nes, she returned to the ce where it all began, back to the Su family that was bereft of love but filled with apathy and destion.

    This time, however, she was no longer the same Shen Xi who allowed herself to be bullied and humiliated. She was now a different kind of Shen Xi , one who was a force to be reckoned with and back with a vengeance!

    It was probably due to her prolonged suffering at the Su family¡¯s hands that she remembered the events that transpired very clearly.

    It happened on her seventeenth birthday. As the true heiress of the Su family, it was already the second year since she had been brought home to them and spent her first birthday there.

    Her birthday fell on the same day as Su Ruowan, the fake heiress of the Su family. Thetter was five years older than her.

    The whole family had prepared for Su Ruowan¡¯s birthday party a month in advance to give her a surprise.

    Yet, Shen Xi¡¯s family members seemed to have forgotten about her presence.

    Yesterday, her eldest brother, Su Muxuan, tossed her a teddy bear. It had a pretty pink color.

    She was overjoyed and assumed it was a birthday gift from her eldest brother. As such, she treated it with love and care.

    Unfortunately, this morning, Su Ruowan snatched her teddy bear away.

    Shen Xi confronted her and wanted her teddy bear back. During the argument, Su Ruowan slipped and tumbled down the stairs.

    Su Ruowan cried and exined that it was a misunderstanding, and she had no intention of snatching her belonging away. The newly bought teddy bear was dirty and she only wanted to clean it before returning it to her sister.

    See, such a magnanimous excuse and such a great elder sister who was always thinking of the younger one.

    Shen Xi¡¯s family pinned the me on her and used her of pushing Su Ruowan down the stairs. They condemned her for being evil and ungrateful.

    As if this was not enough, aftering home from the hospital, Su Yi struck her violently with a whip until she fell unconscious without saying another word.

    Coincidentally, Shen Xi was reborn the moment after she fainted.

    ¡°Dear, I think she has fainted,¡± Li Jingranmented with a frown as she regarded the girl, who was lying on the floor, with a look of disgust.

    She fainted after a few whips. Because of her, Wanwan broke her leg, and she dared to pass out!

    This daughter who came from the vige was not raised by her. Li Jingran had no love for her and found her to be a pain.

    ¡°Fainted? I think she¡¯s ying dead to wriggle out of this mess!¡± Su Muyan walked towards her with a basin of water in his arms. ¡°Dad, excuse me, I¡¯m going to wake her up.¡±

    Why did she not die? It was all because of her that Wanwan suffered so much!

    Nobody noticed that Shen Xi, who was lying on the floor, opened her eyes without warning. Her gaze was chilly and determined, tinged with a tant desire to mock those around her.

 Chapter 2

    <h4>Chapter 2: You¡¯re So Noisy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With a wickedugh, Su Muyan stood before Shen Xi and was about to pour the basin of cold water onto the girl.

    All of a sudden, the unconscious Shen Xi got up and plucked the whip out of Su Yi¡¯s hand.

    The Su family was horrified.

    A hint of a smile appeared at the corners of Shen Xi¡¯s mouth. Then, using all of her strength, she cracked the whip at Su Muyan¡¯s face.

    As an idol and a singer, Su Muyan¡¯s face was his prized possession. His face was insured for up to fifty million yuan!

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Su Muyan roared in anger. There was a painful, burning sensation on his face.

    Due to the unexpected force, he spilled the basin of cold water onto himself and his clothes were drenched.

    ¡°Too bad.¡± Shen Xi heaved a long sigh as she looked at Su Muyan coldly.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Su Muyan gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Too bad I just woke up. I¡¯m still weak and don¡¯t have the strength.¡± Shen Xi sighed again and toyed with the whip in her hands. ¡°I couldn¡¯t kill you with a single whip!¡±

    Su Muyan was shaking with rage.

    No, it could not be.

    Shen Xi was not that sort of person!

    She was like a dog that wagged its tail and begged. She appeased them all the time and had not an ounce of dignity.

    No matter how they treated her, she would still stick around them like a repulsive fly that could not be shooed away.

    Li Jingran¡¯s heart ached when she saw the wound on her son¡¯s face. She red at Shen Xi, ¡°Are you crazy?! Don¡¯t you know that you¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Xi returned a threatening stare and scorned, ¡°You¡¯re so noisy!¡±

    Li Jingran was shaken by her intimidating gaze and swallowed her words. When she realized what was going on, she was about to burst into mes. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    ¡°I said you¡¯re very noisy!¡± Shen Xi frowned and threw her a look of contempt.

    ¡°Get out, get out from here!¡± Li Jingran¡¯s expression was twisted with fury. She pointed at Shen Xi with a trembling finger. ¡°Dear, get her out of here, I don¡¯t have her for a daughter! I¡¯ll just pretend I never gave birth to her!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for the best.¡± Shen Xi beamed happily. ¡°I¡¯ll also pretend that I never had you for a mother. I only have one mother, and her name¡¯s Yun Jinping!¡±

    Her past self had naively assumed that one day, they would notice her and like her if she was nice to them and obeyed them.

    Nheless, that day never came. No matter how hard she tried to express herself and how much she excelled, she was nothingpared to Su Ruowan.

    Since the start, all of her efforts had been for naught.

    To them, she was just a parasitic and pathetic dog who had to kowtow and submit to her family whenever they gave her a bone.

    Su Ruowan was their precious baby.

    As the true heiress of the Su family, her presence was often overlooked and her personality was tough and unwavering. She was not loved by her parents and was constantly disregarded by her brothers. Moreover, she was despised, abused, and harmed by Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan once sobbed and whined to her eldest brother, Su Muxuan that since her leg broke, she could not dance properly. She realized how excellent Shen Xi was at dancing and how much the teacherplimented her talent.

    One day, Shen Xi got into an ident and broke both of her legs. She was able to stand up, but she could not dance again. On rainy days, her legs would hurt terribly.

    Su Ruowan moaned to her second elder brother, Su Muyan about how little she looked like her family members. Outsiders said that she was not the daughter of the Su family, but Shen Xi was.

    One day, Shen Xi was locked in the restroom by her ssmates. Someone poured a bottle of acid onto her face and it disfigured her permanently.

    Su Ruowan told Su Mushi enviously that Xixi was skilled in drawing and ying musical instruments. She was jealous of her sister¡¯s hands.

    One day, Shen Xi was kidnapped and her hands were crippled, resulting in fractures in her arms. From that day onwards, she could never draw or y any instruments again.

 Chapter 3

    <h4>Chapter 3: Opportunist</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi kept telling herself that those incidents were mere coincidences.

    Until she was diagnosed with leukemia, her family members told her that they had undergone bone marrow match tests but none of them were suitable donors. They told her not to give up and that they would keep searching for a match for her.

    Ravaged by her illness, she could do nothing but lie on her bed as her life slowly seeped away from her day by day.

    When Su Ruowan came to visit, she showed her the bone marrow match test reports. Apparently, all three of her brothers served as suitable donors, but not one of them was willing to save her.

    Su Ruowan told Shen Xi that what happened to her legs, hands, and face were not idents, but a plot masterminded by herself.

    Back then, Shen Xi badly wanted to kill her and every member of the Su family.

    Yet, she was sickly and dying. Thus, there was nothing to do but to watch as her enemy carried on with her life happily.

    After she died in sorrow, regret, pain, loneliness, and misery, she realized that she was living in a book titled ¡°Lady Luck¡±.

    Su Ruowan was the female lead who was adored by everyone. Her future was bright; Her parents and brothers spoilt her; Her affectionate and powerful fianc¨¦ loved her. All was rosy and well for her familial rtionships, love life and career. She was sailing towards the peak of her life.

    As for Shen Xi, she was just the pitiful supporting character whoplemented the female lead.

    Su Yi¡¯s face darkened. He raised his hand to p her.

    Shen Xi reacted in time and deflected his p with a swing of the whip.

    The air around them cracked loudly as if she had torn through a hole in the atmosphere.

    Su Yi withdrew his hand in fright.

    Su Muyan growled nastily, ¡°Dad, she¡¯s obnoxious and has no respect for her elders. She isn¡¯t fit to be one of us at all!¡±

    Shen Xi let out a coldugh. ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m not one of you. You¡¯re a bunch of maggots in a pile of sh*t. How is it possible for you to produce an innocent little sweetheart like me?¡±

    Regret?

    Pain?

    Nothing.

    What was left in her was disdain, contempt, and hatred towards them!

    In this lifetime, she would not be controlled by her fate and die a miserable, lonely, and painful death.

    She wanted to leave the Su family, live a good life, and make them understand how it felt like to have a fate worse than death.

    Su Yi was vexed. ¡°Look at yourself, you b*tch! It¡¯s true that whatever thates from the vige is lowly and shouldn¡¯t be regarded highly!¡±

    ¡°So what if Ie from the vige? The person who came from the vige is here to annoy you. Three generations ago, your grandfather also came from the vige,¡± Shen Xi jeered.

    ¡°Dad, see how rude she is!¡± Su Muyan was shaking with fury.

    ¡°Feisty little c*nt, you must have been infected with a bunch of diseases in the vige.¡± All her life, Li Jingran had despised people like her.

    Shen Xi mocked, ¡°You¡¯re just an opportunistic homewrecker. What right do you have to badmouth me? I came from the vige and I know all about morals. I¡¯ll never wreck someone else¡¯s family and be a mistress!¡±

    Li Jingran was so furious that she felt her veins tightening. Her vision began to cken and she lost her footing. Had someone not caught hold of her, she would have passed out on the spot. She ced a hand on her forehead as she said, ¡°Dear, I can¡¯t take it anymore. You take care of her and get her out of my sight. I don¡¯t want to see her ever again!¡±

    How did she know?

    Who told her these things?

    Li Jingran and her husband were a power couple in show business. Nobody knew that her husband had remarried!

    Su Yi told Li Jingran to get some rest. For the first time, he looked at his daughter, who had been home for a year, in the eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    A year had passed since her return, yet he did not know what she looked like. Upon observation, he realized that she almost had his wife¡¯s brows and eyes.

    His wife was a beauty. Naturally, Shen Xi had inherited her genes and her appearance was not bad.

 Chapter 4

    <h4>Chapter 4: Stop Pretending</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    However, when Su Yi gazed deep into the depths of his daughter¡¯s eyes, he saw the indifference, coldness, and careless mockery in them. They made her look like a bad and unlikeable person.

    As a girl, she ought to be gentler, kinder, and more caring, like his wife or Wanwan, so that people would like her.

    ¡°Fifty million.¡± Shen Xi knocked on the table nonchntly. ¡°As a payment to sever all ties between me and the Su family. Of course, I won¡¯t tell the public that your wife got to the top as a mistress, and neither will I tell the Gu family that Su Ruowan is a fraud.¡±

    When the Su family brought her back, they told outsiders that she was adopted. On the contrary, Su Ruowan was the real heiress of the family. They even wanted her to keep the secret to protect the marriage between the heirs of the Su and Gu families.

    ¡°Are you so poor that you lost your mind?!¡± Su Muyan boomed.

    Little b*tch, it was daylight robbery!

    ¡°Muyan, draft us a contract.¡± Su Yi interrupted his son. Why was he so impulsive? He looked at Shen Xi. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep your promise.¡±

    Fifty million? Fine, the Su family was in no shortage of money. He merely treated it as severance pay!

    Or else, with a crafty troublemaker like her who was constantly stirring sh*t up, he wondered what she would do to harm Wanwan again.

    Shen Xi signed her name. After receiving fifty million yuan, she strode out of the house haughtily while the Su family stared at her scornfully.

    It was bright and sunny outside.

    She lifted her head to nce at the sunlight. Great, she had money now. Suddenly, she felt refreshed and energetic, and the wounds on her body no longer ached.

    ¡°Little Sis.¡± Unexpectedly, Su Ruowan¡¯s voice appeared behind her. She sounded tender and meek. ¡°Mom, Dad, please talk some sense into her. If anyone is to leave, it¡¯s me. How could you let her go?¡±

    Su Yi and Li Jingran remained quiet. Instead, they red at Shen Xi viciously.

    Su Ruowan eyed Su Muyan in a pleading manner. ¡°Second Elder Brother, I believe Little Sis didn¡¯t mean to push me. I merely broke my leg. How could all of you chase her away?¡±

    Su Muyan clenched his teeth. ¡°Wanwan, she¡¯s not fit to be your sister!¡±

    Su Ruowan regarded Shen Xi pitifully and begged her, ¡°Little Sis, don¡¯t you want to participate in ¡°National Idol¡±? I¡¯ve told Mom and Dad that I won¡¯t be participating in it, but you will.

    My leg is broken and there¡¯s no need for me to head there. You can join thepetition and make your dreame true. Please don¡¯t leave, I beg you.¡±

    The other members of the Su family directed furious stares at Shen Xi when they heard this remark. Their gazes were like sharp knives that wereunched at her continuously. They desperately wanted to shred her into pieces.

    That evil girl pushed Wanwan down the stairs just because she wanted to participate in ¡°National Idol¡±. What a heartless individual!

    Shen Xi nearly threw up when she heard her sister¡¯s words. She turned around and addressed Su Ruowan with a smile and a wave of her hand. ¡°Sis, can youe over here? I have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°National Idol¡± was a talent show and Su Yi was its biggest investor. The whole family had everythingid out for Su Ruowan so that she could make her debut in the central role.

    As soon as Shen Xi got wind of this, she went to Su Yi and pleaded that he put her on the show as well. However, he tly denied her pleas and scolded her for being greedy.

    Su Ruowan was taken aback and her gaze shifted with uncertainty. Still, as her parents and brothers were around, she thought that Shen Xi would not dare to do anything to her.

    Shen Xi noticed that Su Ruowan hade forward. The other members were obedient, too, and did not follow suit. She inched closer to her elder sister and said, ¡°Su Ruowan, stop pretending in front of me.¡±

 Chapter 5

    <h4>Chapter 5: You B*tch</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Frankly, Su Ruowan was not a pretty girl. Although her heart-shaped face was the size of a palm, her features were not exactly attractive. Her brows were too thick; Her eyes were not big; Her nose was a bit t and her lips were thin.

    Nevertheless, she was good at makeup and the result was simr to that of stic surgery. It covered all of the ws on her face and it made her look beautiful.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s leg was wrapped in a ster cast and she was sitting in a wheelchair. When she heard her reply, her gaze hardened for one fleeting moment. Then, it softened and she looked at Shen Xi meekly, ¡°Little Sis, what are you talking about?¡±

    Instead of engaging in the conversation, Shen Xi grabbed Su Ruowan¡¯s arm and hauled her up from the wheelchair. She gave thetter a tight p on her face, then shoved her away with a kick.

    It was all carried out perfectly in one swift movement.

    A horrified Su Ruowan screamed. She had alreadynded on the floor and ced a hand on her stomach. Her organs hurt terribly and she cried, ¡°Little Sis, why did you do that to me?¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I¡¯m off. I bet you¡¯re the happiest one here, you can be the heiress of the Su family in peace. Since you are rejoicing, do you want me to help celebrate by lighting a few firecrackers?¡±

    The Su family red at her in resentment while they surrounded Su Ruowan anxiously, coaxing and consoling her.

    ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Su Muyan¡¯s eyes were red with fury.

    Shen Xi threw him a sideways nce, raised the whip in her hand and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t anger me, or else I¡¯ll expose every single one of you b*stards! I¡¯ll tell everyone that Su Ruowan¡¯s debut in the central role has been nned from the very beginning!¡±

    Su Muyan stopped in his tracks. He gritted his teeth exasperatedly as he watched her maniacalugh, her domineering stance, and her savage stare.

    He would not let this vile c*nt Shen Xi off the hook!

    For certain, he would make her pay for what she did today!

    Shen Xi had just approached the doorstep when a handsome young man ran towards her, bearing a stern expression on his face.

    Perfect!

    It was Su Ruowan¡¯s fianc¨¦, Gu Xiaohan!

    Her enemies had all arrived!

    Gu Xiaohan was rather good-looking and had a snobbish, arrogant personality. When he realized it was Shen Xi, he raised a hand to p her. ¡°Shen Xi, you b*tch, how dare you bully Wanwan!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s reaction was quicker than his. She delivered a p on his face and kicked him in the stomach.

    The force sent Gu Xiaohan two meters away from her. Hended at the doorstep with a loud thud.

    Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the road.

    A car zoomed towards the entrance at an incredible speed, as if the driver had lost control of it. The car was directed at Gu Xiaohan, who was still lying on the floor.

    Gu Xiaohan¡¯s eyes widened in rm, and he could not bring himself to scream. He watched as the car sped towards him.

    A sharp, piercing sound could be heard.

    The car braked suddenly and stopped as soon as it was about to hit Gu Xiaohan. Obviously, the driver was skilled at maneuvering the car.

    Gu Xiaohan had been scared senseless by this incident and flopped onto the ground.

    Shen Xi pointed at Gu Xiaohan andughed hysterically.

    The car window was rolled down, partially revealing the charming face of a man. He turned his head slightly to regard Shen Xi, who was standing at the entrance and looked a mess. His voice was deep and hypnotic as he spoke, ¡°Where are you headed? I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±

    Shen Xi caught a glimpse of the driver and her eyes lit up with glee. She got into the car calmly and sat on the passenger seat. ¡°To Golden Sea Bay.¡±

    Everybody was somebody¡¯s precious baby, and she was no exception. She wanted to find her adoptive parents, Madam Yun from her home and Old Shen, the people who loved her most in this world.

    ¡°Alright.¡± The man nodded. Without asking further questions, he drove away.

 Chapter 6

    <h4>Chapter 6: Same Ideas</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Gu Xiaohan watched as the car left, then he threw a fit of anger and roared as he pointed at the car, ¡°Shen Xi, Yuan Yu, just you wait!¡±

    Naturally, Shen Xi ignored the beastly cries behind them. She cocked her head and looked at the man beside her. ¡°Big Brother, do you want revenge?¡±

    The charming man next to her was her half-brother, who shared the same father with her but a different mother. He was the son of the poor ex-wife who was betrayed and neglected by Su Yi; who had her husband stolen by Li Jingran; who got depression in the end andmitted suicide by jumping off a building!

    Shen Xi knew that he was back to seek his revenge from the Su family.

    Yuan Yu was surprised. He scanned the girl by his side and a tiny, upward curve appeared at the corners of his mouth. ¡°They are your biological parents.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and smiled. ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    Yuan Yu listened to Shen Xi¡¯s ns enthusiastically. As he listened, the nonchnce on his face disappeared and it was reced by curiosity.

    Ever since his youngest sister was brought home, she never felt a sense of belonging but was instead bullied and despised by her family members.

    When the Su family organized the birthday party, they only mentioned their beloved daughter, Su Ruowan, on the invitation cards. Shen Xi, on the other hand, had been ignored on purpose.

    ¡°Big Brother, think about what I¡¯ve just said. I have money now.¡± Shen Xi looked at him. ¡°You¡¯d better give me an answer within two days, don¡¯t dy me from finding a partner.¡±

    Yuan Yu grinned. ¡°No need, I agree.¡±

    Her ns included starting an entertainmentpany and making it the biggest in China and, perhaps, in the whole world. She would get involved in everything, from movies, TV shows, variety shows, music to fashion. In short, she would monopolize the entire entertainment industry.

    She would hit the Su family where it hurt by defeating them in their proudest field. She would crush their pride, rip their disguises apart and end their lifeline.

    Her ideas happened to be the same as his!

    ¡°Well, Big Brother, I¡¯ll whip up a proposal for you within two days. You ought to prepare the required documents to start up apany, too. If you need anything, just look for me.¡± Shen Xi proffered her hand and eyed him seriously. ¡°No regrets!¡±

    Yuan Yu held her hand. ¡°Of course, once we have started, there¡¯s no going back!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled slyly. ¡°Here¡¯s to a pleasant partnership.¡±

    Yuan Yu regarded the girl with fascination while she sank into her own thoughts. An urge to smile showed up on his face.

    A pleasant partnership?

    All of a sudden, his younger sister had be apletely different person. Many of her ideas were ahead of her time, bold, creative and well thought out. He found them to be impressive and interesting!

    ¡­

    When Shen Xi reached the entrance to the vi once more and saw the multiflora roses creeping on the walls, her eyes reddened, and she was on the verge of tearing up.

    In midwinter, all that was left of the roses were its vines. Through the metal gate, she could see that the door to the living room was ajar and that someone was inside.

    Madam Yun was not used to the heat in the north.?When the heat was supplied to her residence<sup>1</sup>?in the winter, she would often leave the door slightly ajar for some fresh air.

    At this time, Old Shen was riddled with debt and the vi was about to be mortgaged by the bank.

    Before her rebirth and after she was brought back to the Su family, she had a hard time there. However, she was too ashamed toe back.

    After her death, she discovered that Old Shen had chased her away because there were problems with his business. He did not want her to suffer with them.

    Later, Old Shen went bankrupt and Madam Yun was diagnosed with cancer.

    When Madam Yun passed away, another two years went by before Old Shen learned about Shen Xi¡¯s death. He lost his will to live and brought a can of petrol with him to the Su family, ready to kill them and himself there and then.

    Yet, the Su family had Su Ruowan, who was a wealthy and famous woman. Instead of killing himself and the Su family, Old Shen joined forces with thetter.

    Shen Xi took out her phone and sat on the steps to the house. She dialed a string of numbers. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your Mom, you¡¯ve gotten the wrong number.¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice on the other end was hostile and firm.

 Chapter 7

    <h4>Chapter 7: B*stard</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Mom, I miss you both, I want toe home.¡± Tears rolled down Shen Xi¡¯s cheeks when she heard that familiar voice.

    The woman on the opposite end heard her sobs and could not help but weep. ¡°Go be the Young Miss you¡¯ve always wanted to be and don¡¯t look for us again.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m right outside!¡± Shen Xi has just finished speaking and heard a dull thud on the other end of the call.

    Next, the door opened.

    A familiar figure stumbled out of the courtyard and ran towards her. The figure stood at the entrance and regarded Shen Xi. ¡°Who told you toe back? Go away, we don¡¯t wee you!¡±

    ¡°Mom, they hit me,¡± Shen Xiined and wept as she rolled up her sleeves for her mother.

    Yun Jinping looked at her daughter who was in a total mess and covered in wounds. All of a sudden, she felt the urge to confront the Su family. She could not suppress her own emotions any longer, so she ran forward and hugged Shen Xi tightly. ¡°Why did youe back? Why did youe back?!¡±

    Shen Xi was her precious baby. Neither Old Shen nor herself dared toy a finger on her, and to think the Su family had the audacity to hit her!

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not leaving, I won¡¯t leave you again. I was wrong, it¡¯s all my fault, you and Dad mustn¡¯t leave me.¡± Shen Xi embraced her and bawled.

    Yun Jinping nodded and led her into the house. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us,e home. No matter how poor Mom and Dad are, we won¡¯t send you away again. The most important thing is we are together as a family.¡±

    After their daughter left, they did not hear from her at all. No one knew how Yun Jinping and Old Shen carried on with their lives. They spent each of their days in tears and they would cry whenever they saw their daughter¡¯s belongings.

    Yun Jinping took Shen Xi to themunity hospital for treatment. Aftering home, Yun Jinping grew sadder the longer she looked at Shen Xi and became angry. ¡°Once your father¡¯s back, we¡¯ll head to the Su family and give them a piece of our minds. I bet they¡¯ll be reasonable for once.¡±

    Shen Xi was sitting on the sofa and chowing down on her mother¡¯s beef noodles. She mumbled with her mouth full, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve taught them a lesson. Do you think your daughter is the type of person who gets pushed around?¡±

    Most of the time, Madam Yun was patient and soft-spoken. She would only be enraged when it was something concerning her daughter.

    Yun Jinping sighed helplessly. She asked Shen Xi, ¡°Can you still eat?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Shen Xi smiled with her head cocked to one side. She stuffed herself with another mouthful of noodles. ¡°Mom, they are just a bunch of nobodies. To me, they are unimportant and not worth getting angry with.¡±

    To her, they were just her foes!

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°Are you absolutely sure that you won¡¯t go back?¡±

    She did not want her daughter to head back there. Regardless of how difficult their lives would be, she was happy that they would brave the hardships together as a family.

    She and Old Shen were still in their prime and able-bodied. They would not starve to death.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Xi patted her chest and identally touched her wound. She snarled as she grimaced in pain, ¡°Whoever goes back is a b*stard!¡±

    Yun Jinping hurried forward and patted her arm anxiously. ¡°What did you do that for? What if you hurt yourself?¡±

    Shen Xiughed cheekily and hugged her mother around the waist. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    With a frown, Yun Jinping tapped on her daughter¡¯s forehead with the tip of her finger. ¡°Don¡¯t you stain my new outfit with your oily lips.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°That¡¯s not new, you bought it two years ago. If it¡¯s stained, I¡¯ll buy you a new one.¡±

    Yun Jinping disyed a contented smile. ¡°My daughter¡¯s all grown up and knows that she has to buy new clothes for her mom.¡±

    Shen Xi quipped, ¡°Your daughter¡¯s adorable, responsible, kind, and she¡¯ll make a lot of money in the future to repay you both. Are you willing to send her away to someone else?¡±

    Yun Jinping answered, ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 8

    <h4>Chapter 8: The Big Boss Next Door</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was finally back at home.

    To her, this was her real home, where it was filled with warmth and love.

    Shen Xi sank into a deep slumber. When she woke up, the evening had arrived, so she got up and took adder from the attic.

    Yun Jinping was preparing dinner in the kitchen. She cried, ¡°Xixi, what are you doing with thedder? It¡¯s too heavy, wait for your Dad to help you with it once he¡¯s home.¡±

    Through the window, she saw her daughter straining to carry thedder towards the wall.

    ¡°Mom, I can manage,¡± Shen Xi replied. Her mother did not know that a big boss who would destroy the whole world one day was living next to them.

    As a token of gratitude to Shen Xi, who once offered him a meal, this big boss destroyed the Su family, burned books and annihted the entire world.

    To prevent the big boss from doing so, she must have everything prepared. Each day, she would spread her warmth and kindness to the man, so that he would leave the darkness behind and bathe himself in love and light.

    ¡°You stubborn child, you¡¯re still full of injuries. Why strain yourself?¡± Yun Jinping ran out and told Shen Xi to stand aside while she adjusted thedder.

    ¡°Love you, Mom.¡± Shen Xi shed her a hand heart.

    Yun Jinping stared at her cautiously. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to peep on the neighbor¡¯s house, are you?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe your daughter? Do I seem like a pervert to you? I just noticed that we have a new neighbor and I want to greet him.¡±

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°If you want to greet him, you should head to his doorstep openly. Why go to the trouble of climbing up the wall? I¡¯ve made something for you. Bring it over to him afterward.¡±

    Shen Xi shooed her mother away. ¡°Mom, I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m not a kid anymore. Go prepare dinner, Dad wille home soon.¡±

    The big boss was a peculiar individual and never received any visitors. He would not entertain Shen Xi, even if she went up to his doorstep.

    Seventeen-year-old Shen Xi was as tender as a flower. She had a pair of ruddy cheeks and had on a red woolen coat. She was wearing a white beanie with a couple of little white balls stitched on.

    She was worried that her face did not look presentable enough and it might scare the big boss. Thus, she applied light makeup, then checked herself in the mirror. She pinched her fleshy cheeks and walked out of the house pleasantly.

    Yun Jinping watched as her daughter headed out of the house, all dolled up. Thetter had a rope around her shoulder and a pot of knchoe nt in her arms.

    Shen Xi saw her mother looking in her direction. She raised the pot in her arms and grinned. ¡°Mom, a wee gift for our neighbor.¡±

    Yun Jinping sighed and nodded, ¡°Go, go. Be careful!¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Yes, Madam Yun!¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled, but her eyes were red-rimmed.

    Her daughter had returned, and now, they were finally aplete family again.

    As a method to protect the owner¡¯s privacy, the wall between the vi was two meters high. It was a solid stone wall, and one could not see what was on the other side.

    Shen Xi carried the knchoe nt and climbed to the top of thedder, discreetly showing part of her head. Indeed, she saw a man sitting in the courtyard.

    The man was seated in a wheelchair and donned a ck trench coat. There was a light, grey nket on hisp.

    The man¡¯s side profile was facing Shen Xi. From her perspective, she could observe his prominent features that looked like the finest artisans in heaven had crafted it. He seemed reserved and unfriendly.

    It was evening and the sky cast bright orange sun rays onto his body, resulting in the formation of a long shadow on the ground. The loneliness and sorrow he felt was indescribable.

    His name was Li Yuan. She met him as shey dying.

    He had been searching for her, for he wanted to repay her gesture of offering him a meal.

 Chapter 9

    <h4>Chapter 9: Prettier Than The Flower</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan hugged her and told her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡±

    Then, he looked at the members of the Su family as if he saw a swarm of ants. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make damn sure that the Su family will burn with her!¡±

    Two dayster, the Su family members either died or went mad.

    That time, she had already made her decision.

    If there was a next life, she would do whatever she could to repay him.

    Shen Xi was contemting when she sensed someone¡¯s cold, hard gaze on her. She jolted in fright and made contact with the man¡¯s prating yet emotionless stare.

    He had beautiful eyes. They were narrow and had a subtle, upward curve that made him look unusually charming and enigmatic.

    However, whatid beneath his icy, hostile gaze was a bottomless chasm devoid of life and light. It was as still as an uninhabited pool of water, where nothing could stir up ripples on its surface.

    By staring into his eyes, Shen Xi felt as if she had tumbled into a vast abyss and her body turned stiff and frozen.

    Those intense feelings of angst and hatred towards humanity and the world struck a chord with her. Instead of experiencing terror, she felt sorry for him.

    As if, nothing in this world could ignite the spark within him anymore.

    He was alive but spent his living days like a dead man.

    Li Yuan observed the young girl behind the wall. She seemed terrified of him, for she hid herself after revealing half of her head.

    After a while, he heard some sounds from the other side.

    ¡°Brother, you must have moved in today, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m your neighbor.¡± Suddenly, Shen Xi stood up and chirped joyfully.

    Had she not returned to the Su family back then, or if she had at least made a trip back home, she might not have missed him and end up meeting him on her deathbed.

    Li Yuan kept quiet. He scanned her coolly.

    The rays of sunset illuminated the girl¡¯s body with a warm, orange glow.

    She wore a red outfit and carried a pot with a red flower in it.

    The flower was nice.

    The girl, however, was prettier than the flower.

    At this very moment, he felt his heart leap. He had not felt anything like this for a long time.

    ¡°It¡¯s a wee gift for you!¡± Shen Xi held the pot andughed cheerily. ¡°Brother, wee to your new home!¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. It was like the surface of ake that was frozen for a million years, where no ripples could form.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll lower the pot for you with a rope. Catch!¡± Instead of waiting for his response, Shen Xi ced the pot down in an upright manner and carefully lowered it with the rope.

    Li Yuan realized that the girl had made up her mind and passed him the pot. Hence, he wheeled his chair forward to take it.

    Bearing a vibrant hue and intricate textures on its petals, the little red flower was lovely and looked like the stars in the night sky.

    It was remarkable that a flower could grow in midwinter. Evidently, whoever nted it loved flowers.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m Shen Xi. What¡¯s your name?¡± Shen Xi coiled up the rope and hung it around her shoulders.

    Li Yuan did not reply but gazed at the flower.

    Perhaps, it had been too long since he heard somebody else speaking.

    Surprisingly, he did not get annoyed, which might also be due to the fact that she resembled his little girl.

 Chapter 10

    <h4>Chapter 10: Birthday Cake</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Kun Lun entered the courtyard with a lunchbox in his hands, he got a shock. He stood still, not knowing whether to head over or to leave.

    He could not believe his eyes. The big boss was by the wall and listening to a young girl telling him nonsense.

    Usually, the boss hated it when people talked nonsense to him.

    Whenever he and his co-workers reported to the boss for work, they would get their figures correct first before heading to him.

    The girl by the wall was adorable, indeed. The little woolen balls on her beanie would sway whenever she spoke. One would melt at the sight of such cuteness.

    Still, she was babbling away, and the boss actually listened to her.

    No doubt, the boss, who was often distant, cold-blooded, and aloof, behaved patiently towards the young girl.

    ¡°Brother, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡±

    Shen Xi was the first to spot the man standing at the entrance.

    The man was clothed in a finely tailored suit. He was tall and attractive and had a fancy lunchbox in his hands.

    She had seen him by Li Yuan¡¯s side before. Thetter called him Kun Lun.

    Li Yuan looked at him.

    Kun Lun met his gaze and bowed to him respectfully. Then, he walked towards the vi.

    Shen Xi saw something and her eyes glimmered with excitement. ¡°Brother, my dad, Old Shen, is back. I¡¯ll be heading home, you should go home and have dinner too!¡±

    Li Yuan seemed unmoved by her words and did not respond to her. He swiveled his wheelchair around with his back facing her.

    Deep down, Shen Xi sighed. She said so many things and her mouth felt dry.

    Yet, he remained silent and behaved as if she was invisible and non-existent.

    This wretched life was hopeless!

    Noticing that the man was about to leave, she cried, ¡°Brother, today¡¯s my birthday. Could you wish me ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯?¡±

    The only replies she got were the whoosh of the northern breeze and the creaking sound of the wheelchair as it moved about on the ground. The man had drawn boundaries with the whole world with his inhospitable mannerisms.

    Shen Xi let out a long sigh. ¡®Alright, don¡¯t give up, at least he took the flower with him. That means there¡¯s still hope.¡¯

    Soon, Old Shen¡¯s car arrived at the entrance to her home. He carried severalrge sacks with him.

    Herdder was ced behind a loquat tree that shielded her from view. Therefore, Old Shen did not see her when he stepped into the courtyard.

    The flowers in the courtyard were nted by Old Shen and Madam Yun.

    Madam Yun loved nting flowers and her attic was filled with different species of flowers, especially rare ones.

    The loquat trees in the courtyard were shipped here painstakingly by Old Shen from his old residence. There were a total of eight trees here.

    Eight was her lucky number. No matter what Madam Yun and Old Shen did, they wanted the number ¡°eight¡± to be represented.

    At the turn of the seasons, she would feel ufortable. She often itched and coughed.

    In the summer, Madam Yun would prepare and stock up some?loquat syrup<sup>1</sup>?for her. She asserted that her homemade remedy was of better quality than the ones sold on the market, and safer for consumption as well.

    Old Shen had begun speaking before he even entered the house. His voice was particrly loud, too. ¡°Dear, I bought a cake. Make two more dishes for dinner, and don¡¯t forget about the longevity noodles.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned. She already reminded Madam Yun not to inform Old Shen that she was back. She wanted to give her father a surprise.

    Madam Yun had broken her promise!

    Shen Zhangqing entered the house, changed his shoes and took out the cake. He counted the seventeen candles on it. ¡°Our Xixi is seventeen years old today, and I wonder how things are for her at the Su family. They are wealthy and I¡¯m sure they will host avish birthday party for her.¡±

    Before Shen Xi had a chance to step inside the house to surprise her father, tears began streaming down her cheeks.

    Old Shen was unaware of her return. He had even bought her a birthday cake.

 Chapter 11

    <h4>Chapter 11: Kinda Tragic</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Zhangqing and Madam Yun were about to celebrate their ungrateful daughter¡¯s birthday!

    Yun Jinping came out of the kitchen with the dishes in her hands and caught a glimpse of her beloved daughter, who stood gawking at the doorway with streaks of tears on her face. She cried, ¡°What are you standing there for? Help me serve the dishes!¡±

    Like a leopard cub, Shen Xi rushed inside the house and hugged Shen Zhangqing tightly as she wailed. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was, at first, stunned by her actions. When he finally got a good look at her, he pushed her away sourly. ¡°Who let you back here? Go away!¡±

    Shen Xi refused to let go and cried even louder. ¡°No, I¡¯ll never go away. Don¡¯t ever leave me again.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing clenched his teeth as he tried to shove her away. With red-rimmed eyes, he said, ¡°Let me go, I¡¯m not your father. Go home now and stop fooling around.¡±

    ¡°Dad, the whole family ganged up on me. They hit me!¡± Shen Xi wept pitifully.

    ¡°Where? Show me now!¡± Shen Zhangqing could not hold himself back any longer and grew frantic.

    ¡°Look, Dad. On my arms, legs and my entire body.¡± Shen Xi rolled up her sleeves and pant legs.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He got up and ran into the kitchen.

    Shen Xi¡¯s face was covered in tears and snot. Her vision was blurry and her voice was hoarse. ¡°Dad, where are you going?!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing came out of the kitchen. He had tworge knives in each of his hands and appeared to be in search of a brawl. ¡°I¡¯ll kill Su Yi!¡±

    That *ssh*le dared to bully his daughter!

    He had always pampered Shen Xi and neverid a finger on her!

    Normally, Shen Zhangqing was a mild-mannered man, but whenever there was an issue concerning Shen Xi, he would be agitated. He wanted to confront the Su family and kill Su Yi.

    It took Shen Xi and her mother, Yun Jinping, some time convincing Shen Zhangqing before he put down the knives sulkily.

    His age had taken its toll on him and he was fat. After the whole ordeal, he panted as he sat on the sofa. He swore, ¡°Su Yi is a son of a b*tch!¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in response. ¡°Son of a b*tch.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing muttered, ¡°He¡¯d better not let me see him, or else I¡¯ll kill him.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Kill him!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing added, ¡°He thinks my daughter doesn¡¯t have anyone to defend her, eh? I¡¯ll defend her!¡±

    Shen Xi chorused, ¡°Defend her!¡±

    Yun Jinping watched as father and daughter engaged in a dialogue, where one barked and the other replied as if they were in a?crosstalk<sup>1</sup>. She sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Alright, you two, stop fooling around. If this goes on, the dishes are going to get cold. Help me with the dishes.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing wheezed and his face was tinged bright red. He shuffled towards the kitchen.

    Shen Xi sniffled and tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Dad, you should lose some weight.¡±

    The emotional outburst caused Old Shen to perspire and gasp for air. If he continued to gain weight, he was bound to get sick. Once upon a time, Old Shen was a good-looking and energetic young man.

    However, the years of doing business and drinking with his clients had taken a toll on his health. His weight had increased along with his tolerance for alcohol.

    Yun Jinping nodded as well. ¡°Old Shen, you should listen to Xixi!¡±

    Earlier, she was worried that he would pass out due to his breathing difficulties.

    When he went for a health check-upst time, the doctor told him that his weight had led toplications in his organs.

    Old Shen was stressed out while Xixi was away for the whole year, and his weight rose rapidly. The doctor said that his fatness was a result of stress.

    After the incident, the family finally settled down for dinner.

    Shen Xi was not hungry, for she already had something to eat when she came home. She was eating a slice of cake.

    Yun Jinping looked at her. ¡°How was the neighbor?¡±

    Shen Xi pondered for a moment and bit her fork. ¡°Some weirdo.¡±

    Yun Jinping asked, ¡°How is he like?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°His leg is broken and he sits in a wheelchair. He¡¯s alone and doesn¡¯t speak, kinda tragic.¡±

 Chapter 12

    <h4>Chapter 12: That Girl</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping suggested kindly, ¡°Then perhaps, we ought to help him. Love thy neighbor, as they say. It¡¯s hard to be disabled.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing listened to them and regarded Shen Xi. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s rather sad. Give him a slice of cake, we can¡¯t finish it anyway.¡±

    Surprised, Yun Jinping asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to lose weight, aren¡¯t I? And to think you two wereining about me earlier!¡± Shen Zhangqing sniggered.

    Yun Jinping retorted, ¡°Comining? We¡¯re just concerned about your health. If you keep gaining weight, sooner orter, you¡¯re going to get sick.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded rapidly.

    ¡°Understood, shall I start my weight loss n tomorrow?¡± Shen Zhangqing chuckled.

    Shen Xi smiled as she picked up the cake. ¡°Dad, you must keep your promise. From tomorrow onwards, I¡¯ll monitor your exercise while Mom will prepare special weight loss meals for you. We¡¯ll take care of both your diet and workouts. Once I¡¯m backter, I¡¯ll make you a detailed n.¡±

    Pointing at Shen Xi, Shen Zhangqingughed contentedly and bragged, ¡°Dear, I just realized that Xixi has be closer to me since her return.¡±

    Yun Jinping grabbed his hand as he was about to pinch another slice of cake. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s been a year since youst saw her.¡±

    She also noticed that her daughter had be more affectionate since her return.

    Shen Zhangqing withdrew his hand sheepishly and rubbed his round belly. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit snackish. No, I mustn¡¯t eat!¡±

    Li Yuan was nowhere to be seen when Shen Xi climbed up the wall. She waited for a while in the cold wind before Kun Lun came out. She called him, ¡°Hey handsome!¡±

    Kun Lun looked up and saw something in the young girl¡¯s hands. She was waving at him. He approached her and shushed her. ¡°My boss prefers silence, please be quiet.¡±

    The young girl grinned. Using the rope, she lowered a basket with the cake in it. ¡°Hey, can you pass this to Brother?¡±

    Kun Lun thought, ¡®Which brother? Who¡¯s Brother?¡¯

    ¡°The Brother who sits in the wheelchair. It¡¯s my birthday today and I want to share my birthday cake with him to spread the joy,¡± Shen Xi added.

    Kun Lun cleared his throat. He did not know how to tell her that the boss would certainly not consume the cake. Still, he could not bring himself to reject the girl¡¯s thoughtful gesture. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Thank you, do you want one, too? I¡¯ll grab you a slice.¡±

    Kun Lun replied, ¡°I don¡¯t like desserts, thank you.¡±

    Such a thoughtful little girl!

    He found the boss to be rather tolerant towards the girl and he had even epted her flower!

    Kun Lun had to brace himself in case she ended up on good terms with the boss and became his reliable assistant.

    The man mustered his courage and brought the cake into the house. He knocked on the door to the study and said courteously, ¡°Boss, the girl next door who gave you the flower has offered you a slice of cake. Do you want to try it?¡±

    He pronounced the words ¡°girl¡±, ¡°next door¡± and ¡°flower¡± with great emphasis.

    It was very quiet in the study. All he heard was the flipping sound of documents.

    Kun Lun waited for two minutes but there was no response. The boss¡¯sck of reply was the best answer. He was about to leave with the cake.

    ¡°Bring it in.¡±

    Finally, a masculine yet somewhat raspy voice appeared from the study.

    Kun Lun was taken aback. There was a sh of glee in his eyes. He suppressed his excitement, entered the room and ced the cake on the desk.

    Atst, the boss had shown some reaction to the outside world.

    Ever since he killed his enemy, he had given up on life and there was nothing else in the world for him to carry on living anymore.

    Apart from the girl he was looking for.

    He lived to find her.

    Unfortunately, no matter how thorough their search was, they could not locate that girl.

 Chapter 13

    <h4>Chapter 13: Not Selling Their Daughter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    After Shen Xi came home and had a bath, she called for a family meeting with Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping wondered what their daughter was up to. It had been a long and tiring day, yet she did not retire to bed after her bath. They could have a family meeting at any time!

    Shen Xi pped a bank card on the table and regarded Shen Zhangqing seriously. ¡°Dad, I know you¡¯re currently facing problems in your business. Here¡¯s fifty million, use it!¡±

    Her father stared at her in disbelief and stammered, ¡°Where¡­ Where did you get this money, dear child?¡±

    The girl grinned and stretched out five fingers. ¡°Fifty million in exchange for severing all ties with the Su family. From now on, I have nothing to do with them.¡±

    Tears welled up in Shen Zhangqing¡¯s and Yun Jinping¡¯s eyes. They felt really bad.

    Yun Jinping hugged her. ¡°My dear, are you serious about not going back?¡±

    Shen Xi snuggled in her arms and nodded. ¡°Nope, they treated me like an outsider. You¡¯re my real parents.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was at a loss for words. Tears trickled down his cheeks. ¡°Xixi, we can¡¯t ept this money. Return it.¡±

    What for? It was not like they were selling their daughter. They had no reason not to ept money from the Su family.

    ¡°Dad, they owe me this sum. It¡¯s my child support fee. Why should I return it? I have every right to spend it.¡± Shen Xi thought that the amount she asked for was too low.

    She should have demanded a hundred million.

    Shen Zhangqing was desperate now. His boss had fled with the money, while the banks refused to approve his loans. Every day, debt collectors hounded him.

    He could at least dy paying the building material suppliers whom he worked with, but he could not avoid paying his employees. The new year was around the corner, and he must pay them, no matter the cost.

    Still, regardless of how tough his situation was, he could not spend his daughter¡¯s money, which she had demanded from the Su family.

    ¡°Dad, am I an outsider to you too?¡± Shen Xi bit her lip. She was upset and almost in tears. ¡°If you don¡¯t ept the money, that means you regard me as an outsider.¡±

    Naturally, Shen Zhangqing did not want to see her cry. He sighed and pacified her, ¡°I understand.¡±

    Sigh, he was the useless one. In the end, he had to rely on his daughter to help him with his financial troubles.

    Shen Xi was worried that he would regret his decision, so she hastily pressed the card into his hands. ¡°Dad, here are my funds to you. You must make lots of profits, and buy me and Madam Yun bags, shoes, cosmetics, and pretty dresses!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing listened to his daughter¡¯s encouragement and felt his confidence soar. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, daughter. I¡¯ll make a lot of money, so you and Mom can buy whatever you wish.¡±

    What hecked now was funding. With such a huge sum of money, he could solve everything. He had years of experience in business and was aware of his capabilities.

    ¡°Dad, let me rify something. Actually, there¡¯s only forty million here. I have invested ten million into my brother, Yuan Yu¡¯spany. Of course, I¡¯m thepany¡¯s legal investor. He does the work while I supply the funds,¡± Shen Xi exined the details.

    ¡°It¡¯s your money, and you can do whatever you want with it.¡± Shen Zhangqing smiled. His daughter was all grown up now and had her own ideas.

    It was not bad. She had his business mindset.

    Her elder half-brother was an overseas graduate and a top student. Thepany would surely be established.

    Yun Jinping hardly understood what they were talking about. She merely had a sudden feeling that her daughter had matured, and this unsettled her.

    She wondered how much her daughter had suffered at the hands of the Su family, to the point that she had changed.

 Chapter 14

    <h4>Chapter 14: World-Famous</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Old Shen, do you have the confidence?¡± Shen Xi offered her father a fist bump.

    Shen Zhangqing bumped her fist and said, ¡°You must trust your father, do you understand? Apart from being fat, your dad is fine, and his brain still functions normally!¡±

    Shen Xi happily returned to her room to prepare her proposal.

    Shen Zhangqing watched as his daughter hummed a tune and skipped joyfully into her room. Then, he embraced Yun Jinping with red-rimmed eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. I won¡¯t let you and Xixi down.¡±

    Yun Jinping nodded and replied with a hoarse voice, ¡°How much pain has our Xixi endured at the Su family?¡±

    Shen Zhangqingforted her, ¡°She¡¯s grown up and can¡¯t remain a child forever. She has matured, and we should be happy about it.¡±

    Their daughter used to be a bit stubborn and feisty, yet innocent. She had be more reliable after living with the Su family.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to be so mature.¡± Yun Jinping grieved.

    Of course, she knew that it was a good thing that her daughter had matured.

    Nheless, her daughter had to go through so much misery before attaining her maturity!

    Halfway through her draft, Shen Xi¡¯s received a notification on?QQ<sup>1</sup>. Her website¡¯s editor sent her a message and informed her that someone wanted to buy the rights to her novel. She was asked whether she was willing to sell it.

    Every girl had a dream of bing a princess. She would dream of her Prince Charming, who would visit her on his white steed and marry her.

    Back when she was still a na?ve little girl, she loved to daydream.

    When she was in middle school, she would serialize novels on the web.

    At first, she wrote about princes and princesses.

    When her writing skills improved, she published a few novels about high school romances.

    It sounded embarrassing. Until today, her wiki profile still stated that she was a well-known writer of highschool love stories.

    Later, as print media gradually became obsolete, she got busier than usual.

    The publication requirements were strict and she did not have the time to edit her stories every day. She was not in urgent need of the money either, so she changed her pseudonym and wrote romance stories on the web.

    It was her first work after switching to writing web novels and a cross between the genres of political fiction, historical fiction and fantasy. The female lead, who survived a genocide, came back with a vengeance. The series was known as ¡°The Favored Advisor of the Golden Age¡±.

    Later, it got published and the rights to the novel were sold. It was adapted as a web series known as ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. However, the story was heavily butchered and the show was widely regarded as a flop.

    Muchter, Shen Xi¡¯s legs and hands were crippled and her face got disfigured. After her dream of bing a celebrity was smashed to smithereens, she began to delve into her own world. Words were the only things that could calm her troubled soul.

    When her personality changed and became more inspired, she started writing science fiction. She published around 20 science fiction novels.

    The ideas and scope surrounding science fiction novels were massive and not easy to adapt for the big screen. Hence, when she was still alive, her books became bestsellers and umted arge fanbase. The rights to her novels were expensive, but there were no film adaptations.

    Throughout her writing career, her editor, publisher and fans only knew of her pseudonym. She kept her real identity a secret.

    This information was ssified.?Yet, after her death, all of her achievements were falsely imed by Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan appropriated her pseudonym and won the Hugo Award using Shen Xi¡¯s novels, thus bing China¡¯s number one science-fiction novelist.

    Her old pseudonym was brought up as well.

    The media and fans went into a frenzy as they worshipped the talented Su Ruowan.

    Eventually, ¡°The Favored Advisor of the Golden Age¡± was adapted as a film and it was a tremendous sess. Her other science fiction novels were not neglected either, as, one-by-one, films were made for each of them. They became blockbusters and were world-famous.

 Chapter 15

    <h4>Chapter 15: Famous Screenwriter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    [Sweet Sugar: Hey dear, do consider the offer. The royalty fee is one million, and it¡¯s a lot to you.

    Cloud Seven: My big brother has started an entertainmentpany and is looking for screenwriters. Why don¡¯t you consider switching jobs?

    Sweet Sugar: ConfusedNickYoungMeme.jpg

    Cloud Seven: The pay¡¯s double.

    Sweet Sugar: It¡¯s all happening too quickly, slow down.

    Cloud Seven: Guaranteed profits. Food and amodation provided too.]

    When she became disabled and focused on writing novels, Shen Xi shut herself in her room every day. She spent her time watching movies, TV shows and variety shows, and keeping up with thetest entertainment gossip.

    Her former editor, Sweet Sugar was the bigshot screenwriter, Yu An, who became famouster. Every one of her works was an instant sess.

    [Sweet Sugar: Hang on, are you still going to sell your rights?

    Cloud Seven: Nope, I¡¯ll adapt it on my own.

    Sweet Sugar: Is it true that the pay¡¯s double, and food and amodation are provided?

    Cloud Seven: Yep.

    Sweet Sugar: Send me the address and I¡¯ll pack up immediately.]

    Sweet Sugar was in the city and needed time to settle her resignation and handover matters. She told Shen Xi that she would take the train on Sunday.

    As the boss, Shen Xi said that she would pay for her flight and pick her up at the airport.

    Sweet Sugar was extremely grateful.

    [Sweet Sugar: Thank you, boss! I promise to work my butt off and I won¡¯t disappoint you!

    Cloud Seven: All the best!]

    Shen Xi snapped her fingers happily. Mission aplished. The renowned screenwriter of the future was now her employee!

    The next morning.

    Yun Jinping woke Shen Xi up.

    ¡°Xixi, slow down, don¡¯t rush, let your dad drive you to school.¡± Yun Jinping cried when she saw how frantic Shen Xi behaved.

    Shen Xi grabbed the food on the table and ced them on a te. She got a bowl of congee as well, then ran out of the house.

    ¡°Wait, your bag, you haven¡¯t taken your bag!¡± Shen Zhangqing ran after her with a school bag.

    Shen Xi answered as she ran, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, the food¡¯s for the neighbor. Didn¡¯t you say that we should care for him?¡±

    Yun Jinping eyed the te filled with food. The bowl containing the congee was also thergest bowl they had. She nced at Shen Zhangqing, ¡°Is the neighbor a fatso?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing assumed she was making a jab at him and muttered with an innocent expression, ¡°I¡¯m on a diet, I¡¯m not eating!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s basket and rope were already at the foot of the wall. She held the breakfast in her arms and climbed up the wall.

    The man was sitting at the entrance quietly and was far away from her. Still, she could sense the cool aura from him.

    ¡°Brother, my mom told me to offer you breakfast.¡± Shen Xi waved an arm at him rapidly and lowered the basket. ¡°My mom¡¯s steamed dumplings and pan-fried buns are delicious. The congee with pork and century egg is tasty, too.¡±

    Li Yuan looked up. With his narrow and distant gaze, he made out a clear view of her.

    The girl had just woken up. Her long hair was still messy and there was a hint of sleepiness on her expression, making her seem charming and cute.

    When she smiled, her eyes arched into curves. Her smile was warmer and brighter than the first rays of sunlight that pierced through the clouds.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m almostte for school. I¡¯ve got to go now, don¡¯t forget to eat!¡± Shen Xi finished speaking and scrambled down thedder.

    Li Yuan turned to face the empty wall. He stared at it for quite some time before looking away.

    There was a small, bamboo basket at the corner of the wall.

    It was very quiet in the morning.

    He overheard clearly the conversation between the girl next door and her parents, who were fussing about her.

 Chapter 16

    <h4>Chapter 16: International ss R</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was busyst night and woke upte, as a result. She had breakfast in the car.

    Capital No. 4 High School was a renowned school for the elite. Anyone who got admitted was a child of the wealthy, and along with their financial status, their academic achievements were the top in China.

    Due to her rtionship with the Su family, Shen Xi was admitted to the school.

    She was in her senior year and would sit for the?Gaokao<sup>1</sup>?in June of the following year. She had no ns of transferring to another school.

    After all, Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were here, and she wanted to have some fun with them!

    Shen Xi was no genius, yet she wanted to pursue film studies and be a celebrity. She spent most of her time in the arts and theatre, thus her results were poor.

    On the other hand, Su Mushi and Su Ruowan, who were also in their senior years, belonged to the top ss in Capital No. 4 High School. They often secured the first two ces in their grade.

    Su Mushi was the first in his grade whereas Su Ruowan was second.

    The?international ss<sup>1</sup>?that Shen Xi was in wasposed of students with very bad results. This ss was known as ss R, where R stood for ¡°rubbish¡±.

    The students here were supposed to study abroad after graduation, just so it would make their academic qualifications look better. Their families had already chosen universities for them. The well-known universities overseas did not bother much about their results.

    Shen Xi sat in thest row at the back of the ss. Her deskmate was Pei Xu, who was absent from ss for most of the year. He was the boss of ss R and the school gangster.

    In the morning, the students in ss R either slept or yed games. Nobody picked on her and they behaved as if she were invisible.

    At noon, Shen Xi headed to the canteen alone for lunch.

    The canteen on the first floor of Capital No. 4 High School was the regr canteen.

    A private restaurant was located on the floor above, and the floor above that was made up of high-ss restaurants, Michelin-grade restaurants and other outlets that served French and Japanese cuisine.

    There were a lot of people in the first-floor canteen and it was packed.

    After all, a majority of the students at the school came from middle-ss families. They would not frequent the restaurants daily as they had limited funds.

    Shen Xi ordered rice with servings of meat and vegetables. Then, she walked towards a nearby young man and sat opposite him.

    Four unupied tables stood within two meters of the young man and not a soul was in sight.

    He was akin to an uninhabited ind in the middle of a sea of people.

    When the young man noticed her, a look of surprise shed across his face. Next, he nodded and smiled at her.

    Shen Xi nodded in return.

    They did not interact any further and ate in silence.

    Not only did Shen Xi possess a distant and elegant aura, but she also had a beautiful face. Her gestures gave off an ethereal charm.

    The young man was tender, approachable and handsome. He moved gracefully as he ate.

    To others, they seemed to be pr opposites of each other. At the same time, they strangelyplemented one another.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Yu Yuanxi? Somebody¡¯s eating with him, must have a death wish.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna save that chick!¡±

    ¡°What chick, are you blind?! Isn¡¯t that girl a distant rtive of Su Mushi?¡±

    ¡°What the f*ck?! She¡¯s eating with Yu Yuanxi! Isn¡¯t she afraid that Alpha Xu will skin her alive?¡±

    Everybody in the school knew Yu Yuanxi. He was admitted under special circumstances, had good results, and was attractive. Unfortunately, he offended Grade A student Su Mushi and school gangster Pei Xu at the same time.

    Alpha Xu had dered that whoever interacted with Yu Yuanxi was his enemy.

    As a result, no one dared to speak to Yu Yuanxi, let alone befriend him. Nobody wanted to dig their own grave!

    Shen Xi sat opposite the young man and observed the pickled mustard greens and rice on his te.

    Yu Yuanxi came from a poor family. He managed to get himself enrolled in Capital No. 4 High School with his excellent results and a schrship.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this Shen Xi?¡±

    An arrogant female voice appeared behind her.

 Chapter 17

    <h4>Chapter 17: Those Horrible Bullies</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi did not turn around, but she recognized that voice.

    It was Su Ruowan¡¯s best friend, the queen b*tch of Capital No. 4 High School, Liu Yan.

    Noticing Shen Xi¡¯s silence, Liu Yan sneered, ¡°Little c*nt, Wanwan broke her leg because of you. To think you have the audacity to eat here, let me see how thick-skinned you are.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, so shameless of you. I can¡¯t believe the Su family would adopt a b*stard like her.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, poor Goddess Wanwan, she got bullied by this worthless scum.¡±

    ¡°Rough her up, Sister Yan!¡±

    Liu Yan¡¯s girlfriends surrounded Shen Xi and jeered.

    Shen Xi continued eating calmly. A cold, unapproachable aura emanated from her. She was proud and refined.

    This annoyed Liu Yan, who poured her drink into Shen Xi¡¯s lunch. ¡°Eat it. I said, eat it!¡±

    A slight frown appeared between Shen Xi¡¯s brows and a threatening expression formed on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m letting you eat!¡± Liu Yan knocked on the table with a vicious re. Then, she pushed Shen Xi¡¯s te of rice away violently.

    Bang!

    The food was spread across the floor.

    Liu Yanughed and pointed at the food on the floor. ¡°Shen Xi, if you don¡¯t eat it off the floor, I won¡¯t let you go!¡±

    The other girlsughed maniacally and goaded her on.

    Other rubbernecking students looked at Shen Xi sympathetically.

    Many of Su Ruowan¡¯s loyal admirers cheered too, when they learned that Su Ruowan¡¯s ident was rted to Shen Xi.

    They watched from the ss wall of the French restaurant on the second floor.

    ¡°Mushi, why don¡¯t you go down and take a look?¡± Yu Qiubai observed the scene with great interest.

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Su Mushi chuckled coldly.

    Assuming Liu Yan did not bother Shen Xi, he would not let her off the hook either. It was she who had caused Wanwan¡¯s ident.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she your younger sister?¡± Yu Qiubai cupped his chin with both hands and raised his eyebrows. He seemed curious.

    ¡°Wanwan is my only younger sister!¡± Su Mushi looked away from Shen Xi with a scowl.

    Her?

    She was not fit to be his sister!

    ¡°Really?¡± Yu Qiubai smiled and pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°But I find that she looks more like your mom.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s brows were instantly locked into a tight frown. ¡°Yu Qiubai, quit yapping!¡±

    Yu Qiubai shrugged, ¡°Just saying. Why are you so angry?¡±

    Su Mushi warned him, ¡°Don¡¯t joke about such things, or else I¡¯ll call our friendship quits.¡±

    Shen Xi looked like Mom? How was that possible?

    He felt repulsed when he saw Shen Xi!

    In the canteen.

    Shen Xi got up and squatted down.

    Liu Yanughed smugly. The little b*tch had to obey her, after all. She ordered, ¡°Lick everything clean, or else.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi, who sat opposite Shen Xi, had his gaze lowered. Slowly, his gaze hardened and he tightened his grip around his chopsticks.

    It was too much!

    Those horrible bullies!

    When he saw Shen Xi standing up and then squatting down, he mustered up his courage and cried, ¡°Don¡¯t eat it!¡±

    Shen Xi took out a pack of wet tissues, opened it, and wiped the food stains on his shoes. Her voice was cool. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi regarded the girl squatting before him in surprise.

    Her fingers were slender and nicely shaped, like white jade that glistened in the sun.

    His shoes were scrubbed clean, but they looked dirty and old as he had worn them for a long time.

    He felt a bit nervous and wanted to withdraw his feet, but he did not want to reject her thoughtfulness.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Liu Yan screamed angrily and directed a kick at her.

 Chapter 18

    <h4>Chapter 18: She¡¯s Your Deskmate</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Liu Yan was aware that the b*stard Shen Xi paid no heed to her and mocked her!

    Instinctively, Yu Yuanxi wanted to protect Shen Xi.

    ¡°Borrowing your lunch.¡± Shen Xi was one step ahead. She got up, took the te in front of him, and pped it across Liu Yan¡¯s face.

    The onlookers did not expect this turn of events.

    In the distance.

    ¡°Beautiful! What a girl! I¡¯m gonna date her!¡± Pei Xu pped and cheered excitedly.

    His cronies eyed him in a confused manner. Did Alpha Xu not recognize her?

    Pei Xu nudged a friend beside him and asked, ¡°Lin Ge, find out which ss she¡¯s from and what¡¯s her name.¡±

    ¡°Alpha Xu, that¡¯s Shen Xi,¡± Lin Ge replied with a dumbfounded expression.

    Pei Xu nced at him impatiently. ¡°Who¡¯s Shen Xi?¡±

    Lin Ge said, ¡°She¡¯s your deskmate.¡±

    ¡°F*ck, whoever dares to bully my girl is dead meat!¡± Pei Xu swore and rushed forward.

    Lin Ge and his friends followed him.

    Among the crowd.

    Shen Xi behaved coolly and her gaze was filled with disdain.

    A flustered Liu Yan yelled, ¡°Go, get her and beat her to death!¡±

    Yu Yuanxi panicked. He stood up and wanted to shield Shen Xi.

    ¡°I shall see who dares to bully my girl!¡± Pei Xu leaped forward boldly and blocked Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi threw him an irritated nce. She thought he was a nuisance.

    Liu Yan¡¯s wrath waned when she realized his presence. She pointed at Shen Xi andined, ¡°Alpha Xu, it¡¯s about time you arrived. She¡¯s the one who bullied Wanwan and caused her to break her leg.¡±

    She knew that she did not have to lift a finger and Shen Xi would be dead this time.

    Everybody knew that Alpha Xu had feelings for Wanwan and was one of her loyal admirers.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Wanwan?¡± Pei Xu slowly raised his eyebrows. He cast a smug look at Liu Yan and wanted to put an arm around Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi kicked his foot and gave him a warning stare.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Xixi, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m going to avenge you!¡± Pei Xu grinned at her.

    The onlooking students were confused. What happened? Since when was Alpha Xu on such good terms with Shen Xi?

    ¡°Alpha Xu!¡± Liu Yan could not believe her eyes and was about to explode.

    Pei Xu scornfully regarded her and pointed at the food on the floor haughtily. ¡°Lick it clean!¡±

    Liu Yan was fuming and clenched her fists tightly. ¡°Pei Xu, don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    Pei Xuughed. Disdain and nonchnce were written all over his face as he drawled, ¡°So? Don¡¯t you understand me?¡±

    Liu Yan saw Lin Ge and the gang¡¯s arrival and red at Shen Xi bitterly. ¡°Pei Xu, are you going to offend Brother Shi because of Shen Xi?¡±

    She was on Brother Shi¡¯s side and Wanwan¡¯s bestie!

    Pei Xu¡¯s intolerance towards her meant that he was disrespecting Brother Shi and Wanwan!

    ¡°So what about Su Mushi? Stop using him to threaten me!¡± Pei Xu¡¯s arrogance and contempt were obvious. He already looked impatient. ¡°Lick it.¡±

    Liu Yan gritted her teeth but dared not go against him. Her gaze was like a knifeced with poison. She could not wait to stab Shen Xi to death.

    The other students trembled in fright. What the hell? What sort of taste did Alpha Xu have? Why did he give up on Goddess Wanwan and set his sights on that vige girl, Shen Xi?

    Pei Xu was the gangster of Capital No. 4 High School and a mini tyrant in the capital city. An obnoxious and conceited fellow, he used his lineage as a backbone to terrorize others and feared no one.

 Chapter 19

    <h4>Chapter 19: Popr Guys</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Mushi was no ordinary guy, either. The son of a wealthy family and a popr neer in showbiz, he was a Grade A student with good looks and was widely regarded as the hottest guy in Capital No. 4 High School.

    Both Pei Xu and Su Mushi were famous in school and equally attractive. Girls liked and supported them.

    ¡°Pei Xu, watch yourself.¡± Su Mushi¡¯s voice resounded from the second floor.

    Shen Xi looked up and saw him standing together with a handsome young man.

    The young man had a pair of narrow yet alluring eyes. His features were perfect and stunning. He was leaning against the railingzily with his hands in his pockets. He was like one of those pretty boys in the pages ofic books.

    The young man nced at her and directed a teasing gaze at her. He was a flirtatious fellow.

    Yu Qiubai was Su Mushi¡¯s best friend and China¡¯s future celebrity. With a face like his, he had amassed arge number of fans, who regarded him as a ¡°walking aphrodisiac¡±.

    When the girls in the canteen realized that the popr guys in school had shown up, their eyes lit up with glee and they screamed excitedly.

    ¡°Su Mushi, I¡¯m busy. When did it be your turn to speak?¡± Pei Xu threw him a nonchnt look.

    ¡°Forgive and forget, Alpha Xu.¡± Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes seemed even more sensual when he smiled. ¡°Forgive her this time, for my sake!¡±

    Pei Xu returned an intimidating gaze. ¡°Yu Qiubai, stay away from me.¡±

    ¡°I heard that you never bully girls.¡± Yu Qiubai maintained his smile. ¡°From the looks of it, they are just rumors.¡±

    ¡°Pei Xu, the only thing you are good at is bullying girls,¡± Su Mushi jeered.

    Pei Xu was a hot-tempered individual and was prone to outbursts when enraged. He red at Liu Yan wickedly and spat, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Liu Yan and her girlfriends fled and ran upstairs, hiding behind Su Mushi and Yu Qiubai.

    Shen Xi eyed Su Mushi momentarily before turning away.

    Su Mushi stared at her back and frowned. A look of suspicion crossed his face.

    When Shen Xi cut ties with the Su family and left, he and his eldest brother were not present. ording to his second elder brother, she had be a different person, but he did not believe him.

    Every day, Shen Xi was like a dog that obeyed and appeased them. She could not have changed much.

    However, he no longer saw the submission in her eyes, but scorn and haughtiness in its ce.

    Hmph, she was just a nasty, wicked person. She had no need to act all high and mighty!

    As she was no longer part of the Su family, he had no need to be merciful towards her. He decided to seize this opportunity to chase her out of Capital No. 4 High School before Wanwan returned, lest thetter be angry at the sight of Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi did not leave but headed to the canteen¡¯s counter.

    A thick-skinned Pei Xu followed her.

    ¡°This, this, this and this, all of them.¡± Pei Xu ordered a bunch of dishes and smiled. ¡°Lil Xixi, have some more food. You¡¯re too skinny.¡±

    The lunchdy cast an awkward stare at Shen Xi. She was not sure whether she should get the food or not. ¡°Student.¡±

    Shen Xi was a calm person and her voice sounded unfriendly. ¡°Auntie, a serving of mushrooms and veggies and a serving of braised ribs, thank you.¡±

    Pei Xu wanted to say something else.

    Shen Xi red at him coldly.

    Pei Xu disyed a cating grin. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    So cold!

    Yet, he liked it. Lil Xixi still looked so good when she red.

    She was his dream girl!

    Shen Xi took the te of food and ced it in front of Yu Yuanxi. Her voice was as cool as ever. ¡°To repay you.¡±

 Chapter 20

    <h4>Chapter 20: I Have Someone I Like</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi was stunned. Then, he disyed a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need, actually.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Throw it away if you don¡¯t want it.¡±

    After that, she turned around and left.

    ¡°Lil Xixi, wait for me,¡± Pei Xu cried and went after her.

    Yu Yuanxi eyed the girl¡¯s back and the food on his table. His lips curved into a smile.

    She was the first person in school to speak to him and eat with him, despite what others said.

    The students in the international ss were in a state of shock.

    Alpha Xu pursued Shen Xi and wanted her to be his girlfriend.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi ignored his advances. Although Alpha Xu tried to date her, she was not interested.

    ¡°Lil Xixi, be my girlfriend, please. I promise that you¡¯re the only one I love and I¡¯ll treat you well.¡± Pei Xu cupped his chin and regarded her.

    Why was Lil Xixi so beautiful? She was a real goddess.

    Lil Xixi was so charming when she did her schoolwork diligently.

    Lil Xixi was so heartless when she ignored him, and he liked it!

    ¡°No,¡± Shen Xi declined harshly.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Pei Xu whined.

    ¡°I have someone I like.¡± Shen Xi busied herself with her schoolwork.

    ¡°Who do you like?¡± Pei Xu refused to believe her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Shen Xi pulled her exercise book, which was being pinned down by his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t tell me, because it¡¯s an excuse to reject me. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t give up on you.¡± Pei Xu rubbed his chin vainly.

    He was proud of his appearance. No one else in China was better-looking than him!

    Still, why was Lil Xixi disinterested in him?

    Lil Xixi must feel that everything was happening too quickly for her. He must take his time and capture her heart slowly!

    ¡­

    Shen Xi never knew that guys could be so clingy. Pei Xu irritated her to the point that she turned to him and warned, ¡°Stop following me!¡±

    Pei Xu said, ¡°But, Lil Xixi, I¡¯m worried when you go home alone. You¡¯re so cute. What if you bump into a human trafficker?¡±

    With a smirk, Shen Xi made a cutthroat gesture and stared at him threateningly.

    ¡°You¡¯re so violent, Lil Xixi.¡± Pei Xu shuddered and chuckled. ¡°How could I let you do these sorts of things? Let me handle it!¡±

    Lil Xixi looked so sweet and adorable when she was fierce. He loved her to bits!

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Shen Xi spat.

    Being the dramatic actor he was, Pei Xu pressed a palm to his chest and disyed a hurt expression. ¡°In that case, be careful on your way home, Lil Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi ignored him and read as she waited at the bus stop.

    Pei Xu stuck by her side like a little puppy.

    Shen Xi groaned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±

    Pei Xu answered, ¡°I¡¯ll leave after you board the bus.¡±

    Shen Xi furrowed her brows. ¡°No need.¡±

    Pei Xu handed his phone to her. ¡°Lil Xixi, add me on WeChat[1]. Text me when you¡¯re back home.¡±

    Shen Xi muttered, ¡°No.¡±

    Pei Xu looked like he was about to cry. ¡°Why are you so heartless, Lil Xixi? We¡¯re deskmates who depend upon each other!¡±

    Shen Xi snorted dismissively. The bus arrived. She boarded it and swiped her card.

    Pei Xu ran after the bus and waved at her as if they would never see one another again.

    Lin Ge refused to admit that the idiotic guy who was chasing after the bus was their boss. When Pei Xu stopped running, Lin Ge asked him, ¡°Alpha Xu, are you genuinely interested in that girl?¡±

    Pei Xu observed the bus that had just left with fascination and kicked Lin Ge in the butt. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    ¡°But haven¡¯t you been pursuing Su Ruowan?¡± Lin Ge whined softly.

    Pei Xu asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Su Ruowan¡¯s least favorite person?¡±

    Lin Ge replied, ¡°Shen Xi, of course. Goddess Wanwan will participate in the national dancepetition soon, and Shen Xi broke her leg. If I were Goddess Wanwan, I would kill her!¡±

    ¡°Do you mean to say that once I sessfully date Shen Xi and make her fall irrevocably in love with me, then dump her and make her live a life worse than death, Wanwan will be overjoyed?¡± Pei Xu¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile.

    Shen Xi was a special girl who managed to pique his interest!

    [1] WeChat is a popr messaging app in China.

 Chapter 21

    <h4>Chapter 21: Harmonious And Heartwarming</h4>

    Pei Xu wanted to see how long Shen Xi could ignore him. Was she trying to y hard-to-get or not?!

    Lin Ge gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Genius, Alpha Xu, your n is genius, I bow to you!¡±

    Pei Xu directed another kick at him. ¡°I know that I¡¯m a genius, you don¡¯t have to say that again!¡±

    Lin Ge evaded his kick. He thought for a while and realized something else. ¡°But, Alpha Xu, once you start dating Shen Xi, you¡¯re ¡®tainted¡¯. Will Goddess Wanwan ept you again?¡±

    Pei Xu boomed, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Lin Ge rubbed his head. He was certain that he did not say anything wrong!

    Moreover, because of Shen Xi, Alpha Xu had offended Goddess Wanwan¡¯s third elder brother, Su Mushi! How would she ept him once more?

    ¡­

    As soon as Shen Xi got home, she ced her bag aside, took two sticks of ice-cream and climbed up the wall.

    Yun Jinping looked at her daughter and reminded her tenderly, ¡°Be careful when you climb up thedder. Don¡¯t fall down.¡±

    Indeed, Xixi was caring towards their neighbor.

    Shen Xi acknowledged her mother¡¯s reminder and climbed up the wall swiftly. She was disappointed when the man was nowhere to be seen.

    When she looked down, she noticed that the breakfast in the basket was untouched. She bit her lip and felt upset.

    A distracted Shen Xi ate her ice-cream.

    A stretched Rolls-Royce cruised towards the house and stopped at the entrance. Someone pushed the man in the wheelchair out of the car.

    Li Yuan had already noticed the girl by the wall when his car turned into the street. She was still in her school uniform and waiting for him.

    Kun Lun pushed the man into the house and overheard someone calling ¡°Brother¡±. He lifted his head and saw the young girl over there.

    In the sunset, the rays of light bathed the girl¡¯s soft and ruddy face with a warm glow, making her seem unusually adorable.

    Shen Xi waved at them and held up the ice-cream in her hands. She smiled cheerily. ¡°Brother, we just bought this ice-cream. Do you want it?¡±

    Kun Lun stepped away.

    Li Yuan rolled his wheelchair towards the wall.

    Shen Xi jolted the rope attached to the basket and pointed at the food in it. She whispered, ¡°Brother, the food isn¡¯t edible anymore. Could you throw it away? My mother always tells me to value food. It¡¯ll break her heart if she sees this.¡±

    Li Yuan could see the dejection in the girl¡¯s eyes, so he nodded.

    Shen Xi grinned and said gently, ¡°Brother, what do you like to eat? Tell me, my mother knows all sorts of recipes.¡±

    Li Yuan opened his thin lips and uttered a reply in his emotionless yet husky voice, ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Tears of joy rolled down Shen Xi¡¯s cheeks. The man had started to speak. It had not been an easy feat. She held up the ice-cream. ¡°Well, do you eat ice-cream then? It¡¯s strawberry-vored, and it¡¯s good.¡±

    Li Yuan shook his head.

    Kun Lun, who was standing afar, watched the scene that unfolded before him in disbelief.

    The girl next door had propped herself at the top of the wall and was babbling away like a noisy sparrow. She did not care whether the boss listened to her.

    There was a book on the boss¡¯p. His long, slender fingers would flip the pages momentarily. A slight crease was present between his eyebrows and it seemed as if he was concentrating on his book.

    Both of them were engrossed in their own world. The speaker did not care whether someone was listening, whereas the listener did not seem to be paying attention.

    It was evident that they were not interacting with one another but submerged in their own universe. Yet, there was something harmonious and heartwarming about this very sight.

 Chapter 22

    <h4>Chapter 22: Taken An Interest</h4>

    ¡°Brother, we have someone by the name of Yu Yuanxi at school. Nobody talks to him and everyone hates him. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°When he first came to school, he got the best results in his grade. Later, someone reported that he was cheating, but the school authorities took pity on him and didn¡¯t expel him.

    Grade A student Su Mushi, who got ¡®dethroned¡¯, hated him. Su Mushi also has a lot of die-hard fans and they ganged up on Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Furthermore, when he arrived at school, he decided to help a student who was bullied by the school gangster.

    ¡°Turns out that the student owed the school gangster a million bucks, and thetter wanted his money back. Yu Yuanxi had offended the school gangster, who dered that whoever dared to befriend Yu Yuanxi would be his enemy.

    ¡°The school gangster also has many die-hard fans. As a result, Yu Yuanxi ended up as a nobody in our school, getting shunned by other students. Sounds pitiful, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Brother, I saw him at the canteen today. He¡¯s really poor. During lunch, he ordered a te of rice and ate it with some pickled mustard greens that are usually sold outside for one yuan a pack.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Brother, I want to help him and treat him to a meal, but I¡¯m worried that he will refuse due to pride. Tell me, what should I do?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Brother, did you know that my deskmate is an idiot? He keeps yapping away by my side and follows me around like a fly. I can¡¯t get rid of him.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Brother, somebody bullied me today. She poured her drink into my te of rice and forced me to eat it.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Do I look like a wimp? I lifted a te of rice and pped it across her face. You should have seen how funny she looked. She was about to explode!¡±

    ¡­

    Shen Xi was overjoyed when the big boss finally responded to her verbally, so she became excited when she talked.

    Time passed by quickly. Soon, the sky darkened.

    ¡°Xixi, time for dinner,¡± Yun Jinping called her.

    A reluctant Shen Xi waved at him. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll be off now. I need to finish my homework after dinner and I won¡¯t be able to chat with you again. Enjoy your dinner, bye.¡±

    The man seemed distant. He kept reading his book.

    However, she knew that he was listening to her.

    Li Yuan closed his book, swiveled his wheelchair around, and was prepared to leave.

    After the girl was gone, Kun Lun strode towards the wall to pick up the breakfast in the basket. He spoke to Li Yuan in a courteous manner, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll throw this away.¡±

    Li Yuan returned a sideways nce and answered in a low voice, ¡°Take it inside.¡±

    Kun Lun was surprised. ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Heat it up and bring it to my room.¡± Li Yuan interrupted him.

    Kun Lun felt confused.

    The food had been ced outside for the whole day. Was he sure that he would not get sick from eating it?

    ¡®Wait a minute, boss. What about your obsession with cleanliness? Haven¡¯t you always avoided eating food from outside?¡¯

    Kun Lun¡¯s jaw dropped.

    Li Yuan had a small bowl of congee and two steamed buns. He wiped his mouth gracefully before ordering, ¡°Take it away!¡±

    Kun Lun walked towards him, took the remaining food and stepped out.

    Li Yuan thought of the girl¡¯s disappointed expression and added, ¡°Finish the rest of the food, don¡¯t waste it.¡±

    Kun Lun lost his bnce and nearly knocked his head on the door frame. He replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Li Yuan called him again, ¡°find out who bullied her.¡±

    A stunned Kun Lun answered, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Gosh, the boss had taken an interest in the girl next door!

 Chapter 23

    <h4>Chapter 23: Repulsive</h4>

    Shen Xi¡¯s fight with the bully shot her to fame.

    The school gangster, Pei Xu publicly dered that he would pursue her. As a former nobody in Capital No. 4 High School, she had now be Public Enemy No. 1 among the girls!

    When she arrived at school in the morning, she saw that both she and Pei Xu¡¯s desks and the desks around them had been joined together. Twenty or thirty types of breakfast dishes wereid out on the desks, Chinese and Western cuisine included.

    Lin Ge approached her with a smile. ¡°Sister Xi, Alpha Xu prepared this for you. Enjoy.¡±

    Shen Xi replied coldly, ¡°Remove them.¡±

    Lin Ge chuckled slyly. ¡°Sister Xi, give some face, will ya? This is all Alpha Xu¡¯s effort.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your sister.¡± Seeing as Lin Ge would not budge, Shen Xi walked towards her desk and cleaned it up. She tossed her bag on the desk and said, ¡°Tell Pei Xu not to do such unnecessary things again.¡±

    Lin Ge¡¯s face darkened.

    This ungrateful brat did not know what was good for her! Did she have to behave rudely in the face of kindness?

    He wanted to see whether she would still be her usual arrogant self once Alpha Xu had seeded in pursuing her.

    When the time came, she might kneel before Alpha Xu and beg for his forgiveness.

    The students in the international ss cast judgemental stares at Shen Xi.

    The boys were charmed by Shen Xi¡¯s appearance. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she was a great beauty with that pretty face of hers. Alpha Xu was not the only one who wanted to win her heart.

    On the other hand, the girls were jealous of her and constantly mocked her. To them, she was a little tramp who did not give face to Alpha Xu. She was just trying to act sophisticated and ying hard-to-get in order to push Alpha Xu away, when in fact, she was delighted as hell.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    An angry voice appeared at the entrance to the ssroom.

    When the students realized that it was Su Mushi, they eyed Shen Xi cynically, waiting for her to be humiliated.

    Shen Xi had caused Su Ruowan to break her leg, so Su Mushi would not let her off the hook that easily.

    After all, it wasmon knowledge among the students that Su Mushi spoilt his younger sister.

    Shen Xi nced at him nonchntly.

    Su Mushi returned a vicious re. ¡°What did you do to Liu Yan?¡±

    Instead of keeping her eyes on him, Shen Xi took a book and calmly opened it.

    ¡°Because of yesterday¡¯s incident, you forced Liu Yan into expulsion!¡± Su Mushi was fuming with rage and gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you happy now?¡±

    Wanwan and Liu Yan were besties. Liu Yan¡¯s expulsion caused the former to break down in tears, and it pained Su Mushi.

    Shen Xi threw him a mocking nce and spat out two words. ¡°Prove it.¡±

    Liu Yan got expelled?

    Who did that?

    Pei Xu let her go yesterday and would probably not do anything else.

    That meant¡­

    The fleeting image of a lone man in a wheelchair formed in her mind, but she shrugged it off.

    The big boss had better things to do than force someone¡¯s expulsion on behalf of a little girl.

    ¡°You must have made Pei Xu do it!¡± Su Mushi was certain that she was the culprit. ¡°If you¡¯re smart enough, you¡¯d better get Liu Yan back. Don¡¯t make me hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Su Mushi.¡± Shen Xi looked at him with an intimidating smile. ¡°Has anybody ever told you that your agitated expression looks repulsive?¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± A furious Su Mushi mmed his palm on the desk and growled.

    Finally, he understood how his mother had gotten ill because of her.

    Shen Xi was toying with a penknife in her hands, all the while exuding a threatening aura. Suddenly, she brought the penknife down towards his hand.

    For one moment, Su Mushi¡¯s heart stopped beating. He watched as the sharp de shot towards the back of his hand at an rming speed. Yet, he could not move and broke out in a cold sweat.

 Chapter 24

    <h4>Chapter 24: Way Too Forward</h4>

    Everyone in the international ss was taken aback.

    In the past, Shen Xi was invisible to them and a nobody.

    Today, she was proud and dignified, a diamond that shone brightly in the dark.

    Shen Xi was swift in her action. The de passed through the gap between two of Su Mushi¡¯s fingers and bored itself through the surface of the desk. She parted her lips and uttered one word, ¡°Leave!¡±

    The de of the penknife was buried into the desk and only its handle was to be seen.

    The rest of the students were stunned. They were impressed and somewhat horrified at the same time. Amazing!

    Su Mushi regarded the fierce Shen Xi with a chill down his spine. He warned, ¡°Shen Xi, just you wait!¡±

    The students of the international ss came from rich families and not many of them feared Su Mushi. They could not help butugh when they saw how hrious he looked trying to y it cool.

    It was their first time seeing Su Mushi¡¯s agitated expression. Shen Xi was right. He looked repulsive, indeed.

    ¡°What are youughing at?!¡± Su Mushi yelled angrily. He was close to exploding in rage as the whole ss jeered at him, so he left.

    He made a fool of himself, all because of that wicked b*tch Shen Xi.

    He would have his revenge and get her out of Capital No. 4 High School one day.

    Shen Xi¡¯s lips curled into a smile as Su Mushi fled. Slowly, she pulled the penknife out of the desk.

    Ultimately, Su Mushi was just a douche who bullied those weaker than him but feared the ones who were stronger than him.

    ¡°Awesome!¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi¡¯s a badass!¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, I never liked the way Su Mushi behaves. He¡¯s so fake. Nicely done!¡±

    The students in the international ss cheered enthusiastically and gave their thumbs up to Shen Xi. Their eyes were filled with admiration and respect.

    It was perfectly executed, and it felt great!

    The students of the international ss and the top ss had never seen eye to eye. They hated each other.

    Students from the top ss often despised the imbeciles from the international ss. They chided them for being stupid and made fun of their results.

    The students from the international ss were not bothered by this. Instead, they jeered the top ss students for being nerds and robots that studied all day long.

    The girls who disliked Shen Xi after Pei Xu had shown interest in her were now fascinated by her. They had even started to like her.

    Not bad, she was rather remarkable.

    The international ss girls excelled at smoking, drinking, make-up, clubbing, dancing and gaming. However, they sucked academically, and most of the time, they hated superficial people.

    People like Su Ruowan, who seemed kind, attractive and popr on the surface, were the ones they hated the most.

    On the contrary, people like Shen Xi were honest, direct and did not attempt to put up a front. As such, the girls adored her. The people of the international ss should behave this way.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Song Wenye, and I look after the girls in the ss.¡± Song Wenye proffered a hand. ¡°Shen Xi, wee to the international ss.¡±

    Shen Xi stood up and shook her hand out of courtesy. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She would graduate in another semester, so she must use the remaining months to build up her rtionship with her ssmates.

    After all, this society was all aboutworking and ties with people, and people in the international ss were worth building rtionships with.

    ¡°If you face any problems, just look for me.¡± Song Wenye patted her chest as she regarded the pretty girl before her.

    She was charming, no doubt, but a bit on the cold side. An ice queen!

    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Xi was rather forward. ¡°Lil Ye, I want to take part in the dancingpetition at the end of this month.¡±

    ¡°No problem, you can count on me!¡± Song Wenye was surprised, too. She thought, ¡®Dammit, I was just being polite, but you¡¯re way too forward!¡¯

 Chapter 25

    <h4>Chapter 25: The Most Important Thing Was Her Participation</h4>

    Shen Xi¡¯s deskmate, Pei Xu was absent again.

    Song Wenye sat on Pei Xu¡¯s seat, propped herself up on the desk and eyed Shen Xi. She had an obsession with beauty and loved to look at handsome boys and pretty girls. It was simply not enough for her.

    ¡°Focus on your studies.¡± Shen Xi knocked on her desk.

    Song Wenye grinned foolishly. ¡°Lil Xixi, are you taking part in the dancingpetition because of Su Ruowan?¡±

    Shen Xi did not hide her true intention. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Song Wenye was curious. ¡°I heard that you caused her to break her leg and she couldn¡¯t participate in it anymore. Is that true?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°False.¡±

    Song Wenye disyed a knowing expression. ¡°I knew it! It must be fake. She fell down on her own and med it on you. Diabolical!¡±

    Lil Xixi was so beautiful and would never do such a thing. That c*nt Su Ruowan must be jealous of her stunning beauty!

    Shen Xi murmured a response and handed her a list. ¡°I have something else that requires your help.¡±

    Song Wenye had a look at it. It was a list ofpetitions in which Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were involved in. She gulped. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Shen Xi inched closer and whispered into her ear, ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She was screaming internally, ¡°Lil Xixi¡¯s teasing me, teasing me!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Thanks, once it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡±

    Song Wenye felt concerned. ¡°But, Lil Xixi, your results are poorer than mine. You¡¯ll embarrass yourself if you participate in thesepetitions.¡±

    Shen Xi reacted with a smile. There was pride in her icy gaze. ¡°Poor students will not always remain as poor students.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Song Wenye saw the confidence and determination in Shen Xi¡¯s eyes. Thetter seemed to be glowing.

    At this moment, regardless of what others thought, she truly believed that Shen Xi would be able to defeat Su Mushi and Su Ruowan.

    The students of the international ss never imagined that Shen Xi would seed in being epted by the ss so quickly. Yesterday, she was on good terms with Alpha Xu; Today, she was on good terms with Song Wenye.

    As long as these two students epted her, the rest of the ss had to ept her as one of their own. Bullying her was akin to bullying the international ss.

    The Song family was a family of schrs and intellectuals.

    Song Wenye¡¯s grandfather was the current Director of the Ministry of Education. His students were highly aplished in multiple fields and were located in all parts of the world.

    The authorities of Capital No. 4 High School had to give face to Song Wenye due to her rtionship with her grandfather.

    Apart from thepetitions that were already in the semi-finals and finals, they added Shen Xi¡¯s name to the list of participants.

    Everyone in the international ss thought that Shen Xi had gone mad. She should be aware that, with her results, she was no match for the other participants. She ought to be like her ssmates, instead of taking part in thosepetitions and ending up embarrassing herself!

    Still, it was her choice. Even if she got thest ce or got eliminated in the first round, Shen Xi was still a member of the international ss. Friendship came first, and the most important thing was that she participated in thosepetitions.

    Shen Xi signed up for ten events, including the English debate, Mathematical Olympiad andpetitions rted to physics, chemistry, biology,puters, dance, piano, and violin and cello.

    Students wouldpete with their peers from other high schools in the country in the academicpetitions, whereas the performing artspetitions were held at the national level.

    The events spanned a long time, too. They took ce from now until April next year, with an average of two events per month.

    Shen Xi had nned her schedule. She would take part in thosepetitions openly and triumph over Su Ruowan and Su Mushi. The very idea of it excited her.

 Chapter 26

    <h4>Chapter 26: Seizing The Opportunity</h4>

    Yuan Yu was efficient. In less than a week, he had taken care of the paperwork required to set up a newpany. The only thing holding him back was his opinion of thepany name.

    ¡°Xixi, why don¡¯t we discuss thepany name again?¡± Yuan Yu thought the name sounded frivolous.

    ¡°Does ¡®Cosmos Entertainment Corporation¡¯ sound wrong to you?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    ¡°It sounds so frivolous, doesn¡¯t befit a man of my intelligence and maturity.¡± Yuan Yu regarded his younger sister whose face was devoid of a smile.

    When the girl first met him, she was rather cheerful.

    Recently, she had not smiled at him. He even felt stressed when she behaved sternly towards him.

    ¡°It¡¯s appropriate.¡± Shen Xi threw him a sideways look. Her gaze seemed to tell him that he was the frivolous one.

    ¡°Ok, you¡¯re the shareholder and the investor, so you have the final say.¡± Yuan Yu gave in and scanned through her proposal.

    Her proposal was split into several sections, such as films, TV shows, variety shows, artistes, singers, screenwriting, directing, livestreams and short videos.

    The lists that she prepared were categorized clearly. They included actors, singers, performing idols, screenwriters, directors, make-up artists and stylists. The information wasprehensive.

    Some of these people were neers to show business; Some of them were still in high school, and some of them had been in the industry for a while but never made a name for themselves.

    Yuan Yu could get these people on board. He would not question her choices, for those were her secrets.

    He would listen to her if she told him, and he would not force her if she did not want to. He decided to trust her the moment he worked with her.

    ¡°Chairman Shen, I think livestreaming is too risky and we don¡¯t have enough funds to invest in it now.¡± Yuan Yu looked at her. ¡°We¡¯d better think this through!¡±

    ¡°Brother, are you sure you don¡¯t have the funds?¡± Shen Xi eyed him intriguingly.

    ¡°We have only just begun. The stakes are too high and we can¡¯t afford it.¡± Yuan Yu believed it was better to take it a step at a time.

    ¡°Brother, I never knew you were so timid. There¡¯s a bnce between risk and revenue. You have a double degree in finance and economic management, and you¡¯re afraid of this?¡± Shen Xi was aware of his vastwork.

    Back in the day, the Yuan family was somewhat influential. Yuan Yu¡¯s mother, Yuan Xiangwan was the only daughter of the family. After she passed away, he should be the rightful heir to her property.

    Unfortunately, Su Yi and Li Jingran did something to the will and seized the Yuan family¡¯s property.

    The elders of the Yuan family were sworn brothers of Elder Yuan and loyal to him. They grew a spine and left the Yuan family.

    Those old men would not abandon Yuan Yu, who was the only descendant and heir to the family.

    ¡°Shen Xi, as a hands-off boss, do you know the cost of managing ourpany¡¯s business?¡± Yuan Yu never treated her like a child.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the funds, Big Brother.¡± Shen Xiughed. ¡°I promise that ourpany will operate normally in less than half a year.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re extremely confident for a hands-off boss.¡± Yuan Yu felt equally annoyed and amused.

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Says who? I¡¯m the screenwriter of films and TV shows, and I¡¯m the producer of variety shows. Also, I have to write songs, train the artistes and recruit staff members and other artistes for you.¡±

    Yuan Yu wanted to ask her what kind of strange creature she was, but he held his tongue. ¡°What about the short videos?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at the proposal. ¡°We should create a tform for livestreaming and short videos. We should create the biggest and most popr app in the country.

    Once the tform is established, we shall get a few renowned hosts and vloggers to sign deals with us.¡±

    She was reborn ten years into the past, at a time when livestreams were not as popr and when short videos had just begun to surface. There was no proper tform to support these two activities yet, so this was her opportunity and she must seize it.

 Chapter 27

    <h4>Chapter 27: You¡¯re A Wise One, Little Sis</h4>

    ¡°App development isn¡¯t as easy as you think.¡±

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sure you have a lot of ssmates overseas, and you know lots of people in Silicon Valley. Make them an offer they can¡¯t resist. Livestreams will blow up within these next two years, and prepare yourself for short videos. Soon, they will be very popr.¡±

    ¡°You sure know a lot.¡±

    Yuan Yu chuckled and let out a sigh. She knew all about his background.

    Shen Xi pointed at her head. ¡°Big Brother, I offer the ideas and you offer technical support. These ideas are priceless and no amount of money can buy them.¡±

    Yuan Yu nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get this done as soon as possible.¡±

    Shen Xi finally smiled. Her smile was like the sun¡¯s rays in spring and had melted her icy demeanor. She patted her chest. ¡°Trust me, Brother. We¡¯ll make tons of profits. Till then, ourpany will be a proper value chain.

    ¡°In half a year, at most, my script will be adapted into a TV series, and ourpany will propel the first batch of celebrities to fame. When the app is developed, we¡¯ll get our famous celebs to be brand ambassadors of our own products. Easy peasy.¡±

    Yuan Yu regarded her. ¡°I hope so.¡±

    Shen Xi offered him a fist bump. She smiled with confidence. ¡°Always has been.¡±

    Yuan Yu bumped her fist. ¡°Little Sis, what other secrets do you have?¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Guess?¡±

    Yuan Yu replied, ¡°I trust you.¡±

    He always felt that his judgment and wisdom were better than most people.

    However, his younger sister kept surprising him and exceeded him.

    Shen Xi had a hearty lunch at her ownpany. As sheid on the sofa, she wondered whether she had missed out on any unknown artistes with great potential whom she could recruit.

    ¡°Chairman Shen, can Ie in?¡± Yuan Yu knocked on the door.

    Shen Xi narrowed her eyes and watched as her brother strode in. ¡°Shoot, Chairman Yuan.¡±

    Yuan Yu patted her leg, gesturing at her to make some space. He sat beside her and said, ¡°Director An phoned just now. He likes your script very much and hopes to meet up for a discussion.¡±

    Two days ago, she gave him a TV script of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, adapted from her novel ¡°The Favored Advisor of the Golden Age¡±.

    He read it and found the story to be excellent. As long as they filmed the series ording to the script, cast suitable actors and marketed the show in the right manner, it would surely be a hit.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Xi answeredzily.

    She was confident about her story, her script and her writing skills.

    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you tomorrow!¡± Yuan Yu said.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re a busy man, Chairman Yuan, and I don¡¯t want to bother you. Aren¡¯t we going to pick up Sweet Sugar afterwards? I¡¯ll let her apany me.¡±

    Yuan Yu asked, ¡°Why the rush? The shooting can wait until ourpany is in a more stable condition. We¡¯ll get better resources then.¡±

    Shen Xiughed. ¡°You have put up with it for 20 years and have the patience of a saint, Big Brother. Unlike you, however, I don¡¯t want to be a saint.¡±

    Yuan Yu waspletely speechless.

    He should not have asked that question. Sometimes, this kid could kill with words.

    ¡°Big Brother, hand the script to Su Mushi and get him to be the male lead,¡± Shen Xi said nonchntly.

    ¡°The third young master of the Su family won¡¯t be interested in this low-budget web series.¡± A hint of mischief appeared in Yuan Yu¡¯s narrow eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s my point! I don¡¯t want him to ept it!¡± Shen Xiughed cunningly and blinked at Yuan Yu like a little fox. ¡°I love seeing how ugly and twisted his face looks when he¡¯s agitated and filled with regret.¡±

    Yuan Yu returned a knowing smile. ¡°You¡¯re a wise one, Little Sis.¡±

    Shen Xi cupped her fists. ¡°Thank you very much, you¡¯re too kind.¡±

    Su Mushi was a petty fellow. Once the series was famous, he would certainly be pissed. The very thought of it put a smile on her face.

 Chapter 28

    <h4>Chapter 28: Confirmed Flops</h4>

    At noon, Su Mushi¡¯s manager received the script.

    Coincidentally, the manager was free and read through it. He was impressed by the plot and sent it to the Su family immediately.

    Su Mushi was engrossed in the script and skipped dinner as a result. After he read it, he rushed out of his room and cried, ¡°Mom, Dad, I want to take this series up!¡±

    Su Yi had juste home and was watching a TV show with Li Jingran and Su Ruowan. ¡°Why are you so excited? You should see your own face.¡±

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t scold him.¡± Su Ruowan chirped and grinned. ¡°The script must be excellent if my third elder brother is taking it so seriously.¡±

    Su Mushi exined, ¡°Mom, Dad, look at the script. It¡¯s arge-scale production and the male and female leads are likable. Even the supporting characters are interesting and not one-dimensional. The plot is full of twists and turns too. I have a feeling that it will be a sess.¡±

    Su Ruowan flipped through the script and her eyes glimmered with enthusiasm. ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t this ¡°The Favored Advisor of the Golden Age¡±? It¡¯s going to be adapted into a TV series? I love this novel and it made me cry so muchst time.¡±

    Li Jingran listened and looked through the script. ¡°Dear, find out about this series¡¯ investors, director, screenwriter and actors.¡±

    Soon enough, Su Yi found the answers. ¡°The director isn¡¯t confirmed yet, and the investment is less than five million, so it¡¯s impossible to get a renowned director with that budget. It¡¯s a low-budget web series after all and won¡¯t be much of a sess.¡±

    Su Mushi refused to give in. ¡°Dad, I have a feeling that it¡¯ll be a hit. Why don¡¯t we invest in this series? I¡¯ll be the male lead.¡±

    ¡°Your parents came from the industry and have more experience than you, so of course, I can tell whether this series will be a hit or not. Dream on if you think that it will achieve some small measure of sess. Investing in it will just be a waste of money.¡± Su Yi let out a coldugh and did not bother to read the script.

    ¡°Mushi, I also find it hard to believe that five million will be able to produce something, even though this series ims to be a big-budget production. It¡¯s not even enough to cover a C-list actor¡¯s sry. Do you think it can be a hit if the costumes, make-up and props are badly done?¡± Li Jingran lowered the script and chuckled.

    Everybody dreamed of being famous, but how many people in showbiz were able to make it?

    It was simply unthinkable for a low-budget TV series, produced by a small production team, to be a hit.

    ¡°I agree with Mom and Dad,¡± Su Ruowan added, ¡°This lousy production is no match for someone of your status!¡±

    Su Mushi still thought it was a shame to give up on it. ¡°I still think that this series will blow up.¡±

    Su Ruowan covered her mouth andughed. ¡°My dear brother, every time you see a script that you fancy, you think it¡¯ll be a hit. Luckily, our parents are smart and rejected them. Those shows ended up as flops.¡±

    Su Yi smirked. ¡°Mushi, you have to ept the facts and face reality instead of being influenced by your own emotions. Myst name isn¡¯t Su if this series does blow up!¡±

    ¡°A script with such arge scale is challenging for most filmmakers. You won¡¯t get the desired results if you don¡¯t recruit the best production teams in showbiz.¡± Li Jingran eyed her son. ¡°You ought to stay focused and get ready for your Uncle Chen¡¯s next show!¡±

    After listening to his family members¡¯ analysis, Su Mushi calmed down and was no longer as excited as before.

    The previous scripts that he presumed would be sessful ended up as total flops.

    His parents were legends in show business and had superb judgment in scripts. The shows that they predicted would be unsessful actually flopped.

    He nced at the script again. The enthusiasm and eagerness he experienced earlier were now reced by disgust, and he tossed the script into the dustbin.

 Chapter 29

    <h4>Chapter 29: You¡¯re Laughing</h4>

    It was warm and joyful in the Shen family¡¯s vi.

    Shen Xi was doing her homework at the living room table. She pricked up her ears when she heard the sound of a car arriving outside the house. Then, she took her things and ran outside.

    ¡°Xixi, it¡¯s dark outside, be careful!¡± Yun Jinping cried when her daughter darted out of the house like a baby leopard.

    Her daughter was on good terms with the man next door and would greet him every day.

    Shen Xi climbed up the wall and realized that the car was already parked outside the entrance next door. So, she gleefully hid herself from sight.

    Kun Lun pushed Li Yuan into thepound and instinctively nced at the wall. He felt a bit disappointed when he noticed that the girl was not there.

    Ever since they moved here, the girl would greet them every day and night without fail.

    Whenever there was something new at breakfast, she would share her food with them. When there was nothing new, she would still say goodbye before going to school.

    Aftering home in the afternoon, she would greet them and tell the boss about the interesting events at school. If nothing interesting happened at school, she would sit on the wall and either memorized her texts or practiced her English.

    As a result, the boss would wait for her by the wall every day and night.

    However, something urred today and they came homete. It was already past ten and the girl had to go to school tomorrow morning, so Kun Lun was sure that she would not be around.

    Li Yuan wheeled himself towards the wall.

    Shen Xi heard the approaching wheelchair and stood up suddenly. A light appeared and her crisp voice could be heard. ¡°Brother, look at the bunny!¡±

    Li Yuan looked towards the direction of the light and saw the silhouette of a rabbit on the wall. The girl was making shadow animals with her hands.

    ¡°Eagle, fly!¡±

    ¡°Big gray wolf, awoo!¡±

    ¡°Ram, baa¡­ Baa¡­¡±

    ¡°Puppy, woof¡­ Woof¡­¡±

    ¡°Piglet, oink¡­ Oink¡­¡±

    ¡°Kitty, meow¡­ Meow¡­¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Old cow, moo¡­ Moo¡­¡±

    ¡°Little donkey, hee-haw¡­ Hee-haw¡­¡±

    Li Yuan could not help but let out a softugh when he heard that.

    Shen Xi thought she was imagining things and stopped moving her hands. She regarded him with wide eyes. ¡°Brother, are youughing?¡±

    Li Yuan had regained hisposure, so he shook his head.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°No, youughed.¡±

    Li Yuan turned to Kun Lun. ¡°Did Iugh?¡±

    Kun Lun shook his head hastily. ¡®Yes, you didugh.¡¯ He covered for him. ¡°It was I whoughed, Miss Shen.¡±

    ¡®Laugh your heart out, it was so funny! The girl sounded so convincing when she brayed like a donkey!¡¯

    Shen Xi studied Li Yuan intently and started again without warning. ¡°Hee-haw¡­ Hee-haw¡­¡±

    This time, Li Yuanughed for real.

    When the manughed, he seemed like a flower that bloomed brilliantly right after winter, causing onlookers to be awed by its beauty.

    Shen Xi caught him in the act and stared at him like an obsessed fool. She mumbled, ¡°You¡¯reughing!¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and quietly admitted to it.

    ¡°Brother, you look great when youugh. Can you promise me tough and smile more in the future?¡± Shen Xi supported her chin and observed him. ¡°If you promise me, I¡¯ll make shadow animals for you every day.¡±

    Li Yuan nced at her and said, ¡°It¡¯ste, time for you to head home!¡±

    ¡°Brother, I have good news to share with you.¡± Shen Xi regarded him with a grin. ¡°A director has read my script and has invited me for a discussion tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Li Yuan looked at the girl on the wall. There was a tenderness in his gaze.

    ¡°Brother, these are my gifts to you, but you must promise me that you mustn¡¯t read them!¡± Shen Xi brought out her dark past.

 Chapter 30

    <h4>Chapter 30: Buying Abandoned Buildings</h4>

    ¡°You want to give me gifts, yet you don¡¯t want me to read them?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t enjoyable and you won¡¯t like them for sure. I just want to let you know that I wasn¡¯t bluffing. The novels I wrote got published.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, then. You¡¯re not supposed to read them, or else, I won¡¯t give them to you.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Following that, Shen Xi lowered the basket filled with her books.

    ¡°Brother, these books have my autograph and they¡¯re all out of print. I¡¯ve never sold autographed books before. I don¡¯t sign books even though the publishing director asks me to. Once I¡¯ve be famous, the autographs will be much more valuable.¡±

    Li Yuan took the books and carefully ced them on hisp. He looked at her. ¡°Get some rest.¡±

    Shen Xi watched as the man wheeled himself away and asked him persistently, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s charming, husky voice resounded in the air. ¡°I wish you all the best tomorrow.¡±

    Shen Xi made a hand heart gesture at his back and chirped pleasantly, ¡°Thank you, Brother!¡±

    Li Yuan ced the books on the most visible section of his desk, treating them with utmost care.

    There were a total of eight books of medium length. They were styled in a manner befitting a teenage girl. A huge pink ribbon had been tied around the stack of books by the girl.

    ¡°Kun Lun,¡± Li Yuan called.

    Kun Lun entered the room and was bombarded with the sight of a stack of brightly-colored books ced on an ash gray desk. The pink ribbon on the books made them look extremely out of ce. ¡°Boss?¡±

    ¡°Find another set of these books,¡± Li Yuan ordered.

    Kun Lun replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Had the boss not promised the girl that he would not read the books? Had he wanted to read the books after all?

    All these teen novels talked about were romances between the hottest boy and the prettiest girl in high school, about how much they loved each other and could not bear to be apart, or aboutplicated love triangles.

    Was the boss sure that he wanted to read about teen romances made up by a young girl?

    When Shen Xi got down from the wall and returned home, she overheard Shen Zhangqing speaking on the phone. It was something rted to arrears and property.

    ¡°Dad, listen to me, buy the building.¡± Shen Xi was firm in her decision. ¡°Trust me, this district will sell.¡±

    ¡°But what we need now is money.¡± Shen Zhangqing was hesitant.

    ¡°Money¡¯s not an issue. We can get a loan from the back, but we must buy the building. In fact, not only those eight buildings, but we ought to buy the entire district.¡±

    ¡°That district is dead and filled with abandoned buildings, so what¡¯s the point in buying it?¡± Shen Zhangqing wanted her to get some sleep. ¡°You have to head to thepany tomorrow. Get some rest, don¡¯t bother yourself with these adult matters.¡±

    His boss, who ran away with the money, had been arrested. However, he was broke and the only things left with him were the buildings he owned. Thus, he wanted to settle his debt with the eight buildings.

    However, the buildings were located in a suburban district far away from the city. Development in that district went on for eight years before everything folded up two years ago. Other developers refused to take up that project and the district was abandoned.

    ¡°Dad, you gotta believe me. I¡¯ve done the calctions and this district has excellent feng shui. It will sell like hotcakes one day.¡± Shen Xi tugged at her father¡¯s arm. ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t interested in the buildings here, he has no money to pay you. Property development is doing very well these days and the city will extend towards the suburbs.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing said, ¡°Go to sleep.¡±

    Shen Xi wanted to cry. ¡°If you aren¡¯t interested, do you believe me if I tell you that I¡¯ll borrow money from my big brother and buy up all of those buildings?¡±

    She had heard of this small district known as Jin Shui Garden. It used to be a dead area popted by abandoned buildings.

    One day, the government introduced a new policy and turned that ce into a historical district for tourists. Development boomed and the abandoned buildings were suddenly in high demand.

 Chapter 31

    <h4>Chapter 31: Minors Shouldn¡¯t Be Dating</h4>

    Shen Zhangqing coaxed Shen Xi, ¡°Be a good girl, Xixi. I¡¯ll consider your opinion carefully.¡±

    Yun Jinping had just taken her bath and overheard their conversation. She called Shen Xi, ¡°Time for your bath, then go to bed. You have apetition tomorrow!¡±

    Shen Xi sniffled and held Shen Zhangqing¡¯s arm. ¡°Old Shen, you gotta think about what I said. You have the best judgment when ites to investing!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing let out a warmugh. ¡°Understood, time for bed. Don¡¯t you worry, let your dad handle family matters.¡±

    Once Shen Xi was gone, Shen Zhangqing immediately went to his room and took out a detailed map of the capital city. He analyzed it thoroughly and made a few searches on the web.

    ¡°Dear, I think that Xixi has a good point,¡± Shen Zhangqing addressed his wife, ¡°I¡¯ll buy this building since we aren¡¯t getting any money soon anyway.¡±

    ¡°What about the rest of thend? Are you going to buy it?¡± Yun Jinping asked.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Zhangqing replied firmly. ¡°Our daughter has been blessed by the heavens. Her dad will surely be rich.¡±

    Yun Jinping was delighted. ¡°Really?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing said, ¡°I looked up the building¡¯s location and it has good feng shui.¡±

    When he was a young boy, he learned a bit of feng shui from his neighbor, a blind man who offered consultation services rted to the subject. As such, Shen Zhangqing had some basic knowledge in judging how auspicious an area was.

    In recent years, his knowledge of feng shui had also helped him in the property business and his survey of buildings.

    Yun Jinping red at him. ¡°You¡¯d better tell Xixi then, or else she¡¯ll have a hard time falling asleep.¡±

    Ever since she came home, Shen Xi had be a little money-grubber.

    A mother knew her daughter¡¯s feelings best. Indeed, after her bath, Shen Xi was still thinking of ways to convince her father to buy the buildings and thend.

    Shen Zhangqing knocked on the door to her room. ¡°Xixi, are you asleep?¡±

    Shen Xi got up excitedly. ¡°Have you decided, Old Shen?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing regarded his daughter¡¯s enthusiastic expression. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll buy the building, but thend will have to wait until I¡¯ve cleared my debts.¡±

    Shen Xi jumped for joy. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Old Shen!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing smiled. ¡°Sleep tight!¡±

    Shen Xi was over the moon. ¡°Good night, Dad.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing watched as she closed the door. He stood still for a while before leaving.

    The next day was a Sunday.

    Shen Xi woke up early and packed her things. By the time she stepped out of the house, the car sent by Yuan Yu was already outside.

    Someone was sitting at the back of the car. She was about twenty, had a childlike face and a bit of baby fat. A pretty adorable girl.

    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡± Shen Xi got into the car and sat next to her.

    ¡°Good morning, Chairman Shen.¡± Yu An greeted her courteously as she eyed Shen Xi with respect and admiration.

    She had already met her the day before. She still had a hard time grasping the fact that the author of an epic tale like ¡°The Favored Advisor of the Golden Age¡± was a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl.

    The girl had a stunning appearance, but at the same time, she harbored an icy, distant aura. It was hard to tell her exact age from her charisma.

    ¡°Have you finished reading the script?¡± Shen Xi asked her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yu An felt somewhat stressed while sitting beside her.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡±

    ¡°There are no perfect scripts in this world. Just tell me honestly.¡±

    ¡°I think the romance plotline is a tad weak. The same problem is present in your novel.

    The rtionship between the male and female leads has to be more passionate and emotional. Once the emotions between them intensify and climax, it will greatly stimte the audience. In the end, the audience won¡¯t forget about the characters, but be attached to them.¡±

    Yu An¡¯s expertisey in romantic plotlines, so she ryed her thoughts. The plot about political intrigue was wless and she had no professional opinion to offer.

    ¡°I admit that I¡¯m weak when ites to romance. You¡¯ll be in charge of improving this area then!¡± Shen Xi nodded, agreeing with Yu An.

    Yu An nced at the icy beauty beside her and said, ¡°Alright.¡±

    It was quiet in the car.

    Yu An was a workaholic. She had taken out her notebook and begun to draft.

    ¡°You said that I¡¯m weak in romance plotlines. Is it because I¡¯ve never dated before?¡± Shen Xi asked unexpectedly.

    Yu An was taken aback. She turned towards her and said with a serious expression, ¡°Minors shouldn¡¯t be dating!¡±

 Chapter 32

    <h4>Chapter 32: Haughty</h4>

    All of a sudden, Shen Xi became curious. ¡°Screenwriter Yu, when did you start dating?¡±

    Yu An replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never dated.¡±

    Shen Xi noticed the unexpected gloominess in Yu An¡¯s gaze, so she did not ask further questions. Instead, she looked out of the window.

    Yu An felt that everybody¡¯s thoughts could be read by the girl next to her. There was simply no way of hiding one¡¯s true emotions in front of Shen Xi.

    Director An Lin had booked a private room at a restaurant.

    When Shen Xi and Yu An arrived at the restaurant, they were led to the room by the assistant director who was waiting for them in the lobby.

    An Lin¡¯s assistant director was stunned by the two pretty girls before him. He had not expected the screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would be so young. Judging by the script, he assumed it was written by a skilled and experienced veteran.

    The girl with the babyface was cute and held a bunch of documents in her hands, oozing warmth and friendliness. She was half a step away from the other icy beauty and was respectful towards her.

    The cool, lofty girl who gave off an unapproachable vibe must be the co-screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, Cloud Seven.

    The assistant director knocked on the door to the private room, then stepped inside. ¡°Director An, they¡¯re here.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the people in the room. There were five individuals, and the tall and thin middle-aged man opposite her who gave off a cultured aura was the director of the new generation, An Lin.

    An Lin could not hide his surprise. He did not imagine that the screenwriter, Cloud Seven, was a young girl.

    Shen Xi walked towards An Lin and tilted her head slightly. She spoke in a steely yet polite manner, ¡°Good day, Director An. I am Cloud Seven.¡±

    ¡°Good day,¡± An Lin greeted with a smile, ¡°have a seat, please.¡±

    He observed the girl in front of him. She might be young, but she had a dominant charisma. Somehow, he felt pressured when looking at her.

    Apart from Shen Xi, An Lin had also invited producers and investors to the meeting. After exchanging pleasantries, they got down to business.

    ¡°Miss Cloud, I¡¯ve read the script. It¡¯s quite good and full of ideas. The fact that you¡¯re capable of writing such a fine script shows that you have a bright future ahead. However, there are certain aspects of the script which I¡¯m not pleased with. Thus, some amendments have to be made.¡±

    ¡°From us investors¡¯ point of view, your scriptcks the appropriate marketability. It isn¡¯t exciting enough, the pacing isn¡¯t fast and thrilling, and the romance plotline isn¡¯t campy andplicated.¡±

    ¡°No offense, Miss Cloud, but you¡¯re too young. Students like you are often ambitious butck the proper skills. Nowadays, not many viewers are interested in watching TV shows that are overly focused on political intrigue. What the viewers want is cheap thrills and excitement, you get me?¡±

    ¡°You must understand the current market and audience. People love to see cute, young and silly female leads these days. Exaggerated scenarios, character shipping and a huge focus on the romance between the male and female leads are of the utmost importance.¡±

    ¡°We hope to increase the second female lead¡¯s screentime by a third. Shorten the screentime between the female and male leads.¡±

    The producers and investors behaved as if they were the bosses of this show and began to bber away as they talked about editing the script, changing the characters and adding to the story.

    Yu An lowered her gaze. She felt bitter, helpless and angry. Both of her hands that were ced on herp curled into tight fists.

    It was this very reason that discouraged her from entering the screenwriting industry. She had no control over her own script.

    She could only watch as the people haughtily criticized and demanded that the script should be amended. What the hell did they know about screenwriting?!

    Carefully, Yu An stole a nce at Lil Chairman Shen, who carried a subtle smile on her face.

 Chapter 33

    <h4>Chapter 33: Fail To Understand Reality</h4>

    Lil Chairman Shen was peeling and eating some prawns slowly. Her eyes seemed as they were covered with a thinyer of frost. No one could tell what she was thinking about.

    Director An Lin listened with a grimace.

    These days, the investors were the big bosses and he could not afford to offend the people who funded him.

    ¡°Miss Cloud, if you have no objections to our suggestions, do edit the script by next week.¡±

    ¡°Director An, we hope to start filming as soon as possible. Let¡¯s begin early next month. Two months of filming should be sufficient!¡±

    ¡°As for the cast, let¡¯s recruit average actors. Expensive ones are out of the question. No need to look for the second female lead for we already have someone in mind.¡±

    The investors were used to bossing others around. They were the ones who supplied the money, so other people had to obey them. The director and the screenwriters were nobodies in their eyes. To the investors, they had already done a great service by informing them about their final decision.

    ¡°Have you finished?¡± Shen Xi picked up a napkin gracefully and wiped her fingers. She smiled. ¡°If you have, it¡¯s my turn to speak!¡±

    ¡°Let us know your opinions, Miss Cloud.¡± Producer Zhang regarded her with a grin.

    This screenwriter was very beautiful, indeed. Young girls were often supple and a treat to the eyes.

    The rest of the men gazed at Shen Xi with lustful intentions.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the screenwriter? You or I?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯re the screenwriter, Miss Cloud. We¡¯reymen and are unfamiliar with the subject.¡± If not for her pretty face, Boss Chen would not have been so patient with her.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you what I think.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s lips curved upwards, but there was no sincerity of a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the screenwriter and I request full control over the script. Not a single word is to be edited in my script.¡±

    The investors smirked as they listened to her. What an ignorant little dummy. She must have a screw loose to fail to understand reality and to be so demanding.

    ¡°During the course of filming, you must obey my requests and change the current fixed period of shooting. I want this show to be filmed and released simultaneously. This is for the benefit of our show and it¡¯s the best way to prevent leaks and piracy.¡±

    The investors¡¯ expressions darkened. Who did she think she was to start making demands?

    ¡°All of the cast members must be handpicked by me,¡± Shen Xi continued nonchntly.

    The investors were fuming with rage.

    ¡°Moreover, I don¡¯t want a screenwriter¡¯s fee. I want fifty percent of the show¡¯s profits.¡± Shen Xi lowered the napkin in her hand and grinned. ¡°If you have no problem with that, we can sign the contract.¡±

    ¡°I think that you haven¡¯t learned your ce yet, Miss Cloud.¡± Producer Zhang ignored her words. ¡°Director An, you ought to teach her how to talk to us.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a student and a young girl who hasn¡¯t stepped into society. Thus, she¡¯s too idealistic. Don¡¯t take her words to heart, Producer Zhang.¡± An Lin panicked and did not expect her to be so offensive. He tried to de-escte the situation. ¡°You must be joking, right, Miss Cloud?¡±

    It was his first time meeting a neer as fearless as her.

    In China¡¯s film industry, the screenwriter belonged to the lowest rank and had not much say in things.

    Changes were made when the director said so.

    Changes were made when the investors said so.

    Changes were made when the actors said so!

    ¡°Director An.¡± Shen Xi stopped smiling and her expression was reced with a scornful jeer. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡±

 Chapter 34

    <h4>Chapter 34: Do A Favor</h4>

    ¡°Making demands of us!¡± Boss Chen mmed his fist on the table angrily and pointed a finger at her. ¡°You¡¯re just a screenwriter and you want to make demands of us! You¡¯ve got some nerve!¡±

    ¡°Do you think that you can decide not to sell this script ording to your own whims and fancies?¡± Producer Zhang roared and threatened her, ¡°Miss Cloud, you¡¯d better give face and sell the rights to us honestly.¡±

    ¡°Since none of you are genuinely interested in my work, there¡¯s no need for us to continue this meeting.¡± Shen Xi stared at them intimidatingly. ¡°I won¡¯t sell the rights to you, even if it rots in my hands.¡±

    ¡°Cloud Seven, don¡¯t be arrogant if you want to remain in show business!¡± Producer Zhang growled.

    Shen Xi threw them a nasty nce and said to Yu An, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Yu An was both impressed and scared. She also had an urge to apud Lil Chairman Shen, who was so cool and awesome!

    She decided that Lil Chairman Shen would be her idol!

    ¡°Leaving so soon?¡± Boss Chen stood up and approached her. He reached out an arm to grab her.

    Shen Xi reacted quickly. She turned around and kicked him. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s behave professionally. We¡¯re in public and it does you no good to start getting violent.¡±

    Her kick caused Boss Chen to crash into the table. He screamed in pain and red at her with bloodshot eyes. ¡°You b*tch, I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡±

    An Lin did not foresee this would happen. He tried to calm the men. ¡°Everybody, please listen to me, about this¡­¡±

    Producer Zhang could not suppress his anger anymore and pped him. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    The p sent An Lin into a daze. The world spun before him, and by the time he regained his senses, a fight had erupted in the private room.

    Soon, Shen Xi had punched the men until they were writhing on the floor and groaning in agony. Then, she dragged Yu An out of the room.

    ¡°You c*nt, just you wait!¡±

    Boss Chen stared at her wickedly.

    The bodyguards guarding the entrance came in. They did not hear the din as the walls of the private room were soundproofed.

    ¡°Get that b*tch and kill her!¡± Producer Zhang yelled at the bodyguards.

    When the bodyguards reached the entrance, they saw a maning towards them and instinctively backed down.

    The man was dressed in a ck suit and wore a solemn expression. His outfit and hair was neat and he carried a tray in his hands.

    The bodyguards felt a sudden chill as they eyed the man opposite them. They began to tremble and perspire.

    Scary.

    The man gave off a terrifying vibe.

    He was capable of sending shivers down one¡¯s spine just by standing there.

    ¡°Excuse me, my good sirs. The youngdy is a friend of our boss. I ask that you do our boss a favor,¡± Kun Lun said with a smile.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Producer Zhang snarled.

    Right now, he wanted to catch that girl and snap her neck!

    ¡°I¡¯m Kun Lun.¡± Kun Lun maintained the grin on his face.

    ¡°Who the hell¡¯s your boss? Tell him to mind his own business.¡± Finally, Boss Chen managed to get up from the floor.

    ¡°I can¡¯t disclose our boss¡¯ identity, but our boss has always been a reasonable man who appreciates wise and tactful people.¡± Kun Lun stepped forward and lifted the cloth covering the tray. ¡°Do us a favor, please!¡±

    There was a photo and a document on the tray.

    Boss Chen, Producer Zhang and the rest of the men were horrified and nervous when they saw whatid on the tray.

 Chapter 35

    <h4>Chapter 35: A Total Waste Of Money</h4>

    ¡°What on earth do you want?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± Kun Lun continued smiling, but a sheen of a threat had crept into his gaze. ¡°Our boss said that if anything happens to that youngdy, you¡¯ll spend the rest of your lives in prison!¡±

    An Lin fell down when he tried to de-escte the situation and was flustered. He calmed down when he heard the man¡¯s words.

    Cloud Seven had someone to back her up, and he felt better now. Those evil b*stards would do anything to achieve their goals.

    If Cloud Seven did fall into their grasp, she would get hurt at best and die at worst. Nothing good woulde to her.

    ¡°Director An.¡± Kun Lun stood in front of An Lin. ¡°Our boss has an investment deal to discuss with you. Would you be interested?¡±

    ¡­

    In the car.

    Yu An sat in the seat and panted heavily as she ced a hand on her chest, trying to calm her frantically beating heart.

    What a thrilling experience to flee after the fight!

    ¡°Chairman Shen.¡± When she calmed down, Yu An regarded Shen Xi worriedly. ¡°Those *ssholes won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Shen Xi would not have hit the men if she did not have the courage to do so. She dialed Yuan Yu¡¯s number.

    ¡°Negotiations failed.¡± Yuan Yu¡¯s voice could be heard.

    ¡°I hit them.¡± Shen Xi had just finished speaking when her eyes lit up with glee. She added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take care of it, Brother.¡±

    Yu An stared in the same direction Shen Xi was gazing at and noticed a silhouette that passed by the French window on the second floor. She recognized who that was. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Director An?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and returned a friendly smile. ¡°We¡¯ve found someone to support us.¡±

    A puzzled Yu An regarded her. Surprisingly, she realized that herpany¡¯s Chairman Shen, who was often cool and distant, had shown some warmth in her expression.

    She turned to look at the man with Director An and grinned.

    Yu An knew that he must be an acquaintance of Chairman Shen. He was rather handsome and seemed like an influential figure. She wondered who he was.

    ¡­

    A weekter, the film crew of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was finally established. They published their first tweet on Weibo and announced the cast of the leading and supporting roles.

    The director of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was An Lin, who had directed several popr shows with high ratings, especially historical dramas.

    The investors had invested five hundred million yuan into this project. ording to an insider, unknown actors were cast in this show and the remaining 80% of the budget was spent on the costumes, make-up and props.

    Director An Lin tweeted that the show was adapted from the author, Cloud Seven¡¯s novel, and he assured audiences that the plot would be faithful to the original.

    There were a lot of fans of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±¡®s original story, particrly shippers who loved to find beautiful moments in the solemn tale. They were simply obsessed with the plot.

    When they received word about the adaptation, they felt euphoric. It was not easy to secure a film crew and investors that cared for the fans. Thus, the fans retweeted news about ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± and it became one of the trending topics on Weibo.

    Su Mushi received news about the show earlier than the fans. He began to panic. ¡°Mom, Dad, this is a big-budget production directed by An Lin.¡±

    Su Yi was aware of it, too. He smirked. ¡°Why are you so panicky? It will flop anyway, despite the high budget.¡±

    He wondered who was rich and silly enough to be manipted by An Lin. This show was confirmed to be a failure and a total waste of money.

    ¡°Your dad is right. The screenwriter is a neer, a web novel author turned screenwriter, to be precise. As if being a screenwriter is an easy job!¡± Li Jingran scoffed, then said, ¡°You¡¯re already a part of showbiz, so you need to be steady instead of jumping into everything at first sight.¡±

 Chapter 36

    <h4>Chapter 36: Very Poor Taste</h4>

    Su Yi said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since it¡¯s arge-scale project, shooting will only beplete by the second half of this year. The authorization policies of TV shows are constantly changing.¡±

    Su Mushi widened his eyes. ¡°Dad, are you saying that their show might not pass authorization?¡±

    He feared that the show that he once rejected would be a hit, and if that happened, he would not forgive himself.

    Su Yi threw him a warning look. ¡°These are the secrets of upper management and you mustn¡¯t let the cat out of the bag. The second half of the year will be limited to shows with historical and rebirth themes.¡±

    Su Mushi felt relieved. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I won¡¯t tell a soul.¡±

    The show that he rejected was like the rubbish he discarded. Nobody else should be a part of it, and even if the show did get produced, it should not be sessful.

    ¡­

    The cast of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± were neers signed by Cosmos Entertainment.

    Yuan Yu had booked a private room at a restaurant and invited the celebrities involved in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. The actors would have lunch with him and meet Lil Chairman Shen at the same time.

    Shen Xi arrived early and was the only one in the private room.

    Soon, someone opened the door to the room and a beautiful, sexy woman entered. She eyed Shen Xi with a scowl. ¡°Are you the female lead of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±?¡±

    Shen Xi nced at her and said calmly, ¡°You¡¯re the second female lead.¡±

    Gao Meng was one of the new actresses signed by herpany. As she refused the casting couch, she was still a Z-lister in the industry, despite being in it for three years.

    From what Shen Xi recalled, Gao Meng managed to secure an opportunity when she was close to thirty and became famous. She was ate bloomer.

    The actress had good acting skills and was versatile in her roles. She could live up to the expectations of the script and possessed a simr charisma to the second female lead, who had a b*tchy demeanor.

    ¡°Do you have a problem with that? You better watch out, I won¡¯t remain the second female lead forever.¡± Gao Meng thought that Shen Xi was making fun of her and stared at her chest. ¡°You aren¡¯t somebody either, little girl. I heard the screenwriter is from ourpany. Very poor taste, I must say.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that the screenwriter shouldn¡¯t have picked you as the second female lead?¡± Shen Xi gazed at her coldly. ¡°That you¡¯ll be happy when she kicks you out?¡±

    Gao Meng scoffed and said in a hostile manner, ¡°The screenwriter was the one who picked me, not you. If you¡¯ve got a problem with that, speak to the screenwriter!¡±

    She would not be nice towards those who might rob her of her opportunities and resources. Thus, she had to show that she meant business.

    Everybody in the industry was here to make a name for themselves. The ones who came from the samepany were either afraid that the other party would rob them of their resources, or they looked down on each other. They did not bother to hide their true feelings towards one another!

    Shen Xi sipped her tea peacefully while maintaining her icy stare. She smiled. ¡°Then I hope you won¡¯t regret it.¡±

    ¡°Do you think so highly of yourself? We¡¯re both alike and we work for the same people. You don¡¯t have to act all high and mighty.¡± Gao Meng walked towards Shen Xi in her three-inch stiletto heels, trying to intimidate thetter with her height. ¡°Quit joking, little girl. I heard that ourpany¡¯s screenwriter is a formidable figure. Even the director has to obey her.

    Who the heck are you? As if the screenwriter will listen to you! I wasn¡¯t born yesterday.¡±

    Shen Xi ignored her taunts but merely covered her nose with a disgusted expression. ¡°Use another type of perfume. It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±

    Gao Meng had never met someone who disrespected her this way. She was so mad that she scrunched up her beautiful face. ¡°You¡­¡±

    Someone opened the door to the private room. They overheard an exchange of pleasantries.

    Gao Meng rposed herself and sat beside Shen Xi, throwing her a warning gaze! The female lead was a force to be reckoned with!

 Chapter 37

    <h4>Chapter 37: Shut Up</h4>

    The people at the doorway entered the room. They came from the samepany.

    ¡°Chairman Shen, you¡¯re early!¡± Liu Xin greeted her with a wide grin. She was the manager of the female lead, Shen Ruoning.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Screenwriter Shen.¡± Ma Huanshan, the manager of the male lead, He Pei, stood up and offered to seat her.

    The rest of the people, except for the big boss Yuan Yu, greeted Shen Xi politely.

    Gao Meng was stunned by what she saw.

    If not for this youngdy¡¯s beauty and attitude, she would not have picked on the wrong person!

    She was doomed and her career was over. She had offended the boss and the screenwriter!

    Gao Meng¡¯s manager, Huang Miao called her and introduced her to Shen Xi, ¡°Meng Meng,e here, this is ourpany¡¯s Chairman Shen and the screenwriter of ¡®The Smiling Nation¡¯.¡±

    Gao Meng gulped and regarded Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi scanned her in an unfriendly manner.

    Gao Meng trembled in fear. Damn, the girl was terrifying despite her age. It was true that those who could aplish great things were extraordinary people.

    Yuan Yu eyed Shen Xi with a smile and whispered, ¡°Why the long face, Chairman Shen? Who bothered you?¡±

    Shen Xi returned a nonchnt smile. It was time for her to assert dominance, so she replied in a voice clear and loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, ¡°I came across an insignificant thing. To be honest, it¡¯s not worth getting angry over.¡±

    Gao Meng was shaking in fright. She rxed when Shen Xi did not reveal her name. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that ourpany¡¯s Lil Chairman Shen and screenwriter is a pretty youngdy. She¡¯s a force to be reckoned with and a genius. Seeing is believing, indeed!¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°You tter me, I¡¯m not worthy of suchpliments.¡±

    Gao Meng smiled sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m not ttering you. You¡¯re indeed brilliant.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled coldly.

    Yuan Yu and the rest of the people were no strangers to social situations. All of them sensed there was something fishy going on between Gao Meng and Lil Chairman Shen!

    Some people knew Shen Xi and some did not.

    After getting acquainted with one another, Shen Xi said a few words, and then Yuan Yu called for the dishes to be served.

    Throughout the meal, Gao Meng kept serving food to Shen Xi and offered to peel the prawns and remove bones from the fish for her. She kept calling her ¡°Chairman Shen¡± in an affectionate manner.

    Yuan Yu nced at her manager, Huang Miao. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯

    Huang Miao shook her head. ¡®I don¡¯t know!¡¯

    Gao Meng was forward and hot-headed. Did she offend Lil Chairman Shen?

    However, Lil Chairman Shen did not reject the food she offered, so things must be fine between them.

    After a while, Shen Xi headed for the restroom.

    Gao Meng excused herself and followed Shen Xi. She cornered thetter in the restroom.

    Shen Xi slowly raised her eyebrows. ¡°Anything?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gao Meng knelt down without warning. Her eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Chairman Shen, Screenwriter Shen, it was all my fault. I was rude and I deserve this. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡±

    Shen Xi grabbed her arm to stop her from kneeling down. ¡°You want to be famous and it¡¯s good to be ambitious, but you must also be equally skillful and hardworking.

    You haven¡¯t made a name for yourself, yet you can¡¯t control your behavior in public. How am I supposed to believe in you?¡±

    Gao Meng would be one of theirpany¡¯s future stars and somebody who would prate the international film industry. She was an attractive and sophisticated woman who was ambitious. However, she tended to get ahead of herself and had a lot to learn.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Chairman Shen. I know what must be done.¡± Gao Meng was serious now. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    ¡°In showbiz, everything you do will be magnified. Do you still want me to remind you about this?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    ¡°Have you forgiven me, Chairman Shen?¡± Finally, Gao Meng felt that a weight had been lifted off her chest. She teared up and said gratefully, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll behave myself and refrain from spouting nonsense. If I make the same mistake again, I¡¯ll never be famous and I¡¯ll remain in the Z-list forever.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Xi red at her. ¡°If you remain in the Z-list, ourpany signed you in for nothing.¡±

    Gao Meng pped her own mouth at once. ¡°See what I mean? Dear God, what I just said doesn¡¯t count, doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    It was good enough that Lil Chairman Shen did not me her.

    Boo hoo, how touching. Lil Chairman Shen was a forgiving person. She promised that she would work extra hard and bring in profits for thepany.

 Chapter 38

    <h4>Chapter 38: You¡¯re In Luck</h4>

    Ever since Shen Zhangqing listened to his daughter and epted the abandoned buildings as payment, he was blessed by his daughter¡¯s lucky stars and everything went smoothly for him.

    One week ago, the bank finally processed his loan and he managed to settle his funding issue.

    Yesterday, he secured two profitable business deals.

    Today, he sessfully acquired a few pieces ofnd in the suburbs at an auction at a low price.

    Shen Zhangqing was on cloud nine. When he came home at night, he passed by a street and bought some of his wife and daughter¡¯s favorite roasted sweet potatoes. He called out to them when he reached the living room doorway, ¡°Dear, Xixi.¡±

    Since Shen Xi came home, she loved to do her homework and work on the living room sofa. Her eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Mom, hurry up, Dad bought some roasted sweet potatoes.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing sat opposite her and ced the sweet potatoes on the coffee table.

    Shen Xi tried to take one but the heat burned her. She withdrew her hand and touched her ear. ¡°Old Shen, you¡¯re in high spirits recently!¡±

    ¡°I bought two pieces ofnd in the suburbs today.¡± Shen Zhangqing peeled a sweet potato and spoke happily, ¡°Wait for your dad to get rich and buy you and Mom lots of handbags, jewelry and make-up!¡±

    ¡°Keep going, Old Shen!¡± Shen Xi eyed the sweet potato in his hands and tried to chomp on it.

    Shen Zhangqing knocked on her head. ¡°You¡¯re just like a wolf. It¡¯s for your mom.¡±

    Shen Xi managed to steal a bite. ¡°The one you peeled tastes better, Dad.¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled. ¡°What are you doing, Old Shen? Give it to her.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing stood his ground. ¡°No, it¡¯s for you. I¡¯ll peel her another one afterwards.¡±

    Shen Xi whined, ¡°See, Mom? He¡¯s ying favorites.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing retorted, ¡°Any objections to your mom eating it first?¡±

    Shen Xi felt sad and sniffled.

    Shen Zhangqing fed his wife the sweet potato and nced at her. ¡°Keep your objections to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Enough, you two! You¡¯re being all lovey-dovey in front of a singleton like me,¡± Shen Xi covered her eyes andined.

    Shen Zhangqingughed. ¡°Next time, you must find someone like your dad who loves his partner, you understand?¡±

    He had just finished speaking when his daughter grabbed two sweet potatoes and ran out of the house.

    Yun Jinping chuckled. ¡°The neighbor¡¯s back. Xixi has be close friends with him.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Zhangqingughed as he offered the piece of sweet potato to Yun Jinping¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ah!¡±

    Yun Jinping was shy and said tenderly, ¡°Don¡¯t keep feeding me, have a bite too.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing smiled. ¡°You forgot that I¡¯m on a diet. If I take a bite, that little girl¡¯s gonna count calories for me again when she returns.¡±

    Shen Xi had climbed to the top of the wall.

    It was a tranquil night and the silvery moonlight shone brightly.

    ¡°Brother, Brother!¡± Shen Xi waved at Li Yuan excitedly. She was worried that he could not see her, so she turned on her phone¡¯s shlight and shone it at the wall.

    The first person Li Yuan saw when he got home was the girl at the wall.

    She was dressed in a white down jacket and had a red scarf wrapped around her neck. Her petite face and cute, ruddy cheeks were illuminated by the light.

    ¡°It¡¯ste. Shouldn¡¯t you be going to bed?¡± Li Yuan wheeled himself to the wall and gazed at her. ¡°What did you bring?¡±

    Secretly, Shen Xi ced a peeled sweet potato into the basket and lowered it for him. She chuckled slyly. ¡°Guess!¡±

    Li Yuan took a sniff. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Roasted sweet potato. My dad, Old Shen, just bought some and they¡¯re still steaming hot. You¡¯re in luck, Brother.¡± Shen Xi grinned as she peeled the remaining one.

 Chapter 39

    <h4>Chapter 39: Like A Little Sun</h4>

    Li Yuan took a bite. The luscious taste of the potatoes pleased his taste buds. Its sweetness warmed the cockles of his heart, like the young girl¡¯s voice.

    The girl loved to eat and talk at the same time. Her mouth was stuffed to the brim. She looked like a hamster with its bulging cheek pouches.

    Li Yuan listened to her quietly. He enjoyed doing so and could listen to her for days.

    Shen Xi told him about the filming of the TV show and sighed. There were a lot of concerns on her mind.

    What if nobody wanted to purchase the show?

    If they managed to sell it, what would they do if the ratings were poor?

    What if it was a waste of the investor¡¯s money?

    Li Yuan said, ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±

    Shen Xi chewed on the sweet potato and mumbled, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You must be right, Brother.¡± Shen Xi smiled. Holding the piece of potato in her hand, she offered him a fist bump. ¡°All the best!¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s hand stopped moving for a while and he met the girl¡¯s expectant gaze. He imitated her gesture. ¡°All the best!¡±

    Shen Xi had a lot to say. She talked about the celebrities signed by herpany, screenwriter, director and her idea of signing Yu Yuanxi as one of the actors.

    ¡°Brother, he¡¯s the shunned student at school whom I told you about. I think he has the potential and is born to be a celebrity.¡± Shen Xi showed Li Yuan his photo.

    She got it from the school forum. Among the students at Capital No. 4 High School, Yu Yuanxi was better-looking than Su Mushi and Pei Xu. Photos of Yu Yuanxi were posted on the forum boards anonymously and many students fawned over his beauty.

    Li Yuan muttered a low ¡°Mm¡± in response. He merely nced at the photo and his gaze darkened.

    ¡°Brother, I came here to inform you that I have a dancepetition tomorrow and I need to get up early. Thest rehearsal will take ce at 5:00 am.¡± Shen Xi pped her hands, propped herself on the wall and continued, ¡°So I won¡¯t see you tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Good night.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you forgot to say something to me!¡± Shen Xi refused to leave and stared at him.

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Good luck with yourpetition.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No, not this.¡±

    This time, a subtle smile appeared on Li Yuan¡¯s face. ¡°I hope you¡¯re the champion.¡±

    Atst, Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Have a good rest, Brother. Good night!¡±

    Li Yuan watched as the girl climbed down the wall and heard the pitter-patter of her feet. When her footsteps grew fainter and he overheard her calling her parents, he remained on the spot for a short while before leaving.

    The next morning, the sky was still dark and it had started to drizzle.

    The man in the wheelchair was shrouded in the darkness of the attic. He fixed his hard, inscrutable gaze onto the courtyard next door.

    Soon, themps next door were turned on and he heard the young girl¡¯s voice.

    Every time, she left home in a boisterous manner, as if she had an excess of energy in her body. She was just like a little sun, forever radiating warmth and energy to those around her.

    Today, the girl wore arge, white down jacket and a pair of boots. She looked as round as a ball.

    She was unlike other girls who wore skimpy clothing to look attractive. Every day, she put on thick outfits, so he did not have to worry about her catching a cold.

    The girl ran out of the house, then stood still and cried, ¡°Quickly, Old Shen, you¡¯re too slow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming. Slow down, it¡¯s raining. Don¡¯t slip and fall.¡±

    A fat man came running out of the house.

    ¡°Wait, wait, your scarf, you haven¡¯t worn your scarf!¡±

    A woman chased after the girl with a scarf in her hands. She reminded her tenderly and wrapped the scarf around her daughter¡¯s neck.

    The family chatted happily and reached the gate.

    Li Yuan observed the girl, who stood still beside the car. She looked at his vi and waved her hand. The coldness in the man¡¯s gaze disappeared, and all that was left was warmth and gratitude. He parted his lips slowly. ¡°Good morning.¡±

 Chapter 40

    <h4>Chapter 40: Dance Competition</h4>

    Kun Lun carried a long coat in his arms and ced it around the man¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t you get some sleep?¡±

    Li Yuan spoke in a husky voice, ¡°Tell Xuan Yuan to follow her.¡±

    Kun Lun pushed the wheelchair. ¡°Ok.¡±

    Li Yuan added, ¡°Be discreet, make sure she doesn¡¯t find out.¡±

    The young girl was intelligent and precocious. She had already figured out who was behind the investment of the TV show.

    Shen Xi had learned to dance since she was a child and had won numerous awards frompetitions in the district level, provincial level, national level and even ones that took ce throughout Asia.

    Two years ago, she received the most valuable award in her lifetime, the Gold Medal for the Youth Category of the Asian Dance Competition.

    The Gold Medal allowed her to be selected as one of the provincial-level dancers and a national-level reserve actress.

    However, after she returned to the Su family, she was always careful with what she did, in case she annoyed her family members. Thus, she dared not make any requests.

    Throughout the year, she had never participated in a single, regrpetition. Su Yi and Li Jingran forbade her from doing so on the grounds that her results were poor and that she should focus on her studies.

    As a professional-level dancer, she made it through the preliminary round of the dancepetition this time and entered the finals.

    The ¡°National Dance Competition¡± was broadcasted on Chinese TV stations. To save time, there was only one category, which was the Professional Category. Only professional dancers were eligible to take part in it.

    The agenda of thepetition was simple and it consisted of the preliminary round, the final round and the award ceremony.

    ¡°Xixi, this, you forgot about this, you¡¯re so forgetful.¡± Yun Jinping chased after Shen Xi and stuffed a heating pad into her schoolbag. She reminded her, ¡°Paste it on your stomach after you¡¯ve changed into your dancewear. Remember to remove it before you go on stage.¡±

    Shen Xi had long suffered from a cold uterus[1]. If she caught a cold, she would end up with painful menstruation.

    ¡°I know, Mom, I¡¯m not a child.¡± Shen Xi smiled as she held her mother¡¯s arm. ¡°You and Old Shen shall stay at home and wait for my good news!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me toe along?¡± Yun Jinping sounded a bit dejected.

    Back then, her daughter would want her mother to apany her and to take care of her food, amodation and transport. As such, Yun Jinping could not bear to let her go alone.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not going out of town, anyway. In fact, I¡¯ll be nervous if youe along.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sayst time that you¡¯ll be nervous if your mom didn¡¯t apany you?¡±

    ¡°All of my ssmates will be there to cheer for me. If you and Old Shene along, they will only make fun of me for being a mama¡¯s girl.¡±

    ¡°So what? Aren¡¯t you my girl?¡±

    ¡°Old Shen, it¡¯s a cold day today. Get your wife into the car!¡±

    Shen Xi called out to Shen Zhangqing.

    ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Zhangqing ced an arm around Yun Jinping and addressed Shen Xi, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, and friendshipes before thepetition. I¡¯ve heard this a thousand times,¡± Shen Xi interrupted him and waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Old Shen, you¡¯re so long-winded. Get in the car, I¡¯m heading inside now.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping did not enter the car. They only did so after their daughter had entered the TV station¡¯s building.

    ¡°Where do we go now?¡± Shen Zhangqing asked his wife.

    ¡°Thepetition ends before noon. Instead of traveling up and down, why don¡¯t we wait for Xixi in the car?¡± Yun Jinping looked out of the window anxiously.

    ¡°I thought so too.¡± Shen Zhangqing finished speaking and consoled her with a grin, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Xixi didn¡¯t let you apany her. Every time she has apetition to attend, you¡¯re more nervous than her.¡±

    [1] A condition rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Women who suffer from this condition will have lower back pain, painful menstruation and cold limbs.

 Chapter 41

    <h4>Chapter 41: Something Must Be Up</h4>

    ¡°I am, how could I be not?¡± Shen Zhangqing held her hands against his chest to warm them up. ¡°Our little Xixi has won an internationalpetition before, this is nothing. Let¡¯s wait for her to bring home the crown.¡±

    Yun Jinping replied, ¡°What do you know? This is the most professionalpetition in the country, all thepetitors are provincial and national dancers. She¡¯s the youngest of them all.¡±

    ¡°That just proves that our daughter is the best and born to be a dancer.¡± Shen Zhangqing chuckled in return, a proud look on his face.

    The rain was still pouring outside, even heavier than when they first arrived.

    Shen Xi entered through the doors to the television station. She was soon brought into the backstage of the broadcasting studio by a crew member waiting in the lobby.

    With the backstage crew and dance contestants preparing for thest rehearsal, it was quite a bustling and chaotic scene.

    There were 36 teams going into the finals, either as individual dancers or in a group. They werepeting in five categories ¨C ssical dance, ethnic dance, contemporary dance, and ballroom dancing.

    The production team had its own make-up artists and stylists, but everybody was crammed in one big dressing room, except for a handful of nationally renowned dancers.

    Stepping into the dressing room, Shen Xi went to report to the person in charge of the backstage, and ended up being ignored.

    She watched as the person in charge assigned make-up artists and stylists to the performers who came after her, but not her.

    It should have been based on a firste first served basis. Something must be up since that system was not being followed.

    Shen Xi caught wind that Su Muyan was an invited judge for the finals.

    Having withdrawn from thepetition due to a broken leg, Su Ruowan was to be the highlight at the end of the show as a special guest singer.

    With Su Muyan and Su Ruowan present, the rest of the Su family would be attending as well.

    The Su family would know of her participation for sure if they had the desire to find out. Hence, it made sense that she was being ignored now.

    This was the reason why she had allowed Mom and Dad to keep herpany. Shen Xi did not want Mom to get upset and worried, or have the quick-tempered Old Shen get into a fight with anyone.

    ¡°Lil Xixi.¡± Song Wenye approached Shen Xi alongside a few of her besties from the international ss, noticing that she did not have anything done. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing your hair and face, or getting dressed? The rehearsal¡¯s about to begin.¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°How did you get backstage?¡±

    ¡°I have my ways, never mind that.¡± Song Wenye was the boss. ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Who is in charge of styling our dancers?¡±

    Everyone gave her the cold shoulder since no one backstage knew who she was. There were even a few make-up artists and stylists fiddling and chatting away on their phones.

    They adopted a hands-off attitude as someone higher up had instructed that Shen Xi was to be ignored. Was it not better to chat and y games?

    The assistant managing the backstage swept a nce at Shen Xi. The youngdy was a gorgeous, ice-queen type of beauty. It was a pity that she had somehow stepped on someone¡¯s toes, resulting in having her hair, make-up, and costume dyed and also, eventually, be done thoughtlessly.

    Anyone withmon sense would know that the make-up, styling, and dance costume were most important in dancepetitions. Even a small careless mistake would blow the whole look.

    ¡°Ms. Yan, this way please.¡± The assistant greeted her with a friendly face while instructing the make-up artists who were glued to their phones. ¡°Quit fooling around. Hurry up and create a look for Ms. Yan.¡±

    Song Wenye finally got to the bottom of what was going on ¨C Lil Xixi was being picked on. Annoyed, she rushed over to reason with them. ¡°We were here first. Why is she given priority?¡±

 Chapter 42

    <h4>Chapter 42: Absolutely Stunning</h4>

    ¡°Miss, Ms. Yan is a veteran.¡± The assistant ignored the elephant in the room. One had to be tactful to survive in this industry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about seniority. Even if she¡¯s a veteran, she can¡¯t be unreasonable and cut in line. It¡¯s all about firste, first served.¡± Seeing red, Song Wenye turned cocky. ¡°Tell your manager to get over here.¡±

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s not get too hasty. Do show some consideration as we¡¯re overstretched at the moment. We will attend to you immediately after Ms. Yan is done.¡± The assistant tried to smooth things over.

    ¡°Lil Ye, cut it out.¡± Shen Xi indifferently swept her a nce, motioning for her toe over. There was no need to go off the deep end with these people.

    ¡°They are the ones who took it too far.¡± Song Wenye was pissed. ¡°Shen Xi, are you such a pushover? Are you going to let them trample all over you?¡±

    ¡°She said it right.¡± Shen Xi pulled her back while darting a look at everyone on site with a smile. ¡°I, as the junior, can¡¯tpare to the veterans. Number one, I am not as old as them. Number two, I do not have that thick of a skin. The only thing I¡¯ve got going is my professionalism.¡±

    These words had upset most of the dancers.

    Ms. Yan, who cameter yet was put first in particr, was seething with rage.

    ¡°Youngdy, let me offer you my opinion.¡± Ms. Yan scoffed as she fixated on Shen Xi. ¡°Don¡¯t be too arrogant!¡±

    Shen Xi raised her brows and smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t arrogance a privilege of youngsters?¡±

    Having been rubbed the wrong way, Ms. Yan mmed the table and got up. Her hands were shaking. ¡°Get her ready first then.¡±

    The audacity at such a young age.

    Ms. Yan had been dancing for over two decades, participating in countless major and minorpetitions in between, yet this was her first time encountering such a cocky newbie!

    Now that Shen Xi had talked the talk, it was time to see if she could walk the walk!

    Seeing that the person who cut in line had left in a huff, Song Wenye arrogantlyughed out loud.

    This was Shen Xi¡¯s true colors ¨C it was all good when she held her tongue but the moment she opened her mouth, Shen Xi was capable of silencing her opponent!

    Shen Xi could not trust the stylists and makeup artists to paint her face in good faith. In the worst case scenario, they might even add a little extra something into the cosmetics.

    ¡°Take out your cosmetics.¡± Shen Xi turned her attention to Wenye and her group.

    Song Wenye informed her besties to pour the cosmetics in their purses onto the makeup counter. ¡°Check if there¡¯s anything else you need. I¡¯ll have someone bring it over.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡±

    Song Wenye responded, ¡°Are you really going to put on your own makeup? Have you painted your face before? Why don¡¯t I help you?¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s besties, which included a beauty blogger specialized in copycat looks, also volunteered to apply makeup on Shen Xi.

    However, Shen Xi refused.

    Half an hourter, everyone had to take back what they said.

    From the reflection in the mirror, Shen Xi¡¯s face was painted in a red tone, embodying a budding flower in the morning dew.

    What was most amazing was the petals drawn on her forehead and outer corners of her eyes. The semi-blossoming state of the flowers added a feminine yet coquettish charm to her.

    The other dancers with their hair and makeup done were looking at her and had their breath taken away.

    It was such a good look on her!

    Did her hand¡¯s have the Midas touch?

    The makeup artists were Cathay TV Station¡¯s best team of makeup artists. Casting aside their boss¡¯ instruction to give Shen Xi a hard time, they were amazed and had nothing but admiration for Shen Xi¡¯s ability from the bottom of their hearts.

    They took a nce at Shen Xi¡¯s hands before looking at their own. Their hands were all the same so why the huge disparity in ability?

    Song Wenye asked her nearby besties. ¡°What flower is this? It¡¯s enchanting and charming but soft and gentle. It¡¯s absolutely stunning.¡±

    The besties answered, ¡°I think it¡¯s called corn poppy!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s dance today was ¡°Corn Poppy¡±.

    There were people bustling about the corridors.

    Before getting into costume, Shen Xi took a trip to thedies¡¯ room and while passing thest room in the corridor, she was suddenly seized by the arm and pulled into a room.

 Chapter 43

    <h4>Chapter 43: Not Anymore</h4>

    Su Muyan gave Shen Xi a sombre look. ¡°Shen Xi, do you think that you¡¯lle out on top by breaking Wanwan¡¯s leg? Dream on!¡±

    Shen Xi may have beenughing, but her eyes were frozen to the core. ¡°I¡¯d still win even if I didn¡¯t break her leg.¡±

    There was some sort of alluring frostiness that was gorgeously breathtaking when she chuckled.

    With his eyes alighting with clear surprise, Su Muyan grew fretful. ¡°I¡¯m the judge of the finals. What makes you think that your wishful thinking will be reality?¡±

    ¡°Save it, Su Muyan. No matter what you do, you can¡¯t change the fact that Su Ruowan is nothing but a piece of trash who got to where she is by using the back door.¡± Shen Xi mocked with a smirk.

    Reaching his boiling point, Su Muyan clenched his teeth and pointed at her. ¡°You brat! Don¡¯t you bad-mouth Wanwan. You¡¯re the trash!¡±

    What came next was Shen Xi picking up a chair.

    Shen Xi swung the chair and smashed it on Su Muyan¡¯s head with all her might.

    Darkness overcame Su Muyan before he could react to it. Following his body going limp, he lost consciousness.

    Shen Xi stared down at him with chilly blood-thirsty eyes while absent-mindedly curling her lips. ¡°You¡¯re not the judge now.¡±

    ¡°Lil Xixi, Shen Xi!¡± Song Wenye¡¯s voice was drawing close.

    Why was she missing? Things were not looking good. Something had gone wrong with Lil Xixi¡¯s stage costume ¨C it was torn!

    The door to the room at the end of the corridor.

    A tall and slender young man stood against a wall. Hearing someone calling out Shen Xi¡¯s name, he perked the corner of his lips and stood erect to leave.

    Song Wenye was brushing past him when her eyes lit up. She hastened her pace to stop him. ¡°Hey handsome, are you here for the rehearsal?¡±

    What a knockout!

    The young man before her was blessed with ethereal-like beauty ¨C A distant look on his gorgeously fair face, profound facial features, and eyes bright as the stars.

    The young man threw her a nce. ¡°No.¡±

    Song Wenye made a groundhog shriek.

    AHHHH!

    OMG!

    This gorgeous man¡¯s voice was simply euphoric, seductive, and easy on the ears!

    ¡°You must be working at the TV station then!¡± Song Wenye did want to move away from this good-looking man. ¡°My uncle is the director of Cathay TV Station. You can look for me anytime if you need anything.¡±

    With those looks, it would be a waste if he did not end up a celebrity!

    Sure, she wanted to stash away all the beauties in the world for her own admiration. Nevertheless, their looks should benefit all mankind in order to exercise its greatest value.

    The young man hummed in agreement.

    Hot with emotions, Song Wenye whipped out her phone. ¡°Handsome, let¡¯s add each other on WeChat!¡±

    The young man retorted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have a phone.¡±

    Song Wenye knew that he was lying. ¡°Hey Handsome, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    The young man darted her a look with his narrow bewitching eyes before abruptly drawing close to her ear and opening his thin sexy lips. ¡°Xuan Yuan.¡±

    Feeling a tingle electrifying her entire body, Song Wenye froze there with her heart pumping out of her chest and face flushed red.

    ¡°Lil Ye, what are you looking at?¡± Shen Xi patted her shoulder.

    Song Wenye snapped out of her thoughts, albeit she could still feel the suggestive sensation in her ear left behind by the young man. She held onto Shen Xi. ¡°Lil Xixi, I think I¡¯m in love!¡±

    Shen Xi poked her head. ¡°Who¡¯s your boyfriend?¡±

    Song Wenye felt her chest with little red hearts in her eyes. ¡°Here, here.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°You were looking for me?¡±

    Song Wenye was finally reminded what she was here for. ¡°It¡¯s your dance costume. They brought it over, but it¡¯s torn. Come take a look, quick!¡±

 Chapter 44 Adopted Daughter Mistakenly Swapped At Birth

    Chapter 44 Adopted Daughter Mistakenly Swapped At Birth

    Shen Xi''s eyes flickered when she saw the dance costume had been torn apart by a huge hole.

    The chief designer in charge of the backstage costumes was giving a good telling-off because of the torn dress, while the reproached young designer behaved as obsequious as a quail.

    Everyone knew what really went on with the costume but they had to put on a show for a certain somebody.

    "Ms. Shen, we''re really sorry. We didn''t keep a good eye on your outfit which resulted in this unfortunate incident." The designer insincerely apologized.

    "Do you have somece and rhinestones?" Shen Xi stared at the designer. "Bring me some."

    The designer had no idea what she neededce for but since it was missionplete on his part, he replied with a smile. "I''ll get someone to bring you as much as you want."

    Shen Xi replied, "Thank you."

    The expression of gratitude rode on the designer''s conscience. Nevertheless, it was out of his hands as he was just following orders.

    Shen Xi had only herself to me for snubbing those she should not have.

    Show business was a dog-eat-dog world and no one could make it without thick skin.

    In the hallway, a deliveryman held a bouquet of flowers in his hand and knocked on the door to the VIP room next door.

    Su Mushi opened the door to flowers. "Who is it from?"

    The delivery man answered, "Ms. Su Ruowan ordered the flowers."

    After Su Mushi signed for it, he held the flowers and turned around. He asked with a smile. "Wanwan, what are these flowers for?"

    Su Ruowan held Li Jingran''s hand. "Mom, I heard that Shen Xi ispeting too. I went out my way to order some flowers so you can present them to her when the curtain closes on thepetition."

    "That brat harmed you, yet you still care for her!" Su Mushi coldly scoffed and angrily dumped the flowers to the ground.

    With downcast eyes, Su Ruowan put on a sad look and replied in a feeble voice, "But Brother, Mom, she will always a part of the Su family."

    Observing that she was sad and down, Li Jingran hugged her and soothed her. "She''s not, she''s unworthy. Wanwan, listen to me. I only have you as a daughter."

    Su Ruowan tearily pushed her away and replied in a raspy voice, "Mom, don''t be like that. Go bring Shen Xi home. She''s your biological daughter while I''m only the adopted daughter that was mistakenly swapped at birth."

    Heartbroken by thement, Su Mushi kneeled before Su Ruowan. "Wanwan, don''t you know how much you mean to Mom, Dad, and me? Do I have to dig my heart out for you to believe that you''re our sister and the only princess of the Su family!"

    Li Jingran was tearful as her heart went out to Su Ruowan. "Silly girl, your words really drive a knife into my heart, do you know that?"

    "Mom, Brother, I''m sorry. It''s all my fault." Su Ruowan cried her eyes out. "I will never say such a thing again. I''m sorry to have hurt your feelings."

    Li Jingran pulled Su Ruowan into her arms and pacified her.

    19:06

    Su Mushiforted her with a soft voice.

    trophy." Su Ruowan was down in the dumps.

    "Mom, I''m useless and my body let me down. I can''t participate in thepetition to bring home the Li Jingran gently patted her head. "What are you talking about? It''s the greatest blessing to me if you''re safe and in good health."

    this. My biggest wish for you is to be happy."

    Su Mushi felt sorry. "Mom''s right. You have already won a lot of awards, so you''re not missing out on Wanwan was out of thepetition due to a broken leg, thanks to Shen Xi, that ruthless brat. He would not let this matter slide.

 Chapter 45

    <h4>Chapter 45: I Don¡¯t Take On Apprenticeships</h4>

    ¡°Mom, Shen Xi is a great dancer. The teachers boast of her gift every day. She¡¯ll surely make it to the top.¡± Speaking in a soft and weak tone, Su Ruowan enviously added.

    ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t bring her up.¡± Li Jingran put on a straight face.

    With the wicked Shen Xiing to mind, Su Mushi took a nce at his kind little sister. The mere thought made his blood boil and head hot. ¡°An evil person like her will never win, unless God goes blind.¡±

    As the judge, Su Muyan was not going to let Shen Xi win on his watch.

    Su Mushi himself had given orders for the TV station¡¯s crew to give Shen Xi, that brat, a hard time during the preparation period. This included refusal to paint her face and messing with her dance costume.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Su Ruowan nestled against Li Jingran¡¯s arms, escaping their eyes as she curled her lips in glee.

    She was the daughter of the Su family, the only daughter of the Su family.

    Shen Xi was nothing. In the eyes of Mom, Dad and the Su brothers, she was less than a dog!

    ¡­

    Using a little more than ten minutes, Shen Xi managed to alter an entire dress.

    ¡°D*mn, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Song Wenye swore out of excitement. Owing to her limited vocabry, she had no words to describe it.

    ¡°D*mn, that¡¯s beautiful!¡±

    ¡°D*mn, it is really beautiful!¡±

    Her besties echoed the same views one after another.

    Shen Xi swept a nce at them with disdain. Since illiteracy was no joke, she earnestly replied, ¡°Please focus on your studies.¡±

    Song Wenye circled her before pping her hands all excited. ¡°A celestial! Celestial, please allow me to give you a kiss.¡±

    Shen Xi grabbed ahold of her jaw, trying to keep a distance from Song Wenye.

    All the contestants in the dressing room had their eye on Shen Xi. Their eyes spoke of wonder and admiration.

    At first, they had their preconceptions due to her earlier statement but now they were thoroughly impressed by her outstandingposure in an hour of peril.

    The contestants had heard about Shen Xi. This girl was a great talent amongst China¡¯s younger generation and had won many awards.

    As veterans, they wereforted to see budding talent and hoped to see more of her kind in China.

    This youngdy was neither conceited nor rash, showing an ability to remain calm in the face of mounting pressure as though nothing could put her down. Now this was real talent.

    It never crossed the crew members¡¯ minds that Shen Xi could alter her own dress. Lowering their heads, they sneaked a nce at the managing assistant. What were they supposed to do now?

    The managing assistant was fuming. What more could they do, seeing that they did all they could? It never urred to them that Shen Xi was this incredible. She took care of her makeup, look, and outfit. They were out of ideas.

    The designer never imagined that this youngdy would be able to redesign and give new life to a torn and unsalvageable dress in such a short time.

    The design of the dresspletely ditched its original style; and withce and rhinestones added, the dress embodied the charming corn poppy swaying in the breeze, portraying the coy beauty between fragility and leanness.

    He had to admit that the youngdy had talent in design. She was at the out-of-reach height that even he was ashamed of his own unseemliness.

    The rehearsal was soon over as going through the course only took half an hour.

    Shen Xi had just made it back to backstage when she was stopped by a girl as noble as a white swan.

    Haughty and beautiful, the girl in her twenties stared at Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, my teacher wants to take on you as my junior in apprenticeship. Come with me after thepetition.¡±

    Shen Xi answered in a t tone, ¡°I don¡¯t take on apprenticeships.¡±

    The girl was in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡±

    Shen Xi threw her a question. ¡°Do I need to?¡±

 Chapter 46

    <h4>Chapter 46: Who Does She Think She Is</h4>

    It never urred to the girl that someone would not recognize her. ¡°I¡¯m Guan Yue, Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s number one student!¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Thank you for your teacher¡¯s appreciation but I don¡¯t take on apprenticeships.¡±

    Guan Yue would think that the person was stuck up if this came out of anyone¡¯s mouth, yet she believed Shen Xi was true to her words. ¡°My teacher is the top dancer in China. Do you know how many people are dying to be her student?¡±

    Shen Xi was polite. ¡°Tell your teacher that I will pay a visit when time allows.¡±

    Of course, she was conscious that Ms. Shu Baiyu was the top dancer in China. She was the pride and treasure of China.

    ¡°Why? You should at least give me a reason so that I can inform Teacher.¡± Guan Yue caught up to her.

    ¡°I do not intend to make a career out of the dancing,¡± Shen Xi spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

    She had a lot on her hands. Work and revenge was not her everything, the happiness and health of her loved ones were what she was after.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing that she made up her mind, Guan Yue did not insist further. However, she did feel it was a pity though.

    Guan Yue was well aware of herck of talent but she put in the due diligence and effort, bing Teacher¡¯s longest standing and only persevering student.

    Nevertheless, she knew that she was still unworthy of stepping into Teacher¡¯s shoes.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, was able because she had the gift and ingenuity that Guan Yuecked.

    Guan Yue was a contestant of the finals as well and as Shu Baiyu¡¯s student and national second ranked dancer, she had her own dressing room.

    ¡°Do you want to take a break over in my room?¡± Guan Yue extended an invitation.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, thank you.¡± Shen Xi politely declined and smiled.

    Guan Yue watched the girl¡¯s receding figure. Thetter appeared distant and aloof, like a wild rose beautiful on its own in the wilderness, willfully growing with flourishing life.

    News that Guan Yue was looking for Shen Xi because Shu Baiyu wanted to take Shen Xi in as a student quickly travelled. There were those whomented Shen Xi¡¯s declination while others presumed her to be on her high horse and tactless.

    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Su Ruowan let out an angry scream with a contorted look on her face. Reflecting viciousness in her eyes, she flipped the table before her. ¡°B*tch!¡±

    Shen Xi did it intentionally!

    That woman was deliberately putting on a show!

    Shen Xi was taunting her!

    She could already imagine Shen Xi shing her that smug smile. ¡®Su Ruowan, you want to be her student, but she doesn¡¯t want you. Here she is, begging for me to be her student.¡¯

    What a b*tch, Shen Xi was. That woman knew for a fact that Mom and Dad wanted Shu Baiyu to take her on as a student and had paid multiple visits to the teacher.

    Old Hag Shu had told Mom that shecked ingenuity and talent, and even offered the unsolicited advice that she should give up dancing.

    It was not Old Hag Shu¡¯s right to decide if she had talent or ingenuity. Who the hell did she think she was?

    That old hag must be blind to select Shen Xi the B*tch to be her top student.

    She clenched her fists tight. The immense jealousy and anger left her body shaking and eyes growing with twisted ruthlessness.

    Shu Baiyu! Shen Xi!

    Su Ruowan was not going to write the whole thing off just like that!

    Su Mushi and Li Jingran went to search for Su Muyan who had suddenly gone missing.

    By the time Su Mushi returned, he saw Su Ruowan staring into nk space on the sofa with the back of her hand bleeding.

    Distressed, Su Mushi bolted over and kneeled by her. He nervously held her hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°Mushi, have you found Muyan?¡± Teary-eyed, Su Ruowan withdrew her arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It was an idental scratch.¡±

 Chapter 47

    <h4>Chapter 47: Blown Away</h4>

    Su Mushi grabbed the first aid kit to attend to Su Ruowan wounds. ¡°Mom is still searching together with the TV station¡¯s staff members. I¡¯m sure Muyan is alright.¡±

    Scared out of her wits, Su Ruowan feebly and helplessly shed tears. ¡°Mushi, am I really that useless? Instead of helping, I only cause trouble for everyone. Just send me away and take Shen Xi back!¡±

    Su Mushi put on a straight face. ¡°What are you talking about? Shen Xi can¡¯tpare to you. The way I see it, she can¡¯t hold a candle to even a single strand of your hair.¡±

    Su Ruowan miserably wept. ¡°But Mushi, Ms. Shu wants Shen Xi to be her top student. Mom and Dad have talked to her numerous times over the years, yet she won¡¯t budge on epting me as her student.¡±

    Su Mushi coldly snorted. ¡°That¡¯s just because she¡¯s blind. I¡¯ve said it before. That old hag is only putting on a lofty front, fancying herself to be an other-worldly celestial while other people are mere earthlings. Why can¡¯t she see theyers of wrinkles on her own face?¡±

    ¡°Mushi, don¡¯t say that.¡± Su Ruowan rebukingly took a nce at him. ¡°Teacher is not such a person.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just too kind for your own good, thinking the world is made of good guys.¡± Su Mushi sighed and continued. ¡°It¡¯s the old hag¡¯s loss for not epting you. She will look back on this day with regret.¡±

    The old hag must be blind and out of her mind to take on a disgusting brat like Shen Xi as her student.

    ¡°Mushi, perhaps Ms. Shu is right ¨CI¡¯m not born to dance andck ingenuity.¡± Su Ruowan sniffed as she looked him in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t havepare myself to others, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Our Wanwan is the most adorable and the best.¡± Su Mushi dotingly tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°That old hag is as blind as a bat and won¡¯t know what talent is even if it hits her in the face.¡±

    With the reassurance shifting Su Ruowan from tears to smiles, she hugged him. ¡°Mushi, will you always be good to me?¡±

    Su Mushi gently stroked her hair. ¡°Of course! You¡¯re my princess!¡±

    Su Ruowan retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me.¡±

    Su Mushi put her mind at rest. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Su Muyan was missing. His phone was unreachable and his person nowhere to be found.

    With the production team running out of alternatives, the director came forth and asked that Li Jingran take Su Muyan¡¯s ce as a judge.

    Shen Xi was the eighth in line to perform, and eight happened to be her lucky number.

    She was performing a ssical solo ¨C Corn Poppy.

    On stage, Shen Xi breathed life into a corn poppy, like wind and fire through a flowy and deft red dress.

    At times with a lithe and unrestrained bearing, other times disying great strength, and sometimes drooping in fragility without sacrificing flexibility, Shen Xi vividly brought the dance to life.

    She was a corn poppy swaying along the breeze, persevering in the rain, dewing after the rain, and showcasing its obtrusive and mboyant beauty under the sunlight.

    The judges and audience off the stage were lost in this perfect visual feast. Away from the bustling and tedious mortal world, they were immersed in the short but dazzlingly beautiful life of a flower.

    The dance of Corn Poppy.

    Everyone was left blown away.

    As Shen Xi positioned her supple body on the ground, the hem of the dress withered and blossomed like petals, signifying the end as well as the beginning.

    Everyone present was still awed by the dance even after she gave thanks and stepped off the stage.

    A genuinely great dance was capable of resonating and pulling at the heartstrings of the audience.

    It was not known who led the apuse but ps thundered through the entire hall.

    The apuse was the best validation to a dancer.

    Completely awestruck, Li Jingran¡¯s heart was beating out of control.

 Chapter 48

    <h4>Chapter 48: Congrattions On Winning</h4>

    To see a dancer with a simr look to hers unrestrainedly and passionately flourish on stage, Li Jingran would be lying to say she was not moved.

    She had never known that her daughter¡¯s dance had reached such heights.

    That was right. The term ¡°height¡± was only used by real dance lovers and dancer artists to describe dance.

    The way Li Jingran saw it, only Ms. Shu Baiyu lived up to such honor in China.

    With Shen Xi¡¯s performance demonstrating such a visual feast, Li Jingran believed that the former held up to this term.

    ¡°Ms. Li.¡± The assistant director cried before whispering, ¡°You should give a score to the contestant.¡±

    Pulling out of her thoughts, the amazement in Li Jingran¡¯s eyes slowly faded away. She picked up the scoreboard and wrote a number. Owing to her respect towards art, Li Jingran gave the most usible score.

    Su Ruowan was sitting on the VIP seat. Deep in her eyes, hatred surged within as she balled her fists, plunging her nails deep into her palm.

    She clearly observed Li Jingran reveling in Shen Xi¡¯s dance while looking at Shen Xi with amazement.

    Did they actually want Shen Xi toe home?

    Were they warming up to Shen Xi, that b*tch, and starting to see her in a new light?

    No way!

    Su Ruowan would never allow Shen Xi to return to the Su family!

    Only she was the daughter of the Su family!

    Shen Xi was nothing nor was she deserving!

    It came as no surprise that Shen Xi won first ce. She politely and humbly smiled when Li Jingran handed her the trophy. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Li.¡±

    Li Jingran saw no sorrow, pain, regret, nor plea in Shen Xi¡¯s eyes. Instead, thetter¡¯s eyes were clear and bright, like a translucent crystal.

    The serene look on Shen Xi¡¯s face was as though she was looking at a stranger, leaving Li Jingran flustered. Nevertheless, this was no time to lose her cool. ¡°Keep it up.¡±

    The host took over the microphone. ¡°Ms. Shen, congrattions on winning. I¡¯d like to ask about your thoughts right now.¡±

    Lifting the trophy, Shen Xi cleared away her indifference and acted like an ordinary girl ¨C excited to win yet unable to resist the urge to brag. ¡°I would like to thank Madam Yun for your nurturing and Old Shen for your decades worth of guidance.¡±

    ¡°Your mom and dad must be happy for you now.¡± The host happily enquired further, ¡°Is anyone from your family here to cheer you on?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± After shaking her head, Shen Xi raised the trophy above her head to outline a huge heart. ¡°Mom, Dad, I love you.¡±

    Li Jingran stood there, listening to her speech. The smile on Shen Xi¡¯s face was a contrast to the saltiness down Li Jingran¡¯s throat and tightness in her chest.

    Mom, Dad?

    Those two bumpkins from the countryside?

    Shen Xi only deserved to be family with those types of people!

    Infuriated, Su Ruowan might have followed through with the urge to go up there and tear apart the smug look on Shen Xi¡¯s face had she watched any longer.

    Mom did not look right. Was she having any regrets?

    If Shen Xi was never driven out, she would probably be thanking Li Jingran right now.

    Hence, Li Jingran must be regretting her actions of abandoning Shen Xi and wanting to take her back!

    Su Mushi spat out of anger before viciously swearing under his breath. ¡°D*mn brat, she deserves to rot in her dirty home.¡±

    Shen Xi was deliberately trying to piss Mom off by happily thanking her adopted parents in front of Mom.

    What was the TV station¡¯s crew doing? They were a bunch of good-for-nothings. Did he not make clear instructions to neglect Shen Xi¡¯s styling and makeup?

 Chapter 49

    <h4>Chapter 49: Pretentious</h4>

    Shen Xi could be said to be perfect no matter in makeup or overall look amongst thepetition. She was quite a head-turner, more so than even Guan Yue, who had brought along her own makeup and styling team.

    After the event ended, all dancers, judges, and special guests went on stage for a curtain call and eptance of flowers.

    It suddenly hit Su Mushi that the flowers he prepared were limp due to the wilted and fallen petals. There was no way he could present them on stage.

    Passing by with a bouquet of lilies in full bloom, Pei Xu stopped for a moment in front of Su Mushi and asked, ¡°Su Mushi, aren¡¯t you going to present flowers to Wanwan?¡±

    Su Mushi took a nce at the rotten flowers by his feet before turning back to Pei Xu. Hemanded through clenched teeth. ¡°Give me your flowers.¡±

    Pei Xu looked askance at him and coldly scoffed. ¡°I bought these flowers so why should I give them to you? You¡¯re not above thew even if you¡¯re the third eldest son of the Su family.¡±

    Su Mushi darted him a vicious re. ¡°Pei Xu, I¡¯m sure you deliberately ruined my flowers to get on Wanwan¡¯s good side.¡±

    Pei Xu gazed at Su Mushi as though he was an idiot. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your marbles!¡±

    Su Mushi resentfully gritted his teeth. ¡°Do you think Wanwan will be happier to see you or me? Give the flowers to me and I¡¯ll tell Wanwan that you bought them. I can help you get into her good graces.¡±

    ¡°Is everyone in the Su family that pretentious? No, that¡¯s not right. It should be shameless.¡± Pei Xu mocked. ¡°How do you know that I¡¯m presenting these flowers to your sister?¡±

    Confident, Su Mushi warned him. ¡°You¡¯re only after Shen Xi on a whim. You won¡¯t get another chance if you hurt Wanwan¡¯s feelings again.¡±

    Pei Xu spat in disdain. ¡°F*ck!¡±

    He then walked away.

    Gazing at Pei Xu¡¯s cocky receding figure, Su Mushi¡¯s face turned sour as he stomped on the flowers under his feet.

    Pei Xu¡¯s good looks, coupled with his vigorous youthfulness and high-handed presence made him stand out amongst the crowd of flower bearers.

    Su Ruowan could not spot Su Mushi but caught a glimpse of Pei Xu approaching with an affectionate look on his face. She was pleased.

    She knew it. With Pei Xu shamelessly wooing her all these years, he could not possibly have given up easily and gone for Shen Xi instead.

    Pei Xu was filled with resentment and merely wanted to get her attention by pissing her off. Yet here he was,ing to present her flowers.

    Anyone would know which to pick between a superior swan and a disgusting ugly duckling.

    Li Jingran¡¯s eyes softened seeing Pei Xu heading Su Ruowan¡¯s way. The value of an outstanding youngdy was reflected through the pursuit of many excellent men.

    Her darling daughter was one suchdy. The sons and heirs, belonging to aristocratic families, of simr age were all after her heart.

    These boys in pursuit of Su Ruowan would have fought for her favor, had she not refused them due to an engagement with the Gu family.

    Pei Xu slowed his pace down when nearing Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan kept a smile on her face but remained unperturbed in her eyes. It was imperative to keep them on their toes no matter where and when.

    She had never taken a liking to Pei Xu but she enjoyed being the center of attention and wooed.

    As an illegitimate child, Pei Xu¡¯s status did not match up to hers and only the only son of the Gu family ¨C Gu Xiaohan was an equal to the noble her.

    Men had no respect for themselves, just like Pei Xu. The more she gave him the cold shoulder, the more he wanted to get close and conquer her.

    Pei Xu stopped in front of Su Ruowan for a while and curled his lips at her.

    With her eyes flickering with pride and glee, Su Ruowan swept a nce at Shen Xi in provocation before extending her arms to ept the flowers.

 Chapter 50

    <h4>Chapter 50: Ulterior Motive</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Suddenly, Pei Xu turned around and headed towards Shen Xi. Disying his gentility, he lowered his body with a bow. ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s arm was suspended in midair awkwardly as she watched Pei Xu offering the bouquet to Shen Xi. It was getting harder for her to contain her rage!

    B*tch!

    What a little b*tch Shen Xi was!

    That woman seduced Pei Xu!

    Pei Xu should be in love with her, and even if she did not want him, Shen Xi could not have him!

    It never urred to Li Jingran that Pei Xu would present Shen Xi with flowers. Observing the awkward state her daughter was in, Li Jingran turned to Su Mushi off the stage.

    Su Mushi was without flowers. He watched the whole scene on stage unfolded with a grimace, wishing nothing more than to tear Pei Xu and Shen Xi to pieces.

    Just then.

    Out of nowhere, a man approached from the audience stand. All the spotlights were on him.

    Adorned in a white suit, the man was dressed to the nines. The gold-rimmed sses on his high nose bridge added an air of elegance to him.

    Behind the sses were a pair of smiley and frisky eyes. The sparkling brilliance within gave an illusion of tenderness that could make one go weak in the knees with just one look.

    The man was holding a bouquet of blossoming white roses. The pure and untainted color entuated his gorgeous face, making him rather irresistible.

    Everyone was drooling over the man¡¯s looks as they could not keep their eyes away from him. This was a man whose bearing and appearance were simply perfection.

    With her eyes lit up, Li Jingran let out a sigh of relief before winking at him to present the flowers to Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan was relieved as well. It did not matter that she was without Pei Xu¡¯s flowers because flowers from Situ Zhangyou beat Pei Xu a million times and more.

    Situ Zhangyou and Mom were on good terms since they were in a movie togetherst year and he even came by their house for a meal. Surely, he was there to offer Mom flowers.

    Li Jingran¡¯s mind was put to rest. Her daughter would definitely be trending online for a chance to boost her poprity, with flowers from Zhangyou.

    The only son to a family with a history in medicine, Zhangyou was at the tender age of twenty. Zhangyou was her favorite choice for a son-inw had it not been the promise of marriage between Wanwan and the Gu family early on.

    This child had the looks and bearing. In the short two years in showbiz, the fan base he built wasparable to A-listers.

    Taking the hint from Li Jingran, Su Ruowan knew that Situ Zhangyou was about to present her flowers. She let out a gentle smile and made sure she was in her best shape while getting ready to ept the flowers.

    Situ Zhangyou went up on stage and nodded at Li Jingran in greeting. However, he did not stop and continued walking to Shen Xi.

    Staring at the ever-popr influential figure in showbiz standing before her, Shen Xi¡¯s eyes alighted with a hint of doubt. Did she know him?

    ¡°Ms. Shen, I love your dance. Congrattions on winning.¡± Situ Zhangyou elegantly grinned at the girl with a nk expression.

    By right, his looks set him above the masses of celebrities. Yet, this girl showed no reaction.

    She should at least drool a little. The indifferent look on her face frustrated him!

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi calmly epted the flowers.

    Did he reallye bearing flowers because he loved her dance?

    Her sixth sense picked up on his ulterior motive!

    ¡°Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. Ms. Shen, though inexperienced, you have already aplished such achievements.¡± Situ Zhangyou could sense the girl¡¯s probing eyes.

    Was he discovered?

    Interesting. She was high on guard.

    Invited to the dance finals, Zhangyou happened to run into Xuan Yuan and found out that the incredible youngdy mentioned by Kun Lun was also in thepetition.

    He wanted to see for himself what was so special about the youngdy that had his boss on tenterhooks and Xuan Yuan watching over.

    About to lose it, Su Ruowan tried to pull herself together from bursting out in rage.

 Chapter 51 - A Plan

    <h4>Chapter 51: A n</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Was Situ Zhangyou out of his mind?

    Why would he present flowers to Shen Xi, that little b*tch!

    Having been caught off guard by the turn of events, Li Jingran darted an inquisitive look at Shen Xi.

    Since when did she know Zhangyou?

    It seemed Li Jingran had underestimated her!

    Shen Xi just made her way off the stage.

    Song Wenye bolted over with sparkling eyes. ¡°Xixi, Xixi, you¡¯re so awesome. Since when were you acquainted with my Youyou?¡±

    Shen Xi fell into contemtion. ¡°Situ Zhangyou?¡±

    Song Wenye replied, ¡°Who else other than my Youyou? Quick, get an autograph for me, will you?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±

    Song Wenye curled her lip. ¡°You liar. Why would he give you flowers if you don¡¯t know him? Don¡¯t you know that my Youyou is standoffish? He¡¯s never been seen giving anyone flowers.¡±

    Shen Xi responded, ¡°How many people do you take a fancy to? What about that boyfriend you¡¯re in love with today?¡±

    Speaking of which, Song Wenye turned displeased. ¡°I took some people with me to look around the entire TV station but the search came out empty. He might be some god descending upon earth for a visit and left after meeting me.¡±

    Shen Xi turned up her nose. ¡°I won¡¯t do it. Go yourself if you want it.¡±

    Song Wenye got on her knees. ¡°I¡¯m begging you. Don¡¯t you know that I can¡¯t look him in the eye? My heart will stop and I¡¯d pass out overwhelmed with emotions if my Youyou took one look at me.¡±

    Shen Xi could not identify with these girls who idolized celebrities. Nevertheless, she took into consideration the fact that Song Wenye helped out today. ¡°Wait here.¡±

    Song Wenye made a heart with her hands before urging her. ¡°Love you, love you. Now, make haste.¡±

    ¡­

    The missing Su Muyan was finally found tied up and tossed in the corner of the broom closet at the end of the hallway. He had sustained a head injury.

    Heartbroken, Li Jingran stared at her son. ¡°Did you see the perpetrator? What does the person look like?¡±

    Tears rained down Su Ruowan¡¯s face. ¡°Muyan, you must be hurting. If only I can rece the pain you¡¯re feeling.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes flickered in gloominess.

    Muyan was hurt, locked up, and now hemming and hawing. He brought up to Su Mushi that he was going to look for Shen Xi.

    It was clearly Shen Xi, that brat¡¯s doing. Others may have not witnessed the savage side of Shen Xi but Su Mushi had. Her eyes were like those of a wolf, ready to eat one up.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine.¡± It was hard for Su Muyan to admit that he was beat up by Shen Xi since it was quite embarrassing. Instead, he wiped away Su Ruowan¡¯s tears in an act of reassurance. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Wanwan. I¡¯m okay. My heart breaks when you cry. Please don¡¯t cry, alright?¡±

    ¡°Muyan, why aren¡¯t I the one injured? I¡¯d rather take the hurt and pain for you.¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s voice was hoarse from the distressed sobbing.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried for me. I promise you that I won¡¯t get hurt again and cause you distress.¡± Su Muyan softly offered words of console and assurance.

    Shen Xi, that brat, sure was wicked.

    She even tried topete with Wanwan. This sort of vicious little b*tch has nothing on Wanwan.

    While Li Jingran and Su Ruowan were away, Su Mushi forthrightly shot away. ¡°Muyan, your injury was caused by that brat Shen Xi, right?¡±

    A chilling murderous intent was clearly written in Su Muyan¡¯s eyes. Now that Wanwan and Mom were gone, there was no holding back his true feelings. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let her off the hook.¡±

    Seeing red, Su Mushi turned to leave. ¡°Muyan, I¡¯m going to avenge you.¡±

    Su Muyan called him back. ¡°Don¡¯t act on impulse. We need a n.¡±

    Su Mushi wanted to have none of that. Shen Xi, that brat went against their family in every way, such as hurting Wanwan¡¯s feelings and injuring Muyan. Killing her would not be enough to put out the hatred within.

    With the door swinging open, Su Ruowan emerged pale with tears streaked across her face as she stared at Su Mushi. ¡°Mushi, is what you¡¯re saying true? Why would Shen Xi do that to Muyan?¡±

 Chapter 52 - Kill Shen Xi

    <h4>Chapter 52: Kill Shen Xi</h4>

    Afraid that it might be bad if they were seen, Su Mushi quickly pushed Su Ruowan into the dressing room. ¡°Stay with Muyan and leave the rest to me.¡±

    Su Ruowan held onto him, crying and refusing to let him go. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Mushi. I won¡¯t let you do such a thing. Even if it¡¯s her, there must be some misunderstanding!¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, let go.¡± Su Mushi broke free from Su Ruowan and dashed out.

    ¡°Mushi!¡± Su Ruowan lost her voice crying out in tears. ¡°Muyan, go take a look and stop Mushi! Don¡¯t let him get reckless.¡±

    With Shen Xi being the culprit behind Muyan¡¯s injury, Mushi would not go easy on her and all the better if she ended up dead.

    Li Jingran arrived in the room to Su Ruowan bawling her eyes out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying again?¡±

    ¡°Mom, go take a look, quick.¡± Su Ruowan really turned on the waterworks. ¡°Muyan said that Shen Xi¡¯s the one who injured him. Mushi went to get payback from her.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s eyes abruptly turned cold. ¡°Shen Xi, you say?¡±

    Su Ruowan shook her head amid sobs. ¡°Mom, it must be a misunderstanding. With that temper of Mushi¡¯s, Shen Xi¡¯s bound to get hurt.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s eyes spoke of resentment and abhor. ¡°Oh, that brat. How could she do such a horrible thing? She needs to be taught a lesson.¡±

    To think that her heart went out to Shen Xi, that brat moments ago.

    A wickedly disgusting thing like Shen Xi did not deserve to be her daughter!

    The clear hatred and resentment in Li Jingran¡¯s eyes gave Su Ruowan room to rx. Still, Su Ruowan was overwhelmed with murderous intent.

    Mom really went soft on Shen Xi this time.

    However, what about the next time?

    And the next time after that?

    Only by killing Shen Xi could allter troubles be spared.

    ¡­

    It was still raining outside when Shen Xi came out. By the looks of the drizzling pour, it seemed it would go on all day.

    Clinging onto Shen Xi¡¯s arm, Song Wenye took bold steps ahead with her head held high as if it was an honor.

    Having broken the ice with Shen Xi, Song Wenye realized that though Shen Xi may put on a cold front, the truth was she was a softie inside. Hence, shamelessness was the way to get through to Shen Xi.

    Avable to their disposal, Pei Xu held an umbre for them.

    Behind them followed the people from the international ss that they brought along.

    From afar, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing observed and were surprised with their daughter bonding with a group of people as they came over.

    Their daughter never talked about school, but they were aware that her frequent absence in ss due to the study of art made her an outcast amongst her ssmates.

    The istion took a turn for the worst since her enrollment at No. 4 High School.

    Happy to witness Shen Xi hanging out with kids of simr age, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing went up to greet them.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Shen.¡± Song Wenye took the lead and engaged in sweet talk.

    Pei Xu and the rest followed suit, exining that they were there for Shen Xi as ssmates.

    As this was Shen Zhangqing¡¯s first time seeing her daughter with many friends, he was overjoyed. ¡°Have you guys eaten? Why don¡¯t I take you all out for a meal?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s such a cold day today. Let¡¯s eat before heading home.¡± Yun Jinping zealouslymented with a cheerful grin. ¡°Think of it as a celebration for our Xixi.¡±

    epting the invite without qualms, Song Wenye let out a sweet smile. ¡°Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Shen. We will eat a lot so don¡¯t hate us for that.¡±

    ¡°Just enjoy and eat all you want. Don¡¯t feel bad for my wallet.¡± Shen Zhangqing feltforted.

    Their daughter finally had friends.

    Back in the lobby at the TV station, Li Jingran and family just walked out and ran into Shen Xi¡¯s group. A hint of obscurity flickered in Li Jingran¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 53 - Nutcase

    <h4>Chapter 53: Nutcase</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The hands Su Ruowan had rested against her thighs balled up into fists as jealousy overflowed in her eyes.

    What means did Shen Xi, that b*tch, adopt to get those bunch of good-for-nothings in the international ss on her side in such a short amount of time?

    With bloodshot eyes, Su Mushi was ready to charge up and get even with Shen Xi.

    Su Muyan pulled him back and spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°Revenge is a dish best served cold.¡±

    There was no chance for Mushi to strike a move since there were too many people at the TV station, not forgetting that Shen Xi was together with the international ss as well.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s vehicle was not able to amodate the more than a dozen international ss students who came to root for Shen Xi.

    Song Wenye brought along two girls to sit with Shen Xi in the backseat while the rest drove their cars to follow behind Shen Zhangqing¡¯s.

    Sitting in the front, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing happily chatted away with the kids.

    Shen Zhangqing thought the kids were just ordinary friends but one look through the rear-view mirror told otherwise. The cars tailing behind were all sports cars.

    As a man, he was fond of cars, like the majority of men in the country. The car in the front was a Bugatti Veyron, while the following were a limited edition Maserati and Ferrari.

    It appeared that Xixi¡¯s friends came from wealthy backgrounds. He must improve the family¡¯s financial status and earn more money so that her daughter could buy all the sports cars.

    Song Wenye enviously whispered in Shen Xi¡¯s ear. ¡°Your mom and dad are so nice. What came into you to suffer in the hands of the Su family?

    Shen Xi spoke in hushed tones. ¡°I¡¯m a nutcase.¡±

    Song Wenye nodded in agreement before quietly offering weighty advice. ¡°It¡¯s not toote toe to your senses and return to your parents.¡±

    She maye from a rich family but her parents were divorced early. Her dad remarried but her mom never did, albeit thetter switched boyfriends as quickly as changing clothes.

    Song Wenye barely got to meet them in a year but all was good as long as her living expenses were wired to her ount on time.

    Since there were a lot of people and they were students, Shen Zhangqing suggested they dine at a seafood restaurant, a sushi ce or other Michelin-starred restaurant.

    These kids were children of the rich. Shen Zhangqing was conscious that society nowadays indulged too much in vanity and people might look down on Xixi for not eating in upscale ces.

    Although Song Wenye appeared offhand, she picked up on the fine details and proposed that they have hotpot together. The more the merrier when it came to hotpot.

    In the end, the group made haste to a hotpot restaurant and requested for a huge private room. Everyone gathered around a table and cheerfully enjoyed their food.

    ¡°Lil Ye, Lil Xu, please drive slow on the road. Safety first.¡± Yun Jinping urged the children. ¡°Head straight home and don¡¯t wander off out there, or your parents will worry.¡±

    Song Wenye and Pei Xu gave their word.

    What was the point? No one at home would know or care even if they wandered off and left home for a few days.

    ¡°Xixi, tell me. Does Lil Xu like you?¡± Yun Jinping was pleased with the kid. He was good-looking and sensible, rich yet did not let money get into his head.

    Kids this age were hitting puberty and experiencing the beginning of adolescent love. They should not be restrained as kids would rebel in the face of suppression.

    There was nothing embarrassing about being in love. If being in a rtionship could motivate positivity, it would only do good for their studies.

    ¡°Mom, the number of people chasing after him is equivalent to a queue stretching from our house to the neighborhood entrance. There¡¯s just so many.¡± Shen Xi made up nonsense for Yun Jinping to give up on that thought. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in a guy like him.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s my daughter¡¯s type?¡± Yun Jinping talked about anything and everything with her daughter. There was no secret between them.

 Chapter 54 - Watching The Snow

    <h4>Chapter 54: Watching The Snow</h4>

    Shen Xi was without a word.

    Shen Zhangqing was not having it. ¡°Xixi is only 17. Don¡¯t talk about a boyfriend. She should focus on her studies right now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mom. I think those are wise words.¡± Shen Xi happily jumped into Yun Jinping¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m oblivious to the outside world and burying myself in books to prepare for Gaokao.¡±

    Yun Jinping hugged her. ¡°Alright, got it. My daughter is the best.¡±

    Lifting her chin, Shen Xi looked at her with sparkling eyes. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s my reward?¡±

    Yun Jinping replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just have hotpot?¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips. ¡°Humph! You don¡¯t love me. I want coconut sauce chicken!¡±

    Yun Jinping broke into giggles. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make you coconut sauce chicken every day, okay?¡±

    Shen Xi nudged her head against Yun Jinping¡¯s embrace. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±

    Yun Jinping held her daughter, feeling only happiness. Her mind was at ease to know that Shen Xi was not affected by the Su family.

    She and her husband were apprehensive when they saw Li Jingran, Su Ruowan, and Su Mushi in the live broadcast. Sure, they were worried that their daughter might let her feelings get the better of her during the performance but more so that their daughter may feel sad and upset.

    Their heart was in their throat the entirepetition as they discussed how to break it to Shen Xi and ask questions. It never urred to Yun Jinping that she remained unfazed.

    She knew her own daughter. Shen Xi would not be happy and would show it in her face if there was anything bothering her.

    Yun Jinping and Old Shen concluded that they would avoid bringing up the matter in front of Shen Xi.

    It was past one o¡¯clock when Shen Xi left the TV station, past four after hotpot and five in the afternoon by the time they got home.

    With the sky gradually growing gray halfway through the journey home, rain turned into sleet, crackling as they fell on the roof of the car.

    Sleet quickly became snow just minutes away from reaching the house.

    By the time they were at the door, drops of snow had turned into nkets of fluffy snow.

    Shen Xi hopped off the car and made a run to the courtyard. Her excited screams were heard first. ¡°It¡¯s snowing. Li Yuan, it¡¯s snowing!¡±

    Only her voice echoed in the quiet courtyard.

    The snowfall became heavier, circling down like feathers.

    In a few steps, Shen Xi climbed up the wall and soon caught a glimpse of the man sitting in a wheelchair.

    It was unknown how long the man was waiting in the snow as a thinyer of snow nketed him. He was still, like the most perfect sculpture in the hands of an artist.

    The man had his side towards Shen Xi. Snow descended upon his head, hair, and lusciousshes before quickly melting into tiny clear water drops.

    Hearing her voice, Li Yuan turned his wheelchair and curled his lips into a gentle smile. Following that, the exquisite and stiff lines on his face turned vivid. ¡°Congrats.¡±

    ¡°LI Yuan.¡± Shen Xi felt a lump on her throat. She cleared her throat but her voice remained raspy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I had lunch with my ssmates. Have you been waiting all this time?¡±

    She mentioned yesterday that she would return home immediately after thepetition. However, it slipped her mind and went out to eat with Lil Ye and the rest.

    Observing the young girl¡¯s nose red from frost and eyes tearing with guilt and remorse, Li Yuan lost his cool. ¡°No, I was just watching the snow.¡±

    Shen Xi felt a little down as she was also of the opinion that he did not go out his way to wait for her. Nevertheless, she quickly returned to her bubbly self and raised the trophy. ¡°Look, Li Yuan!¡±

    Nodding, Li Yuan fixated his narrow eyes on her. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    With snowkes flying in the air, the young girl¡¯s head and body were coated in snow in no time. Li Yuan experienced a tightness in his throat to see color drained from her usually rosy cheeks.

 Chapter 55 - Call Off The Search

    <h4>Chapter 55: Call Off The Search</h4>

    ¡°Brother, you should head back soon!¡± Shen Xi was not done chatting, but Li Yuan might catch a cold since he was not in the best of health and, not to mention, only had a thinyer of clothing on.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Watching as the youngdy attempted to climb down, Li Yuan pointed at a little basket. ¡°Your present.¡±

    Caught in the moment, Shen Xi climbed back up and took notice of a bouquet of sunflowers, together with a pot of bluish violet baby¡¯s breath in a basket. Her clear eyes lit up in pleasant surprise. ¡°Thank you, Brother!¡±

    After seeing the youngdy off, the color immediately washed off Li Yuan¡¯s face as he could no longer hold back from coughing. He swallowed the suppressed pain in his cough to the best of his abilities.

    Kun Lun went up to throw clothes on the man but was pushed away.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Grimness and ruthlessness glossed over Li Yuan¡¯s eyes as his body trembled from the violent cough. ¡°I¡¯m not at the point where I¡¯d die without clothes.¡±

    ¡°Boss.¡± Kun Lun appeared anxious. ¡°Let me get Situ toe and take a look at you.¡±

    Boss had a fever and a cough fromst night.

    He got up first thing in the morning to send Ms. Shen off and had, since then, slept the whole morning.

    Boss then waited for her return by the wall in the afternoon until now.

    ¡°Push me back.¡± Li Yuan finally stopped the coughing and straightened his back, reflecting only indifference and stillness in his narrow eyes.

    Without the guts to say a word more, Kun Lun quietly pushed the wheelchair.

    He had no idea whether to thank Shen Xi or resent her. Boss¡¯ sickness had probably turned for the worst.

    Kun Lun had just wheeled Li Yuan into the living room.

    ¡°Call Situ over.¡± Li Yuan blurted.

    Kun Lun looked happy. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Li Yuan ced his fist against his lips as another nagging cough ensued. Theck of color in hisplexion was rather frightening.

    With Shen Xiing the next day to wish him a good morning, he could not possibly let her see him at his worst.

    The first thing Situ Zhangyou did when he came over was ask Kun Lun a question. ¡°The boss¡¯ youngdy, did she bring me up to your guys?¡±

    Having watched the live broadcast, Kun Lun knew that he went on stage to present flowers to the girl. He curled his lips into a cold smirk. ¡°Just you wait.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou was in disbelief. ¡°Do the youngdy and Boss have a thing, as I suspected? No, the girl is underaged!¡±

    Kun Lun looked at Situ Zhangyou like he was a dead man. ¡°You better get in there now if you don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    With a frown, Situ Zhangyou entered the room while mumbling under his breath.

    It was bad enough that Boss had never held a woman¡¯s hand but still, he could have waited until the youngdy was of age!

    Situ Zhangyou avoided making a peep before Li Yuan, much less asked a question. He examined Li Yuan and put him on a drip before kneeling in the corner with respect. ¡°Boss, let me stay.¡±

    Li Yuan answered in a cold tone. ¡°No need for that.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou reverentially got up and excused himself.

    Kun Lun knocked on the door. His muscles were tensing as he tried to take control of his nerves. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got an update from Fu Yu.¡±

    Lifting his thin lids, Li Yuanmanded with a hoarse and raspy voice. ¡°Speak.¡±

    Standing in a corner, Kun Lun replied, ¡°Fu Yu mentioned that the lead went dead. He can¡¯t find the person you¡¯re looking for but he will continue to pursue the matter. He said that there¡¯s no cause for worry and told you to take care.¡±

    Suddenly, Li Yuan turned over to gaze out the window before opening his thin lips. ¡°Tell him toe back and call off the search.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kun Lun followed his gaze to the wall where the youngdy next door hovered. Despite already having an idea, Kun Lun dared not make certain.

 Chapter 56 - Suffocating

    <h4>Chapter 56: Suffocating</h4>

    Kun Lun¡¯s thoughts were basically confirmed when softness gradually took the edge off his boss¡¯ cold eyes.

    Ms. Shen ¨C She was the youngdy Boss had been looking for.

    Nevertheless, when did Boss learn about it?

    Kun Lun guessed that Boss was sure of it since their first encounter!

    Waiting outside, Situ Zhangyou picked up on Kun Lun¡¯s guesswork and let out a smug grin. ¡°I told you, Shen Xi is definitely different.¡±

    Kun Lun sneered but not without shoving Situ Zhangyou out the door and mming the door with a bang. ¡°Don¡¯t let the door hit you on the way out.¡±

    Man of foresight, his *ss!

    Sure, Situ Zhangyou said that Ms. Shen was different but he alsomented that Boss was quick to switch sides and move on to the next target. Kun Lun could not bring himself to expose him.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi hunched over the table while studying the baby¡¯s breath. Smiling like a little idiot, she was so distracted that the mock test papers were left nk.

    With the big boss sending her flowers, it meant that her efforts had not been in vain. It paid off atst.

    ¡°Xixi, time for dinner.¡± Shen Zhangqing knocked on the door and called out to her.

    Snapping out of her thoughts, Shen Xi tenderly caressed the baby¡¯s breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat now. Please grow and flourish, you hear me? Let me put some music on for you.¡±

    On the table, the tiny petals of the bluish violet baby¡¯s breath were as beautiful as stars shimmering in the sky.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi made a name for herself once again, thanks to the dance of Corn Poppy.

    The media broadcasts now were still a little behind in speedpared to the explosion of streaming mediater.

    Despite being an outsider in showbiz, Shen Xi made headlines in the entertainment papers because Ms. Shu Baiyu expressed interest in taking her in as a student and Situ Zhangyou, an influential figure, presented her with flowers.

    ¡°17-year-old gifted girl blows the stage away with a dance.¡±

    It was all peaceful in thements section as there were not many fans filtering thements nor were there tabloid ounts and anti-fans trolling about.

    People in Weibo during this time were still amicable and acted like everyone was friends. Celebrities in showbiz could say anything they wanted, unlike a few yearster when they would keep silent.

    Many professional dancers of China shared her dance video, giving high praise and appraisal. They also tagged Ms. Shu Baiyu topliment the fact that she had someone to follow in her footsteps.

    Shu Baiyu¡¯s position in China¡¯s dance scene was unprecedented, especially in the innovation and attainment of ssical and ethnic dances.

    Shen Xi¡¯s dance was arranged and choreographed by her alone. For a girl at the tender age of seventeen, she was pure genius to achieve this.

    Led by Song Wenye and Pei Xu, the international ss prepared a surprise party for Shen Xi, which quickly spread amongst the students of No. 4 High School.

    The students of the top ss were swimming in bitterness.

    As the top ss, they were always in the spotlight and never had the dirty international ss ever taken center stage.

    ¡°Humph, what¡¯s there to be proud of? Wanwan would have taken home the crown if her leg wasn¡¯t broken.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi¡¯s ¡°Corn Poppy¡± yesterday won a lot of high praise from many professional dancers. Her character aside, she did the dance justice.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that rumors about Ms. Shu Baiyu wanting to take her as a student are true?¡±

    ¡°No way. They¡¯re just hyping it up. Ms. Shu Baiyu will never take someone like her under her wing.¡±

    ¡­

    Wheelchair-bound, Su Ruowan had just arrived in her ss when she heard her ssmates talking about Shen Xi.

    ¡°Wanwan.¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s bestie, Chen Bingbing let out a smile while giving the rest of the group a wink to shut up and cease from causing dismay.

    The other girlfriends began to offer Su Ruowanfort, saying that Shen Xi would not have a chance to win had her leg been alright.

    Thepliments fueled Su Ruowan¡¯s resentment, anger, and jealousy to grow like weed, entangling every inch of her body and suffocating her.

 Chapter 57 - Do You Have Regrets

    <h4>Chapter 57: Do You Have Regrets</h4>

    Su Ruowan knew for a fact that she could never win over, Shen Xi even if her leg was all better.

    This made her all the more spiteful, so much so that even eating Shen Xi¡¯s flesh and drinking her blood would not be enough to get over it.

    She refused to be beneath anyone, especially Shen Xi!

    ¡°Wanwan, there¡¯s gossip that Shu Baiyu wants Shen Xi to be her student, is that true?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not. I thought Ms. Shu Baiyu wanted Wanwan instead? Am I right, Wanwan? Didn¡¯t you say you had a meal together with Ms. Shu?¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi hyped things up, trying to get into showbiz and enrol into the film academy. She¡¯s so shameless to promote herself like that.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, since you¡¯re on good terms with Ms. Shu, why don¡¯t you tell me to rify? She won¡¯t want to take this sitting down, having been connected to that kind of person.¡±

    ¡­

    With blood rushing to her head, Su Ruowan could hear her head buzzing.

    Shen Xi!

    Shen Xi!

    Shu Baiyu!

    Go to hell!

    Unable to contain the hatred and jealousy any longer, Su Ruowan shouted, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Her girlfriends took quite a fright as they observed the redness in Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes and hatred swallowing her up. It was an entirely different face from the goddess that she was.

    ¡°Wanwan isn¡¯t feeling well. Quit pestering her.¡± Walking into this scene, Su Mushi chased them away.

    It took a while before Su Ruowan was her normal self. With realization that she had lost her cool hitting her, Su Ruowan grew flustered and apologized meekly and softly. ¡°Bingbing, I¡¯m sorry. My head was hurting from all the upset. I don¡¯t mean to be angry at you.¡±

    The chill down Chen Bingbing¡¯s spine still had not left. For a moment, she had an absurd idea that perhaps the Wanwan earlier was her true colors?

    Anxious and worried, Su Mushi kneeled by her side. ¡°Wanwan, are you alright? Let me take you to the infirmary.¡±

    Wanwan seemed to be a different person the moment he entered the room.

    She appeared to be possessed by something ghastly at that moment, bearing an air of dark wickedness.

    ¡°Mushi, it¡¯s fine.¡± Su Ruowan fragilely gazed back at him. With a heartbreakingly pale face to match, her eyes were tormented with remorse and guilt.

    Wiping away the doubt in his mind, Su Mushi tenderly soothed her to take her mind off yesterday¡¯s incident. She was the best after all.

    In the front, Chen Bingbing and the other girlfriends began to engage in other gossip.

    ¡°Do you know that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± has begun filming? I heard that they are in discussions with Fruit TV and Star TV.¡±

    ¡°This is what it means to have capital. Production has only begun yet broadcasters are already buying the rights.¡±

    ¡°Not only are the rights being bought, I heard that it will be broadcasted a monthter.¡±

    ¡°Bullsh*t. What¡¯s there to broadcast if they aren¡¯t done shooting the series!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that capable but my uncle happens to be acquainted with Director An. The screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, Yun Qi is one to look out for. She requested for a weekly broadcast of the series. The episode will be broadcasted right after the shoot.¡±

    ¡°F*ck, that¡¯s awesome. Is this the rise of the screenwriters of domestic TV series? This is following the examples abroad. I like it.¡±

    ¡°Dang, we should give our support. I stopped watching domestic shows after being let down byme seriestely. Major novel adaptation, they say, but it¡¯s simply cringeworthy.¡±

    Gossip was the favorite thing to do when girls got together. The girls of the top ss had their ways of getting intel and were mostly right on the money.

    ¡°Shi.¡± Yu Qiubai darted an interesting look at Su Mushi who turned gloomy. ¡°Do you have any regrets turning down the script to ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±?¡±

 Chapter 58 - Great Success

    <h4>Chapter 58: Great Sess</h4>

    Although his eyes were murky as rage surged within, Su Mushi kept up with appearances. ¡°Why would I have any regrets? It has nothing to do with me when filming and broadcastingmence.¡±

    Utterly outrageous!

    Even God was getting in his way!

    There was nobody pouring six hundred million in investment when he took a look at the script.

    No one told him it was a weekly broadcast when he turned down the script.

    As a qualified bad friend, Yu Qiubai regrettably shook his head and smiled. ¡°I¡¯d be kicking myself with regret if I were you.¡±

    Su Mushi coldly scoffed before speaking through clenched teeth. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of series filmed in China every year and less than a third of them make the cut. It¡¯s only one out of a million that will be a hit. We¡¯ll only know if it¡¯s a hit after the series is shot.¡±

    Yu Qiubai cocked a brow. ¡°What if it bes a hit?¡±

    Seeing red, Su Mushi¡¯s eyes sizzling in mes. ¡°Are you deliberately getting into it with me?¡±

    Yu Qiubai nonchntly twirled the pencil in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Why are you getting worked up for?¡±

    Of course, Su Mushi was filled with regret but there was no way he would admit to it.

    He had bemoaned his decision when it was officially announced of new investors.

    News of the weekly broadcast had him crying internally with regret.

    The international ss celebrated like it was the new year. It was not known whose idea it was, but the ss was decorated with colorful balloons, as though it was the bedroom of newlyweds.

    Shen Xi felt that with the addition of two bunches of firecrackers, she could be sent to the boudoir for her wedding night.

    Song Wenyemented, ¡°Lil Xixi, you were great. I¡¯m proud and thrilled for your sake.¡±

    The besties who came along yesterday to cheer Shen Xi were all there, happy for her more so than if they had won.

    ¡°I caught wind that the top ss went ballistic.¡± Liu Ying happily pped her hands.¡±

    ¡°I know, right? Su Ruowan must be boiling.¡±

    ¡°She must be tooting her horn about her dance moves. Su Ruowan sure has the balls to say that Xixi only won because she dropped out of thepetition. I wonder where she gets her confidence from?¡± Zhou Li gave a look of disdain.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She should take a look at thepetition. Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s top student, Guan Ye was there as well.¡± Yang Yitong nodded.

    Anyway, it was not as though they cared or knew who Su Ruowan was.

    Shen Xi was really awe-inspiring. She could do it all herself, makeup, styling, even the dance costume.

    Their idol right now was Shen Xi.

    Having heard about Shen Xi¡¯s great sess yesterday, the other students of the international ss werepletely swept off their feet by admiration.

    Even Song Wenye and Alpha Xu became her sidekicks. Without another word, they were now her sidekicks¡¯ sidekicks.

    ¡°Let me tell you another exciting news.¡± Pei Xu positioned both feet on the table and leaned back like a major alpha male. He also had a cigarette in his mouth.

    Repelled by the smell of tobo, Shen Xi swept him a nce.

    Pei Xu quickly put the cigarette down and kicked Lin Ge in the butt. ¡°I¡¯m going to quit smoking. Who told you to give me a cigarette? Hand me some gum.¡±

    Lin Ge swiftly passed over some gum.

    Pei Xu folded the cigarette in half before formidably tossing it into the bin. He then began the speech in a leisure manner. ¡°Do you know about ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±? The TV series that¡¯s said to have brought in six hundred million worth of investment.¡±

    ¡°Duh.¡± Song Wenye¡¯s eyes were sparkling. ¡°It¡¯s adapted from my favorite novel of my favorite author.¡±

    The girls of the international ss knew that Song Wenye would bug them into reading whatever she liked. They had read the book and fell in love as well.

 Chapter 59 - Legs Broken

    <h4>Chapter 59: Legs Broken</h4>

    ¡°The series is set to broadcast next month and there¡¯ll be new episodes every week.¡± Pei Xu looked at the bunch of fools while tapping on the table. ¡°Do you get what a weekly broadcast is? It¡¯s like foreign TV shows where they shoot an episode and release it right away.¡±

    The onlookers nodded their heads, reflecting their knowledge on this. It was not as though they were dimwits. Only in their country would TV series be shot in one go before releasing.

    ¡°Do you know who the male lead was first determined to be in that TV series?¡± Pei Xu kept everyone in suspense.

    Song Wenye did not have the time of the day. ¡°Pei Xu, are you a man? Can you just finish your sentence all at once and not be so long-winded?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Haste makes waste, you know.¡± Pei Xu¡¯s intention was to let Shen Xi know. ¡°The script was given to Su Mushi as first priority but he turned it down.¡±

    With that, he took a nce at his ice-queen of a deskmate who remained unfazed as she lost herself in mock test papers, as if she had no interest in whatever they were talking about.

    Song Wenye was the first to m the table and guffaw. ¡°Dang, Su Mushi must be filled with regret right now.¡±

    ¡°Sure he might be regretful right now but I think that he¡¯ll probably jump down the building out of anger once ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± bes a hit!¡± Lin Ge joined her inughter.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to pray for the series to make a ssh among men, women, the old, and young alike to follow the series; not to mention, for the male and female leads to rise to fame and make the A-list.¡± Song Wenye turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, my nana will be going to the temple the following week to ask for blessing. We should go together to pray to Bodhisattva!¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m an atheist.¡±

    Grinning, Song Wenye approached her and pulled the stops on her girly charm. ¡°Come with us.¡±

    Shen Xi faintly replied, ¡°If I have the time.¡±

    Feeling happy, Song Wenye continued with the questions. ¡°Aren¡¯t you d to see Su Mushi like this?¡±

    She had caught wind that Xixi was driven away by the Su family. Xixi had a difficult time during her stay with that family, having been tortured by them too.

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She was overjoyed for sure. As the mastermind behind that ploy, of course she was over the moon.

    Everything was working out perfectly ording to her n.

    It still had note to a point where Su Mushi was so regretful that he runs into the wall, pukes blood, or dies on the spot!

    Shen Xi may say she was an atheist, but she went with Song Wenye and the rest to the temple to pray. This was mainly because Mom was happy to find her friend extending an invitation and insisted that Shen Xi went along.

    Pei Xu did not join the party since he had a prior engagement, but Alpha Xu had two boys from the international ss stay behind to protect them.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she would bump into Su Mushi at the temple.

    Su Mushi brought with him a group of guys to hold her up in the backyard. Ruthlessness reflected in his eyes. ¡°Shen Xi, you owe Wanwan a leg. Today¡¯s the day we return the favor!¡±

    Without wasting a breath, Shen Xi charged towards them.

    Aware that Shen Xi was not one to mess with, Su Mushi specifically selected over ten highly-skilled bodyguards to teach her a lesson she would never forget.

    He had gotten to know that Shen Xi would be joining her ssmates to burn incense and pay respects to Buddha at the temple. Hence, Su Mushi secretly tagged behind along with his men, seeking an opportunity to make a move.

    However, as it turned out, he had underestimated Shen Xi.

    In the space of a blink of an eye.

    Ten burly chaps were beaten to a pulp by Shen Xi ¨C some passed out while others had their legs broken. All their bodies were spread across the ground.

    ¡°Shen Xi, what are you trying to pull?¡± Fear overcame Su Mushi as Shen Xi grabbed an iron bar and headed towards him. ¡°I¡¯m your brother. Don¡¯t ever think of returning to the Su family if youy a finger on me!¡±

    Shen Xi might keep to herself, but the taunt and murderous intent were apparent in her eyes. Lifting the bar in her hands, she aimed for Su Mushi¡¯s legs before giving it a good bash.

 Chapter 60 - Your Life Iâ€™d Be After

    <h4>Chapter 60: Your Life I¡¯d Be After</h4>

    Su Mushi let out a sharp and anguished cry that could shake the earth. The horrible pain contorted his entire face.

    Shen Xi nonchntly hurled the bar aside before letting out a bright smile, albeit her eyes sent chills to the spine. ¡°Su Mushi, don¡¯t tread on my toes. Otherwise, the next time it¡¯s your life I¡¯ll be after.¡±

    Break her leg?

    Ha!

    Well, she would have to see if they have what it takes.

    Shen Xi had just left.

    Appearing out of thin air like a phantom, Xuan Yuan looked at the people lying on the ground with gusto and curled his lips in pleasure.

    This youngdy.

    She sure was a wild one!

    Boss appointed him to be her security escort but it seemed Shen Xi needed no help in that department.

    ¡°Xixi, where have you been?¡± Song Wenye finally found her after searching around all day. She dragged Shen Xi to bolt towards the grand hall. ¡°The ceremonial rite is about to begin. Come on, hurry up.¡±

    With music sting during the temple¡¯s ceremonial rite, no one heard Su Mushi¡¯s blood-curdling screams in the backyard.

    After observing the entire ritual, Shen Xi managed to get three amulets consecrated by the Buddhist priest, Master Hui Lun, thanks to Song Wenye¡¯s nana.

    ¡°Get the amulets for your parents and yourself.¡± Song Wenye knew it. Shen Xi may say she was an atheist, but she would still put trust in faith once she arrived in the special environment that was a temple.

    Although some things were not for certain, things existed if one believed and vice versa.

    Taking herself as an example, Song Wenye never believed in religion and whatnot but when her nana camest year to pray for blessings, the Buddhist priest mentioned that she would face a catastrophe.

    Nana received a Maitreya statue from the temple and told Song Wenye to keep it with her always.

    She went traveling on her own during thebor day holidays and met with a car ident. The girl who was sitting beside her passed away on the scene.

    Song Wenye, on the other hand, only sustained injury to her leg. She was without a head concussion and everyone said that it was a miracle.

    Only she knew that the Maitreya she was wearing broke into half.

    ¡°Uh huh.¡± Shen Xi was without a word more.

    Out of the three amulets, two were for her parents and one was for the big boss next door.

    As for herself, Shen Xi had really forgotten about herself while she was praying.

    ¡­

    In a matter of a week, the snow had melted and the weather weed an even colder temperature.

    The sunlight during the evening ditched a few shades of cool tone and hitched on shades of red-orange, giving an illusion of warmth.

    Holding a book on English, Shen Xi sat on thedder and practiced her speech aloud.

    With the big boss still absent from home, she wanted to wait for the big boss¡¯ return to gift him the amulet.

    The plum blossoms in the big boss¡¯ yard were budding, letting out a crisp and refreshing scent of plums.

    Li Yuan¡¯s car had just turned the corner when he caught a glimpse of the youngdy on thedder.

    The youngdy had a blue down jacket today, coupled with a matching hat that really covered her up.

    With earphones on, the girl held a book as she focused on learning.

    The North wind was a little strong and after the snow melted in the past two days, temperatures had dropped to minus ten degrees.

    ¡°Pick up the speed.¡± Li Yuan informed the driver.

    At a closer distance, he was heartbroken to see the youngdy¡¯s frozen flushed face and stiff fingers while flipping pages.

    Kun Lun stepped on the pedal and observed the man in the backseat through the rear-view mirror. He wondered when Boss had begun to nce at the direction of the wall every time they turned the corner.

    Boss was happy when the young girl was around.

    He was clearly sad when she was not around.

    ¡°What are you doing waiting here in such cold weather?¡± Li Yuan gazed at the girl on the wall and remarked with a stern voice. ¡°What if I don¡¯te home?¡±

 Chapter 61 - Sing A Song

    <h4>Chapter 61: Sing A Song</h4>

    Since Shen Xi had earphones on, she could not catch what the man said. She stood up in excitement. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back?¡±

    With a frown, Li Yuan put on a straight face, giving out a distant and unapproachable presence.

    Shen Xi cautiously stared at him and whispered, ¡°Brother, are you angry? Is something bothering you?¡±

    Li Yuan pursed his lips, cold as a thin ice de.

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be unhappy.¡± Shen Xi felt a pit in her stomach by the anger reflected in the man¡¯s face.

    She never wished to see him unhappy and when he was down, his brows would entangle in a knot and his lips pressed together.

    Watching the girl panicked, Li Yuan sighed to himself and gruffly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Brother, I have no idea how to turn that frown upside down.¡± Shen Xi rubbed her nose, appearing a little nervous. ¡°How about I sing you a song?¡±

    The frigidity in Li Yuan¡¯s eyes finally lifted a little.

    Shen Xi ced her phone and book on top of the wall before turning to him. ¡°Wait for me, Brother. I¡¯d need a prop.¡±

    Li Yan observed as the youngdy swiftly made her way down and soon came back up. God knew what she went to retrieve.

    Shen Xi secretively whipped out a pair of bamboo ppers hidden in her sleeve and cleared her throat. ¡°p once on the ppers. Hang on! I ain¡¯t boasting ¡¯bout nothing else.

    ¡°Allow me to sing praise, about my brother o¡¯er here!

    ¡°No filters, much less the beauty mode.

    ¡°Take a look at him ¨C up, down, left, and right. Personable, cute, let¡¯s not forget, kind. He¡¯s a living god descended down upon earth!¡±

    Amused by her exaggerated expression and actions, Li Yuan could not help butugh out loud.

    Shen Xi put away the ppers before staring at him with an expectant look on her face. ¡°Brother, do you feel better?¡±

    A short distance away, Kun Lun lowered his head in stifledughter.

    This youngdy.

    What a character!

    Nevertheless, what the hell was filters and beauty mode?

    Li Yuan¡¯s raspy voice had obviously softened. ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips. ¡°Liar!¡±

    Li Yuan perked his lips into a delightful angle. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Brother, I went to the temple today.¡± Shen Xi unfurled her palm as though performing magic. ¡°I prayed and got this for you.¡±

    Li Yuan noticed the girl¡¯s palm was frozen red and sitting on her palm was a Jade Guanyin.

    Before he had a chance to talk, Shen Xi acted on her own ord and hung it over his neck. ¡°Wear it. They say it works a charm.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°What about yours?¡±

    Shen Xi paused for a moment before mumbling. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for one next time.¡±

    Feeling it was too cold outside, Li Yuan urged her to make haste home.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get going then, Brother.¡± Shen Xi reluctantly waved him goodbye.

    As the youngdy turned around, Li Yuan was overwhelmed with a sense of longing.

    While making a turn, the youngdy¡¯s hat fell, revealing a striking thumb-sized wound on the back of her fair neck.

    Perhaps she was not bothered about it, giving that it was not a fresh wound. The blood had clotted by then.

    Building a frown, heartache began to amass in his eyes.

    Shen Xi had just returned to herpound when there was a knock on the door. It was Kun Lun.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, this is for you.¡± Kun Lun handed her an emerald-green bottle. ¡°This works well for healing cuts and clearing scars.¡±

    Shen Xi could not wrap her head around the reason behind the medicine as she took it home. Was the medication given by the big boss as an act of precaution?

    ¡°Xixi, why are you hurt?¡± Taking notice of the wound, Yun Jinping nervously drew close. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡±

 Chapter 62 - Design Competition

    <h4>Chapter 62: Design Competition</h4>

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Where?¡±

    Yun Jinping heartbrokenly sat her down before taking a look at the wound behind her neck. ¡°Did you scratch yourself somewhere by ident? You¡¯re really a careless child. Don¡¯t you feel the pain from the bleeding?¡±

    Shen Xi had not paid attention but with Yun Jinping pressing on the wound, she felt a sting at the back of her neck. ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Bringing over the first-aid kit, Yun Jinping sterilized her wound with alcohol and prepared to put some cream on.

    ¡°Mom, put this on me.¡± Shen Xi handed the bottle to her.

    ¡°Where did you get this nameless, brandless, and uncertified product?¡± Yun Jinping grabbed the bottle. With nothing written on it, how would she know what it was for?

    ¡°An elixir given by a friend. It¡¯s good for wounds and removing scars.¡± Shen Xi happily answered.

    Yun Jinping took the bottle and examined it closely for a long time. With the bottle itself made of jade and the medicine sporting a refreshing medicinal scent, Yun Jinping had no qualms about applying it on her.

    Seeing it as precious, Shen Xi ced the bottle side by side with the baby¡¯s breath.

    A sunflower was also put in a ss vase nearby.

    The sunflower would probably wither in a few days and before that happened, she was going to make dried flowers.

    Shen Xi wanted to keep everything given by the boss in good condition.

    ¡­

    Every n of Shen Xi¡¯s was progressing smoothly and in orderly fashion.

    ¡°Xixi,e take a look. What should we do about the cuff of this sleeve?¡± Yun Jinping shouted from the work studio.

    ¡°Coming,ing!¡± Shen Xi sprinted over in slippers with a smile. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re finally letting me in on it.¡±

    Yun Jinping replied with a grin. ¡°Oh, you. You have your studies, dance practice, and not forgetting that you still have to go to your brother¡¯spany. Of course, my heart goes out to you. This is the only thing I can do for you.¡±

    Standing at the door, Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up in awe.

    The model had on a red evening gown. The sweeping hem and fluttering ribbons, graceful yet carefree, gave vibes of an airy fairy carried away by the wind.

    The simplest material created the best effects. There were no sequins, no rhinestones yet the dress was eye-catching.

    ¡°It¡¯s here, right over here.¡± Yun Jinping brushed around the sleeve area. ¡°I was wondering whether to take it in a little.¡±

    ¡°Mom.¡± Shen Xi dashed over to hug her. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best. This is the result I¡¯m looking for, more perfect than I can ever imagine!¡±

    Yun Jinping let out a doting smile. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s up? I made a little something butpared to you, you cracked your brain and worked harder on your designs.¡±

    Her daughter had a bright future ahead of her, participating in an international fashion designpetition. Shen Xi¡¯s sketch made it through the preliminaries in the China divisionst week and she was going on to the finals.

    It was the finals after the preliminaries. The finals would decide the top three and thereafter, the finalists were going to represent China in the international scene.

    Earning the first-ce worldwide title and reward aside, it was everyone¡¯s dream to gain various top-tiered fashion resources at their fingertips and rub shoulders with major international fashion gurus upon entering the fashion world.

    Since there was no room for Yun Jinping to help, she tried to lend a hand within her means. Yun Jinping studied garments for a degree and was pretty good at making clothes.

    Shen Xi watched as Yun Jinping swiftly took in the sleeve in no time. The pleats added an air of elegance.

    Having found the bnce between constriction and expansion, the garment was a breath of fresh air. It gave apletely different feeling from before the sleeve was taken in.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Shen Xi gave her the thumbs up. ¡°I think being a homemaker is a waste of your talents. Mom, you should do designs.¡±

 Chapter 63 - Fulsome Praises

    <h4>Chapter 63: Fulsome Praises</h4>

    Not to brag, but the clothes Shen Xi and Dad wore had always been made and tailored by Mom.

    Her ssmates envied her, saying her clothes were in vogue and pretty, in the ss of international brands.

    Of course, it was on par. Although Mom did not work since graduation and became a housewife, she had always carried passion and love towards apparels.

    Mom had never stopped a subscription in fashion magazines nor had she missed watching the fashion week of various named brands. She definitely was up to date with the fashion trends.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I can. I can do it if it¡¯s just making clothes for you and your dad but it¡¯s been a while since I got into it. No can do, my brain can¡¯t keep up. I¡¯m old.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not old. You¡¯re only forty. Your life has just only started, all right?

    ¡°Look at the big fashion designers out there.They¡¯re pushing seventy or eighty yet are still active at the top of the fashion world, leading the fashion trend. They never call themselves old!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only a diploma holder in design. I can¡¯tpete with these people.¡±

    ¡°A few of the real big-named designers are of simr educational background. Mom, your aesthetics and fashion senses are top notch. I believe you can make it.¡±

    ¡°Only you think I can.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to establish my own fashion brand after winning the designpetition. Mom, you will be my chief designer. I have it all thought out.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m the chief designer, what about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the chief designers¡¯ daughter!¡±

    Fancying herself terrific, Shen Xi embraced Yun Jinping. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m all grown up. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I know you have a thing for clothes and always dreamed to be a designer. It¡¯s high time that I help you realize your dreams.¡±

    Getting teary-eyed, Yun Jinping shot her an uncertain look. ¡°Can I really do it?¡±

    Shen Xi solemnly gave a nod. ¡°Mom, have faith in me!¡±

    Once she bagged first ce, Shen Xi was going to establish her own brand under Mom¡¯s name. It was all nned out.

    ¡°Okay, I believe in you.¡± Yun Jinping heavily nodded her head.

    Her daughter was all grown up and bing a shoulder for her to lean on. Yun Jinping put faith in Shen Xi¡¯s every word. Truth be told, Yun Jinping did have regrets bing a fulltime housewife following her marriage right after graduation.

    She loved fashion design and after all these years, it was not as though Yun Jinping never thought of getting back out there to work. However, with her husband busy with work and Xixi upied with many art sses, they could not possibly function without her.

    This time, she wanted to give it a go and make a path for herself. As mentioned by her daughter, age was not a factor. Yun Jinping could still go after her dreams.

    ¡­

    After the capital¡¯s first snowfall, the weather grew colder and soon it was December.

    The Chinese Mathematical Olympiad would be in its finals the following week.

    No. 4 High School, as the top high school in China, upied one third of the spots among finalists.

    Apart from the top ss, Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi were the only two from other sses who made it.

    Shen Xi was positioned at first ce for now.

    Yu Yuanxi ranked number two.

    Su Mushi and Su Ruowan were ced thereafter.

    Students of the international ss were getting a good kick as Shen Xi had, once again, made them proud by crushing the Su Twins who had established themselves as the top two.

    A week before the finals.

    All students in the finals were to participate in a week-long uniformed tutoring.

    In the tutoring ssroom.

    Embodying a proud princess, Su Ruowan was surrounded by students like stars around the bright moon.

    ¡°Wanwan, congrattions on entering the finals.¡±

    ¡°Only five from China are going into the finals of the international fashion designpetition. Wanwan, you¡¯re awesome!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Wanwan, your parents must be happy for you.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s girlfriends, following the lead of Chen Bingbing, showered Su Ruowan with fulsome praises while looking askance at Shen Xi.

    Someone from the international ss brought up that Shen Xi was in the designpetition as well. What was a country bumpkin doing with design? Just who did Shen Xi think she was? She should take a hard look at the mirror. Anyway, Shen Xi would probably be eliminated early on in thepetition.

 Chapter 64 - Lie To Her On Purpose

    <h4>Chapter 64: Lie To Her On Purpose</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m blushing from yourpliments. It¡¯s all luck.¡± Grinning from ear to ear, Su Ruowan appeared modest.

    Mom, Dad, and her brothers were excited for her to be shortlisted for the finals. They went out their way to celebratest night and bought her an expensive gift.

    She was able to hold her head up atst and beat Shen Xi after losing to her in the dancepetition.

    The international fashion designpetition was not a ce where any Tom, Dick, or Harry could make it to the finals.

    The national dancepetition was nothingpared to the international fashionpetition!

    ¡°Luck? I don¡¯t see anyone else with such luck.¡± Throwing a look of disdain at Shen Xi at the back row, Chen Bingbing deliberately spoke aloud in a cynical tone, ¡°I heard that a certain somebody in the international ss is conceited enough to join thepetition!¡±

    ¡°My uncle is LK¡¯s design director in the China division, and happens to be thepetition¡¯s judge for the Asian region. I hadn¡¯t heard of anyone else going into the finals, apart from Wanwan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A hick from the countryside will always be a hick. To show off about her knowledge of fashion and design, she sure has the cheek.¡±

    ¡°If I were her, I won¡¯t tell anyone that I have joined the designpetition to save myself from the embarrassment.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s besties took turns to sneer and jeer at Shen Xi without actually naming names.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say so.¡± Su Ruowan turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m sorry. Let me apologize on their behalf.¡±

    Her words pretty much validated that they were mocking Shen Xi.

    Completely ignoring her, Shen Xi had her head down as she focused on her mock test papers.

    Su Ruowan seemed to be hurt by her attitude but she pretended all was good and let out a gentle smile. ¡°Xixi, you¡¯re so smart. I¡¯m sure you will make it the next time. Keep it up.¡±

    Shen Xi really could not stand her pretentiousness and fakeness. Her aloof voice carried an obvious hint of ridicule. ¡°Who told you that it¡¯spulsory to use one¡¯s real name to join a designpetition?¡±

    ¡°Xixi, are you saying that you used a stage name?¡± Su Ruowan was rmed by this information.

    She had to keep it together!

    No amount of deception should allow Shen Xi to take the wind out of her sail.

    What would a country hick know about design?

    ¡°None of your business.¡± Shen Xi cockily scoffed.

    Su Ruowan could be conflicted, anxious, on the edge of her seat, and guess all she wanted. It was great to stuff it to Su Ruowan, that b*tch!

    ¡°Wanwan, just leave her. You can be nice to this insolent thing but she¡¯s a thankless wretch.¡± Chen Bingbing was enraged by Shen Xi.

    What the hell!

    Wanwan showed concern and gave Shen Xi respect by talking to her but look at thetter¡¯s attitude.

    The remaining girlfriendsforted and talked some sense into Su Ruowan, telling her to stay out of Shen Xi¡¯s matters to save her from dismay.

    Su Ruowan furrowed her brows, dwelling in severe anxiety and uncertainty that left a pit in her stomach.

    Did Shen Xi really use a stage name instead of her real name to participate in thepetition?

    Perhaps she lied on purpose to piss her off?

    Chen Bingbing and her other girlfriends were sure that Shen Xi was lying,menting that the international ss would have announced it to the world if she made it to the finals.

    Su Ruowan thought the same.

    Shen Xi, that shameless b*tch, was the kind to get carried away by a tiny milestone. She would have sounded the drums to the whole world if she really was in the finals.

    Even if she kept mum, the international ss would have paraded that fact all over.

    Hence, Shen Xi must be lying to irk her and mess with her head!

 Chapter 65 - Find Pleasure In Bullying

    <h4>Chapter 65: Find Pleasure In Bullying</h4>

    The paranoid type, Su Ruowan was unable to get her mind out of it. With that, she sent a text to her big brother, Su Muxuan to check on the finalists¡¯ personal details.

    Coming into the room on crutches, Su Mushi darted a vicious re at Shen Xi. He wanted nothing more than to extract her tendons and skin, and feed her to the dogs.

    This brat had the audacity toy her hands on him.

    Unexpectedly, she smashed his leg.

    Well, payback¡¯s a b*tch!

    Tailing behind Su Mushi, Yu Qiubai gave Shen Xi an intriguing look.

    There was something interesting about this girl.

    It was evident that Shi wanted to kill Shen Xi by the look on his face.

    Could it be that Shi¡¯s leg, simr to Su Ruowan, was all her doing?

    Chen Bingbing and the other girls were still talking about the designpetition, making a joke out of Shen Xi to the boys.

    Su Mushi coldly scoffed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t stand a chance to win even if everyone on earth is dead.¡±

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes and threw a nce at Shen Xi. ¡°I think that anything is possible.¡±

    Su Mushi shot him an angry look.

    Yu Qiubai, this b*stard, had been sticking up for the nasty brat, Shen Xi since god knew when!

    Cocking his brow, Yu Qiubai frivolously replied, ¡°Shi, how about a bet?¡±

    With his eyes sizzling with rage, Su Mushi ferociously grinded his teeth. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Yu Qiubai chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just ying with you.¡±

    Ever since Shen Xi left the Su family, she was like a different person.

    Before, she could be said to be a miss goody-two-shoes ¨C overcautious, eager to please, and timid.

    Now, Shen Xi was an aggressive leopard ¨C arrogant, unyielding, wild, and intriguing!

    Shen Xi buried herself in the test papers.

    ¡°Pick it up.¡± Chen Bingbing¡¯s voice sounded haughty and bossy.

    Yu Yuanxi bent over to pick up the pen on the ground.

    Chen Bingbing mockingly looked at him and turned up the volume in her voice. ¡°I want you to get on your knees and pick it up.¡±

    Crinkling his handsome face, Yu Yuanxi¡¯s hazel eyes saw a ripple of emotion but his voice remained t. ¡°I didn¡¯t drop the pen.¡±

    ¡°You dropped it if I say you dropped it.¡± Because of Shen Xi, Chen Bingbing was in a foul mood and wanted to take it out on someone.

    Did not Yu Yuanxi and Shen Xi share a bond?

    A p in the face to Yu Yuanxi was doing the same to Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    ¡°I said, I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes were tranquil and his voice, t. ¡°There¡¯s surveince in the ssroom, why don¡¯t we check on it?¡±

    ¡°With many eyes in our ssroom, what¡¯s the point of checking the surveince?¡± Chen Bingbing jeered inughter before asking, ¡°What do you guys think? Did he drop it or not?¡±

    Students of the top ss broke out inughter, giving a positive answer in unison.

    ¡°That¡¯s just nder!¡± Often the victim of snubs and bullying, Yu Yuanxi would usually put up with it.

    Nevertheless, he did not do it!

    ¡°Oh my, someone has a temper, hahahaha!¡±

    ¡°I thought he was a robot. It turns out he can get angry. If you know you¡¯ve done wrong, go pick it up.¡±

    ¡°Yu Yuanxi, what¡¯s with the act? You could kneel before the doctors in the hospital, why can¡¯t you kneel here?¡±

    ¡°How about you kneel before me instead of the doctors. Maybe I¡¯ll hand you a coin or two if I¡¯m happy.¡±

    Finding pleasure in bullying, the group arrogantly kept up with the boo and hoot.

    With that brought up, a thought quickly came to Chen Bingbing and she let out a mean smirk. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, your grandma is in the capital¡¯s First Hospital. The hospital happens to be owned by my family!¡±

 Chapter 66 - Kneel!

    <h4>Chapter 66: Kneel!</h4>

    The straight face Yu Yuanxi had on started to show cracks. His arms on both sides clenched into tight fists while his chest heaved dramatically.

    ¡°You must have umted quite a bill at the hospital. Get on your knees and pick up my pen.¡± Fixating on the young man before her, Chen Bingbing let out a sarcastic grin. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll make a call right now for the hospital staff to remove your grandma¡¯s breathing tube.¡±

    She adored watching him be humiliated.

    It was a great feeling of achievement to trample over Yu Yuanxi, especially when he was so good-looking.

    Straightening his back, Yu Yuanxi erected like a solid pine tree. He only saw the ugliness of evil spirits in each and every smug faces.

    They could not be called human, rather evil spirits!

    ¡°Kneel!¡± Chen Bingbing impatiently pressed further while whipping out the phone as a warning. ¡°I¡¯m going to dial the number now if you¡¯re not kneeling.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi tauntingly looked around the room of a jeering crowd like they were a bunch of clowns before getting on his knees and picking up the pen with his lean fingers.

    Even though this was an extremely lowly gesture, he executed it with dignity.

    His body may be yielding but the fact that Yu Yuanxi had a backbone was clear to see.

    Another round of boos and hoots quickly ensued. Someone in the crowd threw two coins amid the conceited snickers which crashed onto Yu Yuanxi.

    ¡°Pick them up and take them to save that grandma of yours who¡¯s a foot in the grave.¡±

    ¡°If I have a say, your paupers can¡¯t face the truth. Go meet your maker if you¡¯re sick. Why admit yourself in the hospital or see a doctor if you have no money?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s the point of seeing a doctor when you¡¯re penniless? How much is your insignificant life worth!¡±

    With bloodshot eyes, Yu Yuanxi tightened his grip around the pen in hand.

    Crack! He folded the pen in half.

    Before the delinquent students could react to it, Yu Yuan came at them swinging his fists like a madman.

    It was total chaos in the ssroom. A trapped beast pushed too far, Yu Yuanxi broke out of his cage and cried out with bloodshot eyes as instincts led him to grapple with his bullies.

    The few people in the back in particr, who ran their mouths about his grandma, were attacked most viciously.

    Having evacuated to a distance, Yu Qiubai nced at the ice queen in thest row who remained oblivious to the outside world and only had her eyes on her book.

    Tsk tsk. He thought Shen Xi thought differently about Yu Yuanxi since the incident at the restaurant thest time.

    However, there was nothing special going on between them by the looks of it. It was as though no one was of importance to her.

    Yu Yuanxi may appear cultured and carry the bearings of a schr, but he was not to be underestimated when he was on a rampage. It took the effort of quite a few to restrain him before the same group, in turn, ganged up on him.

    Yu Qiubai could feel the pain just by watching.

    Tsk tsk. Don¡¯t these idiots know? Everyone had a line that should not be crossed, that included Yu Yuanxi, who never fought back in the face of abuse from the entire school.

    He never fought back simply because their physical abuse, snubs, and emotional abuse were not worth resisting against.

    Yu Yuanxi ran amok and raised his fist, on the grounds that they struck a nerve in him. A nerve that should not be touched.

    Standing there, Yu Qiubai took his time observing while waiting for Shen Xi to put a stop to the whole fiasco. Yet, she remained without a reaction.

    Taking matters into his own hands, Yu Qiubai walked out of the ssroom. He deliberately took a nce at Shen Xi before raising his voice. ¡°Teacher, there¡¯s a brawl in the ssroom!¡±

 Chapter 67 - Your Nose Will Grow

    <h4>Chapter 67: Your Nose Will Grow</h4>

    The head counsellor soon barged in, alongside security escorts, and broke up the fight.

    Yu Yuanxi was bruised across his face and all over his body. He looked like he was about to charge and bite, judging by the resentment in his eyes and air of inauspiciousness in his bodynguage.

    The remaining few had it worse than him. Crying in pain, theyined to the head counsellor that Yu Yuanxi hit first.

    The head counsellor was livid. The school¡¯s outstanding students, intending to enter the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad, were caught in a fight. The head counsellor pointed at the people in the ssroom. ¡°Tell me, who pulled the first punch?¡±

    Everyone in the ss unanimously turned to Yu Yuanxi.

    ¡°Teacher.¡± Raising her hand, Shen Xi stood up. ¡°I can bear witness that Yu Yuanxi started the fight.¡±

    Emotionally, Yu Yuanxi was about to lose it.

    Shen Xi¡¯s words were the straw that broke a camel¡¯s back.

    Frozen, he stared at her in disbelief as he experienced a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

    Yu Yuanxi did not expect any help when he was humiliated just now.

    However, it never urred to him that she would stand up and point the finger at him.

    ¡°They.¡± Shen Xi pointed at everyone else in the room. ¡°They slung mud and framed Yu Yuanxi, making him get on his knees while everyone made fun of him.

    ¡°They then cursed his sick grandma, saying that she deserved to die for the sin of being poor. If I were Yu Yuanxi, I would have torn their mouths apart and beat them until they peed their pants!¡±

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes welled up by thement. For a moment, he was caught betweenplex emotions of remorse and shame.

    How could he lump her together with these people?

    Yu Yuanxi really doubted her intentions for a second just then.

    Turning ashen in the face, the head counsellor was no stranger to the fact Yu Yuanxi was bullied by the school. He glowered. ¡°Was a fight really necessary because of a joke between ssmates?¡±

    With the top ss consisting of excellent students, it would not put the school in a good light if they were subject to disciplinary action.

    Moreover, these students were not to be messed with since they were from influential families. Weighing between the pros and cons, he chose their side.

    ¡°Go to hell then!¡± Scoffing, Shen Xi blurted in a cold voice.

    Blowing a fuse, the head counsellor pointed at Shen Xi while giving her a telling-off. ¡°Is this how you talk to your teacher?¡±

    ¡°I was only joking. Why are you getting all worked up for?¡± Shen Xi nonchntly grinned.

    The head counsellor¡¯s blood was boiling. ¡°Is this the kind of joke you make?¡±

    ¡°How can¡¯t I? It¡¯s a joke when they curse someone else¡¯s grandma but when I say it, it¡¯s not a joke anymore?¡± Shen Xi added. ¡°Teacher, you sure have double standards!¡±

    The head counsellor had seen it all. He hade across all kinds of difficult, rebellious, and irritating students in his lifetime but Shen Xi was the first to really piss him off. The head counsellor pointed at those who were in the fight. ¡°You,e with me to the teachers¡¯ office.

    Watching as they were about to leave the scene, Shen Xi jumped in with a smile. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve recorded the incident just now. I guess if the school decides against a fair trial, I¡¯d be happy to post this on the inte forizens to give their two cents.¡±

    The head counsellor stopped at his tracks, nor far from exploding in rage.

    With the crowd gone, Yu Qiubai went out through the backdoor and while passing Shen Xi, he suddenly bent over and drew close. ¡°Little girl, your nose will grow if you lie.¡±

    He had his eyes on her the whole time. She did not record the incident. It was just a ruse to intimidate the head counsellor.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Are you going to tell on me?¡±

    Yu Qiubai responded, ¡°What happens if I do?¡±

    Shen Xi was not bothered by it. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Curling his lips into a smile, Yu Qiubai walked past her like nothing was the matter.

    Things were getting more and more interesting with Su Mushi¡¯s sister.

 Chapter 68 - Not Embarrassing

    <h4>Chapter 68: Not Embarrassing</h4>

    Su Mushi could deny all he wanted but nothing escaped Yu Qiubai¡¯s eagle eye. Shen Xi shared simr facial features to Su Mushi.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes, in particr, was a splitting image to Aunt Li when she was younger.

    Soon.

    Everyone involved in the fight had returned, except for Yu Yuanxi.

    Yu Qiubai too came back to the ssroom and yfully dragged out his speech as he was passing Shen Xi. ¡°Yu Yuanxi is crying his eyes out on the rooftop. He might take it too hard and jump off.¡±

    Darting a cold look at him, Shen Xi got up and left.

    The smile across Yu Qiubai¡¯s face deepened as he watched her receding aloof figure.

    He knew that her target was Yu Yuanxi, ever since the incident at the cafeteria.

    However, how could Yu Yuanxi be of service to her? Perhaps Shen Xi needed something from Yu Yuanxi?

    ¡°Qiubai, how do I solve this question?¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s cried in a sweet voice.

    Her senses picked up on Yu Qiubai¡¯s attention on Shen Xi, like a cunningly vicious and sinisterly dangerous beast eyeing its prey.

    Su Ruowan would not stand for it, refusing to allow anyone within her circle to pay notice to Shen Xi, even if it was just teasing the b*tch for fun.

    ¡°I have no idea. Go ask your brother.¡± Yu Qiubai tly declined. Leaning back against the chair, he whipped out his phone and amused himself in games.

    With anger and glumness alighting in her eyes, Su Ruowan softened her voice and talked coy. ¡°But Mushi isn¡¯t around.¡±

    Yu Qiubai had never been more than lukewarm towards her. Try as Su Ruowan may, she simply could not please him.

    Mushi told her not to take it to heart. Yu Qiubai was never fond of women and no one was an exception.

    Nevertheless, that was not true. He was different towards Shen Xi!

    Yu Qiubai put on earphones, giving her the clear signal to stop pestering him.

    Given the cold shoulder, Su Ruowan gnashed her teeth as she pushed down her fury.

    One day, Yu Qiubai would be at her feet. She would make him kneel at her feet, humbly begging her to cast him another nce.

    There was more of a nip in the air.

    The strong North wind was warning of an iing heavy snow.

    Sitting by Yu Yuanxi, Shen Xi handed him a can of beer. ¡°My treat.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi took a look and noticed it was beer. His hoarse voice was raspy. ¡°The underage shouldn¡¯t be drinking.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°You¡¯re drinking, I¡¯m not.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°I¡¯m a student.¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°It says in the book that insobriety lifts all your worries. I¡¯ll drink if you¡¯re not going to.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi curled his lips and smiled. Even if insobriety lifted all worries, a can of beer was not enough. Nevertheless, he epted the beer. ¡°I¡¯ll drink.¡±

    They seemed to be handed the wrong script as the girl would usuallye bearing medicine after witnessing the boy bruised and battered from a fight, no?

    The strong breeze howled against their ears.

    Yu Yuanxi downed the can of beer in one gulp. Lifting his head to the sky, he made up his mind before throwing a remark. ¡°I guess you must look down on me.¡±

    Men should never be on bended knees and for Yu Yuanxi to get on his knees to pick up a pen, Shen Xi must condemn him and think he was spineless!

    ¡°It¡¯s not embarrassing for you to kneel for the sake of your grandma and your loved ones.¡± Mimicking his movements, Shen Xi lifted her head to gaze at the horizon.

    With his eyes welling up, Yu Yuanxi felt a lump in his throat. He had a lot to say yet did not know where to begin. In the end, he uttered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Thank you for not looking down on me.

    Thank you for standing up for me.

    As expected, snowkes graced the sky before the clock struck twelve.

    By the time it was after school, heavy snow gravitated down, nketing a thick coat of snow on the ground.

    ¡°This is for you.¡± Yu Yuanxi stuffed an umbre in Shen Xi¡¯s hands before running into the snow.

 Chapter 69 - Sheâ€™s In A Relationship?

    <h4>Chapter 69: She¡¯s In A Rtionship?</h4>

    Opening the umbre, Shen Xi chased after Yu Yuanxi. ¡°You¡¯re heading towards the bus stop, right? Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Truth be told, her height of 1.68m maynot be ideal for a model but she was not considered short among girls. Nevertheless,pared to Yu Yuanxi towering at 1.85m, Shen Xi appeared rather small and cuddly.

    She had to reach her hand up high just so the umbre propped over his head.

    ¡°Give the umbre to me.¡± Tilting his head, Yu Yuanxi averted his gaze as he did not have the nerve to look at the youngdy beside him.

    He was overwhelmed by inferiority, believing that it was a luxury to take another nce at the perfect girl that she was.

    Shen Xi handed over the umbre.

    Yu Yuanxi held the umbre over her head, leaving half his body exposed to the elements. Snow fell on his body and his head, swiftly building up ayer.

    Since it was a Sunday, all students were having a break from school apart from those who hadst-minute Chinese Mathematical Olympiad tutoring.

    The campus was silent. There was not a single footprint on the white snow before them.

    The path the pair trod on left behind two trails of footprints ¨C one big, one small.

    A short distance away, a low-key gray Maybach was quietly parked in an empty lot in front of the building.

    Kun Lun took a nce at the man in the backseat. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll go call Ms. Shen over.¡±

    Ms. Shen¡¯s parents were not home during this heavy snowfall.

    Boss mentioned that there was an iing blizzard this morning and told her to bring an umbre. However, she ran off in a flurry without one.

    With that, Boss adjourned the meeting early to rush over and wait for her before school was out. Who knew that she would emerge with a good-looking boy under an umbre?

    There was, in fact, a distance between them but they still appeared a little intimate.

    There was no responseing from the chilling and quiet vehicle.

    In the backseat, the man sat in silence while his narrow yet profound eyes were looking out the window.

    The fluttering snow zed the world with an illusion of fantasy.

    The scene of the boy and girl sharing an umbre side by side was heartwarming and vivid, one that was a heart-throbbing moment of youthfulness.

    Sure, it was a kindred and beautiful picture but it was an eyesore to Li Yuan.

    Sitting behind the wheel, Kun Lun dared not draw a breath. He was frozen stiff by the icy look on the man¡¯s handsome face through the rear-view mirror.

    Although the heating in the car was turned up to the highest, Kun Lun felt he was living in an ice block. There was a constant flow of colding from the back.

    ¡°Kun Lun, is she in a rtionship?¡± Li Yuan suddenly spoke. He was asking Kun Lun, but more so, posing the question to himself.

    It took quite an effort for Kun Lun to take a gulp. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Minors are not allowed to date in school.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s lips curled into a disturbing angle. ¡°Girls her age should be dating boys of simr age for a passionate and unforgettable rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen is too much of a good girl to get into a rtionship. That must be her ssmate.¡± Feeling tension in his scalp, Kun Lun was quick to offer an exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯m a man about to meet his maker. I can¡¯t be there for her for long.¡± The grin across Li Yuan¡¯s face bore biting self-mockery. ¡°Find out about that boy.¡±

    With less than a few years left to keep her from harm¡¯s way, Li Yuan¡¯s only wish was to protect her and watch her live a worry-free and happy life as she hoped for, prior to the imminent.

    It was snowing harder.

    As the girl got into the bus, Yu Yuanxi waved her goodbye and watched the bus disappear from his sight before turning to nce at the path they took.

    The heavy snowfall lightened his and her footprints on the ground. It was not visible without taking a closer look.

    Three 116-route buses had since passed the bus stop.

    The soft smile in his hazel eyes shimmered like stars of yonder years. Turning back for another nce at the footprints, Yu Yuanxi finally faced forward and got onto a bus.

 Chapter 70 - Brushing Past

    <h4>Chapter 70: Brushing Past</h4>

    It was snowing heavily and there were not many people on the bus.

    Shen Xi turned her head, lowering her chin to look at the snow outside the window.

    When she got home, she had to build a snowman for the big boss. She would make a snow sculpture in his likeness.

    When she thought of this, she happily took out her sketchbook and technical pen from her school bag, and began to sketch a draft.

    The youngdy sitting next to her inadvertently nced over, watching as Shen Xi drew a few strokes and sketched the image of a handsome man on the paper. She could not hide her amazement.

    Oh my god!

    This little beauty was too talented!

    The drawing was too beautiful!

    ¡°Miss, are you a painter?¡± Thedy thought that Shen Xi must be a very big-name artist.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi shook her head.

    ¡°Which celebrity are you drawing?¡± Thedy was very talkative. It was the first time she had seen such a good-looking man.

    Whether it was in reality, on TV, or under the pencils of those famous artists, she had never seen such an inhumanely handsome man.

    ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Shen Xi suddenly smiled. The corners of her lips curled up pleasantly, and she said generously, ¡°This is my boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Your boyfriend is really good-looking.¡± Thedy was friendly and praised without hesitation. Then, she looked at Shen Xi again and said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re also very beautiful. I wish you both the best.¡±

    Ahhhhh, it turns out that a couple with such godly looks really did exist in reality!

    Ughhh, what should she do? She was so jealous!

    Tsk tsk, a good-looking person had to be together with another good-looking person. She could not be jealous!

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi suddenly sensed something and turned her head to look out the window.

    On the samene was a gray Maybach.

    The Maybach¡¯s speed was very fast. The moment it passed her, she clearly saw the man¡¯s exquisite and handsome face, cold as if it was sculpted from ice.

    When she opened the window, she shouted at the car, ¡°Brother!¡±

    The wind and snow were heavy.

    The car disappeared ahead in a few moments.

    The bus was old-fashioned. It did not have heating in winter or air conditioning in summer, so the windows could be opened at will.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Shen Xi closed the window and apologized to the youngdy sitting next to her.

    Fortunately, the youngdy and she were the only people at the back of the bus. Otherwise, if she opened the window and let the cold in, she might have gotten chewed out by a bad-tempered passenger.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Thedy smiled kindly at her.

    Thedy¡¯s stop arrived before Shen Xi¡¯s, and she handed Shen Xi a business card beforehand. ¡°I¡¯m actually aic artist. I have some resources in my hand, so if you¡¯re interested in drawingics, you can call me at any time.¡±

    Shen Xi took the card. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Thedy then said, ¡°If you want to earn extra money, you can also call me. With your ability, price won¡¯t be a problem once you be famous.¡±

    The art style of this little beauty in front of her was thedy¡¯s favorite style of painting!

    Shen Xi nodded and smiled politely. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Thedy did not expect that she would get an unfamiliar call just after she walked a few steps after getting off at her stop. ¡°Little beauty, do you want to work with me?¡±

    ¡°I have a coboration I want to talk to you about.¡± Shen Xi smiled.

    Actually, she did not n to enter theic and animation industry at all. After all, the domestic market did not look prospective, so she might as well make her fame and fortune in showbiz.

    However, she felt that the name on the business card was familiar, so she looked it up in the encyclopedia. What she found amazed her.

 Chapter 71 - Anxious

    <h4>Chapter 71: Anxious</h4>

    She was Gong Li, a famous animator who would be called the Dawn of Chinese Animation in the future!

    Some yearster, she wouldunch a movement to reject makingics in a capital-run and studio-run environment. The campaign would return the copyright to theic artists, and give aesthetics toic lovers. The campaign was huge and won the support ofic lovers all over the world.

    The movement was quite sessful and influential.

    The same year, countless excellentic artists emerged in China, and the stagnantic book industry ushered in a rebirth. That year was also called the first year of Chineseics.

    When Gong Li hung up the phone, she was still a little confused. Did Shen Xi just use reverse psychology on her?

    However, even if it was reverse psychology, she was still happy.

    The little beauty¡¯s art style simply ticked all the boxes. She was just too good!

    After Shen Xi talked to Gong Li, she called Yuan Yu. ¡°Brother, I found aic artist called Gong Li. She¡¯ll report to thepany tomorrow.¡±

    Then, she briefly talked to him about the requirements needed to be thergest onlineic tform in China, and giveic artists a free and equal creative environment.

    In theic industry, there would be a lot on the te once theic started to take off. There was publishing, games, animation, film and television, and even spin-offs. The benefits were plenty of benefits.

    Yuan Yu had a headache. ¡°Are you nning to monopolize all the entertainment industries?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°You can leave Gong Li to her own devices. Let her do whatever she wants, and give her anything she wants too. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡±

    Yuan Yu. ¡°You just met her. Why do you trust her so much?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°If you use a person, don¡¯t suspect them.¡±

    Yuan Yu treated her as a treasure. With his position as a major shareholder, he listened to her. What else could he do? ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it. You can rest assured!¡±

    ¡°Brother, do you remember that I told you about this person called Yu Yuanxi in my school? I might bring him to thepany in the near future. It¡¯s for that movie that I mentioned before.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. The audition for the film¡¯s lead role is next month!¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your brother. Stop being so courteous with me.¡±

    Shen Xi hung up the phone, got off the bus, and returned home. The first thing she did was run and climb the wall.

    A thickyer of snow had fallen in the big boss¡¯s yard. The plum blossoms were already about to bloom, and the smell had gotten stronger.

    The door to the living room was closed and the gate was locked.

    He was not at home.

    Shen Xi ran down and put down her schoolbag, and began to roll snowballs in the yard.

    The snow had not stopped and continued to fall all afternoon, but it did not reach her calf. She soon rolled a big, round snowball.

    There were no professional snow carving tools at home, so she took her art knives and scrapers.

    Even without looking at the drawing, she just had to close her eyes to see what he looked like in front of her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s hands were deft and dexterous like the hands of God, flying and carving. In less than an hour, the work waspleted.

    The ¡®Li Yuan¡¯ in front of her did not have the cold and icy appearance of the past. Even if he smiled, it was fleeting and hard to capture.

    The man¡¯s features were delicate and three-dimensional. When he smiled, it was devastatingly attractive, and whoever saw it was bound to feel happy.

    Shen Xi squatted in front of ¡®him¡¯, holding her chin to admire her masterpiece and smiling like a little fool. No one knew what went in her mind, but her small hand patted ¡®his¡¯ head as she mumbled to herself, ¡°See, I told you that you look much better when you smile.¡±

 Chapter 72 - Iâ€™ll Make It Up To You

    <h4>Chapter 72: I¡¯ll Make It Up To You</h4>

    Su Ruowan anxiously waited the entire day, desperately trying to reassure herself that there was no way that little b*tch Shen Xi would be a finalist in the international fashionpetition.

    However, Shen Xi¡¯s words and her scornful ridicule were like a thorn in Su Ruowan¡¯s heart, making her restless.

    After dinner, Su Muxuan finally sent her a message with the list of finalists and the information he found, sending it all to her.

    She stared at the message from Su Muxuan. The look in her eyes changed and changed again.

    After a long time, she let out a low scream of anger and irritation, and threw the phone harshly.

    The phone fell to the ground hard, and the screen shattered.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s chest heaved violently. She clenched her fists tightly, staring at the phone with red eyes. The look in her eyes was fierce.

    [Big Brother: It¡¯s the first time this Cai Ni person participated. I couldn¡¯t find any information about them, so you ask Mom about it!]

    Big Brother did not find out any information!

    Their mother was friends with the Chinese judges, so he received the news when he asked that day.

    The judges said that Su Ruowan and Cai Ni had excellent designs and were favorites to win the title.

    However, he surprisingly could not find any information about Cai Ni.

    Cai Ni could not be Shen Xi. It was absolutely impossible. She forbade it!

    ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Mushi knocked at the door, his anxious voice sounding from behind.

    Su Ruowan heard the voice and immediately returned to normal. She picked up the phone on the floor and stuffed it into the drawer as if nothing had happened, then she opened the door. ¡°Mushi, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Lin said she heard a noise in your room, so I got worried and came to check up on you.¡± Su Mushi looked at her in concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The chair fell over.¡± Su Ruowan casually made an excuse.

    Su Mushi saw her sad face and knew what she was worried about, and said, ¡°My dear little sister, don¡¯t worry. The winner of the international fashionpetition will definitely be you.¡±

    Su Ruowan red at him coquettishly. ¡°Mushi, you can¡¯t say that. What if I don¡¯t win the championship? It¡¯ll be humiliating.¡±

    ¡°I heard from Muxuan that you asked him for a list of finalists.¡± Su Mushi smiled dotingly and tenderly flicked the tip of her nose. ¡°Well done. Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.¡±

    ¡°You just love to make jokes, Mushi.¡± Su Ruowan pouted, acting as if she was embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna ignore you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, I was wrong.¡± Su Mushi quickly admitted his mistake and pulled at her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±

    When Li Jingran and Su Yi entered, they saw the brother and sisterughing and joking together. They looked at each other and smiled happily.

    ¡°Honey, I¡¯m going to order Master K¡¯stest design and give it to Wanwan. What do you think?¡± Li Jingran asked with a smile.

    Master K, formerly known as Kelly, was an internationally renowned fashion designer and also Wanwan¡¯s favorite designer.

    It had been determined that the winner of the designpetition would work with Master K on a co-branded product. Wanwan would be very happy then.

    ¡°Sounds good. We¡¯ll give her a surprise when she wins the designpetition championship.¡± Su Yi also agreed and nodded with a smile. ¡°Do as you see fit.¡±

    Last year, the most regrettable decision they made was taking Shen Xi back. Their home stopped feeling like a home, and Wanwan spent every day in humiliation.

    This year, they made the best decision, which was to send Shen Xi away, so that their home finally felt like a home again.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi eagerly waited. From evening, she waited until night, and from night, she waited until midnight. She sat on the stairs with an umbre, almost freezing into a block of ice.

    Behind her, a car sounded.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened and she turned around.

 Chapter 73 - Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 73: Nightmare</h4>

    A bright silver car drove past the entrance and headed to the end of the road.

    Shen Xi sighed and hugged her arms forlornly. It was not him.

    At midnight, she finally gave up after being sure that he would note back. She shook off her umbre, causing a thickyer of snow on it to fall, and got off the stairs.

    ¡®Li Yuan¡¯ the snow sculpture was ced under a chair with an umbre. The legs of the chair were about to be snowed over. The snow depth must be around half a meter now.

    Shen Xi wanted Big Boss to be the first to see the gift, so she moved ¡®Li Yuan¡¯ to the door and made it hold up the umbre.

    ¡°Good night, brother.¡± Shen Xi smiled at ¡®him¡¯. Then, thinking of something, she took her scarf off and carefully put it around ¡®him¡¯.

    After she had done all this, she looked in the direction of the road again.

    The road was painted white with a nket of snow. There were no marks anywhere.

    It was midnight and the surroundings were very quiet. The snowfall had lightened, and if one listened closely, they would only hear the sound of their heavy breathing.

    After Shen Xi was reborn, it was the first time she was alone at home. It was cold and empty, and she had felt cold even when she was wrapped in a thick quilt.

    Taking out her phone, she looked at a series of messages sent to her by Madam Yun and Old Shen. She held the phone for a long time before falling asleep.

    ¡°Child, why are you still holding the phone while sleeping?¡± Yun Jinping called her awake when she saw Shen Xi holding the phone in her hands.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Shen Xi opened her eyes blearily. Tearful, she plunged into Yun Jinping¡¯s arms and cried loudly.

    Yun Jinping startled, worried and distressed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?¡±

    Shen Xi sobbed and nodded vigorously in her mother¡¯s arms.

    She had a nightmare.

    She dreamt of the most desperate and torturous days of her life in the Su family. Her disfigured and crippled mother stood in front of her in a dark room, thin as a stick.

    Shen Xi called out to her, but she did not respond.

    The more she approached, the further her mother went away.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Your dad and I were just gone for a day. We won¡¯t go next time.¡± Yun Jinping patted her daughter¡¯s back soothingly.

    Old Shen and her prepared to go back home this weekend. They had booked the tickets a month ago. The three of them were supposed to go back together.

    However, who knew that their daughter would suddenly have to make up for a missed lesson? Thus, only Old Shen and Madam Yun went.

    They left on Friday night, spent a day at home, and flew back early on Sunday morning.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Xi dried her tears and looked at Yun Jinping. ¡°Why did you and Old Shene back now? Aren¡¯t you supposed toe back at night?¡±

    ¡°We came back and even prepared dinner. Get up and eat before going to school.¡± Yun Jinping wiped Shen Xi¡¯s tears, heartbroken.

    Of course they had toe back. Not seeing her daughter for a day was enough to cause her to worry.

    Today, the snow stopped and the sun came out. It was a sunny day.

    Around noon, a ck extended wheelbase Bentley drove over slowly.

    Kun Lun saw the door from a distance. A snowman held a big ck umbre and exposed a small piece of red cloth. He did not know what it was.

    What was certain was that it was definitely the work of the youngdy next door.

    He quietly looked at the face of the man in the back seat and found the man¡¯s calm and tranquil eyes staring at the snowman at the door.

    The car stopped. The snow on the road yesterday had long been cleared by the cleaners, but the snowman was not destroyed.

    Kun Lun pushed the man over and asked respectfully, ¡°Boss, how do you want to handle this?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the snowman in a daze. Only after he took down the umbre did he discover that it was a snowman carved in his likeness. The littledy had even put her favorite scarf around the snowman¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 74 - It Canâ€™t Be Shen Xi

    <h4>Chapter 74: It Can¡¯t Be Shen Xi</h4>

    Kun Lun was amazed too. It was uncanny. Too uncanny. Ms. Shen was too talented to be able to carve the Boss¡¯s face so urately. How would she be able to carve it so urately if she did not have true feelings for him?

    Li Yuan took off the scarf carefully for fear of breaking the snowman, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Move it in.¡±

    Kun Lun went over and prepared to move the snowman.

    Li Yuan¡¯s voice warned coldly. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t break it.¡±

    Kun Lun felt his scalp tingle in fear from being stared at. Boss¡¯s eyes clearly told him that if the snowman crumbled, he would not be able to continue living!

    Fortunately, with his efforts, the snowman was carried into the house intact and ced on the stone table in the yard.

    Kun Lun wanted to express himself and tentatively asked, ¡°Boss, do you want me to get a freezer to keep the snowman in?¡±

    Seeing how tense the boss was, he felt it necessary to treat the snowman as a treasure and keep it well forever.

    Li Yuan looked at the snowman again and smiled sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s just a snowman.¡±

    People had lives, and snowmen had their lives too. So what if he intervened? Unavoidable fate would always be unavoidable.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi felt a little strange. Yu Yuanxi did note to ss in the morning.

    Yu Yuanxi fought with the top ss yesterday, but the school kept in mind that they were first-time offenders and also excellent students set to participate in the Olympiadpetition. Thus, they turned a blind eye and let him off with a p on the wrist.

    When it was time for afternoon ss.

    ¡°I heard that Yu Yuanxi¡¯s grandmother is in a bad condition. He went to the hospital.¡± Yu Qiubai ced something in front of Shen Xi and smiled. ¡°I bought ice cream for you.¡±

    Shen Xi. ¡°No, thank you. I don¡¯t eat ice cream.¡±

    Yu Qiubai sighed and continued, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Yu Yuanxi¡¯s friend? As a friend, you don¡¯t even know where he went?¡±

    Shen Xi really wanted to shove the popsicle in his mouth.

    When Su Mushi came in, he just so happened to see Yu Qiubai talking to Shen Xi. He was so angry that he said, ¡°Yu Qiubai,e out.¡±

    Yu Qiubai took the ice cream and tossed it to Su Ruowan when she passed by,ughing, ¡°My treat.¡±

    Su Ruowan stared at the ice cream and gnashed her teeth in anger. Her eyes looked vicious. She wanted nothing more than to throw away everything and crush them!

    Yu Qiubai gave her something which Shen Xi did not want!

    What did he take her for?

    Was he giving her alms?

    In his heart, she was even worse than that little b*tch Shen Xi!

    Yu Qiubai was Su Mushi¡¯s best friend. They had always shared the same ss, from kindergarten to high school, but recently, Su Mushi found that he could not see through Yu Qiubai.

    ¡°Yu Qiubai, are you deliberately going against me?¡± Su Mushi faced his friend and went straight to the point.

    ¡°Are you talking about Shen Xi?¡± Yu Qiubaiughed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you know the answer to. In the future, don¡¯t talk to her anymore. You don¡¯t know what kind of person she is. I¡¯m saying this for your own good.¡±

    ¡°Mushi, what if I say no?¡±

    ¡°If you still think of me as a brother, don¡¯t go looking for Shen Xi anymore. Someone like her isn¡¯t worth your effort.¡±

    ¡°Then what kind of person is worth my effort? Su Ruowan?¡±

    ¡°Anyone is fine except Shen Xi.¡± Su Mushi became annoyed. ¡°If you continue to degrade yourself like this, we won¡¯t be able to stay friends.¡±

    Yu Qiubai raised his eyebrows, looking indifferently at Su Mushi¡¯s angry look. ¡°If that¡¯s how you think, then suit yourself!¡±

    Then, he turned around and left. After taking two steps, he looked back. ¡°Mushi, as your friend, I¡¯m kindly reminding you not to look at people using only your eyes and ears.¡±

    He pointed at his own heart and continued, ¡°You have to use this, got it?¡±

    Su Mushi only spoke out in anger. They were friends for so many years, so it was not easy for them to cut ties. Watching Yu Qiubai walk away, Su Mushi kicked the railing in fury.

    Which part of that dumb girl Shen Xi did Qiubai like?

    No, he could not stand by and watch his good brother be bewitched by Shen Xi.

    He had to find a way to keep Shen Xi far from Yu Qiubai, the further the better. He had to get her out of Capital No. 4 High School immediately.

 Chapter 75 - Iâ€™ll Do It

    <h4>Chapter 75: I¡¯ll Do It</h4>

    After listening to Yu Qiubai, Shen Xi rushed straight to the hospital.

    ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m begging you. Please save my grandmother. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Yu Yuanxi chased after the doctor with red eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The doctor looked at the teenager. There was nothing he could do but ruthlessly push him away. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    The people on top exined that they owed too many medical expenses for too long. There was no way to perform surgery.

    Yu Yuanxi was pushed hard and stumbled on his feet. His vision went dark and he was about to fall to the ground, but someone caught him.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Shen Xi looked at the haggard teenager.

    At that moment, he had discarded all his pride and dignity. He was as lowly as a speck of dirt, as if he would give his life to anyone who could help him at this time.

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s head buzzed. The girl¡¯s clear and cold voice was like a clear spring in summer, restoring his rity in an instant.

    He desperately tried to hide his vulnerable and lowly side.

    He did not know why, but whenever she was before him, he was always so wretched and humiliating.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Yu Yuanxi did not dare to look at her. He wanted nothing more than to find a corner and curl up and hide.

    He knew that she would notugh at him.

    However, he did not want her to see such a helpless and useless side of him.

    ¡°This is for you.¡± Shen Xi also did not beat around the bush and simply shoved a card at him.

    Yu Yuanxi raised his eyes. After being surprised, his hands fumbled to return the card to her. A lump formed in his throat. ¡°I can¡¯t take this.¡±

    He had already made preparations. He would go to the organ trading site at night. As long as he did not die, he would sell whatever he could.

    ¡°There¡¯s 100,000 yuan here, but I¡¯m not giving you the money for free.¡± Shen Xi said and handed him a document. ¡°This is an artist contract. Take a look at it first.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi looked over the document with trembling hands. His eyes misted over and his throat felt sour and unbearable, but his heart flooded with a slight warmth.

    ¡°Thepany is my brother¡¯s. It¡¯s a newpany, so it won¡¯t be able to give you good conditions since it¡¯s in the early stage.¡± Shen Xi exined to him. ¡°But you can rest assured that if you develop together with thepany, you¡¯ll neverck for any resources in the future.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± Yu Yuanxi looked at her, wanting to find the answer from her eyes.

    However, the girl¡¯s eyes were clear and cold as usual, just like the silence of ake. No emotion could be discerned from them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you this contract because I feel sorry for you.¡± Shen Xi knew what he was asking. ¡°I¡¯ve been paying attention to you for a long time. Your looks and temperament are very suitable for showbiz, and you¡¯ll definitely be a great star in the future.

    ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to enter this circle, you can just take the money and return the contract to me as if I never came here today.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi stared at the girl in front of him, and said word by word, as if he was swearing an oath, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    He would seize every opportunity to make money. Those who never starved would never know the preciousness of a single grain of rice, and those who had never been poor would never know how important money was.

    He would work hard and be the person she wanted him to be. He would stand at the top of the world and tell her that she did not choose the wrong person.

    Shen Xi did not expect the contract to be settled so quickly. Yu Yuanxi really trusted her and signed the contract on the spot.

    There were many people in the hospital at that time.

    When Shen Xi passed the stairway, she was suddenly stopped by someone and looked up, crashing into Yu Qiubai¡¯s smiling fox-like eyes.

 Chapter 76 - A Debt Of Gratitude

    <h4>Chapter 76: A Debt Of Gratitude</h4>

    ¡°So you wanted to sign Yu Yuanxi on.¡± Yu Qiubai always looked crafty and absent-minded. He said in a teasing tone, ¡°What, do you want him to enter showbiz?¡±

    ¡°You followed me!¡± A murderous look flickered in Shen Xi¡¯s eyes.

    She had not noticed anyone following her when she made her way here.

    Yu Qiubai was not a person to be underestimated. He was not as unorganized as he appeared on the surface.

    ¡°Why are you signing him instead of me?¡± Yu Qiubai stroked his chin narcissistically and narrowed his fox-like eyes. ¡°Am I worse than him?¡±

    ¡°Do you think everyone who walks on two legs is human?¡± Shen Xi snorted coldly and said in her heart, ¡®You¡¯re not worse than him. You¡¯re more infuriating than him!¡¯

    He was Su Mushi¡¯s good brother. Signing him on was the same as nting a time bomb in thepany.

    Yu Qiubai was stunned. After a moment, his handsome face stiffened and he finally burst out, ¡°Shen Xi, you¡¯re calling me inhuman!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s lips pulled in a sneer. He was not stupid. He finally reacted.

    Yu Qiubai stood in ce and did not chase after her. Looking at the girl¡¯s thin, tall, cool, and aloof figure, his lips curled up in interest.

    This girl was very interesting and challenging.

    He had never met a girl who ignored his courting and remained unmoved by all of his methods.

    Saturday afternoon, Shen Xi bought a fruit basket with some health products and went to the hospital to visit Yu Yuanxi¡¯s grandmother.

    The surgery was done on Wednesday and was a sess, and the old woman was recovering well from the operation.

    When she was leaving, Granny Yu took her hand with tears in her eyes and said, ¡°Xixi, thank you. You¡¯re really a great benefactor to our family. I don¡¯t know how to repay you.¡±

    She had heard from Yu Yuanxi that the girl had given him money for her surgery, and even introduced him to a good job.

    They were not ungrateful people. They would never forget this great kindness and would repay her by any means possible.

    ¡°Grandma, if you really want to thank me, then get well quickly.¡± Shen Xi held the olddy¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I heard Yu Yuanxi say that your coconut chicken is a must-try.¡±

    Granny Yu¡¯s hometown was in the south, so her skills in cooking southern dishes were unrivaled.

    Granny Yu was also a pitiful person. When she was young, she came to the capital with her husband. Her husband was a small-time policeman and died in a skirmish with some gangsters, leaving Granny Yu with a ten-year-old son.

    The son was influenced by his heroic father and inherited his father¡¯s mantle, growing up to be a firefighter. However, heter lost his life during a mission. He had only been twenty-five years old and unmarried.

    Later, the lonely Granny Yu adopted Yu Yuanxi. Life was hard, but Granny Yu was kind, and Yu Yuanxi was sensible. The grandmother and grandchild lived a very happy life.

    Two months ago, Granny Yu suddenly fell ill and needed a major operation on her lumbar spine. Otherwise, she would be confined to bed for the rest of her life.

    The surgery itself cost 300,000 yuan, and the subsequent nutrition fee was at least 500,000 yuan. Yu Yuanxi had no way ofing up with so much money.

    Granny Yu¡¯s family and friends were already quite critical of her adoption of Yu Yuanxi, so none of them came to her help in times of emergency.

    ¡°Okay, when Granny gets better and goes home, you can eat as much as you want.¡± Granny Yu reluctantly let go of Shen Xi and urged Yu Yuanxi, ¡°When you go to the office, listen to Xixi and don¡¯t cause her any trouble, okay?¡±

 Chapter 77 - A Favor

    <h4>Chapter 77: A Favor</h4>

    ¡°I know.¡± Yu Yuanxi smiled softly. He quietly looked at the littledy out of the corner of his eye, and then quickly looked away, as if he was afraid she would find out. He turned to his grandmother. ¡°Just rest well, Grandma. I¡¯lle back soon.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. The nurses in the hospital will take care of me so I don¡¯t need you.¡± Granny Yu still did not feel at ease and said to Shen Xi, ¡°If Yuanxi does anything wrong, you can tell him. No need to be polite, okay?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Granny Yu knew that she could not dy their business and said what had to be said. After nagging Yu Yuanxi multiple times, she finally let them go.

    Shen Xi took Yu Yuanxi to thepany, mainly to let him familiarize himself with thepany¡¯s environment and introduce him to his manager.

    ¡°He Xiang isn¡¯t here yet. I¡¯ll make a call and ask.¡± Yuan Yu greeted them. ¡°Xixi, you show Yuanxi around thepany first.¡±

    He Xiang was the manager Shen Xi found for Yu Yuanxi. In her past life, He Xiang was a gold medal manager who respected and understood Yu Yuanxi the most, and took him to the international level and eventually achieved mutual sess with him.

    Gao Meng knew that Shen Xi wasing and rushed up to hand her a cup of milk tea. ¡°Lil Chairman Shen, this is your favoritette with double cream and nuts. I bought it myself.¡±

    When she finished, she looked at Yu Yuanxi beside Shen Xi. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know that Lil Chairman Shen would be bringing a friend. I¡¯ll get someone to buy one for you. What do you like to drink, handsome?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi smiled politely. ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s no need.¡±

    Shen Xi took a sip of the milk tea before looking at Gao Meng. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be on set at this time? Why are you back?¡±

    Gao Meng stood next to her, not daring to sit because Shen Xi did not tell her to sit. ¡°Chairman Yuan told me toe back. He said that an online game ambassador was looking for me and told me to meet with the person in charge.¡±

    ¡°My brother called already. Sit.¡± Shen Xi introduced her. ¡°This is Yu Yuanxi. He¡¯s an artist contracted to ourpany from now on.¡±

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gao Meng.¡± Gao Meng sat straight across them and held out her hand to Yu Yuanxi.

    Out of politeness, Yu Yuanxi shook her hand gently. ¡°Let¡¯s work together well in the future.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. We¡¯re all family here. Let¡¯s work together under the wise leadership of Lil Chairman Shen.¡± Gao Meng¡¯s mouth was full of good words, constantly praising Lil Chairman Shen.

    This teenager¡¯s temperament was very different from Chairman Yuan. He was elegant and gave others a warm feeling. Gao Meng ignored how handsome he was and treated him like the boy next door.

    This type of warm temperament made it impossible for people to take offense to, and was the most popr with the audience. Whether it was men or women, young or old, everyone liked this type of person.

    Shen Xi looked at Gao Meng. She was like a flower that brought wealth!

    She had a beautiful face, a slender waist, and an ample bosom. Even sitting, she gave off an amorous charm that could be felt by the bones. Thepany that wanted her to endorse their online game was too discerning.

    Yuan Yu soon came out and looked at Shen Xi before saying, ¡°Shen Xi,e here for a moment.¡±

    Shen Xi took the milk tea and followed him over.

    Yuan Yu rubbed his temples in pain. ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡±

    Shen Xi was surprised but happy. ¡°Brother, is there a need to say that to me?¡±

    Since when did he be so polite?

    It turned out that it was a problem with Yu Yuanxi¡¯s manager, He Xiang.

 Chapter 78 - My Name Is Cai Ni

    <h4>Chapter 78: My Name Is Cai Ni</h4>

    He Xiang was now working under Chen Nan, a famous manager in the entertainment industry. He was not a manager yet and only followed Chen Nan around as an assistant.

    The only artist under Chen Nan was the Film Empress, Gong Zhi.

    Gong Zhi was going to attend a movie premiere tonight, but her chief stylist had suddenly gotten into a car ident and was in the hospital.

    Chen Nan had already promised Yuan Yu that He Xiang would go over this afternoon.

    However, Gong Zhi flew into a furious rage because of the stylist¡¯s car ident and told the people under her to find Cathay¡¯s chief stylist. If they failed, they could all scram.

    He Xiang was Chen Nan¡¯s right-hand man and did many things. Gong Zhi was looking for someone but Chen Nan could not find him, so he left it to He Xiang.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Yuan Yu watched her close the car door and knocked on the window, pulling his lips in a smile. ¡°Li Jingran also attended the premiere today.¡±

    Shen Xi gave him an OK gesture with a sly look in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡±

    Li Jingran and Gong Zhi were bitter rivals. They made their debut in the same year, they were both Film Empresses, and the poprity, endorsements, ie, movie box office, TV drama ratings, and awards they won were all equally divided. Their positions in the industry were also the same. They were both big flowers in China¡¯s film and television sector.

    However, Li Jingran was slightly superior in appearance, and always trumped over Gong Zhi when walking on the red carpet.

    The two were harmonious on the surface, but behind the scenes, Li Jingran despised Gong Zhi¡¯s looks and background. Every time she attended an event with Gong Zhi, she would try her best to crush Gong Zhi.

    Gong Zhi also had a proud heart. Each time, she tried to overpower Li Jingran at every event, but she was always the one who was outssed.

    Chen Nan paced back and forth at the door of the dressing room in a frenzy.

    Shen Xi took two assistants over and stopped in front of him. ¡°Hello, are you Mr. Chen Nan?¡±

    Chen Nan looked up and saw the beautiful littledy, and frowned. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s face was cold, and her aloof and icy temperament emanated from inside out. She said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m Jiang Yin¡¯s apprentice. My name is Cai Ni.¡±

    Chen Nan sneered. ¡°You¡¯re Jiang Yin¡¯s apprentice? I¡¯ve never heard of her having an apprentice before.¡±

    Jiang Yin was the chief stylist of Cathay and the former editor-in-chief of Skyway, the number one fashion magazine in the world. She was known as the Demoness of Fashion, but she retired two years ago and returned to China, asionally helping people as a stylist.

    Ever since she returned to China two years ago, the number of times she styled for people could be counted with both hands, but every time she did, she would set off a fashion storm in the entertainment and fashion industries.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because my teacher and I are more low-key.¡± Shen Xi was very modest.

    Chen Nanughed in anger and pointed at her, warning, ¡°You go back and tell Yuan Yu this. Don¡¯t think he can fool me by finding a little girl. How old are you? Are you even an adult? Did he tell you toe here and lie?¡±

    How badly did Yuan Yu want He Xiang for him to use this kind of clumsy tactic? Yuan Yu must be ying a trick on Chen Nan!

    If not for the fact that he owed the Yuan family a favor many years ago, he would not be willing to give away the best sessor in his hands.

    He Xiang was the sessor he had his eye on. He did not know how Yuan Yu found out about He Xiang and insisted on him from Chen Nan.

    ¡°Mr. Chen, how old was Ms. Gong when she became a Film Empress?¡± Shen Xi sidestepped the questions.

    ¡°18.¡± Chen Nan said and immediately understood the young girl¡¯s meaning. After calming down, he looked at her again in consideration.

    The young girl looked to be only 17 or 18. She was extremely beautiful and had a kind of naturally powerful aura, making her a cold and arrogant beauty.

 Chapter 79 - While There Is Life, The Fight Continues

    <h4>Chapter 79: While There Is Life, The Fight Continues</h4>

    The entertainment circle usually marketed young girls with innocent, young, and girlish personas. Those with high and cold temperaments like her were rare since it was hard for them to appeal to the audience.

    Shen Xi smiled without a word.

    ¡°This way, Ms. Cai Ni.¡± Chen Nan was surprised by her calm temperament.

    Not many people acted like her and remained calm even when humiliated. It was clear just by looking at the over-forty-years-old Film Empress in the dressing room.

    Even after fighting for over twenty years, she was still fighting.

    It was truly the embodiment of the idiom ¡®while there is life, the fight continues¡¯!

    Gong Zhi was very beautiful. Even without makeup and dressing up, she still looked very beautiful. However, the lines at the corners of her eyes and eyebrows betrayed her true age.

    Her beauty was not the quiet beauty umted by the flow of time, but a mboyant kind of beauty, simr to Gao Meng¡¯s temperament. However, her facial features were not as delicate and young as Gao Meng¡¯s, and her face was not as fair and clear as before.

    ¡°Ms. Gong Zhi, let¡¯s start!¡± Shen Xi did not beat around the bush and got to work.

    There was not much time to waste. She wanted to create the most perfect look for Gong Zhi to stun Li Jingran and make it so people would be unable to tear their eyes away from Gong Zhi.

    ¡°Cai Ni, was it? I¡¯m not joking with you. If you can¡¯t satisfy me¡ª¡± Gong Zhi¡¯s eyes carried an obvious fire. ¡°You can say goodbye to any future in showbiz.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Gong Zhi. I won¡¯t disappoint my teacher¡¯s reputation.¡± Shen Xi smiled.

    It was the first time Gong Zhi had seen such a beautiful girl. She was so young, yet she was standing calmly in front of her. Gong Zhi started to have some trust and expectations for her. ¡°Then let¡¯s start!¡±

    Shen Xi did not have any special equipment either. Since it wasst minute, she just had people buy some cosmetics, curling irons, hairdryers, and other essentials. She could not say she was a stylist if she did not bring any professional equipment!

    Gong Zhi did not hold back and revealed her hopes. ¡°Rest assured and style the way you want to. I won¡¯t ask for anything else. As long as you can make me overshadow Li Jingran, You will be my chief designer in the future. I won¡¯t treat you badly.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Thank you for your offer, Ms. Gong Zhi, but I¡¯m still studying. I have no ns to enter the circle so early.

    ¡°But you¡¯re so beautiful. Haven¡¯t you ever thought about entering showbiz?¡± It was the first time Gong Zhi genuinely praised someone for their beauty.

    Some people were just beautiful.

    Some people desperately told people they were beautiful.

    The girl in front of her belonged to the former. She was already beautiful. Unlike Gong Zhi, the girl did not have to tell others that she was beautiful.

    ¡°Showbiz is tooplicated for me.¡± Shen Xi smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Just follow after your teacher. You won¡¯t earn less than us. There are better options, so why wade through the muddy waters of showbiz?¡± A teasing look shed in Gong Zhi¡¯s eyes.

    Shen Xi realized that Gong Zhi was not the drop-dead gorgeous, arrogant, stuck-up and bad-tempered person from the rumors. Her temper was actually very straightforward. It was just that she did not mince her words.

    From 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, it took three hours for Shen XI to finish Gong Zhi¡¯s red carpet look.

    From the makeup to her clothes and shoes, everything was handled by Shen Xi.

    Gong Zhi looked at herself in the mirror with eyes full of amazement. It took a long time before she snapped back to reality.

    The makeup was beautiful. It was open and flirtatious, the kind of beauty that was full of charm and amorousness.

    She had never liked ck dresses before, because she felt that ck was too low-key. She liked bright colors instead.

    However, the ck dress she was wearing now perfectly set off her aggressive beauty in just the right way.

    She finally understood what it meant to be a knockout beauty.

 Chapter 80 - Itâ€™s Really Shen Xi

    <h4>Chapter 80: It¡¯s Really Shen Xi</h4>

    Gong Zhi was currently a knockout beauty, so gorgeous that people overlooked the bearing that came with her physical features and lifted her up to a ss of her own.

    Chen Nan was gawping at her. Oh, Gong Zhi looked dazzling. She was the same person and yet there was a feeling that she was not her.

    He had been with Gong Zhi since she made a debut to bing a film star, and Chen Nan further strengthened her position as a major actress in the film industry in the period of twenty years. Still, this was the first time he was struck and stood in awe by her beauty.

    Cai Ni, this youngdy was just amazing. An aplished student owed their sess to their great teachers. Her teacher, Jiang Yin probably would not be able to create a more perfect look even if she was here today.

    With Gong Zhi pleased with the result, she looked towards Shen Xi with gentle and admiring eyes. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, please don¡¯t go. Let me treat you to a meal after the red-carpet event.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Gong Zhi.¡± Shen Xi gazed back at the woman in front of her and asked, ¡°I was wondering if I could sit in the auditorium?¡±

    Happy to see the challenging film diva sorted out atst, Chen Nan was more than thankful towards Cai Ni. Hence, he said, ¡°Yes, of course you can. Give me a minute and I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    As a matter of fact, Shen Xi was not that interested in the movie. However, she wanted to watch with her very own eyes Li Jingran fuming with rage while still having to keep up with appearances.

    The auditorium was almost filled and only the VIP seats were empty in the first eight rows.

    The VIP seats were reserved for guests invited by the organizer, which included celebrities and prominent figures of various fields. The seats were arranged in ordance to the person¡¯s-worth and poprity.

    The best seats for ordinary audiences were on the ninth row. Situated right behind the celebrities, these seats were most sought-after and could not be booked without pulling some strings.

    Su Ruowan and her girlfriends were sitting on the ninth row.

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re the best. It¡¯s all thanks to you that we¡¯re seated here.¡±

    ¡°AHHHHH!I caught a glimpse of the seat chart for the front rows and there¡¯s Tan Yichen, thetest artist I¡¯m into. I¡¯m going to ask him for an autographter.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re my lucky star. I love you so much.¡±

    Indulging in the shower of praises, Su Ruowan softly uttered with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I casually brought it up to Mom and she got me the seats.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Li really dotes on you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our Wanwan¡¯s great, beautiful, gentle, and sensible. Who would not adore her? Wanwan is the princess of the Su family.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m turning green with envy. It would be great if I have a mom who¡¯d never refuse my requests and three brothers who can¡¯t stop doting on me!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an overstatement.¡± Su Ruowan chuckled, albeit proud and delighted by thement.

    While everyone was buttering Su Ruowan up, Chen Bingbing suddenly pointed to a direction. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Shen Xi? What is she doing here?¡±

    Su Ruowan and her besties turned towards the direction. It really was Shen Xi.

    In the front, Chen Nan was leading Shen Xi to a seat in a polite and respectful manner. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, please sit here. Zhizhi will be sitting on your left.¡±

    It never crossed his mind that a VIP seat would be allocated.

    As a first-ranked manager in showbiz, Chen Nan would have no problem getting an allocation in the regr seating.

    Nevertheless, a VIP seat reserved for big names was out of his hands. The organizing party would discuss allocation based on poprity and every seat had a name on it.

    Shen Xi noticed that too. The seat for her was written with the name ¨C Situ Zhangyou!

 Chapter 81 - Provoking Smile

    <h4>Chapter 81: Provoking Smile</h4>

    ¡°Situ said that something came up and left the seat to me. He hasmunicated with the organizers about this, so don¡¯t worry, you can sit here.¡± Adept in taking cues from bodynguage, Chen Nan blurted before Shen Xi posed the question.

    Situ must have information that Ms. Cai Ni was Ms. Jiang Yin¡¯s student, hence why he gave up his seat.

    Shen Xi was intrigued by Situ Zhangyou¡¯s intentions. Why was he ingratiating himself with an ordinary girl like her?

    He presented her flowers on stage during the dancepetition.

    This time, he gave up the VIP seat to her.

    ¡°Help me thank Mr. Situ.¡± Shen Xi did not refuse. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Su Ruowan in the regr seating.

    Despite the far distance and poor lighting, Shen Xi could clearly see the enmity and jealousy burning in her eyes.

    All steamed up, Su Ruowan¡¯s burning jealousy made her see red as she darted a wicked re at Shen Xi.

    That was Shen Xi.

    Her eyes did not deceive her!

    Those were VIP seats exclusive to only showbiz veterans at the top of the food chain and people with the highest achievement.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch! Who was she to be given the right to sit in that seat? She was on equal footing with Mom!

    Standing up, Shen Xi threw a look at Su Ruowan before letting out a provoking smile.

    Gong Zhi sat on her left.

    On Gong Zhi¡¯s left sat Li Jingran.

    That seat was definitely one that everyone could only dream of. Born into nobility and a prominent figure in showbiz, it would make more sense for Situ Zhangyou to be allocated the seat.

    The look on Shen Xi¡¯s face threw Su Ruowan in a right tizzy. Following a rush of blood to her head, Su Ruowan gulped down a bloody taste in her mouth as she clenched her fists tight.

    B*tch!

    Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    That woman was showing off and taunting her!

    Exchanging nces in dismay, Su Ruowan¡¯s girlfriends were enraged as well and came to her defense.

    ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s going on? Why is Shen Xi sitting there?¡±

    ¡°That seat is reserved for major stars like Aunt Li. Who does she think she is?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that man Gong Zhi¡¯s manager, Chen Nan? He¡¯s a big-name manager in China!¡±

    ¡°F*ck! Shen Xi has been waiting to get into showbiz, right? Don¡¯t tell me she has already signed under Chen Nan!¡±

    ¡°Her? The way I see it, the little b*tch must have sold herself to be Chen Nan¡¯s mistress. The only thing she has going for her is that face.¡±

    Rage was tempting Chen Bingbing and the group of besties to interrogate Shen Xi on the spot. The words that came out of their mouth were bitter, spiteful, and harsh.

    Resentment was simmering within Su Ruowan.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch. Just what was she up to?

    Su Ruowan realized that she did not know Shen Xi at all. Shen Xi had be an entirely different person who was impossible to read since that fateful day.

    ¡°Wanwan, say something!¡± Chen Bingbing tugged on Su Ruowan.

    With a frown, Su Ruowan meekly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know myself. Maybe she wants to get into showbiz and signed with Chen Nan.¡±

    Shen Xi, this b*tch. Knowing well that Mom and Gong Zhi were nemesis, Shen Xi deliberately signed under Chen Nan.

    Did Shen Xi think that it would catch Mom¡¯s eye and thetter would wee her back with open arms?

    Dream on. By doing so, Mom would only be more annoyed and grow sicker of her!

    Calm and collected, Shen Xi sat in the chief VIP seat while watching the red-carpet broadcast on her phone. Soon, Li Jingran finally emerged at the end of the red carpet.

 Chapter 82 - Belle Of The Ball

    <h4>Chapter 82: Belle Of The Ball</h4>

    Li Jingran looked rather dignified and magnanimous today with that red floor-length evening gown on and her makeup on point. Carrying herself with a natural air of elegance, she captured a mature appeal and exotic charm that was only achievable through the flowing of time.

    The reporters moved their camera lenses towards Li Jingran the moment she stepped onto the red carpet. They eximed in awe before the film star as Li Jingran looked perfect on the red carpet tonight.

    The second she graced the scene was when Li Jingran loved and enjoyed the most. With all cameras directed at her, it was glorious to have all eyes on her.

    She nced at starlets on the red carpet who just made their debut. They were trying to strike a pose to get a few shots after Li Jingran took the spotlight away from them. Oh, how she pitied and felt for them!

    Li Jingran had strutted along about ten meters.

    All of a sudden.

    Someone shouted, ¡°Ms. Gong. Look, it¡¯s Ms. Gong!¡±

    Hiding away from the camera, Li Jingran¡¯s eyes flickered in disdain and mockery.

    That b*tch, Gong Zhi hade to embarrass herself once again.

    Gong Zhi really did not know her ce even though she was always deemed the loser in the battle of beauty with Li Jingran. When would she ever learn?

    With those looks of hers and the lousy stylists under her, god knew where Gong Zhi found the courage to set herself side by side with Li Jingran.

    However, it took a while for Li Jingran to realize the cameras that were all over her before, had all disappeared in an instant. Chasing after the blinking lights, it was Gong Zhi in front of the cameras!

    Gong Zhi waved and shed her teeth at her, not hiding the delight and provocation in her smile.

    The rush of blood sent tightness in Li Jingran¡¯s chest.

    Li Jingran never saw Gong Zhi as apetitor. Yet now, this evesting runner-up stole the limelight and attention away from her.

    Unforgivable!

    The awestruck media fixated their cameras on Gong Zhi, refusing to miss a moment.

    Dressed in a ck evening gown, Gong Zhi carried herself with grandeur and pride of a ck swan as well as the fascination of a witch in dark fairy tales. Each simple act brought out a different side to her.

    Themanding presence belonging to a queen and empowered woman simply blew everyone away. The people wanted nothing more than to worship and bow down to her beauty.

    Gong Zhi was having a ball.

    Active in showbiz for over two decades, she had walked countless red carpets, been in the presence of numerous cheers, apuse, and honor under the spotlight.

    Never once had Gong Zhi felt the crity she was experiencing now. It was a hearty feeling of gratification, as though she held the whole world in her hands.

    She beat Li Jingran, a nemesis she was in constant strife for over twenty years.

    Today was one example. Gong Zhi upstaged Li Jingran, leaving thetter without a picture taken.

    She was a queen right now.

    Everyone, including Li Jingran, served as prop next to her.

    Shen Xi watched Li Jingran put up a calm front as she continued to strut ahead. Letting out a mocking scoff, Shen Xi put away her phone.

    For a person who always had the upper hand in life, Li Jingran must be feeling sour because a nemesis, who never waspetition, had managed to steal her thunder away.

    Li Jingran was infuriated and bitter about having been outshined by Gong Zhi on the red carpet, but her rage took a turn for the worse when she took notice of Shen Xi off the runway.

    What was this brat doing here? She was sitting on Situ Zhangyou¡¯s seat!

    Turning a blind eye to Li Jingran, Shen Xi crossed her legs and became engrossed in games on her phone.

    Li Jingran could not let it go. Fancying herself superior, she fixated on Shen Xi and coldly questioned her, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 83 - Make A Fool Of Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 83: Make A Fool Of Yourself</h4>

    Shen Xi blurted, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    These words struck Li Jingran like a thorn in the flesh, prompting her to hiss, ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    Gong Zhi finally had her revenge after decades of bitterness and rage. Holding her head up high, she walked off the red carpet with a spring in her step and headed towards Shen Xi.

    This youngdy was awesome!

    She really had to give it to Shen Xi. Jiang Yin could stuff it!

    Gong Zhi wanted no one else but Shen Xi!

    Before she could reach for her seat, Gong Zhi noticed Li Jingran leaning to one side as she engaged in conversation with Shen Xi. Putting on a straight face, she warily walked up to them. ¡°Girl, are you acquainted with Ms. Li?¡±

    Did Li Jingran, the old hag, find out and was now trying to poach Cai Ni away?

    Li Jingran was not to have a finger in the pie Gong Zhi had her eye on!

    With a poker face, Shen Xi calmly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡±

    Having her feathers ruffled, Li Jingran would have passed out due to rage had she not been in the presence of people.

    This d*mn brat!

    Was Shen Xi teaming up with Gong Zi to piss her off?

    Gong Zhi let out a sigh of relief before taking a seat. She held Shen Xi¡¯s arm as though iming ownership. ¡°Ms. Li, this is my little sister.¡±

    Li Jingran was without another word after nodding and acknowledging the statement.

    Sister?

    Since when was Shen Xi, that brat, close to Gong Zhi?

    Li Jingran was most familiar with the kind of person Gong Zhi was ¨C abination of a bad temper and horrible personality. She did not have many friends in reality, much less in show business.

    It was the first screening of a movie.

    Shen Xi and Gong Zhi had a st watching the show.

    Thinking of Shen Xi as a little girl, Gong Zhi instructed Chen Nan to send over some popcorn and bubble tea.

    After the screening ended, Li Jingran¡¯s manager requested that Shen Xie along with him while she was on the way to the loo.

    Fancying herself as an elder, Li Jingran gazed at her. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Situ Zhangyou?¡±

    Li Jingran could not read Shen Xi at all.

    Since leaving the Su family, Shen Xi disyed talent and ambition that was beyond even Li Jingran¡¯s wildest dreams.

    For the first time, Li Jingran questioned whether driving Shen Xi out of the family was the right decision. Shen Xi¡¯s talents could be of service to the Su family.

    ¡°Ms. Li, this is a good look for you tonight.¡± Shen Xi gave an irrelevant answer to annoy Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran¡¯s blood was boiling from the reply. ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t y games with me. Stay away from Situ Zhangyou. Quit the wishful thinking and know your ce.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips in contempt.

    Li Jingran pointed at her in warning. ¡°I know what you¡¯re up to. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re trying to seduce Situ Zhangyou. To tell you the truth, a family like the Situs will never take a liking to someone like you!¡±

    What kind of family was the Situs?

    Sure, the Situ family was not among the Five Major Families in China, but they surpassed the Gu family who were part of that prestige.

    Wanwan was the future daughter-inw of the Gu family. This fact was long determined and would not be changed.

    It would be a p in the face for Li Jingran if Shen Xi were to marry Situ Zhangyou and be the daughter-inw of the Situ family.

    She could never have Shen Xi, the brat, marrying off to better standing and be above Wanwan!

    ¡°How would you know if they don¡¯t like me?¡± Shen Xi covered her mouth as sweet-sounding giggles escaped her lips.

    Hearing theughter, Li Jingran had the urge to strangle her. She spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°It¡¯s best you take this piece of advice. Otherwise, you would only be suffering and making a fool of yourself, snubbed by the Situ family.

    How dare this uncultured brat speak to her like this!

 Chapter 84 - Poach Talent

    <h4>Chapter 84: Poach Talent</h4>

    ¡°Are men the only thing of importance to you?¡± Shen Xi pitifully gazed at Li Jingran. ¡°You should take a long view and think big. Men are not everything in life.¡±

    With such pettiness, it was no wonder she could onlypete nationally instead of hitting the international stage.

    Flipping out from the provocation atst, Li Jingran¡¯s exquisite face turned into a grimace as she raised her hand to p with all her might. ¡°Brat, who are you to teach me!¡±

    Shen Xi seized her by the arm and tightened her grip, watching the woman glower in pain. She perked her lips. ¡°Ms. Li, don¡¯t put all your eggs in one basket when ites to men. Do you think he will stay loyal after divorcing once?¡±

    Li Jingran gasped in pain. With her body shaking violently, she let out a furious roar with a menacing look on her face. ¡°Shen Xi! Are you damning me!¡±

    Shen Xi was saying that her husband would leave her? Divorce her?

    The brat was looking for trouble!

    Not wanting to waste another breath, Shen Xi pushed Li Jingran away and watched her crash onto the opposite table. She then turned to leave.

    She took two steps before turning back around with eyes speaking of indifference and ridicule.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Flustered, Li Jingran cried in anger and flipped the dressing table.

    D*mn brat!

    Shen Xi was sent down to piss her off!

    Li Jingran would rather be forever oblivious of the mistaken swap at birth, not knowing that Shen Xi was her biological daughter. She would never have given birth to such a shameless thing!

    Had she known this was the oue, Li Jingran would have strangled Shen Xi to death at birth.

    Her manager, Li He knocked on the door.

    With eyes bloodshot from fury, Li Jingran turned to him and asked, ¡°Have you found the stylist who did Gong Zhi¡¯s look?¡±

    Everything went wrong for her today. Not only was Li Jingran outshined by Gong Zhi, who she never thought of aspetition and looked down on, she even crossed paths with the infuriating brat, Shen Xi.

    How did Shen Xi and Gong Zhi know each other?

    Why did Gong Zhi, that b*tch call Shen Xi her little sister?

    The two were working hand in glove to gang up on her and piss her off!

    Li He had been with Li Jingran since her debut. With more than twenty years under his belt, he was no stranger to her temper. Li He took the initiative to clean up the mess on the ground. ¡°No. You know Gong Zhi. No one¡¯s as smart as her in showbiz. It¡¯s not going to be easy to find out. She wants you to make a fool of yourself. Straighten yourself up and don¡¯t give her the satisfaction.¡±

    Facing the cosmetic mirror, Li Jingran fixed her disheveled hair and touched up her makeup.

    While clearing the mess, Li He consoled her. ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up. Gong Zhi merely found a great stylist and won over you once. She¡¯s been at the losing end for over twenty years.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s voice had calmed down by the time she unrolled a lipstick. ¡°Proceed with the search. I don¡¯t care what methods you resort to, find out who the person is. Spend what it takes to poach that talent.¡±

    She may seem gentle in putting on her lipstick, but color was washed off her knuckles from the overexerted force. Veins were also popping out the back of her hand.

    That vile woman, Gong Zhi embarrassed her in front of the whole nation.

    Payback was a b*tch!

    No matter the price and cost, she must get Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist on her side!

 Chapter 85 - Devious And Pretentious

    <h4>Chapter 85: Devious And Pretentious</h4>

    Feeling joyful for the first time ever, Gong Zhi could not ceaseughing in her dressing room. She was amused just by the thought of Li Jingran hitting the ceiling andpletely flipping out.

    ¡°Lil sis, you must join me for a meal next time.¡± Gong Zhi had not forgotten who she owed it to.

    This girl said that her mother was waiting for her at home with dinner ready. With her parents worried if she was homete, the girl insisted on going home. It was not like Gong Zhi could make here against her will.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Putting on her backpack, Shen Xi politely excused herself. ¡°Well then, Ms. Gong Zhi, I should get going.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t address me so formally. There¡¯s no need for formalities between us. Consider me your older sister if you think highly of me.¡± Gong Zhi intimately pulled on her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡±

    There was no shortage of stylists.

    However, true masters who could pull off bringing out the best look in a person were hard toe by.

    It was every celebrity¡¯s dream to shine and be the belle of the ball.

    Every single detail, apart from the celebrity¡¯s endowed looks and bearing, was in the mercy of a good stylist.

    Ms. Cai Ni was the stylist Gong Zhi needed. No matter the cost, Gong Zhi wanted to be on good terms with her and keep her by her side.

    ¡°Sister Zhizhi.¡± Shen Xi immediately addressed her differently.

    With many friends, came many windows of opportunities and this rang true wherever. There was no reason to keep others at arm¡¯s length.

    ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Pleased, Gong Zhi patted her arm before tipping her assistant the wink.

    The assistant handed her a paper bag that had been prepared.

    Gong Zhi personally gave Shen Xi the paper bag. ¡°This is my gift to you. Please don¡¯t refuse. I know that you¡¯re not short of this but it¡¯s a token of my sincerity. Do ept it. You have helped me a lot today and I¡¯ve never been as happy as today in over two decades.¡±

    Not just this time, Gong Zhi wanted to get the one-up on Li Jingran the next time, and countless times thereafter.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister Zhizhi.¡± Shen Xi expressed her gratitude before leaving with the present.

    It was a handbag in the paper bag, a Hermes limited edition handbag worth around 200,000 yuan. Nevertheless, she did not feel guilty epting the gift since it was a fair exchange.

    If she refused to ept the gift, Gong Zhi would not be at peace of mind, thinking that Shen Xi was unwilling to be a friend.

    With future potential artists of theirpanying into showbiz, these people would be seeking assistance from the veterans. Having some connections would onlye as an advantage at work.

    Su Ruowan was ballistic. Not only was Mom outshined by that old b*tch, Shen Xi, that b*tch appeared to be close to Gong Zhi.

    She exited the auditorium and advanced to the backstage to find her mother. It never urred to Su Ruowan that she would run into Shen Xi.

    Holding a huge paper bag in her hand, Shen Xi emerged cold and noble with a group of people following behind her. It was as though she had not noticed Su Ruowan as they passed each other.

    ¡°Shen Xi,¡± Su Ruowan called out to her.

    Shen Xi continued walking away without acknowledging Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan dashed over and came in her way. Throwing Shen Xi a pitiful look, she made an usation. ¡°Why did you do that to Mom?¡±

    Shen Xi was clear on the fact that Gong Zhi and Mom were rivals, yet she still hung out with Gong Zhi!

    ¡°A good dog doesn¡¯t get in the way.¡± Shen Xi coldly scoffed and tantly shoved her out of the way. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Su Ruowan caught a glimpse of a personing out in the opposite direction when she lifted her head. Stumbling, she conveniently copsed onto the ground and let out a painful cry.

    It was not a heavy push on Shen Xi¡¯s part. Nheless, Shen Xi did not want to give her the satisfaction while in public. Watching as Su Ruowan deviously and pretentiously took a fall, Shen Xi curled her lips in contempt.

    As expected.

    The next thing she knew, a stern and angry voice was heard.

 Chapter 86 - Rip Her Face Off

    <h4>Chapter 86: Rip Her Face Off</h4>

    ¡°Shen Xi, what are you doing?¡± Li Jingran sternly reprimanded as she hurried over. Darting Shen Xi an angry re, she grievously helped Su Ruowan up. ¡°Wanwan, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±

    Shen Xi was such a wicked brat. Who gave her the right to bully Wanwan when Wanwan did nothing!

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not what you think it is. It¡¯s all my fault. I lost my footing. It¡¯s not my little sister¡¯s fault.¡± As fragile as a flower, Su Ruowan was welling in the eyes.

    Li Jingran noticed that Su Ruowan¡¯s knees were scraped. She was heartbroken. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. Don¡¯t stick up for her.¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t me her. I really lost my footing.¡± Shedding tears, Su Ruowan spoke in a weak and pitiful voice.

    Li Jingran shot Shen Xi another angry look. Seeing that thetter was about to leave, she chided, ¡°Hold it right there. Aren¡¯t you forgetting an apology?¡±

    Shen Xi threw her an amused nce before turning away, leaving behind a cool and proud receding figure.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m okay.¡± Su Ruowan was delighted to see Li Jingran¡¯s eyes engulfed in mes.

    Mom must hate Shen Xi so much after having witnessed the bad and wicked b*tch bully her and cross Mom.

    This was the effect Su Ruowan wanted, Shen Xi losing her ce in Mom¡¯s heart and Mom giving up on her. Only she was the daughter of the Su family!

    Anger was tearing Li Jingran up inside. What was this attitude? It was good that Shen Xi took a hike out of the Su residence. Otherwise, Li Jingran would lose it together with her mind!

    Su Ruowan¡¯s legs were wounded and scrapped.

    While tending to Su Ruowan¡¯s wounds, Li Jingran grew resentful and in disbelief that she gave birth to a defiant thing like Shen Xi. God dang it!

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re always the most beautiful to me.¡± Su Ruowan knew that Mom must be furious after having been one upped by Gong Zhi. ¡°Gong Zhi only won through her looks. Everyone in showbiz knows that you¡¯re the most beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot during my time in show business. I¡¯m not going to get angry because of this.¡± Li Jingran may be saying this tofort her daughter but deep inside, she was raging at the thought of this.

    She would not be raving mad if someone else outdid her.

    However, why did it have that b*tch Gong Zhi, a rival for decades?

    The b*tch would only ridicule her back with a win under her belt!

    Li Jingran wanted to rip Gong Zhi¡¯s face apart, thinking about that smug look.

    ¡°Mom, she only stole the show today because of the stylist. It¡¯s not all her.¡± Su Ruowan was outraged for her mother¡¯s sake. ¡°Who¡¯s her stylist today? It is aplete 180 from her usual look.¡±

    ¡°I have got people to ask around.¡± Li Jingran wanted to find out who was Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist today too.

    Manager Li He pushed open the door and entered. ¡°I¡¯ve found out about Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist. She¡¯s a student of Jiang Yin and her name is Cai Ni.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face contorted at the mention of the name but she was cheery inside. She softly spoke, ¡°Mom, is this the Cai Ni who is shortlisted in the designpetition too?¡±

    It was no wonder Muxuan could not find much about her true identity. Everything made sense if she was Jiang Yin¡¯s student.

    Cai Ni was Jiang Yin¡¯s student so it could not possibly be Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch, sure had the guts to lie to her that she was Cai Ni. Su Ruowan was going to expose Shen Xi in front of everybody and rip her face apart!

 Chapter 87 - Imperative

    <h4>Chapter 87: Imperative</h4>

    Of course, Li Jingran recalled this fact. She replied with a smile, ¡°An aplished student takes after their great teachers. I never heard of a new stylist by the name Cai Ni and wondered where she popped out from. So, she turns out to be Jiang Yin¡¯s student.¡±

    ¡°Mom, do you want Cai Ni to be your stylist?¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes lit up with a smile. She could not care less who it was as long as it was Cai Ni instead of Shen Xi.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Jingran fixated on her darling daughter before happily answering, ¡°She can really reinvent a look and her abilities surpass that of her teacher, Jiang Yin. She can be in charge of your look once you make your debut.¡±

    It was imperative that she have Cai Ni!

    ¡°Thank you, Mom!¡± Acting cute, Su Ruowan sweetly hugged her.

    By having a great stylist in show business, celebrities could still reign supreme while putting in less effort in outshining everyone, and even grace the cover of fashion magazines.

    ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t tell anyone about this before we find Cai Ni.¡± Li Jingran gave a word of advice to her daughter.

    Gong Zhi, in particr, must not know that she was looking for Cai Ni. Otherwise, that b*tch would do whatever it takes to stop her.

    ¡°I know.¡± Embracing Li Jingran tightly, Su Ruowan lifted her head and met Li Jingran¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best. Ms. Cai Ni won¡¯t refuse you.¡±

    Cai Ni should know who to pick between Gong Zhi and Mom if she had the brains. Gong Zhi was nothingpared to Mom.

    Li Jingran was grinning with pride and satisfaction at her daughter¡¯s sweetpliments.

    Needless to say, there was nothing Li Jingran could not get as long as she set her mind on it.

    Li He would continue with his search since he had not gotten his hands on her contact details. Nevertheless, he assured Li Jingran that he would steal Cai Ni over, regardless of the cost.

    ¡­

    Gong Zhi was the biggest winner on the red carpet during the film premiere. Reports of her stealing the limelight in various media tforms really allowed her to release past grievances.

    Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist found fame overnight as well. The celebrities in the showbiz were trying to dig out the identity of her stylist in the dark.

    However, try as they may, they hit a wall with Gong Zhi.

    Gong Zhi wished she could hide Shen Xi from the world, only having her as a client. Since it would be best if no one knew, she shut her trap and remained silent in the face of any questions.

    Having bumped into Jiang Yin in a recent fashion charity event, Gong Zhi could not help but thank her. She informed Jiang Yin to give Cai Ni her regards.

    ¡°Okay, I will be sure to.¡± Intrigued, Jiang Yin twirled the golden liquid in her wine ss before lifting her head to down the drink.

    How interesting. Jiang Yin never knew that she had a student.

    Nevertheless, it would only do the rumors wrong if she did not ept the student that cameplimentary.

    By that night, everyone in showbiz had knowledge that Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist was a student of Jiang Yin called Cai Ni.

    Gong Zhi had a weird feeling about it after finding out. Although she wanted to learn more about Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s thoughts, she did not have a way to contact her.

    Her manager, Chen Nan looked for Yuan Yu, who scheduled Ms. Cai Ni in the first ce, but thetter dodged the question and said he did not have Cai Ni¡¯s contact number.

    The weather during the recent week was dark and gloomy. The sky appeared grim despite the presence of the sun, like a discolored egg yolk suspending midair.

    Shen Xi had just climbed up the wall, set the voice recorder on repeat, put on her earphones, flipped open the book, and was ready for English learning when a call from Yuan Yu came in.

 Chapter 88 - Thin Ice

    <h4>Chapter 88: Thin Ice</h4>

    ¡°Xixi, Li He is calling every day. Li Jingran is pulling out all stops to find Ms. Cai Ni.¡± The kind of gratification over others¡¯ misfortune was apparent in Yuan Yu¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Let her look high and low.¡± Shen Xi curled her lips into a smile while her eyes spoke of taunting and sarcasm.

    ¡°I suppose she has never failed in getting whatever she wants!¡± Yuan Yu had to give it to his sister ¨C She was beyond fantastic.

    Li Jingran had conceit deeply rooted within her, under the impression that there was nothing she could not have in the world. She would not be able to stand being rejected.

    ¡°Yuan Yu, I¡¯m leaving the matter to you. Don¡¯t let the cat out of the bag about my real identity.¡± Shen Xi was filled with glee at the thought of Li Jingran losing it.

    She was not done with the games! Shen Xi had no intentions to make public her identity as there was more fun toe for them!

    ¡°Got it.¡± Aware that she was not going to stop the fun, Yuan Yu let her be. Anything was worth getting the Su family worked up.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of a car turning the corner. ¡°Yuan Yu, I¡¯m going to hang up if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±

    Yuan Yu actually called on ount of business. ¡°The cast for ¡°Mirror¡± has been decided. I¡¯ve just received an email that Yu Yuanxi as the male lead is set.¡±

    His sister really had an eye for talent. Not only did Yu Yuanxi triumph over the celebrity hotties in terms of looks, he was also highly versatile. The boy had a bright future in showbiz ahead of him.

    The budget was not huge for ¡°Mirror¡± but there was a possibility of bagging an international film award due to the profound meaning behind the script.

    Most importantly, the director was quite a character and unyielding, refusing to lose his say over funding and hence, declined any request of investment.

    ¡°Sure, got it.¡± Shen Xi could finally rx with this piece of good news. She quickly hung up as the big boss¡¯ car pulled into the entrance.

    Yuan Yu was dumbstruck. Why the rush in hanging up? He was not done talking!

    It was not known what was going through Ms. Jiang Yin¡¯s head as she went around telling everyone Cai Ni was her student. Everybody knew about this now.

    ¡°Brother.¡± With smiley eyes, Shen Xi enthusiastically waved her hand at the man in the wheelchair.

    Li Yuan pushed his wheelchair over. He was heartbroken to see the youngdy¡¯s nose frozen and red in the cold breeze. ¡°Did something happy happen?¡±

    ¡°The artist in mypany, Yu Yuanxi ¨C I told you before ¨C he made it through and nailed his audition. He will be joining the shoot next month.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes abruptly dimmed, and his voice grew distant at the mention of Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Congrats.¡±

    He knew who Yu Yuanxi was. He was the boy who held an umbre for her in the snow.

    She rarely brought him up in conversation, but every time she did, there was something different about her from when she talked about someone else.

    To her, the person must hold a special ce in her heart!

    Shen Xi was so silly to fail to notice the unusualness in the big boss as she happily yapped away about the script and Yu Yuanxi.

    With his eyes growing colder and colder as if nketed with ayer of thin ice, Li Yuan unconsciously sped the hands resting on hisp.

    ¡°Brother, let me treat you to his movie once it¡¯s in theaters.¡± Shen Xi cupped her chin and began to daydream. ¡°I might be able to get my hands on premiere tickets so we can watch the first screening!¡±

    The North wind whizzed past them, brushing a cold breeze against their bodies that was chilly to the bone. In contrast, Li Yuan felt a fire burning in his chest, unable to hold back the cough slipping through his throat.

 Chapter 89 - Did A One-Eighty

    <h4>Chapter 89: Did A One-Eighty</h4>

    Shen Xi was anxious. ¡°Brother, are you sick? You should head back for a rest.¡±

    Li Yuan brought his knuckle by his lips as another round of coughing ensued. Without looking at her, he replied in a raspy voice, ¡°You should return as well.¡±

    Nodding, Shen Xi only felt a tightness in her chest to see the man¡¯s skinny body and pale face. She urged him, ¡°I know. Hurry back into the house. The wind is strong outside.¡±

    She saw him off before turning to climb down thedder. Shen Xi sprinted into the house to grab an exquisite-looking paper bag and ran back out to climb up the wall once again.

    ¡°Kun Lun! Kun Lun!¡± Shen Xi waited amid the cold breeze for a long time before Kun Lun emerged. She called out to him in hushed tones.

    Kun Lun approached. ¡°Ms.Shen.¡±

    Oh my!

    He wondered what Ms. Shen said to Boss since thetter did not look right. The murderous aura around Boss was terrifying!

    Shen Xi held a paper bag to him and said, ¡°This is for Brother. Let him try out the outfit to see if it fits. I¡¯ll make alterations if it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    She then took out a bottle of medication. ¡°This is a health supplement to improve his health. Give it to Brother.¡±

    This was a medicine she specially made for recuperation but she had no idea what the effects would be. Shen Xi wanted him to try it out and if it did not work, she would make improvements on the form.

    Kun Lun was not in the position to refuse. Feeling fidgety, he brought the gifts and stood still outside the study for a long while. In the end, he mustered up the courage. ¡°Boss, do you want me to bring in the gifts given by Ms. Shen?¡±

    Li Yuan coldly blurted, ¡°Throw them away.¡±

    What was the point?

    What was the point of longing for this world?

    She would belong to someone else after all. Her smile, her everything was not his to keep.

    There was no reason for a man on his deathbed to be a burden to her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kun Lunpliantly took the items out to toss away.

    Half an hourter.

    ¡°Kun Lun!¡± Stifling his irritability, Li Yuan yelled.

    Kun Lun pushed the doors open and entered. ¡°Boss.¡±

    Looking dangerous, sparks were flying in Li Yuan¡¯s eyes. He threw a question. ¡°Where¡¯s the stuff?¡±

    Kun Lun was in a daze as he blurted out, ¡°What stuff?¡±

    Li Yuan established himself a chilling presence and a temper ready to explode at the drop of a pin. ¡°The stuff she gave me!¡±

    Kun Lun was breaking out in cold sweat. ¡°In the trash can outside.¡±

    Picking up an inkstone in his hand, Li Yuan hurled it at Kun Lun with all his might. His eyes were bloodshot with murderous intent. ¡°Who told you to throw them in the trash can?¡±

    Without the guts to dodge, Kun Lun had a fleeting thought that he was going to die when the inkstone came flying.

    Nevertheless, he heaved a sigh of relief with the inkstone merely brushing past his forehead. He survived for another day.

    As though he went insane, Li Yuan wheeled himself out of there in record time.

    Still with lingering fear, Kun Lun patted his chest before keeping up with Boss. Kun Lun watched as his neat-freak boss pushed down the trash can and dug through the rubbish pile without letting him help.

    Kun Lun thought that that was the end of him!

    Has Boss lost his mind? He wanted the items thrown away and now he did a 180, going on looking for the stuff.

    Nevertheless, he got the message. Next time should Ms. Shene bearing gifts, Kun Lun would not throw them away and would keep them in a safe ce even if Boss said otherwise.

    Li Yuan soon found the two beautiful paper bags. Carefully putting them on hisp, he wheeled himself back home.

    ¡­

    Many actors and celebrities were green with envy when ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± announced its release date. There must be some major string-pulling going on, since despite the screenwriter and actors being new to the scene, they were able to broadcast on satellite TV in time with the winter holidays.

    Many productionpanies in the industry were jealous and had been in talkstely about this. However, feeling less than optimistic about it, they were waiting with popcorn to have a goodugh.

 Chapter 90 - Pushy Hyping Was Condemned

    <h4>Chapter 90: Pushy Hyping Was Condemned</h4>

    It was said that the newbie screenwriter was not yet of age while the newbie actors were all D-listers and students with no following, thinking TV shows were some horse¡¯s y. Someone with money was pushing vigorously from behind to make them big stars.

    There was a saying in the entertainment business that rang true ¨C pushy hyping was condemned. With poor ratings to match, investors alongside the broadcasting station would suffer massive loss, and in addition, An Lin¡¯s reputation would fall to an all-time low with nowhere to cry to.

    There were loyal fans of Screenwriter Cloud Seven and the original work of the TV show in the international ss.

    Infuriated, Song Wenye insolently pulled over a girlfriend and began a body search. ¡°Who the hell calls it a bust? There¡¯s no way a script written by my idol would be a bust. Give me your money!¡±

    ¡°Sister Song, I have nothing, not a penny more. I gave all my money to you.¡± Looking sour in the face, the bestie felt wronged. ¡°I asked my mom for a half-year advance. You¡¯re asking me to die at this rate.¡±

    The other girlfriends were shaking without a peep while holding onto their pockets in fear. They were really strapped for cash with Sister Song sucking them dry.

    Shen Xi stepped into the ssroom to Song Wenye acting like a thug as she had her way with the girls.

    The sight of Shen Xi was a savior to the besties. With their eyes lighting up, they slipped behind her. ¡°Shen Xi, save us!¡±

    Shen Xi was like a mother hen with a nest of chicks hiding behind her. There was even one little chick shaking and looking at Shen Xi with pleading eyes in the hands of the evil tyrant, Song Wenye. Shen Xi asked Song Wenye. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Is that all you guys got?¡± Tossing aside the little chick, Song Wenye darted them a look of disdain. ¡°I¡¯m only asking for a bit of money, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking for your life.¡±

    With the chick tossed aside finally saved, she broke into tears of joy while scrambling towards Shen Xi. She pulled Shen Xi¡¯s arm. ¡°Xixi, talk some sense into her. She has gone mad! Please talk to her! We tried but failed!¡±

    Rolling her eyes, Song Wenye pointed at them. ¡°I told you. It¡¯s an investment. You¡¯ll get your double, triple your money back.¡±

    Completely confused by their conversation, Shen Xi frowned. ¡°Exin.¡±

    The girlfriends exined the whole situation in tears.

    As it turned out, there was a midsize betting tform online with a wager quietly made. It was a bet on ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±¡®s ratings!

    Apart from Director An Lin¡¯s team, the new screenwriter and actors in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± with no fan base were not well received by the people.

    The bet was based on odds.

    For ratings less than 0.5%, the odds were 10:1.

    For ratings more than 0.5% but less than 1%, the odds were 5:1.

    For ratings more than 1% but less than 5%, the odds were 2:1.

    For ratings more than 5%, the odds were 1:50.

    For ratings more than 10%, the odds were 1:100.

    The ratings would be taken on an average. Many professional film critics on the board gave their two cents and expected the TV show to be unfavorable among the public.

    Shen Xi checked the website out and found the majority in favor of the ratings between 0.5% and 1% or less than 1%. These were safe choices.

    The girlfriends wept and wailed as theyined to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, she¡¯s gone mad. She picked 10%! No domestic TV shows ever came close to 10% even after all these years. She thinks this is a new year¡¯s g!¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°One in ten thousand picked 10%.¡±

    The besties sobbed. ¡°That is us, it¡¯s all us!¡±

    Not only had Song Wenye forced them to wipe their assets dry, but she even made them bet on the impossible choice. Who were they supposed to air their grievances to?

 Chapter 91 - Reclusive Millionaire

    <h4>Chapter 91: Reclusive Millionaire</h4>

    Apart from Song Wenye¡¯s group, no idiot would put all their money on ratings past 5%, let alone more than 10%!

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye. ¡°Lil Ye, you went overboard this time. How can you force them if they don¡¯t want to?¡±

    Irked, Song Wenye turned to the useless beings. ¡°Why are you crying? Do you think you¡¯re at a funeral? I told you that I¡¯dpensate you if we lost.¡±

    God dang it. Whoever started the bet clearly looked down upon ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±¡®s girls. Song Wenye had to teach them a lesson.

    These people totallycked perception for sneering at ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, betting on the ratings falling under 0.5% and 1%. She had to y against them and put her money on 10%!

    Fighting back the tears from the reproach, the girlfriends hid behind Shen Xi in case they might get hit. It was not that they were unwilling to give her the money, the girlfriends were fine even if they were sucked dry to bankruptcy as long as Song Wenye was clear-headed.

    Nevertheless, it was obviously a losing bet. Yet, Song Wenye insisted on jumping into the fire and they could not pull her back. To make things worse, Song Wenye used them of being timid and useless.

    ¡°Alright now, don¡¯t cry.¡± Shen Xi finally got to the bottom of the situation. Understanding the besties¡¯ plight, she turned to Song Wenye. ¡°Lil Ye, Return them the money if they don¡¯t want to ce the bet. Don¡¯t put them on the spot. I¡¯ll make up for the difference.¡±

    Song Wenye was still fuming from her girlfriends crying to Shen Xi to stop her. However, she broke into smiles with Shen Xi offering money. ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡±

    How much money could Shen Xi have? She was the poorest in the ss, all right? Song Wenye secretly paid for Shen Xi¡¯s ss feest week, without asking it from her in an attempt to save her a few bucks.

    ¡°There¡¯s five hundred in here. Use this to ce the bet. I¡¯lle up with something if it isn¡¯t enough.¡± Shen Xi readily whipped out a debit card and handed it to her. ¡°The password is six eights.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I can guarantee that you won¡¯t lose money.¡± With resolute eyes, Song Wenye epted the card before looking daggers at her other besties.

    Lil Xixi¡¯s five hundred left Song Wenye more touched than the five thousand or fifty thousand given by others.

    They may be loaded but Lil Xixi was not. Five hundred Yuan was probably her living expenses saved up for a long time.

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± had better live up to expectations as the odds at 1:100 could earn Shen Xi 50000 from the 500 she pooled in. It was a huge amount to Shen Xi.

    Looking with amusement at the gambling website on her phone, Shen Xi coldly smirked.

    The biggest shareholder behind this website was Su Yi and for the man to pull this move, he was basically giving her money.

    Taking Shen Xi¡¯s debit card, Song Wenye entered the pin code to enter her bet. However, she soon widened her eyes in shock looking at the bank bnce. Her hands were shaking.

    Song Wenye ran her eyes over it once more.

    One, two, three, four, five, six¡­ Six zeroes.

    She looked again and rubbed her eyes.

    One, two, three, four, five, six, six zeroes.

    F*ck!

    Five hundred!

    This was not bloody five hundred. It was five million!

    Without telling anyone, Song Wenye grabbed her phone and bank card to sit beside Shen Xi. She whispered, ¡°Lil Xixi, tell me honestly. Where did your moneye from?¡±

    ¡°Not enough?¡± Shen Xi buried her head in mock test papers. ¡°I can give you more if it isn¡¯t enough. How much more?¡±

    ¡°How much more do you have?¡± Swear words almost slipped out of Song Wenye¡¯s mouth after taking quite a blow.

    OMG!

    Lil Xixi was the biggest reclusive millionaire in their ss. Judging by the nk look on her face, one would think Shen Xi was talking about the weather. Could five million be not worth the mention to her?

 Chapter 92 - Make The Su Family Pay

    <h4>Chapter 92: Make The Su Family Pay</h4>

    ¡°None left.¡± Shen Xi then turned around and said, ¡°But I can borrow some from my brother.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s enough.¡± Song Wenye cleared her throat before turning to leave.

    Although Song Wenye¡¯s family was rich, the money was not hers. With no concept whatsoever of saving money, she would waste away the monthly living expenses given by her parents.

    It was the same situation with her girlfriends in the ss. Who would save for a rainy day when they did not even have enough to splurge? The money Song Wenye collected at thest minute was far from a million despite squeezing all of them dry.

    ¡°Oh, right. Don¡¯t tell anyone about me giving you money.¡± Seeing that Song Wenye was about to leave, Shen Xi called out and advised her.

    Shen Xi just wanted to stay away from trouble.

    With that fact being called to mind, Song Wenye gazed at her with aplicated look on her face. She thought to herself, ¡®I was freaking calm enough from getting shocked by the bnce. The world would have known if I couldn¡¯t pull myself together then!¡¯

    The besties in the same ss had no idea what they were talking in secret about. Nevertheless, they would breathe a sigh of relief since Song Wenye had at least stopped looting them for cash.

    Song Wenye finally got a hold of herself but it was Shen Xi¡¯s turn to go crazy.

    Almost everyone was present in ss by the time the bell rang for the first period.

    Standing on the podium, Shen Xi began to give a detailed analysis on the gambling tform and ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. Everyone was convinced by the speech that stood up to reason and held water.

    Song Wenye was moved to tears to see the goddess full of mettle, confident, speaking with solid judgement, charming, and inspirational on the podium. She mumbled to herself, ¡°She¡¯s so awesome! I wouldn¡¯t have bled them dry if I was equally as capable!¡¯

    With the international sspletely persuaded, they were willing to give everything, including their lives without another word!

    Shen Xi solemnly nced at her ssmates before speaking in a gruff voice, ¡°This is all on a voluntary basis. Those who are happy to ce bets, you can register with Lil Ye. I swear by my integrity that the winnings are yours to keep, as for the losses, I¡¯ll cover them all.¡±

    Pei Xu came in after the inspiring speech but that did not stop him from unsparingly waving his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll bet ten million. Make a record of that and I¡¯ll wire the moneyter.¡±

    Shen Xi took a nce at him, wondering if Pei Xu knew what he was getting into before splurging ten million. A true spender he was indeed!

    She briefed Pei Xu on the rough idea about who was getting the winnings and losses.

    Nodding, Pei Xu turned to Song Wenye. ¡°I¡¯ll add another ten million.¡±

    ¡°OK!¡± Song Wenye was walking on air as she kept her eye on the numbers soaring to tens of millions. This was something else! There was no one she would bow down to, except Lil Xixi!

    Truth be told, she only ced the bet out of spite. She was determined to get a one-up even though she knew the chances were slim to none for the ratings to shoot up past 10%.

    Nheless, Xixi was able to stir everyone up, turning the impossible to a hundred percent achievable. It was a waste of talent if she did not venture into marketing.

    The students of the international ss were loaded. Millions might be out of the question, but they could afford several tens of thousands to invest.

    Song Wenye told Shen Xi the final number, which totaled to thirty two million five hundred and four thousand. Pei Xu contributed twenty million, Shen Xi, five million; and herself at five million. The remaining money was pooled together by the students of the international ss.

    Shen Xi drew some calctions and estimated that thirty two million five hundred and four thousand at the odds of 1:100 would amount to over three billion. Of course, she ought to bleed the Su family dry and make them pay.

 Chapter 93 - A Ten-dollar Hat On A Five-cent Head

    <h4>Chapter 93: A Ten-dor Hat On A Five-cent Head</h4>

    Pei Xu instructed everyone in ss to keep their trap tight. No one was allowed to say a word until it was a done deal.

    The international ss was pumped up with their hearts¡¯ afire by Shen Xi¡¯s inspiring speech earlier.

    They had finally simmered down. Domestic TV shows, aside from historical dramas, had never soared past 10% ratings in thest ten years. TV shows that were able to draw 5% ratings were considered amazing enough.

    Anyway, there was no chance ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± could possibly drum up to 10% ratings. Nevertheless, they could not back down now that the bet had been ced.

    Moreover, between Alpha Xu and Song Wenye, one invested twenty million while the other, ten million. What was there to be afraid of when both of them had no scruples? They could think of it as charity if they lost and in the event they won, it was jackpot.

    No one would say anything even without Pei Xu cautioning since it was embarrassing. The top ss would never let them hear the end of it should they lose.

    ¡°Xixi, what are we going to do if we really lose?¡± Song Wenye started to worry afterying down all the money.

    Thirty-two million five hundred and four thousand was a huge figure to anyone after all. It would take over a decade of starving herself if Song Wenye had to depend on the allowance given by her parents to pay the debt.

    ¡°We won¡¯t lose.¡± Shen Xi calmly dwelled on the Olympiad test questions. ¡°I¡¯ll be paying if we lose. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    At the end of the day, Song Wenye acted rashly because she was getting all emotional as a die-hard fan of the book and author. She was pissed off by the people insulting Cloud Seven and ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    Shen Xi wondered if Song Wenye would pass out in the event thetter found out Shen Xi was Cloud Seven on ater date.

    All about sisterhood, Song Wenye propped her chin and drooled at Shen Xi with heart-shaped eyes. ¡°How can I let you pay for everything? You gave a speech and raised funds for my sake. Don¡¯t worry, leave the money-matters to me!¡±

    Lil Xixi only did so because of her. She would not have organized a fundraiser in ss in the first ce had Song Wenye not acted out of spite.

    ¡°10% TV ratings is excessive. I should have bet on 5%.¡± Anxiety saw Song Wenye pulling her hair.

    She could not care less what happened to her but with many good friends entrusting money to her, Song Wenye felt a massive weight on her shoulders.

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Shen Xi confidently grinned.

    She was aware that there was growing alternative ess to entertainment and people could watch TV shows from mobile phones andputers. Hence, it would not be an easy task to create a ratings miracle.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi had nothing but confidence for her own script, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. In her past life, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was only broadcasted ten yearster and the TV ratings pushed past 5%.

    Since the broadcast now was happening ten years in advance, drawing a 10% rating was easier than 5%.

    The assertive smile on Shen Xi¡¯s face cleared away Song Wenye¡¯s uneasiness and worry like magic, leaving thetter with nothing but trust for Shen Xi.

    If Lil Xixi said 10% was possible, then it was possible. They should just feel at ease and wait to hit the jackpot.

    The lights were turned on at the Su residence.

    Bringing his phone along to Su Muyan¡¯s room, Su Mushi proudly boasted, ¡°Muyan, look. Some idiot poured more than thirty million to bet on 10% ratings!¡±

    Su Muyan took a nce and sneered to find it true. ¡°It must be the investor who is wearing a ten-dor hat on his five-cent head behind ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. I¡¯m curious to know who this sugar daddy is hyping!¡±

    With eyes of disdain, Su Mushi scoffed. ¡°Who else? He must be the female lead¡¯s sugar daddy. I wonder which silly old fart is trying to boost the female lead¡¯s poprity. He¡¯s burning a hole in his pocket.¡±

    ¡°This money will soon be ours. 10% ratings my *ss. They would be blessed by the luck of the universe if they even make it to 1%.¡± Su Muyan smugly smiled.

 Chapter 94 - Over The Moon

    <h4>Chapter 94: Over The Moon</h4>

    Su Mushi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Mushi, don¡¯t let dad know before the results are out.¡± Su Muyan advised.

    Dad left him to take care of the website. In other words, it was for Muyan to fool with and get familiar with.

    ¡°I know that. Rx.¡± Su Mushi fancied himself the look of a winner. ¡°No matter what, these are clean profits. The cash betting on 10% ratings will be ours. Dad will be happy that you brought in so much money after only a month under your management.¡±

    He could already envision the TV show bing a total bust and the TV station together with the investor dying in a pool of their own blood.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your idea, Mushi.¡± Su Muyan was ecstatic as though money was already waving at him.

    Although he had no interest in business, who was he to say no to some idiot giving out free money?

    Dad would not hold him ountable even if profits were down, but Dad would look favorably upon him if it were the other way around.

    The pair talked behind closed doors, bursting out in egoisticalughter at the thought of swimming in money very soon. They were lucky to make a fortune from the investor of the TV show who wore a ten-dor hat on his five-cent head.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi was getting busier with the end of term around the corner. She was upied with her studies, exams, and variouspetitions.

    Li Yuan was engaged at work now that it was nearing the end of the year. Nevertheless, he would always make it home before sses were over regardless how busy he was, afraid that the youngdy would continue to wait on him.

    On this day, Li Yuan was home early. The girl was not home from school since it was only past four o¡¯clock. Sitting on the wheelchair, he waited for her while absent-mindedly flipping through the book in his hands.

    ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen is back.¡± Kun Lun came running from outside and whispered to Li Yuan in hushed tones.

    Li Yuan coldly swept him a nce, implying on his wordiness.

    With a chill running down his spine, Kun Lun hung his head low. He merely forgot his manners as Boss seemed anxious from all the waiting.

    Noticing Big Boss¡¯s car parked at the entrance, Shen Xi enthusiastically climbed up the wall and sweetly shouted before she had a chance to put down her backpack. ¡°Brother!¡±

    Li Yuan let out a cough as he calmly lifted his head from his book. Gazing at the girl, a smile unveiled across his lips. ¡°School¡¯s out?¡±

    Big Boss¡¯s outfit was the first thing Shen Xi saw ¨C It was the wool coat she had gifted. Sure, her heart may be pounding out of blissful joy, but she pretended not to notice and grinned with smiley eyes. ¡°Brother, why are you off work this early?¡±

    AHHHHHHHH!

    Brother was wearing the outfit she made!

    She was under the impression that he never wore it because he did not like it. She was upset for quite a while.

    No, no. Shen Xi had to pull herself together before he found out that she was over the moon.

    ¡°I had toe back for something but I have a meetingter.¡± Li Yuan deliberately turned the wheelchair to face her.

    With his clothesing undone by the turning, Li Yuan lowered his head to straighten his outfit.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xi acknowledged.

    Wheeling the wheelchair to another angle, Li Yuan picked up the book to show her. ¡°Were you talking about this novel?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded with a nk face but god knew how her heart was thumping like a bunny was living underneath her clothes.

    Brother was smoking hot in the outfit she designed. It merely took one look at his face to take her breath away.

    Sob sob sob. All she wanted to do was to sit on the wall and stare at him all day without doing anything.

    Li Yuan did not bother the youngdy since she became engrossed in her mock test papers. However, his eyes hinted shes of dimness the moment he lowered his head. Flipping the book in his hand, Li Yuan could not focus on a single word.

 Chapter 95 - Let Greed Go To His Head

    <h4>Chapter 95: Let Greed Go To His Head</h4>

    It was all in Li Yuan¡¯s head.

    There was no other meaning behind the gift. It was only a gift-giving gesture on the youngdy¡¯s part.

    Standing by the door, Kun Lun was a bundle of nerves to see silence befalling the couple. One was busy with homework while the other had his eyes on the book.

    Ms. Shen was not usually the careless type of person and would spot even a minute change in Boss¡¯ clothes, style, or any bodily difort any day.

    Nevertheless, Boss could not sit still as he twirled the wheelchair to pose in different angles and even straightened out his clothes. Yet, she somehow failed to notice the outfit she had given to Boss?

    Boss appeared quite upset. The first thing he did when he came home was put on the wool coat given by Ms. Shen. He had been saving it and putting it up on disy. Today was the first time he put it on, going out his way to wait for her and show her the clothes.

    As the sunset graced thend, light slowly turned obscure.

    Shen Xi closed the book and urged the man on the wheelchair. ¡°Brother¡¯s it¡¯ste. It¡¯s bad for your eyes to read in the dark.¡±

    Closing the book, Li Yuan appeared distant as he nodded. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should head home for dinner.¡±

    Shaking and nodding her head, Shen Xi put on a straight face and told him, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t drink in social events or work yourself too hard.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes dimmed. ¡°Okay.¡±

    The girl picked up an item on the wall and kept it in her arms, perhaps it was an unconscious move, or maybe she was trying to hide something, afraid that she may cause him worry.

    The sorrow in the youngdy¡¯s eyes cast a nket of gloominess and cloudiness in his little sunshine¡¯splexion.

    ¡°What problems did you run into?¡± He could not stop himself from posing the question.

    ¡°Sigh!¡± Taking a deep breath, Shen Xi furrowed her brows further. ¡°¡±The Smiling Nation¡± will release its first episode next week. What if it turns out to be a bust?¡±

    Li Yuan was worried sick, thinking she met with trouble. However, his mind was put to rest by the reply. ¡°No, it won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How would you know it won¡¯t? Since it¡¯s now the end of December, those at work would be busy wrapping up the year and social events while those at school are upied with studies and exams. Who would have the time of day to watch TV shows?¡± Shen Xi heaved another sigh.

    The frown on Li Yuan¡¯s face prompted Li Yuan to offer words offort. ¡°The more they are tense, the more they will need to rx. Employees can¡¯t be working all day nor can students be studying 24/7.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± With her eyes lighting up, Shen Xi resumed her bubbly and confident self. She gazed at him with expectant eyes. ¡°Brother, what do you think the ratings would be?¡±

    ¡°It should at least soar above 5%.¡± Li Yuan might be smiling but the joy did not show in his eyes.

    ¡°You should treat me to dinner if TV ratings draw up 5%.¡± Shen Xi let out an uninhibited grin at least. ¡°It¡¯s my treat if TV ratings go above 1%.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Li Yuan responded.

    Shen Xi gleefully extended a pinkie to make a promise and specifically pointed to the wall while studying his face. ¡°Don¡¯t break on a pinkie promise!¡±

    Looking at the shadows of the girl¡¯s fingers against thest rays of sunlight bouncing off the wall, Li Yuan copied her gesture and extended his pinkie.

    He attempted multiple times before finally touching her finger¡¯s shadow against the wall. A hint of warmth emerged in his cold voice. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±

    Li Yuan waited until the youngdy reluctantly grabbed her bag and climbed down before turning his wheelchair around. His eyes were coated with ayer of ice the moment his back faced the wall, bearing dreariness and self-mockery that stemmed from the core.

    Had he not carried high hopes or let greed go to his head, Li Yuan would not be overwhelmed with heartache and a sense of loss such as now.

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    The youngdy¡¯s clear and sweet voice was suddenly hearding from behind.

 Chapter 96 - Curl Lips Into A Faint Smile

    <h4>Chapter 96: Curl Lips Into A Faint Smile</h4>

    The more Shen Xi thought about it, the more she felt the need to say something. She resolutely climbed up the wall only to find the man¡¯s receding figure letting out an air of loneliness and sorrow. Feeling a lump in her throat, Shen Xi¡¯s tears threatened to pour.

    With her eyes on his back, Shen Xi shouted, ¡°Brother, you look good in your clothes today. Itpliments you. I wonder which cutie pie with good taste gave you those clothes.¡±

    Hearing the girl¡¯s voice, an influx of warmth spread out within Li Yuan. The bleak self-mockery in his eyes was gradually reced by tenderness.

    He turned around and was weed by the youngdy¡¯s bright and sweet smile. Thetter gestured a big heart before making her escape, leaving him to curl his lips into a faint smile.

    Able to breathe easy atst, Kun Lun walked over after the girl on the wall was gone. ¡°Boss, the executives from the office are here and ready for you.¡±

    It was great that Ms. Shen finally paid notice. Boss would be depressed for days had she not and it would be the subordinates who would be taking the brunt of it.

    With a grin across his lips, Li Yuan¡¯s voice resumed its warmth. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Kun Lun pushed the wheelchair forward while snickering to himself. Life was bliss when Boss was in a good mood.

    ¡°Is there any way to increase the TV ratings?¡± Li Yuan asked.

    Dumbstruck, Kun Lun respectfully replied, ¡°Boss, do you mean falsifying the data? This is doable.¡±

    Li Yuan frowned. ¡°Can it be done undetected?¡±

    Kun Lun gave it a thought. ¡°It¡¯d be hard to get past the eyes of technical experts but no issue with ordinary people. It¡¯s ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, we¡¯re talking about, right? I can get Fang Zhu to make arrangements.¡±

    It would be tough to regte the TV ratings, so the only way was to manipte the data.

    Li Yuan changed his mind after putting in much thought. ¡°No need for that.¡±

    The youngdy was confident with her own TV show. She would be disappointed with him should she find out that he tampered with the ratings.

    ¡­

    The Mathematical Olympiad¡¯s finals were organized on New Year¡¯s day.

    The venue of the finals was held at the Capital University. The shortlisted candidates of No. 4 High School venture to the venue a day in advance.

    The school had prepared amodations at a five-star hotel near the Capital University, for the students to conserve their energy and be ready for the finals.

    On the bus.

    With earphones on, Shen Xi leaned against her chair, closing her eyes and resting her mind.

    Yu Yuanxi was reading a book as he sat on the left, separated from Shen Xi by a pathway.

    Other than the pair who practiced silence, everyone in the top ss was flying high, discussing where to eat and y once they were there. Eat, sleep, y, repeat was a motto they held dear to their hearts.

    ¡°Did you hear? A certain na?ve thing from our school has signed with a managingpany and is making his debut in showbiz.¡± With eyes of contempt, Chen Bingbing threw a nce towards Yu Yuanxi.

    He should take a look at the mirror. Debut in showbiz? What a joke.

    ¡°Well, I heard that he didn¡¯t just sign with a managingpany. He¡¯s about to join a film cast. The managingpany must be blind to represent any Tom, Dick, or Harry.¡±

    ¡°Haha,pany? It¡¯s only a tiny sweatshop that has just been established. Saying that it¡¯s apany is over-ttery.¡±

    ¡°What movie is it? Which major director is directing the film?¡±

    ¡°Major director? Oh, stop it. It¡¯s some inexperienced director from god-knows where. A major director, my *ss!¡±

    Shooting Yu Yuanxi a look of disdain, the top ss students conversed in loud voices and burst out arrogantughter at punchlines.

 Chapter 97 - Bet On It

    <h4>Chapter 97: Bet On It</h4>

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Su Ruowan softly helped out before embarrassedly exining to Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, please don¡¯t take it to heart. They mean no harm.¡±

    The top ss students put a name on the person but following Su Ruowan¡¯s words, it validated that Yu Yuanxi was the subject of matter.

    Yu Yuanxi appeared mild-mannered but his eyes spoke of indifference and distance. He nodded toward her without saying a word.

    Despite appearing hurt by his attitude, Su Ruowan let out a gentle smile. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, I believe that you will make it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Yu Yuanxi replied.

    ¡°Keep it up.¡± Su Ruowan maintained a tender and kind front while being torn apart by humiliation and anger within.

    Who did he think he was? How dare he put on airs in front of her! She would not have bothered to bestow him a nce had she not Shen Xi to win against.

    Ha! If it belonged to Shen Xi ¨C trash or not ¨C Su Ruowan had to steal it all!

    Yu Yuanxi was no exception. Su Ruowan must turn Yu Yuanxi against Shen Xi and in turn, have him approach, please, and attend to herself instead.

    ¡°Yu Yuanxi, what¡¯s with the attitude?¡± Not having it, Chen Bingbing fiercely pointed at him. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing to have Wanwan talking to you.¡±

    How dare he ignore Wanwan when she was talking to him! That was crossing the line!

    ¡°Bingbing, don¡¯t be so.¡± Stopping Chen Bingbing from a full-blown attack mode, Su Ruowan sadly said, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Yu Yuanxi just doesn¡¯t like to talk.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t stick up for him. What¡¯s with the arrogance? He hasn¡¯t gone into showbiz yet he acts like he¡¯s a big shot.¡± Chen Bingbing was livid.

    ¡°Why be angry with these kinds of people?¡± Su Mushi, who had not said a word, finally opened his mouth to taunts and scoffs. ¡°Well, he wants to act like a big shot but it¡¯s still unclear whether it¡¯s written in the stars.¡±

    Su Mushi found Yu Yuanxi an eyesore the more thetter grew close to Shen Xi. Indeed, one was known by thepany they kept!

    The boy and Shen Xi, the brat, were birds of a feather flocking together!

    Sitting beside Su Mushi, Yu Qiubai intriguingly took a nce at Shen Xi andmenced a countdown in his head.

    Three.

    Two.

    One!

    Shen Xi abruptly opened her eyes and offhandedly got up before speaking in an unhurried and cold tone. ¡°What if he¡¯s a hit?¡±

    Yu Qiubai wickedly stared at her and smiled. He sure had the brains, having noticed Shen Xi would express a contrary opinion whenever Shi talked.

    ¡°Him? He won¡¯t make it, or my surname isn¡¯t Su.¡± Su Mushi turned ashen to see Shen Xi standing up for Yu Yuanxi. ¡°And what if he doesn¡¯t make it big?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s bet on it.¡± The aloof Shen Xi had amanding presence to her when she spoke. ¡°If you lose, go eat shit.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes were ming in rage and face grimacing as he yelled, ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    Amused by his exasperation, Shen Xi scoffed. ¡°Oh my. Are you saying that the third eldest son of the Su family is angry because he iscking confidence and a sore loser?¡±

    Yu Qiubai observed the girl. Even while touching on Shi¡¯s sore spots, Shen Xi remained cold and aloof as though no one was of importance.

    The onlookers from the top ss indignantly red and looked daggers at Shen Xi. Oh, if looks could kill.

    Having been struck a nerve, Su Mushi was burning in rage as he coldy smirked and grinded his teeth. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s bet on it! If you lose, you eat shit!¡±

    Shen Xi, the d*mn brat, ridiculed him on purpose!

 Chapter 98 - The Bigger Person

    <h4>Chapter 98: The Bigger Person</h4>

    ¡°Mushi, Shen Xi, stop it.¡± The discoloration and fragility in Su Ruowan¡¯splexion were signs that she was startled. Pulling Su Mushi¡¯s arm, she pitifully cried out in a sobbing voice, ¡°Shen Xi, this is not the way to talk. Apologize to Mushi.¡±

    Unbothered to nce at Su Ruowan, Shen Xi threw Su Mushi a mocking look. ¡°Young Master Mushi, you sure are the man. You need your sister¡¯s approval before you can make a bet with me.¡±

    Su Mushi gazed at Su Ruowan. ¡°Wanwan, this is between her and me. Stay out of it.¡±

    Like a delicate flower swaying in the wind, Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes reddened with worry as she weakly called out, ¡°Mushi.¡±

    ¡°This is between us so don¡¯t you drag Wanwan in on it.¡± Su Mushi¡¯s heart was breaking to see his sister¡¯s tears but this made him hate Shen Xi more.

    How much longer before Shen Xi, the brat would go to hell? She always made Wanwan sad and cry each and every time!

    Watching with popcorn, Yu Qiubai finally stood up and became the peacemaker. ¡°We are all schoolmates. It¡¯s vulgar to talk about eating shit and what not. How about this? If Yu Yuanxi bes a hit, Shi ¨C you should apologize to Yu Yuanxi. The same goes to you, Shen Xi. You should apologize to Shi if Yu Yuanxi doesn¡¯t make it.¡±

    Hitting the roof, Su Mushi gave him an angry look. Whose side was he on!

    ¡°I¡¯m always the bigger person. There¡¯s no need to apologize to me.¡± Shen Xi appeared magnanimous. ¡°Oh, Young Master Mushi, just apologize to Yu Yuanxi in front of the whole school if you lose and admit that youck perception.¡±

    With his blood boiling, Su Mushi spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°If you lose, you have to kneel before me to apologize in front of the whole school!¡±

    The evil and disgusting brat was taunting him, calling him narrow-minded!

    Yu Qiubai let out a cunning smile. ¡°I will bear witness in that case. Don¡¯t either of you go back on your word.¡±

    Su Mushi and Shen Xi both nodded in agreement.

    With Yu Qiubai as the witness, they officially signed the wager in triplicate. The witness and parties concerned each bore a copy.

    Yu Yuanxi took a seat beside Shen Xi. Guilt made him avert his eyes from her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He caused her problems once again.

    ¡°They insulted me.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice may be cold but for the first time ever, she gave him aforting look.

    Yu Yuanxi was an artist of Cosmos Entertainment. Saying that he would not make it was a p to her face as the boss!

    With his heart skipping a beat, Yu Yuanxi wanted to confirm the fact but the girl beside him had resumed her usual aloof self as she put on her earphones and rested her eyes.

    As China¡¯s top high school, No. 4 High School was blessed with the best resources and richest students. Of course, the students representing the school in apetition would not receive any less treatment.

    Shen Xi nestled against the sofa while watching TV. She sighed at the generosity the school had, seeing how every student was allocated a standard suite of their own in the five-star hotel. What a life.

    The candidates here for thepetition were all from the top ss, apart from her and Yu Yuanxi. Everyone wanted to go out and have fun together.

    Following a knock on the door, Shen Xi leisurely acknowledged.

    Pushing a dining car in, the waiter respectfully and politely told her. ¡°Ms. Shen, this is dinner provided by our hotel. Please help yourself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Xi expressed gratitude. Once the waiter was out of sight, her eyes alighted with frigidness.

    Dinner was western cuisine ¨C steak, spaghetti, seafood soup, and sd.

    She picked up the seafood soup for a sniff before curling her lips sarcastically. Shen Xi ced the bowl back on the table and walked away.

    Shen Xi had no doubt that only an idiot like Su Mushi would resort to the cheap trick of adding substances to her food.

 Chapter 99 - Sweetness Tricking Right Into His Heart

    <h4>Chapter 99: Sweetness Tricking Right Into His Heart</h4>

    Su Mushi actually believed she had never stayed in a five-star hotel before. This hotel only provided breakfast vouchers and without specific request from guests, there was no dinner service.

    This was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s first experience staying in a five-star hotel. After washing his hands, Yu Yuanxi was all ready for dinner when there was a knock on the door.

    Standing by the door, Shen Xi nodded at him. ¡°Can Ie in?¡±

    With his heart thumping at the sudden appearance of this girl, Yu Yuanxi bashfully bobbed his head. ¡°You were looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I look for you when there¡¯s nothing going on?¡± Shen Xi casually put the item she brought over on the table before nonchntly sweeping a nce in the room. As expected, she saw a dining cart.

    The food on the dining cart was exactly the same as the one in her room.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Yu Yuanxi¡¯s nerves got the better of him, getting tongue-tied in her presence.

    ¡°Not yet.¡± Making her way towards the dining cart, Shen Xi suddenly lost her footing when she got close and was able to take a fall.

    ¡°Watch out,¡± Yu Yuanxi cried with concern. Without second thought, he bolted towards her.

    Yu Yuanxi managed to catch her before she fell. The save saw the dining cart crashing onto the ground with a thud.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shen Xi thought it was a waste for the food to end up on the ground. ¡°There goes your dinner.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yu Yuanxi quickly let go of her. With his face blushing red, he went on a hunt for cleaning tools in a scurry in fear she might notice.

    Since her intentions were fulfilled, Shen Xi looked at the young man¡¯s figure and said, ¡°I put some cakes my mom made on the table. It¡¯s topensate for your dinner.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi could feel his heart jumping out of his chest and his face flushing hot. There seemed to be residue of her chilly temperature and tender sensation left in the palm of his hand.

    She was gone by the time he came out.

    He looked at the mess with a cheerful grin at the corner of his lips. His eyes melted in loving affection.

    The beautiful packaging sitting on the table was brought over by her. Inside were four pieces of cake, each exquisitely made with love.

    Yu Yuanxi carefully picked up a piece and tasted it. The sweetness exploded in his mouth, trickling into his heart.

    It was his first time tasting something so delicious. Reluctant to eat another after finishing one, he merely stared and grinned at the cakes with a foolish look on his face.

    Shen Xi had just returned to her room when there was another knock on the door. She opened the door to Song Wenye, together with the group of girlfriends from the international ss. ying dumb, she shut the door with a wham.

    She saw nothing!

    She did not know them!

    Song Wenye was taken aback for a moment before howling amid sobs. ¡°Xixi, open the door. We¡¯re here to cheer you on!¡±

    Shen Xi wanted to tell them to scream. It was a day before the exams yet here they were, adding to the chaos. Letting out a sigh, Shen Xi opened the door for them in the end.

    The group bought some stuff and stuck around for an hour before they unwillingly left.

    Refusing to leave under any circumstances, Song Wenye stuck to the sofa and yed dead. She would burst out into tears if asked to leave. Talk about drama.

    The sight left Shen Xi with the illusion that she was some heart-breaking cheater. She let Song Wenye be in the end since it was not a bad idea to have a witness as an alibi.

    Song Wenye had no clue what was up with her. Perhaps she was tired from all the bustle, or maybe she wasfortable in the presence of Lil Xixi, because it did not take long before she fell asleep on the sofa after a ss of water.

    ¡°Lil Ye?¡± Shen Xi went over to pat her face. Certain that she was fast asleep, Shen Xi turned to open the window and agilely took a leap down.

 Chapter 100 - I Donâ€™t Drink

    <h4>Chapter 100: I Don¡¯t Drink</h4>

    Sleeping like a log, Song Wenye could not be awakened even if it was raining knives.

    Red Bar was the most famous bar around Capital University and was also well known in the whole capital.

    Shen Xi walked into the bar as apletely different person. Having transformed into a handsome young man, those close to her would never be able to make out it was Shen Xi.

    Dressed in a smart suit that showed off her tall figure,plemented with neat short hair and good looks; Shen Xi let out a distant air of nobility which made every woman in the room¡¯s heart flutter. They could not help but throw themselves at her.

    Shen Xi politely declined the numerous beautiful women who made eyes at her and went up to the VIP room on the third floor.

    The lights were dim in the hallway of the third floor.

    Room 305 was where students of the top ss gathered to have fun.

    A short distance away, a waiter was pushing a dining cart over but when fast approaching, hisplexion was suddenly drained of color. Contorting his face in pain, beads of sweat broke out and his legs began to shake.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Xi drew close.

    ¡°My¡­ My tummy is hurting. I need to head to the washroom.¡± The waiter held his belly in pain, unable to hold it in any longer.

    ¡°Which room do you need to go to? I¡¯ll deliver it for you,¡± Shen Xi knowingly asked.

    ¡°305. Go quick. Young Master Mushi isn¡¯t happy today and he¡¯ll throw another tantrum if you¡¯re a second toote.¡± The waiter gave her a look of gratitude. ¡°Thank you, bro. Let me buy you a drinkter.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Shen Xi kindly handed him a bottle of medicine. ¡°This is for diarrhea.¡±

    The waiter grabbed the medicine while holding onto his backside before scrambling towards the washroom.

    Shen Xi let out a smile, looking at the waiter¡¯s receding figure. The meticulous and foolproof n was progressing as scheduled with everything falling into ce.

    Pushing the dining cart, she knocked on the door of room 305.

    ¡°Bah! The guy is way over his head by thinking he¡¯s going to make it in showbiz. I¡¯ll swallow this wine bottle if he does.¡±

    ¡°Does he think showbiz is cut out for any riffraff? One word from our Young Master Mushi here and there¡¯s no chance for him to go ces.¡±

    ¡°Our Young Master Mushi won¡¯t cast a nce at the trashy script even if the director begs him to. Only that guy would treasure that trash.¡±

    ¡°Trash suits trash, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The top ss students ran their mouths, calling Yu Yuanxi trash and condemning him as worthless while ttering Su Mushi to get into his good books.

    With Su Mushi¡¯s vanity greatly satisfied here, he was in a better mood.

    ¡°He¡¯s so na?ve to think that signing with apany and acting in a film will make him the next big star. I guess any Tom, Dick, or Harry can go into show business and act.¡± Su Mushi coldly scoffed with a look of contempt.

    ¡°Young Master Mushi, you¡¯re right. I got my uncle to get the word around to avoid hiring Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    ¡°My uncle has a bit of influence in entertainment. We¡¯ll see who would dare to hire him after that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an insult to our Young Master Mushi If trash like him really makes his debut. Does he think that show biz is a dump?¡±

    The remaining people were vying to curry Su Mushi¡¯s favor.

    Holding a bottle of red wine, Shen Xi stood there waiting and listened to their conversation while sneering to herself. Nothing good came out of the mouths of this bunch of trash.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Pour the wine!¡± Sitting on the fence, Yu Qiubai leisurely leaned against the sofa and ordered Shen Xi.

    As Shen Xi docilely poured the wine, she had a feeling that Yu Qiubai, the d*mn fox, was looking at her. Surely, he could not tell it was her!

    She was pouring wine for Yu Qiubai when he reached out to hold down the wine ss. Curling his lips into a wicked smile, he spoke in a teasing voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know I don¡¯t drink?¡±

 Chapter 101 - Drenched

    <h4>Chapter 101: Drenched</h4>

    Shen Xi looked at the fox narrowing his eyes while smiling cunningly before walking past him to pour wine for Su Ruowan who was sitting beside Yu Qiubai.

    Su Ruowan softly expressed her thanks. She then turned to Yu Qiubai and spoke in a honeyed voice. ¡°Qiubai, enjoy some beverage.¡±

    Yu Qiubai fixated on Shen Xi without sparing Su Ruowan a nce. He impatiently gave an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±

    Hurt by his words, Su Ruowan gave her crying look and bit her lip. She replied in a muffled voice, ¡°Got it.¡±

    Shen Xi put away the wine after filling everyone¡¯s ss and turned to leave.

    She was almost at the door.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Yu Qiubai¡¯s offhanded tone bore a clear hint of badgering. His foxy eyes seemed to know all.

    Shen Xi stopped at her footsteps and turned around in a meek manner. ¡°Young Master Yu, you were looking for me?¡±

    Lifting his brow, Qiubai¡¯s eyes turned so hazy that it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He rubbed his frown and indolently grinned. ¡°Nothing. I have forgotten what I wanted to say. You may leave.¡±

    Shen Xi grinded her teeth. What was this d*mn fox ying?

    She was certain that her disguise was more than capable of even pulling wool over Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes, one who hated her guts.

    Yu Qiubai was the only d*mn fox she could not read. Did he actually discover her or was he just chatting out of boredom?

    Having aplished her task, Shen Xi was waiting for the lift to pull out when she caught a glimpse of Suo Ruowan heading to the washroom. She promptly went after her.

    With anger contorting her beautiful face, Su Ruowan kicked the toilet bowl and growled in a gruff voice from hell. ¡°Yu Qiubai, just you wait!¡±

    After letting out her anger, Su Ruowan returned to normal and smiled at the cosmetic mirror in her hand.

    Out of the blue.

    A bucket of water came crashing down.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Su Ruowan shrieked, being drenched from head to toe.

    ¡°Who, who is there?¡±

    Pissed off, Su Ruowan gave a good push and kicked on the toilet stall¡¯s door.

    With the door blocked from the outside, she could not push it open.

    It was pin-drop silence out there.

    ¡°If you had balls, you¡¯d tell me who the hell you are.¡± Su Ruowan was in rage and annoyed.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Shen Xi mockinglyughed while taking a nce at the shaking door to the toilet stall before making her way towards the window. With agile moves, she took a leap down.

    ¡°Shen Xi?¡± Su Ruowan was not sure but her eyes grew sinister. ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re Shen Xi, right?¡±

    There was no reply.

    Su Ruowan let out a furious scream with a ghastly menacing face before putting her boot into the door.

    Shen Xi!

    She was certain that it was Shen Xi¡¯s voice.

    That b*tch. Su Ruowan would have her revenge on Shen Xi and pay back in hundredfold for all the humiliation she faced today!

    Having received a call for help, Su Mushi rushed over and pushed the toilet stall¡¯s door open.

    Completely soaked, Su Ruowan fragilely hugged her arms. Her body was shaking violently from fear, reflecting a startled bunny ¨C weak, pitiful, and helpful.

    Su Mushi was heartbroken to see this. His eyes were red and voice raspy. ¡°Wanwan.¡±

    Su Ruowan disconcertedly lifted her head. Weak, innocent, and frightened, she jumped into his embrace. ¡°Mushi!¡±

    With his heart going out to her, Su Mushi held her and softly soothed her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    Burying her face in his embrace, Su Ruowan tightened her grip around him in fear and sobbed. She appeared rather terrified and aggrieved.

    Yu Qiubai swept a nce at the siblings sharing a moment, narrow and flirty eyes alighting with hints of taunting. He then walked to the windowsill and took a look outside.

 Chapter 102 - Show Yourself

    <h4>Chapter 102: Show Yourself</h4>

    Song Wenye opened her eyes in a daze to her goddess sitting nearby reading a book. She let out a foolish smile. ¡°Lil Xixi, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±

    Lil Xixi was smelling good from a bath. She looked prettier with pajamas on.

    F*ck!

    How did she fall asleep?

    Song Wenye missed a great chance to peep on the goddess taking a bath!

    Lifting her head from her book, Shen Xi took a nce at her. Her indolent voice was absent of the usual frigidness. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±

    Still upset, Song Wenye obsessively gazed at her and bobbed her head. ¡°Were you reading all this while?¡±

    Shen Xi hummed in acknowledgement. ¡°You should go home since you¡¯re awake.¡±

    Song Wenye crawled over and pulled her arms around Shen Xi like an octopus. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have a home. My home is wherever you are.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes in disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t make me use force.¡±

    Jumping away, Song Wenye warily folded her arms and cuddled up into a ball. ¡°I was wrong. I was really wrong. I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa or the floor but I won¡¯t go home.¡±

    ¡°Help yourself. I¡¯m going to hit the sack.¡± Song Wenye gave Shen Xi the illusion that she was a bully having his way with an honest youngdy. Look at her. Shen Xi would only tickle her at most.

    Leaping in joy, Song Wenye gestured a huge heart as Shen Xi took strides into the bedroom. ¡°Good night.¡±

    Shen Xi did not look back. ¡°Good night.¡±

    Song Wenye held her heart and shrieked like a groundhog. Oh, oh, oh! Lil Xixi bade her goodnight!

    Red Bar was thrown into chaos.

    The third eldest son of the Su family, Su Mushi was searching for the perpetrator in the bar like mad, causing the managing staff in the bar to quake in their boots.

    Nothing came up in the end. All surveince was checked yet there was no perpetrator found.

    No one went in during the time Su Ruowan was in and out of the washroom.

    Fuming with rage, Su Mushi immediately went to Shen Xi¡¯s room and kicked on the door. ¡°Shen Xi! Show yourself!¡±

    Wanwan mentioned that she seemed to have heard Shen Xi¡¯s voice.

    It had to be the doing of Shen Xi, that evil brat!

    What did Wanwan do to deserve the constant abuse!

    ¡°Mushi, it¡¯s not Shen Xi. I must have heard it wrong. It was a hallucination from missing Shen Xi too much.¡± Su Ruowan pulled Su Mushi back with tears pouring down her face.

    The absence of that b*tch, Shen Xi, in the hotel during this time would prove that she was behind this, even if she was not!

    ¡°Wanwan, stay out of it.¡± Su Mushi was on the warpath and out to get Shen Xi. He gave the door another kick.

    The door was suddenly opened.

    Su Mushi missed and lost his footing. He would have taken a fall had it not for Su Ruowan. His eyes were bloodshot from burning fury. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Shen Xi coldly blurted before mming the door close.

    Su Mushi reached out to seize the door. He pulled himself together before enquiring through clenched teeth. ¡°Where were you tonight?¡±

    ¡°Reading and sleeping.¡± Shen Xi looked askance at him impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m calling the cops if you¡¯re going to harass me.¡±

    The nk look on Shen Xi¡¯s face like he did not matter really put Su Mushi off. Scowling, he questioned further. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You followed us to the bar and sshed Wanwan with cold water in the washroom.¡±

    ¡°Su Mushi.¡± Shen Xi pointed at his head and scoffed. ¡°You should seek help if you have a problem there. I¡¯m calling the cops if you¡¯re not letting go.¡±

 Chapter 103 - I Can Bear Witness

    <h4>Chapter 103: I Can Bear Witness</h4>

    ¡°You say that you were in your room. Can anyone prove that you didn¡¯t go anywhere?¡± Su Mushi¡¯s fists could bleed from the clutching.

    Other than the evil brat, Shen Xi, no one capable of such vileness crossed his mind.

    ¡°Me! I can bear witness.¡± Song Wenye bolted out of the bathroom after a shower. Enraged to see the Su siblings ganging up on Shen Xi, Song Wenye picked up a vase and charged over.

    Su Mushi intuitively took a few steps back in the face of the charging bull that was Song Wenye.

    Having retreated, he was in shock to find that the nutcase Song Wenye was not after him but Wanwan.

    Song Wenye knew no fear and was without reason. Holding the vase up high, she viciously aimed at Su Ruowan¡¯s head to smash.

    Watch out, Wanwan.¡± Unable to stop her on time, Su Mushi yelled in a panic as he came in between the girls.

    Song Wenye wanted to teach them a lesson, especially Su Ruowan, that b*tch. It never urred to her that she would be seized by the wrist. She darted a menacing re at the person who stopped her. ¡°Yu Qiubai, it¡¯s best you butt out.¡±

    F*ck!

    These siblings sure threw their weight around, thinking Xixi was gullible. They must have eaten sh*t to be throwing around such vicious nder.

    ¡°Everyone, calm down.¡± Yu Qiubai acted as a peacemaker. With his lean foxy eyes staring at Shen Xi, he opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve seen surveince. Since checking into the hotel, Shen Xi only left to meet with Yu Yuanxi while the remainder of time was spent in her own room.¡±

    The remark saw Su Mushi¡¯s eyes growing sinister as resentment brewed to an all-time high within.

    The escorting teacher made haste over after catching wind of the situation. These were not students, but rather little devils!

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the big hoo-ha in the middle of the night? Isn¡¯t the exam tomorrow?¡± The escorting teacher brought out the authority of an educator.

    Su Ruowan welled up in her eyes. Her paleplexion coupled with trails of undried tears drew out the delicateness in her. She answered in a raspy voice, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    The escorting teacher was protective towards weak girls. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Tell me, what happened?¡±

    The whole floor was reserved by No. 4 High School. Otherwise, the school¡¯s reputation would be tainted if other guests caught sight of themotion.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s voice was muffled, appearing rather wronged and aggrieved. She merely sobbed and wailed without a word all the way through after the apology.

    Yu Qiubai walked the teacher through the incident before smiling. ¡°Shi was only concerned about Wanwan and came to question Shen Xi. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Having lost it, Song Wenye held her finger against Yu Qiubai¡¯s nose and chastised. ¡°Don¡¯t you f*cking try to smooth things over here. I¡¯m not just going to bloody sit by and watch if you don¡¯t exin yourselves.¡±

    Great!

    They were so full of themselves when they were harassing Shen Xi, throwing vicious nder.

    Now they were trying to throw the teacher off the scene after realizing their mistake. No way could she agree to that.

    ¡°Mushi.¡± Su Ruowan meekly cried. Her swollen eyes from crying really tugged at heartstrings.

    Su Ruowan was sure that she had heard Shen Xi¡¯s voice. Shen Xi was definitely the culprit who sshed cold water on her!

    How did Shen Xi, that b*tch escape surveince? How did she go off the radar and create an alibi?

    Su Mushi was clear that he was in the wrong in this case since it never crossed his mind to check on the hotel¡¯s surveince. He merely wanted an excuse to kick up a fuss with Shen Xi and vent out his rage.

    Under no circumstances would he apologize to Shen Xi!

 Chapter 104 - Soul-sucking Voice

    <h4>Chapter 104: Soul-sucking Voice</h4>

    ¡°Mushi, I¡¯ll go apologize to Shen Xi.¡± Su Ruowan swiftly made up her mind.

    She knew more than anyone else that it would just work against their favor at this rate. Stopping here would earn her more sympathy and get more people on her side.

    ¡°Wanwan.¡± Su Mushi had enough of Shen Xi and equipped with a chance, he really wanted to kill her in order to let all of that hatred go.

    Outraged, the onlooking top-ss students red at Shen Xi. Who did she think she was, making Goddess Wanwan apologize to her?

    A disgusting thing like her was not worthy of an apology from Goddess Wanwan. Shen Xi should be cursed and drop dead on the spot!

    Su Ruowan darted an aggrieved and meek stare at Su Mushi before straightening her back, trying to be strong as she took firm strides towards Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. Don¡¯t me Mushi. You know how he is. He only did what he did because of me.¡±

    ¡°You guys make a big deal out of something small.¡± Unfazed, Shen Xi coldly sneered. ¡°How could I possibly ssh you with water?¡±

    Heaving relief, Su Ruowan took quite an effort to curl her lips and appear rather pleasantly surprised. ¡°Shen Xi, are you saying that you forgive me?¡±

    Shen Xi indifferently swept her a nce and abruptly drew close to whisper in her ear. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be water if it were me.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi?¡± Su Ruowan pitifully gazed back at her in a daze. Confused, she threw a question, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Shen Xi approached her with a friendly smile and said something before retreating. She then coldly blurted, ¡°I¡¯m not going to stoop to your level since I¡¯m always bighearted. You should go.¡±

    Su Ruowan turned gray-faced and froze as though spooked. Her innocent and na?ve eyes widened in disbelief.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re overjoyed.¡± Shen Xi diabolically nced at Su Ruowan and then the teacher. ¡°Teacher, if nothing¡¯s the matter, we should go on our own way.¡±

    The Su siblings came looking for trouble but Shen Xi decided to let it pass, reaching reconciliation for all parties concerned. With everyone happy with the result, the crowd of onlookers broke up.

    ¡°What did you say to Su Ruowan?¡± Itching with curiosity, Song Wenye pursued the matter with Shen Xi. ¡°The grim expression on her face made her look like a dead person.¡±

    ¡°I told her.¡± Shen Xi turned around and shed a smile at Song Wenye before leaning against her ear to satisfy her curiosity.

    Dumbstruck for a moment, Song Wenye gave her the thumbs up. Amazing. Just pure genius! It was no wonder Su Ruowan¡¯s face turned as white as a ghost and her mind unhinged.

    Su Mushi released his anger by smashing everything in the room. After breaking thest smashable item in the room, he went out of his room and knocked on the door to Su Ruowan¡¯s room.

    No one responded after several knocks.

    Worried, Su Mushi quickly took out a spare room card to open the door and was weed by Su Ruowan lookingpletely out of it on the sofa.

    D*mn Shen Xi! She was to me for all of this. Wanwan would have not suffered such grievance had it not for her!

    ¡°Wanwan.¡± Su Mushi walked up and cried multiple times.

    ¡°Mushi.¡± With swollen eyes, Su Ruowan fragilely smiled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rash next time. I feel bad for using Shen Xi wrongly.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Su Mushi may say so but rage was swallowing him from inside. He wanted to squash that brat the next chance he got. ¡°Don¡¯t entertain needless thoughts. She¡¯s not worth your concern.¡±

    Wanwan was too kind, so kind that he wished that she was better than that. A personality like hers would only subject Su Ruowan to be a victim of abuse.

    With downcast eyes, Su Ruowan kept to herself but deep within her eyes, brewed bubbling maliciousness.

    Shen Xi, that d*mn b*tch! How dare she threaten her!

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice lingered and echoed in her ear, sapping the life out of her.

 Chapter 105 - Psychological Trauma

    <h4>Chapter 105: Psychological Trauma</h4>

    Shen Xi had said, ¡°Be careful. Next time, I¡¯ll use sulphuric acid.¡±

    ¡­

    Big news broke out in Capital No. 4 High School. In the Mathematical Olympiadpetition, everyone in the top ss lost except Yu Qiubai.

    On the day of the exam, no one knew what the top ss ate wrong, but all of them had diarrhea, resulting in them being sent to the ER in the hospital and missing the exam.

    A few people endured the pain and were determined to take the test while physically handicapped, but they lost after failing to stand it after a few minutes.

    More than one participant from other schools revealed that a strange smell was detected ten minutes into the exam. One person could not hold it anymore and was carried off from the spot.

    ording to the hospital¡¯s diagnosis, the school determined that they had gone out to eat indiscriminately and had eaten something bad, resulting in collective food poisoning.

    The only one in the top ss who was spared was Yu Qiubai because he was mysophobic. No matter who he went out with, he never ate or drank a bite of outside food because he saw them as unhygienic.

    The top ss was unconvinced, and Su Mushi took the lead to secretly investigate this matter. They agreed that someone wanted to set them up and had drugged them.

    ¡­

    In the entire school, only the international ss did not have to worry about their future education. They yed around when others studied, and they yed around when others yed around too. They lived everyday like it was New Year¡¯s.

    ¡°Why are you acting like wolves? Slow down a bit. There¡¯s enough for everyone.¡± Song Wenye was disgusted when she looked at the group of people.

    She was happy today and treated herself to some ice cream. She ordered two vani vored ones and handed one to Shen Xi with a smile. ¡°Here, Lil Xixi. I saved this for you.¡±

    Shen Xi raised her eyes and looked at her. ¡°You look happy.¡±

    Song Wenye helped her open the lid of the ice cream and stuck the spoon inside, her smile widening. ¡°Don¡¯t you know why?¡±

    Shen Xi nced at her indifferently.

    Song Wenye pped the table happily. ¡°I heard some people say that since that day, Su Ruowan insists on someone apanying her every time she goes to thedies and wants them to keep watch outside. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny?¡±

    With Su Ruowan¡¯s suspicious nature, Shen Xi knew that her words would definitely cause Su Ruowan to be paranoid. This was much more satisfying than throwing sulfuric acid on her.

    Imagine how she would feel if she had to worry about whether someone would harm her, bash her head in, or pour sulfuric acid on her every time she had to go to the bathroom. It was not easy to solve psychological paranoia. What a beautiful image that was.

    Song Wenye also said that in order to find out if this was true, she purposely stayed at the door of the top ss for two sses and followed Su Ruowan when she went to the washroom.

    When Su Ruowan saw her enter the washroom, she did not go to the toilet and just pretended to wash her hands before going back to ss.

    ¡°Say, do you think she¡¯ll end up being unable to hold it in and pee or sh*t in her pants if I keep following her everywhere?¡± Song Wenyeughed and covered her stomach.

    It was too hrious. That little b*tch Su Ruowan finally got what she deserved. When Song Wenye thought of how Su Ruowan had to be afraid even when going to the washroom, Song Wenye was so happy she wanted to fly.

    Shen Xi nced at her in disdain. ¡°You¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    Song Wenyeughed so hard that tears came out. ¡°You don¡¯t know but it¡¯s super hrious. You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡±

    Shen Xi felt that she would not see it. To be honest, people like Su Ruowan were not worth her time.

    However, man¡¯s schemes are inferior to those made by heaven.

    After the second ss in the afternoon, Shen Xi went to the washroom only to find that the third floor washroom was broken and under repair.

    Song Wenye was overjoyed and pulled Shen Xi to the second floor, where the top ss was. They might have a chance to meet Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan did not expect to see Shen Xi in the washroom. When she saw Shen Xi and Song Wenye, who was standing beside her with an expression that looked like she was excited to see a drama unfold, Su Ruowan was so angry that her breath choked in her throat.

 Chapter 106 - Whoâ€™s The B*tch?

    <h4>Chapter 106: Who¡¯s The B*tch?</h4>

    Shen Xi did not even look at Su Ruowan. She went straight into the cubicle and shut the door.

    The washroom on the third floor was broken, so students went to the second and fourth floors and a line outside the bathroom began to grow.

    After a student came out.

    Song Wenye looked at Su Ruowan and smiled. ¡°Su Ruowan, please go ahead.¡±

    Su Ruowan smiled softly but took a small step back, and said gently, ¡°No, you go ahead.¡±

    ¡®That little b*tch, is she trying to scare me? Let¡¯s see if she has the ability to do so!¡¯

    Song Wenye also continued to be humble and said generously, ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite. You came here first, so you should go first.¡±

    ¡°You go first!¡± Su Ruowan looked a little nervous, looking like she was reduced to tears after being forced. She said pitifully, ¡°I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    The moment she turned around, her feet stumbled as if she was scared by Song Wenye. Her eyes were red with grievances.

    Song Wenye raised her brows and smiled, faking an exaggerated tone, ¡°Oh my, why are you leaving?¡±

    The aggrieved way Su Ruowan was leaving left behind a huge impact.

    The people lining up were either followers of Goddess Wanwan or Su Mushi¡¯s loyal fans. How could they bear watching Su Ruowan so aggrieved?

    They all stared angrily at Song Wenye unanimously, ring daggers at her. If looks could kill, she would be a bloody sieve now.

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye, how shameless are you? Go back to ss R and stop contaminating our ce.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, you pervert. You stalked Goddess Wanwan in the morning and now you¡¯re back in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°If you keep pestering Wanwan, we¡¯ll get the teacher to interfere.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s goal was achieved. All the girls who defended her pointed their anger at Song Wenye.

    Everyone knew that Song Wenye had always disliked Goddess Wanwan. She was going too far! This was tant bullying!

    They heard that their Goddess Wanwan had cold water poured on her in the bathroom the day before the Olympiadpetition, and became seriously ill.

    Song Wenye, that vicious piece of trash, must have been instructed by Shen Xi. She found out Goddess Wanwan¡¯s weakness and deliberately came to scare her.

    Shen Xi came out and saw Song Wenye, who was under fire and about to fight back, she grabbed Song Wenye¡¯s cor. ¡°Forget it, you can¡¯t win against Su Ruowan. Give up!¡±

    Song Wenye heard those words and screamed angrily, ¡°Why can¡¯t I win against her? Which part of me is inferior to her?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯repeting on who¡¯s the bigger b*tch,¡± Shen Xi coldly nced at the girls who regarded them as enemies andughed. ¡°Then you can¡¯t beat her your entire life.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I beat her?¡± Song Wenye only realized the meaning of Shen Xi¡¯s words after she spoke, and pointed at the crowd. ¡°You all must be blind. I hope you continue to be deceived by Su Ruowan for life.¡±

    Then, she red at them viciously and pulled Shen Xi away. Bah, she could not be bothered to argue with this group of blind people.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye!¡±

    The girls roared in fury, their eyes red in anger.

    This was too much. They insulted Goddess Wanwan, and they even used them of being blind.

    Goddess Wanwan was the most outstanding, and they were just jealous because they would never reach Goddess Wanwan¡¯s height in their life!

    Shen Xi had just left the washroom when Su Mushi pulled her away. He viciously grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward.

 Chapter 107 - Dominated By Fear

    <h4>Chapter 107: Dominated By Fear</h4>

    Song Wenye also stormed up and was about to get physical. She pointed at Su Mushi and shouted, ¡°You *sshole, let go of my Xixi!¡±

    Shen Xi heard her words and snorted augh. Looking at the angry expression on Su Mushi¡¯s face, she smiled. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t hold back.¡±

    Su Mushi red at Song Wenye maliciously and gnashed his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Mind your own business.¡±

    Song Wenye would only listen to him if the sun rose from the west. She rolled up her sleeves and prepared to fight him, but Shen Xi shot her a look, and she muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off this time. If you dare to bully Xixi, you better watch it.¡±

    Lil Xixi definitely would not be at a disadvantage. If she had to be worried, it would be that Lil Xixi would go overboard and be marked down by the school.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to Wanwan? What did she ever do to you?¡± Su Mushi red at her angrily.

    ¡°I just like it.¡± Shen Xi smiled carelessly.

    Su Mushi hated this expression of hers the most. It was as if she did not care about anything, but she was actuallyughing at him. He raised his fist. ¡°You¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, someone suddenly held back his hand, and a punchnded on his face the next moment. When he saw who it was, he let out an angry yell. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, you¡¯re courting death!¡±

    ¡°Su Mushi, if you bully her again, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Yu Yuanxi said before turning to Shen Xi in worry. ¡°Are you okay? He didn¡¯t do anything to you, right?¡±

    Su Mushi only felt ridiculous and absurd. ¡°I¡¯m bullying her? Do you know what kind of person she is? Do you know how vicious she is?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s cold and handsome face was filled with anger and disgust. ¡°Instead of using others, you should observe what kind of person your good sister is and how vicious she is!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re courting death.¡± Su Mushi exploded in anger as if someone had stepped on his tail. He lunged at Yu Yuanxi with red eyes.

    Who did he think he was? How dare he insult Wanwan!

    Shen Xi stretched out a leg at the right time.

    Su Mushi tripped and mmed on the ground. He lifted his head and saw Shen Xi¡¯s ruthless eyes.

    He was instantly dominated by the fear of Shen Xi breaking his leg. A chill went down his spine, but he did not dare to move.

    Shen Xi looked at him, sneered, and pulled Yu Yuanxi to leave.

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, and he clenched his fist so hard that blood came out. With a vicious roar, he said, ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯ll find out the truth. Just you wait.¡±

    He was sure that the person who poured cold water on Wanwan, drugged them, and caused them to miss the exam was definitely that damn girl, Shen Xi.

    ¡®I¡¯ll definitely find evidence. Just you wait!¡¯

    Yu Yuanxi sent Shen Xi to the ssroom door and hesitated for a moment before calling out to her. ¡°Don¡¯t go with him alone in the future.¡±

    Shen Xi did not expect Yu Yuanxi to fight Su Mushi for her andpletely offend him. She nodded and said, ¡°You be careful too.¡±

    Su Mushi was beaten, but he would not just let it go. He would find an opportunity to retaliate against Yu Yuanxi.

    Song Wenye and a group of girls looked out the window, gossiping eagerly.

    Shen Xi entered.

    The group of peeping people dispersed guiltily and casually found seats to sit down in, pretending to pick up books to cover their faces.

    ¡°There¡¯s a situation!¡± Song Wenye pulled Shen Xi and said suggestively, ¡°Actually, Yu Yuanxi isn¡¯t bad. He got signed into a managementpany and you can say that he already has half a foot in the entertainment circle. Just with his face, it¡¯s only a matter of time before he bes the next hottest star.¡±

 Chapter 108 - Biological Son

    <h4>Chapter 108: Biological Son</h4>

    Shen Xi gave her a sidelong nce and did not speak.

    Song Wenye continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. Pei Xu isn¡¯t good since his family is tooplicated. Someone like Yu Yuanxi is better. He has a simple family background and will definitely be single-mindedly good to you.¡±

    Shen Xi did not expect Song Wenye to speak in a roundabout manner when her personality was so untrustworthy. She smiled and said, ¡°I have someone I like.¡±

    Song Wenye was shaken by Shen Xi¡¯s gorgeous smile. It was the first time she saw Shen Xi smile so sweetly. Her heart thumped as she held Shen Xi. ¡°Tell me tell me tell me. What kind of person is he?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not telling.¡±

    Shen Xi refused to say anything no matter how Song Wenye asked, and shey on the table and sighed, giving up.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye who was lying on the table drawing circles,pletely depressed, and said unexpectedly, ¡°When I sessfully chase after him, I¡¯ll introduce him to you.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°Really?!

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Really.¡±

    Song Wenye was even more curious. Just what kind of man was he for Lil Xixi to have a crush on him? She even had to chase after him!

    ¡­

    The time when the results of the Olympiadpetition was announced was also the same time as the award ceremony of the International Fashion Design Competition.

    However, Shen Xi, the gold-medalist who received an invitation letter to the International Fashion Competition a week ago, did not go anywhere and simply stayed at home with her family.

    Shen Zhangqing left early in the morning, so there was only Shen Xi and Yun Jinping at home.

    When Shen Xi returned from her morning run, she looked up to the attic and saw the woman holding a hose, watering the flowers in a daze.

    Today was Madam Yun¡¯s birthday. It was also the day Madam Yun and Old Shen¡¯s biological son, the pitiful elder brother Shen Xi never met, was abducted by traffickers.

    Because of this pain, Madam Yun was unable to celebrate her birthday.

    Every year on this day, Old Shen would never be at home.

    The two people had a very tacit understanding, and neither was willing to talk about epting this fact.

    When Shen Xi was young and did not know any better, she asked Madam Yun before. Madam Yun hugged her and cried, asking her to allow Madam Yun and Old Shen to use this day to miss her older brother.

    The year her older brother was lost, she had just turned two. She knew that Madam Yun had not given up hope and was still looking for the whereabouts of her brother.

    However, seventeen years had passed and no clue had been found.

    At noon, Shen Xi thought about getting something to eat. She could not let Madam Yun go hungry, so she changed her clothes and prepared to go to a nearby restaurant to order takeout of something Madam Yun liked to eat.

    Just as she opened the door, she saw Gao Meng¡¯s beautiful face.

    She was already beautiful. Since she did not wear makeup, she did not look as enchanting, but she looked more like a virtuous woman.

    Behind Gao Meng was Yu Yuanxi with some things in his hands. There was a spring-like smile on his handsome face.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Xi was startled by them. How did they end up at her home?

    ¡°Chairman Shen, Lil Yu and I came over to celebrate Madam Yun¡¯s birthday.¡± Gao Meng¡¯s smile was like a flower, and she very naturally walked into the house.

    Shen Xi blocked her at the door and grabbed Gao Meng¡¯s arm. She was about to tell her to scram, but after seeing Yu Yuanxi¡¯s innocent and simple face, she held back and said with a grim expression, ¡°Go back. My mom doesn¡¯t celebrate her birthdays.¡±

    At a nce, she knew that it must be Gao Meng who pulled Yu Yuanxi over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. We¡¯re already here anyway.¡± It was the first time Gao Meng saw Lil Chairman Shen so serious. She was frightened by Shen Xi¡¯s cold face, but she pulled her courage together and said, ¡°We¡¯ll just wish Madam Yun a happy birthday.¡±

    Shen Xi pushed her away and was about to say something.

    ¡°Xixi, who is it?¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s voice rang out in the courtyard.

 Chapter 109 - Slightly Uncomfortable

    <h4>Chapter 109: Slightly Ufortable</h4>

    ¡°No one. The wind was too strong and blew the door open.¡± Shen Xi gave Gao Meng a warning look. Her eyes softened slightly when she looked at Yu Yuanxi, and she said in a low voice, ¡°Take her away.¡±

    Gao Meng also felt that Lil Chairman Shen¡¯s attitude was off. She looked like she was about to eat them up. If Gao Meng continued pestering her, she might lose her life. She quickly turned and prepared to run away.

    ¡°You must be Xixi¡¯s friends!¡± Yun Jinping reached the door and looked at them with a gentle smile.

    Gao Meng turned around and greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Shen. I¡¯m an artist from Cosmos Entertainment. My name is Gao Meng. I came here to ask Chairman Shen something.¡±

    Although Lil Chairman Shen looked cold, her heart was warm and she treated Gao Meng very well. She must be driving them away because she did not want them to meet Mrs. Shen.

    Gao Meng was a shrewd person who immediately understood Shen Xi¡¯s intentions.

    However, Yu Yuanxi was different. He had always been an upright person, and he nodded without thinking, ¡°Mrs. Shen, happy birthday.¡±

    Mrs. Shen seemed like a very friendly person, but her eyes could not help but turn mncholic at his words, causing him to suddenly feel ufortable.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s smile was a little awkward.

    Shen Xi gave Gao Meng a death re.

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, we still have things to do at the office, so we¡¯ll leave now.¡± Gao Meng was an actress and smiled naturally and graciously.

    No matter how apprehensive she was in her heart, she could not reveal it on the surface. If she did, she would not be a good actress. After speaking, she gave up on Yu Yuanxi and turned to stuff the gifts in Shen Xi¡¯s hands, smiling ingratiatingly. ¡°Chairman Shen, we¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    She wanted to die. It was not her fault. It was that little boy Lil Yu who did not understand. How could he be so honest?

    She only came to celebrate Mrs. Shen¡¯s birthday because she wanted to deepen her friendship with the boss.

    If she had known that this would happen, she would not havee over even if she died.

    Yu Yuanxi also finally noticed that something was off and smiled at Yun Jinping. ¡°Mrs. Shen, we¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    Yun Jinping knew her daughter. Seeing how she had scared the two children, she shot Shen Xi a look and smiled, coaxing them to stay. ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, you can leave after eating.¡±

    Gao Meng wanted to but did not dare to, and only chuckled. ¡°We won¡¯t trouble you. We¡¯ll go back to thepany to eat, right, Lil Yu?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Yuanxi could not lie. Awkwardness was written all over his face.

    Yun Jinpingughed. That child was so honest that he was blushing. ¡°Come in. It¡¯s cold outside.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s heart warmed at the words.

    Gao Meng stood where she was, not daring to say anything or move. She carefully looked at Shen Xi¡¯s face, seeking her opinion.

    Yun Jinping looked at her daughter angrily and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at her. She¡¯s not the boss of this house.¡±

    She knew that her daughter was chasing them away because Shen Xi was afraid of troubling her, but it was actually more lively with people around.

    Yun Jinping was too enthusiastic and would not let them go no matter what they said. She insisted on them staying for a meal and dragged them into the house.

    Gao Meng was stuck between a rock and a hard ce, but when she saw Shen Xi nod, she let go of her nerves and diligently took the gifts into the house, not letting Yu Yuanxi take them. ¡°Mrs. Shen, let me.¡±

    Yun Jinping was not used to hearing others call her in such a polite manner. They were all young children, so she smiled gently. ¡°You¡¯re all Xixi¡¯s friends, so don¡¯t be so polite. Just call me Aunt.¡±

    Shen Xi saw that her mother looked quite happy and was relieved. However, Gao Meng was a person who took the opportunity to ingratiate herself the moment she saw a chance. After this was over, Shen Xi would be sure to have a good talk with her.

 Chapter 110 - Looks Are Everything

    <h4>Chapter 110: Looks Are Everything</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi walked side by side with Yun Jinping, listening to her gentle voice, and only felt warmth in her heart.

    ¡°You children, you¡¯re so young, but what are you wearing?¡± Yun Jinping chattered incessantly. ¡°Come in quickly and get warm inside.¡±

    She spoke in a gentle voice. Even when she was lecturing others, she was still gentle and soft.

    Yu Yuanxi looked at his own clothes and smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ll wear more clothes in the future.¡±

    Gao Meng snickered from the side.

    Yun Jinping turned around. ¡°And you. Look at how little you¡¯re wearing! You¡¯ll catch a cold. You can¡¯t just think about looking good and ignore the temperature.¡±

    Gao Meng nodded rapidly, looking meaningfully at Lil Chairman Shen, who was dressed up like a ball, and said humbly, ¡°You¡¯re right, Auntie. When you be sick, the one who suffers the most is you.¡±

    Which girl Lil Chairman Shen¡¯s age did not like to look pretty? Even in winter, they were eager to wear skirts and reveal their bare legs, showing others the most beautiful side of their youth.

    No one would be like Lil Chairman Shen. Every time they saw her, she was dressed like a ball. However, Lil Chairman Shen was beautiful, so she looked good even as a ball. Looks were everything!

    Shen Xi red daggers at her.

    Gao Meng¡¯s smile towards her became even more ttering.

    Shen Xi lost her temper. What should she do with someone who only smiled when she scolded them? What should she do with someone who simply turned their right cheek for her to p after she already pped their left cheek?

    For as long as Shen Xi could remember, the house had never been so lively on this day.

    The kitchen was full of people. Some picked vegetables, some washed ingredients, and some cooked. The division ofbor was clear.

    Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi sat on small stools, picking vegetables.

    After Gao Meng peeled and washed the potatoes, her hand reached out for the knife skillfully.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that. You guys can go watch TV.¡± Yun Jinping quickly ran over before she could cover the pot for fear that Gao Meng would cut herself.

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m ufortable if I don¡¯t do anything. You¡¯re treating us like outsiders.¡± Gao Meng turned with a smile. ¡°Do you want the potatoes sliced or shredded?¡±

    ¡°Shredded.¡± Yun Jinping was a little worried. A young and beautiful girl like Gao Meng must have been spoiled by her family. How would she know how to do something like that? ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You young girls¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Gao Meng started to move. Her knife work was extremely beautiful, cutting the potato into shreds that were equally thin. Even the sound of the knife on the chopping board was clean and sharp.

    There was no way she could have that level of knife work without more than ten years of experience. Yun Jinping was stunned. She did not expect Gao Meng to be so amazing.

    Her daughter could not cook, and Yun Jinping never let her in the kitchen. At most, she would let Shen Xi help pick and wash the vegetables.

    ¡°Auntie, I know how to do anything, really.¡± Gao Meng said while cutting potatoes. ¡°I started cooking when I was eight years old.¡±

    The atmosphere in the kitchen was very good.

    Gao Meng did not know what was wrong with her. Maybe it was because Yun Jinping was too gentle and reminded her of her mother, so she could not help but want to talk to the woman.

    When she started, she talked more and more, telling Yun Jinping everything from when she was small to when she grew up.

    Shen Xi only knew a little about Gao Meng¡¯s past and did not have the habit of asking about people¡¯s pasts, so she did not know that Gao Meng had suffered so much.

    Gao Meng looked like a pampered and rich youngdy who always had someone to wait on her, but the truth was that her living conditions at home were not good. She had gone through all sorts of hardships.

 Chapter 111 - How Old Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 111: How Old Are You?</h4>

    Gao Meng¡¯s parents were both workers. Her father got cancer when she was ten years old, and the family emptied their savings in order to treat him.

    Not even two years after her father passed away, her mother also died in a car ident, and she dropped out of school when she was just 15 years old.

    Her rtives were all only self-interested, and the uncle who adopted her only did so because he fancied her beauty, and sold her to a club to work as a hostess.

    She escaped from the club and came to the capital alone. She did all kinds of jobs, but because of her good looks, she was envied by women and harassed by men, and could not stay long anywhere.

    For the poor, being good-looking was the original sin. Afterward, she coincidentally entered showbiz, but since she refused to submit to the unspoken rules, she could only y small roles and could not earn enough to make ends meet.

    Over the years, she met many big bosses who wanted to keep her, but she rejected them all. Sometimes, not even she knew what she was trying to do.

    In her most difficult time, she considered selling her body and epting the unspoken rules, but ultimately, she could not convince herself to do so. Her father and mother did not give birth to her and raise her so she would do something like that.

    If she had done those things, how sad and hurt would her parents in heaven feel? How would she face them when she died?

    In the past, she often asked herself what was the meaning of her persistence, but now she knew. It was so she could meet Lil Chairman Shen.

    She was grateful to Lil Chairman Shen from the bottom of her heart and treated her like a bosom friend. She tried her best to prove to Shen Xi that she could do it!

    Yun Jinping was kind and sentimental. After hearing Gao Meng¡¯s words, her eyes turned red and her heartstrings were tugged. ¡°Come here often in the future and treat this ce as your home. I¡¯m not an outsider.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Gao Meng actually regretted it when she finished speaking and looked at Lil Chairman Shen in apprehension. Would Lil Chairman Shen think she was ying tricks again in order to win sympathy?

    Surprisingly, Shen Xi gave her a sympathetic look. Gao Meng was quite miserable. She was not that much better offpared to Shen Xi.

    Yu Yuanxi was also soft-hearted. After listening to Gao Meng¡¯s life, he felt even more grateful to his grandmother. At least his grandmother was still around, and he still had rtives, so he was not alone.

    He had to work hard, make a lot of money, buy a big house, and honor his grandmother and let her live a good life.

    Thepany of four worked together and soon made a table of dishes.

    Gao Meng had also bought a cake but did not dare to take it out. In the end, Yun Jinping asked them to bring it over.

    Since she already decided to celebrate her birthday, they should celebrate it happily. If her son saw that she was still sad and unable to let go, he would be heartbroken.

    Both the guests and the hosts thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

    After eating, Yu Yuanxi helped to clean the dishes, and Shen Xi and Gao Meng tidied up the ce.

    No matter how much Yun Jinping told them not to do it, it was useless. They were all diligent and sensible children, so skilled in chores that it made her heart ache.

    It was reasonable to think that a boy Yu Yuanxi¡¯s age would not know how to cook, but he was an expert in the kitchen and knew how to do everything.

    ¡°Lil Yu, how old are you this year?¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s eyes were gentle. The more she got along with him, the more she liked him.

    This child was truly good. He was polite, gentle, and sensible.

    ¡°Neen.¡± Yu Yuanxi smiled and said, ¡°I went to schoolte, so I¡¯m two years older than my ssmate.¡±

    Yun Jinping nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Not old, not old at all. In our time, you would have to be twenty years old to be in senior high school.¡±

    Neen years old. What a good age!

    If her Zhifei was still around, he would be exactly that age.

 Chapter 112 - A Winner In Life

    <h4>Chapter 112: A Winner In Life</h4>

    In the living room.

    Gao Meng snorted and tossed her mobile phone in dissatisfaction. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    Shen Xi came out with a fruit te and gave her a strange look.

    Gao Meng¡¯s heart was upset and sour, so she began to talk to Shen Xi. ¡°Look, Xixi. They bought the hot search again. Li Jingran¡¯s daughter, that whoever called Su Ruowan, said that she won a prize in some designpetition. She¡¯s not even in showbiz but she¡¯s already this high-profile. Doesn¡¯t she know that she¡¯ll just be condemned by heaven if she does this?¡±

    Shen Xi heard what Gao Meng said about the designpetition. Sorry, she also participated. ¡°What prize did she win?¡±

    ¡°The search said it was a silver award. If she won the gold award, I¡¯m afraid the hot search wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her and she¡¯ll ascend to heaven.¡± What upset Gao Meng the most was the people who spent money every day to buy the hot search. So what if they were rich? ¡°If my parents were so awesome and rich, and had so many contacts in showbiz, I¡¯d have be a Film Empress already.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Shen Xiughed.

    In Paris, the International Fashion Competition¡¯s grand award ceremony was underway.

    Li Jingran sat at the VIP table in the front row, with exquisite makeup and a beautiful dress. Her body exuded the elegant and intellectual beauty of an oriental woman, and she looked proudly at the direction of the stage.

    ¡°Congrattions, Sister Jingran. You gave birth to such an exceptional daughter. I¡¯d be satisfied if my future child had just half of Wanwan¡¯s talent.¡±

    ¡°Sister Jingran is a winner in life. All of her children are exceptional and giants among men. I envy her to death.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Sister Jingran, you should publish a book to teach us how to raise children. I¡¯ll definitely be the first to buy it.¡±

    The guests next to her were all big-name male and female celebrities in China¡¯s entertainment circle. They came at the invitation of luxury brands and saw Su Ruowan on stage, and scrambled to start congratting andplimenting Li Jingran.

    Not far away, Gong Zhi sat with a group of foreign fashion gurus. When she heard thepliments over there, she nced at Li Jingran and sneered disdainfully.

    It was just a silver prize but she was so proud of herself. What was the big deal? Cai Ni was not as old as her daughter yet she already won the gold award!

    Li Jingran¡¯s gaze met Gong Zhi¡¯s provocatively, her eyes full of triumph. Her daughter was excellent. There was no use being jealous.

    The two people made eye contact, and sparks flew.

    Gong Zhi swallowed down her breath. Lu Jingran was showing off her daughter, but what was the big deal? If she had children in the future, they would definitely be even more exceptional. They had to be like Cai Ni, at least.

    On the stage, Su Ruowan held up the trophy. Her eyes were full of happy tears as she spoke in fluent English. ¡°I want to thank my family. Mom, Dad, and my brothers, thank you all.¡±

    Li Jingran looked at her daughter on the stage with a pleased face, and was moved to tears. Wanwan was her pride. She was the little princess of their family.

    The children of the Su family were all exceptional, unlike a certain uneducated brat.

    She heard Wanwan say that the stupid girl had also participated in the designpetition, but she did not even make the finals. What a disgrace!

    Su Ruowan quickly got off the stage with a smile on her face and walked calmly to Li Jingran¡¯s side, handing her the trophy. ¡°Mom, a gift for you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor that belongs to you. Why are you giving it to me?¡± Li Jingran smiled dotingly and took Su Ruowan¡¯s hand, letting her sit beside her.

    Good, as expected of the child she raised. Su Ruowan was not afraid at all even in such arge event. She wasposed, elegant, and even raised Li Jingran¡¯s reputation. That wretched woman Gong Zhi must be going mad with jealousy.

 Chapter 113 - Mr. Fu

    <h4>Chapter 113: Mr. Fu</h4>

    The celebrities to the side burst out with another round of congrattions andpliments, praising Li Jingran for her good parenting and Su Ruowan for being so talented and earnest at such a young age, with limitless potential.

    On the stage, the host had already called out the name of the gold medal winner, Cai Ni.

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan looked at the stage at the same time, wanting to know just who Cai Ni was.

    Su Ruowan was sure that there was no way Cai Ni was Shen Xi. She never heard of Shen Xiing to Paris. Shen Xi would not even be able to afford a ne ticket!

    That little b*tch. Just the thought of her made Su Ruowan angry. How dare Shen Xi scare her, causing her to be unable to eat and sleep well. Just wait and see how she gets even when she returns.

    Li Jingran sneered. Just the thought of Cai Ni lit her belly with anger.

    Last week, she personally went to visit Jiang Yin and offered a sky-high price, wanting to find out who Cai Ni was, but Cai Ni did not even show her face.

    In the entire Chinese entertainment industry, Cai Ni was definitely the first person who did not give her any face. Even her master, Jiang Yin, did not dare to treat her like this.

    She wanted to see just how remarkable this Cai Ni was. Who the hell was she for her to act so haughty?

    Gong Zhi was very happy and apuded loudly. She had not seen Cai Ni since that day, so of course she was happy. She still had to ask for Cai Ni to be her stylist again for the Chinese Film Festival at the end of the year.

    On the stage, a light shined down, and a woman in a cheongsam appeared.

    The woman was extremely beautiful with mixed-race features. She had deep and delicate features, and her body looked extremely hot. The elegant cheongsam she wore brought out a bold and sexy vor, and her eclectic and overbearing temperament made people topple over in admiration.

    As soon as she appeared, the whole atmosphere of the stage changed with her arrival. The air became passionate and enthusiastic, as if she was dering to everyone that she was the master of the stage.

    ¡°Jiang!¡±

    The audience had never been so lively. Someone shouted her name loudly, followed by countless people standing up and apuding thunderously. They all looked at the queen on the stage with admiration and excitement.

    Gong Zhi was dumbstruck. Jiang Yin!

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan were also stunned for a moment. They looked at the woman on the stage with obvious doubts shing across their eyes. Why was Jiang Yin here? Where was Cai Ni?

    The stars of the Chinese entertainment industry were waiting to see Cai Ni, but who would have known that it would be her teacher, Jiang Yin, who went on stage instead.

    Jiang Yin was devastatingly alluring. Countless men and women were crazy for her, and it was not an exaggeration to call her a femme fatale. She had everything, be it ability, appearance, or family background. She was a winner in life born to be envied by the masses.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, my friends.¡± Jiang Yin walked while blowing a kiss to the audience.

    The screams and cheers from the audience grew in volume and resounded through the venue. The stage existed for her. The guests were crazy about her.

    The host smiled as the queen approached, and said, ¡°Please wee Cai Ni¡¯s teacher, Jiang Yin, to receive the award for her.¡±

    He had also just received thest-minute notice that the gold award would be received by Jiang Yin.

    Cai Ni had already told the organizer a week ago that she had something going on at home and could note to receive the award.

    Su Ruowan did not look happy at all. The fire of jealousy was burning, and her eyes were dark and gloomy. Her hands balled into tight fists as she stared at the direction of the stage.

    Who the hell was Cai Ni? Was she looking down on the gold medal of the designpetition? How dare she not evene to such an important stage to receive the award?

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s invite our youngest and most popr superstar, Mr. Fu Qingye, to present the award to the gold medal winner.¡± The host looked towards the end of the stage with excitement.

 Chapter 114 - Influential Families

    <h4>Chapter 114: Influential Families</h4>

    When Su Ruowan heard this name, her heart began to throb uncontrobly. Her eyes looked at the stage with admiration, and she held her breath excitedly when she saw the tall figureing out of the darkness.

    Fu Qingye, the youngest Film Emperor, and also the youngest of the four Grand m Emperors in the history of film. He was known as the peak of the international film industry. There was no one who was not crazy over him.

    The man with a noble and distinguished temperament emerged from the shadow of the stage and came into the light step by step. The moment when the light shone on him, it highlighted his elegant and high-born aura.

    The man¡¯s appearance looked so perfect that it was godly. He nodded and smiled in the direction of the stage, vividly exining what it meant to be a graceful and exceptional gentleman, and how he managed to move the hearts of people.

    Su Ruowan watched the man go to Jiang Yin and covered her heart which was beating wildly. The fire of jealousy burned again and wrapped itself around her, making her eyes turn red. Even her breath became indignant and annoyed.

    Why?

    Why did Film Emperor Fu give Cai Ni an award but not her? Was her silver award not worth it?

    The organizers were snobs. Since Fu Qingye came, why not just let him give her the award? She also wanted to get in close contact with him.

    This man was the ultimate ideal of her life. When she firstid eyes on him, she knew that there was no one who would make her heart flutter more than him. She, Su Ruowan, had to climb to the top of the entertainment industry and obtain this man!

    However, with her identity as a daughter of the Su family, there was no way she could reach the circle he was in.

    The Su family was only a famous family in China and could not bepared to the Five Major Families, and even members from the Five Major Families were nothing in the Fu family¡¯s eyes.

    This man was the son of the Fu family, the oldest, most mysterious, and most massive family of China. The power and wealth they umted had long exceeded the world¡¯s idea of an ordinary influential family.

    However, it so happened that such a good chance to get to know him just passed her by. How could she not hate it? How could she not get annoyed and jealous?

    Li Jingran looked at the man on the stage and smiled. ¡°Wanwan, is Mr. Fu your idol? Later, Mom will see if she can arrange a meal with him.¡±

    This man was truly outstanding. What were the sons of the famous families in China on the listpared to him? If Wanwan could make a spark with him, their Su family could follow her and be the most influential family in China!

    The best opportunity was right in front of her. She had to seize the opportunity and find a way to get to know him.

    ¡°Mom, can you really invite him?¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes looked gentle and watery, full of expectation and shyness. Her girly thoughts were shown clearly.

    ¡°Mom will try.¡± Li Jingran thought about it. Fu Qingye was a noble man with a good upbringing. He was a gentleman and a true aristocrat, so he would not refuse her.

    ¡°Mom, I really like Mr. Fu. I want his signature so much.¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s heart was beating wildly at the thought of meeting Fu Qingyeter.

    Fu Qingye would definitely like her if he met her. She knew everything about him. She saw all his movies and his interviews. She knew him like the back of her hand.

    He said in the interview that he liked oriental girls who were gentle, kind, had a sweet and warm smile, and had long straight ck hair.

    Ever since she watched his movies and became enchanted by him, all her actions worked hard in the direction he liked.

 Chapter 115 - Iâ€™ll Excuse Myself

    <h4>Chapter 115: I¡¯ll Excuse Myself</h4>

    On stage, Jiang Yin epted the trophy from the man and smiled. ¡°Since my favorite student is tied up with something at present, as her teacher, I shall ept this award on her behalf. Thank you for showing her love, everyone.¡±

    It was another round of thunderous apuse from the audience.

    The major celebrities present were of superior existence in the eyes of fans. However, they were only fans of Jiang Yin and Fu Qingye right now. Transforming into fanatical diehard supporters, they shouted their names in excitement.

    After the award was presented, Li Jingran watched as Fu Qingye and Jiang Yin stepped off the stage while sharing small talk andughter. She whispered to her daughter. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Getting on her feet, Su Ruowan¡¯s emotions were running high, and her heart was racing at the thought of meeting her favorite person in the world.

    Mom was a force to be reckoned with, having made a name for herself following her achievement as China¡¯s Film Empress and a veteran in the business. Surely, Mr. Fu would give face to Mom.

    Jiang Yin had friends all over the world and rubbed shoulders with many international megastars. No one would say no to mingling with big-named fashion designers for better fashion resources after all.

    She had met Fu Qingye a couple of times, being tasked with creating his look and design. Nevertheless, she would not call herself a friend of his.

    ¡°You have an awesome student.¡± Fu Qingye offered heartfelt praise before politely grinning. My mother loves the evening gown.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your mother¡¯s appreciation. I will send her your regards.¡± Jiang Yin replied with a smile.

    Truth be told, Jiang Yin was tempted to meet her student in the flesh. However, Yuan Yu refused to budge to this day.

    Well, Jiang Yin was not far from giving Yuan Yu a going-over if he continued to withhold the truth!

    ¡°I wonder if Ms. Cai Ni has any intentions of selling the gown to me?¡± Fu Qingye was taken back to the feelings of awe he had when he first saw the dress.

    Mother showed him a photograph and spoke of how in love she was.

    Ever since Father went missing, he had not seen her fancying or geting attached to anything for a while.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask.¡± Jiang Yin politely answered.

    This man beside her was God¡¯s favored son, standing on top of the food chain in terms of the world¡¯s wealthiest. Despite being blessed with true blue blood, he remained gracious.

    To Jiang Yin, a man of his status was poles apart and a distance from her. He was out of her league, nor would she even dare to be in the same league.

    Li Jingran, with Su Ruowan alongside, came their way. While approaching, she greeted them with a smile. ¡°Ms. Jiang.¡±

    To show respect, Jiang Yin nodded and let out an indifferent yet polite smile. ¡°Hello, Ms. Li.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Fu¡¯s here too!¡± Seemingly only noticing Fu Qingye now, Li Jingran greeted in pleasant surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally see you.¡±

    Fu Qingye faintly swept a nce at her before nodding his head in an exchange of greetings.

    With Su Ruowan¡¯s wish to meet her god in the flesh granted atst, she realized that the man was more perfect than when he was behind the camera or on stage.

    Hot with emotions, she tried to pull herself together before gracefully walking up. shing the gentleman her best pearly whites, Su Ruowan uttered in a sweet voice, ¡°Mr. Fu, I¡¯m your loyal fan. I¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t give out autographs.¡± Fu Qingye cut her off while letting out an air of unapproachable chilliness and distance. He presented his gentlemanly side to Jiang Yin. ¡°Ms. Jiang, I need to excuse myself to attend to some matters.¡±

    He then turned to leave, leaving Li Jingran and Su Ruowan without a chance to react.

 Chapter 116 - Identical Twins

    <h4>Chapter 116: Identical Twins</h4>

    ¡°Mr. Fu¡­¡± Although Li Jingran wanted to go after the man who was walking out, the sight of an approaching Gong Zhi saw her bitterly holding back her footsteps.

    Here came Gong Zhi to meddle in her business again!

    Su Ruowan stared at her god¡¯s receding figure with eyes of irreconcble resentment. She was feeling uneasy and aggrieved, wondering what she had done wrong to deserve such an attitude from Mr. Fu.

    The Mr. Fu she knew was a noble gentleman who never turned down an autograph to fans.

    He was ssy, gentlemanly and graceful when talking to Ms. Jiang Yin, so why the change of attitude towards her and Mom?

    ¡°Ms. Li.¡± Gong Zhi drew close with a smile. ¡°Are you here for Ms. Jiang?¡±

    Su Ruowan finally understood from the malicious look on Gong Zhi¡¯s face the reason why Mom did not go after Mr. Fu. This tenacious old hag came the way of their business yet again!

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you also here for Ms. Jiang?¡± Li Jingran hated this woman¡¯s guts. She would have a chance to strike up a conversation with Mr. Fu had it not been for this b*tch.

    Now with a great opportunity gone to waste, god knew if there would be the pleasure to get a word in with Mr. Fu down the line.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Gong Zhi looked around strangely. ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Jiang?¡±

    Jiang Yin was out of sight by the time Li Jingran came to. With hatred brewing within, Li Jingran put all the me on Gong Zhi.

    Jiang Yin had slipped away while the two rivals were crossing swords as she had no interest in their conflict. The only thing on her mind was to find her student.

    A grand sedan was slowly pulling up at the entrance of the venue.

    ¡°Mom, I saw Li Jingran.¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s tone was cold. His handsome but solemn face was looking at his mobile screen.

    On the mobile screen disyed a scene, the scene turned around to uncover a woman¡¯s unpowdered beautiful face. Her facial features and shape was an exact match to Li Jingran¡¯s but they carried themselves with opposing bearings.

    There was something warm about the woman as her smile would brighten up hearts with homeliness. She asked, ¡°Have you spoken to her?¡±

    Shaking his head, Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes alighted with a clear indifference. ¡°No, I¡¯m reminded of your past by her presence. How could I possibly be in the mood to talk to her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s innocent in this. Why must you take your anger out on her?¡± Mama Fu let out a gentle smile while her soft eyes reflected regret. ¡°I want to meet her if I have the courage.¡±

    ¡°People like her don¡¯t deserve your time.¡± Fu Qingye tauntingly smirked.

    He thought that the years had taught him to remain unfazed in the face of disfavor and disgrace. Still, Fu Qingye could not help but be furious, sorry, and upset for Mom at the thought of her past.

    Mom was picked up from the trash can when Grandpa and Grandma were on vacation in China. Mom was terribly ill and on herst gasp back then.

    Taking pity on the poor thing, Grandpa and Grandma took her home and adopted her while also attempting to look for her family in China. Nevertheless, the search hade up empty.

    Later, Mom saw Li Jingran, who had the same face as her, on TV. After asking around, she found out that she was the daughter of the Li family, an identical twin to her.

    Mom did not have one bad bone in her body and was of the opinion that her biological parents only abandoned her forpelling reasons.

    What was sopelling about it? It was only a fig leaf to mask their selfishness and despicable act.

 Chapter 117 - Telepathy

    <h4>Chapter 117: Telepathy</h4>

    Frail and sicky, Mom was not born in the pink of health. The Li parents thought of her as a burden and did not want to take care of her. Hence, Mom was abandoned.

    The Li parents were less than animals to ditch their own flesh and blood. Well, the Fu brothers were going to have none of it even if Mother wanted to see them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Tell me, did you see Cai Ni?¡± Mama Fu was happy at the mention of Cai Ni. ¡°Did you send her my love?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni wasn¡¯t present at the awards.¡± Fu Qingye was in a good mood at the rare sight of Mother being so cheerful. ¡°I have a trip to China at the end of the year. I¡¯ll probably be going over for a week or so. I will definitely try and meet up with her to convey your love for her dress.¡±

    Mother had cried every day ever since Father went missing. It had been a while since she showed interest in anyone or appeared happy because of a person.

    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t she there? Did something happen to her?¡± Mama Fu¡¯s nerves got the better of her. ¡°Did you ask around if something was going on?¡±

    ¡°I asked her teacher. Today is her mother¡¯s birthday so she¡¯s celebrating with her mother at home.¡± Fu Qingye chuckled.

    ¡°What a good child.¡± With her mind at ease, Mama Fu blissfully continued with the questions. ¡°She won an award for her ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±. Is it more breathtaking to see with your own eyes?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Fu Qingye let out a warm smile. ¡°Mom, I can buy it for you if you really like it.¡±

    ¡°Not me.¡± Mama Fu shook her head in denial before putting on a straight face to exin. ¡°There¡¯s no need to purchase the dress, just get it loaned to us. Your aunt was invited to a particrly important event next month and she wants to wear it.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s lips curled into an even more doting smile. His Mom seemed to want nothing while his aunt wanted everything.

    With her mind being read by her son, Mama Fu was quick to change the topic. ¡°Do you know how old she is?¡±

    Sigh. It was not a good thing to have an overly intelligent son.

    ¡°Mom, are you the police?¡± Fu Qingye may have said that but he still gave an honest answer in the end. ¡°Seventeen.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Mama Fu¡¯s eyes alighted with hurt. ¡°Our Lil Xi would be of the same age if she was still alive!¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say such a thing. Our sister is still alive and we will find her.¡± As gloominess clouded his eyes, Fu Qingye darted her a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t let that idea get into your head.¡±

    No matter the means ¨C even at the cost of flipping the world upside down, they were going to get their sister back and in one piece.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop talking. I won¡¯t talk about it.¡± Welling up in the eyes, Mama Fu turned away from the camera so her son could not see her crying. She mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m going to watch ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. You better watch too, alright?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up the video call, Fu Qingye stared nkly at the ckened mobile screen.

    The worst despair experienced in the world was never departure through death. It was knowing that their sister was somewhere in the world and try as they may, they could never find her.

    As a pigeon pair, there was telepathy between Qingxuan and Lil Xi.

    They may be miles apart and have no idea where she was, but Qingxuan could sense her presence.

    When she was happy, Qingxuan would be happy.

    When she was sad, Qingxuan would be sad.

    Thest time he was able to sense her was three months ago. Qingxuan held his chest suddenly, talking about how much his heart hurt. Their sister must have met with an ident.

    Dad never allowed them to talk about this to their mom. They knew better than to let her know as well, afraid that she would wallow in tears and sorrow.

    In the end, Qingxuan could no longer sense her existence following the great heartache. It would be hard for Mom to live on knowing that fact.

    They had been haunted by fear ever since that day. Every day, Fu Qingye and Qingxuan prayed to God, hoping that their sister was alive and well.

 Chapter 118 - A Clown

    <h4>Chapter 118: A Clown</h4>

    The first episode of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± released yesterday and received a 0.5% in viewership. It was far less than the estimate Shen Xi had in mind as well as the average for one of An Lin¡¯s TV productions.

    TV shows produced by An Lin invited at least a 1% rating from the pilot episode. Otherpeting media corporations that frowned upon ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± were secretly arranging paid trolls and haters to go full steam ahead in roasting and trolling the production.

    The Su¡¯s residence.

    Su Mushi opened a bottle of red wine to pour into two sses before going over to hand Su Muyan a ss. Su Mushi smiled. ¡°Muyan, a toast to our quick victory.¡±

    Grinning from ear to ear, Su Muyan took the wine and raised his ss for a toast. ¡°We should also celebrate Wanwan bringing home an award.¡±

    The family had received three blessings today ¨C Wanwan took second ce in a designpetition, the viewership for ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± on its first episode was a bust, and the tens of millions from the bet would soon be theirs.

    Su Mushi curled his lips in glee. ¡°An Lin¡¯s probably restless right now. ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± pilot broke his all-time low TV viewership record.¡±

    Su Muyan sneered. ¡°Well, the newbie screenwriter is to me. Who does she think she is? She got what¡¯sing for being such an arrogant prick. It¡¯s high time that that na?ve girl be taught a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I can¡¯t believe someone would invest in ame script that¡¯s destined to be a bust. I guess the investor was trying to hype the screenwriter called Cloud Seven!¡± Sitting in the opposite, Su Mushi was in a good mood as he finished the drink and poured himself another.

    ¡°Oh, right. I heard that Cai Ni won first ce today. She still hasn¡¯t made an appearance.¡± Rage overcame Su Muyan at the mention of Cai Ni. ¡°Who does she think she is? She¡¯s been avoiding Mom despite Mom¡¯s best efforts to locate her.¡±

    ¡°She must be some ugly duckling. Cai Ni wouldn¡¯t be hiding under a rock if she had good looks.¡± Pleased by his own reasoning, Su Mushi poured Su Muyan another ss. ¡°Muyan, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s only putting on airs and hyping the whole thing up. She will make an appearance after a few days when everyone forgets about her. These kinds of people are just clowns.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a clown.¡± Su Muyan mockingly chimed in.

    Cai Ni was only a lowly stylist without much talent to show. She was afraid to show herself, probably because she was ugly as mentioned by Mushi. Otherwise, why would she disappear off the face of the earth after creating a look for Gong Zhi?

    ¡°Bro, it¡¯s snowing.¡± Su Mushi looked outside the bay window.

    Su Muyan stood up and made his way to the window. He cheerfully said, ¡°We should discuss a celebration for our princess when Dad and Muxuan are back.¡±

    Outside the window, snowkes drifted in the air, creating a nket of white.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s snowing.¡± Shen Xi excitedly cried as she bolted to the courtyard.

    ¡°Auntie, we should be heading home. Thank you for your hospitality.¡± Getting up with a smile, Gao Meng took a nce at Lil Chairman Shen who had run to the courtyard.

    Today, she saw a different side of Lil Chairman Shen. In the office, she was the superior, cold-blooded, and overbearing boss.

    However, Lil Chairman Shen was only a little girl at home. As a child would, she rejoiced at the sight of snow and even rushed to y with snow in the courtyard.

    Yu Yuanxi watched as she climbed up thedder in the courtyard. Afraid that she might slip on the snow that fell on thedder, he ran over to hold thedder and urged her. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Shen Xi climbed up thedder and looked around before her eyes reflected disappointment. Why was he not home yet at this hour?

 Chapter 119 - Distraught

    <h4>Chapter 119: Distraught</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi clearly read the disappointment that alighted in the girl¡¯s eyes, leaving him to wonder what she was expecting from the other side of the wall.

    Since it waste, Gao Meng and Yu Yuanxi said their goodbyes.

    Yun Jinping was cheerful and had never been this happy ever since her son went missing. She walked Yu Yuanxi and Gao Meng to the door. ¡°Lil Yu, Mengmeng,e by the house often to chat with me.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Auntie.¡± Gao Meng was on cloud nine with things having gone beyond her expectations. She replied with a grin, ¡°I will put on a thick skin ande over even if you don¡¯t wee me. Just don¡¯t think of me as a bother.¡±

    She was under the impression that Lil Chairman Shen¡¯s mom would be as aloof and unapproachable as Lil Chairman Shen since thetter was aggressive and indifferently dignified. It never urred to Gao Meng that Auntie would be so approachable and hospitable. It was just her cup of tea.

    Yu Yuanxi smiled softly at her. ¡°Auntie, you should go in. We shall get going.¡±

    ¡°Lil Yu¡­¡± Yun Jinping cried, seemingly had something on her mind but held her tongue in the end. Instead, she encouraged them with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s snowing. Please be careful on the road.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi wanted to enquire further since Yun Jinping appeared to want to say something but, owing to his own character, he would not probe if the person did not want to say.

    Shen Xi waved at them. ¡°Good bye.¡±

    Gao Meng and Yu Yuanxi took off.

    Shen Xi held her mom¡¯s hand as they walked into the house.

    Yun Jinping hesitated for a while before finally opening up. ¡°Xixi, I heard that Lil Yu and his granny live semi-underground. His granny can¡¯t be living in that sort of ce at her age and now that she¡¯s still feeling frail, having been discharged from the hospital.¡±

    Shen Xi picked up on her intention. ¡°What are you thinking, Mom?¡±

    Yun Jinping sighed and answered, ¡°I was thinking. We live in a big house so it¡¯s not a bad idea for his granny to move in. Lil Yu¡¯s only a young boy yet he has to juggle between school and shooting. How can he possibly have the time to take care of her?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Mom, Yu Yuanxi won¡¯t agree to it. You know him, he won¡¯t want to trouble others. I¡¯ll try ande up with a way and get my brother to rent a nicer house to him.¡±

    This was thoughtful on her part. Yu Yuanxi was living in a semi-basement which was dark and damp. It would not be warm enough even with heating. It was best to house him elsewhere!

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s heart went out to Yu Yuanxi.

    This poor boy only had his granny left. God knew how difficult life has been for him since birth yet he remained positive, sweet, and considerate. He really had it tough.

    Nevertheless, Xixi was right. Having him live in their house when they were not rted was not the way to go.

    Shen Xi told Yun Jinping to head home while she turned to climb up thedder. She gave Kun Lun a call to check up on them but it turned out that Kun Lun¡¯s phone was switched off.

    Gazing at the empty courtyard, many horrible scenarios flooded into Shen Xi¡¯s mind.

    Where was he?

    Was he feeling ill?

    Did something urgent happen?

    She had no courage to ask for Li Yuan¡¯s contact details nor did she have the guts to bother him. Hence, Shen Xi asked for Kun Lun¡¯s number. This was the first time she was giving Kun Lun a call.

    The sky was turning dusk.

    It was snowing heavier by the minute.

    Popping out with an umbre, Yun Jinping looked at her darling daughter-turned-snowman. ¡°What are you doing? Make haste home. It¡¯s a heavy snowfall.¡±

    With a bad case of butterflies in her stomach, Shen Xi distraughtly climbed down thedder and went home.

    Yun Jinping emerged from the kitchen and turned to her daughter who was knitting a scarf on the sofa. Seeing that her daughter¡¯s mind was elsewhere, Yun Jinping gave a reminder. ¡°Xixi, watch the needle.¡±

    She had just said that.

    In one false move, Shen Xi pricked herself in the finger. She gasped in pain as blood oozed from the wound.

    Feeling for her, Yun Jinping ran over and inspected her bleeding finger. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Meanwhile, in Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Lab across the Pacific Ocean.

    Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Lab was the best medicalboratory in the world as well as a private asset of the Fu family. Named after the Fu family¡¯s youngest daughter, theboratory gathered the world¡¯s greatest medical experts.

    During a major medical academic forum, every leading medical expert from all around the world was caught dumbfounded.

    Professor Fu Qingxuan stopped amid his presentation and stared intently at his fingertip. Following a quick flip of his facial expression from excitement to ecstasy, he dashed out of the room like he had lost his marbles.

 Chapter 120 - Our Sisterâ€™s Hurt

    <h4>Chapter 120: Our Sister¡¯s Hurt</h4>

    The medical experts exchanged a nce before nodding their heads in understanding.

    Geniuses were like this. Surely, Professor Fu Qingxuan made a sudden important medical discovery to have made that face.

    He was suddenly in a daze, then happy, excited, and overjoyed. Was this not the look someone made when they solved a medical puzzle?

    They may have gotten the picture but they were curious as to what Professor Fu had discovered and whether they would be granted an opportunity to learn about it.

    At this moment, Professor Fu who seemingly had a major medical breakthrough called his brother in tears and full of snot, whimpering and sobbing on the phone.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s thick and graceful voice on the other end of the line reeked of helplessness. ¡°Stop crying and speak clearly.¡±

    ¡°Qingli.¡± Red in the eyes, Fu Qingxuan stared at his fingertips. Although he was still incoherent in his speech, at least his brother could make out the words with much difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s our sister! I sensed her and felt a pain in my index finger.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s pitch went high.

    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s hurt.¡± Fu Qingxuan bobbed his head and exined in detail. ¡°I feel a tightness in my chest. Qingli, do you think something happened to her?¡±

    He could only sense their sister when her emotions ran high.

    With the nerves of fingertips connected to the heart, she was definitely injured.

    ¡°It will be fine.¡± Fu Qingli firmly answered before switching the topic and sternly saying, ¡°Stop crying. Why are you still crying at your age? Shouldn¡¯t you be presenting right now?¡±

    ¡°The presentation is less important than our sister.¡± Fu Qingxuan disgruntledly rebuked.

    Fu Qingli sighed. ¡°Pull yourself together and don¡¯t embarrass the Fu family.¡±

    He suddenly ran out on the medical forum where top medical experts in the world gathered. Was it not embarrassing enough?

    It would be more of a headache had he left the scene in tears.

    The minds of top medical experts in the world were different from ordinary people as they were discussing Professor Fu Qingxuan with utmost respect. They had to hand it to the genius who took over the medical world at the age of seventeen, having been humbled by his passion and devotion to medical studies.

    ¡­

    ¡°Does it hurt that bad?¡± Yun Jinping felt sorry to see her daughter in tears. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should head to the hospital.:

    ¡°It¡¯s not that painful.¡± Shen Xi shook her head.

    She had no idea what was going on as well. Shen Xi did not have the urge to cry but her tears stubbornly shed on their own.

    Yun Jinping bandaged her wound and wiped away her tears, hoping she could take the pain instead. ¡°Just cry, cry all the pain out.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not hurting anymore. Go ahead with your work. Old Shen should be back soon.¡± Shen Xi wiped her tears dry.

    This was amon urrence with her.

    For as long as she could remember, Shen Xi would feel a sudden pain and tear up for no reason, despite sustaining no injuries.

    After returning to the Su family, Shen Xi found out that she was a twin to Su Mushi and realized that the past incidents were an effect of something called telepathy.

    Nevertheless, it was weird that she felt no pain when Su Mushi was hurt. Supposedly, she should be in pain from smashing Su Mushi¡¯s legs but there was not even a tingle.

    As the snowfall grew heavier, the ground had amassed a thickyer of snow.

    A ck Rolls Royce drove along the road.

    In the backseat, Li Yuan¡¯s eyes intuitively turned to the wall. The absence of the youngdy¡¯s figure there left him heaving a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 121 - Angry With Me

    <h4>Chapter 121: Angry With Me</h4>

    With the meeting having dragged on today, Li Yuan was afraid and anxious that the silly girl would wait in the snow for him. It was a good thing she was not waiting on him.

    Picking up on the sound of a car, Shen Xi jumped up, ran out, and swiftly climbed up thedder before catching a glimpse of a car parked in the driveway. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she saw the man getting down from the car.

    Snowkes were fluttering in the air.

    Li Yuan lifted his head amid the drifting snowkes and observed the youngdy wiping the tears away from her swollen red eyes. Distressed, Li Yuan quickly made his way towards her.

    Shen Xi promptly wiped her tears dry before he came over. She could not put her finger on the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she should be happy with him back and well.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was not the least bit happy and for a split second, grievance tempted her to lose her temper.

    However, who was she to lose her temper at him? What was the rtionship between him and her? Who was she to him?

    Where did he go? What did he do? Why must he report his whereabouts to him?

    Shen Xi was merely the young sister next door in his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Li Yuan sounded nervous; his body tensed up.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Xi shook her head and averted his gaze.

    She had phoned Kun Lun countless times but no one picked up, giving her the impression that something had happened to him. Shen Xi wanted to look for him yet had no idea where to start.

    ¡°Why are you crying if there¡¯s nothing?¡± Li Yuan was heartbroken. ¡°Tell me, who bullied you?¡±

    Embarrassed, Shen Xi had the urge to climb down right away but the sound of his voice overwhelmed her with grievance. She answered in a raspy voice, ¡°No one bullied me.¡±

    With worry in his eyes, Li Yuan furrowed his brows and spoke angrily, ¡°Who was it?¡±

    Since Shen Xi was afraid of his further questioning yet was unwilling to admit her concerns and fears, she went ahead and showed him her finger. ¡°I¡¯m hurt.¡±

    ¡°How did you injure yourself?¡± Looking at her crying and aggrieved face, Li Yuan could only resent that words were not colorful and powerful enough.

    What did he have to do to save her from the pain and tears?

    Li Yuan wanted nothing more than to run to her side to embrace her and wipe away her tears.

    Nevertheless, he could do nothing at present.

    What right did he have? He was only a big brother living next door to her.

    ¡°Pricked by a needle.¡± Shen Xi answered in a hoarse voice coupled with a few sniffles before staring at him with tearful eyes. ¡°Where did you go? I thought you weren¡¯ting back.¡±

    ¡°The meeting endedte.¡± The girl¡¯s tears seemed to trickle into his heart one drip at a time, corroding his heart bit by bit and suffocating him with heartache.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Giving a nod, Shen Xi wiped away her tears and bashfully covered her face while mumbling, ¡°How embarrassing. You should get some rest. I¡¯m going home.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡± The youngdy had run off before Li Yuan could finish his sentence.

    Shen Xi had just climbed down thedder when there was a knock on the door.

    Standing at the entrance, Kun Lun politely handed over a beautiful gift box and a bottle of medicine. ¡°This is a birthday gift for Mrs. Shen and medicine for you.¡±

    Shen Xi spoke in hushed tones. ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t celebrate her birthday. Please convey my gratitude to Brother. I¡¯ll keep the medicine.¡±

    Kun Lun brought the present back.

    Li Yuan frowned at the sight of the untouched present in Kun Lun¡¯s hands before gruffly remarking, ¡°She¡¯s angry with me.¡±

    The little girl was fuming.

    She was irritated and the injury was an excuse to fob him off.

 Chapter 122 - Etched On My Mind

    <h4>Chapter 122: Etched On My Mind</h4>

    ¡°No, Boss. Ms. Shen said that her mom doesn¡¯t celebrate birthdays or ept gifts.¡± Kun Lun was quick to exin. ¡°She didn¡¯t refuse the gift because she¡¯s angry with you. She did take the ointment.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯te over to thank me.¡± Li Yuan faced the wall. His heart was aching, harking back to the girl usingly questioning his whereabouts with grievance. With gloomy and cold eyes, he turned to Kun Lun and asked, ¡°Did she look for you today?¡±

    Turning as white as a sheet, Kun Lun replied, ¡°Boss, wasn¡¯t my phone confiscated?¡±

    Li Yuan frowned as he held back his raging fury. ¡°Go retrieve it and take a look!¡±

    Kun Lun wanted to die when he saw the countess missed calls. He handed the phone to Li Yuan. ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen called me multiple times.¡±

    Uh¡­

    This really was not his fault!

    Boss was the one who had confiscated his phone!

    It never crossed his mind that Ms. Shen would actually call his number. The phone number was given to her two months ago but who knew, out of all the times, she would ring in on the day his phone was confiscated?

    Li Yuan stared at the phone screen with darkness bubbling in his eyes.

    To have called so many times yet not be able to get through, she must have been anxious, scared, and worried.

    Unable to bear the sight of Li Yuan beating himself up, Kun Lun put on a bold face and gave his two cents. ¡°Boss, look at the bright side. It¡¯s clear that Ms. Shen is worried about you, cares for you, and has feelings for you because of the calls she made to me.¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Li Yuan coldly blurted. He stared at the screen of missed calls on the phone with aplicated look on his face. His lean fingers slowly felt the screen, tracing over the youngdy¡¯s name.

    Shen Xi.

    These two words had stirred him for a long time and now the name was etched on his mind.

    As he gradually took in the sweet idea that she was worried about him and had feelings for him, his furrowed brows began to rx themselves.

    Shen Xi was regretting her actions. Why did she allow her feelings to get the better of her when she thoughtlessly went to meet with Brother and talk to him?

    He was smart and did not know what was going on.

    Would he think of her as pretentious and hate her for that?

    Crouching, she snuck up against the wall and listened for footstepsing from the other side before quietly revealing her eyes. She cried out after confirming it was Kun Lun, ¡°Kun Lun!¡±

    Her emotions were all over the ce when Kun Lun knocked on the door bearing presents. With that, Shen Xi had forgotten to inform him to keep mum about the phone calls.

    Kun Lun had no clue why she was here again nor how long she had been waiting. He was in for quite a shock when taking a fleeting glimpse out the window. ¡°Ms. Shen, why are you still here?¡±

    Boss would be sick at heart to find out that she was still waiting here.

    ¡°About that¡­ I need to talk to you about something. Don¡¯t tell Brother that I called you.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s heart sank following the discoloration in Kun Lun¡¯splexion. ¡°You told him?¡±

    Feeling the pressure resting on his shoulders, Kun Lun took a gulp with difficulty before facing her begrudging eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    One thing was for sure, it was Fang Zhu, that b*stard¡¯s fault! Kun Lun would not be caught with an addiction had Fang Zhu not insisted that he beta-test thetter¡¯s newly developed game.

    If Kun Lun did not have a game addiction, he would not have yed during the meeting.

    Had he not yed, Boss would not have realized and confiscated his phone.

    Kun Lun would not have missed Ms. Shen¡¯s calls. Things would not have progressed this way had his phone not been confiscated.

    ¡°I am to be med for calling you so many times.¡± Turning grim in the face, Shen Xi grew listless.

    Sigh!

    This was fate!

    Everything was fated!

 Chapter 123 - Come Straight To Me

    <h4>Chapter 123: Come Straight To Me</h4>

    A silver veil whitewashed the great outdoors first thing in the morning, as a result of a snowfallst night.

    Carrying a backpack, Shen Xi slowed down the pace while crossing the courtyard. She quietly nced at the wall and walked towards thedder only to wimp out and stealthily make a U-turn.

    She probably should just forget it.

    Shen Xi was too ashamed to face Brother.

    At the end of the day, she was not thick-skinned enough. What was there to be embarrassed about anyway? What was wrong with worrying about him?

    To worry was simply human nature. Even if a single stray cat out of a colony that was fed daily went missing one day, the person would be looking around for it out of concern.

    She had just turned around.

    Out of the blue.

    A paper ne came flying andnded by her feet.

    Bending over to pick it up, she noticed that there were words written on it.

    The man¡¯s handwriting bore vigorous and fluid strokes that reflected debonairness and poise. ¡®This is my phone number. Come straight to me if anything¡¯s the matter.¡¯

    Beneath was his phone number.

    Shen Xi put away the paper ne with care before twirling around like a jolly idiot. With smiling eyes, she lifted her head to face the wall and shouted, ¡°Good morning, Brother.¡±

    It did not take long before the man¡¯s heart-stopping sexy voice was heard from the next door. ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Clenching onto her pounding heart, Shen Xi turned red in the face and fled off without another word.

    Li Yuan pursed his lips upward, admitting the delight through his eyes as he listened to the youngdy¡¯s fading but flurried footsteps.

    ¡­

    There was an English debatepetition a week before the exams. It was also thestpetition of the semester.

    With two weeks counting down to the exams, the final participants for the English debatepetition had been decided.

    Apart from those of the top ss, there were two finalists from the international ss ¨C Shen Xi and Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu may not do well in his studies but he was pretty good in English. This was especially reflected in oral debate in which Pei Xu rose above thepetition, disyingid-out thoughts and a sharp tongue. He was always one of the debaters representing No. 4 High School.

    The debate team gathered on a Saturday afternoon to work together towards teamwork and team spirit, so as to bring their collective talent to full y during thepetition.

    The top ss, under the leadership of Chen Bingbing, decked out the ssroom with a red carpet, fresh flowers, and firecrackers to surprise Su Ruowan for taking home the silver in the designpetition.

    ¡°Herees Wanwan. Positions, everyone!¡±

    Chen Bingbing waved her hand at everyone in the ssroom.

    It was a joyous asion with crackling sounds of firecrackers exploding in the background and colorful confetti dancing in the air.

    ¡°Congrattions on winning, Wanwan.¡±

    The group shouted in unison while presenting the flowers to her.

    Covering her mouth, Su Ruowan was moved to tears by this scene. She excitedly eximed, ¡°Thank you all.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re our pride.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, I heard that Mr. Movie Star, Fu Qingye was there to give out an award. You must have seen him!¡±

    The crowd gathered around her, enviously offering their best wishes andpliments.

    Su Ruowan let out a gentle smile and nodded. Of course, she met with him. That man was more charming and charismatic than behind the camera.

    With a look of adoration, Chen Bingbing frantically pulled her. ¡°Oh my god. Wanwan, I¡¯m so jealous of you. Tell me, what is Fu Qingye the movie star like in person? Did you talk to him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Ruowan appeared coy. No one would know the truth despite what she said anyway.

    With the incessant questioning from her girlfriends swelling Su Ruowan with conceit, she began to talk to them about Fu Qingye.

    Su Ruowan tooted her own horn about chatting and sharing a meal with the movie star, adding that Mr. Movie Star was sweet, gentlemanly, and nice to her. She lived her unattainable desire through her words, only leaving out the part about sleeping with him.

    Sitting in the back, Shen Xi faintly swept a nce at her before resuming her attention on the mock test papers.

    The look given by Shen Xi irritated Su Ruowan, prompting a subtle change in her eyes. Carrying flowers in her hands, Su Ruowan walked to Shen and asked with concern, ¡°Shen Xi, why weren¡¯t you at the awards ceremony yesterday?¡±

 Chapter 124 - Hang In There!

    <h4>Chapter 124: Hang In There!</h4>

    What was that look? Was Shen Xi trying to mock her or look down on her?

    What gave Shen Xi the right to look down on her? Was it the horrible design that did not qualify her to the finals?

    Not to put Su Ruowan down, Shen Xi nonchntly replied, ¡°It was my mom¡¯s birthday. I didn¡¯t have the time.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, who are you trying to fool? You weren¡¯t even shortlisted. You¡¯re a joke to talk about the finals and using a stage name.¡±

    Taking the lead, Chen Bingbing arrogantlyughed out loud.

    ¡°She¡¯s only here to give us something tough about. It¡¯s hysterical. Just admit you have no talent. Don¡¯t try and put up a front.¡± Girlfriend A covered her mouth and snickered.

    ¡°Shen Xi, where¡¯s your trophy? Come on, show us!¡± Girlfriend B threw her a scornful and mocking look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t put her in the spot. I¡¯ll eat sh*t if she can show us the trophy.¡± Girlfriend Cughed her head off.

    ¡°Are you really going to eat sh*t if I show you the trophy?¡± Lifting her head, Shen Xi darted a cold and aloof look at Girlfriend C.

    The roaringughter came to an abrupt stop among the group who were taunting Shen Xi.

    As color drained from her face, Su Ruowan became nervous and tried to sound her out. ¡°Shen Xi, they were only joking. Don¡¯t make it difficult for them. They won¡¯t act this way if you just show us the trophy, on the assumption that you have it.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you that afraid I won first ce?¡± A contrast to Su Ruowan¡¯s horrified and discoloredplexion, Shen Xi was smiling brightly, with an unfathomable glint in her eyes.

    Su Ruowan knew for a fact that it was impossible, and that Shen Xi was merely trying her luck, having known that Cai Ni, the winner, was not there to ept the award just so she could mess with Su Ruowan¡¯s mind. Nevertheless, it was hard not to harbor suspicion following Shen Xi¡¯s words and the look in her eyes.

    ¡°Wanwan, there¡¯s no point talking to this sort of person.¡± Chen Bingbing angrily pulled Su Ruowan away while looking daggers at Shen Xi.

    Honestly speaking, Chen Bingbing was afraid of Shen Xi and refrained from crossing her, probably because Shen Xi carried herself with an air that stood for no nonsense. Chen Bingbing would at most get a one-up by ridiculing and mocking her.

    ¡°Shen Xi, it¡¯s fine even if you didn¡¯t win anything.¡± Letting out a gentle smile, Su Ruowan made a gesture to cheer her on. ¡°Hang in there! I believe you can do it.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips in contempt towards Su Ruowan¡¯s pretentiously fake smile.

    Su Ruowan only looked for Shen Xi to ascertain whether she was Cai Ni. She would rx since thetter was unable to produce the gold medal.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch, deliberately misled her to cast doubt and make fun of her.

    Yes. She should not be fooled and give Shen Xi the satisfaction!

    Changing the topic from Shen Xi, Chen Bingbing and the rest began a discussion on ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    ¡°Did you watch the show yesterday? It was great. Every episode is to die for. The awesome screenwriter has won me over.¡±

    ¡°Every episode is to die for? More like, every minute is to die for! I don¡¯t want to elerate the show even by one minute. The actors are amazing, even down to extras. That¡¯s some solid acting.¡±

    ¡°The male and female leads are newbies but they can act way better than those influencers with huge followings. I heard that it was a live recording. I¡¯ve got to give it to the actors memorizing their lines.¡±

    ¡°The male lead, He Pei, is such a hottie. Good looks, great acting skills, especially his eyes that can really tell stories. I can bet that he will be a hit. The screenwriter sure has an eye for picking actors. Love it!¡±

    Clutching her chest, Chen Bingbing shrieked while drooling over the male lead. It was love at first sight for her, having been swept off her feet by He Pei. Nothing was of significance to her, except for He Pei.

 Chapter 125 - Go Against Him

    <h4>Chapter 125: Go Against Him</h4>

    Listening in as the group spoke highly of the actors, screenwriter, and director, Shen Xi took a nce at them and suddenly found them less of an eyesore.

    ¡°Why is the viewership doing badly on the first episode? It¡¯s only 0.5%. I¡¯m not convinced. The costumes, sets, and actors are clearly top notch. People must be blind not to watch.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only the first episode. What are you getting worked up for? We can rmend and share this with people on various forums, Moments, Weibo, and our friends to boost it. I can guarantee that the ratings will skyrocket during the second episode.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Go, go, go, He Pei!¡±

    The group were not having it at the mention of TV ratings and hence, decided to push the show to everyone around.

    Su Ruowan was bitter about hearing them praising the TV show. With Su Mushi walking in, she tugged on Chen Bingbing. ¡°Bingbing, you guys should stop it.¡±

    Mushi was not going to be happy to hear this. After all, the script was first handed to him with the expectation that he was the male lead but he declined the offer.

    Putting on a sour face, Su Mushi coldly swept a nce at the people in the ssroom before turning to leave in a huff.

    What the hell? Why was everyone talking about that d*mned TV show everywhere he went!

    It was supposed to be a total bust. Were they blind? Why did they fall for such a shoddy and disgusting production!

    ¡°Mushi.¡± Worried, Su Ruowan called out and chased after him.

    Once the siblings were gone, Chen Bingbing began to talk in hushed tones,menting that it was a shame Su Mushi turned down the part. It was overall a show of quality, with every minute of the plot to die for. If the show kept up with this pace, surely it would turn out to be a high-quality hit show that was hard toe by.

    Feeling happy, Shen Xi no longer thought of them as an eyesore. Those who praised her script, her actors, and director were on her side for now.

    ¡°Have you watched ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±?¡± Yu Qiubai entered the room and approached Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi buried her head into her mock test papers without lifting a nce.

    Taking a seat beside her, Yu Qiubai went on talking with smiling foxy eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s watch together if you haven¡¯t already.¡±

    With that, he ced a mobile phone between them and removed the earphones to set the audio to the phone¡¯s speakers.

    Shen Xi coldly nced at him, still refusing to share a conversation with him.

    ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s a shame if you haven¡¯t watched. I really rmend you watch. It¡¯s the best show ever.¡± Yu Qiubai grabbed his phone and made his exit.

    This child seemed to have a low opinion of him!

    Su Ruowan came in to find someone in ss watching the TV show on speakers. It was none other than Mushi¡¯s best friend, Yu Qiubai.

    The show was yed on an LCDputer screen which upied two desks. It was pretty cocky and heavy-handed of Yu Qiubai to do so.

    Drawing near, Su Ruowan meekly stared at him. ¡°Qiubai, please, can you not watch? Mushi is about to return, and he¡¯d only be upset and sad to see this.¡±

    Yu Qiubai impatiently nced at her. ¡°Can you not eat then?¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes welled up and reddened from feeling wronged. Like a little bunny tugging at heartstrings, she eximed in a weak yet innocent voice, ¡°Qiubai!¡±

    Sick of her, Yu Qiubai looked askance at her and tapped the table. ¡°This feeds my soul, do you get it?¡±

    What more could Su Ruowan say? Su Ruowan bit her lip in sorrow after being shot an angry look. With her misty eyes failing to soften his heart, she left in dismal.

    Su Mushi managed to get a grip and returned to the ssroom at the sound of the bell, albeit he was still fuming inside.

    He did not want to nor would he ever admit that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was gaining reputation the day after the first episode. Higher viewership was only a matter of time.

    There was quite a bustle in the ssroom as he approached the ssroom. His face turned grim to learn that someone was broadcasting ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± as well as conversing about the plot.

    He was curious as to who the sightless idiot was for having the balls to go against him!

 Chapter 126 - Driven To Insanity

    <h4>Chapter 126: Driven To Insanity</h4>

    Instead of watching the show alone, Yu Qiubai called the whole top ss over to watch together. They watched it once, then watched it again for the heck of it before discussing the plot in case they missed out on any details.

    Su Ruowan looked grumpy while the discussions were in full swing behind her. Lifting her head to find Su Mushi standing by the door, she cried out in worry and panic. ¡°Mushi.¡±

    The sound prompted Yu Qiubai to greet him with a smile. ¡°Shi,e take a look. It¡¯s a show you don¡¯t want to miss. It¡¯s not a bad idea to invest in it. I guarantee that it¡¯s worth the watch and if you snooze you lose.¡±

    The top ss students who were called by Yu Qiubai to watch together dispersed out of fright following the grim look on Su Mushi¡¯s face.

    Seeing red, Su Mushi was smoldering with rage as he strode towards Yu Qiubai and questioned him through clenched teeth. ¡°Yu Qiubai, you did it on purpose!¡±

    It never urred to him that the person broadcasting ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± in ss would be his best buddy.

    ¡°Shi.¡± Raising his brow, Yu Qiubai cheerfully gave a piece of advice. ¡°As humans, we should always learn from our mistakes. Ovee your shorings by reading the script to find out what¡¯s good about it and do better next time. Don¡¯t miss out on another opportunity. Take this as a lesson.¡±

    Su Mushi blew a fuse. ¡°It¡¯s only the first episode. We¡¯ll see if the show sinks or swims!¡±

    He was not going to throw in the towel before the result was out!

    Yu Qiubai threw him a sympathetic look and sighed. ¡°Shi, we must have a clear understanding of ourselves before we can improve.¡±

    Su Mushi felt his blood pressure rising. ¡°Are you still my buddy?¡±

    Yu Qiubai found it odd. ¡°What does watching a TV show have to do with being buddies? Don¡¯t go there, Shi.¡±

    Su Mushi hissed. ¡°Turn it off. Or, shall I smash it for you?¡±

    Not out to burn bridges, Yu Qiubai turned off theputer and ordered his bodyguard to take it away.

    Shen Xi wanted to burst outughing, giving ear to their conversation.

    Yu Qiubai was a godd*mn cunning fox. She had reasons to suspect that he was trying to piss Su Mushi off.

    Another annoyance came after Yu Qiubai stopped ying the show. Pei Xu hade to attend the training camp for the first time ever.

    Of course, Alpha Xu was a character. Others were sitting in ss while he fixated on the TV show, and when everyone was focused on team building games, he was still watching the TV show. Putting the phone on speaker, he would m the table and marvel at scenes that tickled his fancy.

    Pei Xu was allowed to do as he pleased as the teachers dared not boss him around. It was an honor for Pei Xu to grace them with his presence in the first ce.

    Su Mushi was sick of it the whole afternoon and was on the verge of being driven to insanity. Nevertheless, he did not have the courage to step on Pei Xu¡¯s toes. Hence, Su Mushi was subjected to listening to Pei Xu ying ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± on repeat, wishing that he were deaf.

    Apart from Su Mushi and Su Ruowan, the new fans in ss were walking on air. They were distracted from the lecture and zeroed in on the ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± instead.

    Pei Xu took his leave by the time the afternoon break came around.

    Su Ruowan let out a sigh of relief. That darn Pei Xu was finally gone.

    Everyone thought that Alpha Xu would skip ss since a half-day of attendance was pushing the limit for him.

    It was a surprise that Alpha Xu returned when the first period after the break came into session. Bringing along a few battery chargers, he sat down on a seat near a plug before looking at the teacher. ¡°Teacher, go on with your teaching. Just ignore me.¡±

    Putting on a straight face, Pei Xu proceeded to turn on his mobile phone and tuned in to ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

 Chapter 127 - One Was B*tchier Than The Next

    <h4>Chapter 127: One Was B*tchier Than The Next</h4>

    Su Mushi¡¯s face could not be darker as he set his heart on killing Pei Xu. Thetter struck a nerve with him by ying ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± repeatedly.

    Shen Xi gave Pei Xu the thumbs up, with the action nearly cracking her up.

    Raising his eyebrows at her, Pei Xu let out a smug grin.

    Shen Xi was on cloud nine on this day. The Su family¡¯s misery was her greatest happiness.

    Between Yu Qiubai and Pei Xu, one was b*tchier than the next in getting up the Su siblings¡¯ nose, Su Mushi¡¯s in particr.

    The after school bell rang before thest round of debate in the afternoon could begin.

    Shen Xi was conflicted and hesitated for a moment before making up her mind. She whipped out her phone to send the big boss a message.

    ¡®Brother, we have another round of debate so I¡¯ll be homete. Don¡¯t wait up.¡¯

    After much thought, she felt that the first text to him should be short and concise. Hence, she deleted the text and typed a new message.

    ¡®Brother, the teacher¡¯s dragging out on the lecture, I¡¯

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Out of nowhere, Pei Xu enquired from behind and patted her.

    Following a tremble in her hand, Shen Xi sent the message out. She gave the culprit the evil eye. ¡°Pei Xu!¡±

    Grinning from ear to ear, Pei Xu reached out to grab her phone. ¡°Why the secrecy? Let me take a look.¡±

    Shen Xi picked up a book and hurled it at him while hissing, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Feeling snubbed, Pei Xu looked over when her phone vibrated to find the usually cold and aloof girl holding the phone and curling her lips at some message. The sweet smile was an eyesore.

    Shen Xi noticed the text message notification on her phone.

    ¡®Brother: Got it. Safety first.¡¯

    She held the phone and read the text message he sent again and again. Afraid that others might notice, Shen Xi buried her head and smiled like an idiot.

    Yu Qiubai took a nce at Pei Xu before throwing him a question. ¡°Her boyfriend?¡±

    With his eyes expressing coldness, Pei Xu spoke through clenched teeth, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    He then turned and left.

    Unamused, Yu Qiubai shook his head and chuckled to himself. He barely got a word in before a certain somebody blew up.

    By the time Shen Xi reached home, it was seven o¡¯clock at night.

    Getting off the bus, she bolted home but stopped short of the entrance and gazed at the beautiful woman at the door. ¡°Excuse me, who are you here for?¡±

    Jiang Yin observed the beautiful girl in front of her and happily nodded before wickedly curling her lips. ¡°What? Can¡¯t recognize your teacher?¡±

    Feeling numb on the scalp, Shen Xi politely bowed and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Jiang. It was a desperate time that called for an act of expediency. I hope you¡¯re able to look past me falsely using your name.¡±

    Yuan Yu had told her to leave all apprehensions at the door as he had her back and would cover for her.

    Yet why was Ms. Jiang Yin here?

    ¡°What? Are you going to deny it after using me?¡± Smiling ever brighter, Jiang Yin abruptly drew close and poked her head. ¡°Think again. For you to use my name, you¡¯ve be my student even if you¡¯re actually not!¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Jiang Yin gave her a side nce. ¡°What? Cat got your tongue because you¡¯re too happy and excited?¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°Ms. Jiang, I think you should reconsider this carefully. I¡¯m unsuited to be your student.¡±

    Ignoring her, Jiang Yin bore gifts and walked towards the house. Jiang Yin even red at Shen Xi for not keeping up. ¡°What are you standing there for? Come on, keep up.¡±

 Chapter 128 - Call Me Teacher

    <h4>Chapter 128: Call Me Teacher</h4>

    Shen Xi was speechless watching as Jiang Yin entered her house as bold as brass. Whose house was it anyway!

    Oh, no! She seemed to have hit the wall and messed with the wrong person.

    Hearing someone talking at the door, Yun Jinping came out to find a gorgeousdy of mixed parentage. She did not have a chance to say anything at all.

    ¡°You must be Xixi¡¯s mother, Sister. I¡¯m her teacher, Jiang Yin.¡± Jiang Yin pulled a quick one and smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s abrupt of me to visit before calling.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡± Yun Jinping looked at the beautifuldy before turning to her daughter with a long face. Yun Jinping gave Shen Xi a wink, asking in silence what was going on and what teacher was she talking about.

    Shen Xi shrugged and sighed. Truth be told, she had no idea herself!

    She had seen people going to great lengths to be an apprentice to a teacher, but it was her first time witnessing someone insist on taking in a student.

    ¡°Dear Sister, this is Xixi¡¯s trophy which I collected on behalf of her. Please keep it safe.¡± Jiang Yin opened the exquisite-looking gift box to reveal a beautiful trophy inside. This was the first ce trophy from the designpetition.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± Yun Jinping smiled warmly, overjoyed yet bewildered after recognizing that it was Jiang Yin. ¡°Look at this child. She never told me about this and I haven¡¯t got anything prepared.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to prepare anything. We¡¯re family after all.¡± Jiang Yin really made herself at home, using the intimate term ¡®sister¡¯ on Yun Jinping.

    Not only did she call Yun Jinping with a term of endearment, Jiang Yin had no qualms ordering Shen Xi about.

    Bringing out two sses of juice, Shen Xi threw her new teacher a sour look. Thisdy sure knew how to help herself. People would think that she actually lived here!

    Hot with emotions, Yun Jinping was at a loss for words. ¡°What did our Xixi do to deserve you? We¡¯ll be in your care from now on.¡±

    No wonder there was a sense of familiarity from her face and name. The person before her was her favorite editor from Skyway magazine ¡ª Jiang Yin.

    Her daughter sure was something, to have China¡¯s top fashion stylist, Ms. Jiang Yin as her teacher. She had no words to thank Ms. Jiang.

    ¡°Xixi has a creative mind. Sister, just address me by my name or call me sister. There¡¯s no need for formalities.¡± Jiang Yin took a nce at the youngdy who was peeling the apple, wondering to herself if the mom knew how awesome her daughter was.

    Jiang Yin was conscious that there was no way in hell the girl would ept her as a teacher had Shen Xi not initially imed to be her student.

    Shu Baiyu nagged her, saying that she found a young talent but the person refused to be her student. What a pity.

    Jiang Yin was prepared to show off her student to Shu Baiyu at ater date, just to get on her nerves. This was payback for parading and boasting about Guan Yue every single day in the past!

    ¡°Ms. Jiang.¡± Shen Xi handed over the peeled apple with a smile.

    Jiang Yin swept a nce at her. ¡°What did you call me?¡±

    Shen Xi forced a smile. ¡°Teacher, here¡¯s your apple.¡±

    Jiang Yin blissfully grinned at the fact that she could teach the child a thing or two. Taking the apple given by Shen Xi, she offered it to Yun Jinping instead. ¡°I heard that you like apples. I was gifted a few boxes of apples from Xixia. I¡¯ll send them over tomorrow.¡±

    The term ¡°Ms. Jiang¡± was reserved for others while ¡°Teacher¡± was exclusively for Shen Xi!

    It was Yun Jinping¡¯s first experience of being in a close encounter with a huge figure who was warm, approachable, and not to mention, nice.

 Chapter 129 - A Beast Behind A Gentlemanâ€™s Mask

    <h4>Chapter 129: A Beast Behind A Gentleman¡¯s Mask</h4>

    The gossip column in the magazine described Ms. Jiang as arrogant, entric, and hard to get along with. Now it seemed these were all made up. If Ms. Jiang was not easy to get along with, neither was everyone else in this world.

    Shen Zhangqing soon returned home. His eyes welled up with excitement after finding out about Jiang Yin and the fact that she was Shen Xi¡¯s teacher. ¡°Ms. Jiang, thank you for looking fondly upon our Xixi. Our Xixi may not be the brightest, but she is willing to put in the work. Please take your time with her.¡±

    Chewing on her chopsticks, Shen Xi looked rather intive. ¡®Who isn¡¯t the brightest? Old Shen, stop lying through your teeth.¡¯

    Jiang Yin replied with a smile. ¡°I will teach her well. Brother Shen, Sister, rest assured that you can leave her to me.¡±

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were overwhelmed with gratitude.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    The family walked Jiang Yin to the door after dinner and saw her car off before turning to return home.

    Grinning from ear to ear, Shen Zhangqing dotingly patted Shen Xi on the shoulder with a gratified look on his face. ¡°Our Xixi is the best. A great person like Ms. Jiang is our Xixi¡¯s teacher.¡±

    Yun Jinping was crying happy tears as she exhorted Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, listen to your teacher and respect her as you do us.¡±

    For such an amazing figure to be her daughter¡¯s teacher, her little baby was no less than impressive.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Xi was not bold enough to say otherwise in the face of her grateful parents.

    Oh, woe was her!

    The teacher was currently ced number one in their hearts while she, as the daughter, had to step aside.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing went to tidy up the ce.

    Shen Xi took the opportunity to climb up the wall.

    Li Yuan was sitting by the living room entrance, attending a video conference via theptop upon hisp. Sensing that there were eyes on him, Li Yuan lifted his head and smiled at the youngdy.

    Shen Xi stared straight at the man by the door.

    The man today wore a pair of golden-rimmed sses on his nose, adding a ir of gentility and elegance to him. It really made her heart flutter when he shed those pearly whites.

    Speaking in a gruff voice, Li Yuan nced at the screen. ¡°That¡¯s all for the meeting today.¡±

    He then shut theptop and handed it to Kun Lun.

    Kun Lun had also attended the video conference through his phone and the moment he terminated the conference, the scene froze on the managers and board of directors with their jaws dropped to the ground in shock. They looked like they had been spooked.

    He could imagine what amotion it was following Boss¡¯ curl of the lips.

    ¡°Has your guest left?¡± Li Yuan wheeled himself over and lifted his head to meet the girl¡¯s eyes.

    Shen Xi hummed in acknowledgment but her eyes remained fixated on the sses against hisp. She turned to him with expectant eyes. ¡°Brother, could you put on your sses?¡±

    Brother with sses on vividly expressed the meaning of a beast behind a gentleman¡¯s mask and thebination between nobility and abstinence. It was right up her alley!

    Li Yuan put on the sses and gazed at her. ¡°Like this?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head without a moment¡¯s hesitation, unable to take her eyes away from him. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re such a hunk when you have sses on.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s lips livened up to a delighted gradient.

    Shen Xi was in the best mood today, with the minor exception of when she was caught off guard by her teacher showing up at her door to make the teacher-student rtionship official. Nevertheless, Shen Xi thought about it and decided that it would put her in a more favorable position.

    ¡°Brother, my ssmates are all talking about how great ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± is. The girls in my ss arepletely blown away by He Pei. ¡°Shen Xi happily reported to him.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Li Yuan froze. Judging by the cheerful smile on her face, had she fallen for that male lead as well?

 Chapter 130 - Perfect Face

    <h4>Chapter 130: Perfect Face</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m happy as well since he¡¯s an artist of ourpany. That fact that he bes a hit and gains the love of the public would bring profit to thepany. Of course, I¡¯d be happy.¡± The grin on Shen Xi¡¯s face grew brighter.

    Li Yuan could see money written all over the girl¡¯s face following the mention of profit. Curling his lips, Li Yuan replied, ¡°Kun Lun has a thing for Bai Yuyan.¡±

    She loved that the person was able to earn her money and bring her profit, not the person himself.

    Letting out a titter, Shen Xi intentionally darted a look at Kun Lun, standing not far away, and lengthened her vowel. ¡°Oh!¡±

    So, it turned out Kun Lun¡¯s type was the b*tchy heiress kind, huh. Bai Yuyan was the primary supporting actress in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, yed by Gao Meng as herself.

    Kun Lun could not pick up on their conversation, but had an inkling it was not good, judging by the look given by Shen Xi. Boss must be talking smack about him to Ms. Shen.

    The conversation had not been going on for long when Yun Jinping called out to Shen Xi.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll make a move home. I still have work to do.¡± Shen Xi then excitedly turned to him. ¡°Don¡¯t have dinner tomorrow, I¡¯m going to treat you!¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan nodded, only turning to leave after the youngdy¡¯s footsteps faded away in the distance.

    Kun Lun had a feeling that Boss was acting a little weird today. He refused to remove his sses, even after a shower and when he was ready to hit the sack.

    Only God knew what a perfect vision Boss had. He had an unchanged habit since his younger days, to put on sses during meetings.

    At first, Kun Lun thought that perhaps Boss was acting on a whim but it never urred to him that Boss was still wearing sses for many days toe.

    Boss even made sure his sses were intact especially during his meetups with Ms. Shen. This gave Kun Lun the suspicion that Ms. Shen had said something to him.

    Shen Xi returned home and turned on theputer to find every piece of information with emphasis on pictures about Fu Qingye the film star. She poured her mind into analyzing his clothing style and preferences.

    Her teacher found her a job.

    Standing at the height of his career, the world¡¯s youngest, most handsome, and most celebrated film star, Fu Qingye was on his way to China and requested her by name to be his stylist during his time here.

    Shen Xi downloaded the pictures and printed them out. She finally had a profound understanding of what the perfect face was at this moment.

    Mr. Movie Star¡¯s picture-perfect face and Adonis-like figure was a sight to behold with every smile and movement he made.

    Her breath was taken away just by the photos and to see him in the flesh, her mind would probably be blown away.

    This person definitely lived up to term ¨C drop-dead gorgeous.

    Shen Xi could not wait to meet with him. This stunning look and perfect figure-ratio would still be seen as a knockout and avantgarde, even if dressed in nylon polybag.

    What did the sess of fashion depend on? The face and figure, of course!

    Shen Xi wanted to see Mr. Movie Star right away but he would only begin his journey to China in a week. She could only satisfy her itch by watching his movies and interviews.

    Following the release of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±¡®s episode, the viewership soared to 3% as expected and became the most watched TV show.

    The marketing ounts on Weibo, various websites, and media tforms that Shen Xi told Yuan Yu to have on standby came in handy as they began sharing and rmending ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. The director and screenwriter of the show were also caught in all the buzz.

    The male lead ¨C He Pei in particr, attracted a lot of fans with his great acting, ethereal bearing, and stunning looks in historical costume. His poprity shot through the roof and on its way to hit an all-time record high.

 Chapter 131 - Bang

    <h4>Chapter 131: Bang</h4>

    Fans of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± were excited. Whether on the road, on buses, in schools, there were always people watching the show on their phones.

    The international ss was walking on sunshine. They used the projector to y ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± in ss.

    The ssmates who ced a bet were rekindled with a fighting chance and hope. Going past 10% in TV ratings was close at hand if ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± maintained the pace and continued its climb.

    In the next two days, the international ss held their heads high, chests puffed out, and walked with a swagger, it was as though they had won the lottery!

    Song Wenye even organized a trip to the temple for blessings on Saturday to pray that ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would continue to climb!

    Shen Xi was pleased, but was it a good idea for them to be so cocky?

    With a new beau in mind, Song Wenye was a true fan and wanted topile a video montage of He Pei. To her dismay, He Pei was only a newbie who had just made his debut. Hence, except the first two episodes of the TV show, there were no videos of him to be found on the web.

    ¡°I strongly demand that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± be a daily broadcast!¡± Tearful, Song Wenye was dying for more video and information on Hei Pei. Oh, how she yearned to ogle Hei Pei¡¯s handsome face.

    Sadly, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was a weekly release. It was filmed and released as they went and each episode was around an hour long. The episodes were updated every Friday and Saturday.

    In the first two episodes, around an hour and a half was about the protagonist¡¯s childhood. With the scene between male and female leads less than half an hour long, countless fans who were waiting for the magic to happen just could not have enough of it.

    The girlfriends in Song Wenye¡¯s ss shared the same sentiments. Why was it a weekly release? Would it not be better if it was daily? It was torturous for them to wait for a new episode. They longed for an update day and night, growing thin from the inability to eat and sleep well. It was driving them nuts!

    Shen Xi unlocked her phone and took a nce at the numbers Yuan Yu sent her. Following the release of only two episodes of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, the actors¡¯ Weibo showed a sudden increase in their fanbase. The fastest growing belonged to He Pei, who now had 5 million new followers.

    It went from zero to 5 million in just two days. The impact of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was in to see.

    The female lead, Shen Ruoning, gained over 3 million in followers.

    Gao Meng came as a huge surprise, attracting fans faster than the female lead herself. With already a hundred thousand subscribers to her name, her ount swiftly climbed up to past 4 million followers.

    Yuan Yu had ns for the actors to join his own short-video tform and post daily videos to draw in new ount signups and increase traffic.

    Shen Xi knew that working together with her brother was the best decision. He had more connections than she could imagine.

    The short-video tform she mentioned was beta-testedst month and would be in the software market in a few days.

    With ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± gaining momentum, the rising actors began to advocate for the video tform, bringing it to the public eye and the mainstream scene.

    ¡­

    There was no school on a Sunday afternoon.

    As the viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± broke through 3%, Shen Xi personally went to the market to buy the freshest ingredients to cook for the big boss. She locked herself in the kitchen upon her return and worked on it all day.

    Yun Jinping had made up her mind to go for her career and do what she loved while fulfilling her dreams. She was also helping her daughter build a personal brand and was learning from Jiang Yin every day.

    The pair went to look at a venue for an office today. Having decided on a venue, Yun Jinping returned home as Jiang Yin had other business to attend to.

    It never crossed her mind that a loud bang would be heard in the kitchen upon her return shortly thereafter. Scared out of her wits, Yun Jinping rushed over in a flurry. ¡°Xixi!¡±

 Chapter 132 - He Would Love It All The Same

    <h4>Chapter 132: He Would Love It All The Same</h4>

    Looking greasy from head to toe, Shen Xi stared at Yun Jinping with grievance. ¡°Mom, is cooking that hard?¡±

    Yun Jinping stared at the mess in the kitchen and nced at the wok on the ground. She was only at ease after seeing that Shen Xi was fine. She had been scared out of her wits, thinking that the gas had exploded. ¡°Why do you want to cook out of the blue?¡±

    She went up to wipe Shen Xi¡¯s face, feeling bad for her daughter while still having the urge to give her a good telling-off.

    Shen Xi bit her lip and sniffed. ¡°I promised to treat our neighbor if the TV ratings went past 1%.¡±

    ¡°Dear child, what do you know about cooking? What if you hurt yourself?¡± Yun Jinping took a deep breath.

    To this day, Yun Jinping had never seen the neighbor next door but her daughter seemed to care a lot about him.

    ¡°Mom, teach me to cook!¡± Shen Xi eagerly stared at her. ¡°I promised him a meal and I have to do it myself to demonstrate my sincerity.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you!¡± Yun Jinping helplessly tapped on her forehead. ¡°Our neighbor sure has all the luck in the world for my daughter to cook for him. I¡¯m getting jealous.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you and Dad should join us.¡± Shen Xi smiled ingratiatingly.

    Yun Jinping had in mind that she could just give pointers at the side while her daughter cooked. Shen Xi could make any dish since she was smart and caught on quickly after all.

    However, Yun Jinping could not have been more wrong. Watching as the fine wok got knocked over again and again, even the mild-natured Yun Jinping could not stand it any longer. She had to admit, there were some people who did not belong in the kitchen.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Yun Jinping picked up the wok, all fed up and wanting to scold her daughter. Nevertheless, the sour look on Shen Xi¡¯s face melted her heart. ¡°Oh, daughter of mine, you don¡¯t have to cook, I¡¯ll cook for you all you want.¡±

    Shen Xi was forced to face reality and ept that she could never be a chef. ¡°Madam Yun, don¡¯t worry. I may not know how to cook but I will make lots of money and hire you a different chef every day.¡±

    Yun Jinping¡¯s anger turned toughter thanks to Shen Xi.

    In the end, Shen Xi was sessful in making two cups of instant noodles under the watchful eye of Yun Jinping.

    Li Yuan and the girl had an agreement that to celebrate the viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± surpassing 1%, the girl would treat him to a meal, and it was set at 5 o¡¯clock.

    Kun Lun observed as his boss put on the clothes given by Ms. Shen and paired it with the sses. After Boss straightened himself out, he ordered Kun Lun to carry a table out and set it in front of him. The dinner date was quite formal.

    Since Ms. Shen¡¯s mother was a great cook, Kun Lun trusted that Ms. Shen would be the same, seeing that the apple did not fall far from the tree. However, he thought his eyes were ying tricks with him when Ms. Shen brought two instant noodles cups over.

    Seriously, he guessed wrong.

    Although Shen Xi felt uneasy, she faced him with a smile and put down the instant noodles. ¡°Brother, it turns out I can¡¯t cook so this is the best I can do.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± With a grin across his lips, Li Yuan stared at the youngdy who tried to keep a calm front. ¡°You¡¯re the one treating and as a guest, I¡¯ll respect the host.¡±

    Kun Lun went ahead to respectfully arrange the instant noodles along with two side dishes of salted vegetables, a te of pickled cowpeas, and a te of kimchi on the table.

    Jesus. Boss had been looking forward to this meal since yesterday. He specifically took a bath and got dressed, thinking of this appointment like a pilgrimage yet Ms. Shen served him a cup of instant noodle?

    Rubbing her nose, Shen Xi solemnly looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother. I will work hard so that you have a chance to eat the food I cook.¡±

    Li Yuan gazed at the youngdy, who was a bundle of nerves and nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Whatever it was, on the condition that she made it herself, he would love it all the same.

 Chapter 133 - My Treat Next Time

    <h4>Chapter 133: My Treat Next Time</h4>

    Ill at ease, Shen Xi was unable to savor the instant noodles in her mouth. Instead, she could not help but sneak a peek at the person opposite her. She took a nce, and then another nce.

    The man always carried himself with grace and nobility no matter where and when. He was a sight to behold even as he dined on a cup of noodles.

    She was familiar with the taste of instant noodles.

    Shen Xi was aware that treating him to instant noodles was a bit of a shoddy move.

    Nheless, Shen Xi was filled with anticipation despite having no idea what she was looking forward to.

    Li Yuan believed that out of all the delicacies from his past, these noodles were the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. The nervous and expectant look on the girl¡¯s face left him in a conflict of distress and happiness.

    He wanted to meet her in the eye, yet afraid to scare her off. Hence, he earnestly dug into the noodles.

    The couple quietly finished off their noodle cups. The usually chatty youngdy kept to herself for once.

    Kun Lun watched them both ingest a noodle cup each.

    Ms. Shen seemed to have something on her mind, eating as if it was tasteless.

    Boss, on the other hand, was smiling ear to ear and really enjoying his meal. One would think he was indulging in some delicacies.

    Shen Xi finished the cup of noodles, not knowing what she had eaten. Noticing the man putting down his chopsticks, she turned to him with expectant eyes.

    Li Yuan put down his chopsticks and gazed at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a brandunch to go to tomorrow? You should head back early for a rest!¡±

    Although her heart sank, Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    After having the instant noodles, did he not have anything to say to her?

    With the girl giving him a longing and sorrowful gaze, Li Yuan was amused and heartbroken at the same time. He called out to her. ¡°Hold on.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up as she turned around and threw him a nervous but anticipating look.

    Li Yuan wheeled himself forward and ced an exquisitely wrapped gift box in the basket. His tone bore a clear hint of delight. ¡°A present for your quick sess. May ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± continue to have triumphant progress and high viewership.¡±

    Though disappointed, Shen Xi wanted to keep it from him. Thus, she smiled brightly and spoke in her usual perky and clear voice, ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡±

    It pained Li Yuan to see the glow in her eyes put out the moment she turned around with the gift in hand. He quit the teasing and let out augh. ¡°It was delicious.¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s sexy and delightful voice, Shen Xi abruptly turned back and had the spark rekindle in her eyes.

    As his eyes met the girl¡¯s expectant eyes, his lips opened. ¡°Dinner was delicious. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    Happy atst, she asked him with her heart racing, ¡°Really?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and curled his lips into a gleeful smile. He did not hold back on the praise. ¡°Any food would be delicious as long as you¡¯re the one making it.¡±

    ¡°I will treat you again next time.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up and sparkled like the brightest stars in the sky. Sweetness slowly filled her heart.

    ¡°It will be my treat next time.¡± Li Yuan looked at the girl and grinned.

    Shen Xi was on cloud nine and her heart was pounding out of her chest with joy. The smile never left her lips even after she carried the gift home.

    All she wanted was a word from him.

    It did not matter whether the instant noodles were delicious or not, Shen Xi was happy and filled with a sense of achievement if he said it was good.

    Li Yuan stood there, listening as the girl¡¯s footsteps faded away in the courtyard, the smile across his lips growing with delight and doting.

    Silly youngdy.

    Why was she so easily pleased?

 Chapter 134 - Flattery

    <h4>Chapter 134: ttery</h4>

    Before the end of the term, No. 4 High School organized a parent-teacher meeting for the school¡¯s top fifty students.

    Li Jingran would attend the parent-teacher meeting each time. One, to uphold her image as a good mother, and two, to show off.

    Her son and daughter were always in the top two spots after all and never blew it, making her proud and haughty.

    The results of the mock exam this time had not been announced but since the parents on site knew each other, they were throwing ttery left and right.

    Li Jingran was of course basking in a shower ofpliments.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, to bag the top two ces each time, your children are the best.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Su really has a way of teaching her children. Ms. Su and the young masters have turned out quite sessful. I¡¯m so jealous.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Su, please teach us how you did it. My son only hovers around the 30th ce and can¡¯t go any higher. It¡¯s been causing me to pull my hair out.¡±

    The parents gathered around Li Jingran, ttering and asking for the secret to educating children.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t teach them anything. They conscientiously did it themselves.¡± Li Jingran modestly smiled.

    The bottom line was, her children carried superior genes and were born with brains.

    ¡°Exactly. Ms. Su and Young Master Su are born bright. It¡¯s not like we canpare.¡± Parent A enviously stared at her.

    ¡°I heard that Ms. Shu Baiyu went to your cest month. Is she taking Ms. Su as her primary student?¡± Parent B was in a gossipy mood.

    Li Jingran was fuming at the mention of Shu Baiyu¡¯s name but remained dignified and elegant in the face. ¡°It was nothing. Ms. Shu merely came over for a meal.¡±

    After the dancepetition, god knew where Shu Baiyu, that b*tch, got her information from and came to her house seeking Shen Xi. She was this close from going off the deep end.

    ¡°It¡¯s surely a done deal. Ms. Su is amazing. Not just anyone can be Shu Baiyu¡¯s student.¡± Parent B¡¯s tone reflected her envy. ¡°Mrs. Su, you are so lucky. I will wake up with a smile if my daughter was blessed enough to have Ms. Shu Baiyu as her teacher.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shu Baiyu is great but I heard that Ms. Jiang Yin has nothing but praises for Ms. Su as well.¡± Parent Su chimed in with thepliments.

    Li Jingran¡¯s blood pressure was rising because of these cows¡¯ments. The more she refrained from speaking about a certain somebody, the more they brought the person up in front of her. Li Jingran replied with a smile. ¡°As Ms. Jiang Yin has a student now, she won¡¯t be epting another. Unfortunately, our Wanwan doesn¡¯t have such luck.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Su, don¡¯t worry. No teacher would only ept only one student. Ms. Su won the silver medal in the international designpetition this time. Ms. Jiang Yin won¡¯t pass up on such a promising child.¡± Parent C was green with envy.

    One after the other, Li Jingran¡¯s children grew increasingly more outstanding, especially when held up against the children of the other parents. Certainly, the act ofparing only led to a bitter end!

    Keeping a dignified smile on the surface while still boiling with rage within, Li Jingran let out a polite smile as she changed the topic. ¡°I hear the bell. It must be starting soon.¡±

    ¡°We should congratte you in advance. Ms. Su and Young Master Su will triumphantlye out on top.¡±

    The parents appeared envious but inside, they were bitter with resentment.

    ¡°Nothing is definite.¡± Li Jingran may say so but her eyes reflected pride and confidence. ¡°The results aren¡¯t out yet.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Su, you¡¯re too humble. There¡¯s no doubt about that fact.¡±

    The parents then returned to their respective seats.

    Li Jingran was finally in a better mood. There was one thing for certain, Wanwan and Shi always scored high grades and never disappointed her when it came to studies.

    The sight of these women¡¯s jealous and bitter eyes gave her such pleasure. Her children were the best and no one couldpare to them.

    Minutes before the parent-teacher meetingmenced.

    Shen Xi pushed the door open to enter the room.

 Chapter 135 - Curse Her To Death

    <h4>Chapter 135: Curse Her To Death</h4>

    With wealthy and respectable parents attending the parent-teacher meeting, someone of equal standing should host the meeting. Hence, the principal personally conducted the gathering between parents and teacher.

    ¡°Shen Xi, where are your parents?¡± The principal solemnly asked since she came alone.

    This student was exceptional. In recent months, she had been the person of the hour in the school, bringing home the trophy for every singlepetition and making the school proud. Of course, he was happy.

    ¡°My adopted mother is upied and unable toe.¡± Gazing at the principal, Shen Xi politely replied.

    Furrowing his brows, the principal blurted unconsciously, ¡°What about your birth mom?¡±

    Shen Xi swept a mocking nce at Li Jingran before answering in a cold tone. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±

    As color drained from her face, Li Jingran was shaking with anger at the reply.

    Cursing her to death, huh?

    Just how wicked could Shen Xi be?

    Her adopted mother was only a housewife yet was too upied to attend the meeting. What could she be busy with?

    This d*mn brat must have known she would be here and was deliberately getting on her nerves!

    Oh, this poor child. The principal gave Shen Xi a sympathetic look and stopped with the questions. ¡°Please take a seat.¡±

    Shen Xi found a random seat and sat down.

    The parents on site were curious about the story behind an adopted mother and a birth mother. Nheless, no one had the guts to bring it up in front of the person concerned.

    Li Jingran could fly into rage but was unable to teach Shen Xi a lesson since she had an appearance to keep up with at the parent-teacher meeting. Well, the uncultured brat had another thinging right after the meeting!

    The principal made a brief opening statement before smiling at the crowd of parents. ¡°I will now announce the results of the exams. First ce belongs to¡­¡±

    Every green-eyed parent turned to Li Jingran in unison while bearing different expressions. There was no doubt that her children were first and second ce.

    With her vanity being fed, Li Jingran straightened her back and kept a smile on her face as she epted the crowd¡¯s praises and envy.

    The principal looked towards Shen Xi and grinned. ¡°First ce is our Shen Xi. Please congratte her.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s smile froze but her eyes turned to Shen Xi in disbelief. How could this brat take first ce!

    She remembered that Shen Xi had always done poorly in school, cingst in every exam and bringing shame to her!

    The parents all turned to Shen Xi. It never urred to them that someone would im the Su siblings¡¯ never-changing spots at the top.

    Momentster, they gazed at Li Jingran and relished in her misfortune. It was all insincere ttery. They may be smiling in the face of her arrogance but inside, they were bitter with resentment and waiting for the day Li Jingran made a fool of herself!

    Now that her child was not in first ce, they wondered if Li Jingran would keep up with the cockiness!

    The parents gloatingly began to apud.

    Not one to appear ungant, Li Jingran absent-mindedly pped, albeit her eyes reflected her true feelings.

    Shen Xi, that brat, must have cheated!

    Otherwise, she could not have possibly scored first ce in the exam with that scatterbrain of hers.

    Shen Xi got up to retrieve her report card and politely nodded at the parents. Shepletely ignored Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran could pass out from fury.

    This wicked brat must be happy for making her look bad in front of so many people!

 Chapter 136 - She Was The Birth Mother

    <h4>Chapter 136: She Was The Birth Mother</h4>

    Li Jingran thought that since Shen Xi ced first, Wanwan and Shi should take second ce so that she could redeem herself. At least, she would still be respected among the parents.

    Nevertheless, the second ce did not belong to Su Mushi or Su Ruowan. Instead, it was a student named Yu Yuanxi.

    Li Jingran was about to lose it.

    What was going on with Shi and Wanwan? Were they not always at the top two spots? Why did they allow someone else to steal their ces away?

    It was not just somebody but Shen Xi, that brat!

    With a straight look on her face, Shen Xi curled her lips cynically.

    Li Jingran clenched her fists as she stared at Shen Xi¡¯s back. A raging fire was burning deep within her eyes.

    What a brat! Who was Shen Xi to embarrass her!

    Just before the meeting ended.

    Someone knocked on the door and it was the teacher in charge of the international ss. The teacher¡¯s cheeks were rosy with excitement. ¡°Principal, Ms. Shu Baiyu hase to visit and requested to meet with a person.¡±

    Turning blue in the face, Li Jingran gave Shen Xi a look as though she wanted to eat her up.

    The parents were intrigued to hear Shu Baiyu¡¯s name and turned towards Li Jingran.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, is Ms. Shu here to see you?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Su. Ms. Su has gained a teacher.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Su, what are you doing here? Don¡¯t keep Ms. Shu waiting.¡±

    These biting remarks left Li Jingran with the impression that everyone was against her. Her chest could explode with rage.

    These godforsaken b*tches. Who gave them the right to spurt such absurdity? Were they mocking her on purpose?

    Shu Baiyu, that b*tch, could not pick a better time and had toe while she was in a parent-teacher meeting? Was the b*tch here to see her humiliated?

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The international ss teacher embarrassedly stared at them. ¡°The person Ms. Shu wants to see is Shen Xi of the international ss.¡±

    It took a lot in Li Jingran to keep her cool but she felt a p in her face right there and then, shattering all that was left of her dignity.

    The parents stared at Shen Xi in disbelief. Someone with inside information spoke in hushed tones that Ms. Shu showed interest in taking a student under her wing during the dancepetition. Rumor had it that the person¡¯s name was Shen Xi.

    Needless to say, the principal was grinning from ear to ear. It was a great honor to the school if Ms. Shu Baiyu epted someone from their school as a student!

    With Shen Xi gone, the parents were overwhelmed with jealousy and openly sang praises about her.

    ¡°This student is amazing. Not only did she improve tremendously and climb to first ce in a short period of time, but she¡¯s also the student of Ms. Shu Baiyu.¡±

    ¡°The champion of the Olympiadpetition is also her.¡±

    ¡°She took home the gold in the dancepetition too. She¡¯s beyond outstanding.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d wake up smiling if I gave birth to such an exceptional daughter.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of giving birth to a fine child. I really want to meet her parents and see what kind of parents have taught such an amazing child.¡±

    ¡­

    Li Jingran felt her chest tightening and numbness spreading throughout her body. It was unclear whether it was from anger, disgust, or frustration and regret.

    What kind of parents?

    She was her birth mother!

    This brat was only smart because she inherited her and her husband¡¯s superior genes.

    Shen Xi improved swiftly in her grades, because she was taught well during the one year with the Su family. It was not as though her stupid parents was capable of raising a fine child.

 Chapter 137 - Share A Student

    <h4>Chapter 137: Share A Student</h4>

    News that Ms. Shu Baiyu came personally to look for Shen Xi quickly spread, inviting a lot of hate and jealousy.

    The top ss which held a grudge against Shen Xi, was especially livid. Shen Xi was a nobody. What did Ms. Shu Baiyu see in such a person, to even personallye to find her!

    Su Ruowan, having caught wind of the news, panicked, was furious, resentful, worried, and scared. The rush of emotions flooding into her left her with ants in her pants.

    Shu Baiyu, that old hag, came to the school in the end. Was she that eager to take Shen Xi as a student? What good was Shen Xi,pared to her?

    Shen Xi would be the second Shu Baiyu if that b*tch really became the old hag¡¯s student. Mom and Dad would not be willing to forsake someone with value and would ept Shen Xi back in the family.

    A lot ran through Su Ruowan¡¯s mind in fleeting seconds. She made up her mind to find and stop Mom from giving in with regret and getting ideas about taking Shen Xi back.

    Su Mushi was beside himself when he heard the news, tempted to get blood on his hands after learning that Shen Xi took away his first ce ¨C a record that he kept for three years.

    His pride and dignity refused to allow anyone to surpass him and stand on top of him.

    Above all, it had to be Shen Xi, who he despised the most, insulting him like never before.

    ¡°Mushi, what are you doing?¡± Su Ruowan meekly cried as Su Mushi barged out in a huff.

    Without looking back, Su Mushi made his way out of the ssroom.

    Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi would not get away with it. The pair must have adopted illicit means to score such high grades.

    With him gone, Su Ruowan lowered her head to hide the menacing look on her face. Mushi must have went to deal with Shen Xi, that b*tch. She should cry to Mom for an attempt of sadfishing as well as offerfort to Mom.

    The VIP reception in school.

    Shen Xi and Shu Baiyu formally met for the first time. After an exchange of greeting, they sized each other up.

    Shu Baiyu had watched the solo dance of the Corn Poppy on video countless times yet was still blown away every single time. It was hard to connect this aloof ice-queen in front of her to the passionate dancer who tranted emotions through her body to a beautiful ending.

    Shen Xi was also observing her. Despite pushing fifty and being a lot older than her teacher, Jiang Yi, Ms. Shu really aged well. Her good looks and cultured bearings put her around the age of thirty.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of my intentions with my presence here.¡± Shu Baiyu gazed at her. ¡°Let me get straight to the point. I want you to be my student.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Shu, but I already have a teacher. I can¡¯t have another teacher.¡± Shen Xi politely declined.

    It never crossed her mind that Ms. Shu Baiyu, known for her indifference and aloofness, would be persistent enough to hunt her down to her school. Shen Xi was not of the opinion that she was worthy of it.

    Shu Baiyu replied with a smile, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Jiang Yin, then you don¡¯t have to worry. She and I are best friends. She won¡¯t mind sharing a student with me.¡±

    She herself never imagined that she would cast all inhibition aside ande looking for a student at her age.

    This girl¡¯s talent and dance moves kept her up at night and made her lose her appetite. Shu Baiyu could never be at rest unless she had Shen Xi as her student.

 Chapter 138 - Terrifying Presence

    <h4>Chapter 138: Terrifying Presence</h4>

    Shu Baiyu could not sit by and watch a fine gem slip away in front of her. It would not be doing right by her acquired skills.

    ¡°Ms. Shu, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Shen Xi had a good feeling about her, but she did not want to find herself another teacher. One was trouble enough.

    Shu Baiyu was always standoffish and never had to bend over to anyone, unable to bring herself to pester Shen Xi as Jiang Yin did. She was feeling down after being turned down. ¡°Please take the time to think it over. I will wait for you. Come find me once you have figured it out.¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi bluntly came clean. ¡°Ms. Shu, there¡¯s no need to waste your time with me. My heart is not on dance. I probably won¡¯t be up for the responsibility even if I be your student.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± Shu Baiyu gracefully smiled. It never urred to her that the girl would show no mercy to an olddy like her, leaving her without any hope. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t keep you then. Please excuse me.¡±

    Since Shen Xi had no interest, it made no sense for Shu Baiyu to insist further.

    Shen Xi got up. ¡°Let me see you off.¡±

    Shu Baiyu smiled at her, having knowledge that with a talent such as Shen Xi¡¯s, she would not put her all on dance. However, Shen Xi would achieve better sess in dance than Shu Baiyu if she put 10%-20% of her mind into it.

    Shen Xi was only saying so to make her give up.

    This was for the best. At least Shu Baiyu would not be hung up about it. She was happy enough to meet Shen Xi once. It was just not destined for them to share a student-teacher rtionship.

    Shen Xi was a fine youngdy ¨C prim, proper, educated, and humble.

    With that character of Jiang Yin, it was a great steal to gain Shen Xi as her student.

    Had Shu Baiyu known that Jiang Yin would pull this move, she would have put aside her dignity and looked for Shen Xi more often.

    Guan Yue knew that they missed the boat by the look on Ms. Shu¡¯s face. It was a pity that Shen Xi had not agreed to her request as her teacher was very much invested in this.

    To rope Shen Xi in, Shu Baiyu used her connections and asked around about Shen Xi. She even personally paid a visit to the Su residence, but the Su family¡¯s elders stuck to their statement of not knowing anyone by the name Shen Xi.

    Her teacher was filled with regret. Shu Baiyu continued to probe around while upied with a performance abroad, only finding out now about Shen Xi and her address from Jiang Yin. She came to see Shen Xi right away.

    It was a shame that Shen Xi had already acknowledged Ms. Jiang Yin as her teacher.

    Ms. Jiang Yin really haddy luck on her side.

    Shen Xi walked Shu Baiyu to the stairs when the school bell rang. Shu Baiyu told Shen Xi that she could stop here and return to her ss.

    ¡°Take care, Ms. Shu.¡± Shen Xi stood there to watch them leave before turning around.

    ¡­

    With everything going south, Li Jingran was all pent up with anger and unable to stand the presence of annoyance. s, she ran into Shu Baiyu at the bottom of the school building. Li Jingran let out a gracious smile. ¡°Ms. Shu.¡±

    Shu Biayu politely greeted in return, ¡°Ms. Li.¡±

    Guan Yue nodded at her in respect and greeted Su Ruowan who was beside Li Jingran.

    Su Ruowan started to hate on Shu Baiyu ever since she was turned down and advised against learning dance. Seeing Shu Baiyu in the flesh, Su Ruowan was tempted to rip the olddy¡¯s face apart.

    The old hag ran into yet another stone wall, huh!

    She wanted to take Shen Xi in as a student, but thetter refused. It was great to see the old hag hopping mad!

    The pair exchanged greetings before going on their way.

    Guan Yue nced at Su Ruowan from the corner of her eyes. She had the feeling that there was a terrifying presence to Ms. Li¡¯s daughter.

 Chapter 139 - Seeding Resentment

    <h4>Chapter 139: Seeding Resentment</h4>

    ¡°Mom.¡± Su Ruowan weakly cried. ¡°Tell Shen Xi to say yes and be Ms. Shu¡¯s student. It¡¯s such an honor, an honor I have no luck to.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Li Jingran coldly scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you having no luck. That Shu person wouldn¡¯t know talent even if it hits her in the face.¡±

    With their family¡¯s Wanwan brilliant in every way, how could she possibly pale inparison to Shen Xi, that defiant b*tch?

    Shu Baiyu was just grasping at straws, at wit¡¯s end because she could not find a sessor. Hence, she was willing to take in any Tom, Dick, and Harry.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not Ms. Shu. Shen Xi has a gift in dancing.¡± Turning red in the eyes, Su Ruowan turned on the waterworks. ¡°I¡¯m the useless one. I disappointed you and more, now that my legs hurt when I dance.¡±

    Li Jingran heartachingly held her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was I who let you down. Had I not insisted on bringing that brat to our home, your legs would not have been broken.¡±

    Shen Xi, that b*tch was the reason that Wanwan could no longer engage in strenuous exercise involving her legs, let alone dance.

    That b*tch destroyed Wanwan¡¯s great future. Li Jingran was going to make Shen Xi pay.

    The weight on Su Ruowan¡¯s shoulders was finally lifted.

    Mom was concerned about her. She had to bring up this matter from time to time to remind Mom of how wicked Shen Xi was, and Mom would, in turn, feel sorry and guilty for her sake.

    Li Jingran¡¯s itinerary for today was to participate in a gathering after the parent-teacher meeting. She took Su Ruowan along to introduce her to the people in showbiz.

    In a luxury executive van.

    With eyes burning with fire, Li Jingran furiously smashed her phone. ¡°Jiang Yin is too cocky for her own good!¡±

    Su Ruowan cautiously enquired, ¡°Mom, Ms. Jiang Yin still refuses to let you meet with Ms. Cai Ni?¡±

    Li Jingran huffed and puffed. ¡°They are mere stylists. What¡¯s with the attitude they¡¯re giving me?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be angry. She¡¯s only a stylist anyway. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Su Ruowanforted her.

    Who knew these words riled up the already boiling Li Jingran? ¡°What do you know? Do you know how important that stylist is to me? Do you know how embarrassing it will be for me if Cai Ni dresses and styles Gong Zhi for the year end movie g?¡±

    Frightened, Su Ruowan froze and turned to her with tearful eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. It came out wrong.¡±

    She knew what was going on. Mom went through all avenues to get in touch with them and offered an astronomical price to get her hands on Cai Ni¡¯s gold medal masterpiece ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± for the year-end red carpet and to get Cai Ni as her stylist.

    However, Su Ruowan could not see what was great about it. Cai Ni merely won first ce. Was it worth going through all this trouble?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have spoken so harshly.¡± With Su Ruowan about to cry, Li Jingran distractedly wiped her eyes dry.

    ¡°I¡¯m the good-for-nothing for not winning first ce. Sorry to disappoint you.¡± Sobbing in sadness, Su Ruowan pitifully wiped away her tears.

    Although she said so, hatred was already seeding in her heart. Li Jingran was not her biological mother after all. Sure, Li Jingran said that she doted on her and loved her.

    In reality? Li Jingran held it against her, thinking her gown was not good enough and that second ce was unbing.

    It was all about Cai Ni all day, every day! How was she inferior to Cai Ni, huh?

    Just wait. Next time, she would certainly win first ce and they all would see her in a new light, begging her to design their gowns for the red-carpet event.

 Chapter 140 - Jin Yun Established

    <h4>Chapter 140: Jin Yun Established</h4>

    Jiang Yin and Yun Jinping had been busy setting up the personal brand and finally decided on the office venue.

    Yun Jinping had always believed that thepany should not be named after her. She was not of much help, plus the gold medal was won by her daughter. Moreover, Jiang Yin was the one sorting out the brand registration.

    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t dwell on the matter. No one is more suited than you. Jin Yun, it is. Jin represents a bright prospect while Yun takes us far. What a great meaning behind the name.¡± Jiang Yin made the call.

    There was nothing more Yun Jinping could say at that point.

    ¡°Mom, this is for the best.¡± Shen Xi interrupted. ¡°You are thepany¡¯s chief designer. Surely, we have to use your name.¡±

    Gazing at the two, Yun Jinping knew she could not win against them and nodded. It did not matter whose name it was anyway as thepany belonged to her daughter.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll register the name tomorrow,¡± Jiang Yin remarked with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been troubling you for the past few days.¡± Yun Jinping had no idea how to thank her for handing the work from A to Z. Her daughter sure found herself a good teacher.

    No one couldpare to Jiang Yin¡¯s connections and position in the fashion world. Everything could be done in a jiffy, from renting an office, hiring staff, to the official setup. It took less than a week.

    A weekter, Jin Yun was established.

    Jiang Yin agreed to Shen Xi¡¯s request of not announcing to the world who the real owner of Jin Yun was. She was to tell the public that her student, Cai Ni had founded an individual high-end fashion brand. Jiang Yin oversaw everything that was not behind the scenes.

    Of course, the first and foremost was the brandunch conference.

    Shen Xi handed over all her previous work to Jiang Yin. Apart from pieces that required special techniques, the rest were made into finished products within a week. The number of products was enough to organize a mini fashion show.

    Jiang Yin was well-connected and had many celebrities eager to rub shoulders with her. Those without invitations would find ways to get an invitation to take part in the brandunch, never mind those who were actually invited.

    Shen Xi had no ns of showing up in front of everyone, nor did she want Yun Jinping to make an appearance.

    Nevertheless, Yun Jinping felt bad about leaving Jiang Yin to tackle their family business alone. She had to lend a hand. After a discussion with her daughter, Shen Xi finally gave Yun Jinping the go-ahead to help in theunch.

    Theunch was a grand gathering of celebrities.

    Apart from popr A-list stars and big-name figures in the fashion world, many renowned designers in fashion and movies, and major singers from abroad were among the invitees who came to show Jiang Yin support.

    Li Jingran was seated in the front row of the VIP seats, which was also the front and center position of the whole venue. Compared to other international stars on site, the seat she was assigned put her in high regard.

    Su Ruowan sat beside her. Gazing at the internationally renowned superstars left and right, she proudly straightened her back like a haughty princess and presented her most noble and elegant side.

    Humph. What? Did Jiang Yin, the d*mn old hag and her nauseating student stop being so full of themselves?

    The pair rejected Mom so many times before, refusing to meet with Mom or epting her invitation. They must be regretting their actions now that Mom was given the best seat and she was invited as well. It was clear that they were trying to butter Mom up.

 Chapter 141 - Little Sisâ€™s Adoptive Mother

    <h4>Chapter 141: Little Sis¡¯s Adoptive Mother</h4>

    Li Jingran was happy that Jiang Yin and her students were tactful, but even if they gave her enough respect, it would depend on whether she epted it or not.

    If Cai Ni agreed to be her stylist and gave the gold award-winning design to her, everything could be discussed. If not, she would not spare them both teacher and student.

    Gong Zhi rolled her eyes. There was an ufortable feeling in her heart.

    There were so many global superstars and big shots of the fashion world at the venue. Any one of them could have easily surpassed Li Jingran. Surprisingly, Jiang Yin let her sit at the center of the venue with her daughter. There was no clue what Jiang Yin was scheming.

    It was only the foreigners who were different from the local stars. They just came here solely to show due respect and support. They did not care about being at the center. Being happy was enough for them. If it were the local stars, they would have fought furiously.

    Gong Zhi felt better after she remembered that Ms. Cai Ni agreed to design her year-end film festival dress and style personally.

    She knew that Li Jingran went to look for Ms. Cai Ni many times and even offered sky-high prices. Even so, Ms. Cai Ni did not meet her, let alone care about her. She heard that Li Jingran wanted Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s gold award-winning design in preparations for the year-end China Film Festival.

    ¡°Mom, look at the woman beside Ms. Jiang Yin, is she Lil Sis¡¯s adoptive mother?¡± Su Ruowan saw Yun Jinping immediately. The look in Ruowan¡¯s eyes changed, and she felt anxious.

    Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive mother was just a useless housewife, what qualifications did she have to appear in this grand venue with Ms. Jiang Yin?

    Li Jingran raised her eyebrows, with hate and arrogance clearly in her eyes. She sneered. ¡°Yun Jinping is justing to work to cover her family expenses.¡±

    Was Jiang Yin blind to the point that she would take in just any type of person? She intended to talk to Jiang Yinter and ask her to fire Yun Jinping. Just looking at Yun Jinping made her feel disgusted.

    Su Ruowan started to feel impatient. She kept looking in Yun Jinping¡¯s direction. She realized that Jiang Yin always had a cold face when talking to other people, but her attitude was clearly gentle and friendly when talking to Yun Jinping.

    Su Ruowan clenched her fists, and her breathing quickened. It could not be as she thought, Cai Ni could not possibly be Shen Xi.

    The first fashion show since Jin Yun¡¯s establishment was about to start.

    The guests present were excited to meet Ms. Cai Ni. She could not have intended to not show up for her personal brand¡¯s fashion show.

    The results were within expectations but unreasonable. The mysterious Ms. Cai Ni was once again absent from her personal brand¡¯s first show. It was Ms. Jiang Yin who was busy from the start till the end.

    ¡°She actually found a good teacher.¡± Li Jingran sneered with a dark expression.

    This person, Cai Ni, was really fortunate. Great for Cai Ni, she had a good teacher. Cai Ni¡¯s teacher received an award on her behalf during thepetition and announced to the whole world that Cai Ni was her student. Not only that, even something as important as Cai Ni¡¯s personal brand¡¯s first show was fully managed by her teacher, Jiang Yin.

    Su Ruowan felt very sour. She kept her voice low and her tone was regretful. ¡°Mom, Ms. Cai Ni is really a mysterious person.¡±

    Damn it, why could she not meet a good teacher like that?

    Cai Ni was arrogant and was not even concerned about her own stuff. Which part of her did Jiang Yin actually fancy?

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that she can hide behind other people¡¯s backs forever.¡± Li Jingran was dying to know who Cai Ni was.

 Chapter 142 - No Better Choice Than You

    <h4>Chapter 142: No Better Choice Than You</h4>

    Once, twice, and thrice. Every time, Li Jingran thought she could see Cai Ni in person.

    Nevertheless, Cai Ni did not appear even a single time. Li Jingran started to doubt whether this person actually existed or not.

    There was a reception after the fashion show ended.

    Jiang Yin came to thank all the guests who showed up.

    ¡°Why is Ms. Cai Ni not present?¡± Li Jingran smiled and asked Jiang Yin.

    ¡°Cai Ni is busy at the moment. She is in her senior year and will be taking Gaokao next semester, so she is upied,¡± Jiang Yin exined, ¡°You all understand too, schoolwork is very heavy, the kids nowadays have it tough.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and her expression darkened. Senior year? Shen Xi was also in her senior year!

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni is a really good student.¡± Li Jingran gave a polite remark and then asked, ¡°Ms. Jiang, about the issue regarding Ms. Cai Ni that I discussed with you, how is she considering it?¡±

    Putting aside whether Cai Ni was arrogant or not, her talent undoubtedly left people in admiration.

    Every outfit in the first show had a distinct personal style and was of indescribable beauty. It could be recognized at first sight that they were Cai Ni¡¯s designs.

    Jiang Yin said while smiling, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Li. No one in China showbiz is a better choice than you. I¡¯ll make sure Cai Ni considers it properly, so just wait for the good news.¡±

    Li Jingran was delighted. She straightened her back with pride and said, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Jiang.¡±

    This old woman, Jiang Yin, finally relented.

    Li Jingran knew it. Cai Ni was just being pretentious and wanted her to raise the price. In the end, she was just aiming for the money, and to raise her worth.

    She thought how great Cai Ni could possibly be. If Cai Ni stood her ground, she would have thought more of her.

    Li Jingran only looked down on Cai Ni since she agreed. In the end, she was just an arrogant b*tch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Ms. Li, you¡¯re one of our own.¡± After Jiang Yin finished talking, she turned around to exchange pleasantries with other people.

    ¡°Ms. Jiang,¡± Li Jingran called out to Jiang Yin. She wanted to take this opportunity to introduce Su Ruowan to Jiang Yin. She pulled Su Ruowan to the front. ¡°This is my daughter¡­¡±

    Su Ruowan was ready to greet Jiang Yin. She showed her prettiest smile, hoping to make an impression on Jiang Yin.

    ¡°Tom.¡± Jiang Yin did not even look at her. Instead, Jiang Yin, with a face full of surprise, went to meet a Mr.International who wasing from the opposite side.

    Li Jingran was ignored. She had an awkward expression.

    Su Ruowan felt wronged and lowered her head. She held Li Jingran¡¯s hand sadly. ¡°Mom, does Ms. Jiang not like me?¡±

    This old woman, Jiang Yin¡­ What did she mean by that? Was she looking down on Su Ruowan?

    She also won the international fashion designpetition¡¯s silver award. Which part of her wasckingpared to Jiang Yin¡¯s student who did not even dare to meet the public?

    The reason Mom brought her to participate in this event was to let her be acquainted with Jiang Yin, interact with her and obtain her favor.

    Putting aside that she did not show due respect to Mom, this old b*tch did not even bat an eye at her. She looked down on others. Who did she think she was?

    She would trample Jiang Yin beneath her feet one day, and make Jiang Yin kneel in front of her and apologize.

    ¡°Ms. Jiang is too busy.¡± Li Jingran never lost herposure in front of others. She looked at her daughter and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty. Since I promised you, I¡¯ll surely do it. There¡¯s still time in the future.¡±

    Jiang Yin already offered her goodwill and even asked Li Jingran to wait for good news. This meant it could be confirmed that Cai Ni would be her stylist. There were surely more chances to meet each other by that time.

 Chapter 143 - Never Concede

    <h4>Chapter 143: Never Concede</h4>

    With Wanwan¡¯s character, talent and personality, as long as Jiang Yin got along with her, she would definitely like her. Wanwan would eventually be Jiang Yin¡¯s apprentice and her status in the Chinese fashion industry would also rise with the tide.

    She could even take advantage of Jiang Yin¡¯s connections to take it to the next level and eventually develop internationally.

    ¡°Mom, what you said is right, I believe you.¡± Su Ruowan smiled sweetly. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a nce of the second floor and her expression turned dark.

    Shen Xi!

    There was a ss wall on the second floor, and the light was a little dim. A person, who was half-hidden in the shadow, smiled at her triumphantly and raised a middle finger at her.

    Su Ruowan suddenly felt a mouthful of blood clogging her throat. With her hatred boiling, her gaze swept viciously towards the direction, like a poisoned knife.

    Shen Xi, that damn little b*tch, how could she appear here? Did shee in with her trash foster mother?

    ¡°Wanwan,¡± Li Jingran called her.

    ¡°Mom, I thought I saw my sister.¡± Su Ruowan pointed in the direction of the second floor and asked strangely, ¡°Why is my sister here?¡±

    Li Jingran followed her gaze and looked, but there was no one there. She then looked disdainfully at Yun Jingping who was cleaning up the meeting ce with the other cleaners and jeered. ¡°She must havee in with the cleaners!¡±

    How else could she havee in? It was such a grand andrge-scale costume debut, hardly a ce someone like Shen Xi could enter.

    But that brat figured out that she could ask her foster mother to be a cleaner so that she could sneak in along with her.

    Su Ruowan felt uneasy, thinking that things would not be as simple as all that.

    Anyway, looking at the second floor again, Shen Xi was nowhere to be found. There were only empty walkways, as if the scene just now had been merely her illusion.

    At the reception, there was a staggering crowd filled with top stars from the international and domestic entertainment circles. They were all handsome men and gorgeousdies. The fans would definitely be excited, screaming and fainting on the spot.

    Gong Zhi was talking to a few actresses who were surrounding her. They were all rising stars in the film and television industry who wanted to take this opportunity to approach Ms. Gong.

    ¡°Ms. Gong, congrattions. You¡¯re going to impress the audience again on the red carpet at the end of the year.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Gong¡¯s previous style was truly amazing, I like it so much.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gong¡¯s style is always impressive. With Ms. Gong¡¯s looks, everything she wears is good-looking.¡±

    They were vying to tter Gong Zhi.

    Gong Zhi smiled triumphantly, purposely nced at Li Jingran, and said provocatively, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things, do you all want someone to be unhappy? Ms. Cai Ni only agreed to help me design a dress and red carpet look for the film festival. It¡¯s nothing¡±

    There were also many stars who ttered and sided with Li Jingran.

    ¡°Ms. Gong, did Ms. Cai Ni promise to help you make the red carpet styling? Congrattions.¡± The beautiful actress changed her words,m ¡°But hasn¡¯t Ms. Cai Ni promised to be Ms. Li¡¯s chief stylist?¡±

    Gong Zhi raised her eyebrows and looked at Li Jingran with a smile, ¡°Ms. Li, did Ms. Cai Ni agree to it personally?¡±

    Why did she not believe it?

    Her womanly sixth sense told her that Ms. Cai Ni would never help Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran was provoked by her and she must not concede in front of her. In addition Jiang Yin¡¯s previous words had given her a great illusion, she smiled triumphantly. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 144 - This Is Too Much

    <h4>Chapter 144: This Is Too Much</h4>

    Jiang Yin had already hinted to her that Cai Ni would be her stylist sooner orter.

    ¡°Ms. Jiang,¡± Gong Zhi waved to the front and said loudly, ¡°Ms. Jiang, pleasee over, there is something I want to confirm.¡±

    Jiang Yin walked slowly and greeted politely, ¡°Ms.Gong, Ms. Li.¡±

    Gong Zhi smiled more provocatively and intentionally raised her voice, ¡°Ms. Jiang, Ms. Li said that Ms. Cai Ni has agreed to be her chief stylist. Is this true?¡±

    Jiang Yin gave them a strange look. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of this matter?¡±

    Watching Jiang Yin turn against her, Li Jingran¡¯s facial expression went dark. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Jiang tell me that Ms. Cai Ni had already agreed?¡±

    Jiang Yin felt weirder and weirder, and looked at Li Jingran as if she was mentally retarded. ¡°Ms. Li, don¡¯t use me. When did I tell you that?¡±

    Li Jingran was furious but she tried to keep herself calm as she could not lose face in front of so many people. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Jiang ask me to wait for the good news when the press conference was over?¡±

    ¡°I was just being polite with Ms. Li because shees to me every day. To be honest, I think of you as a senior in the entertainment industry, and feel that it¡¯s not good to refuse every time.¡± Jiang Yinughed while looking at the people around her. She smiled and said nonchntly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Li to take my joke seriously.¡±

    Looking at the woman who wasughing arrogantly in front of her, the hatred and anger surged deep inside Li Jingran. She could not wait to scratch her face.

    Jiang Yin then said ¡°My apprentice promised Mr. Fu ten days ago that she would be responsible for all his appointments throughout his stay in China. Many people know this, didn¡¯t you know as well, Ms. Li?¡±

    Watching Li Jingran being humiliated on the spot, Gong Zhi was satisfied andughed, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that Ms. Cai Ni has already agreed to be a stylist for Mr. Fu. How could she also promise someone else? This is truly a big joke.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I misunderstood Ms. Jiang, and I hope that Ms. Jiang will deliver the message clearly in the future. Don¡¯t be ambiguous.¡± Li Jingran was embarrassed and angry, but her facial appearance was still calm.

    Having been involved in the entertainment industry for so many years, it was simple to have the ability to deal with emergencies while maintaining a calm psychological quality and perfect facial expression.

    A burst ofughter broke out all around.

    ¡°Ms. Li, don¡¯t be angry. For causing your misunderstanding, I will punish myself with a ss of champagne.¡± Jiang Yin smiled and apologized. She raised the champagne in her hand to her and drank it in one gulp.

    ¡°Ms. Jiang, please don¡¯t me yourself. It was I who didn¡¯t understand your good intentions.¡± Li Jingran¡¯s hatred was boiling all over her heart, and she hated Jiang Yin. ¡°I still have something else to do, I beg your pardon to leave first.¡±

    That damn b*tch, she surely did it on purpose. She deliberately humiliated her in front of so many people, making her look like a clown, gettingughed at and humiliated by others.

    Watching Li Jingran leave with her daughter, Jiang Yin smiled cheerfully, tilted her head upwards, and drank another ss of champagne in one gulp.

    Ah!

    Bully her apprentice!

    It still all depended on whether she, the master, agreed or not.

    Li Jingran felt the anger coursing through her body, wanting to kill everyone in the spot. She seemed to be able to hear theughter behind her even when she had walked outside the venue. She just could not stop trembling with anger.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes were filled with distressed tears and she said sadly, ¡°Ms. Jiang¡­ she is too much!¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯splexion was instantly hideous, she was no longer as calm as she was just now. Now, an evil spirit seemed to have taken over her. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive that master and apprentice pair!¡±

 Chapter 145 - Dignity Ripped Apart

    <h4>Chapter 145: Dignity Ripped Apart</h4>

    Not only was Li Jingran met with multiple rejections from the student, but the teacher embarrassed and humiliated her in public!

    She was sure to have her revenge!

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Su Ruowan softly consoled her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about a stylist? We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Having her dignity ripped apart and dragged on the ground in front of everyone had made Li Jingran livid.

    She had nevere across something like this throughout her twenty-odd years in entertainment.

    The student and teacher intended to burn bridges and wage war on her, huh? Well, bring it on! They did not scare her!

    While sitting in the car and waiting to make a move, Su Ruowan swept a nce through the rear-view mirror and somehow caught another glimpse of Shen Xi¡¯s taunting face, which she wanted to tear apart. As rage threatened to burst through her chest, Su Ruowan winded down the window to look out.

    Behind was the reception hall filled with happy chatter, not even a shadow of Shen Xi was in sight.

    She clenched her fist as bitter resentment brewed in her eyes. It was all that d*mn b*tch, Shen Xi¡¯s fault that she was seeing illusions!

    The balcony on the second floor.

    Leaning against the barrier in aid back manner, Shen Xi leisurely swirled the red wine in her hand as a wicked smile broke out across her lips.

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, Mr. Fu is here.¡± The assistant informed her.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lifting her brows, Shen Xi clutched the wine ss with her lean and fair fingers before tipping it over. She watched the liquid in the ss pour down into a red pool on the ground like fresh blood.

    Shen Xi curled her lips while gazing at the direction the car disappeared to like a hunter would its prey. Her eyes turned cold. ¡®The game has just officially begun.¡¯

    ¡­

    Fu Qingye wanted to attend the event as a show of support.

    Jiang Yin was against him going as his presence would stir a hugemotion. Instead, she instructed a staff member to take him to a lounge backstage and informed him that Ms. Cai Ni would be there with him shortly.

    Shen Xi arrived at the entrance to the VIP reception.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s assistant, He Jin, was waiting by the door and found himself caught up in the moment as a girl approached from the other side.

    The girl at the opposite side, looking about seventeen to eighteen years old, was beautiful and carried herself with an air of aloofness and distance.

    The girl¡¯s facial features and bearing gave him an absurd idea that she was a close look alike to Mr. Fu.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Cai Ni, here to meet with Mr. Fu.¡± Shen Xi drew close and politely introduced herself.

    ¡°Hello, Ms. Cai Ni.¡± Snapping out of his thoughts, He Jin hid the surprise in his eyes and let out a respectful smile before turning to knock on the door. ¡°Mr. Fu, Ms. Cai Ni is here.¡±

    Since Ms. Cai Ni never made an appearance at the award ceremony, many had spected and attacked her looks, saying that she must be too ugly to show herself.

    He had once imagined what Ms. Cai Ni would look like. It never crossed his mind that not only was she talented and young, Ms. Cai Ni was actually quite a looker.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s manager ¨C Jing Yu, opened the door and was clearly taken aback when heid his eyes on Shen Xi. He quickly spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Mr. Fu is on a call. Please wait a moment, Ms. Cai Ni.¡±

    Oh god!

    Where did this fairye from? Oh, the talent, the pride, the gracefulness, and good looks were utterly wless.

    Moreover, there seemed to be a sense of familiarity with this fairy. Her bearing and features were quite simr to that of Madam Fu, Mr. Fu¡¯s mother!

    While engaged on a call, Fu Qingye nced with the corner of his eye to take a look after faintly picking up on Cai Ni¡¯s name. One look and he simply could not turn away. The phone in his hand abruptly dropped onto the ground.

 Chapter 146 - Sheâ€™s His Sister

    <h4>Chapter 146: She¡¯s His Sister</h4>

    Shen Xi had just stepped into the VIP room when Fu Qingye suddenly got up and headed her way instead.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s heart was in his mouth when he saw that the girl¡¯s looks resembled his mother¡¯s. Turning dewy-eyed, he tried to pull himself together but his voice trembled from overexcitement and joy. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Cai Ni.¡± Shen Xi calmly replied with manners.

    Mr. Movie Star seemed a little too thrilled to see her.

    There was no reason to, and it would not make sense!

    Fu Qingye realized that he was out of line, despite hardly ever losing his grip. Getting his act together, he smiled gently. ¡°I must have scared you! My mother really likes you and I was just caught up in the heat of the moment. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shen Xi politely returned a smile, although his excuse was pretty far-fetched.

    However, her focus waspletely on Mr. Movie Star¡¯s gorgeous face.

    With this breathtaking face, it was no wonder he was the most handsome man in showbiz!

    He was pure perfection at close range. The cameras were unable to capture even twenty percent of the magnanimity and beauty behind this divine face.

    Shen Xi hade over just to see Mr. Fu the Movie Star and get acquainted before signing a contract.

    Jiang Yin did not have the audacity to sign the contract for her. In fact, Fu Qingye had requested that Ms. Cai Ni sign the contract in person.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, I havee up with a few designs based on your past looks. Please take a look.¡± Shen Xi handed over the design prints.

    Fu Qingye took the designs. His eyes may have been on the prints, but his mind was all over her. He nodded. ¡°Okay. I intend to leave everything in your hands, given that I have requested you.¡±

    The only thing he was eager to find out was information on her.

    Who was she?

    What was her name?

    What were her parents like?

    As for the design prints, that was thest thing on his mind.

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Mr. Fu. I will do my best.¡± Shen Xi had a feeling that he was distracted, as if his mind was not on her, yet on her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hire the suspicious but don¡¯t be suspicious of those you hire.¡± It would be rude to ask her certain questions. He looked her in the eye and said, ¡°Let me thank you in advance for your care during my trip in China.¡±

    The girl before him looked awfully like Mother.

    At the tender age of seventeen, the poised andposed air around her was simr to Father.

    For a moment, he thought she was his sister.

    For a brief second, Fu Qingye could not resist the intention of bluntly throwing the questions out, asking her of everything he wanted to know.

    Nevertheless, his parents had taught him to avoid discourtesy and not be crude to a girl. What if he scared her?

    ¡°Here¡¯s to a great coboration.¡± Shen Xi reached out a hand and looked at him with a polite smile across her lips.

    Fu Qingye was blinded by her smile. Aware that the answer was close at hand, he got a grip and shook her hand. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±

    Manager Jing Yu observed at a corner. Growing up in the Fu household, he had his own pride and upheld his own standards, rarely expressing admiration or affirmation to anyone.

    However, Ms. Cai Ni was indeed brilliant, talented, and perfect in looks and mannerism.

    Had he not known her age beforehand, Jing Yu would never believe that this dignified girl with amanding presence was only seventeen.

 Chapter 147 - Love At First Sight

    <h4>Chapter 147: Love At First Sight</h4>

    The natural air of nobility that came from within Cai Ni in particr, was unachievable without generations of establishment.

    Jing Yu was curious about Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s identity. Which family did she belong to?

    ¡°I shall take my leave then, Mr. Fu. See you tomorrow.¡± Shen Xi got up and politely smiled at the man before her.

    Shen Xi did not want to impose and be a nuisance since she was here on official business. Moreover, she always kept business and private affairs separate.

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, take care.¡± Fu Qingye sent her off to the door, only shutting the door once the girl¡¯s figure was out of sight. Unable to withhold his high-strung emotions, he turned to Jing Yu and instructed, ¡°Check on it. I want to know everything about her in two minutes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Fu.¡± Jing Yu acknowledged with respect.

    Besides being Fu Qingye¡¯s manager, Jing Yu was also his brother, assistant, and the most trusted confidant at his beck and call. Anything to do with the Fu family was Jing Yu¡¯s business.

    The fairy, Cai Ni, was almost an exact copy in terms of bearings and looks to the madam at home. Judging by the excited look on Mr. Fu¡¯s face, he probably made the same assumption that Cai Ni might be the young miss who had gone missing.

    Jing Yu¡¯s efficiency at work was not to be questioned as hepleted the task in two minutes on the dot.

    After Jing Yu handed the printed document to him, Fu Qingyu was in shock by the information he read. His heart ached to learn about the fairy¡¯s past.

    Fu Qingye ran his eyes over and over the single-paged personal details. The delight and excitement in his eyes vanished, leaving onlyment and disappointment.

    His heart sank to an all-time low.

    No!

    It turned out she was not his sister.

    She was identical to Mother only because she was a daughter of the Su family, Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s daughter.

    Li Jingran was a piece of work, forsaking her own daughter and raising someone else¡¯ daughter instead.

    The girl beside her the other day was not her biological daughter, but rather her adopted daughter.

    Fu Qingye let out a cold smirk while his long dainty fingers stroked past her name ¨C Shen Xi.

    His mind flew back to the youngdy¡¯s beautiful face, which was aloof and mature for her age.

    A girl of her age was epted home by her birth parents yet snubbed and cast away. It must be quite an upsetting blow for her to go through such a painful experience.

    Just the thought of it left his chest tightening and filled him with heartache.

    To abandon their own daughter, Li Jingran and her husband could not be considered humans. It seemed that it was in their family¡¯s filthy blood to ditch their own flesh and blood.

    So, they shut her out, huh?

    Well, he would wee her!

    The girl shared the same fate as his mother and going by rtions, she was his cousin.

    Fu Qingye would protect her and keep her out of harm¡¯s way.

    Shen Xi had already got off the lift, bothered by a weird feeling.

    There was something off about the way Fu Qingye was looking at her. His eyes were the tender kind.

    Whether on video or photographs, she had never seen this side of Mr. Fu the Movie Star.

    He was a true heir to a well-known family. No matter the setting, Mr. Fu remained noble, elegant, and a gentleman. However, there would always be a distance felt, owing to his blue-blooded status.

    Yet, Mr. Fu was a little too intimate and affectionate towards her. Had vanity gone to her head, Shen Xi would think that he had fallen head over heels for her at first sight.

 Chapter 148 - His Wanwan

    <h4>Chapter 148: His Wanwan</h4>

    Fu Qingye the Movie Star¡¯s trip to China was only one of his handful of journeys here in the past few years.

    The A to D listers in the country¡¯s entertainment industry would kill to meet and rub shoulders with him.

    Apart from showbiz, the influential families in China sought ways to see him, hoping to befriend the Fu family on this asion.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Fu turned down all personal invites and only focused on his trip. Barely anyone had the chance to see him in person.

    Li Jingran was one of them. She was in a talk show at Cathay TV station alongside Fu Qingye and following the arrangement of the TV station¡¯s boss, a get-together ensued before the shoot.

    The show was taped on a Thursday afternoon and broadcasted on Friday.

    Holding Fu Qingye¡¯s banners and LED signs and setting up his posters along the way, fans waited for his arrival by the TV station¡¯s entrance on Thursday morning.

    Behind the security tape near the door of the TV station¡¯s VIP dressing room, gathered hundreds of people. They were Fu Qingye¡¯s fans from families that were well-connected enough to pull some strings and get backstage.

    Relying on Li Jingran¡¯s connections, Su Ruowan brought Chen Bingbing and the rest to the TV station.

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re the best. I love you so much.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re able to gain ess to the TV station and see Mr. Fu the Movie Star at close distance, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m so lucky to have met Wanwan. I am so blessed.¡±

    The group of girlfriends excitedly gathered around Su Ruowan in adoration and buttered her up, almost to the point of worshipping her.

    With her vanity fed, Su Ruowan tenderly grinned. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You guys are being dramatic.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Chen Bingbing intimately held her arm. Her emotions were running high at the thought that she would soon meet with her idol.

    ¡°Wanwan, Qingye will see us, right?¡± Girlfriend A frantically held her chest. Her eyes were heart-shaped and pink.

    ¡°What are you saying? Qingye thinks of Wanwan as a sister.¡± Girlfriend B shot her a re before holding Su Ruowan¡¯s arm and sucking up to her. ¡°Am I right, Wanwan?¡±

    Su Ruowan let out a gentle smile. ¡°Brother Ye doesn¡¯t like to meet with outsiders while at work but I can try.¡±

    Two days ago, Mom took her along to have a meal with Brother Ye. He was a true gentleman, taking pictures with her and signing her autographs.

    Su Ruowan gave each one of them an autographed picture. These inexperienced girls were on cloud nine and worshipped her like she was a god.

    ¡°Brother Ye? I¡¯m so jealous.¡±

    ¡°I want to call him Brother Ye too!¡±

    ¡°Brother Ye will personally pick you up, knowing his Wanwan is here for him.¡±

    The girlfriends were teasing her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that.¡± Su Ruowan shyly blushed.

    ¡°Quit it, Wanwan is getting embarrassed.¡± That said, Chen Bingbing could not resist making jokes either. ¡°Brother Ye, are you there? I¡¯m Wanwan. I¡¯m here to see you.¡±

    Su Ruowan was feeling all mushy. Her heart was pounding thinking that she would soon meet her crush. She scoffed in feigned anger. ¡°Stop joking, or I¡¯m going to ignore you.¡±

    Chen Bingbing quit the jokes and tugged on her. ¡°Now that we¡¯re here, how do we get in?¡±

    Looking around, Su Ruowan noticed Fu Qingye¡¯s assistant, He Jin and called out to him. ¡°Mr. He!¡±

 Chapter 149 - Goadingly Smug Look

    <h4>Chapter 149: Goadingly Smug Look</h4>

    Carrying colorful animal-shaped cotton candy, He Jin took a quick look at Su Ruowan beforepletely ignoring her and walking away.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart sank as she called out to him again. With He Jin gone, she looked for an excuse. ¡°There are too many people. I guess Mr. He didn¡¯t see me.¡±

    He Jin was only an assistant, yet he was arrogant enough to ignore and dismiss her.

    ¡°Who does he think he is? He¡¯s only an assistant. Wanwan, you should tell Brother Ye to fire himter.¡± Chen Bingbing bitterly snapped back.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Su Ruowan may keep a gentle smile on her face, but inside, she hated He Jin for making her look bad in public.

    Since Brother Ye had a great conversation with her the other day, he would want to meet had he known she was here. Who did the assistant think he was anyway?

    ¡°I noticed that the assistant was holding cotton candy. I¡¯m sure Brother Ye knows you¡¯reing and bought it especially for you!¡± Girlfriend A was green with envy.

    With her cheeks turning rosy in bashfulness, Su Ruowan smiled and coyly spoke, ¡°Stop it. That¡¯s not true.¡±

    The words escaped her lips.

    ¡°F*ck.¡± Chen Bingbing blurted a foul word and turned to a direction in displeasure. ¡°Why is Shen Xi here?¡±

    Su Ruowan looked over to Shen Xi approaching, dressed in her school uniform with a backpack.

    She was sneering within.

    The little b*tch was dressed in such a way to let the whole world know of her unsightly wardrobe. What a disgraceful sight.

    She must be Brother Ye¡¯s fan. However, Brother Ye would not spare her a look with her dressed like that!

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Putting on airs, Chen Bingbing was in Shen Xi¡¯s face.

    There was no way a person could gain ess into the TV station without having any influence or connection. A person like Shen Xi was unlikely to get in.

    ¡°No need to ask. It¡¯s clear that her mother¡¯s a cleaner here and let her in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really poor management on hiring on the TV station¡¯s part. Why are they letting in any Tom, Dick, or Harry?¡±

    ¡°I lost my appetite at the sight of her.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s girlfriends¡¯ bitterness reared its ugly head.

    ¡°Did you snack on sh*t this morning?¡± Shen Xi shot them a chillingly murderous look.

    ¡°Shen Xi, they don¡¯t mean it. Don¡¯t be angry with them.¡± Su Ruowan softly nced at her.

    Shen Xi looked back at her. ¡°Stop with the hypocrisy. It makes me sick.¡±

    Looking hurt, Su Ruowan bit her lips and appeared as though she was about to cry. ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t be so.¡±

    Without the guts to face Shen Xi head-on, Chen Bingbing pulled Su Ruowan away. ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t stoop to the level of her kind. Let¡¯s go find your Brother Ye.¡±

    She emphasized on the word ¡°Brother Ye¡± and gave Shen Xi a goadingly smug look.

    Su Ruowan took another nce at Shen Xi with grievance before walking up to a nearby bodyguard. She deliberately raised her voice. ¡°Sir, could I trouble you to inform Brother Ye that I want to see him? I¡¯m Su Ruowan.¡±

    She then turned towards Shen Xi.

    Humph!

    Shen Xi, that b*tch would drown in envy and jealousy once Brother Ye came out for herter.

    Shen Xi enjoyed her bubble tea as she leisurely leaned against the hallway and dialed a number.

    It did not take long before Jing Yu emerged.

    Chen Bingbing was drooling. ¡°Wanwan, that must be Qingye¡¯s manager, Jing Yu, right? He¡¯s so handsome.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re the best. Your Brother Ye had someone pick you up.¡± The girlfriends were filled with glee, walking on air at the prospect of seeing their idol soon.

    Su Ruowan appeared bashful and proud as she epted their ttery andpliments. Looking smug, she took a nce at Shen Xi.

 Chapter 150 - Wicked Sense Of Humor

    <h4>Chapter 150: Wicked Sense Of Humor</h4>

    B*tch! Even if Shen Xi was able to get in, courtesy of her waste-collecting mother, there was no way she could see Brother Ye.

    Who did she think she was? Did she think Brother Ye would meet with every single idiot and piece of trash in the world?

    Having noticed the fairy at first nce, Jing Yu happily walked over.

    Su Ruowan was all puffed-up as Jing Yu made his way over. She cleared her throat and shouted, ¡°Manager Jing.¡±

    Chen Bingbing and the other girlfriends were so thrilled, they had to hold down their pounding hearts. Their eyes lit up with hearts.

    Without looking at them, Jing Yu made a beeline towards Shen Xi.

    With color draining from Su Ruowan¡¯s face, she hastily cried, ¡°Brother Jing, I¡¯m Su Ruowan. I¡¯m here.¡±

    Jing Yu must have gotten it wrong. He should be here for her, not Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    Jing Yu needed a second to think about who was calling him. Who the hell was Su Ruowan? What did it have to do with him? Paying no heed to her, Jing Yu went straight to Shen Xi and conscientiously took over her backpack and bubble teas. ¡°Ms. Shen, please.¡±

    Ms. Shen had made it clear during the contract signing not to address her as Ms. Cai Ni in public. She did not want to expose her identity to avoid trouble.

    Su Ruowan watched Jing Yu lead Shen Xi away. Her eyes welled up in a fluster as she was unable to believe her eyes. Refusing to give up, she yelled, ¡°Brother Jing, Jing Yu, I¡¯m Su Ruowan. I want to see Brother Ye.¡±

    There must be a mix-up.

    How could he possibly be here for Shen Xi?

    He should be here to pick her up. Her!

    Chen Bingbing and the group of girlfriends were dumbfounded. What was going on? Shouldn¡¯t the manager be here for Wanwan? Why did he pick Shen Xi, that b*tch, up instead?

    Many of Fu Qingye¡¯s fans who had gathered at the corner guffawed at her in disdain and mockery.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny!¡±

    ¡°Who is that woman? She sure tters herself.¡±

    ¡°Brother Ye? Bleghh. How could my Qingye have such an ignorant fan?¡±

    ¡­

    With ayer of mist zing over Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes, she bit her lips in bitter grievance before covering her face and leaving in a huff.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    It was her fault that she was humiliated in front of everybody!

    What went wrong?

    Brother Ye was clearly fond of her the other day!

    However, why did Jing Yue to pick Shen Xi up? What was Shen Xi¡¯s rtionship with Brother Ye?

    Chen Bingbing and the girlfriends were stunned for a moment and exchanged nces in a daze. They then stared daggers at the fans who taunted Su Ruowan before catching up to her.

    Wanwan would never lie to them. They saw the photograph of her and Brother Ye together and she even gave them each a signed photo.

    Why did Qingye refuse to see her and meet with Shen Xi instead?

    Stepping into the dressing room, Shen Xi was almost tempted to quit due to the scene before her.

    Jesus!

    Mr. Fu the Movie Star sure had a wicked sense of humor.

    The room full of a variety of junk food was a sight to behold!

    There were puff potato chips, french fries, colorful sweets, lollipops, preserved fruits, jerkies, dried fruits, spicy strips, cans, and cakes. She wondered if he moved a whole supermarket here.

    Even more amazing was Mr. Movie Star curiously gawping at the several colorful animal-shaped cotton candies in his hands.

    Fortunately, she held it together. She politely nodded and greeted, ¡°Hello, Mr. Fu.¡±

 Chapter 151 - An Eyesore

    <h4>Chapter 151: An Eyesore</h4>

    Qingye¡¯s gentle eyes overflowed with joy when he saw the youngdye in. He handed the cotton candy to her. ¡°It¡¯s cute. Do you like it?¡±

    Having lived for so long, Shen Xi was immune to this stuff. Nevertheless, she still epted the candy in the face of Mr. Fu the Movie Star¡¯s expectant eyes. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Fu.¡±

    Fu Qingye pointed at the room of junk food and said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you liked. I had them buy snacks that girls would like.¡±

    Shen Xi was dumbstruck by his words and the snacks piled up in the room. Who knew Mr. Movie Star would buy them for her?

    Fu Qingye smiled warmly. ¡°Is there anything else you fancy having? I¡¯ll get Jing Yu to make the trip out.¡±

    Afraid that she might be bored here, he had instructed Jing Yu to get her something to eat.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Fu. It¡¯s enough.¡±

    Fu Qingye was nervous in anticipation. ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    Shen Xi would not dare to say otherwise with Mr. Movie Star going all out to prepare this. ¡°I do.¡±

    Fu Qingye was happy atst. His chiseled face blessed by the gods broke out into a smile, proving a real turn-on to others.

    Shen Xi was ttered. She would think Mr. Movie Star was interested in her in that way had it not been for his innocent eyes, which did not have a hint of defensiveness.

    With that body and looks, Fu Qingye looked good in anything. A simple white sweater paired with a ck trench coat brought out the elegance in him and people could not turn their eyes away from him.

    Shen Xi put light makeup on him, unable to bear to taint Mr. Movie Star¡¯s gorgeous face with cosmetics.

    In the mirror, a man quietly sat like the perfect sculpture in the hands of an artist. People could be lost in the magnanimity and elegance he disyed.

    Shen Xi believed that there was no need for a stylist with looks like that. Mr. Fu the Movie Star would dress as he liked and anything he wore was fashion.

    Standing at a corner, Jing Yu was impressed by the look Shen Xi created.

    It may appear as if there was nothing special about Mr. Fu¡¯s look when, in fact, she brought out all his assets, transforming the already perfect man to impability.

    Every tiny detail, from the clothes to the style, was given a lot of thought. Mr. Fu made a wise choice picking her as his stylist.

    Shen Xi wanted to be part of the audience and had asked Jing Yu beforehand if this could be arranged.

    As a result, Jing Yu got her a VVIP seat right in the middle of the auditorium that provided a full uncut view of Mr. Movie Star¡¯s godlike face.

    Su Ruowan sat in the auditorium.

    Chen Bingbing and her girlfriends were offeringfort, saying that Shen Xi must be here working as a cleaner. Shen Xi could not possibly engage with Mr. Fu on her own means.

    Su Ruowan felt unsettled. What role did Shen Xi y to meet with Brother Ye? She was definitely not here to clean.

    There was nock of cleaners around Brother Ye. Could she be Cai Ni? Did she go over because she oversaw Brother Ye¡¯s look?

    Su Ruowan was frightened by the absurd prospect.

    She quickly dismissed the idea.

    No way!

    Shen Xi, that b*tch, could not possibly be Cai Ni!

    If she were Cai Ni, Shen Xi would be so full of herself for winning the designpetition, bing Jiang Yin¡¯s student, and now being in charge of Brother Ye¡¯s look.

    Li Jingran got up on stage and soon took notice of Shen Xi. Her eyes dimmed in glum.

    Why was the d*mn brat here?

    Li Jingran wondered who let her in and gave her the best seat in the house. Was it deliberate since Shen Xi was an eyesore?

 Chapter 152 - Looking For His Sister

    <h4>Chapter 152: Looking For His Sister</h4>

    Shen Xi held Fu Qingye¡¯s cheer poster and excitedly yelled together with the fans on site following his presence. ¡°Qingye! Qingye!¡±

    Li Jingran furrowed her brows, having formed an assumption. The brat was Fu Qingye¡¯s fan and probably got the best seat after spending every penny she had.

    She knew that many fans, especially teenagers, fantasized having a rtionship with their idols and would follow along with their idols¡¯ schedule, from airports and sets, even their hotels.

    What an insolent brat! Did she think that Fu Qingye would cast her a nce just by spending money and sitting on the best seat? Well, she should take a look at a mirror!

    During the talk show, Li Jingran and Fu Qingye shared the stage for about ten minutes.

    Li Jingran was able to be on the talk show through her connections and means. She had asked for the part to reach out to Fu Qingye and eventually mingle with the likes of the Fu family.

    As she liked it, the TV station¡¯s leader arranged a dinner party two days ago to which she brought Wanwan along. Li Jingran was pleased that Mr. Fu had a great impression of Wanwan.

    Her next n was to invite Mr. Fu to the house for a meal. Since he was not familiar with China, she could propose that Wanwan be his tour guide to take him around the capital and China. A rtionship would develop between them henceforth.

    Li Jingran was distracted the entire talk show due to Shen Xi¡¯s presence, feeling that the brat was taunting and mocking her no matter what she said.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes lit up with delight to see Shen Xi, reflecting gentleness every time he faced the audience.

    ¡°Qingye is looking at me!¡¯

    ¡°Oh my god! I could melt in Qingye¡¯s eyes.¡±

    ¡°Qingye is looking at me. How can this man be so warm? I could die.¡±

    The fans on scene were beyond excited. It was worth it to spend a fortune toe to the set, see their idol, and be killed by their idol¡¯s doting eyes.

    ¡°No.¡± The girl in the back row pointed at Shen Xi, who was in the center. ¡°Why do I have a feeling that Qingye is looking at her?¡±

    Qingye was a gentle man and anyone who had seen him would know it. However, it used to be a warmth that came with distance.

    People could see and feel his nobility and gentleness, but it was wishful thinking to get him or get close to him.

    Nevertheless, he exerted warmness today without an inch of distance, especially when he was staring at the girl at the center seat.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Qingye is looking at me.¡± A girl beside held her chest and drooled.

    Ahhh!

    What was she to do when Hubby was so handsome and gentle?

    She could drown in his eyes. Oh please, attack her with his warmth as she would rather die being lost in his eyes.

    Shen Xi was feeling uneasy as Mr. Movie Star would look at her while talking. Was she that good looking?

    In thest segment of questions from fans, a question was picked online for Fu Qingye to answer.

    ¡°This is a question from ¡°Qingye¡¯s Cutie Pie¡± ¨C Qingye, I heard that apart from your released schedule on your trip to China, you have your own personal itinerary. Could you disclose a little?¡±

    The host read out the fan¡¯s question.

    The joy slowly dissipated from Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes and was reced by sorrow. His thick raspy voice turned dreary. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can¡¯t talk about and no secret. I came to China mainly to find my sister.¡±

 Chapter 153 - Absolute Guardian

    <h4>Chapter 153: Absolute Guardian</h4>

    ¡°Qingye, don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    Fans in the auditorium shouted in unison following his reply.

    ¡°I hope you can watch this show and see me.¡± Fu Qingye softly smiled. His narrow eyes welled up as he continued. ¡°I want to tell her to be happy no matter where she is. We will find her.¡±

    There was not much going on with the man on stage but the fans off stage were bawling and yelling in raspy voices, ¡°Qingye, you have us. You will find your sister.¡±

    As Qingye¡¯s loyal fans, they knew that Qingye first entered the entertainment world to find his sister.

    His every effort to be the shiniest superstar in the world was not for fame. Born into status and an influential family, he did notck this.

    Qingye¡¯s intention was to be on a wider stage so that his sister could see him and know that they had never given up on her. They never stopped looking for her.

    Hearing this, Shen Xi felt mncholic and had a lump in her throat. Looking at the difference between someone else¡¯s brother and her, there was a reason why people should notpare themselves with each other.

    However, she was not in a bad spot. She had Old Shen and Madam Yun, and only an awesome and handsome brother like him.

    Shen Xi sincerely prayed that his sister could share the same fate as her ¨C Even without the love of birth parents, a kind person could adopt her and love her like their own.

    She prayed that Fu Qingye would soon find his sister and the whole family could be happily reunited.

    After the talk show, Fu Qingye had another mini-interview.

    Shen Xi returned backstage to pack up and leave.

    She had just arrived backstage when she was stopped by Li Jingran. Acting all high and mighty, Li Jingran questioned her, ¡°So you¡¯re a fan of Fu Qingye¡¯s?¡±

    Without casting her a look, Shen Xi ignored her and walked past her.

    Enraged by her attitude, Li Jingran came in her way. ¡°How much did you spend to get that seat? Do your impoverished adopted parents know that you use their hard-earned money to idolize stars?¡±

    Shen Xi darted her a cold and mocking look.

    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to pick up a good habit or two instead of idolizing stars when you have no money.¡± Li Jingran looked askance at her, appearing haughty and justified as an elder would while reprimanding the younger.

    Shen Xi broke her silence and asked an unrted question, ¡°Have you had garlic today, Ms. Li?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Standing in her way, Li Jingran turned solemn.

    ¡°You have a foul mouth and¡­¡± Shen Xi innocently gazed at her with a smile. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Li Jingran could blow up there and then. ¡°You uncouth little thing! I guess you learnt nothing about ss with those adopted parents of yours.¡±

    Was that something a properdy would say?

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than you, who came in between a married couple and became a mistress. Not to mention, you abused and abandoned your own daughter.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s vicious remark showed no mercy.

    With rage draining her face, Li Jingran was unable to stop herself from raising her hand to Shen Xi and hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips in disdain. Before she could fight back, she was held by the arm and softly but domineeringly pulled to someone¡¯s back. That someone protected her like a guardian.

 Chapter 154 - My Sister

    <h4>Chapter 154: My Sister</h4>

    Li Jingran never dreamed that the person shielding Shen Xi would be Fu Qingye. She observed the upstanding yet overbearing man before her. ¡°Mr. Fu.¡±

    With a cold look on his face, Fu Qingye let out a chilly smile and said, ¡°Ms. Li, has my sister stepped on your toes? Why the tantrum?¡±

    Li Jingran thought it was ridiculous when the word sister was brought up. ¡°As far as I know, Mr. Fu, your sister hasn¡¯t been found.¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± Fu Qingye may carry a mild-mannered smile, but his bodynguage spoke of warning and unapproachable distance.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, don¡¯t be easily fooled.¡± Flustered, Li Jingran went for it since she had nothing to lose but grace. ¡°She¡¯s not your sister but my biological daughter!¡±

    The refined smile on his face disappeared without a trace following these words, leaving only cynicism. ¡°So, the way you treat your biological daughter is to cut ties with her. Forgive my ignorance but this is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard such a ridiculous thing in my life.¡±

    Shen Xi widened her eyes in shock to learn that Mr. Movie Star made enquiries about her!

    It never urred to Li Jingran that Fu Qingye would know so much. She pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°A mother doesn¡¯t kill her own. Mr. Fu, do you think a person would do such a thing to their own daughter for no reason at all? Please ask around about what she¡¯s actually done and don¡¯t be deceived by her lies!¡±

    The d*mn brat was sure maniptive!

    Just how much had she bad-mouthed their family to Fu Qingye?

    How was she able to get involved with him and twist the facts to gain his sympathy in return?

    ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with my business, Ms. Li.¡± Fu Qingye held Shen Xi¡¯s hand and grinned ever so tauntingly. ¡°You don¡¯t want her yet you don¡¯t allow others to be nice to her. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone too far?¡±

    Shen Xi was dumbfounded. What was going on? Not only was Mr. Movie Star in the know, but he also came to her defense and helped fire back at Li Jingran.

    The mystery was finally unraveled. Mr. Movie Star felt sorry, pitied, and was nice to her because of her past.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Li Jingran was just about to lose it. Why was there such an insensible person in the world?

    She was reminding him to watch out against falling prey to the conniving brat, Shen Xi¡¯s trickery!

    ¡°Ms. Li, if there¡¯s nothing else, I should get going.¡± Returning to his usual manners and demeanor, Fu Qingye pulled Shen Xi to leave alongside.

    Li Jingran could feel her blood boiling. Watching his receding figure, she gave him a final heads-up. ¡°Mr. Fu, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense and twisting of the truth. She has a malicious mind and had the audacity toy a hand on her own family. Shemitted an unforgivable mistake, and it was she who demanded we cut ties.¡±

    Fu Qingye stopped in his tracks.

    Li Jingran was overjoyed as he finally came to grips with who was good and who was the bad guy. ¡°Every word I say is for your own good.¡±

    Soon, Fu Qingye would find out she was right about Shen Xi being a hard-hearted brat. He would thank her.

    Fu Qingye solemnly admonished her. ¡°Ms. Li, I don¡¯t care how she was in the past or what the grudge is between you. She will be my sister and whoever picks on her is going against my Fu family!¡±

    Li Jingran had a brief ckout, having seen red. Propping herself against the wall, she spoke out of humiliation and rage. ¡°Mr. Fu, you will regret this!¡±

 Chapter 155 - A Nice Guy

    <h4>Chapter 155: A Nice Guy</h4>

    Fu Qingye would absolutely regret it!

    Shen Xi, the vicious brat, was cozying up to Fu Qingye, eyeing the Fu family¡¯s power and status. Well, he would regret his decision once the brat drained the Fu family¡¯s assets.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with you whether I¡¯d regret it or not.¡± Fu Qingye then pulled Shen Xi along to leave.

    Shen Xi turned back and curled her lips at Li Jingran.

    It made Li Jingran¡¯s blood boil and caused her to have another ckout. However, Su Ruowan rushed over in time to catch her.

    Su Ruowan turned as white as a sheet, watching Fu Qingye leaving together with Shen Xi. As her eyes turned bloodshot from resentment and jealousy, Fu Qingye¡¯s words echoed in her ear.

    Brother Ye said that Shen Xi was his sister!

    This was impossible!

    How was Shen Xi, that b*tch, able to seduce and deceive Brother Ye!

    Getting over it atst, Li Jingran was gasping for air from all the rage and humiliation. Her chest could explode.

    ¡°Mom, what did Brother Ye say?¡± Su Ruowan appeared innocent and confused. ¡°When did Shen Xi be his sister?¡±

    Li Jingran gritted her teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know about this. I will handle it.¡±

    Fu Qingye must have been bewitched by Shen Xi, that brat. She must clear the air with Fu Qingye and inform him of Shen Xi¡¯s evildoings so that he could see the wicked side to thetter.

    Although itching to find out, Su Ruowan had to keep up with her sensible appearance and quit pressing Li Jingran, who was still having a fit.

    Su Ruowan picked up on Brother Ye stating that Shen Xi was his sister when she was on the way over. She had no idea what the conversation was before that.

    However, she knew Shen Xi, that b*tch was up to no good by the looks of Mom.

    Fu Qingye pulled Shen Xi all the way to the dressing room. She was touched by his kindness. ¡°Mr. Fu, thank you.¡±

    It felt good to be protected by someone for a change. She was over the moon getting to witness Mr. Fu the Movie Star tear into Li Jingran.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I had a problem with the way she picked on you.¡± Fu Qingye had nothing else but protecting her in mind when he jumped in.

    Now that he had cooled down, Fu Qingye was worried he may have stepped out of line and caused her trouble.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, you¡¯re a nice guy.¡± Shen Xi might be smiling but her eyes reflected none of that. ¡°I¡¯m overwhelmed by your ttery, Sir. However, I¡¯m unworthy to be your sister.¡±

    She was fully aware that the man carried no ill intentions towards her.

    Had he not given himself away when helping her, Shen Xi would not have known that he was secretly investigating her.

    An heir to an influential family would surely look into a person¡¯s background prior to working together. She was no one special so she had no reason to ask otherwise of him.

    It was only a coboration. Was it because of the talk of having suspicions towards the person one hired?

    She would be too full of herself to think so.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was puzzled by her feelings. After learning that he had done a background check on her, it felt like there was a thorn pricking her heart.

    The salutation ¡°Sir¡± brought about a clear distance without seeming disrespectful. Thrown off bnce, Fu Qingye exined himself to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, I was being honest. I really think of you as my sister.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Fu, for looking up to me. I said it before, my dignity won¡¯t allow me to ept the honor.¡± Shen Xi politely grinned. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I should get going.¡±

    Watching as the youngdy turned away, Fu Qingye held her back and apologetically muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Chapter 156 - Brutal Sharp Tongue

    <h4>Chapter 156: Brutal Sharp Tongue</h4>

    It was Fu Qingye¡¯s fault for doing a background check on Shen Xi!

    She must have been hurt because of this.

    Understanding where he wasing from, Shen Xi fixated on the man. ¡°Mr. Fu, you are a man of aristocracy. I get it. I am not angry. Sir, you don¡¯t have to apologize to me for this.¡±

    She knew what he was apologizing for.

    He knew what she was referring to.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes welled up to hear her words.

    At the tender age of seventeen, Shen Xi must have gone through a lot of hardships to speak lightly in such a mature and dispassionate manner.

    A girl this age would be doted and cherished by parents and family, living a carefree life. However, she appeared to have faced the vicissitude of life and seen through everything.

    Fu Qingye was conscious that she was speaking the truth and because it came from her heart, he was heartbroken and felt for her.

    ¡°It was wrong of me. Allow me to formally apologize to you.¡± Fu Qingye solemnly looked into her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t investigate you because I don¡¯t trust you. I just thought that, in my mind, you¡¯re really identical to my sister.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Fu, there¡¯s no need to me yourself. I trust that you will find your sister soon.¡± Shen Xi let out a smile that reflected warmth and well wishes. ¡°I believe that your sister is living a happy life.¡±

    In fact, she should have known better than to fantasize and have expectations. The urge to draw close because he was warm and familiar should be nipped in the bud.

    They were from different worlds. Perhaps there would not be another after this coboration.

    People would call her a social climber for befriending a blue blood like the Fu family.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Fu Qingye asked her.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I am happy. I have my mom and dad, and they are nice to me. I trust that Ms. Fu will be as lucky as me to meet people who love her.¡±

    For a moment, Fu Qingye was suffocating from the heartache. He looked at her, wanting to say something but was at a loss for words. In the end, he uttered, ¡°I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Sir, you don¡¯t have to feel sorry for me, think that I have a miserable life or be nice to me because I look like your sister. I¡¯m not a substitute for your sister. I¡¯m a greedy person and will take it seriously.¡± Shen Xi made it seem as though she was joking.

    Fu Qingye wanted to tell her to take it seriously, but the words could not escape his lips. ¡°You¡¯re a great person. It¡¯s their loss for not cherishing you.¡±

    Although Shen Xi came off as heartless, Fu Qingye should ask himself whether his amiability towards her had no corrtions to his sister.

    No. He was a selfish man at the end of the day. He was only nice to her because of his sister and mother.

    ¡°I think so too. However, I don¡¯t need them to cherish me.¡± Shen Xi nodded at him. ¡°I should get going.¡±

    As she made her exit in a carefree manner, Fu Qingye watched with aplicated look on his face all while overwhelmed with a mix of emotions.

    The youngdy was truly magnanimous, free, easy, and clear-headed. Nevertheless, her sharp tongue was mercilessly brutal.

    Shen Xi could be said to be heartless. Prior to learning that he thought of her as a sister, she could indulge in fantasies that she had her charm. Shen Xi could not ept the good in him now that she found out that he imagined that she was his sister.

    His affections and goodness belonged to his sister and not her. She had her own principles. She would never daydream, covet, or take away what was not hers.

    It would only make her the person she hated the most. How different would she be from Su Ruowan then?

 Chapter 157 - Treat You To A Meal

    <h4>Chapter 157: Treat You To A Meal</h4>

    The past few days had been filled with those rare sunny days. The sun was strong, and it was warm when it shined on the body.

    Shen Xi passed by themunity gate and bought several sticks of candied fruits. Madam Yun and Old Shen did not like to eat sour food, so she got them strawberries.

    She liked to eat sour food, like two sticks of haws. Brother suffered from indigestion, so she only got him a stick of yam beans. She also got a stick of mandarin oranges for Kun Lun.

    Kun Lun had walked back and forth countless times. When he saw Shen Xi hade back with some candied fruits, he hurriedly reported, ¡°Boss, Miss Shen is back.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded, and instructed in a deep tone, ¡°Get everything up here.¡±

    Right after getting home, Shen Xi kept the two sticks of candied strawberries, before climbing up the staircases excitedly. What she first saw was a man sitting at the dinner table.

    The man was wearing a handsome long ck trench coat. By just sitting there silently, he could vividly express what it meant to have ss.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi raised the candied fruit in her hand. ¡°A stick of candied fruit doesn¡¯t make a dinner.¡±

    When Li Yuan saw the youngdy sticking out her head full of fluffy hair from the corner, his eyes filled withughter as his smile deepened. ¡°I would like to invite you for a meal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only Thursday, why would you treat me to a meal?¡± Shen Xi muttered, and threw the candied fruit urately on the te in front of him. She pped happily like a baby. ¡°Bullseye!!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be out for a few days on a business trip. So, I would like to celebrate in advance.¡± Li Yuan picked up the candied fruit with his slender fingers, and opened the wrapping paper. It was a bunch of yam beans.

    This little girl liked to buy all kinds of snacks, like roasted sweet potatoes, and candied chestnuts. Her favourite one was candied haws, but she only gave him a stick of yam beans every time.

    He also wanted to know what the red hawthorn in her hand tasted like!

    ¡°What if the TV ratings aren¡¯t good enough?¡± Shen Xi muttered while eating her candied haws.

    ¡°It¡¯ll definitely be a st.¡± Li Yuan also ate a yam bean, and the sweet taste spread between his lips and teeth, as sweet as a little girl¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Brother, if you say it¡¯s a hit then it¡¯ll be a hit.¡± Shen Xi smiled and nodded. She stretched out the candied haws towards him. ¡°Cheers.¡±

    Li Yuan picked up the yam bean and toasted her candied haws.

    Shen Xi felt effervescent looking at the shadows on the wall touching each other perfectly. He must have had practice to be able to toast her at once.

    ¡°Is today¡¯s schedule going well?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Shen Xi nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Brother, if you attend any importantrge-scale event in the future, tell me. I will give you a styling for free.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s voice was cheerful. ¡°He didn¡¯t embarrass you, did he?¡±

    Fu Qingye is gentle to others, but he could be rigorous and harsh due to his pursuit of perfection.

    ¡°No, Mr. Fu is very nice.¡± Shen Xi mentioned him, and a sense of regret quickly shed through her heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Li Yuan raised his head slightly, and he could see this little girl¡¯s face flushed red by the setting sun.

    Like a miniature sun, she was warm, as if sunshine was gently emanating from her. His heart felt warm with it whenever he saw her.

    Shen Xi wanted to endure, but in the end, she could not hold back and asked him, ¡°Brother, do you know Mr. Fu?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Li Yuan smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve met him a few times.¡±

    He and the Fu family met each other identally during the process of tracing people.

    The Fu family was looking for their younger sister, while he was searching for his little girl.

    Nevertheless, he was lucky to have found his little girl.

    However, ording to Fu Yu, there was still no sign of Fu¡¯s sister.

 Chapter 158 - Filled With Anticipation

    <h4>Chapter 158: Filled With Anticipation</h4>

    Shen Xi did not go overboard with her questions and changed the topic. She happily shared with Li Yuan about receiving an invitation to participate in the China Film Festival next month.

    Kun Lun and his people had the table set and ready.

    Shen Xi was fascinated as she saw a patch of grass rose to act as a table. It finally settled by the wall, stopping steadily and precisely in front of her.

    Kun Lun looked at her and said, ¡°Ms. Shen, please press the button on your left.¡±

    Shen Xi pressed on a raised spot beside her. The surface of the table opened to reveal another table. On top of the table was a pot that was steaming. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Coconut chicken soup!¡±

    Kun Lun smiled. ¡°Please enjoy your meal, and feel free to call me if you require anything.¡±

    He retreated after he finished talking.

    Shen Xi could not hold back herughter as she watched Kun Lun act like a real waiter. ¡°Brother, this is too formal!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at her. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. She was ovee with joy. As she smiled, her eyes arched into curves. ¡°I like it. I absolutely like it.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled gently. ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±

    He was certain that she would like it, but hearing it from her personally made his heart soft, as if floating among the clouds.

    Shen Xi looked at the pot of coconut chicken soup and the tes of side dishes beside it. They all seemed appetizing. She lifted her chopsticks. ¡°I won¡¯t hold myself back.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Shen Xi took the first bite. She could not be more surprised. The chicken was so tender that it melted in her mouth, and it left a lingering fragrance. The texture was great.

    Li Yuan held his chopsticks and picked up a piece of chicken. He put the chicken on the te in front of him, but he did not eat it. He looked at the youngdy. ¡°How does it taste?¡±

    Shen Xi was busy eating and did not look at him. She slurred, ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±

    Traces of disappointment shed across Li Yuan¡¯s eyes. He would not have cooked the food so deliciously if only he knew that this foodie just cared about eating. She did not even spare him a nce.

    Shen Xi was not only a foodie, but she was also petty and held grudges. She clearly felt the change in Li Yuan¡¯s mood, yet she continued eating happily.

    Li Yuan ate absent-mindedly. Every time the youngdy spoke, he would smile and look at her in anticipation.

    Who knew the youngdy only praised that the chicken was fresh and tender, the mushroom was delicious, the water chestnut was sweet and crunchy, and the tofu melted in her mouth. Sheplimented all the main dishes and side dishes, including the y pot rice, but she never once asked who made them.

    Kun Lun stood nearby, holding the soup. He waited for instructions to refill the soup in their pot. He saw his boss¡¯s darkening expression at the opposite side and held back hisughter.

    Ms. Shen was a smooth talker. Sheplimented all the dishes, but she would not ask the important questions. His boss had looked forward to hearing the sentence he wanted to listen to the most for a long time already.

    Kun Lun felt that Ms. Shen did this on purpose. She was just openly getting revenge from thest time where the boss had left her hanging. He did not imagine that this day woulde for his big boss.

    Ms. Shen did not know how much effort his boss had put in for the meal.

    The ingredients were flown in from Ocean City. They were the freshest and of top-ss quality.

    His boss hired a chef from Ocean City who was famous for making the best coconut chicken soup to teach him personally as well.

    Li Yuan, who never entered the kitchen before, had slightly better cooking skills than Shen Xi. The kitchen did not explode, but he used up a truckload of coconuts and hundreds of chickens.

    He was worried that Shen Xi would find out through the loud noise and strong smell, so he did not practice here but went to the old house at Li Mansion. He spent a week¡¯s effort and finally obtained the chef¡¯s recognition for making a decent coconut chicken soup.

 Chapter 159 - Give Me Some Money To Spend

    <h4>Chapter 159: Give Me Some Money To Spend</h4>

    ¡°Thanks for your hospitality.¡± Shen Xi wiped her mouth with a napkin after eating and drinking to her heart¡¯s content. She gave a satisfied smile. ¡°I had a good meal.¡±

    ¡°As long as you liked it.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s sexy voice carried a depressed tone that he did not realize.

    He originally thought that he would be content with just seeing the little girl smile.

    Since when did he be greedier and no longer satisfied with just looking at her smile?

    ¡°Brother, did you encounter any trouble in your business?¡± Shen Xi asked him out of curiosity.

    Li Yuan shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned and grumbled, ¡°But you seemed preupied.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled at her. ¡°There¡¯s no trouble. ¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Really?¡±

    Li Yuan replied in the affirmative. In the end, he could not resist asking, ¡°Was there anything about today¡¯s food that you weren¡¯t satisfied with?¡±

    Shen Xi was being mischievous and teased him. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s very delicious. Help me thank the chef. I¡¯m very satisfied.¡±

    Li Yuan felt another pang of disappointment. He was afraid she would notice, so he looked away and replied, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Did he ask the question in the wrong manner? Why would she not ask who cooked the food?

    Kun Lun watched the scene from the side. It was eye-opening. He managed to witness his boss act like a kid who was begging forpliments in this lifetime. He was so lucky.

    Shen Xi simply avoided asking who cooked the food till the end. Instead, she was fussing over Li Yuan, looking like a child who was trying to behave like an adult. She told him to wear more clothing if he were outdoors, eat his meals and sleep on time, and not overwork himself.

    The sound of brakes was heard from Shen Xi¡¯s house.

    Shen Xi nced over her shoulder. ¡°Brother, my parents are back. I¡¯ll be leaving first. Thanks for having me.¡±

    Li Yuan watched her turn around, and there was obvious disappointment in his narrow, deep gaze. He wanted to say something but gave up in the end.

    Shen Xi walked down two flights of stairs, but she went back up. As she showed her small head, she felt a sudden pain in her heart when she saw that the man had a lonely expression.

    Did she go too far? She should not have been petty and bore grudges. Brother looked very sad and down.

    Li Yuan did not expect that she would return. He asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shen Xi beamed at him. She held out both hands and shed two finger hearts at him by crossing her thumb and index finger. ¡°Brother, you must be a God of Cookery that descended from heaven. The food you cooked was too delicious!¡±

    The loneliness in Li Yuan¡¯s eyes cleared instantly, and joy started to spread bit by bit. He watched worriedly as the little girl went down the stairs in a hurry. He reminded her, ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t trip.¡±

    His little girl¡¯s desire to seek revenge was so strong that she was still holding a grudge!

    Kun Lun came back after packing up and saw his boss gazing at the wall. His expression was so gentle that water could trickle from it.

    Ms. Shen must have praised the boss. The dark aura around the boss finally disappeared, and it was as if the sun was shining brightly.

    Kun Lun was relieved. Had Ms. Shen not praised Li Yuan, the boss¡¯s mood would certainly be very bad on the following business trips. He would be the unlucky one then.

    Li Yuan turned the wheelchair around. He gestured to Kun Lun. ¡°What does this mean?¡±

    Kun Lun looked at the gesture and replied, ¡°It means ¡®give me some money to spend.''¡±

    Li Yuan threw him a scornful look. He should not have talked if he did not know a thing. How could the little girl possibly want money from him? Surely it could not be that meaning.

    Kun Lun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Boss, is this the gesture that Ms. Shen showed you?¡±

    Li Yuan lowered his gaze. He frowned while he copied the little girl¡¯s gesture. What did it mean?

    Kun Lun specially opened a group chat to understand the meaning of the gesture. He added his friends into the group chat and voiced his question.

    In the end, that bunch of useless friends only told him that the gesture meant ¡®counting money¡¯ or ¡®asking for money.¡¯ None of them made a good point.

    The boss already said that there was surely a profound meaning behind Ms. Shen¡¯s action. What he said was right. Those people knew nothing!

    Li Yuan spent half a day at the study, thinking about the actual meaning behind the little girl¡¯s gesture. After a long while, he called, ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    Kun Lun answered politely and entered the study.

    Li Yuan passed an exquisite box made of rosewood to Kun Lun and said, ¡°Bring this to Shen Xi.¡±

    Kun Lun did not know what was inside the box, but the jewelry box was very expensive.

 Chapter 160 - Pocket Money

    <h4>Chapter 160: Pocket Money</h4>

    At nightfall, Kun Lun delivered the item to Shen Xi. Without taking a closer look at the item, Shen Xi expressed her gratitude and went home.

    She brought the box home and under the light, Shen Xi was almost blinded by the item.

    Jesus. It was a carved rosewood jewelry box. If her guess was right, this intricately carved article was from the early Ming Dynasty.

    The great thing about it was not the carvings but the gems iid on the jewelry box ¨C rubellites, emeralds, rubies, and natural pearls.

    These things, paired with an uncanny and intricate craftsmanship, the price estimate would put it at a hundred million or more.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was thumping. With the box carrying the item already so costly, who knew what kind of valuables were inside?

    Overwhelmed with reverence, excitement, and apprehension, Shen Xi carefully opened the box and found a ck card quietly sitting inside.

    Under the ck card was a note scribbled with the man¡¯s bold and dashing handwriting. ¡®Pocket money.

    PIN code: 020324¡¯

    Shen Xi was dumbfounded. Did she look like she was strapped for cash? Why did Brother give her an expensive jewelry box and a centurion card with no credit limit as pocket money?

    Of course, she was happy to receive a gift from him. However, it did put her on the spot to ept such a valuable gift.

    The question bugged Shen Xi the whole night. Why did Brother give her these things?

    Riddled with questions, Shen Xi got up the next day, before the break of dawn, and chanced upon Kun Lun at the door.

    Kun Lun had a routine of getting up at half past five for a run. He only ran two steps when a figure gave him a fright. He turned to the youngdy. ¡°Ms. Shen, why are you here?¡±

    Shen Xi lifted the jewelry box in her hands and showed him the ck card. ¡°Why is Brother giving me an allowance?¡±

    Kun Lun was dumbstruck for a moment before gesturing a heart with his fingers. ¡°This.¡±

    Boss looked at him with contempt yesterday, saying that he was wrong. Yet, Boss was quick to have him send money to Ms. Shen, which proved that Boss had the same thoughts in mind.

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless by his signnguage. She rolled her eyes at him in disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t throw that gesture around or at me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? Is it not to ask for money?¡± Kun Lun repeated the same bodynguage.

    Shen Xi had an inkling at this point. ¡°It¡¯s not to ask for money. This is making a heart. Do you know what a heart gesture is?¡±

    It was no wonder Brother gave her the antique jewelry box and money. As it turned out, he misread her signnguage.

    Itpletely slipped her mind that this hand gesture was not a trend at this time!

    Kun Lun could not hold back from a guffaw. ¡°Ms. Shen, got it.¡±

    He could not take it. Kun Lun was about to dieughing. Boss and their brothers thought it was to ask for money.

    The most hrious part was that Boss refused to admit it but secretly told him to deliver money to Ms. Shen.

    This was enough for him tough for the whole year.

    ¡°Stopughing. Don¡¯t tell Brother about this.¡± Shen Xi solemnly urged him.

    Brother was such an intelligent man. He would be embarrassed to find out that he took the hand gesture the wrong way.

    Stifled with giggles, Kun Lun put on a straight look. ¡°I will definitely oblige your request, Ms. Shen.¡±

    Shen Xi was caught in a fix since she could not return the stuff to Brother without letting him know about it. ¡°Kun Lun, tell Brother that the item¡¯s too valuable for me to ept.¡±

    Concerned, Kun Lun made a face. ¡°Ms. Shen, how am I to exin to Boss if you don¡¯t ept it?¡±

    Had the gift been returned, Boss would be upset and get the idea that Ms. Shen was angry and did not like his gift.

 Chapter 161 - Joy And Heartache

    <h4>Chapter 161: Joy And Heartache</h4>

    Shen Xi did not make things difficult for Kun Lun. ¡°I¡¯ll personally return the gift to him.¡±

    She should not be throwing the heart gesture around. Otherwise, a gold mine would be given to her next. With money, the big boss could do whatever he wanted.

    Shen Xi came up with a good idea that allowed her to return the gift to Brother while making him happy at the same time.

    Through the rear-view mirror, Kun Lun observed the man in the backseat.

    The man quietly sat there in the hot car with a red scarf around his neck. With downcast eyes, he softly focused on the scarf as his lips curled into a delighted angle.

    Ms. Shen really nailed it. Kun Lun had nothing but the utmost respect for her. A handmade scarf left Boss smiling like an idiot.

    The returned gift was not worth mentioning against the warm scarf. Anything else could be disregarded as long as Boss was happy.

    Li Yuan examined the scarf around his neck and his attention was suddenly caught by a different shade of red on it. Looking serious, he leaned in for a close inspection.

    Picking up on the almost indistinguishable faint stench of blood, his heart sank as heartache slowly took over.

    Her fingers must have been hurt from knitting him a scarf.

    Oh, his silly girl. His heart was filled with joy and heartache for her!

    ¡­

    In a matter of a week, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± continued to gain reputation and the show could be seen, shared and rmended everywhere.

    Two episodes were released on Friday night.

    On Saturday, it was announced that viewership had skyrocketed to 9.8%, triplingst week¡¯s highest TV ratings.

    That night, Yuan Yu appeared at the set and waited for the shoot to end before inviting the team for a well-deserved treat.

    Despite feeling thrilled, Yun Jinping promised her daughter to keep the secret. Since her daughter mentioned that her ssmates were loyal fans of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, Yun Jinping used this excuse to invite Shen Xi¡¯s close ssmates to the house for a meal to celebrate.

    Shen Xi had nned to invite only Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi.

    It never urred to her that the b*stard, Pei Xu, had picked up on the news somewhere and brought along the entire international ss students along with him.

    Bringing a BBQ grill, charcoal, and top-grade grilling ingredients with them, the group made quite the entrance.

    Since they were here bearing food and gifts, Yun Jinping was not going to allow Shen Xi to chase them away.

    ¡°Children, pleasee in.¡± Yun Jinping was grinning ear to ear. ¡°You could have juste. There was no need to bring anything.¡±

    ¡°Aunty, we have a lot of people here. Xixi will kill us if you get exhausted from cooking for us.¡± Pei Xu joked while bringing the stuff into the house.

    Gazing at him, Yun Jinping found the child sensible and big-hearted. These kids were good kids!

    ¡°Pei Xu, get two guys toe and help me carry some stuff.¡± Someone shouted.

    Pei Xu turned around to look. It was none other than Yu Qiubai, that b*stard. With a frown, he swept a nce at Yu Qiubai with disdain and gave him the cold shoulder before turning to leave.

    ¡°Xu, is that your ssmate?¡± Yun Jinping only met with Pei Xu, Song Wenye and a few more international ss students at the dancepetition.

    There were forty-odd students in the international ss. With most of the bunch turning up today being unfamiliar faces, Yun Jinping thought Yu Qiubai was from their ss.

    ¡°Aunty, I don¡¯t know him.¡± Pei Xu threw the items in his hands to the approaching Lin Ge. He then happily pulled Yun Jinping along to the house.

 Chapter 162 - Frenemy

    <h4>Chapter 162: Frenemy</h4>

    ¡°Aunty, my name is Yu Qiubai. I¡¯m a friend of Xixi¡¯s.¡± Yu Qiubai ran over carrying two bags of items with a goody-two-shoes smile stered across his lips.

    Pei Xu clenched his teeth and shot Yu Qiubai a re.

    This guy sure knew how to y a good boy in front of elders. Look at that smile. Oh, how he wished to rip that face apart.

    Hearing that he was a friend, Yun Jinping happily nodded and warmly greeted the well-mannered boy. ¡°Pleasee in.¡±

    Yu Qiubai pointed at the car behind. ¡°Aunty, I was afraid that someone may not like BBQ so I bought some ingredients for hotpot, but I might have bought too much. I can¡¯t carry them all by myself.¡±

    Yun Jinping wanted to help out and turned to Pei Xu. ¡°Xu, get a few people to help with the things.¡±

    Pei Xu pulled her aside and replied with a smile, ¡°Aunty, get back home. Leave that to us.¡±

    He then gave Yu Qiubai a warning and threatening look.

    Who was this guy calling a friend? He sure had the guts to weave a story on his own. Had he asked Xixi?

    Yu Qiubai grinned innocently and naively before pushing the bags to Pei Xu. He waved his arm. ¡°Lin Ge, you lot,e with me.¡±

    Rage was burning in Pei Xu¡¯s eyes as he was ovee with the will to kick Yu Qiubai. Who was he to order him around?

    After advancing two steps, Yu Qiubai turned around and curled his lips at Pei Xu with arrogance and cunningness reflected in his foxy eyes.

    Pei Xu was livid. F*ck! This guy was asking for it!

    Shen Xi, Song Wenye, and the other girls were prepping the ingredients.

    ¡°Xixi, why is that guy here?¡± Song Wenye pointed to the door.

    Wondering who that guy was, Shen Xi lifted her head to meet Yu Qiubai¡¯s smiley foxy eyes. She darted him a chillingly murderous stare before answering with a cold tone, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    Yu Qiubai cheerfully waved his arm at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, I bought some hotpot ingredients.¡±

    Before Shen Xi could tell him to scram, Yu Qiubai had slipped away to butter up to Yun Jinping.

    Yu Qiubai, that b*stard. What was he up to?

    He was bros with Su Mushi, yet he always managed to rile Su Mushi up. They must be frenemies.

    It was only one-sided on Su Mushi¡¯s part to see Yu Qiubai as a bro with all his heart. Perhaps the d*mned fox had always taken him for granted.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi would not be so na?ve as to think that Yu Qiubai was on their side. This guy was a cunning fox and had his own agenda in everything he did.

    Taking Pei Xu¡¯s lead, the international ss students were hostile towards Yu Qiubai.

    However, a few girls from the international ss followed Song Wenye¡¯s example and were obsessed with looks. Never mind who it was, good looks spoke the truth.

    No one cared whether Yu Qiubai was a fox. Thetter was busy getting on Yun Jinping¡¯s good side, addressing her as Aunty affectionately and rushing to take on all the work.

    Pei Xu was not one to lose, seeing that the duo were rivals and did not see eye to eye. Since they wanted nothing more than to crush each other, Pei Xu was not going to let Yu Qiubai steal his thunder. He got into grabbing all the jobs.

    ¡°Aunty, let me.¡±

    ¡°Aunty, give it to me.¡±

    Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai tried to grab the te in Yun Jinping¡¯s hand.

    During the snatching process.

    ng!

    The te broke.

    Pei Xu pulled a vicious look. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done.¡±

    Yu Qiubai embarrassedly looked at Yun Jinping and turned on the good-boy looks. ¡°Aunty, I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡±

    Yun Jinping turned to Pei Xu. ¡°Xu, go check on the grill!¡±

    Pei Xu was defeated. KO!

 Chapter 163 - Looks Foremost

    <h4>Chapter 163: Looks Foremost</h4>

    Song Wenye took a nce at Pei Xu with pity before bursting out inughter. She patted his shoulder. ¡°Bro, just give up. You can¡¯t win over that double-dealing snake.¡±

    Pei Xu red at her. ¡°Whose side are you on?¡±

    Song Wenye rolled her eyes. ¡°Looks rule.¡±

    She had to admit, Yu Qiubai was slightly better looking than their Alpha Xu.

    Pei Xu coldly scoffed. He swept a nce at Yu Yuanxi who was quietly grilling at the corner. ¡°Why not him then?¡±

    Song Wenye followed his gaze.

    A short distance away, a gentle and discreet young man stood before the BBQ grill. His perfect side profile was facing her direction.

    With the young man let out an air of tranquility, he seemed out of ce with the bustling environment.

    ¡°Looks rule.¡± Pei Xu teasingly eyed Song Wenye askance.

    Song Wenye mumbled under her breath. ¡°He¡¯s in love with someone else. What do you know?¡±

    Ever since Pei Xu brought Yu Yuanxi up to Song Wenye, he had no idea what hade into her as she would nce at him from time to time. He was so awfully quiet that no one would notice he was there.

    He did the most work without showing it off for the whole world to know like Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai did.

    Petty and vindictive, Pei Xu snapped a photo of Yu Qiubai and tagged Su Mushi in the English debate group. ¡°Leader Su, hurry over and take your best friend away.¡±

    Su Mushi was just done with private sses when he saw the photo of Yu Qiubai together with the international ss. Immediately, he saw red.

    Having taken notice of Shen Xi and Yun Jinping in the background, Su Ruowan was intrigued enough to ask, ¡°Mushi, why is Qiubai there? Why is Shen Xi and her adopted mom there too?¡±

    With mes burning in his eyes, Su Mushi spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°Yu Qiubai! He¡¯s supposed to be my best friend!¡±

    Such a good friend that he would never stop going against and pissing him off!

    Yu Qiubai knew how much he hated the international ss students and despised Shen Xi, yet the former still hung out with them!

    Despite feeling envious, Su Ruowan sensiblyforted him. ¡°Mushi, maybe Qiubai went there to take care of something.¡±

    The witch must have cast some sort of spell to bewitch the unruly international ss as well as Yu Qiubai.

    Growing up, she went through a lot of trouble but not once had Yu Qiubai looked at her. It was unfair!

    ¡°Don¡¯t take his side.¡± Furious, Su Mushi had the urge to charge right over there and ask Yu Qiubai if he wanted to keep the friendship.

    Pei Xu had posted the photo and tagged Su Mushi.

    Yu Qiubai had posted a 9-square grid photo in his moments. ¡®To celebrate ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±¡®s sess in viewership to push past 9%. Drama fans¡¯ first party.¡¯

    Fuming, Su Mushi sped his phone as his body shook violently from anger.

    Good!

    Great!

    What a guy!

    ¡­

    Song Wenye held the phone to Shen Xi. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s b*tchy? I¡¯ve never seen him so b*tchy.¡±

    Shen Xi took a look and nodded. Yes, it was a b*tchy move indeed.

    Between Yu Qiubai and Pei Xu, they wereparing who reigned supreme in the terms of b*tchiness.

    Su Mushi had probably died in his own pool of blood by now.

    Over on this side, the group were having a st in the dinner party.

    Song Wenye felt that she had lost it. Pei Xu¡¯s a b*tch for pointing out Yu Yuanxi to her so much. Now, she felt sorry for him and was unable to take her eyes off him.

 Chapter 164 - Not Into Him

    <h4>Chapter 164: Not Into Him</h4>

    While others were horsing around, Yu Yuanxi was plowing away at work.

    When others were eating, he was busy grilling meat.

    Yu Yuanxi had not had a bite by the time others were almost done clearing their te.

    Song Wenye may seem like a goofball on the surface, but she was a sensitive soul with great empathy for others. She approached Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Give it over. Go have something to eat.¡±

    Dumbstruck, Yu Yuanxi smiled warmly at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can do it. You should go and enjoy the food.¡±

    With her nerves already on edge, Song Wenye snatched the barbeque fork and shot him a re. ¡°I told you to eat, so stop the crap.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Yuanxi nodded his head and had the desire tough.

    The girl had a pair of adorable snaggle teeth. She was not at all fierce despite her best efforts and in fact, appeared cute, making her seem as harmless as a cub.

    Yu Yuanxi knew who she was ¨C Song Wenye, thedy boss of the international ss. He felt a sense of discord every time she strutted around with that cute babyface.

    ¡°Lil Yu.¡± Yun Jinping called out to him.

    ¡°Aunty.¡± Yu Yuanxi took a nce at Song Wenye and smiled before advancing towards Yun Jinping.

    ¡°I made you a bowl of noodles. Come and eat. You¡¯ve been busy all day!¡± Thinking of him as family, Yun Jinping ushered Yu Yuanxi into the house and ced the bowl of noodles on the table.

    Song Wenye stopped where she was and scoffed.

    She seemed to have put her finger in the pie and overdid on the sympathy. He was not interested in the barbeque and hotpot at all rather than being too upied to have the time.

    Shen Xi walked over to lend Song Wenye a hand. ¡°Yu Yuanxi can¡¯t have spicy food or anything heavy. My mom made him noodles.¡±

    Song Wenye snapped back. ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡±

    Shen Xi let out a hinting smile. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Did Song Wenye think she was blind and did not notice that the former was stealing nces at Yu Yuanxi?

    Song Wenye solemnly gave her a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I felt sorry and sympathetic towards him. You can ask Pei Xu if you don¡¯t believe me. I feed the strays in the neighborhood every day.¡±

    Shen Xi lifted a brow. ¡°Did I say something?¡±

    Peeved, Song Wenye yelled through clenched teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not into him!¡±

    The international ss students looked over. These onlookers were dying to find out what had happened and who was interested in who.

    Caught between embarrassment and rage, Song Wenye red at them viciously. ¡°What are you looking at? Go back to eating!¡±

    A few girlfriends ran over, wanting to know what had taken ce but they were squished by Song Wenye. Hence, they pitifully rushed to seekfort from Shen Xi.

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Shen Xi appeared innocent and harmless.

    The girlfriends were itching to know the gossip. Nevertheless, they had no choice but to walk away, knowing well that Shen Xi would not let up on anything.

    When the fun party was over, Song Wenye and Pei Xu instructed the gang to clean up the trash all over the courtyard. Thanks to the many pairs of hands, the ce was soon straightened out nicely.

    ¡°Who is Cloud Seven?¡± Yu Qiubai caught up with Shen Xi who was throwing away the trash.

    Shen Xi coldly peered at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the scriptwriter of yourpany?¡± Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes as he fascinatingly sized her up with a cunning smile.

    Giving him a side nce, Shen Xi would not give him a straight answer. ¡°Are you full?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Yu Qiubai finally realized what she was implying.

    The girl was implying that he was full of hot air!

    Shen Xi had just moved away when the sound of his footsteps chasing up to her ensued.

    D*mn fox. What was he up to now?

 Chapter 165 - Believe What You Want

    <h4>Chapter 165: Believe What You Want</h4>

    ¡°Girl.¡± Yu Qiubai was walking alongside Shen Xi when he abruptly shortened the distance between them and dragged out his speech. ¡°Your handwriting is pretty simr to Cloud Seven!¡±

    Shen Xi swept a nce at him in disdain. ¡°Run home.¡±

    Yu Qiubai sure was full of hot air after grabbing himself a bag of popcorn. He had to poke his nose in everything.

    Trying to trick her into talking?

    Cloud Seven had never disclosed her signature, so there was no way he had seen Cloud Seven¡¯s handwriting.

    Yu Qiubai smiled and narrowed his long flirty eyes at her before answering, ¡°I happen to know the old boss of Cloud Seven¡¯s inte site. I¡¯ve seen her signature.¡±

    ¡°You have Cloud Seven¡¯s signature?¡± With Song Wenye¡¯s excited voice heard from behind, she bolted over. ¡°Where did you get it? Is it an autographed book? How much is it? Please sell it to me.¡±

    Her selective hearing only picked up on the main points which were Cloud Seven and signature.

    Yu Qiubai unexpectedly had her idol¡¯s signature. Sob sob sob. Song Wenye was envious, jealous, and resentful!

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy to get Cloud Seven¡¯s signature.¡± Smiling like a century-year-old cunning vixen, Yu Qiubai pointed at Shen Xi to hint. ¡°Just ask from her.¡±

    Though doubtful, Song Wenye held Shen Xi by the arm. ¡°Is what he said true? Do you really have Cloud Seven¡¯s signature?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°You believe him?¡±

    Song Wenye shook her head but not without turning back to hiss at Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai indifferently shrugged and smiled mysteriously. ¡°Believe what you want.¡±

    Shen Xi knew that Yu Qiubai the fox was here for something, but so long as she denied that she was Cloud Seven, what could he do about it?

    Yu Qiubai curled his lips at her receding figure. This girl sure had many faces!

    It was a lively scene at the Shen residence due to the celebratory party.

    The Su residence, on the other hand, was engulfed in an air of dreariness.

    For the first time ever, Su Yi screwed up. Engulfed in fury, he turned on the TV with a long face.

    Su Yi wanted to see for himself what was good about this TV show.

    Havinge home to him tuning in on the show, Li Jingran unhappily walked up. ¡°Honey, Shi and the rest will be home soon. He¡¯s going to be angry if he catches you watching the show.¡±

    Shi had received the offer for the role but rejected the part following their persuasion to do so.

    She was afraid that their son would resent them because of this. Shi was down in the dumps and had not been in the best of moodtely. He was sulking by himself.

    ¡°There are many who miss great opportunities in showbiz and he¡¯s the only one who can¡¯t stand it?¡± Su Yi turned blue in the face.

    His blood pressure went up to think about that. Who would have known that someone would be so blind as to invest in the production? It was only by pure chance!

    ¡°That being said.¡± Li Jingran sighed as regret sank in. ¡°It would¡¯ve been great had Shi epted the role.¡±

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was trending in the past two days and bing viral was only a matter of time. Her staff members and fellow peers were binge-watching.

    Shi would be famous had he epted the male lead role. Instead of agonizing and regretting over the decision, Li Jingran would be the center of envy and praise wherever she went. It would not be like the present where an air of mncholy shrouded over the whole family.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of regret? All will be better once Shi gets on a show better than thisme one.¡± Su Yi was aware that his son med him, the whole family med him because ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was a hit. Nevertheless, the person who should not feel the sentiment was his wife. As rage overtook him, Su Yi was unable to hold his tongue. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel the same then?¡±

 Chapter 166 - The Good Son You Raised

    <h4>Chapter 166: The Good Son You Raised</h4>

    ¡°Why are you being so loud?¡± Su Yi gave Li Jingran a surprise. ¡°I was only echoing your views. I¡¯m a woman, what do I know? You have the final say in any decisions in this family.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s my fault that Shi did not ept the role?¡± Su Yi shouted and furiously smashed the remote control.

    After taking a step back out of fright, Li Jingran saw red. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Why are you yelling at me? Who are you showing your temper to?¡±

    Fuming, the pair refused to budge and engaged in a row.

    Su Ruowan entered the room to find Su Mushi standing at the living room entryway, watching their parents quarrel with bloodshot eyes.

    ¡°Mushi.¡± Su Ruowan cried. ¡°Mom and Dad are fighting. Why aren¡¯t you stopping them?¡±

    Su Mushi looked at her coldly without saying a word.

    Why should he stop them? What did their fight have to do with him?

    Su Ruowan cried as she meekly threw a nce at him before dashing into the room to stop the fight. ¡°Mom, Dad.¡±

    Su Mushi yanked Su Ruowan back and picked up a nearby antique vase to smash to the ground with a loud crash. He coldly scoffed. ¡°Cut it out!¡±

    Gazing at them, Su Yi eased the tension on his facial lines but put on a nk face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with you. Hurry back to your rooms.¡±

    Following their conversation, Su Mushi¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot and his expression grimacing with hatred brewing within. He let out a shout, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. The male lead of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would¡¯ve been me if it weren¡¯t for you!¡±

    He then balefully took off.

    Su Yi could have passed out from the rage as he sternly yelled, ¡°Get back here!¡±

    What did he say?

    What an ungrateful son!

    The boy sure had the guts to speak in such manner because of that god*mn show.

    Li Jingran buried her face in her hands and bawled. She was afraid that their son would resent them for that, and it did happen in the end.

    With color draining from her face, Su Ruowan was caught between chasing after Su Mushi andforting her parents. After much deliberation, she approached the couple and persuaded amid wails. ¡°Mom, Dad, it¡¯s only the anger talking. Mushi doesn¡¯t mean it. Please don¡¯t me him.¡±

    Blue in the face, Su Yi was shaking with anger as he pointed at Li Jingran. ¡°Good, great. Look at the good son you raised.¡±

    Li Jingran hugged Su Ruowan and cried out loud.

    ¡­

    The episode released on Friday saw viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± going past 9%.

    Thetest release on Saturday soared TV ratings to a record-breaking 14%. The show triggered a sensation and headlined many websites, bing the most talked about.

    The actors, director, and screenwriter were all pushed in the limelight.

    The actors, the main leads and supporting characters, saw a boost in poprity.

    The male lead, He Pei was most searched online while the female lead, Liu Ruoning and supporting actress, Gao Meng were equal rivals, holding an equal amount of fans.

    With the actors going viral, invites to business appearances, advertisements, TV shows, films, and programs quickly ensued.

    However, since ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was shot and released as they went, actors were disallowed from epting other activities and to focus only on the TV show to ensure quality.

    TV show fans looked forward with anticipation to the Fridays and Saturdays of every week for the broadcast of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    ¡°Xixi, Xixi,e down quick.¡± Yun Jinping anxiously called out to her from the living room.

 Chapter 167 - Donâ€™t Look For Trouble And Trouble Wonâ€™t Come Looking For You

    <h4>Chapter 167: Don¡¯t Look For Trouble And Trouble Won¡¯t Come Looking For You</h4>

    Shen Xi was in the middle of something when she heard Yun Jinping¡¯s voice. She ran over. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Yun Jinping pulled her to watch the TV. ¡°Xixi, look. Why do I find the transitions of the show choppy? Take a good look.¡±

    Taking a seat on the sofa, Shen Xi watched the show with her expression growing gloomy. Towards the end, her eyes reflected cold murderous intent behind a surge of raging mes.

    Great!

    The TV station had a lot of nerve!

    How dare they edit her show as they pleased!

    The episode released today had added in scenes she had already edited out. The plot was drawn out, making the storyline go all over the ce.

    To make it worse, there were double the usual amount ofmercials in between.

    ¡°Xixi, something¡¯s off, right?¡± Yun Jinping asked her.

    Shen Xi nodded. It was not just off; it was way wrong. Who gave them the right to edit her TV show? ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to the office for a bit.¡±

    With the viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± at a record high, they would rather y hardball and paypensation for nonpliance to get their hands onmercial fees, huh?

    Did they think they could do as they pleased after buying the rights to the show?

    ¡°Xixi, I¡¯ming with you.¡± By the grim look on her daughter¡¯s face, Yun Jinping knew that she was going after the TV station because of their actions.

    Shen Xi turned to her. ¡°Mom, stay at home and wait for Old Shen. I¡¯m going to look for my brother. I might not being home tonight. Don¡¯t worry. Call me anytime.¡±

    There was no way Yun Jinping¡¯s mind could be at rest. She walked her off to the neighborhood entrance and watched her get into the car before advancing home.

    Yuan Yu was not in China and had gone abroad for business yesterday. After learning about the matter through a phone call from his executive, he immediately gave Shen Xi a call. ¡°Xixi, don¡¯t be hasty and don¡¯t let the impulse get the best of you. I¡¯m flying back now and will go with you tomorrow.¡±

    So, the TV station had no shame and wanted to burn bridges?

    It was a norm for TV stations to edit and broadcast shows after purchasing the licensing fees to them.

    Nevertheless, it was a different story for ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. In response to their President Shen¡¯s demands, a use in terms of broadcasting rights was written clearly in the contract. The episodes were to be released based on their own cuts and could not be amended no matter in running time or editing.

    Otherwise, it was a breach of contract.

    Seeing that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± had be a hit and over 10% ratings in viewership, the TV station was banking on themercial fees. Ten-times the breach of contract damages, let alone double the penalty, was a piece of cake to them.

    The TV station must think that Cosmos Entertainment Corporation was a tiny office that would not fight back or have a falling out with them because of this.

    There might be some leeway if it were him but when it came to their Little Chairman Shen, things were going to get ugly.

    Shen Xi returned to the office and retrieved the contract before taking a flight to Ocean City. Her destination was Star TV station.

    Yuan Yu wanted to go with her, but flights were grounded due to a typhoon. There was no point in getting himself worked up. Despite being conscious that she could handle it alone, Yuan Yu gave her advice on the call. ¡°Do what you have to. Don¡¯t be afraid. They¡¯re the ones at fault here.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± It was three in the morning by the time Shen Xi got off the ne. She passed by rows and rows of streetlights while on her way from the airport to the TV station. ¡°Yuan Yu, don¡¯t rush back. Be safe. I will take care of things here.¡±

    ¡°Ourpany may be small, but we can¡¯t allow them to take advantage of us. Just do it and remember, I have your back in everything.¡± Yuan Yu spoke in a solemn voice.

    The TV station would not be afraid of trouble looking for them had they not looked for trouble themselves.

 Chapter 168 - Misdirect And Blameshift

    <h4>Chapter 168: Misdirect And meshift</h4>

    For the TV station to pick on Cosmos Entertainment, it was obvious that the former thought thetter were pushovers.

    If it happened once, it would only happen again. Sincepromise would not get them anywhere, Shen Xi would have to be tough.

    The two executives in the car came along with Lil Chairman Shen under Chairman Yuan¡¯s orders. Aware that Lil Chairman Shen could not be underestimated based on her looks, the executives were under a lot of stress in each encounter with her.

    It was more so today. Lil Chairman Shen would attend important meetings and even though she would not have much to say, every word that came out of her mouth hit home. She was capable, aloof, and overbearing. No one would believe she was only seventeen if they had no idea about her real age.

    Lil Chairman Shen was her usual indifferent and domineering self today, with an added air of murderous intent. She was like an undefeated war god marching to war, leaving them awestruck.

    With the TV show and its contents all over the ce, the quality went downhill. Adding terrible editing in the mix, it was more ads than storyline. Since the viewers were not blind enough to not notice, they called ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± out to the point the show was trending.

    The matter went from bad to worse in a night. Trolls, who had their own hidden agenda, had been waiting for ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± to make a misstep. They took to various online tforms to smear and nder the production team, giving the show a bad name in response to the TV station¡¯s nned misdirection.

    The trolls attacked the quality of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, stating that it was a terrible show to begin with and the early episodes were merely hyped up.

    The audience was clear on the broadcast pattern of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± and this episode was the pr opposite of the former releases. An episode had a running time of about an hour.

    There were some clear-headed fans in the wake of the matter who believed it was an editing issue from the TV station¡¯s part. They had a reputation of terrible editing in the first ce.

    Nevertheless, having done the shameless editing, the TV station was well prepared to deal with the aftermath. They shifted the me to the show¡¯s production team.

    The viewers went ballistic. If it was not the problem of the TV station¡¯s editing, then the shoot itself was a failure. They ran their mouths and cursed at the director, screenwriter, and actors.

    There would not be disappointment without expectations. The higher the expectation, the resentment would only grow when disappointed. The audience thought that there was a high-quality show atst, but it was a joke in the end. Was the production team trying to insult their intelligence with a slippery-slope quality?

    Shen Xi tauntingly curled her lips as she read the viciousments on forums and Weibo ofizens who were up in the middle of the night.

    It was a clever way for the TV station to misdirect and meshift. Well, since they had the nerve and burned bridges in the first ce, she should not be med for what wasing their way.

    It was nine o¡¯clock in the morning.

    The TV station began its operation at this hour.

    Dressed in a suit, Station Director Hong Tao was looking ruddy as he entered his office. His breath was taken away at the sight of a girl sitting on the sofa.

    The girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old, beautiful but carried an aloof and cold bearing.

    ¡°Hello, Director Hong. I¡¯m Cloud Seven, the screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.¡± Shen Xi got up and politely greeted him.

    Even though the man might be a scoundrel, Shen Xi did not forget her manners.

    ¡°Cloud Seven, please take a seat.¡± Hong Tao was smiling in the face, but he did not take her seriously. He then faced the door to give an order. ¡°Ms. Li, please bring in some tea. Don¡¯t keep our guest waiting.¡±

    Ms. Li, the secretary, had called him to inform that someone from Cosmos Entertainment was here.

    Here he thought to expect some big shot, but a little brat showed up instead.

 Chapter 169 - Used To Having Your Way

    <h4>Chapter 169: Used To Having Your Way</h4>

    After making the call to lengthen themercials and drag out the episodes, Hong Tao had already thought of a response to Cosmos Entertainment.

    ¡°No need for tea.¡± Shen Xi politely smiled, but her icy eyes brought about amanding presence. She took out the contract. ¡°Please exin the editing of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± yesterday.¡±

    Knowing that they were in the wrong, Hong Tao gave a bureaucratic response amid chuckles. ¡°Yourpany sold the licensing to our TV station so we have the right to manage the TV show. Tell your Chairman Yuan that we willpensate as written in the contract. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    He thought that Cosmos Entertainment would get all up in his face. Judging by the brat they sent over, it was in to see that thepany was not bothered by it.

    This was for the best since it would save the whole thing from turning ugly. It was all about profits when it came to business. Who would say no to making more money?

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m here for the money?¡± Shen Xi coldly scoffed. Her tone was soft but imposing. ¡°Who gave you the right to edit my TV show as you please?¡±

    Hong Tao was startled but quickly pulled himself together. ¡°Do you feel that thepensation is too small? I can double that, how about it?¡±

    He knew it. A greedy smallpany like that can be dismissed with a little bit of money and he was right ¨C she was here for money.

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± excelled in ratings and even though it was in the center of admonishment now due to the recent drop in quality, the show still reigned supremepared to other concurrent TV shows.

    Having been in this position for decades, Hong Tao had knowledge that the more the audience ran their mouths, the more they were hooked on the show. They may criticize, but they would not stop watching.

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would be the biggest hit within the next ten years or more if it kept to its high ratings. Since their TV station bought the copyright, the profits were immeasurable. The penalty for breach of contract was peanuts inparison.

    ¡°I hope you get this clear. I¡¯m here so that the TV station can carry out the terms of the contract, not to ask forpensation.¡± Shen Xi mocked. ¡°It¡¯s not money ourpany is after, but reputation. Director Hong, not everyone seeks profits like you.¡±

    Caught off guard by her sharp tongue, Hong Tao¡¯s face turned flushed red. ¡°Na?ve little brat. What utter nonsense.¡±

    ¡°You can be shameless and have no boundaries. You¡¯re eager to edit horribly and double themercial time for that small change. It¡¯s giving the audience sh*t and insulting their intelligence.¡± Shen Xi faintly curled her lips before changing the topic. ¡°Oh, it slipped my mind. That¡¯s the pattern of your TV station and you¡¯re used to getting your way. Do you really think that you¡¯re god and everyone should listen to you?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Hong Tao¡¯s eyes were raging with fire as he pointed at her. ¡°You¡¯re only a measly screenwriter. Go back and tell your boss if he wants to cut the deal? Get him toe talk to me face-to-face if he wants yourpany to survive.¡±

    It was only a minorpany established for less than six months. Hong Tao could crush them and oust them from China just like that. Who gave her the right to talk to him in such a way!

    ¡°I guess I must have touched a nerve with you. I¡¯m so sorry. I have a thing for being honest.¡± Shen Xi let out augh.

 Chapter 170 - Go Down Together

    <h4>Chapter 170: Go Down Together</h4>

    ¡°D*mn brat.¡± Hong Tao mmed the table in anger, hisplexion flushed from seeing red. ¡°You¡¯re Cloud Seven, right? Go back to your boss and tell him that he has no say in this and that¡¯s the end of the discussion.¡±

    People would go hat in hand to him because of his high position, especially after bing the station director. This was his first encounter with such an arrogant brat!

    It appeared the screenwriter had no intention of making it in showbiz. Well, Hong Tao would snuff out her career and no one would dare hire her!

    ¡°Director Hong, that¡¯s impressive of you!¡± Shen Xi lifted her eyes to reveal the innocence and naivety in them. She opened her mouth. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    Hong Tao was fuming and ticked off by the straight face the girl put on the whole time. ¡°You can try me and see if I¡¯m threatening you.¡±

    The brat sure had a sharp tongue on her!

    He wanted to see for himself if she would still be so arrogant after he cklisted her from the entertainment business.

    ¡°As a show of mutual respect, I should threaten you too.¡± Shen Xi unhurriedly picked up the teacup from the table and took a sip. She smiled and said, ¡°I can promise you that you won¡¯t get the next episode if you don¡¯t fulfil the contract requirements.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Hitting the roof, Hong Tao was close to cking out and pointed at her. ¡°Who do you think you are to refuse me the next episode? Even your boss wouldn¡¯t dare to talk to me this way.¡±

    The brat was so full of herself! Who gave her the courage to piss him off!

    Raising her brows, Shen Xi reflected chilliness in her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you that I¡¯m not only the screenwriter but the biggest boss of Cosmos Entertainment? Yuan Yu, the CEO of Cosmos reports to me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m afraid of you. We can just go down together. You can try your luck and see if I¡¯ll give you the next episode.¡±

    Hong Tao could feel his blood pressure rising. With a menacing look on his face, he hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    He was not going to drop ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± despite the cockiness and arrogance of the brat. The TV show was a contender with quality to match.

    Hong Tao had the foresight to purchase the rights to the TV show at the lowest rate. The other TV stations were green with envy now that the show had achieved such viewership. There was no way he was going to hand it over.

    The TV station would not be able to afford the damages to advertisers if the partnership were discontinued right now.

    He thought that he had the tinypany in the palm of his hand. It never crossed his mind that they would be so headstrong!

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°You have toply with the contract.¡±

    Hong Tao got his act together after weighing out the pros and cons. He turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Cloud Seven, let¡¯s get a grip, sit down and talk about this.¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at Hong Tao who had gotten over it. ¡°It¡¯s great that you can talk.¡±

    Hong Tao knew he had lostpletely. A contrast to him losing it, the brat remained calm and level-headed all along. Nevertheless, every word that came out of her mouth really got up his nose.

    He had nevere across such a cocky person in his life nor was he ever driven up a wall. He was humiliated.

    Hong Tao let her win this time. Payback woulde once ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was done with the shoot and broadcasted.

    Having relented, Hong Tao promised not to edit her show and the episodes would be broadcasted as submitted by Cosmos Entertainment.

    The episode yesterday would be taken down while yesterday¡¯s actual episode would be released tonight.

    Today¡¯s episode would be broadcasted tomorrow instead.

    ¡°Director Hong, you are a man of principles. Here¡¯s to a happy partnership.¡± Shen Xi nodded at him and smiled.

    Hong Tao was only giving in for now, but her words saw him hitting the roof. The brat was being sarcastic and making fun of him. He had to take it as water off a duck¡¯s back to avoid falling into her trap. Putting on a sour face, he simply could not smile. ¡°To a happy partnership.¡±

    ¡°I should get going then.¡± Shen Xi picked up the contract and got up.

    Even though Hong Tao wanted the eyesore to disappear, he still had to keep up with a professional appearance. ¡°Cloud Seven, take care.¡±

    Shen Xi had just got to her feet.

    There was a knock on the door of the director¡¯s office.

 Chapter 171 - My Sister

    <h4>Chapter 171: My Sister</h4>

    Shen Xi turned around to see Fu Qingye¡¯s face that never ceased to amaze, anytime, anywhere. Thetter¡¯s eyes turned soft as he met her gaze.

    Hong Tao looked over. Holy sh*t. Mr. Fu was here. Hat in hand, Hong Tao respectfully greeted him. ¡°Mr. Fu, you didn¡¯t say you wereing. I¡¯m really sorry that I did not personally wait for you at the door.¡±

    Shen Xi coldly smirked at the station director who was reduced to a wimp.

    Without ncing at him, Fu Qingye only had eyes for Shen Xi and asked her, ¡°Are you done with business here?¡±

    Hong Tao¡¯s pupils dted as the noble Movie Star Fu smiled warmly and spoke to Shen Xi with an intimate tone. Breaking out in cold sweat, Hong Tao¡¯s hair stood on end. He let out an awkward smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Mr. Fu and Cloud Seven are friends.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    With surprise written in Fu Qingye¡¯s gentle and long eyes, he curled an intriguing grin at her before speaking in a delighted tone, ¡°She¡¯s not a friend, but my sister.¡±

    This girl always amazed him. Who would have guessed that she was Cloud Seven, the screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    There really were curious coincidences in this world.

    Mother and Aunt were obsessed with ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± of hers.

    A loyal fan to the show, Mother called him to moan about yesterday¡¯s episode. She said that themercials had doubled, the show had lost its touch and was not as fascinating as before. She wanted him to find out what was up.

    Fu Qingye ced importance on Mother¡¯s request and since he had business with the TV station, he stopped by.

    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Shen Xi smiled at him. Warmth and gratitude softened the lines of her stone-cold face.

    This man was brilliant and sharp, capable of picking up what was going on in an instant. He had her back.

    ¡°We¡¯re done, all done. I will definitely strictly supervise Cloud Seven¡¯s requests and ensure that they are met.¡± Hong Tao grinned to smoothen the situation.

    It was not his hair standing on end at this point but his head buzzing. Fortunately, he came back to the right course during negotiations and reached a consensus with Cloud Seven. Otherwise, he would be doomed.

    It was no wonder Cloud Seven gave him an impression of a level-headed and wisedy despite her young age. She carried herself with extraordinary bearing that surpassed even he, who was high-ranking in the socialdder. It all made sense if she belonged to the Fu family.

    ¡°That¡¯d be a great help, Director Hong.¡± Shen Xi feigned a smile. Since she had gotten what she came here for, there was no need to pursue who was at fault.

    She knew that the old sly fox was onlypromising on the surface while inside, he was livid, frustrated, and resentful towards her. Perhaps Hong Tao had a million ways to kill her and crush Cosmos Entertainment in mind.

    Regardless of his thoughts and intentions to conspire in the dark, Shen Xi was not the least bit afraid.

    She was acting in ordance with the contract and asking him to do the same. It was the only rightful, honorable, worthy, and conscientious thing to do.

    Moreover, did Hong Tao believe that he was the only one with power and connections?

    Shen Xi did not pale inparison when it came to influence and connections.

    Taking a nce at Shen Xi, Fu Qingye could rest after finding no signs of abuse on her. He then turned to Hong Tao, but by then, his smile and gentleness had disappeared, leaving only an air of revering majesty. ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase, Director. I¡¯m a loyal fan of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. I would like to ask about yesterday¡¯s episode. Why are the scene transitions and storyline worse than before?¡±

 Chapter 172 - Time To Retire

    <h4>Chapter 172: Time To Retire</h4>

    Breaking out in cold sweat, Hong Tao jitterily exined. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have taken the unsolicited advice from others. I let the devil get to me and took the liberty to edit the TV show. I hope Mr. Fu, you¡¯ll give me a chance to turn a new leaf.¡±

    Had he known that Cloud Seven belonged to the Fu family and that Cosmos Entertainment was backed by the same, Hong Tao would never have the guts to edit and change the plot, even at the offer of advertising fees by a thousandfold.

    Shen Xi jeered at the menacing man, who was digging his heels in towards her earlier, reduced to a lowly speck of dust in a second.

    Curious beings such as humans were cowardly bullies!

    Hong Tao made clear of the ins and outs, leaving out, of course, the part where he ripped into Cloud Seven.

    On second thought, Cloud Seven had the upper hand in the entire negotiation while the one who almost lost it was him.

    Fu Qingye had sensed the tension in the air the moment he walked into the room. Although he had no idea what Shen Xi was here for, he could guess it was not something good. Hence, first things first, he talked to her and backed her up.

    Now that Hong Tao was done talking, Fu Qingye found out that she came to negotiate.

    There were only half-truths to Hong Tao¡¯s words and the details mostly consisted ofplimenting her. Nevertheless, it was not hard to imagine that this was not the truth.

    The negotiation must not have been smooth sailing for her.

    Other girls fretted about nice clothes, grades, and crushes at seventeen.

    She was already capable of standing on her own, negotiating with a veteran who had dabbled for decades in society all by herself and bringing home the win too. Fu Qingye saw her in a new light once again while at the same time, his heart went out to her.

    Hong Tao humbly saw them off to the station¡¯s entrance and watched their car leave before wiping away the cold sweat. His heart could burst out of his chest.

    He must ensure a thorough investigation was made in the future. Otherwise, Hong Tao may find himself in the same situation again and might not survive like today.

    Fortunately, the Fu family were merciful andrge-hearted. His mind was at rest as the siblings did not hold him ountable.

    Hong Tao watched the car disappear in his sight with gratitude, but turned around to a fright.

    Two meters away, a good-looking young man with smiley eyes and an unlit cigarette between his lips shed his pearly whites at Hong Tao. ¡°Old Man, how old are you?¡±

    Hong Tao felt a chill down his spine and the smell of death lingering as he met the young man¡¯s gaze. Taking a gulp, even his voice was trembling. ¡°55.¡±

    Xuan Yuan¡¯s eyes reflected thirst for blood. ¡°My boss told me to inform you that it¡¯s time to retire. He will find someone who can take a hint to rece you.¡±

    Hong Tao turned as white as a sheet by the young man¡¯s suffocating murderous intent. Quaking in his boots, he fell onto his knees in a thud. Thest thing he remembered was a heart attack before he cked out and lost consciousness.

    Xuan Yuan drew close and stared at him from above. A silver needle went down.

    Hong Tao gradually regained consciousness and looked at him in horror. ¡°I will retire right away. I will retire immediately. Please have mercy.¡±

    Gloating, Xuan Yuan curled his lips into a cold smirk. ¡°You should fix the mess you made before retiring. You don¡¯t need me to tell you how to do it.¡±

    Hong Tao incessantly nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take care of it.¡±

    Xuan Yuan smiled in satisfaction before turning to leave.

 Chapter 173 - The Head Of The Li Household

    <h4>Chapter 173: The Head Of The Li Household</h4>

    There were a lot of people who did not know their ce in this world. Boss¡¯ youngdy produced a TV show yet there were some imbeciles who had to make money off her work and trouble her by having her make a trip here.

    Boss was furious when he found out.

    These idiots must be sick of living.

    Hong Tao watched the young man vanish before his eyes, giving the impression that the person he saw before was only an illusion. Haunted by the incident, he got up looking dead in the face.

    Oh god! Who the hell was Cloud Seven!

    She was backed by the Fu family and now the Li family?

    He was sure that it was the Li family¡¯s emblem on the young man¡¯s exposed arm.

    The Li family was a century-old reclusive family on par with the Fu family.

    It was said that two decades ago, the Li family was wiped out by the Fifth Family and only one managed to escape. The Fifth Family¡¯s youngest son, Yan Chen the Fifth was also the son of the Li family¡¯s daughter.

    Five years ago, tragedy befell the Fifth Family overnight and their massive assets went missing.

    The Li family regained its former glory in the same year. It was not known what the name of the Li household¡¯s head was. Everyone would respectfully address him as Boss.

    There was a rumor in the capital that the youngest son of the Fifth Family ¨C Yan Chen the Fifth was the current head of the Li household.

    The most fearsome in the whole of China was the Li family. Famed as having a bad reputation, its head of household was a ruthless and heartless character who would go to great lengths, even kin was not spared, in getting the job done.

    The Li family was not in the list of well-known aristocrats but could top these families on the charts, outdoing even the likes of the Fu family.

    In a luxury sedan.

    One of each kind of bubble tea was disyed on the table.

    Fu Qingye asked her, ¡°Do you want it cold or hot? How sweet would you like?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Fu, you don¡¯t have to go through all the trouble.¡± Mixed with feelings of warmth and bitterness, Shen Xi felt embarrassed.

    Despite making it clear to him, Movie Star Fu was still so nice to her. It made her feel that she was out of line to say such cruel words to someone who had been looking for his sister for decades.

    ¡°I like to do it.¡± Fu Qingye did not be estranged from her due to her cold-hearted remarks. On the contrary, he felt bad for her. Fu Qingye enquired with a smile, ¡°Which would you like to have?¡±

    Shen Xi treated them to bubble tea when she came to create a look for him. He guessed she probably enjoyed this beverage.

    Fu Qingye did not pay much attention then and had no idea how much thought could be put in a cup of bubble tea. Not only were there vors to think about, but the amount of sweetness and its temperature were also considered.

    He did not know the vor, temperature, and sweetness she liked. Hence, he bought one of everything.

    ¡°Ice Strawberry and Peach with regr sweetness.¡± As she studied him, all the more she felt she went too far in being heartless and cruel.

    The bubble tea Shen Xi wanted was on the left-hand corner of Fu Qingye. With a smile across his lips, he picked up the cup and handed it to her while keeping in mind that this was her favorite.

    Jing Yu came and took away the remaining bubble teas before serving a few dishes of desserts, duck neck, crunchy chicken bones, and lobster balls.

    Shen Xi nced and realized these were all her favorites. Feeling the heart tingles and conflict, her eyes met with Fu Qingye¡¯s warm and expectant eyes. She politely grinned. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She knew that he remembered her preference from when she came to create a look and treat everyone including herself to bubble tea. He specially had the drinks prepared for her.

    With the man before her so warm, nice, and observant, Shen Xi was clueless on how to get along with him.

 Chapter 174 - Doesnâ€™t Hate Him

    <h4>Chapter 174: Doesn¡¯t Hate Him</h4>

    Fu Qingye smiled and softly said, ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t had breakfast. Eat some cake to have something in your tummy before helping yourself to spicy food. I don¡¯t know what kind of breakfast you like so I only prepared these.¡±

    This was his first encounter with a strange girl like her. Others would hope that Fu Qingye looked at them, but she steadfastly refused him when he was nice to her.

    Shen Xi could not stand it when people were nice to her. In the end, she could not help but go straight to the point. ¡°Mr. Fu, you don¡¯t have to prepare these specially for me or be so nice to me.¡±

    ¡°Scared already?¡± Fu Qingye chuckled at her statement. The warmth and joy were seen in his eyes.

    The girl was anxious but not because she was afraid that others were bad to her. On the contrary, she was afraid of niceness!

    Feeling a headache, Shen Xi stared straight into his eyes. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a substitute for your sister. Sir, you don¡¯t have to be nice to me. I¡¯m softhearted and will take it seriously.¡±

    ¡°Then take it seriously.¡± Fu Qingye then changed the topic. ¡°You can be my sister for a day if you really want to thank me.¡±

    Shen Xi kept a straight face. ¡°Mr. Fu, don¡¯t joke with me. There are countless people who would fight to be your sister as long as you say the word.¡±

    ¡°But they are not you.¡± Fu Qingye sighed and gazed into her eyes, refusing to let her shy away. ¡°Tell me. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that you¡¯ll steal what belongs to my sister?¡±

    Returning a smile, Shen Xi did not deny that fact. ¡°Mr. Fu, you¡¯re a wise man. There¡¯s no need to ask what you already know.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not from the Su family and you¡¯re not Su Ruowan.¡± Having looked into her, Fu Qingye could guess what was bothering her. He asked her, ¡°If your adoptive parents found their biological son and were nice to him, would you resent, hate, and hurt him?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi answered loud and clear.

    How could she be jealous and hurt him? She would only want to be extra nice to him to make up to him for the sake of Old Shen and Madam Yun.

    Shen Xi was thankful for and satisfied with all the love she was given all these years.

    Moreover, Old Shen and Madam Yun would never pull away from her just because Brother was found.

    ¡°I won¡¯t as well.¡± Fu Qingye solemnly looked at her with heartbreak written all over his eyes. ¡°I will only double the love and affection that I have for her. I won¡¯t cast her aside and distance her because of you.¡±

    This girl really pulled at his heartstrings. Just what did she go through to be who she was today? She may appear calm and carefree, but she was in fact a little turtle.

    Afraid to be hurt, she would shrink into her shell and refuse to ept anyone¡¯s kindness.

    He could tell that she did not hate him.

    Fu Qingye could also sense that despite her urge to approach, she closed out the conflict she was experiencing within.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, are you a mind reader?¡± Shen Xi did not feel awkward having been seen through. In fact, she felt relieved.

    Shen Xi had always known what her needs and wants were. Due to this lucidness, she did not have the courage to let her feelings loose.

    She was actually an ostrich, refusing to open her heart to anyone except Madam Yun and Brother.

    Because of the hurt from the Su family and because of the fear, Shen Xi chose to run away. There would never be hurt as long as she did not offer a piece of her heart.

 Chapter 175 - Uncanny Resemblance

    <h4>Chapter 175: Uncanny Resemnce</h4>

    ¡°So, did I seed?¡± Fu Qingye said warmly as he curled his hand into a fist and gently bumped Shen Xi¡¯s head. ¡°Silly girl, not everyone is a bad guy and maybe you should also learn to ept kindness from others.¡±

    She pondered for a moment before her face lit up with a cheeky smile. ¡°Mr. Fu, aren¡¯t you afraid that by having an adorable and stunning sister like me, you¡¯d be lost in my charm and might favor me over your birth sister once you find her?¡±

    ¡°I believe everyone has their unique charm; you have yours while my sister has hers. Besides, nobody can beat the daughter of the Fu family.¡± He smirked before continuing, ¡°Or should I say, that you could possibly be afraid to let yourself indulge in my brotherly love and be the spoiled brat that you so very despise?¡±

    Shen Xi was pleasantly surprised by theeback and burst outughing. ¡°It¡¯s a win-win situation for me to be your sister, Mr. Fu. Since you insist, I¡¯ll give in even if it means to just be a substitute.¡±

    Is there anything better than this in the world?

    The second young master of the Fu family went through the trouble of asking her to be his sister time and again. Shen Xi thought it would be inexcusable to refuse again.

    The Su family had always wanted to rub shoulders with the Fu family, yet thetter would not even bat an eye. If they learned that Fu Qingye had insisted Shen Xi to be his sister, their rage would be through the roof.

    As Jing Yu waited in a corner, he watched the duo bantered in a battle of wits. There were not many rounds and nonested long, but each round was exhrating.

    This was especially thrilling when they were throwing verbal jabs at each other, and with each minute expression and the smallest of gestures, both of them bore an uncanny resemnce!

    The usually courteous young master only came up with such an extreme measure to tear down her fa?ade because he understood that Ms. Shen would not ept his kindness easily.

    She has built walls around her after suffering under the hands of the Su family. So, Fu Qingye figured that this was the only way she would agree to be his sister.

    ¡°I have quite a niftywork of contacts and resources. I will get someone to look for your foster parents¡¯ son,¡± he said as his eyes shed with loneliness.

    Shen Xi caught onto that and sheforted him. ¡°Mr. Fu, don¡¯t worry. Your sister will be found sooner orter.¡±

    It would be a discourtesy to say that the Fu family had a smallwork. With Fu Qingye¡¯s help, Shen Xi was convinced that it would not be long till they learned of Brother¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Mr. Fu?¡± Fu Qingye asked.

    ¡°Brother Fu.¡± Shen Xi cleverly replied.

    ¡°Brother,¡± he corrected earnestly.

    ¡°Brother,¡± she echoed with a smile.

    ¡°Sister,¡± he said as he beamed in delight.

    Jing Yu examined the pair and he thought again that both of them looked too much alike.

    If Shen Xi was not the daughter of the Su family, he would have undoubtedly mistaken her for the Fu family¡¯s long-lost youngdy.

    He now understood that not all children took after their parents. It must have taken the Su ancestors to have done plenty of good deeds to have a daughter like Ms. Shen; considering the horrible personalities the Su and Li families had.

    Ms. Shen was the exception though, so was the missus at home.

    Young Master Qingye¡¯s heart went out to her because both Shen Xi and the missus¡¯ looks and experiences were simr to a T.

    Shen Xi kept her words. Not only did she be his sister, she also became Fu Qingye¡¯s tour guide and showed him around Ocean City.

    Ocean City¡¯s Rolling Feast was the city¡¯s most well-known restaurant. Set up in a garden style, the ce presented a serene and charming atmosphere;plete with a mini bridge, running waters, ake, and a pavilion.

    Shen Xi walked to the pond with the artificial hill to watch koi swimming around as she waited for Fu Qingye.

    While that happened, a group of smartly dressed elites entered the restaurant bearing chatters and waves ofughter.

    ¡°Everyone, pleasee in,¡± the restaurant manager cordially weed the guests into the restaurant.

    Piqued by the sudden uproar at the entrance, Shen Xi turned to look at where the noise wasing from. She immediately recognized the idiot at the center of the crowd was none other than Su Muxuan.

    Su Muxuan entered the restaurant to find Shen Xi kneeling by the pond doing God knows what.

    With a sudden switch from jolly to a steely expression, he said, ¡°Mr. Li, do you allow every riff-raff into your Rolling Feast?¡±

 Chapter 176 - Whoâ€™s Your Brother?

    <h4>Chapter 176: Who¡¯s Your Brother?</h4>

    Shen Xi, that d*mn brat, was cocky and evil to pick on Wanwan. Not only that, Muyan and Mushi suffered in her hands. Mom¡¯s blood pressure never went down either.

    Su Muxuan could let the matter slide if he did not see Shen Xi, but he had to teach her a lesson now that she was before his eyes.

    Someone of her status did not deserve to be in a ce like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll have it taken care of right away.¡± The restaurant manager apologized to curry his favor before turning towards the artificial hill. With disdain shing in his eyes, the restaurant manager pointed and lectured the security guards. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you guys? Throw her out.¡±

    Having served as a manager for over a decade, he could tell if the guest was a VIP by their clothes and how they carried themselves.

    There was nothing extraordinary about the girl¡¯s attire. She must have crashed into the restaurant out of nowhere!

    Had this been the way the guards were doing their job? Would they be able to bear the responsibility if they were to upset their distinguished guests?

    Unfazed in where he stood, Su Muxuan darted a scornful look at Shen Xi.

    The security guards rushed to Shen Xi and dealt with the situation by the book. ¡°Miss, please produce your VIP card.¡±

    Shen Xi gave them a strange look before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    The security guards were only doing their job. ¡°Please follow us out. Our restaurant only amodates VIP guests.¡±

    As Shen Xi was cornered, she frowned and said, ¡°My brother should have one.¡±

    The guards asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed in a random direction and smiled. ¡°My brother went to the Michelin restaurant next door to buy me some dessert.¡±

    A short distance away, Su Muxuan carried a solemn and cynical look.

    D*mn brat. Brother? Where did this brothere from? She sure had a mouthful of lies.

    The three-star Michelin restaurant next door? Was she talking about Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet? For someone who could not even read out the name, she sure had the nerve to make outrageous remarks.

    Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet was only open five days a week and epted 8 customers per day. A booking had to be made by phone at least six months prior and the minimum spend must be at least fifty thousand per customer. Shen Xi would probably not get past the door.

    Today was Sunday. Her fictitious brother must have worked magic to get them to open on an off day just to make her desserts.

    The manager, who was within earshot, was a little doubtful when Shen Xi brought up a brother. However, all doubts were pushed aside following her statement about the Michelin restaurant, and he was sure Shen Xi was a liar. The manager shouted, ¡°Cut the crap. Hurry up and get on it.¡±

    The security guards knew that the three-star Michelin restaurant next door was not open today. Hence, they surrounded her and were ready to get to work.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up as she waved at the entrance.

    Su Muxuan scoffed and his eyes turned dreary.

    D*mn brat! What brother!

    Was she willing to cast away her dignity just to prevent herself from being thrown out of the restaurant after being called out on her lie?

    She had better not forget that they had already cut ties. Su Muxuan did not have a disgusting sister like her!

    Shen Xi jogged over with a smile so bright on her gorgeous face, almost like the most dazzling bloom in spring.

    The onlookers could not help but smiled too as they were caught in Shen Xi¡¯s infectious glee.

    The youngdy was a stunner. There was an inexplicable brilliance and innocence about her smile that seemed to have magical powers to heal the heart and mind.

    Su Muxuan was blinded by her smile too but quickly snapped out of it and sneered at Shen Xi. ¡°D*mn brat. Who¡¯s your brother? I don¡¯t have a sister like you!¡±

    Must she stoop so low? Back then, Shen Xi was malicious and unyielding while cutting them out of her life.

    Now that she was close to being kicked out of the restaurant, the brat tried to climb up the socialdder and had the guts to call him brother. Not to mention, she gave a smile that disgusted him to the core.

 Chapter 177 - Dogfight

    <h4>Chapter 177: Dogfight</h4>

    ncing at Su Muxuan who is looking like an idiot, Shen Xi strode past him and headed straight toward the door.

    Su Muxuan turned around only to widen his eyes in disbelief as he took a closer look at the person at the door.

    Fu Qingye!

    Mr. Fu the Movie Star!

    How could it be?

    When did he be the brother of the likes of Shen Xi?

    Could Wanwan be telling the truth? Shen Xi, the d*mn brat had Fu Qingye under her spell!

    ¡°Brother, what took you so long?¡± Shen Xi was not happy.

    ¡°The dessert is made to order with ingredients delivered on-demand to ensure their freshness. It did take a bit of time, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Fu Qingye dotingly patted her fluffy head. However, his expression froze when he saw that she was pouting. ¡°Why are you upset? Who picked on our little princess?¡±

    Shen Xi tugged onto him with a grievance. Teary-eyed, she pointed at Su Muxuan and the rest of them. ¡°Brother, they wanted to kick me out!¡±

    Even if the people on site had never seen the Movie Star Fu Qingye in the flesh, they must have watched his movies. Already flustered, the people cowered in fear and kept their mouths shut when the man himself cast a nce past them.

    The manager, in particr, broke out in cold sweat and wanted to strangle himself. He walked up to Fu Qingye and apologized in a shuddering voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Fu. I had no idea. I¡¯m sorry to have offended the youngdy.¡±

    Su Muxuan¡¯s face turned sour. D*mn brat. What did she do to make Fu Qingye her brother? His anger was barely in check but he held his tongue for fear of Fu Qingye.

    The manager was a wise man to know whose side to choose. Appealing to humility, he talked his way out of it. ¡°Mr. Fu, Mr. Su brought up that the youngdy was an eyesore. Hence, I gave instructions to show her the way out.¡±

    Someone had to take the fall, but he was not going to be that scapegoat. The manager was merely pointing out the truth. Had Mr. Su not wanted her out, he would not havemitted the mistake and made Mr. Fu upset.

    Nothing would happen if he sold out Mr. Su. Rolling Feast was not one to mess with after all.

    However, it was a different story with offending the Fu family. The fate of Rolling Feast rested on Mr. Fu¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Mr. Li, you¡¯re the one ordering the guards to throw her out.¡± Su Muxuan appeared menacing. That manager better not throw him under the bus.

    The b*stard manager had another thinging if he was still under the delusion he could get away with this. Well, Su Muxuan had something to say about that.

    Shen Xi watched the dogfight with glee. Nevertheless, she dejectedly pulled on Fu Qingye¡¯s sleeve and hung her head low while waiting for him to stick up for her.

    With eyes of adoration, Fu Qingye wanted tough at the girl who was cooking up a storm. Why was she in styling and screenwriting? Shen Xi should take up acting as she was already an uprising starlet. He was delighted by the girl¡¯s reliance on him as she nestled against him. Fu Qingye pulled a long face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The manager did not give a sh*t anymore after the fallout with Su Muxuan. Still, he had toe up with a way to protect Rolling Feast. ¡°Mr. Fu, the moment Mr. Su came in and saw Ms. Fu, he asked me, ¡®Mr. Li, do you allow every riff-raff into your Rolling Feast?''¡±

    He copied Su Muxuan¡¯s arrogance and self-righteousness, breathing life into these expressions. He even emted the repulsive look to a T.

    Shots were fired. Fuming with rage, Su Muxuan was about to retaliate.

 Chapter 178 - Tragic End

    <h4>Chapter 178: Tragic End</h4>

    Fu Qingye was exuding a domineering aura and swept a cold look across the room, but his expression softened when he looked at the girl snickering with her hand over her mouth. He then motioned Mr. Li, the manager, to continue.

    Shen Xi was happy to watch the drama unfold.

    ¡°As we are in the business of hospitality, our priority is to provide the best of our service to our customers. I had someone look into Ms. Fu¡¯s VIP card as per procedure as we are only doing our job.¡± Mr Li spoked humbly notwithstanding the fact that he had no choice.

    Su Muxuan was livid and it showed in his eyes. He pointed at the manager. ¡°Mr. Li, you must have gotten the wrong idea as I did not ask you to remove her. I guess you don¡¯t know that she¡¯s my sister? As her brother, why would I have her thrown out?¡±

    He then tipped Shen Xi the wink. Su Muxuan was ready to give her a chance to turn over a new leaf and begged Dad to take her back, as long as Shen Xi is on her best behavior.

    This must be what she had always wanted!

    Furrowing his brows, Fu Qingye sounded rather displeased. ¡°He¡¯s your brother?¡±

    Shen Xi bit her lip and meekly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know him. You¡¯re my one and only brother.¡±

    Having lost it, Su Muxuan pointed his finger and yelled at her. ¡°Shen Xi, so you¡¯re not going to acknowledge your biological brother now that you have Mr. Fu, huh?¡±

    The d*mn brat was not like this in the past. He was her favorite and she constantly tried to cozy up to him like a clingy dog.

    ¡°Brother, he sure has the cheek.¡± With blood-thirsty eyes, Shen Xi bossily pointed at Su Muxuan. ¡°He Jin, tear his face apart!¡¯

    Copying that, He Jin stretched a little and toyed with a thin ice de in his hand while he strode forward.

    Su Muxuan was terrified. Hisplexion turned pale and he fell onto his knees with a thud. His voice was trembling in terror. ¡°Mr. Fu, I was wrong. I don¡¯t know her.¡±

    D*mn brat. What was with Mr. Fu to put up with her arrogance and malevolence? Why was he coddling her?

    ¡°He Jin, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s unbing of us to cause a ruckus.¡± Shen Xi shrugged and turned to Fu Qingye in between chuckles. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you think he looks like a dog?¡±

    A dog that was throwing its weight around!

    Su Muxuan might have heaved a sigh of relief, but there was no mistake that he wanted to kill Shen Xi out of spite with the brewing resentment in him.

    Was the d*mn brat not afraid of being struck by lightning for doing so? Was she not afraid that she may never return to the Su family?

    Fu Qingye smiled warmly at Shen Xi, leaving her to do as she pleased. Her many faces ¨C be it calm, childish, or bossy, added a different kind of appeal to her.

    Nevertheless, his favorite was when she went to him for protection and relied on him to pick on others in her stead.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go for dinner!¡± Without paying another nce at Su Muxuan, Shen Xi haughtily strutted away with her chin up and chest out. It was obvious to everyone that she was putting on airs.

    Su Muxuan¡¯s face grew foul as he watched them leave. His hands by his sides were tightly clenched into fists.

    Shen Xi.

    Well, he would see to it that she would not remain smug for long.

    Mr. Fu would soon find out her true colors and by then, Shen Xi would be kicked away!

    The remaining lot could finally breathe easy and they wiped cold sweats from their forehead.

    Jesus. Thank God, they did not rub it in when Mr. Su tried to throw Ms. Fu out.

    Otherwise, the girl from the Fu family probably would not let them off the hook so easily. Su Muxuan¡¯s tragic end was in to see. He even peed his pants! Yikes!

 Chapter 179 - A Dead End

    <h4>Chapter 179: A Dead End</h4>

    It was quite amotion at Rolling Feast.

    The activities on Weibo however proved to be livelier than Rolling Feast.

    The producers, actors, screenwriter, and director of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± were finally spared from the tongueshing that had since urredst night. Theizens shifted their attack and targeted the TV station instead.

    Star TV¡¯s official ount issued an apology in repentance as they admitted to editing the show without prior permission, messing with the plot and storyline. For their personal gain, they doubled the number ofmercials and all those had nothing to do with the crew, screenwriter, or director. Star TV earnestly asked for forgiveness from the audience and creators of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    Director Hong Tao¡¯s heartfelt post on Weibo included an admission of poor decision-making and his resignation. With all responsibilities rested on his shoulders, he hoped that the audience would refrain from taking it out on the TV station and continue to support ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡¯s¡± crew, actors, director, screenwriter, and Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s official ount responded that they were ready to let bygones be bygones if the other party felt remorseful. They wished to maintain a good and amiable partnership if the same mistake was not to be repeated.

    Su Mushi¡¯s hand was violently shaking as he held his phone. His expression turned menacing and livid, and with bloodshot eyes, he smashed the phone to the ground.

    How could this be?

    ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was about to get canned following the plummet of its reputation startingst night. The show was about to be done for.

    Su Mushi was just on the call with Muyan. ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was on its path to losing its viewership after its storyline crashed and burnedst night.

    He did not ask for more than the ratings to just stay below 10%. Su Mushi did not want to shell out on the bet if he were to lose!

    Now, not only did the TV station ate the humble pie and initiated an apology, the station¡¯s director, Hong Tao, even posted an article to admit his wrongdoings and announced his resignation.

    The drop in viewers¡¯ ratings in yesterday¡¯s broadcast was due to the TV station¡¯s horrible editing and was not a problem caused by the production crew.

    In mere minutes, it was aplete turnaround as fans began to attack the TV station that went rogue while words offort and apologies were seen on the production crew¡¯s Weibo.

    Who was the investor behind ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±? Just how much power did they have to drive the bossy and hegemonic Star TV up the wall?

    With color drained off to reveal a dead expression on his face, Su Mushi copsed on the floor and stared at the smashed phone. He was left in dismay.

    That was it.

    Everything was over.

    After all this, fans of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would only be more united and its TV ratings would continue to soar.

    How could he afford the sum of three billion for losing the bet? Dad would beat him to death if he were to find out.

    It was the first time ever for therge audience to experience a TV show¡¯s twist of fate, followed by an apology and a resignation from the station¡¯s direction. They had only one word for ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± ¨C incredible.

    Everybody knew that Star TV was a shameless punk. It was a norm for them to edit as they pleased and never had they taken the public¡¯s bashing to heart.

    Star TV must have wanted to take advantage of the creators of ¡°The Smiling Nation. However, it never urred to them that they would hit a dead end. Not only did they fail to get away with it, but the joke was on them even after they apologized.

    Netizens who had been resentful towards Star TV and cursed its closure, finally had part of their prayers answered.

    As for ditching the show, that was not happening. The punk who was responsible had already apologized so why should they, as fans, ditch the TV show? They were going to push the viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± to a record high.

    Once ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± had released all of its episodes, theizens were no longer going to watch Star TV and instead, nned to leave it to its own demise peacefully. The TV station was not worth their time.

 Chapter 180 - Weâ€™re All Bros

    <h4>Chapter 180: We¡¯re All Bros</h4>

    The international ss is as lively as ever.

    Shen Xi arrived at the door.

    Song Wenye greeted her with concern. ¡°Xixi, are you alright? Are you feeling well?¡±

    Xixi took time off yesterday and was absent from ss. They were worried sick to find out from the teacher that she was ill.

    Song Wenye was thinking of buying some supplements and visiting her ce if Shen Xi had not shown up today.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright. All¡¯s good.¡± Shen Xi looked at her. ¡°I heard that yesterday, you went to Yu¡­¡±

    At that moment, Song Wenye was extending her hand to Shen Xi¡¯s forehead but immediately covered Shen Xi¡¯s mouth instead as she could guess what Shen Xi was about to say. Song Wenye swiftly put her arm on Shen Xi¡¯s shoulders and walked to her seat while shouting, ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re feeling okay now. Xixi¡¯s all better now, so just carry on your business as usual.¡±

    The ssmates who gathered around were easily diverted. Since Shen Xi seemed fine at a closer look, they returned to their seats.

    Song Wenye was on her way to a barst night when she ran into an elderly who was mugged by a motorcyclist. The olddy¡¯s belongings were intact but she was bruised.

    As a responsible young citizen from a reputable family, she felt obligated to y her part in society by taking the elderly to a clinic for treatment. Sympathizing with the poor olddy as she was alone, Song Wenye then sent her home.

    It never crossed her mind that the olddy was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s grandmother, who also insisted that she stayed for dinner.

    Song Wenye was too polite to refuse an olddy¡¯s request, so she stayed for the meal.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xi faintly responded. ¡°I only meant to ask if Granny Yu was okay.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Song Wenye cleared her throat while ruminating why she acted as if she had something to hide. It was after all a good deed!

    The conversation trailed off.

    Pei Xu walked in and let the cats out of the bag. ¡°Song Wenye, did you go to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s ce yesterday?¡±

    Song Wenye was taken by surprise and he furiously pointed at him, ¡°Do I have to report to you my whereabouts? Pei Xu, you¡¯re such a nag!¡±

    Those words escaped her before she knew it.

    The onlookers in the ssroom were waiting with popcorn at the ready.

    Song Wenye went to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s house? What was the story? Something must have happened!

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking how Granny Yu is doing now. Why are you getting so worked up for?¡± Pei Xu was startled by Song Wenye. This girl needed to take a chill pill. ¡°I want to visit her if it¡¯s bad.¡±

    Song Wenye realized that she overreacted. Yet, she managed to question Pei Xu confidently. ¡°When did you be close to Yu Yuanxi?¡±

    ¡°Yu Yuanxi and I are bros.¡± Pei Xu walked over with a smile. ¡°Thanks for your help with Granny Yu yesterday.¡±

    Song Wenye raised her voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. We¡¯re all bros. Yu Yuanxi and I are bros too. A bro¡¯s problem is my problem. A bro¡¯s grandmother is my grandmother.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at Song Wenye and had the feeling that Song Wenye was trying to cover up something. Thetter would get fired up again at the mention of Yu Yuanxi.

    Pei Xu dered that anyone against Su Mushi was his bro too.

    Shen Xi narrowed his eyes and looked at Pei Xu, ¡°Yu Qiubai too?¡±

    Pei Xu threw away the half-eaten bread in his hands. ¡°Why do you have to bring up that b*stard?¡±

    F*ck!

    He lost his appetite!

    Pei Xu could not hold back.

    ¡°Shen Xi, Pei Xu.¡± Standing by the ssroom door, Yu Qiubai looked at them with his smiling eyes. ¡°Ms. Xu wants to see you both¡±

    Pei Xu spat in annoyance. With one hand as support, he leaped over the table and s¨¦ly turned to look at Shen Xi as hended. ¡°I have something to do. You go and meet the teacher!¡±

    Shen Xi was speechless.

    Yu Qiubai stopped Pei Xu in his tracks and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Skipping ss?¡±

    Pei Xu replied, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    It was none of his business!

 Chapter 181 - A Wild Guess

    <h4>Chapter 181: A Wild Guess</h4>

    Shen Xi watched Pei Xu disappeared in the blink of an eye before going with Yu Qiubai to see Ms. Xu.

    Yu Qiubai asked her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what is it about?¡±

    As they were walking, Shen Xi could hear students hanging around talking about ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    They were not discussing the TV show¡¯s plot, but rather the screenwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± ¨C Cloud Seven.

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his eyes and gave Shen Xi a cryptic smile. ¡°I heard that Cloud Seven, the screenwriter, flew overnight to Ocean City and berated Hong Tao. That¡¯s how the apology from the TV station came about, along with Hong Tao¡¯s resignation. Don¡¯t you think the screenwriter¡¯s a bad*ss?¡±

    Looking indifferent, Shen Xi nodded and hummed in acknowledgment.

    Who could have spread the news? Could it be Yu Qiubai the d*mn fox!

    ¡°Cloud Seven¡¯s such a hero and I heard that she¡¯s only seventeen! That¡¯s so amazing.¡± Yu Qiubai then changed the topic. ¡°You took time off yesterday, right? I heard from your ssmates that you were sick. Are you feeling better now?¡±

    Shen Xi dodged the question. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so full of yourself this morning?¡±

    Yu Qiubai smiled slyly ¡°Not at all full. I haven¡¯t had any food. How about you join me for breakfast?¡±

    This girl never ceased to amaze him every time. To think that she was able to get the old punk at Star TV to admit he was wrong and even apologized to her. The icing on the cake had to be getting the conniving Hong Tao to put all these down in ck and white.

    She must have had a powerful backer. Who could it be?

    It never urred to Shen Xi that Star TV would know how to read the room. They issued an apology via their official ount and their station director resigned. It totally went beyond her expectations.

    A sly fox like Hong Tao would never have given up his position without a fight. The position of a station director had indeed established him as a big shot in the industry. Things certainly did not add up for him to just let go of his position.

    During the negotiation yesterday, Hong Tao was pretty good at assessing the situation and it was obvious that he was weighing the pros and cons. He was not a decent guy, but he certainly was not a fool either.

    Mr. Fu the Movie Star did not say anything harsh that would warrant his apology and resignation.

    As for Shen Xi, she would not have been that arrogant to assume Hong Tao was afraid of her. Back then for a short period of time, Hong Tao was onlypromising for the sake of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. She bet he was going to go after her once the dust settled!

    ¡°Do you know the Li family?¡± Yu Qiubai posed a question out of the blue.

    He had thoroughly investigated Cosmos Entertainment and found out the man in power behind curtains was Yuan Yu, who was also Shen Xi¡¯s half-brother.

    The Yuan family was somewhat still influential in China, but it was not a force to be reckoned with like Star TV to the point where Hong Tao should be wary of.

    The top families in China, including his own ¨C the Yu family ¨C held amicable ties. The families got along well, superficially at least, so it was hard to tell what was going on behind the scenes.

    Yu Qiubai asked around and found Cosmos Entertainment unrted to these families.

    He had a wild guess that Cosmos Entertainment was able to hold its ground, despite only being recently established, was perhaps due to the Li family¡¯s support in the dark.

    Shen Xi gave him the cold shoulder and only replied in two words. ¡°Beat it.¡±

    Yu Qiubai took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°The Fifth Family, which was wiped out overnight a few years ago, had a son who was also the Li family¡¯s grandson. His name is Yan Chen the Fifth.¡±

    While speaking, Yu Qiubai was observing Shen Xi¡¯s reaction but she remained indifferent.

    It might not show on her face, but deep down, Shen Xi made mental notes. The Li family, the Fifth Family, Yan Chen the Fifth, the Li family¡¯s grandson.

    Was he talking about her brother?

    She wanted to know about him but felt that she should not be looking into him. Even if she were to investigate, Shen Xi would only find information that was already public knowledge. It would be pointless then.

    What was Yu Qiubai the d*mn fox up to?

 Chapter 182 - Too Much Anguish

    <h4>Chapter 182: Too Much Anguish</h4>

    Was Yu Qiubai befriending Shen Xi because of her brother?

    If that was the case, Shen Xi was not going to let him seed regardless of his motives.

    Yu Qiubai started to doubt his own spection. Perhaps Shen Xi really had nothing to do with that person. Still, he wanted to probe. ¡°The Li family was annihted twenty years ago. Yan Chen the Fifth went missing on the same day. The Fifth Family said he was dead, but recently there was news that the Fifth Family was tracking him.¡±

    ¡°Five years ago, the Fifth Family was wiped out the same way as the Li family was. Spection had it that Yan Chen the Fifth did it, and he has now returned to seek vengeance for his maternal family.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart sank as she listened to the story. She however still held a nk expression and continued to walk.

    ¡°What? Not interested? Come to think of it, don¡¯t you think Yan Chen the Fifth¡¯s story is pretty tragic?¡± Still, no reaction from Shen Xi and Yu Qiubai was disappointed once again. He drew closer in another attempt to entice her. ¡°Forget it if you¡¯re not interested. It¡¯s not a story with a happy ending anyway. However, this is a secret so please don¡¯t spill the beans to others.¡±

    ¡°Why did you tell me then?¡± Shen Xi gave him a good kick.

    She was dying to find out anything about Yan Chen the Fifth, be it rumors or anything else. She wanted to know everything.

    Yu Qiubai sighed to himself. Another dead end?

    What should he do to find Yan Chen the Fifth?

    Yu Qiubai was overthinking it. Shen Xi was nothing but a poor thing that was abandoned. How could she have known Yan Chen the Fifth? He knew better than anyone else of her history.

    Had she known or somehow been involved with Yan Chen the Fifth, he would never have allowed the Su family to survive this long.

    It would not be as simple as a resignation from TV station¡¯s Hong Tao, for that was him being shown mercy with his family still alive.

    Ms. Xu was the chaperon for the English debatepetition. They were called over so she could pass them reference books.

    Shen Xi knew that Yu Qiubai, the b*stard, had deliberately summoned Pei Xu and her for naught. There were only a few books and Yu Qiubai could have brought the books over by himself.

    It was the usual bustle in the international ss.

    Putting on the hat of a storyteller, Song Wenye stepped on the chair and mmed the ckboard. ¡°Speaking of Cloud Seven, she is a real wonder woman isn¡¯t she? She braved into the wolf den all on her own and beat the old punk, Hong Tao, into a pulp. He was quaking in his boots!¡±

    The crowd listened to her in excitement.

    Shen Xi nced at her and thought that was exaggerated. She was not domineering and Hong Tao was imbued with arrogance!

    Words indeed spread like wildfire! By now, everyone must have heard of Cloud Seven¡¯s heroic act of taking an overnight flight to Ocean City and headed straight to the TV station to deliver a piece of her mind to Hong Tao.

    Cloud Seven had carved herself as an idol and set the bar for many. This sentiment is shared by domestic screenwriters, who emotionally looked up to her in adoration.

    A profession that had been long oppressed and ousted by the industry, Cloud Seven single-handedly rebuilt the screenwriters¡¯ reputation. She upheld the dignity of screenwriters and made known to everyone that screenwriters were the pir to a great TV show.

    Many aspiring and outstanding screenwriters in China jumped ship to Cosmos Entertainment in hopes of working with Cloud Seven.

    Today had not the best weather as it was rather windy and by the time school was out, the sky was gloomy with snow about to fall.

    Sitting at the top of adder, Shen Xi opened her workbook revealing a watercolor painting that was old and wrinkly with worn-out traces of being touched often.

    It was a watercolor painting daubed with vivid colors, yet it emoted endless destion and despair.

    A scrawny little boy in tattered clothes was seen in the drawing, yet he had a sharp, murderous, and threatening gaze thirsting for blood.

    His eyes appeared huge as he was skin-and-bones and they had the utmost despair, resentment, and hatred brewing in him. It was too much anguish.

    This was when they first met. Even though his life was hanging by the thread, he was a beast ready to pounce on his enemies.

 Chapter 183 - Gift Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 183: Gift Exchange</h4>

    Shen Xi took off as she was frightened by the boy.

    Snow started to fall heavily as soon as she exited the alley.

    She had no idea what was going through her head, but she bought soy milk and steamed dumplings before running back into the alley.

    Perhaps he was tired or maybe waiting for something, but he was still there.

    He seemed surprised as she came close. Even though he had not let his guard down, he was looking distraught.

    Shen Xi, still afraid of him, threw the food on the ground and bolted off. She even gave him the new down coat that her mother gave her recently for fear that he might be cold.

    She remembered vividly the white fur lining the hoodie of the red down coat. She loved it. She thought it was beautiful and had been wearing it ever since she got it from her mom.

    Perhaps, she should have stayed. He probably had something to say to her, maybe he would smile at her? This memory of him that she has would not have been enough to invoke the feeling of utter despair by just the sight of him.

    Shen Xi lowered her gaze while her lean fingers stroked the boy in the painting. Her eyes began to well up. All she wanted to do at that moment was to take away all traces of pain from the boy with all her might.

    What sort of pain and ordeal did he have to go through at that time to look so anguished? Was it because he had nowhere to go when his father and the Fifth Family were hunting him down?

    Li Yuan was turning a corner as she saw the youngdy looking intensely at something. She was so engrossed that she did not notice his caring.

    She appeared to be lost in another dimension and failed to notice his presence.

    He stood by her in silence, only to call her as the sun was setting. ¡°Xixi¡±

    She did not seem to hear him.

    He called out to her once more. ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    As she heard a voice, Shen Xi abruptly turned around and saw Li Yuan. She hastily shut the book before smiling at him warmly, ¡°Brother, when did you get back?¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°This.¡± Shen Xi gazed at him with her smiling eyes before flipping to a drawing to show him.

    Fortunately, she has a stockpile of drawings of Li Yuan as she drew him every day. The book was basically filled with his portraits.

    The man in the drawing was sitting in a wheelchair. His chiseled side profile was gentle and looking gorgeous in the sunset.

    Li Yuan lifted his chin and took a closer look at the painting under the warm sunlight. Happiness filled his chest. ¡°You were drawing this just now?¡±

    As it turned out, the youngdy was immersed in drawing him.

    The warm grin on the man¡¯s exquisite face snapped Shen Xi¡¯s heart out of the bleak despair. She asked him, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you think my drawing is alive?¡±

    Thank goodness.

    He was alright now and he was smiling at her.

    Thank goodness.

    He had not disappeared into the cold and forlorn snowstorm.

    She should count her blessings.

    Shen Xi wanted nothing more than to return to that point of time, to kneel by him even just to say a word.

    She wanted to hold him and tell him that everything would be okay.

    Li Yuan nodded and he was delighted. ¡°Is this for me?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and left him hanging. ¡°Nope.¡±

    He smiled at her warmly. ¡°Can I use a gift to make an exchange instead?¡±

    She was ying hard to get. ¡°That would depend on your gift.¡±

    A tiny fluffy head emerged from Li Yuan¡¯s arms. It was a little ginger kitten.

 Chapter 184 - Call It Toffeecito

    <h4>Chapter 184: Call It Toffeecito</h4>

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Brother, where did you get it from?¡±

    Hiding in Li Yuan¡¯s coat, the little fe stuck out its tennis-sized ball head and its big gleaming eyes were heart-melting.

    ¡°I found it.¡± Li Yuan said as he looked at Shen Xi warmly. ¡°It tricked me into bringing it home with me on my way back.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart could literally melt. She was excited. ¡°Bring it over. I want to hold the little kitty.¡±

    All she could think of was jumping over the wall and hugging the little furball.

    Kun Lun came over to hold the little fe but who knew a kitten so adorable would be a vicious little devil? It hissed at Kun Lun with its fur standing on end.

    Shen Xi panicked. ¡°Kun Lun, don¡¯t scare it!¡±

    Kun Lun quickly withdrew his hand before mumbling sadly, ¡°The kitten¡¯s the one scaring me.¡±

    The little thing did not like him. Well, he would not like the kitten as well. The ungrateful kitten seemed to forget who stopped the car and saved it.

    Li Yuan motioned Kun Lun to get lost while softly petting the little cat¡¯s head to ease its spooked nerves. The kitten¡¯s raised fur was soon smoothened out.

    Shen Xi was worried. ¡°Would it not like me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan carried the little fe and petted his fluffy head before pointing at Shen Xi. ¡°She will be your owner from now on. Get it?¡±

    As the little fe was crawling, Shen Xi saw with her eyes that its front paws were bandaged. The poor thing was hurt.

    Li Yuan exined, ¡°The kitten¡¯s front legs were broken when we found it. The vet said since it¡¯s still young, recovery won¡¯t take long after the surgery.¡±

    Shen Xi felt sorry for the little fe.

    As though it could sense Shen Xi¡¯s feelings, the kitten looked at Shen Xi with huge teary eyes and meowed. It was heartwarming and babyish.

    Shen Xi shed her pearly whites at it. ¡°Do you want to follow me?¡±

    Li Yuan nced at the kitten. ¡°I never raised a cat. Don¡¯tin if you suffer with me.¡±

    The kitten looked at him before turning to Shen Xi. Its gaze was soft as those cute eyes were fixated on Shen Xi.

    It was on its best behavior when Li Yuan ced it in a basket.

    Since the little fe was such a good kitty when Shen Xi carried it in her arms, she tried to pet it with caution.

    The kitty rubbed against her palmfortably. It was soft and warm to the touch, and it smelled like medication with a mixture of a distinctive masculine scent.

    Her heart melted at the thought of this tiny cute little creature nestled in his arms.

    Kun Lun was speechless to see this little rascal buttering up.

    Double standards!

    Even a cat knew how to pick its own owner nowadays. This cat was sophisticated!

    ¡°Brother, I will raise it well.¡± Shen Xi gave it a thought before adding. ¡°You should name it.¡±

    ¡°Toffeecito.¡± Li Yuan blurted out without a second thought.

    Frowning, Shen Xi tapped on the little fe¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s a ginger cat¡­ Why toffee?¡±

    He smiled and replied softly, ¡°Because it¡¯s sweet!¡±

    It was indeed a little ball of delight and Li Yuan hoped this little thing would be as sweet as Shen Xi.

    She would be reminded of him every time she saw Toffeecito.

    He would think of her every time Toffeecito came into his mind.

    epting Li Yuan¡¯s logic, Shen Xi solemnly stared at the kitten. ¡°You are Toffeecito from now on.¡±

    Looking over the wall, he saw two cutie pies¡¯ heads

    Observing the two cutie pies on the wall, Li Yuan¡¯s heart was overflowing with joy and warmth.

 Chapter 185 - Losing His Place

    <h4>Chapter 185: Losing His ce</h4>

    Shen Xi was about to carry Toffeecito home.

    Looking at the youngdy, Li Yuan reminded her of a certain something. ¡°Little rascal, my painting.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the rascal.¡± Shen Xi turned around and shot him an angry look. She picked up the drawing, motioning to throw it. ¡°I merely forgot.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart could melt at the sight of the girl blushing with puffy cheeks. She looked like a squirrel stealing pine nuts. Li Yuan stressed, ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡±

    Shen Xi did not toss it down in the end and instead, ced the painting in the basket and lowered it down. ¡°Here you go, here you go!¡±

    Chuckling, Li Yuan rolled his wheelchair over and preciously studied the painting in his hands. He gently cautioned her amid her grumbles. ¡°Be careful when you get down. Don¡¯t drop Toffeecito.¡±

    Shen Xi sobbed. ¡°¡­¡±

    What about her? Why was it only about not dropping Toffeecito?

    Bloody men. With Toffeecito in their lives, she no longer mattered!

    Li Yuan looked at the painting in his hands while listening for the girl¡¯s footsteps to fade away in the courtyard before turning to instruct Kun Lun. ¡°Look for a nice frame.¡±

    Yun Jinping noticed that her daughter had a cat in her arms. It was a ginger kitten with its legs bandaged. ¡°Where did this little thinge from?¡±

    Shen Xi merrily presented the kitten to Yun Jinping. ¡°The neighbor gave it to me. He said the kitten fooled him into keeping it.¡±

    Yun Jinping loved animals. They had a pet dog during her son¡¯s second birthday. However, the dog crossed the rainbow bridge two years ago due to old age. Her daughter hugged the doggy and cried for a long time.

    Since then, no one ever mentioned anything about raising pets. Sure, it was great to have pets, but humans usually outlived them. The feeling was always unbearable losing them.

    Shen Xi spent less time talking on the wall since having Toffeecito. She mostly talked about Toffeecito.

    Li Yuan regretted his decision to gift her Toffeecito and maybe he should not have done it. He could feel as if he was about to lose his ce in her heart.

    ¡­

    Gong Zhi¡¯stest movie ¡°Life¡± premiered early in thest lunar month instead of waiting till the lunar new year. This implied that the movie was produced excellently and the team was certain to bag a box office.

    The Film Empress Gong Zhi had a huge fanbase, great acting skills, and an eye for a good script. This would ensure exceptional ticket sales.

    Since its premiere, the movie¡¯s hype and its box office went through the roof with no signs of stopping. Even Gong Zhi was constantly trending on the inte.

    Li Jingran sat in front of her vanity and gazed at the beautiful woman in the mirror. The heavy makeup could not conceal the wrinkles and sagging skin around her eyes and brows.

    She touched her face as her expression gradually turned menacing and irritable. She picked up the hairdryer on the table and smashed it into the mirror.

    Li Jingran refused to admit that her face was no longer in its former glory. Despite spending a great deal of time and effort on skincare, she could not match the youthful cogen-rich neers.

    A star¡¯s face and body are their most important assets. In an industry where pretty faces take the throne, beauty would always reign.

    There had been several insolent brats who trampled on her, saying that she was old, ugly, had bad skin, and would look unsightly without makeup.

    That b*tch Gong Zhi recently released a movie and it was a box office hit. Her revolting face was in every entertainment section now that she was in the limelight.

    The media reported spotting Gong Zhi glowing and looking as radiant as when she debuted, dubbing her the Ageless Goddess.

 Chapter 186 - Keep Emotions In Check

    <h4>Chapter 186: Keep Emotions In Check</h4>

    Both Li Jingran and Gong Zhi debuted the same year and despite thetter being younger, she had always appeared older than Li Jingran. Lately, Li Jingran could not help but notice Gong Zhi is now looking more youthful than her.

    It was apparent from untouched photos and videos that Gong Zhi had healthier and firmer radiating skin, as though her cogen was refilled. It was unlike the abnormal muscle stiffness that came with Botox when she had it in the past.

    Gong Zhi had spent a fortune in cosmetic surgeries over the years, but no amount of money could slow down her aging or buy back her youth. Nevertheless, she was experiencing rejuvenation like never before.

    Li He pushed open the door to find a broken mirror. He helplessly furrowed his brows. ¡°Jingran, please keep your emotions in check when you¡¯re outside.¡±

    Li Jingran turned around to reveal her grimacing face. ¡°What has Gong Zhi dely? Did you find out?¡±

    For Gong Zhi to return to looking at her prime suddenly, she must have switched her beauty salon and doctor tond her at the fountain of youth.

    ¡°I asked around. Her skin and body routine is no different from before. She hadn¡¯t been to the beauty salon for the past two weeks.¡± Li He was aware of how important looks were in showbiz, especially to female celebrities.

    No matter the age, women cared most about their appearance. They would spend a fortune on skincare to preserve their looks at all costs.

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Li Jingran was not convinced. ¡°There¡¯s no way she did nothing. Look further into it.¡±

    A healthy state of mind could make one look younger, but that was it, only on the outward appearance because the skin would not actually rewind in time and be younger. Gong Zhi must have undergone surgery that nobody knew.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to check on it.¡± Li He then added. ¡°Gong Zhi has been chummy with Jiang Yintely. Jiang Yin seems to have better skin as well. Herplexion is glowing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Li Jingran curled her lips into a smirk and said, ¡°Look into those two. I refuse to believe that there¡¯s such a thing as a hidden secret in this world.¡±

    Skincare maintenance was no secret in showbiz. They would be able to find something if Gong Zhi and Jiang Yin shared the same cosmetic surgeon.

    ¡­

    A movie ended its screening in the cinema.

    Shen Xi spared some of her time to go to the big screen and show her support for Gong Zhi the Film Empress¡¯ movie.

    Her bunch of ssmates from the international ss came along as well. It was a lively scene for forty-odd friends to watch a film together.

    The rest of them left soon after the movie ended while Song Wenye and Pei Xu insisted on waiting for Shen Xi to board the bus before taking off themselves.

    Holding Shen Xi by the arm, Song Wenye was still immersed in the movie¡¯s plot. ¡°This is a great movie. Gong Zhi sure has an eye for a good film. She has been known for that and because of that, she doesn¡¯t have a bad movie to her name.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s way better than certain film stars.¡± Pei Xu walked over with two drinks in her hand and handed one to Shen Xi. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Xixi?¡±

    Watch out, Su family. Retribution woulde knocking at your doors for picking on Xixi. The TV ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± were climbing steadily and with two more episodes to be released the next day, the average viewership was going to surpass 10%.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Grabbing the drink, Shen Xi gazed at them. ¡°You guys should go. You don¡¯t have to keep mepany since the bus is almost here.¡±

 Chapter 187 - Anti-aging Beauty Pill

    <h4>Chapter 187: Anti-aging Beauty Pill</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait till your bus arrives.¡± Pei Xu took a sip out of his drink as he leaned against the pole by the bus stop to stay by Shen Xi¡¯s side.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Song Wenye bit on the straw of her bubble tea. ¡°Xixi, do you know the first thing I¡¯d do as an adult?¡±

    Shen Xi looked puzzled.

    Song Wenye giggled. ¡°Get a driving license, so that I can pick you up and drop you off at school every day. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    Pei Xu seemed to have been reminded by something as his body suddenly tensed while his eyes bore unfathomable obscurity. He tightened his grip on his drink,pletely unaware of the drink spilling all over his arm.

    Shen Xi grew curious, having picked up on Pei Xu¡¯s sudden mood shift. For a school bully with a wild personality, it was not a surprise for this young and frivolous bloke to want to drive fast cars.

    Nevertheless, she had never seen Pei Xu behind the wheel, be it a sports car or a motorbike. More often than not, she caught him cycling.

    Song Wenye seemed to have picked up the mood. She cleared her throat and tossed Pei Xu a pack of tissues. ¡°Alpha Xu, quit wasting even if you don¡¯t want to drink it.¡±

    Pei Xu grabbed the tissues and wiped his hand. He regained his usual roguish and reposeful self. ¡°Stay here with Xixi. I need to be somewhere else right now.¡±

    Song Wenye looked at him walked away, yet she could not shake off an uneasy feeling. She turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m going to take a look. Call me when you¡¯re home.¡±

    Shen Xi watched them leave one after another while thinking deeply. A secret, huh?

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Someone called out to her.

    Shen Xi turned to look at where the voice wasing from to find a face peeking out of a car nearby. The person waving at her was Gong Zhi.

    ¡°Get in quickly!¡± Gong Zhi cried.

    Shen Xi hurried to the car.

    There were bystanders all around in a bustlingmercial district. God knows who was the first to spot Gong Zhi and announced the sighting excitedly, catching everyone¡¯s attention.

    They took out their phones to take pictures and videos.

    Shen Xi got into the car.

    It so happened the light turned green, and cars began to move. The filmgoers who tried to catch a glimpse of their idol could only see her car disappear out of their sight.

    ¡°Why are you by yourself?¡± Gong Zhi found it odd and asked Shen Xi.

    Girls her age would hang out at the mall, watch movies, and dine at restaurants, doing everything together as a group.

    ¡°My ssmates went back,¡± Shen Xi replied.

    Gong Zhi was relieved, she was under the impression that Shen Xi was alone. Oh, such a poor thing if she had gone shopping and to the movies alone. ¡°Did you watch my movie? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It was awesome!¡± Shen Xi gave her two thumbs up. ¡°Spectacr. My friends said that you¡¯re the best in showbiz to have an eye for good movies.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Gong Zhi was not the least bit humble. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of Li Jingran. Her youngest son, Su Mushi, was the first to be invited to y the male lead in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. They declined the part in the end but now that the TV ratings have gone through the roof, I see Li Jingran with that deadpan look on her face every day! I¡¯m in stitches.¡±

    Shen Xi joined in theughter.

    The Su family was the butt of Gong Zhi¡¯s jokes. ¡°Let me tell you. I was at Weibo¡¯s Fashion Red Carpet and watched ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± while sitting right next to her. The look on her face is like she had dung for lunch. It was hrious!¡±

    ¡°You can tell Li Jingran and Su Yi are blind when ites to a good script. They pick horrible, mind-numbing, and money-burning shows to be in.¡±

    Shen Xi knew that Gong Zhi and Li Jingran were rivals but had no idea that Gong Zhi was so mischievous to have watched ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± in Li Jingran¡¯s face.

    She could totally imagine Li Jingran fuming.

    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m almost out of the anti-aging beauty pills you gave me.¡± Gong Zhi affectionately gazed at her. ¡°Where did you buy it? Tell me. I can get it myself.¡±

 Chapter 188 - Gong Zhiâ€™s Illegitimate Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 188: Gong Zhi¡¯s Illegitimate Daughter</h4>

    ¡°I made this pill.¡± Shen Xi looked at Gong Zhi.

    Once Shen Xipletes andunches her beauty products, she would need the Film Empress to help her promote them. Naturally, Shen Xi would not hide anything from her.

    Gong Zhi looked at her in disbelief. ¡°You made this yourself?¡±

    My goodness!

    What a talented child she had met! How could Shen Xi be so amazing? Her fashion designing was unquestionable, but she could even make miracle pills that helped beautify one¡¯s skin and prevent aging.

    Right!

    Gong Zhi consumed these anti-aging beauty pills¡ªthe miracle concoction, for only half a month. However, it was already obvious that her skin visibly looked younger, her fine lines decreased, and her skin became firmer. It felt like all the cogen had returned to her face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Zhizhi. I won¡¯t forget to bring you the pills.¡± Shen Xi smiled. She then changed the topic. ¡°But Sister, you have to keep this confidential.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Gong Zhi promised. ¡°Besides keeping it confidential,e and meet me when you need a product ambassador in the future. Don¡¯t ask anyone else.¡±

    This matter was not a difficult one. Gong Zhi had tested the effectiveness of the pills, and she was quite confident in the products. The entertainment industry was her home ground, so she had no problem with promoting and advertising the product.

    Although Gong Zhi did not wish to reveal her beauty secret to anyone, she had to sacrifice herself to promote the product as all of this girl¡¯s matters were her matters.

    For now, Shen Xi had only created one type of anti-aging beauty pill. She only gave these pills to Madam Yun, Old Shen, her teacher, and Gong Zhi for their consumption.

    Her strategy was mainly targeted at her teacher and Gong Zhi. One of them was the most capable man in the fashion industry while the other was a big name in the entertainment industry.

    Shen Xi¡¯s goal was to produce high-end beauty products targeting both men and women who were willing to spendrge amounts of money on beauty.

    In the entertainment industry, appearance was justice. No matter if it was a male or female star, they put in a lot of effort in their looks. They were all familiar with various ways of skincare, so investing money in beauty products was not a problem.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Xixi. Just leave the advertising for the entertainment industry to me.¡± Gong Zhi looked at Shen Xi and she felt that something was odd. ¡°So am I your employee now? Are we doing direct selling?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°You just focus on being a superstar. You don¡¯t have to sell the pills. Just promoting it slightly in the entertainment industryter on is enough. I¡¯m approaching the Situ Family. If we reach an agreement, the products will be disyed in their Kindness Store for sale.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s gship products were cosmeceuticals. As the Situ family was China¡¯s No.1 medical family, it would be most suitable for her to coborate with them and sell her products there.

    ¡°I understand. What do you need me to do now?¡± Gong Zhi could not help but admire Shen Xi. She had such knowledge andpetency at a very young age. Gong Zhi would never reach her level even if she lived a lifetime longer.

    She had a clear grasp on her own capabilities. It was because of her God-given looks and talent in acting, she managed to solidify her standing in the entertainment industry. She would not be able to do it if she was in another industry.

    Shen Xi asked Gong Zhi to wait for her news. For now, she need not do anything. Shen Xi would send someone to deliver her the anti-aging beauty pills as well as new products for trial.

    Gong Zhi apanied Shen Xi to the neighborhood entrance. She watched Shen Xiwalk into the apartment before taking her leave.

    Videos and photos of Shen Xi and Gong Zhi immediately trended. The online onlookers made guesses about their rtionship.

    Gong Zhi¡¯s acting was decent. However, she was proud and her rtionships with others in the entertainment industry were unpleasant. Those who were close with her could be counted with one hand.

    There were all kinds of theories in thements section, with even one that said Shen Xi was Gong Zhi¡¯s illegitimate daughter.

 Chapter 189 - You Regretted It

    <h4>Chapter 189: You Regretted It</h4>

    [Thedy really is our Zhizhi¡¯s illegitimate daughter. I¡¯d wake upughing even if I was asleep. There¡¯s finally a sessor to our Zhizhi¡¯s godly acting.]

    [In my opinion, nothing is impossible. Look at the photos. Zhizhi¡¯s motherly smile seems so lovely!]

    [Thedy¡¯s so pretty and elegant. She¡¯ll be very well-known if she enters the entertainment industry.]

    Fans who supported the Film Empress based on her capability rather than hype or looks were different from those who had only supported her due to her poprity. Thements were harmonious and interesting, and most of them were fantasizing that Shen Xi was Gong Zhi¡¯s illegitimate daughter.

    There were morements praising Shen Xi¡¯s beautiful appearance and elegance and saying that her extremely gorgeous looks could even dominate the entertainment industry.

    Li Jingran stared at the trending photos. She grasped her phone so tightly that it could bleed. Her gaze was full of hatred and anger. She got so mad that she started hyperventting.

    Daughter?

    Gong Zhi, that sl*t. She was fated to be single for her whole life! How could she give birth to a daughter!

    The wretched Shen Xi was an elegant girl with unmatched beauty. She could take over the entertainment industry with just her gorgeous looks. If it were not for Li Jingran and her husband¡¯s genes, how could she possibly possess such a charming face? What did it have to do with Gong Zhi?

    As Li Jingran dwelled on the matter, she grew even more irritated and upset. She felt the blood in her body boiling, and disgust and hatred twisted into a knot in her heart.

    Deep down, Li Jingran knew that the wretched girl was taking revenge on her. Shen Xi deliberately got close to Gong Zhi on purpose so that Li Jingran would see the trending photos.

    Su Yi dropped by to pick up Li Jingran and head home. He pushed the door open and entered the room with a sullen face. Upon entering, he asked her coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between Shen Xi and Gong Zhi?¡±

    Li Jingran was still feeling angry after being provoked by Shen Xi. In a harsh tone, she replied, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s expression turned sullen. He gritted his teeth and pointed his finger at her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have listened to you in the first ce.¡±

    Li Jingran sneered. ¡°Why? Do you regret ending ties with her now? In that case, go ahead and bring her back!¡±

    Su Yi was further enraged by her words which fueled his anger further. ¡°Stop with your sarcasticments! It was you who cried and wept so much, and that pushed me to beat her and kick her out!¡±

    Did he regret it?

    Of course he did.

    Was there anyone who did not desire a gorgeous and talented daughter, admired by many?

    Shen Xi was extremely beautiful. Just solely basing it on looks, Wanwan did not evene close to matching her beauty

    She danced so well that even Shu Baiyu was desperate to make Shen Xi his student.

    She had also won a few championships from nationalpetitions back when she was in school. This time, she even got first ce for academics in her year.

    Not to mention, she was now associated with the Fu family and had an amicable rtionship with Mr. Fu. If they could utilize Shen Xi to form a connection with the Fu family, that would be absolutely wonderful for the Su family.

    Only now did Su Yi realize how cold and negligent he had been toward her in the past year, so much so that he did not understand her at all.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re regretting it.¡± Li Jingran jeered in fury. ¡°Since you¡¯re regretting the decision, just go and pick her up now. Find her and bring her back. Eitherway, I¡¯ll never ept her.¡±

    The only thing the wretched girl ever did was to get on her nerves.

    Li Jingran would never ept Shen Xi, not in this lifetime. Shen Xi was deliberately doing this to get Li Jingran¡¯s attention so that she would bring Shen Xi home. However, Li Jingran would not do as she wished.

    When Li He arrived, he saw Su Ruowan standing by the door and eavesdropping on the conversation held inside. Li He walked toward her. ¡°Wanwan, why aren¡¯t you going in?¡±

    Su Ruowan was taken aback. Her body stiffened and her face turned pale. She turned around and tried to y it off with a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯m just about to knock on the door!¡±

 Chapter 190 - I Want To See You

    <h4>Chapter 190: I Want To See You</h4>

    Li He knocked on the door and nced at her. ¡°You first.¡±

    The girl did not have an outstanding appearance. Li He did not know what factors had caused Jingran to insist on taking her into the entertainment circle.

    He watched her grow up but he had always felt that she was ugly, unlike Jingran¡¯s daughter.

    Shen Xi was so beautiful. She was even prettier than Jingran¡¯s younger self. That level of beauty should be the standard for entering the entertainment industry.

    He did not know what tactics the girl in front of him used to make Jingran and the others cut off all ties with their own flesh and blood, and pour their affection and love toward her.

    Su Ruowan looked calm but deep within her, she was panicking. She ran toward them happily and yelled sweetly. ¡°Mom, Dad.¡±

    She knew her dad must have regretted it.

    All this while, his gaze was full of disappointment whenever he looked at her.

    However, when she heard that both of them had quarrelled over Shen Xi, she felt as if a knife had pierced her heart and that evoked sorrow and hatred.

    Truthfully, she knew that she would never be able topare to Shen Xi who was their biological daughter.

    Shen Xi, that little b*tch. What should she do now to get rid of Shen Xi as soon as possible?

    Li Jingran and Su Yi were back to ying the role of a loving couple. However, they both had their own thoughts on the matter which they kept to themselves.

    **

    In the present day, it was the easiest to earn a woman¡¯s money, especially rich women.

    Shen Xi intended to capture a share of the high-end beauty and skincare industry. After she was reborn, the n had been in progress steadily. However, the products produced have not yet achieved the best effect as she could not find a suitable partner.

    Taking her beauty pill as an example, if the purity was not adequate, that would cause the effect to be greatly reduced.

    The supreme-grade pill furnace she used to refine medicine in the Xuanhuan world was long gone.[1] The current medical industry would not be able to achieve the standards she required.

    The pharmaceutical factory Yuan Yu found did not have such high-end precision equipment, and the medicinal pill made out of it could only achieve 20% of the desired effect.

    The Situ family was based in China. Their pharmaceutical factory had the best researchers and equipment, and this would allow them to manufacture high quality pills.

    Going further, by borrowing equipment from the Fu family¡¯s Fu Qingxi Medical Laboratory which was the world¡¯s most advanced medical centre, the quality would be further enhanced.

    ¡°There¡¯s a call from Situ¡¯s house saying that the old man wants to see you.¡± Yuan Yu entered the office and saw her staring at the window.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi returned to his senses and looked at him. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Yuan Yu walked over. ¡°Give it another two years, once ourpany has made some profits, I will use all the money to invest in a pharmaceutical researchb and a pharmaceutical factory.¡±

    His little sister left him dumbfounded.. He wondered if she was a normal person. How could a normal person know so many things?

    ¡°Big Brother, it¡¯s not that I despise ourpany but we won¡¯t be able to make enough money to build a researchb even if we spend another ten years.¡± Shen Xi knew their limitations.

    Aside from thetest technology in research and development, the enormous sum of money invested by the world¡¯s top pharmaceutical factories was not something they could match up to.

    Leaving aside Fu Qingxi Medical Laboratory which had the most cutting-edge researchers in the current day, just in China itself the Situ family¡¯s annual investment in research funding was as high as 100 billion dors.

    [1] This part confused us until we realized that early on in Chapter 1, it was mentioned that Shen Xi transmigrated to 66 different worlds (that¡¯s based on fictional work) andpleted missions there. That exins why Shen Xi¡¯s OP and knows so much. Smh

 Chapter 191 - Li Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 191: Li Mansion</h4>

    Yuan Yu knew that pharmaceutical investments would oftene with a hefty price. At this stage, the only sensible move was a partnership. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Still afraid I¡¯d be duped?¡± Shen Xi asked with a smile.

    ¡°More like you fooling others.¡± Yuan Yu casually leaned against her work desk and posed a question with great interest. ¡°Why not look for Fu Qingye?¡±

    Shen Xi was close to Fu Qingye, affectionately calling him Brother every day. To hear this as her biological brother, Yuan Yu felt a pang of jealousy.

    ¡°Business and personal matters should be separated.¡± Shen Xi sighed and added, ¡°Otherwise, the essence of either one would be tainted.¡±

    Disappointed by her answer, Yuan Yu reflected how he felt on his handsome face and solemnly asked, ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not like him. You¡¯re my real brother while he isn¡¯t.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were smiling. ¡°My concern is he¡¯d think I¡¯m only going along with the rtionship to take advantage of him.¡±

    Things would tend to beplicated when one¡¯s personal interest was involved, even real siblings could turn against each other for money. Shen Xi did not want to put herself in such a spot.

    The Situ family would make a more objective choice in this case. There were no emotional implications and only pure interests.

    ¡°Bad girl.¡± Pleased, atst, Yuan Yu chuckled.

    The words ¡°real brother¡± tugged at his heartstrings.

    The Situ family was one of the Five Major Families in China and had a residence in the golden Sunnyside of the capital.

    upying the best location for Fengshui in the capital, Sunnyside was a symbol of one¡¯s family status, heritage, and wealth. Only a handful of well-known socialites and old money had owned residences here.

    Many nouveau riche in China would kill to live here no matter the price and cost, for the sake of elevating their family¡¯s social status ¨C a goal they worked towards their entire lives.

    It was a whole new world for Shen Xi driving into Sunnyside as she could clearly feel the rich cultural roots that ran deep. The roads, trees along the road, and quaint buildings gave an air of millennial stillness.

    Entranced, Shen Xi felt as though she had entered a different dimension and traveled back to ancient times. The cars parked in front of houses and streetmps appeared to blend into the same atmosphere.

    Shen Xi looked out the window to admire the picturesque scenery and quaint architecture. Her eyes lit up in awe. ¡°This house is huge!¡±

    Certainly, a plot ofnd here bore an astronomical price tag but even with money alone, it would not qualify one to live here. Most of the residents here were old money and blue blood with a history spanning a thousand years. It was all about aristocracy; so no matter how much money one had, it was impossible to reside here without having an old and established family lineage.

    ¡°This is the Li Mansion.¡± Wei Feng was Yuan Yu¡¯s assistant and was assigned to Shen Xi. Since he did not mind, Wei Feng gave Shen Xi the lowdown of the mansion with a smile. ¡°This is the biggest private residence in all of the capital. It¡¯s hard to put an estimate on its value.¡±

    With her face lighting up at the mention of Li Mansion, Shen Xi rolled down the window and looked. Sure enough, they had arrived at the entrance of Li Mansion. Gentleness glossed over her eyes as she gazed at the bold writing of ¡°Li Mansion¡± on top of the gate.

    Shen Xi¡¯s face lit up at the mention of Li Mansion. She wound down the car window and sure enough, they had arrived at the entrance of Li Mansion. Her eyes were filled with gentle awe as she gazed at the inscription of ¡°Li Mansion¡± on the que hung over the gate.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read about the appraisal of private residences in the capital. Wanna guess how much is Li Mansion?¡± Wei Feng asked her.

    Despite her unapproachable outlook, Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen was still a young girl at heart. If Weng Fend had not seen her behaving adorably with Chairman Yuan on multiple asions, he would not have had the guts to talk to her in any way.

 Chapter 192 - Hold It Right There

    <h4>Chapter 192: Hold It Right There</h4>

    ¡°How much?¡± Since Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were glued to the mansion, she replied in a nonchnt manner, albeit her eyes did reflect mncholy and heartache.

    The house was colossal. Was Li Yuan lonely living there by himself? Was he afraid at night?

    She heard from Yu Qiubai that the Li family died in the house. It was upsetting for Li Yuan to be reminded of the past with his every return.

    The thought of him alone at night in this huge mansion, looking at everything familiar and reminiscing the past only to wake up alone again, tugged at her heartstrings.

    ¡°A trillion. Li Mansion is the best preserved early architecture. A pir in the ce is valued at 1.8 billion. One bed is estimated to be 10 billion.¡± Wei Feng was impressed. ¡°If only I had a chance to go in and look around.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll take you along with me if I ever go in there.¡±

    Wei Feng took it seriously. ¡°Chairman Shen, are you for real? You have to bring me along for a real eye-opening experience.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    It was quiet outside the Li Mansion and the stillness entuated the rustling of a breeze from inside.

    Cupping her chin, Shen Xi was lost in her thoughts as the old architecture became further and further out of sight. ¡°Could Brother Li Yuan be in that building right now?¡±

    Wei Feng nced at her through the rear-view mirror. Lil Chairman Shen was fixated on the mansion. Had she taken a fancy to Li Mansion?

    He should inform Chairman Yuan on the matter and advise him to make more money, so that hopefully one day¡­

    Sigh. What was he thinking? No amount of money could buy Li Mansion!

    Shen Xi got out of the car.

    Wei Feng followed behind her bearing a gift in his hands.

    It was the old master of Situ Family¡¯s 70th birthday today. God knows what the old man was thinking to arrange for a business talk with Chairman Shen on this day.

    Cars had taken up all the parking spaces in front of the door. With luxury sedans worth at least ten million in in sight, no one would be so dense to drive anything less than that to enter. It was practically a mini roadshow for luxury sedans. As expected from a prominent family, the invited guests were no ordinary figures.

    Shen Xi ran into Su Ruowan, together with her fianc¨¦, Gu Xiaohan, while walking out of the parking lot. Although Shen Xi pretended to not see her, Su Ruowan was not having it!

    Gu Xiaohan and Su Ruowan noticed Shen Xi at the same time.

    Putting on a gentle fa?ade, Su Ruowan greeted her with a smile. ¡°Shen Xi, are you here to celebrate Grandpa Situ¡¯s birthday?¡±

    Shen Xi was such a little b*tch. Why was she everywhere?

    Every time they met, Su Ruowan would always rile up and try to tear Shen Xi apart.

    Gu Xiaohan pulled a malicious long face. The d*mn brat. She came knocking on his door before he went looking for her.

    Shen Xi had better be prepared after what she did to him. Gu Xiaohan would have killed her if Grandpa did not send him abroad to study since that incident.

    Without looking at her, Shen Xi walked by indifferently.

    Feeling upset and hurt, Su Ruowan stood still and bit her lips.

    Gu Xiaohan was enraged and chased after Shen Xi. ¡°Brat, hold it right there!¡±

    Su Ruowan held him back. Her eyes lost their glow and her voice in dismay. ¡°Han, don¡¯t. It¡¯s my fault that my sister is angry with me. Don¡¯t make things hard for her.¡±

    Fuming with anger still, Gu Xiaohan pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°Wanwan, look at her. You take her as your sister, but does she deserve it?¡±

    Godd*mnit! Look at her putting on airs! She sure had the nerve to dismiss him.

 Chapter 193 - Donâ€™t Know Her

    <h4>Chapter 193: Don¡¯t Know Her</h4>

    ¡°Han, don¡¯t say that. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve wronged Shen Xi.¡± Su Ruowan meekly gazed at him, about to break into tears. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad her, okay?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Gu Xiaohan swallowed his rage and gave his word, but he had ideas of his own on the side.

    Let her go?

    No way!

    He had to get back at her after having suffered that beating.

    Shen Xi was stopped at the door.

    ¡°Miss, please produce your invitation.¡± The security guard said courteously.

    Shen Xi took a nce at Wei Feng.

    Wei Feng shook his head. Chairman Yuan did not hand him an invitation.

    The guests queuing after her were cultured and of noble birth. They would not make a scene out of this dy to their entry.

    That however did not apply to those haughty nouveau riches who thought having money was all that. They were impatient and began to mock Shen Xi for taking up their time.

    ¡°Security, why waste your breath on them? Kick them out if they don¡¯t have an invitation!¡±

    ¡°How dare youe without an invitation? Do you think every Tom, Dick, and Harry would be invited to Old Master Situ¡¯s birthday?¡±

    ¡°Know your ce. Just leave and stop wasting everyone¡¯s time.¡±

    True that not just anyone could attend the Situ family¡¯s birthday celebration but judging by their attire, their clothes were probably less than two hundred bucks. That did not seem to stop them froming to make a fool of themselves.

    Paying no heed to the tauntings, Shen Xi politely and solemnly looked at the attendant. ¡°Could I trouble you to inform Old Master Situ that I will pay him a visit another day?¡±

    She had no idea if Old Master Situ had genuinely forgotten to give her an invitation or was he purposely trying to make her look bad. If it were thetter, she was better off taking her business elsewhere.

    Many guests waiting at the door were puzzled by Shen Xi¡¯s conduct. The youngdy may not be wearing designer clothes, but she carried herself in a dignified manner. Could she be a prominent figure?

    Spectating from a corner, Su Ruowan hurried over to y the good guy. She exined to the attendant when Shen Xi was about to leave. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. She¡¯s my sister. The invitation is with me. She¡¯s with me.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan scoffed in disbelief.

    What was going on with Wanwan?

    The brat could not care less about her, yet Wanwan was still being nice to her. Was Wanwan a masochist?

    The guests behind in the queue may not know Shen Xi, but Su Ruowan was a familiar face. They whispered among themselves that she was the fianc¨¦e of the Gu family¡¯s young master.

    The attendant nced at the invitation before politely replying, ¡°Miss, pardon our discourtesy. Pleasee in.¡±

    It turned out she was with Young Master Gu. He would not have stopped her and risked offending the guests had she said so earlier.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Shen Xi respectfully smiled and took a cold fleeting nce at Su Ruowan. She then turned back to the attendant. ¡°Please inform Old Master Situ that the Situ family¡¯s out of my league.¡±

    With that, she walked away.

    At this point, Shen Xi would rather turn down business with the Situ family.

    Apparently, an influential family like the Situs was too good for a small fry like her.

    Su Ruowan was dumbfounded and stood still for a moment. Her eyes welled up in grievance, arousing sympathy in the crowd as she yed the victim.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch. Why was she here at the Situ residence?

    Judging by her words, Shen Xi was not just here for the birthday celebration.

    Gu Xiaohan¡¯s blood was boiling seeing that ingrate called Shen Xi. He blocked Shen Xi on her way out and hastily shouted, ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t push your luck.¡±

 Chapter 194 - A Personal Welcome

    <h4>Chapter 194: A Personal Wee</h4>

    ¡°Young Master Gu, please step aside.¡± Shen Xi lifted her chin to reveal the bloodthirst in her eyes.

    Quacking in his boots, Gu Xiaohan was reminded of his defenselessness in the face of her punches. He tried to get his act together and get back on his high horse. ¡°Insensible pr*ck. Apologize to Wanwan.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips. ¡°Young Master Gu, what are you talking about? Why can¡¯t I understand a word you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°I said, apologize to Wanwan.¡± Gu Xiaohan gritted his teeth while sparks were flying in his eyes.

    ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Shen Xi smiled brightly, but her eyes were cold as ice. There was a hint of a warning in her drawn-out tone.

    She was not bothered to deal with them but since they were yelping at her like mad dogs, Shen Xi was going to give it to them.

    Su Ruowan showed sadness and hurt in her face, but deep down, she was sneering.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch could be a stuck-up all she wants, but surely, she would not make a peep in front of Han.

    Su Ruowan knew that the b*tch had the hots for Han since moving into the Su residence.

    However, it was not as though Shen Xi could do anything about it. Han did not like her and only had eyes for Su Ruowan!

    Gu Xiaohan lost all rationale, he snapped and grabbed Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi was just about to jump away.

    It never urred to her that Gu Xiaohan was quickly subdued.

    A man¡¯s slender fingers seized Gu Xiaohan¡¯s arm from the assault. Narrowing his foxy eyes, the man jokingly yet menacingly gave a warning. ¡°Young Master Gu, are you trying to fight evil at my doorstep?¡±

    Frowning, Shen Xi ignored everyone else and tipped Wei Feng the wink before turning to leave.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, please hold on.¡± Situ Zhangyou had let go of Gu Xiaohan and caught up to Shen Xi to sincerely apologize. ¡°Grandpa told me toe and meet you. I didn¡¯t know you were here already. I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble you went through.¡±

    Shen Xi was speechless.

    The onlooking guests were stupefied. Did Young Master Situ just apologize and personally wee her?

    Who was Situ Zhangyou? He was the eldest grandson of the Situ family and the future head of the Situ household. Born with a silver spoon, Situ Zhangyou would not grovel to anyone except the elders of the Situ family.

    Who was the girl across the room?

    It never crossed Gu Xiaohan¡¯s mind that Situ Zhangyou would stick up for Shen Xi. Gu Xiaohan knew better than to go head-to-head with Situ Zhangyou as he realized he had reached his limit. Instead, he held in his boiling rage and gave Shen Xi the death stare.

    D*mn brat! How did she befriend the Situ family?

    As jealousy burned away all of Su Ruowan¡¯s sense of reason, she clenched her fists tightly without realizing her nails were digging into her palms.

    So, the b*tch managed to score Situ Zhangyou?

    Su Ruowan could not think of other reasons why Shen Xi was here.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, pleasee in.¡± Situ Zhangyou led the way as he exined, ¡°I heard that you have a meeting with Grandpa, so I specifically asked Grandpa if I could greet you. I never thought that we¡¯d miss each other. Nevertheless, it¡¯s all my fault. Please ept my apologies.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Young Master Situ.¡± Shen Xi smiled politely at the man but the gesture was only limited to her lips. She took the gift from Wei Feng. ¡°This is a present for Old Master Situ. Young Master Situ, please present it to him on my behalf.¡±

    The Situ family looked down on her.

    Why would she consider a partnership with them?

    After all, Shen Xi had plenty of pharmaceutical forms in her possession and quite a pool of potential partners to choose from.

 Chapter 195 - If You Could Forgive Me

    <h4>Chapter 195: If You Could Forgive Me</h4>

    Situ Zhangyou leaned in and whispered in her ear. ¡°Ms. Shen, you should hand it to my grandpa since he¡¯s still waiting for you. He will make amends for the incident earlier.¡±

    The Situ family was in the wrong not treating her properly as their guest.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Shen Xi refused politely. ¡°Let me wish Old Master Situ longevity and good health.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou was getting anxious and spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Ms. Shen, do me a favor, please? Our family is interested in doing business with you in good faith. Grandpa admires you but there have been roadblocks along the way. Let¡¯s head in for a chat and perhaps then you can decide. What do you think?¡±

    The onlookers had no idea what was going on, but it was not hard to guess that she was no ordinary young woman judging by her diplomatic and respectful manners while interacting with Young Master Situ.

    More questions and envy overwhelmed Su Ruowan as Situ Zhangyou led Shen Xi further away.

    Scratching his head, Gu Xiaohan asked Su Ruowan. ¡°What is Shen Xi¡¯s rtionship with Situ Zhangyou?¡±

    Su Ruowan shook her head and delicately turned to him feeling hurt. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Darkness clouded his eyes as Gu Xiaohan frowned. How did Shen Xi, the brat, get involved with the Situ family? Situ Zhangyou and the brat seemed to be more than just acquaintances.

    With both Shen Xi and Situ Zhangyou gone, the bystanders entered the Situ¡¯s home and bombarded Gu Xiaohan and Su Ruowan with questions about Shen Xi.

    The one with a short fuse, Gu Xiaohan disgruntledly red at the crowd. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Get lost, all of you!¡±

    He then pulled Su Ruowan away.

    The guests exchanged nces. Who was the youngdy? Ms. Su called thedy her sister, yet thetter said she did not know Ms. Su. They must be rted somehow.

    A guest who waste to the party came to ask about the situation and had an aha moment. ¡°You mentioned that the girl¡¯s name is Shen Xi? She¡¯s a distant rtive of the Su family. She stayed with the family for a year before moving away. Oh, is she still living in the capital?¡±

    Having heard that Shen Xi was a distant rtive of the Su¡¯s, the crowd marveled at the Su family¡¯s recent good luck!

    Their daughter was engaged to Young Master Gu and would be the future young missus of the Gu family.

    That distant rtive seemed to be close to the Situ family as well.

    Old Master Situ lived in the main manor of the Situ¡¯s residence where its courtyard was finelyndscaped with pine trees and cypresses.

    The old man of the Situ household, Situ Hong was dressed in a Tang-style suit and had a traditional square chin, looking rather upright and hale. He immediately greeted Shen Xi with a kind smile as she approached. ¡°You must be Shen Xi. I was rather surprised when I heard about you from Zhangyou. You did not let me down.¡±

    The youngdy had looks that were pleasing to the eye and appeared to be around seventeen to eighteen years old. Zhangyou never told him that she was so young!

    ¡°Hello, Old Master Situ.¡± Shen Xi bowed as she greeted.

    A man standing beside Situ Hong appeared ill at ease with his flighty eyes. The man in his fifties had a plump figure and shared some resemnce with Situ Hong.

    Situ Zhangyou looked at him. ¡°Uncle, Ms. Shen is here. Is there anything you want to say to her?¡±

    Situ Hong shot an angry look at him too.

    Situ Zhengrong apologetically looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Ms. Shen, I¡¯m really sorry. I had someone remove the invitation yesterday. I had a momentarypse of judgment and messed up. If you could forgive me for causing you distress, Ms. Shen.¡±

 Chapter 196 - Prove Himself

    <h4>Chapter 196: Prove Himself</h4>

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mr. Situ. It wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± Shen Xi said as observed the man before her. Situ Zhengrong may have an honest and trustworthy face, but he was not good at hiding the conflict in his eyes.

    He was not a man to mess with but even so, it would not amount to anything. He was the kind that could never aplish anything notable yet unwilling to live in mediocrity. Hence, he never ceased to try and achieve things to prove himself.

    Situ Zhengrong gave an ount of what had happened and was feeling the pressure from the old master, yet he remained courteous and apologetic.

    Having caught wind that Old Master Situ arranged for the invitation to be delivered to Shen Xi, Situ Zhengrong volunteered himself for the job as a means to intercept the delivery of the invitation.

    Shen Xi realized that from the getgo that Situ Zhengrong was trying to send a message showing who the boss was and it would not be smooth sailing doing business with the Situs.

    Sure, Situ Zhengrong apologized, but the way he saw Shen Xi had not changed one bit.

    She was but a mere chit of a girl. It was humiliating for him to apologize and bow down to her. How was he supposed to establish his superiority in front of her now?

    It was fine for the old man to tell him off, but who was a brat like Situ Zhangyou to point fingers?

    It was not the youngster¡¯s ce to meddle and give directions in his business.

    Situ Zhengrong never saw eye to eye with Situ Zhangyou. So what if he was the eldest grandson? Situ Zhangyou never bothered about the family business and only set his eyes on an acting career. It was just too bad that the old man was fond of him and spoiled him silly.

    It never urred to Old Master Situ that Shen Xi knew when to back down and spoke with such eloquence despite her young age. It had been a long time since he felt the thrill from facing a worthy business opponent head-on. ¡°I will entrust Zhangyou to manage the partnership with you from here on out. What do you think?¡±

    The girl was able to identify his eldest son¡¯s ill intentions and was evasive in her replies. It was clear that Shen Xi was telling Old Master Situ that she wanted a trustworthy liaison if he wished to pursue the partnership.

    ¡°What do you think, Young Master Situ?¡± Shen Xi knew that Situ Zhangyou was the only person she could trust in the whole family.

    Old Master Situ was still holding the reins even though he was seventy years old mainly because his children and grandchildren failed to live up to his expectation. He was not assured enough to let go.

    Among the offsprings of the Situ family, none of them except Situ Zhangyou, had any business acumen.

    It was devastating when descendants of prominent families were short of a chip off the old block. The family could head down a slippery slope and fall apart if he were to relinquish his position as head of the household. That would be letting down their ancestors.

    Old Master Situ undoubtedly saw something in his eldest grandson, Situ Zhangyou. Although thetter was adamant about going into showbiz, the old man let him be as he knew that it was only a passing interest. Situ Zhangyou would return and get back into the swing of things once he had enough fun.

    Situ Zhangyou saw showbiz as an escape because his family business and the power struggle that came with it were not appealing. Nevertheless, he must take full charge of the partnership with Shen Xi to ensure she was not taken advantage of. Otherwise, Boss would kill him.

    However, it did not matter if he was the liaison because today Shen Xi had proven that she was not someone to be trifled with. She may look nonchnt but Shen Xi was certainly a cunning fox with tricks up her sleeve!

    Situ Zhengrong was filled with rage and hatred but dared not show it on his face in the presence of his father.

    He knew that Father valued that brat as a partner to grow the business bigger and stronger.

 Chapter 197 - Not Worth Her Time

    <h4>Chapter 197: Not Worth Her Time</h4>

    Chief of the pharmaceutical factories, Situ Zhengrong had been learning medicine since a young age. He was a lecturer at China¡¯s University of Chinese Medicine and the vice president of the Chinese Medicine Association. He might not have been gifted in medicine but after spending years immersed in it, he did learn a thing or two.¡±?

    Situ Zhengrong had a clear idea of the significance behind the product presented by Shen Xi. The profit for the anti-aging beauty pill alone was immeasurable once it was released into the market.

    Prior to this meeting, the pill was sent to him.

    After further analysis of the pill¡¯s contents and side effects, Situ Zhengrong was amazed and took the pill to the old man for a decision.

    It was the first time in so many years the old man praised him and looked at him in approval.

    Situ Zhengrong wanted to do better, so he tried to keep the price down for a better margin. By having the upper hand and dominance, he could show the pill provider who was boss.

    He lied about giving Shen Xi the invitation yesterday.

    The situation, however, turned against him because Situ Zhangyou the brat found out about it and ratted on him to Father.

    Situ Zhengrong knew the old man showed favoritism but it never crossed his mind that the project he initiated would have been handed over to Situ Zhangyou.

    Moreover, Shen Xi had the nerve to look down on him. She came up with excuses and was not willing to work with him, insisting that the old man assign someone else for the job.

    Besides making first contact with the Situ family, Shen Xi came today to check out if the family was a good fit as her business partner.

    Old Master Situ was a genuine person and an honest businessman to work with.

    Feeling nothing but good vibes from Situ Zhangyou, Shen Xi felt she could trust him.

    As for Situ Zhengrong, the man could only do more harm than good. He was definitely not worth her time.

    Shen Xi had faith in Situ Zhangyou to take care of Situ Zhengrong without her help if thetter were up to no good.

    The Situ family¡¯s butler knocked on the door and entered the room to deliver a message to Situ Hong discreetly.

    Situ Hong looked at Shen Xi with eyes of admiration. ¡°Xixi, I have a little something to attend to. Please allow Zhangyou to take you around the ce.¡±

    The girl was outstanding at such a young age, disying amanding presence without any hint of inferiority during negotiations. Situ Hong would have a hard time believing she was seventeen had he not met her in person.

    ¡°Old Master Situ, I should get going then.¡± Shen Xi politely got up.

    Situ Zhangyou excused himself from the old man before leading Shen Xi out of the room.

    ¡°Wait for me at the ancestral hall after the birthday celebration.¡± Situ Hong said with a warning in his tone before leaving in a huff.

    If Situ Hong was not upied with a prior engagement, he wanted to whip this idiot for his misdeeds. The shrewd girl would never agree to a partnership with them had it not been for Zhangyou.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Situ Zhengrong lowered his head and only revealed his ashenplexion once the old man was out of the room. Furious, he kicked the chair.

    Great!

    Great for them!

    Situ Zhangyou had a great business handed to him on a te. He must be proud of himself.

    Well, payback was a b*tch! Situ Zhengrong had to make sure the position as the heir would not fall right onto Situ Zhangyou¡¯sp. Otherwise, he would be done for!

    The Situ¡¯s residence was a huge estate, designed with a vast garden offering picturesque scenery with bridges, flowing waters, and pavilions. It was a ce to behold and could have been more mesmerizing if it was not during winter now.

    Situ Zhangyou was walking with Shen Xi to the garden when he had to take a call. He stared at her apologetically. ¡°I have a business to take care of. Take a stroll and I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Since the guests were socializing at the banquet hall during this time, the ce was quiet with barely anyone around.

    Shen Xi had just walked into the kitchen when she heard a loud cry, ensued by a crisp sound of a p.

    Birthday buns were scattered on the lobby floor, smashed and covered in dirt.

    Pointing at the girl opposite, the head chef was boiling with anger. ¡°Useless trash!¡±

    Their hotel was overseeing Old Master Situ¡¯s seventieth birthday celebration. The manager had urged on multiple asions to ensure a smooth event without any mishaps.

 Chapter 198 - A Scene In The Kitchen

    <h4>Chapter 198: A Scene In The Kitchen</h4>

    The worst-case scenario happened right before the banquet.

    The good-for-nothing dropped the birthday buns that were supposed to be ced on Old Master¡¯s birthday cake. The head chef was driven up the wall now that it was toote to bake a new batch.

    Livid, the head chef berated her.

    The other chefs and sous chefs spectated the whole scene while reservingments to themselves.

    Things would not end well for them if Old Master Situ¡¯s birthday were ruined.

    The girl was not the hotel¡¯s employee and was only a part-timer. She appeared very bright but proved to be a bull in a china shop and this ticked off the recruitment manager immensely.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± With her head hung low, the girl obsequiously got down to pick up the birthday buns.

    ¡°Sorry? What can sorry do?¡± The head chef yelled in rage. As the girl got on her knees, the menacing head chef aimed his foot at her.

    The girl was so focused on picking up the buns that she did not notice that a furious kick wasing her way.

    Pulling a long face, Shen Xi grabbed the head chef¡¯s ankle and gave it a strong pull. The big and strong head chef fell onto the ground in a thud.

    The head chef let out a scream before getting up in fury. With bloodshot eyes and a grimacing face, he pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°D*mn brat. Who the hell are you?¡±

    Shen Xi had her back facing him as she bent over to help the girl up by the arm. She smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sry enough? Why are you working part-time here?¡±

    The girl lifted her chin to reveal a beautiful bareface. She was none other than Yu An.

    ¡°Chairman Shen, I¡­¡± Yu An uneasily gazed at her but before she could finish, her eyes widened in shock as the head chef aimed a punch at Shen Xi¡¯s head. Yu An shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    Shen Xi swiftly turned around and seized the head chef by the wrist before pping him in the face and scoffed at him. ¡°She¡¯s with me.¡±

    The head chef¡¯s head was buzzing from the p. Red in the eyes, he furiously yelled, ¡°Brat! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

    Unfazed, Shen Xi gave him another p. She curled her lips sadistically and warned him. ¡°I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡±

    Who did he think he was to pick on her people!

    Did he think being a leader was all that? Did it give him the right to hit others?

    Yu An could be fatally injured had she not stopped him.

    Despite having experienced Shen Xi¡¯s temper and raw strength first-hand, Yu An¡¯s mind was still blown away. She was getting emotional and her eyes started welling up ¡°Chairman Shen, you¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Situ Zhangyou hurried over.

    Her body froze and her face drained as she heard his voice. Without much thought, she turned around and dashed out of the kitchen.

    Everyone in the kitchen straightened their backs and bowed at Situ Zhangyou.

    The head chef barely recovered from his fall and Shen Xi¡¯s ps but as soon as Situ Zhangyou appeared, he got a grip on himself and pointed at Shen Xi with his gritted teeth. ¡°Young Master Situ, I don¡¯t know who she is but this brat caused a scene in the kitchen and hit me!¡±

    Those words just left his lips.

    Situ Zhangyou had drawn close to Shen Xi and looked at her with worry written all over his handsome face. ¡°Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?¡±

 Chapter 199 - Follow Behind

    <h4>Chapter 199: Follow Behind</h4>

    Situ Zhangyou had only been gone for less than five minutes yet mayhem ensued. No wonder Xuan Yuan said that trouble followed wherever Li Yuan¡¯s fairdy went.

    He dismissed Xuan Yuan¡¯s im previously thinking she was being dramatic but by the looks of things now, he was convinced!

    The head chef¡¯s face was awfully red as he tried to swallow his rage and shock.

    The rest of them were equally dumbfounded to find she was with Young Master Situ. It exined her authoritative attitude.

    The issue could easily be resolved with Situ Zhangyou here.

    The head chef gave him the rundown before timidly looking at him. ¡°Young Master Situ, that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the person who ruined the birthday buns?¡± Situ Zhangyou asked.

    He wanted to have all parties involved to be present so he could hear all sides of the story and to find out from the part-timer who was hit.

    The head chef looked around but could not find the part-timer. ¡°Young Master Situ, she must have run away because she¡¯s scared and has no money.¡±

    With the most important piece of food for the banquet ruined, all of her possessions would not be enough to pay off the damages, let alone her wages.

    ¡°She¡¯s one of my people. I¡¯llpensate for the loss.¡± Shen Xi gave a chilly look to the head chef who was beaten to a pulp.

    Yu An fled when she heard Situ Zhangyou¡¯s voice. It appeared that the matter was not as simple as earning a few extra bucks at the Situ household.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, you¡¯re kidding.¡± Situ Zhangyou smiled warmly at her but turned aloof, high, and mighty when facing the head chef. ¡°Why are you standing there? The birthday buns are ruined. Can¡¯t you figure out a way to make up for it?¡±

    The head chef was terrified to pursue the matter further and acknowledged his defeat.

    As Shen Xi was a VIP of the Situ family, she would not be asked topensate for the loss.

    Situ Zhangyou gave out orders to find Yu An, but thetter was still missing even when the celebration began.

    Shen Xi could not reach Yu An despite calling her and was beginning to feel worried, wondering where she went. Yu An was a girl and had no one else with her after Shen Xi brought her to the capital. Shen Xi would feel bad if anything were to happen to her.

    The list of guests was made up of wealthy and prominent figures, extending from old money to blue blood. They were big shots in the business and political world who had close ties with the Situ family.

    As hosts, the Situ family was busy entertaining the guests.

    Situ Zhangyou, who was ordered to keep Shen Xipany, was held up by one and by the time he looked up, Shen Xi was nowhere in sight. He merely caught a fleeting glimpse of Gu Xiaohan sneaking around.

    ¡°Mr. He, let¡¯s catch up another time. I need to look for a friend.¡± Situ Zhangyou excused himself from the small talk to go after Gu Xiaohan. However, Gu Xiaohan was out of sight too.

    This was going to be a bit of a pickle.

    Gu Xiaohan was the future son-inw of the Su family.

    With Ms. Shen¡¯s rtionship with the Su family strained, the son-inw would surely try to stir things up.

    He was hostile towards Ms. Shen at the door earlier too.

    Situ Zhangyou was not worried that something would happen to Ms. Shen. As Xuan Yuan put it, Ms. Shen was a fighter.

    He bore witness to that fact as well. The girl was not one to take it silently and it was in to see when she straightened out the head chef earlier.

    Nevertheless, Boss did not take anything rted to her lightly even if it was a trivial matter.

    Gu Xiaohan quietly followed behind Shen Xi. Once he was certain that she was heading to the loo, he quickly took a shortcut.

 Chapter 200 - What A Sweetheart

    <h4>Chapter 200: What A Sweetheart</h4>

    While chatting with a few close socialites in the garden, Su Ruowan caught sight of Shen Xi walking past. She excused herself from the girls before going after Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi leisurely admired the garden as she made her way towards the washroom. She picked up a rock and weighed it in her hand as she let out a bloodthirsty smile.

    Su Ruowan froze as she was intimidated by what she saw. Malice and hatred were brewing as she stood still, before deciding to follow Shen Xi.

    The bathroom they were heading toward was slightly further away from the centre of celebration and barely any guest woulde this way.

    Hiding behind the washroom¡¯s door with a stick in his hands, Gu Xiaohan was waiting to ambush Shen Xi.

    He did not give a f*ck about ying by the rules and rather be a lesser man if that meant he could give Shen Xi the brat a taste of her own medicine.

    Shen Xi squeezed the rock in her hand intently and slowly approached the washroom, eyeing cautiously the door.

    Gu Xiaohan had been waiting for this moment. As he heard footsteps nearing, he raised the stick ready to strike the fatal blow.

    Shen Xi pushed open the door and seized the stick in his hands before shutting the door behind her. Curling her lips, she let out an evil grin. ¡°Well well, Young Master Gu has a habit of entering thedies¡¯ room?¡±

    Gu Xiaohan would never have thought he would be discovered. He crankily shouted, ¡°Brat! What are you trying to do?¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that question.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes turned cold and murderous. ¡°Young Master Gu, have you not found something to your liking in the feast that you had toe here looking for one?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes gave Gu Xiaohan the creeps, but he could not even put up a fight. Hence, he red at her as she lifted the rock in her hands. ¡°You¡­ It¡¯s against thew to kill.¡±

    ¡°At least you know what fear is.¡± Shen Xi pulled him by the cor and shoved him into a stall. ¡°Give me your phone.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan had no clue what she was up to, but by the looks in her eyes and the rock in her hands, she would probably crack his head open if he said no. He reluctantly handed his phone over. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    Shen Xi showed him a video that she recorded and outrightly threatened him. ¡°Young Master Gu, be a good boy and close the door. Not a word from you as you remain in there for ten minutes. One second less and the video of you using thedies¡¯ room will be spread online.¡±

    If only looks could kill, Gu Xiaohan would have already done so but he could only clench his hands into fists and gave his best killer re.

    ¡°I¡¯ll post the video in the count of three.¡± Shen Xi may be smiling brightly but her cold eyes were merciless and cheerless. ¡°Three¡­¡±

    Bang.

    Gu Xiaohan shut the door to the stall.

    Shen Xi chuckled. What a sweetheart. She kicked the door and cautioned him. ¡°Lock it up.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan gnashed his teeth while fuming in rage. He had never been so humiliated and threatened to be locked in thedies¡¯ room.

    How dare Shen Xi mess with him! That brat would never get away with it!

    Now that the door was secured, Shen Xi drew her words slowly to give him a warning. ¡°Be a doll or be prepared to see that video online.¡±

    She then walked towards the windowsill and jumped off with agility.

    Su Ruowan waited for a while before entering the same washroom. Since she was sure that Shen Xi was the only one here, she checked and nudged on each toilet stall door and wickedly curled her lips when she located the right stall.

 Chapter 201 - Not Sulfuric Acid

    <h4>Chapter 201: Not Sulfuric Acid</h4>

    That bitch Shen Xi had the audacity to threaten her and as a result, Su Ruowan had to look over her shoulder every time she went to the bathroom.

    Acid attack, huh?

    Well, Su Ruowan wanted Shen Xi to have a taste of real acid.

    Having picked up that someone entered thedies, Gu Xiaohan¡¯s expression turned somber andposed, a stark difference from the exaggerated barbaric look before. It was as though he was a different person.

    Su Ruowan moved a stool over and stepped on it before retrieving the sulfuric acid she had been keeping in her purse since the day Shen Xi threatened her. Her eyes were filled with joy for she was about to deliver a payback.

    She was doing this for the first time but because the subject in question was Shen Xi, Su Ruowan was not at all afraid, and was thrilled and delighted instead. She was about to pour the acid down.

    At that very moment.

    A figure suddenly bolted into the washroom.

    Before Su Ruowan could take a good look of who it was, her hands shook as the stool was knocked over.

    She fell onto the ground and experienced a moment of oblivion, unable to open her eyes due to the sharp pain.

    Amid all the chaos, Su Ruowan thought the burning pain on her arm was the acid rotting into her flesh.

    The person who stumbled over the stool was not in a better situation either. Su Ruowan could hear that it was a woman by her grunts in agony.

    She resented the woman who pushed over the stool, saving Shen Xi, and hurting her in the process. By the time she regained her sense of sight, Su Ruowan managed to identify the person and gave a repulsive stare. ¡°Yu An?¡±

    So it was Yu An, the shameless woman who was delusional to want to steal Han from her!

    Yu An held her corbone while biting her teeth to endure the pain. Nevertheless, she still let out a groan as the pain was getting unbearable.

    As he heard Su Ruowan calling out to Yu An, Gu Xiaohan¡¯s expression turned cold, and with a self-deprecating smile, he pushed the door open.

    The stool tumbled on the ground.

    The twodies were grimacing in pain, with bruises on their faces after taking the fall to the ground.

    There was a transparent bottle by her feet with not much colorless liquid left in it.

    Gu Xiaohan¡¯s heart sank to find blood dripping from Yu An¡¯s palm but he instantly shifted his gaze towards Su Ruowan. His face looked worried but his eyes reflected unusual calmness. ¡°Wanwan, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Han¡­¡± Su Ruowan started bawling without finishing her sentence.

    Hiding the contempt in her eyes, Shen Xi approached Yu An, helped her up, and removed her hands that were sping to her corbone.

    The skin around Yu An¡¯s corbone had an inch-long cut. It was a long and shallow cut that could not have been caused by sulfuric acid.

    Shen Xi ced Yu An¡¯s hands back on her corbone before facing Su Ruowan with a cold look on her face. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Su Ruowan must have filled the bottle with sulfuric acid to ssh her, yet it was not acid inside.

    Weeping, Su Ruowan shuddered in fear while clinging onto Gu Xiaohan¡¯s arm like a dying duck in a thunderstorm. ¡°Han, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Shen Xi pointed the transparent bottle not far away from them. ¡°What is in there?¡±

    Judging by Su Ruowan¡¯s response, Shen Xi was certain that Su Ruowan had no idea the acid in the bottle was not acid anymore.

 Chapter 202 - Madly In Love

    <h4>Chapter 202: Madly In Love</h4>

    Su Ruowan feigned innocence and shook her head. Her body was trembling as though frightened by Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, I really had no idea. I noticed this bottle out there and thought it was water, so I brought it in.¡±

    ¡°You had no idea?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s gaze was sharp and taunting.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Su Ruowan turned on the waterworks and turned to Gu Xiaohan teary-eyed. Her weak and raspy voice could tug at heartstrings. ¡°Han, it hurts¡­¡±

    How could this be?

    The person in the stall should be Shen Xi. Why was Han in there instead?

    Shen Xi, the b*tch was evil at heart. This was all a trap she set up!

    Picking up the bottle, Shen Xi drew closer and stopped in front of Su Ruowan before letting out a bloodthirsty smile. ¡°I thought of a good idea to refresh your memory.¡±

    She grabbed the bottle and dumped its contents onto Su Ruowan¡¯s face.

    With color draining from herplexion, Su Ruowan yelled in horror, ¡°Han! It wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    Gu Xiaohan reached out to grab Shen Xi by the wrist and stared at her. ¡°Shen Xi, that¡¯s enough. Wanwan said that she brought the thing in from outside. She doesn¡¯t know anything. What else do you want?¡±

    Shen Xi was seething at this point. ¡°Young Master Gu, so you got your wife¡¯s back to the bitter end, huh? Well, I never heard of a culprit iming innocence despite being armed with acid. It¡¯s ridiculous!¡±

    Yu An was one of her people. There was no way Shen Xi was going to sit by and watch her people suffer from injustice.

    ¡°Acid?¡± Gu Xiaohan sneered as though he heard a joke. Snatching the bottle from Shen Xi, he was close to pouring the remaining liquid on his arm.

    Su Ruowan appeared as white as a sheet, scared witless as she let out a heart-wrenching cry, ¡°Han, no!¡±

    Gu Xiaohan moved quickly and spilled the content all over his arm by then. His skin remained unscathed.

    There was no telling whether it was due to fright or shock, but Su Ruowan widened her eyes and held his arm in disbelief. Her voice was coarse. ¡°Han.¡±

    The bottle did not carry acid?

    How could it be?

    She brought sulfuric acid along, and it was one with the highest concentration.

    Regardless of who had switched her acid, Su Ruowan should be thanking her lucky stars. Otherwise, she would be in deep trouble.

    Shen Xi gave Gu Xiaohan a look worth pondering before curling her lips in contempt. ¡°Young Master Gu, you sure are the lovesick kind.¡±

    If her guess was right, the acid in the bottle was switched by Gu Xiaohan.

    She knew it. As the book¡¯s protagonist, Gu Xiaohan should have some brains to him and not be entirely dimwitted.

    Moreover, she sensed there was something off about Gu Xiaohan right now. It was him, yet unlike him. He had it together and kept a stiff upper lip.

    Tossing the empty bottle aside, Gu Xiaohan questioned her. ¡°It was water in the bottle. Are you happy now? Wanwan was only joking. What are you trying to prove?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to prove that you¡¯re madly in love with Ms. Su Ruowan.¡± Shen Xi grinned brightly. ¡°Let me offer my blessing. May the love between b*tch and dogst forever.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan had a look of disdain in his eyes. ¡°I should thank you.¡±

    ¡°Han.¡± Su Ruowan clung onto his arm and looked at him with swollen eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Shen Xi is just upset with me.¡±

    Without casting her a nce, Gu Xiaohan looked past Shen Xi and directly at Yu An. His eyes spoke of profound iciness. ¡°Yu An, do me a favor and forget the whole matter.¡±

 Chapter 203 - Scumbag

    <h4>Chapter 203: Scumbag</h4>

    Shen Xi was under the impression that Yu An came to her rescue at first, but by the look on Yu An¡¯s face, she seemed to know Gu Xiaohan. Shen Xi urged Yu An. ¡°To be kind to your enemy is to be cruel to yourself.¡±

    Su Ruowan should be punished for having the audacity to ssh acid. Shen Xi was not going to let the matter slide just because she yed dumb.

    Yu An averted her gaze, feeling timid to look at Shen Xi. Her tiny body frame made her appear lowly and small. She whispered, ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of him with me around.¡± Fixing her eyes on Yu An, Shen Xi told her calmly.

    ¡°Wanwan told you that she doesn¡¯t know anything about it.¡± Gu Xiaohan stood up for Su Ruowan regardless of who was at fault. His eyes reflected contempt. ¡°Moreover, even if she did ssh acid, she was pouring it on me. You just happened to be there. How could you fault others when you brought it upon yourself?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s temper exploded.

    F*ck. Shen Xi was p*ssed off by the scumbag look on the b*stard Gu Xiaohan¡¯s face clearly implying that she got what she deserved.

    Yu An¡¯s head hung low as her eyes welled up. She was either shaking from the physical pain or the hurt caused by his words. She gently nodded her head.

    Frustrated, Shen Xi felt defeated and disappointed by her response.

    It only took one word from b*stard Gu Xiaohan. Wait, no. A more urate term was Gu Xiaohan having Yu An eat out of the palm of his hand. She would never go against him and probablyply if he told her to jump off the building.

    ¡°Shen Xi, you heard her. The individual concerned isn¡¯t making a fuss about it.¡± Gu Xiaohan lifted Su Ruowan up and looked at her tauntingly. ¡°Please move aside.¡±

    ¡°Young Master Gu, you seem to think nothing of the Situ family.¡±

    A domineering yet coquettish voice was heard before the person showed up.

    Shen Xi turned her head to find a woman marking her presence with a queen-like entrance. Coyness apparent in her every little movement and expression, she was breathtaking.

    Shaking more violently, Yu An was tempted to bury her head in her body. She tried to escape.

    The beautifuldy came in and grabbed Yu An by the arm and questioned her, ¡°Song Yu An, where are you running to?¡±

    Gu Xiaohan was startled and puzzled at what was transpiring before his eyes. He had no idea what was Yu An¡¯s rtionship with this gorgeous woman. ¡°Lady Situ, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister. What do you think I n to do after seeing my sister hurt like this?¡± Situ Zhangge pointed at Yu An and said, ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to stick up for her.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan was not the only one dumbfounded.

    Shen Xi was taken aback as well. How did Yu An be one of the Situ family?

    Su Ruowan buried her menacing face against Gu Xiaohan¡¯s chest without moving an inch.

    Situ Zhangge, the eldest daughter of the Situ family, was the fairest of them all in the capital. She often had her way and there was no talking sense into her.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan was more outraged by the fact that the brat she regarded in contempt and crushed under her feet was part of the Situ family and of noble status!

    ¡°Zhangge, I¡¯m fine. Just let them leave.¡± Yu An pulled Situ Zhangge back. ¡°I brought this on myself. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t me them? My dear sister, it¡¯s been two years since Ist saw you but you hadn¡¯t changed one bit.¡± Situ Zhangge moved Yu An¡¯s hand away and drew close to Gu Xiaohan. ¡°Put her down. I need to have a word with her.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan listlessly nced at Yu An but refused to back down in the face of Situ Zhangge. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

 Chapter 204 - Have A Conscience

    <h4>Chapter 204: Have A Conscience</h4>

    Situ Zhangge pointed at the cut on Yu An¡¯s corbone. ¡°Since you insist oning to her defense¡­ I¡¯ll let you off the hook and forget about the whole thing if you readily ept double the repercussions of the hurt my sister went through. How about this?¡±

    Raising his brows, Gu Xiaohan smiled. ¡°Lady Situ, do I have your word?¡±

    Situ Zhangge replied, ¡°No take-backs.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan spoke to Su Ruowan hushedly, ¡°No one will hurt you in my presence.¡±

    Catching a glimpse of the hurt flickering in Yu An¡¯s eyes, Shen Xi sighed. Why did Yu An fall for a two-timer like Gu Xiaohan?

    ¡°Han, no.¡± Su Ruowan softly wailed and pushed him. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. I should be the one taking it.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan whispered closely in her ear, ¡°Be a sweetheart and listen to me.¡±

    Shaking her head, Su Ruowan shoved him aside and freed herself from his embrace. She stood before Situ Zhangge. ¡°Situ¡­¡±

    p.

    Denying her the chance to talk, Situ Zhangge raised her hand and pped Su Ruowan in the face.

    Su Ruowan widened her eyes in disbelief and grievance. ¡°You¡­¡±

    Situ Zhangge swung another blow to her face. ¡°What? Who are you to give me your lousy excuses? Don¡¯t y dumb after what you¡¯ve done. You sure are shameless to ask for forgiveness. Do you think everyone is like Gu Xiaohan?¡±

    It never urred to Su Ruowan that Situ Zhangge would p her out of nowhere. While the burning pain in her cheeks fueled her with humiliation and rage, Su Ruowan was itching to tear apart the arrogant woman yet remained a meek and withering flower on the surface.

    Shen Xi was surprised to learn what a spitfire Lady Situ was toe straight at Su Ruowan. Nevertheless, she only had admiration towards Situ Zhangge after seeing Su Ruowan¡¯s cheeks swelled up like a pufferfish.

    Helping Su Ruowan up, Gu Xiaohan came in between her and Situ Zhangge. ¡°Lady Situ, don¡¯t push it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with picking on her? She can be malicious and attack my sister, yet I can¡¯t return the favor?¡± Situ Zhangge scoffed. ¡°Gu Xiaohan, are you dumb? Why are you sticking up for a woman like her?¡±

    Standing at the corner, Yu An suddenly lost it. ¡°I said leave them be!¡±

    Startled, Situ Zhangge turned around and retorted in anger because Yu An refused to fight for herself. ¡°Song Yu An, are you still a member of the Situ family? Why are you so useless? Is it worth it for a two-timer?¡±

    Even though her eyes were red and her body still shaking, Yu An calmly turned to Gu Xiaohan. ¡°Take her and leave.¡±

    Gu Xiaohan¡¯s eyes alighted with disdain as he coldly nced at Yu An. He carried Su Ruowan and took off.

    Situ Zhangge red at Yu An in frustration. She did not want to bother herself with Yu An but could not bring herself to do so when Yu An was in a pickle. Taking Yu An by the hand, Situ Zhangge pulled her along and asked, ¡°Did youe back today to see that scumbag?¡±

    Yu An shook her head and weakly replied, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Grandpa.¡±

    Situ Zhangge gritted her teeth. ¡°At least you still have a conscience!¡±

    Shen Xi found out through their conversation that Yu An was the granddaughter of the Situ family.

    There was a cut on Yu An¡¯s corbone and although it looked rather gruesome, the cut was not deep nor was there much blood.

    She tore the ball of her thumb during the fall and was bleeding slightly. However, everywhere else seemed fine.

    Unwilling to cause a stir, Yu An only had Situ Zhangge and Shen Xi by her side while the doctor swiftly tended to her wound.

 Chapter 205 - Whoâ€™s Song Xiaose

    <h4>Chapter 205: Who¡¯s Song Xiaose</h4>

    Shen Xi turned her attention to Yu An. ¡°Why are you at the loo?¡±

    Yu An frowned. She wanted to say something but she was at a loss for words at the same time.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin.¡± Shen Xi figured it was not because of herself but because of Gu Xiaohan.

    Shen Xi felt a little down that Yu An came to Gu Xiaohan¡¯s rescue instead of hers. Nevertheless, it did lift Shen Xi¡¯s guilt.

    ¡°Get some rest.¡± Shen Xi had no idea what to say to her. Truth be told, she had little interest in Yu An¡¯s past or her rtionship with Gu Xiaohan.

    As Shen Xi was about to walk away, Yu An called out to her and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Feeling weird about it, Shen Xi turned around and said, ¡°Get better soon. You¡¯ve been good and done me no wrong.¡±

    As an employee, Yu An did enough by working hard and earnestly.

    Situ Zhangge walked with Shen Xi to catch up about Yu An. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Yu Antely.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled politely. ¡°You¡¯re wee. I was the one who brought her out here and it¡¯s hard enough for her to survive out there alone. I¡¯m d I could be of any help.¡±

    It just never urred to her that Yu An was a member of the Situ family.

    ¡°Su Ruowan¡¯s actual target is you, right?¡± Situ Zhangge read Su Ruowan like a book. ¡°She¡¯s bad news. If it happens once, it¡¯d only happen again. You need to watch out for yourself.¡±

    While it was easy to defend against attacks out in the open, it was a different story when it came to a stab in the back. Someone like Su Ruowan with a victim mentality always had something up her sleeve!

    ¡°Got it. Thank you for letting me know. I¡¯ll be out of your hair.¡± Shen Xi got up.

    It would stille down to whether Su Ruowan had what it took to put Shen Xi in harm¡¯s way.

    It was rather interesting when Shen Xi thought about it. Gu Xiaohan was not as straightforward as he appeared to be, as though he switched personalities during his time locked in the toilet stall.

    She had reasons to suspect that he had seen through Su Ruowan¡¯s true colors and switched out the acid in the bottle beforehand. Despite being aware of Su Ruowan¡¯s character, Gu Xiaohan defended her without hesitation. This was a true testimony to his heartfelt feelings!

    Song Wenye and the group had caught wind of Shen Xi appearing at Old Master Situ¡¯s birthday celebration.

    In a karaoke lounge, Song Wenye finally ditched the microphone she had been hogging and gulped down almost a whole bottle of water before throwing a question at Pei Xu. ¡°Xixi went to Situ¡¯s ce, Alpha Xu. Don¡¯t you want to go and take a look?¡±

    Pei Xu raised his brow. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to see Situ Zhangyou¡¯s face. Why don¡¯t you go since you¡¯re worried that she¡¯d be picked on?¡±

    Song Wenye snapped back. ¡°You don¡¯t have his good looks. I¡¯d have gone had I received the invitation. Why don¡¯t you hand your invitation to me, and I¡¯ll protect Xixi? However, I heard that Gu Xiaohan had brought Su Ruowan along.¡±

    Pei Xu scoffed and said, ¡°Lin Ge, order 9999 roses and deliver them to Situ¡¯s residence for Su Ruowan.¡±

    Lin Ge rushed over and curiously asked him. ¡°Alpha Xu, you¡¯re not going?¡±

    It had been quite a while since Alpha Xu spoke to Su Ruowan. Here he thought that Alpha Xu had given up as his feelings were not reciprocated. It seemed Su Ruowan was still on his mind!

    ¡°Just go. What are you rattling on about?¡± Song Wenye gave him a side nce. ¡°The sight of Su Ruowan would probably make Alpha Xu sick.¡±

    Lin Ge looked confused. ¡°No¡­ Doesn¡¯t Alpha like Su Ruowan?¡±

    Lin Ge never really looked kindly upon Su Ruowan and only addressed her as the goddess to make Alpha Xu happy since she was whom Alpha Xu was courting after all.

    Song Wenye gazed at Lin Ge as though he was an idiot. ¡°Yeah, right. As if Alpha Xu will woo Su Ruowan. It¡¯s more like your Alpha Xu is after my Song Xiaose!¡±

    Lin Ge was dumbfounded. ¡°And who¡¯s Song Xiaose?¡±

 Chapter 206 - Itâ€™s Just A Game

    <h4>Chapter 206: It¡¯s Just A Game</h4>

    The mention of Song Xiaose put Pei Xu in a much better mood. He asked Song Wenye, ¡°Is Song Xiaose feeling better?¡±

    Song Wenye replied, ¡°She¡¯s been well for a while now.¡±

    Lin Ge had a facepalm moment. Were rtionships thatplicated? He could not wrap his head around them.

    He thought the only reason Alpha Xu was attending school was to woo Su Ruowan and there was no other reason.

    Lin Ge was under the impression that Alpha Xu only had eyes for her!

    Song Wenye sighed. ¡°Alpha Xu is only going after Su Ruowan to rile Gu Xiaohan up.¡±

    Oh, give her a break. Lin Ge had been with Alpha Xu for quite some time, yet he did not seem to know anything. Alpha Xu and Gu Xiaohan did not see eye to eye and the former was courting Su Ruowan for the heck of p*ssing Gu Xiaohan off.

    Alpha Xu would pursue just about anyone on a whim. Today, his target could be Su Ruowan, and tomorrow it was Song Xiaose while the day after could be someone else. It was all just a game to him and nothing he would take seriously.

    Nevertheless, his courtship of Su Ruowan proved to be the longest. After making the bet with Gu Xiaohan, Alpha Xu began to make advances on her, and it had be quite the talk of the town.

    However, Su Ruowan was having a st ying dumb and hard to get. With a fianc¨¦ in tow, she was not going to say yes to Alpha Xu that easily.

    By now, Lin Ge seemed to have gotten it as he scratched his head. So that was it. ¡°Alpha Xu, I¡¯ll see to it right away.¡±

    He thought it was weird that Alpha Xu stopped looking for Su Ruowan in the past few months. Since Gu Xiaohan was not around, who was he to put on a show for?

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Song Wenye stood up and turned to Pei Xu. ¡°Hand over the invitation.¡±

    Her old man surely received the invitation, but she did not have one. She wanted to catch a glimpse of her Youyou¡¯s beautiful face but most importantly, to protect Xixi.

    Pei Xu handed over his invitation to her.

    Song Wenye pompously drove a drop-top with Pei Xu¡¯s bouquet of roses. God knows what she told the security to let her in.

    s, she did not manage to meet Gu Xiaohan, Su Ruowan, or even Shen Xi.

    Situ Zhangyou informed her that Shen Xi had just left.

    With business out of the way, Shen Xi excused herself with Old Master Situ and left.

    The car passed by Li Mansion.

    Shen Xi solemnly ordered, ¡°Wei Feng, drop me off here. You can return to the office.¡±

    It was evening by then.

    The weather was not the greatest as snowfall was looming.

    Wei Feng was a man of few words. He noticed on their way here that Lil Chairman Shen seemed to bear an inexplicable sentiment towards Li Mansion. He stopped the car. ¡°Do you need me toe and fetch youter?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can grab a cab.¡±

    Wei Feng was silent. It was not easy to hail a cab here as only private sedans were allowed in the area. He respectfully acknowledged. ¡°Sure.¡±

    The North wind was howling outside.

    Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, Shen Xi lifted her chin to look at Li Mansion and slowly made her way towards the building. The closer she approached, the more she was drawn into the profound sense of history the architecture evoked.

    ording to the encyclopedia, Li Mansion came into existence more than seven centuries ago, a hundred and fifty years before the imperial citypleted its structure. The mansion was the oldest and mostpleted architectural ensemble in its scale. Every bit of nature inside was priceless.

    The entrance of Li Mansion did not have any surveince, setting it apart from other residences. The gate was closed and a tourist group could be seen walking by. The tour guide stopped at the gate and made an introduction.

 Chapter 207 - Not In The Past

    <h4>Chapter 207: Not In The Past</h4>

    Li Mansion was located opposite the Garden of Integrity.

    Garden of Integrity, also known as the imperial garden, was a must-visit tourist spot so naturally, Li Mansion was added onto the list as it was just across the garden. The path further down would lead to Sunnyside¡¯s restricted area of the rich where visitors were prohibited.

    Shen Xi blended in the crowd of tourists, listening alongside as the tour guide briefly introduced the Li family history. She circled around Li Mansion before returning to the entrance.

    She could not put her finger as to why she came here. Perhaps it was to take a look at his childhood residence to get closer to him and shorten the distance between them. She aimlessly joined any tourist group, one after another, circling the residence time and again.

    Finally.

    The sky had darkened.

    With all tourists gone, she was left all alone standing at the gate of the Li¡¯s residence. Lifting her chin to observe the que written ¡°Li Mansion¡± in bold writing, Shen Xi was swept over by a wave of emotions.

    Inside Li Mansion.

    Kun Lun happened to take a fleeting nce as he passed the control room and noticed Shen Xi standing at the gate. He made haste to report to Li Yuan. ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen is at the door. Should I send her home?¡±

    Ms. Shen appeared rather lonesome. It was already snowing and showed no signs of stopping.

    Li Yuan looked up, revealing a pale and sicklyplexion. He turned to Kun Lun and said, ¡°Bring the wheelchair here.

    Kun Lun respectfully acknowledged as he watched the man in bed slip out from under the covers and put on some clothes. His pale face was looking quite morbid under the light.

    Boss had been dreadfully sick the past two days. Afraid that Ms. Shen might find out, he dared not return to the vi and informed her that he was away for business.

    A smart and witty woman that she was, Ms. Shen must have guessed Boss¡¯ identity. Otherwise, why would she be standing by herself in front at someone¡¯s door amid all that snow?

    Shen Xi quietly stood there, settling into a peace of mind in the still night.

    The gate suddenly opened.

    Out walked a friendly-looking old man in a long robe and handed her an umbre. ¡°Youngdy, the snow will only get heavier in a bit. Hurry home!¡±

    A security guard in the control room had reported to him that there was someone suspicious circling around Li Mansion and still standing at the door even though the tour groups had dispersed. He was asked what to do about it.

    She was just a youngdy, probably hanging around because she was in a bad mood. Pitying her, the old man came out to give her an umbre and shared a few words for her to get home early.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi smiled at the old man before epting the umbre. ¡°I will return this to you another day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, youngdy.¡± The old man was warmed by her smile. Why did a girl with a bright smile look so glum?

    He was turning to walk back to the door.

    Watching the old man closely, Shen Xi suddenly blurted, ¡°Grandpa, does it feel empty to live in a big house? Is it scary?¡±

    The old man stopped at his tracks as he harked back to the past. With his eyes welling up, he turned back and replied, ¡°Not in the past.¡±

    The liveliness before was a contrast to the destion and bleakness right now.

    His ancestors were keepers of the Li family. This was his home, a ce he grew up in.

    He was on vacation abroad when the family met the mishap and by the time he returned, things had changed.

    After everyone was gone, the old man stayed behind to keep watch over the empty nest. There were times he felt that living every second of the day was pure agony.

    However, he must not die as he had to guard the house for his master while waiting for the retribution to the Fifth Family and for the return of the young master.

    Atst, after two decades of wait, the residence weed the return of its owner.

    There was still hope as long as one was alive.

    Shen Xi felt a lump in her throat and her eyes welled up, listening to the old man¡¯s weather-beaten voice.

    This old man must be the housekeeper of the residence who had watched him grow up and doted on him. At least he would not be so lonely with the old man around.

    Stepping into the house, the old man rushed over as Kun Lun was wheeling the young master out. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you resting when you¡¯re sick? Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

 Chapter 208 - Be With Her

    <h4>Chapter 208: Be With Her</h4>

    Kun Lun gave the old man the look to hold his tongue.

    Li Yuan¡¯s voice was raspy as he looked at the old man and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the girl at the gate?¡±

    The old man was taken aback for a moment before nodding. ¡°I gave her an umbre and told her to go home.¡±

    Li Yuan hummed in acknowledgment and told Kun Lun not toe along as he wheeled himself to the door and quietly looked out to the gate.

    The old man whispered a question to Kun Lun. ¡°Is the youngdy whom the young master is looking for?¡±

    Kun Lun bobbed his head. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The old man sighed in frustration and worriedly added, ¡°I should have given her a jacket. What if she catches a cold in this heavy snow?¡±

    So it turned out the youngdy was the girl who saved the young master¡¯s life. With a smile so sweet and warm as hers, it was no wonder the young master could not take his mind off of her.

    Putting the umbre aside, Shen Xi sat on the stone steps at the gate and whipped out her phone to send a text message. ¡®Brother, it¡¯s snowing.¡¯

    Following a vibration to the phone on hisp, Li Yuan lowered his head to read the message. As tenderness slowly reced the destion and bleakness in his eyes, his slender fingers tapped out a reply on the screen. ¡°Are you home yet?¡±

    After reading the text, Shen Xi looked up to nce at the que above. Feeling lifted from the heavy mood, she replied to him, ¡°Not yet. Are you cold there?¡±

    Was it snowing over at his side? Was it very cold? Did heyer up his clothes? Did he eat well? Did he sleep well? Did Kun Lun take good care of him? There were simply so many worries in her mind.

    Li Yuan took a nce at the gate. His fairdy was there right now, but he did not have the courage to meet her in his current state. He answered her, ¡°Not at all. Hurry home.¡±

    It was cold outside. He wondered if she wore clothes warm enough when she attended Old Master Situ¡¯s birthday banquet at the Situ¡¯s residence. Was she scared now that the sky was dark?

    His littledy was a chipmunk when food was involved. Her tummy must be protesting since she missed her dinner.

    With a smile on her lips, Shen Xi turned back to look at the gate as affection overtook her body. She typed. ¡°I¡¯ll head back in a bit.¡±

    Li Yuan had no idea what she was up to at the gate, but she knew a smart girl like his fairdy would have guessed his identity. He urged her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it snowing? You should return home soon.¡±

    Shen Xi responded. ¡°I¡¯m looking at the snow and will make a move in a sec.¡±

    She wanted to stay a little longer. This was his home, a ce he was sentimentally attached to the most and where his deepest painy.

    Filled with heartache, Li Yuan wished nothing more than to barge right out there to bring her in. s, he was not at his best state to meet her now as she would only worry. ¡°Okay.¡±

    The snowfall grew heavier and soon it was like falling feathers.

    The North wind howled and sent chills into the bones.

    Kun Lun apprehensively gazed at the man a short distance away. In just a moment, Li Yuan was already covered in a thinyer of snow that even his hair appeared white. Kun Lun opened the umbre and went over.

    Uncle Li extended his arm out to stop him and shook his head.

    The kid was too young to get anything.

    With the young master¡¯s beloved standing in the snow, Li Yuan¡¯s innermost desire was to be with her.

    Two persons separated by a gate.

    She did not know he was by her side.

    Yet she was at his arm¡¯s length.

    The fluttering snowkes continued to descend upon the quiet Sunnyside where houses were huge and people were scarce.

 Chapter 209 - Have More Children

    <h4>Chapter 209: Have More Children</h4>

    Brakes screeching on the road.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, why are you here?¡± Situ Zhangyou received a call from Boss to pick up a certain somebody and bring her home.

    The tiny-framed girl appeared rather petite in a seated position. God knows what she was looking at, but she was like a tiny firecracker, letting a warm glow around her amid the snow.

    Shen Xi lifted her chin to find Situ Zhangyouing her way. She sent a test message. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m heading home.¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°Sure. Stay safe.¡±

    He stared at the screen after typing the message, left with a feeling of emptiness as her footsteps faded into the distance.

    It was only when the car engine rumbled that he wheeled himself over and opened the door to watch the car drove out of sight. The glint in his eyes receded bit by bit.

    Uncle Li waited while he sat by the door for a long time before approaching, ¡°Young Master, Ms. Shen is already gone. You shoulde in.¡±

    Kun Lun stood in the courtyard, not wanting to bring attention to himself. Since Uncle Li was a father figure to Boss, thetter always respected and listened to him.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan lingered a little longer and could only see the tire marks on the road. Shen Xi¡¯s scent was now lost in the cold night of the merciless snow.

    ¡°Ms. Shen had asked me if I felt empty and scared living in a huge house.¡± Uncle Li pushed the wheelchair and started a conversation with Li Yuan.

    Hearing this, Li Yuan could feel sadness seeping in as his eyes welled up.

    Did he feel empty?

    He held onto his chest. His heart was full when looking and thinking of her while the remainder of the time, there was a hole in his heart.

    Was he afraid?

    This was his home where his closest and most respected family were enshrined. Why would he be afraid?

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be scared of.¡± Uncle Li replied with a smile, ¡°Have more children when you marry Ms. Shen in the future. The house will be lively then.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes grew profound as he gazed at his legs.

    Could he?

    With this broken body of his, how could he possibly burden her and drag her down to rot in hell with him?

    ¡­

    News that the Situ family, who were leading the medical field in China, were prepared to expand into the cosmetics line to produce high-end cosmeceuticals soon spread among China¡¯s high society.

    To prate the cosmeceuticals market, the Situ family unveiled an anti-aging beauty product called Jewel Looks, avable to both men and women. The product could improve one¡¯splexion, beautify and firm the skin from the inside out.

    China¡¯s elite society and celebrities had all receivedplimentary products from the Situ family.

    There was a rumor in the entertainment business that Jiang Yin and Gong Zhi were the first people to test the product. Gong Zhi¡¯s recent great skinplexion and rejuvenation was due to the anti-aging beauty pills.

    The rumors were quickly verified by Gong Zhi herself. It was not a rumor but the truth. It had been two weeks since she began taking Jewel Looks. Her face was the walking advert of its miraculous effect.

    Often sleep-deprived, the biggest issue of celebrities was theirplexion. With the anti-aging beauty pill, the efficiency was in to see. It could be called a magic potion.

    Suddenly, the anti-aging beauty pill and its marvel became quite the buzz. The outreach came as a breeze.

    The Situ family¡¯s good reputation was reassurance and an absolute guarantee of the product¡¯s quality. Citizens of China trusted the family.

 Chapter 210 - Youâ€¦ You Hit Me!

    <h4>Chapter 210: You¡­ You Hit Me!</h4>

    An air of dismal shrouded the Su family.

    Li Jingran¡¯s fury was through the roof. ¡°Hubby, why don¡¯t you ask around and find out what the Situ family meant by this? Doesn¡¯t the Su family¡¯s social status speak for itself? Or am I unworthy? They¡¯re looking down on us.¡±

    Everyone received the anti-aging beauty pill except her. It was just the Su family who was left out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a health supplement? The Situ family is busy and probably forgot.¡± Slouching against the bed, Su Yi sipped the wine and nonchntly replied.

    Of course, he had caught wind of the anti-aging beauty pill that was quite the buzztely. Everyone who tried it spoke of its miracles.

    Nevertheless, it was only an oral supplement to nourish the body. Amazing as it may be, it could not possibly be that extraordinary. Could it make one young again? Could it be a cure for all diseases?

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®forget¡¯?¡± Li Jingran was fuming at that point. ¡°Did you know? Even the D-listers on the TV show¡¯s release today received their share of the anti-aging beauty pill. Dare you say the Situ family forgot? Why can¡¯t they forget others rather than us?¡±

    She was brimming with anger at the thought of those minor celebrities trying out the pill in her face while showing off the thank-you note given by the Situ family. They even had the audacity to ask her what was written in her thank-you note.

    ¡°Just get over it. Once the pill isunched, I¡¯ll buy you as many as you want.¡± Unbothered, Su Yi was of the opinion that Li Jingran was being difficult and deliberately splitting hairs. ¡°Take a shower and go to bed!¡±

    ¡°Hubby.¡± Seeing red, Li Jingran was annoyed by his offhanded attitude. ¡°I can forget about the Situ family looking down on me but they¡¯re picking on the Su family. You might be able to dismiss it, but I can¡¯t take it sitting down.¡±

    Oh, great!

    Look at his attitude.

    Did he really not care that the family was messing around with them?

    The Su family might not be of prominence, but that did not mean they could be disregarded entirely. With even the nouveau riche beneath them acquiring the anti-aging beauty pill, why was the Su family dismissed?

    ¡°Enough.¡± Su Yi¡¯s patience ran out. He yelled, ¡°So what if they didn¡¯t provide you with one? What can you do about it? It¡¯s not like you or I can shake up the Situ family.¡±

    Who was the Situ family? They were an influential family at the top of China¡¯s food chain, not somebody the Su family could offend.

    What was so great about the anti-aging beauty pill? It was just pills. Was it worth it to get herself so worked up?

    Moreover, why would the Situ family pick on the Su family? He had no grudges with the Situs as they were not in the same industry nor did they had any business rtions. Why would they try to crush the Su family?

    Su Yi believed Li Jingran was just paranoid!

    In absolute fury, Li Jingranshed out, ¡°Su Yi, the way I see it, you¡¯re a coward. You cower while they give us a hard time. Are you waiting for the Situ family to¡­¡±

    p.

    With the alcohol going to his head, Su Yi¡¯s face turned sullen with rage as he pped Li Jingran.

    Feeling the burn in her cheek, Li Jingran looked at him in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ You¡­ You hit me!¡±

    Su Yi furiously pointed at her in a warning. ¡°You can say this in front of me at home but if you run your mouth out there¡­ Well, you can try me!¡±

    He then stormed out of the room.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Tears filled Li Jingran¡¯s eyes. Angry and hurt, she went after him with a hand over her face. ¡°Su Yi, you can¡¯t leave!¡±

 Chapter 211 - Inconsolable

    <h4>Chapter 211: Inconsble</h4>

    ¡°Stay put at home. Don¡¯t let the children see you at your worst.¡± Su Yi scoffed coldly and with rage consuming him with ruthlessness, he held nothing back. ¡°Am I supposed to listen to your nonsense or stare at your sagging face if I don¡¯t leave?¡±

    He could not stand another waking minute in this house.

    Before Su Yi knew it, Li Jingran¡¯s temper seemed to grow nastier every time he returned home to her stony face. No one would be happy toe home to a deadpan face after working so hard out there.

    ¡°Su Yi!¡± Li Jingran¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and her body was shaking from the humiliation. Screaming in rage, she caught up and pulled him back. ¡°Tell me. Do you have another woman outside?¡±

    ¡°The children are at home. Have you lost your mind?¡± Su Yi covered her mouth and pulled her hair to drag her back into the house.

    As a dignified woman, Li Jingran was shattered beyond the will to live by her husband¡¯s insults. She looked him dead in the eye. ¡°Su Yi, if you dare have another woman, I¡¯ll kill her. Do you hear me? I will kill her!¡±

    Su Yi scoffed and gritted his teeth while pointing at her. ¡°Another woman? Do you think you could talk to me like this had I not cheated with you then?

    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Li Jingran could feel her blood pressure rising. She lost it. She punched and kicked him with ruffled hair like a madwoman. Her sharp nails became her weapons to w him.

    Su Yi was caught off guard and by the time he came to, he felt a burning sensation on his cheeks. ¡°You lunatic! Let go! Psycho! What are you trying to do?¡±

    The pair got into a heated scuffle.

    Su Yi quickly subdued Li Jingran by pinning her arms and head to the ground. He looked menacing. ¡°You wacko. Have you gone mad?¡±

    Li Jingran wailed in devastation. ¡°How can you do this to me? Su Yi, how can you do this to me!¡±

    He hit her!

    To think he raised his hand at her!

    He nevershed out at her during the many years they were married. Yet, he hit her over a trivial matter. He must have had another woman!

    She refused to divorce and would never agree to a divorce. There was no way Li Jingran was going to allow another woman to rece her, sleep on her bed, and sleep with her man. Never!

    There was a knock on the door outside.

    Su Mushi heard themotion. ¡°Mom, Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Hearing their son¡¯s voice, Su Yi threatened her, ¡°Don¡¯t let our son see this ugly side of you. Don¡¯t you dare breathe a word of today.¡±

    ¡°Dad?¡± Su Mushi cried, ¡°Are you guys alright?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good. Your mom and I are just screwing around.¡± Su Yi¡¯s voice was back to normal. ¡°You should get back to bed.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Su Mushi had a weird feeling about it, but heplied, ¡°Mom, Dad, good night.¡±

    Su Yi finally let go of Li Jingran once the footsteps were distant.

    Li Jingran was inconsble. Never did it cross her mind that she would be involved in domestic abuse. ¡°Su Yi, don¡¯t me me for turning my back on our marriage if I ever find you sleeping around.¡±

    Gazing at the rumpled woman, Su Yi was able to think straight atst, and realized he went overboard. They had been married for decades after all. Hence, he was first to let up. ¡°Stop crying. I am not fooling around, nor do I have another woman.¡±

 Chapter 212 - Bragging with Jewel Looks

    <h4>Chapter 212: Bragging with Jewel Looks</h4>

    Li Jingran had to have thest word. ¡°If I remain unconvinced, are you going to swear, swear to god?¡±

    Su Yi found it embarrassing, but thankfully, the children were not here to witness this. Otherwise, that was his authority gone out the window. He turned to her. ¡°I, Su Yi, swear that I don¡¯t have another woman. Happy now?¡±

    Li Jingran finally ceased the tears as her man got ready to leave. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Su Yi blurted, ¡°The office!¡±

    Watching as the man took off without hesitation, Li Jingran angrily smashed her fist on the floor. Her eyes were grim and fueled with resentment.

    She would take him down with her if he ever cheated on her!

    Li Jingran better be the only woman in Su Yi¡¯s life!

    ¡­

    Words about the anti-aging beauty pill spread among the elites. Thus, it came as a surprise that the pill made its way to No. 4 High School.

    To encourage the students and support No. 4 High School¡¯s education, the Situ family rewarded the top 100 students of each grade a set of Jewel Looks.

    Those in the international ss were on cloud nine.

    While distributing Jewel Looks with a few others, Song Wenye proudly announced, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Xixi that our ss could get our hands on Jewel Looks. Look how good of a rtionship Xixi has with Youyou. This is what it meant by pulling strings.¡±

    She gave a thumb-up to signify how tight Shen Xi and Situ Zhangyou were.

    The international ss students queued up to receive their share of Jewel Looks with a smug look on their faces as though it was a great honor.

    Shen Xi helplessly sighed. No one else but them would be so happy to go through the back door.

    With all themotion in the international ss, the top ss was buzzing the same excitement as well!

    In charge of distributing Jewel Looks, Chen Bingbing happily read a list of names.

    The Chen family were nouveau riche and despite having money, the aristocratic families turned their nose up at them and were of the opinion that the Chen family were uncultured country bumpkins.

    Mom woulde home from gathering bawling her eyes outtely, saying that thedies frequently boast about acquiring Jewel Looks.

    Owning limited-edition bags, clothes, shoes, or jewelry is nothing aspared to having Jewel Looks as that was the only thing trending now. Even having received a tester from the Situ family would be enough of a bragging right.

    Those without Jewel Looks were looked down upon in gatherings.

    Now that Chen Bingbing had Jewel Looks, she could go home and give it to her mom. Mom would be over the moon to unt in gatherings without getting unwarranted eye-rolls and disdainful looks.

    Su Ruowan was waiting for her turn to receive Jewel Looks, wanting to try it out herself since everyone said it was effective.

    She had no clue what was going on as many families beneath the Su family had obtained Jewel Looks yet none of the Su family members had gotten their hands on one.

    The same situation with Mom. Many D-listers got theirs and bragged about in Moments and Weibo. However, Mom was the only one left out.

    Chen Bingbing read out the names one by one, distributing the inventory ording to the list. Soon, the ss acquired a set each.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart sank deeper as more names were called out. She ced fourth in her grade while Mushi was the third. Why were their names not read first? Could they be in the back?

    ¡°There¡¯s no more.¡± Chen Bingbing gazed at the empty box and asked amidughter. ¡°I guess everyone has gotten theirs, huh? Is there anyone who doesn¡¯t have one?¡±

    The girl sitting next to Su Ruowan stood up and enquired in puzzlement, ¡°Bingbing, why aren¡¯t Wanwan and the ss monitor¡¯s names mentioned?

    Chen Bingbing chuckled. ¡°I might have missed them. Let me take another look.¡±

    Su Ruowan went ahead and grabbed the name list. ¡°Let me look!¡±

    There must be a mistake. No way could Mushi¡¯s and her names were missed.

 Chapter 213 - A Seed Of Doubt

    <h4>Chapter 213: A Seed Of Doubt</h4>

    The Situ family said it themselves, the top 100 students in each grade would receive a set of Jewel Looks. There must be some sort of mistake because Su Ruowan and Mushi should not be left out. Some idiot must have typed the list wrong and overlooked their names.

    Watching Su Ruowan frantically going through the list repeatedly, Chen Bingbing analyzed it together and could not find Su Ruowan and Su Mushi¡¯s names. ¡°It must have been a mistake, Wanwan. How could both your names go missing?¡±

    Su Ruowan wanted to tear the list to pieces but despite feeling the heat, she remained calm on the surface. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just an anti-aging beauty pill anyway, not some rare jewel. I don¡¯t have to have it.¡±

    How could it be?

    Why were Mushi¡¯s and her name missing on the list?

    ¡°Bingbing, Wanwan¡¯s not short of the anti-aging beauty pill. Surely, Aunt Li received a lot.¡±

    ¡°Like Gong Zhi, Aunt Li must be one of the first to get hers. Wanwan must have taken it since her skin¡¯s been glowingtely.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Who do you think Aunt Li is? She is way up thedder than Gong Zhi. The Situ family would prioritize her over anyone else.¡±

    The girlfriends in ss were buttering Su Ruowan up.

    Su Ruowan yed it cool and secretly admitted that as a fact before mustering up a tender smile. ¡°Bingbing. Just leave it. Mushi and I don¡¯t want it.¡±

    The Su family never got the anti-aging beauty pill.

    Mom never received one.

    She and Mushi had not gotten theirs either.

    If it were only for one instance, it could be exined that the Situ family merely made a mistake and forgot to give them.

    However, there were too many instances to be excused with mere forgetfulness.

    She had reasons to suspect that the Situ family were out to get the Su family and make them look bad!

    The ssmates thought they guessed it right judging by how Su Ruowan took it lightly. Wanwan was the youngdy of the Su family and the future daughter-inw of the Gu family. The Situ family would never single her out.

    Intrigued, Yu Qiubai curled his lips in contempt before bringing his share of anti-aging beauty pills to Su Ruowan. He ced the set on her table and said with a smile, ¡°For you.¡±

    Su Ruowan tenderly gazed at him. ¡°Thank you, Qiubai.¡±

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes. ¡°No need to thank me. I heard that Aunt Li hasn¡¯t received one. Bring it back and share it with her.¡±

    Su Ruowan turned white as a sheet in horror and angrily shot him a look. ¡°Qiubai, what are you saying? My mom has received one. You should give your set to your mom.¡±

    Yu Qiubai nomittally raised his brow and grinned, ¡°Okay then.¡±

    Those in the top ss genuinely believed Su Ruowan at first because bearing the Su surname itself was a ticket to getting the pills. However, Yu Qiubai¡¯s words nted a seed of doubt in them that Su Ruowan could be lying.

    Su Ruowan was livid, especially when she heard that the international ss received their share of Jewel Looks. The building agitation and rage put a lot of ideas in her head.

    The whole lot of trash in the international ss had the worst grades yet they received the Jewel Looks but she who had ced fourth did not get hers?

    Was the Situ family turning their noses up at her grades or having it in for her, Mom, and the Su family?

    Su Ruowan refused to admit that the international ss¡¯ share of the Jewel Looks had something to do with Shen Xi.

    Perhaps Shen Xi, the b*tch, was responsible for the Situ family going up against the Su family as well.

 Chapter 214 - Looks To Die For

    <h4>Chapter 214: Looks To Die For</h4>

    Su Mushi came in to find an exquisite gift box on everyone¡¯s table. The design was appealing, reflecting opulent undertones against the muted print. The Situ family emblem was stamped on the packaging too.

    This was a Jewel Looks gift set given by the Situ family. As expected from the Situs, the packaging looked exquisite.

    With Su Mushi entering the ssroom, the top-ss students turned to him looking like they had something on their minds.

    Unable to spot his own Jewel Looks gift box, Su Mushi turned to ask Yu Qiubai. ¡°Where¡¯s mine?¡±

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes and swept him a nce before nonchntly pointing at his gift box with a smile. ¡°You can have mine. Give it to Aunty.¡±

    Su Mushi frowned speechlessly.

    Su Ruowan drew close and in aggrievance, she spoke, ¡°Mushi, I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a mix-up on the Situ family¡¯s part, but you and I don¡¯t have the gift box.¡±

    Impatient, Su Mushi turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask.¡±

    ¡°Mushi, it¡¯s just a bottle of anti-aging beauty pills. Why don¡¯t we just leave it!¡± Su Ruowan caught up and pulled his arm.

    That was what she said but it was a different story in her mind. Su Ruowan wanted to get to the bottom of why the Situ family did not offer them the pills. Everyone had received theirs while the Su family was singled out. There had to be a reason behind this.

    ¡°This is not an issue about the gift box, rather a matter of principle.¡± With eyes burning with rage, Su Mushi pulled a sour face. ¡°Wanwan, wait here. I¡¯ll get this straight.¡±

    Did the Situ family think the members of the Su family were pushovers?

    First Mom, then him and Wanwan. He got it. The Situ family refused them a gift box to leave them out, humiliate them, and look down on them.

    Su Ruowan let him be. Her eyes turned red with worry as she resentfully watched him storm off. She knew that Mushi was only embarrassing himself and would not get any answers even if he went.

    The Situ family thought nothing of them. The Su family was a nobody to the Situs.

    Yu Qiubai headed out with the gift box but stopped at the door to throw Su Ruowan a question. ¡°Do you really not want it? I¡¯ll give it to someone else then.¡±

    Jewel Looks was some good stuff and coveted by the elitestely. A symbol of status and privilege, it was something money could not buy.

    One would be regarded highly to have received a gift from the Situ family and no one would be stupid enough to sell it. It was a priceless treasure.

    Things had finally quieted down in the international ss.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye. ¡°So you¡¯re really not going?¡±

    Song Wenye scoffed and pointed at her own nose. ¡°Look at me. Take another look at me.¡±

    ¡°You have looks to die for.¡± Shen Xi confidently spoke her mind. ¡°You have a bit of chubbiness, but you¡¯ll be the fairest in entertainment in two years if you trim down 5 pounds and grow another five centimeters.¡±

    Song Wenye was anxious. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. Do I look like I¡¯m strapped for cash?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and asked her, ¡°Is Situ Zhangyou in showbiz?¡±

    Song Wenye nodded.

    ¡°He Pei is in the entertainment business too, right?¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s eyes were sparkling.

    ¡°Fu Qingye is also in showbiz!¡±

    The sparkles in Song Wenye¡¯s eyes transformed from pounding stars into thumping hearts.

 Chapter 215 - Joining the Showbiz

    <h4>Chapter 215: Joining the Showbiz</h4>

    ¡°Your idols are in showbiz. There are many gorgeous men and women in the entertainment industry. Wouldn¡¯t you feel like you lost the whole world if you didn¡¯t take the chance to have some fun?¡± Shen Xi asked Song Wenye.

    Song Wenye nodded incessantly. Excited by the thought of the beautiful women and handsome men in showbiz, she held Shen Xi¡¯s hands. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right! Why didn¡¯t I think of this!¡±

    ¡°The best way to keep up to date with your favorite stars is to be a star yourself. You can join TV shows, films, or variety shows with the celebrities you admire.¡± Shen Xi continued to tempt her. ¡°Think about how you and Fu Qingye can do shoots together. You can act as a couple.¡±

    Song Wenye shrieked excitedly. ¡°Xixi, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll do whatever you say! I want to y a lover alongside Qingye in TV shows!¡±

    Shen Xi felt she had a way to handle groupies. She handed the registration form to Song Wenye. ¡°Fill this in. I can guarantee you¡¯ll take center stage when you debut.¡±

    Song Wenye nced at Shen Xi weirdly once she realized it was the registration form to National Idol. ¡°Wait. Weren¡¯t you going to take part in it? I heard that Su Ruowan is participating. I don¡¯t want to see that face of hers.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Who wants you to look at her? Go on stage and crush her with your talent, presence, and looks! Trample on her and let our blind schoolmates know who¡¯s the real goddess and prettiest girl of No. 4 High School.¡±

    Song Wenye mmed the table andughed aloud. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry Shen Xi, I¡¯ll definitely steal the show.¡±

    She was tickled pink just thinking about the dismal Su Ruowan would be in after a crushing defeat. Why did she note up with this great idea?

    ¡°Take it easy. Take the registration form home and think about it before giving me the answer.¡± Shen Xi sat her down. She was afraid Song Wenye would agree in the spur of the moment and regret itter.

    Song Wenye was not fond of dressing herself up and terrible at putting on makeup. Nevertheless, her looks surpassed that of Su Ruowan¡¯s and possessed assets that could put her on top in the entertainment industry.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about?¡± Song Wenye filled up the form before standing up and mming the table. ¡°Quiet down. I have a huge announcement to make. I¡¯m going into showbiz and my goal is to be the top star in China. No, wait ¨C the top star in the whole world.¡±

    She had to make it to the top to be able to partner with Qingye. The top star of China was not enough, so she had to set her goal higher.

    The international ss students stared nkly at her for a moment before breaking out in thundering cheers.

    ¡°You can do it, Song Wenye!¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye¡¯s the best!¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye, we love you, we love you, we love you!!¡±

    Spontaneously, the international ss students chanted in unison.

    Gazing at the group, Shen Xi helplessly furrowed her eyebrows. Look at these silly people.

    Yu Qiubai walked in to find the international ss going mad, chanting Song Wenye¡¯s name. God knows what they were up to since no ordinary person could understand the mindset of lunatics. He approached Shen Xi and put the gift box down. ¡°For you.¡±

    Shen Xi coldly took a fleeting nce at him with a poker face. ¡°It¡¯s fine, thank you.¡±

    Narrowing his foxy eyes, Yu Qiubai abruptly closed the distance between them and opened his mouth. ¡°You have a great rtionship with Situ Zhangyou.¡±

    Shen Xi pushed the gift box back to him and faked a smile. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

 Chapter 216 - No Money For Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 216: No Money For Clothes</h4>

    Yu Qiubai was taken aback. Shen Xi often either yed with her words or minced them when talking to him, but this was the first time she was directly aiming to rip him up. Yu Qiubai was actually happy about it. ¡°Did I annoy you?¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a death stare before coldly blurted, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Despite getting chewed out, Yu Qiubai was in a great mood. On his way out, he bumped into Pei Xu and hurled the gift box at him with a grin. ¡°For you.¡±

    Pulling a long face, Pei Xu was close to taking the Lord¡¯s name in vain when Yu Qiubai disappeared into the staircase.

    The ss was rowdier and louder than usual.

    Walking on air, Song Wenye hooked Pei Xu¡¯s arm, pulling him in to announce the good news. ¡°Alpha Xu, I want to let you in on something. I¡¯m going into showbiz to be a celebrity.¡±

    Pei Xu made no effort to hide the disdain in his face. ¡°Have you lost your godd*mn mind?¡±

    Song Wenye was too happy to be offended. ¡°Alpha Xu, you should congratte me. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be my biggest supporter, right?¡¯

    Pei Xu did not take it seriously and could not be bothered with her since the wacko changed her mind every ten seconds. He listlessly sat on his seat and ced the gift box on the table before asking Shen Xi, ¡°What did Yu Qiubai want with you?¡±

    Working on mock test papers, Shen Xi faintly replied, ¡°He¡¯s a nutjob.¡±

    Pei Xu shared the same sentiment. He nced at the two gift boxes on his table and gave them to Shen Xi. ¡°I heard that this stuff works great on the skin. Give them to your mom!¡±

    Shen Xi nonchntly answered, ¡°We¡¯re not short of these at home.¡±

    ¡°Xixi isn¡¯t short of them, but I am. Alpha Xu, give them to me!¡± Song Wenye bolted over to snag the gift boxes and grinned, ¡°As of this moment, I¡¯m going to take two pills a day as part of my skincare routine to prepare for my debut in the entertainment industry.¡±

    After further inquiry, Pei Xu found out that Song Wenye had been telling the truth. However, he gave Shen Xi the heads-up out of good intentions. ¡°Don¡¯t put all your faith in her. She acts on a whim and might just back out during a program recording.¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at Song Wenye and smiled. ¡°I trust her.¡±

    Song Wenye shot Pei Xu an angry look and turned around to hug Shen Xi as it meant a lot to her. ¡°Lil Xixi knows me best. I won¡¯t ever chicken out!¡±

    Shen Xi was not used to having people up close and personal. She pushed Song Wenye away, irritated. ¡°Keep your distance away from me.¡±

    For once, Pei Xu put on a straight face and advised her. ¡°You better think it through whether you¡¯re doing it for fun, or if you intend to build a career with it.¡±

    ¡°Pei Xu, do you really think that little of me? Well, all those years of being a bro to you are for nothing.¡± Song Wenye snubbed at him while patting her chest to assure Shen Xi. ¡°I will do my best.¡±

    It was a lively scene in the international ss, a contrast to the gloomy top ss. Although the top-ss students were happy to have received Jewel Looks, they did not have the courage to show it on their faces because it might upset Su Mushi and Su Ruowan.

    Feeling doom gloom, Su Mushi let rage got the better of him as he tightened his grip on a pen and broke it.

    He went to the headmaster and he said he would find out on his behalf, but the conversation led to nowhere.

    The Situ family mentioned there might be some slipup and needed to check on it.

    However, the Situ family was putting him off with one excuse after another. Their actions spoke louder than words ¨C the Situ family believed that the Su family were undeserving to receive a gift from them.

    In the afternoon after school hours.

    Song Wenye pestered Shen Xi all day wanting to visit Shen Xi¡¯s ce.

    At wit¡¯s end, Shen Xi agreed to it.

    The pair ran into Yu Yuanxi at the bus stop and after exchanging their greetings, they waited for the bus in silence.

    A chatterbox like Song Wenye kept to herself and was quiet for once, bringing an air of awkwardness.

    Shen Xi was reading a book on the bench.

    Song Wenye could not help herself but to look at Yu Yuanxi. She whispered to Shen Xi, ¡°When is he joining the set for the shoot?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°The end of the school term.¡±

    Song Wenye cheered, ¡°Oh!¡±

    From her seat, she had a good look at his exquisite side profile. He appeared to be drawn into the script in his hands.

    He seemed lean and frail from theck ofyered clothes on him. Sometimes, she wondered if he had no money for clothes.

    ¡°Yu Yuanxi,¡± Song Wenye called out to him.

 Chapter 217 - Sold Out

    <h4>Chapter 217: Sold Out</h4>

    That was weird. Why was Song Wenye quiet?

    Yu Yuanxi lifted his head and looked at her politely with a tender smile.

    Song Wenye stood up awkwardly and retrieved a box of Jewel Looks from her bag. She threw the box at him and generously waved her arm. ¡°Give this to Granny Yu.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was dumbstruck for a while before breaking into a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The girl before him put up a mean front, threatening to bring her w out if he were to say no.

    Song Wenye aggressively red at him and mumbled under her breath, ¡°It¡¯s for Granny Yu, not for you.¡±

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye soon boarded the bus. They took the back seat since the bus was full.

    As the bus was leaving, Song Wenye looked out the window and saw the young man standing by the tform getting onto the 116-route bus. That was strange.

    A few buses of this route hade and gone before she and Xixi arrived at the bus stop.

    The Situ family¡¯stestunch of oral beauty products, Jewel Looks, proved to be a huge sess.

    Jewel Looks was set to be on the shelves a weekter and there would only be a limited number of stocks for the first shipment. It could be preordered by phone and on a firste-first-serve basis.

    Su Mushi had been waiting for a reply from the Situ family because of the distribution list. As he suspected, the query fell on deaf ears.

    During the Gu family¡¯s event, Su Ruowan had caught wind that the Situ family¡¯s anti-aging beauty pill had something to do with Shen Xi. Refusing to believe it, she put investigators to work, but nothing came up.

    Because of Jewel Looks, Su Yi got into an argument turned physical with Li Jingran. To make up for it and save their marriage, he personally called to pre-order as Jewel Looks went on sale. He wanted to buy them in bulk and give them to Li Jingran.

    It never urred to him that the customer service executive over on the other end would inform him that it was sold out and to wait for the next production.

    Year-end red-carpet events including the G&D fashion show were a must-watch. The guests were also the hottest stars.

    As G&D¡¯s global ambassador, it was imperative that Li Jingran made a perfect grand entrance.

    In the dressing room backstage.

    Dressed in a gold gown, Li Jingran looked perilous as she shrieked in anger. She smashed her phone to the ground and stomped on it, looking every bit like a demon with those bloodshot eyes.

    Great!

    It looked like she was never going to get her hands on Jewel Looks!

    Because of the d*mn drug, she was humiliated and abused by her husband.

    Still, she tried to make an order via the phone, only to be told that there was none left. The product was selling like hotcakes and was sold out.

    She set an rm to be able to call as soon as the second pre-order went live!

    Li He entered the room and was startled by the state Li Jingran was in. He drew closer and picked up the phone. ¡°My dear, please pull yourself together. You¡¯re about to hit the red carpet and everyone¡¯s waiting for you to make your appearance.¡±

    In the past six months, everything in her career and family went wrong for Li Jingran. Cai Ni, Jiang Yin¡¯s student, and now the Situ family¡¯s Jewel Looks incident were driving her up the wall.

    Li Jingran curled her lips to smile, but the grimace in her eyes and red lips made her look like a possessed demon. Taking out thest remaining Jewel Look pill, she popped it into her mouth.

    Wanwan brought this bottle of Jewel Looks from her visit to the Gu family and gave it to her. At the end of the day, Wanwan was the most sensible person who had nothing but the best interest for her. Now, that was her girl.

 Chapter 218 - Raging Fire

    <h4>Chapter 218: Raging Fire</h4>

    As the tasteless Jewel Looks flooded Li Jingran¡¯s tastebuds, she stood in front of a dressing table, gazing at the reflection and curled her lips.

    That was right!

    She must get a hold of herself.

    She was Li Jingran. How could she possibly lose her cool over a trivial matter?

    Li Jingran was a graceful, prim, and beautiful film star, the ambassador of G&D. As the leadingdy of the show, she had to present the best and enviable version of herself and shine on the red carpet.

    Li He sighed to himself after her weird smile gave him the creeps. She had been behaving maniacallytely and at this rate, he feared that she would be a raging lunatic.

    Li Jingran hit the red carpet as the ever-dignified and graceful goddess of youth, drawing the limelight to herself with her radiant looks.

    With all the camera shes and eyes on her, Li Jingran finally regained her pride and confidence.

    However, her expression turned grim after catching a glimpse of Shen Xi sitting at the center stage among the VIP seats as she approached the main stage.

    Shen Xi, the brat, sat beside Gong Zhi.

    The pair appeared familiar as they sat close to each other while engaging in a conversation.

    Temperature rising in her, Li Jingran was about to lose it.

    The red carpet was however a live broadcast and no matter what, Li Jingran had got to keep it together. She had to.

    That brat must be here to get a goodugh out of Li Jingran.

    Well, the joke was on the brat!

    Shen Xi had no intention of attending the event as it would only keep her from her studies but today was theunch of Jewel Looks and there was a fashion show to watch. With Li Jingran as the ambassador, this was not a show she would want to miss.

    After gracing the red carpet in the most impable manner, Li Jingran penned her signature on the autograph wall, attended to the press, and got off the stage. Gong Zhi was seated in between her and Shen Xi. She politely greeted them before taking her seat.

    Shen Xi and Gong Zhi were in discussion about where to eat once the red-carpet event was over.

    Li Jingran tried to keep her cool and consoled herself that she should not have an outburst while the public¡¯s eyes and cameras were watching.

    Shen Xi, the vile brat, had nothing to do with Li Jingran no matter what the former did. Since there were no more ties, Li Jingran should not have had Shen Xi lead her by the nose.

    ¡°Oh, my. It slipped my mind that today¡¯s theunch of Jewel Looks.¡± It seemed to just ur to Gong Zhi. ¡°Look at my memory. I can¡¯t believe I forgot an important day like this.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gong, I just called to prebook two bottles. You should call now!¡± A female celebrity beside Gong Zhi said with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call right away.¡± Gong Zhi looked at Yan Ying. ¡°What¡¯s the number again?¡±

    Sneering to herself, Li Jingran waited for Gong Zhi to make aplete fool of herself.

    Gong Zhi would not be able to reserve one even if she called. Li Jingran set the rm and phoned in earlier on the dot yet did not manage to snag one. Now that half an hour had passed, it was impossible there was any left.

    As Jewel Looks was a pharmaceutical health supplement, the buyer¡¯s real name and identification number were required when booking.

    Gong Zhi ryed her information and paused for a moment before replying with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s still avable? I thought I called inte and missed out on the shipment. I¡¯ll get eight sets then.¡±

    Sitting near Gong Zhi, Li Jingran could clearly pick up on the conversation between her and the person on the other end. Everything became a blur as she was raging fire and was close to losing her cool.

 Chapter 219 - Chubby

    <h4>Chapter 219: Chubby</h4>

    Li Jingran got it.

    She got to the bottom of it atst.

    The Situ family was humiliating her and the Su family. The slip-up or overlook her husband talked about was only an excuse.

    She was told that Jewel Looks was sold out and she was to wait for the next shipment after informing them of her name and identification number.

    Gong Zhi ended the call and turned to ask Li Jingran with a grin, ¡°Ms. Li, how many sets did you purchase?¡±

    Although Li Jingran wanted to rip apart Gong Zhi¡¯s arrogant face, she gracefully grinned. ¡°Not much.¡±

    How many?

    She did not get even one!

    Li Jingran hated the Situ family¡¯s guts and resented Jewel Looks.

    However, more so, she loathed herself. Li Jingran knew the Situ family was humiliating her, but to keep her appearance and rejuvenate her looks, Li Jingran had to take the insult for a chance to acquire the pills.

    ¡°You should get more. Your husband and children should have some too. I heard that you¡¯d see better benefits the earlier you start.¡± Gong Zhi shed her pearly whites. ¡°I even bought two sets for my niece.¡±

    Li Jingran may be smiling but her fury was taking over. She nodded. ¡°Right.¡±

    Sitting on the other side, Shen Xi was having a st watching Li Jingran trying to y it cool albeit being close to flipping out.

    Everything was progressing step by step ording to her n. It was an awesome feeling to have all things in the palm of her hands and watched them go ballistic and off the deep end.

    Li Jingran was infuriated. She returned home to find her Moments and WeChat flooded with her friends showing off their purchases of Jewel Looks.

    Fuming, she threw everything in the dressing room as though she had lost her mind.

    ¡­

    Time flew by as December arrived.

    The weather was surprisingly sunny after a great snowfall.

    It was rare to see blue sky and white clouds in winter.

    Shen Xi received a text message from Li Yuan and simply could not wait for sses to end.

    The text message was short ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±

    She read it again and again, wishing that she grew a pair of wings to fly to him.

    Li Yuan returned home and sat quietly in the courtyard. He tenderly gazed at the wall, counting down in his mind the time until the youngdy was home from school.

    Rays of the sunset cast a veil of warm orange light shimmering upon the wall.

    His fairdy was home atst. She must be happy judging by the spring in her steps. Was it because she was about to see him?

    Shen Xi came home and put down her school bag before bolting into the courtyard. She climbed up the wall in a few steps and eagerly said, ¡°Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan was heartbroken to see the girl¡¯s flushed cheeks, sweaty hair, and nose. ¡°What¡¯s the big rush? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to disappear.¡±

    Catching her breath, Shen Xi smiled with her eyes. ¡°I wanted toe back sooner and see you sooner!¡±

    His heart was melting as he curled his lips gleefully and hummed in acknowledgment. There was something sexy about the sound of his voice.

    Shen Xi looked at him. ¡°Brother, did you see anything different about me today?¡±

    Li Yuan observed her carefully. ¡°You changed your hair tie.¡±

    She shook her head.

    He made another attempt, ¡°You put on makeup.¡±

    She let out a mischievous grin. ¡°Guess again.¡±

    Li Yuan paused for a moment before meeting her eyes. His affectionate eyes narrowed teasingly, ¡°You appear quite chubby since a few days ago when Ist saw you.¡±

    Shen Xi red at him and pouted before refuting angrily. ¡°No!¡±

 Chapter 220 - He Would Not Get Tired Of It

    <h4>Chapter 220: He Would Not Get Tired Of It</h4>

    Li Yuan looked at the flustered youngdy. It was indeed as Kun Lun had said. Girls did not like to be called plump. He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you look plump, which means you¡¯re bing prettier.¡±

    The day he first met the littledy was the day she got kicked out by the Su family. She looked heartbreakingly pale and skinny then.

    Fortunately, after these few months, the youngdy grew to be much more bubblier and cuter than before. Her face was visibly chubbier and pretty, and that made anyone who looked at her happy

    Shen Xi was not humble at all and felt smug upon hearing thepliment. She raised her chin proudly. ¡°I¡¯m born beautiful.¡±

    Li Yuan let out a low chuckle. He was smiling happily when two fluffy orange ears appeared on Shen Xi¡¯s head.

    The cutedy was born with bright eyes and white teeth. She was always cute, but with the tiny fluffy ears wiggling, it was so adorable that it could melt one¡¯s heart.

    Heughed. ¡°Where are you from, little fairy?¡±

    Shen Xi frowned in confusion. As she looked at the man, his slender fingers were ced on both sides of his head.

    To make his action more understandable, Li Yuan bent his index and middle fingers twice to mimic cute rabbit ears.

    Shen Xi was stunned for a second. Staring at the man whose gestures did not match his usual mature and elegant self, she felt her heart beating extremely fast.

    The man was born magnificent. The gesture he made however had him looking less elegant but more amiable.

    Shen Xi pointed her finger at Li Yuan and pretended to question him fiercely, ¡°Speak yourself! What sort of demonic beast are you! Why are you possessing my brother¡¯s body? Watch how I¡¯ll treat you if you still refuse to leave his body!¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Li Yuan beamed.

    Shen Xi humphed. ¡°I knew it! My brother won¡¯t do something as childish as this.¡±

    A joyfulughter burst out of Li Yuan. He looked at her. ¡°Get Toffeecito down quickly. Be careful not to get scratched¡±

    It was none other than Toffeecito who was on the back of the youngdy¡¯s head. The two fluffy ears on Shen Xi¡¯s head were also Toffeecito¡¯s.

    Toffeecito heard someone calling its name and it grabbed Shen Xi¡¯s long hair with its ws. A small round fluffy head was revealed and it meowed in reply.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xi responded obediently. She caught Toffeecito while muttering seriously, ¡°Brother, you shouldugh and do more childish stuff in the future. I won¡¯t make fun of you.¡±

    Li Yuan remained silent. His deep and narrow eyes fixed a quiet and gentle gaze on Shen Xi who was hugging Toffeecito in her arms.

    Shen Xi lightly knocked Toffeecito¡¯s small head and reprimanded it. ¡°Your ws are not even healedpletely, yet you still dare to crawl around. How naughty can you be!¡±

    She had ced Toffeecito in the hood of her down jacket when she arrived. Little did she know that the little fellow would crawl to her head from there. The little troublesome fellow needs a scolding.

    Li Yuan looked at the little thing in her arms. He had not seen Toffeecito for only ten days but it had grown quite a bit. Its round body was like a ball of thread. Watching the two cuties made his heart melt.

    Shen Xi told Li Yuan about what she had gone throughtely. She happily spoke about ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± which broke through 18% viewership ratings and the sessful coboration with the Situ family. Even the smallest details were brought up.

    Li Yuan enjoyed listening to Shen Xi talk. She chattered like a sparrow. He would never get tired of it.

 Chapter 221 - A Pair Of Gloves

    <h4>Chapter 221: A Pair Of Gloves</h4>

    Shen Xi only mentioned the good parts and reserved the bad ones. She would not hold out on her sess stories from him, but she would withhold the grievance and danger she faced while getting things done.

    Li Yuan was aware that she did not want him to worry.

    He also knew that he should trust her and let her go so that she could soar.

    After having him caught up to speed, Shen Xi began reporting about Toffeecito. ¡°Brother, you have no idea how much it eats. It can eat this much and this much in one sitting.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°How much is this much?¡±

    Shen Xi spread her palm and gestured exaggeratedly. ¡°This much. The little greedy cat would make a fuss every time I have something to eat.¡±

    ¡°Just like you.¡± Li Yuan poked fun at her with a smile.

    Puffing her cheeks, Shen Xi gave in without fighting back. ¡°A good appetite is a blessing. Life¡¯s a drag without good food!¡±

    Li Yuan gazed at the adorable girl and made a pun. ¡°Since someone¡¯s a big eater, I should pay for the living expenses then.¡±

    Shen Xi sighed inment. ¡°It¡¯s now the Shen family¡¯s cat. Even if it eats me to bankruptcy, then so be it.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled dotingly before turning to call Kun Lun over.

    Kun Lun brought two exquisite packages and put them in her basket.

    Li Yuan said with a grin, ¡°Presents for Toffeecito.¡±

    Thinking the gifts were for her, Shen Xi was disappointed to find out that they were for Toffeecito. She smacked the little fe¡¯s head. ¡°The presents are for you. Aren¡¯t you going to say thank you?¡±

    Toffeecito meowed cutely at her. Like cotton candy, its soft mew was sweet and heart-melting.

    ¡°I told you to thank him, not me. You idiot!¡± Shen Xi had just received the gifts when Shen Zhangqing called her home for dinner. It had not been that long she felt but the sky was already dark at this point. ¡°Brother, thank you for your gifts.¡±

    It did put a little damper on his mood as Li Yuan knew his fairdy was about to leave. He had always hoped that time would go on slower, or even better, stop when he was with her. ¡°Go and have your dinner!¡±

    Shen Xi longingly nced at him and ced Toffeecito in her hood before climbing down thedder.

    The doorbell rang when she got to the bottom of thedder.

    Kun Lun brought along a few exquisitely wrapped packages and handed them to her. ¡°Ms. Shen. Boss told me to send them over.¡±

    Shen Xi had no clue what they were. She charged into her room as she got home before having the chance to put Toffeecito down. Shen Xi then happily unboxed the gifts.

    Catnip, cat food, teaser wand, pping fish, mouse toy, bird toy, cute caterpir. These were all for Toffeecito.

    Shen Xi bawled. As expected, she was no longer his cutie pie since the arrival of Toffeecito. These were all Toffeecito¡¯s presents, and none were for her. Clinging onto a glimmer of hope, she opened thest package.

    This package looked no different from the rest, but there was another fancy-looking gift box inside.

    Toffecito could finally start walking now that its legs are recovering well from the surgery and taking medicines prepared by Shen Xi. Tilting its head, Toffeecito curiously observed the pile of toys.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up like the brightest stars after opening the gift box. All the disappointments were swept away as she joyously leaped into the air and calmed the pounding heartbeats in her chest.

    Inside the box was a pair of gloves. The pink gloves were adorable.

    A cartoon version of her portrait was embroidered at the back of the gloves.

    The gloves were exquisite and delicate, and she could tell that they were handmade at closer inspection.

 Chapter 222 - Return The Favor

    <h4>Chapter 222: Return The Favor</h4>

    Underneath the gloves was a note with the man¡¯s bold handwriting. ¡°Returning the favor.¡±

    Holding the gloves against her chest, Shen Xi read the note again and again as warmth swept her off of her feet.

    Oh my! Just what kind of divinity of a man did shee across? Li Yuan went as far as knitting her a pair of gloves as a gift.

    Ever since Yun Jinping started up thepany, she became a career woman and had been working overtime.

    Having ordered his darling daughter¡¯s favorite cuisine from a specialized culinary house nearby, Shen Zhangqing gleefully disyed the food and cutleries.

    Shen Xi came down with gloves on and excitedly ran over to show him her hands. ¡°Old Shen, look at my new gloves.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing took a fleeting nce and gave a perfunctory response. ¡°Nice, nice.¡±

    As cheerful as a free bird, Shen Xi sat down and looked at the table of sumptuous dishes for her dinner. ¡°Old Shen, I miss Madam Yun.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. If it weren¡¯t for your idea, your mom won¡¯t be leaving early for work, working overtime, anding homete. Do you think we would be in this position?¡± Shen Zhangqing was feeling the blues. His wife had not been home before ten o¡¯clock for a month now.

    God knows how much his heart went out to her, but he felt relieved and sorry to see her rapid growth and energy invested in her work.

    His wife became a full-time housewife after they got married. She should have her own career and dream to pursue.

    Sniffling a little, Shen Xi gave him a solemn look before confidently patting her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Old Shen. I¡¯ll take over the kitchen duty when Madam Yun isn¡¯t home.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing teased her, ¡°I¡¯ll be thankful if you don¡¯t blow up the kitchen. Your mom¡¯s noting home tonight. What do you want to eat tomorrow?¡±

    Shen Xi chuckled and stated her order. ¡°Chen¡¯s aged bean curd and crullers!¡±

    The poor father-and-daughterbo began their dinner in sighs after discussing breakfast for the next morning.

    Shen Zhangqing was irritated to see her enjoying dinner with a pair of gloves on. ¡°Why do you need to have gloves on when you¡¯re having dinner? Does it make it easy for you?¡±

    Shen Xi revealed her bare fingers for him to see and boasted. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s easy. Look, Old Shen. My fingers are exposed. Great, right?¡±

    These were gloves knitted by Brother stitch by stitch. Li Yuan was such a genius to go through this technique intensivebor and knit these gloves. It was a lot harder than the scarf she knitted, that was for sure.

    For some reason, it really bugged Shen Zhangqing to see these gloves. ¡°I thought you don¡¯t like pink?¡±

    With star-studded eyes, Shen Xi flipped her hands back and forth to look dearly at the gloves. ¡°Who said that? I now proim that my favorite color is pink.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing dotingly shook his head. ¡°Oh, you. You chop and change too often.¡±

    Carrying a smile in her eyes, Shen Xi helped him to the food. ¡°Old Shen, have more.¡±

    Since starting off on a diet, Old Shen lost a third of his weight in mere months. A charming old bloke was beginning to take shape and his health was only improving for the better with the treatment she specially prepared for him.

    Shen Xi cleaned up the table after dinner and rushed to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

    Shen Zhangqing gazed at her. ¡°Get out, get out. You don¡¯t have to do the dishes when your dad can handle it.

    Shen Xi was not having it. ¡°Am I that useless? The only problem I have is cooking.¡±

 Chapter 223 - A Son-In-Law To Marry Into The Family

    <h4>Chapter 223: A Son-In-Law To Marry Into The Family</h4>

    Shen Zhangqing tilted his head and smiled at Shen Xi. ¡°My daughter¡¯s the best. Her hands are to y the piano and violin, not for washing dishes. I¡¯ll beat up anyone who makes you do the dishes.¡±

    Deeply touched, Shen Xi spread her arms. ¡°Old Shen, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    As loving as his eyes were, Old Shen could not help himself but get a little cheeky with his words, ¡°Get out, get out. Don¡¯t hold me back on the dishes.¡±

    Shen Xi then stood there chomping down an apple while talking to him.

    Old Shen was a great guy. He would never leave the cooking and washing to her and Mom as long as he was home. ¡°Old Shen, let¡¯s get a dishwasher.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I make a good dishwasher? Why do we need to get one?¡± Shen Zhangqing had ideas of his own.

    Shen Zhangqing washed and cleaned because he appreciated his wife¡¯s hard work. However, his wife and daughter would feel sorry and be nicer every time he did household chores. He had always found pleasure doing it for so many years.

    Shen Xi gave him the thumbs up. ¡°Bravo, Dad! Madam Yun and I are very loved.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s great that you know that.¡± Shen Zhangqing earnestly said, ¡°Look for a boyfriend who dotes on you. His looks and family background do not matter, and the only thing that does, is that he treats you well.¡±

    He was getting a little emotional as he spoke those words. Shen Zhangqing could not bear the thought of marrying his daughter off.

    Shen Xi noticed the shift of mood and snapped out of it. She replied with a smile, ¡°Dad, I want to live with you and Madam Yun after the wedding, so whoever he may be, he can marry into our family. You can beat him up if he doesn¡¯t do right by me.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing smiled. ¡°I will wait for you to find a son-inw to marry into our family.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing tidied the kitchen before rushing to Toffeecito, only to panic as its little nook was empty. ¡°Xixi, where¡¯s Toffeecito? Why is Toffeecito missing?¡±

    Opening the door, Shen Xi watched the anxious man look for Toffeecito everywhere and lied. ¡°I returned it.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing pointed a finger at her in anger and distress. ¡°Child, how can you just return it? Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me? I bottle-fed the little fe to health. Do you think that was easy for me?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the cat is ugly, its poop stinks, and it meows incessantly?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Upset, Shen Zhangqing urged her. ¡°Hurry up and get Toffeecito back for me. It is everything to me. It¡¯s not at all ugly nor does its poop stink.¡±

    Toffeecito was in Shen Xi¡¯s room. It meowed in response to someone calling out its name.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s eyes lit up in joy. ¡°Toffeecito. Toffeecito is meowing! Grandpa is here, Toffeecito.¡±

    Shen Xi snickered. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re now owned by this cat, you know that?¡±

    Casually exploring the house, Toffeecito looked at Shen Zhangqing from the first floor and meowed at him for his attention.

    Shen Zhangqing was so happy he could cry. He climbed upstairs and held Toffeecito dearly. ¡°Child, how dare you lie to your dad?¡±

    Shen Xiughed. ¡°Toffeecito, your grandpa misses you. Hurry down with Grandpa!¡±

    Who was it that made a fuss about its unattractive looks, the noise, and the stinky poo when she brought Toffeecito home?

    Shen Zhangqing turned into a cat ve in just a few days. Indeed, nobody was an exception from eating their own words. Her dad was now a cataholic.

 Chapter 224 - Cunning Smile

    <h4>Chapter 224: Cunning Smile</h4>

    In the one month ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was aired, the show¡¯s rich storyline and fast-paced plot twists proved an unprecedented phenomenon ¨C the next episode was always better than thest. Setting the highest viewership at 21.5% in China¡¯s TV shows in thest fifty years, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± excelled and was way ahead of all concurrent shows.

    The average TV ratings had reached 15% by the release of the eighth episode. China¡¯s young and old binge-watched the show to an all-time high.

    Professionals predicted that with the guarantee of the show¡¯s quality, it would only increase the viewership and a rating of 30% was within reach.

    God knows how many invitations formercial, film, TV shows, and variety shows had Yuan Yu put on hold to arrange after ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± concluded.

    God knows how many invitations tomercials, films, TV shows, and variety shows that Yuan Yu had to put on hold to schedule for when ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± concluded.

    Lil Chairman Shen had a strict and systematic way of doing things. Sheid out a strict rule that no one was to be disturbed during the shoot nor could anyone ept any other work in between.

    With Cosmos¡¯ Short Vid going viral thanks to the actors, it opened a market and became one of the earliest short video-sharing tforms. The actors¡¯ poprity brought in over twenty million new signups with an increase of five million per day and counting.

    In Gao Meng¡¯s words, she felt that she was dreaming. She was afraid to step foot in supermarkets in fear that the elders, who were knee-deep into the show, would throw rotten vegetables and eggs at her.

    December beckoned and the opening ceremony of the China Film Festival was just around the corner.

    Li Jingran was furious. The d*mn teacher and student, Jiang Yin and Cai Ni, showed her no respect. Not only did she fail to poach Cai Ni, but she also could not even borrow the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±.

    Gong Zhi, that b*tch, told everyone that Ms. Cai Ni personally designed both a gown and a look for her. It was in to see that Gong Zhi was out to get her!

    Li He knocked on the door before entering the room. He turned to Li Jingran and said, ¡°The gowns sponsored by a variety of luxury brands are here. Go and pick one!¡±

    Well, it was not as though she had to stick with one when choices were aplenty. What was the big deal about Cai Ni? At the end of the day, she was merely a stylist.

    ¡°What did Jiang Yin say?¡± Li Jingran refused to quit, feeling ruffled at the thought of being outdone by Gong Zhi once more.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see her.¡± Li He sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t hold your breath on it. You know what kind of person Jiang Yin is. She has always been haughty. Don¡¯t stoop to their level. Otherwise, it¡¯d make you look petty.¡±

    With her face grimacing in rage, Li Jingran hissed at him. ¡°Me? Petty? Gong Zhi, that b*tch, is trying to make a mockery out of me! I¡¯d be ashamed if I were to lose again in the film festival.¡±

    Li He looked at her with a sly look on his face. ¡°There¡¯s only one way if you must have that ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±.¡±

    Li Jingran gazed at him. ¡°What way?¡±

    ¡°I heard that someone had borrowed Cai Ni¡¯s ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± and won¡¯t be in the country anytime soon. We could get a designer to recreate the exact design.¡± Li Heughed cunningly.

    Despite feeling overjoyed by the news, Li Jingran asked in caution, ¡°Are you sure the person isn¡¯t in the country?¡±

    Li He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡±

    With the pair hitting it off, they began to discuss a new n and countermeasures. What were a few risks if it meant beating Gong Zhi on the red carpet?

    The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month was the opening ceremony of the China Film Festival.

    Mr. Fu the Movie Star, as the special guest of the film festival, were to grace the red carpet.

    As his stylist, Shen Xi had toe along to create a look for him.

    Moreover, she had also received an invitation as Jiang Yin¡¯s student and the hottest stylist in China¡¯s fashion industry.

 Chapter 225 - Walk The Red Carpet

    <h4>Chapter 225: Walk The Red Carpet</h4>

    Fu Qingye had a personal trip in the morning.

    Shen Xi was in ss, sitting for thest intensive session before the English debatepetition.

    Pei Xu was not around as he had skipped school. Apart from herself, everyone else in the ssroom was students from the top ss.

    ¡°Wanwan, are you going to the China Film Festival today? I¡¯m so jealous.¡±

    ¡°Me too. I really want to go. Wanwan, please get me my husband¡¯s autograph. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Do you think just about anyone can attend the film festival? You can forget it if you don¡¯t have Wanwan¡¯s good looks and excellent grades.¡±

    The girls in the top ss expressed their envy as they gathered around Su Ruowan like stars drawn to the moon.

    ¡°You guys are being dramatic. It¡¯s not like I can walk the red carpet. I¡¯m only able to attend the festival because of my mom,¡± Su Ruowan humbly exined.

    ¡°That¡¯s still enough to make us jealous, all right? No ordinary people can attend the film festival.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our Wanwan is going to debut in showbiz and be a star in the future. She will definitely surpass her mother.¡±

    ¡°National Idol¡¯s going to air in March next year. Wanwan is sure to take center stage and be a hit. I would have the right to boast about it. My best friend is the hottest idol.¡±

    The girlfriends really envied her. Su Ruowan was beautiful and born into a good family. With her whole family celebrities themselves, it was only logical she would make a smooth transition into showbiz and be a big star.

    ¡°The program has only just begun taking in registrations. I wouldn¡¯t dare say I¡¯d take center stage since there are a lot of amazing people around.¡± Su Ruowan was blushing and bashful by thepliments. From the corner of her eye, Su Ruowan smugly nced at Shen Xi sitting in the back.

    The d*mn b*tch.

    The registration for National Idol was almost over, yet the b*tch had not signed up. At least Shen Xi knew to take the hint and that she was humiliating herself to enter the program.

    She even made a huge deal with Dad about joining the audition at that time, but Dad refused. A low life like her was unworthy.

    Shen Xi was going through mock test papers and sneered at the mention of National Idol.

    The biggest investor of the program was Su Yi as the Su family organized the talent show to pave the way for Su Ruowan to enter showbiz. It was long decided that Su Ruowan woulde out on top.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi had prepared a huge ¡°surprise¡± for Su Ruowan and the Su family.

    The girls from the top ss were chatting delightfully at the front of the ssroom, imagining Su Ruowan to act in major films and be the best actress worldwide on her way to stardom.

    ¡°You guys are exaggerating. I¡¯m not that great.¡± Su Ruowan pouted. ¡°I¡¯m happy enough to make my debut.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not far-fetched. Wanwan, you¡¯re the best. Those celebrities will be overshadowed by you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You and Mrs. Su will outshine those showy wh*res. I heard that Mrs. Su is going to wear Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±. I really want to see it for myself. It¡¯s going to be gorgeous.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. Mrs. Su sure got it. Ms. Cai Ni is Qingye¡¯s personal stylist, you know!¡±

    ¡°Duh. Qingye is close with Wanwan and her family. Who does Ms. Cai Ni, a stylist, think she is? Qingye will lend Ms. Cai Ni to her so long as Wanwan says the word.¡±

    The girls deliberately threw Shen Xi a smug disdainful look.

    They had their doubts thest time Su Ruowan took them to the TV station as they did not manage to meet Fu Qingye.

    However, Chen Bingbing caught a glimpse of Su Ruowan¡¯s chat with ¡®Fu Qingye¡¯ by chance the same afternoon.

    ¡®Fu Qingye¡¯ apologized to her, saying that he had no idea that she came over. He even gave his assistant and manager a telling-off because of this.

    They ced full trust in Su Ruowan after listening to Chen Bingbing. Since Mrs. Su and Qingye shared a meal and were on a program together, it was clear she was the closest to him in China.

    ¡°Mom bought Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s gown. She¡¯s not Mom¡¯s stylist.¡± Su Ruowan softly exined to them.

    Su Ruowan was curious as to how an arrogant pr*ck like Cai Ni would give in to selling the gown to Mom. Mom had looked for her countless times, yet thetter never yielded.

    God knows how much money Mom had given to Cai Ni, that b*tch. Mom should give her the cash instead if Mom had so much money. Why would she give the money to someone else!

    Hearing this, Shen Xi¡¯s cold eyes alighted with intrigue.

    That was interesting. Had they no shame? Since when her brother from a different family was involved with the Su family?

    The shameless Su family sure clung to the fact they had dinner and were on the same program together with Fu Qingye to show off and unt around. Fu Qingye should really stay away from them.

    Also, when did Cai Ni lend ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± to Li Jingran? As the individual concerned, why did she not know about it?

    Li Jingran, the old hag, must be desperate to go to lengths for a win. Well, she would get what wasing today.

    Su Ruowan had been observing Shen Xi from the corner of her eye. Feeling frustrated and resentful, Su Ruowan unconsciously balled up her hands by her side.

    Muxuan mentioned that he ran into Shen Xi when he was in Ocean City two weeks ago. Shen Xi seemed to be on good terms and intimate with Qingye.

    Shen Xi was such a b*tch. What was her rtionship with Qingye? Su Ruowan needed to get to the bottom of it or she would lose sleep and appetite over it.

    By the morning¡¯s second period, Shen Xi had packed up her bag to leave.

    ¡°Shen Xi, where are you going?¡± As Shen Xi was about to take off, Su Ruowan pretended to be concerned and asked her politely.

    Shen Xi looked at her for once before putting on a bright smile. She spoke clearly, ¡°Walk the red carpet.¡±

 Chapter 226 - An Ominous Air

    <h4>Chapter 226: An Ominous Air</h4>

    The smile on Su Ruowan¡¯s face froze and her heart skipped a beat. She anxiously followed up with a question, ¡°Are you talking about the China Film Festival?¡±

    Shen Xi put on her backpack and took two steps before turning back and scoffed. ¡°None of your beeswax.¡±

    Hiding the menace in her eyes, Su Ruowan was gasping for air from the tightness in her chest.

    No way.

    Impossible.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch, must be lying to get on her nerves again.

    What did Shen Xi take the China Film Festival for? It was not like that disgusting thing had any right to attend such an event.

    Su Mushi abruptly stood up following Shen Xi¡¯s reply. Livid, he drew close to pull Su Ruowan aside. ¡°Why waste your breath with someone like her?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s presence made people sick to their stomachs.

    Wanwan was too kind and still cared about her!

    ¡°What a load of crap. Who does she think she is? Walk the red carpet? I think she¡¯s going to a funeral.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s attending a funeral and departing from the world altogether.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like any riffraff like her can attend the China Film Festival. She¡¯s really taking a piss. She should take a good look at the mirror.¡±

    The students of the top ss arrogantly continued to mock Shen Xi.

    ¡°Mushi, Shen Xi said she¡¯s going to walk the red carpet. Is it true?¡± Su Ruowan meekly gazed at him and asked.

    Su Mushi scoffed in disdain. ¡°Why do you put so much faith in the brat? A disgusting thing like her has no right to walk the red carpet.¡±

    Did she think the China Film Festival was somewhere she coulde and go as she pleased? Hit the red carpet? She was not worthy. Who did she think she was!

    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried for Mom if Shen Xi makes it there.¡± Su Ruowan was perturbed.

    She had a feeling that Shen Xi was not lying.

    However, if Shen Xi, the b*tch was walking the red carpet, then in what capacity was she doing so? Did she get a red-carpet invitation for s*cking up to Mr. Fu the Movie Star?

    Only by invitation could one grace the red carpet of the China Film Festival. These invitees were celebrities and directors with achievements and fame under their belts.

    Even though Mom was taking Su Ruowan and Mushi to the film festival, they were only allowed to be seated with the audience and were not to go about the red carpet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Su Mushi gave a scornful look at Shen Xi before sneering, ¡°I¡¯ll eat this table if she walks the red carpet.¡±

    Because Wanwan was too trusting, she was easily picked on by Shen Xi, that vile brat.

    ¡°Are you really going to eat it?¡± Narrowing his foxy eyes at Su Mushi, Yu Qiubai strolled over and unhurriedly enquired, ¡°Shi, are you going to eat this table if she really walks the red carpet?¡±

    Already irked by Shen Xi¡¯s arrogance, Su Mushi exploded in rage following Yu Qiubai¡¯sment. ¡°Yu Qiubai! Are you bewitched by that brat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Yu Qiubai shed his pearly whites while his foxy eyes remained inscrutable to read into. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s just a joke between bros.¡±

    ¡°Yu Qiubai, am I still your buddy or what?¡±

    Just saying, his *ss!

    Yu Qiubai had been taking Shen Xi¡¯s side and rubbing him the wrong way recently, withplete disregard to his so-called bro¡¯s feelings.

    Su Mushi was blown off by Yu Qiubai¡¯s offhanded and indifferent attitude every time they got together.

    ¡°Shi.¡± Before Yu Qiubai could say anything more, an ominous air suddenly came looming from behind.

 Chapter 227 - Importunate

    <h4>Chapter 227: Importunate</h4>

    The next minute.

    With one hand on the table, Pei Xu made quite the entrance as he jumped to the front of Su Mushi before giving him an intractable and arrogant side nce. ¡°Su Mushi, I heard what you said just now. I better see you chewing the table when Xixi walks down the red carpet.¡±

    Yu Qiubai may be frowning, but his eyes were gloating. Narrowing his foxy eyes, he sat back and did nothing about what was transpiring.

    Pei Xu was really something, always showing up whenever things got interesting.

    Su Mushi was in the middle of confronting Yu Qiubai when he was rudely interrupted. With bloodshot eyes, he red at Pei Xu. ¡°Pei Xu, I¡¯m warning you. It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi is a member of our international ss and that makes her one of us. Of course, it has something to do with me.¡± Pei Xu had to have thest word. ¡°Su Mushi, he who doesn¡¯t eat the table is the b*tch.¡±

    Giving Pei Xu the evil eye, Su Mushi spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°You best stay out of it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my. Is the Su family¡¯s Young Master Mushi afraid? Are you trying to chicken out?¡± Pei Xuughed and spread his legs before replying, ¡°Crawl under my legs and I¡¯ll pretend I heard nothing of your earlier statement if you don¡¯t want to admit to it.¡±

    ¡°Pei Xu!¡± It made Su Mushi¡¯s blood boil. ¡°Don¡¯t go there.¡±

    ¡°Su Mushi, you said it yourself.¡± Pei Xu cynically curled his lips. ¡°I can let the whole thing slide if you own up that whatever you said was bullsh*t.¡±

    F*ck.

    Who did he think he was?

    To have it in for Xixi, Su Mushi sure was looking for trouble and being a b*stard.

    There were words spoken out of anger at the heat of the moment and it never urred to Su Mushi that an importunate creature like Pei Xu would overhear.

    ¡°How about this?¡± Yu Qiubai stepped forward, adding fuel to the fire as a way to smooth things over. ¡°How about a bet between you two? If Shen Xi walks the red carpet, Shi will crawl between Pei Xu¡¯s legs, but if it¡¯s the other way around, Pei Xu will be the one to crawl.¡±

    Having lost his head after being pushed too far by those two, Su Mushi huffed and puffed. ¡°Fine! You have my word.¡±

    Pei Xu raised his brows and smiled smugly. ¡°That¡¯s getting straight to the point, Young Master Mushi. I¡¯ll be the first to disagree if anyone says Young Master Mushi¡¯s full of sh*t.¡±

    ¡°However, it has to be in front of the whole school. Alpha Xu, I dare you.¡± With resentment brewing in his eyes, Su Mushi pressed on.

    He was certain there was no way Shen Xi, that brat, could walk the red carpet. What right did she have to do so?

    Pei Xu, the cocky and egoistic pr*ck was about to climb under his crotch and let the whole school make fun of him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Pei Xu gave him the thumbs up in showing his appreciation. There was one thing he regretted though. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think about it? Su Mushi, you may have the worst human qualities, but at least you have a brain. I shall fulfill your eager wish to be humiliated in front of the whole school.¡±

    Outraged, the whole of the top ss red at Pei Xu. Just you wait. The b*stard Pei Xu would be put to shame before the entire school!

    Yu Qiubai was close to bursting out inughter. That was such a unique way to offerpliments. Look at his best buddy ¨C Su Mushi was irked to the point he was blue in the face.

    Like a fragile flower, Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes were red from worry as she shot Pei Xu an angry look.

    ¡°What? You want to crawl under my pants that much too?¡± Pei Xu looked askance at her while showing the disgust in his eyes. He blurted, ¡°You¡¯re too ugly. You¡¯ll startle my bird.¡±

 Chapter 228 - Devil

    <h4>Chapter 228: Devil</h4>

    Never been so humiliated, Su Ruowan was sobbing with rage. She was like a helpless and pitiful flower meekly showing her ws after being pushed too far.

    The brute, Pei Xu, sure had the nerve to insult her like this!

    Bloodshot in the eyes, Su Mushi swung his fist at Pei Xu as though he had gone mad. ¡°Pei Xu, you low life! How dare you harass my sister!¡±

    Pei Xu seized Su Mushi¡¯s fist and sneered in contempt. ¡°Why can¡¯t you see what kind of devil your sister is? I don¡¯t pick on just anybody, you know.¡±

    Disying the ruthless bloodthirst in his eyes, Pei Xu tightened his grip over Su Mushi¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Apologize to Wanwan.¡± Su Mushi was headstrong as he stared at Pei Xu with utmost hatred, despite breaking out in cold sweat in pain and having bulging veins on his forehead.

    Pei Xu spat in disdain and threw him aside. Watching as Su Mushi pitifully mmed onto the ground, Pei Xu curled his lips into a smile. ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    He then arrogantly turned to walk two steps before turning around to offhandedly shoot a look at Su Ruowan. ¡°What are you looking at, troll?¡±

    Furious, Su Ruowan stomped her foot and bawled her eyes harder. Still, she weakly and pitifully rushed over to help Su Mushi up. ¡°Mushi, are you okay? Are you hurt?¡±

    Pei Xu was an *sshole. What was with that cocky attitude? He better waited for what wasing because she would have her revenge. Someday, she would teach him a lesson he would never forget and he would fall on his knees and beg her for mercy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get him back.¡± Su Mushi could pass out from hitting the roof. The only thing on his mind was killing Pei Xu after he made his sister cry. Yet, Su Mushi knew he could not beat Pei Xu.

    Su Mushi had to let it slide for now and revenge was a dish best served cold. He would return the favor tenfold and let Pei Xu know that he was not one to mess with.

    Students from the top ss, including Su Mushi and Su Ruowan, shared the view that Shen Xi could not possibly be worthy to walk the red carpet. They all hated Pei Xu and could not wait for him to crawl under Su Mushi¡¯s pants. The payback would be a public humiliation!

    Gong Zhi initially wanted Chen Nan to pick Shen Xi up from school but thetter refused the offer since it was too much trouble. Shen Xi hailed a cab at the school¡¯s entrance to head directly to the hotel.

    First Snow Hotel was a five-star hotel internationally known for its plush and great hospitality. Towering at 188 floors, the hotel was the tallest building in the capital with a revolving restaurant on the top floor offering a 360-degree view of the city through its floor-to-ceiling ss windows.

    Shen Xi got down the car and headed into the lobby but before she had gotten far, the look in her eyes suddenly turned cold as she clicked her tongue. What a small world.

    She was wondering why she heard crowing while waiting for the bus in the morning. So this was it, huh?

    Li Jingran and her manager, Li He had just entered the restaurant. Li Jingran was at the lounge waiting for Li He to handle the formalities when she caught a glimpse of Shen Xi.

    The d*mn brat. Why was she here? The world-ss five-star hotel was no ce for riffraff like her.

    Paying her no mind, Shen Xi took a seat on the couch opposite her and whipped out her phone to y games. It was as though Shen Xi never saw Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran was irked by her indifference. Because the d*mn brat had the nerve to ignore her, Li Jingran confronted Shen Xi. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Shen Xi found it strange as she lifted her eyes and gave Li Jingran a cold and taunting look. Still giving her the cold shoulder, she lowered her head and continued with her game.

    Li Jingran was most annoyed by that look of hers. If only she could rip Shen Xi¡¯s calm face apart. She hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯m talking to you! What¡¯s that attitude?¡±

 Chapter 229 - Come Around

    <h4>Chapter 229: Come Around</h4>

    ¡°Waiter.¡± Shen Xi impatiently cried. ¡°There¡¯s a crow here disrupting the peace and quiet.¡±

    Li Jingran shot Shen Xi an angry look and growled through clenched teeth. ¡°Brat! Do you know who you¡¯re talking to?¡±

    How dare the brat called her a crow. How could Li Jingran possibly give birth to such a rude and insolent thing!

    Across the room, Chen Nan arrivedte and embarrassedly drew close. ¡°Xixi, I was held up with something a moment ago. Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    Shen Xi politely put away the phone and smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just got here.¡±

    Chen Nan helped Shen Xi with her schoolbag rather habitually. He smiled obligingly as he just noticed Li Jingran. ¡°Ms. Li, you¡¯re here as well.¡±

    Removing all negative sentiments, Li Jingran resumed her dignified and ssy self as she returned with a nod and a smile. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s a friend of yours, Mr. Chen.¡±

    Chen Nan immediately replied, ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not worthy of that title. She¡¯s a guest of Zhizhi. Zhizhi¡¯s waiting on us so we should get going.¡±

    Fury overtook Li Jingran as Chen Nan led Shen Xi away. She clenched her teeth so hard blood could be drawn.

    The d*mn brat. Shen Xi got chummy with Gong Zhi and became some sort of guest to rile her up. The brat was trying to drive her mad by doing so when Li Jingran was here.

    Li He caught the sight of Shen Xi as he was walking over and sighed. He was afraid to say anything to Li Jingran who was in a fit of anger to avoid adding fuel to the fire.

    He had a feeling that the Su family¡¯s castaway biological daughter was no ordinary person. Jingran¡¯s biggest loss was perhaps cutting ties with her.

    Gong Zhi was no Miss Goody-Two-Shoes either and was known to be a snob. There was only a handful in the entertainment industry whom she would be so amodating to send her manager to fetch on her behalf.

    Moreover, the girl had an unclear rtionship with Mr. Fu. Her value would be immeasurable if Mr. Fu took a fancy to her.

    He musty it all out to Jingran once she simmered down to see if she woulde around to ept the girl back into the family.

    Despite the hoo-ha, at the end of the day, they were a family. Blood was thicker than water.

    ¡°Jingran, let¡¯s go. Mr. Fu is dining in the restaurant on the top floor,¡± Li He told her.

    Jingran wanted to meet with Mr. Fu to ask for Cai Ni. However, they were not able to chance an encounter until today.

    Li He asked around and found out that Mr. Fu was staying in the First Snow Hotel. Afterpleting his itinerary of the day, he would dine at the hotel in the afternoon.

    Hence, he nned out this encounter to run into him in the restaurant. Jingran could grab the chance to dine with Mr. Fu and it would be easier to bring up the matter then.

    Mr. Fu had gone to the top-floor restaurant ten minutes ago. Li He went to take a quick look and made sure only he and his manager, Jing Yu, were around. Mr. Fu was dining alone.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Jingran resentfully watched Shen Xi and Li He went into the lift. Her chest was tight, and her head was buzzing. Li Jingran did not see eye to eye with the vile brat and she never wanted to see Shen Xi again.

    ¡°Jingran, get a grip.¡± Li He reminded her.

    Li Jingran often got herself in a frenzy every time she ran into her biological daughter. The statement that children were the death of the parents rang true in Li Jingran¡¯s case.

    Pulling herself together, Li Jingran elegantly and gracefully rocked her heels and followed Li He into the lift.

 Chapter 230 - Desperate

    <h4>Chapter 230: Desperate</h4>

    Gong Zhi had not gone to the restaurant upstairs yet. Since Shen Xi mentioned that she had someone to introduce to Gong Zhi, Gong Zhi thought it would not be polite to be there before her. Hence, Gong Zhi waited for Shen Xi toe along.

    ¡°First Snow Hotel was named after the owner¡¯s dream crush,¡± Gong Zhi gossiped with Shen Xi. ¡°The owner of this hotel first met her during the first snowfall. Isn¡¯t it romantic?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. It was romantic indeed. Shen Xi nodded and probed for more, ¡°Was it a happy-ever-after for the owner and the girl of his dreams?¡±

    With an expectant look on her face, Gong Zhi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but it¡¯s beautiful, no? In every hotel he established, he would vacate the first, second, and 23rd floors to personally furnish these ces and reserve them for his crush.¡±

    Shen Xi thought it was interesting and expressed her mixed feelings. ¡°The hotel is huge. It¡¯s a waste since he and his girl won¡¯t upy that many rooms.¡±

    Gong Zhiughed at her. ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re too young to know what love is. If any man does that for me, I¡¯ll marry him right away!¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°What if he¡¯s ugly?¡±

    Gong Zhi shook her head amid chuckles. ¡°Looks are only skin deep when ites to men. You¡¯d understand once you¡¯re in love. The height, weight, looks, and personality don¡¯t matter when you meet the right man. He is who he is.¡±

    Curling her lips, Shen Xi bobbed her head and hummed in acknowledgment.

    That statement was as real as it got. The moment she met that person, she knew it was him right away.

    Gong Zhi reached out and tapped her head before suggestively asking her. ¡°What are you thinking about? Look at that dreamy smile of yours. Are you dating already?¡±

    The girl was glowing when she smiled, and her eyes were as radiant as the stars in the night sky.

    Shen Xi always presented herself as a mature, poised, and sophisticated youngdy before Gong Zhi. This was the first time Gong Zhi saw her looking so tender and sweet.

    That was more like it. A girl at the tender age of seventeen shouldugh freely, love deeply, and live indulgently.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Gong Zhi ensued with a question, ¡°So you have a boy you like?¡±

    Keeping mum, Shen Xi curled a gooey smile but was unable to hide the sweetness in her eyes.

    Love was definitely in the air. Gong Zhi thought this was a great age for teenagers to experience love. Biting into an underripe fruit would bring in a mouthful of sweetness and sourness, just like the purest form of love.

    The pair took the lift down and saw Li Jingran and her manager, Li He entering the restaurant.

    Gong Zhi whispered in Shen Xi¡¯s ear. ¡°Li Jingran put the word out that you lend the ¡®Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡¯ to her. Is it true?¡±

    She might be close to Shen Xi, but Gong Zhi would never go so far as to pry into the girl¡¯s personal business, apart from mumbling to herself.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi shook her head while reflecting the chilling taunt in her eyes.

    Gong Zhi was relieved. She knew that it was unlikely as Xixi and Li Jingran did not see eye to eye. There was no way Xixi would loan Li Jingran the gown for her to be the star of the show.

    If her guess were right, Li Lingran must be desperate and would most likely wear a knockoff. Knockoffs were a thing in showbiz after all.

    Well, Li Jingran had another thinging. Since the owner of the gown was also walking the red carpet, Li Jingran would only be mortified when it was revealed that she was wearing a fake.

 Chapter 231 - Drive Her Nuts

    <h4>Chapter 231: Drive Her Nuts</h4>

    A sophisticated ambiance filled the room in the revolving restaurant on the highest floor of the building.

    Fu Qingye was the first person Li Jingran saw when she stepped into the restaurant. It was hard to ignore the man¡¯s brilliant and charismatic presence, no matter in looks or bearing.

    The casual clothes he wore today made him less aloof, friendlier, and inviting. His white turtleneck could hardly conceal his naturally poised neck, exuding an aura of delicate asceticism.

    With a smile stered on her face, Li Jingran made sure she was prim and proper as she strutted towards the man. However, she had not had a chance to call out to him.

    Gong Zhi caught up and let out a provocative grin at Li Jingran before starting off with a greeting. ¡°Ms. Li, what a coincidence.¡±

    Just like that, Li Jingran¡¯s n was disrupted. Holding back her anger, she nodded. ¡°Hello, Ms. Gong.¡±

    Gong Zhi cheerfully asked her, ¡°Are you alone, Ms. Li?¡±

    Li Jingran nced at the man sitting by the window. Thetter seemed to have taken notice of them and was looking at them. Li Jingran hummed in reply. ¡°Ms. Gong, you too?¡±

    She and Gong Zhi, the b*tch, were always destined to be enemies.

    If her guess were right, Gong Zhi was after the same thing as her, which was to pretend to stumble upon Fu Qingye and befriend him.

    Li Jingran had just asked the question.

    Fu Qingye stood up. The tenderness shrouding over his cold eyes brought out the affluence in him. Curling his lips into a faint smile, he opened his mouth. ¡°Xixi, over here.¡±

    Li Jingran followed his gaze to Shen Xi entering the restaurant, together with Gong Zhi¡¯s manager, Chen Nan who was following behind. She was hopping mad.

    Gong Zhi¡¯s provocative smile grew brighter as she grandly showed off that she was not alone.

    With anger through the roof, Li Jingran¡¯s eyes turned grimacing and she was furious beyond words.

    Gong Zhi made her way towards Shen Xi and affectionately held her arm before smiling at Li Jingran. ¡°Ms. Li, I¡¯m with Xixi. We¡¯re heading over there now. I hope you enjoy your meal.¡±

    Li Jingran felt as though her chest was caught on fire. By the looks of them approaching Fu Qingye, Li Jingran knew that her n had fallen through.

    She wanted to tear Gong Zhi apart when thetter took a seat and threw her a provocative grin.

    Afraid that Li Jingran would fly off the handle, Li He the manager tugged on her. ¡°Jingran, our seats are over on that side.¡±

    Ignoring what he said, Li Jingran moved towards the trio across the room and greeted Fu Qingye. ¡°Mr. Fu, what a coincidence!¡±

    It gave Li He quite the shock, but his mind was soon put at ease since she seemed to have her emotions under control. He went and joined her.

    Fu Qingye returned a nod. ¡°Ms. Li.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering where is your stylist, Ms. Cai Ni right now? I have something to discuss with Ms. Cai Ni,¡± Li Jingran enquired.

    Looking as beautiful as a sculpture, Fu Qingye smiled faintly and indifferently. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni is in the middle of something and unable to meet with guests.¡±

    Although Li Jingran knew that she would hit a wall, she simply could not give it up. Li Jingran had gone mad,pletely out of her mind just to apprehend Cai Ni. ¡°I see. Enjoy your meal. I shall excuse myself then.¡±

    She kept a nk face on. After over twenty years in showbiz, Li Jingran was able to keep her emotions in check.

    However, she was raging internally. Anger and dissent overtook every inch of her body, driving her insane.

 Chapter 232 - Look Great Together

    <h4>Chapter 232: Look Great Together</h4>

    It should not be like that.

    Things should not end up as such.

    Shen Xi, that brat was her flesh and blood.

    Li Jingran should be the one in Gong Zhi¡¯s ce and having dinner with Mr. Fu!

    Li He wiped away the cold sweat once they were at the door and he waited until they were in the lift before whispering to Li Jingran. ¡°Jingran, it¡¯s not my ce to say this but you should ept Shen Xi back into the family.¡±

    Pulling a sour face, Li Jingran buried her sharp nails into the flesh of her palms hanging by her sides. She spoke in hushed but spooky tones. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m in the wrong too?¡±

    Li He took a deep breath. ¡°You know it best, don¡¯t you? She¡¯s your daughter after all and blood is thicker than water. She doesn¡¯t seem like a bad child. She will forgive you if you approach her and admit you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s eyes were terrifyingly dark, and she could explode with her emotions running high. She kept to herself, finding it hard to breathe as the earlier incident came into mind.

    Li He continued. ¡°Just think about what I said.¡±

    Shen Xi was the finest in looks, talents, and social skills. It was with great pride and luck to have such a daughter. In this circumstance, she must learn to give and take.

    Li Jingran pondered for a long time and finally spoke up when they were out of the lift. ¡°She won¡¯te back to the family.¡±

    These words seemed to carry a deep resentment and remorse all at once. She appeared to be talking to herself while at the same time answering his question.

    Watching her receding figure, Li Hi sighed to himself. Well, there was no point crying over spilled milk now!

    He wanted to tell her to make it up to Shen Xi since they really broke her heart. Perhaps it was a great decision to send Su Ruowan back to her own home.

    Everyone had their own ego trip. It was every child¡¯s wish to have their parents¡¯ undivided attention and love all to themselves, especially daughters who desire their family¡¯s love.

    However, because Jingran¡¯s family did not raise Shen Xi, they favored Su Ruowan and snubbed Shen Xi, causing thetter a heartbreak and despair which obviously led to the current tension.

    However, based on his recent observation and recent happenings, Shen Xi was notpletely without a heart. This was evident by how she treated her adoptive parents. Things may turn for the better if Jingran and family sat down and had a good talk.

    Meanwhile, in the revolving restaurant, Gong Zhi was quite the talker despite only meeting Fu Qingye once. Shemented over the man ofmanding and outstanding presence.

    Should she be younger by twenty years, Gong Zhi would do whatever it took to woo him. A good man like him was hard toe by.

    It was a pity that he could be her son at his age. It was rather inappropriate, and she should not have illicit thoughts about him.

    Lifting her chin, she observed the youngsters sitting opposite her.

    Fu Qingye creased his brows as he focused on peeling the prawns and cing the meat on Shen Xi¡¯s te. He smiled tenderly. ¡°Try this. This is a dish rmended by the chef.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned at the fish and prawns piled on her te and mumbled under her breath. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished.¡±

    Letting out a doting grin, Fu Qingye ced the te on his te and gently said, ¡°Take your time.¡±

    Gong Zhi was alive again. She might not be able to pursue Fu Qingye, but she could be front and center, shipping the sweet couple here. Xixi and Mr. Fu really looked great together.

 Chapter 233 - Beau

    <h4>Chapter 233: Beau</h4>

    They were two peas in a pod, both with their looks and how they mirror each other¡¯s smallest gestures. Crown Prince Charming and a beautiful Lolita. Oh, Gong Zhi was totally shipping these two.

    Shen Xi noticed that Gong Zhi was looking at her all funnily. The motherly yet suggestive type of look gave Shen Xi goosebumps. ¡°Ms. Gong, have some more.¡±

    Gong Zhi pushed the prawns to Fu Qingye. Having made her mind to ship those two, she replied with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t want any. Dig in, you guys. Mr. Fu, peel the prawns. Xixi¡¯s te is almost empty.¡±

    Fu Qingye had noticed the weird look on Gong Zhi¡¯s face as well. He nodded at her. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Gong.¡±

    Gong Zhi was going overboard with her motherly love through her smile. ¡°No need to thank me. Please enjoy your meal. I need to control myself since I have to walk the red carpet in the afternoon.¡±

    Otherwise, she would not look good with a bulging tummy in her gown.

    To seal the deal between them both, Gong Zhi brought up the First Snow Hotel. ¡°Who knew such a lovestruck and devoted man still exists in the world? I always thought this sort of romance only existed in storybooks.¡±

    Having lived most of her life, Gong Zhi never came across such a fairytale romance.

    Fu Qingye shared the same sentiment. ¡°I know the owner of the First Snow Hotel. He has been looking for his lover over the years. I wonder if he found her yet.¡±

    Hearing these words, Shen Xi froze and almost choked on the piece of meat she just swallowed. Could this be what she thought?

    Fu Qingye was gazing forlornly. ¡°I ran into him when I was searching for my little sister. I guess fate brought us together.¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat as affection washed over her eyes. Filled with joy and sweetness, her voice turned soft and mellow. ¡°He will find her.¡±

    As it turned out, the owner of this hotel was Brother.

    The vacant space in the hotel was left for her.

    Fu Qingye tilted his head and looked at the girl. What was in her mind for her to give that honeyed look?

    Gong Zhi had a weird feeling about the sweet smile on Shen Xi¡¯s face. Could the person who had Xixi¡¯s heart be someone else instead of Mr. Fu?

    Shen Xi had no idea what Gong Zhi was going on about. Most importantly, she could say with a clear conscience that Fu Qingye was a brother to her.

    Fu Qingye was smart and quick to catch on to the meaning behind Gong Zhi¡¯s actions at dinner. He waited until Shen Xi went to her room before solemnly turning to Gong Zhi. ¡°Ms. Gong, Xixi and I are siblings. I¡¯m her brother.¡±

    Gong Zhi was taken aback. Did she make it that obvious? Having been discovered, Gong Zhi had to admit that Mr. Fu had a good eye. She replied with a smile, ¡°Mr. Fu, don¡¯t you worry. I got it.¡±

    Brother?

    Sure, he was a brother now.

    There was still a possibility he would be a beau in the future!

    With his eyes turning cold, Fu Qingye curled his lips and gave her warning. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re only saying that you got it.¡±

    Scared stiff, Gong Zhi pulled her mind out of the gutter and put on a straight face. She respectfully gazed at the man before her. ¡°My mind got the message as well.¡±

    Perhaps Mr. Fu had been too nice, polite, gentleman-like, and humble, giving her the impression that he was good-natured and approachable. It had slipped her mind that he was the son of the Fu family, an aristocrat among the most privileged.

    Mr. Fu was only gentle and approachable in front of Xixi. Gong Zhi was out of line.

    Had it not been for Xixi, Gong Zhi would probably never meet him, much less share a meal and a conversation.

 Chapter 234 - Crushing Blow

    <h4>Chapter 234: Crushing Blow</h4>

    Pleased, Fu Qingye nodded and smiled at Gong Zhi. His rtionship with Xixi was purely a family bond and he was not going to allow anyone to doubt this rtionship.

    As both Fu Qingye and Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist and fashion designer, Shen Xi created a look for them before changing into a gown herself.

    Gong Zhi was more than happy with Shen Xi¡¯s styling prowess. Gazing at herself in the mirror, Gong Zhi¡¯s mind was blown by her own beauty.

    Since taking the anti-aging beauty pills, her skin gradually returned to its prime in over ten days. The effects were even better when she paired the oral medication with the external cosmeceutical given by Shen Xi.

    Her skin was firmer and had a glow to it. Gong Zhi was in the pink of health and appeared to be radiating with the rosy glow on her skin.

    Fu Qingye did not take the anti-aging beauty pills immediately after receiving them from Shen Xi. However, he was forced to take them under her watch and since realized its great results. He now took the pills every day.

    The anti-aging beauty pill was thetest productunched by the Situ family who was China¡¯s No. 1 in pharmaceuticals. Through word of mouths and the proven effectiveness of the pill, the product is gaining poprity worldwide.

    Mom and Aunt had urged him to post the pill several times whilementing on its wonderful effects and how their girlfriends and best friends were fighting over them.

    Since this was only the initial stage, the Situ family had not mass-produced the anti-aging beauty pills tounch globally. People outside the country had to rely on personal shoppers to get their hands on the pills.

    However, ordinary personal shoppers had no ess to the pills while those who had ess were not short of cash to work as personal shoppers.

    Qingxuan was beyond thrilled once he broke down theponents of the pills. He had been chasing after the person behind the creation of the pills to personallye to China and meet this genius researcher.

    Nevertheless, he asked around only to be given a reply by the Situ family that it took thousands of researchers and twenty years of effort tounch this miraculous anti-aging beauty pill.

    Qingli told him to liaise with the Situ family to see if the Fu family could acquire the right to sole distribution abroad of their anti-aging beauty pill and future cosmeceutical products.

    Qingxuan¡¯s eldest brother, Qingli was optimistic about the Situ family¡¯stest release of cosmeceuticals as well as health and beauty supplements as the potential and market for such products were huge.

    Shen Xi walked out in an evening gown.

    Gong Zhi was gawping.

    The girl in front of her was blessed with good looks.

    The alluring red flowy evening dress exuded the mor of her beauty. This level of sophistication and elegance could turn heads and strike the hearts of many.

    Gorgeous. She was absolutely stunning!

    Thinking that Shen Xi would now be the belle of the ball, Gong Zhi felt dejected.

    Gong Zhi would be frustrated and unconvinced if someone else was prettier than her.

    However, Gong Zhi was willing to admit defeat if it was this girl before her. She bore admiration instead of envy for this girl.

    Eyes fixated on Shen Xi, Fu Qingye realized she bore a lot of resemnce to his mother when dressed up. However, she was like a thorny wild rose with a sharp air of detachment around her, which was unlike his mother.

    His mom was a gentle soul and she would not be able tomand such a blow that took people¡¯s breath away.

    ¡°Xixi, isn¡¯t this the ¡®Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡¯?¡± Gong Zhi caught wind that the gown was lent to Mr. Fu.

    Shen Xi nodded and smiled mysteriously. ¡°Surely, I¡¯d wear my work when I walk the red carpet.¡±

    Echoing the same thoughts, Gong Zhi got the message. That was right! What was more fun than giving Li Jingran the bolt from the blue during a grand festival?

 Chapter 235 - No Room For Error

    <h4>Chapter 235: No Room For Error</h4>

    Gong Zhi had no idea what the beef between the girl and Li Jingran was, nor was she the kind to poke around. However, Gong Zhi was in favor of the act of delivering a crushing blow to the enemy.

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Qingye with soft and expectant eyes sans the aggression, seeking to be praised. Fu Qingye cheerfully answered, ¡°You look good.¡±

    He loved it when she acted cute, coy, and cheeky with him. He enjoyed her sharing all her joys and sorrows with him.

    So, this was what it felt like to have a sister. Fu Qingye wanted to give her all the best things in the world and allow her to do whatever her heart desired.

    Shen Xi broke into a smile and her eyes sparkled like stars. ttery was a two-way street. ¡°Qingye, you¡¯re the most handsome guy and I¡¯m sure no one can beat you on the red carpet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Ms. Cai Ni.¡± Fu Qingye smiled dotingly.

    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Mr. Fu. As the Adonis that you are, you¡¯re the showstopper even if you have a sack over you. I merely put icing on the cake.¡± Shen Xi grinned.

    Gong Zhi concurred. Anything a real looker wore looked good and this was an irrefutable truth.

    She looked at the pair with delight and following the warning by Fu Qingye, she changed her attitude and no longer had her mind in the gutter when staring at them both.

    Between the pair before her, one was a hunk while the other was a knockout. Good-looking people shared certain simrities and had their own strong points that were simply easy on the eye.

    Gong Zhi was ashamed as the pair looked at each other with pure and clean eyes that showed no hint of coquetry. What was she thinking to ship them as a couple when what they had was strictly siblinghood?

    ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± was borrowed by Fu Qingye a week ago, and was air-transported back overnight sincest night and arrived an hour ago.

    Since Shen Xi did not take the cold kindly, she added an oversized down jacket on top of her gown before taking off together with Fu Qingye and Gong Zhi.

    Li Jingran was one step behind and reached the hotel entrance when their cars left one after another. With somber eyes, she enquired Li He in hushed tones. ¡°Did you find out what I asked of you?¡±

    Wanwan called her and informed her that Shen Xi had taken off from school to walk the red carpet. She also asked whether the organizer had invited Shen Xi.

    What right did Shen Xi, the d*mn brat, had to walk the red carpet? Was she famous or had work under her belt? Surely, she only said it to get on Wanwan¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got someone on the inside to get the red carpet list. She¡¯s not on the list.¡± Li He consoled Li Jingran. ¡°She¡¯s probably going around with Mr. Fu and Gong Zhi to ask for the celebrities¡¯ autographs.¡±

    There were many girls who, being avid fans, would ask for a picture and autograph from celebrities. It was something to boast about and gain respect from fellow peers.

    Despite all the assurance, Li Jingran had an uneasy feeling. She asked further, ¡°Are you sure about the gown?¡±

    There could not be any room for error for her red carpet moment tonight.

    Looking sullen, Li He nodded. ¡°The person who borrowed the gown is wearing the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± at the royal banquet as we speak.¡±

    Li Jingran frowned. ¡°What about Jiang Yin and her student?¡±

    Li He grinned. ¡°Jiang Yin and her student are on the list but Jiang Yin and Cai Ni are upied in Mn. There¡¯s a fashion show for the spring collection there and that¡¯s only going to end tomorrow.¡±

    Feeling at ease, Li Jingran got into the car. As long as Jiang Yin and Cai Ni were not around, no one would know the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± was the real deal or a counterfeit. Everything remained in her control.

 Chapter 236 - Two Gowns

    <h4>Chapter 236: Two Gowns</h4>

    It was a bustling scene live at the China Film Festival. The media and celebrities came together for this very moment.

    Li Jingran gracefully and magnanimously stepped out of the car.

    ¡°Look, quick. Ms. Li is wearing the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± today.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god! She looks gorgeous like a fairy! Ms. Li is a true goddess, and the outfit suits her way better than a model.¡±

    ¡°Well, not everyone can look good in just any clothes. Ms. Li is the goddess of youth in showbiz after all. She¡¯s definitely going to be the belle of the ball.¡±

    Gasping in awe, the media, armed with cameras, immediately turned to her direction, and thus began a sh fiesta.

    With her head up and chest out, Li Jingran carried herself with elegance while showcasing her proudest asset ¨C her swan neck ¨C on full disy. Having practiced her smile countless times, she curled the perfect beautiful smile.

    Li Jingran was pleased and delighted.

    Look. Regardless of time and ce, she should be in the spotlight.

    The other celebrities on the red carpet were merely essories next to her.

    Li Jingran¡¯s look was impressive and with the help of the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±, she was absolutely gorgeous.

    Shen Xi observed Li Jingran walked the red carpet before gracefully emerging from the car herself. She removed the heavy down jacket and effortlessly revealed the red gown underneath.

    The reporters still had their cameras pointed at Li Jingran at this point.

    The next second.

    Looking at the girl standing at the end of the red carpet, everyone widened their eyes in shock, unable to hide the amazement in their eyes.

    The girl in red with a cold presence to her was a head-tuner, like the brightest star in the sky overshadowing all the beauty in the world and stealing away all the attention. The camera lens seemed to have a mind of its own as they were turned in her direction instead.

    Goodness!

    The girl was so beautiful, like a fairy descending upon the earth and appearing before them. Posh and preppy, she had an other-worldly presence to her that could send butterflies to their stomach with every little move she made.

    No one knew who she was, nor did anyone know why she was here. She was a mystery, a mystery that people could not help but revel and be lost in.

    Hearing themotion, Li Jingran turned back and could just ckout. A wave of tremendous rage came crashing down on her, churning every single cell and drop of blood in her.

    Shen Xi!

    It was Shen Xi!

    Li Jingran was outdone by Gong Zhi in thest red-carpet event which robbed her of her pride and dignity.

    This time, the brat was going to ruin it for her too.

    She probably would not be as annoyed right now if it were someone else, but why did it have to be Shen Xi, the daughter she cast away from the Su family?

    With a straight face andmanding presence, Shen Xi strutted straight onto the red carpet without ncing at the reporters, like a noble queen inspecting thend while conducting herself with such elegance. People could not help but kneel before her presence.

    Li He turned white as a sheet after seeing Shen Xi and taking notice of the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± on her. He could only pray that Li Jingran would not lose her sh*t and make a fool of herself in front of the media.

    It was not as though he was unaware that Shen Xi shared a resemnce to Jingran or appeared rather beautiful, but seeing the girl before his eyes, his breath was taken away.

    The girl in red was ethereally and mind-blowingly beautiful. Her fine facial features were simr to Jingran, yet more refined than thetter.

 Chapter 237 - Which Is Real and Which Is Fake

    <h4>Chapter 237: Which Is Real and Which Is Fake</h4>

    ¡°She¡¯s wearing the ¡®Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡¯!¡±

    ¡°How could there be two ¡®Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡¯?¡±

    ¡°OMG! This is a fairy, alright. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful girl. Whichpany is she from? Why hadn¡¯t I seen her before?¡±

    The media realized that the gown the unfamiliar fairy had on was identical to the one Li Jingran was wearing. It was Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s winning work, ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±.

    It was widely known that there was only one piece to Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s winning work. Through i-Fashion interview, she expressed that there would only ever be one in the world and no other.

    The question about who was wearing the original and the fake on the red carpet provided much food for thought.

    The reporters were more inclined to believe Li Jingran since she was the Film Empress after all. There were rumors that Ms. Cai Ni had sold ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± to her.

    As for the fairy who appeared out of nowhere that no one knew about, her good looks and noble bearings gave them an impression that she would not wear a fake.

    However, there was only one ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± and between them, one of them was wearing a knockout.

    Feeling the veins bulging on her forehead, Li Jingran stopped and hissed at Shen Xi as she approached. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to stop until you enrage me to my grave? Where did you get the counterfeit dress?¡±

    What was she trying to pull?

    Did she really want to drive her six feet under?

    Was her ultimate goal to embarrass her in a huge event?

    ¡°How can you tell I¡¯m wearing a counterfeit?¡± Amused, Shen Xi looked at her and curled a taunting smile.

    Li Jingran sure a smart*ss to wear a knockoff in front of the actual designer and brazenly say she was wearing the fake instead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be a celebrity? People will only look down on you to debut in such a way.¡± Feeling a rush of blood to her head, Li Jingran tried to get ahold of herself. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a piece of sincere advice so that you don¡¯t embarrass yourself in front of the whole nation. Know your ce and take a hint. Get off the carpet now.¡±

    To think this unsightly thing would go to lengths to be a star and make her debut this way.

    Li Jingran clearly remembered that Shen Xi expressed her wishes to join National Idol in tears to be a celebrity like her husband and her.

    ¡°Ms. Li, let me give you a word of advice as well. Don¡¯t resort to whatever means and dirty tricks to defeat others. Many go out for wool ande home shorn.¡± Shen Xi grinned chillingly.

    Li Jingran was about to lose it but continued with the question. ¡°It was Gong Zhi, right? She taught you to do so. She gave you the clothes. You better keep a distance from her if you wish to make it into showbiz with a clean te.¡±

    The knockoff on Shen Xi must be provided by Gong Zhi.

    Gong Zhi, that b*tch, loved to fall into heresy. She made her debut and appeared in the public limelight because of an expos¨¦ of her affair with some international director.

    Fans nowadays supported unsoiled celebrities in entertainment and detested those involved in scandals, especially neers. Once associated with a scandal, the person would find themselves getting chewed out by the public, let alone make their debut.

    In other words, Gong Zhi was unable to beat Li Jingran, so she moved to another tactic and taught Shen Xi, the brat, to put on a knockout version of her dress to clout-chase her while at the same time, getting on her nerves and putting her down?

 Chapter 238 - Liar Liar Pants on Fire

    <h4>Chapter 238: Liar Liar Pants on Fire</h4>

    ¡°You keep talking about a counterfeit, but no one knows better than you about who¡¯s wearing the knockoff!¡± Shen Xi curled her lips into a bloodthirsty smile.

    Li Jingran felt a sense of guilt creeping in under Shen Xi¡¯s watchful eye. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni sold me the gown I¡¯m wearing. If you really care for your adoptive parents, you should not embarrass them. Now get off the carpet.¡±

    She knew that the brat really cared about her god*mn idiotic adoptive parents.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s embarrassing, it¡¯s my own embarrassment.¡± Shen Xi chuckled. ¡°Moreover, they won¡¯t ever think I¡¯m an embarrassment. I will always be their pride.¡±

    Li Jingran hissed through her clenched teeth as she was about to lose it. ¡°Do you think Gong Zhi is doing you any good and helping you? She¡¯s lying to you and using you.¡±

    Gong Zhi was a scheming little b*tch and the brat was probably being taken advantage of without even realizing it.

    Did she know what kind of person Gong Zhi was? Shen Xi waspletely taken for a ride by working together with Gong Zhi.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to be deceived by her.¡± Shen Xi smiled brightly. ¡°Wholeheartedly.¡±

    Swallowing her anger, Li Jingran gnashed her teeth and pulled her trump card. ¡°Get off right now. I can help you to realize your dreams to be a star.¡±

    Shen Xi shrugged. ¡°However, my dreams have changed!¡±

    Li Jingran was speechless.

    The reporters and fans behind the security perimeters watched as the twodies in the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± walked and shared a conversation. They were so anxious they wished they could fly over and listened to their conversation.

    There was a famous line in showbiz ¨C shing outfits was not a nightmare but it was awkward for whoever did not wear it best.

    Thedies were not ugly and were beautiful in their own way. However, the girl was a lot prettier than Li Jingran. Her bearings, charm, youth, and face full of natural youthful cogen put Li Jingran in the shade.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the girl has an uncanny resemnce to Ms. Li?¡±

    ¡°Do you think so too? I was about to say how alike they look. They¡¯re like mother and daughter.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way they¡¯re mother and daughter. Isn¡¯t Ms. Li¡¯s daughter the one named Su Ruowan?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean the one who¡¯s hyped up? She¡¯s so ugly and I actually thought she¡¯s not Ms. Li and Mr. Su the Movie Star¡¯s biological daughter!¡±

    The reporters wanted in on the gossip of two things. Apart from the question about who was wearing the real deal and the fake, the media was interested to know whether Li Jingran and Shen Xi were sisters or mother and daughter because they looked so alike.

    With the security so tight, the reporters could not barge into the red carpet and question them about who was wearing the real ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± even if they wanted to.

    ¡°What are you really after?¡± Li Jingran could not be more soft-spoken.

    She was not going to let anyone ruin her ns. Li Jingran could not lose and fail here and now.

    Shen Xi smiled sweetly with her kind and innocent eyes before uttering, ¡°Go to hell.¡±

    Li Jingran almost lost to the urge to give Shen Xi a p and teach her a thing or two about talking to her elders. Since there was no talking sense to her, Li Jingran resorted to using threats. ¡°Do you think the reporters will trust you or me?¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Shen Xi smiled nonchntly. ¡°A clean hand needs no washing. Don¡¯t you think so, Ms. Li?¡±

    In one corner, two reporters slid past the security line and crashed the red carpet.

 Chapter 239 - Determine The Real From The Fake

    <h4>Chapter 239: Determine The Real From The Fake</h4>

    Soon, more reporters followed suit.

    The security guards let the reporters push ahead to get first-hand news since they could not stop them.

    Shen Xi and Li Jingran were swarmed by the reporters who were jamming microphones up their faces.

    ¡°Can we ask who is wearing the fake?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li, are you wearing a knockoff?¡±

    ¡°Madam, are you wearing the original or fake?¡±

    Cutting the cr*p, the reporters went straight to the point with these blunt questions.

    Shen Xiughed. ¡°I can guarantee that mine is the original.¡±

    Li Jingran remained graceful and calm. ¡°I¡¯m definitely wearing the original.¡±

    Hers was a knockoff.

    However, the evil brat could not be wearing the original as well.

    The ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± was lent to the Y Nation¡¯s royals. The aristocrat was wearing it to a royal ceremony in Y nation right now! The dress could not possibly be here!

    The reporters could not tell which was the real deal and which was the knockoff as the dresses looked the same to the tee. Even if Ms. Cai Ni was here, she probably would not be able to tell the dress apart.

    ¡°Ms. Li, you say that you¡¯re wearing the original. Do you have anything to prove for it?¡± The reporter questioned Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran looked upset. ¡°You can make the conclusion whether it¡¯s ck or white. Have I ever made a mistake in such trivial matters over the years?¡±

    Despite wearing a counterfeit, the brat sure was unapologetic. Did Gong Zhi give her the courage?

    Did Shen Xi not know that this scandal will throw her into eternal oblivion that would take away her opportunity to make a debut, let alone be a popr star?

    ¡°Miss, how can you prove that yours is the real thing?¡± A reporter asked Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I¡¯m the proof itself.¡±

    Li Jingran was hyperventting with Shen Xi getting on her nerves. Shen Xi must have picked up the audacity and shamelessness from her adoptive parents. Well, only the uncultured and uneducated could have taught the cheek of that girl.

    She wanted to see how Li Jingran was going to prove and who the reporters would choose between them both!

    A short distance away, Gong Zhi and Fu Qingye got out of the car one after another and walked the red carpet.

    The media¡¯s attention swiftly switched to them. Who would not look at a fine couple? It was a feast to the eyes when both of them made an appearance together.

    Everyone knew that Ms. Cai Ni was Mr. Fu the Movie Star¡¯s stylist. Ms. Gong¡¯s look on the red carpet also came from the hands of Ms. Cai Ni. They wondered if the two could tell the real deal from the fake.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, someone made a knockoff of Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s work. What do you think about this?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gong Zhi, rumor has it that your look today is by Ms. Cai Ni. Are you able to determine which is the real ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Fu, can you identify which is the real thing and which is the fake?¡±

    Like bees, the reporters swarmed around the pair.

    It was pure chaos on the scene. God knows what was going on with the organizers for not even trying to maintain order or reprimand the reporters. The media did as they pleased with the interview.

    ¡°Of course, I do. Ms. Cai Ni is someone I respect a lot. I will go easy on the person trying to pass off her work as the original. This is too much! What does this person take Ms. Cai Ni for? This is tantly taking advantage of her!¡± Gong Zhi was furious.

 Chapter 240 - I Am Cai Ni

    <h4>Chapter 240: I Am Cai Ni</h4>

    The reporters were skeptical to hear Gong Zhi¡¯s statement.

    Fu Qingye remained silent throughout but when looking at Shen Xi, his cold eyes would soften, and his lips would curl as a form offort to her.

    The pair continued walking as they were interviewed and soon, they arrived near Shen Xi and Li Jingran.

    The reporters threw a prying and expectant look at Gong Zhi. ¡°Ms. Gong, tell us. Which of them is wearing the real ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±?¡±

    Gong Zhi grinned at Li Jingran before pointing at Shen Xi. ¡°This is the original.¡±

    Li Jingran knew it. For Shen Xi to brazenly put on the knockoff dress, it must be as Gong Zhi¡¯s instructions. She thought so. Li Jingran scoffed and put on a sour look. ¡°Ms. Gong, why are you so sure? You could have participated in the making of the fake dress to try and nder me!¡±

    These nosy entertainment reporters were all the same. Hearing this, they really wanted in on the gossip.

    It was no secret in showbiz that Ms. Gong and Ms. Li were rivals who never saw eye to eye.

    Oh, the media wanted to cheer them on for a bigger catfight so that they had more drama to write about. They loved artists who were confronting and threw dirt upon encounters.

    ¡°Ms. Li, what do you mean? I don¡¯t get you. I¡¯m only speaking of the truth.¡± Gong Zhi gave a provocative smile. ¡°Is it weird for Ms. Cai Ni to wear her own work instead of putting it on you?¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s mind went nk. What Ms. Cai Ni? Who was Ms. Cai Ni?

    These entertainment reporters were quick to catch and could sniff gossip a mile away. Once they got the picture of what was going on, the reporters stared at Shen Xi and gathered around her in disbelief.

    ¡°Miss, are you the Ms. Cai Ni?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, what are your thoughts about someone wearing a knockoff of your work on the red carpet?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, in Ms. Li¡¯s words, she said you sold the dress to her. What do you have to say about this?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°There¡¯s only one ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± in the world.¡± Shen Xi turned to Li Jingran and smirked disdainfully. ¡°I never sold the dress to Ms. Li. Not only has Ms. Li insulted me with lies, but she also coughed up some stories as well. Bravo.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s head was buzzing as she nked out and lost sight of everything. The reporters swarmed onto her like flies while she froze there.

    Impossible!

    How could this be?

    How could Shen Xi, the brat, be Cai Ni!

    Li Jingran could not believe it and refused to believe it. It could not be her! She was lying!

    The reporters looked at Li Jingran with eyes of mockery, contempt, and cynicism. Their forte was aggravating the situation and rubbing salt in the wound.

    ¡°Ms. Li, why must you wear a counterfeit gown?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li, did you put on the knockoff to outdo Ms. Gong Zhi?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li, I hope you¡¯re able to give me a straight answer. You¡¯re a well-respected veteran in showbiz. Don¡¯t you find it embarrassing to do so?¡±

    ¡­

    While feeling a rush of emotions, Li Jingran caught a glimpse of Shen Xi¡¯s scornful smile by the corner of her eye. She felt a lump in her throat and spat out a mouthful of blood before losing consciousness in a sea of ckness and falling heavily onto the ground.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li!¡±

    ¡°Call the medic! Ms. Li is unconscious!¡±

    The reporters were stunned and flustered to watch the back of her head hit the ground and bleed out. Sure, they wanted firsthand gossip but not at a cost of a life.

 Chapter 241 - Ms. Li Threw Up Blood And Fainted

    <h4>Chapter 241: Ms. Li Threw Up Blood And Fainted</h4>

    There were a few entertainment reporters still going after Li Jingran even when she was lifted away by paramedics.

    ¡°Ms. Li, have you really passed out?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li, are you faking thea to avoid my question?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Furious, Li He angrily yelled at the reporters.

    These idiots did not have an ounce of humanity in them, still pursuing Jingran after she threw up blood and fainted. Would anyone fake aa?

    It never urred to him that Ms. Cai Ni was Shen Xi, Jingran¡¯s birth daughter. Jingran and Su Yi cut off their nose to spite their face!

    He totally got why Jingran coughed out blood and passed out since they were the ones who drove this gem out of their lives.

    The incident broke the inte. From Li Jingran falsely using Ms. Cai Ni and framing her for wearing a knockoff while wearing one herself to her being exposed by Ms. Cai Ni in the face which caused her to spew blood and pass out, headlines were all over the web.

    Fortunately, Li Jingran¡¯s management team had already written a holding statement and was ready to respond appropriately in the event Jingran was caught redhanded wearing a counterfeit.

    However, regardless of the various scenarios they had preempted, it had never crossed their minds that the individual concerned would be the one to expose and embarrass Li Jingran.

    Nevertheless, the team managed to get an apology out on time; sadfishing that Li Jingran was in the dark and was cheated to buy the counterfeit.

    As for ndering Ms. Cai Ni on the red carpet, this was because she was trying to defend Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s honor and work.

    Great. Li Jingran was portrayed in the statement as the innocent personpletely deceived by a bad guy and also a victim who was tricked to buy a fake dress.

    Li Jingran¡¯s management team even issued an attorney¡¯s letter, vowing to seek the fake dress seller in pursuit of legal responsibility to get justice for Ms. Li. It would also serve as an exnation to Ms. Cai Ni.

    Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were on their way to the film festival when they saw the news trending. Turning as white as a sheet, it was hard to tell whether they were shocked or startled.

    Shen Xi was Cai Ni.

    Li Jingran fainted on the red carpet.

    Adding the two matters together was quite a shocker.

    Su Ruowan was tearful. ¡°Mushi, how did this happen? Shen Xi¡­ She¡¯s Cai Ni. How can she do such a thing? How can she lie to us? Mom fell unconscious because she¡¯s mad.¡±

    The fact that Shen Xi was Cai Ni made her so jealous that she wanted to rip Shen Xi, the b*tch, apart!

    Looking grimacing, Su Mushi was boiling with resentment and fury. ¡°The d*mn brat must be sick of living! She will pay for this!¡±

    He had to do away with Shen Xi, the evil thing!

    He must put an end to her!

    Mom and Wanwan faced such humiliation and Mom even vomited blood and passed out because Shen Xi hid her identity. Su Mushi could never find peace until Shen Xi was dead.

    The car soon arrived at the China Film Festival venue.

    Su Mushi had the driver stop before getting out of the car looking like a Grim Reaper that was engulfed in Hell¡¯s fire.

    Su Ruowan pulled him back and with swollen eyes, she muttered amid sobs. ¡°Mushi, what are you trying to do? We should get to the hospital to see Mom!¡±

    Breaking free from Su Ruowan, Su Mushi turned to her with a menacing look on his face. ¡°You go see Mom. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    He had to kill Shen Xi today.

    Whatever it took, he was not going to let her see another light of day.

 Chapter 242 - A Long Way Off From The Main Event

    <h4>Chapter 242: A Long Way Off From The Main Event</h4>

    ¡°Mushi!¡± Su Ruowan cried heartfeltly and anxiously while stumbling in her footsteps to run after him. She soon stopped and revealed the hatred and jealousy in her eyes.

    That was right!

    Mushi must be heading to kill Shen Xi!

    Only when Shen Xi, the b*tch was dead, could Su Ruowan feel at ease and uphold the position she was at.

    It wasplete chaos live on the red carpet.

    Everyone now knew Shen Xi was Cai Ni.

    All the celebrities in the entertainment industry wanted to cozy up to her and even if there was nothing to talk about, exchanging a greeting and getting their faces out there were good enough for them.

    Li Jingran was a joke. A well-respected veteran in showbiz? It was humiliating for her to wear a counterfeit dress to the red carpet and jump down the designer¡¯s throat only to be exposed on the spot.

    Who gave her the courage to do so? They were interested to know if she still had the cheek to continue in showbiz. Li Jingran would have had to face the music had she not fainted.

    However, Ms. Cai Ni was beyond anyone¡¯s expectations. The rumors had it that she shied away because she was too ugly to meet people.

    Who knew that not only was she not ugly, but she was also an absolute stunner? Dressed in that ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± of hers, she was the fairest of all in the showbiz.

    With that face of hers, she could reign in the entertainment industry. No female celebrity came close to how beautiful she was.

    Gong Zhi whispered in Shen Xi¡¯s ear. ¡°Li Jingran has totally done it to herself this time. If I were her, I would not have the nerve to stay in showbiz.¡±

    Tsk tsk. Out of desperation to outshine her, Li Jingran pulled all stops and even wore a fake dress.

    Nevertheless, Gong Zhi could tell by the statement made by her management team that Li Jingran was fearless since she had made adequate preparations.

    Had it not been for Xixi, no one would expose that she was wearing a fake on the red carpet. Even if she were discovered afterward, Li Jingran could say she was cheated and got herself a clean te while earning brownie points from sadfishing.

    Li Jingran¡¯s management team had issued various announcements by now and spun her as an innocent and pure little flower. Everything was someone else¡¯s fault while she was a victim tricked by a greedy liar.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes bore a cold taunt. ¡°Nah, she¡¯s not the kind to give up that easily.¡±

    Retire and quit showbiz?

    No way Jose!

    A person who was all about fame like Li Jingran would not leave the entertainment industry because of this.

    However, it was exactly as she hoped. It was still a long way off from the main event. Who else could she y with if Li Jingran were to leave just like that?

    In a hospital ward.

    Blowing his top, Su Yi saw red and pointed at Li Jingran. ¡°A knockoff dress? What were you thinking? You¡¯re a veteran in the business and a Film Empress! Have you no shame? Well, I do, and the Su family too!¡±

    He never imagined that she would go ahead with wearing a fake dress on the red carpet without even discussing it with him.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Li Jingran¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying and the frustration buried in her chest was driving her up a wall. She turned to him. ¡°What can you do even if I tell you? Can you get me the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±?¡±

    She told him that she wanted the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡± but did he ever put any thought into it? In the end, she had to sort it out herself.

    At the end of the day, men were the most unreliable in the world. He said that he loved her yet what happened? He could not even get her a godd*mn dress.

 Chapter 243 - How Could She Do This To Me

    <h4>Chapter 243: How Could She Do This To Me</h4>

    Su Yi went ballistic to hear Li Jingran bring up the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±. He scoffed coldly, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t chased her away, not only the ¡°Feathered Prism Illusion Dress¡±, Jin Yun will also be yours. You¡¯d get to wear whatever you want to and Gong Zhi is nothing.¡±

    Li Jingran bawled harder at the thought that Cai Ni was Shen Xi. She was upset, distressed with endless despair and fury. ¡°Honey, how can she do this to me? You saw it yourself. The wicked brat doesn¡¯t have a heart. Her heart is made from stone. I¡¯m her birth mother. I am her birth mother, you know!¡±

    How did things end up this way?

    It should not be so!

    Shen Xi was Cai Ni. It was no wonder Shen Xi refused to meet her and despite all the money she spent, Shen Xi would not agree to be her stylist.

    Li Jingran could not figure it out then but now she was hit with epiphanies. That brat was so wicked and evil. It was in to see that Shen Xi was pissing her off, making her look bad and out to get her!

    Su Yi was fed up with all the crying sinceing over. ¡°You¡¯re such a crybaby. You sure find the time to cry. She¡¯s like this because of you.¡±

    Li Jingran widened her eyes in disbelief. She had enough of the disgrace but she just wanted to die following her husband¡¯s finger-pointing. ¡°Is it my fault? Was I wrong? You never cared about her. She wanted to get into showbiz and begged you for it but what did you say to her?¡±

    ¡°What did I say? It¡¯s all because of that pillow talk you have with me, saying that she can¡¯t do this or that, can¡¯tpare to Wanwan, don¡¯t pay her any thought, and to think of her as an outsider. That¡¯s why she became this way.¡± Su Yi was number one at pushing the me away.

    ¡°I think of her as an outsider? What about you? Do you think of her as your biological daughter?¡± Horrified, Li Jingran was not going to let him put all the sh*t on her. ¡°Su Yi, are you starting to me me now, huh? Weren¡¯t you thinking just the same? The one who drove her out and signed a contract to cut ties wasn¡¯t me, but you!¡±

    ¡°Li Jingran, you were the one who told me to chase her out.¡± Su Yi clenched her teeth while kicking himself.

    ¡°You¡¯re having second thoughts.¡± Li Jingran curled her lips into a grim smile. ¡°Go take her back. Go find her now and see if she wants to return with you.¡±

    She had always thought the world of this man.

    That was because nothing untowardly ever happened. Li Jingran could finally see his true colors now. No one was important to him. He only had his pride and the Su family¡¯s best interest at heart.

    ¡°I will.¡± Su Yi had already calmed down and turned to her to utter, ¡°Get yourself ready ande with me to the Shen residence. We are going to get our daughter back.¡±

    Shen Xi was Cai Ni, a student of Jiang Yin and a genius designer who was a buzz in showbiz. Celebrities fought and sought after this genius designer and the real owner behind the high-end luxury brand, Jin Yun.

    All honor she possessed right now should belong to the Su family and his to keep.

    Li Jingran sneered in contempt. Herughter so deep in despair sounded like it was from the depths of Hell.

    She amusingly stared at Su Yi. ¡°Shen Xi, the brat, was not mindful of our blood ties to do this to me. Do you really think she¡¯s going toe back with you?¡±

    Su Yi was so na?ve. Were men this na?ve and absurd?

 Chapter 244 - Bring Xixi Home

    <h4>Chapter 244: Bring Xixi Home</h4>

    Li Jingran finally got into her head and saw the light. Shen Xi, the brat, was a vicious demon with not a kind bone in her body. Shen Xi was not going to go soft on getting back at them!

    However, poor delusional Su Yi was deaf to these facts. He stubbornly believed that as long as he went over to wee her home, Shen Xi would return with him as he wished.

    ¡°You better be on your best behavior. Even if you have to beg, you better beg her back. A daughter of our Su family should not wander far from home.¡± Su Yi¡¯s eyes reflected his determination.

    ¡°Su Yi, admit it. You don¡¯t want Shen Xi back; you want the interest and advantage she could give the Su family.¡± Li Jingran jeered and just went for it. ¡°It¡¯s so pitiful to be your child.¡±

    With bloodshot eyes, Su Yi furiously gave her a p and warned her. ¡°Watch yournguage. I¡¯m not done with you about the scene you caused on the red carpet.¡±

    The couple had aplete falling out and yed the me game. The words that came out of their mouth were sharp, striking right into their hearts.

    Standing at the door, Su Ruowan eavesdropped on the couple¡¯s conversation as herplexion slowly drained of its color. The hands by her sides clenched into fists while hatred grew like weeds burning away her reason and sanity.

    Great!

    She knew it. She should have known.

    They never thought of her as their biological daughter.

    Li Jingran and Su Yi merely used her to show off and thought of her as their essory.

    They would love her and dote her like a baby when she could provide more benefits.

    With the benefits Shen Xi could bring far surpassing her value, Li Jingran and Su Yi started to regret and wanted Shen Xi¡¯s return.

    Su Ruowan prayed to God that Mushi would find Shen Xi and kill her. This way, Li Jingran and Su Yi would have no chance to wee Shen Xi home.

    Regardless of their needs and wants, the youngdy of the Su family could only be Su Ruowan!

    Li He came over to find Su Ruowan eavesdropping again, but this time, she had long taken notice of him. Hence, she knocked on the door and entered the ward.

    Once she stepped into the room, Su Ruowan began bawling her eyes out and kneeling before Li Jingran¡¯s bed. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m in the wrong. Things wouldn¡¯t progress to this stage had it not for me.¡±

    Li Jingran was drained out of all emotions. She had been furious, yelling her lungs out, and quarreling all the way through, so now she was calm. Li Jingran felt nothing as she saw Su Ruowan¡¯s crying, pained, and sad face. ¡°Stop crying, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. Am I too noisy?¡± Su Ruowan was hurt by her indifference. Looking weak and meek, she gazed at Li Jingran. ¡°Shen Xi is Cai Ni. Mom and Dad, you should bring her home.¡±

    With a long face, Su Yi looked askance at her. ¡°Your mom and I will soon bring Shen Xi home. I hope you can give in to her and get along with her when she¡¯s back.¡±

    Su Ruowan looked pleasantly surprised. ¡°Dad, is it true? Are you really going to bring Shen Xi home? That¡¯s great.¡±

    Su Yi carefully observed her to every single detail of her expression and was relieved not to find any hint of deception. ¡°You should keep your motherpany. I¡¯m going out to get some air.¡±

 Chapter 245 - Beyond Inhumane

    <h4>Chapter 245: Beyond Inhumane</h4>

    Su Yi took the time to ponder about the situation. All the resentment and dislike the family had for Shen Xi were rted to Wanwan.

    They would put the me on Shen Xi every time Wanwan was hurt, thinking that she picked on and gave Wanwan a hard time.

    However, he watched Wanwan grow up. Kindhearted and sweet, she would not even hurt a fly. There was not one bad bone in her body.

    Su Mushi was out to get even with Shen Xi but he was knocked unconscious before he could get to it.

    Xuan Yuan looked at the person lying on the ground as though Su Mushi was an insignificant little ant. If it was not because Bossid out the orders to leave the ant for Ms. Shen¡¯s enjoyment, he really wanted to sell Su Mushi on the dark web.

    This bugger may be a jerk, but that face of his was kind of cute. A bit of discipline and he should sell for a good amount of money.

    Shen Xi was really happy today, but the happiness onlysted until she came back home. She really wanted to crack his head open when she saw the person sitting in the living room.

    Certain people sure went beyond the limits of what was deemed humane and would do anything for their personal gain.

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, Xixi is my biological daughter no matter what. I¡¯m here today to bring her home.¡± Su Yi came himself to inform in advance that he was going to bring Shen Xi home tomorrow together with Li Jingran.

    ¡°I need to wait until Xixi is home to ask her about it. I can¡¯t make the decision for her.¡± Yun Jinping was in a difficult position.

    She had no idea that the gentleman-like man had the cheek and nerve to demand her return after chasing away and cutting ties with her darling daughter.

    Yun Jinping was enraged just looking at his face. The thought of her daughtering home covered in injuries left her with the urge to pick up a broom and chase him out. However, it was not something she would do.

    ¡°If both of you agree to it, she will too.¡± Su Yi confidently grinned. ¡°The Su family is not some small fry in the capital. Her mom and I are veterans in the entertainment industry. Isn¡¯t her dream to be a superstar? Her mom and I can help her a lot in this.¡±

    There was nothing more to discuss. Shen Xi should know who to choose as long as she was not an idiot.

    Sure, Jiang Yin was her teacher but could a teacherpare to her birth parents?

    Yun Jinping was boiling to hear him tter himself. Even a saint would have a temper. ¡°You¡¯re the one who beat her up, you¡¯re the one who drove her away, and you¡¯re the one who wants to bring her back. What do you take her for?¡±

    Su Yi thought little of her and grinned. ¡°Mrs. Shen, don¡¯t be angry. It was all a misunderstanding. Look, I¡¯m here to clear the air and bring her home.¡±

    Yun Jinping was more riled up to see him smile. ¡°Mr. Su, you may leave. I¡¯m only an ignorant woman. The only thing I know is that my daughter was bullied and it tore me apart. You ditched her once and you can do it again. Ask yourself. Do you deserve to be her father? Are there parents like you in the world?¡±

    Her daughter was filled with hope, anticipation, and joy when she was first brought back by them.

    Guess what?

    Her daughter was cast away, covered with injuries.

    How could they bring themselves to hurt the apple of her eye?

    They never thought of her as their biological daughter. No parent would be so wicked to their children.

 Chapter 246 - Iâ€™ll Chop You To Death

    <h4>Chapter 246: I¡¯ll Chop You To Death</h4>

    ¡°The way you¡¯re putting it, Mrs. Shen, it seems you have the wrong idea about me. I know I¡¯m also at fault for this. I shouldn¡¯t have hit her but there¡¯s no parent that doesn¡¯ty a hand on their children. Physical punishment is only for their own good so that they¡¯d be good.¡± Su Yi shamelessly found an excuse. ¡°The Su family has always believed that sparing the rod, spoils the child.¡±

    Yun Jinping found it embarrassing for his sake. He sure had the nerve, and she did not want to waste another breath on him. ¡°Mr. Su, please leave. I can¡¯t make a decision on my own. Come over when my husband and Xixi are around.¡±

    Tuning in from outside, Shen Xi could not stand it any longer.

    Madam Yun sure had a good temper to still entertain the brute. With her short temper, Shen Xi would have barged in and taught the man a thing or two about sparing the rod!

    Yet, she was one step behind.

    Shen Zhangqing popped out of nowhere. With bloodshot eyes, he entered the house on a warpath.

    Yun Jinping watched her husband and daughter step into the house together. It was quite terrifying as her husband came on strong. Afraid that blood might spill, she went over to pull him away. ¡°Old Shen, take it easy. Don¡¯t do anything rash!¡±

    Su Yi took a nce at the slightly chubby man. Although he lost a lot of weight, Su Yi could recognize that it was Shen Zhangqing. With a smile, he got up and greeted Shen Zhangqing. ¡°Mr. Shen, since you and Xixi are home, we should talk.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing gave him the evil eye and broke free of Yun Jinping before heading straight into the kitchen.

    Finding it odd, Su Yi frowned and fancied himself humorous as he joked around with Shen Xi in a bid to get closer to her and defuse the tension in the air. ¡°Xixi, what¡¯s up with your adoptive father? He went into the kitchen the second he came home. Hungry from a diet?¡±

    He said those words nonchntly.

    Shen Zhangqing came out of the kitchen with two knives in his hands. With bloodshot eyes, he murderously charged at Su Yi. ¡°Su Yi! I have not got you back for abusing my daughter but since you¡¯re here, I¡¯m going to chop you brute to death today!¡±

    Su Yi freaked out and watched the naked deing for his face before taking cover. The knife missed him and cut into the coffee table. With a pale face, Su Yi questioned Shen Zhangqing. ¡°What are you¡­¡±

    Without giving him the chance to talk and react, Shen Zhangqing swung another round of attack in a spectacr fashion. Quick and ruthless, Shen Zhangqing unsparingly tried to hack Su Yi.

    Shen Zhangqing recklessly held tworge knives as he went after Su Yi.

    The good-for-nothing Su Yi scrambled around the house seeking cover in a fluster.

    Yun Jinping feared that trouble would follow if he really chopped Su Yi apart. She managed to stop Old Shen at the living room entrance from pursuing further.

    Standing at the door, Shen Xi observed Su Yi running away after peeing his pants. It was an amusing sight. He lost one shoe and was with a limp but still fled faster than a dog.

    Shen Zhangqing was far from venting all of his anger. He picked up the knife and yelled, ¡°Get lost! Scram far away! I¡¯ll cut you down every time youe around. Let me tell you ¨C the daughter is mine and she has nothing to do with you!¡±

    Su Yi was outraged. He had never met with such humiliation since the day he was born, and it sparked a murderous intent in him. Looking bloodthirsty and resentful, he kicked the car.

 Chapter 247 - Throw Her Out

    <h4>Chapter 247: Throw Her Out</h4>

    Su Yi was not going to take no for an answer.

    Shen Xi was his daughter. It was only natural that he brought his daughter back home.

    Who did Shen Zhangqing think he was? He was only a foster father who thought he was all that.

    In any case, Su Yi was going to take Shen Xi home. Shen Zhangqing and his wife should not me him for what was toe if they were to refuse.

    Still furious, Su Yi returned home drunk.

    Su Ruowan restlessly sat in the living room. Following Su Yi¡¯s return, she came forth and helped him up worriedly. ¡°Dad, why did you drink so much? Why isn¡¯t Shen Xi home with you?¡±

    Darkness glossed over Su Yi¡¯s eyes at the mention of Shen Xi. He turned to Su Ruowan and said, ¡°Wanwan, Xixi doesn¡¯t seem to like you.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Looking into his emotionless eyes, she innocently and naively gazed at him and spoke softly, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I will get along with Shen Xi and give her whatever she wants.¡±

    What was he trying to say?

    Did he want to throw her out?

    No!

    No way!

    She was the Su family¡¯s daughter. She simply could not leave.

    Su Yi chuckled rather heartlessly. ¡°Wanwan, have you thought about living with your biological parents? They must miss you.¡±

    Su Ruowan was finally rattled. Despite boiling with hatred, her eyes turned red as she shed sorrowful tears. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m your daughter. You and Mom love me so much and I hadn¡¯t had the chance to repay my gratitude. How could I leave?¡±

    Just as she thought.

    She should have known.

    Mom and Dad, her *ss. They were only nice if she held value to them.

    Now that her value was less than Shen Xi, they intended to ditch and throw her out to bring Shen Xi back instead.

    ¡°Your father came by the officest week, saying that he misses you and wants you back.¡± Su Yi was wasted, so it was all the wine talking now. ¡°Xixi won¡¯t feel at home with you around.¡±

    ¡°Dad.¡± Su Ruowan cried pitifully and helplessly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯ll always be your one and only daughter?¡±

    She was not going back!

    There was no way Su Ruowan would return to that disgusting family that made her sick to her stomach. She could throw up at the thought of going back.

    ¡°Wanwan, I know your mom and I are asking a lot from you.¡± Su Yi was notpletely heartless. This was the daughter he loved and watched growing up. ¡°We will try our best in making it up to you so that you¡¯re set for life.¡±

    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m refusing to leave. I can leave when Shen Xi is back.¡± Su Ruowan felt as though someone crushed her heart. Her eyes were as swollen as peaches. ¡°But if I were to leave, how are you going to exin to the Gu family?¡±

    The Gu family would cancel the engagement if they were to find out that she was not the daughter of the Su family. The suspension of the partnership would be a fatal blow to the Su family¡¯s business.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Xixi is Cai Ni, a student of Jiang Yin, and she also has a close rtionship with Mr. Fu. The Fu family will be pleased with her as their daughter-inw.¡± Su Yi did not bother to hide his delight.

    The Gu family was nothing inparison with the Fu family.

    All he wanted now was for the Gu family to break off the engagement. Things would not look good if they insisted on proceeding with the marriage.

    Xixi and Mr. Fu were close. She was beautiful and talented. Mr. Fu would be eating out the palm of Xixi¡¯s hand once his wife was done teaching her a trick or two.

 Chapter 248 - Utter Disappointment

    <h4>Chapter 248: Utter Disappointment</h4>

    Only then, Xixi would be the daughter-inw of the Fu family. With the Fu family as inws, the Su family could reach higher in the socialdder.

    Su Ruowan could not mask the hatred and wickedness in her eyes any longer. There was only bitter resentment left after utter disappointment. She gazed at the man before her. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s talk tomorrow once you¡¯ve sobered up.¡±

    Completely wasted, Su Yi tilted his head and asked her, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t me me, alright?¡±

    Su Ruowan shook her head while looking back at him weakly and innocently. She showed understanding and answered, ¡°No. Mom and Dad love me the most in this world. I can¡¯t thank you enough for raising me. How could I me you?¡±

    me?

    She hated their guts.

    Su Ruowan had given some thoughts that they might possibly bring Shen Xi back.

    What never urred to her was that the man would be so ruthless with no regard for their father-daughter rtionship. Every word that came out of his mouth hurt her and tore her heart apart.

    ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re a good kid.¡± Su Yi smiled happily.

    Su Ruowan helped him into the house. ¡°Dad, let me drink with you since you¡¯re in a bad mood.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Su Yi was happy as long as he kept his thoughts away from Shen Zhangqing. Seeing that she was sensible and easy to talk to, he sighed.

    Well, it paid him off for doting on this girl after all. She was sensible and considerate. If only she was as aplished and outstanding as Xixi, he would not have to then swallow his pride and cut his own throat with the Shen family.

    What a shame!

    Unlike Xixi, Wanwan was unattractive and talentless, nor did she have the capability to befriend the Fu family.

    Su Ruowan took out a bottle of brandy, Louis XIII Pearl, that Su Yi had reserved for many years. Drawing close with two sses in hand, he poured him the alcohol. ¡°Dad, is Shen Xi willing toe back?¡±

    Su Yi downed the drink. ¡°How could she refuse toe back? This is her home. Where does she think she¡¯s going aside from here?¡±

    Su Ruowan smiled. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Struck by a thought, Su Yi looked at her and said, ¡°Wanwan, it¡¯s best you stay out of National Idol. Xixi told me early on that she wanted to debut into showbiz and be a star. Give the chance to her.¡±

    The hatred in Su Ruowan was burning like a wildfire, but she kept a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Everything I have now is given by you. I¡¯ll do anything you ask of me.¡±

    Su Yi drank another ss of wine with mixed feelings. ¡°You¡¯re the sensible one.¡±

    With eyes filled with contempt and devilry, Su Ruowan wanted to crush the ss in her hands.

    Sensible?

    What was the use of being sensible?

    It still led her to be heartlessly thrown out by them.

    In the end, Su Yi drank until he was mumbling nonsense.

    Su Ruowan helped him to bed and gazed cynically at the man lying motionlessly in bed. With foul determination to go for broke, she took a deep breath and made up her mind.

    Great!

    Throw her out, huh?

    Well, she was not going to give him thestugh. By hook or by crook, Su Ruowan was here to stay. There was no way she would allow Shen Xi, the b*tch, to take over her ce and rob her of her happiness and affection.

    First thing in the morning.

    Su Yi opened his eyes to find Su Ruowan lying beside him. He was scared witless.

    As soon as Su Ruowan opened her eyes, she pulled the covers over in a panic and widened her innocent eyes in disbelief. Shocked, she gruffly cried in despair. ¡°Dad.¡±

 Chapter 249 - By Hook or By Crook

    <h4>Chapter 249: By Hook or By Crook</h4>

    The only thing on Su Yi¡¯s mind was to kill himself. How could he do such a thing?

    He had always raised Wanwan like his own. Su Yi may be a monster, but he would never do such a revolting act!

    ¡°Stop crying. Pack up your stuff and I¡¯ll get someone to take you away.¡± Su Yi looked at her.

    There was no use crying over spilled milk. It was a priority toe up with a way to sort this out quickly before anyone found out.

    Fortunately, Wanwan was not his biological daughter. Otherwise, his actions would make him no less than a monster.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Su Ruowan was fixated on him with tear stains on her face. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not leaving. This is my home. Where are you going to send me away? You¡¯re my dad. I won¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s head could burst. Nevertheless, his heart melted a little to see her tearful face. ¡°No. How am I supposed to face you from now on?¡±

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re a movie star.¡± Su Ruowan stared back at him while showing her vulnerable and helpless side. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. You can give everything to Shen Xi and my only wish is that you don¡¯t drive me away. This is the home where I grew up. Mom, Dad, and my brothers are all here. I don¡¯t want to go anywhere else.¡±

    Su Yi stood before her. ¡°Do as you¡¯re told, and I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡±

    Since he stood his stance, Su Ruowan went for it. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mom the whole thing if you throw me out.¡±

    Su Yi swiftly turned cranky and ruthless, but he tried to put aside his anger. ¡°Stop crying. You can stay, but if you breathe one word about this, don¡¯t me me for forgetting about whatever father-daughter rtionship we ever have.¡±

    Burying her face in the sheets, Su Ruowan trembled her body while whimpering softly. The man¡¯s words saw her sneering to herself.

    Ha. All men were the same. There was nothing good about them.

    This animal always imed that he saw her as his own, but when it came to the crunch, he chose Shen Xi and ditched her instead.

    If he were to keep to his words, which included allowing her to stay with the Su family, being nice to her, and listen to her, Su Ruowan would treat him well but think of him as a father as always.

    Well, in the event he was to blow her off, it was not her fault for showing no quarter in return.

    Su Yi still had business to take care of. Nothing was more important than bringing Shen Xi back. After calming Su Ruowan down, he went to the hospital to see Li Jingran.

    Yesterday, he hit a wall during his visit to Shen¡¯s residence. On top of that, he was intimidated by a person like Shen Zhangqing and left with an egg on his face.

    Today, Su Yi and Li Jingran were going together with theirwyer to talk with Shen Zhangqing and his wife.

    Shen Zhangqing and his wife were only nouveau riche from the vige. With people like them, using thew and talking about taking them to court was a good enough intimidation and a sure-fire way to get them to hand over their daughter.

    ¡­

    It was unusually lively at No. 4 High School today.

    Last night, Pei Xu, alongside the trolls of the international ss, took over the school¡¯s forum. No one was allowed to post other than them.

    All the posts were calling out Su Mushi to quit being a coward and to deliver as promised in the bet.

    However, Su Mushi seemed to vanish into thin air and could not be found. Even Su Ruowan did not attend school.

    The break after the second period was reserved for physical education.

    The tenth and eleventh graders were to join in for a workout while the twelfth graders could use the time to study. This session was notpulsory except for Mondays.

    ¡°Alpha Xu, Alpha, Su Mushi, Su Mushi, he¡­¡± Lin Ge was gasping for air as he rushed over.

 Chapter 250 - A Betâ€™s A Bet

    <h4>Chapter 250: A Bet¡¯s A Bet</h4>

    ¡°Use your words.¡± Pei Xu crossed his legs on the table as he leaned backzily. He looked askance at Lin Ge. ¡°The boy is finally showing his face?¡±

    Nodding, Lin Ge caught his breath. ¡°He¡¯s tied up on the podium with a sack over his head. He¡¯s ditched at the podium. Alpha Xu, who do you think did this?¡±

    Pei Xu caressed his lips with his thumb. With an irrepressible and bloodthirsty smile, he got up and charmingly jumped over the table before turning back to smile at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, do you want to go and take a look with me?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s reply was indifferent.

    She found out yesterday when Song Wenye came overst night. Pei Xu and Su Mushi made a bet on whether she would walk the red carpet. The loser had to crawl under the other party¡¯s crotch.

    Song Wenye was not having it and insisted on pulling her along. ¡°Xixi, let¡¯s go. Su Mushi really did it to himself this time. We will see if he¡¯s still going to act like he¡¯s all that in school. The campus beau, my *ss!¡±

    Shen Xi, along with the other girlfriends, were dragged to the schoolyard.

    It was quite themotion in the schoolyard with over ten thousand No. 4 High School students, including its junior high division. The crowd was blown out of proportion following the arrival of the junior high division joining in with the other onlookers. It was so huge that only a sea of faces was visible from afar.

    Since Pei Xu was on a manhunt, Lin Ge had someone watch over Su Mushi the moment he was discovered while he went to report to Pei Xu.

    Cocky as she could be, Song Wenye brought along her girlfriends yelling fiercely for people to give way. It did not take long before they reached the podium.

    Yu Qiubai had not been there for too long by the looks of it. Kneeling by Su Mushi, Yu Qiubai fixated on him. ¡°Shi, a bet¡¯s a bet. Even as bros, I can¡¯t do anything to help you. Just be done and over with it so I can take you to the infirmary.¡±

    Su Mushi gave Yu Qiubai a dirty eye and hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Yu Qiubai, I¡¯m not your bro!¡±

    Bro?

    Would anyone do such a thing to their bro?

    Yu Qiubai was the first person to discover him. Yet, Yu Qiubai did not release him and even told someone to inform Pei Xu. This was no buddy of his.

    Letting out a sigh, Yu Qiubai regrettably replied all hurt, ¡°I know you¡¯re ming me for all this, but I¡¯m only doing so for your own good. Be a man of your word. How can you go back on your word after agreeing to it? I¡¯m the witness and even as bros, I can¡¯t y favorites.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the d*mn fox before turning to Su Mushi who was at the end of his rope. She was beginning to pity the fe.

    ¡°Since the person in question is here¡­¡± Yu Qiubai turned a blind eye to Su Mushi¡¯s murderous eyes and stood up. ¡°A bet¡¯s a bet. It¡¯s time to carry out the condition of the bet.¡±

    Su Mushi was about to lose it. He darted the evil eye at Yu Qiubai, feeling all the genuine feelings he poured out in the past were a waste. Su Mushi thought of him as his buddy, but thetter thought nothing of him.

    Compared to the humiliation he was about to go through, Yu Qiubai¡¯s betrayal was a bigger blow to him.

    The bet between Su Mushi and Pei Xu had already stirred up quite a buzz. Everyone in No. 4 High School knew about it and was eagerly waiting to watch it unfold.

    Yu Qiubai withdrew to Shen Xi and asked with his head tilted to the side. ¡°Do you know who tied Shi up and threw him here?¡±

    Not bothered to look at him, Shen Xi gazed at Su Mushi getting on his knees in disgrace and resentment as he got ready to crawl under and between Pei Xu¡¯s legs.

    Yu Qiubai was the first person to discover Su Mushi and the first to make it here. Holding a ck cloth in his hand, Yu Qiubai dangled it in front of Shen Xi. ¡°Do you recognize this?¡±

 Chapter 251 - The â€œUnder-Crotch-Crawlingâ€ Humiliation

    <h4>Chapter 251: The ¡°Under-Crotch-Crawling¡± Humiliation</h4>

    By the corner of her eye, Shen Xi scanned the pattern on the cloth and got an idea of who was behind this. Yet, she remained unfazed nor was she bothered to give Yu Qiubai a nce.

    ¡°It looks pretty, right!¡± Yu Qiubai dangled the ck cloth in front of her. The suspicion he had was ascertained judging by her calmposure.

    His guess was right. She recognized it.

    He would not be skeptical if she at least showed a bit of reaction.

    Theposed look on her face made it all the more suspicious.

    The pattern on the cloth was none other than the Li family¡¯s emblem.

    There was definitely no bad blood between Su Mushi and the Li family. It was not like Su Mushi could step on the Li family¡¯s toes and even if he did, Su Mushi would not be alive until today.

    Yu Qiubai could onlye up with one reason for the Li family to tie Su Mushi up. It was for this girl here.

    However, she remained tight-lipped and in denial. He was not in the position to make her talk.

    Shen Xi had seen the pattern before, but it was only once when Brother handed her the centurion card. The card had the same pattern and she assumed it must be some sort of family emblem.

    Yu Qiubai was aware that he should take his time. Now that he was sure that the girl knew, he should be able to find a way to find that person¡¯s whereabouts.

    He had been on the search for some time now, so he did not mind waiting a little longer.

    Su Mushi had never been so humiliated. Since crawling under Pei Xu¡¯s legs, he could feel every cell in his body screaming out in rage. His eyes were ring red while the expression on his face was sinister.

    He shall have his revenge. Keeping them as well as the pain he suffered in mind, Su Mushi would one day return the humiliation he suffered today in multiple folds.

    ¡°What a good boy.¡± From above, Pei Xu looked at Su Mushi who was on his knees. An arrogant and wild smile spread across his face. ¡°Had you been a good boy sooner, you didn¡¯t have to be brought here all tied up.¡±

    ¡°It was you, right!¡± Su Mushi viciously red at him.

    Su Mushi was knocked unconscious while he was on his way to get even with Shen Xi yesterday. It was unknown how long he was out but by the time he came to, he was already ditched at the school podium.

    It could be either Pei Xu, the b*stard, or Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi walked the red carpet yesterday and when he was knocked unconscious, she was still at the film festival. Hence, it was not her, making Pei Xu the only possibility. The vile brute always had his way and was more than capable toe up with every dirty trick under the sun.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Pei Xu suggestively turned to Yu Qiubai to stir the me away. ¡°Su Mushi, your best buddy was the first to discover you here.¡±

    Taking in Pei Xu¡¯s dismissal, Su Mushi tauntingly looked towards Yu Qiubai.

    Pei Xu may be bad news, but he would never deny the things he had done or at least lie about it.

    ¡°Shi, don¡¯t listen to his bullsh*t. I¡¯m your bro. How could I possibly do such a thing to you?¡± Yu Qiubai slowly made his way over. He bent over and reached out an arm to help Su Mushi up. ¡°He¡¯s a b*stard and no truth everes out of that mouth. He¡¯s trying to drive a wedge between us.¡±

    Su Mushi pulled away from him. His eyes, like poisonous des, were filled with resentment as he got up with much difficulty before pulling a punch at Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai did not dodge and took the hit. The corner of his lips was cut and blood came dripping. Nevertheless, he nonchntly wiped the blood away with his thumb and asked, ¡°Shi, don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

 Chapter 252 - Fallout Between Bros

    <h4>Chapter 252: Fallout Between Bros</h4>

    Su Mushi spat at Yu Qiubai while staring at him in disgust as though he was looking at a piece of trash. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Shi. It makes me sick to my stomach. Yu Qiubai, I¡¯m no longer your buddy from here on out. I must be blind to think of you as my bro.¡±

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes. The obscurity within was unfathomable. ¡°Shi, take it easy.¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Su Mushi yelled in an outburst. He gave everyone, including Yu Qiubai, the evil look before limping away.

    Smirking in disdain, Pei Xu watched Su Mushi leave with a tail between his legs and gave Yu Qiubai the side nce. ¡°You¡¯re a piece of work.¡±

    He had a fallout with his own buddy, yet Yu Qiubai was acting like nothing was wrong.

    Yu Qiubai smiled. ¡°Thank you for yourpliment.¡±

    ¡°I feel for Su Mushi.¡± Pei Xu clicked his tongue inment.

    Su Mushi went soft. If this guy were Pei Xu¡¯s buddy, he would beat the sh*t out of him.

    ¡°It suddenly hit me that Su Mushi is kind of sad.¡± Blessed with a lot ofpassion and loyalty in her, Song Wenye¡¯s heart went out to Su Mushi who just witnessed the betrayal of his bestie.

    ¡°All of them are a piece of work.¡± With a cold gaze, Shen Xi turned to leave.

    The freak show was over and it was quite entertaining.

    What was Yu Qiubai, the b*stard, really up to? Shen Xi had a strange feeling that the breakup with Su Mushi in public was for her to see.

    Yu Qiubai turned to Pei Xu. ¡°I lost Shi as a buddy for you. Now that I lost my only bro, you have topensate me with one.¡±

    Taking a step back, Pei Xu murderously warned him. ¡°F*ck. Get away from me or I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Who would want to be chummy with a capricious brute? Pei Xu might suffer a more tragic fate than Su Mushi.

    Yu Qiubai closed in and put his arm around Pei Xu¡¯s shoulder like they were best buds. ¡°You¡¯re my buddy from now on.¡±

    Instinctively, Pei Xu let out a kick but was shocked to find that he was restrained without the ability to fight back. The sense of danger crept all over his body. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Yu Qiubai curled his lips into a smile. ¡°I want to be buddies with you.¡±

    Everyone was under the impression that Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai left arm in arm and shoulder to shoulder.

    Shen Xi was aware that Yu Qiubai intimidated and overpowered Pei Xu, denying him any chance of retaliating.

    Who was he?

    What was his motive?

    Song Wenye went after them and ran her mouth. ¡°Alpha Xu, don¡¯t give him your word. Yu Qiubai, you b*stard! Who wants to be your buddy? Bros have each other¡¯s back but you just stab them in the back. You¡¯re bad news.¡±

    Shen Xi shared the same sentiment. Song Wenye could not be more right.

    Yu Qiubai was a selfish snake who only cared about himself and no one else.

    ¡­

    Ever since Su Yi came to the house to bring Shen Xi home, Shen Zhangqing stopped going to work and had been waiting at home.

    The moment Su Yi took one step into their house, Shen Zhangqing was going to slice him to pieces.

    After Su Yi and Li Jingran took another trip there and hit a wall, they went to look for Shen Xi at school instead.

    Su Yi brought out the authority of a father in front of his daughter. There was no way he was going to cave in first. Otherwise, she would not obey him when he brought her home. ¡°Your mom and I are here to take you home.¡±

    Li Jingran put a straight face. ¡°After all, you¡¯re our daughter so we can¡¯t just leave you out in the cold. Your dad and I will provide you with a rightful ce for your return.¡±

 Chapter 253 - Who Gave Birth To You

    <h4>Chapter 253: Who Gave Birth To You</h4>

    Li Jingran hated and was disappointed in her daughter. She had no feelings for Shen Xi, yet at the same time, was aware of thetter¡¯s value. Recognizing Shen Xi as part of the family would be the best and most beneficial choice for herself and the Su family.

    Otherwise, she would never swallow her pride and yield to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes reflected a chilling contempt. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Su Yi put on a solemn look. ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯m your father. What¡¯s this tone you¡¯re using to talk with me?

    Shen Xi scoffed coldly. ¡°My dad¡¯s at home. Who are you to pretend to be my father? My dad doesn¡¯t have your ugly looks.¡±

    Su Yi had witnessed her sharp tongue the day she left the Su residence. However, it still struck a nerve in him to hear it again. ¡°You¡¯re way out of line. Is this how I taught you to talk with others?¡±

    ¡°This is how I talk. Uncultured or not¡­¡± Shen Xi smiled brightly. ¡°¡­ has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ying hardball would not work since she refused to listen and it might just make her rebel. Hence, Su Yi took a milder approach. ¡°Xixi, I know that I¡¯ve wronged you and I¡¯ve been regretting it. Your mom and I feel remorseful to have such a falling out with you in the heat of the moment. However, we shouldn¡¯t hold grudges between family members. Your mom and I will dote on you and give you whatever you want if youe home with us.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Su, man, you have skin so thick even bullets can¡¯t prate.¡± Shen Xi chuckled. ¡°My dad is Shen Zhangqing. My mom is Yun Jinping. Don¡¯t think so highly of yourselves. I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    Rage was brewing in Li Jingran¡¯s eyes while she clenched her fists as she huffed and puffed.

    The d*mn brat. Look at her attitude. She was an uncultured brute who had nothing decent except venoming out of her mouth.

    Su Yi may have choked but he had a different agenda in mind. He believed she said what she said for leverage and to pretend she did not care to get more out of him. Su Yi proceeded to say, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go into showbiz? You told me before and I didn¡¯t do right by you then. Come home with us and you¡¯ll be the star of National Idol. Mom and Dad will provide full support to your career and make you famous.¡±

    Shen Xi raised a brow. ¡°I don¡¯t give a sh*t.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t push it.¡± Winded, Li Jingran threw her an angry look. ¡°Don¡¯t forget who gave birth to you. Without me and your dad, there¡¯s no you.¡±

    Shen Xi must think she was all that and can haveplete disregard for them because she was Cai Ni and Jiang Yin¡¯s student. Well, without them, she would not be who she was now.

    ¡°Then I should really thank you.¡± Shen Xi indifferently grinned. ¡°I was just thinking, as a person, how could anyone live as shamelessly as you two?¡±

    The smile on Su Yi¡¯s face froze. However, he quickly warned Li Jingran when she was about to give Shen Xi a piece of her mind. ¡°Xixi, don¡¯t be angry. We only did so because you¡¯re our daughter.¡±

    Their top prioritying here was to bring her home without further dy. They made an agreement to refrain from getting upset or reprimand her regardless of what Shen Xi said. They must remain nice while talking to Shen Xi.

    ¡°For thest time, I¡¯m not going back.¡± Shen Xi curled her lips looking rather dangerous and bloodthirsty. ¡°Give it up. I¡¯m not Su Ruowan who would be your essory that you can show off or a pawn to be used in your best interest.¡±

 Chapter 254 - Donâ€™t Live Long Enough To Spend Their Fortune

    <h4>Chapter 254: Don¡¯t Live Long Enough To Spend Their Fortune</h4>

    It was apparent on Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s faces that they had lost it when Shen Xi unmasked their foul and disgusting motives.

    Nevertheless, like movie stars, they were proficient in acting.

    ¡°How can you think of us that way?¡± Su Yi was gagging on the inside but remained sad and upset on the surface. Remorseful tears came pouring down. ¡°Your mother and I really made a mistake and let you down. We really want to take the chance to make it right to you.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at him in a taunting manner. ¡°You can act all you want in front of everyone else but with me, just save it.¡±

    Li Jingran was tempted to p her to hear Shen Xi hitting the nail on the head. Yet, she was forced to pull herself together. ¡°That¡¯s in the past. Your dad and I were wrong and left you sad and disappointed, but you are my daughter after all. I carried you for ten months and almost died giving birth to you.¡±

    Shen Xi gave the dramatic couple a chilling scornful look. ¡°Your daughter died the day she left the Su residence. Don¡¯t try and im the moral high ground here.¡±

    She then got up to leave.

    Su Yi caught up and stopped her before giving her another remorseful gaze, ¡°Xixi, what do I have to do so that you¡¯d take me seriously? I¡¯m begging you. Come home with me. I will love you and give you whatever you want.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s lips curled as her eyes unleashed her thirst for blood with her gaze fixated on Su Yi and said, ¡°Just. Go. To. Hell.¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s body stiffened, frightened by her murderous eyes.

    Li Jingran was shaking as rage overtook her vision.

    The d*mn brat. Li Jingran knew that Shen Xi came to see them just to ridicule and piss them off. Shen Xi had always been so evil.

    ¡°Hubby, let¡¯s go. Stop begging.¡± Enraged, Li Jingran never wanted to see her again.

    ¡°What are you yapping about? I don¡¯t believe that her heart is made of stone. We are her birth parents after all. We just need toe back a few times and she will understand that we¡¯reing from a good ce.¡± Su Yi red at Li Jingran. ¡°You¡¯ve done poorly. Next time we¡¯re here, you should learn how to find a way into her heart.¡±

    Li Jingran gnashed her teeth in anger as Shen Xi disappeared out of sight. ¡°D*mn brat. ying hard to get, huh? What a smart*ss.¡±

    They were already doing her a favor bying over to bring her home. Yet, she had the audacity to refuse. Shen Xi must be wanting to get more out of them.

    ¡°You can tell it too!¡± Su Yi solemnly looked at her. ¡°She¡¯s a child. She doesn¡¯t know better. I think she¡¯s poisoned by the Shen couple.¡±

    Li Jingran shared his sentiment. She appeared grimacing as envy got the better of her. ¡°Yun Jinping. I underestimated that woman and thought she knew nothing. It never crossed my mind that Yun Jingping would y these mind games and that brat has no idea what hit her. The brat established her personal fashion brand, Jin Yun, using Yun Jingping¡¯s name.¡±

    Shen Xi was supposed to be her daughter. Li Jingran¡¯s name should have been used for the fashion brand. An outsider like Yun Jinping deserved no such honor.

    Su Yi curled his lips grimly. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to look into Jin Yun¡¯s shareholders. For someone who¡¯s taking advantage of our Su family, well, I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t live long enough to spend their fortune.

 Chapter 255 - Stalemate

    <h4>Chapter 255: Stalemate</h4>

    ¡°Fine.¡± Li Jingran looked away. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t rush this and we need to talk about it at length.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t me Xixi. She used to be such a good girl when she was at home. Let her do whatever she wants and she¡¯ll warm up to us. She¡¯s just been hurt too much and with the Shen couple meddling in between, they are just sowing a seed of discord between us.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just a child. What does she know? She¡¯s going to believe whatever the adults tell her,¡± Su Yi added. ¡°Her adoptive parents got into her head. We are her biological parents, and as long as we speak to her nicely, she will know who her real family is and who she can rely on.¡±

    The Shen couple were cruel to drive a wedge between them and their flesh and blood. Su Yi was not going to forgive them easily.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Li Jingran nodded. ¡°Shen Zhangqing and his wife are evil.¡±

    Their daughter was such a good girl and listened to their every word. In mere months, she became rebellious and uncultured with a foul mouth that just got on Li Jingran¡¯s nerves. It was all the Shen couple¡¯s doing.

    The pair took the time to discuss it and agreed that their daughter gave them an attitude because she was led astray. All problems would be solved once they took the Shen couple out of the equation. Their daughter would once again return to their side and be their good girl who listened to their every word.

    Since then, Su Yi and Li Jingran would look for Shen Xi every chance they got. However, for some reason, they were unable to see her each time. Hence, their only choice was to meet the Shen couple and request them to let go of their daughter.

    To intimidate Shen Zhangqing and his wife, Su Yi even brought along the police and his attorney to the Shen residence in hopes the couple would give in and hand over their daughter. Otherwise, they shall meet in court.

    It never urred to Su Yi that Shen Zhangqing would not go along with it. He countersued them for trespassing and called the cops on them. They were so close to bringing the feud to the police station.

    Su Yi flipped his top. Not only did he fail to see his daughter, but it was also a dead-end with the Shen couple. Since he was upied with his usual busy year-end work, the situation remained at a stalemate.

    ¡­

    Following the finals, the school term was finally over, and thus the holidays began.

    Shen Zhangqing was busy at work right up to the end of the year.

    Yun Jinping nned to take Shen Xi back to their hometown a few days earlier. Since she had not returned for the Ancestral Remembrance Day, the elders at home must be missing her.

    Shen Xi was packing up the night before the trip when she received a call from Jiang Yin. Shen Xi was informed that the sessor of the Bian Embroidery[1], Mr. Huo Yuping, was located and he had agreed to teach her this needlework.

    Shen Xi had been asking around for this special embroidery technique called Bian Embroidery as her creations would require it. It never crossed her mind that Jiang Yin would have found her one.

    Concerned about letting Shen Xi go alone, Yu Jinping wanted to keep herpany.

    Shen Xi did not concur with the idea. She wanted Yun Jinping to either wait at home for Old Shen or to leave for their hometown. Shen Xi would only be gone for a week and would return before the Lunar New Year.

    ¡°Call me once you¡¯re there and have settled down, all right?¡± Yun Jinping longingly pulled her hand and enjoined her, ¡°You have to take good care of yourself and keep yourself out of harm¡¯s way over there. Remember to take your meals and rest on time when I¡¯m not around.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I got it. I¡¯m not a child.¡± Shen Xi cheerfully gazed at her and reached out to wipe away her tears. ¡°I¡¯m going there to learn a new skill, not gearing up for battle. Why are you crying?¡±

    [1] Bian Embroidery originated from Kaifeng, Henan Province of China

 Chapter 256 - The Fu Familyâ€™s Estate

    <h4>Chapter 256: The Fu Family¡¯s Estate</h4>

    Yun Jinping could not seem to rx at the thought that her daughter was about to travel to a foreignnd on her own. ¡°I¡¯ve always been with you wherever you go.¡±

    She was always by her daughter¡¯s side as Shen Xi was growing up, except for the time thetter was taken away by the Su family. Yun Jinping was only at ease taking care of Shen Xi right by her side.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m all grown up. I can handle it myself.¡± Heartbroken, Shen Xi wiped away Yun Jinping¡¯s tears. ¡°Now, now. Don¡¯t cry. Old Shen¡¯s going to give me a telling off if he finds out.¡±

    Carrying Shen Xi¡¯s luggage, Yun Jinping advised on all the big and small matters while walking. Her daughter indeed grew up a lot since returning from the Su home. Nevertheless, Shen Xi remained a child in her eyes no matter how grown up she was.

    Shen Xi entered the boarding gate and waved at Yun Jinping. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Yun Jinping did not want her daughter to see her cry. Hence, she waved her arm off before turning her back towards Shen Xi and letting the tears loose. Sure, Yun Jinping said she would not worry but how could she not!

    Watching on with a lump on her throat, Shen Xi pulled her luggage and walked away.

    She wanted Mom toe with her since her mom was better with her hands than she was. However, Mom caught the flu and had notpletely recovered from it.

    limatizing to new ces was an issue as Shen Xi had trouble eating and sleeping. It would take her a long time before her body could adjust to the new climate.

    In the past, she had no problems traveling for a day or two topete around the country. Nevertheless, this trip would take only about a week.

    Having known that Shen Xi was going to Vienna to learn embroidery, Fu Qingye arranged for her to stay at the Fu family¡¯s estate in Vienna.

    Since he had a week left of his itinerary in China, Fu Qingye could only rush his trip before Shen Xi was done with hers. Otherwise, he would have gone with her.

    Fu Qingye gave Shen Xi a call and showed his concern once he received her message saying she had arrived at the estate. ¡°Is it raining there? Did you get caught in the rain?¡±

    Carrying her luggage, Shen Xi ventured further into and looked at the huge estate. She said with a smile, ¡°It stopped raining long ago. It¡¯s beautiful here.¡±

    Vienna was warmer than the capital in the winter, averaging above zero temperature. It was raining and cloudy when she got off the ne.

    The Fu family¡¯s estate had mountains in the back and a river in the front. The scenery was breathtaking amid the misty weather, like a paradise on earth.

    The Fu family would have vacations in the estate every once in a while, probably no more than twice a year. The caretakers were a Chinese couple who was in charge of the estate¡¯s overall upkeeping.

    Shen Xi arrived at a bad time as the old couple had returned home for the year-end holiday. Thus, the estate was left vacant.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you like the ce.¡± Fu Qingye was pleased to learn that the ce was to her liking. Nheless, he still had his worries. ¡°You must be scared to be alone without Uncle Chen and his wife around. Let me arrange a few maids over.¡±

    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m here to learn, not to be on vacation.¡± Shen Xi grinned. ¡°My teacher told me that Mr. Huo can be scary. I probably won¡¯t have time to have lunch.¡±

    Fu Qingye¡¯s heart went out to her. He solemnly urged her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your meals and to take breaks. I¡¯ll get a few maids to cook for you. I can get a friend of mine to check up on you daily if you find it hard to adjust to the ce.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Qingye, there¡¯s really no need for that. I¡¯m happy that you provide me with a great ce to live. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a child and can take care of myself.¡±

 Chapter 257 - A Peculiar Room

    <h4>Chapter 257: A Peculiar Room</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingye hummed in acknowledgment. ¡°Sure. Stay safe and don¡¯t go out alone at night. There aren¡¯t a lot of people around and you don¡¯t want to run into bad ones. Also, there are wild animals in the mountain so don¡¯t wander unnecessarily. I think I should hire a few bodyguards for you.¡±

    ¡°Qingye.¡± Shen Xi was filled with warmth as she replied with a smile. ¡°You nag more than my mom. Don¡¯t you worry, I won¡¯t lose a limb and will return in one piece.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Fu Qingye had no idea why, but he was just worried. He was afraid that she might not sleep well, eat well, or be in danger. ¡°Call me whenever you have questions.¡±

    The girl would rather have nothing and stay alone in a huge and empty estate. He was afraid that she might be scared.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi gave a nod before cheerfully enquiring. ¡°It¡¯s such a big ce. Can I really sleep in any room? It¡¯s all up to me?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s voice was warm. ¡°Stay in whichever room you like. The cars are in the garage and the keys are in the living room¡¯s cab. Pick any car you like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Qingye.¡± During the time they were on the call, Shen Xi had already dragged her suitcase to the living room.

    It was a massive living room with a handcrafted stained-ss high ceiling. It was as beautiful as a royal pce.

    The sofa, coffee table, and furniture in the living room had their own unique sense of design while walls had rare and famous paintings hung all over. The ce appeared low-key yet exuded an air of opulence.

    Since Shen Xi was not picky and could not be bothered to move after a day of the flight, she chose the room closest to her and that required the least amount of walking.

    The room was huge but theyout was a little odd and all over the ce.

    There was a princess bed, with sky blue silk bedding and a white canopy to match.

    The floor was carpeted with a soft and white woolen rug of fancy needlework.

    A pink wardrobe and a matching set of the dressing table and chair sat in the room.

    There were books of various genres on the gray shelves.

    Lots of cute plushies were ced on a saturated orange leather sofa.

    The furniture was rather tasteful on its own, but the various styles and colors put together did make it seem chaotic. It was as though the unwanted furniture were dumped here.

    ncing around, Shen Xi believed this may be the storage room and decided to stay there.

    She did not feel it was right to stay in the other rooms because it would only be awkward to sleep in the room of someone else¡¯s family member.

    She woke after a nap to unpack her luggage, only to feel weirder when she opened the wardrobe.

    The wardrobe door opened to ess a huge walk-in closet.

    The walk-in closet was filled to the brim with clothes ¨C girls¡¯ clothes, jewelry, essories, and hats of various styles and colors.

    Shen Xi was cross-eyed by the sight of it. All the big brands andtest collections of luxury clothes were here. There were also numerous hottest and limited-edition fashion brands as well as a rack of Yun Jin¡¯stest release.

    She was starting to suspect what was the room she casually moved into used for. Did one of the young masters of the Fu family have the hobby of collecting clothes?

    Shen Xi could understand that children of the wealthy had their own quirks. These clothes were new and still had tags on them.

    The sky was dark outside.

    A red sports car drove into the estate.

 Chapter 258 - Get Out Of Here!

    <h4>Chapter 258: Get Out Of Here!</h4>

    Shen Xi did not touch anything in the room, except propping a rack to hang her clothes. Even though she would only be staying here for a week, the clothes simply could not stay in the suitcase. Otherwise, Shen Xi would not be able to wear them.

    By the time she was done unpacking her luggage and putting up her toiletries, Shen Xi realized that she was hungry. She opened the suitcase and fished out a packet of self-heating rice and self-heating hotpot.

    Self-heating hotpot, rice, and rice bowl had yet to be a trend during this time. After letting Old Shen in on this, Old Shen sought a manufacturer for production. However, these products were yet to be released into the market.

    To survive here, Shen Xi brought along a suitcase full of instant food ¨C hotpot, rice, vegetables, instant noodles, snail noodles, ramen, etc. She brought everything but the kitchen sink.

    She was just about to head out.

    The door suddenly was pushed open.

    Shen Xi turned around and saw a young man dressed in a ck windbreaker standing at the door. He carried two huge bags in his hands.

    The young man was taken aback by her presence, but he quickly transformed into a provoked beast with mes of rage burning in his eyes. He yelled at Shen Xi, ¡°Get out! Who let you in here?¡±

    Finding it odd, Shen Xi frowned and gazed at the young man. She asked him, ¡°Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    She had seen him before. Qingye gave her a picture of him, and this handsome young man before her was him, all right.

    The young man had good looks, red lips, and a chiseled face. His figure was the slender kind unique to this young age, positioning his beauty between genders. The flickering mes in his narrow eyes explicitly expressed his fury.

    Looking at the girl¡¯s uncanny resemnce to his mother, Fu Qingxuan sensed a familiarity that spoke to his heart. His heart was beating fast but it did not take long before he faced reality.

    She was not!

    She was Shen Xi!

    Qingye told him about her and sent him a photograph as well.

    She was not his younger sister, but the daughter of Li Jingran!

    ¡°Get out!¡± Suppressing the overwhelming rage, Fu Qingxuan fixated his eyes on her with a dangerous look on his face. He did not even bother to hide his detest. ¡°Take your things and get out of here.¡±

    This was his younger sister¡¯s room. Shen Xi, with the tainted Li family¡¯s blood running through her veins, had no right to upy his younger sister¡¯s room.

    Qingye said that Shen Xi was great but Fu Qingxuan could not see anything good in her. She must have bewitched Qingye as thetter always talked about her every time he called him.

    Fu Qingxuan lost his temper and argued with Qingye. How could he be like this? How could he be nice to a stranger when their younger sister was yet to be found?

    How dare Shen Xi steal Qingye¡¯s love and care that was supposedly for their sister?

    As a member of the Li family, Shen Xi was unworthy topete with their younger sister!

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi had no idea why he threw a tantrum out of the blue, but she calmly nodded and put all her stuff back into her luggage while letting out a sigh. It seemed not everyone in the Fu family was as good-natured as Qingye.

    It never urred to Fu Qingxuan that she would ept the fact willingly and remain collected. He looked askance at her. ¡°What trick do you have up your sleeve?¡±

    Shen Xi sighed and turned back to smile at him. Although there was a smile across her lips, her eyes reflected a chilling taunt. ¡°Young Master Fu, I¡¯mplying with your order and getting out of your house.¡±

    She refused to argue with a child out of respect for Qingye.

    ¡°You must be Li Jingran¡¯s daughter! I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from my brother.¡± With a menacing hint in his eyes, Fu Qingxuan warned her. ¡°My brother may be easily fooled and have taken pity on you, but I¡¯m not my brother.¡±

 Chapter 259 - Go After

    <h4>Chapter 259: Go After</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan was told by Fu Qingye that Shen Xi was a poor soul that was driven out of the family by Li Jingran and was not to pick on her should he run into her one day.

    However, what was so pitiful about her? Was she abandoned the day she was born? Mom suffered a simr fate. However, apart from being abandoned, did she suffer an impairment, a congenital defect that could never be cured?

    ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re overreacting.¡± Shen Xi found it weird. Qingye seemed to bear quite a grudge against Li Jingran, and now this hot-tempered fe brought up Li Jingran and was angry because she was the daughter of Li Jingran.

    What was the feud between the Fu family and Li Jingran? By right, Fu Qingxuan should not bear such animosity towards her since Qingye was nice to her.

    Shen Xi went to the walk-in closet to retrieve her items.

    Fu Qingxuan suddenly pulled her back and darted an angry look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister¡¯s stuff!¡±

    Gazing at him, Shen Xi was taken in by an urge tough at him. He wanted to be a vicious wolf but judging by his expression, he was obviously a harmless cub with a tough exterior. ¡°My clothes are in there. Please help me take them out.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan pushed all her clothes out before carrying the two huge bags into the closet.

    Shen Xi was packing up her clothes when she saw the young man taking out the clothes from the bags. They weredies¡¯ clothes from thetest spring collection from Mn¡¯s fashion week.

    The young man carefully took out the clothes one by one and hung them on a hanger before putting them in the closet. He handled the task as though it was something sacred.

    While dragging her suitcase out, Shen Xi could not help herself from taking a nce at the young man.

    Although the young man had a bad temper, he was really good to his sister. He probably yelled at her because she stayed in his sister¡¯s room unknowingly.

    Since Shen Xi had epted Fu Qingye¡¯s kindness, she really did not have the heart to beat up the young man in front of her.

    The house was empty by the time Fu Qingxuan turned around.

    The girl was long gone. For a moment, emptiness seemed to be seeping into his heart as he walked towards the bay window.

    It was dark and foggy outside and it was drizzling as well.

    He wondered when the girl could have gone as he could not see her anywhere.

    For no reason, Fu Qingxuan started to worry. He stood still for a while before going after her.

    When did he be so mean?

    She had no idea. She was the innocent party and did not know that the room belonged to his sister.

    How could he lose his temper and drive her away?

    The air was filled with heavy fog outside.

    Fu Qingxuan could feel his guilt rising as he went out to search for Shen Xi

    D*mn girl!

    Why did she do as she was told and leave when he asked her to?

    It was raining on such a cold day. What if she caught a cold being out in the rain?

    With the estate surrounded byrge vis and other estates, the area was empty and barely popted. What if she bumped into bad guys on her way out?

    Behind the estate was a huge mountain where wild animals often roamed around. What if she was eaten up by wild animals?

    With each hand pulling arge suitcase, Shen Xi had her hands full to carry an umbre. Fortunately, she would not get sick from a light drizzle and mist. Despite walking for a while now, she had not seen any taxi stand, let alone a living being.

    The foreign ce had morend than people!

    Even though Shen Xi was thrown out, she was not in the position to let Fu Qingye know. She fell asleep and forgot to charge her phone after checking in with everyone. The phone had shut off itself by the time she remembered to do so. Hence, there was no way she could call for help.

 Chapter 260 - Why Are You Crying

    <h4>Chapter 260: Why Are You Crying</h4>

    The weather was cold, especially on a rainy day.

    It was a damp and cold weather, with chills to the bone brought by gusts of wind. Drizzles of rain were as cold as little icicles on the skin.

    Shen Xi reflexively wanted to kick when she felt a sudden tug on her luggage. After taking a closer look at the person, she put down the suitcases. ¡°Let go.¡±

    Did he not just throw her out?

    Why was he back?

    Did he just grow a conscience?

    ¡°Give them to me.¡± Fu Qingxuan looked at her with an idle threat. ¡°Hand the suitcases to me.¡±

    Shen Xi pulled back and regained her grip on the suitcases while keeping a straight face on. Without sparing him another nce, she continued her journey with her luggage in hand.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯splexion was beaming red as he picked up the pace to catch up to her. He pulled her arm and said, ¡°Come home with me.¡±

    Shen Xi walked on without looking back. ¡°Not going with you. That¡¯s your home, not mine.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s tone became fierce, but it was just all bark no bite. ¡°Come back with me!¡±

    Shen Xi coldly smirked and finally listlessly looked at him. ¡°Please let go, Young Master Fu. I can¡¯t afford nor do I want to stay at your house.¡±

    Fuming, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes turned red. With a flicker in his eyes, he aggrievedly shouted at her, ¡°Come¡­ Come with me!¡±

    Shen Xi was surprised and gazed back at him amusedly. ¡°Why are you crying when you¡¯re the one who drove me away?¡±

    She never had the chance to be upset and cry!

    Yet, there he was, acting all sad as though she bullied him!

    ¡°Who¡¯s crying!¡± Fu Qingxuan cried out loud to disguise his awkwardness. Panic drove him toe up with an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m not crying. It¡¯s the rain. Come back with me. Qingye¡¯s going to kill me if he finds out you¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°What does your brother killing you have to do with me?¡± Shen Xi scoffed and warned him. ¡°Let go or I won¡¯t hold back on you.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± His narrow eyes were glossy from the tears and rain drops lingering on his lusciousshes. Yet, Fu Qingxuan was not turning his gaze away. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let go unless youe back with me.¡±

    Shen Xi was having a st. Jesus. The young master was so cute and adorable. Yet, she kept a nk look on her face. ¡°Are you in your right mind? You¡¯re the one who threw me out and you¡¯re also the one who wants me back now. What makes you think I should listen to your every word?¡±

    He was such a cub!

    Fu Qingxuan appeared as though he was bullied before she could really give it to him. That look on his face motivated her to get a tease out of him.

    Biting his lip, Fu Qingxuan made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Shen Xi was afraid that he may cry if she continued to refuse. She should forgive him and go with him since she had nowhere to go, and the young man had apologized. She enquired, ¡°Are you going to throw me out again?¡±

    Fu Qingxu replied, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to stay in my sister¡¯s room.¡±

    She retorted, ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    He carried the suitcases and walked ahead.

    With an umbre over her head, Shen Xi strode happily behind him.

    Fu Qingxuan turned around and red at her, ¡°You selfish brat! I¡¯m in the rain!¡¯

    She pretended not to hear and bbed about something else. ¡°You¡¯ve got great scenery here.¡±

    He puffed his cheeks sulkily. What a mean girl. She was a bad girl, as bad as the rest of the Li family!

    Shen Xi curled her lips at the young man who was clearly not having it. She caught up to him to share the umbre.

    Sensing that she was drawing close, Fu Qingxuan soon saw a cover above his head. He faintly grinned before throwing her a look of disdain. ¡°Short legs.¡±

    Gritting her teeth, Shen Xi red at him. This was a personal attack. No way was she going to share the umbre with him!

 Chapter 261 - Jump Off The Deep End With A Tiny Push

    <h4>Chapter 261: Jump Off The Deep End With A Tiny Push</h4>

    Pleased, atst, Fu Qingxuan started to look for excuses to threaten her. ¡°Make no mistake. I do not pity, sympathize with you, nor like you. I¡¯m just afraid that you might be ughtered by a maniac or eaten up by a beast while you¡¯re outside. My brother wille for me.¡±

    Shen Xi said nothing.

    Fu Qingxuan continued on. ¡°Don¡¯t be nice to me. I won¡¯t be nice even if you¡¯re nice to me. Don¡¯t get your head in the clouds that I¡¯m easily fooled like my brother. Get this straight ¨C I will never like you.¡±

    Shen Xi thought it was immature and amusing to hear him go on and on.

    She thought members of the Fu family would share the maturity, poise, and domineering nobility of Qingye. Where did this silly goosee from? Fu Qingxuan looked proper in the photograph. She thought that he was a bad*ss since he was a medical genius and the director of Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Lab.

    Fu Qingxuan carried the two suitcases up to the door when he was struck by a wicked thought, ¡°These are your suitcases. Why am I carrying them?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him like he was an idiot. Why did he only remember that fact when they were already back in the estate? Without a word, she took over the suitcases.

    There were a few steps leading to the entrance.

    Shen Xi carried her luggage to climb up the steps.

    Standing at a corner, Fu Qingxuan quietly observed in hopes she made a fool of herself. He was waiting for her to ask for help. The mean girl was going to beg him for sure because she would not be able to carry that many suitcases up the steps.

    Unable to see his expression in the dark, Shen Xi had no idea what he was up to, nor did she care. With one baggage in each hand, she climbed up the steps.

    Fu Qingxuan grew anxious to see her carry the bags with much effort. With his silly little motive out the window, he pointed at the ramp at the side and looked at her in contempt. ¡°Idiot, couldn¡¯t you have taken this way?¡±

    She seemed like an airhead. The luggage was as big as her, yet she carried each in one hand. Did she really fancy herself to be Hercules?

    Ignoring him, Shen Xi tried to walk away.

    It never crossed her mind that her suitcases would be snatched away the next minute.

    Fu Qingxuan took over the luggage and looked down on the girl who was just standing there. ¡°What are you looking at? Come on. I¡¯m not trying to help you, but you¡¯d probably break those skinny limbs of yours and my brother wille after me instead.¡±

    With that, he turned to leave.

    Fu Qingxuan took two steps before realizing that she was not keeping up with him.

    ¡°What are you trying to pull now?¡± Fu Qingxuan furrowed his brows.

    Shen Xi cheerfully pointed at the luggage. ¡°I¡¯d break my skinny limbs and Mr. Fu will¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to use my brother on me.¡± Fu Qingxuan gave her a dirty look. ¡°You don¡¯t scare me. Handle your own problem.¡±

    Intrigued, Shen Xi smiled as he stormed into the house in a huff.

    He was quite an interesting little brat who would jump off the deep end with just a tiny push.

    Fu Qingxuan pushed open the door to one of the bedrooms. He cleared his throat and hissed an empty threat, ¡°You can stay here but you can¡¯t touch anything in here.¡±

    Shen Xi pushed her suitcases past him before turning to him. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Young Master, but I simply can¡¯t use your sister¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°Insensible.¡± Fu Qingxuanmented as she opened the door to the room next to it. Blowing his top, he approached her and snatched her luggage. ¡°I told you to stay there. Apart from this room, you are not to stay anywhere else.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes at him. The young master might very well be mentally challenged. Amused, she stared at him. ¡°This is your sister¡¯s room. Are you sure I can only live here?¡±

 Chapter 262 - Donâ€™t Touch Or Youâ€™re Dead Meat

    <h4>Chapter 262: Don¡¯t Touch Or You¡¯re Dead Meat</h4>

    ¡°Yes!¡± Fu Qingxuan pulled the suitcases in. Seeing that she came along, he continued to warn her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the stuff in here or you¡¯re dead meat.¡±

    It was not like Shen Xi wanted to touch other people¡¯s things anyway. She went ahead and grabbed the suitcases. ¡°Save it. I¡¯m not staying here.¡±

    Stubborn as he was, Fu Qingxuan loved to y the devil¡¯s advocate. He was bound and determined once he set his mind to it. The more Shen Xi resisted, the more he wanted her to stay.

    Shen Xi pulled the luggage away.

    He stole them back.

    The pair engaged in a tug-o-war for a whole half hour which ended in a staringpetition.

    Shen Xi had no clue why she would be immature when facing him. The moron must have got to her head. Clenching her teeth, she red at him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the problem be solved if I just leave?¡±

    ¡°You can leave.¡± Fu Qingxuan tried to freak her out. ¡°But there are no cars or buses here. There have been a few murder cases of dismembered bodies around here as well. The victims were girls of your age and the killer has yet to be found. There are also wild animals in the mountains. The boars are as big as cows. You won¡¯t stand a chance if you ever run into them.¡±

    Shen Xi scoffed. ¡°Do you think you scare me?¡±

    ¡°You have two choices. Either stay there or call my brother.¡± Fu Qingxuan refused to drop it. ¡°Call now. You¡¯re free to leave if he agrees to let you go without busting my b*lls about it.¡±

    It would not be up for discussion if Shen Xi gave Fu Qingye a call. A gentle person such as Qingye would never allow her to leave.

    Moreover, Shen Xi would give in without a doubt when he used that soft tone with her. There was no way she could refuse him.

    Stumped for ideas, Shen Xi was leaning towards knocking Fu Qingxuan out cold.

    The guy was a real imbecile. Moments ago, Fu Qingxuan was being mean and yelling at her because he cherished his sister¡¯s room so much.

    Right now, he insisted that she stayed in the same room. Shen Xi was tempted to cut open his brain to see what was inside.

    Leaning against the door frame, Fu Qingxuan folded his arms and watched her unpack while ranting incessantly on what could be touched and what could not be. One wrong move and he threatened to cut off her arm.

    After unpacking all her things, Shen Xi took out the rice and hotpot, and headed into the kitchen.

    Frustrated, Fu Qingxuan kicked the sofa and watched the girl entered the kitchen with a demented look on his face.

    He was out of his mind.

    Yes, he had definitely gone mad.

    This was so unlike him. Fu Qingxuan did not want her to stay in his sister¡¯s room. He should let her leave.

    However, why was he not himself and did the opposite of what he had in mind when she was upset?

    Fu Qingxuan finally understood why his brother got caught up in her. It was not that Fu Qingye did not want to control or restrain his feelings, it was because he had no control over them.

    Perhaps she was so identical to Mom that he was reminded of her when he picked on Shen Xi. Fu Qingxuan simply could not have the heart to do what he set out to do.

    Out of courtesy, Shen Xi asked, ¡°Young Master, do you want dinner?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had a feeling that Shen Xi was teasing him by calling him ¡°Young Master¡±. He gave her a cold look before fiercely answering, ¡°No.¡±

    He then proudly walked away with his shoulders back.

    Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi curled her lips and mumbled to herself, ¡°Someone ate a firecracker.¡±

    What was with the temper?

    Nevertheless, this defiant young master whose actions did not match his words was interesting. She did not hate him one bit.

 Chapter 263 - Born With Good Looks

    <h4>Chapter 263: Born With Good Looks</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingxuan had not had dinner. He headed straight to the estate after flying back from Mn without the knowledge that Uncle Chen and his wife took time off and went home. He was dying from hunger.

    Yet, there was a strong fragranceing from Shen Xi¡¯s self-heating hotpot and it was divine! With his tummy rumbling, he licked his lips and wanted to taste whatever he was smelling.

    What a mean girl. He was being polite but she actually stopped asking him.

    Unable to restrain himself any longer, Fu Qingxuan appeared calm as he walked gantly into the kitchen for a cup of water. However, he felt hungry after finishing the ss.

    In front of the mean girl was a packet of rice and a dish with mouth-watering steaming red oil on it. He could tell by the smell that it was delicious and it was a hotpot for sure.

    Shen Xi was enjoying her meal when she heard the sound of a tummy rumbling behind her. She pretended not to hear or notice the eager but whinging look on his face.

    It smelled great.

    After a day of horrible in-flight food, hotpot was a delectable dish.

    Fu Qingxuan took another gulp of water but finally broke his silence. ¡°What are you eating?¡±

    ¡°Self-heating hotpot.¡± Shen Xi gave a straight answer for a change.

    Looking rather intrigued, Fu Qingxuan walked over to take a look. ¡°What kind of treasure is this? I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a detailed exnation. ¡°This uses the heating principle when quicklime meets water to heat up the food. It¡¯s a simple and convenient fast food. It¡¯s a new product that isn¡¯t in the market yet.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was drooling as she earnestly exined how the ingredients were processed, how tasty the soup stock was, and its mechanism, but she would not let him have a taste.

    Shen Xi was deliberately teasing him. She had asked him, but he said himself he did not want one. Looking at him, she asked, ¡°Young Master, do you have any more questions?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan stared at the hotpot with fervent eyes while taking an empty gulp. He cleared his throat andposed himself before saying, ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi could not hold back fromughing as she saw the look on his face.

    Fu Qingxuan begrudgingly took off. The d*mn meanie. He let her live in his house and stay in his sister¡¯s room. Yet, she would not even give him a bite!

    Shen Xi finished her meal and threw away the trash before retrieving a few packets of self-heating hotpot from her room. She made her way to the study.

    Surprisingly, the door to the study was open.

    With downcast eyes, the young man sat up straight with an oxidized manuscript in front of him. When he put his mind to it, Fu Qingxuan could be charming and embody ¡°brains were the new ck¡± without showing any signs of immaturity.

    Sensing her presence, the young man spoke in a sexy and unbothered voice, ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Xi looked at the young man and had to admit that the sons of the Fu family were born with good looks. She enquired with a soft voice, ¡°Can I put the self-heating hotpot in the kitchen cab?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± As if lost in the book, Fu Qingxuan did not bother to lift his head.

    Shen Xi nced around the study. There were several shelves filled with books and many of them were medical books. She quietly withdrew since she did not have the heart to bother him.

    As a matter of fact, she wanted to ask if he wanted to have some, but Fu Qingxuan probably was not hungry because he was invested in the book.

 Chapter 264 - Hungry

    <h4>Chapter 264: Hungry</h4>

    The downpour grew heavier outside.

    It waste into the night.

    Shen Xi woke up feeling thirsty from having the hotpot for dinner. She got up and went to the kitchen for a drink.

    She entered the kitchen in a daze when something came flying towards her head. Intuitively, she dodged and heard a thud, which was an object smashing into smithereens right before her eyes. It was none other than a porcin bowl.

    Shen Xi was fully awake now. The bowl would have cracked her skull wide open had she reacted any slower. She yelled, ¡°FU QINGXUAN!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was looking for something in the cab with the lights off. It never crossed his mind that Shen Xi would appear suddenly. His heart melted to see the girl looking aggrieved and adorably angry through her half-asleep yet ring almond eyes. Without thinking twice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Shen Xi was taken aback.

    Fu Qingxuan came close to Shen Xi and nervously mped her shoulders. His eyes reflected genuine concern. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you woulde in. Are you hurt anywhere? Let me see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Xi frowned and pped away his hands before peering at him in contempt. ¡°Hands off. Why are you sneaking around thiste in the night?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan replied, ¡°I got hungry after reading my book.¡±

    Shen Xi looked out the window and wondered what time it was. It must bete since she had woken up from her sleep.

    It was two in the morning.

    Fu Qingxuan got up to look for something to fill his tummy when he recalled that Shen Xi knocked on his door while he was reading to tell him that the self-heating hotpot was in the kitchen. Hence, he was poking around in the dark.

    ¡°Allow me.¡± Shen Xi gazed at him and asked, ¡°Do you know how to?¡±

    A young master like him was more suited to a pampered life.

    Fu Qingxuan retorted and showed off, ¡°I¡¯m a good cook.¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Cooking and preparing this are two different things.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was not lying. Those who cooked, even if it was a self-heating hotpot, were on another level than him.

    Shen Xi watched as he took out the seasoning, vegetable, and meat packets from the self-heating container and ced them in the pot. ¡°You sure live a delicate life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor.¡± Fu Qingxuan had a deep-seated belief that anything with stic, even thoughbeled healthy, would put a certain amount of toxin into the body after heating up. Tilting his head, he looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re a girl. Why do you live such a crass life?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nced at the kitchen cab filled with various fast food she brought along. Was she going to eat all this unhealthy junk during her week here?

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the only one living to the fullest.¡± Sitting across from him at the dining table, Shen Xi snapped back while her eyes trailed after him.

    The young master sure looked the part when he was cooking. No wonder people said that men were most attractive when at work. Fu Qingxuan was charming when he was reading and cooking.

    With the hotpot boiling, Fu Qingxuan added many fresh ingredients such as mushrooms and fresh meat.

    Although there was no one at home, the fridge was filled with fresh ingredients daily in the event of sudden visitations.

    The ingredients he used were the freshest.

    Tickled with curiosity, Shen Xi asked him, ¡°Does Qingye know how to cook?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan shook his head. ¡°No. He can¡¯t cook for his life. Even the dog won¡¯t eat whatever he makes.¡±

    Shen Xi wondered how rapturous it would be to watch the man himself cook. However, she shivered as his words brought her back to her fear of the kitchen. It was best she forgot about it. It was terrifying for a kitchen klutz to cook.

 Chapter 265 - Afraid She Might Be Stupid

    <h4>Chapter 265: Afraid She Might Be Stupid</h4>

    Perhaps it waste and there were only two of them at home.

    Or maybe Fu Qingxuan felt bad because he was this close to smashing Shen Xi with a bowl, so he did not drive her away nastily when she picked up a pair of chopsticks to join him.

    Watching Shen Xi enjoying the meal and digging in more than he was, who had been hungry all night, Fu Qingxuan asked, ¡°I thought girls refrain from having supper?¡±

    Mom and Aunt were against having supper.

    His aunt, in particr, would not have another bite once it was past six o¡¯clock in the evening. Aunt said fairies lived on morning dews and sweet nectars.

    ¡°You seem to have some misconception about girls.¡± Chewing with delight, Shen Xi mumbled. ¡°Why can¡¯t we eat if you boys can?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything tonight. Did you have dinner?¡±

    Shen Xi refuted, ¡°So I can¡¯t be hungry after dinner? In that case, you can save lunch and dinner if you had breakfast. Will you be full forever if you have one meal?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan choked. Even though it was all utter nonsense, he found himself at a loss for aeback.

    Fine. She won this time for having thest say.

    For once, she did not get under his skin; perhaps because the food was good. He did not find her an eyesore anymore.

    Shen Xi enquired, ¡°Were you reading all this while?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She asked, ¡°You came looking for food because you were hungry?¡±

    He replied, ¡°I was done with the book.¡±

    She retorted, ¡°Oh!¡±

    A bookworm indeed. Shen Xi was impressed by how he skipped sleep and meals just by being lost in the book.

    The pair finished the food without another word but there was a pleasant and warm air surrounding them.

    Perhaps this was an upational hazard for Fu Qingxuan, but hygiene was of great importance to him. Whether he was sharing a meal or eating by himself, he would always designate a serving utensil in each dish to avoid using personal cutlery for serving.

    Before they dug into the food, he cautioned her to use the serving utensil if she wanted to share the hotpot with him.

    Since Shen Xi did not have such practice when eating at home, she would forget and used her own chopsticks to fish for the food instead.

    Fu Qingxuan wondered if she had him under her spell as he was not the least bit disgusted or offended by her negligence of using the serving utensil. Shen Xi would use her own chopsticks and nced at him guiltily as she finally recalled his instruction.

    He must be out of his mind. The girl was so mean, put up all these walls, and now stealing his food.

    Yet, why could he not hate her?

    It was still dark in the morning when Shen Xi woke up.

    Her teacher informed her that Mr. Huo wanted her to arrive at six o¡¯clock sharp and if she were a minutete, she did not have to bothering at all.

    It was two in the morning when Shen Xi got up for a drink. She had hotpot with Fu Qingxuan before setting the rm at four and proceeded to have a short nap.

    She did a quick check on Mr Huo¡¯s location and hers. Mr. Huo¡¯s home was not far and it would only take half an hour for her to get there with a quick jog.

    Fu Qingxuan was a light sleeper and he barely had a wink when he picked up noiseing from outside his room. He got up in a daze and without changing out of his pajamas, he put on a hat and a knee-length down jacket before following Shen Xi.

    The rain had stopped by now but it was still rather foggy.

    Behind the wheel, Fu Qingxuan kept a certain distance from Shen Xi as he followed her.

    The morning fog was good to cover his tracks.

    The mean girl was clever and would tease him if she were to discover him.

    Fu Qingxuan was only tagging along in fear she might lose her way, run into bad guys, or get into some random car.

    He was afraid she might be stupid. Qingye would never forgive him if something bad were to happen to her.

 Chapter 266 - Iâ€™m Hurt

    <h4>Chapter 266: I¡¯m Hurt</h4>

    Shen Xi was on high alert and was aware that Young Master Fu was trailing behind her the moment she went out the door. She had no clue what Fu Qingxuan was up to by driving quietly behind her.

    Without booking or hailing a cab, Shen Xi kept on running, making Fu Qingxuan wonder if she ever felt tired after jogging close to two miles.

    He had never met such an oddball.

    The girls he knew were pampered, whiny, and gasping for air after a short walk. He never took a fancy to these girls.

    Thest thing on Shen Xi¡¯s mind would be her bumping into muggers.

    Three brawny men appeared before her out of nowhere and threatened her with a knife whilemanding her in their German-ent English, ¡°Give us all your valuables.¡±

    Looking at them, Shen Xi raised both her hands and let out a bloodthirsty smile.

    She might consider doing as she was told if they had a gun but to rob her with a knife was a different story.

    These men were experienced muggers. The leader held the knife at her and gestured the other two to search her body.

    Furrowing her brows as hershes fluttered, she gathered energy on her left leg and waited until they were close enough to deliver a fatal blow.

    The muggers just made their way over.

    Fu Qingxuan popped out of nowhere and pulled her away before engaging in a fight with the three thugs.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was filled with warmth but soon realized that the young master stood no chance against the hoodlums and in just a moment, he took a few punches to his face. With one of the thugs striking a knife mercilessly at him, Shen Xi stepped forth.

    Seeing that a knife was heading his way, Fu Qingxuan cried out, ¡°Go, quick!¡±

    What happened next left him dumbfounded.

    As agile as a leopard, the girl pounced and kicked the knife away from the thug¡¯s hand.

    Fu Qingxuan stared at her nkly. Although the girl appeared petite, skinny, and harmless, she was a bad*ss; executing each move with precision and ruthlessness. It did not take long before the muggersy t on the ground.

    The thugs were quickly subdued by Shen Xi. It was not just the thugs, even Fu Qingxuan was blown away. Qingye never told him that she could fight for real. Judging by her moves, the mean girl must have gotten into a lot of fights.

    Fu Qingxuan called the cops.

    Shen Xi tied the muggers to a tree to prevent them from escaping.

    Fu Qingxuan was bruised for taking two punches in the face and his left arm was cut when he tried to save Shen Xi. It was not a deep cut but it bled still.

    Shen Xi gazed at him. ¡°I have to get going. Wait here for the cops to arrive.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    The idiotic look on his face left Shen Xi worried. She enjoined him, ¡°Wait in the car and lock the doors. Ram them with the car if they try to run away.¡±

    The girl pointed at the three bounded thugs, giving them a cutthroat look while speaking in anguage they did not understand. However, it was enough to send chills down their spine. Shaking, they lowered their heads so cowardly to even look at her.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled her back furiously as she really was going to leave him. ¡°I¡¯m hurt.¡±

    What a heartless girl. Was she not the least bit worried about him?

    Unable to quite get what he was on about, Shen Xi raised a brow. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re a doctor.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was riled up. ¡°Meanie, I got hurt because of you. You have to take responsibility and tend to my wound.¡±

    Shen Xi was amused by what she just heard and chuckled at Fu Qingxuan who was fuming. Since it was still early and it would not take long to apply medication on him, she nodded.

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Why did he have a feeling that the mean girl wasughing at him?

    Shen Xi brought out a first aid kit and tended to his injuries. She asked him, ¡°Did you barge in just to be a punching bag?¡±

    He did not know how to fight and yet he charged in undauntingly when she was in danger. Fu Qingxuan certainly had guts and was quite manly, if she might add.

    ¡°You¡­¡± With his face flushed red, he darted her an angry look. ¡°Meanie, who do you think put me in this position? And here you are,ughing at me. Where¡¯s your conscience?¡±

    While stifling herughter, Shen Xi spoke in a softer voice, ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t just charge up in a spur of the moment the next time you encounter the same situation. Analyze if you can beat them first, rather than getting into it with the bad guys. You¡¯re not doing anyone any favors.¡±

    It may result in two stabbed victims if it were some other girl instead of her today. He would be lucky to only sustain an injury, but on a bad day, it would be his life at stake.

    ¡°I¡­ I went soft on them. Do you think they will still be alive if I were to really make a move?¡± Fu Qingxuan fished out two silver needles out of nowhere. ¡°See this? One poke and there goes their lives.¡±

    Shen Xi shot him a side nce. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use them if you¡¯re that great?¡±

    He had a feeling that he was being mocked by this mean girl. ¡°Are you going to be responsible in the event of a death?¡±

    She looked at him in disdain. ¡°Why should I be the one responsible when you¡¯re the one who did it?¡±

    He replied, ¡°I¡¯d only be doing it to save you.¡±

    She retorted, ¡°I never asked you to save me.¡±

    He snapped back, ¡°I don¡¯t want to save you but what am I supposed to tell Qingye if you¡¯re mugged?¡±

    She refuted, ¡°Who wants you to tell Qingye?¡±

    The two immature kiddos were going at it.

    Fu Qingxuan could not pull a punch for his life and he himself had no clue as to why. He may be exemry in other areas but fell short when it came to anything physical. The best coaches in fencing, wrestling, Chinese martial arts, and the sorts were hired to teach him, yet he never got the hang of it.

    Born with a golden spoon, Fu Qingxuan never had to worry about his life¡¯s bare necessities. As the youngest in the family, his parents, brothers, and rtives doted on him a lot.

    He was a young prodigy and aplished greatly in the medical field. Growing up in an ivory tower, Fu Qingxuan had nothing but the best. It was destined since birth that he would be a winner in life.

    Moreover, following the loss of her daughter, Mother Fu redirected all the love she had for her daughter to her son. No one would say no to Fu Qingxuan, nurturing him to a sheltered life. It was his first timeing across such a situation.

    Shen Xi looked at the young man. Not only was he a privileged heir, Fu Qingxuan sure knew how to toot his horn. A weakling like him could take on dozens of men? Who was he trying to bluff?

    In other words, the young master was a na?ve young man, only exposed to the good in life and never the bad.

    ¡°Carry on bragging. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Shen Xi exited the car.

    Fu Qingxuan reached out his injured arm and gazed at her. ¡°What about me? You can¡¯t leave!¡±

    Shen Xi nced at the time. ¡°It only takes ten minutes from here to your ce.¡±

    He replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I can¡¯t drive.¡±

 Chapter 267 - Throw Weight Around

    <h4>Chapter 267: Throw Weight Around</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°Since I¡¯ve saved you, I want to go with you.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Now aren¡¯t you throwing your weight around?¡±

    Looking stuck up, he scoffed unapologetically.

    She was tempted to kick him. She pointed at the group of thugs. ¡°What about them?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°Someone will take care of them.¡±

    With that, Shen Xi nced at the left corner behind the car.

    She knew it. Fu Qingxuan would not leave the house unprotected. He had skillful bodyguards lurking stealthily in the dark.

    No matter where he went, there was someone protecting him. Even without her help, his people would make sure nothing happens to him.

    Nevertheless, the youngdy, who was also the temporary house guest, went ahead and struck the thugs before his bodyguards could make a move.

    Without dragging her feet, the youngdy was swift and agile in herbat skill, adopting the style of a grandmaster in China.

    However, the young master took a fancy to the youngdy and wanted to rescue the damsel in distress. Yet, that failed and she became his knight in shining armor instead.

    Shen Xi drove at an incredible speed.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her. ¡°You know your stuff. Do you race?¡±

    The girl drove like a racer.

    Her smile bore assertiveness and confidence. ¡°Do you believe me when I say no one in this world can beat me?¡±

    He gave a look of contempt. ¡°Sure, sing your own praises.¡±

    She pouted. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    The car cruised along at an adequate andfortable speed.

    By the time they arrived at the ce, Fu Qingxuan who was on the passenger seat had fallen asleep.

    Shen Xi exited the car and coldly nced to her left in the back. ¡°Come out.¡±

    Since Fu Qingxuan was out cold, Shen Xi had his bodyguards drive him back home.

    Although she was held up for a long time, it was only half-past five at that point.

    The estate surrounding it was quiet and there was no one in sight.

    Waiting at the gate, Shen Xi faced the east and gazed at the mountain. The sun was rising to a great sunny day.

    Huo Yuping would wake up at half-past five in the morning every day for a jog and Taichi. He opened the door to find someone waiting at his entrance.

    Shen Xi observed the old man who appeared to be in his fifties but Jiang Yin did mention that he was seventy-two years old. Nevertheless, he was looking hale and hearty with bright eyes. She greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Huo. I am Shen Xi. My teacher, Jiang Yin, rmended that Ie here.¡±

    Huo Yuping was studying her all the same. The girl was around sixteen or seventeen of age, beautiful, and carried herself gracefully. He approached her. ¡°Walk with me!¡±

    Shen Xi grinned politely, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Huo Yuping may be up in years, but he believed he was physically fit. The perseverance of daily exercises made him look decades younger than his age. Huo Yuping gazed at the youngdy. ¡°Can you run?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Mr. Huo, please go ahead.¡±

    Huo Yuping took off and went ahead of her.

    Shen Xi kept up with his pace and remained two steps behind. She was impressed by the old man¡¯s great health as he was not the least bit breathless while running.

    It never urred to Huo Yuping that the girl was so prudent, patient, and fit despite being young. The fact that she easily kept up with him left a good impression on Huo Yuping.

    None of his kids at home practiced the same resilience. It was also amon problem with youngsters nowadays. They would lose interest in running with him after two days or failed to keep up after a mile.

    Once at the foot of the mountain, Huo Yuping sat on one side of a stone bench and stared at the youngdy who quietly stood there. He pointed at the chessboard and cheerfully asked, ¡°Are you familiar with this?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and humbly replied, ¡°A little.¡±

    It never crossed Huo Yuping¡¯s mind that the girl was proficient in Chinese chess, but it made him happy. ¡°How about a round or two?¡±

    The stone bench, stone table, and chess pieces made of stone in the open air at the foot of the mountain posed quite a view.

    Huo Yuping fixated his eyes on her and asked, ¡°Do you need a handicap by two free moves?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Hemented, ¡°Don¡¯t cry when you loseter.¡±

    Not a lot of youngsters nowadays knew how to y Chinese and Go variations of chess as they just did not bear the patience.

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t cry if you lose either!¡±

    Huo Yuping was having a ball. ¡°That¡¯s some big talk, little girl.¡±

    She replied, ¡°The truth will be revealed on the chessboard.¡±

    He roared withughter when he lost. ¡°Great. I see I have an expert in my hands today. Shall we have another go?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the old man and nodded with a smile. ¡°Sure.¡±

    The old man carried himself with such grace, giving out an unworldly air about him. He was not those sore losers who refused to give in after being defeated and wanted a rematch again and again.

    The second round.

    Shen Xi barely won this set. She stated with a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to win the next round.¡±

    The old man was a master in chess. He observed her chess strategy in the first round and had regained control over the board by the second round. The older, the wiser indeed.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty impressive yourself, girl.¡± Huo Yuping was beginning to warm up to Shen Xi. She was a promising kid ¨C quiet, indifferent, neither rash nor arrogant.

    The girl was young yet the way she yed chess was prudent all the while remaining modest. Nevertheless, it was hard to shield the vigor and liveliness that came with her tender age, but still, it was a good thing.

    The young and old slowly strolled back home at seven o¡¯clock. It was time for breakfast.

    Breakfast was congee and bao.

    Huo Yuping did not bring up embroidery after breakfast. Instead, he brought her to the greenhouse to do some plowing and nting. Huo Yuping handed the seeds to her. ¡°Pick out the insect-infested seeds.¡±

    By then, Shen Xi had picked up a rake, ready to plow thend. She turned to the old man. ¡°Mr. Huo, why don¡¯t you pick out the seeds while I do the digging?¡±

    Huo Yuping was dumbstruck. A weak youngdy seemed ustomed to the rake by the way she was holding it. ¡°Have you done farming before?¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I lived in a farming vige and farmed with my mom.¡±

    They ownednds even though they lived in the city. Before Old Shen hit the jackpot, their family survived by farming.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯ve dabbled in a little.¡±

    Huo Yuping bent over to pick up the seeds while watching her plow thend. He remarked with a smile, ¡°You sure know a lot.¡±

    She replied, ¡°Not a lot.¡±

    It was not as though Huo Yuping never met girls her age. Every one of them was a girly girl who could not stand a little bit of hardship. They would pretend to be nice, sensible, and do what they were told in exchange for an apprenticeship with him. However, they remained defiant and would turn around and say that he was an inflexible relic.

    Whatever Shen Xi did, on the other hand, came from the sincerest of intention. It was hard not to fall in love with this girl. Jiang Yin, that sketchy girl, must have done a lot of good in her past life to be able to take in this lovely student.

    Shen Xi had done farming in many of the worlds she had transmigrated to. Soon, she had plowed a piece ofnd and began to loosen the soil.

 Chapter 268 - Stand Up For You

    <h4>Chapter 268: Stand Up For You</h4>

    Huo Yuping was both delighted and bbergasted. The girl was skilled in anything and everything.

    Both the young and the old were busy plowing, nting, and watering thend till the afternoon.

    Huo Yuping smiled at the girl. ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You should be, and here I thought, you don¡¯t feel a thing!¡± Huo Yuping¡¯s heart went out to her. ¡°Great work. Let¡¯s have lunch.¡±

    Shen Xi was a well-behaved girl, especially towards an elder who deserved her respect. Since her arrival in the morning, Shen Xi had a vague idea where he wasing from.

    The Huo family¡¯s chef cooked well, preparing four dishes and a soup with a mix of meat and greens. The well-bnced meal may taste a little nd but it was understandable since food for the elderly should not be overseasoned.

    While they were enjoying lunch, the butler for the Huo family drew close and reported to the old man. ¡°Old Master, the young man is here and is waiting outside. He said he refuses to leave unless you see him today.¡±

    ¡°Tell him that I will never sell it to him regardless of how much he offers.¡± Huo Yuping turned solemn. ¡°Please ask them to stop pestering me. I won¡¯t meet them.¡±

    Seeing that the old man appeared unhappy, Shen Xi served him a piece of fish.

    Huo Yuping was in a better mood just looking at the girl sitting in front of him.

    Shen Xi apanied the old man to read and fish in the afternoon.

    Leaving aside all business talk, the whole day went by.

    Her teacher told her that the old man was a peculiar and stern man as well as someone difficult to get along with. Sure, Mr. Huo was stern and peculiar, but he was not at all uncongenial. In fact, the old man was friendly and caring.

    Huo Yuping kept her for dinner and after that, he requested her to stay for another round of chess.

    Shen Xi was not as aplished as the old man in chess. Hence, she lost by one move.

    Pleased with her, Huo Yuping enquired before she was about to leave. ¡°Why did youe to learn Bian Embroidery from me?¡±

    Shen Xi respectfully looked at the old man. ¡°I recently designed a gown and after much consideration, I believe the technique of Bian Embroidery would bring out the best visual effects.¡±

    Huo Yuping chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re quite honest.¡±

    Throughout the years, those who came to learn from him coughed up all kinds of stories but generally, it was all about sucking up to him, ttering him,plimenting Bian Embroidery, something about inheriting a traditional art and a bunch of inspirational words. They only gave him textbook scripted answers.

    However, Huo Yuping had nevere across a blunt person like her.

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you.¡±

    He picked up the chess pieces one by one and ced them in a basket before taking a minute to say, ¡°Come run with me tomorrow morning.¡±

    She replied, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Huo.¡±

    He answered, ¡°Don¡¯t go telling the world I taught you if you can¡¯t get the knack of it.¡±

    With him giving his word, Shen Xi knew it was a done deal. She respectfully gave the old man a bow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Huo. I will never put your name to shame.¡±

    ¡°You sure are meticulous.¡± Huo Yuping pointed at her and smiled.

    He realized that the girl took everything seriously. Despite her young age, she acted rather maturely.

    Girls her age acted cutely. She had no clue that elders at his age were softies. Had she acted cutely with him, there was a possibility he would pass down not just the Bian Embroidery, but also his family¡¯s Kesi technique[1] to her.

    The people who were waiting outside wanted to learn the Huo family¡¯s traditional Kesi technique. Being the smart girl that she was, Shen Xi must have known about it.

    Yes, Shen Xi knew about it. The Kesi technique of the Su City¡¯s Huo family was a global intangible cultural heritage that represented the finest caliber of silk products. There was a saying that went, ¡°an inch of Kesi was worth an inch of gold¡±. Back then, Kesi was exclusive to the imperial family.

    Nevertheless, the technique was inherited within the family. Shen Xi would not be so delusional to learn someone¡¯s family legacy. She felt blessed enough to learn from Mr. Huo.

    The sky was dark by nine o¡¯clock at night.

    The gate to the Huo residence.

    Standing there was Su Muxuan and his sour face quickly lit up at the iing presence. With a smile, he drew near, but he turned blue in the face at a closer look. He irritably questioned the person. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Why was Shen Xi, that brat at the Huo residence?

    The evil thing must be here to stir trouble after finding out that the Su family wished to buy the Huo family¡¯s Kesi.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she would still bump into a member of the Su family abroad. Without taking a nce at him, she went on her way.

    Refusing to be ignored, Su Muxuan immediately blocked her way. Sparks were flying in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. I don¡¯t care what your intentions are, but if you mess things up for me, I won¡¯t stand by and let youe home even if Mom and Dad want you to.¡±

    Ever since it was exposed that she was Cai Ni, Mom and Dad had been nning to bring her home. They went to look for her countless times.

    However, the brat acted all high and mighty, refusing to return.

    She must be trying to cash in more. Taking Wanwan¡¯s words into ount, Mom and Dad were debating whether to give her a cut of the Su family¡¯s shares.

    What did she do to deserve it? What contribution did she make for the Su family to give her a cut? There was no way Su Muxuan was going to agree to that!

    Shen Xi scoffed. Her tone was icy. ¡°Go back and tell your parents to stop bothering me. I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±

    ¡°Uncultured brat.¡± Teed off by her attitude, Su Muxuan gave her a dirty look. ¡°Let me teach you how to speak properly.¡±

    With that, he reached out to pull her.

    Shen Xi was ready to give him a taste of his own medicine.

    There was no one around anyway. She could drag him into the forest and beat him up. She bet he would run away with his tail between his legs once she was done with him.

    Who knew she had yet to make a move when someone grabbed her by the arm and restrained her.

    Shen Xi was left in pain by the young man¡¯s uncontrolled strength. Furrowing her brows, she lifted her chin to see Fu Qingxuan protecting her like a hen. As tension rose, he coldly threatened the person before him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡±

    At that moment, a thought hit her ¨C The young master was so charming and attractive at this very moment.

    Su Muxuan scoffed before giving Shen Xi a weird look. ¡°Shen Xi, I have underestimated you. You sure are able to get men anywhere to stand up for you.¡±

    He heard from Wanwan that Shen Xi hit on random dudes just because she had a pretty face. Yu Qiubai and Pei Xu were among her admirers, along with Situ Zhangyou and Fu Qingye.

    She seemed to have forgotten that her face was given to her by her parents. Shen Xi would probably be hideous if she got her looks from her adoptive parents. Where would she have the assets to hit on people?

    Fu Qingxuan frowned as the words spoken by the man were upsetting.

    [1] Kesi, also called K¡¯o-ssu, is the most traditional decorative silk works in China which is made by the tapestry method in fine silks and gold thread

 Chapter 269 - Hit You Until You Apologize

    <h4>Chapter 269: Hit You Until You Apologize</h4>

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem to know anything, I should tell you that she¡¯s a yer. You¡¯re not the only guy who has a something special with her. Don¡¯t be fooled.¡± Su Muxuan kindly looked at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°I have a matter to resolve with her. You don¡¯t look like an unreasonable man. It¡¯s not worth your time to protect someone like her.¡±

    Shen Xi was still underaged, yet she left so many men hanging. God knows how many more men she was going to seduce once she was an adult.

    Those who were attracted to her were either idiots or low lives.

    ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Clenching his fist, Fu Qingxuan could not hide the murderous intent in his eyes.

    ¡°Angry?¡± Su Muxuan let out a sarcastic smile. ¡°Did the truth I speak of touched a nerve in you? Boy, you¡¯re still young and can¡¯t tell right from wrong. It¡¯s not your fault you can¡¯t see her true colors. If you don¡¯t even understand this¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Fu Qingxuan hit him straight in the face and yelled, ¡°I said watch your mouth! It¡¯s not my fault that I teach you a lesson for having a foul mouth.¡±

    Shen Xi watched as Fu Qingxuan and Su Muxuan engaged in a fistfight.

    Both Fu Qingxuan and Su Muxuan were not much of a fighter. Fu Qingxuan looked menacingly at Su Muxuan. ¡°Take back what you said earlier.¡±

    It never crossed Su Muxuan¡¯s mind that the refined-looking young man was a hothead. He pulled a long face. ¡°I¡¯m only stating the facts. You¡¯re the one obsessed.¡±

    With his eyes turning bloodshot, Fu Qingxuan hissed. ¡°Apologize.¡±

    Su Muxuan scoffed. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were burning with rage like a provoked wolf. ¡°I¡¯ll hit you until you apologize.¡±

    Only he was allowed to scold and bully the meanie Shen Xi.

    The rest who picked on her should die!

    Shen Xi always had the back of her own people. Seeing that Fu Qingxuan was on the losing end, she bent over to pick up a rock.

    The fight between Su Muxuan and Fu Qingxuan was growing intensed. Su Muxuan started to feel fearful when Shen Xi, the brat, was walking over with a rock in hand. He threw the young man a grisly look and deliberately agitated him. ¡°Face me one-on-one if you have the balls. Don¡¯t rely on women and if you win, I¡¯ll apologize to her.¡±

    Su Muxuan reckoned the pretty boy was no match for him as long as Shen Xi stayed out of it.

    Hearing his words, Fu Qingxuan caught Shen Xi by the corner of his eye, weighing a rock in her hand as she approached. He warned her, ¡°This is between us men. Don¡¯t get involved and watch me beat him into a pulp.¡±

    Su Muxuanughed grimly, ¡°I guess you¡¯re a man.¡±

    Shen Xi stared at Fu Qingxuan as she frowned, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s furious eyes bore a hint of worry. He replied, ¡°Stand back.¡±

    Shen Xi was delighted. Their fight in her eyes was just horsing around. Fu Qingxuan even told her to stand back. What? Would she be sshed with blood?

    Su Muxuan let out a sigh of relief as he saw Shen Xi remained at where she stood.

    Mushi was the best fighter in the family and yet he could not beat the brat. A ruthless and wicked brat she was, even Muyan suffered in her eyes. It was unlikely Su Muxuan could defeat her.

    The butler of the Huo family meant to send Shen Xi off but had to tell her to hold on for a while as he returned to retrieve something. Who knew he woulde back out to these two young men going at it fiercely?

    The girl of the Shen family looked calm while standing by to watch. For a moment, the butler had no idea what was going on.

    He recognized one of them, Su Muxuan of the Su family. He was Su Yi¡¯s eldest son. Su Yi wanted to buy out the Huo family¡¯s Kesi technique for his own usage and had looked for the old master many times.

    This time, his son came to visit and stuck around for a few days, forever insisting to meet with the old master.

    The old master despised filthy businessmen who only cared for money. Handing them the technique would only insult the art of Kesi and the Huo family. Hence, the old master declined to meet them.

    The other young man was rather good-looking. Even though he was caught in an embarrassing fight, it did not take away the young man¡¯s natural air of nobility. However, the butler was not familiar with this young man.

    ¡°Young Master Su.¡± The butler shouted at the young men. ¡°Stop fighting.¡±

    There was no way the fight, which had gotten heated now, would cease when told.

    Fu Qingxuan was peeved and unleashed all fighting potential in him as he was about to prevail over Su Muxuan. It was only a matter of time before he defeated Su Muxuan.

    With eyes showing no mercy, Su Muxuan appeared grimacing. It never urred to him that the pretty boy would go all out in the brawl.

    The butler cried for them to stop, but no one listened to him. He walked towards Shen Xi. ¡°Ms. Shen, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Young Master Su may not be their guest, but he could not just turn a blind eye since he was here seeking for the old master.

    Before she had the chance to say anything, Shen Xi¡¯s expression turned stone cold. She lifted the rock in her hand and hurled it at Su Muxuan.

    Su Muxuan was about to knee Fu Qingxuan in the groin. With all his strength focused on his knee, he was devious to give Fu Qingxuan the fatal bow.

    He must not lose. He would never apologize to Shen Xi, the wicked brat. He must win no matter the cost.

    Su Muxuan was close to seeding when suddenly, horrible pain struck his knee. He fell on his knees in a thud.

    Fu Qingxuan threw him an angry look. ¡°You y dirty!¡±

    What a treacherous man. He was going to pull a nasty move.

    Su Muxuan was in pain and could not speak, yet still gave him the evil eye. ¡°She got involved. You didn¡¯t win either. I won¡¯t apologize.¡±

    Furious, Fu Qingxuan pulled a punch at him.

    Shen Xi seized him by the wrist and pulled him away to leave. ¡°Why do you have to stoop to his level? Does he deserve your attention?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan showed her his ws. ¡°You said you won¡¯t get involved.¡±

    Shen Xi raised a brow as she found it amusing. Instead of her usual indifference, she appeared rather cheeky. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. You were the one talking. Why are you so mean when I saved you? You won¡¯t be able to find yourself a wife if he made the kick.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan could feel the pain at just the thought of it. He scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to find myself a wife.¡±

    Su Muxuan was fuming as they engaged in conversation. His resentful and sinister eyes were fixated on Fu Qingxuan as he said, ¡°A piece of advice for you ¨C stay away from her.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Su Muxuan flipped his top and lost it. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know me? What a mouthful of lies. I¡¯m her brother. Don¡¯t think for a second that she¡¯d be nice to you if she can be so ruthless to her own brother. She¡¯s an uneducated and vile little thing without any conscience.¡±

 Chapter 270 - Happened To Pass By

    <h4>Chapter 270: Happened To Pass By</h4>

    The mention of Su Muxuan as Shen Xi¡¯s brother gave Fu Qingxuan the urge to beat him up. What kind of evil and heartless brother would do this to his own sister!

    No wonder Qingye said Shen Xi was a poor soul.

    Was this the kind of lowlife and animal the meanie faced while living with the Su family?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Xi pulled Fu Qingxuan aside andpletely ignored Su Muxuan.

    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving yet.¡± Fu Qingxuan looked down on Su Muxuan. ¡°He hasn¡¯t apologized to you.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I don¡¯t give a sh*t.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was stubborn. ¡°I do and I want him to apologize.¡±

    Shen Xi threatened Su Muxuan with her stare.

    Su Muxuan felt chills down his spine. He cut his losses and unwillingly hissed the word. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    A real man took the rough with the smooth.

    He might have apologized, but that did not mean he admitted defeat.

    Fu Qingxuan was finally pleased.

    Pulling him away, Shen Xi asked him with her head tilted to the side. ¡°Why are you here? Did you specificallye to pick me up?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan could not stand to see her supposed brother¡¯s face another second longer. He pped away her hand in disdain. ¡°Quit touching. I don¡¯t have the time to pick you up. I just happened to pass by.¡±

    Su Muxuan let out a taunting smirk but resentfully clenched his fist as he listened to their conversation. ¡°I was doing you a favor by giving you the advice. You¡¯ll only regret it if you stay with her.¡±

    The pretty face was bewitched. Su Muxuan noticed Fu Qingxuan¡¯s car parked across the Huo residence since evening.

    Fu Qingxuan nced at him in contempt. ¡°It has nothing to do with you whether I regret it or not. Worry about yourself, Young Master Su.¡±

    Su Muxuan froze while his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    How did he know hisst name?

    Looking virtuous, Fu Qingxuan had amanding presence to him. ¡°You¡¯re unworthy to know.¡±

    For a moment, Su Muxuan was hyperventting in the man¡¯s presence. They were already in a distance by the time he snapped out of it.

    Feeling concerned, the Huo family¡¯s butler asked a simple question. ¡°Ms. Shen, do you know this man?¡±

    Shen Xi did not have a chance to speak.

    Fu Qingxuan interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m her older brother.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m his older sister!¡±

    Older brother, her *ss. Not only did he look young, but he was also immature beyond words. A stinky young brother was more like it.

    Watching their receding figure, Su Muxuan slowly got up. His eyes reflected insidiousness.

    The evil brat. Did Shen Xi really want to take his life?

    Su Muxuan had no doubt. Had she applied more force, his leg would be gone.

    Brother?

    Just how many brothers did she have?

    Fu Qingye was her brother.

    The pretty face was also her brother.

    Su Muxuan was sure the shameless thing also had Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai as her brothers too!

    The butler walked Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan to their car before turning to Su Muxuan. ¡°Young Master Su, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head home and stoping over. The old master said he won¡¯t meet with you or agree to your proposal.¡±

    Su Muxuan nodded and pointed in the direction of the car. He asked the butler, ¡°What did Shen Xie for?¡±

    The butler retorted, ¡°Ms. Shen is here to learn from the old master.¡±

    He heard it clearly that Young Master Su said that Ms. Shen was his sister.

    However, they looked like enemies judging by the attitude they gave each other. It was unlike how siblings would behave.

    The noble-looking young master acted more like siblings with Ms. Shen.

    ¡°Learn what?¡± Su Muxuan probed.

    ¡°Bian Embroidery.¡± There was no reason for the butler to hide that fact since there were at least dozens of people who came every year to learn from the old master.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Su Muxuan got the gist and turned to the old man. ¡°I should get going. Tell the old master that I will return for a visit tomorrow.¡±

    He could rx since Shen Xi was only here to learn about Bian Embroidery. She was a designer after all, so it was not strange at all for her to apply the embroidery skill to her clothes. It was no surprise for Shen Xi to seek knowledge from Old Master Huo as her teacher was Jiang Yin.

    Old Master Huo was nice and a gentleman of high standing. Apart from Kesi that was only passed down in the family, the old master would share his extensive experience on other needlework techniques with those who were interested to learn.

    Su Muxuan could not care less what Shen Xi wanted to learn as long as it was not Kesi.

    ¡­

    It was sunny today and by night, the stars were visible in the sky.

    Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi got out of the car one after the other.

    As Shen Xi made her way to the bedroom, Fu Qingxuan pretended to ask nonchntly, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    Without looking back, Shen Xi hummed an affirmative answer. She was tired after a day¡¯s work and the only thing on her mind was to take a shower and go to bed.

    Fu Qingxuan frustratedly kicked the door frame as she went into her bedroom.

    He must be out of his mind. What did it have to do with him whether she had her dinner? Why must he ask her?¡±

    Shen Xi went to the kitchen for a cup of water after her shower.

    Fu Qingxuan was seen sulkily throwing all the food together with the tes into the trash bin. Everything was an eyesore.

    The mean girl never even asked if he had eaten, not even the least bit concerned about him.

    Shen Xi entered the kitchen to see him tossing away all the delicious food on the table. Feeling odd about it, she asked, ¡°Young Master, what are you doing?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan scoffed through his nose. He wanted to be mean to her, but his anger vanished into thin air the moment heid eyes on her.

    The girl wore a fluffy panda pajama with a hood. The hood came with two adorable panda ears, flopping about as she moved around. She was adorable.

    His eyes lit up and his voice softened. Still, he yed it tough and gave her the tone. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡±

    Shen Xi drew close and picked up a piece of chicken with her hands to eat before smiling happily. ¡°Tender and sulent. It¡¯s still hot and delicious. Why do you make so much food when you can¡¯t finish it? What a waste.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan red at her aggrievedly, thinking to himself that he made it for her. What a heartless meanie.

    He spent the whole afternoon preparing the feast. Yet, she did not even take one look when she came home.

    Nevertheless, he was not going to get one up on her since she looked adorable today.

    ¡°Hadn¡¯t you had your dinner?¡± Shen Xi helped herself to a seat before turning to him. ¡°It¡¯s a waste to throw away good food. I¡¯m eating it.¡±

    ¡°Why are you eating the food?¡± Fu Qingxuanshed out at her but extended his arm to put a te of honey chicken in front of her. He gave her a look of disdain. ¡°It¡¯s not for you anyway.¡±

    Shen Xi picked up a piece and took a bite. She put on a serious look to scare him. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s a huge sin to waste food. When you die, you will be thrown into the hell of mortar where you will be pulverized to a pulp and made into meat buns to be fed to the dogs. You¡¯ll only be a soul then and won¡¯t actually die in this vicious cycle.¡±

 Chapter 271 - Youâ€™re A Dummy

    <h4>Chapter 271: You¡¯re A Dummy</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m not religious.¡± Fu Qingxuan scoffed. Well, he decided to show kindness and not to get into it with the girl since she was relishing the food. However, he could not stand her horrible table manners. ¡°Sit down and eat properly.¡±

    Shen Xi happily took a seat when he picked up a pair of chopsticks as well. She asked him, ¡°Did you make all of this?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan refused to admit it. ¡°No way. Do I look like I have a lot of time on hand? I asked the chef toe over.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°The chef knows his stuff, butpared to my mom, his control over the fire iscking a tad.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan enquired, ¡°Is your mom a good cook?¡±

    Shen Xi proudly answered with a smile as she nodded, ¡°Whatever my mom makes is delicious.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gazed at the girl and finally saw the vibrance, cuteness, and innocence in her. Her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky when she boasted about her mother

    She really loved her mother.

    Fu Qingxuan had not taken a bite today. After cooking the whole afternoon, he rushed to fetch her from the Huo residence only to have waited anxiously until thest rays of sunset before she appeared.

    The food Shen Xi had at the Huo residence was too nd. She preferred well-seasoned dishes and the dinner right now was very much to her liking.

    Fu Qingxuan curled his lips gleefully as he gazed at Shen Xi. His appetite grew as he watched the meanie digging into the food.

    Shen Xi washed the dishes after the meal.

    Standing by the side to oversee her, Fu Qingxuan grumbled and nitpicked. He pointed at the washed bowls, ¡°Do you know how to do the dishes? The soap bubbles aren¡¯t cleaned off properly.¡±

    Shen Xi took a nce at the dishwasher in a corner, thinking that he was out to get her. Nevertheless, she put up with it since she should not bite the hand that fed her. Shen Xi retrieved the bowls and gave them another good rinse.

    Fu Qingxuan inspected the bowls and tes with a magnifying ss while continuing his nitpicking. ¡°Look at this te. There¡¯s a ck dot on it. Is this how you work?¡±

    Exercising patience, Shen Xi took the te and dipped it in the sink.

    Seeing that she was about to lose it yet tried to pull it together, Fu Qingxuan was happy to have his revenge atst. He reached out to squeeze her fluffy little ear and looked at her with a gentle frown. ¡°Work hard.¡±

    Shen Xi red back at him, ¡°And you can clean better than me?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan retorted, ¡°Of course.¡±

    She stepped aside to leave the space to him before gesturing for him to go ahead. She gazed at him and said, ¡°Your turn.¡±

    He rolled up his sleeves. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what¡¯s the right posture to do the dishes. Watch and learn.¡±

    She tried to keep a straight face. The fool fell for it. He simply could not say no to a dare.

    He scrubbed the dishes.

    She moved a barstool over. Grabbing an apple, she sat on the stool and cheerfully dangled her legs. While chomping the apple, she instructed him. ¡°Great job!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had a funny feeling about it.

    Nevertheless, he cleaned all the dishes and put them back in their ces.

    He turned back to look at Shen Xi smugly, ¡°Come and take a look.¡±

    Shen Xi hopped off the stool and strolled over for closer inspection. She tiptoed and patted the young man on the head, evenplimented him as she stifled herugh. ¡°Not bad. You should do it next time.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan froze as he felt the girl¡¯s soft and warm palm against his head, spreading heat straight into his heart. Turning red in the face, he finally figured out the funny feeling once his gaze returned to the teasing and cunning smile on the girl¡¯s beautifulplexion. ¡°You yed me!¡±

    Shen Xu turned and ran but quickly swung her head back to stick her tongue out at him to further taunt him. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, you¡¯re a dummy!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan chased after her furiously. ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t you run!¡±

    Shen Xi found great joy in poking fun at Fu Qingxuan.

    The young master was shielded by his family, unacquainted to the feeling of sorrow, pure like a white sheet of paper, indifferent to worldly affairs, and kind. It was rather fun to tease him.

    The pair was very childish, running around the living room in circles. In the end, Shen Xi escaped to her bedroom and shut the door behind her.

    Fu Qingxuan demanded, ¡°Open the door.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°No.¡±

    He asked, ¡°Are you going to open the door?¡±

    Shen Xi yawned as she aggravatingly dragged her speech, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. Good night, Young Master.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan snapped back. ¡°Don¡¯t call me the young master!¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°What should I call you then? Young Master Fu?¡±

    He was frustrated. ¡°Call me Brother.¡±

    She replied, ¡°In your dreams!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan could cry from rage. ¡°¡­¡±

    By the time she was done brushing her teeth, she heardplete silence on the outside. She quietly walked over and stuck her ear against the door to pick up on any noise. Hearing nothing, she boldly opened the door.

    The next second, someone held onto the door.

    Having got to her at least, Fu Qingxuan dove into the bedroom. ¡°Meanie! I¡¯m going to kick your *ss.¡±

    Shen Xi made a run for it.

    Fu Qingxuan dered, ¡°I dare you to run.¡±

    She picked up the pace.

    He was in pursuit.

    The pair ran until their legs failed them. Sprawled on the ground, they exchanged an awkward nce for a moment before bursting out inughter.

    ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re so immature.¡± Shen Xi looked at him in a yful disdain.

    Fu Qingxuan returned the contempt. ¡°Takes one to know one.¡±

    This was not how he usually behaved. He was never close with any girls before this nor would any girl make him angry. No girls ever tickled his fancy, got on his nerves, yet left him worried at the same time.

    Fu Qingxuan was rxed, happy, maybe a little too childish when he was with her. She was more than capable of drawing out all his emotions.

    Shen Xi kept on giggling until her eyes began to well up. With every nerve and cell in her body letting loose, she had never felt so rxed.

    Since her rebirth, there had never been a day, like the present, when she wouldugh heartily and fool around without a load on her mind.

    It was as though the vivaciousness of this age trapped in this body was unlocked following Fu Qingxuan¡¯s presence. She could act like a childish brat in front of him.

    Fu Qingxuan was no longer furious, but more urately, he was never angry in the first ce. He was just embarrassed after being fooled. Breathless from the chase, he turned to the girl lying next to him and asked, ¡°Which of the furniture in my sister¡¯s room is the best?¡±

    Lying on her back with her hands against her head, Shen Xi nced at him. ¡°The bookshelf and coffee table that side.¡±

    With the furniture in her favorite color and style, she was vibing with it.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her judgingly. ¡°What¡¯s nice about them? The bookshelf and coffee table look awful. No girl would like the dreadful color and ancient design. Is this your taste?¡±

    Puzzled by his sudden outburst, Shen Xi broke it down to him. ¡°This is a ssic concept with a good design. The color is elegant. What¡¯s old and dreadful about them?¡±

 Chapter 272 - For My Sister

    <h4>Chapter 272: For My Sister</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan turned his nose up at the coffee table and bookshelf. Still unconvinced, he made her choose another. ¡°They are awful and ugly. Don¡¯t pick these two. Choose something else.¡±

    Shen Xi nced around. ¡°The sofa and chair. The sofa looksfortable while the color of the chair is pleasing to the eye. Of course, it would be better without those plushies.¡±

    He was not having it. ¡°Not that. Pick another.¡±

    He nced at the plushies. What was wrong with them? Plushies were adorable and all girls loved them. She was also wearing a fluffy panda suit.

    Shen Xi looked around but found nothing else. All that was left was a pink dressing table with a matching chair. The color was tacky, and it was not pastel pink but a loud hot pink with glitter. ¡°That?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan cleared his throat, trying to keep a straight face. He asked her, ¡°What about it?¡±

    Shen Xi clicked her tongue and shook her head in disgust. ¡°It¡¯s so cheesy. What an ugly color. Glitter pink? The design is so noisy, and I can tell it¡¯s the taste of a ssic straight guy.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s face was flushed red from fury. ¡°I dare you to say it again.¡±

    Shen Xi suddenly burst outughing and stared at him teasingly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you bought that!¡±

    Such an acquired taste!

    Pale in the face as his nerve got the best of him, Fu Qingxuan shouted at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it!¡±

    What was ugly about it?

    Was it that hideous?

    He had the feeling that his sister would like the color pink. All girls liked it.

    Shen Xi cleared her throat and gave him a look before dragging her speech. ¡°Why are you anxious if you didn¡¯t purchase that set?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not anxious,¡± Fu Qingxuan sounded her out as he frowned. ¡°Is it really that ugly? Don¡¯t girls love this color?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°You seem to have a misconception about girls.¡±

    With despair in his eyes, Fu Qingxuan looked around the bedroom. His clear voice fell t. ¡°We don¡¯t know what our sister would like. I bought the dressing table. The coffee table, bookshelf, and hanging lights were bought by Qingye whereas the sofa, carpet, and bed were by Qingli. Qingli designed the closet, and we bought the clothes.¡±

    Shen Xi finally got to the bottom of the reason why a nice bedroom had contradicting styles.

    The three brothers prepared the room for their sister. Since everyone had their own opinion of their sister¡¯s preference, the strange room was formed.

    Fu Qingxuan curled his lips into a bitter smile, putting out a question to her and to himself. ¡°Whose style do you think my sister would like?¡±

    ¡°She would love them all.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s heart went out to the young man who turned gloomy. ¡°You poured your heart out to prepare this for her. She will like everything no matter what.¡±

    With his back facing her, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes reflected mixed feelings. ¡°Really?¡±

    He did not even have an idea where she was, how she was doing, what she looked like, what she liked. Fu Qingxuan knew nothing about her. He was an unqualified brother for sure.

    ¡°Really.¡± Shen Xi solemnly gave a nod.

    ¡°Get to bed!¡± As a shattered glimmer sparkled in his eyes, Fu Qingxuan did not want her to see him when he was at his most vulnerable. He turned to leave and warned her while standing by the door. ¡°Try not to be so noisy in the morning. You¡¯ll never hear the end of it if you wake me up!¡±

    Shen Xi obediently nodded, ¡°Got it.¡±

    She decided to let it slide since he was emotional about his sister.

    ¡­

    Huo Yuping had never met such a smart, witty, and talented person. Studying Shen Xi¡¯s needlework, he asked her, ¡°Have you learned embroidery before?¡±

    The girl had acquired the skill in less than a day and already showed such intricate workmanship. Huo Yuping must admit that she was gifted with her hands.

    ¡°I have learned from my mom,¡± Shen Xiid bare. The smile on her face was so proud and warm at the mention of Yun Jinping. ¡°My mom enjoys handicrafts. She even did fancy needlework on our dishcloth.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do you have anything of your mom¡¯s work with you? Can I take a look?¡± Huo Yuping was excited.

    ¡°My mom can sew better than me.¡± Seeing that Mr. Huo was interested, Shen Xi whipped out her personal handkerchief. ¡°My mom made this.¡±

    Huo Yuping observed the embroidery on the handkerchief which was an orchid. A ss of its own, the design was vivid, elegant, and lifelike. The stitchwork was unique and a technique he was unfamiliar with. By then, his eyes reflected admiration and awe. ¡°Is there any more?¡±

    Whipping out her phone, Shen Xi tapped on the photos in the album and showed him. ¡°These are the pictures I took. They¡¯re not in high resolution so you might not be able to get a good look. If you¡¯re interested, I can get my mom to snap some photos for you.¡±

    At first, Huo Yuping was of the opinion that this girl here was good with her hands and had a knack for it. However, his breath was taken away when he caught a glimpse of Yun Jinping¡¯s technique. ¡°Who is your mom¡¯s teacher? What technique is this?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this. My mom never learned from anyone. She explored herself and learned from books.¡±

    Huo Yuping was thrilled. ¡°Did your mome with you?¡±

    Girls of her age would have a family by their side when traveling abroad.

    He wanted to meet her mother right now. It was in to see how gifted the mother was from her intricate and beautiful needlework even though she never learned from a teacher and was merely self-taught.

    Her acquisition of the embroidery and technique may pale slightly inparison to his family¡¯s Kesi. Nevertheless, this was just her dabbling around. He could imagine how stunning her work would be if she put her mind to it.

    ¡°My mom was supposed toe with me, but she fell sick. I asked her not toe.¡± Judging by the look on Mr. Huo¡¯s face, Shen Xi could guess that he fancied Mom¡¯s skills. ¡°Do you wish to see her, Mr. Huo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to meet your mom,¡± Huo Yuping nodded.

    The girl had good technical skills and nimble fingers. With fervent practice, her future would be bright. Nevertheless, she was a long way from her mother. Life was breathed into her mother¡¯s work.

    Shen Xi wanted Yun Jinping toe along with her. She knew that she was not as skillful with her hands as her mother. Had it not for her health, Mom would be the best candidate toe here and learn.

    Huo Yuping found it unfortunate. Expectant and nervous, he enquired, ¡°Since your mom is interested in embroidery, why didn¡¯t she advance in this career when she was young?¡±

    Feeling bad for Mom, Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°My mom gave up on her dreams for my dad and I, and chose to stay home to take care of us. However, she recently kick-started her career in the clothing line.¡±

 Chapter 273 - Take In As A Student

    <h4>Chapter 273: Take In As A Student</h4>

    Huo Yuping¡¯s eyes burned with intensity. ¡°Does your mom want a teacher?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Do you mean you want to take my mother as your student?¡±

    To her knowledge, the Huo family¡¯s art of Kesi was passed down in the family and not shared with outsiders.

    That was Huo Yuping¡¯s intention. ¡°Frankly speaking, my kids may be talented, butpared to your mom, they¡¯re nothing!¡±

    The only one who breathed life and had a gift in the art and aesthetic of Kesi did not care for the family craft and was bent on dance.

    This person was blessed with a gift that no hard work could make up for.

    As the head of the Huo family, he hoped the art of Kesi would improve and the heritage of the Huo family¡¯s craft in its entirety would carry on for generations toe.

    ¡°Allow me to thank you for your kindness on behalf of my mother.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up with joy.

    ¡°We will be a family soon. No need for the formalities.¡± Huo Yuping pretended to be angry.

    ¡°Grandpa Huo.¡± Shen Xi was wise to address Huo Yupin differently. ¡°However, I need to ask my mom to get her consent on the apprenticeship.¡±

    ¡°Call your mom right now and ask her quickly.¡± Unable to wait, Huo Yuping urged her.

    Shen Xi grinned cheekily. ¡°Roger that.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a kid?¡± Huo Yuping smiled lovingly at the smarty-pants.

    Perhaps because she saw him as family, the girl let her guard down and behaved freely without an air of distance and aloofness. She really looked the part of someone in her youth.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she would find her mom a teacher while learning art. In a way, she got her teacher a teacher.

    Yun Jinping was filled with joy when she heard that Mr. Huo wanted to take her in as a student. Once the tion dissipated, she turned dubious, ¡°Are you joking with me?¡±

    Of course, she knew who Huo Yuping was. Yun Jinping needed to have a certain understanding of various materials and crafts when making clothes. Hence, she was no stranger to the art of Kesi.

    Mr. Huo was a craftsman she respected.

    ¡°Grandpa Huo, my mom doesn¡¯t believe it.¡± Shen Xiughed. ¡°I¡¯m handing the phone over to Grandpa Huo. You can tell him.¡±

    They had Kesi products at home. Mom cherished the three Kesi circle fans she bought and used them as decorations at home. There was once when Shen Xi had no idea what it was made of and fanned herself with it, giving Mom quite the distress.

    Later, Dad told her that Mom used connections and asked someone to purchase them for her. The price of one Kesi circle fan was around 50,000. The fans were for the eyes to marvel and not for her to fan herself with.

    Kesi products were delicate, high in demand, and low in production. Each piece was handmade. A Kesi-crafted outfit alone cost a house in the capital.

    It never crossed Shen Xi¡¯s mind that Mom and Old Master Huo had a lot to say to each other. Shen Xi had been sewing for two hours and they were still in conversation. By the looks of the old master smiling ear to ear, they must have hit it off.

    ¡°Old Master.¡± The butler of the Huo family knocked on the door. Gazing at the old master who was beaming, he wondered who was on the other line for the old master to look so happy.

    Shen Xi lifted her chin and nodded a greeting to the butler.

    The butler waited until the old man hung up before stating, ¡°Old Master, the Su family is here again.¡±

    It was not just Young Master Su from yesterday, but his father, Su Yi was also here. With both father and son requesting to meet with the old master, the butler was not in the position to decline. Hence, he came over to seek the old man¡¯s opinion.

    Huo Yuping was in a good mood. The arrival of the Su family did not bring him down. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m not seeing them. What? Don¡¯t they understand?¡±

    ¡°They say they are here to visit you.¡± The butler changed the topic. ¡°But Mr. Su also mentioned that he wants to meet Ms. Shen and said that Ms. Shen is his daughter.¡±

    ¡°Herst name is Shen. His is Su. How is she his daughter?¡± Finding it odd, Huo Yuping looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    Without lifting her head, Shen Xi concentrated on the stitching. ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡±

    Huo Yuping waved his arm. ¡°Send them away and tell them not toe ever again.¡±

    The butler answered, ¡°Sure.¡±

    He then dismissed himself.

    Huo Yuping popped the question to Shen Xi. ¡°Do you know them?¡±

    Judging by the girl¡¯s reaction, she must know them.

    ¡°I do.¡± Shen Xi came clean, but her tone turned cold. ¡°However, I have nothing to do with that family. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    The butler talked too much. She was aware of the Su family¡¯s ulterior motive.

    Su Yi wanted to buy out the Kesi technique for mass production. This would, in turn, create a supply chain to dominate the market.

    However, Kesi was a high-end handcraft and should be created by highly skilled craftsmen who put their heart into the art.

    The craftsmanship would bepromised following a mass production, leading to inconsistencies, and diminishing of quality to the finished product. As a result, Kesi¡¯s reputation would only be tarnished.

    Since Old Master Huo despised businessmen who were all about the profits, there was no way he would agree to the proposal.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Huo Yuping nodded and stopped with the questions.

    No one was in the position toment about the father and daughter¡¯s rtionship. There must be more to it than meets the eye.

    Shen Xi never thought that the more she avoided the people she hated, the more these people appeared before her. They sure had the nerve.

    Su Yi and Su Muxuan bumped into Shu Baiyu who came to the residence and followed her in.

    Shu Baiyu may be aloof, but she found it hard to say no directly. She never agreed to it but the Su father and son brazenly walked with her. It was not as though she could drive them away.

    Shen Xi was taken aback by Shu Baiyu¡¯s presence and almost choked onst night¡¯s dinner when Su Yi and Su Muxuan came up from behind Shu Baiyu. Giving the Su family the cold shoulder, she turned to the beautiful woman. ¡°Ms. Shu.¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Huo Yuping was not having it. He threw Su Yi and Su Muxuan a fleeting nce and asked Shu Baiyu. ¡°Yu¡¯er, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Uncle.¡± Shu Baiyu affectionately and politely greeted him before adding, ¡°Mr. Su is looking for you and came in with me.¡±

    Shen Xi was amazed by the coincidence. Mr. Huo turned out to be Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s uncle. In a way, they were family now.

    Shu Baiyu remainedposed when she saw Shen Xi.

    She had heard from Jiang Yin that her darling student came to learn from her uncle. Shu Baiyu found it hard to let that go no matter how many times she met the girl.

    Who said a person could only have one teacher in the world?

    The educators who taught her from whence she was in kindergarten to university were her teachers too.

    Su Yi politely greeted Huo Yuping before gazing at Shen Xi intimately and worriedly. ¡°My dear, why didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯re here? Do you have a ce to stay? Are you causing trouble for Mr. Huo?¡±

 Chapter 274 - Soul Was Sucked Into It

    <h4>Chapter 274: Soul Was Sucked Into It</h4>

    Shen Xi looked at Su Yi in disgust and smirked coldly, ¡°Mr. Su, don¡¯t embarrass yourself. I don¡¯t share a rtion with you.¡±

    Without getting upset, Su Yi exined in chuckles. ¡°Child, you¡¯re just acting out with us.¡±

    Standing in the back, Su Muxuan lowered his head to hide the burning rage in his eyes. Where were the d*mn brat¡¯s manners? If it were him, he would p her to show her who was boss.

    Shu Baiyu scoffed coldly with a taunting look on her face. This person sure ttered himself.

    She heard from Jiang Yin that Xixi was indeed the daughter of the Su family. However, they had long thrown her out of the house and cut ties with her.

    After finding out that Xixi was Cai Ni, the family shamelessly clung to her, wanting to take her back.

    With his eyes on Shen Xi, Huo Yuping dotingly smiled and said, ¡°Go and have fun with your aunt. I need a word with Mr. Su.¡±

    His tone was so affectionate that people would think Shen Xi was his granddaughter.

    It did note as a surprise to Shu Baiyu. The girl was likable, and anyone would fall in love with her following an encounter. Jiang Yin was an example. She was an oddball and never minced her words to anybody, yet now she would not stop bragging about her student.

    ¡°Aunty.¡± Shen Xi caught up to Shu Baiyu who was about to take off.

    Shu Baiyu tilted her head and gazed at Shen Xi. Her eyes bore a hint of regret. ¡°I still prefer it if you call me your teacher.¡±

    She was not short of nieces or anyone to call her ¡°Aunt¡±. However, she desperately needed Shen Xi as a student.

    Anxious, Su Yi tried to call out to Shen Xi. In the end, he held his tongue and smiled at Huo Yuping. ¡°Sir, please sit.¡±

    What was the girl trying to pull?

    Both his wife and him had sought for her countless times and begged her toe home. Did his wife not mention that Shen Xi was after the Su family¡¯s shares? She was pushing her luck. Did she think the shares could just be handed to her on a silver tter?

    Nevertheless, Su Yi could consider putting some shares to her name if she convinced the Huo family to do business with them.

    Su Muxuan smirked to himself as Shen Xi and Shu Baiyu ran off.

    People nowadays thought they could get under the Su family¡¯s skin. He could overlook the fact that the Huo family was not able to tell the good from the bad, but even Shu Baiyu gave them the cold shoulder. Who was she to act all high and mighty?

    Well, they would show these people once they got the Huo family¡¯s Kesi in their hands.

    Once outside, Shu Baiyu turned to the girl who was on her tail. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Before they left the room, it was weird that her uncle called her an aunt to Shen Xi. No matter how fond her Uncle was with any child, he never expressed such endearment. There was something going on.

    ¡°Ms. Shu, Grandpa Huo is taking my mother in as his student.¡± Shen Xi was smart to catch on to what she was referring to.

    ¡°Your mother?¡± Shu Baiyu was curious as to the kind of talent that had prompted Uncle to ept as a student.

    Shen Xi assumed by the look on Shu Baiyu¡¯s face that she mistook the person to be Li Jingran. Shen Xi was quick to exin. ¡°It¡¯s my mom, Yun Jinping. Grandpa Huo looked at her embroidery and was impressed.¡±

    Shu Baiyu grinned. ¡°Can you show me as well?¡±

    Of course, she was aware that it was not Li Jingran. She knew Yun Jinping was the girl¡¯s adoptive mother.

    Jiang Yin often praised her in front of Shu Baiyu, saying that Yun Jinping had a unique understanding and a gift on aesthetics and design. Jiang Yinmented that Yun Jinping would be in the same league as her in the designmunity had she not given up her dreams and became a housewife.

    There were not many in the world who could earn Jiang Yin¡¯s admiration and praise. Yun Jinping must be gifted.

    Shen Xi showed the photos as instructed.

    Staring at the photos on the phone, Shu Baiyu¡¯s eyes reflected amazement and appreciation. That would exin why Jiang Yinplimented her and Uncle taking her in as a student. She was an invaluable talent. Shu Baiyu was still in awe by the time she put down the phone. ¡°Uncle really hit the jackpot. I want to watch your mother at work.¡±

    Uncle often whined that the young generation in the family let him down. The art of Kesi was bound to disappear without an heir to the Huo family. Uncle would nag at her, pestering her to give up dancing and focus on the family business every time they met.

    Now with a student, Shu Baiyu could finally have peace of mind.

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Ms. Shu,¡± Shen Xi replied politely.

    Art was universal. If Ms. Shu was not obsessed with dancing and instead inherited the family business, she woulde out on top in the industry.

    ¡°I¡¯m being honest here. Your mom is a rare talent.¡± Shu Baiyu then asked, ¡°Jiang Yin mentioned that your mom isn¡¯t here with you. When will it be official?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°We hadn¡¯t talked about this.¡±

    Shu Baiyu was in a good mood. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since our home was so lively. Uncle is a proud man and will definitely make it a huge ceremony. Tell your mom to be ready for it as soon as possible.¡±

    Uncle had only epted one student in his lifetime and during his old age too. It was a must to make sure everything was in order, to liven it up.

    The rest of the family members would likely share the same happiness after getting this news. They would not be hurt and called a disappointment anymore.

    Technically, they only failed to live up to Uncle¡¯s expectations because his demands were too high. Grandpa once said that he was a genius that only appeared once in a lifetime. How could a mediocre gifted person weigh up against a rare genius like him?

    It was unfair to apply the standard of a genius against a regr joe.

    Sitting across from each other, Shen Xi and Shu Baiyu chatted.

    Shu Baiyu soon got up to grab herptop and showed her a clip.

    Shen Xi had no idea what Shu Baiyu was up to, but the videopletely took her breath away, sucking her soul right into it.

    The dancer with a lithe physique in the clip was graceful and beautiful, thinning the lines between beauty, vibrancy, and otherworldliness. There was no better word to describe her poise.

    The dancer was Ms. Shu Baiyu.

    Shu Baiyu observed as the girl immersed herself in the performance. She could tell that Shen Xi loved dancing through her passionate eyes. Only those with a passion would revel in the performance and Shu Baiyu¡¯s perception of Shen Xi was right on the money. Sure, Shen Xi said that she would not focus solely on dancing, but she never mentioned her dislike for the art.

    At the end of the clip, Shen Xi looked at the beautiful woman with ardent eyes. ¡°Is this the new dance you choreographed?¡±

    As expected from Ms. Shu, the best of the best in Chinese dances. Her dance represented Chinese dances in its highest caliber no matter artistically, technicality, or performance-wise.

    It was amazing!

    The astonishment evoked from the dance could not be expressed in words. To someone who was familiar with performance art just like Shen Xi, she was aware that the creation of such choreography could only be achieved with thebination of an incredible gift and years of experience.

    ¡°Yes. I got the muse from your Corn Poppy dance. What do you think?¡± Shu Baiyu stared at her in delight and pointed at an open space. ¡°Dance for me.¡±

    Shen Xi put on a serious look. ¡°I¡¯d need to watch it one more time.¡±

    Shu Baiyu was dumbstruck by her remark. She was only joking just now and the girl took it seriously. For her to be able to dance away after watching twice, Shen Xi was definitely the student she had her eye on indeed. Shu Baiyu nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±

    It took Shu Baiyu three and a half months to choreograph and improve the dance for the effects it had today.

    Guan Yue had been keeping up with the progress alongside Shu Baiyu during the choreography and till today, Guan Yue could only manage around 90% of the dance.

    A short distance away, Guan Yue approached in a hurry. Her usually calm face bore a hint of worry.

 Chapter 275 - An Old Injury Setback

    <h4>Chapter 275: An Old Injury Setback</h4>

    It was a sunny and beautiful day today.

    However, Guan Yue was in a terrible mood. She and her teacher were representing the Chinese Dancers Association to perform in the Golden Hall. An old injury had set her back during her teacher¡¯s practice yesterday.

    The doctor sternly warned her against exercising for a certain period. Otherwise, the damage would be permanent and irreversible.

    Those who pursued a career in dancing from a young age had suffered many injuries along the way. Ms. Shu¡¯s old injury was a torn ligament from ten years ago. It had notpletely healed and had since been acting up from time to time.

    In recent years, rheumatoid arthritis that came along with age put Shu Baiyu in a worse condition.

    No one knew about this except people close to her. The outside world only saw Ms. Shu¡¯s mor and sess without knowing how much effort she put into it. She utilized her body in exchange for her present fame and standing.

    Ms. Shu¡¯s new choreography was supposed to be the highlight. A suitable recement for it could not be found even if they wanted to.

    Guan Yue med herself for not being able to do better. She choreographed the dance alongside Ms. Shu, yet she was unable toplete the dance to perfection despite practicing for so long. Otherwise, she could take Ms. Shu¡¯s ce and perform on stage.

    She turned the corner to see someone dancing.

    On thewn, a girl¡¯s agile figure swayed to the great rhythm and was breathtakingly graceful in her movements, reflecting the integration of both form and spirit.

    It was hard to look away. Her dance had life and magic that captured the audience for them to be lost in it.

    The dance was close to the end.

    The curtains were drawn.

    Guan Yue gradually snapped herself out of amazement. Pulling herself together, she gazed at the girl and nodded at her in greeting. Guan Yue drew close and greeted Shu Baiyu before turning to Shen Xi in admiration. ¡°That was perfect.¡±

    Exactly.

    If there was a word to describe it, it would be perfect.

    Although the movement was not precise, it embodied both form and spirit. Compared to her who had been practicing all this while, Shen Xi was more capable. Moreover, she breathed life into the dance and could invoke emotions in the audience. Only a handful of dancers were capable of this.

    Shen Xi humbly smiled. ¡°I was only simply dancing around. Sorry about my poor performance.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me another blow. If that¡¯s ¡®simply¡¯ dancing around, I don¡¯t want to live.¡± Guan Yue looked at her with a smile. ¡°Do you know how long I have been trying to learn this dance? I have been choreographing alongside Ms. Shu and yet I can¡¯t carry out the dance like you.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Ms. Guan, that¡¯s because you¡¯re in pursuit of perfection.¡±

    ¡°Alright now. Stop ttering each other.¡± Shu Baiyuu cut them off or else it would only go on forever. ¡°How was the discussion there? Any program to rece me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Guan Yue respectfully came forth and stood by her. ¡°Although it¡¯s a group performance, the program had made adequate arrangement. However, news had leaked out that Flower Fairy, the new dance you choreographed will premier on stage.¡±

    Fortunately, it was not mentioned that Shu Baiyu was the performer, otherwise, it would not end well. Many had bought their tickets for Shu Baiyu and most of them flew in from various parts of the world.

    There would be consequences and definitely would not look good should Flower Fairy was removed from the event at thest minute.

    Shu Baiyu remained optimistic as she said with a grin, ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up. There¡¯s still time before the performance. I can do it.¡±

    Her body was failing her as she aged and her old injury acted up when it came to the crunch. Despite so, she had been feeling better the past two days and should be able to perform on stage after resting for a few more days.

    Guan Yue put on a solemn look. ¡°Ms. Shu, I won¡¯t agree to it. Don¡¯t even think about it. Your body is most important. Don¡¯t worry about everything else. I will discuss it with them again.¡±

    Her health was an asset. Ms. Shu was professional and dedicated to her work so as not to let her audience and fans down. Hence, she never told anyone, including Guan Yue when she tore her ligament a decade ago.

    Shu Baiyu insisted on finishing the performance in perfection while sustaining the injury. She was faultless on stage and gave the audience a wless visual feast. However, no one knew the pain she endured toplete the dance.

    Once off stage, Guan Yue found out that Ms. Shu tore her ligament a day before the performance.

    The doctor diagnosed that the injury could have healed had she forgo the dance. There was no way to repair the damage after she tore her ligament and performed a high-intensity dance.

    Since then, her injury had been rpsing. However, it was never to a stage as severe as right now. It was so bad that her attending doctor, Dr. Chen told her off from doing anything reckless.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this another time.¡± Shu Baiyu did not want to talk about it in front of Shen Xi. Thus, she interrupted Guan Yue and spoke to Shen Xi instead. ¡°Xixi, why don¡¯t you watch the clip with Yueyue to see if there¡¯s anywhere you think we can improve on?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°The dance has achieved perfection. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to change it by my standards. It is the best at its current state.¡±

    Shu Baiyu smiled and sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect dance in the world.¡±

    Guan Yue was under the impression Shen Xi¡¯s level of performance earlier was because Shen Xi had learned the dance prior to her arrival. She was dumbstruck to find out that Shen Xi performed only after watching the clip twice. ¡°Xixi, are you for real? You watched the clip twice!? Teacher, I can¡¯t take it. I can¡¯t handle the blow.¡±

    Shu Baiyumentably chuckled. ¡°No human¡¯s the same. A talent like Xixies once in a lifetime.¡±

    Yueyue brought vibrance into her dance. Otherwise, Shu Baiyu would not ept her as a student.

    However, both were geniuses, but the talent was also divided into different levels. Xixi was the natural and smart kind who could bring the dance to life.

    Even Shu Baiyu yed second fiddle to the girl, let alone Yueyue.

    ¡°Teacher, that¡¯s a blow from you too.¡± Covering her face, Guan Yue no longer had the will to live.

    OMG. She waspletely beaten to take another blow. Jesus. How could they crush an ordinary girl like her?

    Shu Baiyu grinned as her usually aloof student revealed a cute side to her for once. ¡°You¡¯re outstanding too.¡±

    Guan Yue was only joking. Sure, she took a hit, but she was still happy to get her teacher¡¯s validation. ¡°I may not measure up to geniuses like you and Xixi, but I strive to be a diligent contender.¡±

 Chapter 276 - Play Cards Well

    <h4>Chapter 276: y Cards Well</h4>

    Guan Yue was envious of those who were more brilliant and gifted than her but never bore any grudge against them.

    Shen Xi was wordless. Judging by the way Shu Baiyu and Guan Yue got along, the teacher and student were very close, and some may say they were more like mother and daughter.

    Ms. Shu Baiyu was a sophisticated fairy who did not marry nor have any children.

    Guan Yue was twenty-five years old. She had the bearing of a dancer, and her cool-tone fair skin, in particr, gave out an illusion of detached ethereality about her.

    It was a pure delight to watch the pair sitting together, having this divine energy to them as they shared a cheerful conversation.

    Guan Yue half-jokingly asked Shen Xi, ¡°Are you really not interested to be my junior? I will take care of you, give you all the good food and fun in the world. I¡¯ll give you anything and everything you want. Think about it.¡±

    She knew that Ms. Shu had not given up. Although Shu Baiyu did not bring it up, the thought was stuck with her.

    The girl showed great promise. Not just her teacher, but Guan Yue would regret it for the rest of her life if they let her slip by.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯m a student and my educationes first right now.¡±

    Guan Yue teased her. ¡°You seem quite hung up on design though!¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. There were things best left unsaid. She calmly answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the holidays now? My teacher and I were nning to have my mom over but she fell sick. So, I came alone.¡±

    Guan Yue chuckled, ¡°Got it. What are you nervous about?¡±

    It was not that the girl disliked dancing. It was in to see by hermitment to dance that Shen Xi loved dancing.

    Moreover, for someone who had been dancing since a young age and obtained many awards, it was not easy to give up just like that.

    She must be worried and afraid of something.

    ¡°Enough. Why are you scaring her?¡± Shu Baiyu realized that Shen Xi would be skittish at the mention of an apprenticeship and was horrible at regaining herposure.

    Was being her student a bad thing? Why was she so rattled?

    Shu Baiyu reflected on it and believed that she had been kind and hospitable to Shen Xi. Maybe she should try Jiang Yin¡¯s harassing and sulking tactics. Perhaps then Shen Xi would give in and agree to be her student.

    Since Shu Baiyu and Guan Yue seemed to have a matter to discuss, Shen Xi did not linger and gave them space.

    She could not make heads or tails about Guan Yue¡¯s earlier words, but it seemed to be about the performance and Ms. Shu¡¯s health. However, it was best for an outsider to stay out of it.

    Su Yi and Su Muxuan were dismissed by Old Master Huo. They were still fuming when they walked out of the Huo residence.

    There was a fiery look in Su Muxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dad, what is Old Master Huo thinking? We gave him enough respect by asking him to name a price, seeing that he¡¯s a venerable man, yet his greed knows no end.¡±

    Su Yi red at him. ¡°It¡¯s about time you take care of that temper of yours. Is this something you can talk about here? It¡¯s all aboutposure when ites to business. There are a lot of ways to go about this if you put your mind to it. Just think about it.¡±

    The Huo family was no ordinary people who would sell a skill inherited in the family. They were not short of cash and unpersuaded by money. Su Yi had to figure out a way around it.

    Once the father and son got into the car, Su Yi began to talk about what he had done when he first decided to buy out the art of Kesi. Since Su Muxuan was young and had a lot to learn, Su Yi was going to teach him how business works.

    Su Yi had secretly targeted the Huo Enterprise early on, slowly chipping away their assets. The effect finally manifested as Huo Enterprise¡¯s operation hit a stumbling block. He then nned to corner the Huo family the moment their supply of funds ran out.

    Surely, Old Master Huo was not going to sit by and watch. Su Yi would have the art of Kesi in the bag then.

    Su Muxuan was schooled. ¡°Got it, Dad. I will continue to pay Old Master Huo a visit. With us working in parallel, I trust Kesi will fall on ourps.¡±

    Dad would be exerting pressure on Old Master Huo while he would be asking nicely. Once the Huo family was close to bankruptcy, the Su family would swoop in with the carrot and stick approach to help them in exchange for Kesi. The Huo family would be at the Su family¡¯s disposal. Dad yed his cards well indeed.

    Su Yi intended to wait at the gate for Shen Xi to demonstrate his caring fatherly side to her. However, he had to leave because Li Jingran called and requested him to apany her and Su Ruowan for a stroll.

    Rome was not built in a day anyway.

    ¡°Where is Shen Xi staying? Did you find out?¡± Su Yi asked Su Muxuan.

    Su Muxuan scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how she befriended a pretty face and now she¡¯s living with him. Dad, you and mom bestowed her with such a beautiful face.¡±

    A woman¡¯s greatest weapon was her looks.

    Shen Xi should be thanking her parents for being born beautiful as that allowed her to hook up with so many men.

    Enraged, Su Yi hit the brakes and his eyes were infuriated. ¡°Living together with who? She¡¯s underaged. I need to head back and have a talk with her.¡±

    Would Young Master Fu still want her if she lost her innocence? How was he supposed to carry out his subsequent ns?

    Su Muxuan was startled by his sudden anger. Why was Dad suddenly concerned about Shen Xi, the d*mn brat? He snapped back in disdain. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not just one or two guys she has hit on. Why bother yourself with her? She¡¯s a natural sl*t. Why do I have such a sis¡­¡±

    Smack.

    Blue in the face, Su Yi pped Su Muxuan.

    Su Muxuan was taken aback by the p. Feeling the scorching pain on one cheek, Su Muxuan stared at his father in disbelief. ¡°Dad!¡±

    How dare Dad hit him because of Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    Dad neverid a finger on him since he was born!

    Was he wrong? Owing to that face of hers, Shen Xi hopped from one man to another. What was she if not a sl*t?

    With a sullen look, Su Yi sternly warned him. ¡°Outsiders are allowed to say so, but you can¡¯t. She¡¯s your sister. Watch yournguage, especially in front of her. I¡¯ll have to deal with you if I ever hear this again.¡±

    Shen Xi resented them and refused toe home. Not only was Su Muxuan in his worst behavior, but he also was not helping by saying such a thing. Why did he have to make it harder for Su Yi to bring her home?

    Although Su Muxuan was fuming, he dared not rebuke in the face of his furious father. With much reluctance to back down, yet he answered obligingly, ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Did you say that to her when you met her yesterday?¡± Su Yi was boiling and tempted to knock Su Muxuan out. Why did he have a brainless son?

    ¡°No.¡± Su Muxuan lied.

    With his mind at ease, Su Yi gazed at him and said, ¡°Get down. Call a cab and find your mom and sister to take them shopping. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve spent some time with them. Go and keep thempany.¡±

    Su Muxuan obediently got out of the car. Resentment was brewing in his eyes as he watched the car retraced its route.

 Chapter 277 - Make A Fool Out Of Herself

    <h4>Chapter 277: Make A Fool Out Of Herself</h4>

    Great!

    Shen Xi, that b*tch!

    Su Muxuan was going to suck it up for now and deal with Shen Xiter when she came back into the arms of the Su family.

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan waited at the hotel lounge area for a long time before Su Muxuan finally arrived. However, Su Yi was not in sight.

    ¡°Xuan dear, what¡¯s up with your face?¡± Li Jingran went up to Su Muxuan worriedly and pulled him aside to ask.

    Su Ruowan rushed over, looking rather heartbroken and anxious, and it showed in her voice. ¡°Muxuan, did Shen Xi do this?¡±

    Putting a long face, Su Muxuan kept to himself.

    Li Jingran chomped on her food in rage and hissed, ¡°Shen Xi, that brat is a curse. What is she trying to prove?¡±

    There was never a peaceful moment at home since they started showering Shen Xi with attention. Yet, her husband was dead set on bringing Shen Xi home and would look for her any chance he got. If Li Jingran had a say in it, she would bet that Shen Xi woulde home by herself if they gave her the cold shoulder.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes welled up in heartache as she led Su Muxuan into the hotel. ¡°Muxuan, let me tend to your wound. How can Shen Xi be so mean and hit you?¡±

    Still looking sullen, Su Muxuan did not speak nor refute. It was best if Mom and Wanwan took his silence as an acknowledgment that Shen Xi did it. They would only remember Shen Xi¡¯s wickedness in the event she returned to the Su family.

    Su Ruowan felt bad as she tended to Su Ruowan¡¯s injuries, hushing in a soft voice while asking if it hurt.

    Li Jingran asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your father? Why did you return alone?¡±

    Su Muxuan answered, ¡°Dad said he wanted to wait for Shen Xi.¡±

    For a moment, Li Jingran was caught up in a turmoil of rage. With her eyes sparkling in fury, she hissed, ¡°I think he¡¯s turned mad.¡±

    That brat was all Su Yi could think of even though his son was the one being bullied!

    Su Muxuan looked at her. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t bring it up to Dad. He doesn¡¯t allow anyone to speak ill of Shen Xi. I¡¯ll be a bad son if I were to cause a rift between you.¡±

    Li Jingran was fuming. Nodding her head, she pulled herself together and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk bad about Shen Xi in front of him. He¡¯s lost it and only sees the good in her even if Shen Xi is a piece of sh*t.¡±

    Su Ruowanpliantly nodded, ¡°Understood.¡±

    Su Muxuan gave a nod before adding, ¡°That reminds me, Mom. My contact has bought us tickets to the theatre.¡±

    His priority right now was to pull everyone else in his family to his side, except for Dad who had clearly lost his mind over bringing Shen Xi home.

    ¡°Only my son knows the way to my heart.¡± Li Jingran was angry by just looking at the injury on her son¡¯s face. The only thing on her mind was to find Shen Xi and p her to kingdome.

    Her presence here today was not for Shen Xi, but for Shu Baiyu.

    Li Jingran picked up on rumors yesterday that Shu Baiyu¡¯s leg injury was acting up and might not be able to perform. Her student, Guan Yue, was a disappointment and had not even mastered the new choreography. She was presently in talks with the organizer to change the program.

    However, this was a huge deal and the program had been released in advance. It was unlikely to be changed at thest minute. Li Jingran was waiting to watch Shu Baiyu, the senseless hag, to make a fool of herself!

    The Huo estate.

    It was after lunch.

    Old Master Huo went for an afternoon nap.

    Shen Xi was focused on her embroidery.

    Sitting next to her, Guan Yue enquired in a soft tone, ¡°Xixi, can we have a chat?¡±

    While stitching, Shen Xi carefully listened to what she had to say.

    Shu Baiyu and her student came to Vienna for a performance in the Golden Hall. The new performance, Flower Fairy, was to be showcased in the Golden Hall.

    However, Shu Baiyu was not to engage in strenuous activity under strict doctor¡¯s orders due to the recurrence of her old injury. Otherwise, the damage to her legs would be irreversible. Walking would be a problem, let alone dancing.

    ¡°My teacher is stubborn and very much devoted to her art. She¡¯s not going to give up on the scheduled performance, even if it means to perform with an injury.¡± Guan Yue sighed. Mustering the courage, she looked at Shen Xi with a serious look on her face. ¡°Xixi, I know this is asking a lot from you but I¡¯m begging you; can you take Ms. Shu¡¯s ce in the performance?¡±

    It never urred to Shen Xi that Guan Yue would talk about this. It came too suddenly for Shen Xi to decline both politely and respectfully.

    ¡°I know you have your concerns, but don¡¯t say no just yet.¡± Without giving her a chance to reply, Guan Yue blurted out her thoughts in one go. ¡°You love dancing, but you don¡¯t wish to put all your energy into it like Ms. Shu and I.¡±

    ¡°You respect and admire Ms. Shu. You turned her down as a teacher because the weight on your shoulder might be too heavy a burden to bear as you can¡¯t give your all to dance. Hence, you¡¯re afraid you¡¯d let Ms. Shu down.¡±

    Having been read like an open book, Shen Xi nodded and admitted to it. ¡°I can¡¯t assume such a huge responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to undertake any responsibility. I will undertake my duty as a student and do my utmost to step into my teacher¡¯s shoes. You just have to do you.¡± Guan Yue solemnly gave Shen Xi her word.

    ¡°Are you saying that I can do as I please with no strings attached? And that you and Ms. Shu will carry the load?¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Won¡¯t I be taking advantage of you two?¡±

    Shen Xi would try to stay away from things in which her best could not be promised as it would only hurt others and herself.

    ¡°Not entirely so.¡± Now that Shen Xi wavered, Guan Yue let out a sigh of relief and smiled brightly. ¡°You have to be Ms. Shu¡¯s student and lend us a hand and support whenever we need you.¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Is thising from Ms. Shu?¡±

    Guan Yue answered, ¡°Having been with her for two decades, I know what she¡¯s thinking but she has had a hard time expressing it. I¡¯m speaking for her since she¡¯s not saying anything. She really likes you and wants you to be her student. It¡¯s not so that you can do something for her, but she genuinely fancies and admires you.¡±

    Shen Xi paused before asking, ¡°The dance will be showcased on the main stage. Do you trust me that much to perform Ms. Shu¡¯s new work of art to its pinnacle?¡±

    Guan Yue nodded. Her eyes were firm. ¡°Only you can.¡±

    She would have substituted her teacher if it were possible.

    Nevertheless, Guan Yue knew where she stood. She was far from bringing the dance to its best nor could she fulfill her teacher¡¯s search for perfection to perform on an international stage. She could not embarrass her teacher and China.

    ¡°I trust myself as well.¡± Shen Xi curled her lips into a smile before changing the topic. ¡°But let me make this clear. I will perform the dance but won¡¯t ept the apprenticeship.¡±

    She admired the well-respected dancer too much to let her dance with a severe leg injury. Ms. Shu was putting her career at risk because of one show.

    Shen Xi wished to continue enjoying Ms. Shu¡¯s graceful, unrivaled, and delightfully beautiful dance!

 Chapter 278 - Fu Qingxuan Had Gone Mad

    <h4>Chapter 278: Fu Qingxuan Had Gone Mad</h4>

    Without a word, Guan Yue stared at the girl with confidence written all over her face.

    Truth be told, she did note up with the idea. Guan Yue sought Ms. Jiang Yin for help and thetter shared a tip, saying that the girl may be stubborn but was a softie inside. Getting sympathy votes was a great course of action, but even better if she pestered Shen Xi relentlessly.

    Moreover, Guan Yue did not have to stage anything to get a sympathy vote. Ms. Shu¡¯s injury was real, impeding her from getting on stage.

    Guan Yue herself failed to live up to expectations.

    Out of ideas, her only choice was to seek Shen Xi¡¯s help.

    Shu Baiyu was happy to learn about the news but gave Guan Yue a sulky look. ¡°Don¡¯t you discuss anything with me anymore? You sure took the liberty to act on your own.¡±

    Guan Yue replied with a smile, ¡°Teacher, aren¡¯t you happy? I got you your student of choice.¡±

    ¡°Jiang Yin helped you.¡± Shu Baiyu did not have to ask her to know that fact.

    ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re indeed best friends with Ms. Jiang Yin.¡± Guan Yue clicked her tongue in wonder and smiled broadly. ¡°Ms. Jiang Yin said it herself. Once Shen Xi performs your dance, she¡¯s basically your student and everyone would know. She wouldn¡¯t be able to deny it then. It¡¯s a done deal Shen Xi can¡¯t escape from.¡±

    Shu Baiyu sighed helplessly and enjoined her, ¡°Oh, you. Don¡¯t look for Jiang Yin over everything and learn her bad habits.¡±

    Jiang Yin had a tough exterior and a tender heart just like her student. She yammered on and on against stealing her student, and yet Jiang Yin was the one who sent her student to Shu Baiyu.

    Shen Xi, who was carefully sewing, suddenly sneezed. She rubbed her nose and knew that someone was talking behind her back.

    She did not put much thought into it. Shen Xi only wanted to help as she could not stand to see Shu Baiyu insisting on getting on stage with an injury, nor did she want Guan Yue to be upset and sad. It never crossed her mind that her own teacher set a trap to hand-deliver her right up to Shu Baiyu¡¯s door.

    After their conversation, Shu Baiyu and Guan Yue went to look for Shen Xi and held her hand in gratitude. ¡°Xixi, I really don¡¯t know how to thank you. Do tell me if you need any help in the future.¡±

    Shen Xi intended to finish up on the embroidery before looking for her, but Shu Baiyu beat her to it. ¡°Ms. Shu, no need to be polite. With my mom on her way to be Grandpa Huo¡¯s student, we will be a family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a family.¡± Shu Baiyu¡¯s smiling eyes were filled with love and admiration.

    She was really warming up to the kid.

    Listening in on Shu Baiyu¡¯s ns, Huo Yuping turned to Shen Xi, ¡°You can dance too?¡±

    Shu Baiyu answered, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t be surprised by how much she knows.¡±

    Huo Yuping retorted, ¡°You¡¯d have seen everything once you reach my age. Surprise me? Heh. Well, hurry to your dance practice if you need to. Don¡¯t waste your time here.¡±

    Shu Baiyu pulled Shen Xi away with a grin stered on her face. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t mind if I do. I¡¯m leaving with your student¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡± Huo Yuping shooed her away. As they were leaving, a thought struck him and he called out to Shen Xi, ¡°Girl, can you help me add your mom¡¯s WeChat contact? The thing you youngsters y with.¡±

    Shen Xi bolted over to add the WeChat contact for him while teaching him to use the app.

    Putting on his reading sses, Huo Yuping fiddled around before getting the hang of it. He grabbed the phone to send a message before ncing at them. ¡°Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°Uncle, are you turning your back on us?¡± Shu Baiyu poked fun.

    ¡°I thought you wanted Xixi to dance for you?¡± Huo Yuping shot her another nce and replied in disdain, ¡°Hurry up and leave. Quit holding me up from chatting here.¡±

    D*mn brat. Dance was more important than him, her dear uncle, to the point that she would risk her life. Had Yueyue not informed him, Huo Yuping had no idea her old injury was acting up. Yet, Shu Baiyu insisted on performing.

    She just did not know when to stop.

    ¡°People do change once they find a good student.¡± Shaking her head, Shu Baiyumented.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Huo Yuping proudly lifted his chin. ¡°I have a student. Do you think I won¡¯t be able to get another student apart from you?¡±

    Indeed, he had a student.

    Hmph!

    Huo Yuping did not give a sh*t about anyone else now!

    They could all take a hike for all he cared.

    ¡°Well, take your time sharing your wisdom with Yun Jinping on video. I¡¯m taking Xixi with me.¡± Shu Baiyu pulled Shen Xi to her to leave.

    Watching their receding figures, Huo Yuping smiled with glee and felt at ease.

    He was worried Shu Baiyu would be so stubborn as to insist that the show must go on!

    Xixi came just in time. She was the Huo family¡¯s lucky star. Not only did she find him a great student, but Xixi also got Yu¡¯er out of a mess.

    Su Yi had been waiting at the Huo residence¡¯s gate for Shen Xi. As a father, he had to put her in her ce about hopping between men. Even if Shen Xi wanted a man in her life, she should look for a man like Mr. Fu, not some Tom, Dick, or Harry.

    However, despite waiting until dark, Shen Xi was nowhere in sight. He stopped the butler who was on his way out. ¡°Butler, is my daughter, Xixi, still in there?¡±

    The butler was taken aback by Su Yi¡¯s patience to wait so long just like his son. He replied politely, ¡°Ms. Shen left through the back door together with Ms. Shu.¡±

    Ms. Shen instructed him to dictate as such to dismiss Mr. Su.

    Su Yi kept a straight face but inside, he was boiling. The d*mn brat went to such lengths just to avoid him. ¡°Thank you, Butler. May I ask? Do you know the man who came to pick her up yesterday?¡±

    The young man apanying Shen Xi yesterday came to mind but the butler shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    Judging by the regality from the young man, he was definitely not a child of an ordinary family.

    Su Yi sighed in disappointment. ¡°Thank you. What time does shee over? The kid had a falling out with the family and is avoiding me now, but blood is thicker than water, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± The butler tactfully dodged his question.

    Su Yi showed his appreciation and watched the butler walk off before lifting his chin to fixate his gaze on the gate to the Huo residence. The obscurity in his eyes was unfathomable.

    This ce would be his sooner orter.

    The old fool refused to let him know even though he knew. Well, Huo Yuping would soon find himself put in the spot the moment Su Yi took over the Huo family¡¯s assets and their precious Kesi.

    A short distance away.

    Leisurely leaning against a big tree, Fu Qingxuan smirked coldly.

    Qingye was right. Meanie¡¯s family were all bad news.

    Li Jingran¡¯s husband was a devious and cunning scumbag. Just look at him.

    With the tree barkpletely shielding Fu Qingxuan, Su Yi did not notice there was someone around. He clicked his tongue in rage before driving away.

    Since Su Yi had left, Fu Qingxuan took off as well. Meanie must have slipped through the backdoor, away from that scumbag of a father. Out of sight, out of mind.

    He had no clue what had gotten into him. Fu Qingxuan was too distracted to read his book the whole afternoon as the mean girl was all over his mind. He was worried that she might not be able to find her way home and that it was unsafe for her to returnte.

    He resorted to driving around but somehow wound up in front of the Huo residence.

    Fu Qingxuan returned home with the intention to give the mean girl a telling off. She sure had the audacity to sneak out from the back door. However, he could not find her anywhere despite turning the house upside down.

    Shen Xi was missing.

    Fu Qingxuan had gone mad.

 Chapter 279 - A Raspy Wail

    <h4>Chapter 279: A Raspy Wail</h4>

    In the face of extreme stress and distraught, reason and lucidity elude oneself.

    Itpletely slipped Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind to call the cops or make phone calls. As though he had gone mad, he ran amok while crying out Shen Xi¡¯s name from his home all the way to the Huo residence, like a trapped animal tasting freedom for the first time. His eyes were bloodshot from excessive worry and fear.

    Oh, meanie.

    Where could she possibly be?

    Did she meet with danger while on her way home?

    She must have been abducted by the bad guys.

    What should he do if she was taken advantage of?

    How could he be so careful and fail to keep an eye on her!

    Fu Qingxuan was kicking himself. It was all his fault. Had he forsaken that so-called pride of his, he could have asked the Huo family sooner and it would not end up like this.

    Night befell.

    There was barely anyone on the road.

    No response was heard in the howling wind, even his voice was carried away by the wind. Fluster and fear overtook every inch of his body like growing weeds, brewing an agitated storm within him.

    Shen Xi took a breather after onest round of practice. Her beauty was entuated as her sweat-drenched hair rested on the side of her face.

    Guan Yue ran over to hand her a ss of water and wipe away her sweat while giving a warm and hearty smile. ¡°Good work.¡±

    No wonder Shen Xi caught Ms. Shen¡¯s eye. She was undaunted by hardships and fatigue in her pursuit of perfection. Guan Yue could say that Shen Xi had more perseverance than she and Ms. Shu had.

    Shen Xi epted the ss. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Guan Yue smiled brightly, ¡°Skip the pleasantries, we¡¯re a family.¡±

    Shen Xi gulped down the ss of water before turning to her and Shu Baiyu. ¡°Yueyue, Ms. Shu, it¡¯s gettingte. I should get going.¡±

    Sigh. Even the bestid ns would go astray. She came to learn about embroidery yet here she was, dancing.

    Nevertheless, between embroidery and dancing, she preferred thetter.

    Shu Baiyu approached them. ¡°It¡¯ste. Let Yueyue take you home.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes reflected delight at the thought of Fu Qingxuan. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think there¡¯s someone waiting at the door for me.¡±

    Shu Baiyu had mixed feelings about it, assuming that she was talking about Su Yi. She reminded Shen Xi. ¡°The butler said that Mr. Su has left.¡±

    She guessed Su Yi was still her biological father after all. As an outsider, Shu Baiyu was not in the position to ask about Shen Xi¡¯s family affairs. It was tooplicated and would only stir disgruntlement if she inadvertently offended Shen Xi.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi replied as she put on her jacket to leave.

    Shu Baiyu walked her to the door.

    Without being told to, Guan Yue picked up the pace and walked beside Shen Xi. ¡°I¡¯ll send you off and if there¡¯s no one there, I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi did not turn down the offer. Her body was at its limit after a full day of dance practice without any break.

    However, for some reason, she was sure that Fu Qingxuan woulde and pick her up.

    Guan Yue stole a nce at her. In Ms. Jiang Yin¡¯s words, Shen Xi did not get on with the Su family at all. She said that Xixi had no feelings whatsoever for the Su family and was against returning to that family.

    Nevertheless, there was no telling when it came to families, especially between blood rtions. It put the girl in a difficult position since she was a softie after all.

    Guan Yue never liked anyone from the Su family, be it Li Jingran or Su Ruowan. She met them a couple of times because Su Ruowan wanted to be her teacher¡¯s student. However, Su Ruowan did not possess a gift for dancing.

    Ms. Shu informed Su Ruowan that she could give dance a go if it was only as a hobby. Nheless, she probably would not qualify to progress in this career professionally.

    ¡°That reminds me.¡± Shen Xi was struck by a thought and gazed at Guan Yue with a tilted head. She paused before saying, ¡°We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±

    Intrigued, Guan Yue was held in suspense and had to ask her. ¡°What did you want to say?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°The suspense is killing me.¡± Guan Yue was tickled. ¡°You have to tell me.¡±

    It was killing Guan Yue inside to be caught in an unfinished conversation.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°It¡¯s nothing really. I wanted to ask if you and Ms. Shu would be open to taking in a person to learn from you.¡±

    Guan Yue looked at her skeptically, ¡°A friend of yours?¡±

    Please, let the person not be Su Ruowan!

    Prior to Guan Yue and her teacher¡¯s arrival in Vienna, Li Jingran brought Su Ruowan along to meet with Ms. Shu. Instead of insisting Su Ruowan be Ms. Shu¡¯s student, Li Jingran mentioned that she hoped for Su Ruowan to practice alongside Ms. Shu for the time being.

    Shen Xi gave a nod. ¡°Yes, she will be participating in National Idol after the new year. I hope she could spend some time with you. She has some dancing experience.¡±

    Lil Ye may have talent in dancing and singing but she waszy and unmotivated. Shen Xi needed to look for someone stern and also someone she revered to teach her.

    Since Shen Xi made up her mind to crush Su Ruowan with Lil Ye, she had made foolproof preparations. She never fought an unprepared battle.

    As the color drained from her face, Guan Yue nervously asked her, ¡°Is it Su Ruowan?¡±

    Dumbstruck, Shen Xi shook her head with a smile. ¡°No way. It¡¯s my friend, Song Wenye. I¡¯ll have a talk with herter and inform you tomorrow.¡±

    What was she thinking?

    Shen Xi would rather put an end to Su Ruowan. Why would she provide her a great opportunity?

    ¡°Okay.¡± Guan Yue sighed in relief once she got a grip on herself. It did not matter who as long as it was not Su Ruowan. She solemnly reminded Shen Xi, ¡°But you need to tell her in advance that it¡¯s going to be tough learning from us. It¡¯s best that she quits early on if she doesn¡¯t have the willpower to work hard.¡±

    ¡°I just went through that.¡± Shen Xi had a full understanding of what she meant.

    Throughout the afternoon, she had seen her fair share of the student and teacher¡¯s ardent and deep passion for dancing.

    Should there be a single expression through the eyes or movement that was not quite there, even if it only felt slightly different, Shen Xi had to repeat the routine. Ms. Shu and Guan Yue took turns teaching Shen Xi from noon until now.

    It was high time Lil Ye learned about patience. It took training and discipline to build

    character.

    ¡°Is it hard?¡± Guan Yue abruptly shortened the distance between them. ¡°Scared?¡±

    Raising a brow, Shen Xi appeared proud. ¡°Why would I be scared? I¡¯ve been through worse.¡±

    Perseverance and endurance were key to dancing. Growing up, she had experienced dance routines of much higher difficulty and she would work on it day and night beforepetitions.

    Looking at her proud face, Guan Yue expressed emotionally. ¡°My teacher and I may be stern, but it¡¯s only for your own good. Please don¡¯t be mad at us.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯m not that petty¡­¡±

    She was interrupted before she could finish her sentence.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Fu Qingxuan let out a raspy wail.

 Chapter 280 - Little Boyfriend

    <h4>Chapter 280: Little Boyfriend</h4>

    Shen Xi lifted her chin to find the young man, like an enraged trapped beast, charging towards her with a hurricane of rage.

    As the young man rushed to Shen Xi as if on a warpath, Guan Yue froze for a moment before attempting to pull Shen Xi away. By then, the young man had already wrapped his arms tightly around Shen Xi.

    Since he was very tall, the girl was enveloped into his embrace like a little ball.

    With a trembling body, the young man let out heart-wrenching gasps.

    Before Shen Xi realized what was going on, Fu Qingxuan had pinned her face against his chest. She tried to push him away as she was feeling suffocated, but he locked her in a death sp that could break her bones.

    His breathing was all over the ce.

    His heart was racing.

    She could hear his frantic heartbeat sounding the drums against her ear. Caught in the moment, her heart sank with the somber mood.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan,¡± Shen Xi said in a muffled voice due to the shortness of breath from being hugged too tight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan remained silent as his body grew stiff, having realized that he was being overdramatic. He pushed her away and looked at her with his narrow eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Finally freed, Shen Xi gazed into the young man¡¯s bloodshot eyes and asked him, ¡°What happened to you? Did something happen?¡±

    He shook his head with a hint of self-deprecation in his eyes. He tried to snap out of it but could not stop the shaking in his raspy voice. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.¡±

    It was all in his head.

    He was an idiot.

    Fu Qingxuan thought something had happened to her and like an idiot, he traced his steps back to only be told that she never left the Huo residence. She had no idea what transpired, nor did she know how freaked out he was the moment he could not find her. Rather than being afraid of Qingye¡¯s yelling, Fu Qingxuan was in fact worried about Shen Xi.

    Guan Yue had no clue what was going on between them, but the young man appeared rather anxious about Xixi.

    The young man was good-looking and about the same age as Xixi. Guan Yue was sure he was the person whom Shen Xi mentioned was picking her up.

    Perhaps the young man was her boyfriend.

    With kids nowadays maturing at an early age, it was not strange to be in a rtionship while still in school.

    Moreover, Xixi was talented, beautiful, nice, and sensible. There must be a long queue of boys who were interested in her.

    Shen Xi did not know what had gotten into Fu Qingxuan. Thinking something might have happened, she questioned him, but he held his tongue and he became mean to her when she was asking too many questions.

    Fu Qingxuan did not drive here.

    Guan Yue drove them home and only found out as they arrived at the residence that the young man was a member of the Fu family. Having recalled that Shen Xi mentioned his name was Fu Qingxuan, she figured that he was the youngest master of the Fu family and the medical genius, Fu Qingxuan.

    Xixi was a stylist to Fu Qingye. Guan Yue heard from Ms. Jiang Yin that Mr. Fu the Movie Star admired and adored her, so it exined why Xixi was close to the Fu family.

    They got down from the car.

    Fu Qingxuan thanked Guan Yue before striding towards the house.

    Instead of seeing Guan Yue off, Shen Xi went after him. ¡°Young Master, wait for me.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan quickened his pace and ignored her. Building ice walls around him, he seemed to iste himself from the outside world.

    He was angry.

    Furious.

    He was boiling!

    He could not distinguish whether he was angry with himself or her.

    There was a raging me burning inside him and it took a lot in him to prevail over his crankiness and not take it out on her.

    He had no right to lose his temper at her.

    She had nothing to do with anything and everything. It was all in his head and all in his imagination. She knew nothing.

    Shen Xi bolted over to catch up to him and pulled him back, ¡°Young Master, who pissed you off?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan violently shook her off and shouted grumpily, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Caught off guard, Shen Xi stumbled and almost fell. She found her bnce and said behind his back, ¡°Someone has a chip on his shoulder.¡±

    She could not catch a break from the young master¡¯s mood swings.

    Shen Xi was tempted to teach him a lesson had it not been for Qingye.

    From the corner of his eye, Fu Qingxuan had been watching her anxiously and heaved a sigh of relief when she saved herself from the fall. He was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, unable to find the words to describe as he clenched and unclenched his fists. Shen Xi had no idea what had gotten into him. Fu Qingxuan locked himself in the study after entering the house.

    She went to knock on the door once but was met by his angry and agitated reply to get lost. Since then, she stopped putting herself through that.

    The next morning.

    Shen Xi was walking past the living room to head out when she turned back to take a look. The vacant living room appeared massive and quiet, likened to leaving an empty hole in the heart.

    She took a deep breath and shook her head. Habits were a terrifying thing. It had only been two days, yet the absence of the young master was enough to give her a sense of loss.

    Shen Xi arrived at the gates of the Huo residence.

    The Huo family¡¯s butler weed her and said with a smile, ¡°The old master had returned to the country. The driver had just driven him to the airport. He said that he will see you when you get back.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Did Grandpa Huo go to find my mom?¡±

    That was very nice of him. Mom should be the one visiting him, instead of the other way round; he was an old man after all.

    ¡°The old master is not fussy about formalities,¡± the butler read her mind. He paused before inquiring, ¡°Did you see your older brother yesterday?¡±

    Furrowing her brows at the thought of Fu Qingxuan, Shen Xi corrected him. ¡°He¡¯s a younger brother of mine.¡±

    The butler shook his head with a smile. Since finding out Shen Xi was a child of the Su family, the butler figured the young man was not her biological brother. He told her, ¡°He seemed worried as he ran all the way here. I bumped into him on my way back. He was running and shouting your name, saying that you were missing. He looked like he was about to cry.¡±

    Shen Xi was taken aback, ¡°Why did hee looking for me? When did I go missing?¡±

    The butler med himself. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. He must have heard me telling Su Yi that you went through the backdoor and thought you left. I guess he was really worried when he didn¡¯t see you at home.¡±

    Shen Xi could feel her eyes tearing up. Feeling conflicted, she turned to run off but immediately turned back. ¡°Could you let Ms. Shu know that I¡¯ll return a littleter?¡±

    The young master was sulking over her.

    Was he acting this way because he could not find her yesterday?

    What did she do to deserve what he had done for her?

 Chapter 281 - Lips Say Yes, Body Language Says Otherwise

    <h4>Chapter 281: Lips Say Yes, Body Language Says Otherwise</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan had been tailing Shen Xi in a car when suddenly she turned around. Since it was toote to make a U-turn, he attempted to drive straight ahead when she was not looking. Putting pedal to the metal, the car sped away.

    Across the road.

    The girl¡¯s tiny figure dashed straight towards the car.

    Looking serious, Fu Qingxuan picked up the speed. He trusted she would get out of the way.

    However, it enraged him that she did not scoot aside. As the distance closed in, she stood still in the middle of the road without moving an inch.

    With his eyes burning with rage, Fu Qingxuan hit the brakes and turned the steering wheel abruptly so that the car missed her. Following a loud screech, the car drifted beforeing to a full stop.

    Shen Xi watched the car stop before her. The young master was indeed a racer. He had full control of the car despite the short distance and speed. One secondter and she would be hit.

    ¡°Shen Xi, do you want to die?¡± Fu Qingxuan got down from the car and yelled at her furiously.

    Lifting her chin, Shen Xi looked at the fuming young man and said, ¡°You looked for me yesterday.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan blushed. ¡°No. When did I? I never looked for you!¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at him with utmost sincerity. ¡°The Huo family¡¯s butler told me. I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorry about yesterday.¡±

    Since Fu Qingxuan never expected an apology, he was at a loss for a moment before screaming at her. ¡°I was only afraid that Qingye would beat me to death if I lost you.¡±

    She nodded with a smile. Well, what she saw was his lips saying no, but his bodynguage said otherwise. ¡°Got it. Still, thank you for your concern.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Who¡¯s worried about you? I hate you. Why should I be concerned about you?¡± Fu Qingxuan shouted until he choked up.

    Why was she capable of tugging at his heartstrings, causing him to be worried and scared?

    Who was she to him?

    It pained Shen Xi yet at the same time, made her happy to see the shattered glimmer in the young man¡¯s teary eyes. She extended her hand to him, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan paused before showing his ws. ¡°No way!¡±

    She retorted, ¡°Just for a second.¡±

    He handed the phone to her cockily, ¡°Just a second, alright!¡±

    She replied, ¡°Got it.¡±

    Shen Xi entered her phone number and named the contact without much thought. ¡°Sis.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not know what she was doing, nor was he interested to pry into someone else¡¯s privacy. Nevertheless, he lowered his gaze at the girl.

    The rays of the morning sun shone down her downcast eyes, casting a warm and soft glimmer over her. Somehow, the warmth reached straight to his heart.

    Shen Xi gave herself a call before handing the phone back to him. She said earnestly, ¡°This is my number. Call me if you can¡¯t find me next time. Don¡¯t go running around.¡±

    Red in the face, Fu Qingxuan snapped back in defense. ¡°Who¡¯s running around?¡±

    What did she know? He could not think straight during such a distraught time. Afraid that something might have happened to her, the only thing on his mind was to find her quickly. How could he possibly remember to do this? Fu Qingxuan was only going by his instincts.

    Heter realized he was a fool. Fu Qingxuan should have asked for her mobile number from Qingye and called to check up on her before calling the cops.

    Getting on her tiptoes, Shen Xi patted his head as thoughforting a young animal with its fangs out. She soothed him like he was a child. ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t be angry. I apologized.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan frowned at the girl whose smiling eyes were like shiny stars. The crescent moon-like eyes of hers when she curled her lips could make his heart melt. Letting out a scoff, he pped away her hands in disdain. ¡°Who¡¯s angry? I got to go.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned sweetly and waved her hand. ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡±

    Delights escaped through his lips as Fu Qingxuan headed for the car. He took two steps before turning around with a straight face. ¡°I¡¯m picking you up tonight. Don¡¯t go anywhere, got it?¡±

    Shen Xi showed her well-behaved side, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan may have a short temper, so he got over it quickly too. He had cooled down after Shen Xiforted him. The meanie still cared for him and that fact left him walking on air.

    ¡­

    Huo Yuping returned to the country to look for his student.

    Shen Xi came to learn embroidery but after only half a day¡¯s lesson, she found her mom a great teacher instead. It made her ns easier from then on.

    Her intention in learning embroidery was to teach Mom when she got back. She was merely acting as the middle person between the teacher and the student, and now the mission was aplished.

    When Jiang Yin called in, she had to admit what a lucky star Shen Xi was. Lady Luck smiling upon her was not enough to describe her luck. Shen Xi was Lady Luck herself and was an existence beyond any divine beings.

    Shen Xi was busy going through rehearsals twice a day before the performance. She brought a show ticket home and knocked on the study room door. Afraid she might disrupt his reading, she spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Young Master.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s face lit up upon hearing the knocking. He cleared his throat and sat up straight before solemnly uttering, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Shen Xi gave the ticket to him, ¡°This is a ticket for tomorrow¡¯s show. It¡¯s for you.¡±

    He scoffed in contempt and turned it down without a second thought. ¡°I don¡¯t want to watch your performance. Don¡¯t tell me you can dance.¡± Unfazed, Shen Xi shrugged. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    She left the room with the ticket still in hand.

    Fu Qingxuan regretted his actions when she took with her the ticket without hesitation. He wanted to call her back into the room but it would just make him look bad. Fu Qingxuan would never hear the end of it from Shen Xi.

    She felt sad as she gazed at the ticket in her hand before looking back at the study with its door shut.

    Qingye would not refuse her if it were him.

    She had no clue what had gotten into her. Shen Xi started off fooling around with Fu Qingxuan until she began caring for him and be influenced by his moods.

    Shen Xi was aware she should not act like this. She should not let her feelings slip or invest too much of her feelings in others.

    She once told herself not to care about anyone apart from Mom, Dad, and Yuan Yu. The best way to be safe was to lock away her feelings.

    However, feelings were not something anyone could control!

    Shen Xi was confused by everything going on. She had no resistance against the Fu family, whether it was Fu Qingye or Fu Qingxuan.

    Perhaps there was a certain attribute about the Fu family that attracted her?

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye were bothpletely different personalities.

    The show would begin at two o¡¯clock on the next day and would end at half past six. It wouldst for four and a half hours.

    It was twelve o¡¯clock.

    Dressed in ck, Fu Qingxuan put on his sunsses and a mask before heading out secretively.

 Chapter 282 - Got The Wrong Guy

    <h4>Chapter 282: Got The Wrong Guy</h4>

    The audience was all seated in the Golden Hall.

    It was quiet, as everyone was looking forward to the show.

    The Chinese Dancers Association represented the world-ss caliber of the dances in China.

    A great visual feast was about to be presented to the audience here.

    Guan Yue had already taken her seat while Ms. Shu and Xixi were prepping backstage. She wanted to watch Xixi¡¯s performance from the auditorium and Ms. Shu gave her the go-ahead.

    Nevertheless, Li Jingran and her family¡¯s attendance caught Guan Yue by surprise. They were sitting to the left of Guan Yue.

    Su Ruowan read the program list in her hand in confusion and whispered a question, ¡°Ms. Guan Yue, why isn¡¯t the name of Flower Fairy¡¯s performer listed?¡±

    With Guan Yue in the audience stand, Shu Baiyu must be the performer.

    However, how was she able to dance with that leg of hers? She would probably be crippled for the rest of her life if she went on with it.

    Guan Yue politely replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Judging by that answer, Su Ruowan knew Guan Yue was intentionally withholding information. Smiling awkwardly, she swallowed her temper and probed for answers. ¡°It must be Ms. Shu. I¡¯m so happy to watch her perform again!¡±

    Guan Yue responded faintly with a stoic face, ¡°It¡¯s not my teacher.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Who could it be if it was not Shu Baiyu or Guan Yue? She ensued with another question, ¡°Who is going to dance in ce of Ms. Shu?¡±

    She had an inkling.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan quickly dismissed that thought. No way. Impossible. Hell no. She must be overthinking it.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch was here just to learn how to stitch from Huo Yuping. She was unqualified to stand in for Shu Baiyu¡¯s Flower Fairy dance.

    Guan Yue¡¯s cold eyes lit with a hint of cynicism. ¡°You¡¯d know soon enough.¡±

    ¡°What a pity. My mom and I came specially to support Ms. Shu,¡± Su Ruowan expressed her disappointment before changing the topic. ¡°But Ms. Guan Yue, as Ms. Shu¡¯s only student, you should be on stage. Why is someone else dancing instead?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a better dancer,¡± Guan Yue darted her an icy look.

    The youngdy from the Su family sure had a mouth on her and was quite fluent in sowing seeds of discord between her words.

    Su Ruowan was feeling restless yet pretended to press Guan Yue with questions in fascination. Getting the snub from Guan Yue, Su Ruowan smiled embarrassedly, ¡°Well, Ms. Guan Yue, I should leave you to whatever you were doing.¡±

    Guan Yue was an idiot! Despite learning from Shu Baiyu for two decades, Guan Yue could not even substitute for Shu Baiyu in a performance. What was with that arrogance? Who did Guan Yue think she was?

    Sitting next to them, Li Jingran picked up on their conversation. She looked rather torn as a wave of resentment overwhelmed her. She turned to whisper in Su Yi¡¯s ear.

    If the performer was neither Shu Baiyu, nor Guan Yue, could it be Shen Xi, the brat?

    How was it possible?

    Shu Baiyu and Guan Yue would not stoop that low and suck up to Shen Xi after being turned down again and again.

    With the program in her hands, Su Ruowan was telling Su Muxuan about the different dancers, their poprity, and their genre.

    Su Muxuan had his head in the clouds as he nonchntly yed the listener until suddenly, color drained from his face. His piercing gaze aimed in one direction.

    Su Ruowan followed his eyes to a mysterious man. The man ¨C geared from head to toe in sunsses, a mask, a huge dark down jacket, and a hat ¨C looked out of ce in contrast with the ambiance of the Golden Hall.

    There was a certain kind of people who, despite their outfits oryers of clothes, was unable to conceal that air of regality surrounding them. The man was like a king surveying his kingdom.

    ¡°Muxuan, you know him?¡± Su Ruowan asked in a hushed tone.

    Su Muxuan shook his head. The scowl in his eyes remained as he hissed. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    This man was the pretty boy who fought with him that night because of Shen Xi, that b*tch.

    Since Su Muxuan saw him as the enemy, he could easily identify him from the crowd.

    Finding it strange, Su Ruowan murmured, ¡°Why did the guards let him in wearing that? That¡¯s weird.¡±

    There was a strict dress code to enter the venue. Men should be in suits while women were to wear evening gowns.

    Su Ruowan was certain that for him to be allowed entry even with the strange outfit, he was no average joe.

    As the man took a seat beside her, Guan Yue mumbled a question. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Xixi requested a ticket from Ms. Shu the other day, but it waster returned. She said the invitation was declined and looked pretty beat up about it.

    It was only because he turned down the ticket that Guan Yue could watch from the house. The ticket was hard to get and Ms. Shu only managed to obtain one through her connection.

    ¡°You got the wrong guy. I don¡¯t know you,¡± Fu Qingxuan was surprised that he was recognized just moments after his arrival.

    He did not ept the ticket from the meanie.

    Heter managed to get his hands on a ticket with the intention to covertly watch her performance.

    Guan Yue chuckled, ¡°So you¡¯re not Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± he mumbled. He would not and could not acknowledge his identity. There would be no end to the teasing if the meanie ever found out.

    Guan Yue was wise and would not make a fuss since he was reluctant to admit it to her. She shook her head and smiled to herself, sensible enough to stop with the questions. However, she was tempted to take another nce at him.

    It was such a poor disguise to go for an over-the-top look. He was sitting right in the center of the audience too. Anyone would spot the huge distraction that he was.

    Fu Qingxuan sat upright with the program in his hands. Which was the meanie¡¯s performance?

    He had no interest in watching the others and only had eyes on hers.

    Fu Qingxuan wanted to ask Guan Yue but could not as it would expose his identity.

    Su Ruowan was keenly eavesdropping, and her heart leaped when she heard the name ¡°Fu Qingxuan ¡± was brought up. She tried to take it easy.

    Fu Qingxuan?

    Fu Qingxuan was Fu Qingye¡¯s younger brother and the youngest and most coddled son in the Fu family. Coined the prodigy in the medical field, Fu Qingxuan was the youngest and the best medical scientist in the world. He was said to be the future of medicine.

    Such luck to bump into Fu Qingxuan here!

    Su Yi thought of the world of Shen Xi and wanted her home by any means possible just because that b*tch was a tiny bit close to Fu Qingye. Su Yi¡¯s actions humiliated and hurt Su Ruowan, and hepletely disregarded her feelings.

    If Su Ruowan could bag Fu Qingxuan, Su Yi would turn around and be at her beck and call instead.

    This was a gift from the Heavens. She must hold on to the opportunity and not let it slip. With a keen resolve, Su Ruowan turned to Guan Yue and whispered, ¡°Ms. Guan Yue, could you switch ces with me?¡±

 Chapter 283 - Iâ€™m Way Out Of Your League

    <h4>Chapter 283: I¡¯m Way Out Of Your League</h4>

    Believing that Su Ruowan was up to no good, Guan Yue bluntly refused, ¡°No.¡±

    The heartless rejection saw a menacing look on Su Ruowan¡¯s exquisitely painted face. However, she was not going to let the opportunity slip through her fingers that easily. Putting on a brave face, she spoke in a low and sincere voice. ¡°Ms. Guan Yue, that guy helped me the other day. I just want to share a few words with him and thank him.¡±

    Guan Yue nced at her curiously before elbow-bumping Fu Qingxuan to ask him while pointing at Su Ruowan, ¡°Do you know her?¡± Fu Qingxuan was already grumpy as he had no idea which performance was Shen Xi¡¯s and without even lifting his head, he said, ¡°No.¡±

    She smiled and the taunt in her eyes did not miss a beat. ¡°He said he doesn¡¯t know you.¡±

    Su Ruowan bit her lip, looking rather hurt and sad. She kept her voice low enough for Fu Qingxuan to catch her words. ¡°I only wanted to thank him.¡±

    What a bitch Guan Yue was. An old virgin in her thirties trying to bag the young, handsome, and influential Fu Qingxuan? She must be delusional to think she could marry into wealth.

    Guan Yue smirked to herself. It was annoying that Su Ruowan was ying the victim once again. Nevertheless, there were certain things to make clear and so she threw Fu Qingxuan another question, ¡°Do you really not know her?¡±

    There was no way Guan Yue would approve of Xixi and his rtionship if something was going on between Fu Qingxuan and Su Ruowan.

    In the past few days, Guan Yue knew how much Xixi cared for him.

    Xixi was aloof, hardly trusted anyone, and barely opened her heart to ept anyone. However, she would show her caring side to people she found worthy to be her friend.

    Feeling frustrated, Fu Qingxuan stood up abruptly and pointed at Su Ruowan in contempt. ¡°Where did this psycho and lunatice from? I don¡¯t know you. Trust me when I say I would get you thrown out if you try me again.¡±

    From where he stood, he finally saw the almost familiar faces that made him sick to his stomach. Su Muxuan, Su Yi, and Li Jingran.

    His gaze was back on Su Ruowan and he recalled that she was the adopted daughter of the Su family. What was her name again? Wan something? Judging by how ugly she looks, he could tell that she was not a nice person.

    Su Ruowan had the impression that all men of the Fu family were like Fu Qingye ¨C a refined and highly cultured gentleman. She was dumbfounded to find Fu Qingxuan quite the opposite. The scolding caused her eyes to well up and her voice cracked in distress. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t mean any harm. I only want to thank you for driving the bullies away the other day.¡±

    With a split of a second, her mind worked quickly to find the best line to chat up a rash and irascible young character like Fu Qingxuan. The line should reflect her unyielding, tough, charismatic yet gentle personality.

    Furrowing her brows, Guan Yue nced at Fu Qingxuan in doubt. Had he helped Su Ruowan? How kind.

    Following those spoken words, Su Muxuan¡¯s expression changed for the worse.

    Li Jingran and Su Yi exchanged a puzzled look, not knowing what Su Ruowan was talking about. It was something about driving her bullies away, who were her bullies? Howe they knew nothing about it?

    ¡°I¡¯ll say this again. I don¡¯t know you,¡± Fu Qingxuan did not hold back, especially towards the family he always hated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± With indifference and a strong will, Su Ruowan lifted her head and positioned herself at the right angle to show him the shimmering tears in her eyes. Any guy would fall for that look of hers as she held back tears. Biting her lips, Su Ruowan pouted in self-deprecation, ¡°I might have gotten the wrong guy.¡±

    She gave her all in the performance to showcase her personality and good looks. She was sure he would be impressed unless he was less than a man.

    ¡°You, trying so hard to be something you¡¯re not makes me want to barf,¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s heartlessness burst her bubble. ¡°Also, don¡¯t try to seduce me. I have no interest in uglies.¡±

    Rage drained all color from Su Ruowan¡¯splexion.

    How could the d*mn brat say that she was ugly? How was she ugly?

    Su Muxuan looked daggers at Fu Qingxuan with his clenched fists and was about to pick a fight. Su Ruowan held his hand while replying softly and firmly all at once. ¡°Muxuan, it¡¯s my fault. I got the wrong person. Don¡¯t do this.¡±

    She really made Fu Qingxuan sick to his stomach. The woman sure knew how to put on a show, and it was disgusting. Fortunately, the meanie was not pitiful and creepy like the rest of the Su family.

    Li Jingran stood up for her daughter. ¡°Sir, that¡¯s not very nice of you. My daughter merely mistook you for someone else. As a man, how could you insult ady? Where are your manners?¡±

    Who was this man? He must be someone up the socialdder since he was seated in the best seats and allowed in despite being dressed like that. Where was his benevolence of a gentleman?

    ¡°As a woman, you¡¯re alive and well even though you¡¯re old and ugly,¡± Fu Qingxuan replied curtly.

    Li Jingran turned blue in the face. ¡°¡­¡±

    Having mixed feelings about the situation, Guan Yue nced at him. That was some tongueshing!

    ¡°Mom, stop it,¡± Su Ruowan pulled Li Jingran aside and stood up. Her eyes were fixated on Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Sir, it was a case of mistaken identity and I have apologized to you. You may insult me, but please don¡¯t insult my family.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan scoffed, ¡°You asked for it, so don¡¯t me it on someone else.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to pull? If something¡¯s bothering you, juste at me.¡± Su Ruowan enquired unyieldingly.

    Often enough, love blossomed from fights, no? The untamed and defiant heir would willingly lose to a headstrong and persistent girl.

    ¡°You must have ¡®Meteor Garden¡¯ on rerun!¡± Fu Qingxuan found her hrious. He knew what she was up to. ¡°Do you fancy yourself to be Shancai[1]? You can be sued for stealing the line from the show!¡±

    Guan Yue was dumbstruck, unable to keep up with the conversation.

    Su Ruowan dug her nails into the flesh of her palms while trying to simmer down. She turned to him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±

    In contrast, she was feeling restless, rattled, and doubtful. No way could he read her mind. Surely, he did not see through her. He would not bber on if he did not fancy her.

    No one could tell who Fu Qingxuan was since he was in disguise and nothing could stop his cockiness from going full-blown. ¡°The first step is recognizing the fact that you¡¯re ugly and poor. I¡¯m way out of your league.¡±

    [1] Female lead in the popr romantic series ¡°Meteor Garden¡±

 Chapter 284 - Set Her Sights On Him

    <h4>Chapter 284: Set Her Sights On Him</h4>

    Su Ruowan gave him the evil re before scoffing, ¡°I may be ugly but I¡¯m still better than you who can¡¯t even show your face.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was still trying to have thest word. ¡°I¡¯m scared that you¡¯d just hate yourself and wish you¡¯re dead once you take a look at my face.¡±

    Since Su Ruowan knew what he wanted and how to catch his eyes, standing up to him was the right way to go. ¡°Well, prove it.¡±

    Raising a brow, Fu Qingxuan retorted with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you see my face just because you want to see it.¡±

    Su Ruowan lost it. ¡°¡­¡±

    Su Muxuan pulled her to sit down before shooting Fu Qingxuan a re. ¡°Wanwan, why bother talking to an animal?¡± What was going on with Wanwan today? Why was she interested in a despicable and shameless guy like this, to the extent of lying just to get his attention? She was never like this.

    Su Ruowan thought to herself, ¡°What do you know? He¡¯s not some animal. He¡¯s Fu Qingxuan.¡± Nevertheless, she murmured another lie, ¡°He really looks like the hero who saved me.¡±

    Looking sour, Li Jingran turned to Su Yi who remained unfazed throughout. ¡°Honey, what is it with you? Are you going to let Wanwan be pushed over?¡±

    Su Yi nced at her and spoke into Li Jingran¡¯s ear, ¡°Can¡¯t you see? Wanwan has her own ns. The man doesn¡¯t look like any ordinary man.¡±

    This was the daughter he raised. He used to think she was innocent and kind.

    Ever since the incident, Su Yi realized that she was nothing as perceived as her appearance.

    Su Ruowan lied and told Li Jingran and the rest that she was picked on when heading to the loo alone in the mall two days ago. It was Fu Qingxuan who drove the bad guys away for her.

    Li Jingran took Su Ruowan¡¯s words as gospel. She felt sorry for Su Ruowan. ¡°Child, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were taken advantage of?¡±

    With her eyes tearing up, Su Ruowan bit her lips and mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make you feel worried.¡±

    Li Jingran despondently hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t ever hide this from me, okay?¡±

    Wanwan was so sensible it broke her heart.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine,¡± Su Ruowan softly batted her doe eyes at Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran shared a girly talk with Su Ruowan. ¡°Wanwan, keep in mind that you¡¯re the future wife to the Gu family. Focus on that.¡± That man may have saved her, but he was no good with that arrogance of his. Wanwan should not be with someone like him and Li Jingran would never approve of it.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes welled up, her voice was hoarse, ¡°But Mom, I won¡¯t be once Shen Xi is back.¡±

    Li Jingran turned solemn. Before a better candidate came along, their priority was to get the Gu family and Gu Xiaohan in the bag. That way, Su Ruowan would have an easy life after marriage. ¡°No, you¡¯re my daughter. I will give you anything you want.¡±

    With downcast eyes, Su Ruowan hid the glee she felt.

    She might not have Fu Qingye.

    However, Fu Qingxuan would be hers.

    After a few exchanges, she was certain that Fu Qingxuan was a cocky, rash, and brainless idiot.

    It would only take a little effort for her to y him like a violin.

    Su Ruowan would kick Gu Xiaohan aside once she had secured Fu Qingxuan.

    Gu Xiaohan started giving her the cold shoulder after the son of the b*tch found out that Yu An was the Situ family¡¯s granddaughter. Bingbing even told her that she had seen Gu Xiaohan and Yu An together.

    However, Su Ruowan¡¯s hands were tied since she had no proof.

    She had no alternative at this stage other than securing her spot as the future wife to the Gu family. Hence, it was no time to have a falling out with Gu Xiaohan.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mood was ruined.

    Qingli and Qingye would never let him hear the end of it if the whole thing blew out of proportion. Fu Qingxuan was tempted to throw the bunch of Su family out of here as breathing the same air as they were only made him feel like filth.

    Guan Yue had met him a couple of times.

    During the first encounter, he had kind of lost it, giving Guan Yue a glimpse of his hot temper. However, he did exercise self-restraint when facing Xixi.

    Later, he demonstrated the bearings of a refined gentleman. He was the manifestation of a man of honor.

    Nevertheless, her opinion of him went out the window following his attitude towards the Su family. Fu Qingxuan was gant, sarcastic, and cutthroat as though the Su family killed his family.

    Perhaps he was reckless and bossy because no one could recognize him from his disguise.

    Fu Qingxuan held the program and ran his eyes again and again.

    Taking another look at him, Guan Yue stopped engaging in conversation with Fu Qingxuan. It would only stir unwanted trouble if his identity was exposed.

    Su Ruowan could not take her eyes away from Fu Qingxuan. Now that she had caught his eye, what should she do next to take him down?

    The observer that she was, Guan Yue had noticed Su Ruowan setting her sights on Fu Qingxuan.

    Guan Yue had always known that Su Ruowan was one to y games. Su Ruowan deliberately manipted the earlier scene to attract Fu Qingxuan¡¯s attention.

    If Su Ruowan thought Fu Qingxuan would be blown away and go from picking fights to falling in love with her, she had another thinging.

    What a joke. Fu Qingxuan had nothing but animosity towards hers. Su Ruowan was in over her head to be in denial and twist the fact, believing that Fu Qingxuan actually cared for her.

    Li Jingran was itching to find out who Shu Baiyu¡¯s substitute was. Who could it be? She did not mind as long as it was not Shen Xi. Li Jingran did not want to bear witness to Shen Xi, the d*mn brat seeding in life. The thought of it drove her mad.

    On stage.

    One performance ended one after another.

    Every dance was performed to the highest standard, bringing pleasure and joy to the body and mind of the audience. The audience was lost in the magnificent performances.

    Atst.

    It was Flower Fairy¡¯s turn.

    Flower petals started descending on the surreal and beautiful stage, giving an illusion of little fairies dancing around it.

    The moment the dancer appeared.

    Su Yi¡¯s eyes lit up as he excitedly eximed in a hushed manner, ¡°Honey, it¡¯s Xixi.¡±

    With her eyes turning gloomy, Li Jingran hummed in acknowledgment. She was not blind. Of course, she could see her.

    Why was he happy when Shen Xi, the brat, treated him and the Su family nastily? Men were disgusting.

    Su Ruowan freaked out to see Shen Xi appear on stage.

    Her first reaction was to look at Fu Qingxuan and that was when Su Ruowan realized that the man had removed his sunsses. His gentle eyes focused intently on the person on stage as though Shen Xi took his breath away.

 Chapter 285 - Undiscriminating

    <h4>Chapter 285: Undiscriminating</h4>

    Extreme anger and jealousy instantly consumed Su Ruowan¡¯s body. She grabbed her chest and just felt like rushing onto the stage to rip that little b*tch Shen Xi¡¯s face apart.

    ¡®No way!¡¯

    ¡®How can Fu Qingxuan be here to see Shen Xi?¡¯

    ¡®He should be looking at me! Me!¡¯

    Guan Yue held a gentle gaze as she watched the performance, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fu Qingxuan.

    Prior to the dance, this little teenage boy was drowsy and still had his shades on.

    The moment Xixi appeared on stage, he looked so energized like he just had a caffeine shot. He even removed his sunsses and had a changed expression.

    Everyone was looking intently at the stage, so no one noticed.

    On the second floor in a viewing room with the best view of the house that specially catered to privileged VIPs, a man sitting quietly in a wheelchair had his dedicated and affectionate gaze fixated on the fairy-like spirited figure on stage.

    The source of inspiration for the ¡°Flower Fairy¡± was Shen Xi¡¯s ¡°Corn Poppy¡± dance. The choreography waspletely different, but its soul was simr.

    Fu Qingxuan waspletely amazed. His eyes were as bright as the stars as he focused on the entire stage and the dancer. It was as if his soul was attracted by the beautiful and ethereal woman on stage.

    Absolutely stunning.

    Spirited.

    Alluring.

    Passionate.

    Splendid.

    Fascinating.

    The graceful dancer on the stage perfectly embodied these seemingly contradictory feelings and gave the audience an intense, soul-shattering, perfect visual feast.

    Everyone was immersed in Shen Xi¡¯s magical and captivating dance. Everyone but Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan only felt her blood boiling and screaming, as if it would gush out of her body. Hatred and jealousy turned her eyes red as she stared at the person on the stage.

    ¡®That damned Shu Baiyu!¡¯

    The person who danced in her ce was actually Shen Xi!

    Su Ruowan was not convinced and resentful. Why did all the good things belong to Shen Xi?

    ¡®God is truly blind! People like Shen Xi should be dead! She shouldn¡¯t be kept alive to steal my things!¡¯

    ¡®All those whopete with me deserve to die!¡¯

    At this moment, time seemed to be passing very quickly for some while very slowly for others.

    For those watching the dance, time flew by. This moment seemed to be over in an instant. Before they could finish reveling in the dance, the performance ended. All they wanted was to be forever immersed in the world the dance created so that they could enjoy this remarkable sight.

    For Su Ruowan, every second that Shen Xi was on stage was pure torture and torment for her.

    The music came to an abrupt stop.

    The dancer stopped dead in herst pose.

    It was a wless performance. The ethereal and dreamy ¡°Flower Fairy¡± came to an end.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were glimmering like shattered diamonds and stardust.

    He watched as Shen Xi got up from her pose and thanked the audience. All he saw in his eyes and heart was her flower fairy spirit and her graceful body.

    Meanie.

    ¡®How can she dance so well?¡¯

    Besides medicine, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s favorite thing was music. He was very familiar with all kinds of musical instruments and would consider it quite an achievement.

    Those who knew art would be familiar with all forms of art. Fu Qingxuan had some understanding of dance. The previous dances were all beautiful, but theycked soul and could not move the audience. They only allowed the audience to enjoy their beauty, but the performances did not captivate the audience¡¯s heart and soul.

    Dance and music went hand in hand, just like the human body and soul, neither could be missing. The music and dance in the previous performances did not fit well, so watching them made Fu Qingxuan drowsy.

    Shen Xi¡¯s dance, on the other hand, had a perfect harmony with the music and could captivate the audience¡¯s soul. The audience was absorbed into her world like they were following her through a dreamy utopia. It was such a strong impact that when the dance ended, the audience was so deeply immersed in it that they could not extricate themselves.

    Even though Guan Yue had been watching Shen Xi¡¯s rehearsals, seeing Shen Xi perform on stage still moved her deeply. She touched her pounding heart that was about to jump out of her chest and wept.

    The dancer was the soul and interpreter of the dance.

    The audience¡¯s reaction and affirmation were the biggest validation to the dancer and the performance.

    As a member of the audience, Guan Yue could boldly say that this performance was sessful and could even be recorded in the history of contemporary dance.

    Su Yi returned to his senses. His eyes were watery as he looked at Li Jingran excitedly, ¡°Look, our daughter is amazing, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    This excellent dancer was his daughter. Su Yi felt like standing up right now to tell everyone loud and proud that the girl on the stage was his daughter, Su Yi¡¯s daughter.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Li Jingran had mixed emotions and did not deny it. She was secretly annoyed in her heart.

    ¡®I was caught up in her dance again.¡¯

    Li Jingran had to admit that this brat Shen Xi had achieved the pinnacle in her aplishment and talent in dancing.

    If Shu Baiyu were on stage, she might not even be able to dance with such an effect on the audience.

    This brat was her daughter, her rebellious, disobedient daughter that broke her heart. She hated Shen Xi.

    Su Ruowan overheard their conversation. The emotion under the eyes changed repeatedly and her hand at her side clenched into fists. Her heart just felt like it was being bitten by insects, slowly and torturously boring a thousand holes in it.

    Su Muxuan spat and looked at Su Ruowan. His tone was sour as he said, ¡°Pfft! What the hell was that? She even dared to embarrass herself over here? She¡¯s simply a disgrace to China!¡±

    Su Ruowan sniffled and persuaded him softly, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t say that. Lil Sister¡¯s dance was truly perfect.¡±

    Su Muxuan snorted coldly with gloom at the bottom of his eyes. He would never admit it. ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re just too modest. You can dance a million times better than her.¡±

    Guan Yue swept a nce at them, with an obvious mockery in her eyes.

    ¡®Shen Xi¡¯s not a good dancer? Then who just stared at her unblinkingly?¡¯

    Su Yi changed ces with Li Jingran and smiled as he asked Guan Yue, ¡°Ms. Guan Yue, where is our Xixi going after the dance?¡±

    Guan Yue shook her head, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Su Yi was not mad and still smiled politely. ¡°How can you not know? Aren¡¯t you Shen Xi¡¯s senior? Ms. Shu Baiyu officially epted Xixi as her apprentice, right?¡±

    Guan Yue¡¯s answer was short and resolute. ¡°No.¡±

    Su Yi was a little disappointed. He sighed and said, ¡°Our Xixi is young and clueless. You should persuade your teacher to not be mad at Xixi. I¡¯ll treat you all to dinner after the show.¡±

    Guan Yue said, ¡°No need.¡±

    Su Yi looked a bit embarrassed and secretly cursed how undiscriminating she was. However, he remained a calm facade. ¡°Our Xixi has troubled you and your teacher during this time, so, as her father, I ought to thank you properly. I hope that you¡¯ll do me a favor and ept my invitation.¡±

 Chapter 286 - So Youâ€™re A Monkey

    <h4>Chapter 286: So You¡¯re A Monkey</h4>

    This was the first time Guan Yue saw such a thick-skinned and shameless person. Her good upbringing made her hold back her displeasure. She just replied, ¡°Mr. Su, you should talk to Xixi. I can¡¯t make this decision.¡±

    Xixi had clearly told Guan Yue and her teacher to ignore the Su family if they met them. They did not need to pay any attention to them or change their attitude towards them because of her.

    Su Yi smiled a little awkwardly and nodded. He feigned confidence as he said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to Xixi.¡±

    If he could talk that girl into having dinner with them, would he still need to beg Guan Yue like this?

    ¡®This snob didn¡¯t even give me face? Wait till Xixies back to us and we¡¯ll see if you still dared to be so condescending to me!¡¯

    ¡®When that happened, Shu Baiyu still had to go through me first if she wanted to take Xixi in as her apprentice. Then, I would definitely give them a hard time crushing their pride.¡¯

    Su Ruowan just wanted to disappear. She especially could not stand seeing Su Yi¡¯s kiss-*ss face. In the past, Su Yi was not even so attentive to her. His attitude towards Shen Xi now was so desperate like apdog.

    Shen Xi ignored Su Yi, but he still desperately chased after her, wagging his tail and begging for her eptance, which was such a disgrace to the Su family.

    Su Muxuan¡¯s heart was also sour and indignant. He could not stand his father¡¯s behavior, but he dared not raise any objections.

    He had always respected his father until Shen Xi¡¯s identity was revealed. After seeing his father¡¯s attitude towards Shen Xi, Su Muxuan became resentful, angry, and frustrated, which finally turned into disappointment and hatred.

    No matter what Shen Xi did, Su Yi would be tolerant of her and would persist in getting her back. Su Yi even humbled himself to beg her and wanted to take her home at all costs.

    What about them? No matter how much they did, they were nothing to their father.

    Especially after Su Yi decided to take Shen Xi back, every time he opened his mouth was about Xixi. He would defend her and even forbade them to say a word against her. It was as if Shen Xi woulde back with him if they did all that.

    Shen Xi¡¯s performance was the highlight of the show.

    There was another dance after her, but it was tastelesspared to ¡°Flower Fairy¡±.

    The audience was still shaken by ¡°Flower Fairy¡± and did not even pay attention to thest dance. It was not until the dancer left the stage that the audience returned to their senses and noticed that the show ended.

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Su Ruowan called out to Fu Qingxuan when he got up.

    Fu Qingxuan only thought about Shen Xi at this moment. He just wanted to go home and wait for her. Anyhow, he could not be seen here because Shen Xi would just mock him to no end.

    Su Ruowan watched the teenager leave and chased after him, but he just disappeared in front of her. Since there were too many people, she could no longer find him. She clenched her fists and consoled herself.

    She had a strong feeling that they were destined to meet again.

    Li Jingran looked at Su Ruowan as if her soul had been taken away and went to her side. She asked, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Su Ruowan lied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She would never reveal his identity before she seeded. After she sessfully got a hold of him, then she would reveal his identity so that her family would be impressed with her.

    ¡°Jingran,¡± Su Yi came over. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guyse with me backstage to look for Xixi? We haven¡¯t eaten together as a family in a long time. Since it¡¯s almost the New Year, we can bring her home for reunion dinner[1].¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s expression changed slightly. Even though she was reluctant, she nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    If she knew this would happen, she would not havee. Li Jingran originally wanted to see Shu Baiyu make a fool of herself. Instead of getting a good show, she only felt exasperated.

    ¡®Shen Xi, this brat, must have been my enemy in our past lives! Out of all people, this brat picked on me and provoked me!¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not going. You guys can go ahead,¡± Su Muxuan threw a tantrum and grunted before he walked away.

    Su Ruowan pulled him back. ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t do this. Come with us to look for Lil Sis. Dad¡¯s right, the family should beplete for the New Year.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t go today, then don¡¯t bothering home again.¡± Su Yi looked at Su Muxuan and gave him an ultimatum.

    In the end, Su Muxuan did not have the guts to leave and followed along bitterly to look for Shen Xi.

    In the theater, the audience filed out in order.

    Fu Qingxuan had just stepped foot out of the hall when he was tugged by his clothes. He turned around and saw the barefaced girl looking at him sardonically.

    Shen Xi smiled and said, ¡°You came after all!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was convinced and even deceived himself that she would not recognize him, so he calmly lowered his voice and replied, ¡°Miss, I think you got the wrong person.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s lips hooked up slightly as she lifted her hand to remove his sunsses. She even trailed her voice. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Not far away.

    The man in the wheelchair looked at Fu Qingxuan with cold and sharp eyes. Gloom overshadowed his originally clear and affectionate gaze, which made him look extremely dangerous and aloof.

    Kun Lun pushed the wheelchair and could feel the pressure from the hell rising. He felt suffocated and broke out in cold sweat as he turned to look at the couple who were monkeying around not far from them.

    In the crowd, the young man was dressed too strangely and the girl was too vibrant and beautiful. When the two of them were together, they were very eye-catching.

    The girl pulled the boy¡¯s arm and was unwilling to let go of him. She clung to him and wanted to jump on him to mess with him, but the boy pushed her away.

    Just as the girl was about to fall, the guy got nervous and quickly went forward to grab her slender waist.

    The girl then swiftly removed his sunsses, which revealed the guy¡¯s beautiful androgynous face.

    This scene was extremely beautiful and harmonious. The girl¡¯s cheeky and soulful smile and the boy¡¯s helpless and doting eyes were like a perfect painting that came to life.

    The wheelchair-bound man¡¯s eyes just became darker and colder. They were like a cold, gloomy night thatpletely swallowed everything. His sickly pale hand covered his heart as he suppressed a light cough.

    Not far away, the couple just looked at each other with contempt.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan,¡± Shen Xi giggled and pinched his face. ¡°You still wanna fool me? Don¡¯t you know that I have fiery-eyes golden-gaze[2]?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan let go of her in disgust and grabbed her pigtail. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a monkey.¡±

    Shen Xi was so happy and eager for praise that her eyes shone like stars. ¡°How was my dance?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not want to stroke her ego, so he said, ¡°It¡¯s average.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Xi only managed to say one word when a familiar figure suddenly swept past the corner of her eye. She turned around in a panic and looked for that person as she muttered, ¡°Brother.¡±

    [1] A Chinese tradition whereby the whole family would gather for a meal during Chinese New Year Eve to signify family cohesiveness

    [2] referring to the Monkey King in Chinese folklore, where fiery-eyes golden-gaze allowed him to identify evil no matter what form it takes

 Chapter 287 - Stabbed In The Heart

    <h4>Chapter 287: Stabbed In The Heart</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan did not know what got to Shen Xi and watched as she turned around several times frantically as if she was looking for something. When he heard her mutter ¡°Brother¡±, Fu Qingxuan egoistically replied, ¡°Your brother¡¯s right here!¡±

    Shen Xi did not seem to hear him. She just felt her heart aching and suffocating. With tears in her eyes, she pushed through the crowd to look for the man, but she could not see him anywhere and only saw strangers.

    ¡®It was not him.¡¯

    ¡®He was not here.

    It was like that glimpse was just her illusion.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi covered her heart.

    ¡®It hurts here.¡¯

    In that instance, it hurt so much that she stopped breathing.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled her back, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±

    Shen Xi broke away from him, ran a few steps, and stopped, then let out a panicked and anxious scream. ¡°Brother!¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    She did not know what she was looking for either.

    Before going on stage, Shen Xi had sent Brother a message, but he said he was busy.

    However, she just saw it clearly. She could not be mistaken. It was him! She could feel that he was swallowed by despair and darkness, which made her heart tremble.

    Fu Qingxuan watched as Shen Xi kneeled on the floor with tears streaming down her face. She cried like an abandoned, hopeless child. At that moment, he felt like he was stabbed in the heart and knelt next to her to wipe away her tears.

    ¡®What was going on?¡¯

    ¡®What did she see?¡¯

    ¡®And who was she looking for?¡¯

    Shen Xi was still on her knees as she sent a text message with her trembling hands. After a while, she finally managed to send the message. ¡°Brother, my show just ended.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan inadvertently swept a nce only to see who she was sending the message to.

    ¡®Brother?¡¯

    ¡®Brother who?¡¯

    ¡®Which brother?¡¯

    ¡®Was it Second Brother?¡¯

    Shen Xi held her phone and waited anxiously for his reply.

    A few momentster, her phone vibrated.

    His reply, ¡°Great.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s hands were still shaking as she typed, ¡°Where are you?¡±

    He replied, ¡°Busy.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart ached whenever she thought about how he looked just now. She replied, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    ¡®I was mistaken!¡¯

    There was no way he would be here.

    ¡®I just missed him so much that I was hallucinating.¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan pulled her up and wanted to ask her what was wrong, but it was clear that she would not tell him even if he asked, so he simply shut up. His heart was still aching when he asked her, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The square.

    The audience had dispersed.

    Shen Xi still did not find him anywhere.

    Not far away in an RV.

    Kun Lun looked at the man in the wheelchair. ¡°Boss, do you want me to call Ms. Shen?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at her departing with loneliness and destion deep in his eyes. After a long while, he finally said, ¡°No need.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was closer to her in age.

    When she was with Fu Qingxuan, she finally acted like a seventeen-year-old girl.

    ¡®It¡¯s time for me to let go.¡¯

    ¡®I should let go now.¡¯

    However, there was a voice in his heart that frantically took over every inch of him. It destroyed his sanity and told him, ¡°No! She¡¯s yours and she can only be yours in this lifetime!¡±

    In the end, Li Yuan still could not resist and took out his phone to send her a message. ¡°What are your ns after the show?¡±

    Kun Lun stood aside. His body was tensed and he dared not speak. He did not even dare to breathe.

    His boss was emitting such a chill and was shrouded in extreme darkness that the air around him seemed frozen.

    The man¡¯s eyes were lowered and his body was tensed as his long, slender fingers clutched the phone nervously and expectantly.

    Shen Xi saw his message. Only then did shee out of her despair. She typed, ¡°Having dinner with Ms. Shu and Guan Yue.¡±

    After sending the message, Shen Xi nced at Fu Qingxuan and added, ¡°Fu Qingxuan too. He came over to watch my performance.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the name ¡°Fu Qingxuan¡± with dagger eyes. He still had a dangerous and icy aura about him as his long fingers typed three words. ¡°You like him?¡±

    He looked at this sentence with his dark eyes for a long time, then deleted it. He retyped, ¡°Are you that happy?¡±

    His sickly pale finger, which was almost translucent, hit the send button.

    Shen Xi thought about it for a while. ¡°Nah, he¡¯s an idiot. He said he wasn¡¯ting, but he showed up anyway.¡±

    After sending the message, Shen Xi still felt that Brother¡¯s message was a little off. His words seemed a little harsh. Fearing that he would misunderstand her, she quickly replied, ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t know how childish he is! I just treat him like a younger brother. No, he¡¯s not qualified to be my younger brother. He¡¯s just a little brat!¡±

    Li Yuan saw her long series of replies. The loneliness and chill in his eyes finally dissolved little by little. He read them over and over again until his tightly pursed lips slowly rxed and the corners of his lips hooked up into a pleasant arc.

    Kun Lun did not know what his boss was looking at, but he could feel that a warm light was shining on that man¡¯s body, leading him out from the abyss of despair and destion from the darkest depths of hell.

    He finally breathed a sigh of relief and could finally breathe normally again.

    In this world, only Ms. Shen had this powerful energy to change the Boss with a single word.

    Li Yuan looked at the message for a long time. He was satisfied with the words, ¡°younger brother¡±, so much so that his pale fingers seemed to be a little pinkish along with his change in mood. ¡°When are you going home?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and typed, ¡°I¡¯m heading home tomorrow. Brother, are you at home now?¡±

    Could she still see him again before the New Year so that she could wish him a Happy New Year?

    This would be her first New Year with him. For the many years toe until the rest of her days, she wanted to wish him a Happy New Year every year.

    Li Yuan looked out the window, at the girl¡¯s back. His narrow eyes that were filled with warmth had some bitterness, avoidance, and struggle before he finally replied to her. ¡°No.¡±

    He also wanted to see her and wished her a happy New Year in person on New Year¡¯s Day.

    However, his physical condition hindered him from appearing in front of her. ¡°Wait till I get better.¡±

    Shen Xi felt disappointed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Old Shen was waiting for her at home. She would have to go back to their hometown with Old Shen on the morning of New Year¡¯s Eve, so she would not be able to see him.

    Fu Qingxuan did not know who she was talking to, but when she finally returned to her usual self, he breathed a sigh of relief and his heart did not ache so much.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind them.

    Shen Xi just said goodbye to Li Yuan and was about to call Guan Yue to ask where they were. When she heard her name, she turned around and saw the man she did not want to see. Her eyes turned cold and pretended not to have heard him. She asked Fu Qingxuan, ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan pulled her forward.

    Su Yi thought she did not hear him and ran towards her as he shouted, ¡°Xixi, wait! Xixi! Wait up!¡±

    He took his family backstage to look for Xixi but did not see her. Shu Baiyu said that Xixi had left a long time ago. He initially thought that Shu Baiyu was lying to him and did not expect to find Xixi outside.

 Chapter 288 - Run Him Over!

    <h4>Chapter 288: Run Him Over!</h4>

    Li Jingran was infuriated and snorted, ¡°Birds of a feather flock together. Look at what kind of people this brat is hanging out with! That uncultured brat can only mix around with other uncivilized people.¡±

    ¡°Mom, that man was the one who took her away that night! She¡¯s now living with that man,¡± Su Muxuan mocked and sneered. Nothing good ever came from his mouth. ¡°What else can a single man and woman do?¡±

    When Su Ruowan heard this, her expression changed to instance jealousy and resentment. Hatred took over her senses as she stared resentfully at Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan¡¯s backs.

    ¡®Living together? Both of them?¡¯

    She knew that Shen Xi, this little b*tch, was relying on her lecherous body to seduce men and keep them!

    When exactly did Shen Xi meet Fu Qingxuan, and when did she get together with him?

    Li Jingran was so angry that she gritted her teeth. Did she really sleep with that man? What a shameless brat! How could the Su family ever ept such a shameless sl*t like her?

    ¡®What kind of sins did Li Jingranmit in her past life to give birth to such a brat that only brought disgrace to her?¡¯

    Su Muxuan said with hatred in his voice, ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, how can it be fake? Mom, when she returns to the Su family, you must discipline her properly. Otherwise, what will outsiders think of our family?¡±

    Su Ruowan only felt her brain buzzing. Hatred was like a tidal wave that kept surging in her. She just wanted to turn a deaf ear to everything, especially those rted to Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan.

    She only knew that she was interested in this man. Who was Shen Xi to take away whatever she wanted?

    Fu Qingxuan had already dragged Shen Xi to the car.

    Su Yi ran quickly as he was afraid that Shen Xi would slip away, then he would not know when was the next time he would see her again. He knocked on the car window with a pleading and anxious face. ¡°Xixi, it¡¯s Father! Come down and talk to your Father!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s side profile was facing Su Yi. Her cold face was expressionless and she did not even want to nce at him. She just said, ¡°Young Master, drive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Young Master!¡± Fu Qingxuan yelled at her, but he still obediently started the engine.

    Su Yi¡¯s eyes turned red from anxiety and directly stood in front of the car. With a cold face, he tried to show the authority of a father and rebuked her. ¡°Shen Xi, get out of the car at once! Father wants to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°This brat didn¡¯t even respect me in front of outsiders!¡± Su Yi was infuriated.

    Fu Qingxuan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked Shen Xi, ¡°What should we do?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s thin lips parted slightly and spat out those cold words, ¡°Run him over!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the man in front of the car with a dangerous and mocking gaze. Without any hesitation, he floored the pedal.

    Su Yi watched as the car was about to crash into him and was so terrified that he quickly rolled over to the side. He tripped over the curb and fell t on his face. He was ashamed and exasperated, so he shouted in a stern voice, ¡°Shen Xi! Do you know what you¡¯re doing? I¡¯m your father!!¡±

    ¡®This brat wanted to murder her own father?¡¯

    ¡®Who the hell is that uncivilized punk? How dare he try to kill someone in broad daylight?¡¯

    If Su Yi had not dodged quickly, he would have been knocked off his feet.

    ¡°Father! Are you alright?¡± Su Ruowan went over to help him up. Through the car window, she saw Shen Xi turning her head to look at her mockingly with a smirk on her face. Su Ruowan was so mad that she gritted her teeth. This damned b*tch!

    ¡°Dad, this is too much! How can she do this to you?¡± Su Muxuan let out a frustrated roar. His eyes were spitting fire. ¡°You wanted to talk to her properly, but did she even give us a chance to talk?¡±

    ¡°What an ouw!¡± Li Jingran was fuming and felt the blood rushing to her head. She questioned Su Yi angrily. ¡°Look at your beloved daughter that you want to take back so badly! You treat her like a princess, but what did she do? Does she even respect you?¡±

    Su Yi was already annoyed. Listening to them adding fuel to the fire, he got even more exasperated. ¡°Shut up! If you were nicer to her at the beginning, things wouldn¡¯t even havee to this!¡±

    Su Ruowan looked at them meekly. ¡°Mother, Father, don¡¯t argue¡­ It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯ll find Lil¡¯ Sis and get her back, even if I have to trade my life, I¡¯ll do it willingly.¡±

    As she said this, Su Ruowan cried and chased after the car.

    Su Muxuan pulled her back and was heartbroken. ¡°Wanwan, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    ¡®Shen Xi, that brat! It was Shen Xi¡¯s fault that the rtionship between their family had be so tensed. Father was so stubborn. Mother and Wanwan are hurting. It¡¯s all because of her! Why could she not just die?¡¯

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s my fault. If it wasn¡¯t for me, Lil¡¯ Sis wouldn¡¯t have left the Su family, and our family wouldn¡¯t turn out to be like this.¡± Su Ruowan cried with sadness and despair. Her tears were like broken beads as the crystal clear tears dropped bead by bead. It ached their hearts.

    Li Jingran was also heartbroken at the sight of her daughter crying that her eyes turned red as well. She pointed at Su Yi. ¡°What the hell do you want? Must you wreck our home for that brat?¡±

    Su Yi was already crazy, so he did not hear a word anyone said. He just looked at them fiercely and warned them. ¡°She is my daughter! From now on, I won¡¯t tolerate whoever bullies her again.¡±

    Shen Xi was his daughter.

    It was only right for him to take his daughter home.

    **

    Shu Baiyu booked a private restaurant. The chef was Chinese and made good fusion food, so she brought them there to try it.

    She heard Yueyue mention that Xixi had a boyfriend who came to pick her up every night. Xixi also stayed at his house when she was here. He was the youngest son of the Fu family, Fu Qingye¡¯s brother, Fu Qingxuan.

    However, Shu Baiyu never had the chance to meet him and did not expect that before Xixi left, she would bring him over.

    When Shu Baiyu saw Fu Qingxuan, he was truly a rare beauty. His androgynous handsome features blurred gender boundaries, and his noble aura was truly extraordinary.

    Shen Xi initially wanted to ask Fu Qingxuan to send her over and ask him to go home, but she felt that it was quite pitiful for him to eat all alone at home, so she brought him over out of kindness.

    Fu Qingxuan had already changed his outfit. His long ck coat covered his slim figure and made his handsome face seemed more mature and calm. He nodded slightly like a gentleman. ¡°Hello, Ms. Shu, Ms. Guan.¡±

    Shen Xi swept him a disdainful nce. On the way to the restaurant, Fu Qingxuan was dead set on going to the mall to buy some clothes because he knew that therge and bulky ck down jacket he wore was inappropriate for whatever the asion.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Guan Yue smiled. No matter how many times she saw him, she still could not help but admire his astounding beauty.

 Chapter 289 - Like Twins

    <h4>Chapter 289: Like Twins</h4>

    Guan Yue heard that each of the three Fu brothers had their distinct traits. Fu Qingye was mature and handsome, while the temperament and androgynous face of this young man in front of her were enough to beat those beautiful men and women in the entertainment industry.

    ¡°Have a seat and make yourselffortable,¡± Shu Baiyu smiled lovingly as she looked at Fu Qingxuan and Xixi.

    Yueyue said that the two of them were a good-looking couple. This was true, but Shu Baiyu thought that they did not look like a romantic couple.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled out a chair for Shen Xi and watched her sit before he bent slightly and elegantlyid out the napkin on herp like a gentleman. Then, he pulled out a chair for himself and took a seat.

    This was the first time Shen Xi enjoyed his attentive service. She was not used to it and thought to herself, ¡°What a good actor! He¡¯s truly worthy of being the brother of the great Film Emperor. It¡¯s a pity that Fu Qingxuan didn¡¯t enter showbiz, otherwise, he would¡¯ve won an Oscar.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan seemed to have sensed Shen Xi¡¯s thoughts and turned to smile at her charmingly.

    Shen Xi was speechless.

    The food was served soon after.

    Everyone had an appreciation for beauty. Guan Yue was no exception. Sitting opposite the stunning couple, she was in a great mood and felt that the food tasted better than usual.

    Shen Xi did not like to eattro, but she loved Sichuan-style hot and sour fish with pickled mustard greens, which happened to be loaded withtro. Since it was impolite to pick at her food at the table, she decided not to touch it, but as a foodie, it was torture not getting to eat her favorite food.

    That fish on the table looked extremely tempting. Its pickled aroma awakened her taste buds.

    In the end, Shen Xi still could not help but take a slice of the hot and sour fish.

    When Fu Qingxuan saw Shen Xi getting one slice, he followed suit.

    Shu Baiyu looked at the two people across the table as they calmly picked away thetro leaves stuck to their pieces of fish with focus. Their actions and expressions were indescribably simr, so sheughed and jokingly said, ¡°You kids are really like twins!¡±

    ¡°Who wants to be twins with him?!¡±

    ¡°Who wants to be twins with her?!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi said simultaneously, then turned to look at each other with disgust.

    Shu Baiyu could not help butughed out loud and asked, ¡°Yueyue, what do you think?¡±

    She was waking up the dreamer with her question.

    Guan Yue was a little shaken and nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Yeah, so simr.¡±

    She had always felt that Xixi and Fu Qingxuan were very much alike, with the same temperament, little movements, and expressions. She mistook the simrities for the tacit understanding between a young couple, but she always felt that something was off about it although she could not pinpoint exactly what it was.

    When her teacher said so, Guan Yue suddenly realized that she was looking in the wrong direction from the beginning. Rather than a couple, these two were more like twins, but no one knew which one of them was the older one.

    ¡°How are we simr?¡± Shen Xi muttered and threw a sidelong nce at Fu Qingxuan.

    ¡®How ridiculous!¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m nothing like this childish brat!¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯re not simr,¡± Fu Qingxuan denied it vehemently. He took a bite of the fish and could not help but quietly nced at Shen Xi.

    ¡®Ridiculous!¡¯

    ¡®Why would I look like Li Jingran¡¯s daughter?¡¯

    Shu Baiyu looked at both of them. Even when they looked at each other with contempt, they were surprisingly alike. Sheughed nomittally and did not continue on this topic. ¡°Eat more.¡±

    ¡®Are they not alike?¡¯

    ¡®I think they¡¯re simr enough.¡¯

    It was not just their little expressions and actions, even their preferences were the same.

    Xixi did not like lemonade.

    Although Fu Qingxuan did not say it, he never touched his lemonade.

    They both like to eat spicy and sweet dishes.

    They did not eat the purple cabbage in the sd, nor did they eat the carrot inside the stew.

    Neither of them touched the garlic eggnt dish on the table.

    After dinner, it was already 9:00 pm.

    By the time they arrived at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s house, it was already 10:00 pm.

    After Shen Xi took a shower, she knocked on the door to the study. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡±

    When Fu Qingxuan heard that she was leaving, his heart suddenly felt empty and his nose felt a little sore. However, he said indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to report your whereabouts to me.¡±

    Shen Xi grunted. She felt strangely upset and did not know what was going on. She had just met this person less than a week ago and already had this kind of damned attachment to him.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were swollen and his narrow eyes were glistening in the light.

    ¡®Meanie.¡¯

    ¡®Just leave.¡¯

    ¡®Why did you have to tell me?¡¯

    ¡®Now you make me so sad.¡¯

    It was quiet outside, so Fu Qingxuan thought that she had left.

    Unexpectedly, his door was knocked on again. Shen Xi asked, ¡°Fu Qingxuan, does your family put up Spring Festival couplets[1] for the New Year?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan retorted, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t put up Spring Festival couplets at home?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°So when are you going home?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan thought that he would never see her again and was so upset that he threw a tantrum. ¡°None of your business!¡±

    Shen Xi had an indescribably good temper probably because she was leaving soon. ¡°Then let¡¯s write some couplets and put them up before I leave.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan refused, ¡°No!¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Then do you have red paper and ink at home?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was even more aggressive this time, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Shen Xi ignored him, grunted, and kicked his door. She then turned around and called Fu Qingye. Under Fu Qingye¡¯s guidance and description, she soon found red paper, an artisan knife, a ruler, brush, and ink. She was ready to write the Spring Festival couplets.

    Since Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan would be gone, no one would be at home, so pasting a Spring Festival couplet at the front door would make the house look more festive.

    If she was in her hometown at this moment, friends and families would already be visiting each other. Children would set off firecrackers and fireworks. At night, there would be Dragon Dance and Lion Dance[2] performances along the street. It would be extremely lively.

    In this foreign country, let alone these activities, Shen Xi did not even see a redntern[3].

    Fu Qingxuan lost interest in reading and never flipped a page of the book he was holding. He tried to listen to the movements outside, but the soundproof in the room was too good, so he could not hear anything.

    When he pushed the door open, he saw the girl kneeling toy out the red paper on the floor of the empty area of the living room. She looked serious as she wrote the Spring Festival couplets. Shen Xi noticed him and stopped writing, then turned to him and smiled brightly. ¡°Young Master, would you like to write one?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan watched as the girl rubbed her hand on her face. A drop of ink had smeared onto her face somehow. Heughed at her, ¡°You look like a clown!¡±

    Shen Xi was stunned for a moment. She then lifted her hand and rubbed her face, this time, smearing more ink on her face.

    Fu Qingxuan pointed at her and mocked her. ¡°Are you writing couplets or are you writing on your face? Are you gonna stick your face to my front door?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at his smug face and got annoyed. She directly pressed her inky hands on his face, imprinting four fingerprints on his handsome face. She dragged her hands from the left to the right of his face, making it look like a cat wed his face.

    ¡°Young Master, now we¡¯re the same!¡± Shen Xiughed smugly and made a face at him. ¡°Clown!¡±

    [1] Chinese New Year tradition in which lines of poetry were handwritten in ck or gold ink on red paper and were pasted on both sides of the front door, with a four-character idiom on red paper pasted horizontally above the door frame. These couplets served as festive decorations and wishes for a better year toe

    [2] Traditional Chinese dances in which a team of performers would put on dragon or lion costumes, typically performed during Chinese New Year or other religious or cultural festivals for good luck and fortune

    [3] Chinese New Year decoration representing wealth and prosperity

 Chapter 290 - Iâ€™m Very Happy

    <h4>Chapter 290: I¡¯m Very Happy</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan touched his face and saw ink on his hand. He grunted at her angrily, ¡°You brat!¡±

    After saying that, he dipped both hands in the ink until it was dripping, then rushed towards Shen Xi to get back at her.

    Shen Xi screamed and fled. ¡°Fu Qingxuan! Don¡¯t you daree over! I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, so can¡¯t you just let me win once?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan pointed at her angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t run away! If you have the guts to do bad things, don¡¯t hide!¡±

    Shen Xi pretended to be pitiful and cried, ¡°You¡¯re older than me, so you should be the bigger person!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was amused by her and snorted. He did not fall for her act. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be pitiful in front of me. When you told others that I¡¯m your younger brother, why didn¡¯t you think that I¡¯m older than you?¡±

    Shen Xi continued to y the innocent little girl. ¡°I¡¯m a girl and you¡¯re a guy.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan smiled devilishly and approached her step by step. ¡°It¡¯s all about gender equality now.¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at him and made a move to protect herself. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Second Brother that you bullied me!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s so far away now, so I¡¯m not afraid of him.¡± The moment Shen Xi stopped, Fu Qingxuan took advantage of this gap to rush towards her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s reflexes were quick and dodged him while smearing more ink on his face. Half of his face was ck with ink, so sheughed. ¡°Young Master, all¡¯s fair in love and war. I think you¡¯re still quite good-looking if you¡¯re ck.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan knew that she was just teasing him and subconsciously touched his face, only to remember that his hands were also inked. Seeing the girl looking at him with that smug smile, he let out an angry roar, ¡°Just you wait!¡±

    Shen Xi ran away while Fu Qingxuan chased her.

    In the end, the two of them ran to the courtyard and kept running around in circles.

    Shen Xi got tired of running and surrendered with both hands up and her eyes closed. She looked defeated and at his mercy. ¡°Okay, I concede. Do whatever you want.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the girl with an ink-smeared face. When she closed her eyes, her longshes fluttered slightly. Her face looked so gentle and soft, so he reached out his index finger to touch it gently. This warm and soft touch made his heart shudder, so much so that he retracted his hand like he was electrocuted.

    ¡®How can meanie¡¯s face be so soft that it melted my heart?¡¯

    ¡®If this meanie removed her facade, she would be so soft like cotton candy. At a nce, she must be so sweet and gentle.¡¯

    ¡°Young Master, why are you taking so long?¡± Shen Xi got a little impatient. She stood there for him to take revenge, so why was he not making a move?

    ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes.¡± Facing such a cute girl, Fu Qingxuan felt sympathetic and no longer wanted to smear her face. He pulled her hand and led her to the faucet, then said in a deep voice, ¡°Squat here.¡±

    Shen Xi obediently squatted down and heard the sound of running water. After a while, she felt him pulling her hands under the tap. The water was warm and it feltfortable as it flowed into her hand.

    Fu Qingxuan watched as the ink on her hands washed away, revealing her slender and fair fingers. Her hands were very beautiful with well-defined phnges. In the starlight, they seemed to emit a warm jade-like glow.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash by myself,¡± Shen Xi opened her eyes and red at him with disdain, then withdrew her hands.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s gaze was gentle as he watched her as she washed her hands and face. His heart was whole again. He thought to himself that his Lil¡¯ Sis would probably be just as yful, cute, and gentle as her!

    After messing around, the two of them went back to clean up the mess they made in the living room. They mopped and cleaned the ce, then put up the spring couplets at the doors to the living room and the courtyard.

    Finally, they were so tired that they sat at the door and leaned on the door frame. They nked both sides of the door like bouncers.

    Shen Xi looked at the beautiful starry sky. She could also see the bright Milky Way. It was so beautiful, like a dream. She could not move her eyes and let out a sigh. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s really beautiful here.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her seriously, ¡°If you think it¡¯s beautiful, I can allow you toe here often in the future.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and shook her head, ¡°You hate me so much. I don¡¯t wannae over.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan almost said that he did not hate her, but he swallowed it and said, ¡°At least you still have some self-awareness!¡±

    Shen Xi did not say anything and just hooked her lips. Her hands made a framing gesture as she looked at the starry sky seriously. Her eyes were overflowing with brightness like those stars. After a long time, she said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of me these few days. If you evere to China one day, I¡¯ll also take care of you.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan snorted and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to take care of me.¡±

    Shen Xi kept the starry sky and happiness she felt here deeply in her heart. After a breath of relief, she stood up and casually turned around while she said, ¡°I¡¯m very happy about this trip.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan only felt the tip of his nose getting sore. He looked at her rxed back with red and watery eyes.

    ¡®Meanie.¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s leaving.¡¯

    ¡®She was even sentimental with me.¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan was never afraid of goodbyes, but the thought of her leaving made him feel reluctant to let her go.

    ***

    The next day.

    :30 am.

    On a flight from Vienna back to the Capital in China.

    The Su family also went back to China today.

    Su Yi¡¯s face was glum. He made this trip and wasted nearly a week trying to settle some problems, but none of them were solved. He did not win over the Huo family and even failed to bring Shen Xi back.

    Su Muxuan sat next to his father, took a magazine, and flipped through it. He did not dare to speak for fear of making Su Yi angry again.

    Last night, his father asked him to check which flight Shen Xi was on, but he did not manage to find out and was scolded by his father. Su Yi pointed at him and said that he was a useless and ipetent brat. Since then, he was in a bad mood.

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan sat together.

    Su Ruowan showed thetest entertainment news to Li Jingran. Her voice was very low as she said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all over the news that Lil¡¯ Sis is Ms. Shu¡¯s apprentice. Look, those tabloid ounts all say that. Didn¡¯t Ms. Guan say that Lil¡¯ Sis wasn¡¯t their student?¡±

    ¡®This damned Shen Xi! Hasn¡¯t she been rejecting Shu Baiyu? How did she suddenly be her apprentice? Now the entire entertainment industry knew that Shen Xi had found another good teacher.¡¯

    Li Jingran looked at the viral news. Her eyes turned dark as she said, ¡°She knows better than anyone that having Shu Baiyu as a teacher will only benefit her. She¡¯s so smart, so it¡¯s not that she refused to be Shu Baiyu¡¯s student, it¡¯s just not the right time.¡±

    It was indeed not the best time at this moment. This brat who only cared about her own benefits truly nned it all so well. She reced Shu Baiyu on stage and was shot to fame with one dance.

    Shen Xi and her ¡°Flower Fairy¡± dance already stole the headlines of many mainstream media in various countries. Many of them said that she was the next rising Oriental Pearl after Shu Baiyu.

    World-ss dancers had also been posting videos of Shen Xi¡¯s performance on their social media. They all praised her talent, grace, and beauty.

    This time, Shen Xi had maximized her benefits and made her name in the world. Overnight, she became the most promising neer in the international dance scene and was watched by billions of people.

    ¡°Mom, Lil¡¯ Sis is not like that,¡± Su Ruowan tried to speak for Shen Xi and sounded happy for her. ¡°Lil¡¯ Sis achieved such good results, so I¡¯m really happy for her. I wanna congratte her in person.¡±

    Li Jingran sighed in anger, ¡°You¡¯re just too simple-minded. I don¡¯t think she even needs our wishes.¡±

    ¡®Shen Xi, that scheming brat! She nned it step by step. First Jiang Yin, then Shu Baiyu. Who will fall into her trap next?¡¯

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Su Ruowan still wanted to say good things that went against her heart, but before she finished her sentence, she inadvertently nced at a young man who came in.

    Li Jingran¡¯s eyes also lit up as she sized up the young man in front of them.

    The young man was about the same age as Su Mushi. Even though he wore sunsses, it still could not hide his handsome face. Not to mention his noble bearings and reserved temperament. One nce was enough to tell that he was unmistakably the son of a prestigious family.

 Chapter 291 - Good Impression

    <h4>Chapter 291: Good Impression</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Ruowan recognized the young man in front of her at a nce. It was Fu Qingxuan.

    After that day, she did a background check on him and finally found his picture in a medical journal.

    Su Ruowan knew that they were destined to meet again, but she never thought that God would be so kind to her to send him right to her side.

    She swept him a nce with a stubborn and cold gaze, then quickly withdrew her gaze. She wanted to use her way to win him over, so she would keep her pride and ignore him, then wait for him to take the initiative to talk to her.

    Some men were unappreciative. The more she chased him, the more he would ignore her.

    However, if she ignored him, he would cling to her like apdog.

    Su Ruowan was sure that Fu Qingxuan was this kind of man due to his bad temper.

    Su Muxuan also did not expect to see the pretty boy that had been hanging around Shen Xi here. What made Su Muxuan curious was that this pretty boy seemed to be alone. He did not see Shen Xi. Maybe that b*tch Shen Xi was following this boy!

    Su Yi looked at Su Muxuan¡¯s expression and could guess a thing or two. He asked, ¡°Is this little punk the man who was with Xixi?¡±

    ¡®The one from the theater?¡¯

    This time, this boy lookedpletely different from the guy in the theater. His aura had changed drastically.

    Su Muxuan answered, ¡°Yeah, Shen Xi must be in the back. Dad, you don¡¯t have to talk to her alone.¡±

    Su Yi showed an aspirational smile and changed his attitude towards the young man in front of him. He even changed the way he addressed that man. ¡°This young man is no ordinary person.¡±

    He did not care how many men Shen Xi was having an affair with. He just wanted her to be able to capture the hearts of all men. Of course, they must not be poor and must be from a prestigious family so that the Su family could get more allies and benefits.

    Li Jingran did not recognize him as the arrogant, domineering, and supercilious man from the theater, nor did she hear Su Yi and Su Muxuan¡¯s conversation. She only looked at her daughter beside her. Wanwan seemed to be very interested in that boy.

    Su Ruowan had already begun to scheme. If he doesn¡¯t take the initiative to talk to me, which method should I use to get his attention?

    Fu Qingxuan just sneered in his heart. How unlucky! Why did I have to meet this shameless family again?

    ¡®Also, meanie¡¯s not even here.¡¯

    Last night, Fu Qingxuan purposely asked his second brother to make sure that Shen Xi was on this flight.

    He bought a first-ss ticket. There were a total of eight seats and only one was empty. Why isn¡¯t meanie here yet? Did she get into an ident on the way?

    Fu Qingxuan was worried as he sat in his seat, so he took out his phone to send her a message, which he soon received a reply to.

    Meanie: Young Master, you¡¯re awake?

    Fu Qingxuan: Where are you?

    Meanie: On the ne. I¡¯m arriving in the afternoon. You?

    Fu Qingxuan casually typed: Okay.

    Since Shen Xi was already on the ne, it meant that she was not in first ss.

    Another young man boarded the ne.

    Thest seat was soon upied.

    The young man wore a red down jacket and was handsome, but he had arrogance written all over his face. When he saw the Su family, he even nodded and greeted them, ¡°Hello, Uncle and Auntie.¡±

    Su Yi saw the young man and knew that Shen Xi was not on this flight. He nodded at the boy and smiled. ¡°Xu, you came here for a trip?¡±

    Pei Xu replied, ¡°I came to see a friend.¡±

    After saying that, he threw his duffel bag onto his seat and swept a nce at the person sitting next to him.

    The man¡¯s side profile was facing Pei Xu and was ying with his phone. The sunlighting in from the window shone on the man¡¯s overly delicate and perfect side profile.

    ¡®F*ck!¡¯

    ¡®His skin is amazing! It¡¯s so soft and even more beautiful than a girl¡¯s.¡¯

    Pei Xu swept a nce and sat on his seat.

    Fu Qingxuan sized Pei Xu up with contempt.

    ¡®Meh.¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s acquainted with the Su family and greeted them nicely, so he¡¯s probably no one.¡¯

    Su Ruowan saw Pei Xu taking his seat and stood up. She walked in front of Fu Qingxuan to Pei Xu and looked at him gently as she asked, ¡°Pei Xu, will you change seats with me? I wanna sit by the window and watch the sunrise.¡±

    Pei Xu smirked devilishly and swept her a cursory nce without any respect for her. ¡°Nope! I wanna see the sunrise.¡±

    ¡°Then enjoy the sunrise!¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s expression changed and looked embarrassed. Through the corner of her eye, she quietly paid attention to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s reaction, but she found that he was focused on his phone and did not care about her at all. Su Ruowan lost confidence in her n.

    When Su Yi heard Pei Xu¡¯s words, he was unhappy, but he still smiled and said, ¡°Xu, do Uncle a favor and change seats with Wanwan. She wants to see the sunrise. As a brother, you should be nice to her.¡±

    Pei Xu raised his eyebrows and became more arrogant. ¡°Uncle Su, you can¡¯t say that. I can¡¯t afford to have such a sister. Do you think she¡¯s Mary Sue (TN: a fictional character who was seen as unrealistically perfect and boring due to theck of ws, often used as a derogatory term in fanfiction)? Why should I give her whatever she wants?¡±

    Su Yi was dissed like this, which made his face red with anger. ¡°How can you talk like this, kid?¡±

    ¡°I always talk like this,¡± Pei Xuughed and made a face, then pointed at Su Ruowan. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, just ask her or Su Mushi when you get back.¡±

    Pei Xu did not believe that Su Mushi¡¯s family did not know about their son crawling under his crotch.

    He only greeted them as a courtesy.

    Su Ruowan was annoyed. ¡°Pei Xu, don¡¯t go overboard. If you don¡¯t wanna switch seats with me, just forget it. You don¡¯t have to be so rude.¡±

    Pei Xuughed out loud, ¡°Yo, is this the first time you find out that I¡¯m rude? If you can¡¯t stand it, scurry back to your seat then.¡±

    He could not stand seeing the Su family¡¯s self-righteous faces and felt like vomitingst night¡¯s dinner. Each one of the Su family looked like everyone owed them and did not have the slightest bit of self-awareness.

    Su Muxuan¡¯s face turned red with anger and got up wanting to make a move.

    Su Yi pulled him back and called out to Su Ruowan, ¡°Wanwan,e back. Just ignore Pei Xu.¡±

    Pei Xu, this little bastard. He¡¯s just an illegitimate son of the Pei family. Look how arrogant he is! There are so many more affluent families in the capitalpared to the Pei family, and the Su family isn¡¯t any less than them, but this punk didn¡¯t even give me face!

    Li Jingran pulled Su Ruowan to sit down with her eyebrows knitted. She then swept Pei Xu a sidelong nce coldly.

    ¡®This bastard is just as immoral and lowly as his mother. It serves him right that he never got the recognition of Old Master Pei since he came from such a filthy ce.¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan, who was sitting next to him, smiled faintly with some interest. He had a good impression of Pei Xu. Anyone who was against the Su family was his friend.

    ¡®This person is sharp-tongued and arrogant enough.¡¯

 Chapter 292 - Protect Him

    <h4>Chapter 292: Protect Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Pei Xu ignored the angry and irritated looks he got from the Su family. He rested his long legs on the table in front of him, then took out his phone to send a message to Shen Xi. ¡°I¡¯m on the ne. What about you?¡±

    Shen Xi: I¡¯m also on the ne.

    Pei Xu: Why didn¡¯t I see you?

    Shen Xi: I¡¯m in business ss.

    Pei Xu: Big shot designer and dancer, you should¡¯ve told me you couldn¡¯t afford to buy first ss. I would¡¯ve paid for you.

    Shen Xi: ...

    Pei Xu: Well, you don¡¯t have to feel sorry. The Su family¡¯s here too. I¡¯m going over to see you now.

    He got up immediately, picked up his duffel bag, and threw it over his shoulder dashingly. Through the corner of his eyes, he could not help but look at the man sitting next to him again. He once again thought, F*ck, how is he so handsome?

    Su Ruowan watched as Pei Xu left with his bag. The hatred surging in her heart made her breathing a little unstable.

    ¡®Pei Xu, this son of a b*tch! He¡¯s too much! Wait till I get even with him.¡¯

    Pei Xu went straight to the business ss and found Shen Xi, then spoke to the person next to her and changed seats with him.

    The middle-aged man next to Shen Xi thought that Pei Xu was joking, but after seeing his ticket, he was ted. Getting upgraded from business ss to first ss was such a good deal! After confirming with Pei Xu, the man took his new ticket and left.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen Su Ruowan¡¯s face just now. She looked like she just ate sh*t!¡± Pei Xu sat next to Shen Xi and paused before he continued, ¡°I have a feeling that she has her eyes on that pretty boy sitting next to me.¡±

    ¡®Su Ruowan¡¯s such a b*tch. She thinks that she¡¯s so alluring to men, but those who get tricked by her are just dumb*sses.¡¯

    Shen Xi smiled and did notment on it.

    Pei Xu looked at her and said, ¡°The pretty boy sitting next to me was really beautiful. He also had such a noble aura. You best not see him because I¡¯m afraid you might develop an inferiorityplex.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Is he really that good-looking?¡±

    She had just finished her question when she saw Pei Xu looking up with his eyes fixated in that direction.

    The one walking towards them was none other than Fu Qingxuan.

    Shen Xi nudged Pei Xu and teased him, ¡°Is he the one you said is better looking than me?¡±

    When Pei Xu heard her words, he finally snapped back to his senses and nodded his head.

    ¡®F*ck!¡¯

    ¡®I was actually charmed by a guy! What the hell?!¡¯

    When Fu Qingxuan saw Shen Xi sitting with Pei Xu and whispering to him, he got upset and walked to her. ¡°You know each other?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go home? Why are you here?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan retorted, ¡°I can go wherever I want.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Yes, Young Master. Whatever you say.¡±

    Pei Xu looked at Fu Qingxuan, then at Shen Xi. F*ck, they know each other!

    Fu Qingxuan also did the same thing as Pei Xu and changed seats with someone.

    This way, Shen Xi was sitting in the middle, with Fu Qingxuan¡¯s new seat by the window and Pei Xu the aisle seat.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Shen Xi and pointed to his seat, ¡°Go sit by the window.¡±

    Somehow, when he saw Shen Xi sitting with other men, Fu Qingxuan felt ufortable.

    Shen Xi frowned.

    Pei Xu was upset and threw a sidelong nce at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Why are you asking her to sit by the window? Who do you think you are, pretty boy?¡±

    The words ¡°pretty boy¡± annoyed Fu Qingxuan. He narrowed his eyes dangerously and pointed at Pei Xu, ¡°I dare you to say it again!¡±

    Pei Xu hooked his lips and smiled wickedly, ¡°Pretty boy! You¡¯re even prettier than a girl, so who else would be the pretty boy if not you?¡±

    Like a cat whose tail was stepped on, Fu Qingxuan exploded and lunged at Pei Xu with his fist. ¡°F*ck you!¡±

    Since he was young, Fu Qingxuan hated it most when others called him pretty.

    Shen Xi saw that these two were about to get into a fight and sighed while rubbing her temple. The moment she got up, she grabbed Fu Qingxuan¡¯s arm, ¡°Stop it.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan became even more furious with fire in his eyes, then let out a deep roar. ¡°You¡¯re protecting him? Who is he?¡±

    Shen Xi exined, ¡°He¡¯s my friend and he means no harm.¡±

    Pei Xu had always been wild, arrogant, and domineering when he talked and did anything. He did not care about anyone and only did as he pleased.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s temper was not any better than Pei Xu, but due to his identity, he always self-restrained in front of outsiders. He did not expect to be so easily pissed off by Pei Xu. It looked like Fu Qingxuan really hated being called pretty.

    The good impression Fu Qingxuan had about Pei Xu earlier vanished in an instance. All that remained was hostility towards him. He just gave Pei Xu a warning re and sat back in his seat.

    ¡®This son of a b*tch is certainly hitting on meanie.¡¯

    Pei Xu gave him another provocative nce before he asked Shen Xi, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°A friend.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was upset and said, ¡°I¡¯m her brother!¡±

    ¡°Oh...brother, huh?¡± Pei Xu trailed his voice and sounded like he did not believe nor care about Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Pei Xu¡¯s smug face and clenched his fist. If Shen Xi did not stop him, he would have killed Pei Xu.

    Shen Xi gave Pei Xu a warning look so that he would talk properly and not show his annoying arrogant attitude. Well, Fu Qingxuan was not alone because even Shen Xi felt like beating Pei Xu up when she saw his smug face.

    Su Ruowan saw that after Pei Xu left, a middle-aged fat man took his ce. She was secretly d that her opportunity came, but Fu Qingxuan also left. Soon after, his seat was also reced by someone else.

    She felt that something was wrong and asked the people who switched seats with the boys, only to find out that the boys gave up their seats to sit next to a girl.

    Su Ruowan was certain that the person Pei Xu and Fu Qingxuan went to look for was Shen Xi.

    Su Yi was also sure about it, and a clear excitement shed across his eyes. ¡°Honey, I think it¡¯s Xixi! You guys wait here, I¡¯ll go find her.¡±

    Li Jingran did not know why her husband was so happy. He did not seem to care how Shen Xi had been treating him. He was not mad, nor did he hate Shen Xi. However, Li Jingran said calmly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Su Ruowan also got up. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go with you. Let¡¯s talk to Lil¡¯ Sis properly. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll agree toe home.¡±

    Su Yi nodded and was pleased that Su Ruowan wanted to help him.

    Shen Xi did not expect to encounter such a bad situation even on the ne. When she saw Su Yi and Su Ruowan walking over to her one after the other, she just felt like throwing the boys sitting next to her out of the ne.

    If these two had note over and made such a fuss, the Su family would not have known that she was on the same flight.

    ¡°Xixi, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve tomorrow, soe home with Father. Let¡¯s celebrate New Year together properly, just likest year. We¡¯ll have a good time,¡± Su Yi smiled. He was sincere as he tried to move Shen Xi by bringing up some good memories. ¡°Do you still remember thatst year on New Year¡¯s Eve, you, Wanwan, and your brothers set off fireworks together? You were all so happy!¡±

 Chapter 293 - Kick Her Out

    <h4>Chapter 293: Kick Her Out</h4>

    ¡°Happy?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyebrows were slightly raised. She had a cool and mocking gaze as she swept a nce at Su Ruowan. ¡°I remember that Su Ruowan¡¯s hands almost got blown up because of me.¡±

    Su Ruowan looked awkward and said, ¡°I know that it was an ident.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Shen Xi continued tough. ¡°But because of that, I was locked up in the courtyard for the entire night!¡±

    Shen Xi remembered clearly that when she held the fireworks, it just did not seem to set off.

    Su Ruowan said that she would take a look, but the moment Shen Xi handed the fireworks to her, the fireworks suddenly lit up and scraped Su Ruowan¡¯s face.

    Shen Xiter learned that Su Ruowan purposely blocked the opening of the fireworks to frame her.

    She would never forget the time when she stood panicked and transfixed in the courtyard with the cold northern wind blowing as she received contemptuous, heartless, and cold res from the whole family.

    Shen Xi watched as they ushered Su Ruowan into the house with worry and heartache, while they left her alone and terrified, standing alone in the courtyard. No one knew just how sad and hopeless she felt at the time.

    Su Mushi even viciously humiliated her and locked her up in the courtyard for the whole night because of Su Ruowan¡¯s injury. The rest of the Su family did not know about it, nor did anyone care if she was left in the cold to die.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Sis, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Su Ruowan looked at her with an innocent face. Her eyes welled up with distressed tears, ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Su Yi had long forgotten about that day and did not expect this to backfire. He coughed lightly to cover up his embarrassment and said, ¡°That¡¯s all in the past, let bygones be bygones. Father will promise you that such things won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Sis, what exactly do you want for you to agree toe home with us?¡± Su Ruowan asked in a soft and meek voice.

    Shen Xi had a smile on her face, but her voice was cold and heartless as she said, ¡°You can kneel and beg me.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face turned as pale as paper in an instant, and her eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Lil¡¯ Sis!¡±

    The smile on Su Yi¡¯s face stiffened. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Xixi, there are so many people here, so don¡¯t throw a tantrum, okay? Who locked you out that day? Tell Father and I¡¯ll lock him up for two days to avenge you, okay? As long as youe back with me, Father can promise you anything.¡±

    Su Yi used to be a movie star and a public figure. Now, he was a famous entrepreneur, so people would certainly recognize him on the ne. If anyone caught a glimpse of him begging, he would not be able to survive in the industry from shame.

    Shen Xi smiled mockingly and pointed at Su Ruowan, ¡°If you want me to go back, then kick her out.¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s face turned green as he was put in a difficult position. ¡°Wanwan¡¯s your sister. Just like you, she¡¯s also my daughter.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t give her up?¡± Shen Xiughed out loud. Her gorgeous voice trailed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d agree to anything as long as I go back with you?¡±

    ¡°Dad, as long as Lil¡¯ Sis agrees to go back, I don¡¯t mind doing whatever she wants,¡± Su Ruowan said as tears streamed down her aggrieved and pitiful face. Her body even trembled from sadness. However, she looked determined and stubborn as she looked at Shen Xi, ¡°Lil¡¯ Sis, I can leave. I beg you to just go home with Dad!¡±

    Su Ruowan looked at Fu Qingxuan from the corner of her eyes.

    ¡®Now he can see for himself how unreasonable, cold, heartless, and wicked this little b*tch Shen Xi was.¡¯

    ¡°You leaving the Su family is just one condition.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s smile was even more gorgeous as she continued, ¡°Mr. Su, you need to break off all ties with your three beloved sons and kick them all out of the house. I don¡¯t want them to be an eyesore to me. Then, you can give me all of the Su family¡¯s assets. If you can do that, then I¡¯ll think about returning to the Su family.¡±

    Su Yi finally knew that Shen Xi was making a fool out of him and could not help but be infuriated. The darkness under his eyes surged and he tried with all his might to suppress the urge to p Shen Xi to death. He looked at her and said, ¡°Xixi, Father has some things to deal with. I¡¯ll see you some other time.¡±

    ¡®This damned brat! She really had a big appetite, huh? She demanded all of the Su family¡¯s assets? I¡¯ll never allow anyone to steal my assets, even if it¡¯s my own children!¡¯

    Su Ruowan watched Su Yi leave and turned to follow. Out of the corner of her eye, she nced at Fu Qingxuan and found that he had been looking at Shen Xi. His narrow and deep eyes had an unconcealed heartache and self-me. This look made Su Ruowan exasperatingly jealous.

    ¡®This damned Shen Xi!¡¯

    ¡®She was so arrogant and vicious! How was she worthy of his sympathy? I was the one who deserved to be pitied! It should be me!!¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan turned out to be blind and could not distinguish between right and wrong.

    ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve already told you my conditions, so think about it and get back to me,¡± Shen Xi looked at Su Yi¡¯s back and giggled.

    Su Yi heard herughter and clenched his teeth tightly. If it was not for the benefits this brat could bring him, he would not be so tolerant of her. He would teach her a good lesson and show her who was the boss.

    When Fu Qingxuan turned his head, he met Pei Xu¡¯s gaze. He snorted and quickly averted his eyes.

    Pei Xu looked at Shen Xi, ¡°What you just said was true?¡±

    ¡°About me hurting Su Ruowan with fireworks?¡± Shen Xi smiled, then picked up the ss in front of her and took a sip of red wine. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. I should¡¯ve aimed straight for her eyes and blown up both of her eyes.¡±

    Pei Xu looked at her saying such vicious words with the most innocent and pure eyes and the most beautiful face, yet he did not feel that there was anything wrong with it. He just felt delighted and clinked sses with her. His words were even more brutal. ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d blow up her brains.¡±

    His interest was piqued and asked Shen Xi to tell him what happened that night.

    Shen Xi did not mind and retold the story vividly as if she was telling someone else¡¯s story that had nothing to do with her.

    Pei Xu knew that if she could talk about her past trauma like a joke, it meant that she hadpletely let it go and did not care about it, but somehow, he just felt more heartbroken for her.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes had aplex look. When he thought of her getting framed on New Year¡¯s Eve, the day of a supposed family reunion, how she was wronged and ignored and shut out in the cold night, he just felt like he had been stabbed in the heart.

    ¡®Second Brother said she was pitiful.¡¯

    ¡®She really was very pitiful.¡¯

    In the future, he would definitely treat her well and love her. He would not allow anyone to bully her, and certainly would not let the Su family scumbags near her again.

    In the airport.

    Shen Zhangqing was holding arge banner in the crowd as he looked around longingly for his daughter amidst others who came to pick up their loved ones at the arrival hall.

    After getting off the ne, Pei Xu ran away saying that he had something to do.

    Shen Xi was rxed as she carried a small backpack with her. She looked at Fu Qingxuan, who was lugging three suitcases by himself. She had a strange feeling because this Young Master was acting weird and insisted on carrying all her luggage without her help. He even threw a tantrum with her.

 Chapter 294 - What Kind Of Brother?

    <h4>Chapter 294: What Kind Of Brother?</h4>

    Since it was New Year¡¯s Eve, anyone flying back from abroad was picked up by someone, so the airport was very lively and crowded.

    At a nce, Shen Xi already spotted her portrait with a few big red letters on it. ¡°Daughter, Father¡¯s here!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan also saw the banner because Shen Xi was so pretty. The girl in the portrait was so vibrant and beautiful, like a beam of light that would attract anyone to her at one nce. However, the few words on the banner really ruined the beauty of the photo.

    The man holding the banner was a slightly fat middle-aged man that looked very enthusiastic. He had a typical Chinese face with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a long squarish face. He was not exactly handsome, but decent-looking.

    Fu Qingxuan had seen this man¡¯s photo before in Shen Xi¡¯s wallet. It was a family photo with three people. However, the man in the photo was much fatter than this man in front of him, yet his features could still be recognized.

    Shen Zhangqing also spotted his daughter at once and happily waved the banner in his hands as he shouted excitedly, ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m right here! Father¡¯s here!¡±

    Shen Xi happily trotted over and pressed her head into the man¡¯s arms, ¡°Old Shen!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had never seen her this happy, like a little bird out of the cage. She was joyful and blessed, which alleviated his depressed mood from the flight.

    Shen Xi was not loved by her biological parents.

    However, her adoptive parents loved her and spoiled her, so she was quite lucky in a sense.

    Fu Qingxuan hoped that his younger sister could be as blessed as Shen Xi to have such a good adoptive family who would raise her as their little princess.

    Shen Zhangqing looked at his daughter, ¡°Where¡¯s your suitcase?¡±

    Shen Xi turned around and pointed at Fu Qingxuan with curved eyes, ¡°Right there!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had already walked up to them. He looked at the man in front of him and greeted him politely and respectfully, ¡°Hello, Uncle.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing nced at Shen Xi, then looked at the handsome boy in front of him warily. ¡°Who are you, kid?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was surprisingly nervous being looked at like that. His brain buzzed for a bit before he finally said, ¡°I¡¯m her brother!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing frowned and became more alert. ¡°You¡¯re her brother? I¡¯m her father!¡±

    With his precious daughter growing older, Shen Zhangqing looked at men like they were all wolves. This little punk in front of him was also trying to steal his baby daughter.

    Fu Qingxuan was rendered speechless.

    **

    Shen Zhangqing was driving.

    Shen Xi sat on the passenger seat and told her father that Fu Qingxuan wanted to follow them home for the New Year.

    Shen Zhangqing felt a little strange and nced through the rearview mirror to look at the young man in the backseat. He thought to himself, ¡°I guess he¡¯s pretty good-looking and looks like an honest child.¡±

    However, his family was a dealbreaker. The Fu family was a prestigious family with many rules. If his precious daughter married into that family, she would surely suffer, so no, absolutely not!

    Shen Xi did not know what her father was thinking about with a frown on his face while he shook and nodded his head from time to time, ¡°Old Shen, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing said loudly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t agree!¡±

    Shen Xi was speechless.

    Shen Zhangqing coughed awkwardly and immediately shed her a doting smile. ¡°Umm¡­ Father was thinking about some things and was a little distracted. What were you saying earlier?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Shen Xi looked at him seriously. ¡°Old Shen, you should focus on driving. Don¡¯t get distracted.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will,¡± Shen Zhangqing collected his thoughts and started talking to Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Kid, why don¡¯t you go back to your own home for the New Year?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan always felt that meanie¡¯s father kept looking at him with hostile eyes. He replied politely, ¡°It¡¯s boring to be at home every year. I heard Xixi say that New Year¡¯s Eve in your hometown is very lively, so I wanted to see it for myself and join the fun! Uncle, do you not wee me?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing thought secretly, ¡°You¡¯re not wee at all!¡± However, he kept an amiable front. ¡°What are you talking about? How can I not wee you? I¡¯m d you cane!¡±

    ¡®Hmph! I would not wee anyone who dared to hit on my baby girl!¡¯

    After one week, Shen Xi finally got home. When she got out of the car, she subconsciously nced towards the next door, but no cars were parked at the door and the gate was locked. Brother was not at home.

    Fu Qingxuan went to the trunk to get their suitcases. He caught the obvious disappointment that shed across Shen Xi¡¯s eyes and also looked next door. Somehow, he felt that meanie¡¯s expression at the moment was simr to the time she was crying and looking for someone at the square back in Vienna.

    Tomorrow was two days before New Year, so they had to leave for the airport early in the morning.

    After dinner.

    Shen Xi pulled Fu Qingxuan to write the Spring Festival couplets to be put up on her front door before leaving.

    Shen Zhangqing made some orange juice for both of them. When he came out with the tray, he saw the two of them sitting at the table looking so focused and serious as they wrote the Spring Festival couplets.

    Their sitting posture and the way they held the brush, down to their features and seriousness were uncanny, so much so that he conjured an absurd thought in his heart for a moment.

    ¡®These two kids¡­ why do they look like twins?¡¯

    ¡°Old Shen, are you done?¡± Shen Xi shouted.

    ¡°Coming! Why are you in a rush?¡± Shen Zhangqing smiled and pulled himself away from that extremely ridiculous thought. How could it be? What was he thinking?

    However, the Su family said that Xixi was their biological daughter. If it were not for the paternity test, he would not have acknowledged them.

    The Su family were all scumbags. They certainly did not deserve his precious little girl.

    ¡°Thanks, Uncle,¡± Fu Qingxuan smiled at Old Shen.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s heart had that familiar feeling again. He looked at his daughter and thought that this smile was the same as his daughter¡¯s.

    They were done writing the Spring Festival couplets.

    Shen Zhangqing was so happy that he could not stop talking and praising them both for their good penmanship. He even said that they wrote it better than the ones sold in the store and told them that he wanted them to write more couplets when they get back to their hometown the next day.

    They put up the Spring Festival couplets on their front door.

    Shen Xi called Fu Qingxuan and went next door with some stuff.

    Fu Qingxuan asked her, ¡°Whose house is this?¡±

    She smiled and said, ¡°The neighbor¡¯s house.¡±

    He looked at her with disdain. ¡°Do you really have nothing better to do than to put up Spring Festival couplets for the neighbor?¡±

    She red at him. ¡°Whatever, I like it.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan watched as she carefully wiped the neighbor¡¯s front door and put up the couplets. She did not allow him to help and did everything seriously and delicately like it was an honor to be doing this. All of the couplets were written by her. The only scroll that he wrote was chucked to the side by her.

    After pasting the couplets, Shen Xi stood at the door and looked up at her own masterpiece. Her eyes were overflowing with happiness that Fu Qingxuan had never seen before.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyebrows were slightly knitted and felt conflicted for a while.

    If he was not sure about her look earlier when they got out of the car, he was certain that this neighbor must be that man who she was frantically searching for in the square.

    That guy¡¯s caller ID on her phone was ¡°Brother¡±.

    ¡®What kind of ¡°Brother¡± could make meanie so concerned about him? When she couldn¡¯t find him, she was so sad and desperate and cried like a child. When she thought about him, she smiled so sweetly and happily.¡¯

 Chapter 295 - Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 295: Heaven</h4>

    Shen Xi was happy with her work and the handwriting was pretty neat too. The question remained whether Li Yuan would like it or not.

    She was inclined to send him a photo to ask if it looked good yet she wanted it to be a surprise for him to discover on his own. After a brief conflict, Shen Xi decided against sending a photo.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Shen Xi turned to smile at Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxian scoffed, feeling upset about this neighbor of hers but did not bring up the question in the end. She had turned her eyes away by then.

    He followed her gaze to a handsome young man helping an adorable-looking girl as the pair headed their way. The girl was limping.

    Shen Xi made her way towards them. The pair were Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi. Looking amused, Shen Xi waved her arm at them.

    ¡°Xixi¡­ I twisted my ankle,¡± Song Wenye wailed dramatically in pain.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was standing behind Shen Xi.

    Song Wenye wondered why she was nervous to be helped by Yu Yuanxi, so much so she only saw Shen Xi and overlooked the pretty boy. Once closer, she widened her eyes and stared directly at the young man.

    ¡®Holy sh*t!¡¯

    ¡®What a looker!¡¯

    ¡®A hot hunk, indeed!¡¯

    Yu Yuanxi had long noticed the young man behind Shen Xi.

    The tall, graceful, and handsome guy had one foot in the shadows, adding an air of mystery to him.

    Shen Xi knew Song Wenye would be knocked senseless by good-looking people.

    Song Wenye was one to kick down thedder. She pushed Yu Yuanxi away and grabbed Shen Xi by the arm. Her eyes were sparkling, but she needed to act coy before the hunk. Song Wenye whispered, ¡°Xixi, well done. A trip to Vienna and youe home with a hottie in hand. How did you trick him? I¡¯ve got to give it to you.¡±

    ¡®Aahhh!¡¯

    Why was she never blessed with such luck? If only Song Wenye could run into this kind of hunk and kidnap him home.

    ¡°He tagged along,¡± Shen Xi warned her. Song Wenye was talking as though Shen Xi was some kind of trafficker.

    Fu Qingxuan and Yu Yuanxi had got the ball rolling before Shen Xi introduced them. Shen Xi was taken aback since Yu Yuanxi was an introvert and rarely prompted a greeting. Both guys must have great first impressions of each other.

    ¡°Hey, Handsome. My¡­ My¡­ My name is Song Wenye, a close friend of Xixi. You can call me Lil¡¯ Ye,¡± Song Wenye reached out an arm excitedly while looking at the hunk expectantly.

    Fu Qingxuan did not extend his arm for a handshake. Instead, he let out a gentlemanly smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Fu Qingxuan.¡±

    Like a silly goose, Song Wenye dwelled on it for a while. She fiddled with her fingers and mumbled, ¡°Fu Qingxuan, Fu Qingye. How are you rted to Qingye?¡±

    It never urred to Fu Qingxuan that she would know Qingye. He replied with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s my second elder brother.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s mind went nk. Turning to Shen Xi, she spoke without a filter. ¡°Having your way with the brothers, I see?¡±

    Shen Xi smacked the back of Song Wenye¡¯s head. ¡°What are you talking about? Fu Qingye is my older brother and he¡¯s my younger brother.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not take that statement too kindly. However, since he could not be mean to her in public, Fu Qingxuan corrected her, ¡°I¡¯m her older brother.¡±

    Song Wenye finally found a glimpse of lucidity, barely capable of removing her fiery gaze from Fu Qingxuan. She definitely had a funny way of thinking. Song Wenye was jealous. ¡°Xixi, what about the eldest brother in the Fu family? Have you met him?¡±

    ¡®Jesus. Now that was heaven.¡¯

    She would have more of an appetite to eat if such hunks were hanging around her every day.

    Shen Xi shook her head, ¡°No.¡±

    She met Fu Qingxuan merely by coincidence.

    Qingye mentioned that Fu Qingxuan had only intended to stay at the estate for a day because of an academic lecture in Vienna. He was going to fly back to hisb the next day butter stayed behind to finish an old medical book he had supposedly found.

    The presence of a hottie made Song Wenye forget about the pain in her leg. Hunks were a form of anesthesia, pain killer, and her lifeline.

    Since they were heading in, Yu Yuanxi retorted in a soft voice, ¡°Xixi, I¡¯ll leave Song Wenye to you. I should get going.¡±

    Before Shen Xi had a chance to say anything, Song Wenye chimed in. ¡°Hey now. Since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t youe in for a bit? You have not met with Mr. Shen. Come and say hello!¡±

    Shen Xi nodded, ¡°Come in and have a seat. My mom made you some clothes. I don¡¯t have to deliver them to you since you¡¯re here.¡± She initially nned to hand the clothes to Lil¡¯ Ye so that thetter could make the delivery to Yu Yuanxi. They were clothes for the New Year, and it would be toote to give them to him after the celebration.

    Yu Yuanxi nodded and went into the house.

    Song Wenye twisted her ankle in front of the coffee shop Yu Yuanxi was working at. They then went to a nearby medical center to have it checked before heading over to Shen Xi¡¯s ce.

    Ufortable leaving Song Wenye on her own, Yu Yuanxi escorted her here.

    It was Shen Zhangqing¡¯s first time meeting Yu Yuanxi. The young man was handsome and tall with beautiful eyes. Shen Zhangqing was drawn to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s mild and polite manners.

    He had seen a photograph of this child. Yu Yuanxi was tall, handsome, and a ssmate of Xixi¡¯s. Also, an artist under theirpany, the boy was going to join the filming set after the New Year. Shen Zhangqing reckoned that Yu Yuanxi was bound to be a popr movie star.

    His wife mentioned that she got a friendly vibe from him. Shen Zhangqing thought the same.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Shen is very thoughtful,¡± Yu Yuanxi smiled warmly.

    Mr. and Mrs. Shen were both kind and friendly.

    Hearing that Fu Qingxuan was a doctor, Song Wenye¡¯s eyes lit up. She cleared her throat, having made a bold decision, as she turned to him and said in a soft voice, ¡°Dr. Fu, I hurt my ankle. Can you help me take a look?¡±

    Gazing at the adorable girl, Fu Qingxuan nodded and got down on one knee. His lean fingers clutched onto her ankle.

    Song Wenye suddenly had butterflies. Withdrawing her foot, she stumbled on her words, ¡°I was only joking. My ankle is all better.¡±

    Shen Xi pinched her and gave a look of disdain. What a perverted wimp.

    Song Wenye murmured into her ear. ¡°What do you know? Pretty boys are to look at, not to defile. I was only admiring the view.¡±

    She only had the guts to fantasize about hotties touching her feet. However, it was a different story in reality!

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s gaze fell on Song Wenye for a moment. His eyes softened to see her acting tough and averting her gaze.

    After getting to know Song Wenye, he realized that she enjoyed having thest word but when it came down to it, she could not walk the talk. She often blurted the most ruthless words, but it was all talk.

    Shen Xi brought the new clothes Yun Jinping prepared and gave them to Yu Yuanxi. ¡°These are for you and Granny Yu.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was feeling all the warm tingles inside and felt slightly embarrassed. ¡°Please give my thanks to Mrs. Shen.¡±

    He was at the receiving end of their warmth and help. When would he be able to repay them?

 Chapter 296 - Toffeecito In Foster Care

    <h4>Chapter 296: Toffeecito In Foster Care</h4>

    Song Wenye gazed at the clothes enviously and begrudgingly. Was Mrs. Shen annoyed by her presence in the house or was she noisy and tiresome? Where was hers? Song Wenye wanted new clothes too.

    ¡°This is for you,¡± Shen Xi stuffed a sky-blue package into Song Wenye¡¯s arms and smiled. ¡°I bought you a whole outfit, including shoes and socks.¡±

    ¡°I knew it. Mrs. Shen can¡¯t resist since I¡¯m so cute.¡± Feeling over the moon, Song Wenye held the clothes against her chest and pulled Shen Xi along. ¡°Come with me. I want to change into the new clothes.¡±

    Shen Xi gave a look of contempt, ¡°These clothes are for the New Year.¡±

    Song Wenye replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the New Year now?¡±

    As Song Wenye changed into new clothes, Shen Xi asked her, ¡°Where are you celebrating the New Year?¡±

    Song Wenye was fixated on the clothes, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°My mom and her boyfriend went abroad for vacation. My dad and his new wife are heading back to the wife¡¯s home. I made an arrangement with Alpha Xu to spend the New Year¡¯s together.¡±

    Granny Yu even told Song Wenye toe to her ce for the New Year.

    Nevertheless, an outsider like her should not disrupt other people¡¯s family time together.

    Song Wenye may sound happy, but only she would know the bitterness she felt. It was always a lively scene at home during the New Year with the family gathering around. It must feel awful to spend the New Year alone.

    Having put on the new clothes, Song Wenye was joyful as a little kid as she twirled around in front of the mirror. She turned back and enquired, ¡°Who is the fairy in the mirror? She¡¯s so cute.¡±

    Shen Xi was amused by her antics. Sometimes, it was best to live life carefreely. Song Wenye was an example. She found pleasure and joy in the mundane.

    By the time Song Wenye and Shen Xi got downstairs, Pei Xu was already in the living room.

    Pei Xu greeted them and turned to Song Wenye. Naturally, nothing nice ever came out of his mouth. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s only the first month of the lunar year and Mrs. Santa has already began her work. You¡¯re really hard-working.¡±

    Yun Jinping gave Song Wenye a red wool sweater. The color was festive and looked good. Song Wenye also pestered Shen Xi for a white knitted hat. She did look a bit like Christmas.

    Song Wenye snapped back, ¡°What do you know? You have no fashion sense.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes lit up. Song Wenye was cute to begin with and the red sweater entuated her rosy cheeks. The white hat with two fluffy balls, in particr, was an adorable sight to behold as they dangled as she moved.

    Pei Xu finally said something nice, ¡°You should dress like this more often. It¡¯s cute. Put on some girly clothes. Otherwise, no guys would want you and you will die alone.¡±

    She dressed like a boy every day and that made him worried for her.

    It would be great if she dressed cuter and moredylike. Girls should dress up.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Song Wenye asked him.

    ¡°I need a word with him,¡± Pei Xu took a nce at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, can I have a minute?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not feel that there was a need to have a chat. However, he nodded and stood up when Pei Xu tipped him the wink and mouthed the words ¡°Su Mushi¡±.

    Having missed Pei Xu¡¯s little gesture, Shen Xi thought it was weird. The guys did not see eye to eye since getting off the ne. What was there to talk about?

    Pei Xu and Fu Qingxuan soon returned.

    Fu Qingxuan gazed at them. ¡°Mr. Shen, Xixi. Pei Xu and I have to get going. We will be back before our trip tomorrow.¡±

    Pei Xu had an arm around Fu Qingxuan¡¯s shoulder like they were best buds. He smiled innocently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will watch over him.¡±

    Shen Xi had a feeling that Pei Xu was up to no good. However, what on earth did he say to Fu Qingxuan for him to go along with Pei Xu? The young master may be na?ve, but he was not stupid. He would not just tag along.

    Once they were gone, Song Wenye enquired, ¡°When did those two get acquainted?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°They met on the ne.¡±

    Finding it odd, Song Wenye frowned. ¡°Are you okay just letting Fu Qingxuan and Pei Xu leave together? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what kind of person Pei Xu is. Not something nice as we know it.¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was not a kid who needed to be tended by his parents. He could do whatever he wanted, and she had no say over it.

    Moreover, she had faith in Pei Xu.

    Yu Yuanxi and Song Wenye did not stay for long.

    Shen Zhangqing looked at poor Toffeecito longingly who was meowing in the carrier. Tears were welling up in his eyes as he was reluctant to part with this little thing. ¡°Toffeecito, you¡¯re going to your sister¡¯s ce for two days. Wait for Grandpa toe back and pick you up!¡±

    Shen Xi quickly stopped Shen Zhangqing from opening the carrier. She shot him a helpless look. ¡°Dad, it took quite an effort to get it into the carrier, so don¡¯t open it. What if Toffeecito runs out and we lose it?¡±

    She called Song Wenye here mainly to board Toffeecito with her.

    Shen Xi and her dad were leaving tomorrow. Li Yuan was not around either. Toffeecito was young and the long journey on the road might spook it. Since they were notfortable boarding her in a pet hotel, Song Wenye volunteered to pet sit the furbaby at her ce.

    After much consideration, Shen Xi¡¯s best bet was Song Wenye.

    ¡°Mr. Shen, don¡¯t you worry. I have three babies at home and they are all alive and kicking under my care. I¡¯m more worried that Toffeecito might get toofortable at my ce and refuse toe home,¡± Song Wenye patted her chest and gave her word.

    ¡°Okay. Sorry to trouble you,¡± Shen Zhangqing gazed at Toffeecito tearfully. ¡°Toffeecito, be a good baby. Grandpa will be back soon.¡±

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi took Toffeecito with them. Finally epting its fate, Toffeecitoy in the transparent corner of the carrier without making a peep. With its furry little ears drooping, the cat¡¯s bright eyes flickered a shattered glimmer as it gazed at Shen Xi and Shen Zhangqing.

    Feeling upset, Shen Zhangqing ran two steps before stopping at his tracks. He watched as the distance between him and Toffeecito widened.

    Shen Xi let out a long sigh. ¡°Dad, we¡¯re only going for a week. We will be back in a jiffy.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing replied, ¡°Do you think Toffeecito will forget about me?¡±

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°No. I left for a week and did it forget me?¡±

    It was a hard pill for Shen Zhangqing to swallow. ¡°You won¡¯t understand. It¡¯s not like you put in the blood, sweat, and tears to raise it.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was back before the break of dawn.

    Gazing at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s receding figure, Pei Xu called out to him and offhandedly took strides towards him. Pei Xu extended his arm to him. ¡°I look forward to our next partnership.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan scoffed coldly, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡±

    Pei Xu grinned. ¡°Well, you¡¯d never know. Young Master, nothing is absolute.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was enraged. ¡°Don¡¯t address me as the young master.¡±

    Letting out a whistle, Pei Xu proceeded to poke more fun. ¡°Young Master.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were burning. ¡°Pei Xu, don¡¯t you think I won¡¯t dare toy a hand on you.¡±

    Pei Xu dodged Fu Qingxuan¡¯s iing fist while smiling wickedly. ¡°I was only kidding. Bye now. Send my regards to Xixi and Mrs. Shen. I hope you have a smooth journey.¡±

 Chapter 297 - Eat You Up Alive

    <h4>Chapter 297: Eat You Up Alive</h4>

    Sparks were flying in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s narrow cat eyes as Pei Xu made a grand exit.

    Meanie¡¯s friends were like her ¨C mean.

    It was half-past seven.

    Shen Xi¡¯s family boarded the flight back to their hometown on time.

    Meanwhile.

    On the rooftop of Red Bar, a worker who came to check on the water tank found Su Mushi tied to the roof. He had passed out. The ambnce came quickly and brought him to the hospital.

    Keeping watch over his bed, Li Jingran held Su Mushi¡¯s hand and gazed at her unconscious son before turning to Su Yi who was seated on the sofa. She spoke amid sobs, ¡°Honey, you have to find out who did this and seek justice for Shi.¡±

    ¡®Who was behind this?¡¯

    ¡®Who did Shi offend to deserve such treatment?¡¯

    Tearful, Su Ruowan stood by the bed and whimpered. Who else but Shen Xi would do this to Mushi?

    Su Muxuan and Su Muyan pushed the doors to the ward.

    Su Yi stood up. His eyes were bloodshot from anger and worry. He gazed at them, ¡°Did you find out who did this?¡±

    Su Muyan shook his head, his eyes equally red. ¡°No. The surveince showed Mushi heading up to the rooftop but surveince on the rooftop was destroyed yesterday. Someone is plotting to kill Mushi. We should ask Mushi once he¡¯s awake.¡±

    Su Muxuan scoffed as rage took over his eyes. He hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°Who else can it be other than Shen Xi?¡±

    Hearing this, Su Yi pointed angrily at Su Muxuan. ¡°Why are you stirring trouble at a time like this? Don¡¯t make your own conclusions without proof. What can she do to Shi?¡±

    ¡°Dad, why are you still protecting that b*tch?¡± Frustrated, Su Muxuan talked back tantly. ¡°No one else but her is capable of this. Wanwan told me what she said on the flight yesterday. Must you let her kill Shi before you¡­¡±

    Smack.

    Su Yi pped Su Muxuan in the face. Livid, Su Yi was shaking and appeared menacing. ¡°Shut up! She¡¯s your sister, your sister of the same mother.¡±

    He looked at each and every one of them with their own ax to grind. It was always Shen Xi¡¯s fault no matter what happened. They unapologetically pushed the me on her.

    Su Yi heard that someone locked Shen Xi in the cold for the whole night during New Year¡¯s Eve. He would not have known if Shen Xi did not let him in on it.

    This was only one of the many incidents. Behind his back, the siblings gave Shen Xi a hard time and it was no wonder thetter wanted him to throw them all out.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Su Muxuan really hated Shen Xi¡¯s guts. The fury pushed him to curl his lips. ¡°You hit me because of that b*tch. One day, you will know what kind of person she is.¡±

    This was the second time.

    It was twice now that Dad pped him because of Shen Xi, that brat.

    ¡°Get out of here.¡± Unable to think clearly, Su Yi raised his hand for another go.

    Su Muyan pulled Su Muxuan along. ¡°Muxuan, don¡¯t make Dad angry.¡±

    With bloodshot eyes, Su Muxuan remained still as he got in Su Yi¡¯s face. ¡°Let him beat me. Even if he beats me to death today, I insist that Shen Xi did this to Mushi.¡±

    Furious, Su Yi picked up the teapot on the table.

    Su Muyan turned as white as a sheet.

    Su Ruowan wailed and came in between them. She implored in distress, ¡°Dad, I beg you. Don¡¯t be like this.¡±

    Amid all this, Su Muyan forcefully dragged Su Muxuan out of there. ¡°Muxuan, you know how stubborn Dad can be. Why bother telling him? Don¡¯t you know how important Shen Xi is to him?¡±

    Dad had gone madtely because of Shen Xi, that brat. He only had eyes for Shen Xi while they, on the other hand, had no ce in his heart.

    ¡°We are nothing,¡± Su Muxuan curled his lips in self-deprecation. Resentment was brewing in his eyes. ¡°Muyan, we are nothing inparison. Shen Xi, Shen Xi. That¡¯s all he talks about. I think he has lost it.¡±

    Even after what the b*tch had done to him and the Su family, Su Yi was still hellbent on bringing her back. The Su siblings were not allowed to badmouth her. They were nothing next to her.

    ¡°You should know that Shen Xi is a priority to him now. Don¡¯t wind Dad up.¡± Su Muyan gave a word of advice.

    ¡°It was her. She¡¯s trying to kill Mushi.¡± Looking grimacing, Su Muxuan clenched his teeth. ¡°Muyan, she got to Mushi and we will be next.¡±

    ¡°Muxuan, don¡¯t worry. I will find evidence to prove she¡¯s behind this. Dad wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her then. We¡¯ll see what Dad says after this,¡± Su Muyan bitterly gnashed his teeth.

    Their family was no longer a family because of Shen Xi. Dad¡¯s temper and his attitude towards the family were getting worse. As if possessed, Su Yi ran his mouth over the slightest, and no one was safe at home. There was a growing rift in the family.

    This was not going to be an uneventful year for the Su family.

    The ne had not taken off at the airport.

    Shen Xi read the message sent by Song Wenye before throwing a question to the person beside her, ¡°Young Master, what did you dost night with Pei Xu?¡±

    Song Wenye happily shared some good news with her, saying that Su Mushi was stripped of his clothes with his mouth stuffed and tied to the roof of Red Bar to freeze the whole night. He almost met his maker.

    Shen Xi could not think of anyone else behind this except the pair who mysteriously disappeared yesterday.

    Fu Qingxuan was upied with a book as he nonchntly replied, ¡°It¡¯s between us men and nothing to do with you.¡±

    Shen Xu drew close abruptly and curled her lips. ¡°Did you leave any trace behind when you kidnapped Su Mushi? Well, you might be embarrassing your position as the young master of the Fu family if any clues lead back to you.¡±

    Turning his head over, Fu Qingxuan nced at her and hissed. ¡°Meanie.¡±

    Why must she be so smart?

    Pei Xu, that b*stard, told him that Su Mushi valued his pride more than anything else. Apparently, Su Mushi would rather hold his tongue and me his dumb luck than letting anyone know about this. No one would ever find out.

    Yet now? The cat must be out of the bag since the mean girl had found out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hang out with Pei Xu too often. He¡¯s a bad influence,¡± Shen Xi warned him solemnly.

    Without a doubt, only Pei Xu woulde up with this idea.

    ¡°Who¡¯s hanging out with him?¡± Fu Qingxuan mumbled in disdain. ¡°He¡¯s the one hanging out with me.¡±

    Shen Xi was entertained. ¡°What could you possibly be up to then? Is he going to learn how to stab with needles or how to read from you? He¡¯s going to eat you alive. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±

 Chapter 298 - Have A Boyfriend

    <h4>Chapter 298: Have A Boyfriend</h4>

    Even as the illegitimate child of the Pei family, Pei Xu rode the roughshod over the elitist capital. To be alive and well after stealing Fu Xiaohan¡¯s girl and making Su Mushi crawl under his crotch, Pei Xu sure had connections.

    Fu Qingxuan never took Shen Xi¡¯s words to heart as he did not find Pei Xu a danger. He was happy with yesterday¡¯s partnership apart from the incident leaking out.

    Moreover, since yesterday¡¯s teamwork, he was not as prejudiced towards Pei Xu anymore. Sure, Pei Xu was still annoying as hell, but he was loyal and had his friend¡¯s back no matter what. If anything were to happen to Pei Xu in the future, Fu Qingxuan was not going to sit by and do nothing about it.

    As a member of the Fu family, Fu Qingxuan believed in an eye for an eye, even when it came to repaying kindness.

    Shen Xi knew that it was all about loyalty for Pei Xu. Standing up to injustice was a norm to him while having his friend¡¯s back was a priority. Pei Xu was always the first to charge ahead whenever someone in the international ss was picked on. The international ss respected him and swore their allegiance to him.

    When Pei Xu brought Fu Qingxuan along to kidnap Su Mushi, Shen Xi understood that Pei Xu did not do it so that she owed him a favor or for her to thank him. He was just sticking up for her.

    It was an unspoken understanding between the circle of friends. There was no need to express gratitude. Once they were back in school, Shen Xi nned to treat him to some bread.

    ¡­

    Yun Jinping always had a driving license, but never actually drove. It took a few months into her working life when Yun Jinping finally discovered that she could drive. It was very convenient.

    She intended to drive and fetch her husband and daughter from the airport. She asked her nephew, Shen Feng, to supervise her while she was behind the wheel as a way to practice her driving. Shen Feng was Shen Zhangqing¡¯s oldest brother, Shen Zhangli¡¯s son. He was neen years old and older than Shen Xi by two years. Currently in his second year at a university in Ocean City, Shen Feng was quite the looker.

    ¡°Aunty, I¡¯m going over there to get some cotton candy for those two. Please head inside to wait for Xixi and my uncle.¡± Shen Feng was happy, excited, and looking forward to meeting Shen Xi soon.

    It had been two years since hest saw her. Shen Feng thought that she would be back for New Yearst year. Who knew her biological parents swooped in and took her away? She never came back since.

    Some bbermouth gossiped that Shen Xi never visited Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing since she was taken away by her biological parents. Shen Feng¡¯s family did not take the rumor kindly and called Shen Xi out for being ungrateful.

    During thest Ancestral Remembrance Day, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing mentioned that Shen Xi was back and would not return to his biological parent¡¯s side again.

    Gossips tended to travel in a small ce. There were talks that Shen Xi returned because she could not take it. Surely, her biological parents mistreated her. There was no doubt Shen Xi would go back to her biological parents if they wanted her back. They said that Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were softies and doted on her for nothing and that she was an ingrate.

    Shen Feng had no idea whether she would return to her biological parents. However, everyone became envious of Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing in mere six months.

    Their daughter made something of herself. She won an international designpetition and had the fashion star, Jiang Yin as her teacher. Shen Xi established a personal brand ¡°Jin Yun¡± with Yun Jinping¡¯s name, created looks for Gong Zhi the film star, and became the stylist of Fu Qingye, the international film star.

    Not to mention, Shen Xi participated in many nationalpetitions and won a lot of awards along the way.

    Thetest news was that she hit the international stage, dancing in the Golden Hall. She made headlines in various mainstream media the next day and won praises from renowned dancers around the globe. It was a great moment for her.

    With Shen Xi and Shen Zhangqing, an established entrepreneur, bringing honor to their tiny hometown, even the governor of the county personally came to give his well-wishes, let alone their little townspeople.

    Shen Feng¡¯s mother shared the joy. She would have photos of Xixi¡¯s performance and winning moments developed and hung on the wall. Any news regarding her would be clipped andpiled into a scrapbook for people to see and admire.

    Xixi spotted Madam Yun from afar and silly Shen Feng holding cotton candy in each hand.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Shen Feng happily waved the cotton candy at her.

    Fu Qingxuan frowned, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°My cousin.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind was at ease. Anything was good as long as he was not her childhood friend.

    Having taken notice of Fu Qingxuan, Shen Feng asked Yun Jinping, ¡°Aunty, does Xixi have a boyfriend?¡±

    How could Xixi have a boyfriend? She was still young and underaged. Shen Feng could not believe that Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping would allow her to have one. Also, why did she bring her little boyfriend home?

    ¡°He¡¯s not her boyfriend.¡± Fixating on Fu Qingxuan, Yun Jinping found the young man good-looking. ¡°He¡¯s a friend of Xixi¡¯s and has been living abroad. He wants to experience the New Year here, so he came along.¡±

    Since they were a family, Shen Feng did not mince his words. ¡°Aunty, don¡¯t trust him. It¡¯s just an excuse. I¡¯m sure he took a fancy to our Xixi. Don¡¯t believe every word he says.¡±

    Seeing him all tensed up, Yun Jinping smiled, ¡°He won¡¯t do that.¡±

    Shen Feng panicked. ¡°Aunty, you can never be too careful.¡±

    Shen Xi was the only girl in the family and should not be snatched so early by a big bad wolf.

    While they were talking, Shen Xi and the rest drew near.

    Shen Xi snatched two cotton candies from Shen Feng and gave one to Fu Qingxuan. She stated with a smile, ¡°Shen Feng, you have a girlfriend.¡±

    Shen Feng corrected her. ¡°What Shen Feng? I¡¯m your brother.¡±

    Also, how did she know he had a girlfriend?

    Looking delighted, Shen Zhangqing gazed at his nephew who was all grown up. ¡°Feng, you have a girlfriend?¡±

    Before Shen Feng could question Shen Xi, thetter had drawn attention to him instead.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping badgered him about his girlfriend, asking him to bring her home for them to meet.

    During the New Year, kids were most afraid of elders asking about grades, boyfriends, and girlfriends, whether it was being nagged to look for one or bringing them home to meet with the parents.

    Who could he bring home since the whole thing was still up in the air?

    Shen Xi relished in Shen Feng¡¯s moment of awkwardness before tipping Fu Qingxuan the wink. She inquired, ¡°Is it the same situation for Qingye when he returns home for the New Year?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan shook his head. ¡°My family never bothered about this.¡±

    It was not the liveliest scene in their home during the New Year. Without their sister and father around, what was there to be happy about?

    Shen Xi hummed a response and bit on the cotton candy while imagining that it would be interesting if Fu Qingye was bombarded with questions.

    On the other hand, the nagging drove Shen Feng to send a distress signal to Shen Xi using his eyes. The kid took a crack at him instead of helping him out here!

    Holding back theughter, Shen Xi gazed at Shen Feng. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you bring your girlfriend home then?¡±

    Shen Feng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡±

    Never mind. The cotton candy was bought in vain. The ungrateful kiddo should at least feel bad for the little old him.

 Chapter 299 - Beautiful Since Birth

    <h4>Chapter 299: Beautiful Since Birth</h4>

    Shen Xi unhurriedly uttered, ¡°Mom, Dad, stop with the questions. I can see that my brother here is feeling shy about it.¡±

    Sitting next to her, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes darkened as he drowned in bitterness. Just how many brothers did she have? They were everywhere!

    Now that Shen Feng had some breathing space, he quickly changed the topic. ¡°Uncle, I hope Xixi doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend yet.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing red at him. ¡°No way. Xixi is focused on her studies and doesn¡¯t have one.¡±

    Shen Feng gave him a look and said, ¡°Well, you better keep an eye on Xixi. She¡¯s beautiful. You know how boys can be nowadays.¡±

    He then nced at Fu Qingxuan in hostility.

    Fu Qingxuan returned the dirty look. Sure, Shen Feng may suspect him, but Fu Qingxuan questioned the former¡¯s motive as well. The mean girl was adopted, so Shen Feng was not actually her brother either.

    Shen Xi gazed at Shen Feng in the front with warm and grateful eyes.

    Old Shen and his older brother were the only ones left in their family after their parents passed away early on in life. As the eldest and eight years older than Old Shen, Shen Zhanglin practically raised Old Shen.

    Uncle Shen Zhanglin was an honest man. Instead of getting out there in the world, he engaged in a small business by opening a restaurant back home. The business was doing pretty well.

    Old Shen¡¯s brother was the one who scraped together the money to borrow from the elders for Old Shen to kickstart his entrepreneurship. Uncle Shen Zhanglin¡¯s wife was nice as well. She never said a bad word about them and was always ready to lend a hand.

    When Old Shen began raking in profits, Uncle Shen Zhanglin never asked for a penny. He would refuse money offered to him, saying that he was not short of cash and wanted Old Shen to use the money for his business instead.

    In the past life, Uncle Shen Zhanglin¡¯s family lost everything trying to pay for Old Shen¡¯s debt following his bankruptcy. However, the money was far from enough to settle the damages.

    Uncle Shen Zhanglin¡¯s family was never heard of again after Old Shen¡¯s death. They were minor characters in the book who did not have much of a presence anyway. Shen Xi had no idea what happened to them in the end.

    ¡­

    The Shen family lived in a little town in Jiangnan. The view of mountains andkes made it quite the scenery.

    Both Shen Zhangqing and Shen Zhanglin¡¯s families often got together. A crowd in the neighborhood amassed at the gate because of the family¡¯s return.

    Once the car came to a stop, Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan got down.

    The onlookers could not keep their eyes from them. The Shen family¡¯s daughter, Shen Xi was beautiful and had been so since birth. Everyone knew she was the fairest of them all.

    Back then, many parents of boys her age wanted Shen Xi to be their daughter-inw once she was all grown up.

    Nevertheless, Old Shen made a fortune from a sessful estate business and became a locally renowned entrepreneur. His daughter was equally sessful, dancing her way to countless awards. The whole family moved to the capital for Shen Xi to grow further in dancing.

    The townspeople gradually gave up the idea of getting Shen Xi¡¯s hand in marriage as Old Shen¡¯s daughter was someone beyond their reach. Shen Xi really made a name for herself recently, bing a major designer, working for celebrities, and hitting the international dance stage. Only the best dancers in China could grace the stage and she made headlines on national news!

    Shen Zhanglin and his wife, Du Juan, were smiling from ear to ear as they went over to help unload stuff from the car.

    Shen Xi greeted them, ¡°Uncle, Aunty.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan initiated a greeting, ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Shen.¡±

    Fixating on the handsome young man, Shen Zhanglin let out a friendly smile and nodded, ¡°Hi, hello.¡±

    ording to his sister-inw, the young man was Xixi¡¯s friend from abroad. The handsome youngd was keen to experience the New Year in China.

    Du Juan cheerfully responded while thinking to herself how the young man and Xixi looked good together. She uttered with a smile, ¡°You must be tired from the journey. Come in,e in and chat.¡±

    On the other side, a group of mischievous children quickly gathered around and extended their arms for a red packet[1] as taught by their adults.

    Shen Zhangqing handed over the red packets to Shen Feng in a jolly manner so that Shen Feng could distribute them to the kids.

    Hiding the chill in her eyes, Shen Xi nudged Fu Qingxuan and gave him a look to head into the house first. If their hometown and Uncle¡¯s family were not here, Shen Xi would never return to this ce.

    Fu Qingxuan took a fleeting nce around. He was sick and tired of the people¡¯s greedy and dirty eyes. Unable to shake off the difort, Fu Qingxuan stepped into the house.

    Shen Xi and Shen Zhangqing went around the neighborhood to say hello. Standing by Shen Zhangqing, Shen Xi kept a faint smile on her face and acted like the golden child.

    She did not care for unnecessary socialization, nor was she interested to see certain people¡¯s greedy faces. Sometimes, terrible living conditions and horrible customs bore the worst citizens. The area may be small but man, the huge personalities were too much to bear!

    It was fine if Shen Xi did not say hello but soon, word would go around town that her ego had inted following her sess and that her parents did not raise her well enough to greet elders.

    There were all kinds of people in the world. Sure, there were those who sincerely wished her family well, but most of the townspeople were green with envy and wanted a piece of the sess as Shen Xi¡¯s family thrived in career and wealth.

    It was in to see when the elders urged the kids to ask for red packets from Shen Zhangqing. He was always nice, hence the people really thought him to be a pushover. Over the years, there were many who never returned the money they borrowed from Old Shen, stole money from him, cked off, and threw weight around while working under him.

    On the surface, they were friendly, but God knows what darkness lurked within them.

    The crowd showered Shen Zhangqing and Shen Xi with ttery.

    They said how great Shen Zhangqing was, earning big bucks from his growing business, but not to forget his roots and his poor rtives back home. They also said Shen Xi was getting prettier by the day and had a bright future because she was a major designer and working for the A-listers. She even performed on an international stage, bringing honor to the town.

    All were praises andpliments.

    ¡°Xixi.¡±

    A sweet and pleasantly surprised voice rang in her ear.

    Lifting her chin, Shen Xi took notice of the beautiful girl with her hand against the door frame.

    The girl was in her twenties and a ssic beauty with a cogen-filled oval face and gorgeous features. She looked like an ethereal fairy lost in the mortal world dressed in a white down jacket.

    She had beautiful and sparkling almond eyes that were bright and clear like crystals. However, her pupils appeared unfocused upon closer inspection.

    ¡°Sis,¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was hoarse. Her body froze despite the urge to run to the girl and give her a hug. Shen Xi stared at the girl with eyes welling up.

    The girl knew her way around the gate. Having ascertained that it was Shen Xi¡¯s voice, she steadily approached Shen Xi and ced her fingers over Shen Xi¡¯s head. She said with a grin, ¡°Oh, my. How you¡¯ve grown.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded with a smile, ¡°Yeap.¡±

    In herst life, Shen Xi had no idea what happened to Uncle¡¯s family in the end after Old Shen faced bankruptcy.

    However, she knew what was toe for the girl. At the time, the girl had married off to a scumbag who was after her looks and her voice.

    The manter orchestrated a n, using her good looks and amazing singing vocals to make the girl a well-known blind singer.

    Nevertheless, the dirtbag of a husband never loved her and only thought of her as a money maker. He leeched off of her body and money.

    The girl wanted to help pay off Old Shen¡¯s debts with her own money, but the man imed she stole his money. During the argument, the scumbag pushed her off the twentieth floor, and thus, her life ended.

    [1] A red packet is filled with money and it¡¯s given during special asions such as the New Year, weddings, etc

 Chapter 300 - Get A Blind Girl At Home

    <h4>Chapter 300: Get A Blind Girl At Home</h4>

    These people, who were now standing here as rtives and friends, liked to take advantage of Old Shen¡¯s glory and swarmed him like flies.

    However, when Old Shen was facing difficulties, not one of them lent him a penny. They had shown their hatred for the rich and their ugliest side to the fullest. If Old Shen were to go bankrupt, they might even celebrate with a great fanfare!

    ¡°Tangtang, you can take Xixi home first!¡± Shen Zhangqing looked at his niece with a loving smile.

    He liked this niece very much, and she was peas in a pod with his daughter. It was a pity that at the age of 14, she suddenly went blind. They went to every hospital and did countless tests, but they still could not find out the cause of her blindness and it could not be cured.

    Shen Tang held Shen Xi and smiled sweetly, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Thest time Uncle Zhangqing came back to pay respects to his ancestors, Shen Xi had a recement ss and could note back, so Shen Tang was sad about it. Auntie Yun said that Shen Tang could follow them back to the capital, but Shen Tang was afraid that she would be an inconvenience to them because she was blind.

    The group of people who gathered there looked at Shen Tang with various expressions. There was sympathy, disdain, and contempt. Not far from them, a few women were gossiping about her quietly.

    ¡°How many blind dates did she go on this new year?¡±

    ¡°I think she hasn¡¯t stopped since the twelfth lunar month. I see mene and go one after another.¡±

    ¡°So no one¡¯s interested in her?¡±

    ¡°She just has high standards since she has such a rich uncle and such a talented sister. They wanna pick and choose!¡±

    ¡°A blind girl wants to be picky? She¡¯ll be lucky for others to choose her!¡±

    ¡­

    Shen Xi, who had just reached the door, stopped suddenly. Her eyes swept over like a cold de as she red at the group of gossiping women as a stern warning. She then let go of Shen Tang¡¯s hand.

    The gossiping women only felt a chill down their spines. Their scalps instantly tingled and they started to break out in cold sweat. They looked around warily and found that Shen Xi was shooting daggers at them, and they were frightened so they stopped talking.

    ¡°Xixi,¡± Since Shen Tang went blind, her hearing improved by the day. Naturally, she also heard the women¡¯s gossip. She held Xixi¡¯s hand and smiled bitterly, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. Don¡¯t mind them.¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s the use of listening to gossip? Since they like to talk, let them talk.¡¯

    Shen Xi really wanted to cut off their tongues to let them know the consequences of bad-mouthing others.

    Shen Tang dragged Sheng Xi away.

    Seeing them leave, the group of gossiping women snorted disdainfully and started chatting again a short whileter.

    She was such a beautiful girl, but it was a pity that she was blind.

    Shen Tang should be a little more self-aware since she was blind, but she had such high standards and was not interested in normal men. After so many blind dates, none of them were to her fancy. Did she want to marry a god?

    Shen Xi and Shen Tang always had a good rtionship since they were children. They were the only two girls in the family. Shen Tang was five years older than Shen Xi and taught her to walk, sing, dance, and draw. They would y together and were inseparable.

    After Shen Tang lost her vision, she took it hard and became more reserved and introverted. She did not go out much, but her rtionship with Shen Xi was still as good as before.

    Later, when Shen Xi learned to dance, she went to the capital and returned to the Su family. Then, they never met again.

    Shen Xi found out about Shen Tang¡¯s fate from the book.

    They had not yet put up the Spring Festival couplets at home because Shen Zhangqing told Yun Jinping that Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan would write them when they got back.

    Once again, Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan got to work on writing the Spring Festival couplets.

    Shen Feng and Shen Tang assisted.

    Shen Tang could not see, but she was nimble and could do anything. After two attempts at tearing the paper with a ruler, she quickly got the hang of it.

    ¡°Yo, the great dancer is writing the couplets!¡±

    ¡°Come,e,e! The Shen family¡¯s daughter is writing Spring Festival couplets. Her calligraphy is really beautiful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s even better than the one I bought! Zhangqing, will you ask Xixi to write one for us too?¡±

    Somehow, one of the neighbors passed by the Shen family¡¯s house and saw them writing the couplets, then gathered all the neighbors around to ask for the couplets.

    Shen Zhangqing was a good-tempered person and was very concerned about his daughter, but he could not refuse the neighbors. ¡°Xixi, just write a couplet for each of the uncles and aunties to make them happy.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and looked at Fu Qingxuan, then said in a light voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna write it, you can go back to rest.¡±

    She did not care about her hometown¡¯s neighbors and wanted to reject them. However, for the sake of her parents, she had no choice but to write the couplets.

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°I¡¯ll write it.¡±

    However, those who came to ask for a couplet wanted Shen Xi to write it personally.

    They wrote couplets into the evening because more people came over to ask for a couplet that their door threshold almost broke from being stepped on by hundreds of people.

    Shen Zhangqing was a very sentimental person. He thought that since they were all from the same vige, he put out several tables in the courtyard and served the neighbors good food and drinks.

    However, these people took his kindness for granted. They did not just ask for a couplet, but even stayed for food and drinks. When they were done eating, they shouted for more and really treated the Shen family¡¯s home as their own.

    Shen Xi¡¯s hand was cramping up from writing.

    Fu Qingxuan pitied her and almost stormed out to yell at the neighbors. ¡®Who the hell are they?!¡¯ They said that they just wanted toe over to get an auspicious couplet, but it looked more like they came to collect debts.

    Shen Zhangqing also pitied his daughter. He looked at the people standing in the courtyard and stopped them at the door. He did not know most of them, but he still said politely, ¡°Neighbors! I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s gettingte and my daughter¡¯s tired, so we¡¯ll stop writing today. Thanks for your understanding.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve written couplets for the others, why not us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s just a few words, how tiring can it be? We came all the way here and waited for so long! I think you just don¡¯t want to give us the couplets!¡±

    ¡°Shen Zhangqing, since you got rich and your daughter became sessful, you look down on us poor people, right?¡±

    Someone took the lead and made a scene. Once they heard that they would stop writing and they could not get the Spring Festival couplets, they were upset and started an uproar.

    Shen Zhangqing was the most reluctant when it came to offending fellow neighbors, but he was annoyed when he heard their harsh words. ¡°My daughter only has one pair of hands, so how can she write so much? If you still want the couplets, get Feng and the rest to write for you. If not, just leave!¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! We want the words written by this famous dancer!¡±

    ¡°What kind of attitude is that? We¡¯re your neighbors! Since others can have it, why can¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we want the words written by the dancer, so if I put them on my front door, maybe some luck will rub off on us and there will be a dancer in the family!¡±

    A mob never followed thew. With someone taking the lead, even if the rest of the people felt a little guilty earlier, they became bolder and more self-righteous. It was clear that they would not rest until they got what they came for, revealing their greedy and ugly side. They were persistent and would not leave until they got the couplets.

    Fu Qingxuan was angry and clenched his fists. His long, narrow phoenix eyes were on fire. ¡®What the hell is this?! A bad environment really does have a bad influence on people.¡¯

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes turned cold and a little murderous. She slowly put down the brush she was holding and lifted her head to speak.

    Shen Tang, who had been silent, suddenly spoke in a clear and pleasant voice, ¡°Since the person cutting the paper is blind, aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll get a blind girl at home when you put these up on your door?¡±

 Chapter 301 - Ruthless And Wild

    <h4>Chapter 301: Ruthless And Wild</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the girl who had been staying quiet and had more admiration for her. He thought, ¡®Wow! This gentle and soft-tempered girl really is meanie¡¯s sister. She doesn¡¯t make a sound, but when she does, she shocks everyone!¡¯

    This was easy to say, but it was quite heartbreaking to hear.

    Shen Tang¡¯s words had a huge impact.

    Those people who were making a fuss about the Spring Festival couplet instantly changed their expressions.

    Most people knew that they were in the wrong. When there were a lot of people making a fuss, they rode along since no one would notice them when everyone else was talking. Once they saw that things were getting out of control, they slipped away quietly.

    However, a few scoundrels were self-righteous and foul-mouthed.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a couplet, if you don¡¯t want to give it, you don¡¯t have to curse us like that!¡±

    ¡°You guys can¡¯t afford it?¡±

    ¡°What the hell! You think that your family is rich and can bully us with your power. What¡¯s so great about money? Can you look down on people just because you have money? Can you scold people?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°My sister didn¡¯t curse people,¡± Shen Xi suddenly said. Her eyes were as cold as a knife as she swept a sidelong nce at them as she exuded a murderous aura. ¡°Have you digested the shit you ate this morning?¡±

    If it was not for Old Shen, she would not have written the Spring Festival couplets and would have asked them to get lost.

    ¡°You little brat! What¡¯s so great about you? You¡¯re just a dancer. You really think you¡¯re a big shot, huh? It¡¯s an honor for you that we want your couplet.¡±

    ¡°Who are you scolding? The Shen family¡¯s really something!¡±

    ¡°I finally witnessed what it means to be arrogant. We poor people aren¡¯t worthy to talk to them. Whatever, who cares!¡±

    Seeing that they could no longer take advantage of the Shen family, they made a scene. A few insatiable scoundrels also became angry and cursed at the Shen family. They did not reflect on themselves and med everything on others.

    Initially, Shen Zhangqing thought that they were all from his hometown, so they came to him because they looked up to him. Since he did note back often, he had to respect them. After all, his elder brother¡¯s family still lived here. If he offended the neighbors, they would ostracize his brother¡¯s family and would make things difficult for them.

    However, these people were angry just because they could not get the couplets. When Shen Zhangqing heard them scolding his daughter, he could not hold back his temper and took a hoe from the yard to threaten the scoundrels. ¡°Get out! Get the hell out of my house! If you dare to say one more word, I¡¯ll smash you!¡±

    Both Shen Feng and Fu Qingxuan also could not take it anymore.

    Fu Qingxuan raised a shovel and sneered, ¡°Leave now!¡±

    Shen Feng took a sledgehammer and mmed it to the ground. The concrete floor cracked with a loud crash before he let out a tyrannical roar. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    The few scoundrels who led themotion saw that they could not win this fight and nced at each other. They pointed at the Shen family and cursed again before fleeing with tails between their legs.

    Shen Xi remembered each of their faces. Her eyes turned dark.

    After the few troublemaking scoundrels ran off, many people came tofort Shen Zhangqing and told him not to see eye to eye with them. They were merely some gangsters in town that had no proper jobs. There was no need for educated people to get angry with those dogs.

    Some neighbors who had a good rtionship with the Shen family helped to clean things up, wiped the table, and swept the garbage.

    Shen Xi and the others were packing up their stationery.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were cold and sullen as he asked Shen Feng, ¡°Do you know those thugs?¡±

    Shen Feng nodded and smirked coldly. ¡°I can still recognize them even if they turn to dust.¡±

    Those gangsters in town were not good people. Two of them were involved in armed robbery and were prisoned several years for it. They were just released not too long ago.

    That night, after dinner.

    Fu Qingxuan excused himself and asked Shen Feng to take him out for a walk because he wanted to experience the local customs.

    Shen Feng agreed to it very quickly, so the two of them left.

    Shen Xi leaned against the door framezily and watched their backs, then shouted, ¡°Hey!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan turned around. ¡°Why are you following me?¡±

    Shen Xi raised her eyebrows. She had already figured out what the boys were up to. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take me with you?¡±

    Shen Feng and Fu Qingxuan nced at each other and were in a rare agreement. ¡°You¡¯re a girl, so you should stay at home. We¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    ¡­

    A girl.

    Shen Fengter wanted to retract this sentence.

    He was wrong.

    Completely wrong.

    Shen Feng looked down at the ground. Never in his dreams could he even imagine that in just two years of not seeing his lovely and kind sister, she turned so fierce. He just watched as she held a stick to thrash the person whose head was in a sack. Her actions were ruthless and wild.

    As the youngest medical genius in the world, Fu Qingxuan knew human anatomy by heart. He knew where all the tendons, veins, bones, and internal organs were, more than Shen Feng did. Thus, he knew that Shen Xi¡¯s beating intricately avoided all the fatal points.

    Once Shen Xi had her fun, she kicked the half-dead person and flung the stick over her shoulder. This posture was quite gangly and cool. When she smiled, she looked so wild. ¡°Next!¡±

    Shen Feng wanted to cry and grabbed Fu Qingxuan. He was not willing to believe his eyes. ¡°Who is she? My sister can¡¯t be this wild! Give me back my lovely sister!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan avoided his touch with disdain. He was a clean freak and did not like others touching him. The corners of his lips hooked up slightly into a contented arc. ¡°How can she protect herself if she¡¯s not strong?¡±

    He thought that it was good for Shen Xi to be like this, very cute and wild. Meanie should have a mean girl look.

    Even the closest people could not guarantee her safety all the time or protect her from any harm for her whole life. Most of the time, she would have to face difficulties alone. She could only navigate the difficult road ahead fearlessly if she was strong enough.

    Shen Feng was a well-known bully in town. He was a bully in school too. He was so tough that some street gangs even tried to recruit him and promised to make him their leader, but he refused.

    No matter what, Old Shen¡¯s family would never be involved in shady activities.

    Shen Feng knew everything about his town. He knew all the locations of the surveince cameras, where had the least people, and the best time to make a move. He was a living map. If they wanted to kill someone, they could certainly pull it off without leaving any traces.

    The three of them fought their way and rampaged the town to teach those scoundrels from that afternoon a lesson. In order to not arouse suspicion, they took care of all the gangsters who terrorized the vige.

    It was already dawn the next day by the time they were done.

    The town was quiet. The rednterns on every door and roadside were very festive. asionally, there were sounds of fireworks and firecrackers and barking dogs.

 Chapter 302 - Waiting Longingly

    <h4>Chapter 302: Waiting Longingly</h4>

    There was an ancient stone arch bridge in town, and the town¡¯s bazaar was just past that bridge. Several 24-hour convenience stores were still open.

    The trio was hungry after beating people up, so they bought arge pile of snacks. Led by the town bully Shen Feng, they sat on the stone arch bridge in the cold winter breeze, enjoying the calm after their victory.

    Shen Xi tore open a packet of spicy tofu skins and handed it to Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at it with a disgusted face. He looked cold and refused. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at Shen Feng and gave him a wink.

    Shen Feng sped Fu Qingxuan¡¯s arm and held it behind his back.

    Shen Xi took this opportunity to stuff the spicy snack into his mouth and smiled smugly. ¡°You have to eat even if you don¡¯t want to! This is to celebrate our victory.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan instinctively wanted to spit it out.

    Shen Xi pointed at him and warned him. ¡°If you dare spit it out, I¡¯ll throw you into the river and feed you to the crocodiles!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan red at her fiercely and did not spit it out. He tried to savor the taste in his mouth. The tofu skin was not so unbearable and was even quite delicious. After taking a bite, his eyes lit up.

    Shen Feng smiled and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it tasty? We grew up eating this and didn¡¯t die from it. Since you¡¯re already in our hometown, you shouldn¡¯t be so picky.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was stubborn. ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡±

    Shen Xi ate the spicy tofu skins and tilted her head slightly to look at Fu Qingxuan, thenmented, ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve gone astray.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan red at her fiercely again. ¡°Even if I was led astray, you¡¯d be the culprit!¡±

    Shen Xi shrugged and smiled.

    ¡®Am I?¡¯

    She was not the one who suggested beating up those scoundrels this time, nor was it Shen Feng.

    After Fu Qingxuan ate a packet of spicy tofu skins, he wanted more and took another packet. He ended up eating one packet after another and could not stop.

    Shen Feng smirked and trailed his words teasingly. ¡°It¡¯s not good, huh?¡±

    Shen Xi yed along and nodded while sheughed. ¡°Not tasty at all.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was annoyed at the two of them, so he stood up and walked away.

    Shen Xi chased after him and called out to him. ¡°Young Master, what are you doing?¡±

    Shen Feng also jumped up and picked up the rest of the snacks. ¡°Wait for me!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan reached the entrance of the convenience store before he looked back at the two of them and said word by word, ¡°I am buying spicy tofu skins!¡±

    Shen Xi and Shen Feng looked at each other andughed till their stomachs hurt. No one could escape the addictive taste of the spicy tofu skins.

    Soon, news spread across the town that the gangsters were all given a hard beatingst night and were lying half-dead in the hospital.

    These gangsters usually did not do anything good and only knew how to fight and steal. They would dine and dash and take things at will.

    Everyone in town hated them, but they dared not provoke them because those gangsters had spent time in jail and their hands were stained with blood. Thus, everyone was afraid to offend them for fear of getting themselves in trouble.

    Now, the townspeople were avenged and were in a joyous mood to wee the New Year. Everyone was pping and cheering, saying that they should really award the people who had beaten the gangsters. They even wanted to hang up a banner thanking the heroes who eliminated these bad guys for the people.

    The trio went home in the middle of the night.

    Fu Qingxuan got up early because he was a guest. When he heard Yun Jinping was up, he woke up as well, but she persuaded him to go back to get more sleep. She did not know where the three of them went yesterday.

    The townspeople rested early, but certain stalls at the bazaar were still open and were very lively, especially on New Year¡¯s Eve. There were also the dragon and lion dance performances at the night market until after midnight. Perhaps the kids went there to y.

    Before lunch.

    The ¡°Three Musketeers¡± finally got together again and were assigned to put up the Spring Festival couplets.

    Shen Tang brought the glue and asked them, ¡°What did you three dost night?¡±

    The three of them spoke confidently and frankly in unison. ¡°Eat spicy tofu skins.¡±

    After saying that, they looked at each other and could not help butugh out loud.

    Shen Tang knew her brother well and heard about the gangsters who were beaten up. Among them were a few gangsters that came to their house yesterday to make a fuss. She thought that her brother was probably involved in this matter.

    ¡®But Xixi wouldn¡¯t do this, right? She¡¯s been kind and quiet since she was a child, and so well behaved, never causing trouble.¡¯

    The friendship among boys was a magical thing. After fighting side-by-side and hanging out at the bridge eating spicy tofu skins, Fu Qingxuan and Shen Feng, who initially did not see eye to eye, became brothers.

    **

    On New Year¡¯s Eve, it was very lively with sounds of people and firecrackers everywhere.

    In the afternoon, Shen Xi received Li Yuan¡¯s message saying that he was back at the capital, so he could pick Toffeecito up for the New Year and asked for Song Wenye¡¯s address.

    Song Wenye was itching to see Shen Xi¡¯s mysterious brother because, at the mention of him, Shen Xi would turn into a shy little girl.

    Song Wenye had been waiting longingly from noon till evening. She finally saw a ck Rolls Royce Phantom parked in front of her house.

    Kun Lun got out of the car and knocked on the door. A girl ran out wearing a white knitted hat. As she was running, the two small pom-poms on the hat flung around, which was an adorable sight. ¡°Hello Ms. Song, I came to pick up Toffeecito.¡±

    Song Wenye smiled and nodded, then poked her head out to look at the car. However, to her disappointment, the car window was tinted, so she could not see anything. She led Kun Lun into the house and while walking, she said, ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s been a good kitty. It¡¯s so yful and gets along well with Song Xiaose.¡±

    ¡®Sigh¡­¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t get to see him.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sure that Shen Xi¡¯s brother must be in that car!¡¯

    In the living room, Toffeecito was ying with a small puppy. It was very naughty and grabbed the puppy¡¯s tail with its little paws. It whimpered while it bit the puppy.

    The puppy was not at all annoyed nor fierce. It only twisted its head to look at the kitten and wagged his tail to y with Toffeecito.

    A golden retriever sleptzily in the kennel nearby while a noble-looking pure white Persian cat sat on a cat tower. Song Wenye had quite a lot of pets.

    ¡°Toffeecito,¡± Kunlun called out to the kitten.

    Toffeecito was ying rough with the puppy when it heard its name. It stopped and turned to look at Kun Lun. Suddenly, Toffeecito let go of the puppy¡¯s tail and scampered to Kun Lun, hugging his legs and meowing.

    Kun Lun was stunned by its agile movements and quick response. Usually, this little thing did not really like him. Every time he touched Toffeecito, it would hiss at him.

    Song Wenye was also stunned for a moment. Toffeecito was so smart and could understand everything they said. She felt like this cat¡¯s IQ might be higher than her family¡¯s, so much so that she thought Toffeecito might have been a human in its past life.

 Chapter 303 - Toffeecitoâ€™s Dad

    <h4>Chapter 303: Toffeecito¡¯s Dad</h4>

    Song Wenye thought, ¡®Tsk tsk, this little thing really can¡¯t wait to see its family. I¡¯ve looked after this little thing for two days in vain.¡¯

    Toffeecito tilted its fluffy little head and looked up at Kun Lun with its big watery eyes. It grabbed Kun Lun¡¯s pants with its little paws and meowed again. It looked so pitiful like it was finally reunited with its family.

    Kunlun bent down and took it in his arms. It was obedient and snuggled in his arms. Its fluffy little head rubbed against his chest and its little paws clung onto his arm as if it was afraid to be abandoned.

    Song Wenye saw the series of actions and smiled. ¡°Toffeecito is very smart! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a smart kitten.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for taking care of Toffeecito, Ms. Song. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Kun Lun thanked her politely and looked at the small thing in his arms. He wanted tough at it. ¡®What a little wimp¡­ Why aren¡¯t you scratching me or hissing at me now, huh?¡¯

    Song Wenye just felt her heart itching and smiled at him. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll see you off.¡±

    ¡®I wanna see this mysterious brother!¡¯

    Kun Lun did not refuse and carried Toffeecito outside. Toffeecito¡¯s new fur friends followed too.

    The Persian cat only took two steps and stopped at the living room as she watched them leave, like a regal queen.

    The big golden retriever was very obedient and docile. It wagged its tail and followed behind, tilting its head up to look at Toffeecito.

    The small puppy was the most aggressive. Perhaps because it had the best rtionship with Toffeecito, it barked at Kun Lun twice, but Song Wenye yelled at the puppy. It stopped barking but just red at Kun Lun with hostility.

    Song Wenye just wanted to see the man in the car, even if it was just a glimpse. She just wanted to see the man who managed to capture Shen Xi¡¯s heart. She deliberately said louder than usual, ¡°Goodbye, Toffeecito!¡±

    The car window suddenly opened slowly.

    Song Wenye was so excited that her heart was about to jump out of her chest, but she dared not show it or tantly stare at him.

    Li Yuan only opened the car window because she saw Song Wenye¡¯s hat.

    His girl liked this hat very much.

    She looked so adorable when she wore the hat.

    If Shen Xi could give a hat that she adored to others and entrusted Toffeecito to this girl, then she must be a friend that Shen Xi valued very much.

    Song Wenye finally saw the man¡¯s face. She had already warned herself not to stare at him because it would be rude, but when she saw the man, she could not look away and her brain stopped working. She could not control herself.

    ¡®Oh my God!¡¯

    ¡®Who is this god that came down to earth?!¡¯

    Song Wenye was at a loss for words and could not find any words to describe this handsome man. All of the adjectives for ¡°most beautiful¡± seemed to be sphemous on his perfect godly face. Nothing was enough to describe his temperament and appearance.

    ¡°Ms. Song, thank you for taking care of Toffeecito. Sorry to trouble you,¡± Li Yuan thanked politely and nodded slightly at her.

    Song Wenye heard his words, but her brain did not react to them until she saw the assistant carrying Toffeecito to him. Only then did her senses return to her and she quickly shook her head. ¡°No worries! Xixi and I are tight, so there¡¯s no need to say thank you.¡±

    She watched as the man held Toffeecito gently in his arms. His handsome cold face revealed a faint warm smile like a hundred flowers suddenly bloomed at the top of a cier. It was breathtakingly stunning.

    ¡®F*ck!¡¯

    ¡®No wonder Xixi was not interested in anyone else!¡¯

    If she had such a handsome man she liked, she would not exchange him for the world.

    The car window was closed, so Toffeecito and the man were separated from her.

    Kun Lun handed her a delicate bag and said courteously, ¡°Ms. Song, this is a little gift of appreciation.¡±

    Song Wenye heard the voice. The man¡¯s stunningly handsome face was still in her mind. She took the gift and said, ¡°Thank you. Tofffeecito¡¯s dad¡­ I mean, your boss is too kind. I¡¯m good friends with Xixi, so there¡¯s no need for all these.¡±

    In the car, Li Yuan clearly heard the words ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡±, which made his smile grew wider. His slender fingers tapped the tip of Toffeecito¡¯s little nose as he said in a pleasant voice, ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad.¡±

    He liked this title very much.

    After Kun Lun got into the car, he could clearly feel the warmth filling the atmosphere. Through the rearview mirror, he saw his boss smiling while his narrow eyes were overflowing with adoration.

    Song Wenye took the gift and watched the car disappear from her sight. She turned and sat on the stone steps at the gate as she happily sent a message to Shen Xi. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s mom, paging Toffeecito¡¯s mom!¡±

    Shen Xi: ?

    Song Wenye was so excited and typed: OMG!!! I just saw Toffeecito¡¯s dad! He¡¯s so handsome! No wonder you¡¯re not interested in anyone else. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t exchange him for the world either!

    Shen Xi: He picked up Toffeecito?

    Song Wenye looked at the empty road in front of her and typed: Yeah, his car is gone. Did you save the universe in your previous life? When I look at his face, I just feel so full and won¡¯t even need to eat and drink for life!

    Shen Xi: He¡¯s not mine yet!

    Song Wenye: Trust me, he absolutely adores you! It¡¯s a two-way street for you both! When he hugged Toffeecito earlier, his smile¡­ OMG, I can¡¯t even! How can you look at his beautiful face every day and still be able to function?!

    Shen Xi: You get used to it after a while.

    Song Wenye: F*ck! Are you even my friend? Rubbing your lovey-dovey shit in my face on New Year¡¯s Eve¡­ you have no conscience!

    ¡®Just look at what she said!¡¯

    Shen Xi held her phone and saw the words ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡±. Her eyes were overflowing with sweetness and her heart was bubbling.

    Shen Feng came over and called out to her. ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s make dumplings, what are you smiling at?¡±

    He had a hunch that this girl must be in love. Looking at her expression, she was probably a fool when it came to love.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Xi answered. She was smiling from ear to ear. She texted Song Wenye back and put her phone into her pocket. She was waiting for Toffeecito¡¯s dad to send her a message. This anticipation was quite tormenting. It was sweet and made her a little apprehensive.

    Song Wenye looked at her cked-out phone screen and tilted her head to look at the sky that hadpletely darkened.

    The sky had some eerie white clouds and looked like it was going to snow.

    The north wind brushed past her as she tightened her coat and hugged her legs with her chin on her knees. Loneliness and sadness were rooted in her heart and slowly spread to her limbs. The tip of her nose was sore and it felt so unbearable that she wanted to cry.

    Pei Xu said that he had something to do and could note over to spend New Year¡¯s Eve with her.

    It was clearly not the first time she had spent the New Year¡¯s by herself, but she was still so sad.

    She was surrounded by joyful sounds of firecrackers andughter from the neighbors. It was only a day for a family reunion, but all this liveliness had nothing to do with her. She was the only one alone.

    Yu Yuanxi finally found the address given to him by Pei Xu and saw from afar a girl sitting alone on the stone steps at the door.

 Chapter 304 - Mysterious Man

    <h4>Chapter 304: Mysterious Man</h4>

    Song Wenye was a petite girl. When she hugged herself like that, she shrunk into a tiny ball and looked like an abandoned child that was forgotten by the world. She was enveloped in sadness, so much so that Yu Yuanxi felt heartbroken seeing her like this.

    The girl was so immersed in her little sad and lonely world that she did not notice Yu Yuanxi standing in front of her.

    After a long time.

    Yu Yuanxi finally spoke, ¡°Song Wenye.¡±

    Song Wenye suddenly looked up and met the teenager¡¯s clear and warm eyes. This warmth spread through her heart and she almost could not control herself from crying. She smiled at him brightly. ¡°Why did youe here?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi looked at her and said in a hoarse and warm voice, ¡°Grandma asked you toe over to celebrate the New Year. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Pei Xu called Yu Yuanxi today to wish him and his grandmother a happy new year. He even said that he was abroad.

    Yu Yuanxi recalled that Song Wenye said she would spend New Year¡¯s Eve with Pei Xu. If Pei Xu was not around, then she would definitely spend New Year¡¯s Eve alone.

    It was sad for anyone to spend such a festive holiday alone. The more he thought about it, the more heartbroken he felt, so he asked Pei Xu for Song Wenye¡¯s home address and came over to see her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone,¡± Song Wenye looked at him seriously, turned around, and shouted, ¡°Song Kele, Song Xiaose, Song Xiaomi!¡±

    After she said that, Yu Yuanxi saw three little ones leaping out from the door. The smaller dog looked at him warily and barked at him. After a moment of bewilderment, he could not help butugh out loud and said, ¡°Bring them along to my house for the New Year!¡±

    Song Wenye dragged her family with her. She leashed Song Kele and Song Xiaose, then put Song Xiaomi in the cat backpack.

    Yu Yuanxi looked at her and said, ¡°Give me Song Xiaomi.¡±

    Song Wenye turned her head. ¡°How do you know its name is Song Xiaomi?¡±

    Yu Yuan Xi smiled. ¡°Is it not?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Song Wenye obediently gave him Song Xiaomi and warned him seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t walk too fast. Song Xiaomi will throw a tantrum.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Yuanxi nodded his head.

    The two walked side by side.

    Song Wenye muttered in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m only going because Grandma told me to.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°Mm.¡±

    Soon, it started to snow.

    Two people, two dogs, and a cat disappeared into the night.

    ¡°It¡¯s snowing!¡± Shen Feng shouted in excitement. ¡°Shen Xi, Fu Qingxuan,e out quickly! It¡¯s snowing!¡±

    Shen Xi leaned against the door and took pity on him, ¡°You shoulde live at my house next winter.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not know what was so great about the snow and nced at Shen Feng like he was retarded. ¡°Have you not seen snow before?¡±

    Shen Feng looked at them both who had the same expressions and pointed at them with displeasure. ¡°You two are twins!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s twins with him?!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s twins with her?!¡±

    Both of them spoke in unison and looked at each other with disgust.

    ¡°Yeah, that look. Keep that look!¡± Shen Feng pointed at them and shouted, ¡°Auntie,e over and take a look! Come and see if they have the same exact expression.¡±

    ¡°Stupid.¡±

    The two of them spoke in unison again.

    Shen Xi was annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t copy me!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan yelled at her, ¡°Clearly you¡¯re the one who¡¯s talking like me!¡±

    ¡°What are you guys doing? Hurry up ande over for the reunion dinner.¡± Shen Tang heard them bickering and called out to them with a smile.

    The New Year¡¯s Eve dinner was very sumptuous with arge table of dishes aplenty. Everyone wrapped the dumplings together, so they were all not uniformed. There were all kinds of sizes and strange shapes, but it looked very festive.

    The oddly shaped ones were naturally made by Shen Xi and Shen Feng.

    The TV was ying a Spring Festival program while the whole family was gathered around for dinner. It was lively withughter filling the air.

    This was the first time Fu Qingxuan felt such an atmosphere on New Year¡¯s Eve. For a moment, his eyes felt a little sore.

    After the reunion dinner, the whole family watched the Spring Festival program together and chatted.

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi, then threw her some cash and asked her to run an errand. ¡°Go and buy ten yuan of spicy tofu skins.¡±

    Shen Xi threw him a nk stare. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go?¡±

    Shen Feng said righteously, ¡°I¡¯m the older brother.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±

    Shen Feng turned his head and gave the money to Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, you go!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not say anything, only gave him a look.

    Shen Fengpromised and said, ¡°Rock-paper-scissors, fair and square.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi agreed.

    The three of them yed rock-paper-scissors.

    Fu Qingxuan and Shen Feng were rocks, while Shen Xi was paper.

    Shen Feng pped his hands smugly andughed loudly. ¡°The winner will buy the spicy tofu skins!¡±

    Shen Xi was speechless.

    ¡®Scoundrel!¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan agreed and smiled at her. ¡°Go along ande back quickly.¡±

    Shen Xi red at them viciously andined, ¡°Mom! Dad! They¡¯re both bullying me!¡±

    Yun Jinping put on her scarf and said, ¡°Qingxuan¡¯s a guest and isn¡¯t familiar with the roads here. Mommy will go with you.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I can go by myself.¡±

    It was snowing lightly outside and a thinyer of snow covered the ground. There were firecrackers andughter everywhere, and Shen Xi could hear the Spring Festival program ying in every house.

    Shen Xi just turned the corner and bumped into a man head-on.

    The man was in an exquisitely tailored ck suit. The moment he saw her, he seemed to pause in his footsteps, and his long, narrow, deep eyes were sizing her up.

    Shen Xi also swept him a nce.

    The man was iparably handsome. His handsome chiseled face was like a sculpture with delicate features, sharp eyebrows, a high nose, and thin lips that looked cold. His body was exuding a murderous kingly aura.

    The moment the two brushed past each other, a cold gust of wind blew over.

    She caught a whiff of fragrance in the air, like a fleeting smell of orchids in the night. It was bone-chillingly cold.

    The man was just looking at her, but she did not know him.

    She was wondering what such a big shot was doing in her small town, and there was no telling who he was here to see.

    The man heard her footsteps fading away and looked back again. The girl disappeared, leaving only a trail of tiny footprints in the snow.

    Fu Qingxuan hurried over. The moment he saw the man, he seemed a little weaker and looked at him guiltily. ¡°Big brother, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re all grown up, you¡¯ve learned to lie?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s deep sharp eyes were looking at Fu Qingxuan. His voice was cold and low as he continued, ¡°I thought you¡¯re dead!¡±

    ¡®He did not even go home for New Year¡¯s Eve for a girl.¡¯

    ¡®I haven¡¯t even asked him what he¡¯s doing here!¡¯

    ¡®Didn¡¯t he know that Mom would only be more upset if he didn¡¯t go home?¡¯

    ¡®Second Brother even helped him to hide it from me!¡¯

    ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s talk somewhere else,¡± Fu Qingxuan looked at him pleadingly.

    Meanie went to buy spicy tofu skins at the store just around the corner and would be back soon.

    When Shen Xi left earlier, Fu Qingxuan received a call from his eldest brother. He did not know if Big Brother had run into her.

    ¡°Come home with me now,¡± Fu Qingli looked at him coldly.

    ¡®Are they both crazy?¡¯

    ¡®Just because of Li Jingran¡¯s daughter, this one lied about doing an important experiment and ended up following her back for New Year¡¯s Eve, while the other one helped to cover for him.¡¯

 Chapter 305 - Lil Sisterâ€™s Double

    <h4>Chapter 305: Lil Sister¡¯s Double</h4>

    If time allowed, Fu Qingli really wanted to meet this girl who resembled his mother. He wanted to see what was so special about her that his brothers lost their minds and chased after her.

    ¡°Brother, I beg you. I promise I¡¯ll go home tomorrow,¡± Fu Qingxuan was afraid that Shen Xi would return and run into them, so he pulled Fu Qingli in the opposite direction.

    Fu Qingli sneered, ¡°You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll see her? Afraid that I¡¯ll eat her?¡±

    He had just seen that girl around the corner and brushed past her. He saw her face that resembled his mother.

    However, no matter how simr they were, she was Li Jingran¡¯s daughter. This was an indisputable fact.

    Fu Qingxuan was anxious and let out a low roar. ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything wrong! It¡¯s all my fault, so don¡¯t take it out on her.¡±

    Fu Qingli snorted. His eyes were sharp and cold as he warned Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want me to touch her, thene back with me and promise never to see her again.¡±

    ¡®We still can¡¯t find Lil Sis, but these two found her double! Second Brother¡¯s still fine, but Third Brother was simple-minded and easilypelled. He even lied for this double and didn¡¯te home!¡¯

    Shen Xi bought the spicy tofu skins, the ones that Fu Qingxuan liked to eat. She ate some while walking home. When she turned the corner, she vaguely saw two figures shing past her and disappeared at the end of the road.

    It was quite far away, and the road was dark. She was not irvoyant, so she could not see who they were.

    After she got home, Fu Qingxuan was not there.

    Shen Feng took a packet of spicy tofu skins and opened it. ¡°Fu Qingxuan said that he went to look for you. Didn¡¯t you meet him?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and thought about the figures she saw when she turned the corner earlier. She had a strange feeling and ran out. ¡®Young Master can¡¯t be abducted, right?¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan persuaded Fu Qingli with all his might and finally escaped from his eldest brother¡¯s clutches after he promised he would go home tomorrow. He then saw Shen Xi running out in a hurry. ¡°Meanie, you¡¯re back?¡±

    ¡°I thought you were kidnapped!¡± Shen Xi swept him a nce, turned around, and walked home.

    Fu Qingxuan caught up to her. ¡°Where¡¯s the spicy tofu?¡±

    The moment he leaned over, Shen Xi could smell that cold orchid fragrance on him. Her eyes darkened as she looked at him with raised eyebrows, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you invite him in?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s body stiffened, and his voice turned deeper, ¡°You saw him?¡±

    Shen Xi did not deny it and asked him, ¡°Your big brother?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nodded and answered, ¡°Mm, he came over to bring me home.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xi also did not probe and thought about the man¡¯s judgy, deep, cold eyes when she brushed past him earlier. At that time, she felt a little strange, but now it made sense.

    The Fu family¡¯s eldest son, Fu Qingli.

    She had thought that a man with such a gentle name would be an elegant gentleman.

    However, looking at him only made her think of a few adjectives: handsome, cold, powerful, born to be king. He was the embodiment of the heir of an ancient family with thousands of years in power.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her and said in a muffled voice, ¡°I¡¯m leaving first thing tomorrow.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and was very understanding. ¡°You should¡¯ve gone home for New Year¡¯s Eve in the first ce.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan followed her into the living room in silence.

    The Spring Festival program was still going on. The adults were eating peanuts and sunflower seeds while watching the show and chatting.

    Shen Feng saw Fu Qingxuan walking in and threw him a packet of spicy tofu skins. ¡°You¡¯re finally back! If you go missing, this girl will eat me alive!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at their family with envy. ¡®If only Lil¡¯ Sis and Dad were here, then my family would also be this happy.¡¯

    However, Lil¡¯ Sis and Dad had been missing for so many years. On New Year¡¯s Eve, only Auntie would try to liven up the atmosphere at home.

    When Fu Qingxuan thought that he would be leaving early tomorrow morning, the spicy tofu skins in his hands became tasteless.

    After he left, he did not know when he would have the opportunity to slip out from under his eldest brother¡¯s nose again, and he did not know when he could see her again.

    The adults in the family were busy chatting.

    Shen Zhangqing and Shen Zhanglin had not seen each other for half a year, so they had a lot to say.

    Shen Zhanglin started to talk about Shen Tang after a while. He confidently said, ¡°After the New Year, I¡¯ll take Tangtang over to that miracle doctor who specializes inplicated diseases. A lot of people were cured there.¡±

    No one knew exactly what caused his daughter¡¯s blindness. He went to the country¡¯s best hospitals and saw the best doctors, but nothing could be done.

    Shen Tang was sitting nearby knitting. When she heard her father¡¯s words, she smiled gently and said, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m fine like this.¡±

    She had long given up and adapted to her blindness. She was living a good life, slowly figuring out how to do everything, and did not need others to take care of her. She could live well on her own and did not want her parents to run around and worry about her.

    When Shen Xi heard them talking about this, she came over and sat next to Shen Tang. She smiled and said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry about it. Your eyes will definitely be cured.¡±

    Shen Tang smiled lightly and had already epted this fact. ¡°I¡¯ll surely be happy if I can see again. After not seeing you for two years, you¡¯ve be quite the sweet talker and got better at coaxing people.¡±

    This little girl became more cheerful since thest time they met. In the past, whenever they mentioned Shen Tang¡¯s eyes, Shen Xi would be even sadder than Shen Tang and would cry and frown all day.

    ¡°I mean it,¡± Shen Xi looked at Shen Zhanglin seriously. ¡°Uncle, after the New Year, let Sistere to the capital with us. You don¡¯t need to find any miracle doctor. Just leave Sister¡¯s cure to me!¡±

    ¡°You know how to cure blindness?¡± Shen Tangughed out loud.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to take the medical exam.¡± Shen Xi nodded her head and looked very proud. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll definitely be a great doctor that does miracles!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take the art exam? Wasn¡¯t it your dream to attend the Capital Theater Academy all along?¡± Shen Tang was aware of all the efforts this girl made to get into the Capital Theater Academy so that she could enter the entertainment industry and be a big movie star in the future.

    ¡°Who said that dreams are set in stone? I changed my mind and want to take the medical exam.¡± Shen Xi had already told her parents that she would not take the art exam and wanted to attend the best medical school in China.

    ¡°Zhangqing, is your daughter telling the truth?¡± Shen Zhanglin was confused when he heard this. Since elementary school, Xixi had been into dance, music, painting, and wanted to be a celebrity. She had suffered through so much, so how could she just change her mind like that?

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Shen Zhangqing looked proud as he said, ¡°Our Xixi learns everything quickly and well.¡±

    When Du Juan heard their conversation, she pulled Yun Jinping over. It did not matter if Xixi wanted to attend art college to enter showbiz or go to medical school to be a doctor, she was absolutely supportive of her.

 Chapter 306 - Didnâ€™t Look Very Smart

    <h4>Chapter 306: Didn¡¯t Look Very Smart</h4>

    Shen Feng never had anything good to say andughed at Shen Xi. ¡°Your delicate little hands for pianos and violins can hold a scalpel?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan red at Shen Feng and looked at his hands. He stepped forward with his long legs and looked at everyone in the Shen family before he solemnly made a promise. ¡°Uncle Shen, leave Tangtang¡¯s illness to me. I¡¯ll do my best to treat her eyes.¡±

    Shen Zhanglin froze for a moment. He looked at the handsome young man in front of him with a loving smile. ¡°You want to go to medical school in the future too? Just like Xixi?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to take the exam because he¡¯s already a doctor.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was one of the world¡¯s best prodigy doctors. As long as he promised to help her, Shen Xi felt relieved and was confident that with his full support, they could cure her sister¡¯s blindness.

    When Shen Feng heard that he was Professor Fu Qingxuan from Fu Qingxi Medical Lab, he jumped from his seat. ¡°Are you serious?! You¡¯re that Fu Qingxuan? Tell me, you just have the same name, right?¡±

    ¡®How is that possible?¡¯

    Shen Xi brought a random person back who did not look very smart, yet he was the chief researcher at the world¡¯s most sophisticated private medicalboratory, Dean Fu Qingxuan!

    Shen Feng knew about the Fu Qingxi Medical Lab because they did a lot of research on world-ss medical institutions for his sister¡¯s illness. Every year, they would send Shen Tang¡¯s medical information to the Fu Qingxi Medical Lab, hoping that they would select his sister in their special clinical trials to cure her blindness.

    However, the chances were very slim. Every year, they were rejected. Their requirements for treatment were very strict, so his sister¡¯s disease was not selected.

    Shen Zhanglin also tried whatever they could for their daughter¡¯s illness. They went to domestic hospitals and the best doctors in the country, but no one had connections with that advanced international research institution.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping also did not know much about it. After listening to Shen Feng¡¯s exnation, they were stunned and looked at Fu Qingxuan. This child was so young yet so capable!

    Shen Zhanglin and Du Juan also did not understand most of what Shen Feng said. They only knew that Fu Qingxuan was very powerful and capable. He was one of the world¡¯s best doctors, so there was hope for their daughter¡¯s eyes! They were so excited that their eyes were shining with tears.

    Shen Feng still could not believe that they would have such good luck and looked at Fu Qingxuan suspiciously. ¡°Are you an impostor? How can you prove that you¡¯re that Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    Shen Xi red at him. ¡°I can prove that he¡¯s Fu Qingxuan. I¡¯m a stylist for his brother, Fu Qingye, the big movie star. I can call him now to confirm.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Shen Feng became solemn and looked at Fu Qingxuan seriously. ¡°Then my sister¡¯s illness is in your hands. You can rest assured that I¡¯ll treat you to an endless supply of spicy tofu skins in the future.¡±

    His seriousness onlysted three seconds.

    Shen Xi punched him.

    Shen Feng pretended to be injured andid on the sofa. He could just die at this moment because even if he did believe it, it was a huge blow to him. It was such a huge blow that he could turn to mush.

    Fu Qingxuan was only 17 years old!

    He was 19 years old.

    ¡®Goddamn it, I really don¡¯t wanna live, but I don¡¯t dare to die!¡¯

    Since the beginning, the calmest of them all was the subject in question, Shen Tang. To be let down time and time again after getting her hopes up, she was no longer a stranger to it and smiled. ¡°Qingxuan, you don¡¯t need to make an exception for me.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°It¡¯s not an exception. It¡¯s my willingness.¡±

    After all, she was meanie¡¯s sister, so she was his sister too. Shen Tang looked gentle and soft spoken, but she was warm and tough inside, treating others sincerely and kindly. She was a very nice sister.

    Fu Qingxuan admired her, so he wanted to help her.

    Shen Feng clenched his fist and put his fist to his heart as he looked at Fu Qingxuan seriously. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, because you said this, if you ever need anything in the future, I will go through hell for you.¡±

    Shen Xiughed at him. ¡°I think you watch too much anime!¡±

    Shen Zhanglin and his wife never dreamed that their daughter could meet the world¡¯s top medical professor and were so grateful to Fu Qingxuan.

    Shen Zhangqing held his wife¡¯s hands with tears of relief and gratitude in his eyes. ¡®There¡¯s hope for Tangtang¡¯s eyes!¡¯

    Shen Xi told them her n and wanted Shen Tang toe to the capital with them first. She could live with them for a while because it would be more convenient for her to go abroad or to other hospitals. It was also convenient for Shen Xi to take care of her and keep an eye on her condition.

    Shen Zhanglin did not want to trouble their family even though they were rtives. They were ufortable with the arrangement.

    Shen Xi smiled, ¡°Uncle, why don¡¯t you and Auntiee over too? Our house is big, so living together won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Shen Zhanglin was in a pickle. He wanted to follow them, but he could not leave the family restaurant because he was the boss and the chef.

    Shen Xi knew his concern and said, ¡°Uncle, why don¡¯t you sell your restaurant? When we get to the capital, you can open a bigger one!¡±

    Shen Zhanglin had been in the restaurant business for decades. When he heard Shen Xi¡¯s words, he sighed and said, ¡°Doing business in the capital is not that simple.¡±

    If he sold the family restaurant, he would not have a source of ie. He had to pay for Tangtang¡¯s medical bills and Feng¡¯s tuition fees. He did not want to ask his brother for money either. Although he knew that his brother would not treat him as an outsider, he still felt bad about it.

    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re such a good cook, so your restaurant will be a sess everywhere!¡± Shen Xi patted her chest with confidence. ¡°You can rest assured that you won¡¯t earn any less than your restaurant now.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing looked at his daughter and smiled,¡±Big Brother, listen to Xixi!¡±

    Although Shen Zhanglin did not believe her now, after he opened a restaurant in the capital, he would know that Shen Xi was right.

    Shen Zhangqing felt that his daughter was getting more sessfultely with more ideas. Recently in his business, he would consult her before making big decisions.

    Besides, if his elder brother moved to the capital, Shen Zhangqing could also help to take care of them. They were too far away now, so even if he wanted to help, he could not because his brother never epted his money.

    Yun Jinping also tried to persuade them. ¡°Big Brother, Sis-In-Law, move to the capital with us! We can discuss and help each other out. You¡¯re both so capable, so you¡¯ll be fine anywhere.¡±

    Shen Feng also raised his hand to express his approval. ¡°Mom, Dad, I think both Uncle and Auntie are right. You should listen to them. Sister can go over to see better doctors and you guys can do business over there. I¡¯m taking my exams soon, so I can go to Capital University. By then, we¡¯ll all be in the capital! It¡¯ll be great!¡±

 Chapter 307 - Welcome A Brand New Life

    <h4>Chapter 307: Wee A Brand New Life</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Tang did not say anything. In fact, she also felt that what Xixi said was right.

    ¡°Alright, let me discuss it with Du Juanter,¡± Shen Zhanglin still had to think about it.

    After all, this was their home where they lived for decades. Unlike his brother, who had been working out of town since young and was used to being away from home, Shen Zhanglin was still reluctant to let go of his hometown if he decided to leave so abruptly.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping continued to think about the details. They were aware that leaving home was not so simple as there were many things to do and many other concerns as well.

    Shen Feng also joined the conversation. In this small town, he could already picture their boring life. He knew that his father was as ambitious as his uncle and would not want to settle.

    Everyone wanted to make more money and provide a better livelihood for their family.

    Fu Qingxuan was watching the Spring Festival program, but he was distracted. Once he thought of leaving early tomorrow morning, he felt reluctant and sad.

    Shen Xi pulled Shen Tang back to their room for a chat.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m blind, so how can I join yourpany? I¡¯ll just get you into trouble!¡± Shen Tang heard Shen Xi¡¯s proposal and shook her head.

    ¡®Absolutely not! Someone like me signing up with Xixi¡¯spany would definitely bring about all kinds of gossip, which would have a bad impact on her.¡¯

    ¡°Sister, I believe in you, so trust me, okay?¡± Shen Xi looked at her seriously. ¡°Your voice is the greatest gift from God! You like singing and music so much, so why can¡¯t you be a singer and make an album? You need to have confidence in yourself.¡±

    ¡°Xixi, I¡­¡± Shen Tang¡¯s voice choked with bitterness as she did not know what to say to her.

    She did have this idea before she lost her eyesight, but after she became blind, she dared not think about it again.

    ¡°Sister, Bing is blind, but he¡¯s also a great musician! Who doesn¡¯t know him?¡± Shen Xi held Shen Tang¡¯s hand to give her confidence and strength. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t aplish. I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way.¡±

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Shen Tang¡¯s tears streamed down as she spoke, ¡°I know you¡¯re doing this for my sake, but can I really do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can be a singer and your eyes can be cured. Fu Qingxuan¡¯s a medical genius. The doctors at hisb are the world¡¯s best, so they¡¯ll certainly find a way to treat your eyes,¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was very warm and reassuring.

    Shen Tang was struggling internally. After a moment, she made up her mind and nodded her head forcefully, then seriously said one word, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t live like this. How can I just end my precious life in mediocrity? It doesn¡¯t matter whether I seed, as long as I try my best, right?¡¯

    ¡®If I tried your best, even if I failed in the end, at least I¡¯ve tried and won¡¯t regret it.¡¯

    ¡®But if I don¡¯t even have the courage to try, I¡¯ll just be a weakling and a coward.¡¯

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m not helping you. You¡¯re helping me! In ourpany, weck a great singer like you.¡± Shen Xiughed out loud happily. Her eyes were misty as she was happy for Shen Tang¡¯s brave decision.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Shen Tang reached out and hugged her.

    The bitterness and tears she kept buried in her heart all these years could no longer be suppressed. She buried her head on Shen Xi¡¯s shoulder and cried softly.

    Shen Xi apanied her in silence. ¡®Just cry¡­ I know that it must have been very difficult and painful for her these few years. She must have been so depressed, suppressing all the negative emotions in the depths of her heart while trying to put up a brave front.¡¯

    Shen Tang cried until her eyes were swollen. She stroked Shen Xi¡¯s head. ¡°Our little girl is all grown up now. You have so many great ideas and you¡¯re so capable. I should learn from you.¡±

    Shen Xiughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯m capable and ourpany is also great! We¡¯re pretty strict with our artists, so don¡¯t you cry about it when the timees!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t!¡± Shen Tang smiled too. She would not let Shen Xi down.

    For so many years, the grievance and sadness that had been piled up in her heart seemed to have vanished with her tears.

    Next, Shen Tang just had to bid goodbye to her previous life and wee a brand new life and challenge. She suddenly felt inexhaustible energy all over her body.

    Shen Tang was willing to be a contracted singer but under one condition. She did not want thepany to know about the real rtionship between them because she was afraid that Shen Xi would be badly affected because of her. She also did not want thepany to make exceptions for her or treat her differently.

    She decided to do her best and rely on her capabilities and efforts to move forward step by step.

    Shen Xi also dabbled in music. She wanted to be the world¡¯s top music producer with originalpositions, but she could not find the right singer to sing her songs.

    She finally found the future Chinese Queen of Pop.

    Shen Xi wondered if Big Brother managed to sign Qi Xiu, the singer that she saw potential in.

    Qi Xiu was the future of the Chinese music industry. He was a well-deserved and talented Chinese popstar, songwriter, and music producer, topping the charts with his music.

    However, at this point in time, he was just a talented and proud bar singer.

    The only lead Shen Xi had was that Qi Xiu was singing in a small bar in some city in China.

    When Shen Xi went out, she called Fu Qingxuan to the courtyard.

    It was still snowing lightly, and a thinyer of snow began to cover the courtyard.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Xi looked at Fu Qingxuan seriously and thanked him from the bottom of her heart. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be troubled with my sister¡¯s illness. I just need you to provide me with theb, then you can leave the rest to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a doctor?¡± Fu Qingxuan asked her.

    ¡®How should I answer this question? I guess I can be considered a doctor, but I¡¯m more of an alchemist.¡¯ Thus, she shook her head out of technicality. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are you more experienced and skilled in medicine than I am?¡± Fu Qingxuan asked her again.

    Shen Xi thought about it for a moment. In terms of refining medicine, no one couldpare to her, but in terms of experience and medical skills, it seemed that would probably be a no. Even so, she could study hard and try to surpass him.

    ¡°You¡¯re neither a doctor, nor as good as me, so are you trying to cure your sister based on your hope? Or do you not believe in my medical skills?¡± Fu Qingxuan pointed at her angrily and mocked her mercilessly. ¡°You haven¡¯t even gone to medical school yet, yet you¡¯re so boastful. If you go to medical school, I think your head will be in the clouds!¡±

    Shen Xi pped his hand away and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m very capable. You just don¡¯t know it yet.¡±

    Fu Qingxuanughed and came closer to her. ¡°How are you capable? What are you good at? Are you good at dreaming, or are you good at fantasizing? You can just cure your sister¡¯s eyes just by thinking about it, huh?¡±

 Chapter 308 - Happy New Year

    <h4>Chapter 308: Happy New Year</h4>

    Since Fu Qingxuan already epted the case, he would certainly do his best to cure Tangtang¡¯s blindness. Not trying to boast but if he could not find a cure, then no one else in the world could.

    Shen Xi watched Fu Qingxuan walk away and looked scornful. She caught up to him defiantly and dered, ¡°I can really cure her.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was amused and turned to pat her little head. ¡°Just study hard, and when you get into medical school in the future, I¡¯ll allow you to be my assistant and teach you well.¡±

    Meanie wanted to study medicine and take the medical exam. That meant she would be in the same industry as him, and he could get her to work in hisboratory. That way, he could see her and work with her every day. Thinking about this made him very happy.

    Shen Xi sighed deeply and muttered, ¡°You know nothing about my capabilities.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan smiled more pleasantly, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you to surpass me. Good luck!¡±

    Shen Xi felt that Fu Qingxuan was much nicer to her since he was about to leave. When he looked at her, his eyes became gentler and sentimental. She felt a little sad seeing him like this.

    On the TV, the Spring Festival program wasing to an end and would soon be counting down to the New Year.

    Suddenly, the phone in Shen Xi¡¯s pocket vibrated. She was surprised and took it out, then saw a message from Toffeecito¡¯s dad: Are you free now?

    ¡°Shen Xi, the countdown to New Year¡¯s is on!¡± Shen Feng looked at her standing in the doorway with a silly smile and called out to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom, you guys can go ahead.¡± Shen Xi turned around with her phone and ran back to the courtyard.

    The TV was loud, but Shen Feng¡¯s voice was louder. The countdown had begun.

    Her phone began to vibrate again.

    When Shen Xi saw his invitation to a video call, her heart was thumping so much that it was about to leap out of her chest. She then snuck a nce in the direction of the living room before epting the call with feigned calmness.

    The first thing that appeared on the phone screen was the man¡¯s handsome smiling face. His thin lips parted slightly, ¡°Happy New Year!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled at him with crescent-like eyes. Her heart was warm and bubbly, but the tip of her nose was inexplicably sore. Her eyes started to be a little misty and her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Happy New Year.¡±

    She had been thinking about him for so long and had been looking forward to this. Finally, on New Year¡¯s day, he was the first person she wished a ¡°Happy New Year¡±. She hoped that every year, she would be able to do the same.

    ¡°Toffeecito misses you,¡± Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s reddish eyes and felt heartbroken. ¡®Did she cry? Am I making her cry?¡¯

    ¡°Toffeecito!¡± Shen Xi shouted.

    ¡°Meow!¡± Toffeecito revealed half of its little fluffy head and stretched out its little paws to hug Shen Xi, but it did not manage to touch her and looked at her with its big, innocent, and confused eyes.

    Shen Xiughed out loud. ¡°Brother, how did Toffeecito be so silly?¡±

    Li Yuan smiled, ¡°It misses you.¡±

    He waited for such a long time and finally saw her smile on New Year¡¯s Day.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I miss it too.¡±

    ¡®I miss you too.¡¯

    She wanted to stand in front of him so badly right now so that they did not have to talk through the phone screen.

    ¡°When are youing back?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    ¡°On the fifth day of the New Year.¡± Shen Xi looked at him. The feeling of seeing him but actually millions of miles apart was really unpleasant. ¡°Have you gone home, Brother?¡±

    The furnishings in his background looked like antique furniture, not like the vi. It seemed like the Li Mansion.

    ¡°I¡¯m at the mansion,¡± Li Yuan gazed at the girl gently.

    ¡®She¡¯s not at home, so what¡¯s the point of going back there?¡¯

    Just as he said that, he saw a sh of disappointment in the girl¡¯s eyes. He felt a little strange and thought, ¡®Did she leave something at home for me? Did I miss it because I didn¡¯t go back?¡¯

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi responded and smiled before she asked, ¡°So when are you going back?¡±

    She wrote and put up the couplets on his door. ¡®It¡¯s a pity that Brother didn¡¯t see them!¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back first thing in the morning.¡± When Li Yuan saw her expression, he guessed that she must be hiding something.

    Since she had already asked him, he would definitely return immediately to check it out, but he did not want to tell her because she would be worried if he went back thiste at night.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi nodded. She could imagine his expression when he saw the couplet and smiled more sweetly. She had so much to say to him and lots of things to share with him. ¡°Brother, today¡­¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Shen Feng¡¯s loud voice rang out from the house. The sound of footsteps was getting closer as he came towards the courtyard. ¡°Hurry up ande over! It¡¯s time for fireworks!¡±

    Shen Xi felt guilty and was afraid of being discovered. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll hang up first!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s sneaky face and nervous response. In the next moment, she had already hung up the video call. The light under his eyes dimmed instantly. Even the warmth of his body slowly dissipated.

    The loss and loneliness he felt slowly crept into his heart. He lowered his head to click on the video she sent of her wrapping dumplings and smiled again. Gradually his eyes lit up and his expression turned warm.

    ¡®When will I be able to eat her hand-made dumplings?¡¯

    Shen Xi was annoyed with Shen Feng. After a month and a half, she finally saw Brother, but Shen Feng interrupted them. She still had so many things to say to him and did not get to ask him what he ate that night or if he made some dumplings.

    Shen Feng and Fu Qingxuan carried several buckets of fireworks and tworge trays of firecrackers to the courtyard.

    Shen Zhangqing and the adults followed behind and smiled as he told them to slow down, urging them to be careful when setting off the fireworks so that they would not get hurt.

    At this time.

    There was a sudden knock on the door.

    Shen Xi was the closest, so she ran over to open the door.

    A man was standing at the door dressed in a long ck trench coat. He was good-looking and calm as he bowed respectfully to her. He then handed over a beautiful bag and said, ¡°Ms. Shen, my name is Fang Zhu. My boss wanted me to convey a message to you. Happy New Year.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was pounding and bubbling. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Feng saw someone at the door, so he put down his things and ran over. When he saw the stranger, his tone was unpleasant. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a courier,¡± Fang Zhu exined and did not even look at the boy. He just respectfully and politely looked at Shen Xi and continued, ¡°Ms. Shen, then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    His boss asked him toe over and give Ms. Shen a New Year¡¯s gift to surprise her.

    Fang Zhu feltplete this New Year because he finally met the boss¡¯ sweetheart. She was very beautiful and elegant.

    Fu Qingxuan also got to the door. He looked at Shen Feng. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡®Courier?¡¯

    What kind of courier would dress like this to deliver a package? The man was calm and deliberately suppressed his usual demeanor. Even so, he still seemed domineering and was definitely not an ordinary person.

 Chapter 309 - Fireworks Display

    <h4>Chapter 309: Fireworks Disy</h4>

    Shen Feng was confused. Who would send a courier on the night of New Year¡¯s Eve? That person must be crazy! He was upset and lowered his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s that son of a b*tch. Is it her crush?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes became alert as he confidently shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    This man was just here to deliver something on behalf of his master. His boss should be the one who wanted to pursue this meanie.

    ¡®Who¡¯s that person? Even his errand boy has such an aura.¡¯

    Fang Zhu left.

    Shen Xi closed the door and felt like her heart was doused in honey. Her eyes were overflowing with joy and took the gift to her room like it was a treasure.

    Shen Feng snatched her gift from her. He was so agile and pulled out the gift quickly. At a nce, it was just a red packet, so he frowned and looked scornful. ¡°New Year¡¯s money? How snobbish.¡±

    Shen Xi red at him fiercely and grabbed it back, holding it in her arms like a baby. ¡°Do you wanna die?!¡±

    Shen Feng looked at her and snorted in contempt. ¡°He sent just a red packet sote at night. What kind of people are you friends with?¡±

    Shen Xi bared her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, *sshole!¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with a red packet? Even if it¡¯s just a red packet, I¡¯m happy. It¡¯s New Year anyway, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with receiving a red packet, right?¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan frowned and felt suspicious. ¡®All this trouble just to send a New Year¡¯s gift. It can¡¯t just be a red packet!¡¯

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi holding the red packet like it was some treasure and nudged Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too shoddy¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, Yun Jinping suddenly pointed to the sky in delight. ¡°Look over there! The fireworks are so beautiful! It¡¯s a kitten¡¯s paw!¡±

    Shen Xi looked up and saw that far away, cat paw prints were blooming in the air. The paw prints were getting closer and the sound of the fireworks was getting clearer.

    The chubby little paws formed a cute little kitten¡¯s head mid-air and then there was a message: Happy New Year.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the fireworks disy in the sky with cold, deep eyes. His hands hanging at the side were clenched to fists. ¡®I knew it wouldn¡¯t just be a red packet¡­ a fireworks disy, huh? That¡¯s some effort!¡¯

    Shen Feng was oblivious. This was the first time he saw such an interesting fireworks disy and thought that it was magical. ¡°Our town¡¯s so generous to arrange such a lovely fireworks disy!¡±

    This was the first time he saw such a fireworks disy and already knew that it would take a lot of effort.

    Yun Jinping looked at her husband. ¡°Who did this? It¡¯s so beautiful! I¡¯ve never seen such fireworks all my life!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, this takes good nning. They need to get the location and timing right for the fireworks to make such beautiful patterns urately. I didn¡¯t hear anything about the town organizing a fireworks show this year though¡­¡±

    The fireworks that were set off atrge parties and celebrations were also not asplex as this.

    Shen Xi tilted her head towards the sky. Her eyes were a little misty and her heart was throbbing so much that it felt like jumping out of her chest. ¡®So, this is the gift Brother gave me.¡¯

    She recognized the kitten¡¯s head. It was the same as the portrait she drew of Toffeecito.

    Shen Zhangqing pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t you think that the cat looks like our little Toffeecito?¡±

    Yun Jinpingughed. ¡°Don¡¯t all cats look alike? How does it look like Toffeecito? I think you just miss Toffeecito too much!¡±

    This was also the first time Du Juan and Shen Zhanglin saw such interesting fireworks. Shen Zhanglin turned to look at his daughter, who was standing next to him looking up at the sky. He was heartbroken, but at this moment, he made up his mind.

    ¡®No matter what, we¡¯ll have to cure Tangtang¡¯s eyes. We¡¯ll move to the capital and be wherever my daughter will be. Even though it might be unfamiliar and we¡¯ll have to start all over again, as long as our family can be together, that¡¯s more important than anything else.¡¯

    The fireworks had long since dissipated in the air without a trace. However, the people watching the fireworks were still staring at the sky and only came back to their senses after a long time.

    Shen Feng flicked Shen Xi¡¯s head. ¡°What are you still looking at? It¡¯s done! Time for our fireworks!¡±

    The town was quiet for a while before firecrackers started cracking again. Apparently, everyone was just like them, enjoying the fireworks disy, and forgot to set off their own firecrackers and fireworks.

    That night.

    Even in her sleep, Shen Xi was smiling as she dreamed of Brother and held his hand lustfully. When she woke up, she happily rolled around in bed.

    The thinyer of snow in town had melted away by the morning.

    In the capital, it snowed heavily. The snow was thick, up to one¡¯s calves.

    Kun Lun took out a nket and looked in the direction of the door.

    The man was in a ck coat with a red scarf around his neck. He stared tenderly at the Spring Festival couplet on the front door as if he was looking through it to see his favorite person.

    Kun Lun walked over and put the nket on the man¡¯sp, then respectfully reminded him. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s the first day of the New Year. We should go back.¡±

    When Ms. Shen left, she put up the Spring Festival couplets on their door. Looking at the handwriting, he could tell that it was hers.

    After the video call with Ms. Shen yesterday, Boss came straight to the vi and stared at the Spring Festival couplets for a long time.

    In the morning, he got up early and went to the front door to stare at the couplets again.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Li Yuan answered. His narrow eyes were gentle as he finally looked in the direction of the gate and rolled his wheelchair away. The smile at the corner of his lips still did not disappear.

    He liked this gift from his girl very much.

    ¡®I wonder if she likes my gift.¡¯

    Last night, Shen Xi did not dare to send him a message for fear of disturbing his rest. When she got up and took her phone, she did not expect him to have sent a message before she did.

    Brother: I like your gift very much.

    Shen Xi happily rolled back and forth several times before replying: I also like the fireworks.

    Brother: You¡¯re up?

    Shen Xi: Why are you up so early?

    Brother: Busy today.

    Shen Xi: Have you eaten yet?

    Brother: No, I¡¯m going back to the mansion.

    Shen Xi: Across the street from our neighborhood, right next to the bus stop, there¡¯s a vendor that sells pancakes and soy milk. It¡¯s very good.

    Brother: Okay.

    Shen Xi waited for a while and saw his message: It¡¯s the first day of the New Year.

    She pped her head and smiled as she typed: Oh right! Everyone¡¯s at home for the New Year.

    Brother: When youe back, I¡¯ll buy you some.

    Shen Xi was ttered and typed: Really? Don¡¯t lie to me.

    Brother: I won¡¯t lie to you.

    Since receiving the giftst night, Shen Xi¡¯s heart had been overjoyed that she wanted to fly. She even forgot about Fu Qingxuan leaving.

 Chapter 310 - Blind Date

    <h4>Chapter 310: Blind Date</h4>

    When Fu Qingxuan realized that someone was pursuing Shen Xi or that she had a crush, he was so upset that he called Fu Qingye and asked if he knew who she liked.

    Fu Qingye was not aware of this and had never heard her mention it, but like Fu Qingxuan, he somehow felt a little uneasy when he found out. ¡®How old is she that she¡¯s already in love at this age?!¡¯

    Shen Feng knocked on Shen Xi¡¯s door. ¡°Lazybum, get up! Fu Qingxuan is leaving!¡±

    Shen Xiid on her bed and wiggled her feet happily as she chatted with Li Yuan. When she heard that Fu Qingxuan was leaving, she texted Li Yuan. ¡°Brother, Fu Qingxuan is leaving, so I¡¯m sending him off.¡±

    Brother: Good.

    Fu Qingxuan left. Before leaving, he told the Shen family that Shen Tang did not need to go to theb with him at this moment. However, he would need a lot of samples when he got back, so they would have to cooperate then. They could take the samples here and mail them over.

    Shen Feng tugged on Shen Xi¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s gone. What are you looking at?¡±

    Shen Xi did not speak and only looked at the car that disappeared down the road. She did not know when they would meet again after they parted.

    On the way home, they could hear people talking aboutst night¡¯s fireworks disy. Everyone said that it was novel and beautiful, and that it was their first time seeing such a disy of fireworks. However, no one knew who arranged them.

    Everyone visited each other¡¯s houses on the first day of the New Year.

    Shen Xi and Shen Feng hid in the room and did not like dealing with these troublesome social activities. They also did not want to see those greedy people and were afraid they could not resist punching them.

    However, the soundproofing of the room was not very good, so they could clearly hear the conversation outside.

    They were mostly the same. The people who came over would pay their respects, say something nice, and get straight to the point. Most of them just asked Shen Zhangqing for a job or to borrow money. Some also looked for Shen Xi to teach their children to dance. Those who had no boundaries even asked their children to follow them to the capital to learn dancing.

    Shen Feng was furious and paused his game. He threw his gaming mouse and said, ¡°Who the hell are these people?! If we give them a job, they¡¯rezy and sleazy. If we lend them money, they¡¯ll never return it. Also, learn to dance from you?! They should really just look at their children. Do they even deserve it? Urgh¡­ this is infuriating!¡±

    Shen Xi was reading a book beside him and said calmly, ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen this?¡±

    These people only wanted to take advantage of the Shen family. Everyone who visited would bring their entire family, especially their children so that they could get red packets.

    In previous years, Shen Xi¡¯s parents would give red packets with less than 100 yuan in them. Those people would thenment that the Shen family was rich yet so stingy.

    This year¡¯s red packets were indeed miserly.

    When Shen Xi went outst night to buy spicy tofu skins, she exchanged a 200 yuan bill with single yuan bills at the kiosk. In the morning, Shen Feng and Shen Xi swapped out the hundred yuan bills in the red packets to the single yuan bills.

    Shen Feng said angrily, ¡°Uncle¡¯s just too much of a pushover that people love to bully him. Once my family moves to the capital, we¡¯ll nevere back. Let¡¯s see who else they can take advantage of.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Have your parents decided yet?¡±

    Shen Feng replied, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s so simple to leave? There¡¯s still so much sh*t to sort out before they leave.¡±

    Shen Xi did not deny it and looked at him. She changed the subject. ¡°How¡¯s your standing in the game recently?¡±

    Shen Feng was smug. ¡°Average I guess, just first in the world.¡±

    Shen Xi flexed her wrist and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Do you wanna y one round with me?¡±

    Shen Feng thought about it for a moment. ¡°If you wanna y, we¡¯ll have to go to the cyber cafe. Our home¡¯s inte speed is too slow. Shall we?¡±

    The two of them were about to head over to the cyber cafe when they overheard a conversation in the living room. The woman¡¯s voice was quite loud and she seemed to be talking about Shen Tang¡¯s blind date.

    ¡°This boy is good-looking andes from a good family. They opened several supermarket franchises that have an annual revenue of several million yuan. The boy went to a film school and studied film directing. He just graduated too. He saw Tangtang¡¯s photo and was very pleased. He said that he didn¡¯t mind her blindness and wanted to marry a virtuous and easy-going girl,¡± the matchmaker spoke nonstop.

    ¡°Tangtang will be going to the capital after the New Year,¡± said Du Juan shyly. ¡°Mrs. Lee, please tell that family that we won¡¯t go for that blind date.¡±

    ¡°Coincidentally, the boy graduated and will be working in the capital. The two of them should just meet up and have a chat. It won¡¯t be an issue. If they can get along, then it¡¯s certainly good, but if not, then forget it. No pressure.¡± Mrs. Lee continued, ¡°Let me tell you, such good conditions are really hard toe by. You shouldn¡¯t miss out on this boy.¡±

    The boy was a university graduate, and Shen Tang was a blind high school graduate. Although her uncle was rich, his money did not belong to Tangtang¡¯s family. She was getting the better deal in this arranged marriage.

    Shen Feng heard this and thought about it for a moment. He whispered to Shen Xi, ¡°His conditions do sound good¡­¡±

    At least, it was much better than those unreliable scumbags from before. This boy was a graduate and aspiring film director that came from a good family. If he looked decent and had a good character, they could try to get along, but this also depended on Tangtang¡¯s intentions.

    Shen Xi sneered and had a stern look in her eyes. ¡°How is that good?¡±

    Shen Feng shuddered from that look. ¡°Then how do you know that he¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡®This girl¡­what¡¯s gotten into her? Why is she so scary all of a sudden like she just saw her mortal enemy?¡¯

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes darkened when she thought of the man who caused Tangtang¡¯s tragic death in her past life. She just wanted to skin him alive and looked coldly at Shen Feng. ¡°Do you wanna bet?¡±

    Shen Feng said, ¡°Bet about what?¡±

    Shen Xi raised her eyebrows, but the depths of her eyes were icy. ¡°You said that he¡¯s a good man, but I think that he¡¯s a monster. If you lose, you¡¯ll work for me for free for two years.¡±

    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this bastard toe knocking on my door when I haven¡¯t even found him yet. If I don¡¯t meet him, it¡¯ll be a missed opportunity,¡¯ Shen Xi thought.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Feng did not know why she was so hostile toward a stranger, but since it was his sister¡¯s potential husband, he needed to test this man¡¯s character.

    In the living room, the matchmaker continued praising the man and said with a smile, ¡°You should think about it. The boy is now in his aunt¡¯s house in the neighboring town. I can arrange a meeting this afternoon if you like. What do you think?¡±

    Shen Zhanglin discussed it with Du Juan and thought that they could consider it if this boy was nice. There was no harm in Shen Tang meeting him for a chat. In any case, it was worth a shot. Who knew if their daughter would fall in love with this man? If they rejected him without meeting first, their daughter might miss out on her destiny.

 Chapter 311 - Hit His Chest

    <h4>Chapter 311: Hit His Chest</h4>

    Shen Zhanglin discussed it with his wife. As they came to a decision, he looked at her and said, ¡°Go talk to Tangtang and ask for her opinion. Ask her to get ready.¡±

    Mrs. Lee, the matchmaker, beamed like a sunflower. The boy¡¯s family had already agreed to pay her 2,000 yuan for her hard work as long as the girl agreed to meet them. Who would not be ted for getting 2,000 yuan just from talking?

    Du Juan went to look for Shen Tang and asked for her opinion before replying to the matchmaker. Shen Tang was not at home and had gone to her friend Wen Wen¡¯s florist. Du Juan told her daughter about the blind date and urged her toe home to get ready.

    Shen Tang hung up the phone and said, ¡°Wen Wen, I¡¯m going home first.¡±

    Wen Wen was her only friend who she had known since childhood and never cared that she was blind.

    Looking at Shen Tang, Wen Wen sighed and said, ¡°Your parents arranged another blind date for you? If you don¡¯t wanna go, just tell them. You don¡¯t have to listen to everything they say! When will you ever learn to refuse them?¡±

    Shen Tang smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a meeting. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re forcing us to be together.¡±

    She knew that her parents were just worried for her and wanted to find her a good family and a good person to rely on. If she refused them, they would feel sad.

    ¡°Okay, I can¡¯t say anything if you¡¯re willing.¡± Wen Wen handed her a bouquet. ¡°Take this back with you.¡±

    After she said that, someone pushed the door open and entered the shop. It was a group of boys.

    The leader looked around and said, ¡°I want a bouquet of perfumed lilies. Wrap it up nicely and make it look expensive!¡±

    Someone next to himughed and teased him. ¡°What¡¯s the use of making it look nice? Isn¡¯t the woman that your cousin¡¯s seeing blind?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what does your cousin even see in her? A blind girl won¡¯t even be of any help and will only bring trouble!¡±

    ¡°What do you think he sees in her? Obviously, she¡¯s pretty. You guys haven¡¯t seen her pictures. She¡¯s so beautiful, and my cousin only likes beautiful women.¡±

    ¡°Your cousin will be a famous director in the future. There are so many female movie stars in the entertainment industry and so many female college students in the film school. Which one of them isn¡¯t beautiful? When your cousin bes famous, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll flock to him first!¡±

    Shen Tang was at the back of the flower shop and was blocked by the flower stand. Her back was facing them, so no one saw her.

    As soon as Wen Wen heard their conversation, she knew that the cousin the boys were talking about was the one who was going on a blind date with Shen Tang. Thus, she pretended to ask inadvertently, ¡°There are so many beautiful women in film school, so your cousin must¡¯ve had many girlfriends!¡±

    ¡°Well, of course! He¡¯s quite popr in school, but he¡¯s tired of ying around.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ he¡¯s been with all sorts of girls and is ready to find a good wife to settle down and have kids, so he wants a beautiful and virtuous girl. Those b*tches are just ymates.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Keeping a marriage intact while having affairs is the way of a real man, right boys?¡±

    Men were not the same as women. They liked to talk about the women they had been with to tantly show off to each other so that they could get the envious praises from more scumbags and boost their sickening ego.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about? My cousin isn¡¯t like that!¡± The boy gave his friends a look of warning and looked at Wen Wen with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re just joking. My cousin¡¯s an honest man and he¡¯s extraordinarily nice. He never had a girlfriend either.¡±

    ¡®That blind girl lived in this town, so what if word got out to her family and ruined Cousin¡¯s date?¡¯

    Wen Wen wrapped the flowers and gave them to the boy. After watching them leave, she could still hear them talking, not about the cousin but about the types of women they had slept with and so on. She just felt disgusted after hearing that.

    She changed her door sign to ¡°closed¡± and locked the door before she said, ¡°Tangtang, you heard that, right? Do you still insist on going on a blind date with that *sshole?¡±

    These people were so rude and did not know how to respect women. They kept calling Tangtang ¡°blind girl¡± in a demeaning tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have to date him after we meet.¡± Shen Tang did not care much about it andforted Wen Wen. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad¡­ I am a blind girl, so are people not allowed to call me that?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Wen Wen was exasperated and said indignantly, ¡°That cousin and his friends are all the same. Birds of the same feather flock together, so we know that he certainly won¡¯t be a good person. You can meet him, but don¡¯t give him your contact information.¡±

    ¡®This girl is just too sweet for her own good and never refused anyone. I need to talk to her properly so that she won¡¯t be taken advantage of. Meeting that kind of man is simply an insult to her!¡¯

    ¡°I know.¡± Shen Tang smiled. ¡°Although I¡¯m visually impaired, my heart isn¡¯t blind.¡±

    Wen Wen watched Shen Tang get up with the flowers, then ran over and took out two more red packets and stuffed them into Shen Tang¡¯s hands. ¡°These are for Xixi and Feng. Did they forget about me? They didn¡¯t evene over to wish me a Happy New Year¡­¡±

    ¡°They were still in bed when I came over.¡± Shen Tang smiled and said, ¡°Thanks for the red packets. I¡¯ll give it to them when I get back and get them toe over to greet you in person.¡±

    Wen Wen said, ¡°Forget it. They¡¯re probably still sleeping, so don¡¯t yell at them. I still have to go over to your house to pay my respects to Auntie and Uncle. I¡¯ll go over for lunchter!¡±

    Shen Tang nodded and said warmly, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Wen Wen watched Shen Tang leave and turn the corner before she sighed and turned back into her store to organize some things.

    Shen Tang held the vase in one hand and her white cane in another. The route home was somewhere she was very familiar with because she frequently took this road.

    When she arrived at the intersection, someone threw a stone that her cane could not detect, so she tripped and could not stop her fall to the front.

    She subconsciously protected the vase and was prepared for the fall.

    However, the pain she expected did not ur. Instead, a pair of strong arms held her waist. She had fallen into a man¡¯s arms and her head hit his chest.

    Shen Tang heard a low, muffled grunt and his somewhat chaotic heartbeat. She quickly stood upright before she said nervously and helplessly, ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    Yu Qiubai gentlemanly took a step back and looked at the girl in front of him. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    Shen Tang tilted her head toward his voice with an apologetic and grateful smile on her face. Her smile was so pretty and warm that it moved his heart.

    Her eyes were beautiful, with crystal clear amber irises, but there was no focus. Yu Qiubai felt an indescribable sympathy for the girl who could not see.

 Chapter 312 - Deep Prejudice

    <h4>Chapter 312: Deep Prejudice</h4>

    Just by listening to the man¡¯s voice, Shen Tang could tell that he was a young chap that was probably around Shen Feng¡¯s age. It was a voice that she had never heard before. He spoke without an ent, so he was probably from out of town. She nodded at him and smiled lightly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    Yu Qiubai looked at the girl¡¯s long and luscious eyshes that fluttered, which cast a faint shadow over her porcin white skin. She looked so adorable that his heart seemed to skip a beat. When he watched her leave, he called out to her, ¡°Do you know where Shen Xi¡¯s house is?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Xixi¡¯s friend?¡± Shen Tang paused in her footsteps and turned back to ask him.

    When she smiled, she looked especially sweet because she had cute little dimples on her cheeks.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Yu Qubai was shaken by the girl¡¯s sweet and warm smile. He caught up to her and said, ¡°Can you tell me where her house is?¡±

    Shen Tang nodded and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve found the right person. Come with me!¡±

    ¡®So¡­ he¡¯s Xixi¡¯s friend. Xixi has made a lot of friends after going to the capital!¡¯

    Yu Qiubai walked next to Shen Tang and could not help but nce at her. He was worried that she would fall like earlier. If he had not been there, it would have been so painful and pitiful for this fragile girl to fall like that.

    ¡°Are you Xixi¡¯s ssmate? I¡¯m her cousin.¡± Shen Tang could feel that this boy was a gentleman and not a bad person.

    ¡°Yeah, my name is Yu Qiubai. What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m Shen Tang.¡± She had not heard Xixi mention this name before and did not ask why he was looking for Xixi.

    It was the first day of the New Year, yet he was not at home celebrating with his family and came to find Xixi, so it must be something important.

    ¡°Let me help you with the flowers,¡± Yu Qiubai looked at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even though I can¡¯t see, my hands still aren¡¯t broken,¡± Shen Tang smiled.

    Yu Qiubai heard her joke about her condition and felt more sympathetic. Shen Tang was so open and gentle, which was extremely different from Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi and Shen Feng were in the yard setting off firecrackers.

    When Yu Qiubai came in with Shen Tang, he was afraid that Shen Tang would trip over the threshold, so he reached out to help her.

    Shen Xi suddenly looked at him vigntly and warily. ¡®What the f*ck is this damn fox doing here?¡¯

    Shen Feng also had a look of displeasure and frowned as he wondered if this boy was his sister¡¯s blind date, but he looked younger than him and did not look like someone who had graduated from university.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Yu Qiubai had a sly smile on his face as he beckoned to greet her.

    Shen Feng suddenly turned his head and nudged Shen Xi. ¡®What the hell is going on? Why did this girl attract so many people who look very troublesome? First, it was Fu Qingxuan, then the delivery manst night, and now, this pretty boy who doesn¡¯t look that innocent¡­¡¯

    This boy was very handsome, but his cunning fox eyes and sly smile were inscrutable, so Shen Feng did not like him.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shen Xi saw him and was not very friendly.

    ¡°I heard that you kidnapped Fu Qingxuan.¡± Yu Qiubai raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a smile. ¡°Can I meet him?¡±

    ¡°He left.¡± Shen Xi walked over and pulled Shen Tang behind her in an overprotective stance. She could not stand this guy and felt disturbed. ¡°If you go after him now, you may still be able to catch him.¡±

    ¡®This damned fox, why is he looking for Fu Qingxuan?¡¯

    ¡°If he¡¯s gone, then forget it,¡± Yu Qiubai spoke as if they were very close. ¡°Are Auntie and Uncle at home?¡±

    Shen Xi just wanted to tell him to get lost when Yu Qiubai looked in the direction of the living room with a smile. He greeted, ¡°Hello, Auntie and Uncle.¡±

    Yun Jinping saw that it was him and looked puzzled. ¡°Lil Yu, why are you here? Is there something going on?¡±

    He came from the capital on the first day of the New Year, so it must be a big deal!

    ¡°Nothing important.¡± Yu Qiubai already went up to them and said with embarrassment, ¡°I came in a hurry, so I didn¡¯t get to buy any New Year¡¯s gifts for you. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Yun Jinping greeted him warmly. ¡°You must be tired from the journey. Come in and talk!¡±

    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re still so nice to me,¡± Yu Qiubai said sweetly as he followed Yun Jinping into the living room.

    Shen Xi red at him viciously.

    Shen Feng sensed her displeasure. ¡°Who the hell is he?¡±

    Shen Xi coldly spat out, ¡°ssmate.¡±

    Shen Feng reminded her. ¡°When you make friends outside, you ought to pay attention to their character and be picky. Don¡¯t just be friends with everyone.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I am not friends with him.¡±

    Yun Jinping heard that Yu Qiubai was looking for Fu Qingxuan and asked worriedly, ¡°Is someone sick, so you came to look for him?¡±

    Yu Qiubai nodded sadly. ¡°My mother¡¯s health hasn¡¯t been goodtely. I heard that he was with Xixi, so I thought I¡¯de over to try my luck. I¡¯ve tried looking for him many times in the past two years, but he¡¯s just too out of reach.¡±

    He was telling the truth. Last night, he went to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s house to pay his respects and overheard Song Wenye saying that Xixi was with Fu Qingxuan.

    Yu Qiubai thought that even if Xixi did not want to see him, her parents would help him if he begged them. Then perhaps Fu Qingxuan would go back to the capital with him to check on his mother¡¯s condition. He did not expect that he would miss the genius doctor.

    ¡°He just left this morning. You should¡¯vee a little earlier.¡± Yun Jinping sighed and thought that this was all too coincidental. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your mother?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a chronic issue, nothing too serious,¡± Yu Qubai smiled andforted her. ¡°Since he¡¯s gone, forget about it.¡±

    Yu Qiubai could not make them feel bad and make it difficult for them.

    His mother had a hereditary mental illness and had been living in a daze for as long as he could remember. Recently, her condition had gotten worse, so much so that she sometimes would not even recognize him.

    Shen Xi had been paying attention to Yu Qiubai¡¯s expression and found that there was a pain that she had never seen in him before when he talked about his mother. Thus, she knew that he was not lying. However, she was curious about what illness would make Yu Qiubaie over at this time to look for Fu Qingxuan.

    Yu Qiubai did not even stay for lunch and left in a hurry, so it also confirmed that every word he said was true.

    Yun Jinping sighed. ¡°What a pity¡­ Lil Yu is such a filial child!¡±

    He came all the way here to find a doctor to treat his mother and left because he missed the chance. He must have felt so down.

    Shen Xi did not say anything as she thought about Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother¡¯s illness. ¡®This damn fox is too unreadable¡­no one can see through his thoughts¡­¡¯

    Shen Tang sat on the side a little lost in thought. She could feel from Xixi¡¯s reaction that Xixi disliked this boy and had a deep prejudice against him.

    However, all she could think about was the boy¡¯s clear voice of concern earlier.

    He was gentlemanly, courteous, and well-spoken, so he should not be that irritable. ¡®Perhaps he¡¯d done something to annoy Xixi¡­¡¯

    After lunch, the matchmaker, Mrs. Lee, went over again to ask if Shen Tang was ready. The boy would be waiting for her at a cafe in town at 2:30 pm.

    When Shen Xi and Shen Feng got the address, they looked at each other and went out first.

 Chapter 313 - Blacked Out

    <h4>Chapter 313: cked Out</h4>

    Shen Tang initially wanted Shen Xi to apany her to that blind date, but Shen Xi and Shen Feng had already gone out, so she had to go there on her own. After hearing what that person¡¯s cousin said in the flower store, Shen Tang did not have much hope for this blind date.

    This was probably herst blind date to satisfy her parents¡¯ wishes. Once she moved to the capital, she would be too busy for dates.

    Shen Feng was familiar with everything in town and had enquired about the man¡¯s information. They squatted by the only road that led to the cafe, waiting for their target to fall into their trap.

    Fortunately, the town only had one main road while every other road was a stone pathway that was too narrow for cars. Thus, one could only ride a scooter or walk. This was the greatest convenience for them at this moment.

    Zhang Zicheng has just had a good timeing from the foot spa. He looked refreshed and went alone to the previously agreed location without his cousin and friends. He even looked into someone¡¯s car window to fix his hair.

    ¡®F*ck! This town is so small and shitty that it doesn¡¯t even have a proper road to drive on!¡¯ If this cafe was not located there, he would have driven his Lamborghini to show off his wealth to the blind girl¡¯s family.

    He looked at himself in the mirror and thought he was handsome. Based on his looks and family background, that blind girl was in luck to meet him. He wanted to see if she was really as beautiful in person as she was in the photos and hear her sing.

    Recently, this blind girl has been popr on social media. Zhang Zicheng felt that her future must be very promising. The entertainment industry was verypetitive. Even though he studied film directing, he knew his abilities.

    His family was one of the richest in the county, but in the capital, he was a nobody. The people in the entertainment industry were most concerned about social circles. Many directors were the rich second and third generation of big families in the capital, so they were very arrogant and would not ept him into their circle.

    Zhang Zicheng was also not particrly talented, so it would be difficult to make it big with his own ability. Thus, he had to find another way, and that he would need a cash cow.

    During this period, he had been auditioning many women, but Shen Tang was the most suitable. She was blind, good-looking, and had a beautiful voice. She was the best candidate that he could control. As long as he did a little marketing, she would surely go viral.

    He nned to marry her and make her popr, so she would be grateful to him and would listen to him. Although she was blind, she was incredibly beautiful and could bring him lots of benefits, so he could overlook her disability.

    Zhang Zicheng would have a wife and several mistresses outside. From time to time, he could go to the club and KTV to have some fun and live like a king.

    He was excited as if his good fortune was just within reach and would soon be realized. The more he thought about it, the more self-conceited he became.

    In the afternoon, most people were at home, so the road was quite empty.

    He had just turned a corner when his mouth was suddenly covered from behind while someone dragged him into a dark alley. Before he could react, he cked out.

    There was an abandoned cement factory that had been deserted for several years. It was dark there.

    Shen Feng felt that they went a little overboard. If someone found out that they kidnapped this man, they could be sent to prison. He looked at Shen Xi and thought, ¡®This isn¡¯t our original n!¡¯

    They had agreed to capture him and ask him about how many girlfriends he had, how many women he slept with, and how many women had abortions for him. They certainly did not talk about kidnapping him! ¡®This girl improvised too much and got him here.¡¯

    Shen Xi looked at Shen Feng, who was standing there with a bucket of water. She shouted, ¡°Go on, ssh it on him so he¡¯ll wake up! If you don¡¯t wake him up, how are we gonna question him?¡±

    She deliberately altered her voice and made it sound so low and hoarse, like a middle-aged man¡¯s voice.

    Shen Feng watched her take out a knife that was as thin as a cicada wing. The de exuded a chill, which made his heart jump. He quickly pulled her back and whispered in her ear, ¡°What are you doing?! Don¡¯t make this a big deal!¡±

    This girl was clearly trying to hurt this man. He had not even gone on a blind date with Shen Tang yet, so why was she doing this?

    Shen Xi looked at his naggy face and walked over to take over the bucket of water, then poured it over Zhang Zicheng¡¯s head.

    Zhang Zicheng¡¯s teeth chattered from the cold. He slowly opened his eyes but found that it was pitch ck. He tried moving his arms and legs, but he was tied up. Thus, he struggled violently and was scared out of his wits. He asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Who are you? What do you want? Are you trying to get money?¡±

    Shen Xi kicked him in the shin and watched him flinch. She sneered and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    Zhang Zicheng was so scared that he dared not move. This was the first time he encountered this kind of situation, so he was scared senseless. He tried very hard to stay calm and negotiate with them. ¡°My family has money, so don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯ll give you whatever you want!¡±

    ¡°Tell me, how many girls have you slept with?¡± Shen Xi stood across from him and looked down at him.

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve never slept with anyone¡­¡± Zhang Zicheng did not know what they wanted to do or why they asked such a question, but he instinctively denied it.

    ¡°I see¡­ since you¡¯re not willing to behave, why don¡¯t we y a little game? I¡¯ll ask, you answer.¡± Shen Xi approached him with the knife and tapped the cold de against his face twice. Sheughed in a deep voice and continued, ¡°If you get the answer wrong, I¡¯ll stick this in you.¡±

    Zhang Zicheng was so frightened that his body trembled violently. ¡°What¡­ what if I got it right?¡±

    ¡°If you got the answer right¡­¡± Shen Xi saw that the man¡¯s body was slightly rxed, so she smiled gorgeously and said, ¡°No reward.¡±

    Shen Feng saw that she was saying such ruthless words with the most innocent and kind expression, and felt his scalp tingling. He evenforted himself. ¡®She¡¯s just joking, right? There¡¯s no way this girl will actually stab someone¡­¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Shen Xiughed. ¡°How old were you when you lost your virginity?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng answered, ¡°Eighteen¡­ no¡­ fifteen¡­¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°How old was the girl?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng replied, ¡°She¡¯s my junior high girlfriend, one year younger than me.¡±

    Shen Feng spat. ¡®F*ck, this animal!¡¯

    Shen Xi continued, ¡°How old was the youngest girl you slept with?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng thought about it for a moment. ¡°Just her, my girlfriend. 14 years old.¡±

    Shen Xi stabbed the knife in his thigh and twisted the de. She had a bloodthirsty smile on her face and gave him a cold warning. ¡°Think before you answer.¡±

    Zhang Zicheng let out a miserable cry. ¡°10 years old!¡±

 Chapter 314 - Feed It To The Dogs

    <h4>Chapter 314: Feed It To The Dogs</h4>

    Shen Feng was so scared that his face turned white. He watched as Shen Xi stabbed the sharp knife without the slightest hesitation into the man¡¯s thigh and froze in ce. He did not know how to react and wanted to stop her, but when he heard Zhang Zicheng¡¯s words, he exploded. ¡®F*ck! This beast isn¡¯t human!¡¯

    Shen Xi was never merciful to scumbags and asked him, ¡°How old were you then?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng trembled from the pain all over his body and was scared to death. He no longer dared to lie and said, ¡°Last year¡­ with my friends. They said it¡¯s a fresh thing.¡±

    Shen Xi probed. ¡°Was the girl willing?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng replied, ¡°No, she was unconscious.¡±

    Shen Feng really wanted to tear this animal in front of him to pieces.

    Shen Xi¡¯s smile was cold and dangerous. The expression on her face did not change the slightest and she continued to ask, ¡°How many women have you slept with?¡±

    ¡°Please, spare my life!¡± Zhang Zicheng stammered when he pictured the knife in her hands. ¡°I¡­ I really can¡¯t remember¡­ over a hundred¡­ maybe 110¡­¡±

    Zhang Zicheng had slept with many women from all walks of life. Many of them were one-night stands and there were too many to count.

    Shen Xi raised the knife in her hand in search of where she should stick it next.

    Shen Feng was so infuriated that he kicked Zhang Zicheng in the stomach, followed by a flurry of punches. ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Zhang Zicheng¡¯s body spazzed out from the pain. While he rolled around, he begged them for mercy. ¡°I¡¯m a bastard¡­ I¡¯m an animal¡­ please let me go¡­ I¡¯ll give you whatever you want! I¡¯ll give you however much you want!¡±

    Shen Xi was afraid that Shen Feng would be in trouble if he killed someone, so she reached out and sped his arm. They still had more to ask. ¡°How many girlfriends have you had in total?¡±

    Zhang Zicheng felt like dying from the pain. Under the immense fear and pressure, he cried in despair and answered in a hoarse voice, ¡°Not much¡­ just three¡­ three¡­¡±

    He really only had a few girlfriends. The girls in school thought that he was a gentleman. His juniors also adored him and chased after him.

    ¡°What did youe here to do?¡± Shen Xi fiddled with the knife in her hand. Her eyes were already fixed on an important part on the lower half of his body.

    Zhang Zicheng only felt a chill there and gulped, but he did not dare to lie. ¡°I came here for a blind date.¡±

    Shen Xi pierced his right thigh with the knife.

    Zhang Zicheng let out another ear-piercing wail. ¡°It¡¯s true! I didn¡¯t lie to you¡­ that girl is blind. Everyone in town knows her. You can ask around about it¡­¡±

    Shen Xi held the knife and aimed at the same spot earlier.

    Zhang Zicheng cked out for a moment and almost lost consciousness entirely, but the intense pain kept him awake. ¡°It¡¯s all true! I¡¯m a director. That blind girl looks very beautiful and sings well, so I want to make her a star and turn her into my cash cow.¡±

    Shen Feng listened to the brute in front of himying out his intentions and schemes. His eyes turned dark and his blood surged to his head. All he wanted to do was kill this bastard, but he knew very well that killing was against thew. Even if this monster did such despicable acts, thew should punish him.

    Shen Xi¡¯s tongue was against the roof of her mouth. She let out a coldugh and ruthlessly stabbed the man again.

    From the beginning, this *sshole was just scheming to entrap Shen Tang.

    Shen Feng saw her stab the knife into the bastard¡¯s stomach and even twisted the knife a few times.

    He clearly felt the bone-chilling hatred from her and the pleasure after stabbing this beast, as if not killing that bastard was not enough to quell her resentment.

    Shen Xi was done with her questions and stuffed a rag into Zhang Zicheng¡¯s mouth. She looked at Shen Feng. ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen next is too bloody. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be traumatized, so turn around.¡±

    Shen Feng saw her expression and could already guess what she was going to do. He rushed over and grabbed the knife from her. He looked her firmly in the eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and smiled at him softly, ¡°You can¡¯t. If you cut into his artery, it¡¯ll kill him.¡±

    When Shen Feng heard her say this, he suddenly realized that after she had stabbed him so many times, this beast still did not pass out and did not bleed too much. She must have known where to stab him before doing so.

    Shen Xi positioned her hand urately so that each stab was precise and would avoid any vital points and important arteries. It was certainly painful, but he would not bleed excessively and would not die. He would only feel an endless pain.

    Shen Feng did not know what kind of heinous hatred she had with this beast, but as long as she wanted to do it, he would not stop her. He just did not want her to touch this beast¡¯s filthy body part.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll strike quickly. You won¡¯t feel any pain.¡± Shen Xi smiled and patted the bastard¡¯s face with the knife. ¡°You should be d that you met me.¡±

    She had a million ways to torture him to death. Such a monster deserved all the suffering in this world, but this still could not offset the life he owed Tangtang.

    Zhang Zicheng¡¯s mouth was gagged, so he could not even scream. He could just feel the cold de against his vital organ and felt like the grim reaper wasing for him. Fear and despair engulfed him in an instant.

    The next moment, he could only feel intense pain from down under.

    He knew that as a man, his most important organ was gone and he was no longer a man.

    Shen Feng quickly walked over and pulled her away. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±

    Shen Xi patted Shen Feng¡¯s shoulder andughed. ¡°Take it and feed it to the dogs!¡±

    This little thing was just the interest of the debt he had owed Tangtang!

    Shen Feng nodded. He did not feel sympathy for this bastard, only anger and utter disgust. This was how monsters should be treated. Since thew did not do them justice, they took matters into their own hands. This was the only way they could avenge those poor innocent girls that were ravished by this beast.

    For the sake of those girls who would fall victim to this monster, they could only do so once and for all to nip it in the bud.

    Outside.

    The weather was gloomy with dark clouds. It looked like there was an impending rainstorm.

    Yu Qiubai had lost his ring. When he arrived at the airport, he discovered that it was gone. He then hurriedly retraced the way he visited to look for it. When he turned a corner, he saw Shen Tang sitting alone in a cafe.

    The girl was probably waiting for someone. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her fair forehead and made her small face seem more exquisite.

    Her head hung low, so a few strands of hair fell in front of her eyes. She seemed to be tickled by them and blinked a few times. Her long and luscious eyshes fluttered like a thick brush that cast a faint shadow on her eyes.

    Shen Tang did not move and looked so pitiful.

 Chapter 315 - Bad Character

    <h4>Chapter 315: Bad Character</h4>

    There were only two people at the cafe. Shen Tang was the only customer, and the other was the cafe owner¡¯s daughter who was a high school girl watching the store.

    The girl was watching a show on her phone with her headphones on. She watched thetest episode a couple of times and scrolled through her phone before she looked up at Shen Tang with a sympathetic face.

    Shen Tang had been there for two hours. The man who was supposed to be her blind date did not show up and must have stood her up.

    The man was definitely a scumbag because he just let poor Tangtang wait there by herself without informing her.

    ¡®Is that man just making fun of Tangtang?!¡¯

    The girl put her phone down and got up. She was about to tell Shen Tang that she should just go home because it was raining.

    Just when she got up, the cafe door suddenly opened.

    A handsome young man came into the cafe. He looked like aic character that came to life. When he looked at her, her heart thumped wildly. The girl quickly stood up and greeted with some nervous excitement, ¡°Hello¡­¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡± Yu Qiubai gestured for the girl to be quiet and walked to the counter. He smiled warmly and lowered his voice as asked, ¡°What does she like to drink?¡±

    The cafe owner¡¯s daughter looked over in the direction of his gaze and realized that this handsome man was referring to Shen Tang. For a moment, she looked at him conflicted and instantly changed her attitude. She said rudely, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡®What the hell?! So¡­ this guy is Tangtang¡¯s blind date?!¡¯

    He was not punctual and disrespectful for making Tangtang wait for so long. Even if he was good-looking, his character was questionable.

    Yu Qiubai noticed that the girl at the counter seemed to dislike him and that her attitude changed a little too quickly. He did not care much and said warmly, ¡°Then¡­ Please give me a cup of warm water.¡±

    The girl stared at him nkly and pointed at the water dispenser. ¡°There are cups there. Help yourself.¡±

    ¡®Hmph! So what if you¡¯re handsome? He has such a bad character!¡¯

    It was already a pity that Tangtang was visually impaired. If she could not find a good life partner, that would be even more pitiful.

    Yu Qiubai raised his eyebrows slightly. A sh of doubt crossed his narrow eyes. ¡®How did I offend her? Was I not polite enough? Or did she find my face annoying?¡¯

    Besides Shen Xi, no girl had ever been able to resist his charm.

    Shen Tang did not know how long she was waiting. It had begun to rain, so she tilted her head toward the window and quietly listened to the sound of rain. She felt someoneing and turned her head.

    Yu Qiubai put a cup of warm water by her hand and asked, ¡°Are you waiting for someone?¡±

    Since Shen Tang lost her vision, her ears were particrly sharp. She turned to face him with a surprised smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t left?¡±

    Yu Qiubai sat across from her. ¡°I did, but I noticed that I lost something, so I came back to look for it.¡±

    Shen Tang thought that he was very attentive when she felt the ss of warm water. She asked, ¡°It must be very important, right? I can help you to find it.¡±

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes shed with obvious sadness and loss as he said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s gone. I don¡¯t know where I dropped it. I¡¯ve been to too many ces here.¡±

    He was in such a hurry to get here that he did not notice that he lost it.

    It was something very precious to his mother, so he always wore it around his neck as a ne and never took it off except when he took a bath.

    ¡°How can you not try? There¡¯s still hope if you try. Otherwise, you definitely won¡¯t find it.¡± Shen Tang got up and faced him, looking a little anxious. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Tang¡¯s nervous and anxious expression as if she was the one who lost something. He could not help but smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try my best to look for it and won¡¯t give up.¡±

    Shen Tang said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go now!¡±

    Yu Qiubai reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s raining outside though¡­¡±

    Shen Tang turned in the direction of the counter and said, ¡°Dandan, is there an umbre I can borrow for a while?¡±

    Dandan was secretly watching the couple for a long time and realized that she had been mistaken. This man was not Tangtang¡¯s blind date, so she smiled at him with slight embarrassment and rushed over from the counter. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go get it for you guys right away!¡±

    ¡®Turns out he wasn¡¯t the jack*ss that stood Tangtang up. I was so rude to him earlier¡­ I wonder if he¡¯s angry¡­¡¯

    She also felt that this man was a little too young to be the university graduate who was supposed to be Tangtang¡¯s blind date.

    Dandan found two umbres and handed them over as she apologized to Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai smiled back and thought, ¡®The people from Shen Xi¡¯s hometown are quite interesting¡­¡¯

    Shen Tang insisted on going with him to find the ring.

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Tang. Since she could not see, he did not have to conceal the emotions in his eyes. They looked a lot less inscrutable and much warmer when he smiled and said, ¡°If you catch a cold from the rain, Shen Xi¡¯s gonna beat me up.¡±

    Shen Tang shook her head. ¡°Xixi won¡¯t do that.¡±

    Yu Qiubai did not say anything. ¡®It seems that this well-behaved and lovely girl doesn¡¯t know her younger sister¡¯s true colors!¡¯

    Shen Xi was a hot-tempered girl and had a deep prejudice against him. If her sister got sick because of him, she would have skinned him alive.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Shen Tang was anxious and pulled his arm. She walked to the door before she realized what she was doing and quickly let go of him, then pushed the door open in a panic.

    Yu Qiubai smiled and followed her.

    Dandan watched the two of them leave and felt confused. ¡®What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the rtionship between thatic character and Tangtang?¡¯

    However, Tangtang was beautiful and theic character-looking man was so handsome, so they looked like a match made in heaven.

    After dealing with that scumbag, Shen Xi and Shen Feng each held a stick of candied hawthorn while they walked to the cafe to pick up Shen Tang.

    Shen Feng did not see his sister in the cafe, so he frowned and asked, ¡°Dandan, where¡¯s my sister?¡±

    Dandan saw the two of theme in and quickly told them about what just happened. She then looked at them and asked, ¡°Is that man your rtive?¡±

    She had not seen that man before, and he was not Tangtang¡¯s blind date, yet Tangtang was so friendly to him, so he must be their rtive.

    Shen Xi and Shen Feng looked at each other confused. They did not know which handsome man Dandan was talking about who went out with Tangtang to look for something.

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi with disdain. ¡°Is it one of your friends again?!¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a nk stare. ¡°Fu Qingxuan and Yu Qiubai went home.¡±

    The two of them then followed Dandan¡¯s directions to find Tangtang. It was none other than Yu Qiubai.

    Shen Feng raised his eyebrows and nudged Shen Xi with his elbow. ¡®It¡¯s really her friend¡­ didn¡¯t this dude leave already? Why did hee back?¡¯

 Chapter 316 - Something Big Happened

    <h4>Chapter 316: Something Big Happened</h4>

    Shen Xi was furious and red viciously at Yu Qiubai. ¡®Son of a b*tch! What¡¯s wrong with him? He lost something and made a big deal to find it.¡¯

    Yu Qiubai had not noticed them yet.

    Shen Tang sensed them first and turned to face them. ¡°Xixi! Feng! Qiubai lost his ring. Come over to help us!¡±

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Tang and thought that it was quite magical that her other senses were so sensitive even if she could not see.

    Shen Xi walked over and coldly swept a nce at Yu Qiubai. ¡°My sister can¡¯t see, so why did you drag her along?¡±

    Yu Qiubai smiled and did not say anything.

    Shen Tang exined, ¡°He didn¡¯t. I wanted to help.¡±

    In front of Shen Tang, Shen Xi could not do anything to him. Anyway, Shen Xi already pinned Yu Qiubai as a sly scheming fox, so who knew what he was up to?

    Shen Feng gave Yu Qiubai a warning look and pulled Shen Tang over. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll take you home. Xixi and I will help him find it.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Tang sounded a little disappointed. The corners of her lips had a touch of bitterness.

    ¡®Right. I¡¯m blind, so how can I help to look for it? I¡¯ll just add to the trouble¡­¡¯

    Yu Qiubai could sense her emotions clearly and felt a prick at the tip of his heart that was vaguely painful. He looked at Shen Feng and defended her. ¡°Your sister¡¯s sixth sense is very strong. Let her stay. It¡¯ll be faster with more people.¡±

    Shen Xi did not expect Yu Qiubai to say that. She also felt her sister¡¯s disappointment when Shen Feng asked her to go home first. Shen Xi did not expect this son of a b*tch to be so attentive.

    The four of them went along the road to find the ring until it was dark out. They failed to find it.

    Yu Qiubai wanted to go since he had been dyed for too long. He still had to go back home to take care of his mother, so he gave them the picture of the ring and asked Shen Xi to help him find it. He even wanted to post a missing item notice with a generous reward in town.

    ¡°Thank you all so much for helping me,¡± Yu Qiubai looked at them solemnly. ¡°Sorry for troubling you all.¡±

    Shen Xi rarely saw such sincerity and solemnness in this fox, so she did not refuse him. She nodded seriously and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll try our best.¡±

    Shen Feng also agreed. It must be a very important ring. Otherwise, he would not havee back to find it when he was so anxious to get back home. He sympathized with Yu Qiubai and did not refuse to help either.

    Yu Qiubai was in a hurry. It was still raining heavily outside, so they asked him to stay the night before leaving, but he just took an umbre and walked into the rain.

    Shen Tang stood under the eaves and looked a little worried as she listened to the pouring rain.

    Shen Xi walked to her side. ¡°Sister, what do you think of Yu Qiubai?¡±

    Shen Tang was stunned for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s your friend, so what can I think of him?¡±

    Shen Xi reminded her. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be fooled by his performance. He¡¯s a fox.¡±

    She somehow felt that her sister treated Yu Qiubai differently.

    Shen Tang heard this andughed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m interested in him? He¡¯s younger than Feng and your ssmate, so I treat him as my younger brother.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t have any special thoughts about him.¡±

    ¡®I guess I¡¯m overthinking it¡­ that annoying fox wouldn¡¯t like a quiet and well-behaved girl like Tangtang anyway. He¡¯s just putting up a nice front in front of my sister and parents so that they¡¯d think he¡¯s a good boy.¡¯

    Shen Xi took Shen Tang¡¯s arm and led her home sharing an umbre.

    The matchmaker, Mrs. Lee, ran over from a short distance with her umbre. The rain was so heavy that she could not hold her umbre steady. When she saw the two girls, she shouted, ¡°Tangtang!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes had a dangerous glint when she saw the matchmaker. She quickly pulled Shen Tang towards the house and ignored the matchmaker.

    Mrs. Lee ran over to them and said loudly, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back! I just went to the cafe to look for you because I was afraid you¡¯ll continue waiting. Something big happened! Zhang Zicheng, your blind date, got into an ident.¡±

    Shen Xi sneered.

    Mrs. Lee looked panicked and terrified when she told Shen Zhanglin what happened. Zhang Zicheng was kidnapped and stabbed all over his body, so he was sent to the county hospital. The doctor even said that if they arrivedter, he would not have made it.

    ¡°What kind of cruel person did that?!¡± Mrs. Lee thought about what those people described and could not help but shudder. It was simply too frightening.

    ¡°Does he have some kind of grudge with someone?¡± Shen Zhanglin asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this. Anyway, when they carried him out, he was bleeding all over. The police are now looking for the attacker, and his family offered a 200,000 yuan reward,¡± Mrs. Lee was shocked. She sighed and looked at them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you guys. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡±

    This man definitely had a feud with someone. In the matchmaking business, Mrs. Lee should be well-informed about everything. She heard that this man was a yboy, so he might have offended someone.

    Shen Feng walked over with his phone and asked, pretending to be surprised. ¡°Is he called Zhang Zicheng?¡±

    ¡°Yes, his name is Zhang Zicheng,¡± Mrs. Lee nodded and was curious about what was going on, who had kidnapped him and injured him like that.

    ¡°Our high school alumni group just sent an audio clip and lots of photos. It¡¯s all over the inte.¡± Shen Feng clicked on the audio and put his phone on the table. ¡°This guy is a real jerk! Listen to it yourselves!¡±

    The audio was recorded by Shen Xi and was the content of their interrogation in the small dark room. Shen Feng¡¯s and her voice had been modified.

    Moreover, there were all sorts of allegations online with videos and photos about all the despicable things Zhang Zicheng did ¨C hire prostitutes, gang rape, date raping underage girls, and many other outrageous and abominable acts.

    This was the first time Shen Xi¡¯s hacking skills came in handy. These contents were posted to various chat groups, portals, and forums of all sorts. As long as one had an inte connection, they would know all about Zhang Zicheng¡¯s evil deeds.

    Now that Zhang Zicheng suffered serious injuries and was lying in the hospital, the inte praised the attacker. Some people even started a petition for this monster to undergo ancient torture of cutting pieces of meat. Castration or death was too lenient a punishment for this scumbag.

    Shen Zhanglin listened to the audio and was infuriated. They did not have to see those videos and photos online to believe all the evil things he did. What a monster!

    Shen Xi looked at Mrs. Lee mockingly, ¡°Mrs. Lee, before you find a match for my sister, shouldn¡¯t you do a background check first?¡±

    ¡°This boy has always been away at school and doesn¡¯te home much. His parents don¡¯t know much about him either, so how can I possibly find out?¡± Mrs. Lee looked embarrassed and tried to clear her name. ¡°If I¡¯d known this, I wouldn¡¯t have introduced him to Tangtang!¡±

    Mrs. Lee was notpletely clueless about this, but she did not expect him to be so lecherous and would do so many heinous acts. He was a true monster!

 Chapter 317 - Had A Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 317: Had A Nightmare</h4>

    Shen Zhanglin was exasperated. Fortunately, Tangtang did not meet that bastard. They were also lucky that someone exposed that monster¡¯s evil deeds. When he thought about the possibility of his daughter meeting such a brute and falling into his trap, Shen Zhanglin shuddered.

    Du Juan¡¯s body shook with anger. ¡°Mrs. Lee, we only agreed to talk to you about Tangtang¡¯s marriage prospects because we trusted you! How can you do this to our family? You almost shoved my precious daughter into the lion¡¯s den. You don¡¯t need toe over again in the future. How can you do such a heartless thing when you also have children and parents?¡±

    If she knew about the boy¡¯s character, she should have told them honestly and should not hide it from them. Du Juan did not believe that as a matchmaker, Mrs. Lee was clueless about this.

    ¡°I swear that if I¡¯d known he was that bad, I would¡¯ve told Tangtang. If I¡¯m lying, I¡¯ll get struck by lightning!¡± Mrs. Lee swore to the heavens.

    As soon as she said that, there was a thunderous rumble overhead.

    It was the first day of the New Year and not even spring yet, so this thunder was a little bizarre.

    Mrs. Lee was so frightened that she fell to the ground and held her shaking head as she cried in fear. ¡°God, I really didn¡¯t know¡­ I really didn¡¯t know, please don¡¯t smite me! I only heard that he¡¯s a yboy and didn¡¯t know how evil he really was!¡±

    Shen Xi stood on the side and looked at Mrs. Lee¡¯s frantic state. She sneered and turned to look at the heavy rain outside. This heavenly thunder came at the right time. Even the heavens could not stand this.

    Shen Zhanglin did not want to see her anymore and said, ¡°Get out of my house! We¡¯ll no longer ept any matchmakers!¡±

    They would go to the capital after the New Year and would never agree to any matchmaking services for their daughter in the future. He would rather raise his daughter for life.

    Mrs. Lee was scared senseless and dared not stay. She was so afraid of getting struck to death by lightning that she did not even take her umbre and fled in a haste. When she got to the front door, another thunder frightened her so much that she rolled on the ground, getting mud all over her.

    Shen Xi stood at the door of the living room and watched her crawling like a dog away from her sight. She smiled coldly as she thought, ¡®People should have a conscience. Some matchmakers only know how to twist the truth for money. Heartless people deserve to be struck by lightning!¡¯

    Zhang Zicheng¡¯s future waspletely ruined. He never found out who kidnapped him, mutted him, and exposed him. He could only live in resentment, despair, and pain. That was his retribution.

    That night, Shen Feng had a long nightmare.

    He dreamed that his Second Uncle went bankrupt and that his second aunt died of a serious illness. Shen Xi passed away at the Su family home and Second Uncle perished in a fire.

    Shen Feng also dreamed that his sister married Zhang Zicheng and was used and abused by that jerk. She was tortured and lived a miserable life. In the end, that bastard even pushed her off the balcony. Due to that, his mother fell ill because of Second Uncle and sister¡¯s tragic ends and finally passed away.

    In his dream, his father stabbed Zhang Zicheng and was imprisoned for intentional assault. When he was released from prison, he drank pesticide andmitted suicide in front of his mother and sister¡¯s graves.

    Shen Feng then went to seek revenge on Zhang Zicheng, but he failed. Instead, he was tied up and thrown into the sea. He could feel the fishy seawater rushing into his mouth, nasal cavity, and lungs, feeling suffocated. He could only see a blood red.

    Suddenly, there was a sh of light.

    Shen Feng jerked up from the bed. The suffocating pain and hatred filled his heart. He held his chest for a moment before his eyes became clear.

    ¡®It¡¯s just a dream¡­ but it didn¡¯t feel like a dream¡­¡¯

    Real pain and despair were etched in his heart, so much so that his heart cramped up and he could not breathe. The deep hatred he felt clung to every part of his body.

    He thought of Shen Xi earlier when she red at Zhang Zicheng. That cold little face held intense hatred and abhorrence as she aimed the knife in her hand at that brute without showing any mercy.

    Shen Feng felt his heartbeat to make sure that he was still alive and looked around to find that he was still at home.

    Perhaps Shen Xi also had the same nightmare as he did?

    The next day, Shen Xi felt that Shen Feng was a bit strange, like a changed person. All of a sudden, he became more sensible and understanding. He no longer messed with her or bullied her. He evenpromised with her and gave her food, and even looked at her with such a gentle gaze. It made her feel weird, so she red at him. ¡°Shen Feng, did you have a concussion?¡±

    In the past, Shen Feng would certainly be annoyed and retorted at her.

    However, Shen Feng looked at her with a gentle smile and stroked her hair with hisrge hand. ¡°No, I¡¯m perfectly fine. When you get back to the capital, look after Sister and don¡¯t let her get abducted by bad guys. After two years, I¡¯ll go to the capital and help you.¡±

    Zhang Zicheng had been eliminated by them, so he was no longer a threat, but Shen Feng was afraid that others would bully and hurt his sister.

    If he had this nightmare before they kidnapped Zhang Zicheng, he was sure that he would not be able to control himself and would kill that bastard.

    Shen Xi reached out to touch his forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you too.¡± Shen Feng did not know how much of this nightmare Shen Xi had dreamed of, but he guessed that she probably knew of Tangtang¡¯s fate. Otherwise, she would not have been so harsh on Zhang Zicheng.

    However, Shen Feng did not want to share his nightmare with her as he was afraid it would scare her. He would keep it to himself, and from now on, he would work hard to make himself stronger so that he could protect his family.

    Shen Xi pped his hand away in disgust and muttered, ¡°Weirdo¡­¡±

    Shen Feng smiled without the slightest annoyance. He did not care if she thought that he was a weirdo. As long as his family was well and alive, he could ept everything.

    After the first day of the New Year, the following days flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was already the fourth day of the New Year. The next morning, Shen Xi¡¯s family would head back to the capital because Capital No. 4 High School reopens on the eighth day of the New Year.

    Shen Feng had a high school reunion in town.

    ¡°Please, I beg you¡­ just this once?¡± Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi sincerely.

    ¡°You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend? Does your girlfriend know about it?¡± Shen Xi threw a sidelong nce at him and had a firm attitude. ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± Shen Feng kneeled to her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you whatever you want! I can add another three years and work for you for free for five years. Deal?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word!¡±

    Shen Feng nodded and pulled her aside, ¡°Of course, I will! Go get dressed! Try to look a little more mature.¡±

    He had a rival in high school. Back then, he was the school bully, and his nemesis was the nerd whose looks and achievements wereparable to him. That boy was from a better family and was sessful.

    When he was a young and exuberant teenager, he used to have a crush on a popr girl in school. He spent a lot of effort wooing her, but in the end, his crush started dating that nerd.

    That girl was quite beautiful and innocent-looking. She was his first love, otherwise, he would not have been in pursuit of her for so long. Even after two years, he still felt bitter about it.

 Chapter 318 - Disgrace

    <h4>Chapter 318: Disgrace</h4>

    Shen Feng heard that the nerd and that popr girl would go to the reunion together. They had been a couple since their senior year and even got into Capital University together. They became the role models and idols of the students in school and had been together for three years now.

    When Shen Feng first did the college entrance exams, he chose other universities because he did not want to be in the same school as them. He did not want to watch their lovey-dovey disy of affection every day. Out of sight, out of mind.

    Shen Feng had done well for himself in Ocean City and was ranked top two in school. Ocean City was the financial hub of China, but ever since he had that nightmare, he regretted that he had not chosen Capital University. That way, he could help Second Uncle and Shen Xi in the capital.

    Shen Feng drove while Shen Xi leaned in the backseat ying with her phone.

    He watched her smile at her phone like a little fool and asked, ¡°Shen Xi, tell me the truth. Are you in love?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m not in love.¡±

    Shen Feng rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Look at yourself in the mirror. You look like an idiot in love. Do you think I¡¯m blind? Tell me, who is it? I promise I won¡¯t tell Uncle and Auntie.¡±

    Shen Xi was insistent. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡®But I want to¡­¡¯

    Shen Feng looked at her dubiously. ¡°Is he the one who gave you the red packet on New Year¡¯s day? How old is he? What¡¯s his family background?¡±

    Shen Xi threw him a scornful look. ¡°Why are you so nosy?¡±

    Shen Feng replied, ¡°You¡¯re my sister, so I need to know who you¡¯re dating!¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I¡¯ll be the first to tell you if I¡¯m dating.¡±

    Shen Feng frowned. ¡°So it¡¯s a crush?¡±

    The girl did not speak and thought, ¡®What¡¯s with the interrogation?¡¯

    Shen Feng mocked her mercilessly. ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect you to have this day¡­ who¡¯s that cool guy? Is this an unrequited love?¡±

    He was now more interested in that mysterious man. His sister was so beautiful, generous, kind, and loved by everyone, so who would not want her?

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Xi felt pricked. ¡°I¡¯m not an adult yet, so I can¡¯t date!¡±

    Li Yuan must be waiting for her to get older. He must like her. Shen Feng was just being annoying and spouted nonsense.

    Shen Fengughed out loud. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll stop talking. Anyway, don¡¯t take it too seriously. If he doesn¡¯t like you, you¡¯d better forget about him sooner. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be the one who suffers.¡±

    He knew that Shen Xi had a crush and was not as worried. ording to his experience, a crush would not yield any result, especially if it was an unrequited love.

    Girls especially liked to overthink everything and would overanalyze the boy¡¯s expression, creating the illusion that their crush also liked them back.

    This reunion dinner was held at a famous restaurant in town.

    Shen Xi dressed very maturely for the asion. Her long hair was slightly curled and she put on light makeup. She wore a long khaki trench coat with high heels, which made her seem cool and sophisticated.

    Shen Feng bent his arms and looked at the beauty next to him, ¡°Hold it.¡±

    Shen Xi obediently took his arm and tilted her head to look at him. ¡®What a vain and hypocritical man!¡¯

    Shen Feng was thest to arrive. Everyone was already seated in thevish private room.

    ssmate A smiled and said, ¡°Have you heard? Shen Feng is bringing his girlfriend today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I wonder what she looks like,¡± ssmate B followed suit.

    ¡°He has high standards and won¡¯t chase after girls who aren¡¯t on the same level as our Big Beauty here,¡± ssmate C said as he looked at the beautiful girl sitting across the table.

    The popr girl, He Lu, smiled quietly and did not speak. She just straightened her back and looked noble and dignified. With Shen Feng¡¯s family background and a blind sister, he was no match for her.

    ¡°That depends if he actually managed to get the girl, right, ss President?¡± ssmate Bughed and looked at the handsome man seated next to He Lu. ¡°The two of you are so sweet together. When are you going to get married?¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t graduated yet!¡± ss President, Xia Ze, smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry anyway.¡±

    To Xia Ze, Shen Feng was not a worthy opponent. More annoyingly, Shen Feng¡¯s grades, which were initially not as good as his in every exam, suddenly surpassed him by twenty points and got first ce in the provincial college entrance exam.

    He thought that it was Shen Feng¡¯s luck that he got first ce in the college entrance exam. The top should have belonged to him, so he had been hung up on this matter for a long time because it reminded him that he had lost to Shen Feng.

    If Shen Feng had applied to the same university as him, he would have shown Shen Feng that they were not in the same league.

    This time, Xia Ze organized the ss reunion so that Shen Feng could see for himself that no matter where he went, Shen Feng still could not be on his level and could only be crushed under his feet.

    Xia Ze was the ss President and the leader of this group, so everyone was sucking up to him. They were talking about Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend and specting what she looked like and which school she was from.

    ¡°Our Big Beauty is also popr at Capital University. If Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend is better-looking than He Lu, then she must be a goddess!¡±

    ¡°A goddess won¡¯t be so blind to choose someone like Shen Feng.¡±

    ¡°If his girlfriend is prettier than our Big Beauty, then I¡¯ll down this bottle of wine as punishment!¡±

    A group of them joked around and were certain that Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend would not be better-looking than He Lu.

    He Lu listened to the crowd¡¯spliments and looked smug. After all, Shen Feng had once chased after her and failed. If he really found someone prettier than her, it would be a p to her face.

    Xia Ze also looked smug as he wrapped his arm around He Lu¡¯s waist and whispered intimately to her. He was dering his sovereignty and epted the adoration of others.

    There was no way Shen Feng could find a girlfriend prettier than He Lu. Xia Ze heard that his girlfriend looked quite ordinary, so he did not know why Shen Feng had the guts to bring his girlfriend to meet them. Was he not afraid to be a disgrace?

    ¡°Do you guys know what Shen Feng has been doing for the past two years?¡± Xia Ze asked.

    ¡°What else can he do? His family doesn¡¯t have the money to support him, so he¡¯s probably just studying.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not that capable, so when he graduates, he¡¯ll probably just work for someone. Unlike you, ss President. You have your own business and an annual ie of ten million yuan!¡±

    ¡°I heard that Shen Feng doesn¡¯t even step out of campus. He¡¯s a real nerd. In this society, what¡¯s the use of studying so much? Networking is clearly more important. What a joke!¡±

    The group of them knew that Xia Ze disliked Shen Feng, so each one of them insulted Shen Feng like he was worthless.

    While they were joking andughing, Shen Feng pushed the door open and said with a smile, ¡°Sorry for beingte. There was traffic.¡±

 Chapter 319 - Beggar

    <h4>Chapter 319: Beggar</h4>

    The crowd turned their heads and saw Shen Xi next to Shen Feng. They could not look away because she was too beautiful. She had such a mature, sophisticated, and feminine look, but also an indescribable innocence. Such aplex aura could be summarized into one word: stunning!

    ¡®F*ck! Shen Feng, this punk, is really blessed and found such a beautiful girlfriend that¡¯s even prettier than He Lu!¡¯ Although He Lu was beautiful, her looks and temperament were nothingpared to this goddess.

    A hint of jealousy shed across He Lu¡¯s eyes. ¡®No way! How can she look so pretty? Didn¡¯t they say that she¡¯s just average?¡¯

    Xia Ze was dumbstruck. He initially wanted to use this opportunity to upstage Shen Feng and put him in his ce, but he did not expect Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend to be such a stunner!

    He Lu was also a beauty, but she could notpare to this deity.

    Shen Xi took in the group¡¯s expressions. All of them had their own agenda. She finally understood why Shen Feng wanted to bring her over. This was a reunion by name, but in fact, this group of people just wanted to embarrass him and step on him!

    Shen Feng smiled brightly and was very enthusiastic. ¡°Long time no see, everyone! How are you all doingtely?¡±

    Xia Ze looked at Shen Xi and said, ¡°Shen Feng, are you not gonna introduce her?¡±

    Shen Feng looked like he just remembered her and casually pulled Shen Xi over. ¡°This is my girlfriend, Yun Xi.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded politely at the people present and looked dignified. ¡°Hello.¡±

    The boys were still enchanted by her beauty and were envious of Shen Feng, who was so lucky to find such a goddess.

    The girls were naturally hostile to girls who were prettier than them. ¡®So what if she¡¯s pretty? She clearly has no taste to date someone like Shen Feng from a poor family with a blind sister. He Lu was still blessed because the ss President¡¯s family was powerful and influential. She could have whatever she wants!¡¯

    Shen Feng led Shen Xi to their seats. It had been a long time since they saw each other, so everyone was being fake and chatted idly.

    The girls were chatting with each other and were talking about cosmetics, bags, jewelry, and clothes.

    ¡°Lulu, your clothes are the new arrivals from Jin Yun, right? They¡¯re really nice,¡± Girl A looked envious.

    ¡°Lulu, your Hermes bag is this year¡¯s limited edition, right? It was only sold two days ago and you got it already?!¡± Girl B was astonished.

    ¡°OMG! This emerald bracelet is really beautiful. How much is it? Is it an antique?¡± Girl C came over gushing at her.

    ¡°You girls are exaggerating. The bag and clothes are New Year¡¯s gifts from Ze. This emerald bracelet is from Auntie Xia.¡± He Lu looked at her boyfriend with a fond face and held out her hand to show off the bracelet. She nced at Shen Xi from the corner of her eye and jokingly asked Shen Feng, ¡°Shen Feng, what New Year¡¯s gift did you get your girlfriend since she came home to celebrate with you?¡±

    Shen Feng¡¯s family was not like Xia Ze¡¯s, so there was certainly nothing to show. ¡®Just look at what he¡¯s wearing¡­ he probably picked that up from the trash and looked like a beggar¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi hated this kind of showy people the most. All of them were bursting with vanity before they even earned their keep. How repulsive.

    Wealthy people would not bother showing off their luxuries. Just look at the International ss. All of them were so low-profile and did not unt their wealth.

    Shen Feng paused for a moment and wanted to say that as long as they loved each other, everything else was immaterial. However, Shen Xi kicked his calf under the table, so he could only swallow his words.

    ¡®This meanie! She must have another n¡­¡¯ Shen Feng noticed that after two years of not seeing his cousin, she had be bolder than before.

    Shen Xi¡¯s ne coincidentally peeked out from her shirt cor. She smiled and said, ¡°He didn¡¯t give me much, just this ne.¡±

    This ne was a gift from her teacher. She paired it with today¡¯s outfit and did not expect it toe in handy. She did not have anything valuable on her aside from this emperor green jade pendant.

    Shen Feng also did not notice it before. At that moment, he looked over to see that the pendant was a clear jade that looked so transparent. However, he did not know much about these things and did not know how much it was worth.

    Instead, a girl next to him suddenly eximed. ¡°Is this the ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯? It¡¯s so beautiful!¡±

    ¡°Is this real?!¡± Girl A was shocked and went over.

    This pendant looked the same as the ¡°Dreamy Teardrop¡±, which she had seen in magazines, but how could Shen Feng afford such an expensive piece of jewelry?

    ¡°I heard that the ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯ is a prized private collector¡¯s item. Shen Feng, this has to cost a bomb, right?¡± He Lu looked at Shen Feng and asked with a smile.

    He Lu did not believe that the ne was real. With Shen Feng¡¯s family background, how could he afford such an expensive item? This must be a fake!

    ¡°As long as she likes it, it doesn¡¯t matter how much it costs.¡± Shen Feng originally just wanted to unt his beautiful ¡°girlfriend¡± to irritate Xia Ze and rain on his parade.

    However, his sister had done a good job of helping him out, so he naturally could not disappoint her good intentions and had to cooperate with her acting.

    ¡°Shen Feng, how much did you pay for it?¡± Girl A was curious and asked him.

    ¡°There are so many fakes. Look, it¡¯s only a few bucks on Taobao and they all look the same.¡± Girl B had already pulled out her phone and zoomed in on the photo to show them.

    Another girl pulled out information about the ¡°Dreamy Teardrop¡± andughed. ¡°This ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯ was auctioned ten years ago and sold for 58 million yuan!¡±

    Not to mention 58 million, even if it was only ten thousand, Shen Feng would not be able to afford it.

    ¡°Haha! Feng, if you can¡¯t afford it, buy something cheaper. How can you buy fake jewelry for your girlfriend?¡± Boy C looked scornful. He then cast a pitiful nce at Shen Xi for being with a person like Shen Feng.

    This beauty was blind. She was so beautiful, so she surely could have had her pick of guys. Why find a poor boy like Shen Feng who could not even afford a proper gift and had to buy her a fake? How could Shen Feng afford the real thing for 58 million yuan?

    The group of them already decided that the pendant on Shen Xi¡¯s neck was a fake. They found the opportunity to step on Shen Feng and please Xia Ze in the process, so they mocked Shen Feng relentlessly.

 Chapter 320 - Contract Worker

    <h4>Chapter 320: Contract Worker</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°What do you guys mean by that? How are you so sure that it¡¯s fake? I¡¯m warning you guys, don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± Shen Feng was anxious and craned his neck in annoyance and anger.

    ¡®I wonder if my acting skills are good enough¡­¡¯ Shen Feng thought.

    ¡°Feng, just admit it¡¯s a fake. Next time when you make money, then you can give your girlfriend the real one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re all students, so we won¡¯tugh at you. Who here isn¡¯t strapped for cash once in a while? If you don¡¯t have money, just buy something cheaper, why make it difficult for yourself?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all men, so we understand. We all like to brag. Your girlfriend is so understanding and loves you, so she certainly won¡¯t get mad at you.¡±

    The group saw that Shen Feng was annoyed and knew that they had poked his soft spot. They were sure that this pendant was fake and began tough arrogantly. They looked at Shen Xi and found that she was very calm even after knowing that her boyfriend had given her a piece of fake jewelry. She must be feigning her calmness.

    He Lu looked at Shen Xi smugly. ¡®What¡¯s the use of being pretty? She¡¯s still not capable and found herself a fraud with no ability or money.¡¯

    This girl was also really thick-skinned. If it was any other sensitive girl with a bit of self-awareness, she would have certainly thrown the fake pendant to Shen Feng¡¯s face, pped him on the spot, and broken up with him before walking away.

    ¡°What if this ne is real?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were cold and had such a strong aura. Wherever her gaze went, there was instant silence.

    Boy A was shocked by her aura for a moment andughed out loud. ¡°Then, what do you want?¡±

    This woman was really interesting. They knew it was fake, but she was still so insistent.

    ¡°That Ferrari at the entrance is pretty nice,¡± Shen Xi raised an eyebrow and smiled. ¡°Who does it belong to?¡±

    Xia Ze stood up with a smug smile, ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±

    He got this new Ferrari a year ago and was the second owner of this model in the whole city. It was a representation of his status and embodiment of nobility.

    Shen Xi looked at him. ¡°Dare to make a bet with me?¡±

    She knew that this person in front of her was the mastermind behind this ¡°reunion¡±. Everyone else was only trying to suck up to him and his girlfriend, so they made fun of Shen Feng to gain favor with him.

    Xia Ze looked at her funnily, ¡°What do you want to bet?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Let¡¯s bet on your Ferrari. If my ne is real, that Ferrari will be mine.¡±

    Xia Ze looked at the woman in front of him and thought that she was naive andughable. She was such a bimbo. ¡°What if it¡¯s fake? What can you give me?¡±

    He actually wanted to say, ¡°If it¡¯s fake, you¡¯re mine.¡± However, because his girlfriend was still around and to maintain his image, he dared not speak his mind.

    This woman¡¯s looks were superb. Compared to her, He Lu was nothing. If he could get such a woman as his girlfriend, he would be envied by everyone when he brought her out with him.

    If he trained her well, he could also use her beauty in exchange for other benefits. No man was able to resist the temptation of such a seductress.

    ¡°Him,¡± Shen Xi did not hesitate to sell out Shen Feng. ¡°I heard that you own apany. He¡¯s a senior at the University of China. He¡¯s a first-ss schr every year, and one of the top students in the country. He¡¯s the President of the Student Council and even did a projectst year with his tutor that had two patents, earning him half a million yuan. You can get him as your contract worker. Is twenty years enough?¡±

    Shen Feng wanted to cry and was speechless. ¡®This brat! Does she have to push me off the ledge like that?! Contract work for Xia Ze? You might as well kill me¡­¡¯

    Xia Ze was very satisfied with this proposal. Shen Feng had always been better than him, which was why he was so resentful. If Shen Feng could be his ve for twenty years and get pressured by him, how great was that?

    This woman was beautiful, but there was clearly something wrong with her brain. Without needing to think about it, they knew it was impossible. If Shen Feng had 58 million yuan to buy jewelry for his girlfriend, then Xia Ze would even dare to eat shit.

    Having Shen Feng as a contract worker was too enticing of a deal to refuse. Xia Ze looked at Shen Xi and nodded. ¡°I agree, but does Shen Feng agree to this?¡±

    Shen Feng thought, ¡®Hell to the f*cking no!¡¯

    However, since his sister wanted to y, Shen Feng naturally had to cooperate with her act. He gritted his teeth and said with a red face, ¡°I¡­¡±

    Shen Xiughed and forced him. ¡°Shen Feng, when you gave me this ne, you swore that it was real!¡±

    When Xia Ze saw this, he was more certain that Shen Feng gave his girlfriend fake jewelry and that his girlfriend was trying to take revenge. After this, she would certainly dump him. Xia Ze was smug and added fuel to the fire. He taunted Shen Feng. ¡°Buddy, I won¡¯t put you in a difficult position. If you¡¯re a man, just admit that it¡¯s fake. Don¡¯t be a wimp!¡±

    Shen Feng¡¯s eyes wavered and looked weak as if his back was forced to the wall. He could only stubbornly shout, ¡°I¡¯m not scared! Let¡¯s bet on it then! It¡¯s as real as it can be!¡±

    Xia Ze looked at Shen Feng like he was a joke and said, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s probably as fake as it can get.¡±

    Although Shen Feng did not have a great family background, he was arrogant and liked to be the best. As long as he was provoked, he would certainly fall into the trap. Seeing Shen Feng¡¯s anxious and stubborn behavior, Xia Ze was delighted.

    The rest of the group looked at Shen Feng with sympathy and waited to see him make a fool of himself. No one forced Shen Feng to take the bet, but Shen Feng was insistent and unwilling to admit his fault, so he was just asking for it if he lost.

    Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend was not a simple woman. She must have known that Shen Feng gave her a counterfeit and deliberately did this to retaliate against him. This way of revenge asking Shen Feng to be a contract worker for the Xia family for twenty years was so ruthless and heartless.

    Everyone knew that Xia Ze and Shen Feng had been enemies since high school. The two were deadly rivals, so if Shen Feng were to work for Xia Ze, it would certainly be more painful than death.

    ¡°My uncle owns a jewelry store.¡± He Lu smiled and proposed, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to his jewelry store to identify whether it¡¯s real or fake?¡±

    The group then walked out of the restaurant.

    When Xia Ze pulled open the door of his Ferrari, he looked at Shen Xi with a deep gaze and smiled at her.

    Shen Xi felt like she was about to puke. ¡®This ugly troll dares to hit on me?!¡¯

    Shen Feng red at Xia Ze coldly and scornfully looked at He Lu. He whistled and mocked her. ¡°He Lu, you¡¯d better control your man¡¯s eyes!¡±

 Chapter 321 - Itâ€™s Real

    <h4>Chapter 321: It¡¯s Real</h4>

    He Lu had been watching Xia Ze and saw his actions earlier. When she heard Shen Feng¡¯s words, she sneered and said, ¡°Shen Feng, you¡¯d better mind your girlfriend!¡±

    ¡®That damned b*tch tried to seduce Ze because of her good looks?¡¯ He Lu knew that the little b*tch¡¯s series of actions were just to attract Ze¡¯s attention and interest.

    The ss also thought Shen Feng struck the jackpot and would drive a luxury car, but in the end, Shen Feng only drove a Hyundai worth around 70,000 or 80,000 yuan. After exchanging a nce, they just shook their heads andughed.

    ¡®Why make the situation so stiff when we¡¯re all ssmates? Being too arrogant is Shen Feng¡¯s downfall. Just look at his old car! How could he afford tens of millions of jewelry? He should just wake up from whatever dream he was in¡­¡¯

    The jewelry store was at a mall not far from the restaurant. It took around ten minutes to get there.

    He Lu was like a princess surrounded by her ssmates when she walked into the jewelry store.

    The store manager greeted her warmly. ¡°Ms. He, you¡¯re here! The ne Mr. Xia ordered for you has arrived. Come take a look!¡±

    The store attendant immediately brought out an exquisite box and opened it for her to take a look.

    Ms. He was their boss¡¯ niece and the future daughter-inw of the Xia family.

    The Xia family was influential. Xia Ze¡¯s grandfather was the province mayor. His father was also a powerful official in the city. In a few years, he would certainly be promoted to the provincial level. Xia Ze¡¯s mother was also known as a strong, independent woman. She was an entrepreneur and a billionaire.

    ¡°OMG, this is a sapphire, right? It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± The girls gathered around and looked at the ne enviously. They then looked down on Shen Xi.

    ¡®Lulu¡¯s the real wealthy one here. That b*tch is wearing a fake and insists oning over to embarrass herself by checking the authenticity of her pendant. She really is a bimbo.¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯ll look at thister,¡± He Lu was very familiar with this ce and politely asked the store manager, ¡°Is Uncle Wang here? My ssmate has a piece of jewelry that needs his appraisal.¡±

    Uncle Wang was the most well-known jewelry appraiser in the city that worked for her uncle. He had been in this business for decades and had never made a mistake. He could surely tell at a nce whether the pendant was real or fake.

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi. ¡®This girl is so calm wearing a ne worth 58 million yuan¡­ where did ite from? Who gave it to her? Is it that man who gave her the red packet that night?¡¯

    The more he thought about it, the more likely he thought it was that man. He lowered his voice and asked in a whisper, ¡°Did your crush give this to you?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡®The things he gave me were either invaluable or exorbitant. If I wear it, it¡¯ll probably scare the lot of you!¡¯

    Uncle Wang was at home but when he heard someone needed his expertise, he came over immediately since he lived nearby. When he saw the ne around Shen Xi¡¯s neck, he was so emotional that he burst into tears. ¡°Is that the ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯?!¡±

    Shen Xi nodded, took off the ne, and handed it to the old man. She said politely, ¡°Please help me to identify if this is real or not.¡±

    Uncle Wang¡¯s words shocked everyone present, especially Xia Ze and He Lu, who could not believe their ears. ¡®That¡¯s impossible! How could it be real?!¡¯

    He Lu whispered to Xia Ze tofort him and herself. ¡°Uncle Wang only saw a glimpse of it. Let¡¯s wait for the final appraisal.¡±

    Xia Ze still looked high and mighty. ¡®How could someone tell if a piece of jewelry was real or fake at a nce? Shen Feng can¡¯t possibly afford to buy this!¡¯

    Uncle Wang carefully took the jewelry with eyes full of amazement. He nodded with certainty. ¡°This is the real ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯. It¡¯s real! I saw this for the second time. Its current value is definitely worth more than before¡­¡±

    Ten years ago, Uncle Wang had gone to the ¡°Dream Teardrop¡± auction. It was finally sold at 58 million yuan to a beautiful girl. After that, it never appeared again, so he did not expect that he would have the opportunity to see it again.

    ¡°Uncle Wang, take a closer look,¡± He Lu was anxious and refused to believe it.

    ¡®It must be a fake! Is Uncle Wang getting senile that he treats a fake as a treasure? How could Shen Feng afford such an expensive piece of jewelry?!¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked at it and I¡¯m certain that it¡¯s real.¡± Uncle Wang looked at He Lu and asked, ¡°Ms. He, are you doubting my appraisal? Do you think I¡¯ve gotten old and senile that I can¡¯t tell the real deal from a fake?¡±

    Uncle Wang had been in this business for decades and had never misidentified a single piece of gem. He knew of all the rare jewels in the world like the back of his hand, so he was confident enough to say that he could tell an original from a fake with a single nce. He would never make a mistake.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± He Lu was still not convinced. Jealousy took root in her heart, but she did not show it. ¡°Of course I believe you, Uncle Wang. It¡¯s just that this jewelry is too valuable and I want you to identify it properly.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. This is the original.¡± Uncle Wang was angry because he was questioned about his professionalism. ¡°Ms. He, if you don¡¯t believe me, go and get a second opinion!¡±

    ¡°No, how could I not believe you?¡± He Lu was not so stupid to offend him. After all, he was a master appraiser who had a reputation and a temper. If Uncle Wang were to quit his job because of her, her uncle would never forgive her.

    Xia Ze tried to stay calm. When he saw Shen Feng and his girlfriend whispering to each other, he was infuriated and felt that he had been yed.

    Yes, Shen Feng and his girlfriend definitely yed him. This feeling became stronger, so much so that it took all his willpower to control his emotions. He must restrain himself.

    Xia Ze must be a man of his word. After all, he was a member of the Xia family, so he had a reputation to uphold. He could be aughing stock. After he summoned his courage, he said in a generous tone, ¡°Shen Feng, since it¡¯s real, I lost the bet.¡±

    The whole group stared at him with wide eyes that were about to pop out of their sockets. They also looked at Shen Feng in a different light. They no longer mocked him and even looked at him with admiration.

    Wow! After two years of not seeing Shen Feng, he became so rich. They really should not judge a book by its cover.

    When the girls looked at Shen Feng, they secretly regretted it. If they knew Shen Feng was so capable and rich that he could afford a ne worth tens of millions of yuan, they would have pursued him when they were in high school.

    If they were his girlfriend now, they would be wearing that priceless ¡°Dreamy Teardrop¡±. They would even beughing in their dreams.

    ¡°Cool!¡± Shen Feng stretched out his hand. ¡°Give me the car keys!¡±

    Xia Ze made up his mind. He wanted to kill Shen Feng, but he still had to maintain his poise. He pretended to be generous and handed him the car keys. ¡°Since you¡¯re so rich, what business do you do?¡±

 Chapter 322 - Stone-Betting

    <h4>Chapter 322: Stone-Betting</h4>

    This ne belonged to Shen Xi. Shen Feng did not even know who gave it to her.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been gambling on stones recently,¡± Shen Feng said as he smiled mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯ve only yed it a few times and earned some money, so I bought her this ne.¡±

    Once he said this, everyone looked at him with incredulous eyes. They had all heard about stone-betting, but they never dared to try because some people even lost their family fortune overnight.

    They did not believe Shen Feng and thought that he was lying. Even if he did gamble on stones, how could he get so lucky and win tens of millions of yuan? This probability was no different from winning the jackpot.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Shen Feng pointed to a rock on the counter. ¡°Is this rock for sale?¡±

    Uncle Wang looked at this young kid that was so wild and became interested. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all for sale and have price tags on them. Please take a look!¡±

    This kid made so much money from stone-betting and even bought the ¡°Dreamy Teardrop¡± for his girlfriend. It was not just a matter of pure luck. He must also have some talent.

    Shen Feng hadplete trust in Shen Xi at this moment, so he would do whatever she told him to. He casually pointed to the rock with the lowest price and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take that piece.¡±

    Shen Xi had told him earlier that this was the best stone.

    Uncle Wang was in the jewelry industry for decades, but he never gambled on stones because it was too much risk. He did not like to take risks. These stones were purchased and priced by the boss himself.

    However, in this small city, not many people bought rocks, so they just treated them as a disy. asionally, someone would buy it and the boss would even cut it personally to make bracelets or ornaments.

    The group saw this and was confused. How did jewelry appraisal turn into stone-betting? This was getting a bit out of hand.

    They looked at the stone that was priced at 2000 yuan with great interest. Shen Feng said that he had made a fortune by gambling on stones. Initially, they doubted him, so they were waiting to see what this stone could yield.

    This stone was veryrge, about one meter in diameter. It was inky ck and had a nice shape to it. It would look good as a decorative piece.

    He Lu did not believe that Shen Feng knew about stones. He was just a poor boy. His family owned a small restaurant and he would wash dishes for them during his free time. Shen Feng getting into stone-betting was utter bullsh*t!

    She had seen this rock before. Her uncle brought it back from abroad and had ced it in their aquarium as a decoration.

    Then, her uncle brought the stone to the store saying that it had a poor quality and did not worth much.

    This rock had been at the store for several years and no one even asked about it. Her uncle even said that he would not cut this stone and would just sell it as a decorative piece for an aquarium.

    He Lu¡¯s uncle, Jiang Qishan, heard that He Lu and Xia Ze brought their ssmates to the store for a jewelry appraisal and rushed over from a poker game. When he arrived, they were talking about cutting the stone.

    When He Lu saw him, she said, ¡°Uncle, why are you here?¡±

    Xia Ze greeted him politely.

    Jiang Qishan was fat and looked very amiable like a Maitreya Buddha. He gave off a very approachable vibe. He smiled and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re Lulu¡¯s ssmate, just take this stone for free if you like it. You can put it in a tank as a fake mountain. There¡¯s no need to cut it because it¡¯s a worthless stone.¡±

    He liked this stone very much, which had been a decorative piece in his aquarium for several years. After his Asian Arowana died, he did not get another fish. This stone was quite sentimental for him.

    Jian Qishan scanned this stone before, but there was nothing inside. If they like it, then he would just give it to the destined person as a gift since they were his niece¡¯s ssmates anyway.

    He Lu nced at her uncle and said in a strange tone, ¡°Uncle, you don¡¯t need to persuade him. He¡¯s got quite a hand at gambling on stones. He even used the money he won from gambling stones to buy that ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯ for his girlfriend.¡±

    Xia Ze added, ¡°Uncle Jiang, if you don¡¯t cut it, no one knows what¡¯s inside, right?¡±

    Uncle Jiang was an expert in stone-betting and had been studying stones for a lifetime. Thus, if he said there was nothing inside, it must be true.

    The group heard the professional say so and did not know who to believe for a while. Shen Feng might be talking big. No one had heard of him gambling on stones, nor did they ever witness his talent. He Lu¡¯s uncle was an expert.

    Shen Xi liked He Lu¡¯s uncle because he was not snobbish or mean. He seemed like a good person and spoke eloquently.

    Shen Feng nced at Shen Xi to ask for her opinion. Anyway, he did not know when his sister got into stone-betting.

    Shen Xi nodded, so Shen Feng stood out and looked at Jiang Qishan with a smile. ¡°Uncle, please cut this stone.¡±

    Jiang Qishan felt that it was a pity to cut it and tried to persuade him. ¡°Young man, it¡¯ll be a pity to cut this stone because this shape is quite nice as a decorative piece.¡±

    It had been more than a decade since he bought this stone, so he was a little reluctant to just cut it open.

    ¡°Uncle, if you like this stone, why sell it?¡± Shen Feng said with a smile and seemed to guess his mind.

    Jiang Qishan saw that he was so determined and knew that he could not be persuaded. ¡°Okay then. If you want it, I¡¯ll cut it for you.¡±

    Xia Ze and He Lu saw Jiang Qishan¡¯s attitude and looked at each other. They were sure that there was nothing inside, so Shen Feng was sure to make a fool of himself.

    Jiang Qishan brought out his tools and got a few boys to move the stone over. He began to cut the stone. Knowing that there was nothing inside, he was bold and assured when cutting it open.

    He cut away the outeryers of the stone, which was now only the size of a basketball. There was still nothing, so it looked like an ordinary rock.

    Xia Ze and He Lu also breathed a sigh of relief because there was not even a piece of jade in this big rock.

    The group was gloating at him, but they dared not show it. No matter what, Shen Feng was rich and could afford to buy such expensive jewelry, so they should suck up to him.

    Shen Feng remained calm. Somehow, he felt that his sister was right.

    There must be something valuable In this stone.

    Jiang Qishan sighed. There was nothing, not even a tiny piece of jade. It was a real waste of his beautiful decorative rock!

    On the contrary, Uncle Wang had faith in them and went over to Shen Xi. He asked her softly, ¡°Youngdy, how big do you think it¡¯ll be?¡±

    Shen Xi coughed and lowered her voice as she pointed at Shen Feng, ¡°I don¡¯t know, ask him. He¡¯s the expert.¡±

    Uncle Wang smiled and looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Is that so?¡±

 Chapter 323 - Itâ€™s Emerald

    <h4>Chapter 323: It¡¯s Emerald</h4>

    ¡®This girl still doesn¡¯t want to admit it? From the start, this kid has been listening to her. Even though I¡¯m old, I can still see clearly!¡¯ Uncle Wang thought.

    Shen Xi did not admit anything and smiled, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it. Be patient.¡±

    The owner of the jewelry store and the appraiser were very interesting people.

    Jiang Qishan cut the rock and widened his eyes. He said in an excited tone, ¡°Old Wang! Come look! Quickly! There¡¯s something here!¡±

    Uncle Wang heard him shouting and had never seen him so excited before. He ran over and looked amazed. ¡°Oh my goodness! This is emerald! It¡¯s emerald!¡±

    Once he said this, the surrounding crowd had various expressions.

    He Lu and Xia Ze looked like they ate a fly. They were speechless as their faces turned green.

    Their ssmates and store attendants looked envious when they found out it was an emerald.

    Although Shen Feng did not know much about gemstones, he knew that emeralds were very expensive. Even though he was prepared for something amazing, he was still astonished and could not help but admire his sister.

    Uncle Wang and Jiang Qishan cut the stone carefully. Finally, they harvested severalrge and small chunks of green rock. Thergest piece was the size of an adult male fist.

    This emerald was of high quality. It was a dark green color and had the best rity. It was valued at no less than 100 million yuan.

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi in disbelief. ¡®Jackpot!¡¯

    000 yuan for so many high-quality emeralds! Shen Feng thought, ¡®Xixi is a god of fortune! I will never doubt her ever again and will do whatever she asks of me without second-guessing her¡­¡¯

    He Lu and Xia Ze were embarrassed, but they could not do anything in front of so many people and only sulked.

    Their ssmates swarmed around Shen Feng and sucked up to him. Regardless of how they really thought of him or how jealous they were, they wanted to please him.

    This was not the first time Jiang Qishan cut open an emerald stone, but it was the first time cutting such arge, high-quality one. He certainly felt regretful at this moment. He ignored the others and walked to Shen Xi. ¡°Can we have a chat?¡±

    Jiang Qishan had experienced all kinds of things throughout his life. He was firm on his decision and would give the stone to them willingly.

    The kids asked for it and he sold it to them. This stone had been with him for so many years, yet he did not see the value of it and did not cut it open. It was just not his luck.

    ¡°Sure, Uncle Jiang.¡± Shen Xi was a little helpless. ¡®Why did theye to me? Shen Feng was the one who bought the stone. Was I being too obvious? Well¡­ one is the owner of a jewelry store and a veteran in stone-betting, while the other is an experienced appraiser. They sure have an eye for things.¡¯

    Now that they cut open an emerald, the people who doubted Shen Feng earlier witnessed it with their own eyes and finally believed him. Stone-betting really could make someone rich overnight.

    A 2000 yuan stone could produce hundreds of millions worth of jewelry. If he did this a few times, buying a 58 million yuan ne was a trivial matter.

    Shen Xi pulled Shen Feng along. They followed Jiang Qishan and Uncle Wang to the back parlor.

    Jiang Qishan asked her with a smile, ¡°What are you going to do with this gemstone?¡±

    ¡®This girl had such remarkable insights at such a young age! She really has X-ray vision!¡¯

    Shen Xi looked at them politely. ¡°Uncle Jiang and Uncle Wang, what do you propose?¡±

    Jiang Qishan knew that this girl was very smart. ¡°If you trust me, you can put the gemstones here first. Since I¡¯m in the jewelry business, I¡¯m certainly more experienced than you and will definitely give you the best price on the market.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I don¡¯t n to sell it. Why don¡¯t you make me a few sets of jewelry? I¡¯ll provide the design.¡±

    Jiang Qishan was curious. ¡°Is it a gift?¡±

    ¡®This girl doesn¡¯t seem to be short of money. The ¡®Dreamy Teardrop¡¯ on her neck is already valued at more than 100 million yuan in the current market.¡¯

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Mm.¡±

    This kind of raw stone was not easy toe across. It was not very suitable to sell it, so she might as well make it into something she wanted.

    ¡°Great! Then you can give me the design and I¡¯ll personally make it for you.¡± Jiang Qishan rarely encountered such a likable person and was very happy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the workmanship. I won¡¯t charge you a penny.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Jiang, that won¡¯t be appropriate!¡± Shen Xi politely refused.

    ¡°Since you call me Uncle, we¡¯re no strangers. Just leave it to me.¡± Jiang Qishanughed and said, ¡°How can I charge my own niece? Right, Old Wang?¡±

    ¡®This girl has a bright future. I¡¯ve lived for so long and can read people urately.¡¯

    He had a hunch that if he did not get on her good graces now, he would not ever get this chance again. Since he got to meet her now, it was his luck!

    ¡°Yes, yes. Our workmanship is pretty good, you can rest assured,¡± Uncle Wang also smiled.

    ¡®What a good New Year! We even met such an interesting girl. I really admire her poise.¡¯

    Shen Feng was neglected, but he did not feel sad about it because this was his sister¡¯s talent. Now he was also made aware of his own capabilities.

    He might be able to bluff his way with his ssmates, but real talent could not escape the eyes of these experienced old men.

    Shen Feng did not have the ability for them to take him seriously yet.

    Uncle Wang talked to Shen Xi about which gemstone was more suitable for essories. Whether it was a ring, ne, or a bracelet, and what shape it could be polished into for the best results.

    Jiang Qishan took the opportunity to call He Lu in. After all, she was his niece, so he had to teach her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so condescending to others. You¡¯re all ssmates, so you should be nice to each other, right?¡±

    He Lu sneered and said defiantly, ¡°What¡¯s so great about him? It¡¯s just a few gems. Dumb luck!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? This isn¡¯t about the stone. They have very bright futures, so you should keep in touch with them. You¡¯re young and clueless, so I¡¯m just telling you all this for your own good,¡± He Qishan looked at her sternly.

    He Lu had been spoiled by the family and had never experienced any setbacks, so she was now arrogant and acted like a spoiled brat. She grew up with high standards and looked down on everything. This was not a good attitude to have and must be changed.

 Chapter 324 - Wonâ€™t Sing Su Muyanâ€™s Song

    <h4>Chapter 324: Won¡¯t Sing Su Muyan¡¯s Song</h4>

    Everyone started off strong, but slowly, they would deteriorate.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± He Lu¡¯s eyes were red with anger. ¡°If you want to tter them, be my guest! I won¡¯t stoop so low to please them.¡±

    He Lu just wanted them to get out of her sight.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re just spoiled by your parents,¡± Jiang Qishan sighed. Seeing her like this, he seriously warned her, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to be nice to them, but you shouldn¡¯t provoke them or make enemies with them. Otherwise, if you get into trouble in the future, even I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    He Lu yelled, ¡°Are they that great?¡±

    Her uncle is a changed man and no longer loved or understood her. He did not even help her and even asked her to please Shen Feng! She could never!

    Jiang Qishan looked glum. ¡°You must change your princess attitude. You can throw a tantrum in front of us because we pamper you, but once you start working, you can no longer be so capricious! Otherwise, we can¡¯t even help you if you offend someone important. Not all people in power are like Xia Ze.¡±

    The richer and more powerful people tend to be more low-key. If He Lu looked down on someone and offended them, then it would be her loss. She made her bed, so she had to lie in it.

    ¡°Are you talking about Shen Feng? What kind of big shot is he? What power does he even have?¡± The more Jiang Qishan lectured her, the more she hated Shen Feng andughed mockingly. ¡°His parents only run a small restaurant in town, and his sister is blind.¡±

    ¡°He Lu!¡± Jiang Qishan wanted to raise his hand to hit her, but he forced himself to calm down. ¡°Fine, I can¡¯t control you. I¡¯ll tell your parents so that they can educate you!¡±

    ¡°Do as you wish,¡± He Lu had never felt so aggrieved. She felt even more aggravated when she thought about it and ran away in anger.

    Jiang Qishan was exasperated. ¡®This child is so disobedient now that she¡¯s all grown up.¡¯

    The parlor.

    Shen Feng had gone out.

    Shen Xi sent the design to Uncle Wang. ¡°Please make these cufflinks for me. I¡¯d like them to be ready next month.¡±

    Uncle Wang wore his old-fashioned sses to look at the design. He nodded his head in awe. ¡°Wow, this design is really nice! Is this a gift for your boyfriend?¡±

    ¡®This little girl is really full of surprises! Her speech, demeanor, and even designing skills were so outstanding.¡¯

    Shen Xi smiled and did not speak. Li Yuan¡¯s birthday was next month.

    Uncle Wang knew that a girl her age must have drawn such an attentive design for her boyfriend. She even asked her boyfriend to leave the room earlier. Uncle Wang smiled knowingly and said, ¡°You want to give him a surprise? I¡¯ll make this first then.¡±

    Shen Xi knew that he misunderstood and exined, ¡°It¡¯s not for him.¡±

    ¡®No way is it for Shen Feng! Shen Feng¡¯s my brother¡­¡¯

    She originally nned to make the cufflinks herself, but she never found the right material and was afraid that it would be too ugly for Li Yuan to wear, which would affect his temperament and image.

    This kind of intricate craftsmanship was better left to the professionals. When she got this ability one day, she would make him ten cufflinks so that he would not have to repeat wearing them.

    Shen Xi left this to Uncle Wang before she went back to the storefront.

    Shen Feng and a group of ssmates were standing at the entrance. The group of people around him keptplimenting and patronizing him. All of them wanted him to teach them how to make money.

    Since they had not seen each other for two years and finally found the time to meet up, they decided to have some fun. Someone proposed to go for karaoke and another proposed to go to the bar.

    ¡°Shen Feng, you¡¯ve made it big! You¡¯re the first billionaire in our ss, so you have to treat us!¡± Some people cheered.

    Shen Feng saw Xia Ze¡¯s face and was so happy that he waved his hand while he said proudly, ¡°Okay! My treat!¡±

    They had not eaten anything before they went to the jewelry store, so they returned to the hotel to eat and continued the fun at the bar.

    Shen Xi originally thought that He Lu and Xia Ze would certainly find an excuse to leave. After all, they lost a Ferrari and got embarrassed, so they must be so angry. Unexpectedly, those two also tagged along.

    There were a lot of young people partying during the New Year. The bar was full and noisy. Some singers were performing on stage.

    A group of people stood up with their sses. One of them looked at Shen Feng and said, ¡°Feng, let¡¯s toast to you and your girlfriend! You must finish your drink!¡±

    ¡°My girlfriend can¡¯t drink,¡± Shen Feng snatched away the ss from Shen Xi¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll drink for her.¡±

    After saying that, he tilted his head back and chugged it.

    ¡°Feng, you really love your girlfriend!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­Yun Xi, you¡¯re so lucky to have such a good boyfriend like Feng!¡±

    ¡°Of course, a girl needs to be pampered!¡±

    The groupughed and did not dare to say anything else. After all, Shen Feng was no longer on the same level as them. No one dared to offend him and wanted him to teach them how to make money in the future.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were cold as she sat on the side with her phone. She did not participate in their conversation, but no one dared to say a word.

    This was human nature. Many would step on others to reach greater heights, and these people were the same.

    Shen Xi did not enjoy this party because she detested such hypocrisy. She disliked these jealous people who deliberately wanted to butter them up.

    Real friends should be happy for each other and treat each other sincerely regardless of social status.

    Xia Ze was in a bad mood and looked at the smug Shen Feng with a feeling that Shen Feng was mocking him.

    He was supposed to be the focus of this party and everyone should have listened to him and praised him.

    Who knew that he failed to do so and even lost a car. Not to mention, the person he wanted to step on had stolen his limelight, so now, Xia Ze waspletely ignored by the group.

    This kind of feeling drove him mad. He had never felt so humiliated and would never let Shen Feng go so easily.

    The future was still uncertain. Xia Ze decided that he would return all the humiliation he suffered today a thousand times over so that Shen Feng could have a taste of what it meant to be trampled on.

    He Lu was already angry. After being lectured by her uncle, she med it all on Shen Xi and Shen Feng.

    These ssmates were just a group of snobs wanting to curry favor with Shen Feng. She did not want toe over and as she was already exasperated. Coming over was just so embarrassing, but Xia Ze said that they should join them, so she could only hold back her indignation, jealousy, and hatred, and tagged along.

    The bar singer was singing on the stage.

    He Lu did not want to let Shen Feng and his girlfriend hog the limelight, so she wanted to show off her love with Xia Ze. They were a good-looking couple and were not inferior to Shen Feng and his girlfriend. He Lu looked at Xia Ze and whispered, ¡°Ze, I wanna listen to ¡®Confession¡¯.¡±

    This was the song that Xia Ze serenaded her with when he confessed to her. At that time, she was surrounded by flowers, blessings, and looks of envy. It was the happiest moment of her life that she would never forget.

    Xia Ze drank a lot of wine and was almost drunk when he snapped his fingers and called out to someone. ¡°Waiter, get the singer to sing ¡®Confession¡¯.¡±

    The waiter asked respectfully, ¡°Sir, do you mean ¡®Confession¡¯ by Su Muyan?¡±

    Xia Ze impatiently burped and was being rude, ¡°Yes, hurry up and do it!¡±

    When Shen Xi heard that they wanted to y Su Muyan¡¯s ¡°Confession¡±, a clear mockery shed before her cold eyes.

    ¡°Confession¡± was Su Muyan¡¯s most popr song. It was quite well-known, especially among the youths. Su Muyan imed that it was an original written by him and was even praised as a musical talent.

    What others did not know but Shen Xi did was that, aside from Su Muyan¡¯s looks, he had zero talent. All of his ¡°original¡± songs that were supposedlyposed by him were actually bought by Su Yi from various channels at high prices.

    Soon, the waiter came back with an embarrassed look as he said to Xia Ze, ¡°Sir, our singer said that he can sing anyone¡¯s song, but not Su Muyan¡¯s song. Do you want to pick another song?¡±

    Xia Ze drank too much and could not control himself. He sneered. ¡°What?! Does he think that I can¡¯t pay? Ask him how much he wants. My girlfriend wants to hear this song today, so he has to sing it whether he likes it or not.¡±

    The waiter did not want to create trouble and said, ¡°Sir, please talk to the singer. I still have other tasks to do.¡±

    The bar¡¯s singer had a hot temper.

    His singing was really good and could sing everything. He was also good-looking, so many of his fans came over every day to show their support. Many of them were rich women and would throw money at him. If it was not for his ability to make money, the bar manager would have kicked him out because of his bad temper.

 Chapter 325 - You Must Sing Even if You Donâ€™t Want To

    <h4>Chapter 325: You Must Sing Even if You Don¡¯t Want To</h4>

    Xia Ze had never been so humiliated and felt that they were stomping on his face. His pent-up anger from being humiliated by Shen Feng was unleashed on the bar singer as he rushed over to get his revenge.

    ¡®Ha! Now that Shen Feng has money, he made a spectacle of me in front of my ssmates. That was already embarrassing enough. Now, even a measly bar singer dares to go against me?!¡¯

    He Lu quickly chased after Xia Ze. Although she was also vexed, she still stopped him. ¡°Ze, I don¡¯t need to listen to the song since the singer doesn¡¯t want to sing it¡­¡±

    Their ssmates looked at each other. Xia Ze was good-looking, smart, and came from a wealthy family. He was born to be superior to others, so he had always been proud and arrogant. He was totally offended by the bar singer.

    They were all having a good time and were afraid that Xia Ze would make a scene. Several boys who had a good rtionship with Xia Ze went after him.

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi and winked at her. ¡°Shall we go and check it out?¡±

    Shen Xi was about to say that she was not interested, but when she nced at the stage and saw the singer, she smiled intriguingly, put down her drink, and put away her phone. She got up elegantly and said, ¡°Sure.¡±

    After putting in so much effort to find this singer, the person she was looking for appeared right in front of her.

    Shen Feng saw her excitement and stared at the handsome man on the stage. He then asked her, ¡°What, you have a crush on him?¡±

    The bar singer was quite handsome.

    Shen Xi smiled and did not say anything. She just nced at the young man on the stage. He was wearing a white woolen shirt and a ck trenchcoat. His hair was a little messy and his facial features were delicate. He looked introverted with a good temper.

    Xia Ze drank a lot earlier, so when the alcohol got to his head, he could no longer control his emotions. He red at the man who just got off the stage and yelled, ¡°What? Did I not pay you enough?¡±

    Qi Xiu looked at the drunken person in front of him and brushed past him while carrying his guitar. His voice was clear, maic, cool, and arrogant as he said, ¡°I¡¯m off work, so get someone else to sing for you.¡±

    Xia Ze was infuriated. This was the first time he encountered such a rude person. This guy was a bar singer, so why was he so audacious? Xia Ze stopped him. ¡°I want you to sing. You must sing even if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Qi Xiu¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly as he looked at the person in front of him. He said coldly, ¡°I said, I¡¯m not singing.¡±

    ¡°Is it about the money? I have loads of it!¡± Xia Ze sneered. In a moment of anger, he took out a stack of cash from his wallet and asked the singer, ¡°Is this enough for you?!¡±

    Qi Xiu was calm and not the slightest bit mad at Xia Ze¡¯s attitude. His cold, heavenly voice rang out again. ¡°Please get out of my way.¡±

    ¡°Are you looking down on me? Or do you think the money is not enough?¡± Xia Ze was exasperated and felt his head burning with anger. He pped the money on the singer¡¯s face and said, ¡°You¡¯re just a singer. If you don¡¯t sing for me today, I can ruin your career in A City!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you,¡± Qi Xiu looked at him strangely. ¡°But you look like a clown when you¡¯re mad.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Xia Ze growled. He was annoyed, so he snatched away the singer¡¯s guitar and forcefully smashed it on the ground. He sneered and shouted, ¡°Sing, now!¡±

    The calmness in Qi Xiu¡¯s eyes finally began to crack a little. There was a dangerous chill that was slowly seeping through.

    Shen Feng looked at Xia Ze with contempt. ¡®F*ck! He finally reveals his true colors¡­ How sickening¡­¡¯

    Xia Ze made a big scene, so the patrons in the bar gathered around them. The bar singer went to pick up his guitar, but Xia Ze viciously stomped on it.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Shen Feng cursed and turned to look at Shen Xi, but she disappeared in an instant.

    In the next moment, Shen Xi appeared in between Qi Xiu and Xia Ze.

    Qi Xiu was stunned for a moment and looked at the young girl in front of him. The dangerous chill in his eyes froze and turned into doubt.

    The girl was beautiful. From his angle, he could see her slightly lowered eyes. Her features were delicate and her long eyshes cast a faint shadow on her eye bags.

    She crouched on the ground and protected the strings of his guitar with her long, slender fingers.

    For a moment, Qi Xiu¡¯s heartstrings seemed to tremble, just like the strings that vibrated under her hands.

    Shen Xi had wanted to stop Xia Ze from trampling on the singer¡¯s beloved guitar, but when she got there, it was toote, so she instinctively chose to protect the guitar strings.

    Xia Ze did not expect Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend to suddenly intervene. He lifted his foot and had a moment of hesitation. After all, she was a beautiful girl.

    However, after thinking about what Shen Feng had done to him, he had a wicked glint in his eyes and viciously stepped on her hands.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were cold and stern. She sped the guitar and was going to save it before she beat up the son of a b*tch in front of her.

    Before she could move, a long and slender arm swept past her and sped Xia Ze¡¯s ankle.

    In the next moment, there was a crunching sound of dislocated bones amidst the noise.

    It was followed by Xia Ze¡¯s agonizing scream, who red viciously at the person behind Shen Xi and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

    When Shen Feng saw that Xia Ze was about to step on Shen Xi, he tried to stop him, but could only watch with embarrassment and disbelief as the bar singer fractured Xia Ze¡¯s foot.

    ¡®F*ck! This guy is so cool! Then why did he just look like he was bullied?¡¯

    The onlookers were shocked too and had a changed expression as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

    He Lu screamed and went to look at Xia Ze. She then shouted to her ssmates behind her, ¡°Call the police, quickly! This is an assault!¡±

    Qi Xiu looked at the man who had fallen to the ground with calm eyes. He slowly and methodically took out a wet wipe to wipe his fingers clean, as if he had just touched something gross.

    He then squatted in front of Shen Xi, took out another wet wipe, and wanted to wipe her fair and slender fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Shen Xi took over the wet wipe from him and wiped her own fingers. She then asked him for another one and carefully wiped his guitar before handing it to him. She smiled and said, ¡°There, it¡¯s clean now.¡±

    Qi Xiu narrowed his eyes and looked at her calmly. His thin lips parted as he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and raised her eyebrows. She then pointed at him and answered, ¡°You.¡±

    He was a smart person, so he easily understood her.

    Shen Xi finally got an inkling of Qi Xiu¡¯s strange temper.

 Chapter 326 - Your Life Is Over

    <h4>Chapter 326: Your Life Is Over</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I¡¯m not yours.¡± Qi Xiu got up, looked at Shen Xi coldly, and said, ¡°I won¡¯t promise you anything, nor will I be at your mercy. Give up on whatever it is you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    No one in this world would be nice to him and help him for no reason. Those who came to him had all kinds of motives.

    Naturally, this girl in front of him was no exception.

    However, she was smart enough and came clean with her intentions, which gave him a good impression. She was unlike some hypocrites that threw money at him or tried to be friends with him, but at the end of it, they just wanted to use him.

    Qi Xiu was adamant not to be used. The only thing he would neverpromise on was his music. He wanted free reign over his music and did not want to be bound or held down by anything. No one could change this.

    Shen Xi wondered what hurt him so much, or who cheated and used him that made him so uptight now. ¡°You haven¡¯t listened to what I have to say yet. How do you know what I¡¯m going to say to you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything.¡± Qi Xiu put the guitar on his back and stuck his hands in his pockets as he quietly waited for the police toe over.

    Shen Feng was exasperated by Qi Xiu¡¯s attitude. He pulled Shen Xi over and lowered his voice. ¡°What kind of person is that? You helped him, yet he doesn¡¯t show any gratitude and is being so rude!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Xi pinched the palm of his hand as she did not want to offend Qi Xiu.

    Qi Xiu was the future king of Chinese music and the hope of the Chinese music industry. He could make her a lot of money.

    With his personality, he would stick to her for life if he acknowledged her. As long as he promised to sing, he would not go back on his word.

    Thus, it did not matter if she had to suffer a little now.

    Shen Feng would never listen to Shen Xi and pointed at Qi Xiu in anger. ¡°What are you doing? My sister¡¯s so nice to help you, and this is your attitude? Can¡¯t you say thank you?¡±

    Qi Xiu turned to look at Shen Xi and said in a cold and stiff voice, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Feng clenched his fists and wanted to rush over, but he was pulled back by Shen Xi. His chest was heaving violently as he pointed at him angrily. ¡°Just you wait!¡±

    ¡®What kind of thank you is that?! Who the f*ck does he think he is?!¡¯

    An ambnce came before the police arrived.

    The paramedics then carried Xia Ze away on a stretcher.

    Before He Lu left, she red viciously at Qi Xiu. He was smart enough not to run away, but even if he was repentant and wanted to take responsibility, his life was over.

    He Lu had already called Mrs. Xia to exin the situation. If the Xia family wished to, this man would suffer the heaviest penalty. He would be jailed and this criminal record would stay with him for life!

    Xia Ze and He Lu left.

    Their ssmates wanted to follow them and said, ¡°Feng, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi, sighed, and said to them, ¡°You guys go ahead. Let¡¯s get together next time.¡±

    His ssmates looked at Shen Xi with different looks in their eyes. They did not say anything else for fear of causing more trouble and left with Xia Ze.

    With the Xia family¡¯s power in A City, this bar singer was done for. One word from Old Master Xia could ruin his career in A City and even the entire country.

    The group walked a long way before they started whispering in tones of disdain, resentment, and jealousy.

    Shen Feng¡¯s girlfriend was not a good partner. She helped outsiders and even pulled Shen Feng down with her. She probably had a shady rtionship with that bar singer.

    After Xia Ze and his gang left, the police arrived.

    Qi Xiu looked at Shen Feng and Shen Xi, who were still with him, and said, ¡°Officer, this matter is entirely my fault. It has nothing to do with them.¡±

    Shen Xi raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯m his aplice.¡±

    Shen Feng paused for a moment. ¡°I-I¡¯m her family member.¡±

    Qi Xiu looked at them with raised suspicion and could not guess what they were up to. Based on his observation earlier, he could tell that they were with that annoying guy earlier, but they seemed to be that guy¡¯s enemies.

    The three of them got into the police car.

    Qi Xiu¡¯s eyes were clear and cold as he looked at Shen Xi and said in a deep voice, ¡°Just say it.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I¡¯m from Cosmos Entertainment and have been looking for you for a long time. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you by chance. I¡¯ll be straightforward with you. I want you to join ourpany, so tell me what are your conditions.¡±

    Qi Xiu sneered with a mocking look in his eyes. ¡°I can have whatever I want?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll give you the authority and freedom to do whatever you want with your music to ensure that no one will interfere with your ideas.¡±

    Qi Xiu smirked. ¡°Can you make this decision?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him solemnly. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Qi Xiu looked at the girl beside him that had a powerful aura. Her expression was calm and resolute, which made her seem reliable and confident.

    However, he still did not believe her. She only looked to be about eighteen years old, so she was at most a scout. How could she make such a big decision for thepany?

    He knew about Cosmos Entertainment. It was a new managementpany that was formedst year. It covered the entire entertainment industry and was developing rapidly.

    Qi Xiu was very optimistic about Cosmos Entertainment and believed them to be the future of the entertainment industry, surpassing those old entertainmentpanies to be a new entertainment giant in China.

    Thus far, they had actors, screenwriters, directors, TV series, movies,ics, short videos, and other departments under their banner. The speed of their development was astounding.

    Shen Feng saw that Qi Xiu was looking down on Shen Xi and snorted. ¡°My sister is the Chairman of Cosmos Entertainment, so she has the final say in thepany¡¯s decisions. Don¡¯t you think she could agree to your request?¡±

    Qi Xiu was speechless.

    He had met many talent scouts, agents, and music producers. Before he signed any contract, they would promise him the world, but when he was about to sign the contract, they could not keep up their end of the deal.

    How different could she be as a young chairman?

    Shen Xi knew that Qi Xiu must have encountered many pitfalls before, so he was extremely cautious, sensitive, and distrustful of anyone. She looked at him seriously. ¡°I can give you everything you want, and I will respect your opinion. Just think about it.¡±

    Shen Feng did not know why Shen Xi wanted this bar singer. He was handsome and had a nice voice, otherwise, he did not seem that special and even had a strange temper. However, since his sister made this decision, Shen Feng wholeheartedly believed in her.

    Soon, they arrived at the police station.

    Shen Xi and Shen Feng were making statements. The police brought over several witnesses, including the bar manager and waiter, who made a detailed description of the situation.

    The bar had a surveince camera. The recording showed two people getting into a conflict. Xia Ze smashed the guitar, and Qi Xiu grabbed his foot.

    ¡°Officer Xia Ze was the bully and smashed his guitar. I went over to help, but Xia Ze was annoyed and wanted to step on my hand. That¡¯s why Qi Xiu grabbed his foot,¡± Shen Xi calmly borated on the situation.

 Chapter 327 - Lawsuit and Jail

    <h4>Chapter 327: Lawsuit and Jail</h4>

    This matter was rather simple. As long as the Xia family was willing to settle, then they could sweep it under the rug.

    However, the Xia family did not intend to give up and even sent awyer to take charge of this case. It was clear that they wanted to sue Qi Xiu and even send him to jail to teach him a lesson.

    ¡°Miss, my client only dropped his guitar and didn¡¯t hurt anyone. You said that my client was going to step on your hand, but did he actually step on it?¡± Mr. Chen looked at Shen Xi and asked her. Thewyer that the Xia family hired was very famous in A City.

    Shen Xi looked at him coldly and shed a wicked grin. She suddenly picked up the fountain pen and made a move to stab thewyer in the neck.

    She moved so suddenly and aggressively. Mr. Chen was startled by her aura. Seeing the tip of the pen about tond on his aorta, he panicked and backed up a few steps. He was scared to death that he could not even scream.

    Shen Xi stopped just one inch from his artery and looked at him yfully with a mocking smile.

    Mr. Chen was terrified that he broke out in cold sweat. He had never felt this threatened for his life before. He looked at the girl in front of him and bellowed. ¡°Crazy b*tch! Officers, what are you all just standing there. Quick! Arrest this murderous lunatic!¡±

    The police were shocked too. Two guns were raised. If a murder actually urred in the police station, they would be humiliated. Fortunately, the girl stopped in the nick of time. She just wanted to scare thewyer.

    Shen Xi smiled lightly and fiddled with the fountain pen. She looked so innocent and naive. ¡°You said that I¡¯m a murderer, but did I kill you?¡±

    Shen Feng was frightened too. Listening to her yful tone, he came back to his senses. ¡®Awesome! She¡¯s just using this damnedwyer¡¯s words back at him! That dumb*ss Xia Ze wanted to step on my sister. This bloodywyer deserved to be spooked!¡¯

    ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± Mr. Chen was so exasperated that he could not speak. He had never seen such a savage and pointed at her angrily. ¡°You want to save this criminal? I¡¯m telling you, as long as I¡¯m on this case, he¡¯ll be waiting for jail time!¡±

    ¡®She wants to scare me? Am I so easily frightened? Just wait and see! Even if they didn¡¯t offend the Xia family, I¡¯ll never let them go for provoking me like that!¡¯

    Qi Xiu, who was being interrogated and sitting calmly nearby, looked at Shen Xi with more suspicion. He vaguely felt some appreciation for this beautiful and valiant girl. For anyone, this was incredibly attractive.

    He was naturally no exception. Just like in the bar, this girl suddenly rushed over, like a beam of light that broke into his field of vision.

    Qi Xiu also knew that she only helped him by telling the truth and not to win his favor.

    At this moment, he suddenly felt ashamed of his thoughts that she was just following him and helping him just to squeeze him dry.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were cold as she sneered and swept a nce at thewyer. ¡°Then let me tell you that as long as I¡¯m around, he¡¯ll never go to jail.¡±

    ¡°Just wait and see!¡± Thewyer sneered in exasperation, but he did not think that this girl could put up a fight with the Xia family. He looked at the police officer. ¡°This is the hospital¡¯s examination report. The relevant evidence will be sent over soon. I hope that you lot will do a good job and punish this kind of tyrannical assant severely.¡±

    The police officers were very cooperative and responded with different expressions and thoughts.

    No one dared to offend the Xia family. Mr. Chen was a topwyer in A City, so naturally, no one dared to offend him either. They gave a sympathetic look to Shen Xi and the boys.

    These three youngsters were so unlucky to have offended the Young Master of the Xia family. As long as the Xia family sent word, they would be handedwsuits and even jail time.

    Mr. Chen had suffered a stifling loss against Shen Xi and held a grudge, so he left for the hospital to report on the situation.

    In any case, Qi Xiu hurt Xia Ze, so the singer was at a disadvantage and was guilty of intentional assault. If the Xia family did not show mercy, he could get a five-year jail sentence and he would have a criminal record forever.

    As for Xia Ze, he only smashed a guitar. The Xia family was loaded, so they could pay for any damages.

    Shen Feng returned from his phone call with a sunken face. He looked at Shen Xi and said, ¡°Xia Ze¡¯s not willing to settle and wants Qi Xiu to go to jail.¡±

    He had expected this because the Xia family was powerful in this small city. It would not be easy to get Qi Xiu out of this.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll think of another way.¡±

    Chinese society was all about connections. Everything was dependent on one¡¯swork. If Shen Xi could not think of a way to convince the Xia family to withdraw theirwsuit, then Qi Xiu going to jail would be inevitable.

    Shen Xi did not have many connections, but Old Shen did. However, she felt that Old Shen was not influential enough to get the Xia family to back down.

    Qi Xiu broke Xia Ze¡¯s leg, and it was to protect her. Even if he was not willing to sign with her, she could not bear to watch him go to jail.

    Shen Xi called Yuan Yu and Jiang Yin to see if they could help.

    With the right connection, this was just a matter of words. After all, Xia Ze only suffered some broken bones and it was not severe.

    Yuan Yu said that he needed to make some calls to determine which rtionship he should use to get Qi Xiu out of this predicament.

    Jiang Yin heard it and said, ¡°The Xia family from A City¡­ Is it Xia Songbai? I¡¯ll call your mom¡¯s teacher now, so don¡¯t worry. Everything will be okay. I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    Shen Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Teacher.¡±

    Jiang Yin smiled with satisfaction. The day finally came when her apprentice needed her help, so she, as a teacher, felt useful for once and was ted. ¡°Now you know that Ie in handy, huh? Last time, I even had to force you to be my apprentice.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s mouth is as sweet as honey. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve always known that you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Jiang Yin said, ¡°I¡¯ll call your grandfather first. He¡¯s still nagging me for not bringing you home for the New Year!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely visit him in person someday,¡± Shen Xi said.

    Shen Xi hung up the phone and pondered. She only knew that her teacher¡¯s identity was very special and that her family was very powerful, so no one dared to mess with her. However, Shen Xi really had no idea what industry they were in.

    Hearing her teacher¡¯s tone, Shen Xi thought that perhaps Jiang Yin was from a political or military background, but Shen Xi had not heard of a big shot with the samest name, Jiang.

    Standing at the entrance of the police station, Shen Xi saw a ck Maybach stopping at the opposite side of the road. Soon, a tall and imposing man came out of the car.

 Chapter 328 - Can Heâ€¦ Trust Her for Once?

    <h4>Chapter 328: Can He¡­ Trust Her for Once?</h4>

    Shen Xi calmed her heart. Since Jiang Yin promised her, it should not be a problem. Just when she was about to turn around and go back inside, someone called out to her.

    ¡°Ms. Shen!¡± Fang Zhu strode over and stood in front of her respectfully.

    He was about to go to the airport and happened to pass by here. With one nce, he saw the boss¡¯s girl standing at the entrance of the police station, so he had toe down to enquire.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet?¡± Shen Xi looked at him politely.

    ¡°I was just about to leave.¡± Fang Zhu stood there and heard the chaosing from the police station. ¡°Are you in some kind of trouble?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. It¡¯ll be solved soon, so don¡¯t tell your boss.¡±

    Fang Zhu reassured her and said, ¡°Ms. Shen, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Not telling the boss was impossible. If his boss knew that they were hiding something from him, he would be skinned alive! Fang Zhu still wanted to live a good life.

    Shen Xi said a few more words to him, then sent the man away.

    Opposite the road in the Maybach, the man in the driver¡¯s seat turned around, revealing a handsome demonic face. He looked at Fang Zhu andughed. ¡°Ourdy boss is so cute!¡±

    Fang Zhu red at him as a warning. ¡°Fu Yu, you¡¯d better watch your mouth.¡±

    Fu Yu smiled indifferently and asked him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is Lil Madam in the police station?¡±

    Fang Zhu leaned back in his seat. The corners of his lips curled into a cold and dangerous smile. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and pay the Xia family a visit.¡±

    The Xia family¡¯s son wanted to sue Lil Madam¡¯s friend, so he wanted to knock on their door and remind them of what they should and should not do.

    Half an hourter.

    In the VIP ward of A City¡¯s First People¡¯s Hospital.

    Xia Hai looked furious as he pointed at his son and lectured him. ¡°If you dare to cause trouble again next time, just watch what I¡¯ll do to you!¡±

    ¡®Ha! Look at what he¡¯s done!¡¯

    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re the one who said that the Xia family can¡¯t be bullied by anybody. He messed with me first and broke my leg!¡± Xia Ze looked at him resentfully with red eyes.

    It had only been less than an hour since the incident, so how did his father¡¯s attitude toward him flip 180 degrees? Did his father encounter something?

    ¡°Do you know who Qi Xiu is? Do you know who¡¯s backing him? You went looking for trouble and you¡¯re lucky that they didn¡¯t kill you!¡± Xia Hai was pissed off by his useless son who offended powerful people.

    He did not just offend anyone, but someone who they could not afford to mess with. Fortunately, the other party did not make a big deal out of it. Otherwise, they were done for!

    First, Old Master Wen called Old Master Xia and asked him to be merciful and give Qi Xiu a chance. Their younger generation just got into a small conflict, so they should not make a big deal of it.

    Old Master Wen was a powerful figure in the southern region of China.

    The old man was scared to death and immediately called his son, Xia Hai to find out what was going on and what kind of conflict rmed Old Master Wen.

    Then when Xia Hai was on his way over to the hospital, he was stopped by someone from the Li family. He almost died of shock there and then.

    The assistants of the Head of the Li family, Fang Zhu and Fu Yu, went to his car personally and smiled as they told him to be careful in the future. He should be watchful of his life.

    Just thinking of that scene made Xia Hai¡¯s soul shudder with fear. It was such a dangerous feeling of being so close to death.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xia Ze saw his father¡¯s face and spoke in meekly. ¡°Isn¡¯t he just a bar singer? What¡¯s his status?¡±

    ¡®Is everyone¡¯s status higher than mine now?¡¯

    First, it was Shen Feng, who pped him in the face with money and stole his new car.

    Then, it was that bar singer. If the bar singer had an unusual status, would he need to stoop so low to sing in a small bar?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know his identity, but just know that our family can¡¯t afford to mess with him!¡± Xia Hai looked at his son and said in a serious tone, ¡°When you¡¯re out and about in the future, you¡¯d better be more cautious and change your stinking habit of judging people by their appearance!¡±

    Xia Hai was tempted to ask someone to find out Qi Xiu¡¯s real identity. How did he get Old Master Wen and the Li family to stand up for him at the same time?

    However, he did not dare to do so because if he did a background check on the boy and the Li family found out, he might not even know how he died.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Xia Ze answered obediently. ¡°I¡¯ll call the police station now and tell them to settle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to the police.¡± Xia Hai pointed at him and scolded him again. ¡°What¡¯s the use of settling? Get up now ande with me. You have to go to him and apologize now.¡±

    It was toote for them to settle now.

    Xia Ze did not dare to retort knowing that he had offended someone they could not afford to provoke. Besides anger, there was also fear in his heart. He lowered his eyes and obediently said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The police station received a call from Xia Hai to release Qi Xiu. After Qi Xiu walked out of the station, they started whispering to each other.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? An hour ago, the Xia family sent awyer over to act tough saying that he¡¯ll make sure this guy will get sued and go to jail.¡±

    After only a short while, Xia Hai actually called to apologize and wanted to send them home safely.

    However, those youngsters refused, so they could not do anything about it.

    At the police station entrance, Shen Xi and Shen Feng parted ways with Qi Xiu.

    Shen Feng was angry and turned around after taking two steps. He felt sorry for Shen Xi and red at Qi Xiu. ¡°Hey, ungrateful bastard! My sister saved you, and this is your attitude?¡±

    ¡®If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have saved him and let him reflect on his behavior in jail! We¡¯ll see how proud he¡¯ll be then!¡¯

    Qi Xiu knew that Shen Xi was the one who saved him, but she did not ask for any favor in return and did not mention the contract again. He looked back at them and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say thank you?¡±

    The girl¡¯s brother looked very angry when he shouted at him and snapped at him.

    Shen Xi¡¯s back was facing Qi Xiu. When she heard Shen Feng¡¯s words, she pulled him over, looking rather annoyed.

    Shen Feng was grumpy and yelled, ¡°Shen Xi, you¡¯re too nice and want nothing in return for saving that jerk. I¡¯ll be the bad guy. I doubt he even knows who he offended!¡±

    Xia Ze was a member of the Xia family, so Shen Xi must have gone to great lengths to help the singer.

    ¡®This ungrateful jerk thinks that a simple thank you can cancel out her efforts?!¡¯

    Qi Xiu watched the two of them leave. Her brother was still indignantly scolding him for being heartless.

    When she turned her head, Qi Xiu could see her helpless smile. He suddenly felt moved and shouted, ¡°Do you mean what you said back in the police car?¡±

    Could he¡­ trust her for once?

 Chapter 329 - So Sad That She Felt Like Crying

    <h4>Chapter 329: So Sad That She Felt Like Crying</h4>

    Shen Xi turned around and smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Qi Xiu smiled and walked toward them with his long legs. ¡°Wait for me.¡±

    He decided to trust her this time.

    Shen Feng looked at Qi Xiu sitting in the passenger seat and frowned. He still could not get over Qi Xiu¡¯s behavior earlier and looked at him in contempt. ¡°Are you really just going toe with us?¡±

    Qi Xiu nodded and swept a nce at Shen Xi. ¡°She said she¡¯d take care of everything for me.¡±

    Shen Feng snorted with disdain. ¡°You¡¯re not going home to pack your luggage?¡±

    Qi Xiu replied, ¡°She¡¯ll buy it for me.¡±

    Shen Feng frowned even more. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say goodbye to your family?¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s going to the Capital to work. It¡¯s not a weekend trip to the suburbs. Shouldn¡¯t he at least go home to tell his family or take his belongings?¡¯

    Qi Xiu said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a family.¡±

    Shen Feng was speechless. ¡®F*ck¡­ You win.¡¯

    Qi Xiu was all alone and only had a broken guitar with him when he followed Shen Xi and Shen Feng back to their house.

    With the address given by the police, Xia Hai took Xia Ze and brought a gift to Qi Xiu¡¯s house wanting to apologize to him.

    Qi Xiu lived in an old rented house near the city¡¯s First High School. The door was locked and he was not home. After they waited for two hours, Qi Xiu still did note back, so Xia Hai and Xia Ze went home and thought toe back tomorrow.

    Early the next morning, Shen Xi¡¯s family was bringing the abducted Qi Xiu with them back to the Capital.

    Shen Feng drove them to the airport.

    Shen Tang wanted to go to the Capital with her parents so that she could help take care of the family¡¯s business before they left.

    When Shen Xi arrived at the airport, Shen Tang called and said that Wen Wen found Yu Qiubai¡¯s ring on the side of the road, but it was toote to send it over to them. Thus, she asked if she could courier it to them instead.

    Shen Xi called Yu Qiubai to ask about it, but Yu Qiubai was afraid it would get lost in transit, so he wanted them to bring it back for him personally. He also said that he would buy them dinner after he got his ring.

    The fifth day of the Lunar New Year was when most people started work and school. The Capital also resumed its previous hustle and bustle with people everywhere.

    When Qi Xiu arrived at the Capital, Shen Xi arranged for him to meet Yu Yuan to sign the contract. She also arranged for him to stay in thepany¡¯s staff dormitory.

    Qi Xiu never dreamed that he would not only be given the freedom to create music without anyone interfering with his productions, but also a high position as the Director of the Music Department of Cosmos Entertainment.

    He was the only one in the Music Department of Cosmos Entertainment, which was only officially established when he signed with them. Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen also told him that after a while, a signed female singer would join them.

    As thepany¡¯s music director, he had the say in the genre and style of music of future singers in thepany. He would also be involved in ensuring the quality of the music produced and the selection of neers. He suddenly had a sense of overwhelming pressure.

    However, Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen and President Yuan trusted him deeply. They not only gave him absolute freedom and sovereignty in music production, but also gave him such an important role in thepany. He promised to work hard so that he would not let them down.

    Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen had given him his first task, which was to release his single on March 18th.

    He was in charge of the production and music video shooting. The various resources of thepany were also at his disposal. He was also the first singer to debut in Cosmos Entertainment.

    That day, the weather in the Capital was surprisingly good and sunny.

    Kun Lun looked at the man who had been looking at the wall since this morning and secretly smiled as he lowered his head.

    Boss finally got attached to someone and finally seemed more like a human. He was no longer emotionless, lonely, and dested like before.

    Kun Lun looked up in the direction of the wall. Ms. Shen¡¯s parents came back and left again, but he did not see Ms. Shen, so he inquired about it.

    Ms. Shen did not follow her parents home after getting off the ne and went straight to her office with the singer she had been looking for. No one knew when she would return, but for the whole day, his boss was looking forward to seeing her.

    Shen Xi sneezed and thought, ¡®Brother must be missing me.¡¯

    She touched her nose and looked in the direction of their neighborhood with a silly smile.

    Came evening, the sky was painted dark orange. It felt warm when the sun shone on her.

    Shen Xi opened the door and climbed up thedder at once. She looked around and did not see the man¡¯s figure. Her heart suddenly felt empty and the candied hawthorn she was eating lost its vor.

    ¡®He¡¯s not there. He¡¯s not waiting for me either.¡¯

    This knowledge pained her heart.

    She did not know why she was so sad. The tip of her nose felt sore and her eyes were swollen. She was so sad that she felt like crying.

    That was because she was looking forward to seeing him after so long. She thought that he reciprocated her feelings, but it turned out that it was just her wishful thinking. She was just excited for nothing.

    ¡®Who am I to him? What right did I have to ask this of him?¡¯

    Shen Xi told him that she wasing back today, but he did not have the obligation to wait for her at home.

    Li Yuan was doing some work in the study. Suddenly, he felt something and turned his head to see the girl¡¯s small head by the wall.

    The girl was wearing a white down jacket with a white woolen hat. She held two sticks of candied hawthorns and looked like a cute elf.

    However, her happy and excited expression froze for a moment when she saw the empty courtyard. She then looked so lost and sad that herrge clear eyes looked so watery.

    Li Yuan rolled his wheelchair to the window as fast as he could and pushed it open. His voice carried some panic and anxiousness as he called out to her. ¡°Xixi!¡±

    When Shen Xi heard his voice, she thought that she was hallucinating, but when she saw the man, the bitter taste in her mouth turned into sweetness. She waved her arm and happily called out, ¡°Brother!¡±

    ¡®I knew that it wasn¡¯t wishful thinking. He was waiting for me!¡¯

    The man¡¯s face did not have his usual calmness and elegance, but a panic that she had never seen before. It was like a stone was suddenly thrown into a calmke, causing ripples all over.

    Li Yuan looked at the sweet smile on the girl¡¯s face that melted his heart. He smiled at her and said, ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll go find Toffeecito.¡±

    He was in the study and she was at the wall, so the distance between the two of them was a little far and they had to yell when they talked to hear each other.

    Shen Xi bit into the candied hawthorn and suddenly felt that talking from a distance was pretty interesting. It reminded her of the teenage girls singing love songs across a hill in Northern Shaanxi.

    Not long after, the handsome man rolled out his wheelchair to the living room door and chased the little kitten that ran wildly in front of him. He looked a little helpless as he called out. ¡°Toffeecito!¡±

 Chapter 330 - Facing Reality

    <h4>Chapter 330: Facing Reality</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    When Toffeecito saw Shen Xi, it ignored Li Yuan and ran to Shen Xi with its short legs.

    Shen Xiughed when she saw the adorable scene. Her eyes were filled with happiness as she shouted, ¡°Toffeecito!¡±

    After one week of not seeing the little one, it grew a lot and became fatter. When it ran, it was like a cute fluffy ball.

    Li Yuan looked at the little one that sped ahead of him. The kitten was already at the base of the wall in a sh, meowing and begging for a hug while looking up at Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi shrugged and looked at the little ball of fluff. She pointed to the man at the back and smiled. ¡°Get him to help you. I can¡¯t carry you.¡±

    Toffeecito was circling in excitement.?It looked at Shen Xi for a while, then at Li Yuan in his wheelchair.

    Both of them just looked at the kitten and did not try to carry it. The little one was anxious and decided to rely on its own strength to climb up the wall.

    However, Toffeecito was too small and could not even climb its cat climber properly, so he could not climb such a high wall. Its little paws climbed less than two feet before it fell.

    Shen Xi mocked the kitten and beckoned it to try again. ¡°Come on, climb!¡±

    Toffeecito was persistent. After shaking off some dried grass on its head, it began to climb again. This time, it was more vigorous.

    Li Yuan was a little distressed and looked at the girl. ¡°Don¡¯t tease Toffeecito¡­ He misses you.¡±

    ¡®I miss you too¡­¡¯

    ¡°Toffeecito didn¡¯t miss me. Look at him, he¡¯s so fat, so he clearly ate and slept well!¡± Shen Xiughed and muttered.

    Shen Xi then got her small basket and set it down for Toffeecito. She watched as the little kitten crawled in with its four short legs and sat obediently inside, much like a cute kindergarten kid on a school bus.

    ¡°Toffeecito was already anxious when your parents came back at noon!¡± Li Yuan smiled and added, ¡°When he heard your father¡¯s voice, he made a fuss for a long time. It looks like I should have Toffeecito with me more often in the future. Otherwise, he won¡¯t be close to me.¡±

    This little one was very smart and understood everything. When Toffeecito heard Kun Lun said that he was going to Song Wenye¡¯s house, the kitten quickly hugged Li Yuan as it was afraid to be sent away again.

    ¡°My father raised Toffeecito, so of course it¡¯s close to my father, even more so than to me!¡± Shen Xi pinched the little one¡¯s fluffy ears. ¡°Look at you¡­ If you eat any more, you¡¯ll turn into a ball!¡±

    Toffeecito meowed pitifully and rubbed its fluffy little head on her palm. He then turned to look at Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan coughed slightly and exined somewhat sheepishly, ¡°That¡¯s because he keeps making a fuss to eat.¡±

    He thought that Toffeecito looked fine. It was so round and cute!

    ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t feed him so much in the future. Otherwise, he¡¯s going to be obese and diabetic at a young age!¡± Shen Xi tapped the little one¡¯s head. ¡°Got it?¡±

    When Toffeecito heard that he could not eat, he looked back at Li Yuan with its small aggrieved eyes and probably thought that it was toote for him to jump back down.

    Li Yuan saw its pitiful face and wanted to plead its case, but seeing the girl¡¯s threatening eyes, he justughed and said, ¡°Your mom¡¯s right. You¡¯re gonna have health problems if you eat so much.¡±

    This was the first time Shen Xi heard him calling her ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Mom¡±. The tip of the heart suddenly trembled and her heart was pounding. She instantly felt some heat on her cheeks and her eyes drifted around.

    At that moment, she felt as if he knew that she had changed his caller ID to ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad¡±?

    Li Yuan was calm. The smile in his eyes deepened as he looked at the girl and asked, ¡°Are things still going well at yourpany?¡±

    He thought, ¡®Her friend who called me Toffeecito¡¯s Dad must have called her Toffeecito¡¯s Mom too.¡¯ Her desire to cover up was so cute that his heart melted.

    Shen Xi tried to calm herself down, but her heart was still pounding. She dared not look at the man, so she nced around. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±

    Li Yuan asked her about her work and changed the subject. The girl was in high spirits and told him about the interesting things that happened in her hometown during the New Year.

    When the two of them were together, whether it¡¯s chatting or just quietly doing their own thing, time always flew by.

    Before Shen Xi finished telling Li Yuan about her stories, the sky had already turned dark. She looked up and saw Old Shen¡¯s car parked in front of the house.

    Shen Zhangqing just entered the door and saw the little one in his daughter¡¯s arms. He was so excited that he could cry. ¡°Toffeecito! Come to Grandpa!¡±

    Toffeecito was initially lying quietly in Shen Xi¡¯s arms with closed eyes as the two of them talked. Just when it was about to fall asleep, it heard Old Shen¡¯s voice and was immediately pumped up in excitement. It meowed excitedly and stretched its little paws, wanting to jump down.

    Shen Xi looked at Li Yuan longingly and said a little reluctantly, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll have to go. Toffeecito wants to jump down.¡±

    Li Yuan answered and saw the girl waving at him. Soon, she disappeared and his heart instantly felt empty again.

    Across the street.

    A voice resounded.

    It was a man¡¯s righteous voice. ¡°Why are you stopping me? I wanna go and thank our neighbor for taking care of Toffeecito!¡±

    The girl said, ¡°I¡¯ve already thanked him, so you don¡¯t need to go over. Don¡¯t you miss Toffeecito? Here you go.¡±

    Li Yuan listened to the conversation between the father and daughter with aplicated look in his eyes. He looked at his own legs and smiled self-deprecatingly. The light in his eyes also dimmed with the silence.

    At the end of the day, he still had to face reality.

    Even if the girl could ept him looking like this, could her parents ept him?

    No parent in this world could ept their daughter marrying a disabled man.

    Kun Lun stood nearby and frowned as he looked at the man sitting quietly by the wall who was shrouded in ayer of darkness.

    ¡®Is Boss worried about Ms. Shen¡¯s parents?¡¯

    Shen Zhangqing bought dinner from a restaurant.

    While they were eating, Shen Zhangqing pretended to ask casually, ¡°Xixi, what does our neighbor do?¡±

    Shen Xi gnawed on a chicken drumstick. ¡°He¡¯s a boss.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing asked again, ¡°How old is he? What kind ofpany does he own?¡±

    His daughter¡¯s attitude toward that neighbor was getting stranger, so he wanted to know who the neighbor was and what he looked like.

    Before Shen Zhangqing went back to his hometown for the New Year, he had secretly climbed up thedder several times, but he did not get to see the neighbor.

    This neighbor was very mysterious. He had moved here for over half a year, but besides Shen Xi, no one had seen what he looked like.

    Shen Xi suddenly became alert. ¡°He does everything. It¡¯s quite random. Dad, are you doing a background check on him?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing did not want his daughter to get suspicious, so heughed it off. ¡°I¡¯m just asking casually. I noticed he¡¯s quite busy every day and I never saw him.¡±

    He was just afraid that his adolescent daughter would be cheated by an old man. By then, it would be toote for regrets.

 Chapter 331 - Is Toffeecitoâ€™s Dad at Home?

    <h4>Chapter 331: Is Toffeecito¡¯s Dad at Home?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    After dinner, Shen Xi cleaned up andy on the bed fretting over the situation.

    Old Shen had already begun to suspect Li Yuan¡¯s identity. It was impossible to hide it forever, but she had not locked him down yet!

    If her parents found out and said something to him, all her efforts of pursuing him would be for naught.

    Her phone vibrated.

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad: Are you asleep?

    Shen Xiid on her bed and typed, ¡°No.¡±

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad: Go to bed early.

    Shen Xi: Okay.

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad: Goodnight.

    Shen Xi sent a voice note. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    Not long after, Li Yuan also sent a voice note. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was already beautiful, maic, and alluring that it made her heart melt. When he said ¡°goodnight¡±, it was also a little hoarse.

    Shen Xi put it to her ear and listened to it over and over again. She held the phone and rolled around happily on the bed.

    In the vi next door.

    ¡°Boss, this document¡­¡± Kun Lun pushed the door open and heard a soft and sweet goodnight from the girl. It sounded so sweet that he could feel it in his heart.

    The man across from him held the phone in his hand and had a silly smile on his face. The tenderness in the man¡¯s eyes could drown someone.

    Li Yuan put his phone on the desk. His face had returned to its usual coldness, but the tenderness in his eyes was still unconcealed. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Give it to me.¡±

    When Kun Lun handed over the documents, he identally swept a nce at the phone and saw the name on it: ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Mom¡±.

    ¡®OMG!¡¯

    If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would not have believed that the living King of Hell would actually be such a softie.

    No wonder people said that those in love were fools.

    Boss was not even dating yet and was already like this.

    If they start datingter, Kun Lun would have to endure seeing their lovey-dovey faces every day¡­

    That night, some people were happy, while others were frustrated and could not sleep.

    Shen Zhangqing had already begun to be suspicious. After all, he had raised Shen Xi as his own daughter, so she could not hide anything from him. Even if the neighbor was a disabled person, his daughter was just too attentive.

    When Yun Jinping returned, it was already past midnight. She took a shower and walked into the bedroom gingerly. The person lying on the bed suddenly sat up.

    ¡°Honey, why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡±

    ¡°Darling, I can¡¯t sleep¡­¡± Shen Zhangqing looked at her with a sad face. ¡°Who do you think our neighbor is?¡±

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Xixi say that he¡¯s disabled?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing heard it and knew that he was more alert than his wife. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that Xixi is being too nice to him? Even if she sympathized with him, there¡¯s no need to talk to him every day!¡±

    Yun Jinping thought he was overthinking it and said, ¡°It¡¯s not every day. It¡¯s been more than a month since they spoke. She¡¯s just curious in the beginning.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing sighed. ¡°She was holding Toffeecito and talking to him on the wall again today!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he take care of Toffeecito? What¡¯s wrong with them talking? Is he not allowed to see Toffeecito?¡± Yun Jinping thought that her husband was being paranoid. ¡°This child is soft-hearted, kind-hearted, and empathetic, so she sympathized with her disabled neighbor and gave him a little more attention.¡±

    Besides, their neighbor was an old man and must be about the same age as Old Shen. Xixi liked handsome boys and not older men.

    ¡°Some old men specialize in tricking little girls with their sweet talk. I¡¯m afraid that our Xixi will get scammed!¡± Shen Zhangqing was still worried and felt that it was more than met the eye.

    ¡°Are you going through menopause?¡± Yun Jinpingughed. ¡°You told mest time that Xixi was in love with Qingxuan, thenst time, you told me that Xixi might like Lil¡¯ Yu. You get suspicious as long as she gets close to any boy¡­¡±

    Since their daughter was growing up, Shen Zhangqing was just afraid that his daughter would be snatched away by another man. When he saw a boy of a simr age getting a little closer to Shen Xi, he just felt that his daughter would be taken away.

    Shen Zhangqing was adamant that his daughter was still young and should not date at her age. Hey on the bed and muttered, ¡°I must see what this neighbor looks like.¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled helplessly. After cleaning up, she went to bed too.

    The neighbor had moved in for more than half a year, but she had not seen him before. She could not climb up the wall like her daughter to see him.

    When her husband mentioned it, it piqued her interest in how the neighbor looked and how old he was.

    **

    No. 4 High School resumed sses on the eighth day of the New Year.

    On the night of the seventh day, thest episode of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was aired.

    Pei Xu and Song Wenye with a group of ssmates from the international ss went over to Shen Xi¡¯s home to watch the grand finale. It was the same as thest time. They brought a variety of barbecue tools and ingredients, ready to celebrate.

    Shen Xi took a small stool and sat at the door. She watched the group of people in the yard and sighed helplessly.

    Yun Jinping was not at home and Yu Yuanxi took a break from school to shoot for a series. He had just joined the castst night. Everyone was clueless in the kitchen, let alone barbecue.

    Song Wenye carried a te of grilled meat and handed Shen Xi amb skewer. ¡°You¡¯re the master of this house, so shouldn¡¯t you help out?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you guys toe over.¡± Shen Xi took a bite of themb skewer and spit it out. It was not cooked. Themb was still bloody!

    Song Wenye took a look and grabbed it. She said seriously, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look cooked yet. Let me grill it for a while longer.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eye twitched. ¡®Great!¡¯

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me over for the barbecue?¡± The door was suddenly pushed open, and Yu Qiubai walked in.

    Shen Xi was about to tell him to get lost, but she swallowed her words and thought, ¡®Forget it, everyone¡¯s here, so one more makes no difference.¡¯

    Pei Xu saw himing in and was surprisingly not angry. He only nced at him and shouted, ¡°Come over here and start grilling!¡±

    Yu Qiubai waved at Shen Xi, shed his foxy smile, and went over to help grill the meat.

    Momentster, Song Wenye came over with a te of barbecue and sat next to Shen Xi. While eating, she said, ¡°Yu Qiubai grilled this. Although he¡¯s not a great person, he¡¯s pretty good at barbecue!¡±

    Shen Xi was watching him grill and knew that he must be good. He looked like a professional pitmaster and waspletely different from all the other amateurs.

    Song Wenye also looked at the opposite wall and nudged Shen Xi with an ambiguous face. ¡°Is Toffeecito¡¯s dad at home? Why don¡¯t you invite him over to have some fun?¡±

    When Shen Xi heard the words ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad¡±, her heart melted and her eyes looked so sweet. ¡°He¡¯s not home.¡±

    Song Wenye smiled more ambiguously and leaned into her. ¡°Have you two confirmed your rtionship?¡±

    ¡®OMG, look at her smile! It¡¯s so sweet that I¡¯m gonna get diabetes!¡¯

    Shen Xi shook her head. She would like to but now was not the time because she was not 18 yet. Li Yuan would certainly think that she was too young.

 Chapter 332 - Smashed the TV

    <h4>Chapter 332: Smashed the TV</h4>

    Song Wenye was so confident and eloquent when she advised Shen Xi as if she was a master of love. ¡°I¡¯m 100% certain that he likes you. Anyway, you can¡¯t confess first. You should wait for him to confess to you. In a rtionship, the girl will be at a disadvantage if she confesses first.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes at Song Wenye because she was talking like she had been in love before.

    Song Wenye patted her chest. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t have any personal experience in this, I¡¯ve seen a lot of romance shows and read romance novels, so you should listen to me.¡±

    Shen Xi did not say anything.

    Pei Xu came over and sat next to them. He smiled and asked, ¡°What are you going to do with the money you earn?¡±

    After the closing of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± tonight, they would collect their bet money. Thinking about the amount made them all excited.

    This time, the Su family would not go bankrupt, but they would sustain a huge loss.

    Song Wenye nced at Yu Qiubai and signaled for Pei Xu to keep it a secret from Yu Qiubai. Although Yu Qiubai had a fallout with Su Mushi, who knew when they would reconcile.

    ¡°You think he doesn¡¯t know?¡± Pei Xu looked at her like she was a naive little girl.

    Yu Qiubai was as cunning as a fox, so what would he not know about? He was fully aware that the International ss had bets on the ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    Shen Xi also nodded and said, ¡°He might have even bet more than we did!¡±

    ¡°What are you guys saying about me?¡± Yu Qiubai carried a te of grilled meat over and squinted his foxy eyes as he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the finale of ¡®The Smiling Nation¡¯ today. I think the ratings can certainly be more than 30%, so the average rating will be more than 20%. I¡¯d really like to see this amazing scriptwriter, Yun Qi.¡±

    When he said the name ¡°Yun Qi¡±, he enunciated it while his foxy eyes were fixated on Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi cursed this damned fox in her heart and looked at him. ¡°How much did you bet?¡±

    ¡°I was going to tell you about this!¡± Yu Qiubai sat down. ¡°I didn¡¯t bet much, only 10 million. After all, Su Mushi is my bro and I don¡¯t wanna make it too awkward between us. This money can be considered as the International ss¡¯s bet.¡±

    Shen Xi coldly swept him a nce. ¡°Consider it ours? Then will you give us the winnings?¡±

    She had guessed it right. Su Mushi being friends with Yu Qiubai was his bad luck. She even felt bad for that fool.

    Yu Qiubai smiled ambiguously. ¡°If you want it, I¡¯ll give it to you. After all, it¡¯s thanks to you that I won this bet.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at his annoying expression and wanted to kick him for saying these obscure words.

    Pei Xu¡¯s eyes darkened. He somehow felt that there was a secret between them with their own inside joke. Yu Qiubai¡¯s words definitely had a hidden meaning to them.

    Song Wenye was like a protective mother bear and pulled Shen Xi behind her while she red at Yu Qiubai. ¡°Yu Qiubai! I¡¯m warning you, you¡¯d better not hit on my Xixi! She already has someone!¡±

    Yu Qiubai raised his eyebrows and became more intrigued. He stretched his sentence. ¡°Oh¡­ really¡­? Who¡­ is¡­ it?¡±

    Song Wenye looked fierce and yelled, ¡°None of your business!¡±

    Yu Qiubai was simply too annoying. His smile was so unpleasant and she really wanted to rip his face apart.

    The Shen family home was very lively that night, but at the Su family home, Su Mushi was all alone.

    Su Mushi sat on the sofa and was watching TV. The lights in the room were all turned off. Only the light of the TV shone on his gloomy and menacing face.

    The TV was showing thest episode of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    News of this finale was on Weibo¡¯s hot topics for the past two days. Today, the cast of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± stole the headlines all day and upied most of the hot topics on social media.

    The average viewership of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± reached 19.5%, and the grand finale would definitely set a new high. Some spected that the highest it could reach was 30%.

    Time passed by slowly.

    Su Mushi¡¯s mood changed with time. He felt more aggravated and so much resentment, like the evil spirits from hell.

    An hourter, the finale of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± ended, and the end credits were ying.

    Su Mushi suddenly stood up, took a chair next to him, and walked angrily towards the TV. He then raised the chair and viciously smashed the TV.

    There was a loud crash.

    The moment the TV shattered, there was a spark.

    The surrounding lights and crystal chandelier overhead shed twice before they cked out because of the sudden short circuit. It was pitch ck.

    Su Ruowan had just gotten to the living room door, just in time to witness the scene in front of her. Her eyes flickered, and the next moment, she pretended to panic and rushed over with a worried cry. ¡°Third Brother! What are you doing?¡±

    The ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± broke the record of Chinese TV dramas ratings in twenty years because of everyone¡¯s support.

    If only Su Mushi had taken the lead role in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, he would be the hottest celebrity, not that He Pei!

    Su Mushi red viciously at the TV. The look in his eyes was hideous and twisted. He was in a mental breakdown and absorbed in a state of madness that he could not even hear someone shouting at him.

    Su Ruowan rushed to him and pulled his arm. Her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re bleeding.¡±

    Su Mushi was extremely angry. Regret filled every cell of his body and he could not control his emotions. He shrugged his hand away and pushed Su Ruowan to the ground.

    Su Ruowan fell with a painful muffled grunt. A sharp pain was felt in her palm, and her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Third Brother¡­¡±

    Her brother was like a madman who had lost his mind. He did not even look at her and his eyes were crimson with anger as he smashed everything in sight.

    There were loud noises of things being broken in the living room. Tables and chairs we smashed and porcin shattered.

    Su Ruowan endured the pain and ran over to him. She hugged him from behind and cried as she shouted, ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t do this! I beg you, don¡¯t do this¡­ I¡¯m Wanwan. Look at me, it¡¯s me, Wanwan! Wake up!¡±

    The vase in Su Mushi¡¯s hand shattered at his feet. Finally, a little reason returned to him. His voice was hoarse. ¡°Wanwan, am I useless?¡±

    ¡°No, Third Brother, you¡¯re the best person in this world,¡± Su Ruowan cried softly but her gaze remained sinister. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re the strongest person in this world. You¡¯ll always be my hero.¡±

    ¡®Useless? Yes, you¡¯re very useless! If you had your own mind, you wouldn¡¯t have listened to everyone else and stuck to your opinion!¡¯ Su Ruowan thought.

    Su Mushi was chosen as the main actor for ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± initially. If he had stuck to his idea and filmed this series, he would instead be the one who had gone viral.

    The royalties from ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± alone were enough for him to show off for life. He would be in the history of the Chinese entertainment industry and would be at the top of the mountain.

 Chapter 333 - Robbed

    <h4>Chapter 333: Robbed</h4>

    ¡°Wanwan, you know nothing¡­¡± Su Mushi was remorseful. He did not know who to hate and felt bitter. In the end, he only murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything¡­¡±

    Su Ruowan had no idea that he regretted not taking up the role in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± and that he hated himself for not sticking to his guts and instead listened to his parents. He also hated them for meddling in his affairs.

    He hated and feared that after the broadcast of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was over and the final ratings came out, their family¡¯s gaming tform would have to pay out a huge amount of money. They might even have to sell half of the Su family¡¯s assets to pay out the bets.

    If his dad found out, he would definitely kill him!

    The TV was smashed and the living room was in a mess. There was also a ckout from the short-circuit.

    Su Ruowan found the first aid kit, turned on the shlight from her cell phone, and treated his wound. She asked him worriedly, ¡°Third Brother, does it hurt?¡±

    Su Mushi looked at her and shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    He could no longer feel anything because regret, anger, resentment, and fear upied every cell of his body.

    At the start, if he had not listened to his parents and did not reject ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, all the glory now would have belonged to him.

    If he had not listened to his parents, thinking that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± would surely be a flop, he would not have been so arrogant and indignant to set up a bet, then he would not have lost so much money all at once.

    However, there were no what-ifs in this world. Even if he regretted his guts or killed himself, it would not change the oue.

    He hated himself for not persisting. He hated his parents for stopping him. He really liked the script at that time. If they had not said that ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± was a bad show, he would not have given up.

    ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t be sad¡­ You¡¯ll definitely be the male lead for the next show written by scriptwriter Yun Qi. Did she not like you a lot? You¡¯re the first one she asked!¡± Su Ruowanforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since she¡¯s popr now, she¡¯ll surely pave the way for you.¡±

    When Su Mushi heard her words, a hint of hope shed across his eyes. It was as if he was drowning and he suddenly caught onto a lifebuoy. He looked at Su Ruowan and said in an anxious voice, desperate to get someone¡¯s affirmation. ¡°Really? Do you really think that I¡¯ll be in her next drama?¡±

    He was so blinded by jealousy and regret that he forgot that he was the first person Yun Qi had approached, which meant that Yun Qi must have liked him a lot. Otherwise, why would she ask him first? Yun Qi might even be his fan!

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Su Ruowan looked at him seriously and nodded incessantly. ¡°Otherwise, why didn¡¯t Yun Qi look for someone else when you didn¡¯t ept the role? She only found a neer, so it meant that you were her first choice for the male lead role.¡±

    The entertainment industry was huge with so many actors. It was not a coincidence that Yun Qi handed him the script, so she must be interested in him.

    However, it was also possible that Yun Qi would hate him and never use him again since he had rejected her script. After all, Yun Qi was now the most popr scriptwriter in the Chinese entertainment industry.

    Su Ruowan heard that after the ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± went up, some big-name actors and actresses in the entertainment industry even lowered their prices and reached out to Yun Qi, wanting to work with her.

    Su Mushi felt a glimmer of hope. He felt much better and did not hate ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± or Yun Qi that much. Su Ruowan suddenly let out a muffled grunt, so he anxiously pulled her hand to find that it was bloody. ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re injured.¡±

    She jerked her hand and shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Su Mushi took her hand and saw some broken ss in her bleeding palm. He felt heartbroken. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything when you were hurt?¡±

    Su Ruowan bit her lips. Her eyes watered as she nervously tried to pull her hand back. ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re the most important person to me.¡±

    He heard this and felt his heart skip a beat. There were traces of lust in his eyes and his gaze at that moment became impure.

    She could feel his heavy breathing and the sickening desire in his eyes. She sneered in her heart, but she tilted her head and looked at him innocently. ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Ruowan knew that no one could resist her charm. She would make Su Yi and Su Mushi her puppets.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Su Mushi let go of her hand and moved with panic to get the disinfectant. ¡®How can I have such thoughts about my sister?¡¯

    Wanwan grew up with him. He loved and spoiled her, so how could he have such lecherous thoughts about her? He was simply a beast.

    Su Ruowan knew that Su Mushi¡¯s mind was in a mess, so she tested him again. When she sat down, she ¡°identally¡± tripped and fell into his arms.

    Su Mushi only felt the softness and warmth of such an attractive person in his arms. His Adam¡¯s apple moved and the desire in his eyes deepened. His hand that sped her waist unconsciously tightened.

    ¡°Is there no one at home?¡± The living room door opened, and Li Jingran¡¯s voice rang out in the dark.

    Su Mushi suddenly snapped from his trance and pushed Su Ruowan away. He breathed heavily and watched as she fell on the sofa. He then asked worriedly, ¡°Wanwan, are you okay?¡±

    Su Ruowan looked at him with an innocent and lost face, as if she did not know why he suddenly pushed her away.

    Su Mushi was seduced by her innocent look and felt ashamed. He was struggling on the fine line of morality and quickly averted his gaze.

    ¡®No, I can¡¯t! Wanwan is my sister! I can¡¯t have such thoughts about her!¡¯

    ¡°Honey, why is the light broken?¡± Li Jingran asked. She looked in the direction of the coffee table that had a shlight and squinted her eyes. ¡°Wanwan? Shi? What happened?¡±

    Su Yi turned on the shlight from his phone and saw the messy house like they had been robbed with things shattered everywhere. His face turned glum.

    Seeing the scene in front of her, Li Jingran ran over in a panic. ¡°Are you hurt? Are you two injured?¡±

    ¡®Were they robbed?!¡¯

    Su Ruowan stood up and lied for Su Mushi. ¡°Mom, someone broke into the house, and Third Brother chased them away.¡±

    When Li Jingran heard that, her face turned pale with fear, and hurriedly went to check on her son¡¯s injuries.

    Su Yi sneered and looked at Su Mushi. He then asked in a stern voice, ¡°Shi, did someone really break in?¡±

    If they were robbed, why did they not call the police?

    The security guards they hired did not have any reaction when they came home either.

 Chapter 334 - Regret

    <h4>Chapter 334: Regret</h4>

    Su Mushi looked at Su Ruowan and felt grateful that she tried to cover up for him, but he knew he could not hide what he did since there were surveince cameras at home. He stood up and said, ¡°No, I did this.¡±

    Su Yi was livid. He took the feather duster lying on the side and without a word, he started to whip Su Mushi wildly with it.

    Su Ruowan could not stand it anymore, so she rushed over and hugged Su Mushi, protecting him with her body as she cried. ¡°Dad, stop hitting Third Brother! Hit me if you want. Third Brother was just feeling sad and he didn¡¯t mean to make such a mess.¡±

    The veins on Su Yi¡¯s forehead twitched. He raised the feather duster in his hand but did not hit her because she was a girl. Finally, he sternly yelled, ¡°Su Mushi, go to the ancestral hall!¡±

    ¡®Great! He smashed up the house just because he¡¯s in a bad mood, huh? I¡¯m also in a bad mood! Should I just beat this unfilial thing to death?!¡¯

    Li Jingran pulled Su Yi back. She was heartbroken and remorseful. ¡°Honey, Shi is under a lot of pressure these days. That show has affected him too much. He¡¯s just a child.¡±

    In the end, this was still their fault, so she understood what her son was feeling.

    If the two of them had not stopped him, Shi would have taken on ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± and he would not be in this situation today.

    Shi was asked to be the main character of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. Being in this TV series could catapult him into fame. He could have won the year-end drama awards and would turn into a big movie star.

    Even the supporting characters had jumped to be the B-listers in the entertainment industry with an exponential increase in their fan base.

    Su Ruowan took advantage of this opportunity to pull Su Mushi away. She cried until her eyes were red and swollen. She looked at him heartbroken. ¡°Third Brother, why didn¡¯t you hide away?¡±

    Su Mushi did not say anything. Seeing her red and swollen eyes, he had aplicated look on his face.

    ¡®Wanwan¡¯s not my biological sister, so why can¡¯t I have feelings for her? We don¡¯t have any blood rtions, so it¡¯s not considered incest.¡¯

    The living room was an utter mess. Su Yi was so angry that he almost got a heart attack. When he saw Su Ruowan pulling Su Mushi away, he raised the feather duster in his hand and hurled it at his son again.

    ¡®This unfilial son! He wants to anger me to death! That show is done and dusted, so it¡¯s useless crying over spilled milk. He even dared to lose his temper?! He just did this to infuriate me!¡¯

    Li Jingran pulled her son close and cried sadly. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t get mad. Just let him vent it.¡±

    The Su family had an unfortunate year. Nothing went smoothlytely.

    Su Yi finally calmed down, but there was still anger in his eyes. ¡°Just ignore that boy. Their sses start tomorrow, so you should go over and pick up Xixi. Pay for her tuition and give her living expenses. After all, she¡¯s our daughter, so we can¡¯t let others raise her.¡±

    When Li Jingran heard Shen Xi¡¯s name, she was furious, but she did not dare to go against Su Yi at this moment, so she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡®That brat! It¡¯s all because of that brat! She humiliated me, but I still need to beg her?!¡¯

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Situ family just give you a set of makeup? Take it to her tomorrow,¡± Su Yi instructed. He believed that Shen Xi woulde home as long as they gave her the best of everything.

    Li Jingran gritted her teeth and was exasperated that her body began to tremble. She retorted resentfully. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have a good rtionship with Situ Zhangyou? I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t have a shortage of this.¡±

    Su Yi red at her fiercely. ¡°Even if she has it, that¡¯s hers. This is just a good gesture so that she can see that we care about her ande home with us.¡±

    No matter what, Su Yi must bring Shen Xi home because she was the lucky star of their family.

    Ever since she left the Su family, bad things had been happening, and his business was not going smoothly.

    If she came back, everything would be back on track. His business would be booming, and the status of the Su family would be higher.

    Li Jingran was frustrated and speechless.

    ¡®Fine! I¡¯ll give it to her! I¡¯ll give her everything! If he wanted her back so badly, why didn¡¯t he promise to give her the entire Su family fortune?¡¯

    Li Jingran wanted to see if Shen Xi woulde home after they gave her everything and begged her.

    **

    The first day of school at No. 4 High School was just to report to ss and pack up. There were no lectures that day.

    The International ss students were crazy. They had always wished for a holiday when they were at school and vice versa, so their ss was very lively that day.

    Today was also when they could collect their debt. They were waiting for the gaming site to deposit the money to them. Before the money even arrived, they started nning how to spend it.

    The rowdy Song Wenye was not there because she was taking dance lessons with Shu Baiyu. She was on a half-month leave, so the girls in ss were saddened by her absence.

    Shen Xi was finally able to have some peace. No one would pester her and chatter nonstop next to her.

    Pei Xu came to ss too. His long legs were sprawled out on the table and he had a lollipop in his mouth. He looked like a handsome rogue as he asked Shen Xi, ¡°Do you think the Su family will give us the money?¡±

    It was not a small amount. Including Yu Qiubai¡¯s bet, that would add up to more than 4 billion yuan. The Su family might just turn their backs and renege on the debt.

    Shen Xi was seriously considering the problem. She casually said, ¡°If he does, then you can sue him or hire someone to pester him to collect the debt.¡±

    Su Yi was a miser. He was paranoid and was even suspicious of his family, thinking that they were eyeing his money or trying to steal hispany and assets.

    However, Su Yi never gambled and did not fancy taking risks in business. Thus, Shen Xi was sure that Su Yi was clueless about the bet this time, which was probably the Su brothers¡¯ doing.

    In that case, what would happen next would be even more interesting. Su Yi would certainly renege this bet and would not go easy on his sons.

    Pei Xu snapped his fingers and smiled more roguishly. ¡°That¡¯s right! If he doesn¡¯t pay, we¡¯ll just pester him at his office and his house. I¡¯d like to see how he¡¯ll handle it!¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, the teacher asked you over to the office.¡± Their ssmate who just walked in called out to her.

    Pei Xu watched as she got up to leave. He threw her a lollipop and teased her. ¡°You got first in our grade, so I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going over to receive a schrship. You¡¯re not gonna treat us to dinner?¡±

    Every year, the school issues schrships on the first day of the school year. The schrship from No. 4 High School was very generous. The first ce was 50,000 yuan, which was enough to have fun at the bar with a few bottles of liquor.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Shen Xi agreed very quickly.

    The students in their ss jumped in excitement and urged her toe back quickly. While Shen Xi was receiving the schrship, they discussed what they should eat and would tell her once she returned.

    Shen Xi thought that she was going to the office for the schrship, but when she arrived, she saw the woman sitting on the couch. Her eyes instantly turned cold and she turned to leave without hesitating.

 Chapter 335 - Too Fake

    <h4>Chapter 335: Too Fake</h4>

    After a night of self-constion, Li Jingran regained her usual elegance andposure. She walked over to stop Shen Xi with a gentle smile. ¡°Xixi,e chat with Mommy!¡±

    Shen Xi looked at her coldly and said without any expression, ¡°Please get out of my way.¡±

    ¡°Xixi, are you still angry with Mommy?¡± Li Jingran pretended to be sad and lowered her eyes slightly. Her eyes even turned red as she held Shen Xi¡¯s hand. ¡°I know that it¡¯s our fault that you suffered. Mommy¡¯s not asking you to go home. I just wanted to see you.¡±

    Li Jingran was an actress and a Film Empress. Acting in front of an adolescent girl was so simple like it was her second nature.

    She was doing as she was told by Su Yi. Li Jingran had already thought of what to say and how to act when she was to meet Shen Xi. One night was enough for her to get into the act.

    Shen Xi looked at her mockingly andughed. ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us now, so who are you acting for, Film Empress Li?¡±

    Li Jingran looked at her with a sad face. ¡°Xixi, you can hate or don¡¯t forgive Mommy, but how can you look at Mommy like this? You¡¯re my precious baby that I carried for ten months in my womb. You¡¯re a part of me!¡±

    ¡°Film Empress Li, do you know why you only won awards in China and why none of your movies has gotten any international recognition?¡± Shen Xi asked her.

    Li Jingran was hurt by her words and looked at her with grief. ¡°I know that no matter what I do, you¡¯d think that I¡¯m acting. Do you want Mommy to take out my heart and show you?¡±

    ¡°Do it then,¡± Shen Xi said.

    Li Jingran almost vomited blood. She lowered her head and had tears in her eyes. Her voice was hoarse and seemingly filled with remorse. ¡°Mommy knows that you don¡¯t want to see me.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled cruelly. ¡°You said you wanted to take your heart out for me to see. Take it out then!¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s heart surged with anger, but she reminded herself that she was here to please this brat, not to make things worse. Thus, she only murmured sadly, ¡°You still hate Mommy so much.¡±

    Shen Xi sneered.

    ¡°I know that we¡¯ve had a misunderstanding,¡± Li Jingran sighed deeply and looked broken-hearted. She pulled out a bank card from her bag and handed it to Shen Xi. ¡°Mommy came here to give you your living expenses. Here¡¯s 100,000 yuan for you to spend. The password is six zeros.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the card in her hand with cold eyes and little interest.

    Li Jingran saw that Shen Xi did not reject her and thought, ¡®What a gold-digging brat!¡¯

    She then turned to fetch a nicely wrapped gift box from the table. ¡°This is thetest makeup set from the Situ family. Mommy only got one set, but you can have it first.¡±

    Shen Xi held the bank card in her left hand and the makeup set in her right. She walked to the door and stopped in her tracks, then turned back and said, ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    Li Jingran looked surprised when she heard Shen Xi speak. She called out to her with excitement and warmth in her voice. ¡°Xixi¡­¡±

    ¡°Your acting is too fake and pretentious.¡± Shen Xi shook her head regretfully, then continued in a serious tone. ¡°If you performed as seriously as when you act in front of me, you would¡¯ve made it international.¡±

    Li Jingran was panting and almost fainted from anger. Her hands hanging at her side clenched uncontrobly.

    ¡®This damned brat! Is she looking down on me?! She¡¯s so condescending and even dared to lecture me?! Who the hell is she to talk to me like that!¡¯

    After Shen Xi said that, she smiled innocently at Li Jingran, then turned to leave.

    A boy and a girl student walked over.

    Shen Xi stopped them. She looked at the boy and asked with a smile, ¡°Film Empress Li is treating the whole school to milk tea. Could you please help us get it?¡±

    Shen Xi was no stranger to the boys because she was popr in school. Shen Xi from the International ss was also Jiang Yin¡¯s apprentice, the great designer Cai Ni. The boy was shaken by her beautiful smile and could not respond instantly. He then nodded excitedly and replied, ¡°Y-yes, Goddess. I promise toplete the task!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, the password is six zeros,¡± Shen Xi politely handed him her bank card.

    The boy was so happy that he was about to faint. His goddess spoke to him and asked him for help. He quickly said, ¡°My pleasure!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and thanked him.

    The boy could not look at her for fear of fainting from excitement. He took the bank card and went toplete the task his goddess had asked of him.

    Shen Xi looked at the girl and gave her the gift box. ¡°This is a gift from Film Empress Li. It¡¯s the new makeup set from the Situ family.¡±

    Li Jingran was standing in the office doorway and watched as Shen Xi gave her bank card and makeup set that she had not even tried to someone else. Her face was instantly glum.

    The boy and the girl saw Li Jingran and ran to her excitedly to thank her for the milk tea and the gift box.

    Shen Xi could not be bothered to look back and left looking noble and cool.

    Li Jingran held the door frame to stabilize herself. Her blood was boiling and she felt that she would not be able to control her emotions and explode at any second.

    The first day of school was very lively.

    After the Top ss students reported their names, they just chatted idly.

    The girls in that ss were all from wealthy families and loved to spend time chatting on beauty and skincare products. They were talking about the new makeup setunched by the Situ family.

    Following theunch of their first beauty product, the anti-aging beauty pill ¡°Jewel Look¡±, this was the Situ family¡¯s first makeup series, the ¡°Snow Lotus Essence¡± makeup set.

    This high-end cosmetics set included three products: moisturizer, toner, and serum. It was priced at 19,999 yuan and had not been officiallyunched. Just like ¡°Jewel Look¡±, this cosmetics set was distributed as free trials.

    For this round, the original trial set was limited to 88 sets and they were sent to the elite circle and the A-listers in showbiz.

    Unfortunately, the students in the Top ss did not receive the trial set. Only one girl¡¯s aunt received it, which was just distributed yesterday.

    Chen Bingbing looked at Su Ruowan and asked her, ¡°Wanwan, did Aunt Li receive the Situ family¡¯s new makeup set?¡±

    Thest time when the Situ family gave away ¡°Jewel Look¡± for free, the Su family did not receive it probably because the Su family had offended the Situ family.

    Otherwise, the Su family would have gotten it because they were part of the elites in the Capital, and Aunt Li was a Film Empress.

    No one knew if Li Jingran received it this time. All the big names had received it, and many of them already shared their pictures on social media.

    Su Ruowan was reading a book. Hearing that, she smiled gently and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. My mom came backtest night and I was sleeping.¡±

    Just as she said this, a boy in their ss shouted at the door. ¡°Goddess Wanwan! Your mother came to school and treated the whole school to milk tea. She even gave a girl in Third ss a set of the Situ family¡¯s new cosmetics set.¡±

 Chapter 336 - Real and Fake Daughters

    <h4>Chapter 336: Real and Fake Daughters</h4>

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face looked like a tipped palette with different colors strewn across her face. Her hand that was holding the pen could not help but tighten.

    ¡®Mom came to school? Why wasn¡¯t I told?¡¯

    If her mom came to school without telling her, she must havee for that little b*tch Shen Xi!

    Chen Bingbing and some other girls looked at each other and did not know what was going on.

    The boys at the door were clueless either but they knew this news had spread around the school. Film Empress Li had taken 100,000 yuan and treated the whole school to milk tea. She even gave a set of cosmetics to a random girl she met.

    ¡°Wanwan, Auntie Li is so nice, ss President and you are really lucky to have her as your mom. Thanks to you guys, we get to drink milk tea bought by the Film Empress!¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, did your family receive several sets from the Situ family? I¡¯m so envious! Can you also give me a set?¡±

    ¡°If I had such a beautiful, kind-hearted, elegant, and generous mother, I think I¡¯d smile in my dreams.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t hide it from us. You must¡¯ve tried the products. How is it? Does it smell nice? Is it effective?¡±

    The girls in the Top ss looked envious after they heard what that boy said. They were so jealous but were still praising Wanwan.

    ¡®OMG! The Situ family¡¯s cosmetics are so precious, yet Auntie Li actually gave it away like it was no big deal¡­¡¯

    Su Ruowan had mixed feelings. Resentment, hatred, and jealousy tumbled in her heart as she stood up and left. ¡°I¡¯m going to find my mom.¡±

    ¡®Ha! Mom? What mother? She came to school for that b*tch Shen Xi, not for me and Shi!¡¯

    Her so-called parents only thought of Shen Xi who did not care about them anymore.

    The news of Li Jingran¡¯s arrival at the school soon spread. At first, the rumors were rampant but they were soon corrected.

    The truth was that Shen Xi took the bank card and the makeup, then she gave the boy the card to buy the whole school milk tea, saying that it was a treat from Film Empress Li.

    She then gave the cosmetics set to the girl, again saying that it was a gift from Film Empress Li.

    The key person was Shen Xi!

    When Su Ruowan heard this, a vicious glint shed in her eyes. ¡®That b*tch Shen Xi is everywhere! Why can¡¯t she just die!¡¯

    Other people did not know the truth, but she did.

    Her mother used the makeup set to gain favor with that little b*tch Shen Xi.

    The bank card for the milk tea was also given to Shen Xi by her mother.

    This knowledge made her eyes burn red with jealousy and hatred.

    That little b*tch Shen Xi was really her mother¡¯s biological daughter. ¡®Why didn¡¯t she give me the cosmetics set or the 100,000 yuan?¡¯

    Unfortunately, even if she stooped so low to please Shen Xi, that little b*tch still did not ept her and even passed the gifts on to random people.

    After Su Ruowan left, the Top ss started to gossip among each other.

    ¡°Rumors had it that Shen Xi and Film Empress Li look alike and that they¡¯re biologically rted.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I think they look alike too. Don¡¯t you think? At thest film festival, didn¡¯t the media specte that they were mother and daughter?¡±

    ¡°Then do you guys think that Goddess Wanwan is her real daughter?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Don¡¯t you guys think that Wanwan doesn¡¯t look like Film Empress Li or the Su family? She and the ss President are fraternal twins, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such a big difference in looks even for fraternal twins.¡±

    ¡°You mean, Shen Xi¡¯s the Su family¡¯s real daughter, not some distant rtive? Then Goddess Wanwan¡­¡±

    ¡°OMG! I have goosebumps thinking about it!¡±

    A group of them were busy gossiping and did not notice Su Ruowan standing in the doorway. The topic continued and went deeper into discussion as they tried to determine who was the real and fake daughter of the Su family.

    Su Ruowan did not get to see Li Jingran and came back. She stood at the door of the ssroom and stared at the people in the ss with hatred and a malevolent look in her eyes. She looked like an evil spirit filled with resentment that had just crawled out of hell. She could not wait to tear them apart.

    Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching.

    Su Ruowan returned to her senses and immediately put on a pitiful appearance. She bit her lip sadly and looked so fragile and helpless, like a white lotus flower after the rain.

    Su Mushi walked over and heard the ss gossiping. His eyes turned ruthless as he strode into the ssroom and shouted, ¡°Shut up! Who allowed you to talk nonsense?¡±

    ¡®What is that little b*tch Shen Xipared to Wanwan?¡¯

    When the ss heard his angry rebuke, they were scared and turned silent. They were looking at Su Mushi who was raging and ring at them.

    ¡°Third Brother,¡± Su Ruowan ran over and tried to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ You¡¯re scaring them.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes were on fire as he pointed at them and warned them in a cold voice. ¡°Don¡¯t talk behind people¡¯s backs. Wanwan is my sister, and I will only have one sister in my life! If I hear anyone talking nonsense again, I won¡¯t let you get away with it!¡±

    The people in the ss looked at each other andughed awkwardly. They then scattered and went back to their respective seats.

    ¡®Why is he so angry? Is he trying to cover it up? Is Shen Xi really his biological sister?¡¯

    However, no one dared to provoke Su Mushi with more questions when he was angry. He already said that Su Ruowan was his only sister.

    The gossiping group was so scared that they just quietly returned to their seats.

    Yu Qiubai came in and asked, ¡°Shi, did Auntie Lie over to pick up Xixi again?¡±

    Su Mushi shot daggers at him.

    If his gaze could kill, Yu Qiubai would be a corpse right now.

    The ss waspletely silent. Everyone reduced their presence to a backdrop. The two boys in front of them were in a stalemate and had broken off their ties, so no one knew what would happen next.

    However, Yu Qiubai¡¯s words added to their doubts and gave them more room for spection.

    Yu Qiubai did not care and walked to his seat. He looked at Su Mushi and said, ¡°Shi, I know you hate me, but as your former bro, I still have to remind you to be more flexible so that there¡¯s room for maneuver. Don¡¯t force yourself into a dead end.¡±

    Su Mushi did not say anything and ignored him. Hatred was surging in his eyes.

    Since the humiliation of crawling under Pei Xu¡¯s crotch, Su Mushi hated Yu Qiubai. This hatred increased with time and etched deep into his bones.

    Yu Qiubai did not care much about it. He threw his school bag on the table and sat down.

    Su Mushi sneered and felt that sitting with Yu Qiubai was sickening. He then asked two other guys to help and move his table to the end of the ssroom.

    After his table was moved and things packed, he received a call from Su Muyan.

    Su Mushi¡¯s face instantly paled. Panic and fear engulfed him. His limbs were cold like he had fallen into an ice cave.

    What was toe finally came.

 Chapter 337 - Kneel and Beg Me

    <h4>Chapter 337: Kneel and Beg Me</h4>

    Su Mushi took his phone and rushed out. When he came to a secluded corner, he answered the call with a lowered voice, ¡°Second Brother.¡±

    Su Muyan¡¯s voice was alsoced with panic. ¡°This matter can¡¯t be hidden any longer. How do you n to solve it? It¡¯s so much money. Even if we¡¯re to sell ourselves, we can¡¯t afford to pay them. Dad will know about it soon.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s mind was in a mess. He tried to keep himself alert and had a gloomy look in his eyes. ¡°Second Brother, please help me¡­ I beg you! You can¡¯t tell Dad now. Please just help me once more!¡±

    Su Muyan could barely keep himself afloat. This was Su Mushi¡¯s idea in the first ce, but now he had to clean up the mess. ¡°Third Brother, I checked the people who won the bet. They¡¯re from your school, so maybe you can start with them.¡±

    Suddenly, Su Mushi¡¯s eyes looked fierce. He gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°It¡¯s Shen Xi, right? It¡¯s that brat, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Su Muyan could hear the hatred his brother had for Shen Xi. He said in a deep voice, ¡°She cheated Dad¡¯s money to pay off her adoptive father¡¯s debts, so how would she get any money to ce the bet?¡±

    ¡°Second Brother, who is it then?¡± Su Mushi was so anxious that he was sweating.

    ¡®Who¡¯s messing with me? Who else in school would do this besides Shen Xi? Is it Yu Qiubai again?¡¯

    ¡°It does have something to do with Shen Xi.¡± Su Muyan paused and said, ¡°It¡¯s the International ss in your school, led by Pei Xu and Song Wenye.¡±

    Since they would have to deposit the money to the winner, they needed to know their bank details. A simple check led him to No. 4 High School¡¯s International ss.

    Shen Xi was ced in the International ss, so she might have been behind this.

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred. His expression became fiercer and more threatening as he said, ¡°Second Brother, I¡¯ll take care of it. Just help me hide it from Dad first.¡±

    He really underestimated this little b*tch Shen Xi. She was clearly forcing him to the edge of a cliff!

    Su Mushi was wondering who would bet so much money and choose the obvious unlikely option. It turned out that it was that bunch of lunatics from the International ss.

    The International ss banded together to raise money and bet more than 30 million yuan. That was doable. After all, although their grades were lousy, their families were rich.

    Su Ruowan only saw Su Mushi answering the phone and running off with a murderous vibe.

    Yu Qiubai smirked with interest as he watched Su Mushi run down the stairs. He got up and followed him.

    Pei Xu just got out of the bathroom when he was stopped. He yelled, ¡°F*ck, get out of my way!¡¯

    Su Mushi looked at him and said, ¡°Pei Xu, I need to talk to you about something.¡±

    Pei Xu casually ripped open the wrapper of a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth. He looked askance at Su Mushi. ¡°Get lost. I have nothing to say to you.¡±

    Su Mushi tried to suppress the anger in his heart, knowing that he could not be pushed to the edge. He lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s about the bet. I know you guys bet a lot of money.¡±

    Pei Xu raised his eyebrows and let out an unruly and arrogant sneer. ¡°Your family has no money? What, do you wanna renege on your bet?¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes turned dark. ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡±

    Pei Xu did not mind it and followed Su Mushi to the rooftop. ¡°So¡­ What do you want to say? If your family wants to Welsh on the bet, don¡¯t me me for going against you.¡±

    Su Mushi looked at him. ¡°Pei Xu, this is all my fault. My father doesn¡¯t know about it, so I hope you won¡¯t make a big deal out of it.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Pei Xu leanedzily on the railing.

    Su Mushi replied, ¡°As you know, private betting and gambling is against thew, so it has no legal effect. I¡¯ll return your principle and double it, then let¡¯s just forget about this.¡±

    ¡°You treat me like a bum, don¡¯t you? Who the hellcks that kind of money? Your family is such a scum! You only want to win and don¡¯t wanna admit it when you lose?¡± Pei Xu looked at him funny. ¡°If I lost and asked you to get my principal back, would you give it to me?¡±

    ¡®F*ck! The Su family is really nning to go back on their bet!¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t give it.¡± Su Mushi was here to beg Pei Xu, so he was humble. He swore that he would never touch this kind of thing again. ¡°Pei Xu, think about it. If this gets out, it wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone. We¡¯re all seniors, so if this gambling thing gets out, it¡¯ll be a stain on your record. No school would ept you then.¡±

    Pei Xu sneered and threw his lollipop angrily. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that your family wants to back out from this bet?! You can try. I¡¯m not afraid of anyone and will fight till the end!¡±

    ¡°You can fight, but what about the rest of your ss?¡± Su Mushi knew that Pei Xu valued camaraderie, so he picked on Pei Xu¡¯s weakness to persuade him. ¡°They need to continue their studies, so are you going to drag them into this?¡±

    ¡®This little b*tch Shen Xi set me up and trapped me. It¡¯s good enough now that I¡¯m paying them double!¡¯

    They were all seniors and would soon be taking the college entrance exams. If this gambling was exposed, it would have a big impact on all of them.

    Pei Xuughed mockingly. ¡°Su Mushi, whatever they wanna do is their business. I won¡¯t force them, but you¡¯d better transfer me the money. If you don¡¯t, I don¡¯t mind making this big and we¡¯ll see which one of us will have more to lose.¡±

    He thought, ¡®I don¡¯t give a damn!¡¯

    Su Mushi saw that Pei Xu was adamant and started to panic. ¡°Pei Xu, then what¡¯s your price? How much do you want?¡±

    Pei Xu did not bother talking to him and turned to leave. ¡°However much is owed to me. If you dare shortchange me, I¡¯ll give your family a taste of a sinful payback.¡±

    Su Mushi saw him leaving and called out to him as hatred surged in his eyes. ¡°Pei Xu, give me a few days since we¡¯re ssmates!¡±

    He would need some time to think of a solution.

    Pei Xu turned around and gave him a nonchnt nce. ¡°Beg me.¡±

    Su Mushi¡¯s eyes flickered. He clenched his fists tightly. If it was possible, he really wanted to kill Pei Xu and kill all those who were in his way.

    Pei Xu raised his eyebrows arrogantly. ¡°I told you to kneel and beg me!¡±

    ¡°Pei Xu, I beg you. Please don¡¯t make a big deal out of this matter. Give me three days, and I¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer.¡± Su Mushi knelt in front of Pei Xu, trying to resist the urge to kill. He had endured enough humiliation, so what else could he not do?

    Pei Xu was stubborn, so Su Mushi thought that he would start with Shen Xi since she was definitely the mastermind behind this. The people she cared most about were her adoptive parents.

 Chapter 338 - Canâ€™t Make A Big Deal Out of It

    <h4>Chapter 338: Can¡¯t Make A Big Deal Out of It</h4>

    Pei Xu spat at Su Mushi mockingly, turned around, and walked away.

    Su Mushi watched him leave and stood up slowly. His eyes were bloodthirsty and he emitted a resentful and sinister vibe.

    If Su Mushi was amon person, he would have fought Pei Xu to the end. Online gambling was illegal, so as long as the police were involved, none of them would get away unscathed.

    However, Su Mushi was a celebrity and a public figure.

    He had a bright future that could not go to waste because of this. He would be a superstar and the next male lead of Yun Qi¡¯s next big drama.

    Su Mushi just needed to wait till he was famous and earn big bucks. In the entertainment industry, it was easy to get money, so it would be easy to clear his debts.

    **

    The International ss students were waiting to collect their money. They waited for so long but still did not get a message from the bank regarding the fund transfer, so they started cursing.

    Pei Xu knew that if Su Mushi had said what he said, it was impossible for them to get their hands on their winnings.

    However, Su Mushi was right. Online gambling was illegal. This was also a private gambling site, so if the police were involved, both sides would be done for.

    They were all seniors and would soon be heading off to college, so they could not risk making a mess.

    No. 4 High School was the best high school in China. They had very strict control over their students, so if there was a problem, the school would certainly not condone it.

    From whichever viewpoint, it was advisable to not make this a big deal. Pei Xu did not care for himself, but he could not drag his brothers and sisters down with him.

    After Shen Xi heard what Pei Xu had to say, she looked at him seriously. ¡°Pei Xu, just do whatever you think is right. I respect your opinion.¡±

    She had anticipated that the Su family would not pay the original betting odds, especially Su Yi. He would not admit to using the betting site and find a scapegoat for it. In whichever way, he would be able to pick himself clean from this mess.

    Now, this is the modus operandi for manypanies. As long as something went wrong, they would push the me to the temporary employees and find a scapegoat so that they could get away unscathed.

    Shen Xi had also thought of this. That was why she pulled Pei Xu and this bunch of rich second generations in the Capital to bet on this. Even if they could not get their original payout, Su Yi would still sustain a huge loss.

    If it were anyone else, Su Yi would just threaten them, then the illegal gambling site would be settled.

    ¡°I want to hear your opinion.¡± Pei Xu was aware that she took the lead in cing the bet, not just to gain some money from the Su family, but also to take revenge.

    Shen Xi leaned in close to him and said in a cold and low voice. ¡°You can go to Su Yi and make a big fuss asking for one billion. I¡¯m sure he can still take it out if you¡¯re persistent enough.¡±

    Looking at the current situation, it was impossible to get three billion, but one billion was still doable. At least Su Yi would not call the police and drag himself down in the process.

    Pei Xu discussed it with Shen Xi, then went to the podium and told the International ss about what happened with this bet. Those who were not afraid to take the risk and willing to follow him could just listen to his arrangements.

    Those who were afraid to take the risk could go to Su Mushi now and ask him for double the principal amount. Then, the debt would be settled and there would be no trouble.

    Of course, the International ss students decided to follow Pei Xu without a second thought. The Su family were so shameless, so they wanted to earn their share.

    When Shen Xi returned home, she felt that something was not right.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were both back home earlier than she was, and they were sitting solemnly on the sofa as if they were waiting for her.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Mom, Dad, what¡¯s wrong with you guys?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing looked at Yun Jinping.

    Yun Jinping then nodded at him.

    Old Shen straightened up and looked serious as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Have a seat.¡±

    Shen Xi obediently sat upright at the edge of the sofa and her hands on her thighs.

    Her father then asked her, ¡°Tell me honestly. Are you gambling?¡±

    The Shen family had never been involved in gambling. That was because they knew that a lot of people lost their family fortune overnight from gambling and destroyed their families.

    His father-inw was a gambling addict. In the end, he lost his family¡¯s money and even lost his life.

    Shen Xi immediately understood. ¡°Su Mushi looked for you?¡±

    ¡®This son of a b*tch dared to go to Mom and Dad? Who was he to run to my parents to plead for mercy? The Su family really are the most shameless people I¡¯ve ever met!¡¯

    ¡°You really gambled?¡± Yun Jinping looked at her with a pained face and tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Xixi, how can you get involved in that kind of thing? Don¡¯t you know how your grandfather died? Don¡¯t you know how much Mommy hates gambling?¡±

    In the afternoon, the youngest son of the Su family, Su Mushi, went to her office and told her that Xixi was leading her ss to gamble.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense.¡± Shen Xi felt distressed when she saw her mother crying. She quickly went over to wipe her tears.

    Of course, she knew how much her mother hated gambling. Her grandfather lost his family¡¯s money, owed plenty of debts, and was killed because of it.

    Her grandmother then raised her mother and uncle by herself. They were chased by debt collectors every day and suffered a lot. After her uncle earned money from his business and paid off the debt, their life slowly got better.

    ¡°Sit down.¡± Yun Jinping was sad and angry. She cried as she said, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing coughed slightly and gave Shen Xi a look, telling her to admit her mistake properly.

    He knew that his daughter was not insensible, but his wife was too sensitive about gambling, so it was useless to persuade her.

    In the afternoon, Su Mushi went to Old Shen and told him everything.

    Su Mushi had set up a private gambling site to bet on the ratings of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, and the ratings shot up.

    He lost badly, a hundred times the betting odds, then told Old Shen that those who won the bet were all from Xixi¡¯s ss, saying that it was Xixi who took the lead in the bet.

    The kid begged on his knees for Old Shen to persuade Xixi to let him go. Su Mushi was young and ignorant to set up a private betting site and did not expect that things would turn out this way.

    The boy was Xixi¡¯s fraternal twin and seemed well-behaved. He told Old Shen the truth and cried a lot.

    However, Old Shen did not have a good feeling about the Su family. Whether to let him off the hook still depended on what Xixi thought. Besides, Su Mushi had no evidence that his daughter was leading the ss to gamble. Old Shen was upset too upon hearing this.

    Shen Xi exined the matter clearly. As long as the International ss did not betray her, no one would know that she led the bet. ¡°Mom, you know how big of a Yun Qi¡¯s fan Wenye is. She was the one who could not stand to see someone insulting ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, so she just bet a little.¡±

    No one in the International ss, except for Song Wenye and Pei Xu, knew that Shen Xi had put in five million because the bet was in their names, not hers.

 Chapter 339 - Wonâ€™t Go to Jail

    <h4>Chapter 339: Won¡¯t Go to Jail</h4>

    Yun Jinping looked at Shen Xi in disbelief. ¡°Bet a little?¡±

    Tens of millions was a small amount of money to her?

    Shen Xi nodded without any guilt. ¡°Mom, for us, ten million is a big amount, but for them, it¡¯s just like spending a hundred bucks.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing also helped in the persuasion. ¡°Honey, for rich people, ten million is really nothing. The world¡¯s richest man can earn ten million per second, so ten million really isn¡¯t a big deal to them¡­¡±

    Yun Jinping looked at the father and daughter who were singing the same tune and asked another question. ¡°Then are you sure you won¡¯t go to jail?¡±

    When she heard that her daughter was gambling, she was scared to death. Su Mushi told her that if they called the police, everyone involved in the betting would go to jail.

    Xixi was her precious girl, so what would happen if she were caught and gone to jail?

    Shen Xi exined seriously, ¡°No, absolutely not. If anyone¡¯s going to jail, it¡¯s the Su family first. I only bet five hundred. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask my ss. All my money is with Dad and mypany.¡±

    Yun Jinping heard that Xixi would not go to jail and that calmed her heart immensely. She wiped her tears and said, ¡°Then tell Mommy, will you still do this again in the future?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head meekly. She kneeled in front of her mother and stretched out her arms. ¡°I was wrong, Mom. I won¡¯t do this again. If I gamble again, you can chop off my hands!¡±

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°If you dare gamble again, you might as well just kill me!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled at her. ¡°Mom, so are you pleading for Su Mushi?¡±

    Yun Jinping sneered. ¡°I¡¯m not helping him. He¡¯s not a child and everyone should be responsible for what they did, so he should pay whatever he owes.¡±

    Gamblers deserved to lose whatever they have because they chose to gamble their life away.

    This boy even set up a gambling site at such a young age. He certainly was not a simple character, so he should be made to pay to teach him a lesson.

    ¡°Then why were you so serious? You scared me to death! I thought you were soft-hearted and wanted me to spare him.¡± Shen Xi hugged her mother¡¯s arm and pouted. ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t listen to anything the Su family says in the future. All of them are no good.¡±

    Shen Xi was scared to death because she thought her parents were helping Su Mushi to plead for mercy.

    It turned out that her mother was so angry for fear that she would be convicted for illegal gambling.

    ¡°I know.¡± Yun Jinping just thought about her daughter¡¯s year of suffering in the Su family and decided that no matter what the Su family said, she would not be soft-hearted.

    Shen Xi looked at Shen Zhangqing.

    Shen Zhangqing quickly raised his hand and said angrily, ¡°I won¡¯t either. If I see Su Yi, I¡¯ll cut him!¡±

    Yun Jinping knew the truth but still had some doubts. However, after finding out that her daughter would not be going to jail, she finally rxed and went into the kitchen to cook.

    Shen Xi took an apple and nibbled on it as she walked to the second floor.

    Shen Zhangqing stopped her and said with a sullen face, ¡°How much did you bet?¡±

    Shen Xi was tight-lipped and said with an innocent face, ¡°Five hundred.¡±

    Old Shen pointed at her. ¡°Your mother might believe you, but do you think you can hide it from me?¡±

    Shen Xi knew that she could not fool Old Shen, who had decades of experience, so she put her hands together and begged to be spared. ¡°Dad, I was wrong. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you actually bet. If you dare to dabble in gambling again, just see how I¡¯ll beat you up! You scared your mother to death today!¡± Shen Zhangqing thought of his wife when she went to look for him with swollen eyes from extensive crying and felt heartbroken.

    Shen Xi thought, ¡®This son of a b*tch Su Mushi! I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡¯

    She then nodded seriously and saluted him. ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing sighed helplessly and gave her a piece of advice, ¡°Corner a dog in a dead-end and it¡¯ll bite back. Don¡¯t push too hard and be careful of their retaliation.¡±

    The Su family was vicious. They would certainly not give up such arge amount of money without a fight.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi lowered her head and bit into her apple.

    She did not n to push them into a corner just yet because she had not had enough fun. She could not let the Su family die so quickly and wanted them to have a taste of despair and suffering.

    ¡°Xixi, no matter what you do, just remember that Dad will always be on your side,¡± Shen Zhangqing patted his daughter¡¯s little head and looked at her.

    Ever since his daughter returned from the abusive Su family, Old Shen had a feeling that his daughter had grown up and had her own mind. She was also better than him.

    There were many things that his daughter did that he could not help, so all he could do was to make lots of money and be her sturdiest backing.

    ¡°Old Shen, don¡¯t be so melodramatic. I¡¯m going to cry.¡± Shen Xi said as she felt her eyes getting misty. Having a father that understood and supported her unconditionally was a remarkable feeling.

    ¡°Okay, go do your homework. I¡¯m going to help your mom in the kitchen.¡± Shen Zhangqing stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched his daughter stomp up the stairs and into the room before he turned around and walked towards the kitchen.

    All he wanted was to be a happy family of three. His greatest wish was for all of them to be happy and together.

    **

    After yesterday¡¯s chaos in the house, the Su family was finally peaceful.

    Su Mushi walked around the room anxiously. He paced back and forth while fidgeting and ncing at his phone.

    He had put down his pride today and went to Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive parents. He got on his knees and pleaded with them to ask Shen Xi to let him go so that the group of lunatics in the International ss could also let him off the hook.

    It went better than he thought. Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive parents promised to help him plead with Shen Xi and panicked when they saw him on his knees.

    He knew that with his acting skills and his eloquence, it would be easy to deceive these old folks from the countryside.

    Shen Xi always listened to this pair of old farts. As long as they cried and pleaded with her, she would definitely give in.

    His father even said that the old couple was very difficult, but Su Mushi did not find them difficult at all. He found it quite funny when he thought about their meetings earlier today.

    Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive father was an uneducated brute. After he found out the truth, he agreed to help him immediately.

    The adoptive mother was an unknowledgeable old woman. After listening to him, she was soft-hearted. When she heard him mention jail, she was so scared that her body started shaking. Howughable!

    Time passed slowly. Su Mushi had been waiting for their call. Finally, at 10:00 pm he could no longer wait.

    ¡®These useless old farts still haven¡¯t called me back! Did they manage to convince Shen Xi?¡¯

    Since there were no calls from them, he would once again lower himself to contact them and ask about the situation. With a heart filled with disdain for the Shen family, he held his phone confidently and then dialed the number.

 Chapter 340 - A Collaboration With the Fu Family

    <h4>Chapter 340: A Coboration With the Fu Family</h4>

    A minuteter.

    Su Mushi¡¯s face was grim. In a fit of anger, he smashed his phone.

    ¡®These damned old country bumpkins! They lied to me?! How dare they fool me! They even blocked my number?!¡¯

    On the first day of school at No. 4 High School, some were happy while others were sad.

    Su Mushi felt humiliated because his number was blocked by Shen Zhangqing and his wife. They did not even answer his calls.

    However, he had to turn to them for help, so he was ready to visit them again today to show his sincerity in hopes of getting their help.

    Yesterday, Shen Xi probably badmouthed him to them. Otherwise, with their intelligence, they could not have known about his true intentions.

    That noon.

    Pei Xu led a group of students from the International ss and went to the Su family¡¯s office to have Su Yi pay them what was owed.

    The girls in the ss did not go along and invited Shen Xi to eat at the cafeteria.

    Shen Xi closed the mock papers and got upzily. At that moment, her phone rang. It was from Situ Zhangyou. When he was done speaking, Shen Xi raised her eyebrows slightly and asked intriguingly, ¡°Why would the Fu family be interested in our small business and want to coborate with us?¡±

    Situ Zhangyou truly admired Shen Xi¡¯s vision. If cosmetics was a small business, what was a big business to her? He exined, ¡°The Situ family will be able to manage the sales and marketing locally without any issue, but it¡¯ll be a challenge to market overseas. If we partner with the Fu family, it¡¯ll be much easier to do so and we¡¯ll make at least ten times the profit, if not a hundred times.¡±

    Shen Xi asked him, ¡°Who approached you?¡±

    ¡®Could Brother Fu Qingye have known that I was the one who developed this makeup and wanted to help me make more money?¡¯

    Situ Zhangyouughed. ¡°Do you think that anyone from the Fu family woulde out personally to speak of a coboration? It was their Asia-Pacific Regional Sales Director.¡±

    This did not mean Situ Zhangyoucked faith in himself or the Situ family, but rather this cosmetics line was only recentlyunched, so certainly it was not big enough of a deal for someone from the Fu family to reach out personally.

    The person in charge of the Fu family business was the Head of the Fu family, Fu Qingli. If someone of that status would deal with everything personally, he must be exhausted.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Then what do you think?¡±

    She certainly wanted her products to be made avable globally so that she could earn more money. Nobody would think that they had too much money.

    ¡°Our cosmetics line is just starting out, so I think it¡¯s better if we first focus on the domestic market, then enter the international market when we have a solid reputation.¡± Situ Zhangyou had his own thoughts and continued, ¡°The current active ingredients in our products are targeted toward East Asian skin types, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s suitable for global marketing at the moment.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Then you can let them know that we¡¯re not considering coboration at the moment.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou asked, ¡°Then when will you finish the improvements for the makeup?¡±

    They would have to market their products globally sooner orter, so the ingredients in the cosmetics should be suitable for all skin types. Shen Xi was researching thetest ingredients to improve the current product.

    Shen Xi rubbed her brow with a little headache. She had a full schedule ahead, so she did not have time. ¡°After my college entrance exams. During this period, you can focus on promoting in the domestic market.¡±

    During the summer break, she could ask Fu Qingxuan to rent hisboratory and equipment to her for the next step in her research.

    When Shen Xi hung up the phone, the girls in her ss were still waiting for her at the ssroom door. They had not left.

    ¡°Shen Xi, what should we eatter?¡± The girls asked her with a smile.

    ¡°What do you girls wanna eat? My treat!¡± Shen Xi had just received her first-ever schrship today. It was 50,000 yuan.

    ¡°Steak!¡±

    ¡°Hot pot!¡±

    ¡°Barbecue!¡±

    The girls cheered in with excitement as they argued about what to eat. They were upromising, but finally, they voted for a barbecue.

    They then went to the barbecue restaurant nearby. Excluding the people who went with Pei Xu to pester Su Yi, there were still more than ten girls left, so they upied arge table.

    Su Ruowan and her friends happened to be eating at the same restaurant when they saw Shen Xi being swarmed by a group of girls from the International ss. She instantly lost her appetite.

    All Su Ruowan wanted to do when she saw Shen Xi¡¯s face was to tear it apart.

    ¡®This little b*tch raised suspicions of my identity! Many of them say that I don¡¯t look like anyone from the Su family and that I¡¯m a fake¡­¡¯

    Thergest table that could seat more than ten pax was right next to Su Ruowan¡¯s table.

    When Shen Xi went over, Su Ruowan gracefully stood up to greet her. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here for a barbecue too?¡±

    Shen Xi paid her no nce and brushed past her.

    The girls in the International ss looked at her whileughing exaggeratedly. ¡°Tsk tsk¡­ She¡¯s making a fool of herself! Shen Xi didn¡¯t even bother to look at her!¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s smile froze awkwardly, then she sat back down looking dejected.

    Her group of friends, including Chen Bingbing, saw that scene. The more they looked at Shen Xi, the more they thought she looked like Li Jingran.

    If the rumors were true, then Shen Xi would be the true heiress of the Su family. Su Ruowan, whom they praised andplimented every day, was just an impostor.

    They all had good grades and were all from wealthy families. All of them were smart enough to weigh the pros and cons and were more realistic than others. None of them were there because of real friendships.

    At the end of the day, it was just for the sake of their own interests. It was a fake sisterhood, so once they began to doubt Su Ruowan, their attitude changed; no more brainlessly protecting and speaking for Su Ruowan and scolding Shen Xi.

    However, they stillforted Su Ruowan and told her not to talk to Shen Xi in the future.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes changed. Her hands holding the chopsticks had their knuckles turned white from anger. This huge change in their attitude was too much for her to ept.

    ¡®They are my good friends, yet they sway with the wind. They¡¯ve heard those rumors and suspected that I¡¯m not the Su family¡¯s biological daughter, so I¡¯m being alienated now? I won¡¯t allow anyone to find out about my true identity! There can only be one heiress to the Su family and that¡¯ll be me!¡¯

    ¡°Wanwan, your second brother¡¯s releasing his new album on the 18th next month, right? Do we have a chance to get the signed album in advance?¡± Chen Bingbing changed the topic in order to liven up the atmosphere.

    Su Ruowan looked at them and smiled gently. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll ask Second Brother for the signed album for you.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    ¡°Ah! We can hear Brother Yan¡¯s new song again! Wanwan, have you heard his new song already?¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re so blessed! Your parents are the Film Emperor and Film Empress, your big brother¡¯s a big boss, and your second brother¡¯s a popr idol. His first album already sold 1.2 million copies, right?¡±

    The girls were chatting excitedly as they looked at Su Ruowan with envy.

 Chapter 341 - Standing up for the Idol

    <h4>Chapter 341: Standing up for the Idol</h4>

    ¡°To be exact, it¡¯s 1.23 million copies! Cumtively as ofst week, the sales reached 2.54 million copies. Cumtive downloads across the globe exceeded 500 million, including 50 million downloads of the title track ¡®Confessions¡¯,¡± Su Ruowan said arrogantly.

    Second Brother was a national idol that was very talented. In the two months after the release of Su Muyan¡¯s songs, no singer dared to release an album for fear of being crushed by him.

    ¡°Brother Yan¡¯s new song next month is gonna be amazing! He¡¯s gonna crush any other albums that are released close to his.¡±

    ¡°F*ck, he¡¯s releasing his new album on the 18th? He Pei just re-posted a video of his junior in the samepany a few days ago. That singer¡¯s also releasing a song on the 18th!¡±

    ¡°Who is it? Is it an old-timer?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a neer. I forgot his name. There were only two verses in the video. He also did a simple self-introduction without revealing his face.¡±

    ¡°Afraid to show his face? He must be an ugly *ss. It¡¯s not easy to find a handsome and talented singer like Second Brother!¡±

    ¡°I think so too. The neer¡¯s just faking it. He¡¯s so ballsy to release his songs on the same day as Second Brother. It¡¯s simply suicide!¡±

    When the girls learned that a new artist intended to release his album on the same day as Su Muyan, they burst outughing. They apuded the neer¡¯s bravery as if he were a newborn calf who had no fear of a tiger. However, the braver one is, the more miserable one¡¯s death will be.

    Shen Xi overheard their worthless discussion and sneered. The short-haired girl hooked her finger and whispered a few words to her.

    The girl¡¯s name was Chu Ying. She was the closest to Song Wenye and was closer to Shen Xi than the other girls were. She mmed the table as she stood up and pointed at Su Ruowan¡¯s group. ¡°Did you all grow up eating shit?¡±

    Chen Bingbing¡¯s face changed. She dropped her chopsticks and said, ¡°Chu Ying, what the hell do you mean by that? Do you wanna fight because we taunted you?¡±

    Chu Ying sneered. ¡°Are you sure you can beat us?¡±

    Chen Bingbing¡¯s face turned red with anger and saw that Chu Ying had twice as many people on her side. She knew her group could not beat them. ¡°What do you mean by that?!¡±

    ¡°So you guys can insult my idol but I can¡¯t stand up for him? You can scold my idol behind his back, so why can¡¯t I scold you guys?¡± Chu Ying was arrogant.

    Chen Bingbing asked, ¡°Who¡¯s your idol? When did we scold your idol?¡±

    Chu Ying replied, ¡°That new singer you guys were making fun of is my idol, Qi Xiu! I¡¯ve been following him for a long time and I like him.¡±

    When Chen Bingbing heard this, sheughed sarcastically. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s only natural for such a celebrity to have a fan of¡­ Zero quality.¡±

    Chu Ying pointed at them. ¡°You insulted my idol and now you¡¯re insulting me? Which of you made fun of my idol just now? Apologize!¡±

    Chen Bingbing retorted. ¡°We haven¡¯t done any wrong. Is that idol of yours better looking and more talented than our Brother Yan? Will his album sell better than Brother Yan¡¯s when the timees?¡±

    Chu Ying was annoyed and she looked like she was ready to fight anyone. ¡°How are you so sure that my idol is worse than Su Muyan? What if he¡¯s more handsome, more talented, and sells more copies than Su Muyan? Are you guys gonna kneel and eat shit in front of me?¡±

    Chen Bingbing was infuriated. ¡°If this little fart of a singer were to sell more copies than our Brother Yan, then I¡¯ll buy a thousand albums in one go to boost his sales!¡±

    ¡®F*ck, how can a neer dare topete with Brother Yan?! They¡¯re so shameless! Their heads must be stuck in the clouds!¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯ve said it yourself!¡± Chu Ying looked at them arrogantly. ¡°One thousand is not enough. You guys should show some sincerity, 10,000 copies each!¡±

    Chen Bingbingughed at her words. ¡°Fine! We¡¯re not afraid of you! If your idol can¡¯t beat Brother Yan, then each of you here has to buy 10,000 copies of Brother Yan¡¯s album. Do you think you¡¯ve got what it takes for this bet?¡±

    ¡®Nowadays, there¡¯s a fan for everything. Since the new singer is He Pei¡¯s junior, I¡¯ll give him the benefit of doubt.¡¯

    ¡°Whoever backs out is a coward!¡± Chu Ying mmed the table again. ¡°My only concern is if wepare their looks and talents, you¡¯ll use us of bullying you. I¡¯m worried Su Muyan will appear inferior inparison to my idol¡¯s divine face and talent. We¡¯ll bet based on album sales in the first month. Whoever earns more money will win.¡±

    ¡°Fine, whatever you say.¡± Chen Bingbing was not the slightest bit afraid.

    For the sake of defending her idol, Chu Ying went crazy.

    ¡®What kinda bullsh*t idol is that? Only a fool would think that a neer can beat Brother Yan.¡¯

    Let alone a neer, even a veteran singer in China with a solid fanbase would not even think of releasing their album at the same time as Brother Yan for fear of getting crushed by him.

    After all, Brother Yan¡¯s fans were all wealthy women who were willing to spend a lot of money on albums to boost sales. They were willing to spend to give Su Muyan good rankings, so singers who released songs around the same time as him, let alone a rookie, were quickly squashed by him.

    Su Ruowan was feeling confident too and looked at Shen Xi¡¯s group mockingly. She pulled Chen Bingbing¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Bingbing, don¡¯t do this. 10,000 is a little overboard.¡±

    Second Brother was releasing a second album with 12 songs that came with a signed poster. It was priced at 108 per album, so 10,000 copies would be 1.08 million bucks.

    After hearing Su Ruowan out, the other girls in the Top ss hesitated too. 10,000 copies would total more than a million bucks, so it was not a small amount!

    Although they were notcking in money and could certainly amass such an amount, they were not willing to spend it on a bet and would rather buy bags, cosmetics, and clothes.

    ¡°Apologize to my idol now if you can¡¯t afford to lose!¡± Chu Ying was backed by Shen Xi, so she was feeling confident. ¡°I won¡¯t be petty with you if you apologize.¡±

    Chen Bingbing looked at the other girls and lowered her voice. ¡°Do you really think that Brother Yan can¡¯t even beat a new singer?¡±

    ¡®Look at these cowards. It¡¯s just one million yuan! If they don¡¯t have the money, selling a few limited edition bags will be enough to cover it. Besides, how could Brother Yan lose to a new singer?¡¯

    Shen Xi spoke up in a loud enough voice so everyone could hear her. Her voice was charming and a little mocking. ¡°Yingying, they don¡¯t dare make this wager with you, so don¡¯t give them a hard time. After all, it¡¯s not just a few hundred bucks. A million yuan is the ie of ordinary families for several years.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s group of friends held various expressions when they heard Shen Xi. They felt agitated and shot daggers at Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi was clearly mocking them and insinuating that they were poor. A million yuan might be the ie of an ordinary family for a few years, but they were not from ordinary families.

 Chapter 342 - Youâ€™ll Regret It

    <h4>Chapter 342: You¡¯ll Regret It</h4>

    If it hade from anyone else, it might not have had much of an impact, but because it came from Shen Xi, it was different. The girls in the Top ss could not stand being taunted and looked down upon by her.

    ¡°Bingbing, I¡¯m willing to bet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a million or so. A few of my bags and clothes are already more than that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, who can¡¯t afford it? If you lose, don¡¯t cry!¡±

    The girls arrogantly agreed to this bet because they wanted to show off. Shen Xi looking down on them was an insult to their pride.

    Besides, a neer who hadn¡¯t even debuted could not beat Brother Yan. It was probably easier if that singer went back to his mother¡¯s womb and waited for his reincarnation.

    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not easy for you to earn money. Let¡¯s just forget about it¡­¡± Su Ruowan looked at Shen Xi and reminded her kindly.

    It sounded as if she was doing Shen Xi a favor, but in reality, she was actually reminding others that Shen Xi¡¯s family background was not as good as theirs. Shen Xi could only earn money by working for others.

    Su Ruowan¡¯spanions immediately felt superior and ridiculed Shen Xi incessantly. ¡°Yeah, Shen Xi¡¯s a country bumpkin, so how can shepare to us youngdies who were born rich?¡±

    Shen Xi was, in the end, just amoner. Even if she was Jiang Yin¡¯s apprentice and went on to be a designer, her lowly origins would remain. She was still a worker bee and they would eventually be her boss one day.

    Shen Xi sneered and smirked with eyes cold and mocking. ¡°You should worry about yourself. Isn¡¯t spending your own money better than being a parasite and squandering other people¡¯s money, in case no one pays for you anymore?¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s hand had already clenched into a fist, hung by her side. Her nails sunk deep into her palm, but her face remained gentle. ¡°Since you¡¯ve decided, I won¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡®This damned little b*tch! Is she jinxing me to be kicked out of the Su family and I won¡¯t have any money to spend?! I won¡¯t let her get what she wants, no matter what it takes! I¡¯ll stay in the Su family and be the only Young Miss Su. I won¡¯t let her set foot in my house!¡¯

    The two parties came to an agreement that whichever were to lose would buy 10,000 copies of the other party¡¯s album.

    The International ss had eleven girls, and the Top ss had only seven.

    Su Ruowan was secretly delighted. If only the entire International ss was there, she would be able to boost sales for her second brother¡¯s new album. They were really dumb. How could a neer beat Second Brother?

    Chen Bingbing whispered, ¡°The International ss students are really dumb*sses!¡±

    The other girls had the same opinion. It was exalting the International ss to even say they were dumb. They felt their intelligence somehow decreased just by sharing the same space with such stupid people.

    Chu Ying secretly begged for praise and approached Shen Xi, ¡°Xixi, how did I do?¡±

    ¡°Pretty good!¡± Shen Xi looked at her and smiled appreciatively.

    She did not expect to rake in 70,000 copies worth of sales for Qi Xiu in a meal. Shen Xi was a pretty decent boss who was dedicated and always had the best interest for her employees in mind. She might even give herself a ¡°Most Dedicated Boss¡± award.

    Chu Ying¡¯s heart was racing and jumping. ¡®Ah! Xixi was smiling at me andplimented me!¡¯

    After winning the bet on ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, the International ss hadplete faith in Shen Xi. They would do whatever she said without questions asked.

    Besides, this bet was only a million yuan, which was only a fraction of what they had won in the previous bet.

    After lunch, Shen Xi did not return to ss and instead asked Chu Ying to request a leave of absence on her behalf so she could slip out.

    If the Su family wanted to y games, Shen Xi would y a bigger one.

    She had initially wanted to take two leaps forward and get Qi Xiu to release a full album, but after a meeting with her big brother and Qi Xiu, she decided topromise and release a single instead.

    When Qi Xiu¡¯s poprity had risen, they would then seize the opportunity to release an album.

    Now, she wanted to change her mind and get Qi Xiu to release a full album. She would write three main songs and get him to sing them.

    As a top music producer in the entertainment industry, Shen Xi was a legendary musician who wrote thousands of hit songs. She was responsible for more than half of the famous singers¡¯ hits in the entertainment industry.

    Music Legends, Giants, Divas, Kings, and Queens were shot to fame because they sang songs written by her. They even won many domestic and international awards.

    Tianheng Entertainment was the managementpany for Su Muyan, and the biggest shareholder was Su Yi.

    Shen Xi changed into some baggy clothes and paired them with a ck snapback. She stuffed her long hair into the cap and used her amazing makeup techniques to turn herself into a slim, young guy who¡¯s into hip-hop.

    Her temperament underwent a drastic change too. She had high cheekbones, sunken cheeks, an ashen face, and dark circles under her eyes. Her eyebrows were drawn thick and her big eyes became listless andzy.

    To put it simply, she looked like she was sleep-deprived. In other words, she looked like a young drug addict that was wasting her life away.

    Across the street, a slightly fat middle-aged man in casual clothes came over, followed by two bodyguards.

    Shen Xi saw her target and rushed towards him. She stopped him and timidly introduced herself. ¡°Hello, M-Mr. Ma¡­ My name is Xixi and I¡¯m a music producer.¡±

    Ma Chao was in a hurry, so he was annoyed when he was suddenly blocked. He threw a disdainful nce at the teenager in front of him and impatiently shoved the boy aside. ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    ¡®Who the hell is this dude? This boy doesn¡¯t look like a music producer, more like a drug addict or a hungry refugee with no ce to go!¡¯

    ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± Shen Xi looked rmed and chased after him. She then forced the paper into Ma Chao¡¯s hand. ¡°This is a song I spent three years writing. You must take it to Su Muyan! He¡¯ll definitely go viral all over China! It¡¯ll win him many awards!¡±

    Ma Chao frowned and pushed her away grumpily. He looked at the crumpled greasy paper that was stuffed into his hands and threw it away without any hesitation.

    The moment the paper drifted away, Ma Chao saw tworge words ¡°Green Silk¡±.

    Ma Chao watched as the ugly boy behind him picked up the paper and tried to catch up to him. He yelled at the bodyguard, ¡°What are you guys doing? Hurry up and get rid of him!¡±

    ¡®Hmph! Scum!¡¯

    As the manager who single-handedly made Su Muyan famous, many who imed to be producers came to him on a daily basis and begged for an opportunity. There were too many to count, but this was the first time Ma Chao saw such a sloppy and disgusting one.

    Shen Xi was still keeping up her act. She shouted sincerely, ¡°Mr. Ma, you¡¯ll regret it! You¡¯ll absolutely regret not using my song!¡±

 Chapter 343 - Apologize to Mr. Fu

    <h4>Chapter 343: Apologize to Mr. Fu</h4>

    Su Muyan was waiting for Ma Chao in the car while watching the scene transpire. He waited until Ma Chao came in before he asked, ¡°Another one handing you a song?¡±

    ¡°Mm. Xixi or whatever his name was,¡± Ma Chao said disdainfully, ¡°Why do these people presume they can seed in our world? They should really look at themselves in the mirror.¡±

    Su Muyanughed. ¡°I¡¯d think it¡¯s odd to not want to be sessful. Who wouldn¡¯t wanna seed in life?¡±

    Ma Chaoughed and nodded. He turned around and saw the teenager squatting on the ground picking up those papers. He felt disgusted all of a sudden. ¡°It¡¯s fine wishing for sess, but having no self-awareness is just sickening.¡±

    The two quickly changed the subject and talked about the new album that they had prepared for two years. The album was already in its final stage of production and would be officially released next month.

    ¡°Second Young Master, China¡¯s King of Music title is waiting for you. This time, with the quality of this album, I dare say no one will be able to reach such heights in theing years.¡± Ma Chao was confident the songs would go viral all over China with everyone ying them everywhere.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Su Muyan said and smiled modestly.

    The Chinese song industry was aware of Su Muyan¡¯s new album release date on the 18th of March. As such, no one dared to release a new song during the entire month.

    Those with songs nned to be released in March had either postponed or brought forward their dates. They were smart enough to realize they could notpete with Su Muyan and did not want to be mocked for the poor sales performance when it wasunched.

    Shen Xi watched the car leave before she stood up and sneered mockingly. She then valiantly turned around and walked toward Tianheng Entertainment, looking for her next target, the Music Director of Tianheng Entertainment.

    Su Mushi was beating himself up with regret for rejecting ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. Shen Xi thought about this and felt delighted. Su Muyan would taste the same defeat for rejecting her and missing out on such a good opportunity.

    Tianheng Entertainment¡¯s building was huge.

    Shen Xi followed an employee into the building and acted conspicuously the whole time. She would ask anyone she came across where the Music Director¡¯s office was. She would also introduce herself as a music producer, Xixi, who hade over to deliver a song to Su Muyan.

    If Su Muyan sang her songs, he would surely be popr all over the country and even globally. Winning an award would be a sure deal too.

    Thepany¡¯s employees looked at the way she was dressed and treated her like she was crazy. Not many paid attention to her. Not only did she look ugly, but she was also good at talking big.

    Su Muyan was the future King of Music and the entertainment industry¡¯s super idol.

    Every day, Su Muyan would have his pick of excellent producers topose countless hit songs for him. Even so, Su Muyan rejected them because he was a talented producer himself and could write his own songs.

    This kid who looked like a starving refugee dared say his song could go viral all over China and the globe?

    ¡°The Music Director¡¯s office is on the 28th floor.¡± A beautiful female employee directed her.

    Shen Xi looked at the woman in front of her warily and timidly. She held the paper like Gollum holding onto the Ring. ¡°T-Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No problem. You should take the stairs. I¡¯m afraid the security guards will kick you out if you take the elevator.¡± The pretty female employee also kindly pointed it out to her.

    The chubby female employee standing next to her swept a disdainful nce at Shen Xi and covered her mouth to snicker.

    ¡°T-Thank you, y-you¡¯re a-a n-nice person¡­¡± Shen Xi quickly thanked her and headed toward the stairwell.

    Shen Xi had just gotten to the stairwell when she heard the disdainful jeers of the two female employees who had just shown her the way.

    ¡°You¡¯re so mean! That guy looks pitiful and mentally ill, yet you lied that the Music Director¡¯s Office is on the 28th floor so that he¡¯ll climb up? Do you think he¡¯ll actually climb all the way?¡±

    ¡°I was just making fun of him. If he really climbed all the way up, I can¡¯t help it either. I don¡¯t remember which floor the Director¡¯s Office is on!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he looks like a monkey? It¡¯s hrious the way he held onto those few pieces of paper like we¡¯re gonna rob him!¡±

    ¡°The way he stuttered was funny too!¡±

    The two not only mocked her but even imitated the way she spoke. While they were walking andughing, they tripped when they identally stepped on something by the stairway.

    While they wereughing smugly in their high heels, they suddenlynded heavily on the ground.

    One of them hit her jaw on the floor, which was instantly dislocated. An immense pain surged, so much so that she could not even scream.

    The other girl fell heavily on her knee, which made a crunching sound. It was followed by a harsh squeal.

    Shen Xi stood at the corner of the second floor and tossed the two small beads in her hand with interest. When she saw the two women lying in the corridor, her murderous eyes had a hint of pleasure. She then proceeded to walk up the stairs.

    Ten minutester.

    Shen Xi sat in the Music Director¡¯s chair as she sucked on a lollipop. She leisurely spun around and looked out the window from the 36th floor. This top-floor view was pretty amazing.

    About half an hourter, footsteps approached the door.

    Shen Xi threw away her lollipop and hid under the table.

    A bewildered man¡¯s voiceced with anger then came from overhead. ¡°Who the hell are you? Why are you in my office?¡±

    Shen Xi looked up and hit her head on the table due to excessive nervousness. She looked at him anxiously. ¡°Y-You¡­ You¡¯re the music director, right? M-My name is Xixi.¡±

    ¡°Security!¡± The Music Director frowned and looked at the grimy-looking teenager in front of him with disgust. He was not even bothered to pull her out from under his desk for fear of getting his hands dirty.

    ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t.¡± Shen Xi shook her head in fear and looked at him supplicatingly. She crawled out from under the desk and handed him the paper she was holding. ¡°I wrote this song. P-Please¡­ Please take a look at the song I wrote. It¡¯s a title song for Su Muyan and¡­ It will surely b-be a hit¡­¡±

    The Music Director looked at the crumply stained paper and could only feel repulsed. He roared angrily, ¡°Where¡¯s security?! Get this person out of here quickly!¡±

    ¡®What the hell are the security guards doing? Are the secretaries outside blind?! How did they miss such a disgusting rating into my office and causing trouble?¡¯

    The security guards quickly pushed through the door and dragged Shen Xi out.

    Shen Xi did not want to leave and begged him with tears in her eyes. ¡°Look! Just take a look! Please! M-my song is really good!¡±

    The Music Director was furious and shouted at his secretary.

    A pretty female secretary quickly came in and picked up the crumpled paper from the ground. She nced and saw the title ¡°Green Silk¡±, but looked no further. She then turned around and threw it in the bin.

    She had been guarding outside the room but did not see anyone go in. She could not even recall when the intruder came in. The Director was quite terrifying when he lost his temper, so she was afraid that she would be fired.

    Shen Xi was hauled out of the room. When she turned a corner, her head bumped into someone, and felt a cold air around her. When she lifted her eyes, she looked into the man¡¯s deep and sharp eyes that were like a hawk¡¯s. He looked so cold, it was smothering.

    ¡°Mr. Fu, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry.¡± The President of Tianheng, who was standing next to the man, was so frightened that he quickly apologized and pointed at Shen Xi fiercely. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?! Quickly apologize to Mr. Fu!¡±

 Chapter 344 - Thank Your Whole Family

    <h4>Chapter 344: Thank Your Whole Family</h4>

    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Fu.¡±

    The two bodyguards who were dragging Shen Xi away apologized with trembling hearts and continued to do so after. Just their luck to bump into the president when they were dealing with this rat.

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Fu Qingli suddenly became interested and sped Shen Xi¡¯s arm.

    Shen Xi¡¯s head was hung so low that it was almost buried in her chest. Her small body shivered and her eyebrows converged. She could see his long and slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails. His hands were perfect for ying the piano.

    The President of Tianheng looked at the bodyguards and asked them to release this boy. He was confused and wondered if Mr. Fu knew this refugee-looking kid.

    This young man was scrawny and sloppily dressed. What did Mr. Fu see in him?

    ¡°Lift your head and let me take a look.¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s voice was mellow, but his tone was cold and ruthless. He frowned slightly at Shen Xi¡¯s shivering little body.

    ¡®This little girl sure has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. Is she trying to do something bad while she was dressed like this?¡¯

    Shen Xi buried her head even lower. ¡®How could the eldest Fu brother recognize me now? Even my parents won¡¯t be able to recognize me under this disguise!¡¯

    If Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping stood in front of her, they would certainly not be able to recognize her.

    ¡°You¡¯re Shen¡­¡± Fu Qingli did not know why, but he had a sudden urge to make fun of her when he saw her cowering.

    Shen Xi gritted her teeth and bit her lips. She knew it! He recognized her. Afraid that he would sell her out, she slowly raised her head and looked at him apprehensively. She said in a trembling voice, ¡°S-Sir¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli looked at her grimy little face and was very curious what techniques she used to disguise herself this way. The makeup did not look one bit fake and the disguise looked natural.

    Next to him, the President of Tianheng and the bodyguards were wide-eyed and silent as they witnessed the scene in front of them.

    The handsome man¡¯s aura wasmanding and cold. It was such a stark contrastpared to the scrawny and scruffy ugly teenager, but there was not the slightest hint of disdain in the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Have I seen you somewhere before?¡± Fu Qingli sped her chin. His cool fingers touched her made-up face.

    Shen Xi could only feel a chill down her spine. In her heart, she was cursing him for doing this on purpose!

    ¡®He¡¯s deliberately toying me! This evil President!¡¯

    Fu Qingli looked at the little girl¡¯s face in front of him. The panic in her eyes disappeared and was reced with warning and bitterness, which gave him a sense of pleasure. Suddenly, he tightened his grip on her chin.

    Shen Xi only felt like biting him to death. ¡®F*ck! F*ck! F*ck! Help! This evil President¡¯s tryna ruin my face!¡¯

    Fu Qingli¡¯s thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Speak!¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi clearly saw a sh of derision in his eyes and secretly cursed. In the end, she conceded and looked at him pitifully, begging to be spared.

    ¡°Oh, you know him, Mr. Fu? This is all a misunderstanding¡­¡± Tianheng¡¯s President saw this and quickly spoke.

    Fu Qingli curled his lips into a tiny arc of pleasure and let go of her chin. He saw the little girl ring at him and said in a deep voice, ¡°I must¡¯ve mistaken him for someone else.¡±

    Shen Xi said to herself, ¡®I can thank your whole family!¡¯

    The President of Tianheng lowered his head and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. ¡®Thank goodness! If Mr. Fu knows him, how do I exin why we are throwing this kid out?!¡¯

    Fu Qingli walked two steps forward and turned back. ¡°Apologies for dying you guys. You may continue whatever you were doing.¡±

    The two bodyguards looked at each other then grabbed Shen Xi by the arm and took her away.

    Shen Xi cursed him. ¡®F*ck!¡¯

    Fu Qingli rubbed his index finger and thumb together. The delicate and cool touch from the little girl¡¯s skin lingered on.

    ¡®This girl¡¯s pretty interesting¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi was dragged out and thrown to the entrance of the office when Situ Zhangyou called her. When she heard what he had to say, her face turned green. ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡±

    Situ Zhangyou said, ¡°Fine¡­ But why are you so worked up?¡±

    Shen Xi sounded fierce. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up!¡±

    Situ Zhangyou was confused and speechless. ¡®Did Fu Qingli offend her?¡¯

    Although The Boss¡¯s girl was young, she was incredibly mature, calm, and collected.

    This was the first time Situ Zhangyou experienced Shen Xi losing her temper since he met her. She sounded like she ate a cannonball and exploded.

    Shen Xi sneered and wiped her face that was touched by that evil President. She was disgusted and did not want to coborate with him nor meet him.

    Ten minutester.

    Situ Zhangyou received a call from Shen Xi.

    By then, Shen Xi had already calmed down. She admitted that she was a little crazy earlier over the phone. Somehow, her emotions were easily disrupted when facing the Fu brothers, which was not at all like her usual self. ¡°Sorry, I was a little too agitated earlier. What does Fu Qingli want?¡±

    Situ Zhangyou cleared his throat. ¡°The Fu family found out that we don¡¯t have a research and development team. Fu Qingli called me personally and wanted to meet the creator of ¡®Jewel Look¡¯ himself.¡±

    ¡°Does he know it¡¯s me?¡± Shen Xi frowned.

    Situ Zhangyou shook his head. ¡°If he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have called me. He would¡¯ve gone straight to you.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°No matter what he says, don¡¯t let him know that it¡¯s me.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou felt a little odd. ¡°Aren¡¯t you close to Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    Logically speaking, if Shen Xi coborated with the Fu family, she would have gained a lot more profitspared to what she made with the Situ family. Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan also treated her quite well.

    ¡°Do I have to work with your uncle just because I¡¯m on good terms with you?¡± Shen Xi retorted.

    The feeling of not being able to hide in front of someone and getting exposed at first nce no matter what she did or how she looked really sucked.

    Fu Qingli had such sharp eyes and he could even read minds. Working with this kind of person was terrifying.

    Situ Zhangyou said, ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    After Shen Xi hung up the phone, she hailed a cab and went home straight.

    Fu Qingli came to Tianheng to talk about the acquisition. Thepany¡¯s shareholders, except Su Yi, had all arrived and the discussion was underway.

    ¡°You guys go ahead. I need to take a call.¡± Fu Qingli looked at the people present and nodded slightly, then walked out of the conference room with his phone.

    One minuteter.

    Fu Qingli hung up the phone. His eyes were deep, like a cold stillke. His eyes were then flooded with dangerous cold ripples in an instant.

    He had been in charge of the Fu family for decades. This was the first time he had met someone who declined him and refused to coborate with the Fu family. He was initially not interested in the development of pharmaceutical products, but now, this certainly piqued his interest.

    Fu Qingli should not be overseeing such a small business personally. If it was not for Xuan¡¯s insistence on meeting with the researcher, he would not have called Situ Zhangyou to ask for a meeting.

    Shen Xi, who just got out of the cab, sneezed and rubbed her nose. She frowned and wondered which idiot was cursing her behind her back.

 Chapter 345 - Divine Assistance

    <h4>Chapter 345: Divine Assistance</h4>

    Pei Xu led a group of his friends and waited in the Su Corporation¡¯s lounge from noon until 5:00 pm when Su Yi finally returned.

    Su Yi looked at the room full of people and asked with a smile, ¡°Pei Xu, why are you guys here to see me?¡±

    Pei Xu was polite and put the relevant documents on the table. ¡°Uncle Su, we¡¯re here to ask you for money. You should take a look at these first.¡±

    Su Yi was puzzled about what money and when did he owe them anything. After reading the document, he was so livid he could pass out. ¡°I only just found out about this. Let me rify it before I give you an answer.¡±

    ¡®Private gambling! Who the hell gave them the courage to set up a private gambling site, and lost so much money in one go?! It was more than three billion yuan! Where am I gonna get that kinda money now?!¡¯

    Pei Xu smiled and was quick to agree. He urged him. ¡°Sure. Uncle Su, you can ask about it. We¡¯ll just wait here until we get the money.¡±

    ¡°You guys should leave first. I know you¡¯re all friends of Xixi, so you should respect her.¡± Su Yi looked at them and reasoned, ¡°I¡¯m Xixi¡¯s father, so you should respect me too!¡±

    These kids were not ordinary children. Although Pei Xu was the Pei family¡¯s illegitimate son, everyone knew it and had to admit that he was part of the Pei family.

    The other kids were all rich second generations of wealthy families in the Capital. Su Yi was not afraid of offending one or two of them, but not 30 or 40 of them!

    Pei Xuughed mockingly. ¡®D*mn, this old fart is really shameless! When something happens, then he¡¯ll think of Xixi as his daughter¡­¡¯

    When the rest of the International ss heard Su Yi¡¯s words, they nced at each other, confused. ¡®What does he mean by that? Shen Xi is Su Yi¡¯s daughter?¡¯

    However, Pei Xu did not say anything, so even if they were curious, they kept quiet and waited for their boss to say something.

    Pei Xu looked at Su Yi. ¡°Uncle Su, when are you going to give us an answer? We¡¯re waiting to spend this money. Lil¡¯ Zhou has his eye on a sports car and contacted the seller. He even paid the deposit. He¡¯s waiting for the money you owe us to pick up the car!¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s heart was on fire and felt like he was about to explode. However, as an elder, it was not good to lose hisposure in front of the younger generation. Facing the aggressive Pei Xu, he could only say, ¡°Rest assured, Uncle will give you a satisfactory exnation. How about tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Sure, tomorrow morning, before 8:00 am. If I don¡¯t get an answer, we¡¯lle back to you.¡± Pei Xu shed a bad boy smirk. ¡°If you don¡¯t show up, I won¡¯t say anything, but I can¡¯t guarantee that my bros won¡¯t. Uncle Su, you¡¯re a smart man, so I don¡¯t think I need to say much.¡±

    Shen Xi really understood Su Yi. If they were ordinary people, Su Yi would not be afraid.

    However, they were not ordinary kids. Their families were rich, powerful, and well-connected, so Su Yi would not dare to offend them.

    Su Yi was so angry that blood rushed up to his head. He felt a trace of bitterness in his throat as he tried to suppress his wrath. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡®This stinking brat dares threaten me?!¡¯

    However, Su Yi was afraid of this threat. Their society was all about connections and interpersonal rtionships. He was not afraid of ordinary people, but these little brats were the elites in China.

    If they were to exaggerate the story and ruin the Su family¡¯s reputation, no one would want to talk business with him anymore.

    Pei Xu bit into his lollipop and led his friends outside.

    When they got outside, the group quickly surrounded Pei Xu.

    ¡°F*ck! Alpha Xu, is Sister Xi really Su Yi¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°Holy sh*t! I¡¯m dead¡­ I just red at Su Yi, so will Sister Xi kill me?¡±

    ¡°Lies! I don¡¯t believe it! Sister Xi is so valiant and bullish. She¡¯s a heroine, so how can she be Su Yi¡¯s daughter? I don¡¯t believe it!¡±

    The group cursed while some consoled themselves. They were in doubt and thought that it was absolutely impossible. They must have heard wrong! The Su family was not worthy of Shen Xi!

    Since they found out, Pei Xu did not hide it from them. Once they were in a secluded ce, Pei Xu told them the truth. When he was done, he warned them. ¡°Before Xixi announces this herself, no one is allowed to say a word about it! If any of you spread this, I¡¯ll cut your tongue.¡±

    Pei Xu had the same reaction as them too. He did not believe it, but that was a fact because Xixi and Li Jingran did look quite simr.

    ¡°F*ck, poor Sister Xi. I¡¯ll kill that old fart!¡±

    ¡°Alpha Xu, I¡¯ve decided to take not a penny less. I¡¯ll go all out and demand a hundred times the betting odds. I¡¯m not gonna f*ckingpromise for that jerk!¡±

    ¡°Me too! Even if he calls the police or our involvement in online gambling is exposed, I don¡¯t give a damn! How dare he bully Sister Xi!¡±

    ¡°The Su family is horrible! They don¡¯t wanna ept their biological daughter and only spoils that impostor, Su Ruowan!¡±

    Initially, the International ss did not want to make a big deal out of this. After all, their society was all about connections, so it was not good to make a fuss. They only followed Pei Xu just to get more money.

    This time, when they heard about Shen Xi¡¯s time at the Su family, they changed their mind and made it their business to make a big deal out of it. Even if it involved the police, they would not let the Su family get away with how they treated their ssmate. They wanted the Su family to know that the International ss was not one to mess with.

    The Su family was blind for not wanting Shen Xi but they were different, they would support Shen Xi no matter the consequences and fight for her.

    When they got their money back, they would give it all to Shen Xi since this was what the Su family owed her.

    Pei Xu did not expect Su Yi to expose his own true identity would bring so much resentment from his ssmates. He wanted to p for Su Yi to thank him for his divine assistance in this matter. He had intended to take a step back and let the Su family go because he did not want to bring trouble to his brothers.

    However, even if he did take a step back now, these guys would not agree. They wanted to go all out and would fight the Su family to the end.

    Su Yi did not know that he had shot himself in the foot. He took the documents and went back to the office. He then called Su Muyan. ¡°Come back home, immediately!¡±

    ¡®Useless son!¡¯

    Su Yi trusted Su Muyan and wanted to train him, so he gave his son the website, but look what happened! His good son lost so much money and still hid it from him.

    When they got home, Su Yi would beat this good-for-nothing to death.

    Su Muyan answered the phone and was stunned for a moment. His eyes flickered. Finally, he made up his mind and looked at the driver. ¡°Go back to my house.¡±

    Since his father was looking for him, Su Muyan would be honest about it. Although he was the one who ordered the staff to set up this bet, Third Brother was the one who suggested it. He was caught up in the moment and made a mistake.

 Chapter 346 - Good Relationship

    <h4>Chapter 346: Good Rtionship</h4>

    Su Mushi heard from someone in the afternoon that Pei Xu had skipped ss with other students from the International ss. He was apprehensive and felt that it must be rted to the gambling, so he took an early leave and went home.

    When Su Mushi arrived at the living room, he heard a harsh and angry voiceing from the study, so he ran over terrified.

    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s really not me. Shi was the one who begged me and insisted that I set up this bet. You know how hung up he was about ¡®The Smiling Nation¡¯. He just wanted to use this opportunity to get back at them.¡±

    ¡°Shi asked you to do it? Why would you just do as he asked?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my brother and he begged me, so what else can I do? Shi said that the ratings will definitely not exceed 2%, and when the timees, we can make money and you¡¯ll be happy. How would we know that the ratings exploded?¡±

    The conversation continued in the study. Su Muyan argued that it was Su Mushi who begged him to set up this bet and put all the me on his brother, shirking off the responsibility.

    Su Mushi stood at the door and listened to the argument. It was pathetic and ridiculous. He clenched his fist tightly and hatred surged in his eyes.

    ¡®Ha! What a good brother! I can¡¯t believe I trusted him wholeheartedly. When everything was fine, Yan¡¯s a good brother, but when things went wrong, he put all the fault on me saying that I forced him to set up the bet?! I even thought of taking on the responsibility if something were to go wrong so that Yan won¡¯t have to suffer with me¡­ But look what he did?! He betrayed me and put all the me on me. Since that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t me me for being unkind.¡¯

    The bickering in the study was getting more intense, interspersed with the sound of things being smashed.

    Su Mushi sneered. His eyes were blood-red as he pushed open the door. He looked like a demon that had just crawled out of hell and he had a sinister smile. ¡°Dad, I proposed this bet, but Second Brother made the call.¡±

    ¡®Well, this is only fair. Since we did this together, we should also share the responsibility. I was so ridiculously naive to think that my good brother would exculpate me from this¡­¡¯

    Su Muyan looked at him incredulously. ¡°Third Brother, what are you talking about? You were the one who wanted to set up the bet. If you didn¡¯t beg me, I wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing!¡±

    Su Mushi sneered mockingly. ¡°Is that so? Second Brother, how did I force you to set up the bet? Did I hold a gun to your head?¡±

    Su Muyan was annoyed. ¡°Third Brother, you said at that time that you¡¯ll take the me for whatever happened. What are you saying now? You don¡¯t wanna admit that it was your fault?¡±

    Su Mushi smirked, ¡°Second Brother, that¡¯s not right. Even though I suggested it, you agreed because you wanted to show some achievements to Dad, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Su Muyan¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense! Clearly, you¡¯re the one who holds a grudge against ¡®The Smiling Nation¡¯ and you¡¯re dragging me down in the process. My achievements in music are already enough for Dad!¡±

    This matter had escted. The two of them no longer cared about brotherhood and tried to drag one another through the mud.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Su Yi swung the whip in his hand and beat his sons ruthlessly.

    ¡®Look at these imbeciles! When things go wrong, they only know to pass the buck to each other. How did I raise such irresponsible bastards?! Even now, they¡¯re ming each other for such a small matter. How would they not kill each other when they fight for the family fortune in the future? Will they also kill their father to seize power?!¡¯

    Su Muyan and Su Mushi did not dodge the beating and stood in ce, letting their father beat them as they red at each other like they were looking at their mortal enemy.

    Su Muxuan heard something had happened and rushed home. When he pushed open the study door, he saw Su Mushi and Su Muyan standing with their clothes torn by the whip. He quickly stopped his father. ¡°Dad, do you wanna kill them?¡±

    Three billion yuan was not a small amount to the Su family. It would be difficult to fork out so much at once with their current cash flow. If they suddenly liquidated this much money, it would be a considerable blow for the Su family¡¯s business operations.

    Su Mushi endured severe pain and strained his neck to look at his father. ¡°I¡¯ll pay whatever I owe.¡±

    This was the first time he was whipped. It was extremely painful. No wonder Shen Xi would faint when she was beaten with a whip.

    ¡°You wanna pay?! How are you gonna pay?¡± Su Yi flung the whip again. He was so infuriated that he wanted to whip the two of them to death. This would be better than letting them lose their family fortune.

    Su Muxuan went forward and stopped him. ¡°Dad, this is not the time to be angry. We have to discuss how to solve this matter first.¡±

    Su Yi was ruthless and fierce when beating them, so that vented off some of the pent-up anger in his heart. After all, these two were his sons. Even if he was exasperated, he could not possibly kill them.

    ¡°Dad, private gambling is against thew. We can just threaten them with this and make it a big deal. Let¡¯s go all out and get the police involved. We can return the principal to them, then find a scapegoat for this. We¡¯ll say that we don¡¯t know anything and that the scapegoat did it behind our backs.¡±

    On the way back, Su Muxuan had already thought of a solution.

    This way, the Su family would only suffer temporarily. With a scapegoat, they could get away unscathed and they would not have to pay so much. Over time, this scandal would fade away.

    ¡°Su Mushi, tell your big brother who are the people involved in the bet!¡± Su Yi gave a reprimanding roar.

    ¡®Do you think I haven¡¯t thought about it?¡¯

    They had to look at who was behind these kids. Those involved were the rich and influential second generations in the Capital. This group of kids were fearless, so they would certainly not fear the Su family.

    Su Mushi was so scared that his body trembled. He replied honestly, ¡°They¡¯re from my school¡¯s International ss, the group of rich second-gen students led by Pei Xu.¡±

    Su Muxuan¡¯s face which was smug earlier turned glum. ¡°Dad, that group of people can¡¯t be messed with. Third Brother, how could you even pick a fight with them?¡±

    He knew who the International ss students were. They were a bunch of cynical and feral youths who happened to be the elites in China, the second generation of power and wealth. If they went against them, it would not be easy to get away unscathed.

    Su Muyan sat on the side with his head hung low. He did not speak and only felt hatred and indignation in his heart, which made his eyes look vicious.

    If he had known that things would turn out this way and even if Su Mushi was on his knees begging him, he would not have agreed to this.

    Now they knew the bettors were not ordinary people but a gang of lunatics from the International ss, they would have to pay up even if they did not want to, especially if they were hell-bent on making a fuss.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll pay back the money. Just wait until I be popr. I¡¯ll take on more variety shows and TV series roles. In a few years, I¡¯ll be able to pay it off.¡± Su Mushi was confident.

    The entertainment industry was such a lucrative business that it would be easy to make money anywhere. When he had be a first-tier celebrity after winning various film and television awards, any regr drama could make him hundreds of millions.

    He would take up more ads and variety shows as well. In a few years, he would be able to pay off three billion or even five billion yuan.

    ¡°Shut the f*ck up!¡± Su Yi pped him. He had a sinister look in his eyes as he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t your sister and Pei Xu have a good rtionship?¡±

 Chapter 347 - Two Coincidental Encounters

    <h4>Chapter 347: Two Coincidental Encounters</h4>

    Su Mushi took a while to react and instinctively replied, ¡°How could Wanwan have a good rtionship with Pei Xu?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Shen Xi!¡± Su Yi red at him viciously, pointed at him, and clenched his teeth. ¡°Get changed now ande with me to find her!¡±

    Su Mushi was weak from the beating and dared not speak. His body was wounded and even breathing was painful, but he obediently went to get dressed.

    Su Muyan did not speak. Su Muxuan nced at him, and they saw the same abhorrence in each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡®Shen Xi? That vicious brat probably wanted our family to die, so why would she help us? Dad is really dreaming.¡¯

    **

    In the evening, Shen Xi apanied Yun Jinping to the neighborhood supermarket to buy groceries. From afar, she saw a ck Bentley parked about 500 meters in front of them.

    A man was standing next to the Bentley and talking on the phone. The warm orange sunset shone on him, eliminating some of his coldness and unapproachable vibes.

    The man stood out and had such a kingly aura that it was hard to ignore.

    Yun Jinping noticed him too and felt that her daughter was looking at the man. She asked in a soft voice, ¡°He¡¯s very handsome, huh?¡±

    Shen Xi snorted and averted her gaze. She muttered, ¡°So what? What¡¯s so good about being handsome?!¡±

    The man was Fu Qingli.

    ¡®What kind of sh*tty luck do I have to bump into him twice in a day?!¡¯

    Yun Jinping took her daughter¡¯s arm and said with a smile, ¡°Well, you¡¯re right, but at least he¡¯s pleasing to the eye.¡±

    ¡°Mom, if you do this again, I¡¯ll tell Old Shen about this!¡± Shen Xi threatened.

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°Go ahead then!¡±

    Shen Xi looked at her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve noticed that since you started working, you¡¯ve taken more interest in handsome men. Don¡¯t get influenced by my teacher.¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled. ¡°Everyone would appreciate youths that are full of vitality!¡±

    She herself had noticed that after working and gaining exposure to new things, she could maintain a young mind and felt energized.

    As the pair of mother and daughter walked and talked, they soon approached where Fu Qingli was standing.

    Shen Xi did not look at him and brushed past him.

    Fu Qingli saw the little girl the moment she appeared in his sight. Her face that had an uncanny resemnce to his mother was bright with smiling eyes.

    The older woman with gentle eyes that she was holding was her adoptive mother.

    When the two came toward him, he had a momentary hallucination; perhaps because the sunlight was too soft.

    He thought he saw Shen Xi holding his mother¡¯s arm as they waved at him.

    After a moment¡¯s illusion, everything returned to normal. The little girl standing across from him only took a nce at him, then averted her cold eyes and did not look at him again.

    On the contrary, her adoptive mother looked at him several times.

    Fu Qingli did not mean to do anything when he saw her pass by, but he became irritated when he saw her ignore him and brush by him indifferently.

    He was certain she recognized him and she most likely did too from a previous encounter in her hometown.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Fu Qingli instantly regretted calling out to her.

    However, his actions preceded his thoughts. He had already shouted her name.

    Shen Xi did not even turn her head and pretended not to hear him.

    Yun Jinping tugged on her daughter¡¯s arm. ¡°Xixi, do you know him?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and quickened her pace. ¡°No.¡±

    Fu Qingli was not only rebellious but also arrogant. When he saw that she still ignored him, he shouted, ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    His voice was loud and clear.

    Yun Jinping felt that it was impolite to ignore anyone and pulled her daughter to a stop. ¡°Xixi, he¡¯s shouting your name¡­¡±

    ¡®Who¡¯s that young man? He looks nice¡­¡¯

    ¡°Mom, maybe it¡¯s one of my fans¡­¡± Shen Xi exined and kept pulling Yun Jinping to leave.

    Fu Qingli watched her flee and disappear. He sighed and opened the car door to get in.

    ¡®Damn it! She actually affected me! It must be that face of hers that screwed with my head¡­¡±

    Shen Xi walked a long distance away from Fu Qingli while Yun Jinping asked her who that person really was.

    ¡°Mom, I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± Shen Xi met Yun Jinping¡¯s skeptical gaze and conceded. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ He¡¯s Fu Qingli.¡±

    ¡°Fu Qingli?¡± Yun Jinping paused for a moment. ¡°Qingxuan¡¯s older brother?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded reluctantly. ¡°Mm.¡±

    Although he was Fu Qingxuan¡¯s older brother, he was not at all likable. He was proud, arrogant, and brutal, a self-righteous tyrant.

    ¡°Xixi!¡± Yun Jinping hit her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? How can I face Qingxuan and Qingye after this?¡±

    Shen Xi dodged and looked at her with pitiful eyes. ¡°You hit me because of an outsider? Am I still your baby?¡±

    Yun Jinping pointed at her and was speechless. ¡°You can go ahead to the supermarket and wait for me. I¡¯ll go over and ask what¡¯s going on. Maybe he needs help.¡±

    The young man was Qingxuan¡¯s older brother. Qingxuan had taken care of her daughter previously, so Yun Jinping could not neglect his older brother even though her daughter was young and clueless.

    Since his car stopped by the side of the road, there must be something wrong with it.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Shen Xi sighed and ran over to hold her. She gave in, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go with you¡­¡±

    ¡®Even if this big boss¡¯ car broke down, he could get a new car in a minute. Why shouldmoners like us concern ourselves with him?¡¯

    Fu Qingli saw from the rearview mirror that the mother and daughter were walking toward him and looked doubtful.

    ¡®That girl¡¯s smart and must have known that I have a prejudice against her, so she¡¯s holding a grudge and is giving me the same treatment.¡¯

    Yun Jinping walked over to the car window and looked at him with an apologetic smile.

    Shen Xi stood behind her mother smiling perfunctorily.

    Fu Qingli looked at her fake smile and felt suffocated. She really did not like him. He opened the car door and looked at Yun Jinping. ¡°Do you need something?¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled shyly and wanted to confirm with him. ¡°You¡¯re Qingxuan¡¯s brother, right?¡±

    Fu Qingli replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Fu Qingxuan¡¯s brother, Fu Qingli. Hello.¡±

    ¡°This is my daughter, Shen Xi. She was Qing Ye¡¯s stylist. When she went to Vienna before the New Year, she stayed at your house.¡± Yun Jinping pulled Shen Xi forward. ¡°So thank you for taking care of my daughter.¡±

    Fu Qingli said, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    He was not made aware of this. ¡®If that bastard didn¡¯te home for New Year¡¯s Eve, I wouldn¡¯t have known that these two idiots found our sister¡¯s doppelganger behind my back!¡¯

    ¡°Do you have a problem with your car? If you have time,e in and have a seat at my house. We live nearby.¡± Yun Jinping smiled gently. ¡°My daughter¡¯s given you a lot of trouble, so I should thank you properly.¡±

    When Shen Xi saw her mother¡¯s enthusiasm, she said, ¡°Mom, Mr. Fu is a very busy man. He still has to work.¡±

    Fu Qingli intended to refuse, but when Shen Xi stole his words and wanted him to get lost, Fu Qingli smiled and said, ¡°Auntie, I have time.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart roared. ¡®Get lost!¡¯

    Yun Jinping quickly nodded and agreed. She took out the house keys and gave them to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, Mommy¡¯s going to buy groceries, so you can take Mr. Fu home first.¡±

    Shen Xi handed the keys to Fu Qingli. ¡°You can go there by yourself first. My house number is 507. My mom can¡¯t carry so many things, so I¡¯ll go with her.¡±

    Fu Qingli took the key, looked at her, and said, ¡°I¡¯lle with you then.¡±

    Since coincidence brought him to meet her twice in one day, this was fate. Fu Qingli wanted to see what was so special about this little girl that made his two brothers so happy that one of them did not even want to return home for the New Year.

 Chapter 348 - You Hate Me

    <h4>Chapter 348: You Hate Me</h4>

    Yun Jinping was embarrassed but seeing Fu Qingli¡¯s resolute response, she could only let him tag along.

    She understood her daughter best and knew that her daughter was prejudiced against the eldest of the Fu brothers.

    This was the first time Shen Xi went to a supermarket with a tyrant. With Fu Qingli¡¯s looks and attire, this big boss seemed to attract everyone¡¯s attention wherever he went as if his body was glowing.

    This was a lively neighborhood with stalls selling snacks on both sides of the road. There were all kinds of things and 5:30 pm was the peak hour.

    Shen Xi knew that Fu Qingli had a purpose in tagging along and seemed to be testing her. If so, she would y along as well.

    Yun Jinping watched as her daughter bought so many snacks from both sides of the road and threw all the things she bought to Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli was good-natured and did not seem to mind carrying whatever Shen Xi chucked at him. However, such a noble-looking and striking man carrying a handful of stic bags just seemed incongruous.

    Many of the snack stall owners knew Yun Jinping who often bought from them since she had lived in this area for a long time. She was a frequent customer.

    ¡°Is this your son-inw?¡± The florist¡¯sdy boss was in her forties and asked Yun Jinping in a whisper when she was receiving payment.

    The man was tall and handsome. With one nce, she knew that he muste from an extraordinary background. However, his hands were full, with stic bags of food and a bunch of flowers that Shen Xi just stuffed into his arms.

    He just stood there like a mannequin and was so good-looking that people could not move their eyes away from him.

    Yun Jinping took the change and said in a warm voice, ¡°No.¡±

    The Fu family was prestigious, so their family could only wish to be connected with them. Moreover, her daughter was still young and was not of marrying age.

    However, Yun Jingping felt that her daughter treated Fu Qingli differently from others as if she had a problem with him and was deliberately making things difficult for him.

    The owner of the florist smiled and looked at her dubiously. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find such a good-looking and good-tempered man! I think he¡¯s fine and a good match for your girl.¡±

    Yun Jinping coughed slightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, my daughter isn¡¯t an adult yet!¡±

    ¡°How is this nonsense? You should lock down a good man before it is toote. Xixi¡¯s almost 18 anyway.¡± The florist looked like a sage imparting her wisdom.

    Yun Jinping was a little vexed.

    When the florist saw that Yun Jinping was unhappy, she changed the subject. ¡°Your daughter left.¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s so wrong talking about such a good-looking man? Who wouldn¡¯t want him? Why is she unhappy about it? Every girl will grow up and get married one day. Won¡¯t any parents want their daughter to marry a good-looking man with some background?¡¯

    Fu Qingli attracted a lot of attention with his handsome face, extraordinary figure, expensive suit, and noble aura. Even the stic bags he was holding seemed to be glowing.

    Shen Xi was eating a candied hawthorn. She looked at him through the corner of her eyes and still could not figure out why he wanted to follow them to the supermarket.

    Fu Qingli walked behind her and looked like her little follower as the sun gradually set.

    Shen Xi pulled her long hair into a messy bun and skipped around. The small bun on the top of her head bounced and made her look like a small penguin.

    ¡°Hey, do you eat this?¡± Shen Xi turned around and asked him as she pointed to the stewed dishes next to her.

    Fu Qingli nced over and did not know what they were.

    Shen Xi approached the stall and said, ¡°Can I get two pig¡¯s trotters, one boneless and one with bone. Another half a catty of boneless chicken feet, please.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked at the things in his hands, then looked at her. She was chewing on the candied hawthorn. From the side, her fair cheeks were bulging like a small hamster. It was adorable.

    Shen Xi happily ate thest candied hawthorn and threw the bamboo stick into the trash can. She looked at the stic bags Fu Qingli was carrying and tilted her head to look at him. A momentter, she wore a disposable stic glove and began to eat the stewed chicken feet that she just bought.

    Fu Qingli frowned and was rendered speechless.

    ¡®What kind of bad habit is this?! She walked and ate the whole way¡­ I can¡¯t even keep track of all the things she ate.¡¯

    Shen Xi bought snacks and was indeed eating all the way. Ten minutester, they finally arrived at the supermarket entrance.

    She removed the gloves and threw them away, then looked at Fu Qingli. ¡°The supermarket doesn¡¯t allow us to bring things from outside. Go leave the stuff over there.¡±

    Fu Qingli was a little vexed. ¡®This little girl really treats me as her ve?!¡¯

    Yun Jinping could not bear to see this and went over to help. She was embarrassed and said, ¡°Mr. Fu, let me do it. Just give me the things.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked at the little girl¡¯s smug face and said in a deep voice, ¡°Auntie, wait here. I¡¯ll go with her.¡±

    Shen Xi hooked her finger at him. ¡°This way.¡±

    Yun Jinping watched the two leave and looked puzzled. Her daughter was not a reckless child and usually treated people with courtesy. Yun Jinping did not know why Shen Xi was acting so strange today with such an aggressive and bad attitude like she was deliberately looking for trouble.

    Shen Xi bought a little too much stuff, so she got two storage boxes. One was at the top, so she tiptoed to put the bag of stewed dishes inside.

    Suddenly, someone took the bag from her and she felt a figure overshadowing her. She tilted her head and saw the man¡¯s chiseled, sharp jaw that made him look so aloof.

    Fu Qingli looked down at her. His eyes were cold and deep as he scrutinized her as if he wanted to look into her soul.

    They looked at each other with the same cold, deep, and ck eyes that bore suspicion and query.

    Shen Xi¡¯s cold face was no longer smiling. Her voice was clear, cold, and a little dangerous as she said, ¡°Mr. Fu, just ask whatever you want to ask. There¡¯s no need to follow me and test me. As long as I can answer, I¡¯ll tell you whatever you wanna know.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked at the girl in front of him, and for a while, he was curious and wondered which version was her true self.

    Was she the scrawny teenager that he ran into at Tianheng Entertainment?

    Was she the girl that pretended not to see him earlier and brushed past him to deliberately draw his attention?

    Was she the girl who ate while she walked, like a cute little hamster?

    Or was she the girl in front of him now who suddenly turned cold and sharp as she spat out frank and unforgiving words?

    Shen Xi saw that Fu Qingli was silent and was only staring at her with his deep, dark eyes. She felt annoyed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s be upfront with each other. You hate me, and I hate you too. We might as well make this clear.¡±

    Fu Qingli took a step back. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°What do you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to tell me to stay away from your brothers?¡± Shen Xi then extended her hand. ¡°Then show me your sincerity!¡±

 Chapter 349 - I Donâ€™t Hate You

    <h4>Chapter 349: I Don¡¯t Hate You</h4>

    Fu Qingli was unfazed and even looked interested. ¡°I do want to know why my brothers are only interested in you.¡±

    His second brother was sensible and calm. It was impossible for Fu Qingye to treat Shen Xi so well just because she resembled their mother or because of her miserable life.

    Although his third brother was too emotional, Fu Qingxuan was not dumb. He knew what kind of friends he should befriend and would not keep those with ulterior motives.

    This little girl was smart, calm, mysterious, and spoke so frankly without mercy.

    If she was trying to use this to get Fu Qingli¡¯s attention, then she had seeded. He was now fascinated with her.

    Shen Xi sneered and beckoned him. ¡°One hundred million. If you give me a hundred million yuan, I promise not to actively interact with your brothers in the future.¡±

    ¡®He wants to y? I¡¯m not afraid of him! I can y till the end.¡¯ Shen Xi hated the feeling of being led around by the nose. If she could not beat him, then she would catch him off guard, mess up his ns and piss him off so that he would never appear in front of her again.

    She would make Fu Qingli hate her, so much so that he would want her to disappear when he saw her.

    Mutual hatred could not be better.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re worth this price?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s face did not flinch at the slightest to reveal any emotion. His eyes were just as cold as ever.

    ¡®This girl is trying to turn the tables, huh? Does she hate the feeling of being controlled that much?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m smart, cute, kind, and generous enough to give you such a cheap offer.¡± Shen Xi covered her mouth andughed flirtatiously, but her eyes were filled with admonition. ¡°So Mr. Fu, don¡¯t even try to test me.¡±

    Shen Xi hated this feeling of getting her emotions stirred up by him. It made her feel out of control, which made her anxious, annoyed, and miserable.

    She t out hated it when others tried to probe her.

    Whatever his intentions were, Shen Xi would never allow herself to be part of his game, especially when she was at aparative disadvantage and felt overwhelmed.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, I don¡¯t think you want money.¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s long and slender fingers suddenly sped her chin. His fingertips were just about to touch her cheeks when he suddenly felt a chill on his lower body.

    When Shen Xi exerted all her strength to knee his crotch, her eyes were stern and dangerous.

    Fu Qingli dodged immediately. The girl¡¯s raised leg just brushed along the outside of his thigh. It had a cold and murderous feeling. His eyes turned colder and darker.

    ¡®Ha! She¡¯s really good to have used this trick¡­ If I hadn¡¯t dodged in time, I would¡¯ve been severely injured¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi was the first person who had the audacity to attack Fu Qingli when he was inplete control of a situation and this close to seeding.

    The feeling of his prey getting out of his control gave him inexplicable anxiety. His pupils constricted a little as he moved closer to her. His voice was dangerously deep. ¡°You should be d that you have this face.¡±

    ¡®That perfect face¡­¡¯

    Fu Qingli saw the girl¡¯s cold gaze that seemed to crack under his question.

    ¡®That¡¯s right. You should be led around by me, not the other way around. How can someone see through me and affect my emotions?! As the Head of the Fu family, I shouldn¡¯t and couldn¡¯t have any emotions.¡¯

    Fu Qingli did not care what rtionship Shen Xi had with his brothers. After all, they were both adults and he should not interfere.

    However, it was different for his mother. He would never allow a girl with this face that was skilled at manipting others to appear before his mother because his mother could not take such a devastating blow.

    When Shen Xi heard this, the corner of her lips hooked up with bone-chilling derision.

    ¡®I should be d to have this face? If it was possible, I don¡¯t want this face that looks like Li Jingran!¡¯

    ¡°Fu Qingli, what do you mean by that?¡± Shen Xi saw that he was about to leave and shouted at him.

    ¡®Were Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye nice to me because of this face? Why would it be because of this face?¡¯

    ¡°Ms. Shen, you¡¯re a smart person.¡± Fu Qingli paused in his footsteps and looked back at her. His voice was cold and deep as he said, ¡°Also, I don¡¯t hate you.¡±

    ¡®I kinda like you even.¡¯

    Fu Qingli liked smart people, especially smart women. The smarter they were, the more he grew an interest in them. As opponents, it would be all the more intriguing.

    However, most of the women he met were dumb. She was different. She was the first woman who dared to provoke and confront him face to face.

    ¡°Fu Qingli, just a word of advice¡­¡± Shen Xi knew that she could not get any answer from him and sneered, ¡°People like you will never be able to make friends.¡±

    This kind of person deserved to be alone for the rest of his life. He was proud, arrogant, headstrong, cold, and ruthless, just like a sheathed de. When it was out of its sheath, it would just hurt anyone without knowing it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need friends,¡± Fu Qingli said before turning around and left.

    Shen Xi looked at the man¡¯s tall back. The moment he turned around, she actually saw a hint of self-deprecation and loneliness in his eyes that made her heart stall. She went a few steps forward and shouted, ¡°If you want to make friends, you have to show your sincerity in exchange for trust.¡±

    Fu Qingli got into the car and could still hear the girl¡¯s crisp and anxious voice echoing in his ear. ¡°If you want to make friends, you have to show your sincerity in exchange for trust.¡±

    He touched his heart and could clearly feel his heart beating in his palm. There was aplex look in his eyes. The belief that he had always held onto was shaken and started to crack.

    A few momentster, Fu Qingli regained his usual coldness and ruthlessness.

    ¡®No. I don¡¯t need any of that. I don¡¯t need friends or feelings!¡¯

    Fu Qingli was the Head of the Fu family, so he should not have these disturbing and distracting emotions. Only by discarding these feelings could he take the Fu family to the next level and keep the Fu family¡¯s status so that he could protect his loved ones from getting hurt.

    Shen Xi finally got rid of Fu Qingli. Even though she felt refreshed, she somehow also felt a little heartbroken.

    ¡®Damn it! How can I feel sorry for that robot Fu Qingli who doesn¡¯t even understand feelings? He¡¯s just a tyrant and a crazy devil! I should feel sorry for myself for being bullied by him!¡¯

    However, hisst nce and that look on his face just left her feeling suffocated and sad.

    He was the Head of the Fu family and held such a high position, so it was only right to feel lonely asionally, right? This was what it meant when people say it was lonely at the top.

    Yun Jinping was waiting at the entrance of the supermarket. When she saw her daughtering alone, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Fu?¡±

    Shen Xi ran over and grabbed a shopping cart. ¡°He had an emergency, so he left.¡±

    Yun Jinping looked at her inquisitively, but she did not see anything unusual. ¡®That¡¯s too bad¡­ I wanted to invite him for dinner¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi pushed the trolley heading into the supermarket. Looking at the crowd of people, her eyes returned to their usual calmness. ¡®I should live my own life and not worry about others¡­¡¯

    Also, the person she was worried about did not need her concern anyway.

 Chapter 350 - Secretly Dating

    <h4>Chapter 350: Secretly Dating</h4>

    When Shen Xi and Yun Jinping returned from the supermarket, they saw Shen Zhangqing sitting at the door with arge knife in hand. His face was red with anger.

    Shen Xi ran over nervously. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong with you? Did someone rob us?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was furious and cursed. ¡°That scumbag Su Yi came again! I¡¯ve warned him to stay away so many times and told him that if he dares toe, I¡¯ll chop him up!¡±

    Shen Xiughed out loud and walked over to help him up. ¡°So you chased him away?¡±

    Old Shen waved the knife in his hand and looked at his daughter proudly, waiting for her praise. ¡°That scumbag even brought his son over, so I chased both of them away!¡±

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re awesome!¡± Shen Xiplimented him and took away his knife, then gave him the shopping bags.

    Shen Zhangqing took the shopping bags from her, then ran to meet Yun Jinping to take over her grocery bags. He weighed them and looked distressed. ¡°Why did you buy so many things? They¡¯re so heavy! Why didn¡¯t you call me so that I could pick you guys up?¡±

    ¡°How are they heavy?¡± Yun Jinping tugged it. ¡°Pass me a small one.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Shen Zhangqing brought them and went into the house.

    Yun Jinpingughed helplessly and chased after him, then asked him why Su Yi came over with his son. Xixi would not go back to the Su family anyway.

    ¡°What else is he here for? I¡¯m sure he wants to bring Xixi back,¡± Shen Zhangqing snorted. ¡°The next time hees, I¡¯ll definitely call the police!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled mockingly and thought, ¡®What else can it be for? They must¡¯ve wanted me to talk to the International ss students about the debt.¡¯

    **

    After Su Yi and Su Mushi were chased out of the Shen family home, they were frustrated and thought of waiting nearby for Shen Xi toe home.

    However, a car approached them suddenly and hurled them inside. They were beaten up and then thrown to the outskirts of the city.

    They both walked for two hours before they managed to see someone to help them make a call. They took a cab and headed to the hospital to tend to their injuries before anything else.

    ¡°Dad, who attacked us?¡± Su Mushi was terrified and did not know who they had offended.

    ¡°How should I know?¡± Su Yi roared. His eyes were bloodshot and he was so angry that he was about to explode.

    They were just squatting in the Shen family¡¯s neighborhood and were somehow taken away. After a violent beating, those thugs said that they got the wrong person?

    ¡°Dad, so what do we do now?¡± Su Mushi¡¯s eyes were dark and gloomy. When he thought he was beaten up because he went looking for Shen Xi, he felt like killing her.

    ¡°Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive father doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him. She¡¯s my daughter! Mine!¡± Su Yi gritted his teeth at the mention of Shen Zhangqing. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t interfered, Xixi would¡¯vee home with me. They¡¯re so selfish and want to keep Xixi for themselves since she can earn so much money now! Back when she was not capable of anything, they were willing to give her to us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, when Shen Xi was with us, she was so obedient and did everything she was told to do without anyints,¡± Su Mushi was fanning the mes. ¡°She was taught to have such a bad attitude by the Shen family after she returned to them.¡±

    ¡®Doesn¡¯t Shen Xi care a lot about her damned adoptive parents? Then I¡¯ll have them dead and once they¡¯re dead, she has no one to rely on and will have to eventually return to the Su family. Then I can treat her however I please.¡¯

    Su Yi¡¯s eyes were ruthless. ¡®Right, Xixi must¡¯ve been brainwashed by that couple. That¡¯s why she hates our family. As long as the Shen couple is dead, everything will be smooth sailing. They crossed me first, so don¡¯t me me for being ruthless and unkind to them!¡¯

    **

    Shen Xi exercised more cautiontely since Shen Zhangqing asked about their next-door neighbor the other time. She would not stand too tantly on the wall and was careful as if she did not want to be caught by her parents for dating in secret.

    This feeling was sweet, apprehensive, and tormenting.

    ¡°Dad, Toffeecito¡¯s missing. I¡¯m going out to look for him!¡± Shen Xi grabbed her fried chicken and ran out while eating it.

    Shen Zhangqing looked outside and saw her shouting for Toffeecito as she ran to the wall again. He asked Yun Jinping, ¡°Honey, have you seen the neighbor in the past two days?¡±

    Yun Jinping shook her head. ¡°No, but I¡¯ll pay attention next time. I¡¯ve asked our other neighbors, but no one¡¯s seen him before.¡±

    This person was just too mysterious that no one saw him before.

    Shen Zhangqing grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. He¡¯s not a god, so he certainly can¡¯te and go without leaving a trace. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll catch him one day.¡±

    Yun Jinping nodded and reminded him. ¡°Don¡¯t control Xixi too much. She¡¯s in her rebellious stage. If you ask too many questions, you¡¯ll hurt her self-esteem.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing nodded and looked outside again. He heard his daughter shouting for Toffeecito and was not talking to anyone, so his mind was at ease and thought that the neighbor was probably not at home.

    Shen Xi was sneaking around like a thief. She looked at the man and said in a low voice, ¡°Brother, my father is getting suspicious and thinks that we¡¯re dating, so you should be more careful. He wants to catch you!¡±

    Li Yuan smiled and nodded, then asked her back, ¡°Are we dating?¡±

    When Shen Xi heard the word ¡°dating¡±ing out of his mouth, it shook her heart and her face turned red. She shook her head in denial. ¡°No.¡±

    Li Yuan felt a pang of disappointment, but when he heard the girl¡¯s tense voice, he felt much better. ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡®Wait a little longer. She¡¯s not an adult yet, so there¡¯s no hurry.¡¯

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was racing when she heard Shen Zhangqing calling her for dinner, so she coughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to eat. Quick, give me Toffeecito!¡±

    Toffeecito jumped out of Li Yuan¡¯s arms and climbed into the basket with its short legs and sat upright.

    Shen Xi picked it up and held it in his arms. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll get going. Be careful for the next few days! Don¡¯t let my dad catch you!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s scurrying back and felt his heart pounding. He vaguely had a sense of excitement like they were secretly dating behind his father-inw and mother-inw¡¯s back.

    Kun Lun stood not far away. After he hung up the phone, he walked up to Li Yuan and reported in a whisper of a situation before he asked in a low voice, ¡°Should we take action on the Su family?¡±

    Su Yi was getting more vicious and even dared to hire a hitman.

    If they had known sooner, they would have dumped that filthy father and son on the outskirts of the city this afternoon so that there would be less trouble.

 Chapter 351 - Sleepless Night

    <h4>Chapter 351: Sleepless Night</h4>

    ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on them,¡± Li Yuan said in a deep voice as he shook his head.

    His girl had yet to have enough fun. As for what would happen to the Su family in the future, it was up to her to decide.

    Shen Xi returned home with Toffeecito in her arms.

    ¡°Why did this little thing go next door?¡± Shen Zhangqing asked as he emerged from the kitchen with the dishes.

    Shen Xi smiled and tapped the little one¡¯s head. ¡°Ask him!¡±

    Toffeecito must have gone to the neighbor¡¯s house when Shen Xi left with her mom because no one was home to y with it.

    ¡°The next time you leave the house, make sure you close the door so he won¡¯t run away,¡± Shen Zhangqing said as he felt a little strange.

    This kitten was only two months old, so how could it climb over the wall with its small body? However, there was adder on the wall and cats were smart and agile, so it was possible too.

    Toffeecito was much bigger than when it first came home. Its injury had long since healed and it could now run around, up and down the stairs.

    Before the New Year, it had been sleeping in its cat bed.

    However, for the past two days, Toffeecito refused to sleep in the cat bed and insisted on Shen Xi¡¯s bed. When Shen Xi put it on the cat bed, it would ask to go on her bed.

    ¡°Are you going back to your own bed?¡± Shen Xi stared at the kitten while lying on the bed.

    Toffeecito flipped over toy on its back, showing its little belly as it meowed and purred softly.

    It was so adorable that Shen Xi snuggled her head on the kitten¡¯s soft little tummy. ¡°You win.¡±

    Toffeecito¡¯s paws were up in the air as it squinted its eyes and purred in joy.

    Shen Xi yed with Toffeecito and sent a message to Li Yuan. Toffeecito¡¯s little head was resting on and chewing on her ankle like it was a teething stick.

    [Brother, did Toffeecito sleep with you?]

    When Li Yuan¡¯s phone pinged, he picked up the phone and smiled. His eyes were gentle as he typed with his long fingers. [Yeah.]

    Shen Xi: [Did Toffeecito cling to you in bed and wouldn¡¯t leave?]

    Li Yuan: [Maybe sending him away for two days traumatized him. When I picked him up, he clung to me everywhere I went. At night, he¡¯ll insist on sleeping on my bed too.]

    Shen Xi: [Hasn¡¯t it only been two days? You spoil him too much.]

    Li Yuan: [Animals are pretty smart. Toffeecito probably thought we didn¡¯t want him anymore after sending him away for two days, so when he came back, he didn¡¯t feel secure.]

    Shen Xi looked at the little kitten. She wiggled her feet, held her phone, andughed like a fool as she rolled on the bed.

    ¡®Ahh! Toffeecito slept with Brother, and then with me! I guess this counts as me sleeping with Brother!¡¯

    Li Yuan: [Sleeping?]

    Shen Xi held her phone happily. [Can¡¯t sleep.]

    She just wanted to kiss and hug Toffeecito

    Not long after, Li Yuan sent a voice message. The man¡¯s voice was maic, sexy, and extremely alluring. ¡°Do you wanna listen to bedtime stories or lubies?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was beating wildly and replied with a voice note. ¡°Any.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°I¡¯m not great at telling stories, so luby it is.¡±

    Shen Xi listened to the man¡¯s voice note and was overjoyed that she squealed before she answered seriously, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep if the singing is not good.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°It should be okay.¡±

    He called while Shen Xiid down and listened to the man¡¯s maic and gentle baritone voice. His slow rhythmic luby had a magical power that calmed her thumping heart.

    ¡®OMG! Brother¡¯s voice is captivating. How can it sound so good?! He can flirt with me with this voice anytime¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi screamed with excitement and covered her face. She could hardly think because this was unbearably exhrating.

    Toffeecito looked at her strangely as she rolled around on the bed covering her mouth and giggling. It tilted its little head as if it was in deep thought.

    After a while, Li Yuan could hear the girl¡¯s light and steady breathing from the phone. He gently said, ¡°Xixi, are you asleep?¡±

    There were no other sounds on the other side of the call, so the girl had obviously fallen asleep.

    When Shen Xi woke up in the middle of the night, she was startled by the sound of a painful cry. She was shocked and turned her head to find the source of the sound.

    Next to her, her phone was still lit and she was still on a call. The sound wasing from her phone.

    Shen Xi covered her mouth and dared not say anything for fear of being heard by him. She could only hear the man wincing. It was heavy, repressed, and painful. It felt like a boulder was crushing her heart.

    She had no idea what kind of pain he was in at the time that was causing him to scream in agony. Is it a case of leg spasms? Or was it something else entirely?

    Kun Lun¡¯s voice could be heard soon after. It was as if he was used to it, like it was a daily urrence.

    The call was abruptly disconnected the next second.

    Li Yuan¡¯s hands trembled as he reached for the phone, his head breaking out in cold sweat. His knuckles were white, and he was distraught.

    ¡®Did the girl hear me? Did she hear it? She was probably sleeping at the time, so she couldn¡¯t have heard it! How could I have forgotten to put the phone down? Did I fall asleep listening to her breathing?¡¯

    ¡°Boss.¡± Kun Lun brought a bucket of hot water and a towel, which he wrung and handed it over to him.

    ¡°Wipe it off first, then showerter.¡±

    Li Yuan was now drenched in a cold sweat. He could only shower after his sweat had evaporated. Otherwise, it would be easy to catch a cold.

    Ever since Li Yuan broke his legs, he had been experiencing reflex nerve spasms almost every night. He had trouble sleeping and would wake up several times a night in pain.

    Li Yuan looked up suddenly and asked Kun Lun with a deep sigh. ¡°She didn¡¯t hear it, right?¡±

    Kun Lun was aware that his boss was talking to Ms. Shen before falling asleep. Upon seeing Li Yuan¡¯s self-deprecating look, heforted him, ¡°Most of the people will be in deep sleep at this hour that even a passing training won¡¯t wake them up. After a long day studying hard, Ms. Shen must have been tired and slept soundly.¡±

    Shen Xi, who was supposed to be in a slumber, hugged her quilt andid on her pillow as her body trembled. Tears streamed down her face as she suppressed a soft sob.

    Toffeecito was jolted awake and was puzzled. It used its own way tofort her by rubbing its head against her cheeks and licked away her tears.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart clenched ferociously, and for a moment, she considered running over to Li Yuan.

    She wanted to find out what happened to his leg and if it was treatable, or if he was resisting treatment.

    Shen Xi could not sleep the entire night.

    In his wheelchair, Li Yuan sat. He sat quietly till morning, staring at the wall through the window with aplicated expression.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were puffy, so she did not dare to meet Li Yuan. After sending him a message saying that Old Shen was going to send her to school, she left.

 Chapter 352 - Heard It All

    <h4>Chapter 352: Heard It All</h4>

    Kun Lun waited at a set location at the bus stop. He saw the boss¡¯s girl wrapped tightly in a scarf with the gloves his boss gave her. She was also wearing sunsses.

    Kun Lun was waiting at the bus stop. He saw the boss¡¯ girl wrapped tightly in a scarf with the gloves gifted by his boss. She was also wearing sunsses.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go there!¡± Shen Xi said as she pointed to arge tree not far away from them.

    Kun Lun grew rmed when he heard a little hoarseness in her voice. ¡®Could she have heard itst night? Were boss¡¯s fears real?¡¯

    Shen Xi cut to the chase and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to see your boss¡¯s medical reports, particrly his legs. Can you share them with me and not let him know?¡±

    Kun Lun was in a pickle. If he hid this from Li Yuan and if he was found outter, he would be dead. ¡°Ms. Shen, yesterday¡­¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°I heard everything. Was it a nerve spasm?¡±

    Kun Lun sighed. ¡°Ever since Boss broke his legs, he¡¯s been experiencing this. It¡¯s a chronic issue.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Then had he been going for rehab?¡±

    Kun Lun shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Li Yuan had already epted death and could not care less about anything else, even going to the hospital.

    They risked their lives countless times to persuade him, but they had not managed to change his mind.

    Shen Xi looked at him seriously and said in a low voice, ¡°Okay. If you trust me, hand over all of his health reports and I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    Kun Lun had no idea where she was going with this but perhaps Li Yuan would listen to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be eternally grateful to you if you could persuade Boss to go for his checkups and rehab.¡±

    Kun Lun was told by Situ that Li Yuan¡¯s leg was not broken, but rather his heart was dead. He had no motivation as there was nothing in this world that he cared about.

    However, things have changed now. Boss finally found the girl he had been looking for. For her sake, there would be a better chance of getting his cooperation.

    Shen Xi listened as Kun Lun exined the situation thoroughly. Besides heartache, Shen Xi felt angry and wanted to go over that instant to question Li Yuan why he did that.

    His legs were not crippled beyond the hope of recovery. It was a result of him refusing treatment and hisck of effort in recovery to have exacerbated the broken legs into the current state.

    Shen Xi recalled the first time they met. Those eyes of his that saw through the world¡¯s good and evil were filled with destion like a pool of stagnant water. Her heart shook.

    Kun Lun agreed to provide her with all the informationter and thus put his hope on her. If there was anyone in the world who could change Li Yuan¡¯s mind, it would be no one but her.

    They parted ways and all she could think about was ways to get Li Yuan to go for his checkups, receive treatments, and undergo rehab to heal his legs.

    ¡°Sister Xi!¡± Lin Ge called out to her and thought that Shen Xi looked distracted.

    Shen Xi saw him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lin Ge patted his chest. ¡°We¡¯ve decided to fight with the Su family till the end! We¡¯re not afraid of them. If they want to call the police, then so be it!¡±

    The others also gathered around in the ssroom and reiterated that they would never let the Su family go. They would demand as much money as they were owed and not a penny less.

    Shen Xi learned about their negotiation yesterday with Su Yi. It was tense and ended on an undesirable note, hence they unanimously decided that the Su family shouldpensate in full.

    This bunch was tight-lipped about what Pei Xu told them yesterday.

    Shen Xi thought that it was a little too risky still. She was afraid that the Su family would actually involve the police and implicate them. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± Pei Xu entered the ssroom and put a sandwich on the table before handing her a cup of milk tea. ¡°They¡¯ve made up their mind and you can rest assured. No matter what happens, we¡¯re ready to bear the consequences.¡±

    They were prepared for the worst. Everyone was on the same ship and would sink together. Although they were not particrly good at anything, they were certainly not wimps and would defend their friend fearlessly.

    Shen Xi watched as Pei Xu satzily next to her while eating his sandwich. The others had returned to their seats. She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Did they decide on their own?¡±

    Pei Xu looked at her seriously. ¡°I won¡¯t put them at risk.¡±

    Certainly, he would not want to watch his friends bullied.

    Su Yi finally tracked down Shen Xi to discuss what transpired with the International ss, but there was no resolution and he only grew more frustrated.

    All of the students in the International ss were from dignified families and theirworks were expansive and powerful.

    Besides the Su family, other reputable families would have to think twice too before offending this bunch of kids.

    As long as the Su family involved the police, they could renege on their debt. Private gambling was after all illegal, and the International ss would be exposed.

    However, exposing these kids would inevitably offend their powerful families.

    Su Yi still wanted to climb up the socialdder, so he could not afford to jeopardize his currentwork of contacts by offending all of them in one go. The upper ss¡¯s connections were too vtile.

    There might not be any short-term impacts from offending them but it would definitely do more harm than good in the long run.

    The International ssprised the rich second generations poised to inherit their family businesses. They were righteous and valued friendship the most. Although they could not touch the Su family now, they would certainly achieve power in the future and unite to eliminate the Su family.

    These kids refused topromise, not even a dime. The stalemate went on for half a month, and every now and then, they would scare and threaten Su Yi.

    Finally, Su Yi was cornered by the International ss, led by Pei Xu, to acknowledge his debt and bite the bullet. He agreed to pay them every penny owed but he needed some time to raise therge sum of money.

    A weekter.

    The debt was paid.

    The International ss students bought cars, limited edition collector¡¯s items, and so on. They were all happier than they were during the New Year.

    Shen Xi was at the office when she received news of the fund transfer. She had been busy during this period and would always head straight for the office after school.

    She basically slept at the office for half a month. School during the day and office at night, finalizing the album and music video production with Qi Xiu.

    Within a month, they had put together high-quality songs and music videos. It would however be an impossible feat if she had not any ready-made songs on hand.

    Today was the final day of recording and details of the promotion were finalized for next week in preparation for the debut next weekend on March 18th.

    Shen Xi took the afternoon off and came straight to the office.

    Qi Xiu was standing next to her and identally saw her text message. He was instantly blinded by the seemingly endless string of zeros.

 Chapter 353 - Do the Splits

    <h4>Chapter 353: Do the Splits</h4>

    When Shen Xi saw the numbers, her pupils dted. A hundred times the odds of her bet of five million would be 500 million in winnings but she received one billion instead. She looked at Qi Xiu.

    ¡°You go ahead, I need to make a phone call.¡±

    Pei Xu answered the phone. It was very noisy and he sounded like he was enjoying himself at a bar. ¡°Xixi, are youing over? Come quickly! We¡¯re all waiting for you!¡±

    Shen Xi heard the chaos through the phone. ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m still in a meeting. What¡¯s going on with the money?¡±

    Pei Xu¡¯s voice was loud. He had gone to a rtively quiet ce and said, ¡°Oh, that! They said that¡¯s to thank you for helping them earn so much money!¡±

    Shen Xi did not buy it. These guys had always been big spenders and although they were from wealthy families, they always made a fuss about how poor they were for not having enough spending money. The most they would do to thank her would be treating her to dinner. 500 million yuan as a thank-you gift was over the top. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±

    Before Pei Xu could say anything, a bunch of their ssmates came next to him and shouted, ¡°Sister Xi! We got back whatever the Su family owes you! It¡¯s all yours, so just ept it!¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Pei Xu shooed them away and exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. Su Yi was the one who told them that he¡¯s your father, so they found out and they demanded justice for you by taking whatever they owed us. Since we got this from the Su family, which should¡¯ve been yours anyway, so we¡¯ll take as much as we can get.¡±

    ¡°You guys did this for me?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes twitched a little.

    These guys did not go against Su Yi for the money, but to avenge her, so they were at a standoff with Su Yi for half a month.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank us,¡± Pei Xu¡¯s voice was loud. ¡°You should get back to work. Don¡¯t interrupt our party! It¡¯s too noisy so I can¡¯t hear you anyway. See ya!¡±

    Shen Xi heard him mumbling and a bunch of them talking next to him saying that if she wanted to thank them, she should quicklye party with them and get the check.

    She looked at the dimmed screen of her phone and felt her eyes welled up. ¡®These guys¡­¡¯

    Qi Xiu came over and saw her smiling. ¡°Whose call is it that made you so happy?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him and said, ¡°Qi Xiu, I have a party that I must go to. Can you manage by yourself? When you¡¯ve finalized the n, send it to me so I can take a look.¡±

    Qi Xiu had never seen her so anxious. There was a pleasant smile under her eyes with her eyebrows slightly raised when she mentioned the party. He asked her, ¡°Your friends¡¯ party?¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Shen Xi nodded, turned around and ran. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave this to you!¡±

    Qi Xiu looked at her brisk steps and pleasant smile like she was going for a date. ¡®It must be a very good friend.¡¯

    When Shen Xi ran to the bar, she met up with Song Wenye at the door.

    Song Wenye stood in ce for three seconds before she jumped into her arms and cried, ¡°Shen Xi, you b*tch!¡±

    Shen Xi frowned and thought, ¡®How did I offend her?¡¯

    Song Wenye cried miserably as she tugged on Shen Xi¡¯s arm and recounted Shu Baiyu and Guan Yue¡¯s evil deeds. It was simply torture and inhumane. ¡°They¡¯re devils reincarnate! Look at my arms and legs! If I don¡¯tplete the dance routines, I¡¯m not allowed to eat. If the practice is not up to par, then I¡¯m not allowed to sleep!¡±

    Shen Xi looked relieved and wiped Song Wenye¡¯s tears as she said in a serious tone, ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, strict teachers bring out quality students.¡±

    ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± Song Wenye had just stopped crying, but when she heard those words, she was so frustrated that she cried again andined, ¡°You told me that Teacher Shu is very gentle and Guan Yue is very kind¡­ What bullsh*t! They¡¯re so evil!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Look on the bright side. Think about He Pei and Fu Qingye¡­¡± Shen Xi patted her back as she did not expect them to put Song Wenye through such a gruelling training.

    Shen Xi had been in contact every few days for the past two weeks to ask how Song Wenye was doing. Every time she called, Teacher Shu and Sister Yueyue said Song Wenye was doing fine.

    Song Wenye was not allowed contact with the outside world as it was a closed training.

    ¡°If¡­ If not for them, I¡­ I won¡¯t enter the entertainment industry!¡± Song Wenye huffed and finally stopped crying.

    Shen Xi stroked her head and pulled her inside. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s celebrate that you¡¯re out of hell and gain a new life!¡±

    ¡°Bullsh*t! Didn¡¯t you guyse to celebrate getting the money?¡± Song Wenye sobbed.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°It¡¯s all the same¡­¡±

    When the twodies opened the door to the private room, a group of friends surrounded them. They were surprised to see Song Wenye and cheered for her. She finally made it out of the training alive.

    Song Wenye had just cried but her puffy eyes were not apparent as she had her smokey eye makeup on. She smiled and said, ¡°Get out of the way! Let me show you a split!¡±

    Song Wenye stood in ce and lifted one leg to do a perfect standing split.

    The group cheered and pulled them both in.

    Pei Xu swirled a ss of red wine andughed when he saw them. ¡°I guess you two are considered sisters of the same master!¡±

    Song Wenye stoppedining as soon as she saw them. She hugged Shen Xi¡¯s shoulders and looked smug. ¡°Give us a full ss of wine!¡±

    Shen Xi was not much of a drinker, but she was there to celebrate Song Wenye¡¯s return and to thank the rest for fighting so hard for her. ¡°This ss is for all of you. I¡¯ll ept the money you gave me. Thank you guys so much! If you need help in the future, juste to me!¡±

    She then raised her ss and drank the entire ss of wine.

    It was not about the money, but their intentions. To fight for her, they went all out and were even prepared to face all kinds of trouble. No one retreated midway and they finally got Su Yi to relent.

    ¡°Sister Xi, we¡¯re all friends, so don¡¯t have to mention it!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! The Su family bullying you means they¡¯re bullying us too!¡±

    ¡°We just can¡¯t look past Su Yi¡¯s evil deeds! You won¡¯t get angry that we scolded him right?¡±

    The group drank and wanted to curse Su Yi. After hearing from Pei Xu that Shen Xi had broken off all rtions with the Su family, they still did not dare to openly curse Su Yi and rified with her about it first.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°He and I have nothing to do with each other now.¡±

    The group was relieved and began scolding Su Yi for being a scumbag. They were talking about how blind he was for throwing away a precious gem and picking up trash as a daughter instead.

    Shen Xi sat on the sofa and watched themin before running to the dance floor to sing and dance.

    Song Wenye picked a few songs and sang in a soprano that made everyone¡¯s ears bleed.

    Pei Xu answered a phone call. A momentter, he casually chucked his phone to Shen Xi and said, ¡°Fu Qingxuan¡¯s looking for you.¡±

    Shen Xi was stunned and nced at him. The two of them must have been in contact with each other. Otherwise, how would Fu Qingxuan know that they were together now?

 Chapter 354 - Birthday

    <h4>Chapter 354: Birthday</h4>

    Pei Xu preempted Shen Xi¡¯s question and nced at her before saying nonchntly, ¡°He said he couldn¡¯t get through to your phone.¡±

    Shen Xi took the phone to a somewhat quiet ce and stood at the window looking at the lights outside. ¡°Hello.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°The information you gave me belongs to Li Yuan?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan replied, ¡°There¡¯s no problem with the report, but rather the person is the problem! My eldest brother doesn¡¯t allow me to get involved with him. If my brother finds out, I¡¯m dead.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°I thought Second Brother knew him?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°So what if he does, can¡¯t they be enemies? My big brother suffered a stifling loss because of him in the past. Anyway, I can¡¯t take this case.¡±

    Second Brother and Li Yuan were not close because they had only met a few times. They shared interests, but they were not necessarily friends.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Is there no room for negotiation?¡±

    All this while, Shen Xi had been focused on Li Yuan¡¯s leg injury too. Li Yuan was very cooperative and did a thorough checkup with Situ Zhangyou.

    She then forwarded the examination report and various samples to Fu Qingxuan, seeking his advice if there was a better treatment n.

    Li Yuan¡¯s injuries could be treated with acupuncture and medical massage, supplemented by drugs, but it must wait until his health had improved before the conditioning stage of rehab.

    As for the oue, Shen Xi was not very sure. They could only take it one step at a time. Since Li Yuan had been dying treatment for so long, the treatment¡¯s effectiveness would be greatly reduced.

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°Then tell me what¡¯s your rtionship with him? Why do you want to heal his leg?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°He saved my life. If it¡¯s putting you on a spot, then send back the samples.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan paused for a long time before he said, ¡°I can take a look, but you have to promise me one thing.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan said, ¡°I want you toe over for the summer and work for me as an assistant.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not expect her to agree so quickly because of this Li Yuan and felt a little annoyed, but he was happy nheless. ¡°You can¡¯t back out! I¡¯m risking getting killed by my brother to help you!¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I would never.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give up my life for this cause¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    When Shen Xi returned to the private room, she was forced to sing a love duet with Song Wenye.

    Pei Xu sat on the sofa with his long legs propped up on the table in front of him. His fingers were tapping on the table as he gazed intently at Shen Xi who was singing.

    Li Yuan.

    The Head of the Li family.

    How many people did this girl provoke? How did she get involved with Li Yuan? Pei Xu had only heard that name briefly from her call with Fu Qingxuan.

    Li Yuan was not a good person and was a real devil. Everyone in the Capital was afraid of him.

    Pei Xu had never met him personally, but some time ago, he met one of his assistants called Xuan Yuan, who he wanted to hire for himself.

    When Song Wenye came over for a drink, Pei Xu pulled her close and raised his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ve met Toffeecito¡¯s Dad right? Do you know what¡¯s his name?¡±

    Song Wenye shook her head, then her eyes suddenly lit up. She sat next to him and asked, ¡°Do you know?¡±

    Pei Xu showed her his angry fist. ¡°I don¡¯t know sh*t!¡±

    ¡®If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be asking her¡­¡¯

    When Song Wenye first met Toffeecito¡¯s Dad, she was so excited that she called Pei Xu to say how handsome the man was.

    However, when Pei Xu enquired about him, she said that she dared not stare too closely and only caught a glimpse of him.

    Song Wenye rolled her eyes and ran over to Shen Xi for another love duet. She was also curious about the man¡¯s name, but Xixi was tight-lipped and she could not get the slightest information from her.

    Nowadays, Shen Xi would smile more whenever she was in ss, which drove the ss crazy because their Sister Xi finally smiled at them.

    Qi Xiu was set to release his album on Sunday, March 18th.

    Li Yuan¡¯s birthday was on Thursday, March 15th.

    That morning, Shen Xi bought some candies and gave a handful to each person in the International ss, but she still had a bag left.

    It was fruit candies with vibrant colored wrappers that looked festive.

    Song Wenye watched as she took the fruit candy and was handcrafting then asked her, ¡°Are you finally dating Toffeecito¡¯s Dad? Is this your wedding candy?¡±

    Shen Xi was focused on the craft and simply answered, ¡°No.¡±

    Song Wenye did not believe her and saw the candies tied into a ne by Shen Xi. She was more puzzled. ¡°Who are you giving this to? I don¡¯t recall you having any little cousins in your family.¡±

    Shen Xi threw her a sidelong nce and did not conceal the contempt in her eyes. ¡°Return to your seat.¡±

    This was a birthday gift for Li Yuan. Who said that only children could eat candy? Everyone here was eating candy anyway.

    After two sses, Song Wenye went over to Shen Xi again. When she saw the beautiful candy ne, her eyes lit up. ¡°OMG! What kind of magical hands do you have?! How can it look so good? Even luxury high-fashion nes aren¡¯t as pretty as this!¡±

    Shen Xi pped her hand and warned her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡±

    Song Wenye seemed to have understood something. She leaned in closer and looked at her ambiguously. ¡°Oooh¡­ I know, is this for Toffeecito¡¯s Dad? Does he like candy?¡±

    ¡®This couple is just too sweet!

    She went ahead and pictured the two beautiful people feeding each other candies and felt like she was about to get diabetes.

    Everyone in the ss knew that Shen Xi had a crush. After Song Wenye shouted Toffeecito¡¯s Dad, they all gathered around for the gossip.

    They knew about Toffeecito¡¯s Dad because whenever Shen Xi rejected someone, her reason would be that she had someone she liked. In the beginning, they assumed that it was an excuse to reject them.

    Later, they learned that there was really such a man, but no one knew who he was. However, based on Song Wenye¡¯s description, he was an incredibly handsome man with an amazing temperament.

    Shen Xi looked at everyone around her and thought that she had been too nicetely that they got so bold. She extended her hand to Song Wenye and said, ¡°Bring me my two-feet de!¡±

    The crowd scattered instantaneously and returned to their seats.

    That afternoon, Shen Xi slipped away after the second period and went to the dessert shop to get a cake.

    Shen Xi was not involved in the baking but only decorated it with fondant.

    The workers at the dessert shop watched her work her magic. After an hour¡¯s work, she finished decorating a beautifully crafted cake that they could not stop looking at.

    The cake was like a 3D sculpture. There were so many intricate details and it was perfect.

    It was a cute and lovely cartoon sculpture. The sunlight prated the floor-to-ceiling windows in the house where a handsome man was sitting on a sofa reading a book.

    Behind the man, a cute girl and a kitten were ying on the carpet.

    As she left the bakery, she went next door to an underwear store to buy a set of red-colored men¡¯s underwear and socks.

    It was Li Yuan¡¯s 24th birthday and that meant hepleted two cycles of the Chinese zodiac. ording to Chinese customs, one should wear red on that day to eliminate disasters and ward off evil.

    Shen Xi did not know his size so she asked for thergest size and attracted weird looks from the store attendant. When she felt the attendant¡¯s ambiguous gaze, her cheeks flushed.

 Chapter 355 - Xixi, Jump Down

    <h4>Chapter 355: Xixi, Jump Down</h4>

    Today was a sunny day.

    It was spring one evening and the red-orange rays cast a warm glow everywhere.

    Shen Xi climbed up thedder and waited for the birthday boy¡¯s return to surprise him. She had the candy ne around her neck and a colorful birthday hat, along with the cake and gift she had prepared for Li Yuan.

    Time passed by.

    Soon, the sky was dark.

    Shen Xi waited for some time, but Li Yuan still had note home. Her heart sank as she thought, ¡®Did he forget that it¡¯s his birthday today? Or has he never celebrated it?¡¯

    To surprise him, Shen Xi did not even mention anything to Kun Lun.

    Shen Xi took out her phone and typed a few words. [Brother, when are youing home?]

    However, she found it weird and deleted it word by word. She then stuffed her phone back into her pocket and turned sideways. She rested her head on her arm as she stared at Toffeecito who was wide-eyed.

    Toffeecito rubbed her face and Shen Xi sneezed because her nose itched from the fur. Then, she heard the sound of a car approaching.

    She looked at where the sound came from and saw a ck Maybach at the front door. The man quickly got out of the car and rolled his wheelchair in.

    The sky was already dark.

    Shen Xi quickly retracted her head and took out a lighter to light the candles on the cake.

    From afar, Li Yuan saw a small shadow on the wall and knew that it was his girl, but unlike in the past, she was still sitting on the wall at this hour.

    Previously, she would not stay at the wall when it was dark. Even if she was waiting for him on the wall, her phone would be lit while she yed games.

    Toffeecito was meowing at him from the top of the wall, then it turned to look at Shen Xi.

    Li Yuan then saw a warm orange glow over the wall that was flickering gently, elongating the kitten¡¯s shadow. He felt a little strange. ¡°Xixi?¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s this girl doing acting so mysteriously?¡¯

    Shen Xi appeared in front of him suddenly, holding a cake as she said in a sweet and joyous voice, ¡°Happy birthday, Brother!¡±

    Li Yuan was a little stunned and looked at the little girl silently.

    She held arge cake that was beautifully decorated. Her small face was half-hidden behind the cake, and he could only see her big, bright eyes that were like glittering stars to him.

    ¡®Is it my birthday today?¡¯

    Li Yuan had forgotten how long it had been since he celebrated his birthday.

    ¡®Ten years? Or was it twenty years?¡¯

    ¡°Brother! Take the cake down!¡± Shen Xi had already put the cake down and smiled at him.

    Li Yuan approached in his wheelchair, brought the cake down, and put it on hisp. There was a stic bag next to the cake.

    Shen Xi pointed to the stic bag. ¡°Brother, open the bag and put on the birthday hat! Hurry up! The candles are melting!¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s smile deepened. His eyes were overflowing with joy. He opened the bag with his slender fingers, removed the hat from the bag, and looked at it for a moment before he asked, ¡°How do I wear this?¡±

    Shen Xi was afraid that the candle would melt, so she shouted anxiously, ¡°Kun Lun,e over quickly to help!¡±

    Kun Lun had wanted to let them have their moment alone but when he heard her shout, he went over quickly. He looked at the man next to him who looked lost fiddling with the birthday hat and tried to hold back fromughing. ¡°Boss, let me¡­¡±

    Shen Xi sat on the wall with Toffeecito as she urged them. ¡°Quick! The candles are going out!¡±

    Kun Lun quickly put the hat on the birthday boy, then heard the girl on the wall shout, ¡°Let¡¯s sing the birthday song!¡±

    Li Yuan was about to say that it was dangerous for her to stay on the wall when she jumped on the wall to sing him the birthday song. The sight had his heart tremble in fear. His pupils tightened unconsciously as he stared unblinkingly at her.

    Shen Xi sang and swayed her body while using her phone screen as lighting effects. She winked at Kun Lun and threw two pom-poms at him. ¡°Happy birthday to you~¡±

    Kun Lun¡¯s brain buzzed while he held the pom-pom. He then followed Shen Xi and sang while moving around. His eyes turned red.

    Boss never celebrated his birthday. Kun Lun had been working for Li Yuan for a long time yet he had never seen him celebrate his birthday. Fu Yu, who had worked for Li Yuan the longest, even mentioned that Li Yuan threw a tantrum when he celebrated the boss¡¯s birthday.

    Thereafter, no one dared to mention his birthday anymore.

    Li Yuan dared not blink and was not in the mood to celebrate because he was only worried that she would slip and fall from the wall.

    His fear almost turned to reality. The girl¡¯s foot suddenly slipped and her body leaned forward. His expression changed. He then called out with an anxious voice, ¡°Xixi!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and pulled her foot back in. Her body stabilized after a little sway. She continued shaking the colorful pom-pom in her hands while she said smugly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. I¡­¡±

    ¡°Jump down,¡± Li Yuan interrupted her. His eyes were overflowing with worry. He opened his arms and coaxed her in a warm voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, trust me.¡±

    Shen Xi looked into his eyes and her heart was melting. She had hoped for this day toe for such a long time, so when she finally heard these words from him, she jumped without hesitation. She was so emotional that she wanted to cry.

    Li Yuan sat upright in his wheelchair with his arms open and he swiftly caught the girl. She felt like a small soft mass that weighed like feathers. In this instance, it felt like she had jumped into his heart.

    The moment Shen Xi jumped into the man¡¯s arms, her head hit his chest. She could hear the man¡¯s strong and somewhat disorderly heartbeat. Her small hands were unconsciously wrapped around his waist.

    Li Yuan¡¯s body tensed up as he was nervous. The girl in his arms felt so warm. Her floral scent filled his nose and seeped into every corner of his heart. His throat suddenly felt a little dry.

    Shen Xi¡¯s breathing was a little erratic and her heartbeat was fast. She could hear his breathing bing heavier and his heartbeat a little chaotic, then said softly, ¡°Brother, your heartbeat is so loud.¡±

    The girl¡¯s sweet and gentle voice reverberated in his heart. He felt like his heart was melting. His Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down his throat and his eyes darkened. He held her waist tightly and tried to restrain his body¡¯s restlessness. His voice was raspy as he said, ¡°You can get up now.¡±

    Shen Xi lifted her head. Her eyes were watery and incredibly gentle. ¡°Brother, your body is so hard.¡±

    Li Yuan was a little breathless when he saw the ignorance and innocence in her eyes. His gaze was burning as he grabbed her waist and put her down on the ground.

 Chapter 356 - Exasperated

    <h4>Chapter 356: Exasperated</h4>

    Standing nearby, Kun Lun was shocked and thought to himself, ¡®OMG! Is Ms. Shen deliberately teasing the Boss?!¡¯

    Shen Xi finally stood squarely and came face to face with him. She carefully removed the fruit candy ne around her neck and leaned over to put it on his. She smiled with her eyes and said in a crisp and sweet voice, ¡°Your birthday present.¡±

    Li Yuan lowered his eyes and saw the ne around his neck. This was the girl¡¯s favorite fruit candy that she ate regrly. They were strung together beautifully in her style.

    He could also vaguely smell the sweetness of the candy, but it was still not as sweet as her pretty smile.

    After Shen Xi teased him and gave him the gift, she looked serious and squatted next to the cake. She then stretched her hand to Kun Lun and said, ¡°Give me your lighter.¡±

    Kun Lun handed over the lighter and admired Ms. Shen¡¯s boldness. His boss probably could not stand being teased like that seeing his expression was held back.

    Li Yuan was in his prime. If he did not have a reaction after being teased by his girl, he was not a normal man.

    Shen Xi re-lit the candles and squatted in front of the man. She looked at him and smiled with her eyes. ¡°Brother, happy birthday! Quick, make a wish and blow out the candles!¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s mind was in a mess. The girl¡¯s body temperature seemed to linger in his arms, as well as her softness.

    He had been paying attention to the girl and not the cake. Only now did he notice the cake that was decorated with little figurines of the both of them and Toffeecito. He asked, ¡°You made this?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded her head incessantly and tilted her chin as if asking for praise. She looked so adorable. ¡°Is it pretty?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the little ball of sunshine in front of him and smiled. He nodded and said in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and blow the candles! It¡¯s going out.¡± Shen Xi reached out to pull the corner of his coat as she urged him anxiously.

    The smile on Li Yuan¡¯s face deepened as he watched the girl who was more anxious than him. He put his hands together and looked serious as he closed his eyes to make a wish.

    Shen Xi happily moved her small head and took out some small tes and forks. She held the knife, thinking about where she should make the first cut.

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart was still beating erratically. He watched with a gentle gaze as the girl surveyed the cake before finding the right ce and squatted to cut the cake.

    She looked like a little ball and was utterly adorable.

    The candles were still burning and the warm flickering light reflected on her face, making the shadow of her long eyshes waver.

    From his angle, he could see the girl¡¯s delicate side profile and her porcin skin.

    Her skin was glowing and he could even see the faint green capiries on her neck.

    Toffeecito was on the wall, feeling neglected. He paced around several times and wanted to go down yet he dared not jump, so he only meowed restlessly.

    Kun Lun saw the poor kitten and went over to rescue it.

    Toffeecito was holding a grudge and rushed to Shen Xi, wanting to scratch her hand with its sharp ws, but a pair ofrge hands held the back of its neck and ced it on hisp. Li Yuan patted its little head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±

    The kitten grabbed his big hand, chewed on it, and felt much better. It looked at Li Yuan aggrievedly with its big eyes, then turned to look at Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi dabbed a bit of cream on her fingertips and tapped the kitten¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you angry? You¡¯re the one who wanted to go up, but now you¡¯re mad at me?¡±

    Toffeecito smelled the sweet cream and stuck out its tongue to lick it.

    Li Yuan wiped the cream off the tip of its nose with his finger and said with a smile, ¡°You can¡¯t eat this. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡±

    Shen Xi made a face at Toffeecito and smiled gloatingly. She said mockingly, ¡°You can¡¯t eat it!¡±

    Toffeecito meowed in protest and turned its back to her. It buried its little head in Li Yuan¡¯s palm and felt exasperated.

    Li Yuan could not help butugh when he saw its pitiful face. ¡°Kun Lun, get him the canned food.¡±

    Shen Xi muttered, ¡°You can¡¯t spoil him like that.¡±

    Toffeecito whimpered several times and once again burrowed into Li Yuan¡¯s arms. It wiggled its fat little butt in Shen Xi¡¯s face.

    Kun Lun brought over a can of cat food, opened it, and put it in its bowl before calling out, ¡°Toffeecito!¡±

    The kitten¡¯s nose twitched. When it smelled its favorite canned food, all of the upset washed away and it jumped down to eat the food.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl who was still squatting and felt a little heartache. ¡°Kun Lun, go get a chair.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at the man¡¯s legs and waved her hand. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine eating like this.¡±

    Li Yuanughed and handed her the thin nket on hisp.

    Shen Xi secretly lowered her eyelids. She actually did not want the nket but wanted to sit on hisp.

    However, she was afraid to say that. Since the nket was for him to cover his legs, it was somewhat considered sitting on hisp.

    The two of them sat face to face eating the cake.

    Shen Xi sneaked a peek at him several times. They were in such proximity that she could see him clearly. For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming.

    Li Yuan saw that she was distracted and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Shen Xi tilted her head and blinked her big eyes. She asked, ¡°Is it good?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. His maic voice was filled with pleasure. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Whatever she made was always delicious to him.

    Shen Xi smiled with gleaming eyes and felt satisfied. The already sweet cream became even sweeter. She looked at him and said, ¡°You should eat less even if it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s too sweet.¡±

    ¡®It won¡¯t be good for his health.¡¯

    Li Yuanplied warmly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The cake was big, and Li Yuan only ate a small piece. Kun Lun ate a big slice and Shen Xi had two big slices. There was still a lot left.

    Kun Lun was in high spirits and looked at Li Yuan. ¡°Boss, we shouldn¡¯t waste this cake. Why don¡¯t I take it to the employees working overtime?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. His gaze was cold as he cast a warning nce to Kun Lun.

    Shen Xi thought about it for a moment and agreed. ¡°Then you should take it. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be fresh tomorrow. It¡¯ll be a waste.¡±

    Kun Lun shivered because of his boss¡¯s staredown. He gritted his teeth and asked again, ¡°Boss?¡±

    Li Yuan let out a reluctant ¡°mm¡± and watched as Kun Lun took the cake away. His eyes were still focused on the cake and his eyes looked threatening.

    ¡®Overtime employees? He just wants to feed his bros. They ought to pay the price for tasting my girl¡¯s handmade birthday cake.¡¯

    Kun Lun walked away and could still feel a chill down his spine. He just looked at the cake and thought. ¡®Even if I¡¯m sentenced to the guillotine tomorrow, I still need to let my bros try this cake made by our Little Madam before I die¡­¡¯

    The two people and a cat sat in the courtyard watching the stars.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl sitting next to him and took off his jacket to put it on her.

    Shen Xi tilted her little head and rested her chin on his knees. ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    Li Yuan shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not cold.¡±

    Shen Xi pouted and said, ¡°Hmph! Liar!¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Okay, just a little.¡±

    Shen Xi stood up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get your jacket!¡±

    Seeing that she was leaving, Li Yuan held her hand. Her soft hand slid into his palm and softened his heart. He looked up at her and said in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±

 Chapter 357 - Itâ€™s Your Candy

    <h4>Chapter 357: It¡¯s Your Candy</h4>

    Shen Xi pushed Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair and went to the coatroom to get a jacket for him. She also took a thin nket, folded it, and covered his legs, before squatting in front of him so that she was at his eye level. ¡°Brother, give me your hands.¡±

    Li Yuan stretched out his hands and looked at her tenderly.

    Shen Xi took out two cufflinks like she was doing a magic trick and held one of his hands to expose the cuffs. She said with a smile, ¡°A birthday present for you.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He looked at the girl¡¯s beautiful eyes and watched as she carefully helped him to put on the cufflinks. His heart melted and he felt so touched. Warmth overflowed from his heart and spread to all his limbs.

    The cufflinks were very beautiful with a unique design. They were adorned with emeralds and he could tell that they were designed by her.

    Shen Xi put them on him while she said, ¡°This emerald is from the stone that I cracked when I went to the jewelry store with Shen Feng. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and agreed. ¡°It¡¯s stunning.¡±

    After Shen Xi put the cufflinks on him, she asked him to straighten his arms so that she could admire them. She was very satisfied and touched the small box in her pocket. She hesitated for a long time, not daring to take it out.

    She had also designed a pair of earrings for herself that matched the cufflinks. In the end, she decided against wearing it so as to not make it awkward for him.

    One day, she wanted him to put these earrings on her.

    The weather was nice, so they were stargazing in the courtyard. Shen Xi moved a chair and sat next to him. She turned her head and quietly looked at him, then pulled off a fruit candy from his ne like a thief.

    Li Yuan¡¯s reflexes were fast and sped her wrist. He saw that her fist was clenched, so he said in a deep voice, ¡°Let go.¡±

    Shen Xi felt so aggrieved that she wanted to cry. She looked at him usingly. ¡°Stingy, I just wanna eat one.¡±

    Li Yuan patted the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Let go.¡±

    Shen Xi really wanted to cry and bit her lip aggrievedly. She opened her fist and watched as the man snatched her candy. She then turned her head angrily and ignored him.

    ¡®I gave him this candy and I can¡¯t even have one?! What a petty man!¡¯

    Li Yuan unwrapped the candy with his slender fingers and brought the orange-vored candy to the girl¡¯s mouth. He said with a pleasant voice, ¡°There.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the man¡¯s long bony fingers and felt like biting him for a moment. In the end, she just took the candy. Her lips identally grazed his fingertips.

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes suddenly turned dark for a moment. After he withdrew his hand, he could still feel the warmth and suppleness of the girl¡¯s lips on his fingertips and stopped breathing for a moment.

    The girl turned to look at him and said, ¡°It was my candy.¡±

    Li Yuanughed. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already given it to me, it¡¯s my candy.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Then it¡¯s also mine because I gave it to you!¡±

    Li Yuan retorted. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±

    Shen Xi refuted. ¡°It¡¯s from me!¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°It¡¯s your candy?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°It¡¯s your candy!¡±

    Li Yuanughed out loud and looked at the girl¡¯s silly little face. He could not help but reach out to pat her little head. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s my candy.¡±

    ¡°You set me up!¡± Shen Xi reacted in hindsight.

    Li Yuan looked at her and smiled. ¡°You said so yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi grunted and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m the bigger person and will give in to you. It¡¯s yours, happy now?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at her gently and a pleasant smile diffused from his chest. He nodded and let out a low sigh. ¡°All mine.¡±

    The candy was his.

    She was also his.

    Shen Xi did not understand his double entendre and smiled with him. The sweetness from the candy was far less than the sweetness in her heart. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ You¡¯re the birthday boy today, so I won¡¯t argue with you. It¡¯s all yours. I¡¯ll make you another hundred of these tomorrow.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°You gave me this to eat?¡±

    ¡°What else would it be for?¡± Shen Xi looked at him and blinked her big eyes, then stole another candy when he was not looking.

    Li Yuan protested. ¡°My candy!¡±

    Shen Xi unwrapped and tried to stuff it into his mouth. She suddenly pointed to the sky. ¡°Brother, look! A shooting star!¡±

    Li Yuan tilted his head and felt the girl standing up. With lightning speed, she stuffed the candy into his mouth. The sugar dissolved on the tip of his tongue and he could feel her cold fingertips with his lips.

    He frowned slightly and met the girl¡¯s smug and glimmering eyes.

    Shen Xiughed with pleasure. ¡°It¡¯s your candy!¡±

    The two of them sat side by side. Toffeecito was sleepy and nestled in Li Yuan¡¯sp. The atmosphere was calm and cozy.

    Shen Xi had never been as happy as she was now for the past six months. She was on cloud nine, feeling so blessed and bubbly.

    The sound of a car next door approached. Not long after, Shen Xi¡¯s phone rang.

    Shen Xi took out her phone and lied without a second thought. ¡°Dad, Toffeecito ran out when I was throwing the trash. I just caught him and will be home soon.¡±

    Li Yuan knew that the girl was leaving and felt reluctant. His heart was pricked, but he still said, ¡°Hurry home. Don¡¯t let your parents worry.¡±

    Shen Xi hugged Toffeecito and waved at him reluctantly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first, Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan walked her to the front door and watched the girl walk to her house before hearing her close the door. He stayed there quietly for a long time and finally turned to leave.

    When Shen Xi returned home, she suddenly recalled that she still had another gift for Li Yuan. It was the set of red underwear that she bought for his birthday.

    While Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were distracted, Shen Xi went out with the bag, climbed up thedder, and dropped the bag over the wall. She then sent a message to Kun Lun. [I ced the gift in the basket. Come out to take it for Brother.]

    Kun Lun just delivered the cake. When he received her message, he just arrived at the door. He then took the gift bag into the house and knocked on the study door. ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen sent you a gift.¡±

    Li Yuan was looking at the cufflinks and his candy ne with a smile. When he heard Kun Lun¡¯s voice, he said, ¡°Come in!¡±

    ¡®How many presents did she prepare for me? She already made a birthday cake and gave me a surprise and a gift. Why is there another birthday gift?¡¯

    When Li Yuan unwrapped the gift, his expression changed and his face turned red. He looked at Kun Lun, who was looking down trying his best not tough, and shouted coldly, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Kun Lun could not hold it in anymore and hurried to the door. He suddenly remembered something and risked being killed as he boldly exined, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s your Chinese Zodiac cycle this year, so you have to wear red underwear to drive away evil and avoid disaster¡­¡±

    ¡®Ms. Shen is really awesome to even think of this!¡¯

 Chapter 358 - Slapped

    <h4>Chapter 358: pped</h4>

    Li Yuan looked at the bright red underwear in front of him with a tenderness in his eyes. He called out to Kun Lun. ¡°Push me to the dressing room.¡±

    Kun Lun was used to this. As long as it was something from Ms. Shen, Boss would be very happy regardless of what it was. Even if she gave him a potato sack, Boss would dly put it on and say it looked good.

    **

    Su Muyan released histest album on March 18. No one in the music industry dared to release any new songs this month for fear of getting crushed by his good ratings, sales, and poprity.

    However, this time, a new singer from Cosmos Entertainment, Qi Xiu, also released an album on the same day. He did not have much publicity and only relied on other artists from the samepany to advertise his album.

    Even so, Qi Xiu¡¯s seniors in the samepany were not menial artists. Half of them acted in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± and their poprity had risen rapidly in the entertainment industry.

    The crew and scriptwriter of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± also promoted Qi Xiu.

    The entertainment influencers were involved in the publicity while fans of the TV series also took the initiative to drive publicity for the new singer.

    Slowly but surely, many people got to know about Qi Xiu, the new singer who would soon make a debut.

    Tianheng Entertainment thought that the neer was so arrogant and saw it as a deliberate provocation to release his album on the same day as Su Muyan.

    The neer¡¯s publicity was going strong in the beginning. Tianheng Entertainment was afraid that he would overpower Su Muyan and began to buy tabloids and hot topics, and even encouraged fans to attack Qi Xiu.

    On Weibo and other social media tforms, Su Muyan¡¯s fans scolded Qi Xiu for stealing their idol¡¯s thunder, besides being disrespectful and ignorant.

    The masses were most easily rattled, especially because Tianheng had also dug up a lot of dirt on Qi Xiu and hurled mud at him. They desperately tried to pull him down and stepped on him relentlessly. Many uninformedizens went with the flow and bashed Qi Xiu.

    After Tianheng put in so much effort to step on the neer, Qi Xiu¡¯s side went quiet after a week of publicity and no longer posted anything.

    Su Muyan¡¯s fans were unreasonable and troublesome. If Qi Xiu responded, they would say he was shamelessly riding on Su Muyan¡¯s wave. If Qi Xiu kept low and did not respond, they would call him a coward. Anyway, whatever he did was wrong.

    Shen Xi understood the rules of generating hype in the entertainment industry. The appropriate hype could increase poprity, but everything should be done in moderation. Excessive hype would just be repetitive and annoying.

    Qi Xiu had caught the public¡¯s eyes and that was enough because they knew his name and that he was a singer. Whatever that came next would have to rely on his capabilities.

    Su Muyan had been dominating the Inte for more than a month promoting his new songs like a clown. If his new album could beat Qi Xiu, then so be it.

    However, if he could not defeat the neer, this would backfire on him. He would then get a taste of retribution.

    March 18th fell on a weekend.

    All senior high school students had long begun the countdown to the entrance exams. They would seize every minute to study and there was no such thing as rest.

    When Shen Xi arrived at school, everyone was discussing Su Muyan¡¯s new song with great interest. Many of them were his hardcore fans saying that his songs were great and showed off how many albums they had bought.

    Su Muyan was an alumnus of No. 4 High School. He was the pride of the school and everyone here was naturally biased towards him.

    The neer, Qi Xiu, who dared to release his songs on the same day as their idol, became public enemy No. 1. Everyone said that he was shameless to ride on Su Muyan¡¯s wave and did not deserve any attention, so they did not even bother to listen to his songs. They thought that he would just quietly disappear.

    However, some people noticed the new singer¡¯s capabilities and eagerly promoted him to their friends. They gushed about his songs and handsome face, then begged their friends to listen to Qi Xiu¡¯s songs before making a decision.

    For those who had held a preconceived notion of Qi Xiu, no matter how good Qi Xiu was or how hard others tried to persuade them to listen to his songs, they still refused to acknowledge him simply because Qi Xiu disrespected their idol.

    On Weibo¡¯s hot topics, except for Su Muyan¡¯s new songs which were hyped up by the tabloids and his fans, the rest were just cursing Qi Xiu for being trash.

    Cosmos Entertainment did not show any signs of rifying the situation and rather just let the masses be with their scolding and ndering. Thus, thepany was dragged into the mud alongside Qi Xiu.

    Shen Xi casually looked at Weibo¡¯s hot topics and sneered. ¡®Go ahead and hurl mud at us. Our main tform isn¡¯t on Weibo anyway. Tianheng and Su Muyan are just ying with fire to burn themselves!¡¯

    She just arrived at the ssroom door.

    Song Wenye ran over to her and excitedly pulled her hand. ¡°Xixi! Do you know who¡¯s my new favorite artist?¡±

    Shen Xi raised her eyebrows in curiosity. ¡®Who¡¯s her new favorite?¡¯

    Song Wenye continued, ¡°It¡¯s Qi Xiu! Chu Ying told me that you stood up for him the other day. Do you know him very well?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I spoke up for him because I can¡¯t stand seeing Su Ruowan and the others being so arrogant.¡±

    Shen Xi could not tell Song Wenye that she was the boss of Cosmos Entertainment because, with Song Wenye¡¯s temper, she would be a big bully once she signed with them.

    Song Wenye was fangirling. ¡°He¡¯s really good-looking and he sings so well! I can guarantee that he¡¯ll go viral!¡±

    Shen Xiughed. ¡°I think so too.¡±

    Song Wenye was excited. ¡°Can you help me ask when I can start my training? I¡¯m a singer in a girl group and I heard that he¡¯s thepany¡¯s Music Director. He¡¯s too talented. Am I going to work with him too?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Of course!¡±

    Song Wenye was next to her, asking questions about this and that. She said that since she was the first to sign with thepany, Qi Xiu should technically call her his senior. She even fantasized about how she would talk to him when she started her training.

    After fangirling about her new favorite, Song Wenye began to scroll her phone. When she saw the hot topics, she felt indignant and cursed, ¡°Su Muyan, this son of a b*tch! He¡¯s horrendous! My Qi Xiu didn¡¯t say anything and only did routine publicity, but they stomped on my man for one whole month and it¡¯s still ongoing?! What¡¯s wrong with releasing a song on the same day? I think he¡¯s just jealous and can¡¯t admit that others are better than him. He¡¯s just afraid that Qi Xiu will surpass him and crush him!¡±

    Shen Xi was doing her homework quietly. When she heard Song Wenye, she answered, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Su Muyan¡¯s main turf was Weibo. His fans, tabloid ounts, and keyboard warriors were on Weibo. He also bought the hot topics on Weibo.

    However, Qi Xiu¡¯s turf was not Weibo, but Cosmos Short Vid.

    Shen Xi had just received an update that the actors of Cosmos Entertainment released a 30-second trial of Qi Xiu¡¯s new song on Cosmos Short Vid.

    The hot topic on Cosmos Short Vid was quietly dominated by Qi Xiu as he rose in poprity. With his charming voice, rhythmic, and catchy music, Qi Xiu quickly captured the attention of a group of people. His rankings were slowly umting and it was only a matter of time before he went viral.

    Thestpetition for senior students was the National Physics Olympiad for high school students, which would be held on March 28, ten days after the album release.

    On March 18, the contestants attended the training together.

    Song Wenye, who was also a top physics student, had signed up for thepetition to keep Shen Xi teasing her.

    After the bell, Shen Xi and Song Wenye went to the training ssroom. Besides the two of them, the rest of the contestants were from the Top ss.

    At this moment, it was quite lively.

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s take a look at the real-time statistics!¡± Chen Bingbing stood on the podium and drew on the board with chalk. ¡°Our Brother Yan sold 200,000 copies within an hour of release. As of now, he¡¯s sold 450,000 copies. His main song is the top search on the music app and the first on the billboard. He also got the most downloads and eight of his new songs are all in the top ten of the new release chart. A round of apuse!¡±

    She was smug and looked at Shen Xi and Song Wenye provocatively. ¡°Some people spent so much money to save their idol, but they just got pped in the face. As of now, their dumb idol only sold 2000 albums and none of his songs are in the music app charts.¡±

    The Top ss burst intoughter arrogantly as they looked at Shen Xi with contempt andughed even louder.

 Chapter 359 - Fainted

    <h4>Chapter 359: Fainted</h4>

    ¡°Hahaha! I think theirpany bought these 2000 copies of their albums by themselves!¡±

    ¡°This is too funny! Only 2,000 copies?! Our Brother Yan¡¯s tycoon fan bought 5,000 copies in one go. Don¡¯t embarrass yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Guys¡­ Don¡¯t say that¡­ It¡¯s already an achievement that they manage to sell so many with their dumb idol. Stopughing at them.¡±

    ¡°A dumb*ss wants to release songs on the same day as Brother Yan and ride on Brother Yan¡¯s wave? He just drowned himself.¡±

    A group of people from the Top ss chimed in one after another to humiliate and ridicule Qi Xiu.

    ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡± Song Wenye could not take it anymore and mmed the table. She put one foot on the chair and fiercely pointed at them. ¡°Su Muyan¡¯s song is like the wailing of a ghost. How is that considered music? It¡¯s more like bullsh*t! It¡¯s not your fault if you don¡¯t know how to appreciate good music, but if you don¡¯t, just keep your mouth shut. It¡¯s shameful if you still speak so confidently!¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye, what are you so proud of? Is that fool Qi Xiu your idol? The International ss people really have the same weird taste.¡± Chen Bingbing was relentless and fought with her.

    None of them were willing to back down.

    That D-list singer named Qi Xiu was destined to die off without making so much as a ssh in the industry. He released his songs early in the morning on March 18 and only sold 2000 albums until now.

    What qualifications did Qi Xiu have topete with Su Muyan?

    The girls of the Top ss looked at Song Wenye and Shen Xi with disdain. They were extremely arrogant and acted like a proud victor.

    ¡°Shen Xi, you guys better save up to buy 10,000 of Brother Yan¡¯s albums!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Don¡¯t be a hard*ss. Just get your money ready and order our Brother Yan¡¯s album!¡±

    ¡°Why are you guys yelling at us? If you¡¯re so capable, you would¡¯ve bought a few million albums and increase the sales for your dumb idol so that he won¡¯t look so pathetic. Let¡¯s just look at the data.¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye, I kindly advise you that if you have the time, you might as well go to the music app and gather your fellow fans to scroll through the charts.¡±

    After the Top ss was done mocking Shen Xi and Song Wenye, they burst intoughter again.

    Song Wenye had a hot temper and mmed her hands on the desk. She jumped over gracefully and wanted to fight them. ¡®F*ck you all! This is too much!¡¯

    Shen Xi reached out and pulled her back. Her eyes were calm and cold. She did not even look at the Top ss and teased her. ¡°Come back here. If a dog bites you, will you go and bite the dog?¡±

    The Top ss were indignant and shot daggers at Shen Xi as if they really wanted to kill her with their res.

    Song Wenye bared her teeth at them and warned, ¡°I won¡¯t see eye to eye with you b*tches for the sake of my Xixi! You guys can go ahead and say whatever you want. If my Qi Xiu loses, then I¡¯ll buy 10,0000 copies of Su Muyan¡¯s album.¡±

    Shen Xi pulled her to take a seat. It was pointless to be angry over such a trivial matter. Everyone had a mouth, so it was up to them what they wanted to say. She coldly swept a nce at the Top ss. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? The album has only been released for 8 hours, so it¡¯s still unknown who will win and who will lose.¡±

    Chen Bingbing sneered and was as smug as ever. ¡°Shen Xi, is it so hard to admit defeat? You guys only sold 2,000 albums in 8 hours and you dare to talk about what¡¯s down the road? Shame on you! Your dumb idol should pack his bags and go home.¡±

    Weibo was dominated by Su Muyan. All other major social media sites were also promoting Su Muyan¡¯s new album. Singers and producers in the industry were praising his new album. The songs and production quality were China¡¯s top standards.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of yourself so early in the game. Don¡¯t get caught lying!¡± Shen Xi then changed the subject. ¡°By the way, I noticed that your face is red with dried and cracked lips. Your tongue is yellowish too, so I advise you not to be so hot-tempered. You might just get a stroke and die suddenly.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t change the subject! You¡¯re just¡­¡± While Chen Bingbing spoke, her ssmates stared at her. She roared. ¡°What are you guys looking at?¡±

    One of her close friends pointed at her. ¡°Sister Bingbing, you have a nosebleed¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn! Karma is a b*tch!¡± Song Wenyeughed loudly and pped the table. She then imitated what Shen Xi said earlier. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hot-tempered. You might really just drop dead!¡±

    Chen Bingbing touched her nose and saw her fingers stained with blood. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back and she fainted because she could not stand seeing blood.

    A group of people from the Top ss did not bother to fight with Shen Xi and carried her to the infirmary while Song Wenyeughed arrogantly.

    When Yu Qiubai stepped into the training room, he saw the unconscious Chen Bingbing and looked at Shen Xi with a smirk. ¡®Wow!¡¯

    When Su Ruowan and Su Mushi arrived, there were only three people in the training ss. Yu Qiubai, Shen Xi, and Song Wenye. No one else from the Top ss was there.

    Su Mushi saw Yu Qiubai and Shen Xi sitting together and had a deep hatred in his eyes. He was still mad at Yu Qiubai for being a traitor.

    Since the gambling incident, Shen Xi did not help the Su family to persuade the International ss, so Su Yi had lost all hope in her and not another word about wanting her return to the Su family.

    As for Yu Qiubai, Su Mushi¡¯s ¡°best friend¡±, Su Mushi vowed to return all the humiliation and injuries he suffered a thousand times over to him one day.

    The status of the Yu family in China was a little higher than the Su family, but Yu Qiubai was just a poor wretch ostracized by the family.

    Except for Old Master Yu, no one else in the Yu family liked Yu Qiubai. It was also because of the Old Master¡¯s favoritism towards him that everyone else wanted to quickly get rid of him.

    Su Ruowan sat at her desk and looked at Shen Xi from the corner of her eyes. Her slightly lowered eyes were smug. Second Brother¡¯s album had sold more than 500,000 copies. His main song also upied the charts of the music apps.

    On the other hand, that new singer called Qi Xiu only sold 2,000 copies, which was such a joke.

    There was no doubt that Qi Xiu could notpete with her second brother.

    The group of arrogant eyesores in the International ss would have to buy 10,000 copies of Su Muyan¡¯s albums each when the timees.

    Someone spread the word about Chen Bingbing having gone to the infirmary. However, the rumors were twisted, saying that Shen Xi argued with the Top ss and that Chen Bingbing, being the leader of the Top ss, was so angry that she vomited blood and fainted. That was how she ended up in the infirmary.

    When Chen Bingbing woke up and heard this rumor, she was so infuriated that she gritted her teeth and almost fainted again.

    The Top ss students soon returned to ss, except for Chen Bingbing, who was in the infirmary with an IV drip.

    During their break between sses, Su Ruowan stood up, took a bag, and walked to Shen Xi. ¡°Little Sis.¡±

 Chapter 360 - Whose Song Is It?

    <h4>Chapter 360: Whose Song Is It?</h4>

    Shen Xi was focused on solving a question and did not even lift her head.

    Song Wenye was sleeping on the table and was woken up by Su Ruowan¡¯s annoying voice. She felt goosebumps when Su Ruowan called Shen Xi ¡°Little Sis¡± and red at her fiercely. She then roared thunderously, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Su Ruowan was so frightened that her body shook. She bit her lip aggrievedly and gave the bag to Shen Xi. ¡°Little Sis, this is Second Brother¡¯s new album.¡±

    Song Wenye was hot-tempered and pped away the bag. She sneered at Su Ruowan. ¡°I told you to get lost, didn¡¯t you hear me? Are you deaf? Who the f*ck wants your second brother¡¯s album?¡±

    Su Ruowan looked so indignant that her eyes wereced with tears. She looked at Song Wenye, distressed and angered. ¡°Song Wenye! You¡­ How could you drop my second brother¡¯s album like this?!¡±

    Song Wenye was down to fight. When she saw Su Ruowan bending down to pick up the album, she stepped on it heavily like a gangster. ¡°I didn¡¯t just drop it. I¡¯m stepping on it too. Your fake voice is so disgusting that I feel like pukingst night¡¯s dinner! Pretentious b*tch!¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye!¡± Su Mushi was out for a while but when he returned, he saw Song Wenye bullying Su Ruowan and stormed up to them. He pulled Su Ruowan into his arms and red viciously at Song Wenye. ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard!¡±

    Song Wenye smirked nonchntly and stretched her tone sarcastically. ¡°Oh look, another lover boy to the rescue. I¡¯m so scared!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you. You¡¯d better watch what you say!¡± Su Mushi was furious and stared at her viciously. ¡°Or else, don¡¯t me me for being ungracious.¡±

    ¡°You guys are in love with each other and you openly show your affection for each other. What can I say?¡± Song Wenye leaned closer and lowered her voice, then said ambiguously and mockingly. ¡°You¡¯re not biologically rted anyway.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s sixth sense was a bullseye. She felt that this b*tch Su Ruowan and Su Mushi definitely had a thing for each other. Just look at how furious he was.

    Su Ruowan heard Song Wenye and her expression wavered. She nervously swept a nce at the people present and found that they did not hear it, so she felt at ease.

    She could not let anyone know her true identity. She was the Su family¡¯s Young Miss and no one could take her ce.

    ¡°Song Wenye!¡± Su Mushi waspletely enraged by her words and rushed forward with his fist aimed at her. He did not care about what others would think about him hitting a woman.

    Shen Xi grabbed his fist and looked at him with cold and mocking eyes. The corners of her lips curled up in a bloodthirsty smile.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Su Mushi met her eyes and began to feel terrified. His soul trembled but he tried to calm himself. ¡°I¡¯m teaching her a lesson. It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    Shen Xi sneered and emphasized every word carefully, ¡°Su Mushi, if you dare touch her, I¡¯ll break your hands.¡±

    Of course, Su Mushi believed that she could do so and only red at Song Wenye fiercely. He barely gained back any respect when he warned her. ¡°You should be d that I don¡¯t hit women.¡±

    Su Ruowan lowered her eyes to cover the hatred surging in them. ¡®Su Mushi, you¡¯re just a useless piece of sh*t! You¡¯re not even a man. If it was someone else, they would¡¯ve already hit Song Wenye.¡¯

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s long legs were resting on the table as he folded his arms and watched the drama unfold. When he looked at Su Ruowan and Su Mushi, he had a deep look in his eyes.

    Song Wenye looked a little dense, but she always had a knack for seeing things that were more than meets the eye. Their siblinghood was utter bullsh*t.

    Yu Qiubai grew up with Su Mushi, so he could tell what Su Mushi wanted. Su Mushi probably could not hold back the temptation. After all, Su Ruowan was not his real sister.

    However, Su Mushi was not as smart as Su Ruowan. Sooner orter, she would get him killed.

    Su Mushi was exasperated and had no way of venting it. He felt as if his blood was rushing to his brain and was on the verge of exploding.

    ¡®I¡¯ll tolerate this. When I¡¯m rich, the first thing I¡¯ll do is hire a hitman to kill them!¡¯

    After the second period, Shen Xi pulled Song Wenye over to a secluded corner and asked, ¡°Do you know where the school¡¯s broadcasting room is?¡±

    ¡°At theb building.¡± Song Wenye knew where it was and pulled her along, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    During recess, the school radio station would cheer on the senior students for the exams. It had been a tradition in No. 4 High School since the school was founded.

    The radio DJ was a girl with a very sweet and soft voice. After the opening remarks, she started reading a letter.

    Song Wenye kicked the door open.

    The radio DJ was speaking into the mike. ¡°Most people in our school are fans of our beloved Senior Su Muyan, right? Coming up, we will y you his new song.¡±

    Song Wenye was rough and yanked the DJ from her seat, then pushed her to the side like a gangster. ¡°Where do you y the music?¡±

    Shen Xi was quick to turn off the microphone before Song Wenye spoke. She then consoled the female DJ gently. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be scared. We¡¯re not bad people and only came over to broadcast a song.¡±

    The female DJ was scared to death by them barging in and threatening her. Seeing Shen Xi¡¯s smile, she calmed down a little and pointed to the CD yer next to her. ¡°There¡­ Just put the CD in and y it.¡±

    Everyone in school knew who Song Wenye was. She was No. 4 High School¡¯s female gang leader and the school bully. She was incredibly arrogant and cared for no one. If she did not like someone, she would just beat them up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, we won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Shen Xi saw the DJ¡¯s frightened face andforted her again.

    Song Wenye put the CD in without anyone¡¯s guidance and yed the song with the microphone turned on.

    The music started. The intro was very nice. It was a mellow song that had a magical power to attract people¡¯s attention.

    The two of them watched the female DJ so that she would not speak.

    Song Wenye gave her a chair and thought, ¡®Look at her tiny guts! She¡¯s so scared like we¡¯re terrorists trying to kill her¡­¡¯

    The heavenly voice resounded in every corner of No. 4 High School.

    The man¡¯s clear voice was deep, gentle, and carried an endless sadness. His voice drew people into a tender and nostalgic realm.

    All the students of No. 4 High School were shocked. The moment they heard the song, it was like they were tugged in the heartstrings. They could not help but stop what they were doing and just quietly listened to the beautiful song.

    When the song ended, tears flowed as if they were caught in an illusion. They only realized after the song ended that they had returned to reality.

    The female DJ had tears on her face when she looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Whose song is it? It¡¯s amazing and touches the soul.¡±

    This song was not Su Muyan¡¯s. When the DJ heard Su Muyan¡¯s song before, she felt that it was good, but it did not have such an impact.

 Chapter 361 - Qi Xiuâ€™s Song

    <h4>Chapter 361: Qi Xiu¡¯s Song</h4>

    ¡°Qi Xiu¡¯s ¡®I Only Like You¡¯.¡± Song Wenye had a proud smile on her face and emphasized it. ¡°Heposed this song himself. It¡¯s not his main song. If you like it, download an app called ¡®Blind Tunes¡¯. There¡¯s an exclusive copyrighted digital album inside.¡±

    ¡°Lil Ye, let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Xi pulled Song Wenye away. Otherwise, Song Wenye would not stop promoting her idol again. When they got to the door, Shen Xi looked at the DJ and sincerely apologized. ¡°Sorry to disturb you.¡±

    The DJ was still immersed in the song and had note to her senses. When she looked up, she was shaken by Shen Xi¡¯s beauty and quickly shook her head. She smiled shyly and said, ¡°I-It¡¯s okay.¡±

    When the DJ snapped out of it, she could only see Shen Xi¡¯s pretty side profile that shed by leaving only a lonely silhouette. Even if she was a woman, she still could not help but feel her heartbeat elerating.

    Shen Xi was a goddess. If there was apetition among the most popr girls in school this semester, Shen Xi would definitely get the top spot. She was truly beautiful.

    However, that singer, Qi Xiu¡¯s voice was too maic and magical. He was born to be a singer and his voice was a gift from God.

    The DJ quickly went over excitedly to the audio console. When she took the CD case and saw the poster on the cover, her eyes lit up. ¡®He¡¯s so handsome!¡¯

    Song Wenye walked to the elevator whileining to Shen Xi. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Cosmos Entertainment? What kind of vapid name is that? Who even names a music app ¡®Blind Tunes¡¯?¡±

    Shen Xi threw a sidelong nce at her and smiled stiffly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ¡®Blind Tunes¡¯? I think it¡¯s pretty good. It¡¯s catchy and easy to remember!¡±

    ¡®Vapid?! She called me vapid?!¡¯

    Song Wenye being the dense one, did not notice the re that Shen Xi gave her and continued pushing her limits. She was relentless as she mocked Cosmos Entertainment. ¡°How is that even good? They have no standards at all. Oh, do you think that if theye up with a video app, they¡¯ll name it ¡®Blind TV¡¯, their cooking app will be called ¡®Blind Cook¡¯, and their book app will be called ¡®Blind Book¡¯? What the hell! Hahahahaha¡­¡±

    She became more thrilled the more she spoke and felt amused with herself, so much so that she even pped whileughing.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were vaguely raging with anger as she gritted her teeth. ¡°I think you¡¯re the blind one!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not blind. Ourpany¡¯s naming skills are just horrible!¡± Song Wenyeughed uncontrobly. She looked at Shen Xi and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s hrious?¡±

    Shen Xi clenched her teeth. ¡°Not funny at all.¡±

    Song Wenye scratched her head, puzzled. She caught up to Shen Xi and said, ¡°I¡¯m making fun of ourpany¡¯s naming skills, not you, so why are you angry?¡±

    Shen Xi ignored her and thought to herself, ¡®I¡¯m the one who came up with the name!¡¯

    She picked the name out of hundreds of options and chose this because she thought it was the best.

    At that time, the board of directors and the music department voted unanimously to approve it, so how did it sound so bad when it came to Song Wenye?

    Not many paid attention to copyrights. Pirated music was rampant on major music apps, so Shen Xi nned to start tackling music copyrights and buy them out slowly to dominate the music industry.

    She had already negotiated the copyright of many ssic songs and bought them for fifty years. Their music library was the most genuine andprehensive on the Inte.

    There were no immediate benefits, but in another year or two after the announcement of the copyrightw, many major music apps would begin topete for music copyrights. By then, Cosmos Entertainment would be the biggest benefactor.

    The pirated version would be forced off the shelves and the sole copyright was bought out by them, so they would be the only music app left on the market.

    However, they did not publicize much and only relied on their artists to advertise it a little. Their exposure certainly was not as good as the old music apps, but because their tform was very user-friendly, they gained some traction in thest two months based on word of mouth and gained a lot of new users.

    This time, they took advantage of Qi Xiu¡¯s debut album and spent a lot of money to advertise on other music apps.

    Qi Xiu¡¯s music was only avable in 30-second trials on the other apps. If they wanted the full version, they needed to download ¡°Blind Tunes¡±, which had the sole copyrights where fans would be able to buy the genuine digital album from the app.

    Once the song was over, No. 4 High School was in a frenzy. Everyone was asking which of Su Muyan¡¯s albums this song was in. They would buy the album to support him, but somehow, it did not sound like Su Muyan at all.

    The International ss listened to the broadcast and ran out, stopping people in the corridor to tell everyone that this was not Su Muyan¡¯s song. It was Qi Xiu¡¯s song.

    ¡°What song is this?¡± Someone asked.

    ¡°Download the ¡®Blind Tunes¡¯ app. It has the exclusive digital album for ten bucks apiece with twelve selected songs. If you don¡¯t buy it, it¡¯s your loss! Buy it and listen to it yourselves!¡±

    The International ss turned into Qi Xiu¡¯s ambassadors. They promoted the album and incidentally the music app, killing two birds with one stone.

    The students here were attracted by that song and they were not short of money. It was just ten bucks, which was less than a cup of milk tea. Without a word, they downloaded the app and bought the digital album.

    Anyone who appreciated music knew that this song would certainly go viral because it had all the characteristics of good pop music. It was just a matter of time before it rose in poprity.

    The Top ss was dumbfounded at this moment.

    ¡°I¡¯ve listened to Brother Yan¡¯s album several times. Do I have Alzheimer¡¯s? I don¡¯t remember there¡¯s such a song¡­ What¡¯s it called?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear this song before either. I looped the album eight times and I couldn¡¯t find it. This song is too good! If it¡¯s the main song, it would¡¯ve gone off the charts!¡±

    ¡°But this isn¡¯t Brother Yan¡¯s voice, right?¡±

    ¡°The DJ said that she¡¯ll y Su Muyan¡¯s song. Do you have an ear problem? It¡¯s such a beautiful song, so of course, it¡¯ll be Brother Yan¡¯s!¡±

    The whole ss was in a heated discussion. They already knew the answer in their hearts, but they were reluctant to admit it.

    However, everyone admitted that the song was indeed good. Its rhythm was catchy and was a good standard for pop songs. If such a song was not a hit, then what was the point of having ears?

    The singer¡¯s voice sounded particrly charming and heavenly. It could prate the human heart with his magical voice. It was truly a God-given talent and natural-born singer. No one could pick a fault with his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Su Muyan,¡± Yu Qiubaizily looked up with slightly raised eyebrows. He smiled and continued, ¡°This is Qi Xiu¡¯s song. He¡¯s the new singer who released his album on the same day as Su Muyan.¡±

    The students in the Top ss looked at each other glumly, especially the few of them who made a bet with Chu Ying. They looked like they had lost their souls and sat at their desks quietly as they began to doubt life and wanted to die.

    It was true when people said that one should stay away from gambling because they might lose everything.

    There were also some sides that they should not take a stand for because they would only shoot themselves in the foot.

 Chapter 362 - Starting to Overtake

    <h4>Chapter 362: Starting to Overtake</h4>

    Some of them in the Top ss were still indignant and unconvinced. They refused to admit it. So what if Qi Xiu had a good voice and song?

    There were many good songs out there, but it did not necessarily mean that they would go viral! Sometimes, luck had to be on your side for a song to be a hit!

    There was a saying in the entertainment industry that hype could onlyst for a short while and genuine poprity depended on fate, while forceful hype would get retribution. The neer Qi Xiu was a typical forceful hype because he released songs on the same day as Brother Yan.

    The girls who bet with the International ss saw that as an irrefutable fact. To be sure, they took out their phones, searched the singer and his songs, then put on their headphones to listen to the songs one by one.

    However, since they did not download ¡°Blind Tunes¡±, they could only listen to the 30-second preview. To listen to the full version, they downloaded the app and even spent ten dors to buy a digital album.

    Once they started listening, they could not stop and were utterly shocked. They listened to the whole album and realized that the song that was broadcasted in their school was merely an average song in that album.

    The three main songs were better than the previous. The lyrics,position, and the singer¡¯s voice were the ultimate aural feast.

    Su Mushi and Su Ruowan went to the infirmary to visit Chen Bingbing who was getting an IV drip.

    Chen Bingbing looked at them both with a puzzled expression. ¡°I¡¯ve listened to Brother Yan¡¯s album several times. Howe I didn¡¯t notice this song?¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face was a little glum. Her hand hanging by her side unconsciously tightened. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This isn¡¯t Second Brother¡¯s song. They yed it wrongly!¡±

    That song was indeed brilliant and catchy. The singer¡¯s voice was unique and natural. Unfortunately, it was not Su Muyan¡¯s.

    Chen Bingbing smiled and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s not. This song is pretty good and the singer¡¯s voice is very soothing.¡±

    After saying that, she saw Su Ruowan¡¯s expression changed for the worse, so she added, ¡°I don¡¯t mean that¡­ He¡¯s definitely not as good as Brother Yan.¡±

    ¡®Who is this singer? His voice is so sexy that it makes people fantasize about his appearance and even want to pounce on him¡­¡¯

    When Su Mushi and Su Ruowan left, Chen Bingbing would like to find out whose song was just yed. She was fascinated with this singer.

    Su Mushi did not want to hear it but felt a little pleased that the new singer was better than his brother. He stood up and looked at Chen Bingbing. ¡°Then you should have a good rest. We¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±

    Whose song?

    Naturally, it was not Su Muyan¡¯s but the neer called Qi Xiu.

    Su Mushi deliberately waited until midnight to download Qi Xiu¡¯s new song. After listening to it, he knew that Su Muyan had lost.

    The quality of Qi Xiu¡¯s songs could beat Su Muyan¡¯s in all aspects.

    However, Su Mushi was neither sad nor worried at all. He even relished in it like he had gotten his revenge. He just could not wait for Su Muyan to fall. He wanted to see his brother defeated, and the thought of this made him very happy.

    Su Mushi and Su Ruowan had just left.

    Chen Bingbing could not wait to take out her phone and see the messages on the school forum, which was mostly talking about the song they just heard.

    When she clicked on it, she froze in ce.

    Qi Xiu¡¯s ¡°I Only Like You¡±.

    ¡®What kind of twisted fate is this?! Qi Xiu? That neer? International ss Chu Ying¡¯s idol Qi Xiu?!¡¯

    Cheng Bingbing was stumped for a while and felt torn inside. She was really fond of this song and his voice, like love at first sight. She could not forget him.

    However, because of the bet, Qi Xiu was like an irritating pimple.

    Half an hourter.

    Chen Bingbing finished listening to all the songs in his album. She pped her face repeatedly. ¡®I¡¯m such a dumb*ss for saying all those things about him earlier!¡¯

    Immediately after without hesitation, she ced an order to buy a hundred copies of the digital album as the first gift to her ¡°husbando¡±.

    No. 4 High School was abuzz.

    Cosmos Short Vid was quite lively too. #QiXiuDivineSongs had been trending on the homepage and the number of views climbed rapidly.

    With his gaining poprity on Cosmos Short Vid, ¡°Blind Tunes¡± downloads increased sharply in a short period like a rocket. Within an hour, they had exceeded two million downloads.

    Those who downloaded ¡°Blind Tunes¡± were probably persuaded by their friends to listen to Qi Xiu¡¯s songs. Within two hours, his digital album sales had exceeded three million copies with over a millionments. If not for the technical staff¡¯s support, the app might have crashed from the traffic.

    Qi Xiu¡¯s fans on Cosmos Short Vid also increased exponentially. He was good-looking and had an amazing voice. Such a talented singer deserved to be worshipped.

    Qi Xiu was the type of handsome guy that both men and women would fall for and had an equal number of fans from both genders.

    When Su Muyan debuted, he was the typical idol that garnered a fanbase with mostly women. He did not have many male fans and his female fans only listened to his songs because they were attracted to his looks.

    With an unexpected situation at hand, Tianheng Entertainment was busier than usual.

    The Music Department only paid attention to major music apps while the Publicity Department focused on Weibo. No one expected the neer Qi Xiu, who released his album on the same day as Su Muyan, had shifted his tform to Cosmos Short Vid and gained a lot of attention and traffic via short video clips.

    ¡°How many copies so far?¡± The Music Director¡¯s face was glum as he asked the staff.

    ¡°As of now, Brother Yan sold 625,434 copies and Qi Xiu sold 200,000 copies.¡± The staff looked at the changes in the statistics and became tense.

    That was the current statistics. Qi Xiu¡¯s album sales were climbing at an incredible rate, at least ten times faster than Su Muyan¡¯s, and had begun to overtake him.

    Four hours ago, Su Muyan sold 450,000 copies and Qi Xiu only sold 2000 copies. Within an hour, Qi Xiu¡¯s sales rose to 200,000 copies. This was rming.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the chart?¡± The Music Director looked at theparative sales growth and his face turned green.

    Who would have thought that an unsuspecting neer they could not care less about would turn out to be a powerful opponent, or rather theirpany¡¯s publicity would be so unusual that it caught them off guard?

    Qi Xiu was a singer of Cosmos Entertainment, and Cosmos Short Vid was their turf. Tianheng Entertainment never thought of promoting using short clips and never expected them to attract suchrge traffic and high conversion rate.

    ¡°Qi Xiu¡¯s songs are only avable on ¡®Blind Tunes¡¯, so they¡¯re not included in the charts of major apps.¡± The staff was frightened and under a great deal of pressure.

    Who would have thought that this Qi Xiu would be so powerful? Moreover, Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s promotional strategy was so bizarre as to abandon Weibo and use their short video app instead.

    At that moment, Su Muyan¡¯s voice suddenly resounded in the doorway. ¡°Director Zhang, do you remember that guy that barged into your officest time? The one called Xixi?¡±

 Chapter 363 - Must Not Lose

    <h4>Chapter 363: Must Not Lose</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Muyan, what are you doing? There¡¯s no one called Xixi. You remembered wrongly!¡± Su Muyan¡¯s manager, Ma Chao, caught up with him in a hurry and pulled him away while winking non-stop at Director Zhang.

    The new singer from Cosmos Entertainment called Qi Xiu sold his albums at an astronomical rate and received acmations from other musicians on Weibo after listening to his music.

    Muyan¡¯s former mentor, who was also a teacher and friend of the Music King Gao Lang, had just rmended Qi Xiu¡¯s songs and even posted an impactfulment saying that the neer was an emerging star in the music scene.

    Gao Lang highlighted the three main songs in Qi Xiu¡¯s album andmended the songwriter, saying that those three songs had far surpassed the highest level of the Chinese music industry and were on an international level.

    When Su Muyan saw his life coach giving suchpliments, he immediately asked someone to get him Qi Xiu¡¯s album and listened to his songs.

    Ma Chao was also a music major and Su Muyan¡¯s manager, so he still had some musical taste.

    The three main songs truly were of remarkable musical quality. Any of those was enough to dominate the charts, let alone three of such songs in the same album..

    While one of the main songs alone was enough to raise the whole album¡¯s standard, it created an explosive effect with all three of them in the same album.

    Gao Lang¡¯s evaluation of the songwriter was even higher than that of the singer Qi Xiu. This music producer was called Xixi.

    The first main song was called ¡°Green Silk¡±.

    Ma Chao clearly remembered that day when he threw out the ugly and scrawny teenager who was saying that his name was Xixi. One of the song titles that boy showed them was called ¡°Green Silk¡±.

    He knew that he needed to take this to the grave with him and absolutely could not let Su Muyan find out. Otherwise, he would certainly get fired.

    ¡°What? Xixi? I have no idea who that is.¡± Director Zhang was still furious. They had prepared Su Muyan¡¯s new album for two years, and they thought the quality and standard were the highest in the current music industry, but their momentum was cut off midway.

    Su Muyan sneered. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? The wholepany knows that there was a music producer named Xixi who was looking for me to sing his originals.¡±

    ¡°Muyan, the world is full of people with the same name. Anyone can be called Xixi.¡± Director Zhang not only recalled who that was, he even remembered vividly when the homeless-looking boy came to the office and that Mr. Fu was here too. ¡°Just think about the time when Xixi came over andpare it with the time Qi Xiu released his album. Do you think it could be him?¡±

    That homeless boy that came to the office was an unknown person who was asking for Su Muyan. It had only been about twenty days since. Even if Qi Xiu and Cosmos Entertainment were good, it was impossible to make such a high-quality album in such a short time.

    ¡°Mr. Zhang, there are no absolutes in everything.¡± Su Muyan knew in his heart that it was unlikely, but anything was possible in the world. Twenty days was not considered a long time, but it was not short either. It was still possible to make an album within that time frame.

    ¡°I asked around. Qi Xiu started preparing for his album after the New Year. Even if this Xixi guyter found Qi Xiu, they wouldn¡¯t just switch the main song because it¡¯s not a small matter.¡± Director Zhang looked at Su Muyan. ¡°You¡¯re still young and still have a lot of opportunities, so don¡¯t be anxious. He¡¯s just a neer and won¡¯t have much impact on you.¡±

    Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s strategy was to deliberately release songs on the same day with Su Muyan to ride on his wave. It was a really good strategy, Tianheng would not give it to them.

    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Zhang.¡± Ma Chao pulled Su Muyan and consoled him. ¡°Muyan, let¡¯s go. You just need to focus on singing and creating your songs. Leave the rest to thepany.¡±

    Ma Chao was aware that Su Muyan had been dabbling in music since he was young. He was passionate about music and was praised excessively. Since his debut, he had been known as a musical genius, and that imnted arrogance in him.

    Now, a new singer and songwriter emerged out of the blue, and he was even affirmed by seniors in the music industry, so this was quite a blow to Su Muyan.

    This neer Qi Xiu was aggressive and Cosmos Entertainment did not follow the usual publicity strategy, so no one saw iting that these songs and this singer would be a hit just by promoting with short videos.

    This new short video app was alsounched by Cosmos Entertainment just half a year ago. They were under the radar and no one knew that it had unknowingly be so popr.

    Su Muyan was stumped at the moment. He only knew that his mind was a mess and that he absolutely could not be defeated by a new singer.

    With years of ttery and praises from fans and industry seniors alike, he grew arrogant. His juniors and peers envied him and he was always surrounded by apuse and flowers. He was in God¡¯s favor.

    ¡®I can¡¯t lose no matter what! I must not lose!¡¯

    Su Muyan had not walked far when suddenly someone appeared from the office next door and caught him off guard. They bumped into each other and all the documents in a file box were scattered on the floor.

    Despite being so annoyed and very close to losing it, Su Muyan had to maintain his poise. He looked at the startled secretary and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± She was Director Zhang¡¯s secretary who had quit and came to pack her things. She did not expect to run into thepany¡¯s top star, Su Muyan. She quickly knelt to pick up her files. ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    Su Muyan was extremely frustrated and nodded before turning to leave.

    However, he nced as he was leaving and saw the two words ¡°Green Silk¡±. The paper was crumpled and the lyrics were handwritten.

    His pupils constricted. He bent down to pick up the paper, and when he saw the lyrics, he turned glum. His voice was tense as he asked, ¡°Where did thise from?¡±

    The female secretary took a look and smiled shyly. ¡°This was left behind by someone who broke into the Director¡¯s Office about half a month ago. I forgot to throw it away.¡±

    She had no idea what happened that day. When she was throwing away the trash, she somehow picked up this crumpled piece of paper and put it in the folder, but she forgot about it until now.

    Su Muyan turned pale at the secretary¡¯s words. He felt like he had been struck by lightning. The darkness in his eyes emerged as he squeezed the paper tighter in his hand. He wanted to tear it to pieces.

    ¡®Ha! Great! What a good manager and Music Director!¡¯

 Chapter 364 - Like an Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 364: Like an Emperor</h4>

    Su Muyan had to thank his manager and his music director for turning Xixi away, which ruined his chance to work with Xixi, and even more so, ruined his chance to greater heights!

    Xixi had gone to him first, but all of them treated Xixi like a beggar, saying that he was crazy. The genius then went to Cosmos Entertainment and found Qi Xiust, right?

    This only meant that this opportunity should have been his!

    **

    The International ss was ted like it was the New Year. They kept an eye on the statistics of Qi Xiu¡¯s physical album sales and the digital album sales on ¡°Blind Tunes¡±. Every so often, they would report the numbers.

    At this point in time, the concept of digital albums had not been established yet. Fans mainly bought physical albums and ¡°Blind Tunes¡± was the first music app to sell digital albums.

    The price of digital albums was rtively cheap, so by noon, five million copies were sold and sales had reached 50 million yuan.

    Moreover, many new registered users fancied the overall impression of ¡°Blind Tunes¡±, so they signed up to be VIP members for only 168 yuan per year. There were already more than 500,000 VIP users, which meant that ¡°Blind Tunes¡± brought in 84 million yuan in revenue.

    The biggest winner in this scenario was Cosmos Entertainment.

    Yuan Yu¡¯s phone call came quickly to report the good news to Shen Xi. On the other hand, he also said, ¡°Little Sis, the Fu family¡¯s boss just called me. He wanted to talk to us about a coboration. What do you think?¡±

    Shen Xi simply refused. ¡°No.¡±

    Yuan Yu did not give up and was ready to persuade her with reason. ¡°Little Sis, if Cosmos Entertainment has the support of the Fu family, we don¡¯t have to worry about funds anymore. Then, we¡¯ll be able to establish a firm foothold in China soon and be thergest entertainmentpany in China! I did a quick calction. Our five-year n would be shortened by at least half. The Fu family said they¡¯ll only do a capital injection and will absolutely not get involved in ourpany¡¯s management.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned. ¡®What¡¯s going on with Fu Qingli? Why is he pestering me? He went to the Situ family to look for her, and now he went to Big Brother¡­¡¯

    ¡°Ourpany¡¯s on the right track now. Even without the Fu family, we¡¯ll hit our target earlier than nned. I know what you¡¯re thinking. You just want to take advantage of the Fu family¡¯s influence for smooth sailing, right? Big Brother, in life, we can¡¯t stay infort and becent. We have to be brave to face challenges so that we can continue to improve.¡±

    Shen Xi knew that if the Fu family became Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s backer, they could not only do well within the country but would also expand globally. Not many would dare to provoke them too. However, Shen Xi just did not want to get involved with the Fu family for benefits.

    ¡°Is it because of Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan?¡± Yuan Yu asked her.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t like Fu Qingli.¡± Shen Xi replied honestly, word for word.

    Yuan Yu choked for a moment and was stumped for words.

    He was not so naive to think that it was so simple. His little sister would not just dislike someone for no reason.

    Shen Xi continued, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not just that. Me not liking him is only one of the factors. It¡¯s very small, maybe even negligible. You shouldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯ll do as he says. Even if he said he won¡¯t intervene, he¡¯s a cold-blooded, shrewd businessman that only has business in his interests. Both of our brain-power added together is not enough to defeat him, so don¡¯t give him the chance to eat us alive and leave us with no money and nopany.¡±

    It was not that Shen Xi did not have the confidence in herself or Yuan Yu, but it was a fact that they were not smart enough to outmaneuver Fu Qingli.

    ¡°Why do you make him sound like a cold-blooded tyrant? Is he that scary?¡± Yuan Yu asked her with a chuckle.

    Yuan Yu also knew that for Fu Qingli to sit firmly as the Head of the Fu family at the age of 24 and had everyone fear him, he was certainly not a simple person.

    Moreover, he single-handedly took over the Fu family business ten years ago, at the age of fourteen. It was such a huge business, yet a young boy could make everyone in the Fu family submit to him. This showed that he was extraordinary.

    The elders of the Fu family and the other families standing at the top of the pyramid only said that this man was like an emperor.

    ¡°Yes, he absolutely is.¡± Shen Xi recalled her encounter with Fu Qingli and felt overwhelmingly suppressed and suffocated by his presence.

    The only way was to get rid of the man.

    ¡°Then what should we do? I have a meeting with him in the evening, soe over and keep mepany, please¡­¡± Yuan Yu felt that Ning Li was very prejudiced against Fu Qingli. ¡°When did you meet him?¡±

    ¡°End ofst month.¡± Shen Xi did not even need to think about it because that memory was etched so deep in her mind that she never wanted to see him again. ¡°When you meet him, be on your full guard. Don¡¯t let him wind you up.¡±

    Yuan Yu said, ¡°Alright, got it. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    His younger sister, who had never felt threatened by anyone, actually had someone she was afraid of. This made Yuan Yu very curious to see how scary Fu Qingli was.

    After Shen Xi hung up on Yuan Yu, Situ Zhangyou called her.

    ¡°Fu Qingli asked you to bring me over for a dinner party tonight?¡±

    ¡®Ha! This two-timing son of a b*tch¡­ He asked Big Brother to dinner, and now he invited Situ Zhangyou too? What is he up to? A joint dinner?¡¯

    ¡°Yeah, he hopes that I can bring you along.¡± For fear of angering Shen Xi, Situ Zhangyou quickly added, ¡°But I already told him you¡¯re not going. I¡¯m just informing you because I can¡¯t escape from this.¡±

    Shen Xi then advised him. ¡°Don¡¯t let him trick you into anything at the dinner, and don¡¯t leak my details.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Situ Zhangyou had a very strange feeling.

    The Boss¡¯s littledy treated the Fu family very differently from the others. She took Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye as her brothers and friends.

    However, her attitude toward Fu Qingli was rather strange. It was not quite urate to say that she did not like him, but more appropriate to say that she was a little afraid of him.

    Shen Xi spent the afternoon with her head buried in books. In thest ten minutes of thest study session, she looked at the statistics table on the ckboard.

    After a day of word-of-mouth, hot searches, and fans¡¯ rmendations, Qi Xiu¡¯s physical album sales were only 100,000 copies short of surpassing Su Muyan¡¯s.

    Song Wenye ran to the front, then took the duster and knocked it on the lectern. ¡°Hey! Why are you guys so stingy? Will that little bit of money make you richer? Also, we¡¯ve just won so much money, so it¡¯s not much to shell out a million bucks each to buy some albums, right?¡±

    The group shuddered and dared not speak. They just unanimously looked at Shen Xi, begging to be rescued. It was not that they were stingy. They had already helped to increase album sales by buying 1000 digital albums each. Forcing them to buy more would be unreasonable!

    Besides, a million bucks could buy 10,000 copies, but what could they be used for? Thinking about how to deal with Song Wenye just gave them all a headache.

 Chapter 365 - Fu Qingliâ€™s Curse

    <h4>Chapter 365: Fu Qingli¡¯s Curse</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi shook her head helplessly, finished thest question, and closed the book. She looked at Song Wenye. ¡°Lil Ye, I know you¡¯re thinking about Qi Xiu, but with Qi Xiu¡¯s ability and the quality of his album, do you think fans would need to sell their souls and throw their money at him to increase sales?¡±

    How long could those bulk buyingst anyway? Su Muyan¡¯s fans would bulk buy albums to increase sales. In the opening hour, they would buy all they could to break sales records and it was indeed impressive at 200,000 copies.

    However, there were only so many copies fans could buy, then sales would start to dwindle. The rest of the sales growth would depend on those who would not care if the singer was handsome and only listened to the quality of the songs.

    If fans said that the album was a hit and out of the charts, it did not count. It would only count as a hit song if a random person on the streets said that it was good.

    For example, ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±. The entire cast, the main and even supporting actors, as well as the team behind the scenes, were allmended for their achievements by passersby and fans alike. That was true virality..

    Therefore, the most important thing was not the fans, but themon people. As long as the quality was good enough, it would attract passersby and no fear that no one would buy it.

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°Seconded!¡±

    ¡°Sister Xi is right. Qi Xiu doesn¡¯t need the help of fans to increase sales. Song Wenye, doing so is just an insult to his professionalism, ya know?¡±

    The group was finally able to righteously refute Song Wenye. However, they would still support Qi Xiu because he was their new favorite idol. Sister Xi also liked this singer and his songs were good, so they were willing to spend money on his album.

    Moreover, helping Qi Xiu top the charts was helping Shen Xi too because Qi Xiu defeating Su Muyan was a p in the face for the Su family. Thus, it was all the more reason to support Qi Xiu.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy a hundred physical albums.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy five hundred!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a thousand!¡±

    The group began to report how much they would buy.

    Shen Xi rubbed her temples with some headache. She knew that they had already thought about these quantities and could not be stopped, so she did not say anything since this was their good intention.

    Finally, Song Wenye tallied the numbers. The minimum was one hundred and the most was a thousand, so it added up to 53,000 physical copies.

    ¡°During our break next weekend, we¡¯ll take these albums to the office and distribute them to passersby for free!¡± Song Wenye announced.

    They could not use so many albums anyway, so distributing them to passersby would be good publicity for her beloved Qi Xiu.

    Shen Xi reminded her. ¡°Change the location.¡±

    If they distributed the album for free at their office entrance, passersby would just think that they could not sell their album and had too much inventory. The media would have a field day with this and hurl mud at them again. These good intentions would havee to naught.

    Song Wenye was too happy to care and was willing to do anything for her idol. She nodded in agreement. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the West Street Square. There¡¯s always a crowd over there!¡±

    West Street was the fashion hub of the Capital and always had a crowd. 50,000 albums or even 100,000 albums could be distributed within minutes.

    After school, Shen Xi went to the National Library to look up some information. It was a special journal on medical care that was not for loan. By the time she finished, it was already dark outside.

    Song Wenye apanied her. While Shen Xi was reading, she was sleeping next to her. She somehow sensed that Shen Xi was done and woke up yawning. Her eyes were sparkly. ¡°Xixi, there¡¯s a roastedmb restaurant on Zhongnan Street. Let¡¯s have dinner before we head home!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi was hungry too. She told her parents that she would be backte and would not be having dinner at home because she expected Song Wenye would want to have dinner together.

    The National Library was near the university town. At this hour, most university students finished their dinner and would head to the library if there were not enough seats at the university¡¯s library.

    Song Wenye liked people watching. When she saw so many good-looking university students, her eyes were glowing. She suddenly pointed in front and shouted, ¡°Xixi! Look over there! That¡¯s my first love!¡±

    Shen Xi looked over and saw a young man.

    The young man was wearing a white shirt and ck pants. His body was lean and he looked like a handsome main character that stepped out from aic book.

    Song Wenye ran over.

    However, the man was gone in a sh and hid behind a tall bookshelf.

    Shen Xi looked at the man¡¯s movements and had a deep and cold look in her eyes. She walked over to catch up with Song Wenye. ¡°Your first love?¡±

    That young man had an extraordinary temperament and walked with very light footsteps. He was highly trained and was not an ordinary man.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t catch up to him again¡­¡± Song Wenye stomped her feet and looked regretful. She said to Shen Xi, ¡°That time when you had a dancepetition, I met him at the TV station. He said that his name is Xuan Yuan.¡±

    Shen Xi pulled her away. ¡°Well, forget about him. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Song Wenye was persistent and looked around twice, but still could not find him anywhere. ¡°He¡¯s probably a college student from a university nearby!¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s so good-looking!¡¯

    Shen Xi asked her. ¡°Did you fall in love with him at first sight? Or do you only miss his face?¡±

    Song Wenye replied without much thought, ¡°Of course, I miss his face! How can I be so superficial to fall in love at first sight¡­¡±

    Shen Xi knew that Song Wenye was a sucker for hunks. Whenever Song Wenye saw an attractive person, whether male or female, she could not walk away. She thought of something suddenly and asked, ¡°Hey, did you contact Yu Yuanxitely?¡±

    Song Wenye snorted angrily and her voice was several decibels louder. ¡°Why would I contact him?¡±

    ¡®Hmph! I won¡¯t contact him. Who wants to contact him?¡¯

    Shen Xi smiled and asked, ¡°Why? Did he offend you?¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s eyes wandered a little and she did not know where to look. She just said casually, ¡°He¡¯s busy filming.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi only called her the day he entered the set to tell her that he had arrived, then he never contacted her again.

    ¡®Who even wants him to contact them anyway?¡¯

    Shen Xi smiled and did not ask more for fear that she would get scolded if she asked the wrong question.

    Zhongnan Street was just two intersections away from the National Library. The stores near the library sold books and stationery, so it was not very crowded.

    The two of them were walking and talking when Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were suddenly drawn to a man by the side of the road.

    Song Wenye followed her gaze and saw the man squatting on the ground with his back to the. She could not see the man¡¯s face and asked, ¡°You know him?¡±

    Shen Xi thought Fu Qingli was haunting her. She would run into him everywhere she went. She shook her head and prepared to walk past him without looking at him. ¡°No.¡±

    Fu Qingli, who was squatting there, sensed something and turned his head to stare at her. His thin lips parted slightly and his voice was crisp. ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    Shen Xi dragged Song Wenye away and hypnotized herself that she did not see that man.

    When Song Wenye saw the man¡¯s handsome and perfect face, she abandoned all her principles and ran over to the man.

    Fu Qingli stood up and strode over to Shen Xi with his long legs. His mind was in a mess and he felt severe, unbearable pain in his stomach, so much so that he lost the ability to think.

    Shen Xi just wanted to run, so that he was out of sight, out of mind, but she did not know how he got in front of her so quickly and blocked her path. His deep, cold eyes were fixated on her.

    She sighed and conceded, so she looked up and said, ¡°Fu Qingli, are you done¡­¡±

    When Fu Qingli met her eyes, theyer of permafrost that never melted over the years seemed to crack again a little.

    He looked at her and hooked up his lips into a small arc. His voice was very deep and incredibly gentle. ¡°Shen Xi...¡±

    Shen Xi finally noticed that something was wrong. His face was sickly pale and his lips were purple. His eyes were bloodshot and he was so sick that he lost his mind and smiled at her. When he called her name so gently, it was enough to give her goosebumps.

    However, before she could speak, Fu Qingli¡¯s tall body copsed on her, like a big mountain that fell on her.

    Shen Xi hugged him and wanted to curse. ¡®F*ck, what kind of sh*tty luck is this?!¡¯

    She managed to escape the dinner party, but in the end, she could not escape Fu Qingli¡¯s curse!

 Chapter 366 - Envious

    <h4>Chapter 366: Envious</h4>

    Qingli was suffering from an acute gastric perforation caused by drinking excessive alcohol and he needed to be hospitalized.

    Shen Xi had just paid for the treatment and when she returned to him, the doctor instructed her on what she needed to pay attention to as well as informing her that the patient needed further observation before the operation.

    ¡°Lil Ye, you should go home first. I¡¯ll watch over him.¡± Shen Xi felt that she must have owed Fu Qingli in her past life.

    Out of all the times and ces where he could have fainted, he walked in front of her and passed out. He was deliberately looking for trouble with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Song Wenye looked at her with concern. ¡°Can you handle it alone?¡±

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t, I have to. The hospital has a strict rule that each patient can only have one chaperone. The nurse wille overter to kick visitors out,¡± Shen Xi said.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go buy you some dinner. I¡¯ll go back after we eat.¡± Song Wenye wanted to apany her, but the hospital had its rules.

    When Song Wenye went out, she could not help but look at the man on the bed again. This man looked so handsome. It turned out that he was the oldest Fu brother, Fu Qingli.

    The Fu family¡¯s genes were simply exquisite. Three sons each had different personalities and strengths, each one more handsome than the other.

    The eldest Fu brother had the aura of an emperor. Even when he was lying there quietly, no one would dare approach him.

    She looked at him and only felt pure admiration for his beauty. She was in awe and thest thing she would have is any disrespectful thought because that would be sphemous.

    ¡°Lil Ye¡­¡± Shen Xi wanted to decline and tell her to go straight home, but Song Wenye ran away before she could say more.

    Song Wenye moved so quickly like a rabbit and did not spare Shen Xi a chance to refuse.

    This was a triple-bed ward. Besides the patients, there were also caretakers and family members, so the ward was a little noisy.

    Shen Xi pulled the curtain that divided the patients and moved a chair to sit by the hospital bed. She then looked at the sickly pale man on the bed.

    Even when he was unconscious, he still had such a noble, oppressive, and cold aura.

    He was really strong and worthy of holding power in the Fu family. Acute gastric perforation caused excruciating pain for regr people to be writhing in pain, yet he could still walk like a normal person in front of her.

    ¡®If you¡¯re so strong and capable, don¡¯t faint from the pain then¡­ Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll mock you for cking out in front of me? Proud son of a b*tch!¡¯

    After a while, Shen Xi saw Song Wenyeing in with several stic bags. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go home?¡±

    Song Wenye chuckled and put the food on the table. She then borrowed a chair from the next bed and said with a smile, ¡°We were supposed to have dinner together first.¡±

    They were so busy taking Fu Qingli to the hospital that they forgot about dinner. After running around for about three to four hours, it was already 10:30 pm.

    Shen Xi looked at her and said, ¡°Then you can leave after dinner.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Song Wenye nodded obediently and brought out all the food.

    She bought a variety of food, including fried noodles, skewers, spicy soup, milk tea, and other snacks and drinks, but the taste was just mediocre, good enough to fill their stomachs. The two of them had been starving, so mediocre food still tasted delicious when they ate together.

    Song Wenye cleaned up the table when they were done eating.

    Shen Xi was called away by the nurse.

    Song Wenye put the trash bag next to her and waited for Shen Xi to return. She leaned on the table and stared at the man on the bed. Her eyes could not conceal her awe.

    Xixi was too lucky. All three of the Fu brothers were very close to her, and Toffeecito¡¯s dad was also such a stunner.

    ¡®Sigh¡­ I¡¯m so jealous and envious of Xixi.¡¯

    Shen Xi came in with the medicine and looked at Song Wenye. ¡°Don¡¯t fool around anywhere else and go straight home. We still have ss tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ Why are you so naggy?¡± Although Song Wenye sounded annoyed, she felt warm inside. She bent down to pick up the trash and pointed to the man on the bed, ¡°When do you think he¡¯ll wake up?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The nurse only said that he needs to take this medicine when he wakes up.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s tone was calm as she put the medicine on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave first then.¡± Song Wenye took the trash with her and walked two steps before turning back. ¡°You should get some shuteye too. Since they didn¡¯t say he needed surgery, I guess it¡¯s not that serious.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Give me a call when you get home.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Song Wenye smiled at her, revealing her pearly whites. She then pointed to the bag on the table. ¡°There are a few bottles of water with some cookies and bread. Eat them when you¡¯re hungry.¡±

    Shen Xi watched Song Wenye leave. The family next door asked her to turn off the lights, so she did and sat next to the bed to watch over the man.

    She felt that she was the kindest angel. Fu Qingli hated her so much, yet she was keeping watch on him for the night.

    This guy did not even have a phone on him, so he must have left it in the car. Since they rushed to the hospital, they forgot to take his phone and could not contact his people toe to pay for his hospital bills and care for him.

    Shen Xi wanted to call Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan to ask them for a contact, but she was afraid that they would be worried. ¡®Forget it, I can look after him for one night, just take it asmunity service¡­¡¯

    She had a long day, so she felt sleepy. After a while of staring at him, sheid on the bed and fell asleep.

    When Fu Qingli opened his eyes, he saw the in incandescentmp on the ceiling and smelled disinfectant mixed with a variety of strange smells, which made him frown with disgust.

    The quilt over his body had an indescribable smell too, so he wanted to lift it. However, the moment he turned his head, he suddenly stopped moving.

    ¡®Shen Xi? It is¡­ It is her¡­¡¯

    Thest moment before he cked out, he saw her.

    The little girl next to him used her arms as a pillow and her small face was facing him. Through the dim light, he could see her.

    This was the first time he looked at her up close and so carefully.

    When the girl was asleep, she did not look so aggressive and resembled his mother.

    Her eyshes were long and thick, like little brushes that fluttered slightly with her long, steady breathing. It left a faint shadow below her eyes.

    Her nose was very pretty, with a high nose bridge and nice curve that made him want to touch it.

    Her lips were beautiful too. It was a healthy red and was neither too thin nor thick. It was just the right fullness. Perhaps her nose was a little stuffy because her lips opened and closed slightly from time to time as if she would start to snore at any moment.

    The iciness in Fu Qingli disappeared little by little and the tenderness in his eyes started to emerge. The thickyer of ice that covered his heart started to melt slowly as he looked at her with fascination.

    This was the first time he saw this girl so cute and lovely. This was what she looked like in her sleep.

 Chapter 367 - Send Her Home

    <h4>Chapter 367: Send Her Home</h4>

    Whenever Fu Qingli saw Shen Xi, whether she was smiling or frowning when she looked at him, she always had such wariness and aloofness in her eyes as if she was consciously trying to keep her distance from him.

    She was like a little porcupine when she faced him with spikes all over her body. She was also very hostile towards him and hated him.

    Shen Xi murmured in her sleep.

    Fu Qingli quickly withdrew his gaze. The tenderness in his eyes disappeared and was once again covered by a sheet of ice. He returned to his unfriendly and ruthless self as he surveyed the room.

    He was in a hospital and a multi-bed ward.

    The environment was dirty, messy, and terrible.

    The air was unbearable.

    This was the first time the mighty Fu Qingli stayed in such a ward. As a germaphobe, he could not tolerate this environment and this hospital bed he was lying in. Fearing that he would wake the girl up, he lifted the covers from the other side and got out of bed.

    It was not yet dawn.

    The patient in the next bed got up to go to the bathroom and saw Fu Qingli looking for something. He then pointed to the cab across the room and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re Bed 18, so your things are in Cab 18.¡±

    Fu Qingli nodded slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The patient did not see his face clearly and went to the bathroom in a daze.

    Fu Qingli went out to the nurse¡¯s station to borrow a phone so he could make a call. He wanted to just leave but he suddenly thought of the girl¡¯s quiet sleeping face. He rubbed his brows and went back to the ward.

    The girl was still sleeping next to the bed. He looked at the quilt and thought whether he should carry her onto the bed and cover her with the quilt.

    In the end, he could not bear to touch those things when he was awake. He did not want her to sleep on it either, so he took off his jacket and bent down slightly to drape it over her.

    Somehow, Shen Xi suddenly opened her eyes, so he casually flung the jacket and wore it with style. He looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned and was still half asleep. When she saw Fu Qingli¡¯s face she became alert. ¡°Why are you up?¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s handsome face did not show the slightest emotional fluctuation. His voice was as cold as usual. ¡°I should go.¡±

    Shen Xi heard him and wanted to punch him to knock some sense into him. He had acute gastric perforation, so how could he just leave? On the other hand, whatever happened to him was none of her business, so she snorted nonchntly.

    ¡®Go! Get lost! Why didn¡¯t you just die from pain earlier?!¡¯

    Fu Qingli¡¯s assistant, Xu Xu, rushed to the ward as fast as he could. He stopped for a moment at the door to regainposure and calm his breathing before he walked in with steady steps.

    His boss had called to say that he was in the hospital and asked him toe with a bank card loaded with 100,000 yuan. Thus, Xu Xu came over as soon as possible.

    ¡°Sir.¡± Xu Xu looked at the man respectfully. After running too fast, he was still panting a little.

    Fu Qingli heard his voice, turned to look at him, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Card.¡±

    Xu Xu only saw a girl standing opposite his boss when the man turned around because she was blocked by his tall figure. Xu Xu did not dare to look carefully at the girl.

    When Fu Qingli turned back to Shen Xi, his tall figure once again blocked his view of Shen Xi. Fu Qingli gave her the card and said in his usual cold and heartless voice, ¡°This is your payment.¡±

    Shen Xi heard his usual apathetic voice and saw his poker face, which was obviously telling her that they were even now that he paid her. She instantly felt rage surging in her chest.

    ¡®F*ck! Is he looking down on me?! What kind of person is he?!¡¯

    Fu Qingli saw that she did not take it and parted his thin lips slightly as his sharp words stabbed her straight in the heart. ¡°Too little?¡±

    Shen Xi reached out and took the card. She smiled stiffly and scornfully. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    At this moment, all she wanted to do was to take this card and throw it back at his face. She wanted to tell him that she helped him only because she would not just stand and watch if anyone fainted in front of her no matter who it was, even if it was a homeless man or a beggar.

    ¡®Right. He¡¯s just a stranger to me! Since he¡¯s just a stranger, why should I get angry?¡¯

    ¡°Do you want me to send you home?¡± Fu Qingli asked her.

    The girl looked happy, but he could see the mockery in the depths of her eyes.

    ¡®Yes, I¡¯m that kind of person. I¡¯ll solve whatever I can with money and definitely won¡¯t involve feelings.¡¯

    ¡°No need, this is enough.¡± Shen Xi held up the card in her hand. In a split second, she had convinced herself to not stoop to his level. She smiled brightly and continued, ¡°But Mr. Fu, if this happens again, remember to faint in front of me!¡±

    ¡®Get lost! It¡¯s such a waste of time to look at him for another second!¡¯

    Shen Xi felt as if she was inhaling fire to breathe the same air in the same space as this man.

    Fu Qingli nodded slightly at her before turning to leave.

    When Fu Qingli left, Xu Xu finally saw the girl¡¯s face, and his eyes almost popped out from shock before rubbing them in disbelief.

    ¡®No way! Am I hallucinating?! This girl looks so much like Madam!¡¯

    Shen Xi raised her eyebrows and looked at him coldly and mockingly. ¡°What, do you also want to pay me?¡±

    Xu Xu finally calmed down after he heard the girl. He smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for sending Mr. Fu to the hospital. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡®Sigh¡­ What a pity. This girl is certainly not the little princess we¡¯ve been looking for¡­¡¯

    The boss had been looking for his younger sister for such a long time, so he definitely would not be so cold or ruthless to her.

    That girl saved him and yet he just threw some money at her to send her away. This was the boss¡¯s usual style and Xu Xu was used to it.

    However, when Xu Xu saw the girl, he felt it was not very nice of his boss to treat this poor girl like that.

    When Shen Xi went downstairs, she found an ATM to look at the card bnce.

    She told herself countless times not to get angry and to stay indifferent. Getting angry over that son of a b*tch Fu Qingli would just hurt herself.

    Even so, she could not help but feel infuriated. When she walked out of the building, she kicked the stairs and yelled into the empty morning traffic because she could not hold back her emotions and needed to vent her dissatisfaction. ¡°Fu Qingli! Are you looking down on me?! Do you think I¡¯m a beggar that you can just throw 100,000 yuan at?! If you¡¯re sincere, give me a hundred million!¡±

    Not far away from her.

    Xu Xu had aplicated expression as he tried to hold back a smile. He did not dare to turn around and respectfully asked, ¡°Sir, should we still go and pick her up?¡±

    As they drove a few miles away, the boss asked him to turn around, saying that it was not safe for a girl to go home alone and that they should send her home.

    As a result, when they got here, they found her and heard what she said.

    Through the rearview mirror, Xu Xu could clearly see the man in the back seat looking glum. His handsome face and deep eyes seemed to be surging with anger.

    Xu Xu was sure the boss was angry because he suddenly felt a drop in the temperature. The man was exuding a suffocating and oppressive air.

    He had been working for Fu Qingli for a long time, and this was the first time he saw such a big emotional fluctuation in him. ¡®This girl is awesome!¡¯

 Chapter 368 - Waiting for His Answer

    <h4>Chapter 368: Waiting for His Answer</h4>

    Fu Qingli felt suffocated for a while like he was about to vomit blood. He said with a sullen face, ¡°Go back to the hotel.¡±

    ¡®If I¡¯m sincere, I should give her a hundred million? One hundred million?!¡¯

    The girl¡¯s voice was like a demon constantly taunting his mind, mocking him over and over again for his self-righteousness.

    **

    Shen Xi took the 100,000 yuan given by Fu Qingli and donated it to Song Wenye as a contribution to Qi Xiu¡¯s album. She refused to spend his money, so she would just use it for charity!

    On Sunday when they finally had a break, they decided to distribute Qi Xiu¡¯s album.

    ¡°Xixi, Xixi, Xixi!¡± Song Wenye called out to her. ¡°Stop doing homework! The albums are ready. Let¡¯s head to West Street Square to distribute them!¡±

    The rest of the International ss looked at her and giggled.

    Shen Xi closed her exercise book, packed her school bag, and went out.

    The International ss students were excited to be able to hang out together. It did not matter what they were doing, they just felt that it was fun to be together. Besides, after the album distribution, they would go for dinner.

    Shen Xi sat in the car and looked at thetest data sent by the Music Department for Qi Xiu¡¯s album as well as the list of artists who would be attending the interviews next week. There were neers, indie artists, some D-listers, and even some C- and B-listers as well.

    On the second day of the album¡¯s release, at noon, Qi Xiu¡¯s physical album sales overtook Su Muyan¡¯s. They sold one million copies.

    Moreover, the sales of the digital album, which already exceeded eight million copies, was another p in Su Muyan¡¯s face.

    Besides the hot topics bought by Tianheng for Su Muyan, the rest were discussing Qi Xiu¡¯s new album. There was no need for further publicity because Qi Xiu¡¯s songs were self-promoting. Everyone enjoyed listening to good songs after all.

    As for the charts, it was not as convincing as the actual sales because these charts relied on fans to boost the rankings.

    All charts were maniptable as long as there was sufficient money to pay someone to make some tweaks. It was a piece of cake to be on the list because not many artists would release their albumster in the year.

    Su Muyan had some skills, but his achievements were fake and overestimated. Arge part of the hot topics was from his fans and tabloid ounts that were bought out.

    Su Muyan was part of the first wave of celebrities that relied on their huge number of fans. These idol singers were social media influencers and profit from fans buying their merchandise and products.

    These people had one thing inmon, which was theirrge fan base. These avid followers would organize events just to increase album sales.

    In the years toe, this would be moremon as manypanies saw the opportunity and saw how far fans would go for their idols.

    However, nopanies cared about how these influencers would end up because they only wanted profits. If an idol group failed, then they just had to form another.

    Some of these people were overwhelmed by fame and thought that they were superstars and the best. They were addicted to the illusion of prosperity and could not extricate themselves. They only realized their true strength once all this extravagance was removed and woke up to reality.

    Some people used this opportunity to enrich themselves and change for the better. They were not frazzled by the immediate wealth and improved their ability and performance. Truly capable artists would not need fans to hold them up to be able to stand firm in the entertainment industry.

    Cosmos Entertainment did not want artists who were blinded by fame. Instead, they wanted artists who had the strength and ability to improve and grow themselves.

    Shen Xi also hoped that every artist signed by theirpany could discover themselves and get what they want during their time with them. She would do her best to help them.

    ¡°Sister Xi, we¡¯re here. Let¡¯s go!¡± Chu Ying shouted. She smiled and leaned closer to Shen Xi. ¡°What are you thinking about? Care to share?¡±

    ¡°I was just thinking about how we must rely on our strength and capability. We shouldn¡¯t rely on others.¡± Shen Xi returned to her senses and patted her shoulder. ¡°When we¡¯re left with nothing, the only thing we can rely on is ourselves.¡±

    Chu Ying watched Shen Xi get out of the car and touched her head. ¡®I don¡¯t understand what Sister Xi is saying¡­ It¡¯s too philosophical. Let¡¯s go distribute the albums!¡¯

    On Sunday afternoon, West Street was very crowded.

    Chu Ying¡¯s uncle, who is the owner of the Golden Tower Mall, told the mall¡¯s security guards to help out with the unloading of the albums at the entrance¡¯s big square.

    There were more than 60,000 copies, so it was quite heavy. They prepared a banner to disy in advance and soon, their little pop-up booth attracted many people.

    Everyone was entitled to only one album and needed to line up.

    In the midst of it, Song Wenye snuck out to buy two sticks of candied hawthorns, one for herself and the other for Shen Xi. The two of them then sat at the back to eat.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you buy one for everyone?¡±

    Song Wenye said, ¡°I only have two hands, so I can¡¯t hold that many. They can buy for themselves.¡±

    When they finished their candied hawthorn, Song Wenye handed Shen Xi a face mask and looked at her. ¡°Put it on.¡±

    Shen Xi was confused.

    Song Wenye quickly put it on for Shen Xi. ¡°You¡¯re too striking if you don¡¯t wear a mask. When you were at the booth earlier, so many people wanted to add you on WeChat!¡±

    There were also a lot of disgusting perverted men who stared at them lecherously. She even felt like punching them.

    Shen Xi nodded and looked at her. ¡°You should wear one too!¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s outfit was quite shy today, and a lot of people also asked for her number.

    She put on the mask and thought, ¡®Some people are just too gross. I can¡¯t stop them from looking at me since I¡¯m so beautiful, but appreciating beauty doesn¡¯t mean they need to be lewd!¡¯

    Shen Xi went over to distribute the albums and asked the others to go for a break. As soon as they changed shifts, she looked up and saw the person she least wanted to see, Fu Qingli.

    He was wearing a ck windbreaker with a ck baseball cap that was pulled very low, deliberately trying to suppress his cold and domineering aura. He looked discreet.

    However, the cap still could not conceal his handsome chiseled face. Many sharp-eyed girls saw him and looked at him in awe.

    He stood next to the line, seemingly apanying someone who was in line. That woman was gorgeous with big wavy hair and ming red lips with a very sexy body.

    The woman looked to be about the same age as him. She said something to him, to which he then responded with a helpless look.

    Shen Xi was stunned. ¡®What¡¯s going on? This son of a b*tch Fu Qingli has a girlfriend? She¡¯s also so pretty and sexy!¡¯

    Fu Qingli was talking to the woman and seemed to sense Shen Xi¡¯s gaze. He then swept a cold gaze at her.

    Shen Xi pretended not to see anything and continued distributing the albums as if nothing happened.

    Soon, Fu Qingli and the sexydy came to the front but were still two turns away from Shen Xi.

    Thedy looked at Fu Qingli and nudged him, then said in a soft voice just loud enough for Shen Xi to hear. ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    This guy was not normal today and had stared at this young girl several times with a weird expression. Usually, this man would never look at anyone or reward strangers with so much as a nce.

    Shen Xi told herself not to care about his answer, but her damned heart still bore anticipation.

 Chapter 369 - I Donâ€™t Know Her

    <h4>Chapter 369: I Don¡¯t Know Her</h4>

    Fu Qingli¡¯s voice was clear and heartless as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡±

    Shen Xi felt like vomiting blood. ¡®Don¡¯t know me, huh?! Look at this ungrateful son of a b*tch casting me to one side after using me!¡¯

    The other time in Tianheng, she put on a disguise yet he could still recognize her immediately. Now that she was only wearing a mask, he somehow did not know her?

    Fu Qingli and the beauty finally came to the front.

    After thedy took the album, she kicked Fu Qingli and winked at him, signaling him to get this girl¡¯s contact number since he was interested in her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Fu Qingli turned around and left.

    The beauty looked at Shen Xi and smiled gently. Her voice was also soft. ¡°Miss, is it okay if I get your contact number?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    The beauty looked at Shen Xi¡¯s curved smiling eyes. Although the girl¡¯s eyes were indifferent, it gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity. After a moment, she returned to her senses and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay then. Thanks and work hard!¡±

    Shen Xi watched as the beautiful woman caught up with Fu Qingli. The woman raised her hand with the album wanting to hit him with it, but she did not want to ruin the album, so in the end, she switched hands and pped Fu Qingli on the back of his head. It was vicious and fierce.

    Shen Xi was stunned and speechless. ¡®That prettydy hit Fu Qingli? Fu Qingli?! She actually hit that God of Hell Fu Qingli?!¡¯

    ¡°Xixi, what are you looking at?¡± Song Wenye followed her gaze. Her eyes lit up and she pointed at the man dressed in ck. ¡°That¡¯s the eldest Fu brother, right?¡±

    Shen Xi truly admired Song Wenye for her weird hawkeye talent. The man was so far away, dressed like that, and had his back turned to them, yet she could recognize him. Shen Xi let out a faint ¡°mm¡±, shifted her gaze, and continued distributing the album.

    Song Wenye squealed with excitement and pulled Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, look! Thatdy is his girlfriend, right?¡±

    Shen Xi turned and saw Fu Qingli bending down his noble body, then the prettydy jumped onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

    Song Wenye was getting a little emotional. She always thought that such a cold and arrogant person like Fu Qingli would not have friends or anyone who liked him. She did not expect him to have a girlfriend that even seemed so close to him.

    She hugged Shen Xi¡¯s arm and cried with envy. ¡°Big Brother Fu is so sweet to his girlfriend¡­¡±

    The eldest Fu brother that was out of their sight asked the person helplessly on his back, ¡°Lil Aunt, are you done fooling around?¡±

    Fu Junqiu mercilessly pinched his ears. ¡°My dear nephew, you¡¯d bettere clean! Who¡¯s that girl?! You looked at her that way, so if you¡¯re not interested in her, what is it?¡±

    She knew this nephew of hers very well. Not to mention women, not even a female fly would swarm around him.

    ¡°Someone I¡¯ll never see again.¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s voice was clear and cold. He looked helpless again. ¡°I know your foot is fine. If you want people to stare at you, be my guest.¡±

    Fu Junqiu sighed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re such a robot! What will I do if you can¡¯t find a wife? How can I exin this to our ancestors?¡±

    Fu Qingli was speechless.

    Fu Junqiu murmured, ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be the Fu family¡¯s eldest grandson.¡±

    He was mature at a very young age and was introspective in nature. Since he was young, he had been shouldering the burden of the Fu family. He became more reserved and smiled less as the days passed. It was heartbreaking to see.

    If Fu Qingye was the oldest, then he would not be like Fu Qingli and bottled everything up in his heart. Fu Qingli would never talk to anyone. Even if the sky was copsing, he would carry the burden himself.

    Fu Qingli was silent, and his eyes grew darker.

    ¡®Lil Aunt is wrong. No matter who sits in my position, they will be the same as me.¡¯

    Being the eldest grandson of the Fu family was like being shackled. He could not shirk off this responsibility no matter what. To keep this position, he must strengthen himself and be invulnerable. Otherwise, how could he be a goodmander?

    ¡°I like that girl from earlier. Let¡¯s go over there to buy some food for them. They must be so tired distributing all these albums.¡± Fu Junqiu looked at the album in her hand. The handsome young man on the cover made her eyes light up with joy as she smiled and said, ¡°This little cutie¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli sighed. ¡°You can chase idols, but don¡¯t expose your identity.¡±

    Fu Junqiu pinched his face. ¡°Li, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s tiring to live like this? As humans, we need to be happy and seize the moment¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli swept a threatening gaze at her.

    Fu Junqiu surrendered. ¡°I know, I know¡­ I absolutely won¡¯t expose my identity, okay? I promise.¡±

    ¡®This punk is so old-fashioned and such a bore! I finally came to China and got caught by this stick-in-the-mud¡­¡¯

    Fu Qingli never trusted his aunt, and as if he could read her mind, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Lil Aunt, I advise you to stop thinking about escaping.¡±

    His aunt would create trouble wherever she went, so to avoid her making a big scene again, Fu Qingli was determined to tie her to his side and watch her closely.

    Fu Junqiu pestered Fu Qingli and was adamant about buying some snacks for the girls as a treat. They bought milk tea and bread, but when they went back to the square, the girls were already gone. Fu Junqiu looked at her nephew. ¡°Go and ask where those girls went!¡±

    ¡°Lil Aunt, do you like her so much?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. She had only just met the girl but her obsession and interest in the girl were too obvious.

    ¡°Yeah, that girl gives me a very pleasant vibe.¡± Fu Junqiu looked at him. ¡°If you like her, then hurry up and pursue her!¡±

    Fu Qingli had a bit of a headache. Seeing that she was so aggressive, he sighed. ¡°She¡¯s still underage.¡±

    Besides, how could he possibly like a little girl who was so much younger than him?

    ¡°If she¡¯s underage, you can wait till she bes an adult!¡± Fu Junqiu ordered him. ¡°Quick! Ask where she went! Don¡¯t talk to me about anything else.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have her contact.¡± Fu Qingli looked at the time and said, ¡°Also, need I remind you that it¡¯s now time to go see your uncle?¡±

    Fu Junqiu felt regretful and ordered her bodyguard to hand out the things she had bought to the passersby. She helped to hand out the snacks, then ran away when Fu Qingli was not paying attention.

    After she ran far enough and made sure that she ditched them, she stopped and held a tree trunk to catch her breath.

    ¡°Lil Aunt, are you done running?¡± Fu Qingli stood in front of her and stared down at her. He even thoughtfully handed her a bottle of water.

    ¡°Fu Qingli!¡± Fu Junqiu let out an irritable growl and turned to flee.

    Fu Qingli sped her arm, then dragged her into the car and mmed the door shut. He then got into the car and said, ¡°Lil Aunt, you¡¯d better behave. You can¡¯t run away from me.¡±

    Fu Junqiu red at him viciously and gritted her teeth. ¡°Fu Qingli, what¡¯s the point of you watching me? Can¡¯t you do something more important?!¡±

 Chapter 370 - Ran Someone Over

    <h4>Chapter 370: Ran Someone Over</h4>

    Fu Qingli said, ¡°No.¡±

    Fu Junqiu was finally pushed to the breaking point. ¡°I¡¯m your aunt!¡±

    ¡°You should be d that you¡¯re my aunt.¡±

    Fu Junqiu clenched her fist and resisted the urge to punch him. She red at Fu Qingli viciously.

    ¡®Sigh¡­ What a bad start to my trip!¡¯

    Had Fu Junqiu known that her nephew was currently in China, she would not havee over. The feeling of being watched by her nephew was unpleasantly suffocating.

    **

    Song Wenye keptmenting on the way back. ¡°They¡¯re such a perfect couple¡­ I have no chance¡­ Why do all the good-looking men with good character and family background marry young?¡±

    Shen Xi reminded her, ¡°Fu Qingli is not married.¡±

    Song Wenye said, ¡°Well, you can¡¯t say that. Look at him and his girlfriend! They¡¯re so lovey-dovey. Marriage is just a matter of time. He¡¯s only 24, so isn¡¯t that considered young for marriage? Most people just graduated from college.¡±

    She then winked ambiguously at Shen Xi. ¡°You don¡¯t need to envy others. You¡¯ll also get your chance to marry young sooner orter¡­¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes softened but she did not answer.

    If possible, Shen Xi would like to drag Li Yuan to register for marriage once she was of age to lock him down first.

    Song Wenye knew that Shen Xi would glow at the mention of Toffeecito¡¯s dad. It was nice to have a crush.

    Both of them were sitting in the back seat while they ate fried chicken and talked.

    Suddenly, there was a loud crash.

    The brakes screeched and the car shook violently.

    Song Wenye was holding a bucket of fried chicken but all fell onto Shen Xi. She was furious and yelled, ¡°Lin Ge! Do you not know how to drive?!¡±

    Lin Ge was so scared that his body was trembling. He turned to look at the two of them and stuttered, ¡°Sister Xi, I ran someone over¡­¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s expression changed. She looked ahead, but the hood of the car blocked her line of sight, so she could not see anything. She said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Let¡¯s check it out first.¡±

    Lin Ge tried to calm himself. When he saw Shen Xi was about to open the door, he quickly shouted, ¡°You girls stay here and don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±

    He saw a man rushing from the left intersection on his bicycle and fell in front of him, so he thought that the man must have been killed by the hit.

    Lin Ge wanted to bear the responsibility of crashing into the man and did not want the two girls to see the gory scene lest they get scared.

    However, Shen Xi was not bothered. When Lin Ge went over, the girls followed.

    There was a bicycle on the ground in front of the car.

    A man was lying next to the bicycle.

    The bicycle looked fine without any deformation and had no signs of being hit.

    There was also no blood on the ground or the man¡¯s body.

    Thus, they could rule out a car ident. Their car did not hit the man.

    Lin Ge was confused because both their car and the bike were fine, except the man was lying on the ground as if he was hit.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, quickly go to the car and grab my blue canvas pouch from my schoolbag. Bring it to me.¡± Shen Xi quickly walked towards the man and looked at the still puzzled Lin Ge. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Come over and give me a hand.¡±

    Song Wenye ran to get the pouch.

    Lin Ge ran over when he heard Shen Xi but he was clueless about how to help. Shen Xi had already flipped the man over and tore the man¡¯s clothes.

    Shen Xi looked calm as she pressed one hand on the man¡¯s forehead while her other hand¡¯s index and middle fingers sped the man¡¯s jaw and tilted it upward. She instructed Lin Ge. ¡°Find his medication. He must have it on him.¡±

    Lin Ge started fumbling the man¡¯s body looking for the medication and soon pulled out a small pill bottle from the man¡¯s suit pocket. He looked at Shen Xi. ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Five. Put them under his tongue,¡± Shen Xi said in a deep voice.

    Lin Ge was infected by Shen Xi¡¯sposure and calmly put the pills under the man¡¯s tongue.

    When he looked at the bottle of pills carefully, he saw that it was nitroglycerin. The man was having a heart attack and was not hit by his car.

    Song Wenye brought the canvas pouch and was shocked to see silver needles inside when she opened it.

    ¡®When did Xixi learn how to do this? Why didn¡¯t I know anything about it?¡¯

    Lin Ge watched in awe as Shen Xi took the silver needles and quickly pierced them into a few acupressure points. He admired Shen Xi¡¯s ability.

    ¡®Shen Xi is such a genius! How is she so good at everything? Everything she does is amazing! How can ordinary people like uspare to this goddess?!¡¯

    Song Wenye also noticed that the man was not hit by their car since there was no blood and the bicycle also looked fine.

    After Shen Xi stuck two needles in his hand, the man coughed and gradually opened his eyes.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye. ¡°Give him some water.¡±

    Song Wenye ran back to the car to get a bottle of water, then squatted to feed him some water as she looked at him and asked, ¡°Uncle, how do you feel now?¡±

    She had been tense earlier, so she did not notice what the man looked like. Upon closer look, she found that he was a very handsome middle-aged man who was about 50 years old.

    The man took two sips of water and gasped. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s face was cold as she said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t speak now.¡±

    Ten minutester.

    The man waspletely awake but was not willing to go to the hospital for a physical examination because he had an appointment that he must attend. He was incredibly stubborn and did not listen to them no matter how much they persuaded him.

    Lin Ge could not care less now that he was certain he did not hit the man. The man was the unlucky one. In the end, Shen Xi even saved his life, so they did not owe him anything.

    As always, Shen Xi was cold to strangers.

    Song Wenye, on the other hand, was very sympathetic and insisted on sending the man to his appointment venue. She was very nosy and even asked, ¡°Uncle, are you going on a blind date? Why are you in such a hurry?¡±

    The man said, ¡°Little girl, do you know how old I am?¡±

    Song Wenye thought about it for a moment and guessed an older age. ¡°I think you¡¯re fifty.¡±

    The man smiled. He looked more handsome and mysterious when he smiled. ¡°Guess again.¡±

    Song Wenye answered, ¡°Then forty?¡±

    His smile widened and he made a hand gesture.

    Song Wenye¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and covered her mouth. ¡°Seventy?! Uncle, I know that I¡¯m young, but it¡¯s not easy to fool me!¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± The man looked at the quiet beautiful girl who was sitting by the window, leaning back on the car seat with closed eyes. His eyes were filled with appreciation and love as he asked in a soft voice, ¡°What¡¯s that girl¡¯s name?¡±

    The girl was young but had great medical skills. She was also aloof and cold. From the time he woke up, she only said one sentence, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±

    Song Wenye frowned and became alert. ¡°What do you want with her?¡±

 Chapter 371 - Itâ€™s My Fault

    <h4>Chapter 371: It¡¯s My Fault</h4>

    The man shook his head helplessly. ¡°What else can I do for her? I just want to thank her. I was going to see my niece and my grand-nephew, so why don¡¯t you guys join us for dinner?¡±

    ¡®Do I look like a bad person?¡¯

    It was because of his ageless face that this girl had a bad impression of him.

    ¡°We won¡¯t join you because we have a party to attend!¡± Song Wenye carefully observed his eyes and did not find anything unusual. His gaze carried a pure appreciation and kindness from an elder.

    ¡®This uncle looks so young! He¡¯s 70 years old but looks fifty! I¡¯m so envious¡­¡¯

    ¡°Then give me a contact and I¡¯ll treat you guys to dinner someday.¡± The man looked regretful and turned to look at Shen Xi.

    Although this girl was cold in nature, he somehow felt very close to her.

    The car soon stopped at the entrance of the Liuhe Garden. This was China¡¯s oldest restaurant that had been around for hundreds of years. It had a long-established reputation in the Capital.

    Shen Xi closed his eyes and covered her face with her baseball cap. She also had earphones on to block out the noise.

    The man told Song Wenye that his niece and grand-nephew woulde over to thank Shen Xi, so they would be dyed for a while.

    Song Wenye was a soft-hearted person and agreed without much thought. It was normal for the man to bring their children and grandchildren over to express their gratitude for saving his life.

    The man soon returned, dragging Fu Qingli and Fu Junqiu with him.

    When Song Wenye saw them, her eyes almost popped out. She tugged on Shen Xi and screamed in excitement. ¡°Xixi! Xixi! Xixi! Look!!¡±

    ¡®OMG! This uncle is not an ordinary man! Niece? Grand-nephew? So that beautifuldy is his niece and the grand-nephew he mentioned is Fu Qingli?!¡¯

    When Fu Qingli saw Shen Xi, he felt aplicated emotion in his heart. He did not expect that their paths would cross and they were destined to meet again. He also figured that his granduncle¡¯s savior must be her without a doubt.

    Fu Junqiu was ecstatic. She winked and pinched Fu Qingli. They must be fated to be together because they met so unexpectedly.

    When Shen Xi was asleep, she noticed that the strange uncle kept staring at her. Although there was no malice in his eyes, his inquisitive gaze still made her ufortable, so she covered her face with her cap.

    Now that there was such amotion that Fu Qingli was also here, Shen Xi could not pretend to be asleep and took off her cap.

    Fu Junqiu finally saw the girl¡¯s face and felt her body stiffen. Her fingers that were sping Fu Qingli¡¯s tightened and her eyes flickered. She murmured, ¡°Lil¡¯ Xi¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli frowned slightly and leaned into his aunt to remind her not to lose herposure. He whispered, ¡°Her name is Shen Xi. She¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter.¡±

    Fu Junqiu just felt that her eyes and heart were incredibly sore. She was choking back tears and could not control her emotions as she went to Shen Xi.

    Fu Qingli knew that this would happen and grabbed her arm to pull her back.

    His granduncle smiled and said, ¡°These are the kids who saved me when I had a heart attack. Otherwise, you two wouldn¡¯t be able to see me today.¡±

    Song Wenye was embarrassed and pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°We didn¡¯t help much. It was mostly Xixi who saved Uncle.¡±

    The man pulled Fu Qingli and Fu Junqiu to his side and formally introduced them to Shen Xi. ¡°Littledy, this is my niece, Fu Junqiu, and this is my grand-nephew, Fu Qingli. My name is Shangguan Huan.¡±

    Since he got in the car, Shen Xi had been aloof and exuded a coldness that rejected all contact. Not to mention asking her name, he did not even have the opportunity to introduce himself.

    Several times, Shangguan Huan wanted to go out of his way to ask her, but he was afraid to leave a bad impression on her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Shen Xi.¡± Shen Xi looked at the older man in front of her. She was detached but polite.

    Fu Qingli looked at her. ¡°Ms. Shen, thank you for saving my granduncle.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded politely. Her eyes were cold and her voice even colder. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Fu.¡±

    She could not have imagined that this passerby uncle she inadvertently rescued was such a big shot.

    ¡°Can I call you Lil¡¯ Xi?¡± Fu Junqiu¡¯s eyes were affixed to Shen Xi. ¡®This little girl and Sis-inw look very much alike.¡¯

    Fu Junqiu knew that her sister-inw and Li Jingran were twins, so it was normal for Li Jingran¡¯s daughter to look like her sister-inw, but she had this feeling that made her blood surge. She could not help but want to hug Shen Xi and get close to her. It made her feel that this girl was Lil¡¯ Xi, the Fu family¡¯s Lil¡¯ Xi.

    ¡°Hello, Ms. Fu.¡± Shen Xi was polite and subtly rejected her request.

    Shen Xi could not afford to mess with the Fu family. Otherwise, Fu Qingli would get her killed.

    Fu Junqiu felt disheartened and shed an awkward smile. She extended an invite to her. ¡°Ms. Shen, I¡¯m very grateful that you saved my uncle. We¡¯re going for dinner, so why don¡¯t you join us?¡±

    She wanted to spend more time with Shen Xi.

    If Lil¡¯ Xi was still around, she must be as beautiful, understanding, and kind as Shen Xi.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we have a ss reunion, so we won¡¯t disturb you,¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Saving your uncle was not a big deal. No matter who copses in front of me, I won¡¯t just sit back and watch, so you don¡¯t need to feel so thankful to me.¡±

    Fu Qingli just felt that Shen Xi was directing this sentence to him.

    He knew very well in his heart that it was for the best that she could think this way and be so self-aware, but somehow, he felt very ufortable after hearing her words.

    Fu Junqiu lowered her head and pinched her nephew discreetly for him to say something and invite the girl for a meal. However, Fu Qingli did not have any response no matter how much she pinched him. She was so angry that she wanted to hit him.

    Shangguan Huan was about to speak to persuade them again. He also wanted to have a meal with the girl, not only because she saved him, but for other reasons that he could not pinpoint. He just thought that this girl was very lovable.

    ¡°If Ms. Shen is busy, we won¡¯t bother you,¡± Fu Qingli said before his granduncle.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s words had fulfilled Shen Xi¡¯s and his own wishes, but Fu Junqiu and Shangguan Huan were exasperated.

    Shen Xi watched as the old man got down from the car. She smirked and thought, ¡®I must¡¯ve had some kind of deep hatred with Fu Qingli in my past life! What sh*tty luck do I have to meet him again and again?!¡¯

    Song Wenye was a bit regretful and sighed. ¡°Xixi, turns out that the prettydy is Fu Qingli¡¯s aunt, not his girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± Shen Xi did not expect thedy to be Fu Qingli¡¯s aunt and thought that she was his girlfriend. The way his aunt looked at her and her tone felt a little strange.

    ¡°A handsome man and a beautiful woman should be a couple. It¡¯s just so soothing to the eye.¡± Song Wenye muttered and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go with them to dinner?¡±

    Shen Xi took her cap and covered her face. Her voice was cold as she yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    Song Wenye naturally supported Shen Xi unconditionally. ¡°Okay, well¡­ Our party will be more fun anyway!¡±

    She sensed that Xixi did not like Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli had aplicated expression when he stared at Xixi earlier, but Song Wenye could not tell what it was.

    On the side of the road, Shangguan Huan watched as Shen Xi¡¯s car drove away. He pointed at Fu Qingli angrily and yelled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, brat! What kind of attitude is that?! She saved my life yet you have this stinking attitude. You might as well let me die of a heart attack!¡±

    Fu Junqiu also pped Fu Qingli on the back of his head and gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°How did that girl offend you? So what if she¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter? She saved Uncle¡¯s life, so why can¡¯t we just have a meal together? Do you hate her so much?¡±

    She could see that her nephew was only hostile to Shen Xi because she was Li Jingran¡¯s daughter.

    Fu Qingli did not speak. He could see out of the corner of his eye that Shen Xi¡¯s car disappeared into the traffic and felt irritable and suffocated.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Qiu is right! This is the previous generation¡¯s feud, so the younger generation shouldn¡¯t get involved! What bad things did Shen Xi do to make you have such a strong opinion against her?¡± Shangguan Huan was furious and pointed at him. ¡°Go away and don¡¯t stay here to annoy me! It¡¯s not easy for me to live till such an old age. Even if I don¡¯t die of a heart attack, I¡¯d probably die of anger!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Granduncle, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Fu Qingli could only admit his mistake in front of his elder¡¯s frenzied bombardment.

    ¡°Is this your attitude of admitting your mistake?¡± Shangguan Huan red at him in anger, then turned to leave.

    Fu Junqiu red at Fu Qingli fiercely, then held her uncle¡¯s arm. ¡°Uncle, just now I heard that the kids are going to Gongcheng. Let¡¯s go there too, maybe we can run into them.¡±

    Shangguan Huan asked, ¡°What¡¯s Gongcheng?¡±

    Fu Junqiu said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s take a taxi. The cab driver must know where it is.¡±

    Shangguan Huan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Fu Junqiu hailed a cab, then helped Shangguan Huan into the taxi. She looked at Fu Qingli, who was standing next to them, and asked, ¡°Youing?¡±

 Chapter 372 - Jarring

    <h4>Chapter 372: Jarring</h4>

    Fu Qingli gritted his teeth and squeezed out two words. ¡°Not going.¡±

    He then turned around with a cold face and walked away.

    Everyone in his family was the same.

    Fu Qingli had always thought that his brothers treated Shen Xi differently because she must have fooled them to be obsessed with her.

    However, this time he saw that the girl looked so standoffish yet she managed to capture the attention of his aunt and granduncle.

    When Fu Junqiu saw him turn away, her eyes shed with obvious joy. She urged the driver to hurry up and drive away to get rid of him.

    Who knew that after taking two steps away, Fu Qingli turned around and came back.

    Fu Qingli was in front of them as he said in a cold voice, ¡°Get off, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Fu Junqiu was anxious and wanted to drive the cab herself. She looked at the driver. ¡®What are you doing?! Drive!¡¯

    Fu Qingli was staring at the driver through the window with his cold eyes till the driver held his breath and his hands trembled. He did not dare to drive away.

    Fu Junqiu red at the driver angrily, then got out of the car and looked at Fu Qingli. ¡°What do you want?!¡±

    This was such a good opportunity for her to run away from her annoying nephew, but it slipped away just like that. Fu Junqiu wondered what sins shemitted in her past life to be cursed with such a heartless nephew.

    Fu Qingli came closer and warned her. ¡°Lil¡¯ Aunt, I advise you to behave and don¡¯t try to run away from me.¡±

    Fu Junqiu was infuriated. ¡®Can I kill him already?!¡¯

    Fu Qingli drove them.

    He was a real germaphobe. Whenever he was out, he never took public transportation. Everything he ate, wore, and used, must be new, so naturally, he would never take a cab.

    Fu Junqiu and Shangguan Huan sat in the back and were talking about Shen Xi.

    Shangguan Huan said, ¡°Lil¡¯ Qiu, if we can¡¯t find her, you should find out where her family lives so that we can go to her and thank her.¡±

    Fu Junqiu looked to the driver, ¡°Fu Qingli, where does she live?¡±

    Fu Qingli replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Fu Junqiu took the water bottle and smashed it on the back of his head. ¡°What¡¯s that stupid attitude for?! She¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter, not Li Jingran or her parents!¡±

    She could read people well and knew at first nce that this girl was definitely different from Li Jingran¡¯s family.

    ¡°What about you guys?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes were cold and sullen. The corners of his lips hooked up with a hint of mockery. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going to find her because she looks like Mom? You¡¯d better remember that her name is Shen Xi, not Fu Qingxi. She¡¯s not my sister and she¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter!¡±

    ¡®They¡¯re simply crazy.¡¯

    Although Shen Xi saved his granduncle, they already thanked her. ¡®Granduncle and Lil¡¯ Aunt are just using that as a pretext to get close to Shen Xi.¡¯

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she is. She saved Uncle¡¯s life!¡± Fu Junqiu was annoyed at her nephew¡¯s attitude. ¡°I wanna know why you¡¯re so prejudiced against her. Is it really just because she¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter?¡±

    Fu Qingli said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, she¡¯s not someone you or I should befriend.¡±

    ¡°Li, you¡¯re overreacting.¡± Fu Junqiuughed out loud, then sighed and looked at him seriously. ¡°You know what? I¡¯ve never seen you care so much about someone.¡±

    This nephew of hers had always been cold-hearted and did not bother to nce at anyone other than their family.

    Perhaps he did not even notice the attention he was giving to that girl. Even if he was prejudiced against her or disliked her, his reaction was unusually big.

    Fu Qingli suddenly felt irritable and could not suppress that feeling. He only denied it. ¡°I do not.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s useless even if you deceive yourself. Ask your heart. Do you hate her as much as you want to?¡± Fu Junqiu saw his body stiffen for a moment and sighed. ¡°Li, follow your heart. You¡¯re not a robot and no one asked you to hate her. There are no set rules in being human.¡±

    Love and hate were part of life.

    Fu Qingli clearly liked Shen Xi, but he lied to himself and forced himself to dislike her. It was truly miserable.

    Gongcheng was arge KTV that upied the entire building downtown. It was thergest and most luxurious KTV in the entire capital.

    It was easy for Fu Junqiu to find someone, but she was afraid that being upfront would make Shen Xi dislike them. If they did not run into her, they would go back to Liuhe Garden for dinner.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s car just drove away when a ck car came in the opposite direction.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye got out of the car.

    Song Wenye pointed at the car in front of them that had just left. ¡°Xixi, I think the one driving is the eldest Fu brother. Did hee over to find you?¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes. ¡°I think you¡¯re bewitched. Everyone looks like him to you.¡±

    ¡®Fu Qingli?! Is he crazy? Why would he look for me?¡¯

    Fu Qingli saw Shen Xi when she got out of the car. Perhaps like what his aunt said, he was just too concerned about her whether he liked it or not.

    He nced at the side mirror and saw the girl smiling brightly because of something another girl said to her. Her eyes were so bright and gorgeous, and the corners of the eyes squinted in delight.

    Fu Qingli suddenly felt that her smile was a little jarring and made him feel more ufortable. It felt like his heart was filled with lead, which had him feeling heavy and suffocated.

    ¡®Ha! Turns out she can smile! Here I thought she only knows how to fake one..¡¯

    The International ss booked arge luxury private room and ordered beers, drinks, skewers, fried chicken, fruit tters, and a variety of other food. They did not touch the food and were all waiting for Shen Xi, Song Wenye, and Lin Ge.

    When Shen Xi and Song Wenye entered, the party officially began. They sang, yed games, drank, and were very lively.

    It was the end of March, less than a hundred days before their exams, so this party was rare.

    Ny percent of the International ss was going to study abroad. They would go their separate ways all over the world, so it would not be so easy to get together in the future.

    This group was extremely rowdy and forced Lin Ge to do a striptease.

    Lin Ge did not shy away and jumped on the table. He took off his shirt to bare his chest, but his ssmates dissed him forcking a muscr physique. They even said that his body stung their eyes.

    Shen Xi leaned backzily on the sofa and watched as they fooled around when her phone rang. Yuan Yu called, so she took her phone out looking for a quiet ce to answer his call.

    When she walked down the corridor and was about to turn a corner, she heard a loud p.

 Chapter 373 - Pei Xu Was Slapped

    <h4>Chapter 373: Pei Xu Was pped</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi looked up and saw a dozen people in front of her. They were all wearing racing suits and were looking at the person being pped with disdain, mockery, and hatred in their eyes.

    The one who was pped was Pei Xu.

    The woman who pped Pei Xu wore a ck racing suit and had short hair. She was beautiful, but her cheekbones were too high and her eyes were very dark. She looked very wicked.

    She looked at Pei Xu and said angrily, ¡°Pei Xu, Sinian¡¯s still lying in the ward, but you¡¯re living the good life and even partying at the KTV, huh?¡±

    Pei Xu reached out and wiped the corner of his lips. He looked at the blood on his fingers and smiled. ¡°Xu Wei, you cane to the KTV for a good time, so why can¡¯t I?¡±

    Xu Wei sneered. ¡°I¡¯m not like you! I¡¯m not an ungrateful fool that will continue to live shamelessly after killing my own brother..¡±

    ¡°Xu Wei.¡± Pei Xu roared. Blood was gushing out from underneath his eyes as he stared at her to correct her word by word. ¡°He¡¯s not dead!¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s not dead, but he¡¯s just a vegetable. He¡¯ll never wake up again for the rest of his life and won¡¯t feel anything. For him, this is more painful than death!¡± Xu Wei looked at Pei Xu and mocked him.

    ¡°Xu Wei, do you want him to die so badly?¡± Pei Xu sneered.

    ¡°Pei Xu, you don¡¯t have to spout nonsense.¡± Xu Wei¡¯s face was distorted from anger. ¡°You murderer! If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t have the courage to live if I put my own brother in that situation.¡±

    ¡°I like talking nonsense.¡± Pei Xu looked at her furious face as emotions surged in the depths of his eyes. ¡°For the sake of Brother Nian, I¡¯ll let you get away with this p, but if you dare touch me again, don¡¯t me me for being unkind.¡±

    ¡°How unkind do you n to be? You made Nian like that, so are you nning to kill me too?¡± Xu Wei got a little anxious and blocked his path.

    Xu Wei did not know if Pei Xu was testing her or if he already knew something. She could not tell what he was thinking.

    Pei Xu did not want to babble on with her and coldly said, ¡°Get out of my way.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t? You can kill me here so I can apany Nian. It¡¯s better than living alone in this world.¡± Xu Wei was aggressive.

    She wanted to find out if Pei Xu had something on her.

    ¡°Xu Wei, how dare you say such things?¡± Pei Xu suddenlyughed. The corner of his lips hooked up in a dangerous mockery. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you did behind Nian¡¯s back?¡±

    A murderous glint flickered under her eyes. Her hand hanging at her side clenched into a fist. Seeing that Pei Xu was about to leave, she called out to him. ¡°Pei Xu, you want to see Nian, right?¡±

    ¡®He knew. He saw it.¡¯

    That time when she said she saw Pei Xu, she was told she was overthinking and nervous that she was scaring herself.

    Xu Wei had persisted, nned, and bent over backward, to get the recognition of the Ning family. Everything she wanted was just within her reach, so she absolutely could not let Pei Xu ruin it.

    Pei Xu stopped in his tracks and asked, ¡°What are the conditions?¡±

    After that car ident three years ago, Pei Xu was in aa for a week. When he woke up, he found out that Nian sustained a heavier injury than he did, and Nian was in a vegetative state with a small chance of ever waking up.

    Pei Xu wanted to see Nian, but he was stopped by the Ning family and this woman in front of him, so he never got the chance to see him.

    Xu Wei looked at him sinisterly, ¡°Since we¡¯re both racers, let¡¯s use our rules. If you get first ce in tonight¡¯s race, I¡¯ll let you see him once.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a racer, and we¡¯re not friends.¡± Pei Xuughed out loud. ¡°Xu Wei, I don¡¯t race anymore, so request for something else and show some sincerity.¡±

    ¡°Then kneel in front of me and beg me. I promise to give you a chance.¡± Xu Wei was smug and continued, ¡°Pei Xu, you know that as long as I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll never get to see him.¡±

    Pei Xu was tough and arrogant. Getting him to kneel and beg someone was worse than killing him, so he was left with the choice to race her.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Pei Xu smiled nonchntly and nodded his head in agreement.

    Xu Wei¡¯s expression copsed a little. When she saw Pei Xu was about to kneel in front of her, the hatred in her heart surged. ¡®Damn it, I underestimated this bastard!¡¯

    Just before Pei Xu bent his knees to kneel, someone rushed over and sped his arm.

    When Xu Wei looked up, her gaze met the girl¡¯s clear and pure eyes. Xu Wei looked at her with disdain. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m his apprentice. If you want topete with him, you have to beat me first,¡± Shen Xi said as she pulled Pei Xu up. She looked at him and said, ¡°Alpha Xu, a man shouldn¡¯t kneel so easily.¡±

    Shen Xi did not know what kind of grudge Pei Xu had with these people, but listening to their conversation, she made a rough guess that the person Pei Xu would rather kneel to meet must be someone he cared about a lot.

    However, these people would only ridicule him for the rest of his life for bending his knees, and if word got out, Pei Xu would be aughing stock in the Capital.

    Besides, no one could just bully her friends and get away with it.

    Pei Xu turned his head. The nonchnce and toughness on his face disappeared. He looked at Shen Xi angrily. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Go back.¡±

    ¡®How am I her master? I don¡¯t deserve her!¡¯

    Shen Xi lifted her eyeszily and swept a nce at the group. ¡°I¡¯ll race you. If I get first ce, you have to meet his wishes.¡±

    ¡°Kid.¡± Xu Weiughed out loud in disdain as she looked at Shen Xi, who was still in her school uniform. ¡°What grade are you in? A word of advice, don¡¯t simply stand up for others.¡±

    ¡®What a smug girl! Apprentice? Bullsh*t! Pei Xu quit racing after that ident because of trauma. He¡¯s even afraid to sit in cars and go everywhere on a bike. This female apprentice is a fake and probably just wants to get Pei Xu¡¯s attention by standing up for him to gain his trust. Right¡­ After all, Pei Xu¡¯s family is wealthy and he¡¯s good-looking, so a lot of girls chase after him.¡¯

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t ¡®kid¡¯.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s smile was not at all offensive and looked like an innocent and ignorant young girl. ¡°My name is Shen Xi. You¡¯d better remember my name.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Pei Xu pulled her back and did not want her to get involved. His tone was heavy as he tried to piss her off. ¡°This is between me and her. You have no say in this!¡±

    ¡°Alpha Xu.¡± Shen Xi was not mad and only smiled as she said, ¡°You said that there are no cowards in the International ss. We stick up for each other, so now I¡¯m just helping my bro. Why are you interfering?¡±

 Chapter 374 - The Knot in His Heart

    <h4>Chapter 374: The Knot in His Heart</h4>

    Pei Xu¡¯s chest felt warm and his eyes felt a little sore. When he met her clear, serious, and resolute gaze, he knew that he could not persuade her and asked, ¡°Can you do it?¡±

    He had always been a proud man and never thought that he would one day hide behind a woman, but if it was her, he would willingly do so.

    Shen Xi raised her eyebrows slightly and asked him back, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Pei Xu knew that if she could not defeat Xu Wei, she certainly would not show off. He looked at her seriously and said, ¡°Okay then.¡±

    Xu Wei listened to the two of them and felt ridiculous. ¡°Pei Xu, are you sure you want to hide behind a woman? No, she¡¯s just a little girl.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s funny how these two talked as if they¡¯ll get first ce. What a bold and stupid girl!¡¯

    Xu Wei¡¯s gang burst outughing. This little chick was beautiful, but she looked like a goody-two-shoes. How was she going to race? She probably never touched a car before!

    ¡°Then do you have the guts topete with a little girl like me?¡± Shen Xi had not raced in a long time and truly missed the speed and adrenaline rush.

    ¡°If Pei Xu admits that he¡¯s a useless and irresponsible man that only hides behind ady, then I¡¯ll race you.¡± Xu Wei did not take Shen Xi seriously and only wanted to watch Pei Xu make a fool of himself. She wanted to stomp all over him and his dignity.

    Pei Xu did not say anything.

    Xu Wei winked at the group of people around her.

    ¡°Pei Xu, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so miserable now to hide behind a chick when things go wrong.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re a man, you¡¯ll stand up for yourself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Compete with Sister Wei for a chance to see Brother Nian yourself! Don¡¯t rely on a chick. Even if you¡¯re not ashamed, Brother Nian will be ashamed when he finds out!¡±

    ¡°You think that this little girl can win? Pei Xu, if you lose, you¡¯ll be theughing stock of the Capital.¡±

    The group of people began to sneer at Pei Xu and forced him to stand up for himself.

    Pei Xu, a man who could not resist provocation, was surging with rage and was about toe forward.

    Shen Xi pulled him back. She smiled and pointed behind them.

    The International ss were standing behind them and blocked the whole corridor. All of them looked arrogant and aggressive.

    ¡°Hey, what the f*ck are you saying?! Are you bullying them because you have more people?¡±

    ¡°Do you think you really have more people? Come on, guys, let¡¯s beat them up!¡±

    ¡°Just admit it if you don¡¯t dare topete with our Sister Xi, then hurry up and get lost! Why are you dragging Alpha Xu down?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, scaredy-cat! If you¡¯re a coward just say so. Kneel in front of our Alpha Xu, admit that you lost, and keep your promise.¡±

    ¡°Haha! A top racer is so reluctant topete with a high school girl. If word gets out, who will be the one to lose their reputation?¡±

    The group stood behind Shen Xi and Pei Xu in a swaggering and domineering stance. They backed them up without a care for the opposing team.

    Xu Wei¡¯s group had more than ten people. They looked at each other and knew that they could not afford to mess with this group, so they turned silent and looked at Xu Wei.

    They were only racers, whereas this group in front of them was the rich second generation of the Capital. Any one of them would not be an easy opponent.

    Xu Wei was enraged and red at them. ¡°Of course I dare topete with this little girl!¡±

    Shen Xi saw that Xu Wei was spitting fire and wanted tough. She turned to look at the International ss and smiled brightly. The feeling of having someone back her up was great.

    They were all so proud and confident in her.

    ¡°Great!¡± Song Wenye stood in front of Shen Xi and pointed to the rest of the people. ¡°Don¡¯t be like those p*ssies. They knew Alpha Xu stopped racing a long time ago and still forced him to race.¡±

    ¡°You guys better think about it carefully.¡± Xu Wei swept a disdainful nce at them and did not take Shen Xi seriously from the beginning. ¡°If you lose, don¡¯t say I bullied you.¡±

    ¡°Xu Wei, if you wannapete, just say so. If you don¡¯t, you can admit defeat. Stop with all this f*cking nonsense.¡± Song Wenye snorted impatiently.

    ¡®Hmph! How dare they look down on our Xixi? They won¡¯t know what¡¯sing for them!¡¯

    Xu Wei was irritated. ¡°Fine, then we¡¯ll see who wins!¡±

    She then took her people away.

    The International ss, led by Shen Xi, Song Wenye, and Pei Xu, followed them.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye. ¡°You have that much faith in me?¡±

    Her friends did not even ask her whether she could do it or not and backed her up unconditionally. Shen Xi had no idea where their confidence came from.

    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Song Wenye took a piece of mint candy and fed it to her. ¡°Refresh your brain. We must win that b*ch, Xu Wei.¡±

    Song Wenye did not know when she started to believe in whatever Xixi said. If Xixi said that the sun rose from the west or the earth was a cube, she would believe her.

    Shen Xi smiled. Since she took the bet, she would definitely win.

    When they left for the race track, Pei Xu did not go with them in a car.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Pei Xu and that woman?¡±

    She analyzed what she heard and figured that it had to do with a man named Sinian who was Pei Xu¡¯s friend and Xu Wei¡¯s boyfriend.

    ¡°Three years ago, Pei Xu got into a car ident when he was racing. His best friend, Ning Sinian, was in the same car with him and had been in aa since. I don¡¯t know about the rest of the story, so ask him yourself.¡± Song Wenye sighed. ¡°This has been a knot in his heart. Maybe if you ask him and he speaks of it, this knot will be unraveled.¡±

    Since the ident, none of them dared to mention this in front of Pei Xu, not even Ning Sinian¡¯s name.

    Song Wenye had a hunch that no one else but Shen Xi could untie this knot in Pei Xu¡¯s heart.

    When Shen Xi heard this, she did not ask any more questions but finally understood why Pei Xu rode his bike to and from school every day.

    This race that Xu Wei mentioned was an underground race initiated by the underground racing king, Bai Yu. He invited all the top racers. Two internationally known racers from China and Europe also participated in this race.

    There was a sea of people and all kinds of cars parked on the track. Luxury supercars were scattered as far as the eye could see as many of the rich second generation and gangsters came to watch the race.

    Among the crowd, a low-profile man who wore a long ck trench coat, baseball cap, and sunsses, suppressed his cold, arrogant, and noble aura as well as his handsome face.

    The man deliberately suppressed his kingly aura, so women all around him took the opportunity to talk to him.

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Fu Qingli looked at the woman who came up to him in disgust. The moment he looked up, he saw a familiar figure. His pupils suddenly constricted.

    ¡®Shen Xi! Why is she here?¡¯

 Chapter 375 - Die With Him

    <h4>Chapter 375: Die With Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingli heard an underground race initiated by Bai Yu was taking ce here and rushed over to catch Fu Qingxuan.

    Besides being passionate about medical research, Fu Qingxuan was also a racing enthusiast because the adrenaline rush was an inspiration for him to discover breakthroughs whenever he faced a slump in his research.

    When Fu Qingxuan was thirteen, he began to participate in various races and was unbeaten until Bai Yu appeared and took away his trophy. This was the first time Fu Qingxuan encountered a roadblock in his life.

    Since then, Fu Qingxuan was forever in second ce as long as Bai Yu was in the race. Fu Qingxuan could never beat him, which motivated him to strive for more and defeat Bai Yu to win the race.

    Bai Yu¡¯s identity was mysterious and he always appeared out of the blue. He would only race depending on his mood. If he did not feel like racing, even God would not be able to persuade him.

    Ever since Bai Yu took the F1 championship a year and a half ago, he had beenying low until now that he finally appeared in China..

    Racers all over the world must have received the invitation in advance. Otherwise, there would not be so many world-ss racers here today.

    In a sh, Shen Xi disappeared into the bustling crowd.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes turned darker and colder. He did not expect to run into her when he was here to catch his third brother. ¡®What is this girl doing in such a rowdy ce?¡¯

    The scene was very lively and sexy women were everywhere. Beautiful women and sexy race cars were a perfect match.

    When Pei Xu arrived, he regretted it instantly after seeing the list of racers. He looked at Shen Xi worriedly and lowered his voice. ¡°Have you raced before?¡±

    Xu Wei deceived them. He spotted more than a dozen world-ss drivers, not to mention the racing king Bai Yu who had never lost once since his debut.

    This kind of heavyweight race wasparable to F1. It was foolish to think that they could win this race. Not to mention Shen Xi, even if Pei Xu raced, it was impossible. Brother Nian could have stood a chance if he was fine.

    ¡°Yup.¡± Shen Xi did not recognize a single person here, but it seemed like they were all big shots.

    On the way here, Song Wenye pointed out some of the famous racers. There was an F1 triple crown winner and a NASCAR racer that won five consecutive championships.

    ¡°Sister Xi, let me thank you in advance. It¡¯s the participation that matters in this race.¡± Pei Xu just wanted to hammer his own head for agreeing to this.

    He was not looking down on himself, nor was it because he did not have faith in her. It was just that the opponents were too strong, so he had no more hope of cing first.

    Pei Xu thought that this was just the usual small fun race when Xu Wei first mentioned it.

    In the past, Brother Nian often organized such races almost every month, sometimes even several times a month.

    Pei Xu never would have imagined that this race was organized by the racing king Bai Yu himself and invited drivers from all over the world to attend. It was impossible to beat them.

    ¡°Pei Xu, can you not destroy your self-confidence just because your opponent is strong?¡± Song Wenye put an arm around Shen Xi¡¯s neck and red at Pei Xu with displeasure. She said resolutely, ¡°If Xixi says that she can take first ce, then she can!¡±

    Shen Xi did not even know where Song Wenye got so much confidence in her and looked at Pei Xu with a smile. ¡°Alpha Xu, I never go back on my word and I never fight a battle that I¡¯m uncertain of.¡±

    Pei Xu looked at her confident smile which magically calmed his anxious heart. This girl did bring them a lot of miracles.

    Song Wenye was right. He should not have been skeptical. Since he decided to trust her, he left everything to her and let her lead them to achieve another miracle.

    Shen Xi did not have a car, so Xu Wei was generous and offered them one.

    ¡°All these cars are of top performance. Take your pick.¡± Xu Wei pointed to over ten sports cars in front of them and looked at Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu went over to check the cars.

    Shen Xi nced at the cars and finally locked her eyes on a dark blue McLaren.

    Xu Wei¡¯s eyes looked sinister as she looked at Shen Xi. She watched as Shen Xi opened the hood of the car to check as if she knew about cars.

    She did a check on this brat Shen Xi, who was Pei Xu¡¯s ssmate in No. 4 High School. Shen Xi was a great designer and a dancer, but there was no track record about her races because she had never participated in any. She had not even touched a race car.

    If Pei Xu did not have an ulterior motive, then this brat must be a lunatic. An amateur who had never touched a car dared to race?

    Pei Xu closed the car door and looked at her. ¡°Xu Wei, I¡¯ll go with her. You don¡¯t have a problem, right?¡±

    Xu Wei was delighted and asked him with a smile, ¡°So you¡¯re gonna race by yourself?¡±

    She originally intended to let Pei Xu go with that ignorant brat. Even if he did not offer, Xu Wei had ways to force him. Since he requested, it made things easier for her.

    As for that brat, since she was in such a hurry to reincarnate and die with Pei Xu, then she would not stop them.

    It was normal for an ident to ur in this kind of car race. The death of two people was also not a big deal. Xu Wei had long been prepared for everything and could not wait for them to crash and die.

    Pei Xu shook his index finger and said, ¡°She¡¯s driving. I¡¯m just tagging along.¡±

    He was worried for Shen Xi to be alone. Although he stopped racing, he could still sit next to her and watch. He was not that mentally weak.

    Everyone thought that he had PTSD because he never drove after the ident, but only he knew that was not true. There was nothing in the world that he was afraid of.

    After he woke up and found out about Nian, he swore that he would never touch a car again, especially a race car.

    ¡°Good, then get ready. I¡¯ll have someone sign you up.¡± Xu Wei looked at Shen Xi. ¡°What¡¯s your alias?¡±

    In racing, especially in this kind of underground race that was illegal, not many would use their real names and would go by their alias.

    Shen Xi leanedzily on the car and lifted her head. ¡°A.¡±

    The moment the girl looked up, the innocence in her eyes vanished, only cold and darkness akin to a bottomlesske remained. When she smiled, there were some cold ripples that shed across her calm eyes.

    Xu Wei was startled by her sudden cold aura. When she returned to her senses, Shen Xi had already returned to her usual innocent look as if what she saw earlier was her illusion.

    ¡®Impossible. I¡¯m just scaring myself for nothing. This brat can¡¯t be a hidden professional.¡¯

    Even Xu Wei¡¯s gang was overwhelmed by Shen Xi¡¯s oppressive aura and felt a chill down their spine.

    ¡®This girl can¡¯t be some kind of maestro, right? Was she just pretending to be an amateur earlier? Sister Wei investigated her and found nothing suspicious. She¡¯s just a novice who hasn¡¯t even touched a car...¡¯

 Chapter 376 - Carjacked

    <h4>Chapter 376: Carjacked</h4>

    Shen Xi picked the dark blue McLaren and got in to test it out. The adrenaline immediately surged through her veins and felt blood rushing to her head. Looking at therge audience and listening to their cheers made that familiar feeling more intense. She could not wait for the race to begin.

    Xu Wei¡¯sckeys returned with the number te to put on the car.

    This round, Xu Wei and her twopanions took their cars out onto the track.

    Xu Wei sat in her car and saw Shen Xi and Pei Xu through the window. The look under her eyes was sinister and wicked. She then swept a nce at the number on their car, No. 4.

    No. 4 was an unlucky number that represented death in Chinese culture. It seemed that even God wanted these two to die today.

    Shen Xi suddenly turned to look at Xu Wei with a cold and piercing gaze. She had a feeling that Xu Wei was up to no good.

    Pei Xu, who was on the passenger side, followed Shen Xi¡¯s gaze and red mockingly at Xu Wei.

    Everything was in ce. With a wave of the g, the race began.

    The cars on the track rumbled and shot out like arrows.

    The dark blue McLaren on the fourth track was powerful and overtook two cars in the beginning, then disappeared like a ghost, leaving only a residual glimpse that was enough to make the audience scream and cheer for her.

    Xu Wei and her twopanions were stunned when they saw this scene.

    ¡®F*ck. That brat really wasn¡¯t lying! Even the racing king Bai Yu can¡¯t reach this speed!¡¯

    Xu Wei¡¯spanions were so shocked that their eyes almost popped out. They knew they could not catch up, but still fervently tried to chase after Shen Xi.

    Xu Wei looked at the disappearing car with wickedness in her eyes. ¡®So what if she¡¯s good and evenparable to the racing king Bai Yu? Today¡¯s race will be her burial grounds. After this, she¡¯ll never have the opportunity to race again and no one will know her name.¡¯

    Bai Yu was overtaken by the dark blue McLaren. When he saw the McLaren vanish in front of him, his lips curled up intriguingly. His eyes surged with fire and he floored the gas pedal to chase after it.

    He was really lucky to be able to meet the Boss¡¯s girl the first day he got back home.

    This littledy was indeed as interesting as Kun Lun described.

    Fu Qingli clearly saw Shen Xi was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat in car No. 4 on the fourth track. His handsome face suddenly turned cold and sullen, and he instantly exuded a chilly aura.

    ¡®Damn it! How dare she race?! It¡¯s such a dangerous extreme sport, what if she gets into an ident?!¡¯

    The people standing next to Fu Qingli could not help but shiver like there was a sudden cold gust of wind.

    ¡°F*ck! That woman with Pei Xu is really a master! She¡¯s so fast and awesome and left everyone behind!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I noticed. Sister Wei really misjudged her this time. Didn¡¯t they say that the woman never touched a car?¡±

    ¡°If this means not having f*cking touched a car, I also wanna be like her! I¡¯ve seen the racing king Bai Yu¡¯s race before and he¡¯s not as good as her.¡±

    ¡°Sister Wei totally miscalcted it this time. She¡¯s gonna lose to Pei Xu.¡±

    A few punks were chatting andmented how they misjudged the girl. They thought the girl was lying, but she was truly capable and crushed their doubts.

    ¡°Shut up! If Sister Wei finds out, she won¡¯t let you go!¡± One of the tattooed men who had not spoken viciously admonished them. When he turned his head, he murmured sinisterly. ¡°That depends if they cane back alive¡­¡±

    It was a pity for that woman called Shen Xi. She looked so delicate and was a strong contender, but she had to help Pei Xu and jumped into her own death. She could only me herself for befriending the wrong crowd.

    The other punks did not hear what that tattooed guy was saying through the crowd¡¯s noise. However, they could only admire and praise Shen Xi secretly.

    Fu Qingli happened to be standing next to them. His eyes narrowed and his ears were filled with the cheers from the International ss behind him who were shouting, ¡°Go, Alpha Xu! Go, Sister Xi! Come on!¡¯

    ¡®Alpha Xu¡­ Pei Xu? Are they talking about the guy who¡¯s with Shen Xi?¡¯

    The tattooed man was just thinking how pitiful Shen Xi¡¯s uing fate was when he felt a sudden cold gaze locked on him. Before he had time to react, he was grabbed by the cor and dragged out.

    The man¡¯s aura was so oppressive to the point he could not breathe. He could not even cry for help and only stared nkly in horror while feeling death invading his body.

    Fu Qingli dragged the tattooed man to an open space in the back like he was a dead animal, then flung him out. ¡°Repeat what you just said!¡±

    The tattooed man had never seen this kind of gaze and aura that made him froze in ce. He was so scared that he trembled. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli moved closer and put a gun to his heart. His voice was dangerously cold and murderous. ¡°Are you gonna speak or not? What have you done to Shen Xi?!¡±

    The tattooed man pissed his pants from fear. ¡°I-I¡¯ll tell you! I-It¡¯s none of my business¡­ S-Sister Wei! Sister Wei wants to avenge Brother Nian and kill Pei Xu, but that woman just sought her own death and got herself into this mess¡­¡±

    The tattooed man told Fu Qingli all that he knew. This man in front of him was terrifying. Before he finished his sentence, he was kicked to the ground. A severe pain hit his body and he felt a dull pain in his chest as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

    Looking as deadly as a Grim Reaper d in ck, hisst words haunted the tattoo guy even after he vanished. ¡°If anything happens to her, all of you will be buried alive!¡¯

    Fu Qingli was anxious as he suppressed his murderous rage. He had never felt so helpless and confused as now. He quickly jumped over the cordon and ran into the driveway.

    The brakes in Shen Xi¡¯s car were broken. If he could not stop her in time, everything would be toote.

    When Fu Qingli thought something bad was to happen to Shen Xi right in front of him, his heart ached and he felt smothered.

    The next round of contestants had just gotten into their seats when they saw a suddenmotion in the audience. The next second, a ck figure broke through the cordon and came towards them.

    The racer in car No. 1 on the outermostne was grabbed by the cor and thrown out of his car before he could react. He was carjacked.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± The driver was dumbfounded and cursed, before hearing the roar of his car rushing out of sight. It sped away like a sh of lightning.

 Chapter 377 - Brakes Malfunction

    <h4>Chapter 377: Brakes Malfunction</h4>

    The audience was confused. They watched as the man rushed over and threw the racer out from the car, then sped away in the stolen car.

    The driver¡¯s face was red with anger as he cursed incessantly.

    The fans only saw a red sh of light and realized that the car¡¯s crazy speed wasparable to car No. 4 earlier. They then cheered on loudly.

    The sky was alreadypletely dark by then.

    The street lights lit up on both sides of the road.

    The dark blue McLaren had entered the mountains, which had extremely tricky slopes and bends.

    Shen Xi knew from the first moment the brakes malfunctioned.

    The brakes suddenly failed during the second curve. If she was not skilled, she would have crashed directly into the mountain and they would have died.

    These brakes would not malfunction for no reason, so they must have been tampered with.

    Pei Xu looked through the rearview mirror and could no longer see any cars or racers. He was truly convinced by now that Shen Xi ditched everyone far behind. ¡°Sister Xi, I¡¯ve never admired anyone growing up. You¡¯re the first person that I will kneel to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you believe in me.¡± Shen Xi was rxed and asked him with a smile, ¡°Can you tell me about your feud with them?¡±

    This matter had been a knot in Pei Xu¡¯s heart for the longest time. No one dared mention it as they were afraid of his rage.

    At this moment, Pei Xu suddenly had a strong desire to talk about this with Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi quietly listened to him as he opened his heart and told her everything. He finally let out all the sorrow, pain, and regret that he kept bottled up in him.

    Ning Sinian was the youngest and only son of the Ning family. He was two years older than Pei Xu, and Pei Xu had always treated him as an older brother.

    He was into adventures and extreme sports, like parachuting, rock climbing, surfing, bungee jumping, white water rafting, and racing. Ning Sinian was good at any sport that challenged the limits of the human body.

    One of his favorites was racing. At the age of 15, he formed a team and brought the 13-year-old Pei Xu into his team. He taught Pei Xu how to drive and race.

    Ning Sinian was a talented racer and won a lot of awards. He would attend all sorts of races, whether big or small whenever there was an opportunity.

    Pei Xu also liked challenges and was not afraid of anything. When Pei Xu and Ning Sinian were together, they were like peas in a pod and would have a lot of fun.

    Three years ago, a week before Ning Sinian¡¯s 18th birthday, the team organized a cross-country race and went to Qing Province to celebrate his birthday.

    The day before his birthday, they heard that there was a race in Sichuan Province that was organized by the former racing king of China and that many experts would attend.

    On the eve of his birthday, they caught wind of a race in Sichuan Province which was organized by a former racing king of China and many master racers would attend. Thus, the team happily went to Sichuan Province and was ready to take down the championship for his birthday.

    The track was called ¡°Eighteen Bends¡±, which was an abandoned mountain route with nine twists and turns. It was rugged terrain. The construction was stopped because it was too difficult, so it was abandoned.

    The race happened to be on Ning Sinian¡¯s birthday, but the weather was not great, so Ning Sinian¡¯s girlfriend, Xu Wei, proposed to abandon the race because it was too high of a risk.

    Ning Sinianpromised and was ready to give up the race.

    However, Pei Xu was young and enthusiastic. He wanted to win the championship and present it to Ning Sinian as a birthday gift. He felt that it was very meaningful and insisted on joining thepetition.

    Ning Sinian was afraid that Pei Xu would get into an ident and wanted to watch him, so he sat in the passenger seat.

    In the end, they did end up in an ident. It rained heavily that night and there was andslide. A boulder fell right in front of them and it was toote to hit the brakes, so they crashed right into it.

    Ning Sinian blocked Pei Xu, shielding him with his body and saved his life, but Ning Sinian himself ended up in a vegetative state.

    After sharing his story with Shen Xi, he suddenly felt relieved and hooked up his lips mockingly. ¡°Sister Xi, I regretted it. I really regretted joining that race, but there was no use for regret in this world. I really wished I died that day.¡±

    If he had died then, he would not have to feel guilty for life. Remembering that day was so painful that he wanted to die.

    However, he could not die because his best friend sacrificed his life for him in the nick of time, so how could he waste his life away?

    Shen Xi felt emotional. ¡°If you were sitting on the passenger side, what would you do?¡±

    This was a true friendship. In such an emergency, there would be no time to think. Ning Sinian did everything subconsciously and these feelings were from the depths of his heart.

    Pei Xu shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He was not sitting on the passenger side then, so he did not know if he would make the same choice as Nian did if he were in his shoes.

    Even if he thought that he would, no one could say for sure until that critical moment in the face of life and death.

    ¡°Since he chose to save you at that moment, I believe he didn¡¯t regret it.¡± Shen Xi smiled and nced at him from the side. ¡°But you and Xu Wei¡­ What deep hatred does she have with you that she wants to kill you? I doubt it¡¯s just for Ning Sinian¡­¡±

    Pei Xu frowned and did not understand what she meant. Xu Wei only dared to fight him and would not have the guts to kill him.

    ¡°Pei Xu, you have to trust me and don¡¯t panic when I tell you what I¡¯m about to tell you. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was indescribably calm.

    Pei Xu¡¯s face sank as a premonition engulfed him. His eyes were stern and dangerous as he asked, ¡°Did she do something to the car?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and pointed to the brakes. ¡°It¡¯s broken.¡±

    Pei Xu looked at Shen Xi¡¯s smiling face that was so calm as if she was just asking him what he ate today. His mind was about to explode. ¡®F*ck! The brakes are broken? How is she so calm?!¡¯

    Shen Xiforted him. ¡°Take it easy. I¡¯ll find a way to stop. Even if you¡¯re not afraid to die, I am!¡±

    She had been through so much and was given a second chance at life, so she appreciated being alive and would not lose her life so easily. If she died before aplishing her dreams, she would be utterly disappointed.

    Pei Xu admired and respected Shen Xi. ¡®What else can I say when you¡¯re so calm?¡¯

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Pei Xu, don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve just lost someone. I¡¯ll be scared.¡±

    Pei Xu finally exploded and roared, ¡°Then what do you want me to do? Shen Xi, should I sing you a song to praise your calmness and coolness?!¡±

    He was aware of her confidence, but he was not used to seeing her be so flippant about her own life. No matter how confident she was, in case she could not stop¡­

    Shen Xi finally looked solemn. ¡°Pei Xu, I¡¯ll be honest with you. I¡¯m not 100% sure that I¡¯ll seed, so I¡¯m also afraid.¡±

    However, she must seed because they would die if she did not. Fear was useless because this damage was irreversible.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Pei Xu¡¯s voice was low. Darkness in his eyes surged and he was filled with self-me. If it was not for him, Shen Xi would not be here.

    Xu Wei wanted to get him killed, which had nothing to do with Shen Xi. She was just implicated because of him. ¡®This is all my fault! Damn it!¡¯

    As they spoke, their car reached the sixth turn.

    Bai Yu, who was on the fifth bend, saw a blue car sh by and could not see them again after he made the turn.

    There was a sudden violent screech behind him, tires sliding and rubbing against the road at a high speed. From the rearview mirror, Bai Yu saw a red sports car that was going at a deadly speed and was quickly catching up to him. He was incredibly shocked.

    Before he could react, the red sports car brushed past him and quickly disappeared again. For a moment, he thought it was just an illusion and even doubted his title as the racing king.

    ¡®F*ck! What the hell is going on today? Where did all these pros pop out from?!¡¯

 Chapter 378 - Give Up My Life for You

    <h4>Chapter 378: Give Up My Life for You</h4>

    From the aerial drone footage, the judges could see two cars, one blue and one red.

    The blue car was leading the red behind, speeding like a bullet. It was so fast that only its residual lights were captured. It was not at all a normal speed that a race car should have.

    The blue car was fast and should have slowed down at the bend, but it did not. After the slope, it only got faster. The driver must be a lunatic for driving so recklessly.

    The red car was faster than the blue car. It set off two minutester, yet it almost caught up with the blue one. The third ce was one whole bend away.

    As for the rest, the fourth ce somehow got stimted after the red car brushed past it. It then started to elerate to the maximum speed, trying to catch up to the red car.

    The race was intense, and everyone was watching apprehensively. After being a judge for so many years, this was the first time he encountered such a situation.

    Most racers were in pursuit of speed and the adrenaline rush, but the red and the blue drivers were gambling with their lives.

    The rain got heavier.

    When Bai Yu was at the sixth turn, he saw a white sports car rushing towards him.

    At the bend, Bai Yu was once again overtaken.

    It was just a sh of the moment, but Bai Yu caught a glimpse of the driver in the white sports car. It was Fu Qingxuan!

    ¡®F*ck! Not just anyone, even Fu Qingxuan, my former rival, overtook me?! This is too much! It¡¯s too devastating!¡¯

    Bai Yu, who was greatly agitated, elerated and chased after him viciously to prove his strength.

    Soon, Bai Yu was horrified to find that he was not only left far behind by the Boss¡¯sdy and the red sports car, but he also could not even catch up to Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan just felt like he was on steroids. His speed was so much faster than before as he desperately rushed forward and seemed to be chasing something.

    Ahead of a curve, Fu Qingli, who was in the red sports car, was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He was so tense that he felt like he could lose it at any moment. His eyes were bloodshot as he kept elerating.

    In his line of sight, the blue sports car was going downhill, still elerating. Others must think that the driver was crazy, but only he knew that their brakes malfunctioned. It was not that she did not want to slow down, but she could not.

    Fu Qingli was not aware how much Shen Xi knew about sports cars, but from what he could see, she knew what was going on.

    However, he became angrier and the fire in his chest surged when he saw this. The extreme panic and fear vanished and only fury remained.

    Since Shen Xi knew what was wrong with the car as early as the first turn, she should have found a way to stop when her speed was still controble at that time.

    However, she did not. She continued to speed, which brought the car way past its limit that she could not stop even if she wanted to.

    ¡®Damn that crazy girl! She¡¯s a lunatic! Why must she continue and reach the finish line?¡¯

    Fu Qingli was about to go crazy.

    Pei Xu was also going crazy and felt like his body was on fire. He let out an angry roar. ¡°Shen Xi, are you crazy?! F*cking stop right now!¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s insane! She¡¯s absolutely crazy!¡±

    When Shen Xi found out that the brakes malfunctioned, she did not tell him and did not find a way to stop.

    After she told him that the brakes were broken, she acted like nothing was wrong. Pei Xu asked her to find a way to stop, but she did not listen and kept speeding forward.

    ¡°Pei Xu, calm down.¡± Shen Xi turned to look at him. She was terrifyingly calm and had a vague tyrannical look in her eyes.

    ¡°How can I calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?!¡± Pei Xu just wished that he was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat right now.

    This was the third bend downhill and there were two more sections ahead. The downhill slope would only make the car go faster, so she should have thought of ways to slow down as early as at the previous bend.

    However, his words fell on deaf ears even though he was yelling at her madly, yet she was just abnormally calm.

    Pei Xu could not stop her with force because it would be more dangerous. One reckless move would be the end of them, so he could only watch as Shen Xi continued to speed forward. The car went down the slope and picked up momentum.

    He did not want to win the race, nor did he want to see Ning Sinian. Pei Xu wanted nothing else at that moment but for her to slow down.

    ¡°Pei Xu.¡± Shen Xi let out a deep sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t distract me.¡±

    After that one sentence, Pei Xu was no longer irritable or angry. The fire burning in his eyes miraculously calmed down. He looked at the road ahead with his deep narrow eyes as he gritted his teeth and said word by word, ¡°Shen Xi! You. Crazy. B*tch!¡±

    Shen Xiughed like she was rxed and happy. ¡°Pei Xu, it¡¯s rare that we can be this crazy in life.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Pei Xuughed in a low voice. His tense body suddenly rxed. When he tilted his head, there was a glint in his eyes. ¡°Why do I like this crazy b*tch so much?¡±

    Shen Xi was a stubborn, reckless, crazydy who would do anything to keep her promise.

    If it was not for that promise of winning the race, she would not have been so desperate.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Because we¡¯re both crazy.¡±

    Pei Xu turned his head and looked at her solemnly. ¡°Shen Xi, from now on, my life is yours.¡±

    There was only one person in the world who would risk her life for a promise.

    Then, he would give up his life for her.

    How many people could be so lucky to meet such a confidant and loyal crazy friend in their life?

    Shen Xi met his gaze. ¡°Pei Xu, since you¡¯re so sincere, I won¡¯t hold back.¡±

    Both of them looked at each other andughed.

    This was what going through life and death together meant.

    The finish line of this race was also the starting point. The audience was looking forward to their return and was waiting to see who would be the winner today.

    They already had an answer. The blue sports car, No. 4, and the red sports car were the dark horses of the day.

    The red sports car departed two minutes after the blue car, so it was no surprise that the blue sports car would be the first to arrive at the finish line.

    ¡°Here ites!¡± Someone shouted.

    The audience looked over and saw a blue car racing wildly towards the finish line. In a sh, it crossed the finish line, but the car did not slow down or stop after the finish line. It bizarrely passed by and disappeared again.

    Fans cheered halfway and stopped as they looked at each other strangely. No one knew what was going on or why the car went for anotherp.

 Chapter 379 - One Step Too Late

    <h4>Chapter 379: One Step Too Late</h4>

    The car that flew past was car No. 4. The audience saw the car number clearly but could not see the driver and thought that the driver wanted to hide their identity so that they could remain a legend for generations toe.

    Song Wenye was confused and looked at Lin Ge grumpily. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Lin Ge shook his head and panicked. ¡®How would I know what was going on? Sister Xi and Alpha Xu¡¯s car passed them and should¡¯ve stopped at the finish line. They would¡¯ve been the winner of thispetition.¡¯

    Song Wenye had a bad feeling. She heard the crowd¡¯s frantic cheers and saw the red sports car rushing past the finish line.

    The red sports car, like the blue one, rushed past the finish line without slowing down or stopping, then disappeared.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Song Wenye let out a low curse. She felt a surge of panic at the bottom of her eyes and jumped over the guardrail onto the track. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±

    She knew Fu Qingli, the eldest Fu brother, was driving the red car.

    Fu Qingli looked terrifying when he carjacked that car and sped off.

    Song Wenye had no idea what was going on at the time, but now she had an inkling that Fu Qingli knew something was going to happen to Xixi, so he went after them.

    If so, it meant that Shen Xi¡¯s car had been tampered with.

    ¡®Xu Wei! That b*tch!¡¯

    Song Wenye grabbed a motorcycle nearby and wanted to chase after them. Before she could start the bike, she heard another engine roar next to her.

    A white sports car like a bolt of lightning shed by as it rushed across the finish line and vanished into the darkness.

    ¡®F*ck! Fu Qingxuan! The person in the white sports car is Fu Qingxuan!¡¯

    Song Wenye could not afford to think much and rolled the throttle to the maximum speed. She prayed that they did not get into an ident.

    Not to mention the fans, even the judges were confused. When they saw the first, second, and third ce approaching, all of them disappeared before they could announce the results.

    However, through the drone footage, they saw the blue sports car rubbing its body on the left side of the mountain.

    The car was going too fast, so the moment it hit the mountain, there were sparks in the air. Everyone watched in horror.

    The blue sports car seemed to gradually slow down because of the friction.

    The red sports car was still elerating and would catch up with the blue sports car soon.

    In the red sports car, Fu Qingli¡¯s handsome face sank and he emitted a palpitating chill. His deep, cold eyes were deadly as he stared at the blue car in the distance.

    He was terrifyingly calm. Only his hand that was clutching the steering wheel betrayed his true emotions. His knuckles were white and the veins at the back of his hand popped.

    Fu Qingli saw the car in front of him had finally begun to save itself one attempt after another by hitting the left side of the mountain, trying to slow down.

    The sky waspletely dark, and because of the rain, visibility was not great. Even the street lights by the road were a little blurred.

    However, Fu Qingli could see the sparks when the blue car scraped against the mountain and felt terrified.

    One kilometer.

    Five hundred meters.

    Two hundred meters.

    Fu Qingli was getting closer to Shen Xi. His deep and calm eyes had a madness that rippled in them as he held his breath.

    There was only one chance. He had to grasp the distance and the speed of their cars urately. While her car was slowing down, he would overtake her and block her from the front. There was no room for error.

    This was a very risky attempt, but he could not think of other ways to help her stop the car.

    The blue sports car was slowing down gradually.

    Up ahead was a long vertical cliff and a very t wall, which was suitable for speed reduction. However, the end of that cliff was arge boulder.

    Shen Xi hooked her lips slightly and gripped the steering wheel tightly. She reminded Pei Xu. ¡°Get ready, I¡¯m gonna start slowing down.¡±

    Pei Xu looked over and saw the girl smiling with bloodthirst and confidence. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Behind them.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s car had already caught up and was close behind them. He had a precise n in his heart. When he saw the cliff, there was a glint of hope in his cold sunken eyes.

    It seemed that this girl had already nned how to slow down and stop here. She was not brainless after all, but even so, they still might not be able to slow down.

    If she could not drop her speed here, then there was a long and steep downhill slope ahead, which would make the car elerate again and lose control.

    As expected, the car in front of him began to move next to the vertical cliff.

    Fu Qingli saw this scene in front of him and had to admire the girl¡¯s superb driving skills. He was even ashamed of himself after seeing such a master.

    The distance between the body of the car and the cliff must be maintained just right because just an extra inch would hurt the people in the car. If the car body did not graze the cliff, then it would not achieve the effect of slowing down the car.

    They only had about one minute, which was not too much or too little time.

    Fu Qingli silently began the countdown in his heart. The moment he counted to zero, he elerated and sped forward, but when he was about to turn the steering wheel, there was a loud bang.

    The car in front had rammed into the boulder at the end of the cliff.

    Fu Qingli was terrified that his face turned pale. He had never before felt so much panic and despair, and his mind was nk.

    The paining from his heart had him freeze for a moment, before trembling uncontrobly. He just felt so cold, like his blood and breath turned into ice.

    Fu Qingli had no clue how he stopped his car, nor did he know exactly how he got out of the car and walked over to the crash site.

    He had it all nned out. He could have stopped her car and saved her but ns never go ordingly. He was still one step toote!

    The hood of the blue sports car was seriously deformed. Broken ss was all over the ce. The chassis was twisted and the scene was shockingly tragic.

    Fu Qingli walked to the car door and could smell blood instantly filling his nasal cavity. This made him so anxious that his eyes turned red. He looked through the broken window, only to see a pair of bloody arms under the broken airbag.

    He quickly smashed the car window and opened the car door from the inside. He tore away the airbag in a panic and found that it was not Shen Xi, but the boy who was with her.

    The boy used his body to protect Shen Xi. Half of his face was covered in blood, and those bloody arms were also his.

    Fu Qingli tried to calm himself down. He reached out to probe the boy¡¯s artery and found that he was still alive before he let out a sigh of relief. He then pushed the boy away to check on Shen Xi.

    Who would have known, in the next moment¡­

 Chapter 380 - Escaped Death

    <h4>Chapter 380: Escaped Death</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The boy coughed and moved.

    Shen Xi, who was being protected by the boy, also let out a muffled cough.

    She then coughed violently and reached out to push Pei Xu as sheined. ¡°Pei Xu! You should stop going to the gym. Your chest is so hard that I think I got a concussion.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Pei Xu responded lightly and forced himself to straighten up so that she could get some fresh air.

    ¡°Pei Xu, I have the answer to that question earlier.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was calm with a hint of relievedughter.

    He would..

    If Pei Xu had been sitting in the passenger seat and Ning Sinian was in the driver¡¯s seat, he would have rushed over to protect him without hesitation.

    Just like this time, at thest moment, before she hit the boulder, Pei Xu rushed over and shielded her.

    Pei Xu let out a lowugh. ¡°How can you even think about this right now? Shouldn¡¯t we celebrate that we escaped death?¡±

    The two chatted and did not notice the man standing beside the car, who was staring at them grimly.

    Fu Qingli listened to their conversation and felt aplex emotion. He could not tell whether he was worried, surprised, heartbroken, or angry.

    After such a shocking car ident, this girl was still in the mood to chat?! This was the first time Fu Qingli witnessed how brave they were.

    Pei Xu propped up his arms and moved away slowly. He looked up and noticed that someone was standing next to him.

    Shen Xi pushed Pei Xu. ¡°You¡¯re suffocating me. Move!¡±

    Pei Xu stared at Fu Qingli warily and slowly moved his body away.

    When Shen Xi could finally see what was in front of her, she stared incredulously at the man that was emitting cold air like he was a ghost. She gulped and asked him with a smile, ¡°Mr. Fu, why are you here?¡±

    Fu Qingli saw her smile and somehow felt a raging fire dominating his mind. He wanted to pry open her brain and see what was inside. He swept a nce at her and did not find any signs of injury, so he did not say anything and turned to leave.

    He was vexed and was afraid that if he stayed, he would not be able to control his wrath and yell at her.

    Fu Qingli was tempted to ask her if she had a heart and a brain. After such a big ident, she could stillugh?

    ¡®Right. She could still smile and talk as if nothing was wrong!¡¯

    Shen Xi reached out and tugged on his clothes. She asked, ¡°Mr. Fu, we¡¯re injured, so can you please take us to the hospital?¡±

    All the worry, heartache, pain, and self-me Fu Qingli felt vanished and was only left with a burning rage like his whole body was on fire.

    ¡®Great! She finally knows that she¡¯s in a car ident!¡¯

    Shen Xi felt goosebumps from his cold re and let go of him abruptly. She carefully patted away some dirt and muttered. ¡°Forget it, we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    ¡®Why is he looking at me like that? It¡¯s so scary¡­¡¯

    Pei Xu sat next to her and was breathing heavily. Listening to their conversation, that man was Mr. Fu, the eldest Fu brother, Fu Qingli.

    He finally recalled. No wonder this man looked so familiar. Pei Xu had seen Fu Qingxuan¡¯s lock screen and in that family photo, Fu Qingli was the most outstanding.

    ¡°Get out.¡± Fu Qingli gritted his teeth and looked at her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes shed with a few moments of doubt and struggled to climb out.

    Fu Qingli suddenly bent down and sped her arms with his big hands to pull her up.

    His hands then swiftly sped her waist as he picked her up and put her on the ground.

    Shen Xi was so small and light that he carried her out with ease. After being cramped inside the car for so long, her legs felt a little numb when she stepped on the ground and instinctively reached out to grab his arm.

    Fu Qingli looked at her with a cold face. His voice was cold and deep without any fluctuations. ¡°Does it hurt anywhere?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    She was certain that she was not injured. ording to her n, she would not have gotten away unscathed when she hit the boulder. The powerful impact would more or less hurt her.

    However, Pei Xu rushed over at the most critical moment to block all the impact, so she was intact. She did not even have any small injuries.

    Fu Qingli was not assured and went forward to examine her. When he saw blood below her ear, his eyes widened and a sh of panic crossed his eyes.

    Shen Xi just felt that Fu Qingli was acting strange today. His attitude towards her was abnormal. When she saw the panic in his eyes, it became clear to her.

    ¡®Is he¡­ Concerned about me? Is he worried about me?¡¯

    This was the first time Shen Xi had seen someone caring for another person with such an icy face.

    Fu Qingli resisted the urge to reach out his hand and looked at her. ¡°There¡¯s a wound on your neck?¡±

    Shen Xi felt some stickiness on her neck and touched it. When she saw her fingers stained with blood, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not mine. It¡¯s Pei Xu¡¯s.¡±

    Pei Xu looked at them and teased them. ¡°Are you done catching up? Can you take me, the wounded one, to the hospital? If not, you can at least stop the bleeding for me!¡±

    ¡®These people are too much! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s seriously injured, okay? This eldest Fu brother is very concerned about Xixi, huh?¡¯

    Just then, they heard a harsh braking screech. A white sports car stopped in front of them. Pei Xu turned his head to look over and saw the car door open and Fu Qingxuan stepped out.

    Fu Qingxuan still had no idea what happened and only knew that his eldest brother was driving crazily, so much so that he drove past him without noticing.

    He thought that his big brother caught wind of him joining the race and hade to catch him. He did not expect Fu Qingli to drive past without even looking at him.

    Big Brother had always been a steady person that was not easily fazed. If it was not a big deal, he would not be so rmed.

    Fu Qingxuan knew that something was wrong and chased after him.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Young Master!¡± Pei Xu whistled and waved his hand at Fu Qingxuan. He even shed a roguish smile at him.

    Fu Qingxuan saw Shen Xi first before he saw Pei Xu. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Pei Xuughed. ¡°What else? It¡¯s a car ident! What, are you blind?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan saw Pei Xu¡¯s face and arms were covered in blood. In the next moment, however, he rushed over to Shen Xi.

    Pei Xu covered his heart and was rendered speechless.

    ¡®F*ck. What kind of people are they? Is Xixi¡¯s life more precious than mine?¡¯

    Shen Xi was not injured, but Pei Xu was badly injured.

    Fu Qingxuan rushed over to Shen Xi and checked her body carefully to make sure she was okay before he went to check on Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu¡¯s injuries were superficial and were not severe. He bled quite a lot, but it was not a big deal.

    Fu Qingxuan dressed his wounds. The head wound was a little deep and needed stitching.

    Fu Qingli held a shlight for his brother to shine on the wound.

    Shen Xi leaned on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s car and drank some water. It would be a lie to say that she was fearless. How could she not be afraid? She was not a god after all.

 Chapter 381 - Two-Faced

    <h4>Chapter 381: Two-Faced</h4>

    Not far behind, Song Wenye arrived on a motorcycle. She got off the bike and rushed over. ¡°Pei Xu, Xixi, are you guys okay?¡±

    Pei Xu raised his eyebrows nonchntly. ¡°I can¡¯t die just yet!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Pei Xu is a little injured.¡±

    Song Wenye knew that Xu Wei did this. When she saw the two of them shrug it off, she swept a nce at the crashed car and turned around wanting to kill someone.

    The two of them said the brakes were broken when they were on the race track. Song Wenye thought about how scary it was at that time. These two had just escaped death.

    Shen Xi tugged her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Song Wenye looked like she was looking for a fight and roared indignantly, ¡°Where else?! I¡¯m gonna kill that b*tch Xu Wei!¡±

    ¡®F*ck! Xu Wei dared to tamper with the car and almost killed Pei Xu and Xixi, so I need to kill her!¡¯

    ¡°We don¡¯t have any evidence, so take it easy.¡± Shen Xi pulled her back. There was a bloodthirst that surged in the depths of her eyes.

    ¡®I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge¡­ Since Xu Wei dared to do this, she must also be ready for our revenge.¡¯

    Song Wenye was hot-tempered and could not stand this. She wanted to look for Xu Wei and teach her a lesson first even if she could not kill her.

    Shen Xi kept persuading her to calm down and managed to stop her, but Song Wenye was still furious and kept cursing nonstop.

    Fu Qingxuan quickly took care of Pei Xu¡¯s injuries. He looked at him and said, ¡°That¡¯s all I can do for now. You should go to the hospital and get it checked again.¡±

    Pei Xu hooked his lips and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Thank you, Lil¡¯ Young Master.¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s patience had been exhausted. He looked at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan paused in packing his first aid kit. He gathered enough courage, stuck out his neck, and looked at Fu Qingli. ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m not leaving!¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s cold eyes turned sharp and dangerous. His voice carried an unquestionable authority. ¡°Say it again?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan chickened out and looked to Shen Xi for help.

    Shen Xi shrugged her shoulders and gave him a look that said, ¡°You¡¯re on your own¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare offend the eldest Fu brother¡­¡±

    From the time Fu Qingli carried her out of the car, Shen Xi felt that he was very strange, but she could not pinpoint it.

    Fu Qingxuan could not resist and was taken away by Fu Qingli. He looked at Shen Xi with worried eyes, got into the car, and poked his head out to admonish Pei Xu. ¡°Take care of her!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Pei Xu waved his hand at him.

    Fu Qingxuan was so afraid of his big brother, like a rat seeing a cat. He did not want to leave, but he dared not even make a sound.

    They left in Fu Qingli¡¯s car and left Fu Qingxuan¡¯s car behind.

    After they drove away, Fu Qingli looked in the rearview mirror and saw the girl who was smiling leisurely. She did not look the slightest bit nervous and afraid. His hands unconsciously tightened like he was about to crush the steering wheel.

    ¡®Look! She looks as if nothing happened, as if this crash had nothing to do with her. She looks like she doesn¡¯t care about her own life or whether she just escaped death.¡¯

    Fu Qingli became angrier when he saw her like this. He could not control his emotions and felt that his worry and fear were all a joke.

    He did not know if he had lost his mind because she stirred up all the emotions in him, which was very unlike him.

    Perhaps his aunt was right. Fu Qingli just pretended not to care because he cared too much about her.

    If he did not care about her, he would not have cared if she lived.

    He would not have rushed over when he heard someone said their car was tampered with.

    He would not have felt so much self-me when he saw her car crashing into the boulder.

    He would not have felt so relieved to see that she was okay.

    Most importantly, he would not have been so angry when she smiled like nothing happened after she had just escaped death.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the girl in the rearview mirror and muttered with a distressed look on his face. ¡°Big Brother, she must¡¯ve been scared to death.¡±

    Fu Qingli sneered and smirked, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡®Why can¡¯t I tell that she¡¯s scared? Is she so frightened that she smiles when she sees people? She¡¯s pretty ballsy, so much so that I gotta admit I kinda admire her.¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan nodded and felt heartbroken. ¡°She¡¯s good at pretending and she¡¯s actually scared of feeling pain. Second Brother said that she¡¯s like a little turtle that will hide in its strong shell because she¡¯s been hurt too much. I think he¡¯s right.¡±

    She never showed any weakness in front of outsiders. Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingli were not yet qualified for her to shed her disguise in front of them, which saddened Fu Qingxuan a little.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a disguise, then she¡¯s too good at pretending,¡± Fu Qingli sneered. He could not see a trace of weakness or fear from her eyes. ¡°Tell your Second Brother that she can be nominated for the Oscars.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, why do you always think the worst of her?¡± Fu Qingxuan was a little annoyed.

    Fu Qingli snorted and replied, ¡°Fu Qingxuan, I¡¯ll warn you onest time. Even though she looks like Mom, she¡¯s not our little sister! You¡¯d better put away those useless feelings!¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s not our little sister, why did you run to save her?¡± Fu Qingxuan asked him back.

    ¡°Why do I have to exin my actions to you?¡± Fu Qingli sneered. ¡°You¡¯d better think about how to exin why you came to China!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk to you.¡± Fu Qingxuan twisted his head and averted his question. He looked out the window, paused for a moment, then grunted in defiance as he red at his brother. ¡°You¡¯re so two-faced! It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t wanna admit that you care about her, but don¡¯t tell me what to do! I want to like her and be nice to her regardless of who she is!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan knew that Shen Xi was not his little sister, but he just could not control his feelings and wanted to treat her well. If he could not stop himself, then he would just follow his heart.

    ¡®But that meanie doesn¡¯t even know how much I struggled before deciding to be good to her. She still treats me like I¡¯m an acquaintance¡­¡¯

    The moment Fu Qingxuan saw Shen Xi, he truly wanted her to jump into his arms and cry her heart out while telling him about her helplessness, panic, and fear, but she did not. She was just smiling at him, telling him that she was fine and that she could solve whatever problems she encountered.

    Shen Xi was abnormally strong, which made him angry and heartbroken. It made him feel useless.

    She did not let her guard down around him, but he was curious what kind of person would make her let her guard down.

    The car was silent.

    After a long while, Fu Qingli asked him, ¡°You know that Pei Xu guy, right? I caught a witness earlier. Xu Xu will send the guy to him, so you can contact him.¡±

 Chapter 382 - Long-Term Plan

    <h4>Chapter 382: Long-Term n</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan volunteered, ¡°Big Brother, I can send it over personally!¡±

    Fu Qingli swept a sidelong nce at him. His voice was cold and deep, and extremely dangerous. ¡°I still haven¡¯t settled the score with you for running out here¡­¡±

    Fu Qingxuan shut his mouth. ¡®Fine! What¡¯s the big deal anyway¡­¡¯

    **

    In the arena.

    When Xu Wei received news that Shen Xi and Pei Xu were still alive, she went crazy and kicked the car. She pointed at the group of people in front of her and yelled, ¡°Useless crap! Go find him! I don¡¯t care what method you use, but you must find him!¡±

    Pei Xu was not dead.

    Qiang Zi, however, was missing. After searching around, no one knew where he had gone to.

    The only person who knew about the brake malfunction was Qiang Zi because Xu Wei had asked him to do it. Qiang Zi was Brother Zhao¡¯s most trusted subordinate, so he definitely would not betray her.

    If Qiang Zi was caught by Pei Xu and forced to confess, would he betray her? In that case, everything would be over and Pei Xu would not let her get away with it.

    The more Xu Wei thought about it, the more frightened she became. When she saw her men scattered to find Qiang Zi, she got into the car and dialed a phone number. ¡°Brother Zhao, what should we do? Pei Xu already knows about you and me. I tried to kill him today, but he escaped. Qiang Zi also disappeared. I¡¯m afraid that he caught Qiang Zi.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Speak slowly.¡± Lu Zhao¡¯s voice was fierce.

    Xu Wei told him everything that happened. ¡°If our rtionship is exposed, the Ning family won¡¯t let me go. Let¡¯s leave the country! Let¡¯s leave China now!¡±

    She had an ominous feeling that things were moving in an unexpected direction. If Xu Wei did not escape now, she might never have a chance again.

    ¡°Are you sure Pei Xu knows about us?¡± Lu Zhao sneered. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this. If he knew, would we still be alive now?¡±

    Xu Wei said, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think he knows. Brother Zhao, let¡¯s go far away. Let¡¯s leave China and find a ce where no one knows us to start over.¡±

    Thest time Xu Wei was on a date with Lu Zhao, she bumped into Pei Xu and felt that things would be bad. Pei Xu¡¯s words earlier made her even more certain that he must have known something, so she wanted to silence him forever.

    ¡°If you leave, what about the Ning family? We¡¯ve nned this for so long, so we can¡¯t just throw away all our effort!¡± Lu Zhao was not willing to give up the piece of pie that was about to fall into hisp. He was convinced that Pei Xu did not know about their rtionship. ¡°If Pei Xues looking for trouble, just tell the Ning family that you want to kill him to avenge Ning Sinian. The Ning family will surely be on your side.¡±

    Pei Xu could not have known. If he had, he would not have allowed Xu Wei and Lu Zhao to continue dating.

    Xu Wei listened but was still worried. ¡°Qiang Zi is missing¡­ What if Pei Xu caught him? What if he said something about us?¡±

    ¡°Qiang Zi must¡¯ve taken the money and left. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s smart, so how can he be caught by Pei Xu? You women think too much.¡± Lu Zhao reassured her. ¡°Even if Qiang Zi is in Pei Xu¡¯s hands, he won¡¯t betray me. Don¡¯t worry. Aren¡¯t you pregnant now? The Ning family will do whatever it takes to keep you at all costs.¡±

    Xu Wei said, ¡°But¡­¡±

    Lu Zhao interrupted her. ¡°Listen to me. There¡¯s no but. Our child will be the fourth generation of the Ning family. When those old farts are gone, the Ning family will be ours.¡±

    This was his long-term n. He wanted the Ning family fortune and absolutely would not let Pei Xu ruin his ns.

    Lu Zhao managed to calm Xu Wei¡¯s emotions after a while.

    Xu Wei hung up the phone and touched her stomach. The panic in her eyes disappeared and she became more resolute.

    She was in a panic earlier.

    Lu Zhao was right. Qiang Zi might not have been caught by Pei Xu and might have just ran away with the money.

    Qiang Zi¡¯s hobby was hiring prostitutes and getting high, so he was probably having too much fun that he did not answer his phone.

    Even if Qiang Zi was caught, Pei Xu might not even be able to pry his mouth open. As long as Qiang Zi did not admit it, Pei Xu could not do anything to them without any evidence.

    Xu Wei wanted to kill Pei Xu to avenge Nian. Moreover, the Ning family hated Pei Xu because of Nian and would stand by her.

    Most importantly, she was pregnant with Lu Zhao¡¯s child.

    For the past six months, she had been using Ning Sinian¡¯s sperm for IVF.

    The Ning family assumed she was carrying Ning Sinian¡¯s child because of all her acts of love and sacrifices. They cared for her and were grateful that she was pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Ning family.

    **

    On the mountain road.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s car just left. Shen Xi and the rest got into the car, ready to leave when a sports car stopped in front of them.

    Yu Qiubai got out and greeted them with a smile. He threw a sh drive to Pei Xu and said, ¡°Pei Xu, a gift for you. No need to thank me.¡±

    Pei Xu raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking that this fox would not do anything nice. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Yu Qiubai swept a nce at Shen Xi and Song Wenye, then asked him, ¡°Are you sure you wanna see it?¡±

    Pei Xu nodded his head.

    Yu Qiubai beckoned with his finger, ¡°Thene into my car and watch it.¡±

    Song Wenye was annoyed and jumped out of the car. ¡°Yu Qiubai! Who are you looking down on? Why can¡¯t Xixi and I see it?!¡±

    Yu Qiubai was in a pickle. ¡°It¡¯s not good for you girls to see this kind of thing.¡±

    Song Wenye insisted on seeing it and would get mad at him if he did not show them.

    Yu Qiubai had no choice but to take hisptop over and let them watch it together.

    Shen Xi finally knew why Yu Qiubai said they should not watch this because it was Xu Wei¡¯s sex tape.

    Song Wenye was watching with great interest and evenmented. ¡°This man is so ugly. It¡¯s so tiny, like the size of lipstick! He¡¯s also so unskilled. Xu Wei¡¯s taste is truly questionable. Even if she wants to cheat, she should find arger one, right?¡±

    She was doing a full-on review.

    Yu Qiubai and Pei Xu were used to watching such videos in private like many men, but this was the first time they watched it in front of girls.

    They did not care about Song Wenye because she was like a bro to them, but Shen Xi was sitting quietly nearby like a goddess. The guys felt embarrassed and blushed as they were afraid she would think badly of them, especially Yu Qiubai.

    Shen Xi had never liked him, so if this continued, her impression of him would be shattered, despite not having much of an image to begin with.

 Chapter 383 - Sudden Collapse

    <h4>Chapter 383: Sudden Copse</h4>

    Since Pei Xu and Shen Xi experienced life and death together, Pei Xu thought of being a better man so he could build a better impression of him in front of Shen Xi.

    However, watching this sex tape together felt a little wrong after a while.

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Pei Xu coughed and gave Yu Qiubai a look. ¡®That¡¯s enough¡­ We just need to know who was involved, not watching for the fun of it¡­¡¯

    The man was so ugly and had a small penis, so there was nothing to look at. It would just stain Shen Xi¡¯s eyes.

    Pei Xu nced sideways at Shen Xi and noticed that she always had a calm and rxed expression as if she was watching an ordinary movie. No one could guess what she was thinking.

    Yu Qiubai shut theptop screen.

    Song Wenye pped his hand. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet!¡¯

    Pei Xu said, ¡°If you wanna watch, just find it online. There are so many better ones out there¡­¡±

    Shen Xi lifted her headzily and nced at him.

    Pei Xu coughed and exined, ¡°Xixi, I don¡¯t watch this, really¡­ What¡¯s so good about it?¡±

    Shen Xi did not say anything and smiled.

    Song Wenye exposed him. ¡°Xixi, he¡¯s lying! They even used our ssroom projector to watch porn!¡±

    Pei Xu was speechless. ¡®F*ck! Bloody traitor!¡¯

    The somewhat strange and awkward atmosphere became more rxed.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s fox eyes squinted as heughed. He tapped his fingers on theptop and asked, ¡°Pei Xu, you¡¯ve seen this man before, right?¡±

    Pei Xu nodded. The nonchnce under his eyes was reced by a murderous aura. Of course, he had seen this man before. ¡°Lu Zhao.¡±

    At that time, he felt that Xu Wei was abnormally close to Lu Zhao. Pei Xu even had someone to follow them for a while, but perhaps Xu Wei was alerted, he failed to find any proof of her betrayal to Brother Nian.

    Yu Qiubai said, ¡°I think she might have wanted to kill you because of this.¡±

    The video was captured by someone that Yu Qiubai hired to follow Lu Zhao.

    Lu Zhao invested 100 million yuan in Yu Qiubai¡¯s newpany some time ago, so he investigated him as hispany¡¯s shareholder.

    Who knew that this investigation would lead to Xu Wei.

    Lu Zhao was originally a gangster, who somehow got rich overnight and opened several nightclubs in the Capital.

    Upon further investigation, Yu Qiubai found that the source of money was questionable. Xu Wei was taking money from Ning Sinian to support her lover.

    When this sex tape was taken, Yu Qiubai kept it for rainy days as he had no personal rtionship with Ning Sinian or the Ning family.

    Today when he came to watch the race and heard from the International ss that Shen Xi and Pei Xu got into an ident because Xu Wei tampered with their car, Yu Qiubai revealed the video to Pei Xu so he could take revenge on Xu Wei.

    ¡°Pei Xu, you can decide what you want to do with this video.¡± Yu Qiubai paused for a moment and added, ¡°Also, I suspect this man¡¯s money came from Xu Wei.¡±

    Lu Zhao was definitely a pickup artist. He was ugly and incapable, yet there were still women who loved him.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Pei Xu put away the sh drive. His eyes were cold and stern.

    Song Wenye saw his expression and knew that Xu Wei was as good as dead. Even if Xu Wei did not cheat, she was already dead meat just based on what she did today.

    Pei Xu received a call from Fu Qingxuan saying that he was going to send them a witness, so they waited.

    Xu Xu came quickly and handed over the person who confessed to Fu Qingli to Shen Xi and her group.

    The man was called Qiang Zi and was frightened by Fu Qingli earlier at the arena. His head was covered. When he was thrown to the ground, he curled up in fear thinking that they were going to kill him.

    Pei Xu did not need to use much effort. After giving the man a violent beating, Qiang Zi confessed to everything. Xu Wei had instructed him to tamper with the brakes, wanting to kill Pei Xu to avenge Ning Sinian. Shen Xi was just coteral damage.

    After the interrogation, Pei Xu tied Qiang Zi up and threw him in the trunk. He looked at Shen Xi and said, ¡°How do you want Xu Wei to die?¡±

    Shen Xi sneered and said, ¡°We should treat others the way they treat us.¡±

    Pei Xu said, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±

    It was fine if Xu Wei wanted to mess with him but when she involved innocent people, Pei Xu would be unforgiving.

    11:00 pm.

    Shen Xi finally got home.

    Song Wenye pestered her and wanted to stay with her for the night, but Pei Xu dragged her away.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were on a business trip, so no one was home. It was dark and cold everywhere.

    Shen Xi made instant noodles. After eating, she looked around at the empty and cold house and felt a little deste.

    Toffeecito was next to her and rubbed its little fluffy head against her leg.

    ¡°Toffeecito, are you scared to be home alone every day?¡± Shen Xi picked the kitten up and put it on herp as she patted its little head.

    Toffeecito¡¯s big eyes were like beautiful amber. It meowed at her and titled its little head to lick her hand.

    ¡°Your grandma and grandpa are not home.¡± Shen Xi felt overwhelming loneliness wash over her that made her feel like crying. ¡°Your dad¡¯s also not at home, so it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±

    Toffeecito¡¯s small head was in her palms. It was soft, warm, and fluffy, which tickled her and she chuckled.

    Fortunately, Toffeecito could still apany her so she was not home alone.

    Ever since she was reborn, Shen Xi was afraid of being alone at home because loneliness felt overwhelming and would swallow her up.

    She could not sleep and refused to sleep. She could not figure out what to do to fill the emptiness in her heart. She climbed up and down thedder outside with Toffeecito in her arms over and over again.

    In the end, she looked at the empty road, descended thedder, and walked to the door. She sat on the stone steps at the entrance and held her chin as she stared at the intersection.

    Her dad was noting home.

    Her mom was noting home either.

    ¡®Brother should being back, right?¡¯

    She had to find something to do because she had no idea what she was waiting for or expecting but only knew that she would go mad if she stayed at home.

    Time passed slowly.

    When Shen Xi heard the sound of a caring from the intersection, her eyes which seemed to have lost their sparks lit up.

    The car turned in. Shen Xi stared at it unblinkingly and felt her heart pounding as the car approached.

    The car stopped in front of her.

    The car door opened.

    The moment the man rolled his wheelchair over, Shen Xi choked on her emotions. She could not contain it any longer and started to sob as the umted panic, fear, and grievance surged uncontrobly in her heart. Her strong front suddenly copsed, and tears gushed out in an instant.

 Chapter 384 - Big Rat

    <h4>Chapter 384: Big Rat</h4>

    When Li Yuan saw Shen Xi¡¯s lonely, forlorn, small, and shrunken figure with tears streaming down her face, he felt his heart clenched. It was unbearably painful that he could not breathe.

    The girl bit her lips and looked at him quietly as crystal beads slid down her cheeks. She looked so aggrieved and frightened like she wanted toment to him.

    He had no clue as to how tofort her or lecture her so she would not risk her life so recklessly again.

    Shen Xi was not aware of how heartbroken, scared, and helpless he felt when he found out that she was almost killed.

    However, seeing her intact in front of him, all the emotions pent up in his chest instantly dissipated. All that was left was heartache. He was nervous as he went to her and reached out to wipe away her tears.

    Shen Xi cried silently. When she felt his slightly cool fingers brushing her skin, she choked up and hugged him suddenly before bawling in his chest.

    Li Yuan¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. The girl¡¯s warm body was tiny and trembling as she cried her heart out. Each of her suppressed sobs was like a stab into his heart but hisrge hands reached out to soothe her.

    ¡®Silly girl¡­ She finally knows what fear is¡­¡¯

    Shen Xi¡¯s suppressed emotions found an outlet. She felt so aggrieved and cried louder. She bawled and vented all the fear and panic she had bottled up.

    When with him, Shen Xi wanted nothing on her mind but just to let loose for once.

    She was afraid that she almost could not see him again.

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. His eyes welled up slightly he hugged her tighter and patted her back infort.

    He always thought that she was fearless. It turned out that she still knew what fear was, but what was she scared of? Was she afraid that she would never see him again?

    The girl¡¯s voice gradually became mute.

    He coaxed her gently as his heart ached. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s body trembled. When she heard him, she finally realized what she had done. She did not want him to find out what happened today because that would only cause him to worry, so she looked up and came up with an excuse, ¡°Brother¡­ My parents aren¡¯t home. There¡¯s a rat inside¡­¡±

    Li Yuan understood her intention to not worry him and did not call her out. He gently wiped away her tears and said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll get Kun Lun to catch itter.¡±

    ¡°It scared me to death,¡± Shen Xiined to him and looked so aggrieved. She looked so frightened and her tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Li Yuan lowered his eyes and saw the girl¡¯s red and swollen eyes. There were tears on her long eyshes. His heart throbbed with pain as he coaxed her in a warm voice, ¡°I¡¯m here now, don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    Shen Xi finally choked and stopped crying. She felt guilty and avoided his gaze, fear of looking into his clear, warm eyes as if he could see through her.

    She had been holding it in for such a long time and thought that she would stay strong, but the moment she saw him, she broke down.

    A ck Bentley was parked not far from the intersection.

    In the car, Fu Qingli saw both of them hugging each other and had aplex look in his eyes. His hands that were on the steering wheel tightened unconsciously.

    He was not sure why he came here when he had already told himself to leave her alone, and to never see her again.

    However, when Fu Qingxuan said that her parents were away on a business trip, Fu Qingli was worried and eventually drove over.

    The sound of her crying had such a prating effect that drilled through his ears and inexplicably irritated him.

    It turned out that she was not as fearless as he thought. She recognized the fear and was capable of crying, but just not in front of him. She would never show her weakness in front of others.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t she crying very well now? But why is Li Yuan that person who can let her guard down and cry so openly?¡¯

    Kun Lun seemed to have sensed something and was on his toes. He swept a wary nce and saw a car driving by the intersection, before disappearing from sight.

    ¡°Brother, are my eyes swollen?¡± Shen Xi sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

    Li Yuan sped her wrist and said warmly, ¡°Don¡¯t rub your eyes. Put a boiled egg on itter to reduce the swelling.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. When sheposed herself, she began to exaggerate how big and scary the rat was. She muttered, ¡°It¡¯s so big and scary that I don¡¯t dare to go home.¡±

    Li Yuan did not expose her lie. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Toffeecito, ¡°What did we raise you for? The next time a rat appears, I¡¯ll deduct a month¡¯s worth of canned food.¡±

    Toffeecito had no clue what was happening and innocently meowed at him in protest.

    Kun Lun stood by the side with his head hung low. He nced at Toffeecito through the corner of his eyes and saw how much it had grown. It was now half the size of an adult cat.

    ¡®Ms. Shen could certainly narrate anything. Big rats at home? Sounds ridiculous¡­ Does she truly think Boss won¡¯t find out what happened to her? When Boss received news of her ident, he almost went crazy. That¡¯s the first time I saw Boss was this furious.¡¯

    Kun Lun felt he had died several times on the way back. Li Yuan¡¯s murderous aura could kill. The extremely cold air he exuded could suffocate those within proximity.

    Bai Yu was still kneeling at the office. He had just returned to get himself into trouble for organizing this race and causing this ident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Li Yuan tenderly wiped away thest teardrop on her face.

    Shen Xi shook her head and said softly, ¡°There are rats at home. It mighte out again¡­¡±

    Li Yuan said dotingly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up. She nodded and felt rxed after crying and venting out her pent-up emotions.

    There was no wheelchair ess at her door and the four stone steps were quite high, so Kun Lun helped lift his wheelchair.

    Shen Xi pushed his wheelchair inside and lowered her eyes slightly. Her gaze was soft as she looked at the man in front of her and could not help but feel delighted.

    This was the first time Li Yuan stepped into Shen Xi¡¯s house. It was not luxuriously decorated, but it was clean and cozy. Everywhere was filled with warmth.

    He looked to the side and saw the girl sitting next to him.

    The girl was holding Toffeecito and ying with it. After crying so much, her breathing was a little irregr. Her eyes, nose, and cheeks were red and that was heartbreaking to him.

 Chapter 385 - Like This Feeling

    <h4>Chapter 385: Like This Feeling</h4>

    Kun Lun quickly brought over the hardboiled egg and gauze, then carefully ced them on the coffee table.

    Shen Xi hugged Toffeecito and sniffled. She looked at Li Yuan¡¯s long, slender fingers as he picked up the egg, cracked the shell, and began to peel the eggshell bit by bit.

    From her angle, she could see the man¡¯s picturesque side profile with delicate eyebrows, a tall nose, nice pink lips, and his perfect jawline.

    Li Yuan asked her, ¡°Have you eaten dinner yet?¡±

    Shen Xi was staring at him. When the man spoke, his Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down on his long, slender neck, which was incredibly sexy and made her feel hot. She nodded her little head and gave a faint ¡°mm¡± mm.

    Li Yuan noticed the girl¡¯s burning gaze and smiled slightly. His voice became more alluring. ¡°What did you eat?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Instant noodles.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°Are you full?¡±

    Shen Xi replied and moved her body forward to reach for the egg, but in the next moment, she retracted her hand because of the heat. She quickly touched her ears and pouted. ¡°It¡¯s so hot!¡±

    Li Yuan saw her adorable expression as if touching her ears would cool her fingers. She looked so silly and cute. He put down the egg in his hand and held her hand to check on it.

    The girl¡¯s skin was so soft. Her white fingertips turned red and she frowned in pain. Li Yuan lowered his head and blew on it.

    Shen Xi held her breath. The cool wind on her fingertips blew into her heart and her heart raced. The tips of her ears turned red.

    ¡°Is it still hot?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    Shen Xi lowered her head. ¡°Yeah, keep going.¡±

    It was fine just a while ago, but her whole body felt hot and could not cool down.

    Li Yuan came closer to blow on her fingers. His slightly cool fingers brushed her burned fingers as he asked her seriously, ¡°Do you have ice packs at home?¡±

    Shen Xi suddenly felt guilty and shook her head, then pulled her hand away. ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡±

    Li Yuan saw her panicked look andughed out loud. She was shy and looked adorable because her earlobes were pink.

    Shen Xi sat there obediently and looked at him. ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t it hot?¡±

    The eggs were just boiled and removed without being cooled in water, so they were particrly hot, but he did not seem to feel anything.

    Li Yuan¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Nope.¡±

    Shen Xi did not believe him.

    Li Yuan looked at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can feel it yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi stretched out her hand in disbelief. Just when she was about to touch the egg in his hand, Li Yuan pped her hand andughed out loud. ¡°Silly girl! I lied to you, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    She tilted her head in confusion and asked in a soft voice, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you feel anything?¡±

    Li Yuanughed. ¡°Maybe my skin is thicker.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Really?¡±

    Li Yuan let out a low chuckle. His maic voice was simply provocative.

    Shen Xi leaned in closer. Her eyes were sparkling like little stars as she stretched out her index finger to poke his cheek and muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    The moment her soft finger touched him, Li Yuan felt numb as if he felt an electric shock. He turned to look at the girl¡¯s curious face. His breath felt a little hot. ¡°Saw it?¡±

    Shen Xi worked up the courage to pinch his cheek and pinched her own inparison. She pondered for a moment and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s about the same.¡±

    Li Yuan could not help butugh. His smile was pleasant as he looked at her and said, ¡°Lie down and close your eyes.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The man was holding the egg wrapped with gauze. She then obedientlyid on the sofa and closed her eyes.

    ¡°Is it hot?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice was soft and she answeredzily like a cat. ¡°Nope.¡±

    It was still a little too warm, but it wasfortable.

    Toffeecito was watching from the side and wanted to jump on Shen Xi¡¯s stomach when she was not paying attention, but Li Yuan grabbed the back of its neck with one hand. ¡°Go catch the rat.¡±

    The kitten sat on the coffee table looking dejected. It red at Li Yuan before turning its butt to him and jumped off the coffee table.

    Kun Lun, who was ordered to catch the rat, searched everywhere with a bitter face. ¡®Why am I the only one who has to suffer?!¡¯

    He knew that his boss was in a bad mood today and wanted to vent his anger on someone.

    Li Yuan was fully aware that Shen Xi was using the rat as an excuse to cover up her racing ident, but he still got Kun Lun to catch the ¡°rat¡± in the house. ¡®This is too much! I¡¯m a human, not a cat! How can I catch a rat?!¡¯

    Kun Lun could not catch the ¡°big rat¡± that Shen Xi had described.

    After the hotpress, Shen Xi¡¯s eyes felt morefortable. She took a shower at home and stood in front of the mirror looking at her less swollen eyes, then patted her face.

    ¡®This is thest time I¡¯ll ever do such a life-threatening thing again.¡¯

    Li Yuan probably knew about what happened earlier, but he did not say anything or ask any questions. He quietly listened to her lies and stayed with her.

    She liked this feeling.

    Shen Xi did not need someone tofort her, nor did she want to be lectured. She knew what to do and what she needed was someone¡¯spany, support, and understanding.

    Toffeecito was already waiting for her on the bed. When it saw Shen Xi darting over, it deftly leaped up and dodged her attack. The kitten stood on the bed looking victorious and wagged her tail yfully.

    Shen Xi scolded the little rascal. She opened the window and poked her head to look next door. When she saw the lights next door were still on, she felt a warmth in her heart.

    Her phone notification rang twice. Shen Xi rushed to her phone and saw that Li Yuan had sent a voice message.

    The man¡¯s voice was always elegant and maic regardless of the time. ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    Shen Xi typed. [Mhmm.]

    In the next second, Li Yuan called her.

    Shen Xi answered the call. ¡°Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°Do you want to listen to a luby or a bedtime story?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled sweetly and held her phone while sheid in bed. She said softly, ¡°Anything.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Since I sang you a lubyst time, I¡¯ll tell you a bedtime story this time.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was surging with joy. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was deep and beautiful. Every word he said reverberated in her ears and struck her heartstrings. It had a magical healing ability that miraculously calmed her restless heart.

    Shen Xi did not know when she fell asleep. Only when she woke up did she realize her phone battery was t and it turned off.

    It was not yet dawn.

    Kun Lun looked at the man who had been sitting by the window sincest night and went up to him. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s almost dawn. You should get some rest.¡±

 Chapter 386 - Too Disappointing

    <h4>Chapter 386: Too Disappointing</h4>

    Li Yuan was afraid he would doze off while the call was still connected as he did not want her to hear him writhing in pain like thest time, so he could not sleep the whole night.

    ¡°It¡¯s dawn,¡± Li Yuan let out a low sigh. His eyes were gentle as he looked at Shen Xi¡¯s sweet smile on his phone. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Go and prepare the ingredients. I want to make breakfast.¡±

    Kun Lun respectfully answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s body was already weak in the first ce, so it was bad for him to stay up all night. Kun Lun wondered if he should tell Shen Xi about it.

    When Shen Xi got up, she heard someone knocking on the door, so she put on her jacket and hurriedly opened the door. Kun Lun came over to invite her for breakfast next door.

    Toffeecito looked at Shen Xi like she was crazy because she was humming while skipping around. The kitten was afraid that Shen Xi would step on him for being too excited, so it jumped onto the table.

    Shen Xi was ted and was thinking about what she should wear and what makeup she should put on. She spent a long time looking through her closet and put on some light makeup before she carried Toffeecito next door for breakfast.

    This was the first time Shen Xi had a meal with Li Yuan, so she had to dress up nicely.

    Li Yuan waited for her at the living room door and watched as she flew over like a happyrk, right into his heart.

    Shen Xi wore a white woolen sweater with a red tweed jacket over it, which made her already cute face lovelier, like a ripe apple that made him want to take a bite.

    Her hat was a little nted and that made her look yful and endearing.

    Kun Lun¡¯s eyes also lit up. Shen Xi was beautiful, but she never usually dressed up. In winter, she would even wrap herself up into a ball.

    Now that it was spring, Shen Xi finally took off her heavy down jacket and changed into slightly lighter clothes. She looked so much livelier, more youthful, beautiful, and charming.

    Breakfast was already on the table waiting for her. It was not borated, just some eggs, sandwiches, and milk.

    Shen Xi did not mind what they were going to eat as long as she could eat with Li Yuan. She was up on cloud nine that she wanted to spin in circles. Even cold water tasted sweet to her. ¡°Brother, did you make this?¡±

    Li Yuan took a bite of the sandwich. It did not taste very good, so he looked at her and said, ¡°Just make do with this first. I¡¯ll try my best next time.¡±

    Shen Xi stuck out her thumb and smiled with arched eyes. ¡°It¡¯s delicious! The best and tastiest sandwich I¡¯ve ever eaten!¡±

    She was especially sincere in praising him. Her eyes shone like bright stars, which melted his heart and that was the most pleasant sight.

    Li Yuanughed delightedly and said in a warm voice, ¡°Then you can eat here for the next few days.¡±

    The girl could not cook, so when her parents were not home, she would only order take-out or eat instant noodles, which was not very healthy.

    Shen Xi was waiting for him to say this. Her heart was bursting with joy, but she still had some self-restraint and only said, ¡°Okay then!¡±

    After breakfast, Shen Xi went to school with her backpack.

    Li Yuan walked her to the door and looked at the girl. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±

    Shen Xi paused in her footsteps, then took two steps back and squatted to look at him.

    Li Yuan took away the nket covering his legs to reveal the red scarf underneath. He picked up the scarf and put it around her. ¡°It¡¯s chilly in the morning, so don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    Shen Xi took out her hands which had been hidden in her pockets and smiled as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not cold!¡±

    She was wearing warm gloves.

    Li Yuan looked at her gloves and smiled wider. He wrapped the scarf neatly around her neck and said warmly, ¡°Just in case.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xiplied. She reached out and covered the nket on hisp before standing up, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll get going then.¡±

    ¡°Take care!¡± Li Yuan watched as the girl reluctantly waved to him. He felt a little lost when her figure gradually disappeared. The light in his eyes also dimmed.

    **

    No. 4 High was calm and quiet.

    The recent talk of the school was about Qi Xiu who had apparently be No. 4 High¡¯s new idol. He was handsome, talented, and produced good songs. The rookie who had just debuted his album also served as the Music Director of Cosmos Entertainment. Apart from the three main songs, the rest of the titles in his debut album were single-handedly done by him.

    Lyrics: Qi Xiu.

    Song: Qi Xiu.

    Arrangement: Qi Xiu.

    Producer: Qi Xiu.

    Guitar: Qi Xiu.

    Piano: Qi Xiu.

    Bass: Qi Xiu.

    Harmony: Qi Xiu.

    Strings: Qi Xiu.

    Studio: Qi Xiu.

    Mixer: Qi Xiu.

    Post-production nning: Qi Xiu.

    Music video shooting: Qi Xiu.

    Album cover design: Qi Xiu.

    The music industry¡¯s evaluation of him was that he was a one-man team. He was a rising star and a new hope of the Chinese music industry as he possessed true talent without any need for shameless promotions and buying ingenuine fans.

    The public affirmed real strength and described Qi Xiu with one word: genius.

    Qi Xiu not only had talent in music, but his music video shooting skills and album cover design were also second to none.

    His name resounded through the entertainment industry and he became popr throughout China. Nine out of ten stores on any street were ying his music. Those not ying were only because their store did not allow any music.

    As for the pride of No. 4 High, celebrity alumnus Su Muyan, his new album had been crushed to death by Qi Xiu whether it came to poprity or album sales. He waspletely defeated.

    The Top ss, led by Chen Bingbing, made a bet with Shen Xi¡¯s ss earlier and refused to admit that they lost.

    ¡°Damn it! I want to see how long they¡¯ll hold out for.¡± Chu Ying went to the Top ss to ask for money and returned angrily.

    Shen Xi advised her. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a month yet. We¡¯re still half a month short of the agreed date.¡±

    Lin Ge came over and smiled mysteriously. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret. I just heard yesterday that Chen Bingbing¡¯s bedroom is stered with Qi Xiu¡¯s posters. She even secretly bought hundreds of albums to collect the freebie pictures.¡±

    Chu Yingughed out loud exaggeratedly. ¡°Seriously?! F*ck, that girl defected so quickly? I thought she could hold out for a while. That¡¯s just too disappointing¡­¡±

    There were little photos that were given out as freebies for Qi Xiu¡¯s album. Each album had two random pictures of him. All of the shots were artistic and beautiful. They were limited editions and would not be reprinted once they ran out of stock.

    A lot of fans who were fond of Qi Xiu had long since started to collect these pictures. It was likened to collecting stamps and was rather addictive. Many of those who were true fanatics would be frustrated if they could not manage to collect them all.

 Chapter 387 - Making Waves

    <h4>Chapter 387: Making Waves</h4>

    Due to this, Cosmos Short Vid created a new feature called ¡°Celebrity Topics¡±, with stars and fans as the main focus. This was specially developed for the celebrity chasers, where fans couldmunicate with each other and their idols.

    Once ¡°Celebrity Topics¡± was released, fangirls collectively shifted their focus from Weibo to Cosmos Short Vid.

    With this feature, the posts were about fansplimenting their idols, fans begging for celebrity picture cards, exchanging cards, and showing off how many picture cards were in their collections.

    New cards had been constantly released but no one knew exactly how many there were.

    ording to their collective statistics, there were about 254 cards released thus far.

    Chu Ying and Song Wenye were part of these fans who collected Qi Xiu¡¯s cards. Song Wenye managed to get 200, but Chu Ying struggled desperately and only got 100.

    ¡°You girls are really willing to waste your family fortune just to chase an idol.¡± Lin Ge was impressed yet baffled at their fanaticism. ¡°Cosmos Entertainment is really smart. They earn so much more just from this card collection.¡±

    Chu Ying did not care about Cosmos Entertainment but only the cards. ¡°Do you know how much Chen Bingbing has collected?¡±

    Lin Ge muttered, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    Chu Ying gave him a nk look, ignored him, and ran to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, do you know anyone who bought Qi Xiu¡¯s album and doesn¡¯t want the card? I can pay for it!¡±

    Shen Xi was scrolling through her phone and saidzily, ¡°You want that set of cards so badly?¡±

    Chu Ying nodded with an enthralled expression and made a bold statement. ¡°I¡¯m willing to be single for one decade in exchange for that whole set of cards!¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask and see if I can get you guys a few sets.¡± When Shen Xi joined the nning meeting for this gimmick, the cards were intended as a surprise and reward for the fans. They also wanted to show the extra effort they put in for the fans and took more pictures of Qi Xiu during the shoot.

    Shen Xi did not expect the fans would go crazy for these small photocards but this was a pleasant surprise. It increased the interactions between fans and created a solid fanbase, which raked in a lot of profits for thepany.

    Fans who were crazy about collecting these photocards but did not have much money would exchange them with each other or buy them separately, whereas the rich ones would just buy the albums in bulk since they were notcking money. Then, they would remove the photocards and give those albums away in the ¡°Celebrity Topics¡± group.

    The card collection promoted the physical album sales, so as of now, they had exceeded five million copies, which was more than double that of Su Muyan¡¯s album sales. Qi Xiu¡¯s daily sales were still rising at an rming rate and had not reached their peak yet.

    Chu Ying looked at her in surprise. ¡°Sister Xi, you can do that?! Do you know anyone in Cosmos Entertainment? Are they from management?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Shen Xi thought to herself, ¡®I am the management¡­¡¯ Getting these cards was easy for her and she would willingly give them a set.

    Chu Ying was so excited that she wanted to hug her.

    Shen Xi pressed one finger on Chu Ying¡¯s forehead to stop and remind her, ¡°ss is in session¡­¡±

    Chu Ying was so grateful that her eyes were misty with tears. She then ran back to her seat in delight and did not doubt that Shen Xi could get these cards for her.

    This afternoon was thest training session before the National Physics Olympiad, which would start at 9:00 am tomorrow in S City.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye sat in thest row of the ssroom.

    Yu Qiubai sat on Shen Xi¡¯s left and deliberately left an empty seat between them because he was afraid of being driven away by her. He folded his long legs on the table and fiddled with the pen in his hand as he asked Shen Xi. ¡°When will your sistere to the capital?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s head remained low and she said in a cold voice, ¡°If you need your ring urgently, I¡¯ll ask my sister to courier it to you.¡±

    Her uncle and aunt said they would need another week to wrap up the family business before they coulde to the Capital. They were still waiting for one more payment.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± Yu Qiubai thought of that gentle and well-behaved girl, then asked another question, ¡°What is your sister nning to do when shees over?¡±

    Shen Xi swept him a threatening nce. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Xi¡¯s protective and wary face that only thought of him as a bad guy. He shrugged his shoulders indifferently and said, ¡°Your sister ising over to treat her eyes, right?¡±

    Shen Xi did not pay attention to him.

    Yu Qiubai sighed and thought, ¡®When will I be treated the same as Pei Xu?¡¯

    The Top ss was very quiet that day. Not many people talked, even the usually arrogant Chen Bingbing who liked to pick a fight was crestfallen.

    Su Ruowan looked at her phone miserably.

    Chen Bingbing sat next to her and advised her, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t look. They¡¯re all crazy and talking nonsense. Qi Xiu¡¯s nothing and Brother Yan is still the best.¡±

    As she said this, she thought of pping herself in the face.

    Su Ruowan smiled bitterly. ¡°Bingbing, I just feel sorry for you guys for getting so much pressure because of me. I¡¯ll help you girls think of a way to get the money.¡±

    Chen Bingbing was bold. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about money. We¡¯re good friends, so don¡¯t mention it!¡±

    ¡®Money? Is it called spending money if I spend it on my husband? That¡¯s called willingly buying happiness!¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Wanwan. You don¡¯t have to worry about this. We can still afford this amount.¡±

    ¡°You should stop worrying. Brother Yan¡¯s strength is obvious. Qi Xiu is just lucky.¡±

    ¡°The songs that Qi Xiuposed himself are just average. The main thing is his music producer for his main songs. Anyone would be a hit if they hired thatposer!¡±

    A group of girls went around to console Su Ruowan. They did not mention Qi Xiu¡¯s talent and attributed his sess instead to the producer of his main songs.

    In fact, they admitted that Qi Xiu¡¯s main songs were phenomenal. Any of those songs would make an album popr all over the country. These three main songs in the same album had an explosive effect and raised Qi Xiu onto a pedestal.

    Besides the music producer, Qi Xiu himself was capable too. The songs written by Qi Xiu could beat Su Muyan¡¯s hands down.

    Not to mention, the Chinese music industry was in a declely and needed a strong stimnt. Since Su Muyan¡¯s debut, he had been buying a following to brainwash the public that he was the hope and rising star of the Chinese music industry.

    Besides his fans and marketing ounts bragging about his strength and talent, the general public did not acknowledge his title. Professional musicians knew that he was not qualified to be the hope of the Chinese music industry.

    Qi Xiu and Xixi, his main songs¡¯poser, came out of nowhere and made a huge ssh in the music industry, creating new hope in the increasingly stagnant music scene.

    The music industry¡¯s big shots had also expressed their heartfelt hope and expectations for this new singer.

    ¡°Thanks, girls.¡± Su Ruowan looked at them gratefully.

 Chapter 388 - She Switched Sides

    <h4>Chapter 388: She Switched Sides</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Thanks, girls.¡± Su Ruowan looked at them gratefully.

    Su Muyan, this useless piece of trash, could not even beat a mere neer. He was still making excuses for himself, saying that Qi Xiu was no big deal but rather it was Qi Xiu¡¯s music producer that was talented.

    Theposer named Xixi had gone to their office to look for Su Muyan, wanting to work with him, but was rejected by his music director and agent. That was why he missed out on this great opportunity to be at the top of the music industry.

    Su Muyan had gone crazy these days, using all means to search for Xixi but this Xixi was very mysterious. Not one bit of information could be found as if he appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Cheer up! Tell Brother Yan that I¡¯ll always be his loyal fan. Qi Xiu should just go back to where he came from. No one even knows who he is..¡± Chen Bingbing was two-faced about this as her words did not match her actions.

    Chen Bingbing was destined to only secretly like and support her husband Qi Xiu. It was miserable.

    Her husband was Brother Yan¡¯s rival, so Chen Bingbing did not want to let Wanwan and the ss President find out that she had defected. Otherwise, she would lose her friends and would not be able to stay in the Top ss.

    Chen Bingbing wasying low, but Song Wenye wanted to provoke her. When she heard Chen Bingbing, she was amused and stood up to look at her. ¡°Chen Bingbing, your Brother Yan has lost so badly, so you should admit defeat! When are you guys gonna buy 10,000 albums each?¡±

    ¡®Haha! Why didn¡¯t Chen Bingbing tell Su Ruowan that she bought Qi Xiu¡¯s album behind her back and even collected Qi Xiu¡¯s pictures?¡¯

    ¡°Song Wenye, this album has only been released for ten days, and you¡¯re too anxious. Our Brother Yan is ate bloomer, but he¡¯ll certainly surpass Qi Xiu! Don¡¯t be so smug!¡± Chen Bingbing was being stubborn.

    Chen Bingbing had realized since day one after listening to Qi Xiu¡¯s songs that Su Muyan did not stand a chance. She had already admitted defeat when she bought a thousand digital albums and called Qi Xiu her husband while staring at his posters.

    It had been ten days since the release. Su Muyan¡¯s album sales peaked on the first day and had been declining ever since, whereas Qi Xiu¡¯s album sales had been increasing since and going strong still. None could tell when the sales were going to peak.

    Solely on their physical albums, Qi Xiu had achieved more than double that of Su Muyan. Plus, Qi Xiu sold 80 million digital albums.

    Qi Xiu was so popr that his fans started to collect and exchange his picture cards. His fans were everywhere on all major sites and online tforms. His songs were yed on the streets and were liked by too many people.

    ¡°You¡¯re just stubborn, right? You won¡¯t know my power if I don¡¯t show you what I¡¯m capable of!¡± Song Wenye walked aggressively toward Chen Bingbing.

    Chen Bingbing did not know what Song Wenye was doing. Song Wenye pushed her away and yanked her school bag out of her drawer. She then panicked and yelled, ¡°Song Wenye! Are you a thug? I don¡¯t have any money in my school bag!¡±

    Song Wenye was much faster than Chen Bingbing. She teased Chen Bingbing by grabbing her school bag and ran to the podium. She then threw a sidelong nce at Chen Bingbing and stretched her sentence, ¡°Who said I wanted money...?¡±

    Chen Bingbing had a bad premonition and could not react before Song Wenye unzipped her school bag.

    A few books, a makeup bag, and a few little trinkets fell on the desk. Besides these, plenty of little collector¡¯s cards fell like snowkes.

    Song Wenye moved around violently, so those cards were scattered all around the room. The handsome young man¡¯s face on the cards was none other than Qi Xiu.

    The Top ss were dumbfounded. They looked at Chen Bingbing baffled, especially the few girls that made the bet with her. Their faces were extremely glum.

    Chen Bingbing said she would stick to Su Muyan forever with her girls. She even promised that whoever defected to the other side should go to hell. The other girls had been persistent, but Chen Bingbing had surrendered and fell in love with the enemy!

    Chen Bingbing¡¯s face was ashen. She screamed in anger and felt hatred surging in her heart as she rushed to fight Song Wenye.

    Song Wenye dodged her and shoved her school bag in Chen Bingbing¡¯s face. She arrogantly looked towards Su Ruowan and said, ¡°Are you surprised? This is your best friend!¡±

    What bullshit friend?

    It was a fake sisterhood.

    Darkness shed across Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes. She did not expect Chen Bingbing to be so two-faced. However, Su Ruowan still smiled gently and said with much understanding, ¡°Song Wenye, don¡¯t try to turn us against each other. I believe Bingbing must have her reasons for doing so.¡±

    Song Wenye was amused andughed. ¡°What reason would that be? She just likes Qi Xiu and has changed allegiance!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ This isn¡¯t my stuff.¡± Chen Bingbing had a contemptuous and disgusted gaze aimed at her like she was a traitor. She panicked and detested Song Wenye¡¯s guts, but still defended herself stubbornly. ¡°My cousin is Qi Xiu¡¯s fan. She has been asking me to chase after Qi Xiu with her. Do I look like someone who will change allegiance so easily? I¡¯ll only like Brother Yan in this life!¡±

    After she said that, the looks she got became moreplicated. She gulped and looked at Su Ruowan before exining anxiously, ¡°Wanwan, you have to believe me. I will always like Brother Yan.¡±

    Su Ruowan paused for a moment, nodded, and looked at Chen Bingbing seriously. ¡°I believe you.¡±

    ¡®Why should I believe her? Her love and admiration are worthless to me,¡¯ Su Ruowan thought.

    No wonder Chen Bingbing had been acting strange recently. In the past, Chen Bingbing would be the most gung-ho in boosting Su Muyan¡¯s sales and rankings.

    Recently, Chen Bingbing had been extremely stingy that she did not even buy a single copy of Su Muyan¡¯s album. Su Ruowan thought Chen Bingbing did not have enough money for the bet, but it turned out that all her love, passion, and money were transferred to Qi Xiu instead.

    Chen Bingbing did not want to expose herself. Although she temporarily found an excuse to brush it off, no one would actually believe her. She righteously pointed to the others and said, ¡°You girls should also empty your bags! I¡¯m sure someone has stuffed Qi Xiu¡¯s card with you all.¡±

    The other girls took out their school bags and dumped the contents of their bags on the table. They only had their things and some of Su Muyan¡¯s merchandise, nothing else.

    Chen Bingbing looked bashful and cursed in frustration. ¡°My cousin is too much. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson when I get home!¡±

    She found it unbelievable that her friends did not waver because Qi Xiu was good-looking and talented. Most people would love Qi Xiu after getting to know him.

    Although her friends epted Chen Bingbing¡¯s sophistry, they had their thoughts.

    Chen Bingbing chased after Qi Xiu secretly, but every day, she would praise Su Muyan and scold Qi Xiu in front of them. This kind of two-face was appalling.

 Chapter 389 - Die From Diabetes

    <h4>Chapter 389: Die From Diabetes</h4>

    Chen Bingbing felt embarrassed and slowly picked up all the collector¡¯s cards on the ground. In order to show her loyalty that she had not switched allegiance, she tearfully threw them into the bin while cursing. ¡°My cousin went overboard with this! I¡¯m so angry that I¡¯ll beat her up when I get back!¡±

    Song Wenye walked over to stop her. ¡°These are my idol¡¯s pictures, so if you don¡¯t want them, give them to me.¡±

    Chen Bingbing¡¯s heart was dripping blood. Only God knew how much effort she actually spent to collect these cards. She felt exasperated to give them to Song Wenye, but she also could not bear throwing them in the trash can.

    After weighing the situation, Chen Bingbing finally gave them to Song Wenye. She felt like her heart was being torn apart and could not bear throwing her husband away as trash, so giving these pictures to Song Wenye was the better option.

    Song Wenye returned happily with the collector¡¯s cards and was ecstatic to have found that there were more than ten rare ones that she did not have.

    Shen Xi looked at the self-conceited Top ss with a mocking smile. The best way to deal with the enemy, besides pulling the enemy to their own camp, was to cause an internal rift.

    Chen Bingbing was close to a nymphomaniac and liked handsome men, simr to Song Wenye.

    However, Chen Bingbing was not as strong, loyal, and righteous as Song Wenye.

    Song Wenye felt Shen Xi looking at her. She suddenly thought of something and asked her sourly, ¡°Did you promise Chu Ying to get her a set of Qi Xiu¡¯s pictures?!¡±

    Shen Xi gave a in ¡°mm¡±.

    Song Wenye got even more jealous and questioned her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask for it!¡±

    Song Wenye was vexed and looked at her bitterly as she said one word at a time. ¡°I want it too!¡±

    Shen Xi answered indifferently without raising her head, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Song Wenye was finally satisfied and hummed Qi Xiu¡¯s song. She even cheered herself up by saying, ¡°I¡¯ll collect two sets of cards!¡±

    Shen Xi thought, ¡®I can give you ten sets if you want¡­¡¯

    Since this card collection was a hobby, Song Wenye would only have a sense of achievement after she gathered them by herself.

    Song Wenye sorted the cards she got from Chen Bingbing and muttered, ¡°Xixi, do you know how many cards there are in total?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Song Wenye pursed her lips and obviously did not believe her. She had a feeling that Shen Xi was involved in the management of Cosmos Entertainment and knew about it. Otherwise, how could Shen Xi have offered her a role in Cosmos Entertainment without even so much as an interview?

    However, nothing couldpare to the happiness of collecting these cards at the moment. As long as she finished the collection, Song Wenye would be the only one who had twoplete sets.

    Shen Xi had never been so excited to get home from school.

    As soon as the school bell rang, she picked up her backpack. Even though she looked calm on the surface, her heart had already flown home. She could not wait to get back.

    Song Wenye felt Shen Xi was acting a bit strange, so she hastily packed up her things and chased after her. ¡°Xixi! Wait for me!¡±

    Shen Xi did not wait for the bus today because she could not wait any longer, so she called a cab.

    When Song Wenye wanted to tag along, Shen Xi pushed her away and gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°Go back to your own house.¡±

    ¡°Your parents aren¡¯t home. Aren¡¯t you afraid? I¡¯ll stay with you and keep youpany!¡± Song Wenye looked at her intently and was about to squeeze into the car.

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone.¡± Shen Xi smiled and her voice was pleased.

    Song Wenye looked at Shen Xi¡¯s eyes that were overflowing with sweetness, which made her heart melt. She suddenly realized something and said, ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad?!¡±

    Shen Xi pushed Song Wenye out and mmed the car door shut.

    Song Wenye had just found out a big secret and was extremely excited. She ran after Shen Xi¡¯s cab. ¡°Don¡¯t go! Are you living with Toffeecito¡¯s dad?¡±

    ¡®It must be! Look at how sweet her smile was! Haha¡­ I¡¯m about to die from diabetes.¡±

    Shen Xi did not return to her house. When she got to the door, she stopped and took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart because she ran over. She then calmly pushed the door open.

    There was no one in the yard but a nice aroma drifted to her nose.

    Toffeecito heard Shen Xi¡¯s movement and rushed to her from the living room. The kitten followed her and rubbed against her legs as it meowed.

    When Li Yuan came out of the kitchen with two tes of food, he saw Shen Xi carrying her school bag while holding Toffeecito in her arms.

    The two cuties wereing towards him. Shen Xi¡¯s face was a little flushed and she was panting. Her hair on her forehead was slightly wet, so she clearly ran over.

    Shen Xi put down her school bag before running into the kitchen. ¡°Brother, what do I have to do?¡±

    The man¡¯s back was facing her as he held two dishes and smiled. ¡°Get the cutlery.¡±

    Shen Xi entered the kitchen for the first time and looked around. This kitchen was evidently built to his height. Everything was new because it had been remodeled and renovated recently.

    Kun Lun helped to bring out the rice cooker and nced at the kitchen out of the corner of his eye. His expression wasplicated.

    Since Li Yuan broke his legs, he became rather weird. He insisted that no one was allowed to transform anything from his daily life to be disabled-friendly.

    After his ident, Uncle Li took the initiative to refurbish the house to be essible by Li Yuan so he could move around easily when he got out of the hospital.

    That was the first time Li Yuan got angry with Uncle Li. He was furious and dismantled everything, reverting it to the way it was.

    This insistence was Li Yuan¡¯sst pride and dignity.

    However, when Li Yuan started practicing to cook for Shen Xi, he found that it was not convenient and finally allowed the kitchen to be renovated.

    After dinner, Shen Xi tried to peel apples for them, but she had horrible knife skills. The peel was either too thin or too thick. Too much of the flesh had been cut off that there was barely anything left.

    Li Yuan watched with trepidation as he was afraid that Shen Xi would identally cut her hand. He could not stand it anymore and said, ¡°Give it to me.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and was very insistent. ¡°I have to be independent.¡±

    Li Yuan looked helpless as he stared at her hands. His voice was tense and said, ¡°Be careful.¡±

    As Shen Xi spoke, the knife in her hand suddenly slipped.

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Be careful!¡±

    The knife brushed her fingertips but did not cut her. Shen Xi then looked up at him and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My hand is quite steady.¡±

    Li Yuan held his breath for a moment. He looked baffled and thought, ¡®You call this a steady hand?!¡¯

    Shen Xi finally finished peeling the apple, but it looked very bumpy and weird. She admired her own masterpiece before handing it to Li Yuan with a smile. ¡°Here, have some!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s proud face and took the apple she had peeled with great effort. He held it but did not know how to eat it.

    Shen Xi took another apple and did not peel it. She just took a huge bite and said, ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you eat the apple?¡±

    Li Yuan bit into it and tasted the sweetness in his mouth. The apple was as sweet as her smile. The corners of his lips hooked up slightly as he said in a deep and pleasant voice, ¡°It¡¯s very sweet.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled brighter like a gorgeous blooming flower. She inclined her head to look at him and said, ¡°Brother, I have to go to S City tomorrow. I¡¯m leaving early in the morning, so you don¡¯t have to make breakfast for me. You don¡¯t need to get up early either.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at her. ¡°Is it very early?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and exined, ¡°The official exam is at 9:00 am, so I have to be in S City by 8:00 am. It¡¯s a two-hour flight, which means I¡¯ll have to get up at 3:30 am.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Shen Xi was a little upset and began toin to him about how the school leaders were being stupid. They could have gone to S City today and spent the night there so they would go into the exam energized.

    The school was so inconsiderate and did not think about the students¡¯ wellbeing. How could they fly there on the same day and take the test properly?

    Li Yuan listened quietly to the girl¡¯s grumblings as he ate the apple she peeled for him and was in a great mood.

    Shen Xi was like a little hamster and ate faster than him. She soon finished her apple and got up to wash her hands, but she noticed something suddenly and sat down again with a red face.

 Chapter 390 - Quiet and Desolate

    <h4>Chapter 390: Quiet and Deste</h4>

    Shen Xi¡¯s face was red with shame. She did not know how to get up, but if she did not, she would certainly stain the sofa.

    Her period came too suddenly. When she got up, she could feel warm liquid flowing out, so her little face wrinkled as she looked at Li Yuan. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s sudden red face and she seemed to be embarrassed, but he had no idea what was wrong, so he rolled his wheelchair over.

    Shen Xi was like a frightened bunny and pointed at him as she shouted, ¡°D-Don¡¯te over!¡±

    Li Yuan was anxious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head.

    Li Yuan had no clue what to do and was so anxious that his voice changed. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s face was red as she said, ¡°I¡­ I just got my period¡­¡±

    She then took a random thing nearby to cover her face in embarrassment.

    Toffeecito was suddenly lifted as a pillow and felt dumbfounded. The kitten stared at Li Yuan in confusion and did not know what to make of this situation.

    Li Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief and felt likeughing, but he did not want her to feel worse. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Kun Lun to buy some sanitary pads. Which brand do you want? What size?¡±

    Shen Xi could only feel her face burning. Toffeecito was waving its limbs in resistance, so Shen Xi finally realized she grabbed the wrong pillow. She peeked from behind Toffeecito to reveal her big eyes. ¡°I have them at home, so I¡¯ll go by myself.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and said warmly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi jumped off the sofa and ran to the door. However, two steps in, Li Yuan pulled her by the arm. She felt so ashamed that she dared not look back.

    It was only when she felt the man¡¯s cool hand touching her ankle that she opened her eyes gently. Her heart was thumping for a moment.

    The man bent over slightly to sp her ankle and lift her foot one at a time with his long slender fingers to put on her slippers.

    Li Yuan then said pleasantly, ¡°Now you can go.¡±

    Shen Xi was relieved and thought, ¡®What¡¯s the big deal? What¡¯s there to be ashamed of? Menstruation is a natural thing¡­¡¯ She then looked at the man seriously. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll wash the sofa coverter.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi changed her clothes and came back to his house. She threw the sofa cover into the washing machine before sitting in front of the washing machine and stared at it intently.

    Li Yuan watched helplessly and dotingly as the girl sat in front of the washing machine looking as if she was on a mission. He asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have homework?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Then go to bed early. Don¡¯t you have to get up early tomorrow?¡±

    Shen Xi thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too early. I can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Then if you can¡¯t sleep, just lie down on the bed and rest. I¡¯ll watch the washing machine.¡±

    Shen Xi insisted. ¡°No.¡±

    Kun Lun stood nearby and was baffled when he saw the two people in theundry room. ¡®It¡¯s a fully automatic washing machine, so what is there to watch?!¡¯

    The sofa cover was also changed every day. They could just throw it out and need not go through so much trouble to clean it.

    Shen Xi¡¯s gaze was fixated on the washing machine. When it was done washing, she took the cover out to dry, before looking at him solemnly and said, ¡°Brother, have a good rest. I¡¯ll go back now.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and sent her to the door. He then smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take your stuff.¡±

    Shen Xi turned around and saw the man holding Toffeecito while smiling at her.

    Li Yuan gave her Toffeecito and said gently, ¡°Rest well.¡±

    Shen Xi hugged Toffeecito and nodded before she waved her hand reluctantly. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Li Yuan was still at the same ce as he watched the girl enter her house. He shouted, ¡°Lock the door!¡±

    The girl¡¯s soft and sweet voice sounded distant in his ears. ¡°Okay!¡±

    When Li Yuan returned to the courtyard and heard a sweet and soft voice calling him from the wall, he lifted his head and saw the girl poking out her small head. He looked at her helplessly and dotingly. ¡°Go to sleep!¡±

    Shen Xi was silent and only looked at him. The bright moonlight shone on her little face and her ck eyes glimmered like stars.

    Li Yuan met the girl¡¯s expectant eyes and finally remembered what he had forgotten to say. He then said in a deep voice, ¡°I wish you all the best for tomorrow¡¯s exam and hope that you have a triumphant return.¡±

    Shen Xi was finally happy and nodded contentedly. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best!¡±

    Li Yuan watched as she got down from the wall andughed out loud. His eyes and heart were tinged with joy.

    The sound of the girl¡¯s brisk footsteps soon disappeared. When he looked up again, he saw the lights on the second floor. Since the curtains were not drawn, he could see her silhouette.

    He sat in the courtyard until the lights in her room were turned off before going back inside.

    Since Shen Xi was young, she would have period cramps. Yun Jinping would usually boil some brown sugar water and fill a warm water pouch for Shen Xi, but this time, no one was home.

    Shen Xi put Toffeecito on her stomach to act as a heater.

    Toffeecito was well-behaved and obediently nestled on Shen Xi¡¯s belly. The plush warmth was even morefortable than the hot pack.

    Right before dawn, Shen Xi crawled out of her warm covers, washed her face, packed up, and went out with her school bag.

    When she got to the courtyard, she nced next door and felt a little disappointed when she saw that it was dark everywhere.

    People were strange creatures. Shen Xi felt bad for Li Yuan and did not want him to get up so early so that he could rest more.

    However, she felt a little sad and lost when there was no action from him.

    This was the coldest time of the night during spring. The wind was a little strong and it was drizzling, but Shen Xi did not bother to take an umbre and only put on her hat when she went out of the house.

    The only light was the street light near the door. At this time of the day, everyone was asleep, so it felt very quiet and deste. A sudden gust of wind blew over, which made her shiver.

    After she locked the door, she stood at the door for a while before she turned around to leave. Shen Xi was all alone, and her shadow was elongated by the street light.

    There was a ck car not far away.

    Li Yuan was sitting in the car and watched as the girl stood at the door, looking towards his house. Her lonely appearance ached his heart.

    When the girl finally left, he instructed Kun Lun. ¡°Follow her.¡±

    Li Yuan could not rest assured knowing she was leaving by herself in the middle of the night.

    Shen Xi heard the sound of a car engine behind her and frowned. ¡®Who would get up so early in the middle of the night?!¡¯

 Chapter 391 - Nosebleed

    <h4>Chapter 391: Nosebleed</h4>

    The car behind Shen Xi honked.

    Shen Xi was very respectful and moved to the side to give way to the car.

    The car still honked.

    Shen Xi frowned strangely and wanted to see what kind of car that was because she had already moved to the side of the wall, but it kept honking at her. When she looked back, she saw the car had reached her side and was slowly following her.

    The window slowly opened to reveal the man¡¯s noble face. He looked at her with warm eyes and a smile, ¡°Get in.¡±

    Shen Xi was surprised. The warmth she felt in her heart spread to her limbs and she suddenly did not feel cold anymore. ¡°Brother, why are you out so early?¡±

    Li Yuan opened the car door and looked at her. ¡°Get in.¡±

    Shen Xi happily got into the car. This was her first time sitting in his car, so she was a little excited. Her heart was racing when she suddenly felt a warmth in her palms. The man stuffed a small hand warmer to her. Shen Xi smiled brighter as she held the hand warmer and said, ¡°Thanks, Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl heartbreakingly, ¡°Why are you not dressed warmly? You didn¡¯t take an umbre either¡­ What if you get sick?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed to her hat and smiled with arched eyes. ¡°Others have umbres, but I have a hat, so I won¡¯t get sick.¡±

    Li Yuan reached out and touched her hat. It was a little wet, so he asked her to remove her jacket and put it on the passenger seat to dry. He then asked Kun Lun to turn up the heat in the car.

    Shen Xi was a little sleepy as she got up too early, so her head started bobbing around. Finally, she could not hold on anymore and tilted her head to the side as she fell asleep on Li Yuan¡¯s shoulder.

    Li Yuan lowered his eyes and felt heartbroken. He reached out and covered her with the nket and adjusted her head so that she was in afortable position, and fell asleep as well.

    When they got to the airport, Li Yuan gently shook Shen Xi. He was reluctant to wake her up because she was sleeping so soundly, but it was already time for her to go. His soothing voice was a little raspy, which was very sexy and alluring. ¡°Xixi, wake up. We¡¯re at the airport.¡±

    Shen Xi was so drowsy that when she heard his voice, she nestled her head on his chest and encircled his waist with her arms as she muttered in a daze.

    When the girl¡¯s soft body was pressed up against him, her sweet fragrance filled his nose. Li Yuan¡¯s breathing was a little heavier and his eyes turned darker. His thin lips were close to her ear as he whispered, ¡°Then we¡¯ll skip the exam, okay?¡±

    Upon hearing the word ¡°exam¡±, Shen Xi reflexively raised her head, which smacked his chin, and she winced in pain.

    In the next moment, she felt a warm liquid on the tip of her nose, so she looked up and saw blood flowing out of the man¡¯s nostrils.

    Shen Xi was dumbfounded. ¡°Brother, you have a nosebleed!¡±

    Kun Lun quickly handed over tissues, water, wet wipes, and towels.

    Shen Xi was panicking. In the end, she took two clumps of tissues to plug his nostrils. When she saw her masterpiece, she could not help butugh.

    Since Li Yuan¡¯s nose was stuffed with tissue, he had a nasal tone which made his voice sound even sexier and richer. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, you won¡¯t be able to catch your flight.¡±

    Shen Xi met the man¡¯s narrow eyes that seemed like they held the entire gxy. For a moment, she was a little breathless and her heart skipped a beat. She nervously picked up her school bag and was about to leave.

    Li Yuan grabbed the girl¡¯s arm and gently pulled her back as he looked at her helplessly, ¡°Put on your coat.¡±

    Shen Xi took the coat that he handed over and put it on.

    Li Yuan looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    Shen Xi obediently stopped moving and sat upright like a goody-two-shoes.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s cute and silly face andughed out loud. ¡°Your buttons are misaligned.¡±

    Shen Xi looked down and was embarrassed to find that she buttoned it wrongly, then watched as the man¡¯s slender fingers slowly unbuttoned her coat.

    From her angle, she could see the man¡¯s delicate side profile. His skin was a little too pale and felt like jade. His neck was long and he had a sexy Adam¡¯s apple.

    His white shirt was buttoned to the top, which made him look self-restrained and aloof, which was inexplicably sexy.

    Shen Xi blushed as the little devil in her head suddenly told her to tear his shirt open.

    ¡°Remember to call me when you arrive safely.¡± Li Yuan buttoned her coat again and spoke, oblivious to the fact that Shen Xi was having some unseemly thoughts about him at the moment. ¡°What time is your return flight? Let me know.¡±

    Only then did Shen Xi return to her senses. She calmed her mind, bit her lips, and averted her eyes from the man¡¯s cor. She then answered softly with a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°Okay.¡±

    When Li Yuan finished buttoning her coat, he wrapped a scarf around her neck gently with endless affection.

    Shen Xi dared not look at him again and averted her gaze. She was afraid that she could not control her thoughts.

    ¡°Done.¡± Li Yuan looked at the girl with satisfaction and patted her little head gently with his big hand. He asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore,¡± Shen Xi said without looking at him, then turned around and left. Her heart was a little stuffy and the tip of her nose tingled.

    Shen Xi was afraid that if she did not leave now, she would be too reluctant to leave.

    It was just an exam, and she would be back in a day, but she could not bear to leave him.

    Li Yuan watched as the girl left in a hurry. He moved over and grabbed her wrist. When she turned around, her big bright eyes were a little moist, which made him feel a little distressed. He gave her a sk and said, ¡°Take this. Don¡¯t take cold drinks.¡±

    Shen Xi heard his words and hugged the sk he gave her. Her eyes felt more swollen as she nodded. She was afraid that she would cry, so she turned her back to face him and waved her hand. ¡°Goodbye, Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan just said, ¡°All the best in your exam.¡±

    To the left of the Shen Xi, Li Yuan watched as a group of people who were talking andughing approached his girl.

    His warm and vulnerable littledy instantly became cold and aloof. Her bodynguage was saying ¡°keep out¡±. His eyes darkened and he felt a vague pain in his heart.

    Li Yuan thought, ¡®How much suffering did my little sun go through to put on such cold armor as a disguise?¡¯

    Kun Lun looked at Shen Xi through the car window and could not help but admire her.

    ¡®Little Madam¡¯s attitude change is so quick! She¡¯s only herself in front of her parents and Boss, huh?¡¯

    The Top ss who were all joining the physicspetition gathered at No. 4 High School before they went to the airport together.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye were the only two who were not from the Top ss. They did not want to see those repulsive faces, so they came to the airport directly after having spoken to the team¡¯s teacher.

    The people across the road were from the Top ss.

    ¡°F*ck! I just saw a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost!¡± One of the boys from the Top ss suddenly pointed at the roadside and his eyes burning.

    ¡°This is the only one in the world that¡¯s worth 2 billion yuan! Open your eyes!¡±

    ¡°Look at the license te! C8888. The license te isn¡¯t much cheaper than the car, right? Whose car is this?¡±

    ¡°With this level, why would theye to the airport? They probably own a private airport and private jet, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Shen Xi! I think I saw hering out from that car.¡±

 Chapter 392 - Divine Boyfriend

    <h4>Chapter 392: Divine Boyfriend</h4>

    ¡°Are you blind? How could Shen Xi get out of that car?¡±

    A group of them looked at the Rolls-Royce with zing eyes as they wondered which big shot this car belonged to. This kind of big shot could only be admired from afar and not someone their family could interact with.

    The Top ss was in disbelief that Shen Xi would alight from that car and argued about it.

    One female student said she saw Shen Xi leaving the car, but the rest did not see it and said that perhaps she was mistaken because it was dark.

    ¡°ss President, isn¡¯t Shen Xi your sister? Does she have a Rolls-Royce?¡± Someone was dumb enough to ask Su Mushi.

    Shen Xi was just a country bumpkin. Even if she was Jiang Yin¡¯s student and won the design award, she was just a designer. That money was not enough for her to buy this worldwide limited collection car that was no longer in production.

    Besides, even if she did have the money, this was not a car that anyone could just buy like that. The owner of this car must be a significant figure at the top of the pyramid.

    ¡®Shen Xi? Haha! No way!¡¯

    Su Mushi felt darkness engulfing his body. His eyes were filled with hatred and his face looked ghastly as he red at the guy. ¡°She¡¯s not my sister! My only sister is Wanwan. If anyone dares to spout nonsense in the future, don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡±

    The group was startled by his frightening re and looked at each other apprehensively. They did not dare to say anything.

    The whole school was aware that the Su family had visited the school for Shen Xi many times since the beginning of the school year. It was rumored they wanted to take her back to their family.

    Anyone could see that Shen Xi and Li Jingran resembled each other, which had everyone overthink the situation.

    If those spections and rumors were true that Shen Xi was the real daughter of the Su family, then the Su family went overboard by saying that their daughter was a mere distant rtive.

    Su Ruowan walked next to Su Mushi and tugged his arm a little. She advised in a warm voice. ¡°Brother, you shouldn¡¯t behave this way.¡±

    When Su Ruowan was on the bus earlier, she saw Shen Xi, but it was too far away and too dark, so she could not be sure whether Shen Xi came in the Rolls-Royce or the cab behind.

    When she heard them talking, she began to have doubts in her heart. ¡®That little b*tch Shen Xinded herself a big shot again?¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s all the noise? I saw Shen Xie from the cab behind. Do you think she¡¯s ever seen a Rolls-Royce?¡± Chen Bingbing snorted coldly and showed her disdain.

    The girl in the Top ss who said she saw Shen Xi arriving in the Rolls-Royce began to doubt herself. There were several cars parked there. When she saw Shen Xi, she was already walking towards the airport and was some distance away from the car. She did not actually see which car Shen Xi exited from.

    Chen Bingbing looked at her and questioned, ¡°Your eyesight is so poor, do you think you can see better than me?¡±

    The girl felt that she was mistaken too. It was dark and there were a few cars, so how could Shen Xie down from the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost? She lowered her eyes and admitted her mistake. ¡°Sister Bingbing, I was wrong.¡±

    When the Top ss heard this, everyone sighed in relief. They were scared to death earlier hearing that Shen Xi arrived in the Rolls-Royce.

    Anyone who could get this Rolls-Royce was surely someone they could not afford to offend. They had more or less offended Shen Xi, so if Shen Xi had a rtionship with that big shot, she would certainly not let them go.

    ¡°I heard from my cousin that the Rolls-Royce belongs to the Li family but he¡¯s not very sure either. He just heard it from someone else,¡± a girl said meekly.

    The rest of the Top ss looked at her with different expressions and froze in ce. They were silent and only felt a chill down their spine.

    The Head of the Li family?

    No wonder he could afford to buy that car.

    In the whole of China, only he could afford this car and dare to drive it around.

    Generally, people who buy these luxury cars would ce them in the garage as a collection. Not many would drive it every day because they would be a live target. Those who dared to drive this car so tantly were certainly ruthless.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face sank. Jealousy and indignation surged in her heart and overwhelmed her, making it hard to breathe.

    ¡®Impossible! How could that little b*tch Shen Xi possibly know the Head of the Li family?¡¯

    The Head of the Li family was on another level of high society. Every major family in China was afraid and wary of this name that could shake China¡¯s business and political circles. He was standing at the top of China¡¯s gentry pyramid.

    Chen Bingbing looked at them and sneered disdainfully. ¡°If Shen Xi knew the Head of the Li family, I would¡¯ve been able to go to the moon.¡±

    ¡®Who the hell is Shen Xi? How is she worthy?!¡¯

    When the Top ss heard this, they were reassured and began to mock Shen Xi collectively.

    It was indeed impossible. They were just scaring themselves. If Shen Xi knew the Head of the Li family and he even sent her to the airport in his personal car, that meant they were in an intimate rtionship. Knowing Shen Xi, she would have already bragged about that in school.

    On the other side.

    Shen Xi had entered the departure hall.

    Song Wenye was waiting for her at the entrance. She came a little earlier, so she saw everything and was looking at Shen Xi with a probing gaze. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad sent you to the airport, so why didn¡¯t he carry your bag?¡±

    She wanted to rush over to say hello and see his handsome face up close, but she knew that she should not touch her friend¡¯s man, so she forced herself to hold back.

    Shen Xi¡¯s cold eyes softened a little. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for him.¡±

    Song Wenye pursed her lips and grabbed her school bag. ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll dly take it for you!¡±

    ¡®OMG, what kind of divine love is this?!¡¯

    Toffeecito¡¯s dad did note down from the car probably because he was afraid of being seen by Shen Xi¡¯s ssmates and teacher, which would give Shen Xi a bad name. After all, Shen Xi was not an adult, so he was being thoughtful.

    Even so, he got up so early just to send Shen Xi to the airport, which made her a little envious.

    Song Wenye forcefully took Shen Xi¡¯s school bag and even wanted to take her sk that looked quite big because she did not want her to feel tired.

    However, Shen Xi held it in her arms like a baby and refused to give it to her.

    Song Wenye instantly understood and leaned in close to her with an ambiguous smile on her face. She dragged her sentence. ¡°Oooh¡­ I know¡­Toffeecito¡¯s dad must¡¯ve given you this!¡±

    The sk was beautiful. It was white with a pink-color knitted cover that had Toffeecito¡¯s face on it. It was adorable that her heart melted.

    Shen Xi was quiet but her eyes were tinged with a sweet smile.

    Song Wenye stared at the sk and said enviously, ¡°Tsk tsk¡­Toffeeciro¡¯s dad is so good at knitting! How can he excel at everything? He knitted this bottle holder, right?¡±

    ¡®OMG! What kind of divine boyfriend is this?! I¡¯m so jealous!¡¯

    The Top ss caught up to them.

    Su Ruowan wanted to confirm what she saw, so she walked faster and caught up with Shen Xi. She looked at Shen Xi worriedly and asked in a warm voice, ¡°Sister, how did you get here?¡±

 Chapter 393 - Mad Jealousy

    <h4>Chapter 393: Mad Jealousy</h4>

    Shen Xi nced at Su Ruowan, seemingly reading her mind. She said softly andzily, ¡°By car, of course.¡±

    Song Wenye got excited and bragged, ¡°See that Rolls-Royce parked at the entrance? That¡¯s the car Xixi came in. She¡¯ll be in it when she gets back, so you guys can take a good lookter.¡±

    ¡®If you wanna know, I¡¯ll tell you! This little b*tch Su Ruowan will get so jealous¡­¡¯ Song Wenye thought.

    Su Ruowan was a little embarrassed, then looked at Shen Xi enviously as she asked, ¡°Really? Did you buy that car, Sister? Or did someone you know send you here?¡±

    ¡®Is it possible? That b*tch Song Wenye is just lying, right? How could Shen Xi know that man from the Li family?¡¯

    Shen Xi did not answer and looked at her with a mocking smile. She turned around and walked away, then dragged Song Wenye who wanted to continue babbling. All Su Ruowan could see was Shen Xi¡¯s cold departing back.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s gaze turned gloomy and she became apprehensive again. She felt like she was scratched by a cat.

    ¡®This damned b*tch! She¡¯s deliberately using such ambiguous speech to fool me and infuriate me. I absolutely won¡¯t fall for it!¡¯

    If Shen Xi had a rtionship with the Head of the Li family, who even drove her to the airport in the middle of the night, Shen Xi would have bragged about it.

    With Shen Xi¡¯s vengeful character, she would have alsoined to the Head of the Li family after suffering so much in the Su family.

    That man was ruthless to his rtives, so if he cared so much about Shen Xi, the Su family would have already been crushed.

    To him, crushing the Su family was as simple as squashing an ant.

    After thinking about it, Su Ruowan no longer dwelled on this. She was just relieved that Shen Xi and the Head of the Li family did not have a rtionship.

    The Head of the Li family was extremely mysterious and the most fearful man in China. Su Ruowan wanted to see if there was a way she could meet the man who was above the rest.

    ¡®I wonder what method I can use to meet the Head of the Li family?¡¯

    Su Ruowan was pondering when she noticed the girl who mentioned the Rolls-Royce belonged to the Li family. Su Ruowan pretended to ask inadvertently, ¡°How does your cousin know the car belongs to the Li family? Does he know anyone from the Li family?¡±

    The girl shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Let me ask my cousin.¡±

    Most people were asleep at this hour, so even if she wanted to ask, she would have to wait until morning.

    The rest of the Top ss were also interested and asked the same thing. After all, this Head of the Li family was enigmatic. Until now, no one knew how old he was and what he looked like.

    Even so, he became the ideal marriage partner in the hearts of countless gentry in the Capital. As long as they were connected to the Li family, they would be able to do whatever they wanted in China.

    Su Mushi looked at Su Ruowan. A wave of inexplicable anger was pent up in his chest. When he got to the ne and took his seat, he asked, ¡°Wanwan, why are you asking about the Head of the Li family?¡±

    Su Ruowan smiled. ¡°He¡¯s so mysterious, so of course I¡¯d like to see what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°What does it have to do with you what he looks like?¡± Su Mushi snorted coldly. His tone became gloomy.

    ¡®What does she want to do with him? Is she interested in the Head of the Li family?!¡¯ This perception exasperated Su Mushi. He could not ept Su Ruowan caring so much about other men.

    ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t get mad,¡± Su Ruowan looked at Su Mushi with a gentle smile and held his arm intimately to please him. ¡°I won¡¯t ask about it in the future, okay? You can¡¯t tell Han about this! It was nothing serious.¡±

    Su Mushi looked at the girl smiling brightly at him and felt his body stiffen for a while. His eyes darkened as he tried to suppress his affection for Su Ruowan. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know.¡±

    ¡®Right. There¡¯s still the Gu family¡­ Wanwan is Gu Xiaohan¡¯s fianc¨¦e, the future daughter-inw of the Gu family.¡¯

    However, as soon as Su Mushi thought about her marrying into the Gu family in the future and that her beauty, kindness, purity, and all of her would belong to another man, he grew insanely jealous.

    No. 4 High School was loaded, so they chartered a whole flight for the students to go to S City for the exams.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye were sitting next to each other.

    Song Wenye was talking to Shen Xi about Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu had always been spot on about someone¡¯s character. He had gotten rid of Xu Wei¡¯s lover, Lu Zhao.

    Lu Zhao was a vile man with no capability. He could only sweet-talk women, but he was so ugly.

    Not only did he have Xu Wei as a lover, but he also had several other mistresses, all of whom were married women from the Capital¡¯s prestigious families. They would give Lu Zhao money to spend. Lu Zhao then used this money to eat, drink, gamble, and squander.

    Lu Zhao had taken obscene videos of these women privately to threaten them, which Pei Xu then sent to the women¡¯s respective husbands anonymously.

    The few men who were cheated on were from powerful families. They were mad that their wives cheated on them with such a poor, ugly, and incapable piece of trash. Since it was too humiliating to be publicized, they could only get someone to destroy Lu Zhao discreetly.

    No one knew for sure who ordered Lu Zhao to be killed. Last night, a passerby found Lu Zhao in a dark alley, mangled and was hanging by a thin thread. His sexual organs werepletely obliterated. If it was not for the passerby calling an ambnce in the nick of time, Lu Zhao would have already gone with the Grim Reaper.

    Although Lu Zhao did not die, his livelihood waspletely ruined. Not to mention seducing women, it would be a problem for him to live his daily life.

    At first, Xu Wei¡¯s matter went on smoothly. The Ning family saw Xu Wei and Lu Zhao¡¯s sex tape and they kicked her out of the Ning family because they were infuriated.

    Pei Xu thought it would be easy to solve this problem. After all, they had the evidence, so Xu Wei could not deny anything and the Ning family would not let her get away with this.

    The next day, however, Xu Wei said something to the Ning family and was epted back into their family.

    When Pei Xu visited them, Ning Sinian¡¯s parents met him and asked him not to make a big deal out of it for the sake of the Ning family. This was what Pei Xu owed to Ning Sinian, so he should not spread this scandal around. It was a warning and a threat to Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu felt guilty and was the most affected by Ning Sinian¡¯s ident. He was remorseful and felt he owed Ning Sinian his life. Since the Ning family said so, Pei Xu would not go against Xu Wei.

    ¡°Alpha Xu is so worried,¡± Song Wenye sighed and looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, do you think that the Ning family is crazy? They saw the video but they¡¯re still protecting that b*tch Xu Wei?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled coldly. ¡°I guess the child in Xu Wei¡¯s womb truly belongs to the Ning family.¡±

    It was all God¡¯s will.

    Xu Wei probably never thought that her child was not her lover¡¯s, but Ning Sinian¡¯s.

 Chapter 394 - Lies

    <h4>Chapter 394: Lies</h4>

    The Ning family had lost their beloved son. Ning Sinian was the only child of the Ning family, so the child in Xu Wei¡¯s womb was their only hope.

    Thus, even if the Ning family knew that Xu Wei had betrayed Ning Sinian, they still wanted to protect the child in her womb.

    ¡°Alpha Xu said the same thing,¡± Song Wenye was vexed, but she could notprehend. ¡°How could there be such a coincidence? You know Pei Xu¡¯s temper. Since the Ning family said so, he would certainly not do anything to Xu Wei.¡±

    Shen Xi paused for a moment and said, ¡°The child is innocent.¡±

    Song Wenye sighed. With the Ning family protecting Xu Wei, Pei Xu could not touch her and thus they could not get their revenge.

    Shen Xi was feeling sleepy so she told Song Wenye not to think too much as bad people would somehow get their retribution. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

    Song Wenye was livid that God was unfair. Xu Wei was an unconscionable murderer, yet she did not suffer any retribution and relied on her child to get into the good graces of the Ning family. After talking for a while, Song Wenye was thirsty and asked, ¡°Xixi, can you give me a sip of water?¡±

    Shen Xi was half-asleep and let out a faint ¡°mm¡±.

    Song Wenye looked at the thermos and felt touched. ¡®Xixi still loves me¡­ She¡¯s willing to share the sk that Toffeecito¡¯s dad gave her.¡¯ Song Wenye opened the lid and sipped. Her face wrinkled up and she almost spat it out. She swallowed it with difficulty. ¡°Damn! Ginger water?!¡±

    She hated the taste of ginger but she could not spit it since she had taken a sip. Otherwise, Shen Xi would kill her for wasting Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡¯s effort. However, she felt so ufortable that she wanted to die.

    Shen Xi heard Song Wenye but did not open her eyes. She smiled warmly and her voice was tinged with happiness. ¡°Give it back if you don¡¯t wanna drink it.¡±

    Song Wenye put the lid back on and stuffed the thermos back into Shen Xi¡¯s arms with disgust. She asked, ¡°Do you have a cold?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice was low as she said, ¡°I got my period.¡±

    Although Song Wenye was disgusted with ginger water, she still envied Shen Xi. ¡°OMG! Toffeecito¡¯s dad is so attentive!¡±

    He was indeed the perfect boyfriend.

    Shen Xi hugged the sk and said, ¡°Yeah, you should sleep for a while so you¡¯ll be energized for the examter.¡±

    Song Wenye could not sleep because she was bothered by Xu Wei¡¯s matter.

    Their ne arrived in S City on time, and the examination went well. At noon, the school arranged for them to have lunch before flying back to the Capital.

    When they arrived, Song Wenye looked at Shen Xi and said, ¡°I have something to doter, so I won¡¯t join you. Is Toffeecito¡¯s dad fetching you from the airport?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Where are you goingter?¡±

    Song Wenye was not sure if she should feel happy or sad about this. ¡°Thepany asked me to go over to meet a few other girls who will be performing in ¡®National Idol¡¯ with me.¡±

    ¡°National Idol¡± was a talent show that was set to start recording on April 12th, which was less than two weeks away.

    Shen Xi was aware that ¡°National Idol¡± was about to start shooting, but she had never interfered with thepany¡¯s arrangements for Song Wenye.

    Shen Xi spent plenty of effort to select contestants for the ¡°National Idol¡±. Song Wenye was her trump card because that was where she could make her debut.

    They found four other girls.

    Two of the girls were poached from Country H where they were poor trainees exploited by theirpanies. However, these girls would soon be the main dancer and the lead singer in a big female idol group.

    The remaining two were also set to be the future popr singers in China¡¯s entertainment industry. Any one of them was a natural superstar and could beat Su Ruowan without trying.

    To be honest, Shen Xi felt pressured by having many excellent talents in the same season. After all, Shen Xi was the mysterious mentor of this program, so she had a lot of say in it.

    The Top ss was walking behind Shen Xi and could vaguely hear their conversation.

    When Su Ruowan heard the two of them talking about ¡°National Idol¡±, she sneered.

    She did not see Shen Xi¡¯s name in the application form for ¡°National Idol¡±, but Song Wenye joined.

    Song Wenye was only a clown who knew how to fight, so even if she joined ¡°National Idol¡±, she would not gain fame and be eliminated in the first round.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s father invested in this talent show to promote her debut on the show but thepany would decide on the final debut candidate.

    ¡®Not to mention this trash Song Wenye, even if Shen Xi participated, she would be second to me!¡¯ Su Ruowan thought.

    Shen Xi was aware of this, yet she still allowed her friend Song Wenye to waste her time and effort in participating in this talent show. Su Ruowan thought friendship might not have been so great after all.

    Su Ruowan wanted to advise Song Wenye if they were alone one day. She would tell her not to be such a fool and so sincere to others just to be betrayed.

    There were a lot of cars parked outside the arrival hall.

    The students of No. 4 High School would return to school for their afternoon sses, but Shen Xi and Song Wenye took a leave of absence for the rest of the day.

    The Top ss heard the conversation between Shen Xi and Su Ruowan in the morning and Song Wenye also mentioned that Shen Xi came in a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.

    The group had their eyes wide open as they searched for the Rolls-Royce, but they could not find it.

    Song Wenye looked around and pulled Shen Xi over. She lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡¯s car? He¡¯s noting to pick you up?¡±

    Shen Xi looked across to a ck Maybach. Li Yuan rarely drove his Rolls-Royce and would frequently drive a low-profile car.

    Song Wenye felt a little disappointed, but upon second thought, driving that Rolls-Royce would be an easy target for his enemies to assassinate him. She sensibly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi to the office, so I won¡¯t disturb you two!¡±

    Song Wenye then quickly left by herself. She knew she was a sucker for good-looking people, so she did not want to greet Toffeecito¡¯s dad for fear that she would get enchanted.

    The group from the Top ss was still searching for the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. When they saw Shen Xi getting into a ck Maybach, they nced at each other andughed mockingly.

    What a joke!

    Song Wenye and Shen Xi¡¯s lies were a little overstretched. The difference in the price of a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and a Maybach was dozens of Ferraris!

 Chapter 395 - Countdown in Life

    <h4>Chapter 395: Countdown in Life</h4>

    If someone like Shen Xi could be acquainted with the Head of the Li family and ride in his car, the sun would rise from the west.

    Shen Xi getting into this Maybach was good enough for her.

    Su Ruowan watched Shen Xi get into the Maybach and sighed in relief. She could now confirm that Shen Xi had no ties with the Head of the Li family.

    There were rumors about the Head of the Li family amongst the high society in the Capital that he only used the best and most expensive things. Thus, he probably would not buy a mere million-dor car.

    ¡®Shen Xi that little b*tch had such an ambiguous tone this morning and piqued my interest all day¡­ How would the Head of the Li family be interested in that sly b*tch?¡¯

    There were a lot of cars and people passing by, and the light in the car was dim, so Su Ruowan could not see who was sitting in the Maybach.

    Su Mushi swept a nce and was shocked when he caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s frightening gaze in the car. That man had such a powerful and murderous vibe that even from a distance, Su Mushi still broke out in cold sweat.

    At that moment, the man in the car took over the girl¡¯s coat and handed her a cup of milk tea. His voice was gentle and joyous, ¡°How¡¯s the exam?¡±

    Shen Xi took a big sip of the milk tea that was her favorite vor. It was delicious. She looked at him and smiled confidently, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll get first prize!¡±

    Otherwise, she would fail to live up to his hopes.

    Li Yuan smiled and weighed the thermos. ¡°You finished it?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded, then frowned and said bitterly, ¡°Brother, can you put more sugar next time? It¡¯s too spicy.¡±

    He must have woken up early and prepared it himself, so for sure she had to drink it all without leaving a single drop behind. The ginger water did its job because she did not have cramps all day long.

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi was happy and was not at all self-restrained. Shepletely let loose in front of him. She took off her shoes and found the mostfortable position to curl up in the car seat.

    Li Yuan unboxed the small cakes and desserts he bought and put them on the tray in front of her. He watched as the girl ate delightfully and smiled dotingly as he said in a warm voice, ¡°Eat slowly, they¡¯re all yours.¡±

    ¡®Did she not eat lunch? Why does she look so hungry?¡¯

    The temperature in the car was just right. After Shen Xi ate and drank her fair share, she felt sleepy, but she could not sleep yet because she had to go to see Ning Sinian with Pei Xu.

    Half an hourter.

    The car stopped at the appointed ce.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl. ¡°When are youing home?¡±

    When Shen Xi heard this, her heart melted into a puddle. She smiled at him. ¡°Probably in the evening. I¡¯ll try to settle this early. I¡¯ll call if I¡¯mte, so you can eat dinner first.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Shen Xi waved at him, turned around, and walked away.

    The car stopped there for a long time. Through the car window, Li Yuan saw the handsome teenager who came to meet Shen Xi and felt a fire raging in his eyes.

    Kun Lun, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, looked at the man in the backseat through the rearview mirror and could feel the stern murderous vibe. The air instantly became cold and oppressive.

    The man¡¯s eyes had a repressed, maddening threat with a strong possessive desire that was terrifying.

    When Shen Xi turned around, the car had already disappeared. She covered up the loss in her eyes and looked at Pei Xu. ¡°Let¡¯s change into our costumes.¡±

    Pei Xu nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    He thought the disguise would probably involve some makeup or a different style of clothing, like wearing a pair of sunsses or a mask to cover up his face.

    Pei Xu never would have imagined that Shen Xi meant cross-dressing.

    When he came out wearing a girl¡¯s outfit, Pei Xu looked at her with an ashen face and felt helpless. ¡°Do I really have to dress like this?¡±

    Shen Xiughed and pointed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t speak!¡±

    ¡®Gosh! Pei Xu in women¡¯s clothing is beautiful! He¡¯s like an ice queen. If he¡¯s just a little shorter, he wouldn¡¯t have looked so manly and could pass as a high fashion model!¡¯

    Pei Xu thought Shen Xi was making fun of him, but upon seeing her serious face, it did not seem like it. ¡°Do I have to¡­¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Do you still want to see Ning Sinian? If you don¡¯t dress like this, what will happen if the Ning family discovers you?¡±

    She initially thought of just applying some makeup for him, but just in case, it was safest to dress up as a woman. With her skills, the Ning family would never find out that it was Pei Xu.

    Shen Xi dressed herself up as a guy with a mature temperament. She had a reserved and noble aura that was consistent with her doctor¡¯s identity.

    She looked for Situ Zhangyou and came to the hospital to check on Ning Sinian as a Chinese medicinal sage. She would do a checkup on the patient, but more importantly, she wanted to bring Pei Xu to see Ning Sinian.

    The Ning family was unreasonable and kept ming Pei Xu for Ning Sinian¡¯s ident. They hated his guts and wanted to tear him apart, eat his flesh, and drink his blood.

    Pei Xu wanted to see Ning Sinian, but the Ning family would never agree, so they thought of other ways. Otherwise, Pei Xu would never get the opportunity to see Ning Sinian again.

    Thus, Pei Xu epted cross-dressing. As long as he got to see Brother Nian, nothing else mattered.

    The Ning family was already waiting in the hospital. They arrived early and even got the family butler to wait for this miracle doctor at the hospital entrance.

    The Situ family was the top medical family in China. If their young master introduced this doctor, they would be excellent. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, the Ning family was willing to try anything.

    The butler entered the ward on time with Dr. Shen and his assistant.

    Ning Sinian¡¯s parents looked at the young man that was only about twenty years old. He was handsome with such a cool and extraordinary temperament, so much so that they ignored his age.

    Ning Sinian¡¯s father was amazed by the young man¡¯s aura and secretly thought that this young man was surely a hero. He looked at the man respectfully and took a step back. ¡°Dr. Shen, pleasee inside.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded slightly at him and walked in.

    Pei Xu followed closely behind and rxed slightly when he was not recognized.

    Aunt Ning sized him up for a long while. At that moment, he had a sudden admiration for Shen Xi¡¯s foresight as he had no doubt that he would have been exposed if he had not cross-dressed.

    He was close with the Nian family and Aunt Ning used to treat him like her son. She used to joke that she could recognize them both by looking at the back of their heads.

    A patient was lying quietly on the hospital bed.

    In the past two years, this was the first time Pei Xu came to see Ning Sinian. Pei Xu saw the lifeless man who was lying on the bed with an oxygen mask. He felt suffocated from his remorse.

    Uncle Ning was talking to Shen Xi about Ning Sinian¡¯s recent situation. There was a deep agony in his eyes and his voice was bitter and hoarse. ¡°The doctor said Nian can¡¯t hold on much longer, at most a few more days¡­¡±

    Aunt Ning, who was standing by his side in tears, suddenly looked at Shen Xi and desperately beseeched, ¡°Dr. Shen, you can save him, right? I¡¯m begging you, please! Please save my Nian¡­ We¡¯ll give you whatever you want! I¡¯m begging you¡­¡±

    She then got on her knees in front of Shen Xi before Shen Xi could react.

    Pei Xu wanted to help her and instinctively call her ¡°Auntie¡±, but realizing his current identity, he withdrew his hands.

    ¡°I will try my best,¡± Shen Xi said as she helped her up.

    She came over to see Ning Sinian for Pei Xu, not because of them.

    However, she finally understood why they were magnanimous towards Xu Wei and even allowed their son to endure such humiliation. They epted and protected Xu Wei only because the doctor had notified them of their son¡¯s condition.

    In other words, Ning Sinian¡¯s life was counting down, and his poor parents¡¯st hope was the child in Xu Wei¡¯s womb.

    Uncle Ning pulled his wife and told her not to bother the doctor.

    Shen Xi examined Ning Sinian carefully. She felt something was amiss because generally speaking, two years of being in a vegetative state would not wither down a person this much as long as they received proper nutrition.

    She bent down slightly to feel Ning Sinian¡¯s pulse. After a while, her pupils suddenly constricted.

 Chapter 396 - Poisoned

    <h4>Chapter 396: Poisoned</h4>

    Pei Xu had been paying attention to Shen Xi¡¯s movements. Since she came in, her face was cold with no other expression, but there was a slight change at that moment, which panicked him.

    When Shen Xi first told him that she had medical knowledge, Pei Xu did not have the slightest doubt. That racing identst time had him inplete admiration of Shen Xi, so even if she told him that she was a goddess, he would believe her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s gaze changed slightly.

    Ning Sinian was not a normal patient in aa. He was poisoned. It was caused by a neurotoxin that invaded his brain and numbed his senses so he would seem to be in a vegetative state.

    Perhaps in the first few months of Ning Sinian¡¯s ident, he was indeed in a deepa, but this toxin was the culprit that made him into the current state.

    Ning Sinian¡¯s parents, who had been watching Shen Xi, did not dare to blink and noticed that her expression had changed. They were nervous and terrified, and their hearts surged with thest bit of hope.

    In the past, any doctor who came to see their son did not carry any expression. Besidesforting them, they would shake their heads and say there was nothing they could do.

    However, this time, the young man¡¯s cold face suddenly turned serious.

    Aunt Ning was a bit agitated and wanted to ask the doctor.

    Uncle Ning pulled her hand and shook his head, telling her not to disturb the doctor¡¯s examination. He tried to suppress the excitement in his heart and dared not hope for much.

    That was because the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

    After Shen Xi took Ning Sinian¡¯s pulse and checked his heartbeat, his mouth, and nose, she finally came to a conclusion and turned to the Ning couple. The two gray-haired with despair in their eyes looked at her eagerly. Shen Xi said, ¡°Bring me the medication that he usually takes.¡±

    This neurotoxin was not a one-time injection, nor was it umted in a span of a few days. This was the result of months and years of umtion, pushing Ning Sinian little by little to his death.

    The amount of toxin had to be controlled delicately. If it was too much, it would be detected easily. If it was too little, then it would not achieve the best effect. Someone who could inject this into Ning Sinian continuously was certainly someone by his side.

    Nurses, doctors, and his family members were all possible suspects.

    Uncle Ning was prepared for this. When he heard Shen Xi, he quickly brought her all the medication so she could look through them. He dared not speak nor breathe too loudly for fear that he would disturb the doctor¡¯s judgment.

    He and his wife had full confidence in this doctor that was rmended by Situ Zhangyou and Old Master Situ whom they¡¯ve praised and was certain of his capability.

    Shen Xi could tell from the Ning couple¡¯s attitude and expression that they would not do such a thing to their son. Not everyone¡¯s parents were simr to the Su family¡¯s pair of oddballs who would abuse their own daughter.

    When Shen Xi thought of the Su family, she could not help but sneer in her heart. Her expression looked even more heartless to the onlookers.

    Shen Xi carefully checked the medication. They were normal and necessary to maintain the nutrition of a person in a vegetative state. There was nothing she expected.

    Uncle Ning noticed Shen Xi was silent and finally could not help but ask cautiously, ¡°Dr. Shen, can he still be saved?¡±

    The doctors at the hospital wanted them to prepare for their son¡¯s funeral, but they still wanted their son to live even if there was only a glimmer of hope.

    Even if their son lived brain dead, as long as he was still alive and breathing, that was the greatest sce for them.

    ¡°Mr. Ning, Young Master Ning¡¯s situation is quiteplex. I¡¯ll have to go back and look through the medical books again.¡± Shen Xi did not want to tell them about Ning Sinian¡¯s poisoning yet.

    The expectation in Uncle Ning¡¯s eyes dissipated. He then let out a deep breath. His eyes were red and he settled his emotions as he looked at the doctor with a slight smile. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Shen.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him, nodded slightly, and said politely, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±

    This was her duty as a doctor. Uncle Ning struggled to ept the reality of his son¡¯s impending death and struggled to stay strong.

    When Aunt Ning heard those words, herst glimmer of hope was shattered. She did not hold back and broke down in tears. She flung herself onto Ning Sinian and cried out in pain.

    Pei Xu knew Shen Xi must have found something, but she must have her reasons for not saying anything.

    Shen Xi directed her gaze to the door and looked at Pei Xu. Someone was at the door. If he guessed correctly that the person was Xu Wei, then it meant Shen Xi did not want to alert the enemy.

    Pei Xu was shocked because he did not notice anything. He had been too distracted, but even if he was not, his senses were not as sharp as Shen Xi¡¯s.

    Shen Xi walked towards the door after talking to the Ning couple. Her footsteps were light and swift, so when she opened the door, the door hit the person standing outside. It was Xu Wei.

    Shen Xi¡¯s reflexes were quick and she sped Xu Wei¡¯s wrist. She helped Xu Wei regain her bnce and saw her pale and haggard face which had not the slightest arrogance as seen during the race.

    Xu Wei was eavesdropping at the door. When she heard the Situ family introduced a miracle doctor to the Ning family, she was afraid the doctor would notice something.

    When the door was suddenly pushed open, Xu Wei was caught off guard because she was too absorbed in listening for fear of missing anything important.

    Uncle Ning was grieving. When he saw that Shen Xi was leaving, he suppressed the pain he felt and went to see her off. Upon seeing Xu Wei, his face was glum. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay at home and not go anywhere?¡±

    He only wanted the child in her womb. Xu Wei was clear about it too.

    Once the child was born, he would not allow this woman to stay by his son¡¯s side. The Ning family would not ept such a daughter-inw.

    Xu Wei looked at him with red eyes and a hoarse voice. ¡°Dad, I came to see Nian.¡±

    Uncle Ning could not get mad at her in front of outsiders, so he could only nod.

    Xu Wei hung her head low and entered the ward with feeble steps. She did not care about Shen Xi and the others anymore.

    She thought, ¡®How can anyone save Ning Sinian? I¡¯ve given him the poison for two whole years, so even God won¡¯t be able to save him.¡¯

    Aunt Ning was crying so hard that it was gut-wrenching. She did not even notice Xu Wei entering and only looked at her son while stroking his face and talking to him between sobs.

    Pei Xu could not bear to look or listen any longer as he was afraid of being discovered by Xu Wei, so he kept his head lowered.

    Uncle Ning insisted on sending them to the hospital entrance. When they were at a secluded ce, he asked Shen Xi, ¡°Dr. Shen, my wife is miserable. You can tell me what you wanted to say. I can bear it.¡±

    In the past two years, Uncle Ning had experienced everything, so what else could he not bear?

 Chapter 397 - Not Pregnant

    <h4>Chapter 397: Not Pregnant</h4>

    ¡°Mr. Ning, I¡¯ll do my best for Young Master Ning.¡± That was all Shen Xi could say at the moment as she could not make any promises to save his son.

    For the time being, Shen Xi theorized that the neurotoxin had attacked his nervous system, but it was not clear to what extent the damage was. Further blood analysis would be needed.

    ¡°Dr. Shen, are you saying that Nian¡­ Could Nian be saved?¡± Uncle Ning trembled, but he did not put too much hope and only asked in desperation.

    ¡°Can we step aside to talk?¡± Shen Xi asked Uncle Ning. Pei Xu had informed her that Uncle Ning could be trusted when they left the ward earlier.

    Uncle Ning tried to suppress his excitement and tion. Perhaps his son could be saved and there was still hope. He followed Shen Xi into the car.

    Only then did Shen Xi look at him seriously and said, ¡°This is my preliminary diagnosis. Young Master Ning¡¯s state is not entirely because of the car ident, but because he was poisoned with neurotoxins, which worsened his condition.¡±

    Generally, with proper care and medical resources which the Ning family could afford, it would not be a problem for someone in a vegetative state to live for a decade or at least eight years.

    Uncle Ning froze for a moment. His lips were quivering. ¡°You mean¡­ Nian was poisoned?¡±

    Shen Xi told him her deductions. In the face of the patient¡¯s family member, she was honest about the patient¡¯s real situation.

    After listening to her, Uncle Ning and Pei Xu gasped and tacitly thought of Xu Wei.

    Pei Xu felt the urge to kill Xu Wei to avenge Ning Sinian¡¯s death.

    Uncle Ning calmed down upon hearing this. He would find out who did this to his son, but the most pressing matter was to save his son¡¯s life, so he looked at Shen Xi and said, ¡°Dr. Shen, no matter how much money you need to spend for whatever you need, just tell me. As long as you can save Nian, my family will be forever indebted to you and will help you as best as we can with anything in the future.¡±

    He knew that this miracle doctor must be from some hidden prestigious family. This young doctor only practiced medicine as a passion, not for money or profit. Uncle Ning understood he did not have much to offer, so he could only promise this much.

    Shen Xi was shocked for a moment after hearing what he said. This was a bigmitment, equivalent to the Ning family willingly promising to be her ve in the future. Uncle Ning must really love his son to say this. ¡°Mr. Ning, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    Since Uncle Ning had made such a huge promise, Shen Xi must also reply sincerely. Even if Uncle Ning did not promise her anything, she would do her best too.

    She came over to treat Ning Sinian not because of the Ning family, but because Pei Xu had taken the initiative to ask her for help.

    ¡°Dr. Shen, what do I have to do next?¡± Uncle Ning asked her.

    This was the first time he had seen such a mature young man with such excellent medical skills at this age. This doctor would be a great asset in the future.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rm the enemy.¡± Shen Xi looked at him. ¡°Send trusted people to watch over Young Master Ning and don¡¯t let anyone suspicious approach him. I have to fly to Country M now. If there are no hups, I¡¯ll be back in two days.¡±

    Shen Xi had already taken a blood sample and was going to fly to the Fu family¡¯s medicalboratory to personally analyze the structuralposition of the toxin.

    Uncle Ning nodded solemnly and said he would personally keep watch over his son and would not let anyone get close to him.

    ¡°Pei Xu, you should apany Mr. Ning.¡± Shen Xi suddenly looked at the quiet beautiful assistant sitting next to her.

    Pei Xu did not expect her to address him suddenly, and he never wanted to appear in this manner, but he might as well.

    He had been frank and open all his life and had never had to hide like this before. Cross-dressing just made him feel suffocated.

    When Uncle Ning heard her, he froze for a moment and looked at Pei Xu, who had taken off his wig.

    Uncle Ning was speechless for a while. It was unfair to Pei Xu if he said he hated Pei Xu, but he still pushed all the me on Pei Xu because he had nowhere to vent his anger.

    ¡°Uncle¡­¡± Pei Xu greeted him.

    Uncle Ning¡¯s eyes were red as hatred spilled from his eyes.

    Shen Xi told him the truth. ¡°Mr. Ning, to be honest, it was not the Situ family that found me. It was him. He was the one who begged me to see Young Master Ning, but he was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t believe me if I came over directly, so he borrowed the Situ family¡¯s name.¡±

    Pei Xu was concerned about the Ning family. He was a sentimental person, so Shen Xi wanted to give him a push to sort things out between them as soon as possible.

    Shen Xi could tell that the Ning couple were reasonable people, especially Uncle Ning. Through their short interaction, he seemed to be a gentle and gracious man.

    Uncle Ning¡¯s hatred for Pei Xu was not umted in a day or two. From time to time, he probably heard Xu Wei bad-mouthing Pei Xu to the point he no longer wanted to see Pei Xu.

    When Uncle Ning heard Shen Xi say this, his reasoning finally overshadowed his hatred, but he only nced at Pei Xu coldly and did not say anything.

    Shen Xi then said, ¡°Mr. Ning, I think you¡¯d better investigate your daughter-inw¡¯s pregnancy.¡±

    The moment Shen Xi bumped into Xu Wei earlier, she took her pulse covertly, and it was not the pulse of someone pregnant.

    Shen Xi was unsure if Xu Wei was pregnant and had a miscarriage or if Xu Wei had never been pregnant from the beginning.

    Uncle Ning looked at Shen Xi incredulously. ¡°She¡¯s not pregnant?¡±

    The past few days were too chaotic. First, they received Xu Wei¡¯s sex tape from Pei Xu, then a notice from the doctor about their son, followed by Xu Wei saying that she was pregnant.

    Aunt Ning even apanied Xu Wei for a DNA test to make sure the child in Xu Wei¡¯s womb was Nian¡¯s child. That was why the Ning family protected Xu Wei.

    The Ning couple hated Xu Wei the most.

    Their precious son was yed by this woman and they were fooled for two years thinking that she was infatuated with their son. They were touched by her dedication and loved her as if she were their daughter.

    Shen Xi was certain. ¡°I helped her earlier when she almost fell at the door.¡±

    That was all she said, but it was clear what she implied.

    Uncle Ning naturally understood that Dr. Shen, the miracle doctor, must have been able to find out whether Xu Wei was pregnant just by feeling her pulse. The look in his eyes became more disturbed. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Shen.¡±

    Shen Xi said what she wanted to, so she got Pei Xu to go back with her and pick up some things for the Ningster.

    Uncle Ning stood in ce and watched the car leave.

    He did not expect his son to wake up and be a normal person and dared not probe further. As long as Nian¡¯s life could be preserved, even if he would be in a vegetative state for life, they would be satisfied.

    After their car disappeared from his sight, Uncle Ning turned to leave. His usually warm eyes turned murderous when he thought of what Shen Xi just said.

    Xu Wei was full of nonsense.

 Chapter 398 - A Familiar Side Profile

    <h4>Chapter 398: A Familiar Side Profile</h4>

    Shen Xi gave Pei Xu a bottle of medicine. The main effect of this medicine was to awaken the nervous system, which she had prepared for Li Yuan.

    The ingredients of this medicine included some extremely precious Chinese herbs. The purity was the best effect that could be refined by thetest pharmaceutical equipment.

    Ning Sinian was poisoned with a neurotoxin. This medicine would not be able to heal his nervous system, but it could only slow down the death of his nervous system.

    Shen Xi had never begged anyone before, but because of Ning Sinian¡¯s illness, this was the first time she begged someone. She was in a hurry and could not buy a ticket for the earliest flight, so she had no other choice.

    There was a honk at the door.

    Shen Xi ran out with her bag and saw the man sitting in the car smiling at her. She asked, ¡°Brother, where¡¯s the ticket?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to buy one.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s brows furrowed as she muttered in disbelief, ¡°How is it possible? How can you not get a ticket?¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s scrunched-up and anxious little face and exined, ¡°I happen to be going to Country M on business, so if you don¡¯t mind, you cane with me.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s gloomy expression immediately turned sunny. When she saw a fluffy little head popping up from the man¡¯s shoulder and meowed at her, she asked, ¡°Can Toffeecitoe along?¡±

    Toffeecito meowed in discontent as it thought, ¡®Why can¡¯t I go along?!¡¯

    The girl got into the car happily and sat beside him. Her sweet fragrance permeated the car, which made him feel warm and at peace.

    Shen Xi was ying with Toffeecito and quietly looked at the man beside her with joy in her heart.

    This was the first time they would be going out together as a family of three. She had never been on a date with Li Yuan outside of his house either.

    Kun Lun, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, looked at the happy family of three through the rearview mirror and started the car engine. Li Yuan was going to Country M for a business trip, but it was scheduled for next week.

    ¡®Tsk tsk! Boss learned to lie, huh?¡¯

    When Shen Xi got on Li Yuan¡¯s private ne, she felt like she was on cloud nine. She even took a picture of Toffeecito on the bar strutting its stuff.

    Shen Xi was inspired to be the first pet influencer, so she had started taking videos of Toffeecito when she adopted him.

    Toffeecito was now a veritable inte celebrity cat with a following of two million on Cosmos Short Vid. She posted a photo of the kitten on its social media ount with the caption: First time on a ne!

    Li Yuan sat on the sofa and heard his phone vibrate. He clicked on the ount he was following and saw the photo posted by the girl.

    So happened that his shadow was also photographed in it.

    Toffeecito was very popr with a lot of fans, so someone soonmented below.

    @FemaleGoose: [Damn! Is that a private jet?!]

    @Razorde: [OMG! How adorbs!]

    @CatAlien: [Sobs¡­ This cat has a better life than humans.]

    @ToffeeDuck: [I noticed a shadow¡­ @ToffeecitoMom, is that Toffeecito¡¯s dad?]

    Someone quickly replied below thement.

    @ToffeecitoDad: [Yes.]

    This thread was very lively and soon attracted a lot of people. Everyone was interested in gossip and wondered if there was really such a figure as Toffeecito¡¯s dad. Just because his social media handle was @ToffeecitoDad, it did not mean that he was really Toffeecito¡¯s dad.

    Although they had not seen what Toffeecito¡¯s mom looked like because so far, they could only hear her voice, everyone guessed that she must be beautiful just based on her voice.

    Thus, Toffeecito had a lot of male fans. When the guys saw this, they immediately changed their nicknames to ToffeecitoDad or some variations of it.

    In mere minutes, there were plenty of ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dads¡± in the thread.

    Li Yuan¡¯s handsome face turned glum as he started to exude a chilly and murderous vibe.

    After Shen Xi posted this picture, she also thought of posting a short video of her ying with Toffeecito.

    Two minutester, all the users who had changed their nicknames to ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad¡± found out their nicknames had been changed to ¡°Idiot¡±. They were so angry that they went directly to customer service toin about this mishap.

    At the same time, the programmers of Cosmos Short Vid found out that thepany¡¯s firewall had been invaded and they had been attacked without any resistance.

    Suddenly, thousands of usernames were unanimously changed to ¡°Idiot¡± in an instant.

    What was even more frightening was that hundreds of them in Cosmos Entertainment, plus dozens of god-level programmers who were proficient in hacking werepletely destroyed.

    Fortunately, that person only changed the usernames like it was a prank and did not take the opportunity to steal their secrets or the core algorithm of Cosmos Short Vid.

    The entire engineering team was caught off guard. Even Chairman Yuan was shocked.

    Kun Lun stood on the side and lowered his head as he stared at his phone. He almost could not hold back andugh out loud.

    They had a group chat with everyone besides Li Yuan for them to share information.

    Fang Chu: [If Lil Madam knows that Boss attacked herpany¡¯s firewall, do you guys think she¡¯ll get mad at him?]

    Xuan Yuan: [Boss attacked? Wasn¡¯t it you who attacked Lil Madam¡¯s firewall?]

    Fu Yu: [It¡¯s you, Fang Chu!]

    Lu Wu: [Yup, it¡¯s Chu! Haha, get it?]

    Bai Yu: [Chu did it!!!]

    Situ: [You did it, Fang Chu!]

    Fang Chu: [F*ck! Are you guys even my bros?!]

    Liu Bo: [Nope, sorry.]

    Kun Lun wanted tough, but he dared not make a sound. He thought of how childish Li Yuan was to get Fang Chu to attack Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s firewall to forcibly change those people¡¯s usernames just because he did not like it.

    Shen Xi just finished shooting the video and released it impulsively without seeing thements because she wanted to spend more time with Li Yuan. She carried two cups of juice over and handed him a cup.

    Li Yuan had also put away his phone and looked at her. ¡°Do you read thements on Toffeecito¡¯s posts?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯ll scroll through them sometimes¡­¡±

    She was busy and had no time to read everyment. Shooting these videos was already hard work.

    Li Yuan said seriously, ¡°I can help you to manage Toffeecito¡¯s ount since you have your college entrance exams soon. You should focus on your studies.¡±

    Shen Xi agreed without even thinking about it. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Kun Lun was petrified when he heard this. ¡®WTF?! Boss wants to follow Ms. Shen¡¯s footsteps to be a pet influencer?!¡¯

    Twelve hourster, the nended on schedule.

    Shen Xi pushed Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair.

    Toffeecito stood on Li Yuan¡¯sp and looked around the airport that it had never seen before with its big eyes.

    The airport was crowded.

    Suddenly, Shen Xi¡¯s pupils constricted when she raised her eyes to see a familiar figure that she hated.

    Fu Qingli!

    Fu Qingli was escorting a woman who was walking slightly in front of him. The woman¡¯s back was facing Shen Xi, so she could not see her face, but the woman¡¯s temperament was gentle and noble.

    The two of them walked out of the airport. When the woman turned sideways, her familiar side profile was revealed, which startled Shen Xi. Shen Xi widened her eyes and thought that she was hallucinating.

 Chapter 399 - Twin Sisters!

    <h4>Chapter 399: Twin Sisters!</h4>

    Although it was just a glimpse, Shen Xi was sure that the woman Fu Qingli was escorting had a face identical to Li Jingran¡¯s.

    Shen Xi did not know what was going on. Hundreds of thoughts went through her mind for a moment. However, she quickly regained her senses.

    That woman¡¯s temperament was demure, which waspletely different from Li Jingran. If Shen Xi guessed correctly, that woman was probably Li Jingran¡¯s twin sister.

    However, she had never heard anyone from the Li family mentioning Li Jingran having a twin sister.

    Li Jingran¡¯s parents were only interested in profit. If they had a daughter who was rted to the Fu family, they would have been ecstatic and told the whole world about it.

    Since Shen Xi saw this, Li Yuan naturally saw it too. He looked back at her and an unconcealed surprise on her face. ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi returned to her senses and answered absentmindedly as she pushed the wheelchair forward.

    What Fu Qingli once said echoed in her ears. He told her that she should be d that she had her face. Back then, Shen Xi had no idea what he meant by that, but now she had an inkling.

    That woman who looked like Li Jingran must be someone very important to the Fu brothers. Shen Xi was bold to guess that she must be their mother.

    Li Yuan knew what was on Shen Xi¡¯s mind and said, ¡°That¡¯s Fu Qingli. I¡¯ll help you to investigate the person next to him.¡±

    Shen Xi did not expect him to see it too and quickly said, ¡°Brother, no need.¡±

    She did not want to investigate them because she did not want to get involved with Fu Qingli. If he found out that she investigated him secretly, he would probably kill her.

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°Are you afraid of him?¡±

    ¡°Who¡­ Who¡¯s afraid of him?!¡± Shen Xi stammered as she quickly retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him! I just don¡¯t want unnecessary trouble.¡±

    ¡°With me around, you don¡¯t have to be afraid of him.¡± Li Yuan listened to the girl¡¯s somewhat flustered exnation and knew she was just trying to cover up her emotions.

    If he was not mistaken, that woman was the Fu brothers¡¯ mother. She looked identical to Li Jingran and he would not be surprised if they were twins.

    That meant his girl was rted to the Fu family.

    Fu Qingli had an extremely bad character. He was tough and treated outsiders mercilessly, so he must have bullied his girl.

    Li Yuan wanted to get revenge sooner orter.

    Since Shen Xi saw them, she could not control the thoughts in her head. It was just one glimpse, but it felt like she had been imprinted in her mind. Even her gentle smile became clearer.

    Li Yuan was mindful that Shen Xi had to do something urgently, so he sent her to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s medicalboratory immediately.

    Fu Qingxuan received news of her arrival and had been waiting at the entrance to meet her. The moment the car door opened, he saw Li Yuan and immediately looked hostile. He was on alert and wary. He had never liked Li Yuan because of his bad reputation.

    This man had no limits and was his big brother¡¯s most hated enemy. Fu Qingli, who had always been emotionless, started cursing as soon as he got home after dealing with Li Yuan. Thus, Fu Qingxuan concluded that Li Yuan must be a horrible person.

    ¡°Lil Young Master.¡± Shen Xi was happy to see Fu Qingxuan. After all, they had not met since the New Year, so she waved at him.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes lit up but his hostility towards Li Yuan remained unabated. After ring at Li Yuan with displeasure, he pulled Shen Xi. ¡°Why did you bring him?!¡±

    Shen Xi lowered her voice. ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip. I didn¡¯t get to buy a ticket, so I hitched a ride on his private jet.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan cast a sidelong nce at Li Yuan with a cold and sullen face. He deliberately increased his volume. ¡°Myb doesn¡¯t allow any irrelevant people to enter!¡±

    Li Yuan had always known that the Fu brothers, besides the sensible Fu Qingye, were all bad-tempered.

    The youngest one, who was extremely protective of his family, probably heard something from his eldest brother, so he was hostile towards him too.

    Li Yuan did not even look at Fu Qingxuan and looked at Shen Xi only. ¡°Call me when you¡¯re done. I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan provoked him and did not expect to be ignored, so he felt vexed, but he could not vent it. He looked at Shen Xi and winked at her, threatening her to stand on his side.

    Shen Xi paid no mind to Fu Qingxuan and nodded at Li Yuan with smiling eyes. ¡°Okay!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was speechless.

    ¡®F*ck! This ungrateful meanie! Can I go back on my word and not let her into myb?!¡¯

    At that moment, Toffeecito suddenly popped out its small head from behind Li Yuan and meowed at him.

    Fu Qingxuan recognized Toffeecito because he had yed with the kitten during the New Year at the Shen family home. He did not expect it to be so big now and called out, ¡°Toffeecito!¡±

    Li Yuan grabbed the cat by its neck and blocked Fu Qingxuan¡¯s view.

    Fu Qingxuan was annoyed and muttered, ¡°F*ck!¡±

    When Shen Xi heard this, she was dumbfounded. ¡®When did this guy start cursing? Who did he learn it from?¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan clenched his teeth. He could not do anything to Li Yuan, so he went closer to Shen Xi and whispered threateningly, ¡°Bring Toffeecito here!¡±

    Just as he said this, Fu Qingxuan saw the car door was already closed. In the next moment, the car shed before his eyes and left them without a trace.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± This time, Fu Qingxuan finally could not hold back and cursed out loud. ¡®That *sshole is so arrogant!¡¯

    Shen Xi looked at him with contempt. ¡°Lil Young Master, aren¡¯t you afraid of being scolded by your big brother?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her as he warned her, ¡°Don¡¯t tell my big brother!¡±

    Shen Xi said in a serious tone, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t mix with Pei Xu so much. He¡¯s just a bad influence on you.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at her in confusion. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s Pei Xu?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him like he was retarded. ¡°Who else but him?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan righteously said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to care about our manly business!¡±

    Shen Xi looked down on him. ¡°Why do you only learn the bad things? If I have the opportunity to meet your brother, I¡¯ll tell him about this!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was anxious and chased after her. His tone was threatening. ¡°Do you still want to enter myb?!¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Why are you so nervous? I don¡¯t wanna see your big brother anyway.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was relieved. His big brother was prejudiced against Shen Xi and this girl disliked his big brother too. This time, only he knew about her arrival.

    The two of them walked towards theboratory together.

    Quite a few people were going in and out of theb. The medical experts who usually chose to ignore whatever they see could not help but look at Shen Xi twice when they saw her.

 Chapter 400 - The Change of Investors

    <h4>Chapter 400: The Change of Investors</h4>

    Shen Xi touched every inch of her face before calmly asking Fu Qingxuan, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±

    Toffeecito licked her face during the car ride.

    Fu Qingxuan shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi then turned to look at the beautifuldy who took another look at her. The beautifuldy kept her eye on Shen Xi, adding a friendly nod in greeting.

    Shen Xi returned a smile to the beautifuldy, albeit feeling a little speechless as she wanted to ask thedy why she was staring. However, faced with those kind eyes, Shen Xi really did not know where to begin.

    It appeared that unauthorized personnel were not allowed at the medical center and Shen Xi, as a new face, had all the attention like a monkey in a zoo.

    Since Fu Qingxuan had his hands on an ongoing project, he was on a tight schedule and barely made time toe and pick her up. He walked Shen Xi to her requestedb and assigned her an assistant before leaving in a hurry.

    The assistant was a poised blue-eyed blond named Jennifer. Although shrewd and highly capable, she did not give out the rigid impression a research scientist would.

    Shen Xi merely wanted to use the cutting-edge equipment and had no need for an assistant. Hence, she left Jennifer to go about her business and went into theboratory on her own.

    Along the way, it became absolutely clear to Shen Xi why this was the world¡¯s leading medicalboratory.

    The size of the medical center aside, every research department had its own standalone building. Shen Xi had not viewed the facility at other buildings.

    Nevertheless, the building she was in was undoubtedly the core of the entire medical center. From the research scientists to the medical facilities, everything was held to the highest global standard. The facilities alone put the Situ family¡¯s medical equipment to shame, never mind the experts here.

    This was only the tip of the iceberg. For the medical center to be renowned and developed to such a massive scale in several decades, it all boiled down to money.

    Shen Xi would not dare dream of establishing such a medical center without the Fu family¡¯s inheritance. Since she could not afford to splurge the cash, Shen Xi was thankful enough to borrow the ce.

    She stepped into theb and took a nce at the equipment before cing the incubator on the tabletop. She then pulled out the blood sample and got to work.

    Amid getting a sample analysis, Yuan Yu called in to ask her about National Idol. Their office just had a meeting about a qualifying strategy for the contestants and was ready to go forth with publicity and guidance.

    Shen Xi seemed to have a n of her own but kept mum about it. With only two weeks left to broadcast, Yuan Yu wanted to pick her brain on it.

    Yuan Yu could never guess what was going on in the girl¡¯s mind. It was not easy acquiring sole investment rights for National Idol, and they could finally stick it to the Su family. Yet, Shen Xi gave in to Su Yi¡¯s request to provide Su Ruowan with a debut opportunity. She even invited Su Muyan to be the vocal coach.

    ¡°Me? Just get me a mask. The half-mask kind.¡± Shen Xi chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll exin when I get back. I¡¯m busy here!¡±

    Yuan Yu replied, ¡°Why can¡¯t you let me know sooner?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t we get the sole investment rights of National Idol two days ago?¡±

    Yuan Yu had no choice but to let the whole matter go, knowing Shen Xi had a n and would not do anything rash. He hummed in acknowledgment. ¡°When are youing to the office?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to see when I¡¯ll be done here. Thetest would be two days from today,¡± Shen Xi replied. ¡°I¡¯m busy, got to go.¡±

    She hung up.

    Sighing, Yuan Yu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and nced at the entrance to thepany. The fangirl who had been here for He Pei every day for the past few days was still at the door!

    She must be some rich heiress with nothing better to do as she drove another sports car to keep watch by the door. The sports car was filled with balloon flowers.

    Yuan Yu caught wind that she was a fan of He Pei and was here for an autograph. In assistant Lil¡¯ Chen¡¯s words, He Pei imed that his favorite flower was balloon flowers.

    The staff had tried to persuade her, but the fangirl refused to leave. They let her be since she had not caused any trouble. At least she was a fan, instead of a fanatic.

    A fanatic would go to extremes to stalk He Pei. So, inparison to a fanatic, a fan that acts by the book was always the better choice.

    Yuan Yu stood there for a while before returning to his seat to go through his documents.

    The handover of National Idol¡¯s investor was drawing to a close. After tomorrow¡¯s meeting to deal with other small-time investors, theirpany would be the sole investor.

    The switch of National Idol¡¯s investor was done in secret. Barely a handful in the business knew about it, let alone those outside the circle.

    The Su family were National Idol¡¯s biggest investor. However, Su Yi experienced severe lossestely from Su Mushi¡¯s debt of almost four billion on the online betting tform to Su Muyan¡¯s setback in his new album release. Not only did he fail to bag the profit as predicted, but Su Muyan was also outshined by a debutant.

    During this period, the Su family¡¯spany encountered operational and capital chain difficulties. Su Yi had no choice but to let another investor take their ce at National Idol for double the price. No matter was more urgent than getting hold of capital to keep the organization¡¯s operations up and running.

    A heavy air had not left the Su household for a long time, causing tensions to rise in the family. Everyone had their own hidden agenda.

    ¡°Honey, National Idol is filming in two weeks. You have got to tell Wanwan about it!¡± Li Jingran sighed and looked at Su Yi.

    As someone who raised Wanwan, Li Jingran was no stranger to Wanwan¡¯s brilliance and talent in singing and dancing. Even if it was no longer pre-decided that Wanwan would win, Li Jingran was sure that her daughter would debut and be a hit.

    Already upset at the mention, Su Yi snapped back. ¡°Fine, tonight. Find a time and you talk to her.¡±

    If it were not for this show, Shen Xi would not butt heads with Wanwan, nor would she leave home and hate him till today.

    Su Yi first intended to reconnect with Shen Xi through the program and give her the opportunity to debut. However, Su Yi had to get another investor in for the show due to the incessant problems at home just to address the immediate needs.

    He was left anxious and resentful about the whole ordeal. He got steamed up at just the thought of it, wanting nothing more than to beat up his useless sons.

    Had things gone smoothly without them throwing the wench in, Su Yi would have used the debut opportunity as bait for Shen Xi to return to the family.

    While the husband and wife were in conversation, Su Ruowan suddenly walked into the room.

    Following Su Ruowan¡¯s presence, Su Yi got to leave and had a chip on his shoulder.

    Li Jingran gave him a look. Even if he presently was not fond of Wanwan, there was no need to show it in a hurtful manner. This was the child they both doted on, loved, and raised together after all!

 Chapter 401 - Mama Fuâ€™s Cake Handout

    <h4>Chapter 401: Mama Fu¡¯s Cake Handout</h4>

    It finally became clear to Li Jingran that men were heartless creatures, showering love when they wanted to and removing people out of their lives as they liked.

    Su Ruowan approached with a sad look on her face and greeted her parents. Hurt crept in more as Su Yi continued his way upstairs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I will talk with Shen Xi to get her toe home. I will leave the family as long as shees back.¡±

    Feeling bad for Su Ruowan, Li Jingran patted her hand and offered words offort. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. You know your dad. He¡¯s going through a lot with thepany, so he¡¯s not in the best of moods.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s tearful eyes revealed her downheartedness. ¡°I can¡¯t make Dad happy, but he will definitely be happy once Shen Xi is home.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan,¡± Li Jingran sighed. She did not know how she felt about Shen Xi anymore. After resentment and anger subsided, all that was left was despair. Li Jingran no longer counted on Shen Xi¡¯s return. ¡°To me, you will always be my daughter.¡±

    Moved by her words, Su Ruowan nced at Li Jingran and gave her a hug. She uttered in a raspy and weak voice, ¡°Mom.¡±

    Li Jingran had a heart-to-heart talk with Su Ruowan before bringing up and exining the situation around National Idol. ¡°Wanwan, we believe you can debut front and center on your own.¡±

    Her husband had put in the efforts to deal with the new investor and requested a debut opportunity to y it safe. Wanwan would make her debut for sure but had to depend on herself if she wanted to debut front and center.

    This came as a bolt out of blue for Su Ruowan. Despite her resentment, she put on a sensible front. ¡°Got it, Mom. I won¡¯t me you or Dad.¡±

    Ha!

    So this was the so-called promise they made!

    Were the Su family really that strapped for cash?

    Su Ruowan did not believe a wording out of Su Yi¡¯s mouth. He probably gave up investing in the program, afraid that Shen Xi would not participate in the show.

    What was the point of having an opportunity to debut?

    She wanted a definite yes to debut front and center!

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand,¡± Li Jingran smiled gently. ¡°I got you the best coach from Country H to train you privately for the next few days.¡±

    Compared to China, Country H had more experience in training boy and girl groups. Li Jingran sought a mentor from S corporation, the most renowned management agency in Country H to train Wanwan before thepetition.

    ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Su Ruowan sweetly replied with a warm smile. However, she was scoffing inside, overwhelmed with an ill feeling thatpelled her to question Su Yi about the investment withdrawal. Nevertheless, now was not the time to have a fallout.

    She still needed to rely on the Su family, both her parents¡¯ reputation and connection in the entertainment business to go far. Su Ruowan would have the upper hand to get even with Su Yi once she debuted and skyrocketed to fame.

    Without the guarantee to debut front and center, Su Ruowan had no need for that debut opportunity. She only wanted the guarantee for peace of mind. Even if it was not pre-decided, Su Ruowan believed she was able toe up on top on her own.

    Trusting she got through to Su Ruowan, Li Jingran let out a sigh of relief and grinned intimately. ¡°Work hard. I give you my full support that you can make it.¡±

    The mother and daughter engaged in chat,ughter, and pep talks when Su Muyan returned home and walked into the living room. He looked at them. ¡°You all sound happy.¡±

    ¡°Muyan.¡± Su Ruowan said, ¡°I was talking to Mom about National Idol. Mom found me the Country H¡¯s best coach in training rookies.¡±

    ¡°I was just about to talk to you about National Idol too!¡± Looking cheerful, Su Muyan sat with them.

    Li Jingran tensed up at the mention. Since the family kept running into problemstely, she was afraid it was another bad news. Li Jingran asked, ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something good.¡± Su Muyan broke into a smile. ¡°The show has invited me to be the vocal coach. I have signed the contract.¡±

    The invitation to be a coach on National Idol had lifted the heavy feeling he had since the Qi Xiu incident.

    Rumor had it that Qi Xiu was predetermined to be National Idol¡¯s vocal coach. He was on the risetely after all, and the production team wanted to ride on his coattails to boost the poprity of the show.

    As it turned out, the investor of National Idol was not blind to who was the singer with the most potential and chose him.

    ¡°Really?¡± Su Ruowan leaped in joy. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Su Muyan gazed at her with doting eyes but kept a straight face. ¡°I won¡¯t make any exceptions as the vocal coach. You have to give it your all, you hear me?¡±

    While nodding, Su Ruowan stared back with an innocent look on her face. ¡°Yes, I do. Muyan, I have to work harder since you¡¯re the vocal coach, or else people will say I got here by pulling strings.¡±

    Su Muyan lovingly smiled and joked. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re aware of that. Don¡¯t embarrass me, alright!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Su Ruowan responded enthusiastically.

    She was just thinking if Shen Xi had anything to do with the change of investors. However, she could finally rx knowing it was not Shen Xi.

    The b*tch Shen Xi hated them so much that she wanted their family to crash and burn. There was no way Su Ruowan would be given a debut opportunity or Muyan to be invited to be the vocal coach if Shen Xi yed a hand in it.

    Achoo.

    The much-thought-about Shen Xi rubbed her nose after letting out huge sneezes, wondering who was talking behind her back again.

    Since it would take some time for the medical sample to be cultivated, Shen Xi set the rm and sat on the sofa to y with her phone, having fun sending emojis back and forth with Li Yuan.

    Shen Xi sent a text, ¡®Brother, bring along the junk food in my bag when you pick me upter.¡¯

    Li Yuan replied, ¡®Sure.¡¯

    Shen Xi had a gift for Fu Qingxuan in her bag and it was his favorite spicy snack ¨C strips of wheat flour fried in oil calledtiao. Latiao could be bought around here, but Professor Fu was a man too proud to purchase the snack himself.

    Holding her phone, Shen Xi nestled on the sofa and smiled like an idiot looking at the chat. Soon, she fell asleep.

    Along the corridor, medical experts were grinning from ear to ear as each of them held an exquisitely packed gift box. The transparent packaging revealed a beautiful cake inside and each cake had a different design.

    ¡°Madam, Professor Fu is still in hisb. It might be another half an hour before he¡¯s done. Why don¡¯t you wait for him at his office?¡± Jennifer was delighted to receive the gift.

    The madam would visit Professor Fu at the medical center once every few days and each time, she would bring along cakes she baked herself. The cakes were more delicious than any bakery.

    She made a lot of cakes to give out to anyone she met along the way. The colleagues¡¯ favorite day was when she popped in for a visit. To be able to meet her and receive a cake was a symbol of luck and she was the goddess of luck.

    ¡°Is there anyone else here?¡± Mama Fu enquired. There was onest cake in her bamboo basket.

    Jennifer nodded. ¡°One of Professor Fu¡¯s friends is here in theb. She¡¯s a beautiful youngdy. She will love your cake.¡±

    Mama Fu left Jennifer to her work before heading towards the direction pointed out. After ncing at theb number te, she knocked on the door, but no one answered. She then gently pushed the door open.

 Chapter 402 - Butterflies in Stomach

    <h4>Chapter 402: Butterflies in Stomach</h4>

    Shen Xi was in deep slumber on her stomach on the sofa, burying her head in the pillow with the back of her head facing the door.

    Mama Fu entered the room only to find a child sleeping face-down and curled up like a ball on the sofa. The back of the girl¡¯s head was the only thing visible in Mama Fu¡¯s line of vision. She gave Shen Xi a gentle and soft-hearted look.

    This friend of Xuan¡¯s shared the same habit ¨C falling asleep in theb from fatigue.

    Xuan would get engrossed and throw himself in experiments, staying up day and night. It was a norm for him to find a ce for a quick nap around theb.

    Mama Fu had nagged him numerous times about his bad habit, yet he refused to listen. In the end, she instructed to have a designated space in eachboratory to ce a beanbag and a coffee table. Catching a wink on a sofa was better than just snugging down just about anywhere.

    She tiptoed to a nearby storage closet and opened it to retrieve a nket with the intention to cover Shen Xi. Mama Fu did not want the girl to catch a cold.

    The girl in dreand jolted up suddenly. Her bright ck eyes stared back intently at Mama Fu with wariness.

    It took a moment before the intensity softened in those ck and shiny eyes, leaving behind lucidity and a suppressed surprise in Shen Xi¡¯s unflinching eyes.

    Mama Fu was dumbstruck. In fact, she showed a bigger reaction than Shen Xi. With tears filling her gentle and beautiful eyes to the brim, Mama Fu was overtaken by a wave of emotions.

    Shen Xi froze as well, but it did not take long for her to get a hold of herself. This person was not Li Jingran and was the woman who caught her eye at the airport. Shen Xi nodded her head at the woman in greeting.

    She might be uncertain with her assumption at the airport, but now Shen Xi was sure the woman here was the missus of the Fu family and the mother of the Fu brothers.

    ¡°Are you Xuan¡¯s friend?¡± Mama Fu tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach, but the turbulence of emotions within gave way to a great sense of affinity.

    ¡°And you are?¡± Shen Xi asked politely.

    ¡°I¡¯m Xuan¡¯s mom.¡± Mama Fu tenderly drew close while carefully studying Shen Xi¡¯s face, unwilling to take her eyes off of her.

    Shen Xi was feeling uneasy from the intent stare. In the end, she introduced herself to avoid any potential misunderstandings. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Fu. I¡¯m Shen Xi, daughter of Li Jignran.¡±

    She really did not want to bring up Li Jingran, especially when identifying that woman as a mother. Nevertheless, it was not a great feeling to be mistaken by someone else either.

    Shen Xi understood that Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan saw her as their sister¡¯s substitute since Li Jingran and their mother had an uncanny resemnce. Shen Xi, of course, shared simrities in looks.

    With that part figured out, Shen Xi did not want to be seen as someone else again. Hence, she made things clear in advance to avoid herself and them from getting hurt.

    Just as she thought.

    The light in Mama Fu¡¯s eyes dimmed. She was thrown into a state of confusion, hearing none of the introduction except the part that she was Li Jingran¡¯s daughter.

    A lot of thoughts went through her mind in a fleeting second. Mama Fu would be lying to say she was not disappointed, but this was not her first rodeo. She looked at Shen Xi affectionately. The weight of emotions was reflected in Mama Fu¡¯s tone. ¡°So you¡¯re a daughter of hers!¡±

    It would exin the sense of familiarity and intimacy the girl gave her. Technically, this girl was rted to her by blood.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Even though Shen Xi was reluctant to admit it, she did so anyway.

    The feud between her and the Su family was Shen Xi¡¯s business and there was no need for others to know about it. She did not want people to pity her, nor did she need their pity.

    Mama Fu still had a hard time swallowing her feelings as she gazed at the smiling but aloof girl. Although her voice was gruff, Mama Fu remained as gentle as ever. ¡°When did you meet Xuan?¡±

    Shen Xi never shied away from these questions. She gave a brief ount, leaving out the part where Fu Qingxuan pestered her and followed her back home for the New Year¡¯s.

    ¡°I see.¡± Mrs. Fu smiled without continuing the conversation. It was not as though she could get answers out of the girl since it was more effective to get home and acquire the truth from her son instead.

    Mama Fu mentioned before that the grudge between the older generations should not involve the younger generation. For Xuan to be friends with the girl, it was apparent that he listened to his mother.

    However, the boy should have brought the girl home now that they were acquainted. Was Xuan afraid she would not be able to handle meeting Li Jingran¡¯s daughter, hence he kept it from her?

    The girl was obviously avoiding the questions, giving answers that were not giving away much. It took time for Xuan to warm up to anyone and his indifferent character was no help either. He showed no interest in anything other than matters of the family and medicine.

    For Xuan to bring her into theboratory, it indicated that the girl was not a mere acquaintance to Xuan as she said she was.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help out a friend. I¡¯m really sorry to take up a lot of time.¡± Shen Xi remained courteous. ¡°Young Master Fu is very kind to let me do this and for that, I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she could meet the missus of the Fu family here. It was best that their rtionship did not go further from here and that Mrs. Fu would leave soon without paying her heed.

    Fu Qingli would be out for blood if he found out that she met with Mrs. Fu. Shen Xi really did not want to see him again!

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Mrs. Fu was saddened by her reply.

    Not only did the girl observe the niceties with her, but she tried to disassociate herself from Xuan, afraid Mrs. Fu would have a misunderstanding. Shen Xi¡¯s actions were basically screaming to stop getting close.

    Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Shen Xi had no idea what to talk about. She had built a wall around her, warning herself to keep on the fine line and not to cross it.

    Nevertheless, for some reason, it pained Shen Xi to see Mrs. Fu hurt by her detached attitude.

    Fortunately, she was saved by the bell as the rm she set finally rang. Otherwise, Shen Xi had no clue how long more she could hang on.

    ¡°Mrs. Fu, I should get to work. Excuse me.¡± Shen Xi looked at her apologetically and stood up.

    Mama Fu was aching inside to be politely called Mrs. Fu. Still, she smiled at Shen Xi. ¡°Go on. Don¡¯t let me hold you up from your work.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded at Mrs. Fu before getting up to put on herb coat. Her presence spoke of distance and aloofness.

    Mrs. Fu observed her with mixed feelings. She then ced the cake on the coffee table and stared at her brooding figure. ¡°There¡¯s cake on the table. Have some when you feel like it.¡±

    Without turning back, Shen Xi responded, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Mrs. Fu sighed to herself. She got the message clear without the girl saying it out loud ¨C She did not want to have anything to do with her.

 Chapter 403 - Silent Tears

    <h4>Chapter 403: Silent Tears</h4>

    The girl looked as though she had something to hide. Her acting was not wless, and her firm attitude left more questions than answers.

    Only when Mama Fu walked to the door, did she remember that the girl introduced herself to be Shen¡­

    Her mind was all over the ce the moment Mama Fuid eyes on the girl. She could not really remember her name, but it was two words.

    Nevertheless, she seemed to recall Li Jingran only had a daughter and if her memory served her right, the name was Su Ruowan.

    Mama Fu turned to nce at the girl who was focused on her work. The serious and cautious look on the girl¡¯s face as she got into full gear was an exact match to Xuan. Even though Mama Fu was bugged by a question, she did not have the heart to disturb her.

    She closed the door but stood outside for a while, not knowing where to go. Mama Fu wanted to look at the girl, but it was a fully enclosed door without a see-through screen.

    Good thing the soundproof door was not shut, so she could still hear the soundsing from within. Soon, Mama Fu could hear the girl on the phone, chatting in a sweet voice to her mom. The girl¡¯s honeyed tone, calling out to her mom triggered Mama Fu to shed silent tears. Overwhelmed by bitterness, Mama Fu fell to the ground and shivered from head to toe.

    Mom.

    Oh, how Mama Fu wished to hear her daughter call her Mom.

    It left her to wonder if she would ever be alive to see her darling Lil¡¯ Xi.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s assistant said it would only take half an hour, but Fu Qingxuan was still nowhere in sight by the time dusk fell.

    Mama Fu had remained all this while, itching to look for Shen Xi, yet aware that the girl was reluctant to see her. Mama Fu held back from meeting Shen Xi because she did not want to be an eyesore.

    Since Xuan was not avable, Mama Fu gave a call to Li. However, Li said he did not know who Li Jingran¡¯s daughter was and was en route to pick her up and send her home.

    Shen Xi was distracted from her experiment after Mama Fu left. Her mind kept flying back to the old woman¡¯s hurt expression.

    Did she go overboard? How could she do that to a kind and gentle person?

    Shen Xi caught a glimpse of Mama Fu getting a nket when she first woke up. It must be to tuck her in. The olddy even asked her to have cake, and if her guess was right, Mama Fu came in to give her the cake.

    Nevertheless, the image of Fu Qingli¡¯s heartless and poker face was foretelling of issues toe. It reinforced to Shen Xi that an assertive attitude was the best course of action. Otherwise, Fu Qingli would never stop giving her a hard time.

    Today at the airport, Li Yuan mentioned that she was afraid of Fu Qingli. Shen Xi did not admit to it, but she knew that her skin would crawl at every encounter with Fu Qingli.

    She felt naked in the face of Fu Qingli, and she hated this feeling. Yet at the same time, Shen Xi had to admit that he had that presence to him.

    Li Yuan had this effect, if not stronger than Fu Qingli. However, he would never do this to her.

    Sample analysis was not a hard thing to do, but the sample cultivation took a huge chunk of time in the process. Hence, she was left waiting most of the time, checking on the sample while unable to leave unnecessarily.

    Otherwise, she would have used the opportunity to visit the whole medical center and see if she could discuss with Situ Zhangyou to build one.

    Of course, she would not have the money and talent to establish a huge medical center but she could start with a cutting-edge miniboratory.

    Back at the center of theboratory, Shen Xi took a bite out of the cake. It was just the right amount of sweetness, and its savory aroma tingled her senses, lingering in her mouth. It was the best cake she ever had.

    Madam Yun was good at baking cakes and they were better than those sold in bakeries. Still, Mrs. Fu was better by a narrow margin.

    One of Shen Xi¡¯s experiments would need another night before the report could be ready. Shen Xi had gotten the ball rolling for thest experiment when Jennifer walked in.

    It was a straightforward experiment without requiring constant monitoring. However, the petri-dish cultivation would take the whole night. Shen Xi was not going to stay and wait. She informed Jennifer before taking off herb coat and changing into her clothes.

    Seeing that Shen Xi was leaving, Jennifer hurried to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s office to report to Mrs. Fu.

    Shen Xi just got into the elevator when Mrs. Fu entered the scene in a flurry of footsteps. It was clear from her uneven breaths that she ran over.

    ¡°Hold on.¡± Mama Fu was gasping in between.

    Shen Xi held the elevator door and gave a friendly nod as a greeting. She quickly became ufortable when Mrs. Fu stepped inside and stood next to her.

    Well, she finally experienced the feeling of sticking it to herself.

    Mama Fu was tender as she posed a question. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±

    Shen Xi hummed a response but thought she mighte off a little cold. She then faintly lengthened her sentence. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done.¡±

    Despite the standoffish air surrounding the girl, Mama Fu tried to get into conversation with her. ¡°Did you manage to get the report?¡±

    Why did the girl tense up in her presence as if holding back emotions? Was she giving the girl pressure?

    ¡°It¡¯ll be ready tomorrow.¡± Shen Xi was contemting how to answer so as not toe off overly cold, yet would stop the woman from chatting her up.

    At the same time, Shen Xi thought it would make no difference. She was aloof in the afternoon, but that did not stop Mrs. Fu from talking to her here.

    ¡°Would you be around here for the next few days? Where are you staying?¡± Mama Fu carefully inquired, finally blurting out the questions that had been on her mind.

    After leaving Shen Xi be, Mama Fu had been thinking of ways to break the ice with her despite the former wanting nothing to do with her. Mama Fu wanted Shen Xi to befortable around her and to stop avoiding her.

    ¡°My friend needs it urgently, so I¡¯m going back straight after the experiment is done.¡± The elevator was moving too slow for Shen Xi¡¯s liking. It felt too small and suffocating in the elevator that Shen Xi was praying they would arrive soon.

    For the first time ever, Shen Xi was losing the will to put up a front. All she wanted to do was escape ¨C escape the anxiety she was feeling and from here. Shen Xi would not feel bad nor would she have to be hard on herself.

    ¡°How are you going to get a ne ticket at such short notice?¡± Mama Fu was ready to offer their family¡¯s private ne if she was in a hurry.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I took a private ne over.¡±

    Mama Fu choked on the words she had prepared to say. She nced at the girl in surprise, and Shen Xi appeared nervous as her body was stiff. The expression on her face remained solemn and indifferent though.

    Why was Shen Xi nervous to see her? Mama Fu was not some flesh-eating monster.

    Shen Xi looked straight ahead. Conscience was eating her up alive the more people were tender and kinder to her. Shen Xi would be tormented inside, thinking she had gone too far as if shemitted a crime.

    She heaved a sigh of relief when the doors to the elevator finally opened. However, the relief did notst for long as her heart jumped back in her throat. She quickly pulled a long face.

 Chapter 404

    <h4>Chapter 404: Someone¡¯s Here for Me</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingli!

    What evil deed did Shen Ximit in her past life to deserve an encounter with Fu Qingli at every turn?

    Fu Qingli was dumbstruck when he locked eyes with Shen Xi. It never urred to him that he would see her here. Putting on a deadpan face, he looked daggers at her.

    Shen Xi was not one to back down as she engaged in a stare-down with him.

    Mama Fu could feel the tension in the air between them, but the pair were back to their normal self when she took another nce at them.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Fu Qingli cried without looking at Shen Xi, giving her the cold shoulder.

    Shen Xi could not care less. At this moment, she was torn whether to bid Mrs. Fu farewell before leaving. In the end, Shen Xi made up her mind to say nothing, and she walked away in a standoffish manner.

    Her attitude got Fu Qingli all riled up. Great. It seemed the girl had turned a deaf ear to his words.

    She sure had the guts toe here and bump into Mom! This girl knew no boundaries!

    ¡°Shen¡­ Ms. Shen.¡± Mama Fu wanted to call her name but had to address her politely because she had no idea what her name was.

    Shen Xi stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at her. She gave a nod and courteously said, ¡°Mrs. Fu.¡±

    Fu Qingli knew the girl was up to no good. She cozied up to Qingye and Qingxuan, now she was after Mom!

    ¡°Li, we should give Ms. Shen a ride.¡± Mama Fu gazed at Fu Qingli, wondering what had gotten into his son. She red at him unhappily with the intention that he would get off his high horse.

    ¡°No need for that, thank you.¡± Shen Xi then went on her way.

    Worried sick, Mama Fu went in pursuit of her. ¡°It¡¯s not safe for a youngdy to stay out at night alone. Where do you stay? Let us give you a ride.¡±

    Shen Xi understood that Mrs. Fu wasing from a good ce. She pointed at the ck vehicle that stopped across the street. ¡°I¡¯m not alone. Someone¡¯s here to pick me up.¡±

    Despite taking notice of the car parked out in front, Mama Fu was still concerned. ¡°Is this your friend or a car service you ordered?¡±

    Without a second thought, Shen Xi softly blurted, ¡°It¡¯s Brother.¡±

    Mama Fu paused, thinking that it must be her brother of the Su family, Li Jingran¡¯s son. The sadness that crept in left Mama Fu without another word. Instead, she smiled at Shen Xi. ¡°You should hurry. Don¡¯t keep your brother waiting.¡±

    Shen Xi thanked her before turning to leave.

    Mama Fu wanted to follow her out to meet her brother but thought it would be abrupt of her. Hence, she gave her son the eye. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Did you already know?¡±

    Fu Qingli pulled her to move along and gruffly replied, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss thister, Mom.¡±

    Shen Xi sure moved fast.

    By the time Fu Qingli and Mama Fu were at the door, she was already by the car opening the car door.

    In a split second while the door was open, Fu Qingli had a good look at the person sitting inside the car. The rare fury, murderous intent, and annoyance in his eyes hardly went amiss.

    F*ck! It was Li Yuan!

    Having kept her eyes peeled, Mama Fu saw a glimpse of the man in the car and mumbled to herself. ¡°Her brothers don¡¯t look like this.¡±

    Since Li Jingran¡¯s sons were constantly in the public eye, Mama Fu had seen photos and videos of them. None of them were as handsome and refined as the man in the car.

    It put Fu Qingli in a perturbed state. He saw Li Yuan with her the other night, but to see them together again spurred him to ball up his fists.

    With color draining from her face, Mama Fu bolted towards the car, worried that something might happen to Shen Xi. It was best to get to the bottom of this.

    Fu Qingli took quick strides to pull Mama Fu back as she ran towards Shen Xi¡¯s car. ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡±

    The anxiousness in Mama Fu¡¯s voice was apparent. ¡°That guy is not her brother.¡±

    ¡°She knows him.¡± Fu Qingli coldly smirked without hiding the contempt and disgust in his eyes. Of course, he was not her brother. Of all the things the girl could learn at her age, she had to get into a love affair.

    Li Yuan was an animal toy his hands on an underage high schooler. For that, Fu Qingli had the urge to beat the crap out of him!

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mama Fu¡¯s mind was yet to be put at ease. Nevertheless, it was not as though she could chase the car on foot now that the car across the road had driven away.

    ¡°He¡¯s Li Yuan.¡± Fu Qingli spoke in hushed tones. His narrow eyes intently red at the receding vehicle.

    Mama Fu may have stayed back, but the concern was written all over her eyes.

    She was aware of who Li Yuan was. He was her son¡¯s biggest business nemesis. Her son would rather suffer business loss than partnering up with that man.

    Mama Fu¡¯s sister-inw would curse Li Yuan every day during Li Yuan and her son¡¯s most intense face-offs. Even if Mama Fu paid no concern to the family business, she was no stranger to his name.

    Mama Fu was not very worried at first but hearing that it was Li Yuan set off rm bells in her. Fu Junqiu described the man to be an evil and unforgivable arch-viin.

    She knew Fu Junqiu was exaggerating, but the fact that they were rivals was true. Li had more losses than wins against Li Yuan and that only made Lil¡¯ Aunt angry for her boy¡¯s sake.

    The business world was like a battlefield. One had to plod through with an iron fist or suffer the fate of being eaten up alive in the industry.

    In the car.

    While sipping on her bubble tea, Shen Xi asked, ¡°Brother, is there a bubble tea shop around here?¡±

    Li Yuan happily returned a question. ¡°Is it yummy?¡±

    With her smiley eyes, Shen Xi immediately gave the nod of approval. ¡°Yes. It has a unique taste and is different from the bubble teas I had before. This must be new and improved.¡±

    Behind the wheel, Kun Lun boldly spoke in case Li Yuan held his tongue. ¡°Boss made it himself.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up in admiration. Giving him the thumbs up, she did not hold back on thepliments. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Li Yuan gleefully chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s more at home.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going home to drink to my heart¡¯s content!¡± Shen Xi felt her tummy. She had not had anything to eat other than the cake in the afternoon. She was hungry.

    Li Yuan handed her a hamburger. ¡°The snack you had your eyes on.¡±

    Shen Xi took a closer look. The name printed on the package was indeed the hamburger shop she saw in the foodie¡¯s magazine. Grinning from ear to ear, she gestured a heart with the hamburger before digging in.

    This trip was supposed to be for nothing since Shen Xi had to spend all her time in theboratory. There was no time for fun, games, and food adventures. Nevertheless, she was not here to travel.

    It would not have mattered had she came alone. There was nothing to do on her own anyway.

    Now that Li Yuan was here with her, it was a different story. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel together.. Just the two of them.

 Chapter 405 - Served Himself on a Silver Platter

    <h4>Chapter 405: Served Himself on a Silver tter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Having caught a whiff of the sweet aroma of meat in its sleep, Toffeecito got up and followed the smell to Shen Xi. It meowed at Shen Xi for food.

    Li Yuan scooped it up and ced it on hisp before whipping out some catnip from the treat bag. Immediately drawn by the catnip, the little good-for-nothing forgot all about the meat.

    Shen Xi nced at Toffeecito. Jeez, what a clingy cat.

    Li Yuan exined with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s feeling insecure to be in an unfamiliar environment. Toffeecito refuses to go anywhere but on myp, afraid that I might ditch it.¡±

    The little thing was a smart one!

    Shen Xi murmured in disdain, ¡°Good for nothing!¡±

    The catnip had Toffeecito purring, but it still managed to find time in between to whine in protest.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan just took off while Fu Qingli got into the car for a drive home.

    Like a gust of wind, Fu Qingxuan made a dash out of theboratory. However, Fu Qingxuan was scared witless and turned around to flee as soon as he came close enough to see the person behind the wheel was Fu Qingli instead of their personal driver.

    Fu Qingli opened the car door and caught him in a few strides. If only looks could kill. ¡°Who are you looking for if it¡¯s not me?¡±

    Caught red-handed, Fu Qingxuan wanted to cry. His voice was trembling with fear. ¡°Qingli, let¡¯s talk this through.¡±

    Fu Qingli gritted his teeth and scoffed. ¡°So now you want to talk? What did I tell you? Are my orders a pile of sh*t to you?¡±

    ¡°Manners.¡± Fu Qingxuan was shaking from head to toe. ¡°Qingli, you shouldn¡¯t speak that way.¡±

    Since Fu Qingli was ticked off by Shen Xi and received a double whammy from Li Yuan, naturally he was looking for someone to blow his steam off.

    Fu Qingxuan basically served himself on a silver tter. Unable to fight his way out of it, he begged for mercy. ¡°She has a friend who was injected by some sort of neurotoxin and had been in aa for two years. She¡¯s only using theboratory for her own experiment. It¡¯s all business.¡±

    Fu Qingli scoffed coldly. His hushed and t tone indicated his brewing fury. ¡°Is this business or a favor? What right does she have to enter theb?¡±

    Those worthy to step into theboratory were the world¡¯s best medical experts. What credentials did she have to proceed with her own experiments?

    ¡°She¡­ She will sooner ortere to that level.¡± Fu Qingxuan had no idea how good Shen Xi was as he had not had the time to go through the video of Shen Xi¡¯s experiment. ¡°She said she¡¯s going to enroll in a medical school.¡±

    He and Shen Xi made a promise that she would be his assistant during the summer break.

    ¡°What about now?¡± Fu Qingli fought back the urge to give him a beating while keeping his voice lower. ¡°You changed theb¡¯s entry rules for her. What would the medical staff think of you? How would the medical world think of the Fu family if word ever gets out?¡±

    This was no trivial matter.

    Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Lab was not a ce some Tom, Dick, or Harry could storm in to use the facilities and conduct experiments.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Unable to take it any longer, Fu Qingxuan yelled for help as he put up a struggle to bolt for the car.

    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re good for.¡± Fu Qingli kicked Fu Qingxuan in the butt while thetter staggered in his footing before making a break for the car door.

    With her mind focused on Shen Xi and her safety, Mama Fu had not noticed her sons nearlying to blows outside. She only turned her head when Fu Qingxuan called out to her. The boy entered the car in a fluster.

    ¡°Mom, Qingli hit me,¡± Fu Qingxuan tattled.

    Fu Qingli could roll his eyes to think this spineless coward was his brother.

    ¡°What did you do to make your big brother angry?¡± Mama Fu absent-mindedly enquired.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled himself together. ¡°I¡­ Jennifer said you met her. I gave her ess to theboratory, but Qingli said I¡¯ve broken protocol.¡±

    He rushed to check things out the moment he heard that Mom had met with Meanie. Fu Qingxuan bumped into his brother instead of Meanie.

    Had he known Qingli was here to pick Mom up, Fu Qingxuan would never havee over. He was discovered before he could make a run for it.

    ¡°Why is herst name Shen?¡± Mama Fu had been wondering about this.

    ¡°She¡­¡± Fu Qingxuan bit his tongue following a chilling look from his brother. He swallowed the pill and lied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not close with her.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her full name?¡± Mama Fu ignored the tension between the siblings as her sole concern was Shen Xi.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Fu Qingxuan observed his mother¡¯s reaction when he spurted out the name. Mama Fu¡¯s eyes welled up rather quickly.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Mama Fu mumbled repeatedly to herself. Xixi. It was the same name as her Lil¡¯ Xi.

    Fu Qingli med Fu Qingxuan for this. Fu Qingxuan was out of his mind to bring Shen Xi here.

    It would only make things more difficult now that Mom had met Shen Xi. It took a lot of effort on his part to convince his aunt and great-uncle against telling Mom about Shen Xi. Fu Qingli was afraid Mom would be upset and emotional.

    Great. Now sh*t hit the fan thanks to this b*stard.

    Fretful, Fu Qingxuan heartachingly wiped away her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mom. Don¡¯t cry. Please, don¡¯t. We¡¯d definitely find Lil¡¯ Xi.¡±

    If the Su family could find Meanie, how could they not find their sister too?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Mama Fu wiped her tears and stared at Fu Qingxuan to ask another question. ¡°What¡¯s her rtionship with Li Yuan?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Meanie would never look for him for anything that was not of urgency, and this time was such an incident. Thest time it happened was when she sent him Li Yuan¡¯s examination report to request a treatment n.

    During that time, Fu Qingxuan knew Li Yuan was special to her. However, he did not ask about their rtionship.

    He discreetly asked Pei Xu if she had a crush or was in a rtionship. Thetter said she had a crush and advised that it was best he gave up now because his unrequited love would not be reciprocated.

    Fu Qingxuan suspected that her crush was likely Li Yuan, also Toffeecito¡¯s dad as mentioned by Pei Xu. Toffeecito was in Li Yuan¡¯s car yesterday.

    ¡°Do you have her number?¡± Mama threw another question.

    Fu Qingxuan held his tongue out of fear before firmly shaking his eyes. His eyes were flighty. ¡°No.¡±

    Mama Fu could tell by his reaction that Fu Qingxuan had her number.. She darted a re at her eldest son. ¡°What are you up to?¡±

 Chapter 406 - Feel Sorry

    <h4>Chapter 406: Feel Sorry</h4>

    ¡°Mom.¡± Fu Qingli had to address the elephant in the room for Mama Fu to face reality despite knowing he would get a scolding and that she would be sad. ¡°She¡¯s Li Jingran¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s not my sister and not Fu Qingxi!¡±

    A one-time pain was better than reliving the sorrow at every encounter with Shen Xi. Fu Qingli was convinced Mom would think about Lil¡¯ Xi whenever she saw that face.

    Fu Qingli felt he was a strong enough person. Yet, he could not help but be drawn to Shen Xi, thinking of her as Lil¡¯ Xi every time they met.

    Fu Qingxuan clenched his teeth in anger but had nothing to say about it because he knew Qingli was right.

    He promised Qingli not to let Mom know about Meanie because he did not want to see Mom upset.

    However, it was cruel of Qingli to say that to Mom. Qingli was so heartless to crush any glimpse of hope.

    ¡°Fu Qingli, I am your mother.¡± Mama Fu may be tearful, but her eyes reflected resolution. ¡°Do you think a trivial matter like this can beat me down?¡±

    The years of countless hope only brought about equal amounts of disappointment. However, the growing disappointment only added stillness to her mind.

    She may not be imprable, but she was tough enough to handle this.

    ¡°Mom, I know what you¡¯re about to say,¡± Fu Qingli remained unfazed and proceeded with biting remarks. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you now that I won¡¯t agree to it. Ask yourselves. Are you only interested in her because of her looks?

    ¡°Will you still have the same fire in your belly if she had a different face?

    ¡°You may say that you don¡¯t think of her as Lil¡¯ Xi¡¯s substitute, but the truth is, you still see Lil¡¯ Xi in her. You¡¯re only nice and care about her because of Lil¡¯ Xi. This is very unfair to her and Lil¡¯ Xi.¡±

    Fu Qingli was never going to allow Mom to have contact with her. Otherwise, Mom would only be reminded of Lil¡¯ Xi through her.

    Although Fu Qingxuan did not want to admit to it, he was aware that he and Shen Xi would not cross paths in this life without that uncanny resemnce to his mother.

    ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s still your cousin.¡± Mama Fu took a deep breath. Fu Qingli¡¯s hostility towards Shen Xi became apparent to her. ¡°Li, I don¡¯t have to meet her. Don¡¯t make any rash moves.¡±

    It was not as though Mama Fu never met girls who looked like her in the past, but this was the first time she felt a rush in her blood. Shen Xi was the only one.

    Perhaps she felt an affinity for Shen Xi because they were rted.

    Nevertheless, Li was right. Mama Fu had no way to guarantee that she would not think of Shen Xi as Lil¡¯ Xi¡¯s substitute. It was unfair to both her and Lil¡¯ Xi.

    Fu Qingxuan fell into deep thought, having been deemed speechless. He knew he should not see Shen Xi as Lil¡¯ Xi, but he often wondered if Lil¡¯ Xi would be just like her had she been found.

    However, he was incapable of not meeting her, not contacting her, not speaking to her, and cutting all ties with her. Fu Qingxuan could not give up on her despite his brother¡¯s harsh words.

    Fu Qingxuan was clear that it would be unfair to Shen Xi, but he was willing to ept retribution for his actions.

    Finally keeping quiet about Shen Xi, Mama Fu turned her head away and quietly observed the scenery outside the window. Why did she have to run into the girl?

    ¡­

    Shen Xi felt that she should be happy to spend some time alone with Li Yuan. It was a cause for celebration.

    Nevertheless, there was a pit in her stomach that would not go away. She felt uneasy to do anything at all.

    All she could think of was Mrs. Fu¡¯s face when she wasughing, sad, happy, and tearful.

    The woman was different from Li Jingran. Shen Xi only saw warmth and not disgust in Mrs. Fu.

    A person¡¯s bearing was quite a philosophical subject. Two people with the same face and facial features were distinguishably different individuals because of their bearings.

    Li Yuan could tell something was on Shen Xi¡¯s mind since returning from theb. He carried a fruit tter and ced it on the table. ¡°Have some fruit before you hit the sack.¡±

    Shen Xiplied and picked up a fork to help herself. However, the fruit came out nd in her mouth. Lifting her chin towards the man, she blurted, ¡°Brother, did I go too far?¡±

    Li Yuan gazed at the youngdy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Shen Xi gave an ount of her attitude towards Mrs. Fu in the afternoon. She might feel better talking about it rather than holding it in and obsessing over it. Seeking his approval, her eyes were fixated on him. ¡°Was I too much?¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°Do you like her?¡±

    Shen Xi could not say for certain, but her lips suddenly curled. ¡°I get a feeling that she¡¯s a nice and warm person. She gave me a cake in the afternoon and pulled a sheet over me when I was asleep on the sofa.¡±

    Nevertheless, despite being conscious that she should not have had further contact with them, her feelings would at times get the better of her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about what others would think. They¡¯re all opinions.¡± Looking intently into her eyes, Li Yuan pointed at her heart. ¡°Dig deeper when you don¡¯t have the answer. Does it bug you that they think of you as another person?¡±

    It only took a quick investigation to get to the bottom of why the Fu brothers were interested in his fairdy.

    Since Li Jingran and Mrs. Fu were twins, it was no surprise that his fairdy looked like Mrs. Fu. Hence the reason why the Fu family was so nice to her.

    However, Li Yuan was not going to stand by and allow anyone to see her as someone else. It was the Fu family¡¯s fault they could not find Fu Qingxi. Why did his girl have to be dragged into all of this!

    From Fu Qingye, Fu Qingxuan, Fu Qingli, to now Mrs. Fu, could any one of them be sure that they never thought of her as a substitute?

    Shen Xi nodded. She minded that fact for sure. Who would not? ¡°I am me, not somebody¡¯s recement.¡±

    It did not take long before she felt conflicted again. ¡°I feel sorry for the Fu family. They hadn¡¯t been able to find their sister.¡±

    Li Yuan knew she still wavered in her decision. His fairdy may appear aloof towards outsiders, but she was in fact, a softie. ¡°Do you pity them?¡±

    Shen Xi shook his head. She could not put a finger on her feelings about the Fu family. It was tooplicated. Sometimes, she was unbothered, yet at times, she would be hung up and angry thinking about it.

    These emotions only emerged when she looked back but the unrest would quickly settle. After all, she did not spend every waking minute with the Fu family. They were only in contact once in a while.

 Chapter 407 - Taking it Out on Him

    <h4>Chapter 407: Taking it Out on Him</h4>

    Shen Xi had severed contact with Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan following the threat from Fu Qingli. It was only because of Li Yuan and another matter that left her with no choice but to seek help from Fu Qingxuan.

    She paid for his service too, a million bucks in line with the market rate for Fu Qingxuan¡¯s help to look at Li Yuan¡¯s medical report and treatment n.

    Alpha Xu gave her two million for her trip here, and Shen Xi was thinking of handing Fu Qingxuan the money tomorrow. A cash transaction was simpler than owing a favor.

    However, Shen Xi knew that no amount of money could buy the use and ess of facilities to the highly secured private medicalboratory if she did not know Fu Qingxuan.

    At the end of the day, Shen Xi was buying herself a peace of mind. A favor was still a favor.

    ¡°Xixi, they don¡¯t need your pity.¡± Li Yuan tried to help the unhappy girl see the light. ¡°You don¡¯t have to let them do as they please because of pity either.¡±

    Particrly that arrogant b*stard Fu Qingli, who always thought he was right and that everyone should bow to him.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Shen Xi nodded but it was easier said than done. Nevertheless, she felt better to let it all out and soon regained herposure.

    With his fairdy feeling herself again, Li Yuan said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m in talks with Situs about a medicalboratory. Dr. Shen, care to give me a suggestion or two?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± The mention of ¡°Dr. Shen¡± prompted Shen Xi to abruptly lift her head and reveal her sparkling eyes. A great medical center was a sure deal if this big-time yer offered funds to the Situ family as support.

    It did not have to be on par with Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Laboratory since that would be asking for too much, but it would not be far from that. At most, the facilities would not be as good.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Li Yuan answered with a straight face.

    His ns already involved the pharmaceutical line and with Situ Zhangyou a part of his crew, the pharmaceutical industry was in a major shakeout.

    ¡°Equipment! The priority should be the facilities. The Situ family¡¯s equipment is outdated, but their shareholders believe that medical tests are only secondary and irrelevant to research and development. They have no interest in the facilities and are unwilling to loosen those purse strings,¡± Shen Xi was all fired up talking about this.

    The Situs led the world in medical machinery development. Only the most cutting-edge made the cut in this business.

    Nevertheless, equipment to do with clinical trial runs and pathological studies was deemed obsolete, much less the research scientists in this rted field.

    Shen Xi had chatted with Situ Zhangyou about this and despite Situ Zhangyou¡¯s efforts to argue the case at the board meetings, those bigots refused to budge.

    All gloom was swept away at the mention of a new medicalboratory. This meant Shen Xi no longer had to implore and trouble Fu Qingxuan. With her mind at ease, Shen Xi enthusiastically blurted out her long-thought-out n.

    Even Chairman Yuan, a stranger to the pharmaceutical industry, was amazed by her ideas and wanted to sell everything just to build theb. Shen Xi had to pull him back to reality. The matter of fact was, they had no money!

    Li Yuan watched as his fairdy regained her spirit, reflecting brilliant ardor in her bright and ck eyes when talking about her n.

    Then a sudden rang on the doorbell.

    Kun Lun went over for a look before respectfully reporting to Li Yuan. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s the Fu family¡¯s Second Young Master.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up, but the image of Fu Qingli¡¯s deadpan face shing before her eyes showered cold water over the affection she had for Fu Qingye. She quickly snapped out of it.

    This should not go on. Qingye was nice to her, and she did not want to be the reason Qingye was in a spot or for the brothers to turn on each other.

    It confirmed Li Yuan¡¯s thoughts that Fu Qingli had given Shen Xi a hard time judging by the short-lived joy on his fairdy¡¯s face.

    Fu Qingye could spot the girl on the sofa from the door. He was a little sad that Shen Xi did note to meet him at the door.

    He got a message from Qingxuan that the girl was hanging out with Li Yuan. Concerned to leave the pair alone, Fu Qingye quickly made his way over.

    Li Yuan was a shameless antisocial old man! He sure had no boundaries to get involved with an underaged high schooler!

    Fu Qingye came bearing many of Shen Xi¡¯s favorite dishes. These were prepared by a chef specialized in authentic royal Chinese feasts. It was a full banquet served on the table.

    Li Yuan looked at him and ordered, ¡°Now that you have delivered the food, it¡¯s time for you to go.¡±

    Not feeling out of ce at all, Fu Qingye smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s been two years since we met, buddy. We should catch up over food.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes sparked danger to catch glimpses of Fu Qingli in Fu Qingye¡¯s face. However, it was bad etiquette to decline the invitation. ¡°Young Master Qingye, please have a seat.¡±

    ¡°After you.¡± Fu Qingye was relieved that Li Yuan did not chase him away, but what was up with that look? Did he step on Li Yuan¡¯s toes?

    Li Yuan had always remained courteous to Fu Qingye even when he and Qingli were engaged in a turf war. Fu Qingye never burned this bridge or overstepped this boundary.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingye could sense great animosity from him. It was more like Li Yuan was taking it out on him.

    Ever since the first warning from Fu Qingli, Shen Xi stopped initiating contact with Fu Qingye and only got in touch with Fu Qingxuan twice due to emergencies.

    Shen Xi had not seen Fu Qingye since the new year. He was the same refined gentleman, always a breath of fresh air.

    ¡°Girl, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were here?¡± Fu Qingye feigned anger.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I¡¯m here on official business and will leave after wrapping it up tomorrow.¡±

    She would not dare take up his time.

    By the sound of her tone, Fu Qingye pondered whether his long absence had shifted the girl away from him.

    However, her expression told a different story. Then it hit him ¨C Qingli had upset her.

    Fu Qingye was back to square one. He put in a lot of work to get the girl to ept him, and Qingli managed to swoop in and chased the girl¡¯s prying head back into her protective shell.

    Shen Xi was not bothered by Fu Qingye¡¯s presence, but Li Yuan had her best interest in mind, cueing Fu Qingye to leave amid dinner.

    Fu Qingye yed dumb and joked around, refusing to leave. Halfway through the meal, he asked Li Yuan, ¡°Do you have wine?¡±

    Li Yuan coldly replied, ¡°Nope.¡±

    Fu Qingye shook his head with a rueful smile. Sorrow could be read in his voice. ¡°Today is the day my sister went missing.¡±

 Chapter 408 - Odds against Her Surviving

    <h4>Chapter 408: Odds against Her Surviving</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan¡¯s poker face saw a slight crack as pity alighted in his eyes. He was once in Fu Qingye¡¯s shoes and understood how he felt. He looked towards Kun Lun and said, ¡°Bring us a bottle of wine.¡±

    Compared to Fu Qingye, Li Yuan was the lucky one.

    He had found his fairdy while Fu Qingye had nothing leading him to his sister.

    Shen Xi took the time to observe Fu Qingye. Thetter was the perfect gentleman regardless of time and ce, never revealing his true emotions in front of outsiders.

    However, he appeared quite mncholic and lonesome after uttering those words. Although Shen Xi¡¯s heart went out to him, she was stumped on ways tofort him.

    Fu Qingye took upon himself to finish the wine, drinking his trouble away.

    Li Yuan did not touch a drop of alcohol.

    Shen Xi was not in the position to join since she had business at hand. She knew better than to drink when she had to return to theb tomorrow.

    ¡°Did you find the person you were looking for?¡± Fu Qingye downed another ss of the strongest Brandi. The burning sensation from his mouth, passed his throat to his heart, nearly choked him to tears.

    Before answering the question, Li Yuan caught a glimpse of the girl slicing an apple with a cleaver from the corner of his eye. He ordered Kun Lun. ¡°Go and check out the kitchen.¡±

    Why did she need to use a cleaver to slice some fruit? It was quite a scare by just watching her. With her level of klutziness, what if she hurt herself?

    ¡°Is it her?¡± Fu Qingye had his doubts early on and figured this was the case when Qingxuan told him Li Yuan was Toffeecito¡¯s dad.

    Li Yuan was not just anybody. He was not one to offer even a hint of kindness to anyone in business or his life, yet he held her dearly to his heart.

    There was only one exnation and the person Li Yuan was looking for was her, Shen Xi!

    Li Yuan practiced silence, albeit his eyes were fixated on the knife in the girl¡¯s hand. She might not be able to handle a fruit knife, but the cleaver seemed toe as natural to her. It brought about an ominous air when she chillingly split apart the apple in one chop.

    ¡°Congrats.¡± Fu Qingye swirled his wine ss at Li Yuan, but his eyes were filled with sorrow and pain. The thought of his own situation only allowed the suffering, hurt, and despair to kick in.

    Behold!

    They had been searching high and low for Fu Qingxi for many years while Li Yuan had found her.

    Till today, Fu Qingye had no idea whether his sister was still alive.

    Seeing that Shen Xi was ting the fruit and would be out soon, Li Yuan solemnly turned to Fu Qingye. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her.¡±

    Fu Qingye thought it was odd. He raised his brow. ¡°You had been on the hunt for so many years. Why won¡¯t you tell her now that she¡¯s found?¡±

    ¡°Please.¡± This one word was Li Yuan¡¯s plea.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell her because you pleaded.¡± Fu Qingye understood how devastating and agonizing it was to aimlessly search for a person worldwide. He believed Li Yuan would do her no harm.

    Recognizing where he wasing from, Fu Qingye could empathize.

    While talking, Shen Xi brought the fruit tter out. As Fu Qingye was still drinking, she tried to talk him out of it. ¡°Qingye, no more drinking.¡±

    ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s mind was clear despite having a lot to drink. Still, he blurted out the things bottled up inside.

    The girl initially knew nothing about it, but with that brain of hers, she must have guessed what was going on after meeting his Mom today.

    Shen Xi shook her head and replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s only a mutually-beneficial transaction between us, no?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Curling a taunting smile to himself, Fu Qingye gulped down the sinking feeling in his chest with another ss of wine.

    Shen Xi never asked about his sister, unless Fu Qingye brought it up. Nevertheless, it only hurt him to talk about his sister so he never talked about her.

    Fu Qingye went overboard with the drinks or perhaps he wanted to wallow in his misery. A rational and cool-headed guy like him would never let himself drink to oblivion.

    Shen Xi was having some fruit while letting him pour out about his sister. She then stopped talking him out of drinking. Sometimes, it was best to let it out as holding it all in would do him no good.

    Fu Qingye said that Fu Qingxi went missing in the hospital. She and Fu Qingxuan were twins and while in their mom¡¯s belly, Fu Qingxuan hogged all the nutrients, so Fu Qingxi was born a lot tinier than Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan was twice the size and weight of Fu Qingxi. She was malnourished, in poor health, and as tiny as an adult¡¯s fist.

    Due to her health condition, Fu Qingxi was put in the incubator immediately after birth.

    ¡°She was only this big.¡± Fu Qingye extended his fist. His eyes were glistening with the reflection of tears. Reminded by the image of his sister, his lips curled into a smile. ¡°She was the size of Dad¡¯s fist then. A small little thing.¡±

    As a three-year-old at the time, Fu Qingye desperately dreamed of a sister. Hence, his little brother became an eyesore for stealing his sister¡¯s nutrients and contributing to her poor health condition.

    Shen Xi had no words, feeling a lump in her throat. She was sad for him to remember everything clearly at such a young age.

    ¡°I was rushing to see her at the hospital right after school when I found her missing,¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s voice was raspy. ¡°She was so small. No, she was ten days old by then and a lot bigger than when she was born. Fu Qingxi was probably as big as my fists put together and could already leave the incubator for two hours a day.¡±

    Shen Xi listened quietly. For a baby to disappear ten days after birth with a weak and tiny body that could not leave the incubator, what were the odds of her surviving?

    She was sure the Fu family shared her sentiments, and yet they never stopped looking for her. Shen Xi understood how they felt.

    That was also the case with Old Shen and Madam Yun. Although they knew there was no hope, no news was mostly good news.

    Even if they knew the odds were stacked against them, they were not willing to give up on the slightest hope and persisted in their search.

    ¡°She was so tiny and in poor health.¡± Fu Qingye coughed a bitter chuckle before burying his face in his palms to cry.

    It might be the alcohol speaking or perhaps Fu Qingye wanted to cry all the pain buried within.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan stared at him in silence. No one spoke, nor would anyoneugh at him.

    Men only wept at their most vulnerable.

    Shen Xi gazed at him, feeling rather choked up. Her eyes welled up. Fu Qingye had always presented himself in a mature and prudent manner. His sess came too early for people to remember his age.

    In fact, Fu Qingye was only twenty years old.

 Chapter 409 - Want Nothing More

    <h4>Chapter 409: Want Nothing More</h4>

    Having had too much to drink, Fu Qingye cried onto Li Yuan.

    Kun Lun could not watch. Judging by the two empty bottles of Remy, Second Young Master Fu clearly had too much.

    Boss was not that close to Fu Qingye, but Boss had no friends anyway. Fu Qingye was the only person who could hold a conversation with the Boss.

    Three years ago, Second Young Master Fu met up with Boss to speak on behalf of Young Master Fu when Boss was expanding his business territory, and since then, the pair became frenemies.

    ¡°Kun Lun, send Second Young Master Fu home.¡± ncing at the drunkard, Li Yuan¡¯s eyes alighted with disdain as heid out an order to Kun Lun.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go, I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Fu Qingye mumbled. His body then went limp, almost falling head first onto the table.

    Eagle-eyed Shen Xi quickly pulled him aside. She looked at him and said, ¡°Qingye, let me phone Fu Qingxuan to pick you up.¡±

    Without saying a word, Fu Qingye passed out on Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Li Yuan held firm to his order. ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    Shen Xi just could not let Fu Qingye go in his state of drunkenness. ¡°Brother, we have a lot of vacant rooms here. Let him stay the night.¡±

    The stone-cold Hades, Fu Qingli, would me it on her if Fu Qingye returned home intoxicated. It would only make matters worse if Fu Qingye loosened up about spending time with her.

    With a deadpan face, Li Yuan scowled at the drunkard. He had no choice but to agree to his fairdy¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Kun Lun, take Second Young Master Fu to the guest room.¡±

    Kun Lun drew close to brutally carry him on his shoulder.

    ¡°Kun Lun.¡± Shen Xi was taken aback by Kun Lun¡¯s drastic methods. ¡°Walk properly. Hold him up by his shoulders. You¡¯re going to make him puke lifting him like that.¡±

    Fu Qingye was bound to throw up with his head upside down.

    Taking in her words, Kun Lun gently carried Fu Qingye away by his shoulders. However, it took more time than just lifting him like a sack.

    Shen Xi followed behind and watched as Kun Lun ced the man onto the bed. She ran up and cried, ¡°Qingye?¡±

    Fu Qingye was motionless.

    From the door, Li Yuan looked daggers at Fu Qingye in bed before curling his lips into a cold smirk.

    After bringing in some warm water, Shen Xi wrung a towel to give his face, hands, and feet a good wipe.

    Li Yuan huffed and puffed. ¡°Kun Lun, you do it.¡±

    Godd*mnit! Fu Qingye sure had the b*lls to y these games. Did Fu Qingye think it would go past his fairdy and him?

    How na?ve!

    Fu Qingye knew the girl would feel sorry for him. Hence, he came here to hit the bottle. There was no way he could be drunk from two bottles of wine.

    ¡°Xixi, you should get ready for bed. You have work tomorrow. Let Kun Lun take over.¡± Looking into Shen Xi¡¯s eyes, Li Yuan uttered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± Shen Xi felt a little embarrassed as she gazed at Kun Lun. This was her guest after all. She took another nce at the man in bed and then took off.

    Li Yuan watched his fairdy retreating to her bedroom before looking towards the unconscious man. ¡°She¡¯s gone. You can stop pretending now.¡±

    The man in bed remained still.

    Dumbstruck, Kun Lun turned his attention back to Fu Qingye. Pretend? No way! It was two bottles of Remy after all.

    Moreover, why did he pretend to be drunk?

    Li Yuan scoffed to see him still lying motionless. He gave him a scornful look before wheeling himself to the study for official work.

    He was under the impression that the girl had gone to bed, but the knock on the door told him otherwise. A sweet voice was heard from the other side of the door. ¡°Brother, are you busy?¡±

    Li Yuan lifted his head from his paperwork. ¡°Come in.¡±

    He was never busy whenever she was around.

    Shen Xi pushed open the door with a basin in hand. She smiled at him. ¡°How about some foot bath followed by a massage and acupuncture?¡±

    Over a month had passed since she asked Fu Qingxuan to look at Li Yuan¡¯s medical report. Shen Xi had read up on massage and acupuncture for a long time before identifying a suitable therapy n for him.

    Li Yuan caught a whiff of oriental medicine when she entered the room. He was overtaken by a storm of contrasting emotions after taking a look at the yellowish-brown concoction-filled basin that was Chinese herbs.

    ¡°Brother?¡± Shen Xi kneeled before him, gazing at him in nervousness and anticipation. She asked him, ¡°Can I?¡±

    The warmth filling his heart drew a cloud of glossiness over his eyes. Those tender hands of hers should not be getting down and dirty rubbing his feet in the medicine. So, he inquired, ¡°Can someone else do this?¡±

    Although saddened by the question, Shen Xi grinned and acted like it was all fine and dandy. ¡°Sure.¡±

    He would not let her touch him!

    Li Yuan, in turn, was heartbroken to capture the upset in the girl¡¯s eyes. While the girl appeared fine as she stood up to look for Kun Lun, he grabbed her by the wrist.

    Shen Xi¡¯s hand was beautiful and supple. The round and manicured nails on her lean fingers had a healthy glow to them.

    ¡°Brother, let me get Kun Lun.¡± Shen Xi may say so, but physically, she put up a fight. For some reason, she was hurt and upset by hisment.

    She took a long time to prepare and research, only to be refused. This rejection was like a ssh of cold water, dampening all of her enthusiasm.

    ¡°Can hands get too soaked?¡± Li Yuan carefully examined the girl¡¯s hands as he murmured to himself.

    Without a doubt, he wanted her to do the massage.

    He would want nothing more.

    Li Yuan was walking on cloud nine the moment she said that.

    Shen Xi turned over abruptly. ¡°What?¡±

    Li Yuan lifted his chin to meet the girl¡¯s eyes before opening his lips to ask, ¡°Would it be too tiring for you? Would your arms get sore?¡±

    Having grasped the meaning behind his words, Shen Xi shook her head. Joy sparked back into her deste eyes. ¡°No, not at all. This is medicine, not paint.¡±

    It was not that he did not want her around or her touching him. He was afraid that she would be tired!

    This measly task was not enough to overwork her.

    ¡°How long will it take?¡± Li Yuan asked another question.

    ¡°The first massage and acupuncture will take longer, so probably about an hour.¡± Shen Xi was scared he might not be up to it after learning the duration.

    ¡°Half an hour,¡± Li Yuan stared at her.

    As a doctor, Shen Xi had to put up a stern face before disobedient patients. ¡°It¡¯s non-negotiable. It has to be an hour.¡±

    Li Yuan would not back down. ¡°Then let¡¯smence once we¡¯re back at home. You have to get up early to go to theb tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 410 - Sort Boss Out

    <h4>Chapter 410: Sort Boss Out</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Nothing was a cause of concern so long as Li Yuan was not shunning Shen Xi. Against his will, Shen Xi got on her knees and removed the nket over his legs. She looked serious as she uttered, ¡°We have to do it since everything is up and ready. I¡¯m a doctor and patients must listen to doctors.¡±

    Lifting his brow, Li Yuan watched as the girl skillfully removed his shoes and socks and folded the hem of his pants. By right, he should have no sensation in his legs, but somehow the touch of her tender hands brought about tingles in his heart.

    This was Shen Xi¡¯s first look at his legs. Muscle atrophy was in its initial stage at this point, particrly in the calf area. His legs were as skinny as a stick while the skin was dry and abnormally pale.

    Li Yuan nced at the girl¡¯s fair hands before shifting onto his legs. With self-loathe slowly taking over, Li Yuan allowed the great sense of helplessness to swallow him as a whole.

    They must be ugly!

    His legs must be hideous!

    Li Yuan refused to take a good look at his ugly, disgusting, and hopeless pair of legs since the ident.

    Amid the careful examination, Shen Xi gently ced his feet into the concoction. ¡°Brother, starting from today, you¡¯d need massage and acupuncture once a day and then it¡¯ll increase to twice a day after two days. Are you okay with that?¡±

    Li Yuan clenched his fists tightly, afraid he might see pity, disgust, and disappointment in her eyes.

    Thank goodness.

    There was none.

    She did not think his legs were hideous at all.

    ¡°Horrendous, right!¡± He studied her face, probing a question instead of acknowledging her instructions. His tone carried hints of self-deprecation and anticipation.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded in honesty. Clearly sensing the stiffness in the man¡¯s muscles, she lifted her chin to meet his unconfident eyes. Despite the ache in her heart, she let out a bright and confident smile. ¡°This is a reason for you to get fit. You must trust me and work with me. Please get on physical therapy once you can stand up.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to give up on me?¡± Li Yuan dug these words out from his deepest core. His eyes were burning with mad possessiveness.

    She was hisst hope and salvation. Shen Xi was the one who dragged him out of the rotting depths of the dark abyss, and for that, she had to bear responsibility to the very end!

    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on you as long as you don¡¯t give up on me unless therees a day you throw me out and no longer need me,¡± Shen Xi replied while staring at his feet. She mumbled to herself, ¡°Your toenails are a little long. I¡¯ll cut themter.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Li Yuan stared deep into her eyes. With signs of insanity gradually subsiding, Li Yuan regained lucidity. His sunshine lit up his heart with warmth, chasing away all the blues and darkness.

    He would never forsake her and drive her away.

    Li Yuan was afraid she would give up and leave him.

    He had no idea what insane thing he would do if that happened. Would he lose his mind and hurt her?

    ¡°So it¡¯s agreed, we¡¯re sticking by each other.¡± Shen Xi raised her head and extended her pinkie to him. Seeing that he remained still, she ushered him. ¡°Pinkie promise!¡±

    Li Yuan held out his pinkie.

    ¡°Hold on, let me wipe my hands dry.¡± It dawned on Shen Xi that her hands were still wet. She wanted to clean them.

    Before she could do so, Li Yuan had already hooked his pinkie around hers. With his narrow and dark eyes fixating on her, he spoke on a high-strung note, ¡°Pinkie promise.¡±

    ¡°Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye.¡± Giggling like a child, Shen Xi uttered, ¡°We have to seal the deal, c¡¯mon.¡±

    Finally feeling at ease, Li Yuan stuck out his thumb to make the pact.

    He was never letting her go, never ever. She had to stay by his side this lifetime.

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t let me bother you and get back to your work,¡± Shen Xi said before focusing back on his legs.

    She conducted the massage and acupuncture unconventionally. The precision on acupoints and meridians demanded undivided focus and attention.

    Li Yuan was not in the mood to handle anything else. He merely gawped at her, unable to get enough of her.

    The girl had a straight face when in focus. It was a different look of hers, and as she herself would put it, she was something else.

    An hourter.

    Shen Xi was worn out by the time she was done with the massage and acupuncture. However, it was a weight lifted since they finally took the first and most important step in progress.

    Li Yuan felt bad to see the girl dead on her feet and sweating off her pale face. He stopped her from carrying the basin away. ¡°Let Kun Lun do it. You should get some rest.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled at him and assured him. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. I¡¯m not tired.¡±

    Li Yuan grabbed a napkin to wipe away the little liar¡¯s sweat. She was in full concentration for an hour to ensure zero mistakes. Would he not know?

    Kun Lun soon entered the room to take the basin out. He was enraptured by Shen Xi for sorting Boss out so quickly.

    Situ had mentioned thebination of acupuncture and massage before, but it blew up in his face so many times that he dared not speak of it again.

    Shen Xi bent over to help him put on his socks and shoes.

    Li Yuan seized her by the arm and pulled her to sit by him. ¡°I¡¯m notpletely useless.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s mouth became dry and her eyes watery, feeling down by his reply. She took a nce at him, wanting to say something but chose not to. In the end, she heartbrokenly watched him bend over to put on his socks and shoes before adjusting the hem of his pants.

    ¡°Can you go to bed now?¡± Li Yuan helplessly and dotingly enquired.

    Giving a nod, Shen Xi got up and made her way to the door before turning around to show her index finger. ¡°Remember, it¡¯s once a day!¡±

    Li Yuan responded softly and followed behind.

    Once a day?

    Was she not afraid to be seen by her parents?

    With Shen Xi walking into the bedroom, Toffeecito cast Li Yuan a nce and tailed behind her.

    Li Yuan watched them from the door to the study for a moment until the girl swung open her door and peeked her head out. He beat her to it before she could say anything.?¡°Good night.¡±

    Shen Xi chuckled and waved her arm. ¡°Good night, Brother.¡±

    She happily jumped into bed and held Toffeecito to her chest as she gleefully rolled around like a dummy. Shen Xi had nned the therapy n for so long and it turned out to be a sess!

    Li Yuan waited until it was all quiet in the girl¡¯s room before turning towards the bedroom Fu Qingye was in. Putting work aside, he turned off the light and kept watch by the door for Fu Qingye¡¯s appearance.

    The Fu family¡¯s timing could not be better.. Even if they were not here, Li Yuan was going to seek them for a good talk.

 Chapter 411 - Lay It All Out on the Table

    <h4>Chapter 411: Lay It All Out on the Table</h4>

    The bedsidemp was the only light in the room.

    Fu Qingye crawled out of bed and stared at his phone messages. Although his screen was already flooded with texts, the messages kepting in. They were all from Fu Qingxuan.

    [Qingxuan: What¡¯s the situation?]

    [Qingxuan: How¡¯d it go?]

    [Qingxuan: Did you catch them in bed?]

    [Qingxuan: Do you need me toe over and help?]

    [Qingxuan: F*ck! Li Yuan is an animal! I could kill him!]

    [Qingxuan: He doesn¡¯t deserve to be called a human!]

    [Qingxuan: Motherf*cker, c*ck-sucking *sshole!!!]

    At first, it was only asking for an update, running his mouth about Li Yuan, and sting Fu Qingye¡¯s phone with angry, fire-breathing, and exploding emojis, then Fu Qingxuan took it to the next level by hitting the call button endlessly.

    [Qingxuan: Qingye?]

    [Qingxuan: Qingye?]

    [Qingxuan: Qingye! Qingye! Qingye! Qingye!!]

    In the end, the overuse of Fu Qingye¡¯s name, plus furious emojis and text symbols spammed the screen.

    Fu Qingye replied, ¡°Let¡¯s head out and check on it.¡±

    It waspletely quiet outside and the light in the living room was shut, so everyone must be asleep.

    Him? Drunk?

    Alcohol did not affect Fu Qingye and it was no different than drinking cool water. Nevertheless, because he usually said no to wine, the outside world had no idea he could very much hold his liquor.

    Qingxuan told Qingye that Li Yuan took Shen Xi with him. It was a bad idea for the pair to remain alone together. Shen Xi should never let down her guard even though Fu Qingye trusted that Li Yuan was not that kind of person. Still, the fact did not sit well with Fu Qingye. God forbids something might happen.

    What if Li Yuan let his animal instincts get the best of him and made a move on the girl?

    [Qingxuan: Hurry up then!]

    [Fu Qingye: How is Mom holding up?]

    [Qingxuan: I don¡¯t know. Qingli locked me up.]

    [Fu Qingye: ¡­]

    Thank goodness he decided against going home. Otherwise, he would suffer the same fate as Qingxuan.

    Grabbing his phone, Fu Qingye got out of bed and tiptoed to the door. He stuck his ear against the door to listen for any sudden movements. He established that there was no one around by the utter silence before opening the door.

    ¡°Second Young Master Fu.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s voice suddenly broke the silence in the dark and empty living space.

    Caught by surprise, Fu Qingye nearly hurled his phone away. He pulled himself together and held onto the door as he stumbled on his footing like a drunkard. Pretending not to see Li Yuan, he inebriatedly said, ¡°Where¡¯s the washroom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some great acting, Second Young Master Fu. You do deserve the title of a movie star,¡± Li Yuan scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s asleep, so it¡¯s only you and me. Let¡¯s justy it all out on the table.¡±

    Fu Qingye had no inkling as to how Li Yuan saw through him. He was sure he yed the part well or was Li Yuan just testing and bluffing him?

    However, with Li Yuan waiting here, it was proof that it was not a guess. Li Yuan would never take measures unless he was 100% sure, living to the motto of surety, uracy, and relentlessness.

    Li Yuan darted at Fu Qingye with a chilling look.

    Straightening his back, Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes reflected lucidity. Like a beast in the night, he showed his fangs. ¡°I should be asking. What are you thinking? She¡¯s underage! Seventeen for god¡¯s sake!¡±

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. She¡¯s not a child and knows what she wants or what she¡¯s doing.¡± Li Yuan stared into Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes. ¡°You know her well. Do you think she¡¯d be fooled by me?¡±

    His fairdy was perceptive!

    She would not treat him as such unless it came from her heart.

    That was the exact reason why Fu Qingye was worried. He was concerned that the girl with a one-track mind would keep going on even if she was kicked to the ground, afraid she would be too stubborn for her own good and be taken advantage of.

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in asking you Fu family about your intentions.¡± The taunting look on Li Yuan¡¯s face reeked of murderous intent. ¡°Thanks to you and Fu Qingxuan for seeing her as your sister¡¯s substitute and refusing to get out of her face, Fu Qingli hase all the way here to threaten and give her a hard time!¡±

    Who was he to question?

    Fu Qingye sure had the b*lls to show up at his door!

    ¡°I¡­¡± Fu Qingye wanted to refute at the top of his lungs, but what could he say?

    He could not say for certain that he did not take her as his sister¡¯s substitute.

    Just looking at Shen Xi brought memories of Fu Qingxi.

    Fu Qingye once thought he could control himself and see Shen Xi as herself, but reality brought him down to his knees.

    How could he not when he was faced with a likable girl with an uncanny resemnce to Mom?

    ¡°Fu Qingye, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t get close to her,¡± Li Yuan jeered. ¡°She¡¯s not your sister¡¯s recement. She is her own person. Find someone else, but don¡¯t me me for what¡¯s toe if you mess with her again.¡±

    She was usually a decisive person but she waffled and dragged her feet when it came to the Fu family. Since that was the case, Li Yuan decided to call the shots for her and end this rtionship.

    He was not going to allow anyone to see as someone else¡¯s stand-in.

    His fairdy may appear tough, but inside, she was a soft-hearted and deadly loyal person. She remembered every single good deed people had done for her.

    She would only be devastated and heartbroken when the Fu family ditched and snubbed her after their princess was found.

    ¡°Li Yuan, what right do you have to ask this of me?¡± Although Fu Qingye knew he was at fault, it did not stop him from getting angry. ¡°You said she¡¯s not a child and yet here you are, deciding for her?¡±

    ¡°She will listen to me.¡± Li Yuan confidently chuckled, not hiding his disdain for Fu Qingye at all. ¡°You must know that Fu Qingli has looked for her and how he made things difficult for her. Do you really want Fu Qingli to do that again because of you and Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    ¡°I will think of a way to handle my brother.¡± Fu Qingye was in the wrong after all. Qingli had warned him and Qingxuan against hanging out with Shen Xi.

    However, he could never do that, nor could Qingxuan.

    Qingli himself was probably incapable of doing so either. That man was just in denial and being hard on himself, but there would be one day when he would wake up and smell the coffee.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you toe up with a solution. I just need you to stay away from her. Don¡¯t speak so honorably about your selfishness.¡± Li Yuan then wheeled himself away and ordered, ¡°Kun Lun, see him out!¡±

    That was the end of the conversation.

    Li Yuan did not mind resorting to some measures if they still did not get the message.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s younger brothers were the worst at taking the hint.

    With his eyes sparking a fire, Fu Qingye caught up to Li Yuan and spoke through clenched teeth, ¡°Li Yuan, she¡¯s still a child!¡±

    Li Yuan answered loud and clear, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m not some animal!¡±

    He would never hurt her.

    Fu Qingye watched his receding figure as fury overtook him before curling his lips in self-deprecation.

    He was aware of Li Yuan¡¯s intentions with her, but what could he do about it? What right did he have for Li Yuan to listen to him?

    Ultimately, the girl was closer to Li Yuan than to him!

    Shen Xi stopped answering his calls ever since her encounter with Qingli and on the rare asion that she did, she would say that she missed the call.

 Chapter 412 - Her Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 412: Her Nightmare</h4>

    Fu Qingye was conscious that Shen Xi kept him at arm¡¯s length because of Qingli¡¯s threat.

    At this very moment, Fu Qingye was overwhelmed with helplessness and despair. Why was she not his sister?

    Everything he did would be deemed rightful without being branded nosy if the girl was his sister.

    Nightfall.

    With the Fu family home plunging into darkness, the huge estate was wrapped in a silvery glow by the illumination of the full moon.

    Fu Qingli remained awake this whole time, staying still like a cold statue before a huge floor-to-ceiling window. The coarse facial lines on his stoic face gave out a chilly edge.

    However, his presence seemed to be filled with destion and despair.

    The light was not turned on in the study. The pitch-dark room shared his loneliness, adding tension to the already tense atmosphere.

    Momentster.

    He turned around and opened the door under the dimmed light before proceeding downstairs and heading outside. The biting cold breeze appeared to cut through his bones.

    Fu Qingli stood on the stone steps at the entrance, staring intently at the huge tree in the distance. His eyes welled up to see a figure curled up under the tree.

    Across the manor were two tall trees ¨C an osmanthus and magnolia. The family nted them when Mom was pregnant with Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingxi.

    Mom mentioned that girls should be like the magnolia ¨C innocent, prosperous, fortunate, and be protected from all harm always.

    Nevertheless, his little sister went missing only ten days after her birth. She was so young. They searched the world high and low for many years yet were unable to locate her.

    Fu Qingli hated himself. Why could he not find a single clue leading to Fu Qingxi over the years? His ipetence was the cause of Mom¡¯s sorrow and hopelessness.

    Every year on this day, Mom would sit alone under the magnolia tree after dark when everyone was asleep to drown in loneliness, despair, and pain.

    She thought they were in the dark about it.

    They all knew.

    Despite this, Fu Qingli was unsure how tofort her. The only thing he could do was to quietly watch her and be with her from afar.

    Afraid to drive his car in, Fu Qingye parked the car in front of the estate and caught sight of the figure under the magnolia tree. He crept over and stood near her for a long time before turning to leave.

    Even though Fu Qingli saw him approaching, he was not in the mood to deal with him.

    A good boy as he was, Fu Qingye greeted his brother and took a seat next to him. It took a while before he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let him out?¡±

    Fu Qingli said, ¡°You¡¯re in the clear for now.¡±

    Fu Qingye remarked, ¡°She¡¯s a good girl. Your judgment is clouded by the first impression, Qingli.¡±

    Fu Qingli responded, ¡°What¡¯s so good about her?¡±

    Fu Qingye snapped back, ¡°Everything.¡±

    Fu Qinglimented, ¡°I think you guys are out of your minds.¡±

    Fu Qingye was without a word as he leaned on his knees. After a while, he asked another question. ¡°How do you feel if she marries Li Yuan?¡±

    The girl told all her suitors in school that she had a crush. Her crush was Li Yuan!

    ¡°What¡¯s good about a cripple?¡± Fu Qingli scoffed coldly.

    The girl must have her eye on Li Yuan¡¯s money and connections. The man was only a peculiar and ruthless cripple. Who would take a fancy to such a person!

    Fu Qingye grinned bitterly to himself. ¡°But she likes him.¡±

    He, too, disapproved of her falling for a cripple. However, she liked him and it was written clearly in her every movement.

    She really liked that man.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Both their names should not be spoken of in Fu Qingli¡¯s presence.

    Fu Qingli wanted to say they made a good couple. A brat and a cripple was the perfect annoying match made in heaven.

    Yet, something was not right.

    His heart was telling him that he could not stand the sight of them together!

    Holding his tongue as requested, Fu Qingye heartbrokenly stared at the figure in the distance.

    They were too cowardly to go up there and keep Mompany. They were even afraid to bring her a coat. The most they could do was to be here with her.

    Shen Xi woke up from a good sleep the next day. It was only after breakfast when she suddenly remembered. ¡°Where¡¯s Qingye? Is he still in bed?¡±

    Li Yuan ced the peeled herbal tea egg on her te and solemnly replied, ¡°He took off early on.¡±

    While cheerfully taking a bite out of the tea egg, Shen Xi mumbled, ¡°Well, he¡¯s up early.¡±

    Fu Qingli probably told the guy toe home, but that was their family matter. It was no ce for her, as an outsider, to get involved.

    The girl was back to her energetic self, unlike the constant daze she was in yesterday. With Li Yuan¡¯s mind at ease, he served her another bowl of porridge. ¡°Don¡¯t choke on it. Have some porridge.¡±

    Shen Xi stuffed an entire egg into her mouth, puffing her cheeks up like an adorable little hamster before epting the porridge.

    Li Yuan smiled dotingly. ¡°Slow down, youngdy.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned from ear to ear as she sipped on the porridge to swallow down the egg. She asked, ¡°What are you if I¡¯m a youngdy?¡±

    Li Yuan inquired, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Shen Xi fell into deep thought.

    Li Yuan wondered what she woulde up with.

    The girl thought for a while before turning to him. ¡°You¡¯re Brother!¡±

    Li Yuan guffawed in delight. Afraid she might choke on her food, he tapped on her head. ¡°No talking at the dinner table.¡±

    Shen Xi was tickled pink. No matter what they did, she was always having a good time with Brother.

    After breakfast, Li Yuan dropped her off at Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Laboratory to collect the report while he waited in the car.

    Shen Xi did not see Fu Qingxuan but ran into Fu Qingli instead. He was sitting on the sofa and looked like he had been waiting for her. She smiled politely. ¡°Mr. Fu.¡±

    As there were certain things he could not talk about in front of his mother yesterday, he came here to wait for her. Fu Qingli went straight to the point. ¡°Please don¡¯t contact my family again!¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Shen Xi acknowledged it was her fault this time since she was the one who contacted Fu Qingxuan. Hence, she immediately offered her apologies.

    It never crossed Fu Qingli¡¯s mind that she would yield. He thought she had quite the backbone and loved chewing him out? Why was she suddenly caving in? It was so unlike her.

    Shen Xi went over to store all her experiment¡¯s data. Initially, she wanted to go through the report with Fu Qingxuan or maybe get a consultation with a specialist.

    However, now it seemed that it would not happen. She could not even meet up with Fu Qingxuan, and the consultation with a specialist? More like in her dreams.

    At present, Fu Qingli became her nightmare and hell.

 Chapter 413 - The Last Time

    <h4>Chapter 413: The Last Time</h4>

    After packing her things in an orderly manner, Shen Xi approached Fu Qingli and mmed a bank card on the table right in front of him.

    Keeping her distance while remaining polite, Shen Xi gazed at him and said, ¡°Mr. Fu, here¡¯s the payment ording to the market price and it would be great if you could check on that. I should get going if everything is in order.¡±

    Fu Qingli had the feeling that she was mocking him. However, there was only calmness and tranquility without any hint of concealed fury and resentment reflected in her eyes.

    In contrast to herposure, Fu Qingli was growing anxious as emotions began to get the best of him.

    Since there was nothing more to say, Shen Xi grabbed her things to go, not willing to spend another minute with him.

    Fu Qingli stopped her. His narrow and profound eyes were like a depthless ck hole capable of sucking souls while his voice was emotionless as usual. ¡°You told Xuan that you want to enroll in a medical school?¡±

    She must be putting on an act, pretending that she got it together in front of him. Fu Qingli was barely convinced she had no hidden agenda for bringing up payment anding personally to theboratory.

    ¡°Oh, that. It was just small talk.¡± Shen Xi did not give a f*ck. Having gotten over it, Shen Xi was no longer afraid of him and now saw him as less than a stranger, a nobody, to be exact.

    Fu Qingli was ticked by her cold shoulder and disregard. Feeling the fury in him about to explode, he coldly smirked. ¡°You¡¯re only bringing this up intending to stay at theb.¡±

    ¡°Nope. This is thest time.¡± Shen Xi unreservedly made it clear. Her eyes were clear, and her lips bore a smile. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be your concern. If you don¡¯t want me to get involved with your family, please mind your younger brothers and stop them from looking for me.¡±

    Theb?

    Sorry, but she did not need it anymore. With Li Yuan investing and nning the construction of aboratory, it would not take long before she could do anything she wanted in her own medical facility.

    Shen Xi then walked off and shut the door behind her, leaving Fu Qingli burning with rage. Frustration led him to kick the innocent coffee table in his way.

    Compared to the anger, Fu Qingli was more annoyed by the sense of loss when she said that it was thest time. He obviously felt disappointed.

    She was gone and nevering back. He should be happy, and yet he was riddled with feelings of resentment and emptiness. What was going on?

    A flurry of footsteps was fast approaching.

    Fu Qingli had gotten a grip by then. He took another nce at the bank card before turning his attention to Fu Qingxuan at the door. He sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking. She¡¯s long gone.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gave him a dirty look before storming off to go after her.

    Fu Qingli blurted coldly, ¡°Qingxuan, I dare you to take another step.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan immediately stopped in his tracks.

    As the head of the Fu household, Fu Qingli was not without power and influence. Naturally, Fu Qingxuan was intimidated and too spineless to rebel. Fu Qingxuan turned back to reveal a disappointed look. ¡°Qingli, do you really want it to end like this?¡±

    Without a word, Fu Qingli stuffed the card into Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hand and taunted. ¡°You and Qingye think of her as a friend, even giving her ess to theb despite the danger of me finding out, but she draws a clear line between business and personal.¡±

    There was no need to talk about money over a trivial matter if Shen Xi really thought of Fu Qingxuan as a friend.

    The Fu family did not need her money.

    Holding the card in his hands, Fu Qingxuan was taken aback by the sparks and fury in Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes. Whatevering out of Fu Qingli¡¯s mouth was only a buzzing in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s head because the only thing in his mind was that he was done for.

    With Qingli only going to stop them at full force, Fu Qingxuan had no idea when he could see Meanie again.

    Qingli was known to be cool-headed, rarely showing any emotions. Thest person who pissed him off like that was Li Yuan, that b*stard!

    ¡­

    Shen Xi was on top of the world after shutting Fu Qingye up. So, the best way to handle him was to imitate him ¨C hiding all weaknesses by putting on a deadpan face.

    She clearly saw the grimacing look on Fu Qingli¡¯s face. The thought of him tearing up inside really made her day.

    ¡°You seem happy.¡± Li Yuan observed the girl. She had not stopped beaming since leaving theboratory. ¡°Something good happened?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes. If all goes ording to n. He¡¯d regain consciousness in two days. Now it alles down to whether Situ Zhangyou can find the key ingredient.¡±

    The Ning family was not short of cash and not one to go back on their word. The issue was that the key ingredient was hard to find, but it should not be a problem for the Situ family.

    As expected, she received a call less than ten minutes after she phoned Situ Zhangyou, saying that the key ingredient had been found. Nevertheless, the price was high.

    It was found on the ck market with an asking price of five million. The key ingredient was century-old wild ginseng, and anything less would not do.

    After returning to the capital, Shen Xi headed straight to the drug manufactory rather than home. This was a life at stake and every second counted.

    To put it bluntly, Shen Xi was snatching a life out of Hades¡¯ palms. Ning Sinian would be dead if she waited two more days.

    With Pei Xu around, Shen Xi needed not to concern herself with the Ning family.

    It was true that Xu Wei was pregnant and that the baby was Ning Sininan¡¯s. However, the former was hit with misfortune. Perhaps retribution was more befitting in this situation. Xu Wei suffered an ectopic pregnancy and had a miscarriage on the morning Shen Xi went to the hospital to examine Ning Sinian.

    Of course, Xu Wei was not bold enough to let the Ning family know about this. Putting up with the pain, she took care of it in a private clinic and then went to the hospital after hearing that the Ning family arranged a doctor for Ning Sinian.

    As if the retribution was unsatisfactory, she had to bump into Shen Xi who unraveled her web of lies.

    Shen Xi had faxed a copy of the analysis report with Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Laboratory¡¯s official seal on it to Pei Xu.

    Over on the other end, Pei Xu had found the video proof of Xu Wei purchasing neurotoxin through the connections and she would definitely be charged with attempted murder.

    By the looks of the Ning family¡¯s influence as well as Mr. and Mrs. Ning¡¯s hatred for her, there was no escape for Xu Wei. She would not get the death penalty, but her life would be a living hell.

    Mr. and Mrs. Ning had learned that Pei Xu was notpletely responsible for Ning Sinian falling into aa. Their son was poisoned and the result was two years in a vegetative state.

    They diverted all resentment for Pei Xu to Xu Wei, the culprit who injected their son with the toxin. Mr. and Mrs. Ning were ashamed to face Pei Xu because of their behavior, especially when thetter never gave up on their son.

 Chapter 414 - Are You an Idiot?

    <h4>Chapter 414: Are You an Idiot?</h4>

    In the coreboratory of the Situ family¡¯s drug manufactory.

    Shen Xi was toiling away all on her own in the hugeboratory.

    Having been keeping his shoulder to the wheel for Ning Sinian, Pei Xu did not want to take up her time. He waited outside theb so as not to bother her.

    So far, it had been a whole day. As dawn turned to dusk, Pei Xu reached to retrieve a cigarette, but the box was empty.

    The sight of a pile of cigarette butts piling up in the ashtray and several empty cigarette boxes left him dumbstruck. He stood to tidy up and chewed on some gum.

    He returned and waited by theboratory door. Gazing at the upied figure inside, his eyes were filled with gratitude.

    Pei Xu always considered himself a hapless dude. Who knew that he would one day be blessed by good luck? Meeting her was the luckiest thing to happen in his life.

    His phone vibrated and he whipped it out for a look. It was Fu Qingxuan. This guy was more worried and anxious about the situation. ¡°She¡¯s still in theb!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was cranky. ¡°Get her to rest before picking it back up. It¡¯s been a while. She¡¯s been working at it from four in the morning to six in the evening. Are you trying to wear her out?¡±

    This issue had alreadye to Pei Xu¡¯s mind. She had been on constant focus for fourteen hours straight yet showed no signs of fatigue or slowing down. ¡°I can¡¯t enter theboratory.¡±

    See!

    He was different from Fu Qingxuan. Fu Qingxuan was concerned about her health, body, whether she could keep up at it, and if she would tire herself out.

    What about him?

    Admittedly, Sinian was Pei Xu¡¯s only worry. He was more concerned whether Shen Xi would be sessful in producing the drug. His priority was not her well-being.

    Fu Qingxuan was on pins and needles. ¡°Are you an idiot? Do I need to teach you? Knock on the door and ask her to get out.¡±

    Helplessly letting out a bitter smile, Pei Xu taunted him. ¡°If you¡¯re so great, why don¡¯t youe here and get her out!¡±

    Her head was in the game and her enthusiasm remained high. The way he saw it, Shen Xi loved her job.

    Pei Xu rarely ever saw such expression in her eyes. It was the same sparkle when she chatted about Toffeecito¡¯s dad with Song Wenye.

    It dawned on him that people do glow when talking about their loved ones.

    It turned out that people also glowed when doing what they loved.

    ¡°F*ck! You punk!¡± Fu Qingxuan cursed.

    Letting it slide, Pei Xu merely warned him. ¡°Cut the foulnguage in front of her.¡±

    The first thing Sister Xi did after her return was giving him a telling-off, asking him to stop being a bad influence, and teaching Fu Qingxuan cuss words. Nevertheless, it took two to tango. Fu Qingxuan picked it up himself.

    It only made Fu Qingxuan run his mouth. ¡°F*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck¡­¡±

    Dazed, Pei Xu uttered the same and cut the line.

    Ten minutes.

    Half an hour.

    An hour.

    Pei Xu kept watching by the door, observing her every move.

    The clock ticked to half-past seven.

    Shen Xi looked at the ten tiny pills and let out a sigh of relief. A smile did not go amiss.

    The third time was the charm. She was surprised and lucky to seed on the third trial under precarious conditions.

    After inserting the pills into a jade bottle gourd and putting the cap on, Shen Xi lifted her chin and met with Pei Xu¡¯s bloodshot eyes.

    She was exhausted, but more so for Pei Xu. Shen Xi could at least take breaks in between.

    Pei Xu, on the other hand, would not dare rx. While handling matters, he was constantly on the tenterhooks about Ning Sinian and worried about her progress.

    A wave of emotions overtook Pei Xu as Shen Xi opened the door and stood before him. There were no words to express his gratitude and it took a while for him to utter, ¡°Good job.¡±

    Shen Xi gleefully fist-bumped his chest. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be polite between bros.¡±

    Pei Xu was left speechless since no words were enough to show his gratitude. He kept it in his mind that it was two lives now.

    Now that he owed her two lives, Pei Xu would be at her beck and call, even if it would kill him.

    They had not been at the parking lot for long before Pei Xu was bombarded with calls from Fu Qingxuan again. ¡°How dare you hang up on me!¡±

    It never urred to Pei Xu that Fu Qingxuan was still hung up on that. Pei Xu thought Fu Qingxuan was an aloof man when they were not close, but after getting to know him, it turned out Fu Qingxuan was a chatterbox. Pei Xu patiently replied, ¡°We¡¯re out now.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s nerves got the best of him, and it showed in his voice. ¡°How was it? How was it? Was a drug developed?¡±

    Pei Xu acknowledged and took a nce at Shen Xi. ¡°It¡¯s a sess.¡±

    Her expression revealed that the drug was a sess.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great.¡± Fu Qingxuan shouted out of excitement before turning down the volume. ¡°Get her to send me a sample. Also, about your friend, keep an eye on him and remember to take notes for me.¡±

    Truth be told, Fu Qingxuan had no faith the person could be treated after Meanie shared the patient¡¯s report with him. With the patient on hisst legs, it would be a miracle if he could make a recovery.

    It only confirmed his suspicion when he read her test reports. The person was beyond help. The hospital was right in their diagnosis, and it was time to get the patient¡¯s affairs in order.

    Yet, Meanie calmly told him that she could develop an antidote for the neurotoxin. Fu Qingxuan decided to give her his full confidence this time. She would gain notoriety if she seeded.

    It was high time he gave up the title as a medical prodigy to her.

    He kept in touch with Pei Xu ever since her return home. Because of Qingli, Shen Xi cklisted Fu Qingxuan from contacting her.

    Pei Xu had been on the edge of his seat for an entire day, but the anxiety and anticipation were more intense for him. Fu Qingxuan looked forward to the surprise and miracle she could bring.

    News of the sess saw him leaping joyfully in theboratory hallway, drawing attention from his colleagues who were passing by.

    ¡°You have to ask her that.¡± Pei Xu handed the phone to Shen Xi. ¡°It¡¯s Fu Qingxuan.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head, refusing to take the call.

    Taking the cue, Pei Xu replied, ¡°She¡¯s not with me.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan turned grumpy. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You just said that you guys are out. Tell her to pick up my call. Hurry up and give her the phone.¡±

    Pei Xu answered, ¡°I need to head to the hospital now. Bye.¡±

    He then hung up.

    Walking beside Pei Xu, Shen Xi resumed her indifferent self. After noticing the ck Maybach parked out front, she said to Pei Xu, ¡°Give him two pills and observe for the night. Let me know if his situation gets any worse. I¡¯m going home for a rest and will check up on him tomorrow.¡±

    Pei Xu was curious as to what happened between her and Fu Qingxuan but did not have the chance to ask as she already made a beeline towards the Maybach across the road.

 Chapter 415 - Aunt Fu

    <h4>Chapter 415: Aunt Fu</h4>

    The moment the door opened, Pei Xu saw the man sitting in the car. The man looked at him too with a sharp hawk-like gaze. His eyes were like a deep coldke, and his aura was so oppressive that Pei Xu instantly felt a little short of breath.

    The inside of the car was dim. The man was in the shadows and seemed to be one with the darkness.

    Pei Xu did not see the man¡¯s face clearly, but he was sure this man was Toffeecito¡¯s Dad, the man that Shen Xi liked.

    When Shen Xi got to the car, she waved back at Pei Xu, entered the car before closing the door behind her.

    The lights in the car lit up but Pei Xu still could not see the man¡¯s face because the windows were tinted, so only those sitting inside could see outside. Pei Xu watched the car leave before he turned around and got into his own car. He felt a little regretful.

    Song Wenye mentioned Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was insanely handsome, so he would like to see how good-looking that man was for Song Wenye to describe him as such. She did not even use such gushing adjectives on her favorite idols.

    Shen Xi got into the car and received a cup of warm milk tea. While drinking, she smiled happily and shared her joy with Li Yuan. ¡°It¡¯s a sess!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl who was begging for praises and hooked up the corners of his lips. He handed her the burrito she had ordered andughed. ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Shen Xi said while giving him the milk tea. She took the burrito and ate it because she was starving.

    Since this morning, she did not even rest for a minute, let alone stop to drink or eat. She was famished, but fortunately, the medicine was a sess. Otherwise, she would be annoyed to start all over.

    Li Yuan watched as she wolfed down the burrito and reminded her. ¡°Eat slowly¡­ No one¡¯s fighting with you. Dinner¡¯s prepared at home too.¡±

    Shen Xi spoke incoherently with her mouth full. ¡°I¡¯m starving to death and can eat a whole cow!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at her helplessly and felt heartbroken. ¡°Next time, you need to take a break to eat when you¡¯re working¡­¡±

    Shen Xi muttered incoherently, ¡°It¡¯s an emergency, so it needs special treatment!¡±

    Li Yuan saw she had gorged down the burrito and milk tea in a few minutes, so she must be famished. He then instructed Kun Lun to drive faster so they could go home for dinner.

    However, Shen Xi looked at him and said, ¡°Brother, I have to go to the office now. If you have something to do you can just drop me off anywhere and go home first. I¡¯ll take a taxi there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m free.¡± Li Yuan sighed and did not hide his distress. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there. It¡¯s not very convenient to take a taxi at this hour.¡±

    He could never leave her to go to the office by herself. Even if she insisted, he would not rest assured and would still apany her.

    Shen Xi chuckled and thanked him with lovely smiling eyes. After having enough to eat and drink, she leaned back on the seat and talked to him.

    Li Yuan looked at the happy girl whose chatters gradually quieted down. Her little head tilted on his shoulder and she finally fell asleep.

    He sighed softly and thought he would have to get her out of this unhealthy working habit.

    Kun Lun looked at the rearview mirror and watched as his boss covered the girl with a nket. He turned off the lights at the back seat and the soft warm orange light from the front created a warm and fuzzy atmosphere in the car.

    ¡®Boss and Ms. Shen truly give it their all when they work¡­ Back then, Boss could go up to a few days and nights without rest and was crazier than Ms. Shen.¡¯

    The Situ family¡¯s pharmaceutical factory was actually quite close to Cosmos Entertainment if there was no traffic. Since it was a Sunday and it was the evening rush, it was a long journey.

    An hourter, the car arrived at the entrance of Cosmos Entertainment.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl sleeping so soundly and could not bear to wake her up, but she still had work to do, so he finally called out to her softly, ¡°Xixi, we¡¯re at your office.¡±

    Shen Xi lifted her heavy eyelids. She was exhausted and sleepy. The warm andfortable environment pulled her back and shezed for a long time before slowly sitting up and forced herself to get up.

    Li Yuan helped put on her jacket, hat, scarf, and gloves. After wrapping her up nicely, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±

    Although it was spring, it was still cold at night. Since she just woke up, it was better to dress warmly.

    When Shen Xi heard this, she felt energized and instantly woke up. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be done. You can go home first, then I¡¯ll get my big brother to send me backter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Li Yuan said.

    Shen Xi looked at him seriously. ¡°Really?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Yes, really.¡±

    Shen Xi took out her phone and gave it to him, but she was afraid she would get an emergency callter, so she took it back and said, ¡°Then can you edit Toffeecito¡¯s video? I just uploaded it to the drafts in Cosmos Short Vid app.¡±

    Li Yuan would be bored if he was only waiting for her, so she found something for him to do.

    The girl, who waszy, wilted, and sleepy earlier, instantly became energized the moment she got out of the car. Her temperament changed so fast. Li Yuan was proud of her, but more than that, he was heartbroken.

    Shen Xi was shocked by the cold air outside and was jolted awake. She settled her mind and regainedposure before walking towards the building.

    There was a car parked on the left in front of the office. It was a sports car filled with flowers.

    Shen Xi looked at the car puzzled. She frowned and wondered why the security guard allowed someone to park so tantly at the office entrance.

    She thought as she walked towards the car. She saw a beautiful woman leaning on the car door with one hand holding a cup of milk tea and another hand holding a stick of corndog. The woman took a bite and alternatingly sipped the milk tea.

    The pretty woman was none other than Aunt Fu, Fu Junqiu!

    Shen Xi quickly pulled down her hood and pulled up her scarf to cover her whole face so that only her eyes were visible.

    ¡®I can¡¯t let her recognize me¡­ Otherwise, that son of a b*tch, Fu Qingli will say I¡¯m trying to get into his family¡¯s good graces.¡¯

    Shen Xi consciously took measures and thought that no one could recognize her like this, so she calmly walked past the car and did not even look at Fu Junqiu.

    Fu Junqiu was conspicuous with her sports car filled with flowers at this time of the night. What was she trying to do?

    Shen Xi walked ahead and heard Fu Junqiu¡¯s sudden call for her from behind. Her words were incoherent because she was still chewing, but Shen Xi was sure that Fu Junqiu was shouting her name. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

 Chapter 416 - Going to the Cemetery?

    <h4>Chapter 416: Going to the Cemetery?</h4>

    Shen Xi continued walking without showing any reaction. She walked towards the entrance at a normal pace so that she would not seem abnormal.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Fu Junqiu saw the girl ignoring her and shouted louder before chasing after her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s mind buzzed for a moment. ¡®How did she recognize me when I¡¯m dressed like this? I didn¡¯t even acknowledge her, but why is she still calling out to me and even caught up to me?!¡¯

    Fu Junqiu also wondered how she could recognize Shen Xi without even seeing her face. She had only seen Shen Xi once, so perhaps it was because Shen Xi had a unique aura. Fu Junqiu ran over and tugged on Shen Xi¡¯s arm. She sounded a little aggrieved as she said, ¡°Why did you ignore me?¡±

    Shen Xi sighed in resignation. Since they hade to this point, it was pointless to deny it. She was polite and detached as she looked at Fu Junqiu. ¡°Hello, Ms. Fu.¡±

    ¡°What Ms. Fu?! You¡¯re too polite! Call me Auntie.¡± Fu Junqiu was friendly with Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi looked at the woman in front of her and thought she was simr to Fu Qingye. Fu Junqiu was straightforward and never beat around the bush, and very lovable.

    Fu Junqiu saw Shen Xi was silent and took advantage to say, ¡°Then don¡¯t call me Auntie, just call me Sister!¡±

    Shen Xi was not so unruly. Since she had decided to stay away from the Fu family, she could no longer be over-friendly to them. ¡°Ms. Fu, you¡¯re joking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m serious!¡± Fu Junqiu then pulled Shen Xi over intimately. Her eyes were shining brightly. ¡°Are you working for thispany? Are you familiar with Qi Xiu? I¡¯m his fan, so can you take me inside to get an autograph?¡±

    Shen Xi thought of a hundred reasons why Fu Junqiu would show up in front of her office, but fangirling was not one of them. If Shen Xi did not keep her cool, her eyes would have popped out and fallen to the ground.

    ¡®Aunt Fu is a fangirl?!¡¯

    Looking at the current situation, Fu Junqiu was the obsessed and crazy kind¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re an artist of thispany, right? Can you please take me to meet Qi Xiu?¡± Fu Junqiu looked at Shen Xi expectantly. When Shen Xi did not answer, she looked a little disappointed and muttered, ¡°If you¡¯re not, forget it¡­ I¡¯ll just wait out here.¡±

    Shen Xi was shocked but she had her poker face on. ¡®With her status and worth, does she even need to wait at the building entrance just to meet a small-time idol? Just say the word, and every agency and artist will rush over to sign autographs and take photos with her!¡¯

    In the end, Shen Xi could not help but ask, ¡°How long have you been waiting?¡±

    Fu Junqiu recalled. ¡°Three days. The first day, I was waiting for He Pei, but he¡¯s not my type when I saw him in person, so I switched over to Qi Xiu now! I saw Qi Xiu enter the building two days ago, but he hasn¡¯te out since.¡±

    Shen Xi was speechless. ¡®Wow¡­ She¡¯s not ashamed at all and switches idols like changing clothes. She even has so much perseverance to squat in front of the office. This spirit is trulymendable¡­¡¯

    ¡°Then you should go in. I¡¯ll continue to wait.¡± Fu Junqiu did not want to bother Shen Xi. She waved at Shen Xi and asked, ¡°Do you want a corndog? I bought a few¡­ They¡¯re still hot!¡±

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Junqiu¡¯s confidence and enthusiasm and suddenly felt distressed. She felt a little pity for Fu Junqiu and turned to look at her. ¡°You wanna meet Qi Xiu? Come with me then!¡±

    Since Qi Xiu came to the Capital, the office was his second home. It was normal for Qi Xiu to stay here for a week, let alone two days. He would eat and sleep in the office and would not step a foot outside, so there was no way Fu Junqiu could see him if she waited out here.

    Initially, Qi Xiu stayed in his own Director¡¯s Office, but the Director¡¯s Office did not have a lounge, so Shen Xi, who seldom went to the office, allowed Qi Xiu to use the lounge in her office as his bedroom.

    Shen Xi naturally weed such a workaholic who worked hard without being told to.

    ¡°Really?¡± Fu Junqiu regained her excitement and with a surprised face, she said, ¡°Then wait for me! I¡¯ll go get my flowers and CDs.¡±

    Shen Xi turned around again and saw Fu Junqiu had left. She was running as if Shen Xi would leave her behind. She darted back once she got her things.

    She thought about the three Fu brothers and Mama Fu, then looked at the woman in front of her. There was no way Shen Xi could connect Fu Junqiu with the Fu family, but she was adorable and was not at all snobby.

    Outsiders would assume that Fu Junqiu was an ordinary rich girl. After all, her sports car was worth a lot of money.

    Fu Junqiu held the flowers in her left hand and two sticks of corndogs in her right hand. She handed one to Shen Xi and asked, ¡°Do you want one?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No thanks.¡±

    Fu Junqiu was a little disappointed, but that was brushed off quickly and she continued rambling, ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±

    Shen Xi did not speak. When she inadvertently saw the flowers from the corner of her eye, she almost fell t on her face.

    Chrysanthemums.

    The bouquet Fu Junqiu was holding was chrysanthemums.

    ¡®Is she going to see her idol or to the cemetery?! Is it because she grew up abroad and didn¡¯t know that in China, chrysanthemums are generally used for visiting graves?¡¯

    Moreover, the Chinese Tomb Sweeping Day was only a few days away!

    Shen Xi did not know if she should remind Fu Junqiu.

    ¡°Why chrysanthemums?¡± Shen Xi could not hold back.

    Fu Junqiu¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Qi Xiu said that it¡¯s his favorite flower!¡±

    She whipped out her phone after she said that to show Shen Xi a recent interview of Qi Xiu.

    [Favorite flower: chrysanthemums.]

    Shen Xi asked her implicitly, ¡°Do you know when chrysanthemums are generally used the most in China?¡±

    Fu Junqiu replied, ¡°Qingming Festival, a.k.a Tomb Sweeping Day!¡±

    Shen Xi almost choked and thought, ¡®If you know, why are you still sending chrysanthemums to your idol?! Maybe she¡¯s our rival¡¯s spy!¡¯

    Since Fu Junqiu was well aware, Shen Xi had no furtherments. She could just imagine Qi Xiu¡¯s expression when he saw the chrysanthemums and felt a vague pain in her heart.

    At this time of day, most staff had gone home and only a few were working overtime.

    Besides the shareholders and upper management, no one else knew of Shen Xi¡¯s identity. They only saw her as Chairman Yuan¡¯s friend who would sometimes drop by.

    Shen Xi informed Yuan Yu and Qi Xiu not to reveal her identity before she took Fu Junqiu with her to the Music Department¡¯s recording studio.

    Qi Xiu exited the studio and bumped into Shen Xi. He smiled and waved at her, then saw Fu Junqiu. ¡°Hello.¡±

    Fu Junqiu sized up the young man in front of her and smiled broadly. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m your fan!¡±

    Shen Xi noticed Fu Junqiu was different from her obsessive fangirl demeanor earlier when she saw her idol. Fu Junqiu was no longer a nervous star-struck fangirl. Instead, she was calm, but her eyes were bright and she was obviously very fond of him. To be exact, it was admiration, kind of like she was looking at a precious gem for sale. Shen Xi felt that it was a little strange.

 Chapter 417 - The Story of a F*ckboy and a Homewrecker

    <h4>Chapter 417: The Story of a F*ckboy and a Homewrecker</h4>

    ¡°I heard. Do you want a photo or an autograph?¡± Qi Xiu took the bouquet of chrysanthemums from Fu Junqiu, then turned around and reced the wilted chrysanthemums on the studio windowsill. He turned back to Fu Junqiu and smiled politely. ¡°Thanks for the flowers.¡±

    Shen Xi was stunned. She came to the studio several times and was practically living at the office like Qi Xiu when they were recording his album, but she never noticed those chrysanthemums.

    His hobby was indeed rather special.

    Fu Junqiu gave Shen Xi a bragging look paired with glee, as if she was saying, ¡°See¡­ He likes chrysanthemums!¡±

    ¡°I still have something to do, so you two have a chat.¡± Shen Xi was a little speechless, but she respected other people¡¯s hobbies. She looked at Fu Junqiu and said, ¡°Just tell him whatever you want.¡±

    Shen Xi then cast a pleading look at Qi Xiu before walking away.

    Fu Junqiu watched her leave before she asked Qi Xiu, ¡°Who is she in yourpany?¡±

    Shen Xi had told them her cover story beforehand. ¡°A contracted artist.¡±

    Fu Junqiu, who got an answer, started to run wild in her thoughts. ¡®So she¡¯s an artist, huh? Then she¡¯s bound to enter the entertainment industry¡­¡¯

    The Chinese entertainment industry was not as established as Hollywood. Many Chinese stars were scrambling for their big break in the international scene. Fu Junqiu thought, ¡®I wonder if I can sign her onto the Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany. When the timees, I¡¯ll be her boss and I get to see her whenever I want! This is such a brilliant idea!¡¯

    Shen Xi came to the office to talk to Yuan Yu about the recording of ¡°National Idol¡± and her role in it.

    Yuan Yu looked at her and asked, ¡°Su Ruowan has the right to sign up and participate in the show, but why do we have to promise Su Yi to give her a chance to debut?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s too smug and I can¡¯t stand to see her like this. Since she wants to be popr, I¡¯ll put her on a pedestal and push her offter.¡± Shen Xiughed. She had always been outspoken about everything in front of Yuan Yu.

    Su Muyan and Su Mushi had enjoyed their time in the limelight being adored by millions, but Su Ruowan had never experienced this. Thus, Shen Xi wanted Su Ruowan to continue being smug and arrogant as she basked in the feeling of being revered by fans and skyrocketed into fame.

    Then when Su Ruowan was at her peak, Shen Xi would give her a fatal blow. That would be wonderful! Otherwise, stepping on Su Ruowan now was as easy as crushing an ant. It would not be any fun.

    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Yuan Yu was doubtful of her ns in the beginning, but it looked like she had long since figured it out.

    Shen Xi would not do anything superfluous. Since Su Ruowan desperately wanted to enter the entertainment industry and prove herself, Shen Xi would let Su Ruowan¡¯s wishe true, then move against her.

    As for Su Muyan and the others, it was more enjoyable to strike first, then give them a little hope, before finally beating them into dust to torment them again and again.

    Otherwise, defeating them in one blow would not give her the pleasure of serving revenge. Seeing the opponent fall without so much a struggle would not provide her with a sense of aplishment.

    Shen Xi gave Yuan Yu an appreciative nce and said, ¡°Actually, Brother, I have another thing to discuss with you.¡±

    Yuan Yu saw her expression and had an unsettling premonition. He thought it must be troublesome, but he was not afraid of trouble. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I want to use your mother and you as two of the character prototypes in my next manuscript. Will you agree to it?¡± Shen Xi was afraid that if she put his story in writing, it would sadden him.

    After all, his mother¡¯s tragic death was thest thing he wanted to remember.

    ¡°Are you ready for your next manuscript?¡± At the mention of his mother, an obvious sorrow swept over Yuan Yu¡¯s eyes. He looked at Shen Xi and asked, ¡°What do you want to write about?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°A story about a f*ckboy and a homewrecker. I¡¯m just asking for your permission and will show you the script when it¡¯s finished.¡±

    She wanted to write about a scumbag and a mistress thatter became his wife. She also wanted to write about how they abused their biological daughter and their entric favoritism towards their adopted daughter.

    ¡°You just want to use Su Yi and Li Jingran as your character models!¡± Yuan Yu heard her and could already guess what she wanted. ¡°You¡¯re also a character model.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and gave a faint ¡°mm¡±. Her long and fair fingers raised a cup of tea as she took a small sip and savored it.

    ¡°What are your ns?¡± As the Chairman of thepany, Yuan Yu still had to think about the best interests of thepany. ¡°You¡¯re famous now. I¡¯ve received many offers from acimed celebrities who are even willing to lower their prices to star in your show. Please don¡¯t tarnish your ster reputation in terms of ratings!¡±

    Shen Xi needed to pay attention to her identity as Yun Qi, the screenwriter, who was a hit in the entertainment industry. This name was more valuable than any of the cast in ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±.

    If an actor wanted to be popr and have high ratings, besides a good director, the most important thing was a good script and a great screenwriter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this script will surely be entertaining.¡± Thest thing Shen Xicked was a good script.

    Her science fiction novels could be blockbuster science fiction movies, provided that she could find a good director, good actors, and a good post-productionpany.

    Her campus romance novels were a littlecking as movies, but turning them into a web series was not a problem given the low cost. Even if it was not popr, it certainly would not flop. Once they were sessful in one, the rest would follow suit. After all, it was from the same series.

    This script that she would write was her personal experience. If she polished it well, it would be a good script.

    ¡°If you¡¯re confident, just use whichever character model you like.¡± Yuan Yu was a little sad. In China and the world, a lot of people suffered the same bitter fate as his mother.

    In fact, his mother was not the only character model avable, she was just part of a microcosm of this phenomenon in society.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it,¡± Shen Xi said.

    ¡°What else do you n to do besides the script?¡± Yuan Yu knew that there must be more than just the script.

    Shen Xi joked. ¡°This is a trade secret, how can I tell you in advance?¡±

    She only had an outline at the moment and had not done any intricate nning. Once she had a n and finished the script, she would tell him all the details.

    Yuan Yu said, ¡°I¡¯m the boss!¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°I¡¯m the big boss!¡±

    When they finished, they looked at each other andughed.

    Yuan Yu stopped probing because he knew she could perhaps only have a rough idea with no specific n yet, so naturally, she could not tell him. He said, ¡°Ms. Screenwriter, when are you gonna give me the script? The Film Empress Gong Zhi also chatted with me privately a few days ago and expressed interest in your next drama. This will be her first drama transitioning from the big screen, so I think we can give it some thoughts.¡±

 Chapter 418 - Thereâ€™s Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 418: There¡¯s Trouble</h4>

    Gong Zhi¡¯s acting skills were superb. Coupled with her stardom and great reputation, she would make a good partner and this would be a win-win situation.

    ¡°There¡¯s no suitable role for her in this uing script.¡± Shen Xi thought about it for a moment and continued, ¡°But I do have a blockbuster in my hand that¡¯s suitable for her.¡±

    Although Yuan Yu was aware that Shen Xi was talented, he was still shocked. ¡°You write scripts for movies now?¡±

    Shen Xi thought, ¡®I have many talents, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be stupefied if I unleash all of them at once¡­¡¯

    Instead, she just nodded and said vaguely, ¡°It¡¯s still in the conceptual stage. There are only two months left till the college entrance exams, and I have to attend the recording of ¡®National Idol¡¯, so the writing progress is definitely slow. I can probably only give you the script after the exams.¡±

    Her schedule was cramped and she could not burn herself out. She was after all a human being, so she needed to take a break to catch her breath.

    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t overwork yourself. Money is inexhaustible. I¡¯m still here to support you.¡± Yuan Yu looked at Shen Xi with some heartache.

    No matter how much energy one had, there would be a time when it would be used up. Yuan Yu was afraid Shen Xi would copse from overworking if she pushed herself too hard.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Xi looked at him and smiled brightly before changing the subject. ¡°Do you know that in front of our office, there¡¯s a¡­¡±

    ¡°A woman who drives a sports car loaded with chrysanthemums?¡± Yuan Yu finished her sentence and added, ¡°She¡¯s been at the entrance for the past three days. At first, she said she¡¯s a fan of He Pei, so He Pei came to see her privately and gave her a signed photo and poster. The next day, she showed up again saying that she¡¯s switched camps and now likes Qi Xiu. She¡¯s probably a rich girl that doesn¡¯t have anything better to do than chase her idols!¡±

    Shen Xi wanted to say ¡®Yeah, you¡¯re right. She really has nothing better to do than chasing idols¡­¡¯ However, she was not just any rich girl so she told him, ¡°Brother, she¡¯s actually from the Fu family, aunt to the Fu brothers, Fu Junqiu.¡±

    Yuan Yu was drinking water and almost spat out a mouthful. His voice rose an octave. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I said, she¡¯s the aunt of the Fu brothers, Fu Junqiu.¡± Shen Xi repeated.

    Yuan Yu asked, ¡°You know her?¡±

    ¡°I met her once.¡± Shen Xi nodded and continued, ¡°I pitied her since she¡¯s been waiting at the entrance, so I brought her up with me to find Qi Xiu.¡±

    Just as her words dropped, Yuan Yu stood up suddenly and walked out while saying, ¡°There¡¯s trouble!¡±

    Shen Xi was puzzled. ¡°Big Brother?¡±

    Yuan Yu paused in his footsteps. ¡°Fu Junqiu is the President of the Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany. She¡¯s not interested inpany management, but she likes to be a talent scout. What she likes most is to poach other entertainmentpanies¡¯ artists that have potential!¡±

    Shen Xi was stunned for a moment. She thought Fu Junqiu was just a fangirl. She did not expect her to be a scout! However, Shen Xi was not worried about Qi Xiu. ¡°Big Brother, Qi Xiu won¡¯t go with her.¡±

    She thought, ¡®I knew it! How can a member of the Fu family be just a simple-minded fangirl?¡¯

    Yuan Yu said, ¡°You believe in him that much? You know the disparity between the Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany and ours. If you were him, would you not budge?¡±

    The Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany was one of the entertainment giants in Country M. It was not about the number of artists under their wing, but their resources and publicity. Whoever they promoted was sure to be popr.

    Everyone knew that as long as they were discovered and signed with the Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany, they were halfway into the ranks of international superstars.

    However, it had been five years since their inception, but they had only signed one Chinese artist, which was Fu Qingye.

    Thispany was specifically set up for Fu Qingye. ¡®Well¡­ What else could a rich and well-connected family do to support their own?¡¯

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go take a look.¡± Shen Xi smiled confidently and widely. ¡°Qi Xiu¡¯s here to stay. It¡¯s not because of thepany, but because of me.¡±

    Yuan Yu was still worried. It was difficult to get such a talented Music Director that could take on the work of an entire team by himself. He was such a workaholic who especially liked to work overtime every single day. If someone poached him, it would be a huge loss to them.

    Qi Xiu soon followed Yuan Yu over and told Shen Xi about his encounter. He felt a little disappointed. ¡°She mentioned she was also interested in me and wanted me to continue working hard, but the person she wanted is Chairman Shen¡¯s musicposer, Xixi.¡±

    Fu Junqiu took little interest in Qi Xiu. Her main purpose ofing here was not for Qi Xiu, but for Xixi.

    Shen Xi froze for a moment and did not expect this. ¡°You didn¡¯t expose me, right?¡±

    Qi Xiu said, ¡°Of course not! I am not a traitor¡­¡±

    However, the conditions Fu Junqiu offered were indeed tempting. Any normal person would have joined herpany without hesitation.

    Qi Xiu was loyal and wanted to repay Shen Xi¡¯s kindness. He was a man who would pledge his loyalty to her and would follow her for life as long as she did not drive him away.

    Shen Xi smiled at him with satisfaction and looked at Yuan Yu. ¡°First, Fu Qingli came over to talk about cooperation, then Fu Junqiu came over to find Xixi. Do they have the same purpose?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this, but Fu Junqiu looked for He Pei too. Maybe she was here to see if he was suitable for theirpany.¡± Yuan Yu looked deadpan serious.

    However, it seemed that Fu Junqiu had seen He Pei¡¯s limitations in future prospects. They had to admit that Fu Junqiu¡¯s ability to poach talent was first-ss.

    He Pei could develop in the field of television shows, but with his ability and image, it would be a little tough for him to move into the big screen.

    The Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany¡¯s main business was to train movie stars because they could easily push them into the international scene and poprize them around the globe. In short, they wanted international superstars.

    ¡°She came for Xixi. Does that mean the Fu family wants to move into the music industry?¡± Shen Xiughed. ¡°The Fu family is really something¡­ No matter what business they do, they¡¯ll go for the best.¡±

    ¡®Tsk tsk¡­ I¡¯m so popr with the Fu family. Fu Qingli is looking for me for the pharmaceutical makeup and Fu Junqiu is looking for Xixi, the music producer.¡¯

    ¡°Of course! The Fu family¡¯s powerful and influential. How else can their family remain at the top of the world¡¯s elite circle?¡± Yuan Yu agreed wholeheartedly with Shen Xi, then changed the topic. ¡°But¡­ When are you gonna appear again as Xixi anyway?¡±

    Yuan Yu had been bombarded by otherpanies and illustrious singers during this period, asking him to hand over Xixi.

    Such talent was needed to benefit the Chinese music industry and lead the industry back to its glory, so he could not hide this talent.

    They stopped bombarding him for the past few days but began to reason with him with persuasion to release Xixi for the future of the Chinese music industry.

    No one believed his lies. They were all experienced big shots in the music industry, so they could see through his little lies at one nce.

 Chapter 419 - A Couple

    <h4>Chapter 419: A Couple</h4>

    ¡°Not until you find the people that I want.¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°But you can give me the list of singers who have approached me for lyrics.¡±

    Shen Xi was aware that she could not limit herself to writing songs for herpany¡¯s singers. She had to expand to the entire music industry and the whole entertainment circle for Su Muyan to experience the despair of not obtaining what he longed for.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Yuan Yu agreed.

    Qi Xiu excused himself and the two talked for a while before Shen Xi left.

    To Shen Xi¡¯s surprise, she bumped into Fu Junqiu at the lobby who seemed to be waiting for her. Fu Junqiu went straight to the point. ¡°Girl, do you wanna jump ship?¡±

    Shen Xi felt that everyone in the Fu family was extremely frank and never beat around the bush. She liked straightforward people so she answered frankly, ¡°Not interested.¡±

    She was a boss and she did not intend to be a celebrity or a public figure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t reject me yet! Why don¡¯t you sign with mypany? I promise to make you popr. Y¡¯know, I made Fu Qingye popr.¡± Fu Junqiu followed behind Shen Xi persistently.

    ¡®This girl is good-looking and has a good temperament. As long as I package her well, she¡¯ll certainly make it big!¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be the first female star in China to go international like Fu Qingye? He¡¯s famous around the world!¡± Fu Junqiu continued to tempt her and the most enticing example was naturally Fu Qingye.

    He was the first Chinese star to be a renowned worldwide hit. Any random person on the street would know of him.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Shen Xi replied briefly. ¡°I¡¯m going to medical school and I wanna be a doctor, so I won¡¯t join the entertainment industry.¡±

    It was too much of a trouble to be a public figure because there were fans everywhere. People would recognize her and she would not have any privacy or personal space. She would be followed by paparazzi and get tied up by public opinion. Shen Xi had been an international superstar once when she transmigrated, so it was enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity¡­¡± Fu Junqiu sighed and was a little disappointed. On second thought, she asked, ¡°Then do you know the musicposer Xixi? Do you have their contact information?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Only then did Fu Junqiu let go of Shen Xi¡¯s hand and look at Shen Xi¡¯s cold and lonely back. ¡°Thanks for bringing me inside.¡±

    Shen Xi said without looking back, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    The car across the street was still quietly parked by the roadside. When Shen Xi came out, the car window lowered and revealed the man¡¯s side profile that was half-hidden in the shadows.

    The moment Shen Xi saw him, the corners of her lips unconsciously hooked up. Her steps became lighter and her sorrows were washed away. Just when she was about to get into the car, she tripped.

    Li Yuan¡¯s reflexes were quick. He grabbed her arm with one hand and her waist with the other before he spun around and carried her into the car.

    He was so swift that when Shen Xi tilted her head, her nose hit his chest. She felt sore and felt a warm liquid dripping from her nose.

    Fu Junqiu was standing at the entrance of Cosmos Entertainment and saw Shen Xi stumble as she was getting into the car before she was carried by the man inside. The man¡¯s eyes were dark and deep, with a sharp murderous aura that seemed to be seeping out.

    Li Yuan!

    ¡®That man is Li Yuan?! What¡¯s their rtionship? They look so intimate, so are they a couple?¡¯

    Li Yuan felt someone¡¯s gaze and looked out the window. He then heard the girl¡¯s painful muffled grunt and saw her converged eyebrows. Shen Xi was covering her nose as she pushed him away.

    Shen Xi knew she had a nosebleed!

    Li Yuan had a nosebleed once, so he was experienced this time round and wiped the blood away with wet wipes. He patted her forehead and tilted her head back slightly as he leaned her back on the seat.

    ¡°Did you hit your forehead?¡± Li Yuan asked. His big hand was holding up her small chin. Shen Xi did not respond, so he looked over to see that the girl had fallen asleep.

    She slept soundly. Her white porcin skin highlighted the dark circles under her eyes. Her breathing was a little heavy and she was exhausted.

    When the car was about to arrive in the neighborhood, Kun Lun turned his head to look at the man in the backseat and asked respectfully, ¡°Boss, where should I park?¡±

    Shen Xi was sound asleep and Li Yuan had no intention of waking her up, so Kun Lun had no clue where he should go.

    ¡°Park in front of the house.¡± Li Yuan was afraid of waking her up and lowered his voice.

    Li Yuan was aware that she was a light sleeper and would wake up with the slightest movement. He sat in the car quietly and did not wake her. He merely adjusted her sleeping position to make her morefortable.

    Kun Lun got out of the car and saw his boss had no intention to do so. He understood Li Yuan¡¯s intentions and waited at the door without another word.

    When Shen Xi opened her eyes in a daze, she bumped into the man¡¯s dark and gentle eyes and was in a trance for a while.

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°We¡¯re home.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the man¡¯s thin red lips. His lip color had always been lighter, like a flower petal. When they opened and closed, she could not help but gulp a little.

    ¡®It¡¯s so tempting¡­ I just want to¡­ Kiss him!¡¯

    Li Yuan saw the girl closing her eyes again and coaxed her in a warm voice. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep. Wait until after dinner.¡±

    Shen Xi then sat up and did not dare to look at him again. Fortunately, the light in the car was dimmed. She convinced herself that he must not have seen her expression and did not catch her drooling because of his face.

    Kun Lun watched as the pair got out of the car one after the other and quickly opened the door.

    Shen Xi pushed his wheelchair towards the house. Before they reached the door, Toffeecito leaped out and meowed usingly. It jumped onto Li Yuan¡¯sp and stood firmly.

    Li Yuan looked in the direction of her house and even though he was reluctant, he reminded her, ¡°Your parents are back.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at her house and saw the lights inside. Her heart became warmer. The corners of her lips hooked up as she said ¡°Oh¡±.

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going back?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I won¡¯t go back just yet. After dinner, I¡¯ll give you a massage and acupuncture before I go home.¡±

    Old Shen and Madam Yun were not scheduled to be back today as they were set to travel for a week, so they should arrive the day after tomorrow. They returned early to surprise her.

    However, her parents did not call to check on her even though it was alreadyte and she was not home yet.

    Just as Shen Xi thought of that, her phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was Pei Xu. The first thing he said was, ¡°Why do you keep hanging up on me?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the man in front of her and understood instantly. She asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Your parents are back. Song Wenye told them that I was with you, so they called me and I said you¡¯re with me. Did you go home? Don¡¯t expose us!¡± Pei Xu answered.

 Chapter 420 - Alone Time

    <h4>Chapter 420: Alone Time</h4>

    Pei Xu called Shen Xi several times without getting through, but he knew she had left with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad. Otherwise, Pei Xu would have thought something had happened to her and would have gone looking for her everywhere.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi answered. ¡°Is the situation there stable?¡±

    ¡°The doctor just came over to check on him. He is stable,¡± Pei Xu replied.

    Shen Xi asked a few more questions about Ning Sinian¡¯s condition before hanging up. She looked next door and suddenly felt like she was sneaking around like a thief.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing finally came home. Shen Xi wanted to split herself into two so she could stay with Li Yuan and go home to her parents.

    Li Yuan already made dinner, but Shen Xi missed her parents so much and decided to not eat with him. She wanted to go home for dinner.

    However, Shen Xi insisted on giving him acupuncture before leaving with Toffeecito. When she got to her door, she lowered his voice and said, ¡°Brother, go back to eat!¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and watched as the girl tiptoed back home like a thief. He could not help but smile.

    He rolled his wheelchair and followed the sound of the girl¡¯s footsteps back home. He looked at the two houses separated by a wall.

    This wall was such an eyesore, and all he wanted was to break this wall down.

    The Shens¡¯ house was brightly lit.

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s back?¡± Shen Tang asked and looked in the direction of the footsteps from a nce, full of surprise.

    Shen Xi was caught by surprise too. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re finally here!¡±

    Two months were not too long or short of a time. During this period, Qi Xiu had made it big, but this diva, Shen Tang, arrived fashionablyte.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Yun Jinping came over, saw her daughter, and said with a smile, ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for you. Go wash your hands quickly! It¡¯s time for dinner!¡±

    Shen Xi answered loudly and excitedly, before putting Toffeecito down and running over to her mother. She hugged her and said, ¡°Mom, I missed you so much!¡±

    ¡°I know, I know¡­ How old are you? You still act like a child.¡± Yun Jinping smiled dotingly and hugged her back. ¡°Xuan said your phone isn¡¯t working and he¡¯s quite worried about you. Call him backter!¡±

    Shen Xi did not know what to tell her parents about the Fu family, so she gave a vague ¡°mm¡±, but she would not call him back.

    She had blocked everyone in the Fu family because she did not want them to look for her. They should all just look for Fu Qingli instead.

    ¡°Toffeecito! Do you miss Grandpa?¡± Shen Zhangqing smiled and held Toffeecito.

    Shen Zhanglin and Du Juan looked at the scene in front of them and looked at each other as theyughed. They did not expect Shen Zhangqing to be a cat person.

    During the meal, the house was lively like it was a festive season.

    Shen Xi learned that her parents finished work several days in advance, then returned to their hometown for Tomb Sweeping Day to pay respects to their ancestors. While they were there, they helped Shen Zhanglin¡¯s family to wrap up their business and make the move to the Capital by car.

    After dinner, the two Shen brothers went to wash the dishes.

    Du Juan was interested in Yun Jinping¡¯s current work and went with her to check out the home studio.

    Shen Xi¡¯s family arrived home at 7:00 pm, a little earlier before Shen Xi got home.

    This time, they brought back a lot of local specialties from their hometown, so Du Juan insisted on cooking dinner at home instead of eating out.

    Thus, they did not have time to clean and tidy the guest rooms yet. Shen Zhanglin and Du Juan would stay in the vacant guest room on the first floor.

    The guest room on the second floor was upied as a storage room for Yun Jinping¡¯s materials but they did not have time to clear it, so Shen Tang would share a room with Shen Xi for the time being.

    Shen Xi pulled Shen Tang around to familiarize her with theyout of the second floor. Shen Xi showed her the bathroom, stairs, and their bedroom, leading her around several times.

    Shen Tang was smart. After walking around twice, she had familiarized herself with the new environment and remembered it all. She held Shen Xi¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°When is Qiubaiing to pick up his ring?¡±

    This ring had been on her mind and Shen Tang wanted to give it back to Yu Qiubai as soon as possible.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll pass it to him at school tomorrow. Give it to me.¡± Shen Xi forgot about Yu Qiubai¡¯s ring and thought, ¡®I should return it to that fox ASAP¡­¡¯

    Shen Tang was afraid to lose the ring, so she purposely ced it in a ring box and handed it to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi helped Shen Tang to unpack her suitcase. She vacated a part of her closet for Shen Tang and informed her where the clothes were located.

    When Shen Xi was in Country M, she asked Fu Qingxuan about Shen Tang¡¯s eyes, but there was no progress, so she decided not to rely on him and would do it herself.

    Fu Qingli had already given her an ultimatum, and Shen Xi did not want to be so thick-skinned to bother the Fu family again. Instead of getting repeated warnings by Fu Qingli, Shen Xi would rather wait for the Situ family¡¯sboratory to be upgraded and make the cure herself.

    Initially, Shen Xi only agreed to let Fu Qingxuan treat Shen Tang¡¯s eyes because he was capable and the Fu Qingxi Medical Laboratory had advanced equipment.

    Secondly, Shen Xi wanted to treat Shen Tang¡¯s eyes as soon as possible. She did not know how long theboratory upgrade would take and was afraid that it would dy her treatment.

    It was a dreamless night.

    Shen Xi slept soundly and got a full night¡¯s sleep. She was energetic when she woke up. She had taken four days off, so when she arrived at school, the International ss students bombarded her with questions.

    In her past life, Shen Xi was an art student. She wanted to go into film school and join the entertainment industry, so she would often miss sses.

    Since she was reborn, this was the first time she had missed ss for four days straight, so the International ss was worried sick.

    Song Wenye had to exin to the rest of the ss on each day that Shen Xi was not sick and that she was alive and kicking.

    However, Song Wenye would get fierce and act oddly defensive when they asked her what Shen Xi was doing.

    This caused the International ss students to think Shen Xi was in trouble or had some serious illness. They even thought Shen Xi was terminally ill and started to secretly raise money for her.

    ¡°Look, she¡¯s fine, right?!¡± Song Wenye looked at the group of people in front of her with contempt. She pointed at them and grunted. ¡°I told y¡¯all she¡¯s okay, but you¡¯re all just running wild with your imagination!¡±

    Shen Xiughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Everyone should go back and study!¡±

    No one but Pei Xu and Li Yuan knew that Shen Xi was treating Ning Sinian, not even Song Wenye or Shen Xi¡¯s parents.

    Her identity as a doctor could not be exposed because if she had too many roles, countless people would start looking for her and she would be swarmed. Thus, it was better to be mysterious.

    The International ss students finally settled their hearts and went back to their seats cheerfully. They were d as long as Shen Xi was fine.

    Song Wenye leaned in close to Shen Xi and asked curiously, ¡°Auntie and Uncle Shen went on a business trip but you and Toffeecito¡¯s Dad had some alone time¡­ Where did you travel to?¡±

 Chapter 421 - Seconds Felt Like Years

    <h4>Chapter 421: Seconds Felt Like Years</h4>

    Shen Xi thought, ¡®I wish I was on a getaway with Li Yuan¡­¡¯

    However, the truth was she had been exhausted from flying around the globe and working for four days in a row. Shen Xi cast a sidelong nce at Song Wenye and did not answer her question. ¡°Go back to your seat.¡±

    Song Wenye thought Shen Xi acquiesced and gave Shen Xi a knowing look. She teased Shen Xi, ¡°It¡¯s useless even if you don¡¯t admit it because I saw you were with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad on a private jet!¡±

    Others might not know who was behind Toffeecito¡¯s social media ount, but Song Wenye was clear about it because she was Toffeecito¡¯s godmother.

    Everyone in the International ss was happy that Shen Xi was finally back in school.

    These days, Song Wenye had been going to the Top ss daily to find Chen Bingbing for the bet. However, the Top ss had been stubborn and insisted they still had time. They refused to admit defeat, so Song Wenye would get pissed and curse them every time she got back.

    During the break before the second period, Song Wenye, Chu Ying, and a group of girls went to the Top ss again. They finally came back happy for once.

    Shen Xi looked at Song Wenye¡¯s smug face and raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°You got it?¡±

    ¡°Yup, I finally got it! Since I won¡¯t be in school next week and I¡¯m afraid Yingying won¡¯t be able to handle Chen Bingbing, it¡¯s better to get it from them now while I¡¯m still around.¡± Song Wenye snickered and showed Shen Xi the e-receipt. Her tone was nonchnt and smug as she said, ¡°Although we¡¯re not short of this 70,000 album sales, consider it a bonus.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°They didn¡¯t resist?¡±

    Song Wenye said, ¡°With me around, will Chen Bingbing dare? I¡¯ll f*ck her up!¡±

    Shen Xi heard Song Wenye¡¯s foul mouth and said, ¡°When you went to the office two days ago, didn¡¯t you learn how to manage your expression, speech, and demeanor?¡±

    If Song Wenye spoke like this on the show, someone who wanted to smear her name could easily do so.

    Luckily, Song Wenye was from Capital No. 4 High School, the ce where the children of the rich and powerful in the Capital were concentrated. Thus, no one would say anything that would damage the school¡¯s honor and reputation.

    At the mention of this, Song Wenye got worried. ¡°Oh, right¡­ I¡¯m supposed to be a cold and aloof goddess and maintain my elegant persona. That way, it¡¯s easier to gain fans.¡±

    Song Wenye originally did not want to agree to it, but after some thought, she should practice her acting skills in front of people. She even thought of imitating Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi had no clue about Song Wenye¡¯s intentions, but she was pleased that Song Wenye was 100%pliant with thepany¡¯s arrangement.

    After school, Pei Xu came to pick up Shen Xi in the evening.

    After the racing ident, Pei Xu finally conquered his trauma, so driving was no longer a problem for him.

    When Shen Xi and Pei Xu arrived at the hospital, Ning Sinian¡¯s parents were in the ward watching over their son. They dared not hope for more or for their son to wake up.

    Their son¡¯s attending doctor, Dr. Tang, who was amongst the top medical experts in China, brought a group of experts from the hospital for a consultation in the morning. They did aprehensive check on Ning Sinian and found his condition had improved significantly. They even called it a miracle.

    However, these doctors in the hospital, including Dr. Tang, did not dare to give any guarantee that Ning Sinian would wake up or that he would recover.

    Mr. and Mrs. Ning were so eager that every second felt like a year.

    Mr. Ning looked at Mrs. Ning anxiously. ¡°Give Xu a call and ask if he¡¯s picked up Dr. Shen.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call? He¡¯s only been gone for a while. It¡¯ll take some time. If Dr. Shen says he¡¯sing over, then he wille. Let¡¯s just wait.¡±

    Even though she said so, she was more anxious than anyone else. Since the consultation in the morning when the doctors mentioned her son¡¯s bodily functions had begun to recover, Mrs. Ning had longed for Dr. Shen toe over sooner.

    However, she did not dare to call Pei Xu. After all, they treated him horribly all these years.

    Mr. and Mrs. Ning had been so resentful toward Pei Xu because of their son. They did not want to see Pei Xu and never allowed Pei Xu to visit their son.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll wait a little longer.¡± Mr. Ning looked at the ward¡¯s door from time to time and would also go to the window to look downstairs. He paced back and forth anxiously and rubbed his hands together.

    When the door was pushed open, Mr. and Mrs. Ning rushed over, but they did not know what to say when they saw that it was Dr. Shen.

    In the end, Shen Xi nodded to them first and said hello.

    Only then did Mr. Ning look at her with excitement and greet her, ¡°Dr. Shen, pleasee in.¡±

    Mrs. Ning wanted to say something, but she was a little stumped as to how to express her gratitude, so she just looked at Shen Xi gratefully and greeted her. ¡°Dr. Shen.¡±

    Shen Xi was informed by Pei Xu of Ning Sinian¡¯s situation. She went over to do a checkup and found that Ning Sinian¡¯s health was indeed improving. She double-checked the other doctor¡¯s consultation report and body checkup, then said, ¡°His health is improving well.¡±

    Mr. and Mrs. Ning stood next to Shen Xi and did not dare to breathe loudly for fear of disturbing the doctor¡¯s diagnosis. After getting Shen Xi¡¯s affirmation, they finally put their minds at ease.

    ¡°Dr. Shen.¡± Mrs. Ning choked on her words as tears streamed down her face. She looked at Shen Xi expectantly. ¡°Does he¡­ Have any hope of waking up?¡±

    They just wished their son could be alive, even as in a vegetative state. For them, that was a kind of constion.

    However, people were always greedy. After finding out their son¡¯s health improved, they hoped he could wake up even though the chances were slim.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you a 100% guarantee on this,¡± Shen Xi had to speak objectively as a doctor. ¡°But his body functions will slowly return to normal.¡±

    Shen Xi was confident in her antidote, but she could not guarantee that Ning Sinian would wake up. If there were noplications, it was certainly not a problem for him to regain consciousness.

    When Mr. and Mrs. Ning heard Shen Xi, tears welled up in their eyes. They were so emotional and surprised that they had no idea what to do.

    Mrs. Ning thanked Shen Xi and began to cry on her husband¡¯s shoulder, but she did not want the doctor to see her like this and wiped her tears silently.

    Just this one sentence was enough for them.

    It meant that Ning Sinian had a chance at survival.

    Mr. Ning was still able to hold back his emotions. He looked at Shen Xi with embarrassment. ¡°Dr. Shen, what do we do next?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Let¡¯s finish the medication and see what happens.¡±

    Mr. Ning thanked her again. He was not great at expressing his feelings, but he would remember Shen Xi¡¯s kindness for life.

 Chapter 422 - She Blocked Him!

    <h4>Chapter 422: She Blocked Him!</h4>

    Shen Xi told Mr. and Mrs. Ning to monitor their son¡¯s condition and told them they could contact Pei Xu to get to her if anything happens.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Mr. Ning nodded and gave her a bank card. ¡°Dr. Shen, this is a small token of our appreciation. Please ept it.¡±

    Pei Xu had been dealing with Shen Xi all this while, so Mr. Ning did not know how much he should pay her.

    However, this money was not enough to express their gratitude. Mr. Ning thought, ¡®Dr. Shen is such a worldly doctor and certainly isn¡¯t short of this money¡­¡¯

    Pei Xu wanted to pay Shen Xi himself, but seeing this situation in front of him, he did not stop Mr. Ning either.

    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡± Shen Xi epted the money and looked at the person in front of him. ¡°Goodbye then.¡±

    Favor and money were separate things. If Shen Xi did not ept this money, Mr. and Mrs. Ning would feel more helpless.

    ¡°Dr. Shen,¡± Mr. Ning called out to her again. He seemed to be in a pickle and finally looked at her and asked, ¡°Director Tang is Nian¡¯s attending doctor in this hospital. He wants to see you and would like to know if it¡¯s convenient for you?¡±

    He was embarrassed to ask this, but he was good friends with Director Tang, who was very eager to see this miracle doctor, so he had to ask.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t necessary.¡± Shen Xi still did not want her identity to be exposed yet, so it was better to remain a mystery for now.

    Otherwise, she might be another legend and the subject of discussion again.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll instruct them to keep this a secret and won¡¯t leak your information.¡± Mr. Ning understood what he should do for Dr. Shen.

    Shen Xi knew Mr. Ning was a quick-witted fellow. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to keep all of this secret, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you can keep my name out of it.¡±

    Shen Xi did not want secrecy but mystery. The effect she wanted to achieve was for all the affluent families in the Capital to know that there was such a miracle doctor yet they would not know who she was.

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Mr. Ning understood what Shen Xi meant. It seemed that Dr. Shen did not intend to keep this a secret and probably wanted to make a name for himself in the elite circle of China.

    With Dr. Shen¡¯s medical skills, it was indeed possible for affluent families in China to treat him respectfully.

    The Ning family was the first to owe Dr. Shen a favor. In this world, good doctors, especially miracle doctors like Dr. Shen, were very rare.

    Shen Xi nodded slightly at him before turning to leave.

    Mr. Ning stood at the entrance of the ward and watched as Shen Xi left. He could not help butment. ¡®He¡¯s a hero among the youth! This Dr. Shen is so calm and indifferent, but he¡¯s still apassionate doctor. He¡¯ll surely make it big in the future!¡¯

    Pei Xu drove Shen Xi back.

    Shen Xi took out her phone to check the bank card bnce and counted the zeroes behind the 1. It was no less than 10 million yuan.

    Pei Xu looked at Shen Xi through the rearview mirror. Even though he had seen her disguise countless times, he was still amazed by it and could not get used to her looking like a man. He asked, ¡°Xixi, are you nning to be a big shot in the medical world next?¡±

    Being a doctor was a great profession, especially a miracle doctor that was extremely hard to find. There would be people who would be willing to spend a huge sum just to see her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I just want to focus on the college chatbox exams.¡± Shen Xi still needed to get into medical school. After all, she must also have a proper career.

    Pei Xu had noment. After some thought, he said, ¡°Fu Qingxuan keeps asking me every day who this medicine is for and how effective it is. He even said he bought his flight ticket toe over.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had been very concerned about the medicine, but they did not reveal anything. He only knew of its existence but not the details.

    Shen Xi¡¯s brows knitted slightly and asked, ¡°When?¡±

    Pei Xu replied, ¡°He said there¡¯s a very important medical forum in the afternoon that he must attend, so I guess he¡¯s taking the evening flight.¡±

    Shen Xi let out a faint ¡°mm¡±, took out her phone, scrolled for a long time, and finally found Fu Qingli¡¯s number on her cklist. She unblocked his number and sent him a text message.

    [Fu Qingxuan ising to see me.]

    ¡®Didn¡¯t he say that he doesn¡¯t want me to provoke his family? Then he should take care of them himself!¡¯

    After sending this informative text message, Shen Xi thought about it and sent another one.

    [Your aunt is pestering me to be a contracted artist for your entertainmentpany. You should mind your family.]

    Fu Qingli had just finished an important meeting when he received both messages. He looked at the attendees and said in a deep voice, ¡°Get out.¡±

    The top executives went out one by one. Thest one who left closed the door behind him.

    Fu Qingli knew who sent the messages. After a while, his long, slender fingers typed only two words. [Got it.]

    He clicked send.

    Ten seconds passed, but the chat box showed: [Message cannot be delivered.]

    Fu Qingli¡¯s face turned glum as he looked at the red alert in the chat box. For a while, he felt a raging fire in his chest like a volcano eruption.

    ¡®Damn it! She blocked me?!¡¯

    At that moment, Xu Xu knocked on the door twice but no one answered, so he pushed the door open and was stunned in ce.

    Xu Xu saw the ever cold and ruthless man that was unfazed by anything kicking the desk in frustration.

    This kick was full of force, but the desk did not budge. Instead, the man stubbed his toes. That handsome face was momentarily distorted with pain, but he immediately returned to his cold expression.

    ¡°Sir,¡± Xu Xu said as he respectfully stood on one side while looking at his boss with trepidation. ¡°The car is waiting. We should leave.¡±

    ¡®What happened to have him lose his usual calm and rational mind that he¡¯d actually kick such a solid desk?¡¯

    The desk was fine but his feet might not be¡­

    ¡°Change the business trip to 10:00 pm.¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s voice was cold and sullen as he walked towards the door. Every step was incredibly painful.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After Xu Xu answered, he carefully nced at his boss and did not see any abnormalities, so he put his heart at ease.

    ¡®Boss kicked the desk so hard and didn¡¯t even stub his toe? I even felt the pain by just looking at it. He¡¯s really lucky that he¡¯s okay.¡±

    Just as Xu Xu thought this, Fu Qingli said, ¡°Check when Fu Qingxuan¡¯s flight out of the country.¡± He added in a cold voice, ¡°Bring a medical kit to my office.¡±

    When Xu Xu heard the words ¡°medical kit¡±, he almost fainted and came up with a myriad of spections in his heart. However, he dared not show the slightest disrespect and answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡®Who can anger the boss to such an extent and make him so sulky?!¡¯

 Chapter 423 - Heartbroken

    <h4>Chapter 423: Heartbroken</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®I doubt it¡¯s the Second Young Master or Third Young Master. Boss would¡¯ve just cursed at them. Thest time Boss looked like this was when he took a stifling loss against Li Yuan¡­¡¯ Xu Xu thought.

    Xu Xu quickly delivered the medical kit.

    Fu Qingli sent him away and dealt with his bleeding wounds while he got mad at himself. ¡®What the hell is wrong with me? Isn¡¯t this very normal? Why was I so angry? Is it because that stupid girl ignored me and blocked me?¡¯

    After Shen Xi mercilessly blocked Fu Qingli, she was in a joyous mood, and the smile on her face was the brightest. The best way to deal with an opponent was to ignore him!

    ¡®He probably won¡¯t find trouble with me now, right? I even informed him beforehand so that he can control his family. If he can¡¯t control them, then it¡¯s not my fault!¡¯

    Shen Xi¡¯s move took immediate effect. Fu Junqiu no longer pestered her to sign with the Fu family¡¯s entertainmentpany and Fu Qingxuan did note to bother her.

    Two days ago, Fu Qingxuan could not get to Shen Xi because she blocked him, so he called her parents. Lately, he did not call her, so Shen Xi had a rare moment of peace.

    Every night, Shen Xi would go to Li Yuan¡¯s house, but every time she sneaked past the door to his home, she felt like a thief. This feeling of doing something behind her parents¡¯ back was quite thrilling and exciting.

    That night, no one was at the door and there was no car parked at the front.

    Shen Xi thought Li Yuan went out, so she looked at her house and next door. After hesitating, she still went next door.

    If she were to go home now, it would be hard to find a good excuse to sneak out again. Li Yuan could not miss his daily acupuncture routine.

    Kun Lun had long since registered Shen Xi¡¯s fingerprints at their door. She pressed her finger onto the lock and let herself in. She walked in while she sent Li Yuan a text. [Brother, when are youing home?]

    Boom!

    There was a loud explosioning from the kitchen. When Shen Xi looked over, she saw the fire through the window.

    Shen Xi was scared to death. Her hands trembled and her phone fell to the ground. She ran inside the house and saw the man who was lying by the kitchen door.

    He looked like a mess as he nced back in the direction of the kitchen with a cruel, blood-thirsty, and abhorrent self-deprecating smile. His whole being was exuding despair.

    The man was unaware of Shen Xi¡¯s presence. In the next moment, heughed mockingly at himself. He looked at his own legs and crawled back into the kitchen without hesitation.

    The kitchen was a mess.

    There was a burning me on the stove.

    The kitchen floor was strewn with broken dishes and food from the impact of the explosion.

    He looked at the mess in front of him with calm and deep eyes that wereced with self-mockery. He just found everything in front of him to be an eyesore.

    There was never a moment that he wanted to end his life so badly.

    ¡®What am I doing alive? I can¡¯t even do such a simple little thing¡­¡¯

    The mess in front of him seemed to remind him that he was a useless invalid. ¡®I¡¯m so useless that I can¡¯t even do such a small thing like cook for her¡­¡¯

    Li Yuan hated his legs, but what he hated more was meeting her sote. ¡®If only I could¡¯ve met her a few years earlier when I was in my prime¡­ I could¡¯ve stood in front of her¡­ How great would that be?¡¯

    Recently, Li Yuan would often fantasize and dream about standing in front of Shen Xi.

    He dreamt he could stand in front of her parents and friends without fear while he told everyone that she was his.

    Now, he dared not appear in front of her parents and was afraid of letting her friends know about his situation. He was scared to show any emotion in front of her.

    The reason he continued living was to find her.

    Now that his wish came true and he finally found her, why should he drag her down?

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t drag her down with my crippled body¡­ She shouldn¡¯t waste her prime on a useless invalid like me¡­¡¯

    The fire was getting bigger in the kitchen and started spreading.

    His eyes were burning and broken porcin pieces were stuck in his palms. His whole body was engulfed in fire and blood. The look in his eyes was dark, cruel, bloodthirsty, and maddening.

    Behind him, there was suddenly the sound of chaotic footsteps.

    Li Yuan turned his head and saw a tearful face. She called out to him in a panic, which pulled his sanity back a little.

    Shen Xi rushed over.

    At this moment, he suddenly felt so heartbroken.

    Shen Xi felt her heart was torn into pieces when she saw his crazy, desperate, and resolute face with no hesitation to die.

    The moment Li Yuan saw Shen Xi, his eyes returned to his usual gentle look. He was extremely calm as he looked at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯te over! It¡¯s dangerous¡­ Call Kun Lun.¡±

    Shen Xi did not listen to him and ran over. When she got to the front of the kitchen, she could clearly see what was going on. The bloodstains on the ground instantly stung her eyes.

    The broken porcin pieces that were stained with blood seemed to stab into her heart.

    Shen Xi bent down and quickly grabbed his arms.

    She panicked in a moment and forgot that she should drag him out.

    He wore light-colored trousers today, so Shen Xi could see the bloodstains on his pants from the broken pieces of porcin that had pierced into his flesh.

    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± Li Yuan watched as the fire got bigger. He felt the girl¡¯s soft arms wrapped around him and let out an exasperated stern rebuke. ¡°Get out of here!¡±

    This ce was dangerous because the kitchen might explode again.

    Shen Xi did not know Li Yuan had a temper and would yell at her. She saw the fire in the kitchen had begun to spread and quickly dragged him out without a second thought.

    The kitchen wasrge, but the fire was still concentrated around the stove, and not towards the door, so they were safe for the time being.

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the girl¡¯s small fair hands. He then looked at his own legs self-deprecatingly and closed his eyes in despair.

    ¡®How can I let her see how useless I am?!¡¯

    Shen Xi was strong and dragged him to the living room. She then squatted down, carried him on her back, and ran to the courtyard before she put him down.

    Li Yuan regained hisposure in a short while. He adjusted his sitting position and did not know what to say for a moment.

    At this moment, the air was dead silent.

 Chapter 424 - Leave Everything Behind

    <h4>Chapter 424: Leave Everything Behind</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi looked at the man sitting next to her. No matter what time of day or how disheveled he looked, his innate elegance could not be hidden.

    She did not dare to speak, ask, or cry. She wanted to ask him if he was thinking of killing himself earlier.

    Shen Xi dared not think about that moment of desperation and loneliness that would make him leave everything behind him, which stabbed her heart deeply.

    Li Yuan broke the silence and looked at the girl next to him. His deep voice was a little raspy. ¡°Come here¡­¡±

    Shen Xi moved a little closer towards him. She tried to calm herself down and suppress her tears. Suddenly, she felt a slight chill on her face as the man¡¯s fingertips touched her cheek.

    She opened her eyes and looked at him quietly. Gazing into his eyes, she could no longer find the bloodthirsty, cruel madness she saw in him earlier. What remained was his usual calm and gentle look.

    However, when she saw him like this, she felt more ufortable, as if her heart was being clutched in someone¡¯s hand and torn apart viciously.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl¡¯s dark, glimmering eyes and was speechless. He could not find the words to exin to her about everything that just happened.

    ¡®How much did she see? What did she know?¡¯

    He wanted to know but dared not ask her.

    She wanted him to live, but at that moment, he selfishly chose to escape and wanted to die.

    Shen Xi did not know what to say either. She had a lot of words brewing in her heart for a long time, but in the end, she only said something insignificant. ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t I strong?¡±

    Li Yuan was stunned for a moment as tears welled up in her eyes and crystal beads rolled down her face. He quickly wiped her tears andforted her in a warm voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s just a fire.¡±

    Shen Xi jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. She buried her head in his chest and sobbed in sorrow.

    She was convinced she did not do well enough to make him think about her so that he would hang on to life. She was not enough to make him give up that terrible notion.

    Li Yuan knew Shen Xi was frightened. His arm stiffened for a moment, then gently patted her and coaxed her. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    The front door was pushed open. Kun Lun came inte and was holding two sticks of candied hawthorn. When he saw the scene in front of him he was scared out of his wits. He did not ask any more questions and ran towards the kitchen.

    The kitchen was huge and well-ventted with tworge windows. Thus, even if there was a fire, it would not explode in a short time.

    Kun Lun took the fire extinguisher and put out the fire. Looking at the wrecked kitchen, Kun Lun felt frightened.

    Li Yuan asked him to buy candied hawthorns for Shen Xi and he was only gone for slightly more than ten minutes, so how did this happen?

    The blood on the floor was very conspicuous on the white tiles. It was a piercing bright red, which made his heart tremble. The wheelchair was burned and he could see smeared blood from Li Yuan crawling across the floor. It was not at all difficult to imagine what just happened.

    After Kun Lun put out the fire and went back out, he saw Shen Xi had already found a medical kit and was squatting next to Li Yuan to treat his wounds.

    Li Yuan had a lot of cuts from the broken dishes when he crawled across the kitchen.

    The injuries were minor. He dodged in time, so he was not burned. Shen Xi carefully examined him and breathed a sigh of relief.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl that was tending to his wounds earnestly. While she dressed his wounds, her tears fell in silence, which ached his heart. He then coaxed her in a warm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­¡±

    Shen Xi did not want to cry and did not want to be embarrassed in front of him, but her tears were uncontroble as they continuously streamed down her face.

    She knew what she was worried about. She was not afraid of the fire, nor was she worried that he would be injured. As long as he had the will to, no one could harm him.

    What she feared most was that he would give up on her and himself.

    That scene earlier was like a nightmare that kept reying in her mind. He wanted to recklessly rush into the fire just now.

    Kun Lun stood on the side. When Shen Xi put away the medical kit, Kun Lun walked over and respectfully said, ¡°Boss, I think it¡¯s best if we return to the mansion today¡­¡±

    Although the fire was extinguished, the smell of smoke was prevalent, so they would have to clean up and get rid of the smell before they could live here again.

    Shen Xi paused in her action and tilted her head to look at Li Yuan. She muttered, ¡°You haven¡¯t done acupuncture yet!¡±

    Kun Lun wanted to say that they could do the acupuncture at the mansion, but he remembered that Shen Xi had to go home and finally kept quiet as he waited for Li Yuan¡¯s order.

    ¡°No need.¡± Li Yuan instructed, then looked at Shen Xi and asked, ¡°Is it okay if we go to the study?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded.

    Kun Lun quickly brought out the spare wheelchair.

    Shen Xi silently pushed him. When she got to the living room door, she heard a meow from the wall. Toffeecito jumped down through the cat climber that they had specially installed on the wall.

    Toffeecito was fast and ran over to jump on its exclusive position on Li Yuan¡¯sp.

    Shen Xi quickly picked it up and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around!¡±

    Li Yuan turned to look at her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Give him to me.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi was insistent and strict. ¡°You¡¯re injured, so Toffeecito is not allowed to jump on yourp these days.¡±

    Li Yuan let out augh and nodded obediently. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi then gave Toffeecito to Kun Lun. Otherwise, Toffeecito would surely jump back to its exclusive spot on Li Yuan¡¯sp.

    Toffeecito was confused and desperately struggled in Kun Lun¡¯s arms as it wailed for help.

    Li Yuan could not bear to watch Toffeecito struggle. He was soft-hearted and asked Shen Xi, ¡°I don¡¯t have injuries on myp, so can I hold him?¡±

    Shen Xi firmly refused. ¡°No!¡±

    Li Yuan listened to Toffeecito¡¯s pretentious scream and continued to plead, ¡°I¡¯ll be careful and won¡¯t let him run around and jump on me or touch my wound.¡±

    Shen Xi was adamant, ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡±

    Li Yuan looked at Toffeecito and helplessly shook his head at it.

    Kun Lun saw this scene and let out a sigh of relief. ¡®Toffeecito¡¯s Mom is the bad cop while Toffeecito¡¯s Dad is the good cop, but in the end, Toffeecito¡¯s Dad has no choice but topromise¡­¡¯

    The atmosphere was a lot lighter and their tense nerves rxed.

    Toffeecito did not know what was going on. After being carried away and red at by Shen Xi countless times, Toffeecito finally sat next to Shen Xi looking very obedient and aggrieved.

    Seeing the two little cuties squatting in front of him, Li Yuan could not help but smile and look at them dotingly.

 Chapter 425 - As Long as You Like It

    <h4>Chapter 425: As Long as You Like It</h4>

    After Shen Xi did the acupuncture for Li Yuan, she carefully instructed him about how to care for his wound, then carried Toffeecito home.

    Li Yuan sent her to the door and watched her leave. His eyes gradually turned cold and deste. He lowered his gaze and looked at his legs. The feeling of powerlessness again engulfed him.

    Shen Xi arrived at the living room door and could hear the word ¡°neighbor¡±. She perked up her ears immediately and eavesdropped nervously.

    ¡®Was I so unlucky that Mom found out I went next door?¡¯

    A momentter, she breathed a sigh of relief.

    The conversation in the living room was audible.

    Du Juan came out of the kitchen together with Yun Jinping. She was carrying a dish and suddenly thought of something, so she said, ¡°Jinping, I saw your neighbor today.¡±

    Yesterday, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing had mentioned their neighbor and she coincidentally saw him today.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s he like?¡± Yun Jinping was stunned for a moment before she asked with a smile. She was truly interested because she had not seen him since he moved here a long time ago.

    Recently, Shen Xi had not climbed the wall as diligently as before. She would just look for Toffeecito and shout at the wall asionally.

    Shen Zhangqing had his doubts dispelled and was no longer suspicious of the neighbor.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see what he looked like, but he¡¯s sitting in a wheelchair. I bought groceries and turned the corner, just in time to see someone pushing him in.¡± Du Juan sighed and said with some sympathy, ¡°He looked quite young too.¡±

    Yun Jinping said, ¡°Xixi said that he¡¯s an uncle.¡±

    Du Juan added, ¡°Maybe he just looks young!¡±

    Shen Tang was helping to set the table. Even if she was blind, her hearing and senses were very sensitive. She heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps stopping at the living room door.

    The light footsteps definitely belonged to Xixi, and not her uncle or father.

    Shen Xi heard the conversation take a turn before she entered the house with Toffeecito in her arms. After a cheerful greeting, Shen Xi threw her school bag aside and helped Shen Tang.

    When Shen Tang got close to Shen Xi, she paused in her action and knitted her brows slightly. She lowered her voice and asked with concern, ¡°Are you injured?¡±

    ¡®Why, did she smell of blood?¡¯

    Shen Xi did not think she would be discovered after taking a shower and changing her clothes. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not mine. My deskmate was sharpening pencils and identally cut his hand and got some on me.¡±

    Shen Tang listened to Shen Xi¡¯s overstretched lie and did not say anything. The smell of blood was quite strong, so it was certainly not a light injury. However, Xixi was no longer a child, so she should not probe further if Xixi was not willing to tell her.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll go get changed first.¡±

    Yun Jinping already shouted at Shen Xi. ¡°Hurry down and wash your hands before dinner!¡±

    It was already April and there were only two months left before the college entrance exams. Shen Xi¡¯s studies were getting more intense by the day, so she said she woulde back an hourter every day for the next two months.

    Shen Zhangqing had been very busy with his businesstely.

    Shen Zhanglin bought a shop two days ago and he was getting it renovated and furnished. He was afraid the workers would be sloppy, so he spent most of his time there.

    After dinner, Du Juan took an insted lunch box and sent food to Shen Zhanglin at the store.

    Yun Jinping did not feelfortable with Du Juan being alone, so she drove her there.

    The two girls were left in the house with Toffeecito.

    After doing two sets of mock exams, Shen Xi took a shower and stood at the window to look next door. The lights were still on and she seemed to smell smokeing from there.

    Shen Tang came out after a shower and felt Shen Xi was at the window, so she asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°At the stars. They¡¯re so pretty tonight.¡±

    Shen Tang smiled, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked in Shen Xi¡¯s direction. ¡°I heard an explosion earlier and smelled smoke. Did something happen at the neighbor¡¯s house?¡±

    This time, Shen Xi did not pretend and let out a faint ¡°mm¡±. She instantly felt emotionally drained and disappointed. When she thought about the moment she rushed in, her heart clenched with pain.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Shen Tang asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi turned around and leaned her back against the windowsill. She said seriously, ¡°Sister, please keep it a secret.¡±

    Shen Xi knew Shen Tang was attentive and had sensed something during Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve.

    Shen Tang nodded and asked, ¡°He¡¯s not an uncle, is he?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s in a wheelchair.¡±

    Shen Tang heard her and thought of herself. She felt a little emotional. ¡°That¡¯s okay, just follow your heart.¡±

    Shen Xi was touched and said, ¡°We¡¯re not in that kind of rtionship yet, but I¡¯ve decided toe clean with my parents the day I be an adult.¡±

    She used to think the biggest obstacle to being with Li Yuan was probably her parents.

    Knowing Shen Zhangqing, he would be devastated that she liked someone physically challenged.

    Yun Jinping also hoped her daughter could find a perfect man without any ws.

    However, Shen Xi now knew that the biggest obstacle was not her parents, but Li Yuan himself. He could not ept himself.

    ¡°Then go for it.¡± Shen Tang smiled gently. ¡°I will always support you.¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s a physical disability anyway? I¡¯m blind, but I still have the right to choose and pursue what I want and who I love¡­¡¯

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Xi ran over and hugged her with red eyes.

    Shen Tang apanied Shen Xi in silence.

    It took a while before Shen Xi talked to her about business. Shen Xi brought out the relevant documents, moved a chair over, and sat opposite Shen Tang. ¡°Sister, this is the proposal for ¡®The Immortal Songs¡¯ show. I discussed with Chairman Yuan and we decided to let you make your debut in this program.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this¡­ I heard Qi Xiu mention that this program will invite famous singers who have already made a name in the music industry. It¡¯s a very fiercepetition and it¡¯ll test our techniques. I¡¯m just an ordinary person, so if I participate in this program, I¡¯ll be criticized¡­¡± Shen Tang did not have much confidence in herself to win in apetition against professional singers.

    The day Shen Tang came to the Capital, she had already reported to the office and went to work every day for systematic vocal studies.

    Although Shen Tang was a contracted singer with Cosmos Entertainment, her debut n was different from Qi Xiu¡¯s. Shen Xi wanted Sheng Tang to be exposed to the public first, so going to a professional talent show was ideal.

    Thepany¡¯s nning Department recently came up with three music-rted programs.

    The girl group reality show, ¡°National Idol¡±, needed girls who could sing and dance. The girls would go throughyers of screening to form a new idol group for their debut.

 Chapter 426 - Splash Fecal Water

    <h4>Chapter 426: Ssh Fecal Water</h4>

    Another program was ¡°The Voice of China¡±, which was a coboration with Province Z TV. It would be a mentor and mentee system where they would blindly select contestants from a group of musicians with ambition and talent, then form their own teams andpete against each other.

    Shen Tang thought ¡°The Voice of China¡± was most suited for her because she was an amateur singer. Participating in the talent show would also allow her to get guidance from old-timers in the music industry. Hence, Shen Tang wanted to participate in this program.

    The other show, ¡°Immortal Songs¡±, was also another coboration with a TV station. Every week, they would invite one top singer in the world as a guest, and other singers would have to perform a cover of one of their hit songs in their own style. Thepetition will be knockout rounds until one winner is selected topete again with the next top singer. Thest one standing after a few more rounds would be the champion.

    The requirements of this program were sky-high and Shen Tang did not receive any professional training, so how could shepete with these famous singers?

    ¡°Sister, what you need now is a big win to shoot yourself into fame.¡± Shen Xi made this decision after much deliberation. ¡°Think about it, how cool will it be if youpete against so many famous singers and be the champion in the end?¡±

    It was like those characters in video games who skipped levels to fight the final viin. Shen Xi believed in Shen Tang¡¯s strength and capability.

    ¡°Do you have so much faith in me?¡± Shen Tang was a little hesitant.

    Shen Tang was not afraid to participate in the program, but rather afraid if she was good enough. Otherwise, she would not be able to be thest one standing in thepetition. Then, thepany would be discredited and Shen Xi would be implicated.

    ¡°I believe in you.¡± Shen Xi looked at her with a smile and said, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t need to question your own ability. You¡¯ll be the best debut singer and will always be a diva.¡±

    ¡°But what if I were to lose and that costs thepany?¡± Shen Tang knew she could sing well and that she had a good voice. She had no qualms about taking it step by step and slowly improving herself, but Shen Xi wanted her to catapult to the top. Shen Tang was an anxious person, so she was worried about this leapfrog method.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this. The show doesn¡¯t start until July, so there are still three months left. It¡¯s more than enough time for you to improve systematically,¡± Shen Xi said. ¡°The program begins recording in July. The first season of the program will end at the end of September, so we¡¯ll strike while the iron is hot and release your album by the end of the year!¡±

    ¡°Will Master Xixi write the main song for me?¡± Shen Tang did not know that Shen Xi was the legendary musicposer Xixi, recognized by all the big shots in the music industry.

    Shen Tang did not doubt the level and quality of thepany¡¯s album production. This could be seen with Qi Xiu¡¯s album, which took less than two months to achieve the highest standard of solo albums in the past two decades in China.

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Of course! Xixi is ourpany¡¯s exclusive musicposer. He¡¯ll write the main songs for ourpany¡¯s singers.¡±

    Shen Tang nodded with excitement. ¡°That¡¯ll be great if I can meet Master Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi was calm and knew that Shen Tang was a huge fan of the musicposer, Xixi. When Qi Xiu¡¯s album was first released, Shen Tang called to ask about thisposer.

    However, Shen Xi kept her act well at that time and did not expose her identity as Xixi the musicposer. She did not want to reveal this identity at the moment, so it was better if fewer people knew about it.

    Even Shen Xi¡¯s parents did not know about it. The people who knew about her identity were Yuan Yu, Qi Xiu, and Li Yuan.

    ¡°By the way, I met someone at the office lobby today who asked me about Master Xixi.¡± Shen Tang thought the person was kinda weird.

    ¡°Male or female?¡± Shen Xi suddenly became alert. ¡®Could it be that Fu Junqiu took the opportunity to return after being taken back by Fu Qingli?¡¯

    ¡°Male.¡± Shen Tang was certain. She thought for a moment and continued, ¡°That person gave me a very bad feeling.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned. To ensure Shen Tang¡¯s safety, she made a call to Yuan Yu and talked to him about it, asking him to pay attention to the strange people wandering in front of their office.

    When Yuan Yu heard this, heughed and said, ¡°Strange person? Do you know who that person was?¡±

    Shen Xi heard himugh with a rare arrogance and smugness that was also tinged with pleasure, so she thought of a name. ¡°Su Muyan?¡±

    ¡°How did you guess urately? Recently, he has asked his subordinates to wait for XIxi. Since there was no news, he probably got anxious and came over in person.¡± Yuan Yu was stillughing. ¡°I was in the office today and spotted him at a nce.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°You let him off so easily?¡±

    ¡°Who are you kidding?¡± Yuan Yu wasughing sneakily, like a child who pranked someone and had not been discovered. ¡°I went to the third floor with a bucket of water and poured it over him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so childish,¡± Shen Xi snorted and looked down on him. ¡°If it were me, I would¡¯ve thrown rotten eggs and knives from the top floor.¡±

    Yuan Yu¡¯s voice was tinged withughter. ¡°Are you sure that you can hit him?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Still¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have sshed water.¡±

    Yuan Yu asked, ¡°Then what should I ssh?¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Ssh fecal water!¡±

    Yuan Yu was speechless.

    A few momentster, Yuan Yu yelled, ¡°Where can I get fecal water?!¡±

    He would have loved to, but at the time, the cleaningdy¡¯s dirty mop water was the best he could think of.

    Shen Xi hung up and thought, ¡®Looks like Su Muyan¡¯s still zealous thinking that he can find Xixi to write his main song and rely on that to make a bigeback. Come to think of it, if I were him, I¡¯d be quite depressed if a neer defeated me¡­ He must be out for revenge!¡¯

    **

    Shen Xi was utterly busy recently running between school and the office. She needed to discuss with Yuan Yu about her appearance in the recording of the uing ¡°National Idol¡±.

    The final decision was that Shen Xi¡¯s time would be flexible. The program team did not need to create any script or include Shen Xi in the rehearsals because she would speak impromptu.

    Yuan Yu was not the least bit worried about Shen Xi¡¯s impromptu appearance. Otherwise, he would not have been so bold as to give her this option.

    ¡°National Idol¡± had been building momentum since a month ago and was now in full swing. Since Cosmos Entertainment had the copyright and was the sole investor, the publicity was naturally done by them on their main front, Cosmos Short Vid.

    Capital No. 4 High School became lively because one of the music mentors of ¡°National Idol¡± was Su Muyan. Moreover, Su Ruowan was also participating in the talent show.

    The students in the Top ss were smug because they thought Su Ruowan could make her debut once Su Muyan was the mentor of ¡°National Idol¡±.

 Chapter 427 - Two-Faced Schizo

    <h4>Chapter 427: Two-Faced Schizo</h4>

    The school¡¯s forum had an extra thread today entitled: ¡°Su Ruowan vs Song Wenye, Who Will Debut in ¡®National Idol¡¯?¡±

    Su Ruowan was the campus belle of Capital No. 4 High School and was a goddess to many students whereas Song Wenye was the big bully who was arrogant and overbearing.

    In a matter of minutes, thousands ofments flooded in. Everyone expressed their views, and 99% of the students were in support of Su Ruwan. The poll also showed Su Ruowan crushed Song Wenye, who had only 1% of the votes.

    Of course, out of a hundred replies, there were asionally a few who supported Song Wenye, and they were all from the International ss.

    Shen Xi was on the bus to school and was curious as to why Song Wenye remained unmoved even though so many people were discrediting and stepping on her. A few of them even used insults.

    With Song Wenye¡¯s character, she must have checked the IP address of those people and gone to fight them with the International ss in tow.

    This time, Song Wenye was calm and collected. Even the International ss students who had always been protective did not defend Song Wenye. It was truly puzzling.

    Shen Xi was baffled until she arrived at the ssroom and saw a group of people gathered with heads lowered ying with their phones.

    Pei Xu came early to school today and was there before Shen Xi. He raised his eyebrows at her and threw her a lollipop.

    Shen Xi did not take it and let the lollipop fall on her desk. She calmly swept him a nce without any expression and sat at her seat. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s Lil¡¯ Ye and the rest doing?¡±

    Pei Xu removed the wrapper of another lollipop and popped it in his mouth roguishly. He handed his phone to Shen Xi and said, ¡°They¡¯re trying to find out all of Su Ruowan¡¯s marketing ounts to prove that she¡¯s just a schizo directing her own show.¡±

    Shen Xi saw the new post from Su Ruowan¡¯s personal ount that was posted ten minutes ago. Su Ruowan sincerely appealed to everyone not to make personal attacks on her ssmate, Song Wenye. Shen Xi finally understood and said, ¡°She¡¯s behind both of these posts?¡±

    Su Ruowan posted aparison between Song Wenye and herself to stir up conflict and take advantage of the opportunity to tarnish Song Wenye¡¯s reputation so the students in Capital No. 4 High School would support her. She then put up another post to appeal to everyone to calm down and not to attack Song Wenye. Su Ruowan was really a two-faced schizo.

    Everyone in Capital No. 4 High School knew Song Wenye was awless student who could be easily provoked and agitated. She would certainly be riled up and bring along the International ss into a fierce battle with the rest of the school.

    With her hot temper, Song Wenye would certainly fight Su Ruowan, by intimidating and bullying her.

    When the situation worsened, Song Wenye¡¯s reputation would be damaged for being unreasonable, then no one in the school would support her.

    There were about ten thousand students in Capital No. 4 High School, and all of them came from affluent families who could spend money at will. If they came together to form a fan group with their family and friends, it would be more reliable than trying to gain new fans from the public.

    Not everyone could stun the public like Qi Xiu, so besides relying on their talent, a lot of contestants would depend on buying out fans with money in talent shows as such.

    Su Ruowan was prepared to stir up public opinion with that post. Song Wenye and Su Ruowan were from the same school, yet most students in their school only supported Su Ruowan. Using this as an example, Su Ruowan could make the public hate Song Wenye and attack her.

    ¡®Tsk tsk¡­ If Su Ruowan was behind all of this, then it was a really good move¡­¡¯ Shen Xi thought.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Song Wenye suddenly cursed and was so livid that she almost threw her phone. She looked at the group of people who were helping her and asked, ¡°Did you guys find it?¡±

    The group looked at her with a bitter face and shook their heads.

    Chu Ying shot up from her chair and wanted to storm out. ¡°Sister Song, why should we check it out? Let¡¯s just go to Su Ruowan and confront her! Since she dares to do this, she shouldn¡¯t shrink into her shell like a coward!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s no need to check¡­ She must be the one behind this! Who else could it be but her? I think she just has nothing better to do!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and f*ck her up!¡±

    They were all a bunch of hotheads. After cursing, they stood up and wanted to rush out aggressively.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I¡¯m not even anxious.¡± Song Wenye calmed herself down and said, ¡°We need to have evidence. If we wanna strike, we gotta strike hard so she won¡¯t have the chance to retaliate! If we go to her like this, we¡¯ll be deemed unreasonable.¡±

    Everyone heard it and froze for a moment. They looked at Song Wenye weirdly. ¡®Are these words actuallying out of her mouth?¡¯

    Usually, this bunch of International ss students were straightforward and would do as they pleased. They would not listen to anyone and would not think about the consequences of their actions.

    Moreover, there was no doubt that Su Ruowan was behind that post.

    Shen Xi watched as Song Wenye desperately tried to calm herself even though she wanted to explode, and smiled in satisfaction. It seemed that Song Wenye¡¯s training did not go to waste. At least, she was no longer impulsive and would not act based on instincts.

    Pei Xu sucked on his lollipop and ncedzily at Shen Xi. ¡°How is she gonna have a future in the entertainment industry? She could be easily agitated and start cursing at people as soon as she disliked them.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°She will change.¡±

    It was okay to be angry and curse as long as it was not caught on camera. She could do whatever she liked off camera.

    Pei Xu snorted. ¡°What exactly do you see in her? If I wore women¡¯s clothing on the show, I¡¯d probably do better than her.¡±

    Shen Xiughed out loud and thought of the guy that was so reluctant to cross-dress that day. She said, ¡°What, did you get addicted to cross-dressing?¡±

    Pei Xu looked at the smile on her face and felt a chill down his spine. He quickly retorted, ¡°I¡¯m just joking!¡±

    Song Wenye and the rest cursed while they continued their search for evidence. They vowed to expose Su Ruowan so everyone could see what a two-faced she was.

    Shen Xi saw the way they were scrambling to find evidence without a clue and thought, ¡®How is that gonna work? Are they kidding themselves?¡¯

    Pei Xu said, ¡°Are you guys dumb? Just check her IP address! How can you find those subsidiary ounts so easily?¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Did she post anything with her own ount?¡±

    Chu Ying came to Shen Xi with her phone. She grunted and reported their findings. ¡°Yeah, she posted quite a lot. Su Ruowan¡¯s dumb fans also hurled mud at her rivals and defended her.¡±

 Chapter 428 - Never Anonymous

    <h4>Chapter 428: Never Anonymous</h4>

    Chu Ying said, ¡°They even posted about you, saying that you¡¯re a country bumpkin with sh*tty grades. They said you only managed to get first in the exam thest time because you cheated.¡±

    Shen Xi did not look at the post and said, ¡°Screenshot all of herments and keep it as evidence. Don¡¯t let her delete them. Also, sort out those ounts that smear my name.¡±

    She pped her hands and got everyone to quiet down. Shen Xi exined to them what they should do to defeat the enemy and hit them where it hurts.

    Since Su Ruowan wanted to y dirty, Shen Xi would y along to see how many of those ridiculous ounts belonged to Su Ruowan.

    Song Wenye had already gathered quite a lot of information. When they heard Shen Xi, they put together a collection of screenshots and saved them.

    Theypiled a list of ounts that were bad-mouthing Shen Xi and handed it to her. They did not ask what she would do with it and let her handle it.

    Song Wenye finally realized something whilepiling the list and ran over to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, can you find out?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu looked at Song Wenye with contempt and flipped her off. ¡°Dumb*ss! How are you gonna find anything if you run around like a headless chicken? Obviously, you have to check those IP addresses¡­¡±

    Song Wenye was not the sharpest tool in the box. When she heard this, she instantly pped her head and let out a cry of realization. ¡°Damn! I was so mad that I forgot such an important thing!¡±

    The rest of the International ss who followed Song Wenye also felt frustrated after hearing this. ¡®How dumb are we to forget this?!¡¯

    However, it was not because they were angry they lost their senses and thinking ability. Their only thought was to confront Su Ruowan.

    ¡°Xixi, can you find out the IP addresses?¡± Song Wenye was thinking of hiring a hacker when she saw Shen Xi had already started checking on one of the user ounts. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Shen Xi with adoration.

    Shen Xi modestly said, ¡°Mm, let me try. I¡¯ve learned a little.¡±

    The International ss had already taken out their phones to call and send messages to find hackers. When they heard Shen Xi, they stopped what they were doing and looked at Shen Xi with admiration.

    They finally realized that they had been going in the wrong direction. Violence was not a solution to the problem. They needed to stay calm.

    At the Top ss, Su Ruowan was ready for Song Wenye to walk into her trap so she could use Song Wenye¡¯s head as the first stepping stone for her debut.

    Su Ruowan was confident that Capital No. 4 High School would support her because she was good at studying, dancing, singing, and was good-looking. She was an all-rounded talented girl and was the campus belle as well as the goddess of Capital No. 4 High School.

    ¡®Song Wenye is just a gangster that doesn¡¯t have good grades or good looks, yet she still dares to participate in ¡°National Idol¡± and share a stage with me? She¡¯s simply out of her mind and looking for her own death!¡¯

    There were morements on the two posts on the school forum. The replies were basically the same: cheering on Su Ruowan, supporting her, and stepping on Song Wenye.

    Anyone with eyes would know which to choose between her and Song Wenye.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna make these retards in Capital No. 4 High School my first batch of dumb fans that will be loyal only to me!¡¯

    However, Su Ruowan waited for so long after the posts were put up and did not see any movement from Song Wenye and the International ss.

    ording to Su Ruowan¡¯s n, Song Wenye should have led the International ss to berate those people on the forum ande over to the Top ss to fight her.

    If Song Wenye came looking for trouble, she would bepletely done for at Capital No. 4 High School and her reputation would go down the drain. No one in school would ever support bullies like Song Wenye.

    Su Ruowan waited anxiously, but she did not dare to look for Song Wenye nor could she ask about Song Wenye¡¯s whereabouts. Su Ruowan felt so annoyed that she logged into one of the fake ounts she created andmented below the post.

    [@MyGoddessIsWanwan: Why is Song Wenye so quiet? Did she note to school?]

    As soon as Su Ruowan left thisment, someone replied below it.

    [@SongWenye: I¡¯m right here and just caught you red-handed! You¡¯d better watch out. This time, I¡¯ll crush you!]

    When Su Ruowan saw the reply, her pupils suddenly constricted. That was Song Wenye¡¯s personal ount. ¡®That little b*tch is always so arrogant and never anonymous¡­¡¯

    Su Ruowan thought about it for a moment and reassured herself that with Song Wenye¡¯s IQ, she would never figure it out. Song Wenye was just bluffing and scaring her.

    However, Su Ruowan was cautious. Just in case Song Wenye managed to find out that she was behind these fake ounts, it would be troublesome, so Su Ruowan clicked into her previous posts andments, and deleted them all.

    ¡°F*ck! She¡¯s truly guilty! She deleted the post!¡± Song Wenye was so excited that she howled. ¡°Xixi, you¡¯re such a f*cking psychic! You have my respect!¡±

    ¡°Watch your words,¡± Shen Xi reminded her.

    ¡°I was just too excited.¡± Song Wenye covered her mouth. ¡°She¡¯s so shameless to create an ount handle called @MyGoddessIsWanwan¡­ Makes me wanna throw up.¡±

    The group next to her followed suit and did a vomiting gesture. They started to badmouth Su Ruowan for being shameless as to think that she was a goddess.

    Shen Xi was just ying around. Without much effort, she finally got the IP addresses of these ounts. There were a total of twenty or so suspicious ounts, of which fifteen belonged to four IP addresses.

    Two of the IP addresses were fromputers, and the other two were from smartphones.

    The IP addresses of the twoputers were from the same location ¨C the Su family home.

    The IP addresses of the two phones wereing from the school and the Su family home.

    ¡°F*ck! Sister Xi is awesome!¡±

    ¡°Amazing!¡±

    ¡°Sh*t, she has two phones?¡±

    ¡°Su Ruowan used two phones? She¡¯s quite dedicated, starring in her own schizo drama.¡±

    ¡°Are you dumb? One of those phones must be Su Mushi¡¯s and the other one is Su Ruowan¡¯s. Please use your brain and don¡¯t bother Sister Xi with every little thing.¡±

    The group came around and started talking about it.

    Shen Xi looked at them and thought, ¡®This bunch isn¡¯t so dumb after all! At least they know that Su Mushi and Su Ruowan are involved in this. Those two siblings are both schizos who like to manage multiple fake ounts just to y different roles¡­¡±

    The International ss students were united. Earlier, they were so agitated and led by Song Wenye in a rage to search for those fake ounts.

 Chapter 429 - Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 429: Exposed</h4>

    Now that Shen Xi had already found those IP addresses, the International ss dealt with the follow-up.

    Shen Xi edited the content of the post on Song Wenye¡¯s phone and posted it on the school forum using Song Wenye¡¯s ount.

    The new posting was made by Song Wenye, who was known throughout the school for her righteousness and frankness. She would say it as it is online and offline and would never do things anonymously, so no one doubted the authenticity of this post.

    [@SongWenye: Self-directed performance. Please wee our Schizo Queen Su Ruowan and Shizo King Su Mushi to the stage!]

    The title was quite offensive, but the content was simple and clear. Song Wenye attached direct evidence of the IP addresses and locations of the ounts, as well as a collection of screenshots in a clear and organized manner.

    Su Ruowan had seven fake ounts. Four of them, including @MyGoddessIsWanwan, were registered three years ago when she first enrolled in high school.

    These four ounts were mainly used topliment Su Ruowan and put her on a pedestal. Sometimes, they would be used to criticizing other pretty girls in school.

    These ounts would be particrly active during Capital No. 4 High School¡¯s prom queen selection orparison among other pretty girls in school. These ounts were Su Ruowan¡¯s loyal fans and would lead the crowd to cheer on and support Su Ruowan.

    At the same time, these ounts would also hurl mud atpetitors.

    These four fake ounts were usually very active and would often post something in support of Su Ruowan and suck up to her on the school forum, so everyone was familiar with these ount handles.

    The other three fake ounts were posing as random spectators. These ounts were registered in thest year, and they mainlymented about Shen Xi.

    These clowns could be seen badmouthing Shen Xi in the school forum on any post rting to Shen Xi.

    Su Mushi had eight fake ounts. Two of the ounts were older and would y a supporting fan role in any post rted to Su Ruowan.

    The rest of his ounts were newly registered within thest six months. Each post was about Shen Xi, and the replies were vicious with curses and personal attacks that were extremely harsh.

    Once Song Wenye put up the post, Capital No. 4 High School¡¯s forum was in a frenzy. Countless students flooded to see the post and could not believe what they saw.

    The replies were amassed in a matter of minutes.

    [F*ck! What did I just see? This is some real schizo sh*t!]

    [It¡¯s fake! It¡¯s all fake! There¡¯s no way my Goddess Wanwan and ss President Su Mushi will do this! Song Wenye is ndering them!]

    [I suspect that that¡¯s one of Su Ruowan¡¯s ounts. Are you trying to hurl mud at Song Wenye again?]

    [Song Wenye, if you have the guts,e out and fight! Don¡¯t make such insidious moves online! How dare you nder my Goddess Wanwan? Where did you learn to photoshop these? They¡¯re all so fake!]

    [Tsk tsk¡­ They¡¯re twins, for real, with the same damn schizoid personality.]

    ¡­

    [OMG! My dreams are shattered! I always thought Su Ruowan was a good person who¡¯s kind and pretty, and that Su Mushi was equally as nice. Turns out I was so wrong!]

    [Are y¡¯all blind? Su Ruowan¡¯s every move just shows what a scheming manipting b*tch she is!]

    [Please get your eyes checked. How is Su Ruowan even pretty? I¡¯ll ssh a bottle of makeup remover on her and I guarantee you won¡¯t be able to recognize her!]

    ¡­

    [Isn¡¯t Shen Xi a distant rtive of the Su family? What grudge do they have with her that they have to curse Shen Xi like that? Su Mushi is evil! How did I think that he was a perfect guy?]

    [So many posts, but Shen Xi never replied. I kinda admire her resilience now.]

    [Right?! If this post is real, it means that Su Ruowan and Su Mushi have been attacking and berating Shen Xi, yet there aren¡¯t any bad remarks about Su Ruowan and Su Mushi on the forum. Thisparison makes it very obvious!]

    ¡­

    Capital No. 4 High School was in a frenzy. Some people had multiple ounts on the forum, but this was the first time these ounts were exposed to such an extent.

    The replies on this post became more rampant. Students began expressing their own opinions. Even Su Ruowan and Su Mushi¡¯s firm supporters were drowned out by the masses.

    At this moment, the Top ss was silent. Everyone knew about the forum¡¯s buzz and that someone had exposed Su Ruowan and Su Mushi.

    Some of the timid ones did not dare to watch the drama even though they were aware of it. The bolder ones quietly followed the thread from their phones.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s face turned glum as hatred upied every cell in her body while she stared at her phone with malice.

    ¡®Shen Xi! This must be her doing! Song Wenye isn¡¯t smart enough to do this!¡¯

    When Su Mushi saw he was exposed, his heart turned cold. After a moment, anger surged in his chest. He did not think he would be exposed like this.

    He also saw that Su Ruowan¡¯s ounts had been exposed. Su Mushi looked at Su Ruowan with aplex expression as something in his heart copsed.

    Su Ruowan provoked Song Wenye with the two posts in the morning.

    Song Wenya was a brainless fool, but Shen Xi was not!

    ¡®Why did she have to drag me down with Wanwan? I can¡¯t have any stains on my image! If this explodes, how am I gonna maintain my Prince Charming persona? How am I gonna continue my career?¡¯

    For a while, Su Mushi¡¯s mind was in turmoil. He was thinking about a lot of things and did not think of how to solve the immediate crisis.

    His priority was ming Su Ruowan for dragging him through the mud with her.

    Su Ruowan felt Su Mushi¡¯s never-before reproachful and disdainful gaze on her, like this was the first time he saw her for who she was. She sneered in her heart. ¡®Is he looking down on me? Isn¡¯t he also a clown being ridiculed by everyone? What right does he have to look at me so scornfully?¡¯

    Yu Qiubai leaned backzily in his seat in thest row of the Top ss. He raised his eyebrows slightly and narrowed his foxy eyes. He asked seriously, ¡°Shi, can I ask you a question? How do you even keep track of so many ounts?¡±

    He sounded quite serious, but anyone with a discerning eye knew that Yu Qiubai was taunting and mocking Su Mushi.

 Chapter 430 - Adding Fuel to Fire

    <h4>Chapter 430: Adding Fuel to Fire</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    There was not a peep from the Top ss. Amid the unnerving and deafening silence, everybody ¨C incapable of hiding their thoughts in their faces at this point ¨C turned to Yu Qiubai before observing Su Mushi¡¯s reaction.

    The duo became strangers ever since Su Mushi, their ss leader, announced that he was turning his back on Yu Qiubai. However, it did not stop Yu Qiubai from the asional chats and greetings with Su Mushi like nothing ever happened. It was a scene that those from the Top ss had be ustomed to.

    To them, Yu Qiubai was probably trying to reconcile. There was no way a friendship thatsted over a decade could end just like that.

    Nevertheless, Su Mushi remained adamant, giving Yu Qiubai the long face and cold shoulder no matter what thetter had to say. It appeared that Yu Qibai had regretted his actions and was trying to win back his friend.

    Now it seemed Yu Qiubai was doing the opposite and making the situation worse. F*ck! It was clear he was adding fuel to fire and mocking Su Mushi. Judging by that offhanded attitude of his, reconciliation did not seem to be on his mind.

    Already fuming, Su Mushi could explode following Yu Qiubai¡¯sment. Despite brewing with resentment, Su Mushi turned a deaf ear to Yu Qiubai, grabbed his phone, and stormed off.

    Su Ruowan chased after him, only to find Su Mushi on the phone around the stairway corner. Although he spoke in hushed tones, Su Ruowan could make out that he was asking the office to deal with the post in the school forum.

    Su Mushi hung up and took notice of Su Ruowan when he turned around.

    Her tearful eyes across her pale whiteplexion had guilt and fear written all over them. Like a darling flower swaying by the storm, her weak, pitiful, and helpless demeanor could elicit a strong feeling of protectiveness.

    Su Ruowan gazed at him with a body stiffened in fear. The hoarseness in her voice suggested fragility, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mushi.¡±

    Su Mushi could not put a finger on his feelings. The helpless and miserable look on her face was enough to make his heart go tender and whatever resentment disappeared. As tears flowed down her cheeks, he made haste to wipe them away. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I have taken care of it. Everything will be straightened out soon.¡±

    Su Ruowan meekly looked at him and hesitated for long before asking uneasily, ¡°Mushi, do you hate me?¡±

    The evidence spoke for itself. Su Mushi was not a dummy and there was no way she could snake her way out of it. Hence, Su Ruowan¡¯s only choice was to back down and cave in. The best attack against men was the tears of women.

    Su Mushi took a breather, and while fixating on the teardrops streaming down her cheeks, he solemnly answered, ¡°I won¡¯t let Mom and Dad know about this. Don¡¯t do that anymore.¡±

    This was an easy solution. People who read the post would only take it as a joke so long as Song Wenye did not make a big deal out of it and word would not get out of the school. Whatever happened in No. 4 High School would stay in No. 4 High School.

    It was a norm for people to hold several ounts on the inte, so there was nothing to fuss about.

    Half an hourter.

    The buzz on the forum came to a temporary halt with all threads rted to Su Ruowan and Su Mushi deleted. A temte announcement was pinned on top of the forum, asking students not to believe in rumors nor spread them, and focus on their studies.

    With the forum moderators muting all members, students who dwelled in the school forums left the tform and began a discussion offline.

    This only proved that Song Wenye posted the truth. Even a dummy would know that.

    The school was afraid the incident would paint the school in a bad light if things went out of hand. Since Su Mushi was a celebrity and a public figure while Su Ruowan was about to make her debut, the school decided to protect them after weighing the pros and cons.

    Song Wenye was peeved. She mmed the table, ready to storm right out of there. ¡°F*ck! The sh*t school¡¯s bailing them out? I will not rest until they do right by me. Do they take me as a pushover?¡¯

    The international ss students were cheering her on as Song Wenye got ready to stir some trouble. They rolled up their sleeves and marched right behind her to call for justice.

    Shen Xi took her time to call them back. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Sit your butts down.¡±

    These people were stirred up easily, especially Song Wenye. With cyberbullying, smearing, and trashing a daily urrence in showbiz, it was not like Song Wenye could track theizens down for payback every time she was a victim.

    Song Wenye turned back and revealed her fiery eyes. ¡°How can you take it?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t you had your revenge? The forum exposed the Su siblings¡¯ true colors. Their reputation won¡¯t be the same now that everyone at No. 4 High School knows they are two-faced hypocrites.¡±

    Song Wenye could not take it sitting down. ¡°No! The school is choosing sides, thinking we¡¯re the weaklings. I¡¯m going to go and reason with them!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyelids twitched at the sight of the group rolling up their sleeves and swearing their mouths off. Weaklings, huh?

    Song Wenye was about to leave when the homeroom teacher emerged in the corridors.

    The homeroom teacher was rendered speechless by the overbearing group of students. Putting on a straight face, he pointed at them. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What are you up to? Are you trying to rebel?¡±

    As a teacher, he should be revered by the students.

    No. 4 High School emphasized respect for teachers. The international ss students might make their own rules, but they still observed courtesy for educators. Still, the students were seeking justice in outrage.

    The homeroom teacher gazed at them. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here for Song Wenye. Get back to your seats and behave like students as you should.¡±

    The international ss students who always had each other¡¯s back finally knocked it off.

    With the students giving it a rest, the teacher drew near to the door and turned to Shen Xi. Compared to the earlier chiding tone, he spoke rather earnestly, ¡°Shen Xi, you shoulde along.¡±

    Unbothered, Shen Xi got up to follow.

    The international ss bunch watched as the teacher left with Shen Xi and Song Wenye before exchanging a nce and returning to their ss.

    The principal¡¯s office.

    Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were already there.

    The principal had a sour face on as he furiously gave them a lecture.

    With his head hung low, Su Mushi held his tongue.

    Su Ruowan was welling up, about to break down from the scolding.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye entered the office to the principal giving the siblings a telling-off but more so giving them a piece of his mind.

    Song Wenye¡¯s hair was standing by the sight. Intimidated, she pulled onto the corner of Shen Xi¡¯s sleeve. There wereplex emotions in her eyes.

    She was a victim in that position before if she was ever caught.. Sometimes, Song Wenye would also be called to the principal¡¯s office for a private scolding.

 Chapter 431 - Unsightly

    <h4>Chapter 431: Unsightly</h4>

    This was the first time Shen Xi had ever met with the principal. With a straight face, the tall and slim middle-aged man was running his mouth off, showing off quite the vocabry. Shen Xi had to say, she kind of sympathized with the pair who were in the line of fire.

    Wei Qiu, the principal of No. 4 High School, was a national personality in China. He ranked first in every high school principal¡¯s assessment and was also a prominent educator in the country.

    A star pupil to the minister of education, Mr. Song, Wei Qiu was well known for his iron-fist and tough-love approach towards education; showering kindness when dealing with good students while no holds barred from taking on bad students.

    It was in to see that Su Mushi and Su Ruowan were the bad students in this case. Only bad students had the honors of getting an earful from him.

    Song Wenye was in fear yet getting a kick out of it. She even had the time to whisper to Shen Xi, ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s got a knack in giving the reproach?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and acknowledged that. It was more than a knack; the principal had a talent. Su Mushi and Su Ruowan¡¯s heads hung in shame as they bit their tongues.

    Principal Wei Qiu gave anyone a piece of his mind when the time called for it, regardless of the person¡¯s social status. More than a handful of No. 4 High School¡¯s parents who were pirs of the Capital¡¯s wealthy and powerful were once his students.

    Wei Qiu took a sip of water to rehydrate and a break from the scolding. He then nced at Song Wenye and Shen Xi, ¡°What are you two looking at? Why aren¡¯t youing in?¡±

    Song Wenye was a familiar face. She was the granddaughter of one of the teachers as well as one of his students. Song Wenye was a good kid but tended to be presumptuous. Wei Qiu would usually turn a blind eye as long as Song Wenye stayed out of any major trouble.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, blew the principal¡¯s mind with her academic performance progressing in leaps and bounds since the end of thest term. She sat tight as the top student and won many awards for the school.

    This student was beautiful and indifferent. She appeared to be Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes yet exuded the vibe not to be messed with.

    Bearing the fearless cockiness, Song Wenye entered the room with her head held high. What was there to fear? She did not start the whole thing so she had no cause for concern.

    Shen Xi followed her in and greeted the principal before standing in a corner.

    Wei Qiu pointed at the Su siblings. ¡°Why are you standing there? Apologize!¡±

    Students nowadays were bing rebellious and a handful by the day. Now they were going at it with each other.

    Su Mushi and Su Ruowan lifted their chin to look at the girls and apologized in unison, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Song Wenye scoffed. There was no way she was going to let them off the hook with an apology. However, she held her tongue following a look from Wei Qiu. Song Wenye resorted to giving them the evil eye. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you even if you apologized.¡±

    Shen Xi appeared sensible as she refrained from giving anyments.

    Wei Qiu gazed at the girls. ¡°I call you two here to ask for a favor. Let¡¯s not make it a bigger thing than it already is and leave it to rest.¡±

    Having been a principal at No. 4 High School for two decades, Wei Qiu had deep emotional ties with the school. The reason he wanted to put an end to the fiasco was not for anyone else but the school¡¯s reputation.

    Shen Xi knew the core of No. 4 High School¡¯s rules was collective pride. As students, they should not give the school a bad name and tarnish No. 4 High School¡¯s reputation. This was a ce the students were supposed to feel proud to be in.

    Whatever happened in the school should just stay in the school. It was a different story if words were to get out of school.

    Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were aware of the school¡¯s rules. Internal feuds should be dealt with internally and should not advance to external conflict for the whole world to watch.

    Wei Qiu¡¯s remark did note as a surprise. The Su siblings were secretly d that they were at No. 4 High School because no one outside of the school would ever find out about this.

    Wei Qiu carried on. ¡°Song Wenye, since both you and Su Ruowan are about to debut in a talent show, there are certain things that may affect your career if the public finds out.¡±

    He was looking at Shen Xi rather than Song Wenye while speaking. As the principal, he was on top of the news concerning the school.

    This included the two most-watched senior-year sses ¨C the high-achieving Top ss and International ss, a.k.a the troublemakers. Wei Qiu was conscious that the International ss students took orders from Shen Xi.

    His intentions were clear. Since both were at fault, they should take a step back and call it quits.

    Stuck with a one-track mind, Song Wenye did not get the message and scoffed gloomily. She looked daggers at Su Ruowan, preparing to rip into her.

    ¡°Principal Wei, we understand,¡± Shen Xi immediately took the hint. She pulled Song Wenye who was ready to swing into action and gave her a look.

    The consequence had crossed Shen Xi¡¯s mind, but it did not matter to her. Even if haters were brazen enough to spill dirt, they would at most say that Song Wenye was arrogant and in the worst-case scenario, a school bully.

    Nevertheless, it was better to let it go and take a step back after hearing the principal out. Shen Xi had gotten what she came for.

    The ordeal had torn apart Su Mushi and Su Ruowan¡¯s fa?ade, giving the people front-row seats to their two-faced falsity. Try as they may, to sweep it under the carpet, the students would never see them in a good light.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s title as the Goddess and Su Mushi the Prince Charming was at stake. No. 4 High School students would never be on their side now that doubt and disdain toward the siblings were sown.

    Song Wenye snorted. She was not afraid of Wei Qiu with Shen Xi having her back. Straightening her back, she pointed at the sibling duo and overbearingly said, ¡°I can¡¯t hear them. Say it one more time.¡±

    Wei Qiu sighed to himself before taking a nce at Shen Xi. He knew Shen Xi was washing her hands off of it by the looks of her unfazed and indifferent attitude.

    It was obvious that Song Wenye was not going to let it go if she did not have a way either. With the mattering to a stalemate, Wei Qiu turned to the Su siblings. ¡°Well, apologize!¡±

    The Su twins were famous in No. 4 High School for their exemry grades and interpersonal skills. They upheld themselves to high standards.

    However, the unsightlyments posted from their ounts allowed a peek into their dark secrets, malicious natures, cruel spirits, and green-eyed drama-queen characters.

    It would be understandable if it was only to vent grievances online like any other youngsters. Otherwise, rm bells should be ringing if it was their human nature.

    Su Mushi and Su Ruowan wished they could rip Song Wenye apart. They knew she was deliberately humiliating them yet could not do anything about it. They were in the wrong after all.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    The pair gazed at Song Wenye and apologized.

 Chapter 432 - Curse Parents and Brothers to Death

    <h4>Chapter 432: Curse Parents and Brothers to Death</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Xixi,¡± Song Wenye said as she dragged Shen Xi to the front.

    Shen Xi stood before Su Ruowan and Su Mushi. Carrying an aloof presence to her and chill in her eyes, she took a fleeting nce at them before curling her lips into a delightful smile. It made her appear detached to the core.

    Biting her lips, the teary-eyed Su Ruowan was first to apologize. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Shen Ximented, ¡°Feeling wronged?¡±

    Su Ruowan pictured thousands of ways to kill Shen Xi and Song Wenye in her mind before shaking her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi nomittally turned to Su Mushi.

    Su Mushi could apologize to Song Wenye, even when he never participated in discrediting Song Wenye. However, he would rather die than apologize to Shen Xi. He huffed dramatically while hiding murderous intent deep in his eyes.

    ¡°Su Mushi,¡± Wei Qiu cried.

    He had heard about the Su family¡¯s affairs. Shen Xi was a distant rtive of theirs who stayed at their residence for a year and left the family during the second termst year.

    Wei Qiu could sense something was not right by the intense atmosphere between Shen Xi and Su Mushi.

    Shen Xi may remain aloof while facing Su Mushi, but her presencemanded the room just by standing there.

    Unable to keep up with his front, Su Mushi let his bitterness show as he looked at Shen Xi like his enemy.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Su Mushi begrudgingly hissed after being pressed by Wei Qiu. The utter fury and humiliation saw him clenching his fists tightly.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give it to me tough enough.¡± Fixating on him, Shen Xi suddenly broke into a grin. ¡°Let me give you some advice. Next time, you should curse my parents and brothers to death!¡±

    Su Mushi was overtaken with rage as his head buzzed and darkness engulfed him. His bloodshot eyes seemed to be burning in mes.

    What a wicked brat!

    Was she cursing their whole family to die?

    Shen Xi then pulled the ever belligerent Song Wenye along with her and bade the principal farewell before making a grand exit by turning her aloof and impassive back at them.

    Wei Qiu was confused by the situation. What was going on? Parents and brothers?

    It dawned onto Wei Qiu after much thought. Rumors were going around the school that Shen Xi and Li Jingran shared an uncanny resemnce.

    It appeared that they did not just share a resemnce, but blood too!

    The post in the school forum about the Su sibling¡¯s self-staged drama left the students of No. 4 High School buzzing and adding their take and spin to the gossip.

    Su Ruowan made up a story to drag Song Wenye through mud and also incited the students to pick on thetter while trying to boost her own reputation and poprity at school. Well, Su Ruowan¡¯s n blew up in her face.

    Not only did her n fall through, but Shen Xi also returned the favor by exposing her other ounts. Shen Xi found evidence of Su Ruowan¡¯s deceit and dirt on Su Mushi while at it.

    Su Ruowan shot herself in the foot. Karma was a b*tch.

    Poor Su Mushi. It had nothing to do with him, but Su Ruowan managed to drag him into the mess too. It was everyone¡¯s guesswork that Su Mushi must be outraged.

    Sure, Su Mushi was furious. However, he was more ticked off by Shen Xi than Su Ruowan.

    It was all that brat¡¯s fault. Shen Xi was a tumor and the death of the Su family. He and the Su family would never live in peace as long as she was still around.

    Su Ruowan was rather calm. After returning to her ss, she kept to herself and quietly took her seat as per usual.

    Nevertheless, only she knew of the apprehension, fear, unsettledness, and resentment bubbling inside.

    She was afraid the Su family would find out what she did at school. She feared facing Li Jingran¡¯s disappointment. What if Su Yi were to toss her out of the family?

    Su Ruowan hated Shen Xi. It was all Shen Xi¡¯s fault. Su Ruowan would not be in this position had it not been for her.

    Song Wenye was too much of an idiot toe up with this. She must be instigated by that b*tch, Shen Xi.

    Su Ruowan did not want to waste her time dealing with Shen Xi since she always ended up on the losing end.

    Her priority now should be staying away from Shen Xi and getting the Su family topletely cut ties with Shen Xi.

    The Su siblings had a lot on their minds, but one thing was for sure, they wanted Shen Xi out and were willing to go to lengths to deal with her.

    The much-thought-about Shen Xi was presently going through mock test papers. With her mission aplished, she was in a great mood.

    From the get-go, Shen Xi had no intentions to send Su Mushi and Su Ruowan on the path of no return all at once.

    This was the oue Shen Xi was looking for ¨C not to the point of beating the Su siblings to the ground, but enough damage to upset and dampen their spirits.

    Following a phone call, Pei Xu paused for a long while before letting out a sigh of relief. He then turned to Shen Xi and muttered in a low but rxed tone as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s awake.¡±

    There were a lot of people in the international ss.

    However, only Shen Xi knew what he was talking about. She rejoiced in his relief. ¡°Congrats.¡±

    Pei Xu went through quite an ordeal over the years, living under extreme pressure that he killed his buddy. The boy could rx atst.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Pei Xu understood that these words were insufficient to express his gratitude, yet there was nothing more befitting.

    The number of times he had thanked her drew a nk in his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to visit him.¡± Shen Xi could empathize.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Pei Xu did not decline.

    News of Ning Sinian regaining consciousness reached the ears of many socialites in the Ning family¡¯s circle within a day. They were shocked to learn that Ning Sinian was treated by a mysterious expert from a reclusive family.

    People talked, and soon word on the street caught the capital¡¯s upper society spreading tall stories.

    It wasst rumored that the expert could bring the dead back to life and produce magic elixirs to be gods.

    By nightfall, the news reached the Su family.

    Li Jingran¡¯s mother suffered a brain stroke two years ago. Although her life was saved, her mother became paralyzed and confined to her bed. She could only move her eyes and two fingers.

    Having heard of Ning Sinian¡¯s recovery, Li Jingran rushed home to verify the news¡¯ authenticity with Su Yi.

 Chapter 433 - Burns and Plastic Surgery

    <h4>Chapter 433: Burns and stic Surgery</h4>

    ¡°That kid from the Ning family was in aa for two years.¡± Su Yi pondered long before continuing, ¡°If the doctor can save even aatose patient, then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for your mother.¡±

    Thest he heard was that Ning Sinian was not doing too well. A cloud of gloom loomed over the Situ family after the hospital concluded that there was nothing more they could do and that it was time to n thest rites.

    Out of nowhere, a doctor came into the picture and got the kid out of thea. The Ning family was right smack in the middle among the wealthy and powerful but not to the point of such extensive connections.

    ¡°Honey, we should visit them and extend our good wishes. It¡¯d give us the opportunity to ask about the miracle healer.¡± Li Jingran was touched by a glimmer of hope.

    The doctor must be in the business for the money since word of his sessful treatment spread like wildfire. Miracle healer or not, it was only a gimmick.

    In Li Jingran¡¯s mind, there was no way the doctor would treat the Ning family¡¯s kid for free. If that were the case, the doctor must be the angel of mercy.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Su Yi responded.

    The Su family was engaged in business with the Ning family. They were going to visit to extend their well wishes anyway, so there was no harm in asking about the doctor en passant.

    Li Jingran made up her mind to find that doctor to get her mother the best care.

    Everyone in the capital had their own thoughts and ideas about the reclusive miracle healer.

    This was the least of Shen Xi¡¯s concerns. She went to the hospital to check on Ning Sinian after school. She switched up Ning Sinian¡¯s medication and informed his parents that she would no longer being over unless an emergency called for it.

    Pei Xu drove the car, intending to cruise into her driveway.

    Shen Xi was acting suspicious as she nced at her front door before speaking to Pei Xu in hushed tones, ¡°Drive straight ahead and stop next door.¡±

    Pei Xu could tell what she was up to. However, it did not seem like a good idea to skip home and head to Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡¯s home instead.

    This was not a question he should or had the guts to ask.

    The car stopped at the entrance.

    Holding her backpack, Shen Xi warily scanned her surroundings and got out of the car. She waved Pei Xu off. ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    Unable to bite his tongue, Pei Xu craned his neck out and gave a piece of advice. ¡°You¡¯re a girl. Remember to always protect yourself when you¡¯re alone with a man.¡±

    Shen Xi gleefully acknowledged and without looking back, she hurried to the door and pressed her finger on the fingerprint lock.

    Following a beep, she reached out to push the door when the door abruptly opened from the inside.

    Shen Xi was taken aback by the presence of a handsome mister. Dressed in casual wear, the man was quite a looker.

    Those foxy eyes in particr captured the essence of countless brilliant stars ¨C radiant yet shimmered a gentle glow.

    Nevertheless, she could immediately tell by his eyes, face, and the apparent burn scar reaching from his neck to his ear, that that was not the man¡¯s original face. If her guess was right, he must have suffered severe burns and gone through stic surgery.

    While she was sizing up the man, thetter was checking her out too.

    The girl was a stunner, especially those animated bug eyes. As their eyes met, she gave him a familiar feeling that sent a blood rush to his core. He was caught in a daze.

    It took a while before he grinned. ¡°You must be Xixi. Li Yuan isn¡¯t home yet. Allow me to host you in the meantime. Pleasee in.¡±

    Shen Xi was blinded too but she followed up with a nod.

    She got afortable vibe from the handsome mister, even his smile was like the spring breeze that warmed her soul.

    With the man here, Shen Xi suddenly felt like a guest, watching as he poured her a drink after he brought her snacks and a fruit tter. He seemed to think of her as a kid.

    For some reason, she could not help ncing at him. It might just be because he was good-looking, approachable, or the somewhat familiar feeling she got from him.

    The man noticed that the girl could not take her eyes off of him yet did it sneakily, afraid to be discovered. Finding it adorable, he asked with a smile, ¡°Have we met?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head while obediently fixating her gaze on him.

    The man cheerfully added, ¡°You look familiar to me.¡±

    She gave him an indescribably good vibe. It had been a while since anything or anyone could put a smile on his face.

    ¡°Me too.¡± Sharing the same sentiment, Shen Xi bobbed her tiny head. As if to prove her point, she emphasized. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡±

    The mister hummed in acknowledgment and handed her a box of snacks. ¡°I made this myself. Try it.¡±

    Shen Xi took the box and opened it to find dried fruits. There was a variety of dried grapes, strawberries, peaches, apricots, and mangoes. Her eyes lit up and she was filled with happiness after taking a bite out of the dried mango. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. You¡¯re really good at making this.¡±

    The man joyfully broke into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Jin Yu and a middle-aged manpared to you. Call me an uncle if you don¡¯t mind. Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡±

    There was no need to feel out of ce.

    ¡°Uncle.¡± Shen Xi heeded the call.

    The mister carried himself with such elegance, defining the word refinement with his every move.

    He had a lovely name as well. Jin Yu.

    The man was definitely not someone simple.

    Li Yuan came home and entered the house to find the pair sitting on the sofa in peace. They were watching TV and saw something that tickled them to break into guffaws together.

    Kun Lun was dumbstruck. Goodness, gracious. Was the man watching TV with Ms. Shen really Mr. Jin Yu?

    It was unbelievable for him tough and out loud at that too. It was in to see that he was genuinely delighted.

    Since the day he knew Mr. Jin Yu, Kun Lun had never seen him so happy.

    Mr. Jin Yu was knowledgeable, cultured, right-minded, and kind. He was the true gentleman among the aristocrats, but his smile never came from his heart.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Shen Xi jolted up and cried. She was conscious not to be too loud, afraid her parents might hear her but not too soft so Li Yuan could hear her.

    Shen Xi might think she struck the right bnce in volume. s, she was still discovered. Toffeecito jumped onto the wall and meowed before stealthily climbing down the cat tree.

    It was getting pretty good at climbing up and down the walltely. It only took a second for Toffeecito to reach Li Yuan.

 Chapter 434 - Memory Loss

    <h4>Chapter 434: Memory Loss</h4>

    Toffeecito went into position to leapgulpedIP seat, and off it went in a whoosh.

    Midair, it was caught by a hand. Toffeecito begrudgingly stared down the person holding it and bit the hand.

    Shen Xi tapped its little head and warned it. ¡°Stop squirming or I¡¯ll make dinner out of you. Look at you, have you already forgotten what I told you yesterday?¡±

    Toffeecito wailed in protest, but at least it stopped biting her. It affectionately rubbed her head against Shen Xi in a ploy to act cute.

    ¡°What are you watching?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    Shen Xi was smiling through her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re watching a variety show. It¡¯s funny.¡±

    Most importantly, she discovered a secret. She and the man had simr humor and opinions. They shared a lot of things inmon.

    Jin Yu nodded and smiled in greeting as Li Yuan approached.

    It never urred to Li Yuan that the two would get along so well. Having known Mr. Jin Yu for a decade, Li Yuan had never seen him close to anyone before.

    His fairdy was like a sun, drawing everyone to her.

    Since it was dinner time, Kun Lun had the food ready. A lot of the dishes were Shen Xi¡¯s favorite.

    Shen Xi was reluctant to eat because not finishing her teter at home would raise unnecessary suspicion.

    ¡°Just have a little.¡± With the girl trying her best to turn down the food, Li Yuan cheerfully tended to her. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯d have to wait an hour before you can eat.¡±

    Shen Xi put up a fight. She rubbed her empty tummy and took a gulp at the table of food. In the end, she gave in to temptation but kept a straight face. ¡°I¡¯ll just have a little.¡±

    With a gentle look on his face, Jin Yu curled his lips at the girl. He wondered if the girl was telling them that or convincing herself. Nevertheless, it was an adorable sight.

    The meal could be counted as a banquet to wee Jin Yu.

    Well, Li Yuan could not care less. The food was all his girl¡¯s favorite. However, he soon realized the usually picky Jin Yu had a simr pte to his fairdy¡¯s.

    Mr. Jin Yu seemed to enjoy the same penchant for food as his fairdy.

    Shen Xi may say she did not want any, but no one indulged more in the food than her once she picked up the fork. She ate with such relish that it invoked the appetite of everyone at the table.

    Li Yuan dotingly smiled at her. The little glutton could not help herself every time.

    There was no talking at the dinner table.

    Shen Xi usually talked during meals, especially with Li Yuan. She would chat nonstop.

    However, she noticed that Uncle Jin Yu had gone quiet while eating. The man must have gotten into the habit of adopting silence at the dinner table.

    She knew two other people with the same habit ¨C Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye. Those from influential families must be governed by strict house rules. They would usually quietly finish their meals and would not speak unless spoken to.

    Even when others were talking to them, they would swallow their food and put down their chopsticks before replying as a sign of respect.

    Since no one was talking, Shen Xi felt awkward to break the silence.

    Although it was a pleasant meal, she did feel held back.

    Aware that Shen Xi came to apply acupuncture and massage before heading home, Li Yuan finished his meal within ten minutes in the interest of time. ¡°Mr. Jin Yu, please help yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi had never seen anyone else in the house except Kun Lun. Because Li Yuan was polite and respectful towards him, Shen Xi assumed the man must be of high standing.

    Nevertheless, she could not figure out what kind of big shot he was to receive the courtesy from Li Yuan.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jin Yu put down his chopstick and answered. He waited until Shen Xi wheeled him into the bedroom before picking up the chopstick to resume his dinner.

    After a few more bites, Jin Yu got up to tidy up the tes.

    Kun Lun was not going to let the guest clean up. He went and stopped him. ¡°Mr. Jin Yu, you can watch the TV or read in the study.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Jin Yu said politely. While on the way to the study, he passed by the bedroom with the door opened and caught a glimpse of the girl massaging Li Yuan¡¯s legs. Jin Yu stopped in his tracks and fell into thought for a moment before heading in.

    Li Yuan nodded his head at his arrival. ¡°Sorry sir, you¡¯d have to put up with this ce for a while. I¡¯ll need more time to get the new residence ready for your move.¡±

    Mr. Jin Yu came rather abruptly. It had been a while since his vacant house was inhabited. It would require time to decorate the ce to the man¡¯s liking.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This ce is great.¡± Jin Yu was not in favor of living with someone since he was used to living alone.

    Yet, he hit it off well with this girl, regardless of whether it was their temperament, taste buds, or humor. He did not mind staying a few days longer.

    Shen Xi could not get a word in, nor did she want to pry into their business. She quietly focused on the task at hand.

    ¡°Regarding what you want to do, do you need my help?¡± Li Yuan inquired.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just want to take a look around. Maybe I¡¯ll find people who know me here.¡± Jin Yu had yet to tell him the purpose of his trip.

    Li Yuan was stunned by his words but soon pulled himself together. ¡°Are you nning to look for your family?¡±

    Jin Yu replied, ¡°I have this feeling that I¡¯m not alone. I had a dream a few days ago about my family waiting for me toe home.¡±

    To this day, his heart would ache every time the dream came to mind. The person in the dream waited for his return in hope sheathed despair.

    The person¡¯s face was a blur. It might be his parents, wife, or even his children.

    It was during that moment that Jin Yu knew that he was not a lonely soul without a home to return to in this world.

    He never had such a dream before as normally, he would only dream of a zing fire threatening to engulf the world in mes.

    ¡°Please tell me if you need anything, Sir.¡± Li Yuan solemnly gave his word. ¡°I will do my best.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jin Yu smiled and took a seat on a nearby sofa for a closer look. ¡°My only thoughts are only to take a look around. The world¡¯s a huge ce. It¡¯s not going to be an easy search since I¡¯m a nobody who has lost his memory.¡±

    It was up to destiny to find his family. He probably would never think of looking for them had it not been for the dream.

    Shen Xi quietly listened to their conversation. Hearing the man¡¯s lonesome yet clear-sighted tone, her heart really went out to him.

    So, it turned out he had amnesia!

    Did his memory loss have anything to do with his burns?

 Chapter 435 - Like Family

    <h4>Chapter 435: Like Family</h4>

    Within a split second, Shen Xi had already yed out a scene of love, betrayal, and family feud in her mind.

    The room fell into silence once again.

    Yu Jin stayed put while Li Yuan kept to himself. As for Shen Xi, she remained a faithful listener the whole time.

    Sitting on the sofa, Jin Yu looked at the girl on her knees in a trance.

    With downcast eyes, the girl¡¯s lusciousshes, like tiny brushes, cast a faint shadow under her almond eyes, bringing out her high and round nose.

    The girl was focused and absorbed into her work, frowning in deep thoughts at times. She was quiet and well-behaved.

    He silently watched with his lips curling into a smile. Perhaps the situation was not as dreadful as he thought. Maybe he had a wife who loved him and longed for his return. There was a possibility he also had an adorable and obedient daughter like her.

    An hour went by in the blink of an eye.

    With her attentionpletely on her task, Shen Xi never realized that someone was watching her the whole time. Moreover, Li Yuan tended to observe her every time she was applying acupuncture. She did not mind at all.

    Li Yuan, on the other hand, took notice. Instead of leaving or engaging in conversation, Mr. Jin Yu kept his eye on his fairdy.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Jin Yu was only showering attention on Shen Xi as an elder would to a little one, as a father would to his daughter. Li Yuan did not read more into that.

    ¡°Kun Lun,¡± Li Yuan shouted.

    Kun Lun was keeping watch at the door. He stole a nce while passing by and to his surprise, Mr. Jin Yu remained there for an hour without any intentions of leaving. Kun Lun took another nce at Mr. Jin Yu and realized that he was looking at Shen Xi. Without another word, he went into the room to take the basin away.

    Shen Xi followed behind Kun Lun and went to the loo. She came out after washing her hands. ¡°Brother, Uncle Jin Yu, I should get going.¡±

    With that, she lifted Toffeecito by her feet and took off.

    Li Yuan went after her.

    Getting up, Jin Yu went along as well.

    Shen Xi ran to pick up her bag to find the two men behind her. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m only going back next door. No need to walk me back. I won¡¯t get lost.¡±

    What was going on?

    It was a warm and weird sight indeed.

    Although she just met Uncle Jin Yu, Shen Xi got a good feeling from him as though he was family.

    Perhaps they were on the same wavelength!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Li Yuan wheeled himself to her.

    Shen Xi consciously took a step back before pushing his wheelchair out. With Toffeecito on hisp, Shen Xi urged him. ¡°Watch your injury.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s thick and milky voice bore clear signs of delight.

    In the past, Li Yuan would be the only one seeing Shen Xi off but today, there were two of them. With two pairs of eyes staring at her, she did feel a little awkward. She was about to step into her home when she turned back to wave them off. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    Jin Yu kept mum but let out a gentle smile at her. However, he was overtaken by a sense of loss as the girl¡¯s figure disappeared out of sight.

    Li Yuan wheeled himself home and remained in the courtyard for a while before heading into the house.

    Jin Yu stood in the courtyard, gazing at the moon on top. The thought of the girl¡¯s tender grin warmed his heart.

    It was time for him to find his family.

    He could not continue to wander the earth meaninglessly without knowing his own life. It was a waste of his precious life.

    Du Juan was the only one home.

    By the time Shen Xi was done with dinner, Du Juan had left to deliver food to Shen Zhanglin. Shen Xi sneaked into the courtyard to peek next door yet was afraid to disrupt Li Yuan at his work. She intended to climb up the wall and scout the situation beforehand.

    She just got up the wall and popped half her head up when she saw the man standing in the courtyard. Picking up themotion, the man turned and met her eyes.

    Shen Xi waved at him and smiled in greeting. ¡°Hello, Uncle Jin Yu.¡±

    Jin Yu was pleasantly surprised by her presence. He asked her, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Why aren¡¯t you in bed yet?¡±

    ¡°I could say the same to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to finish my homework after this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay up toote. Get some early rest.¡±

    Shen Xi agreed and answered, ¡°You too. Good night.¡±

    She still had a lot of iplete tasks on her te. With National Idol around the corner, there was a lot of work to be done and no time to waste.

    The handsome mister moving in next door was not a bother to Shen Xi. In fact, she was looking forward to it.

    Song Wenye could tell Shen Xi had been in a good mood for the past two days. She drew close. ¡°I¡¯m reporting to the set the day after tomorrow. Do you have anything you want to say to me?¡±

    Shen Xi inly said, ¡°Keep it up.¡±

    Song Wenye was despondent but did not take it to heart. Soon, she was back to her old self and secretly gave Shen Xi a low-down. ¡°I have inside news that we have a mystery mentor on the program who will decide the fate of the contestants.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in acknowledgment while thinking to herself. ¡®No kidding. I¡¯m the mystery mentor.¡¯

    In contrast to Shen Xi¡¯s cidity, Song Wenye was worried. Shey her head t on the table and sighed, ¡°I heard from Rourou that the mystery mentor is a character. All of the contestants have the talent and worked harder than me. What am I going to do if I¡¯m eliminated in the first round?¡±

    Detecting her low spirits, Shen Xi finished up thest of her test papers and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Song Wenye downheartedly sighed. ¡°Xixi, I think I¡¯m weak as hell.¡±

    She was not bothered at first as she would usually just dive in headfirst. However, at second thought, Song Wenye wondered if her impulse got the better of her.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t sound like you at all!¡± Finding it strange, Shen Xi looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking of quitting halfway?¡±

    This kid was never fazed by anything. No matter the trouble, she would forge ahead without knowing defeat and retreat.

    What got into her?

    ¡°Rourou loves dancing and wants to be a dancer. Yanyan enjoys singing and wants the world to hear her voice. Tongtong wants to be the best rapper in China while Lil¡¯ Yu wants to win a Grammy and travel the world. Compared to them, my dream is nothing.¡± Song Wenye appeared to be rambling to Shen Xi and simultaneously mumbling to herself.

    They had the passion, the dream, the drive, the endurance, the groundwork, and the purest aspiration and love for music and dance. They all had a clear goal and were ready to muster their everything to achieve it.

 Chapter 436 - Send-off by Fans

    <h4>Chapter 436: Send-off by Fans</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    What about Song Wenye?

    Compared to the hard-working contestants, Song Wenye¡¯s dreams wereme and not worth mentioning.

    She had the feeling that she was just goofing around among the group of dream-chasers.

    Shen Xi knew who Song Wenye was talking about. They were thepany¡¯s newly signed artists who were ready to dominate National Idol and acquire the final few spots to make their debut. Shen Xi kept quiet and let Song Wenye pour out her feelings.

    Song Wenye rambled on aimlessly, just letting everything out. In the end, she concluded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold people back.¡±

    She had always marched to the beat of her drum, conforming to her whim. Shen Xi¡¯s suggestion in the past led Song Wenye to say yes to join showbiz in the spur of the moment.

    Song Wenye¡¯s worst fear was to be the dead weight in the journey to move forth.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even debuted and whether or not you¡¯re able to debut is another question. You¡¯re getting way ahead of yourself here.¡± Shen Xi could roll her eyes. Understanding where Song Wenye wasing from, she offeredfort. ¡°Nobody¡¯s dream is better than another. Regardless of the end goal, we just need to work towards it. No one will mock you for it.¡±

    She heard from Qi Xiu that since day one, the new girls would use every opportunity possible to work on their dance moves without being told to. The supervisor had to tell them to go home and rest.

    For the cker Song Wenye to stack herself up against these busy bees, she must have taken quite the blow. Nevertheless, this was a good thing. It was a sign to wake up and get out there!

    There was no question about what Song Wenye was capable of, but the key was whether she was willing to put in the work. With that idle attitude of hers, she would soon fall far behind the earnest group.

    ¡°They¡¯dugh at me.¡± Song Wenye was a people person. Having known the agency¡¯s new artists for about two weeks, she had gotten close to the girls who were to debut with her as a team.

    The simr age and temperament between the girls brought them together to start a group chat. When asked about their ambition in the chat, Song Wenye thought for long but did not have the guts to mention that going into showbiz was all to be close to her idols. It just did not feel like the right thing to say.

    ¡°You¡¯d only find out if you let them know.¡± Shen Xi was blunt.

    Song Wenye quickly shook her head. She nervously added, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    Shen Xi extended her arm and ordered, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±

    Song Wenye was hesitant, but the encouraging look on Shen Xi¡¯s face gave her a little bit of courage to hand over her phone. She apprehensively waited for their answer.

    Shen Xi scrolled through the chat log, knowing there was nothing confidential in it. She noticed the topic ended on the question asking Song Wenye the reason she wanted to go into showbiz butter moved towards the girls going into practice and urging Song Wenye to do well in her studies.

    The youngest among the rookies was not Song Wenye, but Tong Kejun. Having just hit 17 years old, Tong Kejun was younger than Song Wenye by a few months. Nevertheless, she had been a trainee in Country H for three years straight out of junior high.

    The remaining three were older than Song Wenye, the oldest being Ji Jingyan at 19 while both Liu Qianyu and Guan Rou just reached the legal age.

    Shen Xi went straight to send the message.

    [Song Wenye: I want to be near my idols. Qi Xiu and Fu Qingye are my idols, and I hope that I can one day stand on the same stage as them.]

    The girl probably had not started their practice as it did not take long before they replied to her.

    Guan Rou was most positive and zestful. [Guan Rou: Lil¡¯ Ye, you have the greatest dream. I wouldn¡¯t dare dream of meeting Mr. Fu the Movie Star. You¡¯re my idol. You¡¯re the best!¡±

    Liu Qianyu was frank. [Liu Qianyu: Isn¡¯t Mr. Qi around every day to give us pointers?]

    Tong Kejun was the most level-headed. [Tong Kejun: You can do it!]

    [Ji Qingyan: Let¡¯s strive together. I believe you can do it.]

    Shen Xi showed the phone to Song Wenye. ¡°Did you see anyone making fun of you?¡±

    Song Wenye sniffed at the girls¡¯ responses. Overjoyed, she replied. [Let¡¯s do it. (fistbump.jpg)]

    Shen Xi was a good judge of character. She selected feisty personalities whoplemented each other and of course, not the mean and ill-natured kind. These girls with their eyes on their ambition were considerate and respectful to others.

    After learning that the girls were starting practice following the arrival of their dance teacher, Song Wenye sent a message that she wasing too. She stood up. ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m heading to thepany to work on my dance.¡±

    Shen Xi acknowledged and watched her leave.

    By how things were progressing this year, Song Wenye would not have time to catch up on her cultural studies if she were to participate in National Idol. With those horrible academic results, Song Wenye would not see much improvement without months of intensive study and that was considering how smart she was.

    Shen Xi would not count on her National College Entrance Examination grades this year. However, she had instructed the relevant department to inform the girls involved in National Idol that they were to take the exam together next year.

    This was apetitive society after all. Even in the line of entertainment, they needed degrees. A positive role model with high academic achievements, good looks, and willingness to strive was guaranteed to draw fans wherever they went.

    The promotion for National Idol was quite in ce.

    After the whole fiasco at No. 4 High School, the Su siblings¡¯ fans turned against them, apart from a handful of diehard fans.

    These fans-turned-haters did a U-turn and began to support Song Wenye in a bid to troll and stick it to the Su sibling. Having heard that Song Wenye was about to leave school to join the shooting, they organized a proper send-off.

    The group established a fan club for Song Wenye and contacted Chu Ying to finalize the n behind Song Wenye¡¯s back. It was a surprise for her.

    It was during the second period on Friday morning, the 9th of April.

    Fans, haters, and students who wanted to get back at the Su siblings gathered at the building of the senior year students to put up cheer posters, signs, and banners. They had work divided and done in an orderly manner.

    Students from the Top ss had just finished their period after the teacher dragged the lesson on. No one had left their ssroom at this point.

    Having just returned to ss, Yu Qiubai fixed his foxy eyes on Su Ruowan and smiled. ¡°Su Ruowan, your fans seemed to be organizing a send-off for you downstairs. There are quite a lot of people. Do you want to go and take a look?¡±

    Su Ruowan was taken aback by his words.

    Quick on her feet, Chen Bingbing called their girlfriends and dragged Su Ruowan out excitedly.

    She knew that it was no big deal, at least the incident did not call for fans to turn into haters. There was nothing wrong with having several ounts since everyone had a few themselves.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes alighted with joy. Straightening her back in pride and confidence, she went along to check it out.

    She knew it.. Her fans would not ditch her just because she posted a few articles and owned several ounts.

 Chapter 437 - Deliberately Made a Fool Out of Her!

    <h4>Chapter 437: Deliberately Made a Fool Out of Her!</h4>

    It did not take too long for the fans to return to Su Ruowan, seeing the good in her. They should know who to choose between her and Song Wenye if they were not blind.

    Su Ruowan was a saint inparison to Song Wenye¡¯s history of dirtyundry.

    Chen Bingbing was the first to arrive. There was a sea of people. However, upon closer look, the excitement on her face froze as her eyes sighted the name on the banner ¨C Song Wenye.

    F*ck!

    Song Wenye!

    The people here deliberately came together to taunt and mock Su Ruowan!

    Su Ruowan was just one step behind Chen Bingbing. She could already hear themotion as she stepped out of the ssroom. Drawing close, she caught sight of Song Wenye¡¯s name and supporters excitedly putting up banners and posters for Song Wenye. The joy in her eyes was reced by fury as she faced the ssroom with malice.

    Through the window, Su Ruowan could clearly see Yu Qiubai¡¯s raised eyebrow and the taunt in his foxy eyes.

    Friggin¡¯ Yu Qiubai! He deliberately made a fool out of her!

    This was no send-off for her! It was for that good-for-nothing, Song Wenye!

    About to flip her top, Su Ruowan tried to pull herself together. No one should see her lose it.

    Great!

    Sure, these brutes did not have to like her, but were they trying to shove it to her and get her riled up by organizing a send-off for Song Wenye?

    Noticing the color draining from Su Ruowan¡¯s face, one of her girlfriends pulled her aside. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Wanwan. There¡¯s nothing to see here. They are fools.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re only here to see what¡¯s the big hoo-ha about.¡± Su Ruowan let out a gentle smile before walking towards the banister to observe downstairs.

    There was a crowd, several hundred at least, downstairs. Song Wenye¡¯s name and picture were a thorn in her flesh and an eyesore.

    These should have belonged to her. The fan club, the send-off, everything should be hers, not the good-for-nothing Song Wenye!

    Yet now, these disgusting beings were ditching her to cheer for Song Wenye. They would regret it one day!

    Just one floor below the Top ss was the International ss.

    Themotion was stirred by the International ss students. Chu Ying and her ssmates were downstairs managing the crowd.

    Shen Xi listlessly leaned against the railing as she watched the bustling crowd below lifting banners and raising signs to cheer Song Wenye on.

    She lost count of the people. It appeared many fans of the Su siblings turned on them after thest incident.

    A short distance away, Pei Xu pushed through the mass in the corridors and handed Shen Xi a cup of bubble tea. He pointed above. ¡°Su Ruowan is watching. Man, you should see the look on her face. She¡¯s pissed.¡±

    Had everything gone ording to Su Ruowan¡¯s n with Song Wenye picking on her, sans the whole expos¨¦, the people below would be supporting and cheering for Su Ruowan instead.

    Shen Xi did notment. Nevertheless, she lifted her chin and smirked at Su Ruowan.

    Having caught a glimpse of Shen Xi, Su Ruowan saw red. If only she could get down there and rip Shen Xi and Song Wenye apart with her bare hands.

    The fact she was shunned by No. 4 High School and had ended up in this situation was thanks to those two b*tches!

    Did they think they had won? Did they think she was going to throw in the towel after the stunt they pulled?

    Su Ruowan would never! One day, she would have her revenge!

    As a loser, Song Wenye had no right to enjoy the cheers, support, and adoration from her fans. Su Ruowan was going to deliver Song Wenye a crushing defeat on the main stage of National Idol.

    Despite Su Ruowan¡¯s thoughts, hatred, and disdain, Song Wenye¡¯s send-off went into full swing.

    Song Wenye had never received such treatment. The people below, be it fans or not, were chanting her name ¨C Song-Wen-Ye!

    For a moment, the surreal euphoria gave her an illusion of being on cloud nine. The warmth she received nearly moved her to tears.

    Was this the feeling of having a fanbase?

    Was this how it felt like to be supported, loved, and in the center of attention?

    It was not too shabby.

    Shen Xi stood by Song Wenye, watching as thetter¡¯s eyes welled up. Curling her lips in glee, Shen Xi stood up straight and walked away to leave Song Wenye to the hurrah.

    The girl was taking in the love, support, and cheers from fans, and this was the greatest pleasure and achievement for an artist.

    There was an uproar along the corridor, resonating the excitement below. Everyone roared in acmation, ¡°Song Wenye, you can do it!¡±

    Shen Xi walked towards the loo. It was quiet around a kilometer heading towards the ssrooms since the students gathered along the banister.

    She was approaching the stairwell when suddenly, someone came in her way. She lifted her chin to meet a pair of smiley foxy eyes. Shen Xi calmly uttered, ¡°Didn¡¯t I return the ring to you?¡±

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes reflected a hint of helplessness. Could she not take him for an enemy? He gazed at her. ¡°Can we talk? Privately.¡±

    He was sure he never did her wrong. Yu Qiubai did not aid and abet when Su Ruowan and Su Mushi picked on her. So, why the animosity?

    Shen Xi was best pals with Pei Xu now, yet she refused to spare Yu Qiubai a word.

    After heading to the stairwell, Shen Xi leisurely leaned against the railing. With an unapproachable presence, she darted a cold look at him.

    Yu Qiubai cut to the chase. ¡°Were you the one who treated Ning Sinian?¡±

    Letting out a smirk, Shen Xi took off. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    She trusted no one knew about her providing medical care, including Fu Qingxuan. She never let the cat out of the bag, and Pei Xu was the only one who knew her real identity.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Yu Qiubai felt defeated. He sighed and gazed at her without the usual mysterious glint in his eyes. ¡°Do you really hate me so much?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s tone was t. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I beg you.¡± It came out of the blue. Letting up all his fa?ade, Yu Qiubai earnestly stared at her. His voice was low and raspy, ¡°I beg you, please help me.¡±

    Stopping at her tracks, Shen Xi froze. It never crossed her mind that he would suddenly use this tone with her.

    Truth be told, she did not hate him. Shen Xi simply did not want hispany only because she disliked interacting with the conniving. It took a toll on her dealing with people like him as she had to be on constant guard against any possible mischief and scheming.

 Chapter 438 - Leave People to Die

    <h4>Chapter 438: Leave People to Die</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    These kinds of people only had maniption in their minds, thinking, and breathing plots and schemes every second of the day. They often put on a mask and never wore their hearts on their sleeves.

    It was clear how heartless Yu Qiubai was by the way he made a sucker out of Su Mushi. Although it felt good to see Su Mushi backstabbed, Shen Xi disapproved of Yu Qiubai¡¯s method.

    ¡°My mom¡¯s illness can¡¯t be dyed any further.¡± Yu Qiubai looked into her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re really the doctor, I beg you to please help me. I won¡¯t let anyone know that it¡¯s you.¡±

    rm bells started ringing in Shen Xi¡¯s head. He was a fox indeed. Shen Xi believed that she hid it well, and yet Yu Qiubai still managed to find out.

    ¡°I give you, my word.¡± Yu Qiubai¡¯s tone appeared on edge as nerves took over his body. Her non-responsiveness saw a bitter smile across his lips.

    He was conscious.

    She loathed his presence.

    Why would she help him?

    There was nothing more he could do if she refused to admit that she was the one who cured Ning Sinian.

    ¡°Take me to see her when you have the time.¡± His sincere plea appealed to her conscience.

    Yes.

    The godd*mn fox, having peeled off theyer of pretense, exposed his weakness and vulnerability as he pleaded with worry.

    She was not the kind who would leave people to die.

    Shen Xi could not sit by and watch after he implored wholeheartedly.

    Had Yu Qiubai remained his callous and enigmatic self, Shen Xi would continue to give him the snub.

    Right now, he was only a filial son looking for a cure to save his mother.

    Yu Qiubai did not know what had gotten into him as his vision became blurry following the affirmation from her. Once the nervous hold over him was lifted, spells of cold sweat and dizziness followed. He lightly held onto the railing for support before earnestly muttering, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Without another word, Shen Xi took off.

    Watching her receding figure, Yu Qiubai broke into a smile.

    By the time Shen Xi returned to the ssroom, Song Wenye already had her bag packed. She waved her hand in grandiose and confidently said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Don¡¯t worry, everyone. I will return as a champion!¡±

    Standing by the door, Shen Xi solemnly turned to her. ¡°May you debut front and center, Ms. Song Wenye.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Song Wenye had faith in her triumphant return. She patted Shen Xi¡¯s shoulder before emotionally remarking, ¡°I¡¯m leaving these foolish bunch to you.¡±

    At the back, the International ss students booed and rolled their eyes at her. Nevertheless, they were still caught in a mushy moment.

    With the National College Entrance Examination happening in less than two months, the International ss would cease to exist after the exams. It was hard to imagine that they could not even be together in the final two months.

    Shen Xi epted the responsibility. ¡°Rx, I will look after them.¡±

    The International ss students yelled in unison, ¡°Sister Xi is the best!¡±

    Song Wenye retorted, ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and go.¡± The disdain on the faces of her ssmates was said enough. They jeered and waved their hands to hurry her off.

    Song Wenye sniffled and indignantly clenched her fist as she stared them down. ¡°Just you wait. I will bring home the trophy and open your eyes to who is the best.¡±

    She then turned to leave without looking back. However, her eyes welled up when her back was against them.

    Shen Xi went down with her to see her off.

    Song Wenye took a few steps but realized no one came after her apart from Shen Xi. Not bold enough to turn back, she apprehensively asked, ¡°Did theye along?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head, ¡°No.¡±

    Feeling upset, Song Wenye clicked her tongue and ripped into them. ¡°Ingrates.¡±

    Holding back any judgment, Shen Xi grinned and quietly apanied her down the stairs.

    Song Wenye would not be back for at least a few days once she was gone. She would be back for the exams, but the ssrooms would be made into exam rooms by then.

    There was a possibility that they would not be in the same exam room or have any more time to fool around in ss together like now.

    Song Wenye was sulking that no one cared to see her off. After walking to the ground floor, she could not help but look up to her ss. With not even a head popping out of the ssroom door, she turned to storm off.

    Shen Xi stood there and urged her, ¡°Let us know once you¡¯re there and settled.¡±

    Song Wenye briefly acknowledged without turning back. She raised her arm to wave goodbye.

    Without hesitation, Song Wenye tookrge strides ahead when suddenly a voice cried out to her as she was crossing the main road. A collective voice was shouting loud and clear.

    She turned her head to the source of the noise to find the group assembling at the door. They were crazily ruffling a banner with her name as if afraid she might miss it. They yelled at the top of their lungs, ¡°Song Wenye, you can do it!¡±

    Having lost control over her feelings, the waterworks just came crashing down on their own. Unable to muster up the courage to look back anymore, she resolutely stepped onto the journey that was hers alone.

    Shen Xi remained at the school block and watched Song Wenye¡¯s figure disappear out of sight before ncing at the group by the ssroom door.

    The group was bawling their eyes out. There was nothing to cry about. It was not as though they would not see each other again even after the entrance exam and going on their own paths.

    ¡°Stop crying,¡± Shen Xi shouted.

    Amid the sniffles and teary eyes, they gazed at Shen Xi. Chu Ying, in particr, was sobbing really hard. She had already enrolled in a school and was going abroad right after the exams.

    Many of the international ss students were already registered to a school and most of them were going to study abroad.

    It might not be a huge deal to other people, but it was to them. They were in their senior years and no longer freshmen. Even if there was a reunion, there was no telling if everyone could be ounted for.

    Shen Xi agreed to see Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother.

    Yu Qiubai did not want to take her away from her studies. Hence, he waited until school was out before looking for Shen Xi, suggesting to her an initial assessment beforehand.

    He took to the wheel.

    Sitting in the backseat, Shen Xi engaged in a game on her phone instead of talking to Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai broke the silence. ¡°My mother¡¯s not in the best mental state. She doesn¡¯t have a great upbringing and had been working in a bar before she met my dad.

    ¡°You should know that the high-up society tends to only approve of unions between their equal social ss. They¡¯d never allow someone of my mom¡¯s status to marry into the family.

    ¡°My granddad opposed my dad and mom from being together, but my dad loves her and would rather die than leave her. He had a falling-out with the family for her and left home to be with my mom.¡±

    It never urred to Shen Xi that Yu Qiubai would talk about this.. Without interjecting, she became a quiet listener.

 Chapter 439 - Poor Lady

    <h4>Chapter 439: Poor Lady</h4>

    ¡°My dadter met with a fatal car ident and so my granddad acknowledged our existence and brought me and my mom back. However, the death of my dad was too much for my mom to handle and that¡¯s when her mental disorder reared its ugly head.¡±

    Yu Qiubai paused before letting out a bitter smile.

    ¡°Iter found out that my dad¡¯s passing was only a trigger to an existing condition. My mom had actually been taking antidepressants.¡±

    Shen Xi lent an ear to his story. It sounded an awful lot like those olden day clich¨¦ plots, yet Shen Xi could feel her heart sinking to her stomach.

    This was no story. It was his mother¡¯s real-life experience and the reality of it weighed heavily on his shoulders.

    ¡°After my mom had an anxiety attack, my uncle and other rtives teamed up to throw us out. Of course, they said it was to prevent my mom from hurting anyone as a result of the panic attack.¡± Yu Qiubai had no idea why he felt the need to tell her this. There were too many things hanging over his head, suffocating him to the point of breakdown.

    Perhaps Yu Qiubai could be sure that she would keep to herself even if he told her.

    Maybe he thought of Shen Xi as someone he could trust.

    Shen Xi was all ears, ready to be his listener.

    ¡°Following the attack, I took her everywhere possible to seek medical attention. She was also admitted to the hospital, but her condition did not improve. In contrast, it got worse. She had been in and out of consciousness during the new year andtely, she doesn¡¯t seem to recognize me anymore.¡± Yu Qiubai¡¯s tone may be t, but he was welling up in the eyes.

    He was afraid.

    Terrified.

    Yu Qiubai was unfazed when he and his mother were driven out of the Yu household and forced to live on their own.

    He felt no fear when he had to take care of his mother alone, bringing her back and forth to see a doctor.

    There was nothing he was afraid of ¨C neither her illness, her hurting people, nor taking care of her. However, his nightmare was her not recognizing him ever again.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Can you give me an ount of her current mental state?¡±

    The question tipped Yu Qiubai slightly over the edge. Shaking his head, he voiced out his despair, ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor. I can¡¯t say for sure but it¡¯s bad. It¡¯s really, really bad.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi responded. With downcast eyes, she turned her attention back to her mobile game, but truth be told, her mind lingered elsewhere.

    Studying her through the rear-view mirror, Yu Qiubai somehow managed to simmer down while his breathing steadied.

    He did not need anyone to console or pity him. The only thing he needed was someone to quietly lend an ear.

    Shen Xi was prepared for the worst, but nothing prepared her for what was toe. It was not at all up to scratch to Yu Qiubai¡¯s description.

    Stepping into the pitch-ck house, Shen Xi was swallowed into the darkness. It was like walking into prison in which a ray of sunlight was merely wishful thinking.

    A pungent smell filled her nostrils. It was damp from unventted rooms, mingled with a rotting smell.

    ¡°I¡¯ming in, Mom.¡± Yu Qiubai uttered softly in front of a room. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m going to turn on the light.¡±

    Not a single reply was heard.

    With Shen Xi¡¯s eyes quickly adapting to the dark environment, she caught a glimpse of the woman amid the shadows.

    The woman was tied tightly to the bed by her limbs. As her mouth was stuffed, she could only make a whining noise, like a trapped beast would when putting up a struggle.

    Yu Qiubai interrupted Shen Xi¡¯s observation by asking her to turn on the light.

    The room was dim despite the presence of warm light. However, it was enough to look clearly around the room. The ce was empty except for a piece of furniture ¨C the bed.

    Shen Xi had a good look at the woman on the bed. Thetter was skin, basically skin and bones. Her visible cheekbones, sunken cheeks, and scarce hair brought out the madness and fear in her widened eyes.

    Had Shen Xi known she was alive, she probably thought this person was a zombie.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Yu Qiubai drew close and stood by the woman before pointing at Shen Xi. ¡°She is a doctor. Don¡¯t be scared. She¡¯s only here for an examination.¡±

    Toning down the squirming, Mother Yu gave Yu Qiubai a crazy and alien look instead.

    Yu Qiubai sat on her bed and gently stroked her messy hair back. He then turned to look at Shen Xi with hope.

    Looking rather calm, Shen Xi briefly studied the woman. ¡°Move over so I can take a look.¡±

    Yu Qiubai got up and gave her space.

    Shen Xi took a seat on the bed. Not at all irked, she patted the woman¡¯s boney hand and cooed, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m a doctor. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Mother Yu seemed to finally take notice of Shen Xi. The fear and madness in her eyes were soon reced by guilt and self-reproach. She whimpered and whined as tears streamed down her face.

    Shen Xi was taken aback by her reaction. With the woman appearing to be squeaking amid the wailing as though trying to say something, Shen Xi turned to Yu Qiubai. ¡°Can I take this off?¡±

    Yu Qiubai was shocked by his mother¡¯s response. Shen Xi¡¯s question did put him in a spot. Concerned, he helplessly and heartbreakingly replied, ¡°She¡¯ll chew her tongue off.¡±

    Shen Xi acknowledged that fact and looked kindly at the woman. ¡°I¡¯ll take this off, but you can¡¯t hurt yourself, okay?¡±

    Mother Yu actually stopped what she was doing. Her hollow big eyes were fixated on Shen Xi.

    While Shen Xi untied her, Mother Yu remained still and gazed back at her the whole time.

    Standing at a corner, Yu Qiubai waspletely in shock as he looked at Shen Xi. A wave of emotions overwhelmed him, and it showed on his face. However, it did not take him long to make sense of the situation.

    She was a doctor who could bring Ning Sinian, who was in aa for two years, back from the dead. Thus, it was not weird that she could get Mom to settle down.

    Shen Xi did nothing but gaze at Mother Yu.

    Mother Yu looked back at her without moving an inch.

    In the darkness, time passed both quickly and slowly. Yu Qiubai had his heart in his throat, unable to make out what was going on.

    Mother Yu was the first to break the silence. Her lips were trembling as she clearly uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Her hoarse voice seemed to be forced out of her lungs. Her boney hand quivered as she reached out to touch Shen Xi¡¯s face.

    Shen Xi was caught in a daze. Before the woman¡¯s hand could make contact with Shen Xi¡¯s face, she abruptly turned around and curled up into a ball, mumbling she was sorry over and over again.

 Chapter 440 - A Single Clue

    <h4>Chapter 440: A Single Clue</h4>

    Shen Xi was certain that she never met Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother before, be it in her previous life or present, or even in the many dimensions she transmigrated to.

    Yet, the woman seemed to gaze at her, looking as though bearing familiar, yet self-ming and guilty eyes.

    Picking up on Shen Xi¡¯s doubt, Yu Qiubai solemnly said, ¡°My mom, she often confuses people for someone else as if looking for a person. I don¡¯t know who she is looking for. Ever since the attack, she would lock herself in the room in darkness, refusing toe out.¡±

    He thought Shen Xi had offered his mother some sort offort, but that turned out untrue. His mother had mistaken Shen Xi for someone else. It had been a while since this happened though.

    ¡°With the condition she has, you have to get to the root of the problem. I can¡¯t do much.¡± Shen Xi fixed her eyes on Yu Qiubai. ¡°Do you know what set her off in the past? Anything of a great impact on her?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Yu Qiubai smiled bitterly and shook his head. Mom¡¯s illness would not progress to this state if he knew.

    He took her around the world and saw every trusted doctor, only to be told the same.

    Mom had never revealed to anyone, including him, the catalyst.

    Yu Qiubai had been digging for clues to Mom¡¯s past and gotten some leadstely. Nevertheless, it was not something he could tell Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi tried to engage in conversation with Mother Yu, but thetter was in her own world at this point ¨C sobbing and mumbling inexplicably.

    Unable to hide the pain in his eyes, Yu Qiubai pulled the covers over her before nodding his gratitude at Shen Xi. ¡°My mother hasn¡¯t been this calm for a while. Thank you.¡±

    It had been five months. Mom who initially quietly locked herself in a pitch-dark unventted room suddenly went mad.

    She turned manic, smashing things, screaming in hysteria, and hurting herself. Bit by bit, the self-harm became suicidal attempts.

    At a dead-end, Yu Qiubai gave her sleeping pills to calm her down since sedation could not do much.

    However, even the sleeping pill was losing its effect once her body built resistance to it. She would freak out as though her soul had left her in moments of consciousness, and the vicious cycle continued.

    ¡°I can only prescribe two medications to regte her present condition. Let¡¯s see how she reacts to it.¡± Shen Xi sighed to herself, looking at the poordy in bed.

    She always thought that a heartless and sly fox like Yu Qiubai must be brought up in a simrly shrewd environment. It was quite surprising of the dreary life he had led.

    It made sense on second thought. Yu Qiubai was cast away and left in the cold by the rest of the family. He would probably be eaten up alive had he not built walls around him. Moreover, Yu Qiubai had a mother who needed his care.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Qiubai nodded before turning to the restraints on the bed. He was in two minds whether to tie his mother up.

    He would feel bad if he strapped her in.

    Yu Qiubai also dared not imagine the consequence of keeping her off the restraint.

    ¡°Keep herpany. I should get going.¡± Shen Xi got up and excused herself.

    The situation was direr than what Yu Qiubai described.

    Surely, the doctors had given the same diagnosis to Yu Qiubai as she did. It all boiled down to the root of her problem. However, with Mother Yu disoriented, confused, and unable to recognize her son, what were the chances of her talking about her issues?

    The root cause must be so devastating and horrifying to push her off the edge and shut herself out of it.

    ¡°Let me walk with you.¡± Yu Qiubai pressed on the paging system by the bed and uttered, ¡°Mrs. Wang, could youe up?¡±

    It did not take long.

    The door was pushed open and in walked a middle-aged woman. She nodded politely at Shen Xi before turning to Yu Qiubai. ¡°Young Master.¡±

    ¡°Watch over Mom.¡± Yu Qiubai then followed Shen Xi out.

    Since the prescription was pretty straightforward, Shen Xi wrote it out and handed it to Yu Qiubai. She looked at him and said, ¡°You need to find out what caused her to be like this if you want her to be curedpletely. I can only heal the body, not the heart.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Qiubai replied and saw her to the door.

    April had weed the warm spring. The blossoming flowers in the yard released a faint fragrance in the air.

    The afternoon rays could not be more apt in providing warmth.

    By the corner of her eyes, Shen Xi swept a nce at the shielded room behind her before looking at Yu Qiubai. ¡°You should go back to your mother. I can see myself out.¡±

    A middle-aged man had opened the car door parked at the entrance. Waiting by the side was Yu Qiubai¡¯s housekeeper, Mr. Wang.

    ¡°Mr. Wang, please be careful on the road,¡± Yu Qiubai urged as Shen Xi got into the car.

    The car soon disappeared out of sight. Yu Qiubai stood at the door, staring at the empty driveway for long. His eyes spoke of profoundplexity.

    He uncovered a single clue about Mom but could not bring himself to let Shen Xi know. Would all his efforts go up in smoke if he told her?

    Shen Xi knew Li Yuan, and Yu Qiubai¡¯s guess was right, the frequent talks about Toffeecito¡¯s dad within the International ss circle must be referring to that person.

    Yu Qiubai could forget about Shen Xi providing Mom any medical attention if she were to find out that Mom had something to do with the Fifth Family¡¯s oppression against Li Yuan. Most importantly, that person would make Mom¡¯s life a living hell.

    When it came down to business, that person spared no one.

    Shen Xi had a feeling that Yu Qiubai was hiding something from her, but on second thought, it was unlikely. As a filial son, he would jump at the opportunity to save his mom and not choose to withhold any information.

    ¡­

    The twelfth of April was the day National Idol began its recording.

    It was like the New Year¡¯s over at the International ss. Coming together, they were happily gossiping while checking their phones.

    ¡°Sister Xi, look at the group chat. Song Wenye posted a photo of her amodation. The ce looks good.¡± Chu Ying bolted over to give Shen Xi the rundown.

    Shen Xi nced at the picture, thinking to herself. ¡®Of course, the set¡¯s going to look good with that huge funding. It¡¯s Thousand-Isle Castle in T Town we¡¯re talking about! The quarters are borately designed.¡¯

    As the program¡¯s mystery mentor, Shen Xi was only going to make an appearance in the following week¡¯s elimination.

    However, it would not be long till then.

    Song Wenye was not having it. She blew off in the chat with a cuss word, having been assigned to the same room as Su Ruowan. The girl was bombarding the cat with raging emojis.

    Atst, Shen Xi fished out her phone to look at the spammed group chat.

    Song Wenye quickly followed up with a photo.

    Tapping on the picture, Shen Xi zoomed in to find Su Ruowan¡¯s name on the headboard. However, the name next to it caught her eye.

    He Lu!

    Was this not the name of the prettiest girl at Shen Feng¡¯s school or just someone with the same name? If it were really her, then it appeared that showbiz was a ce where everyone wanted to be.

 Chapter 441 - His Wife

    <h4>Chapter 441: His Wife</h4>

    Shen Xi sent a message. [Shen Xi: Please be mindful and keep that temper of yours in check. You can learn from Su Ruowan.]

    Spamming ensued as the International ss students copied and pasted Shen Xi¡¯s sentence in the speed of light, erging and bolding the font to get on Song Wenye¡¯s nerves.

    Song Wenye¡¯s violent reply was caught in the middle of all the spamming. [Song Wenye: F*ck, f*ckity f*ck! What can I learn from her? How to y the victim and have a thick skin?]

    [Shen Xi: Sounds about right.]

    As if she had gone mad, Song Wenye let all her emotions out in the chat.

    Shen Xi tapped to have a private chat with her. [Shen Xi: You might want to watch out for the one called He Lu.]

    [Song Wenye: You know her?]

    [Shen Xi: Just keep an eye. You need to watch your back from all the backstabbing and catfights in that kind of ce.]

    [Song Wenye: Got it.]

    Straight after shooting the response, Song Wenye was back raising hell in the group chat.

    Shen Xi¡¯s phone suddenly rang amid the hubaloo. It was from Situ Zhangyou.

    ¡°Dear Miracle Healer, do you intend to strike again now that you¡¯ve be famous from yourtest feat?¡± Situ Zhangyou asked.

    With her vanishing from the face of the earth after ying the savior, many of the rich and powerful in the capital went into a frenzy looking and asking for her.

    ¡°I want to focus on my studies for the uing entrance exam.¡± Shen Xi gave a serious answer. ¡°Is someone looking for me through you?¡±

    Situ Zhangyou answered. ¡°Duh. They¡¯re in need of doctors, especially a miracle healer like you. They¡¯d need toe through to the Situ family first if they want intel.¡±

    Lately, his phone had been ringing off the charts from those fishing for information. There were even people paying his family visits to ask about the miracle healer¡¯s whereabouts.

    However, he did not call Shen Xi to tell her about these minor issues. Boss would kill him if Situ Zhangyou were to bother Shen Xi with this.

    Sensing he had something to say, Shen Xi waited patiently for him to get to the point.

    Situ Zhangyou finally spoke up. ¡°Fu Qingli called me to trace you down, saying that he has someone in the family who needs medical attention. What do you think? Yay or nay?¡±

    It was a rather sticky situation to be in. Situ Zhangyou had firmly refused Fu Qingli once before when thetter insisted to meet the researcher behind the cosmeceutical development following a partnership deal.

    There was no right way to deal with this. It would be rude to turn down again after Fu Qingli earnestly requested the doctor for a sick family member.

    On the other hand, Shen Xi had a falling out with the Fu family. It would depend on her whether she wanted to go.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go,¡± Shen Xi tantly declined.

    What was Fu Qingli up to again? The medical attention was probably a front while recruiting her was the real agenda. There was no illness Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingxi¡¯s Medical Laboratory could not handle.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Feeling a headache, Situ Zhangyou kneaded his brows. He had toe up with a way to turn down Fu Qingli.

    After hanging up, Shen Xi took a nce at Pei Xu sleeping at his desk.

    Fu Qingxuan would always let Pei Xu know first about anything and everything. It was probably not that serious since Pei Xu had not mentioned anything of that sort.

    Despite thinking so, she still kept the matter in mind. Based on years of socializing, Shen Xi knew that Fu Qingli may be a b*stard, but he was not the type to joke around about his family.

    On this day, Shen Xi headed to Li Yuan¡¯s house after school as usual. Judging by the absence of the car in the driveway, Li Yuan was not at home. She sent a message.

    [Shen Xi: Where are you?]

    [Li Yuan: On the way. Home in ten.]

    Shen Xi replied with a smiley face before shutting the door to tread into the living room.

    Stepping into the living room, she saw the man standing by the study.

    The man had a paleplexion as he had one hand on his chest and the other against a door frame. He might have had a scare or fallen ill.

    Shen Xi bolted over to help him up, promptly putting her hand on his pulse. Worried and nervous, she gazed at him. ¡°Uncle Jin Yu, where does it hurt?¡±

    His pulse rate was off the charts which was a sign of shock. Shen Xi sensed nothing out of the ordinary apart from that.

    Jin Yu shook his head and let out a weak smile. His voice was shakily gruff. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve just been having dreamstely.¡±

    Shen Xi met his eyes, identifying the ever present fear but even more so were confusion, agony, heartache, and self-me in his eyes. She had known him for a week now, and it was the first time the gentleman let slip such aplicated and illegible expression.

    Jin Yu tried to get on his feet but found his body stiff. The dream earlier sucked the life out of him.

    Shen Xi helped the man to the sofa. She then ran to pour him a ss of water to take the edge off. Seeing that the man had pulled himself together, Shen Xi took a seat across from him and kept quiet.

    Jin Yu took a sip of water. His quivering hand was evidence that he still had trouble pulling himself away from the nightmare. He tried to curl his lips at Shen Xi, but his trembles could be caught in his tone. ¡°Li Yuan should be home soon.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Shen Xi answered. She unzipped her school bag and pulled out her test papers before fishing out something to hand to him.

    It was a lollipop. epting it with a smile, Jin Yu thanked her and intended to put the lollipop away. However, the girl in front was looking straight at him.

    He chuckled, opened the wrapper, and put the lollipop in his mouth.

    The sweetness of the candy exploded in his mouth, beclouding the aftermath, uneasiness, suffering, and heartache.

    Shen Xi grinned brightly at him before turning her attention to her mock test papers.

    Jin Yu absent-mindedly looked at the girl in front of him as scenes of the dream flooded back into his mind. Anguish and heartbreak overtook his entire being.

    He had been dreaming about the same woman for the past few days.

    The woman in his dream would sometimes quietly watch him and smile.

    There were times she was hysterical, questioning where he was and why he abandoned her.

    Most of the time, she would lovingly talk sweet nothings to the photograph in her hand.

    However, he had identally dozed off in the study earlier, and in the dream, the woman incessantly apologized to him that she could not wait any longer as she might have to leave before him.

    It was only a dream, yet for her to calmly talk about such matters, Jin Yu was plunged into the depths of despair by the overwhelming helplessness and heartache.

    He had no idea who she was nor whatever-presentlike. Every time Jin Yu attempted to get a closer look, she would suddenly vanish.

    Was she, his wife?

    There had never been a moment thatpelled him so much to find her and his family like right now. He believed that he loved her so deeply and madly.

    The dead air this evening drew out the rustling sounds of Shen Xi writing and turning the pages.

    Suddenly, the ringing of a mobile phone disrupted the peace.

 Chapter 442 - A Familiar Feeling

    <h4>Chapter 442: A Familiar Feeling</h4>

    Having gotten a scare, Shen Xi nced at the man opposite her and let out an embarrassed smile before picking up the call. It was an unidentified caller. However, her only thought was to hang up when she heard the voice on the other end of the line.

    Fu Qingxuan.

    What was with him? Had he not gotten enough sh*t from Fu Qingli already? Why was he still calling her?

    ¡°Meanie, don¡¯t hang up.¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hoarse voice was without its usualmanding presence when he suddenly yelled.

    Her thumb that was reaching for the end call froze. Afraid to bother Jin Yu, Shen Xi got up and headed to the courtyard before threatening, ¡°I¡¯ll tell your eldest brother.¡±

    ¡°My mom¡¯s sick,¡± Fu Qingxuan said.

    This was the first time Shen Xi detected profound helplessness and despair in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s voice. He must have cried judging by his coarse and nasalden voice. With her heart sinking to her stomach, she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a doctor?¡±

    Fu Qingli was not lying about what he told Situ Zhangyou. However, she was curious about the illness which stumped even a globally recognized medical genius like Fu Qingxuan.

    ¡°The tests came back clean,¡± Fu Qingxuan said in a raspier voice. Amid sniffles, he inquired, ¡°Do you know about that China¡¯s miracle healer? The one who attended Ning Sinian.¡±

    Shen Xi was well versed medically and even developed an antidote for neurotoxins. Although Fu Qingxuan had no idea if there was a clinical trial or of the oue, his sixth sense gave him a hint that she might know something. Hence, he gave her a call.

    He knew Qingli crossed the line. It was so bad that Shen Xi cut Fu Qingxuan out of her life, refusing any contact at all in fear Qingli may stir more trouble.

    Shen Xi remained silent for a while before t-out denying. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered rather calmly, ¡°I see. I guess I¡¯ll hang up then.¡±

    With the call terminated, Shen Xi stared nkly at the phone for a long time before snapping out of it. The thought of Mama Fu¡¯s gentleness and kindness pulled at her heartstrings.

    Jin Yu was concerned to see Shen Xi returning with a worried look on her face. He asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shen Xi took a seat across from him and nodded. Jin Yu¡¯s presence eased her to pour out her feelings. Thus, she fretfully sighed and uttered, ¡°I have a friend whose mother is sick. He wants me to go and take a look at her, but my friend¡¯s brother really hates me and forbids me from seeing his family.¡±

    She wanted to check it out, yet at the same time, was worried Fu Qingli may find out. Nothing escaped that man¡¯s eagle eyes despite her attempts of disguise.

    He would think that she had some hidden agenda. His presence was just enough to irk her.

    ¡°Listen to your heart. Don¡¯t be deterred by how others look at you.¡± Curious by the sudden bitter look on her face, Jin Yu asked, ¡°Is his brother horrible to you?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. With the reminder of Fu Qingli setting her off, she threw her pen. ¡°He¡¯s really, really horrible. He thinks he¡¯s all that. The man is a cocky and egocentric tyrant who thinks everyone should bow down to him!¡±

    ¡°What about his younger brother and mother?¡± Yu Jin had never seen Shen Xi hating on a person so much.

    Yu Jin was unsure if it was genuine hatred for the girl to be hung up on it. However, he was interested to meet the tyrant who could somehow tick the girl off at a mere mention. Shen Xi even described him vividly.

    Shen Xi blurted without hesitation, ¡°His brother and mother are nice.¡±

    She had noints about the Fu family, with the exception of Fu Qingli of course. So be it, even if they used and took her as a recement.

    Shen Xi simply could not develop any ill feelings for them, nor did she have the heart to.

    ¡°No need to be at war with yourself. You should go!¡± Jin Yu solemnly gazed at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to see his mother, not him.¡±

    Shen Xi dwelled on it for a bit before giving a nod. It was unclear whether she was talking to him or convincing herself. ¡°I should go for an assessment.¡±

    The illness that even Fu Qingxuan could not detect must be very tricky.

    It was uncertain whether Shen Xi could be of help. However, if she were to pass this up and something were to happen to Mama Fu, she may regret and be struck with guilt for the rest of her life.

    With that gotten through her head, Shen Xi made up her mind to provide Mama Fu medical care regardless of what Fu Qingli thought. Why should she bother with him since she was not there to fight?

    Moreover, she was going there as a doctor, and Fu Qingli sought her through Situ Zhangyou in the first ce. Knowing his loath for her, Fu Qingli would never reveal her identity even if he saw through her disguise.

    As for Qingye and Fu Qingxuan, she had to make sure her disguise was airtight to pull the wool over Qingye¡¯s eyes while Fu Qingxuan was not smart enough to recognize her.

    Not one to be nosy, Jin Yu left the question out about the grudge and conflict between her, her friend, and her friend¡¯s brother. He looked at her with concern. ¡°Is your friend¡¯s home in the capital?¡±

    ¡°United M.¡± Shen Xi called Situ Zhangyou to let him know she had agreed to visit Madam Fu. She wanted Situ Zhangyou to inform Fu Qingli on her behalf. She then took out her phone to check the flight tickets while mumbling to herself, ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s any flight avability for today.¡±

    The main door was pushed open. Li Yuan was back. Swiftly wheeling himself in, Li Yuan nodded at Jin Yu in greeting and turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Do your homework after dinner.¡±

    Shen Xi replied with a smile, ¡°Brother. No dinner for me. I¡¯ll be leaving after your treatment.¡±

    She should head to the Fu¡¯s residence on her own as she did not want to trouble him to keep herpany.

    Li Yuan grew confused. Picking up on the passing hesitation in her eyes, he tempted her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s all your favorite dishes.¡±

    Since Shen Xi was in a rush, she firmly shook her head. ¡°I have something to attend toter.¡±

    Jin Yu was in the know of her ns. Although he knew he should not meddle in their business, he could not help himself. ¡°Xixi¡¯s going to United M to see a friend¡¯s mother.¡±

    For a girl to fly abroad on an eleven o¡¯clock flight tonight, Jin Yu did not feelfortable unless someone was there with her.

    Furrowing his brows, Li Yuan asserted, ¡°The Fu family.¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat and bobbed her head. ¡°Fu Qingxuan said that Mama Fu was sick. He couldn¡¯t make out what it is so I¡¯m going to take a look.¡±

    Li Yuan darted her a serious look before making it clear. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±

    He then turned to Kun Lun. ¡°Prepare the ne. We leave at once.¡±

    Shen Xi bit her lips as she fixed her gaze on the man who refused to give her a chance to refute. Fine, it was his word then. Otherwise, she would have to rack her brains while applying acupuncture and massage to him. Time was in a pinch.

    After issuing the order, Li Yuan asked her, ¡°Did you tell your mom yet?¡±

    Shen Xi obediently nodded. ¡°My mom isn¡¯t at home, but I told her on the phone.¡±

    Two hourster, Shen Xi, Li Yuan, Jin Yu, and Kun Lun boarded Li Yuan¡¯s private ne and flew to United M once again.

    They arrived at the airport at eight o¡¯clock sharp the next morning.

    To hide her identity from the Fu family, Shen Xi decided to disguise herself as a man just like when she saw Ning Sinian. Shen Xi also stopped Li Yuan from doing the drop-off since the Fu family could recognize Li Yuan.

    Jin Yu was dropping her off at Fu¡¯s residence instead. The girl sitting next to Jin Yu was apletely different person, embodying the part of the opposite gender. Her disguise brought a young stoic and refined aristocrat to life.

    The girl was full of surprises, and it seemed as though there was nothing she could not do. No wonder Jin Yu was drawn to her!

    It took an hour to drive from the airport to Fu¡¯s residence.

    Fu Qingxuan was waiting at the entrance. With the car rolling into the driveway, he looked over and saw a polished young man of simr age stepping out of the car. The handsome young man strode over.

    Shen Xi walked up and greeted Fu Qingxuan with a detached but lovely young voice. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jiu Zhou.¡±

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan.¡± Fu Qingxuan politely looked at the young man while casting a fleeting nce at the car in front by the corner of his eye.

    As the car was leaving, he vaguely caught a glimpse of a man inside that sparked a rather familiar feeling.

 Chapter 443 - Recognize in an Instant

    <h4>Chapter 443: Recognize in an Instant</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan had a feeling that he had met this person before.

    However, he was not able to get a good look at the person through the window since the car came and went in a sh. Hence, Fu Qingxuan did not dwell on it.

    Shen Xi watched as Fu Qingxuan was fixated on the car before turning his attention back to her. He then disyed his gentleman¡¯s side by leading the way.

    She let out a sigh of relief. As expected, Young Master Qingxuan could not tell it was her. However, it was clear that he had been crying judging by the bloodshot and unconceble puffiness in his eyes.

    Worried stiff about his mother, Fu Qingxuan was too distracted to notice anything else. Although Shen Xi did give him a weird feeling, he let the thought slip.

    Everyone at home was fretting over Mama Fu¡¯s illness.

    Apart from the coteral lines in genealogy, there were not many people in the direct lineage of the Fu family. There was the father, Fu Handing, and his sister, Fu Junqiu.

    Of course, the direct lineage presently included Mama Fu, Fu Junqiu, and the three Fu brothers. Unlike thoserge old money families, there was no back-stabbing and deceptions, only close-knit rtions in the family.

    Both Fu Junqiu and Fu Qingye were waiting at the sitting area.

    Fu Junqiu was young and merely two years older than her nephew, Fu Qingli. Her parents passed away when she was young and since then, she grew up with her brother and sister-inw. Mama Fu was like a mother to her, so the hurt she was feeling was no less than the Fu brothers.

    She had been wrapped up with taking care of Mama Fu in the week thetter fell ill. She was not spared from the distress that befell the family.

    With swollen eyes, she turned to the seemingly calm Fu Qingye standing next to her. Fu Junqiu was bugged by a question yet did not have the guts to let it out.

    She wondered if the doctor could be of any help when even Xuan could not figure out the diagnosis. Nevertheless, Fu Junqiu held back as theck of answer gave the false impression of a glimmer of hope.

    Her sister-inw¡¯s illness arrived at a curious timing ¨C the day after the anniversary of Lil¡¯ Xi¡¯s disappearance. Mama Fu fell sick out of the blue and the illness only turned for the worse since.

    Fu Junqiu knew that during every anniversary, Mama Fu would sit under the magnolia tree the family had nted for Lil¡¯ Xi, from night until dawn.

    Later, she learned from Xuan that Mama Fu ran into Li Jingran¡¯s daughter, Shen Xi the other day. That would probably be how Lil¡¯ Xi looked if she was still alive.

    ¡°Ye.¡± Unable to hold her tongue, Fu Junqiu fixed her eyes on Fu Qingye. ¡°If this doctor can¡¯t do anything about it, you should head to China and get Shen Xi.¡±

    Fu Junqiu had a feeling that her sister-inw had a mental breakdown. Perhaps it had something to do with meeting Shen Xi. This had been a sore point to her for seventeen years after all. It was hard to not think or toe to terms to see a girl looking like Lil¡¯ Xi.

    Getting the wake-up call, Fu Qingye saw the light and gazed at her. ¡°Aunty.¡±

    Oh, right.

    Shen Xi!

    How could he forget about her?

    They were too focused on her mother falling ill. Why did it not cross their minds that her pent-up emotions had gotten the better of their mother after meeting Shen Xi?

    ¡°Our worry clouded our judgment.¡± Fu Junqiu knew he got it then. It only dawned on Fu Junqiu now to put two and two together.

    Since Mama Fu had always kept an open mind about Lil¡¯ Xi and her husband¡¯s disappearance, they overlooked many important details ¨C Mama Fu was still human, she would still feel sad and upset.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear from the doctor first.¡± Fu Qingye¡¯s heart sank at the thought of Shen Xi. His lips curled into a bitter smile.

    Shen Xi turned her back on Fu Qingye after what Qingli did to her. Would Shen Xi respond favorably if he came for her?

    Fu Qingye had heard a thing or two about the doctor who wasing today. This person brought a patient who was in a two-yeara back to life when many doctors deemed it was hopeless. Otherwise, Qingli would not bombard the Situ family with calls to invite the miracle healer here.

    For some reason, that person first turned down Qingli following a call to Situ Zhangyou yesterday.

    It waster at night as Qingli got ready to fly to China to extend a personal invitation when another call came in saying that the doctor agreed toe in.

    From afar, Fu Qingye could see Fu Qingxuan walking alongside the young man. Tall and slender, the young man carried himself with aloofness and it showed in his icy zed eyes.

    Fu Qingye was sure that he had never seen this person before, but a sense of familiarity overtook him in an instant.

    Fu Junqiu was taken aback by the doctor¡¯s appearance. This was the person who her nephew made multiple calls to invite and even intended to go all the way to China to meet with. It never urred to her that the doctor was a young and handsome man around Xuan¡¯s age.

    Youngsters nowadays were more impressive than the next. Here she thought her youngest nephew was unrivaled to acquire such achievement at his age, but now Xuan had met his match.

    Shen Xi quickly drew close with Fu Qingxuan. After a brief introduction, she nodded at the duo in greeting without saying a word.

    gued by the familiar feeling, Fu Qingye took a second look but was unable to put a finger on the familiar face.

    As the elder in the family, Fu Junqiu led Shen Xi to Mama Fu¡¯s room. She pushed the door open.

    In the room, she saw Mama Fu lying in bed while Fu Qingli kept watch by the bedside. With the door opening, Fu Qingli turned towards the source of the noise. His sharp eyes, as though he could see through everything, looked straight at Shen Xi.

    Mama Fu was not the first thing that came into Shen Xi¡¯s sight. She looked right into Fu Qingli¡¯s deep and cold eyes.

    By the surprising and questioning look in the man¡¯s profound eyes, Shen Xi was aware that her disguise was a bust. It only took Fu Qingli one look to see through her.

    Any source of abomination never seemed to stay away, that was for sure.

    The young man standing next to Aunt was slightly taller. Judging by that indifferent bearing and handsome face, it seemed she underwent an borate makeover.

    Even her eyes were a different faint color. Fu Qingli scoffed at her efforts to change her eye color!

    Shen Xi!

    So, she was the doctor who rose to fame in Chinately? Fu Qingli had a hard time connecting the dots between her and the doctor.

    Fu Qingli heard from Xuan and herself that she wanted to enroll in medical school to be a doctor. However, he was always skeptical about it.

    Since he was furious about Xuan sneaking her into theb thest time, Fu Qingli never took Shen Xi¡¯s words seriously.

    Yet now, the fact was right in front of him. The mysterious miracle healer, who he failed to invite despite his many calls and was going to meet face-to-face, was her.

 Chapter 444 - Incompetence

    <h4>Chapter 444: Ipetence</h4>

    Fu Qingli was filled with aplex of emotions there and then. As if not enough, the hint of taunt in Shen Xi¡¯s fleeting nce was a tight p on his face.

    He looked to his younger brothers and aunt, letting out a sigh of relief as the other family members were not the least bit suspicious of her true identity.

    Well, he should just go with it since Shen Xi had no intentions of letting them know.

    Shen Xi fearlessly met his gaze. The man who usually had a bone to pick and looked down on her like amanding king looked away.

    She was right.

    He was shying away from her.

    Fu Qingli could not look her in the eye, nor did he unleash his fury and attack on Shen Xi. Instead, he simply nodded and got up to move aside.

    Fu Junqiu introduced Shen Xi to Fu Qingli without catching on to the stormy stare down between the two.

    Fu Qingye, on the other hand, picked up on the subtle changes on Fu Qingli¡¯s face. It happened rather quickly, but Fu Qingye was able to detect the instant change in his brother.

    He arched his head towards the bed, observing the young man who was checking on Mom¡¯s pulse. His eyes alighted with probe and suspicion.

    Did Qingli know him?

    Qingli must know him.

    Completely oblivious, Fu Qingxuan nervously stood by Shen Xi as he held his breath, waiting for the diagnosis.

    With her face growing solemn after taking the pulse, Shen Xi turned to Fu Qingxuan and uttered, ¡°Madam Fu has fallen ill from constant depression, leading her antibodies to give in to the flu. The medication you used is too heavy on her. She¡¯s too fragile to handle such strong medication.¡±

    It was true that Madam Fu had the flu, but the real cause was a mental breakdown from depression. The sudden outburst took a toll on her, and as a result, her body came crashing down.

    With her words sinking in, Fu Qingxuan turned teary-eyed and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Is there more?¡±

    As a doctor himself, he was aware that the situation was more than met the eye. Otherwise, Mom would not fall unconscious.

    Shen Xi gave him a dead serious look. ¡°The flu has spread to her entire body. It won¡¯t be effective even if you¡¯ve given the right dosage.¡±

    It registered in his head atst. Fu Qingxuan majored in Western medicine and probably only had little knowledge about traditional Chinese medicine. Nevertheless, even an experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor would not be able to diagnose Madam Fu¡¯s illness, much less treat it.

    Depression was not a disease but proved deadlier than one. If the flu were to spread for a few more days, she would likely be beyond salvation.

    Illness that could be detected on the physical body was no issue whereas the real nightmare was a mental disorder. Death by heartbreak was no joke.

    As odd as it sounded, Shen Xi dared to say that she was the only one in the world capable of making the diagnosis through pulse, not even the most cutting-edge medical equipment. Those were mere mindless machines.

    ¡°Are you able to cure my mom¡¯s illness?¡± For some reason, Fu Qingli was shaking when asking this question.

    Exactly.

    Was it curable?

    He had experienced far too many defeats, doubts, and despairs for the past week and no longer wanted to repeat that hell.

    During this one week, all the top doctors in the world were summoned to theb, but even they, the medical miracles in the eyes of the public, could not relieve even the simplest fever symptom.

    After all the disappointment, all that was left was despair. Fu Qingxuan also doubted his expertise. People said that he was good, but what was good about him?

    Unable to diagnose his own mother¡¯s illness, Fu Qingxuan was forced to watch as his mother copsed and worsened by the day.

    This feeling hurt as much as driving a knife to his heart.

    The state of loss and anticipation put Fu Qingxuan nowhere near his genius doctor self. He was now the patient¡¯s family, a son who hoped his mom would pull through. Shen Xi said, ¡°I will try my best.¡±

    As a doctor, it was ideal that she did not give a definite answer, especially in front of Fu Qingli.

    ¡°What do you need?¡± Fu Qingxuan barely talked, only asking the important questions.

    He trusted her.

    The trust came so naturally to Fu Qingxuan. Perhaps it was her resolute eyes, calmposure, structured examination, or simply due to her presence.

    ¡°Chinese medicine, medicine jar, and a medical furnace.¡± Shen Xi asked for a pen and paper to write down the medicine and dosage she needed before handing the paper over. ¡°These.¡±

    It might be themest method in people¡¯s eyes, but the lousiest and most discreet way was the most effective.

    Having no qualms and hesitation about the prescription, Fu Qingxuan got right to it.

    No one butted in during the conversation as the rest of the family members knew that Fu Qingxuan was the doctor in the family.

    With Fu Qingxuan gone, Fu Qingye approached Shen Xi, wanting to say something.

    Fu Qingli jumped in to cut Fu Qingye off. He turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou, we¡¯d leave our mom to you.¡±

    Shen Xi had never seen him so polite. His eyes were without the detestable probe and coldness, giving way to calmness and a little bit of trust in them. She felt weird about it but remained courteous. ¡°The medicine will start to take effect after Madam Fu consumes it. I¡¯d need to apply acupuncture to her then. Sorry to take up the time.¡±

    She wanted nothing more than to leave, and yet it was not time to do so. The fleeting trust in Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes did put her in a less hating mood.

    Fu Qingli nodded in acknowledgment before turning to Fu Qingye. ¡°Qingye, take Dr. Jiu Zhou to a room for a rest.¡±

    Jiu Zhou?

    How did shee up with such a name?

    Could she not pick something better?

    Nevertheless, since the girl came here to examine Mom in disguise, Fu Qingli did not have to worry about her exposing her identity to his brothers.

    Was it possible that he had not yed fair and judged her wrongly?

    For the first time in his life, Fu Qingli questioned his own judgment. With that, a seed of doubt was sown in his mind.

    Shen Xi had no idea about Fu Qingli¡¯s criticism of her. From the corner of her eye, she nced at the woman lying in bed before taking off alongside Fu Qingye.

    With their footsteps a fading scurry, and the door shutting behind him, Fu Qingli looked at the bedridden woman in agony. As he held her hand, the coldness in his eyes disappeared, leaving behind only heartache. His voice was raspy and hurt. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. My ipetence is to me.¡±

 Chapter 445 - Grateful

    <h4>Chapter 445: Grateful</h4>

    Fu Qingli felt he could do better.

    He still could not locate his sister after such a long time, neither was he able to find a single clue about his father¡¯s whereabouts.

    A mental breakdown?

    Shen Xi¡¯s words kept ringing in his ears. With downcast eyes, Fu Qingli plunged into self-me and remorse. The frustration was eating him up inside.

    Mom would never end up like this if Shen Xi had not been there for Mom to bump into the other day.

    He should not have been so careless and let Mom see Shen Xi.

    Fu Qingli knew it. Since Qingye and Qingxuan made contact with her and since he met her, Fu Qingli had known that her presence would turn this home upside down.

    However, it never crossed his mind that Mom would be the first to be hurt. Fu Qingli had been so careful to prevent an encounter between them.

    s, even the bestid ns would go astray. Tried as he may, they still ran into each other.

    Shen Xi sat in the sitting room. It was not as though she did not want to leave. In fact, Shen Xi was tempted to take off right away but now was not the time. The acupuncture therapy aside, she still had to prepare the decoction which could be ratherplicated and troublesome. No one but her could get the task done.

    The prescription she had given to Madam Fu was different from regr drugs. While decocting, it was imperative she held the reins on the heat control and time so that precision was guaranteed. A second too early or toote could ruin the whole decoction¡¯s effectiveness.

    The thought of repeating the process twice a week for at least a week gave her a migraine. Nevertheless, it was not like she could just walk out as Fu Qingli would probably think it was a deliberate move.

    Still, it did not matter what he thought. As apetent doctor, Shen Xi should behave like one.

    The idea of the woman lying in bed like a lifeless body broke Shen Xi¡¯s heart, putting a lump in her throat.

    In the beginning, Fu Qingye asked Shen Xi a few questions but was faced with her stoic expression. Although she replied, the answers were only a single ¡°oh¡±, ¡°uh¡±, or ¡°ah¡±. It was clear the doctor was not in the mood for talks. Holding his tongue, Fu Qingye quietly waited at a corner.

    Fu Junqiu was too low in spirit for any conversation either. She asked about Mama Fu¡¯s condition before leaving Fu Qingye to keep the doctorpany while she checked on Mama Fu.

    It did not take long before Fu Qingxuan returned. In line with Shen Xi¡¯s request, he bought the required items and ingredients.

    After starting up the furnace, Shen Xi put on a special pot, adding water and Chinese medicine into it. She kept an eye on the brewery, fire, and time.

    During the process, Fu Qingxuan observed by the side, quietly watching her every move while immersing in the profundity of Chinese medicine and sophistication of her decoction methods.

    Out of the Chinese medicine ingredients, the most expensive was the few ginseng slices. The rest were regr medicinal herbs that were meant to cure the flu and uplift spirits. There was nothing special about them.

    However, her method of decoction was one of a kind. Every single ingredient was put in in a different order, plus they were cooked for a diverse length of time. The doctor would add measured water from time to time and adjust the mes of the furnace. It was a tedious ongoing process with many intricate steps involved.

    As a major in Western medicine, Fu Qingxuan would not say he was an expert, but he knew a thing or two about traditional Chinese medicine. The way she decocted was unheard of in any medical books.

    The living room.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s slender physique rested against the sofa as he watched Shen Xi bustle along in the kitchen without a break. His eyes deepened.

    Perhaps there were certain things he should not interfere with. It was best to let nature take its course.

    Nevertheless, he still stood by his initial stance towards her. If there was ever a do-over, Fu Qingli would nip any chances of his mother running into Shen Xi in the bud.

    Yet now, Shen Xi had met his mother despite his best efforts. Things got out of his control and were going against his wishes.

    Both his brothers loved her, and so did his aunt. After meeting her once, Mom only had Shen Xi on her mind despite thetter giving the cold shoulder.

    If they all loved her, what about their little sister then? Who was going to love the girl who was still missing?

    ¡°Qingli.¡± Fu Qingye drew close, observing Fu Qingli who was lost in his thoughts. Upon calling out his name, Fu Qingye realized that his big brother was looking at the person in the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to check on the medicine.¡± Fu Qingli pulled his big brother card before taking a nce at Fu Qingye. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯m going to Mom.¡±

    Fu Qingye frowned. Check on the medicine? He could do that by going into the kitchen. What can he see by standing here? More like checking the doctor out!

    Fu Qingli was about to walk away.

    Fu Qingye suddenly called him back. Afraid to be heard, Fu Qingye whispered, ¡°Qingli, do you know the doctor?¡±

    Fu Qingli coldly replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Since he was aware that Shen Xi only came out of the goodness of her heart, Fu Qingli was not going toment further or beg her to do anything else.

    He was grateful enough for her toe. However, Fu Qingli would never reveal her identity.

    By not speaking of it, Fu Qingli could y dumb. To him, Shen Xi was a doctor here to treat Mom and nothing else.

    Her disguise was good to escape the eyes of Qingye and Qingxuan, unless she unmasked herself.

    Without a word, Fu Qingye stared intently into Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes. He could tell that Qingli had something on his mind as it was the first time he had seen Qingli acting oddly.

    Fu Qingli turned and walked towards the opposite bedroom. By the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the busy bee in the kitchen, telling himself it was for the best.

    Nevertheless, only he knew theplexity of emotions killing him inside. Even he had no idea what he was feeling exactly.

    Shen Xi was ving in the kitchen, decocting for two hours while Fu Qingxuan was a nervous wreck, watching and waiting in anxiety. With the decoction finally ready, it was poured into a tiny bowl. This was the result of a two-hour focus.

    After giving a sniff and getting a taste, Shen Xi¡¯s high-strung nerves could be let loose atst. The sight of Fu Qingxuan gave her a jump when she happened to turn around. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    By the looks of her sweat-drenched bangs, forehead, and nose tip, it was clear to Fu Qingxuan that she had undergone intense concentration. The doctor did not seem to notice despite him staring at her the whole time. Ignoring the question, Fu Qingxuan gratefully expressed, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Xi warned coldly, ¡°I need silence and maximum concentration during the decoction. Don¡¯t bother me next time.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°Got it.¡±

    Soon.

    Shen Xi brought the herbal medicine to Mama Fu¡¯s bedroom, and with the help of Fu Qingli, she spooned the medicine down Mama Fu¡¯s throat. She then unfurled her roll of needles and uttered, ¡°I need silence when I¡¯m in therapy. Please leave the room.¡±

    Fu Qingye and Fu Junqiuplied and gave her space.

    Fu Qingli took one look at her before pulling the reluctant Fu Qingxuan away.

    Fu Qingxuan wished he had X-ray vision so he could watch her work. Since he was not blessed with this ability, the only thing he could do was wait restlessly.

 Chapter 446 - Dreamed of Dad

    <h4>Chapter 446: Dreamed of Dad</h4>

    For someone who upheld a life-long learning principle towards medicine, Fu Qingxuan did not want to let any chance to learn and observe slip by.

    Fu Qingxuan decided there and then to pour his attention into Chinese medicine.

    Time may be passing, but every second that went by was torture to the Fu brothers and Fu Junqiu.

    Atst.

    The door opened half an hourter.

    Before the doctor had a chance to say anything, Fu Qingxuan was the first to rush into the room to check on Mom.

    Fu Qingli and the rest gathered in front of Shen Xi, waiting for the verdict.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Madam Fu¡¯s treatment for today is over. I should get going.¡±

    Fu Qingye turned to her and asked, ¡°Where are you staying, Dr. Jiu Zhou? If it¡¯s not too much trouble, why don¡¯t you stay here? It¡¯d be more convenient for you to look after our mother.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have a ce to stay. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Fu. I will arrive on time for the next few days and will not bete in providing treatment.¡±

    Fu Qingye had intended to persuade further.

    However, Fu Qingli cut him off and looked at Shen Xi. ¡°We should respect Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s wishes. I¡¯ll get the driver to drive you back.¡±

    Fu Qingli would pay Shen Xi handsomely.

    Not a chance at owing any favors.

    She probably did not want the favor either, seeing how she came to examine their mother in disguise.

    Refusing Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye¡¯s offer to see her to the door, Shen Xi followed the butler out of Fu¡¯s residence and saw the car parked in front of the entrance. With her nerves finally at ease, she trod towards the car.

    The butler watched as the young man got into the car. There was someone in the car, but the butler could not get a good look. Nevertheless, he could tell it was a man by the fleeting nce. He waited until the car was out of sight before returning to the residence.

    In the vehicle.

    Shen Xi was ready to drop, feeling drained after three hours of intense concentration. The decoction aside, Shen Xi had to put on a show the whole time and keep it airtight so that she would not be exposed. It was draining the life out of her.

    Looking at the youngdy who appeared to be melted into a mush, Li Yuan ced a bubble tea by her lips.

    He was annoyed to see the girl so haggard and her lips dry. The Fu family was out of line to not offer even a ss of water to their VIP guest.

    Shen Xi was too feeble to move a finger, especially after seeing him. Since she did not have to move, she took a sip out of the bubble tea and softly uttered, ¡°hungry.¡±

    Li Yuan dotingly grinned before grabbing and feeding the egg tart that he bought while driving past a pastry shop. It was still warm.

    Shen Xi¡¯s only job was to chew and swallow. After two egg tarts and more than half a cup of bubble tea, she was back to her old self. She gazed at him with smiley eyes. ¡°Recharged!¡±

    Li Yuan then inquired, ¡°How is Madam Fu doing?¡±

    Shen Xi sighed and furrowed her brows. ¡°Not too good. Even if I treat her physical health, it all boils down to whether she was willing to ept reality. She wouldn¡¯t have fallen sick had her daughter been found.¡±

    Shen Xi med herself a little as she heard from the Fu family that Madam Fu fell ill a week ago, the day after she met her at theb.

    She was sure that Madam Fu was reminded of her daughter, setting off a chain of reactions following their encounter. At the end of the day, Shen Xi was the cause of the menacing breakdown.

    Li Yuan was heartbroken by the self-reproach and upset in her face. ¡°How can you me yourself because of a mere coincidence?¡±

    There was no changing the fact that they met, and all could only be put down as a twist of fate. No one was to me, but Li Yuan sympathized with Madam Fu¡¯s misfortune.

    She had first lost her daughter, and ten yearster, Mr. Fu went missing. With both family members¡¯ whereabouts unknown, she must have taken quite the blow. A poordy, she was.

    Fu Qingxuan had no clue that Shen Xi was gone. He went looking for her after she was done examining Mama Fu. ¡°Qingli, why didn¡¯t you keep Dr. Jiu Zhou for dinner after he ved away the whole night? You should take him in as well. Are we that poor to offer a ce to stay?¡±

    Fu Qingli calmly replied, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to stay.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan flipped out. ¡°You must have frightened him with your attitude! What¡¯s with that stone-cold face of yours? You will scare strangers away and people might think you¡¯re impersonal.¡±

    Fu Qingli always had a poker face and the family understood that it was done on purpose. Nevertheless, it was not as though Dr. Jiu Zhou was aware of that.

    Without giving a response, Fu Qingli stepped into the bedroom and asserted, ¡°You should return to your room. I¡¯ll watch Mom.¡±

    Shooting him a pouty look, Fu Qingxuanined, ¡°Qingli, you can¡¯t go on like this. No one will ever dare to approach you!¡±

    Fu Qingli turned and swept him an aloof nce. ¡°You are disrupting Mom¡¯s rest.¡±

    Judging by Fu Qingxuan¡¯s reaction, Fu Qingli could read that Mom¡¯s situation was improving. Otherwise, Fu Qingxuan would not make such a fuss.

    In the past week, Fu Qingxuan was the quietest but also the most exhausted. He had been examining Mom nonstop.

    Fu Qingxuan spoke in a muted tone, ¡°Mom¡¯d nag you if she finds out. Dr. Jiu Zhou had to prepare Chinese medicine and apply acupuncture every day to treat Mom, so we owe it to him to provide amodation here.¡±

    Annoyed, Fu Qingli coldly hissed, ¡°Get out!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan kept going. ¡°What you¡¯re trying to say is ¡®good job and go and take a rest,¡¯ right? Then speak up. How am I supposed to know what you want and think if you keep it to yourself?¡±

    Fu Qingli muttered through clenched teeth. ¡°Have a nice rest!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan would only continue to pester him if Fu Qingli ignored him. The pestering was not an issue, but Fu Qingli was afraid he might wake Mom if Fu Qingxuan did not shut his mouth.

    ¡°Watch over Mom and update me on the situation.¡± Fu Qingxuan could rx now that he got the answer he wanted and was certain Mom¡¯s condition had stabilized. He went to his room.

    Feeling rather worn out, Fu Qingxuan dozed off upon contact with his bed.

    He had a dream.

    He dreamed of his father.

    In his dream, Dad was waving at him with a smile.

    Fu Qingxuan cried out to him while running after him as quickly as his legs could carry him. However, the more he ran, the further his father was until thetter disappeared out of sight.

    After screaming heart-wrenchingly for his dad, Fu Qingxuan sat up abruptly. In a daze, he reached up to touch his face. There were cold teardrops.

    He sighed while staring nkly at the sun rays on his sheets,menting how time had passed.

    It had been ten years!

    In the blink of an eye, Dad had been missing for a decade!

    Fu Qingxuan had never dreamed about him in the past decade. What happened to him?

 Chapter 447 - Certain

    <h4>Chapter 447: Certain</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan had heard that only the dead would appear in dreams. Since he never dreamed of his father for the past decade, Fu Qingxuan convinced himself that Dad was alive and well somewhere in the world.

    Yet, why did he have to appear today after a ten-year-long absence?

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind shed back to the vague figure through the car window yesterday. He shook his head in an attempt to shake off the fleeting and odd thought.

    ¡­

    Shen Xi initially came to check out the situation. It never crossed her mind that Madam Fu was in a critical condition. Hence, she had to stay for a week.

    Madam Fu regained consciousness by the next morning.

    Shen Xi was putting away the needles after the acupuncture therapy when she noticed the consciousdy resting against the headboard. She gave a nod before getting up to leave.

    Mama Fu watched the young man take off with probing and disappointed eyes.

    This child was around the age of Xuan but had walls built around him. She had tried to talk to him and only received one answer out of ten questions.

    Mama Fu had no idea what the child went through in his childhood to be raised into such an aloof and stifling character. Her heart went out to him.

    Now that Mama Fu was awake, the Fu family could finally rx.

    Fu Qingli always adopted a stiff upper lip towards anyone. No expression could be read from his face and more so when he fronted Shen Xi. He gazed at her and said, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Jiu Zhou.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in response, and without a word, she was ready to leave.

    Least said, soonest mended. Besides Fu Qingli who had already recognized her, Fu Qingye would be quick to catch on if she were to engage too much.

    Fu Qingye solemnly gazed at her and expressed his gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded to return the courtesy.

    Fu Qingxuan was the most worked up. With excitement and gratitude bringing his true nature to the open, he looked at the doctor in anticipation. ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou, I wish to pick your brains on many medical questions. Can I trouble you to stay for a chat?¡±

    Shen Xi merely replied, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not deter despite being turned down. As she was leaving, he caught up to her. ¡°I guess you must know my name. We, who are into medicine, shouldmunicate more and share our ideas to bring our skills to greater heights. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to take you to ourb for a look around.¡±

    Shen Xi kept to herself. She had always known Fu Qingxuan to be a chatterbox but never to the extreme like having a bee buzzing in her ears.

    Fu Qingxuan insisted. ¡°You can¡¯t just remain behind closed doors. We have a medical forum in theb this afternoon with many famous medical experts attending. Since I live there, I can pick you up before the event.¡±

    Shen Xi wished nothing more than to hit him with a brick for him to pipe down. She coldly declined, ¡°No need.¡±

    Unfazed, Fu Qingxuan continued. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to pursue greater medical achievements?¡±

    He had never faced a t-out refusal. Fu Qingxuan had always been the one to turn people down, but since Dr. Jiu Zhou was the first person he ever admired, he would rather get all over his face for a chance of an exchange.

    Shen Xi blurted, ¡°No.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had further persuasion in mind. s, he was interrupted.

    Fu Qingli gazed at him and articted, ¡°Xuan, don¡¯t bother Dr. Jiu Zhou.¡±

    Could he not tell that Dr. Jiu Zhou wanted nothing to do with him?

    Fu Qingli finally understood Shen Xi¡¯s im about Xuan¡¯s constant bugginging out of nowhere.

    Nevertheless, this was the first time he witnessed Xuan¡¯s interest in a person so much so he could chat for days on end.

    Fu Qingxuan intended to refute but was met with a cold threatening look from Fu Qingli, forcing him to put his multiple thoughts and blueprint on hold for now. However, he could not hold himself back when Shen Xi was halfway out the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see Dr. Jiu Zhou off.¡±

    Fu Qingli was one step ahead as he grabbed Fu Qingxuan by the wrist to pull him back.

    Fu Qingye never left his seat. He was observing, watching Shen Xi, Fu Qingli, Fu Qingxuan, and their every reaction.

    In the end, he could be certain that Qingli knew Dr. Jiu Zhou and vice versa. The doctor appeared to have avoided eye contact with Qingli.

    Upset, Fu Qingxuan mumbled in protest.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes grew profound as he watched Shen Xi¡¯s receding figure.

    For the first time, he verified that Shen Xi was speaking the truth about enrolling in a medical school. In fact, she was capable of thriving in the industry without receiving a formal education.

    Moreover, with those skills of hers, there was no telling who would be doing the teaching if she were to enroll in a medical school. Who had better capabilities as a doctor than herself?

    Fu Qingli acknowledged her expertise but remained steadfast in his stance to disallow engagement between her and his family. Hesitation was never a good color on him.

    The next two days.

    Shen Xi would visit Fu¡¯s residence in the morning and night to prepare medicine and carry out acupuncture therapy on Mama Fu. She kept talks to a minimum, exercising silence was golden.

    Mama Fu was getting better by the day but never had the chance to know her doctor.

    Fu Qingxuan was blown away by Shen Xi¡¯s medical skills. Still, he was given the cold shoulder for seeking guidance, but that did not stop him from chatting and inviting her to theb every day.

    At the same time, he began eagerly flipping through medical books about Chinese medicine. He brought every book, both read or unread, to his study and studied day and night.

    Fu Qingye, on the other hand, spotted the growing familiarity in Shen Xi¡¯s minute expressions and behavior during her visitations. Leaving no stones unturned with his observation, he was getting close to the answer.

    He was a cautious person and would never act on impulse based on assumption and suspicion until he was sure.

    Fu Qingye made a detailed record of Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s appearance in China and contact with anyone.

    Dr. Jiu Zhou was overly cautious to leave behind any loose ends or clues, which left him suspecting something was amiss. Yet, he could not be certain.

    It came to the third morning that Shen Xi was due to visit again.

    Fu Qingye waited behind the property¡¯s bushes on the right. The morning dew soaked his hair and clothes.

    As 7 o¡¯clock rolled in, a ck Maybach stopped in front of the gate on time.

    The moment the car door was opened, he had a clear look at the man sitting in the car. The door was shut in a sh, but this time, he could be sure of it.

 Chapter 448 - Sock Him in the Face

    <h4>Chapter 448: Sock Him in the Face</h4>

    Li Yuan.

    The man in the car was Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s guess was right.

    It was indeed Shen Xi.

    As usual, Shen Xi arrived at Fu¡¯s residence by car, prepared the medicine, applied acupuncture, and without wasting a breath, she wouldplete the task for the day before taking off.

    Standing by the living room doorway, Fu Qingye was overtaken by a wave of emotions as Shen Xi left. He turned to Fu Qingli who was next to him. ¡°Qingli, do you have a minute?¡±

    Fu Qingli noticed Fu Qingye came home looking ghastly after a trip out in the morning. He followed his younger brother to the study.

    ¡°What are you guys going to talk about? I want in,¡± Fu Qingxuan cried and chased after them.

    Before he could step into the study, the door was shut in his face with a loud bang.

    Had it not for his quick reflexes, the door would have mmed on his face. Feeling his chest following the aftershock, he grumbled and walked away.

    He was not into eavesdropping. Nevertheless, Qingye did not look too good while Qingli seemed to have a bone to pick with Qingye.

    The study.

    It was eerily quiet.

    Standing high, Fu Qingye held down his displeasure, fury, and disappointment as he gazed at the man who was always his hero. Fu Qingye went right to it. ¡°You knew who she was from the start, right?¡±

    Fu Qingli knew that the matter might not escape his eye. He affirmed Fu Qingye¡¯s suspicion and admitted to it. ¡°Given that she came here in disguise, you should go along with it.¡±

    Fu Qingye coldly scoffed, letting the disappointment get ahold of him. He questioned through gritted teeth, ¡°Do you really not know the reason why she had toe here in disguise?¡±

    Fu Qingli frowned as his mild-mannered brother had never used this tone with him. He warned Fu Qingye. ¡°Qingye, you know where I stand on this. Don¡¯t anger me andplicate matters further.¡±

    Ticked off, Fu Qingye chuckled and balled his fists while hissing, ¡°So, you want me to y dumb? Don¡¯t you know why she¡¯s here?¡±

    She said no to Qingli from the very beginning.

    It was onlyter when Xuan called her behind everyone¡¯s back, telling her Mom was sick that she came rushing over.

    Yet, this was all Fu Qingli had to say. Was he so heartless or only towards Shen Xi? What crime did shemit to deserve such hatred and rejection from him?

    Any doctor in the world who could treat Mom right now would probably receive better treatment than Shen Xi!

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it worth her while,¡± Fu Qingli said. Fu Qingye suddenly raised his knuckle to sock it to Qingli¡¯s face upon hearing that.

    Fu Qingye came in quick and strong with all his might. Since they were within close quarters, Fu Qingli was unable to dodge the blow. He took a direct punch under his left eye.

    The pain in his face was nothingpared to the sucker punch. For a moment, Fu Qingli had no idea how to react to his brother¡¯s fury.

    He hit him.

    Qingye actually raised his hand at him for an insignificant brat!

    Fu Qingye¡¯s emotions finally reached an outburst. With his handsome face filled with anger and disappointment, he yelled, ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done to someone¡¯s child! Are you trying to push her over the edge?¡±

 Chapter 449 - Broke a Rib

    <h4>Chapter 449: Broke a Rib</h4>

    ¡°Me? Push her to the edge? You are the ones doing that!¡± Fu Qingli paused for a moment before his pent-up emotions blew up. Still keeping a straight face, he taunted, ¡°Fu Qingye, get it to your head. She¡¯s Shen Xi, Li Jingran¡¯s daughter and not our little sister. I refuse to let anything take what belongs to our sister, including her!¡±

    ¡°Fu Qingli!¡± Fu Qingye had a lot of anger built up from Fu Qingli¡¯s recent y of high hand and bullying. With bloodshot eyes, he flew off the handle and jumped at Fu Qingli. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t push too far if I were you¡±

    ¡°Fu Qingye, go to hell!¡± Fu Qingli did not let him have the satisfaction. Holding firm to their views, the duo did not see eye to eye in each other¡¯s methods and continued to exchange blows.

    Fu Qingye had nothing more to say because he knew no words could change Fu Qingli¡¯s mind. Thetter had always been so stubborn, carrying his big stick around.

    For once, Fu Qingye was not going to y nice!

    Fu Qingli did not pull his punches. With no time for talk, the jabs wereing up, down, left, and right.

    As if he had gone mad, Fu Qingye swung his arms aimlessly. He was only blowing off steam and fury in demonstration of his resistance.

    The pair were running neck-to-neck, but Fu Qingye had more guts than strength in him. After several exchanges of blows, Fu Qingli pressed him against the ground and socked him in the face.

    Without even dodging the hit, Fu Qingye stubbornly red back at him in contempt. Since there was no beating Fu Qingli, he might as well face him head-on.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s fist veered off course and smashed the floor next to Fu Qingye right before itnded on thetter¡¯s face.

    Fu Qingli scoffed and grabbed Fu Qingye by the cor before hurling him to the door and coldly blurted, ¡°Get out of my sight!¡±

    How could he fight him?

    What gave him the guts?

    He was not even a worthy opponent.

    Having been hurled to the ground, Fu Qingye licked the blood off his lips. Like a mad wild beast in the bullring, he charged at Fu Qingli. ¡°Fu Qingli, I have had enough of you!¡±

    Fu Qingli was taken aback by Fu Qingye¡¯s relentlessness despite being beaten to a pulp. Following a momentary distraction, he quickly responded to Fu Qingye¡¯s attack.

    s, Fu Qingye came right at him before he could strike back. His body rammed onto the desk behind with a thud. The sharp pain clouded his vision.

    That was the least of Fu Qingye¡¯s problems as he focused on venting all his dissatisfaction and anger through his punches.

    Nevertheless, puzzled by Fu Qingli¡¯s non-resistance, Fu Qingye took another look and noticed Fu Qingli¡¯s paleplexion and sweat-drenched forehead.

    Fu Qingli swallowed the pain and hissed. ¡°Fu Qingye, you sure have the balls. You¡¯d rather kill your brother for a woman!¡±

    Having finally realized something was amiss, Fu Qingye shouted towards the door. ¡°Get in here, Fu Qingxuan!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan, left out to wait in the living room, heard the scream in the study and ran over bewildered. He pushed open the door to one looking awful while the other with a banged-up face.

    One sat on the ground huffing and puffing while the otherid on his back still stoic in expression.

    Fu Qingxuan was just mind blown. They fought. Did Qingli and Qingye¡­e to blows?

    ¡°Why are you standing there? Go and check if he¡¯s dead,¡± Fu Qingye yelled in a fit.

    The rather innocent Fu Qingxuan was pissed to be screamed at. ¡°F*cking hell. It¡¯s not my fault you guys fought. What¡¯s with the tone?¡±

    Fu Qingye turned up the volume. ¡°He¡¯s hurt!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan took a nce at him, thinking to himself that Fu Qingye appeared to have it worse.

    God knew how Qingye plucked up the nerve to fight Qingli!

    Seeing as they were about to go at it, Fu Qingli endured the pain as he irritably yetmandingly chided, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    As expected, Fu Qingli¡¯s words did carry authority. With Fu Qingye shutting his trap, Fu Qingxuan rushed over to check on Fu Qingli¡¯s wounds. ¡°Qingli, where are you hurt?¡±

    Fu Qingli tried to stay conscious so as not to pass out from the pain. It took everything in him to shout just now. ¡°Ribs.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was examining Qingli when suddenly color drained from his face. He widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Your rib¡­ is broken.¡±

    The intense argument and fight ended with Fu Qingli breaking a rib.

    Fu Qingxuan took care of Fu Qingli¡¯s rib before giving Fu Qingye aplicated look. That was a brutal move. The fight did not have to progress thus far.

    Feeling wronged, Fu Qingye shouted, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    ¡°Qingye,¡± Fu Qingxuan freaked out and weakly uttered in response.

    The good-natured Qingye always took Qingli at his word. Since their oldest brother yed the father figure, both Fu Qingxuan and Qingye saw Qingli as the head of the household, showing him respect and understanding.

    Qingye never lost his temper with Qingli, much less raised his hand. Fu Qingxuan had never seen the testy and cranky side to Qingye. It was as though he was releasing two decades¡¯ worth of emotions.

    Fu Qingli merely scoffed as his cold and deep eyes swept over.

    Feeling guilty, Fu Qingye put up a stern front and met his eyes. ¡°You bumped onto it yourself.¡±

    Fu Qingli was without a word.

    Fu Qingye stood firm on his ground. ¡°You¡¯ve done such a horrible thing to a defenseless and weak young girl. I¡¯m not going to apologize for today until you apologize to her.¡±

    Ticked off once more, a surge of anger brewed in Fu Qingli¡¯s emotionless eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Ha!

    Defenseless?

    With thatpetence of hers, how could she be considered a defenseless and weak young girl?

    No girl was capable enough to leave yet still managed to take these two dummies for a ride. Not only was she cocky, but she jumped at his throat too.

    Fu Qingyeposedly looked at him. ¡°Fu Qingli, I¡¯m telling you right now. I won¡¯t cut ties with her! You¡¯re only fooling yourself. I can tell her and our little sister apart.¡±

    Surprised by his tenacity, Fu Qingli curled his lips into a smirk. ¡°Try me, if you¡¯re that confident.¡±

    The girl was sensible enough to inform Fu Qingli of his brothers¡¯test movements so that he could make necessary preventive measures.

    Fu Qingye replied, ¡°You don¡¯t scare me. You can do nothing to her because Li Yuan won¡¯t sit by and watch.¡±

    Out of immense rage, Fu Qingliughed and articted clearly, ¡°Are you threatening me because of an outsider?¡±

    Li Yuan?

    Did he just use Li Yuan to threaten him?

    Did Qingye really think he was afraid of Li Yuan?

 Chapter 450 - United Front

    <h4>Chapter 450: United Front</h4>

    Fu Qingxuan stood in a daze in a corner. With the argument progressing to this point, Fu Qingxuan finally understood the girl in question. He firmly stood by Fu Qingye and gazed at Fu Qingli before mustering up the courage to defy him for the first time. ¡°You don¡¯t scare me either.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so good about her?¡± Sparks were flying in Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes as he breathed heavily.

    At this rate, they would be the death of Fu Qingli!

    ¡°Everything about her.¡± Fu Qingxuan stuck his neck out. Fu Qingli no longer posed a threat now that his rib was broken. ¡°You don¡¯t see the good in her but you¡¯d regret it sooner orter!¡±

    He had nothing to fear with Qingye at his back. In the worst-case scenario, they could just fight him again and break another rib of his!

    Fu Qingli¡¯s blood was boiling. Great, great. These sellouts!

    ¡°She¡¯s here to see Mom, not because of you, but because Xuan called her the other night.¡± Fu Qingye smirked and taunted. ¡°What do you think she¡¯s up to? Is she here to face your jeers and threats?¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a hoot? So, she has you guys wrapped around her fingers, huh?¡± Fu Qingli gradually gathered himself before fixating his still eyes on them. ¡°Do what you want as long as you do right by our little sister.¡±

    Fu Qingli could leave them be, but he would never allow anyone to take away anything that belonged to their little sister. Not even a little!

    It never urred to Fu Qingye that Fu Qingli would take a step back. Had he known, he would have started a fight early on and not waited to retaliate only when Shen Xi turned her back on them. ¡°I¡¯m not a child. I know what to do.¡±

    He had never thought of Shen Xi as his little sister¡¯s recement. Whatever that was Qingxi¡¯s remained hers and would forever be hers.

    Fu Qingxuan wanted to advance but withdrew instead following a cold look from Fu Qingli. He hid behind Fu Qingye and held his arm. ¡°I¡¯m not a child either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to bother with whatever you do from now on.¡± Fu Qingli kept a t tone but soon switched it up and gave them a threatening look. ¡°But you can¡¯t let Mom see her.¡±

    He was done ying the cat and mouse game with the pair. Since they had gone rogue one after another, Fu Qingli had had enough and did not want to go on like this.

    ¡°Qingli, you know that Mom¡¯s illness wasrgely rted to meeting her. Why won¡¯t you admit it?¡± Fu Qingye looked him in the eye. ¡°Has it not crossed your mind that Mom is just trying to findfort in her?¡±

    ¡°Why not say that Mom wouldn¡¯t end up like this if it weren¡¯t for her?¡± Fu Qingli could not believe that he would bring this up. ¡°Mom only fell sick because of her!¡±

    It made Fu Qingxuan hesitant to speak and refute. He was the one who brought Meanie to theb where Mom ran into her.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingxuan was still of the opinion that it was unfair to Meanie. Clenching his fists, he stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m the one to me. I take full responsibility.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten to you yet, but good for you to own up now!¡± Fu Qingli gritted his teeth.

    At least he was smart enough to know he was the cause of this!

    Picking up the grimacing look on Fu Qingli¡¯s face, Fu Qingxuan took shelter behind Fu Qingye and offered a word of warning. ¡°As a doctor, I should sternly advise you to refrain from moving, speaking aloud, sneezing, and breathing. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me if your rib grows sideways.¡±

    Fu Qingli saw red. ¡°¡­¡±

    The calmest of them all was now Fu Qingye. The fight cleared away his unrest. Looking at the man leaning against the headboard, Fu Qingye finally asked the question that had been on his mind but never had the guts to put it forward. ¡°Qingli, what if we never find our little sister?¡±

    Indeed.

    It was a reality no one was willing to think about and bring up, a pain they do not want to be reminded of.

    They refused to admit the possibility that their little sister would never be found.

    The Fu family had been on the hunt for seventeen years. Still, they were not even the least bit closer to finding her. It was a devastating and mortifying fact.

    Fu Qingxuan quietly hung his head low, hiding the pain and tears in his eyes.

    Fu Qingye pointed out the gruesome fact that they did not want to face yet they must.

    Every time they were sure Fu Qingxi could be found, reality always shoved them to the ground. Who were they fooling?

    The Fu family would never end their search for their sister. Never.

    However, no one could deny this fact either.

    Sure, they were not in denial, but actually talking about it was a different story.

    Fu Qingli picked up a frame on his desk and smashed it at Fu Qingye. He exasperatedly yelled, ¡°Get out!¡±

    Nonsense!

    Of course, their little sister would be found. Fu Qingli would spend his life looking for her, no matter where she was.

    They were not to speak such discouraging words, not on his watch. Fu Qingxi would be found and there were no ifs in his book.

    ¡°Qingli.¡± Fu Qingxuan nervously gazed at him. ¡°Your rib. Watch your ribs.¡±

    With no intention to continue the conversation, Fu Qingye pulled Fu Qingxuan away to leave, also to give Fu Qingli the time and space to think and cool off.

    While treading off, Fu Qingxuan happened to stumble on a frame, and on closer look, he reached out to grab it but was pulled away. He came apart. ¡°Qingxi¡­ Qingxi.¡±

    Showing no concern, Fu Qingye quickly pulled him out and shut the door for Fu Qingli. He then turned to Fu Qingxuan and asked, ¡°Are you with me?¡±

    Since Fu Qingxuan was a flip-flopper, Fu Qingye had to get to the bottom of his thoughts. Otherwise, he would be the one stabbed in the back.

    Fu Qingxuan solemnly nodded and raised three fingers in the air. ¡°I swear that I am definitely with you.¡±

    Fu Qingye threw another question, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of him?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was certainly afraid. However, he realized that Qingli was not as scary as before during the earlier confrontation. He forcefully bobbed his head. ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡±

    Fu Qingye answered, ¡°You better hold your ground.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan quickly went after Fu Qingye who was about to take off. ¡°What were you guys talking about? Did Meaniee to see Mom? When did shee? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Fu Qingye looked at him like he was an idiot without hiding his disdain for Fu Qingxuan¡¯s IQ at all.

    Fu Qingxuan replied, ¡°Qingye, we¡¯re united with amon ground. Why didn¡¯t you tell me Meanie was here? That isn¡¯t very nice of you.¡±

 Chapter 451 - Did You Get into a Fight?

    <h4>Chapter 451: Did You Get into a Fight?</h4>

    Back in the bedroom, Fu Qingli quietly sat with his thoughts for a long while. He then turned to the frame on the ground that was tossed aside. After an internal struggle, he carelessly got off his bed and picked up the frame. Feeling overwhelmed, he lost all energy and slumped against the cold wall.

    Color washed off his face as he endured the immense pain. It only took a short distance and time for sweat to drench his entire outfit. With downcast eyes, he studied the frame.

    The photograph in the frame was of a newborn baby. The little fe was so tiny and heartbreakingly skinny. The baby may have a tiny face, but the delicate facial features were beginning to show.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Xi, talk to your big brother.¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s slender fingers touched the frame gently. With disappointment and helplessness buried in his tenderness, he spoke, ¡°Do you think I was wrong? But how could they say that about you? There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t find you.¡±

    Amid the silent background, it was unclear whether Fu Qingli was mumbling to himself or talking to the photograph.

    ¡°She¡¯s not you. How can they fall for another girl before finding you?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will never give up on you. I will find you and before I do, please take care of yourself, okay?

    ¡°That girl is the daughter of Mom¡¯s twin sister. She and Mom look alike. Come to think of it, she should be your cousin so please don¡¯t be angry with Qingye and Qingxuan for acting this way. It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t love you. They simply feel sorry for her.¡±

    ¡­

    Only at this moment could hepletely let loose and speak his mind, talking about random things. His voice may be hoarse, but it carried endless affection and hope.

    Through the huge bedroom window, the sunlight shone onto him, casting a gentle beam on that forever poker face. His sharp and cold eyes were filled with adoration.

    Afternoon came.

    Fu Junqiu was home for dinner. Not long after she stepped into the living room, Fu Qingye drew close with a bruised face. She rushed over with a worried expression. ¡°Ye, what happened? What¡¯s up with your face? Who picked on you?¡±

    Fu Qingye calmly looked at her. ¡°I knocked onto the table.¡±

    It was best not to mention the fight since it was embarrassing.

    ¡°Knocked onto the table?¡± Fu Junqiu frowned. As if she would believe that. She whipped out her authority as an elder. ¡°Tell me, who did this to you? Who hit you? I¡¯ll avenge you!¡±

    Who had the audacity to hit her nephew and pretty hard too? Were they not aware that Ye earned his living with his looks? It was a ruthless move to attack his face!

    Even if Ye was a gentle softie, it was no reason for him to be pushed around. No, Fu Junqiu had to get back at them.

    ¡°Aunty, it was really an ident.¡± Fu Qingye helplessly sighed and said, ¡°Hurry up and wash your hands. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±

    Fu Junqiu looked at the feast on the dinner table and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your big brother?¡±

    Fu Qingye replied, ¡°He¡¯s sleeping in his room.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Fu Junqiu was shrieking at this point. ¡°No way! What¡¯s wrong? Is he sick? Why is he still in bed?¡±

    It did not sound right!

    Her eldest nephew rose earlier than the cuckoo doodle doo and sleptter than the hoot. Working harder than a mule, Fu Qingli¡¯s routine was terrifyingly strict. There was never a time Fu Junqiu saw him overslept, even when he was sick.

    ¡°He broke his rib,¡± Fu Qingye casually mentioned before heading to the kitchen.

    Fu Junqiu was weirded out by Fu Qingye¡¯s nonchnce as if he was talking about the weather. She then made a move towards Fu Qingli¡¯s bedroom and knocked on the door. ¡°Fu Qingli, what are you doing? Are you there? Why is your rib broken?¡±

    Fu Qingli had fallen asleep against the cold wall while holding onto the photo frame. Hearing the knock on the door, he held onto the wall and struggled to stand before cing the photo frame back onto his bedside table. He gave it a good pat and softly uttered, ¡°I got to go. Thank you for listening to me.¡±

    Panicking, Fu Junqiu was still knocking and knocking hard. ¡°Hello! Fu Qingli! Are you alright? Are you dead? Say something! Are you trying to get me worried sick! Open up!¡±

    Fu Qingye might say he was not worried, but he too, came over since there had not been an answer from inside the room. He stood by the sidelines and coldlymented, ¡°Even a bomb can¡¯t kill him.¡±

    Fu Junqiu could smack his head. ¡°You¡¯re asking for it. Please be a human being. That¡¯s your brother we¡¯re talking about. His rib is broken. Can¡¯t you keep an eye on him? If you don¡¯t want to, you could at least call Xu Xu over.¡±

    Man, she was beyond furious.

    What was going on? This one was bruised in the face. He said it was an idental bump, but it was clearly gotten from a fight. His face was covered in bruises.

    Why would his sensible and obedient nephew, who never said no, get into a fight?

    The other had a broken rib and was sleeping in his room.

    The more Fu Junqiu thought about it, the more things did not seem right.

    Fu Qingli opened the door and stared at her. ¡°Aunty, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Fu Junqiu took a look at the bruises on Fu Qingli before turning to the simrly bruised Fu Qingye. With perceptions about her nephews thrown out the window, she inquired in disbelief, ¡°Did you two fight?¡±

    By the looks of Ye¡¯s facial injuries, she thought he fought with someone else!

    ¡°No!¡±

    The pair shouted in unison.

    Acting like nothing ever happened, Fu Qingye walked off.

    Fu Qingli was about to do the same.

    With worry written all over her face, Fu Junqiu pulled him back. ¡°Is your rib okay? Did you go to the hospital? Are you allowed to move about?¡±

    Fu Qingli replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Qingxuan took care of it.¡±

    ¡°Why did you fight?¡± Fu Junqiu took a nce at him before pointing at Fu Qingye. ¡°Did he break your rib?¡±

    Fu Qingli remainedposed. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why did you fight?¡± It was not as though Fu Junqiu believed them. Who were they fooling after getting each other beaten up? Nevertheless, Ye sure had the balls to challenge Li and even broke his rib. That was a heartless move.

    ¡°No.¡± Fu Qingli took steady strides to the loo. It was hard to tell that he had a broken rib judging by hismanding steps.

    Fu Junqiu was utterly puzzled. What were the brothers hiding? This was the first fight, and a severe one too, between them. Things were not as simple as they seemed.

    ¡°Aunty, do you know that Meanie is here?¡± Fu Qingxuan came running from the courtyard.

    With her thoughts interrupted, Fu Junqiu looked back at him strangely. ¡°What Meanie?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°Shen Xi. Qingli said she¡¯s here, but where is she?¡±

 Chapter 452 - Not the Face

    <h4>Chapter 452: Not the Face</h4>

    Fu Junqiu was about to pick Fu Qingxuan¡¯s brains when a sudden question raised by him threw her in a tizzy. Her eyes were fixated on the approaching young man. ¡°What do you mean Shen Xi?¡±

    Crestfallen, Fu Qingxuan sighed. ¡°Meanie must have been scared off by Qingli.¡±

    Shen Xi would not pick up his call or meet with him, and it was all Qingli¡¯s fault!

    Fu Junqiu only had good impressions of Shen Xi after meeting her twice, but it was not at the same level of fondness as Fu Qingxuan. She did not pay much attention to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s babblings.

    The boy was often so, going off leaving the conversation hanging. That was how his brain worked.

    Fu Qingye came out of the loo to the pairpletely in different worlds talking to themselves without paying attention to each other. Fu Qingye sighed andmented how Aunt and Xuan were most alike in character.

    It was dinner time.

    Fu Junqiu looked around before stating, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell what happened between you two, but what are you going to tell your mom?¡±

    Out of the duo, Qingli was bossy and stubborn. There was no prying open his mouth unless he was willing to talk.

    Qingye may be mild in manner but could be more headstrong than Qingli. She could forget about extracting any information from him.

    Fu Qingxuan blurted while chowing down his food. ¡°They fought.¡±

    Fu Qingye and Fu Qingli both darted a look at him.

    Feeling a sudden mounting pressure grabbing him by the throat, Fu Qingxuan shuddered and lost grip of his chopsticks. He poutingly mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°Who started it?¡± Fu Junqiu was intrigued by their fight. This was something new as Qingli cherished his younger brother and never raised a hand at them.

    Qingye had the most respect for Qingli, taking thetter at his word. It must be a big deal for them toe to blows.

    Presenting a united front together with Fu Qingye, Fu Qingxuan was about to strike up the nerve to speak up.

    ¡°No talking at the dinner table,¡± Fu Qingli barked. ¡°Eat your food.¡±

    Fu Junqiu wanted to refute, but it only took one look from Fu Qingli for her to stuff it. ¡°Fine. Keep it to yourself then for all I care. No need to be mean about it.¡±

    Although she was the elder in the family, Fu Junqiu was only two years older than Fu Qingli. She never had the presence of a senior figure, and it often kept her away from harm¡¯s way too.

    Moreover, Fu Qingli was more mature than his peers from a very young age. Since taking over the Fu household at the age of fourteen, he developed the aggressiveness and resolution of a person with a position. It was not that Fu Junqiu feared him, but her heart went out to him for all he had done for the family.

    It was not just her. The rest of the family understood it was no easy feat to keep the family together, especially with various threats breathing down their necks. No one would dare to get on his nerves.

    With bruises on their faces, Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye were not bold enough to meet Mama Fu. They would not be able to talk their way out of it.

    Fu Qingxuan was carrying a bowl out of the bedroom when he noticed his brothers standing at the door. With Fu Qingxuan out, they nervously gathered around him.

    ¡°Mom has a good appetite today. She looks good too,¡± Fu Qingxuan reported. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a strollter.¡±

    Both Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye could finally rest. However, the fact that they could not see Mom did not sit well with them.

    Fu Qingli looked daggers at Fu Qingye.

    Fu Qingye coldly scoffed in return.

    Afraid of another brawl, Fu Qingxuan came in between them and urged anxiously, ¡°Stop fighting.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked askance and blurted, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Fu Qingye pushed Fu Qingxuan aside.

    Freaking out, Fu Qingxuan opened his mouth to call for backup.

    The present enemies gave each other the evil eye before uttering in unison, ¡°Not the face next time!¡±

    Then.

    They took off, left and right.

    Going their separate ways without looking back.

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Not the face?

    Did that mean they would still be getting physical and hit other ces?

    Fu Qingxuan snapped out of his thoughts and nced to the left and right, unsure which side to go after. He stamped his foot. ¡°Qingli, Qingye, don¡¯t go!¡±

    With no response, only Fu Qingxuan¡¯s voice echoed in the living room.

    Thest time Shen Xi was in United M, she was providing medical care, examination, and experiments for Ning Sinian. With little time left after working tirelessly on the clock, Shen Xi had not even crossed out the first item on her list of ¡°must-try¡± food and entertainment she prepared during the flight.

    She initially thought this would be a quick trip, but it turned out she had time in her hands as she only worked two hours in the morning and two hours at night. The time in the between was perfect to ease off.

    Li Yuan was also here for work. He went out to the city with her yesterday and today, he had to attend an important meeting, but he should be back in the afternoon.

    Shen Xi and Jin Yu went to buy groceries at a nearby supermarket. They had enough hamburgers and fries for the past two days. Since the food at the Chinese restaurants was not up to their alley either, they nned to make their own hotpot tonight.

    Shen Xi¡¯s good looks aside, Jin Yu was also a sophisticated hottie. His poise often overshadowed his age.

    Walking together, they were quite the head-turners. The unsuspecting crowd even mistook them as lovers.

    It was a huge supermarket chain selling Chinese products.

    ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m going over there to see if there¡¯s any luncheon meat. Stay here and don¡¯t go off too far,¡± Jin Yu told Shen Xi who was waiting for her seafood to be gutted.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi responded and pointed at the variety of seafood before stopping at an enormous crab. ¡°Do you fancy a king crab?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Jin Yu nodded with a smile and urged, ¡°Don¡¯t wander off.¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. She was no child who would get lost in the supermarket. Still, it felt nice to be cared for.

    Jin Yu then made his way towards the processed meat aisle.

    This was United M¡¯s biggest Chinese supermarket. Mama Fu preferred to shop here too.

    Fu Qingxuan tagged along and was pushing the shopping cart for her.

    Mama Fu examined the items in the cart before turning to him. ¡°Xuan, go and grab me a bottle of dark soy sauce there.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan let go of the cart. ¡°Mom, stay here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Like the wind, he ran off.

    Mama Fu dotingly smiled at his receding figure. With a white porcin mug with a blue underze catching her eye, she got onto her tiptoes to reach the highest shelf.

    She had just felt the mug when suddenly, by the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. The mug came crashing down and smashed on her head.

    Although her clear forehead was bleeding by the scrape, Mama Fu appeared unconcerned as she stumbled to get to the figure she saw.

 Chapter 453 - A Decade-Long Wait

    <h4>Chapter 453: A Decade-Long Wait</h4>

    ¡°Honey!¡±

    Mama Fu screamed with all her might, pouring in all her emotions. In record speed, she bolted towards the figure.

    The sudden joy after the despair from a decade-long wait was screaming in every cell of her body. She was over the moon but afraid toe away empty-handed all at once.

    ¡°Fu Handing!¡±

    She shouted at the top of her lungs, forgetting where she was. Like a girl about to meet her lover, she was filled with joy, happiness, timidity, and worry.

    Mama Fu pushed through a crowd, fumbling in her footsteps before arriving at the location he was earlier. However, there was nothing there. It was as though the figure she saw was all in her head.

    ¡°Fu Handing!¡±

    She let out a heart-wrenching cry. Looking at the huge supermarket and the crowd of strangers bustling, her vision turned blurry as tears poured down her cheeks.

    With public eyes on her, she clutched her chest and silently kneeled onto the ground. She murmured croakily and heartbreakingly, ¡°Fu Handing.¡±

    Nothing.

    Absolutely nothing.

    The feelings of dashed hope and heartrending hurt came flushing down on her like a tide.

    He would have made it home if he was alive and well.

    ¡°Li Jingran!¡±

    With someone in the crowd yelling out this name, many swiftly gathered around Mama Fu.

    This was a Chinese supermarket after all. Since Li Jingran was the queen of China¡¯s silver screen with many productions, it was unsurprising to be recognized.

    Fu Qingxuan caught sight of the approaching crowd while returning with a bottle of dark soy sauce. He quickly tossed the bottle in hand and ran over. ¡°Mom.¡±

    The person on her knees curled up into a ball as despair and pain took over. The sight tore Fu Qingxuan up. He tried to help her up, but thetter lost her strength to sobs. In the end, he lifted Mom and walked away from the crowd.

    As soon as he left, security personnel arrived to ask onlookers to gather. They were asked to delete pictures and not to speak of the incident.

    In the car in front of the supermarket.

    Mama Fu was crying her eyes out while holding onto Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hand. With tear-filled eyes, she gazed at him. ¡°It¡¯s your dad, Xuan. It¡¯s your dad. I saw him, but then he disappeared.¡±

    She really saw him!

    Why did he disappear?

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll get the surveince checked. We¡¯d soon find out if it¡¯s Dad.¡± Fu Qingxuan preciously wiped away her tears and checked on the wound on her forehead. His eyes were filled with self-me and remorse.

    Why was he so dumb to take Mom to the supermarket and get her hurt? Qingli and Qingye would never let anything happen to Mom if they were here.

    Soon.

    The store manager personally came and knocked on the car window.

    Fu Qingxuan got out of the car.

    The manager respectfully handed him a photograph. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Young Master Xuan. We have carefully examined the footage in thest three hours, and we can¡¯t find the person in this photo.

    Fu Qingxuan took back the photo and said, ¡°Got it. Thanks for your hard work.¡±

    The manager took his leave.

    Fu Qingxuan happened to nce at the photo in hand as he was turning around. His eyes filled with bitter helplessness. How was he supposed to exin this to Mom?

    He could not tell her that she was seeing things again.

    Ever since Dad went missing, Mom would sometimes talk about seeing Dad at home or when she was outdoors.

    However, it was simply a hallucination from missing her husband too much.

    She was in slightly better spirits after being bed-ridden for over ten days. Mom must have been imagining things again.

    ¡°Did you find him?¡± Mama Fu had pulled herself together by then but could not hide the anxiousness and anticipation in her swollen eyes as Fu Qingxuan got into the car.

    Fu Qingxuan fell silent.

    The excited, joyful, expectant look on Mama Fu¡¯s face went poof like bubbles. With her heart broken to pieces once again, she bitterly grinned. ¡°I must have confused someone else for him.¡±

    However, did she really get it wrong this time?

    That figure clearly appeared before her, and even though it was only fleeting, Mama Fu could pick him out of the crowd.

    ¡°Mom.¡± Fu Qingxuan gently hugged her before earnestly and solemnly giving her his word. ¡°We will find Dad and Qingxi, but before that, you have to be well.¡±

    He could face the endless search and countless times his hopes being crushed undauntingly, but he was afraid Mom could not take the repeated blow. She might fall sick again like this time.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Mama Fu patted his back. She got a grip on herself and changed the topic to a lighter note. ¡°Do you know what Dr. Jiu Zhou likes to eat? Let¡¯s ask him to dinner.¡±

    Hesitant to take her for another trip to the supermarket, Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°It¡¯d depend whether he¡¯s willing to join us.¡±

    Dr. Jiu Zhou was an odd and aloof character, even more so unapproachable than Qingli. He was shutting people away through his every gesture and movement.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s intention of medical exchange and information sharing was turned down mercilessly. He had no idea how to get the doctor to stay for dinner.

    Fu Qingxuan initially took Mom, who was on the road to recovery, out for some fresh air. Yet, things turned out this way. He scooted over to Mom who was looking out the window. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll make dinner tonight. What do you fancy?¡±

    Mama Fu turned her attention back to her son. To put his mind at ease, she softly smiled. ¡°Everything tastes good when you make it.¡±

    Qingye¡¯s personality was most like her husband while Qingxuan shared her husband¡¯s cooking. Their food tasted about the same.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s pick a few clothes for Lil¡¯ Xi. There are quite a lot of pretty clothes from the Summer collection.¡± Fu Qingxuan fished out a tablet and tapped on a page that showed clothes of various kinds.

    ¡°This one¡¯s good.¡± Mama Fu pointed at the ethereal-like sky blue dress. The delight in her eyes grew warmer when she noticed the brand. ¡°This must be the brand established by Shen Xi.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan meant to distract her, but the topic somehow shifted back to Shen Xi. He tried to put the tablet away.

    Mama Fu was quick to grab the tablet. She tapped on the brand¡¯s webpage and admired the collection. There was no sorrow and sadness, only a gentle adoration in her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s good.¡±

    Relieved to see Mom happy, Fu Qingxuan threw Fu Qingli¡¯s warning out the window. ¡°She¡¯s good in many ways, Mom. She can dance, design, and enjoy medicine as I do. She wants to get into medical school.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Mama Fu nodded with a smile, not holding back with thepliments. ¡°She¡¯s an outstanding youngdy. Her parents taught her well.¡±

    She was in the know about Shen Xi¡¯s family history. Shen Xi had it rough in life. Simr to Lil¡¯ Xi, she was switched at birth and only taken back to the Su family two years ago.

 Chapter 454 - Food of the Same Taste

    <h4>Chapter 454: Food of the Same Taste</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As the Su family did not do right by Shen Xi, the girl soon returned to her adoptive parents. Her adoptive parents loved her like their own. It would be great if Lil¡¯ Xi was as blessed too.

    ¡°Mom, let me tell you a secret, but you must promise not to tell Qingli, okay?¡± Fu Qingxuan acted all mysterious.

    Mama Fu asked while looking at the clothes collection. ¡°What¡¯s the secret?¡±

    ¡°Meanie¡­¡± Fu Qingxuan quickly addressed the girl differently before continuing. ¡°I mean, Shen Xi. She said yes to joining me at theb as my assistant during the summer holidays.¡±

    Hearing about Shen Xi¡¯s arrival, Mama Fu did simple math in her head. It was less than two months away. Her eyes reflected glee. ¡°I won¡¯t tell your brother. Can I see her?¡±

    ¡°You can meet her in secret if shees over, but don¡¯t let Qingli know about it,¡± Fu Qingxuan said.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say she wasing?¡± Mama Fu thought it was odd.

    Letting out a sigh, Fu Qingxuan had to swallow his words. ¡°She might be busy with something then. I¡¯ll have to discuss this with her.¡±

    He was tempted to list out Qingli¡¯s wrongdoings yet had to hold his tongue.

    Since Meanie had already promised him, she would have made it had Qingli not interfered. What should he do to make here now that she was ignoring him?

    There were not a lot of people who knew about themotion at the supermarket, apart from the onlookers. Shen Xi included, was too far to see what was happening.

    Jin Yu, on the other hand, witnessed from afar a young man carrying a person away. He only saw the young man¡¯s back and not the person in his arms.

    Shen Xi and Jin Yu went straight home after grocery shopping. They washed and chopped the ingredients in preparation for tonight¡¯s dinner.

    The broth was not bought but made by Jin Yu. The bone broth as the hotpot¡¯s soup base required a longer preparation time.

    ¡°What else do you crave other than hotpot?¡± Jin Yu asked the girl who was getting her hands dirty with the mushrooms. Since the broth and spices were underway, he had time to make a few of her favorite dishes.

    Shen Xi dwelled on it for a moment as there were too many to choose from. ¡°Can you make them all?¡±

    Jin Yu smiled warmly. ¡°I can try.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Sweet and sour ribs and braised trotters, please!¡±

    Jin Yu gave a nod. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s happiness was written all over her eyes. She gave him the thumbs up and praised him from the bottom of her heart, ¡°Uncle Jin Yu, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    Jin Yu was in a great mood. The girl was so sincere in herpliments, so much so he was so happy to give her whatever she wanted.

    An hourter.

    Jin Yu shouted, ¡°Xixi, the ribs are good to go.¡±

    Shen Xi excitedly raced to the kitchen. Looking at the ribs served on the te, she could not help herself from grabbing the chopsticks to try one piece. Her expression changed when the meat melted in her mouth.

    Jin Yu gazed at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it not to your liking?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and answered with a grin, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, so delicious.¡±

    She could never forget this familiar taste after trying it once. It was an exact copy of Fu Qingxuan¡¯s cooking.

    Nevertheless, good food probably tasted just about the same while horrible food was all disgusting in its own way.

    Li Yuan was home early today, knowing they were going to have a hotpot. He adjourned the meeting ahead of time and returned home to the fragrant aroma. The girl carried a dish out of the kitchen while sneaking a few bites into her mouth. Her cheeks were puffed up like a little hamster. He inquired with a smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t we having a hotpot?¡±

    Caught snacking red-handed, Shen Xi stopped what she was at before sprinting towards Li Yuan. She scooped a piece of the sweet and sour rib to feed him but quickly realized she was without chopsticks. Hence, she aimed the meat at her mouth.

    Li Yuan reached out to grab her wrist to send the rib straight to his mouth. He was tickled pink by the girl¡¯s adorably dumbfounded expression. ¡°Did Mr. Jin Yu make this?¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat and nodded. The chill sensation of the man¡¯s lips seemed to linger on her finger, making her heart race. ¡°This is the appetizer.¡±

    With the youngdy scurrying away with the te, Li Yuan gleefullymented, ¡°Yum.¡±

    What a glutton. Sweet and sour ribs were no appetizer!

    Having started the hotpot, Jin Yu called out to him. ¡°Wash your hands. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±

    Since the girl had to get to Fu¡¯s residence to provide medical treatment at 7 o¡¯clock sharp, they had to finish by half-past six.

    The trio happily enjoyed the hotpot. There were ribs, trotters, steamed seafood, and a king crab.

    Shen Xi could not get enough of the food. However, she was puzzled as Mr. Jin Yu had not touched the seafood. ¡°Uncle, aren¡¯t you going to try some of the shellfish?¡±

    Jin Yu stated, ¡°I¡¯m allergic to seafood.¡±

    Shen Xi expressed acknowledgment. What a shame. With shellfish allergy, he would not be able to try any tasty seafood, especially this sumptuous king crab.

    By their side, Li Yuan hammered open one of the king crab¡¯s legs to retrieve the flesh and ced it on her te. ¡°No more after this¡±

    Shen Xi looked at the remaining half of the king crab. She felt she had a lot when in fact, she only had one w. She rubbed her belly and voiced her concern. ¡°It¡¯d be a waste not to finish it.¡±

    There was still so much left on the several-thousand buck crab. She was on her own since Uncle Jin Yu was allergic while Li Yuan was not having any.

    ¡°Leave it to Kun Lun,¡± Li Yuan said.

    Standing in a corner, Kun Lun attentively took the king crab away. Fine, he would eat it, but he could not finish it on his own. The king crab weighed at least ten pounds.

    Having filled her tummy, Shen Xi contentedly made her way to the Fu¡¯s residence.

    Dinner had yet to be served at the Fu household. Mama Fu gazed at Shen Xi and softly spoke, ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou,e and have dinner with us tonight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk.¡± Shen Xi was working her needles on her. Sensing Mama Fu¡¯s disappointment, she added. ¡°I ate already.¡±

    Mama Fu wanted toply but simply could not help herself. ¡°Would you like to have dinner at our ce tomorrow night?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Shen Xi refused without thinking twice.

    Mama Fu felt down by the rejection. She stopped talking to the indifferent young man so as not to disrupt his work.

    ¡°Fu Qingli, what did you feed me!¡±

    Fu Qingye¡¯s angry roar echoed in the living room.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart might have skipped a beat from the howling, but her hands remained steady and calm as she proceeded the therapy like nothing ever happened.

    She was sure it was Qingye¡¯s voice. Nevertheless, she never knew the usually gentleman-like Qingli to be so cranky.

    Mama Fu frowned as she nced at the door. Since the door was shut, she could not see what was happening behind the door.

    Qingye had nothing but respect for his oldest brother. For him to address Qingli by his full name, it could mean that they had gotten into some sort of conflict.. Qingye was not one to act on impulse, so something must have happened.

 Chapter 455 - 5: Deliberate Payback

    <h4>Chapter 455: Deliberate Payback</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi¡¯s task was drawing to a close. While packing up the needles, she identally pricked herself on the finger. The pain was intense, but she did not let it show on her face. Keeping a deadpan look, Shen Xi continued with her packing.

    The living room.

    It would have been quiet if Fu Qingye was not yelling at Fu Qingli.

    Excited to be a bystander, Fu Qingxuan was carrying a dish out when his hand shook suddenly. Without warning, the te fell onto the floor.

    Fu Junqiu watched the never-before-seen drama unfold among the brothers, causing quite a ruckus all while a guest was present in their home.

    Fu Qingye aggressively came at Fu Qingli as if he was out for blood.

    With the te smashed to bits all over the floor, Fu Qingxuan was about to step on an erect piece.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan,¡± Fu Junqiu cried. ¡°Are you blind??What¡¯s on your mind? Watch where you¡¯re stepping.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan held out his index finger, feeling a jolt at the fingertip. He eximed in excitement, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s Lil¡¯ Xi.¡±

    It had been several months since he sensed Lil¡¯ Xi.

    Fu Junqiu¡¯s heart sank, feeling that there was no reason to be happy. The ability to sense Lil¡¯ Xi was no use when her person could not be found. She went over to drag him away in disdain before raising her voice towards the kitchen. ¡°Mrs. Li, could youe here and clean this up?¡±

    The porcin scattered floor was hazardous.

    ¡°Aunty, it¡¯s Lil¡¯ Xi!¡± Fu Qingxuan repeated.

    Fu Junqiu nodded. ¡°I heard you.¡±

    She then turned to check on Fu Qingye and Fu Qingli, wondering if another fight would break out after one of them broke a rib from the morning brawl.

    Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye did not get into a fight.

    Fu Qingye furiously swung the door to the study open and indignantly gazed at Fu Qingli who just shut hisptop. ¡°Fu Qingli! Are you deliberately out to get me!¡±

    Fu Qingli leisurely lifted his chin to nce at him. He furrowed his brow strangely at rashes and swollen lips presented on Fu Qingye¡¯s face. ¡°I thought you can¡¯t take shellfish?¡±

    Fu Qingye wanted nothing more than to skin Fu Qingli alive, seeing how thetter distanced himself and yed dumb. He yelled, ¡°Stop pretending! What¡¯s in the tub you left for me?¡±

    ¡°Chili paste.¡± Fu Qingli came to realize what this was all about.

    Mom said to wait for Shen Xi to start dinner, so they were starving waiting on the food. Since he was hungry, he grabbed a bun to have with some chili paste. He gave the chili paste to Qingye as thetter was starving as well.

    ¡°Yes, chili paste. Take a look.¡± Fu Qingye tossed the tub of paste at him with all his might. People would think he was trying to hurl a bomb by the way he was doing it.

    Fu Qingli extended his arm to catch it. He read the ingredients and found krill oil written on it. Fu Qingli sneered in disdain, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t read the ingredientsbel beforehand.¡±

    He then tossed the chili paste back at him. Qingye was embarrassing himself to make a big deal out of things. He should know better when they had a guest in the house!

    ¡°Qingli, Qingye! I felt Lil¡¯ Xi!¡± Fu Qingxuan came running and blustered the good news but he burst intoughter right away at the sight of Fu Qingye. ¡°Qingye, what¡¯s with the sexy sausage lips?¡±

    Fu Qingye gave him the eye before furiously turning to Fu Qingli. He hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°You¡¯re shameless, immature, and a joke!¡±

    Fu Qingli listlessly gave him the side nce. ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed enough? Qingxuan, hurry up and take him away.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan heeded the order, having picked up that Fu Qingye had an allergic reaction to shellfish. There were allergy medication and ampoules at home for emergencies like this. He dragged Fu Qingye along. ¡°Come on, Qingye. It¡¯ll get worse if you wait.¡±

    Rage nearly saw Fu Qingye smashing the chili paste in his hand. In the end, he red at Fu Qingli before taking off in a huff.

    Leaning against the door frame, Fu Junqiu winked at Fu Qingli amid stiflingughter. ¡°Good for you, Li. Was that a deliberate payback?¡±

    Fu Qingli coldly scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not that silly.¡±

    It was silly to think he would get back at Qingye in a childish manner.

    ¡°You¡¯re boring.¡± This was not the answer Fu Junqiu was looking for. She shook her head and sighed. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say it was.¡±

    It was livelier to have quarrels among brothers. The vibe in the house today could not be better.

    Mutual respect between siblings was no fun.

    Shen Xi and Mama Fu exited the room together.

    Mama Fu¡¯s eyes were fixated on Shen Xi¡¯s fingers. She believed she saw the prick on the finger but could not be sure. Shen Xi was quick to shy away.

    Fu Qingxuan happened to pass by with Fu Qingye. Before any question was asked, he cut to the chase. ¡°Mom, Qingye had an allergic reaction to shellfish. The chili paste Qingli gave him was made of krill oil.¡±

    Shen Xi moved her eyes over to Fu Qingye¡¯s face of rashes and lips as thick as sausages. No longer the stunner he was, Fu Qingye looked like a train wreck.

    Although Shen Xi felt bad for him,ughter slipped past her lips. She immediately put on a front to mask her emotions.

    It was toote for Fu Qingye to cover his face when he bumped into them. With the young man standing opposite and straightening his face to hide the sneaky smile, Fu Qingye beamed and saw no point in covering his face.

    The girl smiled atst. It was the first time since a few days ago before he saw a new expression other than the indifferent courteousness on that face. It might have gone by in a sh, but he was satisfied enough.

    Never mind.

    His allergic reaction was worth seeing a smile on the girl¡¯s face. He decided against getting square with the person who caused this. Fu Qingye was not going to stoop to his level of childishness.

    ¡°Why do we have food with krill oil in the house?¡± Mama Fu worriedly went ahead to examine her son¡¯s face. She felt awful. ¡°Hurry up and get his medication.¡±

    Shen Xi observed the family before turning to leave. Once at the door, she could not resist sneaking another peek. The house may be run with chaos, but there was something somewhat homely and cozy about it.

    The family was frantically grabbing the medicine, fetching some water, and panicking with Fu Qingye¡¯s allergies acting up.

    Having kept his eye on Shen Xi the whole time, Fu Qingye caught a glimpse of the girl quietly looking back at the door. The delight in his eyes deepened. She was not as unconcerned as she appeared to be.

    Mama Fu watched Fu Qingye gulp down the pill before ncing towards the exit. The young man who was standing there was gone. The empty spot left a hole in her heart.

    Fu Qingxuan was done injecting Fu Qingye. Struck by a thought, he stuck out his finger. ¡°Mom, I have something to tell you.¡±

    Mama Fu turned to him.

 Chapter 456 - Look Forward to the Next Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 456: Look Forward to the Next Encounter</h4>

    Fu Qingye caught on to what Fu Qingxuan was about to say. Without a second thought, Fu Qingye tugged at him below in secret to watch his words.

    Fu Qingxuan was no dummy. Realizing he let slip a little too much, Fu Qingxuan switched up the topic. ¡°I broke the te by ident.¡±

    How could he be so stupid? How could he bring Lil¡¯ Xi up when Mom only started to show improvement in her recovery?

    The trivial matter did not faze Mama Fu as her youngest son tended to make a huge deal out of things. She softly uttered, ¡°Be more careful next time.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nodded and hummed in acknowledgment.

    It was a blessing in disguise for Fu Qingye. Following the morning fight, he was not bold enough to show his ck-and-blue face in front of Mom. The allergic reaction, however, gave him a solid reason to make an appearance.

    The face full of rashes provided great coverage over the bruises from the fight.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your big brother?¡± Mama Fu had not seen her eldest son the whole day. Finding it odd, she asked them.

    Fu Qingxuan was afraid to b.

    In contrast, Fu Qingye remainedposed. ¡°Video conference.¡±

    ¡°You must be hungry. Let¡¯s get on to dinner then.¡± Mama Fu looked back towards the courtyard. The young man¡¯s slender and aloof figure was nowhere to be found at the streetlight-lit pavement.

    Fu Qingye followed her gaze and sighed to himself. Things would not have developed to the way it was now had Qingli not pushed her off the edge.

    ¡­

    The next morning.

    Shen Xi arrived on time.

    Mama Fu had been casually keeping an eye on Shen Xi¡¯s hand while thetter was handling the acupuncture needles. The needle prick may be tiny, but it was visible enough for Mama Fu to see. The scab might be mistaken for a freckle from a distance.

    Shen Xi did not mind the attention at all as it did not feel burdensome when Mama Fu gazed at her with warm and loving eyes throughout the acupuncture session. In fact, it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

    Half an hourter.

    Shen Xi pulled the needles out.

    Fixating on Shen Xi, Mama Fu let out a tender smile. ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou, I¡¯ll be doing the cooking tonight so please stay for dinner!¡±

    The invitation was extended every single day, but of course, Mama Fu was always met with a firm and distant refusal.

    ¡°No need, thank you.¡± After putting away the needles, Shen Xi was about to leave when she ced an exquisite-looking jade bottle by the bedside table. She nced at the scar on Mama Fu¡¯s forehead before saying briefly, ¡°Ointment for the scar.¡±

    With that, she got up to leave.

    It took a while for Mama Fu to snap out of her thoughts. With her eyes staring towards the spot Shen Xi wasst seen, her face beamed. She held the little jade bottle, feeling the warmth from the bottle seeping and filling her heart.

    The child was merely unkeen to talk but took in everything he saw.

    A week went by in a sh.

    On thest night, Shen Xi was led into Fu Qingli¡¯s study upon her arrival.

    Fu Qingli apathetically, though courteously, handed her a nk cheque. ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou, thank you for your hard work for the past few days.¡±

    Shen Xi was not going to hold back for what she deserved. Nevertheless, she was tempted to tear apart Fu Qingli¡¯s fa?ade of knowing what was up yet yed dumb anyway. In the end, she curbed her impulse and wrote a number on the cheque ¨C 500,000.

    This payment was excluding the treatment fee. It only took the estimate of the roundtrip on Li Yuan¡¯s private charter into ount.

    Without even looking at the number written, Fu Qingli took the cheque and sealed it with his signature and stamp.

    Shen Xi had a good mind to fill in fifty billion. This wealthy man offered her a nk cheque after all. epting the signed cheque, Shen Xi unconcernedly packed it in her bag without another nce and walked off.

    With her fast approaching the door, Fu Qingli spoke up and solemnly uttered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He rarely said these words and only less than a handful deserved his earnest tone.

    For once, he acknowledged her capabilities.

    Shen Xi did not bother to look back. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Since he was pretending not to know her, she was going to do the same.

    Still, she had to say that Fu Qingli¡¯s approach this time made her see him in a new light. There was no bickering, coercion, and intimidation involved.

    As a matter of fact, he did not appear tyrannical or unreasonable. At least, she was pleased with him this time.

    Thest session of acupuncture therapy proceeded as usual, yet there was something different about it.

    Shen Xi no longer interrupted Mama Fu when she was talking. Truth be told, she enjoyed listening to Mama Fu. Like magic, Mama Fu¡¯s gentle voice seemed to soothe her soul. Hence, Shen Xi secretly hoped she would talk more.

    Mama Fu understood the doctor may appear uncaring, but he was actually a good listener, hanging onto her every word.

    The doctor would never respond, but she was happy to do the talking as long as the other party would lend an ear.

    With the therapy sessioning to an end, Mama Fu routinely and expectantly invited Shen Xi to dinner. It was another rejection.

    This evening, following Mama Fu¡¯s lead, the entire Fu family ¨C including Fu Qingli ¨C walked Shen Xi to the door.

    Shen Xi turned to Mama Fu. ¡°This is my stop.¡±

    Mama Fu longingly gazed at the doctor with a gentle grin. ¡°You have to stay for dinner the next time you¡¯re here.¡±

    Shen Xi solemnly replied, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. It¡¯s best that I don¡¯t have toe back.¡±

    It was not a good thing for a doctor to return. The presence of a doctor meant someone was sick. If possible, Shen Xi hoped she never had toe back.

    A gentle, kind, and adorable person like Mama Fu deserved the best of everything in the world. Shen Xi wished nothing but good health and joy in Mama Fu¡¯s life.

    Fu Junqiu and the Fu brothers bade their farewells and watched her take off in the car before heading back to their home.

    Walking at the back of the pack, Fu Qingye observed the empty doorway before shifting his eyes to Fu Qingli. His eyes reflected his conflicted state of mind. If it was not for Qingli, Shen Xi would note here in disguise.

    Fu Qingye was aware that Shen Xi was fond of Mom.

    The only person she rejected and hated was Qingli!

    Because of Qingli, Shen Xi avoided any contact with them as best as she could. She shrunk back into her shell, afraid to take even a peek.

    Mama Fu only wanted to have a meal with Shen Xi, but the wish was never realized up to the day she left. With regret, Mom could only look forward to their next encounter.

    Fu Qingxuan only wanted to have a medical discussion with Shen Xi but was met with countless rejections. He made up his mind to travel to China, pester and wear her out at all costs until she said yes to an exchange.

    It was not long before Shen Xi was gone when Fu Qingye went back to his room to pack his bags. Also packing her bags was Fu Junqiu.

    Fu Junqiu packed her suitcase and dragged it out.

    Exiting the study by chance, Fu Qingli asked, ¡°Where are you going, Aunt?¡±

    Fu Junqiu pointed at Fu Qingye¡¯s room. ¡°I¡¯m with Ye.¡±

    With a frown, Fu Qingli pushed open the doors to Fu Qingye¡¯s room. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Fu Qingye zipped thest of his luggage without sparing another look before crudely blurting, ¡°China!¡±

 Chapter 457 - Pulled Some Major Strings

    <h4>Chapter 457: Pulled Some Major Strings</h4>

    Of course, Fu Qingli knew what was going on. No sooner had Shen Xi left than Fu Qingye was so eager to go after her. He should not have let them do as they pleased. Displeasure was clear in Fu Qingli¡¯s tone. ¡°To find her?¡±

    Fu Qingye calmly picked up his suitcase and gave him a strange look before answering curtly, ¡°Work.¡±

    Despite knowing Fu Qingye¡¯s true intentions, Fu Qingli had no reason to stop him since it was a rightful excuse. Fu Qingli could not argue with that. ¡°I seem to recall that your trip to China was over.¡±

    Work?

    Fu Qingye sure was good at making an excuse when they both knew that the work was only a front for him to look for Shen Xi.

    ¡°I had a new job in line.¡± Fu Qingye tantly walked out with his suitcase.

    Angered by Fu Qingye¡¯s attitude, Fu Qingli¡¯s gaze looked past him and went straight to Fu Junqiu. ¡°Are you going to China too?¡±

    Truthfully, Fu Junqiu had cold feet standing in front of her eldest nephew. Still, she remained unapologetic in her answer. ¡°Jing Yu has taken off. I¡¯m his temporary manager.¡±

    Fu Qingli could feel a fire starting in him. ¡°Are you going to look for her too?¡±

    Fu Junqiu frowned strangely. ¡°Who? I¡¯m only going to scout potential talents for ourpany. This is my duty as thepany¡¯s CEO.¡±

    To avert Fu Qingli¡¯s further interrogation, Fu Junqiu tipped Fu Qingye the wink, as if saying, ¡®Don¡¯t just stand there and let him drill you. Get a move on!¡¯

    Fu Qingye looked back andmented, ¡°Qingli, it¡¯s time for you to put aside your prejudice.¡±

    Qingli had too deep of prejudice towards the girl.

    Now keeping to himself, Fu Qingli quietly stood there and watched them leave. His eyes reflected his bitter pain.

    Prejudice, huh? He had to disagree. He had the clearest head of the bunch.

    Fu Qingli knew what he should and should not do as well as the necessity of doing so.

    As the backbone of the family, Fu Qingli was not in the position to do as he liked solely on a hunch or preference like them.

    What was he expected to do when they rather got into a row with him than let go of Shen Xi? Fu Qingli¡¯s only option was to let them follow their hearts.

    He gave Qingye the go-ahead when thetter wanted to get into showbiz.

    Fu Qingli permitted Qingxuan to dive into the medical world.

    What about him?

    Had anyone stopped to think about or asked him what he really wanted?

    As the eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Qingli was destined to shoulder the responsibility of the family. His destiny was already set in stone from the day he was born.

    Fu Qingli believed he had always done a good job, whether it was in the past, present, or future. He steadfastly moved ahead just so his family could live the lives they wanted.

    Fu Qingye had walked quite a distance before he turned around and looked back at his bedroom. Through therge ss window, he could see the man standing erected there, straightening his back before walking away steadily.

    Finding it odd, Fu Junqiu nced back. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Aunt.¡± Fu Qingye turned back and stared nkly at the empty room as bouts of pain ran through his veins. ¡°Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have pushed him.¡±

    He was only pushing Qingli to admit that he did not hate Shen Xi but Qingli was set in his ways. In retrospect, Fu Qingye had underestimated his older brother.

    The person, who was an invincible presence to them and carried the family burden since the age of fourteen, was far more resolute than Fu Qingye had imagined.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Fu Junqiu was confused.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Fu Qingye shook his head with a bitter smile. He had made his bed, so it was time to lie on it.

    This would be thest time.

    For onest time, he wanted to have his way, follow his heart, and do what he wanted.

    Then, Fu Qingye would return and help Qingli carry the weight of the family responsibility so that thetter would not be alone to face the heavy burden.

    ¡­

    Instead of flying back to the capital, Shen Xi went straight to the set of National Idol in T Town.

    She arrived there on her own at six o¡¯clock in the morning just to avoid the peak hour.

    There was no one in the lobby except for the receptionist and security guard.

    As a precautionary measure, Shen Xi pulled down her hoodie. She was unbothered to be seen by strangers as her only concern was Song Wenye.

    Someone on the left end of the lift kept staring at her. Hit with a realization, the person cynically said, ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    Shen Xi looked back and recognized the person standing behind her to be He Lu, the prettiest girl in Shen Feng¡¯s school. She paid He Lu no heed following the quick nce.

    He Lu was taken aback by Shen Xi¡¯s tactlessness even though the former had initiated the greeting. Furious to be given the snub, He Lu did not hide her animosity as she scoffed in disdain. ¡°So, you¡¯re that substitute trainee, huh?¡±

    The program was supposed to begin its recordingst week, but one of the trainees fell sick. The show could not go on with one person missing.

    The production team had to source a new trainee. It should be easy to make up the number with a random pretty face since many agencies and new talents would fight tooth and nail to get a spot.

    However, the investor then said they had a candidate in mind as a recement. The group of one hundred trainees wasted so many days waiting for that one person.

    The other trainees were in the dark about this as it was a secret. He Lu found out from her uncle, and it never urred to her that the person would be Shen Xi!

    Refusing to give He Lu the time of the day, Shen Xi whipped out her phone to send Li Yuan a message. [Brother, I¡¯ve arrived and am in the lift.]

    Since there was no signal in the lift, Shen Xi observed the icon spinning round and round while the message was being sent. Looking at this was more interesting than listening to scratchy noise in the background.

    ¡°You sure pulled some major strings!¡± Angered by the attitude, He Lu ripped into Shen Xi. ¡°The investor must be your sugar daddy. I guess it has already been decided that you¡¯d make your debut?¡±

    ¡°Rather than worrying whether others are pulling strings behind, maybe it¡¯s better that you work on yourself.¡± Shen Xi was in a great mood when the icon stopped spinning. The message was sent. Hence, she nicely gave He Lu a word of advice.

    ¡°You seem smug for someone who did not y fair,¡± He Lu scorned. Internally, madness and jealousy were brewing. Why did Shen Xi get to have an opportunity to debut handed to her by a sugar daddy?

    Her uncle was the deputy head of the TV station. He Lu must inform her uncle to have the cameraman capture Shen Xi¡¯s ugliest moments and tamper with the editing. So what if Shen Xi made her debut? She was bound to be theughingstock of the century.

 Chapter 458 - Mystery Mentor

    <h4>Chapter 458: Mystery Mentor</h4>

    ¡°I¡¯m not really smug about pulling strings, but I did represent the Chinese Dancers Association to perform at the Golden Hall. I have won countless awards, and what about you?¡± Shen Xi pped back with hard evidence.

    The other contestants would not stand a chance if Shen Xi were topete for a spot to debut. He Lu should be thankful that Shen Xi was the mentor, not a trainee.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about winning an award?¡± He Lu was not going to back down and give Shen Xi the satisfaction. Sticking to her guns, she scoffed, ¡°Ask anyone here and they will tell you they¡¯d at least won an award or two!¡±

    He Lu was a great dancer and earned her fair share of awards too. The mention of the Chinese Dancers Association did not scare her.

    Why would Shen Xi go through the backdoor if she was as awesome as she put it herself? A trainee backed by a sugar daddy had no right topete with the rest of them.

    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant.¡± Shen Xi let out a bright smile as she fixed her eyes on He Lu. ¡°You better work at it then. You don¡¯t want to be eliminated in the first round.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± He Lu¡¯splexion turned grimace, caught between having noeback and keeping her public image in mind. By the time she came up with a snappy retort, Shen Xi had already exited the lift. Stamping her foot, she muttered under her breath, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    The d*mn b*tch! How could that b*tch jinx her?

    He Lu was determined to crush Shen Xi under her feet. Shen Xi must be in over her head topete with her.

    Shen Xi walked into her private amodation. It was a Deluxe Suite specially booked for her and equipped with a bedroom, study, washroom, changing room, and dressing room.

    She started on hair and makeup after putting down her luggage.

    With the finished looking to fruition, the young man in the mirror was rather attractive, carrying a sort of androgynous beauty to him. Compared to the look of Dr. Jiu Zhou, the makeup bore a more mature but less indifferent boyishness.

    Following the finishing touches, Shen Xi closely examined herself in the mirror and got a jump.

    Dang.

    Why did she look a little like Fu Qingxuan!

    A striking resemnce if she could say so herself.

    Shen Xi smacked her head. She must have unconsciously painted her face like Fu Qingxuan since the guy had been nagging her ear for the past week.

    She picked up a brush in position to reframe her face.

    There was a knock on the door.

    Shen Xi stood up to open the door.

    The staff member at the door was a young girl. With her breath taken by the sight of Shen Xi, the girl nervously uttered, ¡°Mr. Yun, the producer, told me to get you. It¡¯s time to say hello to the trainees.¡±

    Mr. Yun was such a hottie!

    She caught wind that the mystery mentor must be ugly since he was not one to show his face. It never crossed her mind that he would be Mr. McDreamy in the flesh!

    Why was there a need for a mask with good looks like that? The staff member had inside information that the prop team had prepared many different masks.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Xi nodded before heading back to the dressing room to put on a half-face fox mask. The mask covered one eye and the left profile. She looked at the staff and said, ¡°We can go now.¡±

    The girl was the assistant producer. She bemoaned to see the mask covering that gorgeous face. It was a shame that the dreamy face could not be shared with the rest of the world!

    Nevertheless, the mask could not hide that poised yet mysterious presence to him. It was a telltale sign that this person was a hottie just by the eyes.

    The trainees gathered and all 101 of them were ounted for.

    He Lu scanned the crowd but was not able to spot Shen Xi. She asked Su Ruowan who was next to her. ¡°Wanwan, is everyone here?¡±

    Sharing the same amodation, He Lu and Su Ruowan really hit it off. Their closeness grew by leaps to the point they were inseparable wherever they went.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Ruowan gave a nod before softly inquiring, ¡°Is there someone you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    ¡°Who is the substitute?¡± He Lu followed up with another question instead.

    She was puzzled by Shen Xi¡¯s absence despite everyone being here. She did run into Shen Xi in the lift and thetter never denied being the substitute trainee. Why was she not here?

    ¡°That one!¡± Su Ruowan pointed at the adorable girl standing by Song Wenye and her group. Her eyes alighted with disdain.

    Who the f*ck did she think she was to make them wait such a long time? Muyan mentioned something about the substitute¡¯s dy to take care of a personal matter.

    The substitute was unlikable without the face or body to show for.

    He Lu looked towards the direction pointed and saw the substitute. The name disyed was Ye Weiyang.

    ¡°She¡¯s cute and plump.¡± There was no need to watch hernguage since she and Su Ruowan were close.

    So, this girl was the substitute, the one who kept her waiting for days on end. It was no wonder the investor grabbed the spot for her. The fat pig should know better than to join the show.

    Noticing their nces, Song Wenye warily turned over and shot them a cocky look.

    The two women had been working hand in glove since day one.

    He Lu undeterredly participated in the stare-down. She really hated that girl Song Wenye since the day they joined the set. Yet, He Lu was assigned to the same room as her. Since she had a public image to keep, there was nothing more He Lu could do other than putting up with Song Wenye.

    She was first worried she would be ostracized as Song Wenye and Wanwan might be close, being from the same school and all.

    Surprisingly, Song Wenye gave the gentle and kind Wanwan the cold shoulder. He Lu, on the other hand, cliqued and got along well with Wanwan. Of course, they were not best friends.

    Song Wenye arrogantly pulled Ye Weiyang aside and pointed at He Lu and Su Ruowan before whispering, ¡°See that, Yangyang? Those two there are evil, so don¡¯t be like them.¡±

    The fine facial features on Ye Weiyang¡¯s oval face brought out the cuteness in her. Though, the baby fat did make her appear chubby, not fat. Ye Weiyang put on a serious face and nodded. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Like petting a pet, Song Wenye patted her head and happily grinned. ¡°What a good girl.¡±

    This darling here was thest person sent by theirpany. She was only fifteen and was the youngest among all the trainees here. As the eldest, she had to uphold the duty to shield Yangyang against harm.

    The four remaining girls, together with Ji Jingyan as the leader, were from Cosmos Entertainment. Watching as the scene unfolded, the group exchanged nces and broke into smiles.

    As a substitute sent by theirpany, they were told to watch over Yangyang. Thetter was young, innocent, and an easy target to be picked on.

    ¡°The mystery mentor is here.¡±

    Hearing this, the trainees turned in one direction and watched as a young man in a half-face fox mask strode in with poise.

 Chapter 459 - Strong Lineup

    <h4>Chapter 459: Strong Lineup</h4>

    Song Wenye was gawking. Since the camera was not going to cut to her in the sea of people, Song Wenye made no secret of slobbering over the new mentor. He was an absolute stud!

    Su Ruowan and He Lu were quietly discussing the substitute trainee when their eyes lit up. They were taken aback by the presence of a young man since they were under the impression the mystery mentor would be a reputable and famed old veteran in showbiz.

    Dressed in casual leisurewear, the person had some sort of grace and boyishness to his presence. The mask only added a sense of indolent charisma to him.

    He Lu was first to open up as she whispered a question to Su Ruowan, ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    Su Ruowan shook her head. ¡°I thought the mentor was acquired from the top managing agency of Country H. Does your uncle know about it?¡±

    He Lu appeared perplexed. ¡°I was about to ask you if Muyan knew about it.¡±

    She and Wanwan were the ¡°royals¡± in thepetition. With her uncle as the deputy head of the TV station, He Lu was guaranteed a debut provided there was no major misstep.

    Wanwan¡¯s second oldest brother was Su Muyan, the vocal mentor in the show. Her parents were also famous film stars in the industry. It woulde as no surprise if her name was already on the list to debut.

    Only seven would be selected to make the final cut. Those miserable wretches in the dark could battle it out for the remaining five spots for all she cared.

    This was why He Lu became close with Su Ruowan. Only those of equal status were worthy to be part of her circle. As for the rest, they should take a good look at the mirror.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s voice was soft and amiable. ¡°I hadn¡¯t asked Muyan.¡±

    He Lu was proud. ¡°Never mind that. It doesn¡¯t matter who the mystery mentor is anyway. Our talents are enough to win him over.¡±

    It had been a week since they were here. However, the trainees had been practicing their *sses off due to a certain person¡¯s dy in arrival.

    She and Wanwan triumphed over those good-for-nothings in terms of dance and vocals that even the mentors could not get enough of.

    He Lu had absolute confidence that the new mystery mentor would fall for her and her talent.

    The nearby trainees spoke in hushed tones among themselves, but there were also a few who conscientiously kept to themselves. One thing was for sure, all eyes were on the mystery mentor.

    With the mask covering half of the mystery mentor¡¯s face, it was not an overstatement to say that he had good looks. In fact, he appeared standoffish, dignified, and unworldly like an angel descending upon the earth.

    No sooner had Shen Xi arrived than the other invited guests and mentors followed behind.

    The trainees were burning with passion in their eyes as the lot stepped into the room. They were more excited than when the mystery mentor made an appearance.

    Even though the mentors hade by once in the past week to meet with them and provide professional guidance, these mentors never showed up together. The group of beautiful facesmanded the room, blinding the trainees with their star-studded presence.

    The founder of girl groups and chief producer of the show, Fu Yang, was a member of the hottest boy band. An idol with followers to match, Fu Yang was the main vocalist and dancer of his group. He had the talent, the looks, and the means.

    Between the two vocal mentors, Fang Yao was an A-list singer. She was a singer-songwriter, revered by themunity for her sess. The other was Su Muyan, China¡¯s new generation idol and singer, who appealed to the younger generations.

    The dance mentors were Dance King of Asia, China¡¯s superstar He Sumo, and the most sought-after choreographer, Xia Mi. They were famous godlike figures in their rights.

    The lineup was no short of greatness and magnificence.

    Compared to the strong lineup, Shen Xi may not blend into the background in the presence of these stars, but fame was probably where she was not cutting it.

    These people were huge names on top of the entertainment food chain. They were famous and had arge following. All trainees loved them and wanted to be them.

    With murmurs growing boisterous, closely acquainted trainees began to whisper excitedly among themselves about the mentors, excluding Shen Xi the mystery mentor, of course.

    The way they saw it, Shen Xi was only an insignificant mentor. It was a dumb move on the show¡¯s part to bring in this mentor since it made no difference to the mentor lineup. It was best if Shen Xi was never included.

    The trainees might grumble about it, but they were measly participants of the show and had no way of swaying the show¡¯s decisions. Nevertheless, they took Shen Xi lightly, looking down on and disliking her.

    The show began its official recording in the afternoon. Presently, they were only getting to know each other. After the host formally introduced the team of mentors, the trainees would get a chance to talk to the mentors.

    Following the introduction, the trainees exchanged a nce before following one another¡¯s lead to surround their favorite idol like a hungry pack of wolves.

    There were a hundred and one trainees and six mentors, including the invisible Shen Xi. On average, it was a one-mentor-to-twenty-trainees ratio. Since no one wanted to be near Shen Xi, the average rested on the other mentors¡¯ shoulders, adding a lot of pressure on them.

    Shen Xi enjoyed the peace and quiet as she watched the group gather around each mentor like a fan meeting. She even stepped aside to give them more space.

    The mentors were huge celebrities with years of experience in the industry, ustomed to handling all sorts of situations so this was nothing to them. As a matter of fact, they werepletely in their element.

    Cosmos¡¯ talents, apart from Song Wenye and Ye Weiyang, went off to their favorite idols. Even Ji Jingyan, the most responsible of the bunch, went looking for Gu Yang.

    The five mentors ¨C three men and two women ¨C were blessed with good looks, knocking out theirpetitors. The entertainment never took too kindly towards those without a pretty face.

    Other than Gu Yang, the remaining mentors¡¯ looks barely made the passing mark for Song Wenye who had a high standard for good looks.

    She took Shen Xi as a reference for women and Toffeecito¡¯s dad for men. It was to the point where she was no longer juiced up at the sight of the hottest stuff in showbiz, Fu Qingye.

    ¡°Who do you like?¡± Song Wenye asked Ye Weiyang.

    In a daze, Ye Weiyang looked around for a while before fixating on Shen Xi.

    Song Wenye whispered, ¡°From personal experience, I should tell you that those covering the face, even half of it, are likely hideous. No one would put a mask on a good-looking face!¡±

    Tong Kejun, who was unable to have a moment with her idol due to the chaotic scene, happened to pick up on the conversation. She jokingly made fun of Song Wenye. ¡°Who was the person drooling over him just now?¡±

 Chapter 460 - Donâ€™t Go Crying to Your Mama

    <h4>Chapter 460: Don¡¯t Go Crying to Your Mama</h4>

    Song Wenye vehemently justified her actions. ¡°That was at first nce. My breath was taken away at that moment and I couldn¡¯t think straight. Why¡¯d he need a mask if he¡¯s good-looking?¡±

    Tong Kejun knew there was no beating Song Wenye in a battle of words as thetter had to have thest say. Ending the quibble, Tong Kejun turned to Ye Weiyang. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you if you want to go over there.¡±

    Just then, Su Ruowan approached the mystery mentor, Mr. Yun.

    The mystery mentor was called Yun Xiao. It was such a fancy name, yet no one had ever heard of this person in the whole of showbiz.

    In the mentor¡¯s profile, it was noted that he was a coach for trainees in Country H. However, having been a trainee in Country H for thest three years, Tong Kejun was not familiar with this name. Sure, she did not know many coaches or mentors there, but a Chinese mentor would have made waves in Country H¡¯s entertainment scene since there was not a lot to begin with.

    Shen Xi was just about to enjoy the peace when someone came up to her. It was none other than Su Ruowan.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Yun. ¡°Su Ruowan expressed tenderness while greeting.

    Shen Xi nodded in return. ¡°Hello.¡±

    Inside, Su Ruowan smirked to herself as she stared at Mr. Yun¡¯s stiff upper lip. Still, she kept a gentle smile on the surface. ¡°Mr. Yun, are you in charge of the choreography or vocals section?¡±

    What was with the attitude? Su Ruowan only came over because she took pity on him and also wanted to put on a show in front of the camera. A contrast to the lively scene over at the other mentors, it was just a bleak atmosphere surrounding the lonesome mystery mentor.

    Su Ruowan was here to put him out of his misery and reflect her good nature and kindness.

    ¡°Both.¡± Shen Xi answered the question and nothing more.

    ¡°Mr. Yun, you must be great in dance and music!¡± Su Ruowan kept the conversation going. Her expression grew warmer despite Shen Xi¡¯s poker face.

    Mystery mentor, her *ss. Muyan caught wind from the production team that the investor pushed this mentor into the show by force to act as the eyes and ears of Cosmos Entertainment.

    As the investor of National Idol, Cosmos Entertainment sent five girls to the show. The good-for-nothing Song Wenye was also signed onto Cosmos Entertainment.

    This person was only here to keep an eye on the production team to make sure they abided by their rules of not eliminating their agency¡¯s artists and giving them a guaranteed spot to debut.

    The trainees from Cosmos Entertainment were neither pretty nor talented. They were just as useless as Song Wenye.

    These people would face the wrath of fans if they ever made their debut. For Cosmos Entertainment to send another person to keep watch, they were sure bold enough to let the public know that these trainees were predetermined ¡°royalty¡±.

    ¡°Pretty good,¡± Shen Xi replied with curled lips.

    ¡°I look forward to your guidance,¡± Su Ruowan said with hidden contempt. To have given such an answer, Mr. Yun was either overconfident or had no self-awareness.

    Su Ruowan had never heard of a person immodestly calling themselves good in her life.

    ¡°I will be strict.¡± Shen Xi gave her a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t go crying to your mama then!¡±

    Su Ruowan grinned. ¡°Mr. Yun, don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    Who did he think he was? Any one of the other mentors was way better than him!

    ¡°I mean it.¡± Shen Xi offhandedly curled her lips. ¡°You better watch out.¡±

    ¡°Please go easy on me, but I will do my best.¡± Su Ruowan raised her fist as a bubbly teenager would.

    Put off by the mentor¡¯s cockiness, Su Ruowan engaged in a brief and small talk before excusing herself and heading towards the other mentors.

    Shen Xi gazed deeply at Su Ruowan¡¯s receding figure. She nned to destroy Su Ruowan¡¯s confidence bit by bit, chip away her pride, and crush her dignity. Everyone would see then that Su Ruowan was merely a worthless piece of sh*t.

    If everything went ording to n, it would depend on Song Wenye and the other girls¡¯ performance. The more they stood out brilliantly, the more limelight would be taken away from Su Ruowan and her ipetence would be highlighted instead. The blow would wear Su Ruowan¡¯s patience thin and anger her. The jealousy would only drive her mad.

    There was no better way than to devastate a person to the point of insanity, especially towards a swollen-headed prick like Su Ruowan.

    Over on the other side, Ye Weiyang was ready to approach Shen Xi now that Su Ruowan was gone.

    Song Wenye pulled her back and whispered in her ear, ¡°Yangyang, you saw how great the mentor got along with Su Ruowan. He and Su Ruowan must be the same kind of people. I¡¯d advise against looking for him.¡±

    Finding it odd, Ye Weiyang frowned. ¡°Who is Su Ruowan?¡±

    Song Wenye pointed towards Su Ruowan. ¡°That one. I¡¯m not one to speak ill of others, but you need to stay away from her.¡±

    Out of the blue, Shen Xi nced in their direction and let out a friendly smile at Ye Weiyang.

    Ye Weiyang was China¡¯s only singer who was sessful abroad, topping the global charts and racking up Grammy¡¯s left and right.

    She was on top of Shen Xi¡¯s list, yet thest to be found.

    In her previous life, Ye Weiyang entered the world of entertainment using her stage name. Since Shen Xi only knew her by her stage name and had no idea Ye Weiyang had changed her name, it became almost an impossible task to seek her out.

    With Song Wenye pulling her around, Ye Weiyang could not head there even if she wanted to. Ye Weiyang could barely hide the awkwardness in her smile as she returned with a nod to Shen Xi.

    After the fan-meeting cum get-together, the show began its official recording.

    For the first part, trainees were to pick their seats on how they graded themselves.

    Song Wenye bluntly went for the throne with seat No. 1, stirring an uproar among the trainees on set.

    Everyone wanted to sit there, but no one was brave enough to actually take that seat. It was an unspoken rule to remain reserved and courteous in case it might harm them for standing out unnecessarily.

    Shen Xi saw thising. The fearless dare-devil like Song Wenye would not be afraid to sit on the throne.

    He Lu and Su Ruowan saw themselves superior, but even so, they demonstrated humility with one taking the 8th ce seat and 11th ce seat. Jealousy was gnawing at them inside as Song Wenye took the throne.

    With Song Wenye sitting on high, it gave Su Ruowan the feeling of being stomped under her feet. Su Ruowan was so annoyed, she wanted to drag Song Wenye down and stamp on her before taking that seat herself.

    So what if that useless Song Wenye stole the limelight? The question was whether she was able to sit tight.

    The throne was Su Ruowan¡¯s to keep! No one was to pry whatever that was hers!

 Chapter 461 - Feel Bad for Your Vocals

    <h4>Chapter 461: Feel Bad for Your Vocals</h4>

    Although He Lu was displeased and envious to see Song Wenye upy the No. 1 seat, she was not worried about it. Her ego led her to believe that nobody even came close to be deemed herpetition. Ultimately, He Lu was going to make her debut then and there.

    The lineup of contestants was decided by draw lots since it was the fairest method. Song Wenye was in luck as she was the second to make an appearance.

    The luckiest was Ye Weiyang who drew a seat just before Song Wenye.

    Initially, Song Wenye wanted Ye Weiyang to take the throne.

    As a neer, the biggest event Ye Weiyang had ever participated in was her school festival. Sure, she knew how to dance and sing a little, but it was still a far cry from the others.

    Ye Weiyang had got thepetition rules down pat beforeing here. She was not brave enough to speak her mind, afraid to step on anyone¡¯s toes, much less upy the throne.

    Nevertheless, Song Wenye dragged her to sit on the No. 2 spot. Ye Weiyang looked around on pins and needles.

    The remaining girls from Cosmos Entertainment did not y the reserved card as they sought the forefront seats following their turns to walk into the set. Apart from Tong Kejun and Guan Rou who were unlucky at the draw lots to appearte on the set, the rest picked the top twenty seats.

    The trainees had more or less heard about Song Wenye¡¯s arrogance after spending a week together. For her to sit on the No. 1 seat, they might be scornful and green with envy, but there was no denying Song Wenye was blessed with good luck to be one of the first to get out there.

    Song Wenye was not without talent. Otherwise, she would not be able to steal the spotlight from the rest of the trainees, albeit Su Ruowan and He Lu were on a level with her in terms of overall strength.

    Ye Weiyang who arrived in the morning was a different story as she was the reason they were all dyed for a whole week. Many were already feeling bitter about it, but to see her take the second seat was just stirring up a ho¡¯s nest. Oh, the audacity.

    That was where the runner-up should be sitting. They were at a loss whether to call her young and fearless or a conceited moron.

    By now, many were waiting for Ye Weiyang to make a fool of herself.

    That was not the way He Lu and Su Ruowan saw it. They had such a good look that it was Song Wenye who dragged Ye Weiyang to sit there. In their opinion, Ye Weiyang was only a pawn to Song Wenye.

    The goody-two-shoes fatty had no clue she was being used to take a bullet. He Lu and Su Ruowan would not waste any pity on an idiot.

    Since the mentors had gotten to know the trainees in the past week, they had an idea and kept in mind their talent and potential.

    While the seat-picking process was going on, the mentors engaged themselves, having a light-hearted and pleasant chat. With everyone from the world of entertainment, they knew each other and could hold conversations with ease even if they were not close.

    Of course, Shen Xi was the exception. As for the only mystery member who came out of the blue, the other mentors had nothing to say to someone sent by the investor. Hence, they gave Shen Xi the cold shoulder.

    Xia Mi, on the other hand, found it hard to ignore the mystery mentor. She could not just give Shen Xi the snub like the rest of them since this person was sitting next to her after all.

    Truth be told, Xia Mi was not interested in the mystery mentor. She was sure they had nothing inmon to talk about.

    Off the record, the mentors could not find any information about a coach named Yun Xiao in Country H. Needless to say, this guy must be sent by the investor to keep an eye on them. No one counted on him to provide any professional critique.

    The identity as a coach for trainees in Country H was only a front to appear in the show. At least, the title made him appear professional while justifying his presence to be here.

    ¡°Mr. Yun, who are you most optimistic about among all the trainees?¡± Xia Mi politely broke the silence.

    ¡°Ye Weiyang,¡± Shen Xi answered without a second thought as she gazed towards Ye Weiyang.

    Maybe it was not to the point of debuting front and center, but Shen Xi could be certain that no one could beat Ye Weiyang when potential growth and progressive improvement were in question.

    This child would shine and blow everyone away.

    ¡°What¡¯s special about her?¡± Xia Mi yed nice by asking another question.

    Shen Xi gave her the surefire answer. ¡°I think she can do it.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s affirmative reply appeared presumptuous in Xia Mi¡¯s eyes. She was defeated by the aloof mystery mentor who was a bore. Out of conversation topics, Xia Mi did ast-ditch attempt. ¡°The trainee is cute.¡±

    She never met this trainee, but as a substitute, the trainee might have the talent to show for.

    Since both Mr. Yun and Ye Weiyang were from Cosmos Entertainment, it was no surprise if Mr. Yun was familiar with each contestant¡¯s strengths.

    The assertiveness in Shen Xi¡¯s tone had Xia Mi notice Ye Weiyang more. The girl who blended into the background of contestants appeared neither collected nor confident. Ye Weiyang seemed unsure of herself and nervous from stage fright.

    No other words were exchanged at that point.

    Xia Mi turned over to chat with Gu Yang. As close friends, they had a lot to share and a mere gesture of movement on one contestant¡¯s part could spark a long discussion.

    She made a note of Ye Weiyang¡¯s name, nheless. Xia Mi was intrigued by how good the trainee was to be thought highly of by the supervising mentor sent by Cosmos Entertainment.

    Xia Mi was in for a shock. That was some talent. Ye Weiyang could not dance for her life, and it was clear she had no training in dance. Her singing, on the other hand, was unclear and shaky in vocals thanks to her stage fright. She had the voice for it, but her nerves got the better of her.

    It was a train wreck Xia Mi could not bear to look at. It was a basic condition to ovee stage fright before joining the show. The nervousness would only overshadow the talent.

    After her performance in front of the mentors, Ye Weiyang who was red in the face twiddled with her fingers as she waited for the final verdict in jittery.

    Starting with Gu Yuan, the girl-group producer, hemented on Ye Weiyang¡¯s performance in a moderate manner. His words were more prone towards encouragement.

    The lot shared the view that there was no need to be harsh towards a 15-year-old newbie, especially a neer who was bound to be eliminated in the first round. They did not want to scare the girl away from doing her best. Hence, the mentors gave her an F rating.

    All eyes were on Xia Mi when it came to her turn to give the critique.

    Xia Mi was known for her sharp tongue and blunt cutthroat remarks.

    ¡°You¡¯re too nervous. As someone who is about to debut and be a star in the eyes of the public, I¡¯m tempted to rate you below zero for your performance today. Your dance is all over the ce and you can¡¯t even hold a decent note.¡± As expected, Xia Mi did not hold back. ¡°But I need to award you a point. The point is your voice. You have a great voice, but you couldn¡¯t make use of it. I feel bad for your vocals.¡±

    She then rated an F before turning to the nearby Shen Xi. Xia Mi was interested to see what this person who saw Ye Weiyang as a promising trainee had to say.

    This mystery mentor had the power of veto over the rest of the mentor¡¯s cast of votes. Would he yield the privilege to save Ye Weiyang from elimination despite the significant opposition?

 Chapter 462 - All Bark and No Bite

    <h4>Chapter 462: All Bark and No Bite</h4>

    It was unclear whether it was because Xia Mi was staring, but the other mentors turned to Shen Xi in unison.

    The mystery mentor had not said a word since the ranking began. He had gone with the flow, observing the majority vote.

    Among the five mentors, three of them may rate a certain trainee a B, and Shen Xi would follow suit. If it were an A, she would go along with an A as well. Shen Xi would only tell the trainee to keep up the good work if an opinion was asked.

    Out of nowhere, Xia Mi cued Shen Xi to givements on Ye Weiyang. Was it because Xia Mi could not stand a fake amidst them and wanted Shen Xi to make a fool of herself?

    Everyone knew the mystery mentor Yun Xiao was ced into the production by the investor just for show. Sure, the mystery mentor had the veto, but it only served to a certain effect. Moreover, the remaining five mentors could counter her veto through a majority. The fulfillment of the veto still depended on the mentors¡¯ consolidated input.

    At the end of the day, this person could not do much except oversee the production. Yun Xiao was only keeping an eye on the show, mentors, and their own trainees on behalf of the investor to make sure their trainees had enough screen time on camera.

    As well-known celebrities in showbiz, the mentors looked down upon fixedpetitions or backdoor conducts of any kind. It was unfair towards those who had actual talent.

    Nevertheless, there was nothing they could do about it. This was amon practice in the entertainment world. The investor called the shots after all!

    As the investor of the program, Cosmos Entertainment stuffed six contestants and one mentor into the show. The production team never mentioned anyone with a guaranteed winning spot, but they were probably just keeping mums about it. What was the point of Cosmos Entertainment investing in the show without a sure deal that their own would make it to showbiz?

    Havinge to that conclusion, the mentors mentally prepared themselves for Cosmos Entertainment to inform them of the predetermined winners.

    With the camera facing her, this was the first time the invisible Shen Xi was put in the limelight.

    Standing right in front, Ye Weiyang nearly buried her head in her chest. Xia Mi¡¯s critiques sent her into a tailspin.

    Once again, she managed to screw things up. Why was she so useless, messing things up? She had been so careful.

    Ye Weiyang had practiced many times prior to walking into the set. Yet, why was she all over the ce when it came down to it?

    This was her chance, perhaps the only chance she would get to turn her life around. Ye Weiyang failed to seize the opportunity.

    She was beating herself up in frustration and remorse. However, she was at a loss about what to do with it.

    ¡°Raise your head, Ye Weiyang.¡± Shen Xi observed the fear in the girl across the room. She finally understood where Ye Weiyang wasing from when she once mentioned her low self-esteem and fear of getting up on stage in an interview.

    This was not just low self-esteem; the girl thought nothing of herself.

    A clear, stern, but encouraging voice rang in Ye Weiyang¡¯s ears like a clear stream rushing into her heart and soul. Taken aback, Ye Weiyang bit her lips but still did not have the guts to pick her chin up.

    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    Plucking up the courage, Ye Weiyang lifted her head and faced the person wearing a half-face mask. With her fingers twiddling harder, she faltered, ¡°Make¡­ Making a mistake.¡±

    Shen Xi probed further with an irrelevant question. ¡°Could you tell me your age?¡±

    Ye Weiyang cautiously answered, ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°You¡¯re only fifteen. Even if you made a mistake or took the wrong path, you still have time to take corrective actions. You¡¯re only fifteen, not fifty. What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Time is on your side.¡±

    Ye Weiyang widened her eyes abruptly while her mind was thrown into confusion, trying to figure out the meaning behind Shen Xi¡¯s words. Nevertheless, she still paid attention to what Shen Xi had to say.

    ¡°You have a great voice, and there¡¯s no doubt you¡¯ll be a singer.¡± The only thing Shen Xi could do was give her encouragement and pep talk. ¡°You¡¯re young. The sky¡¯s the limit when ites to your potential. Keep up the good work. You will do good.¡±

    Ye Weiyang had been trying to avoid an emotional outburst on stage, but right now, she allowed tears to well up in her eyes. The person¡¯s sincere and affirmative eyes gave her a push to move forward. She regained the determination she once had when she first agreed to join the show.

    It was like something in her suddenly clicked. She looked at the young mentor and solemnly gave a bow before speaking in a resolute voice, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yun. I will continue to try my best.¡±

    She still had a chance because it was not over yet. She was not eliminated and only assigned to Group F. There was another round of evaluation after this.

    The only thing she could do was keep going, surviving one round at a time before she was eliminated.

    Shen Xi had nevermented at length before Ye Weiyang, but instead of earning praises and admiration, she was met with disdain and contempt.

    Su Muyan in particr, who had been courteous and gracious to the trainees, channeled all his resentment from Cosmos Entertainment for stealing the program from the Su family to Shen Xi. The sight of Shen Xi disgusted him. Yet, he had to y nice in front of the camera and the public eye.

    Who did the mystery mentor think he was? The piece of sh*t would not be the boss of them if the Su family did not have a funding issue.

    Cosmos Entertainment was not bright enough to send someone smart. The so-called mystery mentor was letting the whole world know it was a rig by not hiding his motives in front of the camera.

    Yun Xiao immediately stood up and cheered on Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainee following the harsh critique from Xia Mi. The guy did not appear as proactive when a fault was found on other trainees.

    Not only was the mystery mentor ying favorites on camera, but he also pretended to have the know-how. Yun Xiao probably heard Xia Mi¡¯sment about a good voice and jumped on the bandwagon. It was all bark and no bite. This guy was only embarrassing himself.

    Su Muyan was not the only one with a bone to pick. The few other mentors had more or less the same idea.

    Based on Shen Xi¡¯s non-responsiveness except to urge trainees to keep it up, the mentors concluded that she did not know anything about music and dance. It appeared Shen Xi was not from this line of work.

 Chapter 463 - Play the Part of a Mascot

    <h4>Chapter 463: y the Part of a Mascot</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi¡¯s statement only reflected her ignorance. She copied Xia Mi topliment Ye Weiyang¡¯s good voice and ensued with words of encouragement. They partially came off too obvious and intentional.

    Watching on the sidelines, the mentors were feeling embarrassed by her actions, yet the person in question remained calm, acting like she had no idea.

    It was not Song Wenye and the group¡¯s turn yet as Ye Weiyang was the first among them to go up on stage. They started to panic when Ye Weiyang took a long time to return.

    Ye Weiyang was a well-behaved young girl but was introverted and rather self-conscious. She was like a little girl next door that they wanted to put in their pockets to keep her from harm. Although it had not been a day since they knew her, the group wanted to be her big sisters.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± Song Wenye could not sit by and wait.

    ¡°Wait a little longer.¡± Ji Jingyan stopped her. It might not be a bad thing that she was gone for that long. For all they knew, the mentors might love Yangyang and be having a prolonged chat with her.

    Just then, Ye Weiyang entered the room.

    ¡°How was it? How was it?¡± Song Wenye went up.

    The girls seemed more nervous than Ye Weiyang. She smiled and pointed at her name tag. ¡°Group F, but I¡¯ll work hard to catch up to you.¡±

    Dumbstruck by Ye Weiyang¡¯s rating, Song Wenye said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will help you. Let¡¯s debut together.¡±

    She was under the impression that the agency would find another ace in dance and music like Tong Kejun and the rest. Song Wenye thought Ye Weiyang was definitely going to be in Group A, but it turned out differently.

    Standing a short distance away, Su Ruowan and He Lu were happy to see Ye Weiyang returning with an F rating. They held Ye Weiyang in contempt, thinking she was all that to sit on the second-ce seat. She turned out to be a loser!

    The trainees who had a problem with Ye Weiyang sitting on the front seat were delighted by Weiyang¡¯s F rating. What a joke!

    Following their sequence, the trainees went in one by one to be judged, and soon, it was Su Ruowan¡¯s turn.

    Su Ruowan had absolute confidence she would ace the evaluation, enter Group A, and remain there all the way until finally, she got a big break to stardom.

    The mentors knew Su Ruowan as the Su family¡¯s daughter. She was often taken to various events by film star Li Jingran. They not only knew her but also had exchanged words before.

    Aside from a personal rtionship, they found Su Ruowan¡¯s performance as well as mannerismmendable. The five mentors gave theirments and sure enough, rated her an A.

    Then came Shen Xi¡¯s critique.

    Su Ruowan appeared anxious as she gazed at Shen Xi. Although she could not care less for this mystery mentor, Su Ruowan was not going to reflect that thought of hers on her face, not after years of putting up a front.

    With her every action put under a magnifying ss on camera, she had to remain watchful of her conduct.

    ¡°How many are there in Group A now?¡± Shen Xi suddenly inquired.

    Everyone broke out in cold sweat by the rude awakening. The production team must be mad to bring this person onto the set. Was Mr. Yun here to make things difficult?

    Xia Mi nced at her while rolling her eyes to herself. Mr. Yun was only embarrassing himself and hispany once the broadcast got out there. Even if he was here to punch the clock, he could at least be professional about it. Xia Mi answered, ¡°There would be four, including Su Ruowan.¡±

    Shen Xi asked another question. ¡°How many more participants do we have left to perform?¡±

    The question stumped Xia Mi. They were so focused on giving critiques and grades that they had not noticed how many were there. She nced at the remaining mentors before shaking her head at Shen Xi.

    In the end, they had to ask the staff member on-site to figure that there were fifty-three trainees left.

    Shen Xi nodded and decisively pulled her mystery mentor¡¯s card, dering her veto. ¡°I disagree. Half of the quota for Group A is taken now and yet there are still more than half of the contestants left. How can you be so sure there¡¯s no one better than her? Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair to the outstanding trainees to give out the spot before they have a chance to shine?¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes alighted with fury.

    The godd*mn mystery mentor was out to get her! Su Ruowan heard from the other trainees before her turn that the mystery mentor never said a word nor used his special privilege.

    Why did he decide to exercise his authority to dismiss her when it was her turn?

    Had it not been for the time and ce, Su Muyan had in mind to teach the mystery mentor a lesson. The guy yielding privilege and acting like the boss was off-putting.

    There was no denying Wanwan¡¯s ability. She was the best among the riffraff of trainees. Not only was Mr. Yun blind, but he also had the audacity to challenge Wanwan!

    ¡°I¡¯d have to agree. I¡¯m going to leave it pending for now.¡± Xia Mi stood by Shen Xi for a change. She gazed at the other mentors. ¡°What about you guys?¡±

    Gu Yang had the closest rtionship with Xia Mi, being friends in private. He did not oppose the idea. The mystery mentor had said something sensible for once. ¡°Pending for me. I¡¯d need to give the other brilliant contestants a chance.¡±

    Fang Yao and He Sumo gave it a thought before nodding to put the decision on hold for now. Otherwise, it would only be unfair towards the remaining trainees.

    Su Muyan was not in the position to stand up and object to Yun Xiao¡¯s veto. Everyone knew Wanwan was his sister. It would only stir unnecessary trouble and criticism if he were to stand up. Thus, he went with it.

    The production team preferred drama over a conflict-free set. They zoomed in on Shen Xi, closing up on her face.

    The mystery mentor was made for variety shows, sparking controversy every time he opened his mouth. The production team looked forward to his presence in the show.

    Su Ruowan left the room hating on Mr. Yun¡¯s guts. Who did he think he was? Was he looking down on her? Out of all the trainees, nobody stood out more than her.

    She may think so, but restlessness was brewing within. What if the godd*mn mystery mentor came up with more theatrics to stop her from joining Group A?

    As predicted, there were many brilliant and talented trainees toe. Song Wenye and other trainees brought nothing short of excellence to the stage.

    Nevertheless, the mentors set them ¨C including Su Ruowan ¨C aside as yet to be determined. The production team was happy with the oue even though it was not in the ns, but it made the show more interesting.

    The anxiety and restlessness the trainees felt from falling into the mentors¡¯ pending list became one of the highlights of the show.

    After thest trainee was rated, the mentors turned to the list and were shocked by the numbers. There were twelve of them.

    Before Shen Xi exercised the veto, three were already assigned to Group A. This meant that only four spots were remaining out of the seven in Group A.

    In the end, the four selected for Group A were Song Wenye, Guan Rou, Tong Kejun, and Su Ruowan.

    Ji Jingyan and Liu Qianyu may have breathtaking voices, but their dance wascking. Since overall strength was taken into ount for Group A, both of them only managed to bag a B rating.

    Unless they were geniuses, dancing required years of training, and burning the midnight oil would not cut it. Ji Jingyan and Liu Qianyu had not built much of a foundation as they only started dance sses after signing onto Cosmos Entertainment.

    Having discussed in private before, the mentors were no strangers to who were the trainees from their sponsor, Cosmos Entertainment.

    They might find Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s conduct revolting, but the ill feelings were only directed towards those fixed winners and the mystery mentor. As veterans of the industry, they were more than willing to guide trainees with talent and potential who would put in the hard work. The mentors were here to witness their growth.

    Of course, Su Muyan was not one of those people. He directed his resentment towards everyone in Cosmos Entertainment, from Shen Xi and the mystery mentor to Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees.

    If possible, he did not even want to give an A rating. Oh, how he wished they received the short end of the stick and were eliminated!

    By the end of the grading round, seven trainees were ced in Group A. This was the only group with a fixed number.

    There were twenty-one in Group B, twenty-five in Group C, thirty in Group D, andstly, eighteen in Group F.

    Apart from Gu Yang coordinating the show as the girl-group producer, the remaining mentors had to pick a group to be in charge of. Their role was simr to that of a homeroom teacher.

    Leaving Shen Xi out of the conversation, the lot had chosen their respective groups. The only group that remained was Group F.

    Su Muyan turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Mr. Yun, you have more experience in handling them since you¡¯ve been a coach for trainees in Country H. We¡¯ll leave Group F to you.¡±

    The remaining bunch exchanged a nce with a stiffened look on their faces.

    Su Muyan was deliberately making Yun Xiao look bad since it was no secret he was just here to hang around. By handing Group F to him, the show might as well end here.

    Xia Mi may have a sharp tongue, but the woman had a kind heart. Clearing her throat, she was ready to speak up for Shen Xi.

    Without sparing Su Muyan a nce, Shen Xi straightened out the documents on the desk and bluntly replied, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Su Muyan was pleased to get the answer he wanted, anticipating Shen Xi to make a fool of herself and expose herself to be nothing but a fraud. Su Muyan only attempted to sound her out but to his surprise, she took the bait.

    He had to see for himself if the supposed coach from Country H was only all talk when it came to guiding the trainees.

    As the producer of girl groups, Gu Yang had the most say in things. He wanted to smooth things over and stop Su Muyan from putting an outsider on the spot. It never urred to him that Shen Xi would agree to it without hesitation.

    Certainly, he did not condone Su Muyan¡¯s picking on others. However, Gu Yang had his own motives as well. He had been trying to get in touch with Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s genius songwriter, Xixi, for a partnership so now was not the time to be offending anyone.

    Gu Yang was more than capable of taking on Group F since he was in a sessful boy band himself. It never crossed his mind that Shen Xi would happily go along with Su Muyan¡¯s exhortation.

    Fang Yao and He Sumo stood on the fence and only concentrated on their duty as mentors. It was best they isted themselves and stayed away from any conflict.

    Although impressed by the mystery mentor¡¯s bravery, they wished he could just y the part of a mascot.. The guy was just asking for it.

 Chapter 464 - Mr. Yun Xiaoâ€™s Nice

    <h4>Chapter 464: Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s Nice</h4>

    Not only did Shen Xi¡¯s decision leave the mentors with more question marks, but the production crew also had no idea what she was up to.

    The producer, director, and scriptwriter who had a say, as well as those who had the inside scoop, exchanged a nce and inquired each other¡¯s opinion whether to put a stop to the whole thing.

    Cosmos Entertainment may be the program¡¯s sponsor, but this was not some online sketch show. Since Cosmos Entertainment was in partnership with the TV station, thetter¡¯s input mattered too.

    When it came to the trainees, Cosmos Entertainment was kind and respectful enough to have a contract written in ck and white with thework, promising not to get involved with the trainees¡¯ advancement in thepetition and the production crew¡¯s shooting and editing.

    The agency¡¯s trainees would have to work their way up to the top. As for the gossip about fixing winners and pulling strings, these were all not true.

    The only request by Cosmos Entertainment was the addition of a mystery mentor and for the said mentor to have free rein to the show.

    Thework was not about to back down, but a line had been drawn somewhere. Since Cosmos Entertainment gave ground by not interfering with the decision concerning winners, the TV station did the same and met the other party halfway.

    They were also under the assumption that the mystery mentor was sent by Cosmos Entertainment to keep an eye on the mentors and production crew. However, they were left more bewildered than the other mentors when Shen Xi bluntly agreed to be Group F¡¯s lead mentor.

    Sure, thework was in the business to make sure the show was the talk of the town. Hence, they would allow Shen Xi to have free reins to a certain extent as it made the show more interesting just like when she yielded her veto.

    The situation right now was a different story. They would be made the joke of the century if the audience could tell the supposed experienced mystery mentor was actually an amateur guiding the professionals.

    Shen Xi would not only be embarrassing herself but also making clowns out of the production crew andwork. It was not a good thing if the audience questioned their professionalism.

    Swiftly working out the pros and cons, the chief director, Su Botao took the responsibility upon himself to pull Shen Xi aside. He cut the chase and went straight to the point. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, are you able to handle the task of leading Group F?¡±

    The show was a hit variety show thework was ready to release for the year, aiming to blow theirpetition out of the water.

    As the chief director, he had a lot resting on his shoulders. Su Botao was not going to allow any slip-ups to mess up the shoot.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded as she gazed intently at the man.

    Her voice may not be loud, but it carried weight to cast away all doubt.

    For some reason, the young man¡¯s icy yet sharp eyes gave Su Botao the confidence he needed.

    Shen Xi knew where he wasing from. Su Botao was merely worried she was not up to the task and could end up the bane of the show. The director was known for his pursuit of perfection, having high standards for himself, his team, and the VIPs. Shen Xi added. ¡°I¡¯m pretty good.¡±

    She spoke in an equally loud, assured, andposed voice but with more tenacity this time.

    Although still apprehensive, Su Botao made up his mind to trust him for once. Perhaps the show would turn out more interesting than the script. He smiled and said, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Su Botao had his moments on his quest for absolute consistency, but one thing was for sure, he was always looking to make more than just good TV.

    He started his career in variety shows as an assistant, making his way to the chief director spot in the span of ten years. Su Botao was a brilliant judge of character as a result of that.

    Shen Xi was eye-catching in the way she conducted herself before. She may appear to keep to herself the whole time, but every time she opened her mouth, it was a highlight scene without needing to edit. In other words, she cut to the chase.

    ¡°Thank you for your trust, Director.¡± Shen Xi knew that everyone here thought little of her. Su Botao¡¯s doubts were not unfounded.

    It was easy for people in the entertainment business for over a decade to look into Yun Xiao¡¯s background. They had the connections after all. These people would find that Yun Xiao never existed. It was silly for anyone to believe Yun Xiao was a coach from a renowned managingpany in Country H.

    Chief Director Su Botao called Shen Xi to the side for a talk.

    The remaining mentors exchanged looks before Su Muyan broke the silence. ¡°I guess we¡¯d have to decide who among us will take Group F.¡±

    There was nothing out of the ordinary about Su Muyan¡¯s voice and tone. In fact, he sounded as though he was joking.

    Still, the others could detect the emotional turmoil within his words. Everyone was aware that National Idol was first sponsored by the Su family. However, the Su family withdrew funding due to their recent mary issues, giving Cosmos Entertainment a chance to take over.

    Livid by the oue, Su Muyan must find Yun Xiao, the representative of Cosmos Entertainment, an eyesore. It would exin why he was finding fault and nitpicking at Yun Xiao.

    Gu Yang was relieved. Things would be a lot easier if the chief director went to discourage Yun Xiao from taking on Group F as predicted by Su Muyan.

    Yun Xiao could just sit there and be a doll since he was only here to make up for the numbers. As for guiding the trainees and whatnot, the production crew could give him a script to act like a professional mentor which should be enough to fool the viewers. This could easily be done.

    Fang Yao and He Sumo nced at Shen Xi and Chief Director Su Botao.

    For the chief director to personally meet with Yun Xiao, he must be afraid one bad apple would spoil the whole bunch. If only Yun Xiao turned down Su Muyan. Why must he be so stubborn?

    Everybody had their opinions about the whole matter. Nevertheless, to their surprise, the host came and told them that Yun Xiao remained in charge of Group F.

    Unconcerned about what was happening around him, Su Muyan dwelled in the feeling of having everything within his grasp. That Yun Xiao prick was about to go down!

    Even if thework withheld Yun Xiao¡¯s footage to protect the show¡¯s integrity, the mentors and trainees would bear witness to his ipetence. It was high time Yun Xiao paid the price and made a fool of himself.

    Gu Yang kneaded his aching head while pondering his next steps. He had to figure out a way to help Yun Xiao so that thetter would not look too bad on camera.

    Fang Yao and He Sumo were rendered speechless. There was nothing more to say other than feeling impressed by Yun Xiao¡¯s courage. He sure had the guts to guide the worst group of them all.

    The trainees in Group F were the worst and with the addition of the worst mentor, it was just a train wreck about to happen.

    Xia Mi had a different opinion altogether. This person may seem easy to read, but Xiao Mi had a feeling that Yun Xiao was a dark horse with a card up his sleeve. Perhaps she should look forward to what Yun Xiao could bring to the table.

    There were cries of joy and despair across the room of trainees following the announcement of assigned mentors. It was a cause for celebration for the groups who were under the care of the other five mentors.

    The news came as a sign of hopelessness to Group F. Feeling down in the dumps, they cursed the mystery mentor under their breaths.

    With the girls in the same sinking boating together, they spiritlessly discussed what to do next. Should they just quit ahead of thepetition?

    The production team was clearly underway to abandon and sacrifice them. Already at the bottom of the barrel among trainees, now they were assigned the worst mentor.

    Having lived together for a week, the trainees had caught wind about the mystery mentor. The mystery mentor was an empty vessel without any authority or capability to show for.

    Someone guessed that Yun Xiao was a figurehead sent by the investor to oversee the production. As for his professionalism and knowledge of dance and music, the trainees could bet their money he knew nothing of this sort.

    Today¡¯s evaluation round verified the rumors. During the trainees¡¯ performance, the other mentors provided constructive criticism while Yun Xiao pretentiously ended on that note by telling them to keep up the good work.

    F*ck!

    What was there to keep up!?

    They were so unlucky to get a mentor like him. It looked like they would not even survive the first round!

    In a matter of a week, trainees had formed some cliques among themselves. For some, they had a clique with their own roommates while others chose to stay on with those who they hit off with. At present, the trainees joined their friends to discuss at length the allocation of mentors.

    The trainees from Cosmos Entertainment were no exception to this situation. The girls furrowed their brows at Ye Weiyang, worried about the troubled road ahead of her.

    Everyone was under the impression that the person assigned to Group F would be none other than Gu Yang, the most skilled mentor amongst all mentors.

    Known to be a hothead, Song Wenye did not hide her bitterness. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Shouldn¡¯t Mr. Gu Yang be entrusted with an important responsibility like F group? He has the most experience and is the most qualified!¡±

    Tong Kejun nodded in agreement. Nevertheless, she was not too sure herself. ¡°You never know, Mr. Yun Xiao might turn out rather good.¡±

    Guan Rou would not bet on it. ¡°We have trained in Country H but I¡¯ve never heard of a person called Yun Xiao. Have you?¡±

    Tong Kejun shook her head. ¡°What can we do about it? In the worst-case scenario, it would be an amateur guiding the pros. In an even worst-case scenario, it¡¯s the blind leading the blind¡­

    She was out of words as it only got worse from there.

    Liu Qianyu remarked, ¡°Things are not at their worst yet. As the homeroom teacher, Mr. Yun Xiao has his priority with Group F, but that doesn¡¯t mean the other mentors won¡¯t keep an eye on Group F.¡±

    Ji Jingyan was the mostposed of the bunch. ¡°I think there are two possible reasons why the production team went ahead with it. One is that Group F had been forsaken, or two, Mr. Yun Xiao is the trump card to turn the tables for Group F. I¡¯m more inclined to believe the second. Reason number one would only make the show a bore and I don¡¯t think the production team wants to be sted by the viewers. It won¡¯t make sense.¡±

    An avid viewer of variety shows, Ji Jingyan knew the ins and outs of such shows. She also found her premises to be well-grounded and on point.

    As a member of Group F, Ye Weiyang, who had been holding her tongue the whole time, spoke atst. Capturing steadfast resolution in her eyes, she softly but confidently uttered, ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s nice.¡±

 Chapter 465 - Left in the Cold

    <h4>Chapter 465: Left in the Cold</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Song Wenye looked at the starstruck Ye Weiyang. Judging by thetter¡¯s sparkling eyes, Mr. Yun seemed to have be Ye Weiyang¡¯s faith. Song Wenye reached out to touch her forehead. ¡°Did a fever cloud your judgment?¡±

    What did the mystery mentor do to their darling? Why was Ye Weiyang standing up for him despite receiving an F rating?

    ¡°I will work my hardest.¡± Ye Weiyang did not answer the question and instead gave them a serious look. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao said I¡¯m good. I will do my best to catch up to you guys.¡±

    Although she was not the brightest, Ye Weiyang knew she had to work hard topensate for her limited abilities. She must not let such a rare opportunity slip through her fingers.

    It still did not change Song Wenye¡¯s opinion about Mr. Yun. ¡°Has he gotten you under a spell?¡±

    First to catch on to what Ye Weiyang meant, Ji Jingyan asked, ¡°Did Mr. Yun Xiao talk to you?¡±

    Ye Weiyang nodded. She had never met anyone so kind in her life. Trusting the girls unconditionally, Ye Weiyang let them in on her experience during evaluation.

    She remembered Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s every word. She was not ipetent. She still had opportunities to work harder with time on her side.

    Song Wenye and the other girls were in shock. ¡°He said all of that?¡±

    Was this the same unapproachable Mr. Yun Xiao who behaved like he was all that and merely told every single trainee to keep it up?

    Ye Weiyang nodded, as though instilling confidence. ¡°I will do my best not to let you or thepany down.¡±

    Song Wenye gave the rest a look, quietly inquiring them of their opinion.

    Ji Jingran and the girls werepletely baffled. The idea that the lofty Mr. Yun Xiao, who gave zero care to anything, would offer such encouraging words was jaw-dropping.

    During the past week, there were talks among the trainees that Mr. Yun Xiao was sent by theirpany, Cosmos Entertainment. The other trainees even tried to verify the news with them.

    The girls were kept in the dark about the whole thing. As newly signed trainees to thepany, the girls would not be privy to confidential information discussed among thepany¡¯s top-level management.

    They only had little information to work on. This person was unheard of in the entertainment world, nor was his name listed in the list of Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s high-ranking personnel. It was as though Mr. Yun appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about that.¡± Liu Qianyu assumed the worst. ¡°If Mr. Yun Xiao can¡¯t do the job, we should take the time out to help Yangyang.¡±

    The rest liked the idea.

    In the end, Ji Jingyan, as the eldest and most dependable, made the call. ¡°If Group F¡¯s going to be dropped, Qianyu and I will help Yangyang with her vocals while you three would teach her to dance.¡±

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Song Wenye raised both her hands in consensus.

    ¡°But a team challenge ising next.¡± Tong Kejun was not that optimistic. ¡°What about Yangyang¡¯s teammates?¡±

    ¡°We can guide them all if her teammates are willing.¡± Ji Jingran uttered without a second thought.

    The girls concurred. Not ones to be selfish, they were willing to share and guide others without having the fear to be outshined by their students.

    The presence of more brilliantpetitors would only keep these girls on their toes, giving them the push they need to excel. Of course, this was built on the premise that the girls had confidence in themselves.

    It was all positive vibes around the girls, now that they had found a solution.

    The other girls in Group F were singing the blues with their future looking bleak because their mentor was going to be Yun Xiao.

    Soon.

    The mentors entered the room.

    Following their evaluations, the trainees lined up ording to their ratings.

    Group F¡¯s trainees looked at the other groups¡¯ mentors with envy. The girls who were picked to join the show had something to be cocky about.

    This cockiness was lost in the face of other outstanding and diligent trainees. Their confidence waspletely shattered after the first round of evaluation, forcing them to recognize where they stood.

    Initially, these girls thought they might be able to turn things around with the help of a great and responsible mentor. Even if they were not able to make their debut, it would take them one step closer to kick-starting their career in showbiz.

    Nevertheless, as if that was not enough, Mr. Yun Xiao was assigned to their group instead. Some of them had simply given up hope.

    Gu Yang, the girl-group producer was first to speak. He gave a pep talk to motivate the trainees to work hard, pour in sweat and tears to push themselves so they would shine on the main stage.

    Those standing here had a chance to debut and be the top girl group in China as long as they poured the work into it.

    Feeling the drive, the other groups were fired up as they responded enthusiastically to him. These were beautiful and proud girls in their prime. Who would not want to be the next superstar?

    In contrast, Group F had their heads hung low, feeling down in the dumps as though thepetition had nothing to do with them. They had given up.

    Ye Weiyang and a handful of girls were the exceptions. Their eyes sparkled with hope as they stared at Gu Yang. However, their enthusiasm was met with eye rolls by other trainees.

    Heh.

    Why bother when there was no hope left? They should just save themselves and everyone the trouble by packing their bags ready.

    After Gu Yang¡¯s motivational speech, the other mentors began with the introduction and pep talk in their respective groups.

    Since Group A was the best group around, Fang Yao, the mentor in charge, came up with a slogan in the lines that every member would debut. This group was best qualified to carry such a slogan.

    Not to be outdone, Group B, following the lead of He Sumo, proimed that they were going to rise above Group A and rece them all.

    Group C carried on the momentum, putting Group B out of the picture by chanting they were going to better themselves and debut front and center. Led by Su Muyan, they brought the house down with their ardor.

    Comparatively, Group D kept a low profile. Under the leadership of Xia Mi, they shouted they would work harder to push the limit so no regret was left behind in thepetition.

    Then came Group F¡¯s turn.

    Shen Xi looked at them before calmly saying, ¡°Go for it.¡±

    Group F could pass out and die on the spot. F*ck. What was the meaning of this? Even if they were abandoned and left in the cold, Yun Xiao should not blow them off. At the very least, he shoulde up with some sort of slogan.

    They believed that must not be all. Mr. Yun Xiao had spoken longer sentences during the evaluation. His words of wisdom were to keep up with the work.

    Yes, he must have something more to say.

    The girls waited and waited. No, that was it.. It really was just ¡°Go for it.¡±

 Chapter 466 - An Appalling Hot Mess

    <h4>Chapter 466: An Appalling Hot Mess</h4>

    The other groups tried to keep a straight face fromughing, looking at Group F as though they were a joke. However, Group F¡¯s mentor was the biggest joke of them all.

    Nevertheless, the groups could not show it in their faces in the presence of so many people and cameras. Fans would not take it too well if their misbehavior was broadcasted.

    The host was still waiting. What kind of pep talk was this? There was no need to be so standoffish. A short slogan like that would not cut it.

    While the mentors, members, and host were waiting anxiously, the chief director, Su Botao was having a cheery chat with the head scriptwriter. ¡°Yun Xiao has a knack for variety shows.¡±

    Yun Xiao may not say much, but undeniably, he was the center of attention. All eyes were drawn to him every time he opened his mouth.

    More than having a knack, he was made for variety shows!

    The head scriptwriter climbed his way to the top in showbiz together with Su Botao. As the other half of Su Botao¡¯s dynamic duo, he knew what was going on in Su Botao¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯d make the show more exciting and worth watching if he would lead Group F to turn the tide.¡±

    As the heads of the production crew got into what makes a good TV show, the host awkwardly changed the topic since he could not get Mr. Yun Xiao to talk. ¡°Mentors, please take your students to the studios.¡±

    Group F plunged into deep despair. The girls made up their minds to just roll over and y dead as they dragged their feet to follow behind their mentor. Some of them could not resist rolling their eyes at their mentor.

    The head scriptwriter was tickled pink by the sight. ¡°The mentor of Group F is not doing anything to boost morale while the students are just letting themselves go. It feels like something big is going toe up.¡±

    Had Yun Xiao a few more words to motivate Group F, the members would not be in such low spirits. It was already hard enough for them to be assigned to Group F but to get an indifferent mentor only made things worse. The double whammy probably left them with nothing to live for. By now, the girls must have packed their bags and one foot out the door.

    Packed their bags? One foot out the door?

    Not for now.

    Group F members recognized their level ofpetence. Resigned to their fate, they were ready to ept whatever the oue was, but they were not going to give up on their own ord. Nothing could be worse than what it already was.

    Walking ahead was Group C¡¯s mentor, Su Muyan. By the corner of his eye, he was feeling smug as he peered at Shen Xi in the back.

    Yun Xiao was such a disgrace. Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s leaders were dumb to send this person here. A good-for-nothing mentor and ipetent students were a match made in heaven.

    Group A was leading the pack in front. Su Ruowan and He Lu quietly looked back at Shen Xi while expressing their contempt towards her in secret.

    It was not so much He Lu since she was the third student to be assigned to Group A.

    Su Ruowan, on the other hand, held a grudge against Shen Xi. Shen Xi¡¯s objection left Su Ruowan hanging for two hours before it was decided she was going into Group A.

    How could a piece of trash do this to her? Well, Su Ruowan could not wait for Shen Xi to make a fool of herself. Was she not afraid to be exposed as nothing but a fraud?

    Every group went to their respective studio.

    Starting from today, trainees had four days to practice National Idol¡¯s theme song before the second evaluation.

    Group F walked into the studio, looking all beaten down. Their mentor shut the door to the studio with a bang, nearly hitting the cameraman who was trailing behind in the face.

    The girls froze in shock. That was unexpected!

    Shen Xi observed the cheerful girls and said, ¡°Those who want to be out on the first round,e forward.¡±

    Rage overtook the girls. Even those who decided to roll over and y dead had their tempers. No one in their right mind was going to quit aftering so far.

    It simply never urred to them that despite how great they thought they were, there was always going to be someone better than them out there.

    ¡°Dance.¡± Shen Xi pointed at the girl on the far left. ¡°We¡¯ll start from you. Show me your best dance moves.¡±

    The girls were thrown into a daze by Shen Xi¡¯s intention. However, no one had the nerve to fly in the face of a mentor. They could only do so in their minds.

    From left to right, the eighteen girls of Group F did a short dance.

    At first, a few nervously waited for a review. They still carried the hope that Mr. Yun Xiao may be a dark horse, instead of being a fraud as rumored.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Yun Xiao kept a poker face and watched them dance one by one without saying a word. Fury tempted the girls to quit and demand a new mentor from the production crew.

    They might be tempted but still, no one had the guts!

    Thest person to dance was Ye Weiyang. Different from the rest of the group, she revered and was grateful towards Mr. Yun Xiao because of what he said to her. Presently, she looked at Mr. Yun Xiao with expectant eyes.

    Ignoring her, Shen Xi swept a nce at the row of disgruntled girls and gave an overall assessment. ¡°An appalling hot mess.¡±

    These words stirred outrage among the girls, crushing theirst bit of dignity. They were not newbies when it came to dancing, so to be called out like that by an amateur was intolerable!

    The rumors must be true. What kind of assessment was that? Mr. Yun Xiao was just fishing in troubled waters. If he was any good, he should prove it to them then!

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry we fail miserably. Please teach us your ways, Mr. Yun.¡± A bold girl stood out.

    Shen Xi nced at her name tag ¨C Han Yan. Her punk-style behavior was quite simr to Song Wenye. She curled her lips, ¡°Before I can teach you, you must first watch the video to the theme song a hundred times.¡±

    A hundred times!

    These words threw the girls for another loop. No one was capable of pulling themselves together at this point. This mentor was messing around with them.

    There was only one thing on everyone¡¯s mind ¨C Mr. Yun Xiao was ying them. He would be teaching them the dance and correcting their mistakes if he was serious about being their mentor.

    Only Ye Weiyang remained trusting towards Mr. Yun Xiao, neither challenging nor questioning.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to watch if you don¡¯t want to. Anyone who can depict the dance urately after watching it once does not need a hundred times.¡± Shen Xi gazed at them aloofly.

    The girls clenched their fists while trying to hold back the urge to beat Mr. Yun up. They must curb their anger and not act on impulse.

    This mentor was getting on their nerves. Why would they be here if they could copy the dance after watching it once? Even Group A members would not be able to depict the dance urately just by watching the video once!

    It was an outrageous request by Mr. Yun!

    However, what could they do about it? The girls¡¯ only choice was to bear with it.

    ¡°Can you do it after going through the video once, Mr. Yun Xiao?¡± As the leader among the trainees, Han Yan the punk stepped out to question.

 Chapter 467 - Mr. Xixi

    <h4>Chapter 467: Mr. Xixi</h4>

    Without paying attention to Han Yan, Shen Xi insisted. ¡°For today¡¯s task, you are to watch the video to the theme song a hundred times!¡±

    Shen Xi then took off.

    That was right.

    She left.

    The girls stared at one another, at a loss of what to do.

    The mentor was gone!

    Even if Mr. Yun Xiao was only a mentor by name, he was still their mentor at the end of the day. What were they supposed to do without him?

    Should they really do as they were told, which was to watch the video of the theme song a hundred times?

    Seeing red, Han Yan stomped her foot. As a high schooler who was proud by nature, Han Yan was paralyzed toe across such a situation, especially when she was met with a room full of using eyes. She red in retaliation and sulked. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him to go.¡±

    Why did she get the feeling that they were ming her for driving Mr. Yun Xiao away? She was only asking a question in everyone¡¯s mind. What did she do wrong?

    This mentor did not deserve the time of her day, but Han Yan could not just call it quits. She nned to stick around to see what the hell Mr. Yun Xiao was up to!

    The most level-headed of them all was surprisingly Ye Weiyang. She walked up to the cameraman, who was still in shock, and politely asked, ¡°How are we going to watch the theme song music video?¡±

    The cameraman had no clue all the same!

    There was also an apanying writer on-site working on coordination and script. However, there was no such thing as a script when it came to Shen Xi ¨C the master of winging it. With nothing much to do on her hands, the writer gave Ye Weiyang the information she needed.

    Each studio was equipped with aputer and projector, but the theme song music video would have to wait until it was delivered.

    Ye Weiyang fiddled around with theputer and projector, trying to get it to work. The nearby trainees spectated without offering any help.

    The writer went on to assist the collected and sensible girl. As someone who had seen it all, the writer had a hard time making any sense out of Mr. Yun Xiao, and yet the girl was able to keep a clear head.

    She had nevere upon such a situation throughout her writing career.

    Mr. Yun Xiao was not exactly unountable since he did assign a task which was to study the music video a hundred times.

    Nevertheless, no responsible person in their right mind would simply do just that. If it were ording to their script, he should be getting a feel of the students¡¯ capacity and watch the music video together before breaking the dance moves down for them.

    The rumors were likely true. Mr. Yun Xiao was not a professional who could sing and dance. Hence, the reason why he could not coach the trainees.

    The person delivering the music video was Gu Yang. The trainees were looking at him as if he was their savior. Puzzled by their mentor¡¯s absence, Gu Yang inquired, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Yun Xiao?¡±

    The trainees saw hope atst. However, they had their own intentions in mind. Despite having an ax to grind, no one was going to badmouth Mr. Yun Xiao behind his back while the camera was rolling.

    ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s gone.¡± Han Yan was the first toe forward.

    ¡°Where to?¡± Gu Yang ensued with another question.

    Han Yan shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡±

    Refusing to go into detail, Han Yan stepped back and stood with the other trainees as she did not want all eyes to be on her. Gu Yang had no choice but to ask the cameraman.

    The cameraman briefed him on the earlier incident.

    Gu Yang was puzzled by Yun Xiao¡¯s arrangement. Still, he handed the music video over to the girls and said, ¡°Keep to Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s assignment and watch the music video.¡±

    He would like to help these poor girls who were abandoned, but at the end of the day, he was not their mentor. Gu Yang was also cautious in nature. He did not want to step on any toes by getting involved before understanding where the other party wasing from.

    The trainees muttered among themselves, wanting to call Gu Yang back and ask him how they should go about with practice. s, no one had the courage to speak up. In the end, they stood by and watched Gu Yang leave as their hearts sank to the pit of their stomachs.

    Ye Weiyang had clicked on the music video to y. The title of the theme song, Invincible Youth, appeared dead center on the screen.

    The crestfallen trainees looked as though they were given a death sentence. Crying in their beer, they spiritlessly watched the screen.

    There was a deafening silence as if all hope was lost.

    ¡°Jesus Christ! Mr. Xixi! Mr. Xixi wrote andposed this song!¡±

    Someone eximed in surprise as though they discovered the eighth wonder of the world.

    The screams caught the attention of the other distracted girls. With another shriek echoing in the room, the trainees discussed the matter at length in disbelief.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the songwriting, but the choreography is also done by Mr. Xixi!¡±

    ¡°Is this really the same Mr. Xixi? Are you sure this is that mysterious talentedposer? Oh my gawd! Many big names in the music scene are begging him to write a song for them. Even Mr. Gu Yangmented to the media that he couldn¡¯t meet with Mr. Xixi. It¡¯s incredible the production crew got an in!¡±

    ¡°Bravo to the production crew, but don¡¯t you forget that Mr. Xixi is from Cosmos Entertainment. Isn¡¯t the sponsor of the show Cosmos Entertainment?¡±

    ¡°Still, that¡¯s impressive of the production team. Why must Cosmos Entertainment put Yun Xiao into the show instead of Mr. Xixi?¡±

    The girls turned it down when talking about Yun Xiao. After the initial joy and excitement, despair started to seep in.

    The person dancing in the music video was Gu Yang. The sleek dance moves, paired with those good looks and that golden-ratioed figure, were just pure visual delight.

    Although it was a girl-group dance, the choreography spoke of dynamic and limitless vigor. This was a dance not limited to any gender.

    It had a catchy tune, passionate lyrics, and all the right dance moves. The music video was pure perfection with everythinging together.

    Gu Yang may be the one dancing and singing in the video, but everyone knew the true hero behind the video wasposer and choreographer, Xixi.

    Mr. Xixi was a genius, be it musicposition or dance choreography. There was no question about it.

    The dance and song were beyond wless, but Group F had nothing to be happy about. A cloud of gloom surrounded these trainees as they mourned for their uing destiny.

    They were not going to be a part of this great piece of art. With Yun Xiao as their mentor, these trainees were destined to be eliminated in the first round.

    As tension filled the studio with dead silence and despair, everyone appeared dejected, having lost all hope and direction.

 Chapter 468 - Phenomenal

    <h4>Chapter 468: Phenomenal</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The only exception was Ye Weiyang.

    She quietly and earnestly watched the music video, analyzing Gu Yang¡¯s every move and every line to the song. Ye Weiyang stayed away from the discussion among the other trainees. Her eyes lit up with hope and aspiration.

    Nevertheless, no one took notice of her as their attention was now on the song and choreography. Instead of turning off the chattering, they simply turned down the volume.

    The topic of discussion went from the theme song to their mentor, Yun Xiao. Nearly every trainee shared the view that Mr. Yun Xiao was way out of line to leave them running around like headless chickens. It was totally irresponsible on his part.

    Group F was surprised by the caliber of the theme song, but so were the other groups.

    The theme song was never disclosed beforehand, and even the mentors were kept in the dark, excluding Gu Yang who participated in the production of the theme song, of course.

    Group D.

    The trainees enthusiastically watched the music video while murmuring in the background about the dance, music, lyrics, and Mr. Xixi. Everybody still found the whole thing unbelievable.

    This was Mr. Xixi they were talking about, the ¡°Mr. Xixi¡± who turned down many superstars who were begging for a coboration.

    To date, Mr. Xixi only wrote three title tracks for Qi Xiu, and each single was a hit. It went viral across the country.

    Even right now, the songs were garnering views exceeding the hundred-millionth mark on YouTube. It seemed to be picking momentum to make waves globally.

    The megastars of China¡¯s music scene approved of Mr. Xixi¡¯s talent, pinning their hopes on him to bring the local music industry to great heights.

    They were honored to be singing to Mr. Xixi¡¯s song and dancing to his choreography on the main stage.

    At the back of the studio stood two individuals side by side. They were Xia Mi and Gu Yang.

    Xia Mi smiled at Gu Yang. ¡°You sure kept it under wraps. I guess you got what you wanted and coborated with Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Gu Yang was between tears andughter. ¡°You should know that this was not the coboration I have in mind.¡±

    Sure, he managed to coborate with Mr. Xixi, but he was hoping Mr. Xixi would write him a song for his new album.

    Clear on that matter, Xia Mi asked, ¡°Have you met Mr. Xixi?¡±

    ¡°If even the other megastars don¡¯t get to meet him, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have the privilege.¡± Gu Yang turned serious. ¡°What do you think about the dance?¡±

    Xia Mi answered with an equally serious attitude, ¡°It¡¯s great. I don¡¯t think I can choreograph a better dance. It¡¯s a brilliant piece.¡±

    Dance was her forte, but Mr. Xixi was on a higher level than her.

    Gu Yang grinned. ¡°He¡¯s just amazing.¡±

    Xia Mi nodded in agreement. ¡°Phenomenal! This person is just out of this world. He¡¯s so phenomenal! Jeez, he¡¯s cutting me out of my work! How can ordinary people like me survive in this line of work?¡±

    Gu Yang gave noment and threw her a look of disdain. If she was ordinary, what were the real ordinary people surviving on?

    Xia Mi watched the video and asserted, ¡°You portrayed the dance well.¡±

    She was overwhelmed with the desire to meet Mr. Xixi. Who was this mysterious person? It was not like Xia Mi had nevere across an amazing choreographer before.

    Xia Mi may not have the knack for it, but perhaps her best friend, Guan Yue stood a chance against Mr. Xixi.

    Group C¡¯s studio.

    Su Muyan sat at the back of the room, hiding half his body in the shadows. Muscles tensed across his glowering face as jealousy and resentment overtook every inch of his body.

    He had been looking for Mr. Xixi for a long time, sparing no cost just to coborate with him. Yet, Mr. Xixi went on and teamed up with Gu Yang.

    Good for the production crew to get Mr. Xixi topose and choreograph. They managed to keep it a secret from everyone, including the mentors.

    However, why was the great opportunity given to Gu Yang instead? Was Su Muyan not good enough for them?

    When it came to dancing, there were no better mentors than Xia Mi.

    On singing, no one among the mentors could beat Su Muyan.

    Bymon sense, he should be working together with Xia Mi toplete the theme song. Yet, thework handed the deal to Gu Yang, leaving the singing and dancing to him. Was the production team looking down on him?

    Group B was also discussing the theme song. The trainees were over the moon that Mr. Xixiposed and choreographed the song. It was truly an honor to them!

    He Sumo also found out Mr. Xixi was the creator behind the theme song after watching the music video. Nevertheless, it did not take him long to figure the whole thing out.

    Although Cosmos Entertainment never confirmed the facts, many saw Mr. Xixi as part of Cosmos Entertainment. There was nothing to fuss about if he was writing the theme song when Cosmos Entertainment was the show¡¯s investor.

    The number of trainees plus a mentor in Group A came to a total of eight people. Fang Yao and the girls were itching to find out thetest gossip.

    Fang Yao was not much older than the trainees. She was only 23 years old and the oldest among the trainees was 20 years old. In private, she got along with the trainees like friends.

    ¡°Is Mr. Xixi really from yourpany?¡± Fang Yao looked at Song Wenye. On behalf of the vast number of trainees, she asked the question that was burning in everyone¡¯s mind.

    Song Wenye uttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen him in the agency. What about you guys?¡±

    Tong Kejun and Guan Rou expressed the same. Nevertheless, they had also just recently joined the agency. They probably never ran into him because it had only been less than a month since they signed with thepany. Mr. Xixi was so elusive.

    Also in Group A, Su Ruowan and He Lu held their tongues and kept quiet as they waited for an answer. Following the girls¡¯ reply, they mumbled to themselves.

    Those who aspired to have a career in showbiz would know who Xixi was. He was a geniusposer who turned the entertainment business upside down and shot rookie singer, Qi Xiu, to stardom.

    He Lu whispered to Su Ruowan. ¡°Wanwan, I¡¯m sure Muyan will be able to meet Mr. Xixi!¡±

    Su Ruowan smiled and murmured back into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but Muyan had been looking to coborate with Xixi.¡±

    He Lu did not hide the envy in her tone. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure your brother will coborate with Mr. Xixi. With the connections and influence your parents hold, everything shoulde easy.¡±

    Su Ruowan simply smiled.

    He Lu threw in another question. ¡°I read in the gossips that Mr. Xixi once sought your brother before he released his album. Is that true?¡±

    A reliable source revealed that Mr. Xixi had hideous looks and appeared to be a drug addict.

    ¡°It¡¯s just gossip.¡± Su Ruowan gave a vague answer.

    So what if Mr. Xixi went to look for Muyan and so what if he did not? Muyan was merely a loser who did not seize the opportunity.

    Nevertheless, she was not going to follow in his footsteps. Starting from now, Su Ruowan would grow stronger, popr, and viral until she was at the peak of the entertainment world. Everyone would be begging to work with her then.

    Mr. Xixi would be no different!

 Chapter 469 - Humiliate Himself

    <h4>Chapter 469: Humiliate Himself</h4>

    Compared to the other group¡¯s exhration, Group F was feeling the heat. Even if they were anxious and angry, what could they do about it?

    Their mentor took off after telling them to watch the theme song music video a hundred times. They were not in the position to express their displeasure and resentment. The production crew did not seem to care either.

    They hadpletely given up. Judging by the crushing brutal and bitter cold treatment they received, they were basically sacrificed by the show.

    The music video yed on repeat on the big screen, but no one could be bothered to watch. Their eyes may be on the screen, but their minds were elsewhere. Soon, unrest came creeping in.

    Han Yan took a look at the time and noticed it was dinner time. She stood up and pped her hands. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner. Let¡¯s go or we¡¯ll miss the dinner service.¡±

    The trainees got up and walked to the door when they realized someone was still engrossed in the video. They called out to her. ¡°Hey, grub time.¡±

    They knew who that girl was. She was the substitute trainee who arrived just today. The girls initially thought she was apetent contestant, but as it turned out, she was at the bottom of the barrel like the rest of them. The girl was probably dragged here to make up for the numbers.

    Nevertheless, she seemed to take Mr. Yun Xiao seriously, heeding his orders to watch the music video a hundred times. She was a blockhead to actually do that.

    Why should they put trust in that man?

    They had never heard of any dance that could be learned just by watching it. It was merely an excuse to brush them off. Only a fool would believe him.

    Ye Weiyang looked back and smiled meekly at them before answering softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You guys go ahead.¡±

    The girls in Group F were not close to her. They only asked Ye Weiyang to join them because they were in the same boat. Since she turned down their offer, they did not stay behind or say more.

    In a matter of a day, these abandoned girls swiftly united and went to the canteen as a group, having found amon ground. They were in the same Group F and had a beyond ridiculous mentor.

    News of Group F¡¯s mentor Yun Xiao beingpletely ipetent, ditching Group F, and running off quickly had reached everyone¡¯s ears. People were discussing it.

    As Group F members walked out of their studio, trainees of the same dorm and close friends who were waiting at the door pulled them aside to get further information.

    Having caught wind, Song Wenye and the rest gathered and went to look for Ye Weiyang. They found her in the studiopletely fixated on the huge screen.

    ¡°Yangyang,¡± Song Wenye cried. ¡°Time to eat.¡±

    Ye Weiyang turned around and smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m not going. Could you grab me an egg and a bottle of milk?¡±

    Song Wenye drew close. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    Ye Weiyang shook her head. ¡°I need to lose weight. You guys are skinny while I¡¯m so fat. I won¡¯t look good on camera.¡±

    Song Wenye took a seat by her and pinched her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re not fat. Your baby fat is adorable. Tell me the name of the b*stard who called you fat. I¡¯m going to get even with them.¡±

    Ye Weiyang might be shy and self-conscious, but she was not stupid. With many stealing a peek at her, she kept a smile on her face. ¡°No one said it. I think I¡¯m fat.¡±

    Refusing toment further on that note, Song Wenye changed the topic. ¡°What did your mentor get you to do?¡±

    Ye Weiyang pointed at the screen. ¡°Watch the music video a hundred times.¡±

    Song Wenye could lose it. She knew Group F¡¯s mentor ditched them, but she had no idea they were told to watch the video. ¡°And?¡±

    Ye Weiyang replied, ¡°Just that. I¡¯ve watched it thirty-five times. Only sixty-five left to go.¡±

    At a loss for words, Song Wenye turned to the others.

    Tong Kejun cleared her throat. ¡°With regards to studying the music video, I guess it depends on how you see it. To a certain extent, you¡¯d be able to see some sort of improvement. It¡¯s like practicing a dance a hundred or even a thousand times. By then, you¡¯d have the reflexes to imitate the moves.¡±

    Guan Rou concurred. ¡°But you can¡¯t just look with your eyes when ites to dancing. You need to practice.¡±

    Ji Jingyan and Liu Qianyu indicated they were unsure about the matter. However, a mentor who merely left an instruction to watch the video a hundred times before taking off seemed rather irresponsible.

    Ye Weiyang insisted on skipping dinner and proceeded to watch the music video.

    Out of ideas, Song Wenye and the rest urged once more before rushing to the cafeteria.

    The cafeteria was swamped with every group. Most of them stuck together with their dormmates.

    The other groups were sharing excitedly about their afternoon training with their mentors. It was rather unpleasant for Group F to be around these people. The other group¡¯s happy experience, inparison to theirs, was a stab in their heart.

    Yun Xiao, who assigned the task and left Group F¡¯s studio, showed up on time for the food. In fact, he was the first to arrive at the cafeteria.

    He had begun eating by the time the rest came along. While the crowd dumbfoundedly watched on, Group F was tearing into him in their minds.

    Yun Xiao had no time to stay in the studio and guide them, but he showed no slowing down in filling his tummy!

    The few mentors had picked up on Group F¡¯s situation. Nevertheless, the production team had not scheduled the mentors to teach other groups. Since it was a one-on-one session between the mentor in charge and their own trainees, it was not their ce to meddle.

    They got their food and exchanged a nce before approaching Yun Xiao. With the shoot still taking ce, who knew what would be released after editing?

    If the viewer saw him eating alone, they might think the mentors singled him out. It would look bad on them.

    Su Muyan was always the one to take initiative. He took a seat and smiled at Shen Xi before asking, ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, what did you do in the afternoon?¡±

    Heh. The loser could have at least tried to look professional. He was only humiliating himself by ditching the trainees.

    Shen Xi deliberately arrived early for dinner just to avoid them. She really did not want to face the moron, Su Muyan. Without lifting her chin, she replied, ¡°Watching a video.¡±

    The trainees were studying the video, so was she. Shen Xi analyzed every single trainee through their videos to customize individual training ns.

    Su Muyan nearly blurted to ask if Shen Xi had learned the theme song after watching it a hundred times. Nevertheless, he held it together. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, what do you think about the theme song Mr. Xixi made for the show?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Great.¡±

    Feeling that he got the edge, Su Muyan kept up the pace. ¡°Oh. What¡¯s great about it?¡±

    He was going to tear Yun Xiao¡¯s fa?ade apart and force him to reveal his true colors. What did he know about taste? Could he even give a straight answer?

 Chapter 470 - Drifting Further and Further Away

    <h4>Chapter 470: Drifting Further and Further Away</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The other nearby mentors were feeling awkward for Shen Xi. At the same time, they found Su Muyan¡¯s behavior tasteless.

    Despite knowing that Yun Xiao knew nothing, Su Muyan chose to put him on the spot and make him look bad. Did Su Muyan think he was all that? Well, so much for good character.

    It was as expected.

    The question came as no surprise to Shen Xi. She calmly replied, ¡°Everything.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, you sure know how to keep it short.¡± Su Muyan chuckled, thinking he had won. Yet, there was something off about it.

    For the people who got where they were today, they were not ones to be messed with. Between Su Muyan who initiated the talk and the aloof man of few words, Yun Xiao, it appeared like Su Muyan was doing a one-man show in the other mentors¡¯ eyes.

    It dawned on them that Su Muyan carried himself like an idiot. He got in Yun Xiao¡¯s face and felt smug about it even though thetter brushed him off.

    Shen Xi kept mums.

    The other mentors interacted and talked about the practice in the afternoon, asking Shen Xi¡¯s opinion at times. Shen Xi would nod or hum a single syble response.

    After dinner, the mentors headed towards their studios to check on the students.

    As the mentors parted ways, Gu Yang stared at Shen Xi who was moving towards the lift instead. In the end, he could not resist the urge to stop her. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, aren¡¯t you going to the studio to check the students¡¯ progress?¡±

    For once, Shen Xi showed respect by returning a nce. She answered, ¡°I¡¯m checking on the videos.¡±

    Gu Yang, ¡°¡­¡±

    Yun Xiao was not the easiest person to talk with. Had it not been an earlier incident when Yun Xiao spoke a lot to that Ye Weiyang girl during evaluation, Gu Yang would have thought he hadmunication issues.

    Instead of throwing out the usual biting remarks, Su Muyan coldly scoffed to himself. Check the videos? What videos were Yun Xiao watching? The way Yun Xiao was blowing off work was ridiculous!

    Su Muyan foresaw the TV ratings going down and Yun Xiao drowning in public rage if the production crew released his footage without editing.

    He relished that thought! Su Muyan sincerely hoped Yun Xiao would keep up the attitude so that fans would boycott Cosmos Entertainment.

    The trainees had a structured routine with meals and practice evenly spread out.

    The training ended at nine o¡¯clock at night. Nevertheless, no one was stopped from extending the practice on their own.

    The mentor could not be there twenty-four-seven to keep watch over the trainees. Thest to leave the trainees was Gu Yang. He left at eight o¡¯clock.

    The other trainees kept going until nine o¡¯clock. Some left while others added time to their clock.

    Fed up, Group F whined all the way. Novelty could push them to watch the music video around ten times, but more than that, no greater dance, song, or Mr. Gu Yang¡¯s handsome face could stop their patience from wearing thin.

    People were leaving one after another midway. They were using their actions to reflect their displeasure and protest against Mr. Yun Xiao and the production crew.

    By the time the clock struck nine, there were only a handful remaining.

    Song Wenye and the lot practiced an additional half an hour before looking for Ye Weiyang. Thetter refused to return to the dorm until she was done watching the video a hundred times. Left without a choice, the girls headed back.

    Han Yan and Ye Weiyang were the only ones left at ten o¡¯clock.

    Han Yan counted, and it came out at the right amount ¨C one hundred times. She nced at the girl at hand who was waiting for the music video toe on the next loop. Han Yan told her, ¡°We hit a hundred times.¡±

    Han Yan could not care less what other people did. However, she would stillplete the task assigned by the mentor despite her discontent.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stay a little longer.¡± Ye Weiyang looked at her with smiley eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep mepany.¡±

    The girl was ttering herself to think that Han Yan was going to apany her. Han Yan got up and stretched. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t stay up toote.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Ye Weiyang nodded with a smile.

    Han Yan gazed at the little softie. Yes, the girl looked soft, especially those round meaty cheeks. Han Yan was tempted to pinch those cheeks. Ye Weiyang was a cute girl, always keeping a smile on her face towards everyone. Han Yan sat down and watched with her a couple of times before letting curiosity get the better of her. ¡°You see something?¡±

    Ye Weiyang shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Han Yan was rendered speechless. She looked at the time and it was half-past ten. Han Yan could not stay any longer or else she would not be able to get up for tomorrow¡¯s training.

    Tomorrow?

    She smiled bitterly.

    Was there a tomorrow for them after being assigned such an irresponsible mentor?

    It only sprung to Han Yan¡¯s mind that the girl named Ye Weiyang was her dormmate when she reached the dorm.

    She hadpletely forgotten that their original dormmate fell ill and dropped out. Since Ye Weiyang was the recement, she would be, of course, sharing the room with her.

    At present, Ye Weiyang¡¯s suitcase was still lying on her bed. Han Yan could tell that Ye Weiyang came in a hurry and did not have time to unpack.

    It was eleven o¡¯clock at night.

    Shen Xi was finally done with getting all the details sorted and had a sense of Group F¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. Since she decided to be a mentor, she would do her due diligence.

    While she was stretching, she noticed the message notification on her phone blinking. She tapped and found a message from Li Yuan.

    [Li Yuan: Are you done with work? I¡¯m in the castle opposite.]

    Shen Xi picked up her jacket while rushing out and texting at the same time. [Shen Xi: Are you still there?]

    Godd*mnit! She left the phone on the bed when she returned to her room earlier. Li Yuan¡¯s text was sent an hour ago.

    After Shen Xi sent the text, a reply was heard in a split second. [Li Yuan: Yes.]

    Shen Xi heaved a sigh of relief. Grabbing her phone tight in her arms, she texted back before making a bolt to the lift. [Shen Xi: I¡¯ming down now.]

    She managed to get the message delivered just as the doors to the lift were closing. Great, at least she did not have to worry about not having a signal in the lift.

    A Rolls Royce was parked right across the castle.

    Shen Xi drew close to the car as the door opened.

    Li Yuan observed the young girl panting. Her cheeks were flushed red from all the running. Li Yuan waited until Shen Xi got into the car before asking, ¡°Are you that busy?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t have my phone with me. It was in the pocket of my jacket and left on the bed. Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°I was afraid you were busy.¡±

    Shen Xi solemnly gazed at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡±

    Nothing was ever busy enough to take her time away with him.

    Li Yuan handed her a cup of bubble tea. His voice reflected delight and care. ¡°Is all well with the shoot?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Not too bad.¡±

    It was already quitete. Li Yuan came over to say goodbye to her. Shen Xi had to remain here for three days while he had to fly to the capital tonight for an important meeting tomorrow. He wanted to meet with her prior to his departure.

    Shen Xi sipped on the bubble tea and enjoyed a piece of cake while rying to him her day. She then turned to him and said in a serious tone, ¡°Li Yuan, I think I¡¯m going to be a huge sensation.¡±

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to enter showbiz?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°You can¡¯t stop people from bing a hit. I think I might be more popr than the debuting winners.¡±

    Li Yuanughed. ¡°You¡¯re already a hit, Mr. Xixi, Ms. Cai Ni, Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    His fairdy was too modest. What was her definition of poprity? She had already made it big. Other celebrities considered themselves popr by having a huge following.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, was sought after by celebrities, directors, and influential forces.

    She had to agree after a second thought, but then it was also something to fret about. ¡°But I¡¯d only be more popr after this.¡±

    Even fortune could not stop her from bing a worldwide sensation. The celebrities of her age should thank Shen Xi for not going into showbiz. Otherwise, they had no means to survive in the entertainment business while Shen Xi was on the roll.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s voice bore obvious delight. His eyes spoke of his doting towards her.

    Shen Xi went on to chatter about every single detail in her life.

    Li Yuan enjoyed listening to her. His fairdy appeared rather excited today, having a lot to talk about. It was not until Kun Lun reminded him of the time that Li Yuan noticed it was midnight. Even though he was reluctant to part, he could not keep her for long. ¡°Xixi, go and get some rest. You have a shoot tomorrow.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at the time. Her eyes gloomed with disappointment. Time went by in a sh, and before she realized it, it was already twelve. She nodded. ¡°Li Yuan, don¡¯t forget to call me once you¡¯re home.¡±

    Li Yuan uttered. ¡°I¡¯ll text you.¡±

    It would be four in the morning when he got back to the capital. She would be sound asleep, so phoning would only wake her.

    Shen Xi gave it a thought before humming in acknowledgment. She longingly gazed at him. ¡°I should head up. Be careful on the road and stay safe.¡±

    ¡°Sleep tight.¡± Li Yuan urged as the girl opened the car door and bade him farewell. She left without looking back.

    She took a piece of his heart when she took off. How could she walk away without taking another look at him?

    For some reason, Shen Xi felt a lump in her throat and her eyes swelled. She did not have the guts to look back. They had never been apart for so long ever since their trip to United M to examine Mama Fu. The days spent together seemed to have be a habit.

    Yet now, she was about to be away from him. The sense of longing was tearing her up inside. Picking up that the car was driving away, Shen Xi mustered up enough courage to look back. She waited until he could not see her before dashing to the roadside to watch the car cruise away.

    Li Yuan turned back, and through the rear-view mirror, he clearly saw the girl rushing to the roadside.

    Her figure was so tiny as she stood under a tree by the road. The lonesome shadow appeared rather forlorn. He was both relieved and sorry to witness her so.

    The car steadily cruised along, drifting further and further away until it disappeared out of sight.

    Shen Xi could no longer see the car.

    Li Yuan could no longer see her.

    Shen Xi returned to the set to find Group F¡¯s studio brightly lit. Finding it odd, she nced around and found amotion inside the room.. Hence, she advanced towards the source of the noise.

 Chapter 471 - A Legendary but Short Life

    <h4>Chapter 471: A Legendary but Short Life</h4>

    While it was brightly lit along the corridor, the lights were out in the studios situated on both sides.

    The quiet hallway gave way to the noiseing from Group F¡¯s studio. Someone was dancing.

    Shen Xi went up and gently pushed the door. The girl in the studio was earnestly yet clumsily trying to keep up the pace with Gu Yang on the big screen.

    It was unclear how long she had been practicing. Sweat was slipping off her soaked hair, past her flushed cheeks, and all the way down to the floor beneath her feet.

    The sight of the girl brought Shen Xi back to her previous life when Shen Xi first saw her on TV. She was a well-behaved and shy young girl.

    Ye Weiyang had always been this way,ing across as gentle, sensible, and kind. However, the girl on stage was a different side to her. She was a queen who poured her life and soul to shine on stage.

    It had been proven that this was the case. She debuted at neen and rose to fame with a single hit song a yearter. Ye Weiyang fought through obstacles, earning awards and titles in China¡¯s Music Hall of Fame as she conquered China and then the world. She was the pride of China for winning the greatest honor in music ¨C a Grammy. She single-handedly put China on the map in the music scene.

    s, her life ended at the tender age of 23, left frozen in time on that fateful cold snowy night.

    That was right.

    Shemitted suicide.

    At 23, she was at the peak of her singing career. Everyone believed she would be China¡¯s brightest star, taking local music to great heights.

    Nevertheless, she died. Ye Weiyang suffocated herself by burning charcoal in an unventted room. She donated all her estate and posthumous royalties from concerts to the Society of Mental Health Care, a local charity.

    Two months before the suicide, she signed up to donate her organs. Ye Weiyang may have departed this world in the cruelest way to herself, but she left behind thest kindness to the world and those who needed it.

    No one thought the meek and sensible girl in front of the media, the girl with the sweetest smile, the girl with tremendous stage presence, was gued by depression.

    She fought a vigorous battle with the Reaper until the day she could not take it anymore and made the tough decision of ending her life. Before she did the deed, Ye Weiyang had everything set,pleted all her tours, and organized herst concert.

    It never urred to anyone that the concert was herst farewell. Her fans went mad while everyone who had ever crossed paths with hermented over her death.

    A year after her death, someone managed to dig out her past struggles.

    Her mom passed away when she was three. Her dad remarried but her stepmother was unkind to her. The constant verbal and physical abuse from her stepmother was the reason why Ye Weiyang was shy andcked self-confidence.

    By the age of eighteen, she was working as a personal shopper in a mall when she was discovered by her manager, Xiao Xinjie, and thus began her legendary yet short life.

    Everyone said she had Xiao Xinjie to thank for, but it waster found out that the so-called talent scout was the culprit who pushed her off the cliff and into oblivion.

    During the time, Ye Weiyang had dropped out of school since her stepmother refused to pay for the tuition fees. She was driven out of her home to work. However, as a kid who did not know better, she was coaxed to sign a ¡°very contract¡± with Xiao Xinjie.

    From the time she debuted until the day she left the world, Ye Weiyang only received the minimum wage of ten thousand yuan a month. This ridiculous number was a p in the face to the hottest superstar.

    The truth came to light when her will surfaced following the donation of her assets and copyrights. A global megastar with China at the tip of her fingers merely had fifty thousand yuan in inheritance.

    Out of the songs she wrote, Ye Weiyang only had the copyrights to three songs.

    She was so exceptional and brilliant that everyone was captivated by her talent, radiance, and cheerful outlook to notice her broken heart.

    Thud.

    The loud sound in the studio disrupted Shen Xi¡¯s train of thoughts. She looked over to find the girl on the ground swiftly picking herself up. With a resolute look on her face, Ye Weiyang kept up with the beat and continued dancing.

    ¡°Go and get some rest. You can pick it back up tomorrow.¡± Shen Xi pushed the door open and approached her.

    It gave Ye Weiyang a scare. She lifted her chin and nervously gazed at Shen Xi before blurting, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±

    Ye Weiyang must have developed the habit of apologizing from a young age. Regardless of who was at fault, she would me herself.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Ye Weiyang cautiously nced at Shen Xi as nervousness tightened her chest. It took a while before she answered, ¡°I danced horribly.¡±

    She blew it again.

    How foolish of her to think she could do anything right.

    ¡°Work on it then. No one aces everything they do on the first try.¡± Shen Xi looked into her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for putting in the effort.¡±

    Shen Xi could not imagine the demeaning and belittling treatment the child went through to think so low about herself.

    Ye Weiyang was taken aback for a moment. By the time she lifted her head, her eyes were filled to the brim with tears while her grateful voice was shaky. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    Shen Xi drew close and picked up the remote to rey the music video. She turned to Ye Weiyang. ¡°Do you have the strength to dance one more time?¡±

    All of Ye Weiyang¡¯s nerves were reced by joy and thrill as she nodded. ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shen Xi gave a nod, gesturing for her to begin.

    Ye Weiyang embarrassedly gazed at her. Like a misbehaved child, she hung her head low and whispered, ¡°I dance to a 0.25x speed.¡±

    She was not bright enough to keep up to Mr. Gu Yang¡¯s pace, even at the slowest speed.

    As though she heard nothing, Shen Xi hit y.

    The music video started ying.

    With no guts to say anything more, Ye Weiyang focused intently on the video since she could not afford even a second of distraction. Following Gu Yang¡¯s rhythm in the video, she danced clumsily.

    In the beginning, her body movements appeared stiff probably because she felt the pressure with Shen Xi watching her. Nevertheless, she quickly found the rhythm and kept to the beat, albeit the movements were not quite there.

    Shen Xi watched keenly. The child may not have good groundwork, but her body was flexible. She did well to learn up to this point.

    With her heart at her throat, Ye Weiyang anxiously looked at Shen Xi, waiting for the verdict.

    Instead of talking about the dance, Shen Xi was curious about something. ¡°How many times have you watched?¡±

    Although it was not the assessment she was waiting for, Ye Weiyang replied obediently, ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself.¡±

    Han Yan was the one who told her they reached a hundred times. She never did count since she began the practice.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Shen Xi ensued with another question.

    ¡°I can clearly identify the dance moves in my mind when my limbs are not responding the same way.¡± Ye Weiyang revealed her true thoughts.

    She knew the routine well, but it could not be tranted into her movement.

    ¡°Seeing and dancing are two separate things. You can¡¯t expect to know the dance right away. It takes constant practice.¡± Shen Xi looked at her. ¡°Dance with me this once, and then go straight to bed.¡±

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s eyes lit up as she incessantly bobbed her head. The invitation to dance together kept echoing in her ear.

    Everyone said Mr. Yun Xiao was a loser who did not know music or dance, but Ye Weiyang had a different view.

    Shen Xi turned off the music video. There was no need to watch other people¡¯s demonstrations when she choreographed the dance herself. She turned and nced at Ye Weiyang. ¡°Do you know how to sing the theme song?¡±

    Ye Weiyang excitedly nodded her head. ¡°Yes.¡±

    It usually took her listening to a song once or twice to get a hang of it. Having listened countless times to this song, it was already stuck in her head.

    The studio.

    Shen Xi took Ye Weiyang through the dance at an appropriate speed.

    Ye Weiyang showed no signs of slowing down despite juggling between dancing and singing. Other people would have copsed from the amount of training.

    The door to the studio.

    Han Yan¡¯s jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

    Mr. Yun Xiao was¡­ dancing!

    Mr. Yun Xiao danced!

    Han Yan had a bit of background in dancing. Although she was not a professional, she could distinguish between an amateur and a pro. She was certain that Mr. Yun Xiao was not just a dancer but a highly trained dancer.

    The song came to an end.

    Shen Xi suddenly turned to the door and said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Hiding behind the door, Han Yan had not gotten over the shock. Caught by Shen Xi, Han Yan was in two minds to run off or enter the studio. After giving much thought, she pushed the door open and went in. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Yun Xiao. I came by to check on Ye Weiyang since she hasn¡¯t returned to the dorms.¡±

    She got up to go to the loo when she realized Ye Weiyang was still not back. She came by the studio to look for Ye Weiyang only to find Mr. Yun Xiao was there too.

    Moreover, Han Yan stumbled upon a big secret. Mr. Yun Xiao, who they thought was irresponsible and knew nothing about dance, was nothing as they had imagined.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Out of habit, Ye Weiyang uttered.

    Han Yan felt embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re friends after all.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at them and solemnly said, ¡°Get back to bed.¡±

    With that, she turned to leave.

    Han Yan mustered up the courage to call her. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    Shen Xi stopped in her tracks.

    Han Yan was caught tongue-tied for a moment before shouting at the top of her lungs. ¡°I watched the theme song a hundred times!¡±

    She had no idea why these words slipped her mouth, but right now, she was at a loss for words.

    Truth be told, Han Yan saw Mr. Yun Xiao going into the studio and overheard the conversation between him and Ye Weiyang. She knew then the instruction to watch the music video a hundred times was not to mess with them.

    ¡°Keep up the good work.¡± Shen Xi then took off.

    Han Yan, ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 472 - Bring Down Group F

    <h4>Chapter 472: Bring Down Group F</h4>

    It was very much like Mr. Yun Xiao to give such a response.

    The next day.

    It was yet another gloomy day for Group F. Soon, it would be the end of the road for them. There was going to be another evaluation for a redistribution of groups.

    Then, it was the qualifying round. They were likely to be the firsts to be out of the running, and it was all thanks to the culprit, Mr. Yun Xiao.

    If they had another mentor, they probably still had the courage to put in ast-ditch effort and fight until the end.

    Nevertheless, this mentor took away thest bit of fight in them.

    Not to mention, they had girl-to-girl talk with the other trainees in the dorms after practice and the other girls boasted how their mentors were responsible and nice to encourage and cheer them on. Group F had nothing to add to that.

    The members of Group F had not had a good night¡¯s sleep, haunted by the injustice and nightmares of elimination. They did not want to be told to pack their bags and leave.

    During breakfast, Group F backed out on sitting with their dormmates and sat with each other instead. They could not take another talk about today¡¯s training andpliments of others¡¯ mentors. The agony was too much for their already anguished souls.

    Afterst night¡¯s encounter, Han Yan became a lot closer to Ye Weiyang.

    Han Yan was an easy-going and frank character. She took Ye Weiyang to the cafeteria since thetter had not been to the cafeteria yesterday. Han Yan even waited for Ye Weiyang who gave way to everyone else to freshen up before washing up herself.

    ¡°Here, Yangyang.¡± Song Wenye and the rest had been there for a while. She waved for Ye Weiyang and her friend toe over.

    The lot exchanged greetings before digging into their meals.

    Nothing could stop Song Wenye, the chatterbox was talking. Furious for Ye Weiyang¡¯s sake, she began talking about Mr. Yun Xiao in a hushed tone in case someone else was listening. ¡°What has Mr. Yun Xiao arranged for you today?¡±

    Ye Weiyang shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s blood pressure would rise at the thought of Mr. Yun Xiao. Standing up for her friend, she bitterlymented, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s going to be another day of free activity. No offense, but Mr. Yun Xiao is way out of line. No one would go this far. Why act like a know-it-all and put other people¡¯s careers on the line?¡±

    Behind her, Mr. Yun Xiao was treading slowly with a serving tray in hand.

    Sitting opposite her, Liu Qianyu tipped her the wink.

    Tong Kejun secretly gave her a kick in the leg under the table.

    Looking rather awkward, Ye Weiyang was tempted to remind Song Wenye. Her face turned red as she broke out in cold sweat.

    Song Wenye looked at them strangely while proceeding with her rant. ¡°What are you doing? Am I wrong? He¡¯s only pretending to know all the answers and hamstringing the trainees. This person is not to be called a mentor. You might be afraid of him, but I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Yun Xiao.¡± Ye Weiyang stood up abruptly, effectively interrupting Song Wenye from finishing her sentence. She embarrassedly gazed at the person in front of her, speechlessly.

    The rest politely got on their feet and greeted the mentor.

    Song Wenye was the only person who nced at Shen Xi and scoffed. Still, she stood up unwillingly and greeted apathetically after Ji Jingyan nudged her. Song Wenye used her actions to demonstrate her indignation.

    Shen Xi nodded at them in greeting and gave no reaction to Song Wenye¡¯s taunts. She brushed past them aloofly.

    With eyes sparkling fury, Song Wenye clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. What was with that attitude?!

    Shen Xi had walked off a distance, and by the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Song Wenye looking daggers at her. She sighed helplessly to herself.

    Song Wenye could never change her habit of sticking up against injustice!

    ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao.¡± Gu Yang called out to Mr. Yun Xiao a short distance away.

    Shen Xi looked over and noticed the table for six near the window. However, Gu Yang was on his own. She approached him and nodded before taking a seat.

    Unable to enjoy his breakfast, Gu Yang had to ask. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, what do you have in store for the students today?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Dance.¡±

    Gu Yang could choke on his food.

    Responsible for the groups¡¯ coordination, Gu Yang was in charge ofmunicating with the mentors. It was straightforward with the mentors except for Mr. Yun Xiao who was a pain in the neck. ¡°I have quite a bit of time in my hands today so I can help you n the day out.¡±

    He had said it as clearly and subtly as best he could. Gu Yang hoped the other party could read between the lines and understand where he wasing from.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi answered before unhurriedly eating her breakfast.

    Believing that Mr. Yun Xiao got the picture, Gu Yang could breathe a sigh of relief. He would be stumped if today had the same arrangement as yesterday.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you when I¡¯m not around,¡± Shen Xi added.

    Gu Yang emotionally welled up to hear aplete sentence from Mr. Yun Xiao. He nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Yun Xiao. I¡¯m d to be of any help.¡±

    No further conversation was held after the initial exchange.

    ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, Mr. Gu Yang.¡± Su Muyan brought his breakfast over and sat across from Shen Xi. He pretended to show concern. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, what¡¯s your arrangement for the group today? Are you still going to be watching the music video?¡±

    It was clear he took a jab at Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi entertained his question for a change. She calmly responded, ¡°Dance.¡±

    Su Muyan smiled without saying a word. Yet again, he was stumped for words. Su Muyan smirked inside, wondering when Mr. Yun Xiao was going to let up with all the pretense.

    Soon, the other mentors arrived one after another. They were most intrigued by Mr. Yun Xiao. Of course, their intention was not to wait for Mr. Yun Xiao to make a fool of himself, but they were interested to know what he would be up to today.

    The production crew had chatted with them separately, requesting that they help out and look after Group F if Mr. Yun Xiao had nothing nned for today.

    It was practice time after breakfast.

    The floor where the studios were located had a lift on each end of the corridor. Some of the imprudent trainees from other groups would intentionally take the lift near Group F¡¯s studio and walk past their studio to get a goodugh out of Group F and Mr. Yun Xiao.

    The weakest trainees, paired with the weakest mentor, stood no chance against them in the next evaluation! They did not even have to put in the effort. Even God was on their side!

    The happiest among the trainees were Group D and C. They did not have to worry about others outshining and forcing them out of their groups. They prayed and wished Mr. Yun Xiao would keep it up and bring down Group F along with him.

 Chapter 473 - Ace?

    <h4>Chapter 473: Ace?</h4>

    Group A had also formed their little clique. The other two members apart from Tong Kejun, Song Wenye, and Guan Rou were pulled to join Su Ruowan and He Lu¡¯s clique.

    These two girls were dragged by Su Ruowan and He Lu to take the lift down and walk by Group F¡¯s studio. They were curious about Group F¡¯s situation. By coincidence, they ran into Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Su Ruowan was first to greet him with a gentle smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at her with a poker face and nodded.

    He Lu said hello together with the other girls. As a chatty person with a huge sense of superiority, He Lu confidently walked up to him and said, ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, I heard you¡¯re really good at dancing. I was wondering if you could offer me some advice about the dance?¡±

    Shen Xi refused point-nk. ¡°I¡¯m not your mentor.¡±

    He Lu was only sounding Mr. Yun Xiao out for the kicks of it. Now, she was sure that Mr. Yun Xiao was nothing but a loser!

    Hehehe!

    He Lu could not wait for Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s rejection toe back and bite him!

    Su Ruowan scoffed to herself. Any riff-raff could boss around the ce with the benefit of pulling strings. Mr. Yun Xiao sure had a thick skin and no sense of tact.

    The other two girls made a futile attempt of covering their snickers with their hands as they watched Shen Xi enter Group F¡¯s studio. The girls walked along hand-in-hand with Su Ruowan and He Lu whileunching an idle talk in muted tones.

    ¡°So it¡¯s true that Mr. Yun Xiao doesn¡¯t know sh*t!¡±

    ¡°Group F has the worst luck! If I were them, I would quit thepetition before I embarrass myself on stage.¡±

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m not your mentor¡¯, hahaha! I would return to the dorm and pack my bags to get lost if he were my mentor.¡±

    Did Mr. Yun Xiao think he could fob off by saying he was not their mentor? No mentor would turn students down that way. Mr. Yun Xiao must be hiding the fact that he knew nothing, afraid to make a fool of himself.

    They were jibber-jabbering when they ran into Han Yan and Ye Weiyang.

    Group A¡¯s deed did not go unnoticed. Han Yan scoffed to hear them make a mockery out of her mentor. ¡°You guys really have a lot of time in your hands. Why don¡¯t you use it to work on your character instead?¡±

    He Lu was not one to be messed with. With color draining from her face, she stopped in her tracks. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    Su Ruowan nced at Han Yan and Ye Weiyang¡¯s name tags. She recognized Ye Weiyang who was in Group F. The other girl was also part of Group F. Were they out to defend their good-for-nothing mentor? These girls were quite loyal despite their mentor being nothing but a letdown to them.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that Mr. Yun Xiao doesn¡¯t know anything about dancing. He¡¯s simply unwilling to teach an uncultured backstabber who likes to gossip.¡± Han Yan disyed her ws.

    She was not trying to defend Mr. Yun Xiao. Han Yan did not take kindly to theseme *ss b*tches¡¯ insolence.

    He Lu saw red. ¡°Who are you calling uncultured? I¡¯m only telling it like it is. Also, I¡¯m merely pointing out what everyone knows.¡±

    ¡°Lulu.¡± Su Ruowan gave her a tug. With a crowd forming, she apologetically turned to Han Yan and Ye Weiyang. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It is all our fault.¡±

    She really did not want to be dragged into this by a brainless dimwit like He Lu. It would not be held against them if they kept it among themselves, but to bring it out in the open was a dumb move.

    Before Han Yan could say anything more, the lot who badmouthed Mr. Yun Xiao made a quick exit. She coldly snorted. ¡°Who are these people? I¡¯m ashamed to be their fellow trainee!¡±

    Ye Weiyang murmured, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Finding it strange, Han Yan nced at her. ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡±

    Ye Weiyang grinned. ¡°Thank you for standing up for Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    She wanted toe forward and refute them, but she was not a good enough talker to think of aeback. Han Yan rose to the asion.

    Mr. Yun Xiao was nothing like they said.

    The trainees belonging to Group F gradually arrived at the studio. Not knowing what to expect, they gazed at the person sitting and looking through a notebook. This person was their mentor, Mr. Yun Xiao.

    The weight of the dead silence in the studio was crushing. No one uttered a word as they waited to hear from Mr. Yun Xiao.

    The rm on Shen Xi¡¯s phone beeped. It was her eight o¡¯clock rm to remind her of the start of the training. She adjusted her phone to silent mode and came forth with her notebook in hand. Shen Xi looked at the trainees standing in a straight line and said, ¡°For those who watched the theme song music video a hundred times, please step out.¡±

    The girls hesitated for a moment and exchanged a nce beforeing forward in unison.

    Mr. Yun Xiao would never find out since he was not in the studio anyway. So what if they did not watch the video?

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°There are eight cameras in this room, recording your every moment. There are video proofs.¡±

    More than half of them withdrew in a jiffy. Those who stepped back hid their shame by lowering their flushed faces.

    Shen Xi observed the eight girls who stood out. Yes, there were only eight of them. She asked, ¡°Anyone who took the task seriously and watched a hundred times instead of doing it for the sake of doing it, please step out.¡±

    Another seven backed away.

    Only one was left standing.

    Han Yan.

    Han Yan looked to her left and right, but Ye Weiyang was not in sight. That was odd. She turned back and found Ye Weiyang backed up to thest row. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, I can testify that Ye Weiyang zealously watched a hundred times.¡±

    Why did she retreat?

    She was the mostmitted of the whole bunch.

    Shen Xu turned to Ye Weiyang. ¡°Why did you step back if you watched it?¡±

    Ye Weiyang hawed. ¡°I didn¡¯t watch it a hundred times.¡±

    Han Yan was dumbfounded. What was going on with this kid?

    Shen Xi reflected patience. ¡°How many times did you watch the video?¡±

    Ye Weiyang answered, ¡°A little over a hundred. I lost count.¡±

    Han Yan caught on atst. The girl was quite the stickler, fixating on the exact number.

    Shen Xi remarked, ¡°Anything more than a hundred is considered a hundred.¡±

    Finally getting the message, Ye Weiyang was abashed by her idiotic reaction. She emerged from the group and stood alongside Han Yan.

    The remaining trainees apprehensively waited to get an earful. They knew this was it as it never crossed their minds that their irresponsible mentor would check on them.

    What was it going to be? Was he going to give them a telling-off? Was he going to hold it against them for not following through with his instruction? He had no right to criticize them when Mr. Yun Xiao himself was not a perfect mentor.

    Amid the restlessness, they chewed out Mr. Yun Xiao in their minds. To their surprise, Mr. Yun Xiao reviewed their shortfalls and details to keep an eye on for the uing dance practice instead ofing down at them.

    He then closed the notebook with messy scribblings and pped his hands. ¡°If there¡¯s no further question, we shall begin with the practice.¡±

    Apart from Ye Weiyang who never dabbled in dancing, Group F members had more or less some experience. They were shocked by Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s detailed analysis.

    Mr. Yun Xiao was right on the money in every dissection. He pointed out the ws and shortfall of their dance, giving them quite a rude awakening.

    However, was Mr. Yun Xiao reading out an assessment done by a professional hired by the production crew, or was he truly an ace staying on the down-low?

 Chapter 474 - Turn the Tide

    <h4>Chapter 474: Turn the Tide</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Of course, you can choose to take a break if you want to be ousted in the first round.¡± Shen Xi added while staring at the skeptical-looking trainees.

    The trainees signed up to join the show and went through screening by the production team, not to be out in thepetition before it even began. It was everyone¡¯s dream to go into showbiz.

    Moreover, every dog had its day. They were only dejected and discouraged only because the production crew nned to sacrifice them by putting the irresponsible mentor first.

    The trainees felt the heat through Yun Xiao¡¯s words. Even if they were about to be eliminated and knocked out in the first round, they were going to make a grand exit and show the fans and mentors their hard work and improvement. They were not leaving with a tail between their legs.

    Standing in the forefront, Shen Xi led the dance. From the get-go, no one could take their eyes away from her suave movements that spoke of nothing but precision.

    Group F members had a trained eye to discern by the first move of his arm that Yun Xiao was skilled in this dance.

    Whatever the truth, be it ast-minute preparation on Yun Xiao¡¯s part, or a script arranged by the production crew, or maybe he was a professional dancer; the trainees were filled with hope and the will to fight, fully aware that they were not ditched by their mentor and the production team.

    As a qualified teacher, Shen Xi taught them the dance while breaking down the steps for them to get the gist. At the same time, she eyed every single person in the mirror and corrected their movements and mistakes.

    It dawned on Group F that Mr. Yun Xiao made aplicated dance appear rather simple.

    Mr. Yun Xiao might not say much, but every word that came out of his mouth was on point. Simr to the assessment he wrote about them in his notebook, Mr. Yun Xiao hit the nail on the head about his observation on them. They could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Yun Xiao was a strict teacher. He seemed to have eyes at the back of his head as he was able to keep an eye on every trainee and pick up on any slight mistake they made.

    At this point, they would be stupid to think Mr. Yun Xiao learned the dance at thest minute. He was definitely a highly trained dancer.

    Han Yan watched through the mirror everybody¡¯s expression going from skepticism to shock and trust, before pure admiration finally. Feeling that she was no longer alone in this whirlwind of emotions, Han Yan danced her heart out.

    Last night, she had the same exact expression when she saw Mr. Yun Xiao dancing.

    Ye Weiyang kept working hard on her dance. However, she was happy to see Group F approving of Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Gu Yang went to observe all the groups starting from Group A. There was nothing much to worry about in Group A and B, but Group C and D did take more of his time.

    Group C¡¯s mentor, Su Muyan was a singing idol and did not have a professional background in dancing while Group D¡¯s mentor, Xia Mi was a professional dancer but not a professional singer. Gu Yang would need to pay mind to these groups.

    Gu Yang arrived at Group F¡¯s studio an hourter. Pushing the door open, he was shocked to find Mr. Yun Xiao leading Group F in their dance practice.

    Mr. Yun Xiao turned out to be quite the dancer! Cosmos Entertainment did not send an amateur to the show. It was all their presumption.

    It was hard to tell where Mr. Yun Xiao stood proficiently in dancing. The dance to the theme song was choreographed with simple moves, considering the varyingpetency among trainees. It could not be identified how good of a dancer he was with the absence of difficult stunts.

    Nevertheless, as a professional, Gu Yang could tell Yun Xiao was a seasoned dancer. He was spot on when teaching and correcting the trainees.

    This level of supervision wasmon during one-on-one sessions, but to pick up a blunder in a group of eighteen took more than just skills, it also required a discerning eye. Not everyone was capable of doing so.

    Sure, Mr. Yun Xiao appeared to be a pro at dancing, but Gu Yang was far from being blown away. He could handle this level of supervision, and so could Xia Mi.

    The other three mentors were singers and not professional dancers. Such group supervision would take a toll on them.

    Half an hourter.

    Shen Xi called for a break.

    The trainees were so worn out that they sprawled on the ground. There was a sense of unity among the trainees as they took care of one another, offering towels to wipe away the sweat and water to quench the thirst.

    The current state of Mr. Yun Xiao was another blow to their pride. Ah, the effects ofpare and despair!

    Here they were dog-tired while Mr. Yun Xiao did not even stop to catch his breath despite executing the moves and guidance simultaneously. That was some amazing stamina and lung capacity he had!

    The group may be dead on their feet, but they were excited and gleeful in spirit. Instead of proving Mr. Yun Xiao wrong, they ended up eating their words. Well, at least they were in it together.

    These young girls chatted among themselves in hushed tones. Not ones to hold a grudge, they were now newly converted fans and *ss-kissers of Mr. Yun Xiao.

    The girls could finally hold their heads high. Well, they were going to show it to the other groups who looked down on Mr. Yun Xiao. They would be thest onesughing when the other groups found out Mr. Yun Xiao could dance.

    All talk was cheap at this point. Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s skills were enough to do all the talking. No one in Group F dared to challenge Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s credentials. What would it make of them if Mr. Yun Xiao was considered an amateur? They were trash inparison!

    Shen Xi opened a bottle of water and approached Gu Yang to nod in greeting.

    Having watched for quite a while, Gu Yang acknowledged Mr. Yun Xiao was good enough to lead Group F. He observed thetter¡¯s aloof demeanor and could not resist asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re a great dancer?¡±

    Shen Xi looked at him strangely. ¡°Is there a need to?¡±

    Gu Yang felt embarrassed. Yes, Mr. Yun Xiao was right. Was it necessary to mention that fact when action speaks louder than words? He cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s no need, Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    Mr. Yun Xiao never said he did not know how to dance. It was all their assumption. That was humiliating.

    ¡°It¡¯s half-past nine. Your turn.¡± Shen Xi reminded him.

    In the next hour, Mr. Gu Yang would be working on the trainees¡¯bination of vocals, dance, and rap.

    Gu Yang invited Mr. Yun Xiao. ¡°Join us!¡±

    Shen Xi leaned against a nearby chair. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Gu Yang smiled helplessly. ¡°¡­¡±

    What was there to say?

    There was no way to carry on the conversation with him!

    Chief director of the production team, Su Botao nestled in a corner of Group F¡¯s studio and hung out with the cameramen. He proudly boasted to his chief writer. ¡°I told you Mr. Yun Xiao can do it. I can read him a mile away!¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± The chief writer cleared his throat. A clear hint of disdain shed past his eyes.

    Ha. Su Botao agreed to let Mr. Yun Xiao take on Group F in the heat of the moment yesterday, and then came running to him in private, dreading and drowning in regret for two hours. Su Botao was afraid Mr. Yun Xiao would ruin the show.

    It was Su Muyan¡¯s turn to provide vocal training after Gu Yang¡¯s one-hour session.

    Su Muyan cheerfully greeted the person who was seated and fiddling on his phone. Hiding his contempt, he politely asked for Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s advice. ¡°If you have the time, why don¡¯t you head on to Group C and guide the kids on the dance.¡±

    Gu Yang found Su Muyan¡¯s attitude distasteful. Anyone could see that Su Muyan was trying to make Mr. Yun Xiao look bad. If Su Muyan thought he could get to Mr. Yun Xiao, he got another thinging.

    However, it was not just him, but all of them were greatly mistaken. This incident was a reminder to Gu Yang not to judge people through hearsay or have prejudice. Otherwise, he would be left to eat a humble pie.

    With star-struck eyes, the trainees of Group F held their breaths on Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s answer. This was a great opportunity. He should go there and bring it on!

    They wanted Mr. Yun Xiao to hurry to Group C and show those skeptical trainees who the boss was!

    Group F wished they could turn into Mr. Yun Xiao and throw those wise guys a curveball themselves. Oh, the thought of it put them on top of the world!

    The production team was equally eager as they screamed in their minds to usher Mr.. Yun Xiao to go. A program with scenes of turning the tide made good TV!

 Chapter 475 - Laying It on Thick

    <h4>Chapter 475: Laying It on Thick</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    However, Mr. Yun Xiao was someone whose mind could not be read.

    ¡°Group C is not on my schedule,¡± Shen Xiposedly retorted.

    Letting out a grin, Su Muyan held it together and retained an urbane front.

    Hmph! Not on his schedule? Mr. Yun Xiao sure knew how toe up with excuses. At least, he knew better than to embarrass himself.

    Nestled in a corner, Chief Director Su Botao yelled at the chief writer. ¡°Quick, put it on his schedule!¡±

    The chief writer acknowledged the request, but it was not like he could do anything to Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s timetable. The fact remained that he had no control over Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Group F saw thising. This was the real Mr. Yun Xiao. It would be weird if Mr. Yun Xiao was easily swayed.

    Su Muyan proceeded to conduct vocal training for Group F.

    Gu Yang¡¯s morning schedule had ended by then. Standing by Mr. Yun Xiao, he happened to nce at his mobile phone screen and was shocked.

    He was on a mobile game!

    It was a two-yer mobile game.

    He was typing while ying the game. Such nimble fingers!

    Ten minutes.

    Twenty minutes.

    Gu Yang stood there without the intention to leave. He watched Su Muyan and would check on Mr. Yun Xiao every now and then. Thetter was focused on his phone with his slender fingers never ceasing to dance on the screen.

    Shen Xi was ying thetest version of a mobile game which had an online messaging feature. The person who was ying the game with her was Li Yuan.

    Her in-game ID was ¡°I¡¯m No. 1¡± while Li Yuan¡¯s ID seemed to echo her statement ¨C ¡°Yes¡±.

    [Yes: It¡¯s been half an hour. Take a break.]

    [I¡¯m No. 1: One more round. It¡¯d be thest round.]

    Another half an hourter.

    [Yes: It¡¯s twelve.]

    [I¡¯m No.1: Just onest game!]

    [Yes: Onest time, and that¡¯s it.]

    Su Muyan¡¯s vocal training was over. It was time for lunch at twelve.

    The production team called for the break.

    Gu Yang looked at the person beside him who was still engrossed with his phone. Unable to see the fun in mobile games, Gu Yang cleared his throat. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, the morning training session is over.¡±

    Shen Xi responded and ended thest game. She sent a message. [I¡¯m No. 1: Li Yuan, I¡¯m going for my lunch now. You should too.]

    [Yes: Sure.]

    Acting like nothing ever happened, Shen Xi put away her phone and got up to leave.

    Group F, who was waiting on Mr. Yun Xiao to wrap up the session, exchanged a nce. They probably should not count on Mr. Yun Xiao to be as approachable and personable as the other mentors.

    Nevertheless, they felt the joy of being coached by different mentors. Finally, they were no longer cast-offs.

    By the end of the training, Group F swagged their walk and held their heads high, a contrast to yesterday¡¯s dejection as if they were forsaken by the world.

    Naturally, the other groups had to ask and take a dig at Mr. Yun Xiao. It went without saying, they had Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s back.

    These other trainees had better watch their tongues because their Mr. Yun Xiao was more than just a great dancer!

    The other groups were unconvinced without witnessing the truth themselves. Sure, Group F may say Mr. Yun Xiao knew the dance to the theme song, but anyone who put their heart into the dance would be able to do it.

    Most importantly, Group F wasying it on thick with Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s dancing skills. They were making it as though Mr. Yun Xiao was better than the other two mentors who were professional dancers, Mr. Gu Yang and Ms. Xia Mi.

    Xia Mi and the other mentors were intrigued by Group F¡¯s statement. Since it was clear Mr. Yun Xiao had shown them the ropes, the mentors were curious about his capability.

    Su Muyan did not chip in on the conversation because he could not care less. He had only picked up the tea from Group F that Mr. Yun Xiao could dance when he went there to coach on their vocals.

    It was only the theme song¡¯s dance. Any dummy could do it with just a bit of practice. What would the trainees know? Just because someone could dance, it did not mean they were good.

    Gu Yang gave it a thought before rying his opinion based on his observation. ¡°He¡¯s very professional and knows his stuff.¡±

    Fang Yao found it weird. ¡°Why was it said that he knew nothing about dancing?¡±

    He Sumo chimed in, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s not aware of the rumors. Why didn¡¯t he clear the air?¡±

    Xia Mi was not surprised, having figured that Yun Xiao was more than met the eyes.

    Su Muyan had a grave look on his face. For a professional like Gu Yang to give Mr. Yun Xiao the stamp of approval, was thetter really that good?

    Gu Yang¡¯s mind harked back to his conversation with Mr. Yun Xiao. Fancying the same pizazz as Mr. Yun Xiao, he faintly said, ¡°You don¡¯t tell people you can dance. You show them.¡±

    He then moved along with panache.

    Fang Yao had a funny feeling about it. She nced at Gu Yang¡¯s receding figure before turning to ask Xia Mi, ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a problem with him?¡±

    Xia Mi grinned. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao was merely not responding to the rumors. He never said he can¡¯t dance.¡±

    He Sumo shook his head andmented, ¡°Gu Yang changed.¡±

    Among the few, Su Muyan had the stinkiest look on his face due to Gu Yang¡¯s affirmation andmendation.

    If Yun Xiao was indeed adept in dancing, then Su Muyan¡¯s earlier behavior would make him look like a fool.

    Rage overtook every fiber of his being.

    Godd*mnit! How dare a rat sent by Cosmos Entertainment make a monkey out of him!

    ncing at Su Muyan, Xia Mi inquired, ¡°Mr. Su, weren¡¯t you at Group F¡¯s studio in the morning? What did you think about Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s dancing?¡±

    Su Muyan might be furious, but he was not going to show it on his face. He was on camera after all. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t get to watch Mr. Yun Xiao in action.¡±

    Fang Yao was dubious of Su Muyan. The guy had been trying to humiliate Mr. Yun Xiao at every chance he got since yesterday. She wondered what Su Muyan was feeling at this very moment.

    The mentors were not the only ones talking about Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao was also a much-discussed topic among the trainees.

    It never urred to He Lu that she would eat her words so soon. However, she would never admit to it.

    Han Yan did not expect to bump into the He Lu and her rude minions at the stairwell again. She turned to Ye Weiyang.. ¡°Yangyang, do you remember a certain somebody in the morning who imed that Mr. Yun Xiao doesn¡¯t know how to dance? Who was it again? I wonder if that somebody is feeling the burn right now?¡±

 Chapter 476 - Whatâ€™s Your Real Name

    <h4>Chapter 476: What¡¯s Your Real Name</h4>

    Not one to take insults sitting down, He Lu cockily turned to Han Yan. ¡°Oh, so Mr. Yun Xiao can dance to the theme song? So can we. Do you need us to teach you?¡±

    Standing beside He Lu, Su Ruowan gazed at her fellow trainee in embarrassment before tugging at her, ¡°Don¡¯t say so, Lulu. How can I match up to Mr. Yun Xiao?¡±

    ¡°You learned the dance after two tries,¡± He Lu proceeded to diss. ¡°How long did it take Mr. Yun Xiao to do so?¡±

    Wanwan was the best out of all the trainees in Group A with her ability to learn the dance after watching the music video only once. She was way better than the two buffoons which Cosmos Entertainment sought all the way from Country H.

    Song Wenye was not even worth the mention. She was learning the whole morning before finally getting the hang of it. Song Wenye was the dumbest in Group A. He Lu was sure something fishy was going on for Song Wenye to qualify into Group A.

    ¡°Our Mr. Yun Xiao¡­¡± Han Yan wanted to get another go at He Lu and was not willing to back down.

    Ye Weiyang pulled her aside and cut Han Yan off. She pointed to a direction and whispered, ¡°Mr. Gu Yang and the other mentors.¡±

    He Lu and Su Ruowan took notice as well. No one was brazened enough to carry on the bickering.

    The onlooking trainees were disappointed by the ceasefire. They were also curious about Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s dancing skills.

    The person in question had already made it to the cafeteria. Shen Xi snapped a picture of her lunch and sent it to Li Yuan. [Shen Xi: Four dishes and one soup. It tastes alright.¡±

    Li Yuan also sent her a photo of his lunch. [Li Yuan: Eat well.]

    Shen Xi found Li Yuan¡¯s lunch to be a bit nd. [Have some meat.]

    [Li Yuan: Have some greens.]

    Shen Xi buried her head in her phone. [Shen Xi: It¡¯d be perfect if we could mix our lunches.]

    One step behind Yun Xiao, Gu Yang walked into the cafeteria and caught sight of him. Yun Xiao was easy to spot by the window since he came ahead of time and was the only one in an empty cafeteria.

    Gu Yang thought he saw Yun Xiao smiling. Yes, he was, judging by the curling of his lips and crescent-shape eyes behind the mask.

    However, Yun Xiao resumed his usual aloofness after realizing another person¡¯s presence. Gu Yang began to doubt if he was seeing things.

    Shen Xi put her phone down on her right. By the sound of bustling footsteps at the cafeteria door, she knew the pack wasing.

    The mentors came in, got their food, and sat with her.

    The trainees stole a nce at Shen Xi. Whether they believed Group F¡¯s ims about Mr. Yun Xiao or not, the trainees wanted to see the truth for themselves.

    At first, they thought Group F would be sacrificialmbs since the production team assigned an irresponsible mentor to them. However, their mentor appeared to have risen to the asion, leading the formerlyid-back Group C and D to feel the weight of it all.

    Group A and B remained unperturbed as Group F was nopetition to them. Three days of training would not suddenly elevate Group F to their level.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was on Mr. Yun Xiao today. The mentors dropped by at one another¡¯s sses as they were free to go anywhere they pleased.

    The mentors went to observe Group F in the afternoon. While it came as nothing more than entertainment to the untrained eye, the experts saw the beauty behind the artistry. Fang Yao and He Sumo could tell that Yun Xiao was a good dancer, but that was it.

    The mentors were impressed by Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s keen perception. His eagle eye was able to catch on even the slightest mistake. Despite being veterans in the entertainment business, they were reminded of their teacher during their school years who could notice any minute foul y.

    Xia Mi, on the other hand, was well aware that not everyone was capable of doing the same. A person had to be highly perceptive to every dance move and had sufficient understanding of every student in order to reach that level of observation.

    If she had to ask herself, Xia Mi believed she could do it if she put every ounce of energy into it. However, it could be rather draining as concentration could not be let up at any point in time. In contrast, it appeared to be a child¡¯s y to Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Gu Yang asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Taking her hats off to Yun Xiao, Xia Mi gave the thumbs up. ¡°He¡¯s good. It¡¯s more than just him getting the basics down. I can¡¯t get to his level if I don¡¯t focus enough.¡±

    Gu Yang nodded. ¡°Me too.¡±

    They could only aplish what Yun Xiao was doing with maximum concentration. Yun Xiao was nothing short of impressive.

    ¡°You know a lot of people in Country H. Does anyone know Yun Xiao?¡± Xia Mi raised her doubt.

    There were only a handful of young men with top-notch dance skills in China. It was unlikely Yun Xiao was unheard of until now.

    ¡°No.¡± Gu Yang shook his head.

    He asked everyone he knew in China and Country H about Mr. Yun Xiao, but none of them had any information on him.

    Why was there little known about someone who was more than a great dancer.

    Apart from Gu Yang and Xia Mi, the rest were notpetent enough to discern the full extent of Yun Xiao¡¯s capability, let alone the trainees who came to sneak a peek.

    After returning to their own groups, the trainees chatted with their group mates and came to the conclusion that Yun Xiao was merely a good dancer. They were unconcerned as they had their own mentors. To them, Group F still did not pose a threat.

    Nevertheless, it was bad news to Group D. They felt the weight on their shoulders as Group F had found the fighting spirit to surpass them. At this rate, it would be their heads on the chopping board.

    Xia Mi had an hour with Group F in the afternoon. Mr. Yun Xiao was doing such a good job that she was afraid she might disrupt his pace if she butted in. Xia Mi decided that it was best to return to Group D.

    She was about to leave when a voice called her from behind. ¡°Ms. Xia Mi, you¡¯re up.¡±

    Xia Mi turned back and saw Mr. Yun Xiao approaching her. The young man was not even breathless after teaching for an hour. He was definitely in shape. Xia Mi looked Yun Xiao in the eye and said, ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, you should go in since you¡¯re already doing a great job.¡±

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Xia Mi choked at the simple and honest answer. Since Yun Xiao did not look the least bit tired, Xia Mi ensued with another question. ¡°Would I be disrupting your drift?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Xia Mi observed the trainees of which some were standing while others were sitting. Compared to Mr. Yun Xiao, they looked like a mess with those flushed cheeks and sweat-drenched clothes. Still, their shimmering hope-filled eyes rubbed off on her.

    These girls were working hard towards their dreams. What was her excuse not to do the same? She should bemitted to helping them.

    After the five-minute break, the practice resumed with Xia Mi.

    Xia Mi dared not let up. Matching Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s pace, Xia Mi taught the students the dance and pointed out their mistakes at the same time.

    She was doing okay at first, but the load was starting to get to her. There were times Xia Mi was unable to catch the details or was slow in guiding by a beat.

    Halfway through the session, it became too much for Xia Mi to take. To dance and point out mistakes at the same time was pushing her to the limit. It was mission impossible.

    She was overestimating herself when she made that earlier statement with Gu Yang. How did Yun Xiao retain high concentration for a whole hour? Xia Mi was tempted to ask out loud if Yun Xiao was human at all.

    Group F was puzzled by the sudden halt in practice. The confusion in their faces was as though they were asking why Xia Mi stopped.

    For a second, Xia Mi fell into the delusion that she was ipetent. However, on second thought, it had nothing to do with her inability but more with the fact that Yun Xiao had so much on the ball. Meeting the girls¡¯ prying eyes, Xia Mi wanted to tell them in their faces that only a monster could teach them to dance like that!

    The session did not strain the trainees aspared to their mentors since they were not required to watch every student in full focus. They only needed to watch themselves and the instructor. After a day of practice with Shen Xi, they were ustomed to her pace.

    The only thing they knew was that it was easy to learn the choreography with Mr. Yun Xiao. By right, Ms. Xia Mi should be more skilled than Mr. Yun Xiao as a dancer, and yet something did not feel right when they danced with her.

    ¡°Take five.¡± Xia Mi could not stand it any longer. She turned to nce at Mr. Yun Xiao, but thetter was absorbed on his phone. Did he not watch when she was teaching the students?

    The trainees were not burned out by the half-hour dancing. Still, they took the break as instructed. They sipped on their water and reflected how the afternoon session was a breezepared to when they started in the morning.

    Xia Mi took a seat next to Shen Xi and asked, ¡°How long have you been dancing, Mr. Yun Xiao?¡±

    Shen Xi did not think twice. ¡°Thirteen years.¡±

    Xia Mi guessed it right. Mr. Yun Xiao must have begun training as a child to reach the level that he was at now. She followed up with another question. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, is this your first time joining a show?¡±

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xia Mi sighed to herself. It was very much like Mr. Yun Xiao to only give a short answer to every question without contributing more. ¡°Have you ever performed at a grand-scale stage before?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Yes.¡±

    More question marks started popping in Xia Mi¡¯s head. She had never heard of a skilled dancer called Yun Xiao performing on a grand stage before. She pondered for a moment before inquiring, ¡°Is Yun Xiao your stage name?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xia Mi¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she blurted, ¡°What¡¯s your real name?¡±

 Chapter 477 - Second Evaluation

    <h4>Chapter 477: Second Evaluation</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Xia Mi then realized that she came off as abrupt with her question. Although she felt awkward about it, there was no way to take back what she had said.

    Shen Xi paused and looked ahead before talking about something else. ¡°Ms. Xia Mi, the break is over.¡±

    The reply came as no surprise to Xia Mi. Still, it was a pity she did not get an answer. Xia Mi smiled and got up to go.

    Who was he?

    Xia Mi went through all possible answers to match his identity in her mind. In the end, she concluded that Mr. Yun Xiao was likely as skillful as Guan Yue.

    Guan Yue was Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s student ¨C a renowned dancer in China and a future national treasure.

    Wait! There was one more person other than Guan Yue. Shen Xi!

    This name was not foreign in the world of dancing. Shen Xi represented Ms. Shu Baiyu to perform in Vienna at the end ofst year. Her huge sess on the Viennese stage caught the attention of many.

    It was said that she was most suited to follow Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s footsteps, and even Guan Yue thought so. Xia Mi had asked Guan Yue if Shen Xi was Ms. Shu¡¯s student, but Guan Yue never rified her question. Her silence probably implied that Shen Xi was.

    However, Shen Xi was a girl in her senior year. She was currently upied with the National College Entrance Examination.

    Xia Mi racked her brains but could not figure anyone else with such talent in China. There were not a lot of people in the world who were as skillful as Mr. Yun Xiao. At the end of the training session, Xia Mi swiftly asked Guan Yue and sent her a clip she secretly recorded.

    Guan Yue thought someone looked awfully familiar when she watched the clip. Others may not be able to tell, but she could see who it was. She sent a message to Shen Xi. [Guan Yue: Where are you?]

    Shen Xi was frank. [Shen Xi: In a show.]

    Guan Yue was unsure. [Guan Yue: National Idol?]

    [Shen Xi: Keep it hush-hush.]

    Guan Yue then replied to Xia Mi. [Guan Yue: I¡¯m not sure.]

    Xia Mi was not going to quit despite the answer. [Xia Mi: Can I ask a favor from you to check with Ms. Shu Baiyu?]

    [Guan Yue: My teacher won¡¯t know as many people as you do.]

    Xia Mi thought about it and had to agree. She was big on socializing and supposedly, would know anyone who was a somebody. In the end, Xia Mi lumped Mr. Yun Xiao as a recluse expert.

    The trainees, excluding Group F and Group D who were feeling the heat of losing their spot in thepetition, did not take to heart that Mr. Yun Xiao was skilled in dancing.

    Sure, Mr. Yun Xiao knew how to bust a move, but so did the rest of the mentors. Ms. Xia Mi and Mr. Gu Yang were better than he could ever be!

    The trainees had this impression because they were not skilled enough to witness the artistry behind Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s dancing.

    It was a different story with the mentors. Xia Mi and Gu Yang would get together to share thetest intel at every opportunity, but the oue was disappointing. They had nothing.

    One night after the training session, the girls of Group F stayed behind to work further on their performance. With hope and a great teacher, they decided to give it a shot regardless of the end result.

    Su Ruowan and He Lu also added half an hour to their training. They passed by Group F on the way back to the dorms and noticed that the trainees were still working on their moves. It was quite an eyesore to see Group F all over the ce with their dancing.

    He Lu tauntingly smiled while her eyes reflected contempt. ¡°So this is the result of Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s teaching. Now I¡¯ve seen everything.¡±

    Su Ruowan watched the trainees pping their arms in the studio. With dancing like that, Group F was delusional to think they could climb up in rating. She turned to He Lu and spoke softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Just leave them to their practice.¡±

    Other groups were curious about Group F¡¯s progress after being taught by the supposedly amazing Mr. Yun Xiao, but they quickly lost interest following the sighting. Even the tensed and intimidated Group D let out a sigh of relief.

    Soon, no one was bothered about Group F. Since their horrible performance was insignificant to pose any threat to them, the other groups could head back and rx.

    At the entrance to Group F¡¯s studio, one of Group F members looked to the left and right to ascertain no one was watching before returning to report. ¡°Han Yan, they¡¯re gone. Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Bobbing her head, Han Yan stepped out and pointed at the eight trainees on the left. She split the task with Ye Weiyang. ¡°Yangyang, we¡¯ll each take a team. You go to that side to lead them in dance.¡±

    Ye Weiyang was apprehensive as she had never been entrusted with a heavy responsibility. Nevertheless, she was able to muster the courage with multiple pairs of eyes looking up to her as though putting their hope on her. She gave a good nod.

    Group F was able to memorize the dance after a day of intense training. The only problem was their forgetfulness and less-than-suave dance moves when a teacher was not around to dance with them.

    The only two people in the group who did well were Ye Weiyang and Han Yan. Han Yan proposed that she and Ye Weiyang could help everyone out after Mr. Yun Xiao was done for the day.

    They could not be bothered to argue with the other trainees how good Mr. Yun Xiao was. Those people would still think nothing of Mr. Yun Xiao despite what they said.

    Group F reached a decision to use their actions to prove their point instead. They were not just going to let the other girls realize Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s awesomeness, but they would also give them a run for their money.

    As for the chicken-pping dance just now, it was a strategy that Han Yan adopted to confuse theirpetitions. Truth be told, even if it was not a tactic to confuse, Group F was no better than chickens pping their wings.

    Three days went by in a blink of an eye.

    All the trainees worked hard to improve the best they could in the span of three days. No one in their right mind would want to be stuck in square one, and to move one step closer and get into Group A was the way to go.

    The gossip about Group F and Mr. Yun Xiao died down by the second day. No one had the time and effort for idle talk if it could be better spent on practice.

    Hence, only less than a handful kept their eyes on Group F since that night. The logic was simple ¨C they would rather polish their skills than focus on thepetitions. There would be people checking Group F out while passing by once in a while, but they could not detect any major progress.

    The trainees may not know it, but the mentors do. Group F progressed by leaps and bounds. The girls were pumped up, tirelessly giving their all.

    It went without saying, the mentors were pleased with their advancement.

    The production crew coborated with Group F¡¯s collective initiative. It only made things more interesting when there were twists in the show. They told the mentors to keep mums about Group F from other groups.

    asionally, the girls from other groups woulde to keep tabs on Group F, but the production crew would be on the lookout to alert Group F.

    Three dayster, the second evaluation began at nine o¡¯clock sharp. The evaluation this time would decide which group was to perform right and center for the unveiling of the theme song. Group A who had the highest chance to be selected were eager to show their hand.

    The mentors of every group were mobilizing and cheering their students on before the evaluation.

    Group F became the oddball as they excitedly looked at Mr. Yun and shouted, ¡°Keep it up!¡± before he could utter his usual catchphrase.

    Shen Xi could not help but curl her lips. She switched it up by saying, ¡°You are all the best.¡±

    Group F turned teary by the rare encouragement. It had not been an easy road, but they finally heard the words they hoped for. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yun Xiao, you¡¯re also the best.¡±

    Curious by themotion, the other groups turned their heads to the source of the noise. They wondered what all the shouting was about.

    He Lu smirked in disdain. Was this a memorial service since they knew this was the end of the road? Well, at least they were sensible to know that.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s gaze fell on Mr. Yun Xiao. This person was Cosmos Entertainment¡¯sckey.. She could not wait to see how the sorry excuse group would fail.

 Chapter 478 - Take It Easy

    <h4>Chapter 478: Take It Easy</h4>

    Simr to the first evaluation, the order of appearance in the second evaluation would be decided by drawing lots.

    The production team, headed by Su Botao the chief director, waited enthusiastically for the evaluation, anticipating what would be of the ratings. Above all, they were most looking forward to whatever stunt Mr. Yun Xiao was going to pull in the evaluation.

    Outside the judging room, the trainees were a bundle of nerves, hoping they could do better for their performance this time. Everyone dreamed of advancing straight to Group A.

    Amid the nail-biting tension, the evaluation finally began.

    The trainees would be lying if they said they were not afraid or nervous. Group A, in particr, was on edge since the number of contestants in Group A was fixed. The failure of holding on to their seat woulde at the cost of being reced.

    As one who never knew what jitters were, Song Wenye started to get butterflies in her stomach. Still, she would never show it and went on tofort Ye Weiyang instead. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Yangyang. Isn¡¯t your favorite Mr. Yun Xiao in there too? Think of it as your normal practice and bring your A-game.¡±

    That was right.

    It was hard to say whether it was sheer luck or bad fortune, but Ye Weiyang drew the lot and was the first one up for the second evaluation.

    Cosmos Entertainment girls, together with Group F, gathered around her to cheer her on. Since Ye Weiyang was the youngest of them all, the girls showered her with love and care as older sisters would.

    Ye Weiyang had never felt so encouraged, pampered, and protected. She was touched and grateful for all the good they gave her.

    Since Han Yan pushed her to teach the others the dance to having been epted by the others, her shattered confidence seemed to have found its way back bit by bit.

    ¡°Yangyang, you can do it. You¡¯re the best.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass our Group F! Don¡¯t be scared. Take it easy and everything will be fine. We¡¯ll be right here waiting for you. You¡¯ll do good.¡±

    ¡°You can do it,e on!¡±

    Group F truly adored this soft-spoken and quiet girl with a sweet and warm smile. They were aware that she was introverted, self-conscious, and constantly apologizing, thinking she was never good enough.

    However, she was doing great. Ye Weiyang worked harder than anyone else and as a person who never dabbled in dance before, she was crushing it more than all of them. She had a gift, for sure!

    They did not carry much hope for themselves to debut. Sure, a person should have dreams, but most importantly, they must be sensible enough to know where they stand. Group F could probably survive a few rounds, but to fight for the seven debuting spots was mission impossible.

    ¡°I will do my best.¡± With eyes welling up, Ye Weiyang gratefully gazed at them and spoke in a raspy and soft voice, ¡°Thank you all.¡±

    She would never grow tired from listening to suchpliments and encouragement.

    Song Wenye and the rest were d to watch the scene unfold. They were most worried about Ye Weiyang being alone and isted in Group F. It was great that Ye Weiyang was getting along with Group F, more so than with them.

    It made sense though. They were part of the same group, they ate, slept, and practiced together. It would be weird if their rtionship did not blossom from there.

    The other trainees were with their respective groups. They found Group F distasteful for making a huge deal out of a mere appearance. Well, they shall wait and see how many out of Group F would make the cut, especially the substitute trainee named Ye Weiyang.

    It did not take long before the production crew was calling out numbers. First up was Ye Weiyang.

    Ye Weiyang took a deep breath to keep it together. With her nerves getting the better of her during the first evaluation, where she sang out of tune, now was the chance to redeem herself.

    The mentors had no idea about the order of appearance since the production team oversaw the drawing of lots and the production team had no ns to inform them.

    Just like the previous arrangement, Xia Mi sat beside Shen Xi. She looked at the girl walking up on stage as she tilted her head andmented, ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, you have a good eye.¡±

    Ye Weiyang was a promising kid at both singing and dancing. Her improvement could only be described in leaps and bounds, surprising the mentors every single day. Judging by her going from zero knowledge to today¡¯s breakthrough, Ye Weiyang was truly gifted.

    The kid was a talented contestant and born to be on stage with her voice, the moves, and that looks of hers.

    It went without saying Ye Weiyang could absolutely turn the tables in her favor. Xia Mi would bet on Ye Weiyang bing the trending topic of the show.

    Cosmos Entertainment had great insight on picking talents. The contestants from the agency could make it to showbiz on their own without needing to pull strings.

    Since the production team kept a close eye on Group F and Mr. Yun Xiao, they were familiar with Ye Weiyang too. They were beyond excited by the surprise Ye Weiyang would bring to the stage.

    What was the biggest surprise? It was the act of turning the tide. Viewers were in love with plot twists and character shields.

    The assessment this time was set on a grand stage under a radiant spotlight. Without a doubt, the pressure on rookies must be tremendous.

    The mentors sat behind the judging panel as they watched the girl standing on stage.

    Gu Yang said, ¡°You may begin.¡±

    Ye Weiyang was getting the jitters as she gasped for air standing in the vast stage far away from the mentors. Twiddling her fingers, she broke out in cold sweat. With mmy hands, she stuttered in her introduction. ¡°M-my¡­ My name is Ye Weiyang, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Take it easy.¡± Shen Xi was the first to speak in a calm and t tone.

    The production crew and mentors looked towards Mr. Yun Xiao in surprise. It never urred to them that he would be the first to talk.

    Mr. Yun Xiao thought highly of Ye Weiyang, and it was in to see from his actions during the first evaluation. It wasmon for mentors tofort contestants who they were optimistic about.

    Ye Weiyang loosened her tightly knitted fingers as though Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s words had soothing powers over her. Although still a little nervous, she was able to finish her introduction.

    The other mentors, except for Su Muyan, gave her a friendly smile. The chatty Fang Yao even gave her a hand gesture to hang in there.

    It bothered Su Muyan to the max. He simply could not stand the sight of anyone from Cosmos Entertainment, be it Yun Xiao or the trainees under Cosmos Entertainment.

 Chapter 479 - Kicked Out of Group A

    <h4>Chapter 479: Kicked Out of Group A</h4>

    Su Muyan was no stranger to Ye Weiyang. She had be the most promising student with great potential among the mentors.

    She had no experience in dancing yet managed to learn the theme song¡¯s dance in a day and master it in two days.

    Ye Weiyang had no prior vocal training but had a beautiful voice. With music theorying naturally to her, she was the fastest learner of the bunch. She was meant to be a performer.

    On stage.

    All the spotlights were focused on Ye Weiyang.

    The music yed.

    The girl on stage moved to the beat of the music. Her clear voice and bold dance moves radiated youthfulness, vibrance, and charm. In short, she was breathtaking.

    At this very moment, she was in total control of the stage.

    The mentors were in for a shock and treat. Ye Weiyang blew their minds away.

    As veterans in showbiz, they knew that everyone had their own distinguished stage presence and it was rarely a nature but rather nurtured through the massive amount of experiences on stage.

    Ye Weiyang seemed to be born with the stage presence. The contrast between her stage presence and her personality was the most extraordinary. No one would have thought a girl whose nerves got her tongue couldmand the stage.

    Shen Xi was more than pleased with the performance. She knew that Ye Weiyang¡¯s personality was theplete opposite of her stage presence. However, Shen Xi initially thought that Ye Weiyang¡¯s stage charisma was gradually refined through experience after her debut.

    After all, Shen Xi did not be Ye Weiyang¡¯s fan in the previous life and only knew about Ye Weiyang¡¯s existence. She could notpare Ye Weiyang¡¯s stage presence in the earlier andter stages since she had never attended Ye Weiyang¡¯s concerts.

    Nevertheless, Ye Weiyang was born to be a star judging by her charisma andmanding presence on stage. Only by standing on the stage under the spotlight could she unleash her charisma.

    The production team¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground as they stared at the stage in disbelief. The before-and-after contrast rocked them to the core.

    Su Botao the chief director bobbed his head, unable to hide the amazement in his eyes. He told his chief writer, ¡°Do you think this was Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s n all along? Did they arrange a persona for Ye Weiyang to go by?¡±

    He had to wonder because Ye Weiyang was timid and soft-spoken in private. Her dancing improved by leaps and bounds, and now she was sparkling on stage. What could it be if not a persona?

    ¡°A gift.¡± The chief writer gazed at the girl on stage and replied with a question. ¡°If a fifteen-year-old girl appearing on a show for the first time can y the persona set by herpany wlessly, I reckon she should go for acting. No doubt, she¡¯d be the queen of the silver screen.¡±

    The girl was a force to be reckoned with!

    Her stage presence and personal touch were eye-catching.

    Su Botao had to agree. Cosmos Entertainment had the major screenwriter, Cloud Seven, under their wing. If Ye Weiyang was a great actress, she had a better shot at going for an acting career than debuting in a girl group.

    The music ended.

    Ye Weiyang timidly caught her breath after the performance ended. She heaved heavily as she nervously gazed at the mentors across the room and waited for the verdict.

    ¡°Impressive.¡± Gu Yang had no words to describe the shock he was in. Without hesitation, he gave an A rating.

    Coming from a background as the main vocals and dancer of an idol group, Gu Yang knew that to both sing and dance in performance was hard enough, but to excel was even harder.

    Many singing and dancing groups would lip-sync during a performance with their microphones turned only on at convenient times. There were rarely groups that had their mics turned on the whole show. Gu Yang¡¯s group was a well-established boy band, so they sang live on each performance.

    Ye Weiyang could improve on drawing breath between songlines. They could pick up on her gasping and breathing when listened carefully. Nevertheless, she was pretty good for a rookie.

    Gu Yang would not say he was in a better state than she was now when he first made his debut.

    The other mentors rated Ye Weiyang an A in a heartbeat. What more could be said? She deserved an A after that stunning performance!

    The mentor with a lot on her mind was probably Fang Yao who oversaw Group A. Group A was the best of the best, and yet the only person who could sing and dance while giving a great performance like Ye Weiyang was Tong Kejun.

    Tong Kejun was a trainee in Country H for two years and nearly debuted in a girl group. Her talents aside, Country H was famed to produce idol groups who could sing and dance.

    In front of the judging room, time hung heavy on the hands of trainees who had no confidence in their abilities. They were anxiously fixated on the door, not knowing where the path would lead them. Would they be on the road of progress, would they remain stagnant, or would they fall in rank due to their poor performance?

    Those who were confident, like Group A, were cheerfully chatting away. The most unaffected were He Lu and Song Wenye¡¯s little cliques.

    He Lu had always looked down on Group F and the eyesore of them all was Ye Weiyang. She was friends with Song Wenye and had signed onto Cosmos Entertainment!

    ¡°She has been gone for a while. Don¡¯t tell me she wet her pants?¡± He Lu taunted. As if not enough, she put on a show. ¡°Sob sob sob. Mr. Yun Xiao, I¡¯m so scared.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I think that¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°That might not be the case. Maybe she¡¯s crippled by fear and can¡¯t walk, so she had to be carried out.¡±

    Apart from Su Ruowan, the other twockeys went along and made fun of Ye Weiyang. Since their exchange with Han Yan, they had it in for Han Yan and Ye Weiyang. They jinxed Ye Weiyang to fail hard.

    ¡°Lulu, don¡¯t say so,¡± Su Ruowan whispered.

    These girls were fools. What if the camera captured this scene?

    ¡°We¡¯re not wearing earpieces and mics. No one can hear us.¡± He Lu was unbothered. She was only speaking the truth. There was nothing more off-putting than Ye Weiyang, the cowering loser.

    The door was suddenly pushed open.

    Silence filled the air.

    Soon, an echo of gasps ensued.

    Everyone noticed the new nametag on Ye Weiyang. It was a big fat A.

    Su Ruowan, He Lu, and the other two Group A members pulled a sour look, unable to believe their eyes. A million thoughts went through their minds, but the primary concern remained that they must not be kicked out of Group A!

 Chapter 480 - The Truth Will Speak for Itself

    <h4>Chapter 480: The Truth Will Speak for Itself</h4>

    With Ye Weiyang out of the judging room, the trainees who were waiting for their turns were blinded by the A rating stuck on her.

    The youngest, most unpopr, invisible, and unnoticeable substitute trainee in Group F earned an A!?

    Song Wenye, her group, and Group F swiftly gathered around Ye Weiyang. The good news came too unexpectedly.

    Having done everything together for the past few days, Han Yan was close with Ye Weiyang. She excitedly embraced Ye Weiyang. ¡°Yangyang, I knew you could do it. You¡¯re the best!¡±

    Ye Weiyang went from F to A. This was a sheer reversal of fortune.

    The other girls in Group F were happy for Ye Weiyang to obtain an A. They were also envious of their talent but would never be jealous of the hard work she had put into it.

    Yangyang went from zilch in terms of dancing to getting the stamp of approval from mentors in three days with an A rating to show for. She gave it her all.

    Group F was over the moon for Ye Weiyang as though they acquired an A themselves.

    The other groups were overwhelmed by various emotions ¨C bitterness, jealousy, and dissatisfaction.

    Group A was the most apprehensive, afraid, and spiteful about the situation. With Ye Weiyang venturing into Group A, an original member of Group A would have to be demoted. No one wanted to be the one bumped out.

    He Lu and Su Ruowan had nothing to worry about since they had full confidence in their skills. The other two Group A members hated Ye Weiyang¡¯s guts.

    Who did she think she was? For a substitute trainee and a loser from Group F to be upgraded to an A, they suspected the mentors may have made a mistake.

    ¡°How can she possibly get an A?¡±

    ¡°She has the backing of Cosmos Entertainment. I¡¯m sure thepetition is fixed. The way I see it, we don¡¯t have topete since she¡¯s going to win thepetition anyway. Why bother putting in the effort? Can we beat her?¡±

    The pair spoke loud enough for those nearby to hear.

    They did not buy it. Why? All their efforts were overlooked just because Cosmos Entertainment was the investor who could decide the winner.

    In that case, where did the production team draw the line?

    It was a chaotic scene with the trainees huddled together. No one paid attention to who started it, but the rumors quickly spread like wildfire.

    Ye Weiyang was talentless, and the sponsor was behind pulling the strings. The fact that she was assigned to Group F just for show when in actuality, she was already predetermined as the winner.

    Song Wenye and the rest caught wind of the rumors. Furious, she clenched her teeth. ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s not like jealousy can push them to the top.¡±

    She wanted to get out there and talk some sense into them.

    Ye Weiyang pulled her back. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    There was no point changing what had already spread. It was not as though Ye Weiyang acquired the A through connections. The mentors said she made huge progress with a great performance. She also had the potential to grow.

    Ye Weiyang was so happy to receive such affirmations that these people¡¯s biting remarks could not get to her.

    Ji Jingyan murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t act on impulse. As long as we¡¯re innocent, the truth will speak for itself.¡±

    Song Wenye had to learn to watch her temper. It had been ten days since their arrival at the set. As trainees from Cosmos Entertainment, they had heard every cuss word in the book. To say they were pre-decided winners was actually putting it mildly.

    The best way to deal with these people was to bring it on and crush them with their capabilities, so they would shut the hell up!

    Ye Weiyang bobbed her head and cheered herself up. ¡°Yanyan is right.¡±

    She was going to shove the truth down these people¡¯s throats!

    Despite their feelings of hope and worry, the trainees still had to face the impending reality. Soon, the trainees went in and out of the judging room one after the other; some on cloud nine while others rock bottom.

    He Lu cockily strode into the judging room but left the room with a long face and bloodshot eyes five minutester. Clenching her fists, she gave Ye Weiyang the evil eye.

    She was bumped out of Group A. He Lu was under the impression that she would not be struck out, but reality pped her in the face, and it had to be the loser from Group F to force her out!

    The A on He Lu¡¯s name tag was switched to B. The other trainees thought nothing of it since they did not count on advancing into Group A.

    Her clique in Group A, apart from Su Ruowan, let out a sigh of relief. They were overjoyed not to be in He Lu¡¯s shoes.

    With He Lu demoted to Group B, they would not be ousted from Group A. What could be happier than this oue?

    As for the so-called sisterhood, they had only known each other for a few days. They may appear as sisters on the surface, but they were stillpetitors at the end of the day. Who would deplore and be sad over their opponent¡¯s defeat?

    Nevertheless, they still had to keep up with the appearances. Theyforted He Lu, pushing all the me to Ye Weiyang. This would not have happened had Ye Weiyang not pulled strings.

    Already upset, He Lu took in their console and focused all her anger on Ye Weiyang. It was her. It was all because of Ye Weiyang that she was kicked out of Group A.

    Well, she shall see about that. She was not going to throw in the towel that easily.

    Su Ruowan started to have concerns now that He Lu was forced into Group B. She took a nce at Ye Weiyang and her group. Su Ruowan did not agree with the other two childish girls.

    These two losers must be happy about He Lu¡¯s elimination. However, their heads were next on the chopping board.

    Their overall performance was beneath He Lu. Since He Lu was out of Group A, these girls were likely to share the same fate.

    Could Cosmos Entertainment really be working behind the scenes and withholding the debuting spots for their own trainees? If that were the case, six out of seven spots were reserved for Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees and so there was only one spot left.

    Her eyes reflected dreariness as she balled up her fists. No matter what, she was determined to bag thest spot!

    Group F really outdid themselves with those returning with a higher rating. Panic began to sink in among the other trainees.

    The production team was walking on air. Group F brought the biggest surprise and plot twist to the show. Nevertheless, Mr. Yun Xiao remained the sameposed and aloof man of few words.

 Chapter 481 - No More Room for Improvement

    <h4>Chapter 481: No More Room for Improvement</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At least Mr. Yun Xiao added another word to his repertoire of brief responses.

    He would say to the trainees who advance to a higher rating, ¡°Good.¡±

    Towards the trainees who either remained in their original groups or were demoted, Mr. Yun Xiao gave them his usual encouragement to keep it up.

    Group F members were the stars of the evaluation this time around. They walked into the judging room confidently and returned glowing in enthusiasm.

    Out of the eighteen members of Group F, Ye Weiyang the lucky star joined Group A, three went into Group B, four were assigned to Group C while the remainder were promoted to Group D.

    So far, no one from Group F was held back. All of them managed to climb up the ratingdder. As for the other trainees, there were some who went from Group B to C and some shifts going on between Group C and D, but no one was demoted to Group F.

    Surprisingly, three members of Group A fell off thedder to Group B. They were He Lu and two other Group A members.

    Apart from Group F¡¯s Ye Weiyang, Ji Jingyan and Liu Qianyu advanced to Group A. Everyone had an opinion about them being under the management of Cosmos Entertainment.

    There was a great deal of resentment circling around the set. The trainees were convinced that thepetition was rigged and that they were predetermined winners.

    Other than the trainees from Cosmos Entertainment, the only person who remained in Group A was Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan had known early on that she would make the cut since she was one of the pre-decided winners. Nevertheless, she was more than capable to debut even without them reserving the debuting spot. The reservation was only a precautionary measure.

    He Lu and the two former Group A girls were in the same boat. Unable to criticize one another, they put all their resentment and hate on Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees.

    After her turn, He Lu seized an opportunity to give her uncle a call. She wailed and begged on the phone, hung up on dropping out of the winning spots. He Lu had to find a way to get back up and make her debut somehow.

    By the time she returned, she caught a glimpse of Su Ruowan exiting the judging room. To her dismay, Su Ruowan retained her A rating and was not demoted like her.

    Why?

    How was Su Ruowan better than her? Why had she fallen in rank while Su Ruowan did not? Resentful and bitter, He Lu wanted to quelch all those on top of her under her feet.

    Su Ruowan looked at He Lu and approached with a worried look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lulu. With skills like yours, you will definitely make it to Group A. The program also looks at poprity.¡±

    She did not want to see He Lu leave Group A, not because she was best friends with He Lu, but because Group A would be lorded over by the Song Wenye and her b*tches with He Lu gone.

    With He Lu around, Su Ruowan could at least stick together with her. She would be left alone to fend against Song Wenye and the rest without He Lu by her side. Su Ruowan wished those b*tches could just jump off the cliff!

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He Lu was displeased that she was bumped off while Su Ruowan survived. Although jealous of Su Ruowan¡¯s good luck, He Lu did not show it. She buried all her emotions deep within.

    They should be in this together since they were besties.

    Nothing appeared out of the ordinary to Su Ruowan. She never thought of He Lu as a friend since, to her, He Lu was only a pawn to do her bidding.

    The pair had their own ulterior motives but still yed the part of best buddies. The other trainees were envious of their friendship.

    Next was to select the trainee to take center stage. The central position to perform the theme song was an opportunity for every trainee to gain more visibility, fans, and support.

    The lead role would be chosen among the members of Group A, and it had to be someone with the strongest overall performance. The person¡¯s look and appearance were also taken into ount. The mentors and trainees who were not in the running to perform center stage would be casting their votes.

    The trainees¡¯ votes would ount for twenty percent while the mentor¡¯s collective voice eighty percent.

    The reshuffled Group A took to the stage once more under the watchful eyes of the trainees. The remaining trainees were now the audience and judges.

    Group A was undoubtedly strong.

    The trainees had never seen Ye Weiyang in action. She was not the best dancer, the best looker, or had the best figure. Yet, she was the first to draw their attention among the group of seven.

    The mentors were still blown away by Ye Weiyang as she glowed on stage. Dancing together with the other evenly matched contestants, Ye Weiyang was not the most outstanding, but she was definitely the most eye-catching and striking.

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s stage presence alone made her a talented contestant!

    At the end of Group A¡¯s first performance as a group, the ballot began to decide who would take the lead role.

    Without hesitation, Shen Xi picked Ye Weiyang.

    The remaining mentors weighed in all the factors and decided on the best singer and dancer. As of now, Su Ruowan was ranked first.

    Since it was an anonymous vote, the trainees had no fear of repercussions if they were to go against Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees. With the exception of Group F, the trainees cast their votes on Su Ruowan. It did not matter to them who got it as long as it was not someone from Cosmos Entertainment.

    The result was released with Su Ruowan winning the lead role by a sliding majority. On stage, she humbly bowed and thanked the mentors and students for their support.

    Following the oue, the host received the cue from the director and interviewed Shen Xi. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, can I ask why you voted for Ye Weiyang?¡±

    With the central position in the bag, Su Ruowan may be looking expectantly at Mr. Yun Xiao, but inside, she was chewing him out. Nothing good ever came out of his mouth.

    As expected, Shen Xi turned to the host. ¡°Ye Weiyang showed the most improvement, I¡¯m sure everyone would agree to that.¡±

    This was true. No one was going to refute that fact.

    The host nodded and switched the direction of the discussion. ¡°But Su Ruowan was the most consistent and brilliant.¡±

    Instead of adding to thement, Shen Xi turned her eyes to Su Ruowan. Her tone was t as usual. ¡°While other people were improving, you showed no advancement.¡±

    The remark saw Su Ruowan seething with resentment. She did not improve because she was outstanding enough to crush all her opponents. She modestly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Yun Xiao. I will try harder.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, there¡¯s no more room for you to improve.¡± Shen Xi dropped a bomb.

    The smile on Su Ruowan¡¯s face froze.

    The mentors exchanged nces. They knew Mr.. Yun Xiao was aloof and not much of a talker, but it never crossed their minds that he had a sharp tongue. Was he not afraid to break Su Ruowan¡¯s spirit by socking it to her?

 Chapter 482 - Taking Center Stage

    <h4>Chapter 482: Taking Center Stage</h4>

    Su Muyan looked daggers at Yun Xiao.

    Who did he think he was to criticize Wanwan!

    Yun Xiao must feel threatened by Wanwan¡¯s brilliance and talent. It made sense. He was livid and deliberately shot Wanwan down because none of the six trainees from Cosmos Entertainment managed to bag the lead role.

    The other mentors did not share the same view as Su Muyan. Instead, they reflected on Yun Xiao¡¯sment. Having observed Yun Xiao at work, Gu Yang and Xia Mi knew the former would not make up bullsh*t just for the heck of it.

    The realization hit Group A¡¯s mentor, Fang Yao. She could not put her finger on the funny feeling she had about Su Ruowan at first, but now that Yun Xiao brought it up, she worked out that Su Ruowan had not shown much improvement.

    Su Ruowan gave the same level of performance then and now. There was no progress in between. However, this could also mean that Su Ruowan was a great performer to begin with.

    The trainees in the audience had different ideas about Mr. Yun Xiao. Many felt sick to their stomach and condemned Mr. Yun Xiao for his statement.

    No mentor would say such a thing to a student. Some trainees concluded that Mr. Yun Xiao was probably taking it out on Su Ruowan because Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees had failed to take center stage. They held Mr. Yun Xiao in contempt for hisck of manners.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to let you down, Mr. Yun Xiao. I¡¯ll improve for everyone to see.¡± Thinking on her feet, Su Ruowan gave a decent answer with eyes welling up in grievance. Behind those eyes, hatred and fury were brewing.

    She was reminded of Shu Baiyu. The old hag once told her that she was not cut out for dancing!

    Here they were again, with this godd*mn Yun Xiao saying she had no more room for improvement. Who did he think he was to look down on her?

    It was eerily quiet on the set as tension rose. Everyone turned to Mr. Yun Xiao, waiting to hear his nextment.

    ¡°You are outstanding enough¡­¡± Shen Xi paused unusually long before adding, ¡°Just leave the room for improvement and chance to the other students.¡±

    All in all, it could be made out that Mr. Yun Xiao was saying Su Ruowan was exceptional, but what was with the long pause?

    The crowd was dumbstruck. ¡°¡­¡±

    Mr. Yun Xiao sure took a long time to catch his breath. He went a little too far and scared Su Ruowan.

    The production heaved relief. Mr. Yun Xiao could have finished the whole sentence in a breath.

    Su Ruowan was the strongest among all the trainees, and no one could deny this fact.

    She was taken aback for a while before joy overtook her. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yun Xiao.¡±

    Godd*mnit!

    He yed her!

    Su Ruowan was certain that Yun Xiao was trying to make a fool out of her!

    Way to put everyone on the edge. With nobody objecting to it and Mr. Yun Xiao giving his stamp of approval, Su Ruowan was naturally going to perform at the premiere of the theme song taking the center stage. She became the envy of everyone with this glory.

    The trainees and production team, who did not understand the meaning behind Shen Xi¡¯s words, thought the remark was nothing but a joke. It was a bad joke though.

    Those who caught the hint would not take it as banter. The mentors were able to read between the lines and had their own opinions about it.

    However, even if they had their opinions, Su Ruowan¡¯s skills put her on top of all the trainees thus far. They did not want toment too soon until someone caught up to her.

    Everyone was envious of Su Ruowan to get the lead role to the theme song, but it came as no surprise to them as she earned it.

    Ye Weiyang was the most talked-about for turning the tide. The stunt of going from Group F to Group A was a highlight of the show.

    She would definitely be the central focus of the show if the preview showed clips of her. Something to talk about made good TV. Ye Weiyang was not behind Su Ruowan in terms of stealing the spotlight.

    Later, the trainees were performing the theme song on tape.

    After the recording, Gu Yang the girl-group producer announced the new rules to the show. There would be 16 captaincies and these 16 trainees were to team up with other contestants to battle it out with other teams.

    Group F no longer existed since all its members had advanced forth. Moving up was what the trainees had been looking forward to, and yet now that it happened, they were saddened by Group F¡¯s removal.

    Where was Mr. Yun Xiao going to be teaching now that Group F was no more? Would he be teaching every group just like the other mentors?

    The info that they were itching to find out was not disclosed. They also had not seen Mr. Yun Xiao in the cafeteria during meals.

    The boldest of the group, Han Yan went to ask Gu Yang and was told that Mr. Yun Xiao was gone. He would only be returning a day before the group match.

    Even though Group F had forged ahead to other groups, they still hung out with their former groupmates rather than their current ones. They lost their appetite for dinner when they heard the news from Han Yan.

    Mr. Yun Xiao might not be much of a talker, but he was dedicated to teaching them, so much so they were able to reverse their circumstances. They were sad to see him go.

    Some people were happy while others were feeling the blues, albeit only Group F was gued with the woes. The other groups were d to see Mr. Yun Xiao scram and hoped he would nevere back. Many with evil minds cussed him out under their breaths.

    The happiest of them all was Su Ruowan. She belonged to the evil category and prayed for Yun Xiao to be hit by a car on his way out and be a mentor in hell for all she cared about.

    After the evening practice, she received a text message from Su Muyan toe to his dormitory. While no one was watching, she quietly slipped away.

    Although the mentors and trainees were aware that she and Su Muyan were siblings, they kept a distance as a mentor and student would in front of people to steer clear of unnecessary rumors.

    ¡°Muyan.¡± Su Ruowan was perked up to see him. The smile on her face bore clear signs of fatigue and forcefulness.

    Su Muyan ushered her in and showed her a table full of her favorite snacks. He gently cried, ¡°Hurry in.¡±

    Sitting on a sofa, Su Ruowan held a bag of nuts in her hands. She did not open the wrapper, nor indulge in it as she appeared to have something on her mind.

    Su Muyan knew Yun Xiao¡¯s words must have taken hold of her. Heartbroken, he gazed at her. ¡°Don¡¯t take to heart whatever that Yun Xiao said today. What does he know?¡±

 Chapter 483 - Long Time No See, Mr. Xixi

    <h4>Chapter 483: Long Time No See, Mr. Xixi</h4>

    Yun Xiao had no right to talk like that about Wanwan. No one cared for his opinion. He was only vengeful and resentful that Wanwan would be taking the center stage.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s voice was hoarse. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the bag of nuts in her hands. ¡°Muyan, who the hell is he?¡±

    Su Muyan answered, ¡°What else? He¡¯s just apdog for Cosmos Entertainment. I bet he¡¯s jealous and told you off because you got the lead role. You don¡¯t have to take him seriously.¡±

    Su Ruowan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not, but I heard that he¡¯s an amazing dancer. Muyan, doesn¡¯t he remind you of someone?¡±

    Su Muyan frowned. Reminded him of who? He could not tell. Yun Xiao was just an anti-social and annoying deadbeat. ¡°Who does he resemble?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shu Baiyu.¡± Su Ruowan sniffled as she took in the hurt. With swollen eyes, she whispered a heartrending voice, ¡°Ms. Shu Baiyu mentioned before that I¡¯m not suited to advance into professional dancing and acting.¡±

    Feeling the rise in blood pressure, Su Muyan coldly scoffed. ¡°Who is she to tell you that you can¡¯t? She¡¯s blind to see the good in you. I have no idea what she sees in that brat, Shen Xi.¡±

    The mention of Shu Baiyu ticked him off. It would be Shu Baiyu¡¯s honor to have an outstanding and brilliant student like Wanwan.

    Well, her loss. Shu Baiyu was a fool to think Shen Xi was a treasure.

    ¡°Muyan, don¡¯t say so. Shen Xi must have been better than me for Ms. Shu Baiyu to be expectant of her.¡± Su Ruowan bit her lip. Teary-eyed, she hung her head low. ¡°Things would probably be different if Shen Xi reced me on the show.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan.¡± Su Muyan was angry and heartbroken for her. ¡°You¡¯re doing the show. Why do you have to bring up that ingrate? Are you trying to piss me off?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ No.¡± Su Ruowan sniffled with weepy eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Muyan. I¡¯ll stop talking about it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever bring her up. She¡¯s dead to me.¡± Su Muyan felt bad as he looked at the kind and meek Su Ruowan. Those feelings were quickly reced by repugnance at the thought of the ruthless and callous Shen Xi. If only she could die and rot in hell.

    Su Ruowan was silent.

    Picking up on her low spirits, Su Muyan took a seat next to her and softly offered words offort. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short. You¡¯re the best, the most brilliant, and the brightest star. Trust me, you will debut front and center. The other mentors are counting on you.¡±

    Godd*mnit. Yun Xiao should jump off the building and die. Wanwan let his nonsense get to her head.

    She was the best and none of the trainees couldpare to her. Yun Xiao was nitpicking and just trying to win one over her.

    Well, Wanwan would shove it to his face when she made her debut. The other trainees should keep up and bump all the Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees out of the show to irk him!

    Su Ruowan had gotten the assurance she wanted from Su Muyan. On her way back, she ran into trainees watching the show on their phones and talking about it.

    Today was Friday, the day National Idol¡¯s first episode was released. It was broadcast on CZ Satellite TV prime time. She had watched the show together with Muyan.

    As expected from a Cosmos-Entertainment-sponsored show, Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s girls andpdog, Yun Xiao had the most screen time.

    Ye Weiyang, in particr, had more airtime than she did. Su Ruowan highly suspected the production team was a bunch of airheads.

    Of course, the trainees were going to watch the premiere of National idol. Those with more close-ups were delighted while others who barely had airtime sulked in a corner. Thanks to Mr. Yun Xiao and Ye Weiyang, Group F rode the wave and had more exposurepared to the rest.

    All in all, the cameras loved Group A the most. Among the mentors, Gu Yang the girl group founder had equally as much airtime.

    The channel for fans to vote was open during the release of the episode. Fans could vote to support their favorite contestants.

    The trainees signed to management agencies had their backings. Theirpanies had long started rallying fans and paid to bump the girls up to the trending topics, doing all they could to put their talents out there.

    As the daughter of film stars, Su Ruowan often tagged along Li Jingran to social events. She was one of the minorities who already had a fanbase. With the voting channel avable, fans swamped to cast their votes on her and her poprity climbed.

    Right behind her in the polls were the trainees managed by agencies.

    Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s girls were mediocre at best in the polls. Since the program was only at its first episode, the exposure was insufficient for fans to fall for them.

    The only one who managed to squeeze into the top twenty was Song Wenye. The international ss students called on friends far and wide to hit the vote button, putting Song Wenye at the tail of the top twenty at the neenth ce.

    As of this moment, the polls would be used as a reference to the order of ranking. Trainees at the bottom were starting to feel the heat.

    Mr. Yun Xiao returned a day before the shooting of the second episode. The former Group F members announced to everyone the moment they heard the good news.

    The groups were divided ording to the trainees¡¯ overall rating.

    All members of Group A formed separate teams to be the team captain. The remaining nine team captains were picked from Group B. Every team had a variety of Group B, C, and D members. In all fairness, lots were drawn to decide the team the trainees would be joining.

    There were five members in Su Ruowan¡¯s group. As the leader of the team, she was team captain. Nevertheless, she was most unhappy that her team has two former Group F members. They were such an eyesore. These girls had gone off looking for Yun Xiao after hearing that he was back.

    Did they think their spots would be secured if they were to look for Yun Xiao? How na?ve. They should just be trainees under Cosmos Entertainment instead of daydreaming. Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees were guaranteed opportunities to debut after all.

    Like Su Ruowan, He Lu shifted her resentment of being demoted on Cosmos Entertainment and their trainees and of course, Yun Xiao. With hatred brewing in her eyes, she tightly clenched her fists.

    All the other trainees besides Group F¡¯s were not pleased to see Mr. Yun Xiao, even though they had no reason to hate him. They were not in a position to express themselves freely. Only the former Group F members thought the whole world of Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Now that Shen Xi was here, she would have to assume the duty of a mentor. Following the arrangement of the production team, she entered one studio after another to check on the trainees. She did not turn her back towards those who came to ask for advice.

    However, no one else approached her other than the former Group F members, but even they yed an insignificant role in their groups. They had no say and had to take cues from their teammates. The timid ones who were left out by their group dared not look for her while the bold ones sought advice from her on their own ord.

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s team was the only one who openly approached her. Han Yan happened to be on her team. Since no one upied Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s time, they invited him over to be their personal coach. They could not be happier by the decision.

    The other mentors were envious as they were fluttering about, taking care of every team. It was a different story for Mr. Yun Xiao. It must be great for him to only look after one team!

    Su Muyan and the rest of the mentors were not on the same wavelength. The sight of Yun Xiao disgusted Su Muyan to the very end. He smirked as Yun Xiao gave pointers to Ye Weiyang¡¯s team.

    Was Yun Xiao really that ignorant about his surroundings? Was he either blind or pretending not to see so many trainees giving him the cold shoulder?

    Nevertheless, Su Muyan took pleasure in Yun Xiao¡¯s predicament. It was an insult to a mentor to be snubbed and ignored. This was not something to be happy or proud about.

    The production crew was helpless about the situation. Mr. Yun Xiao was a character. The trainees might not go to him, but he could always inquire if they needed help. It would be fine even if it was just asking for the sake of asking.

    The question that boggled the production team right now was whether they should release footage of the mentors coaching for the second episode.

    After the evening practice, Su Botao the chief director informed everyone, including the mentors, that there would be a mystery guest during tomorrow¡¯s shoot.

    Everyone turned to Mr. Yun Xiao. Was he not the mystery mentor? Why was there another mystery guest? Who could it be? Would it be another ipetent? It was a public outrage waiting to happen.

    Observing their expressions, Su Botao cleared his throat and continued. ¡°The mystery guest is only here for an episode. There will be other mystery guestsing for future episodes as well.¡±

    The mentors exchanged a nce curiously. They had no idea who the mystery guest was, but one thing was for sure, it was somebody in the entertainment circle.

    They were resourceful and had vast connections. They returned to their dorms and proceeded to ask around, but they soon gave up seeking answers since no one had an inkling.

    The mentors could not get to the bottom of it, much less the trainees. There were people looking forward to it while others remained skeptical. With Yun Xiao as the prime example of a mystery mentor, they already had a bad feeling about it.

    The next morning.

    It was lively during breakfast at the cafeteria. The trainees surrounded a person, asking for autographs and pictures. Judging by their star-struck eyes, they looked like fans who had met their idols.

    Amid the crowd, the young man in casual wear had a lean figure, good looks, and a smiling face. He was none other than Qi Xiu.

    The trainees on the scene swarmed towards him except Su Ruowan. She quietly sat at a corner, hiding the fury in her eyes. Why did it have to be Qi Xiu of all people!

    Shen Xi entered alongside Gu Yang. Since Gu Yang waited for her at the door, she had no choice but toe in with him.

    The duo ran into the other four mentors while at the elevator. It was a rare moment for all six mentors to be heading to the cafeteria together.

    They had just arrived at the cafeteria when they saw the young man who was surrounded by the trainees.

    Su Muyan was first to take notice. Qi Xiu was his rival who crushed him after all. Although resentment was seething in his being, Su Muyan remained unconcerned in appearance.

    Was the mystery guest Qi Xiu?

    The production team seemed to be out to get him. Were they trying to make him look bad? Why did they invite Qi Xiu despite knowing the history between him and Qi Xiu?

    Gu Yang and the rest were dumbstruck for a moment before catching on. He must be the mystery guest invited by the production team. It turned out to be Qi Xiu, the rising star!

    Fang Yao, a mentor with the heart of a teenager, was a fan of Qi Xiu. She was a loyal fan of his music. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him.

    Props to the production team. Qi Xiu had never joined any variety shows since his fame skyrocketed. It was said that the number of proposals he turned down could be piled up to two meters.

    Compared to the others, He Sumo and Xia Mi were most chilled out. Sure, they were surprised and it did not take them long to get a grip.

    They watched as the trainees hemmed in on Qi Xiu.

    Qi Xiu saw them too. He lifted his chin to look and nod in Shen Xi¡¯s direction. He then opened his mouth and spoke in a clear voice, ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Xixi.¡±

 Chapter 484 - Regret

    <h4>Chapter 484: Regret</h4>

    Shock.

    For a moment, it was pin-drop silence in the vast cafeteria.

    The trainees thought their ears were ying tricks on them. Who was Mr. Xixi? Where was Mr. Xixi? Was Mr. Xixi the show¡¯s mystery guest?

    The news was too much for their hearts to take!

    Mr. Xixi and Mr. Qi Xiu were best partners who made a name for themselves in showbiz recently. Mr. Qi Xiu kept a low profile and turned down all invitations to variety shows.

    However, Mr. Xixi was more unassuming and mysterious than Mr. Qi Xiu. Up until now, everyone was still debating about his basic information ¨C Was Mr. Xixi a man or woman? How old was he? What did he look like?

    The trainees followed Mr. Qi Xiu¡¯s line of vision to the cafeteria entrance. Standing there were all six of their mentors. There was no one else.

    Like the trainees, the mentors were caught in a daze by Qi Xiu¡¯s sudden greeting. Out of reflexes, they looked behind to see if there was someone they might have missed.

    The production team did mention something about mystery guests, but the number was not specified. Perhaps two guests were invited. The hitbo of Xixi¡¯s song and Qi Xiu¡¯s voice had them dubbed the Dynamic Duo in showbiz.

    Between the pair, one was an artist and music director of Cosmos Entertainment while the other never announced his allegiance to anypany. Nevertheless, people in the circle spected that he must also be from Cosmos Entertainment. It was not surprising that the production team was able to invite him to the show.

    The program was funded by Cosmos Entertainment after all. In the interest of maximum profit, they must be counting on the program to be a hit. Hence why they tried to stir sensation by sending the Dynamic Duo over.

    Yet.

    There was not a soul behind them.

    Two trainees were walking out of the elevator. They were Han Yan and Ye Weiyang.

    Su Muyan was the first to get a grip. He realized Qi Xiu was looking at Yun Xiao past Gu Yang. With his heart sinking to his stomach, Su Muyan tried to convince himself that it was not what he thought it was!

    Impossible!

    How could it be?

    The repulsive and disgusting Yun Xiao could not possibly be the Xixi he was looking for!

    After the brief shock, Gu Yang and the rest followed Qi Xiu¡¯s gaze to Mr. Yun Xiao. They were mind blown.

    No way! No way! No way!

    As thousands of question marks popped inside their heads, the answer had be apparent.

    Qi Xiu drew close and gave them the affirmation. He stood before Mr. Yun Xiao and smiled. ¡°This is my first experience in a show. Please show me the ropes, Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Su Muyan¡¯s pupils dted while his hands by his sides clenched tightly into fists. The reality was overwhelming for him to ept.

    That was right.

    The person he despised the most and tried to make a fool out of was the same person he had been seeking for two months to coborate with!

    Gu Yang and Xia Mi exchanged a nce. They saw the same shock in each other¡¯s eyes. It was a moment of revtion for these guys.

    Fang Yao, on the other hand, was the bubbliest among the mentors. Her friendly nature helped her to hang out with the trainees. Not one to hide her emotions, she excitedly gazed at the person next to her and asked the question on behalf of the stunned crowd. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, so you¡¯re Mr. Xixi?¡±

    Shen Xi faintly hummed as a reply to the question.

    Fang Yao shrieked and stamped her feet repeatedly in enthusiasm. Like a fan meeting an idol, she held her chest and uttered in a shaky voice. ¡°F*ck me! It¡¯s Mr. Xixi in the flesh. Can I touch you?¡±

    Never in her wildest dreams would she dream of meeting the most talked-about and sought-after Mr. Xixi. They had been shooting the show side by side for a week, and yet nobody suspected a thing.

    Shen Xi took a step back.

    He Sumo gave Fang Yao a tug and cleared his throat. He tipped her the wink so she would rpose her public image. As a mentor, she should behave like one in the presence of the students.

    Gu Yang and Xia Mi were hot with emotions, but as mentors, they had to watch their manners. Keeping their thousand questions and delight in check, they calmly greeted Mr. Xixi.

    Dumbstruck, the trainees had their eyes widened and jaws dropped to the ground. Of course, they were in shock. Most of them were filled with regret.

    Mr. Yun Xiao who theybeled as irresponsible and repulsive was Mr. Xixi!

    Oh gawd. If only they could turn back time. Had they known, they would never have acted in that manner toward Mr. Yun Xiao. They would instead scramble for his attention, begging for him to teach them!

    Su Ruowan, who was collected and unconcerned by Qi Xiu¡¯s presence, clutched the spoon tightly in her hand. The trembling spoon revealed her inner turmoil.

    Mr. Xixi.

    Yun Xiao was Mr. Xixi.

    Why was she so dumb to not pick up on the details?

    Her mind shed back to the day when Mr. Xixi arrived. She was the first to extend a friendly hand to Mr. Xixi and thetter appeared nice to her.

    What happened next?

    Why did she not continue with the gesture? Had she continued, Mr. Xixi would have warmed up to her.

    With the support of Mr. Xixi, Su Ruowan could have gotten a chance to work with him, and like Qi Xiu, she would be famous with a hit album and be a superstar overnight.

    No.

    She still had a chance.

    Time was on her side. There were still a lot of chances, and as long as she seized the opportunity for Mr. Xixi to see her good, brilliant, and hard work; he would definitely fall for her. Su Ruowan was confident in her ability.

    Colors drained from He Lu¡¯s face as the weight of regret and frustration piled onto her. Why did she have to be all mouthy and take a dig at Mr. Yun Xiao?

    Great. Now that Mr. Yun Xiao turned out to be Mr. Xixi, he must be hating her guts. What should she do to cozy up to Mr. Xixi now?

    Compared to the other groups, Group F was over the moon after the initial shock subsided. They proudly held their heads up and showed off the joy on their faces. Their mentor was Mr. Xixi!

    He taught them for three whole days, spending almost every waking minute with them. Mr. Xixi was the one who coached them patiently and reversed the fate of Group F.

    They relished the look on everyone¡¯s faces. No one was going to doubt or question Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s capabilities now.

    Yes.

    Theposition and choreography of the theme song were created in the hands of Mr. Yun Xiao. Who was to say he knew nothing about dancing and singing!

    Everyone on site seemed to have forgotten the mystery guest Qi Xiu¡¯s existence with all eyes on Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Mr. Yun Xiao remained chill as he brushed off the mentors¡¯ inquiries with ¡°ah¡±, ¡°oh¡±, ¡°uh-huh¡±.

    Then as always, he proceeded to serve himself breakfast and sit down to eat, oblivious to the intense stares and admiring looks from the trainees.

    Gu Yang noticed the trainees¡¯ wandering eyes and said, ¡°Eyes on the food, please. Enjoy your meals. I hope everyone will do well at the group match.¡±

    His words stirred a wailing fit among the trainees. Tension saw a rise in the air with the first round of group matchesmencing at nine in the morning. Sure, they may be on tenterhooks, but they wanted to have an interaction with Mr. Xixi.

    At least now the trainees turned their attention away from Mr. Yun Xiao to their breakfast. Shedding tears of regret, they bore resentment against the proud former members of Group F.

    Over at the mentors¡¯ table.

    It was rather quiet with no one talking. The mentors were at a loss for words. Anyone and everybody in the entertainment business would be dying to coborate with Mr. Xixi, and this was especially the case with Gu Yang. He had openly let the media know of his intentions to work with Mr. Xixi.

    It was the same with Su Muyan. He had been asking around for Mr. Xixi but returned empty-handed. However, he was currently in turmoil as the person he looked down on and pushed aside on the show was Mr. Xixi. Su Muyan was unwilling to ept the reality yet had to.

    The expose of Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s identity led the group to be awkward around him, except Qi Xiu who was still very much himself. Qi Xiu sat beside Mr. Yun Xiao, looking back every now and then to share private words.

    As usual, Mr. Yun Xiao aloofly gave brief replies. It was hard to see any passion or familiaritying from the one-album-wonders Dynamic Duo.

    It was a stifling atmosphere as the mentors observed one another. They wanted to be the first to engage in a conversation with Mr. Yun Xiao and yet had no idea where to begin. As Mr. Yun Xiao was unapproachable in the first ce, they had not fostered much of a rtionship for the past few days. They felt awkward in case they failed to hold up the conversation while at the same time afraid others might beat them to chatting Mr. Yun Xiao up.

    The identity revtion threw the mentors a curveball. Yun Xiao and Mr. Xixi carried different weights in roles in their minds.

    Yun Xiao was insignificant to them since the role of a mentor only put Yun Xiao as their equals or even their lesser counterparts in the show. Mr. Xixi, on the other hand, was in the big league they wanted to get into.

    The mentors were all lost in their thoughts.

    The trainees also had ns of their own. He Lu was an example. At present, she was carrying a bowl of congee in her hands. Hiding the slyness in her eyes, she made up her mind and made a beeline towards the mentors¡¯ table.

 Chapter 485 - Did Not Bother with the Window Dressing

    <h4>Chapter 485: Did Not Bother with the Window Dressing</h4>

    Among the crowd of trainees, Su Ruowan kept her eye on He Lu and knew that thetter was up to no good by the look on her face when Mr. Xixi made an appearance.

    Sure enough.

    He Lu carried a bowl of congee filled to the brim and was headed towards the mentors¡¯ direction.

    Ha! The d*mn b*tch must be trying to fake an ident to catch Mr. Xixi¡¯s attention. Well, nice try. The b*tch had to go through her first.

    From her seat, Shen Xi caught Su Ruowan snapping her beaded bracelet off from the corner of her eye. The beads scattered onto the ground.

    Su Ruowan then abruptly stood up and chased after the rolling beads. She happened to being in their direction as well.

    He Lu had the perfect n. Mr. Xixi was sitting at the table by the aisle. Surely Mr. Xixi was not going to sit by and watch if she took a fall while passing by.

    She was smug while ying out the perfect n in her mind.

    One step.

    Two steps.

    She was inching closer and closer to Mr. Xixi.

    Timing it right, she kept it together for the killer move. She was nearly there.

    Just a meter away from where she was supposed to fall, Su Ruowan suddenly came from He Lu¡¯s left and rammed onto her before she could duck.

    They collided and Su Ruowan was knocked backward from impact towards Mr. Yun Xiao.

    The trainees and the mentors facing them had no chance to ask Mr. Yun Xiao for help or tell him to watch out and get away as Su Ruowan was about to crash into him. However, Mr. Yun Xiao had by then gracefully wiped his mouth, stood up, and took a step to the side.

    Yes, he stepped away. He got up and stepped away from his seat.

    Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Su Ruowannded onto the chair in a loud thud. A cry of pain ensued.

    It was quite a ruckus when the chair made contact with the floor.

    Shen Xi lowered her gaze to hide the chill in her eyes. Tilting her head, she looked over to find Su Ruowan knocking the chair over and crashing onto the ground in a rather inelegant manner. She was covered in congee from head to toe.

    Opposite her, He Lu was in a simr predicament, going down like a sack of potatoes and seasoned with breakfast of the day.

    Su Muyan came bolting over and nervously helped Su Ruowan up. Worry was written all over his face. ¡°Wanwan, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Muyan, you should check on Lulu.¡± Su Ruowan may be teary-eyed, but her priority was still other people.

    It never crossed her mind that she tripped just as Mr. Xixi got up. Had everything gone as nned, she should have tumbled onto his back.

    The remaining mentors stood up all at once to examine whether medical attention was needed.

    All their work would go to waste if any ident were to happen right before they hit the stage.

    Xia Mi and Fang Yao went over to help He Lu up. The pair were caught in between feeling relieved for Mr. Yun Xiao or taking pity on Su Ruowan¡¯s unfortunate incident.

    They brushed past each other in that split second. If it were 0.01 second sooner, Mr. Yun Xiao could possibly catch Su Ruowan with his back.

    However, Mr. Yun Xiao might be caught off guard and end up tumbling along with her.

    Shen Xi nced at them expressionlessly before advising, ¡°Be careful.¡±

    These two girls were a pair of fake b*tches made for each other. Judging by their behavior and the mess, Shen Xi could piece together what had happened.

    He Lu must be carrying the congee over to fake an ident and the likeliest prey was her.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan was not the kind to stand down to allow He Lu to steal the show. Hence, Su Ruowan must have nned to crash the party by bumping He Lu off route.

    Standing right next to Shen Xi, Qi Xiu took a nce at her. Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen was able to dodge just in time. Otherwise, Qi Xiu would have to answer to Chairman Yuan if anything happened to Shen Xi.

    Others might not have noticed, but Qi Xiu picked up that Shen Xi saw iting when Su Ruowan crashed into He Lu. How else was she able to get the timing down?

    Girls nowadays would rather take shortcuts than work their way towards sess themselves.

    Qi Xiu did not buy that it was such a coincidence for two living beings with great vision to bump into each other.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lulu. It was an ident. My bracelet broke. I was just picking up the bead.¡± Su Ruowan immediately apologized to He Lu and pointed at the closest bead.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re not hurt,¡± He Lu said as she appeared tolerant when she picked up the bead and handed it to Su Ruowan. Inside, she was seething with rage.

    Su Ruowan ruined it for her. Was it an ident? Of all times her bracelet could break, why did it have to happen now?

    She could have retrieved the bead anywhere, but why did it have to be in her way?

    The trainees were aware of how close the pair were. Genuine or not was a matter of opinion. Those who believed they had a good rtionship would think they were sisters from another mother.

    Others who thought them to be frenemies would sneer at their y of pretense.

    After apologizing to He Lu, Su Ruowan apologetically turned to Shen Xi. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Xixi. That was reckless of me. I hope I didn¡¯t knock you over.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°No.¡±

    With that, she indifferently took off, leaving them a view of her standoffish back.

    Su Ruowan had prepared a speech but was cut off just like that. Upset and aggrieved, she could explode from all the pent-up emotions.

    This was not as she had imagined. Even if Su Ruowan failed to crash into Mr. Xixi, thetter should not be so heartless. He should be asking if she was hurt or at least show some concern in front of the camera!

    Qi Xiu gave everyone the nod and excused himself before running after Shen Xi.

    The onlooking trainees whispered among themselves, split between their opinion of Mr. Xixi.

    The rational trainees thought Mr. Xixi was overly insensitive. Other mentors would look out for the students in question regardless of whether it came from the heart. Mr. Xixi, on the other hand, did not bother with the window dressing and took off.

    His die-hard fans a.k.a. trainees had Mr. Xixi¡¯s back, and he could do no wrong in their eyes. They thought Mr. Xixi was charismatic, had character, was prim, proper, and ssy. They could totally dig that!

 Chapter 486 - Personal Sentiments

    <h4>Chapter 486: Personal Sentiments</h4>

    His die-hard fans a.k.a. trainees had Mr. Xixi¡¯s back, and he could do no wrong in their eyes. They thought Mr. Xixi was charismatic, had character, was prim, proper, and ssy. They could totally dig that!

    Song Wenye especially, nearly burst out inughter to see Su Ruowan given the snub. She snapped a photo to send to Shen Xi and gloated. [Song Wenye: That¡¯s so cool of Mr. Xixi. He has got a personality. He can sniff a fake b*tch from a mile away. I¡¯m officially a fan of his.]

    Shen Xi had just stepped into the elevator when she received Song Wenye¡¯s text. Her lips curled into a tiny smile after a quick nce. [Shen Xi: I thought you hated him?]

    [Song Wenye: I don¡¯t anymore. You should¡¯ve seen the cool move he pulled. Su Ruowan was trying to act all innocent in front of him, but he stuffed it to her with a brief sentence. Oh, the look on Su Ruowan¡¯s face was epic.]

    She was loving it! Mr. Stiff Upper Lip came through to her today. Anyone unfond of Su Ruowan was a friend of hers.

    Prior to this, Song Wenye had not changed his mind about Mr. Xixi despite everyone¡¯s 180-degree attitude change towards Xixi after finding out Yun Xiao was Xixi.

    Nevertheless, she had now let go of her prejudice against Mr. Yun Xiao. He was beyond awesome. From here on out, Song Wenye became his loyal supporter.

    Having spent time together for a while, the other mentors had more or less an idea of Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s character. His behavior did note as a surprise.

    The parties involved in the collision, He Lu and Su Ruowan, were examined by a doctor on set. No bones were broken but they sustained scrapes on their arms and legs. They could still perform on stage.

    It was up to the individual whether the injury would affect their performance. If they were able to tolerate the pain, they would do just fine.

    The pair had their wounds dressed before affectionately heading towards the backstage together. They appeared to be more intimate than before the collision.

    However, only they themselves would know what was on their minds. Not only did they go for wool ande home shorn, but they were also in a lose-lose situation. Despite their resentment towards each other, they were not dumb to show it on their faces.

    ¡°Wanwan, you can do it.¡± He Lu cheerfully cheered Su Ruowan on as she led her team to get up on stage.

    Su Ruowan! The d*mn b*tch foiled her n! He Lu had no intention ofying her off.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Su Ruowan smiled at He Lu before leading her team out of the dressing room. The paining from her inner thigh brought up ill feelings for the culprit, He Lu.

    B*tch! Did He Lu think she could win Mr. Xixi¡¯s favor by doing that?

    Ha! Who did He Lu think she was topete with her for Mr. Xixi¡¯s affection?

    ¡°Wanwan, is your leg okay?¡± Her teammates looked at her leg with worry. To cover up the bruise, Su Ruowan applied concealer and put on a beige color stocking.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± Su Ruowan gave them a firm look and encouragement. ¡°Give it your all! Our team is the best!¡±

    Fine?

    How was she fine?

    They would never understand the pain since the injury was not on their body.

    Her teammates did not care about her. They were merely worried that her injury would bring the whole team down and affect their points!

    The whole thing was He Lu, that b*tch¡¯s fault. Su Ruowan was not going to take this lying down.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s team was the first group to make an appearance.

    The mentors were concerned that Su Ruowan¡¯s injury would hold her back. They intended to adjust the order of sequence so she could be thest to perform, but she turned down the offer.

    Up on stage, Su Ruowan seemed to be in good spirits. Still, the mentors were apprehensive for Su Ruowan¡¯s sake. Su Muyan, in particr, could not hide the heartache in his eyes.

    Group A¡¯s mentor, Fang Yao admired Su Ruowan¡¯s courage and secretly gestured to cheer her on. Although the doctor gave her the all-clear, they were still worried the injury would hinder her performance.

    Nevertheless, the brave and tough kid insisted on performing on stage. The mentors could understand if Su Ruowan was not up to her usual standard.

    This was what Fang Yao had in mind. She stole a nce at the strict and impartial Yun Xiao. She wondered what the aloof young man made of Su Ruowan¡¯s injury.

    Shen Xi coldly kept her eyes on the stage. Su Ruowan may look fine, but at closer inspection, her expressions and walk did appear a little stiff. Shen Xi got to hand it to her. As expected from someone brought up in a family of actors.

    Su Ruowan probably convinced herself as well. Her attention to detail and ability to breathe life into her acting was on the next level if it was not used as deception.

    Well, some people were too invested in their own pettiness and interest to use their skills in the right ce.

    Su Ruowan was this sort of person. As a famed film star, Li Jingran had many resources for televisions and films. She had provided Su Ruowan with many opportunities, but s, Su Ruowan was not cut out for the parts. In the end, they settled for the next best thing and had Su Ruowan debut through a show.

    On stage, Su Ruowan¡¯s team of six was Team A to battle it out with Team B, Ye Weiyang¡¯s team using the same song and dance.

    Ten minutester following the performance, the two teams returned to the stage and waited anxiously for the result.

    The mentors raised their cards to reflect their choices.

    Su Muyan, He Sumo, and Fang Yao cast their vote to Su Ruowan¡¯s Team A.

    Gu Yang and Xia Mi were in favor of Team B led by Ye Weiyang.

    Everyone¡¯s gaze then fell on Mr. Yun Xiao who had yet to make his choice. As for Qi Xiu the mystery guest, he was only here to coach the trainees and was not included in the formal recording of the show.

    Xia Mi came to a reckless and bold assumption ¨C Qi Xiu was here to reveal that Mr. Yun Xiao was Mr. Xixi.

    The production team was fixated on Mr. Yun Xiao as well. Kept in the dark about Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s identity, the chief director and chief writer had yet to recover from the shock up until now.

    Mr. Xixi was an elusive big name in the music industry. Here they were, thinking Mr. Xixi could not dance or coach. They could not be more wrong.

    Still holding back on the vote, Shen Xi unhurriedly said, ¡°I hope the mentors could practice fairness and lead by example without bringing in personal sentiments like sympathy points when casting votes.¡±

    Sympathy.

    Su Ruowan turned as white as a sheet.

 Chapter 487 - Think Twice Before Playing Nepotism

    <h4>Chapter 487: Think Twice Before ying Nepotism</h4>

    Sympathy.

    Su Ruowan turned as white as a sheet.

    The rest of Su Ruowan¡¯s team members were anxiously waiting for Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s decision when their hearts sank to the pit of their stomachs.

    The mentors were put on the spot. This was especially true with Fang Yao and He Sumo who had the tendency to think with their hearts and not their heads. They were feeling embarrassed by Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s frank and unreserved remark.

    It was only the start of the verbal assault.

    Shen Xi paused for a moment before adding, ¡°Think twice before ying nepotism.¡±

    This was not spoken in general but directed to a certain somebody, and that somebody was none other than Su Muyan, Su Ruowan¡¯s brother!

    Su Muyan had intended to change his attitude and work on his rtionship with him since he was Mr. Xixi. Following this im, Su Muyan found him the same downright repulsive person as before.

    He was in a dilemma whether to refute and remain silent towards the jarring statement. Either way, people would mistake him for showing favoritism.

    The production crew¡¯s minds were blown by thement. Jesus. He sureid it on the line. If Mr. Yun Xiao was merely Mr. Yun Xiao, people would criticize him for being unreasonable and unnecessarily strict.

    Come to think about it, Mr. Yun Xiao belonged to Cosmos Entertainment and would be considered practicing nepotism for casting his vote for Ye Weiyang.

    However, Mr. Yun Xiao, as Mr. Xixi, carried more weight in authority and words. No one would dismiss his opinion.

    The way they saw it, the two teams on stage were neck-to-neck. Su Ruowan¡¯s team and Ye Weiyang¡¯s team wereparable in dance. Nevertheless, the mentors would not see it the same way as the production team.

    On stage, Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes welled up, tugging at the public¡¯s heartstrings with an unyielding image. Thinking on her feet, she pondered how to wiggle her way out of it.

    Nothing came up in the end. It was a lose-lose situation for her one way or another. Hence, Su Ruowan kept her mouth shut and gazed at the mentors in a polite, gentle, and calm manner as she waited for the verdict.

    She knew the questioning scene would only be limited on set. The production team would not be dumb to release the potentially biased footage to the viewers.

    ¡°Who knew it¡¯d be a tie for the first team battle with both teamsing neck-to-neck? That was quite a duel.¡± Gu Yang was the first to break the silence and deftly changed the subject.

    Dumbstruck by Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s bold statement, the host was at a loss for words. He was thankful to Gu Yang for jumping in and saving his skin. The host then took over. ¡°Mr. Gu Yang is right. It was a spectacr showdown, but there has to be a winner and loser in any kind ofpetition. We¡¯ll leave it to the live audience to decide!¡±

    A revote was out of the question as it would only affirm Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s ims about personal sentiments and favoritism involved in the supposedly impartial show.

    The mentors, host, and production team heaved relief. The program would go through editing before its broadcast, and certain scenes would never see the light of day such as Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s remark.

    To their dismay, Mr. Yun Xiao was not swayed by the direction the show was heading. Adding to the host¡¯s words, he continued. ¡°I have a favor to ask the audience if we¡¯re leaving the decision-making power to them.¡±

    Shen Xi nced at Gu Yang as he spoke.

    The look she gave him made Gu Yang want to crawl into a hole. There was no need to be a stickler in variety shows.

    The group match was not an elimination round. The purpose was to highlight the individual¡¯s performance, whether good or bad, in a group setting.

    Ye Weiyang and Su Ruowan undoubtedly stood out the most during the group match. At the end of the day, the individual ranking was what mattered in thepetition while group matches were only to give prominence to the more outstanding trainees.

    As the leader among the mentors, Gu Yang could not dismiss Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s question. Although breaking out in cold sweat, Gu Yang kept his cool and inquired with a smile, ¡°Who is the favor for?¡±

    Shen Xi turned to the first row in the audience stand. ¡°Who will you cast your vote to, Mr. Qi Xiu?¡±

    Qi Xiu was having a st ying the part of an audience member. He was pleased to be given an idle role on the show. Cued out of the blue, he replied with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t have much experience at dancing. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯tment from a professional standpoint.¡±

    Shen Xi continued. ¡°Let¡¯s move to your specialty then. Can youment on the teams¡¯ singing?¡±

    Qi Xiu pondered for a moment beforementing, ¡°If we¡¯re speaking on overall singing performance, I¡¯d pick Team B. Team B has great control over the pitch and breathing timing. Of course, Team A did a good job too.¡±

    Brewing with resentment, Su Ruowan¡¯s heart sank. What was the point of asking them? Since they were all from Cosmos Entertainment, they would be biased towards their agency¡¯s trainees!

    At this very moment, she hated her own helplessness, Su Muyan¡¯s concession, and Su Yi who basically gave the show away to another investor.

    Things would note to this if he did not forego funding to the program. She would note face-to-face with such a tant humiliation!

    The mentors, host, production crew, and trainees were caught off guard by the direction of things. Mr. Yun Xiao nodded and solemnly dered, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Qi Xiu, for your crucial vote. With the polls now at 4 to 3, it¡¯s time for the live audience to decide.¡±

    That was one hell of a plot twist. Anyone with eyes could pick up on the battle of wits between Gu Yang, the host, and Mr. Yun Xiao.

    In a mere blink of an eye, Gu Yang and the host joined forces to bring bnce back to the show with a tie, but Mr. Yun Xiao engaged in the tug of war and tipped the scale against them.

    He requested help from the audience, and with the audience member being a prominent figure like Qi Xiu, no one would oppose the oue. Mr. Qi Xiu could be said to be unrivaled in the whole of China for his aplishment in music.

    The vote in his hand could be counted to decide the fate of thepetition.

    Unable to call the shots, the host turned to Su Botao, the chief director for help.

 Chapter 488 - Shove It in Their Faces

    <h4>Chapter 488: Shove It in Their Faces</h4>

    The mentors¡¯ votes weighed more than the live audience¡¯s. The mentors¡¯ votes ounted for eighty percent while the remaining belonged to the live audience.

    Mr. Yun Xiao managed to drag Mr. Qi Xiu to be part of the team of mentors. The difference in result would be stark if the vote he cast was counted under the mentors¡¯ category.

    Chief Director Su Botao nodded at the host and even had the go-ahead reflected on the teleprompter in case he missed it.

    Mr. Qi Xiu was a mystery guest whom the production team invited to the show. Hence, his vote should be considered under the mentors. As the chief director, Su Botao did not just look out for the trainees and mentors, but he had to also take into ount the entertainment the program could provide.

    This new arrangement would only bring a better spin to the show than the previous segment that was due to be edited out.

    Yes. Mr. Qi Xiu¡¯s vote had to be reflected as one of the mentors¡¯ votes for the development of the show.

    Su Botao was once again grateful to Cosmos Entertainment for giving them Mr. Yun Xiao. He was truly the god of variety shows, adding dramatic twists when it came to the crunch.

    Moreover, he had another juicier identity ¨C Mr. Xixi. During yesterday¡¯s broadcast, fans had started to diss the irresponsible Mr. Yun Xiao, calling him a smart*ss loser. Their hearts went out to their favorite stars.

    Su Botao covertly looked forward to seeing the viewers¡¯ faces when it was revealed that Mr. Yun Xiao was Mr. Xixi.

    Having gotten the cue, the host picked up where he left off. Facing the audience, he asked, ¡°Mr. Qi Xiu, are you voting for Team B?¡±

    Qi Xiu nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The host could finally take a breather after all that suspense. He announced the result of the ballot. ¡°Mr. Qi Xiu has cast his vote and the results are three votes for Team A and four for Team B. Now, the final decision is in the hands of the audience.¡±

    The oue was met with joy and gloom.

    The gloomy bunch who got the short end of the stick were, of course, Team A members led by Su Ruowan.

    These members were over the moon to draw into Su Ruowan¡¯s team. Whoever the opponent, they were bound to win as long as they stuck to Su Ruowan.

    Yet now, they were rendered speechless by the present oue. With their fate sealed, no one was bothered to watch the voting by the audience.

    The audience¡¯s vote had next to no effect on the polls unless there was andslide win of one party.

    The vote count of five hundred audience members was quickly tallied and shown on the big screen on stage. Team A (260) vs Team B (240).

    Team A was higher than Team B by 20 votes. The difference was not huge, but to both teams, it was like heaven and earth.

    Without Qi Xiu¡¯s vote, the winner would have been Team A.

    With Qi Xiu¡¯s vote as a mentor, Team B reigned victorious instead.

    Su Ruowan was up in arms. It never urred to her that a rookie like Ye Weiyang could defeat her.

    She was bitter and in denial of the result, but what difference could it make?

    Su Ruowan refused to admit she did not execute a wless performance, yet she had to acknowledge that the leg injury hindered her from putting forth the best version of herself. Had it not for He Lu, she would have finished first.

    Mr. Yun Xiao said she was brilliant during the selection of the lead role to perform the theme song. Su Ruowan was not up to her usual standard because of the injury. It was not the end. She could outdo herself in the next performance and gain recognition from Mr. Yun Xiao then.

    Su Muyan was hopping mad. The god*mn production team was Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s puppet!

    Yun Xiao¡¯s words changed the whole course of the show¡¯s direction and sealed Wanwan¡¯s fate.

    At this very moment, he was reminded of his animosity toward the betting tform, the international ss, and Shen Xi. If it were not for them, the Su family would not fall into a financial crisis or give up funding for the show.

    As for Mr. Yun Xiao, Su Muyan had to confess that he had selfish motives to vote for Wanwan. However, Mr. Yun Xiao should not break and make new rules to drag Qi Xiu into this in the first ce.

    That was right. The production crew was the main culprit. Had they insisted on upholding the rules of the program, the final victor would be Team A led by Wanwan.

    Su Muyan hypnotized himself not to hate Yun Xiao. He was Mr. Xixi, someone whom Su Muyan wanted to coborate with to reach greater heights in the music scene. Yun Xiao was not to be med.

    Thus, it could only be the production team and Qi Xiu¡¯s fault.

    Why did Qi Xiu answer the question? He could object, not take sides, or refuse to answer, but he chose to cast a vote in the end. Su Muyan was sure that Qi Xiu wanted Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees to win for selfish reasons.

    Shen Xi had no idea what was going through Su Muyan and Su Ruowan¡¯s minds. Nevertheless, she was in a good mood to drive the Su siblings up the wall.

    In the subsequent group matches, the teams which had trainees from Cosmos Entertainment prevailed except for Ji Jingyan¡¯s team.

    Ji Jingyan was a great singer, but her dancing was a tadcking and her overall team performance was subpar. Apart from Ji Jingyan who was in Group A, the other members were at the bottom of the barrel in Group D and two of them had basically given up on trying.

    Once the group matches were over, the online voting poll was shown on the big screen for a preview of the uing ranking. It was no surprise that the ever-popr Su Ruowan topped the charts. Her vote count was double that of the second ce.

    Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s girls, except Ye Weiyang who was given a lot of airtime despite her less-than-mediocre performance in the first episode, showed their stuff and made it to the top twenty. The person in the forefront was Song Wenye in eighth ce.

    This was the ranking after the release of the first episode. The ranking would see a drastic change once the second episode was aired.

    The mystery mentor, Mr. Yun Xiao was the most talked-about with divided opinions.

    The trainees were no more popr than one mentor. Mr. Yun Xiao went viral on Weibo for his entricity.

    A handful fell in love with his aloof and taciturn character.

    However, much of the public criticized Mr. Yun Xiao for assigning a ridiculous task of watching the music video a hundred times and recklessly ditching the trainees after that.

    Since fans were already hating on Mr. Yun Xiao, they found everything about him an eyesore. Netizens chewed him out for trying to be cool with a mask and hisck of responsibility, wanting him out of the show and entertainment business. Some went overboard by telling him to go to hell.

    It was quite the sensation online.

    The trainees surfed the in secret to check the onlinemotion. Since they had signed a nondisclosure agreement with the production team, they were not allowed to release any information about the show. It went without saying that it included Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s identity.

    Nevertheless, looking at the insults andments online, the trainees were looking forward to the big reveal that Mr. Yun Xiao was in fact Mr. Xixi. Nothing would please them more than to shove it in theizens¡¯ faces.

    If Mr. Yun Xiao was a loser who could not dance and sing, then no one in the world was capable of dancing and singing.

    Following the expos¨¦ of Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s identity, the trainees would fight to get his attention, asking for guidance and help in their performance. It was a stark contrast to before when barely anyone looked for him.

    Shen Xi weed the questions from the trainees. As a mentor, she had to shoulder the obligations that came with the title and gave them the guidance they needed.

    Of course, she kept the answer short without wasting any extra breath. Many trainees were dejected for their futile attempt to get close to Mr. Yun Xiao.

    Su Ruowan made her way towards Mr. Yun Xiao with a notebook in hand. Putting aside her pride, she handed the notebook over to him with both hands. Like a modest and humble student, she gazed at Mr. Yun Xiao with expectant eyes. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, this is a song I wrote. May I ask if you could share your thoughts?¡±

    This was Mr. Xixi in the flesh. She met Mr. Xixi atst, albeit in such a manner. Su Ruowan was nervous and anxious but excited.

 Chapter 489 - Su Ruowanâ€™s Writing and Choreographing Her Own Song

    <h4>Chapter 489: Su Ruowan¡¯s Writing and Choreographing Her Own Song</h4>

    Shen Xi took Su Ruowan¡¯s notebook and carefully ran her eyes over.

    What was this piece of sh*t? Su Ruowan sure had the nerve to show it to her. Well, Su Ruowan might not be able to handle Shen Xi¡¯s honestments.

    Su Ruowan was nervous but more so anticipative. Not many had the chance to get pointers from Mr. Xixi. What would he say? How would he show her the ropes?

    Ten secondster.

    Shen Xi handed the notebook back and remarked, ¡°Good.¡±

    Su Ruowan was stumped, choking on the speech she intended to reply with. She suspected Mr. Yun Xiao gave that opinion without reading the whole thing through.

    Good?

    Sure, Su Ruowan believed in herself, but she was tactful enough to know the song she wrote could not be that good in the eyes of China¡¯s starposer.

    Mr. Yun Xiao was clearly fobbing her off!

    Yet, there was nothing she could do about it. What was she supposed to do? It was not as though she could get in his face for a better answer when he already said it was good. Why would she seek for negation when he approved of her?

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, what¡¯s good about it?¡± In the end, Su Ruowan could not resist asking. She had to get all the questions and grievances off her chest. The one-wordpliment only raised more questions than being discredited.

    ¡°Everything.¡± Shen Xi earnestly replied. Without casting another nce, she went to entertain the other trainees who were waiting.

    Meeting Mr. Xixi gaze, Song Wenye quickly pushed Ye Weiyang over to consult him.

    The kid was too honest to fight her way through. She gave way to anyone cutting the line. She was in front of the queue to ask Mr. Xixi questions, and yet she was still here after an hour of waiting.

    A trainee behind the pair gave Song Wenye the side nce and almost skipped past Ye Weiyang, but Song Wenye had to poke her nose in. Song Wenye should mind her own business.

    Su Ruowan was ignored after receiving the single-word remark. She awkwardly stood there when Song Wenye shot her a smug look. Su Ruowan felt provoked, but by then, Mr. Xixi had turned his attention to Ye Weiyang who handed him her notebook.

    The interaction between the teacher and student blinded her eyes.

    What more could she say?

    Su Ruowan asked for Mr. Xixi¡¯s opinion on a song she wrote. Yes, he gave his feedback, but the word was an insult rather than an honor to her!

    The trainees, except Song Wenye who relished in her misfortune, turned green with envy. As expected from a top-ranked and the best student. Even Mr. Xixi thought highly of her.

    He Lu, especially, was driven mad with jealousy to hear Mr. Xixi¡¯s assessment of Su Ruowan¡¯s work.

    She was already ticked off at Su Ruowan, ming thetter for her poor performance on stage. Had it not for her, He Lu would not suffer injuries as a result of the morning collision. He Lu could not sit by and watch now that Mr. Xixi wasplimenting Su Ruowan too.

    ¡°Wanwan, can I take a look at your song?¡± A former Group A member came up and enviously stared at Su Ruowan. ¡°You¡¯re awesome. You got Mr. Xixi to say you¡¯re good.¡±

    Mr. Xixi was the hottestposer in showbiz. His affirmation was the greatest ttery.

    ¡°No. Mr. Xixi only said that so as not to bring me down.¡± Su Ruowan humbly smiled while sping the notebook in her hand.

    Fooling around, another trainee snatched the notebook away and keenly flipped through.

    A hint of revulsion shed past Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes. He Lu drew close and joined the two trainees to scan through Su Ruowan¡¯s song. The sight of them made Su Ruowan sick to her stomach.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan had a public image to uphold. In the eyes of the public, these girls were her girlfriends, so it was not as though she could snatch the notebook back.

    Standing in a corner, Su Ruowan listened as Mr. Yun Xiao addressed the shortfalls in Ye Weiyang¡¯s song in a t tone. Jealousy overtook every inch of her being.

    That was right.

    Mr. Xixi was biased towards Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees, especially towards Ye Weiyang. The favoritism drove Su Ruowan up the wall.

    He could offer Ye Weiyang extensive mentoring, but why could he not do the same for her? Did she do something wrong? How was she not up to par with Ye Weiyang?

    Su Ruowan was prettier, stronger, and came from a more superior background than Ye Weiyang. She beat Ye Weiyang in every single way, but why would Mr. Xixi not like her?

    Having dabbled in music, He Lu could tell the song was mediocre. In an attempt to push Su Ruowan¡¯s buttons, He Lu asked curiously, ¡°Wanwan, are you going to showcase this song in the next performance?¡±

    It was only an ordinary andckluster song. The lyrics were subpar while the tune was nondescript. Why would Mr. Xixi deem the song good?

    ¡°Wanwan, that¡¯s amazing of you to write and choreograph your own song.¡± One of the nearby trainees eximed in an exaggeration.

    ¡°Wanwan, you really impress me.¡± The other trainee echoed. They may say so, but internally, jealousy was rearing its ugly head. Since Mr. Xixi mentioned she wrote the song well, Su Ruowan was sure toe out on top for the choreography session as well.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s blood pressure rose. If only she could tell them to get lost. When did she say she was going to choreograph the dance? It would only make her aughing stock to attempt something she was not good at!

    She was about to refute when a busybody shouted amid the crowd, ¡°Su Ruowan said she¡¯s going to write and choreograph her own song for the next performance.¡±

    The yelling bore clear hints of taunt and ridicule. Su Ruowan followed the source of the voice to find Song Wenye arrogantly mocking her. Su Ruowan could flip her top.

    What was the b*tch Song Wenye trying to pull?

    With an uproar stirring among the trainees, everyone gathered around Su Ruowan, asking if she was indeedposing and choreographing her own song. There were voices of envy, the banter, and those who simply came along for the ride.

    Su Ruowan had no escape now that everybody was under the impression that she was going to write and choreograph her own song. She hated He Lu and the girls who started this as well as Song Wenye who fanned the mes.

    ¡°No.¡± Su Ruowan panicked and was at a loss, staring at all the green eyes surrounding her. To y it safe, she knew she must not risk it with a new song. ¡°It¡¯s Lulu¡­¡±

 Chapter 490 - Put on the Spot

    <h4>Chapter 490: Put on the Spot</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Ruowan was about to exin that He Lu and the girls were just joking.

    To her dismay, Song Wenye took the lead in rocking the boat. ¡°That¡¯s amazing of Su Ruowan! She¡¯s our role model. We should learn from her to write and choreograph our own song for the next performance. Mr. Xixi, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Su Ruowan was put on the spot thanks to Song Wenye. Su Ruowan nodded and went along with it. ¡°Su Ruowan is exceptional.¡±

    Turning green by Mr. Xixi¡¯spliment, the trainees sweetened up to Su Ruowan. Be it out of the goodness of their hearts or against their conscience, they made too much of her.

    Su Ruowan could not back down now that she was pushed to a corner with no way out. She knew that denial would only lead her to be sneered at, looked down upon, and questioned of her abilities.

    These conniving b*tches were waiting for her to make a fool out of herself. Who did they think they were? Su Ruowan would never give them the chance!

    They were jealous of her talent and feared her gift.

    ¡°Wow! Is this the song you¡¯d be performing?¡± One of the trainees grabbed Su Ruowan¡¯s notebook and exaggeratedly cried in envy. She appeared absorbed in the notebook.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s notebook was passed around among the trainees. They read in amazement, singing praises of the written song even though some did not get it. A song with Mr. Xixi¡¯s stamp of approval must be of quality.

    Standing in a corner, He Lu and a few observed the look on Su Ruowan¡¯s face and snickered to themselves. Su Ruowan was supposed to be good because she retained the top spot in Group A.

    Since she was that good, Su Ruowan might as well perform her own work rather than a cover on stage!

    Su Ruowan turned ck in the face. If looks could kill, these b*tches would be dead by now.

    Instead of staying for the drama, Song Wenye went off to her business and called Group A¡¯s mentor, Fang Yuan, over. She sugarcoated Su Ruowan with all the praises in the world, adding that Mr. Xiximended her song and that she was prepared to perform her original on the main stage.

    As a mentor who respected her students, Fang Yao admired talents with a mind of their own. Su Ruowan happened to be one she was biased toward. Intrigued, Fang Yao came over and encouraged Su Ruowan. ¡°You have a great idea there. Don¡¯t worry, I have your back.¡±

    Fang Yao was certain Su Ruowan would seed. As it turned out, she was a good judge of character to recognize that the kid had the talent and guts. Fang Yao looked forward to Su Ruowan¡¯s growth and performance on stage.

    With that, Fang Yao¡¯s words cemented Su Ruowan writing and choreographing an original song of her own.

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Fang Yao.¡± Unable to talk her way out of it, Su Ruowan caved in.

    Su Ruowan had a clear idea of her strength. It was not an issue for her to do a cover, but she had zero talent for songwriting. Otherwise, Su Ruowan would have debuted early on.

    Nevertheless, she was not going to throw in the towel. Su Ruowan could seek help from Muyan or ask someone to write and choreograph for her. Money could buy anything.

    That was right.

    She wanted to be a musically gifted person like Muyan, and she couldbel herself just that. Su Ruowan would be the best on the condition that no one found out.

    Hearing themotion, the other mentors came over.

    Fang Yao happily pulled Su Ruowan along and boasted to the others. ¡°Our Su Ruowan is a golden girl. She¡¯s going to write and choreograph a song to perform on stage.¡±

    She gave them a look that showed how impressed and proud she was of Su Ruowan¡¯s bold decision.

    Xia Mi, Gu Yang, and He Sumo were unsure what was going on, but they nodded in agreement and admiration following the statement.

    Su Ruowan really had the guts. There were not many rookies who would write and choreograph their own songs.

    Su Muyan knew where Su Ruowan¡¯s capabilitiesy. His suspicions were written all over his face but he was quick to regain hisposure. Still, he found it odd.

    Why did Wanwan not discuss with him in advance that she wanted to write and choreograph her own song to perform on stage? Was it a decision madest-minute?

    She was good at performing a cover but choreographing and songwriting was not her strong suit. It was not up to the level to perform in front of an audience.

    Su Ruowan smiled and greeted the mentors modestly.

    ¡°You lot should make time and steer Su Ruowan in the right direction.¡± Fang Yao jokingly said before giving Su Ruowan a moment to say a few words.

    Su Ruowan gazed at the mentors and humbly said, ¡°I may not do well on my first try. Please offer me guidance whenever possible.¡±

    She came around to the idea to perform her own work on stage. It would only do her good by earning her more apuse, flowers, and support.

    Song Wenye, that b*tch must have thought she seeded at pulling a fast one on her. No way. Su Ruowan was going to prove she prevailed over everyone with ¡°her own¡± choreography and song. These girls would only be tormented by their green-eyed monsters.

    Su Ruowan should thank Song Wenye as thetter¡¯s n backfired and gave her an edge instead. Song Wenye was going to flip when she realized all the fuss she kicked up only helped Su Ruowan to seed.

    Song Wenye thought it was strange that Su Ruowan appeared rather confident. She began to doubt whether she had screwed up and opened doors for Su Ruowan instead.

    Was Su Ruowan really that good at songwriting and choreography?

    Song Wenye started to regret it. Why did she have to make such a huge fuss?

    She wanted to make Su Ruowan look like an idiot, but the progression of things was far from what she imagined.

    Was there a possibility Su Ruowan was as good as Mr. Xixi put her to be? Song Wenye would gag if Su Ruowan was spectacr on stage.

    Su Ruowan became the center of attention. It went without saying how delighted and smug she was to ept the envy and worship of the trainees as well as the admiration of the mentors.

    Bleak air surrounded Song Wenye. Kneeling in a corner, she forked out her phone and sent a distress message. [Song Wenye: Xixi, I think I might have f*cked up and inadvertently helped Su Ruowan.]

    Having left the studio, Shen Xi read the message and replied. [Shen Xi: What did you do?]

    Song Wenye typed quickly and filled the whole screen with text, exining the situation.

    Of course, Shen Xi did not have to read the message to know what went down since she was there. She texted back. [Shen Xi: Just concentrate on yourself.]

    As for Su Ruowan, pigs would fly the day she couldpose and choreograph her own song. She was likely to use the same method as Su Muyan ¨C hiring a ghostwriter and buying the rights out of them before passing it off as their own work. Musical gift, her *ss.

    Shen Xi was interested in the buyout bit. It was high time to offer a name to Su Muyan to provide the buyout service. Shen Xi could then give the most thoughtful, covert, and perfect service to Su Ruowan.. She could guarantee that Su Ruowan would regret it for life after trying it once.

 Chapter 491 - A Womanâ€™s Intuition

    <h4>Chapter 491: A Woman¡¯s Intuition</h4>

    The bustle went on in the studio.

    Shen Xi had no interest in watching the circus. Now that practice was over, it was dinner time.

    Not one trainee was at the cafeteria as they were huddled up in one studio. Despite what was really going through their minds, the trainees gazed at Su Ruowan with eyes of admiration and envy.

    He Lu was kicking herself since somehow, she ended up helping Su Ruowan. The mentors put a lot of value in Su Ruowan and seemed to want to coach her one-on-one. The sight was an eyesore to He Lu.

    Tilting her head, Su Ruowan smiled tenderly at He Lu and the other girls. Oh, the awful look on their faces as though they ate a fly absolutely lifted Su Ruowan¡¯s spirits.

    These b*tches thought they could make a fool out of her? Well, not a chance.

    The mentors could not see anything special about Su Ruowan. It was an ordinary song written by a rookie, but it must have its merits since Mr. Xixi said it was good.

    Still, Gu Yang, Xia Mi, and Fang Yao were unable to discern the redeeming qualities. Nevertheless, these mentors were singers, rather than singer-songwriters.

    Among the five mentors, only He Sumo and Su Muyan were singer-songwriters.

    ¡°Muyan, what do you think?¡± Gu Yang asked Su Muyan for his opinion. Su Muyan was musically gifted, and regardless of any half-truths ying a part in the public image, the fact remained that he wrote his own songs.

    Su Muyan¡¯s songwriting may not be the most amazing thing in the world, but rarely were there any songs of quality such as his in the music scene nowadays.

    Gu Yang had tried writing his own songs and released a single. He understood the act of writing was much harder than singing. Anyone could sing, but not everyone couldpose.

    Fang Yao curiously looked at Su Muyan. She was a singer herself and even if the songwriting was not her forte, years of experience in showbiz honed a keen eye to recognize a good song.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s song was indeed mediocre, from the tune to the lyrics.

    Thrown for the loop by the question, Su Muyan was not going to speak ill of Su Ruowan. Instead, he gave a vaguement about issues a rookie would face when writing their first song. He also added at the end. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong about Su Ruowan¡¯s song. She¡¯ll only get better with time.¡±

    The others exchanged a nce. What kind of answer was this? They wanted a professional, precise, and personal opinion. Whether Su Ruowan had a knack at songwriting was second to them, because most importantly, Mr. Xixi said the song was good, but what was good about it?

    Fang Yao was holding her breath amidst the group. She went to bat for Su Ruowan after hearing from Song Wenye that Mr. Xiximended Su Ruowan¡¯s song and that thetter wanted to perform her own work. Fang Yao started to doubt Mr. Xixi¡¯s taste and regretted her impulsive act.

    Now that word had gotten out, it was all on her if her coaching left Su Ruowan¡¯s performance much to be desired and caused Su Ruowan to fall in ranking.

    Since it was not polite to explore the question further with Su Muyan, Fang Yao turned to the other singer-songwriter, He Sumo.

    He Sumo was not going to embarrass Su Muyan in front of others. They were all mentors and colleagues here after all. He Sumo would be stepping on toes to express his opinion aloud when it was clear that Su Muyan did not want to pick holes. Hence, he merely smiled at Fang Yao.

    Fang Yao could pull her hair out. What the hell. She wanted them to talk!

    Gu Yang was no longer dying to find out. He looked at the anxious Fang Yao and said with a smile, ¡°You can do it, Ms. Fang Yao. You too, Su Ruowan.¡±

    Truth be told, the production team had prepared special training for the trainees topose their song and dance, but it was nothing on therge scale. No one counted on the trainees to immediately pick up and be capable enough to perform their song on stage in such a short period.

    Of course, the decision was not absolute. The mentors were not going to let any gifted songwriting contestants slip.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Gu Yang.¡± Su Ruowan epted the encouragement with grace. With Mr. Xixi giving her the gold star, the other mentors would not let the cat out of the bag despite what they thought. There was nothing to be embarrassed about as long as she yed it cool.

    Since it was dinner time, the trainees excused themselves and went to the cafeteria in groups.

    Su Ruowan thanked the mentors again before taking off with He Lu and the other girls. As ¡°girlfriends¡±, they were, of course, inseparable.

    The mentors arrived at the cafeteria, unable to locate Mr. Xixi. They looked around and at one another wondering where he could be.

    After dinner, Gu Yang got up to make a phone call. He went to the director to ask for Mr. Xixi¡¯s number to ask where he was, but to his disappointment, the director did not have his number.

    Xia Mi waited until everyone else was gone before drawing close to Gu Yang. ¡°Why do you think Mr. Xixi said the song Su Ruowan wrote was good? It seemed mediocre to me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re not good enough at telling.¡± Gu Yang was curious about this question. There was nothing special about this ordinary song.

    The only highlight was perhaps as mentioned by Su Muyan, that it was a pretty good effort for a rookie¡¯s first hand at songwriting.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Mr. Xixi seems to have a bone to pick with Su Ruowan?¡± Xia Mi thought about it long and hard before deciding to speak her mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Gu Yang chuckled. ¡°Why would Mr. Xixi have an issue with a trainee? Thements she brought to the table were both reasonable and professional.¡±

    Without refuting, Xia Mi gave him the side nce and uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t you know about a certain sense called a woman¡¯s intuition?¡±

    Gu Yang had noments. What more could he say?

    ¡°Should we head to Mr. Xixi¡¯s dorms together to look for him?¡± Xia Mi consulted him.

    Gu Yang nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±

    While making their way to the dormitory, the pair could not stop talking about Mr. Xixi.

    Nevertheless, they had no idea that someone had arrived at Mr. Xixi¡¯s amodation ahead of them. The person carrying a beautiful gift basket in hand outside the door was none other than Su Muyan.

    Su Muyan came to show his concern before anyone else. Standing at the door, he cleared his throat, straightened out his clothes, practiced his smile, making sure everything was in ce before knocking on the door.

    Soon, the door opened.

 Chapter 492 - Give Me Ten Minutes

    <h4>Chapter 492: Give Me Ten Minutes</h4>

    Shen Xi was tempted to m the door in Su Muyan¡¯s face the moment sheid eyes on him. Oh, if only she could swat him like a fly. Without saying a word, Shen Xi stared at him.

    Standing before the masked young man, Su Muyan caringly asked with a warm smile, ¡°Why weren¡¯t you at the cafeteria tonight? Are you unwell?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re not.¡± Unfazed by Mr. Xixi¡¯s distant attitude, Su Muyan still appeared concerned as he handed Mr. Xixi a gift basket. ¡°These are some desserts made by my mom. Fresh from the oven. Have a taste, Mr. Xixi.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Thank you.¡± Shen Xi then shut the door with a wham.

    Su Muyan was going to ask to enter but was taken back by the abrupt door m. The door would have hit his face if his reflex was a tad bit slow.

    The sudden turn of events drained the color of hisplexion. The fury brewing inside him could be seen in his eyes even though he had anticipated being turned away beforeing over.

    Still, Su Muyan was furious and upset to be shut out. He had never been given the attitude when he paid anyone a visit in person.

    However, there was nothing he could do about it. Since he was the one who wanted to bootlick and get along with Mr. Xixi, he had to put aside his feelings and put up with it no matter what.

    Su Muyan got a grip of himself before lifting his knuckle once more to knock on the door. He tried his best to convince himself that this was Mr. Xixi¡¯s character and that thetter had nothing personal against him.

    Meanwhile, Gu Yang and Xia Mi arrived at the scene. With Su Muyan around, they knew what was up. No one ¨C both trainees and mentors ¨C was able to sit tight after finding out Mr. Yun Xiao was, in fact, Mr. Xixi.

    ¡°You¡¯re here for Mr. Xixi too, Muyan.¡± Gu Yang was first to greet him.

    ¡°You guys as well.¡± Su Muyan grinned and waved the gift basket in his hand. ¡°My mom made some dessert. There¡¯s more in my room. I was just about to hand out one each.¡±

    ¡°I have to try Ms. Li¡¯s dessert.¡± Xia Mi walked up and gestured for him to knock on the door.

    ¡°Muyan, please thank Ms. Li for us,¡± Gu Yang politely replied.

    Su Muyan had just gone through the rejection. Under the watchful eye of Gu Yang and Xia Mi, he gently knocked on the door once more.

    This time, no one opened or answered the door.

    ¡°Are you there, Mr. Xixi?¡± Xia Mi went over to knock and stuck her face to the door as she cried.

    Yet, there was still no answer.

    Xia Mimented, ¡°Mr. Xixi isn¡¯t around.¡±

    Gu Yang looked disappointed. ¡°I wonder if Mr. Xixi will be attending tonight¡¯s practice?¡±

    Come to think of it, Gu Yang found it weird that he never asked for Mr. Xixi¡¯s number or WeChat contact even though they had been working together for the past few days.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the production crew have Mr. Xixi¡¯s schedule?¡± Su Muyan looked at Gu Yang. Only Su Muyan knew that Mr. Xixi was still in his room but refused to open the door for them.

    With his rage subsiding, Su Muyan was in a better mood. Mr. Xixi was not shunning him or out to get him. Su Muyan was at peace knowing this was how Mr. Xixi was toward everyone.

    ¡°No.¡± Gu Yang regrettably shook his head.

    Mr. Xixi¡¯s itinerary was different from the rest of them. They were mentors attached to the show while Mr. Xixi was not. Mr. Xixi was the only one who had a say when he woulde to the show, not the production team.

    Meanwhile.

    In her quarters, Shen Xi was cozying up on the sofa as she replied to Li Yuan¡¯s message. [Shen Xi: Give me ten minutes. Someone¡¯s at my door.]

    Su Muyan¡¯s face made her sick to the stomach, but she had nothing against Xia Mi and Gu Yang. However, they were just acquaintances too. They were all here for the same thing.

    She could bet her money that no one woulde looking for her if she was still Yun Xiao and not Xixi. People, especially in the entertainment world, were pretty realistic.

 Chapter 493 - With Toffeecitoâ€™s Dad!

    <h4>Chapter 493: With Toffeecito¡¯s Dad!</h4>

    Soon.

    The voices at the door slowly faded with the sounds of footsteps. With the trainees¡¯ practice starting at six o¡¯clock in the evening, the corridor was quiet and deserted.

    Shen Xi put on a ck jumper and covered her head with a hoodie. After making sure there was no one around, she swiftly raced out of the door, into the elevator, down the floors, and straight to the ck Maybach parked on the opposite side of the road.

    Su Ruowan and He Lu took a thirty minute break to shop for girls¡¯ essential needs. They were getting off the cab when they caught a fleeting nce of Shen Xi disappearing into the Maybach.

    Caught by surprise, He Lu could tell it was Shen Xi. She ran into Shen Xi at the elevator on the first shooting, thinking she was the recement trainee. However, He Lu had never seen her since then.

    Yet now, Shen Xi was exiting the trainees¡¯ training grounds? The production team had cleared out and secured the surrounding area for the shooting. No one could get in or out without a valid pass.

    Su Ruowan had a good look and was certain it was Shen Xi. She had a bad feeling about it.

    That was right.

    Her rm would set off whenever there was a sighting of Shen Xi. God knew what was the b*tch up to!

    ¡°Lulu, the production team said there was another mystery guest arriving in two days. Did your uncle mention who?¡± Su Ruowan felt ill at ease.

    She sure hoped to hell that the mystery guest was not that b*tch, Shen Xi. Shen Xi was the bane of her existence, haunting her wherever she went.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. I think it¡¯s a professional dancer.¡± He Lu paid extra attention to this sort of matter. Having caught wind of new mystery guests, she got down to business and inquired about it with her uncle.

    As the deputy director of thework, her uncle had to keep mum about the show and refused her the details. He only relented and disclosed a tiny bit of information following He Lu¡¯s incessant pestering.

    ¡°Did he say if the guest was an A- or B-lister?¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s heart sank. She needed further verification to ascertain whether it was Shen Xi.

    A professional dancer. Shen Xi was considered a professional dancer. Although the b*tch never publicly acknowledged that fact, people in the entertainment world identified her as Shu Baiyu¡¯s student.

    ¡°No.¡± He Lu had not connected the dots to Shen Xi. In fact, she was stumped as to why Shen Xi was here. After much thought, He Lu replied with a smile, ¡°The production team has the tendency of implementing an element of surprise, and it was quite clear when they weed Mr. Xixi and Mr. Qi Xiu to the show. I¡¯m sure the next guest¡¯s just as popr as them both.¡±

    Su Ruowan verbally echoed He Lu¡¯s views, but her grip on the stic bag tightened. She was still hung up on the question. Was He Lu that sure? What if it was Shen Xi?

    Shen Xi was not good enough topete with Qi Xiu and Mr. Xixi in terms of poprity. However, no one could stack up against her when it came to buzz-worthy.

    She may not be in entertainment, but her position as Jiang Yin and Shu Baiyu¡¯s students put Shen Xi in the limelight.

    The trainees were taking a break by the time the duo returned. They ran into Song Wenye who was on her way to the loo.

    Rolling her eyes, Song Wenye cockily ignored them and walked straight ahead.

    To her surprise, Su Ruowan suddenly called out to her and asked, ¡°Song Wenye, did Shen Xie to see you?¡±

    Song Wenye grew suspicious at the mention of Shen Xi¡¯s name. Nevertheless, she was not going to let Su Ruowan get anything out of her. Hence, Song Wenye answered with a question, ¡°You saw her?¡±

    Su Ruowan was so focused on Shen Xi being the mystery guest that she failed to keep an eye on Song Wenye. Hearing this, she ensued with another question. ¡°What is she doing here?¡±

    All the more Song Wenye was puzzled by Su Ruowan¡¯s reaction. Xixi came, but she had no idea. Despite the urge to blurt that Shen Xi came to crush Su Ruowan, Song Wenye managed to get a hold of herself. She coldly scoffed. ¡°None of your god*mn business!¡±

    With that, she turned away to leave, paying no mind to the girls.

    The series of exchanges only left Su Ruowan with more questions. If the mystery mentor was indeed Shen Xi, how was she supposed to deal with it?

    Su Ruowan intended to ask Muyanter about the mystery mentor. He must know something about it.

    Muyan had to take precautionary measures too if Shen Xi was really here.

    The b*tch would go out of her way to make her life a living hell. It would be humiliating for Su Ruowan to fall into Shen Xi¡¯s trap during the shoot.

    He Lu was dumbstruck to hear Shen Xi¡¯s nameing from Su Ruowan¡¯s mouth. Pretending not to know anything, she inquired, ¡°Who is Shen Xi?¡±

    Su Ruowan had no qualms sharing with He Lu. ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister.¡±

    He Lu thought it was strange since she was uncertain whether they were talking about the same person. He Lu had never heard that the Su family had any daughters other than Su Ruowan. Nevertheless, it was likely the Su family kept it a secret as they were in showbiz. ¡°Is she your biological sister?¡±

    With jealousy and wickedness shing past her eyes, Su Ruowan shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Su Ruowan entered the studio before He Lu could ask any more questions. They were not training in the same studio, so He Lu was not in the position to pursue the matter and returned to her studio sulkily.

    They were in the same dormitory anyway. She could also ask Song Wenye if Su Ruowan refused to divulge further details. He Lu got a load of Su Ruowan¡¯s cross-examination with Song Wenye.

    If Shen Xi was her sister, why did she not look for Su Ruowan but Song Wenye instead? There must be an untold secret between.

    Meanwhile, Song Wenye, unable to discern whether Su Ruowan was lying or not about Shen Xi being here, sent a text to Shen Xi to confirm.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she would be caught, and of all people, it had to be Su Ruowan and He Lu. She had not noticed them at all. These two may rack their brains, but they would never figure out that she and Yun Xiao were the same people. Shen Xi did not mindplicating things for the duo by leaving them on tenterhooks and looking over their shoulders.

    She resolutely replied to Song Wenye. [Shen Xi: They must be mistaken!]

    Song Wenye might be in a world of her own, but she was not stupid. [Song Wenye: Tell me then. You¡¯ve been taking off schooltely. What have you been up to?]

    Since her daily amusement and wind-down time was hanging around the international ss¡¯ group chat, Song Wenye was informed about Shen Xi¡¯s leaves.

    The girl had not shown up at school ever since Song Wenye joined the program. She was not bothered to ask at first, but she felt there was more to the story now that she thought about it.

    Shen Xi sneaked a nce at the handsome man who was fixated on his tablet looking for tourist spots. Avoiding the question about taking leave, she changed the topic and texted back. [Shen Xi: I¡¯m with Toffecito¡¯s dad!]

    Song Wenye was pleased with the answer. Although she was dying for juicy gossip, Song Wenye put a lid on her curiosity and happily responded. [Song Wenye: Have a fun time.]

    It was best not to butt into their love affair. Romance took precedence over everything else.

    Song Wenye zeroed in on Toffeecito¡¯s dad in Shen Xi¡¯s text message, blinded by the name. F*ck! Again with front row seats to the pair¡¯s lovey-dovey-ness.

    ¡°There¡¯s a carnival at the amusement park tonight. Shall we head there?¡± Li Yuan turned his head and caught a fleeting nce at the word ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad¡±. Joy overwhelmed his senses. His fairdy quickly flipped her phone upside down as though she was afraid he might see something he should not.

 Chapter 494 - A Hundred-Yuan Worth, Please

    <h4>Chapter 494: A Hundred-Yuan Worth, Please</h4>

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi bobbed her head without a second thought while keeping an eye on his expression to see if he saw anything by ident.

    ¡°Shall we get two passes?¡± Browsing the amusement park website, Li Yuan asked.

    ¡°Make it three!¡± Shen Xi uttered and nced at Kun Lun.

    Whatever the activity, Shen Xi was happy to be around Li Yuan and all for it. Her eyes reflected happiness. The carnival at the amusement park was a great ce for a date.

    Kun Lun dared not make a peep. Since Boss mentioned two passes, it was clear he did not want Kun Lun to be the third wheel. Why did Ms. Shen not get it?

    The self-deprecation shook Li Yuan deep to his core. He knew where her heart was, but he remained firm on his answer. ¡°Two passes.¡±

    A cripple like him was only a burden to others!

    Li Yuan did not want to have anyone following them while he was with her, even if the person was Kun Lun. For once, he wanted it to just be the two of them.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be ying the games. I won¡¯t join in.¡± With the growing pressure mounting on him, Kun Lun immediately declined the invitation.

    ¡°Two it is then.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s heart went out to him as she picked up on the tension in Li Yuan¡¯s muscles. Not only did she hurt his feelings, she had also hurt his pride.

    She blurted without thinking, and now there was no way to take it back.

    Keeping to himself, Li Yuan scrolled his tablet. It was so quiet in the vehicle that their individual breathing patterns could be heard.

    Did he overreact?

    Li Yuan should not be so stubborn since he was a handicap anyway. This was a fact he could not deny. There were many things he had to depend on the help of others, so as not to appear a fool.

    With the air being eerily quiet, Kun Lun, who was behind the wheel, was perhaps in the best position for a good look at the situation. Through the rear-view mirror, he could see the hesitation between the couple while they figured out how to break the god*mn silence.

    It had not been long. Less than a minute went by.

    After making up her mind, Shen Xi picked her head up and faced the man¡¯s eyes that were as profound as the gxy. She paused for a moment before letting out a bright smile. ¡°Brother, take me to the amusement park again once your legs are all better, alright?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart was racing as he met the girl¡¯s sparkling eyes. Warmth, fieriness, and endless hope were reflected in those windows to the soul. He nodded and solemnly vowed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    He should trust her that his legs would only get better. Li Yuan hoped to always be like her ¨C warm like the sun as she strode steadfastly in the face of adversity.

    ¡°Let me see what we can ride together.¡± Shen Xi cheerfully drew close and went through every attraction on the tablet herself.

    Lowering his gaze, Li Yuan had a good look at the girl¡¯s fair side profile and soft dainty ear. His breathing turned ragged.

    His fairdy was sitting a wee bit too close to him, so close he could feel the warmth of her body. With her faint scent attacking his senses and holding his heart captive, his eyes grew darker with desire.

    ¡°I think we can try everything.¡± Shen Xi read through each ride and suddenly lifted her head.

    Li Yuan was caught off guard by her sudden movement. The girl¡¯s bright onyx eyes shimmered like the stars in the night. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re aware that I can lift heavy objects, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Yuan nodded.

    ¡°Will you feel embarrassed if I carry you onto the rides?¡± Shen Xi believed she would only hurt him if she tiptoed around him. Hence, she spoke whatever was on her mind.

    Li Yuan was taken aback for a moment but a smile broke across his lips. He shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    She had already seen him at his worst. What else was there to worry about? His dignity was not worth the mention in front of her.

    ¡°Great.¡± Happy atst, Shen Xi went through the attractions and chattered on about getting on the ridester at the amusement park.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi got ahead of herself. There was a huge discount for the night session because the carnival was in town. They were stuck in the sea of people, much less a chance to ride anything. The endless queues seemed to lead to a road of despair.

    Shen Xi pushed the wheelchair, feeling like they were getting nowhere. She was disappointed and after finally persuading Li Yuan that she could carry him; they were unable to check any attractions off their list.

    Holding two confetti balloons in his hand, Li Yuan turned to the dejected girl and inquired in a serious tone, ¡°Shall I have the ce cleared?¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat to get over the shock from his words. Noticing that people were looking at them, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not fun without people.¡±

    Part of the fun in amusement parks was the crowds. It would not quite do it if it was just the two of them.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t have any fun if there are too many people.¡± Li Yuan solemnly gazed at the bustling crowd before adding. ¡°How about clearing half the ce?¡±

    People walking by looked at the couple like they had lost their minds. Who did the pair think they were to clear the ce? They talked as though they owned the ce!

    Li Yuan pulled a long face as tension rose around him.

    Picking up on the changes in Li Yuan, Shen Xi turned to the public and exined, ¡°He¡¯s joking.¡±

    These people bought their tickets to have fun at the amusement park. They would only think Li Yuan and Shen Xi were either fools or nuts to talk about clearing the park out.

    The tourists did not take them seriously and instead, let out a friendly smile. It was hard enough for a youngdy to take her crippled boyfriend out to the amusement park.

    The boyfriend, joking or not, was merely trying to please his girlfriend. There was no point in making a fuss over it.

    Shen Xi pushed the wheelchair and fled the scene; afraid he might drop another bomb. He meant it when he said he would clear the ce. To him, buying the amusement park was simply a matter of saying the word.

    Li Yuan was ufortable with the sights and sounds, especially in crowded and polluted ces. He would not be able to stand it had it not been for his fairdy.

    He suddenly regretted his suggestion toe to the amusement park.

    It never crossed his mind that there would be a lot of people here. He should have cleared the ce in advance so as not to end up in the current situation. His fairdy could not even enjoy one ride.

    There were fewer people further up, even around the ring toss stall.

    As his fairdy was fixated on the stall, Li Yuan asked, ¡°Do you want to go over and try that?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m just looking.¡±

    She was too old to y this childish game.

    Li Yuan said, ¡°I¡¯ve never tried this before.¡±

    Shen Xi remarked, ¡°Let¡¯s head over for a closer look.¡±

    Li Yuan grinned as his gaze fell on the stuffed bunny the girl was staring at.

    It was only when Shen Xi pushed Li Yuan over that she realized why people were scarce around the area. The game here cost extra and was expensive too. It was a hundred bucks for seven tosses. No wonder no one came to y.

    The admission pass itself was a hundred eighty after discount. No sensible people would be willing to part with a hundred bucks for several tosses.

    However, the prizes were lucrative. There were authentic plush toys, resin kits, Lego, to name a few. These were exquisite toys and not the cheap kind sold on the streets.

    The ring toss area was not huge. A spread of LED-lit miniature figuresid on the ground and each figure was tagged with a prize number. The physical prize would be given ording to where the ringnded.

    Shen Xi had no intention of ying, but since Li Yuan rarely showed interest in anything, she was happy to keep himpany.

    Li Yuan paid a hundred bucks for seven rings. The stall owner offered him an extra ring, making it eight altogether.

    Shen Xi kneeled beside him, waiting with gusto for him to kick some *ss. Li Yuan seemed to have it in the bag. Her adrenaline was pumping as she watched on.

    Li Yuan picked up a ring and aimed at figure number 4. It was the prize code for the stuffed bunny.

    The first was a miss.

    Shen Xi stayed by his side. ¡°Come on, Brother!¡±

    The second was a miss.

    Shen Xiforted him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You have six more.¡±

    The third did not evene close.

    Shen Xi remained confident. ¡°You¡¯ll get the next one.¡±

    The fourth, fifth¡­ eighth attempt was a bust.

    Li Yuan turned ck in the face.

    Shen Xi stifled augh. It was hard to believe that there was something Li Yuan was incapable of doing. She let out a cough. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s try something else.¡±

    Sticking to his guns, Li Yuan whipped up a hundred-yuan bill. ¡°Again.¡±

    The stall owner was ecstatic and gave him another eight rings. He was always weing towards customers with deep pockets but no skills to match.

    Sometimes, it simply was not the person¡¯s day, be it due to bad luck or they sucked. A hundred yuan, two hundred yuan, five hundred yuan, a thousand yuan¡­ Li Yuan still could not make the shot.

    Too awkward to ept more money, the stall owner generously looked at them and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to toss any more rings. Let me give you a prize.¡±

    Li Yuan was persistent. He took out another thousand yuan and gazed at the stall owner.

    The stall owner, ¡°¡­¡±

    Since Li Yuan was not ready to back down, the stall owner was not going to say no to more money. They were about to make money and ring exchange.

    Suddenly, Shen Xi jumped in to seize Li Yuan by the arm. She took out a hundred bucks and gave it to the stall owner before uttering, ¡°A hundred-yuan worth of rings please.¡±

    She could not stand it anymore. It would be best if she did it herself!

    The stall owner gave her ten rings.

    Li Yuan looked at the girl and extended one arm. ¡°Give me.¡±

    Shen Xi had never seen such childish spite in the man¡¯s face. ¡°Are you nning to camp here if you can¡¯t toss a prize?¡±

    Li Yuan was without a word.

    Shen Xi nearly burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯ll do it then.¡±

    Li Yuan wanted to do the toss, but his fairdy refused to give it to him. In the next moment, Shen Xi was seen casually hurling the ring.

    The ring took flight.

    Itnded.

 Chapter 495 - It Was Her

    <h4>Chapter 495: It Was Her</h4>

    Then.

    It was a winner.

    With aplicated look on his face, Li Yuan nced at his hands.

    His hands were capable of a 100% sess rate when it came to guns, darts, and pelts.

    Shen Xi stared at the stall owner. ¡°Give it to us.¡±

    The stall owner handed the stuffed bunny to her. He took a good look at Shen Xi before turning to the man in the wheelchair. The stall owner wanted tough but was embarrassed to do so since he took a lot of money from the man in the wheelchair.

    He was starting to suspect there might be something wrong with his rings or perhaps the hottie in the wheelchair was losing on purpose if he continued to miss the shots.

    The surrounding tourists even raised doubt about the game being rigged since no one could make any winning throw. The stall owner felt aggrieved to bebelled a crook.

    Fortunately, the girl managed to win in one throw. She was either lucky or very skilled.

    Shen Xi turned around with the bunny in her arms and pulled off the stic bag over it before stuffing the bunny to Li Yuan. Bending over, she looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°Do you still want to have go?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯splexion was painted a rosy blush. He cleared his throat and turned his head away. He calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    He screwed up big time.

    Shen Xi observed the man with downcast eyes and a plushie in hand. The adorable stuffed bunny did not go well with that stoic and noble presence of his. Nevertheless, it was still a cute sight. Pursing her lips to sneak a smile, she pushed him to leave.

    The stall owner grabbed the remaining rings and tried to call Shen Xi back since she only used one ring. However, he quickly stopped in his tracks when the girl leaned over to talk to the man in the wheelchair.

    The youngdy was as beautiful as a fairy while the man in the wheelchair was quite the hunk. The couple looked like they walked out of a painting.

    A dazzling show of lights nketed over the pair.

    The scenery of them together drew a vivid and gorgeous tapestry.

    It was a pity though; the man was bound to the wheelchair. Nevertheless, there was no such thing as perfection in the world and only imperfection was realistic.

    The amusement park was as lively as ever.

    While pushing Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair, Shen Xi was filled with inner peace. She wanted to quietly walk on, feeling content as she listened to the hustle-bustle and people-watch. Going for rides and attractionspletely slipped her mind.

    Li Yuan held onto the plushie and tuned into her breathing and her footsteps, picking up her scent amid the crowd. His lips curled into a delightful smile.

    There was no need to y or say anything. This was good enough.

    The pair took a stroll around until Shen Xi gave up. They passed by a stall to buy candied fruit and a yam berry. Shen Xi took the candied fruit and gave Li Yuan the yam berry. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Shen Xi felt defeated by the crowd everywhere. Even a thrilling ride like the roller coaster had a long queue. It was unlikely they could get on any rides at all.

    Li Yuan took a bite out of the yam berry. His narrow eyes reflected no regret but anticipation instead. He hummed with delight. ¡°We¡¯lle back next time.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s inaudible answer, Shen Xi turned sideways to take a quick look before snickering to herself.

    He appeared rather down-to-earth holding the stuffed bunny and confetti balloons while eating the yam berry. It was a side to Li Yuan she had never seen before. What a darling.

    The trip to the amusement park ended with two strolls back and forth. They spent over a thousand at ring tossing to win a bunny and nothing else.

    Kun Lun was waiting by the amusement park¡¯s entrance. Gazing at the pair heading his way, Kun Lun nearly burst outughing. With all his might, he held back the urge to make a smart *ss remark andugh.

    Jesus.

    What was with that image? Boss was holding a fluffy toy plushie, two illuminating balloons, and a half-eaten yam berry.

    Logic could not be used on people who were in love. Kun Lun was tempted to snap this strange ¨C oops, no ¨C down-to-earth picture of Boss to show hisrades but had no guts to do so!

    Following a rant in his mind, Kun Lun went up. ¡°Boss, allow me.¡±

    To his surprise, Li Yuan tightened his grip around the bunny. With his narrow eyes reflecting wariness, he solemnly uttered, ¡°No need.¡±

    Kun Lun was rendered speechless. F*cking hell. Boss reacted as though he was trying to steal his toy. How should he put it? It dawned on Kun Lun that Boss was quite childish!

    Nevertheless, it made Boss appear more human and not an almighty unfeeling ruler.

    It was an hour¡¯s journey from the amusement park back to the castle where the shoot was.

    Taking a seat next to Shen Xi, Li Yuan watched as the youngdy applied makeup with her nimble hands. Like magic, she transformed her look and demeanor. Li Yuan had to remind Kun Lun to keep an eye on the wheel.

    It was Kun Lun¡¯s first experience to witness this style of makeup. Her hands did not shake in the cruising car. Looking at her transformative makeup through the rear-view mirror, Kun Lun had to tip his hat to her.

    Ms. Shen¡¯s technique was mind-blowing!

    No matter how steady the car was, there was bound to be a few moments of jerking. The lighting was too dim too. With these factors slowing Shen Xi down, she only managed to finish once they arrived at their destination across the road from the castle. She turned to the man beside her. ¡°Brother, can you get off for a bit? I need to change my clothes.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and quickly wheeled himself out to wait outside the car. He looked at the car window for a minute before turning away.

    Standing at one corner, Kun Lun nced at the car window before catching a glimpse of Boss beside. Thetter gave him a warning look, scaring Kun Lun out of his wits. He rubbed his eyes and dared not look around anymore.

    Kun Lun really was not up to anything. He was only curious. One-way mirrors were installed as the windows so nothing could be seen from the outside.

    Across the road, a ck executive van pulled up at the entrance and down walked an aloof woman. The gorgeousdy with sunsses and amanding presence to her was surrounded by the production crew.

    As the woman got down the car, she intuitively turned her head to the opposite side of the road and saw the man waiting by the Maybach.

    It was hard not to notice a man standing out on his own. There was an air of nobility, indifference, stoic, chilling danger to him that stopped anyone from getting close.

    Despite the distance, she could clearly sense the tension from him and get a look at his good looks.

    The woman took a quick nce before averting her eyes away. It was rude to keep looking.

    Still, the nce did not go unnoticed.

    Li Yuan gave a cold nce to the person across the road. Furrowing his brows, he recognized who it was. It was her.

 Chapter 496 - Master of Many Disguises

    <h4>Chapter 496: Master of Many Disguises</h4>

    Having sensed someone was watching, Kun Lun turned his eyes from Boss to the target. He could dig out the eyes of the person who had the audacity to stare. His expression quickly became speechless once he got a good look at the person standing opposite. Kun Lun wanted to avert his eyes to the car but was too afraid Li Yuan might dig out his eyes instead.

    That woman was none other than Ms. Shen¡¯s fellow student. Her name was Guan Yue.

    Just then, Shen Xi pushed the door open and got down from the car. She nced across the road and realized the mysterious person all covered up was Guan Yue.

    Since she was caught staring, Guan Yue nodded in apology. Another person then walked out of the car and stopped in his tracks before waving his arm at her.

    Shen Xi put her hands in the air to wave at Guan Yue. It hit her ¨C the mystery guest mentioned by the production team whom she was also kept in the dark about must be Yueyue.

    The production team followed Guan Yue¡¯s line of vision to find Mr. Yun Xiao on the other end. The stuffed bunny in his arms did not go well with his aloof and cold demeanor.

    ¡°Brother, I have to get going.¡± Shen Xi held the bunny and bade him farewell before making strides to leave.

    ¡°Hold on a minute.¡± Li Yuan stopped her and stared at the plush toy. His raspy voice appeared sensual in the dark of the night. ¡°Leave that behind.¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a strange look while clutching the plushie. She mumbled, ¡°I won this.¡±

    Li Yuan refused to yield an inch. ¡°I paid for this.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Sob, sob, sob. So what if he paid? Would he give it to her if she cried?

    Refusing to budge, Li Yuan gravely uttered, ¡°Give it to me.¡±

    Shen Xi sniffled. Since there was a crowd opposite, she had her indifferent image to think about. Acting cute and coy was out of the question. Moreover, Li Yuan had never fought with her over a toy. She handed the bunny over. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off.¡±

    Li Yuan gleefully held the bunny and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi could weep. Why did she have the feeling she was ditched?

    Standing there, Li Yuan watched as the girl walked into the building. He held the bunny tight against his chest and lowered his gaze. He tapped the bunny¡¯s pink nose and whined in a low but maic voice. ¡°Tell me, do you have any heart?¡±

    His fairdy strutted off without hesitation or looking back. He was not asking her to turn around at every step, but she could at least do it once!

    Standing in a corner, Kun Lun hung his head low amid stifledughter. Why did he get the feeling that Boss was an abandoned and disgruntled husband?

    With the production team gone, the security personnel on night duty were the only ones in the vast lobby apart from Guan Yue who was standing there waiting for Shen Xi.

    The staff members who went to fetch Guan Yue from the airport were instructed to go ahead of her.

    Guan Yue was dying to find out about the refined man in the wheelchair. Nevertheless, it was not the time and ce to ask. She removed her mask and greeted with a smile. ¡°Mr. Yun Xiao, or should I call you Mr. Xixi?¡±

    Shen Xi solemnly nodded. ¡°Hello, Ms. Guan Yue.¡±

    Guan Yue held back herughter as they walked into the elevator together. Since she was aware of Shen Xi¡¯s identity, she had to y along in the public eye.

    She knew the girl would appear standoffish and aloof to unfamiliar people. Once people got to know her, they would realize she was actually nice.

    The crew carried Guan Yue¡¯s bags and waited at the reception to take her to the mentors¡¯ lodging. Since the living conditions here were better than the hotel, the production team did not arrange for her to stay at the hotel.

    While at the door, the staff noticed Guan Yue saying hello to Mr. Yun Xiao, thinking that they knew each other. Now that they were chatting as they got out of the elevator, the crew could ascertain that not only did they know each other, they were also quite close.

    In their eyes, Mr. Yun Xiao came across as an unapproachable young man of a few words. Yet now, he was entertaining Ms. Guan Yue¡¯s every question and not giving brief answers too.

    Guan Yue took a bag of stuff from her suitcase before turning to the staff. ¡°Could I trouble you to put my luggage in my room? Come to Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s room to hand me the keyter.¡±

    The staff was itching with gossip as the pair took off side by side. Something must be going on for a man and woman to be alone in one room at night.

    Just as Guan Yue stepped into the dorms, she reached out to pinch Shen Xi¡¯s face. Her shock and intrigue were beyond words. ¡°Is this a makeup disguise? It¡¯s so real!¡±

    Shen Xi smacked her hand away. ¡°I just painted this. Don¡¯t ruin the makeup.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to remove your makeup before you go to bed?¡± Clicking her tongue in amazement, Guan Yue could not resist drawing near for a closer look.

    The makeup technique was fascinating!

    ¡°Watch your public persona.¡± Shen Xi swerved away while giving a word of advice.

    ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us. What difference does it make?¡± cing a package on the coffee table, Guan Yue took one item out at a time. These were all food. ¡°Ms. Shu told me to bring these for you. She made them herself.¡±

    Shen Xi helped herself to the food. Although she was not hungry, she took a bite out of a petal cake. She earnestly bobbed her head. ¡°Delicious. It has a strong aroma of flowers.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shu personally cared and tended the roses.¡± Guan Yue took a seat next to her. Curiosity got the better of her. ¡°Is the person who dropped you off your boyfriend?¡±

    Shen Xi did not shy away from the question. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Guan Yue thought it was odd. They had to be an item judging by their interaction. Who was Shen Xi kidding? ¡°What is he thinking?¡±

    Shen Xi sighed. ¡°I¡¯m still underaged!¡±

    The dejected look on Shen Xi¡¯s face stopped Guan Yue from poking fun at her. ¡°Oh, you like him that much, huh?¡±

    She never had such a look on her face. By the sound of regret in her voice, it was in to see that the man meant a lot to her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi solemnly nodded her head.

    To her, he was important, more important than herself.

    Guan Yue was not going toment further on the subject. An assertive person like Shen Xi had her own ns. Guan Yue might not butt into other people¡¯s lives but it did not change her snoopy nature. ¡°What¡¯s with the disguise? Are you trying to keep a low profile on the show?¡±

    She was shocked when she saw the video sent by Xia Mi. Uncertain, Guan Yue questioned Shen Xi and thetter was surprisingly forthright about the whole thing.

    Guan Yue had not told Ms. Shu, but Ms. Shu saw through Shen Xi¡¯s disguise when the program broadcasted Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s dancing scene. She and Ms. Shu were awestruck even then.

    Her fellow student was a master of many disguises ¨C Cai Ni the designer, Yun Xiao, and Xixi. She suspected Shen Xi had many more faces and identities that she and Ms. Shu were not aware of.

 Chapter 497 - Green-eyed Monsters

    <h4>Chapter 497: Green-eyed Monsters</h4>

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Shen Xi took thest bite out of the petal cake before throwing Guan Yue the question.

    Guan Yue replied, ¡°In a bit.¡±

    Shen Xi tilted her head to nce at her. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not afraid of our midnight encounter being leaked to the press. It doesn¡¯t bother me, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d look good on you if people were to find out.¡±

    Guan Yue answered, ¡°I¡¯m not in showbiz. It¡¯s all about your dancing skills in our circle. Also, what¡¯s wrong with dating when both of us are unmarried? This ispletely normal.¡±

    Rolling her eyes, Shen Xi stood up. ¡°I¡¯m taking a shower and going to bed.¡±

    Just then, there was a knock on the door.

    Since Shen Xi went into the bathroom and shut the door behind without any intention to answer, Guan Yue, as a guest, got up to open the door.

    She thought the production crew came to deliver the key to her room. To her surprise, she opened the door to five people standing outside.

    That was right.

    Five people.

    The five mentors cum judges gathered here after receiving the newste at night.

    He Sumo and Gu Yang had not had time to straighten themselves out. By the looks of their unpainted face, they probably rushed over following a change of clothes.

    Since Fang Yao and Xia Mi were after the finest thing in life, they would not allow themselves to appear in front of the camera or public in their bare faces. However, their makeup appeared to be done in a rush.

    Su Muyan had made up his face, changed his clothes to formal wear beforeing over.

    ¡°Wee, wee.¡± Xia Mi first gave Guan Yue a friendly bear hug. ¡°Wow, you kept it a secret from me as well.¡±

    She had asked around about the mystery guest and by chance, Guan Yue was the first person she inquired. Nevertheless, thetter denied it.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to be invited for this episode.¡± Guan Yue came clean. ¡°I was in the next episode. I¡¯m here to rece that person as there was a sh in their schedules.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Fang Yao might not be close to Guan Yue, but they were acquaintances. Out of all of them, Fang Yao was the most inquisitive.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Guan Yue shook her head.

    Gu Yang earnestly searched for names in his mind, wondering which prominent celebrity could possibly have schedule conflict during this time.

    On a separate note, they were perplexed by how Ms. Guan Yue knew Mr. Xixi. The usually distant and aloof Mr. Xixi even allowed her into his room.

    They did not share the same courtesy. It was an embarrassing thing to say, but Gu Yang wanted to invite Mr. Xixi to the cafeteria the other day only to be kept waiting outside the door.

    Among the mentors, Su Muyan had the most activities going through his mind. It did not take long before he was basking in bitter jealousy. He, Gu Yang, and Xia Mi were given the cold shoulder when they came to look for Mr. Xixi thest time. However, Mr. Xixi did not mind opening his doors to Guan Yue.

    Su Muyan had a low opinion of Guan Yue. The vixen was likely to adopt some means to seduce Mr. Xixi.

    The pair would probably be rolling around in bed had they not arrived at the scene.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, I should get going.¡± Guan Yue did not think for a second that the bunch came to meet her. They must have their hidden agendas.

    Instead of responding, Shen Xi replied to her question with the drizzling of the shower.

    The group was not here just for Guan Yue. This was also a great opportunity to engage with Mr. Xixi in private and get to know each other more before asking for his contact so on and so forth.

    ¡°Thank you for the hearty wee. Let¡¯s chat in my room.¡± Guan Yue may be a known otherworldly ice queen in the dancing circle, but that was only limited to her dancing and stage presence. She was a friendly person behind the scenes.

    With Guan Yue ready to make a move, Su Muyan took a quick look inside. Seeing that there was no one else around, he asked with a smile, ¡°What about Mr. Xixi? Why don¡¯t we chat here? I have a few questions I need to consult him on.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Xixi is tired and getting an early rest.¡± Guan Yue knew this would be the case. She walked out of the room and shut the door behind her, cutting the mentors off from whatever ns they had.

    Shen Xi would be bare-faced after the shower. She must protect the secret for Shen Xi¡¯s sake.

    Su Muyan scowled as raging fury overtook him.

    Wanwan sent him a message earlier today about the mystery guest, and they had their suspicion that it might be Shen Xi. Now that this was not the case, Su Muyan could heave a sigh of relief. Still, he was not pleased with Guan Yue¡¯s presence since she and Shen Xi were both students of Ms. Shu.

    Well, Guan Yue was acting like she owned the ce. She was calling the shots for Mr. Xixi and driving them away without Mr. Xixi having a chance to say anything about it.

    Guan Yue sniggered to herself after catching a glimpse of Su Muyan¡¯s change of facial expressions. She wondered how Su Muyan would react when he found out that Shen Xi was Mr. Xixi.

    Although Gu Yang and the rest intended to have a chat with Mr. Xixi, it did not look like it was going to happen. Sure, they were disappointed, but they were not here all for Mr. Xixi. They genuinely came to see Guan Yue.

    Xia Mi affectionately held onto Guan Yue¡¯s arm and engaged in a gossip mode. ¡°How did you and Mr. Xixi meet?¡±

    She finally caught on that Guan Yue kept her in the dark about Mr. Yun Xiao¡¯s identity. Guan Yue was so naughty not to tell her even though she knew about it.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi came to seek guidance from my teacher a while ago,¡± Guan Yue answered.

    Xia Mi did not probe further as this was Guan Yue¡¯s private affairs after all. She could understand why Guan Yue hid the truth from her, and simrly, she was not to expose Mr. Xi¡¯s identity while on the show.

    The group entered Guan Yue¡¯s dorms. Xia Mi and Fang Yao helped Guan Yue unpack while Gu Yang and the guys were chatting outside and helping themselves to local delicacies brought by Guan Yue. However, there was not much to talk about since they did not have a close rtionship. Thus, they excused themselves and returned to their respective rooms to rest.

    The next day, the mentors went to the cafeteria first thing in the morning to avoid causing a stir among the trainees.

    Wide awake early in the morning, Su Ruowan, He Lu, and two other girls gathered to head for breakfast together.

    Once at the cafeteria, He Lu¡¯s eagle eye caught sight of an additional person among the mentors¡¯ crowd. Having recognized the person as Guan Yue, He Lu knew she must be the mystery guest invited to the show.

    Guan Yue might not be as well known in the entertainment world, but anyone who dabbled in dancing would know who she was. As a student of Ms. Shu Baiyu, she was a professional dancer in China.

    Su Ruowan found out that Guan Yue was the guest during the wee hours as Su Muyan had sent her a text message. To see Guan Yue in the flesh, Su Ruowan clenched her fists tightly.

    One of her girlfriends stared at Su Ruowan. ¡°Wanwan, you must be close to Ms. Guan Yue.¡±

    Another chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the case. Rumor has it that Ms. Shu Baiyu wanted to take you in as her student, but you turned her down. Is it true?¡±

    They, as dancers, paid close attention to the dancing world. Ms. Shu Baiyu, especially, was viewed as an idol by aspiring dancers.

    He Lu¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Really? Wanwan, why did you turn her down?¡±

    Hating on these people¡¯s guts, Su Ruowan wanted nothing more than to stuff it to their mouths. Without saying a word, she smiled.

    The girls took Su Ruowan¡¯s smile as acknowledgment. They were envious that Su Ruowan danced well and now for Su Ruowan to acknowledge she had refused Ms. Shu Baiyu before, turned them into green-eyed monsters.

    ¡°Guan Yue¡¯s here. We¡¯ll know if it¡¯s just a rumor by asking her.¡± Without regards to Su Ruowan¡¯s feelings, He Lu strode off.

 Chapter 498 - Showdown Between Big Names

    <h4>Chapter 498: Showdown Between Big Names</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With a scowl on her face, Su Ruowan quickly pulled He Lu back and spoke in hushed tones, ¡°It is only a rumor. How could I possibly turn Ms. Shu down?¡±

    He Lu, that b*tch was trying to make a fool out of her.

    Guan Yue would not take Su Ruowan¡¯s side since she was Shen Xi¡¯s fellow student. Su Ruowan would rather admit to it than He Lu asking Guan Yue and getting her humiliated in public.

    A cold sneer slid past He Lu¡¯s lips. Rumors were only rumors. No one would in their right mind refuse Mr. Shu Baiyu, and if there were, that person must be aplete fool.

    The other girls thought it was a shame. Still, they pushed each other to go up and say hello to Ms. Guan Yue as well as to ask for a photo and an autograph.

    Guan Yue was one of the best dancers around and perhaps the top performer among the younger generations. Her great skills aside, her reputation as Ms. Shu Baiyu¡¯s student was enough to put her in the limelight.

    Su Ruowan preferred not to go over or look at Guan Yue¡¯s face. She was even beginning to suspect that Guan Yue was sent by Shen Xi to make her look bad.

    That was right.

    She clearly remembered the snubs Guan Yue had given her and the words straight from Shu Baiyu¡¯s mouth. ¡°You can take up dancing as a hobby, but I¡¯d advise you to reconsider if you¡¯re going to make it a career.¡±

    Because of these words, Su Ruowan vowed to seed in showbiz and be the hottest star so these people would eat their words!

    It did not matter to He Lu and the rest what was on Su Ruowan¡¯s mind. They jostled her ahead to the mentors¡¯ table and excitedly greeted Guan Yue. ¡°Hello, Ms. Guan Yue.¡±

    Guan Yue nodded and smiled. ¡°Hello.¡±

    The trainees arrived at the cafeteria in droves. Unlike the time they swarmed around Qi Xiu, they intended to wait until Su Ruowan and her group was done before making a move. Crowding Guan Yue would only make them seem rude and uneducated.

    After asking for a photo together, He Lu slipped in a question. ¡°Ms. Guan Yue, I heard that Ms. Shu wanted to take Wanwan as a student, Wanwan refused. Is it true?¡±

    With her loud voice echoing in the cafeteria, the waiting trainees quietly came forth a little to get within earshot.

    This was major news! They had caught wind that Ms. Shu Baiyu was turned down when she personally paid a visit to express her wish to take Su Ruowan as her student.

    A handful of voices rified that Ms. Shu Baiyu had never intended for Su Ruowan to be her student. There were people on all sides of the issue.

    Su Ruowan was getting ready to leave when He Lu¡¯s question threw her for the loop. Her eyes alighted with murderous intent.

    Su Muyan froze. He turned his eyes to Guan Yue, hoping thetter would not reveal the truth. Things would not look good if she caused a scene.

    To his dismay, Guan Yue did not seem to notice him as she spoke gravely in a calm tone bearing a hint of warning. ¡°Who started this rumor? Ms. Shu never said she wanted to take Su Ruowan in as a student.¡±

    Put on the spot, Su Ruowan forced a gentle smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Ms. Guan. The press likes to make mountains out of molehills. I¡¯ll find a time to straighten things out.¡±

    Ha!

    Shu Baiyu¡¯s student?

    Sure, Su Ruowan wanted to be her student at first, but now she could not give a sh*t about it. She had ambitions to go into showbiz and make it huge.

    Moreover, she only tried to take an apprenticeship under Shu Baiyu for her reputation. Did Shu Baiyu really think she adored her and wished to learn from her?

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait another day. Do it now.¡± Guan Yue was forthright.

    One to make light of fame and fortune, Ms. Shu could not be bothered to rify the rumors. As expected from those from the entertainment world, the Su family had a knack for blowing smoke.

    Ms. Shu posted on Weibo that she had no intention of epting a student when gossip about her taking Su Ruowan under her wing first made its rounds. Later, the Su family made up some story about Ms. Shu visiting the Su family with the intention to take Su Ruowan as her student but was refused.

    It was never Su Ruowan that Ms. Shu was after. Su Ruowan was ttering herself when Ms. Shu had wanted Shen Xi all along.

    Rage overtook every fiber of Su Ruowan as her face flushed red. Looking rather wronged, she uttered in a hoarse voice as though she was picked on. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Bearing their own thoughts in mind, the trainees turned to Su Ruowan. It was true that women knew women best. They all had one word for Su Ruowan¡¯s performance ¨C victim ying!

    ¡°It¡¯s great that you do.¡± Guan Yue grinned before seemingly casually darting a nce at Shen Xi in the opposite. Her eyes reflected her desire to beplimented.

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless. ¡°¡­¡±

    Su Muyan hated Guan Yue to the bitter end and could not allow Su Ruowan to take the insult sitting down. With a sour look on his face, he inquired in bewilderment, ¡°What are you saying, Ms. Guan? My sister isn¡¯t the one who started the rumors. Why does she need to clear the air? If you and Ms. Shu care about it so much, why don¡¯t you put out a statement?¡±

    Who did she think she was to pick on Wanwan?!

    This was not just an action of singling Wanwan out. Guan Yue was insulting Wanwan and the whole Su family!

    It got through his head that the woman was here to avenge Shen Xi by deliberately finding fault and giving them a hard time.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Su?¡± Guan Yue looked at him in a daze. ¡°Su Ruowan was the one who said she¡¯d straighten things out. Why do you make it sound like I¡¯m making her do it?¡±

    What game were they ying? The rumors were released by the Su family in the first ce to build Su Ruowan up and drag Ms. Shu down. They had the nerve!

    Guan Yue would overlook this matter if Su Ruowan had not raised the question. She was here to be a guest on the show, not to look for trouble and fuss over trivial matters.

    The conversation would have ended there had Su Ruowan held her tongue. Well, Su Ruowan had herself to me for getting into it.

    As veterans in showbiz, the other mentors were able to sniff out the shadiness behind it after giving much thought. Nevertheless, they yed it safe by keeping everything under observation for now. It was unwise to butt in and mediate at the moment!

    The trainees were in shock. This was huge! Was Ms.. Guan Yue going up against Mr. Su Muyan? The showdown between big names was not a scene to miss!

 Chapter 499 - Wait for Karma to Clap Back

    <h4>Chapter 499: Wait for Karma to p Back</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Ms. Guan, you should know the tabloids were the ones making it up.¡± Instead of getting worked up, Su Muyan calmly put forth the facts. ¡°We, as celebrities in the entertainment world, are in the public eye. We should get used to it. If you¡¯re angry about it, you should gather evidence and sue the press for defamation.¡±

    Guan Yue was stumped by his high-sounding statement. As expected from a second-generation celebrity who was brought up amid the glitz and mor, even Guan Yue was humbled by his thick skin. She might have lost the battle, but she could win the war. She answered with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    The other mentors were ufortable by the tension in the air. Since everyone was in the same business, it would not reflect well on them to have a fall out, especially in front of the trainees.

    Gu Yang was about to smooth things over when Mr. Xixi, who had been quietly sitting in his corner to enjoy his meal while minding his own business, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Ms. Guan, if I remember correctly, Ms. Shu went to Su¡¯s residence to look for Shen Xi, right?¡±

    Guan Yue was dumbstruck, and it was not because she had nothing to say about it. She and Ms. Shu did not have the guts to reveal or bring up Shen Xi¡¯s identity unless the person concerned said it herself.

    For this reason, the Su family had the audacity to mislead the public by recing Shen Xi with Su Ruowan. The part that Ms. Shu went to pay a visit to the Su family was true after all.

    Following this remark, Su Ruowan dug her nails into the palm of her hands. The mention of this name sent her to a fit of resentment and jealousy.

    It never urred to Su Muyan that Mr. Xixi would know of Shen Xi. With bitterness in his eyes, he turned his attention to Mr. Xixi.

    ¡°Mr. Su, Ms. Shu went to meet the Su family for Shen Xi, am I right?¡± Shen Xi knew that Guan Yue was not talking for her sake. However, she did not mind it at all.

    Stumped for words, Su Muyan¡¯s expression turned grimacing. Although he was tempted to deny knowledge about a person named Shen Xi, he chose to put on a smile instead. ¡°Mr. Xixi, do you know Shen Xi?¡±

    He could not dere it untrue in case the fact came back to bite him. However, other than his family, only Ms. Shu Baiyu and Shen Xi knew about it.

    Did Mr. Xixi know Shen Xi? Was he aware of her conflict with his family? It would only furtherplicate things if that was the case.

    Meanwhile, Su Ruowan nervously stared at Mr. Xixi. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach at the thought of thetter¡¯s perfunctory attitude toward her.

    Godd*mnit! It would exin why Mr. Xixi gave her such an attitude. Shen Xi, that b*tch must have badmouthed her in front of Mr. Xixi.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi then dove back into her food without continuing the conversation.

    Su Muyan could breathe a sigh of relief. It was good that Mr. Xixi did not know Shen Xi. Anyone close to Shen Xi would think of the Su family as the enemy. No. 4 High School¡¯s international ss and Jiang Yin were testimonies of that.

    Mr. Xixi must have heard it from Ms. Shu Baiyu. After all, with a talent such as his, everyone would try to befriend him.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s clenched fists slowly loosened up. Nevertheless, the jealousy invading every inch of her body drove her mad, upset, and resentful.

    This was the second time He Lu heard them talking about Shen Xi and since she was up to no good, she asked, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t Shen Xi your younger sister?¡±

    F*ck!

    He Lu¡¯s words nearly sparked Su Muyan to swear. He inquisitively nced at Su Ruowan.

    Biting her lip, Su Ruowan helplessly and apologetically sought Su Muyan for help. Following thest sighting of Shen Xi, she merely ryed this piece of information because He Lu refused to stop hounding her.

    It never crossed her mind that He Lu the b*tch would use these words against her in public!

    ¡°Mr. Su?¡± Since Su Ruowan was not talking, He Lu turned to Su Muyan.

    Shen Xi was Shen Feng¡¯s cousin who pretended to be his girlfriend during a school reunion. He Luter got word of their real rtionship through her uncle.

    She could not be sure of Su Ruowan¡¯s answer the other day, so she got to work and found a dancing video of Shen Xi, confirming the facts to be true. Nevertheless, He Lu could not wrap her head around how Shen Xi became Su Ruowan¡¯s sister.

    In the next few days, He Lu made a few discreet inquiries to Song Wenye, but a dimwit like Song Wenye actually kept her mouth shut.

    Backed up against a wall, Su Muyan had to bite the bullet and exin with a smile. Years of being in showbiz did help with his emotional projection. ¡°Shen Xi is our distant rtive. I guess you can say that she¡¯s my sister. She stayed with us for a while.¡±

    Guan Yue felt dismal and angry for Shen Xi¡¯s sake.

    She wondered if the Su family was indeed heartless for Su Muyan to have the cheek to twist the story around.

    Shen Xi was clearly his blood sister but was made out to be a distant rtive. The ce was supposed to be her home, but she was only said to be staying with them.

    Simr to Guan Yue, Song Wenye was so furious she could flip the table and kill a certain somebody. With bloodshot eyes, she gave Su Muyan a dirty look and ripped him up in her mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tong Kejun looked at her with worry. The look on Song Wenye gave her a jump.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Song Wenye huffed in rage. If these words could get to her, how would Shen Xi feel to hear it herself?

    Shen Xi might have cut ties with the Su family now, but what about before?

    Song Wenye and the rest of the ss were not a fan of Shen Xi when she first transferred to their school. Surely, Shen Xi had picked up on gossip about her being in the same ss.

    The Su siblings were the center of Shen Xi¡¯s life at the time. She had done a lot of things to please and impress the siblings. Shen Xi must be pining to be epted into the Su family.

    The hurt must have been bad for her to sever ties with the Su family.

    Shen Xi, the person who was sympathized and wept for, was still enjoying her breakfast. She even took the time to whip out her phone to reply to a text message. [Shen Xi: I¡¯m up and having breakfast. It¡¯s soup dumplings and pumpkin porridge today.]

    Guan Yue knew Shen Xi did not take to heart by the looks of her indifference and apathy. The person concerned may have long let it go, but it did not stop Guan Yue from feeling angry and heartbroken for her sake.

    Sigh!

    Never mind. She and Ms. Shu would treat her even better from now on.

    As for the Su family, she shall wait for karma to p back at them!

 Chapter 500 - Take Your Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 500: Take Your Medicine</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Muyan gave an answer.

    It was best for He Lu to stop with the excessive questions. In chuckles, she pulled Su Ruowan to walk alongside as though the conversation earlier happened by chance.

    Su Muyan heaved relief while thinking to himself to stop Wanwan from bringing up Shen Xi in public.

    The freak show was finally put to rest.

    The mentors formed their own opinions on the matter. They knew who Shen Xi was. She was a new student of Ms. Shu Baiyu and a fellow student of Guan Yue.

    There were all kinds of hearsay in the entertainment circle, especially during the year-end Film Festival red carpet. It was debated that Shen Xi was revealed to be Cai Ni the designer and Li Jingran passed out in rage.

    The media suspected Shen Xi was Li Jingran¡¯s illegitimate daughter, and it was a big hoo-ha at the time. The press wouldpare the pair¡¯s photo every now and then in hopes to get an answer.

    Nevertheless, Li Jingran often denied in the face of the media¡¯s questioning. Su Muyan and Su Mushi would give the press a dressing-down when the questions arose.

    Yet it seemed Li Jingran and Shen Xi were more than strangers even if they were not mother and daughter. The terms ¨C distant rtive, a sister, staying together ¨C came right out of the horse¡¯s mouth. It proved that they were rted somehow.

    The mentors were filled with more questions than answers, let alone the trainees. They lost their appetite for gossip.

    One thing was for sure though, rumors pertaining Su Ruowan and Ms. Shu Baiyu were untrue.

    In thest few days during training, the trainees would ask Su Ruowan about her rtionship with Ms. Shu Baiyu and Su Ruowan would never give a straight answer, leaving everyone to think she was all that. They really looked up to her then.

    Now that they thought about it, Su Ruowan turned out to be a ssic basic b*tch who yed innocent. Blegh.

    As for Shen Xi, no one saw her as a threat or had any interest in her since she was not on the show. He Lu was the only one interested to get to the bottom of it.

    ¡°Wanwan, I don¡¯t know why but the words just came out of my mouth.¡± He Lu apologetically gazed at Su Ruowan as she worriedly asked, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Su Ruowan shook her head before moving to get a bowl of porridge.

    ¡°Su Ruowan, are you having porridge?¡± A nearby trainee posed a question.

    Su Ruowan let out a friendly smile.

    ¡°Why bother with porridge? Take your medicine instead.¡± Another trainee jumped in.

    The color drained from Su Ruowan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, you should take your medicine.¡± Yet another trainee chimed in. The girl proceeded to cynically ask the staff behind the kitchen. ¡°Madam, do we have any medicine in the cafeteria?¡±

    Su Ruowan was about to lose it because of the jeers and taunts. Without grabbing a bowl of porridge, she wept and took off.

    ¡°Wanwan.¡± He Lu was having so much fun, but she still had to keep the sisterhood fa?ade going. She gave the jeering trainees the evil re before catching up to Su Ruowan.

    The nearby trainees thought the few girls went too far at hurting Su Ruowan as thetter exited the scene looking rather tearful, fragile, and harmless.

    However, most of them were secretly enjoying it though, especially those with a clear head. They had always thought Su Ruowan was pretentious and pompous. These trainees were in awe of how Su Ruowan captured the essence of ying the victim innocently.

    Su Ruowan had perfect control of her facial expression after years of practice. She could put on those Bambi eyes and turn on the waterworks at any time.

    Nevertheless, the effects were lost in an all-girls setting, except for the male mentors, of course. Women had an innate ability to fish out fake b*tches miles away.

    He Lu went after Su Ruowan and found Su Ruowan making a bolt for the stairwell to cry. Although disgusted by Su Ruowan¡¯s good acting, He Lu did her part to console her. She handed Su Ruowan a tissue. ¡°Wanwan, they¡¯re just jealous of you. They only feel good to see other people fail. Why get mad over them?¡±

    Amid all the crying, Su Ruowan found He Lu to be a joke. She was tempted to rip He Lu¡¯s mouth apart.

    He Lu, the b*tch, had the balls to say other people were jealous of her and wanted to see her fail when the person who was the most jealous was herself!

    Su Ruowan could not care less about those people at the cafeteria. They were her stepping stones to the road of sess. Who would take the words of stepping stones seriously?

    As jealous as they may be, these trainees could never win and make their debut. The opportunity to debut front and center was hers to keep.

    The effects of the morning incident began to show. There was an apparent reduction of girls asking for help and currying Su Ruowan¡¯s favor.

    Tension rose in the studio and sparks were flying.

    The trainees¡¯ first qualifying round and rankings would begin this weekend. Fifty would make the cut while the rest, fifty one of them, would be eliminated.

    Guan Yue had not much to do as there was not much recording going on during the trainees¡¯ training. She was basically a professional dance instructor, higher than Xia Mi in rank, brought to the show to cheer the trainees on and provide professional guidance.

    The production team had extended invitations to many artists in the industry. It was only an invitation as there was no telling whether the artist would ept the invitation. They did not carry much hope for Guan Yue.

    They were pretty surprised when Guan Yue¡¯s manager called to inform them of her arrival. Just like Ms. Shu Baiyu, it was a known fact that Ms. Guan Yue was too focused on her dancing to join any variety shows.

    Still, Guan Yue¡¯s presence on the show created a buzz among the viewers. She was second to none in China when it came to her insights on dancing.

    The reason Guan Yue came to the show was simple ¨C she was here to visit Shen Xi and bring her food. It was not asplicated as what others had in mind.

    Guan Yue received a reluctant farewell from the trainees by the end of the afternoon practice.

    Atst, Guan Yue the eyesore was gone. After a day of observation, Su Ruowan and Su Muyan concluded that Guan Yue and Mr. Xixi were not as close, seeing there were not many intimate interactions between them.

    ¡°Muyan, what¡¯s the progress on that?¡± Su Ruowan waited until no one was around to ask the question.

    ¡°The deadline¡¯s tonight.¡± Su Muyan picked up on what she was talking about. It was to look for someone to write and choreograph a song for her. Su Muyan gave Su Ruowan the idea and contacted the person on her behalf. This was a dependable person.

    Wanwan came looking for him in tears the other day, having been put in apromising position. He knew Wanwan was not good enough to put her own song and choreography out there. Hence, Su Muyan came up with this n.

    He had contacts of usual and reliable partners, and they were musicians and choreographers from abroad who he could trust. Su Muyan would not be caught buying their creative rights.

    ¡°Thank you, Muyan.¡± Su Ruowan gratefully stared at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the pleasantries with me.¡± Su Muyan gently smiled. ¡°Come find me in my room after practice. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s to your liking.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Su Ruowan nodded.

    She was not the least bit worried as Muyan¡¯s supposed originals were bought that way. No one would know as long as she and Muyan kept their mouths shut.

    The opportunity to debut front and center belonged to her! She must seed by whatever means!

 Chapter 501 - Procuring Song and Choreography

    <h4>Chapter 501: Procuring Song and Choreography</h4>

    Once the night practice was over, Su Ruowan sneaked into Su Muyan¡¯s room.

    Su Muyan often sought unknown music producers from abroad for songs and bought off the music rights after he picked a tune he liked. Normally, a song would be selected before the lyrics were added by a hiredposer or the singer themselves. The same goes with the choreography. The singer was free to hire a choreographer too.

    Some of Su Muyan¡¯s songs were bought but the lyrics were filled in by himself. It was easy with the foreign musicians as there was a chance local ghostwriters would ckmail and expose him, putting his career at risk.

    ¡°Muyan.¡± Su Ruowan entered the room in suspense. She cautiously asked him, ¡°Have you gotten it?¡±

    Speaking from personal experience, Su Muyan tried to ease her tension. ¡°Stuff we bought is ours to keep. Don¡¯t be scared. Nothing bad¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Su Ruowan may appear ridden with guilt and worry, but scared? As if. Nevertheless, she still acted scared in front of Su Muyan.

    ¡°Oh, you. Take it easy or people will see through you.¡± Su Muyan grinned.

    Wanwan was too kind and timid. The song was theirs since they bought it with their money, so there was no need to feel guilty and burdened. Su Muyan went to check on the downloading progress. It waspleted.

    Su Ruowan nodded and took great courage in replying, ¡°Muyan, I got it. The whole thing is my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have acted on impulse and agreed to it.¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± Su Muyan was on her side. Following a sudden thought, murderous intent became visible in his eyes. He inquired, ¡°Are you still hanging with He Lu?¡±

    That woman was no angel with all that mind games and dirty tricks. She yed a part in pushing Wanwan to perform her own original on stage and even made Wanwan look bad this morning.

    ¡°Lulu didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Su Ruowan weakly defended He Lu.

    Of course, she knew better than to hang out with He Lu, but there was no turning back for her now. She had no choice but to dance around He Lu since they were supposedly tight.

    ¡°People never repay you with kindness. When will you change that character of yours?¡± Su Muyan sighed and helplessly shook his head. This was no time to make a fuss over it. He urged her, ¡°You better watch your back.¡±

    Wanwan had always been a bleeding heart, and this was the case with Shen Xi and He Lu. If it were someone else in Wanwan¡¯s position, the person would have despised Shen Xi and He Lu for their doings!

    ¡°Got it.¡± Su Ruowan added. ¡°Lulu is just frank and not mean at heart.¡±

    Su Muyanughed in rage. ¡°More like a snake in the grass. You¡¯re na?ve to tell her everything. Keep her at arm¡¯s length. You¡¯repetitors at the end of the day. How many times do I have to tell you this?¡±

    Su Ruowan bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Muyan. I¡¯ve disappointed you.¡±

    Looking at her dejected face, Su Muyan did not have the heart to lecture Su Ruowan. Perhaps it was a good thing that Wanwan was innocent and kind, he could just take the burden off of her and stand by her.

    A kind heart was better than having none like Shen Xi, that brat. The thought of Shen Xi sent Su Muyan in a fit of rage.

    Su Ruowan sensibly followed behind Su Muyan as he tapped a folder on the desktop and a music file inside. Music began to y.

    ¡°These are the songs. Let¡¯s have a listen to see what you like. You can try to fill in the lyrics and I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± Su Muyan told her.

    Su Ruowan gratefully stared at him. Her voice was soft and sweet like cotton candy. ¡°Thank you, Muyan.¡±

    ¡°It is nothing if it helps you sail smoothly to your debut.¡± Su Muyan could already see it. He would be delighted for his sister to debut front and center but more so over the moon to step on Cosmos Entertainment to get ahead.

    Nevertheless, he hit a stalemate with Mr. Xixi, unable to make any progress with thetter in the past two days. Su Muyan struggled toe up with a way to get through to him.

    Yet, he was determined to make a breakthrough, or impress for ack of a better word. Still, he did feel better that he was not alone in this. Mr. Xixi was not close with the other mentors as well.

    ¡°I will do my best.¡± Su Ruowan cheerfully balled up her fist.

    ¡°I believe you can do it. You are the best among all these trainees.¡± Su Muyan looked proud.

    The duo listened to the music together to choose a tune.

    Su Ruowan quietly remained attentive. Sure, she did not have the talent topose a song, but that did not mean she could not appreciate a good song. She could pick up the good from the bad easily.

    Su Muyan was quite aplished in music. To him, the first few songs were mediocre and probably would do for Youtube singers. However, it was not good or mind-blowing enough for Wanwan to make it huge on the main stage.

    Su Ruowan grew impatient as she listened on. Did Muyan give any thought to this? She might as well write her own songs than use these trashy songs.

    The pair sat for a while giving an ear to the music. They had to first filter through the songs, then pick a few before making their final decision.

    Suddenly, their eyes lit up when the prelude of another song came on after ackluster one. They exchanged a nce and continued listening.

    With the songing to an end, Su Ruowan became unsure. Was it just a less trashy song out of all the rest? She turned to Su Muyan. ¡°What do you think about this song, Muyan?¡±

    Su Muyan nodded. ¡°You can definitely perform this song on stage and make a ssh with the nice and catchy tune, but it¡¯s hard to say if it¡¯d be a big hit.¡±

    There was a saying going round in showbiz that publicity was what drew attention, but to make it big, it took fate. These words rang true not only to artists but also to songs. It was easier to make a ssh through hyping, but to blow the audience away required both quality and chance.

    Ten minutester.

    The QQ ount Shen Xi got from Yuan Yu suddenly beeped. The icon was blinking under the name, Su.

    Su sent a cropped picture. [Su: This is the song I picked. Get someone to choreograph the song too.]

    Shen Xi imitated the former ount user¡¯s style of speech. [Microwave: Sure, of course. I have someone in mind. Leave it to me. You can count on me.]

    [Su: I want the choreography in two days.]

    Shen Xi curled her lips while her lean fingers danced around the keyboard. [Microwave: Alrighty! Get the money ready and leave the rest to me.]

 Chapter 502 - Not Taking Someone Elseâ€™s Word For it

    <h4>Chapter 502: Not Taking Someone Else¡¯s Word For it</h4>

    No further reply was heard from Su. It was only a transaction of money for service between a buyer and a seller. There was not much to talk about.

    Looking at the song Su Muyan sent over, Shen Xi knew they would pick this particr song. Nevertheless, all the songs, except for this one, were originals. These one-minute originals were a ploy to confuse them.

    The song Su Muyan picked was downloaded from a niche pay-per-stream tform. Although it had a nice and catchy tune to it, the song was not mind-blowing. Still, it had its uniqueness.

    Shen Xi searched high and low for two days to finally choose this song. The creator was intellectually handicapped but had a unique talent in music.

    There was only one song uploaded and it was recent. It had not gathered much attention with less than a thousand clicks and downloads at less than fifty. Shen Xi asked Yuan Yu to contact the creator, but there had not been any news so far.

    It would be a shame to lose such a unique talent. If the creator was willing, Shen Xi could hire them to work under Cosmos Entertainment. If signing onto apany was not their cup of tea, Shen Xi would consider a long-term partnership to buy their songs.

    Since finding out that Mr. Yun Xiao was Mr. Xixi, Su Muyan had been trying to reach out, engage, coborate with, and win over him.

    Sadly, nothing seemed to work with Mr. Xixi. No matter what he did, Mr. Xixi remained indifferent. Running out of ideas, he tookfort in the fact that the other mentors made zero breakthroughs too.

    It was the same for Su Ruowan as well. The day after settling on a song, she would appear upied with the lyrics during breaks and would ask Mr. Xixi of his opinion. She was pissed to tears by his singlement that it was good.

    However, the other trainees were envious of Mr. Xixi¡¯s attitude to Su Ruowan. They knew that Su Ruowan was outstanding and more talented than any of them. Still, it was a lot of people¡¯s dream to be praised by Mr. Xixi.

    Many may think so, but not everyone. He Lu and others who were close to Su Ruowan had their suspicions that Mr. Xixi was not fond of Su Ruowan and was simply fobbing her off.

    Sure, Su Ruowan had skills, but she was no Mr. Xixi. Everyone in the entertainment world, much less her, paled inparison to Mr. Xixi.

    He Lu had just got pointers from Mr. Xixi when she ran into Su Ruowan on her way back. Noticing the music score in Su Ruowan¡¯s hand, He Lu eagerly held her arm. ¡°Wanwan, are you looking for Mr. Xixi? I want toe with you!¡±

    Su Ruowan grinned. ¡°You should carry on with your training. I can head there myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not busy at all. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± He Lu was not going to miss the drama. While walking, she ryed the detailed advice she got from Mr. Xixi and added her spin to it.

    Su Ruowan may appear unfazed on the surface, but inside, jealousy was brewing. She could not fathom why Mr. Xixi would do this to her. What did she do wrong for Mr. Xixi to single her out?

    Still, she put on a brave face and ditched her dignity toe looking for him.

    This was Mr. Xixi they were talking about. So long as she could win Mr. Xixi¡¯s favor, Su Ruowan would sooner orter climb to great heights in the music industry just like Qi Xiu.

    Hence, no matter how much Mr. Xixi disliked her, made things difficult for her, or had a problem with her, Su Ruowan must bear with it and persevere. Soon, Mr. Xixi would be able to see the effort and good in her, subsequently epting her and taking her under his wing.

    Muyan said the song she picked was great and good enough to perform on the main stage. Mr. Xixi was bound to speak highly of the song.

    Su Ruowan managed to finish the lyrics atst just so Mr. Xixi could take a look at her skills. This was the day Mr. Xixi would see her in a new light.

    He Lu was walking with Su Ruowan to the studio where Mr. Xixi was before she was called away by one of the trainees. Even though she was disappointed to miss the drama, she had to leave because Ms. Xia Mi was looking for her.

    Traumatized by Mr. Xixi¡¯s attitude, Su Ruowan was reluctant to look for him. While fast approaching her destination, she caught a glimpse of Mr. Xixiing out of the studio and heading in the opposite direction of the corridor. She picked up the pace to catch up.

    Since the trainees were undergoing training in their respective studios during this time, there was not a soul in the corridors.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi,¡± Su Ruowan drew close and cried.

    Shen Xi turned back to find Su Ruowan jogging toward her. She nodded in the face of Su Ruowan¡¯s docile and ingratiating smile.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, Iposed this. If I could trouble you to take a look.¡± Su Ruowan nervously and expectantly handed her music score over.

    Instead of epting the music score, Shen Xi blurted a cold reply, ¡°I¡¯m off duty.¡±

    It was a bitter pill for Su Ruowan to swallow as she awkwardly chuckled. ¡°Can I buy a bit of your time for a quickment?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°No.¡±

    She then turned around to leave, callously and heartlessly.

    Rage brought tears to Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes. Clutching the music score in her hands, Su Ruowan chased after Mr. Xixi before her emotional burden began to overflow. Since it was better to get to the bottom of the issue than continue to be in the dark, she cut to the chase. ¡°Mr. Xixi, what did I do wrong to deserve this treatment?¡±

    Shen Xi was amused by her questioning. What did she do wrong? Everything. Su Ruowan should know better than to ask such a pathetic question.

    With Mr. Xixi refusing to even look back, Su Ruowan ran after him as bitter and raging tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°You must be lying when you said you didn¡¯t know Shen Xi. You¡¯re doing this to me because of her.¡±

    She had nothing to lose now that things were not getting anywhere. Rather than be tormented, trying to figure out the reason behind his aloof and perfunctory attitude, it was best to straighten it out.

    Shen Xi was diverted. ¡®Excuse me, but I am Shen Xi.¡¯

    Su Ruowan resentfully clenched her fists, having determined that Mr. Xixi knew Shen Xi. Shen Xi must have badmouthed her to him for Mr. Xixi to treat her as such. Su Ruowan added. ¡°Mr. Xixi, I trust that someone of your wits and status, you won¡¯t just take someone else¡¯s word for it. I can tell you my side of the story if you let me.¡±

    Shen Xi refused to cast her a nce or give her the time of the day. Tsk tsk. When it came to having no boundaries, Su Ruowan reigned number one. Su Ruowan would take on anyone who was against her.

 Chapter 503 - Bump Into Him Without Warning

    <h4>Chapter 503: Bump Into Him Without Warning</h4>

    Teary-eyed, Su Ruowan watched as Mr. Xixi got into the elevator before advancing to a nearby stairwell to kick the wall. With hatred brewing in her eyes and face contorting like an evil spirit she wickedly cursed. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    That b*tch would not leave her alone!

    Was it not her who had left the Su family? Was it not her who refused toe back? Why was Shen Xi still relentless in her pursuit to make her life a living hell?

    This time, Su Ruowan was not going to let it slide!

    It was a peaceful ambiance back in the mentors¡¯ break room.

    Fang Yao excitedly ran in and looked at Gu Yang. ¡°Mr. Gu Yang, is it true? I heard that Mr. Xixi agreed to coborate with you. Congrats on making your dreame true!¡±

    Although Mr. Xixi had been with them for quite some time, his attitude towards them remained the same. It was perhaps due to Mr. Xixi¡¯s detached nature that no one was able to hold up a conversation with him. How could any intentions of coboration be brought up without any interactions going on?

    ¡°Keep it down.¡± Xia Mi gave her a tug. She knew she should not have told her. Now the whole world would find out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? This is good news! It¡¯s basically a done deal since Mr. Xixi gave his word. If it were me, I¡¯d be posting on Weibo and paying to make the post viral so that the whole world would know I¡¯m teaming up with Mr. Xixi.¡± Envious, Fang Yao drew near. ¡°What did you say to Mr. Xixi? How did you make him agree to it?¡±

    Gu Yang had never been happier. It never urred to him that his casual probing would lead to Mr. Xixi saying yes. ¡°I brought it up in a conversation.¡±

    Had he known that Mr. Xixi was forthright, Gu Yang would have asked about it from the very beginning, instead of overthinking about this and that. Mr. Xixi was not asplicated as he thought.

    He Sumo and Su Muyan bumped into each other at the door and picked up something about a coboration with Mr. Xixi. They did not know the full story.

    He Sumo inquired with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s with the happy faces? Some good news?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is good news indeed. Don¡¯t go turning into a green-eyed monster if I were to tell you.¡± Fang Yao was not the kind to beat around the bush nor did she put much thought into it. She would joke around as friends would. ¡°Our Mr. Gu Yang is coborating with Mr. Xixi!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Surprised, He Sumo eximed with a smile, ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Gu Yang.¡±

    It was no secret that Gu Yang had been pining on coborating with Mr. Xixi. Moreover, this was also every singer¡¯s wish. No one was going to say no to working together with Mr. Xixi.

    Although Su Muyan kept up with his appearance, the bitter jealousy overtook every inch of his body. He congratted Gu Yang as the asion saw fitting.

    Apart from Su Muyan, everyone else in the break room was genuinely happy for Gu Yang. They were looking forward to his work together with Mr. Xixi.

    Su Muyan sat in one corner. He did not get along with the other mentors, and even though they appeared close, Su Muyan did not make any personal connection with any of them. No one thought it was out of the ordinary when Su Muyan kept to himself.

    Gu Yang modestly mentioned that Mr. Xixi was keen to take up his request for a coboration at the mention.

    The situation was as simple as it sounded. Gu Yang was speaking the truth, but whether the other mentors believed him was another story.

    The few mentors were unconvinced that it was that straightforward to get a coboration with Mr. Xixi. Nevertheless, they were too embarrassed to delve into the subject with Gu Yang. There were many big names better known than them in the music scene. All of them had sought Mr. Xixi and even publicly begged for a chance in partnership, but did Mr. Xixi ever give them the time of his day?

    Mr. Xixi paid no mind and rejected them all. During that time, there was a saying making rounds in the music industry that it was contrary to all reasons to get a partnership with Mr. Xixi.

    Su Muyan was listening in on the conversation while bitter jealousy and rage were eating him up inside. He smiled at Gu Yang and asked, ¡°Mr. Gu Yang, where is Mr. Xixi?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Xixi doesn¡¯t have anything on his schedule today. I guess he¡¯s back at his dorm,¡± Gu Yang replied.

    Today was his lucky day to be given the chance to work with Mr. Xixi. Mr. Xixi gave him his manager¡¯s contact, but Gu Yangmented that he was not able to get Mr. Xixi¡¯s contact number.

    Su Muyan got up. ¡°You guys carry on. I¡¯m going to take a look around the studios.¡±

    The fact that Mr. Xixi was coborating with Gu Yang was a p in Su Muyan¡¯s face. The smug look on Gu Yang¡¯s face tempted Su Muyan to rip him apart.

    Did he think he was all that? What was going on with Mr. Xixi? Why did Mr. Xixi agree to partner an idol with a following like Gu Yang? Was he not afraid to tarnish his own name?

    If Mr. Xixi were seeking a coboration, it should be with Su Muyan. Who, except him, in the whole panel of mentors was worthy to work with him?

    It went without saying that Su Muyan did not go to the studios. Instead, he jumped right into looking for Mr. Xixi. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. He thought this was the same case as thest time, Mr. Xixi was simply avoiding them. Thus, he waited outside the door for Mr. Xixi toe out so he could talk about a coboration.

    A whileter, a cleaningdy who was here to tidy up the ce told him that Mr. Xixi had packed up and left.

    Su Muyan was under the impression that Mr. Xixi was probably gone for a couple of days due to a schedule conflict just as before. He patiently waited and sought a public rtions team to strategize a coboration n with Mr. Xixi, so he would be ready to go into discussion the moment Mr. Xixi returned.

    One day, two days, one week, and soon a month went by, but Mr. Xixi was nowhere in sight. Su Muyan tried to get an answer from the production, yet no one could give a definite answer. The only thing he could do was to wait anxiously for Mr. Xixi¡¯s return.

    National Idol was aired continuously, making waves one episode after another. With citizens around the country getting into the hype, the trainees were receiving love more than ever.

    The most popr and the favorite was none other than Su Ruowan, followed closely behind by Ye Weiyang. Both were neck-to-neck in votes.

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s mind-blowing stage presence drew a lot of fans. Her diligence, hard work, inquisitiveness, and humility made her the worthy trainee who turned the tide in her favor.

    Beneath Ye Weiyang was Song Wenye. Out of the top ten trainees, Cosmos Entertainment made a clean sweep with six of their girls upying six spots.

    Mr. Xixi who had been missing for five episodes was about to make an appearance on the ninth episode as the trainees made their way to the grand finale. This sparked a lot of interest among fans, pushing the show¡¯s viewership to its highest peak.

    At half-past eight at night, a silvery-white Maybach pulled up in front of the training grounds.

    Li Yuan put on a ck backpack on the girl¡¯s back and said, ¡°There you go.¡±

    Shen Xi pulled the hood over her head tightly before turning to smile at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded as she put on a mask and sunsses to cover herself uppletely. She then waved him off and got down the car. His narrow eyes bore a hint of longingness.

    The next moment, he took notice of an executive van parked nearby, and out walked a man in full armor. Li Yuan¡¯s eyes turned sharp while his pupils shrunk. Fu Qingye!

    Fu Qingye saw nothing, nor did he notice a man staring at him from inside a car. He carried his suitcase, without an assistant and manager by his side, he entered the building alone.

    Meanwhile, Shen Xi walked into the elevator and before the doors closed, someone pressed the open button. She quickly shrunk to a corner and hung her head low, afraid to be discovered.

    She wore sunsses and a mask because she did not have any makeup on. Shen Xi picked a time when the trainees were in practice to ensure the building was empty.

    Fu Qingye did not want to be seen either, hence the disguise and absence of an assistant. He entered the elevator but did not dare to look at the person inside, for fear of being recognized and made his arrival known. What if the girl were to find out and flee the scene?

    To his surprise, Fu Qingye had just stood there when the person behind, for some reason, bumped into him without warning.

 Chapter 504 - ainting From the Pain

    <h4>Chapter 504: Fainting From the Pain</h4>

    When Shen Xi fell, Fu Qingye could not just stand by or dodge her because of his morals and chivalry instilled in him from his upbringing. He felt a familiar feeling washed over him as he reached out to support her.

    Shen Xi instinctively supported herself in the elevator when her leg began to hurt suddenly. Little did she know, she could not manage a firm grasp on the handrail. The throbbing pain sapped her strength instantly, and all she could do was watch herself fall.

    Fu Qingye lowered his gaze slightly and noticed fine beads of sweat on Shen Xi¡¯s smooth forehead. Her face was visible to him when the sunsses dropped to the floor. His heart clenched as he looked at her frowning in pain, before calling out her name, ¡°Xixi¡±.

    The moment the pain took over Shen Xi, her mind went nk and her vision blurred. She lifted her head when she felt better momentarily. After taking a clear look at his face, she cked out and copsed.

    ¡°Xixi!¡± Fu Qingye called out anxiously and caught her limp body.

    The elevator was still moving up.

    Fu Qingye knew the production team had a medical doctor with them. He tried to calm himself and bore in mind that Shen Xi would not want anyone to discover her real identity. He took off his coat and covered her entirely.

    The moment the elevator stopped.

    Fu Qingye dashed out of the elevator and shouted anxiously at the staff, ¡°Doctor! Get the doctor! Stat!¡±

    The staff was taken aback as they watched Mr. Fu the Movie Star losing his cool and rushing crazily from the elevator while yelling for help.

    ¡°Get a doctor, quick!¡± Fu Qingye was anxious, but the courteous upbringing inculcated in him since childhood had him still politely turned to the staff and said, ¡°Please.¡±

    The staff then reacted and hurriedly called the team¡¯s doctor without any more dys as they watched Fu Qingye, the renowned Movie Star, walk to his dorm with a girl in his arms.

    At least, it looked like a girl. She looked so tiny in the Movie Star¡¯s arms.

    The production team wanted to follow them into the room.

    Fu Qingye then turned to them and said, ¡°Only the doctor may enter, please.¡±

    The door then closed with a bang.

    Members of the production team exchanged looks and wondered who was the girl in the Movie Star¡¯s arms.

    Judging from Fu Qingye¡¯s unusual behavior earlier, it was probably someone whom he cared a lot about.

    The doctor arrived soon after. It was a young female doctor. When she saw Fu Qingye¡¯s face, her eyes widened in astonishment and her heart almost raced to her throat. She tried to remain calm while examining Shen Xi but she could not shake the feeling if she was in a dream.

    Oh God, did she hit the jackpot? She met Fu Qingye the Movie Star, in the flesh!

    ¡°How is she?¡± asked Fu Qingye. He was entirely focused on Shen Xi with his eyes never leaving her except for the moment he got up to let the doctor enter the room.

    ¡°She¡¯s just passed out, there¡¯s nothing wrong with her body and she will wake up soon,¡± said the doctor. She managed to maintain her medical ethics and professionalism in front of her idol.

    As a doctor, it was not difficult for her to examine this, but as for the reason behind the faint, only the patient herself would know.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Fu Qingye was relieved when he heard Shen Xi was fine.

    ¡°She should get a full medical body check-up once she wakes up,¡± advised the doctor.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Qingye saw Shen Xi¡¯s eyebrows that were furrowed in pain were now smoothen out, and colors had returned to her miserably pale face.

    A medical check-up is a must. How could anyone copse and pass out from sudden pain? There must be something wrong with their health.

    Fu Qingye got up and sent the doctor out.

    The doctor had been thinking if she should take this opportunity to ask for an autograph and a photo together. However, it was inappropriate for a doctor to do so when the patient¡¯s family was worried about the patient. She suppressed the urge in her heart. Before she left, she looked at Fu Qingye and said, ¡°Brother Ye, I¡¯m a big fan of yours and I¡¯ll always support you!¡±

    After saying that, she ran away at light speed.

    ¡°¡­¡± Fu Qingye was rendered speechless.

    10 minutester.

    Shen Xi woke up with no more pain in her leg as if it had all been just an illusion. However, the agonising pain earlier was too real to be an illusion.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. How do you feel?¡± Fu Qingye looked at her, concerned.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Xi shook her head and replied with a smile, ¡°Could be my blood sugar was low.¡±

    She could not tell anyone how she would experience inexplicable twitches all the time, just like the throbbing pain in her leg earlier.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you a check-up at the hospital. The car is right at the door.¡± Fu Qingye won¡¯t be fooled by what she said as he knew low blood sugar would not cause that kind of pain.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Xi paused. She knew he would not give up until she had the check-up at the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s just menstrual cramps,¡± continued Shen Xi.

    Indeed.

    Fu Qingye remained silent after hearing that. It wasmon for females to experience menstrual cramps; many had faced the same.

    Fu Qingye let out an embarrassed cough as he was taken aback by Shen Xi¡¯s blunt response, ¡°I¡¯ll get Jing Yu to get you the meds.¡±

    ¡°I have the meds.¡± Shen Xi never expected she would bump into Fu Qingye, not to mention passing out in front of him. How should she exin the reason she showed up here?

    ¡°Oh,¡± Fu Qingye responded. He still texted Jing Yu to get the meds and brown sugar, which he thought would be needed.

    Shen Xi never had any contact with the Fu brothers since she returned from herst visit to Mama Fu. Not even Fu Qingxuan, who had always been bothering her, had contacted her. It was likely he was disciplined by Fu Qingli.

    It was the same with Fu Qingye. She was aware that he had arrived in China as he was invited to a couple of talk shows and walked the red carpet at several events. He was also the Hot Search on every tier-1 online tform in the past month. His poprity had even surpassed the hot talent show, National Idol. However, he had not contacted Shen Xi at all, and for this she was relieved.

    After a few exchanges, the two seemed to be at a loss for words, and the atmosphere was odd.

    Fu Qingye could not think of anything suitable to say but he was uneasy when it was quiet, so he asked, ¡°What brought you here?¡±

    ¡°To see my friends,¡± Shen Xi gave a clear and concise answer.

    Fu Qingye was disappointed with her short and sinct reply, then added, ¡°I¡¯m here to take part in the television show, it has gained so much poprity these days. Do you know the male musicposer, Xixi?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s incredible.¡± Shen Xi got up from the bed, put on her shoes, and said, ¡°You must¡¯vee here discreetly, I¡¯d better leave. It¡¯d be unwise for others to see us together. Scandals aren¡¯t good for you.¡±

    Fu Qingye sighed in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID and answered the call, ¡°Brother¡±.

 Chapter 505 - Here Comes Mr. Fu the Movie Star

    <h4>Chapter 505: Here Comes Mr. Fu the Movie Star</h4>

    The words ¡°Big Brother¡± saw Shen Xi clutching her fingers while she was on her knees tying up her shoces. After a pause, sheced up and scooped her backpack from the sofa before putting on her sunsses and mask. Once she was all covered up, she bade farewell to Fu Qingye who was on the phone and took off without waiting for his acknowledgment.

    Shen Xi opened the door to a crowd outside. Those passionate, worshiping, and prying eyes nearly scared her to the point of retreat.

    F*ck!

    She was wrong!

    Why was there a huge turnout? What did he do when he brought her here?

    Was he not aware that he was a huge superstar and any little thing he did could stir scandals?

    The crowd was naturally waiting for Fu Qingye. With Shen Xi appearing at the door, someone even got on their tiptoes to sneak a peek inside. However, none of them had the guts to cross the line since Mr. Fu was not one to mess with given the status and public esteem he held.

    Curious about who Shen Xi was, they were scratching their heads trying to figure out her rtionship with Mr. Fu. Still, it was not their ce to pop the question. Hence, they watched as she took the elevator and left.

    By the time Fu Qingye hung up the phone and looked over, the girl was gone. He walked up to the door and opened it.

    The chief director, Su Botao, was panting aftering in a hurry. ¡°Hello, hello, Mr. Fu. I am Su Botao.¡±

    Fu Qingye nodded at him. His good looks appeared rather solemn. ¡°Mr. Su, I have an emergency at home and have to rush home tonight, so I can¡¯t join tomorrow¡¯s shooting. I¡¯ll head to the studio to check on the trainees now.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Fu, you should head home now if it¡¯s urgent. It¡¯s not a problem!¡± Su Botao was being honest.

    He did not even try to invite Fu Qingye, and it was not that he did not want to, rather he dared not imagine or have any insatiable thought.

    Mr. Fu the great Movie Star was a man on top of the entertainment pyramid and for him toe to a talent show ¨C not that Su Botao was looking down on his own show ¨C it was just beneath Mr. Fu as he was of high status.

    To Su Botao¡¯s surprise, Mr. Fu initiated contact and said he loved Mr. Xixi¡¯s work but could never get in touch with the person. Thus, Mr. Fu asked if he could be on the show.

    Oh gawd! Su Botao was dumbstruck. A pie in the sky just fell on hisp. He would be over the moon if Mr. Fu simply made a personal video for the show, let alone joined the shoot.

    ¡°I should meet the trainees and give them some encouragement.¡± Fu Qingye smiled warmly.

    ¡°Of course, sure.¡± Su Botao was hot with emotions. No way was he going to say no to that.

    Appearing as a mystery guest, Mr. Fu did not sign a contract with them, nor did he ask for a fee since his intention was to visit Mr. Xixi. It was an honor for the production team to wee his special appearance to the show.

    ¡°I wonder if Mr. Xixi is here now?¡± Fu Qingye asked.

    He was here to see the girl in the first ce. However, she fainted the moment they met and slipped away in a blink of an eye. He probably would not be able to see her again.

    Su Botao shook his head. ¡°Mr. Xixi just contacted me and said he¡¯d bete for an hour.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Qingye gazed at him. ¡°After you, Mr. Su.¡±

    The production crew, especially the girls at the back, could not hide their excitement and admiration. They could pass out in happiness to be in close quarters with Fu Qingye. Never in their dreams could they imagine they would be in close contact with their idol.

    Feeling a little disappointed, Fu Qingye made a move ahead to the studio.

    He received a call from Qingli that Qingxuan had met with a car ident and was in critical condition. Fu Qingye had to rush home, but he was going to go back on his word since he had agreed to an appearance on the show.

    With the filming of trainees ending at nine o¡¯clock, Mr. Fu had half an hour left to interact and share his words of encouragement.

    The shooting of National Idol was nearing its end. Tomorrow was the ninth episode, also the secondst episode of the shooting. As the trainees had undergone rounds and rounds of elimination, there were only 36 girls left. All of them could fit in one studio.

    Nobody knew who was the first among the trainees to spot Fu Qingye but she shrieked as she was swept off of her feet by her idol¡¯s good looks, which drew out all the other trainees in practice.

    Having heard themotion, the few mentors came out of the studio and the break room. They were in shock to see the handsome man surrounded by a group of girls.

    The production team was on fire to invite bigger and better celebrities each time. They were definitely on a roll!

    It was not a bad idea for them to join the cast of mentors. Mr. Xixi, Mr. Qi Xiu, Ms. Guan Yue, Ms. Li Jingran, and now Mr. Fu came to the show to cheer them on.

    Fang Yao was most fired up, unable to stop her shrieking. Without regard to her image as a mentor, she rushed over like a fangirl. ¡°Hello, Qingye.¡±

    Fu Qingye took all his work seriously. He watched the first few episodes Shen Xi appeared in and even if she did not make it for thest few, he made sure to catch all episodes for fear she might make a sudden appearance. This was why Fu Qingye could recognize all the mentors and trainees. ¡°Hello.¡±

    With the mentors around, the trainees let them greet Mr. Fu first despite their tion and the urge to scream their lungs out.

    Su Ruowan did not go with the crowd and stayed in a corner to watch. She learned her lesson and was not going to put herself in an unweed position.

    Nevertheless, she was curious as to why an influential figure like Mr. Fu would descend upon a talent show.

    Su Muyan had never met Fu Qingye face-to-face before. He did not have a high opinion of the movie star after hearing from Li Jingran that Shen Xi seduced Fu Qingye. Still, as a mentor, he went to greet Fu Qingye.

    After the exchange of pleasantries, the scriptwriter gave an ount of the show¡¯s flow. The sess of a program depended on how the production team ran the show.

    Su Botao was not going to take up a lot of Mr. Fu¡¯s time, knowing he had family affairs to attend to. Following the introduction, he captured the intimate interaction between Mr. Fu and the trainees, plus a pep talk from Mr. Fu before escorting thetter on his way out half an hourter.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Fu. You weren¡¯t able to meet Mr. Xixi during this asion.¡± Su Botao felt sorry.

    Mr. Fu came for Mr. Xixi but had to leave before he got to see him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be, Mr. Su. I should be apologizing,¡± Fu Qingyemented. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time. I could meet with him sooner orter.¡±

    Su Botao expressed his apologies and regret towards the matter.

    He was thoroughly impressed and honored to get Mr. Xixi on the show.

    Mr. Xixi, whom even the face of status and talent Mr. Fu failed to meet, was the guest on their show. This was enough for Su Botao to brag for a lifetime.

    Mr. Fu the Movie Star came and went, staying for a total of an hour. However, this was sufficient to get the mentors and trainees all pumped up.

    Fang Yao was on her phone, looking at a photo of her and Mr. Fu as she walked out of the washroom. Grinning from ear to ear, she lifted her chin and saw a personing toward hers. She cheerfully greeted, ¡°Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded at her as a greeting.

    Fang Yao was still on cloud nine. ¡°Oh, what timing. It¡¯d be great if you could make it earlier. Fu Qingye the Movie Star joined our program as the mystery guest.¡±

    Looking no different from the usual straight face, Shen Xi nodded.

    Fang Yao was good-natured and too happy to care about Shen Xi¡¯s reaction, orck thereof. She showed Shen Xi the photo of her and Mr. Fu just to share her joy with someone.

    Nevertheless, they were walking together when someone came in their way. Fang Yao looked up to find a handsome man in a suit. Taken by surprise, she uttered, ¡°You¡¯re Jing Yu!¡±

    It was Mr. Fu¡¯s manager!

    ¡°Hello there.¡± Jing Yu nodded at Fang Yao with a smile before turning to Shen Xi. He handed an exquisite-looking package to her. ¡°Mr. Xixi, I¡¯m told to give this to you.¡±

    With her heart skipping a beat, Shen Xi suddenly had a bad feeling about it.

 Chapter 506 - Trainees Encountered a Mishap

    <h4>Chapter 506: Trainees Encountered a Mishap</h4>

    Although Fang Yao caught wind that Mr. Fu came for Mr. Xixi, she was skeptical at first. The scene unfolding before her eyes proved the rumors to be true. Mr. Fu even had a gift for Mr. Xixi.

    Sure, Mr. Fu might be her idol, but Fang Yao was also an idol in other people¡¯s eyes. She was not going to be nosy and ask what the gift was. It was simply impolite.

    After delivering the goods, Jing Yu excused himself and took off.

    Shen Xi had a hunch what it was. Nevertheless, she waited until returning to her room to look at the gift, and still, Shen Xi was kicking herself about it.

    Inside the gift bag was none other than painkillers and brown sugar!

    Her wless disguise was not that perfect after all. Shen Xi even suspected that Fu Qingye saw through her Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s disguise at Fu¡¯s residence.

    As expected from someone from the Fu family; not only did Fu Qingli have a pair of eagle eyes to recognize her in an instant, but Fu Qingye was also a force to be reckoned with. The youngest Fu family member was a silly wit inparison.

    It appeared to Shen Xi that the youngest Fu family member conducted himself in a decent manner yet seemed to be a little cranky, silly, and childish in front of her.

    Shen Xi was fixated on the painkiller and brown sugar before picking up her phone to scroll to Fu Qingye¡¯s number. She gazed at the contact number for a long time but still could not bring herself to call. Never mind, it was probably nothing.

    She heard Fu Qingye was supposed to appear on the show tomorrow as the mystery guest. However, he was suddenly caught up with a personal affair and had to leave. Hence, the schedule was changed to today for him to interact with the mentors and trainees.

    Before she had a chance to put down her phone, a flurry of footsteps outside followed by a knock on the door was heard. Some trainees had gotten into an ident.

    Shen Xi grabbed the phone and went out.

    Gu Yang was outside her door. ¡°Something happened to the trainees. Come with us to take a look.¡±

    He knew Mr. Xixi would not be of much help in this scenario, but it was best he came along for formality¡¯s sake since he was here.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Who?¡±

    Gu Yang shook his head. ¡°Su Ruowan and another girl. I¡¯m not sure about the details but I heard they fell down the stairs.¡±

    The information gave Shen Xi an inkling of the situation. If it were Su Ruowan and another girl, the other girl must be the bestie in her clique.

    Having received the news, the other mentors bumped into each other en route.

    ¡°Mr. Muyan went ahead,¡± Fang Yao exined. Since Su Ruowan was his sister, no doubt he must be worried sick.

    The mentors only heard about Su Ruowan and had no clue who was the other trainee involved in the ident. They needed to go there to find out.

    With the finals around the corner and tomorrow being thest episode shooting before the finals, the production team was most worried about a sudden mishap. The mentors arrived at the trainee dorms to a chaotic scene.

    The trainees and production crew stood in the corridors and surrounded the door as they were not able to enter. They were murmuring in discussion carrying animated expressions on their faces.

    With the mentors drawing close, they immediately gave way to the mentors.

    Since the situation was getting out of hand, the production crew quickly urged the crowd to leave and rest well for tomorrow¡¯s elimination round.

    The trainees sulkily left in groups of twos and threes while still talking among themselves.

    Song Wenye and her group took off together. She even took the time to send Shen Xi a text message. [Song Wenye: Good news. Su Ruowan¡¯s injured and I think it¡¯s pretty bad. It¡¯d be great if she can¡¯t go on with thepetition. I feel sick to my stomach every time I see that smug look on her face.]

    She had had enough. Song Wenye wondered if the fans were blind to mistake a disgusting person like Su Ruowan as a goddess. More like a ghoul. These fans were idiots to spend money and vote for her.

    Nevertheless, it was not as though Song Wenye had control over the fans or the votes. The show was such a massive hit and the fanbase was too huge. There was no way anyone could influence the votes unless the production team was ying mastermind behind the scenes.

    Song Wenye was reminded by her ambition and deration to debut front and center to her ssmates that she would make it till the very end, plus bragging rights to Xixi of course. Yet now, it looked like Su Ruowan was going toe out on top instead.

    She was fine with it, seeing that she could not do it despite her best efforts. However, Song Wenye felt she let Xixi down as she failed to avenge Xixi by putting Su Ruowan in her ce.

    Next to her was Ye Weiyang who might not have much interaction with Su Ruowan but avoids contact with thetter, knowing that Song Wenye was not a fan of her. Ye Weiyang whispered a question, ¡°Can she still go on with thepetition?¡±

    Song Wenye happilyughed out loud and patted Ye Weiyang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yangyang, you must have Lady Luck in the flesh with that luck of yours. Su Ruowan will be forced to withdraw from thepetition if her leg is broken. You¡¯d definitely be the winner.¡±

    Ye Weiyang furrowed her brows. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to win like this. I want to have a fairpetition with her.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the situation now is fair? Anyone with eyes and ears can tell that you¡¯re way better than her. You dance and sing better while having better looks than her. Is she really skillful? No, she got to where she is today by dishing out cash and marketing by herself.¡± Song Wenye gave Ye Weiyang a look to not be na?ve as she stated the facts. ¡°It doesn¡¯t just take skills to be in the limelight. All you need is money and hype. You deserve to be the champion.¡±

    Song Wenye might be biased and go a little off the mark, but Tong Kejun and the rest had to agree.

    Indeed, Su Ruowan had the talent, but her performance had retained a tline while Yangyang showed improvement by leaps and bounds. Taking overall performance into consideration, Yangyang was the winner in their eyes.

    However, with that huge fan base of Su Ruowan, she reigned on top in both vote counts and ranking. It was undeniable that she was the fans¡¯ favorite.

    The staff members had persuaded all the trainees to leave and left security personnel to keep watch so no one could get through the door.

    In the dormsy the trainees who were involved in the ident. They were He Lu and Su Ruowan.

 Chapter 507 - Drop Out Due to a Broken Leg

    <h4>Chapter 507: Drop Out Due to a Broken Leg</h4>

    By then, the mentors had a clearer picture of the situation following an update from the production crew. The pair were talking at the stairwell when they slipped and fell.

    This was ording to Su Ruowan. She suffered minor injuries as she managed to grab ahold of the railing after slipping two steps. The injury was only skin-deep without any internal injuries.

    He Lu was in a bad state after falling off the whole flight of stairs. She broke her leg and was lying in bed whimpering away. With the mentorsing to pay her a visit, He Lu wailed even more devastatingly.

    He Sumo and Fang Yao were closer to her than the other mentors were as they had been her direct mentor. Feeling sorry, they offered her words of constion.

    He Lu was a talented trainee who was always ranked in the top ten. She ced eighth at thest elimination round and was one step closer to getting into the top seven spots to make the debut.

    It was true that He Lu was crying in sadness and despair. After working at it for so long, she failed to grasp the opportunity right in front of her.

    With her leg broken, it was unlikely the production team was going to stop the shooting for the sole reason of her broken leg. It was in to see that she had to drop out of thepetition.

    He Lu truly regretteding up with her idea. Not only was her n to pull one over Su Ruowan a bust, but she also paid the price for her actions.

    She ced eighth in thest round and was only one seat away from debuting. She was going to eliminate Su Ruowan so thetter would withdraw from thepetition, advancing her to seventh ce and formally bing one of the debuting members.

    Today after their practice, she pretended to have questions about music to ask Su Ruowan and pulled her to the stairwell. He Lu had it all nned and intended to identally push Su Ruowan down the stairs.

    To her dismay, He Lu was the one who fell while Su Ruowan grabbed onto the railing, saving her from any fatal injuries. She, on the other hand, broke her leg and was forced to drop out.

    She was filled with regret and resentment for Su Ruowan. However, there was nothing she could say about it. Why was God favoring Su Ruowan and standing by her side!

    ¡°Feel better soon!¡± Fang Yao was at a loss and unable to find the right words tofort He Lu.

    The child was the most unfortunate. With two more episodes left on the show and her gaining poprity by cing eighth, she would be in the semi-finals and finals if this had not happened. Even if she was just about to make the debut, her ranking would have brought her quite the fame.

    As the best talent show in thest few years, National Idol became all the rage nationwide. Missing thest two episodes would impact highly on her reputation.

    He Sumo let out a sigh. There was no point in adding salt to injury when the girl was already upset about it. ¡°Ms. Fang Yao¡¯s right. You¡¯re still young. There will be a lot more opportunities toe.¡±

    As her heart sank to the pit of her stomach, He Lu burst into tears. The extreme pain and distress choked her speech, not that she wanted to talk anyway.

    ¡°Lulu, I¡¯ve failed you. I should have held onto you.¡± Turning on the waterworks, Su Ruowan med herself and was visibly upset from her tear-stained face.

    Humph!

    Served her right!

    He Lu was a godd*mn b*tch to try and drag her down the stairs. Did that b*tch think she would fall for her trap so easily?

    Who was He Lu trying to fool? No one could outsmart the real master of maniption.

    The pitiful look on Su Ruowan¡¯s face pulled at the other mentors¡¯ heartstrings. All of them felt she was kind, sensible, and understanding.

    This was an ident, to begin with, and Su Ruowan should not me herself since she was not at fault. She even got hurt in the process yet here she was, tenderlyforting He Lu.

    Su Muyan took a seat by Su Ruowan, looking a little unsettled. He took a nce at He Lu, who was on her bed, before hopelessly gazing at Su Ruowan.

    He was furious and anxious when he had gotten the news. Wanwan was so kind, too kind that it pissed him off.

    Su Muyan had warned her to stay away from He Lu but Su Ruowan did nothing of that sort. Instead, she repaid He Lu¡¯s evil deeds with kindness and remained close to He Lu. Thank goodness nothing major happened to Su Ruowan. God was watching over her.

    He Lu had iting and shot herself in the foot. Now that her leg was broken, she could forget about continuing her journey on the show. Dropping out of thepetition was her only choice.

    Shen Xi stood at a corner and observed the scene unfold. It never urred to her that Su Ruowan would one day be the victim of a scheme. Shen Xi wondered if Su Ruowan was ever reminded of the time when Su Ruowan framed her.

    Nevertheless, He Lu was a disappointment. She could have gone all out and pushed Su Ruowan down, and if thetter held onto the railing, He Lu should have dragged her down with her.

    Now He Lu ended up with double the losses ¨C the n was futile and she became a victim too.

    ¡°Ms. Fang Yao.¡± He Lu ceased crying. With swollen eyes, she looked at Fang Yao pleadingly and said, ¡°I want to go on with the show. Please, let me continue!¡±

    She was relentless and refused to admit defeat. He Lu was not going to give Su Ruowan the satisfaction to debut front and center while she had to withdraw from thepetition in shame.

    Caught in a dilemma, Fang Ye frowned and looked towards Gu Yang for advice. How was she going to participate in the show with a broken leg? Any regr person would drop out of the running as nothing was more important than health.

    Gu Yang was unable to call the shots as he was a mentor and not part of the production team. He had to get an opinion from the production team and let the director decide her fate. Before Gu Yang could say anything, someone jumped into the conversation. It was Mr. Xixi.

    Shen Xi gazed at Gu Yang. ¡°She can use a wheelchair.¡±

    Color drained from Su Ruowan¡¯splexion. Her hands gripped tightly against the bedding as fury and resentment washed over her.

    Go on with the show?

    He Lu, that b*tch, attempted to harm her but it backfired on her. She got what wasing and should go to hell. Why should she continue with thepetition?

    Had it not been for theck of concrete proof and eyewitnesses of He Lu¡¯s aggravated assault, Su Ruowan would never have let He Lu get away with it.

    She escaped nearly unscathed while He Lu broke her leg and was going to drop out. It was supposed to be a happy ending, but Mr. Xixi had to swoop in and get involved.

    Feeling hostile towards He Lu, Su Muyan was quick to refute. ¡°Ms. He Lu¡¯s injuries are quite bad. She should take a rest.¡±

    The wicked woman was brazen and shameless to want to continue with the show after hurting Wanwan. Well, he would never give her the chance!

    He Lu could forget about ever going into showbiz. Su Muyan would do everything in his power to shut her out and corner her. He would not stop until she paid the price for what she did today.

    Just then, Su Botao rushed over after hearing the news. The production team would be the ones with a headache when the trainees met with an ident at a sensitive time like this.

 Chapter 508 - Just a Dogfight

    <h4>Chapter 508: Just a Dogfight</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The question of whether the student should withdraw from thepetition rested in the hands of Su Botao. With Su Botao arriving at the scene, everyone greeted and looked at him.

    Su Botao was dumbfounded. He first went to share a few words andforted He Lu since she was the niece of thework¡¯s deputy director after all.

    The girl did great on the show, retaining her position at the top ten and even cing eighth during thest elimination round. She was able to advance in ranking every single time but unfortunately had an ident just before the semi-finals.

    He caught wind that the trainee slipped and fell down the stairs.

    Gu Yang waited until Su Botao and He Lu were done talking before looking at Su Botao for advice. ¡°Mr. Su, she said she wanted to continue with the program. What do you think?¡±

    Being put in a difficult position, Su Botao frowned and pondered on the possibility. Soon, he gave a simr answer as Fang Yao. ¡°Ms. He Lu¡¯s health is priority.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Su, I think it¡¯s a pity for Ms. He Lu to quit aftering so far in thepetition. I¡¯d suggest for her to participate in a wheelchair.¡± Shen Xi cut in and uttered, ¡°The fans would be moved to tears by Ms. He Lu¡¯s perseverance and determination.¡±

    Shen Xi did not mind getting He Lu on stage since her intention was to put Su Ruowan off with her presence. Although He Lu was ranked eighth, she was still a long way from the top seven.

    The reason He Lu plotted against Su Ruowan was that she wanted Su Ruowan out of thepetition due to injuries. With one extra spot avable in the top seven, He Lu could climb up and debut instead.

    Su Botao deliberated and thought it was reasonable but did not want to be too hasty tomit to it. ¡°Mr. Xixi has a point. Let me discuss with the others before I make a decision.¡±

    He Lu gratefully stared at Mr. Xixi, regarding him as her savior. Mr. Xixi may seem indifferent, but at least his heart was at a good ce, unlike Su Muyan and Su Ruowan who were the lowest.

    Did Su Ruowan think this was over? Well, she had another thinging. He Lu might not be able to debut this time, but as long as she was around, she was going to make Su Ruowan¡¯s life a living hell. He Lu had all the opportunities in the world as there was one more week before the finals.

    The other mentors echoed Mr. Xixi¡¯s views. Since the head of the production team had a say whether He Lu could leave or stay, there was still a chance for her to remain on the show.

    It was all about the performance during the elimination round. Nevertheless, they could give He Lu exemption to sing in the wheelchair. With He Lu cing solidly in eighth ce, she would survive the semi-finals and finals.

    Su Muyan did not give any input.

    Su Ruowan was certain the mentors were trying to cozy up with Mr. Xixi as they took Mr. Xixi¡¯s word as gospel. They would of course take Mr. Xixi¡¯s side.

    He Lu was most certainly going to continue on with thepetition.

    For tomorrow¡¯s semi-finals, half of the remaining 28 trainees will be axed in the with a further eight in the finals. Even a dummy could tell that He Lu could earn pity votes from fans by sitting on a wheelchair and marketing a weak but unyielding and a tough image to the public. There was a possibility that this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise and He Lu could earn a spot to debut.

    Su Ruowan was never going to allow this to happen, nor would she let He Lu, that b*tch, hang around her. She had to think of a way to end it once and for all.

    Su Botao moved quickly and summoned key production executives for a meeting. Since he had full authority over emergencies, there was no need to inform thework bosses in advance.

    He was on his way back when the deputy head of thework gave him a call to subtly hint about keeping He Lu on the show.

    Soon, all the mentors were gone.

    Apart from Su Ruowan and He Lu in the room, a female staff member stayed to take care of He Lu.

    This was a room for three and Song Wenye was supposed to be their roommate. However, she moved over to Ye Weiyang¡¯s room after thetter¡¯s roommate was eliminated in the third episode.

    Su Botao, the chief director, returned half an hourter to inform He Lu of thetest n. She could get on stage in a wheelchair, but her team would have to redo the rehearsal tomorrow before the shooting.

    ¡°Sorry, Wanwan!¡± He Lu gazed apologetically at Su Ruowan. ¡°I¡¯d have to trouble you to run through the rehearsals with me tomorrow.¡±

    As luck would have it, He Lu was on the same team as Su Ruowan. The performance was Su Ruowan¡¯s creation. The other teams were also performing their own originals.

    The main stage was going to showcase the trainees¡¯ creativity this round. After going through musicposition, dance, and vocal training, the trainees had toe up with their own songs, lyrics, and choreographies. The mentors were to pick the best song and choreography out of them.

    Unfortunately, He Lu had no talent at choreography, song, or lyrics. Su Ruowan was bound to win this round. Despite her hatred for Su Ruowan, He Lu had to admit that Su Ruowan did a great job writing and choreographing this time.

    Su Ruowan was gentle on the surface, but on the inside, she could kill He Lu a hundred times. She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lulu. Don¡¯t worry. We will help you.¡±

    Su Botao observed them. As a veteran director, he had seen it all and caught on to all the subtle expressions in their faces. He knew they were not as friendly as they seemed.

    The catfight between the trainees was no big deal to him.

    These girls had a lot of funny businesses going on despite their young ages. Since both said it was an idental fall, he would take their word for it.

    The next morning.

    Shen Xi had just done her makeup when she heard a flurry of footsteps outside her door. This time, no one knocked on her door but she managed to pick up Fang Yao saying that He Lu¡¯s wheelchair fell down the slope.

    She shook her head and sighed. He Lu was a sad sack to fall into Su Ruowan¡¯s trap.

    However, the score was even now. Last night, He Lu schemed against Su Ruowan only to go for wool ande back shorn. They were both bad news anyway. It was just a dogfight.

    It was Su Ruowan¡¯s turn for revenge this morning.

    Shen Xi got the full picture after heading out. There was a downward slope from the trainees¡¯ dorms to the shooting set. Since the castle rented by the production team was a tourist attraction, the slope was quite steep.

    The brakes on He Lu¡¯s wheelchair malfunctioned out of the blue, sending her into a nosedive. As the others could not save her in time nor keep up to He Lu¡¯s speed, the wheelchair flipped andnded with He Lu suffering a concussion.

    Due to He Lu being severely injured and was unconscious, she would not be able to make it to the shooting for today¡¯s performance despite her refusal to concede. As to why the wheelchair lost control, this was a question only the wheelchair could answer.

    During breakfast, the trainees were discussing the situation between Su Ruowan and He Lu.

    The mentors were not that nosy. Instead, they talked about today¡¯s performance.

    ¡°Oh, that reminds me. Mr. Xixi, you haven¡¯t seen Su Ruowan¡¯s creation, have you?¡± Fang Yao brought up the student she was most proud of into the conversation.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi left before that,¡± He Sumo added as he grinned at Shen Xi. ¡°You¡¯d be pleasantly surprised by Su Ruowan¡¯s performance.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡± Shen Xi nodded.

    Sure, there was going to be a surprise, but it would not be a pleasant one!

 Chapter 509 - A Moronâ€™s Jealous of Me

    <h4>Chapter 509: A Moron¡¯s Jealous of Me</h4>

    The trainees gathered and murmured their views with their girlfriends.

    After several rounds of elimination, 28 trainees were left in the running. Without Su Ruowan and He Lu at the cafeteria, there were only 26 of them. In the vast and empty cafeteria, a few groups sat far apart so no one could eavesdrop on their hushed conversation.

    ¡°Su Ruowan¡¯s doing okay, thank god. It¡¯s a pity though, the situation with He Lu. She had a chance to win one of the top seven spots,¡± whispered a girl sitting at the furthest table.

    The other trainee with her had to disagree. She smiled sarcastically and pointed at another table. ¡°Lan Lan, look at how happy Han Yan is. She¡¯s number seven if anything happens to Su Ruowan too. I have no idea what the fans see in her. Do they like her craziness? I feel sorry for you because obviously, you¡¯re more talented than she is.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t give her the reason to wish misfortune on anyone.¡± Lan Lan was one of the girls who used to hang out with He Lu and Su Ruowan. Although she may say so, jealousy was eating her up inside at the sight of the bubbly Han Yan. Against her conscience, she uttered, ¡°Han Yan is very talented too. I won¡¯t say she¡¯s lesser than me.¡±

    Despite being at the bottom of the former Group F, Han Yan managed to progress at a steady pace in thepetition and bumped Lan Lan out of ninth ce during thest ranking.

    Had it not been for Han Yan, Lan Lan would be ranked eighth, a ce away from making her debut. What was she to do? Lan Lan had only her rotten break to me.

    Sure, there was not much of a difference between eighth and ninth ce since these were rankings that would not make the cut to debut to begin with. Nevertheless, Lan Lan was not going to take it sitting down. She must win back her ranking!

    ¡°Talented, my *ss. You have always secured ninth ce. If it weren¡¯t because Han Yan yed the victim in front of the fans, her votes would never have exceeded yours.¡± The other girl at the same table set the record straight.

    ¡°There¡¯s still a chance for me to make my way into the top seven. You guys should keep it up too.¡± With the cameraman moving the lens in their direction, Lan Lan quickly ended the conversation.

    She turned and nced in Han Yan¡¯s direction while envy overtook every inch of her being. Han Yan shared a table with those of the top seven ¨C her good friend, Ye Weiyang, and Song Wenye¡¯s group from Cosmos Entertainment.

    Sensing a pair of eyes on her, Han Yan stared back in defiance.

    Song Wenye asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Han Yan mumbled under her breath, ¡°A moron¡¯s jealous of me.¡±

    ¡°Tell them that luck is also a strength, but it¡¯s such a shame for you. You¡¯d be with us and form the Seven Blossoms girl group if Su Ruowan were to quit too.¡± Song Wenyemented and sincerely hoped for ill fate on Su Ruowan.

    ¡°That¡¯s a tacky name.¡± Ji Jingyan rolled her eyes. Seven Blossoms? She could havee up with something better.

    ¡°What a pity,¡± Han Yan sighed. Nevertheless, she was happy and content to jump up to eighth ce as it never crossed her mind that she would make it to the finals. It was thanks to the help of these girls that she was able to improve and stay in thepetition.

    ¡°Watch yournguage.¡± Tong Kejun reminded them as the cameras rolled on them.

    Song Wenye took a nce and pursed her lips before lowering her voice. Something was bugging her. ¡°Let¡¯s say we made the debut, there¡¯s still a one-year contract for the girl group. I¡¯m losing my appetite just thinking of having to work together with Su Ruowan for a year.¡±

    Liu Qianyu smiled helplessly. ¡°Keep a positive attitude and think of her as any regr partner.¡±

    They knew that Lil¡¯ Ye and Su Ruowan did not see eye to eye. Lil¡¯ Ye hating Su Ruowan with all her might had something to do with Shu Baiyu¡¯s student, Shen Xi. Lil¡¯ Ye may seem brusque and a bit of a nitwit, but she was tight-lipped and refused to share the details with them.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Weiyang nodded in agreement.

    Song Wenye looked at Ye Weiyang, frustrated as she was unable to make Ye Weiyang see her way. ¡°Why are you nodding? With Su Ruowan gone, you¡¯d be number one and the champion! Silly girl!¡±

    Ye Weiyang muttered, ¡°But you can¡¯t wish misfortune on others just to win.¡±

    Song Wenye, ¡°¡­¡±

    Anyone could see Yangyang had the skills; be it singing, dancing,posing, or choreography. She improved in record time and even surpassed Su Ruowan. Su Ruowan would not be worth the mention if Yangyang was given another month to grow.

    However, with the fans¡¯ support and vote counts considered as part of their skills, Yangyang lost to Su Ruowan in terms of the fan base. The agency did not really hype her up or push her presence on social media tforms.

    Su Ruowan, on the other hand, was marketed, made viral, and relevant in social media since the start of the show. The high publicity stunt and that bit of talent drew in countless fans.

    The semi-finals and finals would be broadcast live at half-past seven in the evening. The trainees had the whole morning to practice and an afternoon for rehearsals before going onto the set at half-past six.

    Shen Xi looked at the stadium filled with people. Fans, in a show of support to their idols, lifted banners, raised posters, and waved glow sticks as they excitedly shouted the names of their favorite idols.

    Whilst most of the fans came in support of the trainees, there was nock of the mentors¡¯ fans. Out of the mentors, Gu Yang had thergest following. Coming from a boy band from Country H, he had a huge and loyal fan base. These die-hard fans were top-notch in their organizational discipline.

    Gu Yang had always had an affable rtionship with the fans. He went to greet his fans and handed out water and bread he bought, leaving his fans moved to tears. Fans of other idols were left to turn green with envy.

    Shen Xi took a seat on the panel and waited for the shooting to begin. Next to her was Xia Mi. The other mentors had not arrived.

    The ck hip-hop outfit Shen Xi had on today brought out the stoicism in her. She was glued to her phone as though the bustle in the stadium had nothing to do with her.

    Xia Mi quietly sneaked her a few nces, stumped at how to begin a conversation. She put in much thought before inquiring in the end, ¡°Mr. Xixi, I¡¯ll be releasing a new album in thetter half of the year. Do I have the honor to coborate with you?¡±

    Gu Yang said that he asked Mr. Xixi directly, so Xia Mi had to give it a go too and at least pop the question once. She could then move on if the answer was no.

    Su Muyan happened to walk in on the conversation. Following a momentary shock, he nervously turned to Mr. Xixi and waited for his reply while holding Xia Mi in contempt.

 Chapter 510 - Familiar

    <h4>Chapter 510: Familiar</h4>

    Su Muyan had no idea what Xia Mi said to Mr. Xixi before he came, but things did not look optimistic judging by the usual stiff and unapproachable air around Mr. Xixi. Su Muyan was waiting for the moment Xia Mi hit the brick wall.

    Xia Mi was na?ve to think she could get through to Mr. Xixi as he was not one to agree to coboration so easily!

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Mr. Xixi nodded and nced at Xia Mi before uttering, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Su Muyan was dumbstruck, unable to believe the word actually came out of Mr. Xixi¡¯s mouth. How could it be? There was no way Mr. Xixi would say yes without a hitch!

    Xia Mi was a dancer and sure, she sang too but not to the point she could take on Mr. Xixi¡¯s songs.

    It never urred to Xia Mi that Mr. Xixi would be so forthright to go along with it just like saying hello, he answered without hesitation. Unsure whether her ears were ying tricks on her, she repeated the question. ¡°Mr. Xixi, I¡¯m saying that I wish to work with you on my new album.¡±

    Shen Xi admitted the same while still glued to her phone. Still, she made it clear to Xia Mi. ¡°I heard it and yes.¡±

    Following the confirmed answer, Xia Mi was certain that she was not dreaming or that Mr. Xixi misheard her. She was over the moon for Mr. Xixi to give her his word yet did not want to get carried away. She pulled herself together and reached out a hand. ¡°Here¡¯s to a great coboration.¡±

    Shen Xi did not return the handshake but solemnly replied, ¡°Ditto.¡±

    Su Muyan, who had been standing nearby, could not believe Mr. Xixi agreed to work with Xia Mi so easily. He approached them and said with a smile, ¡°I look forward to being able to work with you, Mr. Xixi. I wonder if I could have the opportunity.¡±

    Lifting her head, Shen Xi indifferently swept him a nce and blurted, ¡°No.¡±

    The smile on Su Muyan¡¯s face froze as he tried to hold in the scorching rage within. ¡°Mr. Xixi, you seem to have some sort of misunderstanding about me?¡±

    Wanwan mentioned that Mr. Xixi and Shen Xi knew each other and because of Shen Xi, he refused to give her any guidance. Su Muyan was asked to exin to Mr. Xixi so thetter would not just listen to one side of the story and misunderstand them.

    However, Su Muyan felt that this was not the case. If the wicked brat had a close rtionship with Mr. Xixi, he would have turned against them like Guan Yue and Jiang Yin from the very beginning.

    Yet now, he had his suspicions whether Mr. Xixi knew Shen Xi.

    If Mr. Xixi could agree to a coboration with Gu Yang and Xia Mi, then why was Su Muyan not considered? Writing a few songs came as a piece of cake for the brilliant Mr. Xixi.

    ¡°No misunderstandings.¡± Shen Xi was fixated on her mobile screen as she faintly replied, ¡°You¡¯re our rival. Qi Xiu will not like it.¡±

    F*ck!

    Xia Mi nearly spat out her unswallowed water, having been won over by Mr. Xixi¡¯s answer. The reason for rejection was mind-blowing, direct, and blunt!

    It was a known fact in the entertainment world that Su Muyan had been backstabbing and dissing Qi Xiu since his debut. These two parties were the worst rivals with their fans tearing into each other.

    Su Muyan choked on Mr. Xixi¡¯s words. Clenching his fists, he tried to get a grip of himself. ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself then, Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Xia Mi looked at Mr. Xixi who was his usual detached and aloof self before ncing at Su Muyan who was about to lose it. She twisted open the bottle cap and took another sip to calm her nerves.

    It was best she kept quiet. It was no secret that Mr. Xixi and Qi Xiu were close, but she never thought that Mr. Xixi was a force of nature, saying whatever was on his mind. What a bad*ss!

    Still, there was a reason behind his bad*ss attitude. Others would go to lengths to work with him and it was not the other way around so that in itself was not the norm. Only the gifted and skilled had the galls to step on toes.

    Shaking with raging resentment, Su Muyan was about to go off the deep end. Qi Xiu, yet again!

    Qi Xiu that d*mn dingbat must have told Mr. Xixi against working with him. What did a newbie with little aplishment have to be cocky about?

    With Mr. Xixi¡¯s words crushing Su Muyan¡¯s dreams and giving him a blow, he put all his grievances on Qi Xiu.

    Oblivious to the resentmenting from Su Muyan, Shen Xi lowered her head and typed on her phone. [Shen Xi: The show¡¯s about to start. Are you watching it with Uncle Jin Yu?]

    [Li Yuan: No.]

    Shen Xi was sent a photo of the bunny plush toy she won during their trip to the amusement park.

    [Shen Xi: Where¡¯s Toffeecito?]

    [Li Yuan: Its granddad called him away.]

    Shen Xi posted a LOL emoji. [Shen Xi: Call it back.]

    [Li Yuan: Its granddad is home alone.]

    Shen Xi had a sudden thought to tell Li Yuan to join her dad since it was sad he was home alone. Nevertheless, she replied with one word. [Shen Xi: Oh.]

    Meanwhile, the mentors had all arrived. The stage light dimmed as the director started the countdown.

    Shen Xi swiftly typed a reply. [Shen Xi: It¡¯s about to begin.]

    [Li Yuan: You can do it.]

    Shen Xi set her phone to mute before putting it away.

    At the end of the countdown, fans stirred an uproar with shrieks and screams, giving support to the contestants of their choice,

    For the trainees¡¯ fourth performance, they would be presenting their original song and dance. The mentors offered advice and direction, helping the girls hammer out their work. The stage was where their creations would premiere.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s team was the first to hit the stage. Her team of six was reduced to five after He Lu was sent to the hospital due to severe wounds and injured vocals. This was the end of the road for He Lu.

    The crowd went wild the moment the music and dancing began. The catchy tune, paired with the girls¡¯ clear voices and uniform dancing was a visual and auditory feast.

    An individual¡¯s dance skills were most telling from identical dance moves. It was easy to spot the difference in a line of uniform dancing.

    Of course, the best and most consistent dancer on the team was Su Ruowan.

    There was no fobbing off in a live performance. It was clear who had the best vocals among the trainees.

    Throughout the singing and dancing whichprised high difficulty moves too, Su Ruowan was the only one to keep high energy. Despite her fellow teammates gasping for air, she managed to catch the rhythm and indistinctly breathed in between the lines. Su Ruowan was a worthy contestant.

    Apart from Shen Xi, the rest of the mentors watched the girl on stage in awe. They highly affirmed Su Ruowan¡¯s talent. Despite yesterday¡¯s injuries, she was still able to shine on stage. It went without saying that Su Ruowan had all the qualities of an idol.

    The performance earned earsplitting apuse from the audience. Su Ruowan¡¯s fans brought down the house as they screamed her name, overshadowing the cheers for Su Ruowan¡¯s other teammates.

    Her fans made up the majority anyway. Su Ruowan would still have more fans even if the other trainees put their fans together. The presence of her fans alone was startling.

    For this performance, it was all in the hands of the fans to vote for the winners. The mentors no longer had a say in the trainees¡¯ ranking, but they would still give their professional opinion.

    With the show progressing to this point, the top seven winners were already determined if everything went ording to n. There was a wide gap in vote counts between the top seven and the rest of the trainees.

    Since the production team was highly against the buying of votes, there was no chance for the trainees not in the top seven to turn the tides and change their fates.

    ¡°What an amazing performance.¡± Fang Yao was the first to give the stamp of approval. She gave the team a standing ovation.

    ¡°You girls are the best, especially Ms. Su Ruowan. Your song and choreography are nicely done. I hope you¡¯d continue to keep it up and bring us more surprises,¡± Gu Yangmented.

    The other mentors also responded favorably. At this point, the mentors had no reason to be strict. They did not spare thepliments, providing the trainees with lots of praises and encouragement.

    Soon, it was Shen Xi¡¯s turn.

    All the mentors turned to Mr. Xixi in unison as they waited to hear his view. Since Mr. Xixi had never seen or heard Su Ruowan¡¯s creation, he must be blown away by her work.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s heart was at her throat as she clenched her fists tightly and held her breath. She wanted to be recognized by Mr. Xixi yet was afraid he would dismiss her.

    She firmly believed that she stood out in her performance today and would outshine the other team, except for Ye Weiyang¡¯s singing. With all the mentors giving her high praises, she was sure Mr. Xixi would do too.

    Unless Mr. Xixi was out to get her. Nevertheless, the public saw her performance themselves. Her fans would strike back if Mr. Xixi dared to spew nonsense.

    Shen Xi paused as though to relive the earlier performance, and finally broke the silence under the expectant eyes of the public. ¡°The song and choreography seem familiar.¡±

    Mr. Xixi had the tendency to drop a bomb.

    All the mentors were taken aback. Familiar? This was no good because, in other words, it was giarism!

    Color washed off Su Muyan¡¯splexion.

    Struck by those words, Su Ruowan¡¯s vision began to blur and her limbs started to give out.

 Chapter 511 - Getting Riled Up Will See Blood in Your Hands

    <h4>Chapter 511: Getting Riled Up Will See Blood in Your Hands</h4>

    The production crew went mad.

    Su Botao waspletely caught off guard by the situation. It took a while for him to get over it before he frantically tipped the mentors the wink and made gestures for crowd control.

    This was live!

    It was a live broadcast!

    With Mr. Xixi¡¯sments going on air, Su Botao could only imagine the faces of all the viewers behind the TV.

    The words came out of Mr. Xixi¡¯s mouth, not nobody¡¯s. Like Qi Xiu, Mr. Xixi was at the height of his career at the moment of his debut. A musician sought after by many, he was dubbed the hope of China¡¯s music scene.

    His words carried a lot of weight!

    Finding himself in a difficult spot, Gu Yang was at a loss of what to do. Familiar? He would be skeptical if someone else said that live, but this was Mr. Xixi they were talking about. He trusted Mr. Xixi would not say sh*t in arge setting.

    Fang Yao forced a chuckle, almost unable to keep her cool. As the mentor in charge, she gave a lot of help to Su Ruowan as thetter worked on her song and dance. Mr. Xixi¡¯s statement was a p in Fang Yao¡¯s face. She had a tight feeling in her stomach. ¡°You have a point, Mr. Xixi. Every outstanding song and dance have their simrities.¡±

    She had to say something. Fang Yao wanted to get behind the meaning of Mr. Xixi¡¯s words. Was Su Ruowan¡¯s creation an original or a copy?

    It was no surprise that there were cover songs in the music industry as long as the copyrights were in hand. Nevertheless, giarism was most frowned upon because this was stealing someone else¡¯s hard work. Anything to do with cheating, stealing, defrauding, and murdering was a stain in life that could not be erased.

    ¡°Ms. Fang Yao is right.¡± Su Muyan tried to get it together. He spent a million to buy the song. The middle person guaranteed that there would be no issue.

    He had to keep his cool and not lose his head at a time like this.

    He had worked with the middle person for four years, and there had never been a case of giarism or betrayal.

    Gu Yang and He Sumo were not going to let the topic carry on as they knew their priority was to swoop into action and stop it. Even if the giarism were true, it could not be exposed during this crucial moment when the program was broadcast to the entire country. The impact would be dire.

    If Su Ruowan¡¯s work was proved to be giarized, they, as mentors, would go down with her since the creation they helped to work on was a copy!

    Su Botao let out a sigh of relief. He could not risk any more surprises now that the show was at itsst two episodes. At the very least, it should not happen during a live broadcast if an unwarranted twist had toe.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s tensed nerves rxed a little when Su Muyan gave her a look to chill. She loosened her fists.

    She tried tofort herself with the fact that her song and dance were procured by Muyan at a high price. Since Muyan had done it multiple times with no repercussions, everything must be alright.

    Still, Xia Mi was not ready to let it go. She sternly gazed at the person sitting beside her. ¡°Where have you seen it, Mr. Xixi?¡±

    Shen Xi paused for a moment before answering, ¡°The dance was all over the ce in terms of genre. It¡¯s like many dances copied and pasted in a different order. As for the song, I heard it on a music tform not too long ago.¡±

    Everyone was able to grasp the meaning behind Mr. Xixi¡¯s words. The dance was copied here and there while the song was giarized as a whole. The mentors felt awkward by the certainty in his statement.

    Due to their high admiration for Mr. Xixi, including Su Muyan, the mentors took his words to heart.

    Chief Director Su Botao was pulling his hair out. This was a huge blow to the show. He looked daggers at Su Ruowan.

    giarism!

    She had the nerve!

    How dare she took someone else¡¯s work to showcase as her own in front of the nation and on the main stage!

    The only thought on Su Muyan¡¯s mind was exiting the scene as rage burned away his sanity. The middle person lied to him and gave him pirated work! Godd*mnit!

    It was pin-drop silent on the set with tension weighing heavily on everyone¡¯s mind. There was not a peep from the audience as they stared at Mr. Xixi.

    They knew who Mr. Xixi was. He was a legend together with Qi Xiu by their sess through one album. The hottest hit in the album was created by him.

    Other fans taunted Su Ruowan¡¯s fans with disdain and glee. Someone even started throwing bitter sarcasm at them.

    These fans could be unreasonable at times when defending their idols. They would rather turn the facts upside down, stick to their guns, and deny without reason. No one was going to take insults to their idols sitting down.

    A momentter, Su Ruowan¡¯s fans suddenly let out a thundering scream as they backed her up. ¡°Wanwan, keep it up. We believe in you!¡±

    No way.

    Wanwan would in no way copy someone else¡¯s work. She was the sister of Su Muyan, a gifted musician. She was blessed with talents as well. What was wrong with Mr. Xixi? He could not just pop off and ramble nonsense.

    The situation had gotten out of hand, not just on the main stage and at the panel of mentors, but also the provoked and emotional fans.

    The moment Su Botao spotted things going south, he instructed the team to go intomercials. He could rx a little knowing the scene following Xia Mi¡¯s questioning was not released on air.

    In the audience stand, a sudden voice stood out. The heartrending scream came from Song Wenye¡¯s fanbase. ¡°Proof!¡±

    Then.

    The people behind stood up and raised Song Wenye¡¯s support banners as they called for proof. The chant was in unison and carried a rhythm.

    Picking up on the familiar voices, Shen Xi turned to the source. It was the International ss in the flesh who came to cheer Song Wenye on. The first to stand up and pull the stunt was Chu Ying while the rest immediately fell into the beat and followed suit.

    With Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai¡¯s good looks standing out in the crowd, Shen Xi¡¯s eyes went to them first.

    Pei Xu was not looking at her.

    Yu Qiubai narrowed his foxy eyes and smiled at her.

    Shen Xi thought to herself, ¡®F*ck! Dang fox!¡¯

    The International ss was screaming for proof not to get Su Ruowan out of the mess, but to stir an uproar. They wanted to crush Su Ruowan by validating that she was indeed a copycat.

    ¡°F*ck! I don¡¯t think Su Ruowan¡¯s capable ofing up with her own song and choreography,¡± Pei Xu figured. He spat, ¡°How exciting. Xixi should¡¯ve been here.¡±

    Yu Qiubai nced at Mr. Xixi and smiled intriguingly instead of replying to Pei Xu. Not only was Xixi here, but she was also the one stirring up the scene.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi has the same name as Xixi, but he¡¯s not as much of a pain in the neck as Song Wenye put him out to be. He¡¯s pretty nice,¡± Pei Xu remarked.

    He knew it because Song Wenye grumbled and ran her mouth about Mr. Xixi in the group chat.

    Over at the main stage.

    Su Botao had gone to ask the mentors and Su Ruowan¡¯s team to leave the stage. They were about to make a move.

    Chu Ying and the International ss were not going to let them leave just like that. They shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t run away! We want the truth!¡±

    Having seen thising, Pei Xu sent Lin Ge to hail the other trainees¡¯ fans. Since it was already a chaotic scene, everyone should get on it.

    Momentster.

    ¡°We want the truth!¡±

    The fans¡¯ ring chants echoed in the stadium.

    The mentors, Su Ruowan¡¯s team, and the heads of the production team led by Su Botao were ready to make their exit when fans furiously broke through the security cordon and surrounded them.

    No one expected something like this to happen. With the production team unable to respond quick enough and the security was shorthanded to maintain order, the fans went out of control as they encircled them and demanded the truth.

    Su Botao turned ck in the face. If only he could drop dead now. In more than a decade of his career, he had never been caught in such an awkward and turbulent circumstance.

    The security personnel was screaming to bring order and for the fans to keep it down.

    The mentors were also trying to control the crowd, telling the fans they would get an answer. However, the fans were too riled up to listen.

    Su Ruowan was all at sea. Her head was buzzing in the face of the fans¡¯ relentless pursuit and her teammates¡¯ condemnation. Her heart was racing faster and faster.

    In the end, she felt smothered and passed out.

    Falling unconscious was the best escape n at a time like this. No one helped her up even though her teammate witnessed her ckout. Why would they help her when their source of pain was her? Two of them even stomp on her and pinched her, refusing to let Su Ruowan escape by falling unconscious.

    It was all Su Ruowan¡¯s fault. She imed someone else¡¯s work as her own and dragged them down the pit. They were not going to take pity on her even if she died. In fact, her teammates weed and apuded this oue.

    Su Muyan was the first to react when Su Ruowan fell t on the ground. He went over and picked her up, not knowing who to me and hate for this. With the matter bing public, it would be a fatal blow to Wanwan.

    ¡°Please calm down.¡± Su Muyan understood that he had to put a stop right there and then. Resentful and anxious, he pleadingly turned to the unyielding fans and spoke in a loud voice, ¡°Su Ruowan has fainted. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to have blood on your hands. We will give you an answer as to whether this was a matter of giarism.¡±

    The fans meant no harm, especially with a life involved. Looking at the unconscious Su Ruowan, they quickly dispersed as more security personnel and police showed up.

    Su Botao heaved a sigh of relief and turned to the culprit who started it all ¨C Mr. Xixi. Thetter had his head buried in his phone, scrolling around in search of something.

    Feeling eyes on her, Shen Xi did not bother to lift her head. With the same standoffish attitude, she sought the truth with facts. ¡°This is a song from a niche originalposition tform. I forgot where it is, so I need to look for it.¡±

    Su Botao was about to lose his mind. Things had gotten out of hand and yet the person who triggered this remained oblivious! Here he was searching for the music instead!

    Xia Mi and Gu Yang exchanged a nce. Mr. Xixi had no reason to lie about it nor did he have anything personal against one trainee. They were certain that it was giarism!

    The shame made Fang Yao¡¯s hair stand. She paid dearly for her inexperience.

 Chapter 512 - Plagiarism for Sure

    <h4>Chapter 512: giarism for Sure</h4>

    With Su Ruowan out cold, Su Muyan carried her and took off while Su Botao the chief director told two staff members to call Su Muyan back.

    Despite the program still on the air, Su Ruowan¡¯s team was gone. Most viewers in front of the TV had no idea what happened and there was no way to stop the filming halfway.

    Themercials were only three minutes long. Before the next team could hit the stage, the broadcasting director followed Su Botao¡¯s instruction to release aption footage of the trainees¡¯ progress thus far to buy more time.

    Online, news of Su Ruowan¡¯s giarism went viral and theizens flipped out. Many of Su Ruowan¡¯s die-hard fans who were unwilling to give in just yet, locked horns with theizens.

    In the backstage dressing room, everyone stared at Mr. Xixi, itching to find out whether he found the song Su Ruowan copied from. Fang Yao was particrly edgy since she mentored Su Ruowan from the very beginning. This was thest thing she wanted to happen.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, you can stop looking.¡± Breaking the silence, He Sumo pulled off his earphones and yed the music on loudspeaker. The familiar tune was identical to Su Ruowan¡¯s song.

    Nevertheless, it was only music without lyrics but the melody was exactly the same. Su Ruowan had the audacity to use the music without any alteration.

    ¡°This is it.¡± Shen Xi nodded and asked, ¡°Which website is this?¡±

    He Sumo told her the name of the tform before turning to the others. ¡°The song is published in a foreign niche music tform called VF. It was published two months ago.¡±

    Su Ruowan only produced the melody a month and a half ago. No doubt, this was a case of giarism.

    This niche music tform was based in the nativend of South Africa, so the general poption were pretty much unconcerned. Even if a song was giarized from that tform, it was unclear the news would reach the creator despite the press making them easy prey to be giarized from.

    It was impressive of Su Ruowan to have found quality music on an unknown website. They were baffled whether to call her lucky or cautious.

    Resourcefulizens who were ahead of the game found the original melody before everyone, including the knowledgeable Mr. Xixi who had heard the tune before.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans finally shut up afterizens threw proof in their faces.

    Fang Yao shook her head and sighed. ¡°Was that really necessary of her to do so?¡±

    What more could she say? She was blind not to see it. Fang Yao fell sick to the stomach being reminded of her admiration and fondness for Su Ruowan as well as the gentleness, sweetness, good behavior, and talent disyed by Su Ruowan. They were all fake. Su Ruowan¡¯s acting was really convincing!

    Xia Mi had no pity for Su Ruowan as she believed Su Ruowan knew the consequences of her actions. She sympathized with Fang Yao though. ¡°People have to take responsibility for their actions. It¡¯s not like you knew she copied someone else¡¯s work.¡±

    Gu Yang frowned upon the behavior of stealing others¡¯ work and passing it as their own. He coldly scoffed. ¡°Some people may be young, but they sure have a huge appetite. This is what greed does to people.¡±

    One day, greed woulde back and bite them in the *ss. Su Ruowan had fame, poprity, and talent. Things would not havee to this if she did not try to make herself to be perfect in every way in the music scene.

    It did not take two minutes before Su Botao ran over to get them. The show must go on. It was not a Su Ruowan show anyway. There were still many popr trainees who were yet to perform.

    With things moving too quickly and blowing out of proportion, Su Ruowan¡¯s people were not able to put a stop to it fast enough. No one stood up for her, much less curbed thements.

    The trainees heard themotion, but the crowd had dispersed by the time they got to it. They turned to their phone to get thetest news.

    Thrilled, Song Wenye reported the update to Shen Xi the first chance she got. Mr. Xixi exposed Su Ruowan of giarism and thetter passed out in shame.

    The other girls were taken aback by the development. It never urred to them that Su Ruowan¡¯s song was piracy. A resourcefulizen even traced Su Ruowan¡¯s choreography back to two foreign and long-standing girl groups. Many of the dance moves were a replica with no adjustments done.

    Still, the moves of the two girl groups only made up part of the choreography. However, the overwhelming evidence only validated Mr. Xixi¡¯s statement that it was familiar and the moves were copied and pasted.

    Everyone had nothing but admiration for Mr. Xixi¡¯s bad*ss feat. He seemed to know it all, able to identify the truth behind Su Ruowan¡¯s song and dance through the extensive observation of music and choreographies.

    ¡°Yangyang, it¡¯s up to you now.¡± Han Yan pped her thigh in glee and cheered Ye Weiyang on as thetter was about to hit the stage. ¡°You can do it!¡±

    Holy cow!

    What dumb luck!

    Han Yan and Yangyang were having the best luck this year. She managed to climb to eighth ce because He Lu fell out of thepetition. Of course, Han Yan could forget about the first ce because it was bound to go to Yangyang.

    ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Ye Weiyang nodded, unaffected by Su Ruowan¡¯s scandal.

    The others gave her encouragement.

    Song Wenye was grinning from ear to ear, no longer worried Yangyang would lose the crown. God must have answered her prayer and she was overjoyed Su Ruowan got the karma she deserved. Song Wenye turned to the rest. ¡°What do you think would happen to Su Ruowan now?¡±

    Han Yan was the first to raise her hand and answer. ¡°Kicked out of thepetition!¡±

    She would quit the entertainment circle altogether if she were in Su Ruowan¡¯s shoes. She would be too embarrassed to show her face anywhere!

    Ji Jingyan and Liu Qianyu bobbed their heads in agreement.

    Tong Kejun uttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think Su Ruowan is the kind to give up so easily.¡±

    Guan Rou chimed in, ¡°I have to agree with Tongtong.¡±

    Song Wenye remarked, ¡°You guys are right. Su Ruowan doesn¡¯t know when to call it quits. She¡¯s going to y the victim. I have to discuss with Alpha Xu to see how we should deal with her.¡±

    During the incident at school where she was posting with multiple ounts, Su Ruowan managed to pull herself out of the drama by sadfishing. They were not going to let her get away with it so easily this time.

    Song Wenye sought ideas to kill off Su Ruowan so thetter would go down for the count.

    Su Ruowan was wide awake in a breakroom and aware that there were people around her. With Su Muyan back to shooting the show, the staff members and doctors stayed by her side.

    She really did not want anyone to see her like this, nor did she want to see the disgusted look on their faces. Su Ruowan had to keep up with ying dead.

    There was a sudden knock on the door.

 Chapter 513 - All Mr. Xixiâ€™s Fault

    <h4>Chapter 513: All Mr. Xixi¡¯s Fault</h4>

    The people who came were none other than Li Jingran and Su Mushi. They hade on set to support and cheer Su Ruowan on but their flight was dyed. Having seen the trending news while on the way, they rushed over.

    After hearing a staff member addressing her mother, Su Ruowan clenched her fists but was relieved. Everything was fine. With her mother around, she would take her side and make everything right.

    Su Mushi dismissed the staff members.

    Li Jingran approached Su Ruowan who was lying in bed with aplicated look on her face. Her eyes welled up as she sat on the bed and cried, ¡°Wanwan.¡±

    Why was the child so careless to be caught? Who did Mr. Xixi think he was to bring the matter out in the open?

    Did he not know who Wanwan was? Was he that unafraid to step on the Su family¡¯s toes? Mr. Xixi wasmitting career suicide with that stunt of his.

    There was no point for Su Ruowan to go on with the faint spell as she knew how best to y with Li Jingran¡¯s emotions. Shaking from head to toe, Su Ruowan turned her back towards Li Jingran and buried her head in her chest to weep.

    Li Jingran paused for long before sighing. ¡°It was foolish of you!¡±

    In the music industry, doing covers and alterations to songs were a norm as long as the copyrights were in hand. giarism was nothing on the condition that it was not exposed. Still, Su Ruowan could be saved even if she was exposed, but it was a different story since she was discovered during the premiere and on the main stage.

    Things would not get out of hand if Wanwan¡¯s song was discovered a weekter. The public opinions were through the roof right now and the impact on Su Ruowan¡¯s reputation was dire.

    Without a word, Su Ruowan wailed in despair and helplessness.

    Unable to stand by and watch, Su Mushi appeared indignant. ¡°Mom, Wanwan is upset enough. It¡¯s not the time to give her a lecture. At the end of the day, it¡¯s all that d*mn Mr. Xixi¡¯s fault.¡±

    People made mistakes, and Wanwan onlymitted a minor one. These sh*t-face musicians were not that virtuous either. Many stole and giarized foreign songs and imed them as their own, yet they managed to get a clean te.

    Li Jingran frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on with that Mr. Xixi guy? He seemed to have strong views against Wanwan.¡±

    She had a strange feeling about Mr. Xixi, and it was not a nice one. His character and mannerism were not to her liking.

    ¡°He¡¯s out to get Wanwan. Wanwan mentioned that he knows Shen Xi. I¡¯m sure that brat sent him to mess with Wanwan.¡± Su Mushi gnashed his teeth in anger.

    Shen Xi, the vile brat, was the cause of all this. They could not seem to get rid of her. Many passed away from the world every day but why could she not be one of the statistics?

    Fury and resentment boiled within Li Jingran at the mention of Shen Xi¡¯s name. Why did she not kill that brat when she was born? Now that Shen Xi was all grown up, the brat was out to destroy and harm her family.

    Su Mushi wished Shen Xi could just die already. Looking at Su Ruowan who was crying her eyes out, he heartbreakingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Wanwan. Your mom and I will bring you justice.¡±

    Wanwan was not to be med for this. She was merely unlucky to be targeted by Mr. Xixi.

    The Su family had enough power and connections in showbiz to control thements and sway public opinion. Whatever happened online would not stay for long, and soon everyone would forget about this.

 Chapter 514 - Canâ€™t Quit

    <h4>Chapter 514: Can¡¯t Quit</h4>

    Su Ruowan was inconsble. Swollen in the eyes, she gazed at Li Jingran and Su Mushi in guilt, distress, and self-reproach. Her voice was hoarse. ¡°Mushi, Mom, I¡¯m sorry. I embarrassed the Su family.¡±

    She never imagined things to wind up this way. She dreamed of a bright future and a positive outlook. Was the future crumbling down on her because of one slip-up?

    No!

    No way Jose!

    She must rise and not give up! No one could beat her down!

    Li Jingran did not have the heart to tell her daughter off after witnessing thetter dwelling in sadness. Li Jingran sighed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to me beforehand?¡±

    ¡°Muyan said everything will be okay.¡± Su Ruowan pushed the me to Su Muyan, bringing him down with her.

    She could not let herself be the only one to be med for this. Su Ruowan would not havended in hot water had Su Muyan done things right the first time.

    The color drained from Li Jingran¡¯s face. ¡°Your brother told you to do so?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t misunderstand, Mom.¡± Su Ruowan shook her head. ¡°It was me. Don¡¯t fault Muyan. It was my fault. Muyan was only trying to help but didn¡¯t think this would happen. I¡¯ve failed you.¡±

    Standing in a corner, Su Mushi was lost in his own world. Not only did Su Muyan procure songs and lyrics to build his image as a gifted musician, but he also dragged Wanwan into the mire.

    This matter was more than met the eye.

    Perhaps he should use this fact to his advantage so Su Muyan had a taste of what it was like to be forsaken by their father!

    ¡°You two should have thought it through beforehand.¡± Words were futile at this point. Li Jingran had no choice but to clean up after the siblings.

    Prior to her arrival, her husband had received the news and began pulling strings with the media to stop the giarism scandal from getting out. Surely, they could reduce the damage to a minimum.

    In a way, giarism was not that big of a deal in showbiz and the music scene.

    During the early days, there were certain TV shows, movies, and songs that were a hit in China, prompting its actors and singers to rise to fame. With theing of the inte age, it was found out decadester that these were not original creations. However, the discovery was made light due to childhood nostalgia and the passing of time, enabling many to sweep the scandal under the carpet and move on.

    The situation now was different, of course. Wanwan was caught red-handed on her first main stage performance before she even made her debut. This minor difference resulted in a catastrophic oue.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom.¡± This was the only thing Su Ruowan could say. Teary-eyed, she turned to Li Jingran. ¡°What should I do? I don¡¯t want to give up.¡±

    ¡°You shouldy low for now.¡± Li Jingran¡¯s hands were tied. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something when this whole thing subsides.¡±

    With the matter blown out of proportion, there was no hope for Wanwan to debut. She originally stood a chance toe out on top.

    It cast a shadow over Su Ruowan. She cried in distraught, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to quit.¡±

    She refused to drop out of thepetition. No matter how bad the situation was, she would never withdraw from thepetition. To quit was to retreat, and it would make her aughingstock.

    ¡°Mom, Wanwan is right. She can¡¯t quit now,¡± Su Mushi jumped in. ¡°This is what Shen Xi wants ¨C for Wanwan to drop out of thepetition. She must be mocking andughing at us in front of the TV screen.¡±

    Li Jingran never wanted to hear the name, Shen Xi. The thought of her made Li Jingran shake in rage. ¡°Is she really that close with Mr. Xixi?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you get it? Out of all the times Mr. Xixi could¡¯ve shown up, he chose to appear at Wanwan¡¯s premiere. It¡¯s clear as day what he¡¯s up to.¡± Su Mushi changed the topic. ¡°It¡¯s not that I suspect Muyan, but we should look into the person who produced the song and choreography. I believe they must be in it together!¡±

    The way Su Mushi was putting it, the plot had now be a deliberate scheme masterminded by Shen Xi.

    Su Ruowan gazed pleadingly at Li Jingran as she waited for an answer. She refused to quit! She had a wide fanbase and many of them had onlye to know her, even if her poprity was slipping, there was still hope for her to debut.

    She had put in a lot of effort and was about to reap the fruits of herbor. Su Ruowan refused to back down just yet!

    ¡°I need to discuss this at length with your father.¡± Having made up her mind, Li Jingran nced at the pair. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t bring up Shen Xi to your dad.¡±

    Well, Shen Xi had to get past her first before that wicked brat could make a fool out of their family. Shen Xi was only jealous that Wanwan joined thepetition and became the nation¡¯s favorite.

    That wicked brat was only resentful that her husband did not let her join the show. Shen Xi had another thinging to try and crush them this way!

    As long as Li Jingran was around, she would not let Shen Xi seed with her n. If getting Wanwan to quit was what Shen Xi was after, Li Jingran was not going to let that happen. Li Jingran would show Shen Xi that no number of dirty tricks could stop Wanwan from debuting and making it big in showbiz.

    She wanted Shen Xi to regret noting back to the Su family and pay the price for her arrogance!

    News about Su Ruowan¡¯s giarism intensified online, but oddly, Tianheng Entertainment, the managementpany owned by the Su family which managed Su Ruowan, took no action in controlling the publicments. The ungovernedments section only put Su Ruowan at a disadvantage.

    Many assumed that Su Ruowan would not dare to show her face anywhere. That was it for her career in showbiz.

    More people called her trash and wanted her out of showbiz.

    Unlike the majority¡¯s expectation, Su Ruowan did not leave thepetition with a tail between her legs nor did she disappear from the public eye due to the shame or self-reproach for what she did.

    On the contrary, she made a high-profile appearance after the show, conducting a press conference. Su Ruowan apologized to the creator, fans, and public for her mistake in a sincere manner.

    Curling her lips into a smirk, Shen Xi watched the live broadcast of the press conference on her phone. She knew Su Ruowan was not going to give up so easily since killing a stubborn roach was not that simple!

    It was good she did not drop out of thepetition. Otherwise, Shen Xi would have no one to y with. Now that Su Ruowan was without the all-rounded persona, she still had her good looks.

 Chapter 515 - Brilliant Damage Control

    <h4>Chapter 515: Brilliant Damage Control</h4>

    The press conference was aimed towards the general poption as dozens ofrge and medium-sized streaming tforms broadcast it live. It was arge crowd with over a hundred media outlets present and ounted for.

    It never urred to the trainees that Su Ruowan would be so thick-skinned to go on with thepetition in the face of mounting pressure. Many thoughts crossed their minds.

    Having seen iting, Song Wenye turned to the rest.

    Ji Jingyan was unable to swallow that fact. ¡°She¡¯s brave.¡±

    She would climb inside a hole and bury herself in it if it were her. She would be too embarrassed to appear in front of the public. She had to give it to Su Ruowan for handling it well.

    Tong Kejun could not agree more. ¡°I think you have to be shameless if you want to get into showbiz.¡±

    Tong Kejun had never spoken so harshly before. She was impressed by Su Ruowan¡¯s boldness. It was true that having thick skin could get people to ces.

    ¡°F*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!¡± Han Yan ran her mouth and finally made a gagged look at the press conference ying on her phone. ¡°Blegh!¡±

    Liu Qianyu and Guan Rou found it repulsive that this kind of people tended to live long and prosper. Karma had gotten back at Su Ruowan but she managed to turn it to her advantage.

    The copycat sure had the cheek to talk about this. If Su Ruowan was genuinely remorseful, she should repent with hara-kiri in front of everyone.

    Even the most amiable Ye Weiyang furrowed her brows. The way she saw it, she could put up with everything except stealing other people¡¯s work. That was crossing the line.

    Herst respect for Su Ruowan wore out the moment she realized Su Ruowan giarized. Ye Weiyang was only insulting herself to put herself side by side with Su Ruowan.

    The other trainees also watched the press conference after thepetition. They did not pity their rival, only disgust and gloat in her misfortune.

    Instead, theymented about He Lu¡¯s mishap and Han Yan¡¯s dumb luck.

    He Lu ced eighth before Han Yan came along. With Su Ruowan caught in a scandal, she would not be able to debut even if she insisted not to leave thepetition. Who would be her recement? He Lu who ranked eighth, of course!

    However, He Lu had an ident, broke her leg, dropped out of thepetition, and was hospitalized. Luck was definitely not on her side.

    In contrast, Han Yan was on a roll. She was in ninth ce at first and with He Lu out of the way, she skipped straight to eighth ce. She would be in the top even if Su Ruowan was out of the running. Han Yan had everything going for her.

    Meanwhile, He Lu clutched her phone in her hand, almost to the point of breaking it. She looked like the reaper with those bloodshot eyes and a menacing look on her face. Looking at Su Ruowan on the mobile screen dead in the eyes, He Lu was filled with regret.

    She did not have to bother scheming against Su Ruowan. She could have won it all even if she did nothing. Yet, she went ahead with the n and sacrificed herself only for Han Yan to reap the reward!

    Su Ruowan¡¯s press conference was quite the buzz. Many who did not tune in to thepetition or know who Su Ruowan was became informed of her existence. Su Ruowan gained recognition through notoriety.

    Thements online no longer leaned towards calling her shameless and telling her to quit showbiz. Following Tianheng Entertainment¡¯s influence over thements, many tabloid ounts and hired social ount handlers flooded major websites and forums to sway public opinion.

    Thements were moving towards a fault confessed is half redressed; Su Ruowan was young and did not know better, she made a mistake, she took the wrong path, she made a wrong choice, and she was eager for sess.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans began to whitewash her, saying she was kind as well as good in dancing and singing. She was merely caught in a moment of weakness, and no one could say they made no mistakes in their whole life.

    The tabloid ounts seized the opportunity to confuse the public by digging out and dragging other giarized movies, TV shows, and songs into the mess. They reminded the public not to be too hard on Su Ruowan since their favorite singers and actors had once done the same.

    With all the right buttons pushed, theizens became susceptible to herd mentality and gradually turned in favor of Su Ruowan.

    From thements section, it could be seen that plenty of inte users expressed their admiration towards Su Ruowan¡¯s courage and decision to change for the good. They forgave her as it was never toote to change her ways. They told her to keep up the good work and they would be watching her.

    While scrolling through thements, Song Wenye was on the phone with Shen Xi. She nearly cussed her brains out. ¡°These idiots are without brains to let Su Ruowan start with a clean te!¡±

    ¡°Cool down.¡± Shen Xi was reading too. She had to hand it to Tianheng Entertainment¡¯s public rtions department. As expected from a long-standing entertainmentpany, they had a way with damage control.

    Song Wenye angrily shouted, ¡°This was a great chance to get rid of Su Ruowan. How could I possibly cool down! Thework is discussing what they¡¯re going to do with Su Ruowan. I wonder if our agency will get involved.¡±

    Surely, Cosmos Entertainment was not going to allow Su Ruowan who was tainted with a scandal to go on with thepetition!

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the investingpany would have a say in it. It will all depend on thework.¡± Shen Xi received news from Yuan Yu that thework was inquiring how to deal with the situation.

    Leaving it entirely in the hands of thework was Shen Xi¡¯s final answer.

    ¡°Godd*mnwork! I will bomb the ce if they were to allow Su Ruowan on the show.¡± Song Wenye swore and cussed her heart out before hanging up.

    Following the end of the episode, thework¡¯s department heads were called to an emergency meeting about Su Ruowan¡¯s scandal. They were trying to figure out the best way to tackle this when Su Yi pulled all his connections to put pressure on thework.

    Burdened by the relentless oppressioning from all corners, the leaders of theworks asked the investor in hopes of getting an opinion. To their dismay, Cosmos Entertainment unconcernedly threw the ball back at them and indicated they would not be getting involved.

    In the end, thework decided to allow Su Ruowan to continue her journey on the show, but the score of her original creation and performance would be revoked. They also posted on Weibo exining to the public that they made up their minds to give her a chance to turn over a new leaf in light of her previous amazing performances.

    Chief Director Su Botao was voiceless in the matter. He stuck to his guns about original work and was familiar with the hard work behind its creation. Su Botao was tempted to quit right then and there, but the show was his blood, sweat, and tears. He could not just turn his back and leave.

    Moreover, he was no longer at a young, rash, and hot-blooded age. With conflict of interest running deep, he had no choice but to suck it up.

    The chief screenwriter talked some senses into him. Su Ruowan was putting herself in front of the camera to be dissed. People would call her shameless and a master maniptor instead of firing at the director. Directors were meant to direct and not to call the shots.

    The mentors had no clue how to react when thework informed them that Su Ruowan would remain in thepetition. There was a meeting tomorrow morning.

    Right away, the mentors¡¯ first move was to get out and look for Mr. Xixi.

 Chapter 516 - Unflappable in the Face of Adversity

    <h4>Chapter 516: Unppable in the Face of Adversity</h4>

    Shen Xi opened the door to a crowd standing there.

    Gu Yang was the first to speak up. ¡°Mr. Xixi, you must have gotten the update from Mr. Su, the Chief Director. What¡¯s your take on the whole Su Ruowan incident?¡±

    They had an earlier discussion that they would rather risk breaking the contract and resigning if Mr. Xixi called it quits. What was the point of staying on the show?

    As musicians in the industry, they had to make a clear stand against the contestant who was exposed to be a copycat. Their attitude towards the matter could not be taken lightly or made unclear.

    The production crew made a bad call. This was only a contestant, and even if it was the most popr contestant or a contestant who had been doing well, the production team should not make little of the matter by saying she was inexperienced and would change her ways. It was downying and very irresponsible of them to do so. What about the creator who put their heart and soul into their work?

    Mr. Xixi was undoubtedly the most outstanding and famed songwriter in the industry. He could best understand the hardship faced by creators.

    ¡°No opinion,¡± Shen Xi calmly answered.

    Uh¡­

    The group was speechless. Why did he not have an opinion on the matter? He was the one who saw through Su Ruowan¡¯s act of giarism and pointed it out in public. What was holding him back now?

    Gu Yang was under the impression that Mr. Xixi was overwhelmed with a sense of justice and looked down on devious acts of stealing other people¡¯s sweat and blood. Nevertheless, he was at a loss by Mr. Xixi¡¯s reply.

    Xia Mi was caught off guard but quickly realized this was the usual Mr. Xixi. Although he sought truth from the facts, he was unconcerned of anyone¡¯s reaction and response after the exposure.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, are you still going to be on the show?¡± Not to be dissuaded, He Sumo asked.

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°On contract.¡±

    Uh¡­

    The group was once again stumped for words. Oh, right. It was very much like Mr. Xixi to carry out the contract since there was one. Perhaps they should not havee to ask such a silly question.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, do you think the way the production team handled things is fair to the other trainees, fans, viewers, and us?¡± Fang Yao followed up with another question. To be honest, she was too embarrassed to show her face on the show.

    She did not hide her admiration and fondness for Su Ruowan in the show. Fang Yao also gave a lot of advice to Su Ruowan about her choreography and song.

    Gu Yang was feeling a little ufortable. Why did he get the feeling that they were like paparazzi getting all over Mr. Xixi¡¯s face with questions? It was as though they had nothing better to do.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡± Shen Xi looked at them. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my rest now.¡±

    After an exchange of nces among the lot, Gu Yang rose to the asion and said with a smile, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to continue with the show, Mr. Xixi?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and shut the door with a bang.

    The mentors exchanged another nce and spotted the same helplessness and woe in each other¡¯s faces. They could not even get an answer from Mr. Xixi.

    Xia Mi took a stand. ¡°I think we shouldn¡¯t make a hasty exit. We don¡¯t only mentor Su Ruowan and don¡¯t need to be responsible for her actions alone. We have a responsibility to all the other trainees as well.¡±

    Gu Yang bobbed his head. ¡°I agree.¡±

    He Sumo nodded. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting ahead of ourselves. We should learn from Mr. Xixi and not take personal losses to heart. We should remain unppable in the face of adversity.¡±

    Fang Yao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re trying to s*ck to Mr. Xixi. Too bad, he can¡¯t hear you.¡±

    He Sumo nced at her. ¡°I think that as Su Ruowan¡¯s direct mentor, you should write a statement to indicate where you stand in all of this.¡±

    Gu Yang added in. ¡°We all should post on Weibo. Let¡¯s wait for what the production team has to say tomorrow. Su Ruowan is our student after all.¡±

    It never urred to anyone that a talent show would reveal skeletons in the closet. Any other contestants would quit the show after facing abuse flung from all directions.

    Yet, Su Ruowan grew up in showbiz. Her parents were film stars while her second brother was a well-known singer with acting as his side gig. Since her family also owned Tianheng Entertainment, the longest established entertainment business in the industry, they were skilled at crisis management for public opinions and scandals. Gu Yang knew that there was more to the press conference than that.

    As he suspected, the production team informed them that Su Ruowan would remain in thepetition after the press conference. With outsiders viewing this as a courageous act, she would definitely gain more support from die-hard fans.

    The next morning at 9 o¡¯clock, the mentors gathered in the breakroom.

    Chief Director Su Botao came early and had been waiting since 8 o¡¯clock. With the responsibility of convincing the mentors to stay on the show weighing heavily on his shoulders, he was too worried to get a good night¡¯s sleep. He prepared a few drafts but it turned out he did not have to waste his breath as the mentors were not leaving the show.

    Once the discussion was over, Gu Yang inquired, ¡°Mr. Su, will Mr. Xixi be present during the finals?¡±

    Could it be that Mr. Xixi sounded certainst night because he was noting for the finals? That would put them in a tight spot.

    ¡°He will, but he¡¯ll only be returning on the day of the shooting.¡± Su Botao was clear of what they were going on about.

    Mr. Xixi was the person who set off the giarism scandal. He brushed aside everything else for the sake of fairness, impartiality, and factuality. Theizens paid tribute to him, elevating him to a godlike status. The number of his fans shot up overnight.

    He was more famous than all the traineesbined. If his name was included in the voting system, he would probably defeat all the trainees and take home the crown.

    The situation would be so much better if Mr. Xixi participated in the finals. The viewers would be more forgiving because of his presence as there was no fooling anyone if he was around.

    The production team would be questioned like never before without him on the show.

    Mr. Xixi may give an aloof and taciturn impression, but he hit the nail on the head with each critique. Although many had liked him before, the wider audience, such as sensitive fans of contestants who were harshly criticized, believed he was putting on a show and following a script.

    Nevertheless, following this incident, he was raised to great stature, personifying the meaning of integrity. Even trolls became fans.

    The production crew and mentors¡¯ shock and horror were captured on camera the moment heid bare the truth. This was proof that he gave a fair and honest critique after watching the performance. Unrehearsed and without a script, it was the realest form of critiques.

    Su Botao was grateful for Mr. Xixi¡¯s indifferent character that could not be swayed. Other musicians in the industry might jump off the sinking ship and leave the production team behind in troubled waters.

    With him around, every person who tried to challenge this decision could shut up.

    The mentors heaved a sigh of relief to hear Mr. Xixi would be attending the finals as he was like the backbone of the show. They had never experienced such a feeling in other shows before.

    Mr. Xixi was a calming presence.

    The finals were tomence a weekter.

    During the week, Su Ruowan¡¯s scandal was still making news. However, a lot of her fans, under the catapults of brainwashing, stood their ground once again.

    There were bitter posts such as ¡°We¡¯re the only ones Wanwan have¡±, ¡°We¡¯re in this together¡±, and ¡°You still have us¡± circting fan tforms. The tear-jerking posts were written with such heartfelt emotions.

    Once in a while, Shen Xi would ride along with these tforms in her free time to read these bitter posts. There was not a dull moment when fans went to the extreme.

    Young fans were easily brainwashed and manipted. As budding flowers of the mothend, they were better off broadening their green minds than being obsessed with a celebrity.

    Nevertheless, the effects of these brainwashed and extreme fans were showing. With never-before-seen passion, Su Ruowan¡¯s mindless fans spent money, time, and effort on votes to push Su Ruowan to seventh ce.

    Due to the scandal, Su Ruowan¡¯s drastic drop of votesnded her at the fifteenth ce, the lowest in ranking. The production team gave her a chance to turn over a new leaf instead of eliminating her, in light of her previous performance records. Hence, she was allowed back in thepetition as a standby at the fifteenth ce.

    On the day of the final round, Su Ruowan¡¯s fans, who most earnestly and pushily with the mindset that the world had abandoned Wanwan and it was up to them to save her, entered the stadium while ignoring the taunts and disdains from other fans.

    Shen Xi discreetly walked into the stadium and looked at Su Ruowan¡¯s fans before shaking her head and sighing. She could fix any illness in the world but idiocy.

    Only these mindless fans would be too blind to believe the proof before their eyes. They were a sorry sight cheering Su Ruowan on despite being deceived. It was something else.

    Thest showdown was happening in a sports arena. Already at the door, there was a huge gathering here to show support for their idols.

    This was not a Su-Ruowan show. The viewers and audience were rational enough not to ditch the show just because of Su Ruowan. Many even followed the show to the very end to see what would happen to Su Ruowan.

    Shen Xi entered the stadium through VIP ess. Instead of heading to the mentors¡¯ breakroom, he hung around with the prop crew. Having seen the program¡¯s itinerary, she knew that there would be a bonus interaction segment after the performances. The contestants would then be ying mini-games with lucky fans.

    One of the games was guessing the lyrics. A water balloon would fall on the person who answered wrongly.

    Shen Xi took out a water balloon she had prepared and switched it with the balloon marked number seven before pasting the number on the new balloon.

 Chapter 517 - A Familiar Feeling from Mr. Xixi

    <h4>Chapter 517: A Familiar Feeling from Mr. Xixi</h4>

    With a week gone by, the finals kicked off amid the intensifying doubts.

    Be it peeved off, doubtful, or expectant, the viewers and fans were not going to give up on the show after following the program for three months. Whether it was behind the TV, on theputer, or on the phone, they were ready to tune in to the show.

    Compared to the fans, the trainees were the ones getting the jitters. Without Su Ruowan in the semi-finals, the results were,

    First ce: Ye Weiyang

    Second ce: Song Wenye

    Third ce: Tong Kejun

    Fourth ce: Liu Qianyu

    Fifth ce: Guan Rou

    Sixth ce: Ji Jingyan

    Seventh ce: Han Yan

    In contrast to the other girls, Han Yan¡¯s ascension in the ranking was most striking. Originally in ninth ce, she did not appear to be in the running to debut.

    Following He Lu¡¯s injury and Su Ruowan¡¯s scandal, she went from ninth to seventh ce. Netizens dubbed her the chosen one for her lucky streak.

    There usually would not be major changes in ranking in the final round. Turning the tides and whatnot only existed in fiction. It was almost certain that these girls were going to be making their debut.

    However, Su Ruowan¡¯s vote counts rose sharply in the past two days. By a minute difference, she surpassed Han Yan and ced seventh for now.

    In the backstage dressing room, the trainees were exchanging views on the matter. Apart from the top seven trainees, the remaining girls who knew they no longer stood a chance did not have much of an opinion about Su Ruowan anymore.

    It was not as though they could ever debut, regardless of whether Su Ruowan made it to the end or not. Some of the girls even fanned the mes, hoping Su Ruowan would debut so they could watch the girl group crumble. Since they were going down, they wanted to take everyone down with them.

    Su Ruowan missed out on training the day after the incident but resumed her normal activity with the girls for the rest of the week.

    The mentors were professionals to not bring personal matters into their work. Despite their opinions of Su Ruowan, there was no difference in the way they talked and got along with her.

    Gu Yang and the rest got ready and anxiously waited for Mr. Xixi¡¯s arrival. With the door pushed open atst, their restless minds were put at ease at the sight of Mr. Xixi.

    The Chief Director mentioned that Mr. Xixi could be present for thest round. Nevertheless, no one could rest until he was here. What if Mr. Xixi changed his mind and refused toe? It would put them on the spot.

    Facing the thrilled group, Shen Xi nodded in greeting.

    A few wanted to strike up a conversation with him, but he found a spot on the sofa and fiddled with his phone. No one dared to bother Mr. Xixi then.

    Mr. Xixi kept to himself a lot and was apathetic. Those who did not know him might think he was autistic since it proved a difficult feat tomunicate with him.

    With Mr. Xixi fine on his own, the mentors simmered down and began to chat. They talked about the trainees, especially Ye Weiyang and the girls who were predicted to be winners. Mr. Xixi had a real eye for talent to pick out Ye Weiyang from the lot.

    The trainees sent by Cosmos Entertainment were great talents, but it was a shame they were debuting as a girl group. Each one of them was capable of paving their own way in the music industry as solo artists.

    Still, everyone knew the girl group was only for a limited time. The trainees participated in the show to make a name for themselves, and after a year, the girls were free to advance in their solo careers with the contract up.

    These girls would grow and be the pirs of the music industry, particrly Ye Weiyang. With that stage presence of hers, the sky was the limit.

    The remaining few had their own charisma. As to where the path would lead them to, it would depend on their individual effort and choices. Hard work was not enough to survive in showbiz as many put in the effort, but only a handful made it big. It all boiled down to opportunity.

    Shen Xi might be engrossed in her phone, but she was picking up on their conversation. Of course she was happy they wereplimenting her artists; it took experience and observation for her to handpick these talented girls.

    Soon, a staff member came and informed them to get ready to enter the set.

    The stage for the final round was grander than thest. No expense was spared for the lights, sound effects, and set. The stadium with fifty thousand seats was a full house. It was said that the seats and ticket-scalping were sold in seconds.

    Even though the value of ticket scalping was astronomical, fans went all out and dug deep into their pockets to witness the final showdown in person.

    Among the audience in the stadium was Song Wenye¡¯s fan base. Watching as the mentor entered the scene, Pei Xu suddenly mumbled, ¡°Why do I get a familiar feeling from Mr. Xixi?¡±

    Yu Qiubai gave him a look and smiled. While his foxy eyes narrowed in Shen Xi¡¯s direction, he did not say a word.

    Pei Xu elbowed him. ¡°I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    Yu Qiubai shook his head in a daze. ¡°I don¡¯t feel the same way.¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Pei Xu was suddenly reminded of Shen Xi¡¯s marvelous makeup skills when she disguised as a doctor. It was an entirely different face. Pei Xu had a shock then. The idea in his head had more rity.

    Xixi had been missing sses a lottely.

    Instead of asking around, he whipped out his phone and began checking on Mr. Xixi¡¯s filming calendar. It dawned on him that the calendar matched and ovepped with Xixi¡¯s days off from school. His mind flew to Mr. Xixi¡¯s attitude towards Su Ruowan.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Something clicked in Pei Xu, prompting him to let out a shout. He nearly hurled his phone away.

    Sitting next to him, Lin Ge was startled. He turned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Pei Xu pulled himself together and observed Mr. Xixi once more just when he thought nothing could surprise him anymore.

    He had to be right!

    It must be her!

    Shen Xi could feel Pei Xu¡¯s inquisitive gaze burning a hole through her. They bought an infield seat that was not the closest to the stage but offered the best view. She looked back at him.

    Pei Xu screamed another cuss word before holding his tongue altogether.

    The thing he was tempted to shout at the top of his lungs was ¡°bad*ss Sister Xi¡±!

    She was not even subtle nor was she bothered to hide it. It took one look, and Shen Xi was already admitting it was her. They, as ordinary people, did not stand a chance against an all-rounded genius like her.

    He wanted to ask her if there was anything she could not do!

 Chapter 518 - I Like Women!

    <h4>Chapter 518: I Like Women!</h4>

    Pei Xu had no vocabry to express his shell shock except the word ¡°f*ck¡±. Sister Xi was no human.

    It was not hard to guess who was behind Su Ruowan¡¯s scandal now that he recognized it was her. What a powerful and bad*ss move.

    Shen Xi yed Su Ruowan like a puppet, making her do whatever she wanted. Everything was within her grasp.

    Su Ruowan was made a fool in front of the public because of the giarism.

    What about this time? What kind ofedic stunt was she going to pull before them? Pei Xu was really looking forward to it.

    Sitting next to him, Yu Qiubai held his phone and sent a message to Shen Xi. [Yu Qiubai: Are youing back when the shoot is over?]

    Since the show had not started, Shen Xi was fooling around with her phone. She gritted her teeth when she saw the message, knowing that d*mn fox would find out. [Shen Xi: Yes.]

    [Yu Qiubai: Can youe to my ce if you have the time tomorrow?]

    Shen Xi understood the reason behind going to his ce. [Shen Xi: Sure.]

    Yu Qiubai then put away his phone. Mom¡¯s illness took a turn for the better after taking Shen Xi¡¯s medication for two weeks. There was no more of the endless agony and freaking out at the sight of people. There were times when she even recognized him.

    He had been steering clear of Shen Xitely, not wanting to bother her as he went in search of the cause of Mom¡¯s illness. Yet, he was left at a dead end.

    Yu Qiubai knew he might get the answer he wanted from Li Yuan, but he could not risk looking for thetter.

    Mom might lose her sanity, but at least she was still alive and had him by her side. There was a possibility Mom would be gone if he went and looked for Li Yuan.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Pei Xu nced at him. ¡°Give me a lollipop.¡±

    Yu Qiubai looked askance at him. ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡±

    Pei Xu studied Yu Qiubai¡¯s face and had a hunch that thetter might have already figured Mr. Xixi¡¯s identity. Perhaps he had caught on earlier than him.

    Still, he could not read anything from Yu Qiubai¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hey handsome, this is for you.¡± A girl sitting in front of them bashfully handed Pei Xu a lollipop.

    The girls around looked enviously at her. A few even boldly stood up to give Pei Xu lollipops while a few were forthright in asking to add him on WeChat.

    These two good-looking hunks were the man of their dreams. They had taken notice of the boys since the beginning, but no one had the courage to hit on them. Now that an opportunity presented itself, they asked for their contacts.

    Looking at the pack of hungry she-wolves trying to pounce, Pei Xu frowned in disdain before hooking Yu Qiubai by the shoulder and giving it a pull.

    A cuss word nearly escaped Yu Qiubai¡¯s lips as a scowl shadowed over his handsome face. He then turned and saw the shock and eureka from the girls.

    These fangirls were usually into boy love and could tell the odds were not in their favor. The girl who asked for the Wechat contact said, ¡°I wish you two happiness.¡±

    Yu Qiubai thought to himself, ¡®What the f*ck!¡¯

    With the girls back to their seats, Pei Xu pushed Yu Qiubai away and grabbed a wet wipe from Lin Ge in disdain. He rubbed hard to wipe away the invisible stains. D*mn! His hands were soiled.

    Yu Qiubai could flip out. ¡°F*ck you, Pei Xu!¡±

    ¡°Help out a bro.¡± Pei Xuughed unconcernedly and tossed him a pack of wet wipes.

    Yu Qiubai had never felt so used before and to be mistaken for his sexual orientation too. He hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°I like women!¡±

    Pei Xu offhandedly grinned. ¡°Who do you like? Do you need my help to woo her?¡±

    Yu Qiubai was merely displeased to be used as a shield. The International ss girls were sitting nearby. It took a brief moment before he regainedposure and narrowed his foxy eyes. ¡°Alpha Xu, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­¡±

    Could Pei Xu be uninterested in women?

    ¡°Up yours!¡± Pei Xu shouted agitatedly.

    Yu Qiubai let out a suggestive chuckle. He seemed to have stumbled upon a secret.

    Curious, Lin Ge leaned in to listen further but quickly turned his attention back to the stage after getting the re from Pei Xu. The countdown hadmenced and the show was about to start.

    The ranking based on real-time voting was broadcast at the opening of the show.

    The audience was yelling profanities and staring at Su Ruowan¡¯s fans when Su Ruowan¡¯s name appeared in seventh ce on the holographic projection.

    Irritated, Chu Yingshed out. ¡°What the hell! These people are brainless!¡±

    The rest of the International ss shared the same thought. Su Ruowan earned herself a rotten name after the giarism, and yet her followers seemed to not have a thing with the foul.

    Yu Qiubai calmly gazed at Mr. Xixi before turning to Su Ruowan¡¯s fan base.

    There was an uneven ratio between male and female fans. The male fans upied about seventy percent while the girls at thirty. Judging from the males¡¯ outfits, they were daydreaming otakus who were gaga over hot chicks.

    It was a stereotype to say girls were the crazy fans because otaku fanboys would do just everything the fangirls could and more.

    Instead of taking the other fans head-on, Su Ruowan¡¯s otaku fanboys were chanting Su Ruowan¡¯s name in unison. Their voices echoed in the stadium, muffling out the other noises. This was a true embodiment of obsession.

    The mentors had aplicated look on their faces with Su Ruowan¡¯s name ringing in their ears. Taking Gu Yang¡¯s lead, they sneaked a peek at Mr. Xixi to see his reaction.

    As expected, Mr. Xixi was his usual stiff-upper-lip self as though nothing fazed him. His emotionless eyes scanned the ranking on the projector screen.

    Feeling smug and delighted, Su Muyan looked at the hypocrites in contempt. It was not all ck and white in showbiz. Only the person with the capacity to be thest one standing could reach greater heights.

    So what if Wanwan giarized? So what if there was overwhelming evidence? Did it affect her poprity? Did it hinder her from making a debut? Not at all.

    The scandal only brought out the fans¡¯ loyalty; the fans who remained by her side and would go to lengths to support Su Ruowan to guarantee her debut.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of support for Su Ruowan!¡± Xia Mimented to Mr. Xixi. His tone hinted at mockery.

    ¡°The power of resources,¡± bobbing her head, Shen Xi replied.

    Her voice was loud enough for those within earshot. The audience might have a chance to catch thement if the broadcast director decided to cut the scene to the panel of mentors.

    Su Muyan¡¯s face turned menacing as he coldly smirked to himself. Sour grapes! Mr. Xixi was just jealous!

 Chapter 519 - Deserved the First Place!

    <h4>Chapter 519: Deserved the First ce!</h4>

    Since Su Muyan no longer held out hope to partner with Mr. Xixi, everything about Mr. Xixi became an eyesore and made him sick to his stomach. Talent and genius, his *ss. Mr. Xixi could go to hell for all he cared!

    Gu Yang had his eyes peeled, bute to think of it, the broadcast director would not cut the scene to them and release the footage to the world.

    He realized that the production team captured mostly wide shots of Mr. Xixi and practiced caution during closeups. They were on high alert in case he dropped another bomb.

    Still, Gu Yang had to agree with Mr. Xixi. It only took media framing and skillful marketing to turn the facts around. Su Ruowan was a living example.

    Xia Mi wanted to say the same thing. Had it not been for Tianheng Entertainment¡¯s efforts to whitewash Su Ruowan, thetter would have lost all her fans.

    She had to admit, Su Ruowan sure yielded the power of resources. Nothing was too big or too small for Tianheng Entertainment to manipte, including the public opinion.

    The mentors no longer controlled the affairs of the final stage. Theirments consisted of encouragement and motivation to the trainees for formality¡¯s sake.

    Since this was a talent show made for the people, thest say went to the viewers and fans, so they could feel the thrill of participating in the show and carrying the fate of the trainees¡¯ debut in their hands.

    Chief Director Su Botao was pulling his hair out. To stay true to the program¡¯s fair and impartial theme, the people were the ones picking out the winners to debut.

    However, Su Ruowan¡¯s votes had caught up and soared to seventh ce just before the finals, showing no signs of stopping. The production team would be torn by the public regardless of whether they allowed her to debut.

    In the end, he sought the relevant heads¡¯ opinions and decided to go with the flow. The audience maysh out all they wanted, but the show was about to end. It did not matter anymore.

    Moreover, they were the ones casting the votes, not the production team. They should be running their mouths at Su Ruowan¡¯s mindless fans.

    In thest showdown, only seven out of 15 trainees would advance to form a girl group.

    The final stage featured two original performances. Ye Weiyang and Tong Kejun worked together on a piece with the former writing the song and thetter designing the dance. For the other song, Liu Qianyu was the songwriter while Guan Rou was the choreographer.

    Su Ruowan was on the same team as Ye Weiyang this time.

    Although the pair had upied the first and second ce ever since the third episode, they never shared the stage before.

    The audience and fans¡¯ favorite pastime was to draw aparison between the two. The fans often butted heads about who was the better singer, dancer, or who had the better talent.

    The fight never saw an end until today. While there was no doubt about Su Ruowan¡¯s talent, Ye Weiyang was an unstoppable force when it came to making strides.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans loved to use Ye Weiyang¡¯s early performances as an excuse to taunt Ye Weiyang¡¯s fans.

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s fans also loved to take Ye Weiyang¡¯s early performances to set against herter performances to reflect her astounding progress. They even cropped Su Ruowan¡¯s before-and-after performances, sneering at her standstill progress. With no room for improvement, Ye Weiyang was bound to rise above her.

    Three months of tug-o-war could finallye to an end with Ye Weiyang and Su Ruowan dancing and singing the same song on the same stage.

    Refused to be outmatched, Su Ruowan and Ye Weiyang¡¯s fans screamed hard and loud in the stadium. Fans of other trainees were helpless in this situation, unable to prevail over these crazy fans.

    On stage, the spotlight suddenly hit on every single contestant. They were the stars of the show, and this was their final stage, or perhaps their first career performance in showbiz.

    Halting their screaming and ruckus when the lights came on, everybody stared intently at the girls on stage.

    Su Ruowan was at the forefront.

    Shen Xi frowned. Since she had been absent for the past few days, she had no idea what was on Ye Weiyang¡¯s mind, what was the situation with the mentors, and why was Su Ruowan taking the lead role.

    Still, it would not make much of a difference for Su Ruowan to perform front and center. She was second to Ye Weiyang no matter what position she took. The cement was not important as there was a certain type of people who would shine the brightest regardless of their positions.

    Sitting nearby, Xia Mi took a nce at Mr. Xixi. The mentors believed Mr. Xixi¡¯s favorite trainee was Ye Weiyang. It was decided through casting lots who was to take the center stage.

    Su Ruowan was lucky to draw the lead role.

    On stage, the girls began to perform to the sound of the music.

    Immediately, everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to Ye Weiyang. No matter who she danced with, she was the brightest star on stage.

    She was born to be on the stage with that unique stage presence and distinguishable vocals of hers. It had nothing to do with whichever position she took.

    The few-minute performances went by in a blink of an eye.

    The apuse was overwhelming at the end of the performance. The fans on-site only had eyes for their idols on stage while everyone else was forgotten.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans were displeased to find Ye Weiyang outshining Su Ruowan in the group performance. This was a fact they were refusing to admit to.

    All of them found excuses for Su Ruowan, saying that she was not her usual self because of the recent event. Otherwise, Ye Weiyang would stand no chance against her.

    These crazy fans had unconditional love for their idols, believing that their idols were the best, the most beautiful, and the most brilliant while others were trash! No one could change their minds.

    Ye Weiyang¡¯s fans turned tearful, watching their idol on stage who grew up before their eyes.

    Their little idol was a nk sheet, getting lectures and eye-rolls from mentors and fellowpanions as she slowly and steadily made her way up. They were a testament to her effort and growth.

    Ye Weiyang had never let them down with her miracle twist from climbing from Group F to Group A, and from ranking in the range of nies to second. Finally, in thest episode, she was ranked first.

    She went from having two left feet to getting a lead role in her team and learning choreography. She was once too timid to sing, but now she was the lead singer and even wrote her own song. No one was more earnest than her in the journey forward.

    The others could say what they wanted, but to Ye Weiyang¡¯s fans, she deserved the first ce!

 Chapter 520 - Water Balloon Suspended Above Su Ruowanâ€™s Head

    <h4>Chapter 520: Water Balloon Suspended Above Su Ruowan¡¯s Head</h4>

    A holographic projection on the stage showed live updates of vote counts for the trainees cast by the live audience and viewers in front of the TV. The contestants and the audience could see the votes increase as every second went by.

    No sooner than Su Ruowan¡¯s performance ended when she could already see her real-time ranking and her still rising vote counts. She was pleased by the result.

    She was now in seventh ce, merely five thousand-odd votes away from Ji Jingyan who was ced six. Moreover, Su Ruowan deduced by the rate her votes were surging, she was gaining more support than Ji Jingyan. It was only a matter of time before she surpassed Ji Jingyan.

    Han Yan, who was imprudent to think she could rece her, was left behind Su Ruowan¡¯s trail of dust. With Han Yan¡¯s polls lesser than thirty thousand and increasing rather slowly, it was delusional for Han Yan to catch up to Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s re flew to the panel of mentors and was locked on Mr. Xixi, with a poker face.

    Since the d*mn Mr. Xixi wanted to make a fool of her and see her fail, Su Ruowan was going to make him watch as she rose in ranks and debut. This was the best payback on him and Shen Xi for getting on her *ss, exposing her, and scheming against her!

    The few mentors spoke highly of the performance. Since this was thest dance before the trainees were to make their debut, thements given were rather light-hearted and cheery.

    Fang Yao may say she did not give a f*ck and try to convince herself so, but this was a student she spent three-long months with and vested a lot of expectations on. The sight of Su Ruowan still got on her nerves and made her angry. While shemented for Su Ruowan, Fang Yao was embarrassed by her actions to get back under the limelight.

    Apart from Ye Weiyang who stole the show, Su Ruowan was considered the second best on stage while Ji Jingyan fell behind by a tad.

    The remaining four trainees who ranked eighth and below put their hearts and minds into the dance, but their talents were stillcking.

    Had it not for the giarism scandal, it would be cast in stone that Su Ruowan would be the winner.

    Sure, Ye Weiyang improved by leaps and bounds, and the sky was the limit for her, but Su Ruowan still came in neck-to-neck. Moreover, Su Ruowan¡¯s fan base was farrger than Ye Weiyang¡¯s. Su Ruowan had no one to me as she was the one who destroyed her own career.

    Su Muyan was at ease to see the surging vote count and Su Ruowan¡¯s ranking on the screen.

    By the looks of the votes and Wanwan¡¯s cing, she was certain to get the opportunity to debut and soon surpass that of No. 6¡¯s Ji Jingyan. He roughly estimated the vote eleration and counted on another surge that would push Guan Rou out of fifth ce.

    Gu Yang and Xia Mi sighed as they watched the increase of vote counts. This was the sad truth behind the era of fans.

    Tianheng Entertainment was the most proficient in making the most out of the fans. Su Muyan was the first example of a phenomenon ¨C he was able to debut as an idol singer with arge following thanks to his fans.

    Shen Xi was the mostid-back amid all of this, not bothered at all to look at the vote counts. The votes were in the hands of the fans and thest wave of votes had yet to happen. The top six were all of Cosmos Entertainment.

    Su Ruowan believed she made it to the top seven. She was under the impression she was still making the climb. She thought she was going to debut in the girl group. Well, Shen Xi was going to let her live in that fantasy for now.

    The stage was set for two groups and two performances.

    With the first group done with their performance, the second group was up next.

    The second group consisted of Tong Kejun in the lead role with Song Wenye, Guan Rou, Liu Qianyu, and Han Yan.

    Although their performance did not have the wow factor like the previous group, it was still spectacr. The top-ranked trainees who knew they were going to make it gave the performance their all, but those in the bottom who had no hope to debut did not want to hold back either in theirst stage.

    They were all at the end of the journey on a hit show. While they were still fresh in the public¡¯s minds, they could still develop a career in showbiz owing to their present poprity even if they did not secure an opportunity to debut in the show.

    The real-time voting disyed on the big screen yed to every trainee¡¯s emotion, especially Han Yan¡¯s. The hope she held in her fingertips was about to slip away.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fame sank to the bottom of the barrel due to the recent scandal, but to Han Yan¡¯s dismay, Su Ruowan managed to slowly get back up on the ranking after her press conference. Now at seventh ce, Su Ruowan pushed her off the winners¡¯ list.

    Han Yan was not that hung up about making a debut, but now that she was so close, she had to seize the opportunity. Han Yan felt disgruntled that a character like Su Ruowan had the support of fans who were so blind to still shell out votes for Su Ruowan, edging Han Yan away from the opportunity to debut.

    The fifteen trainees from two groups stood on stage. It was still early as the cut-off for the votes was at nine o¡¯clock, during which the grand finale would reach its climax. Before that happened, it was some bonus time for the fans.

    Fans and their idols would have an engagement by ying a game on stage. This was one of the stunts that drew many fans to dig deep into their pockets to buy the tickets. Every fan dreamed of having close contact with their idols.

    The host began by exining the rules of the games. There were simple games such as the three-legged race, ry race, charades, guess the lyrics, etc.

    The lucky fans were picked randomly using a roll-and-stop system. Fans of the trainees had registered their ticket number, personal information, and favorite idol beforehand. The production crew organized the data to disy on the big screen for piles of individual information to swiftly roll through while the trainees yelled stop to pick a fan.

    Truth be told, the games were pretty clich¨¦ andme, but this was the greatest thing ever to happen to fans as they were able to get up on the stage to y a game with their idol. The fans in the audience stand fancied themselves in the shoes of the lucky ones, imagining they were enjoying some one-on-one time with their idols. They watched on with great gusto.

    Shen Xi was bored to the point of falling asleep, and yet she could not toy with her phone. She hung on for a long time until finally, the show was at itsst game segment. It was guessing the lyrics.

    This segment was a battle between the fan and idol. Unlike the previous games where they were on the same team, this game would have a water balloon that would fall on the person who answered wrongly.

    Every participant had a water balloon suspended above their head. Set differently from their fans¡¯ balloons, those for the trainees were marked with numbers in the order of their real-live ranking. Su Ruowan happened to be in seventh ce.

    Shen Xi looked at the water balloon, marked seven, suspended above Su Ruowan¡¯s head. Thetter was cheerfully holding her fist up at her fans in a show of encouragement. This stirred the fans on-site to scream louder and louder, chanting her name.

 Chapter 521 - The Water Balloon Popped

    <h4>Chapter 521: The Water Balloon Popped</h4>

    Su Ruowan stood in front of two fanboys and one fangirl. The female fans made up a small chunk of her fanbase while the otaku fanboys were a majority of her fans. Thetter mostly fancied themselves to be her boyfriends and husbands while some simply loved her personality and good looks.

    In this game, the fans could work together ande up with a question to stump their idols. Of course, the fans would not be put in a difficult situation as they would be rewarded with their idol¡¯s signed poster, signed photo of them with their idol, and a cash prize of twenty-thousand-yuan courtesy of the production team if their idol failed to give the correct answer.

    The fans were racking their brains to think of a lyric. Although they did not want their idols to be drenched in water, the production team was offering them a mouth-watering cash tip of twenty-thousand.

    Every group of fans had one chance to seek help offstage and the help was limited to the mentors. This was a childish mini-game even the mentors were forced to participate in.

    Gu Yang looked helpless. The production team really had nothing better to do than to ease the tension surrounding the grand finale. Nevertheless, it set the stage for high gear.

    Xia Mi pushed her earpiece to the back of her ear before moaning to He Sumo and Fang Yao howme and childish the game was. It would be ssier if guests were invited to perform with the trainees for the grand finale.

    What was going on? They had highly suspected the production team resorted to these little gimmicks just to save on the production cost and hiring stars.

    Still, they had no say about the games. The fans were pumped up, acting as though they were also in the game as their screams of support echoed in the stadium. The scene had never been livelier.

    Soon.

    The game had begun.

    Each group had three attempts and one lifeline to seek help offstage.

    The order of the participants was decided by the trainees¡¯ current ranking, starting from Ye Weiyang who was in first ce.

    The fans had three sets of questions ready, each containing three lines of lyrics. If they chose to seek help from the mentors, they would only be using two of their prepared lyrics. Otherwise, they could use all their materials.

    It was soon in to see that the fans¡¯ knowledge and prowess on lyrics were far lesser than their idols. Their idols were quick to name the song as lyrics were read out to them. The assistance from mentors did not prove much help either.

    From the first ce to Ji Jingyan who was in the sixth ce, none of the trainees had water balloons dropped on them while the fans were drenched. It did not take long before Su Ruowan¡¯s turn.

    For the first two questions, Su Ruowan, like the other trainees, answered urately. She did not want to embarrass herself in front of the fans and viewers by getting drenched and ending up a drowned rat in a national broadcast.

    She bitterly wondered who was the b*stard to havee up with the game. Whoever it was, they were trying to make the girls look like a clown.

    ¡°Do you want help from the mentors offstage?¡± asked the host to Su Ruowan¡¯s fans.

    Out of the three fans, the girl nodded and turned to the panel of mentors. Her eyes reflected provocation. ¡°We¡¯d like to ask for help from Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Mr. Xixi was the culprit who exposed Wanwan in public and made a fool of her. Everyone praised him, saying he was knowledgeable and had high attainment in music and dance. Well, she wanted to see if he was good enough to stump Wanwan.

    The two fanboys looked at Mr. Xixi with hostile eyes, as though he had killed their mother. The fans of the first few groups had sought all the other mentors¡¯ help except Mr. Xixi, but none of them were able to stop the trainees from giving the correct answers.

    Thest mentor standing was Mr. Xixi. Su Ruowan¡¯s fans wanted him to stump their idol and get the twenty-thousand-yuan bonus, yet at the time did not want to put Su Ruowan in a spot to answer incorrectly.

    Su Ruowan was dumbstruck, unable to tell if the fangirl was an actual fan or a troll. Despite her rising blood pressure, she kept a gentle smile on her face.

    The fangirl had turned around and cheered Su Ruowan on. ¡°You can do it, Wanwan. We believe in you!¡±

    Su Ruowan was tempted to tear her into pieces and kicked her off the stage. A fan, her *ss. It was more like stirring sh*t for her. With Mr. Xixi an enemy of hers, the fangirl was pushing her onto the road of no return.

    For the first time since the opening, the broadcast director finally zoomed in on Mr. Xixi as everyone awaited the question.

    The fans, trainees, and mentors were fixated on Mr. Xixi, curious by the question he would bring to the stage.

    The production team applied conditions to the game, such as the song could not be too obscure with at least one-third of the audience to have heard of it, the song had to be in Chinese and not in a foreignnguage, and aplete line of the lyrics must be provided.

    The restrictive conditions made it difficult to stump the trainees as it had to be a hit song for one-third of the audience to have heard of it before.

    ¡°When your desire is out of reach, what more can you do in life?¡± Shen Xi named a ssic song that many tended to overlook the lyrics. This was also what she wanted to say to Su Ruowan right now.

    The mentors reflected for a moment before the title of the song dawned on them.

    The trainees were lost in thought. The lyrics were on the tip of their tongues, and they could hum the song, but somehow, they found it hard to name the song.

    Some of the fans were quick to figure it out while others were unable to recall despite being overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity. Everyone stared intently at Su Ruowan on stage, rooting for her to answer.

    There was a time limit of ten seconds for the contestants to answer. The host started counting down loudly and looked expectantly at Su Ruowan.

    Wins and losses made up the fun games. It was boring for the first few groups to win without a cinch. The game is interesting now courtesy of Mr. Xixi.

    The first few fans should have sought Mr. Xixi for help. Not only would the show gain high viewership, but they would also win a cash prize of twenty thousand yuan. It was a win-win situation.

    Following the rhythm of the host, the audience joined in the countdown. Only Su Ruowan¡¯s fans looked at her nervously while supporting and rooting for her. Wanwan must know the answer!

    As much as Su Ruowan¡¯s fans may pray for a quick answer, time was not on their side. It was over when the count reached 1.

    The audience and host counted to 1 no sooner than Su Ruowan suddenly remembered the answer. Before she could open her mouth, the water balloon above smashed her on the head without warning.

    Following a pop, the water balloon exploded and sshed all over her head. The cold water left her shuddering in chills.

 Chapter 522 - Beauty Filter Turned Off

    <h4>Chapter 522: Beauty Filter Turned Off</h4>

    The host and fans who stood closest to Su Ruowan widened their eyes in disbelief at the sight before their eyes.

    With a ssh, water spilled down Su Ruowan¡¯s face. It was as though this was not water, but a beauty filter on her face suddenly turned off. The fairplexion, big eyes, slim face, and wless skin disappeared in an instant.

    There was nothing hideous about the facial features, yet beautiful was not the right word either. With brows missing and fake eyelid stickers hanging off, Su Ruowan¡¯s droopy and narrow eyes looked odd. Her low nose bridge made the tip of her noserge while her thin lips appeared out of ce.

    Her skin was not even close to perfection with her yellowish skin undertone and freckles. Thebination of her skin and facial features made her subpar, much less good-looking.

    The two otaku fanboys¡¯ jaws dropped to the ground. The shock was a huge blow to their soul.

    F*ck! What happened to their wife¡¯s beautiful fleek brows and almond eyes?

    Double f*ck! What happened to their wife¡¯s high nose bridge and cute little nose?

    Triple f*ck! What happened to their wife¡¯s full and luscious lips that tempted them for a kiss?

    Quadruple f*ck! What happened to their wife¡¯s milky skin that was softer than a baby¡¯s?

    Quintuple f*ck! This was a scam, an outright scam! Who was this woman? This woman was not the person they fell in love with!

    The upset fans, particrly the otaku fanboys, were all into Su Ruowan¡¯s looks. Since they only supported Su Ruowan for her good looks, they had now lost the plot.

    They were about to lose it at the thought of them once having lewd thoughts about this person and actively voted for her, splurging in support.

    In the judging panel, color drained from Su Muyan¡¯s face as he widened his eyes in disbelief. With aplicated look on his face, he gazed at Su Ruowan as though she was a stranger to him.

    No way! Was this what Wanwan actually looked like?

    She was gorgeous, adorable, and kind. Who was this woman?

    Gu Yang and the lot exchanged indecipherable looks. The girl on stage might not be hideous, but she was definitely not a beauty. Makeup was Su Ruowan¡¯s resort to change her image.

    As it turned out, there were no ugly women, onlyzy ones. Su Ruowan¡¯s makeup skills were better than going under the knife!

    Since Fang Yao sat beside Su Muyan, she instinctively turned to nce at Su Muyan the moment Su Ruowan¡¯s makeup was washed off. It struck her as odd as Su Muyan appeared rather in shock.

    Was Su Ruowan not his sister? Did he not see Su Ruowan¡¯s bare face before? That was unconvincing!

    Her heart started beating faster the more she delved deeper in thought. Was his look a result of makeup too? Could his younger brother, Su Mushi, his mom, Li Jingran, and his father, Su Yi¡¯s physical attractiveness be courtesy of cosmetics?

    It would be horrifying if that were true. This would make them a family of painted skin! They were a morous and good-looking family on the outside with their true forms shown after stripping those paint away.

    Xia Mi and He Sumo took a nce at Mr. Xixi, only to realize thetter bearing the sameposure and collectedness, unmoved by Su Ruowan¡¯s transformation. They were rendered speechless by themselves making a huge deal out of the situation.

    Shen Xi observed Su Ruowan who was on stage. Thetter had not seemed to realize her painted face was no more as she calmly smiled at the fans, mentors, and audience. Her smiley eyes were barely visible because of their small size.

    ¡°Holy sh*t!¡± Among the audience, Pei Xu burst outughing, nearly choking on his saliva. ¡°She¡¯s ugly!¡±

    Although Yu Qiubai kept a straight face, he was still taken aback. Having been childhood friends with Su Muyan, he often dropped by the Su family¡¯s residence but never once saw Su Ruowan¡¯s bare face.

    He had once seen Su Ruowan as a child in a photo album. She had not dabbled in cosmetics at the time.

    At the time, Yu Qiubai had his suspicions. The Su family had great genes, and yet Su Ruowan did not blend into the family in terms of looks and bearings in the family photo.

    He was certain that Su Ruowan might not be the most good-looking and bubbliest girl as a child, but she was not that ugly either.

    Was her cosmetic surgery a bust? Or was womanhood responsible for her glow down?

    Taking Ying Chu¡¯s lead, the international ss excitedly booed the stage. They had said all along that Su Ruowan deceived the public with her painted face, but it did not change the fact that she was beautiful. Otherwise, she would not be named the prettiest face of No. 4 High School.

    However, no one had actually seen her barefaced. Their eyes were burning from the sight. They wondered if the students of No. 4 High School were digging their eyeballs out now after realizing how blind they were.

    The audience fell silent for a moment before looking and taunting boos at Su Ruowan¡¯s fandom.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans felt most awkward in the whole ordeal. They were embarrassed by their idol¡¯s instant face-change, having no courage left to fight back.

    What was there to say?

    They could say Wanwan had repented and was turning over a new leaf when the public condemned her for copying another artist¡¯s work.

    With regards to the looks among the trainees, they could stand proudly and dere that Wanwan was second to none in looks, voice, and talent.

    What about now?

    Ye Weiyang stole the limelight during the stage performance.

    Wanwan was gorgeous, but the water baptism cleared her face from makeup, making her appear ordinary. It was against their conscience to say she was beautiful.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s otaku fanboys were into her looks and personality. Both fans on-site and those in front of theputer and TV jerked back at the reveal of her true appearance, wishing they could poke their eyes out.

    Su Ruowan only noticed the change of expression of those around her. Her eyes were drawn to the big screen as for some reason, her increasing vote count was dropping drastically.

    The host was the first to pull himself together as his resilience and adaptability were top-notch. With a smile, he handed Su Ruowan a packet of tissue before turning to her three fans. ¡°Congrattions, Group 7. You have won twenty thousand yuan in cash as well as autographs on both a poster and a group photo.¡±

    Out of the three fans, the fangirl appeared ratherposed. Staring intently at Su Ruowan¡¯s face, she was ovee with sudden confidence. If Su Ruowan could enter showbiz with looks like that, she must be considered a knockout in the entertainment world too.

    Su Ruowan wiped her face with the tissue and was rxed to find only water stains and no makeup residue on the tissue. She let out a sweet smile at the host and fans.

    Having known what mini-games were yed on the set today, she applied water-proof cosmetics that were strong enough to resist even the most rigorous water activities. This tiny ssh of water was nothing.

    Of course, the trainees on stage had a good look at Su Ruowan too. Miraculously and oddly, no one went to remind her that her makeup was gone.

    Practicing professionalism, the host got the fans together for a group photo.

    The otaku fanboys wanted nothing more than to pick up their legs and make a run for it. It was beyond humiliating. This was the person whom they liked and supported. They would never hear the end of it once they got back.

    Nevertheless, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and move ahead following the urging of the host. Resisting the impulse to run, they stood next to Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowan read and took her fan¡¯s reserved mannerism as nerves and excitement from being in the same photo as her. She was also going to sign an autograph for themter so they must be feeling honored and proud about this.

    The host jumped in to take the photos. The photos were quickly printed out and each fan received one.

    Holding the photo in their hand, they were ready to leave. With shame burning on their cheeks, they were so embarrassed they could bury their heads in a hole.

    Before the host had a chance to say anything, Su Ruowan called her fans back and softly uttered, ¡°Hold on, I hadn¡¯t signed your photos.¡±

    The fans were baffled by Su Ruowan¡¯s confidence, especially when she bore that face. Still, they turned around and handed the photos to her.

 Chapter 523 - Crushed Her Pride and Dignity

    <h4>Chapter 523: Crushed Her Pride and Dignity</h4>

    Su Ruowan was dumbstruck the moment her eyesy on the photo.

    No.

    No way!

    How did she be like this?

    The person in the photo was not her! It was not her!

    She had used waterproof cosmetics and even tested her makeup with water beforehand. There was no issue, so what was this?

    The host could not bear to watch any longer. He thought some people did not mind showing their bare face, but judging by the look on Su Ruowan¡¯s face, he could be certain she simply had no idea her makeup was gone instead of not minding her bare face shown.

    Gloats and tauntsced with disdain, pity, and sympathy were written all over the trainees¡¯ and other fans¡¯ faces.

    Su Ruowan stood there nkly, surrounded by all kinds of looks. She felt like she was a clown, exposed to mockery in public.

    No, that was not right. She was made a clown since the water balloon popped. Clutching the photograph tightly in her hands, she kneaded the print beyond recognition.

    Hanging her head low, she was overwhelmed with humiliation and inferiority for the very first time. The self-loathing drove her to the edge of insanity while the booing from the audience brought about a dizzy spell.

    ¡°Su Ruowan.¡± The host worriedly uttered as she stood still with the photograph in hand.

    With a lot on her mind, Su Ruowan could only see herself drowning in the dark sea ofughter. She was gasping for air as her limbs, dignity, and pride were being torn apart.

    She was stripped naked in front of the public for people to watch, make fun of, and point fingers!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Unable to stand the judging and ridicule, Su Ruowan apologized and ran off the stage with the photo still in hand.

    She could put up with anything, including the time she had to keep a straight face on stage when she was exposed to giarism and the time she sucked it up before apologizing to the media, fans, and audience.

    However, she could not stand being exposed to what she really looked like.

    ¡°Su Ruowan,¡± the host cried once more.

    In fact, the fans were relieved to see her take off. Refusing the signed poster handed by the host, the fans turned and fled faster than Su Ruowan as though a ghost was on their tail.

    The audience, who never took to Su Ruowan, believed she had iting. She deserved it for giarizing others¡¯ work. Now that her bare face was brought to light, her fans had nothing else to boast about.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s fans were ovee with a mix of emotions, especially those who liked her for her looks. The thing they were once proud of Su Ruowan was no more.

    Among the mentors, Su Muyan looked grimacing. His mind was stuck on Su Ruowan¡¯s bare face despite getting over the shock. It was absurd.

    He could not believe that this was her true appearance. Was the girl he had seen in the past all a fake?

    Was she wearing makeup the whole time at home?

    He had seen her after taking a shower and just after she had woken up? Was she wearing makeup then too? Su Muyan had never noticed nor would he have had the time to pay attention.

    Gu Yang nced at Su Muyan, too hung up to say a word. He had always thought Su Ruowan was good-looking. Not only was her talent a scam, but her looks were also packaged by cosmetics.

    Fang Yao surprisingly eased up. Her heart was in her throat moments ago when Su Ruowan was climbing higher in ranking.

    She could imagine herself being put as the face of widespread public antipathy if Su Ruowan really made it to showbiz. It would definitely put Fang Yao on a spot.

    She gave Su Ruowan pointers yet failed to realize thetter was a copycat. This was enough reason for the upright citizens to get in her face about being in cahoots with Su Ruowan.

    As Su Ruowan¡¯s direct mentor before the scandal surfaced, Fang Yao was both a friend and teacher to Su Ruowan. Su Ruowan¡¯s fans woulde at her for not taking Su Ruowan¡¯s side.

    She had hoped Su Ruowan would understand herself better. As a daughter to the Su family, Su Ruowan was not short of cash and needed not to go into showbiz. What was better than bing an heiress?

    Xia Mi and He Sumo were firmly against giarism and all for original creations, especially in the music scene. With Su Ruowan falling out of favor with the mentors following the scandal, Xia Mi and He Sumo were pleased with this result.

    Artists with a track record of stealing and giarizing should just give up. Try as these artists might to sweep it under the carpet, but the lingering taint on their ethics could never be washed away. The production team did a good job with the mini-game segment.

    Shen Xi was coldly fixated on where Su Ruowan disappeared to. Her lips instinctively curled scorn. She believed Su Ruowan had lived through the feeling of getting her hopes squashed again and again.

    Having aplete breakdown, Su Ruowan covered her face and kept running until she reached the pitch-ck stairwell before drooping against the wall and burying her face into her knees. Her body was shaking violently.

    It took a while before she abruptly picked her head up. Her bloodshot eyes bore wickedness and the darkest curse, threatening to tear the world apart.

    There was always a b*tch out to get her!

    Who was it this time?

    It was not water in the water balloon. Her makeup was waterproof and she was sure about it!

    Who was behind this? Was it thework?

    Whomever it was, she vowed to catch the mastermind and rip their limbs apart to grind and feed to the dogs. Nevertheless, it would not be enough to appease her burning hatred.

    Wiping away her tears, Su Ruowan told herself not to be knocked down. She must stand up, and like thest time, it was no big deal. Since she was still in the lead in vote counts, she could make it in the top seven.

    Su Ruowan was going to debut and make those fools pay!

    The production staff went in search of Su Ruowan, afraid she might take things too hard and do something stupid. It did not take long before she returned by herself. By then, she was wearing a mask gotten from somewhere.

    The staff members were fascinated. Indeed, only the strongest heart and the thickest skin could survive showbiz. In fact, celebrities could have the entertainment world in the palm of their hands by having no shame.

    ording to the real-time polls, Su Ruowan was hanging tight at seventh ce.

    Everyone was stunned to see Su Ruowan walking back up on stage with an exquisitely painted face.

    F*ck! How thick could she be to get on stage in such a situation?

    Some agitated audience began to throw profanities while other hotheads hurled stuff to the stage, screaming for the giarizing hag and b*tch to get lost.

    Among them were Su Ruowan¡¯s otaku fanboys who turned antis not too long ago. The deeper the admiration from before, the harder the hatred now. Nevertheless, it was a distance away from the stage for things to be hurled onto.

    The mentors held it together as they had already received the news in advance. Still, they were burdened with a mix of emotions at the appearance of Su Ruowan.

    The other trainees were shocked to find Su Ruowan returning.

    Song Wenye looked at Su Ruowan in disdain before whispering to Han Yan, ¡°I told you she¡¯lle back. Your fans better pick up the pace and outdo hers!¡±

    Not only were Su Ruowan¡¯s fans blind and dumb, but they must also be shitheads too!

    Looking helpless, Han Yan let out a sigh. She would be lying to say she was not disappointed, upset, or angry as she wanted a spot to make a debut too. s, the votes were not on her side.

    The host was amazed by Su Ruowan¡¯s courage. The polls were about to close in the next few minutes. It seemed like a done deal for Su Ruowan to debut at seventh ce as Han Yan was two thousand votes under.

    With two minutes left on the clock, everyone¡¯s eyes were glued to the screen. Su Ruowan, in particr, stared at both her and Han Yan¡¯s names and votes with clenched fists.

    The difference of vote counts between her and Han Yan was growing tighter.

    She prayed so hard, hoping that Han Yan would not overtake her. Su Ruowan was never going to allow anyone to stand in her way after everything she had put in and withstood!

    Ye Weiyang, Song Wenye, Han Yan, Mr. Xixi, and the godd*mn fans could go to hell for all she cared!

    The host was talking in the background. Complementing the tension in the air, he spoke at record speed as he announced the rankings and polls. ¡°One more minute. We are at the final minute. We can see that Han Yan¡¯s votes are fast approaching. Uh oh, Su Ruowan is in danger.

    ¡°Su Ruowan¡¯s numbers are not backing down. It¡¯s still going, and going¡­ You better keep up, Han Yan¡¯s supporters! 30 seconds on the clock! 30 seconds! Su Ruowan¡¯s votes are¡­ Ah! Han Yan¡¯s¡­¡±

 Chapter 524 - By One Vote

    <h4>Chapter 524: By One Vote</h4>

    Keeping an eye on the big screen, the host delivered the live update passionately while the trainees, fans, and viewers in front of the TV stared intently at the jumping polls. The ever-changing numbers on the big screen put everyone on the edge of their seats.

    Out of everybody, Han Yan was the biggest bag of nerves with her heart in her throat. The numbers on the big screens had a different meaning to her. Her future was at stake.

    ¡°Han Yan¡­ Han Yan¡¯s overtaking Su Ruowan in votes. Time¡¯s up!¡± The host¡¯s voice was hoarse from all the yelling. The clock stopped and so did the ballots.

    The set was quiet for a moment before crowds broke into exmation and cheers. Hot with emotions, Han Yan¡¯s teary fans yelled out Han Yan¡¯s name.

    She won!

    The final polls.

    Su Ruowan ¨C 9823476

    Han Yan ¨C 9823477

    The host was still going in the background. The dramatic twist had him keyed up. ¡°The 7th ce belongs to Han Yan! Congrattions, Han Yan. Han Yan narrowly beat Su Ruowan by one vote. Let¡¯s all congratte her for making it into the top seven and onward to debut as a group.¡±

    That was right.

    A single vote.

    The difference between them was one vote.

    Su Ruowan gazed at the numbers on the big screen in disbelief. Feeling a rush of blood to the head, her ears were buzzing and her face contorted as she was caught in a whirlwind of resentment, fury, and jealousy. Her breathing turned heavy.

    One vote! It was just one vote!

    Han Yan managed to surpass her and took thest spot to debut!

    Surprised at first, Han Yan quickly let out a happy shriek. She hugged Ye Weiyang who was next to her. ¡°I won! Yangyang, I won! We¡¯re debuting together as a group!¡±

    It was a great feeling!

    She felt as though she was in a dream.

    Han Yan won by a single vote. This one vote to her was a blessing from the Heavens.

    The mentors watched the scene unfold on stage. Apart from Su Muyan, no one wanted Su Ruowan to make it through to the end. To them, this was the best oue they could wish for.

    Su Muyan was on a rollercoaster of emotions. Gazing at Su Ruowan and then the polls, he was tempted to ram his head on the desk. Regret was probably the only thing hanging over his head now.

    A single vote. The difference by one vote was the most infuriating, but more so when the final vote came in at thest second. Su Muyan thought Wanwan had it in the bag one second ago, but things took a twist in the passing of the second. All was lost.

    The feeling was like experiencing heaven and hell in the split of a second.

    ¡°Han Yan really has Lady Luck on her side,¡± Fang Yao had to say.

    That single vote could note too soon. It was paradise for Han Yan, but abysmal darkness for Su Ruowan.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity for Su Ruowan.¡± He Sumo mentioned for formality¡¯s sake since the cameras were on them.

    Han Yan was on a roll, snatching thest spot to debut in thest second from Su Ruowan by one vote.

    Gu Yang and Xia Mi turned to Han Yan with great relief. Hard work always paid off. Han Yan might not amount to Su Ruowan¡¯s overall strength, but they were happier to have her rather than Su Ruowan debuting in the girl group.

    Shen Xi was pleased to see the ashen-faced Su Ruowan. While it was upsetting for Su Ruowan to fail in achieving her goals, it was even more painful to have the opportunity slip past her fingers.

    It was no fun if the disparity between vote counts was too wide. One vote was just about right.

    The single vote would be Su Ruowan¡¯s nightmare and a thorn in her flesh, forever following and tormenting her.

    The grand finale was a fiasco, yet the drama was both thrilling and suspenseful.

    Han Yan beat Su Ruowan by a vote and scored thest spot to make the group debut.

    Su Ruowan lost to Han Yan by a single vote. Overwhelmed by the aggrieved, bitter, painful, and dire loss, she had no idea how she got off the stage. She was fixated on Han Yan and the other girls, secretly wanting to rush over to rip their faces apart.

    Why did things turn out this way? What did she do wrong? Su Ruowan was confidenting into thepetition. She was certain she would debut as the most brilliant trainee then.

    In fact, everything was so smooth in the beginning as she expected it to be. She was in the lead, the most outstanding, and the most popr of them all.

    Where did it all go wrong?

    That reminded her. It was when He Lu, that b*tch, put her on the spot in public, forcing her topose her own music and dance. Things also went awry when Su Muyan found her an unreliable middle person and when the nosy Mr. Xixi brought her giarism to light.

    It was not her fault. She did the best she could, so they were the ones to me. Everything happened because of them. They ruined her career and drove her to a path of no return.

    She was not bothered by the loss as she had other ways to get into showbiz. However, Su Ruowan was not going to let the matter slide. Just wait, she would be back with a vengeance.

    ¡°Wanwan, what a shame. You missed by one vote.¡±

    Across the room, a voice was heard.

    Su Ruowan lifted her chin to find He Lu sitting in a wheelchair. Beside her were her on-screen best friends ¨C Lan Feng and another girl.

    Judging by their smug faces, the trio showed no signs of regret. Su Ruowan wished she could head up there and wipe that smugness off of their faces.

    B*tch!

    B*tch!

    If only these b*tches went to hell!

    ¡°Golly, it¡¯s such a pity since it¡¯s only one vote,¡± Lan Fengmentably echoed. This was the best single vote ever because the one vote pushed the losing party to the edge.

    Letting out a sigh, thest girl twisted the knife and added salt to injury. ¡°I¡¯m upset for you. Really. It¡¯s only a vote. We thought you were going to win since you were way ahead of Han Yan.¡±

    They were also left in suspense until the final result was out. Compared to Su Ruowan, she would rather Han Yan make the debut. Of course, they would be happier if both never made it to the end.

    Fury and resentment overtook every inch of Su Ruowan¡¯s being. It was over. Since everything was over, there was no need for her to waste another breath on these b*tches. She was ready to take off.

    ¡°Why are you leaving?¡± He Lu reached out to pull her back. She scoffed coldly and turned up the volume. ¡°Su Ruowan, you were the one who sabotaged the brakes of my wheelchair, right?¡±

    She was not here to just make fun of Su Ruowan and watch her down-and-out. There was one more thing she had to make certain of ¨C who was behind the malfunction of her wheelchair¡¯s brakes?

 Chapter 525 - The Young Man at the Pit

    <h4>Chapter 525: The Young Man at the Pit</h4>

    Following He Lu¡¯s questioning, the other eliminated trainees who got off the stage together with Su Ruowan closed on them. Although their own elimination came as no surprise, no one was happy to ept the oue. However, no one was going to say no to gossip.

    Su Ruowan was the joke of the day. The trainees started to take pity on her, seeing that she was made a fool from head to toe.

    Nevertheless, she sure had the cheek. They would have quit showbiz after being called out as a copycat in public if they were in her shoes. Not only did Su Ruowan refuse to quit, but she also stayed on the show.

    Her persistent appearance on the show aside, Su Ruowan was stripped of her makeup on stage,ying bare her less-than-ordinary face. Still, she hung on to the show. They had to give it to her tenacity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Su Ruowan put up a fight to shake He Lu off. ¡°Show me the proof or else it¡¯s your word against mine.¡±

    She was not in the mood to bicker with them. He Lu, that b*tch, had the audacity to question her. Did Su Ruowan say a word when He Lu tried to push her down the stairs?

    He Lu got off easy because she only tampered with the brakes. She should have finished her off there and then!

    ¡°You helped push my wheelchair the other day. We were the only ones in the dorms then.¡± He Lu had no proof, and if she had, she would not have held her silence until now.

    However, she had to say it out loud in front of a crowd. Even if they did not believe her, they would start to be suspicious of Su Ruowan.

    These people might not take to her words if it were before, but the fake image Su Ruowan had portrayed crumbled ever since the giarism scandal.

    With aplicated look on their faces, the onlookers turned to Su Ruowan in unison. Rumors were spreading regarding the incidents between Su Ruowan and He Lu in those two days.

    Many of the rumors made sense, such as He Lu was trying to get Su Ruowan to get injured and quit thepetition, but she herself wound up falling down the stairs. With her cing eighth, she would advance in ranking and be in the top seven if Su Ruowan was out of the running.

    While on their way to rehearsals the next day, everyone thought He Lu got what she hading for harming Su Ruowan.

    After all, the giarism scandal had not broken out then. Su Ruowan was still the kind and sweet little angel in their minds. Sure, not everyone was a fan of hers, but no one would think Su Ruowan had a dark side to her.

    With He Lu¡¯s usible spection giving them a lot to think about, they exchanged murmurs and gave Su Ruowan dirty looks.

    The drama here did not go on for too long as Su Ruowan stormed off without another word.

    He Lu watched Su Ruowan¡¯s receding figure and curled her lips in delight. A tit for tat. She wanted nothing more than to see Su Ruowan beaten to the ground and unable to get back up. Payback was a b*tch.

    It did not matter to her whether she debuted on the condition that Su Ruowan shared the same fate. If He Lu was going down, she was bringing Su Ruowan down with her. God had not forsaken her.

    The onlooking trainees surrounded He Lu and made a big fuss of her. Only they would know deep down whether the pleasantries came from their hearts.

    Su Ruowan entered the break room and mmed the door behind her. Shaking all over, she kicked a chair and menacingly cried, ¡°Just you wait. I will have my revenge.¡±

    Everyone who was against her and looked down on her would soon pay the price. She was not going to bow down that easily!

    Those eliminated were down in the dumps while those on stage were over the moon. The happiest of them all was Han Yan.

    Song Wenye appeared jollier than her, waving incessantly at the fans in the audience. Her eyes swept past a young man equipped with a mask, sunsses, and cap standing at the pit.

    Although the young man was squashed amid a boisterous crowd, his presence spoke of calmness and tranquility. Noticing her gaze, he waved at her.

    Song Wenye nearly cussed. Yu Yuanxi!

    Did he not say he was busy filming? Why was he here?

    She had no idea what had gotten into her to send him a text messagest night. She asked if he would being to see her as she was about to enter the finals, but there was no point asking when the tickets were sold out by then.

    He said he was on a filming set and too busy to talk. They were to carry on the conversationter.

    Song Wenye waited for a long time until she fell asleep. By the time she woke up, she still had not received a reply. In a fit of rage, she cklisted him. Out of sight, out of mind.

    She was so upied and tensed by the whole day of rehearsals that it slipped her mind. Had it not been because of his sudden appearance, Song Wenye would probably only recall the matter after she had settled down.

 Chapter 526 - Iâ€™m All for You to Go After Her!

    <h4>Chapter 526: I¡¯m All for You to Go After Her!</h4>

    Over at the audience stand, the eagle-eyed Chu Ying followed Song Wenye¡¯s line of vision and was taken aback by what she saw. ¡°Alpha Xu, isn¡¯t that Yu Yuanxi?¡±

    Was he not filming a movie? What brought him here?

    Oh, my. Some people were closeted starstruck fans.

    Pei Xu looked over to find it was indeed Yu Yuanxi. Taking a nce at Song Wenye who was on stage, he had a sneaky feeling about the two!

    Chu Ying felt for Yu Yuanxi to be squashed and shoved around in the standing pit. Surely, he bought the pit tickets because it was cheaper than the seated tickets. She waved her arm and shouted, ¡°Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    The International ss students were seated over at this side while on the outer edge were students of No. 4 High School. Since everyone was schoolmates, there was no issue to make room for him.

    While turning to the source of someone calling him, Yu Yuanxi¡¯s sunsses were knocked off after being pushed from the left. Although he tried to pick up his sunsses, there was simply no room to maneuver. Hence, he could only watch as his sunsses were trampled on. What a shame.

    In the blink of an eye, his mask was pulled and ripped off as well.

    Since there were mostly girls around him, Yu Yuanxi¡¯s appearance made heads turn. With someone amid the crowd calling him a cutie, many looked his way.

    Hunks, especially the gentleman type, tended to stand out in a crowd. It was like they had a spotlight on them.

    ¡°He¡¯s handsome. Why do I get a familiar feeling?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen him before.¡±

    The set was abuzz among the crowd, and a few of the bold girls elbowed their way towards him with the intention to chat him up. As fans, they all had amon topic to talk about. Perhaps they were supporting the same idol!

    ¡°Come here, Yu Yuanxi!¡± Chu Ying waved her arms and yelled, curious who his idol was.

    The International ss was familiar with Yu Yuanxi¡¯s financial situation. To him, it was a luxury to idolize celebrities because a loyal fan would splurge on concerts, albums, and merchandise to support their stars.

    Truth be told, fans spent money to vote for their favorite idols on this talent show.

    Although Yu Yuanxi believed no one could recognize him, he was not a hundred percent sure. There was a press release with photos of the production team and actors taken during the opening of the shooting.

    He now had fans, albeit scarce. On asion, some fans came to visit the set. This, to him, was a new and magical experience.

    Their director was not some renowned big shot and splurged all the money on the movie. With no money left for publicity, Yu Yuanxi was baffled by how fans came to know him.

    Pei Xu frowned as Yu Yuanxi reservedly tried to make his way out of the crowd. Why did he have to act all prim and proper when he could just jump over the barrier? He could not stand to see Yu Yuanxi squished to a pulp. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, just jump over.¡±

    Caught in an awkward moment, Yu Yuanxi nced at the fans in the audience and hesitated. It did not sound like a good idea to skip over the hurdle.

    ¡°Our people are all here.¡± Pei Xu swung his arm and shouted. Yu Yuanxi¡¯s dilly-dallying drove him crazy.

    Indeed, the people here were from No. 4 High School who first hated Song Wenye before turning into her fans. Yu Yuanxi may not know them, but they recognized Yu Yuanxi. Yu Yuanxi was specially enrolled by the school and was also a celebrity. He signed on to a managing agency a few months ago and was off to act in a movie.

    In a show of respect to Pei Xu, the group merrily gave way for Yu Yuanxi to pass. It was sad to see an actor in the making standing in the pit.

    Having never done such a thing before, Yu Yuanxi was blushing to his ears. Still, the scorching gaze from the girls around him was a harder pill to swallow. Caught between a rock and a hard ce, he chose to jump the fence.

    Soon, he arrived at the International ss¡¯ seating.

    The international ss was nice to Yu Yuanxi because of Shen Xi. Alpha Xu also had a good rtionship with him and ate together several times. Sure, they were not the closest friends, but they were not strangers either.

    ¡°Who are you a fan of?¡± Curiosity got the better of Chu Ying as she eagerly asked the approaching Yu Yuanxi. It was hard to believe that Yu Yuanxi woulde and support his idol.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to watch Song Wenye¡¯s performance.¡± Yu Yuanxi was not one to lie.

    Last night, Song Wenye sent him a message, asking if he wasing for her debut performance. Since he wanted to see if it was possible to take a day off, he told her to wait for a reply.

    Yu Yuanxi was held up in the shoot without any time to take a breather. By the time he found the time to check his phone, the girl had cklisted him.

    He knew Song Wenye was angry for his prolonged non-response. Without waiting for the production crew, he finished his scene, bought the ticket, and came here directly.

    ¡°There¡¯s something¡­¡± Raising a brow, Pei Xu offhandedly curled his lips and dragged out his sentence. ¡°¡­fishy going on between you two!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re friends,¡± Yu Yuanxi exined.

    ¡°Are you done with the shoot?¡± Ignoring the answer, Pei Xu inquired further.

    ¡°No.¡± Yu Yuanxi shook his head.

    ¡°Where did you fly from?¡± Pei Xu asked another question.

    ¡°K Town.¡± Yu Yuanxi replied as questioned.

    Pei Xu chuckled. ¡°Oh, you flew all the way from K Town to watch your friend¡¯s performance in secret. Got it.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi furrowed his brows. ¡°Alpha Xu, don¡¯t poke fun at me.¡±

    They were not suited for each other.

    ¡°Jesus! So you like our Song Wenye? You¡¯re the bomb! I¡¯m all for you to go after her!¡± Chu Ying caught up to the story.

    Yu Yuanxi turned red in the face. Clearing his throat, he changed the topic by pointing to the stage. ¡°The debut performance is starting.¡±

    For some reason, he was reluctant to refute Chu Ying. Perhaps he was¡­ into Song Wenye?

    On stage, Song Wenye noticed Yu Yuanxi¡¯s engagement with Pei Xu and the rest. Of course, she was too far to pick up on their conversation. However, her eyes might be ying tricks, but she had a feeling that Yu Yuanxi was blushing.

    Yu Yuanxi was quick to turn red in the ears, especially when talking to girls. Song Wenye did not know if he was like this with all the girls or only when she teased the heck out of him.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye.¡± Ye Weiyang caught Song Wenye absent-mindedly gazing toward the audience. With the premiere of their debut performance about to begin, she urged her, ¡°Stay focused.¡±

    Han Yan¡¯s keen eyes picked up that Song Wenye was looking at her fans. Nevertheless, since there were three hotties there, she was unsure which one was Song Wenye staring at.

 Chapter 527 - Debut as a Group

    <h4>Chapter 527: Debut as a Group</h4>

    There was no time to dwell over it since the beats had dropped. Everyone swiftly stayed focused and put all their happiness, hopes, dreams, heart, and soul into performing their debut.

    They debuted as a group with the song ¡°Soar¡±, written by Mr. Xixi and choreographed by Xia Mi and Gu Yang.

    Once again, fans and viewers on set and in front of the TV were screaming with thrill by the magnificent debut, immersing in the soul-stirring and grand visual feast. It was wless from the lyrics to the moves.

    The happiest among the bunch were probably Xia Mi and Gu Yang. They were relieved and happy to watch the girls pulling all the stops on their debuting stage.

    Although this was only the first time they coborated with Mr. Xixi, they were left even more in awe of Mr. Xixi¡¯s talent. He filled in the lyrics on his own and gave a few suggestions on the choreography for them to work on. They were excited and looking forward to their next coboration with Mr. Xixi which would happen soon after.

    The performance ended.

    The host enthusiastically announced the moment everyone had been waiting for. All the sweat and tears existed for this very moment.

    The final seven girls to debut were listed by the host and appeared on all screens ording to the rankings ¨C Ye Weiyang, Song Wenye, Tong Kejun, Liu Qianyu, Guan Rou, Ji Jingyan, and Han Yan.

    The seven girls formally debuted as a girl group by the name of ¡°Glitzy Girls¡±.

    Silence befell for a while before thundering shrieks and apuse broke through the set. The fans whose idols had made it through the end were hugging and screaming as they celebrated this final win.

    Fans of the eliminated trainees were low in spirits and most of them even left quietly. Su Ruowan¡¯s fandom, especially, were too embarrassed to show their faces around after that rude awakening.

    The remaining few were cheering and shrieking together with other fans of the winners. It appeared they had ditched Su Ruowan and moved on to a new idol.

    On stage, the winners expressed their gratitude at the end of the celebration, thanking fans who had walked with them, mentors for guiding them throughout the journey, their agencies, and the production team. They hoped the fans would continue to support them and more of the usual thank-you speech.

    With the curtains closing on the grand finale, the public lifted their heads to the popping noise above their heads. The parade of fireworks was a sight to behold.

    It was over.

    The grand finale may have concluded, but it was only the beginning of the girls¡¯ future. Flower petals fluttered on stage and a line of words emerged on the big screen. ¡°May everything be peaches and roses for you!¡±

    With her eyes welling up, Ye Weiyang stared at Mr. Xixi as he got ready to get off the stage. Thetter returned the gaze and nodded with a hint of a smile. Ye Weiyang turned around and let loose the tears she had been holding in.

    She would never forget what he said to her during the first assessment. ¡°You¡¯re young. The sky¡¯s the limit when ites to your potential. Keep up the good work.¡±

    These words were the driving force and inspiration to hang on and persevere. She might only be a blip in Mr. Xixi¡¯s life, but Mr. Xixi was her life¡¯s savior.

    Shen Xi waited until Ye Weiyang was pulled away by the other girls before letting the smile in her eyes fade away. Ye Weiyang still had a long road ahead of her, but Shen Xi would always watch over her as Ye Weiyang achieved great heights in her singing career.

    The other mentors were d to be part of the girl¡¯s life as they grew and made it to the end. They were filled with a sense of achievement.

    Su Muyan was the only one among the mentors looking off. Under the dimmed light, he took off while the winners were getting off the stage. Su Muyan did look back at Mr. Xixi on his way out.

    Well, the guy must be pleased that the winners were all from Cosmos Entertainment.

    It finally got to Su Muyan¡¯s head that the other trainees were only strung along with Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s trainees. No matter how talented they were, there was no chance for these trainees to waltz into showbiz unless they were from Cosmos Entertainment.

    He and Wanwan were set up by Cosmos Entertainment and fell into the giarism scandal. To this day, Su Muyan had no inkling of what transpired.

    The middle person, with whom he had a good partnership, could no longer be found, even with the Su family pulling every string possible. It was as if the person disappeared into thin air.

    However, there were some leads about the owner behind Cosmos Entertainment and these clues were pointing at Yuan Yu, his half-brother!

    Yuan Yu acted like the useless golden boy in front of Mom and Dad but had been secretly plotting revenge on their family. Su Muyan and Wanwan were first on the chopping board.

    First Shen Xi, now Yuan Yu. What did the Su family do to deserve such vile, disgraceful, and unscrupulous animals in their lives!

    Shen Xi took a nce at Su Muyan and grinned.

    Su Muyan was ticked off by the smile. Since the camera was off and the stage lights were dimmed, he did not have to keep up with his appearance. ck in the face, he turned and stormed off.

    ¡°Mr. Xixi, good work.¡± Gu Yang extended an arm to Shen Xi.

    Atst, Shen Xi epted the gesture and shook his hand, adding a nod in between. ¡°You guys too.¡±

    The other mentors looked rxed. Despite all the twists and turns, the program finally came to a perfect end.

    The fun-loving Fang Yao proposed, ¡°Let¡¯s have a gathering!¡±

    While they were talking about where to hang out, Su Botao the chief director drew close. ¡°Don¡¯t forget toe to the wrap party.¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at Su Botao and turned down the offer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to get going as I have matters to attend to. I hope all of you have fun.¡±

    The mentors and Su Botao looked disappointed since they were hoping to bond with Mr. Xixi. What could they do when the other party would not give them a chance to?

    Knowing Mr. Xixi, Su Botao was not going to keep him for long. He said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s have a get-together next time then.¡±

    Mr. Xixi had great potential in variety shows. Although he rarely joined the shoot, he had the tendency to draw attention and drop bombs.

    Nevertheless, Su Botao knew that the opportunity to work together would onlye once. Notcking either fame or fortune, variety shows had nothing to offer him.

 Chapter 528 - The Young Man in a Wheelchair

    <h4>Chapter 528: The Young Man in a Wheelchair</h4>

    The group watched Mr. Xixi leave with regret before exchanging nces. They then cleared out the filming set.

    The fans also vacated the stadium.

    Unlike regr fans, the bunch of International ss had special ess. They made prior arrangements and left the stadium only to make a U-turn backstage. They went to see Song Wenye.

    Yu Yuanxi intended to leave, but Pei Xu dragged him toe along. The International ss students circled him like a shark as though they were afraid he would escape.

    The group advanced forth in droves.

    Chu Ying suddenly let out an exaggerated scream, ¡°Mr. Xixi!¡±

    Lifting her head to the source of the noise, Shen Xi noticed her bunch of ssmates with Yu Qiubai, and now, Yu Yuanxi the tag-along.

    Before anyone knew it, Chu Ying happily bolted over despite the look Mr. Xixi pulled. ¡°Mr. Xixi, I¡¯m a fan of yours. Can I have your autograph?¡±

    Shen Xi uttered in a low voice, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Please, Mr. Xixi. Only an autograph for the little old me.¡± Chu Ying was not one to give up that easily. She even had a pen and paper ready.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Xixi was just as aloof as in the rumors. She was curious about the half-face hidden behind the mask.

    Pei Xu was quick to stop her. ¡°Chu Ying,e back.¡±

    Finding it odd, Chu Ying turned back for a nce. She was reluctant to let the chance to ask for an autograph slip in this rare encounter. Asking for an autograph was no big deal.

    Still, she had to listen to Pei Xu. Chu Ying apologized to Mr. Xixi and stepped back in line, waiting until Mr. Xixi took off before dejectedly moaning, ¡°Alpha Xu, why did you stop me?¡±

    Pei Xu turned back to catch a nce of the person who was almost out of sight and said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You¡¯ll have lots of opportunities soon.¡±

    Since they practically hung out every day, what was the point of asking for an autograph? He wondered how the group would react when they found out that Mr. Xixi was Shen Xi?

    Yu Qiubai darted a dithering look at Pei Xu. Was Pei Xu aware of Mr. Xixi¡¯s identity too?

    Pei Xu returned the gaze but kept mum.

    The International ss girls found the whole situation regretful as well since they had taken to Mr. Xixi being fans of Qi Xiu.

    However, it was not proper to get in Mr. Xixi¡¯s face now that he had said no. Their upbringing disabled them from acting beyond the boundaries of ssiness.

    Yu Yuanxi looked back at Mr. Xixi¡¯s receding figure. He got a familiar feeling when Mr. Xixi walked past. Was it all in his head?

    ¡°Say, do you think Mr. Xixi is a hottie?¡± Chu Ying¡¯s imagination went wild. Mr. Xixi had never made an appearance sans mask.

    The semi-secrecy left a lot to the imagination after all. Before, whenizens had no idea who Mr. Xixi was, they would say he was too hideous to show his face.

    The situation took aplete turn when Mr. Xixi¡¯s identity was revealed. Ditching the negative tone,izens praised him to be the hunk of the year. His talent only added to his charm.

    ¡°I think so too.¡± One of the girls was starstruck and appeared lovesick. ¡°I want to remove his mask with my bare hands!¡±

    Clearing his throat, Pei Xu let out a warning. ¡°Behave yourselves!¡±

    Hunk? Hottie? More like a doll. He hoped they would be shocked to bits should they find out one day.

    Meanwhile, Yu Qiubai was holding a conversation with Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Are youing back to school tomorrow?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Yu Qiubai grinned. ¡°Are you going to apply for any schools?¡±

    Tomorrow was the 23rd of July, which was the day for college application submission. With National College Entrance Examination¡¯s results out, it was announced that the overall top achiever and the highest scorers in both liberal arts and science were students of No. 4 High School. The title of overall top achiever eluded Yu Qiubai by two points.

    The person next to him was the top scorer in liberal arts.

    The other person who brushed past them was the top achiever in science.

    In previous years, the media would flock the top achievers for interviews once the result was out. It was a different story this year with the media nowhere to be found.

    The person seen on TV the most was Shen Xi¡¯s father, Shen Zhangqing. He epted two interviews and proudly praised his daughter without holding back. Humility was needless because his daughter was brilliant.

    ¡°Capital University.¡± Having signed onto Cosmos Entertainmentst year, Yu Yuanxi had merely begun his journey in showbiz. Since he never had ns to step into the entertainment world before, applying for the film academy never crossed his mind.

    ¡°Any faculties in mind?¡± Yu Qiubai was intrigued because this was the person Shen Xi had her eye on and signed into herpany.

    ¡°Journalism.¡± Yu Yuanxi was not thatmitted to his field of study following the realization that he enjoyed acting after dabbling in it. Since he missed the college examination on this specialty and the film academy not being an option, he had to enroll in a rted field of study.

    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± Yu Qiubai was not very close to Yu Yuanxi to delve deep into the conversation. They soon kept to themselves.

    The talk about applying for their choice of college dampened the International ss bunch¡¯s high spirits. Chu Ying was especially unhappy.

    Oh, right!

    Tomorrow was the day they were to register for colleges. Many of them would not be filling in the forms since the application was for within the country. They had already received offers from colleges abroad.

    They were going abroad after the summer holidays. It would be donkey years before they could get together like right now.

    Leading the pack was Pei Xu, who was on the phone, suddenly turned to them. ¡°You guys should go ahead and meet Song Wenye. Give her my best. I have an emergency to attend to in the capital.¡±

    Chu Ying blurted, ¡°What happened?¡±

    They were a step away from meeting Song Wenye. What was the big rush when they all agreed to celebrate her victory?

    ¡°I need to pick someone up.¡± Pei Xu swiftly took off.

    Yu Yuanxi nced at Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai shrugged. How was he supposed to know who was so important for Pei Xu to pick up and miss out on Song Wenye¡¯s victory celebration? In fact, Yu Qiubai was unclear why he was hanging out with the International ss, but it was a great feeling.

    With Pei Xu gone, Song Wenye kicked up a fuss about it, but she was about to overlook the fact since Alpha Xu made an effort toe to her every performance.

    The next day was application day. The International ss might not have a part in this, but they arrived early to school and stepped into their ssroom, which had been so for the past three years.

    Shen Xi set foot into the ss on time and took notice of the seat beside her. The chair at Pei Xu¡¯s seat was pushed to the side and reced by a young man in a wheelchair.

 Chapter 529 - Ho*s Before Bros!

    <h4>Chapter 529: Ho*s Before Bros!</h4>

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart sank as worry washed over her. Her gaze fell on his legs with a thin nketid over them, hiding away from prying eyes.

    The young man nced at her and scoffed before turning away to the window. It was clear from his indifferent yet childish demeanor that he was angry.

    Although the International ss students were horsing around and yelling for Sister Xi before, they were sensible enough to quiet down after picking up on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s not-so-subtle facial expression.

    The young man was Alpha Xu¡¯s friend who flew in from United M yesterday. He said he wanted to look around the school and experience high school life in China.

    The group gazed at Fu Qingxuan and then at Shen Xi before realizing the tension between them. They exchanged a nce, trying to get an answer out of each other.

    Shen Xi greeted the International ss and made a beeline towards Fu Qingxuan. She intended to walk past him unconcerned but could not resist asking him, ¡°Young Master Qingxuan, is this thetest fad?¡±

    F*ck!

    So they knew each other!

    After the shock, nosiness ensued. The International ss students were curious about what was going on between them since the young man was quite the looker. That was right. He had an unpainted face that bore androgynous beauty. Their breaths were taken away at the first look, and it only got better from there.

    Alpha Xu might be handsome but he was not of the same breed. Out of all the people they had seen in their lifetime, Sister Xi was the only one in the same league as him. Sister Xi had the ice queen look that hit them in the face, albeit the charm gradually grew on them.

    The pair were head-to-head and unparalleled in looks.

    The question of whether they knew each other did not matter anymore as the International ss bunch was distracted by their beauty.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Fu Qingxuan coldly snorted, refusing to cast her a nce.

    He was injured and broke his leg in a car ident, but Meanie being Meanie never came to visit him or showed any concern!

    Shen Xi sighed to herself. Since the man-child was giving her the cold shoulder, she took a seat and whipped out her phone to y with.

    Livid to find Shen Xi sitting down unbothered without giving him the time of day, Fu Qingxuan sulked and pouted. By the corner of his eye, he peeked at Shen Xi before throwing his phone away.

    Chu Ying had been quietly keeping an eye on them, holding her breath against the tension in the air. Noticing that Fu Qingxuan¡¯s phone tumbled far away, she wanted to go and pick up the phone but was held back by the cold and warning look on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s face.

    Fu Qingxuan cleared his throat. ¡°Hey, my phone dropped!¡±

    Sitting next to him, Shen Xi was too engrossed on her phone to say a thing.

    ¡°Pick up my phone!¡± Fu Qingxuan was frustrated by her nonresponse.

    Shen Xi remained still.

    Fu Qingxuan could no longer stand it anymore. Meanie must be sent by God to get on his nerves. He restlessly and aggrievedly shouted, ¡°Shen Xi, I dropped my phone!¡±

    Holy sh*t!

    Chu Ying was stunned.

    The International ss students froze.

    The young man had kept up with a standoffish demeanor from the time he wheeled in through the door, deterring them from engaging in conversation with him from after the initial greeting. Yet now, he appeared to be a pouting child throwing a tantrum with an adult.

    Shen Xi knew it. She looked at him in disdain. ¡°Is it fun throwing your phone away?¡±

    ¡°It was an ident!¡± Fu Qingxuan was too stubborn to admit to it. He pointed at the phone. ¡°Pick it up.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Pick it up yourself.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan stuck his neck out. ¡°I broke my leg.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°How did you break your leg?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan cooled off the high pitch. ¡°In a car ident.¡±

    The sulky and hurting undertones in his voice pulled at Shen Xi¡¯s heartstring. ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°None of your business. Retrieve my phone.¡± Fu Qingxuan did not sound as harsh. In fact, he resembled a poor puppy dog.

    Shen Xi finally picked up the phone and handed it to him. ustomed to getting down to eye level when talking to a person in a wheelchair, she calmly inquired, ¡°Are you going to go home yourself, or do I have to call your big brother?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you!¡± Fu Qingxuan was flushed in the face. ¡°I came to have fun with Pei Xu. I could care less even if you call upon the Jade Emperor himself.¡±

    Their exchange gave the International ss one whammy after another. Did the young man leave home? What was his rtionship with Sister Xi?

    ¡°Great.¡± Shen Xi then returned to her seat.

    At the door, a shriek cut through the room. ¡°Jesus Christ. What happened to your leg, Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    Without looking up, Shen Xi could tell it was Song Wenye. With the talent show over and done with, the girls were given two days off before work came in full swing.

    Freaked out, Song Wenye came rushing in and fussed about Fu Qingxuan. Having heard he was in an ident, she expressed her deepest sympathy and concern with a bunch of questions. ¡°How are you feeling now? Does it still hurt? When can you stand up? I hope there won¡¯t be anyplications.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan begrudgingly stared at Shen Xi and turned up the volume. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, thank you for your concern.¡±

    Meanie should take a good look at how a normal person would think and react. Was it that hard for her to offer sympathy and show some concern?

    The International ss was shocked to find the pretty boy not only knew Alpha Xu and Sister Xi, but he also met Song Wenye before!

    Song Wenye felt sorry for the young man¡¯s leg as it only added a w to his beauty if that perfect pair of legs suffered a long-term hobblingplication or failed to stand up again. She could rest knowing that he was fine. She looked around the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Alpha Xu?¡±

    With Chu Ying having the chance to talk, atst, she could release the chatty beast within her. Raising her hand, she jolted up and gazed at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Alpha Xu went to get breakfast for him!¡±

    Getting the picture, Song Wenye pulled a seat next to Fu Qingxuan. ¡°So Alpha Xu went to fetch you from the airport yesterday?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan acknowledged that fact.

    Song Wenye practiced free rein when talking. She might show restraint in public, but she let everything loose in front of her people. She scoffed. ¡°Ho*s before bros!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gave her a strange look.

    Song Wenye chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that he shouldn¡¯t pick you up, but yesterday was my debut performance. What I¡¯m trying to say is, you¡¯re more important to him than I am.¡±

    The exnation just made the situation weirder.

    The International ss bunch exchangedplicated looks but were stopped from probing further by Song Wenye¡¯s intimidating re. What was going on? Song Wenye only injected suggestive elements into the innocent topic with thatment.

 Chapter 530 - An Invitation to Audition from Screenwriter Cloud Seven

    <h4>Chapter 530: An Invitation to Audition from Screenwriter Cloud Seven</h4>

    Having said her piece, Song Wenye rushed to Shen Xi¡¯s side and described to her the train wreck when Su Ruowan was stripped of her makeup.

    Pei Xu quickly returned bearing bags while Lin Ge trailed behind with a spread of breakfast in his hands. The International ss came on them like a hungry pack of wolves.

    Song Wenye frowned and mumbled, ¡°I thought Alpha Xu was buying you breakfast.¡±

    Pei Xu drew close and ced some breakfast on the desk before ncing at Shen Xi andpany. ¡°Have you guys had your breakfast?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. Of course, she had had the most important meal of the day. Instead of buying her breakfast, Old Shen got up first thing in the morning and made her noodles with two poached eggs.

    Song Wenye lived alone, and it took a lot for her just to feed all her babies at home, let alone herself. She pointed and said, ¡°Alpha Xu, I want the pancake rolled with some crisp fritter.¡±

    Pei Xu threw the steamed bun at her. ¡°Have this instead!¡±

    Song Wenye watched as Pei Xu handed her pancake to Fu Qingxuan. She cast a nce and nothing more because she was fine with anything.

    After epting the pancake, Fu Qingxuan showed his good manners by expressing his gratitude before cing the food on Shen Xi¡¯s desk. He cleared his throat and uttered, ¡°I have two pastured eggs added in the crisp pancake rather than a crisp fritter.¡±

    Song Wenye was left twisting in the wind.

    The International ss student froze once again.

    F*ck! What the hell was going on? Their rtionship was simply a wheel within a wheel!

    Oblivious to the surrounding eyes, Pei Xu pulled a chair and sat nearby. He took out the takeaway and began to dig in.

    Shen Xi turned to Song Wenye. ¡°I thought you wanted the pancake? Here you go.¡±

    Song Wenye could feel the piercing threating from Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes. She giggled foolishly. ¡°Nah. I love this steamed bun. You should eat it.¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Are you not going to have any?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan yed it cool. ¡°I¡¯m having a steamed bun.¡±

    Shen Xi used a stic bag to split the pancake in half.

    Although Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes flickered with delight, he had to moan when taking the food. ¡°I told you I¡¯m having the pancake, why are you still giving it to me?¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Would it kill the young master to stop with the stubborn and cocky act?

    Sure, Song Wenye might live in a world of her own, but she took notice of a strange phenomenon. Unable to resist, she asked, ¡°It dawned on me that you have simr ptes!¡±

    Xixi and the young master preferred the pancake and both ditched dairy for sweetened soy milk. This was not so much a big deal, but the smallest gesture they made while eating was amazingly uncanny. It was not to say she was observant, but they were quite in tune.

    Fu Qingxuan smiled at the remark.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, furrowed her brows. Really?

    The group merrily enjoyed their breakfast, concluding the breakfast at school only was the icing on the cake. However, this was probably theirst breakfast here.

    While it was always sad to say goodbye, separation was inevitable in life.

    There was no need for the International ss to fill in the college registration forms, except for Shen Xi. They were going to study abroad, including Pei Xu.

    The n to go abroad was in shambles now that Song Wenye chose the glitz and mor of showbiz. Sure, she participated in the National College Entrance Examination, but her horrible grades scored her a whopping three hundred-odd points in total. Since her marks were only enough for her to get intomunity college, she nned to repeat the year and retake the exam.

    In the end, Shen Xi was the only one who filled in the application form for the college of her choice. As expected, she picked the school of medicine in Capital University, the best school in China for medicine and healthcare.

    With today being the application day at No. 4 High School, Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were present as well. Although they did not make top achievers, the attention they received was no less than one.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s giarism, bad character, and ugliness shook China to the core. Named the shame of No. 4 High School, Su Ruowan lost the support of her peers and became the subject of personal attacks.

    Had it not been for the students¡¯ upstanding characters, they would have cut her off at the Top ss and humiliated her in public. People were organizing a petition behind closed doors so higher institutions would not enroll a disgraceful student like her.

    It goes without saying that this sort of petition was a waste of effort. The higher institutions were not going to turn their backs on the heiress of the Su family and the future wife of the Gu family.

    All was business as usual in the Top ss as if the group had a memorypse about what had happened to Su Ruowan as they went on with their day.

    Meanwhile, Chen Bingbing led the girls to swarm Su Ruowan, sharing chats andughs in a friendly manner.

    ¡°Wanwan, you¡¯re going to be a hit.¡± Chen Bingbing was gleeful. ¡°You can do it. I heard Cloud Seven the screenwriter barely hands out an invitation to audition.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! That film star, Gong Zhi contacted Cloud Seven in private to star in her movie, but Cloud Seven won¡¯t even give her a chance to audition. I wouldn¡¯t want to be in her shoes.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Cloud Seven picks actors based on the roles. It¡¯s a surefire you¡¯d get the part if you get the audition. That was the case with ¡®The Smiling Nation¡¯. Don¡¯t forget about us when you make it big.¡±

    The girls talked at once about the rumors and secrets they heard, but most of all, they would not stop ttering Su Ruowan.

    They paid no heed to the giarism and bare face reveal. These were nothing because Cloud Seven had her eye on Wanwan and issued an invitation for an audition.

    Everyone in showbiz knew that it was a guaranteed shot to fame to be in Cloud Seven¡¯s work. ¡°The Smiling Nation¡± found fame for the actors. From the main actors to the supporting roles, all of them made a name for themselves.

    It had been six months since thest episode of ¡°The Smiling Nation¡±, yet the drama remained much talked about. A few days ago, someone did the math and estimated Cloud Seven¡¯s drama had pushed He Pei, Shen Ruoning, and Gao Meng past the A list, four actors towards the A list, and a dozen more to the B list. This was a phenomenal drama indeed.

    ¡°I will do my best.¡± Su Ruowan smiled humbly.

    Everyone believed Su Ruowan would withdraw from showbiz after all that happened. The public mocked, taunted, and made fun of her.

    Well, let them troll and run their mouths for she had received an invitation from Screenwriter Cloud Seven. To her knowledge, many in the entertainment world had gotten in touch with Cloud Seven, even the most renowned actors who were willing to have a pay cut had the honors.

    The invitation to audition from Cloud Seven was the best counterattack to the gossip and those who looked down on her!

 Chapter 531 - Out Wheeled a Man in a Wheelchair

    <h4>Chapter 531: Out Wheeled a Man in a Wheelchair</h4>

    Try as the public might st and taunt, it would never stop Su Ruowan from establishing a hit career in the entertainment world. That would show them!

    Sitting nearby, Su Mushi was fixated on Su Ruowan¡¯s little face as he tightened his fist and hid the grimace behind his eyes. He had been waiting, thinking that Cloud Seven the Screenwriter woulde looking for him.

    Yet at the end of the day, Screenwriter Cloud Seven was after Wanwan, not him!

    Why?

    It was clear that Cloud Seven was fond of him, so why was he not considered for the male lead part? He should be the main actor of the new TV series!

    In thest row, Yu Qiubai listlessly slumped against the chair, narrowing his foxy eyes at the radiant Su Ruowan who had a second chance in life with great gusto.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven, huh?

    Su Ruowan was walking on air to have gotten an audition. He wondered how long her joy wouldst and what was that girl up to now.

    Was it not enough for her that Su Ruowan became the most hated person on earth? Why did she hand the much-coveted audition to Su Ruowan on a silver tter?

    Sigh. It was best not to rack his brains about it since it was not like he was ever able to read her mind. Yu Qiubai was going to kick back and watch the drama unfold with popcorn in hand.

    While all was calm at the Top ss, the International ss was filled with cheers andughter, going out with onest bang.

    With the paperwork for the application out of the way, Shen Xi was summoned by the homeroom teacher for an interview with awork. The school hoped Shen Xi could put in the good word for her alma mater.

    As the top achiever in science, Shen Xi did not mind being on camera. She was happy to do her due diligence as a student and advocate for the school.

    Also to be interviewed was Yu Yuanxi, the top scorer in liberal arts. Counting on this day for the two to show up at school, the press arrived in droves so as not to miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to interview them.

    The school arranged a small-scale press conference, letting in known state media and legitimate news outlets to ask professional questions.

    It was afternoon by the time the interview was over. The International ss had dispersed after making ns for a fun day tomorrow. Only Pei Xu, Song Wenye, and Fu Qingxuan stayed behind for Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi walked side by side toward the ssroom while engaging in a talk. They were mainly chatting about Yu Yuanxi¡¯stest filming.

    Having arrived at the building, Yu Yuanxi went to his ssroom to collect his things.

    Shen Xi called out to him. ¡°My mom wants you toe and have dinner with us. Wait for me here, and I¡¯ll be right down.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi stopped in his tracks before turning back to smile warmly at her. ¡°Sure.¡±

    It did not take too long for Shen Xi and the rest toe down. Lo and behold, Yu Qiubai and Yu Yuanxi were standing there and sharing a conversation.

    To this day, Song Wenye had an issue with Yu Qiubai. She kept looking daggers at Yu Qiubai on their way out of school.

    Yu Qiubai was unabashed and unfazed.

    Amid all the chatter, the group quickly saw a woman waiting by a car at the school entrance. It was Yun Jinping.

    The lot, except Yu Yuanxi, eagerly fought to be the first to greet Shen Xi¡¯s mother. In the end, Song Wenye beat them all and got dibs. ¡°Mrs. Shen, I miss you so much.¡±

    Yun Jinping happily received Song Wenye with open arms. After a round of greetings, she turned to the other kids and extended an invitation. ¡°Come and have dinner with us if you have the time right now.¡±

    This was music to Pei Xu and the others¡¯ ears. They had nned to invite themselves even if they were not invited. Moreover, nobody was going to say no to a personal invitation from Mrs. Shen.

    Yun Jinping came to pick up her darling daughter and Yu Yuanxi, not expecting a group of them here. The car she drove could not fit all of them, much less Fu Qingxuan who was in a wheelchair.

    However, a caravan soon parked in front of the entrance.

    A driver in formal attire got off and respectfully approached Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Young Master.¡±

    Well, that solved the problem about car seats. The question now was who was to take Yun Jinping and Fu Qingxuan¡¯s cars.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drive Mrs. Shen¡¯s car. You guys should ride with Xuan,¡± Yu Yuanxi proposed.

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Pei Xu raised his hand.

    ¡°Ditto!¡± Yu Qiubai nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Lil¡¯ Yu. You guys should go with Xuan!¡± Yun Jinping was worried about leaving him to drive alone.

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, why don¡¯t you take Fu Qingxuan¡¯s car? I¡¯ll go with him.¡± Song Wenye chimed in without paying much attention to the conversation. The words came out of her mouth without much thought, and by the time she realized it, it was toote.

    Yu Qiubai and Pei Xu pulled Yun Jinping aside and left.

    Shen Xi took a nce at Song Wenye before wheeling Fu Qingxuan to keep up.

    Song Wenye opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

    Cool as a cucumber, Yu Yuanxi earnestly exined to ease Song Wenye of what he thought was fear. ¡°I know my way around.¡±

    Rosiness blushed her cheeks as his words drove her mind to wander into what seemed to be the gutter. Without a word, she opened the door and got into the car.

    Yu Yuanxi got into the car as well.

    With the heat getting to her, Song Wenye looked at Yu Yuanxi and cleared her throat. ¡°Turn down the heat.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi answered softly, ¡°It¡¯s 25 degrees. Any lower and you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±

    Pouting her lips, Song Wenye looked out the window and hummed a single-syble utterance. It took her a while to break the silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to cklist you. My¡­ My hand slipped.¡±

    She regretted cklisting him yet did not know how to talk to him about it. Hence, she left the matter hanging.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Yuanxi faintly responded as the tinge of joy in his eyes spread.

    ¡°What do you mean okay? Do you not believe me?¡± Song Wenye was a firecracker.

    ¡°No.¡± Not the least bit angry, Yu Yuanxi gazed at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault to keep you waiting.¡±

    Song Wenye was stumped for words facing those warm, sincere, and pure hazel eyes. After an internal struggle, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m in the wrong too. I shouldn¡¯t have cklisted you.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi broke into a smile and quickly turned his eyes on the wheel and started the car just before Song Wenye could lose another temper. He urged her, ¡°Put on your seatbelt.¡±

    Cutting the snide remarks for once, Song Wenyepliantly put on her seatbelt and picked up her head to find the young man¡¯s lean fingers holding a gift. His raspy voice sounded somewhat sexy. ¡°Congrats.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s heart could melt. She epted the gift and pretended it was nothing. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    While there was a hint of romance in the air here, it was bustling over at the caravan.

    Yun Jinping knew about Fu Qingxuan¡¯s car ident and a broken leg as he had called her on the day of the ident. He told her to keep it from Shen Xi in case thetter might worry and not be able to concentrate on her National College Entrance Examination.

    Yun Jinping was also aware that Fu Qingxuan was here in China. He asked her to keep it a secret as he wanted to give Shen Xi a surprise.

    Two cars, one behind the other, were headed towards the Shens¡¯ residence and they arrived an hourter.

    Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai worked together to get Fu Qingxuan off the caravan.

    They had just gotten out of the caravan when they noticed a car pulling up at the neighbor¡¯s driveway. The neighbor must have just returned home. The car door opened and out came a man in a wheelchair.

 Chapter 532 - So This Was Toffeecitoâ€™s Dad?

    <h4>Chapter 532: So This Was Toffeecito¡¯s Dad?</h4>

    Following closely behind, Shen Xi got out of the car and saw the neighbor in the wheelchair getting off. She happily waved her arm and greeted him. ¡°Uncle Jin Yu.¡±

    Jin Yu hurt his leg pretty badly a few days ago. Restricted in mobility, he had to use a wheelchair.

    With a friendly smile, Jin Yu nodded at her and uttered in a thick voice, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    Pei Xu was mind blown. Mixed with emotions, he looked at the man before turning to Shen Xi. F*ck! No way! Was he the neighbor? Toffeecito¡¯s Dad?

    The man was good-looking and had a refined presence to him, but he was a little old for her. Sure, he looked good for his age, but the man must be at least forty!

    Fu Qingxuan was first filled with a strange sense of familiarity, but the feelings were soon overtaken by rage. With cold and razor-sharp eyes, he sized up the man in the wheelchair.

    So he was the neighbor?

    Was this the man Meanie had a crush on? Was this the man who gave her a red packet and fireworks during the New Year?

    F*ck!

    Hell no!

    In no way was he going to approve the rtionship!

    The man was too old for Meanie, and she was underaged! He had no shame for trying to rob the cradle!

    Yun Jinping finally met the neighbor in the flesh after he moved in a year ago. Instead of a strange man she was expecting, the neighbor turned out to be a dashing gentleman.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi had gotten out of the car in the back and found the group still standing at the entrance. Song Wenye ran up and took notice of the handsome mister in a wheelchair on the next-door driveway. She had to drool over his looks.

    The handsome mister had a mature charm and appeal that were only instilled with the passing of time. This trait could not be found in youngsters.

    She did not suppose the handsome mister was the father of Toffeecito¡¯s dad?

    Godd*mnit!

    The whole family had quite the genes. Toffeecito¡¯s dad was a looker, but the man did not fall behind in looks either.

    Having heard cars in the driveway, Shen Zhangqing ran out and saw the man in the wheelchair next door. His eyes reflected wary.

    Jin Yu was surprised to bump into the girl bringing home friends. He recognized the woman standing with her and the man who came out of the house. They were her parents. He nodded at Shen Zhangqing. ¡°Hello, Mr. Shen.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing stared at him for a while until he was able to let go of his inhibition. He greeted him with a smile. ¡°Hello.¡±

    The neighbor was really an older mister about his age. The man looked at his daughter as a caring elder would to a child.

    It turned out Shen Zhangqing was overthinking the situation. He should have trusted his daughter was obedient enough not to date behind his back.

    Pei Xu tugged at Song Wenye and raised his brows to ask with his eyes. ¡®Is he Toffeecito¡¯s dad?¡¯

    Song Wenye shook her head and gave him a look to answer ¡®no.¡¯

    Toffeecito¡¯s dad was practically the reincarnation of Adonis. Although she only met him once, she was sure that it was not this handsome mister.

    She could tell that Toffeecito¡¯s dad was not that old, at most twenty-odd years old.

    The group introduced themselves to Jin Yu.

    Fu Qingxuan, on the other hand, gave Jin Yu a dirty look the whole time.

    Looking at the wheelchair-bound young man, Jin Yu let out a warm smile at him while feeling sorry and sympathetic.

    The young man looked familiar. Did he have trouble with his legs like Li Yuan?

    Faced with a smile, Fu Qingxuan was once again hit with a strange feeling. Sudden grief filled his senses, overtaking his every being.

 Chapter 533 - The Shen Familyâ€™s Child â€“ Shen Zhifei

    <h4>Chapter 533: The Shen Family¡¯s Child ¨C Shen Zhifei</h4>

    The feeling was fleeting for Fu Qingxuan as it was outweighed by the hostility and spite he had for the man. No matter what, he was an animal forying a finger on a high school girl!

    Meanwhile, Pei Xu and Song Wenye were whispering into each other¡¯s ears. He could rx now knowing that this person was not Toffeecito¡¯s dad. The middle-aged man in the wheelchair was not a good match for Xixi.

    Moreover, he had seen Toffeecito¡¯s dad at Situ family¡¯s pharmaceutical manufacturing factory the other day but Pei Xu did not get a good look at his face because the man remained in the dimly lit car.

    After the exchange of introductions and greetings, Jin Yu went on his way.

    Fu Qingxuan kept an eye on him until he stepped into his house before unhappily turning away.

    This was a major and beautiful misunderstanding. While there were long faces, there were also people in delight. A contrast from Fu Qingxuan who bottled up all his questions, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were both merry.

    Yun Jinping looked at Shen Zhangqing and whispered in his ear. ¡°Honey, do you feel better now?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Zhangqing was beaming. Having met the neighbor, atst, he felt relieved.

    It was a huge family celebration for Shen Xi to submit her college application. If they were back in their hometown, they would beying out tables and inviting the whole neighborhood to celebrate.

    Shen Zhanglin and his wife Du Juan came early to help out. Since it had been two weeks since the opening of their restaurant, things had started to calm down a bit. It would not do any harm if they left for a day or two.

    Shen Tang was not around. Ever since her arrival at the capital, she had been keeping to a routine, clocking on and off work punctually every day, but she was recently upied with helping Qi Xiu to work on the rookies¡¯ debut album.

    On his summer break, Shen Feng followed his professor to the capital two weeks ago to work on a project with Capital University. He just got off the phone with the professor when he saw the group entering the house.

    He recognized two people among the group ¨C Yu Qiubai and Fu Qingxuan. Upon closer look, Fu Qingxuan was in a wheelchair. He went up to greet them with a grin.

    Song Wenye licked her chops at yet another hottie in the house. Although Shen Feng¡¯s physical attractiveness did not take her breath away, he was still a hunk on par with Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai.

    When Shen Feng came out, Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes peeked behind Shen Feng, but Shen Tang was nowhere to be found. Still, he said nothing.

    Yu Qiubai tended to take things lightly as nothing was of importance to him except his mother. Nevertheless, the girl with a warm smile left a lingering impression on him.

    Shen Feng sympathized with Fu Qingxuan after learning about his car ident. All that mattered was he turned out fine and his legs would be as good as new in no time.

    Yun Jinping and Du Juan entertained the kids, serving them a whole spread of fruit tter, beverages, nuts, and seeds.

    Having been to the Shens¡¯ residence more than once, the group loosened up and made themselves at home, apart from the quiet Yu Yuanxi.

    Yu Yuanxi looked around for things to do. Taking a nce at the rowdy group, he got up and went to the kitchen.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, go and have fun with them. What are you doing here?¡± Shen Zhangqing chased him out of the kitchen. The child was honest and well-behaved with a heart of gold. In short, he was a good boy.

    ¡°I¡¯m just sitting around. Just tell me what to do.¡± Yu Yuanxi smiled.

    Shen Zhangqing had to say something since it was not proper to have a guest helping in the kitchen.

    Weing the help, Yun Jinping gleefully turned to him. ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, trim the greens for me. Honey, grab two radishes from the garden.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Zhangqing was on his way to the door when he looked whiningly at Yu Yuanxi for taking his seat. Why did he have a feeling that his wife thought he was more a bother than help?

    Everyone in the kitchen was handling thebor work, apart from Shen Zhanglin. As a chef, no one else was best suited to do the cooking.

    On vegetable chopping duty, Du Juan turned to nce at Yu Yuanxi who sat quietly opposite Yun Jinping. She had to say, she was fond of the quiet and handsome young chap.

    She took notice of him from the start. With the boy¡¯s discreet and quiet nature standing out among the cheery and boisterous bunch, Du Juan could tell he had a good temper.

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, I¡¯m here to help.¡±

    With Shen Zhangqing gone, there was extra room in the kitchen. All excited, Song Wenye came running in when she saw Yu Yuanxi. She was caught between entering and retreating.

    She was told that Yu Yuanxi and Mr. Shen were in the garden picking radishes. Yet, here he was in the kitchen!

    ¡°Run along, you two. We have enough people here.¡± Yun Jinping smiled helplessly. It was a happy problem to have people fighting to help.

    ¡°I can wash the vegetables.¡± Song Wenye volunteered because that was all she knew. She had been to the Shens¡¯ residence a few times and washed the vegetables. She was never usually found in the kitchen.

    ¡°Out, you.¡± Shen Zhangqing came bearing radishes he had hoisted outside. The white radishes looked adorable. ¡°We got this. I¡¯d have nowhere to stand with you guys in here.¡±

    He then said to Yu Yuanxi, ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, go and have a good time with them.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi had no choice but toply. He put down the potato, washed his hands, and went off. One step ahead of him, Song Wenye ran off.

    With the kids gone, Du Juan and Yu Jinping sat together. Nothing made them happier than the sound of kids having a st.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu is so nice and handsome,¡± Du Juanmented with all smiles.

    She took to quiet and sensible children, especially boys. Rarely would there be a child so mature for his age.

    The remaining kids were just as nice, but of course, there was bound to be a little favoritism in y. Not everyone was the same after all. Du Juan had a good first impression of Lil¡¯ Yu.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yun Jinping nodded in agreement and replied, ¡°He¡¯s neen this year. The same age as Zhifei.¡±

    Du Juan stopped chopping the vegetable following the mention of the name, nearly cutting herself. She cautiously nced at Yun Jinping beforementing. ¡°Oh, Jinping.¡±

    No one in the family dared to bring up this name, afraid that it may evoke sad memories in Yun Jinping. However, not a day went by without them thinking of him, the Shen family¡¯s child ¨C Shen Zhifei.

    Speaking of which, Zhifei was also a quiet and sensible child who never kicked up a fuss like his peers. Sigh, what a shame.

    He would be as big as Lil¡¯ Yu if he was still around.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Yun Jinping was only briefly letting her feelings out. She knew that one day, she would find her son and reunite with him.

    Listening in on the conversation, Shen Zhangqing and Shen Zhanglin fell silent.

 Chapter 534 - Is There Any Misunderstanding About Me?

    <h4>Chapter 534: Is There Any Misunderstanding About Me?</h4>

    Shen Zhanglin sighed in his heart and felt extremely ufortable. He nced at Shen Zhangqing and noticed that his little brother¡¯s eyes had turned red at some point.

    It had been a while since the name was brought up.

    They always had faith that so long the missing person was alive, they would be found, yet it was hard not to think about the possibility of something bad happening after 17 long years.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s heart clenched. His son had been missing for 17 years and was still not found. He med himself for this. It was hard for him not to think about his son because how could he not? However, all he could do was bury the thought deep in his heart.

    He thought Zhifei would be as sensible as Xiao Yu if he were here because after all, his son had always been sensible since he was in the womb.

    The two men in the kitchen were silent. The conversation between Du Juan and Yu Jinping had moved on to Song Wenye¡¯s audition. They were also talking about Su Ruowan.

    Du Juan knew that Su Ruowan was the adopted daughter of the Su family. However, she was surprised to learn that Su Ruowan did not have good manners and was not attractive at all. Du Juan could not exin why the Su family had decided to kick Xixi out and give all their love to the adopted daughter instead.

    On second thought, she was d that Xixi was kicked out of the Su family. Xixi had been the daughter of the Shen family since day one and they could not be bothered about Su¡¯s possessions and influence at all.

    A group of youngsters was yfully chatting in the living room.

    ¡°Toffeecito,e to your godmother.¡± Song Wenye teased Toffeecito with a cat toy.

    Toffeecito did not even look at Song Wenye. It snuggled up on Fu Qingxuan¡¯sp and was not bothered to move as it casually licked and groomed its fur like it was at home.

    Even Pei Xu failed to get Toffeecito¡¯s attention with its favorite canned cat food, let alone the cat toy because it seemed to be looking for someone specifically in a wheelchair.

    Fu Qingxuan did not take much pleasure in it either. Toffeecito ignored everyone in the room, including him, as if hisp was just a prop. He reached out to pet Toffeecito again but was pped and hissed at.

    ¡°Haha. Xixi, what¡¯s wrong with Toffeecito?¡± Pei Xu was amused by Toffeecito¡¯s behavior.

    Although Toffeecito went to Fu Qingxuan, the hissing showed that it did not want to get closer with him.

    ¡°Toffeecito is shy around strangers.¡± Deep down, Shen Xi knew it was that very spot that Toffeecito fancied sitting on and not on Fu Qingxuan. She knew the cat just liked to sit on that spot, regardless of whether it was Fu Qingxuan or not.

    The moment Fu Qingxuan entered the house, Toffeecito quickly jumped onto hisp. Perhaps it had mistaken Fu Qingxuan for his brother as there were too many people in the room.

    She did not know why Toffeecito stayed in that spot.

    Those who were ignored by Toffeecito were relieved when it snarled at Fu Qingxuan.

    ¡°Come here for a moment, Xixi,¡± Shen Zhangqing called out from the kitchen.

    Shen Xi stood up and ran into the kitchen. She stopped after two steps and warned Fu Qingxuan, ¡°Be careful with the ws, don¡¯t provoke him.¡±

    He was already immobilized so it would be better for him to not get any new injuries.

    Fu Qingxuan frowned and gave Shen Xi a defiant look before reaching out to pet Toffeecito then quickly pulling away. He repeated this several times. Fu Qingxuan was astonished by Toffeecito. It was kind to him during hisst visit, so how could its temperament change in just a few months. Not only did its size grow, but its temperament grew as well!

    Toffeecito protested with an angry and loud meow before jumping off of Fu Qingxuan¡¯sp to y with Song Wenye¡¯s cat toy.

    Pei Xu looked at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s funny face andughed hysterically. ¡°Hahaha! Are you happy now? You wouldn¡¯t stop teasing him.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Toffeecito bitterly. ¡®You cranky little thing! How could you still be rude after running away from me?¡¯

    Toffeecito was undoubtedly Shen Xi¡¯s cat because their tempers bore an uncanny resemnce.

    Song Wenye raised his eyebrows at Fu Qingxuan victoriously, yfully teasing Toffeecito with the cat toy. It was an adorable sight to see the chunky cutie following Song Wenye around.

    Shen Xi had two pieces of sweet and sour pork while she was in the kitchen.

    Shen Zhangqing put eight little bowls of dishes with a bowl of soup on a tray, then looked at her and said, ¡°Send these to the neighbor¡¯s house.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes widened and looked at him in disbelief. ¡®What has gotten into Old Shen today? All this time he had been worried about her going next door.¡¯

    Shen Zhangqing did not notice her reaction andmented, ¡°He has trouble with his legs, so we just help out whenever we can.¡±

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless.

    Oh, damn.

    Old Shen must have misunderstood something.

    He must have treated Uncle Jin Yu as his brother now.

    What a beautiful misunderstanding though, it would be better this way and this makes it easier for her to go to his house next time.

    Yu Jinping chuckled. Her husband was finally at ease. It was true that the neighbor could use some help since he was all by himself. Judging from the looks of the driver, he did not seem like he could cook and they must have been having takeaways.

    Shen Xi was happy she would not need to be under Old Shen¡¯s watchful eyes when heading next door. She even called Toffeecito on her way out.

    Toffeecito was eating the canned cat food next to Pei Xu

    Toffeecito saw Shen Xi leaving the house with a handful of things and it quickly ran after her. A second ago it was still eating the cat food next to Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu was rendered speechless as he saw Toffeecito taking off like a gust of wind and leaving the cat food in his hands.

    This ungrateful little thing could surely outrun a rabbit. The canned food was never as good as a call from Shen Xi.

    Toffeecito was indeed a sprinter as it went well ahead of Shen Xi. It skipped the wall this time, leading Shen Xi the way to the neighbor¡¯s house.

    Shen Xi wondered if Toffeecito was actually a dog in disguise. The cat¡¯s friendliness was odd enough.

    Uncle Jin Yu was all alone in the house. Kun Lun left after dropping him off.

    Shen Xi carefully ced the dishes on the dining table.

    ¡°How could I finish all these by myself?¡± asked Jin Yu.

    Shen Xi smiled, ¡°My dad said these are for you. My uncle is a very famous chef from our hometown and these are different from what you have eaten here. Try them out.¡±

    ¡°Express my thanks to your dad for me,¡± said Jin Yu with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. My dad said it is not easy for you to live on your own and I am here to help out,¡± said Shen Xi.

    Jin Yu¡¯s smile was gentle and loving. He wondered when he would find his family and if he had a daughter as sweet as Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi arranged the bowls of food nicely for him, before grabbing Toffeecito and ready to leave. ¡°Uncle Jin Yu, leave the dishes as they are, I¡¯ll clean themter.¡±

    Jin Yu nodded. ¡°Xixi, that friend of yours in the wheelchair, does he have any misunderstanding about me?¡± Jin Yu blurted as Shen Xi was about to turn around and leave.

 Chapter 535 - Beg for Food Next Door

    <h4>Chapter 535: Beg for Food Next Door</h4>

    Shen Xi was taken aback for a moment. This should not be the case. A silly billy like Fu Qingxuan would not have problems with anybody. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Jin Yu paused before adding. ¡°He seemed hostile to me.¡±

    The kid looked at him as though he was the enemy and had done something he should not have. The contempt appeared toe from the bottom of Fu Qingxuan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Shen Xi carefully recalled before it dawned on her. ¡°That dummy thinks you¡¯re Li Yuan!¡±

    It was not just Fu Qingxuan, but even Alpha Xu had a strange look on his face. Both Mom and Dad mistook Jin Yu for Li Yuan as well.

    ¡°So, he thinks you and I are an item?¡± Jin Yu knew what this was about. The only thing that stood between Shen Xi and Li Yuan was a confession. The pair had feelings for each other.

    ¡°I guess so.¡± Shen Xi was pretty sure. It was a good thing Young Master Qingxuan kept it to himself rather than blurting it to the whole world. Otherwise, she was dead meat.

    ¡°The kid has a good heart.¡± Jin Yu concluded.

    ¡°He¡¯s nice.¡± Shen Xi nodded and added in her mind ¡®And a little silly.¡¯

    ¡°What happened to his legs?¡± Jin Yu felt that it was a shame if the kid was bound to the wheelchair for life.

    ¡°He broke his leg in a car ident.¡± Shen Xi thought Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s concern for Fu Qingxuan was odd since he kept asking about the young master. ¡°His cast will be removed next week. He¡¯s going to be fine.¡±

    It put Jin Yu¡¯s mind at rest. So long as the kid¡¯s condition was not permanent.

    Shen Xi then waved her arm. ¡°I should get back, Uncle Jin Yu.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jin Yu did not walk her to the door and merely saw her off before wheeling himself to the dining room. His mind flew back to when the kid was staring at him with a weird andplicated look.

    The kid had a pair of cat eyes ¨C beautiful and bright. Jin Yu could tell that he was an innocent good child without a bad bone in his body.

    Still, did he look like an animal who wouldy hands on an underaged girl?

    Shen Xi came home to have dinner served on the table. Everyone was waiting on her.

    Toffeecito jumped out of her embrace and ran up to Pei Xu, meowing incessantly and pping his foot with its paw.

    Pei Xu looked at it strangely before tapping its tiny head. ¡°What are you up to? There¡¯s nothing for you here. Should I open another can for you?¡±

    Since Toffeecito was not proficient in the humannguage, it continued to meow at him and pped his leg with its furry paw.

    ¡°Duh, you¡¯re sitting on its seat.¡± Shen Xi looked askance at Pei Xu.

    Pei Xu stood up to find a paw-shaped cushion on his chair. No sooner had he got on his feet than Toffeecito jumped right on the cushion. It scoured the table of food like a king.

    ¡°Toffeecito, your grandpa is here.¡± Shen Zhangqing strode into the room, bearing a bowl of shelled shrimps, boiled chicken breast, fish, and bits of beef.

    Pei Xu watched with mouth agape. Toffeecito was a pampered little thing to have every meal individually prepared with fresh meat!

    Song Wenye was envious. ¡°Mr. Shen, can I board Song Xiaose and my pets with you when I start work two dayster?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was reluctant. ¡°Sure, you¡¯re wee to board them with us, but the wife and I are often away on business. I don¡¯t want them to starve.¡±

    ¡°What about Toffeecito?¡± Song Wenye was insistent. She believed Song Xiaose and the other pets would be in heaven to be cared for by an attentive boarding family.

    ¡°Toffeecito begs for food next door when we¡¯re not around.¡± Shen Zhangqing was no stranger to this fact as he often came home to Toffeecito¡¯s absence. Toffeecito woulde creeping up the wall from the other side when he called out to the little furry.

    There was nothing more Song Wenye could say since it was far-fetched to ask Toffeecito¡¯s dad to look after Song Xiaose and the other pets. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll board Song Xiaose and the rest at a pet kennel.¡±

    Song Wenye would put them in a kennel when she was not around. Sure, it was a kennel, but she had a good rtionship with them, having bought all the toys plus cat and dog foods from that ce.

    ¡°You can board them at my ce!¡± Yu Yuanxi offered out of the blue.

    Nearly choking on her soup, Song Wenye tried to pull herself together. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you. Granny Yu is not in the best of health.¡±

    Um¡­

    It never crossed her mind.

    ¡°Granny can take care of cats and dogs. She wants to be kept busy.¡± Yu Yuanxi was a little worried to have Song Xiaose and the rest to be boarded at the kennels. There was no telling the kennels would be attentive even if it was a paid service.

    Moreover, Granny was doing a lot better now. It would be hard on the olddy if she was sitting around with nothing to do.

    Song Wenye remained hesitant.

    Yu Yuanxi made furtherment. ¡°Song Xiaose and the pets could keep Grannypany.¡±

    ¡°Alright then!¡± Song Wenye bobbed her head and agreed to the idea.

    Granny Yu loved the little furry friends. She was delighted to host Song Xiaose and the rest during the New Year. The affection was mutual as well.

    Pei Xu¡¯s eyes danced around between Yu Yuanxi and Song Wenye. Now that Yu Yuanxi managed to get Song Xiaose and the pets to his pad, Song Wenye should be next.

    Shen Xi gave Pei Xu a tug before secretly pointing at the two. There was a thing going on between the pair. However, Song Wenye might be straightforward with people, but she sure took her time when it came to rtionships.

    Pei Xu grinned and nodded his head, echoing Shen Xi¡¯s view. They would make a great couple because Yu Yuanxi¡¯s easy-going and congenial nature could take on Song Wenye¡¯s surly temper.

    After lunch, the bunch hung out for a bit before taking their leave.

    Fu Qingxuan was asked by Yun Jinping to stay. There was no way she was going to let him stay at the hotel alone and handicapped now that he was here at the capital. He would be left to his own devices at the hotel.

    Shen Xi sniffed at the decision. Hotel, her *ss. Fu Qingxuan should be Pei Xu¡¯s business since he picked the former up. How did Fu Qingxuan end up at her ce?

    Nevertheless, Pei Xu must be on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s side. They both seemed to get their stories straight as Pei Xu got a call and had to leave in a rush right after lunch.

    Yu Qiubai was thest to go.

    Shen Xi saw him off the door before getting down to business. ¡°I¡¯lle tomorrow.¡±

    Yu Qiubai bobbed his head. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Take care.¡± Shen Xi exchanged pleasantries before turning to find Fu Qingxuan who was roaming in the courtyard. His eyes were focused next door. She asked him, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan turned back. Instead of answering her question, he pointed at the vegetable patch. ¡°I¡¯m craving for a tomato.¡±

    Since he had been in an ident, Shen Xi was not going to fuss about it. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll pick one for you.¡±

    Her courtyard was upied with vegetables or flowers no matter the season. Madam Yun and Old Shen would plow every bit of soil to create a piece of heaven. Commonly found vegetables were grown here too.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Fu Qingxuan was not having it. He proudly gazed at her. ¡°Push me there.¡±

 Chapter 536 - Nothing to Offer Except Herself for Having Her Life Saved?

    <h4>Chapter 536: Nothing to Offer Except Herself for Having Her Life Saved?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was tempted to kick Fu Qingxuan off his wheelchair, but the most she could do was y the scenario in her head. She pushed him over so he could experience the joy of picking tomatoes with his own hands.

    The moderate-sized vegetable patch had about a dozen tomato shrubs. The tomato vines climbed over the trellis panels, showing off its shiny red fruits.

    Fu Qingxuan reached out to pluck one. It took a lot of thought and a long internal struggle before he opened up in a muffled voice, ¡°Do you truly like him that much?¡±

    Shen Xi knew what he was getting at. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±

    Rather than getting worked up, Fu Qingxuan remained calm. ¡°The mister next door.¡±

    Shen Xi was aware that Fu Qingxuan took it the wrong way since the young master would not even dare to look her in the eye. Even the tomato in his hand was nearly squashed to a pulp. Still, she teased him. ¡°That would depend on the sort of ¡®like¡¯ you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan froze. He debated about it in his mind for a while and as though giving in, he uttered in a bitter voice, ¡°Just as long as this is what you want.¡±

    Be it an older mister, a cripple, or whatever, he was not going to stop her if that was what her heart wanted. He had no right to stop her from doing what she loved anyway.

    Shen Xi had never seen a solemn and serious side to Fu Qingxuan before. It was as though it took a lot for him to make a difficult decision.

    She was filled with a mix of emotions, feeling the warm tingles from thement about doing what she wanted. Getting a catch in her throat, Shen Xi kneeled by him and helped herself to a tomato. ¡°Fu Qingxuan.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked back at her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth, but you can¡¯t let my parents know.¡± Shen Xi stared at him with a straight face.

    Fu Qingxuan earnestly nodded as he held his breath for what was toe. He got the idea. Meanie wanted him to keep it a secret and not tell Mr. and Mrs. Shen.

    Shen Xi sighed and paused for a moment while staring at Fu Qingxuan who was nervously fixated on her. She finally broke the silence. ¡°I like and respect him as a kid would to an older person.¡±

    Call him na?ve, but he was indeed an innocent nk te. Fu Qingye and Fu Qingli had already known about Shen Xi and Li Yuan, so Fu Qingxuan was probably the only one still in the dark.

    Old Shen and Madam Yun put faith in Shen Xi and no longer kept a tight rein over her after seeing Uncle Jin Yu in person during the earlier encounter. Old Shen could tell that Uncle Jin Yu was not that type of guy since he asked Shen Xi to deliver food to him.

    Hit with an unexpected answer, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. It finally sank in that his judgment was clouded by his over-imaginative mind and embarrassment flushed his face as he shouted, ¡°Who cares?¡±

    Shen Xiughed out loud before picking another tomato and making a run for it. ¡°Fu Qingxuan, you dummy!¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t you run away from me!¡± Fu Qingxuan yelled ferociously.

    Ignoring him, Shen Xi went to pick a cucumber and ran it under a hose. She leaned against a loquat tree and started munching on it.

    ¡°Come back and push me.¡± Fu Qingxuan acted mean. Even though there was a small pile of tomatoes on hisp, he did not touch any of them. The weight of the question of whether she liked the old mister was lifted off his shoulder.

    ¡°Nope!¡± Shen Xi made a face at him before taking off.

    Fu Qingxuan was not going to insist. With his lips curling in delight, he wheeled himself behind her. Meanie was up to mischief for pulling a fast one on him!

    Shen Xi did not intend to let the misunderstanding go on anyway. It would not be right for a nice person like Uncle Jin Yu to be misjudged by a dummy.

    Fu Qingxuan was in a lighter mood because Shen Xi was not in love with the next-door neighbor. However, the joy was not for long. To be precise, itsted for one night.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were at work at nine o¡¯clock the next day, leaving Shen Xi behind to take care of the wheelchair-bound Fu Qingxuan.

    ¡°Shen Xi, I¡¯m going to crash through the door if you¡¯re not going to wake up. I want breakfast!¡± Sitting in the wheelchair, Fu Qingxuan shouted from the first-floor living room to Shen Xi¡¯s room on the second floor. This was the third time he was screaming at the top of his lungs.

    He was brushed off at first.

    At his second bellow, she said she was on it right away.

    He received no response on his third attempt.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Xi finally opened the door and came out.

    Lifting his chin, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes lit up. Meanie had a pale blue floral dress on, revealing a pair of high tform leather sandals under her slender and fair legs. She was beautiful and pleasing to the eye like a breath of fresh air. Feeling happy, he proudly turned around in the wheelchair. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He was pleased about Meanie dressing up to have breakfast with him. It was apparent that she took the time to put together an outfit for him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out to buy your breakfast. Wait at home.¡± Shen Xi then trotted down the stairs and pursed her lips at apact mirror before nonchntly putting it away.

    Fu Qingxuan took notice that Meanie had makeup on. She was a stunner, to begin with, but with a painted face, she was a fairy descending on earth. He insisted. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡±

    Without a word, Shen Xi grabbed her backpack and went out the door.

    Fu Qingxuan trailed behind her and saw a car parked outside when the door opened. The person in the car must have heard the door open as they also unlocked the car door.

    F*ck!

    Fu Qingxuan almost disengaged his foul mouth. The person in the car was none other than Li Yuan, that b*stard.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi excitedly waved her hand at Li Yuan. Like a happy bird leaving the nest, she flew over unlike her usual calm and aloof self.

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Li Yuan spotted Fu Qingxuan at the same time heid eyes on his fairdy. He nodded at Fu Qingxuan as a form of greeting.

    If only Fu Qingxuan could pick something off the ground and throw it at Li Yuan¡¯s face. Meanie dressed up for Li Yuan and not to have breakfast with him.

    These two¡­

    What was the nature of their rtionship?

    Meanie requested Fu Qingxuan to look into Li Yuan¡¯s medical report ande up with a treatment n the other day. She only mentioned that Li Yuan saved her life. Was she always like this to her lifesaver?

    Or perhaps Shen Xi had nothing to offer except herself to repay the gratitude of having her life saved?

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan, we¡¯ll be back after breakfast.¡± Shen Xi got into the car and waved off Fu Qingxuan who was lost for words from all the shock and rage.

    The car door was shut before Fu Qingxuan could say anything, leaving him to look daggers at the car driving off.

    ¡°F*cking hell!¡± Fu Qingxuan cussed as the car went out of sight. He spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°Li Yuan!¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    A gentle voice was heard within distance.

    Fu Qingxuan looked back and met the serene eyes of the man.. It was none other than the mister next door. Without a second thought, he blurted, ¡°What¡¯s their rtionship?¡±

 Chapter 537 - Two Heart Gestures

    <h4>Chapter 537: Two Heart Gestures</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Jin Yu had a hard time figuring out a suitable term to answer the question.

    Quick to jump to his own conclusions, Fu Qingxuan frustratedly shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know him.¡±

    Not everyone would know who Li Yuan was despite his status. The mister next door might not seem like the average Joe, but Fu Qingxuan did not believe he knew Li Yuan.

    ¡°This is his home.¡± Jin Yu pointed at the house behind him. He identified the bitterness and helplessness in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you have a crush on the girl too?¡±

    It came as no surprise to Jin Yu that the girl had a lot of admirers since she was brilliant, beautiful, and adorable.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Fu Qingxuan mumbled agitatedly. However, realization soon hit him in the face. ¡°This is Li Yuan¡¯s home?¡±

    Jin Yu was puzzled by Fu Qingxuan¡¯s overreaction. It appeared the staunch young man did not have the greatest temper. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan swallowed the swear word that was about to slip from his tongue. It finally made sense to him that the person who won Meanie¡¯s heart had always been Li Yuan, that b*stard!

    ¡°Did you get off on the wrong foot with Li Yuan?¡± Jin Yun could tell that Fu Qingxuan was not Li Yuan¡¯s biggest fan as his tone and reaction reflected his disdain, even more so than when Jin Yun met him the day before.

    ¡°No.¡± Fu Qingxuan stiffly answered before attempting to wheel himself out of there.

    There was no need for him to verify Li Yuan¡¯s rtionship with Meanie at this point. No doubt, Li Yuan was her neighbor and Toffeecito¡¯s dad that Pei Xu brought up.

    ¡°Are you busy now?¡± Jin Yu suddenly asked as the young man was about to leave.

    Fu Qingxuan looked back and gave him a strange look. The mister was a weird man.

    Jin Yu exined with a smile. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s cat tree is broken. I¡¯m trying to fix it. Can you give me a hand?¡±

    For some reason, Jin Yu got an affectionate vibe from the young man, simr to the feeling Xixi gave him. Perhaps Fu Qingxuan made quite an impression on him!

    Fu Qingxuan was not in the mood following the revtion, but a sense of familiarity surfaced when the man curled his lips. Without thinking, he bobbed his head.

    The pair in wheelchairs moved through the front door one after the other. Standing on the wall, Toffeecito meowed as they came before leaping down agilely. Without hesitation, it jumped onto Jin Yu¡¯sp.

    It put Fu Qingxuan in a worse mood than he was in before. Not only did Meanie put him down, but even the cat was ignoring him.

    Shen Xi, who had no idea she messed with Fu Qingxuan¡¯s head, had got down the car.

    The car pulled up in front of a stall selling pancakes with crispy fritters.

    Li Yuan went to get the pancake while Shen Xi crossed the road to the bubble tea shop.

    Since it was half-past nine in the morning, it was breakfast time for those who were not at work. The queue mainly consisted of students as it was the summer holidays.

    Pushing his wheelchair, Li Yuan joined a queue and looked at Kun Lun. ¡°Give me the eggs.¡±

    Kun Lun respectably handed over the eggs. Ms. Shen mentioned that Young Master Qingxuan asked for pastured eggs, so he got down the car to buy them while passing by the morning market.

    Li Yuan grabbed the eggs and looked behind him at his girl. She was lining up outside the bubble tea shop across the road, basking in the sunlight. Vibrant energy herself, she was breathtaking like the brilliant sun.

    There was a group of girls who were in the line for the pancake stall. They stole a nce at Li Yuan while quietly discussing among themselves. He was such a hunk!

    The girls must be in high school judging by their age. They encouraged each other to ask for Li Yuan¡¯s contact, but none of them could muster the courage.

    Shen Xi made about the same progress getting the drinks as Li Yuan with the pancakes. She was heading back with the bubble tea when the man turned his wheelchair around.

    As sunlight shone on him, Li Yuan¡¯s wless handsome face, warm smile, and refined presence drummed her racing heart. She quickened her pace as she moved toward him.

    Li Yuan watched his fairdy approaching against the sunbeam. He wondered what was on her mind, noticing the rosiness creeping up her cheeks as she merrily ran to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s twenty yuan for four pieces.¡± The stall owner handed the pancakes to Kun Lun before sneaking a look at the man in the wheelchair. The man¡¯s presencemanded attention.

    Kun Lun was ready to fork out the cash but was stopped by Li Yuan.

    Still keeping his eyes on his fairdy, Li Yuan extended his hand and did a finger heart gesture with smiley eyes.

    Shen Xi had just crossed the road and arrived at her destination when the man¡¯s sudden change of bodynguage took her by surprise. The euphoria quickly ensued and she ced the drinks on the ground to free her hands for a response.

    Since one heart gesture was not enough to express her current excitement, she extended two hands in return to double the gesture.

    Li Yuan motioned another heart gesture before earnestly replying, ¡°Xixi, twenty yuan.¡±

    Shen Xi could bawl her eyes out. He was not giving her hearts. He was asking for money from her!

    Despite the urge, Kun Lun was about to lose his mind bottling up his chuckles. Faced with Shen Xi¡¯s questioning eyes, he shook his head and gave her a look that he had no clue.

    Boss did it deliberately!

    It was on purpose!

    Oh, Boss knew exactly what it meant. He was conniving to y dumb!

    Kun Lun came over to grab the beverage before Shen Xi could. With a heavy heart, she held her purse to make payment. Did Li Yuan still think this was the gesture to ask for money?

    Staring at the pair with envy, the onlooking crowd had a goodugh. The couple was a good match and interesting too. They dispersed after the pair got into the car.

    Shen Xi took a bite of the pancake while contemting how to break it to Li Yuan of the subtext regarding the earlier gesture. She vaguely murmured, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t go using the hand gesture around.¡±

    She did not intend to exin the gesture, but she was afraid he might use it on someone else. People would take it the wrong way.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan answered.

    Shen Xi thought he would follow up with a why question. To her dismay, his response stirred her off course from the reply she had in mind. Shen Xi quietly finished off her pancake.

    Behind the wheel, Kun Lun might beposed, but inside, he was delirious. Hats off to Boss for pushing Ms. Shen off the edge.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sure you watched National Idol. Song Wenye often uses this hand gesture.¡± Shen Xi tried to drop another hint.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Li Yuan was being honest.. He only had eyes for her and had no time for other people when he watched the show.

 Chapter 538 - Reminded of Dad

    <h4>Chapter 538: Reminded of Dad</h4>

    Shen Xi bit on the straw of her bubble tea and mumbled under her breath, ¡°It means giving you the heart.¡±

    Li Yuan was delighted to watch his fairdy burying her head and biting on the straw, unable to look him in the eye. He tapped on her drink. ¡°Stop chewing on it.¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat before gazing up at him. ¡°So you can¡¯t go gesturing to anyone.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled and nodded. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t do it to random people.¡±

    ¡®Only to you.¡¯

    Feeling the burn in her cheeks, Shen Xi exined, ¡°It doesn¡¯t really mean much. The gesture expresses gratitude toward those who support and like us. Song Wenye made a heart gesture to thank her fans.¡±

    There was just something thick and sexy about Li Yuan¡¯sughter. ¡°Sure.¡±

    The pair were enjoying their breakfast in the car.

    The lot left at home was still repairing Toffeecito¡¯s cat tree.

    Jin Yu sought Fu Qingxuan¡¯s help to move the cat tree to the wide space in the courtyard. Since the cat tree was made of solid wood, it proved a tricky task to carry it in a wheelchair.

    Sure, Jin Yu may say this was the reason, but was it necessary? No. There was no hurry to repair as it could be done when Li Yuan and Kun Lun returned.

    ¡°Thank you, Young Master Fu.¡± Jin Yu politely thanked him.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Instead of leaving, Fu Qingxuan picked up a ligule of grass and teased Toffeecito.

    Jin Yu gazed at him and said with a smile, ¡°We have canned food, dry food, and Toffeecito¡¯s toys in the house. You¡¯re free to pick one up to y with it.¡±

    The young man was a kid at heart!

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Fu Qingxuan coughed awkwardly and hurled the grass aside before observing on the sidelines.

    Jin Yu picked up a nail and hammer to secure the loosened frame.

    Fu Qingxuan watched as Jin Yu held the nail with one hand and the hammer with the other, yet the wooden frame began to wobble without support. It was no one-man job. Pushing his wheelchair forward, Fu Qingxuan cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll hold the nail for you.¡±

    It never urred to Jin Yu that Fu Qingxuan would lend a hand. He shook his head and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t want to hammer your hand.¡±

    It was not as though Jin Yu never handled woodwork, but it was rather restricting and cumbersome to do it in a wheelchair.

    Without a word, Fu Qingxuan firmly grabbed the nail in his hand and asked, ¡°Should I put it here?¡±

    Not one to put a damper on Fu Qingxuan, Jin Yu urged, ¡°Steady does it. Don¡¯t be shaky now.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Fu Qingxuanpliantly responded. His mind wandered off following a feeling of deja vu.

    He was reminded of Dad. Dad was really into carpentry and most of the furniture at home was made by him.

    The toys the Fu brothers yed with were his handiworks too; from a rocking horse, Burr puzzle, and puzzle rings, to water-wheels, pistols, and crossbows. All these were kept in good condition to this day.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan walked through the entrance to find the wheelchair-bound duo in the courtyard. They took the repair of Toffeecito¡¯s cat tree seriously.

    Fu Qingxuan held the nail.

    Jin Yu was hitting the nail with a hammer.

    For some reason, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hand wobbled out of nowhere.

    Toote to pull back, Jin Yu¡¯s hammernded and scraped the back of Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 539 - Reconstructive Surgery

    <h4>Chapter 539: Reconstructive Surgery</h4>

    An abrupt pain struck the back of Shen Xi¡¯s hand too, and she nearly dropped her beverage to the ground. Li Yuan managed to quickly prop her back up.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Li Yuan gazed at her worriedly.

    Shen Xi shook her head while drawing in a sharp gasp at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s bleeding hand. As if sharing the pain, she uttered, ¡°It hurts just to watch.¡±

    With Fu Qingxuan heaving at the same time, the duo appeared identical in both reflex and reaction. He turned to look at Li Yuan and Shen Xi before wheeling himself out of there.

    ¡°Let me bandage that up before you go,¡± Jin Yu cried.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s tone was cold. Without looking back at anyone at all, he forged ahead with his wheelchair.

    The stumped Jin Yu looked at Shen Xi, hoping she could say something to bring him around.

    Getting the message, Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯ll dress your wound. There¡¯s rust on the hammer. You should get a tetanus shot at the hospital too.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t kill me.¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s s¨¦ voice bore clear signs of bitterness. He seemed to have a problem with something, and it was apparent as he looked daggers at Li Yuan when he wheeled past.

    Jin Yu held his tongue despite the urge to talk. In the end, he sighed as the young man stubbornly took his leave before turning to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, you should check on him.¡±

    It was normal for a young man, fresh in the game of love, not to be in his right mind as his crush fell for someone else. Nevertheless, it was best for him to let go ande out of it sooner rather thanter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡± Grabbing a piece of pancake and a cup of bubble tea, Shen Xi left the courtyard.

    Li Yuan gazed at the empty porch next door. Behind those narrow and deep eyes shimmered a chilling glow.

    ¡°The young man likes Xixi?¡± Jin Yu was undecided whether this was the case.

    ¡°He¡¯s her cousin.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s voice carried a biting frigidity. With that, he took off.

    Jin Yu watched his receding figure with furrowed brows. Catching a whiff of the tension in the air, he shook his head and sighed. Youngsters these days.

    However, he was surprised to find Young Master Qingxuan to be Xixi¡¯s cousin.

    Although Jin Yu had questions, he probably would not get an answer. The jealousy from both parties was reeking through the walls.

    Next door, Shen Xi took out a first-aid kit and looked at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Give me your hand.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan inquired, ¡°Is Li Yuanyour crush?¡±

    Instead of giving a reply, Shen Xi reached out to grab him by the arm but was put off as the young man shook her off. ¡°I¡¯m leaving if you¡¯re going to continue with this behavior.¡±

    Seeing red, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes began to well up. His voice was raspy. ¡°Leave then. Leave right now and go to him. It¡¯s my business even if I die!¡±

    Shen Xi curled his lips as rage started arising. Look at what he was saying. Why did he make her out to be a heartbreaker? Having no intentions to get into it with him, she stared him in the eye and answered the first question. ¡°Yes, I like him.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell your parents?¡± Fu Qingxuan snuffled at her outright statement. Although he knew he had no right over her nor should he get riled up, Fu Qingxuan could not control himself from getting angry, worried, and scared.

    He was mad, because of all the people she could have liked, why did it have to be Li Yuan?

    Fu Qingxuan worried Li Yuan might not be good to her and could take advantage of her. Someone like Li Yuan had no heart.

    He was afraid Li Yuan might not have many years ahead of him due to his health. It would be sad if she was left all alone.

    ¡°Would you?¡± Shen Xi did not believe him.

    Hitting the boiling point, Fu Qingxuan yelled, ¡°How would you know I won¡¯t, Meanie! Are you a mind reader? Do you know what kind of person Li Yuan is? What are you going to do if he dies?¡±

    Shen Xi had no idea he had so many concerns. So this was weighing on his mind. ¡°Young Master Qingxuan, don¡¯t go around wishing death upon people now.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s voice grew solemn. ¡°I¡¯ve seen his medical report. It¡¯s not good.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll get better.¡± It was unclear whether Shen Xi was telling him or herself, but each word delivered certainty.

    Fu Qingxuan gazed at her without another word. He made up his mind that he neither had the right nor authority to stop her when this was what her heart wanted.

    While dressing Fu Qingxuan¡¯s wound, Shen Xi asked, ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind was elsewhere. ¡°Who is that next-door Uncle Jin Yu to Li Yuan?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°A friend.¡±

    She was not in the position to talk about Uncle Jin Yu to outsiders. Uncle Jin Yu was like a teacher and father figure to Li Yuan. Uncle Jin Yu might owe Li Yuan his life, but it was Uncle Jin Yu who offered counsel to Li Yuan during thetter¡¯s darkest moments.

    Fu Qingxuan followed up with another question. ¡°What happened to his face?¡±

    Since Fu Qingxuan was a doctor, Shen Xi knew he would pick up on it today if he did not already yesterday. ¡°He had reconstructive surgery.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan acknowledged before adding. ¡°Burns, I presume?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not continue the conversation since it was not proper to pry into other people¡¯s personal affairs. Still, the man¡¯s face entered his mind now and then. If his suspicions were right, Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s burns were so bad he needed major surgery from head to toe.

    The doctor who performed surgery on his face was no ordinary person either, to have reconstructed a face so wlessly to ayperson¡¯s eye.

    Shen Xi had never seen Young Master Qingxuan so quiet and deep in thought. It was unlike him. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m having lunch with our neighbors. Are you going toe with me?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan snapped out of his thoughts quickly enough to scoff and firmly refuse. ¡°No way I¡¯m going!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Uncle Jin Yu is a great cook.¡± Having packed up the first-aid kit, Shen Xi got up and left.

    Fu Qingxuan frowned. Jin Yu shared a resemnce to Dad, knowing his way around carpentry and home-cooked meals. He immediately wanted to p the unrealistic thoughts out of his head. Many people knew how to cook and handle woodwork.

    Moreover, Jin Yu merely repaired a cat tree and hammered his hand along the way. That unskilled handicraft did not put him on par with Dad.

    Most importantly, he was chummy with Li Yuan. All things aside, anyone on good terms with Li Yuan was no angel!

    After putting away the first-aid kit, Shen Xi informed Fu Qingxuan before she went next door.

    Fu Qingxuan gritted his teeth as Shen Xi gleefully flew away like a happy bird. He gave the neighbor¡¯s house a dirty look.

    Half an hourter, Fu Qingxuan was found spitefully staring at the wall in the courtyard and trying to eavesdrop. Unable to take it anymore, he gave Shen Xi a call and spoke in a calm voice, ¡°Shen Xi, Mrs. Shen is back.¡±

    Shen Xi was ying chess with Jin Yu when she received the call. Without a moment¡¯s notice, she leaped and dashed off as though cops were on her tail.

 Chapter 540 - Looked Quite Alike

    <h4>Chapter 540: Looked Quite Alike</h4>

    Li Yuan carried a fruit tter out to find his fairdy gone with the wind. Finding it odd, he furrowed his brows and looked at Jin Yu. ¡°What¡¯s up with Xixi?¡±

    Why the panic?

    Jin Yu shook his head with a smile, ¡°She said her mom¡¯s home.¡±

    Li Yuan grinned. No sooner had he put the fruit tter down than his fairdy returned with Fu Qingxuan following behind in a wheelchair.

    Fu Qingxuan darted at Li Yuan with a nk look since his opinion of Li Yuan remained unchanged. He was kind enough not toe in between him and Meanie, but everything else was a different story.

    Li Yuan started by greeting him. ¡°Young Master Qingxuan.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was well educated to not dismiss other people¡¯s courtesy. Hence, he returned a nod but refrained from speaking.

    Shen Xi and Jin Yu went back to chess while Li Yuan and Fu Qingxuan watched by the sidelines. It was a strange sight to see everyone in a wheelchair except for Shen Xi.

    Li Yuan upied the seat on Shen Xi¡¯s left while her right was a trellis of a rose bush. With summer in full swing, the roses were in full bloom.

    Fu Qingxuan looked around and was finally fixated on the trellis. If only he could transform into the trellis next to her.

    In the end, he chose to sit beside Jin Yu. It was not as though he was rude enough to tell Li Yuan to get lost since Li Yuan was here first anyway.

    Jin Yu shed his pearly whites at Fu Qingxuan and asked, ¡°Do you know how to y chess?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan showed his manners and gentlemanly side to strangers as he humbly replied, ¡°A little.¡±

    The reply came as no surprise to Jin Yu. He cheerfully uttered, ¡°Have a go with me next time.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan bobbed his head in epting the offer.

    Dad taught him to y chess as a child. There were moments still fresh in his mind about sitting on his father¡¯sp, listening to the rules of chess and the game of Go.

    Nevertheless, he was too young and could not care less to learn chess then. By the time he picked up interest, Dad was no longer around.

    On the other hand, Qingli and Qingye took over Dad and would have a few rounds of chess during their free time. The chessboard and pieces at home were made by Dad.

    With his mind wandering further and further, Fu Qingxuan reined in on his thoughts. Dad had been on his mindtely, perhaps due to his birthdaying soon.

    Coming back to earth, he faced a chest-gripping and fist-clenching scene.

    The wisteria and vines on top shaded off most of the ring sun, but cracks of sunshine still made it through, casting over the pair in the opposite direction.

    The handsome man had one hand carrying the fruit tter and a fork on the other as he sent fruit piece by piece to the mouth of the beautiful girl engrossed in chess.

    The girl was so focused on the game to notice anything, yet she was able to nip the fruit at the right time when the man fed it to her. They were so in tune with each other that their behavior came so naturally without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    The pretty faces made such a warm and beautiful portrait that was easy on the eyes. However, it was an eyesore to Fu Qingxuan. Unable to stand it any longer, he took off to fool around with Toffeecito.

    Toffeecito was having fun on the cat tree. With its furry paw, it was swatting the hanging mousey, fish, and bird installed by Jin Yu when he repaired the cat tree.

    The cat tree was double the height of amon cat tree and slightly lower than the wall. It was specially made for Toffeecito during its clumsy kitten days to prevent it from falling.

    There was adder on one side of the wall and a cat tree on the other for Toffeecito¡¯s convenience to roam around. The cat tree was kept to this day since this was its favorite spot.

    Although Fu Qingxuan was entertaining Toffeecito, he snuck a few peeks at the group from the corner of his eyes while rage was seething within. He had an issue with Meanie being snatched away by Li Yuan.

    He should not act this way. Meanie was way nicer to Li Yuan than him. Fu Qingxuan was certain Meanie would pick Li Yuan over anyone on any day if given a choice.

    Still, he was not okay with it. He was fully aware of that fact, but his emotions were just screaming to be let out.

    The round of chess took a whole two hours. No one was in a rush as each move required extensive deliberation. It was an invigorating feeling to meet an equal match in chess.

    Kun Lun, together with several men, walked through the door with bento boxes when lunchtime came around.

    Fu Qingxuan called Shen Xi over and asked her in a muffled voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s a good cook?¡±

    Meanie said Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s food tasted simr to his.

    He had once tried to please Mom by learning to cook. Fu Qingxuan intended to give her a big surprise during her birthday.

    To his dismay, it was more of a shock than a surprise as Mom cried after taking a bite of his food. The event freaked Fu Qingxuan out. Mom mentioned that the food he made had the exact taste as Dad¡¯s food.

    Subsequently, he lost the guts to step foot into the kitchen, afraid to bring back sad memories to Mom.

    Fu Qingxuan was intrigued to try Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s home-cooked food topare their vors.

    Otherwise, he would nevere to Li Yuan¡¯s house even if thetter got on his knees and begged him!

    ¡°I said Uncle Jin Yu can cook, but I never said he¡¯ll cook today.¡± Shen Xi gave him a weird look. ¡°Did youe over to try his cooking?¡±

    She never knew Fu Qingxuan was a foodie.

    Fu Qingxuan turned ck in the face. ¡°¡­¡±

    So, was it his fault to take it the wrong way?

    Could he leave right there and then? Li Yuan¡¯s face made him sick to the stomach!

    ¡°Come in for lunch, you two.¡± Jin Yu was calling for them at the door.

    Shen Xi responded favorably beforeforting Fu Qingxuan. ¡°The opportunity will arise with time. I can tell that Uncle Jin has taken to you. Wait until he recovers, and his leg gets all better. He might just prepare a feast for you.¡±

    Uncle Jin Yu rarely made dinner, but it was a bonus when he did. Shen Xi only had the pleasure a handful of times.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a handicap?¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes reflected mixed emotions.

    Shen Xi nced at his legs. ¡°No, he hurt his leg and has a hard time walking, that¡¯s why he¡¯s using a wheelchair.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    In the living room, Jin Yu urged them to join the lunch again while the food was still warm. He looked out to the courtyard to find the duo standing together and conversing about something.

    It could be because they were cousins, but they looked quite alike on closer inspection.

 Chapter 541 - Not Interested in the Slightest

    <h4>Chapter 541: Not Interested in the Slightest</h4>

    The food was already served by the time Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan came around. The spread was a bountiful feast of home-cooked dishes. There was seafood too.

    While Shen Xi quickly took the seat next to Li Yuan, Fu Qingxuan wheeled himself to his designated ce and noticed the pair had different tableware than the rest of them.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan¡¯s chopsticks and bowls were engraved with a motif while the rest was porcin white.

    This was a case of sour grapes for Fu Qingxuan. Matching design for the couple, huh?

    As the host, Li Yuan told Fu Qingxuan to help himself before shelling the shrimps and putting them on the te before him. Since shrimps were in season, the plump orange flesh was rather appetizing.

    Shen Xi dug in the crayfish and made rmendations to Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Try this. This is made by the head chef of royal banquets. Our country¡¯s top chef if I may say so.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was here to eat to begin with, but to share the same space with Li Yuan made him lose his appetite. No one gave a sh*t whether it was some royal banquet, and it was not as though he never enjoyed one before.

    However, he was puzzled by the food arrangement. Fu Qingxuan was sitting in the middle with seafood to his left and home-cooked food to his right.

    Jin Yu, who was sitting on his right, only hadmon dishes within reach. It would be quite a stretch for Jin Yu to satisfy his craving for seafood. Curling his lips, Fu Qingxuan inquired, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have some seafood, Mr. Jin Yu?¡±

    Jin Yu exined with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m allergic to shellfish. Please help yourselves.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind wandered off again. Dad was also allergic to seafood and Qingye inherited the gene. The allergic reaction could prove deadly upon contact with shellfish. He and Qingli escaped that fate.

    Nevertheless, seafood allergy was one of the mostmon types of allergies. It did not mean anything.

    After that day, Fu Qingxuan often popped in next door when Li Yuan was not around. So long as he did not lump Mr. Jin Yu and Li Yuan together, Fu Qingxuan was able to get along with Mr. Jin Yu.

    s, Fu Qingxuan did not have a chance to realize the wish to try Mr. Jin Yu¡¯s food since Qingli bombarded him with calls to return. Fu Qingxuan left with regret.

    Fu Qingli was in China for business. He wondered if he had gone mad to drive all the way to the Shens¡¯ residence and was even more upset when Fu Qingxuan emerged from the door alone. For some reason, Fu Qingli felt disappointed.

    What was he thinking? What was he disappointed about? Was it because the girl was not there?

    Having his cast removed just yesterday, Fu Qingxuan was still wobbly on his feet. He got into the car and got the ball rolling in conversation before being asked. ¡°Xixi and Mrs. Shen are not at home. They went to visit Yu Yuanxi¡¯s set. I don¡¯t think you met Yu Yuanxi. He¡¯s an actor in a film¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli gave him a chilling look. It was apparent that Fu Qingxuan¡¯s rambling was getting on his nerves.

    Getting the message, Fu Qingxuan shut up but not for long. ¡°Qingli, I met a person here. His name is Jin Yu. He¡¯s a nice man and knows everything, you name it. He can cook. Oh, he does great woodwork too¡­¡±

    ¡°Zip it!¡± Fu Qingli did note all the way here to be bored to death. He was not interested in the slightest about what his brother did or who he met here.

    Mom¡¯s birthday was around the corner, yet Fu Qingxuan was screwing around out there. Using the car ident as an excuse, Fu Qingxuan ditched his responsibilities at theb and even forgot about Mom¡¯s birthday. Shen Xi seemed to take priority over everything else!

 Chapter 542 - Swing By the Set

    <h4>Chapter 542: Swing By the Set</h4>

    Looking rather disappointed, Fu Qingxuan shushed it and turned his head away.

    Fu Qingli looked out the window from the corner of his eyes as the feeling of annoyance overflooded his senses. Closing the lid of hisptop, he leaned against the car seat for a quick shut eye.

    Fu Qingxuan sent Shen Xi a message. [Fu Qingxuan: Are you there yet?]

    Shen Xi received the message when she had gotten off the ne and was getting into the rental car to go to the set. She gave a brief reply. [Shen Xi: Yes.]

    [Fu Qingxuan: I¡¯m going back home.]

    [Shen Xi: Oh.]

    Based on those single-word replies, Fu Qingxuan could imagine his leaving did not bother nor did it matter to Shen Xi. With his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, he tightened his grip over the phone. He was tempted to ask if there was anything else she would like to add.

    Then came a double text message from Shen Xi. [Shen Xi: Take care, stay safe.]

    The cloudiness overshadowing Fu Qingxuan¡¯s grimacing face quickly cleared up. Curling his lips in delight, he was easy to please. He read the single line of message over and over again.

    Meanie still cared for him.

    Sure, Meanie had a sharp tongue, but her heart was in the right ce.

    Fu Qingli peered over to find Fu Qingxuan smiling like an idiot at his phone. He observed with disdain and caught a glimpse of the name ¡°Meanie¡± flickering on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mobile screen.

    He knew this was the nickname Qingxuan gave Shen Xi. Qingxuan called her a meanie and knew that she was one, so why could he not just stay away?

    This was the case with Qingye, and himself as well.

    Fu Qingli could lie to the world, but who was he trying to fool? He did note all this way to bring Qingxuan home.

    Fu Qingxuan headed home.

    Shen Xi and Yun Jinping were on their way to swing by the set.

    Yun Jinping had informed Yu Yuanxi¡¯s manager, He Xiang, of their arrival beforehand.

    He Xiang had been waiting for them at the nearest intersection to the set. He was holding a banner in his hands written, ¡°Wee fellow Lil¡¯ Yu¡¯er to the set¡±.

    ¡°Lil Yu¡¯er¡± was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s fandom name.

    He Xiang printed a huge banner for easy spotting in case thedies missed him. Once an assistant to the former big-shot manager, Chen Nan, He Xiang had seen it all. However, this was the first time he entertained fans as Yu Yuanxi¡¯s manager.

    For Yu Yuanxi¡¯s first film, the production funds were limited and all spent on the shoot, leaving little to no room for publicity.

    Since the filming began, there was only a series of photographs from the opening ceremony, together with a brief introduction and the actors¡¯ names that could be found online. No further information was released thereafter.

    As the film¡¯s leading man, Yu Yuanxi showed up once during the opening ceremony. His fans, who loved his appearance and the way he carried himself, chose to follow him while betting on the odds that he would make it big. There was a sense of aplishment the fans would feel as they grew together with their favorite idol.

    So far, a fan support club was established but only had less than a hundred followers. This was the first time the fans were visiting the set.

    The captain of the fans, ¡°Virtual Yun¡±, imed to be over forty years old and a mother-figure fan to Yu Yuanxi. She was also the owner of the fandom¡¯s group chat and president of the fan support club.

    Here to visit the set together with the fans was Virtual Yun, who got in touch with He Xiang a week ago. He was embarrassed to call her the leader because of the sparse number of fans. There were a total of ten attendants and one of them was not a fan but Virtual Yun¡¯s daughter.

    After working for Chen Nan as an assistant for a year and having been trained as his sessor, He Xiang was more than familiar with the rules in showbiz. Yu Yuanxi had done well in managing the fans despite being fresh in the business.

    Nowadays, proper fans and social media management were beginning to make waves in showbiz. He Xiang was certain that the fans would be the most important asset in an artist¡¯s career for a long time toe. It was best to start from now to unite the fans.

    Even though there were only less than a dozen fansing, He Xiang saw potential in these people to be Yu Yuanxi¡¯s most loyal and steadfast fans in the fandom.

    Additionally, he wanted to explore to fish out any possible talents who could aid in managing the fanbase.

    Soon, a bus stopped in front of him.

    He Xiang adjusted his sses before stering a friendly smile on his face and approaching them.

    With girls getting down one after the other from the bus, He Xiang drew near for a closer look. These young girls, who were dazzling with the vigor of youth, appeared to be of high school age.

    He Xiang was dumbstruck and lost his head when thest twodies got off the bus. Gazing at the young and beautiful girl in all smiles, he doubted his eyes which could be ying tricks on him.

    That was right.

    A hallucination.

    To think he just saw Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen!

    Moreover, the Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen before his eyes was gentle and had a sweet smile, bringing an air of adolescence and daintiness to her. It was quite the opposite of the aloof and mature Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen with amanding presence in the office.

    With He Xiang approaching in a fluster, Shen Xi ced her index finger against her lips to hush him. She also tipped him the wink.

    He Xiang was quick-witted to get the hint that Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen preferred to remain anonymous. The woman Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen clung onto was gentle, pretty, and looked young for her age, albeit traces of aging were still visible on her face. She must be the mother-figure fan, Virtual Yun.

    Virtual Yun mentioned she would be swinging by the set together with her daughter. In that case, Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen was Virtual Yun¡¯s daughter and Virtual Yun was Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen¡¯s mother!

    If Virtual Yun was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s mother-figure fan, it made Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen¡¯s mother a fan of Yu Yuanxi!

    ¡°Hello, Mr. He.¡± Yun Jinping walked over and greeted him.

    Since He Xiang revered Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen, he politely returned the greeting, ¡°Hello, Madam.¡±

    He had caught wind that Yu Yuanxi was brought in by Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen to sign with thepany. It was also her decision to hire him as Yu Yuanxi¡¯s manager.

    Nevertheless, He Xiang had his doubts about the rumor because Yu Yuanxi was basically invisible and non-existent in the office. Since he had a film under his belt, thepany should at least promote him, market him, and build him up.

    Yet, crickets. Nothing was done at all. There was no arrangement whatsoever for Yu Yuanxi, and if it had not been for the movie still in the filming stage and the handpicked brilliant script, he was tempted to pick the executives¡¯ brains.

    Yun Jinping smiled and introduced Shen Xi. ¡°This is my daughter, Shen Xi.¡±

    He Xiang cleared his throat before nodding with mixed feelings. ¡°Hello.¡±

 Chapter 543 - Green

    <h4>Chapter 543: Green</h4>

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Hello.¡±

    At the end of the day, Mr. He was green and needed to get out there more. At least then, he would not have worn his heart on his sleeve.

    The other girls quickly swarmed in to greet and introduce themselves before excitedly following He Xiang to the set.

    Many of them, including Shen Xi and Yun Jinping, had never visited a filming set before. Since everyone had time during summer and they happened to be in the capital, the girls signed up toe along when Yun Jinping proposed this in the group chat.

    As they walked, He Xiang was having mixed feelings about walking beside Shen Xi and Yun Jinping like an errand boy, and nothing like the big-shot manager that he was. It was not because he was not able to get it together, rather Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen was carrying herself with much authority. Ask any one of thepany¡¯s executives including Chairman Yuan, and they would admit to trembling in her presence.

    Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen may be young, but she was highly capable andmanded the room. She did not have much to say during meetings but every time she opened her mouth, it was spot on and straight to the heart of the matter. She was out to prove that age was only a number when it came to the crunch.

    Truth be told, no one in the office thought any lesser of Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen because of her age. Everyone respected and admired her as though she was born to rule over them.

    The production team weed the visiting fans brought by He Xiang. After all, not even the tabloids dropped by the set since the start of their shoot.

    With the fans around, they should get some organic publicity and get the ball rolling. However, it never urred to them that He Xiang only brought less than a dozen over. People would think he brought his assistants along. The major stars aside, even D-ranked celebrities would have bigger personnel with their assistants and bodyguardsbined.

    Among the fans, twodies drew attention. One was a charming middle-aged woman while the other was a breathtakingly beautiful girl. They could not take their eyes away from them.

    ¡°Yuanxi is filming his scene. Wait here for a bit.¡± He Xiang was looking at Shen Xi while talking.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Since Yun Jinping was the oldest and the organizer of the trip, the other girls called her Madam. She oversaw the outing.

    She was not here to disrupt Lil¡¯ Yu¡¯s work.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading there to take a look.¡± As a qualified manager, He Xiang had ns of his own.

    He was going to inform Yu Yuanxi that Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen was here so he could get ready in advance. He did not want Yu Yuanxi to be thrown in a fluster and leave a bad impression then.

    As He Xiang was about to take off, Yun Jinping stopped him and whispered, ¡°Mr. He, can we buy the production team a drink?¡±

    She had asked fans of other celebrities and checked on the dos and don¡¯ts when swinging by the set prior to her arrival. Certain production teams allowed ess, filming, and treats, while other sets had strict rules about buying drinks, let alone taking pictures. Fans were lucky enough to be able to meet with their idol.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He Xiang nodded with a smile. With Yun Jinping whipping out pen and paper, He Xiang got the cue and pped his hands for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Yuanxi¡¯s fans wish to buy bubble tea for everyone. Pleasee and let us know your preference.¡±

    Staff members, extras, actors, and actors¡¯ assistants rushed to the scene to sign up after hearing that Yu Yuanxi¡¯s fans were treating them to bubble tea. Who was going to say no to free drinks?

    The registration of names and preferences was soon over. The list totaled more than a hundred. Yun Jinping tallied up the numbers with staff on set before leading a few girls to handle the task.

    Shen Xi was not part of the buying ensemble. She found a quiet spot on set and sat down to y a mobile game. Before she could even finish one round, she heard a rude, cocky, andmanding female voiceing from behind her shouting, ¡°Hey, you! Sit somewhere else!¡±

 Chapter 544 - Apologize to Me!

    <h4>Chapter 544: Apologize to Me!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi did not bother to lift her head since she was in the heat of the game.

    The nearby extras were standing by the sidelines with popcorn in hand.

    They identified the girl sitting on the chair to be a fan of Yu Yuanxi. She was brought in by his manager, He Xiang.

    The gorgeousdy who arrogantly told Shen Xi to give up her seat was also a familiar face. She was the second supporting actress of the movie called Zhou Zhen and an absolute stunner.

    They always believed that Zhou Zhen was a true beauty, untainted by cosmetic surgery, and prettier than the leadingdy and supporting actress. Yet now, she was overshadowed by the girl on the chair.

    The girl on the chair was noble, poised, and indifferent inside out, giving off an illusion of an ethereal fairy.

    It made Zhou Zhen¡¯s beauty appear tacky and superficial inparison.

    Zhou Zhen was not a big name, but she was known for her ill temper,ck of manners, and her ability to kick up a fuss at anything. Still, the director took her side because of her great acting skills. No one among the production crew had the guts to go against her.

    ¡°Hey, are you deaf?¡± With the cold shoulder from Shen Xi getting to Zhou Zhen, she questioned aloud, ¡°Where did this extrae from? Is anyone her superior?¡±

    While the production team was ying dumb and deaf, a few of them made a run for it. They might as well since Zhou Zhen was not someone they wanted to cross. It was best they stayed out of it.

    They steered clear of Zhou Zhen as thisdy was all the rage in the production. She was more popr than the main stars of the film, so no one was going to step on her toes.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Zhou Zhen shot an angry re at the fleeing crew members before stamping her foot in rage. Putting all the me and anger on Shen Xi, she aimed for Shen Xi¡¯s leg.

    She was about to make the kick when the chair suddenly swerved left. With her foot making a miss, she slipped and kneeled on the ground in a thump.

    That was right.

    Kneeled.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Xi finally put away her phone and curled her lips at the woman on her knees. The woman might be a knockout, but there was something dingy about her beauty.

    Caught between humiliation and rage, Zhou Zhen was spitting fire from her eyes. She let out a heated scream, ¡°You¡¯re behind this!¡±

    Shen Xi furrowed her brows in bewilderment before getting up. She gave away the seat as she had no intentions to get into it with an uncultured person and stoop to her level. Shen Xi then walked away.

    ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Zhou Zhen always had her way on the set, abusing the director¡¯s favoritism. Even the main actors made themselves scarce in her presence, let alone these measly extras. She could crush them at the snap of her fingers.

    Shen Xi looked back, raising her brow and pointing at the chair with a smile. The message was clear ¨C she could have the seat.

    Although the look on the girl¡¯s face was nothing out of the ordinary, Zhou Zhen could sense disdain and humiliation washing all over her. Sparks were flying. ¡°I said, hold it right there!¡±

    Who did the girl think she was to do this to her!

    Shen Xi returned a puzzled look.

    The onlooking extras watched on, not knowing what to expect. Zhou Zhen wasing hard at the girl while thetter was no pushover either. Without doing a thing, the girl was about to push Zhou Zhen to the edge. This was a skill itself.

    Only a handful believed Zhou Zhen falling to her knees was by chance, but it was hard to challenge the theory since no one saw the girl in action.

    The girl stayed true to her social graces and civilities the whole time, practicing good manners in the face of Zhou Zhen¡¯s unsparing yelling.

    Zhou Zhen was acting like a fool, showing her full-blown ugly and hysterical side before Shen Xi. Yet, the girl brushed her off without taking anything to heart.

    It was not like Zhou Zhen was oblivious to her surroundings. Having been made aughingstock, she furiously chided, ¡°Apologize to me!¡±

    Shen Xi turned back and spoke atst. Instead of asking Zhou Zhen, she asked one of the extras while pointing at Zhou Zhen¡¯s head. ¡°Does she have loose screws there?¡±

    What a greateback!

    Why was the troublemaker demanding an apology!

    It was high time someone put the arrogant and obnoxious Zhou Zhen in her ce. The extras burst intoughter. Rather than having loose screws, it was more so empty.

    She had nothing going for her except her good looks and acting skills. Her time could be better spent on acquiring a diploma in P¡¯s and Q¡¯s. It was said that the director discovered her in a club.

    Rumors had it that her mom was the headliner of a well-known club in China who attended to elites of the political and business world. She picked up a thing or two about debauchery, molding her into a spoiled brat. Sure, she might be ady on the surface, but it did not steer her away from the courtesan within.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Zhou Zhen had never been so humiliated as she always called the shots. With bloodshot eyes, she refused to reason. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about leaving this ce before you apologize!¡±

    Shen Xi put on a stiff upper lip, wiping her smile away for the first time today. ¡°Are you the boss?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhou Zhen scoffed coldly. She knew fear would get to the girl. Feeling smug, Zhou Zhen was in the mood for charity. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the director to let you continue working as an extra if you bow down to me and apologize.¡±

    Ha! An extra sure had the audacity to give her the attitude. It was good that the girl felt her wrath as Zhou Zhen was not going to lose her pride over it.

    The airhead brought out the callousness in Shen Xi. She uttered in a t tone, ¡°You can try me. Let¡¯s see who leaves then.¡±

    Zhou Zhen was unable to discern whether Shen Xi was telling the truth or bluffing. How well-connected could an extra be? Zilch.

    ¡°The extras over there.¡± A few feet away, someone shouted and pointed at them. ¡°Time to work.¡±

    It was the extras¡¯ cue to run off since they were only here for the money. For that once-in-lifetime chance to find fame, they held it together and started on minor roles from the ground up. They ran lines and checked on each other¡¯s makeup.

    With the current extras here, the associate director did a headcount and found one person short. He turned to Shen Xi and roared, ¡°You there, what are you doing? Don¡¯t you want to make money?¡±

    Shen Xi turned over and swept a cold nce at him.

    Shuddering at the chilling stare, the associate took a moment before sting, ¡°Yes, you. Hurry up. We¡¯re starting right away!¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head and actually went over. It had been a while since she engaged in acting. She did not see why she could not be an extra.. At least, she could give the cocky dimwit a run for her money.

 Chapter 545 - A Real Extra

    <h4>Chapter 545: A Real Extra</h4>

    Zhou Zhen was shaking with rage as Shen Xi walked away. Stomping her foot, she pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°Hold it right there! Do you hear me? I said stop!¡±

    Taking Zhou Zhen as a dog barking behind her, Shen Xi went with the extras.

    Zhou Zhen had got her eye on that girl. She clenched her fists and scowled at Shen Xi. If only looks could kill. Just wait, revenge was a dish best served cold. She intended to tell Mr. Wang, the director, to chase the girl out of the set!

    The associate director was frazzled on the set. After throwing Shen Xi a set of soiled clothes, he directed the makeup artist to paint her face before getting a martial art instructor to teach the others the moves.

    This was for a fighting scene where Xue Chenhuan, the main character yed by Yu Yuanxi, was discovered by a gang of panhandlers before a fight in front of an inn ensued.

    Shen Xi soon came out with changed clothes.

    Feeling the tension from the pressing director, the associate director had not gotten a good look at Shen Xi. He only noted she was a beautiful youngdy, but pretty faces were amon find in the film and TV base. It was not like he could remember all of them.

    The associate director¡¯s eyes lit up following Shen Xi¡¯s appearance. The great makeup captured the essence of the character named Huazi. The greasepaint breathed life to the character of a beggarpared to the other extras. The associate director pointed at the makeup artist. ¡°Redo their makeup ording to hers.¡±

    Look at the makeup on these other extras. The associate director was going to get it from Mr. Wangter. There would not be aparison in the absence of a good and a bad, but unfortunately, the situation now was not the case and the quality showed.

    Caught in between a rock and a hard ce, the makeup artist nced at Shen Xi. ¡°Sir, she did the makeup herself.¡±

    Jesus. Her jaw dropped to the ground when she watched the girl apply her makeup. The girl performed miracles, changing her jawline and face shape like magic. It could be passed off as cosmetic surgery!

    Most importantly, it only took Shen Xi mere minutes for the beggar makeup toe to life. The makeup artist was now convinced she was not worthy of her job title.

    ¡°She did it?¡± The associate director took stock of Shen Xi, but there was no time to ask questions. ¡°I¡¯ll add a hundred yuan to your pay for each painted face. Do the same on them.¡±

    The extras on set were mostly here for the money. Who would say no to cash?

    Shen Xi did not refuse. She took a headcount and tallied the numbers to eight. The original makeup artist¡¯s work was not too shabby, so a minor touch-up was sufficient. It would not take too long.

    The associate director urged her. ¡°Hurry up. The scene¡¯sing right up and Mr. Wang is waiting.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Sure.¡±

    The associate director¡¯s opinion of Shen Xi changed for the better as he was impressed by herposure. His eyes popped out when she worked her magic. ¡°Um¡­ Would you consider bing our makeup artist? I¡¯ll give you a fixed sry of 5,000 yuan plusmission with insurance and housing funds paid for. Of course, we can also throw in a few scenes if you¡¯re into acting.¡±

    Shen Xi was caught betweenughter and tears. He genuinely thought she was an extra. God knows she was only here to visit the set as a fan. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time.¡±

    The associate director frowned. What was taking up her time? Be it a makeup artist or an extra, she would be stuck on set all day for work to begin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have the time?¡±

    Surprised by the relentless questions, Shen Xi answered, ¡°I was dragged here as a makeweight. I¡¯m not an extra. I¡¯m just a fan of Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    Amid the mind-blowing moment, the associate director turned to the extras. These were familiar faces who had been with the set to this day. They had probably been in at least eight to ten scenes.

    The extras nodded their heads to vouch for the girl. The youngdy was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s fan and not an extra. The associate director looked scary when he called her over!

    They believed that the girl felt threatened by the associate director¡¯s mean looks.

    Refusing to give up on a rare talent, the associate director practiced perseverance. ¡°Please consider joining our production team. We pay well. I can discuss with the director if it doesn¡¯te close to the figure you have in mind.¡±

    The nearby makeup artist watched with expectant eyes. She could learn a thing or two, maybe even be her student if this cosmetics guru joined the set. She had never seen such amazing makeup skills.

    With such skills at hand, she would sit on top of the world of cosmetics! Oh, she could die and go to Heaven.

    Shen Xi thought to herself, ¡®It¡¯s not like you can afford me since I style celebrities with the likes of Fu Qingye.¡¯ She shook her head with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste your time. I¡¯m too busy.¡±

    Although disappointed, the associate director was not going to insist since she made up her mind. He could lead a horse to the water, but he could not make it drink. Still, he added. ¡°Come find me if you ever change your mind. We¡¯ll always have a spot for you here.¡±

    A makeup guru like her was high in demand everywhere. Perhaps the sry they could offer was not to her liking. The associate director nned to discuss with Mr. Wangter.

    It only took Shen Xi a jiffy to paint the extras¡¯ faces.

    The associate director happily bobbed his head and took them to the set.

    Wang Cai the director was bowled over but quickly tickled pink when the associate director led the group of beggars in. The makeup went well with the characters. Heplimented the apanying makeup artist. ¡°Lil¡¯ Liu, you did it this time. You¡¯re getting better with your makeup.¡±

    The makeup artist, Lil¡¯ Liu nced at Shen Xi before attempting to exin that it was not her work. Nevertheless, she did not get the chance to as the director hastily jumped straight to directing after giving the kudos.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes went right to Yu Yuanxi who was dressed in pale blue brocade, looking like the fine and poised gentleman that he was. He was definitely a man of all seasons.

    The movie ¡°Mirror¡± was about the mothend, depicting Great General Xue Chenhuan¡¯s twisted fate. Despite falling into treacherous ploys, being second-guessed by the emperor, and being misconstrued by the people, he served and protected the nation and its people. s, he suffered a tragic end by losing and dying on the battlefield.

    Feeling a pair of eyes on him, Yu Yuanxi returned a smile. He was gued by a sense of uncertain familiarity from the little beggar. It was a weird feeling.

    He recognized these extras who were hired and coached by Mr. Wang. Since it was the same bunch of people each time, Yu Yuanxi could identify their friendly faces even if they had not shared any conversations.

    It was his first time seeing the skinny beggar in the middle who smiled at him. She must be new.

    With all the extras and actors ounted for, it was time to start the shoot.

    The martial art instructor recapped the moves and pain points to the extras. He even took the time to tell Shen Xi to do as the others and not to feel restricted in case she forgot the moves.

    The temporary extra was a fan of Yu Yuanxi, dragged by the associate director to fill in the numbers, so she had not been through formal training. The martial art instructor could not afford the scene to blow up in his face and for the director to throw a tantrum at him.

    The associate director and martial art instructor watched anxiously by the side when the extras got onto the set. They were fixated on Shen Xi, afraid she might feel Mr. Wang¡¯s wrath for poor acting.

    Mr. Wang did not hold back when running his mouth because he held himself to a high standard. The extras were reced multiple times and this bunch pulled through the scolding and were thest ones standing.

    If she was yelled at, they would be too since they were the ones who hired her. They would be given a dressing-down if they did not do a good job preparing her for the role.

    The associate director was praying for Shen Xi to not f*ck up while waiting for a response from his assistant, whom he asked to look for the original extra as a backup.

 Chapter 546 - He Must be Blind

    <h4>Chapter 546: He Must be Blind</h4>

    In an inn.

    Xue Chenhuan suddenly lifted his downcast eyes and flung the winecup toward the door. Like an arrow against the wind, the winecup drove a fiery murderous intent.

    Hit in the chest by the winecup, the little beggar kneeling by the door sprawled onto the ground.

    The rest of the beggars were also on a stakeout. Having witnessed the attack on one of their own, they recklessly swarmed to fight Xue Chenhuan, thirsty for blood.

    Out of all the panhandlers, the scrawniest figure drew the most attention, standing out for all the right reasons amid all the thrashing and beating. It only took a couple of martial art moves to show that the person had the chops.

    Speaking of chops, this was not talking about the beggar¡¯s kung fu in the script, but the actor¡¯s ownbat techniques. The scrawny beggar was none other than Shen Xi.

    Only a pro had what it took. Her every execution was carried out smoothly and with perfection. It was clear that she was a martial artist.

    The associate director and martial art instructor were dumbstruck. The girl was a bad*ss!

    Due to time constraints and Mr. Wang breathing down their necks, the martial art instructor only taught her the moves once and left her to y by ear.

    It never urred to them that she would execute the steps with fluidity and wlessness. Still, she managed without overshadowing or stealing the limelight from the main actors. Only a professional, such as the martial art instructor, could see that Shen Xi did not go all out in the fight. She deliberately spared the effort and paced herself.

    Anyone with a background in martial arts could get into the rhythm of ying a series of moves, but it was a whole different story to reach her level of execution with both precision and ease. The martial art instructor himself dared not say he could do it.

    The associate director¡¯s eyes lit up. What had he stumbled upon? Not only was she great with makeup, but she was also good in fight scenes. She could reenact the martial art moves with perfection just by watching twice and rehearsing once. The girl was more than a genius!

    Moreover, the girl was a natural when it came to acting. Pairing each gesture with ever-changing expressions, she was able to bring the character to life. Even Yu Yuanxi whom Mr. Wang called a talented actor would fall short.

    It was as though she was born to act. She infused herself into the role and lived the part as though she was the character.

    Unable to hold himself back, the associate director turned to Mr. Wang, the director. The expression on Mr. Wang¡¯s face was much more caricatural. With sparkling eyes, he observed Shen Xi¡¯s every move,pletely losing sight of his favorite actor, Yu Yuanxi.

    Wang Cai had taken notice of the little beggar¡¯s moves. She fought with such grace without sticking out too much. It took great control to achieve that.

    Following the first observation, he began to note more qualities and was unable to take his eyes away from her. The minute changes in her facial appearances during the fight were sublime. Yu Yuanxi had all the goods bestowed by God.

    However, the girl was better than Yu Yuanxi.

    She was not only acting on her own but also guiding and rallying the other actors to immerse into their roles with her performance.

    These small touches would go unnoticed by the non-professionals. Yu Yuanxi might be the core and focal point, but he was not running the show.

    It was hard to believe that the girl aplished the task without stealing the show. She knew her ce and role deeply, using this to her advantage to guide the script toward a more impable direction.

    The scene was done in one take.

    The staff members on set were overjoyed and dumbfounded at the same time. There had never been an instance of a single take before. They had to go through one scene multiple times as one minor mistake would call for a retake.

    This was especially the case in scenes with extras or fighting scenes. It usually took up at least ten attempts before the actors got it right.

    Stunned to learn their scene was over in a single take, the extras exchanged nces. They had not gotten a real sense of their performance. Sure, they were nervous in the beginning but started to let loose as the fight went on, delivering the punches with ease like something had suddenly clicked in them. The experience was beyond amazing for them.

    Yu Yuanxi had a better idea of what was going on than the extras. He immediately looked at the little beggar yed by Shen Xi. She was guiding them throughout the scene.

    That was right.

    She was the guiding spirit, showing him and the extras the way so they were able to bring out their fullest potential into the fight scene.

    This person had much higher attainment in acting than he did. As to how high it was, Yu Yuanxi was not schooled enough to make a guess. The one thing he knew was that her attainment was unfathomable.

    Wang Cai and the associate director drew near and stared at Shen Xi as they hit the mother lode. It was criminal and a waste of her talent if she did not go into acting.

    The keen Wang Cai was one step ahead of the associate director as he enthusiastically looked at Shen Xi. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Are you one of our extras? What do you think about bing an actor?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    She spoke in her natural voice.

    The first to identify her voice was He Xiang who nearly cussed his brains out in shock. He searched everywhere for Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen and, lo and behold, here she was as a beggar. He must be blind to fail in spotting her in a crowd.

    Yu Yuanxi was taken aback at first, but a gentle smile broke across his face. He called out her name, ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Under the beggar¡¯s disguise, she curled her lips to sh her pearly whites and waved. ¡°I came with Mom to visit you on the set.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi asked, ¡°Is Mrs. Shen here too?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°She went with the fans to get some drinks. We¡¯re buying the production team bubble tea.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me know?¡± Yu Yuanxi nced at He Xiang and asked.

    He Xiang shrugged. He had no idea. Yes, he knew some fans were swinging by the set, but he only found out Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen and her mom were among the fans when they arrived.

    Wang Cai did not butt in as it was not his ce to interrupt a conversation between a fan and their idol. While he decided to have his turn to talk once they were done, he turned to the associate director.

    The associate director exined, ¡°She¡¯s a fan of Yu Yuanxi who helped out since we¡¯re one person short on the extras.¡±

    Sure, he dragged her into this, but he had no clue that she was a genius. With such talent, she should take up a career in acting.

    Wang Cai was happy to see they were close because with Lil¡¯ Yu being on good terms with her, it should not be an issue for Lil¡¯ Yu to bridge his idea of getting her to act.

    He found it hard to pass on a promising actor. Wang Cai might not have a role for her in this movie but there were many more in the next.

    Moreover, it did not take a lot for people to know she was a prodigy in the acting world. Her amazing talent would not go amiss in showbiz.

    As a director, Wang Cai had always gone after actors who met his requirements and expectations. Such was the case with Yu Yuanxi and Zhou Zhen. However, none had ever made him so eager to assign them a role and make them a star in his movie like this extra did.

    The director made the actor and vice versa. This was the ultimate pursuit he was after.

    Since Yu Yuanxi was done with his scene, he excused himself from Wang Cai and the associate director before taking Shen Xi with him.

    Wang Cai stopped them. ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, hold up.¡±

 Chapter 547 - Stop the Search, Sheâ€™s the One

    <h4>Chapter 547: Stop the Search, She¡¯s the One</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi and Shen Xi stopped in their tracks.

    Wang Cai cheerfully gazed at Shen Xi. ¡°Youngdy, you can really act. Are you an actress?¡±

    He had never seen her before. No way would he overlook a talented actress like her in the entertainment industry. She would be a hit by now if she went into showbiz.

    There could only be one reason ¨C she had never acted despite having the whole package.

    Lil¡¯ Yu might have talents, but he needed guidance in the beginning. Unlike Lil¡¯ Yu, the girl was born to act and needed no instructions.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Having gotten into the topic, Wang Cai could hardly suppress the excitement stirring in him. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯d be interested in acting?¡±

    Shen Xi gave a t-out refusal. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Showbiz is where the money is. Please reconsider.¡± Wang Cai was feeling down in the dumps. There was no need to point out the profitability of the entertainment business because everyone had a ballpark of the kind of paychecks actors received. Enough said.

    In a ce like showbiz, wads of dor bills would be raining down if people were able to get their name out there. Many dreamed of stepping into thend of glitz and mor; an example of such people were the extras working in the film base every day.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not short of cash.¡±

    Wang Cai choked on his words. What more could he say other than wearing her down? ¡°It¡¯s such a waste of your talent if you don¡¯t go into acting. Truly, you are a great actress.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    While she was firmly turning the director down, the nearby crew members and extras were gobsmacked. The extras, in particr, were astonished that there was actually somebody who did not want to go into showbiz nor make the money and be a hit.

    Everyone built castles in the air, imagining themselves to be a diamond in the rough that was yet to be discovered. Every dog had its day and one day, someone would pick them out of the crowd, recognize their talent, and make them a star.

    However, not everybody had such an opportunity as it was one in a million. The fantasy was not all impossible in the past, but it proved a difficult feat in the current climate.

    Yet now, Mr. Wang was telling the fangirl what the extras had always wanted to hear. To their surprise, she rejected this once-in-a-lifetime offer with ease.

    That was right.

    It was apparent to them that the fan could not care less about the money and fame Mr. Wang was talking about. Her detachment seemed to exude straight from her very core.

    ¡°Call me if you evere around.¡± Wang Cai may say so, but he was not going to throw in the towel just yet. He should not be all over her face if he was trying to win her over as it would only do more harm than good if he p*ssed her off.

    Time was on his side. Since she was Lil¡¯ Yu¡¯s fan, Wang Cai could slowly sell her on the idea through Lil¡¯ Yu. This was the best way to go about it.

    Shen Xi had no intentions of going into showbiz. Otherwise, she would already be there and not wait until now. As the founder of Cosmos Entertainment, she had more insight than anyone else about what Wang Cai was saying.

    As he watched Shen Xi take off with Yu Yuanxi, Wang Cai made up his mind to make Shen Xi reweigh her options. If showbiz was not her thing, she could simply focus on acting and be a real actress.

    It was no longer as straightforward with actors nowadays. Many of them were mediocre in the art of acting, but they packaged themselves well and had money as well as the fans¡¯ support to back them up. They were still sought for movie roles even if they were sh*t.

    This was particrly true in the TV series circle. It was a pity that the quality of the actors and TV series was going downhill right to the dumps.

    This phenomenon would only worsen with the injection of money and the rise of fan management. Down-to-earth actors who were not into promoting themselves had be rare finds.

    As for her indifference, Wang Cai refused to believe that anybody would be so unaroused by fame, power, and money. There must be some sort of incentive to draw her in. Maybe she would realize her love for acting and choose to be an actress once she started the shoot.

    With Shen Xi leaving alongside Yu Yuanxi, He Xiang the manager respectfully tagged along behind them.

    Yun Jinping returned with the group of fans bearing bubble tea when she heard from one of the crew that Shen Xi was called by the director to work as an extra. Watching Yu Yuanxi approaching with a little beggar, she recognized instantly that the beggar was her darling daughter. ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled at her as she jogged over and gave a twirl in between. She asked, ¡°Mom, what do you think of my makeup?¡±

    Yun Jinping nodded happily. ¡°Looks great. I bet your dad won¡¯t be able to tell that it¡¯s you if you went home looking like that.¡±

    Shen Xi took it seriously. ¡°The clothes belong to the production team. I can¡¯t wear this back.¡±

    Yun Jinping enjoyed a chuckle and handed both Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi a bubble tea each. ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, is it a lot of work?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi grabbed the beverage and grinned at her. ¡°No.¡±

    Yun Jinping carefully eyed Yu Yuanxi. The young man was handsome, to begin with, but the pale blue brocade brought out his cavalry and charm.

    She was caught in the moment of a daze when he smiled. It was like looking at her husband during their youth when they had their wedding photos taken.

    Her husband should be wearing red for the wedding photoshoot, but he went to find himself a blue brocade to put on.

    His appearance and build were simr to the young man before her eyes. The only difference was the young man was more good-looking and refined than her husband.

    After sharing a word, Yun Jinping apanied Shen Xi for makeup removal and a change of clothes. She could not be going around in a beggar outfit!

    The other fans immediately flocked at the emergence of their idol. They chatted and asked for autographs and photos. One of the perks of liking an idol who had not made it big was that the idol was unassuming and friendly enough to engage in some one-on-one time.

    This was a luxury and would onlye by at a time as such. The opportunity would not present itself when the idol hit it big. It was not to say he would change, but rather he would not be able to attend to every single fan once his fan base grew.

    Yu Yuanxi greeted them warmly and weed all requests for photos and autographs. As a rookie, he knew where he stood, and he was content to have fans like them.

    ¡°Mr. Yu, we have gotten into a bit of a situation with Ms. Xia. She¡¯s still on makeup, so Mr. Wang¡¯s bringing forward your scene to shoot first. You should head there now.¡± The assistant director came over.

    Yu Yuanxi looked abashed at his fans. ¡°Are you leaving now? If you¡¯re not in a hurry, let me treat you to dinner once the shoot is over.¡±

    He then looked to Yun Jinping and Shen Xi, who had returned from freshening up and a change of clothes, to inquire about the same.

    The fans were in no rush since they were nning to spend the night here before leaving first thing in the morning. Ecstatic by the invitation, they bobbed their heads in agreement.

    Yun Jinping nodded with a smile. She was good with anything as long as it did not interfere with his shoot. She came here to check on him anyway.

    Yu Yuanxi broke into a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t just wait up for me. Explore the ce. There are many ongoing shoots and renowned actors here.¡±

    The fans shook their heads in unison. They did not care for other celebrities because they were here only for him and to see him. After giving their word to the associate director about keeping mum about the shoot, they were allowed to watch Yu Yuanxi at work.

    Holding Yun Jinping by the arm, Shen Xi tailed behind Yu Yuanxi.

    On set, Wang Cai was on another rampage. With the shoot about to begin, they were missing an important extra who was still nowhere to be found. Wang Cai looked around the room and his eyes lit up when he spotted Shen Xi with Yun Jinping. He pointed at her and said, ¡°Stop the search, she¡¯s the one.¡±

    The girl was a true feast to the eyes with beauty matching an unworldly angel. The role of Ling Yao was made for her.

    The associate wanted to say something but did not have the heart to break the news to the already boiling Wang Cai. ¡®Open your eyes, Mr. Wang. She¡¯s the little beggar from earlier!¡¯

 Chapter 548 - Su Yiâ€™s Illegitimate Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 548: Su Yi¡¯s Illegitimate Daughter</h4>

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    She was here to visit the set, not be an extra!

    Yun Jinping was without a word.

    Wang Cai had spoken and made a call. ¡°You must be a fan of Lil¡¯ Yu. Could you lend a hand? It¡¯s a simple scene with two lines. I can teach you.¡±

    Usually, a fan would not refuse to do a scene and run lines with their idol.

    Before Shen Xi could say anything, a voice was heard within distance.

    ¡°Mr. Wang!¡±

    The person was none other than Zhou Zhen. She was looking to mess with the girl after thetter got on her nerves. s, Zhou Zhen was called away by the makeup artist.

    The second supporting role that Zhou Zhen yed was a princess of the steppe nomads. Beautiful but violent, the character was smitten by the male lead, Xue Chenhuan, at first sight.

    The red little number she had on showed off her curves, taking the people¡¯s breath away. They were mind-blown but it would be better if she did not speak.

    Yun Jinping turned to the source of noise. The girl may be dressed rather dazzling and mature, but Yun Jinping could tell from her cogen-plump face that she was probably around the age of her daughter.

    Moreover, the girl¡¯s appearance looked awfully familiar. Come to think of it, a realization hit Yun Jinping in the face.

    Su Yi!

    It dawned on her that the girl shared resemnce to Su Yi!

    Su Yi was an actor, a famous movie star from their era. While Yun Jinping was not into idolizing stars during her younger days, she had watched a few of Su Yi¡¯s movies and TV shows. Hence, she was familiar with Su Yi¡¯s appearance.

    With Yun Jinping fixated on her, Shen Xi thought the former was inquiring about the shoot. Shen Xi said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not doing the scene.¡±

    Yun Jinping did not intend to ask her anything but was simply looking at her. Xixi looked very much like Li Jingran and had a DNA test to prove. She never doubted that Shen Xi was not Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s biological daughter.

    She would be getting way ahead of herself if this girl turned out to have no rtions to the Su family. On the other hand, if Yun Jinping¡¯s guess was right, the girl might be Su Yi¡¯s illegitimate daughter.

    Coming from an entertainment background, Su Yi got together with Li Jingran for his second marriage. His ex-wife was the mother of Yuan Yu, Xixi¡¯s brother. The Su couple was actually an indirect cause of his ex-wife¡¯s death. It was no surprise for a person of Su Yi¡¯s character to have an illegitimate daughter somewhere out there.

    Zhou Zhen made her way over and gave Shen Xi a dirty look before acting cute in front of Wang Cai. ¡°Wait a minute, Mr. Wang. The extra is my girlfriend and a good friend. She¡¯s notte on purpose. It¡¯s not like she can control traffic.¡±

    The fuss kicked up by Zhou Zhen made Wang Cai red in the face. With that attitude of hers, people would think there was some shady business going on between them. God knew he merely held talents in high esteem and had no interest in her in that way. Pulling a straight face, Wang Cai chided, ¡°Cut it out.¡±

    Zhou Zhen knew her stuff and was actress material. Putting aside her entric behavior, she was able to get into character well. She had a bright acting future ahead of her on the condition that she changed her promiscuous ways and stopped trying to get into people¡¯s pants.

    ¡°Just give it a little bit more time, Mr. Wang. Let the others get on with other scenes first.¡± Zhou Zhen threw Shen Xi a smug and defiant look.

    Ha! So long as Zhou Zhen was around, there was no chance she was going to let Shen Xi be a part of the movie. This was payback!

 Chapter 549 - Take Those Clothes Off

    <h4>Chapter 549: Take Those Clothes Off</h4>

    ¡°What time is her scene?¡± Wang Cai asked Zhou Zhen.

    Since Zhou Zhen had no idea about that, she chuckled and brought on her charm. ¡°Mr. Wang, just a little longer. She will be here soon. Can you overlook this for my sake?¡±

    She wanted everyone to know that she was Mr. Wang¡¯s favorite, and he would bend the knee to whatever she said.

    ¡°Ask your friend.¡± Wang Cai started grimacing.

    Still not able to read the room, Zhou Zhen called her friend to get some answers before turning to the director and saying, ¡°She said it¡¯s at half-past two, but she¡¯s right at the entrance now. She¡¯ll be here in a bit.¡±

    With that, Zhou Zhen gave Shen Xi an aggravating look, expressing to thetter to buzz off now that her girl was here.

    ¡°Get out. Tell your friend not toe.¡± Wang Cai then instructed the makeup artist to style Shen Xi without even getting her consent.

    ¡°Mr. Wang.¡± Zhou Zhen cried while stomping her foot. Anxious, she came in his way. ¡°She¡¯s already at the entrance and will be here soon. Just give her two minutes.¡±

    Refusing to give her the time of day, Wang Cai walked around her and had the lighting team, props team, and cameramen performst checks before they got the reel rolling.

    The associate director cleared his throat as a hint of jubnce flickered in his eyes. Sure, Mr. Wang appreciated good talent but only to a certain extent.

    Mr. Wang¡¯s biggest pet peeve was tardiness. A draconian when it came to punctuality, he was neverte and demanded the same from others, especially those working under him. He would not budge on his principles even if the king begged him, let alone Zhou Zhen.

    The crew, actors, and extras on-site were thrilled that Zhou Zhen had to s*ck it. They were hoping for the day Zhou Zhen would fall from grace after the cocky and defiant attitude she pulled on everyone.

    Despite Zhou Zhen¡¯s efforts to beg, borrow, or steal, Wang Cai did not budge. Blowing her top, Zhou Zhen dashed to the dressing room and uttered in spite, ¡°So you¡¯re not going to change your mind, huh? You can¡¯t use that woman either!¡±

    The associate director immediately called Wang Cai¡¯s attention as Zhou Zhen crashed into the dressing room. It was not like the associate director could do anything since he could not afford the consequences of rubbing Mr. Wang¡¯s golden girl the wrong way.

    However, he was also afraid that something bad might happen. The young girl was only a fan here to see her idol and did nothing wrong while Zhou Zhen was the one stirring sh*t out of nothing.

    Shen Xi was up for the task, thinking of it as helping Yu Yuanxi to impress the director. She went along for hair and makeup.

    She just had a change of wardrobe when Zhou Zhen barged into the dressing room and arrogantly pointed at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare steal the part! Take off those clothes!¡±

    Shen Xi gazed at the madwoman and curled a taunting smile. ¡°It¡¯s the director you need to talk to.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Wang promised the role to my friend.¡± Rage flushed Zhou Zhen¡¯splexion as she darted a stern re at Shen Xi. She was ready to get up there and rip the clothes off of Shen Xi.

    Yu Yuanxi suddenly came in between them. While staring down at the woman, a solemn and somber expression made a mark on his usually gentle face for once. Even his voice was chilly. ¡°Zhou Zhen, you¡¯re going too far. The role was assigned by Mr. Wang. Go speak to him if you have a problem with it.¡±

 Chapter 550 - What Would It Make of Her?

    <h4>Chapter 550: What Would It Make of Her?</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi never carried hard feelings for anyone, but the person before his eyes challenged his perception of people, showing him that evil did exist in the world.

    ¡°Get lost, Yu Yuanxi!¡± Zhou Zhen eximed in rage before darting Shen Xi the evil eye. ¡°The role is my friend¡¯s. She¡¯s about to arrive so take off those clothes!¡±

    Who did the girl think she was? Zhou Zhen put in a lot of time and effort to get the role from the director, yet the girl managed to snatch it right out of her hands just like that.

    Zhou Zhen got the role for her best friend, and it was one with a few good lines. How was she supposed to exin to her bestie that she no longer had the part? What would it make of her?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you should tell your friend to go home.¡± Shen Xi was well-versed in dealing with different kinds of people and the best approach for a nitwit was facing them head-on.

    Well, since Zhou Zhen was desperate for the role, Shen Xi was surely not letting go of the role now!

    ¡°You¡­ You¡­ B*tch!¡± With anger brewing within, Zhou Zhen could blow up in the face of Shen Xi¡¯s silent taunt that implied Zhou Zhen had nothing on her.

    Since Yu Yuanxi was standing in between them, Zhou Zhen could not find an opening to attack Shen Xi. She was left to watch as the makeup artist painted the face of the girl sitting arrogantly in front of the vanity mirror.

    Wang Cai arrived on the scene to Zhou Zhen still kicking up a fuss. He turned ashen in the face. ¡°Shut up if you still want to be on the set. You¡¯re wee to leave if you don¡¯t want to be part of the production.¡±

    There was a limit to his patience. He would usually put up with her misbehavior as long as she kept her hands off of his shoot. Zhou Zhen was free to work on her people skills andworking.

    Ultimately, she had no say in butting in the filming process.

    ¡°Mr. Wang!¡±

    Unyielding, Wang Cai gave her the tough talk. ¡°This is not up for discussion. Go and get ready for your next scene.¡±

    Zhou Zhen might be despotic and haughty, but she was not stupid. She would push Wang Cai¡¯s limits without going too far.

    She did not hold back on bullying crew members and bossing the extras around simply because Wang Cai let her be. However, Zhou Zhen would rein in her bad behavior when Wang Cai was as little as frowned.

    By the looks of Wang Cai now, Zhou Zhen knew that nothing she said could change his mind. Hence, she had no choice but to give up disgruntledly. Still, it did not stop Zhou Zhen from hating Shen Xi and tearing her apart figuratively.

    What was she supposed to tell her girlfriend now? She told her bestie that she was the director¡¯s favorite and that the director would hand her a role with a couple of lines at the snap of her finger.

    Only God knows Wang Cai was obnoxiously strict when it came to filming. She worked for two months before getting her hands on the cameo role with a few lines.

    Rather than leaving or harping on about it, Zhou Zhen sat quietly in a corner to watch. She wanted to see what the girl, who embarrassed her twice, was trying to pull!

    Someone informed her earlier that the girl was a fan of Yu Yuanxi. That must be a cover for the girl¡¯s true intention, which was getting Yu Yuanxi to pull some strings for her to go into showbiz!

 Chapter 551 - A Genius in Their Hands

    <h4>Chapter 551: A Genius in Their Hands</h4>

    Zhou Zhen had to admit that the girl was a knockout, the unworldly kind that invited green-eyed monsters.

    Meanwhile, the makeup artist¡¯s hands were trembling, unable to muster up the courage to apply makeup for Shen Xi after an insight into thetter¡¯s great technique. The makeup artist cautiously sought Shen Xi¡¯s opinion. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might not do a good job. Why don¡¯t you do it since you¡¯re the whiz?¡±

    Shen Xi was deft in her makeup while she was too small of a fry toy hands on the guru¡¯s face.

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can do it.¡±

    Still quaking in the hands, the makeup artist remained apprehensive and was on the verge of tears. ¡°I think you should do it.¡±

    In the end, Shen Xi did it herself since it was too hard on the makeup artist. The girl was scared to death and was about to cry in fear.

    Completely in awe, the makeup artist took the opportunity to chat Shen Xi up. ¡°Do you have a Weibo ount?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The makeup artist whipped out her phone and eagerly gazed at Shen Xi. ¡°Could you share with me your Weibo ount so I can follow you.¡±

    With such amazing skills, the guru must be a bad*ss beauty blogger. Surely, she would have makeup videos and beauty courses posted on Weibo or other social media tforms.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    It did not take the makeup artist long to find Shen Xi¡¯s ount on Weibo. Dumbstruck the moment she clicked on the profile, the makeup artist stammered, ¡°Are you¡­ Ms¡­ Ms. Cai Ni?¡±

    Her bio was verified by Weibo as Cai Ni the Stylist!

    Shen Xi humbly grinned. ¡°Yes.¡±

    The makeup artist froze, at a loss to express her overwhelming excitement and joy. She was stirred up for a moment before adding. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, can I¡­ Ask for an autograph?¡±

    F*cking hell!

    Her idol!

    This person before her eyes was her idol!

    Ms. Cai Ni had appeared in public before but just once duringst year¡¯s red carpet at China Film Festival.

    Nevertheless, her photo was deleted the same night itself, leaving not a single trace online. Apart from those who attended the event, no one else knew what Ms. Cai Ni looked like. The only information left in the air was her absolute beauty!

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi was amodating to the request.

    Other than the stylist, the director and associate director were also present in the room. They were here to keep watch of Zhou Zhen in case she caused a scene again.

    After picking up on Shen Xi¡¯s reply, they exchanged nces and saw the same shock in each other¡¯s eyes.

    Ms. Cai Ni!

    The associate director was left to twist in the wind. OMG! To think he did something stupid by offering Ms. Cai Ni to be a makeup artist on their set with the base sry of 5,000 yuan and insurances and housing fund paid for!

    Ms. Cai Ni would turn her nose up at such an offer. After all, she was the hottest and most sought-after stylist in the industry. There was no guarantee she would grace her presence even if movie stars threw wads of cash at her.

    Yet, there he was, trying to convince her to stay with monthly wages. He must be delusional!

    Wang Cai was caught in a daze by the mention of this name. This was Ms. Cai Ni they were talking about ¨C the very student of Ms. Jiang Yin, and the most in-demand stylist right now.

    Jesus. What kind of genius did they have in their hands? She was second to none in creating looks and had a knack for acting too. However, Wang Cai could pretty much give up trying to pull her into the entertainment business.

    Stunned, Zhou Zhen widened her eyes in disbelief. Ms. Cai Ni!

 Chapter 552 - Get Down on Knees and Beg for Forgiveness

    <h4>Chapter 552: Get Down on Knees and Beg for Forgiveness</h4>

    Was Zhou Zhen done for?

    She recklessly jumped at Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s throat!

    Ms. Cai Ni was someone well-known even outside of the entertainment circle. One with ambition, Zhou Zhen joined showbiz to make it big. That goes without saying that she knew more than anyone the importance of a stylist to an actor. Gong Zhi, the film star, was a good example.

    Everyone knew that ever since Ms. Cai Ni became Gong Zhi¡¯s stylist, Gong Zhi became the belle of the ball in every event.

    Zhou Zhen imagined herself to be like Gong Zhi and set the film star as her goal. She yearned to reach Gong Zhi¡¯s heights, making herself the most beautiful and radiant of them all in every public appearance.

    Of course, it had crossed her mind that she would definitely achieve stardom if Ms. Cai Ni became her stylist. She must have Ms. Cai Ni!

    Yet now, Zhou Zhen managed to get on Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s bad side before she even had a shot at fame. Caught in a fluster for a moment, she then approached Shen Xi and was quick to apologize in a manner of utmost sincerity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Cai Ni. Forgive my ignorance for failing to recognize you. Please don¡¯t hold it against me. Everyone knows I speak before I think.¡±

    Shen Xi was surprised that Zhou Zhen knew when to yield. She was sure she had never heard of this person prior to her rebirth. However, Yu Yuanxi did mention that Zhou Zhen had a talent for acting but had yet to sign on to an agency. Still, Shen Xi was not kind to the likes of her. She merely nodded without saying much about Zhou Zhen¡¯s apology.

    Zhou Zhen was thrown into panic, knowing well the consequences of offending a top stylist in showbiz. Ms. Cai Ni was not just representing herself, but Ms. Jiang Yin¡¯s connection as well. Judging by Shen Xi¡¯s expression, it was hard to gauge where she stood. Thus, Zhou Zhen smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, you can yell at me if you¡¯re still angry. You can hit me as well.¡±

    There were not a lot of people in the dressing room. Apart from Wang Cai and his associate director, there were only Yu Yuanxi and two other makeup artists. The others, especially those who were pushed around by Zhou Zhen, would be pleased to see Zhou Zhen groveling if they were around.

    Shen Xi was not one to hold a grudge with such people since they yed an insignificant role in her life anyway. What was the point of barking back at a dog? She curled her lips without giving any input.

    Anxious, Zhou Zhen turned to Wang Cai to seek help.

    Wang Cai did not have the time to get over his mixed feelings. Just a minute ago, he was thinking about how to convince her to stay when he found out from the associate director that the fangirl with great makeup skills was the one who yed the role of the little beggar.

    It finally struck him, now that he learned about her identity. Shen Xi was truthful when she said she was not short of money. The top stylist in the industry would not earn less than any A-listers.

    Moreover, all the hottest stars in showbiz were after her. It was everybody¡¯s dream to have a stylist who could bring out their best profiles. Who would not want to blow people¡¯s minds away in public events?

    With Wang Cai snubbing her, Zhou Zhen ran to Yu Yuanxi and whispered, ¡°Yu, please help me put in a good word. Please.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was older than her and was the leading actor in the movie with great looks and acting skills to match. Zhou Zhen¡¯s attitude toward anyone was determined by their status and unlike the rest of the insignificant actors, Yu Yuanxi was someone she respected.

    Yu Yuanxi may seem friendly and easy to get along with, including with her, but Zhou Zhen was aware that he was keeping his distance from her.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t me you.¡± Yu Yuanxi answered while adding in his mind that Shen Xi could not be bothered to stoop to Zhou Zhen¡¯s level.

    Many a time, Shen Xi could not care less about the things happening around her. Since these people did not deserve her attention, giving the cold shoulder was the best way to attack them.

    Zhou Zhen was still feeling uneasy despite the answer. She made up her mind to curry Yu Yuanxi¡¯s favor as Ms. Cai Ni was a fan of Yu Yuanxi. So long as Zhou Zhen was on good terms with Yu Yuanxi, Ms. Cai Ni would not refuse to create a look for her.

    Meanwhile, Zhou Zhen¡¯s tardy friend finally arrived and was led in by Zhou Zhen¡¯s manager. Having heard that she was reced, the furious friend barged through the defending forces of the production crew and into the dressing room. Out of desperation, she angrily eximed, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Zhenzhen? Who is the b*tch who is recing me? What kind of connections did she pull?¡±

    Taken aback by her friend¡¯s sudden bulldoze, Zhou Zhen turned white as a sheet. She was interrupted by a series of interrogations before she could make amends and received the pardon from Ms. Cai Ni. Zhou Zhen quickly apologized to Shen Xi and pinched her friend not to talk while shoving her out.

    What was self-respect? Zhou Zhen had no clue anymore nor did she need it. Anything was worthwhile so long as Ms. Cai Ni was able to be the bigger person and look beyond her mistake.

    Zhou Zhen was bound to go into showbiz and be a star. Only the most amazing stylist was befitting her fame when she made a name for herself.

    She did not want to get on Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s nerves nor lose to others when it came to dropping a bombshell appearance because of this hoo-ha.

    That friend of hers was really running her mouth. Despite all the wringing and twisting, it did not stop her friend from moaning and groaning that Zhou Zhen was not a good enough friend. The friend wondered if Zhou Zhen had a say in production since she was reced foring minuteste.

    Zhou Zhen pped her arm. ¡°Cut it out. Do you know who she is?¡±

    The friend frowned in bewilderment. ¡°I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s *ss even if she¡¯s the Queen of Ennd.¡±

    Zhou Zhen replied, ¡°She¡¯s Ms. Cai Ni, the one you looked up to.¡±

    Her friend was called Ruan Sisi and she was a beauty blogger with a following of tens of thousands. She would often post makeup videos and makeup tips on various major tforms.

    With the person she most admired being Ms. Cai Ni, Ruan Sisi dreamed of meeting her. s, Ms. Cai Ni lived a rather discreet life to the point of not having a single photo of her online. No information of Ms. Cai Ni was ever released to the public, not even her official handle on public tforms. There was no way to locate her.

    Ruan Sisi¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°What the hell? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Do you think I should just perform a harakiri or get on my knees to beg for forgiveness?¡±

    Zhou Zhen rolled her eyes. ¡°¡­¡±

    What ensued on the set was a spectacle.

    The usually cocky Zhou Zhen, together with her sidekick, followed Yu Yuanxi¡¯s fan around like puppies, serving tea and pouring water with a smile. The production team and extras watched with their jaws on the ground.

 Chapter 553 - Fixated on Yu Yuanxiâ€™s Left Pec

    <h4>Chapter 553: Fixated on Yu Yuanxi¡¯s Left Pec</h4>

    F*ck!

    What the hell was going on?

    Since when was Zhou Zhen known to kiss *ss?

    Who was this fan of Yu Yuanxi to transform the presumptuous Zhou Zhen into a well-behavedpdog? She basically had Zhou Zhen licking from the palm of her hand!

    Back in the dressing room, Shen Xi had requested those in the know to keep her identity a secret to avoid unwanted attention. Her status as Ms. Cai Ni carried weight in the entertainment industry.

    The director, Wang Cai, and the associate director exchanged a nce, well aware that they had no way to sway Shen Xi¡¯s mind if she really did not want to do the shoot.

    ¡°Are you hungry, my idol?¡± Ruan Sisi was buttering Shen Xi up, getting all over her face. ¡°What do you want to eat? I can get it for you now. Do you like something spicy or sweet?¡±

    Shen Xi remained aloof. ¡°No need.¡±

    Ruan Sisi was not at all discouraged. Blind to Shen Xi¡¯s indifference, she was as zealous as ever. ¡°You must be thirsty. Do you want bubble tea or coffee?¡±

    In the flesh!

    It was Ms. Cai Ni, for real!

    Never in her wildest dreams that Ruan Sisi would one day have a conversation with her idol. With happiness sweeping her off of her feet, Ruan Sisi¡¯s heart was still racing.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Not thirsty.¡±

    Ruan Sisi continued. ¡°What do you need? Let me know.¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°I need you to stay away from me.¡±

    After much hesitation and internal struggle, Ruan Sisi took a tiny step back.

    Shen Xi darted her a chilling look.

    Retreating with another step, Ruan Sisi gazed at her with a pout. ¡°I backed away.¡±

    Zhou Zhen knew how to take a cue better than Ruan Sisi. She ran over to pull Ruan Sisi away. ¡°Your idol needs to memorize and run lines. Come overter.¡±

    Zhou Zhen¡¯s voice was loud enough for Shen Xi to hear and portrayed herself as sensible.

    Shen Xi was surprised that the woman who hated her guts a minute ago was now clinging onto her like glue. She did not love or hate the change since it was a good thing to have admirers. It was hard for Shen Xi to snub people who sincerely took to her.

    Ruan Sisi moved two meters away before stopping, refusing to take another inch. She eagerly watched Shen Xi with sparkling eyes of adoration.

    Oh my gawd!

    Her idol had such smoldering good looks!

    She was so charming and attractive when she was hard at work!

    Her idol was a goddess with such beauty and talent!

    Since Zhou Zhen meant to befriend Shen Xi, all the grudge and hatred came and went rather quickly. With all these negative feelings gone after finding out that she was Ms. Cai Ni, Zhou Zhen only had favors to curry on her mind.

    As the daughter of the richest man in K County, Ruan Sisi came from money. She did not look down on Zhou Zhen despite her social status and became close friends. The silly girl was not a snob toward one¡¯s position in society when it came to friendships. It all boiled down to whether she clicked with the other party since no one was richer than her.

    Ruan Sisi was not particrly interested in starring in a movie and only came along for the ride. If she really wanted to star in a movie and enter the world of entertainment, she could get her dad to splurge the dough. Since she was her dad¡¯s only daughter, Ruan Sisi was bound to inherit all the family assets.

    Zhou Zhen brought up about getting her a role with lines to get on Ruan Sisi¡¯s good side when thetter said she wanted toe along.

    At first, Zhou Zhen was worried to break the news that Ruan Sisi was reced, but luckily, her recement happened to be Ms. Cai Ni. It was a blessing in disguise after all. Not only would Ruan Sisi not me her for it, but the former would also thank Zhou Zhen for uniting her with her idol.

    Ruan Sisi was indeed grateful toward Zhou Zhen for having been the catalyst to meeting her idol. Otherwise, it would be an eternity before she could meet Ms. Cai Ni in person.

    Despite the many strings she pulled, Ruan Sisi was unsessful to have a close encounter with Ms. Cai Ni, unlike the many celebrities she could summon to her birthday by footing the bill.

    Ruan Sisi held these money-grabbing stars in contempt andbeled them as spineless performers who bent over backward for money.

    She also shared the same sentiments to those who took her money but refused to attend her event. What the hell? Where was the service after payment was made? These celebrities sure thought they were all that.

    Ruan Sisi was most appreciative of her idol who was unlocatable and kept away from the public eye. No money could buy her idol.

    Of course, Ruan Sisi was aware of the rumors going around in the circle. Li Jingran the Movie Star had once rolled the big bucks to hire Ms. Cai Ni as her stylist but Ms. Cai Ni would not give her the time of day. Film stars or not, her idol could not give a sh*t. Now, that was some character.

    Shen Xi was running lines with Yu Yuanxi. The scene was focused on Yu Yuanxi¡¯s character, Xue Chenhuan, who was left to die in a pile of corpses after suffering fatal injuries and was dreaming about his mother, Ling Yao. This was the only time Ling Yao made an appearance.

    He dreamed of his mother dressing his wounds and softly calling out his name to keep him awake from drifting into unconsciousness.

    With the production all set, Wang Cai called Yu Yuanxi and Shen Xi in while the others watched in a corner.

    It never urred to Yun Jinping that a visit to the set would end with her daughter being dragged to act in the movie. As a matter of fact, she was delighted as her daughter was the best. She stood out wherever she went and even the director picked up on her extraordinariness.

    The other fans looked at Shen Xi with envy. Sob sob sob. To act alongside their idols was a dreame true.

    Over on this side, Ruan Sisi was stopped from running after her idol. Sniffling in discontent, she bit her lips and welled up in the eyes.

    Zhou Zhen offered herfort. ¡°You can go and talk to her when the scene is over.¡±

    Struck by a thought, Ruan Sisi whispered into Zhou Zhen¡¯s ear. ¡°That reminds me. I¡¯ve got updates about your biological parents.¡±

    Zhenzhen asked Ruan Sisi to look into her roots and the parents who abandoned her. Ruan Sisi received news that the investigators would soon be able to get to the bottom of this, now that they had a lead.

    Hearing this, Zhou Zhen¡¯s face turned sullen. There was no joy, but only hatred and bitterness. She nodded and hummed a single syble in acknowledgment.

    Zhou Zhen wanted to look for them, not to have a family to return to but to see the kind of scum who bailed out on her. She neither harbored love nor longing; nothing but resentment for the people who left her behind.

    On set, Xue Chenhuany in a pool of blood on hisst breath.

    With Ling Yao removing his body from the heavy armory, his blood-soaked undershirt was revealed. Underneath theyer of innerwear was a monstrous cut in the chest.

    The watching fans were moved to tears by the duo¡¯s acting. Despite the urge to keep on staring, they could not help but turn red in the face out of the bashfulness. They were not in the mood to appreciate the great performance as their eyes were drawn to the frontal view of their idol¡¯s muscr pecs and abs. Oh, if only they could run their fingers down that burly physique.

    Yun Jinping, on the other hand, was fixated on Yu Yuanxi¡¯s left pec. Her body shook as color washed off herplexion. As though she lost her mind, she abruptly crashed onto the duo¡¯s scene.

 Chapter 554 - I Finally Found You

    <h4>Chapter 554: I Finally Found You</h4>

    Yun Jinping came on too fast and too sudden for the nearby He Xiang and few fans to react, let alone the production crew.

    By the time the staff members could stop anyone from entering the set, Yun Jinping had already made it through to the other side.

    Yun Jinping stumbled her way over before she kneeled beside Yu Yuanxi with tears running down her face. Her body trembled as she whimpered, too choked up for words.

    Shen Xi froze, misreading that Yun Jinping believed the blood all over Yu Yuanxi was real. She jumped in to exin, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. It¡¯s fake. The blood is not real.¡±

    On second thought, Shen Xi thought that was not the case as Mom was not unmindful to the world of acting to interrupt mid-scene.

    Yu Yuanxi was caught off guard. He was heartbroken and flustered by the teary-eyed Yun Jinping who kept staring at his chest yet could not get a word out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mrs. Shen?¡±

    Without a word, Yun Jinping stared nkly at Yu Yuanxi¡¯s chest while reaching out her shaking arm to touch it. Suddenly, she stopped and let out a raspy sob.

    The people around followed her hand to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s pecs. Apart from the blood, there was something of a dark shade on his chest. If their guess was right, it must be a mother¡¯s mark.

    From afar, it was hard to distinguish the color and shape of the birthmark.

    Others might not be able to see it, but Shen Xi who was at close quarters could. The congenital mark was in a darker shade of red in contrast to the blood stain. It was the birthmark of a soaring bird.

    It was like her mind exploded. Shen Xi widened her eyes in disbelief at Yu Yuanxi. Even her voice was trembling. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was most confused by Yun Jinping¡¯s reaction and the meaning behind Shen Xi¡¯s words. All he felt was jittery.

    Shen Xi could not be sure, afraid that Mom and herself might be wrong. She grabbed the clothes within reach and held down Yu Yuanxi by the arms before wiping away the blood stain on his chest.

    Feeling the flush in his cheeks, Yu Yuanxi was dumbstruck. He tried to seize Shen Xi but quickly realized he was pinned down. With concerns of hurting her if he applied force, Yu Yuanxi was undecided on what to do.

    A birthmark.

    Dark red in color.

    It appeared like a bird taking flight.

    There was no doubt about it.

    Shen Xi turned to Yun Jinping. ¡°Mom.¡±

    Yun Jinping was caught in tears to even say a word as she studied the birthmark. Having ascertained her eyes were not deceiving her, she gave Yu Yuanxi a tight hug while letting out all her emotions in one word. ¡°Zhifei.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi stiffened, not knowing what to think and feel.

    Nevertheless, he knew Shen Zhifei was Shen Xi¡¯s older brother and Mr. and Mrs. Shen¡¯s son who was kidnapped by human traffickers. They had been searching for him.

    ¡°I finally found you.¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s voice was quaking with joy and excitement, bearing more than a decade long of hope and anticipation.

    It was a mind-blowing moment for Yu Yuanxi. His eyes turned to Shen Xi and his ears picked on her words. She told him, ¡°You¡¯re Shen Zhifei.¡±

    Was he Shen Zhifei?

    Was he the son Mr. and Mrs. Shen had been searching for for over a decade?

    What did he do to deserve their decade-long yearning and painful wait?

    Many on set got the picture atst. This was a family reunion. They had no idea about the specific, but they did know that Yu Yuanxi was this beautifuldy¡¯s son.

    He Xiang waspletely blown away. If Yu Yuanxi was Mrs. Shen¡¯s son, that would make him Shen Xi¡¯s brother.

    F*ck!

    Yu Yuanxi was Shen Xi¡¯s older brother. Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen¡¯s older brother!

    Ruan Sisi was quick-witted to pick up on the situation. Overflowed with empathy, she cried together with Yun Jinping before turning to Zhou Zhen. ¡°That¡¯s so nice. She found her son.¡±

    Zhou Zhen was filled with mixed emotions, unable to put a finger on her feelings by the family finding each other. She might not know what others would do, but she knew that the circumstances would be different if she met her biological parents.

    It was chaos on set as Shen Xi let out a worried cry, ensued with the curtains closed. Yun Jinping wailed until she passed out.

    With no time to take care of the blood all over him, Yu Yuanxi carried Yun Jinping and rushed to the dressing room.

    Shen Xi anxiously followed behind while shouting for a doctor. It seemed to slip her mind that she was a doctor herself. Having remembered that important fact when she reached the dressing room, she turned back and said, ¡°No need for a doctor now.¡±

    He Xiang and Ruan Sisi ran the fastest with thetter in the lead. The door mmed in her face before she could get in. Had it not been for He Xiang who pulled her back, her nose would have taken a clobber.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ruan Sisi asked He Xiang. Zhou Zhen had informed her earlier that he was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s manager.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He Xiang would not have any idea either. Was he climbing up the careerdder? The first artist he was working with turned out to have quite an extraordinary background.

    This was Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen¡¯s brother they were talking about. Was there a need to stress about resources after Yu Yuanxi¡¯s debut? Nope!

    He was a manager and a very responsible one too. Of course, he was going to consider issues from his artist¡¯s standpoint.

    Back in the dressing room.

    Having regained consciousness, Yun Jinping stared at Yu Yuanxi without saying a word. While quietly meeting his eyes, she conveyed remorse, self-me, guilt, and heartache. The tears flowing down her cheeks pulled at Yu Yuanxi¡¯s heartstrings.

    Yu Yuanxi was unable to hold down his bursting heart. There were no words.

    Over the years, he had wondered what his birth parents were like and once asked himself why he strayed from them. Did they ditch him or did something happen?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s voice was hoarse. With her trembling hands, she held his and stared him in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what you went through.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi looked back at her. The word ¡°Mom¡± was a catch in his throat for a long time. His eyes were welled up and his mouth was open, yet no words escaped those lips.

    What should he say? Call her Mom? He had never said this word, nor could he say it out loud.

    He knew he should not resent them, or me them, or anyone in that case. It was not that they did not want him or abandon him. Since fate yed a joke on them, they had been in search of him tirelessly throughout the years.

    Yu Yuanxi understood that they suffered more than him, having witnessed Yun Jinping turning teary at the casual mention of him.

 Chapter 555 - Yu Yuanxi Is Xixiâ€™s Brother

    <h4>Chapter 555: Yu Yuanxi Is Xixi¡¯s Brother</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi was doing all right with his granny. Although it was not the mostfortable life, he was happy.

    Faced with his silence, Yun Jinping was perturbed. Why was she so stupid to not recognize her son who had been right in front of her? With that in mind, she wept uncontrobly, feeling devastated by the harrowing sadness.

    Yu Yuanxi gazed at her heartbrokenly, at a loss of what to do. ¡°Mrs. Shen, don¡¯t say so.¡±

    His silence was only because he was caught in the moment to figure out how to deal with or ept this newfound fact. He was not at all begrudging or resentful toward her.

    Yu Yuanxi always believed that she was a warm and nice person.

    He had always imagined his mother to be as gentle and kind as her if he had one.

    Yet now, he was overwhelmed with emotions to face his rtionship with her, now that she turned out to be his birth mother.

    Yun Jinping¡¯s heart sank to be addressed as Mrs. Shen. However, she knew that she had to give him time to ept the fate that they were family. ¡°Lil¡¯ Yu, you really are Zhifei, my son. The birthmark on your chest ¨C I can show you pictures of when you were young when we get back. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can wait for your granny and dad toe over here for a DNA test.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was nervous. ¡°Mrs. Shen, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you. I believe you.¡±

    He had a feeling. It was a feeling he never had before since the first time they met. At that time, Yu Yuanxi only thought she looked friendly, bute to think of it now, it was probably the blood bond.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry.¡± With the lost Yu Yuanxi looking at Shen Xi with pleading eyes, Shen Xi kneeled and wiped away Yun Jinping¡¯s tears. ¡°It¡¯s a great thing we found Big Brother.¡±

    It was not like Mom deliberately abandoned him, so Shen Xi trusted Yu Yuanxi would not me her. The sudden change was simply hard to swallow.

    For Shen Xi to call him a brother so naturally and with the right amount of intimacy, it brought them closer together.

    Yu Yuanxi felt all cozy inside by the word ¡°Brother¡±. Lighter in mood, he gazed at Yun Jinping and needed time to adjust to the new term. He let out a tender smile. ¡°Xixi¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop, I¡¯ll stop crying.¡± Yun Jinping might tell herself so, but it was not like she could turn off the waterworks after finding her long-lost son. She was not crying because she was upset, but because she was overjoyed and thrilled.

    ¡°Mom, Brother can¡¯t leave just yet with the shoot still going on. I¡¯ll call Dad so he can make it here before nightfall.¡± Shen Xi then turned to Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Brother, can Granny Yue over?¡±

    This was not a small matter. Granny Yu had to know since she was the one who raised him.

    Yu Yuanxi nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll call my granny.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi called home, but the phone was answered by a familiar female voice instead of his granny. ¡°Are you done with your work schedule?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Chewing on food, Song Wenye babbled inartictely. ¡°You must be looking for Granny. She went to give dumplings to the neighbors but she should be back soon.¡±

    Judging by her voice, Yu Yuanxi could imagine her with a mouthful of food like a little hamster. His lips curled into a smile. ¡°How long is your break?¡±

    Song Wenye ate and talked, ¡°One day. I have to fly to S city tomorrow afternoon. Has Xixi and Mrs. Shen left from visiting you?¡±

    Turning to nce at the duo a short distance away, Yu Yuanxi shook his head. ¡°No. Something came up.¡±

    Song Wenye spoke aloud, ¡°What? What happened?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°Is that Granny? I can hear the door.¡±

    Song Wenye was on pins and needles. ¡°Tell me first. What happened to Mrs. Shen and Xixi?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi exined, ¡°Nothing. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just looking for Granny.¡±

    It still did not put Song Wenye¡¯s mind at rest since he was known to report only the good news and not the bad. Something huge must have urred. Reluctantly, she handed the phone over to Granny Yu.

    Although Song Wenye wanted to listen in when Granny took the call, this was not proper or polite. Having lost her appetite, she put down the chopsticks and waited for Granny Yu to finish the call.

    Granny Yu was unable to keep a still expression throughout the call. The news that Yun Jinping was Yu Yuanxi¡¯s biological mother brought tears to her eyes. ¡°Alright, alright. I got it. This is a good thing. I knew you were a blessed child. You¡¯ve been through a lot with me but everything will only get better from here.¡±

    The Shen family had a good heart!

    Xixi paid for her hospital expenses, bought her supplements, and visited her at the hospital during their toughest times. It did not stop after Granny Yu was discharged from the hospital as Xixi wanted them to move in with her. Since Granny Yu did not want to be a bother, Xixi helped them rent a bright and warm ce in the end.

    The girl¡¯s mom also often paid her visits after she left the hospital. Having concerns that Granny Yu might find it hard to manage everything on her own, Yun Jinping would cook for her and take care of her. It was during that time Granny Yu got to know that the Shen family had been in search of their son who was kidnapped by human traffickers.

    She believed that any child born to the Shen family was lucky in life. Granny Yu prayed every day that the Shen family would be able to find their son.

    To her surprise, such coincidence actually existed in this world. Her own Xi was their son. Oh, how fate yed them!

    Song Wenye was all over the ce to see Granny Yu cry. She quickly handed her a tissue. What happened? What was going on? All they did was make her worried sick.

    It took a few moments for Song Wenye to get a grip. She sent Shen Xi a text message to get to the bottom of this since Yu Yuanxi made Granny Yu cry over the phone.

    Shen Xi¡¯s reply was brief. [Shen Xi: Yu Yuanxi¡¯s my brother.]

    Again, Song Wenye needed time to understand the meaning behind these words. [Song Wenye: The brother who was taken by human traffickers? Your parent¡¯s son?]

    [Shen Xi: Yes.]

    Song Wenye was dumbstruck for a while before smiling foolishly at the phone. Yu Yuanxi was Xixi¡¯s brother, and Mr. and Mrs. Shen¡¯s son was Yu Yuanxi. They found him!

    Granny Yu hung up the call and looked at Song Wenye. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, Xixi¡¯s dad wille and pick me upter. I¡¯m heading over to Xi¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Granny.¡± Song Wenye suddenly leaped and gave her a bear hug. Drops of joy slipped past her tear ducts. ¡°Granny, Yu Yuanxi is Xixi¡¯s brother. This is great! This is awesome!¡±

 Chapter 556 - Thanked God for Having Mercy

    <h4>Chapter 556: Thanked God for Having Mercy</h4>

    This was simply terrific!

    Granny Yu knew Song Wenye received the news as well. With swollen eyes, she cheerfully said, ¡°Yes, yes, it is.¡±

    Xi had finally found his birth parents and his birth parents were such kindhearted people. What could be better news than this?

    ¡°Granny, I¡¯m going with you.¡± Song Wenye wiped away her tears. There was no way she was going to miss such a heartfelt moment. She had to be there to witness it all.

    Granny Yu responded, ¡°Would it keep you from your work?¡±

    Song Wenye shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll depart from there tomorrow.¡±

    Feeling at ease, Granny Yu nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    The girl was a poor child too as her parents substituted affection with money. Granny Yu¡¯s heart went out to Song Wenye for living on her own. Since her pets were boarded with Granny Yu, Song Wenye could stay here instead of returning home.

    She was fond of the sensible, kind, and sweet kid with a jolly soul. Rather than having Song Wenye live alone, Granny Yu weed Song Wenye to keep herpany every day.

    Song Wenye made up her mind to fly with Granny Yu to Yu Yuanxi¡¯s filming set to celebrate the great news.

    Meanwhile, many at the production set were sharing their inputs in hushed voices after witnessing the family reunion. Apart from Wang Cai, the associate director, makeup artist, Zhou Zhen, and Ruan Sisi, no one else knew about Shen Xi¡¯s other identity.

    This lot was deliberating Yu Yuanxi¡¯s position. Wang Cai and the associate director knew that he was an orphan and lived together with his grandma. Since Yu Yuanxi identified his biological family, he was now Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s older brother.

    Everyone knew who Ms. Cai Ni was. She established her own haute couture brand, Jin Yun, and the brand had really taken off. It was only a matter of time before her designbel swept the whole world. It was said that the owner was not Ms. Cai Ni but her mother.

    It would ce Yu Yuanxi standing high in society. They never looked down on Yu Yuanxi for where he came from, but his sudden gain of connections and status was something worth considering.

    Zhou Zhen was way ahead of herself. She had decided to get along well with Yu Yuanxi since Ms. Cai Ni was a fan of his so she could ease her way straight to Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s good books. Now that she found out that he was Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s brother, Zhou Zhen must make sure to keep a good rtionship with him.

    The person with the most activities going through his mind was He Xiang. The artist working under him went from a rookie with no connections or social standing to an older brother of a corporate big shot. This was amazing news to him as he needed not to worry about resources from now on.

    Now that the Shen family found their long-lost son, Yu Yuanxi was bound to bepensated. He would have dibs on all the nicest things and best resources.

    As for the others in the production team, they had no idea who Shen Xi was except that she was a fan of Yu Yuanxi who yed the role of a beggar much to Mr. Wang¡¯s delight. Despite them bouncing off intel with each other, no one was able toe close to a reliable conclusion.

    Standing by He Xiang, Ruan Sisi nervously stared at the door and counted the minutes when the people behind the door would reappear. It did not take long before her idol and Yu Yuanxi walked out one after the other. She wanted to go up to them but was held back by He Xiang.

    Having seen it all, Shen Xi was able to stomach the turn of events and pulled herself together.

    Yu Yuanxi took most things light-heartedly but took his work seriously. He was able to shake off his feelings and get down to business.

    It was a different story with Yun Jinping. She was happy, excited, and worried to have found her son. How was she supposed to calm down? Yun Jinping wanted nothing more than to stay by his side without leaving even for one second.

    Yu Yuanxi could feel her eyes lingering over him, afraid he might disappear into thin air if she looked away for one minute.

    Shen Xi walked ahead before turning back to hold Yun Jinping by the arm and whispering in her ear. ¡°Mom, my brother¡¯s not going anywhere.¡±

    She could sense the tension, worry, and fear in Mom. Mom¡¯s worst fears were that this was all a dream, and everything would disappear when she woke up.

    ¡°I know.¡± Yun Jinping dug her nails in her palm to feel pain. She was not dreaming.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the director after my scene to give Brother the day off. We should have some family time,¡± Shen Xi uttered.

    Yun Jinping was concerned. ¡°Would your brother think I¡¯m disrupting his work?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask him.¡±

    Yun Jinping cautiously stole a nce at Yu Yuanxi and pulled Shen Xi aside. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best if we don¡¯t do that. Let your brother get on with work. We will have time sooner orter for a get-together.¡±

    Shen Xi broke into a smile. ¡°Granny Yu, Dad, and Song Wenye areing over. A couple of scenes won¡¯t make a difference anyway. I¡¯m sure the director wouldn¡¯t mind a change of schedule.¡±

    Yun Jinping bobbed her head atst. ¡°Okay, you should ask him.¡±

    She was afraid he might reject her despite knowing that the child was not that kind of person. Still, insecurities gued Yun Jinping as she imagined scenarios about doing wrong by Yu Yuanxi and upsetting him.

    Shen Xi went on to inquire about Yu Yuanxi¡¯s opinion before giving Yun Jinping the OK gesture. Shen Xi seemed to have be the mouthpiece between them.

    Feeling assured, Yun Jinping smiled warmly at the two children. It was great that Lil¡¯ Yu turned out to be her son.

    She knew it. She was drawn to the child from the first time she met him and it turned out that he was her son, the one they had been searching for for over a decade.

    She thanked God for having mercy and granting her wish.

    It never urred to Wang Cai that the pair were able to get over their personal affairs rather quickly. Yu Yuanxi had personally approached him to take some time off. Of course, he was not going to say no and even gave him two days since the family reunion was a joyous asion.

    Nevertheless, Yu Yuanxi said that he only needed one day, which was today. Wang Cai was impressed by his professionalism as actors nowadays took upon more productions at the same time and did not stick around in one long enough.

    Wang Cai intentionally hired fresh faces so they would be avable 24 hours a day on set. Otherwise, a D-list actor would yield more power than a nameless director like him.

    With Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi stating they were fine to do the scene, Wang Cai trusted them to move forward with the shoot.

    Wang Cai was extra fascinated by the scene. His eyes lit up as the pair were into their characters, bringing their roles to life, more so than before the family reunion took ce. His breath was taken away by their remarkable acting!

 Chapter 557 - Worried but Gentle Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 557: Worried but Gentle Eyes</h4>

    With that, Shen Xi¡¯s cameo came to an end.

    Yu Yuanxi still had a few scenesing up. He was able to immerse himself into the role after the first scene and yed the best version of the character effectively from thereon out. All the scenes were done in one take.

    Shen Xi and Yun Jinping watched Yu Yuanxi by the sidelines as they waited for Shen Zhangqing and the rest to arrive.

    ¡°My dear idol, try this. This is delicious.¡± Ruan Sisi ordered bubble tea, cakes, and local specialties to be delivered. She had it all. Ruan Sisi was offering some braised trotters to Shen Xi right now.

    Shen Xi was stuffed from all the feeding. Any more, she would have to miss out on dinner. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡±

    Ruan Sisi let out a silly smile before offering the food to Yun Jinping instead. She was all smiles. ¡°Madam, Madam. Try this.¡±

    As a gentle soul, Yun Jinping was not one to refuse anyone¡¯s kindness. Even if she did not have the appetite, she would take a bite out of politeness. Yun Jinping was about to ept the food when Shen Xi butted in.

    ¡°Tell me, what are you after?¡± Cutting all the bullsh*t and beating around the bush, Shen Xi went straight to the point.

    ¡°I¡¯m not after anything. I admire you. I guess I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± Ruan Sisi¡¯s eyes then lit up as if she thought of something. ¡°Oh, my dear idol. How about you take me in as a student?¡±

    She tended to be straight up with people, speaking her mind rather freely.

    Shen Xi blurted, ¡°No.¡±

    Ruan Sisi made every effort to promote herself. ¡°I have a knack for this. I can show you my makeup and tutorial videos if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    With that, she whipped out her phone to tap on her social ount so Shen Xi could take a look.

    Shen Xi¡¯s aloofness was effective to those who could take a cue but futile to those who could not. Finding Ruan Sisi a bother, she merely took a nce at her phone. However, what she saw changed her mind.

    Tsk tsk!

    The silly girl was good at makeup and had a unique eye on beauty ¨C both avant-garde and futuristic. The girl definitely had the talent.

    ¡°My dear idol, I know I can¡¯tpare to your makeup skills. Can you show me the way?¡± Ruan Sisi was burning with passion, talking about something close to her heart.

    This was especially true when she was sharing with her idol about what she loved. Ruan Sisi wanted to pull out all the stops to show that she knew a thing or two about makeup, and not at all without merits.

    Yun Jinping¡¯s eyes lit up as she watched the videos. The chatty girl was surprisingly cut out for creating a look. She did a good job with the makeup videos and even the clothes she designed had character albeitcking sophistication. The girl was destined for great things.

    Ruan Sisi went on exining to them about her makeup videos and design concepts in high spirits. She was glowing.

    Shen Xi could tell that the girl was gifted. She might as well make good use of her since Ruan Sisi was putting herself out there. ¡°Mypany has a vacancy for a stylist.¡±

    She had been part-timing as Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s chief stylist, but there was only so much she could do. Hence, Shen Xi had been on the lookout for a chief stylist to manage the wholepany. She did not mind letting Ruan Sisi have a go, providing thetter could stick out to the end.

    ¡°Teacher.¡± Ruan Sisi gleefully widened her eyes and got down on her knees. ¡°I bow before you!¡±

    Pulling Ruan Sisi up to stop her from kneeling, Shen Xi said in a serious tone, ¡°I need to ask my teacher about epting a student.¡±

    Since she had a teacher, Shen Xi must first ask her teacher for her opinion with regard to epting a student. Otherwise, her grumpy teacher would probably sulk for a year.

    Ruan Sisi knew there was light at the end of the tunnel. She bobbed her head in agreement. ¡°Please, teacher. Hurry up and ask my teacher¡¯s teacher!¡±

    Shen Xi noticed that the girl was not ying innocent. She was indeed a silly goose, but there was no doubt about her sincerity. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that just yet. I still have to ask my teacher first. Share with me your social handle.¡±

    Ruan Sisi sent Shen Xi the link to her ount. Although grinning from ear to ear, her vision was clouded by tears of excitement. She had stumbled on some great luck. Not only did she meet her idol, but her idol was also easy to talk to. Look, Shen Xi was about to ept her as a student.

    Speaking of age, Ruan Sisi was older than Shen Xi by two years and younger than Yu Yuanxi by a few months. Nevertheless, this was the least of Ruan Sisi¡¯s concerns since it was all about capability and not a matter of age when it came to finding a teacher.

    Shen Xi sent the link to Jiang Yin to have a look-see if the girl of such talent was worth investing in. Shen Xi did find Ruan Sisi to be an asset and had a bright future ahead if steered in the right direction.

    Jiang Yin had a discerning eye. After scrolling through Ruan Sisi¡¯s Weibo ount, she quickly replied with a simple yes.

    Shen Xi was not one to waste time. [Shen Xi: Okay.]

    [Jiang Yin: When do you intend to bring her to meet me?]

    [Shen Xi: Tomorrow when I return to the capital.]

    [Jiang Yin: I¡¯ll be at your ce.]

    Shen Xi read thest message and thought to herself, ¡®Her real intention is to swing by my ce, not to meet my new student.¡¯ She then turned to Ruan Sisi. ¡°I can ept you as my student, but you have to take on the role as ourpany¡¯s chief stylist until I¡¯m able to find a suitable candidate.¡±

    It did not matter to Shen Xi whether she epted a student or not because, ultimately, thepany was in need of a decent chief stylist who could shoulder all responsibilities that came with the role. Shen Xi would handhold her until she was good enough to take on the role on her own.

    Ecstatic to receive a positive response, Ruan Sisi wanted to shout it from the rooftops so everyone knew she was now Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s student. It was not easy to be a stylist, but she was more than willing to wait on hand and foot.

    Yun Jinping was impressed by Ruan Sisi¡¯s work. What was there not to like about a gifted youngster with a unique view on aesthetics. She had no objections about her daughter epting a student.

    The trio sat by themselves with no one else around. The people had no clue what happened there since nobody overheard their conversation. The only thing they took away was the enthusiasm and happiness on Ruan Sisi¡¯s face.

    This was an induction on the down-low. Keeping her emotions from running high, Ruan Sisi did not inform her best friend, Zhou Zhen, as her teacher was known to keep a low profile. She should take a lesson from her teacher about putting on an indifferent face. It was never toote to let Zhou Zhen know once tea was poured and drank in an official induction.

    Shen Zhangqing and the rest of the group arrived on the set at seven o¡¯clock, and Yu Yuanxi was just done with hisst scene. Following the lead of the proactive Ruan Sisi, they went to a famous century-old restaurant and booked the biggest private room.

    The restaurant was filled to the brim with no seats avable on the ground floor. There was a long queue still waiting outside.

    The stairs leading up to the private rooms upstairs were made of wood, exuding the rich and rustic sense of history. Two meters wide, this was a pretty spacious stairwell.

    As the group was making their way up, Shen Xi walked behind while typing a text to Li Yuan to report her whereabouts.

    She was walking along when suddenly, a sharp pain struck her toes. Losing her footing over the pain, her hand instinctively reached out to grab something.

    Someone nearby was one step ahead of her to hold her down by her arm. A gentle voice bearing joy and worry ensued. ¡°Are you okay, Xixi?¡±

    She was startled by the voice before she had a chance to express her gratitude. Shen Xi lifted her face to meet the worried but gentle eyes of a familiar woman.

 Chapter 558 - If Only You Were Her Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 558: If Only You Were Her Daughter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Madam Fu.¡± Shen Xi nodded politely with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Mama Fu was hurt by the distant form of address. Still, she let out a gentle smile. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going. Eyes ahead, not on your phone.¡±

    She noticed the child was fixated on her phone. Kids nowadays were the same ¨C they could not do without their phones. It was dangerous!

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi felt ashamed. It never urred to her that her foot would suddenly hurt like hell. It was not because she was engrossed on her phone, yet she had no way of exining it.

    Yun Jinping had already drawn close, together with Song Wenye. Ruan Sisi knew better for once and merely nced over without heading there. She was enjoying a nice chat with Shen Zhangqing and Granny Yu.

    Song Wenye first asked Shen Xi before turning to the woman in the opposite. She widened her eyes a momentter. ¡°Ms. Li?¡±

    Was this not Li Jingran? Song Wenye was able to recognize her despite the mask. There was no mistaking those eyes and face shape!

    However, what did Xixi call her? Madam Fu?

    Within earshot, Yun Jinping looked narrowly at the woman but quickly came to the conclusion that she was not Li Jingran.

    There was an air of nobility surrounding the woman but did not take away her tenderness and grace. By impression alone, she was different from Li Jingran, but in terms of looks, they were very much alike.

    Mama Fu looked back at the person who was beautiful and affable. If her guess was right, this must be Xixi¡¯s adoptive mother, Yun Jinping. Mama Fu exined with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not Li Jingran. My name is Shangguan Yanqiu. Nice to meet you.¡±

    Since her arrival in China, Mama Fu had gotten a grasp of Li Jingran¡¯s poprity.

    She had kept a low profile, putting on a mask and sunsses to hide her appearance whenever she went out. Still, she was mistaken by the fans to be Li Jingran.

    Yun Jinping knew she was not Li Jingran as her daughter addressed her as Madam Fu. She guessed that the woman was most likely Xuan¡¯s mother. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yun Jinping.¡±

    ¡°I am Song Wenye.¡± Song Wenye raised her hand and meekly jumped as names were exchanged.

    Shen Xi was amused by Song Wenye¡¯s expression. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s all have a chat upstairs. We don¡¯t want to get in people¡¯s way on the stairs.¡±

    Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu embarrassedly exchanged nces and smiled. It seemed to have slipped their minds that they were hogging the staircase.

    ¡°Should we head upstairs then?¡±

    The pair spoke in unison. After a moment of daze, they looked at each other and smiled once more.

    With the two women walking upstairs side to side, Song Wenye got the opportunity to pull Shen Xi back. Afraid to be overheard and deemed impolite, she kept her voice low. ¡°Who is she? Why does she have an uncanny resemnce to Li Jingran?¡±

    Shen Xi whispered back, ¡°Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mother and Li Jingran¡¯s twin.¡±

    ¡°What the f*ck!¡± Song Wenye blurted aloud in shock and disbelief.

    What the hell?

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mother was Li Jingran¡¯s twin? This was huge! For real?

    Shen Xi put her hand over Song Wenye¡¯s mouth. It was hard to tell Song Wenye anything when she got all freaked out like that. ¡°Settle down.¡±

    Song Wenye could not get over it. How was she supposed to calm down? Ever since she learned about Shen Xi¡¯s family history, the Su family, especially Li Jingran, made Song Wenye sick to her stomach.

    Yet now, a look-alike appeared before her and she was Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mother. What a world.

    ¡°Li Jingran doesn¡¯t know she exists.¡± That was all Shen Xi could say. She was not in the position to reveal the secret of others even to her own best friend.

    Song Wenye might live in a world of her own, but she was reliable when it counted. At this point, Song Wenye got the hint that Shen Xi intended to drop the subject. She answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lips are sealed. I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    She could not get a hold of herself because the shocking news hit her in the face. Song Wenye was not going to buck.

    In that case, Fu Qingxuan must be fond of Xixi because he had known of their rtionship. It would make Fu Qingxuan Xixi¡¯s cousin.

    ¡°Not even Alpha Xu,¡± Shen Xi added.

    Song Wenye gave an affirmative nod. Aplete opposite to Li Jingran¡¯s bearing and akin to Mrs. Shen¡¯s gentleness and amiability, Madam Fu seemed rather well-bred. Song Wenye whispered into Shen Xi¡¯s ear andmented, ¡°If only you were her daughter.¡±

    Hmph! Li Jingran and the idiotic Su family did not deserve their Xixi. The Fu family was much better. Fu Qingxuan was nice, not to mention Qingye, her forever idol.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart skipped a beat as Fu Qingli¡¯s stone-cold handsome face shed before her eyes. Shaking her head, she coldly uttered in self-mockery, ¡°I¡¯m not worthy.¡±

    Song Wenye pursed her lips from speaking before sneaking a peek at Shen Xi. Why did she get the feeling that Xixi was mad?

    She put her foot in her mouth again.

    The whole world knew that the Fu family was looking for their sister. Qingye entered showbiz in an attempt to find his sister.

    Why was Xixi the Su family¡¯s daughter? Why could she not be the Fu family¡¯s daughter?

    It was quiet in the first-floor lobby.

    Shangguan Yanqiu greeted everybody there before getting up to leave. ¡°I should leave you guys to it.¡±

    To her surprise, she hit it off with Xixi¡¯s mother and got along well. With Xixi¡¯s mom being a gentle soul, it was no wonder Xixi was raised to be so brilliant.

    ¡°Are you alone?¡± Yun Jinping asked.

    ¡°No, Xuan¡¯s with me.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu smiled and ensued another question. ¡°Which room are you in? I¡¯ll bring Xuan in for a quick visit.¡±

    Following the car ident, Xuan began to take it easy instead of throwing himself into work. Shangguan Yanqiu could not even make him leave the house in the past. This time for a change, the boy offered to bring her out to get some fresh air.

    The offer to get some fresh air took them to China. They had not been to many ces since they only arrived two days ago. The funny thing about fate was, it brought her and Xixi¡¯s family together.

    ¡°We¡¯re in 208.¡± Yun Jinping then sought confirmation with Ruan Sisi that it was indeed 208.

    The lot courteously bade farewell before seeing Shangguan Yanqiu off to the other end of the corridor. The direction was the exact opposite of their room.

    Looking at her receding figure, Yun Jinping pinched Shen Zhangqing and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about that when theyeter.¡±

    She had not told Madam Fu that she found her son in case it might bring up ill feelings since the Fu family¡¯s youngest member was yet to be found.. She did not want to be rubbing it in by saying she found her son and was here for a reunion.

 Chapter 559 - Why Are You Like Xixi

    <h4>Chapter 559: Why Are You Like Xixi</h4>

    Shangguan Yanqiu pushed the room door open to find Fu Qingxuan dressing his wound on the sofa. She quickly made her way over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I was only gone for a few minutes. What happened to you while I was away?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mom. I lost my grip and dropped the teapot on my foot.¡± Fu Qingxuan grimaced and gasped in pain while looking at his toes. What rotten luck. The teapot slipped from his hand and fell on his foot.

    ¡°Let me see. Is the tea hot or cold?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu pped his hand away. Furrowing her brows, she wrapped the bandage for him.

    ¡°Cold. Who would drink hot tea at this hour?¡± Fu Qingxuan drew a sharp breath and eximed, ¡°Be gentle, Mom. The pain is killing me. Am I your son? I would¡¯ve lost my foot if this was hot.¡±

    Letting out a sigh, Shangguan Yanqiu expressed her heartache. ¡°You¡¯re so absent-minded. Why are you like Xixi?¡±

    Xixi nearly fell from looking at her phone while walking up the stairs.

    ¡°Shen Xi?¡± Fu Qingxuan frowned, no longer howling in pain. ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    If he remembered it correctly, Mom only met Meanie once. Why was Meanie dragged into this?

    ¡°She nearly fell.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu was still shaken up just thinking about it. What if she really fell down the stairs?

    ¡°Is she here too?¡± Fu Qingxuan had not told Shen Xi that he brought Mom along for a change of scenery. ¡°Did shee here for us? Where is she?¡±

    ¡°No, her whole family is dining here.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu observed him getting all worked up. ¡°Do you want to head there and say helloter? Her parents are around as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Fu Qingxuan understood that Meanie was not here for him, but it did not hurt to pretend that it was.

    ¡°We¡¯ll head there after our meal.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu did not want to be a bother.

    ¡°No.¡± Shaking his head, Fu Qingxuan took a hard look at her. ¡°Mom, hurry up with the bandage. Let¡¯s go there now and eat with them. The more the merrier.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu replied, ¡°It isn¡¯t nice to crash their dinner.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan uttered, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Shen are nice people. They think of me as their son. They don¡¯t care about that.¡±

    There was no talking Fu Qingxuan out of it. Shangguan Yanqiu shook her head and smiled. ¡°Oh, you.¡±

    This child was always distant to outsiders, yet he was close with Xixi¡¯s family. Shangguan Yanqiu found out from Ye that Xuan was at Xixi¡¯s ce during the few times he went missing. Her eldest son forbade him from bringing it up to her.

    ¡°Mom, can we?¡± Fu Qingxuan sought her opinion.

    ¡°Are you sure they are okay with this?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu was still concerned. She could tell that Xixi¡¯s family was nice. In fact, she and Xixi¡¯s mother really got on well. Still, they should not be bothering the family after only meeting once. It was simply improper.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Mr. and Mrs. Shen will be very happy.¡± Fu Qingxuan then inquired who else was there. He could already guess by the descriptions. Hence, he cheerfully retorted, ¡°All the more that it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not just Xixi¡¯s family but Song Wenye, Yu Yuanxi, and Granny Yu are there too.¡±

    He could work out this bunch, but he had no idea who thest girl was.

    The food was just served for Shen Xi¡¯s group when there was a knock on their door.

    With Yun Jinping giving permission to enter, Fu Qingxuan hobbled in with the help of Shangguan Yanqiu. He waved at them with a bright smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Shen.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s eyes lit up as she gleefully waved back.

    Ruan Sisi was ogling. F*ck! He was a dreamboat, more handsome than Yu Yuanxi. The guy topped the list of beaus she had seen in her life.

    Yun Jinping nervously stared at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your leg?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I got into a bit of an ident.¡± Fu Qingxuan needed no introduction as he went over and pulled a chair from the side for Shangguan Yanqiu to sit.

    Shangguan Yanqiu was d and embarrassed to see her son not being a stranger at all. She shed her pearly whites at everyone present. ¡°I brought Xuan here to say hello.¡±

    She did not approve of Fu Qingxuan¡¯s manner due to her upbringing in strict etiquette. She would never impose another visit if she were on her own. Nevertheless, Shangguan Yanqiu gave in to her desire to meet Shen Xi again.

    ¡°Come and join us since you¡¯re here.¡± Yun Jinping was afraid that their circumstance might strike an emotional chord in Shangguan Yanqiu, so she did not invite them to dinner in the first ce. However, they might as well enjoy some time together since they were already here.

    Shen Xi swept a nce at Fu Qingxuan, focusing on his limp. She was convinced that the boy was trying to gain sympathy by hobbling in with a limp.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Shen. My mom and I have never been to this ce. We didn¡¯t know what to order!¡± Fu Qingxuan made himself at home.

    Shangguan Yanqiu let out a grin. At this point, she might as well ept the invitation. ¡°Pardon the intrusion.¡±

    Instead of sitting on the chair Fu Qingxuan pulled out for her, she went next to Shen Xi and smiled.

    Shen Xi immediately got up and gave up her seat. ¡°Please sit, Madam Fu.¡±

    Before Shangguan Yanqiu had a chance to say anything, Shen Xi turned to pull another chair to sit beside her. She could feel warm tingles in her heart.

    The girl was so thoughtful.

    Tilting her head, Song Wenye quietly observed the two. Xixi had an uncanny resemnce to Li Jingran while Madam Fu was a carbon-copy of Li Jingran apart from their bearings. In other words, Xixi was a spitting image of Madam Fu.

    That was not right. Xixi carried herself more like Madam Fu. It was the in-bred poise and nobility that struck a jarring difference to the hypocritical grace of Li Jingran. Madam Fu was truly refined and polished.

    It was not just Song Wenye, but even the apanying Ruan Sisi was shocked by Li Jingran¡¯s presence. It took a while before she realized that the woman was not Li Jingran as thedy introduced herself as Shangguan at the staircase encounter.

    Why did she look identical to Li Jingran though? Looks aside, why did she have an uncanny resemnce to her teacher?

    Ruan Sisi turned to Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi for an answer. It was a pity that she was not close with them and was ranked the youngest to ask such private questions.

    Overwhelmed with curiosity and questions, she had nowhere to turn to for answers.

    Granny Yu had no clue about Shen Xi¡¯s family history. Yu Yuanxi was not one to spill the beans while Song Wenye did a good job keeping the secret from her. With everyone taking a seat, she spoke, ¡°Yuanxi, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re reunited with your birth parents atst.¡±

    With that, Fu Qingxuan widened his eyes in shock and stared at Yu Yuanxi. What did she mean? What birth parents?

 Chapter 560 - Could Not Help but Think About His Sister

    <h4>Chapter 560: Could Not Help but Think About His Sister</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Since birth parents were a touchy subject to Shangguan Yanqiu, she turned her gaze to Yu Yuanxi.

    The young man was good-looking, had charisma, and carried himself with humility and good manners. She did not know who he was, nor had she heard about him from her son. Nevertheless, Shangguan Yanqiu could tell that her son knew him.

    Yun Jinping was stumped as to how to exin.

    Before Shen Zhangqing and Shen Xi could speak, Yu Yuanxi was a step ahead and calmly ryed the fact. ¡°I am Shen Zhifei. Mr. and Mrs. Shen¡¯s biological son.¡±

    Yun Jinping was moved to tears to hear it from Yu Yuanxi¡¯s mouth. If only he called them Mom and Dad instead, then she would be happier.

    Shen Zhangqing was pleased but was a little let down by the form of address. However, he knew that he should give the boy more time to organize his thoughts and ept the fact. There was no hurry for Yu Yuanxi to call them Mom and Dad now that Shen Zhangqing found his son.

    Shen Xi curled her lips in delight. She was worried at first that Yu Yuanxi would be irked and mad to admit to it. Shen Xi was finally relieved by the response.

    He probably needed time before he could say those magic words but at least he had epted the fact. Yu Yuanxi was too sensible, gentle, and nice to put everyone in the spot.

    Sitting beside Shen Xi, Song Wenye stealthily tugged at her and secretly smiled to herself. Yu Yuanxi was pretty susceptible to change.

    This was the way it was supposed to be anyway. Mr. and Mrs. Shen were good people and Xixi was also the best sister. What more could he ask for?

    He was kidnapped by human traffickers when he was young. It was not that Mr. and Mrs. Shen did not want him. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shen never gave up looking for him.

    If only Mr. and Mrs. Shen could be her parents too. It was a blessing to have such parents.

    ¡°Congrats.¡± Fu Qingxuan sincerely wished him well. He then looked at Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Shen, congrattions. This is great news.¡±

    He was happy for them as nothing was more worthwhile than this moment. Still, it did not stop a heartbreaking pain from overtaking every inch of his being.

    Fu Qingxuan knew that he should not behave like this on such a joyous asion, but he could not help but think about his sister. When was his sister¡¯s turn to be found?

    With her eyes welling up, Shangguan Yanqiu smiled tenderly at them. ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    She had more knowledge about Xixi and the Su family than about the Shen family.

    Ye only mentioned that Xixi¡¯s adoptive parents were nice and kind people. He never told her that they also had a son who went missing since little.

    The Fu mother and son appeared genuine in their well-wishes, but Yun Jinping believed they must feel down. Since there were no right words for this situation, she changed the subject. ¡°You must be hungry. Let¡¯s dig in before the food gets cold.¡±

    She had found her son and would have a very, very long time to spend with him. There was no need to reflect their excessive joy in front of the brokenhearted.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s eat,¡± Shen Zhangqing hosted. Picking a piece of rib for Yun Jinping, he grinned at her. ¡°Eat.¡±

    With their flesh and blood found, the burden he had carried for over a decade was lifted atst. Even if death was upon him, he could go in peace.

    The dishes were local specialties and tasted great. It was expected from a restaurant with culinary skills dating back a century. However, Fu Qingxuan could taste nothing of that sort.

    He was filled with regret. Had he known that this was a family reunion, he could never drag his mom over here.

    Shangguan Yanqiu did not seem out of ce. She was genuinely happy for the parents and child to be reunited. There was nothing better than this.

    She believed that they would soon find their little girl. They would find her however long it took.

    Shen Xi understood that Fu Qingxuan and Madam Fu must be going through a lot right now. Even so, she did not know how to make them feel better. She might make things worse if she said something.

    Song Wenye, the life of the party, came to great use. Sure, she lived in a world of her own, but there were times she yed a sensitive soul. She put herself out there by talking about the embarrassing incidents she got intotely and anything interesting that happened to her girl group.

    National Idol was a hit worldwide. Everyone present had kept up with the show, including Fu Qingxuan and Shangguan Yanqiu.

    The show was broadcast around the time Fu Qingxuan was recuperating from the car ident. Since Song Wenye was on the program and he had nothing to do with the spare time in his hands, he dragged Shangguan Yanqiu to follow the show closely. Shangguan Yanqiu was familiar with the people Song Wenye mentioned in her stories.

    ¡°What is Mr. Xixi doingtely?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu asked Song Wenye. Her favorite was Mr. Xixi.

    Mr. Xixi had a simr temperament to Xuan when he was serious. Some gestures and expressions of Mr. Xixi also reminded her of her son. If he was not a young man, Shangguan Yanqiu would find him and ask for a DNA test.

    Shen Xi stopped eating and lowered her gaze before turning her attention back to her food.

    ¡°Madam Fu, did you watch the show as well?¡± Song Wenye was surprised that Shangguan Yanqiu would watch National Idol. She felt smug about it. ¡°Are we famous abroad as well?¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu nodded with a smile. The bubbly and adorable girl performed well on the show. She took to the girl and all the girls who made it to the end. What was there not to like about youthful and hardworking children?

    Her little girl was around their age as well. While watching the show, Shangguan Yanqiu would imagine how it would be like if her Lil¡¯ Xi had joined the show.

    Song Wenye was so proud of herself. Having no information about Mr. Xixi, she regrettably answered, ¡°Is Mr. Xixi your favorite? I don¡¯t have his contact details. None of us do. We can¡¯t find him, but you know, he¡¯s a secretive person.¡±

    Mr. Xixi had more fans than the rest of them who made their debut. At the end of the day, talent was what mattered.

    Since the show came to an end, Mr. Xixi had never made another appearance. No one knew where he was. No one could track him either.

    The media and press staked out around the office every day in hopes to locate Mr. Xixi. s, nobody was able to run into him.

    ¡°Really? I really want to meet him.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu smiled. Not one to force someone¡¯s hand, she nned to get Ye to ask around. Of course, she was not going to bother Mr.. Xixi if he were to turn down her request for a meetup.

 Chapter 561 - Is Uncle Jin Yu Around

    <h4>Chapter 561: Is Uncle Jin Yu Around</h4>

    ¡°Uhke, uhke.¡±

    Sitting nearby, Shen Xi suddenly coughed.

    Picking up on the noise, Shangguan Yanqiu nervously turned over to Shen Xi red in the face, violently gasping for air. With Shen Xi coughing to tears, Shangguan Yanqiu immediately handed her a ss of water and patted her back.

    Yun Jinping ran over and together with Shangguan Yanqiu, began their rescue of Shen Xi choking on her food.

    Shen Xi chugged down the water and hacked for a long time before she was able to settle down. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay. The chili got me.¡±

    Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu sighed with relief before exchanging nces and smiles.

    While the two of them were frantically taking care of Shen Xi, the rest of the group were on the edge of their seats as they observed what was happening. Yu Yuanxi was the exception as he looked at Fu Qingxuan. There was something bugging him.

    Xixi was the one who was choking, so why was Fu Qingxuan coughing as well? Was there a catch in his throat since he went red in the face too?

    Fu Qingxuan was baffled by what was going on. It might be because he could not handle the spiciness of the chili. He took another bite of food but found it hard to suppress the urge to hack it out. Still, he was better to ride it out as he did not want to invite attention to him like Meanie. Fu Qingxuan drank a ss of water to hold down the difort.

    Yu Yuanxi observed Fu Qingxuan before turning to Shen Xi. He noticed the change in Shen Xi¡¯s expression when Song Wenye and Madam Fu were talking about Mr. Xixi.

    He was sure that Shen Xi was familiar with Mr. Xixi. Surely, Shen Xi was able to fulfill Madam Fu¡¯s request to see Mr. Xixi easily.

    However, theplicated look on Shen Xi¡¯s face was rather puzzling.

    After the meal, Shangguan Yanqiu excused herself along with Fu Qingxuan.

    Yun Jinping called them back. ¡°Madam Fu, if you don¡¯t mind, you and Xuan are wee at my ce to stay when you¡¯re in the capital. We have to give you a proper wee.¡±

    She remembered that Xixi stayed at the Fu residence in Viennast year.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll get Xixi to show you around. She has time now that it¡¯s the summer holidays.¡± Shen Zhangqing dragged Shen Xi into this.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    She did not want to be showing them around!

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi bit the bullet and bobbed her head with a smile as her eyes met with Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s gentle and expectant eyes. ¡°My dad¡¯s right. I have plenty of time. We¡¯d dly have you at our home.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for taking the trouble to host us.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu was not used to imposing. Yet right now, she wanted nothing more than to follow the family back to the capital.

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± Yun Jinping continued. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to Qingxuan and Qingye for taking care of Xixi when she went to Viennast year.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu had no idea about that. She let out a tender grin and nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s only proper.¡±

    Was Xixi in Viennast year? She also wanted to head to Vienna at the end ofst year but was stopped by Ye. Was he afraid that she would run into Xixi there?

    After seeing Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Qingxuan off, Song Wenye pulled Ruan Sisi to leave. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Shen, I¡¯m going to hang around town with her since I¡¯m new to the ce.¡±

    One to take the hint, Ruan Sisi knew that she should give the family some space. She nodded her head and left Song Wenye to drag her away.

    Once at the lift, Ruan Sisi pulled away and gazed at Song Wenye. ¡°Are you trying to be my teacher¡¯s inw?¡±

    Song Wenye spoke her mind, ¡°None of your d*mn business!¡±

    Ruan Sisi retorted, ¡°My teacher¡¯s business is my business. There¡¯s just something by the way you¡¯re looking at my teacher¡¯s brother.¡±

    Flushed in the face, Song Wenye pointed at her and gave a warning. ¡°Show me some respect. I¡¯m your teacher¡¯s bestest, bestest, best friend. You better watch it or I might just get you thrown out.¡±

    Ruan Sisi had no fear as she sized Song Wenye up before forcefully uttering, ¡°I don¡¯t see why you can¡¯t be my teacher¡¯s inw.¡±

    Song Wenye could flip her top. She peevishly howled, ¡°F*ck! I¡¯m not!¡±

    Did Xixi pick up a dummy on the streets to be her student?

    Turning a deaf ear to her words, Ruan Sisi held Song Wenye¡¯s arm and proudly announced, ¡°I should show you around since you¡¯re my teacher¡¯s inw. I should tell you that I live here so I¡¯m familiar with every inch of this ce. Do you have a ce to stay? You can¡¯t stay with my teacher¡¯s brother yet. How about you staying at my ce?¡±

    Song Wenye rolled her eyes. She could overlook the matter seeing that Ruan Sisi was hospitable and her junior in rank.

    Nevertheless, Song Wenye must admit that Ruan Sisi¡¯s personality was agreeable and to her liking. Ruan Sisi was not fake or pretentious and in fact, rather in-spoken, albeit a bit off in the head.

    That night, Shen Xi received a call from Ruan Sisi, saying that she brought Song Wenye to her home. She asked if they wanted to stay at her house since it was huge.

    Shen Xi took a nce at her family getting together before shaking her head. ¡°No, you two should have fun.¡±

    With Ruan Sisi and Song Wenye having simr characters, the pair went well together. They would enjoy each other¡¯spany.

    Shen Xi¡¯s family booked a two-bedroom family suite at a hotel. Yu Yuanxi and Shen Zhangqing shared one room while Shen Xi, Yun Jinping, and Granny Yu shared the other.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Xi slept in one bed, leaving the single bed to Granny Yu. Thus began a light conversation once the lights went out.

    Granny Yu told them stories of Yu Yuanxi¡¯s younger days. After several hours on the ne, the weary elder was soon found dozing off to dreand.

    It had been some time since Shen Xi shared a bed with Yun Jinping. She nestled and snuggled up against Yun Jinping, softly mumbling, ¡°Mom, this is nice.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yun Jinping patted her back with a smile before dotingly kissing her on the forehead. She tenderly said, ¡°Don¡¯t stay up if you¡¯re tired.¡±

    ¡°Good night.¡± Holding her tight, Shen Xi closed her eyes.

    Yun Jinping gazed at her daughter with a warm and happy smile across her lips. This was wonderful. What was better than having all her children by her side, a loving husband, and peace in life? She had nothing more to ask of life, feeling so blessed.

    The next day, Song Wenye left on the first flight to get to her next project while Shen Xi¡¯s family and Granny Yu had lunch with Yu Yuanxi before making a move back to the capital.

    Fu Qingxuan and Shangguan Yanqiu went to the capital the following day and paid the family a visit.

    Although Shen Xi was not at home, Yun Jinping and Granny Yu were around. They zealously weed them.

    Fu Qingxuan was bored as he was out of ce with the three women chatting away at home. Watching Toffeecito running off to the courtyard, he quickly followed closely. Like the wind, Toffeecito climbed up the wall and meowed at the other side. The soft and young meow could make hearts melt.

    He followed the cat up the wall when the neighbor¡¯s door was pushed open and out came Li Yuan wheeling himself without looking at the wall.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Fu Qingxuan looked around. Unable to spot Shen Xi, he called Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan finally tilted his head and nced at him with aloof eyes that reflected danger and disregard. He then pushed his wheelchair toward the living room.

    Toffeecito had leaped down and jumped onto Li Yuan¡¯sp. Rubbing its furry head against his hand, it purred for attention.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Fu Qingxuan called to him once more. He would not bother casting Li Yuan a nce if he was not looking for Meanie and Uncle Jin Yu. ¡°Is Uncle Jin Yu around?¡±

 Chapter 562 - Two-Faced

    <h4>Chapter 562: Two-Faced</h4>

    With rigidity overtaking his eyes, Li Yuan curled his lips sarcastically as he wheeled himself away. It was like Fu Qingxuan was not even there.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Anxious, Fu Qingxuan cried out again.

    ¡°Young Master Fu, is this the manners of the Fu family? Should I request your second brother to teach you some basic speech etiquette?¡± Li Yuan¡¯s eyes grew profound while his cold voice bore a hint of taunt.

    Fu Qingxuan clenched his fists. What was with the rules? Though, he had to admit, he was being rude. Instead of talking back, he resumed his usual cool-headed demeanor before strangers. ¡°Mr. Li, may I know if Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s around?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan may be gritting his teeth in his mind, but he did not reflect it in his speech. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The man did it on purpose!

    Those rules did not seem to exist when Meanie and Uncle Jin Yu were around. Yet here they were, with just the two of them, and suddenly Li Yuan insisted on going by the book. Meanie should see him now. All that gentleness and kindness bullsh*t was merely a fa?ade Li Yuan put in front of her. He was two-faced!

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Li Yuan answered.

    ¡°What about Meanie!¡± Fu Qingxuan swiftly changed the form of address, ¡°Where¡¯s Shen Xi?¡±

    Mrs. Shen mentioned she had something to take care of. What else could she be doing other than hanging out with that b*stard, Li Yuan? However, Li Yuan came out to the courtyard by himself. So where did he ditch Meanie to?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Li Yuan did not ignore him for a change.

    Nevertheless, the living room door was suddenly open, and out came a girl yawning with bleary eyes. Following the sight of Li Yuan, her eyes promptly lit up and she purred, ¡°Brother.¡±

    Having just woken up, her voice wasnguidly raspy, sweet, and soft. Her hair was a mess, and her expression listless. Aww, what a cutie pie!

    Li Yuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gave Li Yuan the evil eye. Oh, if only looks could kill. B*stard! Lying through his teeth, huh? Fu Qingxuan wondered if Shen Xi was kidnapped to stay the night at Li Yuan¡¯s ce.

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No. Why hadn¡¯t my mom called me? What time is it?¡±

    She got up really early in the morning to drive Chu Ying to the airport. At her return, she came by here looking for Toffeecito and decided then to cuddle up on the sofa to catch some sleep. She lost track of time dozing off.

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Your mom¡¯s home. Do you want to have lunch here or at home?¡±

    Still not fully conscious, Shen Xi furrowed her brows in deep ponder.

    Up on the wall, Fu Qingxuan was fuming through his eyes. F*ck! Was he invisible to them? Could they not see him? He cleared his throat loudly.

    Shen Xi then turned to nce at the wall and saw that it was Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Why are you at my house?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Where did you sleep?¡±

    She was so trusting to run off and fall asleep in someone else¡¯s house. What if Li Yuan, the b*stard, gave in to his urges and had his way with her?

    Hold on.

    She probably wished Li Yuan made a pass at her!

    Yet, Fu Qingxuan always got himself in this sort of situation. He should stay out of it, but he was afraid and mad that she would be taken advantage of.

    ¡°Here.¡± Shen Xi looked back and pointed at the living room sofa. Kneading her shoulder muscles, she moaned to Li Yuan, ¡°Brother, the sofa¡¯s a little hard. My back¡¯s sore sleeping on it.¡±

    Li Yuan had already made his way over to her. He softly spoke, ¡°Once you have the time, we can look around the furniture store and pick what you like.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was infuriated to the point of speechlessness. Meanie was deliberately doing it. Was this the point of his question? Was he asking her about the sofa?

    He wanted to ask why she was sleeping at Li Yuan¡¯s ce. It was not like there was nowhere to sleep in that big home of hers. Could she not be the least bit wary?

    ¡°Give me a massage.¡± Sniffling, Shen Xi looked at him with a pout.

    Li Yuan uttered, ¡°Lie down here.¡±

    Shen Xi could not care less about Fu Qingxuan. She jogged to lie down on the sofa and rested her chin on the pillow while smiling like an idiot.

    Fu Qingxuan gnashed his teeth and observed her acting like a puppy ¨C wagging her tail and running off. How he wished he could grab her tail and drag her back.

    Was Meanie that into Li Yuan? So much so she put all her shields down before him? To the extent that she had no principles? Did she know how flirty she looked just now?

    He wanted to yell her name out loud but decided to hold it in. Fu Qingxuan was a man of his word when he promised not to let Mr. and Mrs. Shen know.

    ¡°Xuan, what are you doing up there?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu finally noticed her son was missing. While Yun Jinping and Granny Yu were busy in the kitchen, she came out for a look and found her son standing high against the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Toffeecito.¡± Fu Qingxuan then got down. ¡°Mom, Toffeecito went next door. I¡¯ll go find it.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu retorted, ¡°Is the neighbor home?¡±

    It took everything in Fu Qingxuan to utter the word. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu frowned at his receding figure. Why did she get a feeling that he was not looking for Toffeecito but looking for a fight?

    The door was locked.

    Fu Qingxuan was tempted to kick the door because only by getting physical could he unleash his fury. Still, his well-bred manners prevented him from doing so despite seething with rage. He pressed on the doorbell.

    Soon, the door opened.

    Stepping into the house, Fu Qingxuan could clearly see Li Yuan giving Shen Xi the full massage service in the living room. It only fueled Fu Qingxuan¡¯s temper. Taking advantage! Li Yuan was tantly taking advantage!

    Meanie was enjoying herself!

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right home.¡± Hearing his footsteps, Shen Xi spoke, ¡°Is my mom home?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan bottled up his growing anger and solemnly said, ¡°Mrs. Shen wants you home.¡±

    Shen Xi acknowledged before tilting her head at Li Yuan. ¡°Brother, I best get going.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±

    As Shen Xi sat up and put on her shoes, she groaned, ¡°When will Uncle Jin Yu be back?¡±

    Uncle Jin Yu went chasing down the leads Li Yuan found. Now that it had been more than ten days, she had no idea when to expect his return.

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°In a few days.¡±

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Was he able to track down the lead?¡±

    Li Yuan shook his head. ¡°It was a dead-end, but he wanted to stay for a few more days since it¡¯s nice there.¡±

    Picking up that they were talking about Jin Yu, Fu Qingxuan perked his ears up. However, he was not able to make out anything by their conversation about leads and whatnot.

    Shen Xi sighed.

    Li Yuanmented, ¡°Not everyone is as lucky as your brother.¡±

    And nobody was as lucky as him to cross paths with the person he was seeking. Fate brought her to him.

    Fu Qingxuan got an inkling atst. Without a second thought, he inquired, ¡°Is Uncle Jin Yu looking for somebody?¡±

    He had not known Uncle Jin Yu for long. Apart from his interests and hobbies, Fu Qingxuan was in the dark about his identity and family.

 Chapter 563 - Ran Like Mad

    <h4>Chapter 563: Ran Like Mad</h4>

    ¡°He¡¯s looking for his family.¡± Shen Xi got up and urged Li Yuan to have a hearty breakfast before nudging Fu Qingxuan to leave. ¡°When did youe with your mom? Why didn¡¯t you let me know in advance so I can wee you properly?¡±

    Her darling Madam Yun was only being polite. Fu Qingxuan aside, Shen Xi was surprised Madam Fu actually epted the courtesy invitation and came over.

    ¡°My mom wanted toe.¡± Fu Qingxuan rolled his eyes as if he would believe his mom truly wanted toe because the fact was, she would rather not but made it sound otherwise.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi turned a blind eye to his eye roll as he would know better if his presence was wee or not, but one thing was for sure, Fu Qingli was certainly going to be on her *ss about it again.

    Toffeecito tailed behind them.

    Shen Xi only realized it was following them when she was at the door. Getting down to scoop Toffeecito up, she looked at Fu Qingxuan and said, ¡°You should go ahead. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±

    Instead of going off, Fu Qingxuan stayed there and watched her carry Toffeecito back into the courtyard. She ced the cat on Li Yuan¡¯sp before tapping its head for it to stay and keep Li Yuanpany.

    Toffeecito did as it was told. As if it understood the humannguage, it meowed and rubbed against Li Yuan without any intention to leave.

    Fu Qingxuan was not having it. He yelled, ¡°Toffeecito.¡±

    Toffeecito took a nce at him before burying itself in Li Yuan¡¯s embrace, showing Fu Qingxuan its ssy bottom. The cat even flicked its tail in a disy of aloofness.

    Fu Qingxuan was about to blow up. Godd*mnit! Even a cat was picking on him. Was he so much of a pushover?

    Shen Xi was in stitches as Fu Qingxuan stormed off with a flushed face. The young master sure was immature to embarrass himself by calling Toffeecito. Surprise. Toffeecito had not formed a bond with him!

    The pair got home one after the other while Yun Jinping, Granny Yu, and Shangguan Yanqiu were cooking in the kitchen.

    Although Yun Jinping did not want the guests to be working in the kitchen, she let Shangguan Yanqiu be since she could not talk her out of it. It never urred to her that the high-society madam from a privileged life knew her way around the kitchen. Yun Jinping was in quite a bit of shock.

    Shangguan Yanqiu was only two years older than Yun Jinping. They hit it off and had a lot to talk about. Shangguan Yanqiu might be from higher ces, but she was nice and easy to get along with. The women bonded on a sisterhood level.

    ¡°Jinping, there¡¯s this doctor named Jiu Zhou in China. Do you know him?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu was chopping the vegetables when she recalled she owed the child a meal.

    The kid took great care of her for a week, but she never had a chance to host him for dinner at their home. This remained a regret of hers.

    ¡°I know of him, but I don¡¯t know him personally.¡± Yun Jinping nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a great doctor. I heard that he¡¯s a miracle doctor living in seclusion. He cured the son of the Ning family despite the child being in aa for many years.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an amazing and handsome young man.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu had a gentle smile on her face. ¡°He¡¯s thoughtful and sensible, albeit a little indifferent.¡±

    ¡°Have you met him?¡± Yun Jinping asked.

    ¡°Yes. He provided medical care for a week when I was sick.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu knew that the kid had a heart of gold despite the cold front he put up. It appeared he deliberately shied away from people.

    ¡°Our little Tangtang has vision problems. We sought medical attention for her, but the doctor only met Tangtang. We hadn¡¯t had the pleasure to see him.¡± Yun Jinping grinned.

    Ever since the emergence of the miracle doctor in the capital, Xixi figured out a way to reach out to the doctor to treat Tangtang.

    Nevertheless, Dr. Jiu Zhou left Fu Qingxuan with the research after learning about the circumstances surrounding Tangtang. He had note up with a treatment n yet.

    While looking around the kitchen, Shen Xi approached to hear them talking about her. She stopped in her tracks.

    Standing nearby, Fu Qingxuan looked at her. ¡°I want to meet Dr. Jiu Zhou too. Could you ask him for me?¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Do you think a miracle doctor like him has time for an ordinary person like me?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan believed Shen Xi could see him if she wanted to. Shen Xi seemed to have many secrets. He gave her a firm look. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Qingli was not able to get through to Dr. Jiu Zhou, but she could. Fu Qingxuan was convinced she was close with Dr. Jiu Zhou and that he would have time for her.

    ¡°Thank you for thinking so highly of me.¡± Shen Xi did not wish to continue with the conversation. She walked into the kitchen. ¡°Mom, what can I help you with?¡±

    Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu both looked back at the same time and spoke in unison, ¡°Run along now.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Was she no good? She could pick some greens and wash them. Just look at the contempt on Madam Yun¡¯s face.

    Yun Jinping waited until Shen Xi left munching on green turnips before whispering to Shangguan Yanqiu, ¡°My girl is great in everything except in the kitchen. She blew up the kitchen thest time she was in here. That¡¯s enough to freak me out.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu looked nervous. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Yun Jinping ryed Shen Xi¡¯s act of bravery in the kitchen andmented, ¡°When she gets married, she would¡¯ve to live with me or get a husband who cooks.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu smiled. ¡°She could hire a cook.¡±

    Yun Jinping shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not the same taste as doing it yourself. My darling Xixi loves my cooking.¡±

    Gazing at the doting look on Yun Jinping¡¯s face, Shangguan Yanqiu lowered her gaze to hide her sadness and envy. If her Lil¡¯ Xi was around, Shangguan Yanqiu would probably have the same rtionship as Jinping had with Xixi.

    She always wanted a sweet little girl of her own. The boys at home had nothing against a girl. A daughter was the best.

    After lunch, Yun Jinping went to the office to attend to an emergency. She told Shen Xi to take Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Qingxuan out for some fun.

    Shen Xi might be living in the capital for a few good years now, but her whole time was spent on dancing and school. She was not familiar with the city to know where the good ces were. It was a wiser choice to seek out the locals such as Song Wenye and Pei Xu.

    She gave Pei Xu a call, but the person who came was Yu Qiubai.

    Looking rather dashing, Yu Qiubai wore a modified Han costume and paired it with a folding fan. Like a gentleman out of a scene in the movie, he was suave.

    As the local, he drove them to various tourist sites and gave the full tour-guide service ¨C exining all the know-how at his fingertips with eloquence in all subjects, on top of arranging the itinerary well.

    Thest stop of the afternoon was the Garden of Integrity.

    As it was the height of the summer, every tourist attraction was packed with crowds. With the Garden of Integrity being one of the must-sees, cars were not allowed within a kilometer radius. There was no parking anyway even if cars could enter. Hence, they parked the car somewhere nearby and walked over.

    They would have to get past Li Mansion on their way there. Yu Qiubai pointed at the huge and ancient architecture and sneaked a peek at Shen Xi before saying, ¡°Thepound here is Li Mansion. It¡¯s not open to the public.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked daggered at thepound. Li Mansion. Was that not where Li Yuan, the b*stard, lived?

    ¡°Does Li Yuan stay here?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu inquired.

    She knew Li Yuan was younger than her eldest son by two months. The boy was on good terms with her second eldest son. She had met him once. He was good-looking and gracious, not to mention a good kid.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yu Qiubai took a nce at Shen Xi.

    He was not surprised that the Fu family knew Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan had a bit of a sh with the Fu Family¡¯s eldest son, Fu Qingli, the year he expanded his business abroad. It was said thepetition made them both rivals who knew each other best.

    Yu Qiubai shared the history of Li Mansion¡¯s structure as if he was reading the back of his hand. Once they arrived at the Garden of Integrity, he went to buy the admission tickets.

    ¡°I¡¯m going there to buy some water.¡± Shen Xi pointed at the opposite convenience store and informed Shangguan Yanqiu.

    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡± Fu Qingxuan went in pursuit of her before quickly turning back. ¡°Mom, wait for us here. Don¡¯t go roaming around.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu shook her head and sighed. Was she a child? Roaming around? It was not like she would get lost. She watched the two children cross the road one after the other and enter the opposite convenience store.

    Not a car was in sight at the scenic spots. Apart from tourists, only tour buses were allowed here.

    It was not long before a silver Bentley arrived from a distance. Since there were only people here, the car was conspicuous on the empty road.

    Shangguan Yanqiu moved her gaze from the convenience store to the car. As the Bentley drove by, she caught a glimpse of the figure in the vehicle. Taken aback, she ran after the car like she was mad.

 Chapter 564 - Help You Look

    <h4>Chapter 564: Help You Look</h4>

    ¡°Hubby.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu murmured. Unable to see anything else, she was fixated on the car and ran with all her might.

    The road towards the tourist attraction was packed with tourists on both sides.

    The tourists immediately gave way to the beautiful and elegantdy who was scampering in a frenzy.

    With her eyes on the car not too far away, she desperately put up a chase. Nevertheless, there was no way a human could outrun a car.

    It did not take long before the car disappeared out of sight. The beautifuldy was still sprinting in the same direction like the car was her light, her life, and her everything.

    Shangguan Yanqiupletely lost her cool. She did not know what to do, other than keep running. She raced with all her might to catch up to the car and see if it was really him.

    s, she lost the race. The moment the car vanished, she felt all her will sapped out of her. Shangguan Yanqiu let out an anguished and heart-wrenching cry, ¡°FU! HAN! DING!¡±

    As the silver Bentley turned at the bend, the man in the backseat felt a shooting pain in his heart. Grasping his chest, he turned his head out the window and said, ¡°Fu Yu, did you hear that?¡±

    Fu Yu frowned in puzzlement. ¡°What are you referring to, Mr. Jin Yu?¡±

    Since they were at a tourist spot, people were moring with all kinds of noises.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Jin Yu took a deep breath. His profound eyes carried sadness and doubt as he slowly released his grip against his chest. Furrowing his brows, he stared at his chest.

    What did he hear? He had no idea. He did feel like he heard something.

    He was caught in a moment of gut-wrenching heartbreak.

    Outside the window, all he could see were bustling people. It was a lively scene.

    Right in the middle of the road, Shangguan Yanqiu was on her knees as she gazed at the empty space ahead in despair. The tour bus behind her was honking to get her to leave.

    However, she could not seem to hear anything as she sat alone in despair, allowing sorrow and helplessness to engulf her whole. Tears ran down her cheeks.

    The passing tourists could feel the immense anguish, pain, and grief from her. It was like she lost her world.

    The tour bus kept on sounding the horn. Out of patience, the driver got off the vehicle and angrily chided, ¡°Hey! Are you blind or deaf? Get out of the way!¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu felt the whole world leaving her behind as she stared nkly at where the car disappeared to. She was lost in her own world.

    The driver was frustrated. This person was a cuckoo. With the cuckoo obstructing his work, he extended his arm to push her.

    Someone seized him by the wrist before he did the deed. The next minute, he was faced with the murderous eyes of a girl. The driver moved back in fear.

    Appearing cold and dangerous, Shen Xi shoved the driver aside.

    The driver shivered in fear. It was best he let the matter slide. In an attempt to shake the fear off, he red at her in bravado. ¡°Move her aside.¡±

    Shen Xi kneeled before Shangguan Yanqiu and tried to bring her back to earth. ¡°Madam Fu.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu was nowhere to be seen when Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan returned from the convenience store. Yu Qiubai bought the ticket and came back to find her missing too.

    The trio split up to search for her. Shen Xi came by here and saw a crowd surrounding Shangguan Yanqiu who was on her knees in the middle of the road. A driver was shouting at her.

    Shangguan Yanqiu slowly withdrew from her world of sorrow and despair following the sound of Shen Xi¡¯s voice. She looked at the girl with tears rolling down her face.

    Shen Xi was heartbroken and at a loss of what to do. She reached out to wipe Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s tears away. What was going on? What happened?

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu suddenly pulled and locked Shen Xi into her arms. With her chin resting against Shen Xi¡¯s shoulder, Shangguan Yanqiu muttered hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me hold you for a while.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart really went out to Shangguan Yanqiu. Feeling sorry, Shen Xi hugged her back without saying a word.

    It was during this moment that Shen Xi could feel the helplessness and anguishing from Shangguan Yanqiu. The air seemed to be sucked dry by grief, leaving nothing to breathe on.

    Yu Qiubai and Fu Qingxuan soon came after. They found Shen Xi and Shangguan Yanqiu embracing in a prostrating position by the road.

    Fu Qingxuan drew close. He was worried sick. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu sheepishly pulled away from Shen Xi¡¯s arm at the sound of her son¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you, Xixi. I¡¯m sorry you have to see that.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gazed at her. ¡°Mom.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu forced a smile. She was feeling much better after crying out her pain, despair, and hopelessness. ¡°Nothing. My eyes deceived me again.¡±

    Were her eyes ying tricks on her again?

    However, it was really him in the car.

    Yu Qiubai gave Shen Xi a look to ask what was going on.

    Shen Xi shook her head. She did not know as well. Nevertheless, Madam Fu looked like she had seen a ghost. Was it her daughter?

    It did not seem right on second thought. The Fu family¡¯s daughter was lost before she was even a month old. How could Madam Fu recognize her?

    Fu Qingxuan kneeled before Shangguan Yanqiu and gently hugged her to give herfort and strength. Feeling down, he uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. We will find Dad.¡±

    Yu Qiubai, ¡°¡­¡±

    Shen Xi was dumbstruck. ¡°¡­¡±

    Dad?

    Not the daughter?

    Other than the daughter, the Fu family lost their father too?

    Shangguan Yanqiu soon got over her emotions and pulled herself together. She apologetically looked at Shen Xi and Yu Qiubai, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble I¡¯ve caused.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head, feeling bad for the woman. ¡°Madam Fu, let¡¯s call it a day. You should get some rest.¡±

    She really had no idea that the Fu family lost the head of the family as well. Jesus. How did Madam Fu make it through with her daughter and husband missing?

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shangguan Yanqiu responded. She was no longer in the mood for sightseeing.

    Fu Qingxuan gratefully nodded at Shen Xi before walking back with Shangguan Yanqiu arm-in-arm.

    Shen Xi was not one to get into other people¡¯s business, especially the Fu family. Since she did not care for Fu Qingli, she refused to have further involvement with the family.

    She thought Yu Qiubai was not the kind to meddle in people¡¯s personal affairs too as the d*mn fox did not want trouble knocking at his door. To her dismay, he eagerly made discreet inquiries about what Shangguan Yanqiu saw.

    Shen Xi kicked him, pinched him, and tipped him the wink. Too bad the fox looked the other way.

    Shangguan Yanqiu did not shy away from the question and told them the whole story.

    ¡°Madam Fu, are you sure it¡¯s a silver Bentley?¡± Yu Qiubai asked once more before adding. ¡°This is a one-way street leading up to Sunnyside. The only ess. If you don¡¯t mind, I can help you look.¡±

 Chapter 565 - A Divine Intervention Somewhere Somehow

    <h4>Chapter 565: A Divine Intervention Somewhere Somehow</h4>

    Shangguan Yanqiu took a nce at her son. ¡°Can I?¡±

    She could not remember the number of times she was met with such a fleeting encounter that gave her hope and then despair. Yet, Shangguan Yanqiu could not stop herself from getting to the bottom of it.

    Fu Qingxuan nodded his head, afraid she would face another disappointment yet did not have the heart to refuse her. It was the same thing over and over. They were never closer to finding Dad. He could take it, but Mom was his concern.

    ¡°Madam Fu, wait for me and Young Master Fu at the caf¨¦ while we look around.¡± Yu Qiubai pointed at a nearby coffee shop.

    Shaking her head, Shangguan Yanqiu looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m going with you. Let Xixi wait here.¡±

    It was only right to join the party. Shen Xi chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ming along.¡±

    Since there was no point to continue the day of fun after what happened, the group went searching around.

    If they were not in China, Fu Qingxuan would get right down to tracking the car and person. He had to be certain regardless of whether it was all in Mom¡¯s head.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingxuan had no connections here and really did not want to get into it with Qingli. It would only expose his trip with Mom to China if he were to tell Qingli. Not to mention, they were staying at Meanie¡¯s ce.

    Since the Yu family lived in the wealthy end of Sunnyside, Yu Qiubai was familiar with the ce and was able to request the surveince video from the neighborhood security with ease. They checked the surveince and listed families who owned a silver Bentley before visiting those households.

    Those living in Sunnyside belonged to the upper-ss society, so it came as no surprise they owned a few fancy cars. Of course, Bentleys would be part of their auto collections.

    These privileged families were willing to answer a few questions thanks to Yu Qiubai, albeit they were not able to find the person they were looking for.

    ¡°Madam Fu, we might have missed him. I¡¯ll check the surveince and look one more time.¡± Yu Qiubai was not discouraged.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Sorry to trouble you.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu could not hide the disappointment in her eyes. Still nothing. She was mistaken again. Yu Qiubai and her sons went through a lot of trouble because of her hallucination.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll keep looking,¡± added Yu Qiubai. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner. I know of a century-old restaurant specialized in local dishes. Let me take you there.¡±

    By his side, Shen Xi knew what the d*mn fox was up to. There was no such thing as a free lunch in his books. He was trying to make nice with the Fu family, but Shen Xi could understand where he wasing from.

    Given a chance, no one in China would give up an opportunity to get chummy with the Fu family. Getting the Fu family¡¯s vote would only boost their careers in politics or economics.

    Yu Qiubai was driving them to the century-old restaurant when the car made a sudden U-turn while passing by Li Mansion. Pulling up in front of Li Mansion, he turned to nce at Fu Qingxuan who was in the passenger seat. ¡°Young Master Fu, there¡¯s one more house we hadn¡¯t looked at.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    F*cking hell. All that trouble only to wind up back here. Sure, she could tell the d*mn fox was genuinely helping Madam Fu, but he was also sincere about going to Li Mansion. Killing two birds with one stone, he was!

    Shangguan Yanqiu looked out the window. ¡°This is Li Yuan¡¯s home.¡±

    Yu Qiubai nodded and asked, ¡°Do you want to check it out?¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu was hesitant. ¡°An abrupt visit without a prior appointment doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan immediately made the call and raised his brow at Shen Xi before asserting. ¡°We¡¯re taking a look.¡±

    The ce must be a second home to Meanie and she was likely weed toe and go as she pleased. Li Mansion might not be essible to the public, but definitely not for her.

    Hiding his emotions behind his eyes, Yu Qiubai studied at the historically significant door. He had always wanted to enter and meet the person inside every time he came.

    The old butler here had been a loyal keeper of the Li family. There were many secrets that others might not know, but the butler would. Perhaps Yu Qiubai could find some answers from the old butler.

    It was quiet all around as tourists had dispersed by seven o¡¯clock. With no one hanging around the Li Mansion, the grandpound appeared rather majestic.

    Yu Qiubai went up and knocked on the door.

    Soon, the door opened.

    Uncle Li spotted Shen Xi right away. He affectionately nodded at her with a smile before turning to the other people by the door. He did not know them. Uncle Li politely asked, ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan remembered his manners. ¡°Sir, is Li Yuan around? She¡¯s looking for him.¡±

    Uncle Li shook his head. ¡°My master is not around.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan had more to say.

    However, Shangguan Yanqiu walked up and let out a gentle grin. ¡°Sir, I would like to ask if the household has a silver Bentley?¡±

    Uncle Li gave a nod. ¡°We have plenty of cars.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu was aware she would appear uncouth with all the questions, but she had to ask. She could not put the matter to rest without an answer. ¡°Did anyone from the household arrive home at around 4 o¡¯clock?¡±

    Uncle Li answered, ¡°Mr. Jin Yu returned in the afternoon, but has since left.¡±

    Following the mention of the name, Shangguan Yanqiu turned to Fu Qingxuan. Was this Mr. Jin Yu the same person her son wanted to visit who was rted to Li Yuan?

    Fu Qingxuan was dumbstruck for a moment before it hit him. The answer was stirring within him, ready toe to light, yet he could not be sure. He eagerly inquired, ¡°Where did Mr. Jin Yu go?¡±

    Since Uncle Li knew Shen Xi, he did not withhold information. ¡°He has returned to Golden Sea Bay.

    Shen Xi had a hunch. She took a nce at Madam Fu and then at Fu Qingxuan. An idea was beginning to form.

    It was as though everything came together ¨C Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s burned face, the amnesia, the search of his family, while the Fu family was also looking for their father.

    She believed there was a divine intervention somewhere somehow. There were many coincidences in the world and Yu Yuanxi was one good example. There was just something about fate.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s voice was trembling. Pulling Shangguan Yanqiu by the hand, he put aside all his emotions. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s head home. I know where he is.¡±

    Golden Sea Bay was Meanie¡¯s neighborhood. Mr. Jin Yu stayed next door.

    Sensing her son¡¯s shift in mood, Shangguan Yanqiu asked, ¡°Is he the Uncle Jin Yu you wanted to meet?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan forcefully bobbed his head. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Yu Qiubai thanked Uncle Li before catching up to them. Once in the car, he gave Li Mansion onest look and started the car.

    There was a weird tension in the air, especiallying from Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi.

 Chapter 566 - No Longer the Face She Knew

    <h4>Chapter 566: No Longer the Face She Knew</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s son had brought up a kind man named Jin Yu who he had gotten acquainted with during hisst travels here. Her son intended to pay the man a special visit now that they were here as well.

    Judging by her son¡¯s reaction, Shangguan Yanqiu knew things were not as simple as she thought. She knew her son well to know that he was not one to connect with people easily.

    Over the years, only Xixi was weed to his world. No one else had such pleasure.

    Fu Qingxuan was unable to gather his thoughts as he had a lot on his mind. It was a rare moment for him to keep to himself in the presence of Shen Xi and Shangguan Yanqiu.

    Without a word, Shen Xi was inattentively ying her mobile game. Try as she may, but she had a hard time concentrating. Shen Xi stared nkly at her phone until her character was wed to death before quitting the game.

    In the end, Shangguan Yanqiu broke the strange silence in the car. She looked at Fu Qingxuan and softly asked, ¡°Xuan, what¡¯s Uncle Jin Yu like?¡±

    Her son might not talk much about Jin Yu, but she could observe Fu Qingxuan¡¯s fondness and respect for the man. By right, Fu Qingxuan would not avoid mentioning him.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good man.¡± Affected by the ridiculous idea he had in mind, Fu Qingxuan answered curtly. He tried to shrug it off before looking back at his mother to return a smile. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ll know when we meet him.¡±

    Really?

    Could it be?

    He clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, unable to pace his breathing. Fu Qingxuan remembered every detail, every moment, and every feeling he had when he first met Mr. Jin Yu and the times they spent together.

    Those feelings began to intertwine with those he had with Dad in his younger days. The familiar sensation overwhelmed his senses, sending a rush to his blood.

    Suspicions would only grow once a seed of doubt was nted until it was proven to be real.

    That feeling overtook every inch of his being, upying his head and urging him to find rity. Yet, he was afraid it would be for nothing.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu was worried to see him out of character. She inquired, ¡°Do you have a fever? Your face is flushed.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay.¡± Fu Qingxuan kept telling himself to get it together. He did not want to tell Mom until he was sure.

    She could not go through another blow.

    ¡°Really?¡± Despite her asking so, Shangguan Yanqiu knew he was far from okay. She knew her son best.

    Ever since Jin Yu¡¯s name was mentioned at Li Mansion, Fu Qingxuan had been acting weird.

    Anticipation was tingling in the pit of her stomach.

    Perhaps Jin Yu was¡­

    However, was it possible? Xuan would not have missed the signs if it was Jin Yu.

    Fu Qingxuan was good at hiding his emotions in front of outsiders, but it was useless to keep a nk face before his family. Hence, he sought Shen Xi for help.

    Shen Xi was aware that Fu Qingxuan picked up on something. He was anxious, scared, and expectant. Since he was gazing at her with a lost puppy look, Shen Xi decided to lend him a hand. She grinned at Shangguan Yanqiu and interrupted before another round of questioning. ¡°Madam Fu, the variety show featuring Song Wenye¡¯s group is on tonight. Let¡¯s watch it together.¡±

    The silent interaction between Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan did not go amiss. Nevertheless, Shangguan Yanqiu was happy about the invitation. She nodded and drew close to watch together.

    To ease Fu Qingxuan¡¯s nerves and the tension in the air, Shen Xi yed the program on loudspeaker. The light-hearted show and Song Wenye¡¯s presence made the program nothing short of aedy.

    Shangguan Yanqiuughed alongside Shen Xi without actually paying attention to the show. Her mind was filled with her brief encounter with the car and passenger from this afternoon.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes stared ahead in a trance as every second and every minute went by slowly yet quickly at the same time.

    He was caught between conflicting emotions. He wanted to hurry back home to see that person and ascertain his identity.

    Yet, he was afraid that all of this was nothing but a delusion and an absurd assumption. What if he went through the meetup and hopes were dashed thereafter?

    Behind the wheel, Yu Qiubai observed everyone¡¯s reaction through the rear-view mirror and figured.

    He was aware of Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s existence. He was the neighbor in the wheelchair Yu Qiubai saw during the day of college applications. He was a suave and modest man.

    Could Madam Fu and Fu Qingxuan be looking for him?

    Was that man Fu Qingxuan¡¯s father? That did not sound right. It was not like Fu Qingxuan had not met him. How could he not recognize his own father?

    The car soon drove into the neighborhood.

    Since it was summer, the neighbor was bustling with people taking a stroll after dinner around 8 o¡¯clock to cool off.

    With the car pulling over, Fu Qingxuan was the first to get down and bolt towards Li Yuan¡¯s house. Feeling the tension in his muscles, he pressed on the doorbell.

    Shangguan Yanqiu followed him.

    Shen Xi bade farewell and thanked Yu Qiubai before sending him on his way.

    Yu Qiubai was driven away before he could join the fun. It was not like he could shamelessly insist on staying.

    Shen Xi had gotten down from the car when she saw a handsome man dumping the trash into the bin. The man waved at her and cheerfully cried, ¡°Xixi.¡±

    After a short trance, she waved back to greet him.

    Jin Yu took out the trash and caught sight of Shen Xi in a daze. He looked over and found Fu Qingxuan standing at the door. Beside him stood a petite figure.

    For a moment, a ripple stirred within and sent a familiar wave from his core. He could not take his eyes away.

    He had seen her.

    In his dreams.

    Since Jin Yu did not speak out loud, the nervous Fu Qingxuan who was lost in thoughts did not notice and kept his eyes on the door.

    Shangguan Yanqiu, on the other hand, had a feeling and suddenly turned her gaze over. She saw a familiar shadow she longed for and dreamed of a lifetime with, under the streetlight.

    Even though the surrounding was dimly lit with his back against the light amid the darkness, she had a good look at his face.. He bore the same presence, the same figure, and the same feeling, but it was no longer the face she knew.

 Chapter 567 - Donâ€™t You Touch My Mom!

    <h4>Chapter 567: Don¡¯t You Touch My Mom!</h4>

    Feeling a rush in his blood, Jin Yu had not had the chance to ask if they had met when the beautiful woman came running his way. Before he could react, she crashed heavily into his arms.

    Jin Yu felt the world was spinning before a dull pain in his chest left him gasping for air. The woman¡¯s tears scorched his heart.

    She was crying and shaking.

    For ady he met for the first time, it was only right to push her away instead of allowing her to charge at him and embrace him.

    However, Jin Yu found himself weak and vulnerable. The longingness, heartache, guilt, and self-me were engulfing him.

    He knew her.

    That was for sure.

    The feeling seemed bred in the bone. Despite the change in appearance or the passing of time, this feeling would not lie.

    ¡°Hubby.¡± There was nothing more Shangguan Yanqiu could say as she got Jin Yu in a death grip. Tears ceaselessly ran down her face.

    He was real.

    He was not an illusion or a dream.

    The man was an existence she could see and touch.

    Jin Yu froze. His arm ready to push her away suspended awkwardly in the air as the utterance of ¡°Hubby¡± sent a familiar quiver over him and a catch in his throat.

    He gazed at her in a daze, afraid to ask who she was in case it would cause her grief and agony.

    She was his wife.

    He was certain she was the person that appeared countless times in his dreams. There were too many times he had witnessed her blurry figure suffering in heartbreak and pain.

    Every single time when that happened, he would wish he could remain in his dreams and give his heart to her.

    Shen Xi was utterly dumbstruck.

    Fu Qingxuan had broken down in tears as he nkly watched the pair in the opposite direction.

    Kun Lun went to open the door. He was wondering why Mr. Jin Yu did not use the thumbprint ess and pressed on the doorbell instead after returning from taking out the trash. He was stunned by the scene happening on the other side of the door.

    What was going on?

    Who was the woman in Mr. Jin Yu¡¯s arms?

    Why would a virtuous and gentleman like Mr. Jin Yu let a woman cry in his embrace?

    He instinctively turned to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi said nothing and gave him the gesture to shush.

    Li Yuan caught a glimpse of his fairdy the moment the door opened. Since Shen Xi stood there withouting in, he wheeled himself out.

    Cuddled on hisp, Toffeecito¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Shen Xi. It jumped off and ran towards Shen Xi, meowing for attention.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Li Yuan remained rational in all of this. He pushed himself to Shen Xi and gave her an inquiring look.

    Shen Xi got down on one knee. Unable to hide her happiness and excitement for Uncle Jin Yu and the Fu family, she uttered, ¡°Brother, the family that Mr. Jin Yu has been looking for is the Fu family. He is Fu Qingxuan¡¯s dad.¡±

    Others may get it wrong, even Qingxuan failed to recognize him.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi believed Madam Fu would not. This was the man she loved with all her heart, the man with whom she bore children. She could tell it was him despite all the changes.

    It was the same for Shen Xi. She was sure she could pick Li Yuan out of a crowd regardless of the flow of time and change in appearance.

    Li Yuan was taken aback. ¡°Isn¡¯t the head of the Fu household no longer here?¡±

    Since he had a history and displeasure of dealing with the Fu family, he knew the head of the Fu household, Fu Handing, had passed away more than a decade ago.

    The Fu family had been looking for their missing daughter.

    Maybe the head of the household was not dead, and like their youngest heir, he was missing as well. If that was the case, the Fu family had kept this piece of information away from the public.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was hoarse and her eyes swollen. With her heart feeling full, she could not help but cry.

    Madam Fu only mentioned Mr. Fu was missing and they had been trying to locate him. The reason for his disappearance remained a secret held by the Fu family. It was no surprise they were not informed.

    On the opposite, Jin Yu was heard eximing in a worried and tense voice, ¡°Madam.¡±

    The woman in his arms went limp and passed out. Overwhelmed with heartache, he carried her without hesitation and looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, hurry here and take a look.¡±

    Both Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan appeared in tune as they bore the same expressions and motions whileing forth.

    Shen Xi went to check on Shangguan Yanqiu.

    Fu Qingxuan, on the other hand, got all riled up as he darted Jin Yu a dirty look before snatching Shangguan Yanqiu back. While carrying her away, Fu Qingxuan spoke in a chilling voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you touch my mom!¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    The young master had lost his mind. Had he not been looking for his father? What was with his attitude now?

    Jin Yu went in pursuit despite being at a loss of what to do. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach, allowing guilt and self-me to take over when he met Fu Qingxuan¡¯s begrudging eyes.

    With Shangguan Yanqiu in his arms, Fu Qingxuan went straight to Shen Xi¡¯s house.

    There was no one home, not even Granny Yu. The door was locked.

    Shen Xi rushed to open the door and turn on the light for him as he ced Shangguan Yanqiu on the bed to examine her. Not knowing what to say, Shen Xi watched on anxiously.

    She had already checked on Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s pulse and thetter seemed to be fine. Shangguan Yanqiu lost consciousness because her weak body was unable to withstand the rollercoaster of emotions.

    Jin Yu and Li Yuan had made their way over.

    Standing at the door, Jin Yu intended to step inside.

    Like a wounded little animal, Fu Qingxuan was more bark than bite as he eyed Jin Yu down. Every time Jin Yu drew close, he would re and threaten, ¡°Don¡¯te over here!¡±

    The man gave them a hard time looking for him over the years.

    Did he know what Mom had gone through in the past few years?

    Good for him. He lost his memory and forgot everything!

    Out of ideas, Jin Yu sought help from Shen Xi. He could not remember anything. Fu Qingxuan had all the reasons to hate and resent him. There was no talking his way out of it.

 Chapter 568 - Qingli Will Kill You

    <h4>Chapter 568: Qingli Will Kill You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was caught in a mix of emotions. Happy yet heart-wrenched, she could understand where Fu Qingxuan wasing from. Still, her heart went out to Jin Yu. Both were not at fault. The twist of fate was to me.

    Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s face was burned beyond recognition, and he had lost his memory. No one knew of his pain throughout the years as he lived without a name and a home to return to. He was like a lost soul wandering off the face of the earth all alone.

    The Fu family was also in pain. Not only were they looking for their daughter, but they were also in search of their missing husband and father. It was not the search that hurt the most, but the unending wait, ordeal, and incessant crushing of hope.

    Fu Qingxuan sat there quietly like an animal on guard. With bloodshot eyes, he silently held Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s hand and stopped himself from crying.

    He would not cry.

    Fu Qingxuan had yed many scenarios of the father-and-son reunion in his mind, but none of them were like this.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was raspy. With eyes welling up, she took one step closer to him.

    Fu Qingxuan suddenly turned and gave her a chilling look. His voice was curt. ¡°Get out.¡±

    Left with no choice, Shen Xi decided to leave him some space. The young master was known for his sharp tongue and pride. He just needed time to think it through. He would be fine once he came around.

    He had been in search of his father. He had been looking forward to meeting him. How could he resent him now?

    She turned around and pushed Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair out.

    Jin Yu faced Fu Qingxuan¡¯s firm and cold eyes before letting out a sigh. He then swung his body around and was ready to take off.

    Out of the blue, Fu Qingxuan shouted while ring at him. ¡°You, stay!¡±

    Jin Yu¡¯s eyes flickered with joy. He stopped in his tracks and nodded at Shen Xi and Li Yuan to ease their worry.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan stepped out of the room and closed the door behind them.

    It was eerily quiet in the bedroom.

    Fu Qingxuan was without a word.

    Jin Yu had no idea what to say to him.

    The child before his eyes was his son, the family he had been looking for. Yet right here and now, his son was spiteful of his presence. Fu Qingxuan was ming him.

    In the end, Fu Qingxuan was the first to speak. With bloodshot eyes, he was fixated on Jin Yu and deliberated for a long while before breaking the silence. ¡°Why do you have amnesia?¡±

    Jin Yu uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He did not know why he lost his memory. Since a long time ago, he was convinced the past was not worth remembering.

    Later, Jin Yu believed that the past was a part of him regardless of whether he wanted to remember or not. Be it pain or joy, he should seek it.

    Had he known he had a family, Jin Yu would never have waited until now to search for the missing pieces and his family.

    He should have started earlier. Five years ago or even ten years ago.

    No.

    Jin Yu should have looked for them the moment he regained consciousness.

    However, he wasted away so many years while they painstakingly looked for him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology.¡± Fu Qingxuan yelled angrily at him and ensued with an interrogation. ¡°Why were you disfigured?¡±

    His amnesia aside, why did he have to get a new unrecognizable face? Where and how were they supposed to find him?

    Before Jin Yu could reply, the young man suddenly burst into tears. Staring at Jin Yu with sad and questioning eyes, Fu Qingxuan choked up. ¡°Do you know what Mom went through over the years? Why didn¡¯t youe looking for us!¡±

    Jin Yu could hear his own heart breaking into pieces. He opened his mouth but had no words to exin himself. That was right. Why did he not look for them?

    He began to hate himself. What was he doing all these years? What did he do? Why was the time not spent looking for them!

    In the living room, Shen Xi and Li Yuan were left to guess what was going on in the bedroom. Although the house was well sound-proofed, Fu Qingxuan¡¯s furious questioning and screams did not go unheard.

    Shen Xi gazed tensely at Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan suddenly looked towards the courtyard and cried, ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    Kun Lun approached the door as it pushed open. The person who walked in was none other than Fu Qingli. Kun Lun nodded at him. ¡°Young Master Qingli.¡±

    Fu Qingli was not surprised to see Kun Lun. He nodded back and got right down to business. ¡°Where¡¯s Fu Qingxuan?¡±

    It was troubling enough that Fu Qingxuan took Mom to China but to bring Mom to Shen Xi¡¯s home, the boy was asking for it.

    ¡°Young Master Qingxuan is inside.¡± Kun Lun was up for mischief for once. He was curious as to how the poker-faced and unapproachable Young Master Fu Qingli would reactter.

    Mr. Jin Yu was Fu Qingli¡¯s father while Mr. Jin Yu was a teacher and a father figure to Boss. Where would this rivalry go from here?

    Fu Qingli strode fiercely into the living room and greeted Li Yuan and Shen Xi with a nod. His cold eyes swept around the living room. s, his target was nowhere to be found.

    Shen Xi was not in the mood to engage with him or even pay him a nce. Just look at that long face. It was as though people owed him money.

    Unfazed, Li Yuan pointed at the opposite room and said, ¡°Madam Fu and Young Master Qingxuan are in that bedroom.¡±

    Fu Qingli could hear someone weeping the moment he walked into the house. Judging by the voice, it was Qingxuan. Furrowing his brows in confusion, he approached the room and pushed the door open without knocking.

    ¡°Meanie, no one is allowed in.¡± Fu Qingxuan sobbed while rubbing hard on his teary eyes. He did not want anyone to see him cry, especially Meanie. It was embarrassing and humiliating.

    Fu Qingli knocked on the door and shouted, ¡°FU QINGXUAN!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan froze. Crying a river and bearing a tear-stained face, he swallowed his tears in difficulty and turned to Jin Yu. ¡°Qingli, my oldest brother, is here.¡±

    Jin Yu had some knowledge about the Fu family. They were Li Yuan¡¯s business archrivals. Fu Qingli, in particr, was an outstanding opponent who was tough to beat. Jin Yu had once stood by Li Yuan during the duo¡¯s face-off.

    Thrown for a loop, Fu Qingxuan wiped his tears and dragged Jin Yu around for a ce to take cover. He was all over the ce. ¡°Dad, you might want to hide. Qingli will kill you!¡±

    Jin Yu¡¯s heart melted when he heard the word ¡°Dad¡±. He was caught off guard for a moment before a smile emerged across his face.

    The child had been putting on a tough act, but he was a softie inside. He came harshly at Jin Yu, refusing to forgive him ever, yet here he was, all worried.

    Scrambling to find a good hiding ce, Fu Qingxuan opened the closet when the bedroom door swung open with a loud creak.. He turned to meet Fu Qingli¡¯s profoundly frigid eyes and froze.

 Chapter 569 - Stone Cold and Inhuman

    <h4>Chapter 569: Stone Cold and Inhuman</h4>

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan!¡± Fu Qingli scoffed coldly while his gaze was fixated on his brother. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re hiding?¡±

    With tears all over his face, Fu Qingxuan sniffled and stuck his neck out. ¡°Who¡¯s hiding? I¡¯m not hiding. Why would I hide?¡±

    Without giving him another look, Fu Qingli approached Shangguan Yanqiu who was lying on the bed. His calm and grim eyes finally cracked as worry seeped through. He furiously looked at Fu Qingxuan and questioned him. ¡°What happened to Mom?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan really did it this time. Fu Qingli might be able toy him off for taking Mom out, but what was Mom doing lying in bed? Was she sick? What was wrong?

    Intimidated by the re, Fu Qingxuan was shaken and it showed in his voice. ¡°S-she¡­ p-passed out.¡±

    With a raised brow, Fu Qingli¡¯splexion grew chillingly scary.

    Fu Qingxuan kept to himself and merely moved his gaze to Jin Yu.

    It finally got to Fu Qingli¡¯s head that there was someone else in the room. His sharp eyes darted toward Jin Yu as if to cut through him. His eyes reflected all sorts of emotions as a sense of familiarity swept over him. Yet, his voice remained as t as ever, just like his whole being would be unaffected no matter where and when. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    While he was sizing Jin Yu up, Jin Yu was doing the same. He had learned bits and pieces about Fu Qingli from Li Yuan but had never bothered about what he looked like or what kind of person he was.

    Perhaps, had Jin Yu grown interested in Fu Qingli sooner, they would not have had to wait till now to cross paths.

    Jin Yu was about to speak.

    Fu Qingxuan suddenly stood up and protectively jumped in front of Jin Yu. His tone was firm as he ryed every word. ¡°He¡¯s Dad!¡±

    Hiding the scowl in his eyes, Fu Qingli clenched his fists tight as every inch of his being was screaming and trembling. Still, he kept his cool. ¡°He told you?¡±

    The man before him had simr or even identical bearings to Dad.

    However, his face was utmost unfamiliar. It was a face he had never seen before.

    ¡°Mom recognized him.¡± Fu Qingxuan mustered all his courage to look Fu Qingli in the eye. ¡°I can be sure that he is our father.¡±

    At this very moment, Jin Yu was caught in an intery of emotions.

    For Fu Qingxuan toe to his defense without hesitation, Jin Yu was embraced with warmth and happiness.

    Although he was relieved by Fu Qingli¡¯s aloofness andposure, he was also saddened by it.

    Indeed, Fu Qingli¡¯s response was normal toward a person whose identity had not been backed by proof but only intuition.

    Yet, Jin Yu felt sorry for Fu Qingli to have the self-control that he had.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Fu Qingli took a good look at Jin Yu before turning to Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, we shall wait for a DNA test to tell.¡±

    He sat by the bed and lowered his gaze to shield the fleetingplicated feelings and woes in his vision.

    Infuriated by his heartless words, Fu Qingxuan was huffing in rage. Turning bloodshot in the eyes once more, he hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Do you not believe Mom or me?¡±

    What was the meaning of this?

    Who was he trying to insult?

    DNA test? Why was there a need for a DNA test?

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do a DNA test.¡± Jin Yu pulled Fu Qingxuan aside and told Fu Qingli.

    The child was different from Qingxuan. Between sentiment and sense, he chose thetter. Fu Qingli¡¯s ruthless rationale may give others the impression that he was stone cold and inhuman.

    Nevertheless, he did the right thing. It was all thanks to his rationale that the Fu family was able to forge ahead over the years and he was able to protect those he loved. He carried a weight on his shoulders and the burden was nothing but heavy.

    Still lying unconscious in bed, Shangguan Yanqiu started hyperventting restlessly. She was experiencing night terrors and mumbling incoherently, ¡°Hubby, hubby¡­¡±

    ¡°Mom.¡± Blocking everyone else from his mind, Fu Qingli focused solely on holding her hand and soothing her. ¡°Mom, mom. Wake up.¡±

    ¡°Hubby!¡± Shangguan Yanqiu let out another cry of forlorn before she jolted awake the next second.

    Jin Yu came to her side and looked into her unnerved eyes as he gently and pacifyingly grinned and said, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Biting her lip, Shangguan Yanqiu fixed her gaze on him to imprint every line on his face into her mind as the fear wore off and tears took over.

    Fu Qingli read her expression and stood up as he nced at Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan returned a dirty look while staying put.

    Fu Qingli marched over and dragged him out of there.

    He might be wrong and Qingxuan the idiot may also confuse the guy for their dad, but Mom would never go wrong.

    Once outside.

    Fu Qingxuan spitefully faced Fu Qingli. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? Why do you need a DNA test?¡±

    Did he know how hurtful that sounded? They were breaking Dad¡¯s heart for their inability to recognize him!

    Fu Qingli scoffed coldly. ¡°How am I supposed to know if he truly is our father when you pull him out of nowhere and call him our dad? Don¡¯t be na?ve, Fu Qingxuan. It¡¯s all about proofs.¡±

    ring at Fu Qingli, Fu Qingxuan scored a right jab to his heart. ¡°They¡¯re right. You¡¯re heartless!¡±

    Without refuting, Fu Qingli gave him a warning look. ¡°Get yourself together and wipe away your tears. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself.¡±

    He then took off to the courtyard.

    Shen Xi sighed and gave Fu Qingli a dirty look as Fu Qingxuan went after Fu Qingli in raging tears. She had no words to describe this man. Was he absurdly rational for his own good or simply cold-blooded?

    Li Yuan watched Fu Qingli leave. It was unclear whether he was murmuring to himself or clearing Shen Xi¡¯s doubts. ¡°He won¡¯t leave the room if he doesn¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Fu Qingli had recognized Jin Yu and firmly believed that the man was his father. Otherwise, he would not leave Madam Fu alone with a strange man.

    One thing was for sure, there were times when enemies knew each other more than friends would.

    Li Yuan was not a stranger to dealing with Fu Qingli. Thetter disyed inordinate logical reasoning to protect the vast Fu household from bureaucratic conflicts and shes of interest.

 Chapter 570 - Xixi, Thatâ€™s Your Momâ€™s Car

    <h4>Chapter 570: Xixi, That¡¯s Your Mom¡¯s Car</h4>

    Shen Xi took another nce at the courtyard in silence.

    Regardless of the reason, pressure, and burden that Fu Qingli may have, Shen Xi could only see him in a negative light.

    All was quiet in the living room after Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan took off to the courtyard. There was not a peep from the bedroom either.

    Half an hourter.

    The bedroom door was opened from the inside.

    Jin Yu and Shangguan Yanqiu walked out side by side.

    Shen Xi looked back and smiled at them. There were no words to describe the feeling she got when seeing them standing together.

    If she had to describe, she would have to say they were soulmates and trulypatible be it in temperaments or looks. They were made for each other.

    It was a wondrous feeling. She sneaked a peek at the man beside her. She wondered if other people felt the same about her and Li Yuan.

    Maybe one day they would be a perfect match like them.

    Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingli returned to the living room one after the other.

    ¡°Thank you, Xixi.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu drew close and held Shen Xi by the hands. Despite her swollen eyes and raspy voice, she was gentle all the same. ¡°We should get going. Please ry my thanks to your parents for your hospitality.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Shen Xi was genuinely happy for them, especially with the cloud of gloom buried within Madam Fu¡¯s frown lines cleared up. ¡°Madam Fu, Uncle Ji Yu, congrattions.¡±

    The family would beplete once their daughter was also found. It was great that good things were happening in this life.

    Yet, for some reason, Shen Xi noticed a hint of bitterness and envy deep down when watching their family.

    Jin Yu gazed tenderly at her. Although he had returned, their daughter was still missing. Oh, how he hoped Xixi was his daughter.

    Fu Qingli was exchanging pleasantries with Li Yuan before saying his goodbyes. Xuan, the idiot, did not give a clear idea about Li Yuan¡¯s rtionship with Dad other than that they were close.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingli did not think he would change his attitude towards Li Yuan even if he knew about their rtionship. He and Li Yuan were archnemeses. This was an irrefutable fact that nothing or no one could change.

    Shen Xi, together with Li Yuan, walked the whole family to the door and watched them leave in a car. She was suddenly swallowed by emptiness.

    Slouching against the car seat, Fu Qingxuan looked at Shen Xi through the rear window. He sniffled a little as a reflection of his sorrow. ¡°Mom, do you think it would be hard on Meanie?¡±

    Meanie was good at hiding her feelings and not at all insensitive as she put out. She must feel sour about the Su family!

    She was born to the Su family after all. Sometimes, he resented the injustice of God. Why did Meanie have to be the Su family¡¯s daughter? Why Li Jingran¡¯s daughter?

    Why could she not be his sister? Why not the Fu family¡¯s daughter?

    Fu Qingxuan could only afford these thoughts in his mind as guilt quickly took over. He would never say anything about wanting someone else to be his sister behind his sister¡¯s back. This was where the line was drawn.

    Confused for a moment, Shangguan Yanqiu soon knew what he was talking about. With her heart breaking to pieces, she failed to cover up the sorrow and pain in her eyes. ¡°Xixi is a good kid.¡±

    She was absolutely fond of the child, but Shen Xi had a tough life. Often enough, many in Xixi¡¯s case would appear and act unbothered but no one really knew what would be going on inside their minds.

    Shangguan Yanqiu had never met Li Jingran, nor did she want to. If there came a day their paths crossed, Shangguan Yanqiu would question Li Jingran for treating her own daughter in such a way. A mother would never kill her own. Was Li Jingran¡¯s heart made of stone?

    For all the time spent together with Shen Xi, Jin Yu had a first-hand experience of her carefree spirit and forging ahead despite all the hurt in the past. It only made Shen Xi value her happiness more and she made it clear to Jin Yu through her every gesture. Squeezing Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s hand, he expressed with emotion, ¡°She¡¯s doing well now.¡±

    Her adoptive parents were good to Shen Xi and thought of her as their own. Shen Xi was an apple to their eye. Although they found their flesh and blood, they were not people to y favorites.

    Like a mindless fool, Shen Xi fixed her gaze ahead. The car was long gone but she remained as she was.

    Li Yuan quietly stood with her and only spoke a long whileter. ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±

    Snapping out of her thoughts, Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to wait for your parents or have it with me?¡± Li Yuan asked her.

    It was an emotional day for his fairdy. Was she reminded of the Su family when she witnessed Uncle Jin Yu reuniting with his family?

    She did not speak much of it, but the Su family remained a thorn on her side. Otherwise, she would not go after them ceaselessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my mom when they¡¯ll be back.¡± Shen Xi whipped out her phone to give Yun Jinping a call. After hanging up, she pushed his wheelchair next door with a smile. ¡°My mom said she¡¯d be workingte tonight. I¡¯ll have to fix dinner for myself.¡±

    As for Old Shen, he was busy with a huge project of his own. He had flown out this morning.

    Granny Yu mentioned she was lonesome and could not get used to living here as this neighborhood was quiet with barely anyone to chat with. Hence, she returned to her own home.

    Elders at this age loved a good chat. There were fewer people in most vis, especially those of the golden age; unlike in the regr neighborhood where pensioners were the majority.

    ¡°What do you fancy?¡± Li Yuan curled his lips with delight with his little sunshine back to her old self.

    ¡°Brother, how about we enjoy a night out and have a barbeque!¡± Once at the door, Shen Xi beamed as she stopped and inquired about his opinion.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan nodded. Her wish is hismand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Shen Xi turned his wheelchair around and took two steps before realizing Toffeecito was still sticking around on hisp. She leaned over and poked it. ¡°Hey, go home.¡±

    Having just woken up, Toffeecito rolled over and revealed its furry and soft belly before letting out a coy meow.

    Shen Xi gave it another jab. ¡°Stop ying dumb. I¡¯m talking to you.¡±

    Li Yuan dotingly grinned. Before he could stick up for Toffeecito, he nced upon a red Audi driving their way. His face turned solemn. ¡°Xixi, that¡¯s your mom¡¯s car.¡±

    Shen Xi looked up and discovered the same. She was too focused on talking to realize an iing car. Turning as white as a sheet, she turned to make a run for it.

 Chapter 571 - A Stab in the Heart

    <h4>Chapter 571: A Stab in the Heart</h4>

    Shen Xi had turned around as the car burned rubber and gained speed towards her.

    Leaving Shen Xi with no time to react, the car drifted beautifully and brushed past her before braking in front of her to a screeching stop.

    While the car was making its way over, she was pulled into Li Yuan¡¯s arm by the waist.

    Shen Xi¡¯s jaw dropped. This was one bad*ss driving and a pro! Judging by the steady, fast, and skilled driving, she was sure it was not her darling Madam Yun behind the wheel.

    Having only gotten her driving licensest year, Madam Yun kept to the mantra that slow and steady would win the race. There was no way she was up to this professional level.

    With the car pulled to a stop, the door opened and someone got out of the vehicle. It was not Yun Jinping but Jiang Yin. Raising her brow, she sized up Li Yuan who was in the wheelchair behind Shen Xi. She asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    There seemed to be a thing going between the pair. The girl was smiling like she was weak in the loins. Was she in love?

    ¡°Hello, Ms. Jiang.¡± Li Yuan knew her. Giving a polite nod, he added. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Xixi.¡±

    Following his words, Shen Xi, standing by his side, bore a flicker of loneliness in her eyes. A friend? She was a little down to be regarded as a friend to him.

    ¡°Look at where your hands are.¡± Jiang Yin turned a deaf ear to his answer and was not bothered how he knew her. However, she could not stand by and watch him clutching Shen Xi¡¯s waist.

    A friend?

    What kind of friend was this intimate? More like a boyfriend!

    Li Yuan released his grip and let out a polite smile.

    ¡°Ms. Jiang, why are you here?¡± Shen Xi took a step forward toe in between them.

    ¡°Am I getting in the way of your business?¡± Jiang Yin spoke without holding back. Look at the little traitoring to the man¡¯s defense. It was not like Jiang Yin was going to eat him alive.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi gazed at her with a smile after returning to her usual cool head andposure. ¡°Brother and I are just heading out for a barbecue. Do you want toe along?¡±

    Jiang Yin snorted. ¡°And be a third wheeler?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Jiang, we¡¯re not what you think we are.¡± Shen Xi refuted unconvincingly. They were not right now, but that would change in the future. She believed so!

    ¡°I need to talk to you. Follow me.¡± Without looking at Li Yuan, Jiang Yin snubbed from him and pulled Shen Xi along to the house.

    Brother?

    Brother, her *ss.

    It sounded more like a lover!

    The girl sure had the guts!

    Furrowing her brows, Li Yuan worriedly looked at the girl¡¯s receding figure. Even though Shen Xi looked back to gesture at him to rx, he was still worried sick.

    Her teacher was known for her unsparing remarks and cocky attitude. He would put Jiang Yin in her ce if Shen Xi was not a student of hers.

    Jiang Yin hurled Shen Xi onto the sofa before picking up an apple on the table for a bite. She looked down at Shen Xi. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to confess.¡±

    ¡°I like him.¡± Shen Xi dly admitted her real feelings to anyone but Madam Yun and Old Shen.

    Jiang Yun nearly choked on the apple. Pointing her finger, she gave Shen Xi a dressing-down. ¡°Show some restraint. Does he like you back? Is that all it takes for you to like him? You seem proud and smug to throw yourself all over him.¡±

    ¡°I will win his heart sooner orter!¡± Shen Xi earnestly clenched her fist to cheer herself on.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re carrying a torch for him?¡± Jiang Yin curled her lips out of rage. ¡°Let me tell you. No goodes out of unrequited love. I¡¯ll kick your *ss if you make the first move by confessing your love and wooing him!¡±

    Sensing something amiss, Shen Xi sought guidance with an open mind. ¡°Ms. Jiang, were you hurt by a one-sided love before?¡±

    ¡°Get out of here. Would I be as hopeless as you? I would be on the other side of a one-sided rtionship.¡± Reserved, Jiang Yin sat opposite of her and crossed her legs. She then changed the subject. ¡°Do your parents know?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi contemptuously shook her head as Jiang Yin delved into narcissism. ¡°My parents think I¡¯m too young to fall in love. I¡¯ll tell them when I¡¯m of age.¡±

    ¡°And you want me to keep it a secret?¡± Jiang Yin mmed another question.

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Yes, for now.¡±

    Jiang Yin was not one to ask for nothing in return. She showed no mercy as she steamrolled her own student over. ¡°Sure, I can keep this secret for you, but you have to be the stylist for Cloud Seven¡¯s new script.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sign the contract?¡±

    It was agreed upon that Jiang Yin was to be the stylist for Shen Xi¡¯stest script. Why was the responsibility pushed back to her at thest minute? Was Shen Xi supposed to write the script and style the actors as well?

    ¡°I have a conflict in schedule and won¡¯t be able to leave my post until the 11th of October.¡± Jiang Yin unscrupulously passed the buck. ¡°Besides, isn¡¯t it a TV series by yourpany? As the boss, it¡¯s only fitting that you be the stylist.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. I have to get my study on because I¡¯m back to school then.¡± Shen Xi was frustrated. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget that it¡¯s beneath the boss to work as the stylist.¡±

    ¡°Oh, pulling the boss card now, huh? I¡¯m the top stylist in the industry, you know.¡± Jiang Yin was then struck by a thought. ¡°You had Ruan Sisi follow me around all day. Is she my student or yours?¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Shen Xi knew she was in the wrong.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s my good student. I¡¯ve sketched the outfits and looks while Ruan Sisi will straighten out the details. You¡¯d only need to work on the matching. Bring her along so you can bond with her and show her the ropes,¡± Jiang Yin responded.

    Shen Xu uttered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At least Jiang Yin had the decency not to leave all the work to her.

    ¡°That reminds me. Can you arrange a meeting for me and Cloud Seven?¡± This was the purpose of Jiang Yin¡¯s trip here. Yuan Yu would not budge and insisted that Cloud Seven would not see anyone.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi was blunt on the refusal. ¡°Cloud Seven doesn¡¯t do visits. I never met the scriptwriter myself.¡±

    Jiang Yin did not believe a word she said. Sitting next to Shen Xi, Jiang Yin spoke in a hushed tone as though it was some secret. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to charm that man? Get me a meeting with Cloud Seven and I¡¯ll set you both up. He¡¯s handicapped and has difficulty with his legs. Your parents will have a hard time epting him. I can take your side and stick up for you.¡±

    These words were a stab in Shen Xi¡¯s heart. She would have told her parents long ago if this was not a concern. While she could ept Li Yuan¡¯s disability, she was afraid Madam Yun and Old Shen would not be able to. Her willful act would only break their hearts.

    ¡°Come on, is it a yes or no?¡± Jiang Yin prodded her cheek. Oh my, it was tender to the touch. Her supple-skinned student was too good for the boy.

    The kid was good-looking but it was a shame he was a cripple. He would have been perfect if he was without impairment. It was not that she looked down on the handicapped, but as the elder, she did not want to see her darling student end up with a cripple.

    ¡°Who is requesting Cloud Seven?¡± Shen Xi inquired.

    Jiang Yin replied, ¡°This is a secret I can¡¯t tell you, Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen. Just tell me if you can do it.¡±

    Shen Xi probed further. ¡°When?¡±

    Jiang Yin answered, ¡°Thising Sunday. I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±

    It was supposed to be for tomorrow, but the person had somethinge up and called to change the date while Jiang Yin was on her way here. Hence, it was changed to Sunday.

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°I¡¯ll try and see if I can arrange a meeting. I¡¯ll let you knowter.¡±

    Jiang Yin happily gave her a bear hug. ¡°I believe in you. I should get going.¡±

    Shen Xi watched as Jiang Yin walked out while chewing on the apple. With a frown, she pondered who was interested to meet her and how she should disguise herself.

    Once at the door, Jiang Yin suddenly stopped in her tracks and let out a provocative grin. She gave Shen Xi a friendly warning. ¡°You might want to keep a lookout while on your date. Your mom will break your legs if she catches you.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Jiang Yin then left.

    Letting out a sigh of relief, Shen Xi went for a barbeque with Li Yuan. She got home, only to dwell right back into who wanted to see Cloud Seven, so much so to go through Jiang Yin.

    She gave Yuan Yu a call, but thetter had no idea. All he knew was that Jiang Yin wanted Cloud Seven¡¯s contact. There was no mention of who was the requestor.

    Jiang Yin kept a tight lip and despite Shen Xi¡¯s discreet efforts to find out, the former refused to let up. In the end, Shen Xi dropped it. Surely, it would not be someone she knew.

    Sunday came by in a sh.

    That afternoon, Shen Xi got past Jiang Yin by dressing up as a young man. She met Jiang Yin in a caf¨¦ before riding along in her car to go and meet the mysterious person.

 Chapter 572 - A Somewhat Familiar Face!

    <h4>Chapter 572: A Somewhat Familiar Face!</h4>

    While on the way, Jiang Yin tried to get Cloud Seven to talk. The best way to know a person was to observe their appearance and listen to them talk.

    At first nce, Jiang Yin believed she had seen Cloud Seven somewhere before. However, she simply could not put her finger on his face.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven was awfully quiet and had not said a word since the initial greeting. Every question Jiang Yin asked was met with a brief ¡°Oh¡± or ¡°Hm¡±.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven, you sure are the silent type.¡± Jiang Yin grinned. ¡°My student ¨C her name is Shen Xi ¨C she won¡¯t stop bbering. You two must be close for her to get you. You guys are theplete opposite of each other.¡±

    Shen Xi thought to herself, ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to talk. I¡¯ll blow my cover if I do.¡¯

    Her teacher was quick to catch on with that sharp eye and sixth sense of hers. Jiang Yin probably had her suspicions the moment theyid eyes on each other.

    Jiang Yin had been making small talks with Shen Xi to find clues from her speech, but Shen Xi was not going to fall for it.

    Despite Shen Xi giving the cold shoulder, Jiang Yin was not the least bit discouraged. She kept the conversation going, seemingly unbothered by theck of response.

    In the end, Jiang Yin asked, ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven, aren¡¯t you curious who you¡¯re seeing?¡±

    She could not let Xixi in on it earlier due to the request of the party concerned. However, it was not a secret now to Mr. Cloud Seven since they were about to meet anyway.

    Without a word, Shen Xi merely nced at her.

    Jiang Yin was under the impression that nothing was worthy of his attention. Now that Cloud Seven was responsive for a chance, Jiang Yin said with a smile. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll seeter.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    That was done deliberately!

    It must be payback!

    Shen Xi was intrigued by the person requesting for her so much so her teacher who kept her nose out of other people¡¯s business got involved.

    She had a bad feeling about it. Her intuition was telling her that the person she was meeting might be someone she knew.

    The appointment was at Cream of the Crop, the best restaurant in the capital where only members were allowed. Those who dined here were the capital¡¯s most respectable figures.

    Jiang Yin was leading the way while Shen Xi followed closely.

    Stepping into the restaurant, they were weed to the lobby with a ssical touch. The restaurant was not designed with an open space, but with individual dining suites. A reservation was required. The waiting area on the ground floor was separated by a partition, and there were already people waiting there.

    Shen Xi took a fleeting nce and noticed the Su family was present. Excluding Su Mushi and Su Muxuan, the rest of the Su family ¨C Su Yi, Li Jingran, Su Muyan, and Su Ruowan ¨C was sitting at the left corner of the lobby and chatting away blissfully like one big happy family.

    Color washed off Jiang Yin¡¯splexion as a clear hint of disdain and contempt flickered in her cold eyes.

    Li Jingran was the first to spot her. She got up and greeted Ms. Jiang before drawing close to check out the young man standing next to Jiang Yin.

    The young man was a hunk, the type who would make it in showbiz. There was a distant air about him but an unapproachable hottie was a hit nowadays.

    Su Yi¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Shen Xi who was undercover. Since the Su family owned a talent management agency, he tended to keep an eye out for good talent.

    Nevertheless, Su Yi crossed out the thought of taking the guy under his wing when he saw him entering the room with Jiang Yin.

    Who was he to hit on one of Jiang Yin¡¯s?

    Also looking over were Su Muyan and Su Ruowan. They got on their feet to say hello with a smile. No matter what, Jiang Yin was a veteran in the business after all.

    Her status as the top stylist in showbiz with the finest fashion resources she held aside, Jiang Yin was also the youngdy of the Jiang family. This was a reason alone not to mess with her.

    It was best not to get on Jiang Yin¡¯s nerves unless they did not want to be in showbiz anymore. Despite their repulsion and disgust for her, they made sure to keep up with the courteous fa?ade.

    Jiang Yin nodded at Li Jingran to return the greeting before arrogantly making a beeline to the elevator with her eyes looking straight ahead.

    Stopping in her tracks, Li Jingran¡¯s eyes reflected bitter resentment. Who did the d*mn b*tch think she was to give her that attitude!

    Su Ruowan clenched her fists as she stared at Jiang Yin¡¯s back. It suddenly hit her that the young man walking alongside Jiang Yin gave her a familiar sense of revulsion.

    Su Muyan furrowed his brow. Instead of looking at Jiang Yin, he kept his eyes on the young man. The sight of the young man made him sick to the stomach!

    Shen Xi and Jiang Yin approached the elevator and stood there waiting to go up.

    Jiang Yin took a quick look at the person who was also waiting for the elevator. Where had she seen the person before?

    Shen Xi recognized the person as Zhou Zhen. Was she not supposed to be in a shoot? Why was she here? One thing was for sure, Zhou Zhen would not be able to make out that it was her in disguise.

    Someone walked in the entrance bearing several sses of bubble tea. Disguised in a mask, sunsses, and a pulled-down cap, this was the standard outfit for celebrities to be out and about.

    The person tookrge strides into the lobby and seemed to trip over something as he crashed onto the ground in a loud thud.

    Following the noise, Zhou Zhen, who was standing next to Shen Xi tumbled right onto the elevator without warning. She let out a cry as she took the fall.

    Not one to abandon the damsel in distress, Shen Xi went ahead to grab her by the arm.

    White as a sheet, the unnerved Zhou Zhen found her bnce and turned to look at her knight in shining armor. She was lost in the young man¡¯s charms for a moment before expressing her gratitude with a grin. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Xi kept to herself and merely bobbed her head. She cordially released her grip and took a step back while examining the fallen soldier in the back by the corner of her eyes.

    The person was covered in bubble tea with tapioca balls and coconut bits; it was nothing less than a mess. His chin was even bleeding. It was none other than Su Mushi.

    Tough luck!

    Served him right!

    Shen Xi was amused by the scene. Well, at least the trip was not in vain.

    Su Ruowan was first to run to Su Mushi¡¯s side. Worry painted her eyes red as she helped him up.

    With a frown, Su Mushi turned his gaze to the elevator as the doors opened and those waiting had gone in.

    He caught a glimpse of Zhou Zhen¡¯s face as the elevator doors were closing.

    His pupils dted.

    That face.

    That face was somewhat familiar!

    Inside the elevator, Zhou Zhen was secretly peeping at a man for once. In the past, she would go at any man without a second thought.

    However, the young man here gave her a different vibe. He was attentive and a perfect gentleman as pure as the driven snow. He was nothing like all the men she had been with. Although Zhou Zhen was tempted to chat him up and get his number, she was afraid that her actions were deemed sacrilege to him.

 Chapter 573 - Poaching

    <h4>Chapter 573: Poaching</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ultimately, Zhou Zhen could not muster the courage to chat Shen Xi up. Regret and frustration weighed over her as Shen Xi walked out of the elevator.

    Shen Xi was right to trust her gut. Her heart skipped a beat the moment Fu Junqiu was revealed behind the private dining room door. She froze for a moment but quickly pulled herself together.

    Lucky for her, Fu Junqiu seemed oblivious.

    Qingye knew she was Cloud Seven. She had to give Qingye props for keeping it a secret, even from his family.

    As the middle person, Jiang Yin introduced them to each other.

    Fu Junqiu greeted him with a smile. ¡°How do you do, Mr. Cloud Seven?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in return. ¡°Hello.¡±

    Fu Junqiu studied the young man in front of her. He gave her a simr feeling to Dr. Jiu Zhou who had been in their home.

    The food had not been served.

    Fu Junqiu poured them tea. ¡°We have to wait for one more person, but we can start service if you¡¯re hungry. There¡¯s no harm waiting while eating.¡±

    With a scowl barely visible across her face, Shen Xi had a bad feeling. One more person? Who? Fu Qingli?

    F*ck!

    Fu Qingli was thest person she wanted to see. Her every disguise fell apart before his eyes. Fortunately, he put a tight lid on it or perhaps felt it was beneath him to let anyone know. Otherwise, her efforts would be in vain.

    Jiang Yin gleefully uttered, ¡°Is it your oldest nephew?¡±

    Mingling in the fashion crowd, Jiang Yin had met Fu Junqiu before. Nevertheless, they were only acquaintances in the past but grew close in thest few months.

    Technically, she and Fu Junqiu did not hang in the same circle. Fu Junqiu mixed with the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me and was best friends with the princesses, queens, and the First Lady. Jiang Yin did note close in terms of high society.

    Still, Jiang Yin found Fu Junqiu easy to get along with once she got to know her. Thetter was not at all aloof as rumored. Apart from her title as the youngdy of the Fu family, she was no different from any average girl.

    Fu Junqiu bobbed her head with a smile. ¡°He admires you and has insisted oning along when he heard I managed to ask you out, Mr. Cloud Seven. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. Oh, would he get lost if she said she minded?

    Were the Fu family workaholics? Since they were just reunited with their father and brother, could they not spend time together at home and simply take a few days off?

    ¡°It¡¯s great that you don¡¯t mind.¡± Fu Junqiu handed a teacup to her and expressed with emotion, ¡°You¡¯re a fine young man, Mr. Cloud Seven. What a surprise.¡±

    There was something familiar about the young man. Although the young man built walls around him, more so than her oldest nephew, Fu Junqiu really took to him.

    ¡°You tter me, Ms. Fu.¡± Shen Xi could not y mute. She had to return the courtesy.

    ¡°I¡¯m being honest here. You don¡¯t give yourself enough credit. My whole family enjoys watching your TV shows, especially my sister-inw and my youngest nephew. They had the show on reruns.¡± It never urred to Fu Junqiu that the author and screenwriter of The Smiling Nation was a young man. This took her by surprise.

    The entertainment industry in China was flooded with all kinds of rumors about Mr. Cloud Seven. Some said he was a young and beautiful girl but there were also rumors that he was a middle-aged woman. Some others theorized that she was a cougar in her prime but no one came close to saying he was a dashing young man.

    The Smiling Nation revolved around a leadingdy. Judging by the intricate and emotionally moving plot, Fu Junqiu honestly thought it was written by an experienced female writer.

    As she came here for Screenwriter Cloud Seven, Fu Junqiu kept discussions close to business; from The Smiling Nation with its script and investment to the TV shows in China and the screenwriting market.

    She came all the way here to set up a meeting, not just to meet Mr. Cloud Seven, but to recruit talents. The entertainment business in China was a huge pie and the Fu family wanted a piece of it.

    Shen Xi immediately got the message. Fu Junqiu was trying to sway her. It appeared that the Fu family was prepared to advance in the local showbiz. It exined why they had been poaching talentstely.

    Fu Junqiu proposed to buy into Cosmos Entertainment, but Shen Xi turned down the offer.

    The quick-witted Jiang Yin had long picked on the Fu family¡¯s movements, but Fu Junqiu¡¯s words validated the Fu family¡¯s uing ns. Feeling regretful to set up the dinner, she cautiously nced at Mr. Cloud Seven.

    Mr. Cloud Seven was Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s screenwriter. It would be an enormous loss to Cosmos Entertainment if the Fu family stole him away. Her student would kill her!

    With that in mind, Jiang Yin sent a text message to Shen Xi to watch over Cloud Seven. She would not want him gone right under her nose.

    Cosmos Entertainment was nopetition to the Fu family since thepany was only establishedst year. It had not even been a year since. What advantage did Cosmos Entertainment have over the influential family sitting on the top of the pyramid?

    ¡°Ms. Fu, don¡¯t waste your breath if you¡¯re trying to win me over.¡± Shen Xi went straight to the point. ¡°I belong to Cosmos Entertainment. I will not leave Cosmos Entertainment.¡±

    ¡°I see you¡¯re frank.¡± Fu Junqiu was taken aback by Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s bluntness, but all was good. It was what the doctor ordered. ¡°Please reconsider. The Fu family can offer you nothing but the best. Think about the ces you could go.¡±

    She could guarantee that no one in the world could put a better offer on the table than the Fu family. Sure, Cosmos Entertainment might be developing at a fast pace and showed room for growth.

    Not to brag but Cosmos Entertainment was only a toddler against the Fu family.

    Jiang Yin was thrown into a tizzy since the poaching was happening before her eyes! Was she dead? What could she say when the youngdy of the Fu family was making the move in front of her in all fairness instead of behind her back?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to reconsider.¡± Shen Xi got up. ¡°We have nothing to talk about if this is what you want to tell me. Please excuse me.¡±

    Lo and behold, the door to the dining room opened. Fu Qingli emerged with his good looks and made-to-measure ck suit that brought out an air of distant gentry about him. Hemanded the room like a king granting an audience to his people.

    Following his appearance, silence befell the room and tension began to rise.

    While Shen Xi was turning around, she knocked over a ss and it shattered on the floor. The shards of ss happened to cut her open ankle and caused blood to spill.

    Meanwhile, a brief cry ensued with a subtle sharp gasping from the mahogany wardrobe located in the suite for diners to hang their coats in.

 Chapter 574 - Are You Trying to Kill Your Brother?

    <h4>Chapter 574: Are You Trying to Kill Your Brother?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingli¡¯s cold eagle eyes caught a quick nce of Shen Xi¡¯s ankle. There was a bleeding cut.

    Themotion in the wardrobe did not go amiss either. Fu Qingli had no doubt that it was Qingxuan.

    In a split second, Fu Qingli found himself catching his breath while feeling a rush in his blood. A thought shed past his mind too quickly for him to grasp it. He averted his probing gaze away from her ankle to her face.

    The girl was impressive. Literally, Fu Qingli saw a different face to her every time they met. She was Cai Ni the designer, Dr. Jiu Zhou, Music Composer Xixi, and now Screenwriter Cloud Seven!

    Shen Xi cursed her own rotten luck in her mind, having thought she steered clear of Fu Qingli by getting a head start. Had she known this was going to happen, she would never agree to the meeting.

    By sheer dumb luck, Fu Qingli walked in when she was about to leave. God was ying a game with her!

    Clearing her throat, Fu Junqiu nced at the wardrobe and murmured a b*stard under her breath. She hid her guilt by raising her voice slightly. ¡°Come on in, Qingli. Why are you standing at the door? Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s going to leave if you wait any longer.¡±

    She then tipped Fu Qingli the wink so he could convince Cloud Seven to stay.

    Jiang Yin¡¯s eyes moved around the room before getting a snoop at the wardrobe. By the way Fu Junqiu was behaving, it was clear she was trying to hide the fact that someone was in the wardrobe. Who could it be?

    Like his assuming presence, Fu Qingli tookrge strides in and nodded at Shen Xi. ¡°Hello, Mr. Cloud Seven.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Mr. Fu.¡±

    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s gaze danced around her face and her ankle. The cut was not deep, but it was still bleeding. Yet, she did not show it in her face. Did she feel no pain?

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± With a fake smile, Shen Xi looked into his forevermore stone-cold eyes. ¡°I have no intentions whatsoever to work with other people.¡±

    What was with the act?

    Did he have radar eyes? How was he able to lock on and make out it was her in one look?

    ¡°Is it because of me?¡± Raising his brow, Fu Qingli popped the question, only to see the color draining from her face. Suddenly, he was in a much better mood.

    For some reason, thest thing he wanted to see was her imperturbable, almost unfeeling face. It tempted him to tear down that unapproachable fa?ade and see her lose her cool.

    These words sent sparks flying.

    Fu Junqiu awkwardly hacked and looked daggers at Fu Qingli. What was up with him? Why did she have a feeling that the two had met before?

    Qingli might have a no-nonsense approach to handling things, but he was never one with a biting and sensitive remark. She dared to say there was hostility behind his words as though to deliberately get under Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s skin.

    ¡°You got it wrong, Mr. Fu.¡± Shen Xi smiled faintly. ¡°I prefer my current working environment. I should get going if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±

    She then turned to walk away.

    Because of him?

    He got that right. Because of him, she would never work with the Fu family.

    Jiang Yin lost the plot. However, she believed they were not strangers by the way they were taking jabs at each other.

    Sure, it sounded like an ordinary conversation but paired with their tone and expression, Jiang Yin was getting a ridiculous picture. They were like two willful children bickering to get thest word.

    Fu Qingli was the head of the Fu household and a cavalier with the world beneath his feet. There was no way he would be childish.

    With Cloud Seven about to leave, Fu Junqiu anxiously red at Fu Qingli and tugged his clothes. What the hell was he doing? He should be convincing Cloud Seven to stay, not drive him away.

    As if he did not get the message, Fu Qingli merely stared into Shen Xi¡¯s back and coldly uttered, ¡°Take care, Mr. Cloud Seven.¡±

    Shen Xi sneered to herself. Fu Qingli would never coborate with her. She knew that for a fact. Since they both did not see eye to eye, it was best they never saw each other again.

    With Mr. Cloud Seven gone, Jiang Yin said her goodbyes to the Fu family before running after him. She could feel the growing pressure from Fu Qingli and a chill down her spine when he nced at her.

    As expected from the head of the Fu household, he was indeed a cold-blooded mogul with an oppressive andmanding presence to match.

    Furious, Fu Junqiu stomped on Fu Qingli¡¯s foot and put a finger right up his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I shouldn¡¯t have let youe. Look at what you¡¯ve done. Couldn¡¯t you be nice?¡±

    ¡°How am I not nice?¡± Fu Qingli unhurriedly took a seat and gracefully poured himself a cup of tea. His lean fingers propped the porcin cup against his lips for a sip. With downcast eyes, he hid his grave yet fiery eyes.

    Great!

    She had all the nerve!

    Did she hate him so much that she could not bear a moment with him?

    ¡°You¡­¡± Shaking with anger, Fu Junqiu¡¯s finger poked straight at his head. ¡°You know it yourself. Did you and Mr. Cloud Seven know each other?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Fu Qingli did not seem to appear infuriated, but the reflection of the anger brewing in his eyes against the auric tea said otherwise. He curled his lips in ridicule. ¡°He made it clear. He won¡¯t work with us.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve made up your mind that he won¡¯t consider a partnership before even making the effort. How can he trust us in good faith with that pushy attitude of yours?¡± Fu Junqiu was fuming.

    Fu Junqiu was tempted to whip that attitude out of him!

    ¡°Is he going to join ourpany if I get down on my knees and beg him?¡± Fu Qingli was not of the opinion that he was in the wrong at all.

    For the girl to switch between disguises, who was she trying to fool? Did she think everybody was blind to tell it was her?

    ¡°¡­¡± Fu Qingli got Fu Junqiu there. Unable to win over him, Fu Junqiu sulked. ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    Mr. Cloud Seven might be hanging tough, but Fu Qingli only made the situation worse. Thetter was not usually like this.

    ¡°Is Cloud Seven the only talent in China?¡± Fu Qingli smirked. His eagle eyes darted at the wardrobe. ¡°He¡¯s gone now. When are you nning toe out?¡±

    In the wardrobe. Fu Qingxuan shuddered and covered his ear while quietly chanting in self-deception, ¡°Can¡¯t see me, can¡¯t see me.¡±

    Turning stern, Fu Qingli smashed the cup onto the wardrobe and hissed, ¡°Fu Qingxuan!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan scrambled out of there in terror before giving him a dirty look. ¡°Fu Qingli, are you trying to kill your brother?¡±

    Fu Qingli scoffed coldly and looked at Fu Qingxuan like he was a moron. He asked, ¡°What was the howling about in the wardrobe?¡±

 Chapter 575 - Get On His Knees and Beg Her? Dream On!

    <h4>Chapter 575: Get On His Knees and Beg Her? Dream On!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Howling, my *ss. Our little sister was crying out to me!¡± With his mind recalling the earlier telepathic bond, Fu Qingxuan snuffled and could not hide the worry in his eyes. He let out a deep sigh and gut-wrenchingly said, ¡°She got hurt again.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Fu Qingli¡¯s pupils dted as a shback brought him to the dash of red on Shen Xi¡¯s fair ankle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt a sudden pain, but it quickly subsided.¡± Fu Qingxuan murmured while keeping his head down.

    He was breaking in cold sweat inside the wardrobe, afraid to be discovered. He was not paying attention to where it hurt the moment the pain hit. Could it be heartache?

    ¡°Useless piece of sh*t.¡± Fu Qingli never held back when giving Fu Qingxuan the dressing-down. He continued by asking, ¡°Try and remember. Was it the ankle?¡±

    Fu Qingli then grimaced at his own question. Frustrated, he clenched his fists.

    Was he out of his mind?

    No way that could be true! That girl was Li Jingran¡¯s daughter!

    ¡°Heartache.¡± Pointing at his heart, Fu Qingxuan made one up. Fu Qingli was going to give it to him if he did not give a straight answer.

    Fu Qingli banished the ridiculous idea out of his head. He observed Fu Qingxuan with a prating gaze. ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Looking rather guilty, Fu Qingxuan buried his face into a rice bowl. He incoherently mumbled and nodded. ¡°Duh, of course.¡±

    Qingli was strange today, asking all these weird questions.

    Fu Qingli knew Fu Qingxuan would be no help at all, so there was no point probing further. However, the crazy idea he had just nted a seed of doubt in him.

    Fu Junqiu looked at Fu Qingli puzzled. Why was Lil¡¯ Xi suddenly brought into this? What was with the weird look on his face?

    Although the food was served, the guest was gone. Since it was dinner time, the family might as well enjoy the food despite Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s absence.

    Fu Junqiu did not give up the chance to give Fu Qingli a piece of her mind while feasting on the meal. Had it not been for him, there might still be a tiny possibility to poach Mr. Cloud Seven. Fu Qingli¡¯s interference crushed the tiny bit of hope.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s b*lls grew after finishing up a bowl of rice. He started to stir the pot. ¡°Qingli, you were rude. If I were Mr. Cloud Seven, I wouldn¡¯t ever work with you.¡±

    Giving him the eye, Fu Qingli opened his mouth. ¡°Go beg him. Get on the floor, hold onto his leg, and beg him. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯d give you an opportunity to coborate.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan clicked his tongue in disdain. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who p*ssed him off. You should be the one to do it.¡±

    Fu Qingli answered, ¡°Then shut your trap.¡±

    For himself to get on his knees and beg her?! Dream on!

    There was a high chance the fool would kneel and beg her in tears if he were to find out that Mr. Cloud Seven was, in fact, Shen Xi.

    ¡°All of you, stop it. What do I need you for if you can¡¯t do anything right?¡± Fu Junqiu sighed. She lost her appetite. ¡°Sigh. Nothing ever goes ording to n.¡±

    Due to some special circumstances, the Fu family moved all their assets abroad a hundred years ago. They built a life and career in a foreignnd ever since.

    Although this was the case, no family in China was ever wealthier or more powerful than the Fu family. They still hold a revering presence.

    In the past few years, the Fu family had been expanding their business back to China, taking over the market in various territories at a quick pace.

    Fu Junqiu had her eye on entertainment and nned to pave her way there. Since she decided to establish a subsidiarypany here, Fu Junqiu wanted to start with a big bang. The talent she wanted onboard had to be the best in China.

    Mr. Cloud Seven was the hottest screenwriter with equally matching high TV ratings. He single-handedly catapulted the whole cast to fame. No one else but him could make top-dog quality in herpany.

    Apart from Mr. Cloud Seven, Fu Junqiu was also interested in Mr. Xixi. However, Mr. Xixi was more elusive than Mr. Cloud Seven. Despite many efforts, she still could not get in touch with him.

    Instead of replying, Fu Qingli had aplicated look on his face. His aunt sure had an eye for talent. He wondered how she would react when she found out these people she sought were actually the same person!

    Fu Qingli knew what Shen Xi was made of. She could hold the whole world in her hands. However, he would rather reject her than expose her identity to his family.

    Meanwhile, Shen Xi bumped into Zhou Zhen in the corridor on her way out.

    Zhou Zhen was waiting here with a purpose. With Shen Xi emerging from the suites, she nervously ran over and gazed at her. ¡°Can you give me your number?¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhou Zhen uttered, ¡°I don¡¯t mean any harm. I¡¯m a photographer and I find you very photogenic. Are you interested in bing a cover model?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at Jiang Yin at the back and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Anything work-rted, please go through my assistant.¡±

    Zhou Zhen finally had a good look at Jiang Yin. Her jaw dropped to the ground. Oh. My. God. Was this not Ms. Jiang Yin?

    She only had eyes for the young man and no one else back when they were waiting for the elevator. Moreover, Ms. Jiang Yin covered half her face with sunsses.

    Who was the young man for Ms. Jiang Yin to be his assistant? Ms. Jiang was Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s teacher, and thetter was her best friend Ruan Sisi¡¯s teacher!

    From afar, Jiang Yin saw a girl hitting on Mr. Cloud Seven. Like a nosy neighbor, she was intrigued as to how the poker-faced Cloud Seven would react. s, their exchange was not within her earshot. The girl soon nced over and looked rather surprised.

    Zhou Zhen might be bewildered, but she had seen everything. Not one to shy away, he braved ahead to say hello. ¡°Hello, Ms. Jiang Yin. I¡¯m Zhou Zhen, a friend of Ruan Sisi.¡±

    ¡°Hi.¡± Jiang Yin nodded in return. Realization finally hit her. No wonder she found the girl familiar when they met in front of the elevator earlier. Sisi, the chatterbox, had mentioned it and showed her pictures before. Nevertheless, Jiang Yin could not remember well because she merely took a look.

    After the exchange of pleasantries, Zhou Zhen turned around to find the young man gone with the wind and she felt a little down.

    Jiang Yin was onto Mr. Cloud Seven. The young man was throwing people off to make a getaway and soon he was nowhere to be found. God knows if he was waiting for her outside.

    As if it was not bad enough, Jiang Yin had not managed to acquire his number while they were on their way to the restaurant.

    Zhou Zhen courteously got a number from Jiang Yin before thetter made haste to the elevator. Zhou Zhen happily scrolled her phone. Even though she did not have the young man¡¯s number, she had Jiang Yin¡¯s. All was not lost.

    ¡°Zhenzhen, here¡¯s your coffee.¡± Her assistant came from the elevator with a coffee in hand just as Zhou Zhen was about to leave.

    Zhou Zhen grabbed the coffee and sipped it as she made her way to a private dining room. The thought that she had to cozy up to those greasy middle-aged men made her stomach churn.

    She spaced out thinking about the taintless young man. All the more Zhou Zhen felt that she was soiled and filthy. It would only make the young man dirty if he cast a nce at people like her.

    Zhou Zhen scurried along to ditch the low self-esteem behind. She should not act this way as her mind was set long ago to climb the socialdder by every means necessary.

    Out of the blue.

    She ran into someone in a loud wham. The coffee in her hand sshed and poured all over the person..

 Chapter 576 - Served With Two Main Courses

    <h4>Chapter 576: Served With Two Main Courses</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Zhou Zhen immediately apologized and lifted her chin to meet a rather familiar and handsome face. She got a good look of the fleeting ruthlessness in his eyes before mellow gentleness took over.

    Growing up in a house of ill repute, she was a good judge of character especially when it came to men. She could identify pigs from gentlemen a mile away.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Su Muyan smiled and asked, ¡°Are you alright? Were you burned?¡±

    ¡°Are you Su Muyan?¡± Zhou Zhen added uncertainty in her tone. After observing him for a bit, Zhou Zhenbeled him as a fake, a hypocrite, and a phony.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Su Muyan¡¯s patience was already running thin to be drenched in coffee during a trip to the washroom. It was making his blood boil now that she recognized him too. His pet peeve was bumping into fans during his private time.

    He hoped this woman was tactful enough not to bother him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldpensate you for your trouble. Can I add you on WeChat?¡± Zhou Zhen took out her phone and grinned at him.

    She knew about Su Muyan and the Su family. It would only help her in her showbiz career if she could be in the Su family¡¯s good graces.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Su Muyan showed his gentleman side on the surface, albeit the annoyance was getting to him. Who did she think she was to add his WeChat contact?

    Was this a nned encounter to get close to him? She ran into him and drenched him with coffee on purpose. He was disgusted by women nowadays who were maniptive and vain.

    ¡°Let¡¯s exchange WeChat contacts. I¡¯m an actress as well. You graduated from Capital No. 4 High School, right? Do you know Yu Yuanxi? I have a good rtionship with him.¡± Not one to give up, Zhou Zhen kept up the conversation with a smile.

    Su Muyan¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of Yu Yuanxi¡¯s name. His tone grew stiff. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know him.¡±

    He walked past her and took off.

    Yu Yuanxi. Things were fine and dandy until she brought Yu Yuanxi into the conversation. It only made him sick to the stomach. Yu Yuanxi came hand-in-hand with Shen Xi, and the thought of Shen Xi hit him where he lived.

    Yu Yuanxi was the birth son Shen Xi¡¯s adoptive parents had been searching for for over a decade. The news had made waves in the capitaltely.

    Mom and Dad refused to quit. Since the Shen family had found their son, Li Jingran and Su Yi went to look for Shen Xist week to bring her home. Nevertheless, it did not end well. God knows how the conversation went as Mom and Dad returned in a hissy fit.

    Holding her phone, Zhou Zhen scornfully turned her head away to roll her eyes and scoff. Fine, he did not have to give his number, but no need for the cocky attitude. It was not as though Zhou Zhen wanted to waste her breath with the likes of him!

    As someone who wanted to get into showbiz, Zhou Zhen did her research on major talent management agencies and the hottest celebrities.

    Tianheng Entertainment owned by the Su family had an early start in show business and was one of the entertainment giants. However, thepany had been on a rough patchtely when it came to development. In the past few months, the Su family suffered a financial crisis due to mismanagement.

    She heard from her girlfriends that the Su family seemed to have rubbed the head of the Li household ¨C basically the demon lord of the capital ¨C the wrong way. The family was doomed to bankruptcy if the demon lord was having a bad day.

    The entertainment agency she presently fancied was Cosmos Entertainment. Her favorite Mr. Xixi, Screenwriter Cloud Seven, the current sensation Qi Xiu, as well as all the stars ¨C He Pei, Shen Ruoning, Gao Meng, Qi Xiu ¨C who found fame through The Smiling Nation were from thatpany. Cosmos Entertainment had a lot of potential in her books.

    Su Muyan reached the washroom only to find his wrist bare. With color draining from his face, he walked out in a panic. The d*mn woman was a thief!

    The watch he had on was a Hublot ck Caviar Bang worth five million American Dors and Dad¡¯s most prized possession. Su Muyan asked for it to match his outfit for tonight¡¯s red-carpet event.

    s, there was no sign of the woman in the corridor. Making a wry face, he stopped a waiter. ¡°Did you see a woman with long hair and a ck dress around? She had thick makeup on.¡±

    The waiter jumped. ¡°I have not seen her, Sir.¡±

    Su Muyan was losing it. ¡°Do you have surveince footage? I want to see it. Get me the videos.¡±

    It was a matter of money. The watch was part of Dad¡¯s collection and there were only two of its kind in the world. Valuable because of its rarity, the watch was not something money could buy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Su. Our customer¡¯s confidentiality is important to us. There are no surveince cameras.¡± The waiter had recognized Su Muyan by now.

    As a waiter of Cream of the Crop, he had been through rigorous training. Working in the capital¡¯s best restaurant, they had met many VIPs, politicians, and business big shots. No celebrities were enough to scare them.

    ¡°I lost something. A woman in the corridor ran into me and stole my watch.¡± Although Su Muyan was flipping out on the inside, he still tried to keep up with the appearance.

    ¡°Please follow me to the manager¡¯s office.¡± The waiter respectfully looked at him before politely stepping back to show the way.

    It was hard for the waiter to believe that something was lost or stolen in Cream of the Crop. All VIPs had gone through verification. Only those worth hundreds of millions were worthy to step into the restaurant. He had reason to suspect Su Muyan was looking for trouble.

    Su Muyan went to see the manager.

    The person sitting behind the manager¡¯s desk in the office slowly turned his chair around, revealing his good-looking face. With his foxy eyes ncing past Su Muyan, the man furrowed his brows in irritation. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    F*ck!

    One of the Su family members!

    He barely made a trip down here this year, but yet he had to meet a vile human being when Boss sent him for an inspection. Tough luck.

    The waiter was surprised to meet an unknown handsomed instead of the manager. Nevertheless, the waiter was getting bad juju from the young man. For the man to be in the manager¡¯s office, he must be someone from higher management. Hence, the waiterid bare the events.

    With his back facing them, the person uncovered his unhuman-like attractive face the moment the chair was turned around. The person turned out to be quite young.

    ¡°Something was lost?¡± Xuan Yuan offhandedly twirled a pen in his hand without granting Su Muyan a look. ¡°We¡¯llpensate you with two of our main courses.¡±

    Clenching his fists, Su Muyan turned ashen in fury. ¡°I can¡¯t believe your establishment simply shrugs off responsibility like that. Aren¡¯t you afraid you won¡¯t survive in this town if I¡¯ll talk?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± Xuan Yuan stood up and patted his startled heart while smiling brightly. ¡°I¡¯m so scared. Go and tell the world. Go now.¡±

    Tsk tsk. Since Su Muyan was asking for it, Xuan Yuan was going to give it to him..

 Chapter 577 - Here to Pay Last Respects

    <h4>Chapter 577: Here to Pay Last Respects</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°You must be in cahoots with the thief. I¡¯m going to call the cops. Let the cops find out who stole my stuff.¡± Su Muyan was taken aback to encounter such a person. Not only did the young man not apologize about a customer losing an item, but he also put on airs. He should not be in the hospitality industry!

    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t go making false ims.¡± Xuan Yuan mellowly gazed at him with a smile before asking, ¡°How much is your watch?¡±

    It took everything in Su Muyan to bottle up his anger. ¡°A Hublot ck Caviar Bang.¡±

    The young man probably never had this much money in his lifetime.

    ¡°Oh, that timepiece. I know which one.¡± Xuan Yuan nodded and proceeded to instruct the waiter while gesturing a hooked finger. He then said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯ll start the search right away. Just rx and return to your dining room. I¡¯ll send over two main courses for you to enjoy in the meantime.¡±

    Finally, Su Muyan was able to talk some senses into the man. He uttered, ¡°Hurry up, my patience is wearing thin.¡±

    Xuan Yun gave him the OK. ¡°I¡¯ll have it delivered to your room within ten minutes.¡±

    With a frown, Su Muyan expressed his displeasure. ¡°Don¡¯t send it to the room. I¡¯ll be back to retrieve it.¡±

    Xuan Yuan bobbed his head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Su Muyan could not afford any more dy since he had been out for quite some time. Whether he trusted the young man or not, Su Muyan left the task of finding the watch to him.

    He must avoid blowing the matter out of proportion. Dad would kill him if the watch could not be found.

    As Su Muyan walked away, bloodthirst flickered in Xuan Yuan¡¯s foxy eyes while a murderous intent came across his curled lips.

    Ten minutester and not a second less.

    Xuan Yuan found the room and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Please enter.¡± Su Muxuan nced at the door, thinking it was anotherplimentary dish.

    Prior to this, a waiter had served them four delicacies that were not avable unless reserved beforehand. These expensive chef¡¯s specialties were on the house.

    The Su family had never received such treatment since they began dining at Cream of the Crop. None of the VIPs had the pleasure of this entitlement either. Cream of the Crop was known to turn their nose up.

    Xuan Yuan opened the door and entered the room with a waiter pushing a cart behind. There was a big item covered in ck cloth on the cart.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes lit at the sight of the young man. It was in to see the young man was no ordinary person with those good looks and poise. He could be the mystery boss behind Cream of the Crop. With that in mind, Su Ruowan let out a sweet smile and asked softly, ¡°Are you here to bring us the food?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Xuan Yuan curled his lips into a smug. The murderous intent in his foxy eyes slowly came through as he lifted the ck cloth from the cart to reveal a vintage timepiece underneath. He uttered clearly, ¡°I¡¯m here to pay myst respects.¡± (TN: Gifting a clock is an act of wishing death upon the recipient and is frowned upon in the Chinesemunity as ¡°clock¡± shares the same pronunciation as ¡°the end¡± in Mandarin.)

    The Su family turned white as a sheet.

    Livid, Su Yi mmed the table and jolted up. He yelled, ¡°Who are you? Who sent you? Who sent this?¡±

    Li Jingran scowled at the man at the door. Godd*mnit! Was it Shen Xi, that vile brat? She could not think of anyone else except her.

    Su Ruowan, Su Mushi, and Su Muxuan exchanged nces, making their assumptions about who was behind this. Who was the evil b*stard d*mning their whole family to hell?

    The person with the most awful look on his face was Su Muyan. His eyes were popping out of his socket. He told the young man to find the stolen watch, not send this thing here.

    ¡°Oh, Young Master Muyan said his limited edition Hublot watch worth five million dors was stolen.¡± Xuan Yuan gazed happily at Su Muyan and added, ¡°We couldn¡¯t find it, but we happened to have a clock that was once a royal possession during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It¡¯s roughly estimated to be worth ten million dors. I wonder if this is up to your satisfaction as a recement for Young Master Muyan¡¯s lost watch?¡±

    Turning ck in the face, Su Yi darted a re at Su Muyan.

    The rest of the Su family carried an indescribable look as the conversation progressed. They moved their gaze to a shelf near the door.

    Su Muyan turned pasty, knowing well Su Yi woulde after him. He also resented Xuan Yuan for sending the clock over. For a moment, he was at a loss of what to do.

    Quick to pick up on the other Su family¡¯s curious behavior, Xuan Yuan nced at the shelf and saw a watch sitting on top. Bearing a taunting look, he pointed at the watch and inquired, ¡°Young Master Muyan, you mentioned you lost your watch. May I ask what this is?¡±

    Su Muyan¡¯s eyes followed his finger. Lo and behold, it was the watch he had been looking for. He scoffed coldly and made an usation. ¡°You put it there!¡±

    Xuan Yuan raised his hands. ¡°I was not even nearby. Stop with the false ims. The surveince footage will tell if I put it there or you¡¯re just crying foul to set the restaurant up.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your restaurant had no surveince?¡± Su Muyan was about to flip out. What did they say when he asked earlier? They told him there was no surveince to protect their diners¡¯ confidentiality!

    ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t have surveince footage that is privy to you.¡± Xuan Yuan hailed security and ordered, ¡°Please show them the way out. They are forever banned from the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding because my son got it mixed up. Let¡¯s all take a step back and forget the whole thing.¡± Su Yi knew they were in the wrong. Muyan foolishly went at people and made a huge deal of things before getting the story straight.

    The owner behind Cream of the Crop was a mystery. No one knew who it was. However, rumors had it that things did not end well for anyone who messed with Cream of the Crop.

    None of the upper crust of the capital had the nerve to be in the restaurant¡¯s bad books.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Su Ruowan got up and embarrassedly exined to Xuan Yuan. ¡°My brother identally dropped the watch when he excused himself to the loo. He thought it went missing, that¡¯s why he went looking for you.

    Su Muyan could blow up there and then. With Su Yi tipping him the wink, Su Muyan balled up his fist and apologized to the person at the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I made a mistake and inconvenienced you.¡±

    ¡°Why do we need the police if an apology outweighs thew?¡± Xuan Yuan scoffed coldly. They were not going to talk their way out of this. He looked at the security behind him. ¡°See them out and cklist them on the members¡¯ list for every brand under Cream of the Crop. They are not allowed in for life.¡±

    Without taking another look at the family, he turned and heartlessly took off.

    Seeing red, Su Muyan chased after Xuan Yuan to demand justice.

    What was the big deal about Cream of the Crop? Who the hell did this person think he was?

    They had already apologized and made concessions. Yet, the person pushed his luck and humiliated the Su family.

    Well, today was the day Su Muyan was going to find out the face behind Cream of the Crop.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Su Yi shouted sternly.

    Why must Muyan make the matter worse than it already was?

    ¡°Dad!¡± Su Muyan eximed in rage while looking back in defiance. ¡°He went too far!¡±

    Not only did the person wish death upon their family by sending in a clock, but he also refused to let the matter go even though they expressed remorse. Su Muyan could not stand such humiliation.

    Nevertheless, the bodyguards at the door wasted no time. Since the family refused to budge, they got to work without another word.

    Before they were thrown out, Su Yi led the whole family to leave the restaurant with what was left of their dignity. Gnashing his teeth, he gave the Cream of the Crop¡¯s signboard a dirty look.

    Cream of the Crop had the nerve to insult and curse the Su family. Su Yi had never been so humiliated. One day, he would smash that signboard with his hands.

    Somehow, word got out that the Su family was cklisted from Cream of the Crop for stirring a scene. It did not take long before the rumors spread like wildfire all over the capital. They became the joke of the town.

    Back at the Shens¡¯ residence, Shen Xi was slouched over the wall as Kun Lun appeared. She called out to him, ¡°Kun Lun, have you heard of the restaurant, Cream of the Crop?¡±

    Painting a serious face, Kun Lun shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled and it showed in her eyes. ¡°Do you know about the Su family being banned from Cream of the Crop?¡±

    There was more than one restaurant under Cream of the Crop. The restaurant had many other brands under its belt. Cream of the Crop¡¯s membership card was a symbol of status and power..

 Chapter 578 - You Better Catch Me

    <h4>Chapter 578: You Better Catch Me</h4>

    ¡°I heard of it. Everyone in the capital got the news.¡± Kun Lun continued to y dumb.

    Xuan Yuan was feeling smug after the fiasco he stirred earned praises from Boss. He gave the Su family a clock to pay hisst respects and cklisted them from Cream of the Crop, turning them into aughing stock of the whole capital.

    ¡°Really?¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°When is Li Yuan returning?¡±

    Kun Lun warily gazed at her. ¡°Ms. Shen.¡±

    With a bright smile across her lips, Shen Xi was ready to get down.

    Giving in to her, Kun Lunid bare. ¡°Xuan Yuan was behind the Cream of the Crop incident. It¡¯s not like you know him since you never met him.¡±

    Boss would never lie to Ms. Shen if she sought the truth from him. It would put Kun Lun in a difficult position.

    Shen Xi knew that no one would offend the Su family out of nowhere as the influential families in China were not going to do anything to jeopardize themselves. Besides, the owner behind Cream of the Crop was one of these influential families. Rumor had it that the owner was a rather mysterious person.

    She had the utmost confidence that all assets with mysterious and unknowable owners belonged to Li Yuan.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Xi climbed down thedder. What was the point of leaning over the wall when Li Yuan was not there?

    During the summer holidays, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were away on business while Granny Yu was not around, leaving Shen Xi all alone at home. Toffeecito could not be found either. Since it did not like hanging around in an empty house, Toffeecito went with Li Yuan.

    Holding half a watermelon in her arms, Shen Xi scooped directly from the fruit while rxing before the TV when evening came about. A call from Yun Jinping interrupted this moment of silence, reminding her to have a full meal and not to skip meals or live on snacks.

    ¡°I know, Mom. I ordered food delivery.¡± Shen Xi inattentively responded.

    ¡°What did you order?¡± Yun Jinping asked her, expecting it was nothing of substance. She urged Shen Xi, ¡°Please have a proper meal and stop with junk food.¡±

    ¡°I ordered mushroom and stewed chicken paired with rice.¡± Shen Xi took a nce at the food delivery flier on the opposite sofa and picked an item randomly.

    Old Shen and Madam Yun were concerned that Shen Xi would rather go hungry than eat, so they gave her flyers of all the nearby restaurants. She could call and order any food she craved.

    The food delivery app had not been invented yet at this time. It had been on Shen Xi¡¯s mindtely to bring this up with Li Yuan in hopes thetter could venture into this department. Nothing beat getting first dibs on the market.

    ¡°Did anyone else call you today?¡± Yun Jinping seemingly casually probed.

    ¡°Yes, Old Shen.¡± It was only until Shen Xi replied that she sensed something amiss. There must be a reason behind the question. ¡°Mom, why are you asking this?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Yun Jinping swiftly changed the subject. ¡°Remember to have your meals. Don¡¯t forget to snap a picture of your mushroom and stewed chicken to show me.¡±

    With the mister next door being out of town, Shen Xi had nowhere to mooch meals. Yun Jinping was worried as Shen Xi was left alone at home.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Shen Xi answered.

    Yun Jinping nagged a little more and looked for an excuse to end the call, cutting Shen Xi off from any suspicion.

    The girl was too vignt and the passing mention was enough for her to pick up on something.

    Yun Jinping received a strange call in the afternoon. The mobile number belonged to Xuan, but the person on the other end of the line was Xuan¡¯s oldest brother, Fu Qingli.

    She had met Fu Qingli once. Although a polite and sensible child, he was hard to approach as he had the overwhelming presence of someone in power.

    The questions he inquired about during the call were weird as well. Fu Qingli asked about Xixi¡¯s adoption, where she was adopted, how she was adopted, and the adoption process. He also requested not to let Xixi know about their conversation before they ended the call.

    She and Old Shen adopted Xixi from a local acquaintance. ording to the contact, he picked a child up from under a bridge in his vige.

    They did not think much of it then as discrimination against girls was horrible in the countryside. It was not umon for newborn girls to be sent away or abandoned. Hence, they thought Xixi was abandoned by her family.

    Back then, there was no formalized adoption procedure. It was not hard to list adopted children into the family registrar unlike now. All could be taken care of with a bit of money.

    The Su familyter tracked them down because they saw a video of Xixi¡¯s dancing. Su Yi only came looking for Xixi as thetter had an uncanny resemnce to Li Jingran.

    The Su family was not worth the mention!

    Sure, Shen Xi thought Yun Jinping¡¯s vague question was odd, but the matter slipped to the back of her mind once the call ended. Carrying her watermelon, she climbed up the wall.

    A short distance away, a car was cruising along after making a turn.

    Sitting in the car, Li Yuan caught a glimpse of the girl on the wall at the turn.

    His fairdy was wearing a blue floral dress while holding half a watermelon today. With the sunset in the background, she was as beautiful as an oil painting.

    Behind the wheel, Xuan Yuan was having the day of his life. How could he not be happy when Boss gave him the stamp of approval? He believed he might rece Kun Lun to be Boss¡¯s personal assistant!

    Through the rear-view mirror, Xuan Yuan had a good look at the man in the backseat. As they were entering the neighborhood, the man closed the lid of hisptop and looked out the window.

    Warmth seeped through his ice-cold eyes and his lips curled in delight as his gaze fell on the girl sitting on the wall.

    The girl had taken notice of their car. Holding half a watermelon in hand, and a spoon in the other, she pped her hands in their direction.

    The man in the backseat rolled down the window and waved back.

    Xuan Yuan was bitter. He wanted to get into a sweet romance too!

    In a split second, the car pulled up at the front gate.

    Shen Xi was still munching on her watermelon when a furry head popped out of the car and lifted to meow at her. Toffeecito darted up the wall in a swoosh.

    Li Yuan got down from the car and wheeled himself over. He gazed at the girl. ¡°How much have you eaten?¡±

    Shen Xi showed him the watermelon. ¡°Half.¡±

    Li Yuan sighed helplessly. ¡°Are you still having dinner?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Mushroom and stewed chicken, please.¡± Shen Xi bobbed her head, mumbling her words since she was chewing on the watermelon. ¡°I told my mom that I ordered that dish, so she wants a picture of it.¡±

    Li Yuan found his fairdy adorable with her stuffed cheeks looking like a hamster. He acknowledged and asked, ¡°What else?¡±

    Shen Xi gave it a thought and rubbed her round belly. ¡°I have a lot of cravings, but I don¡¯t think I can eat more.¡±

    ¡°The watermelon is filling your tummy with liquid. You¡¯ll be hungryter.¡± Li Yuan had a scare when the girl nearly dangled off the wall. He nervously uttered, ¡°Be careful. You should get down now.¡±

    With her eyes lighting up, Shen Xi put down the watermelon and stood on the wall. ¡°I¡¯m heavy because I had half a watermelon.¡±

    Unable to get the message behind her words, Li Yuan gave her a serious look. ¡°Get down.¡±

    Shen Xi said, ¡°You better catch me..¡±

 Chapter 579 - Does Xixi Look Like the Su Family?

    <h4>Chapter 579: Does Xixi Look Like the Su Family?</h4>

    Left with no time to respond, Li Yuan watched the girl on the wall take the jump. He pushed his wheelchair forward and stretched out his arms.

    Falling right into his arms, Shen Xi coiled her tender arms around his neck and asked amid chuckles, ¡°Brother, am I heavy?¡±

    Li Yuan had the fright of his life. His heart was in his mouth. Pulling a long face, he deflected the question and chided her through clenched teeth, ¡°Do you know how dangerous that was? What if you fall?¡±

    Had he not reacted on time and caught her as she came jumping from a high ce¡­

    ¡°But you¡¯ll catch me.¡± Looking ignorant and innocent, Shen Xi reflectedplete trust in her tone.

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart melted as he looked into the girl¡¯s bright eyes and her unreserved trust in him. No longer with the heart to lecture her, he sighed helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. Let me know if you want to get down.¡±

    She was a good girl. Shen Xi bobbed her head and answered sweetly, ¡°Got it.¡±

    Li Yuan was getting the tingles to hear the girl¡¯s smooth-like-butter voice. Her sweet scent hit him in the face as the girl¡¯s supple body clung close to his, sending a rush to his blood. Breathing hard, he solemnly muttered, ¡°Get off.¡±

    Shen Xi was sensitive to his heavy breathing and racing heart, albeit hisplexion remained the same. However, the pink on his earlobes under the sunset was inviting a nibble.

    Still, Shen Xi had no guts to act on impulse. She quietly took a gulp and bounced off his embrace. Acting as though nothing happened, she pushed his wheelchair into the house.

    An indistinct re danced around Li Yuan¡¯s profound eyes. Along with the wind, the girl¡¯s scent prated all his senses, leaving no stones unturned. He gulped and took a deep breath to calm the ants in his pants.

    Shen Xi secretly took pleasure as she stared at his earlobes.

    It was fun to flirt with Li Yuan since he could not take the heat. How adorable!

    Following behind, Xuan Yuan practiced caution in his movements. He was a living being standing here, and yet they paid him no attention. Boss should at least introduce them.

    Toffeecito, on the other hand, jumped off the wall and was tactful enough not to spring to its exclusive seat. It marched alongside Xuan Yuan.

    Xuan Yuan took a look at hispany ¨C Boss¡¯s baby. It was evident by the fact that no one else had the guts to touch Boss¡¯sp.

    However, it was only because it had a good owner. This was a case of ¡°love me, love my pet¡± for Boss.

    Shen Xi only realized someone was trailing behind when she arrived in the living room. Initially, she thought it was Kun Lun. Now that she had a good look, it was a wickedly handsome young man and she happened to recognize him.

    It was him!

    He was the young man she and Song Wenye bumped into in the library. Song Wenye did mention his name was Xuan Yuan.

    It hit her that Li Yuan must have sent him to protect her. Shen Xi had no idea how long he had been protecting her in the dark. Nevertheless, he must be an expert since she never did notice despite always keeping a watchful eye.

    ¡°Hello, Ms. Shen. I¡¯m Xuan Yuan.¡± Xuan Yuan broke the ice. It was not like he had the honor and privilege for Boss to make the introduction.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Shen Xi greeted in return politely.

    Despite his young age, the young man was quite a stunner. His face alone could attract many fans if he were to enter showbiz.

    Xuan Yuan only got a word in before Li Yuan tasked him with taking orders for the food. Dinner was going to be delivered from Li Mansion. After a phone call to Li Mansion, Xuan Yuan plucked up the courage and shamelessly went up to start a conversation.

    Struck by a thought, Shen Xi jolted up from the sofa. ¡°Brother, I need to step outside.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Dinner will be ready in a bit.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°My watermelon peel is still on the wall.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at Xuan Yuan.

    ¡°I¡¯ll retrieve it, Ms. Shen.¡± Xuan Yuan immediately jumped in.

    ¡°Hold on.¡± Li Yuan called him back.

    Xuan Yuan turned around.

    Li Yuanmanded, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the spoon.¡±

    Xuan Yuan was in tears. ¡°¡­¡±

    Shen Xi happily took her seat and chewed on an apple. She waved at Xuan Yuan and blurted with a smile, ¡°Thanks!¡±

    Li Yuan dotingly shook his head at the girl who was always chomping away. Never mind because who was he to stop her when she was eating delightfully?

    Half an hourter.

    The food was delivered.

    Shen Xi¡¯s order of mushroom and stewed chicken was specially packed in a disposable food container so she could snap photos. Her heart was full, knowing well that Li Yuan put in the instructions to do so. She took a picture and sent it to Yun Jinping.

    The photo of the food put Yun Jinping at ease. She sent a voice note to Shen Xi, telling her to enjoy her meal and that she would be home the next day for a two-day break.

    The next day, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing arrived home one after the other at nightfall. With Shen Zhanglin, his wife, and Shen Tang also visiting, it was lively at the house atst.

    Lights out.

    Shen Zhangqing held Yun Jinping and asked worriedly, ¡°Honey, is something on your mind?¡±

    Her mind had been running ever since the call from Fu Qingli. Still, Yun Jinping had not collected her thoughts on how toe clean with her husband. She turned to look him in the eye. ¡°Honey, does Xixi look like the Su family?¡±

    Shen Xi made a face and snorted. ¡°No. My daughter looks like me!¡±

    Yun Jinping nudged him. ¡°I¡¯m asking a serious question here. What are you saying?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing put on a somber face. ¡°Xixi looks like Li Jingran, but in terms of character, Xixi¡¯s not like them at all. Why are you asking this?¡±

    The Su family was real b*stards. How could his daughter be like them? They were nothing alike. To hell with them!

    Yun Jinping shook her head. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ve been thinking recently if Xixi picked up her personality from her parents or acquired it through life.¡±

    ¡°Human nature is the reflection of their environment. I believe we raised Xixi to be who she is today. She has nothing to do with the Su family nor does she take after them in any way.¡± Shen Zhangqing was fuming at the mention of the Su family. He refused to link his daughter with the Su family.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Yun Jinping responded. She stayed true to her words since she promised Fu Qingli to keep mum. Although she would think about it, Yun Jinping was not going to inform Shen Zhangqing of a groundless suspicion.

    She knew her husband was not one to keep things inside, especially in front of his daughter.

    The couple engaged in talks for a while until Shen Zhangqing dozed off.

    Yun Jinping tossed and turned, unable to settle into her sleep as imagination ran wild. Xixi looked identical to Li Jingran and they had done the DNA test. Nevertheless, Li Jingran was also a copy of Madam Fu.. Who was to say Xixi and Madam Fu did not look alike either?

 Chapter 580 - Tongue-Wagging

    <h4>Chapter 580: Tongue-Wagging</h4>

    That night, it took Yun Jinping a while before she fell asleep. Her thoughts brought her far away, back to the time she and her husband adopted Shen Xi; from when she was a baby, then a babbling toddler, to her first steps until her adulthood.

    There was nothing more moving or fulfilling than seeing a child grow up. Moreover, her daughter turned out to be the best.

    Regardless of who Shen Xi¡¯s biological family was, she would always be Yun Jinping and Old Shen¡¯s daughter and the apple of their eye.

    Fu Qingli only called once and had not contacted her since. upied with thetest seasonal collection, Yun Jinping shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind.

    The summer holidays quickly went by amid all the busyness.

    Now a college freshman, Shen Xi had to report to school on the 23rd of August for a two-week military training that was exclusive for new students.

    Three days before school began, on the 20th of August before school began, was the audition for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series. It was a buzz online and in showbiz. Actors, fans, and viewers were looking forward to that day.

    To this day, there had not been a peep about Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s new TV series. No one even knew what the series was going to be about.

    No one except Cloud Seven in the whole entertainment scene had the guts to pull such a move as they would face some serious tongue-wagging for being cocky and pretentious!

    No actors would want to sign on the series if it were any other screenwriter either. They were acimed actors. Even the D-listers, let alone the A-listers, would not bother to audition without reading the script beforehand.

    However, it was a different story with Mr. Cloud Seven. He broke the record for the highest viewership in TV history and found fame for many nameless actors with a single drama. Three of the actors even skyrocketed to the A list. Cloud Seven was not at all pretentious, he was a true bad*ss.

    Cloud Seven¡¯s presence itself was a guarantee of the script¡¯s substance and viewership in the TV series circle.

    The viewers were in anticipation brought on by the sense of mystery. There had been chatter since news traveled that Cloud Seven¡¯stest show was going to be shot during the second half of the year. Now that the audition was around the corner, the topic was viral every day.

    The low-profile actors who had received an invitation to audition merely disclosed to their fans about it while others kept a high profile by buying their way up the trending list and paying off marketing ounts to tell the world they were on Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s list to audition. They were just one step away from saying that they got the leading roles.

    It was definitely a showbiz wonder. Usually, TV series¡¯ production teams would draw the actors, fans, and public in with the poprity of the actors selected.

    Yet now, the actors were trying to sensationalize themselves with Cloud Seven¡¯stest series. It was as though the invitation to audition was an outstanding honor and proof of their good acting skills.

    There was a war on Weibo among the celebrities who were invited for the audition as they fought to be on top of the trending list.

    The CEO¡¯s office of Cosmos Entertainment.

    Shen Xi was feasting on a watermelon while she scrolled on Weibo. Acting like a bystander, she watched the viral war in wonder.

    Yuan Yu opened the door to find the girl leisurely crossing her legs as she scrolled her phone with intrigue. He said, ¡°Lil¡¯ Chairman Shen, I told you to work at home. Why are you here? Isn¡¯t it the same doing it at home?¡±

    The audition for Cloud Seven¡¯stest series was such a big deal that all the major celebrities in showbiz were gathered at Cosmos Entertainment. There were also fans surrounding thepany¡¯s entrance. It was a wondrous sight to behold.

    Yet, the culprit who started this was enjoying her melon while watching the Weibo battle among actors. She seemed to be having a st.

    ¡°There¡¯s no one at home except for me.¡± Shen Xi lifted her chin and chuckled at him before pointing at the remaining half of the watermelon. ¡°For you. It¡¯s still cold.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Feeling a headacheing, Yuan Yu kneaded between his brows. He approached the window and looked down to find the fans downstairs increasing in numbers. The fans were going to take up the road across.

    Traffic police just came by to tell Cosmos Entertainment to evacuate the fans from upying the road as it was an obstruction to traffic. However, how was he supposed to control these crazy fans?

    ¡°Big Brother, is everyone here?¡± Shen Xi got down to business.

    ¡°More or less. Su Ruowan and Li Jingran are here.¡± Looking rather impressed, Yuan Yu gave her the thumbs up. ¡°Chairman Shen, I¡¯ve got to give it to you on the marketing campaign.¡±

    Shen Xi was doubtlessly No. 1 in showbiz. Just look at the way things had progressed. Be it online or offline, she created a buzz that tantalized the audience and had them wanting more for over a month.

    ¡°Su Ruowan underwent cosmetic surgery, right?¡± Shen Xi offhandedly inquired an unrted question.

    With a frown, Yuan Yu gave it a thought. ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed.¡±

    He had not seen Su Ruowan in person, only through the surveince footage. Hence, he was here to inform Shen Xi. Yuan Yu was surprised that Su Ruowan and Li Jingran would attend the audition despite knowing that he was the owner behind Cosmos Entertainment.

    ¡°She went under the knife.¡± Shen Xi gave a firm answer.

    Shen Xi realized Su Ruowan¡¯s face was unnatural when she bumped into thetter at Cream of the Crop. Su Ruowan definitely underwent stic surgery.

    Yuan Yu, ¡°¡­¡±

    Why ask him when she was so sure?

    Shen Xi continued to have a good time, enjoying her watermelon and the sensation online.

    Yuan Yu turned on the office projector for video conferences, made some adjustments, and ced the microphone on the desk in front of Shen Xi. He urged her, ¡°I got the tele-interview ready. Be careful not to press on the webcam.

    She would expose herself if she hit the switch.

    As the screenwriter, Shen Xi did not need to audition the actors in person. Nevertheless, she could still participate in the interviews by audio. After all, there were other roles to be selected in the audition, apart from the first supporting actress that Su Ruowan was vying for and a minor character Li Jingran wanted to y.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Shen Xi looked up at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join me?¡±

    Yuan Yu replied, ¡°I need to go down there and see if there are any potential talents to take in.¡±

    The well-known actors were not the only ones invited to audition. The attendees also consisted of fresh faces who went through the executives¡¯ evaluation, and many of them were talented students of film academies.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Xi responded with a nod.

    Yuan Yu was just about to head out when amotion was heard outside. A woman¡¯s voice bearing arrogance and anger prated the door.. ¡°Where¡¯s Yuan Yu? If he¡¯s noting to me, I¡¯m going to him!¡±

 Chapter 581 - A Thousandfold the Penalty for Breach of Contract

    <h4>Chapter 581: A Thousandfold the Penalty for Breach of Contract</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yuan Yu could not tell who it was.

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°It¡¯s Li Jingran.

    The woman sure had the cheek to get over here and say those words tantly. Was it not enough that she tore Yuan Yu¡¯s family apart?

    Yuan Yu turned back and observed Shen Xi¡¯s unconcerned eyes turned cold and murderous. The voice outside had him pull a sour look. ¡°I¡¯ll go and check it out.¡±

    Shen Xi scoffed coldly. ¡°Why give her the time of the day?¡±

    The shouting was still going on out there.

    ¡°Who am I? I¡¯m his mother. Well, now you know I have all the right to get in there.¡± Li Jingran¡¯s voice echoed through the door.

    Shen Xi could barf. She turned to Yuan Yu. ¡°Big Brother, you should wear mourning clothes to see her.¡±

    Mother?

    For Li Jingran to use this term, Shen Xi believed she insulted the most beautiful and affectionate word in the world. Had Li Jingran no shame?

    ¡°Don¡¯te out.¡± Yuan Yu looked back to tell Shen Xi before leaving the room.

    With Yuan Yu making an appearance, Li Jingran brought out her authority as someone older and smirked at him. ¡°Chairman Yuan, I see you¡¯re finally gracing me with your presence.¡±

    She knew it. Once an ingrate, always an ingrate. She told her husband to finish him off, but Su Yi was kind to spare the young boy because he was family.

    Li Jingran went to lengths to toss Yuan Yu abroad while having an insider reporting back to her. As she expected, Yuan Yu became nothing but a useless fop day by day.

    To her dismay, that very good-for-nothing yboy who knew only to party returned to the country and established an entertainmentpany to rival the Su family.

    Did he think he could destroy the Su family? Dream on!

    Tagging along, Su Ruowan let out an embarrassed smile at Yuan Yu. She greeted him as big brother and tugged at Li Jingran.

    Cosmos Entertainment was at the height of its sess. Despite being established less than a year ago, Cosmos Entertainment had made a name for themselves in the entertainment world that even Tianheng Entertainment owned by the Su family had to take seriously.

    Ever since Mom and Dad found out that Yuan Yu founded Cosmos Entertainment, they had been looking for ways to meet him, but to no avail.

    Mom came to audition and see him.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Not looking the least bit angry, Yuan Yu looked at Li Jingran and asked, ¡°Do you need something, Ms. Li?¡±

    Li Jingran was not going to let the opportunity slip now that she finally had him. ¡°Can we have a moment alone?¡±

    She wanted to know what he was up to. He was delusional to think he could go against the Su family with a newly establishedpany. Li Jingran was going to make him think twice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have the time. Please leave.¡± Yuan Yu said politely while keeping a graceful smile across his face.

    Li Jingran gnashed her teeth. ¡°Swing by the house tonight. Your dad has something to discuss with you.¡±

    Yuan Yu was still shing those pearly whites. ¡°My schedule is full for the next few days. I¡¯ll give you a rain check.¡±

    As outraged as Li Jingran was, she still had to keep up with appearances so as not to cause a scene. ¡°Did you forget what tonight is? Do I need to remind you?¡±

    Her words saw Yuan Yu¡¯s pupils dted with a surge of bloodthirsting through. The air seemed to be sucked into a ck hole as he took a nce at his secretary. ¡°Please show them the way out.¡±

    Li Jingran suddenly took a step forward and whispered in his ear. ¡°Your mom and grandfather¡¯s ashes are still kept in our home¡¯s ancestral shrine.¡±

    Thest time the ingrate was back at Su¡¯s residence was at the end ofst year. No one had been in touch with him since nor did anyone care. It never crossed the Su family¡¯s mind that he would secretly plot against them.

    With both arms hanging by his sides clenching into fists, Yuan Yu curled his lips into a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll return tonight.¡±

    How dare they threaten him!

    They had the nerve to threaten him with Mom and Granddad¡¯s ashes.

    Su Yi, that b*stard, was finally desperate enough to y hardball.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you to join us for dinner.¡± Li Jingran broke into an elegant and dignified smile before adding. ¡°I have one more request. I wonder if I could meet with Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    Yuan Yu gazed at the woman¡¯s fake smile. Just like back then, Yuan Yu still had strong feelings about avenging his mother. Still, he politely grinned. ¡°I hadn¡¯t met Screenwriter Cloud Seven myself. He¡¯s always the one contacting me, not the other way round.¡±

    He might as well jump on the bandwagon to y a game with them!

    Li Jingran brought up Cloud Seven in passing, so she did not n on pushing Yuan Yu¡¯s button since he was hellbent on keeping mums. Even a worm would turn, not to mention an ingrate.

    She got what she came for ¨C getting him toe home. Su Yi had his ways to get Yuan Yi to yield once thetter stepped into the house.

    Yuan Yu watched with murderous eyes as Li Jingran took off with Su Ruowan. He then entered the office andnguidly leaned against the door while looking at Shen Xi. ¡°How long is the game going on for?¡±

    His patience was running thin.

    ¡°What did she say to you?¡± Shen Xi listlessly inquired.

    ¡°She reminded me that my mom and granddad¡¯s ashes are still with them.¡± Yuan Yu curled his lips, looking rather yful, disdainful, and out for blood. ¡°They have no idea that I reced my mom and granddad¡¯s ashes twenty years ago.¡±

    He did not feelfortable leaving Mom and Granddad¡¯s ashes in the Su family¡¯s shrine while he was alone abroad.

    ¡°Big Brother, we have to take it one step at a time. We can¡¯t rush in our quest to crush the Su family. We need to take our time.¡± Shen Xi had her ns. Thus far, the Su family was inching right into her trap.

    The bloodthirst in Yuan Yu slowly faded. He muttered, ¡°Fine.¡±

    He had full confidence in Shen Xi. Li Jingran¡¯s attitude struck a nerve in him, but Yuan Yu felt better now that he had calmed down. A quick death was an easy way out for the Su family. They should suffer hell and die in despair!

    For the audition, actors would know right away if they got the part. The signing of the contract would ensue.

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan got the parts sessfully. However, they had no inkling about their characters in the TV series to this day.

    Su Ruowan was the first supporting actress, and she yed a young heiress.

    Li Jingran acquired a minor role. She believed it was beneath her to y a role with barely any scenes. However, Screenwriter Cloud Seven mentioned that he admired Wanwan and thought her mien suited the role of the first supporting actress. He could hand the part over to Wanwan on the condition that Li Jingran made a guest appearance on the TV series.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven was true to his word as Wanwan managed to take down the role. The contract was delivered to the meeting room.

    At present, Li Jingran, Su Ruowan, and Hu Zheng, the director in charge of the contract gathered in the meeting room.

    Li Jingran¡¯s expression changed as she scanned the contract. Suddenly, she turned her gaze to the director. ¡°Mr. Hu, what¡¯s the meaning of this contract? I¡¯ve never seen such a strict use in all my days in entertainment.¡±

    It was written clearly on the contract that there was a thousandfold penalty for breach of contract.

    A thousandfold penalty! Her pay was two million yuan, so that made the penalty for nonpliance two billion yuan!

 Chapter 582 - Insolent Brat

    <h4>Chapter 582: Insolent Brat</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The ratio did not make any sense. It was a scam to insult her.

    Yuan Yu must be behind this!

    It had to be Yuan Yu!

    Mr. Cloud Seven was in cahoots with Yuan Yu, luring them in with the role of the first supporting actress. They were waiting for them to jump right into their trap!

    ¡°This is merely a precaution.¡± Hu Zheng adjusted his sses as he earnestly exined to her. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you, Ms. Li. Our concern is that someone might break the contract and ditch the show halfway. The penalty won¡¯t be a problem so long as you and Ms. Su carry out the contract.¡±

    He was also of the opinion that the contract was a little extreme. Although Hu Zheng had been in the business for a long time, this was the first time he ever came across such a contract. Nevertheless, Mr. Cloud Seven said it was no different from the contract with the actors on The Smiling Nation.

    This was not child¡¯s y, especially when it came to Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s series. There was strict control in every aspect as they could not afford any sloppiness. It would put the production in trouble if an actor were to walk out of the set out of the blue. Most importantly, Mr. Cloud Seven said it would affect his mood.

    Li Jingran put on a poker face as thoughts ran through her mind. Holding back her fury, she carefully observed Hu Zheng¡¯s face, not wanting to miss any red gs as she asked, ¡°Do the other actors have the same contract?¡±

    She wanted to be certain that it was not just her and Wanwan who had to sign this insulting contract but every actor as well.

    Hu Zheng nodded. ¡°Of course. Ms. Li, you can ask around if you don¡¯t believe me. Everyone in the production team, be it the main actors or extras, new or old, is treated equally. The use is the same for The Smiling Nation¡¯s contract too.¡±

    Since he oversaw the contracts, Hu Zheng could confidently tell her the truth.

    The message got to Li Jingran¡¯s head. It was down to consensus. There were many out there who would jump at the opportunity to sign the contract if they did not. She could understand why the actors of The Smiling Nation would put their signature on the contract. Since they were rookies, nothing else was more important than when an opportunity presented itself.

    However, Li Jingran did not feel right about signing the contract. Why was there a need to set the penalty for breaking the contract so high?

    ¡°Ms. Li, we¡¯re not in a hurry.¡± Recognizing her hesitation, Hu Zheng uttered with a smile, ¡°You can go home and have a think. Please let us know in two days. We still need to look out for actors if you and Ms. Su decide not to y the parts.¡±

    Many would still fight to sign on for Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series even if the penalty was ten thousand times more, let alone a thousandfold. The penal sum was not a concern as long as the contract was not vited.

    Li Jingran was without a word.

    Su Ruowan became anxious listening to Hu Zheng. They were signing the same contract as everyone else. What was the big deal? All they had to do was keep to the agreement.

    She needed and wanted the role. There was no way she was going to let this shot at fame slip through her fingers.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan dared not speak up. She quietly yed the part of a Miss Goody Two-Shoes next to Li Jingran like she always did.

    Li Jingran remained unfazed on the surface even though her heart was racing when Hu Zheng brought up about recing them if they were not on board. Sheposedly muttered, ¡°Mr. Hu, we¡¯ll need time to think it over.¡±

    She did not want to make any sudden decision without consulting her husband first. Li Jingran needed to hear it from her husband whether it was a trap or bait set up by Yuan Yu.

    Su Ruowan was tempted to scream aloud that she was more than willing. She would sign without hesitation no matter the liability. There could not possibly be any malice because Mr. Cloud Seven saw something in her and picked her.

    Otherwise, why would Cloud Seven go through the trouble of asking specifically for her and Mom despite Su Mushi turning him down once for The Smiling Nation? Cloud Seven must think she was the best candidate, and Su Ruowan gave him props for that. It was Su Ruowan¡¯s time to shine.

    ¡°Sure.¡± There was nothing more Hu Zheng could say. A lot of actors would die just to be on Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series. There was no shortage of suitable candidates if the mother and daughterbo decided against acting in the TV series.

    Li Jingran gave him a nod and excused herself with Su Ruowan.

    Following behind, Su Ruowan could not hide the disappointment in her eyes.

    Li Jingran was no stranger to Su Ruowan¡¯s ambition to y the part. She taught her the low-down of surviving in the industry. ¡°Wanwan, the absurd penalty is beyond reason. We need to practice caution before signing the contract and not let our feelings get in the way. For all we know, Hu Zheng might be lying to us.¡±

    Bobbing her head, Su Ruowan appeared well-behaved. ¡°Got it, Mom.¡±

    She was reeling inside though. What if something were to go wrong in the two days? What if Mr. Cloud reced them because of their hesitation? She was not able to settle down with it hanging over her head until the deal was sealed.

    In the corridors and the lobby, many were still waiting for their turns to audition. Everyone was doing their own thing, be it rehearsing in front of the mirror, watching videos to practice, or talking among themselves.

    Su Ruowan felt the panic and fear sinking in while looking at these people. She feared that one of them might steal her part away. Oh, how Su Ruowan wished she could run back and sign the contract in front of Hu Zheng. Only then could she feel at peace.

    She lifted her head and happened to catch a glimpse of a familiar and unwee figure. With resentment shing through her eyes, she tugged on Li Jingran and pointed. ¡°Mom, look at that person. Isn¡¯t she Shen Xi?¡±

    Shen Xi!

    Why was she here?

    Did she not say she was not interested in going into showbiz?

    Was she here to audition? Which part? The leading role? The supporting role or the extra?

    With many questions plunging into Su Ruowan¡¯s mind all at once, she could feel the fear taking over every inch of her body. Su Ruowan was scared Shen Xi might steal what was hers.

    Li Jingran looked over as the figure was turning the corner and disappearing into the hallway. However, a quick nce confirmed that it was Shen Xi.

    She could recognize the insolent brat even if thetter was reduced to ashes!

    ¡°Mom, is Shen Xi here to audition too? I wonder what role she has in mind.¡± Su Ruowan appeared to be happy for Shen Xi. ¡°It¡¯d be great if she got a role. We can work on the same set.¡±

    A somber air clouded Li Jingran¡¯splexion. Keeping to herself, she ran toward the direction Shen Xi disappeared to but was stopped by a staff member at the end of the hallway. Since the audition was taking ce there, no one was allowed in unless their names were called.

    ¡°Miss, what role is the pretty girl who just walked in auditioning for?¡± Su Ruowan asked a staff member politely..

 Chapter 583 - Iâ€™m Sorry, Our Darling Toffeecito Can Make Mischief

    <h4>Chapter 583: I¡¯m Sorry, Our Darling Toffeecito Can Make Mischief</h4>

    ¡°The first supporting role,¡± the staff member spoke with absolute certainty. A pretty face was always the center of attention. The girl just now was a stunner and made for showbiz.

    Sure, there were a lot of gorgeousdies here to audition, but their beauty was overshadowed by the girl; she was Venus who came to life.

    Hearing this, Su Ruowan grimaced. Still, she kept a smile on her face. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The first supporting role!

    Su Ruowan flipped her top.

    Shen Xi always went out of her way to pick on her. That b*tch must have heard from somewhere that she was going to be the supporting actress of Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series. Hence, Shen Xi was here to stir sh*t and make things hard for her.

    Li Jingran was turning ck in the face too. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    It was easy to recognize Li Jingran through the mask and shades disguise. Recognizing that it was Li Jingran, the staff member took in the shock before solemnly nodding her head. ¡°It¡¯s the supporting role. I saw her entering the auditioning room with my own eyes.¡±

    Li Jingran thanked her.

    The staff member stopped her excitedly. ¡°Ms. Li, I¡¯m a fan of yours. I really like you. Can I trouble you for an autograph?¡±

    Although Li Jingran was overwhelmed with emotions, she nodded and gave the staff her autograph. Her eyes behind the shades were fixated on the auditioning room.

    In fact, she could make use of her status and authority to pry. However, Li Jingran did not want to stoop so low to do such a thing for the sake of Shen Xi.

    Su Ruowan might be able to get it together then, but she lost her head the minute she found out where Shen Xi was headed. She forced a smile at Li Jingran. ¡°Mom, I can give up the role to Shen Xi if she wants to act.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s heart was breaking to witness the bitterness in Su Ruowan¡¯s smile and the sensibleness in her words. ¡°What are you saying? You can¡¯t just give away a role when you¡¯ve acquired it on your own. The part is yours and no one can take it from you.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s tone was raspy. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. There are going to be more opportunities toe. I¡¯m willing to do anything if it means the roles will ease the tension between Shen Xi and our family.¡±

    Gazing at Su Ruowan, Li Jingran¡¯s mind flew to Shen Xi. The mere thought of the brat made her see red and feel sick to her stomach. At the end of the day, the daughter she raised was the closest to her heart. Li Jingran made up her mind there and then. ¡°Let¡¯s go and sign the contract.¡±

    With the contract signed, they would be bound by a contract with Screenwriter Cloud Seven, leaving Shen Xi, the defiant girl, no choice but to part ways with the role.

    Su Ruowan held Li Jingran¡¯s hand and sensibly uttered, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have to sign the contract if Shen Xi wanted the supporting role.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you. Why do you always pass on chances to other people?¡± Li Jingran helplessly sighed and gazed at her. ¡°You can¡¯t let other people step all over you when you go into showbiz.¡±

    ¡°I have you all by my side.¡± Letting the biggest smile, Su Ruowan sweetly answered before lowering her gaze to hide the smugness in her eyes.

    Ha! Shen Xi, the b*tch, stood no chance against her for the role because Screenwriter Cloud Seven had his eyes on Su Ruowan from the start!

    Li Jingran also had her fair share of deliberation. Shen Xi seemed to have a way with people and yed Jiang Yini and Shu Baiyu to the palm of her hands. Li Jingran¡¯s worst fear was the brat having Mr. Cloud Seven in a spellbind and recing Wanwan after they were gone.

    Hu Zheng remained in the meeting room, waiting for actors who got the parts toe and sign their contracts. Taken aback by Li Jingran and Su Ruowan¡¯s swift return, Hu Zheng quickly beckoned them in and sealed the deal. He saw them off before sending Mr. Cloud Seven a message about the update.

    Shen Xi was all alone in the auditioning room for the supporting role. With Hu Zheng¡¯s text messageing in, she tauntingly curled her lips. They took the bait.

    Standing by a huge floor-to-ceiling window, she looked down and caught sight of Li Jingran and Su Ruowan exiting thepany. The murderous intent and indifference did not go amiss in her eyes.

    Li Jingran arrived at the door and looked up at the Cosmos Entertainment building with animosity. Yuan Yu would have to go through her and her husband first for whatever he was pulling. One day, this building, this asset would be the Su family to keep.

    Su Ruowan got her wish atst. Holding the contract in her hands, she could feel a weight lifted off. There went Shen Xi¡¯sst hope.

    Shen Xi took a fleeting nce before moving her gaze away. Her phone beeped. It was a text message from Yun Jinping, asking when she was expected home. Yun Jinping also mentioned that she took Toffeecito for grooming and sent a photo of it looking puffed up like Simba the lion after a blow-dry.

    [Shen Xi: I¡¯ll be back before dinner.]

    [Yun Jinping: Come back soon. I¡¯m going to get the groceriester to make your favorite.]

    Shen Xi sent a kissing emoji. [Shen Xi: I love you, Mom.]

    There was no question that Yun Jinping would have bought Toffeecito toys during a trip to the pet shop. She bought a whole bag of dry food, canned food, catnip, and snacks.

    Unlike other cats, Toffeecito did not like to be stuck in a carrier. With its family around, it would cockily strut its stuff after meals like a dog on a leash. It feared no man.

    Yun Jinping walked Toffeecito to the groomers without a carrier bag but carried it on her way back because she did not want its fur soiled after a clean wash.

    Nevertheless, she needed to make a quick stop at the supermarket. Yun Jinping decided to travel on foot since the pet shop and supermarket were in the neighborhood. They went to the pet shop first before heading to the grocery store.

    Looking rather majestic, Toffeecito was seated in the pull cart used by the elderly at the market. It was rather showy and caught the attention of passers-by.

    Yun Jinping pulled Toffeecito to walk ahead.

    While going past themunity gate, Toffeecito suddenly leaped out of the cart and bolted after a man in a wheelchair. Before everyone knew it, Toffeecito had jumped onto the man¡¯sp.

    Yun Jinping nervously pulled her cart to chase after it. She embarrassedly uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. Our darling Toffeecito can be up to mischief.¡±

    The man in the wheelchair lifted his chin and nodded at her. Caressing Toffeecito¡¯s fluffy head, he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s adorable.¡±

    At a loss for words, Yun Jinping¡¯s breath was taken away by the man¡¯s good looks. The man had an attractive mien to him that made her doubt that he was real. Realizing herck of manners, Yun Jinping cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s so cheeky sometimes. I hope Toffeecito didn¡¯t scare you..¡±

 Chapter 584 - The Man She Met at the Community Gate!

    <h4>Chapter 584: The Man She Met at the Community Gate!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Li Yuan smiled and carried Toffeecito handing it back to Yun Jinping.

    Toffeecito was an intelligent cat. As if it could take a hint, Toffeecito no longer clung onto Li Yuan and obediently returned to Yun Jinping¡¯s embrace. It even buried its head into her arms as though it was shy.

    Yun Jinping was speechless. The furry kid probably mistook the man for Jin Yu. With her gaze moving to the man¡¯s legs, Yun Jinpingmented to herself what a pity it was for a young man to be immobilized.

    Li Yuan took another nce at Toffeecito and nodded at Yun Jinping before wheeling himself away.

    Yun Jinping tapped Toffeecito¡¯s fluffy head. What was going on with this feline? Since it refused to get down from her arms, she had no choice but to carry the darling all the way through.

    After traveling a distance, Yun Jinping looked back at the bypassers on the street. The man was nowhere to be found. Fixated on Toffeecito, she could not shake off a strange feeling.

    Was it only a case of mistaken identity?

    Her mind flew back to when Toffeecito was rubbing against the man¡¯s hand, with every expression and gesture reflecting trust and affection. It would never behave so intimately toward a stranger.

    Toffeecito was clingy and up for belly rubs with the family, but it would turn its back against strangers. It would hiss at people who tried to touch it, let alone approach them on its own ord.

    Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. It might just be that Toffeecito and the man clicked. Certain people were a natural pet ma and for all she knew, the man might have that sort of attraction to furry animals.

    Yun Jinping brought Toffeecito to the market for groceries before heading back home. Just then, she picked up on activity next door, thinking that Jin Yu had returned. However, something did not feel quite right on second thought.

    Having found his family, Jin Yu would not return on his own. Yun Jinping might not know the rest of the family toment, but Xuan would definitely tag along too. It would not be so quiet next door if he was back.

    Toffeecito leaped out of the cart and crawled up the wall the moment of their return. In a split second, it had disappeared onto the other side of the wall.

    The little fe took off in the brief second Yun Jinping took her eyes away. Afraid there might be a thief next door, she put down the groceries at hand and climbed up thedder that was often used by Shen Xi for once.

    What she saw next left her head spinning. A familiar figure in a wheelchair rolled into the living room with Toffeecito on hisp. She climbed down thedder in distraught so as not to be spotted.

    It was that man.

    He was the man she and Toffeecito bumped into at themunity gate! It was hard to forget an Adonis-like man with such a unique bearing to him.

    Yun Jinping was sent into a tailspin. The man was young, probably in his twenties, and not an older man at all.

    Did she get it wrong? The next-door neighbor was never Jin Yu but this man instead? Was he the weirdo Xixi was referring to?

    Yun Jinping did not know who to go to. Xixi would find out if she were to ask the man next door while Xuan was not reliable in keeping his mouth shut. Should she ask Jin Yu? Yun Jinping was not close with him though.

    Although Xixi was much more sensible since leaving the Su family, she was still at the rebellious age, craving for a love story. By the way that Xixi kept things from her and Old Shen, it was clear she did not want them to know.

    It would only throw Xixi into a defensive mode if Yun Jinping were to question her. There were too many cases of parents having a fallout with their kids over such a matter. It was Yun Jinping¡¯s worst nightmare if things took a turn for the worse.

    She should take her time and observe the situation.

    Now at seventeen, Xixi was advancing to adulthood in another two months. She had the right to pick who to love. She deserved to fall heads over heels in love whenever she felt it was right. Yun Jinping never thought of stopping her or getting in her way.

    In fact, Yun Jinping would not make things difficult for Xixi like other parents would, even if thetter was in a rtionship now.

    Yet, why could she not find a young and healthy boy her age? Any of her students like Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai would do.

    The man next door was out of the question. Among other things, he was a cripple. No parent would not wish their children to find happiness with an equal.

    With him paralyzed from the waist down, the man could not even take care of himself. How was he supposed to care for her for the rest of her life? Yun Jinping did not want her daughter to be tied down by a handicap.

    Shen Zhangqing was carrying two bags of things into the house when he saw his wife staring into a nk space in the courtyard as though she lost her soul. Worried, he drew close. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Yun Jinping shook her head.

    It was best not to let her husband know about it before she was sure of the situation and the rtionship between Xixi and the man. Since Old Shen tended to act on impulse, what if he were to rush next door and stir a fatal scene?

    ¡°You look pale. Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± Shen Zhangqing put down his things and dragged her out.

    ¡°I said it was nothing.¡± Stopping him, Yun Jinping made an excuse. ¡°I might have low blood sugar. I¡¯ll be fine after a rest. Why are you home so early?¡±

    ¡°I postponed the afternoon meeting.¡± Shen Zhangqing held her with one hand and carried the bags with the other. ¡°I bought you and Xixi some local specialties.¡±

    While setting foot in the living room, the pair heard the front door being flung open.

    Shen Zhangqing went over and found Yu Yuanxi helping Granny Yu into the house. Taken aback for a moment, he broke into a smile and happily said, ¡°Honey, Yuanxi is here.¡±

    Yun Jinping bolted out. With tears welling up her eyes at his presence, she was all choked up for words. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±

    She did not want to intrude while he was busy with his filming. Although they had not had the chance to meet ever since the reunion dinner, Yun Jinping did not want to be a bother and held back from calling him.

    The kid was too kind and sensible. He gave her reassurance by making the initiative to call and video-call between schedules.

    Yu Yuanxi nodded his head. Facing their expectant looks, he hesitated before choppily uttering, ¡°Mom, Dad.¡±

    He had not gotten used to the new form of address.

    Granny Yu handed over the things Yu Yuanxi bought to Yun Jinping while grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Yuanxi bought these local products and presents for you.¡±

    The only thing that concerned and worried Granny Yu in this world was her grandson. She feared he would be left alone should one day she breathe herst. It was great that he found his parents as Granny Yu could die in peace now, knowing he was in good hands..

 Chapter 585 - You Must Be Here to Take Me Home

    <h4>Chapter 585: You Must Be Here to Take Me Home</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping epted the gift and ushered them into the house while feeling a lump in her throat and a swell in her eyes. Their son was heartbreakingly too good to them.

    Yu Yuanxi looked around the room but did not see Shen Xi. After a quick question, he found out that she was at the office and the audition for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series was going on.

    Having heard from Yun Jinping that Yu Yuanxi was back, Shen Xi wrapped things up and told Yu Yuanxi that she was going home. Prior to leaving, she went to the music division to call Shen Tang, but thetter was at a crucial point of working on Glitzy Girl¡¯stest album with Qi Xiu. Shen Tang would be homete.

    ¡°Tangtang, don¡¯t stay up toote,¡± Shen Xi informed her.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Tang turned back to smile and waved her off. ¡°Be careful on the road. Give me a call once you¡¯re home.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± In a rush to get home, Shen Xi responded and walked out of the music studio. It so happened she ran into Yu Qiubai. Stopping at her tracks, she looked at him warily. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Yu Qiubai showed her the items in his hands while narrowing his foxy eyes with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver something to your cousin.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s gaze fell on a few pots of sulents. The thickened, fleshy, and engorged nts were adorable. She gave him a look to talk elsewhere.

    The d*mn foxy was ying dumb to her question. Since when was he close to Shen Tang?

    Yu Qiubaipliantly went with her.

    ¡°Yu Qiubai, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Shen Xi went straight to the point.

    The d*mn fox had a bag of tricks that spelled trouble. He would have what wasing for him if he ever pulled a fast one on Shen Tang.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her.¡± Aware of what was on Shen Xi¡¯s mind, Yu Qiubai looked into her eyes. ¡°Shen Xi, I think you know me long enough and better than anyone else. Have I ever done anything to put you in harm¡¯s way? Have I ever spilled your secrets?¡±

    ¡°Shen Tang is different.¡± Shen Xi appeared solemn, and her eyes resolute. ¡°I¡¯ll never allow anyone with an ulterior motive to hurt her.¡±

    Shen Tang had it rough in both this and her previous life. If a man had to be in her life, it must be someone who would treat her like a princess and give the world to her.

    Shen Xi was not certain if Yu Qiubai was the right man for Shen Tang. Too cunning for his own good, Yu Qiubai would never let anyone near his heart. Shen Xi did not believe a wording out of his mouth.

    ¡°I know she¡¯s different.¡± Yu Qiubai sighed and curled a bitter smile. ¡°Shen Xi, do you know the feeling of being secretly in love with someone? Can you hold yourself back from looking for Toffeecito¡¯s dad?¡±

    Yu Qiubai was no stranger to Toffeecito¡¯s dad. All of the international ss students knew about Toffeecito¡¯s dad. He got the lowdown hanging out a lot with the bunch.

    He gave it a lot of thought and even told himself to stay away from Shen Tang since thetter¡¯s innocence and kindness made it apparent that they were from two different worlds.

    For this reason, Yu Qiubai had been pulling himself back, albeit the mere thought of Shen Tang sent butterflies to his stomach.

    The other day, Yu Qiubai came across Shen Tang crossing the road with a white cane when a car suddenly lost control. Everyone was running away and shouting, but there was nothing she could see or do about it.

    He knew she had sensed danger and panic, yet she was at a loss of what to do apart from moving ahead. Watching as Shen Tang was knocked onto the ground by the trampling crowd and the car was headed her way, his mind turned nk, and his instincts took over to get up there and protect her.

    Her shaking body from extreme fear filled his senses. He could also feel his heart beating out of his chest along with the aftershock, dread, and relief that came after.

    Yu Qiubai made up his mind then and there that he would be her eyes for the rest of her life.

    He thought he could stamp out his emotions. s, Yu Qiubai was defeated by himself; knowing well he could no longer suppress his feelings and his heart.

    Hence, Yu Qiubai decided to let go of his god*mn reason and follow his heart.

    Shen Xi wanted to blurt out that she and he were not the same, but what was different about them if she thought about it? She looked at Yu Qiubai. ¡°Yu Qiubai, are you for real?¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi, I swear to you on my life and my mother¡¯s life that I¡¯ll never hurt your cousin or make her cry.¡± Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes reflected a strong will.

    ¡°Got it.¡± It never crossed Shen Xi¡¯s mind that he would put it in such a way. She might have her doubts if he was swearing on his life since no truth ever came out of the d*mn fox¡¯s mouth. However, she had faith since his mother was involved.

    The only person he cared for in this world was his mother. The weight of the pledge was so heavy, it left Shen Xi in shock.

    ¡°I have not won over Shen Tang¡¯s heart.¡± As Shen Xi was leaving, Yu Qiubai added, ¡°Shen Xi, don¡¯t go bad-mouthing about me in front of your cousin!¡±

    Shen Tang always thought of him as a younger brother and treated him as such. Although he was mature for his age, she did not see him as a man. Age was not something Yu Qiubai could control. If only he was born two years earlier, he would make the cut as her perfect mate.

    ¡°As if I have the time.¡± Shen Xi looked back and gave him an eye roll and a slice to the neck. ¡°I¡¯lle for your *ss if you ever make Shen Tang sad.¡±

    Shen Xi was not going to stop Shen Tang from seeing anyone. Shen Tang had her freedom and rights after all. Shen Xi would support her as long as it was not a bad guy.

    If Yu Qiubai was serious about it, he made a good candidate due to his unchanging patience and attentiveness for his mother.

    Yu Qiubai watched Shen Xi disappear out of sight before taking off.

    Getting into the lift, Shen Xi was lost in her thoughts about Yu Qiubai and Shen Tang. Shen Tang might not pick him even if Yu Qiubai went after her. It was all up to destiny.

    While in a trance the moment the lift opened, Shen Xi heard an excited scream and soon she was pulled in for a hug.

    Hot with emotions, Song Wenye was sparkling in the eyes. ¡°Xixi, are you here for me? Our flight was half an hourte. You must be here to take me home.¡±

    Shen Xi pushed her away in disdain. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Liar! Mrs. Shen invited me for dinner.¡± Song Wenye then dragged her out and happily introduced her to Ye Weiyang and the rest. ¡°This is Shen Xi, my best friend.¡±

    Tong Kejun and the lot had heard about Shen Xi before. She was the famous student of Shu Baiyu and Jiang Yin, but Song Wenye also would not stop talking about everything else about her anyway.

    Ye Weiyang looked at Shen Xi with a hint of wonder in her eyes. There was just something familiar about Shen Xi..

 Chapter 586 - Identical to Fu Qingli

    <h4>Chapter 586: Identical to Fu Qingli</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Mr. Xixi.

    The person carried herself with a mien different from Mr. Xixi. Yet, Ye Weiyang was reminded right away of Mr. Xixi, her mentor in life whom she most respected and was grateful for.

    Shen Xi smiled and greeted them.

    Cheerfully looking at Shen Xi, Liu Qianyu was not a stranger as she asked, ¡°Is your brother home?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s face flushed.

    Among the girls, some cleared their throat and a few caught in stifledughter, while others pretended to chat with those beside them. In short, no one looked Song Wenye¡¯s way.

    Ji Jingyan offered to help Song Wenye with her luggage.

    Guan Rou pulled her back and tipped her the wink before whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t. Lil¡¯ Ye will be staying the night there.¡±

    ¡°Stop with all the crazy thinking.¡± Upset, Song Wenye yelled with a blushing face. ¡°I¡¯m going to Xixi¡¯s ce, not for Yu Yuanxi!¡±

    ¡°Got it, got it.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s stubborn feat saw the lot exchanging nces. Knowing when to stop, they jostled one another into the lift.

    Guan Rou waved her arm at Song Wenye. ¡°Have fun at dinner. Don¡¯t rush back.¡±

    Tong Kejun joined in on the fun. ¡°You don¡¯t have toe back if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    They were granted two days of rest anyway.

    It was not known how long Yu Yuanxi¡¯s break was. Since he was a student at Capital University, he would have to report at the school and begin his military training.

    Song Wenye gnashed her teeth. The lift was shut before she could say anything. She turned to Shen Xi and exined, ¡°Trust me, Xixi. They¡¯re just babbling nonsense.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned without a word.

    Feeling sore, Song Wenye crankily shouted, ¡°I¡¯m serious. There¡¯s nothing going on between me and Yu Yuanxi!¡±

    With a lot of people bustling in the ground-floor lobby of thepany, many gave her a weird look but were curious to gossip.

    The employees of thepany had some knowledge about their artists. Yu Yuanxi was also working in Cosmos Entertainment. Were they dating?

    Shen Xi dragged her out of there. ¡°You¡¯re an idol. You might want to be conscious of your image.¡±

    Song Wenye looked at the lift that had already gone up before ncing at the suitcase in hand. Not bothered to put away her luggage, she pulled her suitcase to go with Shen Xi.

    Back in the lift, Ye Weiyang turned to the rest of the girl. ¡°Do you think Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s friend looks familiar?¡±

    Tong Kejun nodded. ¡°Yes. Hadn¡¯t we seen her dancing videost week? She¡¯s a great dancer. I can¡¯t keep up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liu Qianyu bobbed her head in agreement. She was puzzled though. ¡°Say, why do you think she¡¯s not in showbiz? Her looks and talents alone would make her a big star. She can conquer the entertainment world with her beauty.¡±

    This was the honest truth. Shen Xi was a sight to behold so much so her heart was fluttering, let alone a man¡¯s.

    ¡°She¡¯s not just beautiful, but she¡¯s also a nerd, do you know that? She¡¯s the top achiever in science for the capital¡¯s National College Entrance Examination.¡± Ji Jingyan expressed her envy. This was why people should notpare with one another as it would be a blow that was hard to swallow.

    By the way things were progressing, Ye Weiyang knew her questions were going nowhere. With an envious and admiring look on her face, she listened to the group praising Shen Xi.

    Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s friend, Shen Xi, was gifted while Mr. Xixi was a nationally recognized genius. However, did they not pick up that Mr. Xixi¡¯s dancing style was simr to Shen Xi?

    Since even she was doubting her gut feeling, Ye Weiyang was not going to share her thoughts with the group.

    The person in question, Shen Xi, was caught in a sneezing spell as she made her way out of thepany.

    Song Wenye nervously handed her a tissue. ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡±

    Shen Xi rubbed her nose. ¡°Someone misses me.¡±

    Gazing at her, Song Wenye was feeling the blues and sighed. ¡°It must be Chu Ying and the rest. I couldn¡¯t even join thest get-together and have no idea when the next one will be held.¡±

    Shen Xi soothed her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯d have toe home for the new year.¡±

    Song Wenye was supposed to attend the International ss¡¯st get-together but had to miss it as work came up at thest minute.

    ¡°I feel something¡¯s missing with Alpha Xu gone.¡± Song Wenye was down in the dumps. Everyone in their ss, apart from her and Xixi, had gone abroad for their studies.

    It did not matter to Shen Xi where she was studying since she had good grades. She was the top achiever in science and enrolled at Capital University, first in her ss.

    What about her? Song Wenye did not participate in the National College Entrance Examination. Since theseing years were the best time to make a career in showbiz, she could not possibly leave to study abroad.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have Yu Yuanxi?¡± Rarely ever seeing Song Wenye so gloomy, Shen Xi teased her to lighten the mood. Song Wenye was about to tear into her when she added. ¡°And me!¡±

    Song Wenye was finally pleased. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±

    The pair hailed a cab and went home since thepany did not prepare a car for them.

    Shen Xi was the type not to look for people if nobody came looking for her. No matter how close of a friend, she would not initiate contact if nothing was the matter.

    It was the same for group chats. She barely made an appearance if no one specially tagged her.

    Song Wenye was the exact opposite. She did not feel right to stay away from the chats. It did not take long before she became a bunch of sour grapes. ¡°Alpha Xu went to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s ce today.¡±

    Shen Xi returned her a strange look. What was wrong with that? Alpha Xu¡¯s school was where the Fu family was living. There was nothing out of the ordinary for nice people like Madam Fu and Uncle Jin Yu to invite Alpha Xu for a meal.

    ¡°I want to go too.¡± Song Wenye whined while showing Shen Xi the photos. She moaned, ¡°Look. Qingye is there too. When can I ever have the pleasure to have dinner with him?¡±

    The Fu brothers were the definition of looks and poise. By right, Alpha Xu was also a hunk. However, theparison did him no good as Alpha Xu became the ugliest in the group photo.

    Shen Xi took a sweeping nce at the Fu family. Fu Junqiu was the only one missing in the photograph. The others smiled at the camera while Fu Qingli graced his aloof and noble presence with a side profile, prompting Shen Xi to avert her gaze.

    Song Wenye was still feeling envious, wishing she could get in there and be in the picture. With Shen Xi looking out the window and keeping to herself, Song Wenye voiced her disgruntlement. ¡°Do you know who you look like now? The expression and that attitude of yours are identical to Fu Qingli.¡±

    She was aware that Shen Xi had a problem with Fu Qingli.

    ¡°Say that again?¡± Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi did not hide the coldness and contempt in her eyes. Who was the same as him?!

    She was simply not in the mood to talk because she saw Fu Qingli¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Don¡¯t move. Hold still. Let me snap a photo to show you.¡± Song Wenye got right to take a picture..

 Chapter 587 - Shaken

    <h4>Chapter 587: Shaken</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Song Wenye might be quick with her hands, but Shen Xi¡¯s facial muscles were quicker. s, she only captured Shen Xi¡¯s smiling face. Song Wenye regrettably pursed her lips. ¡°You really did look alike!¡±

    Xixi was a spitting image of Fu Qingli in the photo when she was looking out the window. Their identical looks made Song Wenye suspect they were biological siblings.

    Talking about it only put Song Wenye in a foul mood. She alwaysmented why Xixi was not the long-lost daughter of the Fu family. If Xixi was the Fu brothers¡¯ sister, Song Wenye could also be considered their sister since she was best friends with Xixi.

    Just thinking of the position she would be in gave Song Wenye a rush. Besides, Qingye was her favorite idol. She could walk on air if she could call Qingye her brother.

    Shen Xi was not the least bit interested in the conversation. Settling against the backseat, she closed her eyes to get some shut-eye.

    Taking the hint, Song Wenye quit the yapping. Since it was dangerous to dance on a minefield, she decided to stay out of it. Hence, she went on to gossip in the group chat. Nevertheless, Xixi, who was usually calm and indifferent, would get worked up at the mention of Fu Qingli. Sure, she said she did not care for him, yet her actions said otherwise.

    Once they were back, Song Wenye carried her suitcase to Shen Xi¡¯s bedroom without help.

    Shen Xi was right at home and left Song Wenye be since she did not see Song Wenye as a stranger. There was no dirty secret lying around the house anyway. Shen Xi sat on the sofa and helped herself to a te of fruits.

    ¡°Xixi,e and wash the dishes.¡± Yun Jinping cried from the kitchen.

    Putting down her fork, Shen Xi was about to get up when Song Wenye trotted down the stairs. She was not shy to say, ¡°My mom wants you in the kitchen.¡±

    Up for the task, Song Wenye ran over. Her voice traveled to the kitchen faster than her feet. ¡°Mrs. Shen, what can I help with?¡±

    She arrived in the kitchen to find only Yun Jinping and Yu Yuanxi there. Her eyes wandered a bit before fixating them on Yun Jinping.

    Yun Jinping was surprised to see Lil¡¯ Ye even though she called for her own daughter. She nagged for Lil¡¯ Ye to leave the kitchen. ¡°Go and watch TV in the living room. Get Xixi in here.¡±

    Lil¡¯ Ye had been working too hardtely. Her tiny face was skin and bones now from throwing herself into deadlines and work. Yun Jinping did not have the heart to ask Lil¡¯ Ye to do anything.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not tired.¡± Song Wenye looked at Yun Jinping with a smile. ¡°Shall I wash the vegetables? Pick the greens? Oh, right! I joined a program recently and learned to make a dish called shredded sweet potato. Let me cook that, Mrs. Shen.¡±

    ¡°Go and wash the dishes with Yuanxi first.¡± Knowing that she would not be able to dampen Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s enthusiasm, Yun Jinping assigned her a task.

    Shen Xi was eavesdropping from the living room with coyness in her eyes. It was not that she waszy and unwilling to do the work, she was only trying to create an opportunity for the pair to spend time together. It was a great idea.

    Madam Yun, Yu Yuanxi, and now Song Wenye were the only ones in the kitchen as Old Shen had taken Granny Yu to collect Song Xiaose and the other pets. Madam Yun was too busy cooking to pay attention to the couple.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi had too high of regards for Lil¡¯ Ye. She thought that Lil¡¯ Ye would pounce like a tiger and confess her love right away the moment she fell in love, but she shrunk into her shell instead. Nervous just watching at the sidelines, Shen Xi had to give them a push. Otherwise, their rtionship would never see the light of day.

    Back in the kitchen.

    While chopping the vegetables, Yun Jinping would nce at the two children on washing duty every now and then. The more she observed them, the more she thought they were made for each other. They were equal in looks and their personalitiesplemented each other.

    She always believed a wild child like Lil¡¯ Ye should look for a quiet and mild-mannered boy. Yun Jinping thought they were a perfect match before knowing Yuanxi was her son.

    The thought had not changed even now. It could not be better if Lil¡¯ Ye could be her daughter-inw.

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, do I put the tes here?¡± Song Wenye held the clean tes in her hands and asked.

    ¡°Put them here.¡± Snapping out of her thoughts, Yun Jinping pointed somewhere in front of her.

    Song Wenye took one step before she slipped. Following a squeal, she resigned to closing her eyes and clutched the tes against her chest amid the tension.

    With Yu Yuanxi¡¯s pupils dting, he intuitively reached out to steady her by the waist. However, his hands shifted and before he knew it, he was holding the girl tightly in his arms.

    Song Wenye clung onto the tes and shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain that never came. Opening her eyes to meet the mixed emotions in the young man¡¯s eyes, she cleared her throat and rubbed the tes to ease her nerves before smiling at him. ¡°Thank God the tes are okay.¡±

    Oh, Yu Yuanxi was boiling. His generally unruffled eyes carried signs of anger as he stared at her hugging the tes. Because of these tes, he nearly missed the catch!

    Was she stupid? Why were the tes the first thing she held onto when she was about to trip? Which was more important, the tes or she?

    Yun Jinping nervously ran over and examined Song Wenye in distress. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright.¡±

    It almost scared the hell out of her. Song Wenye would get hurt if she fell on top of the broken tes. Good thing Yuanxi was there to save her.

    Having heard themotion, Shen Xi rushed to the scene and found Yu Yuanxi carrying Song Wenye in his arms. With aplicated look on her face, she wondered what was with their pose.

    Then came Song Wenye¡¯sment about saving the tes from the fall and the helplessness in Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes.

    Song Wenye certainly knew nothing about reading the room. She was beyond help. Seriously, the tes were her main concern? Any normal human being would be shaken and sobbing for a kiss and a hug up high.

    Pulling away from Yu Yuanxi¡¯s grasp, Song Wenye could feel her heart thumping followed by her body temperature rising. With her cheeks flushed, she could not look anyone in the eye and ced the tes on the counter to excuse herself to the loo.

    Yu Yuanxi caught Song Wenye making her escape and the look Shen Xi was giving him before resuming his washing duty. His movement froze when his fingers touched the cool tes as his mind shed back to the girl¡¯s touch of tender warmth. He turned red-faced and his heart began to race.

    Clearing her throat, Shen Xi asked if anyone needed help but was driven out of there by Yun Jinping. She was caught snickering after another nce at Yu Yuanxi¡¯s reddened ears.

    That was quite a dyed reaction. Why did he blush now when Song Wenye had run away?

    It did not take long before Shen Zhangqing and Granny Yu returned together with Song Wenye¡¯s beloved pets. The house was filled with a bustle.

    Song Wenye¡¯s pets made themselves at home in Shen Xi¡¯s house. Even though they stayed with Granny Yu for a week, Song Dng led Song Xiaose to dart into the kitchen in search of a certain somebody.

    Unlike the two mongrels, the noble Song Xiaomi arrogantly lifted its head high and scanned the living room with a swaying tail, as if to look for something.

    Shen Xi approached Song Xiaomi and carried it to the sofa before tapping its tiny head. ¡°I¡¯ll get Toffeecito to y with you.¡±

    With that, Shen Xi headed out to the courtyard and began calling for Toffeecito. Soon, Toffecito was heard meowing back from the other side of the wall.

    Through the window, Yun Jinping observed Shen Xi running into the courtyard and climbing up thedder. Her eyes under her furrowed brows reflected growing worry.

    Not too longter, Shen Xi was seen standing on thedder talking to the neighbor. The sunset hit Shen Xi¡¯s face and body, giving Yun Jinping a clear view of her daughter¡¯s bright and warm smile like a little sunshine.

    At that very moment, Yun Jinping¡¯s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She had never seen her daughter stered with such a big smile in front of anyone other than her and Old Shen. Xixi had the kind of glow to her that Yun Jinping and Old Shen had never seen before.

    That was right.

    Xixi was glowing. She was sparkling from head to toe, and all of this was because of the man next door..

 Chapter 588 - There Was Something About the Way They Were Looking at Her

    <h4>Chapter 588: There Was Something About the Way They Were Looking at Her</h4>

    Toffeecito leaped onto the wall and longingly looked back at the courtyard next door when Shen Xi called it toe down. Toffeecito then followed closely behind her.

    Song Wenye was looking for Toffeecito. With Shen Xi and Toffeecito entering the room, Song Wenye patted Song Xiaomi¡¯s head. ¡°Look who¡¯s here.¡±

    Toffeecito seemed a little despondent, but the sight of Song Xiaomi cheered it up. It zipped its way over.

    A standoffish cat as it was, Song Xiaomi dignifiedly lifted its head in and nced at Toffeecito as if unimpressed by Toffeecito¡¯s intimate antics. Nevertheless, Song Xiaomi¡¯s eyes reflected idleness, an expression exclusive to when it was rxed.

    Song Wenye turned to Shen Xi. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you adopt Toffeecito sooner?¡±

    Shen Xi nced back at her with question marks written all over her face.

    ¡°I had Song Xiaomi spayed two months before you adopted Toffeecito. It would have babies by now if it didn¡¯t go through sterilization.¡±

    Shen Xi nearly choked. She knew nothing good ever came out of Song Wenye¡¯s mouth. Why did she bother to listen? ¡°My darling Toffeecito doesn¡¯t get on with just any feline.¡±

    Song Wenye gave Shen Xi a coy look as though she was in the know. Drawing close, Song Wenye spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°I know. Looking for a boyfriend and giving birth are huge deals. I¡¯m sure I have to ask Toffeecito¡¯s dad beforehand, right?¡±

    Shen Xi looked askance at her. ¡°Toffeecito isn¡¯t even a year old. What is in that filthy mind of yours?¡±

    ¡°I know better than you.¡± Looking puffed-up, Song Wenye let her in on the science. ¡°Cats can go in heat at about six to seven months old and give birth then.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    She won.

    Shen Zhangqing called Shen Xi to the kitchen to serve the dishes.

    Shen Xi ran off only to find Song Wenye staying. She called her over. ¡°Come on. Are you a guest?¡±

    Pursing her lips, Song Wenye meekly walked along and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m a guest.¡±

    Song Wenye had no idea why, but she was not herself at the thought of meeting Yu Yuanxi. Her heart began to race and her cheeks burned.

    With a smile, Shen Xi gave her a lingering look and responded with an elevated intonation, ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Despite feeling hot and bothered, Song Wenye pushed Shen Xi ahead and changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s go serve the dishes.¡±

    With Song Wenye stepping into the kitchen, Yu Yuanxi carefully pored over her from head to toe, feeling at ease after making sure that she was unharmed.

    Although he knew she was not hurt in the incident that happened before his eyes, Yu Yuanxi was not able to calm his heart. He could not stop himself from wondering if he missed any injury inflicted on her.

    Not willing to back down, Song Wenye returned to the gaze.

    Yu Yuanxi could not resist bursting intoughter.

    Song Wenye let out a cough. What was with theugh? Why could she not return the favor if he could look at her? She carried a dish out.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± Yu Yuanxi cried.

    Song Wenye stopped in her tracks. Why of all people did he have to stop her? There were many people in the kitchen.

    As bliss deepened in his eyes, Yu Yuanxi helplessly carried a dish over and pulled on the te in her hands.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡± Appearing wary, Song Wenye red at him.

    ¡°Not this one.¡± Yu Yuanxi¡¯s smooth voice was like a cool stream in the summer.

    Lowering her gaze, Song Wenye turned red in the face. It was an empty te. What was up with her? Why did she carry an empty te out?

    She sneaked a peek around, only to realize that they were alone in the kitchen. With silence befalling the room, she could feel her heart thumping out of her chest. Unable to hide her burning cheeks, she looked away.

    Yu Yuanxi unaffectedly switched the dishes and took over the empty te before turning to scoop the rice in the cooker.

    Song Wenye let out a hack to disguise her awkwardness as she swiftly made her way out. She was grief-stricken and out of her mind. Godd*mn Yu Yuanxi. It was his fault that she was acting all weird.

    Shen Xi was back for a second dish when she bumped into Song Wenye¡¯s blushing face. Since Song Wenye walked by without stopping, Shen Xi had to quietly ask Yu Yuanxi. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her, Brother?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi grinned. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Shen Xi did not buy it. Why was her face red?

    While carrying the rice out, Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes were filled with delight to see the back of the dainty figure. She might be a goofball, but the bashful side to her was too cute.

    Fond of Song Wenye, Granny Yu would love to have her as her granddaughter-inw. In the past, Granny Yu was afraid to drag her down or that her family would not agree to it since they were not well-to-do. It simply put the kids in a difficult position to keep their opinions to themselves.

    Now that Yuanxi found his parents, their families were of equal standing. Granny Yu could not be happier for the pair to be together.

    The blossoming love between two unknowing teenagers did not escape the eyes of the happily married couple of two decades ¨C Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping. They exchanged nces and smiled.

    Lil¡¯ Ye was a good kid. She was cheerful, sensible, kind, and knew her way around words to show she cared. It would be great if she could be their daughter-inw.

    Song Wenye felt that there was something about the way everyone at the table was looking at her. It appeared no different from any other day, and yet she had the feeling that something was off.

    After dinner.

    Shen Zhangqing talked about buying eye drops and asked Yun Jinping toe along.

    Shen Xi sneaked away, saying something about taking the cats and dogs out for a walk with Granny Yu.

    Yun Jinping turned to Song Wenye. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, Mr. Shen and I are going out to get something. Leave the stuff in the kitchen as they are. I¡¯ll be back to clean up. Take a shower and a rest if you¡¯re tired.¡±

    Returning from a phone call, Song Wenye volunteered herself. ¡°Mrs. Shen, I can tidy up. I promise you I won¡¯t break any tes.¡±

    Yun Jinping¡¯s foot was halfway out the door. It was unclear whether she heard Song Wenye as she shouted, ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    With the Shen couple gone, Song Wenye looked around the room and realized no one else was there. Where did everyone go? Song Xiaose, Song Xiaomi, Toffeecito, and the other fur babies were nowhere to be found either.

    Yu Yuanxi popped out of the loo and found the living room quiet. Song Wenye was alone, staring into a nk space.

    Staring at him, Song Wenye blurted, ¡°Where¡¯s Xixi?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°I heard she went with Granny to walk Song Xiaose and the rest.¡±

    Song Wenye looked at him and pointed at herself. If Xixi and Granny were walking the pets and Mr. and Mrs.. Shen were out to pick up stuff, would that not leave them both in the entire house?

 Chapter 589 - Be My Girlfriend!

    <h4>Chapter 589: Be My Girlfriend!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yu Yuanxi watched Song Wenye with a faint smile across his lips. Clearing his throat, he looked her in the eye and said, ¡°Go and have a rest. I¡¯ll manage everything out here.¡±

    Song Wenye was not going to leave him to it on his own. There was a lot of work to be done; from tidying up the table and mopping the floor to washing all the dishes. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    Knowing how she was, Yu Yuanxi did not turn down the offer. Gently bobbing his head, he had a feeling that the whole family deliberately left him alone with Song Wenye in the house.

    This realization did not go unnoticed by Song Wenye either. Not one to hide her thoughts, she blurted out the question in mind. ¡°Say, do you think they ditched us together on purpose?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi nodded. ¡°I think so too.¡±

    Song Wenye was fuming. ¡°How could they! They didn¡¯t even ask me to join them in walking the dogs.¡±

    As she pouted adorably like a furious hamster, Yu Yuanxi uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go for a stroll with youter.¡±

    Song Wenye frowned and moaned, ¡°Why would I go for a stroll with you? Who am I to you?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi suddenly drew near and gazed into her eyes. ¡°Song Wenye, be my girlfriend.¡±

    Song Wenye nearly dropped the te in her hands as she widened her eyes in disbelief at him. ¡°Wh¡­ What did you say?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi put on a serious face and repeated his words. ¡°I said, I like you. Please be my girlfriend.¡±

    Song Wenye could feel her heart racing and her cheeks burning so much it could fry an egg. She blinked. ¡°Say that again.¡±

    ¡°I like you. Can you be my girlfriend?¡± Yu Yuanxi¡¯s soft voice was like a melody, stringing every note straight to her heart.

    Feeling the need to act up in a moment like this, Song Wenye stared at him. ¡°No.¡±

    A shattered glow flickered in Yu Yuanxi¡¯s eyes. With all tenderness and affection turning into hurt, he let out a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I must havee off abruptly. Pretend I never said all that stuff.¡±

    He thought the feelings were mutual. Was it all in his head?

    It was not embarrassing for him, albeit his heart slowly chipped away following her rejection.

    ¡°I should be the one to confess my love.¡± Song Wenye suddenly added as she looked him in the eye. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, be my boyfriend.¡±

    How could she be confessed to like other girls? Yearning to be different, she wanted to be the one to make the first move. She was Song Wenye! She needed to add her own ir when it came to professing her love.

    Yu Yuanxi¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said, I like you. Please be my boyfriend.¡± Song Wenye felt sorry to see the glow in the young man¡¯s eyes crushed in an instant as though she bludgeoned him.

    The young man was blessed with good looks. The tantalizing thin lips of his sun-kissed face that were wide open from the bombshell of a confession drew Song Wenye in for a deep kiss. She looked at him and solemnly dered, ¡°That seals the deal. You¡¯re mine now and forevermore.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi finally knew what it was like to experience heaven and hell in a split second. Gazing at the girl who masked her tensed nerves with an attitude, he heavily nodded. ¡°Definitely.¡±

    With the deed done, it hit Song Wenye to check her surroundings. She was relieved that there was not a soul in the courtyard and the main door was locked. She nervously asked Yu Yuanxi, ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    F*ck.

    What were they to do?

    Since she kissed Yu Yuanxi, she must own up to her actions andmit to their rtionship for the rest of their lives. She now had a boyfriend!

    ¡°We¡¯re adults, not children.¡± Yu Yuanxi earnestly said, ¡°I¡¯ll straighten it out with Mom, Dad, and all of them.¡±

    Granny, Mom, and Dad would be d to see them together. He knew no one would be against their rtionship. They could not be more stoked.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± The fear sat in atst. ¡°Couples meet their parents the proper way. We have to pick an auspicious day and bring gifts to meet the parents.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°That¡¯s for the gents to do to meet the parents. There¡¯s no need for thedies.¡±

    Song Wenye shook her head, chickening out at thest minute. ¡°I¡¯m feeling nervous. Let¡¯s make it public when I¡¯m ready.¡±

    One to go along with her, Yu Yuanxi nodded his head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Song Wenye picked up the tes and inquired, ¡°Shall we wash the dishes?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi took over the tes. ¡°I¡¯ll wash and you rest.¡±

    Walking behind him, Song Wenye checked him out openly. She murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not a good-for-nothing that needs taking care of. It¡¯s not as if washing some tes would wear me down.¡±

    Was it that simple?

    Was that all it took?

    It was like a heavy cloud was lifted from her after she let her feelings out. There was no more conflict to see him or not to see him.

    Yu Yuanxi looked back and grinned at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to exhaust yourself.¡±

    Judging by her dark eye circles, it was clear Song Wenye was sleep-deprived from rushing a week of a packed schedule. Her gaunt face was telling how tired she was.

    Feeling all mushy inside, Song Wenye cleared her throat and did the same in return. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to strain yourself either.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi answered, ¡°Together then.¡±

    Song Wenye waltzed right up to him with her heart pounding fast. She had to ask, ¡°I can¡¯t get used to my new role. Did I just go from bing Xixi¡¯s best friend to her future sister-inw?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi chuckled and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Song Wenye babbled to herself, ¡°What a weird feeling.¡±

    Nevertheless, it did not feel all that bad. Her favorite granny was still her granny while Mr. and Mrs. Shen whom she adores were now her Mom and Dad.

    Oh god, her wish finally came true.

    The pair scrubbed the dishes side by side. Song Wenye was curious since this was the first time she had a boyfriend. She nudged him. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, was that your first kiss?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi had always known that she was different from other girls. Hence, he epted and embraced the way her brain functioned. He nodded and hummed in acknowledgment.

    Song Wenye took a nce at his lips and bit hers before smiling from ear to ear. ¡°Guess what. Me too.¡±

    Chortling, Yu Yuanxi hit her back with a question. ¡°Ms. Song, am I your first boyfriend?¡±

    Song Wenye bobbed her head like a pecking chick. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi smiled. ¡°Surprise. It¡¯s my first time in a rtionship.¡±

    All the more to get Song Wenye smiling sweetly. ¡°Was it your first love confession?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Song Wenye retorted, ¡°What a coincidence. Me too.¡±

    The couple was having a st, taking turns throwing corny questions when they heard a noise at the door. Song Xiaose barged into the house.

    ¡°Song Xiaose!¡± Shen Xi shouted as she went in pursuit of the dog. It was a calcted move on the little fe¡¯s part. Shen Xi turned away for a second only for it to scamper back home. Try as she might, Shen Xi could not get through to Song Xiaose despite screaming at the top of her lungs.

    Without looking back, Song Xiaose headed straight to the toilet and happily took a wee.

    Shen Xi was in tears. ¡°¡­¡±

    She was in two minds whether it was a good habit or not. She took the dog out for a walk so it could let its bowels loose. Still, Song Xiaose had to do it at home.

    Song Xiaose soon came out wagging its tail furiously. It tried to brown-nose by going around in circles with drooping ears as a sign of its apology.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, Xixi.¡± Song Wenye rushed out of the kitchen.

    Shen Xi was fixated on Song Wenye¡¯s guilty smile and frowned in confusion. She then darted a look at Yu Yuanxi who was scrubbing the dishes with his back facing her in the kitchen.. Was she imagining things to see pink hearts oveying the pair in the background?

 Chapter 590 - Have Toffeecitoâ€™s Dad Confess His Love for You

    <h4>Chapter 590: Have Toffeecito¡¯s Dad Confess His Love for You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Bedtime rolled in.

    With her back facing ShenXi, Song Wenye was fooling around with her phone.

    Shen Xi was not one to spy, but her curiosity got the better of her as it was apparent that something was going on with Song Wenye. The girl was not good at hiding secrets. Shen Xi cried, ¡°Song Wenye.¡±

    Song Wenye was scared into hiding her phone. She was as nervous as a thief caught red-handed.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡±

    Song Wenye retorted, ¡°No way. What would I hide from you?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°Judging by your lovesick face, I would say you¡¯re in a rtionship.¡±

    She got around long enough to take an educated guess by the way she was holding her phone and secretly giggling away. Yes, Shen Xi heard her. Song Wenye was acting rather silly.

    Hot with emotions, Song Wenye covered Shen Xi¡¯s mouth. ¡°Shh!¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. Bingo! ¡°So you two got together?¡±

    Surprised to be found out, Song Wenye nodded. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°Why? My parents and Granny Yu are itching for you two to date. We¡¯re all adults here and craving love and affection. It¡¯s normal to be in love.¡± Shen Xi rolled her eyes. There was no need to keep it under wraps.

    Song Wenye kept shushing Shen Xi, begging her to turn her voice down so no one could hear them. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about how I should properly meet the parents.¡±

    Shen Xi was amused. ¡°Look at you. Are you still the Queen B*tch of No. 4 High School?¡±

    Song Wenye pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Queen B*tch since I graduated.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep your secret. Let me know when you guys are ready to let the cat out of the bag.¡±

    Song Wenye warily warned her. ¡°You better stick to your words.¡±

    Bobbing her head, Shen Xi curiously drew near. ¡°Did my brother make the first move?¡±

    Song Wenye mushily nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Oh gawd. The sweetness was going to give Shen Xi diabetes. She had never seen Song Wenye so loved up and shy. It was too adorable to watch. ¡°My brother really took his time. I would¡¯ve had a word with him if he didn¡¯t profess his love sooner.¡±

    It was true. She was anxious for a breakthrough to happen between them.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Song Wenye was annoyed. ¡°Just you wait. I¡¯ll look for Toffeecito¡¯s dad and have him confess his love for you.¡±

    ¡°I would thank you if you can make thate true. Heck, I¡¯ll even buy you dinner. You can have anything you want.¡± Shen Xi wished Li Yuan would be the first to say those magic words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to confess to him!¡± Song Wenye fell into thought before adding, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t hurt for you to take the first step.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that boys should be the ones to confess their love instead of the girls?¡±

    Song Wenye frowned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it if he dragged his feet on taking the plunge. I guess if you really, really like him, it¡¯s not necessary who opens their heart first.¡±

    Shen Xi made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll confess my feelings to him on the day I turn eighteen.¡±

    Song Wenye coyly hugged her. ¡°Have you thought about how you¡¯re going to do it?¡±

    Shen Xi responded, ¡°I¡¯ll give him a confession he¡¯d never forget before throwing him a grand wedding.¡±

    Song Wenyemented, ¡°It¡¯s so easy to be your boyfriend. You do everything for him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my sister-inw. You¡¯ll be happy to have a good man like my brother. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything at all.¡± Shen Xi bantered.

    The term ¡°sister-inw¡± brought out the flush in Song Wenye¡¯s face. She tickled Shen Xi and threatened her, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, you hear me?¡±

    Shen Xi dodged and ducked. ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen, you petty punk.¡±

    Song Wenye snapped back. ¡°Still.¡±

    Shen Xi gave up. ¡°Got it, Sister-inw!¡±

    Song Wenye put her weight on Shen Xi and silenced her. ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡±

    She was not ready to make the switch yet!

    Meanie.

    Shen Xi threw her hands up in surrender. Jokes aside, there was a serious matter to consider. ¡°Between you two, one is an actor and the other an idol. Since Yu Yuanxi hasn¡¯t made a name for himself, you¡¯ll lose a lot of fans if you go public with your rtionship. I¡¯m talking about boyfriend and husband-figure fans.

    A female idol¡¯s fanbase wasrgely made of fans who imagined themselves as the said idol¡¯s boyfriend or husband.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t affect me, but I¡¯ll need to let my manager know beforehand.¡± This question had not crossed Song Wenye¡¯s mind. Now that she had a boyfriend, she did not see the need to hide the rtionship.

    She would openlye clean if someone were to ask.

    If the question was not brought up, she would continue her secret romance.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Xi agreed with her way of thinking but also added a neutral suggestion. ¡°It¡¯s better than letting the paparazzi make a headliner out of you two. That¡¯s your reputation down the toilet. However, you guys should just date in secret and consider making it public when you go solo.¡±

    Since she was in a girl group, one person¡¯s romance would have repercussions on her and the other members as well.

    Besides, they were currently the hottest girl group with their career on the rise. Making their rtionship public would do more harm than good.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Song Wenye chuckled. ¡°To be secretly dating is intriguing. The idea of sneaking around sounds like a thrill.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded her head with a smile. ¡°You should make your own decisions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to drag Yangyang and the girls down because of this.¡± Song Wenye understood that she did not just have a boyfriend, but she also had a lot of good friends too. She could not neglect her friends over a rtionship. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for them to get this far.¡±

    While it did not matter what would happen to her, the other girls in the group gave their all to get to where they were today. Song Wenye did not wish to do anything that would adversely affect them.

    After collecting her thoughts, she sent Yu Yuanxi a text message. [Song Wenye: Let¡¯s date in secret.¡±

    [Yu Yuanxi: You can do that.]

    He would not. Since he had a girlfriend, Yu Yuanxi wanted the whole world to know that he was taken. It would also prevent people from taking it the wrong way.

    For a moment, Song Wenye was left guessing his intentions. She sent him a puzzled face meme.

    [Yu Yuanxi: I want people to know that I have a girlfriend and avoid any unnecessary inconvenience.]

    Song Wenye smiled like an idiot. It was a great feeling to have a boyfriend. She shyly texted a kissy emoji and nighty-night. [Song Wenye: Goodnight.]

    [Yu Yuanxi: Goodnight.]

    It was a night of sweet dreams.

    Song Wenye was on a break for the next two days. Granny Yu joined her square-dancing partners to burn incense and worship at a temple.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were working all day every day.

    Shen Xi disappeared next door, with the excuse that she wanted to give the two lovebirds some space to spend some alone time.

    The heat was scorching during mid-August.

    Shen Xiy on the sofa, fussing Li Yuan to tickle her ear with her hair. She stretched out in indulgence while Toffeecito sprawled on top of her head. On the opposite sofa sat Song Xiaomi who came to mooch a meal with Toffeecito.

    Song Xiaomi was an arrogant and aloof little princess who refused to give anyone the time of the day..

 Chapter 591 - How He Wished to Drop Her Off at School Himself

    <h4>Chapter 591: How He Wished to Drop Her Off at School Himself</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Song Xiaomi had not warmed up to Li Yuan. Try as he might, Song Xiaomi would not respond to his calls.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Li Yuan gazed at his fairdy who was lying on the sofa and called her. Receiving no response, he approached to find her asleep.

    He carefully turned her over and drew a thin sheet over her. Observing the girl in deep slumber, he could not hide the adoration in his eyes. Li Yuan would never get sick of watching her in silence.

    ¡°Boss!¡± Kun Lun stepped into the living room, shouting out loud since he did not see Shen Xi and thought there was no one else in the room.

    Li Yuan shot him an angry and warning re.

    With his hair standing on end, Kun Lun finally spotted Shen Xi asleep on the sofa. He tiptoed over and handed some documents to Li Yuan.

    Ever since Ms. Shen began treatment on Boss, thetter¡¯s health was improving day by day. Kun Lun hoped that Boss¡¯s road to recovery would continue until he was in the pink and able to stand up.

    Li Yuan took the documents and sent Kun Lun on his way, looking through them while keeping herpany.

    Shen Xi opened her eyes to the man who was serious at work. She stared at him in a trance without making a peep, unable to get enough of him.

    Li Yuan had long noticed that his fairdy was awake. Her smoldering gaze made his heart skip a beat as he cleared his throat and looked back at her. ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    Nodding, Shen Xiy on her side and listlessly propped her chin against her hand. ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t be home during military training. I¡¯m also not allowed to leave the base, so I can¡¯t see you.¡±

    Her school¡¯s military training was taking ce at the capital¡¯s military base. She would be eating and sleeping at the base and undergo the same strict training as recruited soldiers.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan answered in a low voice while pretending to read his documents. He would be lying to say he was not upset. He had a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach just thinking he would not see her daily smile and greeting.

    Having a clear view of the man clutching onto his papers, Shen Xi continued. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see you for a month. Will you miss me?¡±

    Li Yuan felt a lump in his throat. He hummed a single syble in response despite the urge to say yes aloud. How could he not miss her? He would toss and turn for hours on end at every second of her absence.

    Shen Xi proceeded with the teasing. ¡°How much will you miss me?¡±

    Keeping to himself, Li Yuan let out a cough. However, his ear was stained with a suspicious rosiness.

    Shen Xi jolted up and drewrge circles with her hands before uttering, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you a lot. I¡¯ll miss you this much.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart was melting because of the girl¡¯s adorable gesture. It took his all to pull back his overpowering feelings. Any more of the sultry frolics and he could not promise he could hold the beast in. He acknowledged herment before changing the subject at hand. ¡°What time are you leaving tomorrow?¡±

    The girl was going to report to school tomorrow and straight to the military base. Studentsing from abroad would usually have to go early, but there was no rush since Shen Xi was a local.

    Unable to get the answer she wanted; Shen Xi was feeling down. ¡°I¡¯m leaving after breakfast tomorrow. I want to check out the dormitory.¡±

    Although she was unsure whether she would be staying at the dormitory, Shen Xi needed to prepare for rainy days in case she was too upied with sses or experiments to return home.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Oh, how Li Yuan wished he could drop her off at school himself and arrange everything for her.

    However, he had her parents, brothers, and friends. She was the only light and concern in his life. Yet, he was not the most important only-one in her life.

    Shen Xi had more to let off her chest, but Song Wenye¡¯s call came through, telling her to stop gallivanting ande home since Yun Jinping was home.

    ¡°Brother, I need to go.¡± Shen Xi walked to the door before suddenly turning back. ¡°Brother, our phones are confiscated during military training. I¡¯ll write you letters.¡±

    Watching the girl disappear into the wind, Li Yuan felt his chest tighten together with the void in his heart as his eyes reflected loneliness.

    ¡­

    The next day at nine o¡¯clock in the morning, Li Yuan sat in the loft as he observed his fairdy, looking rather innocent like a budding flower, in a beige over-the-knee dress, walking out with a backpack.

    Sensing his gaze, the girl lifted her chin and smiled in his direction. Like a ray of sunshine, it melted his heart with warmth.

    Shen Xi waved towards the loft. Although the trees and flowers were in the way, her good eyesight spotted him. She was certain it was him.

    In the back, Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, and Yu Yuanxi were chatting inughter as they came out. Yu Yuanxi and Shen Zhangqing each carried two suitcases ¨C one big and one small.

    Personal items were not allowed in the military base. The army would be providing the military trainees with uniform household items.

    The suitcases were packed with day-to-day essentials, clothes, sheets, bed covers, etc to use in the dormitory. Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi had their individual share that was carefully prepared by Yun Jinping.

    Song Wenye left the capital and took the seven o¡¯clock morning flight out to S City for a show. Yu Yuanxi got up early to drive her to the airport.

    They reported to the school and went to the dorms.

    Shen Xi advanced to the dormitory together with her family. Apart from her, some girls were not from the city too. Shen Xi herself was not exactly a local. She simply acquired permanent residence by registering her household in the capital through a special talent program. Technically, she was a fresh resident.

    The other students came early, about a day or two in advance. Shen Xi was thest to arrive. Two roommates were dumbstruck as Shen Xi appeared at the entrance of the dorm surrounded by family and bags of luggage. A girl with long hair and sses quickly ushered her in.

    Shen Xi picked the best amodation in the school. It was the same as the postgraduates¡¯ amodation that came with three bedrooms and a living room. The three roommates living there were not in the same ss as Shen Xi.

    The rent was five thousand yuan a year for the 3-bedroom apartment. It was not amon choice for many students who were not very well off.

    Following a proper introduction, two roommates looked at Shen Xi in admiration. ¡°Are you the top scorer in science, Shen Xi?¡±

    They knew that this year¡¯s freshmen were different from previous years. There was a freshman who took China by storm ¨C Shen Xi. She was the capital¡¯s top achiever in science, Ms. Cai Ni the famous designer, a top-ranked national dance performer, and a student of Ms. Jiang Yin and Ms. Shu Baiyu. She killed it with any one of the titles.

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Hello.¡±

    If nothing else, those enrolled into Capital University stood out in their grades, be it the top achiever in the province, city, or district. There was no shortage of brilliant minds.

    The pair incessantly bobbed their heads as they excitedly took in the news. They then took a nce at Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Are you Shen Xi¡¯s brother, Yu Yuanxi?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi.

    He was the top scorer in liberal arts!

    This year¡¯s top achievers in science and arts were siblings!

 Chapter 592 - Duvet Cover and Bedsheet as a Welcome Gift

    <h4>Chapter 592: Duvet Cover and Bedsheet as a Wee Gift</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    What godlike siblings were they? The brother was hot and talented while the sister was good-looking and a genius. Jesus! Mortals could only look on with envy.

    Yu Yuanxi nodded with a smile. ¡°I leave my sister in your hands.¡±

    The two roommates shook their heads. The mild-mannered young hunk was a Greek god. With their knees going weak, they shook their blushing heads. ¡°No trouble, no trouble at all.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, and Yu Yuanxi helped with the unpacking, not allowing Shen Xi to lift a finger. It was like she was azy bug.

    The two roommates were envious. They were jealous she had such a doting family.

    One of the girls named Jiang Xuanxuan mustered the courage and approached Shen Xi after a long hesitation. She asked in hushed tones, ¡°Does your brother have a girlfriend?¡±

    Jiang Xuanxuan could die and go to heaven if she had a boyfriend like Yu Yuanxi. She was willing to have her lifespan reduced by a decade if God granted her wish.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded and whispered back.

    Not at all disappointed, Jiang Xuan enviously said, ¡°Your brother¡¯s girlfriend is one lucky girl.¡±

    Shen Xi agreed. She could tell that her roommates were innocent and cute. There was no question she would get along with these bright girls who yed no mind games.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Shen Xi bobbed her head.

    The other roommate, Yan Xiaoxiao drew close for the girl-talk. However, she was toote to eavesdrop on anything. Jiang Xuanxuan had dropped the subject and went on to ask if Fu Qingye was better looking in person than on TV and posters. Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fu the Movie Star face-to-facemented that he was not photogenic.

    God. To say the hottest man alive was not photogenic, she was curious just how good-looking Fu Qingye was. She wanted to meet him in person.

    ¡°Yes, he doesn¡¯t look good on TV or photos.¡± Shen Xi cleared Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s doubts. The real Qingye looked way better than on TV.

    ¡°I really want to see him with my own eyes.¡± In tears, Jiang Xuanxuan held her hands against her chest.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather take one year off my life for a chance to meet him.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao made a wish.

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°You guys are talking like it¡¯s impossible. You can see him live when hees to China for events. You might even get a photo with him and an autograph.¡±

    ¡°Xixi, are you close with Qingye?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan passionately looked at her. Nevertheless, she felt embarrassed after the words left her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I¡¯m just interested to know more about Qingye.¡±

    In fact, she wanted to ask if Shen Xi could get the tickets to the live event when Qingye were toe to China. Jiang Xuanxuan was not even able to buy scalper tickets thest time.

    Yet, Jiang Xuanxuan wanted nothing more than to meet Qingye. She was too eager to jump at the slight glimmer of hope. She hoped she was not overstepping any boundaries to ask Xixi about this when they had just met.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that close with him.¡± Shen Xi then added. ¡°But I can think of something if it¡¯s tickets to the live event.¡±

    These girls had no malicious intent since they were merely starstruck and trying to see their idol. Getting them tickets was the least she could do.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan was tempted to leap with joy but quickly got a grip on herself. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you when you secure tickets to Qingye¡¯s next event.¡±

    Yan Xiaoxiao nodded her head. ¡°Me too. Me too. I¡¯ll pay whatever it takes for the ticket.¡±

    Meeting Qingye was all she ever wanted. It never urred to her that it might soon be realized.

    Xixi had gained quite the reputation and status in showbiz. She may not be close enough to hang out with Qingye but what were a few tickets to her?

    Yun Jinping was d to see the girls gathered around for a small talk. Her daughter¡¯s roommates were good kids. They were good-natured and easy to get along with.

    The worst that could happen while living on campus was not getting along with roommates due to a sh of personalities.

    During her university days, Yun Jinping was ostracized by her wealthy roommates. The others ate, shopped, and went to ss together, leaving her out of the group.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yu Yuanxi made the bed before sitting on it for a rest.

    Yun Jinping took out the duvet cover and bedsheets distributed by the school and ced them in a basin. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m heading to themonundry room to help Xixi wash these.¡±

    The school might have an automated washing machine facility, but not in every amodation. Amonundry room installed with two washing machines for the students was set up in each dormitory.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Zhangqing responded and got back to his conversation with Yu Yuanxi. He did not mention going with her.

    Yun Jinping was carrying the sheets to theundry room when she bumped into a middle-aged woman with a fully painted face. The woman who seemed to have ss expressed surprise. ¡°Huh, are you Yun Jinping?¡±

    Taken aback, Yun Jinping carefully scanned the woman but failed to recognize her. She let out an embarrassed smile. ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Xiao Ran, we studied in the same university. I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t recognize me since we shared the same dormitory.¡± Xiao Ran introduced herself before taking a nce at Yun Jinping¡¯s clothes in disdain.

    Tacky.

    Yun Jinping was the same as her dingy self back in her university years. Judging by her in outfit, she must be penny-pinching like her family, scrimping and saving to pay for her child¡¯s tuition fees.

    For Yun Jinping to be here, her child must be epted into Capital University. Oh, it must be tough for Yun Jinping. Xiao Ran wondered how Yun Jinping¡¯s child fared in the National College Entrance Examination to be admitted into the university.

    Her daughter was the provincial capital¡¯s top scorer!

    ¡°Hello.¡± It was alling back to Yun Jinping. At a closer examination, she realized Xiao Ran went through a lot of change. The woman was not that attractive back in college.

    ¡°We hadn¡¯te across each other since our graduation.¡± Xiao Ran was overly friendly. Since their time in university, she had enjoyed Yun Jinping looking shabby. Thetter was like a clown she couldugh at.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Yun Jinping remained neutral as she meekly replied, not disying indifference or enthusiasm.

    They were university mates after all.

    ¡°You¡¯re washing your child¡¯s sheets. Don¡¯t use the ones provided by the school. The quality is horrible. I bought my child Jin Yun¡¯s limited-edition set. It cost me a good twenty thousand yuan.¡± Xiao Ran gave her a smug look.

    Did the cheap woman know what Jin Yun was? Twenty thousand yuan must be the spending of Yun Jinping¡¯s family for an entire year!

    ¡°It¡¯s made from pure cotton. The quality is fine.¡± Yun Jinping smiled back softly.

    When did Jin Yun start to produce duvet covers and bedsheets? Howe she knew nothing about it?

    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Xiao Ran patronizingly gazed at her and said, ¡°By right, your child should call me an aunt. I¡¯ll take you all out for dinnerter and to a shop at a nearby mall. I¡¯ll buy some duvet covers and bed sheets as a wee gift to your child.. Take it as a token of my regard.¡±

 Chapter 593 - A Former University Mateâ€™s Treat

    <h4>Chapter 593: A Former University Mate¡¯s Treat</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping was tongue-tied to refuse the invitation.

    Xiao Ran quickly jumped in. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. My husband and I came with our daughter. We¡¯re staying in the nearby First Snow Hotel. It¡¯s the most luxurious hotel in our country and the rate for one night is at least twenty thousand yuan. I told my husband there¡¯s no need to stay in such an expensive room, but he insisted on experiencing our nation¡¯s best hotel. I couldn¡¯t talk him out of it. Where are you staying?¡±

    By the looks of Yun Jinping, she would barely scrape by to stay in a 30 yuan a night Travelodge.

    ¡°My husband and I are here to drop our kid off. We¡¯re heading home in a bit.¡± Yun Jinping ced the sheets in the washing machine.

    Xiao Ran walked up and swiped her newly bought card on the washing machine. ¡°Let me get it for you. I just loaded ten thousand yuan onto theundry card. The credit is more than enough.¡±

    Since Yun Jinping was traveling hometer, she probably did not want to waste money on lodging. That sounded about right as Yun Jinping¡¯s family likely could not afford the astronomical prices in the capital.

    Furrowing her brows, Yun Jinping was without a word.

    ¡°Are you and your husband flying home?¡± Xiao Ran feigned concern as she probed.

    ¡°No.¡± Yun Jinping shook her head.

    ¡°My husband and I are traveling first ss by ne. It doesn¡¯t cost much to get all the way to my ce. I think it¡¯s ten thousand yuan per person.¡± Xiao Ran grew hoity-toity, knowing her guess was right. Yun Jinping must be taking the train home because it was cheaperpared to flights. The poor thing sure had it rough.

    Although Xiao Ran never stayed in touch with Yun Jinping after their graduation, she picked up that thetter had married a farming boy who only graduated from junior high. There was no future in farming.

    Her husband was the owner of a listedpany with an annual ie of up to a million.

    Yun Jinping smiled awkwardly.

    Xiao Ran was overflowing with a sense of privilege as she observed what she thought to be inferiority, humiliation, and sheepishness on Yun Jinping¡¯s face. Thrilled to crush Yun Jinping under her feet, Xiao Ran continued with the questions. ¡°Which room is your child staying in? It must be destiny that we have such a good rtionship and now our children are studying in the same school, living in the same dorm and building. I hope they hit it off.¡±

    She expected her daughter to put down Yun Jinping¡¯s daughter as she did to Yun Jinping to reflect their family¡¯s superiority. Xiao Ran was ted just thinking about it.

    ¡°We¡¯re going elsewhereter.¡± Yun Jinping declined the invitation, not wanting to waste another breath with her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can wait. It¡¯s our treat. So we¡¯ll see you at noon in front of the dormitory.¡± Xiao Ran believed Yun Jinping was looking for an excuse to get away because she did not want to look bad.

    Well, Xiao Ran was not going to let Yun Jinping get out of it. She wanted to show Yun Jinping how good she had it in life, how wealthy her husband was, and how sessful her daughter was. Xiao Ran was a winner in life.

    Yun Jinping tried to decline.

    Xiao Ran acted angrily and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you say no to me. You¡¯ll be looking down on me, your old friend. Do you have a problem with me? Is that why you won¡¯t even have a meal with me?¡±

    Helpless about the situation, Yun Jinping had to nod in agreement. She might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even she could tell Xiao Ran was looking for a reason to brag. Still, Yun Jinping saw the behavior as childish andughable.

    She was doing well for herself. Her husband, daughter, and son were good to her. She was happy and counted her blessings, so there was no need for her to y theparison game.

    The pair exchanged contact details and arranged to call before the gathering.

    Xiao Ran straightened her back in contentment and strutted away in her stilettos, riding away on her high horse.

    She wanted to see what kind of husband Yun Jinping had. Surely, the farming viger was old, tanned, and ugly. Her daughter must also be a country bumpkin fresh out of a farm.

    Since this was the girls¡¯ dormitory, Xiao Ran at least knew Yun Jinping had a daughter.

    Catching the discoloration in Yun Jinping¡¯s face upon her return, Shen Zhangqing went up to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey?¡±

    Yun Jinping curled her lips. ¡°Nothing. I ran into a former university friend. She insisted on buying us lunch. I couldn¡¯t refuse her.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing thought it was something bad at first as she pulled a long face. ¡°It¡¯s just lunch. We can do lunch together.¡±

    Shen Xi was itching with curiosity too. ¡°Who is she to you, Mom?¡±

    Why did she not know anything about it? Mom married Dad straight out of college and became a full-time housewife. She lost contact with all her ssmates.

    Mom would not normally bring up her days in university.

    ¡°A university mate I shared a room with,¡± Yun Jinping answered. ¡°We don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    ¡°We should go since you promised her.¡± Shen Xi drew close. ¡°Are you afraid we¡¯d embarrass you?¡±

    Yun Jinping pped her back. ¡°How could you ever embarrass me? You only ever make me proud.¡±

    No one else in the world was more outstanding than her darling daughter. Her daughter was her pride!

    ¡°What are you worried about then? Old Shen, my brother, and I won¡¯t bring you shame.¡± Thrilled, Shen Xi clung onto Yun Jinping¡¯s arm. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll put makeup on you. Let¡¯s get an outfit delivered too.¡±

    ¡°Why go through all the trouble when it¡¯s just a meal with a former ssmate?¡± Yun Jinping poutingly took a nce at Shen Xi. Oh, the girl and her antics.

    ¡°It¡¯s the very reason you¡¯re having lunch with an old university friend that you need to get dolled up.¡± Shen Xi chuckled. She called the store and requested Jin Yun¡¯s limited-edition ¡°Phoenix in Peonies¡± that had not hit the stores yet.

    A school reunion, huh? Shen Xi could tell from the look on Mom¡¯s face that this was no friend. There was bound to be some showing off going on.

    This especially rang true to those middle-aged women with nothing better to do. They loved topare their husbands, their children, who had better skin care, and even something as trivial as the length of their fingernails.

    Hearing this, Yun Jinping smiled dotingly. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Her husband was looking sharp dressed in a formal suit while she dressed down in a loose dress. She also had no makeup on, and that gave reason for people to look down on her.

    She could not let her husband and children down!

    ¡°Better get to sprucing up,dies. I¡¯ll walk Yuanxi to his dorm.¡± Shen Zhangqing took a look at the time. It was only ten o¡¯clock, two more hours before the lunch appointment.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Nodding with a smile, Yun Jinping watched as her husband and son hauled the suitcase out of there.

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Yan Xiaoxiao gathered round excitedly as Shen Xi applied cosmetics on Yun Jinping. It was a rare honor to have front row seats to Ms. Cai Ni live at work.

    At 11.50 AM, Xiao Ran, together with her daughter and husband, waited downstairs at the dormitory.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband had ordinary looks, thinning hairline, and a beer belly like most middle-aged men. Although he was decked out in a suit, his appearance screamed a greasy man.

    Simr to Xiao Ran, her daughter¡¯s face was painted with a no-makeup look. She appeared pure and beautiful.

    ¡°Honey, is your old university friending or not? Would you look at the time?¡± Xiao Ran¡¯s husband was losing his patience. He nced at his limited-edition Patek-Phillipe and expressed disgruntlement. ¡°It¡¯s ten to twelve. Call her right now. I¡¯ve never waited on anyone.¡±

    After saying that, all passers-by stopped in their tracks and looked towards the entrance of the dormitory..

 Chapter 594 - No Game Slipped Past Her Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 594: No Game Slipped Past Her Eyes</h4>

    The group who was fast approaching carried themselves in grace. It was so breathtaking that the public could not take their eyes away from them.

    The woman was stunning, showing off her curves in her qipao[1]. The makeup onlyplimented her looks.

    The suit the man was wearing drew out his towering build. The dashing and handsome man was chatting with the beautiful woman in smiles.

    The girl beside the woman was like a beautiful angel descended from the heavens. Her beauty was mind-blowing despite only wearing a simple pleated dress.

    A tall and fine young man walked alongside the girl. Sophisticated in demeanor, he had a warm smile capable of melting hearts.

    The group seemed to belong to one unit. Blessed with good looks that could invoke jealousy, the whole family were such eye candies. People could not resist stopping at their tracks to take a second nce.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter clicked her tongue in disdain as jealousy sat in when she saw the family across from her. What was so great about them? Their need to be pretentious on a high profile would one day bite back.

    Most people would be fascinated, envious, or taking pleasure in admiring beautiful things. However, there was a small percentage of human beings who were madly jealous and annoyed towards things that were prettier than them.

    Coincidentally, Xiao Ran¡¯s family belonged to the minority.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband unhappily let out a cough as Xiao Ran was gawping at the man in the suit. ¡°Honey, call and ask your friend why they aren¡¯t here yet. It¡¯s almost twelve. Don¡¯t waste my time.¡±

    Xiao Ran could not recognize that the one walking toward her was Yun Jinping since it could not click in her brain that a privileged family equaled Yun Jinping and her family.

    The way she saw it, Yun Jinping was a rural woman, and her husband was a farmer. Her daughter was likely a poor vige girl.

    Taking her husband¡¯s orders, Xiao Ran whipped out her phone and gave Yun Jinping a call. She was irritated because she was giving Yun Jinping face by treating her family to lunch.

    Yun Jinping should know better than to keep Xiao Ran¡¯s family waiting. She was showing Xiao Ran disrespect by embarrassing her in front of her husband.

    Before Yun Jinping had a chance to greet Xiao Ran, her phone started to ring. She picked up her phone and noticed it was Xiao Ran calling. Instead of answering the call, she took a few steps forward and approached the family with a smile. ¡°Xiao Ran.¡±

    It dawned on Xiao Ran just as she dialed the number. Thedy in qipao was Yun Jinping whom she thought less of. Xiao Ran was 100% sure of it when Yun Jinping came nearer.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband widened his eyes in disbelief. Was the beautifuldy the country bumpkin his wife was talking about?

    This was no country bumpkin. She was a babe!

    Did she not say that the husband worked on a farm? The man did not seem to be theborious kind.

    Was the angellike girl supposed to be the vige girl mentioned by his wife?

    Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter was merely fixated on Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi while turning into a green-eyed monster.

    What was up with Mom? What rural girl?

    She was expecting a tacky country bumpkin with pigtails.

    However, the girl¡¯s beauty got her so riled up she wanted to scratch and scar her face.

    Who was the fine young man next to her? Was he her boyfriend? The girl must be bad news since she was dating at such a young age.

    No one was more shocked than Xiao Ran. She smiled sheepishly. ¡°Oh, Jinping. I didn¡¯t really dress up for our reunion. I nearly couldn¡¯t recognize you over the makeup and change of clothes.¡±

    Xiao Ran quickly got over it after the initial shock faded. Clothes made the man. With the right attire, one could go from zero to hero.

    Yun Jinping probably put on her best clothes because she was afraid to make a fool of herself. That was vain of her. Xiao Ran wondered if she spent everyst penny to get the whole outfit.

    ¡°My daughter said this is how it¡¯s done for reunions nowadays. Otherwise, it would be disrespecting you,¡± Yun Jinping replied with a grin.

    Xiao Ran intended to boast about her good family to Yun Jinping, but now her daughter and husband were already defeated in terms of looks. It never urred to her that Yun Jinping would have found an attractive husband and given birth to such a beautiful girl. Xiao Ran curled her lips and asked, ¡°Is this your daughter and her boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°No, these are my daughter and son,¡± Yun Jinping exined.

    ¡°Are you here to drop your daughter or son off at school?¡± Xiao Ran was confused.

    ¡°Both my son and daughter. They¡¯ve enrolled into Capital University this year.¡± Yun Jinping maintained a gentle smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re so blessed.¡± Xiao Ran might acknowledge that fact, but she was gritting her teeth inside. Still, she foundfort that Yun Jinping and her husband must pay a fortune to send her children to university. Could they afford it with their livelihood on the farm?

    Xiao Ran put on a front, not letting up her scorn and contempt for Yun Jinping.

    Women, especially at their age, enjoyed unting skincare, husband, children, and wealth. They had to be number one in everything.

    The families exchanged greetings without introducing themselves. They would leave the introduction to the dinner table.

    ¡°My husband has booked us rides. It¡¯s just over there. Let¡¯s get going,¡± Xiao Ran cheerfully uttered.

    ¡°We drove here.¡± Shen Zhangqing interrupted.

    His darling daughter was a bit of a germaphobe and did not like sitting in other people¡¯s cars. Nothing beat riding in her family¡¯s car.

    Xiao Ran pulled a sour face.

    Yun Jinping gave Shen Zhangqing a bump before saying with a smile, ¡°Our car isn¡¯t here. We¡¯ll take the ride you ordered.¡±

    Xiao Ran¡¯s heart sank when she heard from Shen Zhangqing that they owned a car. However, Yun Jinping¡¯s nudge did not go amiss. Xiao Ran sneered at Yun Jinping for trying to put up window dressing. Surely, there was no car, to begin with.

    What kind of man did Yun Jinping marry? The whole family was a bunch of liars. Who were they trying to kid? No game slipped past her eyes. Well, she was going to call their bluffter.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband ordered two cars and they were all Mercedes-Benz worth at least a million.

    Xiao Ran and her daughter along with Yun Jinping and Shen Xi took one car, so the old mates could catch up.

    Shen Zhangqing, Yu Yuanxi, and Xiao Ran¡¯s husband sat in the other car.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband studied the man dressed to the nines. His wife secretly told him that her old university mate¡¯s family was trying to y out as though they were rich so as not to lose face. Turning up his nose inside, Xiao Ran¡¯s husband was about to find out whether they were faking it. Hence, he inquired, ¡°What do you do for a living, Mr. Shen.¡±

    ¡°I do a bit of construction.¡± Shen Zhangqing practiced humility.

    ¡°What construction? Are you a foreman or something? Construction as in renovations?¡± Xiao Ran¡¯s husband kept up with the questions.

    ¡°You can say that.¡± Shen Zhangqing remained modest.

    [1] Qipao is a type of Chinese form-fitting garment of Manchu origin. It is a high-necked, closely fitted, and often short-sleeved dress with a side slit..

 Chapter 595 - The Best Suite Is Ready for You

    <h4>Chapter 595: The Best Suite Is Ready for You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Construction is lucrative. You must earn a lot in a year.¡± Xiao Ran¡¯s husband scoffed to himself. Following Shen Zhangqing¡¯s reply, Xiao Ran¡¯s husband believed he was putting on an act since he was reluctant to give a direct answer. It was clear that Shen Zhangqing had something to hide and was blowing him off.

    ¡°Not much. I was nearly driven to bankruptcyst year.¡± Shen Zhangqing made a wisecrack.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband let out a smile without continuing the conversation. He had nothing inmon to talk about with the pretentious yokel. Shen Zhangqing probably was a measly foreman with a few men under him. Xiao Ran¡¯s husband only heard of farmersmitting suicide by jumping down from buildings after failing to demand wages from the boss, but this was his first to hear that the boss was backed into the corner by their workers.

    Bankruptcy, his *ss. How much money did he have to use the word, bankruptcy? Had he ever been to school? Did he even know how to spell bankruptcy?

    In the Mercedes Benz ahead.

    Xiao Ranid it on thick. ¡°Have you heard about Cream of the Crop? It¡¯s the best restaurant in town. The membership fee for the lowest tier member is at least 10 million yuan. We¡¯re having lunch there.¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to.¡±

    Xiao Ran unconcernedly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The minimum spending is only 100 thousand yuan.¡±

    Her husband borrowed the membership card from a friend in the capital, prepared to bring these rednecks to the best and most luxurious restaurant for a real eye-opener to the world of upper society.

    ¡°It¡¯s expensive,¡± Yun Jinpingmented.

    Xiao Ran uttered, ¡°That¡¯s about the prices we pay when our family goes out for food. It¡¯s not at all expensive. Only the best restaurant for my old friend.¡±

    Shen Xi sat in the passenger¡¯s seat next to the driver while the trio took the backseat. Sitting in the back, Xiao Ran had been yapping nonstop since they got into the car. Shen Xi was sick and tired of hearing all about it.

    Way to show off her wealth.

    The woman was mad to unt in front of her.

    Besides, the condescension and superiority reflected in her tone did not sit well with Shen Xi.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter would take a nce at Shen Xi every now and then. She was turned off by Shen Xi¡¯s silence and brief perfunctory answers to Mom¡¯s questions.

    Who did she think she was? She was just a farmer¡¯s girl. She must think she was all that because of her pretty face. Still, it did not change the fact that she was poor.

    Throughout the journey, Xiao Ran bragged about her daily indulgence to Yun Jinping. She rambled on how she was tired of home-cooked meals and whatever haute couture bags shipped from overseas by air freight.

    Shen Xi was sick to her stomach whilementing how well her Madam Yun was putting up with her ssless college friend. A truly wealthy person found it above themselves to unt their wealth.

    Only the nouveau riche would show off to the whole world that they were rich.

    Yun Jinping asked Xiao Ran when they were nearly at their destination, ¡°How much is the fare? I¡¯ll pay for it. I can¡¯t let you buy everything when you¡¯re already covering the meal.¡±

    Xiao Ran pretended to be mad. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger. I said I¡¯m bringing you to lunch, so it¡¯s only right to give you the whole nine yards. I¡¯ll pay for it. It only costs five thousand.¡±

    Shen Xi felt a twitch in her eyelids. Man, the woman sure knew how to slip in a brag.

    One after another, the car pulled up at the entrance of Cream of the Crop.

    After getting down from the cars, the group headed into the restaurant.

    Xiao Ran stepped into the lobby, yelling for the waiter while presenting the membership card. ¡°Please bring us to the best and most expensive suite you have.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam. The suites are full at the moment. Please wait over there. Our waiters will get right to you.¡± The server politely replied with a smile.

    ¡°What?¡± Xiao Ran¡¯s tone turned high pitched. ¡°I am a member here, you know. Give me the best suite or I¡¯ll sue you!¡±

    The server remained courteous. ¡°Those waiting there are all our members.¡±

    ¡°What would it take for you to arrange a suite? How much money do I have to top up?¡± Having been turned down, Xiao Ran felt her pride challenged. She needed to regain the respect she was owed.

    ¡°This is not a matter of money. Members are to book a month in advance for a suite. I would suggest seeking our VVIP members if you need the suite right now. Our VVIP members do not need to prebook for one.¡± The attendant was well-informed enough to affably handle her mumbo jumbo.

    ¡°Just you wait.¡± Utterly humiliated, Xiao Ran stormed off to her husband. ¡°Hubby, do you have any VVIP friends? The waiter¡¯s a snob and refused to give us a suite.¡±

    The people around, who were waiting to be seated, observed the joke that she was. Who sent in the clown? It was beneath them to be categorized in the same VIP status with someone who was not acquainted with the basic rules of Cream of the Crop.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband begged around for a membership card to support his wife in her quest to parade their privilege because he heard that the restaurant was the most distinguished in the capital. It was good enough they were able to borrow a membership, but a VVIP card was a different story.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can wait. There¡¯s no rush.¡± Yun Jinping softly persuaded her.

    ¡°No. The restaurant has gone too far. I¡¯m going to talk some sense into them.¡± Refusing to listen, Xiao Ran felt the server made a fool out of her. In an attempt to redeem herself, she took off.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband and daughter went with her too.

    It did not take long before a quarrel broke out between them and the waiter. Xiao Ran, in particr, was a hellcat, kicking up a fuss while flinging the VIP membership card. She demanded a suite right away or she was going to call herwyers.

    Even Yun Jinping with the mildest temper was unable to stand it any longer. She got up to urge Xiao Ran to knock it off.

    Turning to Shen Zhangqing and Yu Yuanxi, Shen Xi shrugged.

    Shen Zhangqing cleared his throat. ¡°How about I get a VVIP card so we can get the lunch started?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°It¡¯s a waste of money since we hardlye, only once or twice in a year.¡±

    A simple phone call to deliver would fix it should a craving arise.

    Shen Zhangqing remarked, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the security woulde and kick them out if they keep it up. She¡¯s your mom¡¯s ssmate after all. It¡¯d be embarrassing.¡±

    Shen Xi chuckled. What a family of clowns. Nevertheless, it was not like they were going to cross paths after this incident.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s family was still acting out at the front desk. Xiao Ran¡¯s husband began throwing out threats to make Cream of the Crop go out of business.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± With the elevator opening, a person walked out and stared at the big hoo-ha in displeasure.

    ¡°Mr. Kun Lun, thedy here is our VIP member. She insists on a suite to be avable right away. I¡¯ve exined to her the rules of the restaurant but she¡¯s not taking no as an answer.¡± The attendant gave the lowdown.

    ¡°Are you the person in charge? We spent 10 million on the membership fees and this is the thanks we get?¡± Xiao Ran spitefully questioned with her finger up his nose.

    ¡°Give them the best suite. All charges will be on the house,¡± Kun Lun ordered.

    Having gotten the answer she wanted, Xiao Ran felt pretty good about herself and gave the reasoning server a dirty look. ¡°Did you hear that? Your boss is to be the only one who seems to know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Kun Lun turned ck in the face while wondering where the idiot came from. He saw Mrs. Shen pulling her back and trying to break the fight up, so he yed nice, thinking she was Mrs. Shen¡¯s friend.

    ¡°Your attendants need to be taught how to handle customers. Fire her.¡± Pointing at the server, Xiao Ran told Kun Lun.

    Without looking at Xiao Ran, Kun Lun made a beeline to Yun Jinping. Leaning over, he respectfully uttered, ¡°Mrs. Shen, we didn¡¯t know you were here. The best suite is ready for you.. Please follow me.¡±

 Chapter 596 - Get Down on the Ground and Wipe It Clean

    <h4>Chapter 596: Get Down on the Ground and Wipe It Clean</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°We can wait.¡± Yun Jinping embarrassedly smiled. Her old ssmate was causing a scene here after all.

    She had only met Kun Lun once. At the time, she thought he worked for Jin Yu, but now it seemed this was not the case. His employer must be the young and handsome man living next door.

    ¡°Jinping, do you know him?¡± Xiao Ran was dumbstruck. How could it be? There must be some mistake. Would someone from Cream of the Crop know Yun Jinping?

    The man in front was looking sharp in his suit. He was clearly no ordinary man by the way he carried himself. Since the waitress just now called him a mister and he could make the call of giving them the best suite, he must either be the person in charge or the boss.

    ¡°I¡¯ve met him once.¡± The embarrassed Yun Jinping turned to Kun Lun. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡±

    Put in the spot by Yun Jinping¡¯s polite refusal, Kun Lun instinctively looked to Shen Xi for help.

    Shen Xi had already approached Yun Jinping. ¡°Mom, just ept the offer since we¡¯re here to dine anyway. There¡¯s a lot of people here so we won¡¯t know how long we must wait. I still have things to do when I get back to schoolter.¡±

    Standing nearby, Xiao Ran finally cut out the shouting. However, her probing eyes reflected her curiosity about Yun Jinping¡¯s rtionship with the man.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband and daughter had their own opinions about the family. Who were they to receive such treatment from an executive of a high-end restaurant in the capital?

    ¡°Mrs. Shen, Ms. Shen, Mr. Shen, Young Master Xi, pleasee with me.¡± With Yun Jinping giving the nod, Kun Lun took a step back and beckoned them to a suite.

    Kun Lun was unsure how to address Yu Yuanxi. Young Master Yu? However, he was a child of the Shen family. In the end, he chose somewhere in between.

    Having never been addressed in such a way, Yu Yuanxi bobbed his head and let out a gentle smile.

    Xiao Ran with her husband and daughter may love to unt, but they were no fools. Although they had an inkling about the situation, the family was unhappy by Kun Lun¡¯s differential treatment.

    Why did he have a careful and respectful attitude toward Yun Jinping¡¯s family? He even referred to them in honorifics but would not even cast a nce at Xiao Ran¡¯s family.

    Xiao Ran was in the mind of walking out of the restaurant, but her vanity tempted her to experience the most famous and high-end restaurant in the capital. It would be something to boast to her girlfriends back at home.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter was fixated on Yu Yuanxi. If Mom¡¯s old university mate was indeed a rich family, she could consider dating the son.

    She had nothing to argue about the son¡¯s good looks. Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter was willing to ept the short end of the stick and lower her standards for a marriage partner as he just barely made the cut to deserve her.

    On the other hand, she found the daughter to be an eyesore. Shen Xi was the first to be kicked out when she married her brother.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband would stare at Yun Jinping every once in a while. With his wife and daughter standing by him, he only had the guts to sneak a few peeks.

    Thedy was prettier and kinder than his harpy and wrinkly wife. That gentle smile on Yun Jinping¡¯s face was soothing to his soul.

    The biggest regret in his life was marrying this hellcat. He would be smiling in his sleep if he married a woman like Yun Jinping.

    They soon arrived at the suite.

    The quaint-looking dining room was adorned with antiques worth several million.

    ¡°After you.¡± Kun Lun stood in one corner. ¡°Mr. Shen, Mrs. Shen, would you like to order off our menu or should I make rmendations?¡±

    Yun Jinping smiled at him before asking Xiao Ran. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll order.¡± Xiao Ran flipped open the menu, only to be taken aback by the six-figure prices staring back at her. She was only bluffing to Yun Jinping when talking about dining at five-star restaurants. Xiao Ran would think twice before indulging in such an expensive meal.

    God. A serving of ten dishes could go up to a million yuan.

    Fortunately, the person in charge said the meal was on the house. Otherwise, her husband would beat her to death for spending so much money when they got home.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s daughter was ecstatic to read the menu. It appeared that the Shen family was loaded and not the pauper as described by Mom.

    Sticking out his beer belly like the leader of the pack, Xiao Ran¡¯s husband looked at Kun Lun. ¡°Leave us be. We¡¯ll call you when we¡¯re ready to order.¡±

    No one had ordered Kun Lun around before other than his boss. Kun Lun would make the man grovel on his knees and apologize the heck out of it if it were anyone else.

    However, these were people brought in by Ms. Shen. No matter what, he had to bear with it for now and teach the piece of sh*t a lessonter.

    Shen Xi let out a cough and drew close to Kun Lun. ¡°Get someone else to serve us.¡±

    Kun Lun was Li Yuan¡¯s assistant. He was the big man in front of everyone, except Li Yuan. It was just wrong for him to be treated as a waiter by the greasy middle-aged man.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Letting out a polite smile, Kun Lun was ready to step out of the suite.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband cried out, ¡°Hey, you. Wait a minute. Are you blind? Don¡¯t you know how to serve customers? Come on, pour the tea!¡±

    With Kun Lun¡¯s eyes alighted with murderous intent, he walked up and poured the tea. He had to keep his cool and practice zen since Ms. Shen¡¯s family was still around.

    Shen Xi had a problem with Xiao Ran¡¯s whole family. Had it not been because she was Mom¡¯s old friend, she would have told them to scram. Birds of a feather flocked together. The whole family was the same kind.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s family quickly decided on the menu, ordering over twenty dishes in total.

    Yun Jinping gazed at her and suggested, ¡°We can¡¯t finish all the food. Do you want to take off a few dishes?¡±

    Xiao Ran grinned. ¡°Nah. Waiter, that would be all.¡±

    Standing in as a waiter, Kun Lun identally bumped onto the husband¡¯s arm while retrieving the menus. Xiao Ran¡¯s husband eximed, ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Do you know how to do your job? Look, you soiled my shoe.¡±

    Kun Lun looked and found two drops of tea on the man¡¯s shoe. Suppressing his urge for blood, he muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Do you think a ¡®sorry¡¯ is enough? What sort of service is this? Get on the floor and wipe it clean.¡± Xiao Ran¡¯s husband red his nostrils.

    ¡°Xiao Ran.¡± Even the mild-mannered Yun Jinping could not stand it anymore. She informed Xiao Ran, ¡°It was only an ident. Just let it go.¡±

    ¡°As a waiter, he shouldn¡¯t be so clumsy as to ruin the customer¡¯s things. He deserves it.¡± Xiao Ran arrogantly looked back at Yun Jinping with a sense of privilege.. ¡°You¡¯re still a long way from learning about the basics.¡±

 Chapter 597 - Fu Qingye the Movie Star Was Shooting a Film at Their School!

    <h4>Chapter 597: Fu Qingye the Movie Star Was Shooting a Film at Their School!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping was green and inexperienced. The customer was king. Not just wiping, the server would have to grovel at their feet and lick the stain clean if that was what the customer wanted.

    Kun Lun was ying out 101 ways to slice Xiao Ran¡¯s family to bits in his mind while bending down to clean the dirt on Xiao Ran¡¯s husband¡¯s shoe. A waiter, his *ss.

    Since they would not stop talking about waiters, Kun Lun was going to give them a go at the profession after the meal.

    Shen Xi looked at Xiao Ran¡¯s husband like he was a dead man. Only an insensible fool would pretend to be all that over here.

    Did Kun Lun look like a server? Some people really loved digging their own graves.

    The whole family was off-putting.

    Xiao Ran was clearly a vain and brainless idiot who never ceased to brag that she was better than others.

    The balding greasy middle-aged man with a beer belly, Xiao Ran¡¯s husband, was not only finding fault with Kun Lun but also ogling at Mom.

    The daughter had her eyes glued to Yuanxi. She even tried to sit next to her brother when they came into the suite, but Shen Xi was one step ahead and did not give her the satisfaction of it. Since then, the daughter gave Shen Xi the evil eye for foiling her n.

    Kun Lun quickly left the room.

    Xiao Ran started off another one of her brags as she said with a smile, ¡°Jinping, my Lan scored 704 for her National College Entrance Examination and became our city¡¯s top scorers. What about your children?¡±

    Yun Jinping shed a smile. ¡°They are also the top scorers of our city.¡±

    Xiao Ran feigned surprise. ¡°Which city are you in? We live in H City in A Province. Lan is only 5 points away from the provincial top scorer.¡±

    Pride was reflected in Yun Jinping¡¯s tone. ¡°We live in the capital. They are the capital¡¯s top scorers. Xixi is in science while Yuanxi is in arts.¡±

    Xiao Ran, ¡°¡­¡±

    In the capital?

    Did she not marry into a farming vige?

    Xiao Ran¡¯s husband and daughter, ¡°¡­¡±

    Were they not rural bumpkins? Why were they the capital¡¯s top achievers in science and arts?

    ¡°Look at me. Where are my manners? We¡¯ve talked so long and yet I still don¡¯t know what your children¡¯s names are. My Lan¡¯s full name is Zhang Lan.¡± Xiao Ran refused to believe that Yun Jinping¡¯s children were the top achievers of the capital. No way that was possible!

    ¡°Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi.¡± Yun Jinping identified the names.

    Hearing the names, Zhang Lan whipped out her phone and started digging under the table. She keyed in their names in the search engine, expecting to only find news reports of grades.

    Zhang Lan¡¯s interview was covered byworks and the news media after all.

    Nevertheless, it never urred to her that the results on the search engine ended up in millions. They even had her own Wikipedia page. The girl, Shen Xi, drove her mad as she clicked to find many titles to Shen Xi¡¯s name. Her achievement as the top student in science was not worth the mention.

    Shen Xi was Cai Ni the renowned designer, a first-ranked dance performance, the student of Jiang Yin the Showbiz Witch, and the student of Ms. Shu Baiyu the National Treasure in dance.

    Her brother, Yu Yuanxi was without the dazzling titles that Shen Xi had. Still, he reigned on top of National College Entrance Examination and was also a male lead of the movie, Mirror.

    Xiao Ran had never heard of these two names. The only thing she knew was a middle-aged woman¡¯s indulgent life in food, mahjong, and unting wealth. She would not concern herself with this, albeit she was puzzled. ¡°When did you uproot to the capital? Why is Yu your son¡¯sst name?¡±

    It was not easy to uproot to the capital without depending on connections and influence. It was unlikely they registered their household residence in the capital.

    ¡°My husband and I did not move our residency to the capital.¡± Yun Jinping smiled. ¡°My son grew up in the capital while my daughter managed to register her residence here because of her talent as a national dance performer.¡±

    Yun Jinping and her husband, as well as their daughter, were not bothered about the household residence. However, the relevant agency offered to uproot her since Shen Xi was a special talent.

    Xiao Ran felt bitter. ¡°Your daughter is amazing. What do you and your husband do now? Why don¡¯t you move your residency to the capital? It¡¯s hard to acquire one in the capital.¡±

    ¡°My husband is in construction while I¡¯m doing designs.¡± Yun Jinping answered all her old ssmate¡¯s questions.

    Xiao Ran was irked. Her children were the impressive ones. The couple would have registered their residency in the capital if they were as good. ¡°Where? As a designer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the design director at Jin Yun.¡± Yun Jinping¡¯s smile remained gentle.

    Xiao Ran¡¯s heart sank. She was no stranger to Jin Yun since she used to study design as well. It was thetest hottest luxurious brand in the country that featured clothes with prices through the roof. Xiao Ran wanted to buy one but could never bring herself to.

    Jin Yun.

    Yun Jinping?

    Struck by a thought, Xiao Ran¡¯splexion was drained of color. She leaned into Zhang Lan¡¯s ear and whispered to check on Jin Yun.

    Zhang Lan might be young, but she was street smart. After running checks on Yu Yuanxi and Shen Xi, she began to look into Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing. Clutching her phone, she was overwhelmed with mixed feelings and dismay.

    Shen Zhangqing was a renowned entrepreneur, the president of Zhangqing Corp in fact. His corporation was a listedpany with a market value worth tens of billions. One of China¡¯s 200 elite businesses, Zhangqing Corp handled dozens ofrge industries.

    Yun Jinping was the founder, chairperson, and design director of China¡¯s popr high-end luxurious brand, Jin Yun.

    Mom¡¯s old ssmate who married a farmer was no loser. The family was more than rich. To think Zhang Lan believed her mom¡¯s words and thought they were poor.

    Zhang Lan heaved a sigh of relief to find out soon enough before she said anything stupid. She was going to pursue the family¡¯s son from now on and marry into the family to be a rich wife.

    Having made up her mind, Zhang Lan changed her attitude toward Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing. She affectionately called them Aunty and Uncle while giving Yu Yuanxi a blushing look.

    Xiao Ran and her husband stopped keeping up appearances and unting wealth now that they realized who the Shen family was. Instead, they excessively cozy up to them, ready to be at the Shen family¡¯s beck and call.

    After lunch, they took on the BMW ride rented by Xiao Ran¡¯s husband.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping saw Shen Xi off at the entrance of the dormitory without going in. They shared with Shen Xi a few things to keep in mind before reluctantly departing.

    Dragging Zhang Lan along, Xiao Ran put on a show. ¡°Aunt Yun and I are best friends. You should get along with Xixi. No onees closer than sisters. Xixi, don¡¯t be scared to look for your sister, Lan, for anything.¡±

    Since Zhang Lan was older than Shen Xi by a year, Xiao Ran took it upon herself to appoint Zhang Lan as an older sister figure to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi smiled without a word.

    Xiao Ran then turned to Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Xi, you¡¯re a boy. You have to help Lan out if she ever meets any trouble.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi softly nodded, despite his revulsion for the family. Of course, he knew what Xiao Ran was trying to get at. He was ufortable by the way Zhang Lan was looking at him.

    In one corner, Xiao Ran¡¯s husband was fraternizing with Shen Zhangqing, talking about corporation ventures. However, Shen Zhangqing dealt with people in business long enough to know how to skillfully decline the proposal.

    After a word with the kids, Xiao Ran then pulled Yun Jinping aside to brownnose. She wanted to explore the capital and hinted Yun Jinping to take her and her husband around. Xiao Ran also wanted to tour Yun Jinping¡¯s home.

    No one was going to be at home as Yun Jinping had to catch a flight out of the city while Shen Zhangqing was going away for business. In the end, Xiao Ran had to sulkily drop the subject.

    Xiao Ran was already nning to get to Yun Jinping¡¯s house one way or another on their next trip to the capital. It would be best if her daughter made her proud by hooking up with Yun Jinping¡¯s son. The whole Shen family would be theirs once her daughter married into the family.

    Xiao Ran grinned from ear to ear at the thought that the Shen family¡¯s assets, including Yun Jinping¡¯s Jin Yun, would soon be theirs.

    The group did not engage in conversation for too long as Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi returned to their dorms. Yun Jinping and the other adults went their separate ways.

    Zhang Lan might not like Shen Xi, but she knew she had to get on Shen Xi¡¯s good side to chase after her brother. Holding back her aversion, Zhang Lan acted friendly as she chatted with Shen Xi.

    While taking the stairs back to their rooms, the passersby were discussing the same topic ¨C Fu Qingye the Movie Star was shooting a film at their school!

 Chapter 598 - Is Shen Xi Staying in This Room?

    <h4>Chapter 598: Is Shen Xi Staying in This Room?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Xixi, are you into celebrities?¡± Zhang Lan tried to start a conversation with Shen Xi.

    Any random person on the street would know who Fu Qingye the Movie Star was. Even if they did not know him, they would have heard his name as the greatest Chinese film star in movie history.

    ¡°No,¡± Shen Xi politely replied.

    Turning a blind eye to Shen Xi¡¯s snub and distancing, Zhang Lan kept creeping up and said, ¡°I¡¯m an avid fan of celebrities. My favorite singer is Qi Xiu and if it¡¯s an actor, it has to be Qingye.¡±

    Shen Xi faintly acknowledged.

    With a smile, Zhang Lan put herself out there and kept going about Fu Qingye so as not to let the conversation dry up, albeit she was cursing Shen Xi a thousand times in her mind. Shen Xi must think she was all that because she had a bit of money and talent. What a stuck-up b*tch.

    Wait and see. The first thing Zhang Lan was going to do after she had Yu Yuanxi in the bag was kick Shen Xi out.

    The duo¡¯s rooms were on the 3rd floor, with one staying on the left while the other on the right.

    Shen Xi halted her footsteps and nodded at Zhang Lan before pointing to the left. ¡°I¡¯m heading this way.¡±

    Although Shen Xi¡¯s attitude was getting on Zhang Lan¡¯s nerves, thetter pulled all the stops to tter her. Zhang Lan drew close and asked, ¡°Xixi, can you give me your brother¡¯s contact number? I have a few questions I need to consult with him.¡±

    Shen Xi bluntly refused, ¡°No.¡±

    With that, she spun on her heels and took off.

    Flushing in rage, Zhang Lan gnashed her teeth as she scowled at Shen Xi¡¯s aloof figure, dreaming of tearing her apart with her bare hands. Who did she think she was? A day woulde when Zhang Lan would put Shen Xi in her ce!

    If not because of Mom, Shen Xi would not waste a breath with the likes of Zhang Lan. The bitter and petty snob was such a turn-off.

    On her way back to her room.

    Looking rather excited, Ruan Xiaoxiao was the first to bolt to Shen Xi. ¡°Have you heard, Xixi? Qingye is shooting a film at our school!¡±

    Jiang Xuanxuan was over the moon. She showed a picture on her phone to Shen Xi. ¡°Look, look, Xixi! I got a picture of Qingye. Am I great or what?¡±

    Shen Xi was caught betweenughter and tears after taking a look. Sure, Jiang Xuanxuan managed to snap a picture, but it was only the back of Fu Qingye¡¯s head. Anything below the back of the head was a sea of people.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. I would¡¯ve pushed to the front if I tried better.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan looked down on her own puniness.

    Shen Xi burst out inughter. Her roommates were a lovely bunch. She encouraged Jiang Xuanxuan. ¡°You should work on it.¡±

    Gazing at Shen Xi with sparkling eyes, Jiang Xuanxuan probed, ¡°Did you meet Qingye? Do you want to go and greet him?¡±

    Ruan Xiaoxiao gave Jiang Xuanxuan a nudge and embarrassedly exined. ¡°We don¡¯t mean anything. Can you help us to take a picture if you have a chance to see him?¡±

    The pair was hesitant even when they were discussing this for a long time. However, they still felt bad since they had just be roommates with Shen Xi and were not close enough to bug her.

    ¡°We¡¯ll buy you dinner.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan bobbed her head.

    ¡°I have a working rtionship with him.¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get a picture for you when I have a chance to meet him.¡±

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were quick to express their gratitude. These words alone were enough for them to walk on air. They knew better than to expect more.

    Once they were close and got along better, they could try to take it up a notch and add an autograph or so.

    Shen Xi was fond of people with tact, unlike Zhang Lan who did not know how to take a hint and kept pushing her luck.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan straightened out their stuff and packed items on the school list permitted for the military training in their backpack before turning to Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, we¡¯re going to get sanitary pads. Do you want toe along?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°You guys should go ahead. I¡¯m going to lie down for a bit.¡±

    Madam Yun had already prepared the sanitary pads and whatnot for her.

    ¡°See you.¡± The girls were talking about the brands they used and their advantages when they ran into a person at the entrance.

    ¡°Excuse me, is Shen Xi staying in this room?¡± The man¡¯s voice was like a breath of fresh air.

    Lifting her chin, Ruan Xiaoxiao noticed a man¡¯s face behind a mask and sunsses. In a split second, her pupils dted as she swallowed the word ¡°Qingye¡± from escaping her lips. Her heart was beating so fast, it was nearly jumping out of her mouth.

    Jiang Xuanxuan was a wife-figure fan of Fu Qingye. As a fan who could recognize her idol with just the back of his head, she was stumbling for words. ¡°H-h-hubby!¡±

    Fu Qingye was surprised people were able to recognize him despite his disguise. The girls were clearly his fans judging by their reaction. He repeated his question. ¡°Is Shen Xi staying here?¡±

    Having heard themotion, Shen Xi put on her slippers and came out. There was a lot of traffic in the hallway and people were stopping to look at him. To prevent any unnecessary problems, she reached out to pull him in.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao incessantly nodded as Fu Qingye was dragged away. ¡°Yes, Shen Xi¡¯s here. She¡¯s here, alright.¡±

    Shen Xi shushed the girls and told them toe in before shutting the door tight. It was dangerous for him toe here. Shen Xi¡¯s muscles were tensing. ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s broad daylight!¡±

    She could guarantee there were at least ny percent of the girls in school who were crushing on him, if not all. He was a major superstar after all. The girls would jump at him like a pack of hungry wolves.

    After handing over a pink cotton candy to Shen Xi, Fu Qingye¡¯s hand was free to remove his disguise. ¡°I¡¯m filming here but I heard you were heading to military training in the afternoon. I thought I might miss you if I camete.¡±

    It was safer for him toeter, but word had it that the freshmen were taking the bus to the military base for their training at five.

    He just removed his mask.

    Starstruck, Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan shrieked while holding their hands against their chest. Oh gawd! He was a Greek god in the flesh.

    He was way better looking in person than on TV and posters. It was true that he was not photogenic!

    ¡°I bought some bubble tea.¡± Fu Qingye bought three cups and handed the first bubble tea to Shen Xi before leaving thest two to the roommates. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like so I bought the shop¡¯s best-sellers. I hope you like it.¡±

    Not only was Fu Qingye standing before them, but he was also smiling at and handing them the bubble tea he bought.. It was an understatement to say that Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were on cloud nine.

 Chapter 599 - What Role Do You Play in Screenwriter Cloud Sevenâ€™s Latest TV Series

    <h4>Chapter 599: What Role Do You y in Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s Latest TV Series</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ruan Xiaoxiao was so close to blurting out that she would love anything Fu Qingye bought her. Fortunately, a tiny bit of her sanity held on, but the excitement stirred her vocal cords to hit high notes. ¡°Delicious. Any vor is delicious.¡±

    ¡°For me too.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan nodded her head.

    Oh gawd. Was she just blessed with all the luck in the world? She could not believe that Qingye was here in person, chatting andughing away before her eyes.

    The pair was beyond ecstatic. Unable to take their eyes away, they werepletely glued on him as if Fu Qingye would disappear at a moment¡¯s distraction.

    Fu Qingye softly rubbed Shen Xi¡¯s head while asking with a smile, ¡°Do you need anything for the military trainingter? I can arrange for Jing Yu to make purchases.¡±

    Jiang Xuanxuan was gawping at this point as envy filled her to the core. Qingye could strike an arrow through every teenager¡¯s heart by that head-stroking. He was such a gentle and considerate man!

    Ruan Xiaoxiao was also envious. So, was this what Xixi meant by not being close to Fu Qingye? Only a working rtionship, she said. If delivering bubble tea, cotton candy, and stroking heads did not define a close rtionship, Ruan Xiaoxiao was unsure what was.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good. Mom got everything ready for me.¡± Instead of shying away, Shen Xi let Fu Qingye brush her head. She lifted her chin to meet his eye. ¡°Did anyone spot you on your way here?¡±

    Fu Qingye cheerfully answered, ¡°I pretended I was Big Brother when I came over.¡±

    Having caught on, Shen Xiprehensively nodded and gave him the thumbs up. It was a good choice. Fu Qingli¡¯s unapproachable and icy countenance could scare people away.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan had no idea what they were talking about nor were they paying attention as they were drooling over Fu Qingye. They could not get enough of him and could even go on staring at him for a thousand years.

    ¡°Are you leaving now orter?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    Fu Qingye helplessly smiled. The girl must not want to see him since she was kicking him out already. However, he really missed her as he had not seen her after filming National Idol. ¡°Which one is your room?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed to the back of him.

    Fu Qingye looked back and nced upon the room with the door wide open next to Shen Xi¡¯s. It was hard not to look as the walls were stered with giant posters of him. There was even a life-size pillow of him on the bed.

    Shen Xi followed his gaze and had the shock of her life. Soon, she was dying ofughter inside.

    Snapping out of her thoughts, Jiang Xuanxuan caught sight of Qingye ncing at her room. She nervously rushed over and shut the door with a wham. With a flush rushing to her cheeks, Jiang Xuanxuan was at a loss for words.

    Oh, sh*t.

    How could she remedy the situation now that Qingye saw it all? Would he think she was a psycho?

    Fu Qingye spontaneously turned his eyes away and changed the subject, uttering with a warm curl on his lips. ¡°You have a nice dorm.¡±

    As a celebrity, Fu Qingye was familiar with the diversity of fans and knew there were random collectible stuff, pillows, action figures, and posters of him. Nevertheless, this was the first time he had seen it with his very own eyes.

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Not bad, right?¡±

    With her head spinning, Jiang Xuanxuan wanted nothing more than to find a crack on the floor and hide in it. How could she forget to close the door?

    Ruan Xiaoxiao was relieved that she had a habit of closing the door whenever she went out. Since she had a lot of Qingye¡¯s collectibles in her room, it would be awkward if he saw it.

    Despite their first meeting, Jiang Xuanxuan and Ruan Xiaoxiao were going weak in the knees by Fu Qingye¡¯s friendliness and gentleness. Still, they knew better than to ask for more. With an opportunity knocking at their door, they mustered up the courage to ask for an autograph and a picture.

    Fu Qingye did not stay for long. He put on his sunsses and mask.

    Standing by the door, Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan watched Fu Qingye disappear into the hallway before dashing back to their room. They ran to the balcony to observe him leave the dormitory.

    Sipping on the straw, Shen Xi looked at the girls. ¡°The ice is about to melt if you¡¯re not going to drink that.¡±

    Ruan Xiaoxiao eximed, ¡°I can¡¯t drink this!¡±

    Jiang Xuanxuan was in the same mind. ¡°This is sacred!¡±

    The girls could not bring themselves to take a sip out of the bubble tea bought by Fu Qingye. They went into a full-on conversation that the bubble tea might go bad due to the hot weather. Hence, they were contemting whether to buy a fridge to store the bubble tea.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    She got to give it to true fans!

    Due to Fu Qingye¡¯s sudden visit, Jiang Xuanxuan and Ruan Xiaoxiao worshiped Shen Xi like a god. Qingye really spoiled Shen Xi with that doting look when talking to her. The girls were willing to have their lives reduced by ten years if Qingye could do the same to them.

    However, theirmon sense was able to differentiate that Qingye really pampered Xixi while to them, he was merely disying his well-bred manners.

    The pair were still in a state of euphoria even as they departed for the military camp. They brought along the autographed photo as a lucky charm which was actually a permitted item.

    The bus was already waiting by the time the trio gathered at the main square. Over three thousand freshmen lined up in an orderly fashion as they got into the bus one by one.

    The bus had sixty-one seats and Shen Xi¡¯s ss had forty-three students. Since all the spaces had to be filled, the remaining seats would be filled by students of other sses.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that she would run into Su Ruowan so soon. Su Ruowan was taking the same bus as her.

    Su Ruowan did not enroll in a film academy. Her grades were good enough to keep her top two at No. 4 High School, but Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi caught up and pulled her down the ranking. Still, she held on her own in the top five and applied to study media broadcasting and hosting.

    The school of media broadcasting and hosting was in the art stream. Ranked first in the whole of China, the school of media broadcasting at Capital University had high prerequisites on looks and personal style. Su Ruowan¡¯s school caused heads to turn when they got onto the bus. Shen Xi¡¯s ssmates enviously whispered among themselves.

    Sitting next to Shen Xi was Jiang Xuanxuan while Ruan Xiaoxiao sat in the same row but was separated by the aisle. With the pair very much into gossip, they began sharing thetest buzz when the school of media broadcasting walked in.

    ¡°She must be Su Ruowan.¡±

    ¡°She looks so pretty. I¡¯m surprised she looks like sh*t without makeup.¡±

    ¡°She did post her bare face after that. She¡¯s not that ugly. I think she said the production crew made her a scapegoat and threw her under the bus.¡±

    ¡°A scapegoat? Her giarism has to be true. We¡¯re not allowed to bring cosmetics for military training. I¡¯m sure we¡¯d be able to see if that¡¯s her bare face sooner orter.¡±

    The pair were dishing the dirt about the infamous Su Ruowan.

    Although Su Ruowan heard everyone talking and focusing on her, she kept up with her graceful and affable appearance, looking the other way of the gossip.

    Her best friend, Chen Bingbing, was by her side.. Catching a glimpse of Shen Xi, Chen Bingbing contemptuously approached the former and condescendingly asked, ¡°Shen Xi, I heard you attended Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s audition. What role are you ying?¡±

 Chapter 600 - Donâ€™t Go Crying to Your Mama!

    <h4>Chapter 600: Don¡¯t Go Crying to Your Mama!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Chen Bingbing heard from Wanwan that Shen Xi was also at the audition for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series. However, she asked around about the actors confirmed for the show, but Shen Xi¡¯s name was not on the list. It was clear that she did not make the cut.

    ¡°Bingbing.¡± Su Ruowan pulled her aside and apologetically smiled at Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, Bingbing¡¯s just in outspoken. Don¡¯t be mad at her. I¡¯ll apologize on her behalf.¡±

    ¡°Wanwan, why do you bother apologizing to her?¡± Chen Bingbing scoffed coldly before putting on a smug look. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t get a role. Wanwan here is ying the second supporting actress to Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series.¡±

    Without a word, Shen Xi amusingly looked askance at her. It was surprising that Chen Bingbing had not ditched Su Ruowan and was still her loyalpdog.

    The other students in the vehicle stared at Su Ruowan while a myriad of expressions appeared across their faces. The students of media broadcasting were torn between jealousy and envy.

    This was Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series they were talking about! Oh, they were turning into green-eyed monsters. It was a surefire shot to fame even if they yed as an extra on Cloud Seven¡¯s production.

    Many celebrities in showbiz went for the audition, trying every way possible to contact the screenwriter. They were willing to go so low as to refuse a pay just for a part, but only a handful was chosen.

    Su Ruowan, on the other hand, was definitely God¡¯s favorite. Many were envious of her good luck. Despite being embroiled in a storm of giarism and barefaced scandal, she still managed to find favor with Cloud Seven to take her on board for thetest production.

    ¡°Bingbing, cut it out.¡± Su Ruowan dragged Chen Bingbing away.

    Chen Bingbing snorted at Shen Xi before turning cynical. ¡°Some people are tactless even though they know they¡¯re not made for it. I don¡¯t know why these people embarrass themselves.¡±

    Hiding her delight, Su Ruowan apologetically nced at Shen Xi as if she was stumped for words. She whispered to Chen Bingbing to stop it.

    ¡°Su Ruowan.¡± Shen Xi suddenly cried out and smiled at Su Ruowan. ¡°Congrattions for bagging the second supporting role.¡±

    ttered, Su Ruowan was nearly moved to tears. She forcefully nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips and added. ¡°I heard that Screenwriter Cloud Seven can be very strict. Don¡¯t go crying to your mama if a lot¡¯s asked of you.¡±

    With her heart sinking, Su Ruowan sensed the subtlety in Shen Xi¡¯s words. Still, she remained unfazed and shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I will do my best.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice was chilly. ¡°Talent and effort are two different things. Certain people might work hard but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re a useless piece of sh*t.¡±

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Peeved off, Chen Bingbing furiously pointed at Shen Xi. ¡°What are you trying to say? Who are you to look down on Wanwan when you can¡¯t even make it past the audition?¡±

    Following these words, the students in the bus noticed a change in expression on Shen Xi¡¯s face. If she really went for the audition and failed to secure a part, then she had no right to mock Su Ruowan.

    The rigidity of the audition for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series was widely known. There was no question about the acting skills of those who were picked to be in the production.

    ¡°Su Ruowan, don¡¯t you know you have to put a leash and a muzzle on the dog when walking it?¡± Shen Xi scoffed.

    Chen Bingbing blew her top. The d*mn b*tch was calling her a dog! She shouted viciously, ¡°Go to hell, Shen Xi!¡±

    ¡°Pull her leash. You don¡¯t want her to go biting around.¡± Shen Xi did not give a d*mn about Chen Bingbing¡¯s tantrum.

    ¡°Bingbing.¡± Su Ruowan knew Chen Bingbing was no match for Shen Xi and ultimately, Chen Bingbing would be the one on the losing end. Su Ruowan stopped her. ¡°Sorry, let me apologize for my sister. Don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    With raging fire in her eyes, Chen Bingbing gave Shen Xi the evil eye before hissing through clenched teeth. ¡°Just you wait, Shen Xi.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Su Ruowan to be tortured to tears.¡±

    It took a while for Su Ruowan to settle Chen Bingbing down. With a hint of wickedness in her eyes, Su Ruowan cussed Shen Xi for the b*tch that she was. Su Ruowan knew Shen Xi was hurling biting remarks to mask the jealousy that she got the part in Cloud Seven¡¯s production.

    Shen Xi also auditioned for the second supporting role, but Screenwriter Cloud Seven had his eye on her instead and not Shen Xi, that b*tch. Su Ruowan must say, she was showered with a sense of superiority that came with victory.

    Chen Bingbing red at Shen Xi, knowing well that she had nothing over Shen Xi. She would be defeated if they got physical and she did not want to stir trouble and be made a fool in front of other students on the first day of school.

    Wait and see. Every dog had its day.

    Having heard that Su Ruowan acquired a role in Cloud Seven¡¯s series, a few girls of the school of broadcasting and hosting, regardless of whether they knew Su Ruowan or not, gathered round to tter and curry Su Ruowan¡¯s favor.

    Many big-shot actors, including Gong Zhi the film star, attended the audition but fell short for the roles. It was amazing that Su Ruowan was chosen. It brought the green-eyed monsters in them out.

    Needless to say, Su Ruowan was going to make it big to y a supporting role. The girls intended to make nice with Su Ruowan before she found stardom so she could help them out when they were ready to step foot into showbiz.

    On the bus, the students were chattering about the earlier incident. No. 4 High School was the best school in the country with an off-the-charts percentage of its students advancing to college. Twenty percent of the students on the bus were from No. 4 High School and soon, the rtionship between Su Ruowan and Shen Xi drew a lot of attention.

    While many were surprised and envious of Su Ruowan¡¯s newly acquired role, they were discussing Shen Xi¡¯s audition bust in tones reflecting their contempt and disdain. Shen Xi must not have done well since she did not make the cut.

    Having the closest rtionship with Shen Xi, Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan simply adored her because of Fu Qingye. Nevertheless, they were sensible enough not to direct the question to Shen Xi. They exchanged nces.

    Jiang Xuanxuan stood up. ¡°Shut up. What does it have to do with you if she failed the audition? I don¡¯t think you have any excuse to look down on her since you can¡¯t even get an audition.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Xixi was invited for an audition. What about you? Were you lucky enough to have the opportunity?¡± Ruan Xiaoxiao set the record straight.

    What was there to talk about when many notable actors, Gong Zhi included, were not picked for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s TV show?

    Those sharing dirt about Shen Xi gave Jiang Xuanxuan and Ruan Xiaoxiao a spiteful look. They were annoyed by these nosey b*tches for talking to them in such a way.

    However, they were all educated college students at the end of the day. Kicking up a fuss on the first day of school would only invite punishment.. Hence, they shut their trap and kept their resentment to themselves.

 Chapter 601 - Wait On the Pig Kings on the Pig Farm

    <h4>Chapter 601: Wait On the Pig Kings on the Pig Farm</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Liveliness ensued after a brief silence on the bus. It was the first day of school and they were on their way to the military camp, so it was natural for them to be curious if the military base was exactly as shown on TV.

    Plugging in her earphones, Shen Xi listened to music and closed her eyes for a rest.

    Following a two-hour journey, the vehicle came to a stop at the destination.

    Shen Xi, Jiang Xuanxuan, and Ruan Xiaoxiao just hopped out of the bus when Zhang Lan came running their way. She must have been crying since her eyes were swollen.

    Quick to approach Shen Xi, Zhang Lan frantically extended her arms to grab ahold of Shen Xi. She was caught between sobs. ¡°Xixi, you have to help me.¡±

    With a frown, Shen Xiid bare the disgust in her eyes. Looking askance at her, she drew back and took off as if Zhang Lan was invisible.

    Zhang Lan was a conniving shrew. She should be thankful that Shen Xi did not finish her off, and yet here Zhang Lan was, refusing to leave Shen Xi alone. What an eyesore.

    ¡°Xixi, if you don¡¯t want to help, can you give me your brother¡¯s number? I¡¯ll look for your brother,¡± Zhang Lan angrily shouted while running over to stop her.

    She could not get through to Mom and Dad¡¯s mobile. Their phones seemed to be turned off. The hotel said they checked out of the room, but their flight was at ten o¡¯clock tonight. It was unlikely she could not get in touch with them.

    The only thing that came to mind was that something happened to Mom and Dad. Once on the bus, Zhang Lan desperately dialed the numbers and even called the cops. The police mentioned that she could report her parents missing after twenty-four hours.

    ¡°My brother has a girlfriend.¡± Shen Xi coldly swept a nce at Zhang Lan. Abruptly cutting the distance between them, Shen Xi spoke in hushed tones, ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from my brother or I¡¯ll chop you into pieces and feed you to the sharks.¡±

    Anyone would take it as a joke, but Zhang Lan could feel a chill down her spine. Teary-eyed, she gazed at Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, my mom and your mom are friends from college. Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell your mom?¡±

    As expected, she knew she did not like Shen Xi for a reason. Shen Xi was such a wicked b*tch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that ssmate bull cr*p. You lot knows well enough if there¡¯s any rtionship at all between them. Do you think I¡¯m stupid not to catch on to your family¡¯s true intention? My mom was only being nice not to argue with you. You better pretend not to know us if you have any sense left in you.¡± Shen Xi scoffed coldly before taking off.

    This would be thest warning to Zhang Lan. Shen Xi had no time for this sort of people, but Yu Yuanxi was a different story. He would not stand by and do nothing if Zhang Lan sought his help.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Zhang Lan was taken back by the threat. With her blood boiling to the max, she yelled, ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±

    Not only was the b*tch refusing to help, but she was threatening her too.

    Just wait. Zhang Lan was going to look for Yu Yuanxi right now. The time woulde for Shen Xi when Zhang Lan became Yu Yuanxi¡¯s girlfriend and thedy of the Shen household.

    ¡°Good that you know that now.¡± Shen Xi wickedly curled her lips and took out her phone to call Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Yuanxi, where are you?¡±

    ¡°Behind you.¡± Yu Yuanxi had been searching for her since getting off the bus. It was easy to spot her good looks and cold presence in the crowd.

    Shen Xi turned around and gave him a bright smile. Keeping in mind that she was still engaged in a conversation, she turned up the volume. ¡°Brother, do you know a person named Zhang Lan?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi took notice of Zhang Lan crying her eyes out. With a gentle voice, he kept up with Shen Xi¡¯s act. ¡°No.¡±

    Perhaps because he had seen more ill intent than kindness while growing up, Yu Yuanxi was a good judge of character. Mom¡¯s ssmate and her family were not worth his trust.

    He had no desire to have any association whatsoever with the likes of her.

    Zhang Lan widened her eyes in disbelief at Yu Yuanxi¡¯s reply. ¡°Yuanxi, I¡¯m Zhang Lan. It¡¯s me, Zhang Lan. We had lunch together earlier. Your mom told you to look after me. Did you forget?¡±

    Without casting another nce, Yu Yuanxi carried Shen Xi¡¯s backpack and tenderly uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yuanxi, I can¡¯t find my parents. I can¡¯t get a hold of them. Can you help me, please?¡± Having lost it, Zhang Lan chased him and cried.

    Her gut feeling was telling her that Yuan Xi was being cold because Shen Xi spoke ill of her to him.

    He did not behave like this during lunch. Back at the dormitory, he was gentle and even smiled at her. Surely, he had fallen in love with her at first sight just as she did.

    That was right!

    Yuanxi was acting this way because of Shen Xi, the b*tch came in between them.

    Zhang Lan¡¯s cries drew a lot of attention toward her. They had no idea what was going on.

    In fact, Zhang Lan¡¯s looksplemented with makeup made her quite a beauty. A knight in shining armor was bound to follow when there was a damsel in distress, especially boys who wished to win the girl¡¯s heart. A few boys of her ss came running her way to ask what the matter was.

    The boys in her pathway caused Zhang Lan to lose sight of her pursuing target. Furious, she ripped into the boys in her mind.

    Zhang Lan was uncertain whether her parents got into an ident. Still, the emotional unrest within was too hard to ignore. She wanted to use this as an excuse to approach Yu Yuanxi and take their rtionship one step further, but things took a wrong turn.

    Shen Xi was relieved to shake Zhang Lan off their tail. ¡°Yuanxi, don¡¯t give her the time of day. These kinds of people get in your face and will cling to you. You won¡¯t be able to get rid of them.¡±

    Zhang Lan must think she was all that just because they met once and had lunch together.

    ¡°I know.¡± Yu Yuanxi did not take kindly to Zhang Lan. He asked Shen Xi, ¡°What happened to her parents?¡±

    Shen Xi shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Although she had an inkling, it needed further confirmation.

    Yu Yuanxi acknowledged the reply and simply had no interest in the family.

    Shen Xi returned to her amodation after picking up her training uniform and military essentials before sending Kun Lun a text message.

    [Shen Xi: What happened to Xiao Ran and her husband?]

    [Kun Lun: Pig farm.]

    [Shen Xi: Why?]

    [Kun Lun: Didn¡¯t they say I didn¡¯t know how to treat customers like a king? So I put them on a pig farm to serve the king. They can eat whatever was fed to the pigs. They can wait on the pig kings on the farm, brushing their fur, bathing them, cleaning up their poop.]

    [Shen Xi: Why did you leave Zhang Lan out of it?]

    [Kun Lun: Should I ditch her there now? It¡¯s nice that the whole family could be together.]

    [Shen Xi: Yes.]

    [Kun Lun: No problem, Ms. Shen.]

    [Shen Xi: Make it quick.]

    She would probably not see the end of Zhang Lan if thetter remained here. Shen Xi¡¯s head was throbbing just thinking about Zhang Lan pestering her and Yuanxi. She might as well leave it to Kun Lun to take care of the issue all at once..

 Chapter 602 - Iâ€™ll Drink From the Footbath

    <h4>Chapter 602: I¡¯ll Drink From the Footbath</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The amodation at the training camp was not as luxurious as the one at school. A ss of fifteen shared one unit.

    The beds were arranged ording to student ID and names. Basically, a whole ss was assigned to one big quarter. Things were hectic at the ce, to say the least.

    However, no one had the guts to approach Shen Xi. It was hard to strike up a conversation with someone of such a standoffish and withdrawn countenance.

    Only Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan who took the top and bottom bunk beds next to Shen Xi woulde over for a chat every now and then.

    ¡°Does your brother really have a girlfriend?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan was pretty nosey. Since Yu Yuanxi was a hottie and Xixi¡¯s brother too, he would make the perfect boyfriend to pursue if he was not taken.

    Who would not love a hunk?

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded.

    ¡°Dang, I¡¯m toote.¡± Ruan Xiaoxiao sighed but continued to channel her inner gossip queen. ¡°Is she beautiful? Which school is she at?¡±

    The other ssmates might be afraid to talk with Xixi, but Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan had the pleasure of engaging with her beforehand and knew that she was not difficult to get along with. Otherwise, they would tremble in her cold presence.

    ¡°She¡¯s our high school ssmate and my best friend,¡± Shen Xi replied.

    It was perfectly normal for her handsome brother to make the girls go gaga. God knows how many hearts he would steal during the military training.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan looked envious. It must be great to be high school ssmates. Back when they were in high school, they only had eyes for Qingye and dreamed of dating him!

    Prior to meeting Qingye this afternoon, they built castles in the air about one day pursuing a romantic rtionship with their idol, but now that they had seen him in person, the girls had firsthand experience of the distance between them. Not to sell themselves short, they really believed they did not deserve Qingye.

    The days that followed weed rigorous military training. It was the height of summer in September and there was not one shade of a tree on the training grounds. Noyer of sunscreen was able to protect the students against days of sun-basking. It did not take long before the boys and girls were tanned all over.

    The girls were in a better situation. Many boys suffered sunburn because they did not bother with sunscreen.

    ¡°Xixi, why aren¡¯t you tan at all?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan was looking and feeling her face while giving Shen Xi an envious look.

    Her skin was smooth and supple like a baby¡¯s bum. Oh, she was covetous of Shen Xi¡¯s blessed genes.

    Her brother, Yu Yuanxi escaped the sun-scathing fate as well. Mr. Sun seemed to look out for all the beaus and belles.

    ¡°I¡¯m literally charcoal.¡± Ruan Xiaoxiao could not look at herself in the mirror. Although she hid a bottle of sunscreen in her clothes and sprayed it at every chance she got, the sun was merciless toward her tender skin.

    Moreover, life at the military camp was hard. Apart from three square meals a day, they were not allowed to have any junk food. For someone who reced dinner with snacks, it was pure torture.

    ¡°Oh, it must be the beauty pills I take every day.¡± Shen Xi was not aware. Now that Ruan Xiaoxiao mentioned it, Shen Xi took a nce at her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you each a bottleter.¡±

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan thought the beauty pill she was talking about was a regr health supplement. It was not until Shen Xi took out the anti-aging beauty pills and hurled them each a bottle that the pair was blown away.

    ¡°Xixi, is this Situ family¡¯s beauty pill?¡± Although Ruan Xiaoxiao had never used any prior, she had seen the pills before. Who would not know about this hot item?

    ¡°Yes. Jewel Looks version 3.0.¡± Shen Xi smiled and uttered, ¡°The effects are ten times that of version 2.0. It¡¯s pretty good.¡±

    ¡°It really is the anti-aging beauty pill. Xixi, you¡¯re so generous. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t ept it.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan immediately returned the pills to her.

    It was too valuable. The original version of the anti-aging beauty pills was sold at fifty thousand yuan a bottle, and that was the price drop six monthster. She could not afford the 2.0 version at two hundred thousand yuan a bottle.

    The 3.0 version must be around five hundred thousand to a million yuan. It was more expensive than gold itself. Jiang Xuanxuan was happy to just look at it.

    Everyone in the amodation turned their gaze to Shen Xi, having picked up that they were talking about the beauty pills. There were even a few who were curious enough to go in for a closer look. They had seen the pills before as one of their richer ssmates, Gu Xiang, owned one bottle and took one pill every two days. Holding the bottle dear to her heart, Gu Xiang locked it in the cupboard.

    Apart from a bottle of anti-aging beauty pills, Gu Xiang also had a set of cosmeceuticalsunched by the Situ family. The ssmates in the quarters were allowed ess to the cosmeceutical once if they did Gu Xiang¡¯s dirty work and made her happy.

    With the exception of Shen Xi and the two girls, the people in the same lodging sucked up to Gu Xiang by waiting on her, pouring her drinks, washing her clothes, keeping her seat warm for meals, washing her feet, and offering massages since the start of the training.

    There was a girl who was on the ground cleansing and massaging Gu Xiang¡¯s feet right now. The girl looked at Gu Xiang and asked, ¡°Xiang, does Shen Xi really have the beauty pills?¡±

    Lying in bed, Gu Xiang was putting on a facial mask while humming a song. Sure, she heard themotion at Shen Xi¡¯s corner. Gu Xiang scoffed and remarked in disdain, ¡°That¡¯s a load of hot air. 3.0 version? I can say I have the 5.0 version. The beauty pills are only at the 2.0 version, alright? She must be a caveman who lives under a rock. I¡¯m sure she bought a counterfeit and was swindled out of her money.¡±

    Gu Xiang hated Shen Xi the moment she stepped foot into the quarters. She despised anyone who was prettier than her and more importantly, she took offense to Shen Xi¡¯s attitude toward her.

    The whole world revolved around her, and everyone worshiped her like a princess. Only Shen Xi, Ruan Xiaoxiao, and Jiang Xuanxuan did not give a d*mn about her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the 3.0 version either.¡± The girl on feet-washing dutyplimented Gu Xiang. ¡°You¡¯re amazing to see through that, Xiang.¡±

    ¡°The counterfeit products can trick those green dummies. You can search on the shopping tform and you¡¯ll find the 10.0 version there. It¡¯s 3 yuan a bottle. Would you use it? You¡¯ll f*ck up your face.¡± Gu Xiang scoffed cynically and spoke in a loud voice, ¡°Shen Xi, you must have bought them in bulk from the shopping tform. Just use it for yourself. Don¡¯t go harming other people.¡±

    The others were quick to judge when they heard it was a fake. They stared at Shen Xi in contempt. Version 3.0 beauty pills, their *ss. There was no way she could acquire a bottle before Xiang.

    ¡°Xiang, is thetest version of the anti-aging beauty pills the 2.0 version?¡± One of the girls inquired.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Xiang replied arrogantly. Although the beauty pills were improved in version 2.0, one bottle cost a fortune. She could only afford the first version. Gu Xiang snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll drink from the footbath if the ones she has are the real deal.¡±

    Shen Xi was surprised that people would still find fault with her despite her keeping a low profile. Arching her brows, she looked at Gu Xiang. ¡°Gu Xiang, it¡¯s boring to drink your own footbath. My beauty pills are real. How about you drink the water the boys washed their feet in?¡±

    Drink her own footbath? That would be going easy on her!

    She should take it up a notch by drinking the boy¡¯s footbath water.

    The others covered their mouths while their stomachs churned as though they could smell the water the boys washed their feet in.. The thought of the revolting smell alone could make them barf.

 Chapter 603 - As Though He Was Basking in Starlight

    <h4>Chapter 603: As Though He Was Basking in Starlight</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Gu Xiang never imagined Shen Xi would say such a thing. Growing up pampered and livingrge, Gu Xiang was the center of attention no matter where she went. No one would ever say no to her face. Plus, she took an instant dislike to Shen Xi. Gu Xiang snickered coldly. ¡°Are you brave enough to take up the challenge to bow down before me and lick my toes in front of the whole school if yours is a fake?¡±

    Did Shen Xi think she was stupid or ignorant? Gu Xiang had been keeping her eyes and ears peeled on thetest update about the beauty pills. She would be the first to know before the news hit the streets.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi smiled and added. ¡°Let¡¯s add something extra to the mix. If the stuff I have is real, you must give everyone here a bottle of the anti-aging beauty pills, and I¡¯m talking about the 3.0 version. If I lose, everyone gets a bottle from me too.¡±

    Gu Xiang had no idea where Shen Xi¡¯s confidence came from. Still, she harbored disgust for the girl. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal. You might want to scrape together the money now. You can drop out of school and get out of Capital University if you can¡¯t pay up. Don¡¯t embarrass us here.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°In that case, you should get the hell out of Capital University if you lose.¡±

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Ruan Xiaoxiao stared at Gu Xiang angrily yet amusingly. Was she out of her mind? What was wrong with everyone in the quarters? Did they not run a simple background check on the ssmates prior to reporting to school?

    As Ms. Cai Ni, Xixi was no short of cash. Why would she resort to counterfeit?

    Nevertheless, they long had a problem with Gu Xiang looking down on people and acting like she was all that. They would be d if someone put Gu Xiang in her ce.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave the barracks since we¡¯re in the middle of training. Once the training is over, we can bring my beauty pills to one of Situs¡¯ chain drug stores to verify its authenticity,¡± said Shen Xi.

    ¡°You better keep your word.¡± Gu Xiang gave Shen Xi the side nce. People like Shen Xi used brandless cosmetics from drugstores. Shen Xi had nothing over her.

    Indeed, the cosmetics Shen Xi owned were without a brand. She provided the Situ family with a form suitable for her skin type. It was the only one of its kind in the world, so it was only natural no one knew about it.

    ¡°Shen Xi, the drill sergeant is calling for you. There¡¯s a call for you,¡± someone shouted at the door.

    Shen Xi was dumbstruck.

    Everyone in the quarters was taken aback.

    What was going on

    All students¡¯ mobile phones were confiscated during training. No one was to use their phones or reach out to the outside world. Parents, on the other hand, were allowed to call the barracks, but the students were not informed unless it was an emergency.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan worriedly nced at Shen Xi, hoping nothing perilous happened to her family.

    Shen Xi smiled at them to calm their nerves, albeit she was feeling restless. She ran to the sergeant¡¯s office across the quarters. The standalone building was quite far away, separating the boys¡¯ and girls¡¯ quarters.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Shen Xi picked up the phone.

    ¡°How are you handling the military training?¡± A man¡¯s deep and sensual voice rang in her ear.

    Shen Xi was hot with emotions, nearly moving her to tears. Having missed his voice for over ten days, she noticed a catch in her throat and her eyes welling up. It took a while for her to find her voice. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on the training grounds.¡± Li Yuan could feel his fairdy choking up. His gut was in a knot. ¡°Do you have time toe over?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll head there right away.¡± Enveloped in a cloud of happiness, Shen Xi put down the phone and dashed toward the training grounds.

    It was ten o¡¯clock at night.

    Apart from soldiers standing guard, no one else was roaming around. The training ended at nine o¡¯clock and it was lights out at half-past ten.

    From afar, she could see a military truck parked on the training grounds. Just next to the vehicle was a man sitting in a wheelchair. As Shen Xi drew close, he waved his hand with a smile.

    Shen Xi could feel her heart stop. The outskirts painted the clear sky with a myriad of stars, shining down on him as though he was basking in starlight. All she saw in her eyes was the brilliance of the gxy.

    She wanted to shout his name out loud, but her screams would invite unwanted attention in the quiet barracks. Hence, she held it all in.

    Li Yuan watched as his fairdy raced toward him. While approaching, she scurried along too quickly that she stumbled over her feet and fell onto him.

    Tumbling right into his embrace, Shen Xi could hear his beating heart. Thump-thump. With each beating pulling at her heartstrings, she joyfully cried, ¡°Brother.¡±

    The girl¡¯s sweet voice could melt Li Yuan¡¯s heart. Giving his fairdy full reign to hug his waist, Li Yuan also saw his sanity chipping away. The girl¡¯s soft body and the sweet scent were challenging his patience.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was melodious and seductive, caught between pants.

    With his breathing bing haggard, Li Yuan¡¯s eyes grew darker. There was no holding back once the beast inside was let loose. Suddenly, he grabbed the girl by the waist and held her tight in his arms.

    He could barely sleep in the ten nights she had not been around.

    Unable to hear her voice or see her smile, Li Yuan was about to lose it. The madness was eating away his reason every second of the day until there was no more.

    He told himself to be patient.

    s, he could not bear to face another second without her.

    Shen Xi¡¯s body stiffened as the man dug her deeper into his embrace. She lifted her head to meet his lowered head before brushing their lips lightly as luck would have it.

    Their eyes locked.

    His lips caressed hers.

    With thest nerve in Li Yuan snapping, it blew away all his reason. He seized her by the back of her head and nted his lips onto hers, bringing together a sweeping intensity.

    Under the beautiful night sky, the yearning was deeply rooted and the pent-up patience was killing him. At this very moment, he was like a trapped beast that escaped. No amount of reasoning could ever talk sense into his head.

    Anything of everything existed because of her.

    He was alive because of her, and only for her.

    Temptation hid behind the curtain of darkness.

    With the temperature rising, even the creepy crawlies chose silence above all. The only things disturbing the peace were provocative gasping and racing pulses.

    Catching her breath, Shen Xi saw fireworks in her mind. She thought she was going to die of suffocation. She may have gone through this life twice and thousands of other realms, but both of them only lived for this moment.. Her eyes welled up and warm nectar dripped down.

 Chapter 604 - Did Not Even Spare Him a Glance

    <h4>Chapter 604: Did Not Even Spare Him a nce</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan froze after tasting a hint of saltiness against his tongue. Having the stop button pushed, he regained his sanity bit by bit. In all his frantess and atonement, Li Yuan gazed at the girl and uttered in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Did he scare her?

    Godd*mnit! How could he do such a thing to her!

    Shen Xi suddenly hooked his neck down to her lips.

    There was no turning back once certain things were ignited. The feelings that had been held back for so long had burst at its seams, pouring out through a broken dam.

    A long, long, long timeter.

    Breathing heavily, Shen Xi lifted her chin to look at him. Her eyes mirrored the brilliance of stars and his reflection. Her voice was raspy. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I miss you.¡± There was a gruff to Li Yuan¡¯s voice. His narrow and profound eyes wanted to etch her shy look in his mind. ¡°Let¡¯s make it official.¡±

    ording to Chinese custom on birthdays, Shen Xi was already 18 and an adult.

    Shen Xi was filled with the urge to bawl her eyes out. To think that prior to this, she was still contemting ways to seduce him and flirt with him as well as how to confess her feelings on her birthday.

    Yet now, everything was in reverse.

    Had she known it took ten days of non-contact for him to take the initiative, she would have given it a go ages ago!

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Li Yuan looked at her while letting all his nerves get the better of him. Herck of response sent his mind on a wild ride. His eyes flickered with sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to?¡±

    Oh, right.

    He was a cripple and a handicapped. Why should he hold her down and stand in her way?

    ¡°Brother.¡± The fleeting sadness did not go unnoticed to Shen Xi. Embroiled in a heartache, she held his face to look him in the eyes before nodding and solemnly uttering, ¡°I do.¡±

    Li Yuan leaned forward and devoutly grazed his lips against hers. He then held her gently and whispered a low and sexy huskiness in her ear. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With the stars aligning and the timing just right, everything fell into ce.

    However, of all the times, Shen Xi¡¯s stomach had to rumble. Feeling frustrated, she bit her lips and stared at the man with bright eyes. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled and dotingly flicked the girl¡¯s high nose. ¡°I brought your favorite.¡±

    The car door was opened by Kun Lun who had been hiding in the back. Although he finally popped his head out, Kun Lun did not have the courage to lift his head. He heard and saw nothing. After beckoning them to hop into the car, Kun Lun retreated to his original spot.

    Boss made a move on Ms. Shen atst. Kun Lun did not feel a thing when Ms. Shen was around, but during her absence in the past ten days, Boss¡¯ temper grew worse. Boss was stricter and scarier than even before Ms. Shen came into his life, so much so Kun Lun held his breath as he waited on Boss every day.

    A feast of Shen Xi¡¯s favorites was ready in the vehicle. Drooling over the food, Shen Xi got right down to it.

    Li Yuan grabbed the girl¡¯s fair hands and put on disposable gloves so it would be convenient for her to chomp on the pork trotters. His fairdy¡¯s eyes were locked on the trotters likeser beams.

    ¡°Brother, you have no idea how much I¡¯m craving for food. There¡¯s nothing to eat here. Look at my face. Don¡¯t you think I lost a lot of weight?¡± Shen Xi was eating away as she lifted her face to show him. She moaned amid the chewing, ¡°My skin is darker. I don¡¯t look good anymore.¡±

    ¡°You look good.¡± Li Yuan let out a chuckle. He watched the girl enjoying the feast with a doting look on his face before putting on a pair of disposable gloves to shell the shrimps.

    She was not the least bit tan. She was still his adorable fairdy.

    Shen Xi dug into the food while engaging in talks, yet still found the time to stare at the man. She simply could not get enough of him. Finally, she could outrightly admire his looks.

    Li Yuan reached out to wipe away the sauce on her cheek. His maic voice carried a scratching undertone, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±

    ¡°You look good.¡± Shen Xi smiled like an idiot, unable to take her eyes away from him even for a second. ¡°You¡¯re mine now. So what if I¡¯m looking at you?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Li Yuan adoringlyughed. ¡°Look all you want.¡±

    Of course, Shen Xi was going to abide. She had to make up for all those times she did not dare to look.

    She then realized that the man was staring at her with the most tender eyes. Feeling a flush in her cheeks, she felt she was about to be sucked into his dark eyes. She was suddenly conscious of herself. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mine now. Can¡¯t I look?¡± Li Yuan guffawed.

    Shen Xi turned red in the face. ¡°You¡¯re copying me.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°You look good.¡±

    Shen Xi was delighted. ¡°Well, feast your eyes on my beauty then.¡±

    It had only been ten days since the training started, and there were twenty more days to go. The thought of another long separation plunged Shen Xi into misery. She lost her appetite for the pork trotter in hand.

    ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± Since the girl was not finishing her food, Li Yuan asked worriedly.

    Shen Xi shook her head with an utterly dismal face. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve only gone through one-third of the training. How am I supposed to handle the remaining two-thirds?¡±

    Here Li Yuan thought it was something major when this small matter was her concern. ¡°Shall Ie and meet you every day?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Can you?¡±

    Li Yuan had all the influence and connections to ess the barracks.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding, Li Yuan delivered the shelled shrimp straight to her mouth.

    Having gotten the answer she wanted, Shen Xi regained her spirits and began picking out the food she wanted. Without lifting her chopsticks, she opened her mouth and waited to be fed.

    Li Yuan had a st feeding her but at the same time, he was feeling sorry. It turned out that his fairdy had been holding back like him.

    After having her fill, Shen Xi rubbed her round belly and burped without care of her image. She cheerfully propped against the table and was fixated on him.

    Li Yuan looked at the time and tapped on the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s nearly time to go to bed. Don¡¯t you want to go?¡±

    Shen Xi whined as she did not want to go back at all. All she wanted in the world was to spend every waking minute with him and never be apart. However, reality was hanging over her. The military base had its own rules. She had to return to her quarters before lights out. ¡°Brother, pleasee early tomorrow.¡±

    Li Yuan bobbed his head. ¡°What would you fancy tomorrow?¡±

    Shen Xi counted on her fingers the food she was craving. As she was leaving, she took notice of the snacks in the car. Holding onto her chest, she was heartbroken that she could not eat anymore. Yet, the variety of junk food only added to her craving. In the end, she packed three packets of chips in her pocket and gave the snacks a lingering look before getting out of the car.

    Li Yuan stared at the girl with intive eyes.. Was the junk food all she had in mind? She did not even spare him a nce.

 Chapter 605 - Got Herself an Old Sugar Daddy

    <h4>Chapter 605: Got Herself an Old Sugar Daddy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi walked on without looking back.

    As his eyes swallowed into darkness, Li Yuan watched her receding figure while clutching against his wheelchair. Unable to take it anymore, he hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Shen Xi!¡±

    Shen Xi suddenly turned back and flew into his arms, giving him a tight squeeze. Her raspy voice carried a sense of wistfulness. ¡°Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan was without a word.

    Lifting her head, Shen Xi softly kissed the corner of his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s lips finally curled in delight. Clearing his throat, he had to give her the heads-up. ¡°Your chips are crushed.¡±

    Way to pour cold water on the mood. It was not easy for Shen Xi to get into the moment, yet he had to ruin it. What a buzzkill. Still, Shen Xi had to feel her chips. Thank goodness her snacks were not crushed.

    With downcast eyes, the girl was focused on checking her chips. The distance between them was so close that hershes could sweep the surface of his face.

    ¡°You liar.¡± Shen Xi looked up to the man¡¯s full-blown attractive face. As her breathing turned ragged, she intuitively closed her eyes.

    Li Yuan drew nearer and nted a kiss on her forehead before affectionately uttering, ¡°Get some sleep. Goodnight.¡±

    Shen Xi could feel her heart pounding out of her chest. She nodded in a daze. Completely smitten, she replied softly, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    The bell for lights out had already rung the first time. It was a reminder for a sergeant to check the quarters and proceed with a headcount. By the second ring, it was lights out.

    By the time Shen Xi scrambled back to her room, the sergeant was doing a roll call. ¡°Shen Xi.¡±

    ¡°Present.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was loud and clear.

    The sergeant took a nce at her before carrying on taking the attendance.

    Shen Xi bolted to her bunk bed, took off her shoes and coat, got into bed, and drew the sheets over her, all in one go.

    While the bell was rung the second time, Li Yuan stared at the quarters until the lights were out before shouting, ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    Kun Lun went forth to push Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair into the car and drove out of the barracks. Through the rear-view mirror, he observed the man in the backseat as thetter looked out the window while grazing his lips with his lean fingers as if reliving something.

    He never expected Boss to bring his feelings out in the open to Ms. Shen on this trip. Kun Lun always thought Boss had some sort of n that held him back from confessing his love for Ms. Shen.

    Otherwise, they would have longid bare their hearts to each other instead of letting the flirtation go on for almost a year. Who would wait until now?

    It was pitch ck in the quarters.

    Shen Xi gazed at Jiang Xuanxuan who was across from her, whispering her name, tipping her the wink, and pointing to the door.

    Jiang Xuanxuan softly tapped the top bunk where Ruan Xiaoxiao slept. With Ruan Xiaoxiao poking her head out, Jiang Xuanxuan copied Shen Xi to gesture to the door.

    The trio crept out on tiptoes.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Gu Xiang always had to pick a fight.

    ¡°To the loo.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan was so kind as to extend the invite. ¡°Do you want to join us?¡±

    Gu Xiang scoffed in disdain. ¡°Thezy sure is full of shit. Why would I go with you?¡±

    Shen Xi, Jiang Xuanxuan, and Ruan Xiaoxiao made a run to the stairwell and sat down. The starlight was shining through the opposite window.

    Shen Xi gave them each a packet of potato chips.

    Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s eyes lit up. Ten days. It had been ten days since she feasted her eyes on chips. Oh, how she missed them. Moved to tears, she went and gave Shen Xi a hug. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Xixi.¡±

    ¡°Xixi, I love you.¡± It was the same with Ruan Xiaoxiao. She loved chips andtiao the most. It was a pity that no snacks other than proper food were allowed on the military base. God knows how much her craving was killing her inside.

    Nothing could tear them away from the junk food, especially those before their eyes. After wolfing down the whole pack, they turned to Shen Xi in surprise. ¡°Did you go out?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Someone came to see me.¡±

    Ruan Xiaoxiao was stunned. Shen Xi¡¯s breathtaking beautiful smile under the moonlight sent butterflies to the girls¡¯ stomach. Jesus. She was a hottie indeed. Even as girls, they were swept off of their feet.

    Quick to catch on, Jiang Xuanxuan drew close. ¡°Was it your boyfriend?¡±

    Oh gawd, Shen Xi was glowing like a little girl in love. Where had her aloof attitude gone?

    Shen Xi¡¯s silence implied that that was the case.

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Ruan Xiaoxiao were wise not to pursue the question further. Xixi would tell them if she wanted to. It would be weird if they insisted when she clearly was not going to answer.

    In the days that followed, Shen Xi would be called away every night after training. However, she usually sneaked away instead of making it obvious and would be back before the lights were out.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were the luckiest people alive. They got to enjoy a different snack or staple food every day. They were reserved in the beginning, merely epting what was offered butter began to order what tickled their fancy. They were over the moon, hoping more than anything for Shen Xi to see her boyfriend for three meals a day. They would get something extra for their square meals.

    Others had no idea where Shen Xi went. Since she was not the friendliest person, no one else except Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan would strike up a conversation with her. At most, Gu Xiang would pay Shen Xi extra attention because thetter was an eyesore to her, but the attention did notst long since she did not spot anything out of the ordinary.

    Shen Xi had never been happier during the month of training. She wished the training would go on for a few more days as she was experiencing something different than sneaking around the house.

    The sneaking around was before they were in a rtionship. Now, it was official.

    On thest day of training, Yu Yuanxi had to rush to the set after thest round of marching ended at noon. Since he did not have the time to look for Shen Xi, he called to inform her that he was leaving with his manager, Xiang He.

    Like everyone else, Shen Xi had onest meal at the military cafeteria before getting into the bus arranged by the school to head back.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were from out of town. During the week of holidays after the military training, they would be staying in the dormitory to rest as they did not want to go through all the hubbubs of going home.

    Shen Xi lived in the capital. She bade them farewell and took off while talking on the phone through an earpiece.

    Li Yuan¡¯s car was parked inside the school waiting for her. Nevertheless, the car was parked in the nearby cafeteria since there was no parking space in front of her dormitory. Li Yuan gave Shen Xi a call as he entered the school and by the time he got out of the car, the girl was running toward him. Her crisp voice echoed through the phone and real life.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi waved her hand and ran up to him.

    Chen Bingbing was just leaving the cafeteria when she saw Shen Xi together with a man. The man was in the wheelchair with his back facing her, so Chen Bingbing could not see his face. However, it was clear that Shen Xi was intimate with him. Before she could whip out her phone for a photo, they had already driven off.

    She immediately phoned Su Ruowan, excitedly telling thetter what she had seen. ¡°Guess what, Wanwan? Shen Xi is seeing someone.¡±

    Su Ruowan inquired, ¡°How do you know?¡±

    Chen Bingbing contemptuously ryed, ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. Do you know what kind of guy she found herself? He¡¯s a cripple. The old man is in a wheelchair. Shen Xi, the b*tch finally got what¡¯sing.. I can be certain that she got herself an old sugar daddy.¡±

 Chapter 606 - Vain Lilâ€™ B*tch

    <h4>Chapter 606: Vain Lil¡¯ B*tch</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Despite feeling delirious, Su Ruowan showed concern in his voice. ¡°Bingbing, don¡¯t go babbling about this. She¡¯s still my sister no matter what.¡±

    Ticked off, Chen Bingbing scoffed in disdain. ¡°Wanwan, you might think of her as your sister, she¡¯s no sister to you. If I have a say in it, I would post the news on the school forum so everyone knows that the vain lil¡¯ b*tch is going out with a disabled old man for money.¡±

    Su Ruowan said, ¡°Could you keep it to yourself for my sake? Shen Xi is not that kind of person. Why would she be together with a disabled old man?¡±

    She raised her voice at the end because she heard someoneing and saw that it was Li Jingran.

    Whileing by to pick Su Ruowan up, Li Jingran happened to catch the tail end of the conversation since Su Ruowan¡¯s bedroom door was open. She was fuming, to say the least. Was Shen Xi, the brat trying to disgrace the Su family?

    Not only was she a menace, but she now also had a sugar daddy and a handicap at that!

    Acting as though she just realized Li Jingran¡¯s presence, Su Ruowan quickly covered her phone and cautiously looked at her. ¡°Mom, how long have you been here?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Shen Xi?¡± Li Jingran was already furious, to begin with. She had received the script for the first episode sent by Mr. Cloud Seven today.

    Li Jingran was supposed to be happy as she was finally able to witness the genius screenwriter¡¯s work. Nevertheless, she nearly blew up there and then when she read the script. The script contained nothing of the lines, rather a synopsis of her character.

    It was written that Madam Ning Pei had cancer and all her hair fell off because of the treatment.

    There were also clear notes at the end restricting the use of wigs. The actress was to lead by example and shave her head off, or else it was considered a breach of contract.

    At this point, Li Jingran was about to pass out from rage. She came to talk to her daughter about the matter, but a bigger surprise was waiting for her. Li Jingran heard Su Ruowan on the phone talking about Shen Xi.

    ¡°Mom, did I say anything? Don¡¯t get it the wrong way. Shen Xi didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Su Ruowan was clearly suspicious by all the stuttering and evasion of questions.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she has a sugar daddy? And he¡¯s disabled, right?¡± The mention of Shen Xi only made Li Jingran see red. She did not care if Shen Xi was a sugar baby, but Li Jingran had a problem when she brought shame to her and the Su family.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Mom. Bingbing might have gotten the wrong person. Why would Shen Xi go for a cripple?¡± Su Ruowan drew near. It sounded like Su Ruowan was making excuses for Shen Xi.

    ¡°Don¡¯t defend her. I¡¯m not surprised if she¡¯s dating a disabled old man with that character of hers. She¡¯s probably willing to do anything for money.¡± Li Jingran gnashed her teeth in fury. ¡°I bet the old man¡¯s daughter is older than her. Why did I give birth to a menacing and shameless little b*tch!¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t talk like that about my sister. We still don¡¯t know the details,¡± Su Ruowan persuaded.

    The b*tch could forget about ever returning to the Su family. If only she could just go andy dead. Shen Xi should stay with the disabled old man till the end of time and be the object of abuse and ridicule.

    It would be ideal if the old man was ugly and handicapped, even better if he had a wife and children so Su Ruowan could let the wife know about Shen Xi ying the other woman. The wife was bound to kick up a fuss, beat her to death, and scratch her face.

    With that in mind, Su Ruowan grew ted. Anything bad that happened to Shen Xi was good news to her.

    ¡°What more proof do we need when Bingbing saw it herself? Do you need to wait until the wife and kidse to our front door looking for trouble to be sure?¡± Blowing her fuse, Li Jingran spun to walk away. ¡°No, I have to tell your father.¡±

    She could not care less if Shen Xi dropped dead out there, but on the condition that it did not tarnish the Su family¡¯s good name. However, Shen Xi¡¯s actions right now were threatening topromise the Su family.

    As a celebrity, Li Jingran could not afford any dirt on her. If anyone were to find out her daughter was a mistress, God knows what kind of tale the media was going to spin. Li Jingran would never see the end of it.

    Watching as Li Jingran stormed out, Su Ruowan curled her lips in smugness. All her antics were sure to numb anyone out. With Mom¡¯s negative impression of Shen Xi stuck in her mind, Su Ruowan wondered when Li Jingran would finally give up on Shen Xi.

    Su Yi was home early today and working in his den. He had a scowl on his face, hot and bothered that the family business was met with issues one after anothertely. The loans from the bank were held up too long and at this rate, thepany might go under.

    ¡°Honey.¡± Li Jingran opened the door and uttered angrily, ¡°Shen Xi must be sent by God to torture me.¡±

    Su Yi was not in the mood. ¡°What now?¡±

    With thepany in the red, Su Yi had been working his *ss off and had not had time to look for Shen Xi. Nevertheless, he was still hung up about bringing her home.

    The flourishing Jin Yu would be theirs if Shen Xi were to return.

    With that talent of hers, Shen Xi could style celebrities and bring home the bacon.

    The financial shortfall that thepany was facing would be filled.

    ¡°Wanwan¡¯s ssmate saw her with an old man. She has a sugar daddy.¡± Turning ashen, Li Jingran was seething with rage just thinking about it.

    ¡°What old man?¡± Su Yi asked.

    Li Jingran stamped her foot. ¡°What else? The old and disabled kind. He¡¯s wheelchair-bound. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s married and has kids. Of all things, she had to be a mistress.¡±

    The color drained from Su Yi¡¯splexion. Shen Xi was well-liked among the influential families. Other than the prominent Fu family, the young master of the Situ family, Situ Zhangyou, was not a bad candidate either. Su Yi had it all nned out to marry Shen Xi off into a wealthy family, at least to the standard of the Situ family. It would be of help to the Su family. Hearing Li Jingran¡¯s words, he furiously mmed the table. ¡°How could she? I need to see her right away.¡±

    ¡°Honey, would she listen to you?¡± Li Jingran added fuel to fire to strike a nerve in him. ¡°We looked for her so many times before, but tell me one instance that she listened to us? You¡¯re wasting your time going there. She won¡¯t listen to you.¡±

    Shen Xi was one horrible brat. Li Jingran and her husband had sought her many times, pleading and making nice, but to no avail.

    ¡°I might not be able to handle her, but I don¡¯t believe the Shen couple are going to sit by and watch her be a mistress to an old handicap.¡± Su Yi got up to get dressed.

    Looking at his receding figure, Li Jingran heaved relief. She was not bothered with whom the brat got together.. Her only concern was her career in jeopardy in the event Shen Xi was exposed as a mistress and had a familial rtionship with her.

 Chapter 607 - Do You Think the CEO of Li Corporation Has Time for Any Riffraff?

    <h4>Chapter 607: Do You Think the CEO of Li Corporation Has Time for Any Riffraff?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Yi left without demanding Li Jingran toe with.

    Li Jingran was pleased with Su Yi¡¯s decision this time. Nevertheless, the fury rekindled in her at the thought of Cloud Seven¡¯s script. She gave Hu Zheng the director a call and came off rude as she confronted him. ¡°Mr. Hu, have you read Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s script?¡±

    Hu Zheng answered, ¡°I did.¡±

    Li Jingran inquired, ¡°What do you think about it?¡±

    Hu Zheng gave a generic reply, ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven is only providing directions to all actors in advance. We¡¯d need to wait until we begin filming for the actual script to be hand-delivered to every actor.¡±

    Li Jingran smirked to herself, thinking what a sly fox he was. She blurted coldly, ¡°Would you mind telling Mr. Cloud Seven that I refuse to shave my head off. He has toe up with an alternative.¡±

    Hu Zheng grinned. ¡°Ms. Li, it is out of my hands. You should know that I¡¯m only an employee working under Screenwriter Cloud Seven. He¡¯s the one who calls the shots and it¡¯s written clearly in the contract that all actors and even the director are under the screenwriter¡¯s management.¡±

    Li Jingran was livid. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    Hu Zheng pulled a wisecrack. ¡°I mean, Mr. Cloud Seven has his own reason for making such arrangements. He¡¯s known for being meticulous and having an eye for detail. Otherwise, The Smiling Nation won¡¯t be the hit it is, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    In fact, it did not matter whether Li Jingran shaved her head or not to y a tragic woman living in the past.

    However, for Screenwriter Cloud Seven to make the call, chopping it all off must produce the best results behind the camera.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m never shaving my hair. Is he trying to humiliate me?¡± Li Jingran was huffing while tempted to rip apart the script she had in hand. ¡°I never had to cut my hair when I filmed before. It doesn¡¯t affect my acting or my poprity. I still win awards all the same.¡±

    She had a feeling that the screenwriter was picking on her. Who woulde up with such a harsh demand, especially toward a well-established film star? People tuned in for her acting, not whether she shaved her head or not. Li Jingran could not believe a sessful screenwriter was blind to that fact.

    ¡°My hands are tied. You canmunicate your concerns with Screenwriter Cloud Seven then if you¡¯re unhappy about it.¡± Hu Zheng was caught between a rock and a hard ce. He might be a director, but Li Jingran was a veteran actress that carried more authority than him. Since He Zheng did not want to be stepping on toes, he pushed all the responsibility to the screenwriter.

    ¡°Give me his number. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Li Jingran clutched the script in a death grip. The requirement of having her head shaved was written in bold andrge fonts made her shake with rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s contact details. He mailed the scripts himself.¡± This was no lie. Hu Zheng had no clue who Screenwriter Cloud Seven was and what he looked like. He had never seen the screenwriter before!

    Li Jingran was not just being unreasonable because of her position and influence in showbiz. There was some truth to it.

    Any other production crew, director, or screenwriter would give in to her request due to her standing in the entertainment world. She always had thest word.

    ¡°Are you guys out to get me?¡± Li Jingran ground her teeth and hurled the script. ¡°Hu Zheng, let me tell you. I will not cut my hair. I don¡¯t care how you do it but get me Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s number.¡±

    She was no pushover, neither was she one to be messed with.

    The measly director sure had the b*lls to make excuses and shun her.

    Walking down the stairs, Su Ruowan overheard Li Jingran screaming over the phone. She had a rough idea of the situation after listening for a while. Just as Li Jingran hung up the call, she strutted over. ¡°Take it easy, Mom.¡±

    ¡°Take it easy? How am I supposed to take it easy?¡± Li Jingran pointed at the script on the floor. ¡°Look at it yourself. I respect Cloud Seven and agreed to act in his show for the sessful screenwriter that he is. Look at what he¡¯s making me do. I¡¯m only guest-starring in two scenes yet he wants me to shave my head.¡±

    Her beautiful hair was her signature style. She never touched her hair since her journey into showbiz. No director was influential enough to demand that she cut her locks, let alone shave it all off.

    This was a tant insult and vition of her pride!

    How would the other celebrities look at her if she followed Cloud Seven¡¯s wishes to shave her head? Her nemeses would be delighted and have a st mocking her!

    ¡°Mom, I think it¡¯s still up for discussion.¡± Su Ruowan had a look at the script and frowned. The actress was to cooperate to shave the head off because the role had cancer and suffered hair fall during treatment.

    Mom was not going to say yes to that. She cherished her hair the most so much that she would go for hair treatment twice a month. Mom kept her long hair since her debut.

    ¡°Hu Zheng is a useless piece of sh*t. He doesn¡¯t even have Cloud Seven¡¯s contact number.¡± Li Jingran was about to lose it. ¡°I¡¯d love to see what the hell is this Cloud Seven all about. Did he really think he¡¯s all that just because he shot one phenomenal series? How dare he insult him!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Mom.¡± Su Ruowan handed her a cup of tea and suggested softly, ¡°We can have a good talk with Mr. Cloud Seven once we get him on the phone. I don¡¯t think the appearance makes much of a difference to the narrative with acting like yours. I trust Mr. Cloud Seven will understand.¡±

    With Li Jingran¡¯s fury extinguished after a sip of tea, she waited for a call back from Hu Zheng to see if he got through to Cloud Seven.

    The much-criticized Cloud Seven was taking Chairman Yuan¡¯s car from Cosmos Entertainment to Li Corporation. After sneezing many times consecutively, she rubbed her ear and looked at Wei Feng who was behind the wheel. ¡°You can leave me here. No need to pick me up.¡±

    Wei Feng arched his brows as Shen Xi grabbed a folder, a bag of junk food, and some snacks she bought along the way.

    Chairman Shen mentioned that she was here at Li Corporation for an important meeting. Was it a good idea to purchase foods for such an important event? Was the food a present for the person in charge?

    Shen Xi got down from the car while still feeling the burning sensation in her ears. Some people must be talking about her behind her back. Nevertheless, she would let it slide today since she was very happy.

    The building of Li Corporation was the tallest in the whole capital. Located in the most expensive piece ofnd, thepany was made of two towers with arge mall in between.

    Unlike many other majorpanies, Li Corporation did not run its operations like a tight ship. The public was free to roam around the lobby and enjoy the air-conditioning on hot days like this.

    Shen Xi was not stopped by the security on her way in. She went straight to the reception and asked the beautifuldy behind the counter. ¡°Hello Miss, my name is Shen Xi. Could you inform your CEO that I have an important coboration to discuss with him?¡±

    Thedy behind the reception desk did not answer.

    Someone nearby looked askance at her and cynically retorted, ¡°Shen Xi, do you think the CEO of Li Corporation has time for any riffraff?¡±

 Chapter 608 - Talk About the Language of Love

    <h4>Chapter 608: Talk About the Language of Love</h4>

    Since all Shen Xi could think about was to see Li Yuan soon, she did not notice who was standing near her. With the voice sounding familiar, she turned to scan the face and recognized him to be Shen Feng¡¯s high school mate and He Lu¡¯s boyfriend ¨C Xia Ze.

    Even after that good humiliation, the moron sure had to cheek to act cocky in front of her.

    Xia Ze was staring at her and noticed the food she was carrying. All the more he had no reason to hide his contempt and disdain. ¡°Shen Xi, take a look around. Is this somewhere anyone cane and go as they please? Have a bit of sense and get out of here. Please save yourself from embarrassment.¡±

    Following the b*tch¡¯s scare back at their hometown, his father dragged him to apologize to Qi Xiu. Xia Ze had been holding it against Shen Xi since.

    Qi Xiu, the lounge singer, achieved instant fame as the hottest singer-songwriter in China. Xia Ze knew better than to mess with someone in the limelight who was also backed by a mysterious big gun.

    On the other hand, Xia Ze had never heard if Shen Xi had anything to show for. Her family was only hilly-billy nouveau riche.

    The brat was bold to trumpet that she was here to work on a project with the CEO of Li Corporation. Xia Ze had been to Li Corporation no less than ten times and yet he did not have the pleasure to meet the executives, let alone the CEO. He had been engaging with a leader of small projects.

    ¡°Moron.¡± Shen Xi scoffed. Without giving him another nce, she smiled at the receptionist and said politely, ¡°If you could, thank you.¡±

    The receptionist was unable to take her eyes away from the girl¡¯s beauty. She grinned courteously. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±

    Since she was not authorized to call straight to the CEO¡¯s secretary office, the receptionist first reported to the department in charge to ry the message from the bottom to the top.

    ¡°What business do you have here, Shen Xi?¡± Xia Ze gave her a side nce.

    Shen Xi returned the question. ¡°What business do you have?¡±

    Straightening his back, Xia Ze uttered arrogantly, ¡°Do you know anything about AI? I¡¯m doing just that. I am the person responsible for the AI robot project of our Capital University. I came to establish a working rtionship with Li Corporation.¡±

    ¡°Artificial Intelligence? More like Artificial Idiocrasy.¡± Shen Xi was not in the mood to bicker with those who did not know when to quit. ¡°My advice is for your project team to change the person in charge to someone else.¡±

    ¡°Who are you to tell me off?¡± Xia Ze was up in arms. ¡°Whoever leads our project team is not your decision to make. Who do you think you are?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I might not have a say in who gets to lead your project team, but I can decide for Li Corporation not to cooperate with a moron like you.¡± Shen Xi smiled at him. ¡°If you still want your team to work with Li Corporation, your best choice is to quit your position.¡±

    The AI research unit at Capital University was world-ss. Li Corporation would consider teaming up with Capital University if thepany was interested to go down this route.

    The talents at the university were the country¡¯s best. Since she was a student at Capital University herself, Shen Xi knew that not everyone was a moron like Xia Ze.

    It was unnecessary to discount everybody for their hard work because of Xia Ze alone. Surely, Xia Ze, the dimwit must be sent here for the negotiations due to hisck of results in the research department.

    ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Xia Ze¡¯s face flushed while his eyes were spitting fire. Had it not for the fact that they were in public, Xia Ze would have taught the brat a lesson. ¡°It¡¯s not like Li Corporation won¡¯t work with me just because you say so.¡±

    ¡°Yes, whatever she says goes.¡±

    It was not Shen Xi who answered him, but a maic male voice.

    Xia Ze raised his head and saw a man in the wheelchair heading his way. Carrying himself in an air of chilling murderous intent, the man swept a fleeting nce at Xia Ze. The man¡¯s cold eyes sent shivers to his bones.

    Hearing the voice, Shen Xi waved her hand at the person and let out a bright smile. She cried sweetly, ¡°Brother, why did youe down in person?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Shen, I heard you had something to discuss with me?¡± Taking in her smile, Li Yuan opened his mouth. ¡°What kind of talk do you have in mind?¡±

    Shen Xi bolted toward him bubbly. She reflected for a brief moment before uttering, ¡°To talk¡­ Talk about thenguage of love!¡±

    The employees in the lobby werepletely dumbstruck. Thedy behind the reception desk had her jaw dropped.

    The noble yet aloof man in the wheelchair was Li Corporation¡¯s most distinguished man. As a matter of fact, he was the most prominent man in the whole of China as the head of the Li household and CEO of Li Corporation ¨C Li Yuan.

    Every employee had to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior toing on board. They were not to describe the CEO¡¯s appearance to anyone.

    Hence, no one in the outside world had an inkling of what the CEO looked like. The employees would rather die than reveal the secret.

    However, they also knew the outside world was spot on with their callous and merciless impression of their CEO. The employees had never seen a smile on the CEO¡¯s face.

    Yet now, the CEO came all the way down in person to wee, chat, and smile¡ªall for the girl. The girl even jumped into his arms and ced the junk food on hisp.

    Kun Lun came over and gazed respectfully at Shen Xi who plunked down all the junk food on Li Yuan¡¯sp. His eyelids were twitching. ¡°Ms. Shen, how should we take care of this person?¡±

    Jesus. Could they cut it with the public disy of affection?

    There went Boss¡¯s indifferent image.

    ¡°Oh, him. Talk with Capital University¡¯s project team. Terminate the partnership if they insist on using him.¡± Shen Xi kneeled before Li Yuan and asked blissfully, ¡°What do you say, Brother? He acts like a snob and is an embarrassment to Capital University.¡±

    Pulling a poker face, Li Yuan nced at Xia Ze and coldly remarked, ¡°Feed him to the dogs.¡±

    Xia Ze had not seen Li Yuan before as the CEO of Li Corporation never once appeared in public. Although less than a handful in China ever met him face-to-face, Kun Lun often appeared on various financial and economics magazines and forums. It was a known fact that Kun Lun was the spokesperson and assistant to Li Corporation¡¯s CEO.

    He was no dummy. Judging by Kun Lun¡¯s attitude, Xia Ze was able to guess the identity of the man in the wheelchair. His heart sank and he nearly peed his pants. Dropping onto his knees in a thud, he begged, ¡°Mr. Li, it¡¯s all my fault. Please have mercy. I¡¯m a moron, a dog, an idiot. You don¡¯t want to waste your time with a brute like me.¡±

    Everyone knew the CEO of Li Corporation was ruthless and cold-blooded. Anyone who overstepped their boundaries had never lived to see another day.

    It never crossed Xia Ze¡¯s mind that Shen Xi knew Mr. Li. Otherwise, he would never disrespect her.

    ¡°What do you say?¡± Li Yuan turned to his fairdy.

    Feeding the sightless punk to the dogs was too small of a price foring at his fairdy..

 Chapter 609 - Whatever You Design Is for My Use Only

    <h4>Chapter 609: Whatever You Design Is for My Use Only</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Switching target, Xia Ze crawled to Shen Xi and gave himself a few good ps. ¡°Ms. Shen, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. I talk before I think. Please forgive me and give me one chance. I will quit the project team. No, I¡¯ll drop out of Capital University.¡±

    Seeing that he was quick to beg for forgiveness, Shen Xi scoffed. ¡°Remember what you said.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Shen. Thank you.¡± Xia Ze kowtowed to apologize without one bit of spite. He would be dead by morning if he ever disrespected the head of the Li household.

    Kun Lun turned to Shen Xi to make sure if that was the end of it.

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°He has quite a foul mouth, spewing sh*t at everyone. Give him a hundred ps and toss him out.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Ms. Shen.¡± Kun Lun instructed the security personnel to drag Xia Ze out.

    Shen Xi pushed Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair into the CEO¡¯s private elevator. Once inside, she leaned over to breathe in his ear. ¡°Brother, thank you.¡±

    ¡°How do you prepare to thank me?¡± Curling his lips, Li Yuan asked.

    Shen Xi took strides to face him. ¡°For your small act of kindness, I¡¯ll repay you in folds.¡±

    Humming in acknowledgment, Li Yuan gazed at her with a smile as she jumped into his embrace and held him tight with her supple arms.

    The girl buried herself into his arm and chuckled a sweet melody. ¡°Look, I folded you in my arms, thus repaid in folds.¡±

    Li Yuan was dumbstruck for a moment before lowering his head to cling to her ear and huskily murmured, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you offer yourself to repay the favor?¡±

    ¡°Dream on.¡± Shen Xi retreated from his arms. ¡°Do you think your tiny favor can buy me off? You should at least¡­ Buy me two cones of strawberry ice cream.¡±

    Li Yuan burst outughing. Extending his arm, he pulled his fairdy in for another hug. The sudden snuggle caused Shen Xi to drop more than half of her snacks on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a lifetime supply of strawberry ice cream.¡± Li Yuan said amid a goodugh.

    Shen Xi was giggling away too. Following a ding from the elevator, they had reached their destination. She looked the man in the eye. ¡°I also want bubble tea.¡±

    Li Yuan responded, ¡°Sure.¡±

    The silly goose was so easy to please.

    Shen Xi happily bent down to pick up all the snacks on the floor.

    Li Yuan hunched over to help pick them up and stuffed them in a bag. ¡°You bought a lot of stuff. Are you nning to stay here permanently?¡±

    Tilting her head, Shen Xi gave him the wide-eyed Bambi look and snuffled. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me anymore? Have you grown tired of me? Do you think I¡¯m bothering you?¡±

    Li Yuan drew close and kissed her on the nose before answering with a grin, ¡°You¡¯re probably the one who finds me annoying.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Shen Xi cupped his face and drooled over him. She appeared quite starstruck. ¡°I don¡¯t have to do anything and could just watch you forever.¡±

    It hit Li Yuan right in the sweet spot. Joy exploded from his very core to every inch of his body, sending his heart on a wild ride. At a loss for words, he pulled her close to his chest and propped his chin against her head. ¡°Thank you, Xixi.¡±

    She would not know the hope, the new lease on life, and the courage to crawl out of Hell she had given him. She was his light.

    Listening to his racing heart and raspy murmurs, Shen Xi hugged him tight and whispered, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll always be here with you.¡±

    The elevator door opened and closed on repeat.

    A long whileter.

    Shen Xi wheeled Li Yuan out to his grand office.

    Identical to the interior design of his home, the office was decked out in ck, white, and gray. Although it was low-key, luxurious, and ssy, the cold tones brought out the absence of human touch.

    Shen Xi flung the snacks onto the sofa and checked out the office before turning to him. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go shopping.¡±

    Nodding his head, Li Yuan could never say no to her. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Shen Xi counted on her fingers. ¡°I need some slippers, pillows, a nket for a nap. Oh, that reminds me. I would be bringing Toffeecito along frequently so we¡¯d need a cat tree, treats, and bed for it.¡±

    Toffeecito used to go to work with Li Yuan, but the office showed no traces of its existence here. The stuff must have been cleared out.

    Since Li Yuan adored Toffeecito, he would have its toys on standby for when it came.

    Hearing that she wanted to get things for Toffeecito, Li Yuan nced at the door across the room. A storage roomy on that side of the room and Toffeecito¡¯s things were in there.

    Nevertheless, he was happy to shop with her. It was better not to bring it up.

    Behind the building of Li Corporation was a mega shopping mall, which was also one of Li Corporation¡¯s assets. The chain mall carried high-endbels.

    While Shen Xi was roaming the supply store, Li Yuan carried the stuff she picked on hisp, in his arms, and around his neck.

    Kun Lun came in with his jaw dropped. He wanted tough but held back theughter in fear of the repercussions. Boss really looked like a walking human disy rack.

    A fluffy bag in the shape of an adorable yellow duck dangled around his neck while two cute cat paw pillows cradled nicely in his arms. Li Yuan also had two pairs of matching slippers on hisp. The footwear came with a cat head where its ears would bob when the wearer was walking. It was too cute.

    Boss never moved his eyes away from Ms. Shen. Like a camera, he was capturing every moment and second.

    ¡°Brother, what do you think of this?¡± Shen Xi held two sses that had an adorable blue whale print on them.

    Li Yuan bobbed his head. ¡°Looks good.¡±

    Shen Xi ecstatically grabbed a set before looking around for spoons. Picking one with a headshot of a cat, she raised it and inquired, ¡°What about this spoon?¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°It really looks like Toffeecito.¡±

    Shen Xi let out a smile. ¡°Right? It¡¯s a spitting image. I¡¯ll design a batch of Toffeecito¡¯s collectible merchandise. Its fans are leavingments requesting for them.¡±

    Li Yuan furrowed his brows. For once he was not going to let it go her way and firmly refused. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi was taken aback.

    Li Yuan¡¯s resolute tone carried hints of jealousy. ¡°Whatever you design is for my use only.¡±

    Shen Xiughed out loud while handing him the sses and spoons. She then kneeled before him and dered, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone else to design for Toffeecito. I¡¯ll only design for you.¡±

    Li Yuan was satisfied. That was more like it..

 Chapter 610 - Su Yi Said That Xixi Is in Love

    <h4>Chapter 610: Su Yi Said That Xixi Is in Love</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless. ¡°¡­¡±

    Childish!

    The dull mixture of ck, white, and gray tones in the CEO¡¯s office finally came to life after Shen Xi and Li Yuan¡¯s shopping trip at the mall.

    There were adorable pillows and a vivid-colored nket on the sofa for afternoon naps.

    The table was decorated with kawaii cups, spoons, and fruit tes.

    Not to mention, the lovable slippers at the door.

    These pieces might stand out, but they somehow created bnce in the workce, adding elements of cuteness and vibrancy to the drab office.

    Shen Xi pointed at the window. ¡°We should add two pots of nts there. I think a money tree and a clivia would be best. Brother, I¡¯m going home today so I¡¯ll send some to you. Bring them tomorrow.¡±

    Watching as she ran around the office in her fluffy slippers, Li Yuan chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s summer now, Ms. Shen.¡±

    Although she wore a little pink dress, she had a pair of winter slippers on her feet. Shen Xi was so adorable it melted his heart.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve got to give it to you.¡± Shen Xi turned over to smile at him. ¡°The air-conditioning¡¯s on full st.¡±

    She jogged to the sofa to pick up the nket and draped it over Li Yuan before kneeling before him. ¡°The best temperature for you is around 27 degrees Celsius. Look at the room temperature, it¡¯s 23 degrees.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a central air-conditioning unit.¡± Li Yuan gazed at the girl tenderly and exined.

    ¡°Don¡¯t switch on the central air-conditioning then. Install a single unit. It¡¯s too cold for you.¡± Looking at him in the eye, Shen Xi reached out to feel his forehead and swiftly retrieved her arm, as if her hand was frozen stiff.

    Li Yuan took her hand and ced it against his mouth for a blow. ¡°Are you still cold?¡±

    Smiling like a fool, Shen Xi gave him the puppy dog look and nodded.

    Li Yuanughed and blew more hot air.

    Pleased, atst, Shen Xi got up to get back to work. She pointed at the blue and white porcin vase on his shelf. ¡°Brother, you should change that to a Pixiu, the mythical hybrid creature. It can bring wealth to us and the business.¡±

    Li Yuan loved it when she lumped them both together in one sentence. He asked with a smile, ¡°Is feng shui your thing as well?¡±

    Bobbing her head, Shen Xi proudly answered, ¡°I know a whole lot more, which you¡¯ll find out with time.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled dotingly as the girl scampered to move this and change that. She looked like a pro when she reflected on her thoughts every now and then.

    Shen Xi was finally satisfied after moving things around the room. ¡°Brother, the feng shuiyout can amass wealth and fortune. I¡¯ll tell Kun Lun to rece the vase and that pot. I¡¯ll draw out the good spots, so you can put them in their ce.¡±

    Kun Lun was just outside. With Shen Xi summoning him, he opened the door and heeded her order right away. He took the white and blue porcin away and went on his way to find a Pixiu.

    Getting onto the ground, Shen Xi used the only pen in the office to draw faint circles on the floorboard near the window. Despite doing all that, she was in two minds. ¡°Brother, I¡¯lle with you tomorrow.¡±

    Li Yuan inquired, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go with your dad to watch your mom¡¯s fall fashion show?¡±

    Shen Xi smacked her head. ¡°Put the stuff aside. I¡¯ll return to adjust their spotster. We can¡¯t afford any mistake since it¡¯d affect the flow of fortune.¡±

    Jin Yun¡¯s fall collection was going to debut in the capital tomorrow. Her original n was to sneak Li Yuan into a hidden spot so they could watch together.

    Nevertheless, Old Shen, who had no time to spoil and pamper his wife, cleared his work schedule for the day to support his wife¡¯s fashion collection. It blew Shen Xi¡¯s hope to bring Li Yuan along.

    Li Yuan felt down. ¡°I want to watch your mom¡¯s fashion show too.¡±

    Shen Xi gave it a thought before approaching Li Yuan and said earnestly, ¡°I can¡¯t meet you there if you go. My dad has eagle eyes. He¡¯ll break your legs if he catches you.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be breaking your legs?¡± Li Yuan burst outughing.

    ¡°He won¡¯t hit his daughter, but he¡¯ll hit you.¡± Shen Xi spoke matter-of-factly. Struck by a thought, she pouted and gave him the evil eye. ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to get me beaten?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan pulled the girl into his arms and intimately came to her eye level. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you and be your shield. I¡¯ll tell Mr. Shen that it¡¯s my fault and that he can hit me all he wants.¡±

    ¡°Brother, howe I never realized that you were this kind of person?¡± Shen Xi stared at him with her wide eyes.

    ¡°What kind of person?¡± Li Yuan asked.

    ¡°A drama king!¡± Shen Xi chortled.

    As the girl crackled and chuckled, Li Yuan leaned forward to seal her chatty lips.

    Certain things were like drugs. Once tried, there was no turning back, and the addiction would only be fueled over time. Her lips, for example, were sweet like honey, tempting him every second of the day.

    The sunset painted a beautiful and wholesome picture over them through the huge bay window. Like the most wless oil painting in the world, they were a sight to behold.

    Li Yuan could not get enough of her, but he had to let her go since the girl was turning red and gasping for air. Still, he would peck on her lips every so often.

    Shen Xi felt an itch on her nose, unsure if it was because he kept snuggling against her face. Suddenly, she let out one sneeze after another.

    Li Yuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Shen Xiu rubbed her nose and moaned, ¡°Brother, someone seems to be talking behind my back a lot today.¡±

    The person in question was Shen Zhangqing. He was on a call with Yun Jinping. ¡°Honey, Su Yi said that Xixi¡¯s in love. Is it true? Do you know about this?¡±

    Yun Jinping was in the middle of the runway rehearsal for tomorrow when her husband caught her at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, honey.¡±

    Since she had not seen them together, Yun Jinping was uncertain whether the next-door neighbor was an item with Xixi. However, how did Su Yi find out? The man even came to their house.

    ¡°Su Yi mentioned it¡¯s a handicapped old man in a wheelchair. Apparently, he has a wife and kids. Our darling Xixi is the other woman.¡± Shen Zhangqing¡¯splexion turned ashen out of rage.

    Shen Zhangqing t-out denied and kicked Su Yi out of the house when he dropped by to talk about the matter.

    Nevertheless, he grew restless and upset the more he thought about it. Shen Zhangqing could not call and question his daughter in fear he might hurt her pride. Hence, he turned to his wife.

    With his wife saying that she was unsure, did that mean that she knew about it?

    ¡°No.¡± Yun Jinping was a good judge of character. She was quick to exin, ¡°He¡¯s not an old man, and he doesn¡¯t have a wife or kids.¡±

    Hearing this, Shen Zhangqing went ballistic, but he knew better than to snap at his wife.. He tried to keep his cool. ¡°Is he handicapped?¡±

 Chapter 611 - I Just Miss You

    <h4>Chapter 611: I Just Miss You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Caught in a dilemma, Yun Jinping knew it was time toe clean since the matter was out in the open. ¡°He¡¯s charming.¡±

    ¡°So what if he¡¯s charming? Our darling daughter has to spend the rest of her life waiting on a handicap. It pains me to see her in that position.¡± Shen Zhangqing was choking up.

    ¡°Honey, I know what you¡¯re thinking. Don¡¯t do anything rash and don¡¯t question your daughter. She¡¯s young and it¡¯s her first rtionship. You know how stubborn she gets. I¡¯m afraid something might happen if we press on too hard.¡± This was Yun Jinping¡¯s number one concern and the reason she held back from saying anything about it.

    ¡°Who is the guy?¡± Clenching his teeth, Shen Zhangqing ran to the kitchen to pick up a knife. ¡°I¡¯m going to slice him for eyeing my daughter.¡±

    He was not asking for his daughter¡¯s boyfriend to be handsome or rich, but the prospective individual should at least be able-bodied.

    With the guy bound to a wheelchair, his daughter would have to tend to his every need for the rest of her life. Having raised the apple of his eye with so much love, Shen Zhangqing could not bear to see his daughter take the hard path in life.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash.¡± Yun Jinping was no stranger to his temper. ¡°I¡¯ming back right now. I¡¯ll exin to you in detail once I¡¯m home.¡±

    She could not tell him that it was the next-door neighbor because Shen Zhangqing would not hesitate to run next door to chop the guy down.

    Shen Zhangqing had more to say, but his wife had hung up the call. In the end, he held the knife and sulked in the living room.

    Afraid that something major might go down in the house, Yun Jinping left in a hurry after informing Jiang Yin.

    Jiang Yin took a nce at Yun Jinping. She got an idea of what was going on after overhearing something about being in love. Despite the urge to warn Shen Xi, Jiang Yin held back.

    She promised Shen Xi to keep it a secret and help her out when the time called for it. However, Jiang Yin never said she would give Shen Xi the heads up. She did not want to be caught in between both sides after all.

    It was nearly sundown by the time Yun Jinping drove herself home. Shen Xi was not home yet while Shen Zhangqing was waiting near the living room door.

    ¡°Honey.¡± With his wife home, Shen Zhangqing rushed over with an anxious but furious look on his face. ¡°Tell me, who is that b*stard? I¡¯ll take him on!¡±

    ¡°Maybe, I¡¯m saying maybe he¡¯s the next-door neighbor.¡± There was no need to hide the matter from Shen Zhangqing since Yun Jinping was here to keep him in check.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jin Yu living next door?¡± Shen Zhangqing abruptly widened his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t he Xuan¡¯s dad? He has a wife and kids!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Jin Yu.¡± Yun Jinping let out a sigh and told him what she saw the other day. ¡°That¡¯s not Jin Yu¡¯s house. It¡¯s that man¡¯s house.¡¯

    ¡°Our neighbor is not Jin Yu?¡± Shen Zhangqing was about to lose it and felt devastated that his daughter had been lying to them.

    Had it always been another guy instead of Jin Yu? Was Jin Yu an excuse to trick them to think he was the next-door neighbor?

    ¡°No. Our neighbor is a young man. He¡¯s good-looking and carries himself well. He¡¯s also quite courteous in the way he talks and acts.¡± Yun Jinping could still remember how she was blown away during her first encounter with the man. He was handsome and polite. If it were not for his legs, the man would make a good candidate.

    Nevertheless, she shared the same thoughts as her husband. She wanted nothing but the best for her daughter. No parent was willing to see their child marry a cripple.

    ¡°What can his good looks, bearing, and grace be of help if he can¡¯t walk?¡± Shen Zhangqing was not angry because his daughter was dating someone or hiding her rtionship from them.

    He was furious that she found herself a cripple. Well, it was not all anger but more so heartache of the hardships she would suffer in the future. A lifetime was a long way to go. Shen Xi was not even 18 and yet she would have to look after a disabled person for the rest of her life. It was a hard life to live.

    ¡°Honey, I think Xixi is truly fond of him. Don¡¯t talk to Xixi about it. How about we have a chat with the guy? He seems like a sensible person, and I think he¡¯d understand where we¡¯reing from.¡± Yun Jinping was aware that her daughter was set in her ways. Thetter would not give up once she was fixated on a matter or a person.

    For any chance to put a stop to it, they could attempt to try their hand on the boy and talk some sense into him. If he knew what was good for their daughter, he would know what the best choice was.

    The couple discussed the issue at hand and finally decided to deal with it behind their daughter¡¯s back. First, they had to find the right moment to sound the boy out and see if they could get through to him. Should that fail, they would just have to y by ear.

    Since Shen Zhangqing was someone who wore his heart on his sleeve, Shen Xi was bound to read him like a book when she got home. Hence, he went to the office before Shen Xi returned.

    Yun Jinping told Shen Zhangqing to avoid seeing his daughter for the next few days until he pulled himself together.

    Shen Xi received a call from Yun Jinping, saying that Old Shen had to go for an emergency business trip. Although Shen Xi sounded disappointed that Old Shen could not go with her to the fashion show, her face reflected otherwise. In fact, she was winking at Li Yuan.

    It was not that Shen Xi did not want to enjoy the show with Old Shen or that she forgot her dad now that she had a boyfriend. Fine, it was true. Anyone who was madly in love would act the same. That was what Shen Xi was telling herself.

    Following the phone call and without the slightest clue that her rtionship was uncovered, Shen Xi happily uttered, ¡°Sit anywhere in the auditorium tomorrow. I¡¯ll definitely be in the front VIP seats.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. He did not care where he sat as long as he could see her and be with her.

    Shen Xi could not go straight to Mom and ask for tickets since she needed to keep everything hush-hush. She went online and paid premium for a ticket.

    That night, Shen Xi was home alone as Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were away. Aftering home from dinner and hanging out at Li Yuan¡¯s ce, she was not able to sleep as she tossed and turned in bed.

    In the end, she carried Toffeecito and went to ring the doorbell next door. Shen Xi then pitifully hunkered down at the door.

    From the CCTV, Li Yuan saw two little munchkins perching at his front door. Holding Toffeecito in her arms, the girl wore strawberry-printed pajamas paired with a hat as she eagerly lifted her chin to stare at the surveince camera. The look on her face sure tugged at heartstrings.

    The moment the door opened, Shen Xi blinked her wide eyes at the man. ¡°Sir, are you missing two cutie pies in your life?¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Li Yuan heartbreakingly yet helplessly stared at her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Snuffling, Shen Xi cheerlessly mumbled under her breath while snuggling up against Toffeecito.

    ¡°Insomnia?¡± Li Yuan was worried and debated silently whether to make her chamomile tea.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi shook her head before giving a straight answer.. ¡°I just miss you.¡±

 Chapter 612 - Whoever Crosses the Line Is a Dog

    <h4>Chapter 612: Whoever Crosses the Line Is a Dog</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he reached out a hand to the poor little thing. ¡°You can sleep in the adjacent room.¡±

    With her eyes lit up, Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    While Li Yuan pulled her up, Toffeecito jumped off Shen Xi¡¯s arms to hisp and meowed at Li Yuan for attention.

    Shen Xi bitterly gazed at Toffeecito. She wanted to sit on hisp too!

    After Li Yuan took the girl into his home, Shen Xi downed a ss of warm milk and gobbled an apple before she wobbled to the guest room. Li Yuan wheeled himself back to his bedroom after she closed her bedroom door.

    He had no sooner turned off the light than footsteps were heard approaching his bedroom door. His fairdy¡¯s soft and sweet voice came after. ¡°Brother, are you asleep?¡±

    Shen Xi murmured in a hushed tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m asleep.¡± Sitting up, Li Yuan turned his gaze toward the door.

    Amid snuffling, Shen Xi gave a gentle push against the door and was surprised the door swung wide open. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you lock the door when you go to sleep? What if someone does something bad to you?¡±

    Li Yuan let out a sigh. She could be a handful sometimes. ¡°Still can¡¯t sleep? How about I read you a bedtime story and sing you a luby?¡±

    Barefooted, the girl carried a quilt and blinked her Bambi eyes, making him weak in the knees.

    ¡°Brother, can I sleep on the floor?¡± Shen Xi longingly looked at him with pouty lips. She was as adorable as a hamster with a mouthful of food.

    ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± Li Yuan helplessly and dotingly gazed at her. What was he to do with her?

    He realized recently that she could be an absolute tease. She just had to say the word and all his armor woulde loose. He was defenseless against her.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Having gotten her way, Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Brother, are you saying that I can sleep on your bed?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°You can sleep on the bed. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±

    As the glow in Shen Xi¡¯s eyes dimmed, she shook her head and bit the corner of the quilt. Oh, the poor little dear. ¡°You might catch a cold. Insomnia for me, it is.¡±

    The girl was all talk and no action. She stood there and stared at him with his puppy dog eyes until Li Yuan gave in. He grabbed a pillow and ced it in the middle of the bed. ¡°You can sleep on the bed. No crossing over and stay on your side of the bed.¡±

    Nodding her head, Shen Xi happily ran to the bed andy down obediently, albeit she would not stop talking. ¡°Brother, your bed is so soft. It¡¯s so much better than mine. Now, this is the life.¡±

    Li Yuan was helpless. They were all the same mattresses.

    Lying on her side, Shen Xi held the nket and stared at him without blinking. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t turn off the lights, alright?¡±

    Li Yuan arched his brow.

    Shen Xi smiled sweetly. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to watch you sleep.¡±

    Click. Li Yuan turned off the lights.

    It was pitch dark in the room.

    Shen Xi snorted and mumbled grumpily. ¡°Stingy guy. It¡¯s not like you have anything to lose if you let me take one nce.¡±

    Li Yuan turned stern. ¡°Be a good girl and go to sleep.¡±

    Shen Xi murmured under her breath. ¡°Give me a goodnight kiss.¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°We agreed not to cross the line.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Scooch over here a little. I¡¯ll give you a goodnight kiss then.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    Furious, Shen Xi turned her back toward him. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s sleep. Whoever crosses the line is a dog!¡±

    Li Yuan tilted his head as he observed the girl with her back facing him. It took a while before he cried tenderly, ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi was without a word.

    Li Yuan drew close only for the girl to suddenly look over.

    Shen Xi ground her teeth. ¡°Dog!¡±

    Li Yuan leaned forward to nt a kiss on the sulking girl¡¯s forehead before bending over to her ear. ¡°Woof!¡±

    Shen Xi covered her face while feeling all warm and woozy inside. She grinned like an idiot.

    That night, Shen Xi never slept better.

    On the same night, Li Yuan went into deep slumber listening to the girl¡¯s steady breathing.

    Shen Xi opened her eyes first thing in the morning to find him no longer there. Toffeecito was sprawled out on Li Yuan¡¯s side of the bed and ying with its tail.

    In the living room, Li Yuan shouted, ¡°Toffeecito.¡±

    Toffeecito leaped off the bed and bolted away without ncing at Shen Xi. The cat had no idea that she was already awake.

    Li Yuan was afraid that Toffeecito¡¯s antics might disturb Shen Xi in the bedroom, hence he summoned it back. Toffeecito just exited the room when the girl emerged at the door wearing his slippers.

    Since his slippers were too huge for him, she was dragging her feet to keep the slippers intact when she walked. It was an amusing sight.

    ¡°Morning.¡± Shen Xi stretched and yawned as she drowsily wished him a good morning.

    ¡°Morning.¡± Li Yuan stared at the girl. ¡°Go and freshen up. Breakfast is almost ready.¡±

    Squinting her eyes, Shen Xi dragged herself to the washroom in a daze. As if struck by a thought, she stopped midway and pointed at her cheek. ¡°Morning kiss.¡±

    Li Yuan was fixated on the girl and blew her a kiss.

    Shen Xi was not having it. She waddled in the slippers toward him and hunched over to kiss him in the lips. After grazing her lips against his, she quickly turned away and ran for it.

    Watching the girl toddling away like a penguin, Li Yuan brushed his lips with his lean finger. His expression carried so much love.

    Toffeecito meowed for attention at his feet, asking for food as it was hungry.

    Li Yuan ced a can of food in front of Toffeecito and patted its little head. The warmth and happiness in his eyes did not go amiss. ¡°Morning.¡±

    Shen Xi was finally a little more awake now that she washed her face and brushed her teeth. After a month-long of waking up at six and tough training, it felt as though it had been a century since she had a lie-in. She was in anguor.

    A Hong Kong-style breakfast was served. The dim sum selection was to die for and delivered from the most authentic dim sum ce.

    Shen Xi took a seat and seemed to lose the function of her hands. She instructed Li Yuan by pointing at the food she wanted. Now that she had someone to feed her, she turned into a good-for-nothing who did not need to lift a finger.

    Kun Lun walked into the house and averted his gaze after spotting the pair acting lovey-dovey in the dining hall. It exined why Boss wanted him toeter. It was all for his own good. A singleton like him would be drowned by their public disy of affection.

    Fortunately, the couple¡¯s breakfast session was drawing to an end.

    Shen Xi found a use for her limbs atst. She drank a cup of tea and put down the cup before cheerfully asking, ¡°Brother, when do we leave?¡±

    Li Yuan was caught off guard by her question. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the show start at six in the evening?¡±

    He did not get the time wrong.

    Shen Xi eximed, ¡°A date!¡±

    They had only ever gone shopping at the mall ever since they started going out. They had not had a formal date yet.. She wanted to be like other girls who indulged in sweet romance and went on dates.

 Chapter 613 - Just One Bite

    <h4>Chapter 613: Just One Bite</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On the busiestmercial street in the capital.

    Passersby on the busy street could not help but look when Shen Xi emerged pushing Li Yuan¡¯s wheelchair. They were a pair of eye candies. The girl was a belle while the guy was an absolute hunk. They were both head-turners for sure.

    ¡°Brother, do you want any ice cream?¡± Shen Xi happily pointed at a nearby sweets store. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get it.¡±

    With a frown, Li Yuan reminded her. ¡°You¡¯re going to get a stomach ache if you get that. How about bubble tea?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s face turned red. How was it possible that he remembered her period cycle better than she could? Her Aunt Flo was due to visit in a few days. She was bound to suffer cramps if she ate cold food in the days toe. However, since Shen Xi was craving ice cream, she coyly bargained with him. ¡°I¡¯ll get one and only take one bite, how about that?¡±

    Gazing at the poor child, Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Just one bite.¡±

    With Li Yuan relenting, Shen Xi turned around and ran off before he changed his mind. She soon returned with two ice cream cones. The excuse she had sounded pretty valid. ¡°They have the second cone for half price. I bought two to save money.¡±

    Li Yuan turned on the earpiece and cried, ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    Kun Lun kept a good distance away from the couple so as not to disturb them on their date. Still, he remained at their disposal whenever he was needed without imposing or bing a third wheeler. Heeding the call, he ran to them as fast as he could.

    Li Yuan gazed at Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi gave an ice cream cone to Kun Lun without hesitation and the other to Li Yuan. ¡°Hold this and I¡¯ll just take a bite.¡±

    Kun Lun looked at the cone in his hand. What was he here for? Since it seemed like he had fulfilled his mandate and could leave, he quickly disappeared without a trace.

    Li Yuan held the cone and brought it to the lips of the girl who was on bended knees. There was no negotiation on this. ¡°One bite.¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head before opening her mouth wide. She took a mouthful and left only thest inch of the cone before making a run for it.

    The eagle-eyed Li Yuan saw iting as he grabbed her by the wrist. The girl hopped like mad while inartictely moaning how cold it was.

    Shen Xi was having a brain freeze. Nevertheless, it was very refreshing to gobble down the ice cream on a hot day. For a moment, she was caught between spitting it out and swallowing it down.

    With his hand already chained to her supple waist, Li Yuan gave a pull to bring her against his chest. He held down the back of her head and silenced her lips.

    The couple happened to be behind a pole. There might not be a lot of people in the streets at nine o¡¯clock in the morning, but it served the purpose to obstruct many curious eyes.

    Shen Xi¡¯s mouth carried the chill of the ice cream and sweet nectar unique to her.

    Li Yuan contently let her go and fixed his gaze on her swollen lips before teasing her with a raised brow.?¡°Just one bite?¡±

    One bite off the ice cream, indeed. Well, he had never seen such a huge bite. That was a mouthful of a lion¡¯s share.

    Biting her lips, Shen Xi red at him. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that.¡±

    He was so mean. Not only did he steal her ice cream, but he also kissed her lips until they were swollen.

    Li Yuan asked, ¡°Is there going to be a next time?¡±

    Not one to ept defeat, Shen Xi stuck her neck out. ¡°Try me. I¡¯d have given it to you right here, right now, if there weren¡¯t so many people around.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act tough.¡±

    Shen Xi put on a stern look. ¡°Just you wait. Don¡¯t make me do you.¡±

    Li Yuan retorted, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    His fairdy had no shame to talk dirty but would chicken out when it came right down to it.

    Giving him another evil eye, Shen Xi walked ahead and refused to push his wheelchair to protest her discontent.

    Li Yuan wheeled himself behind her. Soon, Kun Lun caught up and handed him a cup of bubble tea and a rose. Hiding the rose behind his back, he gazed at the girl. ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Shen Xi looked back.

    Li Yuan held the bubble tea high. ¡°Your favorite.¡±

    Shen Xi made a U-turn to grab the bubble tea when a rose suddenly appeared before her eyes. The man¡¯s handsome face bore an affectionate smile. ¡°I was wrong. Can Ms. Shen forgive me?¡±

    Clearing her throat, Shen Xi proudly gazed at him. ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have robbed you of your ice cream.¡±

    Shen Xi inquired, ¡°Will there be a next time?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Despite the temptation to chuck the rose in his face, Shen Xi was willing to let it go seeing that he appeared sincere. In fact, she was not angry at all. Was she that petty? It was merely a little fun between couples.

    As the girl sneaked a smile while spinning back around, Li Yuan curled his lips and chased after her. ¡°Let me have one sip.¡±

    Shen Xi snapped back. ¡°No!¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Just one sip.¡±

    Shen Xi faced him and reluctantly brought the bubble tea to his lips. ¡°Just one sip, alright!¡±

    Li Yuan knew that his fairdy would not turn her back on him. He took a sip out of the warm milky tea with her straw and quickly the sweetness belonging to her spread in his mouth.

    Sipping on her bubble tea, Shen Xi held the rose as she moved forward.

    Li Yuan followed behind.

    A short distance away, there was a bunch of Barbie dollsid out just outside one of the shops. Many people over there were holding tiny donut rings.

    Shen Xi was surprised to find a ring toss game in the biggest and businessmercial street in the capital. It was a rare find. She went over and learned that it was an opening event for the store. The customers who came to show support were given two rings and were free to take whatever doll the ringnded on.

    The store was a famous Barbie doll franchise. Customers could get an additional ten rings for every thousand-yuan worth of purchase.

    Shen Xi stayed and watched for a while before wheeling Li Yuan to leave.

    Li Yuan turned over and gazed at the girl. ¡°Let¡¯s try one.¡±

    Shen Xi was reminded of the embarrassing incident where he failed to even hook one despite spending several thousand yuan at the amusement park. She cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t like Barbie dolls.¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°But Toffeecito does.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    It was not that she did not like dolls, but she did not want to undermine his confidence. There was not one girl who did not like Barbie dolls. Shen Xi may have loved them when she was younger, but these dolls did not spark much of an interest anymore following her rebirth.

    Li Yuan uttered, ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone get twoplimentary tries?¡±

    Since he was so eager to give it a go, Shen Xi nodded. ¡°We can try.¡±

    Shen Xi was confident she could snag a doll in one.

    However, Li Yuan¡¯s technique was sloppy at best.

    The ring was tiny, and it was only considered a win if the ringnded on the Barbie doll¡¯s head. The event had been going on for quite some time, but none of the customers managed to win a doll. The level of difficulty was in to see.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan went over, and the shop assistant registered their names before giving them each two rings.

    Li Yuan looked at Shen Xi and asked, ¡°Which Barbie doll do you think Toffeecito would like?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at the Chinese Barbie in Qipao. ¡°That one.¡±

    Li Yuan bobbed his head. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Shen Xi watched as he tossed the ring and itnded..

 Chapter 614 - Fu Qingli Sat Next to Her

    <h4>Chapter 614: Fu Qingli Sat Next to Her</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi kept her eye on the ring.

    The crowd was watching as well. The couple was easy on the eyes that it was hard to not notice.

    The man in the wheelchair was attractive with an aristocratic mien. His charm was not at all lost because of his legs.

    The ring hooked right around the Barbie in Qipao.

    Shen Xi was stunned. ¡°Brother?¡±

    Carrying a smug smile, Li Yuan arched his brows and asked, ¡°What else do you want?¡±

    Shen Xi sized Li Yuan up. He must have been practicing in secret. Feeling a warmth in her core, she pointed at the Barbie doll in a white wedding gown. ¡°That one.¡±

    Li Yuan tossed the remaining ring in his hand. It was another bull¡¯s eye.

    The crowd went wild with apuse, cheering him on while feeling envious of his good aim. The price of the dolls in the store started from five hundred yuan and a pair of them would cost at least a thousand yuan.

    Many girls looked at Shen Xi with envy. Not only was her boyfriend handsome, but he was also good at hooking dolls.

    Since Li Yuan was having a st, Shen Xi wanted to give him her rings. However, the staff informed them that the individual could only throw their own rings. It was not that the store was unwilling to part with a few dolls, but it was the rules of the event.

    ¡°Brother, anyone you fancy?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    Li Yuan curled his finger at her.

    Shen Xi kneeled beside him.

    Li Yuan drew close and huffed into her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t like Barbie dolls. I only like you.¡±

    Feeling a flush in her cheeks, Shen Xi let out a cough and put on a poker face. ¡°I¡¯ll throw whatever then.¡±

    In the end, she casually hurled the two rings, and both were precise hits. The seemingly random clean shots blew away the spectating crowd.

    The employee retrieved new dolls of the ones they won from the back of house and congratted them with a smile.

    With four Barbie dolls in her arms, Shen Xi decided to give two of them to the two girls standing in awe next to them.

    The two little girls and their family immediately thanked them before watching them leave with heartfelt blessings.

    Happy as a m, Shen Xi held the two Barbie dolls as she stared at Li Yuan with a suggestive smile across her lips.

    Li Yuan cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Brother, you made quite an improvement.¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°Maybe a little.¡±

    Instead of blowing his cover, Shen Xi pursed her lips and smiled.

    Li Yuan earnestly exined, ¡°I practiced a lot since that day.¡±

    Shen Xi burst intoughter. ¡°How long did you practice?¡±

    Li Yuan extended his arm to show her. ¡°I practiced until my arms were sore.¡±

    Rushing over, Shen Xi squatted in front of him to check the tip of the man¡¯s fingers. A thinyer of callus had formed on his fingers. She was certain it was from all the ring toss practice since it had been quite some time. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°The pain will go with a kiss.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s eyes were tender while his voice bore a gruff. With downcast eyes, he looked into her eyes.

    Shen Xi leaned forward to devoutly give a peck. ¡°It must be hard on you.¡±

    Li Yuan hovered by her ear and murmured, ¡°Not at all.¡±

    He was willing to do anything for her.

    The pair enjoyed a meal, window-shopping, and a movie together. Shen Xi even took Li Yuan around the video arcade. By the time they got out, the streetlights were lit.

    Kun Lun was waiting at the door. ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen, it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    With the clock pointing at half-past five, they had half an hour left before the fashion show started. It was time to leave in case they were caught in a traffic jam.

    They did not hit gridlock and made it to the show at six o¡¯clock sharp.

    Jin Yun was the most luxurious made-to-order brand in the nation. The models hired to walk the runway were international supermodels while the guests were internationally known fashionistas and stars.

    In a year, Jin Yun grew and established itself on the world stage. Jin Yun was up there together with all the big and well-worn foreignbels when it came to high-end brands.

    Jin Yun had be China¡¯s pride and a ticket to the world stage. Prior to this, there had not been one fashion brand that gained such fame in foreignnds.

    To avoid suspicion, Shen Xi deliberately asked her student, Ruan Sisi, for the staff-only entryway. The location was discreet enough to get away from prying eyes.

    Ruan Sisi may be Shen Xi¡¯s student, but the former had been learning from thetter¡¯s teacher, Jiang Yin, and Madam Yun these days. Ruan Sisi had a lot on her te as she juggled the work for the runway.

    Li Yuan¡¯s seat was in the regr seating which was reserved for fans to see their idols. Nevertheless, even the regr seats were hard toe by. The prices were bidden online to an all-time high.

    Shen Xi had the best seat for the show. She quietly sent Li Yuan to his seat and hunkered down. She looked like a thief with a mask on. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    Nodding his head, Li Yuan gazed at the girl and hummed an acknowledgment.

    Shen Xi stood up and pointed at her seat. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sitting t-there¡­¡±

    F*ck!

    Her eyes dted. She did not even finish her sentence.

    That was right.

    That was her seat, all right. However, could anyone tell her why Fu Qingli was sitting next to her? Surely, Young Master Fu Qingli would not have so much time in his hand to watch a fashion show.

    Li Yuan took notice of Fu Qingli as well. Seemingly sensing their gaze, Fu Qingli looked back and politely gave them a nod.

    Shen Xi would rather not leave at this point. She sulkily tugged on Li Yuan¡¯s arm. ¡°Brother, why is he here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just behind you. Don¡¯t fear him.¡± Li Yuan gave her tender hand a squeeze.

    He was conscious of the hard feelings Shen Xi had for Fu Qingli. s, Li Yuan was unsure of the reason behind Fu Qingli¡¯s presence. Fu Qingli was not an easy man to read. Perhaps he was here for business.

    Still, Jin Yun¡¯s business would not appeal to Young Master Fu Qingli.

    Withplete abhor, Shen Xi finally made a move toward her seat.

    She had just sat down when Jiang Yin came over and kneeled by her. She yanked Shen Xi¡¯s ear and nagged in hushed tones, ¡°Have you lost your mind? You sure grew a pair to bring him here. Aren¡¯t you scared your mom will see him?¡±

    The girl had the audacity to take the man along to the fashion show. That was a gutsy move. Was she nning to make her rtionship public? There was still some time before her birthday.

    ¡°My mom won¡¯t be on the stage.¡± Shen Xi whispered back and made a gesture to zip it. ¡°Please keep it a secret for me.¡±

    Fu Qingli, who was sitting beside Shen Xi, carried an aloof and dignified air to him. His profound and cold eyes often reflected a thin barrier of ice, hindering anyone from reading his mind.. Taking a nce at Shen Xi, he tightly clenched his fists.

 Chapter 615 - So It Was Not Fu Qingliâ€™s Seat

    <h4>Chapter 615: So It Was Not Fu Qingli¡¯s Seat</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Jiang Yin gave Shen Xi a dressing-down before realizing that Fu Qingli was sitting right next to them. She politely smiled at Fu Qingli. ¡°Pardon me, Young Master Qingli. My student doesn¡¯t know better. Please ignore us.¡±

    Without a word, Fu Qingli nodded at Jiang Yin.

    Shen Xi peered at Fu Qingli from the corner of the eye, but thetter caught her looking and turned to her. Averting her gaze, she shoved Jiang Yin to hurry her on her way. ¡°Ms. Jiang, you should get back to work. Don¡¯t tire my mom too much.¡±

    Despite Jiang Yin¡¯s urge to give Shen Xi a noogie, she decided to spare the girl from being humiliated in the presence of the media. ¡°Sisi¡¯s around.¡±

    At first, Jiang Yin thought Shen Xi epted an annoying student. However, Jiang Yin soon discovered that Ruan Sisi was pretty hands-on and most importantly, would do as she was told, unlike her own student here. The elusive Shen Xi robbed Jiang Yin of the joy of being a teacher.

    Jiang Yin took off.

    On Shen Xi¡¯s left was Fu Qingli. Shen Xi gave him the cold shoulder sinceing over and refused to engage in any sort of interaction with him in case he took it the wrong way again. On her right was one of the finest talents in China¡¯s movie scene. Since she was not close with the movie star, she did not go further than exchanging pleasantries.

    The movie star would stare at her every once in a while as if trying to chat Shen Xi up. Nevertheless, Shen Xi was not in the mood for talk as she was on her phone texting Li Yuan.

    Still, the piercing gazeing from Fu Qingli was hard to dismiss. Even his fleeting nce seemed to suck all the air out of the room.

    The tension between those two was so thick that it would have to be cut with a knife.

    In the end, Fu Qingli broke the silence. ¡°Did Fu Qingxuan meet you?¡±

    Wincing her poker face, Shen Xi shook her head and bluntly answered, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Fu Qingli gazed at her.

    ¡°He¡¯s your brother. Why ask me?¡± While burying her fury, Shen Xi tauntingly and critically responded. ¡°I said no.¡±

    ¡°Please let me know if you see him.¡± Fu Qingli then got up to leave.

    With a frown, Shen Xi watched his receding figure. She thought it was odd that he came all this way to ask her about Fu Qingxuan. Why did he wait for so long before he raised the question?

    Fu Qingli walked a distance before stealing another nce at Shen Xi. As his eyes grew deep, he took out his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Come and pick me up.¡±

    He ordered an investigation on Shen Xi¡¯s past, but the inquiry came back empty. Fu Qingli had no choice but to start from Li Jingran by cross-examining the hospital she gave birth at and the medical staff during herbor along with anyone who crossed paths with her.

    However, since the incident dated back nearly eighteen years ago, the search had not gone smoothly. Fortunately, he was able to uncover some leads from a cleaner in the hospital.

    Fu Qingli needed to clear away that bit of doubt and be certain that she was indeed Li Jingran¡¯s daughter!

    His purpose in China was not to look for Xuan. Even he was puzzled why he came up with ame excuse just to chat with her just now.

    He came here to figure out what happened that year and get to the bottom of her real identity. Fu Qingli only believed in proof and the truth, not some illusory intuition.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s figure quickly disappeared out of sight.

    Taking onest nce, Shen Xi furrowed her brows in a knot.

    Li Yuan sent her a message. [Li Yuan: What did he say to you?]

    [Shen Xi: He asked whether Fu Qingxuan came and saw me.¡±

    [Li Yuan: ?]

    [Shen Xi: Weird, right? I find him strange today.]

    Yet, she could not put her finger on what it was, albeit his attitude was not as bad aspared with before.

    [Li Yuan: I see.]

    Li Yuan noticed that Fu Qingli had been observing his fairdy. Thetter was clearly not here for Fu Qingxuan, but her.

    Displeased, Shen Xi typed violently on her phone. [Shen Xi: He kept looking at me. He¡¯s a perv!]

    Li Yuan broke into a grin. So it turned out that his fairdy caught that too. Well, it made sense. She was smart and witty, to begin with. He replied to her text message. [Li Yuan: I¡¯ll stick it to him for you.¡±

    [Shen Xi: Brother, do you think he came over just to talk to me?]

    She had a sneaking suspicion, yet it did not feel right. Fu Qingli would not have time to do such a thing.

    Whatever. She was not going to waste more brain cells on the matter. Who cares what he was up to? He was gone anyway.

    She was about to hit on the send button when a voice was heard on her left. ¡°Hi!¡±

    Shen Xi lifted her chin to meet Yu Qiubai¡¯s smiling foxy eyes. She leaned forward and nced at the name pasted on the chair. Yu Qiubai¡¯s name was written in bold!

    F*ck!

    So it was not Fu Qingli¡¯s seat!

    Shepletely missed that and thought Fu Qingli was here to watch the fashion show. It never urred to her that he would sit on someone else¡¯s seat.

    Yu Qiubai smiled at her and said, ¡°I told Mrs. Shen that I¡¯m good with whichever seat. Mrs. Shen adores me so much that she gave me one of the best seats.¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a killer re. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Why are youte?¡±

    Had he arrived sooner, his seat would not have been taken by Fu Qingli. She, for one, was curious if Young Master Fu Qingli would have the cheek to steal someone else¡¯s seat.

    ¡°What? Do you miss me that much?¡± Yu Qiubai joked. Judging by her surprised expression, she must not know that he was sitting next to her.

    That did not sound right though. Was she blind to therge name tag on the seat? He spotted his name a mile away.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Shen Xi darted at him with a stank eye.

    Yu Qiubai retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t you y nice? No matter what, I¡¯m still your future cousin-inw.¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Shen Xi yelled and gave him another look. Oh, if only looks could kill.

    The prospect was very much in the air. Had he no shame to call himself her cousin-inw?

    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± Yu Qiubai had the utmost confidence in himself.

    Turning her back on him, Shen Xi continued to text Li Yuan.

    Yu Qiubai handed Shen Xi a cup of bubble tea to make nice, but his senses picked up on a dangerous chilling from behind.

    He abruptly turned his head to the source and saw a dignified, aloof, and handsome man who did not fit among the audience. What surprised him more was the man¡¯s face.

    That was right.

    The man¡¯s face shared simr features with a person in a family photo of the Fifth family that Yu Qiubai had seen once. The only difference is that the man had a chillinglymanding presence like an almighty king and was without overwhelming aggression.

    He was looking at the man, and vice versa.

    Despite the distance and dim lighting, Yu Qiubai believed he caught the fleeting astonishment in the man¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 616 - Did Not Even Make an Effort

    <h4>Chapter 616: Did Not Even Make an Effort</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Noticing Yu Qiubai staring in Li Yuan¡¯s direction, Shen Xi cursed the d*mn fox in her mind.

    Yu Qiubai took another nce before saying. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s dad.¡±

    It was a statement, not a question.

    Since she had been discovered and had no intentions to hide her rtionship, Shen Xi nodded and acknowledged the fact. Shen then turned to Li Yuan and let out a bright smile.

    The mix of emotions reflected in Yu Qiubai¡¯s eyes disappeared in a sh and by the time Shen Xi turned her head back, he had pulled himself together. Yu Qiubai teased her with a smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let him sit here?¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a dirty look that he should know better.

    Yu Qiubai grinned. ¡°Oh, I got it. You¡¯re afraid your mom will find out. Don¡¯t worry, your secret is safe with me.¡±

    Although Yu Qiubai ascertained the identity of Toffeecito¡¯s dad long ago, to meet the actual person was still a shocker.

    Yu Qiubai was buried under the immense pressure of the man¡¯smanding presence. Despite the distance between them, Yu Qiubai got an unapproachable vibe from him.

    What was with the surprised look on the man¡¯s face though? Although it was only fleeting, Yu Qiubai was sure he saw it.

    ¡°I should thank you then.¡± Shen Xi was always brusque to him.

    The d*mn fox had to ruin her mood to watch the runway by probing about Li Yuan. However, Shen Xi still had no idea what he was up to.

    One thing was for sure, the d*mn fox would not do any harm to Li Yuan. Even if Yu Qiubai was up to no good, he had nothing on Li Yuan.

    The show went on for three and a half hours.

    Shen Xi stayed put at the end of the show.

    Already on his feet, Yu Qiubai asked Shen Xi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce me to Toffeecito¡¯s dad?¡±

    While talking, he took a nce over but the nobleman in the wheelchair was no longer found among the audience. It was as though he was never there.

    Coming from backstage, Ruan Sisi was excited to see Shen Xi. ¡°Teacher.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded at her.

    Yu Qiubai was intrigued. ¡°I see you got yourself a student.¡±

    Ruan Sisi¡¯s attention finally fell on Yu Qiubai. The presence of a good-looking hunk tended to make the mind wander. Ruan Sisi was known to speak her mind. ¡°Teacher, is he your boyfriend?¡±

    Since he came to watch the show together with Shen Xi and was a hottie, the pair must be more than friends.

    Shen Xi did not have a chance to speak.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s survival instincts were already kicking in. ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t get me killed. I¡¯m her cousin-inw.¡±

    Shen Xi wanted nothing more than to kick his *ss. Cousin-inw, her *ss. The whole thing was very much up in the air and yet here he was talking as though it was a fact. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯s a fellow high school alumnus.¡±

    Unhappy to bebeled as a mere high school alumnus, Yu Qiubai jumped in. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of hers.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s phone beeped. It was a text message from Li Yuan.

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Xi who was focused on replying to the message and took a nce at Ruan Sisi while thinking to himself that that was the boyfriend in question. Nevertheless, he would not say a thing without Shen Xi giving him the green light.

    Ruan Sisi was ted. She fumbled around on looks and makeup without much practical experience in the past but had since gotten a lot after Jiang Yin and Yun Jinping took her under their wings. Besides, her teacher had promised her that she coulde along to create costumes and a lookbook for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series.

    She was super into Screenwriter Cloud Seven. However, it was said that the screenwriter was rather mysterious and never seen in public. No one actually saw his face. Ruan Sisi wondered if she would get a chance to meet him, share a meal, or get a photo and autograph.

    Shen Xi, Ruan Sisi, and Yu Qiubai headed backstage.

    Ruan Sisi was on a call. After hanging up, she started letting it all out without anyone asking. ¡°I promised Zhou Zhen to find her biological parents. The clue led to nowhere. I didn¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be a tough road to finding her parents.¡±

    Able to rte, Shen Xi smiled. ¡°It¡¯s never easy to trace family.¡±

    Mom and Dad spent eighteen years before they were reunited with Yu Yuanxi.

    The Fu family searched high and low for their dad for over a decade.

    The Fu family¡¯s youngest daughter was yet to be found.

    Ruan Sisi sighed. ¡°Sigh. That¡¯s true. I guess we¡¯ll just continue with the search. I thought we got it this time. It took us quite some time to get there too.¡±

    Shen Xi was without a word.

    Yu Qiubai kept to himself as well, but his eyes were fixated on Shen Xi.

    It was the craziest hour backstage. Jiang Yin and Yun Jinping were instructing the staff to straighten up the ce.

    Shen Xi ran over and gave Yun Jinping a big hug. ¡°Mom, congrattions on the wonderful finale.¡±

    Jiang Yin had a bone to pick. ¡°You didn¡¯t even make an effort. Where are the flowers?¡±

    With that, she deliberately nced at Yu Qiubai.

    With a bouquet of flowers in his hands, Yu Qiubai walked up and handed the bouquet to Yun Jinping. ¡°Mrs. Shen, that was an amazing show tonight.¡±

    Yun Jinping expressed her gratitude and epted the flowers.

    Looking at Jiang Yin, Shen Xi spread out her arms to give her a hug.

    Jiang Yin proudly gave her the side nce. ¡°Is your hug worth anything?¡±

    Shen Xi was aloof. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, then forget it. I¡¯ll make a call and send you a house full of flowers.¡±

    Before Jiang Yin could say anything, Shen Xi drew close for a bear hug. ¡°Ms. Jiang, thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Jiang Yin might be nagging and whining, but her face lit up with a smile. No flower could beat a hug from her student.

    This was the first time her darling student embraced her. At least she still had a heart.

    Envious, Ruan Sisi gazed earnestly at Shen Xi. She also spread out her arms to invite a hug from her teacher. Ruan Sisi did not want any flowers.

    Shen Xi was in stitches to see Ruan Sisi in such a state. Reflecting on the tough grind Ruan Sisi had been through, Shen Xi went to give her a cuddle. ¡°Keep up the good work.¡±

    Nearly moved to tears, Ruan Sisi bobbed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will do my best and not let you down.¡±

    Shen Xi contently nodded before proceeding to help up with the tidying up.

    Yun Jinping went off on her. ¡°You have ss tomorrow. You need to return to your school tonight. It¡¯s nine o¡¯clock now so you should head off now.¡±

    Yu Qiubai uttered, ¡°I drove here, Mrs. Shen. I¡¯m going back to school too. You can leave her to me.¡±

    Yun Jinping gave a nod. ¡°Be careful on the road. Remember to call me once you¡¯re there.¡±

    Shen Xi went with Yu Qiubai.

    They arrived at the parking lot.

    Shen Xi gazed at Yu Qiubai. ¡°You can head off. I have something to take care of.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Qiubai knew what her business was about and spared the questions. Needless to say, he would not be introduced to that person.

    Making a beeline to a Rolls Royce, Shen Xi opened the door and got into the car.

 Chapter 617 - he Script of the New TV Series

    <h4>Chapter 617: The Script of the New TV Series</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Since that day, Shen Xi had enjoyed quite the freedom. However, it had been some time since she saw Old Shen. Old Shen was so wrapped up in work that he had not been home. Shen Xi kept in touch with him through calls.

    Yun Jinping, on the other hand, had another evening gown exhibition after Jin Yun¡¯sunch of the fall collection. Busier than ever, she often ate and slept in the office.

    Shen Xi had elective sses that ended at nine o¡¯clock at night. She would make the journey home if Li Yuan picked her up. In the event Li Yuan did not have the time, she would stay in the dormitory. Her rtionship with her roommates, Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan, only grew closer.

    The title for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series was finally announced in the mid of November. The actors to y the roles in Lady Luck were released as scheduled as well. However, there was not a word about the storyline. The public had their views about the suspense.

    In the dormitory.

    Ruan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were excited to see Shen Xi walk through the door to share the good news. ¡°Xixi, the filming for Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series is about to start.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi remained unfazed. Of course, she would know about the shooting of her own TV series.

    ¡°I¡¯m so curious about the narrative. I can guess from the title of the TV series that it has a female lead like The Smiling Nation. Lady Luck. I bet it¡¯s one to watch.¡± Ruan Xiaoxiao was a fan of Cloud Seven. She was ready to defend whatever Cloud Seven put out.

    ¡°Who are we to specte the mind of Screenwriter Cloud Seven? The series is going to be out in two weekster anyway. We have waited long enough, so what¡¯s holding out a little longer?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan saw iting.

    The concurrent weekly release of new episodes and filming were Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s usual approach.

    There were production teams andworks in the vast TV series market who adopted the method following the sess of The Smiling Nation. However, these shows were not well-received due to how the plots were paced.

    Moreover, The Smiling Nation was still much talked about. Even now, manyworks took turns in airing the show as the ratings for the reruns still shot ahead of new TV series broadcasted in the same time slot.

    ¡°Xuanxuan¡¯s right.¡± Shen Xi nodded with a smile in a show of her agreement.

    The storyline would be revealed during the premiere episode.

    ¡°I heard the actors have received the script. I wonder if anyone would provide any spoilers.¡± Itching with curiosity, Ruan Xiaoxiao was unable to wait another minute longer.

    ¡°Actors have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d breathe a word, but I¡¯m sure there are bound to be fans updating thetest on the set.¡± Ready to spill more juice, Jiang Xuanxuan wanted to stand up for Shen Xi. ¡°I¡¯m really interested to watch Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series, but it doesn¡¯t sit well with me that Su Ruowan¡¯s ying the supporting role.¡±

    She did not have a high opinion of Su Ruowan because thetter was such a poser. Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s impression of Su Ruowan only turned for the worst after meeting her in person on the bus to the military base.

    ¡°Me too. Why would Screenwriter Cloud Seven pick her to y the supporting role?¡± Ruan Xiaoxiao was worried. ¡°Say, do you think someone with a tarnished reputation like Su Ruowan would affect the TV ratings?¡±

    Shen Xi was moved and touched by her roommates¡¯ concerns. Many fans and viewers who liked her work must be troubled by the same question too.

    She had asked the director to deliver details of the characters and manuscript for the first episode to every actor. Judging by the time, all of them must have received it by now.

    With the TV series starting production tomorrow, the actors had to familiarize themselves with their respective roles beforehand.

    Meanwhile, at the Su family¡¯s residence.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes were glowing when she received the script from the production crew. She had received a call from the director that her copy was on its way.

    Since she was shooting tomorrow, Su Ruowan had taken a leave of absence from school. Once they received the script, she and Mom would be flying off to the filming set the next day.

    Li Jingran walked out to themotion outside after painting her face. She was not at all thrilled when Su Ruowan handed her the script. After all, Cloud Seven¡¯s demands in thest notice rubbed her the wrong way.

    Despite unleashing her fury on Hu Zheng, the director had not managed to get her a minute with Cloud Seven. All she got was excuses after excuses.

    Unable to get in touch with Cloud Seven to this day, Li Jingran was beyond fed up. Now that the script was here, she had a bad feeling about it.

    ¡°Mom, here¡¯s the script.¡± Su Ruowan had not paid attention to her mood swingstely. She was over the moon to receive the screeny.

    Li Jingran nodded with a nk face. Still, she epted the script that had her name written on it.

    Whether she liked it or not, Li Jingran had signed a contract. The show must go on.

    Su Ruowan eagerly flipped through her lines. Although excited and happy in the beginning, her expression grewplicated as she read through the character¡¯s profile.

    ¡°Second female supporting role ¨C Chen Yu, the true heiress to the Gu family. She is brought back home to live with the Chen family at the age of 17. Cautious and timid in nature, she menially ingratiates the family for their love but is met with emotional abuse, rejection, snubs, and hurt. She dies of a terminal disease in the end.¡±

    Instead of moving onto the storyline, she ran her eyes on the outline of the character repeatedly. Clutching against the script, she tried to convince herself that it was all a coincidence.

    Su Ruowan did not have ess to other people¡¯s scripts other than her own. She had no idea what the leadingdy¡¯s narrative or profile was.

    Nevertheless, why was Chen Yu¡¯s history the same as Shen Xi¡¯s? Was Screenwriter Cloud Seven trying to convey something to her?

    While reading the script, she fell deep into her thoughts.

    Sitting nearby, Li Jingran turned as white as a sheet. Her facialplexion went from pink to pale and finally red in the face. With burning rage overtaking every inch of her being, she picked up the script and stormed off.

    ¡°Mom.¡± The noise snapped Su Ruowan out of her thoughts. As Li Jingran made her way upstairs, Su Ruowan called out to her mom.

    Trying to get a hold of herself, Li Jingran refused to look back. Instead, she hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs for a rest.¡±

    Su Ruowan was riddled with many questions. She wanted to know if it was a coincidence or a meticulously nned trap. Was Yuan Yu or Shen Xi, that b*tch behind this?

    Li Jingran returned to her bedroom and shut the door before letting the body jitters take over. With bloodshot eyes, she was about to blow her top, reading the character¡¯s profile.

    ¡°Extra ¨C Ning Pei, the first wife of Gu Zheng. Following the betrayal of her husband and Nie Qingzhu, she is robbed of her fortune and falls into depression. She also suffers from cancer. Amid her despair, shemits suicide by jumping off a building in the presence of Gu Zheng and Qin Qing.¡±

    Reading the lines time and again, Li Jingran¡¯s eyes were shooting fire.. It was a deliberate act! Yuan Yu, the b*stard teamed up with Cloud Seven to lure her into a trap. They were out to get her!

 Chapter 618 - Ms. Liâ€™s Perfect for the Role

    <h4>Chapter 618: Ms. Li¡¯s Perfect for the Role</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On this night, the production team organized a get-together for the actors to get to know each other.

    Li Jingran was feeling the blues as she had a hunch that Yuan Yu was dering war and challenging her. Yuan Yu must be colluding with Cloud Seven to disgrace her.

    Su Ruowan, on the other hand, was having the time of her life. Sure, she once had her doubts about Shen Xi the moment she read the script. However, after mulling over it, Su Ruowan believed that her suspicions may be for nothing.

    Chen Yu in the story died in the end, but Shen Xi was very much alive and doing well. She swindled the Su family arge sum of money and cut ties with them. Shen Xi achieved fame and fortune wherever she went.

    If only Shen Xi, the b*tch, suffered the same tragic end as Chen Yu in the story.

    Hu Zheng, the director, was warmly catching up with the actors.

    The actors questioned Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s presence. They also wanted to know if the screenwriter would grace them with his presence during shooting.

    ¡°Cloud Seven wouldn¡¯t be on the set. However, he would watch the filming in progress by video when necessary to provide some direction,¡± Hu Zheng exined with a smile.

    The only person on everybody¡¯s mind was Screenwriter Cloud Seven and it was as though the director was invisible.

    Still, Screenwriter Cloud Seven never appeared on set for the filming of hisst TV series either. No one had seen his face to this day.

    The actors booed in disappointment. Although they had gotten word from the production crew of The Smiling Nation that the screenwriter was not once present during the shooting, they were still upset as they really wanted to meet him.

    With most of the actors of Lady Luck being rookies, Li Jingran stood out as the person with the highest standing in the room. There was a veteran actress, Lin Chan, who debuted the same year as Li Jingran. As her age grew, so did her experience. However, Lin Chan never really found fame as she found herself stagnating in the B-list.

    Lin Chan often yed second supporting roles, extras, and sometimes the leadingdy of budget TV dramas in the past. Now that she was older, she often got maternal parts such as grandmothers and mothers. For Lady Luck, she would be portraying Nie Qingzhu, who was thedy of the Gu household and mother to the female supporting roles. Lin Chan had more scenes than Li Jingran.

    At the dinner table, the conversation was slowly steering to the script. Since everyone just got to know each other, they did not have much inmon to talk about.

    Half the cast were seasoned actors while the other half were rookies. Less than a handful of them were in between in terms of experience.

    The veteran actors were about Lin Chan¡¯s age, who were advancing in their acting career around the time Li Jingran and Su Yi made their debut.

    Actors who debuted in the same year were oftenpared side by side of their sesses. Hence, these actors were more or less jealous of Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s good luck.

    While shooting the breeze, everyone probed Lin Chan about her role as Nie Qingzhu. They asked if she could share her feelings and takeaways after reading the script.

    Lin Chan was a beautiful actress in her forties. Having looked after her figure and skin, she appeared ten years younger. Hearing that, she smiled. ¡°Talking about insights, I think Ms. Li will have a better idea of the character. I would say that Ms. Li¡¯s perfect for the role, more than I am, I reckon.¡±

    The seasoned actors got the message right away. Li Jingran was Su Yi¡¯s second wife. Although the younger actors were in the dark about it, the veterans in the circle were no stranger to that fact.

    Nie Qingzhu, to be yed by Lin Chan, was the mistress who took over the ce of the wife after wiping thetter out. The actors then had caught wind that Su Yi¡¯s first wife was dead, but the cause of the death was hidden well from the public.

    Color drained from Li Jingran¡¯s face. Her years spent in front of the camera did help her get a grip as she modestly grinned. ¡°I won¡¯t say I have any insights. Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Ms. Lin.¡±

    Godd*mn Lin Chan! It was no wonder Lin Chan was only a mediocre actress with that wicked mind of hers. Serves her right for never making it big.

    ¡°Oh, right. I heard that Mr. Su¡¯s eldest son is back in the country and has started apany. Is that true?¡± Lin Chan was not going to let Li Jingran go easily.

    With Li Jingran¡¯s facial muscles stiffening, she wanted to do away with Lin Chan there and then. Nodding with a smile, she gave a vague answer. ¡°I won¡¯t say it¡¯s apany. His dad gave him a bit of money to start up.¡±

    Lin Chanmented. ¡°Those who grew up abroad are different. I understand that he studied in a prestigious school. That¡¯s amazing. Is the son still like his mother?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s like his father.¡± Li Jingran was dying to get out of there. Refusing to spend another second in the room, she wearily kneaded her temples. ¡°Please excuse me, I¡¯m not feeling well. Do enjoy your meal.¡±

    Lin Chan gazed at Li Jingran with an intriguing smile. She drawled, ¡°Why are you so quick to leave? I have questions I need advice on.¡±

    Li Jingran politely replied, ¡°We¡¯re all cast members of the TV series. There will be time.¡±

    The younger generation of actors could feel the tension and sparks flying in the room, albeit they had no clue why.

    Su Yi and Li Jingran kept their affairs under wraps. Since Su Yi tied the knot with Yuan Yu¡¯s mom in secret, barely anyone knew that he was taken. Only a small number of people in the entertainment line were aware of it.

    Heter divorced and got hitched to Li Jingran in a high-profile wedding. They did not spare the public disy of affection after the marriage and even paid off the media to wipe any traces leading to him and his ex-wife.

    The media painted Su Yi and Li Jingran as a handsome and loving power-couple. Over time, the public saw them as the paragon of the perfect couple in showbiz and nothing else.

    Li Jingran urged Su Ruowan to leave alongside. Wanwan would not be able to handle Lin Chan¡¯s malicious attack if she was left alone to fend for herself.

    After getting into the executive van, Li Jingran furiously kicked the car seat and shouted, ¡°D*mn Lin Chan!¡±

    Who did she think she was? Lin Chan was only a second-rate actress even after all these years. How dare an actress who was destined for old hag roles gave her hell in public!

    ¡°Mom, how did she know?¡± Su Ruowan hated Lin Chan¡¯s guts. It would reflect badly on her if anyone were to find out about her family secrets.

    As time passed, Su Ruowan was no longer the child who would believe in anything. She used to ept that Mom and Dad were madly in love and that Yuan Heng died of illness.

    Later, her beliefs began to sway when Yuan Yu returned to the country.. She started to suspect that Yuan Heng¡¯s death was more than met the eyes, and it had something to do with Mom and Dad.

 Chapter 619 - A Surprise Awaiting Your Return

    <h4>Chapter 619: A Surprise Awaiting Your Return</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It did not matter to Su Ruowan how Yuan Heng died. She only hoped her parents were able to tuck away the matter from ever seeing the light of day so her career in showbiz remained unaffected.

    ¡°Leave the matter alone.¡± Li Jingran was resentful. Why did she have to take on the TV series?

    She had a sneaking suspicion that Yuan Yu was colluding with Cloud Seven against her. The damages for breach of contract were too high for her to bring it up to her husband. Even Lin Chan, the clown, kicked her when she was down.

    Li Jingran could predict that it was not going to be seamless filming.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Mom. She¡¯s only talking crap because she¡¯s jealous of you.¡± Su Ruowan understood Li Jingran well to know what should and should not be said.

    Lin Chan, whose career never took off, must be jealous and envious of Mom¡¯s sess. It was hardly surprising the way the old hag said what she said at the dinner table.

    Findingfort in Su Ruowan¡¯s words, Li Jingran urged, ¡°I¡¯ll only be on the set for a week. You¡¯d have to watch your back once I¡¯m gone. Try not to engage with Lin Chan and the rest.¡±

    Li Jingran spent her lifetime in showbiz to know what was in these people¡¯s minds. Wanwan was too innocent to fend for herself with these veterans.

    Nodding her head, Su Ruowan obediently answered, ¡°Got it, Mom. But would they spread rumors about you, Dad, and Yuan Yu¡¯s mother?¡±

    Li Jingran coldly scoffed. ¡°No one would believe them.¡±

    The image he and her husband built for over two decades was not for naught. Moreover, those in showbiz were only scratching the surface without knowing the whole picture.

    She was not worried about these disgusting bbermouths. Her main concern was Yuan Yu. What was he trying to pull bying up with the script with Cloud Seven?

    ¡°Okay.¡± Su Ruowan gave a nod before growing wary. ¡°Mom, maybe it¡¯s wise for Dad to have a talk with Yuan Yu. What if he talks?¡±

    With Yuan Yu refusing to budge, there was no telling whether he would disclose the matter to ruin the Su family. Since Su Ruowan was still a part of the Su family, she would be done for if the Su family fell from grace.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Your mom and dad will deal with it. Focus on your scenes. This is your TV series after all. You have to do well.¡± There were a lot of things Li Jingran wanted to keep from Su Ruowan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I think Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s not in cahoots with Yuan Yu.¡± Su Ruowan assured Li Jingran. ¡°If they were, you wouldn¡¯t be ying Ning Pei and I won¡¯t get the role of Chen Yu.¡±

    She was convinced that everything was a mere coincidence. Otherwise, Mom would be ying the evil Nie Qingzhu instead of a pitiful and sad role that would tug at the viewers¡¯ heartstrings.

    Su Ruowan would not be acting as the poor heiress, Chen Yu, if Cloud Seven was out to get her. The character was bound to attract fans if portrayed rightly and Su Ruowan was counting on finding overnight fame. Who would not love a kind soul suffering in the hands of an unfortunate twist of fate?

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Jingran may say so, but her mind was thinking otherwise. Having seen a lot in the game of life, Li Jingran trusted her gut more than anything.

    Su Ruowan was without a word as she quietly stayed by Li Jingran¡¯s side. The car soon arrived at the hotel booked by the production crew.

    Li Jingran and Su Ruowan were taking the elevator.

    With Su Ruowan¡¯s pupils dting, she dashed ahead. The chase soon ended with the person disappearing into a corner.

    Li Jingran caught up to Su Ruowan. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Ruowan furrowed her brows. ¡°I thought I saw Shen Xi.¡±

    The figure had a simr build to Shen Xi. Was the b*tch¡¯s audition not a bust? Why was she here?

    The hotel¡¯s best suites housing the leading casts and seasoned actors were on this floor. However, the cast was still at the dinner and no production crew was allowed on this floor either.

    ¡°How could she be here?¡± Li Jingran¡¯s already bad mood turned foul at the mention of Shen Xi.

    Su Ruowan nodded her head. ¡°I must have seen it wrongly.¡±

    The shadow she saw still yed on Su Ruowan¡¯s mind despite saying so. She stayed behind and asked customer service for the guests¡¯ information after Li Jingran returned to her room for a shower.

    Money was the answer to everything. She gave the person in charge tens of thousands of yuan to look into the guest list. Her nerves calmed down once she was sure Shen Xi¡¯s name was not on it.

    On the same floor in the best president¡¯s suite, Shen Xi was having a video-call session with Li Yuan while lying on the sofa after her shower. A smile lit up her face. ¡°Brother, do you want toe over? The room is huge. Bring Toffeecito along.¡±

    Of course, the screenwriter was going to be present for the shooting of her TV series. Nevertheless, Shen Xi did not check into the room with her identification card. She also let Su Ruowan see her on purpose.

    ¡°When are you returning?¡± Li Yuan asked.

    Shen Xi chuckled. ¡°We haven¡¯t been apart for four hours and you miss me already?¡±

    Li Yuan bobbed his head with a grin. ¡°A surprise awaiting your return.¡±

    The curiosity was killing Shen Xi. ¡°What¡¯s the surprise?¡±

    Li Yuan let out a mysterious smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a surprise if I were to tell you.¡±

    Shen Xi pouted. ¡°Stingy!¡±

    Li Yuan did not deny thement. Noticing her thin nightgown, he reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s colder there than in the capital. Put on more clothes so you won¡¯t fall sick. It¡¯s going to rain in a couple of days. Did you bring warm clothes?¡±

    Since it was autumn, the days were growing colder with the rain.

    Shen Xi stuck out her tongue and made a face at him. ¡°Brother, why do you sound like my mom?¡±

    Li Yuan sighed helplessly. ¡°May I remind you who I¡¯m worried about? The cold weather is starting off in the South. The capital¡¯s experiencing it in the next few days.

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°You should add onyers too. Don¡¯t forget to take the medication every day. You better not miss one. I¡¯ll also be keeping an eye on your rehabilitation. I¡¯ll deal with you when I¡¯m home if I catch you missing a session.¡±

    Two weeks ago, she finally found all the ingredients she needed for Li Yuan¡¯s medication. She also developed the drug a weekter. Li Yuan had just begun the course of treatment and had to take the pill every day at the same time.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan cheerfully gave a nod. With downcast eyes, he stared at his legs and slightly moved them behind the camera lens.

    Taking a nap on hisp, Toffeecito intuitively lifted its furry head and meowed at him.

 Chapter 620 - No Oneâ€™s to Lay a Finger on My Hair

    <h4>Chapter 620: No One¡¯s to Lay a Finger on My Hair</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan stared at Toffeecito and made a shushing gesture.

    Shen Xi pricked up her ears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Toffeecito?¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°It misses you.¡±

    With the camera pointing at Toffeecito, the cat¡¯s head upied the entire screen. It was unknown whether Toffeecito saw Shen Xi as it opened its jaw to meow.

    Shen Xi protested, ¡°I can¡¯t see anything.¡±

    Li Yuan warmly responded, ¡°It¡¯s time for bed, Toffeecito¡¯s mom.¡±

    Having never heard him call her that, Shen Xi was red in the ears. ¡°You should get some sleep too, Toffeecito¡¯s dad.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Li Yuan gulped down hard at the sight of his blushing girl. To be able to see but not to touch her was a hard pill to swallow.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Getting up, Shen Xi ran to the bedroom and jumped into bed before cing the phone next to her.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan could not see the girl on his screen. All he saw was the roof of her room. He smiled. ¡°I have work to do, but you should rest now.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head, regardless of whether he could see it or not. She yfully whined, ¡°No, I¡¯ll go to sleep while you handle your business.¡±

    The girl sure got Li Yuan by the b*lls. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Shen Xi was really tired after working out the kinks for several hours on end, showering, and chatting for a bit. With the man¡¯s voice soothing her soul like a luby, she soon fell into a deep slumber.

    Catching the girl¡¯s paced breathing and muffling voice, Li Yuan said, ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s meeting.¡±

    With that, he shut theputer and ended the teleconference.

    The girl must be asleep next to her phone. Although Li Yuan could hear her breathing, he was unable to get a view of her on the screen at all.

    He was worried, wondering if she was nicely tucked under the sheets or whether she would kick off the covers. Did she adjust the air-conditioning so as not to catch a cold?

    As the clock struck ten, Kun Lun knocked on the door and cautioned Li Yuan. ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen advised that you should be in bed by now.¡±

    He did not set the time, but rather Ms. Shen did. It did not matter what Boss was doing so long Ms. Shen¡¯s instructions were followed to a tee.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Li Yuan responded. Not forgetting his phone, Li Yuan wheeled himself out of the study and gazed at the sky outside. Picking up on the howling wind, he nced at his phone with worry.

    Kun Lun quietly stood aside as Li Yuan entered the bedroom and struggled to get into bed. His eyes were fixated on Li Yuan¡¯s legs.

    Since the intervention, Boss had been keeping up with the rehabilitation following the massage and acupuncture treatment.

    Boss had recently felt sensation in his legs, and his recovery grew optimistic after taking the drug Ms. Shen gave himst week.

    Kun Lun had the feeling that Boss might be able to stand on his feet by the time Ms. Shen returned. Nothing made him more excited and grateful than this monumental moment.

    That night, Li Yuan had a bad sleep as his mind was troubled with her not tucked under the bed, kicking the covers off, and that the room temperature was set too low.

    On the same night, Shen Xi was having her beauty sleep.

    Sleeping next door to Shen Xi, Li Jingran had a nightmare. She jolted up in cold sweat in the middle of the night and was too terrified to go back to sleep.

    Li Jingran dreamed of Yuan Heng jumping off the building in front of her and dying at her feet. She lowered her head to inspect the mangled body in a pool of blood only for the corpse to open its eyes and stare straight at Li Jingran.

    Yuan Heng¡¯s begrudging eyes were all Li Jingran could see every time she closed hers. Those bloodshot eyes looked as though Yuan Heng wanted to drag Li Jingran down to hell.

    The next morning.

    Su Ruowan knocked on the door and was met with Li Jingran¡¯s pale face. Startled, she looked at her mom with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom? Didn¡¯t you sleep well?¡±

    Li Jingran was still haunted by the rancorous face every time she closed her eyes. She shook her head at Su Ruowan. ¡°I think it¡¯s just the weather.¡±

    Su Ruowan doubted that that was the case, but she would not press for questions. After all, she bnced her tact well enough to portray herself in an empathetic light.

    The mother and daughter met up with the rest of the crew all dolled up. It was pure aesthetics to see them pictured together.

    Standing by the window, Shen Xi watched them leave in the car before making her way to the set in a mask, sunsses, and a ck cap.

    Shen Xi had her own writer¡¯s room on set. No different from thework studio, the writer¡¯s room provided a 360-degree view of the filming site.

    It was ten o¡¯clock in the morning.

    The opening ceremony was over.

    The first scene was between Li Jingran and Lin Chan.

    However, there was a problem with Li Jingran.

    ¡°Tell your director, Mr. Hu, that I won¡¯t shave my head. I don¡¯t care whoes but no one is toy a finger on my hair!¡± Li Jingran sternly gazed at the stylist who came with haircutting tools.

    The stylist was a girl who had not been in the business for long. Since no one wanted to get into the sh*t, they shoved the task at her. Scared stiff, the girl was nearly driven to tears by Li Jingran¡¯s telling-off.

    As there were no individual dressing rooms on the set, everyone shared one big room for hair and makeup regardless of fame. Many looked over.

    Curling her lips gloatingly, Lin Chan drew close and backed the girl up. ¡°Ms. Li, she¡¯s only a stylist. It¡¯s not for her to decide, so why are you throwing a tantrum at her? You¡¯re scaring her.¡±

    Li Jingran was already livid, but Lin Chan¡¯s words threw her over the edge. The d*mn b*tch had no business to poke her nose in! Giving Lin Chan the cold shoulder, Li Jingran turned to the stylist. ¡°Get Mr. Hu over here. I¡¯ll talk to him myself.¡±

    She had mentioned it time and again. She would not shave her head off. Never!

    Hu Zheng found himself in a difficult position as Li Jingran was a big name in showbiz. A measly director like him carried no weight with her. Despite his reluctance to head over, Hu Zheng braved himself and brought on the attitude of a director. ¡°Ms. Li, we signed the contract, and the actors are to fully immerse into their roles. You¡¯re making this difficult for us.¡±

    Having had enough of the same excuse, Li Jingran coldly stared at him. ¡°I told you that we can use a wig. I don¡¯t mind a wig.¡±

    ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven said that the visuals won¡¯t be as good with a wig. I hope you can understand.¡± Hu Zheng had to mention Screenwriter Cloud Seven.

    The tug-o-war had been ongoing for more than two weeks now.. Li Jingran would rather die than shave her head while Screenwriter Cloud Seven refused to budge and insisted Li Jingran did as instructed.

 Chapter 621 - Donâ€™t Embarrass the Term, Actor

    <h4>Chapter 621: Don¡¯t Embarrass the Term, Actor</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not your call, huh?¡± Although her eyes mirrored rage, Li Jingran tried to get her act together as she did not want to give these leering b*stards something to talk about. ¡°Go and find someone who can then. Call Screenwriter Cloud Seven over. I want to ask him how keeping my hair would impede the filming!¡±

    Cloud Seven had the nerve to decline calls andmunication from her. Li Jingran was curious as to what they would do if she refused to work!

    How dare they leave her hanging. Well, she had all the time in the world to y the game with them. They were the ones who were out of time as the first episode was to be filmed this week for next week¡¯s release.

    ¡°Hold on, Ms. Li.?I¡¯ll ask Mr. Cloud Seven.¡± Caught between a rock and a hard ce, Hu Zheng was the punching bag of both sides.

    Hu Zheng never met Screenwriter Cloud Seven, but from the scanty exchange he had with the screenwriter, Hu Zheng could tell that Cloud Seven was dominant and assertive. There was no turning back once he had decided.

    Li Jingran was not one to mess with either. Besides, what could he do if the actress refused to shave her hair? It was not like he could tie her up and run the razor down her head.

    Shen Xi had just stepped into the broadcasting studio when she received a call from Hu Zheng. She frowned. ¡°I got it. Hand the phone to her. I¡¯ll talk to her.¡±

    Hu Zheng was relieved by the reply. Yahoo! It was not easy to get Screenwriter Cloud Seven to say the magic words. He had contacted Chairman Yuan and his assistant, Wei Feng, multiple times in the past two weeks instead of the screenwriter directly. Hu Zheng informed them of Li Jingran¡¯s situation and asked them to ry the same to Cloud Seven.

    However, the answer remained the same ¨C Hu Zheng was left to figure it out on his own.

    As the director, he should be the one to smooth things over. Nevertheless, the production team was met with a special circumstance. All crew, be it the director, cast, filmmaker, producer, or sponsor, would answer only to Screenwriter Cloud Seven.

    Li Jingran stayed where she was when she picked up the call. She wanted to show to these buffoons who was the boss in the showdown between her and the screenwriter.

    Shen Xi changed her voice to a deeper tone of a young man. ¡°Hello, Ms. Li. I am Cloud Seven.¡±

    Li Jingran was expecting the screenwriter to be a girl since it was widely rumored to be so. The male voice caught her off guard, but the polite tone was pleasing to the ear. ¡°Hello, Screenwriter Cloud Seven. My name is Li Jingran.¡±

    Shen Xi courteously asked, ¡°Can I ask why you¡¯re refusing to shave your head?¡±

    Swallowing her fury, Li Jingran kept a mellow tone. ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven, I have confidence in my acting as a seasoned actress. Do you think a difference in shaving my hair or not would influence my acting?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Does shaving your hair affect you in any way?¡±

    Li Jingran replied, ¡°Of course. It will ruin my image. On the contrary, props can have the same effect even if I don¡¯t shave. We live in a high-tech world, I¡¯m sure it can also be taken care of during editing. For you to force me into shaving my hair, do you have a problem with me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a harsh thing to say. As the screenwriter, I aspire for better and realistic visuals.¡± Shen Xi turned blunt. ¡°I have to disagree with you about ruining your image. I didn¡¯t give you the role of a mistress who steals someone¡¯s husband and reces the first wife by getting pregnant, nor will you be the reason behind the first wife¡¯s tragic death. How am I ruining your image?¡±

    Shen Xi emphasized the ¡°recing the first wife by getting pregnant¡± bit.

    Color washed off Li Jingran¡¯splexion as a mental picture of Shen Xi calling her a husband-stealing mistress with a finger up her face was painted. Rage took over her every being. ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m not shaving my head.¡±

    ¡°Are you an actress?¡± Shen Xi scoffed. ¡°You call yourself a seasoned actress, but you give nothing of that sort. Don¡¯t embarrass the term ¡®actor¡¯. I¡¯m ashamed for your sake.

    ¡°Gong Zhi gained 15 kg in two weeks for her role in Mother. She was willing to jump in the river naked at -40 degrees Celsius for Snond. She never used a double in her twenty years in the business. She was able to win an international award and earn global recognition because of her respect for the word ¡®actor¡¯.¡±

    Li Jingran had always been put on a pedestal during her years in the business. She was the queen and the princess. The unprecedented humiliation saw her face turned ashen and lips trembling. ¡°What are you trying to say, Cloud Seven?¡±

    Gong Zhi, Gong Zhi, Gong Zhi. The whole world often drewparisons between her and Gong Zhi. Gong Zhi, that b*tch, was ugly and a poor actress to be her equal. With looks like Gong Zhi¡¯s, of course, she had to work harder to get a foothold in showbiz.

    Recognizing that fact, the ugly duckling needed to put in the effort to prove herself, while she, Li Jingran, was a natural beauty and actress. Everyone should listen to her and let her have her way!

    However, the god*mn Cloud Seven must think he was all that to berate her!

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, you don¡¯t deserve to be an actress. You have a choice not to get on with the program ¨C just terminate the contract and leave. If you still want to be on the series, then do as I have instructed.¡±

    Li Jingran was about to lose it. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Ms. Li, as an actress, you should know you¡¯re in the service of the role, not the other way round. I don¡¯t need someone who can act.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s lips remained curled as she added, ¡°I also don¡¯t need someone who disrespects the term ¡®actor¡¯.¡±

    The call was on speaker. Li Jingran deliberately put the call on speaker so that everyone, especially Lin Chan, could hear who was the most superior and the boss in the production team. Even Screenwriter Cloud Seven had to answer to her.

    Yet, it never urred to Li Jingran that Cloud Seven would be so curt to shoot her down in public. To make matters worse, he threatened her with contract termination.

    At present, everyone on-site was overwhelmed withplicated feelings. They gazed at Li Jingran and her phone, imagining Screen Cloud Seven in all his glory.

    Lin Chan was the happiest of the bunch. Screenwriter Cloud Seven was definitely an oddball to call Li Jingran out on the phone. Well done to him for telling Li Jingran to terminate the contract and leave. The look on Li Jingran¡¯s face was most uplifting..

 Chapter 622 - Her Hair Was Shaved Only to Be Asked to Put on a Wig

    <h4>Chapter 622: Her Hair Was Shaved Only to Be Asked to Put on a Wig</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Although caught in a tongue-tied moment, Li Jingran still had to keep up with her appearance with so many watching eyes. Moreover, she did not think Cloud Seven would spring contract termination on her.

    Li Jingran was not in the position to cease the contract. The damages for breach of contract aside, Li Jingran had no guarantee she could walk away in one piece from vicious public criticism if the whole thing was blown out of proportion. No matter how she saw it, she would wound up with the short end of the stick.

    Well yed, Cloud Seven!

    Standing in a corner, Su Ruowan watched the whites showing in Li Jingran¡¯s knuckles as she clutched against her phone. Su Ruowan stood in silence and desperation while hiding the grim behind her eyes.

    Although she did not like Cloud Seven, Su Ruowan intended to propel herself to stardom with Cloud Seven¡¯s reputation as her stepping stone.

    Anyone who got in her way was a threat, even if it was someone who raised her and whom she called Mom!

    What was Li Jingran so hung up about? It was only hair. Hair would grow after chopping it off. Even if Li Jingran could not do it for herself, she should think about Su Ruowan¡¯s future!

    Weighing out her options, Li Jingran had a lot stuffed in her mind while she faced the silence on the other end of the line. It was like an ongoing tug-o-war of patience. In the end, she swallowed her pride and hissed through her teeth, ¡°Fine! Shave it!¡±

    Li Jingran vowed to smoke Cloud Seven out and give him a lesson he would never forget.

    In the two-odd decades in the entertainment world, Li Jingran was always met with cap in hand from the cast, directors, screenwriters, and investors. Never had she endured such humiliation!

    Her body was shaking as a rush of blood to the head nearly spiraled her out of control.

    The onlookers exchanged nces with great interest.

    Lin Chan gloatingly grinned. What was with the reluctance? Did Li Jingran think she owned showbiz? It was about time someone bad*ss like Screenwriter Cloud Seven gave Li Jingran a taste of her own medicine. Otherwise, Li Jingran would think she ran showbiz and that everyone should obey her everymand.

    When Li Jingran got her head shavedter, Lin Chan nned to take photos so her management studio could take a swipe at Li Jingran. Anyone in the business would do the same!

    The director, Hu Zheng, let out a sigh of relief inplete awe of the screenwriter. He had no guts to be so blunt to Li Jingran but Screenwriter Cloud Seven was fearlessly forthright in giving offense.

    Nevertheless, Cloud Seven was established enough not to fear anything. He would have no trouble looking for actors for his TV series. Movie and TV stars ranging from A to D lists would go to lengths to cozy up with Cloud Seven just so they could be in his shows. His name spoke for itself.

    With Li Jingran saying the word, Hu Zheng made haste for the stylist to shave her hair in case Li Jingran might regret it and cause another scer. It was important they did not dy the filming.

    Su Ruowan was relieved. She might say nothing of her resentment for Li Jingran, but she did hold it against her. Li Jingran still had to go bald after all that. What if Li Jingran¡¯s fit left a bad impression on Screenwriter Cloud Seven about Su Ruowan?

    She might be a minor character for the new series, but if Su Ruowan yed her cards right, Cloud Seven could make her the leadingdy for his next title.

    The insult was suffocating while the rage was eating Li Jingran inside. Sitting in front of arge mirror, Li Jingran watched as the stylist snipped locks of her hair. With her bleeding heart, she wished nothing more than to draw Cloud Seven out and tear him up alive.

    Who did Cloud Seven think he was to do this to her? She was not going to let the matter slide. He may be a golden screenwriter and a direct ticket to high TV ratings, but Li Jingran wasing after him!

    As Li Jingran¡¯s locks were chopped off, the onlookers watched on the sidelines and whispered with mixed feelings.

    Lin Chan cheerfullyplimented Li Jingran for her good looks despite her hairless head.

    Not at all ttered by the praise, Li Jingran only saw red and sarcasm. The d*mn b*tch clearly did not mean well and was mocking her.

    Yet, Li Jingran could do nothing about it. Everybody shared one big dressing room on the set after all. She could not act the diva and kick everyone out in consideration of her decades of well-kept reputation.

    Pretending to be worried, Su Ruowan waited until the stylist was done with Li Jingran before kneeling by her mother¡¯s side. The teary-eyed Su Ruowan gently held Li Jingran¡¯s hand without a word.

    Li Jingran gazed at her bald self in the mirror and nced at her sad daughter by her side. After getting over the reality, she soothed Su Ruowan. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t worry and do wellter.¡±

    It was Wanwan¡¯s first filming and yet she had to see her mother backed to a corner. Not only was Li Jingran embarrassed, but it also made Wanwan worried and sad for her.

    While Hu Zheng was out making arrangements, the props master came over with a wig and informed the stylist, ¡°Please put this on Ms. Li. Get ready, Ms. Li. We¡¯re about to start the shoot for the first scene.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Li Jingran nearly flipped her top when the stylist brought over a wig. She was about to lose it.

    They were making a fool out of her!

    Specifically, Screenwriter Cloud Seven was the one screwing with her. He said the wig would badly influence the visuals, but her hair was shaved only to be asked to put on a wig!

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. You can ask the screenwriter.¡± The props master looked at her and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m only in charge of the props.¡±

    Holding the wig in her hand, Li Jingran was unable to take it any longer. To hell with her image! She stormed out of the dressing room and found Hu Zheng. ¡°Mr. Hu, what¡¯s this?¡±

    Hu Zheng exined with a grin, ¡°Ms. Li, Ning Pei doesn¡¯t have long hair. She has shoulder-length hair.¡±

    Even though inclined to smash the wig on his face, Li Jingran spitefully murmured, ¡°Are you messing with me?¡±

    Looking rather innocent, Hu Zheng shook his head and pulled his ace card. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. The role and look are set by Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    In other words, Screenwriter Seven Cloud was the one to be questioned instead of him.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Li Jingran gnashed her teeth.

    All she could do was take it all out on Hu Zheng rather than look for Cloud Seven. Li Jingran would flip her wig if she were to take one more insult from that man. Still, Cloud Seven would not see thest of her.

    ¡°Ms. Li, we¡¯ll get the shoot rolling once you¡¯re ready.¡± Bearing a smiling face, Hu Zheng watched Li Jingran strut back into the dressing room before patting his chest..

 Chapter 623 - Peed and Pooped Herself

    <h4>Chapter 623: Peed and Pooped Herself</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The civilians were coteral damage in the sh between titans, and Hu Zheng was the poor civilian.

    Li Jingran returned to a dressing room full of people gloating at her misfortune. Straightening her back, she knew better than to lose her cool and give them a reason tough about.

    Lin Chan smiled at her. ¡°Ms. Li, the look suits you.¡±

    Catching the sarcasm, Li Jingran smiled back. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Li Jingran would soon deal with Lin Chan, the b*tch. A D-lister such as Lin Chan was a nobody. It was easier to shut her out of showbiz than dealing with Cloud Seven.

    All the faces who taunted and insulted Li Jingran would not be forgotten. Li Jingran was going to make sure they got what wasing for them.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi could watch from every angle of the set. Since the filming studio was packed with cameras and CCTV, the wicked and furious look on Li Jingran¡¯s face when she turned away did not go amiss. Shen Xi curled her lips in delight.

    It was no fun that Li Jingran was already livid at just the beginning. Shen Xi hoped Li Jingran would survive the shoot. Otherwise, it would put Shen Xi in a difficult position.

    Li Jingran spent the whole morning in fury and annoyance. Needing to let off steam badly, she was unable to get into character and suffered multiple bloopers. The frequent cuts invited many bewildered and doubtful gazes.

    She needed to get her act together if she did not want to end up a joke. These issues should not ur with her acting and Cloud Seven was to be med for it!

    The morning¡¯s filming was merely testing the waters rather than an official one. There was a day of read-through prior to the shooting of every episode where the cast would gather to run lines with each other to share their thoughts and perceptions.

    With the morning trials over, the table readmenced in the afternoon.

    An hour before, Hu Zheng took out aputer and installed a projector. He said that Screenwriter Cloud Seven had found relevant videos to help the cast have a feel of the characters they were portraying.

    The videos were not to be watched together as everyone had different parts. A quiet environment was most conducive for them to reflect on the depth of the roles and how best to reenact the same.

    The actors took turns to watch the five-minute video in a dark room and soon Li Jingran was up.

    Li Jingran entered the darkroom and looked at the freeze-frame of a window on the projector screen. Fixated on the ss window, she picked up the remote control and hit the y button.

    The video began to y.

    By the ss window stood a beautiful woman with long hair. She nced to the side with hopeless and hateful eyes that sent chills to the bone before leaping down the window.

    It felt as though thest look on the woman¡¯s face was staring right into Li Jingran¡¯s soul. Before Li Jingran had a chance to react, in mere seconds, the woman fell into a stter of blood. Smashed to a pulp, the woman¡¯s body contorted almost as though the head and body were disjointed. Strange enough, Li Jingran had a full front view of the woman¡¯s face.

    The pair of eyes, bearing resentment, despair, and bitterness that could burn its victims in the inferno, was staring straight at Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran was only frightened for a minute. By the time she realized it was only a video, she settled down and scoffed in spite. ¡°Godd*mnit!¡±

    It must be Cloud Seven¡¯s doing! He was na?ve to think he could scare her with this. Li Jingran had seen everything to be fooled by a video.

    She was not afraid when Yuan Heng died. The dead woman was no match for her even in her ghost form, what more a measly video?

    However, no sooner had Li Jingran gotten a grip than the scene changed. The woman in the video suddenly came to life and pounced at her.

    The impact was too great as she watched the woman¡¯s bloody eyes and mangled face burst through the screen and came at her.

    The strange woman¡¯s face suddenly transformed into Yuan Heng¡¯s, the woman Li Jingran despised the most.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Li Jingran let out a horrified shriek before copsing onto the ground. With a paleplexion, she red wickedly at the face and picked up a nearby humidifier to hurl at it. ¡°Go to hell, Yuan Heng!¡±

    The screams were so loud and appalling that the people outside the room could hear themotion despite the well soundproof walls.

    The first to break into the room, Su Ruowan caught a whiff of a foul urine smell. She ran over and found Li Jingran trembling on the floor. She asked with worry, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡±

    The others rushed in and smelled something funny as well.

    Lin Chan shouted in surprise, ¡°Oh, my, Ms. Li. That¡¯s not very nice of you. How can you take a dump and a leak in here? How are we supposed to watch the videoster?¡±

    Everyone could take a wild guess at Li Jingran¡¯s situation, but Lin Chan drew more people to shift their eyes to the lower part of Li Jingran¡¯s body. Disgusted and feeling sick to their stomach, the crowd began to chatter in low voices.

    Hu Zheng dismissed the people before inquiring, ¡°Ms. Li, what happened to you?¡±

    Scared out of her wits, Li Jingran was too terrified and rattled to pay attention to her surroundings. She stared nkly at the screen with bitter hatred and animosity in her eyes.

    On the screen, the video was still ying. It was a normal video of a long-haired woman jumping off the building. It was the scene for Li Jingran to reenact.

    Shen Xi put down her earphones in the writer¡¯s room while gazing at Li Jingran who lost the function of her bowels due to nerves. Shaking her head in disappointment, Shen Xi thought Li Jingran would hang on for longer. All it took was a holographic projection to scare the sh*t out of Li Jingran.

    Li Jingran was watching an original video at first. Nevertheless, Shen Xi tampered with the tape to change it into a holographic projection of Yuan Heng. The effects were pretty good when Yuan Heng sprung out of the video.

    Still, Shen Xi was surprised that Li Jingran showed no signs of remorse. She even told Yuan Heng to go to hell.

    With Yuan Heng dead for more than twenty years, how was she supposed to perish once more? Even if someone was to go to hell, it should be Li Jingran! Li Jingran should atone and repent her sins on her knees before Yuan Heng!

 Chapter 624 - A Contingency Plan

    <h4>Chapter 624: A Contingency n</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was not long before the entire crew heard about Li Jingran peeing and pooping herself while watching the video. As for who spread the news, nobody knew.

    Director Hu Zheng had no idea what happened. He had watched the video several times too but to him, it was just an ordinary suicide video of someone jumping off a building. The video may seem a little freaky and bloody, but not to the extent of inducing incontinence like Sadako crawling out of a TV.

    It was a relief that Li Jingran regained her consciousness and reassured everyone that she would not affect the shooting. However, she did seem haggard and anxious.

    Lin Chan and the other actors talked about this incident privately. They never liked Li Jingran and were more than happy to see her making a fool out of herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched the video myself.¡± Having heard about what happened back then, Lin Chan continued hushedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ning Pei, the character that she is ying, kill herself by jumping off from a building in front of the adulterous couple? I heard Su Yi¡¯s ex-wife also killed herself that way. Li Jingran must have felt guilty about it.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you think she¡¯s still taking on this series, isn¡¯t she abusing herself?¡± asked someone with a perplexed look.

    ¡°A new series by Screenwriter Cloud Seven will definitely be a hit. Not only her, but half of the entertainment industry, even Gong Zhi, showed up for the audition.¡± Lin Chan smiled and continued, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want such a good opportunity? I¡¯m even ying the role of an evildy!¡±

    Lin Chan¡¯s character, Nie Qingzhu, appeared dignified and generous but was an extremely selfish and self-serving person. After some thought, the character did bear some resemnce to Li Jingran.

    She had no clue as to how a series that waspletely out of sync with the present climate, filled with misery and despair followed by a tragic ending, managed to pass the film censorship board.

    It should also be noted that such a genre deviated from the usual trend. Only Screenwriter Cloud Seven would dare to produce and never pander to the audience¡¯s interest for the sake of ratings.

    ¡°That¡¯s true too.¡± Another person responded and returned to the earlier subject, ¡°Did Su Yi¡¯s ex-wife really jump off a building and kill herself?¡±

    Lin Chan nodded. Regardless of whether it was the truth or rumor, she was only reiterating what she had heard. After all, she had been annoyed with Li Jingran for the longest time, so it would be great if she could take this opportunity to destroy Li Jingran¡¯s character.

    There was nothing like an absolute secret, especially in such a massive crew.

    As the saying went, three could keep a secret as long as two were dead. The rumor started off as Su Yi¡¯s ex-wife jumping off a building tomit suicide but as it spread, it transformed into Su Yi and Li Jingran being the ones who killed the ex-wife.

    The gossip was only spoken among the crew members. It had not spread far and wide with the media unaware.

    This was another night that Li Jingran did not dare to sleep. She was inplete terror and her emotions were on the edge. Yuan Heng¡¯s face filled with bitterness and despair was all she could see whenever she closed her eyes. She shuddered at the thought of the face.

    Su Ruowan had a bad night¡¯s sleep as well. She was mulling about what had happened on set, as well as the stories that were going around among the production crew. She was preparing contingency ns for her future.

    Her mother embarrassed herself in front of everyone. It was eptable for her to make a fool of herself, but her actions have also brought Su Ruowan humiliation.

    ording to the rumors, Yuan Heng was killed by Su Ruowan¡¯s parents. If they held water, Yuan Yu¡¯s retaliation coupled with the revtion of the truth would undoubtedly prove catastrophic to the Su family.

    The Su family business had been going roughtely. Su Yi was worried about business matters every day. Su Ruowan had looked into it and the news she got was not optimistic.

    Su Ruowan would no longer be able to rely on them if the Su family was gone. She had to brace herself for the worst and this series could be her ticket to glory. She would have the status if she became popr and rose to be an A-lister or an even higher rank.

    If the Su family went down, Su Ruowan would not stick with them. She would not hesitate to leave them behind and instead board another ship.

    After all, she was not the Su family¡¯s daughter. There was no reason for her to be condemned and despised by the rest of the world alongside the Su family. Shen Xi, the little b*tch, was the one who should be reprimanded and hated together with them!

    Meanwhile, in the president¡¯s suite next to Su Ruowan¡¯s room, Shen Xi was still on the phone briefly telling Yuan Yu of what had happened on the set today.

    ¡°Up till now, she still thinks she has done nothing wrong. It will not be a pity for such a person to die,¡± Yuan Yu mocked.

    It was clear as day that the Su couple killed Yuan Yu¡¯s mother, upset his grandfather, and took away all the possessions from the Yuan family. At the end of the day, they were still the ones alive and living well.

    If it had not been for the absence of evidence and power in hands, Yuan Yu would not have endured for years and left them unbothered until now.

    ¡°I have recently invented a medication that causes one to hallucinate. I¡¯m going to test it on Li Jingran and Su Yi.¡± Shen Xi gave a wicked smirk. The conversation abruptly ended when she received a video call from Li Yuan. ¡°Yuan Yu, that¡¯s all I am telling you for now. I got to go.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ste, you¡­¡± Yuan Yu was curious.

    The call was ended by Shen Xi.

    Yuan Yu looked at his phone and frowned as he recalled he still had things yet to share with Shen Xi. When he was at Shen¡¯s residence, he saw Toffeecito lying on the stairs and peeking into the neighbor¡¯s house!

    Yuan Yu knew only a little of the neighbor but he was aware that the rtionship between Shen Xi and the neighbor was more than met the eyes.

    It was not impossible for Shen Zhangqing to find out about their rtionship.

    Shen Xi hung up the call with Yuan Yu and immediately answered the video call to the face of a handsome man. Shen Xi smiled endearingly with her eyes turned into crescents and said, ¡°Brother, where are you?¡±

    Li Yuan was abroad and had been busy flying between cities for the past week.

    ¡°Greece.¡± Li Yuan was on a balcony.

    It waste in the evening for him. Thendscape was bathed in a warm orange hue. The turquoise Aegean Seay behind him and there were enormous white houses with blue roofs. As wind ruffled through his hair, he looked like he was living in a beautiful painting.

    ¡°The view is stunning!¡± Shen Xi could not help but sigh. By looking at the scenery, one could already tell that it was Greece. If she was not busy, she would have undoubtedly gone with him. Shen Xi twitched her lips and said, ¡°I want to go too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you next time.¡± Li Yuan looked at her and smiled. ¡°What did you have for dinner?¡±

    Shen Xi grunted in dissatisfaction, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me about work? You¡¯ve always asked about what I eat, but never my work. Do you think I¡¯m going to starve myself?¡±

    Li Yuan let out a cough and fixed his expression before saying, ¡°How was work today?¡±

    ¡°Perfect.¡± Shen Xi grinned brightly but she did not tell him anything about Li Jingran as it was her personal business after all. She then proceeded to stick her fingers out one by one and started telling him all the food she had.

    Li Yuan could not help butugh. Their conversation was steered back to food again..

 Chapter 625 - Every Womanâ€™s Dream Scenario

    <h4>Chapter 625: Every Woman¡¯s Dream Scenario</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Brother, is there anything good to eat there?¡± Craving for food, Shen Xi was fixated on Li Yuan.

    ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll have it air-lifted to you,¡± replied Li Yuan.

    Shen Xi cleared her throat and stared right at the man basking in the sunlight. She was willing toy bare of her wall of defense when he gazed at her tenderly with that smile on his handsome face. She took a gulp. ¡°You!¡±

    Li Yuan reached out and tapped the girl¡¯s nose tip on the screen. ¡°Wait for my return.¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Li Yuan stared at the girl who he could only look at but not touch. His heart was full yet empty. If only he could embrace her now.

    Ever since they started going steady, Shen Xi video-called him every night until she fell asleep except the time she was in military training.

    Li Yuan watched the girl fast asleep on the video. Her face was almost stuck onto the phone. Looking at her lusciousshes fluttering along with her breathing, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead through the screen and affectionately uttered, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    The next day, Shen Xi got up and was brushing her teeth in the toilet when there was a knock on the door.

    She opened the door to Xuan Yuan standing there in a waitressing outfit. He smiled at her and bowed. ¡°Good morning, Missus.¡±

    Shen Xi found it strange. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    She met him a few times since their first encounter at Cream of the Crop.

    Following a p of Xuan Yuan¡¯s hands, many more waiters emerged pushing food carts. Xuan Yuan gazed at Shen Xi and grinned. ¡°A breakfast prepared by Boss for you.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Air-lifted from Greece?¡±

    Xuan Yuan smiled. ¡°Boss said the food could taste a bitcking if air-lifted here, so he transported the chefs and freshest ingredients overnight and borrowed the hotel¡¯s kitchen to serve the food fresh.¡±

    Shen Xi coughed as the waiters walked into her room in a line and ced the meticulously prepared food on the dining table. Every inch of her heart was filled with love. However, this was a tad overboard since it was only a passing remark of hers.

    All the cast were living on this floor.

    Many of them were not short of money, but barely anyone would make a huge fuss and order so much early in the morning. They were curious who was staying in the presidential suite.

    There were only two presidential suites in the hotel. The production team was not going to blow off their funds to let the actors stay in a suite of twenty thousand yuan a night.

    Picking up on themotion, Su Ruowan came out of her room and stood beside Liu Xin, the leadingdy. Su Ruowan riveted her eyes on the waiter waiting by the door.

    She recognized the waiter. He was the young man who kicked her family out of Cream of the Crop, cklisted them, and gave them a clock.

    Liu Xin quietly asked her, ¡°Do you recognize that hottie?¡±

    The young man was young but was more charming than Ning Yi who was the male lead.

    The way she saw it, Ning Yi was one of the most handsome actors in the industry, yet he paled inparison to the young man here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Furrowing her brows, Su Ruowan wondered why the young man was here. She knew that the young man was someone of high standing.

    ¡°My assistant went to the kitchen to get me something and heard that a few top chefs came all the way from Greece with their own ingredients and worked in the kitchen two hours ago. It¡¯s something about their madam craving the food from there,¡± Liu Xin whispered.

    No one could get close with dozens of ck-suited bodyguards keeping watch over the presidential suite. It was such a grand, indiscreet, and high-profile lineup.

    ¡°Oh.¡± While feeling like a bunch of sour grapes, Su Ruowan pondered about the person who could make the arrogant and young man-in-charge from Cream of the Crop put on a waiter¡¯s outfit to bow and scrape.

    Having just entered the world of showbiz, this was Liu Xin¡¯s first TV series. She was a freshman in acting school and had never seen such a fine spectacle. Liu Xin was envious. ¡°If someone ever does that for me, I¡¯ll marry him!¡±

    This was every woman¡¯s dream scenario!

    Su Ruowan was overtaken by many emotions, but she did not let it show on her face. She warmly gazed at Liu Xin and inquired, ¡°What if it¡¯s an old geezer?¡±

    Liu Xin shuddered and drooled over Xuan Yuan. Looking smitten, she answered, ¡°It should at least be like the pretty boy there.¡±

    Su Ruowan held back her tongue. The pretty boy was way out of her league. Liu Xin should take a look at herself in the mirror.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan was rather jealous of Liu Xin. Why was Liu Xin the leadingdy while she yed second fiddle?

    Not into mind games, Liu Xin was frank and spoke her mind. ¡°I heard someone from our production team is staying in the presidential suite.¡±

    The production team booked out the entire hotel. The person staying there must be part of the crew. The only mystery was the identity of the person with the privilege to stay in the room.

    ¡°Could it be Mr. Cloud Seven?¡± Su Ruowan voiced her assumption.

    ¡°No way. Isn¡¯t Screenwriter Cloud Seven a man?¡± Liu Xin frowned. Everyone on the team heard the screenwriter¡¯s phone call with Ms. Li yesterday. Judging by the voice, Cloud Seven must be a young man.

    Her assistant told her just now that the chefs were flown from Greece to provide service to theirdy of the house.

    Meanwhile, Li Jingran emerged from her room.

    Liu Xin was lost in her thoughts when Li Jingran¡¯s appearance took her by surprise. Thetter looked pale and sickly. Liu Xin asked with worry, ¡°Ms. Li, are you alright?¡±

    She also caught wind about the gossip going around. However, the rumors must not be true since Ms. Li was portrayed in a good light in showbiz.

    Taking notice of Li Jingran¡¯s haggard face, Su Ruowan drew close. ¡°Mom, did you not have a good night¡¯s sleepst night?¡±

    Li Jingran shook her head and replied weakly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    All she wanted was to finish the shoot quickly and leave the godd*mn ce right now. Oh, how she wished to part ways with the b*stard Cloud Seven and never worked with him ever again.

    Li Jingran was certain that Cloud Seven was colluding with Yuan Yu to get rid of her!

    Nearly everyone was gathered in the hallway. Lin Chan walked out and was taken aback by Li Jingran. She spoke aloud, ¡°What happened to you, Ms. Li? Did you have a nightmare?¡±

    Li Jingran could not stand the sight of Lin Chan. Still, she retained an amicable smile on the surface. ¡°I¡¯m not used to any beds other than my own. I¡¯m finding it hard to limatize, that¡¯s all. Nothing¡¯s the matter.¡±

    Nightmare?

    She had not slept a wink.

    Godd*mn Yuan Heng.. Once the shoot was over, Li Jingran nned to look for a shaman to ward off the ghost. That would show Yuan Heng!

 Chapter 626 - Yuan Hengâ€™s Here to Seek Revenge!

    <h4>Chapter 626: Yuan Heng¡¯s Here to Seek Revenge!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lin Chan contemptuously nced at Li Jingran with a smile. The way she saw it, Li Jingran must be feeling guilty about a certain somebody¡¯s death and was paid a visit by theherworld in the middle of the night.

    People should not do bad because karma was bound to hit back.

    The crowd merely watched as breakfast was served in the presidential suite during their way out. They soon forgot all about it.

    Su Ruowan, on the other hand, was hung up about it and itching to find out about the person staying there as well as the handsome young man.

    There were bodyguards keeping watch at the presidential suite since the day they checked in. No one was allowed close.

    After finishing off the breakfast prepared by the chefs from Greece, Shen Xi changed into regr clothes and blended into the production crew. While no one was looking, she dropped hertest developed drug into Li Jingran¡¯s drink.

    Li Jingran was in a better mood than yesterday, albeit her mental state was a lot worse. She appeared rather weary and haggard, but the look suited her role as Ning Pei who was suffering a physical and mental ordeal at herte stage of cancer.

    As the director, Hu Zheng, superficially showed his concern for his cast, he was also

    pleased with her condition. Li Jingran could save the makeup since she looked sickly enough.

    For Li Jingran¡¯s scene today, she would be beyond devastated when her ex-husband, who forced her to sign the divorce papers, came together with his mistress-turned-wife to pay her a visit. Unable to get over the overwhelming emotions, she jumped off from the second floor and fell to her death in front of her ex-husband and his new wife.

    The dressing room.

    The stylist and makeup artist were painting Li Jingran¡¯s face. It was a look for when she hit the ground to her death.

    Reflecting on the mirror was the woman¡¯s blood-stained face and disheveled hair.

    Li Jingran shut her eyes,pelling herself not to look. She clenched her fist tightly, nearly drawing blood while regret sank in.

    She regretted it. Why did she ept a role in the TV series? Why did she have to suffer the agony and insult here!

    With the makeup done, it was time to roll the tape and thus, began repeated barks to cut.

    Once.

    Twice.

    Thrice.

    Ten times.

    Twenty times.

    Li Jingran was about to lose it. As rage grimaced her face, she red at Hu Zheng. ¡°Mr. Hu, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±

    Her sudden reaction sent chills down Hu Zheng¡¯s spine. Li Jingran looked over with a bloody face looking much like an evil spirit. He exined, ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven said your emotions aren¡¯t quite there. You should reflect despair and hatred in your eyes. It¡¯s the kind of resentment that would not cease even in the afterlife and make youe back to haunt the cheating couple.¡±

    The frustration was eating Li Jingran up inside. She was on the verge of losing her mind after repeating the scene of herself jumping off the building tomit suicide. It did nothing but reyed the scene of Yuan Heng¡¯s death in her mind.

    These long-forgotten mental pictures and the joy she felt back then grew clearer and clearer. As if under a spell, the scene kept looming before her eyes.

    Yuan Heng¡¯s bitter, devastated, and turning-in-grave eyes were chipping away Li Jingran¡¯s sanity, leaving her head in disarray.

    ¡°Ms. Li, put more effort into it. You should know that Mr. Cloud Seven wants nothing less than perfection.¡± Hu Zheng smiled obsequiously at her.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Li Jingran hissed through clenched teeth.

    Throughout her acting career, Li Jingran had never felt so defeated and insulted. She would pay Cloud Seven back the insult in folds.

    Li Jingran had a meltdown.

    Nevertheless, many onlookers, such as Lin Chan, were happy to see Li Jingran make a fool of herself.

    There were a lot of rookie actors on Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series. They were looking forward to Ms. Li the Film Star¡¯s performance but were let down by her constant retakes. They believed Li Jingran was not herself today and unable to immerse into the role.

    Su Ruowan was embarrassed. Hearing the people around her whispering about Li Jingran¡¯s bad acting, she resentfully nced at the woman on set.

    She thought she could count on Li Jingran to be a sought-after elite and coveted by her peers. Yet now, Li Jingran was bringing shame to her name.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi was helping herself to some cakes as she enjoyed Li Jingran¡¯s difiture. Shen Xi could feel Li Jingran crumbling to pieces in despair and hatred behind the camera. Surely, Li Jingran must harbor animosity for her and Yuan Heng.

    Nevertheless, the progress of the shoot could not be held up. With Li Jingran falling apart, she uttered, ¡°Mr. Hu, the take is a pass.¡±

    Hu Zheng then released Li Jingran of her misery.

    Having lost all her patience, Li Jingran could not be bothered to put up the fa?ade. She headed back to the hotel afterpleting her two scenes for the day.

    Li Jingran returned to get a good rest after knowing the current situation would do no good to her. After taking two sleeping pills, shey in bed and soon groggily drifted into slumber.

    In her dreams, she saw Yuan Heng again. It was minutes before her death as she stood on the second floor, looking at Li Jingran with those dead eyes. Yuan Heng leaped to her death and dropped to the ground before facing Li Jingran with her mangled face.

    Feeling as though she was strangled, Li Jingran started to gasp for air. The troubled breathing saw her put up a struggle and opened her eyes wide to a bloody face.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Li Jingran shrieked. As if she had gone mad, she jumped out of bed and smashed everything she touched. She was throwing things into the air.

    Once everything in the room was destroyed, Li Jingran shrunk into a corner of the room and stared wickedly in a direction. Her eyes reflected malice. ¡°Get lost, Yuan Heng. Get out of here!¡±

    However, there was nothing in the direction she was ring at.

    It took quite a while before Li Jingran got ahold of herself. The broken pieces under her feet cut her everywhere, causing blood to spill. Rattled, she scurried to find her phone and dialed Su Yi¡¯s number. She broke down and cried, ¡°Honey, I don¡¯t want to act in the TV series. I want to terminate the contract. Come and pick me up now.¡±

    On the other end of the line, Su Yi was heard snappishly scoffing. ¡°You were the one who signed the contract and now you want to terminate the contract? I¡¯m swamped with work to deal with you. I don¡¯t care how you do it, but you better finish off what you started.¡±

    ¡°How can you do this to me, Su Yi?¡± Li Jingran hysterically shouted. With bloodshot eyes, she red at an empty space. ¡°I saw Yuan Heng. Yuan Heng¡¯s here to seek revenge! She¡¯sing after us..¡±

 Chapter 627 - Dig Up Her Grave and Feed Her Remains to the Dogs

    <h4>Chapter 627: Dig Up Her Grave and Feed Her Remains to the Dogs</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve lost your marbles. Yuan Heng is dead. She¡¯s been dead for 25 years!¡± Su Yi yelled furiously. A shadow of malignity was caught in the undertones between his clenched teeth.

    ¡°She hase back. She¡¯lle back for us. She¡¯s already onto me. She wille after you too.¡± Li Jingran shouted back in despair. With the immense fear rocking her to her core, she rambled on.

    Yuan Heng was in front of her, regardless of whether she opened or closed her eyes. All Li Jingran could see was Yuan Heng¡¯s mangled face and resentful eyes that were trying to drag her down to hell.

    ¡°Have you been tiredtely?¡± Su Yi had no idea why she was suddenly so worked up. Once he regained hisposure, he rubbed his temples. ¡°Where¡¯s Wanwan? Isn¡¯t she with you?¡±

    Li Jingran had only joined the set, yet she was already acting psychotic. If anyone were to find out, God knows what would be written in the papers.

    Thepany was not doing too well right now as many organizations had suspended cooperation with Su Corporation. Thepany could not afford Li Jingran¡¯s bad press to blow up in their faces.

    ¡°Su Yi, get a shaman. Get the famous Master Lai from Harbor City. I heard many good things about him.¡± Mingling in showbiz, Li Jingran had always been a firm believer in feng shui. She viciously spewed, ¡°I¡¯m going to dig her grave so she can rot in Hell forever!¡±

    Su Yi frowned. Although he believed in feng shui, feng shui was not the answer to everything. She had clearly lost her mind. ¡°How many scenes do you have left?¡±

    ¡°Look for the shaman. Look for him.¡± Li Jingran was boiling. Yuan Heng was no longer in sight.

    She was almost certain that her shaky nerves were an illusion. Otherwise, Yuan Heng she saw would kill her.

    Whatever Li Jingran saw, be it an illusion or a ghost, Yuan Heng was going to pay. Li Jingran vowed to dig up Yuan Heng¡¯s grave and feed her remains to the dogs.

    ¡°Check yourself into the hospital after your filming. You need to see a psychologist.¡± Su Yi bluntly uttered without giving her a chance to refute.

    Perhaps she should go to a mental hospital.

    Just then, there was a knock on his office door.

    Listening to Li Jingran hysterically kicking up a fuss about Yuan Heng over the phone, Su Yi¡¯s eyes flickered with obvious hatred. ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    The assistant waited until Su Yi ended the call before saying, ¡°Mr. Su, Fang Chu, the assistant from Li Corporation, called and said he had read your proposal. He was interested in setting up a meeting to discuss the details at his office.¡±

    Su Yi¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. ¡°When?¡±

    The assistant respectfully answered, ¡°Any time.¡±

    Getting on his feet, Su Yi put on his jacket and eagerly walked out. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    Su Yi needed not be afraid of those small businesses shying away from him if he was able to hang on to the magic money tree that was Li Corporation.

    No matter what, Su Yi must seal the deal with Li Corporation. The fate of Su Corporation rested on the partnership.

    Fang Chu had been waiting in Li Corporation¡¯s meeting room. He grabbed a tiny pill and dropped it in a teacup after the secretary knocked on the door to inform him that Su Yi was on his way up.

    Boss¡¯sdy said that the pill could cause hallucinations and awaken the selfishness, nastiness, and filthiness buried in the depths of the soul. Fang Chu had been itching to try it.

    He wondered what kind of beast he would summon after taking the pill. Nevertheless, it was best for Fang Chu to give up that thought since young missus said a cure had not been developed yet.

    Soon.

    The secretary knocked on the door and mentioned that Mr. Su was here.

    With a smile, Fang Chu picked up the purple y teapot with his long and lean fingers and poured the aromatic golden tea into the cup. It only took a second for the pill to dissolve without a trace.

    Boss¡¯sdy wanted to do it the hard way. If he had a say in it, the Su family should be crushed with one stomp. It was as easy as ABC. Yet, that was not enough for the missus. She wanted to bring down the Su family bit by bit.

    Su Corporation had been facing operational troubles since paying off the wager on the gambling tform. In the past few months, Yuan Yu had been working to get manypanies which were working with the Su family to suspend their contracts, leaving the Su family knee-deep in financial woes.

    It was not an easy task for Yuan Yu to aplish as he was not equipped with much leverage and skills.

    Fang Chu mentioned to Boss that they should help out whenever necessary, but Boss disagreed. Boss merely maintained to let the missus have all the fun she wanted.

    This was the first time the missus sought Boss¡¯s help to feed Su Yi the pill. The mission fell on Fang Chu¡¯s shoulders.

    A scum like Su Yi was not good enough to dirty Boss¡¯s hands. If it were not to mess with Su Yi, Fang Chu found it beneath him to even nce at the man.

    The door was pushed open.

    Su Yi respectfully took strides in and greeted Fang Chu. This man was one of Li Yuan¡¯s the head of the Li household¡¯s, right-hand men. Fang Chu carried a lot of authority.

    It was said that the head of the Li household rarely handled his own businesses. Instead, his assistants would do the work for him. Each of his assistants was a force to be reckoned with in the business world. Now that Su Yi was meeting one in the flesh, he had first-hand experience of Fang Chu¡¯smanding mien.

    ¡°Mr. Su,e in.¡± Fang Chu grinned charmingly as he sized up the man. Su Yi definitely had the looks, considering he was once a movie star in showbiz.

    However, Su Yi had no resemnce to the missus. With the maniptiveness and glum in his eyes hard to miss, it was clear that he was a shrewd and petty man.

    Fang Chu enjoyed screwing with these kinds of people. He loved making these people kneel at his feet and cry in remorse.

    An hourter, the coboration contract was not signed. Instead, Su Yi signed a different agreement prepared by Fang Chu.

    Su Yi seemed pleased as he left hot with emotions.

    Once at the car, the assistant inquired with worry, ¡°Mr. Su, Li Corporation isn¡¯t going to invest in us. Instead, we must firste up with sufficient funds. This is putting a lot on ourpany.¡±

    Su Yi red at his short-sighted assistant. ¡°What do you know? You have to give in order to get returns. If we¡¯re able to close a deal with a majorpany like Li Corporation, a quadrillion yuan investment¡¯s only a drop in the bucket for them.¡±

    The Su family would be able to soar sky-high thanks to the Li family.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Su Yi¡¯s displeased eyes made the assistant swallow his words.

    Money was more important than anything else to Mr. Su. He refused to even slightly lose out in any partnerships with otherpanies. However, the huge investment in the early stage would basically drain the Su family of its funds.

    While Li Corporation would not suffer any losses if the deal fell through, Su Corporation would be faced with bankruptcy.

 Chapter 628 - On the Brink of a Nervous Breakdown

    <h4>Chapter 628: On the Brink of a Nervous Breakdown</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Yi had never been in such a great mood. He firmly believed that the Su family would move up the socialdder and be one of China¡¯s finest families if he closed the deal with the Li family.

    It was a dream he had pursued his whole life. Everything would be smooth sailing for the Su family following the association and help from the Li family.

    That night before bed, Su Yi invited his eldest son, Su Muxuan for a couple of wines as he happily envisioned the sess toe.

    Su Muxuan was confused by the talk but could feel Su Yi¡¯s tion. It had something to do with a business with the Li family, albeit the details were not ryed to him.

    With thepany affairs weighing down on Dad for the past few months, he had been down in the dumps. Since Dad was having a rare good day today, Su Muxuan was able to take a breather.

    Su Muxuan was startled by a shrilling shout echoing in his ear during the wee hours.

    Once outside, the terror screams had faded but a loud thud ensued. Certain that it came from his parents¡¯ master bedroom, Su Muxuan ran over and banged on the door. ¡°Dad, what happened? Are you alright?¡±

    Su Yi was drenched in a cold sweat from head to toe as he stood in front of the window barefooted. The window was smashed to bits by his own hands. He was hyperventting in terror and his eyes zed over. With the knock on the door snapping him out of his thoughts, Su Yi responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    He had a dream about Yuan Heng. This was his first time dreaming of that woman in 25 years. The d*mn woman was haunting him.

    It must be because Li Jingran called him during the day and messed with his head. Out of everything she could have brought up, she had to talk to him about that dead person!

    Sensing the panic in Su Yi¡¯s tone, Su Muxuan frowned and said, ¡°Call me if you need anything, Dad.¡±

    Su Yi kept to himself and merely stared wickedly at the broken window. His breathing steadied when the window mirrored an infinity of himself instead of Yuan Heng.

    He thought Li Jingran, the godd*mn woman, was the perfect wife and mother to take his career to the next level.

    What did it bring him instead? She raised their children to be losers. Shen Xi, the only child on the right track, cut ties with the family because Li Jingran left her out in the cold. They failed to beg her toe back.

    Had it not been for her, Shen Xi would not have left the Su family. Shen Xi had the means to make him money. She had the charms to hook up with families of high standings in China and find a good son-inw for the Su family to reach the top.

    The broken shards on the window reflected Su Yi¡¯s growing menacing face as malice and resentment overtook his being.

    He intended to settle business with the Li family in the next two days before looking for Shen Xi. The current head of the Li household was a young man.

    Regardless, Shen Xi was able to catch the eyes of men with her looks and talent. If Shen Xi could befriend the young man, the Su family would reign supreme in China. No one would dare to get on Su Yi¡¯s nerves.

    It was a case of sleeplessness for Shen Xi in the middle of the night. She rubbed her nose after a sneeze and moaned in a soft voice, ¡°Brother, do you miss me?¡±

    Li Yuan was reading her a bedtime story. He thought she was asleep since there was not a peep from her. The sudden sneeze and question from the girl caught him letting out a doting smile. ¡°Yes.¡±

    He missed her every second of the day.

    Shen Xi rubbed her nose and held the pillow tightly in her arms before whining, ¡°Stop missing me. My nose is itchy.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled with delight. He acknowledged and seduced her with his husky voice.?¡°I can sing a luby if you can¡¯t fall asleep with a story.¡±

    Propping her face against the mobile screen, Shen Xi yawned and nodded. She then listlessly replied, ¡°A luby, it is.¡±

    Li Yuan began to hum a song.

    It was not known how long it took, but Shen Xi gleefully fell into deep slumber amid the luby.

    Shen Xi went to monitor the set first thing in the morning.

    Li Jingran did not have many scenes to do. All the scenes added together were less than a few minutes since she was only making a guest appearance as a character living in memory.

    In ordance with the filming progress, it should be a wrap for her within these two days.

    Su Ruowan showed proactiveness by seeking guidance from the director and seasoned actors. She even ran lines with actors of her age.

    On set.

    Lin Chan and the rest came early to do a reading with close-knitted actors. They were bouncing ideas with each other on how to improve their acting and portrayal of emotions.

    All the cast knew that the TV series was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they needed to hold onto. Sure, gossiping was one activity they did not miss, but most of the time, they were burying themselves in the script to get a better idea of their characters.

    Li Jingran arrivedte without makeup on. The sunsses and mask on her face concealed anything out of the ordinary, but at closer inspection, people would find that she was walking a little wonky.

    Someone whispered, ¡°What¡¯s up with Ms. Li?¡±

    Lin Chan scoffed while taking a nce at Li Jingran who was heading toward the dressing room. ¡°I bet she can¡¯t sleep at night from the haunting nightmares.¡±

    She never held back when she talked about Li Jingran in front of close friends. By the looks of Li Jingran, Lin Chan grew suspicious that Li Jingran must have done something unforgivable to Su Yi¡¯s ex-wife. She would not have guilt ying on her mind if her hands were clean.

    The rest of the cast did not take the hearsay to heart as they were not hostile toward Li Jingran. Everyone in showbiz had been a victim of online abuse and nder. Who were they to assume the worst without proof?

    Nevertheless, rumors had been going around the inte. Gossip tended to be everywhere after all. Someone started bringing up Su Yi¡¯s ex-wife, but it did not gain much traction.

    Certain things brewed just underneath the surface without anyone noticing, and by the time people picked up on it, the fact hit them in the face with a bang. It would be toote to stop it then.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi watched Li Jingran¡¯s performance and nodded in content. As expected from an award-winning actress, Li Jingran sure could act.. With her nerves getting to her day by day, Li Jingran was on the brink of a mental breakdown and the emotions showed in her acting.

 Chapter 629 - Stop Shaking Like a Seizure

    <h4>Chapter 629: Stop Shaking Like a Seizure</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi believed that Li Jingran would present her best and most convincing acting in the TV series by portraying her true psychological state. Perhaps, it would be Li Jingran¡¯s best performance ever.

    Li Jingran really got into the character of Ning Pei as she dwelled in despair, agony, and suffering after facing a terminal illness diagnosis and betrayal from her husband and best friend.

    Hu Zheng, the director, was pleased by the great acting from the film star, especially when she embodied the anguish of having all the life sucked out of her. Li Jingran portrayed the clouded mind and psychotic eyes to a T.

    Although Lin Chan was not a fan of Li Jingran, she had to admit that Li Jingran had better insights in acting than her. Li Jingran was more into the character than before, bringing her acting to a whole new level. Lin Chan was personally convinced that this was Li Jingran¡¯s best performance since her debut. Truth be told, she was a little jealous.

    The rest of the cast and production crew shared the view that Li Jingran befitted the title of a film star, and they were blown away by her acting.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, only Shen Xi was aware that this was no act. Li Jingran was merely being herself. Nevertheless, Shen Xi was satisfied that Li Jingran was able to do well on her TV series.

    Shen Xi knew that Li Jingran would only bring the essence of the role to life in the following days. Once Li Jingran¡¯s nerves werepletely shattered, she would end up like Yuan Heng ¨C devastated, anguished, stressed, mad, and hysterical.

    Li Jingran should indulge in these emotions as it was her karma. Everything had only just begun.

    It was a wrap for Li Jingran when night fell. Since it was busy on set, Hu Zheng yed it nice by inviting her for a mini wrap party.

    Li Jingran declined the offer and left in a scurry.

    Su Ruowan was in two minds whether to feel relieved or worried now that Mom was gone. Mom had not been in the best state of mind in the past two days and refused to tell Su Ruowan what was going on.

    However, Mom¡¯s acting received the whole production crew¡¯s stamp of approval after the first day. Apart from Lin Chan and the lot, everyone else stopped giving her the attitude.

    The next day after Li Jingran had left, Shen Xi received a call from Yuan Yu in the afternoon saying that Li Jingran had spent a sum to hire a famous feng shui master from Harbor City. They went to exhume Yuan Heng¡¯s grave.

    ¡°Xixi, are you psychic?¡± Yuan Yu was baffled. Shen Xi told Yuan Yu to take precautions as Li Jingran and Su Yi would prey on Mom¡¯s grave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. I can predict the future. That feng shui master from Harbor City is no match for me.¡± Shen Xi was not the least bit modest.

    ¡°Can you predict my lifespan?¡± Yuan Yu was aware that she dabbled in feng shui too. She went around the office to check out theyout when thepany was first established. Shen Xi even circled a few ces and gave specific instructions not to move them.

    At the time, Yuan Yu thought she only knew a thing or two without delving deep into the subject. Moreover, since he grew up abroad, he did not take the art of feng shui seriously as he believed that hard work was more important than metaphysics.

    Shen Xi had also never demonstrated talent in this aspect like reading feng shui for major clients or being invited by the rich to check feng shuiyouts.

    ¡°That¡¯s a hard one. I¡¯ll be punished by God if I were to give away.¡± Shen Xi then added. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry. Your life will run its full course.¡±

    Yuan Yu, ¡°¡­¡±

    The duo chatted for a while, but Yuan Yuid off the questions about what she did to piss Li Jingran off that she resorted to digging up graves.

    After hanging up, Shen Xinguidly leaned against the chair and watched Su Ruowan crawl out of the pool. Su Ruowan looked like a dainty flower swaying along with the freezing wind with that pale face and quivering body of hers.

    Shen Xi¡¯s thoughts wandered back to a long time ago when she was ¡°identally¡± pushed into the pool during winter. Not knowing how to swim, Shen Xi nearly drowned while Su Muxuan stood there watching. He only called the maid to scoop her out of the water when she was on the verge of breathing herst.

    She turned on the mic and said, ¡°Mr. Hu, tell her that she fell into the pool on a hot summer¡¯s day. Stop shaking like a seizure.¡±

    Hu Zheng was in agreement as he was pretty unhappy about the acting himself. He turned to Su Ruowan and indignantly cried, ¡°Again. Wanwan, get your head straight. Stop shaking. Stop shaking¡­¡±

    He nearly blurted to stop shaking like a seizure but it was not very nice to say that to an actress and a girl for that matter.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Despite feeling worn out, Su Ruowan put on a delicate andpliant front to mask the brewing hatred within.

    She had the drowning scene retaken more than a dozen times. The cold temperaturetely was freezing her to the point that her teeth were chattering.

    However, all Su Ruowan could do was put up with it. This was her break into the spotlight and her one shot to fame. She was not going to give up. No matter what, she must do well in the TV series.

    Godd*mn Hu Zheng was picking on her by calling her out for the slightest dissatisfaction under the excuse of pursuing perfection. Su Ruowan was going to even the score and cancel him out of the entertainment business once she made a name for herself.

    As for these people who made fun of her, Su Ruowan would remember their faces ande after them sooner orter. They shall feel her wrath.

    After dozens of retakes, Su Ruowan turned numb and shiveringly kneeled on the ground while looking at Hu Zheng. She asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Mr. Hu, do I do it again?¡±

    In the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi told Hu Zheng, ¡°Tell her that the first take¡¯s the best.¡±

    Hu Zheng was not having it. Nevertheless, he knew his way around showbiz long enough to dissociate himself from suchments. Hu Zheng earnestly conveyed the message. ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven said that the first take¡¯s the best. We¡¯ll use the first take.¡±

    These words came from Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s mouth rather than his anyway. For a measly director like him, it was best to refrain from upsetting people. What if one of them were to hit it big? He simply could not afford to displease anyone.

    Su Ruowan was about to pass out from rage. Clenching onto the nket around her, she tenderly and weakly smiled. ¡°Thank you, Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    The production team was aware that Screenwriter Cloud Seven was remotely watching the film in progress. However, this was the first time Hu Zheng mentioned his name. Was it Cloud Seven¡¯s idea that she repeated the pool-jumping scene?

    With resentment and fury rushing to her head, Su Ruowan had to brainwash herself that Cloud Seven must take a shine to her since he picked her to be in his TV series. The recurring takes were only for her own good and for the sake of honing her acting skills..

 Chapter 630 - Weekly Broadcast Canceled for New TV Series

    <h4>Chapter 630: Weekly Broadcast Canceled for New TV Series</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The cast had caught wind that Screenwriter Cloud Seven would be monitoring them, but they never heard it from Hu Zheng. Now that he had mentioned it, the cast got their act together.

    Everyone knew that the most important figure in the TV series was not the director, producer, or investor, but rather Screenwriter Cloud Seven.

    Any actor whose acting won Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s approval and favor would see a smooth-sailing career in showbiz.

    The Smiling Nation was the perfect example. The lead actors in the TV series not only had ratings on their resume, but they also gained a foothold in the entertainment world.

    Being fully aware of that fact, the main and supporting actors along with the extras tried their best to capture the essence of their roles for the off chance that Screenwriter Cloud Seven might notice them. They could always dream about going far in life if they were lucky enough to be fancied by the screenwriter.

    Ever since the pool scene, Su Ruowan had the feeling that Screenwriter Cloud Seven was singling her out, albeit he put on the appearance of demanding only the best from the actors.

    The screenwriter¡¯s demand for perfection was bing more apparent in these two days. Su Ruowan was sshed with swill and showered with flour in a school bullying scene. Like the pool scene, she had to act the part dozens of times.

    It was the same case today. The character she yed was locked at home while the family went on a vacation. Left to her own devices, she had no mobile or telephone. Since there was not another soul in sight in the huge vi, no one could hear her cries.

    She starved for two days, and the family only remembered her existence when they returned to her locked inside the house. No one apologized to her, and the family even downyed the whole incident.

    After grabbing some steamed buns from the kitchen, she huddled by a corner to wolf them down. Su Ruowan acted the bun-eating scene a good thirty times. She had to throw up the thirty buns multiple times in the loo.

    Checking herself in the mirror following the violent vomiting, Su Ruowan did not hide the ruthless and merciless glint in her eyes. She then curled her lips into a sweet smile.

    She told herself that all was fine. Screenwriter Cloud Seven demanded do-overs because she did not do well. The screenwriter must think highly of her and was just being especially strict to sharpen her skills.

    Still, the resentment and fury reached a boiling point whereby it was winding her up inside. If it were not because she needed Cloud Seven as her stepping stone, she refused to take such an insult!

    She needed to endure the humiliation as it would not take long before she was the hottest celebrity in the market. Once she made it big, she would get her revenge on the self-righteous Cloud Seven.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi was watching Su Ruowan on the monitor with an intrigued smile. Su Ruowan was really going all out and swallowing the bitterness to find fame.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was not at all surprised by this. Su Ruowan was able to withstand it all since she had years of experience at pretending to be a sweet, considerate, and caring heiress.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was sure that Su Ruowan must hate her guts right now but thetter would not dare try anything as she needed Cloud Seven to propel her into stardom.

    Hence, Su Ruowan must show her extra hard-working, humble, and studious side to Cloud Seven.

    Shen Xi looked forward to Su Ruowan finding out that the screenwriter was her. Thetter would go ballistic and reveal her ugly self in public.

    On this day, the filming for the first episode of the TV series waspleted and only to be followed with editing, submission for approval, and the premiere. It was already determined that Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series would be shot and broadcasted concurrently.

    Su Ruowan waited for her show with bated breath for the whole of China to watch. She looked forward to being praised for her acting and to the sess that would follow suit.

    The other cast were happily waiting as well. Then came Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s script for the second episode. With the script sent to every one of them, the table read proceeded as usual before the shoot.

    On the night after the reading, Hu Zheng called an emergency meeting. He gazed at the actors in the room before clearing his throat. ¡°I have something to say to call you here thiste. I¡¯ve received word that our TV series touches on a sensitive subject so the audit would have to wait until we¡¯re done filming the entire series. It¡¯s not likely we¡¯d be doing a weekly broadcast since we¡¯re sending the episodes for review altogether.¡±

    Hu Zheng was not very clear on the details as the message came from the higher-ups. It appeared that the auditing department was not giving the green light for a weekly release. Instead, they wanted to review the episodes all at once like other TV series before the show could hit the screens.

    The whole thing was quite an ordeal as it would be hard to answer to thework and viewers. However, their hands were tied.

    The cast exchanged nces. They already had a bad feeling about being called over thiste at night, but to hear the news in person really made their hearts sink.

    Someone voiced their concern. ¡°Mr. Hu, would the show be banned from being released?¡±

    The actors, especially ones who were hand-picked by Screenwriter Cloud Seven, were the object of jealousy and envy by those who were unsessful in the audition. They were even called the chosen ones for their roles in the TV series. These actors were not here for the pay, but to be featured on TV screens and make it huge.

    Su Ruowan turned white as a sheet with tension reeling in. She began to worry and fear. Since she was relying on the TV series to kickstart her stardom, Su Ruowan could not afford anything to go wrong.

    Otherwise, all her nning would go up in smoke. She could not let that happen. She needed the show to premiere. She had to be the star of the hit show!

    Su Ruowan was in no mood to give ears to what Hu Zheng had to say next. Her head was buzzing as many unwee thoughts popped into her mind, causing her to lose her cool. After the meeting was adjourned, she called Li Jingran right away.

    It was not Li Jingran, but Su Mushi on the other end of the line. He asked her, ¡°Wanwan, is something the matter for you to call sote in the night?¡±

    Su Ruowan frowned. ¡°Mushi, where¡¯s Mom?¡±

    Su Mushi sighed. ¡°I was just about to ask you. What happened to Mom on set? She hasn¡¯t been herself since her return. She fell asleep after the doctor sedated her.¡±

    He had no idea what was going on in the house. Mom did not appear right in the head. She was rambling and even sought a feng shui master from Harbor City to examine her.. Mom said there was something foul out to get her.

 Chapter 631 - Your Boyfriendâ€™s at the Hotel Entrance

    <h4>Chapter 631: Your Boyfriend¡¯s at the Hotel Entrance</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Dad did not look welltely too. He was barely at home. He used to keep watch over Mom when she was ill. Yet, he was behaving rather indifferent this time around, or should Su Mushi say, cold-blooded.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± Su Ruowan was not worried that Li Jingran was sick. Li Jingran could die for all she cared. She was concerned about the reason behind the TV show being canceled from the weekly release. Still, she had to keep up the appearance. She inquired with worry, ¡°How is Mom doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± Su Mushi¡¯s voice reflected fatigue, but he still offered herfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Muxuan, Muyan, and I will take good care of Mom.¡±

    Although he said so, the look on his face was nothing less than eerie and shrewd. Su Muyan got in trouble yesterday. Feeling peevish, he went out for a good time and messed around with women in the club. The paparazzi snapped photos of that and was now ckmailing him for money.

    Su Mushi had been waiting for Su Muyan to slip up and here it was. Su Muyan was presently gathering the cash while keeping Dad in the dark. Dad was already swamped with the family business, so he would beat Su Muyan to death if he were to find out.

    Since Su Mushi sold him out in the betting incident, Su Muyan was going to return the favor.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Su Ruowan answered and became hesitant. ¡°Muyan, I¡­ Take care of Mom. Get some rest and don¡¯t strain yourself.¡±

    Su Mushi was baffled by Su Ruowan¡¯s behavior. Ever since he saw Su Ruowan¡¯s real face on National Idol, he no longer thought of her as someone special. In fact, he was disgusted that she had been wearing a painted face even with family. Nevertheless, Su Ruowan was still the sister he adored and saw growing up. He showed concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Wanwan?¡±

    He could not resistparing Shen Xi and Su Ruowantely. Su Mushi found Su Ruowan unpresentable the more he drew aparison.

    Shen Xi might be evil at heart, but she was beautiful, talented, and a money-making machine. She even had the heirs of the higher society wrapped around her fingers. If she were to marry a young master of the rich and powerful in the capital, like Situ Zhangyou, the Su family could ride on her coattails.

    Su Mushi finally understood why Dad threw away his pride to look for Shen Xi time and again. The Su family¡¯s problems would go away if Shen Xi came home.

    They could get Shen Xi to partner with Situ Zhangyou or ask for money from her good buddies in the International ss. If all those failed, they could make her sell Jin Yun. Herpany was worth a lot of money.

    ¡°Mushi, Mr. Hu said that mytest TV series, Lady Luck did not pass the audit. The weekly release is canceled. I wanted to ask Mom if she knows what¡¯s going on.¡± Su Ruowan asked. Her heart was pounding as if something bad was about to happen.

    She had a clear feeling that things were getting out of hand and possibly taking a turn for the worse. She was thrown into a fluster.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask once Mom¡¯s awake.¡± Su Mushi¡¯s heart was bleeding to hear her talk about the new TV series. With a gloomy cloud hanging over him, Su Mushi tightened his grip over the phone.

    The most regrettable thing he did in his life was turning down the leading role for The Smiling Nation. Regret sent shivers to his core at any mention rted to Cloud Seven.

    After hanging up, he furrowed his brows and looked at Li Jingran with detachment and hatred. He then got up and walked out. It was all their fault. Had they not stopped him, he would be the big shot in showbiz. Su Mushi would not have to sink so low and act in those trashy TV shows.

    There was amotion outside.

    It was a blend of Su Muyan¡¯s pleading voice and Su Yi¡¯s angry scolding.

    Standing by the banister, Su Mushi looked down and met Su Muyan¡¯s eyes. Oh, Su Muyan looked so mad he could kill Su Mushi!

    Su Muyan was about to lose his mind as animosity kicked in. Mushi must have told Dad while he was trying to cough up the money. After all, Mushi had a grudge since the betting incident.

    The rtionship between the brothers may seem okay on the surface, but the truth was, it had long fallen apart.

    Su Mushi stood on the first floor and watched while turning a blind eye to Su Muyan¡¯s sweeping nce. Su Muyan finally got what he deserved. The family was able to scrape the money together to pay off the betting tform.

    Now that thepany was in deep sh*t, Dad certainly had no money to fix Su Muyan¡¯s mistake.

    Su Muxuan soon arrived dressed in the nines like an elitist. Catching a glimpse of Su Yi beating the cowering Su Muyan to the ground, he went over to stop them. ¡°Dad, what are you doing? Don¡¯t hit him. You¡¯re going to beat Muyan to death.¡±

    Su Yi was already burned out from business and Yuan Heng. On the brink of losing his sh*t, he struck Su Muxuan with a rod and yelled, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Losing his footing from the staggering blow, Su Muxuan could feel the burning pain on his back. Still, he rushed over. ¡°Dad, we can talk about this. I have begun the process. Fifty million. The paparazzo¡¯s demanding a lot. I¡¯ll have his head on a tter.¡±

    Su Muxuan would not have murder in mind if the paparazzo was not greedy to ckmail so much from their family. To demand fifty million, the paparazzo was asking for it.

    Su Yi halted his beating as his vision turned blurry. With Yuan Heng¡¯s face emerging before his eyes, Su Yi trembled in fear and withdrew to get ahold of himself. He then faced Su Muxuan with a menacing look. ¡°Can you handle it well?¡±

    Giving a nod, Su Muxuan replied wickedly. ¡°I found a close contact and offered five hundred thousand in exchange for his life.¡±

    Fifty million yuan could afford a hundred lives!

    Su Muyan gratefully looked at Su Muxuan before struggling to get up. The godd*mn paparazzi were always up to no good and as sickening as the rats in the sewer. Exterminating these paparazzi was not enough to ease his anger.

    Clenching his teeth, Su Yi pointed at them. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you losers dead if you can¡¯t take care of this matter.¡±

    He then scurried into the study and shut the door.

    With the show over, Su Mushi returned to his bedroom while debating whether he should leak out that Su Muyan and Su Muxuan were hiring murderers. That way, no one could fight with him over the Su family¡¯s assets.

    Su Muyan stared at Su Mushi¡¯s bedroom dead in the eyes as resentment overtook his every being. It must be Mushi¡¯s doing, and he shall pay for it.

    Looking at Su Muyan, Su Muxuan earnestly spoke, ¡°Muyan, Dad¡¯s upset over the business. Tread carefully when you¡¯re out. Don¡¯t let anyone catch you.¡±

    Su Muyan nodded. A murderous intent shed in his downcast eyes. ¡°Got it, Muxuan.¡±

    Su Muxuan picked up his briefcase and went to his bedroom. He waited until the door was shut before letting out a scoff.

    Dad was in the midst of talking business with the Li family. If the deal was closed, the Su family would take off in society. Since Dad was disappointed with Mushi and Muyan, the family business was bound to be handed to Su Muxuan.

    Nevertheless, it would be perfect if the two fought to the death. With them done and dusted, there would be no one fighting over the family inheritance.

    ¡­

    Time passed quickly and it was soon December. The temperature was dropping fast.

    On set, Su Ruowan carried on with hard work and perseverance, gaining everyone¡¯s approval and even pity. With no one going as hard as her at filming, the production crew trusted that it made perfect sense why Screenwriter Cloud Seven picked her to y second fiddle.

    Su Ruowan might not be a natural at acting, but boy, did she put in the effort.

    Undeterred and without a peep, Su Ruowan gave her all into the shoot, be it reshooting ten times, twenty times, or thirty times. Through sickness and fever, she persisted in filming.

    One fine day, she was burning up to 40 degrees Celsius, yet she tried to plow on. In the end, she fainted on set and was sent to the hospital.

    Entering her ward with a basket of fruits, Hu Zheng said with a smile, ¡°Wanwan, Screenwriter Cloud Seven sent me to give you this. He told me to tell you to get a good rest. Don¡¯t force yourself if you can¡¯t handle the shoot tomorrow.¡±

    Su Ruowan smiled weakly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mr. Hu. I can do it.¡±

    Hu Zheng bobbed his head and responded delightfully, ¡°That¡¯s great. Have a nice rest. I should get going.¡±

    Su Ruowan watched as Hu Zheng left and closed the door behind him before her face grimaced like an evil spirit. She picked up the fruit basket and smashed it to the ground while letting out an eerieugh.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven.

    Great!

    He sure took extra care of her!

    Yesterday, Su Ruowan acted out the scene of getting wet in the rain twenty-three times.?She counted and remembered every single retake.

    It was minus three degrees Celsius yesterday. The director conveyed Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s message that Su Ruowan could choose not to shoot the scene if she was not up for the challenge.

    How could she not? The scene was very important and a pure torture that it could pull on the viewer¡¯s heartstrings. A harrowing scene was what drew fans in.

    With the scene set in the summer, Su Ruowan had a dress on when cold rain was sprayed all over her. Just then, she decided that a payback after fame would mean going easy on Cloud Seven. She wanted to kill Cloud Seven instead.

    That was right.

    Kill him.

    Cloud Seven was a top screenwriter and a genius. If he were to die after filming the TV series, it would make Lady Luck hisst work. Surely, the show would be a big hit. Su Ruowan had evene up with the headlines. ¡°The nation mourned as God takes away the life of the young and gifted Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    With Cloud Seven dead, the world was deprived of a talented screenwriter. Su Ruowan needed not to worry anyone outdoing her after she found sess. After all, no other screenwriters could make TV series quite like the genius Cloud Seven.

    Now, Su Ruowan must put in the extra mile since this would be her first and only big break. The fans and people would remember her in the hall of fame as her name would go down in the history of TV series.

    This was also Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯sst TV show. To thank him for making her a star and for his sacrifice, Su Ruowan was not going to disappoint him.

    ¡­

    Back in the production team¡¯s hotel.

    Shen Xi did not have an ounce of energy in her. Her Aunt Flo came to visit, and she was drained from a cold. Afraid that Li Yuan would find out, she sent him a text message to tell him she needed absolute peace to work on the script.

    The drizzle, coupled with the loud breeze, was foretelling of the chilling temperature. The weather in December was horrible.

    Shen Xi was not lying about writing the script. With toilet paper stuffed in her nose, she sat on the sofa and wrote the fifth episode on theptop on herp.

    She was telling the truth about the script being written on the spot. She drafted the episode as it was shot. Nevertheless, it was her doing that the TV series did not pass the auditing. The theme of the series was never an issue as she did not incorporate porn, politics, and mafia in her show.

    Amid the silence, the clock was ticking away.

    Following a knock on the door, Hu Zheng¡¯s voice was heard on the other side. The director had the pleasure of meeting Screenwriter Cloud Seven a few days ago. It never urred to him that the screenwriter was a young and beautiful girl. With looks like hers, she could conquer showbiz if she wanted to.

    Shen Xi listlessly opened the door. ¡°Can I help you, Mr. Hu?¡±

    Did she not tell him to contact her on the phone instead ofing straight to her? It would be bad if anyone, especially Su Ruowan, saw them. It was not time to blow her cover.

    Hu Zheng nced at her with guilt. Screenwriter Cloud Seven told him against looking for her, but he could not get her through the phone despite calling her multiple times. Since it was an emergency, he had to take the risk. He cautiously inquired, ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven, your boyfriend¡¯s at the hotel entrance. Did you guys fight?¡±

    While Hu Zheng was returning from the set, he caught sight of her boyfriend in front of the hotel, looking up under an umbre. However, the boyfriend showed no indication of heading inside.

    Hu Zheng thought her boyfriend was waiting for her. He went down to buy a pack of cigarettes when he noticed the boyfriend was still there. It was nearly two hours since Hu Zheng first saw him.

    He happened to spot a photo of her and her boyfriend on Cloud Seven¡¯s mobile screensaver. Her boyfriend had charming looks that were hard to forget.

    As a director, Hu Zheng had a high standard when it came to the actors¡¯ looks. He paid extra attention every time a beautiful face passed his way.

    Out of a director¡¯s desperation for talent, Hu Zheng probed. It was made clear that the man in the photo was her boyfriend and had no intentions of going into showbiz.

    Following his words, the girl remained dumbstruck before disappearing out of sight along with the wind. She still had pajamas on, and the door was left wide open..

 Chapter 632 - Crashed into His Embrace

    <h4>Chapter 632: Crashed into His Embrace</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Outside, the wind brought about a biting cold as the drizzle turned into falling sleet. Shen Xi walked out to a shivering cold, but her attention was soon drawn to the man on the sidewalk.

    Under the dim streetlight sat a man in a wheelchair. It was not known how long he had been waiting but raindrops mixed with snowkes were sliding down the nted umbre as they fluttered against his face, body, and hair.

    Shen Xi was caught in a moment of trance. Holding no umbre, she stood at the hotel entrance and stared nkly at him. Her heart throbbed in love and in pain for him.

    Li Yuan noticed the girl wearing a thinyer of pajamas. Her thin ankles and cute toes were visible through a pair of flip-flops. Feeling a pit in his stomach, he gazed at her and said, ¡°Stand there and don¡¯t move.¡±

    Shen Xi was ready to pounce into his arms and give him a tight hug when his words froze her on the spot.

    Opposite the hotel, the man in the wheelchair suddenly stood up and handed his umbre to Kun Lun before facing her with a smile.

    He toddled slowly, like a toddler taking his first steps. Putting his firm weight on each step, Li Yuan walked toward Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was full as tears streamed down her face. Without a care, she raced toward him and crashed into his embrace.

    Although Li Yuan tottered in his footsteps by the crashnding, he seized the girl by the waist. The girl nestled in his arms and softly mewled like a kitten, tickling on his soft spot. Propping his chin against her head, he asked huskily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not happy?¡±

    Shen Xi was without a word as she had no idea what to say. Still, she clung to him and nodded forcefully in his arms. She was definitely happy, more like over the moon.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Should we go to your room or the car?¡± Snuggling his chin against the girl¡¯s head, Li Yuan picked her up and folded her in his arms. The wide trench coat covered her entire body, shielding her from the swirling wind and rain.

    ¡°In the car.¡± Shen Xi lifted her chin to fixate her eyes on him as if he would vanish into thin air if she blinked. She mumbled under her breath, ¡°Cold.¡±

    ¡°You caught a cold.¡± Li Yuan bowed his head and felt the temperature of her forehead with his. The girl¡¯s forehead was still warm probably because she had juste out of the heated hotel room.

    Shuddering by the chill he gave her, Shen Xi nudged him away. ¡°Cold.¡±

    Li Yuan held her tight and soothed her. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    He had been waiting here for over two hours. Li Yuan flew over right away when he sensed something amiss in her voice during dinner. With the temperature dropping in thest few days coinciding with her menstrual cycle, he was afraid she was sick, in pain, and unable to take care of herself.

    Nevertheless, Li Yuan reached the hotel only to be unable to get through to the girl¡¯s phone. Believing that she was asleep, he did not want to bother her, so he waited downstairs. He had no idea how she found out he was down here.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe up?¡± Shen Xi cuddled up in his arms in the car, refusing to leave hisp. She looked up at him with heartache written all over her eyes.

    She knew the drug she made herself better than anyone else. Yet, she could not help but be swept away by emotions and happiness when she saw him standing before her.

    Li Yuan was reluctant to touch her with his chilly hands. Gazing at the girl¡¯s teary eyes, he leaned forward to nuzzle her forehead before chuckling. ¡°You came down anyway.¡±

    ¡°Were you going to keep on waiting if I didn¡¯te down?¡± Shen Xi snuffled.

    It was cold and snowing outside. Was he trying to get himself killed by taking in the harsh elements when he was not in the best of health?

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan gently kissed her eyes and burrowed against her ear. His husky voice reflected delight that came straight from the heart. ¡°You¡¯ll call me back when you look at your phone.¡±

    ¡°What if I didn¡¯t look?¡± Shen Xi was furious.

    ¡°You will.¡± Li Yuan murmured. Realizing that his body was picking up on warmth, he squeezed her together with her coat. He inquired, ¡°Are you cold?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Li Yuanughed and tightened his grip around her while embracing his fairdy¡¯s soft and supple frame. His voice grew sexy and raspy. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡±

    Shen Xi lifted her head, letting her clear eyes meet his. ¡°Have you eaten?¡±

    Li Yuan burst intoughter and shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi poked his face and broke into a wide grin. ¡°To celebrate your recovery, I¡¯m buying you dinner.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Heavier sheets of snow were falling at half-past eleven. There was no one in sight at the hotel entrance except the security and receptionist in the lobby.

    While Li Yuan carried Shen Xi off the car, she jabbed his chest and softly asked, ¡°Can you handle it?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had first-hand experience whether I¡¯m able to handle it or not?¡± Li Yuan lowered his head and smiled at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your legs.¡± Shen Xi had a feeling that the conversation was heading in a weird direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m also talking about my legs.¡± Li Yuan guffawed in glee. His drawled vocals were quite seductive.

    With rosiness flushing her cheeks, Shen Xi stuttered, ¡°I¡­ You dirty man!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Li Yuan gently responded and carried the girl while making his way to the hotel. The joy in his eyes grew deeper. The girl in his arms may be light, but she weighed heavily in his heart. It was a feeling that could not be wiped away or withdrawn.

    A short distance away, Kun Lun stood under an umbre. He wanted to go with them but could not bear to interrupt their time together. In the end, he watched them in contentment and with a suspicious glint in his eyes.

    Boss¡¯s greatest luck was meeting Ms. Shen.

    It was the same case with Ms. Shen, too, to cross paths with Boss.

    They belonged to each other, and no one could tear them apart.

    The eyes of the security and receptionist in the hotel were drawn to the couple at the door.

    The man was a dreamboat with looks that could take their breath away. Noble and poised, he was an embodiment of a gentleman among the crude like a king visiting the mortal world.

    The man strutted along unlike regr people. He might be slow in walking, but his footsteps were steady not to jolt the person in his arms.

    They could not see the person in his embrace as the tiny body recoiled in the man¡¯s wide trench coat. By the exposed feet, they knew it was a girl.

    The man marched on while talking to the girl in his arms with a low and sultry voice.. Yet now, the people were too blown away by his looks to realize what he was saying.

 Chapter 633 - Ms. Cai Ni and Her Husband?

    <h4>Chapter 633: Ms. Cai Ni and Her Husband?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was not until the man carried the girl into the elevator that the people snapped out of their trance. They gasped in awe. The girls tending the reception desk began gossiping if the man was a star or if he was one of the casts of Lady Luck. He sure had the looks.

    Fu Qingye the Movie Star with the likes of a Greek God was probably the only one in the whole showbiz scene on equal footing with the man.

    In the elevator, Shen Xi quickly lifted the coat over her head as it was smothering her. She hooked onto his neck and lifted her chin for a kiss on his lips. ¡°Brother, are you going anywhere tonight?¡±

    Li Yuan arched his brow. ¡°Don¡¯t you have the presidential suite? You don¡¯t have a space for me?¡±

    Shen Xi was put in a spot. ¡°Um¡­ Should we return to the front desk to book another room?¡±

    Li Yuan leaned forward to nibble on her lips before firmly refusing, ¡°No!¡±

    Amid chuckles, Shen Xi made up her mind. ¡°You sleep on the sofa.¡±

    Hearing the ding from the elevator, Li Yuan gave it a rest and carried the girl to the doorway of her room. With downcast eyes, he uttered, ¡°Room key.¡±

    In an aha moment, Shen Xi put on a crying face and pointed at the door. She meekly replied, ¡°Inside.¡±

    She ran off in a hurry that she forgot her room key in her room.

    Li Yuan let out a sigh but was reluctant to put her down. Since Kun Lun did note with them, he turned to her. ¡°Call the guest service.¡±

    Biting her lips, Shen Xi was looking like a browbeaten wife. ¡°My phone¡¯s also in there.¡±

    Li Yuan retorted, ¡°My phone is in the pocket of my coat.¡±

    Shen Xi felt about for a while before fishing out a phone. She gave him a push and moaned, ¡°What¡¯s the number of the guest service again?¡±

    Li Yuan instructed her, ¡°Call Kun Lun.¡±

    Shen Xi unlocked the phone and found Kun Lun¡¯s number.

    The cast was all asleep at this hour as they had to get up early in the morning for filming. Lin Chan, on the other hand, came backte after having dinner with a friend. She noticed the couple in front of the presidential suite talking about the guest service¡¯s number.

    She was not one to poke into other people¡¯s business, but it seemed the couple had locked themselves out of their room. This sort of thing happened often. Hence, she asked, ¡°You cane to my room to call the guest service if you want.¡±

    Those living in the presidential suite caused quite a stir with chefs airlifted all the way from Greece to prepare breakfastst week. Everyone in the production team knew about it and would often discuss during down-times about the person staying there.

    Nevertheless, no one ever saw who it was. They soon threw the matter on the back burner after Hu Zheng, the director, said that it was not someone from the production team. Lin Chan had no idea whether the couple had been living there or just checked in, but this was the first time she saw the upants of the presidential suite.

    Picking up on the voice, Li Yuan took a side nce and nodded. He answered, ¡°It¡¯s fine, thank you.¡±

    Lin Chan had only the view of their backs up until the man looked at her. His handsome face took her breath away and it took her a while to shrug off. She smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±

    She had never seen such a good-looking man. The man might be in his twenties, but those looks were enough to rule showbiz. Lin Chan was at a loss for adjectives to describe his good looks.

    Shen Xi told Kun Lun to send the room key up before turning to let out a friendly smile at Lin Chan.

    With her eyes wide open, Lin Chan gazed at Shen Xi in shock. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Ms. Cai Ni!¡±

    What did she just see? Ms. Cai Ni and her boyfriend? Or husband?

    That was not right.

    Ms. Cai Ni was only a high schooler. Oh, wait. She was a college freshman now. Still, Ms. Cai Ni was only eighteen, so it was unlikely she was married. The only possible exnation was that he was her boyfriend.

    So, the person staying in the presidential suite all this while was Ms. Cai Ni!

    The chefs transported from Greece the other day was a surprise from Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Shen Xi shed a grin at her.

    Lin Chan was a veteran actress with skills to show for, but her blunt mouth cost her a lot of opportunities in showbiz. This was the reason why she never made it big despite her years of acting.

    ¡°Hello, hello.¡± It was an emotional moment as she never imagined meeting Ms. Cai Ni here. No matter what, she had to engage in a conversation with Ms. Cai Ni. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, are you here to create looks for our cast?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi smiled as she got down from Li Yuan¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Can I be cheeky and ask for an autograph? I have always been a fan of yours.¡± Lin Chan did put on airs in front of Shen Xi.

    She believed that the stars, be it an A-lister or D-lister, would parade around their privilege in the presence of Ms. Cai Ni. After all, film stars like Gong Zhi and Li Jingran begged Ms. Cai Ni to style them.

    Shen Xi gave a friendly nod.

    Lin Chan retrieved a notebook and pen from her bag to pass them along. These were essential items for celebrities since there were times, they woulde across fans who would ask for autographs. Lin Chan was more than happy toply.

    After signing her name, Shen Xi handed back the notebook to Lin Chan.

    Meanwhile, Kun Lun had acquired the room key and respectfully swiped the card for the couple.

    Unable to contain her excitement, Lin Chan bade Shen Xi farewell and watched her close the door before calming her nerves. Seeing Ms. Cai Ni in person for the first time, Lin Chan had to say that she was absolutely gorgeous. It was no wonder many in entertainment mentioned that the beautiful actresses would lose their job if Ms. Cai Ni were to step into showbiz.

    Her face was easy on the eyes. She and her boyfriend were a match made in heaven.

    Back in the presidential suite.

    Shen Xi made a makeshift kitchen in the living room, having bought a multipurpose cooker that could steam, fry, boil, and grill. Despite this, instant noodles were all that she made most of the time, particrly the river snail rice noodles.

    At this very moment, she was cooking up a ramen feast.

    Opening the mini-fridge, she gazed at the noodle selection inside before looking over to ask, ¡°Brother, do you want seafood or braised beef?¡±

    Li Yuan came out of the washroom and was drying his hair with a towel. Rubbing his head as he walked, he gazed at the girl. ¡°I thought your favorite is river snail rice noodles.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I finished them. It can be stinky. I remember you don¡¯t like it.¡±

    The point was that there was none left. Only two packs of instant noodles remained in the fridge.

    Li Yuan retorted, ¡°Get Kun Lun to fetch some.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and looked back at the man strolling her way. Feeling a lump in her throat, she wanted to cry. She dreamed of the day he could stand up, but now that he had, she was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. Shen Xi was happy, excited, and sad.

    ¡°Braised beef then.¡± Li Yuan ordered his dinner. He then went over to check the mini-fridge, only to find carbonated beverages.. Letting out a sigh, he shut the door.

 Chapter 634 - She Would Return Even if He Drove Her Out

    <h4>Chapter 634: She Would Return Even if He Drove Her Out</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi took the ramen and added water into the cooker before switching it on. She moved a bench and sat by the cooker to wait for the water to boil.

    Standing behind her, Li Yuan lowered his gaze and watched her every move with delight. She was a sight to behold no matter what she was doing. The smile across his face grew wider and wider.

    ¡°Sit there.¡± Shen Xi tugged on his shirt and pointed at the sofa behind him.

    He was already doing this and that when his legs had just only gotten better. He needed to take it slow with his recovery and not put too much pressure on his legs.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± With a smile, Li Yuan curled his finger and grazed the tip of her nose. ¡°The water¡¯s boiling.¡±

    He wanted to stand as much as he could since it had been a while since he felt the sensation. Li Yuan once thought he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, yet she gave him a chance to stand up once more.

    Shen Xi turned back to find the water was indeed boiling. She ripped the packet open and took out the noodles to put into the water. She had been getting better at cooking noodlestely.

    Following a knock on the door, Li Yuan held the girl down by pressing her shoulders. ¡°I had Kun Lun deliver some eggs and greens. I¡¯ll open the door.¡±

    Shen Xi did not fight to open the door. Instead, she rested her chin against her arm and stared nkly at the man¡¯s long legs. As she watched on, her eyes turned teary, and her lips curled into a silly smile.

    With Li Yuan¡¯s legs finally okay, the weight on her shoulder was lifted atst. She always had the fear that she was not medically equipped enough to heal his legs.

    Truth to be told, Shen Xi was not a hundred percent sure about the drug she made two weeks ago. She was not afraid of failure because she could try and try again.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was afraid that Li Yuan would be disappointed as each one would be a huge blow for him. She did not ever want to see him upset.

    Li Yuan turned back around with the stuff in his hands to find the girl in tears. Feeling a tug at the heart, he walked over slowly and struggled to get on his knee. His lean fingers gently caressed her eyes as he spoke softly, ¡°Boil an egg topress on your eyes.¡±

    His fairdy had always been a tough character. The only time he saw her cry was when he blew up the kitchen. Yet, she wept countless times for him today. He was heartbroken at these sights.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m meeting anyone.¡± Shen Xi snuffled as she timidly reached out to ce her hand on his leg. With a gentle look, she curled her lips and murmured in joy uniquely to this moment. ¡°This is great, Brother.¡±

    It was great that his legs were all good!

    Unable to resist the temptation, Li Yuan pulled her into his arms. His hand patted her back every now and then while his warm lips clung against her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore.¡±

    Although her tears were a reflection of her happiness for him, his heart still went out to her.

    Shen Xi nodded, but her eyes turned watery again. He had no idea how she longed for the day he rose since the first day of her return. She prayed every second of the day that he would have an early recovery. No one knew how much hope she carried for him to stand up again.

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart was full and tingling with all kinds of feelings. With a catch in his throat, he kissed her ear and said, ¡°I know.¡±

    His fairdy and sunshine put in a lot of effort and went through countless connections.?He knew every single thing she did for him.

    The smell of ramen quickly spread throughout the room.

    Catching a whiff, Shen Xi pulled away from his embrace and gave instructions in a fluster. ¡°Quick. Give me the eggs. Take the vegs and wash them.¡±

    Li Yuan watched as the girl clumsily cracked the egg and left some of the shells in the pot. She then scrambled to scoop the shells out with a spoon and chopsticks. Still, her mouth did not stop talking. ¡°Brother, go on and wash the veggies.¡±

    ¡°The vegetable came from the hotel¡¯s kitchen. It¡¯s already clean.¡± By the time Li Yuan took out the greens from the container, the girl still did not have the shells sorted. He uttered with a smile, ¡°We can pick the shells outter when we eat.¡±

    Shen Xi embarrassedly pursed her lips. ¡°I can scoop them out.¡±

    She proceeded to focus on picking out the eggshells.

    Li Yuan dotingly came from behind and locked her in his arms. Grabbing her hand, he precisely mped onto the eggshells stuck on the egg and extracted them.

    The two poached eggs were cooked.

    Having a clear sensation of the man¡¯s chest against her back, Shen Xi could hear his heartbeat echoing in her ear. A regr thumping knocked against her back as she gulped with heavy breathing.

    Li Yuan let go of his hand after the eggshells were removed. He put the greens into the cooker and stirred with his chopsticks for a bit before turning off the fire.

    A packet of noodles served a meal with two pairs of chopsticks and a spoon.

    Li Yuan passed the girl a pair of chopsticks and took a seat opposite her.

    Shen Xi did not take the chopsticks and kept her eyes on the noodles. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I said I was buying you dinner.¡±

    Reading her mind, Li Yuan remarked with a smile, ¡°Have some with me even if you¡¯re not hungry.¡±

    Shen Xi reluctantly epted the chopsticks and dug in.

    The bowl of noodles was mostly gobbled down by her, who was apparently not hungry. Li Yuan ate two yolks, some vegetables, and two bites of noodles.

    Shen Xi refused to have the egg yolks as she found them hard to swallow. She usually singled them out and only ate the egg whites.

    It was half-past midnight by the time they finished dinner, washed the dishes, and Li Yuan¡¯s shower. There was a snowstorm outside. ncing at the door to the girl¡¯s bedroom, Li Yuan drew close to knock and say goodnight.

    There was not a peep on the other side, but the lights were still on.

    Li Yuan smiled and made his way to his room. He turned on the lights and saw a lump under his sheet. It was hard to notice the tiny movementsing from the lump without a closer look.

    He thought she was a good girl and went to bed, but here she was keeping his bed warm.

    Li Yuan approached the bed and pulled the corner. He softly hummed, ¡°Sleep properly.¡±

    Shen Xi lifted the covers before putting them over her head to reveal her puppy dog eyes. She blinked at him. ¡°Are you not going to kick me out?¡±

    Li Yuan burst intoughter. ¡°Would you leave if I kicked you out?¡±

    Well, she would return even if he drove her out. Oh, the poor dear. He would never want to see her sad and rather suck it up himself. As a normal man, God knows the torment he was going through to sleep next to his loved one.

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi mumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    No way would she leave, especially on this joyous day. She wanted to make it twice as nice by sealing the deal in their rtionship. She wanted to get it on!

    Li Yuan ced a pillow in the middle of the bed before retrieving another duvet from the closet.. After wrapping the duvet around her like a burrito, he rolled to the other side and tucked himself into bed.

 Chapter 635 - Pay a Personal Visit to Formally Ask for Your Hand in Marriage

    <h4>Chapter 635: Pay a Personal Visit to Formally Ask for Your Hand in Marriage</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The girl rolled around before having her back facing Li Yuan. She kept still and was without a word while Li Yuan gazed at her. He gently patted her head that was poking out in the cold air. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    Shen Xi protested. ¡°I want to be on that side.¡±

    Under the sheets, Li Yuan smiled dotingly. ¡°Can¡¯t you roll or turn yourself over?¡±

    She answered, ¡°No. I don¡¯t have hands.¡±

    He chuckled. Instead of helping her, he repeated, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    Unable to pick up on any activity behind her, Shen Xi could only catch the man¡¯s steady breathing and the faint aroma of his body soap. She bought the rose fragrant soap. The scent was faint, refreshing, and stirred a flush in her core.

    Outside, the wind was howling as the snow spattered against the window. Yet, the room was warm and quiet.

    It took a while before she quietly turned around and opened her eyes to stare the man in the face. With the curtains leaving a gap, the illumination shone through and gave her a clear look at his face.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi whispered, ¡°Are you asleep?¡±

    Without a word, Li Yuan maintained a paced breathing.

    Sticking out her finger, Shen Xi gently prodded on his duvet and murmured, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m cold.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s lusciousshes fluttered as he opened his eyes to find the girl curled up in a ball. He reached out to feel her forehead with a frown. ¡°Do you have a thermometer?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Am I burning up?¡±

    Li Yuan drew near and checked her temperature with his chin against her forehead. ¡°Hm¡­¡± He threw off the sheets to find his phone. ¡°You have a slight fever. I¡¯ll get Kun Lun to send the medication.¡±

    Shen Xi stopped him. Her wide eyes may be in a daze, but they were bright like the shiniest stars. ¡°I have the medicine. Madam Yun packed me a lot.¡±

    Kun Lun would curse her behind her back if they kept looking for himte at night.

    Li Yuan asked where the medicine was and quickly brought over a small bowl of traditional Chinese medicine and a ss of honey water. He waited until she finished the medicine and hot ss of honey water before checking her temperature with the back of his hand. He solemnly said, ¡°Get under the covers. You¡¯d feel better when you start sweating.¡±

    Shen Xi watched him and smiled. With a hoarse nasal voice, she reminded him, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m a doctor, you know.¡±

    In fact, she did not have a fever. Her body temperature would naturally rise a little during her period, but she did catch a cold.

    Regardless, Li Yuan bundled her up with the duvet and hugged her between the sheets before sighing. ¡°Doctors don¡¯t heal themselves.¡±

    Despite wanting the covers off, Shen Xi was unable to pull them away. She bit her lip in disgruntlement. ¡°Can I not use the duvet?¡±

    Li Yuan put his foot down. ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi cried out, ¡°Why not?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s profound eyes locked in on the girl¡¯s wide eyes that spoke of grievance. It took him a while to find his gruff voice. ¡°I¡¯m scared I can¡¯t hold it in.¡±

    Shen Xi was caught in a moment before grasping the meaning behind his words. She showed understanding. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in if you can¡¯t. Who asked you to hold it in?¡±

    Li Yuan seized her by the back of her head and nestled his chin on her hair. His voice bore a suppressive huskiness that was nothing but sultry. ¡°Quit it. You¡¯re still young.¡±

    Shen Xi groaned, ¡°I¡¯m not young. It¡¯s my birthday in two days.¡±

    Her eighteenth birthday.

    Li Yuan chuckled and tightened the embrace. Separated by the duvet, he could still feel the girl¡¯s soft and supple body. ¡°Are you going home for your birthday?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going home. Old Shen and Madam Yun would want to celebrate with me. My big brother and Lil¡¯ Ye will being over too.¡±

    If only Li Yuan could be there as well.

    This was her most important birthday. It was her rite of passage into adulthood.

    Li Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

    Shen Xi sounded stuffy being folded in his arms. She asked, ¡°Brother, how about I take you home that day?¡±

    Li Yuan kept to himself as he fell into his thoughts for a moment. He then voiced his concern, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid your family won¡¯t be happy to see me?¡±

    Her eighteenth birthday should be a happy and important day. His fairdy would be upset if his presence killed the joy for the whole family.

    ¡°Our rtionship will be made public sooner orter.¡± Shen Xi hesitated for a while. That made sense. With a temper like Old Shen¡¯s, he would likely chase after Li Yuan with a knife. What if blood was spilled? Li Yuan¡¯s legs had only gotten better.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick a date to pay a visit and formally ask for your hand in marriage after your birthday.¡± Li Yuan could not resist leaning forth and nuzzling up to her nose as the girl popped her head out from his embrace.

    ¡°I think my mom would be fine, but my dad, well, he doesn¡¯t want me to get a boyfriend. He has a temper. Don¡¯t take anything he says to you to heart.¡± Shen Xi was worried as the scenario of Old Shen flipping out came to mind.

    Li Yuan bobbed his head. ¡°I know.¡±

    He had heard about Su Yi being chased with a knife when he came to look for Shen Xi. However, Li Yuan did not find himself that much of an eyesore.

    ¡°My dad will think you stole his daughter. He¡¯s not going to be nice to you.¡± Shen Xi put it out there, just in case. They were going to make their rtionship public, but there was no rush to pick a date. She had been patient for so long that she did not mind another day or two.

    Her friends and family would be happily celebrating her birthday on that day, so introducing her boyfriend there and then would only hurt Old Shen and Madam Yun.

    Li Yuan gleefully listened and made a mental note as she listed out what both Old Shen and Madam Yun liked and did not like. Shen Xi would usually nag but never as detailed as right now.

    Outside, the wind was howling and snow was fluttering.

    In the room, the girl softly ryed her family¡¯s preference until her sleepiness drowned her out. Once she quieted down, she found afortable spot in his arms and dozed off.

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan observed the girl¡¯s furry head snuggling against his neck. He lowered his head for a kiss on her forehead and uttered, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    That night, the two cuddled to sleep with a sheet between them.

    The next day, Li Yuan had breakfast ready bright early and took a nce at the bedroom. Since there was no movementing from the lump under the sheets, he took strides to the huge floor-to-ceiling window and looked down.

    The nkets of silver outdoors were picturesque. With the snow piled up, people were shoveling the snow while kids who were staying in the hotel yed with snow and made snowmen.

    His mind flew back to when the girl made a beautifully sculptured version of him in the snow on his doorstepst year. Kun Lun said to preserve it in the freezer.

    In the end, they preserved it, but it onlysted for a month. Later, the snow was frozen into an ice lump. Perhaps they did not get the temperature right.

    A warmth suddenly sneaked up from behind as the girl wrapped him with her soft body.

 Chapter 636 - Pray for Blessing at the Temple

    <h4><i>Chapter 636</i>: Pray for Blessing at the Temple</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi clutched onto him and snuggled up against his back while speaking in a hoarse voice for having just woken up. ¡°Morning, Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan curled his lips and said, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Still half-asleep, Shen Xi could fall asleep holding him like that. As she burrowed her body against his back and inhaled the scent that was uniquely his, she closed her eyes to take in the moment of happiness and peace. Her heart had never been so full.

    That morning, Shen Xi stayed in her room to finish the script instead of heading to the set.

    Li Yuan was working right beside her, reading documents and dealing with paperwork.

    They started out doing their own business without interrupting each other.

    It did not take long before Shen Xiy on Li Yuan¡¯sp while scrolling through Weibo for thetest gossip. She woulde across dirt on Li Jingran and Su Yi about the ex-wife every now and then. Things were progressing as nned. All she had to do was stir the pot.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was distracted even when she was reading the gossip. She lifted her chin to observe the man at work and could not resist poking his chin. She softly mewed, ¡°Brother.¡±

    Lowering his gaze, Li Yuan looked at the girl and murmured in his husky voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to work on the script?¡±

    Half an hour ago, Shen Xi pledged to lock herself in the bedroom to write the script. No one was to bother her and she even warned him against entering her room.

    In the end, Shen Xi came out in less than ten minutes, saying she needed to find inspiration. Shey on hisp and wiggled around more actively than Toffeecito. After fooling around for a bit, she ran back to write for two minutes beforeing out again. She was fooling around more than she was doing actual work.

    ¡°I¡¯m not ying around. It¡¯s called looking for inspiration.¡± Shen Xi put on a straight face. ¡°You might not know, but we screenwriters need to feel inspired. Without inspiration, we can¡¯t write a good script.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled. ¡°Should I take you out to look for inspiration?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded but quickly proceeded to shake her head reluctantly. She hugged his waist and brushed against his abdomen before whining, ¡°Cold.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s breathing turned ragged as he swallowed in difficulty. With his eyes speaking of a dangerous glint, Li Yuan felt a rush to his core by her milling. His gruff voice bore a restrained ravenous fire. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    It took Shen Xi a second to feel the stiffness underneath. Blushing in the face, she then realized what she had done. Still, she acted like nothing had happened and held his waist tightly while drawling, ¡°Oh.¡±

    She identally rubbed against a spot that should not be teased.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a wellspring temple here. Apparently, prayers tend to be answered there. Do you want to take a look?¡± Li Yuan took a deep breath to calm the turbulent waves and asked her.

    Shen Xi shook his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s nice to stay at home.¡±

    Only a mad person would go out in the cold. She would never feel bored being cooped up at home so long as he was around.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan smiled and resumed reading his paperwork.

    Shen Xi jolted up. ¡°Brother, we can go out for a walk.¡±

    Taking a stroll around could also be considered a date.

    Li Yuan curled his finger and flicked her wide forehead before responding with a grin, ¡°Put on warm clothes.¡±

    Shen Xi wore thickyers as she was afraid of the cold. She often wrapped herself up like a bear during winter each year. Decked out in snow boots, a down jacket up to her shins, and a red wool cap with fluffy white balls, Shen Xi was so adorable.

    Instead of a coat, Li Yuan wore a matching ck down jacket and snow boots. He warmed his neck with a red scarf and excluded the hat.

    Shen Xi frowned at how he wore the scarf ¨C it looked awful and had no character. Standing on her tiptoes, she adjusted his scarf and said, ¡°You got thisst year. I¡¯ll knit you a new one in a couple of days.¡±

    Since she arrived here duringte fall, she did not pack many warm clothes. She did not intend to stay long anyway. Had she known it would snow, Shen Xi would have brought the gloves Li Yuan knitted for her.

    Li Yuan held her hands and asked with a smile, ¡°Would you have time?¡±

    After making sure the scarf was worn right, Shen Xi nced contentedly and nodded happily at her work of art. ¡°Time is like a sponge. You can always squeeze it for more time.¡±

    Li Yuan grinned. Snow came surprisingly early this year. The glove he made for his fairdyst year was old and piling as the girl wore them the whole ofst winter. He had begun knitting a new pair of gloves a few days ago, but progress had been slow since he learned new needlework. The gloves were not finished yet.

    Waiting at the door, Kun Lun respectfully greeted them as the couple walked out of the suite. He was in stitches to see Li Yuan¡¯s attire.

    It had been many years since Boss dressed this way. No matter where he went, he always adorned the business elite look ¨C trench coat, wool jumper, and a suit. The down jacket seemed out of ce on Boss.

    However, the down jacket took away Boss¡¯s callousness and seriousness while adding a hunky charm to him. Heck, it took years off him.

    Kun Lun did not need to say more about Ms. Shen. She had the looks. Even though she was wrapped up like a ball in the down jacket, Ms. Shen was a doll as always.

    Outside, the snow had stopped and shoveled off of the streets, but the icy road caused quite a jam in the city center.

    Shen Xi assumed that not many people would be at the temple since it was snowing on a working day. To her dismay, she got down the car into a sea of people. The ce was crowded with men and women, old and young.

    Taking a nce, Li Yuan looked at her andmented in delight, ¡°I told you the prayers would be heard.¡±

    Shen Xi held his arm while carrying two incense sticks with the other. She got them for free at the entrance. Looking at therge assembly of devotees offering the incense, she furrowed her brows. ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid of the cold?¡±

    ¡°Today is the first snow of the season. Timely snow promises a good harvest. Everyone is praying for good luck.¡± Li Yuan fastened her scarf. The fluffy white rabbit fur scarfplimented the girl, making her look like a yful and sensual little elf.

    Shen Xi pulled him to walk ahead to the line for lighting incense.

    The pair were head-turners wherever they went as it was normal for people to ogle at the pretty faces. Not to mention, they were total hotties.

    The incense burner outdoors diffused the air with its scent. Amid the cold breeze, hands exposed in the air were frozen to ice blocks. It was a good thing that the sun was out. The sunrays gave an illusion that it was not as cold as it seemed.

    Li Yuan took over the incense and grabbed her little hand to give her warmth. Looking at Shen Xi¡¯s rosy cheeks, Li Yuan should have known better than to bring her out into the cold.

    His fairdy feared the cold the most.

    With the crowding and going to offer incense and pray, it was a bustling scene.

    Soon, it was Shen Xi and Li Yuan¡¯s turn.

    Shivering in the cold weather, Shen Xi nestled by his side and used him to shield against the wind. Her hand slipped into his sleeve and clutched onto his wrist. It worked just as fine as a hand warmer.

    Li Yuan was reaching out to offer incense when he suddenly turned around to hug the girl and retreated a few steps.. With a piercing and murderous look, he warily scanned around the ce.

 Chapter 637 - Unforeseen Circumstance

    <h4>Chapter 637: Unforeseen Circumstance</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The next second.

    Bam!

    With a bullet hitting the incense burner, it copsed and sent the ashes flying everywhere.

    As though hit with a pause button, the crowd ensued with shrieks of terror and scrambled away for their lives.

    Shen Xi inhaled and smelled blood, but before she could say anything, the man scooped her for another twirl.

    Gunshots were heard on repeat in the cold air.

    Some were screaming while others were shot to the ground. Everyone was trying to get away without knowing what was going on. After all, no one had ever experienced a daylight shooting.

    It happened in a split second.

    Silence befell after a round of gunshots.

    Wanting to move, Shen Xi cried with worry, ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Li Yuan held Shen Xi and buried her head against his head while his other hand blocked her ears. His chilling eyes, bearing the ruthless bloodthirst from hell, stared into a distance.

    Nearby, Kun Lun brought along a dozen of ck-suit bodyguards to circle the couple in protection. Each one of them carried a gun and remained vignt of the surroundings.

    A few feet away, Xuan Yuan waltzed over as if the mor around did not exist. In his hand was a thin and long knife that glistened of scarlet red.

    The police and security forces soon arrived to disperse the crowd and rescue the injured.

    Everything onlysted for a minute before fires ceased. Only the panic, horrified screams, and victims on the ground could testify what had just happened.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Li Yuan asked.

    Xuan Yuan gazed at him and respectfully replied, ¡°They¡¯re assassins and dead.¡±

    These people were trained assassins who wouldmit suicide in the event they failed their mission.

    Li Yuan frowned.

    Shen Xi backed down from his embrace to find a bullet had pierced Li Yuan¡¯s down jacket and scraped his right arm. The feathers inside were stained in red by his injury. With her eyes turning bloodshot, she spoke in a tone that reeked of chills and killer instinct. ¡°Brother, is someone out to kill you?¡±

    She knew that Li Yuan had stepped on a lot of toes with his ruthless methods. God knew how many people were after his life in the capital. However, it never urred to her that someone would try to assassinate him in broad daylight.

    Arching his brows, Xuan Yuan nced at her.

    With his keen eyes picking up on Xuan Yuan¡¯s minute reaction, Li Yuan gave him a warning look before turning to his fairdy. He spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re just buffoons.¡±

    These people were not here to kill him, but his fairdy.

    He could tell that the earlier shot was aimed at the girl instead of him.

    The startled crowd in the temple was quickly evacuated.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan, together with the bodyguards, made haste to the guest receiving area at the back of the temple.

    Observing the girl¡¯s poker face with a frown, Li Yuan soothed her with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s only a scratch.¡±

    Shen Xi tensed all her facial muscles as she quietly tended to his wound. It was only a graze from the bullet.

    ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Li Yuanughed. Growing up, he suffered way more injuries and almost died at one point. He had survived through the hailing of bullets.

    Shen Xi finally spoke and looked into his eyes. ¡°Who is after you?¡±

    She was going to kill him, whoever it was.

    Li Yuan sighed. ¡°Xuan Yuan said that they¡¯re dead. I have too many enemies to keep tabs on, so it¡¯s hard to investigate.¡±

    He had made a lot of enemies over the years and the number of people who wanted his life was countless. Many were out to destroy him in the beginning, but the numbers dwindled in recent years. They bailed knowing the job could not be done.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it.¡± Shen Xi resentfully clenched her fists. Her eyes reflected a cold glint.

    Li Yuan gently massaged her cheeks and uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Don¡¯t get involved.¡±

    Xuan Yuan mentioned that these people were after her. Li Yuan was unsure whether they were after her or that she was dragged into this because of him.

    Shen Xi did not give her word and nuzzled his palms instead. She clung to him and murmured, ¡°Does this happen a lot?¡±

    Not one to hide anything from her, Li Yuan solemnly answered, ¡°I had idiotse after me in the beginning, but Xuan Yuan and the rest massacred enough to send a warning. No one dares mess with me since then. People cherish their lives after all. Only idiots would try the impossible while the wise make the better choice. The wealthy and prominent are businessmen too.¡±

    Shen Xi hugged him tightly while her mind wandered back to when she first met him. A young man in tattered clothes lying lifelessly in front of a garbage pile during a cold winter. Feeling a lump in her throat, she could not stop the tears from streaming down her face.

    She could imagine the blood on his hands just to stay alive. It was not hard to guess how many feathers were ruffled and how many people wanted revenge.

    Li Yuan cradled her. With downcast eyes, he gazed at the girl in his arms. Brewing with murderous intent, he was going to sniff out whoever wanted her life and cut them to bits.

    A Rolls-Royce Phantom sat quietly in the parking lot of the temple. It was pitch-ck inside.

    In the backseat, a middle-aged man did not hide the callous anger in his voice. ¡°Who is that man?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. Our people are on it.¡± The driver replied respectfully.

    ¡°Useless piece of sh*t!¡± The middle-aged man furiously yelled and pounded the seat. A glimmer of light that shone through caught a glimpse of his menacing face.

    Ten assassins. He sent ten assassins to kill a girl. What was thought to be a simple task cost him everything in return. None of them made it back alive.

    Who was the man with her? Who was he? Why was there a terrifying force on her side?

    The people he dispatched were fighters of ancient martial arts. Although they were not the best of the best, they were still a force to be reckoned with. He spent a fortune to buy their loyalty and train them, yet the other party chopped them like vegetables!

    ¡°Sorry.¡± The driver answered in fear.

    ¡°What¡¯s the update on Fu Qingli?¡± Mustering his all to calm down, the man inquired once more.

    ¡°We¡¯re still investigating. He¡¯s tight on security.¡± The driver¡¯s voice was trembling.

    ¡°Go to hell!¡± The man barked through clenched teeth. With his eyes popping out, he raised the gun in his hand and pulled the trigger.

    Bang.

    Blood sttered.

    The driver went down silently.

    The man in the backseat grew grimacing as he growled like a demon from hell. ¡°You can¡¯t trace anything. You can¡¯t do anything right. What¡¯s the point of keeping you then, you piece of sh*t?¡±

    The stench of blood spread to every inch of the car. Still, the man was discontented.. He raised his gun and blew off steam by adding a few more shots at the driver.

 Chapter 638 - Refuse to Let You Put Your Life in Danger

    <h4>Chapter 638: I Refuse to Let You Put Your Life in Danger</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Soon, someone arrived to clean up the mess. The car then rolled away from the underground parking.

    Outside, the snow was fluttering down.

    The temple was cordoned off while the visitors were evacuated down the hill.

    Li Yuan changed into a beige sweater. His charming face lost its usual grim but added a touch of youthfulness.

    Shen Xi held his hand and strolled along the empty temple. Not at all with the intention to pray, she just wanted to walk around with him.

    Li Yuan cheerfully dangled the girl¡¯s hand while thetter quietly sulked with a long face. ¡°The scenery here is great.¡±

    Shen Xi hummed in acknowledgment and held his arm down. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You don¡¯t want to tear the wound.¡±

    Letting out a smile, Li Yuan did not refute. Like the good boy he was, he let her hold his hand while gripping hers in return. However, he looked ahead with deadly eyes.

    It was said that the vegetarian meal at the temple was quite good.

    The couple enjoyed a vegetarian meal in the afternoon before returning to the hotel. They had not gone out since then.

    When night befell, Shen Xi took a shower and went to keep the bed warm.

    Li Yuan was on a teleconference in the living room when Xuan Yuan sent him a text message. Li Yuan picked up his phone for a look and furrowed his brows. With sparks flying in his eyes, he typed the words and sent them. [Li Yuan: Keep digging.]

    There was a need to get to the bottom of the matter. He could not possibly allow these b*stards to harm his fairdy. He had to nip this in the bud. Anyone who so much as touched a single hair of hers would have to pay with the blood of their whole family!

    The snow was growing heavy outside.

    Li Yuan turned off hisptop before looking out the window and kneading his brows. After a shower, he gently pushed the bedroom door open and crept into bed to nce at the girl there.

    The girl was in his bedroom today too. Underneath the covers, her paced breathing was a sign she was asleep. He took another nce, ready to shut the door and sleep next door.

    Before the door was fully closed, the girl¡¯s hollow voice traveled through. ¡°Brother.¡±

    Stopping at his tracks, Li Yuan softly uttered, ¡°Go to bed. Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi cried, gruff and unsettled. ¡°Can you stay with me?¡±

    The assassination got her thinking and worried. She was scared something might happen to him and to her. She was unable to rest until she found out who was behind this.

    ¡°Xuan Yuan and the rest are keeping watch. Everything will be okay.¡± Li Yuan approached and kneeled by the bed. He gently pulled off the sheet over her head. ¡°Don¡¯t cover your head when you sleep.¡±

    Shen Xi snuffled and looked at him with teary eyes. Her voice was dull all the same. ¡°Does Kun Lun have any intel on those people¡¯s identities?¡±

    Li Yuan shook her head. ¡°Nothing as of yet. He¡¯s still looking into it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi responded. The man drew close to nt a kiss on her forehead. He murmured a goodnight before getting up to leave.

    Li Yuan just got up when the girl suddenly grabbed the cor of his bathrobe. With a pull, she spun and pressed him under her.

    The girl¡¯s massive strength and unexpected movement caught him off guard. His robe was even pulled open. Before he had a chance to say anything, the girl pleaded in a voice, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±

    Li Yuan was overwhelmed with heartache and self-me. He did not have the heart to leave, seeing as the girl rested against his chest and her ear stuck to his heart, listening to his heartbeat. He gently held her and soothed her, ¡°I won¡¯t leave.¡±

    Soon, he felt dampness on his chest. The girl¡¯s shaking shoulders sent a tight knot in his gut.

    Shen Xi had no idea what had gotten into her. She was doing fine. Yet, at this very moment, she could not hold back her tears anymore. Try as she may, but she could not stop them.

    In a frantic, Li Yuan wanted tofort her and tell her not to cry, but all the words were lost in giving her a hug. As she curled up into a ball in his embrace, he leaned over to kiss away her tears.

    The many light kisses fluttered about her cheeks. Feeling the tickle, Shen Xi gazed at him in tears. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    She was still reeling in the aftershock. It was all good, nheless. Shen Xi would catch anyone or anything who dared to harm him and crush them. They would not stand a chance.

    ¡°Those people are after me.¡± Forehead-to-forehead, Li Yuan locked eyes with her in a way that was most intimate to lovers. He shared his thoughts with her. ¡°They must know your rtionship with me. They might threaten me with you and your family. I¡¯ll send my men to protect them. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    It was highly likely that the target was him. His fairdy kept things on the down-low and never messed with anyone apart from the Su family. The Su family was a bunch of incapable idiots to cause her any sort of harm.

    Besides, the Su family had been dreaming the day his fairdy would return to them, so they would not possiblyy a finger on her. Those menacing guys during the day were clearly after her life.

    However, there was a piece of the puzzle that did not fit. ording to Xuan Yuan, the assassins were surprised when they engaged in a fight. It was as though they were unaware Li Yuan had highly trained bodyguards around him. He spected that the assassins were not after him, but rather his fairdy¡¯s life.

    If it were true, it would make thingsplicated. These people were not going to stop at the failed attempt. They were going toe back with a vengeance.

    ¡°Brother, I feel that they want to take my life.¡± Shen Xi voiced out the suspicion she had.

    She could sense that the murderous and evil intent was directed at her the moment the bullet came flying by. Nevertheless, Li Yuan was quicker on his feet than she was even though she could very much handle it on her own.

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan softly nuzzled her dainty nose tip. ¡°Don¡¯t read into it. Let me handle the rest.¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi looked him in the eye. ¡°If it¡¯s really me they¡¯re after, they¡¯ll only try again now that they¡¯ve failed. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯d be too scared toe if you send your men to protect me.¡±

    She was not afraid of them. She wanted them toe back for her so she could make a clean sweep.

    ¡°Xuan Yuan will follow you, and that¡¯s final.¡± Li Yuan grasped her waist and looked fixedly at her before earnestly saying, ¡°No matter what, I never want you to handle things on your own while I¡¯m around.. I refuse to let you put your life in danger.¡±

 Chapter 639 - Bed Warmer

    <h4>Chapter 639: Bed Warmer</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°They¡¯d be too scared toe with Xuan Yuan around. How are we supposed to apprehend them?¡± Shen Xi furrowed her brows. All she wanted was to arrest the person by whatever means.

    ¡°They won¡¯t reemerge anytime soon. If the mastermind isn¡¯t a fool, they should know it¡¯s a waste of time regardless of how many assassins are sent.¡± Li Yuan held her tightly. ¡°I believe you have to get up early to go to the set tomorrow. Get an early rest. Don¡¯t overthink it. What good am I if I let you deal with everything?¡±

    ¡°Pillow.¡± Shen Xi broke into a smile and put a peck on his lips before swiftly burying her head into his arms. She repeated, ¡°You¡¯re my pillow.¡±

    She should leave the matter to him since he said so while she remained on alert here.

    Laughing out in delight, Li Yuan murmured, ¡°Bed warmer.¡±

    Shen Xi crooned as she snuggled up in his embrace. In fact, she proudly mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m a bed warmer.¡±

    Laughter took Li Yuan by storm as he split his sides. He lowered his head to kiss the top of her head and gleefully uttered, ¡°Goodnight, Bed Warmer.¡±

    ¡°Nighty night, Pillow.¡± Shen Xi clung to him and happily closed her eyes.

    It was a good night¡¯s sleep.

    Before the break of dawn.

    Li Yuan got breakfast ready and put it into an insted container before tiptoeing into the bedroom. Gazing at the girl who was fast asleep, he drew close and kneeled to call her yet did not have the heart to wake her. In the end, he gently leaned forward to nt a kiss on her forehead. He whispered, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    With an important matter to be addressed back in the capital, Li Yuan was unable to wait until she was awake or apany her for breakfast.

    To his surprise, he was just about to be on his feet when the girl suddenly opened her bright and big eyes that showed no signs of drowsiness from waking up. Her delicate hand hooked him by the neck as she approached for a peck on the lips. ¡°Good morning.¡±

    ¡°When did you wake up?¡± Li Yuan¡¯s eyes reflected joy and love.

    ¡°The second you came in.¡± Shen Xi leaned forward for another brush of the lips before getting up. ¡°Give me a minute, Brother. I¡¯ll send you to the airport.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Go back to sleep. You don¡¯t have to see me off.¡±

    ¡°No, I want to go to the airport.¡± Refusing to take no as an answer, Shen Xi picked out an outfit from the closet and began to undress.

    With his eyes dting, Li Yuan watched as the girl unbuttoned her pajamas and revealed her butterfly-shaped back. He closed his eyes and moved away from the bedroom.

    Li Yuan had just left the bedroom when the girl¡¯s alluring voice was heard. ¡°Brother, can you fasten the hook on my back?¡±

    Feeling a flush in his cheeks, Li Yuan was unable to stop the same flush to his core. As a surging me flickered in his eyes, he cleared his throat. ¡°Do it yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi aggrievedly moaned, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    Li Yuan cleared his throat. Having full knowledge that she was doing it on purpose, he clenched his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t wear it then.¡±

    Shen Xi pouted. ¡°They¡¯d sag if I don¡¯t wear it. You won¡¯t like low-hanging fruits.¡±

    Li Yuan could die there and then. He lifted his head and nced at the bedroom door. ¡°¡­¡±

    Shen Xi continued the teasing. ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡±

    Having been pushed to the limit, Li Yuan could barely make out a word. ¡°I like them.¡±

    Shen Xi let out a winning chuckle and was soon out fully clothed.

    Waiting at the door, Li Yuan pretended to casually ask as she came out. ¡°Did you put it on?¡±

    Amid stifledughter, Shen Xi pounced into his arms at the sight of his blushing ears. She blew into his ear. ¡°Want to take a guess?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s breathing turned heavy and his voice, raspy. ¡°Quit it.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡­¡± Shen Xi drawled out as she nibbled on his earlobe. ¡°Feel it?¡±

    With an urge overtaking his every being, Li Yuan gnashed his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll get back at youter, you naughty girl!¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Shen Xi blinked her innocent eyes, looking rather like an angel.

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°After we register our marriage.¡±

    Shen Xi made a face at him. ¡°You fossil!¡±

    The snow was still falling outside the window.

    The pair enjoyed breakfast and went out together.

    Suited up in sunsses and a mask like a celebrity, Shen Xi did not want to be recognized when she was on setter.

    Li Yuan¡¯s flight was at six o¡¯clock in the morning. He really did not want her to see him off at the airport so early in the morning. It was still dark when they were out the door.

    After sending Li Yuan off, Shen Xi headed straight to the set. By the time she got there, the cast members were already present and ounted for. Many of them had their makeup ready too.

    Ruan Sisi was supervising the staff workers while they transported the outfits into the dressing room. These were costumes for the cast of the TV series in the next two episodes. It did not take long before Shen Xi emerged. Ruan Sisi excitedly approached her with open arms to hug her. ¡°Teacher.¡±

    Shen Xi went around her and talked shop. ¡°Are the cast all here?¡±

    Ruan Sisi was disappointed but recovered in no time. Work was a priority. ¡°They¡¯re here. Mr. Hu said the fitting can be arranged ording to our schedule.¡±

    Her teacher and her teacher¡¯s teacher were probably the only ones to receive such authority and treatment on set. Any wardrobe stylist, other than the famous, would have to dance to the tune of the production crew.

    Nevertheless, the outfits were not just designed for the production team but also aimed to expand Jin Yu to a bigger market. To grow Jin Yu¡¯s target audience from an upscale market to the medium and low range, thepany needed to be more widely publicized.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯stest TV series was sure to make a hit. The mix-and-match of clothes worn by the actors in the show would also start a new fashion trend.

    The cast and many non-key production crew members had only gotten the news a few days ago that Ms. Cai Ni would oversee the costumes. From that day onward, they began to ask around if Ms. Cai Ni would being to the set in person.

    Yesterday, Lin Chan mentioned that she ran into Ms. Cai Ni in the hotel. Thetter was living in the presidential suite on their floor. With word going around the set, Mr. Hu then confirmed that Ms. Cai Ni wasing today.

    The cast had been eagerly waiting to meet Ms. Cai Ni. Everyone in the entertainment business wanted to be on friendly terms with Ms. Cai Ni for a chance to have her create looks for them.

    At the same time, they were impressed with the investor¡¯s assertiveness and prowess. Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s looks and Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s script together made the bestbo in showbiz. It would be so wrong if the TV show did not be a hit.

    Everybody surrounded Shen Xi the moment she emerged on set.

    Lin Chan was the first to say hello since she had been in the business the longest after all. Moreover, Lin Chan was more of a familiar face as she met Ms. Cai Ni once before.

    The others greeted and introduced themselves to Ms. Cai Ni one by one. They did not forget to ask for autographs and pictures together.

    Carrying an aloof air, Shen Xi barely spoke, she did not turn down any request for autographs and pictures.

    After getting her makeup done, Su Ruowan walked out to people fussing about Shen Xi.. With bitterness weighing her down, a ruthlessness shed in her eyes.

 Chapter 640 - Expose Shen Xi

    <h4>Chapter 640: Expose Shen Xi</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Ruowan heard from the production team that Ms. Cai Ni would being to the set. Ms. Cai Ni was Shen Xi, the b*tch whom she dreamed of trampling under her feet.

    The old hag, Lin Chan, had been boasting to the crew about running into Ms. Cai Ni yesterday. The old hag even said that Ms. Cai Ni had a handsome boyfriend.

    What crap was that? Shen Xi merely hooked up with a crippled old man, and Bingbing saw them with her own eyes. The handsome boyfriend was probably a boy toy Shen Xi seduced behind her sugar daddy¡¯s back.

    If it were at all possible, Su Ruowan wanted to sniff out Shen Xi¡¯s sugar daddy and tell him about the boy toy, so the sugar daddy would give the b*tch what she deserved.

    As the crowd around Shen Xi gradually dispersed, Su Ruowan got up and made her way toward Shen Xi. With a sweet smile, she greeted Shen Xi, ¡°My dear sister, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Giving her the cold shoulder, Shen Xi aloofly walked right by Su Ruowan.

    The others were dumbstruck as they nced at Su Ruowan and then at Ms. Cai Ni. Dying for the gossip, they were curious about their rtionship and why Su Ruowan called Shen Xi her sister.

    Meanwhile, the minds of many, who had followed the hottest gossip in the past, wandered back to the China Film Festival¡¯s red carpet eventst year. The media reported that Ms. Cai Ni had an uncanny resemnce to Ms. Li Jingran. There were even spections that she was Ms. Li¡¯s illegitimate daughter. The news, however, waster deleted and soon fizzled out.

    Lin Chan walked up and asked, ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, do you know Wanwan?¡±

    She was the most seasoned actress among the cast. Although her disgust for Li Jingran was carried forward to Su Ruowan, Lin Chan still had the manners of a veteran to uphold.

    Shen Xi coldly blurted, ¡°No.¡±

    Su Ruowan bit her pout while feeling tremendous hate for Shen Xi. With hands by her side balling up into fists, Su Ruowan wanted nothing more than to kill Shen Xi with her bare hands.

    This was not the first time she was given the snub. However, the b*tchy Shen Xi had no consideration of her feelings whatsoever. Shen Xi must think she was all that, being a stylist and all, but she could not even get a part in Mr. Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series. In the end, the only way she could partake in the show was by bing a stylist.

    ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s your rtionship with Ms. Cai Ni?¡± Itching with curiosity, someone came forth and bluntly asked the mild-natured Su Ruowan.

    ¡°Oh, nothing. Please don¡¯t ask me.¡± Su Ruowan looked rather down. The words she uttered only left more to the imagination.

    Grabbing her script, Su Ruowan turned away and pulled a fellow cast along to run lines together. Anyone could tell that she was forcing a smile.

    The fitting and makeover trials were scheduled for that morning.

    As the chief stylist, Shen Xi oversaw every actor¡¯s costume and look. The cast was quite ttered as the much-coveted Ms. Cai Ni was handling their makeover.

    A lot of them were envious as Ms. Cai Ni was also personally fine-tuning Lin Chan and the leading characters¡¯ looks.

    It was soon Su Ruowan¡¯s turn. Since there was a weird tension between Su Ruowan and Ms. Cai Ni, the production crew watched curiously when Su Ruowan strutted toward the vanity table. Concurrently, Ms. Cai Ni took her phone and walked out.

    Biting her lip, Su Ruowan hung her head low in sadness, albeit resentment was overwhelming all her senses.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch, was deliberately giving her sh*t and making her a fool!

    It took a brief moment for her to get over it. She turned to Ruan Sisi and grinned politely. ¡°Ms. Ruan, I look forward to your work.¡±

    Surprisingly, Ruan Sisi offhandedly beckoned an assistant over,pletely making light of Su Ruowan. ¡°Lil¡¯ Liu, please take over.¡±

    Ruan Sisi then left.

    Su Ruowan gnashed her teeth as anger sat in. The burning fury was eating away her sanity.

    It was hard enough that the d*mn b*tch was giving her the attitude, but who did Ruan Sisi think she was to look down on her!

    The production team could tell that Ms. Cai Ni had a bone to pick with Su Ruowan. They weighed out the pros and cons, thinking whether they should keep their distance from Su Ruowan.

    In fact, Su Ruowan had been proactive and a delight on set these days. Many actors did not reject her presence and got along with Su Ruowan despite her past scandal.

    A ce like showbiz spoke of vanity fair and melting pot of different characters. It was not something to take seriously. Regardless of the truth behind her giarism or how she looked like, the actors had no qualms about it. Resources, connections, and the potential to make money were all they saw.

    Those in the entertainment business were good at reading the room and could be quite a snob. It did not take long before they took Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s side. They had no doubt about their decision.

    From the tiny episode, Su Ruowan began to sense the growing alienation from the production team.

    Sinceing on set, Su Ruowan tried so hard to be on good terms with everyone. The sudden change of their attitude caused by Shen Xi¡¯s stunt proved Su Ruowan¡¯s lengthy efforts went down the drain.

    Su Ruowan vowed to make the life of Shen Xi, the b*tch, a living hell! The moment Su Ruowan made it to stardom and had it all, it would then be time to ruin the b*tch!

    By the by, Su Ruowan reflected on whether she should release to the press about Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s little thing with a handicapped old man.

    Surely, somebody would be interested in the dirt on Ms. Cai Ni.

    It would be best if the disabled old geezer was married with kids. Then, Ms. Cai Ni, who was once loved by everyone, would be the other woman who was a mistress hated by the public and trolled byizens.

    With that in mind, Su Ruowan made up her mind to leak the buzz to the paparazzi.

    The morning was nned for fittings while the shoot proceeded in the afternoon.

    To everybody¡¯s surprise, Ms. Cai Ni stayed back to observe the filming. Mr. Hu Zheng treated her with the utmost respect and even asked for her opinion during the shoot.

    Hu Zheng¡¯s courteous attitude toward Shen Xi only infuriated Su Ruowan as she recalled his arrogance toward her for the past few days.

    What did Shen Xi know since she was no more than a stylist? Hu Zheng was out of his mind to consult Shen Xi about the filming. Oh, it made Su Ruowan sick to her stomach to see Hu Zheng kiss Shen Xi¡¯s *ss.

    ¡°Get ready, Wanwan.¡± Hu Zheng told Su Ruowan before turning his attention back to Shen Xi. With his straight face turning respectful, he continued to discuss the scenes with Shen Xi.

    The production crew averted their gaze, but they did not hold it against Hu Zheng. It was not strange that the director would cozy up to her since Ms. Cai Ni was of high standing in showbiz.

    Soon.

    The next scenemenced.

    ying the supporting role of Chen Yu, Su Ruowan got down on her knees and wailed in the snow in her pajamas.

    As it had been snowing these days, there was no need for the production team to set up the scene. They could do the shoot right away.

    The north wind brought the snow and dropped the temperature to five degrees below freezing point. Even a good down jacket could not save anyone from shivering in the cold. The cast would usually note out and observe in a corner if they had no part in the scene.

    Nevertheless, they wanted to join the bustle since Ms. Cai Ni was here to watch the filming process. The cast had their own ideas on having a moment with Ms. Cai Ni.

    Shen Xi wore a thick down jacket and a hat while holding fluffy kitten-shaped electric heating pads in her hands. She looked rather warm.

    Ruan Sisi came along with Shen Xi. However, she was vain to only put on a fur coat so that she remained a pretty figure amid the cold breeze. She took pity on Su Ruowan who only had pajamas on and felt the cold for her.

    Su Ruowan had a feeling that Shen Xi was mocking and taunting her by the way thetter was dressed and looking at her. Su Ruowan told herself not to give in and let the b*tch have her way.

    Still, the more Su Ruowan convinced herself to let it go, Shen Xi¡¯s eyes seemed stuck in her mind.. Under Shen Xi¡¯s watchful eye, Su Ruowan was thrown off of her game, and the bloopers only fueled her restlessness, agitation, and frustration.

 Chapter 641 - Tall, Dark, and Handsome Young Man

    <h4>Chapter 641: Tall, Dark, and Handsome Young Man</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was one bad take after another.

    Shen Xi quietly stood in a corner while stoically observing. She was carrying a callous mien that held people back from striking up a conversation with her.

    As Shen Xi¡¯s student, Ruan Sisi was no stranger to her teacher¡¯s identity and feud with the Su family. Otherwise, she would not have given Su Ruowan the attitude in the first ce.

    Su Ruowan had lesser bad takes these days, and for this particr scene, she had practiced countless times. She yed the scene in her mind numerous times and even sought guidance from the director and ran lines with the cast so that she was able to kill it in one take.

    Yet, Shen Xi, the b*tch, refused to make it easy for her. Shen Xi was dragging Su Ruowan down in her performance with her presence. Because of Shen Xi, Su Ruowan was unable to get into character and had to reshoot her scene repeatedly.

    The onlooking cast and crew gave Su Ruowan a sympathetic look while others were contemptuous and impatient by the endless retakes. She was wasting everybody¡¯s time.

    By the tenth time the director yelled cut, Su Ruowan was about to lose it. Although her body was frozen stiff, she did not feel the cold but only sheer hatred for Shen Xi.

    Clearing his throat, Hu Zheng asked if Su Ruowan wanted to proceed with the shoot or wait for her body to regain warmth.

    Su Ruowan knew she had to pull herself together and not let the b*tch get the thrill of it. She needed to take a break ande back stronger. Before Su Ruowan could say anything, Ruan Sisi forthrightly asked, ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, doesn¡¯t she know how to act? She¡¯s a horrible actress. I can pull a random person from the street and they can do a better job.¡±

    These words nearly saw Su Ruowan passing out in rage. On the brink of flipping out, she pushed back the bitterness and lifted her head to force a smile at Hu Zheng. ¡°Mr. Hu, I can carry on with the shoot.¡±

    The people around were close to bursting out inughter. Su?Ruowan might not have a gift at acting, but she put in the work and showed quite an improvement. To say any random person on the street was better than her was pretty hurtful.

    Ruan Sisi clicked her tongue and said, ¡°I have to say though that she¡¯s resilient toward the cold weather. She¡¯s an actress indeed.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s rising blood pressure dropped back down. Was Ruan Sisi undermining her orplimenting her? Was Shen Xi¡¯s student a moron?

    Everyone, including Su Ruowan, believed Shen Xi would not answer the stupid question.

    Shen Xi nced at Ruan Sisi before uttering in a t tone, ¡°Sisi, you¡¯re not a good judge of character. She¡¯s a natural at acting.¡±

    With her blood reaching boiling point, Su Ruowan kept to herself and lowered her gaze to hide the wickedness in her eyes. Her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palms.

    Su Ruowan was certain that Shen Xi was giving her hell on purpose. As if one person was not enough, Shen Xi had to bring her moron student along to stir the pot.

    Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s suddenment threw the production team into a whirlwind of whispering. They had a feeling that there was more to what Ms. Cai Ni had said.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s acting was sloppy at best. It was not that good, but it was not that bad either. She was not the talented kind, but she could hone her skills if she put in the hard work.

    They had trouble reading between the lines of Su Ruowan being a natural at acting.

    As a veteran in the industry with connections to match, Lin Chan knew a lot more. The rumors about Li Jingran¡¯s rtionship with Ms. Cai Ni went around showbiz, and the people were divided between believing the hearsays or not.

    Lin Chan presumed the rumors to be true and even took it upon herself to investigate the matter. Ms. Cai Ni did indeed stay at Su¡¯s residence for a year before leaving.

    Things would only get interesting if Ms. Cai Ni was really Li Jingran¡¯s daughter. By the looks of what happened at the film festival¡¯s red carpetst year, the mother and daughter were against each other.

    Lin Chan was sure that Ms. Cai Ni was not in the wrong, which meant it was all Li Jingran¡¯s fault. She could seek an in-depth investigation into the matter and perhaps dig up dirt on Li Jingran as well.

    The cast and production team got ready and pped the film te to mark the scene.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s performance was no different than before. Try as she may, she was unable to immerse herself into the role. The more she tried to do well, the effects came out the opposite. The recurring retakes were driving her nuts while she was chilled to the bone by the howling north wind and fluttering snow. Only the burning animosity was keeping her blood circting.

    Some actors thought she was pushing herself too hard and tried to talk her out of it.

    Furrowing his brows, Hu Zheng believed Su Ruowan had gone mad and asked her a few times to take a break. He was here to shoot a film, not take a life. It was not worth it for her to throw her life away for a shoot. Besides, it was the production team who would feel the fury of the public if anything happened to Su Ruowan.

    Nevertheless, Su Ruowan persisted with the shoot despite everyone¡¯s persuasion. Why should she give in? Why should she bow down to Shen Xi, the b*tch?

    Shen Xi wanted to make a monkey out of her. Well, the joke was on Shen Xi. Su Ruowan refused to give Shen Xi satisfaction.

    After a continuous run of bad takes, Su Ruowan cked out as her body went limp. She was out cold.

    Just seconds before losing her consciousness, Su Ruowan heard Ruan Sisi jeering in surprise and disdain, ¡°I thought she was a natural in acting but she can¡¯t take the heat.¡±

    Su Ruowan flew off the handle before darkness swallowed her. If only she could tear Ruan Sisi apart. It then hit her.

    They were egging her on! Shen Xi, the b*tch, did it on purpose and she fell for it!

    ¡°She¡¯s useless and no fun.¡± Ruan Sisi whined to Shen Xi as people scattered to carry Su Ruowan off the set.

    Su Ruowan passed out less than half an hour into the shoot. What a weakling.

    Without taking a nce at Su Ruowan, Shen Xi made work arrangements with Ruan Sisi before heading back to the hotel. Hu Zheng¡¯s quest for perfection on details exceeded her own now.

    Since Su Ruowan loved to show off and do well, Shen Xi was going to leave her at it. This was herst chance anyway. Soon, Su Ruowan would grasp the meaning behind futile efforts.

    It was still snowing when Shen Xi walked out of the set. Under a tree across her stood a young man.. The tall, dark, and handsome young man was holding an umbre and smiled at her as she emerged into the picture.

 Chapter 642 - Donâ€™t Get the Wrong Idea

    <h4>Chapter 642: Don¡¯t Get the Wrong Idea</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi frowned. Why did Fu Qingli not lock Fu Qingxuan in and let him out instead?

    Fu Qingxuan tookrge strides toward her and propped an umbre over her head before looking at her with a smile. ¡°Where are you going now?¡±

    With a stoic look on her face, Shen Xi nced at him. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Not the least bit infuriated, Fu Qingxuan spoke matter-of-factly, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s your birthday. I came to celebrate with you.¡±

    Someone then emerged from a nearby distance. A charming young man of a tall build strolled in the snow without an umbre. All he had was a few cups of bubble tea. He drew close and gave Shen Xi a cup. ¡°Happy birthday.¡±

    Shen Xi winced in disdain. ¡°My birthday¡¯s tomorrow.¡±

    Pei Xu smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just wishing you in advance. We rushed all the way here to celebrate your birthday but look at the attitude you¡¯re giving us.¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    Pei Xu sighed and nudged Fu Qingxuan who was next to him. He was heartbroken. ¡°I told you she¡¯s heartless. You insisted oning.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t want toe.¡±

    Having noebacks, Pei Xu shrugged. He stared at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s bubble tea and leaned in for a sip. ¡°Yours is yummier than mine.¡±

    ¡°Let me try.¡± Fu Qingxuan looked at Pei Xu¡¯s cup.

    Pei Xu delivered his bubble tea right to Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mouth.

    While looking at the guys, Shen Xi somehow got a weird feeling between the two. What was with this situation of two grown men sipping on each other¡¯s bubble tea? What happened between them to be so close?

    Pei Xu scoffed at the look on her face in contempt. ¡°What¡¯s sharing a drink between bros?¡±

    Shen Xi questioned, ¡°Bros?¡±

    Pei Xu paused and hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Bros.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    This was Pei Xu¡¯s first return since he went abroad for his studies.

    Shen Xi was staying here today before leaving for home tomorrow afternoon. The trio found a nearby restaurant with great reviews for dinner.

    With ns to travel back alongside Shen Xi tomorrow, Fu Qingxuan and Pei Xu checked into the presidential suite next to her room.

    Shen Xi blurted her thoughts as the pair walked into the same room ¡°Are you guys staying together?¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Pei Xu offhandedly peered askance at her. ¡°Do you expect us to stay with you?¡±

    What was with that look? Shen Xi gave them a thought-provoking gaze every now and then since they met. Could it be¡­

    F*ck!

    With his eyes dting, Fu Qingxuan kicked Pei Xu. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    It did not change Shen Xi¡¯s mind at all. If anything, it made it worse. Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°Go to sleep, you two. Sleep, sleep.¡±

    Pei Xu was about to go off when Shen Xi opened the door and stepped into her room. With nowhere to release his fury, he kicked the door. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Shen Xi. Don¡¯t f*cking get the wrong idea.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Pei Xu oddly with his bright eyes. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Pei Xu¡¯s heart was racing, probably because Shen Xi got on his nerves. Looking at Fu Qingxuan¡¯s face that was prettier than a woman¡¯s, he went back to opening the door. On second thought, he handed the room key to Fu Qingxuan and took off.

    Fu Qingxuan cried, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Pei Xu did not look back. ¡°I¡¯m going to book another room.¡±

    Jesus. Shen Xi must have damaged her optic nerves together with her brain to think he had that sort of rtionship with Fu Qingxuan. It was nothing more than a case of him thinking Fu Qingxuan had good looks.

    Pei Xu approached the elevator and struck its door with his foot.

    F*ck.

    No way was that ever happening. He was as straight as an arrow!

    Fu Qingxuan¡­ Must be too!

    Shen Xi had not spent much time in the room when there was a knock on the door. Pei Xu came over and hurled a bag of junk food onto the sofa. He returned from the loo after washing his hands and looked down at her from his high horse. ¡°Are you living together with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad now?¡±

    Shen Xi looked back and let out a bright smile. ¡°Alpha Xu, why are you bing more and more like a nosy parker after a trip abroad?¡±

    Pei Xu sat down on the sofa and crossed his legs before blissfully retorting, ¡°Your rtionship is progressing at light speed.¡±

    Before Shen Xi could p back, the door was knocked again, and in strutted Fu Qingxuan.

    Pei Xu dismissed the subject at hand as Fu Qingxuan had a problem with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad. Fu Qingxuan was likely to sulk in a corner if he were to find out about Xixi living together with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad.

    He had his sulky moments.

    As there was still some time before dinner, the trio sat together on the sofa and watched a variety show. Featuring the Glitzy Girls, the show was quite interesting having been blessed by naturalics Song Wenye, the God of Variety, and Ye Weiyang.

    Since the Glitzy Girls debuted, they started on a high with their good looks, exceptional talents, and strong vocals. In a mere couple of months, they had be China¡¯s top girl group.

    Now, the group was swiftly garnering attention from neighboring countries at an incredible rate and began expanding their activities abroad. The girls were branching out.

    With the girl group making it big, manymercials and job offers were readily on the table. They had been making appearances on variety showstely and showing a knack for it! Fans were drawn in by their performances.

    Born to be in variety shows, Song Wenye and Ye Weiyang turned into fans-making machines.

    ¡°Ye Weiyang¡¯s so funny.¡± Watching the show, Pei Xumented to Shen Xi amidughter.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s not doing too bad either,¡± Shen Xi replied. Song Wenye and Ye Weiyang were made for variety shows, that was for sure.

    ¡°She¡¯s a nut. Of course, she¡¯s going to be hrious.¡± Pei Xu was in stitches. It was too funny. ¡°Is she going tomorrow as well? I want to tell her to quit the girl group and keep her day job as aedian.¡±

    Shen Xi gave him a sideways nce. Pei Xuughed and reached out to grab a chip from Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hands. In fact, Pei Xu took a huge bite of thetiao that Fu Qingxuan pulled out of the bag. Making a face, Shen Xi frowned. Did boys usually behave like this when they hung out?

    Pei Xu did not keep track of Shen Xi¡¯s expression as he waspletely absorbed into the show. Pei Xu watched with delight, thinking the girls in the group had their own qualities.

    Fu Qingxuan did not seem to care either. He finished off the remaining half of thetiao to find Shen Xi staring at him. He grabbed a pack oftiao and tossed one to her. ¡°This is good.¡±

    Thetiao was different and had its own distinctive taste based on its originating region in China, in which some brands were only avable locally.

    Pei Xu bought a local brand they had not tried before.

    Shen Xi took a piece and bit it. It was delicious.. While munching on food and watching the TV, she would steal nces at the boys to observe their interactions.

 Chapter 643 - The Boy Next Doorâ€™s Back

    <h4>Chapter 643: The Boy Next Door¡¯s Back</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The trio went to a locally renowned restaurant for dinner. After dinner, Shen Xi was baffled when Fu Qingxuan and Pei Xu stepped into their respective rooms. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys staying together?¡¯

    Fu Qingxuan replied, ¡°We¡¯re not staying together.¡±

    Pei Xu cleared his throat as if he had something to hide. He lifted his chin to look at her and said aloud, ¡°Do you have a problem?¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes in disdain. ¡°You¡¯re only giving yourself away as you try harder to hide it.¡±

    With that, she swiped her room key and went in.

    Furrowing his brows, Fu Qingxuan asked Pei Xu, ¡°What is Xixi talking about?¡±

    Pei Xu replied, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    He then opened his door and headed into his room.

    Struck by a thought, Fu Qingxuan went to knock on Pei Xu¡¯s door. ¡°Pei Xu, you promised to scrub my back tonight.¡±

    Pei Xu nearly p*ssed himself. Swallowing a cuss word, he shifted his gaze. ¡°Look for someone else.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan inquired, ¡°Who can I look for?¡±

    It was not like he could ask Xixi. She was a girl after all.

    Pei Xu opened the door and stuffed a business card in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s hand. ¡°This.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nced at the business card with services including the much-needed house call. There was also a telephone number on it. Fu Qingxuan walked away and uttered, ¡°Alright. Bye.¡±

    Pei Xu closed the door and turned on the TV. He sat on the sofa to watch but none of the TV shows tickled his fancy. His mind flew back to the moment Fu Qingxuan said alright.

    ¡°F*ck!¡±

    He swore under his breath before kicking the coffee table. He got up and shuffled out but stopped at the door.

    The moron, Fu Qingxuan, was a little na?ve. Surely, he would not call that number, right?

    The presidential suite was well soundproofed to block off any noise. After getting a grip of himself, Pei Xu opened the door to find a femme fatale standing outside Fu Qingxuan¡¯s room. She was making a pass at him.

    ¡°F*ck!¡± Pei Xu agitatedly spat. With eyes burning with fury, he walked over.

    Fu Qingxuan, the idiot, actually dialed the number!

    ¡°Hey handsome, are you two together? The price would be double.¡± The femme fatale¡¯s eyes lit up as Pei Xu approached. She locked eyes with Pei Xu and flirted coquettishly. ¡°Oh, if you have any fetishes, the rates go even higher.¡±

    Today was her lucky day to be called to show two handsome hunks a good time.

    With looks like these, she was willing to provide them pleasure for free. It would give her something to boast about to her girlfriends.

    Nevertheless, youngsters tended to be full of energy at this age, and the two guys seemed to have that inclination. Oh, they better not break her.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at the woman in puzzlement. He was unable to connect the dots of what she was saying either. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m looking for a male masseur.¡±

    The femme fatale gazed at the boys with aplicated look on her face. She should be angry, but in the servicing industry, the customer was king. She kept a friendly attitude since they were hunks after all. ¡°Why did you call a woman then? I¡¯m already here, so you¡¯d have to pay me two hundred for the cab since you don¡¯t want to go on with the service.¡±

    The young men turned out to be gay. She was happy over nothing.

    Fu Qingxuan frowned. He had to pay for her presence here and without the service?

    Pei Xu drew close and darted a cold look at the girl. Fu Qingxuan would catch on if the girl kept talking. Pei Xu whipped out some cash and handed it to the girl in case Fu Qingxuan might go after him if he found out. ¡°We don¡¯t need it. You can leave.¡±

    The femme fatale took the money and felt the cash. It was about a thousand yuan. She longingly gazed at them. ¡°Boys, keep my card. Please frequent my business whenever you¡¯re here. Introduce me to your friends. I¡¯ll give them a discount.¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Fu Qingxuan stared at Pei Xu. ¡°She didn¡¯t work. Why did you pay her?¡±

    Although he was rich, money did not grow on trees. How could Pei Xu just give money away like that?

    Cursing in his mind, Pei Xu shoved Fu Qingxuan into his room while deflecting the question. ¡°Do you want a girl to rub your back?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan answered, ¡°I can rece her with a man.¡±

    Pei Xu was thinking of slicing off his hand. Why did he have to give the business card to Fu Qingxuan? He hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll rub your back!¡±

    F*ck!

    How did it end up like this!

    Someone distributing flyers on the street gave Pei Xu the business card on his way back earlier. Since he did not have a habit of littering, Pei Xu stuffed the card in his pocket.

    Fu Qingxuan gave it some thought. ¡°Why do I find the woman strange?¡±

    Pei Xu chickened out on answering the question. Instead, he guiltily pushed Fu Qingxuan to the washroom. ¡°Take a shower. I¡¯ll scrub your back in a bit.¡±

    He then looked around for the business card and spotted it on the coffee table. Pei Xu immediately tore it to pieces and threw it in the bin. Hit with a realization, he went to the other washroom and flushed it down the toilet.

    Meanwhile, in the capital.

    Yun Jinping was unpacking her things as she had just gotten back.

    Shen Zhangqing came into the house carrying two bags. Without any hesitation, he made a beeline into the kitchen and soon emerged wielding a knife and bearing a gruesome look on his face.

    Yun Jinping quickly ran after Shen Zhangqing as he bolted out without a word. She pulled him back. ¡°Honey, is Su Yi here again?¡±

    Sincest year, Su Yi and Li Jingran had routinelye by to persuade Xixi to go back to their family. Most of the time, Shen Zhangqing would scare them away.

    ¡°The boy next door¡¯s back.¡± Shen Zhangqing clenched his teeth as he nced next door.

    He had been holding back his temper and letting the rage simmer inside ever since he found out that his darling daughter was stolen by the wolf next door. Shen Zhangqing had been waiting for the neighbor¡¯s return to interrogate him.

    However, the wait went from one day to two days and eventually stretched to two weeks. Still, there was no sighting of the neighbor. Shen Zhangqing saw him today atst. He had to go over and get to the bottom of the matter.

    ¡°You can go and have a talk with him, but why do you need to hold a knife?¡± Afraid he might hurt someone in the heat of the moment, Yun Jinping took away the knife.

    She and her husband spent more than two weeks at home. Shen Zhangqing was unable to sleep and eat well because of Xixi. The only thing on his mind was having a sit-down with the neighbor.

    Nevertheless, the neighbor had not been home.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Zhangqing hid the knife behind his back. ¡°Stay out of this. I won¡¯t let him go easy now that I caught him. He¡¯s asking for it to snatch my girl under my nose. I ought to teach him a lesson.¡±

    Yun Jinping panicked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to bring the knife even if you want to teach him a lesson. Hand over the knife.¡±

    They were meeting him for the first time.. Why teach a lesson when nothing was set in stone yet. What if they got it wrong? How was Xixi supposed to live with it?

 Chapter 644 - Did You Seduce My Daughter?

    <h4>Chapter 644: Did You Seduce My Daughter?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t cut him up.¡± Bearing an ashen expression, Shen Zhangqing spitefully uttered, ¡°I¡¯m only going to intimidate him so he knows who¡¯s boss. Stay out of it. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Yun Jinping did not stop him and simply watched him go. She stood there for a while before making her way out the door to eavesdrop on the showdown in the yard.

    Holding a knife in his hand, Shen Zhangqing pressed on the doorbell menacingly.

    Kun Lun was surprised to see the person at the door through the CCTV. Instead of opening the door, he went to knock on the door to the study. ¡°Boss, Mr. Shen is at the door.¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Li Yuan was wondering who Kun Lun was referring to. It took a moment before he came to grips with who it was. He put down his work. ¡°I¡¯ll make my way to him.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing had been waiting for a while. He tried to peek through the door crack but could see nothing. However, Shen Zhangqing soon picked up on footsteps in the courtyard drawing close, and the door was opened from the inside.

    Li Yuan opened the door to the man standing there. Giving a nod, he politely and courteously smiled. ¡°Hello, Mr. Shen.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was dumbstruck. He immediately hid the knife behind his back and nced at the handsome man,pletely losing sight of his objectiveing here. Nevertheless, he had been through life long enough to quickly calm his nerves. ¡°Are you the owner of this house? I¡¯m Shen Xi¡¯s dad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your neighbor, Li Yuan. Pleased to meet you, Uncle Shen.¡± Li Yuan switched to a more intimate form of address. The smile across his lips was like a weing breeze during spring.

    Shen Zhangqing got a load of the man, checking him up, down, left, and right, before asking, ¡°Is my darling Toffeecito at your ce?¡±

    Crippled?

    Wheelchair?

    The man before his eyes was normal and looked sharp. He was nice and polite too.

    ¡°Toffeecito isn¡¯t here. I just got back.¡± Li Yuan then heard a meow on the wall. Toffeecito made haste to his side and ran around his feet before rubbing itself against his leg.

    Shen Zhangqing braced the burning shame in his cheeks, unable to find the right words to ask about his rtionship with his daughter or if he seduced his little girl. None of the sentences seemed toe out right in his mind.

    In the end, he looked at Toffeecito. ¡°Toffeecito,e home with Grandpa.¡±

    Toffeecito was rubbing affectionately against Li Yuan when Shen Zhangqing¡¯s voice caught its attention. Lifting its head to meow at Shen Zhangqing, the cat jumped onto Li Yuan¡¯s shoulder.

    Li Yuan amusingly carried Toffeecito off his shoulder and passed it to Shen Zhangqing. He inquired with a smile, ¡°Uncle Shen, are you free right now? I have something I need to visit you personally and discuss.¡±

    ¡°What about, Mr. Li?¡± Shen Zhangqing had crossed paths with many big names to get to where he was and sit on billions of yuan of assets. The dignified and noble mien to the young man did not go amiss despite his best efforts to conceal it.

    ¡°The matter between Xixi and I.¡± Li Yuan came clean.

    Shen Zhangqing pulled a long face and looked back in hostility. In the end, he nodded his head.

    Kun Lun was relieved that Shen Zhangqing left. He thought Mr. Shen was going to cut Boss up when he charged over with a knife. Thank goodness that did not happen.

    Throughout his walk home, Shen Zhangqing could not get over the shock.

    Yun Jinping wanted toe along but stayed back in the courtyard, seeing that no fuss was kicked up next door. What would the neighbor think if both Shen Xi¡¯s parents drop by his house? With Shen Zhangqing home, Yun Jinping approached him. ¡°Honey, how did it go?¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Shen Zhangqing thought it was odd. ¡°He¡¯s not a cripple.¡±

    Yun Jinping was taken aback.

    Shen Zhangqing proceeded. ¡°He¡¯s not old, I think he¡¯s in his twenties. He¡¯s not bad-looking. He said that he¡¯d drop byter to talk about Xixi.¡±

    He then moaned and groaned.

    The kid was clearly no ordinary person since an average young man would not be able to hold his ground in front of Shen Zhangqing as he was the boss of a major corporation for decades now.

    Miles away, Shen Xi had no idea about the situation here. She was fixated on the man in the video. His khaki trench coat added warm tones to his suave charm. ¡°Brother, please put on warm clothes when you¡¯re out.¡±

    It was freezing outside now that it was just past 8 o¡¯clock at night. The weather reported snow in the capital at night.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan grinned tenderly at the girl¡¯s blushing face in the video. ¡°Get some early rest. You have a flight to catch tomorrow. I¡¯m heading out.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi obediently nodded. ¡°Please be careful on the road.¡±

    Li Yuan answered with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Kun Lun watched as Li Yuan ended the video chat and gripped tightly onto his phone. He was in two minds whether to be worried for Boss or gloat at what was toe.

    It was his first to watch the tension eat Boss alive. In the past, Boss often strategized and carried himself with ease in the face of adversity.

    Yet, the visit to meet the parents-inw was poles apart from talking business.

    Li Yuan took a deep breath and let the cold air into his lungs refresh his mind. Taking a look in the opposite direction, he sauntered out undauntedly.

    Two hourster.

    Li Yuan stayed to y chess with Shen Zhangqing in the living room.

    Shen Zhangqing stared long at the chess piece in his hand with a frown. There were a few times he wanted to move the piece, but hesitation held him back.

    Li Yuan quietly waited with a smile on his face while Toffeecito rolled around hisp in ennui. With its paws, it toyed with Li Yuan¡¯s buttons, scratching and biting.

    Yun Jinping walked in and looked outside before ncing at the two who were engrossed in chess. ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside. Are you done yet?¡±

    She had no opinion about Xixi¡¯s boyfriend so long as Xixi¡¯s feelings for him were true. Yun Jinping supported her, but she was reluctant when she found out the boyfriend was wheelchair-bound.

    Yet now, Lil¡¯ Li told them everything. His legs were broken from an ident, but he had beenmitted to getting better. It was only recently that he was able to stand up again.

    Although he did not say much, they could tell that he really loved and cherished Xixi. Lil¡¯ Li presented himself as genuine and gave them respect through his behavior and speech.

    Shen Zhangqing would pull a sour look every time the subject about Xixi¡¯s future boyfriend was brought up. However, he seemed to hit it off with Lil¡¯ Li. They chatted for an hour about politics, finances, properties, and everything else under the sun.

    Following the long conversation, Shen Zhangqing then happily invited Lil¡¯ Li to chess and they had been at it till now.

    Half an hourter, the round ended with Shen Zhangqing¡¯s defeat.. Now that Li Yuan was gone, Shen Zhangqing¡¯s expression was shrouded with scowl and worry.

 Chapter 645 - Only His Life to Give

    <h4>Chapter 645: Only His Life to Give</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Outside, snowkes were drifting in the air.

    Standing in the hallway, Yun Jinping watched Li Yuan leave before noticing the grim look on Shen Zhangqing¡¯s face. She drew close in bafflement. ¡°Honey, what do you think of Lil¡¯ Li?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing snapped out of his thoughts and looked out the window. He sighed and uttered, ¡°He¡¯s Li Yuan.¡±

    Still confused, Yun Junping waited for him to go on.

    It took Shen Zhangqing some time to find the words. ¡°Honey, do you know who he is?¡±

    Yun Jinping had been married to Shen Zhangqing for many years, but this was the first time she ever saw him with such a solemn and worried look on his face, not even when thepany was experiencing financial problems and facing bankruptcy. She held his hand. ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing let out a sigh. It was just one worry after another. ¡°Li Yuan is the head of the Li household, the wealthiest family in China.¡±

    Li Yuan was a good kid and well-versed in the culture of etiquettes and sensibility. Shen Zhangqing had to admit ¨C albeit he did not want to ¨C that Li Yuan was good enough for his daughter.

    Nevertheless, Li Yuan was the head of the Li household from a young age. He was only 25 years old now. By 18, he reversed the fate of the ruined Li household and brought the family to its present standing. Li Yuan¡¯s ruthless method earned him a spot on top of the pyramid of power and fortune. Everyone in the capital called him the living Hades.

    Shen Zhangqing was afraid his daughter might not be able to hold him down if they were together. What if Li Yuany a hand on his daughter? Although Shen Zhangqing could notpete in terms of influence and wealth, he had only his life to give to fight Li Yuan if he ever hurt his daughter.

    ¡°Honey, I don¡¯t mind who he is so long as Xixi likes him. Of course, he has to have genuine feelings for Xixi too.¡± Yun Jinping looked Shen Zhangqing in the eye. It was clear to Yun Jinping who Xixi was pinning for as her eyes sparkled when she stood against the wall. The sweet and beautiful look on Xixi¡¯s face was love. ¡°Who can be sure what the future holds anyway?¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Shen Zhangqing sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡±

    He knew that fact. Li Yuan had the looks, the talent, the money, and the power. No girl would not be swept off of her feet to be showered with attention by a young and promising bachelor.

    However, it did not put Shen Zhangqing at ease at all. He was worried that it was only a spur-of-the-moment thing for Li Yuan. Li Yuan might be willing to do anything for Xixi since he was so into her now, but what if he were to lose interest one day? With an extreme character like his, he was sure to throw her aside to the curb.

    Shen Zhangqing wanted his daughter to have a good husband, someone who would love and spoil her. Shen Zhangqing had once imagined what Xixi¡¯s future boyfriend would be like, but it never urred to him that she would get involved with a big shot who was beyond reach.

    In fact, it was not just him, but no one in the whole of China would risk their life to mess with Li Yuan.

    ¡°Leave it to Xixi. She has her own ns.¡± Yun Jinping held his hands. ¡°She¡¯s not a child anymore. She can make her own decisions.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Zhangqing nodded.

    What more could he do? It was not like he did not know his daughter¡¯s temper. Even if Shen Zhangqing were to be in the clear with Li Yuan for tearing them apart, his daughter was not going to let him off easy.

    Nevertheless, Su Yi and the rest of the greedy family would probably not leave Xixi alone if they were to find out her boyfriend was the amazing head of the Li household.

    The next day.

    After a night of snow, the capital was nketed with a thickyer of fluff.

    Shen Xi, Fu Qingxuan, and Pei Xu arrived home in the afternoon.

    Pei Xu unpacked a little before going with Fu Qingxuan to pick Granny Yu up.

    By five o¡¯clock, Yu Yuanxi and Song Wenye returned together. Maybe due to the power of love, Song Wenye came off rather sweet and tender.

    The pair had no intentions to make their rtionship public, but the elders at home were quick to pick up on things and figured the couple out in less than two days. There was no longer a need to cover up. Not one to drag her feet, Song Wenye together with Yu Yuanxi, who took ownership of his actions, told the family.

    At this very moment, Song Wenye, Yu Yuanxi, and Shen Xi were helping Yun Jinping in the kitchen.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye were trimming the vegetables.

    Nudging Shen Xi¡¯s arm, Song Wenye tipped her the wink and spoke in hushed tones. ¡°When do you n to go public with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad? You can¡¯t keep your rtionship a secret forever.¡±

    The matter woulde out sooner orter. Every hideous son-inw was bound to meet the parents. Besides, Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was an eyeful. Jesus, Song Wenye should stop her wandering mind because she was off the market after all.

    ¡°In two another two days.¡± Shen Xi intended to talk about it today, but it would only dampen the family¡¯s celebrative mood.

    ¡°That reminds me. What does Toffeecito¡¯s Dad do for a living?¡± Song Wenye never had the chance to ask. In fact, she did not probe about the guy other than the asional tease and questioning.

    ¡°Business.¡± Shen Xi whispered in case Yun Jinping might overhear them.

    ¡°Could you be any more specific?¡± Song Wenye scoffed and sighed. ¡°Does hee from aplicated family background? How many are there in his family? Is he the eldest, youngest? Are his parents nice to get along with? Is he fighting the family inheritance with anyone? You need to know about all these.¡±

    ¡°He¡­¡± Shen Xi paused as heartache flickered in her eyes. Her voice turned stifling too. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a family. He¡¯s all alone.¡±

    She supposed the old butler of Li Mansion was considered family. Kun Lun and his men were important people in Li Yuan¡¯s life too. Everyone else perished in the cold-blooded bloodshed.

    ¡°He¡­ He¡­¡± Song Wenye stuttered for a moment, not knowing what to say. ¡°Is he rich? Can he afford you?¡±

    So, Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was an orphan. That took Song Wenye by surprise.

    Shen Xi nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, I can support him financially too.¡±

    Song Wenye clicked her tongue and shook her head as Shen Xi let out a sweet smile. ¡°You better work out the kind of person he is. Don¡¯t be taken in. There are a lot of liars these days, trying to fool girls by pretending to have rich parents.¡±

    Shen Xi drew close and murmured, ¡°I guess you can call him a self-made man.¡±

    He survived death and single-handedly reimed the Li family¡¯s assets and revived the family¡¯s glory to untouchable status.

    ¡°I¡¯ve met many wealthy families in the capital, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him before.¡± Song Wenye did a mental search in her mind. ¡°What does he do?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s called Li Yuan.¡± This was the first time Shen Xi brought it up to Song Wenye. She proudly announced his name.

    ¡°Li Yuan. Li. Li sounds familiar..¡± Song Wenye fell deep into thought while mumbling to herself. ¡°The only family with the surname Li in the capital is¡­¡±

 Chapter 646 - His Expression Said It All

    <h4>Chapter 646: His Expression Said It All</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Struck by a thought, Song Wenye widened her eyes and stumbled over her words. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re¡­ not talking about the Li family¡¯s¡­.¡±

    Her voice suddenly reached a high tone.

    Shen Xi immediately covered her mouth and shushed her, ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡±

    Song Wenye felt her heart had stopped as she stared at Shen Xi in disbelief. Was the guy really the mysterious head of the Li household?

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad turned out to have quite a bad*ss identity!

    Was it not said the head of the Li family was too ugly to show his face? Holy sh*t. If Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was hideous, then everyone else was sure to have no face to walk on this earth.

    Fortunately, the girls were huddled up in a corner while Yun Jinping was stir-frying. The buzzing from the kitchen hood and clinking of the metal spat against the wok overpowered their talking.

    ¡°I hope he¡¯s not lying to you. Are you sure he is who he says he is?¡± It took Song Wenye a while to digest the shocking news. She solemnly questioned Shen Xi.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded. ¡°I went to Li Mansion, and I have free ess to the Li Corporation¡¯s CEO office.¡±

    ¡°Is it fun at Li Mansion?¡± Song Wenye¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I bet the stuff inside is worth a fortune!¡±

    Other than the imperial pce, Li Mansion was the biggest and oldest buildingpound in China. Buildings of such cultural heritage were usually owned by the state, either preserved for their value or open to the public.

    Li Mansion was neither. It was the private residence of the Li family. Any article inside was likely a cultural relic!

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you along one day.¡± Shen Xi smiled.

    Song Wenye bobbed her head. ¡°You better mean it.¡±

    The Song household¡¯s family home was situated in the Sunnyside. Song Wenye used to live there in her younger days and would admire Li Mansion in awe every time she passed by. Once, she attempted to climb the wall for a closer look, but s security was tight. Song Wenye could not even climb the wall, much less enter the ce.

    Having had the pleasure of visiting the ce a few times, her grandfather believed it was a national blessing that the Li family¡¯s residence was well-preserved to this day.

    While the girls were whispering among themselves, Yu Yuanxi approached with a smile. He softly asked, ¡°Are you done?¡±

    Shen Xi calmly handed the vegetables to him.

    Song Wenye, on the other hand, had quite a jump and looked back to give him a mean re.

    Yu Yuanxi heartily patted her head like she was a kitten before remarking, ¡°Have some fun outside with Xixi. I¡¯ll help Mom.¡±

    After shing her teeth at Yu Yuanxi, Song Wenye secretively pulled Shen Xi out. She had a mind full of questions that needed answering right now!

    As Xixi¡¯s best friend, Song Wenye felt she was wrong to hold off until now to ask about Toffeecito¡¯s Dad. She would have visited Li Mansion by now had she asked sooner.

    Song Wenye dragged Shen Xi to the courtyard before inquiring with thrill, ¡°Is Toffeecito¡¯s Dad home now? Why isn¡¯t he celebrating your birthday with you? Come to think of it, the day you be an adult is important and should be held in a grand ce like Li Mansion.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes speechlessly. ¡°That¡¯s over the top. Li Mansion is only a historical architecture that¡¯s no different than the Garden of Integrity.¡±

    ¡°Ha.¡± Song Wenye pursed her lips. ¡°Who are you kidding? Does the Garden of Integrity have many hidden gems? Is the Garden of Integrity that big?¡±

    Shen Xi was taken aback that Song Wenye, who was often gued by ennui, showed interest in Li Mansion. ¡°Are you that excited to go there?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea. It has always been my dream to visit Li Mansion. I would pass by Li Mansion on my way to school when I was younger. I really want to see what it looks like inside.¡± Aspiration was written across Song Wenye¡¯s face.

    Although there were other preserved and inessible ancient architectures around as well, pictures and videos of these buildings were still avable. Yet, there was nothing on the mysterious Li Mansion, not even a single shred of data. Information on the private residence seemed to be kept from the public.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask and take you.¡± Shen Xi let out a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯ll soon be thedy of the house. Do you need to ask?¡± Song Wenye frowned. ¡°Tell me honestly, is he someone to keep tabs on things? Is he the kind to set up a prenup?¡±

    Song Wenye did not want to assume the worst of people, but this wasmon among the upper society. Men were afraid their wives may take away half of their assets if their marriage ever went sour. Hence the prenuptial agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s a normal thing to do.¡± Prenup or not, Shen Xi could make her own money and needed no man to back her financially.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s normal, it doesn¡¯t feel right if he¡¯s actually considering it.¡± From a rational point of view, Song Wenye believed it made sense, but the fact did not sit well with her emotions.

    It only proved that this sort of people valued materials over sentiments.

    While the pair were chatting, the door opened and in walked Yu Qiubai and Shen Tang.

    Song Wenye smacked Shen Xi and inquired in a low voice, ¡°Be honest with me. Is Yu Qiubai together with Tangtang?¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi whispered back, ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself.¡±

    Judging by Yu Qiubai and Shen Tang¡¯s interaction, Shen Xi believed they were not an item. Shen Tang had not given into Yu Qiubai¡¯s wooing.

    ¡°Yu Qiubai, the guy¡­¡± Song Wenye was at a loss for words. She might not hate Yu Qiubai now, but he was not her friend either.

    Shen Xi called Shen Tang and ran up to hold her arm before engaging in a conversation.

    Fu Qingxuan had managed to detect the cause of Shen Tang¡¯s blindness two months ago. During this time, Shen Xi had been gathering ingredients and was missing one more element before she could make the drug.

    There had been a word on thest ingredient, and it was the final piece in an underground auction happening in the capital next week. The keel that was being auctioned off was thest piece of the puzzle.

    Yu Qiubai turned to Song Wenye to ask about Ye Weiyang.

    Song Wenye rolled her eyes at him, giving the two-time a good scowl.

    Unfazed by her attitude, Yu Qiubai exined with a smile. ¡°My mom really likes her. Can I trouble you to get her autograph?¡±

    Mom was on the road to recovery and had moments of luciditytely. Two days ago, Mom joined in when Mrs. Li was watching a variety show featuring the Glitzy Girls. Her favorite was Ye Weiyang.

    Song Wenye gave him an attitude. ¡°Aren¡¯t you always at Cosmos Entertainment? You can go and ask yourself.¡±

    Yu Qiubai took a nce at Shen Tang before murmuring sincerely, ¡°I should keep a distance from other girls since I have someone I like now.¡±

    Song Wenye let out a cough, taken aback by thement. She always thought Yu Qiubai was a selfish b*stard who was capable of doing anything. Since it was a heartfelt request, Song Wenye nodded in agreement. ¡°Fine.¡±

    Snow drifted its way down during the evening along with the chilling wind while it was full of life in the warm home.

    Amid the bustling in the kitchen, Yun Jinping pulled Song Wenye aside for a word.

    Song Wenye widened her eyes and bobbed her head in acknowledgment before bolting to the living room to drag Shen Xi away from ying with the pets. She said the birthday girl should dress up and even showed her contempt toward Shen Xi for not looking after her appearance.

    There were divided opinions when the people left downstairs were informed by Yun Jinping about a secret arrangement. Fu Qingxuan, in particr, turned ck in the face as he clenched his fists.. His expression said it all.

 Chapter 647 - A Special Birthday Gift

    <h4>Chapter 647: A Special Birthday Gift</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping looked at Fu Qingxuan and tenderly uttered, ¡°Xuan, please y along.¡±

    It never crossed Yun Jinping¡¯s mind that Xuan felt more strongly than her and her husband about Xixi dating. She and Old Shen should be the ones worried stiff.

    With a smile, Jiang Yin eagerly waited for the showdown. Still, she was reeling in shock inside.

    She was also surprised the secret came out rather quickly while Xixi was still in the dark about it. The grownups in the house had already found out and the man was about to face the parents off. Man, he had guts! He was a real man!

    Jiang Yin was dying to find out what the person did or say for the parents to ept his presence and go with the whole secret arrangement.

    With eyes sparkling with excitement, Ruan Sisi pulled Jiang Yin aside and whispered a million questions. Oh, this was her teacher¡¯s boyfriend. She was curious as to what kind of guy deserved her ever-talented teacher.

    Mr. and Mrs. Shen quietly told them about the n. Today was her teacher¡¯s birthday and there was a big surprise waiting for her. The surprise was her teacher¡¯s boyfriend. They were presenting the boyfriend to her.

    Unable to make out his feelings, Yu Yuanxi faintly asked Shen Zhangqing what was going on. Where did Xixi¡¯s boyfriend pop out from?

    Judging by everyone on the scene, it seemed only him, Granny Yu, and Xixi¡¯s student, Ruan Sisi, were in the dark while the rest had more or less an idea about it.

    Lil¡¯ Ye, especially, had quite an animated look then. It was in to see that she was in the know. She even yed along by dragging Xixi away.

    With everyone on the ground floor aware of the n, they went on with their business.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled a long face, clenching his fists as he darted a cold stare at the yard next door. He angrily shouted when Toffeecito happened to climb up the wall. ¡°Get down, you ingrate.¡±

    Standing nearby, Yu Qiubai curiously asked, ¡°Do you have a crush on Xixi?¡±

    He was acting like someone who had the love of his life stolen from him.

    Without a word, Fu Qingxuan continued to sulk and showed it on his sour face. It did not sit well with him no matter how he thought about it. Mr. and Mrs. Shen should at least stop the rtionship. God knows what dirty measures Li Yuan, the b*stard, adopted to convince Mr. and Mrs. Shen to take his side.

    Giving a look to show that he fully understood, Yu Qiubai let out a suggestive smile and narrowed his foxy eyes at Toffeecito on top of the wall. Toffeecito leaped down and jumped onto the carton Yu Yuanxi and Pei Xu were pushing in. It kneeled on top of the box.

    Jiang Yin and Ruan Sisi walked alongside.

    Through the window, Song Wenye watched as a humongous present was being shoved past the door. She then nced slyly and expectantly at Shen Xi who had a change of clothes and was doing her makeup in front of the vanity dresser.

    Jesus!

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad really knew his way to ady¡¯s heart. Song Wenye was beyond impressed. What sorcery did he pull to get a yes from Mr. and Mrs. Shen to y along?

    She believed no parents in the world would be willing to give away their daughter to another man, especially Mr. Shen who loved his daughter more than anything in the world.

    Shen Zhangqing was not too happy to see the presente in. Yet, he had to hold himself together. Today was his daughter¡¯s birthday and the day she reached adulthood. Nothing spoke more volume than her happiness.

    The excessive request was a stab to his heart. Shen Zhangqing was not going to agree to it no matter what Li Yuan had to say. In fact, he did not budge at allst night.

    However, the kid next door paid another visit this morning. The boy transferred all of his assets to his daughter and showed him the paperwork.

    Shen Zhangqing was also a man, so he knew what it was like to be a man. It was rare and a good enoughmitment for a man to go this far for his love. Shen Zhangqing could say there was no man quite like Li Yuan on earth.

    While he was happy that his daughter found a man so true to her, Shen Zhangqing was reluctant to hand over the apple of his eye to someone else. Try as he may, he could not feel good about it at all.

    Still, he knew that the kid was right. Shen Zhangqing and his wife were in no position toe in between the rtionship. Since they could not do anything about it, they might as well let their daughter be happy on the day she blossomed into an adult.

    It was fine that he and his wife were upset a little as nothing beat their daughter¡¯s happiness. Shen Zhangqing did not want his daughter to be upset, sad, and caught in a dilemma because of this.

    Yun Jinping held his hand, smiling tenderly as she softly uttered, ¡°Honey, Xixi is grown up now. All we can do is to make her smile.¡±

    Girls were going to get married at some point in their life. To find true love and a keeper was hard toe by and worth celebrating.

    Last night, Lil¡¯ Li mentioned that Xixi wanted to wait until after she came of age toe clean. Xixi did not want to do it before so as not to put anyone down during the birthday celebration.

    Lil¡¯ Li intended to pay a visit after Xixi¡¯s birthday, but Shen Zhangqing¡¯s abrupt stopover brought the date forward.

    Since the parents had already known, Lil¡¯ Li did not want to put Xixi in the spot any longer. Lil¡¯ Li said they could let off steam on him if they were angry.

    In the end, he asked a favor prior to leaving. He wanted to surprise Xixi¡¯s rite of passage and needed them to y along.

    There was no point in finding fault in Lil¡¯ Li now that they knew about the rtionship. Yun Jinping was aware of her daughter¡¯s feelings for him, but like her husband, she could not give him a straight answer there and then.

    This morning, Lil¡¯ Li brought over the paperwork for the transfer of assets to Xixi. These documents were not signed yesterday or today. By the looks of the date, these properties were signed to her name not long after they moved into their home here.

    There were also newly acquiredpanies and developed businesses that were added in between.

    Shen Zhangqing quietly and coldly nced at the huge gift with gleams of broken reflections in his eyes before dragging his wife into the kitchen.

    If only Fu Qingxuan could cut the gift box with his gaze and kill the person inside.

    This was insane. Li Yuan was a conniving and horrible b*stard. He wanted to give Meanie a surprise and wanted all of them to work with him on it too. No way was Fu Qingxuan going to!

    Looking at Fu Qingxuan, Pei Xu murmured, ¡°What? Did Toffeecito¡¯s Dad kill your father?¡±

    To his knowledge, Jin Yu was like a teacher and father to Toffeecito¡¯s Dad. As a matter of fact, Jin Yu had a closer bond with Toffeecito¡¯s Dad than with the Fu brothers since Jin Yu had not recovered his memory. The closest person in his memory was Toffeecito¡¯s Dad.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Fu Qingxuan yelled before stomping out in rage.. While passing by the present, he kicked it out of spite and went to the kitchen to help out.

 Chapter 648 - The Surprise Out of Nowhere

    <h4>Chapter 648: The Surprise Out of Nowhere</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The gift boxy quietly at the most prominent spot in the living room. There were also cats on top of it. Toffeecito and Song Wenye¡¯s Song Xiaomi rested on all fours there.

    With Shen Xi and Song Wenyeing down to a huge box sitting in the living room, Shen Xi was baffled. ¡°Who is that for? What¡¯s inside?¡±

    Ruan Sisi raised her hand and chuckled in delight. ¡°Teacher, it¡¯s a gift from me and your teacher to you. What¡¯s inside is a secret.¡±

    Following Mrs. Shen¡¯s arrangement, Ruan Sisi and Jiang Yin were assigned to present the gift.

    Shen Xi walked over and got on her tiptoes but was unable to reach Toffeecito as the present was too big and tall. Wondering what junk her teacher and Ruan Sisi got her, Shen Xi tapped on the box. A hollow sound echoed.

    In the back, Song Wenye snickered cunningly and gazed at the box in amazement. She always thought her love life went on too smoothly, which made Xixi and Toffeecito¡¯s rtionship all the more interesting.

    People were shuffling about in the living room.

    Shen Zhangqing was carrying a dish out when he saw his daughter dolled up in a gorgeous red fish-tail gown. She was as beautiful as an angel. Still, he could not shake off the blues.

    This was not a wedding. Xixi was having a family get-together for her eighteenth birthday, not some ball. What was with the formal outfit? Was it to show the kid?

    Since Shen Xi was the birthday girl, she was off duty from any chores. She could not do much as Song Wenye made her wear an evening dress. Hence, Shen Xi sat on the sofa to watch the TV while stuffing her face with junk food.

    Fu Qingxuan did not lend a helping hand and stayed by her side instead. Without a word, he drew a stoic and nk face and frowned at her every now and then.

    Shen Xi picked up some seed shells and tossed them at him. ¡°What¡¯s with you? It¡¯s my birthday today, you know.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was pretty happy when he came in this morning. What changed him? He was acting like someone owed him a fortune.

    Still holding his tongue, Fu Qingxuan scoffed and kept his eyes on the TV. By the corner of his eye, he peered at the huge box in the living room and cursed that the person inside would suffocate to death.

    Shen Xi would take a nce at the gift from time to time, curious about what was inside. Anything from her teacher could not be surmised withmon sense.

    The family worked together and soon a whole spread of feast was ready. A spot right smack in the middle was left empty for a birthday cake. They were going to have a cake before dinner.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the birthday cake? Did any of you buy the cake? We have a lot of people here, so I expect a big one.¡± Shen Xi looked around but could not find the cake. She asked, ¡°Mom, are we having longevity noodles today?¡±

    Jiang Yin took a nce at Yun Jinping then at Shen Zhangqing, giving them a look at how to handle the matter. Who was going to take charge of the question?

    With a gentle smile on her face, Yun Jinping nodded at Jiang Yin to give her full reins.

    Shen Zhangqing kept a straight face, but the dreary mood got to him.

    ¡°Your birthday cake¡¯s inside the present.¡± Jiang Yin pointed at the present in the living room before instructing Shen Xi with a grin, ¡°Open the box and take it out.¡±

    Getting a weird vibe from Jiang Yin¡¯s smile, Shen Xi approached the box while mumbling to herself if Jiang Yin was trying to prank her on her birthday. It was something her teacher was likely to do.

    The birthday cake must be more than ten feet tall judging by the size of the box. Surely, the cake must be expensive too, probably around several million yuan. Her teacher sure spent a fortune.

    ¡°Open it up.¡± Jiang Yin was on edge for her, seeing that Shen Xi was taking her time. She urged Shen Xi. ¡°Hurry up. The food¡¯s getting cold.¡±

    Amid unfurling the ribbon, Shen Xi suspiciously looked back at Jiang Yin before ripping off the ribbon. She was trying to figure out how to unbox it when suddenly, the front popped open like a door from inside.

    Shen Xi tried to get out of the way in case something was to explode in her face. However, a charming man emerged with a smile while holding a three-tiered decorated cake.

    Frozen on the spot, Shen Xi stared at the person in disbelief. She had to blink multiples to ensure her eyes were not deceiving her.

    Why was Li Yuan in the present? Why was he at her home?

    ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Li Yuan blissfully gazed at her with adoration written all over his dark eyes. He could only see her in his line of vision.

    The red gown the girl wore today brought out her exquisite allure.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Shen Xi eximed in delight before running to his embrace. As she got closer, she realized he was holding a big cake.

    Shen Xi did not want to think about the reason he was here right now as there was no question that he wanted to give her a huge surprise. She was hot with emotions.

    Holding the cake, Li Yuan drew close and nodded at everyone in the room. He uttered with a smile, ¡°I should formally introduce myself. I¡¯m Li Yuan, Xixi¡¯s boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡± Song Wenye was the first to wave back. Having seen Toffeecito¡¯s Dad before, she was likely the first to meet him in person. She was thrilled beyond words, trying to stop herself from screaming at Xixi to kiss him as she held onto Ruan Sisi¡¯s arm.

    Dumbstruck, Ruan Sisi goofily waved her arm and drooled over the handsome man. Oh, gawd. He was such a dreamboat. Only a man with such looks was worthy to stand next to her teacher.

    Jiang Yin nodded her head. She had crossed paths with Li Yuan once, but it was only a fleeting nce. Jiang Yin already knew that he was a good-looking man, but the fact that he was crippled outyed his Greek God facial features. With the disability out of the equation, Jiang Yin was blown away by his appearance. Humans were visual creatures after all. Everyone would take a second nce at pretty faces.

    The man had a golden ratio of a physical structure. With long legs and looks like that, he would sweep thepetition away and reign on top of the modeling world.

    Pei Xu and Yu Qiubai had never met Toffeecito¡¯s Dad before. Although they believed they were hotties, they paled inparison to Toffeecito¡¯s Dad.

    As for Yun Jinping, Shen Zhangqing, Yu Yuanxi, and Fu Qingxuan, they were lost in their own thoughts, dwelling in unspeakable feelings that only they knew.

    Having gotten over the pleasant shock, Shen Xi knew the surprise could only happen with the blessing of her parents. She turned toward them.

    Yun Jinping hung her head low to hide her crying eyes. She was choking up, feeling a lump in her throat. Yun Jinping did not want her daughter to see her in such a state because her daughter should be happy during her birthday.

    Shen Zhangqing was tempted to turn his head away yet held it all together.. He gazed at her and smiled, but the shimmering tears gave it away.

 Chapter 649 - Happy Birthday

    <h4>Chapter 649: Happy Birthday</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With a catch on her throat, Shen Xi nearly burst into tears as she ran toward her parents to hug them. Her voice was hoarse. ¡°Thank you, Mom and Dad.¡±

    Li Yuan was not lying when he said he would pay a visit to her parents after her birthday.

    Mom and Dad must have found out since they let Li Yuane and celebrate her birthday.

    ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Shen Zhangqing gruffly uttered with a smile before pushing her away. ¡°I need to go and wash my hands.¡±

    He then took off in a scurry. How could he let his daughter see him cry? How would he ruin her joyous day into adulthood? Everything went as long as she was happy.

    ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Yun Jinping gently patted her head while curling her lips and speaking in between sobs. ¡°Our little Xixi is all grown up.¡±

    Her voice reflected mixed feelings, upset, and the most profound and beautiful blessings.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that her parents would go so far to do this for her. She wondered the reason for their change of heart and to ept the matter in peace. They even kept it from her until now just to give her a big surprise.

    She was no stranger to Old Shen¡¯s character. He was cranky, had a quick temper, and had a big mouth. No son-inw would ever be good enough for him. Every time the question about a boyfriend was brought up, Old Shen would say the boys had to go through him first for the trials and tribtions he would set up. Old Shen would only hand his daughter over once they passed the test.

    Although Mom often said Shen Xi should follow her heart, the truth was, Mom would miss having her around.

    Fu Qingxuan looked daggers at Li Yuan. If only looks could kill.

    Overwhelmed with a mix of emotions, Yu Yuanxi watched the scene unfold withment, bitterness, and reluctance. He could understand where his parents wereing from.

    Li Yuan ced the cake in the middle of the table.

    Song Wenye was getting the vibe of a daughter being given away in marriage. Xixi was only dating, not tying the knot. To lighten the mood, she had to step in and crash the touching moment by asking, ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad, where are the candles?¡±

    Those words pulled everyone back to earth.

    Snapping out of her thoughts, Ruan Sisi went to look for candles, cutleries, and a birthday crown from the box. She then realized that the birthday crown was made of real jewelry as she held it in her hands.

    The crown was mounted with diamonds, all eighteen pieces of them. The sparkles were blinding as each piece was the size of a quail egg. There were also at least several thousand gems, big and small, iid all over, bringing the price to around ten billion.

    Shocked, Ruan Sisi held the crown and nced at the man. This was avish spend. Who was the man to afford it?

    Shen Xi choked up and felt her heart was full as she grasped Yun Jinping¡¯s hands tightly.

    Yun Jinping patted Shen Xi¡¯s hand with a smile. With Li Yuan lighting the candles, she tenderly said, ¡°Let¡¯s head over.¡±

    Shen Xi always put her parents first and wanted them to be happy. Of course, Yun Jinping and her husband wanted the same for her, hoping that everything in life would go well for her and that she could do whatever her heart desired.

    Giving a nod, Shen Xi embraced Li Yuan. She also hugged Shen Zhangqing as thetter made his way over with teary eyes. Shen Xi happily muttered, ¡°Old Shen, I love you so much.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing did not want to say anything that was a buzzkill on this joyous asion. Still, he grunted, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you after today.¡±

    He then red spitefully at Li Yuan.

    Yun Jinping uttered with a grin, ¡°Your dad was the one who agreed to it.¡±

    Humming in acknowledgment, Shen Xi gave the couple a big hug. ¡°Mom, Dad. Having you is the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me.¡±

    She knew now that all the worries she had were nothing before the love her parents had for her. She let all the doubts get to her head. Shen Xi was willing to yield for their sake while they would do anything for her.

    It was not known who turned off the lights in the living room. The me was dancing on the candles on the birthday cake.

    Song Wenye shouted, ¡°Xixi, Mr. and Mrs. Shen, hurry over. The candles are about to go out.¡±

    She took a nce at Li Yuan who was next to her and noticed the man did not take his loving eyes away from Shen Xi for even one second.

    It never crossed Song Wenye¡¯s mind that the ruthless and cold-blooded head of the Li household turned out to be attractive and amiable, as well as devoted to Xixi.

    For Xixi to have found a great man, Song Wenye was supportive and as happy as her best friend.

    Heeding Song Wenye¡¯s call, Shen Xi pulled Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing to head over.

    Keeping the moving sentiments deep in her heart and letting the joy spread, the party was back in full swing.

    With Shen Xiing to the front, Ruan Sisi ced the crown on her head. This crown was not inferior to crowns used by the coronation of royals in Europe. Ruan Sisi wondered what sort of crown would befit her teacher when she got married. Surely, it had to beat thevish one her teacher got for her birthday.

    Li Yuan took a step to the side and nodded gratefully at Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing as the girl hauled her folks along. He was only able to give his fairdy a surprise and make everything happen through their blessings.

    The girl had been brainwashing him with information, making him believe that her parents were tough nuts to crack. Nevertheless, his fairdy had forgotten one thing and that was her parents loved her so much to ept whoever and whatever she liked, despite their unease.

    Touched by Li Yuan¡¯s tiniest gesture, Yun Jinping dragged Shen Zhangqing away from Shen Xi¡¯s side to give way to Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingxuan saw the opportunity and wanted to take his chances when he was pulled aside by Jiang Yin who gave him a weird look. The young master of the Fu family had probably fallen for her student because he had been carrying a sour face the entire time since finding out about the surprise.

    Afterpleting her tasks, Song Wenye sensibly stood down. She grabbed Yu Yuanxi¡¯s hand and whispered in his ear, ¡°So this is Li Yuan.¡±

    As a member of the higher society in the capital, Song Wenye had heard many spections of the mysterious head of the Li household¡¯s looks and personality.

    Now that she had met the real deal, Song Wenye realized that rumors were only rumors. The man was nothing like the gossip.

    Yu Yuanxi was unfamiliar with the name as he was of a different ss, nor did he ever care about anything of the upper crust.. He solemnly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what kind of man he is just as long as he treats Xixi right.¡±

 Chapter 650 - Greed Was Only Human Nature

    <h4>Chapter 650: Greed Was Only Human Nature</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Sure.¡± Song Wenye nodded her head firmly.

    Taking the lead, Ruan Sisi ushered everyone to sing the birthday song. The song echoed in the living room, filling the air with joy, happiness, warmth, and sincere well-wishes.

    After hitting the tune, Shen Xi asked everyone to blow the candles with her.

    This was the most special, moving, and happiest birthday she had ever had. Her friends, family, lover, everyone she cared about, were gathered here. Closing her eyes, she blew out the candle and silently made a wish.

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan gazed at the girl¡¯s smiling face under the candlelight. Her beautiful smile, bearing bliss as the candle went out, sent warmth to every inch of his being. Happiness overpoured from within his soul.

    Prior to meeting her, the only thing that drove him to live on was finding her and watching her move on in life with joy and happiness. Li Yuan wanted to give her his everything without the intention of interrupting her life.

    He changed after crossing paths with her. Greed was only human nature. He grew greedy, longing to witness all her joys and sorrows, and every tiny bit of her life. Li Yuan wanted to enter her world, win her smile, her heart, her everything.

    He was a dead man walking before running into her. He had no idea how far his life could take him. Perhaps he would die the day he decided that life was not for him.

    After she came into his life, Li Yuan fought to stay alive, even if it was just a second, a minute, or a day more. He wanted to give his all and get on his feet to stand alongside her. He wanted to appear before her and the people she cared about, in the body of a typical person.

    Now, everything hade true. He got onto his two feet and would live for a very long time. He would fight for every breath just to grow old with her.

    With the girl¡¯s giggling tinkling in his ear, she sneakily grabbed his hand. These were the warm and tiny hands that pulled him from the depths of hell, gave him warmth, and lit up his life.

    ¡°Come,e, Mr. Li. Have some cake.¡± Song Wenye passed Li Yuan the sliced cake.

    The girl let go of his hand as Li Yuan reached to take the birthday cake. Shen Xi went to slice the remainder of the cake and distributed it to everyone.

    Everyone was feeling the joy in the heartfelt atmosphere.

    No one really paid attention to Fu Qingxuan who was pouting in a corner. He brought his phone over and on the screen were Jin Yu, who was now Fu Handing, Shangguan Yanqiu, and Fu Qingye cheerfully wishing her a happy birthday.

    Out of the whole family, Fu Qingli was missing in the picture.

    The Fu family intended to fly over for her birthday party and was set to make a movest night. However, the unusual snowfall saw the flight canceled. Since the ne was unable to take off, the family could only regrettably participate in the party via video call.

    Shangguan Yanqiu found out from Fu Handing about Shen Xi and Li Yuan¡¯s rtionship. They both had only best wishes for the couple. Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing were happy for them when the Shen parents gave their blessings to Shen Xi and Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingye was not too happy and had mixed feelings about it. Xuan mentioned that not only did Mr. and Mrs. Shen have nothing against the rtionship, but they were also in cahoots in the whole thing. By cahoots, he meant that they took Li Yuan¡¯s side and helped him give Xixi the biggest surprise.

    He long knew that Li Yuan was capable of making anything happen. Never mind the fact that he could walk now, but even as a cripple, he had the means to get Mr. and Mrs. Shen¡¯s approval to be together with Xixi.

    Besides, Mr. and Mrs. Shen were bound to back down since Xixi could be headstrong and liked him dearly. Their rtionship was cast in stone despite what anyone had to say.

    Shangguan Yanqiumented that she was unable to join Shen Xi in her rite of passage into adulthood. Needless to say, disappointment was reflected in her voice.

    Yun Jinping tenderly uttered, ¡°The inte is so advanced now, it doesn¡¯t matter where you are. Aren¡¯t you celebrating Xixi¡¯s birthday now? It¡¯s all the same.¡±

    Shangguan Yanqiu was feeling down in the dumps. That said, it was not the same as she could only see Shen Xi but not touch her. Taking in Yun Jinping¡¯sfort, Shangguan Yanqiu replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Enjoy your feast. The food¡¯s going to get cold.¡±

    In any case, the regret still remained. She wanted to be there to wish Xixi a happy birthday in person. She was fond of Xixi, just like her husband and Ye.

    Yun Jinping returned the phone to Fu Qingxuan and called him to dig in. Otherwise, the food would really get cold.

    Fu Qingxuan chatted a while longer before hanging up. Still sulking, he just grabbed a seat somewhere and chewed on the food as if it was tasteless.

    Nevertheless, he was able to disguise his foul mood. Apart from the asional hostility toward Li Yuan, he did not let anyone notice his agitation.

    While they were happily feasting on the meal, Ruan Sisi¡¯s phone beeped. Color drained from herplexion when she nced at the notification. The chopsticks in her hand dropped.

    Sitting next to her, Yun Jinping worriedly looked at Ruan Sisi. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    Ruan Sisi clenched against her phone and pulled her together for a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go on eating. I¡¯m heading out to make a call.¡±

    Today was the day her teacher reached adulthood. Since everyone was having a st, she did not want to do anything to dampen the mood. Moreover, it was only a text message. It was not certain yet whether it was true.

    Ruan Sisi took off.

    Jiang Yin got up and told Yun Jinping that she wanted to go with Ruan Sisi. ¡°I¡¯ll check on her.¡±

    Yun Jinping and Ruan Sisi had been spending a lot of time togethertely. Although Ruan Sisi was an heiress of a wealthy family, she worked hard and was well-behaved. Yun Jinping and Jiang Yin adored her and of course, cared for her.

    Ruan Sisi dialed the number but was unable to get through. The robotic reply on the other end indicated the call could not connect. With anxiety furrowing her brows, she trotted about in a circle.

    Jiang Yin smacked her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ruan Sisi gave it a thought before showing the message to Jiang Yin. ¡°This is from Zhou Zhen. She met me in the capital thest time and had seen you too.¡±

    Jiang Yin took a nce at the text message. Only one word was written. [Help!]

    ¡°I can¡¯t get through to her. I hope nothing¡¯s happened to her.¡± Ruan Sisi did not have many real friends in the past and Zhou Zhen could barely be considered one.

    Even if Zhou Zhen was not a friend of hers, Ruan Sisi could not sit back and do nothing when someone sent an S.O.S. message.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to look into it now.¡± Jiang Yin turned solemn. This was not the kind of thing that people would joke about. Something bad must have happened.

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Jiang.¡± Ruan Sisi then made phone calls to family connections to try and locate Zhou Zhen¡¯s whereabouts or what happened to her.

    Snowkes fluttered about the sky.

    Themunity gate.

    A gray Bentley cruised along the road. The driver respectfully nced at the middle-aged man behind. ¡°Sir, do we head in?¡±

    Hiding in the shadows of the darkness, the middle-aged man in the backseat gave out an eerie presence as if suppressing something violent within. Hearing the driver¡¯s words, he suddenly punched the seat and flew into a rage. ¡°Useless piece of sh*t! You good-for-nothings!¡±

    The driver mmed up in fear.

    The man turned his oppressive gaze at the driver. ¡°Did you find out who rescued the person?¡±

 Chapter 651 - One Step Behind

    <h4>Chapter 651: One Step Behind</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The driver braved the chilling murderous intent. ¡°Nothing for now.¡±

    ¡°Is Fu Qingli behind this? Or the man by her side?¡± It was hard to tell whether the middle-aged man was asking the driver or mumbling to himself.

    ¡°Our men are still looking into it.¡± The driver answered in a low, albeit trembling tone.

    The woman named Zhou Zhen was verified to be the daughter of Li Jingran and Su Yi. The mister had located her and was ready to do away with her. To their dismay, the woman was rescued when they just got their hands on her. They even lost their men amid the scuffle.

    ¡°What about the guy? Who the hell is he?¡± Boiling in peevishness, the middle-aged man¡¯s face contorted, and his eyes turned menacing. Like a wild beast, he was ready to snap.

    He was certain that Fu Qingli had begun to doubt Shen Xi¡¯s identity. He needed to kill Shen Xi because a dead man told no tales.

    However, the security around Shen Xi was watertight. All the men he sent were on a one-way ticket. Still, the middle-aged man could not figure out the identity of the man by her side.

    He proceeded to send his men to capture her friends and family, but he was one step toote. After the failed assassination at the temple, the man by her side had assigned protection to those people and was now investigating him instead.

    The middle-aged man had gone too far to stop now. However, another attack would put him at risk of exposing himself. He would be dead meat if Fu Qingli was on his tail.

    The bottom line was, he was one step behind. All that nning but he never anticipated a mysterious and terrifying man with her.

    ¡°We¡¯re still looking into it.¡± Breaking out in cold sweat, the driver buried his head to avert the man¡¯s tyrannical gaze. He was afraid that one slip of the tongue would cost his life.

    ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll feed you all to the dogs if Fu Qingli gets to her before you kill her.¡± The man felt the gun in his hand and pointed at the driver. In the end, he did not pull the trigger and retrieved the gun for another stroke.

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The man let out a sigh of relief. The car started and quickly disappeared from the road.

    The snowfall was growing heavy outside.

    The Shen family was immersed in the joyous asion.

    No one left after the party ended. They stayed to chat and watched TV.

    Li Yuan yed chess with Shen Zhangqing.

    Lying on Li Yuan¡¯sp, Toffeecito was on its best behavior as it watched the game with wide eyes.

    Song Xiaomi sat by Shen Zhangqing, lifting its dignified head, sometimes ncing in ennui at the chessboard and other times peering at Toffeecito.

    Ruan Sisi was absent-minded as she was worried about Zhou Zhen. It was not long before she excused herself.

    Once Ruan Sisi was gone, Shen Xi asked Jiang Yin. ¡°Ms. Jiang, what¡¯s the matter with Sisi?¡±

    Jiang Yin told the truth. ¡°She suddenly couldn¡¯t get hold of her friend. She has filed a report with the police. I also got my people on the case. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and hummed a single utterance in acknowledgment. She had little concern for people she had no direct rtionship with. Moreover, her teacher said she was on it, so it must not be a major issue.

    Since Yun Jinping and Ruan Sisi were close, Yun Jinping was worried about Ruan Sisi. She went over to get to the bottom of the situation. Yun Jinping got a spooky feeling when she heard that the missing friend was Zhou Zhen.

    She knew about Zhou Zhen. Thetter was the girl who came to the capital to see Sisi at the office bearing gifts. Yun Jinping recalled how the girl took after Su Yi.

    Hearing that it was Zhou Zhen, Shen Xi kept an eye out.

    Yu Yuanxi knew who Zhou Zhen was. Ever since Shen Xi and Yun Jinping dropped by at the set to see him and the same day Ruan Sisi became Shen Xi¡¯s student, Zhou Zhen was nicer to him. In fact, she was clearly cozying up to him. Nevertheless, Yu Yuanxi was not ustomed to dealing with people like her. They were acquaintances at most and not friends.

    To suddenly hear that she was unreachable, even as an acquaintance, he showed concern and conscience as he inquired further.

    Jiang Yin did not speak much about it, merely saying that Zhou Zhen would be found. Her connections should be able to locate a living person unless she vanished into thin air. Jiang Yin believed she was taken away by someone.

    She just sought information and found out that Zhou Zhen¡¯s mother was a mama-san at a high-end club where men of power and wealth came and went.

    Growing up in such aplicated environment, Zhou Zhen fraternized with people of all walks of life regardless of good or bad. It was not strange she was taken away for offending somebody.

    Jiang Yin was taking on the whole thing. The others did not ask much about it. Only Yu Yuanxi and Yun Jinping asked to be informed of any updates.

    With the liveliest Ruan Sisi gone, Song Wenye quieted down and had a conversation with Jiang Yin since she did not have anyone to bounce her vibrant energy off with.

    Jiang Yin had met Li Yuan, but it never urred to her that the handsome man in the wheelchair was the top gun of China and head of the Li household.

    Her student sure had all the tricks in the bag to nail this man.

    Song Wenye did not have much inkling either. She had only seen him once and it was a fleeting nce. Still, she had a better idea than Jiang Yin; at least she knew that Shen Xi was secretly in love with him.

    She was unaware of the subsequent events as she thought the couple had not expressed their feelings to each other. To her surprise, Toffeecito¡¯s Dad just walked right through the door today.

    Jiang Yin was aware of the fact that Shen Xi had a crush. During then, she was not that bothered other than feeling worried for Shen Xi due to the guy¡¯s disability, and concerned as her parents might not approve of the rtionship.

    Song Wenye soon dragged Yun Jinping and Shen Tang over for a chat. Of course, the subject of the matter was Li Yuan. She wanted to know what Li Yuan did to get Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing¡¯s approval and help.

    Like the Fu family, Shen Tang¡¯s family was unable to make it back on time, apart from herself. Her parents were on business in the north where the snowstorm was rampaging. They were unable to return as all flights were canceled.

    Shen Feng went abroad with his lecturer for an important project. Since they were at a critical point of the project, Shen Feng was unable to take the time off.

    Yun Jinping did not keep the matter from them as they were family after all. This was not an unspeakable secret anyway. She briefly ryed the story about Shen Zhangqing looking for Li Yuan and Li Yuan¡¯s two visits to the home.

    Shen Xi did not participate in the conversation. Trying to escape from Song Wenye and Jiang Yin¡¯s clutches and interrogation, she ran off to observe the chess game. Presently, she quietly sat beside Shen Zhangqing.

    Shen Zhangqing was notfortable with the whole situation, to begin with. Tried as he may to demonstrate tolerance and an open mind, Shen Zhangqing still felt a little bitter for his daughter to suddenly have a boyfriend. Seeing that his daughter took a seat next to him instead of Li Yuan, he turned perky and smug.. He was now in his element as he yed on.

 Chapter 652 - Qingli Goes to China

    <h4>Chapter 652: Qingli Goes to China</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan exchanged nces with the girl and smiled before turning his attention back to his future father-inw and the chessboard.

    Shen Zhangqing could tell that Li Yuan did not know much about chess, at least chess was not his forte. He was a newbie yesterday and lost to Shen Zhangqing all the way before he improved after each round. Now, Li Yuan wasing hard at him, being on par with him, and making quite a worthy rival.

    He admired youngsters with an eagerness to learn. However, the kid was too smart for his own good. Normal people would not progress leaps and bounds in a short time. This was a genius at work and capable of sess in anything.

    On the sofa, Fu Qingxuan, Pei Xu, and Yu Qiubai were tuned into Glitzy Girl¡¯stest variety program. They would engage in conversation once in a while.

    With Fu Qingxuan¡¯s phone ringing, he went out to pick up the call. While walking away, he said, ¡°Qingye.¡±

    ¡°Qingli was home earlier to pack his things to go to China.¡± Fu Qingye updated him. ¡°He asked about you before leaving. Watch your back.¡±

    Qingli was grim-faced when he took off. It was in to see that someone was about to get it.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Fu Qingxuan responded before asking cautiously and apprehensively, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mom and Dad talk to him? He¡¯s not supposed toe between our rtionship with Xixi. I hope he¡¯s noting here for me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fu Qingye was having shivers at the thought of Qing Li¡¯s icy mien when he left. ¡°Just watch yourself.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t the flights canceled?¡± It was Fu Qingxuan¡¯s instinct to cower.

    ¡°He ordered the flight route to be cleared and took a private jet over. He said he¡¯d leave his life and death in the hands of God.¡± Fu Qingye sighed with worry.

    No one was able to talk sense into him. Mom and Dad tried to talk him out of going since it was snowing heavily out there and all flights were stopped. What if something were to happen to him?

    Still, he seemed to have something urgent to take care of to rush to China withplete disregard for his safety. With his mind dead set, no one could change his mind.

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t think he¡¯sing for me.¡± Fu Qingxuan heaved relief, believing he was not important a reason for Qingli to risk his life just for a telling-off.

    ¡°Who can tell?¡± Fu Qingye sighed before proceeding. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t act that way to Li Yuan. No matter what, he saved Dad¡¯s life.¡±

    Truth be told, it did not sit well with Fu Qingye that Xixi and Li Yuan were together, but what could he do about it? He was Xixi¡¯s lover. Although Li Yuan was unlikable, he was Dad¡¯s lifesaver.

    Mom and Dad were nice to Li Yuan. Dad, in particr, thought of Li Yuan as his son. Plus, Dad spent over a decade with Li Yuan due to his memory loss. If Fu Qingye thought about it, Dad had a closer rtionship with Li Yuan than their siblings.

    ¡°Leave me alone.¡± Fu Qingxuan scoffed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    After ending the call, Fu Qingxuan turned to nce at the living room. Shen Zhangqing and Li Yuan were sitting across from each other and ying chess. Next to Shen Zhangqing was Shen Xi who was gazing lovingly and happily at Li Yuan while propping her hand under her chin.

    Snorting through his nose, Fu Qingxuan was not in the mood to enter the house. He leaned against the cold wall and gazed at the falling snowkes in the sky. Fu Qingye¡¯s words did get to his head.

    What was the reason thatpelled Qingli toe to China at a time like this? He was not one to take risks and put his life in danger. It must be very important for him to rush here.

    In the living room.

    The game of chess was over.

    Yu Qiubai was ready to make a move.

    Jiang Yin did not leave and slept in the same room with Shen Tang for the night. The fun did not end there.

    Shen Xi was going to squeeze in a room with Song Wenye.

    Pei Xu and Fu Qingxuan were in one room while Granny Yu got a room to herself. Since it was a huge vi, the guests could stay by cramming in a few rooms with each other.

    Yu Qiubai looked at Shen Tang who saw him off at the door. ¡°Go back. I¡¯ll call when I get home.¡±

    Shen Tang urged, ¡°Be careful on the road. The roads have iced up.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Yu Qiubai enviously nced in the direction of the living room.

    When could he stay over at the house as the cousin-inw of the Shen family? Fu Qingxuan and Pei Xu were able to have a sleepover while he had to leave all alone, all by himself, forlorn, and deste.

    Standing at the door, Shen Tang wanted to wait until he was gone before heading back inside.

    Yu Qiubai turned around and approached to fasten her hood in ce and zip up her down jacket. He then uttered, ¡°Hurry back in. It¡¯s cold outside. You don¡¯t want to catch a cold.¡±

    Shen Tang was dumbstruck. Perhaps his actions caught her off guard, but she did not shy away like she had always done. Instead, she bobbed her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go inside right away.¡±

    ¡°I want to see you go in,¡± Yu Qiubai insisted.

    Shen Tang helplessly smiled. No longer asserting further, she spun around and made her way back. She had walked this path countless times, and it was all too familiar.

    She could hear the noiseing from the living room and sense the gaze from the young man in the back. Clenching her hood, she curled her lips.

    Yu Qiubai waved his hand and smiled when the girl looked back at him while advancing to the living room. Although he knew she could not see him, he believed she could feel it in her heart.

    He waited until the girl entered the house before turning to leave. Happiness was written all over his face as he trod over the fallen snow. Once in the car, Yu Qiubai started the engine and nced next door.

    This time, Yu Qiubai finally met the man in the rumors. He was able to look at the man, approach him, and talk to him up close. Because of Xixi, the man was nothing like the ruthless and bloodthirsty devil in the rumors.

    However, Yu Qiubai would not dare think that the man was a friendly person. He was only willing to show his hospitable side to Xixi¡¯s friends and family.

    Yu Qiubai was thinking to wait a while longer and be a familiar face before attempting to ask Li Yuan about certain things. Perhaps Li Yuan would spare his life for Xixi¡¯s sake.

    People were gathered in the living room as the variety show was still going on.

    Shen Xi was on her best behavior in front of her parents, not having the nerve to hold hands or make eyes. Right now, she had a serious face on as she said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m walking him home.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing gave her the death stare.

    Shen Xi meekly gazed at Li Yuan. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get you an umbre.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was without a word.

    With a smile, Li Yuan jumped in. ¡°It¡¯s only a few steps. It¡¯s snowing outside, so there¡¯s no need for an umbre.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing was pleased. At least the boy knew his ce.

    Li Yuan looked at them. ¡°Uncle Shen, Aunty Shen. I should go now.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing nodded his head.

    Yun Jinping handed him an umbre. ¡°This would help with the snowstorm out there.¡±

    The wheels were turning in Shen Xi¡¯s head as she quietly came up with a n.

 Chapter 653 - She Said She Was Going to Look for Toffeecito

    <h4>Chapter 653: She Said She Was Going to Look for Toffeecito</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan expressed his thanks before taking a nce at the girl. Soothing her soul with his gentle eyes, he held the umbre and took off.

    Time was on their side. He was grateful enough to be able to celebrate her birthday today. It would be pushing it to get all lovey-dovey in front of Uncle Shen and Aunt Shen.

    It was not easy for Aunt Shen and Uncle Shen to go this far for his fairdy. Since they had made concessions, it was only fair that Li Yuan paid back the favor with utmost good faith.

    The girl got the point and had been keeping an appropriate distance from him. She did not take too much to his side or it would make Uncle Shen unhappy.

    Shen Xi begrudgingly watched his receding figure while snuffling. Since today was her birthday, she would certainly want to be kissed, hugged, and spoiled. Yet, nothing!

    Shen Zhangqing was pleased. He was generous enough to leave his daughter in Li Yuan¡¯s hand, but to pull a PDA-stunt in front of him, Li Yuan had better prove himself worthy first.

    Nevertheless, Shen Zhangqing returned to the living room after a trip to the loo and found Shen Xi missing. With rm bells ringing in his head, he asked, ¡°Yuanxi, where¡¯s your sister?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi turned over. ¡°Toffeecito ran off. She went to look for Toffeecito.¡±

    Turning ck in the face, Shen Zhangqing gnashed his teeth. ¡°¡­¡±

    Without another word, he made a beeline to the courtyard.

    Yun Jinping stopped him. ¡°Honey.¡±

    It was normal for the couple to want some time alone, especially on Xixi¡¯s birthday. Yun Jinping trusted Lil¡¯ Li not to do anything out of line.

    Yun Jinping and her husband were together since their younger days, so they should make an allowance for the children when the time called for it.

    Watching as Shen Zhangqing was out for blood, Song Wenye hooked onto Yu Yuanxi¡¯s arm and enviously whispered, ¡°There really is a difference between a daughter and a son.¡±

    Mr. and Mrs. Shen were happy the moment she and Yu Yuanxi announced their rtionship. It was a heartwarming moment for Song Wenye when the parents told Yu Yuanxi to take care of her and not take advantage of her.

    Yet, Mr. Shen called for strict mandates for Xixi¡¯s rtionship. He put Xixi¡¯s safety first despite the boyfriend¡¯s standing and influence in society.

    Song Wenye¡¯s parents would never do that. They did not care about whatever she did. Her parents gave no reaction, not even speaking pleasantries about bringing him home when she told them she had a boyfriend.

    Frankly speaking, Song Wenye was envious of Xixi. She wished she had parents like Mr. and Mrs. Shen who would mess with Yu Yuanxi a little. It was something she would like to see.

    ¡°How is it different?¡± Yu Yuanxi inquired.

    ¡°The son-inw is the enemy, but the daughter-inw makes them happy.¡± Song Wenye¡¯s voice was muffled.

    Yu Yuanxi smiled. It was true if he thought about it. Leaning forward, he drew close to her ear. ¡°We¡¯re meeting your grandpa tomorrow. Will he be like my dad?¡±

    Her parents never met her emotional needs and had only provided for her financially. Be it going to school, dropping out of school, or going into showbiz; not one of them cared. She was jealous to see the rtionship Xixi had with her parents.

    However, she was lucky her grandfather was still around. ording to her, her grandpa was a strict old pedant. Song Wenye cautioned Yu Yuanxi to be on his best behavior.

    ¡°My grandpa won¡¯t.¡± Song Wenye grinned. ¡°He¡¯s old now and my parents couldn¡¯t care less about me. My grandpa just wants me to find someone I can rely on. He wants to check out if my boyfriend makes the cut.¡±

    Ever since the day she became an adult, Grandpa had been nagging her to find someone suitable to test-drive the rtionship and bring home for him to check out. Grandpa was afraid she would not be cared for or loved by should one day he were to depart.

    ¡°Talk to me about Grandpa. What should I do to make him happy?¡± Yu Yuanxi pulled her close and the pair walked out hand-in-hand. Once at the door, Yu Yuanxi wrapped a scarf around her tightly so that only her eyes and nose were visible.

    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re a top student is good enough.¡± Tilting her head, Song Wenye looked adorable with her smiling eyes. ¡°My grandpa loves those who strive for progress.¡±

    However, Yu Yuanxi did not choose a career that could serve the nation, people, and humankind despite his good grades. Instead, he chose to enter showbiz and be an actor. Grandpa might bemoan that.

    Many celebrities and actors in the entertainment line never finished their education. A top student like him was golden dust in the world of entertainment.

    Only the talented hosts of China¡¯s TVwork were in the same ss as him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Yu Yuanxi pulled her along to take strides ahead.

    ¡°If that doesn¡¯t work, you can talk to him about your past. My grandpa will bepassionate to your poor plight.¡± Song Wenye put forth ideas. How was she supposed to know what Grandpa was going to do or say?

    Yu Yuanxi fell deep into his thoughts. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem nice to do so.¡±

    Song Wenye chuckled. ¡°How is it not nice? Sympathy points are still points in your favor.¡±

    With the heavy snow and strong North wind in the background, the pair strolled the courtyard and chatted for a while.

    It did not take long before Song Wenye dangled his hand and pointed at the opposite vi with curiosity. ¡°What do you think Xixi and Toffeecito¡¯s Dad are doing now?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Song Wenye suddenly got on her tiptoes and nted a kiss on Yu Yuanxi before swiftly backing away.

    Yu Yuanxi sped the back of her head to stop her from running away. With his clear eyes bearing mes, he closed the gap between them and drew inviting warm breaths through his artiction. His husky voice carried a frisky hint. ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    Clearing her throat, Song Wenye turned flush in the face. It was not known whether she was feeling stuffy from the scarf or that the bashfulness caught up to her. Her breathing was rushed. ¡°You¡­ You¡­ Mr. and Mrs. Shen are here. Keep your hands to yourself.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi seized her by the shoulder and spun her to hide behind a loquat tree. With her back against the tree, he leaned in to seal her lips. The heat rose around them, carrying his sweet murmurs. ¡°They¡¯re doing this.¡±

    They embraced each other while the dancing snow fluffs fell upon them, adding a tantalizing factor in the air.

    In the yard next door.

    Shen Xi stayed put and held Toffeecito as she watched the man knit a pair of gloves. She held it together for a long time until she could not anymore. Shen Xi bitterly eximed, ¡°Have you ever seen anyone who would make and give someone a birthday gift right there and then?¡±

    ¡°I am one.¡± Li Yuan did thest piece of needlework before taking out the knitting pin. He curled his finger at the girl. ¡°Come and try them out.¡±

    He had been knitting these gloves, but the fingers were on too tight. His fairdy said the gloves were a strain on her fingers, so he redid the needlework to loosen them up.

    Sitting on the sofa, Shen Xi rested her chin on Toffecito¡¯s head and refused to move.

 Chapter 654 - Get Your *ss To My Brotherâ€™s Room

    <h4>Chapter 654: Get Your *ss To My Brother¡¯s Room</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Bearing a smile, Li Yuan drew close with the pair of gloves and kneeled before Shen Xi. ¡°Put Toffeecito aside.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head as she observed the man¡¯s closed-up facial features. Feeling a tingle under her skin, she gulped and asked, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s Netflix and chill?¡±

    Li Yuan was caught in a daze while reflecting on her words. Without a word, he grabbed her hands and affectionately put the gloves on before tugging at each finger. It took him a while to utter, ¡°No.¡±

    What did she have in that little head of hers? Her dad would slice him apart with a knife if he tried anything on her.

    ¡°How about a preview?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was gruff and raspy.

    Her sparkling eyes like the stars were pure and innocent yet capable of making his heart beat out of his chest. Li Yuan¡¯s gaze fell on her lips for a moment before moving away. There was a huskiness to his voice. ¡°We¡¯d be found out.¡±

    Shen Xi scoffed. ¡°Pussy.¡±

    Li Yuan dotingly smiled as he leaned forward to meet her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sure a little preview doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Shen Xi hooked his neck down to take the kiss up a notch.

    Li Yuan rested his forehead against hers to stop her from fueling the fire. What if he could not control himself and kiss her lips until they were swollen? His tone carried clear suggestions of tenderness and scratchiness. ¡°Happy birthday.¡±

    Glued face-to-face, their breathings interlocked.

    Shen Xi buried her face against his neck and deeply drew a breath in. Her lungs were filled with overpowering joy, so full that her eyes felt warm and watery.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Li Yuan panicked because of the girl¡¯s sudden and weird reaction. Caressing her hair with his gentle hand, he drew his lips to her ear.

    Like a kitten, Shen Xi nuzzled his neck and sighed. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s great I can be with you.¡±

    It was at this very moment that all the sorrow, pain, and struggles in the past suddenly resurfaced and disappeared all at once. With the bitterness, pain, and despair gone, all that was left was happiness. Her heart was full.

    Curling his lips, Li Yuan held her and murmured as if to tell her and himself, ¡°Thank you foring into my life.¡±

    Something snapped in Shen Xi as she bit her lips to stop the tears from flowing.

    Perhaps because she withstood so much just to hear these words. Shen Xi walked a thousand miles, over the mountain, through the valleys, and into the woods, transmigrating through lives, just to walk into his life.

    In the end, she emerged before him in the best version of herself.

    Li Yuan was thrown into a fluster by the girl¡¯s shaking shoulders. She was crying. Her tears dampened his clothes, streaming from his neck and straight to scorching his aching heart.

    He did not move an inch, nor did he ask her the matter. Li Yuan knew the best decision was to let her quietly cry it out. Still, his heart was suspended in the air and eating him up alive.

    Outside, the snowstorm was howling.

    There was a knock on the door. It was Shen Zhangqing who told her toe home.

    Shen Xiy on the sofa after a good cry.

    ¡°Go home.¡± Li Yuan applied a hard-boiled egg to her eyes to ease the swelling. The father-inw would me him and chase him with a knife if she were to return with those eyes.

    ¡°Brother, are my eyes okay?¡± Shen Xi sniffled. Her eyes felt bulgy when she blinked.

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan shook his head as he gently patted her furry head. ¡°Go home. Leave the rest to me.¡±

    ¡°I can handle myself.¡± Shen Xi sat up and carried Toffeecito who was nestled on the side.

    Li Yuan helped her put on her shoes and sent her to the door.

    Shen Zhangqing stood by the door as the pair made their way out together. He inspected Shen Xi from head to toe until his gaze lingered on Shen Xi¡¯s eyes. He silently adopted a fierce countenance.

    Shen Xi happily stuffed Toffeecito in his arms and took one of his arms. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing gave Li Yuan the evil eye. Why were his daughter¡¯s eyes swollen? The kid sure had the nerve to bully his daughter!

    Shen Xi looked back and waved at Li Yuan. ¡°I¡¯ming over tomorrow to finish the movie. Don¡¯t watch without me, Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and agreed to it.

    Furrowing his brows, Shen Zhangqing asked, ¡°Were you two watching a movie?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s so moving. I couldn¡¯t stop crying.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing gazed suspiciously at her.

    Holding his arm, Shen Xi took strides and exined the movie she saw vividly.

    Shen Zhangqing carefully examined Shen Xi. Since nothing was out of the ordinary other than her swollen eyes, Shen Zhangqing took to her words and was put at ease.

    Those who were staying over had not gone to bed yet and were inattentively watching the TV in the living room. With Shen Xi home, they went on with their business.

    Song Wenye pulled Shen Xi right up to her bedroom on the first floor. Once in the room, she shut the door and inquired in wonder, ¡°Holy f*ck! Toffeecito¡¯s Dad must a beast to make you cry.¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Shen Xi scornfully looked daggers at her.

    ¡°Why are your eyes swollen?¡± Finding it odd, Song Wenye mumbled while getting on to pull down Shen Xi¡¯s zipper to check on her neck and cor for any suspicious markings.

    Shen Xi pped her hand away and stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk! Your lips are swollen. Get your *ss to my brother¡¯s room. I don¡¯t want to sleep with you.¡±

    She opened the door to shove Song Wenye out.

    Song Wenye held onto the door, refusing to leave. She even put her hands together to plead. ¡°I was wrong. I was wrong. Please. Please let me in.¡±

    With the elders around, she had no guts to share a room with Yu Yuanxi. Besides, their rtionship was only at first base and nothing beyond that.

    Shen Xi finallyid off her, but soon, Song Wenye dragged her into the bathroom for a shower together. Song Wenye intended to pull Shen Tang along, but thetter was busy at work. Lame.

    After hitting the showers, Shen Xi pinched Song Wenye and gnashed her teeth. ¡°See! I told you nothing happened!¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s mind was in the gutter. ¡°You were away for half an hour. If you count forey into the mix, it means Toffecito¡¯s dad finished short. You should really reconsider whether you still want to be with him.¡±

    Shen Xi wanted to drive her hands around Song Wenye¡¯s neck. Curling her lips, Shen Xi asked in return, ¡°What about my brother? How long did hest?¡±

    Song Wenye paused before secretively speaking in hushed tones. ¡°I hadn¡¯t tried yet. I¡¯ll let you know when I do it.¡±

    Shen Xi could swear. F*ck!

    Unfazed, Song Wenye blissfully pushed Shen Xi back into the room.

    With all fun and games over, it was time for a wash and bed.. Soon, the home quieted down and only the wind outside could be heard scratching against the window.

 Chapter 655 - The Food Isnâ€™t Tasty Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 655: The Food Isn¡¯t Tasty Anymore</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The overly energetic Song Wenye went to get Shen Tang to join them as their bed was big enough for three girls to sleep together. After that, they began their private girl¡¯s talk.

    The three of them talked through the night. Unaware of the time, they gradually fell asleep.

    The next morning, Shen Xi walked out of the room in a daze wearing a pair of slippers, with tissues stuffed in her nose. She looked down while she was yawning.

    She felt an itch on her nose. As she touched it slightly, she raised her head and let out a big sneeze. ¡°Achoo!¡±

    She then heard a loud sneeze that was almost in sync with hers. She turned and saw Fu Qingxuan, who was rubbing his nose.

    No one had an idea when Song Wenye woke up and appeared in the living room. She was holding a rice cooker when she saw Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan standing side by side in front of the door, like the two guardians of the door, and both of them were dejectedly rubbing their noses in sync. ¡°Are you both twins?¡± Song Wenye teased.

    These two came out of their rooms together, sneezed, and rubbed their noses like spitting images.

    Shen Xi nced at Fu Qingxuan and put down her hand that rubbed her nose.

    Fu Qingxuan also dropped his hand when he peeked at Shen Xi.

    They red and snorted at each other simultaneously, looked away, and entered their rooms before shutting their doors with a bang.

    Song Wenye was again surprised by how they matched each other perfectly.

    Yun Jinping saw Song Wenye staring at the second floor when she came out with some bowls. ¡°Where¡¯s Xixi and Xuan? I heard them from the kitchen just now. Did they go back to sleep?¡± she asked.

    Song Wenye nodded and then shook her head, ¡°No idea.¡±

    She did not know whether they were asleep or not, but she ascertained that their behaviors and expressions were a mirror image of each other. It was amusing.

    Yun Jinping shook her head resignedly and chuckled, ¡°Just let them go back to bed.¡±

    Still, Xixi had to visit the production team of Lady Luck. Xuan should be going with her, as he wanted to seek help from a renowned Old Traditional Medicine Practitioner. They were boarding their ne at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, so there was still time.

    Someone opened the front door, and they were the trio ¨C Shen Zhangqing, Yu Yuanxi, and Pei Xu. They brought a variety of food back, such as soy milk, jellied bean curd, fried bean sticks, steamed buns, multigrain pancakes, and much more.

    After Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan scoffed at each other, they got changed and had their breakfast. It was apparent that they had a cold from their stuffy, red noses and hyponasal voice.

    Yun Jinping nced at both of them and handed out fever relief granules. ¡°Take this before your meal.¡±

    The heating system in the house was clearly intact. How did both of them be ill-ridden after a night?

    Shen Xi wrinkled her nose in disgust.

    Fu Qingxuan said thanks and took the granules. He snatched away Shen Xi¡¯s portion after seeing that she did not intend to have it anyhow.

    In a moment, he was out with two cups in his hands and gave one to Shen Xi.

    Yun Jinping¡¯s presence made Shen Xi not able to refuse the medicine unless she nned to not fill her stomach. Nauseatingly, she drank it in one gulp.

    On the other hand, Song Wenye was stuffing her mouth with soup dumplings while telling Yu Yuanxi about how synchronized Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan were at their doorsteps earlier, but her speech was barely audible.

    Unable to understand her, Yu Yuanxi shook her head and chuckled. She handed her a cup of soy milk. ¡°Finish your food before you speak.¡±

    Song Wenye took a sip of the soy milk, and at the same time, she gazed at Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan. ¡°A little while ago, both of you were like two peas in a pod, and even real twins are far more inferior.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned.

    A fleet of sadness appeared in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes. He stuffed the deformed soup dumplings into his mouth without uttering a word.

    It was a relief that he was reunited with his father, but his sister was still nowhere to be found.

    No one would be as joyous and willing as he was if Song Wenye¡¯s words were the fact.

    Song Wenye noticed their reactions, especially Fu Qingxuan¡¯s. She immediately realized that she had said something out of her bounds and jammed her bbermouth with shrimp dumplings.

    After breakfast, Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi visited Old Man Song from the Song Family with gifts in hand.

    Initially, Song Wenye wished for Shen Xi to follow her but was refused.

    Jiang Yin left after she received a call.

    Shen Zhangqing would only stop by thepany in the afternoon.

    Pei Xu returned home as well after she had his breakfast.

    Before lunch, Yun Jingping asked Shen Xi to call Li Yuan to join them.

    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s not home. He had gone to thepany.¡± Shen Xi giggled. ¡°I would¡¯ve called him if he¡¯s at home, and his cooking is otherworldly.¡±

    Yun Jingpin smiled. ¡°I absolutely have to try his food someday.¡±

    She was caught off guard by the fact that Li Yuan knew how to cook. However, Xuan was also a decent cook. It seemed that nothing would be impossible.

    Fu Qingxuan lost his appetite once he heard Li Yuan¡¯s name.

    Yun Jingping drove Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan to the airport. She enjoined them attentively and left the terminal after the duo went through the security check.

    During Shen Xi¡¯s two-day absence from the production team of The Lady Luck, Su Ruowan was still filming tirelessly despite falling sick on the day after she cked out.

    Everyone was doing their own jobs and staying at their own positions in the production studio.

    Su Ruowan looked slightly better when she put on her makeup. She stared at herself in the mirror, who lost a ton of weight, and clenched her fist at her side. Deep down, she was cursing Shen Xi.

    That darn b*tch, all this happened because of Shen Xi. She caused her trouble and was behind those countless NGs. She was the one who made Su Ruowan pass out.

    However, Hu Zheng¡¯s attitude toward her had turned for the better. Most likely because she fainted during the filming or improved her acting skill. The amount of NGs reduced noticeably too.

    That b*stard, she knew it very well that Hu Zheng was picking on her acting skill, like how Cloud Seven did. However, she took all the criticism in her stride, and she thought it could benefit her.

    She would never forget the persecution directed toward her, and she would make them pay for it one day.

    On the other hand, Hu Zheng ordered the staff to get themselves ready inside the production studio and asked someone to summon Su Ruowan as she took too much time.

    His assistant told him that the screenwriter, Cloud Seven, had arrived at the office. Upon her arrival, he began to sweat bullets.. He could not imagine how many retakes and much dissatisfactions after Cloud Seven¡¯s review of the shots taken during her absence these past two days.

 Chapter 656 - A Handsome Manâ€™s Sudden Appearance on Set

    <h4>Chapter 656: A Handsome Man¡¯s Sudden Appearance on Set</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Following Hu Zheng¡¯s tension, the set¡¯s atmosphere became intense. The photographer, gaffer, and the prop team were busy giving their best efforts for the scene¡¯s preparations respectively.

    Su Ruowan had arrived at the set. She was confident that her shoot with the male lead today will be a one-take as she had spent a lot of time practicing this scene on her own.

    Hu Zheng saw Su Ruowan and called her over. With the notebook in his hand, Hu Zheng pointed out the highlighted parts. ¡°Wanwan, these few scenes need to be retaken, especially this scene where you were pped by your second eldest brother. Screenwriter Cloud Sevenmented that it¡¯s too fake even with just a nce. He asked whether you can film the scene with a real, genuine p. It¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t ept it. We can still think of another way to film this scene.¡±

    Su Ruowan felt a surge of hatred pass through her. She was showing no expression at all as she could not even put up a fake smile. She asked with worry, ¡°Do we really need a real p?¡±

    This b*tchy Cloud Seven appeared and found fault with her again. Why did he not just go to hell? No, not this moment, at least until he finished writing the script. Only then he could die.

    Hu Zheng nodded. ¡°Giving a real p will definitely give a better visual effect. Rest assured, I willmunicate with Xiaochen. He won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Wen Xiaochen who was cast as the second eldest brother came over. He smiled at Su Ruowan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Wanwan.?I won¡¯t actually p you.¡±

    Humming in acknowledgment, Su Ruowan made up her mind and nodded her head firmly, ¡°Fine, I agree with the retake.¡±

    Although she said so, deep in her heart she was filled with resentment toward Cloud Seven. If she had the chance to meet Cloud Seven in person, she would definitely get revenge on Cloud Seven, and let him beg her on his knees.

    Just wait and see. All these humiliating experiences that she had during this filming, Cloud Seven must pay back a thousandfold.

    ¡°Great. We shall retake the scene of you and Xiaochen first.¡± Hu Zheng made the call and every department started with the preparations.

    Soon, the camera started rolling.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room. Shen Xi frowned and nced at Fu Qingxuan, who was gaming while sitting next to her in disdain, before asking, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with the Old Traditional Medicine Practitioner? Why are you following me instead?¡±

    Without lifting his head away from his game, Fu Qingxuan replied matter-of-factly, ¡°The old master is away from home, he will return tomorrow. I am bored by being alone.¡±

    Shen Xi red at him and could not tell whether he was telling the truth. She moved her gaze to the set¡¯s scene.

    Fu Qingxuan lifted his head and caught sight of Su Ruowan. Furrowing his brows, Fu Qingxuan said in a cold tone with murderous intent, ¡°Let me kill Su Ruowan for you!¡±

    Shen Xi shivered at what Fu Qingxuan had said. Shen Xi turned over and replied, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    With a frigid tone, Fu Qingxuan asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you hate her? Why are you still sparing her and the Su family¡¯s lives? They treated you in such a harsh manner. If I were you, I would have just killed all of them.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned, without a word.

    It was easy to finish them off, but it would not be to Shen Xi¡¯s heart¡¯s content. It would be pleasant only if they were all in a living hell.

    Fu Qingxuan quieted down as Shen Xi bolted out without a word. He looked at Su Ruowan with his deadly sloe eyes. He could not understand why Shen Xi was here watching Su Ruowan¡¯s shoot. Was it really that entertaining?

    Watching the filming, Shen Xi peered at Fu Qingxuan with the corner of her eyes. She did not tell Fu Qingxuan that she was the screenwriter, Cloud Seven. Without any second thought, Fu Qingxuan only thought of her as one of the stylists in the film crew.

    On the set, the actor ying the second eldest brother, Wen Xiaochen, agitatedly scolded Su Ruowan and pped her face with an open hand.

    Su Ruowan lifted her head with a look of shock and a tearful face in response. Scared stiff, she facepalmed herself while huddling up.

    Shen Xi turned on the earpiece and said, ¡°Su Ruowan¡¯s response is slower than expected. Her emotion is also not quite there yet. Again.¡±

    This p was just so gentle. Are they taking her words seriously? If they thought they could fool her, they could just try their luck!

    After listening to what Hu Zheng had to say, Su Ruowan lowered her gaze with a hint of wickedness. Shortly, she regained her consciousness. She replied with a smile, ¡°Understood.¡±

    Cloud Seven was as sickening as the rats in the sewer. He was always working behind the scenes and did not dare to show his face in public. He must be a hideous person who was sick, twisted, and enjoyed torturing others.

    Hu Zheng continued with the retake.

    The bad take repeated one after another.

    Giving a p or two may be easy for one to control. However, as time went by, people tended to be impatient, and at a moment of distraction, one could even give a tactless p.

    Hu Zheng was anxious and gave Wen Xiaochen a look to p Su Ruowan again.

    After dozens of retakes, Wen Xiaochen¡¯s patience was reaching its limit. Another retake began. Boiling in peevishness, he pped Su Ruowan hard with his hand.

    p.

    A clear p on Su Ruowan¡¯s face.

    Su Ruowan could feel the burning pain on her obviously swollen face. A series of emotions emerged from her eyes. Grievance, indignation, confusion, and shock.

    Hu Zheng pped with relief and spoke in a loud voice, ¡°Cut. Great job, Wanwan.¡±

    As an actor, this scope of job should be expected. Actors these days were so hung up about being pped since they were always worshiped by their fans. In the old days, the actors could bear any hardships given to them. However, it was different now. Afterying a finger on the actor, the actors would be sad fishing and even manipte their fans and the public to pressure the director and the whole film crew.

    Su Ruowan was still in a state of shock and anger. She came to her senses after hearing Hu Zheng¡¯s words.

    At that moment when he pped Su Ruowan, Wen Xiaochen was anxious. He was also urged by the director. He did not expect his p to be that hard. He was thrown into a fluster and apologized, ¡°I am sorry, Wanwan. Are you hurt? You can hit me back if you want.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I am fine as long as the shootes out well,¡± Su Ruowan replied with a gentle smile, without any means to me anyone.

    Some noise then emerged from a nearby distance. The female assistant that came over gasped instinctively.

    Su Ruowan turned around and saw a godlike stunning man without overwhelming aggression walking in her direction. The man was in a ck coat, with a chillinglymanding presence like an almighty king.

    Su Ruowan covered her face in instinct. She was afraid the man would see her most pathetic look at that moment. Meantime, she tremendously hated Cloud Seven who caused her to take those countless retakes, and also Wen Xiaochen who pped her.

    Nobody would give her a nce with her current face. How she wished that she was in her radiant look in front of this man, where she was able to catch his attention.

    Regardless of male or female on the set, everyone¡¯s full attention was attracted by this charming man. However, his callous mien left everyone breathless and held people back from looking at him after taking the first nce.

    Checking out the man in front of him from a director¡¯s perspective, Hu Zheng felt the man¡¯s 360-degree look and his well-proportioned body wereparable to Fu Qingye in the entertainment industry.

    What had been happening all these while? Handsome men just appeared on set one after another. It was Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend that day, and now came another one.

    If people like them join the entertainment industry, the influence will be unimaginable. A lot of girls would probably admire and fawn over them.

    At this moment, everyone held their breath while looking at the man who was walking closer, and they were waiting for his next move.

    ¡°Where is Ms. Cai Ni?¡± Fu Qingli nced at the small crowd in front of him with his profoundly frigid eyes and saw Director Hu Zheng.

    Hu Zheng was taken aback. The man¡¯smanding mien made the others follow his order naturally. Without asking the man¡¯s identity, Hu Zheng answered respectfully, ¡°Let me lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Fu Qingli nodded and followed behind.

    As the man walked away, the enthusiasm of the whole crew was aroused.

    ¡°Ms. Lin, is that man Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Someone asked in surprise.

    ¡°Oh, gawd. What a charming man. He was such a dreamboat!¡±

    Looking at the man¡¯s back, some of the girls held their hands against their chests and drooled over the good-looking man.

    ¡°His overwhelming presence made me forget how to breathe with just one nce of his.¡±

    After the man left, some finally caught their breaths followed by the disappearance of the man¡¯s pressure.

    Listening to the crowd¡¯s discussion, Su Ruowan stared at the man¡¯s receding figure. She clenched her fist tight with her eyes reflecting an eerie look of hatred and extreme jealousy.

    Was that man Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend? What about the old man in a wheelchair that Bingbing mentioned? Who was the old man then?

    Su Ruowan had a good eye for people as she was raised in a rich society. That man was definitely not a nobody. His oppressive presence as well as his nobility and arrogance were of those high-ranking people¡¯s qualities.

    She had never seen such a handsome and dignified man in her life. A nce of his made her want to surrender. He must be a real noble.

    Bombarded with questions, Lin Chan shook her head. Thinking carefully, Lin Chan took some time to find the words, ¡°That is not Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend. Her boyfriend¡¯s look isparable to that man. Nope, her boyfriend¡¯s look is much better than that man. Well, the presence is equally matched, but her boyfriend is a more modest person.¡±

    Holy f*ck!

    The crowd shrieked again. They could not believe the truth. If Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend was more good-looking than that man, he must be a Greek god in the flesh.

    Oh, gawd. They wish to have the chance to meet Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend. Getting a nce of the extremely handsome man truly piqued their curiosity.

    The people around Ms. Cai Ni were all cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me. That man who was looking for her, the superstar Fu Qingye, and also her boyfriend. Such a magnificent group of people!

    Listening to Lin Chan¡¯s words, the wickedness in Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes thickened. Su Ruowan was trembling uncontrobly as she was green-eyed of Ms. Cai Ni and felt resentful toward her.

    Why?

    Why did Shen Xi get the chance to know so many great elites?

    Lin Chan that b*tch must be lying to say that the man was not Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend and even more so that her boyfriend was better looking than the man they just saw!

    How could there be a man who was more charming than that man? His looks and presence were something she had seen only once in her lifetime. If he was surpassed by Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend, how should he ever be?

    In the doorway of the writer¡¯s room, Hu Zheng left after leading Fu Qingli to his destination. Oh gosh, Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s acquaintances were really beyond their imagination. Those appearances were just as godlike as one another, and even their presence was as dignified as so.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room.

    As Shen Xi was flipping through the book she took from the bookshelves, there was a sudden knock on the door. Before she could answer, the door was opened by the person outside.

    Fu Qingxuan was reading a medical journal. He turned his head in response to the sound and his face turned as white as a sheet. He was about to make a run for it, but he stood still after thinking about it. Looking at the man who was walking in, he said in a trembling voice, ¡°Big brother.¡±

    Shen Xinguidly nced at Fu Qingli with her cold and distant eyes. Without greeting, she continued to flip through her book.

    Fu Qingli entered the room and closed the door. He looked at where Shen Xi was standing with his profoundly frigid eyes as if to see through her.. Shifting his gaze to her legs, he suddenly kicked Fu Qingxuan¡¯s knees unexpectedly.

 Chapter 657 - Youâ€™re My Sister

    <h4>Chapter 657: You¡¯re My Sister</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Caught off guard, Fu Qingxuan let out a painful cry as his knees went weak from the pain. He fell on his knees to the ground with a thud.

    Meanwhile, Shen Xi¡¯s left leg flopped to one side after a sudden pain attack behind her knee. She frowned and paused from flipping her book while taking in a sharp gasp.

    Fu Qingli tightened his fists as a mix of emotions rushed to his head. With his vision turned blurry, he shook to his very core, and it took everything in him to hold back his stirring emotions. Feeling a dry lump in his throat, he red at Fu Qingxuan as he mustered his all to hiss. ¡°Get out!¡±

    Wincing in pain, Fu Qingxuan did not have time to fight back when the eerie stare from Fu Qingli sent chills down his spine. He found something brewing in Qingli¡¯s eyes strange though. Still, Fu Qingxuan was too frightened to bring it up. He turned to nce at Shen Xi. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°You, get lost!¡± Fu Qingli looked Fu Qingxuan in the eye before turning to Shen Xi. There was aplex of indescribable feelings buried deep within his eyes, transpiring into his gruff voice. ¡°You, stay. I need to have a word with you.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan tried to rub away the pain reverberating from his knee with tears in his eyes. He looked at Shen Xi with worry before huffing in anger and mustering the courage to give Fu Qingli the dirty look.

    Had Qingli lost his mind? He did nothing for Qingli toe at him right off the bat.

    Shen Xi nodded at Fu Qingxuan to let him know she was okay with it. Then, she callously faced Fu Qingli while curling her lips into a taunt.

    She was curious as to what needed to be said for him toe all the way here.

    Fu Qingxuan solemnly gazed at Fu Qingli. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mom and Dad if youy a finger on her.¡±

    Brushing off Fu Qingxuan, Fu Qingli had eyes only for Shen Xi. He scanned every inch of her face, her eyes, and her every minute expression as his heart tore up inside. He started to connect the dots from their first encounter until finally, his feelings developed into the deepest regret, guilt, and self-me.

    He should have picked up on it sooner and adopted the same attitude as Qingye and Qingxuan, instead of acting cold toward her from the start. She probably would never forgive him now since she hated him so.

    Perhaps he should not let rationale triumph over emotions. Maybe he could have trusted his gut, even if it was just once. He should have dragged her to do a DNA test and not waited until now. The lost time had resulted in an unsalvageable misunderstanding.

    Theplicated look on his face gave Shen Xi a creepy sensation under her skin. Furrowing her brows, she pulled over a chair and listlessly leaned back as she continued to flip through her book. She unhurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Fu, Fu Qingxuan came to me, not the other way around. You can bring him back. Please don¡¯t bother me while I¡¯m working.¡±

    Fu Qingli deliberately threw a tantrum at Fu Qingxuan the moment he walked in the door was for her to spectate. Sorry to say, but she did not buy it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to talk about this.¡± Fu Qingli made his way toward her with heavy footsteps that seemed to weigh him down. He had no idea what to say to her and how to face her.

    Shen Xi snickered. Without a word, she waited for him to speak up.

    Nevertheless, she had a weird vibe from Fu Qingli today. He kept looking at her, but his eyes were unlike the usual apathy, indifference, and even repulsion. Rather, there were some unspoken emotions brewing inside.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s out for your life.¡± Fu Qingli pulled himself a chair to sit across from her. It took all his might to pull himself together so as not to lose his mind.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes abruptly turned cold-blooded, bearing a chilling murderous instinct. Like Athena the Goddess of War, she ruthlessly curled her lips and shut her book with a thump. Shen Xi looked him in the eye.

    She knew it. Those people at the temple were after her, not Li Yuan. Yet, Li Yuan told her that those people merely targeted her because of him and that he dragged her into this.

    Still, her gut feeling told her otherwise.

    Fu Qingli did not shy away from staring back into her eyes while uttering, ¡°You¡¯re my sister.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s mind was blown. Fu Qingli¡¯s opening and closing lips were all she saw in her line of vision, but her ears heard no sound. It was like her world turned into a fantasy.

    It took a while before she burst out inughter. Chuckling rather indiscreetly and wantonly, she drew close and spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°Mr. Fu, you¡¯re such a joker.¡±

    ¡°They were after you because you¡¯re my sister.¡± Fu Qingli held her gaze, feeling as though his heart was going to burst apart. It was hard to describe his feelings, but his mind remained calm and never so clear. There were times he hated his presence of mind. ¡°You¡¯re not Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s daughter. You¡¯re my sister. You¡¯re Fu Qingxi.¡±

    Since finding his father, Fu Qingli had questions raised about Shen Xi¡¯s parentage. He tried to trace back to her roots yet came up empty. So, he turned his attention to Li Jingran and Su Yi, beginning with an investigation at the hospital Li Jingran delivered. Atst, he found something.

    That was right. All arrows were not pointing at Shen Xi, rather another girl named Zhou Zhen. The child of Li Jingran and Su Yi who was swapped at birth was Zhou Zhen.

    While Fu Qingli¡¯s men were on their way to find Zhou Zhen, they ran into a group of assassins out for Zhou Zhen¡¯s life and rescued her in the nick of time. Fu Qingli rushed to the scene overnight and had her do a DNA test against Li Jingran and Su Yi.

    Zhou Zhen was the child Li Jingran and Su Yi lost.

    There could only be one oue. The truth was so simple yet brutal to him.

    If only he knew sooner. However, there was no way of knowing nor could he take back what he did in the past. He had to bear the consequence of his actions.

    ¡°Are you mad?¡± Shen Xiughed with shattered glints in her eyes. She pointed at her head. ¡°I¡¯ll get Fu Qingxuan in here to give you an examination.¡±

    What was he talking about?

    She was the Fu family¡¯s daughter?

    She was Fu Qingxi?

    How could she be Fu Qingxi? What would that make of the pain and suffering she had to endure in the past?

    What a joke. Someone was telling her now that the family she tried so hard to impress for their approval was, in fact, not her family!

    Was the Fu family not amazing? Were they not wealthy? Were they not the most powerful family? Why were they so useless at locating a single person?

    ¡°Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s daughter is Zhou Zhen. You know her..¡± Herughter and words struck a knife in Fu Qingli¡¯s heart as though someone had ripped it apart.

 Chapter 658 - Iâ€™ll Take You Home

    <h4>Chapter 658: I¡¯ll Take You Home</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was as simple as that.

    The ridiculously simple truth needed no confirmation with a deliberate investigation or even a DNA test. Fu Qingli only had to ambush Xuan to identify her.

    The funny thing was, Fu Qingli had no clue. What sort of brother was he?

    Shen Xi stoppedughing and simply stared at him without a word. With no emotions behind her eyes, she was calm like still water.

    ¡°On June the 20th, Qingye said you suddenly passed out in the elevator. At the time, Xuan was met with a car ident.¡± Fu Qingli collectedly ryed the fact. ¡°If you still don¡¯t believe me, I can call Xuan in and stab him in front of you.¡±

    Shen Xi tightened her grip over the book while something, infused with a sense of mockery, stirred within her.

    She had no idea why, but she was in too much of a level-headed state of mind to think or feel anything. It was as though the person before her was a stranger.

    Shen Xi¡¯s life was whole since she had her parents, brothers, and friends. A real family with blood ties was not that important to her.

    The truth was out now as to why she got a strange feeling that rocked her to her core toward the Fu family, and Fu Qingli no less. It was kinship at work.

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for a DNA test in two days.¡± Fu Qingli kept his bubbling emotions in check. He was already certain but wanted to verify the fact for her peace of mind.

    Without a word, Shen Xi coldly nced at him.

    ¡°Someone wants to take your life. I suspect it¡¯s the same perpetrator who¡¯s responsible for you and Dad going missing. I want to catch them.¡± Fu Qingli seemed to havee to a huge decision as he clenched his fists. With a cautious nervousness shing in his eyes, he added. ¡°I can¡¯t take you home or tell the family who you are for now. You should know that Xuan can¡¯t keep a secret. He¡¯ll spook the perpetrator off and I don¡¯t want to raise any bells for Mom and Dad.¡±

    No matter what, Fu Qingli wanted to arrest the person behind this and tear them from limb to limb. This was the shot he was waiting for as he now had a lead.

    Since the culprit had no clue that Fu Qingli tracked Shen Xi down, they should not give themselves away. However, the mastermind may possibly not take the risk toe for her if they knew. The trail would reach a dead end, and Fu Qingli would not know when they would strike again.

    The perpetrator was like a sword hanging over his head that couldnd at any time. They were a threat to Shen Xi and Dad¡¯s life and safety. Fu Qingli despised the constant feeling of being watched and threatened.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Nodding her head, Shen Xi got up and looked down on him as though it did not matter to her. ¡°Are you done? Can you leave now?¡±

    She had to stop herself from telling him to hit the road.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Her chilling stare froze Fu Qingli on the spot. Although suffocating from the hurt, Fu Qingli was at a loss of how tomunicate with her. He stank at connecting at an emotional level with his family from an early age and could never be like Qingye and Qingxuan. Fu Qingli merely looked at her and uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for all the things I did to you before.¡±

    ¡®Hate me if you must.¡¯ He was not able to say these words out loud in the end.

    Fu Qingli should not have treated her as he had in the first ce, so he would take her hate and unforgiveness without anyints.

    ¡°Everything should remain as it was if you want me to lure them out. Otherwise, you won¡¯te close to catching the perpetrator if they were to detect something was amiss.¡±

    She wanted to drag the clown out from the shadows because so long as they were not dead, she would keep looking over her shoulder for another ambush.

    Shen Xi brought the matter out in the open since Fu Qingli did not bring it up. Li Yuan refused to let her take the risk and instead sent Xuan Yuan to keep her safe. She disagreed with the idea at first but gave in to him in the end.

    She hoped Fu Qingli could catch the mastermind as soon as possible and sort out the threat. As to returning to the Fu family, her mind was all over the ce to think about it.

    Fu Qingli was tempted to tell her that he would not let her get hurt but was quick to swallow the words. He gazed at her. ¡°Please stay safe.¡±

    Sitting back on her chair, Shen Xi put on the earphones. It was not known whether she heard Fu Qingli as she focused on the scene and instructed, ¡°Mr. Hu, it¡¯s drizzling there. I want it to pour.¡±

    ¡°Give me a week and I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Fu Qingli stared deeply at her. Gradually loosening the grip of his fists, he walked out of the room.

    One week was the time limit he set for himself. He was going to bring her home and reunite with their family regardless of whether the culprit was captured or not.

    Over the years, Fu Qingli had envisioned what to say and what to do should one day he found his little sister.

    Nevertheless, the reality that happened before his eyes did not exist in any one of his scenarios. It was so peculiar that all the feelings of defeat, guilt, and regret came crumbling down on him.

    A moment before the door came to a full shut, Fu Qingli caught a glimpse of her hands on herps clenching up and almost invisibly trembling.

    Fu Qingxuan paced around the entrance on pins and needles. With Fu Qingli emerging from the door, Fu Qingxuan immediately ran up to him.

    Seizing Fu Qingxuan by the arm, Fu Qingli spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Walk with me outside.¡±

    She might need a bit of time and space to digest the news.

    While giving Fu Qingli a curious look, Fu Qingxuan noticed his swollen eyes and somber mood. Fu Qingxuan gave him the evil eye. ¡°What did you do to her? Mom and Dad said you were not to intimate her again.¡±

    Fu Qingli curled his lips into a bitter smile. There was a sore catch in his throat. ¡°I won¡¯t ever bully her, never again.¡±

    He tried to convince himself that he did not like her and that he hated her, but only Fu Qingli knew that he was lying to himself.

    Fu Qingli had no ill feelings toward her at all. The person he despised was himself. He loathed himself for not being able to control his feelings and win over his rationale in front of her.

    ¡°Are you for real?¡± Fu Qingxuan was skeptical, unsure whether Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with rage after locking horns with Meanie.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Fu Qingli nodded and responded.

    He had found their sister but could not tell anyone. Shen Xi must me him for it. Still, she could shout it from the rooftops if she was mad at him. What was he supposed to do when she peacefully epted the fact?

    Refusing to let the matter go, Fu Qingxuan nced at the door. Ultimately, he had no guts to go against Fu Qingli and went with him.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi stared at the screen in a daze with her eyes zed over. As time passed, she hugged her knees and buried her face between her legs.

    Shen Xi had a hard time distinguishing between her feelings or the correct reaction to have. She was on a roller coaster of emotions, not knowing when to get off the ride.

    The Fu family¡¯s daughter ¨C Fu Qingxi.

    Fu Qingli came all the way and tly told her that she was his and Fu Qingxuan¡¯s sister.

    She should have given him a p in the face. Fu Qingli kept his cool while speaking as though he was a robot incapable of emotions.

    Qingye and Fu Qingxuan would not behave the same if it were them.

 Chapter 659 - Mentally Ill

    <h4>Chapter 659: Mentally Ill</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Outside, snow flurries wafted in the air.

    Fu Qingli reached out his hand and watched the floating snowkesnd and melt in his hand. Deep within his profound eyes was an unresolvable bitter sorrow. It took a while before he opened his mouth. ¡°Xuan, it¡¯s time for you toe home.¡±

    Since it was imperative that the perpetrator not be on to him or know what he was thinking, Fu Qingli had to conduct himself as usual. Hence, the theatrics was he came here to drag Xuan¡¯s *ss home instead of looking for Shen Xi.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Fu Qingxuanplied without putting up a fight as he was afraid Fu Qingli might give Shen Xi a hard time. Fu Qingxuan cautiously cast a nce at Fu Qingli, suspecting that there was something wrong with him.

    ¡°Xuan, what would you tell our sister if you were to meet her now?¡± Letting out a sigh, Fu Qingli suddenly asked him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s answer was forthright, albeit his eyes reflected pain and his voice turned hoarse. He was feeling the blues. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. I can make her a snowman when she has returned.¡±

    Fu Qingli did not add his thoughts to that. He nced at Fu Qingxuan and changed the subject. ¡°We¡¯re leaving now. Do you want to say something to her?¡±

    Confused by Fu Qingli¡¯s questions, Fu Qingxuan took a step back to try and read his brother¡¯s face. ¡°Qingli, are you burning up? Did the fever fry your brain?¡±

    That did not sound right. Qingli never talked to him like that before, much less asked for an opinion. It would not even happen in his dreams. Why the sudden change of character?

    Fu Qingli turned intimidatingly aloof in the eyes as he furiously hauled him to move along. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°I want to, I do.¡± Fu Qingxuan wanted to get back in there to see how Meanie was doing. Was Qingli picking on her? Nevertheless, he had missed his chance and there was no going back as Qingli dragged him out of there.

    Fu Qingxuan finally retaliated with an angry re after he was kicked into the car. ¡°Mom and Dad said you can¡¯t do that anymore. Just you wait. I¡¯m going to tell them.¡±

    He then grabbed his phone to make a call.

    Sitting right beside him, Fu Qingli quietly watched Fu Qingxuan put on a show. Fu Qingxuanter passed the phone to Fu Qingli. ¡°He has a lecture tomorrow. I came to remind him of that.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan wanted to ask what lecture Fu Qingli was talking about. Why did he not know anything about it?

    Behind the wheel. Xu Xu respectfully gave Fu Qingxuan his schedule for the next few days. His eyes disyed sympathy. ¡°Young Master Qingxuan, here you go.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan took the paper and looked through only for his hands to shake in anger. He exasperatedly yelled at the phone. ¡°Mom! Dad! He made that arrangement on his own! I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t approve of it! He can go because I¡¯m not!¡±

    Fu Qingli had already hung up the call. He nced at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°Professor Fu, a lot of people are looking forward to your lecture.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Fu Qingxuan could murder someone now as fury burned in his eyes. He shot Fu Qingli a look. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second that you can do whatever you want just because you¡¯re my brother. I¡¯m telling you right now. I won¡¯t do it.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked Fu Qingxuan dead in the eye andmented, ¡°It¡¯s the winter holidays after a week, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It would be the lunar new year.¡± Fu Qingxuan blurted. Still mad after replying, Fu Qingxuan red at Fu Qingli with using and furious eyes.

    He had been counting the days until Meanie was on winter vacation, so he knew better than anyone.

    ¡°Be on your best behavior for the week and I¡¯ll bring her home to see you,¡± Fu Qingli remarked.

    Fu Qingxuan was dumbstruck. ¡°Bring her home where?¡±

    ¡°Our home.¡± Fu Qingli turned his head away to the window. The look on his face was chillingly callous, bloodthirsty, dangerous, yet filled with determination.

    In a week, he would take her home and return to her rightful ce regardless of whether the culprit was apprehended.

    Fu Qingli wanted to arrest whoever was behind this, but he did not want to put her through more hurt. Nothing was more important than the reunion of their family.

    Back on set, many people were still talking about the person who came for Ms. Cai Ni as they packed up for the night. The discussion was in full swing with everybody making spections of the man¡¯s identity.

    They all knew that Ms. Cai Ni would drop by the set but spend her time in her own office. If luck was on their side, they might run into her even though it was unlikely to happen. Her student, Ruan Sisi, usually led the assistant to handle the costumes and looks.

    Someone asked Lin Chan since she looked like she knew a lot. However, Lin Chan had no clue either. She was able to determine that the man was no regr guy judging by his looks and how he carried himself. He must be a young heir to an influential family.

    The female actresses daydreamed about getting friendly with the man, but the person never made an appearance ever since. They were left without thest bit of hope.

    Su Ruowan was making a few theories about the man¡¯s identity as well. She circled around Shen Xi¡¯s presidential suite for a chance encounter but to no avail. In the end, Su Ruowan sucked up all the questions and jealousy and returned to her room. She phoned the house to see if she could get her questions answered.

    Su Muyan picked up the call. After a brief exchange, he passed the phone to Li Jingran who was lying in bed with nothing but skin and bones. ¡°Mom, a call from Wanwan.¡±

    Mom had not been in the best of spirits since her return from the set of Lady Luck six weeks ago. She could not eat and sleep. She was paranoid the whole time, yelling at the air when left alone as though she had gone mad. Mom had lost a lot of weight.

    At first, Mom sought a Fengshui Master from Harbor City toe and take a look, but no positive change. Later, she was diagnosed with mental issues after a visit to the neurologist in the hospital. She was prescribed drugs for her hallucination. Her condition seemed to have stabilized in thest few days as she stopped yelling and screaming. Nevertheless, she still looked rather frail.

    The doctor said that Mom should be sent to the psychiatric ward for treatment should her condition see no improvement. There was no easy fix to mental illness, so they were told to prepare for the worst.

    Li Jingran nced nkly at Su Muyan, but the mention of Su Ruowan¡¯s name saw some focus in her eyes. She took the call and yelled scratchily, ¡°Wanwan, it¡¯s Mom.¡±

    Frowning at her voice, Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes flickered a hint of disdain, but her voice remained soft. ¡°Mom, how are you doing now? Do you feel better?¡±

    She was tempted to hang up the phone now.. God knows what came into her to call Li Jingran when she already knew that Li Jingran was not lucid to help her.

 Chapter 660 - Su Yi Ditched Wife to Make Way for Mistress, Li Jingran

    <h4>Chapter 660: Su Yi Ditched Wife to Make Way for Mistress, Li Jingran</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Ruowan thought she could depend on the Su family to pave her a smooth transition into showbiz. The Su family wasmitted to helping her make it big. She was going to be a huge star in entertainment and crush Shen Xi, the b*tch, under her feet.

    s, things did not go her way at all. Su Ruowan took pains and drove Shen Xi away, but the Su family declined in power by the day. They could do nothing to help her or give her what she wanted. The bunch of the good-for-nothings was now dragging her down.

    Shen Xi, the b*tch, must be mocking her in delight, seeing what had be of the Su family and her.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s jealousy spread like wildfire, burning her eyes and mind with bitterness at the thought of the man who came for Shen Xi.

    It should not work this way. She was the Su family¡¯s heiress. Her career was supposed to be smooth sailing. She should be the subject of adoration and get what she wants.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, should be suffering in poverty together with her disgusting adoptive parents. By right, the b*tch was supposed to look up to Su Ruowan like the green-eyed monster that she was.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Are you doing good there, Wanwan? Is anyone going hard on you?¡± Li Jingran was most worried about her darling daughter. Su Ruowan was the daughter who had her heart.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m good.¡± Su Ruowan casually brought up, ¡°Mom. A man came on the set today to look for Shen Xi.¡±

    Despite feeling poorly and emaciated, Li Jingran¡¯s face was menacing like a ghost at the mention of Shen Xi. She coldly scoffed. ¡°Her old sugar daddy?¡±

    Shen Xi, the brat, should just go to hell. That was no daughter of hers. Li Jingran would never admit Shen Xi was hers. Her husband tried to meet the brat during her birthday a few days ago but was chased away before he could get into themunity gates.

    The brat was heartless. She was a motherless and fatherless animal without a conscience. Li Jingran had fallen sick and yet the brat did not visit her once. Li Jingran was going to pretend she never had this daughter.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know who he is. He¡¯s handsome and tall. Did Dad go to her birthday party? Did he see him there?¡± Su Ruowan was dying to find out who the man was.

    ¡°No.¡± Scowling, Li Jingran clenched her phone as her boney knuckles stuck out. She was just a walking pile of skeletons.

    Her husband said that the security guard stopped him from entering the brat¡¯s neighborhood. Su Yi wanted to sneak in together with a resident but was caught. He was threatened with a call to the cops and media if he tried to break into themunity again.

    Li Jingran waspletely disappointed at the brat, but her husband refused to give up. Su Yi still had his head in the clouds about epting her back to the family. Things would not have progressed to this stage if they could in the first ce.

    Since Su Ruowan did not get the answer she wanted, she had no desire to listen to Li Jingran¡¯s voice. She drily showed a little concern and ended the call before furiously hurling her phone at the sofa.

    The Su family was useless. None of them was of help.

    Su Mushi turned down Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s offer for the part and went to star in an awful TV series that was broadcasted concurrently as The Smiling Nation. Needless to say, he crashed and burned before he was called out for his bad acting. Since then, he fell into a slump and no director offered him any roles. Later, he gambled and lost half of the Su family¡¯s assets.

    Su Yi, the self-righteous old fart conceded and paid off Su Mushi¡¯s debt. The Su family¡¯s financials went down the drain and the business operation never recovered.

    The loser, Su Mushi, released a new album but was beaten by a newbie instead. Su Ruowan felt embarrassed for him. He could not even help her to jump start her career in showbiz.

    Now that Su Ruowan thought about it, the onlypetent person in the Su family was Shen Xi, the b*tch. Had she known this was the case, she would not have kicked the b*tch out of the house.

    Shen Xi was subservient to her everymand then. If Su Ruowan offered her a touch of kindness, the b*tch would wag her tail like a dog and do anything. Since the b*tch had a talent in design, Su Ruowan could take credit for her work and enjoy the fame and fortune while Shen Xi stayed behind the scenes.

    That way, Su Ruowan would be the gifted designer and Jiang Yin would take her in as her student. With such status, she would have the showbiz in the palm of her hands.

    While she pictured the fantasy in her head, her phone rang. It was Chen Bingbing who sounded quite anxious. ¡°Wanwan, something bad has happened. Hurry! Look at the entertainment headlines. It¡¯s about your parents.¡±

    Furrowing her brows, Su Ruowan asked, ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s everywhere and in all the major websites. Dirt on your parents is showing up on my feed. It says here that your dad is the culprit behind his wife¡¯s death and stole her inheritance. Your mom¡¯s the other woman.¡± Chen Bingbing then inquired, ¡°Is it true?¡±

    Overwhelmed by the overload of information, Su Ruowan turned ashen and was at a loss of what to feel. Rather than answering Bingbing¡¯s question, she scrambled to hang up and logged into Weibo.

    No!

    No way! No way!

    Why did it have toe out at a time like this?

    She was still in the middle of filming and the TV series had not hit the screens. How dare Li Jingran and Su Yi weigh her down into this mess!

    The headlines were the hottest topic in the trend search.

    ¡°Su Yi ditched wife to make way for mistress, Li Jingran.¡±

    The long post exined in detail how Su Yi had an affair with Li Jingran while still married and plotted to steal his wife¡¯s inheritance.

    The original poster¡¯s ount was verified as Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s CEO ¨C Yuan Yu himself.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s body shook and grew cold as if she fell into a pit of ice. Her eyes were bulging out of her sockets as she stared at Yuan Yu¡¯s name. She took deep breaths so as not to faint on the spot.

    A long whileter.

    She suddenly let out a shriek and smashed the phone while anger and resentment overtook her mind. Feeling weak in the knees, she slid to the ground.

    What was she to do?

    What should she do now?

    Yuan Yu let it all out and brought Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s evil deeds to light. The keyboard warriors went full force in thements section, and she saw her name in between. Theizens chewed her whole family out and boycotted her, wanting her to get out of showbiz.

    She knew it. Su Ruowan would be implicated in the scandal if word ever got out. The nightmare had now be a reality. As the daughter of the Su family, she was not spared from the tongueshing.

    Yuan Yu¡¯s long post set the online world on fire. The degree of discussion and interviews even crashed the media websites at one point.

    Su Yi and Li Jingran were influential figures and had been presenting themselves as the golden couple in showbiz.. Now that the image was gone, the keyboard warriors were not having it.

 Chapter 661 - Iâ€™ve Got You Covered for a Hundred Million

    <h4>Chapter 661: I¡¯ve Got You Covered for a Hundred Million</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    If the scandal came from the paparazzi or tabloid ount, they were probably clutching at straws to go viral.

    However, the news was exposed by Yuan Yu. Someone soon stood out and identified Yuan Yu. He was the son of Su Yi and his wife, Yuan Heng. Yuan Yu grew up abroad and never made a public appearance.

    The matter provided food for thought, considering it came from the person himself. The authenticity of it aside, Yuan Yu¡¯s rtionship with Su Yi was enough of a jaw-dropping fact.

    Su Yi was on his way home when he saw the news. Sitting in the car, he was happily chatting to his assistant about being close to sealing the deal with Li Corporation. He was going to sign the contract first thing in the morning. The 100-billion-yuan contract could save the Su family from all financial troubles.

    The next minute, he fell from heaven to hell. Su Yi was in shock as he stared at his feed in disbelief. With shaking hands, he tapped on the news.

    His eyes turned bloodshot as he boiled in resentment when his gaze arrived at Yuan Yu¡¯s name. About to lose his mind after reading the entire post, he menacingly sped his phone.

    He should have known better when he kept the little sh*t alive as opposed to sending him packing to his death with his mother. Su Yi provided Yuan Yu with everything in life but was rewarded with this instead. So much for not biting the hand that fed him.

    In any case, Su Yi had faced rough crossings in his life to deal with the matter. It did not take him long before he managed to pull himself together. He gave Yuan Yu a call and unleashed his fury. ¡°Yuan Yu, delete the post right now. You better write another post on Weibo to rify, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    No one spoke on the other end.

    Rage was tearing Su Yi apart. He would end the little sh*t if he was in front of him now. ¡°Did you hear me? You better do as you¡¯re told.¡±

    ¡°Su Yi, you haven¡¯t changed one bit. Do you ever have nightmares over the years?¡± Yuan Yu tauntingly scoffed. Su Yi still refused to show repentance. Did he not at least feel a bit of remorse or sorry toward Mom?

    Well, Yuan Yu was left with no choice but to let Su Yi burn in the fires of hell. A monster like Su Yi deserved to die.

    ¡°Your mom betrayed me first.¡± Su Yi¡¯s teeth were creaking from biting on too hard. His chest was heaving heavily.

    ¡°You made up so many lies that you yourself believed in them.¡± Yuan Yu snorted. ¡°It¡¯s said that people tend to speak kindly when they¡¯re at their deathbeds. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still fooling yourself even though death¡¯s knocking on your door.¡±

    Xixi was right. People like him should burn in hell and never be reincarnated ever again. There was no need for Yuan Yu to show mercy.

    ¡°Your mom¡­ The b*tch cheated on me first.¡± With bloodshot eyes, Su Yi furiously yelled.

    ¡°My mom¡¯s been dead for over two decades. Don¡¯t tarnish her name.¡± Yuan Yu¡¯s voice reflected indignation. ¡°My mom and grandpa are waiting for you down there. If you still have any conscience left in you, you won¡¯t need me to take matters into my own hands.¡±

    ¡°You want to kill me?!¡± Su Yi snickered in fury. ¡°You little sh*t! I¡¯m your father. Your father. God forbid if youy your hands on me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re using God¡¯s name now, huh? Where were you when you and Li Jingran harmed Mom and Grandpa and imed the Yuan family¡¯s inheritance as your own?¡± Yuan Yu¡¯s tone was t. ¡°Su Yi, what goes aroundes around. Just sit back, rx, and enjoy the gift I¡¯ve given you.¡±

    ¡°Yuan Yu!¡± Su Yi growled but the call was terminated. He dialed Yuan Yu¡¯s number again, but the call could no longer get through. He was about to be swallowed by the darkness when his phone rang. It was Mr. Fang of Li Corporation.

    Su Yi forced himself to calm down and stay sharp as he took the call. ¡°Mr. Fang, is something the matter?¡±

    Fang Chu¡¯s offhanded voice came on the line. ¡°Mr. Su, I just want to tell you that the meeting for tomorrow¡¯s contract is canceled. Li Corporation has decided to terminate all partnerships with yourpany.¡±

    Although Su Yi¡¯s heart sank to the pit of his stomach, he tried to get it together. ¡°Mr. Fang, what¡¯s the meaning of this? We agreed to this. Why the sudden end of cooperation?¡±

    ¡°Do you really need me to tell you? Haven¡¯t you seen the news? Reputation matters most to Li Corporation. We don¡¯t work with the disreputable people.¡± Fang Chu smiled. ¡°Mr. Su, I think your priority should be your own morals.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Fang, you can¡¯t just take other people¡¯s word for it. I¡¯m not that kind of person. It¡¯s all fake. He¡¯s setting me up. I¡¯ll take care of the scandal. Please, please give me a chance.¡± Su Yi pleaded, but animosity loomed over his grimacing expression.

    Who did Fang Chu think he was? He was only the Li family¡¯spdog, acting like the big man and riding roughshod over Su Yi. Once the Su family regained their former glory, Su Yi was going to have his revenge starting from Fang Chu.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your good news then.¡± Fang Chu grinned. ¡°I wish you good luck.¡±

    Seeing a glimmer of hope, Su Yi immediately uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Fang. I¡¯ll deal with it and set the record straight.¡±

    The person on the other line hung up before he could finish. Anger tempted Su Yi to throw his phone, but he managed to hold back the urge. He then dialed another number.

    The person he was looking for was Goody-Two-Shoes, a famous inte shill in showbiz. This person had many cyber troops under him and was capable of sweeping any scandals away and whitewashing the affected individual¡¯s image.

    With the call connected, Su Yi brushed off the person¡¯s bootlicking greetings and went straight to the point. ¡°You must have seen the dirt on me. Whatever it takes, I want the news wiped off the inte in half an hour.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Su, that is hard. Ms. Li and your scandal is everywhere. It¡¯s not going to be easy to block and delete all trails.¡± Goody-Two-Shoes was put in a difficult position.

    ¡°Name your price.¡± Su Yi did not care anymore. He was in desperate need to take control of the situation before the news spread further than it already had. Everything else was not important so long as his business with Li Corporation went through.

    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I¡¯ve got you covered for 100 million. What do you think?¡± Goody-Two-Shoes said.

    Su Yi fell into thought before gritting his teeth. ¡°Are you sure you can handle it?¡±

    Goody-Two-Shoes chuckled. ¡°Mr. Su, do you still not trust me? When did I ever fail you? You can consider the job done.¡±

    Su Yi made up his mind. ¡°Fine.¡±

    Goody-Two-Shoes did not forget to kiss his *ss. ¡°But the money¡­ I need you to pay up beforehand. I can¡¯t get people on the job without the money.¡±

    Su Yi closed his eyes and opened them while he took a deep breath.. ¡°Give me your bank details.¡±

 Chapter 662 - All for Nothing

    <h4>Chapter 662: All for Nothing</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Yi had faith in Goody-Two-Shoes since the asional scandals involving Tianheng Entertainment were whitewashed by Goody-Two-Shoes. Sometimes, Su Yi would work with the guy if there was a need to hype a rookie¡¯s name.

    ¡°I¡¯m sending my bank details. You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Goody-Two-Shoes was kneeling on the ground. After hanging up the call, he apprehensively emailed his ount number before lifting his head to stare at the handsome man with a knife in hand. ¡°Sir, I followed your script. What do I do now?¡±

    The person opposite him was none other than Fang Chu.

    Fang Chu pped Goody-Two-Shoes¡¯ face with the de while his narrow eyes reflected a bloodthirsty glint. Fang Chu asked, ¡°How many times have youmitted this crime?¡±

    Goody-Two-Shoes? To think an evil and conscienceless inte shill woulde up with such a name, Fang Chu wondered if he was being cynical.

    Almost peeing his pants, Goody-Two-Shoes was shaking from head to toe. With the knife stuck against his face, he dared not move an inch. His sobbing cries carried pleas. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I deserve to die. Please be the bigger man and spare my measly life!¡±

    Fang Chu smiled. Since he had time on his hands, he was in the mood for a little humor. ¡°Tell me. What did you do for money?¡±

    The sleaze, Su Yi, was still trying to get a clean te and do business with Li Corporation. Fang Chu was intrigued to find out whether Su Yi would lose his mind when thetter found out the 100 million yuan was all for nothing.

    Su Yi anxiously waited for good news from Goody-Two-Shoes from transferring the 100 million yuan. He could check the major websites every now and then to see if the news had been taken down.

    He still had money from the two billion yuan he borrowed from the bank. The bank approved the loan two days ago, seeing that it was for a partnership with Li Corporation.

    To his dismay, Su Yi had not had the money for long or begun cooperation with Li Corporation when the sudden expos¨¦ cost him 100 million.

    Still, all was good as he could earn back the money. Money was no object so long as Goody-Two-Shoes could pull the news from the screens. He got the message from Fang Chu. Li Corporation would not terminate the deal if Su Yi was able to remove any negative publicity about him.

    The car soon arrived at Su residence.

    In the living room, Li Jingran leaned against the sofa while clutching her phone with her boney hands. Her eyes were fixated on the screen as though they could drill holes in it. Detecting the noise from the car, she looked out. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re finally home.¡±

    Yuan Heng, that b*tch, refused to leave her alone even though she was dead. The little sh*t she gave birth to had the nerve to expose them. What should they do now that the whole inte found out and was swearing them out?

    Su Muyan was ck in the face as he sat by Li Jingran with a scowl. With Su Yi walking into the room, he abruptly stood up. ¡°Dad, why is Yuan Yu framing you and Mom?¡±

    Mom said that it was all a fake. Yuan Yu was setting them up and ndering them. She and Dad never harmed anyone as Yuan Heng and her dad died of illness. The Yuan family¡¯s inheritance was left to Yuan Yu¡¯s name by Yuan Heng¡¯s father and Yuan Yu¡¯s grandpa.

    However, Su Muyan was no longer a child and could tell right from wrong rather than believing in Mom¡¯s side of the story. Still, a family should resolve the dispute internally if there was a conflict in the family. What was with Yuan Yu airing the dirtyundry?

    How was he supposed to show his face now that the whole intemunity and China knew about it? How was he supposed to remain in showbiz? His life might be over.

    Having gotten his act together due to his trust that Goody-Two-Shoes had it taken care of, Su Yi gazed at them and said, ¡°I¡¯m already on it. The matter will soon blow over.¡±

    With Li Jingran seeing rage brewing inside, she looked like an eerie ghoul that escaped from the depths of hell, especially when her illness had eaten away her flesh. ¡°Honey, what is Yuan Yu trying to pull? You can¡¯t show him any more mercy.¡±

    Had they known this was the thanks they would get from the ingrate Yuan Yu, they would make sure he joined his b*tch of a mother and pathetic grandpa in death back then.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on him.¡± Su Yi nodded,menting how he let Yuan Yu off the hook because of the blood ties they shared. His kindnessnded them in hot water. Su Yi should not have found it in his heart to spare Yuan Yu¡¯s life only to leave a ticking time bomb in their life.

    Su Yi vowed to get his hands on Yuan Yu and transfer Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s shares to his name once this was over. With Cosmos Entertainment bing his, Su Yi was free to do whatever with the ingrate.

    Su Muyan might be filled with doubt, but this was no time to provoke Su Yi. He listened on the side, putting all the me and animosity on Yuan Yu.

    It did not take long before Su Mushi and Su Muxuan returned home. Looking distressed, they bolted in to ask about the headlines and ways to handle it. Their nerves finally settled when Su Yi mentioned that he was on the case.

    The Su family was all present and ounted for, except Su Ruowan.

    Thrown into a fluster, Su Ruowan was at a loss of what to do. She had called Li Jingran, but thetter told her that everything was untrue. Yuan Yu made up lies to get back at the family, nder them, and drag their names through the mud. Su Ruowan was not to worry because Su Yi would get everything back to normal.

    Nevertheless, two hours had passed but the online abuse only grew more intense without showing any signs of stopping. The situation was getting out of hand.

    Su Ruowan grabbed her phone and checked thetest update on all major websites before making up her mind. She could not just sit around and wait for Su Yi to whitewash them or take control of the events. She had to take charge and talk to Hu Zheng and Cloud Seven by selling a sob story to gain sympathy. Su Ruowan could say she did not want to implicate the production crew and that would be her reason for withdrawing from her role.

    With the n well thought out, Su Ruowan straightened herself in front of the mirror. After making sure her eyes were swollen and her expression apologetic, she walked out of her room and knocked on Hu Zheng¡¯s door.

    Hu Zheng was chatting with the others in a group chat, gossiping about the sudden scandal about Li Jingran and Su Yi. Lin Chan created a new group chat when the scandal first hit the papers. Everyone was in it apart from Su Ruowan.

    Everyone in the group knew that Lin Chan did not see eye to eye with Li Jingran. Lin Chan was not scared to hide the fact either. She created the group just for the heck of it, so they all could have an outlet to share their opinions.

    Following the knock on the door, Hu Zheng got up and put away his phone. He opened the door to find Su Ruowan standing there with teary eyes. He cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯ste. How can I help you?¡±

    Su Ruowan held her tongue and let her tear-brimmed eyes do the talking first before speaking in a raspy voice, ¡°Mr.. Hu, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I¡¯ve caused to Screenwriter Cloud Seven and everyone.¡±

 Chapter 663 - Iâ€™m Not the Su Familyâ€™s Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 663: I¡¯m Not the Su Family¡¯s Daughter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Of course, Hu Zheng knew what Su Ruowan was talking about. Since he could not y dumb, he advised, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault anyway. Get some rest and don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Thank you, Mr. Hu.¡± Su Ruowan gratefully looked at him with tears streaming down her face. The puppy dog look could tug at heartstrings. There was a delicate coquettish to her voice. ¡°I feel sorry, Mr. Hu. I think¡­ I think I should quit the production team. It¡¯s for the best and to all of you.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? Nothing¡¯s conclusive yet. Besides, the children shouldn¡¯t be med for the parent¡¯s mistake.¡± Hu Zheng did not want to draw any conclusions before the matter was confirmed.

    Moreover, he, as a director, did not have a say in deciding the fate of the actors in the production. The authority belonged to Screenwriter Cloud Seven.

    Since the whole of China probably found out about the deal with Su Yi and Li Jingran, Screenwriter Cloud Seven must be no exception. However, she kept mum about it to this day.

    Lin Chan also added Cloud Seven into the group chat. While everyone was getting into the gossip, some people even tagged Cloud Seven but thetter did not reply.

    ¡°Um¡­ What does Screenwriter Cloud Seven think?¡± It seemed to take a lot of courage in Su Ruowan to cautiously speak of that name. Feeling nervous, she gazed at him and asked.

    ¡°Cloud Seven hasn¡¯t let me know anything yet.¡± Hu Zheng ryed the truth.

    Su Ruowan was not squeaky clean herself. Her giarism scandal on National Idol rocked themunity to its core for a long time with people screaming for her to leave showbiz. In the end, the Su family bought her way out of it.

    Also, her bare face at the final stage plummeted her poprity to an all-time low, she could not show her face in public since then. ording to eyewitnesses, her bare face was revolting, but all videos and photos were wiped clean without a trace. Those who saw her in person were not many either.

    Hu Zheng had his concerns when Su Ruowan was assigned the role of the supporting actress. He was afraid she might bring down the buzz and viewership of the TV series. Nevertheless, a measly director like him had no influence over Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s decision.

    ¡°Could you ask Screenwriter Cloud Seven for me?¡± At this point, there was nothing more she could do, so making the first move might give her a better edge.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven must see something in her since he did not abandon her because of the giarism incident. Surely, he would not ditch her because of Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s scandal.

    There were some whomented about boycotting her while some petitioned the production team to fire her when the cast of Lady Luck was announced. Yet, Screenwriter Cloud Seven paid no heed to those clowns.

    Su Ruowan believed Screenwriter Cloud Seven would not recast at thest minute as the filming of the TV series was near its end. She trusted that Cloud Seven would have her back.

    ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven doesn¡¯t like people bothering him.¡± As Hu Zheng did not have the right or guts to look for her, he tried to fob Su Ruowan off. ¡°Just go back to your room and wait. I¡¯ll be the first to tell you if I hear back from Screenwriter Cloud Seven.¡±

    Truth be told, Hu Zheng felt sorry for Su Ruowan. If the expos¨¦ was true and her parents didmit a vile act, she as the daughter would be dragged into the mess and be caught in the public criticism too.

    No one knew whether Su Ruowan should go on with the shoot. There had been a lot of instances over the years for recasts, TV shows being snubbed from airing, sponsors losing investments, and the work of the production crew going to waste because some actor screwed up and let skeletons out of the closet.

    Su Ruowan bobbed her head and expressed thanks before returning to her hotel room all the while feeling restless about getting the boot.

    After all, the public was already telling her to get the hell out of showbiz and the set of Lady Luck. People had started to gang up and boycott the show she was on.

    However, she was not going to back down. With the Su ship sinking, her only shot was to jump aboard Cloud Seven¡¯s ship. Su Ruowan could still make it into showbiz riding on his fame, and this was herst chance.

    Once Su Ruowan was gone, Hu Zheng took a nce at the presidential suite at the end of the corridor. He hesitated for long but retracted his footsteps, retreated to his room, and closed the door instead.

    The crew thought the person living there was Ms. Cai Ni, but only he knew that Ms. Cai Ni was, in fact, Mr. Cloud Seven. His world was turned upside down when he first found out. Hu Zhengmented the fact that geniuses did exist in the world.

    Back in the presidential suite, Shen Xi listlessly slouched against the sofa while taking a call. Aptop showing the Weibo pagey on herps as her dainty fingers scrolled asionally at the hottest news.

    Yuan Yu went on talking, albeit receiving ack of response from Shen Xi. He inquired with worry, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t seem yourself.¡±

    They had nned for Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s downfall. She should be happy, and yet she appeared distracted during their conversation. Was she starting to take pity on them?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were glued to theputer screen, but her eyes were unfocused. ¡°Yuan Yu, I¡¯ll leave the matterpletely to you.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going too far?¡± Yuan Yu sounded her out.

    He did not give a sh*t about the Su family¡¯s feelings. The Su family could die for all he cared. On the other hand, he was concerned about Shen Xi¡¯s thoughts and feelings.

    No matter what, Shen Xi was Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s biological daughter. Even if she was cast aside, snubbed, and bullied during the year she returned to her family¡¯s arms, Shen Xi was likely only disappointed in them. She probably did not hold as big of a grudge and hatred for the Su family as he did.

    ¡°Yuan Yu, you¡¯re doing great.¡± Shen Xi curled her lips. The joy in her eyes bore bloodthirst and exhrating thrill, and delight from revenge.

    Nevertheless, the happiness turned into a ratherplicated feeling that drained the thrill of revenge after the news brought by Fu Qingli during the day, which was nipping at her. There was just some sort of heartache and disappointment she could not put into words.

    Shen Xi knew that the Fu family never gave up looking for their daughter, but she only wanted tough at the absurdity when she found out that she was the person they had been searching for.

    ¡°Xixi, tell me if you¡¯re not feelingfortable about this. I know you¡¯re sentimental. You may not say it, but you must be worried about them.¡± Yuan Yu sighed.

    ¡°Yuan Yu, are you trying to say that I¡¯m feeling sorry and sympathetic toward Li Jingran and Su Yi?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s voice was gruff as she said, ¡°What if I were to tell you that I¡¯m not the Su family¡¯s daughter?¡±

 Chapter 664 - Lingering Sorrow

    <h4>Chapter 664: Lingering Sorrow</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    That was right.

    Shen Xi was not the Su family¡¯s daughter.

    Thest bit of concern she had was no more.

    Shen Xi was at first worried that Su Yi and Li Jingran, backed to the corner due to the scandal, would im the moral high ground by exposing her to be their birth daughter. It did not bother Shen Xi at all, but she was afraid Madam Yun and Old Shen might suffer the aftereffects of it.

    Yet now, she had nothing to fear. She was not the daughter of the Su family. The bullsh*t blood ties and moral grounds were no threat to her.

    ¡°Are¡­You kidding me?¡± Yuan Yu was dumbstruck. Who was she if she was not the Su family¡¯s daughter?

    ¡°No. You¡¯ll know soon enough. I can guarantee you¡¯d get the shock of your life.¡± Shen Xi chuckled, but herughter reflected self-deprecation. ¡°But I need you to keep it a secret for now.¡±

    She was not the daughter of some mediocre family, but rather the Fu family. The Fu family stood at the top of the pyramid and was the most prominent family everyone looked up to.

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Yuan Yu was still in a state of shock. He had questions for her yet had no idea where to begin. Since she was not saying anything much, it was pointless for him to ask.

    ¡°Brother, just remember that no matter who I am, you¡¯ll always be my brother.¡± Shen Xi made it clear. She knew he was riddled with questions, but now was not the time to answer them.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Yuan Yu held his tongue in the end, he talked about something else. ¡°The Li family got involved. Do you know anything about that?¡±

    Shen Xi was taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What did he do?¡±

    Yuan Yu answered with a smile, ¡°Su Yi¡¯s pockets are emptied out and he¡¯s saddled with billions worth of debt. Su Yi¡¯s probably driven to jump off the building before tomorrowes.¡±

    If everything went as nned, the Su family would be frozen of all their assets by sunrise tomorrow. Theirpany would face bankruptcy and liquidation. Su Yi had no choice but to die due to the billions of debt.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi leaned against the sofa and rested her eyes.

    Hearing her tired voice, Yuan Yu told her to get some rest and not to fret over stuff. He would take care of it all. After hanging up, Yuan Yu walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window and observed the ongoing traffic under the bustling nightlights while curling his lips into a delightful smile.

    A year came a lot sooner than he thought. Yuan Yu never imagined vengeance woulde so early, and everything was only made possible by the girl.

    He lifted his chin and gazed at the fluttering snowkes as his eyes turned dewy. He opened his mouth to a throaty voice. ¡°Mom, Grandpa, do you see it?¡±

    It would not take long before Su Yi and Li Jingran would join them. However, the couple showed no remorse to this day. Their ugly faces made him sick to his stomach.

    Shen Xi snuggled up on the sofa in the hotel¡¯s presidential suite, burying her head into the pillow like an ostrich. Much, muchter, she punched the sofa and despondently straightened her back.

    Godd*mnit! She was singing the blues!

    Today was supposed to be a happy day. Yuan Yu and her n to expose and ruin Su Yi and Li Jingran in the name of vengeance was a long timeing.

    Still, there was not much of a bliss as misery and bitter heartache took over.

    If the knucklehead Fu Qingli was the only one in the Fu family, Shen Xi would never return to the Fu family and acknowledge him as her brother despite knowing he had been looking for her.

    However, apart from him, Mama Fu, Uncle Jin Yu, Qingye, and Fu Qingxuan were among the Fu family. She was aware of the struggles and sacrifices they had put forth to find their sister and how they yearned for their sister¡¯s return.

    Her mind flew back to the afternoon when Fu Qingli spoke with her in a cold and callous tone. Shen Xi began to suspect whether he really wanted to find his sister.

    While she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang. It was a request for a video call from Li Yuan. She got a grip of herself, pinched her cheeks, and smiled before tapping to connect the call. She was in lifted spirits then. ¡°Brother.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the girl. ¡°Are you getting ready for bed?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Where are you now?¡±

    It was pitch-dark all around with only a dim yellow light shining on him. It must be the streetlights.

    ¡°I just left your home.¡± Li Yuan whispered so that people could not hear him. He switched the angle of the camera to face the door behind him. He uttered with a smile, ¡°Your dad wanted me to y chess with him. We lost track of time.¡±

    ¡°Did my dad tell you to y chess with him for the next few days?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    Li Yuan hummed in acknowledgment. ¡°I don¡¯t have much work for now.¡±

    Shen Xi burst intoughter. ¡°He¡¯s busy with work though since it¡¯s the end of the year. He has to workte.¡±

    Li Yuan frowned. ¡°Uncle said he wants to rx after work.¡±

    Shen Xi was blunt with her response. ¡°And you believed him? My dad¡¯s afraid you mighte and join me here, so he¡¯s trying to hold you off.¡±

    Old Shen¡¯s tricks might slip past Li Yuan but not her. The end of the year was his busiest time of the year. There were times he would not make it back home for days, so he could not possibly be so free to rx.

    Li Yuanughed and softly remarked, ¡°He¡¯s only doing it for your own good.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Have fun with chess. Don¡¯t go at it too long. One or two rounds is enough. You two should be well-rested.¡±

    Li Yuan responded favorably as he stepped into his house. Despite the snowfall, Li Yuan did not use an umbre and let the snowkes dance around him.

    He reached the courtyard to find a fluff ball jumping off the wall. Toffeecitonded in the snow and stomped around the ground until its paws could not take the cold. It then leaped into Li Yuan¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Toffeecito.¡± Shen Xi sweetly called it. All troubles and worries seemed to fade away with their presence.

    Toffeecito stuck its head to the phone and looked at Shen Xi on the screen, meowing and rubbing its head in purrs.

    Li Yuan reached out to give Toffeecito¡¯s head some good loving before inquiring, ¡°Did you see the news?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed his head. ¡°I did.¡±

    Li Yuan expressed acknowledgment and stared at the girl on the phone with his narrow eyes. Since the start of the video call, he had noticed that the girl may look cheerful, but there was a lingering sorrow behind her eyes. She tried to hide it from him, but she could not fool him. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi feigned surprise. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Li Yuan furrowed his brows. ¡°Tell me if you change your mind and don¡¯t want the Su family to end like this. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll always be on your side no matter what decision you make.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Brother, what makes you all think this way?¡±

 Chapter 665 - Sank Back Under the Covers

    <h4>Chapter 665: Sank Back Under the Covers</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    How did the boys discover that she was down in the dumps? Yuan Yu was able to detect as she did not hide her feelings, but she believed she put on a convincing show for Li Yuan.

    ¡°Who else?¡± The expression on Li Yuan¡¯s face changed.

    ¡°My brother, Yuan Yu.¡± Shen Xi deeply sighed as her tone took a downturn. ¡°Brother, Fu Qingli met me today.¡±

    rms were raised in Li Yuan¡¯s voice. ¡°Did he mess with you again? It seems like he did not take Uncle Jin Yu¡¯s advice seriously.¡±

    Did Fu Qingli think Li Yuan was going to stand by for the times he picked on his fairdy?

    ¡°No.¡± As Li Yuan strolled into the living room, Shen Xi sat up straight and looked him in the eye. ¡°Brother, I have to tell you something.¡±

    Li Yuan had never seen his fairdy carrying such a straight face. With his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, he braced himself for what was toe.

    ¡°Fu Qingli said that I¡¯m Fu Qingxi.¡± Shen Xi curled his lips and smiled, but the smile bore a vague hint of bitterness and self-deprecation.

    She was Fu Qingxi, the long-lost daughter of the Fu family. She should be happy, but the memories of the injustice she suffered as the daughter of the Su family in her previous and present life weighed down on her.

    Her previous life was not supposed to be tragic. She was not the Su family¡¯s daughter, yet she desperately tried to woo them and ended with an agonizing fate.

    Shen Xi knew she should not me the Fu family as they never stopped looking for her. s, as fate would have it, they brushed past each other in life. Still, the bit of resentment within her was getting the best of her, pulling and tugging at her nerves.

    Li Yuan¡¯s gentle eyes flickered in surprise, albeit the bitternessced in her voice was gut-wrenching. He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Is he sure?¡±

    Fu Qingli would never do or say anything he was not certain of. It must be it since he said so.

    ¡°He walked through the door and kicked Fu Qingxuan.¡± Fixating on Li Yuan, Shen Xi took a deep breath. ¡°My leg hurt too.¡±

    There was no need for a reason or a DNA test. The telepathy between twins was proof itself. It was simple to the point of absurdity.

    Now she understood why she never felt a connection with Su Mushi even though she would feel pain out of nowhere. It was not with Su Mushi but with Fu Qingxuan.

    It was the same case this morning. No one else was sick while she and Fu Qingxuan caught a cold together. Lil¡¯ Ye even teased that they were like twins. It so happened they actually were.

    Li Yuan was speechless. ¡°¡­¡±

    Sighing, Shen Xi made it look like she was not bothered. ¡°He took a strand of my hair. The DNA result should be out in two days.¡±

    Mockery and fury stirred in Li Yuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°So he won¡¯t ept you as a family without the DNA test?¡±

    Shen Xi understood that he was mad and sorry for her sake. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m not done. Hear me out. It¡¯s a question of whether I want to ept them as family, not you. Tell me, do you want to beat Fu Qingli up because I want to. The way he talked calls for a beating.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded while growling through clenched teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll beat him up the next time I see him.¡±

    He would not know without the girl telling him. It could only mean that the Fu family was unaware of it either. Otherwise, Mr. Jin Yu woulde to him.

    ¡°Brother, tell me the truth. The people at the temple were after me, right? I was the target and not you.¡± Shen Xi looked him dead in the eyes.

    It struck Li Yuan then, and his eyes screamed murder. ¡°It¡¯s the Fu family. They¡¯re after you because you¡¯re Fu Qingxi. Someone figured out your identity before Fu Qingli or perhaps they knew it long before that. The assassins must have something to do with Mr. Jin Yu¡¯s disappearance.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what Fu Qingli said too.¡± Shen Xi knew he would catch on in a jiffy. ¡°I think he had a lead. Where is your investigation at? You can exchange information with him.¡±

    Shen Xi was at a dead end. Since that day, Li Yuan had Xuan Yuan follow her around for her safety. With a bodyguard by her side, those who wanted her life had no chance toe close.

    Li Yuan got the message, picking up on the reason Fu Qingli did not ept her back into the family right away. His expression remained stiff. ¡°I¡¯ll have a good talk with him.¡±

    He picked up on a few crumbs, but based on the girl¡¯s im, Fu Qingli might have a worthier trail to look at. Li Yuan could take one for the team and put up with Fu Qingli just to apprehend the person out for his fairdy¡¯s life once and for all.

    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t let anyone know about this yet. Let¡¯s wait until the culprit is behind bars.¡± This was the reason for Shen Xi¡¯s promise to Fu Qingli. Besides, she was baffled as to how to face the reality of returning to the embrace of the Fu family with her mind all over the ce.

    She could use the week to straighten out her thoughts and ept reality. She was fine if Fu Qingli wanted more time. What difference did one or two days make?

    ¡°Sure.¡± Gazing at the girl¡¯s exhausted face, Li Yuan wanted nothing more than to fly there and stay by her side.

    It must be hard for her to take stock of the sudden turn of events. She must be struggling, upset, and at a loss.

    His fairdy may seem strong on the surface, but she was a softie at heart, especially toward her friends and family. She cherished her rtionships and cared for the Fu family, excluding Fu Qingli, of course. Shen Xi must be wondering how to face them.

    That day, Shen Xi disconnected the video call andy in bed, tossing and turning. She was unable to fall asleep as shbacks haunted her mind. Sometimes, she was caught in the memories of her experience at Su¡¯s residence while other times her mind was bounced between the Shen couple and the Fu family.

    In the end, her mental picture froze on a man¡¯s gorgeously vivid face and tender eyes that made her heart go wild. Finding sce, she clung to her nket and fell into a deep slumber.

    Amid grogginess, she could feel someone drawing near. With footsteps echoing in the room, she abruptly opened her sharp eyes and darted a chilling stare at the door.

    Someone tiptoed in as though afraid to wake her.. Catching a glimpse of the person¡¯s long legs, her nerves ease as she sank back under the covers like a slug.

 Chapter 666 - Youâ€™ll Spoil Me

    <h4>Chapter 666: You¡¯ll Spoil Me</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Not wanting to wake Shen Xi from her sleep, Li Yuan entered the room with a room key. To his surprise, she still was woken up by the noise. Li Yuan walked into the room to find the girl darting a dangerously wary look at him, like a leopard on a hunt. However, realizing that it was him, the girl loosened up her tensed muscles.

    Li Yuan approached for a closer look at the girl in bed. Before he could say anything, the girl suddenly gave him a tug and held him tight, burying her head in his chest.

    With his heart going out to her, Li Yuan gently stroked her hair and rested his chin on her head as he sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and snuggled up in his embrace. Feeling the chills from his body, she pulled the covers over and looked up to him. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep on the bed.¡±

    Li Yuan leaned forward to nuzzle her forehead. ¡°I need a shower.¡±

    He knew that she was ill at ease today. Following their video call, he took a flight toe for her and needed a shower after the journey.

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi dully said, ¡°You¡¯re fine.¡±

    As though to prove she was right, Shen Xi burrowed against his neck and lifted her head to kiss his chin. His stubbles tickled her toughter.

    Li Yuan looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Shen Xi nuzzled his chin. ¡°Brother, you have facial hair.¡±

    Li Yuan burst intoughter. ¡°I always have facial hair.¡±

    He shaved this morning, but the stubbles had grown now that it was in the wee hours of the next day. He wondered if she hated it.

    ¡°Itchy.¡± The drowsy throatiness in Shen Xi¡¯s mews could melt his heart. She then nuzzled his chin again like a curious child.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it if it tickles you.¡± Li Yuan ced his forehead against hers and gruffly said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back after a shower, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Giving a nod, Shen Xipliantly let go and watched the man get up to leave together with the duvet. She nestled on the sofa while fixing her gaze at the bathroom.

    Soon, the trickling of water was heard from the bathroom. She blinked and blinked her eyes before sneaking over there. Although tempted to push the door open, she failed to muster the courage. Hence, she ran back to the sofa and covered her face with a nket, revealing only her eyes that refused to look away from the bathroom.

    Li Yuan came out of the shower to find the girl lying on the sofa. She propped her chin on her arm while her dazzling eyes were fixated on him. He smiled. ¡°Is it nice to watch?¡±

    Shen Xi incessantly bobbed her head. Waddling in her slippers, she fetched the hairdryer and plugged it on before grinning at him. ¡°Brother, let me blow your hair.¡±

    The man, fresh out of the shower, wore a white bathrobe, revealing his long neck and exquisite cor bone. His dewy face brought out his alluring charm so much so she could not take her eyes away.

    Feeling delighted, Li Yuan drew close and leaned forward to check the girl out. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and pulled him to sit down on the sofa. She nagged, ¡°I want to blow your hair.¡±

    With his eyes reflecting growing joy, Li Yuan could feel the gentle breeze blowing against his head and the girl¡¯s tender hand caressing his hair every now and then. The numbing and tingling sensation went from his physical body straight to his heart.

    Quietly and gently, Shen Xi touched his hair as she carefully blew dry his scalp and every strand of hair. Since he used her shampoo and body gel, they now shared the same bodily scent.

    There was an indescribable serenity in the picture of them together in the living room. Only the sound of the hairdryer at work and the soft breeze echoed in the background.

    A whileter, Li Yuan broke the silence. ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head and scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not a sheltered girl. What¡¯s holding a hairdryer and blowing hair going to do to me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my sheltered girl.¡± Li Yuan chuckled heartily with an allure that could make her knees go weak.

    Shen Xi believed Li Yuan¡¯s voice was like a dancing music note ying at her heartbeat. ¡°Brother, did you eat something sweet?¡±

    Li Yuan abruptly lifted his chin and seized the girl¡¯s hand with the hairdryer to put it down. With his other hand, he held the back of the girl¡¯s head and met his lips with hers. It took a while before he let her go. Li Yuan deeplyughed. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s breathing turned ragged while her face was flushed red. Gazing at the man¡¯s rosy and moist lips, she gave him a pouty look and spitefully uttered, ¡°I want to blow your hair.¡±

    Heeding the call, Li Yuan quickly returned the hairdryer to her and sat up straight. ¡°Please continue.¡±

    Shen Xi suddenly bent over and bit his lips in revenge. Feeling the stiffening of his body, she let out a smugugh. ¡°You¡¯re not the only naughty one.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled with glee.

    They then quieted down until Li Yuan¡¯s hair was dry. Shen Xi leaned over to put down the hairdryer and was getting back up when she was suddenly carried away. Out of instinct, Shen Xi fastened her arms around him and gazed at him with watery eyes. ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°Time for bed.¡± Li Yuan carried the girl to the bedroom and ced her in bed before tucking her in. He then went to retrieve another set of duvets.

    Shen Xi longingly gazed at him. ¡°Brother, my heart hurts.¡±

    From a standing position, Li Yuan looked at her.

    Holding onto the bed covers, Shen Xi pleaded with a melting voice and tear-filled eyes, ¡°It¡¯d only stop hurting if you hold me to sleep.¡±

    It was a look Li Yuan could not refuse. His knees just buckled in. Sighing to himself, Li Yuan turned around and put the duvet back in the closet before turning to the girl. ¡°Scooch over.¡±

    Shen Xi moved a little to the side to give him space. She threw off the covers and gazed at him.

    With Li Yuan lying down by her side, the girl took the opportunity to roll into his embrace and snuggle up. sping his waist, she spoke in a muffled voice, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not good for you toe thiste. You¡¯ll spoil me.¡±

    Li Yuan kissed her hair. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

    He wanted to spoil her and give her whatever she wanted.

    Shen Xiughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯m actually fine. It¡¯s a great thing to have found my real family. It¡¯s not a bad thing. At least I know I don¡¯t share the Su family¡¯s foul blood.¡±

    She should be happy. In fact, she was relieved as in the past, the only thorn in her flesh was her bloodline. Shen Xi had the blood of Li Jingran and Su Yi, the vile couple, running through her veins.

    Now she was aware that this was no longer the case.. She was the daughter of Uncle Jin Yu and Mama Fu, and no other fact made her happier than this.

 Chapter 667 - Why Could They Not Just Go to Hell

    <h4>Chapter 667: Why Could They Not Just Go to Hell</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi knew that she should be happy but felt nothing so close as a tickle. Instead, bitterness and anguish were piling on like a ton of bricks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Just let nature take its course.¡± Li Yuan murmured sweetly in her ear, ¡°Let it be. Leave it to the Fu family and Mr. Jin Yu.¡±

    Shen Xi snuffled. There were a lot of things she could not tell anyone but him. ¡°My mind is all over the ce. I can¡¯t stop obsessing about it.¡±

    ¡°They should be the ones having a lot on their mind, not you.¡± Li Yuan heartbreakingly held her face and looked her in the eye. ¡°All you need to do is ept them. If you¡¯re not ready to, we don¡¯t need to go back to the Fu family.¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. Her voice was dull. ¡°Uncle Jin Yu and the rest missed their daughter so much.¡±

    To this day, Shen Xi was unable to imagine herself in the role of Fu Qingxi. If the Fu family found her prior to her rebirth, she would have happily epted the family right away, thinking she was the luckiest and most blessed.

    Yet now, she had gone through a lot and discovered her life goals, so these things no longer mattered to her. The Fu family was never in her future ns.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you already have the answer?¡± Li Yuan grazed her nose tip and soothed her, ¡°Stop overthinking it. Get some sleep. If it really bothers you, I¡¯ll talk to Fu Qingli to give more time for you to think it through.¡±

    He knew that the Fu family, minus Fu Qingli, meant a lot to her, especially Uncle Jin Yu. They got along like father and daughter a while back.

    At the time, Li Yuan thought his fairdy was such a peach that everyone would fall in love with. Even Mr. Jin Yu who kept his distance from everybody took to her quickly and doted on her like his own.

    Now he understood that blood ties were a mystical thing. They grew close despite not knowing the true rtionship between them.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi closed her lips and cuddled in his arms as all the random thoughts began to disperse. She softly said, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    Li Yuan lowered his gaze to a close-up of the girl¡¯s face before asking her in a gentle voice, ¡°Do you want a luby?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Amid the quiet space, the man¡¯s thick and beautiful singing voice was heard, bearing a magical calming effect. The girl in his arms slowly drifted away to dreand.

    He tightened his grip over the soft body and murmured, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    His eyes softened as the girl snuggled up in his embrace like a kitten and purred in her sleep.

    Shen Xi had a good night¡¯s sleep with Li Yuan by her side.

    s, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for some people.

    Su Ruowan could not sleep a wink. She would be startled awake the moment she closed her eyes. She could foresee things taking a bad turn, and in the worst-case scenario, Li Jingran and Su Yi would be ruined, the Su family would face bankruptcy, and she would wound up in the most miserable state. Never mind a life of luxury, she would have trouble meeting the bare necessities.

    The mere thought of it shook her body and she ground her teeth in rage. The useless Su family was to be med for all of this as they could not even protect their own assets. Why could they not just go to hell?

    She did not ever want to be a washed-up heiress. Su Ruowan must figure out a way to sustain her present life. She did not want bankruptcy nor to live where the d*mn poor dwelled, eat beggar¡¯s food, or wear tattered clothes.

    That night, she kept scrolling the news to see if the scandal had withdrawn.

    Su Ruowan called the Su family and Su Muyan told her that Su Yi was on it. The news would soon be stopped from spreading. However, the buzz showed no signs of slowing down by daybreak. In fact, it stirred quite a sensation that was spreading like wildfire.

    She scrolled the news and checked the trending topics with resentment burning through her veins. Letting out a terrifying shriek, she menacingly picked up a cup and threw it at the window.

    Following a loud thud, the cup was smashed into smithereens.

    With bloodshot eyes, she dialed Li Jingran¡¯s number. Although her eyes were vicious, her voice reflected a raspy whimpering. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on? Why is the news in the top trending list?¡±

    Su Yi, the useless buffoon, said he got someone working on it, but their dirtyundry was clearly still aired on every major website.

    The notification about them was pushed to their feed every time they got onto the website too. Instead of getting the situation under control, things were simply getting out of hand.

    ¡°Wanwan, your dad, h-he¡¯s thinking of something.¡± Having been awake the whole night, Li Jingran¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed and streaky while her sunken cheeks were ashen as though she was on her deathbed. She looked horrifying.

    She took a nce at Su Yi who was sitting on the sofa across from her.

    Su Yi was agitated as he kept dialing the same number, but the line was answered by a robotic female voice. ¡°The number you¡¯ve dialed is not in service, please try againter.¡±

    He suddenly lost it. Like a wild beast pushed to the edge, he kicked the coffee table and smashed his phone. ¡°The d*mn b*stard! He yed me!¡±

    Su Yi could not get through to Goody-Two-Shoes. His phone was unreachable. Not only was his 100 million lost, but the matter was bing a biggermotion than it already was. At this rate, he would be done for.

    While Li Jingran was on the call with Su Ruowan, they heard a loud bang and Su Yi¡¯s exasperated yells ensued. Su Ruowan asked with worry, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s up with Dad? Did something go wrong?¡±

    Trying not to startle Su Ruowan, Li Jingran grabbed the phone and got up. No matter what, Wanwan was innocent in all of this. The darling daughter whom she raised was the only thing keeping her sane. She left all her affections and motherly love to Su Ruowan, even during such circumstances. ¡°You don¡¯t worry about a thing here. Being worried doesn¡¯t solve anything. Are you doing alright there?¡±

    ¡°No, Mom. What should I do? What can I do to help you?¡± Su Ruowan revealed her loathe in her expression, but her voice carried painful sobbing.

    Li Jingran¡¯s battered and numbed heart sank to hear her crying. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Wanwan. Your parents and brothers will deal with it. Focus on your shoot and don¡¯t worry about us.. We will take care of things.¡±

 Chapter 668 - Same Date Next Year Would Be His Death Anniversary

    <h4>Chapter 668: Same Date Next Year Would Be His Death Anniversary</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was a huge deal as the onlinemunity was tearing into Li Jingran and her husband, not sparing her children too. There were also people demanding Wanwan to drop out of the set of Lady Luck. They were boycotting her, saying they refused to watch the TV series if she was going to be on it.

    It took forever for Wanwan to obtain Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s approval and make the supporting actress of Lady Luck. By whatever means, Li Jingran had to help Wanwan hold onto the role she cared so much about.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s voice was fragile and dreary, but blood could be drawn from the tight grip she had over her phone. With a menacing look on her face, she gnashed her teeth. They would take care of it?! How did they intend to do that?

    Li Jingran and Su Yi were useless pieces of sh*t for leaving crumbs to gnaw at aftermitting the crime. Had they killed Yuan Yu when they murdered Yuan Heng and stole their inheritance, the whole shebang would not have happened. They sure knew nothing about destroying root and branch!

    Su Yi, the b*stard, must fear nothing since he was capable of killing his wife and stealing others¡¯ possession. He did not even hesitate to ditch his own son. For them tond in hot soup, he and the Su family got what they deserved.

    However, they had to drag her in all of this and put her on the receiving end of abusivements. She would have to suffer with them if the family went bust. It was all their fault.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll let you go then. Take care of yourself. Don¡¯t get distracted and have a good time on set.¡± Li Jingran loved her only daughter, hoping she was not put in jeopardy because of them. Li Jingran did not want Su Ruowan to endure the anguish with them.

    ¡°Mom, please call me if you and Dad need something.¡± Su Ruowan said considerately before hanging up. Her venomous eyes stared bitterly at the darkened phone screen.

    Outside, daylight shone over thend.

    Su Ruowan closed her eyes and by the time she opened them, she was back to her normal self. She walked to the mirror and painted a sickly pale look. Adding her red eyes to the mix, she looked fragilely delicate enough to tug at heartstrings.

    She smiled at herself in the mirror, taking the fragile vibe to a new level. She could not throw in the towel. She had to work on ying the innocent and upset girl in pain to pull sympathy votes.

    No news from Cloud Seven was good news. Even if she had to get on her knees and beg, Su Ruowan would do it to remain in the production.

    After doing all that, she got up and was ready to make her way to the set. She opened the door and saw a man of noble bearing walking right past her. With her eyes lighting up, her gaze chased after him to find the man stopping at the nearby presidential suite.

    That was right. It was that presidential suite. Ms. Cai Ni, also Shen Xi, the b*tch had been living in that room.

    Su Ruowan got a good look at the man¡¯s handsome face when he stopped in his tracks. The way his aloofnessmanded the space was a telltale sign of his high standing.

    Her mind blew up as the green-eyed monster took possession of her body. As the man took out a room key, she ran toward him.

    Was this man, as mentioned by Lin Chan yesterday, the b*tch¡¯s boyfriend? As expected, he was better looking and more refined than the guy from yesterday.

    ¡°Sir, do you live here?¡¯ Su Ruowan presented herself with her best and most gentle smile as she inquired.

    There was no way. She refused to believe it. Why was Shen Xi, the b*tch, able to acquire whatever and whomever she could not have so effortlessly?

    The man must not be here for Shen Xi. Surely, he was not Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend. The b*tch only deserved a disabled and married old man like what Bingbing had described. It was only fitting that Shen Xi became a mistress.

    A thin sheet of ice shielded Li Yuan¡¯s dark eyes. Refusing to cast a nce at her, he coldly blurted in disdain, ¡°Kun Lun.¡±

    He knew the woman. She was Su Ruowan, the adopted daughter of the Su family.

    She was the supporting actress of his fairdy¡¯stest TV series. Li Yuan was aware that his fairdy only gave Su Ruowan the role for a little fun and games, so he did not stop Shen Xi. He could not believe that Su Ruowan would be so tactless to hit on him.

    Su Ruowan was about to chat him up when an equally handsome guy marched to her with a murderous aura that sent chills down her spine. Feeling the numbness on her scalp, Su Ruowan froze but mustered the courage to talk to the handsome man at the door. She kept a grin on her face. ¡°Sir, are you here for Xixi? I¡¯m Xixi¡¯s sister. I¡¯m looking for her too.¡±

    So what if Shen Xi refused to acknowledge her as a sister? It did not stop her from using it as an excuse. She must tell this man about Shen Xi¡¯s evil deeds so the man could see her true face, hate on her, and abandon her.

    Li Yuan¡¯s frowny face carried displeasure as he nced at the approaching Kun Lun to clear the trash. His lean fingers held the key card and stuck it at the reader.

    Shen Xi just got up and ran around the room like a fool to look for Li Yuan. Unable to locate him, she pped her head in disappointment while thinking she must have dreamed about Li Yuan¡¯ste-night visit.

    The click of the door caught her unexpectedly. Turning her head to the source of the sound, she saw the man¡¯s smiling face. As her expression turned to joy, she happily went up and uttered in a grievance, ¡°Brother, where were you? I thought I was dreaming.¡¯

    At the door, Su Ruowan, who was asked to leave, pulled a sour face before shoving past Kun Lun to barge into the room. She was sure that it was Shen Xi¡¯s voice.

    Kun Lun was caught off guard by her sudden charge. During the moment¡¯s trance, Su Ruowan had bolted toward Li Yuan and was about to crash into his embrace. Kun Lun could die right there and then. Oh, no. He was dead meat if the girl touched Boss. The same date next year would be his death anniversary.

    Su Ruowan was delighted to see an opening as the man spread his arms. The makeup she had on today could draw any man¡¯s urge to protect her. There was no telling whether the handsome man could escape her clutches.

    It never urred to her that the man suddenly took a step forward when she was so close to falling into his arms. Su Ruowan then saw Shen Xi pouncing at the man for a full bear hug.

    Su Ruowan had already lost her footing and hit her head on the door frame. Without the time to tend to the pain, she bitterly stared at the man whose eyes went from cold to warm.

    His changed gaze made Su Ruowan twistedly jealous.. The person in his eyes only made Su Ruowan blow up more.

 Chapter 669 - I Beg You to Please Help the Family

    <h4>Chapter 669: I Beg You to Please Help the Family</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi!

    No way could Su Ruowan ever ept that fact. Shen Xi was a piece of sh*t who Su Ruowan had beaten and was kicked out of the Su family. The b*tch should be living a miserable life like a beggar. Why did Shen Xi have a lot of good going on for her? Why did the b*tch have more in life than she did? Even an outstanding man was smiling so tenderly and dotingly at Shen Xi.

    Finding the sight of them together an eyesore, Su Ruowan imagined cutting Shen Xi to pieces while fancying herself in the man¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t squirm.¡± Holding breakfast in his hand, Li Yuan gazed at the girl in his arms. He wanted to put her down, but he could not bear to have her feet cold since she was barefooted. He helplessly but dotingly said, ¡°Watch the soy milk.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xipliantly responded. Out of the corner of his eyes, henguidly caught a glimpse of Su Ruowan crashing onto the door frame. He watched on with scorn.

    Su Ruowan suddenly fell on her knee in a thump. She tearfully cried, ¡°Shen Xi, I beg you! Please save Mom and Dad! Save the family! Only you can save us now.¡±

    Her eyes may seem to be facing Shen Xi, but the truth was, they were locked on Li Yuan the whole time. She brought it up to let the man know that Shen Xi, the b*tch, did not deserve his love. The b*tch was an unfilial animal who was ruthless and heartless to her parents.

    ¡°Kun Lun,¡± Shen Xi impatiently shouted.

    ¡°Shen Xi, please. Save the family that you¡¯re a part of. I can leave the Su family if you hate me. I will go far away and never show my face in your presence.¡± Su Ruowan was crying rather desperately. ¡°I beg you. Please save Mom and Dad and help out the Su family.¡±

    Su Ruowan did not believe the man would be apathetic to her words and not press Shen Xi for answers.

    Shen Xi must have withheld information about her family while dating him. There was no escaping for the b*tch once the man found out about her rtionship with the Su family.

    The man would not date someone like Shen Xi if he was no idiot. Without a question, he was going to boot her off.

    Having been bitten once, Kun Lun left his gentleman values at the door. He seized Su Ruowan by the arm and clipped it to her back. To hell with being considerate to women. He dragged her away.

    Since Su Ruowan had nothing to lose at this point, she widened her bloodshot eyes and tried to scream. However, the pain in her neck saw her cking out. She lost consciousness before she had a chance to say anything.

    Kun Lun nced at the woman with disgust and yanked her like a dead dog to hurl her next to the trash bin at the stairwell. He then removed the clothes she had touched and threw them away too. Kun Lun took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands that came in contact with Su Ruowan before tossing the handkerchief with a look of disgust.

    The d*mn woman. How dare she behave atrociously in front of Boss? He had no idea what was going through Ms. Shen¡¯s head, but why did she let a waste of space like Su Ruowan walk the earth?

    Back in the presidential suite, Shen Xi dangled her feet on the chair as she cleaned her ear with a cotton bud. Su Ruowan spoiled her good mood bright early in the morning, but she would not have a few days left to prance around.

    Li Yuan put out the breakfast and approached the girl. He reached out to grab her arm. ¡°Stay still when you¡¯re cleaning your ears. You might hurt yourself.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± On her best behavior, Shen Xi nodded and lifted her head to meet his eyes with a smile. She asked, ¡°Brother, can you clean my ears?¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°After you have your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi proceeded to clean her ear and aimed the cotton bud right into the trash can.

    Just thinking about what Su Ruowan said made Shen Xi chuckle. Oh, Shen Xi could only imagine the look on Su Ruowan and the brute Su family¡¯s faces when they were to find out that she was actually the daughter of the Fu family.

    Shen Xi got the kick at the thought of their hopeless and horrifying expression when they learned the truth.

    Li Yuan dotingly smiled as the girl curled a cunning smile like a little fox up to no good. He put a soup dumpling into her bowl. ¡°Are you heading to the setter?¡±

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°Yes. What about you?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°I¡¯m going back to the capital. I have a chess game with your dad tonight.¡±

    Shen Xi spoke with her mouth full. ¡°You can go back in the afternoon.¡±

    She was reluctant to let him go.

    Li Yuan was jubnt. ¡°Are you bringing me to the set?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice grew bleak with a hint of woe. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go?¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°I want to.¡±

    When Ms. Cai Ni brought her boyfriend to the set, they merely walked by once, but it was enough to stir the entire production crew. Soon, they were nicknamed the handsome couple.

    One of the actors gasped in admiration. ¡°Jesus Christ. Ms. Lin Chan, Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend is better looking than the cute dude from yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m envious. I guess it goes without saying that hotties only make friends with hotties. Why don¡¯t I have any dreamboats around me?¡± Someonemented.

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni is surrounded by hunks, all right? I heard from the security guard that the young man who popped in with her yesterday was handsome too.¡± Another person provided intel.

    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Others expressed surprise and wanted in on the juicy story.

    ¡°The security officer at the gate said he was a teenager around Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s age. He thought they were a couple.¡± Someone verified the fact.

    One person among the group counted the number of beaus around Ms. Cai Ni on their fingers. Many people knew that Ms. Cai Ni had a good rtionship with Fu Qingye the Movie Star. That was one. The man yesterday was another one. The youngster who dropped by the set together with her was another count. Her boyfriend today made the fourth!

    The discussion was getting ramped up with everyone curious about the sensation that could rock themunity to its core if the pretty faces Ms. Cai Ni knew were to enter showbiz.

    Hu Zheng had just strolled around the production studio before approaching the group. Finding it odd, he asked, ¡°Did anyone see Su Ruowan?¡±

    Why was she absent? Su Ruowan did not apply for leave. She did not answer her phone either. Her scene was next, and she should at least leave a message about her attendance. The shooting progress could not be held up just because of her.

    The mention of Su Ruowan¡¯s name stopped the group from their discussion. They exchanged looks with strange faces.

    With the way things had turned out, Su Ruowan would not dare show her face on the set unless she had thick skin. Was she not boycotted and petitioned byizens to leave the production?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lin Chan responded.

    As a matter of fact, she saw Su Ruowan. Thetter was crying on her knees at Ms. Cai Ni¡¯s doorstep. The assistant of Ms.. Cai Ni¡¯s boyfriend knocked her out cold and threw her next to the trash bin.

 Chapter 670 - The Great Daughter the Family Raised

    <h4>Chapter 670: The Great Daughter the Family Raised</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lin Chan was going to pretend she saw nothing. Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s sins were finally brought to light. Su Ruowan, as their daughter, should be held ountable too.

    However, Lin Chan overheard something she should not have this morning. Su Ruowan called Ms. Cai Ni her sister and begged her to save their mutual parents. This confirmed Lin Chan¡¯s suspicion to be true.

    Ms. Cai Ni was Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s daughter. If that were the case, Lin Chan found it amusing that instead of a gifted, beautiful, highly capabledy, some senseless idiots would rather recognize Su Ruowan as their daughter.

    Furrowing his brows, Hu Zheng rang Su Ruowan up. This time, the call was answered by a weak voice that said she was on her way.

    Hu Zheng told her to hurry over before hanging up.

    Su Ruowan gazed at the terminated call as she got up from the cold floor. Anger and resentment crept to every inch of her body and the thought of Shen Xi¡¯s taunting face only fueled her impulse to rip Shen Xi apart.

    She awakened to find herself next to the trash can. The nerve of the godd*mnpdog named Kun Lun did this to her. Su Ruowan was not going to let the matter slide.

    Half an hourter, Su Ruowan had just arrived on the set when Hu Zheng called her aside to the break room and handed the phone to her. ¡°A call from Screenwriter Cloud Seven for you.¡±

    Every muscle in Su Ruowan¡¯s body was tense as fear and worry took over her mind. Trying to get a grip of herself, she took the call. ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven, I am Su Ruowan.¡±

    On the other end of the line, a clear young man¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Ms. Su, I¡¯m Cloud Seven. I have something to tell you. Many fans have sent me a petition for you to leave the set or else they¡¯ll boycott all my TV series.¡±

    Su Ruowan turned ashen in the face and her voice was trembling. ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven, surely the children shouldn¡¯t bear the crimes of the parents. I know my parents are at fault, but I love my role.¡±

    ¡°Theizens said that the same blood runs in the Su family. You have Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s blood running through your veins, so you¡¯re no different than them. They mentioned that, like them, you had it in you to giarize.¡± Shen Xi was on the call while resting on Li Yuanp.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, Mr. Cloud Seven. About the giarism, Su Muyan said he wanted to give me a hand.¡± Su Ruowan knew that this was herst chance to hold onto. Otherwise, that was it for her.

    ¡°Su Muyan made you giarize?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s tone carried elements of shock, but her face bore a contemptuous grin.

    Look at the great daughter the Su family raised. They were going to love the way Su Ruowan was repaying them for bringing her up ¨C betrayal. It was the best kind of thanks they could get. Did the Su family not tend to do the same?

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Cloud Seven. Just pretend you didn¡¯t hear that.¡± Su Ruowan sounded anxious amid whimpers.

    ¡°You¡¯d need to set yourself apart from the Su family, Li Jingran, and Su Yi, so I can exin to the fans. However, I¡¯d have no choice but to rece you if you can¡¯t prove anything.¡± Sitting up, Shen Xi adopted a grave and solemn tone.

    The Su family would probably go through the roof the moment they saw Su Ruowan¡¯s true colors. Shen Xi recorded the phone call and nned to send the recording to Su Yi and Li Jingran the day she was to blow her cover.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud Seven, I¡¯m, in fact, not Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s birth daughter.¡± Su Ruowan went for it. She was ready to burn bridges and cut ties with the Su family.

    All problems should be solved so long as the Su family¡¯s blood did not run through her veins. She was different from the Su family. She was not the daughter of the Su family!

    ¡°You best clear the air,¡± Shen Xi said.

    ¡°Will you still rece me if I rify that fact?¡± Su Ruowan believed she had nothing to lose, but she needed a definite answer.

    Shen Xi paused before uttering, ¡°If it is as you say it is, I will defend the rights of my actors. If I cared what everyone else thinks, I wouldn¡¯t have insisted on hiring you as the supporting actress.¡±

    What was in Su Ruowan¡¯s head? Of course, Shen Xi was going to rece her. Su Ruowan was amusingly na?ve to live in her delusional dream.

    Silence befell Su Ruowan for a moment until she finally made up her mind. ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven, I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    The Su family was useless to her now since they could not provide any help. She was only boarding a sinking ship if she hung on to them. Su Ruowan did not want to be a failure and theughing stock. She wanted to make it by every means necessary.

    Shen Xi ended the call.

    With a frown, Li Yuan looked at the girl. ¡°What does she n to do?¡±

    Shen Xi smiled cunningly as she weighed the phone in her hand. ¡°What else? She¡¯s about to rify her rtionship with the Su family, saying she¡¯s not the daughter of the Su family and doesn¡¯t share the Su family¡¯s tainted blood.¡±

    Li Yuan burst intoughter. ¡°Is she brain-dead?¡±

    Shen Xi hugged him amid chuckles. ¡°She never had a brain. It¡¯s all a dog fight now. Besides, she has no other way out and she¡¯s not ready to go down with the Su family.¡±

    Li Yuan gently caressed her face. ¡°The Su family¡¯s still giving you a hard time. Do you want me to go ahead and take care of it?¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi responded with a smile, ¡°They might be giving me hell, but I¡¯m not part of their family.¡±

    She could sh her status as the youngdy of the Fu family if Su Yi were to drag her into the mess. The look on his face was bound to be intriguing.

    Shen Xi intended to finish him off at first so that Su Yi would have no chance to emotionally and publicly ckmail her in the name of blood ties. Nevertheless, there was no need for that now since she had a trump card.

    The trump card was enough to send the devastated Su Yi and Li Jingran right back to hell.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan tenderly curled his lips before catching a glimpse of the text message sent by Fang Chu. The court enforcers and police had entered Su¡¯s residence to seize their assets.

    The video gave a view of the Su family in their full glory. Su Yi, especially, went hysterical like a rabid dog.

    Li Yuan picked up the phone and gave it to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi tapped on the video for a quick look before tossing the phone with a smile. She remarked, ¡°They¡¯re doomed for destruction for the unjust they¡¯ve done.¡±

    The funny thing was Li Jingran and Su Yi failed to do any soul-searching and were still ying the victim to this day. They got what wasing for them.

    ¡°That reminds me. I have a little something here.. Do you want to post it together or keep it forter?¡± Li Yuan tapped on a file in his phone and showed it to her.

 Chapter 671 - Itâ€™s Only Natural for the Children to Pay the Fatherâ€™s Debt

    <h4>Chapter 671: It¡¯s Only Natural for the Children to Pay the Father¡¯s Debt</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up when her eyes fell on the photo and video. ¡°We have to post them. We have to post them for sure. Let¡¯s wait until Su Ruowan makes the announcement before we post them. I¡¯ll send them to my brother so he can take care of it.¡±

    This was good. She and Yuan Yu only heard that Su Muyan could really let it loose in the clubs and nearly caused death multiple times. s, there was no proof.

    Yuan Yu¡¯s investigationster led him to a paparazzo. It was said that the paparazzo had evidence of Su Muyan¡¯s activity in the club, but the paparazzo disappeared before he could get to him. It was like the paparazzo vanished into thin air. People who were familiar with the paparazzo said that he ckmailed someone and took the money to migrate abroad.

    Shen Xi¡¯s gut was telling her that something was not right, but it never urred to her that the paparazzo did not migrate at all. Instead, Su Muxuan ordered his death. This was huge. Following the release of this news, the Su couple would be screwed deeper into the rabbit hole. There was no escaping the death penalty for Su Muxuan too.

    Meanwhile, the Su family was thrown into turmoil by the arrival of the court enforcers and police.

    With derangement written all over his bloodshot eyes, Su Yi grabbed a knife and blocked the door. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare step a foot in. You can¡¯t seize my property. I¡¯m warning you. I¡¯m about to close the deal with the Li family. It¡¯s a 100-billion-yuan deal. Do you know that? 100 billion! I bet you paupers have never seen that kind of money. Do you know the Li family? Laying a finger on me means you¡¯re going against the Li family. I can promise you the Li family will end you.¡±

    Behind him was Li Jingran and the Su brothers looking rather ghastly. They gave the iing police a dirty look.

    The police walked up and solemnly told Su Yi off. ¡°Mr. Su, please cooperate with us. Otherwise, we will arrest you for obstruction.¡±

    This movie star and famous entrepreneur had always presented himself in a cultured demeanor on TV and business reports. It never crossed their minds that his true face was terrifying like a lunatic.

    Perhaps he could not ept his bankruptcy and the debts he carried. Such was the behavior of the wealthy. These rich people put themselves on a pedestal and were too caught up in the glitzy lifestyle to think about rainy days.

    Many wound up this way when bankruptcy crept upon them. Inparison to Su Yi, there were people who had gone off the deeper end. The police were used to it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not broke. I¡¯m not. I¡¯m about to sign a contract with the Li Corporation. How dare you do this to me! I¡¯ll make sure you pay for this.¡± Su Yi was having aplete meltdown with all sanity eaten away. He could not ept everything that was happening before his eyes.

    He was not bankrupt. The Su family would rise again ande back better than before if the contract with Li Corporation was signed. He firmly believed in that.

    The court enforcers nced at the police. ¡°We will enter by force.¡±

    The Su familymanded respect in public. Looking at the two once exalted film stars, one was now a mad man while the other was skin and bones, nothing like how she was before.

    Humans should not do bad because God was watching. Karma was bound to hit back and there it was. It was pitiful that some people refused to face reality.

    ¡°Dad, stop it.¡± Su Muxuan stepped forward to pull Su Yi back.

    Having been pushed to the limit, Su Yi turned to Su Muxuan while huffing heavily. He was still unable to let go. ¡°Xuan, tell them. You tell them. We¡¯re about to sign a contract with the Li family. With the contract, our family will rub shoulders with the upper ss. Am I right?¡±

    He had already had it in the bag this morning as he was supposed to put his signature on the contract at nine o¡¯clock. Yet, how did everything end up like this? How!?

    Yuan Yu. It was all that little sh*t¡¯s fault! Of all the times he could have done it, Yuan Yu chose to release the newsst night and fouled his partnership with the Li family. The little sh*t drove him to a dead end.

    By the way things were looking, Li Corporation was unlikely to go through with the deal. Su Yi¡¯s life was ruined since he owed a lot of money. He could not think of any other way out apart from death.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this.¡± Su Mushi jumped out in the front and went for it. ¡°Do you know Shen Xi? She¡¯s Cai Ni, the famous stylist in showbiz. She¡¯s also Jiang Yin¡¯s student and my sister. Jin Yun belongs to her, which makes it the Su family¡¯s asset too. We can still pay back the debt.¡±

    The court enforcers and the police were dumbstruck.

    Ms. Cai Ni was a household name even to those who did not pay attention to the entertainment world. Moreover, Jin Yun made it to the top 100panies in China despite only being established for a year. The nationalworks praised thepany for showing its love for the country and showcasing its vanguard culture.

    ¡°Cai Ni is my sister, my biological sister.¡± Su Mushi gazed at Li Jingran. ¡°Mom, bring out the DNA report and let them see that she¡¯s part of our family. It¡¯s only natural for the children to pay the father¡¯s debt.¡±

    Shen Xi was not getting out of this. She could not just walk away while they faced bankruptcy. She must suffer because he was going to make her life a living hell. Now, who was theughingstock?

    They were her closest family. The courts would not leave her alone if she refused to pay back the debt. She would not escape criticism because she had blood ties with the Su family and was his birth sister.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my daughter. She¡¯ll return the money for me. Go and ask her for the money. She¡¯s rich.¡± Su Yi¡¯s dead and deranged eyes lit up.

    How could he forget Shen Xi? Shen Xi was his biological daughter. Even if he had to go to court, the judge would determine that she had a duty to pay his debts byw. There was still hope for him and the Su family.

    Shen Xi was good at whatever she did. With the money she had earned and from selling off, she could settle some of the Su family¡¯s debt. She could work her *ss off and pay the rest of itter.

    That was right. The Shen couple loved Shen Xi too much to just sit by and watch. Surely, they would cough out the money as well. Shen Xi and the Shen family would bend over backward to clear the debt.

    Without hesitation, Li Jingran rushed to find the DNA report. Fortunately, she had a habit of sorting her stuff. The report was still around. It did not take long before she found the papers and showed them to everyone.

    The police and court enforcers were caught off guard by the piece of paper before getting right back to business. ¡°You can discuss with your daughter about the debt repayment. We¡¯re here to seize your properties and nothing else.. The courts will release your property back to you once you clear your dues.¡±

 Chapter 672 - Su Ruowan Lays It All Out on Weibo

    <h4>Chapter 672: Su Ruowan Lays It All Out on Weibo</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The public was not aware that Ms. Cai Ni was the Su family¡¯s daughter. Was the daughter not called Su Ruowan? However, the police and court enforcers were sad for Ms. Cai Ni to have such parents and family.

    No one heard that Ms. Cai Ni was the Su family¡¯s daughter when the said family was sessful. Now that they were bankrupt and washed up, they were clinging to her like an annoying fly.

    Su Yi knew nothing good woulde out of making a bigger scene than it already was. Hence, he had to bite the bullet for now and take his family away. Still, Su Yi gave the police and court enforcers a warning look. ¡°If you touch and break anything in the house, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. We¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Once he found Shen Xi and paid his dues, Su Yi would being for these blind mother*ckers for kicking him while he was down. These people must think they were all that to trample over him.

    Following behind Su Yi, Su Mushi had a sketchy yet willful look on his face. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go and look for Shen Xi now.¡±

    Only by draining Shen Xi dry, could there then be hope to save the Su family.

    ¡°Mr. Su, hold on.¡± The court enforcer stopped them. ¡°Please hand over any valuables on you.¡±

    Su Yi turned ck in the face. ¡°That¡¯s outrageous. Do I have to take off my clothes and give them to you too?¡±

    ¡°Please understand, Mr. Su. We¡¯re only doing our job.¡± The court enforcer remained calm.

    Sucking up all the raging fury, Su Yi mmed his wristwatch on the table before shooting them the evil eye. ¡°Just you wait. This will not be forgotten.¡±

    Li Jingran and the Su brothers gave up all the expensive essories on them with menacing expressions.

    Everything inside the huge Su¡¯s residence, valuable or not, was soon stuck with a seizing order. If the Su family did not pay up, these things were going to be publicly auctioned off.

    Su Yi took the entire family to the garage only to find the cars were confiscated too. The two police officers, who stood watch, told the family to leave.

    ¡°Just you wait.¡± With a finger up their noses, Su Yi yelled at them and walked away. He would get his revenge on everyone who insulted him after he found Shen Xi and paid off the debt.

    The family furiously tried to hail a cab at the entrance, but there was none in sight despite waiting for a long time.

    This was a huge issue. People living in the vipound drove their personal cars and taxis were not allowed inside. In the end, Su Mushi opened a ride-hailing app to book a ride.

    Following the scandal, the Su family became a foul existence in the whole of China. Since anyone who had surfed the web would recognize them, they covered their faces with masks before getting into the cab.

    Su Yi lectured the family in the car. ¡°You better watch your attitude when you talk to Shen Xiter. Just beg her to help us, get it?¡±

    Shen Xi would never have left the Su family had they treated her right. If Shen Xi had stayed put in the family, the Su family would be able to pull through the predicament they were in now.

    ¡°Dad, what if she refuses to help us even if we beg her?¡± Su Mushi asked.

    The vile brat, Shen Xi, did not have a heart, so there was no point in being nice to her. He believed the threat would work on Shen Xi.

    ¡°How would you know she¡¯d refuse?¡± Su Yi gave them a dirty look. They were useless pieces of sh*t. Why were these good-for-nothings his? The only capable child he had was pushed aside by them.

    Had Su Yi known Shen Xi would have such achievements, he would never have abandoned her for Su Ruowan.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, what if.¡± Su Mushi had no confidence as he had the feeling that Shen Xi would not budge. They could only fight fire with fire when it came to Shen Xi.

    ¡°There are no what-ifs. Su Yi wickedly curled his lips. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter. It¡¯s only right she pays for me. Even if we go to court, thew will take my side.¡±

    Shen Xi should pay his debts. The money she earned and the assets under her name should be his.

    Li Jingran listened to the conversation between the father and son while hanging her head low to hide the bitter hatred in her eyes. She clenched her fists but said nothing.

    Her husband was right. Shen Xi should help them to return the money. Whether it was the present or the future, Shen Xi was the daughter of the Su family. There was no escaping from the identity. This was her fate. Thew would make her pay their debts. This was the price Shen Xi had to pay since Li Jingran birthed her and gave her life.

    Meanwhile, a special message interrupted the broadcast ying on the radio. The host excitedly announced thetest buzz. ¡°We bring to you an update on the entertainment news. Su Ruowanys it all out on Weibo that she¡¯s not the biological daughter of Su Yi and Li Jingran. Her giarizing stunt on National Idol was encouraged by others rather than her intent. She apologized to everyone who was hurt by this event and hoped the public would forgive her as herck of will and beliefs had put her in this situation.¡±

    Li Jingran¡¯s dreadedplexion turned pale as though death had her by the throat. Letting out a whimper, she shook her head in despair. ¡°No. Impossible. Wanwan would never say such a thing. It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Color washed off Su Yi and the Su brothers¡¯ faces as anger, shock, sorrow, and despair sat in. The host¡¯s analysis and the feeling of betrayal were setting their hearts on fire and fueling their rage.

    Su Ruowan was a traitor. How could she say such a thing? Was she trying to cut ties with the Su family because they were on a decline? Well, she wished.

    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s a fake. It can¡¯t be true.¡± Li Jingran refused to believe that the sensible daughter she loved so much would say and do this to them. Li Jingran pulled Su Yi¡¯s arm. ¡°Honey, someone must be threatening her. She was coerced into saying that! Wanwan¡¯s my daughter. She¡¯s my daughter!¡±

    She could not believe that Wanwan would strike a blow straight to her heart when the Su family was at its hardest. She was too well-behaved, sensible, and kind to do something like that.

    Su Yi coldly scoffed. Gnashing his teeth, he hissed, ¡°Su Ruowan!¡±

 Chapter 673 - This Is the Good Daughter You Raised!

    <h4>Chapter 673: This Is the Good Daughter You Raised!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Yi had already known that Su Ruowan was bad news. Ever since she crawled into his bed, Su Yi knew that she was nothing like the innocent and kind fa?ade she put up. His biological daughter, Shen Xi, was driven away through Su Ruowan¡¯s borate schemes.

    However, he could not believe that she would twist the knife. Was she kicking them aside because the Su family was no longer of use to her?

    Su Ruowan¡¯s actions took the Su brothers by surprise. Beyond shocked, they exchanged nces and saw the burning anger in each other¡¯s eyes.

    So this was the true face of the sister they so dotingly raised. She was a repulsive and disgusting b*tch. Su Ruowan had chosen to betray them and stab them in the back while they were struggling.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s Weibo post was a bigger blow to them than the bankruptcy. The Su family was dying to question Su Ruowan right in her face for doing so.

    ¡°Say something, honey. Say something!¡± With tears rolling down her face, Li Jingran gazed at him in devastation and spoke in a hoarse voice.

    Wanwan stayed up all night, speaking to Li Jingran on the phone about the situation at home. How could she cast them aside at a time like this?

    ¡°This is the good daughter you raised.¡± Clenching his teeth, Su Yi grimacingly looked at Li Jingran. ¡°This is the good daughter you raised. You chased away our own daughter for her and this is the gratitude you¡¯re being repaid with.¡±

    Hot with emotions, Su Yi grew furious and hysterical that he screamed at the top of his lungs. His eyes turned bloodshot. If Su Ruowan was in front of him right now, he would rip her apart with his bare hands.

    ¡°Honey.¡± Li Jingran cried her heart out as grief ate her up inside. Soon, she passed out.

    Reacting indifferent to his mom falling unconscious, Su Mushi whipped out his phone and called Su Ruowan. Nevertheless, he could not get through to her. Anger took over as he smashed and broke his phone. Su Mushi then turned to Su Yi. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go and meet her.¡±

    How could Su Ruowan do such a thing? He needed to find her and get to the bottom of why she did what she did. Why was she doing this? What did they ever do to her?

    ¡°We have a more pressing matter at hand. Let¡¯s get to Shen Xi first.¡± Su Yi kept a level head. He had his guard up against Su Ruowan since the bed-climbing incident, so he was not blindsided by her doing like the rest of them.

    They had to reset their priorities and their prime concern right now was not to seek Su Ruowan for revenge but to save the Su family. As long as Su Yi was around, he would not allow the Su family to fall into financial ruins by every means necessary.

    Revenge was a dish best served cold. He would be going after Su Ruowan the moment the Su family got back on their feet. The b*tch was asking for it by stirring the pot at such a crucial time, so she best watched her back for what wasing.

    Su Mushi nodded. With ruthlessness written all over his face, he balled his fists. He simply could not wrap his head around Su Ruowan¡¯s actions. What good would it do her? Was she not afraid of public criticism?

    The Su family raised her with love and her behavior was nothing short of ungrateful. Like them, things would not go well for her.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s reveal of her being egged on to giarize and not the birth daughter of the Su family stirred a sensation within showbiz. The public could not get enough of one bombshell after another. The media was having a field day.

    The Su family was much talked about in all major websites and forums as the public put them on st, calling for them to get out of showbiz and die for their sins.

    The production crew of Lady Luck was stunned by Su Ruowan¡¯s announcement. It was in to see that Su Ruowan was turning her back on the Su family in a bid to disassociate herself from them.

    Her post on Weibo might be short, but she removed herselfpletely from the Su family¡¯s scandal. She was clearly demonstrating her ignorance toward Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s evil deeds. As for theizens¡¯ im about a family of the same blood having the same moral standing, she rified that it was not the case with her since she was not the Su family¡¯s biological daughter.

    With fear in her eyes and chills running down her spine, Lin Chan looked at Su Ruowan as though she was a monster. Everyone in the entertainment business knew how much Li Jingran loved Su Ruowan. Li Jingran gave Su Ruowan nothing but the best and would bring her along to every event. Li Jingran showered Su Ruowan with love.

    However, Su Ruowan bit the hand that fed her by delivering the fatal blow to the Su family while they were in crisis. It was a dirty move. Even Lin Chan, who was not a fan of Li Jingran and had been looking forward to her bad break, thought it was heartbreaking and began to pity Li Jingran. Although Li Jingran had iting and deserved no sympathy, Su Ruowan was pure evil.

    Lin Chan found it scary to be on the same set as Su Ruowan, afraid she might be stabbed in the back during an unsuspecting moment. If Su Ruowan could betray the family who raised her, what else was she not capable of?

    Looking apprehensive, the other members of the production team did not want to talk to Su Ruowan. It was hard to like someone like her.

    It never crossed Hu Zheng¡¯s mind that Su Ruowan would do such a thing. The first thought he had was that Su Ruowan had gone mad. What good would it do to her for adding fuel to fire?

    Hu Zheng finally understood when he saw the extremeizens, who hated the Su family, showing Su Ruowan support for ditching the Su family.

    Su Ruowan was turning the tide by cutting ties with the Su family. She paid inte shills and boosted the post as she painted a principled, conscientious, and upstanding image of herself that would not stand by the Su family just because they were family. It was a good move.

    At present, the public was brainwashed to think her betrayal was the Su family¡¯s karma. The Su family did not deserve any pity and Su Ruowan did the right thing. Everyone should be impartial like her.

    Taking a nce at Su Ruowan, Hu Zheng shuddered as a chilling sensation crawled under his skin. He wondered what was on Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s mind. Did she intend to keep Su Ruowan?

    Others might not know about it, but he was aware that Screenwriter Cloud Seven was Ms. Cai Ni. Ms. Cai Ni did not care for Li Jingran. Many people in showbiz were familiar with the incident where Li Jingran was knocked unconscious by rage on the red carpet.. He believed Screenwriter Cloud Seven would not let Su Ruowan stick around.

 Chapter 674 - Enjoy It to the Fullest

    <h4>Chapter 674: Enjoy It to the Fullest</h4>

    Sensing a gaze upon her, Su Ruowan turned her head to the source and noticed Hu Zheng nodding at her. She returned the nod before lowering her head to read thements on her Weibo post.

    Thank goodness many began to rally behind her because she forsook the Su family. At times, theizens could be simple-minded. They believed Su Ruowan was one of them as the enemy of their enemy was their friend and hence, chose to support Su Ruowan against onemon enemy.

    She made the right move!

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven would stand in her corner and support her. The only person Su Ruowan was counting on was Cloud Seven.

    The sky gradually darkened. The weather this year was colder and snowing more than usual. The snowstorm had been going on for a few days now.

    Having been waiting outside the Shen family¡¯s house the whole day, the Su family was hungry and cold. By nightfall, they still could not see the person they were waiting for.

    Su Muyan shivered in the freezing cold. For someone who grew up in luxury, he had never experienced such hardships. He turned to Su Yi and said, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s just climb over the wall. Isn¡¯t Shen Xi¡¯s house our house too?¡±

    Su Yi could not stand the chill, let alone Li Jingran. Her health would decline at this rate. Su Yi nced at the front door before nodding. ¡°You boys climb the wall. There¡¯s adder near the wall. Move thatdder here so your mom and I can get over the wall.

    They had to try something since their bank ounts were frozen, leaving them without a penny to stay at a hotel. It was either dying in the freezing cold or getting inside the Shen family¡¯s home.

    Su Muyan took one look at Li Jingran in Su Mushi¡¯s arms and then at Su Muxuan. ¡°Muxuan, you and me ¨C we¡¯ll climb over the walls.¡±

    No matter what, Shen Xi was their family. She could not just stand by and watch them die. Even if it was her intention, the Su family would not allow it to happen. They would tell the world that she was one of them, and the public would be critical of her refusal to help while they starved and froze to death.

    After all, China was a traditional country that ced filial piety above all. It was the children¡¯s duty to love and serve the parents.

    Su Mushi watched them as they approached the wall to find a spot to climb over. He then gazed at Li Jingran in his arms. ¡°Mom, we¡¯ll be home in a bit. It¡¯s going to be warm.¡±

    Li Jingran was burning up, shifting in and out of consciousness. She would cry on Su Yi in moments of lucidness, but most of the time, she was screaming and cursing Yuan Heng, Yuan Yu, and Shen Xi like a lunatic while passed out.

    Giving Li Jingran a look of disdain, Su Yi scoffed coldly. He stormed toward Su Muyan and Su Muxuan and urged them, ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    It had begun snowing again. Su Yi did not want to die in the cold before he got to Shen Xi.

    Stepping on Su Muxuan¡¯s shoulder, Su Muyan propped his hand on the wall and jumped over.

    Su Yi smiled with delight as he waited for thedder to be moved over. He must be the first to get in so he could keep warm and have a hearty meal.

    The next minute, Su Muyan¡¯s terrifying shrieks were hearding from the yard. Something was then thrown out and crashed near their feet.

    As the first to react, Su Muxuan widened his eyes in shock. That something that was wailing in pain on the floor was none other than Su Muyan who had just climbed over to the other side of the wall.

    In the courtyard, Fang Chu quietly sat with Toffeecito lying on hisp. Rubbing its furry head against Fang Chu¡¯s palms, Toffeecito meowed.

    Fang Chu curled a bloodthirsty smile as he whipped out the phone to report the situation to Li Yuan. [Fang Chu: Boss, Ms. Shen¡¯s a prophet. They came and I just tossed one out.]

    Li Yuan gazed at the iing text message and the opportunity Fang Chu did not miss to kiss his fairdy¡¯s ass. Li Yuan lifted his chin and looked at the girl who came out of the shower. ¡°The Su family¡¯s breaking into your house by climbing the wall. Do you want to call the cops to arrest them?¡±

    Shen Xi responded without hesitation. ¡°No. We¡¯d be making it easy for them if they were held at the police station. There¡¯s heating and food there.¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°I can make sure they don¡¯t get heating and food.¡±

    Shen Xi remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Let them freeze outside. Is it snowing now?¡±

    Li Yuan asked Fang Chu before bobbing his head. ¡°It just started snowing.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Great.¡±

    The Su family probably had never experienced such a thing in their entire life. Surely, it never crossed their minds that this would happen to them, so they should enjoy it to the fullest.

    That night was destined to be a sleepless night for many.

    The angry berating and painful groans ensued at the Shen family¡¯s doorway.

    As Su Muxuan helped Su Muyan up, Su Muyan contorted his face from the sharp paining from his leg. He was certain that his leg was broken.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s inside?¡± Furious and not at all worried, Su Yi turned ck in the face. However, his voice reflected desperation and affection when he shouted toward the yard. He was indeed an award-winning movie star. ¡°Xixi, is that you? Are you home? It¡¯s me, Dad.¡±

    All was quiet in the courtyard, giving way to the howling wind that chilled them to the bone.

    ¡°Dad.¡± Su Muyan gasped for air in agony while resentment brewed in his eyes. Livid, he gritted his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s not Shen Xi. It was a man with a few bodyguards.¡±

    He knew that Shen Xi was behind this even if she did notmit the act herself. Was the vile brat trying to resist them to the bitter end?

    ¡°Are you sent by Shen Xi?¡± Notpletely convinced by Su Muyan¡¯sment, Su Yi ruthlessly threatened, ¡°I¡¯m Shen Xi¡¯s father. We¡¯re her family. This is her home, so that makes it our home too. Who are you to be in our home? I¡¯m calling the cops to sue you for trespassing.¡±

    Sitting in the courtyard, Fang Chu patted Toffeecito¡¯s head and murmured as though he was talking to the cat and himself. ¡°I¡¯m so tempted to kill them.¡±

    He had always known that Ms. Shen was the Su family¡¯s biological daughter, but the said family mistreated and shunned her. Having lost all hope in the family, Ms. Shen cut ties with them.

    The Su family kicked Ms. Shen out, refusing to acknowledge thetter as part of the family when they got on the gravy train. Now that the family was broke and had nowhere to go, Ms. Shen conveniently became their daughter again..

 Chapter 675 - If They Had to Die, So Be It

    <h4>Chapter 675: If They Had to Die, So Be It</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At the end of the day, the Su family should just go to hell.

    ¡°Do you hear me? Hurry up, open the door and let us in.¡± Su Yi barked arrogantly as though he was the man of the house.

    ¡°Try me and walk in the door. I¡¯ll throw each one of you out.¡± Fang Chu finally broke the silence. His voice that bore a certain allure of gruffness rang in everyone¡¯s ear like a death curse amid the howling night.

    The murderous intent in the man¡¯s voice sent chills down Su Yi¡¯s spine. Shaking from head to toe, he tried to get a grip of himself as he convinced himself that Shen Xi¡¯s people would not harm him since he was Shen Xi¡¯s father. It was all a bluff. Su Yi remained lofty in attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! My daughter, Shen Xi, will go after you if youy a finger on me.¡±

    Without a word, Fang Chu merely burst outughing. His low guffaws echoed in the air with a chilling sadistic notion.

    Su Muyan gazed at Su Yi with a savage, resolute, and fearful look on his face. ¡°Dad, he has no qualms doing it. Why should we be kind when Shen Xi¡¯s treating us like this? Worstes to worst, we can all go down together if she still refuses to show up.¡±

    The Su family was left with nothing. All their assets, reputation, career, and hope were gone. They had nothing to lose. If they had to die, so be it.

    However, Shen Xi was a different story. She had a bright future ahead of her and adoptive parents whom she cared for, so she must be reluctant to forgo all of this. If they exposed her identity, she would be forced to board the same sinking ship. They were going to take Shen Xi down with them.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Su Yi was aware of that fact. He did not want to sh his trump card to threaten Shen Xi unless absolutely necessary.

    Now was not the time. He needed to get to Shen Xi and discussed with her the pros and cons to sway her with reasoning and emotions. She would know the right choice to make if she was not stupid.

    If she remained headstrong against his request and decided to ignore blood ties, he could then pull out his trump card.

    ¡°Dad, why are you still hesitating?¡± Frustrated, Su Muyan pointed at his leg. ¡°Her men broke my leg and yet you still have expectations she¡¯d do right by us. She won¡¯t help us. I¡¯d get on my knees and beg her if she does.¡±

    Shen Xi and his so-called friends were all the same. His best buddies bailed on him, refusing to even loan them money for a hotel stay when the Su family was facing bankruptcy. Su Muyan had a good idea of how the world went around now.

    Su Muyan was willing to give anything to revive the Su family to their former glory.

    Su Muxuan took a few deep breaths to muster the courage before solemnly uttering, ¡°Dad, Mom¡¯s having a fever. It¡¯s cold out here. I¡¯m afraid she might notst any longer. Muyan¡¯s leg is broken and needs treatment right away. We have to go with Muyan¡¯s idea.¡±

    Red streaks ran all over Su Yi¡¯s eyes as aplex of emotions overwhelmed him. ncing at his wife and sons at the door, he clenched his fists and made a decision. ¡°You people in there, listen up! I know you can get in touch with Shen Xi. Tell her that if she doesn¡¯t meet us and provide us with help, we¡¯ll expose her true identity to the media by morning.¡±

    People would talk and rumors could be fatal. There were many keyboard warriors attacking their family online and Shen Xi, as their daughter, would not be spared of the same fate since she shared their bloodline. Shen Xi would end up like them ¨C berated and boycotted.

    If that were to happen, her life and career would be over. Then Shen Xi would be implicated and dragged down to hell alongside them.

    It was not known whether the people in the courtyard heard Su Yi as they did not give a response.

    The bitter snowy night resumed its serenity with snowkes fluttering down in the background.

    Su Yi, who camped out in the neighborhood¡¯s parking lot, arrived once more at Shen Xi¡¯s home first thing in the morning. He was about to shout when footsteps trailed behind him. It was a tall man in a suit, holding a package in hand.

    The man soon drew close and handed over a package. ¡°Mr. Su. Ms. Shen asked me to give you this.¡±

    Su Yi knew what it was at a nce. It was money. With the Su family bankrupting, the family had their bank ounts frozen. They could not use their cards or perform bank transfers. They could only use cash.

    After taking the money, Su Yi was back to his bossy self. ¡°When did she say she¡¯ll meet me?¡±

    The man looked at him. ¡°Ms. Shen is busy at the moment and will return next week. Please wait another two days.¡±

    Pleased, Su Yi nodded his head. He could tell that there was at least 100 thousand yuan in cash tost the family until next week. At least she knew how to take the hint.

    The man watched Su Yi take off with the money before making his way to a car parked nearby. Gazing at the man cuddling with a cat in the car, he asked, ¡°Mr. Fang, why must Ms. Shen give him money?¡±

    Fang Chu smiled while gently stroking Toffeecito in his arms. ¡°Only with hope would men suffer at the arrival of despair.¡±

    It was na?ve for the Su family to turn on Ms. Shen. God knows if they would regret having ever lived when they were to find out that Ms. Shen¡¯s man was Boss.

    There was no heating in the parking lot, but the ce sheltered them from the wind and snow.

    Su Yi returned with the money carrying a skip in his steps and a smile on his face.

    Su Mushi went up to him. ¡°Dad, did Shen Xie?¡±

    Su Yi grinned. ¡°She had someone give me 100 thousand yuan.¡±

    With his eyes lighting up, Su Muxuan wickedly said in delight, ¡°Now she¡¯s scared. We should look for her next.¡±

    He knew it. Of course, Shen Xi would feel fear. She was a girl who did not know better anyway. Look, she caved in at the slightest intimidation.

    Su Mushi paused before turning to Su Yi. Resentment was surging behind his eyes. ¡°Dad, give me a thousand yuan. I need to look for Su Ruowan.¡±

    It was time for payback.. Even if he had to go to the ends of the earth, Su Mushi had to question Su Ruowan in the face. Why did she betray them at a time like this? He wanted to kill her!

 Chapter 676 - He Has It Worse

    <h4>Chapter 676: He Has It Worse</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was bustling on the set of Lady Luck as the production team had begun work. They were acting as though it was a wrap because Screenwriter Cloud Seven posted on Weibo.

    Ever since Cloud Seven¡¯s debut, he had be the hottest screenwriter in showbiz. The screenwriter did not have a Weibo ount, much less ever post on social media. Fans had toment and private message the production team¡¯s official handle to pass any message.

    This was Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s first registered Weibo ount and first post. The post dictated that he would be holding a press conference at 2:00 PM on Sunday, which would be two dayster. He would be addressing the recent doubts and questions thatizens had about Lady Luck.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven posted on Weibo at the height of Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s scandal. It did not cause much of a stir then because all eyes were on Su Yi and Li Jingran.

    However, the insiders, media, cast, director, and writers were eagerly waiting to put a face to Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s name.

    Many were aware that Screenwriter Cloud Seven was going to address Su Ruowan¡¯s fate as the supporting actress. She had been the center of controversy since the audition day.

    While discussing Screenwriter Cloud Seven, the cast and production crew would from time to time steal a nce at Su Ruowan, who was memorizing her lines alone in a corner.

    After the dirt on Li Jingran and Su Yi broke out, and Su Ruowan¡¯s post to rify her rtionship with the Su family, there had been tension on set. The people stopped talking to Su Ruowan, not even engaging in small talks.

    Su Ruowan memorized her lines and picked up her phone to check thetest gossip, hoping to read that the Su family was done for. Yet, nothing. She started to worry and be scared.

    What was going on with Shen Xi? Su Ruowan believed that Shen Xi, the b*tch, had something to do with the Su family¡¯s downfall. The b*tch should be delivering a crushing defeat by now so the Su family could not get back on their feet.

    No one knew better than her how much Shen Xi hated the Su family. If Su Ruowan was in Shen Xi¡¯s shoes, she would finish the family off and be done with it.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi did nothing of that sort. Apart from the news of the Su family¡¯s bankruptcy, seizure of assets, and loss of home, Su Ruowan did not find the good news she was waiting for, such as the death of the Su family.

    The Su family must hate her guts now that she had betrayed them. Su Ruowan would be going down if they were not dead. The Su family was not going to let it slide and would being for her.

    Back in the writer¡¯s room, Shen Xi observed everything on set through cameras. She curled her lips with intrigue when Su Ruowan came on her screen.

    She gave Su Yi 100 thousand yuan. With the money in hand, who among the Su family would be getting even with Su Ruowan? Su Muxuan, Su Muyan, or Su Mushi? Well, it was about to get rough for Su Ruowan regardless of who wasing over.

    The door to the writer¡¯s room was suddenly pushed open.

    Turning over, Shen Xi let out a bright smile and cheerfully ran over to hug the person. She softly mewed, ¡°Brother.¡¯

    Li Yuan responded to her call. Holding a cup of bubble tea, he smiled at her. ¡°Has the filming started?¡±

    Instead of grabbing the bubble tea, Shen Xi reached out to remove his sunsses and saw the bruising on his left eye. Pulling a sour face, she eerily uttered, ¡°Who did it?¡±

    ¡°I went to meet with Fu Qingli.¡± Li Yuan extended his arm to seize the girl from touching his eye. He soothed her with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Furrowing the brows of her grimacing face, Shen Xi put down the bubble tea without a word. She told Kun Lun to buy some boiled eggs as there was nothing to ease the swelling in the equipment-filled writer¡¯s room.

    Kun Lun soon returned with a few piping hot eggs. Without another look at the pair in the room, he took off to give them space. He knew when his presence was not wanted.

    Half an hour ago, Boss went to get bubble tea for Ms. Shen. While out and about, he ran into Fu Qingli¡¯s assistant, Xu Xu, and went with thetter to the tea house across the road.

    By the time Boss came out, he was with a ck eye. Needless to say, he had a fight with someone, and that someone was Fu Qingli.

    Boss had a physical altercation and was hit in the face. Kun Lun never thought he would see this daye. However, he did not have the nerve to say or ask about it.

    Shen Xi waited until Kun Lun went out and closed the door behind him before pressing Li Yuan down by the shoulder to lie down on the sofa. Putting on a straight face, she looked at him. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    The age of these two men added together was half a century old, yet Li Yuan and Fu Qingli got into a fight. Sure, they fought, but why did it have to be on the face? Shen Xi¡¯s heart was aching.

    Li Yuan knew that his fairdy was mad. The girl said nothing except begrudgingly asking the person behind it since he stepped into the room. Despite Li Yuan¡¯s intentions to exin, the girl shot him an angry look. Li Yuan listened to her order and closed his eyes. It took a while before he said, ¡°He has it worse.¡±

    His smug tone caught Shen Xi in stitches. ¡°Attaboy!¡±

    Was he a child? She told him that she wanted to beat Fu Qingli up because she was upset. To think Li Yuan actually pulled a punch because of a passing remark.

    Li Yuan gasped in pain to gain sympathy. Narrowing his right eye, he stared at the girl and aggrievedly muttered, ¡°Are you feeling sorry for him?¡±

    Although grinding her teeth, Shen Xi went soft on him. Still, she was annoyed. ¡°You can¡¯t even beat him in a fight.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled, knowing the girl was not feeling sorry for Fu Qingli but him. He promised her. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to get hurt next time.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned. ¡°Who started it?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°We went at it at the same time.¡±

    He kept in mind to beat Fu Qingli up if he ever saw thetter. To his surprise, Fu Qingli shared the same thought. Otherwise, Li Yuan would not be caught off guard by the punch.

    Fu Qingli was no match to him when it came to fighting.

    Shen Xi was curious. ¡°You guys had the same idea, huh?¡±

    Although Li Yuan did mention giving Fu Qingli a good whack, Shen Xi was surprised he actually did it. Nevertheless, why did Fu Qingli do the same?

    Li Yuan uttered, ¡°He knows I spent the night in your roomst night.¡±

    Shen Xi furrowed her brows. ¡°Has he been watching me?¡±

    Did Fu Qingli not have better things to do? He should be using the time to pursue the mastermind instead.

    ¡°To protect you.¡± Li Yuan was not taking Fu Qingli¡¯s side.. He merely stated the facts as it was beneath him to lie or conceal the truth from her.

 Chapter 677 - Su Mushiâ€™s Coming

    <h4>Chapter 677: Su Mushi¡¯s Coming</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi paused in motion and asked, ¡°Is Fu Qingli onto something?¡±

    Li Yuan shook her head while his voice carried a chilling undertone. ¡°We¡¯re not making much progress so we¡¯re switching leads.¡±

    The mastermind was indeed once behind the disappearance of his fairdy and Mr. Jin Yu. Their execution was squeaky clean and left no trace. Otherwise, Fu Qingli, despite his ipetency, would have found something by now.

    Nevertheless, he could deduce based on recent investigations that the perpetrator was coldblooded and would stop at nothing. His fairdy¡¯s sudden appearance seemed to be unexpected in the perpetrator¡¯s ns.

    They wanted her dead back then but somehow, the culprit was unsessful, so his fairdy ran free. The recent event was the perpetrator¡¯s doing again.

    The mastermind must not have known much sooner than Fu Qingli did about Shen Xi. Hence, they were trying to get to Shen Xi before Fu Qingli found her. Dead men told no tales, after all.

    Shen Xi said nothing as she fell into deep thought. The perpetrator must be deep undercover if Li Yuan and Fu Qingli could not get to them. To be able to prey on her and Uncle Jin Yu, she suspected that they must be lurking around the Fu family.

    Li Yuan studied the girl¡¯s solemn face and read her mind. ¡°I think you¡¯ve figured out who this person is. It has to be someone who can get close to you and Uncle Jin Yu, which means they¡¯re someone close to the Fu family.¡±

    The Fu family was a huge household. Although immediate family members were scarce, there were way too many extended members who were vying to get ahead and take power. It could be any one of them.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded. It was without a doubt.

    Surely, if she and Li Yuan could think of it, Fu Qingli must have thought the same.

    That mastermind had to be caught. It would be a bigger problem if the perpetrator was not arrested and went deeper into hiding.

    While the pair were in conversation about whoever was behind it, theputer screen disyed the sudden chaos that befell the set. A woman was screaming.

    Shen Xi looked over and saw Su Mushi¡¯s menacing and murderous expression as he said something to Su Ruowan. He approached Su Ruowan and pulled her away by the hair.

    In tears, Su Ruowan pleaded for him to let go and begged the people around to save her from Su Mushi. However, it only prompted Su Mushi to mp tighter to her hair and drag her forward.

    Sitting on the sidelines, the intrigued onlookers did note forth to stop him.

    Li Yuan viewed the monitor and asked, ¡°Do you want to go over?¡±

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi observed the screen in contempt. After Su Ruowan was hauled out of view, she offhandedly said, ¡°No.¡±

    Su Mushi was not a nice guy. It was unlike Su Mushi to leave Su Ruowan alone after his beloved sister had forsaken them while the family was drowning in debt. He might just beat her to death. Shen Xi was going to let them tear into each other.

    On set, the cast and staff members watched Su Mushi drag Su Ruowan away before exchanging nces and whispering among themselves.

    It was their family affair. No one wanted to poke their nose and get themselves into the mess.

    Su Ruowan was a heartless ingrate to disassociate herself from the Su family on the same day the family bankrupted. Anyone who was abandoned by those dearest to them during their hardest, let alone the Su family, would not be able to take the betrayal sitting down.

    The Su family might be wicked, but they were still the family who raised Su Ruowan. Although Li Jingran and Su Yi let the whole world down, they always did right by her. It was scary to think Su Ruowan was ruthless by nature.

    With Su Ruowan¡¯s cries for help soon fading into the background, calm returned to the set.

    Hu Zheng instructed the crew to get ready as though the earlier scene had never happened.

    Su Mushi forcibly yanked Su Ruowan all the way out, turning a blind ear to her crying pleas. Once they reached a quiet ce, he hurled her to the ground, but his hand still held tightly to her hair and was unafraid to rip her scalp off as he stared her down. ¡°Su Ruowan, why are you doing this? When did we ever do you wrong?¡±

    Su Ruowan stopped all the yelling. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she was forced to look up to him. She groaned in agony as the pain set in, albeit her head became clearer. She tried to find the words. ¡°Mushi, I only did it for the good of the family.¡±

    Beyond livid, Su Mushiughed and tugged her hair to make her stand up. Gazing at her blue and purple face, he growled through clenched teeth, ¡°For the good of the family?¡±

    She had not lost her silver tongue to talk her way out of it. Did she think he and the family would still believe her?

    ¡°I did it for our family.¡± Su Ruowan gave him a hurtful look while she ran scenarios of chopping Su Mushi to bits and cussed Shen Xi for her inability to destroy the Su family in her mind. Between wails, Su Ruowan exined, ¡°I only did it to remain in showbiz so I can pay off the family¡¯s debt and repay Mom and Dad for raising me.

    ¡°Mushi, I¡¯m not ungrateful. Think about it. Who else can bring home the money if I¡¯m tied with you? What will happen to you, Mom, Dad, Muxuan, and Muyan? We¡¯d be done for.¡±

    She recalled that fallen businesses would have their valuables seized by the courts. The bank ounts would be frozen while identification cards were sealed from any ess. Travel would not be possible either.

    Su Mushi was penniless, and his identification card was also frozen. How was he able toe all the way here?

    ¡°Do you think I would believe you?¡± Su Mushi yanked her hair with one hand and strangled her neck with the other. As madness and resentment ran rampant in his eyes, he choked her with all his might.

    Su Ruowan appeared to have resigned to her fate as she closed her eyes and let him have his way. She could not resist because she needed Su Mushi to believe her. Otherwise, she was dead meat.

    She trusted her acting should be able to fool a brainless nipoop like Su Mushi. He would not try anything on her.

    ¡°B*tch! You¡¯re a heartless b*tch! I was good to you! I really thought of you as my own sister!¡± Su Mushi hysterically yelled, acting out all his emotions.

    He was hovering at the edge of insanity as he got her in a death grip with bloodshot eyes.. The only thing in his mind was the shuddering thrill from killing her and watching her struggle and cry.

 Chapter 678 - â€™ll Kill You!

    <h4>Chapter 678: I¡¯ll Kill You!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The Su family shunned, outcasted, and drove Shen Xi away to protect Su Ruowan and her feelings. Yet, this was what they got in return. Su Ruowan was a heartless and ungrateful b*tch.

    Su Ruowan panicked when she saw the brewing insanity and resentment in Su Mushi¡¯s eyes. She knew that Su Mushi hadpletely lost it.

    She tried to put up a fight, s it was toote. She had trouble finding her breath as the suffocation was blurring her vision.

    Su Ruowan struggled hard, yet she could not break free. With death drawing close, she widened her eyes and looked Su Mushi dead in the eye.

    Su Mushi bellowed like a wild animal,ughing menacingly and crazily. He locked her in a death stare while mumbling, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Passing security personnel were in for a shock when they witnessed the scene. Someone ran up to them while another called for help. It took quite an effort to hold the delirious Su Mushi down.

    Following the incident, the police soon arrived.

    Having been restrained, Su Mushi fought to shake them off as he gave Su Ruowan a dirty look as she gradually regained consciousness. He looked like he wanted to eat her up alive.

    Su Ruowan sat on the ground against a tree to take the edge off. She seemed to have hit her head during the struggle as blood spilled all over her face. Looking at the iing police, she shivered in fear and wailed. ¡°Officers, please help me. He¡¯s trying to kill me. Lock him up and don¡¯t let him out to hurt anyone anymore.¡±

    A good-for-nothing like Su Mushi had the nerve to attack her and tried to kill her. The thought of what happened earlier drew her desire to destroy him.

    Like a cornered vicious beat, Su Mushi squared up to Su Ruowan. With an ominous expression, he guffawed psychotically at her words. ¡°Su Ruowan, you wicked b*tch! Was your conscience fed to the dogs? You¡¯ll rot in hell! I¡¯lle back as a ghost and haunt you! Just you wait!¡±

    The Su family made the mistake of raising this hard-hearted b*tch. Ironically, they loved her and spoiled her like a princess.

    Su Mushi was filled with regrets, wishing he could turn back time. He should have smothered her to death before she grew up so she never had the chance to do evil and betray them.

    The policemen looked at the pair. It was hard to tell what the man looked like as his face was bleeding from fingernail scratches. The woman was also covered in blood from bumping her head. They cuffed Su Mushi who had the intent to cause injury to prevent another distraught episode.

    The relevant production crew members rushed over as well. Hu Zheng, the director, had a feeling something might happen but never thought it would escte so quickly. Su Ruowan, nearly dying in the hands of Su Mushi, was answering the police¡¯s questions.

    The policemented after learning the pair¡¯s identity from Hu Zheng. The Su family¡¯s scandal was such a big deal that the news spread to those who paid no attention to the entertainment industry. The whole family was bad news, and here they were, going at each other¡¯s throats.

    ¡°You two shoulde to the police station. We¡¯ll deal with the matter there.¡± The police officers gazed at the pair.

    Su Ruowan shook her tear- and blood-stained face. ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m the victim and he¡¯s the killer. You should arrest him and lock him up.¡±

    Su Mushi had settled down by then. Once the initial agitation and anger wilted, all that was left was bitter resentment. His mind had run countless scenarios of finishing Su Ruowan. He turned to the policemen and said, ¡°Mr. Officer, she¡¯s my sister. This is our family affair. We¡¯ll handle it ourselves.¡±

    He knew for a fact that Su Ruowan wanted him dead. To get him locked up was not the end goal. She had more tricks up her sleeve waiting for him.

    Thus, he had to figure out a way to kill her before she struck.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Su Ruowan denied. ¡°I¡¯m not rted to their family whatsoever. Mr. Officer, I want to sue him for attempted murder. You have to stand up for me. He has lost his mind. He¡¯ll kill me.¡±

    ¡°Officer, sir, she¡¯s my sister. I love her the most and would never harm her. Why would I kill or hurt her? Don¡¯t listen to one side of the story. We merely got into a small fight.¡± Su Mushi was not going to give Su Ruowan any more chances. His voice bore a strange glum as he turned to smile at her.

    Su Ruowan was freaked out by the eerie smile. He looked like the devil crawling out from hell bearing a chilling grudge and resentment. She knew she had to resolve the matter immediately.

    As long as Su Mushi and the Su family were alive on earth, she would have to look over her shoulder every second. By whatever means, she had to take care of the Su family once and for all before she could have peace of mind.

    It was his word against hers and vice versa. Since there were no witnesses and the ce was a blind spot from the surveince, the police were unable to determine who was at fault. In the end, they took the pair to the police station.

    Standing at the outer edge of the crowd, Shen Xi curled her lips and waved as Su Ruowan got into the police car.

    Su Ruowan was left dumbstruck. Through the window, she could see the smug look on Shen Xi¡¯s face. Thetter was taunting and mocking her. She knew it.

    Standing by Shen Xi was the handsome man that was said to be her boyfriend. With the man¡¯s emotionless gaze falling on Su Ruowan, she was overtaken by shuddering fear.

    For a moment, all the hatred and jealousy rushed through her veins and straight to her head. It felt as though her head was about to explode.

    Shen Xi, that b*tch, was still on the set. Who was she to ridicule her? Did Shen Xi think the Su family would spare her for leaving them alone?

    It was just a matter of time before Shen Xi had theming to her. Su Ruowan expected the Su family to bite onto Shen Xi like a rabid dog. It was best if they fought to the bitter end which could result in mutual destruction.

    Su Ruowan could then emerge as Shen Xi¡¯s sister to im her everything ¨C her assets and man would be hers to keep.

    Shen Xi did not deserve that fine man, nor was she worthy to wait on him. Only Su Ruowan would make the best partner to a man like that.. Su Ruowan would definitely get her man.

 Chapter 679 - Fatal Blow

    <h4>Chapter 679: Fatal Blow</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The police soon left the scene.

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan held the girl¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What do you n on doing next?¡±

    Giving it a thought, Shen Xi tilted her head and smiled at him. ¡°Bail Su Mushi out.¡±

    Su Mushi was a lunatic now. Su Ruowan would feel the fear if the lunatic was out.

    Snowkes fluttered in the air and piled up in a thickyer of snow. This year¡¯s winter was colder, and the snow was heavier than usual.

    Sitting in the caravan parked in front of the police station, Shen Xi leaned against Li Yuan¡¯s shoulder while watching Su Ruowan walk out of the ce. She then nced at Kun Lun who was in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Kun Lun, go and bail him out.¡±

    Su Ruowan¡¯s wicked eyes nced around before pausing at the caravan. In the end, she made a beeline to the curb and hailed a cab. She got into the cab and took off.

    The police would not detain the piece of sh*t, Su Mushi, for long. Su Ruowan needed to find Shen Xi to work together as she trusted Shen Xi wanted the Su family dead like her.

    Su Ruowan never thought she would see the daye when she would have to partner with Shen Xi, the b*tch. She wanted nothing more than to rip Shen Xi apart with her bare hands every time thetter¡¯s face came into mind.

    Her original n was to let Shen Xi and the Su family get at each other¡¯s throats while she waited in the background for the finishing blow. Yet now, Su Ruowan would not be able to get rid of the Su family alone without Shen Xi¡¯s help.

    Su Ruowan had to grin and bear until her cooperation with Shen Xi paid off before she could get to Shen Xi next.

    No sooner had Su Ruowan left in a taxi than Kun Lun ordered one of his men to bail Su Mushi out. He also gave Su Mushi money, a gun, and a room key that was marked with Su Ruowan¡¯s name.

    Su Mushi thought it was weird when he got the stuff. However, anger and animosity flooded his mind and ate away his reason, leaving only one thing on his mind ¨C kill Su Ruowan.

    Soon, he hailed a taxi to get to the hotel. He had it nned out. He was going to hide in Su Ruowan¡¯s room and scare her with a fatal blow when she walked in.

    Standing outside, Kun Lun watched Su Mushi leave in the car before getting into the caravan and respectably inquiring, ¡°Boss, Ms. Shen, where to next?¡±

    Shen Xi let out a yawn. Clinging to Li Yuan¡¯s arm, she listlessly replied, ¡°Back to the hotel.¡±

    Since the girl kept yawning, Li Yuan asked with a smile, ¡°Tired?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°These two days have been an overload on my mind. It¡¯s New Year¡¯s Day in two days. Let¡¯s travel after that.¡±

    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± Li Yuan reached out to gently tuck her hair behind her ear.

    ¡°Anywhere¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Xi looked at him with smiley eyes. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Li Yuan responded with a tender curl across his lips. However, worry flickered in his eyes.

    They could only dream about traveling together because Uncle Shen did not have full confidence in him to agree for them to be alone together.

    The one-week time limit Fu Qingli talked about coincided with New Year¡¯s Day. Shen Xi would probably return to the Fu family¡¯s arms, and she would have a lot on her hands then.

    During the couple¡¯s journey from the police to the hotel, Shen Xi was so worn out that she fell asleep while on the road.

    With the caring to a stop, Li Yuan gazed at the sleeping beauty in his arms and wrapped her tightly in a jacket. He carried her down the car and into the hotel room.

    Shen Xi was startled awake by a gunshot next door at around eleven at night. She opened her eyes and saw the man kneeling by the bed and lovingly covering her ears.

    Looking at the girl, Li Yuan affectionately soothed her nerves. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Shen Xi nuzzled against his palm like a kitten after a good nap. Her voice was raspy, having just woken up. ¡°Progress on Su Ruowan?¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°I heard the gunshot. Kun Lun went to check on it.¡±

    The hallway was a total rat¡¯s nest when the shot was fired. The cast members were startled by the gunshot as they were leaving the elevator after the production crew had called it a day. Screams and shrieks of horror ensued and it seemed toe from Su Ruowan¡¯s room.

    As the veteran of the group, Lin Chan calmly called Hu Zheng, the director, and hotel reception, following the screams. She also stopped those curious eyes from trying to take a closer look at the situation.

    If her guess was right, the noise was a gunshot. They might be harmed by the person who was armed should they go there. This was no small matter. They needed professionals to handle this.

    However, it did not take long before the door was open. Out came Su Ruowan covered in blood from head to toe. As though her soul had left her body, she crawled out of there in tears and was too frightened to say a word.

    Lin Chan and the rest thought Su Ruowan had taken a shot. Someone wanted to go ahead and help her, but they were afraid the killer might rush out of there with a gun and shoot them. Everybody valued their life. Not many would risk their lives to save others for a righteous cause.

    The hotel¡¯s security personnel quickly made haste after receiving the call from Lin Chan, albeit they had no weapons to defend against the armed killer. Barging in there would not help them save the person and they might also lose their lives. Hence, no one dared to move ahead.

    Su Ruowan had dragged herself to the corridor, bringing along a trail of blood behind her. Her room was pitch dark as the light was not turned on. No one knew what the situation was inside or whether the perpetrator had left.

    Fortunately, they were in a five-star hotel. The special police on patrol arrived and took Su Ruowan to a safe ce. After ensuring she had not been shot, they warned the person inside and proceeded to enter the room.

    Through the hallway¡¯s illumination, they could see a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The man was not moving at all.

    The special police checked around the room to make sure it was safe before flipping the man over. He was shot in the chest and still breathing, but he waspletely unconscious.

    By the time Shen Xi opened the door, the fiasco next door was drawing to an end. As the blood-stained Su Mushi was carried away on a stretcher, Shen Xi frowned and whispered, ¡°Su Mushi¡¯s useless.¡±

    He lurked in the hotel room with a weapon to give Su Ruowan the fatal blow. Yet, he was killed by Su Ruowan instead. There was no use for a good-for-nothing like him to be alive.

    Li Yuan darted a cold look at Su Mushi. The Su family would have been dead by now if it were not because his fairdy wanted to have a little fun. Nevertheless, the family cutting each other¡¯s throats took Li Yuan by surprise.. His fairdy sure read the Su family¡¯s evil nature down to the tee.

 Chapter 680 - The B*tchâ€™s Out to Get Her

    <h4>Chapter 680: The B*tch¡¯s Out to Get Her</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Be it the Su family¡¯s biological son Su Mushi or adopted daughter Su Ruowan, they were ruthless animals all the same.

    Even a dog would wag its tail at its master. What was the point of raising Su Ruowan? She would only mercilessly bite the hand that fed her when it came to the crunch.

    Watching the heinous crime unfold before their eyes, some of the timid onlookers in the corridor covered their mouths as they gasped sharply and looked away.

    Those who were brave got a load of Su Mushi being carried away and Su Ruowan shivering under a nket against the wall. Feeling a mix of emotions, they felt a creepy sensation under their skin.

    The siblings had turned against each other. Su Mushi tried to kill Su Ruowan after his failed attempt in the morning. Still, he was not sessful and was shot instead. It was not known whether he was dead or alive.

    Su Mushi might be bad news, but Su Ruowan was one to look out for too. Otherwise, a vulnerable girl like her would be defenseless against Su Mushi.

    Taking a nce at Shen Xi, Lin Chan nodded at her but was unable to squeeze in a smile. She never imagined that filming a TV series would invite so much trouble.

    Jesus. Li Jingran and Su Yi were monsters while the daughter they raised was an antisocial psychopath. Su Ruowan and Su Mushi were both maniacs.

    Thank goodness the siblings onlyid hands on each other instead of society. Otherwise, countless lives may be lost if Su Mushi held the gun at the production team.

    Shen Xi gave a friendly nod back before closing the door to her room.

    Kun Lun already sent the information and photos of the crime to his men. His men took a bit of time to organize the intel and post online. The headlines that came out of nowhere dethroned Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s scandal as the top trending spot for a change.

    Theizens were back to keyboard warrior mode. They thought the doors were closing for Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s skeletons in the closet, but the fact was, it was only the beginning. The news only got better with one scoop after another. The climatic narratives were in line with a clich¨¦ TV series of the rich and famous.

    In the presidential suite, Li Yuanid out the supper delivered by Kun Lun on the table. Gazing at the girl who was nestled on the sofa and scrolling through the news on her phone, he softly uttered, ¡°Have something to eat and look at itter.¡±

    She had been sleeping until now since he did not want to wake her from her sweet dreams. Shen Xi must be hungry after sleeping through dinner.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi perked her nose for a sniff. She looked at him and mewed, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s switch hotels. Su Mushi ruined the hotel¡¯s fengshui.¡±

    Most importantly, the Su family¡¯s foul blood spread a disgusting stank in the air. It made her sick to her stomach. It was best to leave the ce the soonest.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan nced at the food on the table and frowned. A clear chilling glint shed past his eyes. They could not eat the good food as it was polluted now. He approached the girl. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a meal and book a hotel after that.¡±

    ¡°The caravan¡¯s good enough.¡± Shen Xi grinned from ear to ear. It was an easy choice.

    They were in the only five-star hotel in the city. The other amodations were chained motels. Knowing the hygienic conditions and amenities of these motels, they might as well stay in the caravan.

    The crowd in the hallway dispersed as soon as Su Mushi was lifted away in a stretcher. Su Ruowan was the only one left there sliding to the ground and crying without a word.

    Kneeling by Su Ruowan, a middle-aged policewoman talked to her to ease her nerves. Nevertheless, the policewoman had more doubts than sympathy for Su Ruowan.

    The Su family¡¯s dirty linen rocked themunity to its core. The policewoman surmised that Su Ruowan¡¯s post to disassociate herself from the Su family made Su Mushi see red. He came to confront her, but with the talk going south, he wanted to take revenge by killing her in a fit of rage. It all made sense.

    However, the person who ended up unconscious from a gunshot wound was not Su Ruowan but Su Mushi. She wondered how a delicate girl like Su Ruowan was able to reverse the situation and kill Su Mushi in return.

    Su Ruowan was crying out loud when her eyes suddenly shifted to the end of the corridor.

    The policewoman followed her gaze and noticed a couple drawing close.

    The girl was bundled up, revealing only her eyes and nose. Her face was not visible, but judging by her bearing, it was clear she was a beautiful woman. The girl clung sweetly to the man¡¯s arm.

    The man was more than good-looking and had a refined mien to him. He wore a long ck trench coat paired with a red scarf while carrying a suitcase in one hand. With downcast eyes, he talked to the girl with an affectionate smile across his lips.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Out of the blue, Su Ruowan stood up and shouted as though she had gone mad. She charged toward Shen Xi and gave her the evil eye. She yelled, ¡°Did you do this? You got Su Mushi out to kill me!¡±

    Without giving Su Ruowan the time of day, Shen Xi pulled Li Yuan to walk along.

    ¡°It was you. It must be you.¡± Hot with emotions, Su Ruowan screeched hysterically.

    Cooperation was no longer in the cards. Su Ruowan was dying to slice Shen Xi apart and feed her to the dogs.

    Su Ruowan dwelled in her thoughts for a long time before figuring out the meaning behind the look Shen Xi gave her when she got into the police car this morning. Shen Xi must have put a stick in the wheels and somehow got the Su family toe after her.

    ¡°Please keep an eye on her.¡± With callous eyes, Li Yuan¡¯s tone carried an unquestionablemand. He stared at the two special police officers who were restraining Su Ruowan.

    ¡°I know it was you. Why did you do this to me?¡± Su Ruowan eximed rashly while fighting to break free from the police. By the looks of her eyes and actions, she wanted to eat Shen Xi up alive. ¡°You got away with it. Are you happy now?¡±

    Su Ruowan believed it had been a trap Shen Xi had set up since the start for her to fall into.

    She betrayed the Su family. There was no turning back the moment she fired the gun at Su Mushi. It was her against the world.

    Yet now, there was nothing more Su Ruowan could do. She watched as Shen Xi got into the elevator and disappeared out of sight as the doors closed.

    ¡°Shen Xi!¡± Su Ruowan growled frantically. Gaining strength from sheer will, she shook off the police and charged toward the elevator. She struggled to pry open the elevator doors.

    Shen Xi. The b*tch was out to get her. It was clear that Shen Xi had Su Mushie over to kill her. It must be Shen Xi. Su Ruowan felt it in her gut.

    She wanted to kill Shen Xi!

 Chapter 681 - Shen Xiâ€™s the Mastermind of It All

    <h4>Chapter 681: Shen Xi¡¯s the Mastermind of It All</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The special force quickly restrained Su Ruowan before she could do anything else. Su Ruowan was handcuffed to prevent another outburst. They did notice her calling a name. Who was Shen Xi?

    Su Ruowan quieted down. She cleared her mind to focus on how shended in this situation. Why was everything out of her control?

    In the end, she concluded that it was as she had suspected during her confrontation with Shen Xi. The Su family¡¯s downward spiral began because of the three-billion-yuan debt from Su Mushi¡¯s betting stunt. The payment caused a massive gap in the Su family¡¯s capital chain, leading up to bigger problems and unrecoverable business operations.

    Everything started from the betting tform, and the instigator of the wager was the international ss students, which involved Shen Xi. Although the Su family knew that Shen Xi had something to do with it, they had no proof against her.

    Now Su Ruowan was sure that Shen Xi was the mastermind behind it all.

    Amid Su Ruowan¡¯s silence, the policewoman softly uttered, ¡°Ms. Su, do you feel better? Pleasee with us to the police station if you¡¯re feeling better. We need to record your statement.¡±

    They had seen the hotel¡¯s surveince video. It could basically be confirmed that Su Mushi hid in Su Ruowan¡¯s room to attack her when she was back. s, he failed in his attempt and was shot instead.

    The development of events was not known as there was no surveince in the hotel room. Su Mushi was still being tended to in the emergency unit while Su Ruowan had been quiet and not herself since the rescue. They needed her to give her version of what had transpired.

    Su Ruowan nodded. Clenching onto the hem of her clothes, she lowered her head to hide the rampaging animosity in her eyes. She had to think of her next steps to get herself out of the mess.

    She shot Su Mushi and had no idea whether he was dead or alive. Since the Su family loathed the sight of her, they would not forgive her even if she made up a fancy story and pleaded to them on her knees.

    At this point, she only had herself and Screenwriter Cloud Seven to rely on. Cloud Seven would be holding his first press conference tomorrow. Surely, he would publicly back her up and stand on her side.

    The Su family soon caught wind of Su Mushi taking a hit.

    Su Yi was getting ready for bed after a good soak. Now that he knew Shen Xi was afraid, she would definitely help them out of their financial troubles. Su Yi could rest knowing that.

    Ultimately, he could count on his biological daughter, unlike Su Ruowan, the little sh*t, who could not wait to cut ties with the Su family after they bankrupted. She even threw mud at Muyan.

    Su Yi hoped Mushi would straighten Su Ruowan out, preferably beating the heartless brute to death. She was less than an animal to repay the Su family the way she did despite them raising her.

    He had just stepped into the living room when there was a knock on the door. It was his eldest son, Su Muxuan. Su Yi opened the door and looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s with the panic?¡±

    Su Muxuan showed him the trending news. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s bad. Mushi tried to kill Su Ruowan, but he was shot instead. It¡¯s on the news that he¡¯s being treated in the hospital.¡¯

    The news came with a picture. It was Su Mushi covered in blood, battling between life and death.

    Su Yi staggered and nearly took a fall. After reading the news, he hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°The evil b*tch! She must have hurt Mushi!¡±

    ¡°What do we do now, Dad? Should we go to the hospital?¡± Su Muxuan may appear anxious on the surface, but he was not at all worried inside.

    His younger brothers were more useless than the next. If they could all drop dead, Su Muxuan would not need to worry about anyone taking his inheritance once the Su family rose again with Shen Xi¡¯s help.

    He knew there was once something about the way the hot-tempered Mushi looked at Su Ruowan. Surely, sparks would fly one way, or another should he look for Su Ruowan. Hence, Su Muxuan deliberately brought Su Ruowan up in front of him.

    Su Muxuan was partly responsible for Su Mushi going after Su Ruowan. However, it never crossed Su Muxuan¡¯s mind that Su Mushi was able to obtain a gun yet was wounded by Su Ruowan instead.

    ¡°When is Shen Xiing back? I want to give her a call.¡± Su Yi turned ashen in the face, no longer bearing the cheerfulness he had before. He stumbled away to call Shen Xi but was unable to get through to her. Livid, he was one fine line away from smashing the phone.

    What was going on with the brat? She gave them money and promised to meet with them. Yet, why was she not here to help them? Why must they wait to meet?

    Meanwhile, Su Muyan limped his way into the room. He was over the moon to read the news. Since the betting incident, the only feeling he had for Su Mushi was hatred. In fact, Su Muyan wished death upon Su Mushi.

    All was good now. Su Mushi was shot in the chest, and in the best-case scenario, he had better die in the hospital.

    Still, Su Muyan had to keep up with his appearance. Otherwise, he would not be able to convince Dad. ¡°Dad, did you see the news? How is Mushi doing now?¡±

    Gripping the phone tightly in his hands, Su Yi turned to Su Muxuan. ¡°Follow me to the hospital to visit Mushi. Muyan, you stay and take care of your mother.¡±

    The d*mn woman. Of all times Li Jingran could be sick, why did it have to be now? Was she trying to give him a hard time? It was better she died than causing him problems!

    Su Muyan watched them leave before taking a seat on the sofa. He whipped out his phone to scroll the news and read thements, realizing nothing fazed him anymore following the bankruptcy.

    The trolls online wanted the Su family to bankrupt, fall into ruins, and die. Well, dream on. So long as Shen Xi was around, the Su family would never crumble.

    Even if the Su family fell into financial ruin beyond help, he could still live the life on Shen Xi¡¯s dime. Those poor trolls online could s*ck it.

    The sudden shriek from Li Jingran¡¯s bed startled him and he almost jerked his phone away in reflex. Taking a nce at the woman sitting up in bed, Su Muyan could not hide his disdain. Without moving an inch, he impatiently asked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong now?¡±

    Li Jingran stared nkly into space while keeping to herself. In the end, she whimpered into the covers and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sorry. I¡¯ve wronged you. It¡¯s all my fault. Please, please leave me alone.¡±

    Su Muyan took a quick look at her before turning his focus back onto his phone. He did not have time for her.

    Once Shen Xi was back, Su Muyan would get Shen Xi to fork out the money to send Li Jingran to a nursing home so he could then be spared from her daily wailing.

 Chapter 682 - Lady Luckâ€™s Press Conference

    <h4>Chapter 682: Lady Luck¡¯s Press Conference</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Muyan was reading thetest news on Weibo, scrolling on until he came across the article about Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s first press conference happening on Sunday at 2:00 PM. He tapped on the post to read more.

    In thements section, the keyboard warriors were yelling profanities at Su Ruowan, boycotting, and demanding her to quit the production and showbiz altogether. Delighted by thements, he switched to his alternate ount and joined in on the abuse.

    The attention on the Su family had decreased because the family stayed on the low down and kept away from the public eye. However, the breaking news about Su Mushi reignited theizen¡¯s self-righteous and nosy nature. Apart from insults being thrown around, there were many talks of conspiracy theories.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s n was to keep a low profile after clearing the air. Her new TV series should hit the screens after the Su family¡¯s scandal died down with nobody caring about it anymore. She could then emerge in a new light before the public.

    To her dismay, Su Mushi came looking for her and stirred a huge hubbub. With the news breaking out, she once again found herself in the spotlight and in the face of public criticism.

    Theizens immersed themselves in the Su family¡¯s drama while anticipating Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s press conference. They were eager to find out how he was going to handle Su Ruowan.

    Many viewers made their stand that they were going to mobilize their people to boycott the production team, theworks, and the show if Su Ruowan were to continue to be in the production of Lady Luck.

    The director, Hu Zheng¡¯s mailbox had exploded in thest few days. He, a nameless director, was tagged more than a million times in every Weibo post and thousands ofments as the public protested for Su Ruowan to leave the production.

    Sure, Hu Zheng had his thoughts and fretted over them, but he was one without authority, unlike other directors. The fate of the cast and the direction of the TV series were all in Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s hands.

    However, Screenwriter Cloud Seven posted on Weibost night that all pending issues would be addressed in a press conference. There had not been any further updates since then.

    Hu Zheng was tempted to ask how Cloud Seven intended to go about the press conference. He wanted some insider knowledge and if any coordination was needed from the production team. Nevertheless, Screenwriter Cloud Seven had checked out of the room by the time he got there. Now that put him in a tough spot.

    Like the rest of the people, Hu Zheng had to cluelessly wait for the press conference. Still, he could not help but hope that Screenwriter Cloud Seven would ditch Su Ruowan.

    On Sunday, the production was halted in the morning to give way to the press conference. The production crew was not involved as Screenwriter Cloud Seven had arranged professionals to set the ce up.

    The production crew excitedly gathered around the conference site. Gazing at Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s que on the table on stage that was put together for the press conference, they went to lengths in a discussion.

    Many of them were unaffected by yesterday¡¯s events. Su Mushi¡¯s attempted murder of Su Ruowan was the talk of the townst night, so much so the timid was unable to get a shuteye. It had only been a day, but they had already left the nightmare behind.

    Su Ruowan took leave for thest two days due to an injury. She did not attend the shoot, nor did she stay at the hotel. It was possible she was afraid the Su family might have had another go at her to pay blood with blood.

    By one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the eager reporters sessively entered the scene and took their seats. The reporters invited were proud as they were about to capture the first preview of the mysterious Screenwriter Cloud Seven in person.

    The press conference was streamed live on all major tforms.

    Other than reporters, the cast and key production members of Lady Luck were there too. It was not mandatory, but the extras and other production crew were allowed to watch on the sidelines. It was an open space in the production studio anyway.

    As for those who did not receive an invitation, the reporters did a good job keeping the location hush-hush. The uninvited could not attend the press conference even if they tried.

    In a break room backstage, Shen Xi was going to manage her hair and makeup on her own, but Ruan Sisi was not having it. She brought along two assistants to doll Shen Xi up.

    ¡°The people out there will go mad when you make an entrance.¡± Ruan Sisi could not take her eyes away from Shen Xi who only had light makeup on.

    Many trolls online were trolling Shen Xi, calling her ugly and ghastly. Hence, the reason a public appearance never happened. If her teacher was hideous, what would that make of regr people?

    Shen Xi inquired with a smile, ¡°Madness driven by fear?¡±

    One nearby assistant was powdering Shen Xi¡¯s face when she stopped midway to drool on her looks. The assistant waspletely captivated by Shen Xi.

    Oh gawd!

    She was gorgeous!

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven was a Greek Goddess in the flesh!

    ¡°Go mad for your good looks.¡± Ruan Sisi smiled just thinking about it. The trolls online were about to eat their words. She then looked back at Li Yuan on the sofa before cautiously and respectfully saying, ¡°My dear teacher¡¯s partner, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    She had met her teacher¡¯s partner several times, and yet she was too afraid to look at him, let alone speak to him. His presence alone was overbearing for her to take.

    Nodding with a smile, Li Yuan turned to his fairdy who had her back against him. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Pleased, Ruan Sisi styled Shen Xi¡¯s hair. ¡°I bet you¡¯d rule showbiz if you get into the business. No one canpare to your beauty.¡±

    Of course, the same concept applied to her teacher¡¯s lover. Their physical attractiveness was one in a million. It was a shame they were not in showbiz. Ruan Sisi wanted her teacher and her teacher¡¯s partner to be widely known in the world for their looks just like Mr. Fu the Movie Star.

    Shen Xi gave Ruan Sisi a straight answer. ¡°I had once intended to go into showbiz.¡±

    Looking at Shen Xi in surprise, Ruan Sisi was waiting for her to continue. However, thetter did not have more to add, leaving Ruan Sisi in suspense and itching to find out.

    Shen Xi gazed at herself in the mirror as the chilling glint flickered in her eyes. It was time to end things with the Su family after the press conference. Their life and death were no longer a concern of hers thereafter.

    With Li Jingran going mad and Su Mushi taking a shot and surviving in aatose state, the family would notst for long without money.

    Su Muxuan would soon be arrested for murder.. Judging by how the Su family was knee-deep in controversy, it would be hard to appease the public rage if the courts did not sentence him with a death penalty.

 Chapter 683 - Ms. Cai Ni!

    <h4>Chapter 683: Ms. Cai Ni!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With no skills to match, Su Muyan depended on hyping and ghostwriters to earn the title of the musically gifted. He was known to be wild in his private life, and soon there would be people rallying to testify against him for sexual assault. Even if he did not end up behind bars, his life could only be spent lurking in the darkness. Calling him Public Enemy No. 1 was ttering him.

    As for Su Yi, he was out of business and had nothing to his name. If he knew better, he would kneel before Yuan Heng and Grandpa Heng¡¯s grave and offer his life as penance.

    Su Ruowan was delusional to think she could rely on Cloud Seven and the TV series to get on with her life. She sure had everything figured out. Well, too bad Shen Xi was going to shatter her dreams and deprive her of everything. Even if Shen Xi saw it in her heart to forgive Su Ruowan, the Su family would not.

    There was a knock on the door to the dressing room.

    Kun Lun walked in and approached Li Yuan, lowering his head to whisper in Li Yuan¡¯s ear.

    Shen Xi had a great hearing. Although no one could hear the conversation, she picked up on it. She voiced out when Li Yuan gazed over. ¡°Let them in. Don¡¯t worry about them.¡±

    Su Yi and Su Muxuan were on their way to the press conference to catch Su Ruowan. Fearing revenge from the Su family, Su Ruowan had been in hiding for the past two days.

    Since Shen Xi had intel on Su Ruowan¡¯s whereabouts, she could give the address to the Su family. However, Shen Xi had been waiting to see the day Su Ruowan fall apart, and it was going to happen in the press conference today.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s expression must be interesting when all her ns and self-righteousness were to crumble at the sight of Shen Xiter.

    ¡°Sure, Ms. Shen,¡± Kun Lun respectably replied.

    Shen Xi then added. ¡°Give them a little gift when they arriveter. Get the police to ambush and arrest Su Muxuan on the spot.¡±

    She had intended to expose Su Muxuan¡¯s murder cases after the press conference. Now it seemed the reveal at the press conference presented itself as the perfect asion.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Kun Lun excused himself to make relevant arrangements.

    Apart from Ruan Sisi who had an inkling of the situation, the remaining two assistants had no idea what Shen Xi was talking about.

    However, these two assistants were hand-picked by Ruan Sisi and could be trusted. Ruan Sisi had confidence they would keep their mouths closed instead of bbering away.

    As time drew close to the press conference, the excitement began to stir within the crowd.

    Su Ruowan, who had disappeared for two days, wore a mask and sunsses as she sat together with the cast. She nervously waited for the conference to begin.

    More than anyone there, she was breaking out in cold sweat. To her, the press conference was like a court verdict on her fate.

    Su Ruowan tried to convince herself to have faith in Screenwriter Cloud Seven to not forsake her in a bid to give in to the public. However, she knew there was no point in hoping as nothing was certain until Screenwriter Cloud Seven had given a clear-cut answer.

    Screenwriter Cloud Seven was finally going to announce his decision to the public today. Su Ruowan had to witness it with her own eyes and listen with her own ears. Despite knowing that her appearance here posed a risk to be discovered by the Su family, she came anyway.

    Sitting nearby, Lin Chan was having a discussion with Hu Zheng, the director, in a hushed voice when Su Ruowan took strides over. It took Lin Chan by surprise. She bet everyone else did not think Su Ruowan woulde as well.

    After all that had happened two days ago, Lin Chan heard Su Mushi was resuscitated, and now he was in aa under observation in the intensive care unit. There was no telling whether he would be out of the woods.

    The Su family was not going to let the matter slide after what Su Ruowan did to Su Mushi. In the past two days, Su Yi and Su Muxuan had dropped by the set multiple times to look for Su Ruowan. Su Ruowan was bold to show her face here.

    Hu Zheng was not surprised by Su Ruowan¡¯s appearance. Since the downfall of the Su family, Su Ruowan had proven herself to be cold-blooded and more than met the eyes. Her course of actions thereafter validated that point. If nothing else, she had great psychological endurance.

    She was here to ascertain whether Screenwriter Cloud Seven would pick or ditch her. However, no one would know what the decision was until the veryst minute.

    The host of the event came onto the stage and shared a brief introduction, thanking everybody foring. He then said with a smile, ¡°And now, we¡¯d like to invite Screenwriter Cloud Seven to the stage.¡±

    Everyone was fixated on the stage. There was a table in the middle of the stage with a name tent card on top ¨C Cloud Seven.

    It meant that the director, investor, and cast would not be speaking at the press conference. Only Cloud Seven himself would be answering everyone¡¯s questions.

    Balling her fists, Su Ruowan stared at the backstage where Cloud Seven would appear from while holding her breath.

    Hu Zheng gave Su Ruowan a sympathetic look. He was probably the only person in the entire hall that knew Screenwriter Cloud Seven was Ms. Cai Ni, who was also Shen Xi.

    Lin Chan, like everyone else, had all eyes on the stage with anticipation and expectation. She was about to see Screenwriter Cloud Seven in person.

    A figure emerged from the left side of the stage. The crowd first caught a glimpse of the person in business attiremanding the room with an aloof mien.

    She had such a radiant and overpowering presence that her face was not the first focus. Once they had a closer look at her ice-queen face, their breaths were taken away.

    Beautiful.

    It was a strong and charismatic beauty that held people back from defiling. She was like a queen attending to her people that mortals could only look up in awe without daring to conjure any thoughts of disrespect.

    For a moment, it fired everyone with great enthusiasm. Be it the reporters, cast, or the production crew who stuck around, everyone was whispering about her astounding looks.

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni!¡±

    Someone in the crowd gasped, having recognized the woman. It was one of the production crew who had seen Ms. Cai Ni at work. However, Ms. Cai Ni was a sight to behold even at the time without any makeup on.

    Ms. Cai Ni with a painted face disyed a more elegant and morous side to her.

    ¡°Why is Ms. Cai Ni here?¡±

    With one person pointing that out, the realization hit everybody in the face. Theypletely lost themselves in the woman¡¯s beauty and brilliant presence.

    ¡°Was Ms. Cai Ni invited to the press conference too? Does she know Screenwriter Cloud Seven?¡±

    Although puzzled, some people had a hunch, but they did not have the nerve to put two and two together as these two profiles were such brilliant existences.

    Ordinary people with any one of these profiles would make them a genius.. If these two individuals were the same person, that would be sick and probably only existed in a world of fantasy.

 Chapter 684 - Shen Xi, Your Dad and Brother Are Here to See You

    <h4>Chapter 684: Shen Xi, Your Dad and Brother Are Here to See You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With clues brought up, the reporters on site were able to identify the woman right away. However, they were all talking about different things.

    ¡°Ms. Cai Ni.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s Shen Xi.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the student of Ms. Shu Baiyu.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She scored the highest in science in the capital this year. A top student of Capital University, if I may say so myself.¡±

    Among them were those who had met Ms. Cai Ni. Some of them had watched her perform a ssic dance in recement of Shu Baiyu while others quickly connected the dots that she was a top achiever in science.

    The question set the crowd abuzz.

    ¡°Is she holding the press conference with Screenwriter Cloud Seven?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Ms. Cai Ni is the lead stylist of the production.¡±

    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t it mentioned before?¡±

    ¡°I guess it was ast-minute decision.¡±

    The discussion circled back to the reason Ms. Cai Ni was here. Even though the crowd had an inkling, no one spoke their thoughts.

    It would be mind-blowing if Ms. Cai Ni turned out to be Cloud Seven. It would be quite bad*ss if two geniuses in their own right happened to be the same person.

    In the row sat the cast.

    Lin Chan¡¯s jaw dropped. No way, no way, no way! Was Ms. Cai Ni Screenwriter Cloud seven? Oh gawd! How was anyone going to top that?

    She instinctively looked at Hu Zhang for validation. Hu Zheng had seen Screenwriter Cloud Seven for sure as Lin Chan tricked him into giving her the information.

    Hu Zheng smiled at her without saying a word. The person herself was about to talk anyway, so it did not have toe from him. Nevertheless, he took a nce at Su Ruowan.

    Su Ruowanpletely lost it. Her eyes first widened before shaking violently. While insanity overtook her, her body muscles tensed up in fear. Her mind blew up the moment Shen Xi made an appearance.

    Shen Xi! Who did the b*tch think she was? Why did she attend such an important event and ruin Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s press conference? She had all the nerve.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s shaky gaze followed Shen Xi as thetter took steps to the table in the center of the stage. She wanted to yell at Shen Xi to stop and get lost, but all her strength was sucked out of her.

    Following Shen Xi¡¯s arrival, Su Ruowan was drowning in a cold and deep ocean of despair. She could not breathe and everything in her vision became hazy.

    ¡°Hello, everyone. Let me introduce myself. I am Cloud Seven.¡± Shen Xi stood in front of the table and made a self-introduction before taking a seat. She adjusted the level of the microphone and added. ¡°Thank you foring. You may now proceed with the questions.¡±

    Silence befell the room at first, then all hell broke loose. Forgetting to raise their hands, the reporters fought to jump in with questions that had been bugging them.

    There was so much chaos that none of the questions was audible.

    The cast among the audience exchanged surprised nces. Jesus Christ. Screenwriter Cloud Seven was Ms. Cai Ni. This was breaking news!

    Lin Chan gave Su Ruowan aplicated look while thetter seemedpletely out of it. Su Ruowan stared nkly at the person on stage.

    The only thing echoing in Su Ruowan¡¯s mind was ¨C ¡°I am Cloud Seven.¡±

    This sentence pushed her to the edge of no return. She refused to believe that Shen Xi, the b*tch, could possibly be Screenwriter Cloud Seven. It made no sense.

    If the b*tch was indeed Cloud Seven, why was the leading role of The Smiling Nation handed to Su Mushi? Why was she picked to y the supporting role of Lady Luck?

    It was from these two standpoints that she eliminated the possibility that Shen Xi was Cloud Seven.

    However, reality pped her in the face and threw her into the depths of despair and fear. No one would care about whatever was yed in her head, but Shen Xi dered she was Cloud Seven.

    These words sent her straight to hell.

    Su Ruowan had no idea what the reporters asked, nor did she pay attention to Shen Xi¡¯s answers. Once the fear and despair wore off, the resentment came on strong and burned through her veins. With bloodshot eyes, she gave the person on stage the death stare.

    Go to hell!

    Go to hell!

    Shen Xi should go to hell!

    ¡°There she is, Dad.¡±

    An angry voice, bearing a murderous intent came from somewhere.

    Su Ruowan heard it and made the voice out to be none other than Su Muxuan¡¯s. Like a robot, she stiffly and slowly turned around to find two insidious faces among the crowd. Her mind stopped working there and then, feeling lost at what to do.

    ¡°Get her!¡± Su Yi caught sight of Su Ruowan. With crooked eyes, he gave her a foul look before noticing the person surrounded by reporters and inquiries on stage. ¡°Huh? Xuan, isn¡¯t that sister?¡±

    Su Muxuan was so absorbed in having found Su Ruowan that he had not observed his surroundings. He was not close with Shen Xi as he grew up with Su Ruowan. Besides, it was hard to spot Shen Xi in the crowd of reporters. Su Yi¡¯s words prompted him to look over. Overwhelmed with a weird feeling, Su Muxuan blurted, ¡°Why is she here?¡±

    He then widened his eyes in shock. Since the reporters gathered around Shen Xi during Screenwriter Cloud Seven¡¯s press conference, did that mean she was Screenwriter Cloud Seven?

    The thought startled him, but great joy quickly ensued. Su Muxuan turned to Su Yi. ¡°Dad, she¡¯s Cloud Seven. I recall that she¡¯s not paid the writing fees for Cloud Seven¡¯s TV series but gets a cut. Her TV series would be enough to pay off our debt.¡±

    The Smiling Nation was all the rage in China and its cultural sphere. The royalty alone was said to be up to ten billion yuan. The money was enough to write the Su family¡¯s debt off and make aeback.

    Su Yi nced at Shen Xi with delight and satisfaction. As expected from his daughter who inherited all his goodness. He was no longer worried about the Su family¡¯s bankruptcy as he could acquire money from her to start again. Having figured that out, Su Yi instructed Su Muxuan, ¡°Let¡¯s go after Su Ruowan, the brat, and leave this forter.¡±

    Not only had the b*tch betrayed them, but Mushi was also in aa because of Su Ruowan. Su Yi could not let it go until he got his hands on Su Ruowan.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Su Muxuan nodded before pushing ahead through the crowd.

    Out for blood, the two made their way over and Su Ruowan knew she could not sit around and wait.. She turned to nce at Shen Xi with snaky eyes and screamed, ¡°Shen Xi, your dad and brother are here to see you.¡±

 Chapter 685 - Drag Everyone Down

    <h4>Chapter 685: Drag Everyone Down</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It did not matter to Su Ruowan whether the Su family was trying to start over through Shen Xi or Shen Xi was ying the Su family a fool. Nothing else mattered so long as Su Ruowan emerged as the biggest winner of them all.

    Su Ruowan made Shen Xi¡¯s identity public so everyone would know that the b*tch was the Su family¡¯s biological daughter. Shen Xi should be tied to the Su family and go to hell with them!

    So, the anticipating viewers of Lady Luck wanted Su Ruowan, the adopted daughter of the Su family, out of the production and showbiz, huh? Well, what would they do now that they found out the much-loved Screenwriter Cloud Seven was, in fact, the Su family¡¯s flesh and blood? Surely, they would stand their ground and kick Shen Xi out of the production and entertainment world. They would boycott her!

    Since nothing ended well for Su Ruowan, she might as well drag everyone down with her.

    Chaos befell the room. Su Ruowan¡¯s loud voice drew everyone¡¯s attention to her.

    Su Ruowan eximed, ¡°Screenwriter Cloud Seven is Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s biological daughter.¡±

    Hell.

    Let there be hell.

    Even if she had to die, she was going to pull the Su family and Shen Xi to die together!

    People might not have understood or caught what Su Ruowan said the first time. However, the following sentence clearly went into everyone¡¯s ear.

    Shen Xi, also Screenwriter Cloud Seven and Ms. Cai Ni, was the biological daughter of the Su family ¨C Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s daughter. The bombshell took everyone by surprise.

    Lin Chan, who sat the nearest to Su Ruowan, took a deep breath before giving Shen Xi a sympathetic and regrettable look. It had been said that Shen Xi had an uncanny resemnce to Li Jingran. It turned out that she was Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s daughter.

    It was a shame. Shen Xi had so many identities that were greater than the next, yet her existence as the Su family¡¯s daughter was enough to drag her to hell. Because of this very identity, she would be thrown in the face of public criticism and boycott, perhaps worse than Su Ruowan.

    Theizens would not feel sorry for the situation she was in. Once they set their sights on one thing, they would gnaw on it like a mad dog.

    Lin Chan was not the only one expressing surprise andment. Hu Zheng was way ahead of himself, thinking that they were done for; Screenwriter Cloud Seven, the TV series, and all their blood, sweat, and tears.

    How could Screenwriter Cloud Seven possibly be the daughter of the Su family? Why was she the daughter of the Su family? An outstanding girl like her turned out to be the daughter of the Su family. God was so unfair!

    With an uproar stirring among the reporters, they shoved their way ahead and yelled their lungs out in hopes their questions could be answered.

    Su Ruowan¡¯s sudden statement stopped Su Yi and Su Muxuan for a second, but they soon picked up the speed to charge at her in full fury.

    The evil ingrate, Su Ruowan, was trying to wipe them off the face of the earth. All bets would be off if Shen Xi¡¯s bloodline was revealed.

    That was why the Su family had been holding their tongue. They merely wanted to take advantage of the blood ties and threaten Shen Xi. They intended to keep it a secret for Shen Xi gave in to their demands.

    They were aware of how terrifying public opinion could be. Once the public found out that Shen Xi was the daughter of the Su family, trouble would only pile up for Shen Xi. Her value to them would bepromised.

    The press was a pack of wolves, surrounding Shen Xi as they badgered her with cutthroat questions.

    With a grin, Shen Xi pointed to the front. ¡°Su Yi and Su Muxuan are over there. Why don¡¯t you ask them if I¡¯m the daughter of the Su family?¡±

    This was the first time she curled her lips sinceing onto the stage. Although the smile was hard to look away from, there was no warmth but only contempt and indifference across her lips.

    The reporters moved their eyes toward the direction she was pointing at. Su Muxuan might not be a familiar face, but Su Yi, even though looking haggard, was instantly recognized. The press made haste to Su Yi.

    As the reporters swarmed toward them like flies, Su Yi tipped Su Muxuan the wink for him to go after Su Ruowan. They must not let her escape.

    Since corner and pursuit were the reporters¡¯ forte, hemming in on Su Yi in a sh was no issue. They wasted no time to ask why he was there and went straight to validating their doubts.

    Watching as Su Ruowan tried to make a getaway, Su Muxuan picked up the pace with a gruesome look on his face. She may run, but she could not hide.

    Su Ruowan had nothing else on her mind, except to run for her life. She would rather be dead than alive in the hands of Su Yi and Su Muxuan.

    To her dismay, she had not made it to the exit when she was met with a bunch of police officers. Scared out of her wits, Su Ruowan stopped in her tracks. Had Su Mushi died? Were the police here to arrest her?

    However, the policemen merely took a nce at her before making a beeline ahead. She then saw the police officers surrounding Su Muxuan.

    The scene was inplete turmoil, but the sudden appearance of the police only made it worse. Many had no idea where to look, curious by Screenwriter Cloud Seven, Su Yi, and the police with Su Muxuan.

    Su Yi was surrounded with his back facing Su Muxuan. Hence, he did not realize what was going on there. Getting a grip on himself, he answered the vicious questions and tly denied, ¡°No, Shen Xi is not my daughter.¡±

    The Su family¡¯s livelihood depended on Shen Xi. If they were to sink together, who was going to pay the Su family¡¯s debt? Who was going to provide for theireback?

    Unconvinced by his version of the story, the reporters scrambled with another question. ¡°The person who broke the news is Su Ruowan. She¡¯s your adopted daughter. Why would she say such a thing if Shen Xi isn¡¯t your daughter?¡±

    This was a total scoop, hitting them in the face harder than Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s scandal. The No. 1 screenwriter in showbiz Cloud Seven and genius stylist Cai Ni was the Su family¡¯s daughter.

    ¡°She¡¯s an ungrateful psychopath. She¡¯ll say and do anything that would only benefit herself. She bears grudges and believes people are out to get her just because she has to reshoot her scenes and when Cloud Seven fires her from the production.¡± Su Yi¡¯s mind had never been clearer. He knew what to do to gain an edge.

    No one else apart from the Su family, Su Ruowan, and Shen family knew about Shen Xi¡¯s identity.. The Shen family would keep their mouths shut for the sake of Shen Xi, so would the Su family.

 Chapter 686 - You Got the Wrong Guy

    <h4>Chapter 686: You Got the Wrong Guy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Su Yi¡¯s only worry was Su Ruowan. However, her actions had provoked public rage. Who would believe her even if she let it out of the bag, much less without proof?

    No one would know so long as the Su family denied that Shen Xi was the child of the Su family. Shen Xi would escape the scandal unscathed.

    ¡°Dad! Dad! Help me!¡± Su Muxuan suddenly screamed and looked toward Su Yi, calling for help. With terror written all over his eyes, he put up a struggle to break free from the police. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. You got the wrong guy. I didn¡¯t kill anyone.¡±

    The police cuffed him. ¡°Please cooperate, Mr. Su. We¡¯ll determine if you¡¯ve killed anyone once we¡¯re at the police station. We won¡¯t arrest the innocent, but we won¡¯t let any criminal walk free either.¡±

    Hearing themotion, Su Yi pushed away from the surrounding reporters and made his way toward Su Muxuan. He used to be somebody for decades after all. Although the reporters did give way to him at first, they soon pursued him for further questions.

    The police had not left after apprehending Su Muxuan. Now that the reporters were all over their faces, the police, who were tipped by Kun Lun, told the press about Su Muxuan being a suspect in a murder.

    The reporters appeared more fascinated. It never crossed their minds that attending a press conference would bring about one breaking news after another. They were at a loss of what to focus on or who to aim the camera at.

    ¡°Dad.¡± Su Muxuan was absolutely terrified. Never in his wildest dreams that the things he did in the dark would see the light of day. He gave Su Yi a frightened look.

    ¡°Go with them for now. I¡¯lle up with a way.¡± Su Yi tipped him the wink while whispering in Su Muxuan¡¯s ear.

    He had to stop the matter from escting more than it already had. Arguing with the cops would only look bad on them. Hence, Xuan should cooperate with the investigation at the police station while he would deal with Shen Xi.

    Su Muxuan nodded his head. At this point, he could only put faith in his father to rescue him. It was only one death. That person got what he deserved for threatening him!

    Su Yi patted Su Muxuan¡¯s shoulder and leaned in his ear to give a few words of advice. Su Muxuan was not to say a word until his attorney arrived.

    With Su Muxuan taken away, the overwhelmed reporters then turned their attention to Screenwriter Cloud Seven. However, the screenwriter was gone and nowhere in sight.

    Even Su Yi took off amid the chaos.

    The ones on-site who could possibly give answers were Hu Zheng, the director, and the cast. The press quickly closed in on them.

    Knowing his ce, Hu Zheng expressed ignorance to all questions.

    The actors, following the director¡¯s suit, imed they knew nothing.

    In the end, the reporters left with a mind full of unanswered questions. With the concerned party gone, they would achieve nothing by staying. All they could do was sort out the information to publish and see if they could get to any of the direct parties.

    They could lie in wait at the police station for first-hand information since Su Muxuan was detained there. The reporters might evene across Su Yi as he would be there for his son.

    The ce gradually quieted down as the press left in session.

    It was all the rage online because the press conference was broadcasted live. News that Shen Xi was Li Jingran and Su Yi¡¯s biological daughter made the top spot online and went viral.

    In thements, there were people who took Shen Xi¡¯s side, expressing that they would not believe a person like Su Ruowan. Su Yi said it himself that Shen Xi was not his daughter, so it must be the case.

    The more unfeelingmenters firmly stood by that Shen Xi was the Su family¡¯s daughter. Someone brought up that Shen Xi and Li Jingran looked alike by putting the young Li Jingran¡¯s photo and screenshots of Shen Xi at the press conference side by side. They shared a resemnce.

    Still, it was all an assumption. No one dared spread rumors without any admission from the parties involved. Shen Xi was a big shot with many faces after all. She was Ms. Cai Ni, a beloved student of Ms. Jiang Yin. She was Cloud Seven, a gifted screenwriter with TV ratings to match. Sentiment-wise, many refused to believe that an amazing person like her was born of sc*mbags like Su Yi and Li Jingran.

    The news of Su Muxuan being arrested for murder was outshined by Shen Xi¡¯s identity and was only brought up once discussions of Shen Xi¡¯s family ties died down. Of course, the public did not hold back from putting him on st.

    Every member of the Su family was wicked, barbaric, and in corrupted. Since the family¡¯s scandals were amon sight these days, the public was not surprised by Su Muxuan¡¯s murder case and believed it was in his blood. It was best he was sentenced to death so that they all could get on with their lives.

    After shaking off the reporters and instead of checking on Su Muxuan at the police station, Su Yi proceeded backstage to look for Shen Xi but was told she had taken off long ago.

    Su Yi was anxious as he had no means to contact Shen Xi. With things boiling to this point, the only person who could help him was Shen Xi. He ced all his hopes on her.

    Out of options, he worked his connections to get in touch with Jiang Yin, asking her to tell Shen Xi that he was going to spill the beans if Shen Xi did not see him by tonight.

    Jiang Yin hung up the call and furiously flipped the table in front of her. Her darling student was unfortunate to have such heartless parents. Su Yi was a piece of sh*t.

    She knew there was no refuting when it came to blood ties. Although the Su family had been making rounds on the news like clowns, Jiang Yin was relieved the family saw it in their conscience not to involve her darling student.

    It never urred to her that they would suddenlye after her dear student. Did they think their threat would get to her? Her precious student was not someone they could intimidate.

    Regardless of how angry she was, Jiang Yin called her darling student to ask what her ns and thoughts were about the Su family¡¯s matter. It was troublesome and not an easy fix.

    Shen Xi was just getting on Li Yuan¡¯s private jet when she got the call. Sipping on her bubble tea, she leisurely inquired, ¡°Are you having a good time with my mom?¡±

    She told Jiang Yin to take Madam Yun for a trip abroad in fear her mom would be harassed by the Su family if she were to remain in the country.

 Chapter 687 - I Want to Tell Everyone Who She Is

    <h4>Chapter 687: I Want to Tell Everyone Who She Is</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    As for Old Shen, he was busy with year-end city hopping. The Su family would struggle to get a hold of him since he was constantly on the move.

    ¡°Having fun, my *ss.¡± Jiang Yin wanted to throw up on Shen Xi¡¯s face. Shen Xi¡¯s situation had Jinping worried sick on end. Afraid that it might be a handful for Shen Xi, Jinping was not in the mood for a vacation. ¡°Su Yi called me just now. He wants to meet you. How have you been managing the Su family these past few days?¡±

    Jiang Yin knew that she and Jinping could provide no assistance being there, so leaving trouble behind was the best choice. The Li family had Shen Xi¡¯s back after all. The Su family had to think twice before trying to mess with Shen Xi.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing well here. You and Mom shouldn¡¯t worry, don¡¯t read the messed-up news.¡± Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Everything will soone to an end.¡±

    Jiang Yin¡¯s furrow deepened following Shen Xi¡¯s rxed tone. ¡°The Su family is a bunch of greedy ghouls. They have gone mad. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll drag you down into the mess.¡±

    She had an inkling after the phone call with Su Yi. Su Yi had not exposed Shen Xi¡¯s identity merely because he wanted to suck her dry. Of course, they were brutes who would not let go of a goldmine like Shen Xi.

    If Jiang Yin had a say, she would let Li Yuan step up to the te and sort the Su family out once and for all rather than dance around with them. Nevertheless, Shen Xi probably did not have the heart since they were blood-rted after all.

    ¡°I¡¯ve set the stage for them. They got nothing on me.¡± Shen Xi smiled brightly while gazing at the sun out the window. She drew her hand over her forehead to shield herself from the sunrays.

    The same thought had crossed her mind prior to knowing where her roots were actually from. What was she going to do if the Su family pulled her into the crossfire? Yet now, this was no longer a concern.

    ¡°I guess nothing I say will change your mind. Be careful. Go to Li Yuan if you can¡¯t fix it. Make use of him, for heaven¡¯s sake. I don¡¯t know why you insist on handling it on your own.¡± There was not a day that went by that Jiang Yin was not worried. How could she not? People got desperate when they were cornered. The Su family was likely going to drag her down with them in times of desperation.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shen Xi lifted her head to gaze at the maning her way. With smiley eyes, she opened her mouth to be fed a mouthful of cake. The sweet taste lingered in her mouth and went straight to the heart. ¡°My flight is about to take off. I¡¯ve to hang up. Have fun with my mom and don¡¯t worry. No hurries to get back. Turn off your phone so Su Yi won¡¯t bug you again.¡±

    Jiang Yin replied and gave some advice before ending the call. Thinking back to Shen Xi¡¯s words, she had a strange feeling that the girl might have some tricks up her sleeve as Shen Xi seemed fearless against the Su family¡¯s ckmail.

    After hanging up, Shen Xi reached out to ask for a spoon from Li Yuan. She wanted to enjoy the cake herself.

    Refusing her request, Li Yuan grabbed the te and fed the cake to her spoon by spoon.

    The afternoon sunlight bounced off the window and cast a warm hue on them, painting an affectionate and sweet picture that was soothing to the soul.

    While some were happy, others were feeling dreary.

    Since contacting Jiang Yin, Su Yi had been waiting for Shen Xi to get in touch with him. Mushi was in the ICU, waiting for a cash flow to stay alive, while Su Muxuan needed a goodwyer to get him out of jail. In the worst-case scenario, he had to leave the country and nevere back.

    However, a day went by and then another. Su Yi anxiously stared at his phone, yet nothing from Shen Xi. It was as though she disappeared from the face of the earth. Try as Su Yi may, he could not reach Shen Xi.

    The 100,000 yuan Shen Xi gave them was used up. Su Mushi¡¯s medical fees alone cost 18,000 yuan a night while their room charges were due today.

    ¡°Dad.¡± Su Muyan watched as Su Yi paced the room. With a grimacing look, he asked, ¡°What are we going to do? Shen Xi, that brat, is leaving us in the cold. She would show her face by now if she cared for us.¡±

    Su Yi clenched the phone in his hand. These past two days had been nerve-wracking. He would pick up the phone right away every time it rang, in fear he might miss the call from Shen Xi.

    He waited and anticipated, but the lifesaving call never came. As time went by, his hopes slowly diminished to nothing. Pulling himself together, Su Yi drew a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Dad.¡± Su Muyan could not take it anymore. The ordeal was driving him nuts. He might as well die at this rate. ¡°Dad, who are you kidding? Shen Xi won¡¯t help or save us. Muxuan and Mushi will die if you let the situation go on. We¡¯re having a rough time, so she must feel our agony too. I¡¯m going to post on Weibo now and tell everyone who she is.¡±

    Thest few days were like living in the depths of hell. Su Muyan could not keep up with such a miserable life.

    ¡°Go to your high school group chat, and look for Pei Xu, Song Wenye, anybody. Arrange a meeting with her for one o¡¯clockter. If she still refuses to get in touch with us, I¡¯ll tell it all on Weibo.¡± Su Yi thought hard and long beforeing to a decision.

    They could not afford to drag the situation on. Shen Xi may have had time and patience to dawdle with them, but they did not have the luxury.

    The reveal of Shen Xi¡¯s identity was hisst resort. Shen Xi would likely end up like them and unable to remain in China the moment she was exposed.

    Still, she had quite a number of assets to her name. If these assets were converted into cash, she would have enough to pay off his debts. With the debts cleared, Su Yi would have a chance to rebuild his empire.

    Su Muyan found Pei Xu¡¯s QQ ount in the alumni¡¯s group chat. To his delight, Pei Xu was online and replied to his private message, saying he would convey the message to Shen Xi.

    Since then, Su Yi eagerly waited for Shen Xi¡¯s call.

    Su Muyan carefreely watched TV and munched on food while waiting for Shen Xi¡¯s reply. He was convinced that Shen Xi woulde looking for them and do whatever they wanted her to. She had no choice but toply with their request.

    Even if Su Mushi survived, he was to spend his life in aa. It was hard for Su Muxuan to escape from behind bars judging by public opinion. The two biggestpetitors in Su Muyan¡¯s road to sess eliminated themselves before he even made a move.. Standing to reap all the benefits, Su Muyan was living the life.

 Chapter 688 - By Su Yiâ€™s Admission, Shen Xi Is Li Jingran and His Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 688: By Su Yi¡¯s Admission, Shen Xi Is Li Jingran and His Daughter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    By the time Shen Xi cleared the Su family debt, Su Muyan would emerge as the Su family¡¯s only heir. Even if the secret about Shen Xi was exposed, she could always write and sell another script under a different pen name. It was as easy as that.

    Her styling and design talent should not be put to waste either. By changing her name, Shen Xi could still be the genius stylist she was and his money tree.

    Time passed quickly.

    Su Yi waited for a call back from Shen Xi while Shen Xi, who had been absent for two weeks, returned to campus.

    After her cover as Ms. Cai Ni and Screenwriter Cloud Seven were blown away two days ago at the press conference, Shen Xi became the big shot on campus. Receiving more attention than celebrities wherever she went, Shen Xi was recognized by every passer-by.

    Hence, she had to walk into school all suited up with a mask and sunsses. No one was able to identify her as she made her way in.

    Her roommate Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan had just gotten off from ss when Shen Xi arrived at the dormitory. The roommates were enjoying rice noodles and spicy hotpot while binge-watching a TV series as Shen Xi walked through the door. They were first stunned.

    ¡°Xixi?¡± Yan Xiaoxiao was the first to get a grip as she put down the noodles in her hands and stealthily bolted to close and lock the door.

    Having gotten over the shock, Jiang Xuanxuan eagerly urged. ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t let anyone see you.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled at them before cing two huge stic bags plus two gifts on the table. ¡°Have you been pestered a lot in thest two days?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no biggie.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao may look like she found a confidante, but she held back from talking much since she did not want Shen Xi to worry. ¡°Not many came. There are a few nosey girls, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how people are. The novelty will wear off soon enough.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan nodded with sincere eyes.

    Nothing major had happened other than someone banging the door in the middle of the night. Everyone came to ask about Screenwriter Cloud Seven and Ms. Cai Ni while a handful asked if Xixi was the daughter of the Su family.

    ¡°Xuanxuan¡¯s right, but you shouldn¡¯t havee. You might want toy low since you¡¯re going viral everywhere.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao echoed the concern. As a certified foodie, Yan Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes went straight to the food withplete disregard for the gifts. ¡°You bought us enough tost a month.¡±

    Shen Xi raised her brow. ¡°Enough for a month?¡±

    Judging by these girls¡¯ appetite, they would finish everything in a week. A month? Ha!

    ¡°These must be K Town¡¯s specialties.¡± With a sparkle in her eyes, Jiang Xuanxuan joined in scrabbling through the junk food. Xixi was Screenwriter Cloud Seven. Everybody knew that the production of Lady Luck was going on in K Town.

    The pair gazed at the junk food and then the gifts. Shen Xi gave them each a jade bracelet. Although they did not know much about jades, they could tell that these bracelets were worth a lot of money.

    ¡°Xixi, we can¡¯t ept this gift.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao simply could not ept such a valuable gift. The food was good enough.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I can be careless. What if I break it?¡± Jiang Xuanxuan bobbed her head in agreement. It was in to see that the jade bracelet was expensive.

    ¡°Think of it aspensation for your emotional damage.¡± Shen Xi said with a smile, ¡°Take it. The bracelet is unique to K Town. Don¡¯t worry. I have money.¡±

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan exchanged nces and took off to their own closets. After a good rummaging, they each carried a gift bag over.

    ¡°Xixi, this is a birthday gift we bought for you. We thought we¡¯d see you back in school, but you were away.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao presented the gift to Shen Xi.

    ¡°Happy bted birthday.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan handed the present to her.

    Sure, they could not afford an extravagant gift, but it was the thought that counted.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi took the gifts and expressed her gratitude.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao then asked, ¡°Have you eaten? Join us. Do you want to order a delivery? I could get food for you from the cafeteria too. What do you fancy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll order on the food app.¡± Shen Xi grabbed a chair and sat right next to them. She whipped out her phone and inquired, ¡°Do you want to eat fried chicken?¡±

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan nodded in unison. ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shen Xi tapped on the good food, knowing that the girls would clean the te even if she could not.

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Yan Xiaoxiao had questions bugging them, but they knew better than to ask. Of course, they were curious about Shen Xi¡¯s rtionship with Su Yi and Li Jingran.

    They had no idea what was in other people¡¯s minds, but having spent a lot of time with Shen Xi, it had not gone unnoticed that Shen Xi had an uncanny resemnce to Li Jingran. Besides, it was not hard to connect the dots as Su Ruowan had a strange rtionship with Shen Xi.

    The delivery took a while.

    Yan Xiaoxiao was on her phone, scrolling through Weibo when something caught her eyes and froze her. She stared at her phone with widened eyes while her hands clenched tighter and tighter.

    Sitting right beside her, Jiang Xuanxuan immediately took notice of her state. She drew close and smacked her. ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s up with you?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Um¡­ Um¡­¡± Yan Xiaoxiao appeared startled as she stumbled for words. With trembling hands, she passed the phone to Jiang Xuanxuan. ¡°Look at this.¡±

    Without taking the phone, Jiang Xuanxuan took a nce at the title in huge and bold letters. ¡°By Su Yi¡¯s admission, Shen Xi, also Screenwriter Cloud Seven and Ms. Cai Ni, is Li Jingran and his daughter.¡±

    A picture was attached below with the caption. ¡°DNA test result.¡±

    The DNA test confirmed in ck and white that Li Jingran was Shen Xi¡¯s mother.

    Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s mind was blown. Following the shock, her dted pupils moved to the time. Su Yi used his personal Weibo ount to post a minute ago.

    Yan Xiaoxiao gazed at Jiang Xuanxuan, asking what they should do about it. By the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of Shen Xi immersed in a game on the sofa. Should they tell her about it? Shen Xi would soon see the news.

    In the past two days, she and Xuanxuan had done a lot of thinking and assumed many hypotheses. They had met Xixi¡¯s parents and brother Yu Yuanxi who were nice people. If Xixi was the Su family¡¯s daughter, it would mean that Mr. and Mrs. Shen were her adoptive parents.

    This scenario of a love-hate rtionship among the wealthy was a clich¨¦ drama plot.. Needless to say, Xixi definitely did not get along with the Su family.

 Chapter 689 - FuQingli: @SuYi Not Everyoneâ€™s Your Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 689: FuQingli: @SuYi Not Everyone¡¯s Your Daughter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi quickly picked on the weird look on the girls¡¯ faces. Finding it odd, she nced at them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, girls?¡±

    Yan Xiaoxiao looked at Jiang Xuanxuan.

    Clenching her phone, Jiang Xuanxuan approached Shen Xi and handed the phone over after much hesitation. ¡°Xixi, why don¡¯t you take a look?¡±

    The post was trending and made headlines in a matter of seconds. Xixi was going to find out sooner orter even if they held their tongue. They might as well let it out now.

    Yan Xiaoxiao drew close but clung to Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s arm without a word.

    Although Su Yi and Li Jingran were ruined and had earned themselves a bad name, they were still making ast-ditch effort to drag Xixi into the mess. It was in to see that they never saw Shen Xi as their biological daughter. It was no wonder they never acknowledged Xixi as part of the family.

    Did they not spoil and dote on Su Ruowan? Su Ruowan posted on Weibo to dissociate herself from them two days ago. Su Yi and Li Jingran brought it upon themselves.

    Shen Xi remained quiet as she scrolled through thements. With intrigue, she zoomed in on the DNA test result. It never crossed her mind that the Su family still kept the piece of paper.

    She thought Su Yi could hold out for a few more days, at least until her stipted time frame with Fu Qingli was over before making the statement on Weibo. Shen Xi overestimated Su Yi. He was already restless in two days.

    Pei Xu gave her a call in the morning, saying that Su Yi demanded that she call him by one o¡¯clock today. Otherwise, he was not to be med for what was toe.

    Su Yi sure dropped a bombshell this time. Shen Xi¡¯s family ties had been the center of controversy in thest few days, but Su Yi denied she was one of his own. The story was going nowhere without proof. It was not like theizens could stand behind a baseless im.

    Yet now, Su Yi attached a DNA test result on Weibo, proving Shen Xi¡¯s rtionship with them. Even if the public was in disbelief, they could no longer take Shen Xi¡¯s side with the solid evidence put out there.

    A specialist body came forth and verified the DNA test result¡¯s authenticity as someone tagged the DNA certification institute who did the test then. As an impartial organization, they gave an affirmative response that the DNA test result was real.

    For a moment, sensation stirred beyond the intemunity, surpassing that of Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s scandal. The public put Shen Xi on st, demanding that shee out with the truth.

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan held their breaths.

    In the end, Yan Xiaoxiao mustered the courage and cautiously asked Shen Xi, ¡°Xixi, is what Su Yi said on Weibo true?¡±

    Shen Xi kept mum, not knowing what to say to them. Now was not the time toe clean, so she would let Su Yi enjoy the moment, but it would not be for long.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xixi. No matter what, we have your back.¡± Putting on a straight face, Jiang Xuanxuan gave her word. Seeing that Shen Xi was silent, she added. ¡°We know you have your reasons. Do you want to clear the air?¡±

    The Su family threw mud at her just because she was connected to them by blood. It was going too far and inhumane of them. If they even cared for her in the slightest, they would never put Xixi in such a position.

    Yan Xiaoxiao bobbed her head. With her eyeballs nearly popping out of her sockets when she refreshed the page, she stuttered in a fluster, ¡°Xixi, Xixi! Refresh your page. Come on, refresh. Look what took over the trending list.¡±

    A minute ago, the inte was going crazy over Su Yi¡¯s confirmation that Shen Xi was his daughter.

    The next minute, another Weibo post made a grand entrance.

    Weibo handler ¨C FuQingli.

    F*ck!

    The name was legend. Anyone who was a fan of Fu Qingye the Movie Star would know that this person was the head and powerful figure of the Fu household, and Fu Qingye¡¯s eldest brother.

    Since Jiang Xuanxuan¡¯s phone was with Shen Xi, she had to share Yan Xiaoxiao¡¯s phone screen. Fu Qingli¡¯s name threw her off, but soon, she shrieked in shock. ¡°Fu Qingli?! That Fu Qingli?! Qingye¡¯s eldest brother, Fu Qingli?!¡±

    Following Yan Xiaoxiao¡¯s suggestion, Shen Xi refreshed the trending list and found a name standing out in the top spot ¨C Fu Qingli.

    [FuQingli: @SuYi Not everyone¡¯s your daughter. @ShenXi Let me introduce to all that this is my sister.]

    Beneath the post were two DNA tests, confirming the biological father and mother.

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Yan Xiaoxiao were dumbstruck.

    Shen Xi was in a daze. Why did Fu Qingli let the cat out of the bag? Did he not say to wait for a week? It had only been four days, yet here he was, bbing it out. How were they supposed to catch the perpetrator now?

    The news sent many on a whirlwind of emotions. The information was so great they could not register it in their minds. Clicking on Fu Qingli¡¯s ount on Weibo, his profile was shown front and center as the CEO of Fu Corporation.

    The Weibo ount was just registered, and this was his first post.

    Everyone was wondering if Fu Corporation was referring to the internationally renowned and fabulously wealthy Fu family? Was it the Fu family to whom Fu Qingye the Movie Star belonged?

    Theizens who came across the post were not the only ones whose jaws dropped.

    Meanwhile, at the Fu residence.

    Fu Handing lost his cool when he saw the post. With a solemn look on his face, he immediately dialed Fu Qingli¡¯s number. His voice was shaking. ¡°Fu Qingli, when did you find out?¡±

    Even though Fu Qingli knew Xixi was their family¡¯s baby, the b*stard withheld the information from them. What was he trying to do? Did he hate Xixi so much that he did not want the family to know and ept her back?

    Sitting beside him, Shangguan Yanqiu was choked up in tears. She read Fu Qingli¡¯s post through her blurry vision as tears fell on the phone screen.

    ¡­

    Qingli¡­ Crossed the line! How could he do this to her!

    Fu Qingxuan was in theb when he came across the post. Losing his grip, the phone fell t on the floor in a loud thud.

    Deep in a trance, he could not believe his eyes as he was fixated on his phone screen with one knee on the ground. His eyes quickly turned red as he burst into tears, forgetting where he was.

    He gave his colleagues who were working in theboratory a fright. They exchanged looks, at a loss of what to do. One of them went over to ask what had happened, but Fu Qingxuan picked up his phone and bolted out of theb.

    ¡­

    At the photoshoot for an international fashion magazine.

    After reading the post, Jing Yu turned his eyes to Fu Qingye who was in the shoot. With ants in his pants, Jing Yu was in two minds whether to stop the shoot. Fu Qingye had just gotten himself into the zone, and everything was running smoothly. Fu Qingye would have to find that feeling again if he was interrupted now.

    In the end, Jing Yu weighed the pros and cons before making up his mind.. Without hesitation, he called a time-out and rushed to Fu Qingye.

 Chapter 690 - The Infinite Power of Money

    <h4>Chapter 690: The Infinite Power of Money</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Finding it strange, Fu Qingye gave Jing Yu a look to ask what was going on.

    Jing Yu passed the phone to him right away. ¡°Take a look.¡±

    Qingli must have known Shen Xi¡¯s identity for a while, yet he chose toe out at a time like this. He was going to get it for keeping this from the family!

    With his grip tightening on the phone, Fu Qingye¡¯s face went through different emotions ¨C joy followed by tears. Walking out of the photoshoot, Fu Qingye gave Fu Qingli a call while informing Jing Yu, ¡°Jing Yu, tell them I have to leave for an emergency. They can dy the shoot or terminate the contract.¡±

    Jing Yu nodded and responded favorably. Everything else could take a backseat as nothing was more important to Qingye than the matter at hand.

    Fu Qingye could not get through to Fu Qingli as his line was constantly engaged. After much thought, he phoned Shen Xi instead. However, her phone line was experiencing the same.

    Holding onto his phone, Fu Qingye¡¯s body was shaking because of the excitement and thrill. He could feel every inch of his being overwhelmed with joy.

    Xixi was his sister.

    There was no better news than this.

    He should have known. He should have sought confirmation from her!

    Shen Xi¡¯s phone was ringing off the hook. The first call toe in was from Jiang Yin. Since Yun Jinping was together with Jiang Yin, Shen Xi basically got two calls in one. Feeling a headache, she exined, ¡°Mom, Jiang Yin, don¡¯t get worked up. I only found out a few days ago. Fu Qingli is looking into my disappearance from way back, so I couldn¡¯t tell you yet.¡±

    It never urred to Shen Xi that the whole thing would be blown out of proportion, and Fu Qingli was the culprit. Why did the man, who always kept his cool, act on an impulse to battle it out with Su Yi on Weibo?

    Her original n was toy bare to Mom and Dad when Fu Qingli came looking for her.

    Now the whole of China knew she was the Fu family¡¯s daughter and Fu Qingli¡¯s sister. With proof shoved down everyone¡¯s throats, no one would dare to throw mud at her.

    Standing nearby, Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were still having a hard time getting over the shock when another headline hit them in the face.

    [FuQingye ?: @CloudSeven My little sister.]

    Fu Qingye had a bigger influence than Fu Qingli. At the end of the day, Fu Qingli was a wealthy CEO in the business world. Since his Weibo ount was recently registered, it could be argued that he boosted his post to make headlines.

    On the other hand, Fu Qingye was an international film star with a following of 50 million fans. The slightest activity on his Weibo ount would put the fans in a good mood. With the sudden explosive deration sending fans on the thrill ride like no other, Fu Qingye¡¯s statement made a bigger ssh than Fu Qingli¡¯s paid post.

    There might be suspicions of Fu Qingli¡¯s ount earlier, but Fu Qingye¡¯s Weibo post cleared all doubts. It was a celebratory moment for Mr. Fu the Movie Star to have found his sister!

    Fu Qingye¡¯s fans, especially, gave their blessings and wanted to rub on the good luck because they were aware Fu Qingye had never stopped looking for his sister. No one brought up Su Yi on such a joyous day as the fans believed the piece of sh*t would only taint the page.

    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Yan Xiaoxiao found her voice atst.

    ¡°Qingye posted on Weibo.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan bobbed her head before jumping in tion. ¡°Qingye posted on Weibo! He posted!¡±

    Xixi was the Fu family¡¯s daughter. It exined why Qingye came to the dormitory to meet Xixi on the first day of school. Xixi mentioned that they were not close at the time. Not close? That was her brother, she was talking about!

    Feeling another pounding headacheing along, Shen Xi nced at her. Was there a need to be so dramatic? Why did they seem more excited than her, the individual concerned?

    Yan Xiaoxiao chuckled at Shen Xi before nudging Jiang Xuanxuan who was dancing around. Another post had made its way to the viral spot. Not to be outdone, someone joined in the posting frenzy.

    [FuQingxuan?: @CaiNi, my sister!]

    Compared to Fu Qingli, Fu Qingxuan was widely known among the Chinesemunity. He was a medical genius with achievements and international awards to match after all. Having made a name for himself at a young age, Fu Qingxuan had graced the covers of medical reports.

    His Weibo post was stuck on the third most searched while the top spot was still upied by Fu Qingli. Such was the infinite power of money that could push an influential figure like Fu Qingye down one spot.

    The Fu brothers rooted firmly on the top three trending searches, in sequence ording to age. However, judging by the likes andments, Fu Qingye shot ahead of Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan in terms of poprity.

    Shen Xi had a face-palm moment. What the hell was this? What game were this trio ying? One person was enough to clear the air. Why were they all eager to climb up the trending chart?

    Besides, it was apparent that Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan paid to boost their post since they were not that huge in China to go viral.

    Shen Xi had just ended the call with Yun Jinping and Jiang Yin when another call was connected right away. It was Song Wenye. Hot with emotions, the girl was bawling her eyes out and talking aloud so much so Shen Xi could go deaf. Pulling the phone away from her ear, Shen Xi uttered in disdain, ¡°Stop crying.¡±

    Song Wenye could not stop the tears from flowing. Shen Xi¡¯s calm voice only made her choke up more. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ knew it¡­ You can¡¯t possibly be Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s daughter. They¡­ Don¡¯t deserve you!¡±

    There had been more than one asion where she wished Xixi could be the daughter of the Fu family. With her dreams bing reality, Song Wenye was over the moon!

    Ye Weiyang and the other girls around Song Wenye were scared to bits by her reaction. Song Wenye was firstshing out and enraged by Su Yi¡¯s post, but tears flooded her eyes when the guy named Fu Qingli published a statement. Without saying a word, she cried and made phone calls after phone calls.

    They knew that Shen Xi, who was mentioned in Su Yi¡¯s post, was Song Wenye¡¯s best friend. Nevertheless, the girls had never seen Song Wenye so emotional over anyone or anything.

    Now that Song Wenye was starting to talk, the girls were able to rx and check what the fuss was all about. They finally got an idea of Fu Qingli¡¯s background two minutester. He was Fu Qingye¡¯s older brother and the head of the Fu household. This was a man whose wealth and power put him at the top of the pyramid.

    Song Wenye¡¯s friend Shen Xi had so many faces, and any one of the profiles was a mover and shaker in its own right!

 Chapter 691 - The Fu Family Had Gone Bonkers

    <h4>Chapter 691: The Fu Family Had Gone Bonkers</h4>

    Ms. Lady-of-many-faces, Shen Xi, helplessly waited until Song Wenye turned off the waterworks before asking, ¡°I recall that you have a New Year countdown event to record today. Can you go on with the show if you keep on crying?¡±

    Shen Xi had never heard Song Wenye¡¯s wails, and thetter was even too choked up to talk. Shen Xi was touched that Song Wenye was crying for her sake.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop crying. We¡¯re performing the finale, so it¡¯s going to be a few hours before we hit the stage. My eyes won¡¯t be swollen by then.¡± Song Wenye wiped away her tears amid sobs. With her mind harking back to her earlier actions, Song Wenye cleared her throat to hide her embarrassment. ¡°I got to go. I¡¯ll fly straight home to find you after my shoot. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to the Fu residence just yet, right?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m at home.¡± Shen Xi added. ¡°Are youing back with my brother?¡±

    Snuffling, Song Wenye felt better after letting it all out through tears. ¡°I¡¯m heading back alone. I¡¯m not bothered to ask your brother.¡±

    Shen Xi believed Yu Yuanxi woulde home. Who would not after all that happened? Old Shen probably had not seen the news since he was unconcerned about the entertainment world. Otherwise, her phone would be exploded by his calls by now.

    She had not had the chance to hang up when there was a knock on the door.

    Yan Xiaoxiao warily ran to the door and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Shen Xi¡¯s brother.¡± This was the reply heard from the other side.

    Yan Xiaoxiao could tell that it was not Qingye. Still, the voice was easy on the ear. Yan Xiaoxiao took a nce at Shen Xi to check with her.

    Able to tell who it was, Shen Xi nodded for Yan Xiaoxiao to open the door. Standing there was Yuan Yu.

    Yuan Yu might not be a heartthrob inparison to Fu Qingye, but his looks could beat celebrities in showbiz, let alone ordinary people.

    Jiang Xuanxuan and Yan Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes lit up. It was yet another hottie. They took a guess that he was probably, maybe, likely Qingye¡¯s brother, Fu Qingli. Sure, he was not as good-looking as Qingye, but it did not change the fact that he was a dreamboat too.

    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go to my room.¡± Shen Xi gazed at him and smiled.

    Yuan Yu nodded his head. Although Shen Xi told him that she was not the daughter of the Su family, Yuan Yu never imagined in his wildest dreams that she was rted to the Fu family. It came as quite a surprise.

    He knew that Shen Xi was returning to school today. Yuan Yu was driving by her school when he came across Fu Qingli¡¯s post. Hence, he dropped by. He could not get through to her phone as her line had been engaged. Besides, it was better to speak face-to-face than through the phone.

    Stepping into her room, Shen Xi closed the door and gestured for Yuan Yu to sit.

    Yuan Yu gave her an earnest look. ¡°Congrats.¡±

    It was great that she was not the Su family¡¯s daughter. Yuan Yu was disgusted that he had Su Yi¡¯s blood running through his veins, but it was good news that she was not part of the Su family.

    ¡°I found out the day I had a call with you.¡± Not one to hide information from him, Shen Xi put on a serious look. ¡°I wanted to wait until we¡¯re gathered to let you all know. I didn¡¯t think Fu Qingli went ahead with this.¡±

    Yuan Yu grinned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this for the best?¡±

    Su Yi counted his chickens before they hatched. God knows what was going through his mind right now. However, Shen Xi and Yuan Yu were feeling the thrill for justice had been served.

    ¡°No. My phone¡¯s been ringing off the hook,¡± Shen Xi whined.

    Yuan Yu replied, ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±

    He was no stranger to the fact that the Fu family had been in search of their daughter as the whole world knew that Fu Qingye went into showbiz to find his sister.

    Yuan Yu was delighted that Shen Xi was reunited with her real family while not feeling that bothered how she suddenly became the Fu family¡¯s daughter, albeit Shen Xi did a maternity test with Li Jingran. Technically, she should have blood ties with Li Jingran.

    The Fu brothers¡¯ Weibo posts pushed the whole fiasco to a whole new level. Those ready to roll up their sleeves and crusade against Shen Xi put down their keyboards and fired their ammo at the shameless and unscrupulous Su Yi who dug his own grave.

    Su Yi was thrown off the loop by Fu Qingli¡¯s statement. It took a while before he kicked the coffee table away. With bloodshot eyes, he mumbled to himself, ¡°No way, no way. How could it be?¡±

    Shen Xi was supposed to be his daughter. What did she have to do with the Fu family? What was the Fu family getting at? Why did they lie and defend Shen Xi?

    With the Fu family standing up for Shen Xi, the mindless keyboard warriors would choose to trust the Fu family instead of him. What was he to do now?

    Su Muyan was scared witless. Reading the post repeatedly in disbelief, he zoomed in on the DNA result for a closer look. Still, the truth could not register in his mind. It must be a fake. Surely, it was forged.

    Shen Xi was his sister, and he had a DNA test result to prove it. There was no mistaking it. The Fu family made excuses and stuck up for Shen Xi because they had gone bonkers, being under the spell by the wicked brat.

    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s a fake.¡± Refusing to believe the facts before his eyes, Su Muyan shook his head in denial.

    What was going to happen to their family if it were true? What was he supposed to do? Who was going to clear the Su family¡¯s debut, aid to rebuild the family¡¯s empire, and provide for his lifestyle?

    Grabbing his phone, Su Yi published excessive posts to call out Shen Xi and the Fu family in cahoots for deceiving the public and falsifying evidence. He wanted the public to open their eyes to see the truth and Shen Xi¡¯s true colors.

    However, his posts went unanswered. There were a few who gave him the time of day but only to fling abuse back at him to get lost. Su Yi¡¯s efforts to tag Weibo¡¯s official handle were futile as he got his ount blocked instead for being a pester.

    Su Muyan sank into the depths of the abyss. Prior to this, he was still dreaming about the Su family making aeback through Shen Xi. Feeling the fear, Shen Xi would definitely give them a hand. Yet now, all hope came to a screeching halt. Su Muyan asked in a fluster, ¡°Dad, what are we going to do now? They won¡¯t believe us. What¡¯s the brat up to? Why is the Fu family helping her?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop her at her house. She has to go home at some point.¡± This was the only way Su Yi could think of. He had to get to Shen Xi one way or another.

    How could she possibly be the missing daughter of the Fu family? Su Yi was certain that they fabricated the evidence since it was easy for the Fu family to falsify the DNA test report.

    Su Yi was unable to figure out why the Fu family would have Shen Xi¡¯s back. Did one of the young masters of the Fu family take a fancy to Shen Xi? Was marriage in mind? Now that Su Yi thought about it, this was likely the reason.

    He was not going to let Shen Xi shake the Su family off.. Even at the cost of death, the Su family would make sure Shen Xi perished with them!

 Chapter 692 - Su Yi Died in a Car Crash

    <h4>Chapter 692: Su Yi Died in a Car Crash</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On the bed across the room, the spaced-out Li Jingran let out a scream as she jolted up. Li Jingran nced at Su Yi and Su Muyan with ssy eyes before burying her face in her palms to weep in regret and fear. She uttered in a trembling voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yuan Heng. I did you wrong. Stoping after me, please, stop it.¡±

    Su Yi gave her a look of disgust and turned to Su Muyan. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Nodding his head, Su Muyan could not be bothered to stay here and listen to her squawks. God knows what she was screaming about. Why could she not go ahead and die already?

    Su Yi and Su Muyan were getting out of the elevator to the lobby when they noticed a crowd at the entrance. There were also people, some he recognized while others he did not, waiting in the lobby. Following his appearance, these people came at him like a hungry pack of wolves.

    ¡°Su Yi, when do you n on paying our wages?¡±

    ¡°Su Yi, when are you going to pay our subcontract work?¡±

    ¡°Su Yi! Pay up or suffer the consequences!¡±

    These people were here to collect money. After some due diligence, they found out that Su Yi was staying in this hotel. They informed everyone involved and gathered here to demand money.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back. Shen Xi¡¯s my daughter. She¡¯s Cloud Seven and Cai Ni. She has money. Besides, she¡¯s about to marry into the Fu family, the richest family in the world. I¡¯m talking about the Fu family that Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye are in.¡± Turning as pale as a sheet, Su Yi looked at every angry faze. While shouting out loud, Su Yi gazed around for a route of escape.

    However, the crowd was not going to believe a word he said anymore as they had one thing on their mind ¨C they wanted to eat him alive. Surrounding Su Yi, one of them cried loudly before pulling a punch straight to his face.

    The crowd then ganged up on Su Yi, beating and kicking him. Su Yi felt his hair pulled, his clothes stripped, and his body taking a beating. Unable to tell how many people wereying their hands on him, Su Yi instinctively shoved the people away to scuffle out of the ce.

    It was not known how much time had passed or how much of a beating he endured. Su Yi had trouble making out the angry criticisms and usations as his head was buzzing. With thest ounce of strength he had, he put up a struggle and scampered out of the hotel to the bright daylight.

    Su Yi ran as far as his legs could carry him. As soon as he found Shen Xi and got the money, everything would no longer be a problem.

    These unappreciative b*stards! His daughter had fallen in with the Fu family. Money was no issue once she married into the Fu family. In due course, he would kill every single one of his attackers in return for the humiliation he faced today.

    Su Muyan made a quick getaway the moment the crowd flocked in on them. It was likely he was able to slip away because the debt collectors did not notice him. Hiding behind the fountain at the hotel entrance, Su Muyan was relieved to see Su Yi getting out. However, the crowd was also on his tail.

    With debt collectors in hot pursuit, Su Yi fled so fast that his pursuers were left behind.

    Staring at Su Yi¡¯s receding figure, Su Muyan went along while locating an opportunity to rescue him. By then, Su Yi had made his way to the middle of the road.

    At the corner of an intersection, a big truck came racing at high speed. Su Yi was light on his feet as well. Wham! With the man and vehicle colliding, Su Yi flew off from the impact.

    Su Muyan¡¯s pupils dted while watching Su Yi¡¯s body flung in the air before hitting the ground with a loud thud. For a moment, he froze in shock as his blood ran cold.

    Su Yi¡¯s debt collectors stopped in their tracks as the scene unfolded. After exchanging nces, some decided to approach for a closer look while the majority scattered away from the scene in distress.

    News of Su Yi dying in a car crash was published online two minutes after the ident. While the source could not be identified, the crash site was horrifying. The videos and pictures of the ident were quickly censored as it was too bloody of a scene.

    Yuan Yu was still hanging around when Shen Xi read the news. Su Yi¡¯s road ident made headlines in the local news rather than the entertainment section.

    After fixating on his phone for a long time, Yuan Yu sighed deeply as though feeling relieved. With downcast eyes, he murmured, ¡°I guess what goes aroundes around.¡±

    He had imagined thousands of ways Su Yi would die, but it never crossed his mind that he would be run over by a truck. Now Yuan Yu understood the meaning behind justice may bete but never absent.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Shen Xi responded. She calmly looked out the window in a daze.

    With things progressing to this point, it was time to tie up loose ends.

    ¡°It must be horrifying.¡± Yuan Yu¡¯s mournful eyes were shifty as if to make out something in the air. ¡°Xixi, my mom died in a drearier circumstance than he did.¡±

    As a young child, Yuan Yu observed the bloody pulp, refusing to believe that it was his mother.

    The scene was a thorn that had been killing him inside. He would wake up in pain every time he dreamed about it. Su Yi deserved what happened to him. Yuan Yu wondered if Su Yi experienced his mother¡¯s pain before his death. Did Su Yi repent to his mother for his crimes before he died?

    Shen Xi remained silent.

    Outside the window, a withered leaf drifted along with the north wind, falling with the snow. The snow was plentiful this winter.

    Su Yi¡¯s death made waves among themunity, but it became insignificant inparison as the nation was celebrating Fu Qingye having found his sister. Those who had been praying for the Su family¡¯s death did not take much interest in the news. They merely expressed that Su Yi got what wasing, and that was it.

    Su Ruowan sat by the window in a hotel in the capital, grasping on her phone while looking at the floating snowkes outside the window. Her eyes reflected tremendous hatred and bitterness. Struck by a thought, she let out a weird chuckle.

    She rejected the statement that Shen Xi was the Fu family¡¯s daughter. How could she believe that? It was all a ploy to trick those idioticizens.

    Shen Xi was verified to be Li Jingran¡¯s daughter through a DNA test!

    How did Shen Xi, the b*tch, fool the Fu family to lie and falsify documents to defend her?

 Chapter 693 - How to Interact with a Sister?

    <h4>Chapter 693: How to Interact with a Sister?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Was it possible that Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend was the young master of the Fu family? Su Ruowan had met Fu Qingxuan while Fu Qingye was a widely known movie star. The only remaining possibility ¨C her boyfriend was Fu Qingli, the eldest son of the Fu family.

    At this point, it was unfeasible for Su Ruowan to get to Shen Xi. Shen Xi was a pain in her ass, so was the Su family. So long as one member of the Su family remained alive on earth, Su Ruowan would always have to look over her shoulder.

    Su Ruowan saw the push notification on Weibo. Su Yi died in a car crash. His death was not worth the mention, but why did Su Muyan not die with him? What was she to do if he were toe after her?

    With that in mind, Su Ruowan held her phone in terror as she dialed a number and muttered, ¡°I can promise you a million yuan, but you have to move fast. I want to see Su Muyan¡¯s dead body by morning. Otherwise, I won¡¯t give you a penny.¡±

    Shen Xi was out of the woods for now as the Fu family had her back. Hence, Su Ruowan had no choice but to deal with the Su family first. Su Yi was dead and Su Muxuan was facing the death penalty for his murder charges, while Su Mushi was a dead man walking. He would not survive for long even if Su Ruowan left him alone.

    As for Li Jingran, she had already lost her mind. A madwoman in the throes of insanity lived a life worse than death. Su Ruowan could write Li Jingran off her kill list.

    Half an hourter, Su Ruowan was gritting her teeth menacingly at trending news about Shen Xi when four men in ck barged into her room and put something over her head, mouth, and nose without warning. She went nk and soon lost consciousness.

    The snow grew heavy outside as the sky darkened.

    The campus grounds of Capital University became lively as students got off their sses. Many students took pictures and fooled around in the snow.

    At the girls¡¯ No. 6 apartment building, thedy in charge of the dormitory watched as a handsome young man registered his details and upant¡¯s information before entering the building and disappearing into the stairway. She then took a nce at the registration form.

    This was the third person here for Shen Xi. She knew that Shen Xi in this dormitory was the one going viral online. Shen Xi was an impressive girl with many identities to her name.

    The dean had personally given thedy a call, instructing her not to tell anyone that Shen Xi had returned to school. Those who came looking for Shen Xi could simply be registered and let in.

    In the dormitory, Shen Xi gazed at two good-looking men of distinctive miens on the sofa. They were Fu Qingli and Yu Yuan, who had just arrived. Without giving Fu Qingli any attention, she turned to Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t we go home?¡±

    ¡°Mom and Dad said it¡¯s dangerous to stay at home.¡± Yu Yuanxi looked at her earnestly before ncing at Fu Qingli. ¡°Your eldest brother said your parents are on their way. Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Shen Xi was put in a spot. Afraid to be a bother, Jiang Xuanxuan and Yan Xiaoxiao excused themselves to study in the study hall for the uing term examination when Fu Qingli came over.

    Silence befell the room following the brief exchange. There was a weird tension in the air.

    Since Shen Xi had no idea how to break the silence, she upied herself with the phone by sending a text message to Li Yuan.

    Yu Yuanxi was not a man of many words. Sitting with his back straight, he flipped through a book.

    Doing nothing at all, Fu Qingli quietly sat there while his eyes were fixed outside the window. By the corner of his eyes, he would steal a nce at Shen Xi every now and then.

    What should he say? What should he say? As a brother, how should hemunicate with his sister? He had no experience in this sort of situation. It never urred to him that his rtionship with his sister woulde to a standstill.

    After much thought, he whipped out his phone and typed on the search engine. ¡°How to interact with a sister?¡±

    The replies that followed were a colorful variety. Thement with the most likes was giving the sister a lot of attention and showing patience even when she was all over the OP.

    Fu Qingli furrowed his brows. This question was harder than a billion-dor business deal. Her being all over him? Would he need to ask the question if she was all over him?

    He scrolled down for more answers, but none suited his current predicament. These people, whoined that their sisters whine for attention, were tantly showing off!

    Shen Xi paid no notice to Fu Qingli as she was busy doing her own thing.

    Yu Yuanxi would keep an eye on Fu Qingli periodically. In the beginning, Yu Yuanxi tried to make Fu Qingli at home by smiling warmly and making small talk.

    However, there really was nothing much to say. In addition, Fu Qingli¡¯s imposing presence put quite the pressure on Yu Yuanxi. Yu Yuanxiter gave up on initiating any conversation.

    It did not take long before Yu Yuanxi realized that Fu Qingli was focused on something. Although thetter maintained a nk face, his eyes were ever-changing. Fu Qingli even peeped at Xixi.

    As the trio sat in silence, awkwardness filled the air until there was another knock on the door. Then came Shen Zhangqing¡¯s voice. ¡°Xixi, Xixi. It¡¯s Dad.¡±

    Shen Xi had not had the chance to get up and open the door.

    Yu Yuanxi was a step ahead as he bolted to open the door. Looking around the corridor warrily, Yu Yuanxi asked Shen Zhangqing toe in. ¡°Dad, when is Moming back?¡±

    ¡°Your mom¡¯s on the flight now. It¡¯s going to take some time.¡± Without looking at Yu Yuanxi, Shen Zhangqing only had eyes for Shen Xi. He drew close and stood before her for a while, quivering in the lips at a loss for words.

    Lifting her head, Shen Xi felt a lump in her throat to meet Shen Zhangqing¡¯s teary eyes. She reached out her hand with a smile. ¡°Old Shen, what good food did you bring me this time?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing came empty-handed, also forgetting his own bag. Following her words, he fished out a toffee from his pocket. The smile on her face broke hisst defense as tears began to flow down his cheeks.

    Shen Xi extended her arms to hug him while lifting her eyes to meet his. ¡°Old Shen, why are you crying?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing wiped away his tears, but his tear ducts only produced more. For a man his age, Shen Zhangqing had never cried in front of anybody. Yet now, he was wailing in front of his daughter. There was no stopping the tears. The more he wiped, the more tears came out.

    Standing up, Shen Xi unwrapped a toffee and stuffed it in his mouth before wiping away his tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Old Shen. I¡¯m going to cry if you cry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯m just so happy,¡± Shen Zhangqing immediately said. With candy in his mouth, his speech was barely audible. ¡°Look at me all happy. A lot more people will dote on you from now on.¡±

    It was better this way. His darling daughter was not a member of the Su family, but the Fu family. It could not be better. He should be happy.. The Su animals did not deserve his darling daughter.

 Chapter 694 - I Donâ€™t Know! Get Lost!!!

    <h4>Chapter 694: I Don¡¯t Know! Get Lost!!!</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi gave a good nod while a broken reflection shimmered in her eyes. She had a catch in her throat and her eyes were watery.

    Fu Qingli watched the father and daughter with envy in his eyes. However, he soon suppressed the emotion. With Shen Zhangqing looking over, Fu Qingli politely bowed and greeted him. ¡°Hello, Mr. Shen. I am Fu Qingli.¡±

    This was Shen Zhangqing¡¯s first time meeting Fu Qingli. He was a good-looking, dashing, and sharp young man. Shen Zhangqing nodded. ¡°Hello, hello. You must be Xixi¡¯s eldest brother.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing had seen two younger sons of the Fu family ¨C Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan. These three brothers had quite varied characters, albeit blessed with charming looks.

    He was thankful, happy, and content that his daughter had such a family.

    Shen Zhangqing had been questioning the injustice in the world. His darling daughter was outstanding, kind, and adorable to be the daughter of the Su family. He had secretly hoped Xixi was Madam Fu¡¯s biological daughter ever since he witnessed thetter¡¯s spitting image to Li Jingran.

    Now that the truth was out that his daughter was indeed the Fu family¡¯s daughter, Shen Zhangqing had nothing more to ask of life.

    Fu Qingli nced at Shen Xi before uttering in smiles. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. Xixi said that it¡¯ll take your parents three to four hours to get here. Her mom is also on the flight. I¡¯ll have to reach the airport by nine o¡¯clockter. Since it¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s have dinner.¡± Shen Zhangqing looked at them. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Having been meaning to leave, Shen Xi raised her hands in agreement.

    Fu Qingli gave a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll go with your suggestion.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi said, ¡°Dad, Lil¡¯ Ye will soon arrive at the airport in one hour. I need to get to the airport to pick her up.¡±

    Shen Xi raised her hand. ¡°I want to go too!¡±

    She had no idea how she should act in Fu Qingli¡¯spany. It was awkward and somewhat ufortable since she did not know what to say to him.

    Shen Zhangqing was about to suggest taking them there when Fu Qingli came to mind. Letting out an embarrassed smile at Fu Qingli, Shen Zhangqing cleared his throat and red at Shen Xi. ¡°You kids.¡±

    It was not very nice for her to leave her brother behind. Shen Xi should spend some time with her long-lost brother.

    Fu Qingli thoughtfully grinned at Shen Zhangqing before turning to Shen Xi. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you guys there. Mr. Shen, please wait for us. Why don¡¯t you take the time to rest? You must be tired from the flight.¡±

    It put Shen Xi on the spot. Oh, gawd. Oh, gawd. Oh, gawd. It was quite unexpected for Fu Qingli to blurt so many words in one go. She had never heard Fu Qingli speak so politely.

    She thought he was an arrogant tyrant that would never get off his high horse. Who would have thought he would say something decent for a change?

    Shen Xi was about to turn down the offer.

    Yu Yuanxi jumped in with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Fu.¡±

    Fu Qingli gave Yu Yuanxi a grateful look, knowing that thetter spoke for him. Yu Yuanxi was a smart and kind-hearted young man. Fu Qingli curled his lips. ¡°No need to be polite. You can call me ¡®Big Brother¡¯ like Xixi.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi paused for a moment before muttering, ¡°Big Brother.¡±

    Shen Xi thought to herself, ¡®When did I ever call you that?¡¯ She looked daggers at Yu Yuanxi and pinched his hand in secret. That was for going against her! Why did he let Fu Qingli tag along?

    She was unconvinced that Yu Yuanxi had no clue that her going to pick Song Wenye was to avoid Fu Qingli.

    Shen Zhangqing was ready to take the kids to try out a nearby restaurant that he went to before. Nevertheless, it seemed that that had to wait. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s eat at home. I¡¯ll call for delivery.¡±

    ¡°Dad, mom and the rest are arriving about the same time. How about we get a quick bite so we can have a proper dinner when they¡¯re here,¡± Shen Xi suggested.

    ¡°Sounds like a n. Get something to eat along the way,¡± Shen Zhangqing urged.

    With that out of the way, Shen Zhangqing headed home. The house needed some tidying up since it was left unupied for more than ten days. However, the Su family was still a concern.

    Su Yi had died in a car crash and the eldest son Su Muxuan was in jail for murder, while the youngest son was in aa. Hopefully, the second son Su Muyan would not find his way to the Shens¡¯ home.

    The remaining members of the Su family might still be atrge, but the Shen family should not be kept from their own home. It was not like they could keep hiding forever.

    Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi, together with Fu Qingli set out to the airport to pick Song Wenye up.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s car was parked outside the dormitory. Xu Xu the assistant was waiting inside the vehicle.

    It was dark outside as the heavy snowfall took over thend. Smiling at Fu Qingli, Yu Yuanxi opened the car door and climbed into the front passenger¡¯s seat. Xixi kept a tough exterior but was a softie inside, so incessant pestering worked best on her. Still, by the looks of Fu Qingli¡¯s character, he probably would not adopt that tactic.

    Xixi had a problem with Fu Qingli. Unless he took the initiative, their rtionship would not make a breakthrough. Shen Xi could never be expected to make the first move.

    Burying her head in her phone, Shen Xi sent a text message to Yu Yuanxi. [Shen Xi: You did that on purpose.]

    Yu Yuanxi replied to her with a stroking-head emoji.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    In the backseat, Shen Xi sat on the left end while Fu Qingli sat at the most right.

    Leaning against the seat, Shen Xi closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

    Fu Qingli took a nce at her and the gap between them. He scooted a little over but decided to keep his back straight instead. Fu Qingli sent a message to Fu Qingye. [Fu Qingli: What¡¯s her favorite food?]

    Fu Qingye was quick to reply. [Fu Qingye: She likes everything delicious.]

    Grinding his teeth, Fu Qingli could break the mobile screen with the force of his fingers. [Fu Qingli: Can you be any clearer!]

    It was a deliberate payback on Fu Qingye¡¯s side!

    [Fu Qingye: I said she likes everything delicious.]

    Fu Qingli reflected on his thoughts for a moment before deciding against cklisting Fu Qingye. However, he ditched Fu Qingye for Fu Qingxuan. [Fu Qingli: What does our sister like to eat?¡±

    [Fu Qingxuan: Everything.]

    Fu Qingli turned blue in the face. Were they ganging up on him?

    [Fu Qingli: Be specific!]

    [Fu Qingxuan: She¡¯ll eat whatever. She eats yummy and rejects the yucky.]

    Fu Qingli was about to blow up.

    [Fu Qingli: You two sure are just swell.]

    Fu Qingxuan returned his text message with a question mark. Following the long absence of a response, he curled his lips in delight and gave Fu Handing the heads-up ¡°Dad, ignore Qingli if he sends you a textter.¡±

    Hmph!

    He was angry!

    The nerve of Qingli to hide the fact that he found their sister!

    Fu Handing answered, ¡°Your mom and I have turned off our phones.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan guessed it right. Hitting a snag with his brothers, Fu Qingli tried his hand with Fu Handing, but even that came back empty. He swallowed his fury and asked for help from his aunt, Fu Junqiu. Fu Qingli worded his text cautiously in case of another snappy retort. [Fu Qingli: Aunt Junqiu, what do girls usually like to eat?]

    [Fu Junqiu: I don¡¯t know! Get lost!!!]

 Chapter 695 - Qingli Had It Coming

    695 Qingli Had It Coming

    Emojis of flying kicks that followed inter messages expressed Fu Junqiu wanting nothing to do with Fu Qingli.

    In the end, Fu Qingli resorted to the search engine for answers he believed were beyond unreliable. There were all kinds of replies, but desserts like bubble tea, chocte, candy, and cake seemed to be an all-time favorite.

    Skeptical about the online help, he turned his attention to Jing Yu instead. Fu Qingli typed in the chat. [Fu Qingli: What is Shen Xi''s favorite food?]

    Before sending the message, he added a few more words. [Fu Qingli: Don''t tell Qingye.]

    Jing Yu should know better since he had been by Qingye''s side.

    Having matters to attend to, Jing Yu did not return to China with Fu Qingye. He typed a detailed and honest answer and sent the reply to Fu Qingli.

    Qingli had iting. He had toe all the way to Jing Yu for answers and even did not want Qingye to find out. Qingli must have asked everyone around, but no one gave him the time of day!

    Fu Qingli looked at the long list that was segregated into different categories. She enjoyed sweet, sour, spicy, and salty food. In conclusion, she had a penchant for everything and anything delicious.

    With perplexity in his eyes, he stole a nce at the girl who obviously wanted to stay away from him. Were all girls like this?

    As the car pulled up at the airport parking lot, Fu Qingli gazed at Shen Xi. "Go and get your friend with Yuanxi. I''ll get us a quick bite."

    Shen Xi responded nonchntly before getting down the car and leaving with Yu Yuanxi to pick Song Wenye up.

    Song Wenye rushed back to the capital on her own after a program rehearsal. Her group was supposed to stay at C City for two more days as they had a New Year countdown event tomorrow night to wee the New Year.

    Coming out of the screening checkpoint, Song Wenye saw Shen Xi and Yu Yuanxi who were waiting for her. Yu Yuanxi was still a new face as his movie had not hit the screens yet. There had not been much of amotion except for a few passing girls who asked for his number because of his eye-catching looks and bearing.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, had to be suited up. Well known across China, Shen Xi would be recognized in an instant. Even though photos and videos of her were deleted off the web, it would take a while before she could fade out from the public eye. Shen Xi wrapped a scarf around her face, revealing only her eyes while putting on a hooded down jacket that was up to her ankles. The disguise could even fool her friends.

    "Xixi," Song Wenye excitedly cried as she ran toward Shen Xi with open arms.

    Shen Xi spread her arms only for Song Wenye to walk right past her into Yu Yuanxi''s arms. Twitching by the eyes, she scoffed, "Hmph!"

    Were they teaming up to get on her nerves with their public disy of affection?

    Holding Song Wenye, Yu Yuanxi dotingly and helplessly smiled and asked, "Tired?"

    Song Wenye bobbed her head while removing her sunsses to show her eyes. "My eyes are swollen from crying. She has no heart. Does she have any feelings at all?"

    Yu Yuanxi broke into a smile and watched Shen Xi scoff and walk away. He whispered, "She cares."

    Taking a closer look at Song Wenye''s eyes, Yu Yuanxi caressed them with his lean fingers. Song Wenye''s heavy makeup was not able to cover the swelling and redness in her eyes.

    Song Wenye agreed with hisment. With Shen Xi taking off, Song Wenye pulled Yu Yuanxi along to chase her. "Don''t go, Xixi. What''s wrong? Are you angry because I didn''t hug you? You can hold me twice, ten times? How about a hundred times?"

    Shen Xi did not look back.

    Song Wenye pursed her lips. "Go hug Toffeecito''s Dad."

    Shen Xi, "¡­"

    Following Song Wenye''s footsteps, Yu Yuanxi tugged a few times to take her backpack off her. He was putting on the backpack when the soft hand he was holding let go in pursuit of the girl ahead. The girls walked out of the airport hand in hand.

    Fu Qingli was waiting by the car when the trio got to the basement parking lot.

    With Song Wenye drooling over Fu Qingli''s looks, she loosened her grip over Shen Xi''s arm and bolted toward him. She reached out her hand in thrill. "Hello, Big Brother Fu, I''m Song Wenye."

    Oh gawd! Her wish finally came true. This was Fu Qingli in the flesh!

    "Hello." Fu Qingli extended his arm and politely grabbed her hand before quickly letting go.

    Song Wenye had a silly smile across her face. "Big Brother, thank you foring. I heard from Xixi. Get in the car. You, first."

    Fu Qingli could feel the enthusiasm from the girl, but then he nced at his ice queen of a sister. Sighing to himself, he looked at Shen Xi and said, "Hop in, Xixi."

    Giving a nod, Shen Xi got into the car.

    She took the seat in the far back, thinking that Fu Qingli would not sit between two girls no matter what.

    It never urred to her that Song Wenye, the traitor, would pull her to sit in the middle. "I want to sit here. It''s closer to your brother."

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes. How was it closer? The distance was more or less the same since they were all in one car.

    "Take the center seat. I''m tired, so I''d need to catch some sleepter. I want to lean against the door." Song Wenye kepting up with excuses as she shoved Shen Xi to the middle.

    Left with no choice, Shen Xi sat in the middle.

    Fu Qingli got his wish atst. His sister was sitting next to him. Grabbing the bags of stuff handed by Xu Xu, he got into the car and passed them to the girls. "I bought some food. Eat it while it''s hot."

    "Thank you, Big Brother." Song Wenye was d to help herself.

    She was so hungry that she could eat a horse. Since her girl group had to wear a costume that revealed their midriff for their rehearsals in the afternoon, their manager had kept an eye on them to fast the whole day. Otherwise, they would look bad with a belly out during rehearsals.

    Shen Xi took two bags and looked inside. It was bubble tea and fried chicken bites. These were from a famous restaurant near the airport.

    Song Wenye took out the stuff from the bags. There were cake slices and egg yolk pastries. Thest bag contained roasted duck and a huge pizza. The food was mouthwatering.

    Shen Xi gave Yu Yuanxi a cup of bubble tea before ncing at the food in Song Wenye''s hands. She asked Yu Yuanxi, "Brother, we have cakes, egg yolk pastry, roasted duck, fried chicken, and pizza. What do you want to try first?"

    Yu Yuanxi answered, "Give me a slice of pizza to start."

    He should start with staple food to ease his hunger.

    Feeling jealous about Shen Xi handing Yu Yuanxi food and calling him Brother, Fu Qingli looked out the window.

    Song Wenye took another slice of pizza and passed it to Shen Xi. "Give it to Big Brother."

 Chapter 696 - Hostility in the Air

    <h4>Chapter 696: Hostility in the Air</h4>

    Trantor: Endless Fantasy Trantion Editor: Endless Fantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi frowned.

    Leaving Shen Xi without a chance to refuse, Song Wenye stuffed the pizza in her hand together with a pair of disposable gloves, ¡°Give this to Big Brother too.¡±

    Shen Xi took the stuff and handed it to Fu Qingli. ¡°Here.¡±

    Not knowing what to feel, Fu Qingli solemnly uttered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi got a ¡°Brother¡± while he got a ¡°Here¡±

    Shen Xi believed Song Wenye did it on purpose. It had to be. After the pizza, Song Wenye would give her duck feet, duck livers, and duck tongues every now and then for Shen Xi to pass to Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli went from being jealous to gradually enjoying himself. This was the first time in his life to be given things by his sister, albeit not to her free will. Still, she shared the food with him.

    Behind the wheel, Xu Xu was calm from the initial shock and grew unfazed by the situation. Young Master Qingli was a germaphobe to the point that he was picky with food. He would travel anywhere with his own chef while the ingredients were airlifted from his estate. Young Master Qingli never indulged in food anywhere else.

    Yet now, he was eating street food.

    As expected, the great existence of a sister could change a person¡¯s habits.

    It was a pleasant moment in the car, way better than when they were in the dormitory. It was mainly because Song Wenye could go on talking for days even though no one responded to her. She was the life of the party

    With the car fast approaching the neighborhood, Song Wenye inquired, ¡°Big Brother, can you stop by the snack shop? I want to get something.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Fu Qingli took to the girl who had juste along. With her around, Xixi was nicer to him.

    Xu Xu parked in front of the shop. Song Wenye dragged Shen Xi along before sticking half her head into the car. She waved. ¡°Wait here. We¡¯ll be right back.¡± Fu Qingli watched as the girls dumped the food bags and trash into the bin. With confusion running through his eyes, Fu Qingli observed the girls running hand-in-hand to the snack shop

    Did girls have a bottomless-pit appetite?

    Out of the food that was bought earlier, he and Yuanxi only ate the pizza. The rest of the food, including two other slices of pizza, was divided between the girls.

    Soon.

    The pair returned, holding a bag of junk food each. ¡°Yu Yuanxi, do you want a pork puff?¡± Song Wenye uttered as she hopped into the car. Before he had a chance to reply, she hurled him a few packs of food.

    Yu Yuanxi took a nce at the food. These were Xixi and her favorite snacks. The streetside wholesale snack shop sold everything under the sun. Song Wenye threw him pork puff, nt-based meat, chicken feet, and two cod sausages. He loved these.

    ¡°Xixi, ask Big Brother what he wants.¡± Song Wenye urged Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi opened up the stic bag in hand to show him many individually packed snacks. She let out a courteous smile. ¡°Take a look.¡± Fu Qingli had never seen this stuff before, let alone eaten them. Judging by the colorful packaging, he could tell the food was not healthy. Nevertheless, healthy or not, eating or not; it all boiled down to the person giving the food to him. Studying her face, Fu Qingli grinned broadly and muttered in a thick voice, ¡°Rmend one to me.¡±

    Shen Xi had always known that Fu Qingli was handsome. However, he often put on a poker face as though people owed him money. Caught off guard by his killer smile, Shen Xi cleared her throat and answered, ¡°All of them.¡±

    Fu Qingli asked, ¡°Which one is your favorite?¡±

    Shen Xi was not used to Fu Qingli ying nice. Sulkily, she picked out two packets oftiao and two packets of beef jerky for him. She then lifted her head and faced him.

    Fu Qingli remarked, ¡°Can you give me one of the pork puffs Yuanxi has?¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°I have, I have!¡± Song Wenye offered timely assistance by tucking more than a few in her hands.

    Shen Xi,¡¯_

    Fu Qingli epted the pork puff with a tender smile. ¡°Thank you, my dear sister.¡±

    Shen Xi was sitting on pins and needles to be addressed as his sister. Since it was not polite to pay no heed, she responded, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± As the car entered the neighborhood and turned the corner to the home, Song Wenye excitedly tugged Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, your Toffeecito¡¯s Dad is home.¡±

    Sitting in the middle, Shen Xi could not see anything. She turned to nce at Song Wenye.

    Song Wenyemented, ¡°His car¡¯s in the front. He must be back.¡±

    The words ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad¡± put Fu Qingli in a foul mood. Were they talking about Li Yuan? What heinous act did hemit in his past life to be family with Li Yuan in his life now? If things went as nned, Li Yuan would be his brother-inw!

    With the car drawing close to the house gates, Shen Xi finally caught a glimpse of Li Yuan¡¯s ride parked at the front door. By the looks of the snow gathered, the car must have been there for quite some time.

    While getting out of the car, Shen Xi took a nce at the estate next door. The house was dark without any lights on. Looking at her house with sparkling eyes, she strutted there with a bounce to her steps.

    Fu Qingli clearly saw the sudden joy in her dazzling eyes. However, her happiness was not because of him.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi carried their things and followed behind. They did not let Fu Qingli do the lifting as he was a guest.

    The streetlights shone brightly into the yards. Their shoes made creaking noises as they crossed nkets of snow in the yard. Shen Xi curled her lips affectionately while gazing at the trails of footprints in the snow. It did not take long before a figure emerged from the living room to the door.

    Shen Zhangqing waved at her. ¡°Did you pick her up?¡± Shen Xi nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    This was not right. Where was Li Yuan? Why was Dad alone?

    As she fell deep into her thoughts, another familiar and taller shadow appeared behind Shen Zhangqing. The shadow took two steps and stood beside Shen Zhangqing. It was none other than Li Yuan.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Shen Xi sweetly cried. With a smiling face, she charged toward him. Trailing in the back, Fu Qingli watched as she ran toward the eyesore. Filled with rage, he looked daggered at Li Yuan.

    Song Wenye quietly stared at Fu Qingli. Was that hostility in the air?

    She knew that Fu Qingxuan was not a fan of Toffeecito¡¯s dad. Sisi had asked her whether Fu Qingxuan had a crush on Xixi. Oh, the look on his face then was awful.

    Fu Qingli was indeed Fu Qingxuan¡¯s brother as their expressions were exactly the same.

 Chapter 697 - Toffeecitos Dad Is a Good Man

    <h4>Chapter 697: Toffeecito¡¯s Dad Is a Good Man</h4>

    Trantor: Endless Fantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    On the other side.

    Shen Xi ran into the living room. of course, she would not have the nerve to

    ask for hugs on Shen Zhangqing¡¯s watch. Besides, the begrudging stareing

    from him did not go unnoticed. she opened a packet of cod sausage and

    hand-delivered it to Li Yuan¡¯s mouth. ¡°Brother, have you eaten?¡±

    Li Yuan pointed at the pink bear apron on him and answered with a smile, ¡°I

    was cooking with Uncle Shen.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing would be lying if he said he was not bitter about his daughter

    ignoring him. He acknowledged, ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of cooking up a storm.

    We can also order some takeaways. Have you guys eaten?¡±

    ¡°We had some snacks.¡± Shen Xi grinned at Shen Zhangqing before poking the

    bear on Li Yuan¡¯s chest with intrigue. She bought these aprons for Old Shen and

    Madam Yun. One was pink while the other was blue. He wore the pink and Old

    Shen put on the blue apron.

    Song Wenye almost choked when she saw Li Yuan in an ill-fitted pink apron.

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad sure looked the part of a househusband.

    With a look of concern, Yu Yuanxi gently patted her on the back. ¡°What¡¯s

    Wrong?

    Song Wenye smiled mysteriously and shook her head before leaning in his ear

    to whisper, ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s Dad is a good man.¡±

    It was hard to imagine a big shot cooking in the kitchen with an apron on. Well,

    Song Wenye¡¯s grandpa and deadbeat father would never step into the kitchen

    for anyone.

    She never heard of her father ever cooking for his wife, despite iming to love

    his current wife.

    That wife was so full of herself. As if splurging money was not enough, those

    dies,beling themselves as the upper crust, wouldpare their

    rtionships and boast about whose husband would carry their bags for them.

    Yu Yuanxi grinned. ¡°So long as Xixi likes it.¡±

    For a man of status like Li Yuan, their family did not ask for much as all they

    wanted was his devotion toward Xixi.

    In the living room, Fu Qingli and Li Yuan indifferently greeted each other.

    Shen Xi pulled Li Yuan to the kitchen.

    Watching them leave, Fu Qingli was fixated on Shen Xi¡¯s arm over Li Yuan¡¯s as

    danger and forlorn shed past his eyes.

    He knew that his sister would get married one day, but why did it have to be Li

    Yuan?

    Fu Qingli hated himself. Why did it take him so long to find her? It took

    eighteen years to get to this point. Would everything be different had he found

    her sooner?

    cing the snacks on the coffee table, Song Wenye picked up the remote

    control to turn on the TV. She asked Fu Qingli, ¡°Big Brother, what do you want

    to watch

    Fu Qingli said, ¡°Anything is fine. You can watch whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Song Wenye sneaked a nce at him and realized his asional peek at

    the kitchen area. She looked over and handed the remote control to him. ¡°Big

    Brother, you can pick a program you like. I¡¯m going to help out in the kitchen.¡±

    She then ran off.

    After a trip to the loo, Yu Yuanxi went to lend a hand in the kitchen.

    Meanwhile, the living room was left deserted with only Fu Qingli there. He put

    down the remote control and gazed at the snacks on the coffee table. He took

    another nce at the kitchen before getting up to make his way there.

    With Fu Qingli setting foot in the kitchen, Shen Zhangqing put down the knife

    and talked him into leaving. ¡°Qingli, sit there and rx. We have enough people

    in the kitchen.¡±

    There was no way he was going to allow a guest to help in the kitchen. It was

    Simply improper.

    ¡°I want to help too:¡± The words saw the horns ot the green-eyed monster in Fu

    Qingli poking out. There seemed to be a difference in attitude toward guests

    and family. In Uncle Shen¡¯s eyes, Li Yuan was family while he was an outsider.

    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Shen Zhangqing refused repeatedly in reflection of his resolution.

    Wiping his hands, he looked at the lot in the kitchen before locking in on Li

    Yuan. ¡°Lil Li, go and sit with Qingli for a while.¡±

    Li Yuan was such an eyesore. Did Li Yuan and Shen Xi think he was blind to

    notice them making eyes?

    Shen Xi jumped in before Li Yuan had a chance to speak. ¡°Dad, he¡¯s cooking, so

    he can¡¯t leave now. You should go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m slicing vegetables here.¡± Shen Zhangqing felt bitter. His daughter was no

    longer daddy¡¯s little girl now that she was all grown up. It had not been long,

    yet she acted like he was getting in her way. Refusing to leave, Shen Zhangqing

    turned to his son. ¡°Yuanxi, go and keep Qinglipany.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi, ¡°¡±

    In the end, Yu Yuanxi, the most empathetic of them all, stayed with Fu Qingli,

    the guest. By the time he carried a fruit tter out, the TV was showing a

    variety program. Yu Yuanxi gazed at the man sitting nearby. ¡°Big Brother Fu,

    do you fancy watching a variety show?¡±

    Fu Qingli took notice that Glitzy Girls came on the screen. They were Mom¡¯s

    favorite girl group. Song Wenye was one of the members. Mr. Xixi was on the

    judging panel on their talent show.

    Mom was watching the live broadcast when he passed by the living room once.

    He recognized Shen Xi instantly then. Feeling down, he muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s watch

    National Idol.¡±

    At the time, Mom was hooked on the talent show. Not only did she look

    forward to each livestream, but she also participated in all kinds of events for

    fans and voted for her favorite contestants besides posting in her group chats

    and WeChat Moments to help out with the votes.

    Mom tried to pull him along to watch the talent show together. Since Fu Qingli

    knew that Shen Xi was on the show, he made up excuses to turn Mom down.

    He should have watched the show with Mom.

    Yu Yuanxi was dumbstruck for a moment as shock reflected in his eyes.

    Nevertheless, he picked up the remote control to find National Idol. Having

    found it, he inquired, ¡°Do you want to start from the first episode?¡±

    Fu Qingli returned a question. ¡°Is Mr. Xixi in the first episode?

    Mom binged on the show every day with Aunt Junqiu while discussing the

    program incessantly. Mr. Xixi had been missing in action in quite a few

    episodes.

    As Yu Yuanxi had been keeping up with the livestreams, he remembered the

    episodes Mr. Xixi appeared in. ¡°Yes¡±

    However, why was Big Brother Fu interested in watching Mr. Xixi? Was it

    possible that he had been an avid fan of Mr. Xixi¡¯s talent?

    Since the kitchen was not a far distance from the living, the people inside the

    kitchen could tell what they were watching by the theme song.

    Song Wenye looked at Shen Xi in confusion while hesitantly asking, ¡°Are they

    watching National Idol?

    Shen Xi could see the television in the living room from where she was

    standing. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Song Wenye narcissistically smiled. ¡°I guess I was charming on that show.¡±

    Shen Xi insincerely curled her lips. She looked back again and met the eyes of

    Fu Qingli. Following the locked gazes, she quickly turned away.

    With a smile, Fu Qingli intriguingly looked at Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Yuanxi, can you tell

    me a little more about Xixi?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was not one to hide any information. ¡°What do you want to know,

    Big Brother Fu?

    ¡°Anything and everything.¡± Fu Qingli paused before adding. ¡°Apart from Li

    Yuan.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi gave a look of understanding..

 Chapter 698 - Eats Everything, Especially Dead Rats

    <h4>Chapter 698: Eats Everything, Especially Dead Rats</h4>

    Trantor EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yu Yuanxi and Fu Qjngli had a conversation as they watched National Idol.

    Well, it was mostly Yu Yuanxi doing the talking while Fu Qingli would slide in a

    question every once in a while. At least, they seemed to have a pleasant

    moment.

    Since there was nothing much left to do in the kitchen, Shen Xi and Song

    Wenye were kicked out of the kitchen by Li Yuan and shen Zhangqing.

    Dragging her heels, Shen Xi walked behind Song Wenye with a carrot in her

    hand. she was munching on the carrot as she moved forward.

    Song Wenye drew close and asked Yu Yuanxi curiously, ¡°Why are you watching

    National Idol?

    Letting out a smile, Yu Yuanxi reflected for a moment before responding, ¡°Big

    Brother Fu is a fan of Mr. Xixi.¡±

    Song Wenye assumed they were watching her, so the answer came as

    unexpected. Beaming cheerfully, she turned to Fu Qingli. ¡°oh, you¡¯re fond of

    Mr. Xixi? Me too

    Amid nodding, Fu Qingli¡¯s gaze fell on Shen Xi. He looked into her eyes and

    blissfully uttered, ¡°Yes, I do, very much.¡±

    She sure kept the whole thing under wraps. Her parents, brother, and friends

    had no idea that she was Mr. Xixi. Could Fu Qingli consider himself special for

    knowing her little secret?

    Shen Xi swallowed the mouthful of carrot she nearly choked on because of Fu

    Qingli¡¯s sudden attention on her. Putting her game face on, she tooka seat next

    to Song Wenye.

    Yu Yuanxi was quick to pick up on the look on Fu Qingli¡¯s face, leading him to

    keep an eye out.

    Song Wenye was her usual carefree self as she got into talking about Mr. Xixi

    with Fu Qingli. There was much to share seeing that they liked the same idol.

    Coming out of nowhere, Toffeecito jumped onto Shen Xi¡¯sps with its whole

    body covered in snow.

    Shen Xi flinched and pointed at the cat. ¡°Get out. Stay away from me. Dry

    yourself at the radiator beforeing over.¡±

    Having been yelled at, Toffeecito timidly stopped in its tracks and meowed in

    resignation. The poor little thing.

    ¡°You poor thing. Come to me. I won¡¯t call you a nuisance.¡± Song Wenye was

    both tempted and feeling bad as she beckoned Toffeecito toe over.

    Toffeecito?¡± It did not take long for Fu Qjngli to guess who the cat was.

    Furrowing his brows, he was taken aback when the drenched little thing in the

    Snow came zipping his way.

    Then.

    It leaped.

    Toffeecito leaped into his arms.

    Following a look of horror, Fu Qjngli froze. He was caught in an amusing

    position where he tried to run away yet failed to.

    He never took to these little things. Never did.

    Besides, it was hard to warm up to the little thing every time he was reminded

    by Toffeecito¡¯s Dad.

    Nearly bursting intoughter, Shen Xi gave Toffeecito the thumbs up in her

    mind. Toffeecito did good!

    Song Wenye widened her eyes at the look on Fu Qingl¡¯s face, barely able to

    keep the chuckles in. In the end, she could not help but lean over Yu Yuanxi¡¯s

    shoulder while jerking hers inughter.

    She was in stitches. That was hrious. Big Brother Fu¡¯s bodynguage clearly

    expressed his rejection, but he was still forced to ept the fact that ¡®Toffeecito

    Jumped onto him.

    It never urred to Yu Yuanxi that Toffeecito could throw a refined man like

    Fu Qingli into a tizzy. This was the first time Yu Yuanxi had seen Fu Qjngli on

    edge

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°Come here, Toffeecito. Don¡¯t scare the guest.¡±

    Fu Qingli quickly pulled himself together after the brief outburst. His clothes,

    especially his pants were stomped with quite a few wet toe-bean prints.

    Toffeecito paid no heed to Shen Xf¡¯s calling as it rubbed its head against Fu

    Qingli while purring affectionately.

    Shen Xi, ¡°..¡±

    Try as Fu Qingxuan may to y with it, Toffeecito refused to give Fu Qingxuan

    any attention.

    Yet now, Toffeecito was all over Fu Qingli who could not stand its presence.

    Was Toffeecito not afraid of the aloof air Fu Qjngli bore?

    As she got a grip of herself, Song Wenye found a dry towel to pass to Fu Qingli.

    ¡°Big Brother, why don¡¯t you give Toffeecito a wipe. It seems to like you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡± Fu Qingli awkwardly grabbed the towel. Gazing at the little thing

    in his arms, he had no clue where to start. It would be his first attempt ever to

    dry a cat¡¯s fur. Overwhelmed with a weird feeling, he wanted to ask them to dry

    the cat instead.

    Song Wenye opened her mouth. ¡°Toffeecito stays away from Fu Qingxuan.lt

    never answers to him and tries to escape whenever Fu Qingxuan holds it.

    Toffeecito just runs away.¡±

    It made Fu Qingli feel important for a change. His voice softened. ¡°Really?¡±

    Bobbing her head, Song Wenye appeared sincere. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s close to you¡±

    Fu Qingli grinned with a strange satisfaction as he began to wipe Toffeecito

    dry.

    Toffeecito was on its best behavior, working with Fu Qingli byying on its

    side, on its back, and sticking its head out for a good rub. By the indulgent look

    on its face, people would think it was having a spa day.

    Toffeecito cozying up to Fu Qingli put Shen Xi in a sour mood. The cat

    deliberately became chummy with Fu Qingli to piss her off because it was

    angry at her. Great.

    It could live with Fu Qingli for all she cared!

    Fu Qingli soon realized it was hard to wipe 1offeecito dry with a towel. In

    addition, its fur got all over him. Hence, he asked shen X1, ¡°XIXi, do you have a

    hairdryer?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at the radiator across the room. ¡°Throw it there. Toffeecito will

    be dry in two minutes.¡±

    Fu Qingli patted Toffeecito¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯ll be bumed.¡±

    Shen Xi got up and red at Toffeecito. ¡°I¡¯ll get the hairdryer.¡±

    It did it on purpose!

    The radiator at home was not set on high, so it was impossible for ¡°Toffeecito to

    burm itself. Mom evenyered a nket over the radiator in case the

    temperature was too high for the cat. Toffeecito¡¯s favorite spot to lie on was the

    radiator.

    Song Wenye always believed that the men ot the Fu family, except Fu

    Qingxuan, were out of reach while Fu Qingli especially seemed to be an

    unapproachable gentleman, untainted by the mortal world. Watching as he

    held Toffeecito and blew its fur, Song Wenye had a feeling that the gentleman

    had grounded on earth.

    Fu Qingli blew Toffeecito¡¯s fur dry without a care that he was covered in fur all

    over, despite his germaphobia. He turnmed to Shen Xi. ¡°What does it like to eat,

    Xixi?¡±

    Although Shen Xi wanted Fu Qingli to knock it off, she answered the question,

    ¡°It eats everything, especially dead rats. Toffeecito ced a dead cockroach at

    my bedroom door two days ago.¡±

    It almost cracked Song Wenye up. It was deliberate on Shen Xi¡¯s part.

    Toffeecito never feasted on that stuff. However, it did catch a rat before.

    Toffeecito toyed with the rat until it died before leaving it at the foot of Li

    Yuan¡¯s bed as a gift..

 Chapter 699 - His Baby with His Fair Lady Would Be Cuter

    <h4>Chapter 699: His Baby with His Fair Lady Would Be Cuter</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Song Wenye split her sides when Xixi told her the story. Xixi even joked that Toffeecito preferred Dad over Mom since it only left good stuff to its dad.

    Fu Qingli was as cool as a cucumber. ¡°Should I get Xu Xu to buy Toffeecito some rats and cockroaches?¡±

    Shen Xi took the snappy remark like a champ, or so she thought. Fu Qingli was only doing unto her as she did to him. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll go and grab some.¡±

    Watching as she stormed off, Fu Qingli patted Toffeecito¡¯s fluffy head and curled his lips. ¡°The food¡¯sing.¡±

    Song Wenye looked at Shen Xi and then at Fu Qingli. This pair of siblings never saw eye to eye, yet there was an indescribable sense of harmony about them. In short, their rtionship was strange.

    Stroking a cat for the first time ever, Fu Qingli started to get hooked on petting the cat. He would feed Toffeecito and tease it with a toy sparrow by twirling it around the living room.

    Song Wenye¡¯s jaw dropped. Oh, gawd! It did not take long for an unapproachable Greek God to turn into a cat ve. No one could resist the charms of the felines.

    Shen Xi munched on snacks while childishly calling Toffeecito from time to time to interrupt them. Nevertheless, the cat pretended to hear nothing nor was it tempted by its favorite multi-vitamin cream. It appeared Toffeecito was caught up ying games with Fu Qingli.

    Having taken notice, Shen Zhangqing cheerfully told Li Yuan, ¡°My Toffeecito is so lovable.¡±

    Struck by a thought, the smile on his face froze. It slipped Shen Zhangqing¡¯s mind that Toffeecito was a gift from Li Yuan to Xixi. Still, it did not change the fact that Toffeecito was cute.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Yuan nodded with a smile.

    Shen Zhanggqing did not continue the conversation. He wiped his hands. ¡°I¡¯m going out to make a call to ask if my wife and the rest are back. They should arrive by now.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Li Yuan responded. He lifted the lid and checked on the braised pork trotter.

    ¡®Walking to the door, Shen Zhangqing yelled, ¡°Toffeecito,e to Grandpa.¡±

    Li Yuan looked back to Toffeecito having mad fun with Fu Qingli in the living room. It was not known whether Toffeecito was not listening or simply tuning him out as it engaged in springing up and down to catch the sparrow.

    Grandpa, huh?

    His baby with his fairdy would be cuter.

    Shen Xi turned her head and met the tenderness in Li Yuan¡¯s narrow eyes. Letting out a bright smile, she got up and ran to the kitchen.

    She was not the only one given the cold shoulder. Toffeecito was rejecting Old Shen too, and that gave Shen Xi peace of mind. However, what sorcery did Fu Qingli possess? Was he a human catnip? Toffeecito brushed off everyone else just to y with him alone.

    Approaching Li Yuan, the girl poked his arm and stared at the food in the pot with sparkling eyes. Li Yuan warmly uttered, ¡°It has to be braised for another ten minutes before it¡¯s ready.¡±

    Shen Xi drooled as she stared at Li Yuan, licking her lips.

    ¡°You can taste a small piece.¡± Li Yuan dotingly smiled as he lifted the lid to scoop a small piece into a bowl. Before he could hand her a pair of chopsticks, the girl got right down to business and picked it up with her hands, like a thieving kitten. After blowing on the meat twice, she leaned in for a bite.

    The pork trotter fresh out the pot was hot. Shen Xi took a bite only to stick out her tongue in a grimace. She wanted to take a second bite when she was seized by the wrist.

    Li Yuan drew close and puffed at it. ¡°Give it a few minutes before you eat.¡±

    By then, Shen Xi had gobbled the meat up and swallowed. She was craving for more. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste as good if it¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°Your stomach¡¯s going to hurt if the food¡¯s too hot.¡± Li Yuan brought the pork trotter close to feeling it with his lips. Feeling that the temperature was just right, he let go of her hand. ¡°Does it fall off the bone?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Shen Xi delivered the pork trotter to his mouth. ¡°Have a taste.¡±

    Li Yuan nibbled. ¡°It¡¯s not soft enough that it falls off the bone. I should let it simmer for longer.¡±

    Shen Xi enjoyed her piece while gazing at the pot. ¡°I think it¡¯s good. Get me another piece.¡±

    Li Yuan said, ¡°Have someter.¡±

    Shen Ximented, ¡°No. You took one bite out of mine. You have to pay me back with another piece.¡±

    Li Yuan paused for a bit. ¡°I took one bite out of yours?¡±

    Shen Xi did not get the message. ¡°You took a mouthful.¡±

    ¡®With Li Yuan abruptly sidling up to her, his scorching breaths brushed against her ear. His breathing was ragged. ¡°You can take one bite out of mine.¡±

    Shen Xi stopped chomping on the pork trotter and turned red in the face. As the man¡¯s handsome face loomed up in sight, Shen Xi opened her mouth and came close.

    However, Li Yuan suddenly took a step back and nodded at the personing in with a smile.

    Song Wenye came into the kitchen to grab some beverages. It never crossed her mind that she would be the third wheel to kill their lovey-dovey mood. She partially covered her eyes. ¡°Um¡­ Please carry on. I saw nothing.¡±

    Shen Xi had her back facing the kitchen entrance. Hearing Song Wenye¡¯s voice, it struck Shen Xi the reason for Li Yuan¡¯s sudden withdrawal. She cleared her throat.

    With beverages in her hands, Song Wenye cried out loud, ¡°Mr. Shen, what do you need? I¡¯ll retrieve it for you.¡±

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless by Song Wenye¡¯s deliberate high-pitched voice. Did she think they would continue doing their thing in her presence? There was no need for that poorly disguised attempt to warn them as it would only raise Old Shen¡¯s suspicion!

    As expected, Shen Zhangqing stepped into the kitchen following Song Wenye¡¯s words. His eyes were like radars, scanning them for any suspicious activity. He let it go once he was satisfied that nothing was out of the norm.

    Shen Xi moved to the front and gave him a half-eaten pork trotter. ¡°Dad, do you want to have a bite?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing might be talking to her, but he was looking at Li Yuan. ¡°Is it cooked? All you do is eat.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded his head and replied to him. ¡°It¡¯s cooked but isn¡¯t at the point that the meat falls off the bone. I¡¯ll let it simmer for a little longer.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing leaned in for a look. Without a word, he walked around the kitchen before turning to Shen Xi. ¡°Come out with me so we can have a game of chess.¡±

    Shen Xi shoved Li Yuan to him. ¡°Dad, he can y a round with you.¡±

    Shen Zhangqing remarked, ¡°Who¡¯s going to watch the fire?¡±

    Shen Xi pointed at herself. ¡°Me!¡±

    Shen Zhangqing snorted. As if he did not know the daughter he raised. ¡°You? The dish won¡¯t ever leave the kitchen.¡±

    Li Yuan snickered. ¡°Tl keep an eye on the fire. Go and enjoy a round with Uncle Shen. The food¡¯s about to be ready.¡±

    Uncle Shen was right. She would finish the pork trotters before the food could leave the kitchen if she was left in charge. Nevertheless, he took pleasure in making food while she nipped here and there. It gave him a feeling of happiness.

    Shen Xi turned back to re at him. Walking with Shen Zhangqing to the door, she looked back. ¡°Deliver two pieces over when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°Sure.¡±

    In the living room, Toffeecito¡¯s breath finally caught up to it after going at it for half an hour. Lying on Fu Qingli¡¯sp. Toffecito closed its eyes and snored.

    With Shen Zhangqing and Shen Xi bringing out the chessboard, Fu Qingli carried Toffeecito to watch.

    Shen Xi looked at him.. ¡°Do you know how to y?¡±

 Chapter 700 - Bit Hard on the Crook of His Thumb

    <h4>Chapter 700: Bit Hard on the Crook of His Thumb</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi¡¯s gut told her that Fu Qingli was good at chess.

    Giving a nod, Fu Qingli humbly uttered, ¡°A little.¡±

    Shen Xi gave her seat to him. ¡°Have a go with my dad. I¡¯m heading to the loo.¡±

    She then ran off.

    Shen Zhanging turned ck in the face. The d*mn brat was ditching her dad for her boyfriend!

    With Fu Qingli sitting across from him, Shen Zhangqing was not in the position to bail on him. The chess game had to go on, but his daughter needed to be watched too. He summoned Yu Yuanxi. ¡°Yuanxi, go and help out in the kitchen.¡±

    He could dismiss it if it happened behind his back. However, no one was to take advantage of his daughter under his nose!

    Shen Xi had no intention of spending alone time with Li Yuan at home. That would be too daring of her. All she wanted was to satisfy her food cravings. After a trip to the loo, she ventured into the kitchen again.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi were around. They were washing cherries and feeding them to each other while at it.

    ¡°Xixi, here¡¯s a small bow! for you.¡± Song Wenye passed her a bowl of washed cherries.

    Carrying the bowl, Shen Xi approached Li Yuan and fed him one before helping herself. ¡°Brother, is it sweet?¡±

    ¡°Sweet and sour.¡± Li Yuan was not a fan of sour food, not even a little. His brows were tied in a knot.

    Shen Xi took a bite. ¡°It¡¯s sweet.¡±

    Li Yuan watched as she ate one after another. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much.¡±

    Giving a nod, Shen Xi pulled a bench over to sit down. She watched the pot as she munched on cherries, popping a question of whether it was ready every now and then.

    Song Wenye went out to deliver cherries to the duo who were engaged in chess.

    Fu Qingli began to talk a lot with Shen Zhangqing, asking him about Shen Xi¡¯s childhood.

    Shen Zhangging could talk about his daughter for days on end. He rattled on about her amusing and embarrassing stories,ughing out loud when the ount tickled his funny bone.

    Hearing Shen Zhangging¡¯s chuckles, Shen Xi asked Song Wenye, ¡°Is Fu Qingli telling jokes to my dad?¡±

    Song Wenye gave her a look. ¡°Mr. Shen¡¯s making fun of you to Fu Qingli.¡±

    Shen Xi froze before gnashing her teeth in grievance. ¡°Old Shen has turned!¡±

    Nearby, Yu Yuanxi snickered to himself.

    At half-past nine, the door was heard opening, Footsteps and chatter followed, and judging by the noise, there were a lot of people.

    Shen Xi sneaked another bite of the ribs. She pulled Li Yuan out to meet the approaching group who were talking andughing at thewn.

    The people in the yard gazed at everyone in the living room. Their gazes lingered on when they fell on Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi stood still, not knowing what to do or how to act.

    Both parties stared at each other without a word, merely watched on in silence.

    The first to pull out of the trance was Fu Qingxuan. He bit hard on the crook of his thumb.

    Gasping in pain, Shen Xi yelled, ¡°Fu Qingxuan! Did you lose your mind!¡±

    The voice bore hurt, usation, bitterness, and happiness as a swirl of emotions simply took over her. In the end, these mixed feelings turned into tears flowing down her cheeks.

    Caught in a moment, Fu Qingxuan bawled his eyes out before dashing toward her for a big hug. Unable to hold it in any longer, he cried out loud.

    Fu Handing held Shangguan Yangqiu¡¯s hand with tears in his eyes as they advanced step-by-step toward their daughter.

    Yun Jinping had already made her way to Shen Zhangqing. With her husband holding her hand tight, Yun Jinping¡¯s eyes were filled to the brim and her heart was full by the sight. She had no idea how to break the silence. Perhaps silence was the best blessing they could give.

    Although teary-eyed himself, Shen Zhangqing wiped away Yun Jinping¡¯s tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Honey. More people will love and watch over her from now on.¡±

    Yun Jinping did not want to cry, but she could not help herself.

    Shen Xi pushed Fu Qingxuan away with all her might while gasping for air. Her face was red, and her voice was gruff. ¡°Are you trying to suffocate and murder me?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was taller than her, and boys were stronger than girls anyway. Since he charged and pounced at her without warning, Shen Xi could not breathe being buried against his chest.

    Frantically studying Shen Xi¡¯s face, Fu Qingxuan tried to check if she was injured from the jump while choking amid sobs. His arms fluttered in the air, unsure whether he could touch her. It took a while before he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. Are you okay?¡±

    Shen Xi caught her breath and shook her head. Although she was tempted to retort that she was not dead yet, it might hurt Fu Qingxuan¡¯s fragile feelings. Why did he like to cry? What a crybaby!

    Shangguan Yangiu looked at her with teary eyes and smiled. She gently embraced Shen Xi, and uttered in a raspy but her usual gentle voice, ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m Mom.¡±

    She could not say more as tears were released like water from a broken dam. Her shoulders began as a tiny quiver before turning into a full-blown head-to-toe violent shake.

    Shangguan Yangiu had imagined countless scenarios of the day she would reunite with her daughter. She thought about what to say, but every time they ended up in an emotional statement that she was her mother.

    That was right.

    There was nothing else to say.

    Out of all the words, this was the only thing she wanted to say to Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi gently patted Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s back as her tears pooled in her eyes and a lump was caught in her throat. Despite her attempt to offer console, her mind was all over the ce toe up with words. In the end, she whispered, ¡°Mom.¡±

    Prior to this, Shen Xi believed the term was too foreign for her to say it out loud. Yet, it was a far cry from reality. It was like Shen Xi had called her by the form of address a million times.

    Fu Handing looked at his crying wife and his daughter who scrambled tofort her before pulling them into his embrace.

    The strong winds were howling at the front door.

    However, no one would interrupt them at a time like this. It was a quiet moment with no one talking.

    Fu Qingxuan was still whimpering.

    Song Wenye¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. Was Young Master Qingxuan such a crybaby? Here she thought he was cool, cocky, and tyrannical. When did he be a crybaby?

    Standing next to her, Jiang Yin wiped away her tears. Once people hit a certain age, it was hard to take moving scenes like this.

    Shen Xi touched Shangguan Yangiu¡¯s chilly hands and felt bad. She tenderly said, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go in and talk. It¡¯s cold out here. You might catch a cold.¡±

    Shangguan Yangiu was not in the best of health. Her health might take a toll for the worse if she caught a cold.

 Chapter 701 - Leave the World Feeling Warm

    <h4>Chapter 701: Leave the World Feeling Warm</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor:</strong>

    EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shangguan Yangiu¡¯s voice was hoarse. Taking a step back, she extended her arm to wipe her tears. She was too old to cry in front of so many people as she might be made fun of.

    Nevertheless, it did not matter to her at this point in time. Shangguan Yanqiu could rest in peace knowing her daughter called her Mom.

    Now that Mom had stopped crying, Fu Qingxuan turned to look around for Fu Qingli. He quickly spotted the man and shot him an angry look.

    It was he who found their sister but withheld the information!

    Fu Qingli was the one who stopped them from reuniting with their sister!

    Yet, it was also he who located their sister and confirmed her identity before everyone else.

    Fu Qingxuan had no idea whether to fault him or thank him for finding their sister. Qingye told Aunt Jungiu that Qingli must have his reasons for running behind their backs.

    Still, Fu Qingxuan did not care for his reasons! Could the reason be more paramount than building a rtionship with their sister? Nothing was more important in this world than their sister!

    Following the re, Fu Qingli gave Fu Qingxuan a stern look, but thetter refused to back down. While walking by Fu Qingxuan, Fu Qingli pulled him back and heartlessly uttered, ¡°Useless piece of sh*t.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes turned menacing. If only looks could kill.

    Fu Qingli offhandedly said, ¡°You didn¡¯t even notice one bit despite spending a lot of time with our sister.¡±

    He started to doubt whether Fu Qingxuan was a moron. He met their sister early on and hung out for quite some time, yet the guy did not suspect a thing.

    Angered by Fu Qingxuan¡¯s remark, Fu Qingxuan was about to lose his sh*t when thetter sentence saw him deting. With his head hung low, he bit his lip and kept to himself. There was nothing he could refute about that fact.

    Although Qingli was annoying and did things the wrong way, he was right about one thing. Fu Qingxuan spent more time with Shen Xi than anyone else. Besides, he was connected to their sister telepathically but still, he could not identify her. He felt useless and all the more he believed he was a piece of

    sh*t now that it was pointed out.

    With the family reunited on this day, the Shens¡¯ home was filled with a touching and warm atmosphere.

    It was a different story altogether in the underground garage of Su residence.

    Tied to the chair, Su Ruowan had her mouth taped as she looked at Su Muyan in terror.

    A phone sat in the empty space next to her and was ying a voice recording on repeat. It was the recording of her voice when she hired killers, echoing in the dark and scary underground garage. ¡°I can promise you a million yuan, but you have to move fast. I want to see Su Muyan¡¯s dead body by

    morning. Otherwise, I won¡¯t give you a penny.¡±

    Su Muyan quietly sat across from her with his eyes closed. With his finger gently tapping on the armrest of the chair, the dull noise apanied the recording with a rhythm.

    Su Ruowan was in the dark about what he was up to. She did not know who leaked the information to Su Muyan, caught her, and delivered her to the hands of Su Muyan. All she knew was Su Muyan had lost it. This was probably it for her.

    Her voice resounded through the dingy underground garage. It was not known how long before Su Muyan abruptly opened his mad and deranged eyes to nce at her. He bent over to pick a knife by his feet.

    The knife was a fruit knife that reflected a chillingly murderous aura. Su Ruowan felt chills going down her spine.

    Su Ruowan gazed at him and the knife in despair. Widening her eyes, she violently struggled with a face stained with tears. Despite her efforts, she could only make muffling sounds.

    As Su Muyan drew close, he tossed the knife aside and turned around to pick up a can of gasoline. He looked at her and smiled. ¡°My dear sister, it¡¯s snowing out there. It¡¯s cold, so you should leave the world feeling warm since you¡¯re my beloved sister after all, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Not in the right state of mind, Su Muyan was talking like a psychopath. After what he went through, he was no longer right in the head.

    ¡°Umph umph umph!¡± Su Ruowan¡¯s scream broke in horror as she watched Su Muyan approach to raise the can and douse her with gas.

    The cold cut through her bone while the smell of gas nauseated her, but she was more so overwhelmed by the fear and terror that came with death. She wanted to cry for help, scream, and beg for her life, yet there was nothing she could do or say. She was left to plead with her eyes in hopes he would let

    her go.

    Su Muyan paid no heed to her struggles. In fact, her struggles, pain, and despair gave him satisfaction. Flicking the lighter, he moved it around her and smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want my life? Let me have the honor to take yours first.¡±

    Su Ruowan was shaking all over as she begged him with bloodshot eyes. She tried to pull at his heartstrings and arouse hisst bit of love for her with tears and a broken look.

    No way. How did things progress to this point?

    She did not want to die. This should not be how it ended.

    It was all the b*tch Shen Xi¡¯s fault. Everyone was fooled by her and had fallen into her trap.

    Su Muyan should not being for her but Shen Xi¡¯s life instead. The b*tch ruined and tore the family apart. It was her!

    Blowing the flickering light, Su Muyan reached out to caress Su Ruowan¡¯s eyes as the madness in his eyes turned into affection. His voice was deep but tender. ¡°Do you want me to let you go? You know it¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ll be dead if you¡¯re let free. You hired killers to go after me.¡±

    Su Ruowan shook her head hysterically while looking at him with warm and sad eyes to beg for his forgiveness and her release.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look.¡± Su Muyan reignited the lighter. With the me dancing before her eyes, thepassion on his face slowly turned menacing. He guffawed eerily. ¡°It¡¯s useless even if you get on your knees and beg me. Our family wouldn¡¯t end up like this if it wasn¡¯t for you. Our family is screwed

    because you drove Shen Xi away!¡±

    That was right.

    The cause of everything was the b*tch in front of him.

    All the bad things started happening the day she kicked Shen Xi out.

    ¡®What did they get in return? She betrayed them in their time of need!

    Su Muyan could care less about Su Mushi¡¯s life. However, Su Ruowan must die today. It was an eye for an eye since she had the nerve to have him assassinated.

    su Ruowan broke down and wept, shaking her head violently. Nevertheless, Su Muyan remained unfazed. Su Ruowan never had a chance to speak the whole time, so there was no way she could save herself despite her many ideas to talk herself out of the trouble..

 Chapter 702 - Two Corpses Found in the Su Familyâ€™s Basement Garage

    <h4>Chapter 702: Two Corpses Found in the Su Family¡¯s Basement Garage</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°My dear sister.¡± Leaning against Su Ruowan¡¯s ear, Su Muyan chuckled as his face grew menacing like a demon. Following the statement, he retreated.

    Then.

    He threw the ignited lighter at Su Ruowan.

    Doused in gasoline, Su Ruowan was set on fire. Her painful and anguished cries ensued.

    Su Muyan did not leave immediately. Pulling a chair to a spot far away, he sat down to admire and enjoy her struggles and painful screams.

    With Su Ruowan good as dead, Shen Xi was next. Su Muyan could spare her life if Shen Xi helped him. In the event Shen Xi refused, he would send her to hell to keep Dadpany like Su Ruowan.

    Suddenly, the person on fire stood up and ran toward him. She came on so swiftly that Su Muyan could not get away fast enough. Soon, he was held from the back.

    Amid tormented screams, Su Muyan tried to break free, but the arms around him sped onto him like cast irons. He could feel the zing me burning his clothes and into his flesh. Everything became scorching and hazy.

    Outside.

    Along with the falling snow, the pure white snowkes covered up many tracks on the ground.

    The snow was knee-deep by the next morning, It was silver scenery out there.

    The TV in the living room was turned on to the morning news.

    ¡°The police uncovered two charred remains in the underground parking of Su residence at seven o¡¯clock this morning. The bodies have not been identified. Investigations are still underway.¡±

    Fu Qingli sat on the sofa to watch the morning news. Tilting his head, he caught a glimpse of Shen Xi standing outside her bedroom door upstairs. He smiled at her. ¡°Morning, my dear sister.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in response. She was walking out of her room when she picked up on the news. Sighing with emotion, she wondered if that was the end of the Su family. Who were the two dead bodies in the underground garage?

    She had not opened her mouth, nor had she the time to search the news on her phone.

    Fu Qingli jumped i

    Shen Xi looked deep into Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes. For him to be so sure, Fu Qingli must be the driving force behind it all.

    ¡°Tread thements that the charred bodies belong to Su Ruowan and Su Muyan.¡±

    Fu Qingli looked away. He seemed to be waiting for her to get up from bed and tell her the news because he then changed the channel to National Idol.

    Shen Xi could ascertain from his behavior that he yed some part in this. However, it did not matter to her how he did it. The Su family deserved it for turning against each other.

    The others were out of bed by the time she woke up. There was chattering from the yard. She turned her head to the source of noise and saw everyone, except Fu Qingli who was watching TV, walking into the house with breakfast in hand.

    Her student, Ruan Sisi, followed in the back. She was not aroundst night.

    Ruan Sisi was the first toe up to Shen Xi. She went upstairs and dragged Shen Xi into a bedroom. After shutting the door, Ruan Sisi looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Shen Xi, Zhou Zhen wants to see you.¡±

    Shen Xi frowned. She had only met Zhou Zhen twice. It was likely Zhou Zhen wanted to talk to her about the Su family.

    ¡°She is Su Yi and Li Jingran¡¯s daughter.¡± Ruan Sisi cleared her throat in embarrassment. ¡°I guess you already know that. She wants to meet you to talk about the Su family. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to see her, I¡¯ll tell her.¡±

    ¡°Til meet her.¡± Shen Xi agreed and asked, ¡°Set a time.¡±

    Ruan Sisi came prepared as Zhou Zhen had set up the time and ce. ¡°Ten o¡¯clock. I¡¯ll drive you there.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded her head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Since Fu Qingli located Zhou Zhen¡¯s whereabouts, Shen Xi had no idea what they talked about. It was not like she would ask Fu Qingli or was interested to find out anyway. However, she could meet Zhou Zhen at her request.

    With that out of the way, Ruan Sisi replied to Zhou Zhen¡¯s text message.

    Breakfast wasid out when Shen Xi went back downstairs. The food was bought from the neighborhood¡¯s morning market. There was soy milk, fried breadsticks, bao, fruit pancakes, sweet porridge, salty congee, with the works. It was no different than having the whole row of breakfast stalls in their

    house.

    Grabbing the fruit crepe, Fu Qingxuan took half and gave Shen Xi the other half. His smile bore joy and ingratiation. ¡°My darling sister, you could¡¯ve slept in.¡±

    Shen Xi was not used to the form of address, albeit Fu Qingxuan gotfortable with the term right away. Taking the pancake, she expressed her thanks.

    During breakfast, Shen Xi was showered with special attention like never before. Everyone took tumns in giving her food and feeding her as if she was a bottomless pit. Thest straw was when Shangguan Yanqiu fed her a shrimp dumpling. Protesting, she extended her arms and put on a helpless look.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, I have hands. I can eat myself. You don¡¯t have to worry that I don¡¯t eat enough.¡±

    She was not a child. She could very well feed herself.

    Shangguan Yangiu tenderly grinned. ¡°Okay. Got it.¡±

    Fu Handing smiled dotingly at her and nodded.

    While no one was looking, Fu Qingli quietly retrieved a durian puff he put on Shen Xi¡¯s te. Smothered by the smell, he furrowed his brows and discarded it on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s te in disdain.

    Fu Qingxuan was at a loss for words. Was he a dumpster? For real?

    Yun Jinping sat furthest to Shen Xi to give her some space with the Fu family. Holding Shen Zhangging¡¯s hand, Yun Jinping was filled with relief and sadness. She should be happy since the precious daughter she raised found her birth parents. However, she had to admit that she was jealous to see the

    family so close.

    Shen Zhangging squeezed Yun Jinping¡¯s hand and looked at her half-full bowl of porridge. ¡°Are you going to finish that? I can have it if you¡¯re full.¡±

    Yu Jinping uttered, ¡°You can finish it.¡±

    Having gotten consent, Shen Zhangging took the porridge and drank from the bowl.

    The door to the entrance was opened. It was the long-overdue Fu Qingye. He opened the door to find the lively bunch in the living. Stopping in his tracks, he scanned for Shen Xi with his affectionate eyes before walking ahead without hesitation.

    Having noticed his presence, the whole family held their breaths as he walked in. Even Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangging did not get up to greet him.

    Standing at the door, Fu Qingye smiled warmly, but his eyes were watery. He looked at Shen Xi and murmured in a raspy voice, ¡°Xixi..¡±

 Chapter 703 - Ready to Fire

    <h4>Chapter 703: Ready to Fire</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi got up and approached Fu Qingye with a smile. ¡°Brother.¡±

    The word ¡°Brother¡± was enough for Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan to turn into green-eyed monsters. They exchanged nces and looked at Fu Qingye with envy.

    Fu Qingxuan clenched his fists. His little sister never called him that. He pestered Shen Xi for a long time yesterday, but she refused to say the magic word. Yet here she was, addressing Qingye as her brother so naturally.

    Fu Qingli might have kept a nk face the whole time, but he turned sour inside. Was it all his own doing? He was lucky that Qingxuan shared the same fate. At least he could feel a little better about himself.

    ¡°Sister.¡± Fu Qingye spread his arms to softly and gently hold her. It was hard to fight back the tears.

    Even though he had time to adjust his feelings since finding out about it yesterday, Fu Qingye thought he was ready to face her. Yet, his emotions still got the better of him.

    Shen Xi could feel his body and voice shaking. She uttered with a smile, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t eaten on your way here. Come and have breakfast.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan mentioned that Fu Qingye went to shoot a magazine cover at a pr region. Since the ce was less essible, Fu Qingye must have rushed here in record time without any rest.

    ¡°The food¡¯s still warm. Hurry up and eat something.¡± Yun Jinping beckoned him over. It must be tough on Ye to venture so far and shoot at such a cold ce. Surely, he must have gone through hell to get back here.

    Fu Qingye held Shen Xi¡¯s hand to walk over. There was only one seat left at the table. It was clearly Shen Xi¡¯s seat. Standing next to the seat, he nced at Fu Qingxuan.

    Although Fu Qingxuan red at him, hepliantly gave up his seat. Seeing that Qingye was the first among them to meet their sister and had traveled from afar, Fu Qingxuan decided to give him a break.

    Song Wenye ran off to bring a chair in.

    Ruan Sisi stood up and gave away her seat as she swallowed herst piece of bao. ¡°I¡¯m full. Anyone¡¯s wee to this seat.¡±

    ¡°Ican stand.¡± Fu Qingxuan did not want to sit there because the seat was far away from Shen Xi. He would rather stand right next to her.

    By then, Song Wenye had carried a chair over, but no one wanted to sit on it. ncing at Fu Qingxuan who was enjoying a bowl of tofu curd across the room, Song Wenye sat down on the chair she brought over.

    Paying no attention to his surroundings, Li Yuan added. ¡°Can I?¡±

    It was hard for Shangguan Yangiu and Fu Handing to decline since Li Yuan brought it up. It was not like they could voice their discontent out loud. Hence, they gave a nod and let out a forceful smile.

    Shen Xi was nervous and overwhelmed at the thought of going alone. Li Yuan¡¯s words put her at ease. She smiled sweetly at him.

    She would feel better and more at home if Li Yuan came with her.

    That was a good idea. Li Yuan would not be warmly weed by the Fu brothers at whatever time at all. Well, just look at the murderous looks on their faces.

    Thus, it was concluded that Shen Xi and Li Yuan would be returning together with the Fu family.

    It was half-past eight by the time they were done with breakfast.

    Shen Xi informed the family before heading off with Ruan Sisi. In fact, she fled as a few of them scrambled over who was to drive her there. It was a terrifying sight. Having too many brothers was not a good thing.

    Fu Qingli gave Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan a dangerous look before scoffing. ¡°You¡¯re such eyesores.¡±

    Shen Xi did not reject him from driving her yesterday. With the two of them around, they began to fight over her. In the end, she ditched them and ran off with someone else.

    Fu Qingye looked daggers at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°You scared our sister away.¡±

    With no one to picka fight with, Fu Qingxuan red and snorted at Li Yuan as he stormed away.

    Li Yuan pulled a long face. These boys were acting like a hungry pack of wolves as though they had never seen a sister in their lives. Did they not know their overenthusiasm would only push his fairdy away?

    Yu Yuanxi was the most level-headed. Amused and helpless by the situation, he shook his head and met Song Wenye¡¯s bright eyes. He blissfully muttered, ¡°Granny will be home soon. Let¡¯s pick her up.¡±

    Lil¡¯ Ye participated in a raffle on a variety showst week and won a five-day trip for two to Europe. It was an all-expenses-paid trip that came with a private tour guide. They were going to forfeit the prize since they could not go, but Granny thought it would be a waste. So, she set out with her best friend

    onatrip to Europe..

 Chapter 704 - Can You Handle Him

    <h4>Chapter 704: Can You Handle Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Sure.¡± Song Wenye noddedpliantly with a smile. She nced at the lot in the living room who were giving each other the cold shoulder, sighing at these clearly miserable men.

    She was envious of Xixi at first for gaining many brothers. Yet now, it was awful for Song Wenye to watch the brothers fight over Xixi.

    The snow had stopped falling by the time the sun was up. Although the snow that built upon the road had been cleared by a snowplow, it was still an icy road.

    Ruan Sisi waited in the car outside while Shen Xi went alone into the caf¨¦.

    Having booked an elegant private dining room, Zhou Zhen waited for Shen Xi inside. She seemed a little reserved when Shen Xi walked in. Zhou Zhen uttered with a smile, ¡°Hello, Ms. Cai Ni.¡±

    Zhou Zhen still addressed Shen Xi as Ms. Cai Ni.

    Shen Xi nodded in return before taking a seat across from Zhou Zhen. Shen Xi went straight to the point. ¡°Tell me why you want to see me.¡±

    Bearing a bittersweet look, Zhou Zhen forced a smile. ¡°Ms. Cai Ni, I want to ask you for someone. I hope you can fulfill my wish.¡±

    Shen Xi was curious. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Twant Li Jingran.¡± Zhou Zhen might not have any feelings for the Su family, but something stirred inside her when she saw loony Li Jingran. Perhaps it was the godd*mn kinship in the works. It made Zhou Zhen sick to the stomach, yet she had to ept the fact. ¡°Li Jingran has gone nuts. She¡¯s delirious

    to recognize anyone and that¡¯s probably how she¡¯d be for the rest of her life. I can promise that she won¡¯t do anything to harm you.¡±

    Shen Xi calmly stared at Zhou Zhen without a word, waiting for thetter to carry on.

    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, really. I don¡¯t know why I have sympathy for someone like her. I just look at her and think how sad and pitiful she is. I don¡¯t want to see her locked up in the mental hospital for the rest of her life.¡± Zhou Zhen took a deep breath and let out a self-deprecating smile. She then withdrew from

    her emotions and looked Shen Xi in the eye. ¡°Mr. Fu saved my life. He told me to get your opinion on this.¡±

    The Su family was either dead or deranged. As of this morning, Su Mushi had died in intensive care. Li Jingran was the only one alive in the Su family. Oh, Zhou Zhen was probably counted as one of the Su family members now.

    The situation was not looking good for Li Jingran. Whoever she met, Li Jingran would call them Sister and kowtow to apologize. Zhou Zhen knew that Li Jingran was talking about Yuan Heng, the mother of her half-brother, Yuan Heng. Su Yi and Li Jingran were aplices in taking Yuan Heng¡¯s life.

    Shen Xi sighed to herself when she caught wind of the elders¡¯ attitude. Never mind. She had to admit that Yu Qiubai made a good choice if Shen Tang liked him too. Shen Xi drew near to Shen Feng and whispered, ¡°How did Yu Qiubai buy you off?¡±

    Shen Feng spoke in hushed tones, ¡°No one bought me. He¡¯s a nice guy.¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°How is he nice?¡±

    Shen Feng answered, ¡°He follows my sister in secret every day and walks her home.¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°That¡¯s called a stalking pervert.¡±

    Shen Tang said, ¡°My sister knows, and he knows my sister knows.¡±

    Why bother stalking then? Yu Qiubai might as well outrightly walk her home. Shen Xi inquired, ¡°And?¡±

    Shen Feng sighed. ¡°My sister likes him.¡±

    This reason alone triumphed over everything else. His sister might not admit it or give in to Yu Qiubai, but Shen Feng knew that she took a liking to Yu Qiubai. Otherwise, his sister would have turned Yu Qiubai down long ago.

    Yu Qiubai was a good guy, but he was a little young. He was younger than Shen Feng by a year too. Shen Feng found it awkward to call someone younger his brother-inw.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Shen Xi gave up. Her only wish more than anything was for Shen Tang to live happily ever after in this life.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about my sister but you. Yours is the head of the Li family. Can you handle him?¡± Shen Feng had heard the chilling rumors.

    Although the person was friendly in real life, there must be some truth to the rumors. The whole family would go after Li Yuan if he every a finger on Shen Xi!

    Come to think of it, the Shen family had no reason to fear Li Yuan as the Fu family had joined the alliance. The Fu family could take Li Yuan down. Fu Qingli, in particr, was a force to be reckoned with..

 Chapter 705 - Jealousy Washed Over Him

    <h4>Chapter 705: Jealousy Washed Over Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Feng never imagined that his cousin would be so bad*ss to tame the Devil Incarnate of the Li family. Now in a blink of an eye, Shen Xi became the daughter of the Fu family too. People probably would not believe him and think he was bluffing if Shen Feng were to tell them who Shen Xi was.

    ¡°Of course, I can handle my man.¡± Shen Xi smiled confidently. ¡°Now the question is to you. When will I get a cousin-inw?¡±

    ¡°Get off my back.¡± Shen Feng rolled his eyes at her. ¡°I¡¯m focused on my career. You love birds won¡¯t understand.¡±

    Shen Xi nomittally burst outughing. ¡°More like no one wants you!¡±

    Shen Feng turned ck in the face. ¡°Go and ask around in school. I have so many girlsing after me and queuing from our school building to the school gates. They are all the prettiest girls on campus.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the prettiest girls nationwide are fighting over to be your girlfriend.¡± Shen Xi was in stitches.

    Shen Feng retorted, ¡°Believe it or not, but if I say I¡¯m your brother, all the pretty girls, I¡¯m talking about from the whole wide world, will be forming a line to be my girlfriend.¡±

    He could be considered a rtive of the Fu family. If Shen Feng were to shout that from the rooftops, girls would kill to be his girlfriend.

    Shen Xi pursed her lips. ¡°Riding on coattails is not a good color for you.¡±

    Shen Feng responded, ¡°Well,

    Shen Xi snapped back. ¡°Fine! Keep on riding!¡±

    Shen Feng remarked, ¡°I¡¯m going to ride you bald!¡±

    ¡®The pair exchanged nces and giggled at the same time. They were in no position to sneer at each other since they were both acting childish!

    Everyone was formally introduced as they had a feast equivalent to a family gathering and reunion lunch. It was a lively scene.

    ¡®At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Shen Xi bade Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, and the rest goodbye as she set off together with the Fu family to her other home.

    ¡®They were taking the Fu family¡¯s private jet. Since the ne belonged to Shangguan Yangiu, the interior was tastefully decorated.

    Immediately after getting onto the ne, Fu Qingxuan squeezed beside Shen Xi and Shangguan Yanqiu on a sofa. It was a long sofa with a coffee table in front. There was another sofa across the space.

    Shangguan Yanqiu intentionally picked this seat to have a bonding moment with her daughter, instead of mingling with the boys.

    The unwanted boys of the family had to sit and chat in another guest reception area that was separated by a partition.

    Li Yuan was talking with Fu Handing while Toffeecito, who came along, nestled on hisp with its head nodding off.

    Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye were tempted to learn more about Shen Xi, but they would rather die than ask and chat with Li Yuan. Their blood pressure would only hit boiling point if they had to listen to Li Yuan¡¯s dating history with their precious sister.

    Fu Qingye would nce at the partition every now and then.

    Flipping through paperwork, Fu Qingli took a quick look at him. ¡°Call Xuan over to keep youpany if you¡¯re bored.¡±

    Qingxuan, the sly b*stard, was quick to board the flight and run to Mom and their sister. Everyone should be equal, all for one and one for all, or nothing at all.

    Having read Fu Qingli¡¯s mind, Fu Qingye pointed at the chair in the opposite direction. ¡°Move a chair and sit there if you want to go.¡±

    Fu Qingli was without a word.

    Fu Qingye got up and carried a chair next door to look for the girls.

    Fu Qingli pulled a long face. ¡°¡­¡±

    Traitor!

    They were all traitors!

    Meanwhile, Fu Qingxuan showed his phone to Shen Xi. ¡°Dearest sister, which do you think looks good and suits me?¡±

    Shen Xi took a quick nce. It was a scarf, and a hideous one too. However, Fu Qingxuan looked good in everything with that face of his. He could make a paper bag look stylish. Shen Xi gave her honest opinion. ¡°The white is easier to match in outfits.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nodded and hummed in acknowledgment. He scrolled down to find a picture on the side that sold yarns. It also came with a tutorial to knit a scarf. Acting as if it was an unintentional tap on the link, Fu Qingxuan looked curious. ¡°Oh, you can buy balls of yarn to knit yourself.¡±

    Shen Xu uttered, ¡°Sure. I know how to knit.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan eagerly added. ¡°Knit me one.¡±

    Sitting across from them, Fu Qingye observed the scheming guy at work. Fu Qingxuan was trying too hard with his mind games, but still, it was a cunning move to get a present from their sister!

    Li Yuan¡¯s scarf caught their eye prior to their departure. Xuan asked in passing about the scarf and found out that Xixi knitted it for him. Jealousy washed over him right there and then.

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Qingxuan, finally realizing why he showed her his phone. There it came. However, a scarf was no trouble at all. She nodded and gave her word. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan excitedly balled up his fists. Had it not been because he wanted to keep up the appearance of an older brother, Fu Qingxuan would have jumped up in joy. ¡°Thank you, my dear sister. You¡¯re the best.¡±

    ¡°Xixi.¡± Fu Qingye tenderly gazed at her. ¡°Would it take a lot of your time to knit it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi gave it a thought. Since she had to knit anyway, one or two did not make much of a difference.¡± She smiled brightly and said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll knit you one too.¡±

    Fu Qingye was dying to get his hands on a scarf knitted by her, so needless to say, he was over the moon.

    ¡°Oh, you two!¡± Shangguan Yanqiu red at them and nagged. ¡°How could you ask your sister for a present after you¡¯ve only met. You didn¡¯t even give her a wee gift.¡±

    ¡°Lhave prepared gifts for sure.¡± With a smug look on his face, Fu Qingxuan turned to Shen Xi and gloated secretively. ¡°I have lots and lots of presents to give you. I¡¯ll show you once we¡¯re home. You¡¯ll love them.¡±

    ¡®The always refined Fu Qingye who never put anyone in the spot publicly gave Fu Qingxuan a look of disdain. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    His gifts were silly. As if their sister would like his presents.

    ¡°She¡¯ll love them if I say she¡¯ll love them.¡± Fu Qingxuan provided an irrefutable case in point. ¡°I have a psychic connection with our sister. Do you?¡±

    Despite being unconvinced, Fu Qingye could not argue with that.

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Qingxuan with contempt written all over her eyes. He was so childish, so she did not carry any hope for his presents.

    Even with a partition in between, people on both sides could clearly hear each other¡¯s conversation.

    Listening to their exchange, Fu Qingli could not read another word as he unknowingly scrunched the paper in hand.

 Chapter 706 - His Sister Still Cared About Him

    <h4>Chapter 706: His Sister Still Cared About Him</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Of course, Fu Qingli wanted a scarf knitted by his sister.

    However, he could not bring himself to ask one from her. Hence, he was left to marinate in his jealousy.

    Shen Xi¡¯s voice once again traveled from behind the partition. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll knit one for you and Dad, okay?¡±

    Shangguan Yangiu felt sorry that Shen Xi might be tired out. Nevertheless, she was not going to tum down a handmade gift from her daughter. Shangguan Yanqiu affectionately murmured, ¡°Take your time. We¡¯re not in a hurry. Just knit when you have the time. Don¡¯t strain yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi responded warmly to her concern.

    Fu Qingli pricked his ears as he anxiously waited for what was toe. Qingye and Qingxuan managed to get a gift, so did his parents. He should be next, right?

    s, he waited and waited, only for the conversation to shift direction. No one even brought his name up as though Fu Qingli did not exist. With bitterness taking over his being, his eyes alighted with a fleeting disappointment.

    His sister must still be cross to give him any attention.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there.¡± Fu Handing got up.

    Li Yuan stood up and nced at Fu Qingli who was down in the dumps. With Fu Qingli shooting him a cold look, Li Yuan nodded at him. ¡°You should head on over, Mr. Fu. I¡¯ll move the chairs.¡±

    Bobbing his head, Fu Handing made his way to the other side of the partition and sat on the armchair next to Shangguan Yanqiu. He listened in on the conversation with a kind look.

    Li Yuan carried the chair there to find everyone had ditched the chairs to cram into the sofa. There were three on a two-seater sofa ¨C Shen Xi was in between Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Qingxuan. The remaining two, Fu Handing and Fu Qingye, sat on the armchair by the sofa. With a smile, Li Yuan moved

    the chair to sit opposite them.

    It was a stark contrast on both sides of the partition. There was a lively and warm scene ofughter and chatter on one end while the other side was a bleak and lonely sight.

    Left alone, the forgotten Fu Qingli stared at the clouds outside the window and waited for people to notice and call him over. It was perfect if his sister called him over.

    Although the friendly chat went on for a long time, no one came looking for him. It was as though he was abandoned by the whole world, and the feeling was hard to swallow.

    It was time to get off the ne and still not a peep.

    Sitting by the window, Fu Qingli watched them carry their luggage down the ne. They walked further and further away, but no one seemed to realize one person was missing among them. Clenching his fists, Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes were burning with a fiery glow.

    Soon, Shen Xi turned around and ran back to the ne. Struck with glee, Fu Qingli curled his lips into a smile. His sister still cared about him. She must have noticed he was not around, so she came back to call him.

    Fu Qingli picked up the document and looked down on his papers, pretending to be hard at work, the moment Shen Xi reappeared in the ne. With his heart in his throat, Fu Qingli looked forward to the magic word ¨C Brother.

    Looking around, Shen Xi tiptoed inside so as not to disturb the man at work. She whispered, ¡°Toffeecito.¡±

    Fu Qingli nearly choked in his fury.

    Was he lesser than Toffeecito? Was Toffeecito more important than him, a living and breathing human being?

    Fast asleep right by Fu Qingli, Toffeecito had no idea when they left. The cat could not find anyone by the time it woke up. Hence, Toffeecito stayed by Fu Qingli¡¯s side without going around anywhere in case it might be abandoned. Now that Shen Xi was back for it, Toffeecito zipped toward her and

    hurtfully meowed.

    Shen Xi cheerfully held Toffeecito before creeping away.

    Fu Qingli clutched the paperwork in hand, nearly drawing blood from the tight grip. With a frown, he watched the girl¡¯s receding figure while a mix of emotions overwhelmed him.

    The temperature on the ne quickly dropped to freezing point with tension rising to an all-time high. With the flight crew holding their breaths, no one had the guts to step forth and disturb him.

    Young Master Qingli was a poor soul for his family left without him. It was not their ce to guess whether it was a simple slip of the mind or a deliberate act.

    At the airport, Shangguan Yangiu got into the car and looked at Fu Qingye. It finally hit her that one person was unounted for. ¡°Ye, where¡¯s your brother?¡±

    Putting on a serious face, Fu Qingye answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. He might have work to deal with.¡±

    Fu Qingli could y hard to get all he wanted. He probably did not know that the way to their sister¡¯s heart was to cling to her like a piece of gum stuck to the shoe. ying hard to get and being reserved would get him nowhere as their sister would not buy it.

    Fu Qingxuan nodded in agreement. ¡°Qingli is a workaholic. You know that, Mom.¡±

    Apart from Shangguan Yangiu who was escorted and distracted by Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan¡¯s discussion about Shen Xi¡¯s wee party when getting off the ne, everyone was aware that Fu Qingli did note along with them. They had their own thoughts in mind. Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan, for

    example, decided to leave Fu Qingli high and dry because they were mad at him.

    Fu Handing did not think much about it, knowing that his eldest son was the most independent and often acted on his own ord.

    As for Shen Xi, she stayed away from each other¡¯s corners.

    Since Li Yuan had an issue with Fu Qingli, he was happy to witness thetter¡¯s fall from grace. It was about time Fu Qingli thought about his behavior and character.

    They soon arrived at the Fu family¡¯s estate. The brilliantly lit European architecture was a sight to behold from afar.

    Shen Xi was filled with emotions to step foot back into Fu residence. This was her second time here. She visited for the first time as a doctor to examine Mom.

    At the time, it never crossed Shen Xi¡¯s mind that she would ever have a chance toe back, nor did she imagine in her wildest dreams that she was the daughter of the Fu family. Not only did shee back, but the ce was also her home.

    Mama Fu and Fu Qingxuan locked each of her arms while Fu Qingye watched on with envy. Not the type to fight over affection, he could only stand there and watch.

    The sweet talker of the family who always got his way was Qingxuan. His tricks worked without fail with Mom and Aunt Jungiu, and now their sister was added to the mix.

    Li Yuan and Fu Handing strolled and chatted in the back. Their rtionship was like father and son as they knew each other for over a decade. Thus, they had a lot to talk about, be it business or Shen Xi.

    Nevertheless, their attention was not on the conversation but on the person ahead..

 Chapter 707 - Of Infighting and Jealousy

    <h4>Chapter 707: Of Infighting and Jealousy</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan tenderly gazed at Shen Xi, seeing only her in his eyes and mind.

    Fu Handing only had Shen Xi and Shangguan Yangiu in his vision.

    He secretly wished the girl was his daughter since their first encounter. Fu Handing could not believe his dreams became a reality.

    It was a pity that he had not regained his memory to this day. God knows if he would ever remember.

    The family¡¯s flight took off in the afternoon andnded at the Fu family¡¯s private airport following a ten-hour journey. The airport, built for the family¡¯s personal use and convenience, was next to the Fu family¡¯s estate and private golf course. Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye often took flights for work while Fu

    Qingxuan flew around the world for international medical conferences.

    It was half-past ten at night by then. The maids had prepared dinner as requested and they were all Shen Xi¡¯s favorites.

    The Fu family¡¯s chef was China¡¯s finest, with their ancestors who had served the royal family. The feast was on par with food made by the Li family¡¯s chef.

    Fu Qingli returned when the family just sat down for dinner. Carrying the same straight face, he brought along a chill in his ck trench coat. It was hard to read his emotions.

    With Fu Qingli walking through the door, Fu Qingxuan held on tight to his seat as his heart sank. Afraid to be yanked out of his seat, Fu Qingxuan stole a nce at Fu Qingli from the corner of his eye.

    He wanted to sit with Shen Xi, and no one was to steal his seat, not even Qingli.

    Without a word, Fu Qingli went to wash his hand in the bathroom and faintly gave Fu Qingxuan a smirk. His gaze lingered on Fu Qingye as well. Only Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye understood the meaning behind his eyes.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s mind was blown. He furiously red at Fu Qingli before proceeding to get up and leave. He hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡±

    Qingli went too far to threaten him! It was only a seat. Fine, Fu Qingxuan would let him have it this time, but thetter could expect no more of Mr. Nice Guy from then on.

    With him gone, Shen Xi had Shangguan Yanqiu on her left while the seat on her right was left empty.

    Fu Qingli happily made his way over.

    To his dismay, someone had to ruin the moment for him. Li Yuan, carrying a bowl in hand, came out of nowhere and was one step ahead to take the seat. With a smile, Li Yuan ced the bowl in front of Shen Xi. ¡°The food¡¯s a little spicy. You might want to wash it out before eating.¡±

    Shen Xi had not made full recovery from the sore throat she had two days ago. She did not tell anyone to cause unnecessary worry. Having no idea, Mrs. Fu instructed the chef to make food of strong vors ording to Shen Xi¡¯s liking.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes were breathing fire. The Li b*stard really did not know how to take a hint. Fu Qingli made Qingxuan give up his seat, but it was upied by Li Yuan instead.

    In one corner, Fu Qingye watched with much gusto. Fortunately, he stayed out of the fray. Qingli got rid of Qingxuan by whatever means only for the seat to be stolen by Li Yuan.

    It was a ssic case of while two dogs fought for a bone, a third one ran away with it.

    Without sparing Fu Qingli the time of day, Li Yuan grabbed a rib to dilute in the water before putting it on Shen Xi te.

    Fu Qingli could not just stand there. Fed up, he took a seat across the table and found everything an eyesore.

    Fu Qingxuan made up an excuse to go to the toilet because he did not want anyone to know he was threatened to give up the space nor did he want to lose his dignity as a brother in front of his sister.

    He was surprised to find Li Yuan taking over the seat that Qingli forced him out of. Grinding his teeth in resentment, Fu Qingxuan had a problem with anyone who stole his seat.

    By right, Fu Qingxuan should be the one sitting next to Shen Xi!

    Since Shangguan Yanqiu only had eyes for her precious daughter, she was oblivious of the infighting and jealousy going on among the boys as they tried to win over Shen Xi.

    Fu Handing, on the other hand, had been quietly observing the lot in amusement.

    Now with a little sister around, the ever-prudent Qingli was also showing his childish side. Yet, he of all people could not put aside his pride. He was the type to act in silence.

    Xixi was a different story. Speaking of which, Xixi took after Fu Handing in terms of characters, never to be the one to take the initiative to reach out. She had to be approached as Qingxuan did by being all over her and telling things straight to her face.

    The Fu brothers were not in the best of moods as they stared at Li Yuan with hostility, and the animosity only grew with time. If looks could kill, Li Yuan would have died a thousand times.

    Li Yuan waspletely in his element, selectively ignoring and turning a blind eye to things that were not worth his time. He picked the food and diluted the strong vors off for Shen Xi, sometimes even feeding the food to her mouth.

    Fu Qingli did a slow burn. What was the meaning of this? Could Li Yuan show some restraint in front of the family? Li Yuan did it on purpose to piss him off!

    Fu Qingye was feeling bitter because he barely got to spend time with his long-lost sister. She had a boyfriend before he could shower her with love and attention. It was not a nice feeling at all.

    Fu Qingxuan openly looked daggers at Li Yuan, but it had no effect on thetter. Out of ideas, Fu Qingxuan looked to Fu Handing for help.

    Fu Handing shook his head and smiled at Fu Qingxuan. He always saw Li Yuan as his own, and Fu Handing got used to their public disy of affection in the few months he stayed at the Lis¡¯ residence. That was why Fu Handing did not think much of the couple¡¯s interaction.

    Although the intimacy was normal between couples, it only rubbed the Fu brothers the wrong way. Soon, Fu Jungiu finally made it home.

    Hurling the suitcases aside, she charged in and hugged Shen Xi without warning. With teary eyes, she whimpered, ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m your aunt!¡±

    Shen Xi nearly choked on her food by the sudden embrace. With her face turning red from suffocation, she downed an entire ss of water to ease the food down her esophagus. Shen Xi coughed. ¡°Aunt Jungiu.¡±

    Worried sick, Fu Jungiu smacked Shen Xi¡¯s back and gave her a ss of water. She almost cried feeling bad for what she did. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault. Here, drink some water.¡±

    Thank goodness Shen Xi was feeling better. She heaved a hacking cough and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine..¡±

 Chapter 708 - Beyond Awkward

    <h4>Chapter 708: Beyond Awkward</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingli swept Fu Junqiu with a cold nce.

    Fu Jungiu red back at him, albeit without much confidence. She meekly added. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    Fu Qingli pulled a sour look. ¡°Aunt Junqiu, it¡¯s time to change that hasty behavior of yours.¡±

    ¡®There was no point refuting since she was at fault. Clenching her fist, Fu Junqiu listened as Fu Qingli gave her a lecture. The nerve of him! She decided to let it go in respect of Xixi.

    With everyone gathering around her instead of having their dinner, Shen Xi was put in an ufortable position. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Let¡¯s have dinner.¡±

    Everyone went back to their seats.

    Fu Jungqiu looked at Li Yuan and kicked his chair. ¡°My future inw, move to the side.¡±

    Li Yuan was in a good mood to be addressed as the future inw, but sadly, that was not the case for the young masters of the Fu family. Yet, they had no say in it.

    Fu Qingxuan wanted to p back, saying that it was not a sure bet. On second thought, he would be jinxing his sister¡¯s rtionship, so he bit his tongue.

    Fu Qingye enviously gazed at Li Yuan who was in delight. The couple¡¯s rtionship was a done deal, and there was no way around it. Fu Qingye could only console himself with the fact that Li Yuan was a good guy and treated his sister right.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s face was so long it could hit the ground. Nevertheless, it was a relief that he would be spared the public disy of affection now that Li Yuan gave his seat to Aunt Junqiu.

    Fu Junqiu might be sitting next to Shen Xi, but she became Li Yuan¡¯s food runner, serving Shen Xi this and that on Li Yuan¡¯s request. Still, she was ttered to be called aunty.

    So much for Mr. Big Shot. Li Yuan may be a bad*ss, but he had to call her aunt.

    Furrowing his brows, Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes grew profound. Aunt Jungiu was shockingly naive to be happy over a form of address. They called her that all the time, yet they did not see her so happy. What made Li Yuan so special?

    It was reallyte by the time the family finished dinner.

    Fu Jundiu pulled Shen Xi and Shangguan Yanqiu for a shower together. She had a sleepover in mind after the shower.

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s tired, so let her have a good rest tonight. Maybe you can share the bed with her tomorrow. She has the whole holidays to spend here.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu felt bad for her daughter.

    Shangguan Yangiu slept together with her daughterst night, but her daughter did not get much sleep and woke up with swollen eyes. She heard from Jinping that the girl was used to her own bed. Xixi would be tossing and turning if they were to share her bed.

    ¡°Okay then.¡± Despite feeling disappointed, Fu Junqiu agreed to the idea. She made an advance arrangement with Shen Xi. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll sleep with me tomorrow.¡±

    Nodding her head, Shen Xi gave her word. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Finally having the space to herself, Shen Xi turned off the lights andy in bed.

    The past two days had gone by like a dream. Although she did nothing, she was worn out mentally. Now that things had quieted down, she could not seem to doze off.

    For some reason, her mind did not wander off when she slept with Momst night. However, she struggled to fall asleep for a long time.

    Whipping out her phone, shey in bed and sent Li Yuan a text message. [Shen Xi: Brother, are you asleep?]

    [Li Yuan: Can¡¯t sleep?)

    [Shen Xi: Yeah. I need my pillow.]

    Since she could only sleep on her own bed, strange ces only gave her sleepless nights. Oddly enough, she slept well if she had her human pillow.

    {Li Yuan: The room on my left belongs to Fu Qingli while Fu Qingye¡¯s in the room on my right.]1

    [Shen Xi: I¡¯ming down to find you.)

    {Li Yuan: Fu Qingli is watching National Idol in the living room right now.]

    [Shen Xi: Your room is right beneath my parents¡¯ room. I¡¯m next door to my parents. I have an idea.]

    {Li Yuan: Don¡¯t climb the window!]

    After sending off the message, Li Yuan got out of bed and approached the window for a look outside. The girl had jumped out the window and was clinging onto the window frame like a spiderman.

    The girl froze in motion as her gaze fell on a spot. Li Yuan followed her line of vision to a flickering me. It was a cigarette.

    ¡®There stood none other than Fu Qingli.

    It was a beyond awkward moment for Shen Xias if she was caught cheating by the family. There went her reputation. She just embarrassed herself in front of Fu Qingli, and of all people, why did it have to be him?

    Did Li Yuan not say he was watching National Idol in the living room? Was it a tactic to mislead Li Yuan? Did Fu Qingli put the TV on ande here to catch her in the act?

    Fu Qingli was absolutely capable of doing so since he was as sly as a fox.

    Oh, gawd. Shen Xi could only pray for Fu Qingli to y blind and not tell anyone about it. Otherwise, how was she supposed to exin? Like, she jumped out of the window in the middle of the night to look at the view?! Who was she kidding!

    Having turned ck in the face, Fu Qingli shot a piercing look at Li Yuan who poked his head out before takingrge strides over.

    ¡®With Fu Qingliing over, Shen Xi¡¯s internal rm bells were ringing as she was caught between climbing back into the room and jumping down.

    She could climb back in and pretended nothing ever happened. However, the house was equipped with an anti-theft window. Her scrawny figure got her out but getting back in would be an issue.

    Fu Qingli would be waiting for her if she were to jump.

    So, she was stuck in the middle. Shen Xi sought Li Yuan with a cry of help.

    As Fu Qingli was not far away, it only took him a few steps to draw close. He looked at the girl perching against the wall before catching a glimpse of Li Yuan trying to get out. Fu Qingli gave him the evil eye. ¡°You better stay where you are if you don¡¯t want to wake anyone else.¡±

    With a dainty body like the girl¡¯s, it was not strange for Shen Xi to climb out of the anti-theft window. Li Yuan could be sliced in half if he attempted the same. He would also be discovered if he walked out the door. Qingye and Qingxuan were watching him like a pack of wolves.

    Shooting Fu Qingli a look, Li Yuan stopped in his tracks.

    Fu Qingli spread his arms and looked at the girl suspended in the air. He solemnly uttered. ¡°Jump.¡±

    Shen Xi did not trust him one bit. Surely, he wanted her to die from the fall. Shaking her head, she spoke in hushed tones, ¡°I wanted toe out and check the weather. The weather¡¯s looking fine. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Tl catch you.¡± Fu Qingli looked into her eyes as a broken reflection swiftly shed past his deep and narrow eyes. The hint of emotion went by unnoticed.

    She did not trust him. Did she hate him that much? Was he not worth her trust? The realization hurt him..

 Chapter 709 - Heâ€™s My Man

    <h4>Chapter 709: He¡¯s My Man</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Clearly seeing the fleeting despair and hurt in Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes, Shen Xi¡¯s heart sank for a moment. Was Fu Qingli hurt by her words? Did she bruise his ego that bad?

    ¡®With a much softer voice, Fu Qingli cooed her. ¡°Come down.¡±

    ¡°Tcan do it myself. Give me some space.¡± Shen Xi was confident with her athletic dexterity. She could easily make a safending from the height of two floors. No big deal.

    To her dismay, her grip slipped before she could get ready for the jump. She closed her eyes while her body lost control in the fall.

    Caught off guard by her sudden free fall, Fu Qingli charged forward and reached out to catch her. However, he tumbled onto the ground with her in his arms.

    Shen Xi¡¯s weight was pressing on him after the catch and tumble. Oh, the embarrassment found her trying to dig a hole and bury herself in it. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Fu Qingli appeared as callous as always. ¡°You put yourself at risk just to get to him?¡±

    Li Yuan, the b*stard, did not deserve her!

    Shen Xi stopped ying dumb. Unhappy with his tone, she was in full-on defensive mode. ¡°He¡¯s my man.¡±

    Fu Qingli scowled as rage burned in the depth of his eyes. Since a harshnguage was out of the question toward Shen Xi, he looked daggered at Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan nodded back and smiled.

    The smile was provocative in Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes. Godd*mnit! Had he located his little sister sooner, Fu Qingli would never have let her get involved with Li Yuan.

    Yet now, everything was a foregone conclusion. There was no turning back time even if he was unhappy or against it. All he could do was hate himself for not finding her and bring her home earlier as that gave Li Yuan the chance to swoop in.

    Standing up, Shen Xi asked Fu Qingli, ¡®You aren¡¯t going to tell anyone, right?¡±

    Fu Qingli pulled himself together. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    Fu Qingli hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Sure.¡±

    With that, he turned to leave.

    ¡®What could he do? Whatever he did seemed to only annoy her. This was not the first time Fu Qingli saw Shen Xi and Li Yuan together. He even saw them share a room on the day he waited the whole night at the hotel lobby.

    ¡°Hang on.¡± Shen Xi stopped him and cried, ¡°You¡¯re injured.¡±

    ¡®With downcast eyes, Fu Qingli noticed along cut on his left arm. He was slit by the tree branches when he caught her. Although blood was dripping along his fingers, he remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you bandaged.¡± Shen Xi had given up on looking for her pillow to sleep. There was no way that was happening now. Never mind. There would always be time.

    There was no chance in hell she could ever sleep in the same room as Li Yuan, be it in Fu residence or her home. Oh, how she wished to get her marriage license soon. She could then rightfully sleep with him.

    Without a word, Fu Qingli hastened his pace.

    Looking back at Li Yuan, Shen Xi snuffled in grievance and waved. ¡°Get some sleep, Brother. I¡¯m going to check on him.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and watched the girl run after Fu Qingli. He waited until she disappeared out of sight before closing the window. He turned around and was fixated on the door but decided against going out.

    Since Fu Qingli was injured saving his fairdy, Li Yuan was willing to give him a chance.

    Once an attending doctor at Fu residence, Shen Xi knew where the medical kit was. Soon, she returned with a first-aid kit. Kneeling by Fu Qingli, she took out some cotton and rubbing alcohol to treat his injury.

    ¡®The cut was not deep, but there were fragments of twigs and leaves from the branches. She had to clear them bit by bit.

    Lowering his gaze, Fu Qingli observed the girl at work. It hit him that she was just as serious and focused when she came to provide medical attention to Mom.

    At the time, he gave her quite the attitude.

    Many a time, he wondered if things would be different if the clock could be rewound. Nevertheless, he knew that it would not make a difference because he would be his same self.

    The pair remained silent.

    The TV was still broadcasting National Idol in the background.

    ¡®With the TV ying the scene where Shen Xi gave herments, Fu Qingli suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Do you like Ye Weiyang?¡±

    Taken aback by the sudden question, Shen Xi¡¯s hand shook andid on him too hard. She was quick to apologize. ¡®Im sorry. I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you.¡¯

    Fu Qingli shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Shen Xi pursed her lips without saying a thing. How could it not hurt when his body was made of flesh? If Fu Qingxuan was in his shoes, he would have screamed the roof down. With that in mind, her heart suddenly went out to him.

    ¡°You showed a lot of interest in Ye Weiyang.¡± Fu Qingli went back to the first topic.

    The attention she gave Ye Weiyang was incredible, as though she knew Ye Weiyang would make it right from the start. Ye Weiyang appeared to be an average and ordinary girl at the beginning.

    ¡°She¡¯s a great girl butcks confidence. People need assurance and encouragement. Shen Xi was aware that she could not fool Fu Qingli despite how meticulous her disguises were. Fu Qingli knew from the beginning that she was Mr. Xixi.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Fu Qingli responded and added. ¡°You¡¯re a great girl too.¡±

    His remark out of nowhere threw Shen Xi in for a loop. Why did the conversation involve her? What was great about her? She was nothing short of evil in his eyes.

    Fortunately, Fu Qingliid off the topic after thement. He began talking to her about National Idol, the contestants, and the mentors.

    He had no interest in these people, but his mind was nk for any conversation starters. Fu Qingli was content just to get any bit of interaction with her.

    Shen Xi did not think much of it. Still, she was curious about his enthusiasm for the show. After a chat, she inquired, ¡°Is yourpany expanding to talent shows?¡±

    It was not a secret that the Fu family¡¯s business in the entertainment world was doing well. Qingye was the face of thepany and one of the most sessful artists. Besides, there were a lot of up-anding Chinese artiststely. The Fu family¡¯spany packaged them and pushed these artists to the

    global stage.

    ¡°We¡¯re thinking about that. Do you have any suggestions to share?¡± The thought never crossed Fu Qingli¡¯s mind. However, he might as well go with the flow to get the conversation going.

 Chapter 710 - Youâ€™re Out of Line, Qingli

    <h4>Chapter 710: You¡¯re Out of Line, Qingli</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It never urred to Fu Qingli that the subject would lead to many more exchanges between him and his sister. There might be a chance for a business coboration too.

    Shen Xi had a say in the subject matter since she had been through and seen talent shows of many genres. She participated in one too. Cosmos Entertainment was at the point to grow its business in this sector.

    Sure, she could not stand Fu Qingli in the past, but now the guy ~ even if she refused to admit it ¨C was now her eldest brother and family. She could just speak her mind with him.

    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me everything? Aren¡¯t you afraid Yuan Yu might look for you?¡± Fu Qingli asked with a smile.

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi could not help but stare at him.

    She had never really seen Fu Qingli sh those pearly whites. Yet, she had to admit that everything froze in time and faded into ck and gray when he smiled. His uncalcted and genuine smile was beautiful and mesmerizing.

    ¡°Cosmos Entertainment must be inclined to work with the Fu family.¡± Fu Qingli gazed at her, still with a delightful curve across his lips.

    The Fu family offered lucrative terms that nopanies in China could resist. Yet, Cosmos Entertainment remained steadfast in its decision not to work with them.

    At the time, Fu Qingli thought the CEO of Cosmos Entertainment either stuck to their guns or was a dimwit. Later, he discovered the real reason. She was the backbone of Cosmos Entertainment, and she did not want to be associated with him ever.

    ¡°Of course, I do. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Shen Xi was frank.

    A partnership was barely in mind with that intimidating attitude of his. Shen Xi would have coborated with the Fu family if she did not know him then. Only a fool would tum down the attractive offer from the Fu family, even if a risk came with it.

    ¡°Well then, Should we swing back to a possible partnership? I can make your time worthwhile.¡± Fu Qingli knew that Cosmos Entertainment was founded by her and Yuan Yu. She was not the type to bring personal affairs into business.

    ¡°I dont get involved in these things. Look for my brother if you¡¯re talking about a project.¡± Shen Xi then saw the change on Fu Qingli¡¯s face.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Qingli was filled with a mix of emotions, especially when the term ¡°Brother¡± was heard. It was like a knife was driven into his heart, and it hurt like hell.

    To this day, he had not heard her call him brother.

    ¡°Do you have his phone number?¡± Shen Xi put away the first-aid kit.

    Fu Qingli answered, ¡°No.¡±

    Shen Xi retorted, ¡°Tl send his contact number to you.¡±

    She then whipped out her phone to send him a text message. Having found his number, she clicked on send.

    Fu Qingli was ecstatic that she did not delete his number. However, the circling icon kept going until a notification popped out. [Message delivery failed.]

    It struck Shen Xi that she had cklisted him in a moment of rage. Well, he should consider himself lucky that she chose cklisting over deleting his number.

    While Fu Qingli dwelled in the blues, Shen Xi clicked on his profile and removed him from the cklist.

    He knew that he was cklisted, but to see it with his own eyes only made him feel worse.

    ¡®Ive sent it to you.¡± Shen Xi stood up to leave to avoid any further awkward situations. She gave Yuan Yu a call as she walked away. ¡°Brother, are you asleep?¡±

    The word ¡°Brother¡± dug another knife to Fu Qingli¡¯s heart. Begrudgingly watching as the girl took the stairs, Fu Qingli clenched his fists. When would his sister acknowledge him as her brother?

    No sooner had Shen Xi left than Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye opened their doors in unison. The pair stood by the door and gave Fu Qingli a look of disdain.

    Fu Qingye was the first to approach Fu Qingli. He whispered, ¡®Were you talking business with our sister?¡±

    He could not believe Fu Qingli talked business with their sister. Jesus. Was he stupid? Fu Qingli might as well be asking Xixi which area of the Fu family¡¯s business she was interested in, so he could offer her whatever.

    Fu Qingli, ¡®?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan drew near and sneered at him. ¡°You¡¯re out of line, Qingli.¡±

    He could not bear to listen anymore to the conversation. Xixi sure kept it together, because if it were Fu Qingxuan, he would have flipped the table there and then.

    Their stares only made Fu Qingli stern. Still, he broke into a smile. ¡°Work is work. Our private life should be kept out of it. Xixi is a businesswoman and different from you guys. She can separate business with pleasure.¡±

    There were many things that should be kept apart. With that character of hers, Xixi would not ept the proposal. He knew better than anyone about her that family affairs should stay out of business.

    However, Fu Qingli could surrender the entire Fu assets to Xixi, if that was what she wanted.

    The two non-businessmen scoffed at Fu Qingli. ¡°That¡¯s why our sister doesn¡¯t like you. Are you chatting with Xixi to bond or to talk shop?¡±

    He should be building a rtionship with Xixi during their precious time alone. They could talk about anything, but why did it have to have a serious topic? Those eavesdropping on the conversation were anxious for Fu Qingli.

    ¡°What should I talk about then?¡± Fu Qingli humbly asked for advice. He had no experience in this sort of situation, nor did he have an idea for conversations with a girl.

    ¡°You can talk about anything.¡± Fu Qingxuan never really thought about the question.

    ¡®What did he usually say with their sister? Nothing jumped into his mind since it was all random and casual talks. There was no need to think hard about it. Fu Qingli could just say whatever came to mind.

    ¡°Her likes and dislikes, hobbies, the sort. You can talk a lot if you find amon topic.¡± Fu Qingxuan showed him the ropes.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t business amon topic?¡± Fu Qingli asked.

    Fu Qingye rolled his eyes. Who would do business with their own sister? What logic was that? Seriously.

    Fu Qingxuan looked at Fu Qingli in contempt before shaking his head and sighing. Fu Qingli was beyond help!

    Just then, Shen Xi pushed the door open and walked out. Although feeling strange about Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan¡¯s presence, she nodded and smiled at them. She then turned to Fu Qingli and inquired, ¡°Mr. Fu, are you interested in Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s short video tform? Let me talk to you about the

    development prospects. Also, I feel that there are a few businesses worth looking at. Do you want to hear more about it?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan, ¡°.¡±

    Fu Qingye, *..¡±

    They exchanged nces in shock.

    Here they were, looking down upon their eldest brother when their sister cut the ground from under their feet by talking business... Fu Qingli and Xixi¡¯smon ground was business, all right!

 Chapter 711 - Iâ€™m Not Tired at All

    <h4>Chapter 711: I¡¯m Not Tired at All</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    For Shen Xi to address him as Mr. Fu, Fu Qingli sunk into a world of distress. It took everything in him to force a smile. ¡®It¡¯ste. You must be tired from staying up so long. This can wait until tomorrow.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up when it came to business. She shook her head. ¡®I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯m not tired at all.¡±

    Fu Qingli pondered for a while before muttering, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the study.¡±

    ¡°Give me a sec.¡± Shen Xi ran back into her bedroom and soon darted down the stairs, carrying aptop in hand. ¡®Come on.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye were at a loss as the duo took off to the study. As if one workaholic was not enough, here came another.

    Hearing themotion, Li Yuan opened the door and managed to catch a glimpse of Shen Xi and Fu Qingli disappearing into a room. He tured to Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye. ¡®Where did Xixi go?¡±

    The pair spoke in unison, bearing a hint of helplessment. ¡°To talk business.¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s eyes reflected disappointment. His fairdy never talked business with him, nor did she ever bring up anything to do with business. Yet, she got along with Fu Qingli. The chat in the living room was not enough that she had to continue in the study.

    Fu Qingli made a good working associate.

    However, the same went for Li Yuan too.

    Fu Qingli and Shen Xi got down to business in the study.

    On the other side, the trio sat on the sofa and watched TV since they were no longer in the mood to sleep.

    Picking up on the noise, Fu Handing opened the door and found the people sitting side by side on the living room couch in front of the TV. He asked them, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed at this hour?¡±

    The trio nced at him and answered together, ¡°To talk business.¡±

    Fu Handing could not make head or tail. What business? He walked down the stairs to get a better answer and found out that his son and daughter ran off to talk business. Fu Handing was caught between tears andughter as this was absurd. The whole Fu family belonged to them, so why the need to discuss

    business?

    The volume of the TV was adjusted to a minimum. The lot would look at the study every now and then.

    Shen Xi was really getting into it with Fu Qingli in the study. They were at odds sometimes, causing a minor dispute, but it always ended with one party concurring, All in all, it was a sessful meeting.

    Fu Qingli went from being fascinated to being in awe. Shen Xi¡¯s knowledge, vision, and insights were a breath of fresh air. Her Cosmos Short Vid alone was not only a guaranteed cash cow, but the weight of its presence would also take off when it dominated the global market. The payment system she talked

    about was another sess waiting to happen.

    The Fu family would have the global economic lifeline in the palm of their hands if they rolled out the payment system to the world.

    Shen Xi and Yuan Yu¡¯s Cosmos Entertainment would at most find sess within the walls of China while rolling the system out to the world to dominate the global market was out of their hands. However, the Fu family was very much capable of doing so.

    Fu Qingli had full understanding of the value and huge market potential in her ideas. He asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to Li Yuan?¡±

    She and Cosmos Entertainment may not be able to make it happen, but Li Yuan had essible resources just like the Fu family. Surely, Li Yuan could put her ideas to work if he put his mind into it.

    ¡°Talking business with your own people would only cause a strain in rtionships.¡¯ Shen Xi blurted without a second thought.

    She hoped her rtionship with Li Yuan was kept purely sentimental without the involvement of profit and money, so this never came up in her conversations with Li Yuan. She never discussed work in front of Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingli was stabbed hard in the heart. Shen Xi would not discuss it with Li Yuan because he was her people. Was Fu Qingli not lumped into the category?

    Realizing how hurtful she came across, Shen Xi added. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that. What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ Are you hungry?¡±

    Exin, her foot.

    She meant what she said.

    Shen Xi had been meaning to discuss the prospects of a deal with him. Had it not been because he gave her such a bad attitude, the project would have taken off and the app would have been developed for use by now.

    With Shen Xi switching the subject, Fu Qingli believed she did not see him much as an outsider. She probably was embarrassed to exin herself. At least, that was what he told himself. Fu Qingli nodded his head.

    Shen Xi suggested, ¡°I brought some self-heating hotpot and river snail rice noodles. What do you fancy?¡±

    Fu Qingli replied, ¡°You have a sore throat, so you should stay away from heavy vors. We have bread at home. I¡¯l go and grab some.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. I¡¯m all better.¡± Shen Xi grimaced.

    For God¡¯s sake, she had an appetite for something vorful. Li Yuan had been on her case during dinner, washing out the braised meat before giving them to her. She barely tasted anything.

    Fu Qingli skeptically looked at her. ¡®Really?¡±

    Shen Xi tapped on the torchlight function on her phone and passed it to him so he could inspect her mouth. She opened wide. ¡®Check it yourself if you don¡¯t believe me. Nothing is swollen inside.¡±

    Fu Qingli scanned around before calmly saying, ¡®Tl get Xuan to take a look.¡±

    Shen Xi panicked. ¡®¡¯m a doctor, you know!¡±

    Fu Qingli retorted, ¡°Doctors don¡¯t treat themselves, Dr. Jiu Zhou.¡±

    Shen Xi could just shoot herself in the foot.

    The people outside the study were still hanging around. Fu Qingxuan came into the study to check her throat and gave his medical opinion. ¡®The tonsils are still swollen. You¡¯re on a nd diet for the next two days.

    With Shen Xi needing a hunger fix, everything was feeling the same.

    Fu Qingxuan grabbed a few boxes of hotpot and two boxes of river snail rice noodles.

    Shen Xi only brought along her favorite vors such as spicy, numbing spicy, and super spicy. There was none of the clear or tomato broth.

    Soon, the waft of hotpot fragrance filled the living room.

    Deep in slumbend, Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Jungiu were awakened by the smell. The aroma was not heavy and grew faint as it trailed along, but their keen senses still managed to pick up on it.

    Thedies walked out of the room and noticed that Fu Handing, together with the children, were gathered in the living room. The TV was also tumed on. It was such a lively scene.

    Instead of sitting on the sofa, Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi were crouching by the coffee table with chopsticks in hand as they were greedily fixated on the containers on the table inplete synchronization.

    Shangguan Yanqiu helplessly smiled with adoration in her eyes.

    Fu Jungiu took her phone to snap a picture of them both before showing it to Shangguan Yanqiu. ¡°Look at them. Aren¡¯t they an exact copy of each other?¡±

    Shangguan Yangiu nodded. They were. Prior to the reveal of Xixi¡¯s identity, Shangguan Yangiu often got the feeling that Xixi was her daughter when Xixi and Xuan were together since they were a spitting image.

    ¡°Mom, Aunt Jungiu, did we wake you up? Fu Qingye was first to notice thedies. Feeling embarrassed, he asked.

    They must have been loud to wake Mom and Aunt Jungiu from their sleep. Usually, no amount of rm clocks could get Aunt Jungiu out of bed..

 Chapter 712 - Prefer Qingli Over Me

    <h4>Chapter 712: Prefer Qingli Over Me</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°How could you eat something tasty behind our backs?¡± Racing down the stairs, Fu Jungiu approached Fu Qingli to give him a good smack. ¡°You punk! Have you no shame?¡±

    Taking it like a champ, Fu Qingli nced at her with a straight face. ¡°Aunt Jungiu, don¡¯t you want to watch your figure?¡±

    Fu Jungiu pped the back of Fu Qingli¡¯s head while gritting her teeth. ¡°Watch your mouth. I¡¯ve never heard you talk so much.¡±

    The b*stard kept mum when it was an appropriate time to talk but speak unnecessarily when it was not his ce to. He was asking for it!

    Shen Xi had seen Fu Qingli get his *ss kicked. Not only was he unable to fight back, but he received another round of beating for talking back. Barely able to hold theughter in, Shen Xi lowered her head and pretended she saw nothing while getting the kick of Fu Qingli being beaten.

    Fu Qingye¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as he watched the enjoyable scene. The house had never been filled with so muchughter.

    It was a much better situation when Dad was around. However, since Qingnli took over the household after Dad went missing, the air at home only grew dreary. There was basically no more activity in the house after ten o¡¯clock at night.

    Mom slept early at eight o¡¯clock while Aunt Jungiu must have her beauty sleep. Fu Qingye, Qingli, and Xuan barely had a few days together in a year.

    It was not like the family could ever get a chance to enjoy fast food in the wee hours of the morning, Qingli saw this type of food as garbage. Anyone who brought home this food was asking for a whooping.

    With the spicy fragrant filling every inch of the room, the aroma drew everyone¡¯s appetites, especially Shen Xi¡¯s. She had nd food for the past two days due to a throat infection. The smell only made her drool.

    cing a bowl of hot water in front of Shen Xi, Fu Qingli looked at her and said, ¡°This is yours.¡±

    Shen Xi bit her lip and nced at him before poking the bowl with a chopstick. This was a jab at her, for sure!

    Bearing a smile, Shangguan Yanqiu tenderly uttered, ¡°Tll make you anything you want once you¡¯re all better. Bear with it for now.¡±

    Snuffling, Shen Xi pouted. ¡°Oh.¡±

    Nothing would happen if she ate some now. As a doctor, Shen Xi knew her health like the back of her hand. They were being too cautious. She was not that fragile.

    Fu Qingxuan petted her head like a pet. ¡°Be good now. You can have it when you¡¯re not sick anymore.¡±

    Shen Xi put the fangs out and red at him.

    Withdrawing his arm, Fu Qingxuan leaned close and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll sneak some to youter.¡±

    Shen Xi shot him an angry look. It was all his fault. She could have enjoyed the food out in the open if he said she was all better. They did not have to go through all the hassle now.

    Toffeecito had been catching catnaps since its arrival here. The jetg might have gotten to it. At that moment, Toffeecito made its way over and swirled around before jumping onto Fu Qingli¡¯sp. It meowed for attention and snuggled up against his arms.

    ¡°Where did the cate from?¡± Fu Jungiu¡¯s eyes popped open. Oh, gawd. Oh, gawd. It was a marvel! Her eldest nephew, who was never fond of pets, allowed a cat to have its way with him. Needless to say, she could tell that it must be Xixi¡¯s cat. Her nephew was epting the good with the bad that came

    with Xixi.

    ¡°Aunt Junqiu, this is my Toffeecito. My parents and I aren¡¯t at home, so I brought it along.¡± Shen Xi exined. It was easy to bring Toffeecito since they took the Fu family¡¯s private jet.

    Fu Juniu drew near and kneeled by Fu Qingli to tease Toffeecito. ¡°Toffeecito,e to your aunt. Don¡¯t hang out with the poker-faced iceberg. Don¡¯t you feel cold?¡±

    Shen Xi was caught in stitches. She wanted to give Aunt Junqiu the thumbs up for the amazing description. Fu Qingli was exactly as Aunt Junqiu described.

    Toffeecito shied away into Fu Qingli¡¯s embrace, burying its head into his clothes as if it was shy to face Fu Junqiu. The cat even meowed in distress.

    Feeling upset, Fu Junqiu turned to Shen Xi. ¡°What¡¯s up with Toffeecito, Xixi? Why does it prefer Qingli over me?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head, not knowing the answer to her question. She guessed Fu Qingli might be the cat¡¯s chosen one. Speaking of which, it was very strange because she could not wrap her head around the reason why Toffeecito took to Fu Qingli. Toffeecito clung to him like glue.

    After taking in the hurt and defeat, Fu Junqiu regained her spirits and poked at Toffeecito¡¯s exposed bum. ¡°Toffeecito, don¡¯t be shy. Come and y with me. I¡¯ll give you some treats.¡±

    She then asked Shen Xi, ¡°What does it like to eat?¡±

    The firm look on Fu Junqiu¡¯s face made Shen Xi hold her tongue about Toffeecito being a tough crowd to please. Shen Xi might as well let Fu Junqiu try out. ¡°Toffeecito¡¯s not fussy. I¡¯ll go grab some of its food.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan pulled her back before she could stand up. ¡°Tl get it, my dear sister. I know where it is.¡±

    He soon returned with a bag of stuff consisting of catnip, canned food, cat wand, and Toffeecito¡¯s favorite ¡ª toy sparrow.

    Toffeecito must be hungry after the long nap as it did not take long for it to be tricked out of Fu Qingli¡¯s arms. Toffeecito went on to feast on the canned food.

    Meanwhile, the self-heating hotpot was ready. They were greeted by aromatic vors and appetizing chili oil the moment they removed the lid.

    Thanks to a throat infection, Shen Xi was put on a watchlist. She could only look at the food without touching it. Anything she craved had to be washed in waters before she could have it. What was she supposed to taste? All she could do was breathe in the aromatic fragrance. It was such a pitiful sight.

    In the end, Shangguan Yanqiu took the bait and sent a piece of beef straight to Shen Xi¡¯s mouth. ¡°Just one.¡±

    With eyes lit up, Shen Xi nodded and sank her teeth in. Amid chewing, she murmured, ¡°That¡¯s the stuff. It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan looked around and gave her a piece of tripe, but Fu Qingli red at him before the meat was sessfully given away. Fu Qingxuan ate it himself and mumbled, ¡°Xixi¡¯s throat is not that sore.¡±

    These words had no effect on everyone else. However, Shen Xi gave Fu Qingxuan a dirty look. He was one to talk. Had he not told Fu Qingli that her throat was inmed, she would not have to eat all the heavily diluted food.

    Turning his head away, Fu Qingxuan acted as if nothing happened and added. ¡°As a doctor, my advice is to have nd food for faster recovery.¡±

    Fu Qingye and Fu Handing exchanged nces and chuckled.

    Li Yuan observed his fairdy with affectionate eyes. It was not too long ago when she was worried about what to do during her return to the Fu family. Yet now, she settled in better than anyone else. It was like she was never absent in the family as they got along well, happily, and cozily..

 Chapter 713 - Ward Off Intruders or Her?

    <h4>Chapter 713: Ward Off Intruders or Her?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Apart from Li Yuan, Fu Qingxuan, and Fu Handing, who were introduced to the food by Shen Xi already, it was the first time everyone tried out a self-heating hotpot and river snail rice noodles.

    Fu Qingli, especially, put himself on a strict diet and saw fast and convenient food as junk. He would not cast a nce at this type of food in the past. Yet, it became quite fascinating to enjoy it with the whole family.

    Fu Jungiu ate and enjoyed the food the most. She took a bit of time from stuffing her face to ask, ¡°This stuff is amazing. Howe I never knew about it? It¡¯s delicious and the ingredients are fresh.¡±

    Shen Xi had a lot of time on her hands as she ate the food the others had given to her after several rinses. ¡°Aunt Junqiu, you think it¡¯s great too? Do you think that there¡¯s a market for it here?¡±

    Fu Jungiu had not had the chance to reply.

    As helplessness shed past his eyes, Fu Qingli tapped the table with his chopsticks and cleared his throat. ¡°No business on the dining table.¡±

    It seemed she had not had enough even though they chatted for a long time in the study. Here she went again.

    Shen Xi shut her mouth but quickly put it briefly. ¡°Ourpanyunched this productst year. We¡¯ve only started on the market, so we hadn¡¯t made a name for ourselves yet. The ones that I brought here were produced on the same day. The ingredients are fresh for sure.¡±

    Alright, no business talk at the dining table. However, she believed the self-heating hotpot, river snail rice noodles, rice, and sort were mainly targeted at the Chinesemunity. This type of food did not appeal to or suit the ptes of foreigners.

    Besides, argepany like the Fu Corporation was into big deals with huge returns. Maybe she should stop talking since this business transaction was only a small change to the Fu family. Once the market took off nationally, a lot of work would be waiting for Shen Xi.

    Nevertheless, thepetition was fierce in the country. This sort of thing did note with a patent. Manypanies would follow suit and want a piece of the pie the moment she got the publicity out there.

    ¡®The supper was a night to remember for the family. After filling their bellies, they chatted a while in the living room before returning to their respective rooms for bedtime.

    Standing by the window, Shen Xi carefully looked around to make sure there was no one before opening the window. She had gotten to climbing down when the window beneath was opened. She lowered her gaze and saw a hand reaching out and gesturing to her to go back inside.

    Shen Xi¡¯s face fell. ¡°¡­¡±

    Was this person keeping an eye on her and waiting for her to make a move?

    Shen Xi sulkily went back to bed and held the nket as she rolled around. She then sent Li Yuan a text message. [Shen Xi: Brother, I can¡¯t sleep.

    Li Yuan sent over a request for a video call. He looked at her. ¡°Do you fancy a bedtime story or a luby?¡±

    Snuffling, Shen Xiy in bed and smooshed her face against the sheets. Her voice was muffled. ¡°Can I have my pillow?¡±

    ¡°No pillow for you.¡± Li Yuan sighed and softly uttered, ¡°Your eldest brother is next door. He saw you just now. Behave yourself and tough it out.¡±

    With puffed-up cheeks, Shen Xi bit her lips and agreed to it. ¡°A luby, it is.¡±

    She recalled that there were no anti-theft windows thest time she was here. Why was security added to the windows now? Was it to ward off burry or her?

    Her thoughts made sense, albeit absurd. Shaking her head, she tucked herself under the covers and held a pillow as the man¡¯s alluring voice lured her to dreand.

    Perhaps she was exhausted or maybe the man¡¯s voice was hypnotizing, it did not take long before she fell asleep.

    Li Yuan listened to the girl¡¯s steady breathing for a long while and ended the video call. Then, the window next door was shut. Li Yuan helplessly shook his head and smiled to himself. Here was to all the brothers in the world.

    The night was quiet, leaving only the howling wind in the background.

    ¡®The New Year¡¯s holiday was for three days.

    Shen Xi came to Fu residence a day before the holidaysmenced. She spent two days there and was due to leave in the afternoon of the third day. Shen Xi had been absent from school for far too long, so it would be inexcusable if she skipped the term exams too.

    Li Yuan did not spend every day at Fu¡¯s residence. He had work to do and knew better to give the Fu family and Shen Xi some space to bond.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu were appreciative and grateful for the gesture.

    It was a different case with the Fu brothers. They had a bone to pick at whatever Li Yuan did. They would prefer if Li Yuan could disappear altogether.

    Like Shangguan Yangqiu, Fu Jungiu gradually warmed up to Li Yuan during the past few days. Li Yuan just about made the cut to stand by their precious princess.

    Shen Xi spent herst morning in Fu¡¯s residence while Li Yuan left after having his breakfast. He wasing back to pick Shen Xi upter in the afternoon for their return to China.

    The whole family, including Fu Qingli the workaholic, remained at home to spend more time with their sister.

    Fu Qingye pushed all his schedule back for a week and terminated the contract of work that could not be dyed. To him, showbiz was not more important than his sister.

    Fu Qingxuan arranged his own work to his own will. If it were not because he had an important experiment at hand, Fu Qingxuan would fly with Shen Xi back to China.

    The Fu brothers were busy in the kitchen as afternoon approached.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu sat with Shen Xi in the living room to watch TV.

    Shen Xi was knitting a scarf for Fu Qingxuan. Having the basic needlework pat down, the knitting itself became an easy and quick process. A scarf was the easiest of them all too. The one in Shen Xi¡¯s hands was nearpletion.

    Shangguan Yangiu had gotten way ahead of herself, discussing with her husband about ns to return to China. Their daughter¡¯s career was in China and not here after all.

    Even if Shen Xi had the time or off days to visit them, they would only see her a few times a year. It was also a hassle to travel back and forth.

    The couple might as well move back to China and buy the vi next to hers. If Shen Xi nned to stay in the same house after marriage, they could also link the vis together.

    As for their sons at home, Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing believed the boys could leave the nest and be free to do whatever they wanted to. Qingli would not be able to go to China since the family business was here. Qingye¡¯s career and Qingxuan¡¯s workce were established here too.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, aren¡¯t you thinking too far ahead?¡± Shen Xi was helpless. They were already nning up a storm even though nothing was mentioned yet..

 Chapter 714 - Toffeecito Left with Me. Donâ€™t Miss Us

    <h4>Chapter 714: Toffeecito Left with Me. Don¡¯t Miss Us</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Old Shen and Madam Yun were not as keen and open to marrying Shen Xi off so soon as Shangguan Yangiu and Fu Handing were. Besides, there was no telling where Shen Xi was going to live after marriage.

    To this day, Shen Xi never had a chance to check out Li Mansion. She had her ns about staying in Li Mansion.

    ¡°How is it far ahead?¡± Shangguan Yanqiu looked at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re in China and expect your parents to want to stay with you. If you think we¡¯re a bother to you when you and Li Yuan tie the knot, we can just live next door.¡±

    There was no way she would be letting go of her daughter in the next few years. Shangguan Yanqiu wanted nothing more than to be Shen Xi¡¯s shadow and see her every day for peace of mind. Whatever that came next was forter to decide.

    ¡°Xixi, just listen to your mom.¡± Fu Handing concurred. He was not in a hurry, but he would love to stay with his daughter. His wife felt she owed it to her daughter and wanted to make it up to Shen Xi for the decades of lost time. Fu Handing could hardly see Shangguan Yanqiu leaving Shen Xi¡¯s side for the

    next few years.

    Of course, Shen Xi was going toply. ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi was nodding when suddenly she felt light in the arms. The scarf was taken away from her. She lifted her head and met Fu Qingli¡¯s long and deep eyes.

    ¡°Is it done? Fu Qingli asked her.

    Taken aback, Shen Xi was puzzled by his question. Still, she replied ordingly. ¡°Almost.¡±

    Fu Qingli gave a nod and sat next to her while urging, ¡°Pick up the pace.¡±

    Shen Xi had removed the needle and was onto straightening out the tassels. The scarf was ready in less than a few minutes.

    Having been keeping watch, Fu Qingli inquired when she held the scarf up. ¡°Done?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Let me see.¡± Fu Qingli grabbed the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. He then asked, ¡°Does it suit me?¡±

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. ¡°This is for Fu Qingxuan.¡±

    It was hard to make heads or tails of Fu Qingli¡¯s reply. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest.¡±

    Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi was no clearer to his point.

    ¡°He ranks behind me.¡± Fu Qingli turned to his parents. ¡°Mom, Dad, I need to head back to the office. Xixi, I can¡¯t see you offter. Have a safe journey.¡±

    Fu Qingli took off with the scarf before Shen Xi could say anything and left her, Fu Handing, and Shangguan Yanqiu staring at each other. What was she supposed to do now? How was she going to exin to Fu Qingxuan? Fu Qingli seized the scarf and ran away!

    Letting out a cough, Fu Handing was at a loss for words. ¡°Um¡­ Your eldest brother¡­ just give the scarf to him.¡±

    Shangguan Yangiu chimed in. ¡°I don¡¯t need one. Think of it as giving mine to him.¡±

    She was taken by surprise as Qingli had never pulled such a stunt before. It appeared that Qingli may not say it out loud, but he valued a gift from Xixi.

    With the intention to check on the progress of his scarf, Fu Qingxuan excitedly walked out of the kitchen and yelled, ¡°Xixi, is it ready? Is it ready yet?¡±

    Shen Xi took a nce at Fu Qingxuan, then at the leftover yarn. Yet, there was no scarf in sight. She cleared her throat.

    Shangguan Yangiu interrupted. ¡°I told your sister to give the scarf to your eldest brother. There¡¯s a snowstorm out there. He¡¯d be cold.¡±

    The smile on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s face froze as he turned toward the door with raging eyes. He hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Fu Qingli!¡±

    Fu Qingxuan did not buy Mom¡¯s story. Qingli must have stolen his scarf.

    Xixi promised that the first scarf would be his. Fu Qingxuan chose the color and the yarn. What right did Qingli have to take his stuff? This was crossing the line!

    He wanted one. Fu Qingxuan really wanted the scarf.

    Seeing that Fu Qingxuan was about to lose it, Shen Xi quickly remarked to stop him from going nuts. ¡°The next one¡¯s for you. I¡¯ll knit you a scarf in no time.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes were red. Tears threatened to fall since he was robbed of a scarf and happiness. Biting his lip, he stared at Shen Xi and spoke gruffly. ¡°I¡¯m in no rush.¡±

    Anger would not solve anything as Qingli had already snatched the scarf. He simply could not put Xixi through trouble because of this. What if she strained herself?

    Hearing themotion, Fu Qingye came out and heard about Qingli¡¯s act. He said, ¡°Going by order, it should be my turn next.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan red at him. ¡°If we¡¯re going by order, Mom and Dad should be first.¡±

    Fu Qingye averted the question by turning on his heel. ¡°¡®ll check the pot. We don¡¯t want the food to burn.¡±

    Amid sniffles, Fu Qingxuan sorrowfully sat next to Shen Xi with his head hung low. He toyed with the yarn in his hand while feeling too upset to say anything.

    The poor thing. Thinking about the d*mn Fu Qingli, Shen Xi drew close and gave Fu Qingxuan a suggestion. ¡°Since he took it, you can take it back when hees home.¡±

    Over the past few days, Shen Xi no longer carried a grudge toward Fu Qingli anymore. However, his behavior today was uncalled for.

    Still, the scene of Fu Qingli stealing and running away was hrious and childish. Fu Qingli was obviously afraid of Fu Qingxuan kicking up a fuss, so he looked for an excuse to make a getaway.

    Giving it much thought, Fu Qingxuan tightened his fists. ¡°I¡¯l give it a go.¡±

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingxuan quickly felt discouraged. Qingli would protect the scarf at all costs from any possible attack from Fu Qingxuan now that the former had the scarf in hand.

    Shangguan Yangiu and Fu Handing watched the interaction between the siblings as they helplessly exchanged looks, shook their heads, and smiled.

    Li Yuan made his way back in the afternoon.

    After lunch, the pair got ready to return to their mothend.

    They packed up their suitcases only to realize that Toffeecito was nowhere to be found.

    The housekeeper came forward, having heard them calling for Toffeecito. ¡°Madam, Young Lady, Toffeecito went off with Young Master Qingli.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Oh, no, he did not. Fu Qingli kidnapped Toffeecito.

    Fu Qingxuan finally got a good reason to jump on Fu Qingli¡¯s case. In full-blown fury, he dialed Fu Qingli¡¯s number and got into position to tell him off. ¡°Qingli, you¡¯ve gone too far this time. I can¡¯t take it anymore. How dare you abduct Toffeecito. Where did you take it?¡±

    Fu Qingli deliberately took Toffeecito away, for sure!

    Fu Qingli answered, ¡°I believe I told you that Toffeecito left with me.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan was about to refute when Fu Qingye raised his phone to show the message on their family group chat. Fu Qingli sent a text message prior to leaving. However, they were too busy then to check their phones.

    [Fu Qingli: Toffeecito left with me. Don¡¯t miss us.]

    Attached was a picture of Toffeecito sitting on hisp as proof..

 Chapter 715 - Let Him Stay the Night

    <h4>Chapter 715: Let Him Stay the Night</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi tapped on her messages and noticed that Fu Qingli had sent her a private message. [Fu Qingli: Xixi, Toffeecito left with me. I¡¯ll deliver it back to your hands in two days.]

    The timestamp was not too long after he left. Fu Qingli probably sent her the text to let her know that he took off with Toffeecito.

    ¡®What more could she say? She missed the text message. It was not like he took Toffeecito along without informing her. Had she seen the message, she could go after him to ask Toffeecito back before they had left.

    Apart from Shen Xi, who could not see what was going on, the rest had a clue of why Fu Qingli did it. Coming from the same ce as Fu Qingli, Fu Qingxuan and Fu Qingye knew their big brother took Toffeecito away so he would have a legitimate excuse to look for Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan bade the Fu family farewell and boarded the ne.

    Observing the girl who was staring nkly out the window, Li Yuan tapped on her nose tip. ¡°Let¡¯s raise another.¡±

    Shen Xi looked back. ¡°A child?¡±

    Taken aback, Li Yuan looked deeply into her eyes and coughed. ¡°You¡¯re young. It¡¯s too soon to have a child. Let¡¯s get Mr. Toffeecito a few babies for us to raise.¡±

    Shen Xi reflected for a moment and put ona straight face. ¡°¡®m not young.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled dotingly. ¡°We can wait until your college graduation. Do you want to have a baby while you¡¯re still studying?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong about that. I can have my graduation photo with you and the baby.¡±

    She saw the image in her mind, and it was beautiful. Ah, such was the feeling of having everything in life.

    Li Yuan gently held her in his arms while propping his chin against her head. He sighed. ¡°First, we need to have a talk on how to get the family toe around.¡±

    He now had two pairs of parents-inw and many brothers-inw. It would not be easy to convince every single one of them. Yu Yuanxi was not an issue, but the Fu lot was the toughest crowd to please.

    ¡°How about we do the deed to seal the deal?¡± Shen Xi suggested.

    Li Yuan heaved a sigh. He was reluctant to do so as he wanted to give her the best. Li Yuan did not want to put Shen Xi through any distress. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait. Leave the rest to me.¡±

    His fairdy was still young. It was his wish to have the whole world¡¯s blessing as they walked down the aisle so that everyone would know how much he loved her.

    With a hint of slyness fleeting past her eyes, Shen Xi curled her lips without saying a word. She just had a light bulb moment.

    Shen Zhangqing came to fetch them from the airport. Shen Xi did not want him toe in the middle of a cold winter¡¯s night. It was too cold and troublesome, but there was no stopping Shen Zhangqing.

    The reason for Shen Zhangqing¡¯s presence was to end any chances of the big bad wolf taking his darling daughter next door. The couple was young and not wedded. It was easy to give in to temptation when couples were left alone together. Shen Zhangqing had to keep a good eye on his daughter so she

    would not be taken advantage of. It was not that Shen Zhangging did not trust Li Yuan, but he was a man himself too. The itch, oftentimes, would take over.

    No man would not think about that when they were with their beloved unless they were not right in the head or in thather region.

    It was three o¡¯clock in the morning by the time they drove home. They passed by a 24-hour fast-food restaurant to get some food as their supper.

    Shen Xi finished her supper and fell asleep in the car. Nestling in Li Yuan¡¯s arms, she was sound asleep.

    Every now and then throughout the journey, Shen Zhangqing nced at the rear-view mirror in bitterness. The first thing he did after getting down the car was to rush to open the car door. Gazing at his daughter in Li Yuan¡¯s arms, he hesitated whether to wake her up. In the end, he sighed and turned to

    Li Yuan. ¡°Carry her down. Be gentle now, so you don¡¯t wake her.¡±

    The 10 odd hours of flight must be tiring. Since Shen Xi could only sleep on her own bed, it was likely she did not get a good sleep during her stay at the Fu residence. Look at the sleepy head.

    Li Yuan softly lifted the girl as he got off the car while Shen Zhangqing put his coat over her to tuck her in nice and warm. He then went to open the door.

    Shen Xi quietly cracked open her eyes ever so slightly.

    Li Yuan lowered his gaze and happened to meet her sneaky squint. The girl gestured to keep it quiet as she plopped her head back and shut her eyes to sleep. He dotingly grinned.

    Shen Zhangging beckoned Li Yuan over and said in a hushed tone. ¡°Steady there.¡±

    Firmly walking behind Shen Zhanging, Li Yuan took strides into the house. Aside from the covert nce just now, the girl in his arms appeared to be deep in slumbend.

    They went all the way to Shen Xi¡¯s bedroom on the second floor.

    Li Yuan put Shen Xi down on the bed, but the girl refused to let go of his hand.

    Shen Zhangqing¡¯s eyes were breathing fire. What was he supposed to do? He had already made the biggestpromise to allow Li Yuan to carry his daughter into the house, and now he was supposed to let Li Yuan stay the night? Dream on!

    Taking a step forward, Shen Zhangging grabbed Shen Xi¡¯s wrist and pried her fingers open with another arm. Without a word, he then poutingly gave Li Yuan a look to leave.

    Li Yuan politely and modestly nodded at Shen Zhangging, ¡°I should get going.¡±

    Shen Zhangging waved him off as he held himself back from yelling at Li Yuan to get out.

    Once Li Yuan left, Shen Zhangqing nced at his daughter in frustration before drawing close to tuck her under the sheets. After turning off the light, he tiptoed his way out and closed the door behind him.

    With Shen Zhangging gone, Shen Xi opened her eyes and whipped out her phone to send Li Yuan a text message. [Shen Xi: My dad¡¯s actually nice.]

    Old Shen might not want to admit to it, but he had acknowledged Li Yuan as Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend. On the other hand, Madam Yun, like her Fu parents, would support her wishes and stand by her side.

    The hardest to get through would be the Fu brothers. Still, it should not be a problem with Qingye. Fu Qingxuan may be reluctant to go to bat for her, while Fu Qingli¡¯s opinion did not matter to her.

    Li Yuan soon replied and reaffirmed her text message. [Li Yuan: Uncle Shen loves you the most in this world.]

    He was relieved that Shen Xi had such great parents. They loved and taught her well, providing her with a carefree life.

    [Shen Xi: Old Shen will stand by me for whatever I want to do.]

    That included marriage. However, Old Shen might have something to say if they were to get married so soon. Old Shen and Madam Yun must hope that she would wait until graduation before getting married.

    Nevertheless, if she could work with Yu Yuanxi and Lil¡¯ Ye to get their marriage license now, it would make things easier for her and Li Yuan..

 Chapter 716 - Getting a Marriage License at City Hall

    <h4>Chapter 716: Getting a Marriage License at City Hall</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    (Li Yuan: You¡¯re right.]

    [Shen Xi: I came up with an idea. I¡¯l tell you when I see you tomorrow. Good night.]

    [Li Yuan: What¡¯s the idea?)

    [Shen Xi: You¡¯ll know tomorrow. Good night.]

    Completely clueless, Li Yuan sent another text message, but there was not a peep from the girl. She remained quiet and kept him in suspense.

    The next day.

    Shen Xi slept in, and it was bright and sunny outside by the time she opened her eyes. Shen Xi walked down the stairs and saw the note that Shen Zhangqing had left behind. ¡®Breakfast is in the thermos pot. Enjoy.¡¯

    She retrieved the breakfast bought by Old Shen in the pot. It was her favorite chicken wrap. Munching in delight, she crept up thedder and peeked over the wall.

    Seeing no one in the courtyard, she let out a sigh of relief. She popped half her head out to look at the living room and study. As if he had eyes at the back of his head, the figure behind the desk suddenly turned around.

    Shen Xi recoiled out of fright, nearly slipping off thedder. However, she choked on her food. Pounding her fist to her chest, she managed to swallow the food.

    With a frown, Li Yuan, who was in the study, looked toward the wall. His fairdy had been acting suspiciously since yesterday, as though she was hiding something from him. What was she up to now by observing him in secret?

    Shen Xi was under the impression that Li Yuan had noticed her. She talked herself into believing that Li Yuan saw nothing. After breakfast, she rummaged through the drawers at home for a while before carefully carrying something out.

    Li Yuan had been waiting in the courtyard ever since she poked half of her head out and disappeared. Nothing could be heard from the other side of the wall.

    It took a long while before the girl¡¯s footsteps gradually drew near from the living room. Then came the creaking of thedder.

    Shen Xi climbed up thedder and bent down to make sure she still had the item before craning her neck to check the situation on the other side.

    Li Yuan lifted his gaze.

    Shen Xi abruptly widened her eyes and met Li Yuan¡¯s dark but confused eyes. Smiling embarrassedly, she waved at him. ¡°Brother, why didn¡¯t you catch some sleep? Why are you up early?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s voice bore worry. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Li Yuan spread his arms and looked at her. ¡°Jump.¡±

    Standing on thedder, Shen Xi nced at him and spoke nervously, ¡°I should just use the front door.¡±

    Li Yuan thought it was odd. What was on the girl¡¯s mind for her to behave rather peculiarly? ¡°It¡¯s troublesome. Come down. I¡¯ll catch you.¡±

    Shen Xi tried to pull herself together. Li Yuan would only find it suspicious if she acted all flustered. Giving a nod, Shen Xi climbed onto the wall and gave him a serious look. ¡°Catch me.¡±

    With Li Yuan giving his word, the girl leaped and fell into his embrace. Meanwhile, something fell off her and dropped to the ground.

    Realizing her thing had dropped, Shen Xi wanted to push Li Yuan away to pick it up. Nevertheless, she could not move as Li Yuan had locked her tight in his arms.

    Li Yuan furrowed his brows as he noticed the fallen item was a household register. Bursting intoughter, he leaned close for his breath to linger in her ear. ¡°The idea that took you a whole night to figure out is this?¡±

    Now that she had stolen the household register, her next move must be to drag him to city hall to get their marriage license. No wonder she acted funny today. So, this was her n!

    His breath made Shen Xi¡¯s knees go weak. She took a gulp as her face turned red. Was she rushing into things? However, Shen Xi had no experience on what to do in this kind of situation. Lifting her head, she pouted. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to go?¡±

    Li Yuan bit her earlobe. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Of course, he wanted to get their marriage license more than anything in the world, but how would they exin it to the family? She would be put in the spot.

    ¡°Li Yuan, if you¡¯re a man, get your household register out so we can go to city hall now!¡± Shen Xi picked up the courage and shouted his name in full.

    ¡°It¡¯s Sunday today.¡± Li Yuan chuckled.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Xi was cocky and had everything figured out a minute ago, but the bashfulness sat in once the rush subsided. Burying her head against his chest and clutching against his clothes to hide her restlessness, she disgruntledly moaned, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±

    It took a lot for her to make the decision. There was no time like the present. She made up her mind to quit obsessing about it and just get it done at city hall. The marriage license would make it legal and official that they were husband and wife.

    ¡°think I should be the one to take initiative.¡± Realization suddenly hit Li Yuan that he was not progressing fast enough that his fairdy got antsy. Feeling her body shaking, he tightened his grip and whispered, ¡°Xixi, are you scared?¡±

    ¡®What was she afraid of? Did he fail to give her a sense of security?

    Speaking of fear, he should be the one to be afraid.

    Without a word, Shen Xi held him tightly.

    Was she afraid?

    Perhaps.

    Still, she had no idea what she was afraid of. Maybe she was so lucky in life that it felt surreal. What if it was all a dream? Shen Xi was scared she would wake up one day and find everything a dream.

    If it were a dream, Shen Xi hoped she would aplish all her wishes in the world, including bing his bride and his woman.

    Still holding onto her, Li Yuan walked to the bedroom to retrieve an item and carried her out the door. He opened the car door and put Shen Xi in the passenger¡¯s seat before getting into the car himself.

    With her mind still spinning, Shen Xi did not realize when she got in the car. Looking at the person behind the wheel in a daze, Shen Xi had never seen him drive before.

    Li Yuan started the car.

    Shen Xi asked, ¡°Brother, where are we going?¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll know once we¡¯re there.¡±

    Shen Xi was itching with curiosity about where they were heading, but he would not give her an answer even if she asked. It struck her when she saw the city hall. Shen Xi furrowed her brows in confusion. ¡°I thought the city hall was closed during the weekend?¡±

    Li Yuan turned and faced her. ¡°It¡¯s toote to have second thoughts now.¡±

    Before Shen Xi knew it, he was out of the car and standing before her. He pulled her down the car and right to the city hall..

 Chapter 717 - Iâ€™m Married

    <h4>Chapter 717: I¡¯m Married</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi was still in a trance by the time she walked out of the city hall with a marriage license in hand. ¡°Brother, am I dreaming?¡±

    Li Yuan extended his arm. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a pinch?¡±

    Shen Xi gently pinched his arm as her heart raced. She let out a foolish smile. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife in the eyes of thew, right?¡±

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°You have the license to prove it, Mrs. Li.¡±

    ¡°Give me your hand, will you?¡± Shen Xi looked at him with burning enthusiasm.

    Li Yuan put his hand out.

    ¡®With one hand holding the marriage license, Shen Xi grabbed Li Yuan¡¯s hand to ce it in front of the license. It then hit her. ¡°We don¡¯t have any wedding rings.¡±

    Li Yuan pulled out a ne from his neck, revealing the peculiar pendant he had always carried around. The oddly shaped pendant was in the form of a unique and beautiful crescent.

    Shen Xi watched as he took off the pendant. He once told her that his deceased grandparents left him this. Since then, he always wore it without ever removing it once.

    Li Yuan took the pendant off and gently pressed on the outthrust on the crescent. The crescent then popped out to disy two rings inside.

    The rings were of a simple design, albeit both rings had their halves missing. To her surprise, some sort of hidden mechanism seemed to be triggered when Li Yuan took the rings. The rings became whole.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes widened. It was unknown what the ring was made of as it gave out a ratherfortable vibe. The design may be simple, but Shen Xi could not take her eyes away from its uniqueness.

    Li Yuan took thedies¡¯ ring and kneeled before her. ¡°Ms. Shen, will you marry me?¡±

    It was an overly simplified formality, but he believed that there was no better time than the present. It all happened so naturally and fittingly. Everything was just right.

    Shen Xi held her hand out to him while solemnly pointing out a fact. ¡°Mr. Li, we¡¯ve got our marriage license.¡±

    Li Yuan curled his lips in delight as his eyes became watery. Holding her hand, he earnestly and tenderly put the ring on her finger like it was the most valuable treasure in the world.

    The ring fit her just right.

    Shen Xi nced at the ring and smiled sweetly. ¡°It looks good.¡±

    After admiring her wedding band for a bit, she put out her hand. ¡°Hand me the other ring.¡±

    Li Yuan gave her the ring.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Give me your hand.¡±

    Li Yuan gave her his hand. The girl held his hand and solemnly put the ring on his middle finger before happily nodding with a smile. ¡°We can take a picture now.¡±

    Two minutester.

    Shen Xi¡¯s WeChat moments blew up.

    She posted on her Moments. ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±

    There was also a photo of their interlocking fingers, showing off their wedding bands in front of the red glistening marriage license under the sunlight.

    Fu Qingli set a special reminder on Shen Xi¡¯s profile so he would obtain first-hand notification whenever Shen Xi posted. With great joy, he went to take a look only to receive such a message.

    Going ballistic, Fu Qingli smashed his fist on the table. The ss that sat nearby dropped and smashed to smithereens by the huge force.

    The executives, who were in the middle of the meeting with Fu Qingli, exchanged nces in confusion, but theirplexions paled as they held their breaths.

    Did they say something wrong? Why did Mr. Fu throw a huge temper?

    That did not seem right. Despite how angry, Mr. Fu had always kept a straight face. His looks were enough to kill anyone, so there was no need to m the table.

    Fu Qingli clutched his phone in a death grip while tension rose in his presence, threatening to suck the air out of everyone in the room. He coldly blurted, ¡°Go on with the meeting.¡±

    He then walked out of the meeting room and hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Xu Xu, get the ne ready. I¡¯m flying to China now.¡±

    Xu Xu had no idea what had happened, but judging by the looks of Young Master Qingli, it had to be something huge. Otherwise, Young Master Qingli would not be experiencing such mood swings.

    While making his way to the office, Fu Qingli gave Fu Qingye a call. ¡°What¡¯s with Li Yuan? What is he trying to pull? No one is breaking them apart. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to stop them from getting married, but Xixi has only turned 18. He¡­ He¡¯s asking for it!¡±

    Had he known, Fu Qingli would not have let Xixi leave. It had only been a day and a night since she left, yet they got a marriage license already!

    Li Yuan had to be behind this. The b*stard was afraid their family was against their marriage, so he rushed to make Xixi his.

    Xixi was fooled. An innocent girl like her was tricked to sign her name on the marriage license.

    Fu Qingye would be lying if he said he was not furious and upset. It never urred to him that Xixi would tie the knot without warning. It was reckless of her. Getting a grip on himself, he uttered, ¡°Calm down, Qingli. No point crying over spilled milk. We should figure out what to do next.¡±

    ¡°What else? They have to divorce! Call Xixi now and tell her to divorce.¡± With fury overtaking every inch of his being, Fu Qingli gnashed his teeth to fight back the urge to tear Li Yuan apart.

    Could they not at least talk to the family first, instead of blindsiding the family with a marriage license? Did the couple not take the family¡¯s feelings into consideration?

    ¡°You call her and tell her yourself.¡± Fu Qingye did not have the nerve to tell her off. He knew more than anyone how invested Xixi was to Li Yuan. It was impossible for her to let go of Li Yuan.

    Besides, it was uncertain whose idea it was to go to the city hall. Li Yuan loved her too much and wanted nothing but the best for her. He would not act on impulse when it came to marriage.

    It was 99% Xixi¡¯s idea.

    ¡°L..¡± Rage saw Fu Qingli heaving heavily. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bother looking for you if she and I are on good terms.¡±

    Fu Qingli reached a stalemate in his rtionship with Xixi. Although they were in a better ce now, Xixi would only think he was a pain in the *ss if he looked for her now.

    Fu Qingye sighed. ¡°Let me ask Xixi. I¡¯ll fly to China now.¡±

    Fu Qingli jumped in. ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡±

    Now that their dear sister had gotten married on paper, of course, they had to be there. They were owed an exnation. After the marriage license, the wedding muste next.

    Fu Qingye was suffocated with bitter emotions at the thought of his sister walking down the aisle. His long-lost sister had be someone¡¯s bride before he had a chance to spoil her..

 Chapter 718 - If I Had to Do It Over, My Decision Would Remain the Same

    <h4>Chapter 718: If I Had to Do It Over, My Decision Would Remain the Same</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Although Shen Xi believed she acted a little rash, she did not regret it one bit. Her phone had not stopped ringing, but she would not tum off her phone even if her phone blew up with calls because these calls were from her family.

    Li Yuan¡¯s phone also blew up. He was the second choice since Shen Xi¡¯s phone line was busy. Their family tried both numbers to see which one they could get through to.

    Half an hourter, Shen Xi created a group chat and added all her family members in, so they couldmunicate through the chat. Only then, did their phones quiet down.

    There would not be as much trouble if she got a marriage license in secret without telling anyone. However, Shen Xi did not want to keep it a secret from those who loved and cared for her. She must take up responsibility for her doings and decisions.

    Besides, it was not like she could hide it forever since the truth woulde out sooner orter. Sure, it was only a matter of time before she was going to get married. People might think she was too hasty.

    Hang on. Apart from her and Li Yuan, everyone believed she was too hasty in her decision. Nevertheless, this had been on her mind for a long time. She made up her mind the first time they locked eyes on the day of her rebirth.

    Perhaps it was long before that. She knew he was the man for her when he carried her body away after her tragic death in her first life.

    For a long time ¡ªa time too long for her to remember ~ she would see him in her dreams every night. The feeling could not be more real.

    Following her rebirth, she would be scared because she believed her daily dose of joy was stolen. She was afraid that everything would disappear into thin air the moment she opened her eyes as everything could only be a dream.

    With her phone notifications beeping endlessly, she was snapped out of her thoughts. Song Wenye was spamming her phone with private messages, blowing her phone with question marks and gifs of being in awe.

    Sitting by the girl, Li Yuan gently held her hand and felt the slight tremble from her body. Something was bugging her as she looked out of it with deep sadness in her eyes. His heart went out to her. He whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    She was insecure and had always been. He would space out while looking at her too, feeling terrified that she might go poof someday.

    Just like the other day, she suddenly appeared on his wall and gave him the sweetest smile. She was a ray of sunshine that crashed into his world and his heart without warning.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi gave a firm nod before burying herself against his chest. She breathed in the smell that was uniquely his and soothing to her soul.

    This was not a dream. She was really back. Everything was real. She would be here, spending her life with him. Just like many ordinary couples, they would go through life¡¯s mundanities, have children around them, and live happily ever after.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll exin to your parents and family.¡± Li Yuan patted the girl¡¯s back and rested his chin against her head while tenderly and intimately nuzzling her. ¡°Leave the rest to me.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi lifted her head to meet his eyes before breaking out in a bright smile and leaning in for a peck on the lips. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re the best.¡±

    Putting his weight forward, Li Yuan fastened the back of her head and deepened the kiss. The butterfly kisses bore no sexual undertone but tender loving to the core.

    Now that Shen Xi had the marriage license in hand, she wanted to shove all her thoughts aside, not think about the aftermath, or reflect on other people¡¯s reactions. For the first time ever, she chose to go with her will and put into action her inner heart¡¯s desire.

    Instead of going anywhere else, the pair went home and got ready for the storm that was toe.

    Shen Zhangging was the first to return home and was surprised by their presence there. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

    Since the ship had sailed, there was nothing he could say to change that fact. It was not like he could make them sign the divorce papers. That would not do.

    Shen Zhangging was unable to sit still all day as he had a feeling something big would happen. It never urred to him that his darling daughter went and got herself married!

    ¡°Dad.¡± Shen Xi stood up and smiled at him.

    ¡°Dad.¡± Li Yuan cried as well.

    Although dying to tell Li Yuan to get lost, Shen Zhangqing resorted to giving him the evil eye. Look what he had done.

    ¡°Dad, it was my idea.¡± Shen Xi repeated the words she had sent on the group chat.

    Had Shen Zhangqing known this was going to happen, he would have hidden the household register. Now he was wallowing in regret. ¡°Good for you!¡±

    ¡°Tm sorry to let you down.¡± Holding onto Li Yuan, Shen Xi took a step forward and stopped Shen Zhangqing from talking. ¡°If I had to do it over, my decision would remain the same.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Zhangging pointed at her, unable to get another word out. With his face turning ck, it took a lot for him to add. ¡°What are your ns now?¡±

    Shen Zhangqing and his wife had prepared themselves for this situation, but it came too suddenly. It never crossed anyone¡¯s mind they would get the marriage license out of the blue.

    He nearly had a heart attack because of the stunt they pulled.

    ¡°Dad, we¡¯ll have the wedding next.¡± Li Yuan adapted quite quickly to calling him Dad. He said with utmost sincerity, ¡°Xixi wants to wait untilter in the year when it¡¯s spring. We want your opinions on this.¡±

    While rushing home, Shen Zhangging had time to think it through, but it did not make him feel any better. He took a nce at Li Yuan. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until everyone arrives. It¡¯s not something we can decide.¡±

    In the past, Shen Zhangqing and his wife had the say of their daughter¡¯s wedding.

    Yet now, Xixi had the Fu family. The Fu family had just reunited with Xixi, only for her to get married. More than the Shen family, the Fu family must be experiencing a wilder ride on the emotional roller coaster.

    Shen Xi had already exined in the group and individually to her Fu parents that they only registered the marriage while the wedding would take ceter. She did not want the Fu family to travel all the way here because of this. Shen Xi was going to visit the Fu family together with Li Yuan once it was

    the winter holidays.

    However, she knew that the Fu family would not listen to her even if she put the word out there. They would fly here for a face-to-face meeting.

    Having read the news, Yun Jinping and Jiang Yin hurried back. Along with them was Ruan Sisi.

    Immediately after stepping into the living room, Ruan Sisi tipped Shen Xi the wink and gave her the thumbs up. She got to give props to her teacher for that bad*ss move of tying the knot unannounced.

    Wait. She would not be surprised if her teacher was to announce she was pregnant with a child.. Was her teacher an ordinary person? No!

 Chapter 719 - Marry Into the Family

    <h4>Chapter 719: Marry Into the Family</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing did not have the chance to speak to Shen Xi yet.

    Ruan Sisi and Jiang Yin were already all over Shen Xi, nning her wedding.

    ¡°The beach. A beach wedding is great, or even a wedding at sea. It¡¯s romantic at the sea. Leave it all to me.¡± Ruan Sisi was so eager and more excited for Shen Xi¡¯s wedding than her own.

    ¡°Sea? It¡¯s dangerous. What if wee across a storm? Can Li Yuan swim?¡± Jiang Yin did not like the idea of the ocean. She objected to the idea and nted hers in Shen Xi¡¯s head instead. ¡°Xixi, let me tell you. You must have your wedding in a castle, like a princess and her prince. It¡¯s so romantic. Which

    castle do you fancy? I¡¯ll n it out for you.¡±

    ¡°Xixi, the beach is great. The beach.¡± Ruan Sisi stood by her suggestion. A white wedding gown with the blue ocean as the backdrop was a wonderful idea. Jesus. The thought of a wedding on the beach gave her chills.

    ¡°Castle! A castle is best.¡± Jiang Yin put her foot down. The castles were great and romantic. The royals in Europe always had their weddings in a castle to reflect their nobility and magnanimity.

    ¡°You can have the wedding at the beach and castle by finding yourselves boyfriends. You can do it wherever you want.¡± Shen Xi kneaded her temples as all that bickering was giving her a headache.

    ¡°Xixi, I¡¯m still young.¡± Ruan Sisi was, in fact, a year older than Shen Xi. However, there was someone older than her. Ruan Sisi turned to Jiang Yin. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you married yet?¡±

    Jiang Yin gave Ruan Sisi a noogie. ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve been getting in my face and poking your nose in my businesstely.¡±

    Ruan Sisi poutingly rubbed her sore head before hugging Shen Xi¡¯s arm to hide behind her. She snapped back, ¡°Xixi, do something about your teacher. She¡¯s not getting any younger, and yet she refuses to find someone to settle down with. In the future¡­ The future, I¡¯l care for her.¡±

    The threatening look from Jiang Yin made Ruan Sisi change her story. Fine, Jiang Yin did not have to get married since she had Ruan Sisi and Shen Xi to provide for her during her golden years.

    Jiang Yin was happy with her reply. At least, all that teaching and nurturing were not in vain.

    Shen Xi was held up by these two.

    Meanwhile, Li Yuan was having a conversation with Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing had no doubts about his love and affection for Shen Xi. Nevertheless, the sudden marriage caught them off guard.

    So was the case with the Shen family.

    God knows how the Fu family would react. The Fu parents might not respond harshly, but the Fu brothers were expected to drop in with a whirlwind of emotions.

    Xuan and Qingli, in particr, had more than a bone to pick with Li Yuan. They saw Li Yuan as their enemy.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush the wedding nning.¡± Yun Jinping wanted her daughter to remain longer by her side since she still had so many years ahead of her.

    ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t feelfortable with it, I can marry into the family instead.¡± Li Yuan understood what their biggest worry was as parents. They were scared that their daughter would not enjoy a good life after marrying out of the family.

    That did not matter to Li Yuan as he was the only one left in his family. His home was where his fairdy was and wherever they were.

    Clearing his throat, Shen Zhangqing put on a straight face. ¡°This is a good idea. I think we can pursue this matter further.¡±

    It had always been his intention to find his daughter a husband who was willing to marry into their family. That way, Shen Zhangqing could keep an eye on the husband under his roof. Shen Zhangging could teach the guy a lesson if thetter ever mistreated his daughter.

    However, his daughter¡¯s boyfriend happened to be the head of the Li household. Shen Zhangqing could not bring himself to propose the idea.

    Although Li Yuan was the sole member of the Li family, this was an aristocratic family dating back to millenniums. It was wishful thinking to ask such a person to marry into their family.

    Still, it carried a different meaning since Li Yuan was the one to bring up about marrying into the family. Ruan Sisi and Jiang Yin stood in awe to overhear the conversation.

    Ruan Sisi spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Xixi, Li Yuan sure has your best intentions in mind. I finally understand why you were in a rush to get your marriage license.¡±

    Oh, gawd. If any man of her teacher¡¯s partner¡¯s status gave her their heart, Ruan Sisi would marry them right away!

    Jiang Yin nodded in agreement. The Li family was no ordinary family. He was not of ordinary status, so for him to say that he would marry into the Shen family in such a natural and sincere mannermanded respect.

    Barely any man in China would marry into any girl¡¯s family. At least, the average man with a bit of money and influence would not go down that route.

    Shen Xi nced over and caught a glimpse of the smile across Old Shen¡¯s eyes. She knew Old Shen was unable to resist the proposal as he had talked about getting a guy to marry into the family for a long time.

    Now the said guy had put forward the idea. Of course, Old Shen was more than satisfied.

    As expected, Shen Zhangging put the arrangement in ce. ¡°It makes no difference whether you marry into the family, but Xixi is our only daughter. We¡¯d really hate to see her leave. Well, it¡¯s not like you can stay away from Li Mansion forever, How about this? We can remove the walls between the two

    houses. Toffeecito doesn¡¯t have to climb the walls then. It¡¯s convenient.¡±

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t forget the Fu family.¡± Yun Jinping reminded him.

    Her husband did all the talking before she could put a word in. Shen Zhangging took it seriously when Li Yuan mentioned his intentions to marry into the family. Nevertheless, people might make fum of a figure of power and money like Li Yuan for taking the Shen family¡¯s name.

    ¡°That reminds me. We have the Fu family, but they live abroad. You and Xixi have your careers in China. You can visit them during the holidays. The Fu family can have extended stays here after we take down the walls between the houses. The rooms should be enough.¡± Shen Zhangqing made sure

    everyone was taken care of in his ns. The more he thought about it, the more he found his idea feasible. Once the houses were linked, the ce would be bustling with people.

    The household would only be merrier if they had two children after marriage.

    Picking up on the conversation, Jiang Yin covered her mouth and snickered as she drew close to Shen Xi. ¡°Your man seemed to have a grasp of your father¡¯s temper. He only had to bring up marrying into the family to rope your father in.¡±

    Shen Xi whispered back, ¡°My dad has been talking about finding me someone who would take the family¡¯s name.¡±

    She had a hunch that Shen Zhangqing would have discussed the same with anyone if that someone was not a man in power like Li Yuan.

    ¡°But I think two houses aren¡¯t enough. Don¡¯t forget your brother and Lil¡¯ Ye. Sisi and I want to drop by sometimes too. Make that three, no, four houses. Why don¡¯t we just buy the whole row of vis?¡± Jiang Yin was seriously considering it.

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless. If only they could have some personal space and time alone. ¡°Ms. Jiang Yin, I think we can stay at Li Mansion. The ce can house a lot of us..¡±

 Chapter 720 - Itâ€™s Not Looking Good for Yu Qiubaiâ€™s Family Member

    <h4>Chapter 720: It¡¯s Not Looking Good for Yu Qiubai¡¯s Family Member</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Li Mansion?¡± Ruan Sisi¡¯s eyes lit up in sparkles. ¡°Xixi, can we? Can I stay at Li Mansion?¡±

    Oh, gawd! She was lucky and honored to ever have the chance to stay at Li Mansion. Ruan Sisi was moved to tears.

    Jiang Yin managed to keep it together. ¡°Why are you intruding on their lives? They want some time alone and personal space after the wedding.¡±

    Reflecting on her thoughts, Ruan Sisi nodded solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ll have a sleepover once in a while. Xixi, you have to leave a room for me.¡±

    Shen Xi burst intoughter, thinking to herself that they had not forgotten that she and Li Yuan wanted some time alone together. However, this was a question for after the wedding.

    It was unrealistic for many people to live together despite Old Shen¡¯s expectations. Everyone was busy with their own work and personal affairs, so they could only gather during festive seasons.

    The three girls were chatting while Song Wenye was absent as she was engaged in a shoot. Song Wenye told Ruan Sisi that she would join the discussion via video chat. She was able to jump right into the conversation during a break between shoots.

    ¡°Xixi, Xixi, I hadn¡¯t been to Li Mansion. I think you should have the wedding there.¡± Burning with enthusiasm in the eyes, Song Wenye stared at Shen Xi. ¡°You two should have a Chinese wedding. Think about the red traditional wedding gown and customs. It will be a grand sight!¡±

    Shen Xi was flooded with so many ideas to have a perspective of what she wanted. Nevertheless, Song Wenye¡¯s suggestion proved more reliable than a wedding in a castle and by the beach.

    ¡°Li Mansion!¡± Song Wenye sighed with emotion. ¡°It¡¯s as grand as having one in the imperial pce.¡±

    There was a possibility to host a wedding in the imperial pce, but it was too ostentatious. Surely, Xixi did not want a high-profile wedding. Li Mansion, on the other hand, was meaningful as a destination as it was Li Yuan¡¯s home. It would be great if they had the wedding at Li Yuan¡¯s home.

    ¡°Xixi, I think Lil¡¯ Ye presented a good suggestion.¡± Ruan Sisi bobbed her head. A wedding at Li Mansion was a great idea.

    ¡°Xixi, do you want a Chinese or Western wedding? Hurry up and tell us, so we can begin prepping for the wedding.¡± Jiang Yin asked.

    Since it was almost the year-end, Shen Xi and Li Yuan only had four to five months if they wanted a Spring wedding. A handmade wedding gown would take a lot of time and effort to put in all the intricate details. They needed time.

    ¡°Why are you more anxious than I am?¡± Shen Xi was helpless.

    ¡°I support a Chinese wedding.¡± In the video, Song Wenye raised her hand to cast her vote in.

    ¡°Me too.¡± Ruan Sisi echoed while raising her hand as well. She turned to Jiang Yin.

    Jiang Yin thought hard and long. ¡°I also think that it¡¯s meaningful to have the wedding at Li Mansion.¡±

    Shen Xi looked at Li Yuan to ask for his opinion. She was sure that he had listened in on their conversation.

    With a smile, Li Yuan softlymented, ¡°You can have the wedding anywhere you like. You still have a lot of time to sleep on it.¡±

    Facing Li Yuan, Jiang Yin counted on her fingers and uttered, ¡°You don¡¯t have a lot of time. You only have seven months if the wedding is held inte Spring and early Summer. You have a pre-wedding photoshoot, wedding gowns, venue decorating, and many other works to think about. It can be tedious.

    Don¡¯t think for a second that a wedding is that simple.¡±

    It was not as though Li Yuan had never thought about the wedding in the past. He had been dreaming about it since the day his fairdy came into his life. However, Li Yuan never thought the details through. He always had the feeling that the girl was still young. He was going to wait until her graduation

    to pop the question.

    Li Yuan had conjured countless scenarios of his proposals, even dreaming about asking her hand in marriage once. Reality had it that they skipped through the formalities and went straight to getting their marriage license before he could put the proposal into action. He guessed nothing ever went

    ording to n.

    Shen Xi made up her mind. ¡°A Chinese wedding.¡±

    She then turned to Li Yuan.

    Li Yuan gave a nod. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Yun Jinping had no words seeing that the twodies were more eager than anyone else. Still, it had to happen sooner orter as Shen Xi and Li Yuan already put their marriage in writing. They should not drag the wedding on.

    At the rate things were going, Shen Zhangqing presumed they might start nning for children. He was unable to pinpoint his feelings, but he decided to let them be so long as her daughter was happy and willing.

    The Fu family arrived one after another by nightfall.

    Shangguan Yangiu and Fu Handing expressed understanding and eptance toward Shen Xi¡¯s rash decision to sign the marriage papers without telling anyone as they owed their daughter too much for the lost time. They supported all of their daughter¡¯s actions if that made her happy.

    Fu Qingli scowled the whole time since he got here. Without a word, he looked daggers at Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingxuan reacted the same as Fu Qingli. He was friendly while chatting with other people, but his eyes reflected resentment toward Li Yuan. As if he would make nice with the b*stard who stole his sister. Dream on!

    Out of the three brothers, Fu Qingye was the only one not giving Li Yuan the attitude. Although he did not give Li Yuan a dirty look, he was reeling inside.

    The issues that needed solving were pretty much addressed by the time dinner was over. The family happily sat in the living room, chatting and watching TV.

    Shangguan Yangiu, Yun Jinping, and Jiang Yin were in talks about Shen Xi¡¯s wedding. They were just throwing ideas before the Fu family arrived. Now that everyone was here, they could begin to iron out the kinks.

    The two families shared the same thought of giving their daughter away in a grand wedding. They wanted nothing but the best for her. All the details must be sorted out in perfection.

    Shen Zhangging and Fu Handing were also talking about Shen Xi and Li Yuan.

    The ones in front of the TV were the Fu brothers and Li Yuan. Since Fu Qingli and Fu Qingxuan refused to sit with Li Yuan, Fu Qingye took a seat next to Li Yuan.

    Fu Qingye remarked, ¡°I think there¡¯s no need to rush the wedding.¡±

    It was not like anything could change as they were already married in the eyes of thew. Fu Qingye knew his sister like the back of his hand. Li Yuan was the most important person in Xixi¡¯s life, and even Fu Qingye as her brother had nothing on Li Yuan.

    Scoffing, Fu Qingxuan took a fleeting nce at Li Yuan. ¡°That¡¯s right. Xixi¡¯s only a freshman. I wonder who¡¯s that someone who just can¡¯t wait?¡±

    Fu Qingli held his tongue and simply gave Li Yuan the evil eye.

    Shen Xi suddenly emerged from the second floor. She put on her coat and said, ¡°I need to leave for an emergency. Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±

    The people in the living room turned to the source of the sound.

    Shen Xi exined on her way out, ¡°It¡¯s not looking good for Yu Qiubai¡¯s family member. I¡¯m going there for a look. Sisi will drive me there.¡±

    The health of Yu Qiubai¡¯s mom went downhill. Yu Qiubai sounded urgent on the phone, so she had to leave right away to check it out..

 Chapter 721 - Fu Qingliâ€™s Love Child

    <h4>Chapter 721: Fu Qingli¡¯s Love Child</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi did not have the guts to pick one among the men in the family to drive her there as the ones left behind would be unhappy.

    She sorted out the arrangement before Fu Qingli and the rest had a chance to volunteer themselves.

    In the end, Fu Qingli stood up. ¡°It¡¯ste. It¡¯s not safe for you girls to go there. Let me drive you.¡±

    Giving Shen Xi no time to turn down his offer, he got up to grab his coat and was out the door while putting on the coat.

    Shen Xi looked at him. ¡°¡­¡±

    With downcast eyes, Ruan Sisi sneaked a smile.

    She was aware of what was going on in her teacher¡¯s mind. Her teacher was afraid the brothers would get into a row, fighting over who got to drive her. Nevertheless, she got to give props to the oldest brother of the Fu family. Well yed.

    Fu Qingxuan jumped up and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ming too.¡±

    With veins popping out her head, Shen Xi nced at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need so many of you toe along. You¡¯re tired from the flight, so you should rest at home.¡±

    Fu Qingye intended toe up with an excuse to tag along if Qingli and Qingxuan were going too. However, he knew there was no hope after what Shen Xi said.

    Disappointment did not go amiss in Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes. He sighed,menting his slow reflexes. Had hee forward first to offer to drive Xixi, Qingli would not be one step ahead of him.

    Qingli was getting the hang of pulling a fast one.

    Smiling at Fu Qingxuan, Shen Xi pulled Ruan Sisi to move along, She was afraid this might happen. There was arge group ready to escort her like bodyguards wherever she went. It was too much for her to take!

    With grievance written all over his face, Fu Qingxuan watched them leave. He would only get on her nerves if he insisted oning after Xixi had already told them off.

    It was dark outside since it was past nine o¡¯clock. The weather was also gloomy and windy. It seemed a snowstorm was underway.

    Fu Qingli opened the car door and waited for them.

    Ruan Sisi went behind Shen Xi to give way to thetter to get into the car.

    Shen Xi was about to step foot into the car.

    Fu Qingli blurted, ¡°You take the front passenger¡¯s seat.¡±

    Shen Xi appeared puzzled.

    Fu Qingli replied, ¡°You¡¯re in charge of navigation.¡±

    Nodding her head, Shen Xi made her way to the passenger¡¯s seat and got in.

    Fu Qingli waited until she got in before opening the door to take the driver¡¯s seat.

    Shen Xi had configured the navigation system, but traffic in the capital was horrendous at this time, especially during the weekend. Her services as the human navigator were needed to bypass the heavy traffic.

    Kicking in the backseat, Ruan Sisi drooled over the man in the front. Mr. Fu was only willing to be her teacher¡¯s driver. Ruan Sisi was piggybacking on the honor!

    She was dying to find out if Mr. Fu had ever been in a rtionship as she was curious about the type of woman that could have his heart and be his.

    It was enough for Ruan Sisi to admire hotties. She would not cross the line and ask for more.

    The car soon cruised out of the neighborhood.

    The Shen family home was in a vipound outside zone 4 of the city. Vis in the capital, wherend was expensive and scarce, were astronomical. The price only went higher the closer the houses were to the core district.

    Yu Qiubai and his mom stayed in an old building in the city center within zone 1 and 2. The ride was smooth in the beginning, but the traffic congestion grew worse as they moved toward the core district.

    ¡®When the car came to a halt, Shen Xi took a look at the time and regretted taking the car. It was faster to take the subway.

    Fu Qingli noticed that she was on pins and needles. ¡°Is it urgent?¡±

    Shen Xi bobbed her head.

    Fu Qingli looked out to the rooftop of a building. ¡°Li Yuan should have a helicopter sitting nearby.¡±

    ¡®The Fu family had a helicopter ready on thending pad of all theirpanies. Thending pads were usually on the rooftop of the buildings.

    ¡°I¡¯s too much of a hassle.¡± Shen Xi nced outside the window. Now that they were in zone 3, there was a subway station five hundred meters away. ¡°I¡¯l take the subway. You and Sisi should head home.¡±

    With the endless jam ahead, it was not known how long they would be caught in a gridlock. The patient¡¯s condition could not be dyed any further.

    ¡°Tl go with¡­¡± Before Fu Qingli could finish, Shen Xi opened the door to get down but stopped short at the door.

    Akid ran into her arms the moment Shen Xi stepped foot out of the car. She lowered her gaze while the kid happened to look up.

    The adorable girl with a cute bun held onto her leg, ¡°Help, Miss! There are bad guys after me and my brother.¡±

    Shen Xi realized that a young boy followed behind the girl. The charming boy had a suit and poker face on. Shen Xi was stunned there and then when she saw the boy¡¯s face.

    The boy¡¯s face was an exact copy of the man sitting in the car. They even shared the same indifferent mien.

    Alove child?

    This was the first thought that popped inside Shen Xi¡¯s head. She then saw dozens of men in ck fast approaching, Without a second thought, she bended over to pick up the girl and pulled the boy into the car.

    Ruan Sisi wondered what was going on as her teacher stood still at the door. The car behind was beeping since the traffic had started to move along. When Shen Xi carried the children into the car, Ruan Sisi widened her eyes in disbelief at the boy before turning to Fu Qingli.

    Oh, gawd. Were her eyes deceiving her? Just moments ago, she was curious as to the kind of woman that could make the heart of the golden son of the Fu family go wild.

    Out came a mini version of him the next minute. Was he an illegitimate child or a pure coincidence? Still, they had an uncanny resemnce!

    Fu Qingli took notice too. He exchanged nces with the children, finding the situation rather absurd. Fu Qingli was fixated on the familiar little face.

    ¡®The girl in Shen Xi¡¯s arms swayed back and forth, together with her bun. It was such a cute and adorable sight. The girl looked at Fu Qingli and then at her brother as if to drawparisons.

    The boy, on the other hand, kept a straight face as he warily stared at Fu Qingli¡¯s face with animosity and clenched fists.

    The tension in the car rose while silence took over.

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Qingli.

    Ruan Sisi stared at Fu Qingli.

    The two kids also fixed their eyes on Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s facial muscles tensed as his eyes reflectedplex emotions. Nevertheless, the people who came in pursuit of the children were pounding on the car and menacingly yelling for the return of the kids.

    Since Fu Qingli remained still and said nothing, Shen Xi patted the girl¡¯s head and put her down. She softly soothed the girl, ¡°Go to the back and join thedy. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

 Chapter 722 - The Young Lady of The Lu Family

    <h4>Chapter 722: The Young Lady of The Lu Family</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fu Qingli and the boy were still making eye contact as they engaged in a staring contest. Tension rose to an all-time high.

    Shen Xi watched the scene unfold. The facts were right in front of them. Even if someone were to tell her that Fu Qingli and the boy were not father and son, she would find it hard to believe as they were a spitting image of each other!

    Seeing that those in the car were unresponsive to the knocking, the men in ck picked up weapons to smash the car while yelling abuse with their fingers against the window.

    Shen Xi carried the boy and went ahead to shove him into Fu Qingli¡¯s embrace. She then opened the door and got out of the car.

    Furrowing his brows, the boy pushed Fu Qingli away with his eyes ¨C even though dark and bright ¨C deadpan and ruthless like a wolf. He pulled away from Fu Qingli¡¯s arms.

    He had yet to say a word the whole time, but his attitude said it all. The boy rejected Fu Qingli¡¯s existence.

    In the backseat, Ruan Sisi was anxious to watch Shen Xi get down the car to face these people alone. However, since she had a kid in her arms to protect, she tured to seek help from Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli had hopped out of the car.

    Shen Xi looked at the men in ck. ¡°Who are you people?¡±

    Lust shed by his eyes as the heavy-jowl leader sized her up. ¡°You better hand them over and stay out of our business.¡±

    Shen Xi scoffed coldly. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    The heavy-jowl leader snorted. ¡°Consider yourself down on your luck.¡±

    His gang then charged toward Shen Xi at the wave of his hand.

    Shen Xi had already braced herself for a fight, but before she could pull a punch, Fu Qingli jumped out of nowhere toe in between the fight.

    It did not take long for the dozen-odd bodyguards to prostrate on the floor in a scatter. The men whined and groaned in pain.

    Fu Qingli looked down on the leader with cold and murderous eyes. With his anger reaching boiling point, his voice sent chills down their spine. ¡°Who are these children? Why are you after them?¡±

    He could be certain that the children were his!

    Did the woman from five years ago get pregnant? Did she give birth to the kids herself? She was a lunatic!

    2

    ¡°They-they¡¯re that b*¡­ our youngdy¡¯s children.¡± The man changed the cuss word for something less offensive.

    This man was identical to the little b*stard. Judging by the man¡¯s terrifying andmanding presence, he was no ordinary person.

    The old madam at home said that the b*tch gave birth to two little b*stards with no information on the biological father. Who was this man then?

    The old madam ordered them to watch over these little sh*ts, but they lost these gremlins. There was no doubt that the old madam would skin them alive during their return.

    Fu Qingli darted at him with a chilling stare.

    The man broke out in cold sweat. ¡°We¡¯re the bodyguards of the Lu family. Those kids belong to our youngdy of the house, Lu Li. The old madam asked us to watch them, but the children refused to listen and ran off, so we chased them here. They¡¯re our youngdy¡¯s kids. We won¡¯t harm them.¡±

    Since traffic was picking up ahead, the cars behind were honking non-stop. Drivers craned their heads out of their cars and urged them to hurry up.

    With a frown, Fu Qingli turned his attention away from the bodyguards and onto Shen Xi. ¡°Are you getting in the car or taking the subway?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°I¡¯m taking the subway. You and Sisi should leave together with the kids.¡±

    Fu Qingli nodded as a wave of emotions hit him. Although two younglings in the car took up his thoughts, Fu Qingli remained calm and level-headed as usual. He urged her, ¡°Be safe. Call me when you get there.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± As he was ready to take off, Shen Xi blurted, ¡°Um¡­ Be gentle with the kids.¡±

    That stank look on his would scare the kids.

    Stopping in his tracks, Fu Qingli responded favorably and got into the car.

    Shen Xi gave the car another look before making her way to the subway station. She asked in the international ss group chat if anyone knew about the Lu family.

    She remembered every word said by the head bodyguard. The kids were Lu Li¡¯s, the youngdy of the Lu family¡¯s children. However, the bodyguards did not look like they were protecting the children. It was more like they were menacingly hunting them down.

    Chu Ying was the first to reply. (Chu Ying: The Lu family? I know! I know! My family does business with them. They¡¯re an insignificant family, mainly in the property and jewelry trade, but I have to say, that family has no integrity.¡±

    [Shen Xi: Do you know the youngdy of the Lu family, Lu Li?)

    [Chu Ying: The youngdy of the Lu family? I only know that there¡¯s only one youngdy but her name¡¯s Lu Rou, I think. I¡¯l ask around for you.]

    Lin Ge chimed in. [Lin Ge: I think I had heard about Lu Li before. After her dad died, she was left in a rural vige to survive. Why do you want to know?]

    Chu Ying soon returned with an answer. [Chu Ying: Lu Li¡¯s dad died when she was five. She never came back ever since her grandmother abandoned her in a vige. My friend hasn¡¯t caught wind of her return.]

    A family of no ount like the Lu family was not worth their time if Xixi had not brought them up.

    [Shen Xi: Got it.]

    Lu Li was a poor soul who was unfavored by her family and left to her own devices in the vige.

    Judging by the look on Fu Qingli¡¯s face, the children¡¯s appearance clearly caught him unaware.

    This meant that it was possibly a case of pregnancy after a one-night stand. Lu Li must be pregnant after a one-time thing with Fu Qingli. She gave birth to the children without the intention of letting the father know.

    Otherwise, she would not raise the kids without looking for the father all this time.

    While on the way, Shen Xi wondered what kind of woman Lu Li was. She only managed to gather her thoughts once she reached Yu Qiubai¡¯s residence.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother had passed out after he gave her a dose of sedative.

    Shen Xi checked her pulse for a thorough examination. There did not seem to be much of a problem other than violent mood swings. Something seemed to strike a nerve in her. Shen Xi performed acupuncture and changed the medication ordingly. ¡°Tle by tomorrow. Keep an eye on your mother.

    Call me if she doesn¡¯t get better.¡±

    She had nned to stay the night if things were not looking good.

    Nevertheless, the matter concerning Fu Qingli and the two children got Shen Xi itching with curiosity. She had to retum to get to the bottom of the situation.

    Shen Xi heard from Qingye that Fu Qingli kept away from women. Thetter never had a girlfriend before, nor was there anything remotely female found around him. Out of the blue, Fu Qingli found himself with grown children. It was jaw-dropping.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Yu Qiubai walked her to the door, only to find she had not driven here. ¡°Tl drive you home.¡±

    Shen Xi extended her palm out. ¡°Give me your car keys. I¡¯ll drive myself back. You should stay to keep your motherpany. She needs you..¡±

 Chapter 723 - Can I Have a Minute

    <h4>Chapter 723: Can I Have a Minute</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Shen Xi got back in less than half an hour after Fu Qingli and the rest returned home. A motorbike was one step ahead and parked in the driveway before she could.

    The motorbike appeared to be the racing kind. It looked cool and eye-catching. A woman in biker wear hopped off the bike and took off her helmet before dumping it on the bike. The woman then nced in the direction of Shen Xi¡¯s house.

    Shen Xi¡¯s first impression of her was dashing. She was quickly intrigued to find out if the charmingdy was the mother of the two kids.

    The cooldy was already at the doorway when Shen Xi got down the car. Looking back at Shen Xi, the woman nodded in greeting and asked, ¡°May I ask if this is Fu Qingli¡¯s house?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°This is my home.¡±

    Dumbstruck, Lu Li was about to whip out her phone to check the address.

    With a friendly smile, Shen Xi then added. ¡°Fu Qingli is here too. Come with me.¡±

    Lu Li took measures of Shen Xi and expressed acknowledgment as though to hint at something. So, the guy had a girlfriend who was beautiful and young.

    This was great as the odds would swing in her favor when Lu Li was to fight for custody. She would never give her babies to a strange man.

    ¡®Whether it was Fu Qingli or anyone else for that matter.

    Shen Xi had enough to determine that the charming and gorgeousdy was the youngdy of the Lu family ¡ª Lu Li. Lu Li stepped into the house together with Shen Xi.

    The living room was brightly lit.

    The family was all over the two little ones.

    Since arriving at the house, the only thing that came out of the boy¡¯s mouth was ¨C ¡°Let us go.¡±

    After his request was denied, he kept to himself, refusing to eat and talk despite the family¡¯s best efforts. The boy put his defense walls up and stared at them like a young wolf.

    The beautiful girl, on the other hand, was an adorable little thing. She would express thanks with a smile when given food but refused to answer any questions.

    These three or four-year-olds were smart and vignt, including the cute little girl. They kept their guard up against strangers.

    Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu believed themselves to be rather popr among children. Yet, it never crossed their minds that they hit a wall with the boy. He simply refused to engage with anyone at all.

    Fu Qingli pulled a long face as he noticed the front door opening. Shen Xi was the first to walk in with a tall and beautifuldy in biker wear tagging behind. The woman was stunning and showed a wild side to her.

    Speaking of humiliation, Fu Qingli was brought back to five years ago when he was vited in the hotel. He had no idea what the woman looked like.

    He had been looking for the imprudent woman for the past five years but leads came back empty. It was as though she suddenly appeared and disappeared out of nowhere, leaving behind not even a single trace.

    Of many scenarios he conjured, Fu Qingli never expected such a huge surprise from her five yearster.

    Sure, it was beyond his expectation, but his family took more of a surprise than he did. It never urred to anyone that he, who kept a distance from anything resembling a female, would suddenly have children and two of them too!

    Fu Qingye tipped Fu Qingxuan the wink as a visitor entered the house.

    Qingli dropped them a huge bombshell. Fu Qingye had to admit that he waspletely in awe, albeit the Qingli seemed to have gotten himself in quite a mess.

    In the past half an hour, they had dug all they could about the children¡¯s mother. She was called Lu Li. It must be her with Xixi.

    Nevertheless, Lu Li did not seem like someone to be messed with. Qingli was likely to get nowhere fast with this one. Speaking of which, a woman who could force herself upon Qingli must really be something.

    Clearing his throat, Fu Qingxuan took a nce at Fu Qingli. His sister-inw was gorgeous. In fact, he knew that his sister-inw would be a knockout by the looks of the children.

    Everyone in the living room turned toward the front door.

    Stepping foot into the living room, Lu Li nodded at the people there. ¡°Sorry to bother you. I¡¯m here to pick up my babies.¡±

    Following the woman¡¯s presence, the girl jumped off the sofa and waddled her way over to hug the woman¡¯s leg.

    The boy, who refused to say a word, got off the sofa and took strides to Lu Li. He reached out to hold her hand.

    Getting down, Lu Li gave the children a squeeze before carrying the girl in her arms. She turned to the crowd with a smile. ¡°Thank you for rescuing my babies. If you¡¯d excuse me.¡±

    The girl sweetly bade farewell.

    With a poker face, the boy gave the people a nod. His emotionless eyes grew tender when his gaze fell on Shen Xi.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Shangguan Yanqiu spoke, refusing to let them go just yet. ¡°Miss, can we talk?¡±

    Although it had not been proven through a DNA test, the boy was an exact copy of her son. Qingli also mentioned what happened five years ago, so Shangguan Yanqiu was sure that the children were rted to the Fu family.

    Stopping in her tracks, Lu Li remained deadpan in the eyes as she replied with a grin. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. A lot of people look alike in this world.¡±

    In the other words, she had no time to y games with them. They were not to take the children away from her.

    Shangguan Yanqiu looked at Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli took a step forward, threatening to suck the life out of anyone nearby with his chilling presence. He got an eyeful of her with a piercing gaze. ¡°Ms. Lu, can I have a minute?¡±

    Lu Li was tempted to spit in his face. Have a minute, her *ss. As if anyone wanted to chat with him. What was there to talk about anyway? Still, she remained calm on the surface. ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡®The Fu family and Fu Qingli could be a hassle if she stood up against them. She would rather have a peaceful settlement, given the choice.

    She would not give him the children no matter what!

    ¡°Ms. Lu, after you.¡± With manners bred in the bone, Fu Qingli withdrew a step and looked at her.

    Lu Li went with him.

    The two little ones stood at the door as they watched Lu Li go with Fu Qingli. Holding onto the girl¡¯s hand, the boy stiffened his facial muscles while staying on high alert at all times.

    There was nothing the people could do. The boy refused to talk or answer anything. It had been the case all along.

    Shen Xi asked Fu Qingxuan, ¡°Was he like this as a child?¡±

    Taken aback, it took Fu Qingxuan a while to realize who Shen Xi was referring to. Fu Qingxuan thought hard and long before shaking and nodding his head. ¡°They have the same bearing, but Qingli wasn¡¯t as umunicative.¡±

    Shen Xi let out a sigh and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t like to talk. He just doesn¡¯t want to talk with us.¡±

    The little man was protective of his mother. Shen Xi was sure that he acted differently in front of his mother.

    Shen Xi then approached the children and kneeled before them. ¡°It might take your mom a while.. Why don¡¯t we take a seat on the sofa¡±

 Chapter 724 - Itâ€™s Friendly and Wonâ€™t Scratch

    <h4>Chapter 724: It¡¯s Friendly and Won¡¯t Scratch</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Miss.¡± The girl gave Shen Xia sweet smile.

    Taking a nce at Shen Xi, the boy tightened his grip over his sister¡¯s hand. He pursed his lips and refused to say a word but let go a little of his inhibition.

    ¡°Call me Aunty. Come with me.¡± Shen Xi extended a hand to them while feeling sorry for these poor little things. These kids were putting up a mean front, but they must feel nervous inside. They were only four after all.

    ¡°Mommy told me to call pretty ones ¡°Miss¡±.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were beautiful crescents when she chuckled. She was so adorable.

    Sure, Shen Xi was a Miss based on age, but technically, she was their aunt.

    The girl took Shen Xi¡¯s hand.

    Without a word, the boy followed behind Shen Xi hand-in-hand with his sister.

    Shangguan Yangiu heaved relief as the children seemed to take to Shen Xi more than the rest of them here.

    They were strangers to these kids. Besides, the children must have been through some traumatic experiences to remain vignt toward strangers.

    Yun Jinping smiled lovingly, having no idea that her daughter was popr among children. She wondered what it would be like when Xixi had her own.

    While no one was looking, Li Yuan beckoned Shen Xi over. His fairdy adored children and so did the children toward her.

    Leading the kids, Shen Xi sat by Li Yuan.

    Out of nowhere, Toffeecito came running and crouched by Li Yuan. Little animals tended to draw the attention of minors. The girl¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Toffeecito.

    The eyes of the emotionless boy softened as he sat upright next to Li Yuan.

    Delighted and curious, the girl reached out a hand to touch Toffeecito but quickly withdrew her arm in fear.

    With a smile, Li Yuan patted Toffeecito¡¯s tiny head and said to her, ¡°It¡¯s friendly and wont scratch. Try it.¡±

    Shen Xi could tell that the girl wanted to y with Toffeecito, but fear got the better of her. Here the girl was, giving Toffeecito a longing look instead. Shen Xi took the girl¡¯s hand to feel Toffeecito as thetter looked on with expectant and perturbed eyes.

    Toffeecito brushed its fluffy head against the girl¡¯s palms while meowing softly as a token of friendship.

    Widening her sparkling eyes, the girl retracted her arm ever so slightly before gently stroking Toffeecito. After she was sure Toffeecito was harmless, she grew bold to pat its head and smoothen its fur.

    Shen Xi looked at Li Yuan and smiled.

    Li Yuan carried the girl to sit by him. The girl was adorable and sensible. It seemed her mother did a good job raising the girl.

    Prior to today, Li Yuan never imagined that such a thing would happen to Fu Qingli. The guy had always practiced caution, yet someone managed to slip through the cracks and give them two children after a one-night stand.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi murmured as she quietly scuffed his palm in aer.

    Li Yuan softly brushed his fingers against her palm and grinned tenderly at her. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with Yu Qiubai?¡±

    ¡°All good. She was asleep when I went over.¡± In fact, Shen Xi wanted to ask if he knew Yu Qiubai or his mother. In the end, she held her tongue.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother was in better health. During her lucid moments, she could not remember anything other than her son, her husband, and the family of three¡¯s happiest days.

    It was terrifying when she had an episode as if she feared something or repenting her sin to someone. Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother would not be able to recognize her son. Fortunately, she only had a handful of these episodes now.

    Her mental health seemed to be in better control now during episodes. Although sleeping pills and sedatives no longer worked, Shen Xi¡¯s specialized calming agent did the trick. Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother could sleep soundly after an episode and wake up to normalcy.

    Li Yuan gave an acknowledging response without adding to it. He presented a Rubik¡¯s cube from God knows where and handed it to the boy with a friendly smile.

    Taken by surprise, the boy epted the cube.

    Shen Xi watched as the boy solved the cube in no time. The process only took mere seconds.

    Perhaps unwilling to get into a conversation, the boy focused on the cube in hand. He solved and shuffled the Rubik¡¯s cube repeatedly.

    After a fun time with Toffeecito, the girl began to initiate talks with Li Yuan and Shen Xi.

    Fu Qingxuan brought out all of Toffeecito¡¯s favorite things. Kneeling by the girl, he intended to give her the tiny mouse but worried the toy might scare her. In the end, Fu Qingxuan picked the cute-looking sparrow. ¡°This is the one. It likes to y this. Let your uncle take you to therge space there. You

    can y all you want there.¡±

    The girl watched as Toffeecito stared intently at the sparrow and lifted its paw to w it. Taking a nce at Fu Qingxuan, she hesitated for a bit before nodding.

    Fu Qingxuan was over the moon. Grabbing the girl by the hand, he led her to the vast space in the living room and passed the toy to her, so she could y with Toffeecito.

    Shen Xi drew close to Li Yuan. ¡°Brother, did you realize? All credit should go to Toffeecito.¡±

    Toffeecito was the ultimate weapon to break the ice. It did not take long for the girl to warm up to Fu Qingxuan. She was already calling Fu Qingxuan Uncle.

    Bobbing his head with delight, Li Yuan inquired the little guy who was absorbed in the Rubik¡¯s cube. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to y with your sister?¡±

    Shen Xi nced at the quiet boy who was fixated on solving the cube.

    She had not heard him say a word since their encounter. The boy was more indifferent and withdrawn than Fu Qingli. Where did he get his personality?

    Keeping to himself, the boy shook his head as an answer to Li Yuan¡¯s question.

    Shen Xi looked over and went to search for a few snacks at the coffee table. Carrying a slice of cake, she sat next to the boy and handed the cake to him. ¡°What would you like to drink? Is milk okay?¡±

    The boy took a fleeting nce at her. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the boy epted the cake willingly and ate it up.

    Everyone watching was in shock, awestruck by Shen Xi¡¯s charms. Sinceing to the house, the girl had a little something to eat while the boy refused to eat, drink, and talk. Now that he was finally filling his belly, they could heave a sigh of relief.

    Shangguan Yangiu gave Shen Xia look to stay with the little man while she would pick up the milk.

    She and her husband were just chatting on the flight that Xixi would be the first to have children as she was married before anyone else. It never urred to them that the person to give them grandchildren was Qingli..

 Chapter 725 - So I Borrowed a Sperm or Two

    <strong>Chapter 725 So I Borrowed a Sperm or Two</strong>

    The little man finally cast a nce at Shangguan Yanqiu, even saying thanks when she handed the heated milk to him.

    He also exercised self-restraint as he took bites out of the cake. Come to think of it, he must be hungry. Otherwise, with that character of his, the boy would not ept any food and beverage offered to him.

    Shangguan Yanqiu had no idea how long the little guy had gone without a meal. Despite being so young, he did not express any craving. The boy was too well-behaved for his own good.

    The boy drank a sip of milk after each mouthful of cake. Shen Xi would also feed him a piece of fruit every now and then, to which he did not turn down. He would express his gratitude every time he epted the fruit.

    Shen Xi wanted to tell him to quit the formalities. Although young, the child demonstrated extreme vignce and responsibility, always keeping an eye out for his sister like a little grown-up. Her heart went out to him.

    It did not take long before Fu Qingli and Lu Li came into the living room.

    Surprise slipped past Lu Li¡¯s eyes when she saw her son drinking milk and eating the fruit out of the hand of a beautiful girl seated right next to him.

    Her son had always been an oddball, paying no mind to anyone except her and Guoguo, much less epting food from strangers.

    Lu Li had assumed that the girl was Fu Qingli¡¯s girlfriend. However, the man, sitting next to the beautiful girl, had adoration written all over his eyes. It seemed Lu Li had gotten it wrong. The girl was not Fu Qingli¡¯s girlfriend but that attractive man¡¯s instead.

    There were a lot of people in the family, spread out in the living room. Since no introduction was made, Lu Li had no clue who was who, but they all seemed rted one way or another.

    ¡°Mommy.¡± The girl, who was fooling around with Toffeecito, eximed in thrill. Taking notice of Lu Li, the girl ran over with rosy cheeks after a well-spent time of fun.

    Lu Li looked to her daughter and the young man who kept her daughterpany. With the young man turning his attention to her, Lu Li gave him a nod. She did not know who he was, but judging by the age, the young man was possibly Fu Qingli¡¯s younger brother. Out of everyone in the room, Lu Li only recognized Fu Qingye. Fu Qingye was a recognizable face since he was an international movie star after all. His poster was everywhere. Fu Qingye was good-looking and carried an air of elegance to himself. He was arguably one of the most attractive men in showbiz.

    Nevertheless, any one of the young men in the living room would make it huge in showbiz. Their looks alone were stunning, especially that man seated next to the beautiful girl, who had more profound facial features than Fu Qingli. With the pair emerging in the living room, the group that had been waiting first turned to Fu Qingli. They wanted to know what was discussed and the arrangement thereafter.

    Fu Qingli put on a deadpan face with his eyes unreadable of emotions as he stared at Lu Li. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you back.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Thank you.¡± Lu Li watched her son drink thest bit of milk before beckoning him. She then turned to call the other child. ¡°Guoguo, it¡¯s time to go home.¡±

    Lu Guoguo responded to her mother as she reluctantly returned the fish to Fu Qingxuan. She nced at Toffeecito and waved her hand. ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    The girl toddled her way to Lu Li¡¯s side before lifting her head to nce at Fu Qingli. Afraid Fu Qingli might notice, Lu Guoguo averted her gaze after a quick look. Shangguan Yanqiu was dying to find out what was said and the arrangement regarding the children and the adults. However, she knew it was not her ce toe in between them.

    Fu Handing held Shangguan Yanqiu¡¯s hand. No matter what, the Fu family should respect the other party¡¯s wishes. Since it was their son¡¯s fault, he should be the one to assume the responsibility. It did not matter what the situation was then because it had already happened. Fu Qingli should shoulder the consequences.

    Lu Li waited until her babies drew close before smiling politely, albeit indifferently at the group. ¡°Sorry to bother you. We should get going.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± The girl waved her little arm at everyone.

    Still, there was not a peep from the other child, but he gave Fu Qingli a probing and questioning look as if to discern if his mommy was bullied.

    Shen Xi intended to jump in to say it was snowing heavily outside. The kids would be freezing in the cold if they rode the motorbike.

    However, Shen Xi shut her trap once she saw the SUV parked in the driveway.

    Someone was slouching against the SUV while smoking a cigarette. The face of the handsome andnguid guy became visible under the dimly lit street light. With peopleing out of the house, the man put out the cigarette and propped open a ck umbre as he took strides forward.

    ¡°Uncle Jingyan.¡± With sparkling and smiley eyes, the girl happily screamed before running toward the man. Su Jingyan picked up the girl as he offhandedly swept a nce at the crowd. In the end, his gaze fell on Li Yuan. Su Jingyan gave a nod. ¡°Mr. Li.¡±

    F*ck!

    Who did Lu Li get involved with? Li Yuan was there, so was Fu Qingye. Were her children Li Yuan¡¯s or Fu Qingye¡¯s?

    That was not right.

    After his gaze lingered on Fu Qingli, Su Jingyan cursed under his breath. That was the man! That face and godd*mn bearing were identical to Lu Zhen, the boy!

    ¡°Mr. Su.¡± Li Yuan nodded in return. Shen Xi squeezed Li Yuan¡¯s hand while stealing a nce at Fu Qingli. Thetter was giving the man in front the iciest stare ever.

    ¡°We¡¯re good. We can see ourselves out.¡± Lu Li courteously smiled as she took her son¡¯s hand and walked to Su Jingyan. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    While holding the umbre over her, Su Jingyan could feel the looks of daggers cutting his back, giving him shivers all over.

    Holy sh*t!

    Lu Li¡¯s Baby Daddy!

    It was only a one-night stand. Fu Qingli was a sperm donor, and it was not like Lu Li was making him father the children or asking him for her share of the inheritance. What did he care about?

    A rage of fire was burning in Fu Qingli¡¯s stone-cold eyes. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he watched the woman and their children leave with another guy.

    The woman¡¯s nonchnt yet taunting voice rang in his ear. ¡°So, I borrowed a sperm or two. For you to mind it that much, are you hung up about children that my egg and your sperms made? I can lend two eggs to you for free. With today¡¯s technology, you¡¯d have no problem getting an artificial or surrogate mother to give you children.¡±

    The car soon disappeared out of sight.

    Shangguan Yanqiu approached Fu Qingli and asked, ¡°Qingli, what did you say to Ms. Lu?¡±

    The two children were the Fu family¡¯s flesh and blood. The Fu family could let it be if they did not know about it, but now that they found out, a perfect solution had to beid out for the benefit of everyone.

 Chapter 726 - They Look Good Together

    <strong>Chapter 726 They Look Good Together</strong>

    ¡°Mom, she gave birth and raised the children herself.¡± From the corner of his eye, Fu Qingli took a nce at the empty road. Although he was expressionless, his eyes reflected a rush of emotions. ¡°I won¡¯t fight for the children¡¯s custody, but she agrees not to stop us from seeing the kids.¡±

    This was the oue of the negotiation. That woman was a tough nut to crack. She was cocky and refused to yield to terms. It was not like Fu Qingli could just grab the children and make a run for it.

    Between the two children, Guoguo was nice while Lu Zhen saw him as the enemy. Should Fu Qingli press on the woman with a strong hand to get custody of the kids, the kids would only hate him. What was the point?

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Fu Handing supported Fu Qingli¡¯s decision.

    The girl from the Lu family may appear mild-mannered, but there was an unyielding stubbornness in her blood. She clearly had a mind of her own.

    It would be great if she ended up with Qingli in the future. If it was not meant to be, the Fu family hoped to stay in touch with the children so as not to cut family ties.

    ¡°So long as you¡¯re sure about it.¡± Although Shangguan Yanqiu had been pining for grandchildren, she never put pressure on Fu Qingli. Fu Qingli could make his own choices, be it dating or getting married.

    The two babies were adorable, and she loved theirpany. However, as a mother who had once lost a child, she knew the pain all too well. Shangguan Yanqiu would never demand the girl from the Lu family to hand them the children, nor would she allow her son to do so.

    Qingli must have thought about the same. He was familiar with the pain and suffering of losing loved ones. Otherwise, he had a million ways to take back the children.

    Following in the back, Fu Qingye was without a word.

    Fu Qingxuan drew near Fu Qingye and whispered, ¡°Qingli disapproves of Xixi getting her marriage license so soon because she¡¯s young. Look at him now. He had kids at neen, and Lu Li was eighteen when she was pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Fu Qingye helplessly red at Fu Qingxuan. What did that have to do with anything? It was not the same situation for Qingli and Xixi.

    The two kids were adorable, but Fu Qingye wondered if the youngdy of the Lu family was Qingli¡¯s type. Qingli never had a girlfriend, and they never had conversations about girls either.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingye personally had a good impression of the youngdy of the Lu family. She was beautiful and deserved the spot as his sister-inw.

    Still, she possibly had a boyfriend. Since the man who came to pick up the mother and children knew Li Yuan, it was in to see that he was no ordinary person. Qingli might not stand a chance.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan took a stroll together while chatting about Su Jingyan.

    Li Yuan said, ¡°He¡¯s the youngest master of the Su family. I met him once, so I don¡¯t have a clear idea of his character. I¡¯ll get Kun Lun to look into this for you. Do you want to check out Ms. Lu as well?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Why should I do a background check on them?¡±

    That was Fu Qingli¡¯s personal matter. Whether or not he be together with Lu Li or whoever Lu Li dated was their privacy. Shen Xi was merely a bystander.

    ¡°We won¡¯t investigate then.¡± Li Yuan smiled. He gently brushed off the snow all over Shen Xi before stepping foot into the house.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping stopped in motion as they stared at the couple at the door with bitterness in their eyes but more so with relief and blessing.

    Too much had happened today. The Fu family came because of Shen Xi¡¯s marriage registration, but Fu Qingli¡¯s matter drew an equal amount of attention. It did take a lot of the pressure off of Shen Xi, so the family was not only focused on her.

    Although the house was full, the air was somewhat soundless.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu called Fu Qingli to the study for a private talk. They had to discuss moving forward on the matter.

    Seeing that it waste, Yun Jinping turned to Li Yuan. ¡°Lil¡¯ Li, you should go back and get some rest with Qingye and Qingxuan.¡±

    Since they did not have enough rooms for everyone, Qingye and Qingxuan were to stay at Li Yuan¡¯s ce. Li Yuan took them next door.

    Fu Qingxuan brought along Toffeecito.

    Suddenly, the living room felt empty. Ruan Sisi had been to the Shen family¡¯s home several times and spent the night as well, but she never had the luxury of sharing a room with Shen Xi. She was always paired with Song Wenye in the past. It was fair to say that she was thrilled by the opportunity this time. ¡°Xixi! Xixi! I drew the bath. Come in for a soak.¡± Shen Xi frowned at the twinkle in Ruan Sisi¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why are you excited about me taking a bath?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a bathtub and shower in the bathroom? I¡¯ll use the shower. We can enjoy the bath together.¡± Ruan Sisi had never taken a bath with anyone else. Lil¡¯ Ye bathed with Xixi thest time she was in. Needless to say, Ruan Sisi was jealous.

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°I¡¯m not used to bathing with other people.¡± Having been shot down, Ruan Sisi was down in the dumps. She snuffled and sulkily murmured, ¡°Xixi, you go first then.¡±

    Shen Xi took her pajamas and sighed at Ruan Sisi singing the blues. ¡°Come on.¡±

    Back to her enthusiastic self, Ruan Sisi grabbed her pajamas and escorted Shen Xi ahead. ¡°After

    you.¡±

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    While in the bath, Ruan Sisi could not stop talking. ¡°Xixi, it¡¯s amazing that your family has sets of twins. Mama Fu and Li Jingran, you and Young Master Qingxuan, and now Young Master Qingli has twins too. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d have twins with Li Yuan!¡±

    Ruan Sisi was happy just thinking about it. Kids were enough as they were but giving birth to a pair of a boy and a girl made it even better. Oh, the joy!

    Gettingfortable in the bath, Shen Xi moaned, ¡°How would I know?¡±

    Still, she did have the genes to birth twins.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I think that you¡¯d definitely have twins.¡± Ruan Sisi nodded in certainty. With her eyes lighting up, she was ready to get down to business. ¡°Have you¡­ with Li Yuan?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Shen Xi blurted out loud.

    Clearing her throat, Ruan Sisi shiftily gazed at Shen Xi and knew better than to continue the conversation. The steam in the bathroom hid any chances of Xixi blushing. Ruan Sisi then turned her attention to Fu Qingli. ¡°Xixi, I think Ms. Lu is nice. Will Young Master Qingli woo her? What are the chances of them remarrying? I feel bad for the children.¡±

    ¡°How can they remarry without a first marriage?¡± Shen Xi corrected her. ¡°I mean finding their own partners.¡± Ruan Sisi reworded andmented. ¡°It¡¯d be great if they could be together. I think they look good together.¡±

 Chapter 727 - Nosy Nature

    <h4>Chapter 727: Nosy Nature</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Ruan Sisi honestly believed that Ms. Lu and Fu Qingli made the perfect couple. However, there was no spark between the pair ording to Ruan Sisi¡¯s observation.

    This was not an issue since rtionships would take time to build. They might develop feelings for each other once they started to hang out.

    ¡°It either happens or doesn¡¯t.¡± Of course, it would be best if Lu Li and Qingli ended up together, but the rtionship could not be forced.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ruan Sisi nodded. ¡°Xixi, the boy kept to himself the whole time. He¡¯s a bit too quiet for his age. I suspect he might be autistic. He doesn¡¯t act like a child. I¡¯ve never seen a child like this, and I just feel for him.¡±

    His personality must be influenced by his upbringing.

    ¡°Idon¡¯t think he¡¯s autistic, but he does have a lot on his mind for his age.¡± The boy tugged at Shen Xi¡¯s heartstrings.

    ¡°Children of a single-parent household tend to be withdrawn. He¡¯s still young. I bet he¡¯de out of his shell when he has a perfect family.¡± Ruan Sisimented.

    Shen Xi sighed deeply. ¡°That would depend on how Fu Qingli ns to take care of this.¡±

    ¡®There was a point of time when she believed Fu Qingli would never find a wife with that personality of his. It never urred to her that he would have two children now, albeit he was still a wife short.

    Simr to Fu Qingli, Ms. Lu was a strong and domineering character. Perhaps God had sent her to pull the reins in on Fu Qingli.

    That night, the family went to bed, upied with thoughts about Shen Xi¡¯s marriage registration and the sudden appearance of Fu Qingli¡¯s offspring.

    Fu Qingye and Fu Qingxuan left the next day.

    Since Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu had nothing important in their hands, they nned to stay for another two days to spend time with Xixi and follow up on Fu Qingli¡¯s case.

    With the finals around the corner, Shen Xi went to school first thing in the morning. All the fuss about her finally blew over with the help of the Fu family and Li Yuan.

    Photos and videos of her were wiped off the inte in a matter of a day. Those who downloaded and saved anything rted to Shen Xi were cklisted and hacked online.

    The matter about the Su family finally quieted down. There were asions when people would talk about them, but it was mostly criticism toward the Su family.

    No one knew about Shen Xi¡¯s marriage apart from family and friends. Shen Xi was absent more than she was present at school the whole term, so the only good friends she had were Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan who shared the dormitory with her.

    The girls believed they were not close to Shen Xi and did not want to intrude her life. Hence, they did not call or text Shen Xi when they saw the marriage license unted in her Moments. Now that Shen Xi was back in school, they sat together and quietly asked about it.

    Having found out that Shen Xi was married and was having the weddinge spring, Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were filled with mixed feelings. It was hard to believe that they were still single when Shen Xi was about to walk down the aisle.

    ¡°Xixi, can we look at photos of your husband?¡± The way Yan Xiaoxiao saw it, it was inappropriate to address Shen Xi¡¯s man as the boyfriend now that the couple had made it official in the eyes of thew.

    Since Xixi only posted the red booklet of her marriage license instead of wedding photos, they had no idea what her husband looked like. It was safe to assume that he must be a hunk though.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. Show us.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan looked at her with anticipation. Oh, gawd. Xixi¡¯s brothers were hotties, so the boyfriend must be something else.

    Other than photos of Toffeecito, Shen Xi¡¯s phone stored mostly Li Yuan¡¯s pictures, either taken secretly or openly in various angles and styles. She had photographs of them together too. Hearing the request, she forthrightly showed the girls. It was not like she had anything to hide as these were normal

    pictures.

    Speaking of something to hide, Shen Xi was dying to take those dirty pictures for her own eyes. However, she never had the chance.

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan riveted their eyes on the gorgeous man in the photo. Oh, that face was to die for.

    Scrolling through the pictures, they soon realized that not only was the man pleasing to the eyes, but the photographer also brought out her own genuine feelings in every mindful shot. Each picture was simply stunning to the point that they could not take their eyes away.

    ¡°He¡¯s more handsome than my Qingye.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao had always used Fu Qingye as the benchmark for the standard of beauty.

    Prior to this, Yan Xiaoxiao stood her ground as a diehard fan that no one had a more attractive face than Fu Qingye. Her Qingye was the pinnacle of good looks.

    Yet now, she had to admit that the man in the pictures was a knockout. He had a wless face.

    Jiang Xuanxuan had always ced Fu Qingye on the number one spot. As much as she did not want to acknowledge it, she could not go against her will. ¡°He is more charming by a tiny bit.¡±

    Just a tiny bit.

    The girls did not pry too much after seeing the photos, but they did give Shen Xi their best wishes. Shen Xi was beautiful, talented, and came from a good family. It went without saying that she deserved the best in life.

    That afternoon after ss, Yu Qiubai suddenly appeared outside the ssroom and stirred an uproar of shrieks and chatter among the girls in the ss.

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were suckers for looks. They were most intrigued whenever a dreamboat came along.

    Yu Qiubai was thetest school hunk of the school. Of course, Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan knew him as they campaigned to vote him the hottest on campus. Hot with emotions, they looked at him and wondered about his presence here.

    ¡°Shen Xi.¡± Yu Qiubai stood at the doorway, looking and calling for Shen Xi.

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan immediately turned to Shen Xi before exchanging nces. That reminded them. Yu Qiubai and Xixi were from the same high school. It made sense that they knew each other.

    Shen Xi nodded at him and packed her school bag, She then embarrassedly gazed at the girls. ¡°I have to leave for something. I can¡¯t have dinner with you.¡±

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan would not mind and even told Shen Xi it was okay. They helped her pack her stuff and saw her to the door.

    Yu Qiubai took Shen Xi¡¯s backpack and threw it on his shoulder in one sleek motion. The gathering of a handsome pair always seemed to draw out the nosy nature of people.

    Since many ssmates were unaware of Shen Xi¡¯s situation, they began to gossip as the pair took off alongside.

    ¡°It exins why the school hunk is unmoved by his suitors. He has his eyes on someone already,¡± someone eximed.

    ¡°They¡¯re made for each other. I ship them. They¡¯re eye candies. The perfect couple to the end.¡± Another expressed with emotion..

 Chapter 728 - Everyoneâ€™s an Accomplice

    <h4>Chapter 728: Everyone¡¯s an Aplice</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan were buddy-buddy with the rest of the ss. They had to burst their ssmates¡¯ bubble with the discussion turning far-fetched.

    ¡°Xixi¡¯s boyfriend is not Yu Qiubai.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao shouted.

    ¡°Quit the nonsense.¡± Jiang Xuanxuan took a fleeting nce at them.

    It came as no surprise that the boys in the ss were interested in Shen Xi because she had the looks, the talents, and was of a high-standing family. Of course, they had dreamed about courting her.

    However, since Shen Xi was barely at school, theycked the opportunity to approach her, woo her, and present themselves to her.

    The boys held their tongues in jealousy when the girls jumped to conclusions about Shen Xi and Yu Qiubai¡¯s rtionship. Now that Yan Xiaoxiao cleared the air, the boys were back up on their horses.

    If Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend was not Yu Qiubai, did that mean that they still had a chance to go after the goddess?

    ¡®The next minute, an inquisitive girl in ss read between the lines and followed up with a question. ¡°Who¡¯s her boyfriend then?¡±

    They knew who Shen Xi was after what went downtely. She was Ms. Cai Ni and Mr. Cloud Seven, and many in the ss were her fans. They were intrigued and took all matters rted to her seriously.

    ¡°All you need to know is that it¡¯s not Yu Qiubai. End of story.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao gave them a warning look before grabbing her bag and leaving with Jiang Xuanxuan.

    The boys¡¯ hearts were broken. Clutching onto their chests, they bemoaned in disappointment at the fact that the goddess was taken. They wondered what kind of guy was worthy of their outstanding goddess.

    A few of the girls in ss caught up to Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan, making indiscreet inquiries about Shen Xi¡¯s boyfriend and so on.

    Shen Xi took off together with Yu Qiubai, unaware of themotion in ss after she was gone.

    She got into the car and asked, ¡°How is your mother today?¡±

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s expression turned solemn as sorrow shed across his face. ¡°Mrs. Li called earlier and said Mom¡¯s health took a turn for the worst.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There will be rpses. It¡¯s normal.¡± Shen Xi offeredfort before looking at him and asking, ¡°Did something happentely, or if she remembered anything at all?¡±

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother was vulnerable to changes that would invoke intense emotions right now. Perhaps her condition worsened due to a sudden spark of memory.

    Yu Qiubai shook his head. ¡°Mom had gotten a lot better and had more moments of lucidity now, but she doesn¡¯t want me watching over her every day. I hadn¡¯t spent much time with her in the past two months. I¡¯ve seen the home surveince, but nothing seems out of the ordinary.¡±

    Shen Xi gave a response and looked out the window with a frown. It would be out of her hands if Mrs. Yu¡¯s healthplications continued.

    They kept to themselves all the way to the Yu family¡¯s home.

    ¡®Waiting at the entrance, Mrs. Li anxiously walked up as they approached. ¡°Young Master, Ms. Shen, the missus locked herself in the room. I can¡¯t get in.¡±

    ¡®With the madam turning off the lights and pulling all the curtains, Mrs. Li was brought back to the time the madam was at her worst.

    ¡°How long has it been?¡± Shen Xi asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been two hours. I¡¯ve been monitoring the camera. The missus had not moved much.¡± Mrs. Li nced at her mobile screen. The infrared picked up on the still figure curled up against a corner.

    After a quick look, Shen Xi nodded at Mrs. Li and went to knock on the door before softly speaking, ¡°Mrs. Yu, it¡¯s me, Shen Xi. Can Ie in?¡±

    ¡®The person in the surveince remained still as though asleep or caught up in her own world to notice the noise outside.

    Receiving no response, Shen Xi told Mrs. Li to bring out the spare key. She slid the key into the keyhole when the figure in the surveince abruptly lifted her head and keenly looked at the door.

    Color drained from Mrs. Li¡¯splexion as nervousness took over. With her heart on her throat, Mrs. Li was fixated on the mobile screen to monitor for any violent reaction.

    Shen Xi stopped what she was doing, making sure Mrs. Yu was merely staring at the door without signs of an impending outburst before proceeding to open the door.

    The door was unlocked. Standing behind Shen Xi, Yu Qiubai and Mrs. Li held their breaths as Shen Xi pushed the door open.

    Shen Xi stood at the door for a while and tiptoed toward Mrs. Yu bit by bit until she was near enough to crouch over.

    She never took her eyes off of Shen Xi. With Shen Xi squatting down, she gently picked up her hand and stared at the ring for a long time. Out of the blue, she cried and sobbed while her body shook violently.

    ¡°Mrs. Yu.¡± Shen Xi had a hunch when Mrs. Yu fixed her gaze on the ring. Shen Xi inquired the cryingdy. ¡°Do you recognize this ring?¡±

    ¡®When did Mrs. Yu notice the ring? Shen Xi was sure that it was not today or just now. Mrs. Yu was staring at her hand right from the start.

    Shen Xi wore the ring since yesterday. Mrs. Yu must have seen it when she camest night, so the former was not unconscious back then.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother was still caught between tears as her whimpers bore hope, joy, and indescribable excitement among despair. It took a while before she lifted her head and looked into Shen Xi¡¯s eyes with a tear-stained face. Mrs. Yu hoarsely uttered, ¡°Is he¡­ alive?¡±

    Following the inquiry, tears began to stream down her face again as she went through a rollercoaster of emotions ¡ª yearning, sorrow, pain, and a glimmer of hope.

    At the doorway, Yu Qiubai widened his eyes and clenched his fists. He knew that his mom had something to do with Li Yuan, albeit he had no luck at getting to the bottom of it. Yu Qiubai had been gued with fear that his mom knew something and Li Yuan found out about his mother¡¯s existence.

    Yet, it seemed Mom and Li Yuan were not enemies as he had suspected. Mom appeared to care for that man!

    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xi nodded and looked at Mrs. Yu. ¡°He¡¯s alive and well.¡±

    Mrs. Yu bobbed her head. As if relieved by the answer, she broke into a smile through the tears. ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s alive. It¡¯s good. They¡¯re all dead. They deserve to die. Are they dead?¡±

    Shen Xi knew nothing of Li Yuan¡¯s past. She had no intentions of asking and unveiling his innermost scars, but that did not mean she was not interested to find out. ¡°Who are they?¡±

    Mrs. Yu kept onughing, louder and louder.. ¡°I deserve to die too! Everyone¡¯s an aplice! Everyone should die!¡±

 Chapter 729 - Take Me to The Fifthsâ€™ Home

    <h4>Chapter 729: Take Me to The Fifths¡¯ Home</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Mrrs. Yu, do you know him?¡± Shen Xi was puzzled by the meaning behind Mrs. Yu¡¯s words, but she sensed thetter¡¯s turmoil of suffering, regret, anger, despair, as well as relief and lowly joy from finding out the truth.

    With reluctance, Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother slowly tuned her gaze to him, gesturing him to leave. After Yu Qiubai closed the door, she looked at Shen Xi in imploration. ¡°I don¡¯t bear the hope to meet him, but can you tell him I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    It was good enough for her that he was alive and well.

    ¡°Mrs. Yu, I want to know what happened to him in the past. Can you tell me?¡± Shen Xi¡¯s mind harked back to the first time she met him. The boy in tattered clothes amidst the snow had such wary and savage eyes like a wolf.

    She could not imagine the hardships he went through back then to end up like that. He was practically skin and bones and acted like a wild animal, fighting to survive after being pushed to the edge. All his animal instincts came to life.

    ¡°You¡¯re his wife.¡± Mrs. Yu gazed at the ring on Shen Xi¡¯s finger with a softened expression as she was brought back to a time she longed for. Nevertheless, the nostalgia was mostly filled with pain. She murmured, ¡°This is the ring passed down through generations within the Li family. His maternal

    grandmother gave it to his mother, and his mother wore it the whole time. I didn¡¯t see the ring on his mother after she died. I see now that he took it away.¡±

    Without a word, Shen Xi quietly watched and listened.

    She gently stroked the ring on Shen Xi¡¯s finger. After making up her mind, she lifted her head and looked into Shen Xi¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dr. Shen, I should introduce myself. I¡¯m Li Yuan¡¯s aunt. Myst name is Fifth.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s pupils dted as an unspeakable emotion brewed within her. Her hands that were on herp unconsciously tightened.

    She managed to gather a lot of intel while running after shadows. All rumors pointed back to the Fifth family dying in his hands as an act of vengeance.

    Although it was never said out loud, these people would call him an inhumane devil behind closed doors. Yet, no one in this world would be the devil for no reason.

    Outside, the sky turned dark and gloomy.

    Waiting at the door, Yu Qiubai paced around in anxiousness. He was dying to find out about the conversation inside. What was the rtionship between Mom and Li Yuan? However, there was nothing he could do other than wait with bated breath.

    He had been looking into his mother, but her history was like a nk piece of paper. There was nothing to trace back to. Her name, identity, and even her looks were possibly fake.

    The one thing he could be sure of was that there was a connection between his mother and Li Yuan.

    Time passed.

    Leaning against the wall, Yu Qiubai would turn to nce at the door on asion. It was quiet despite his effort to pick up on any noise inside.

    It was unknown how long it had been.

    The door finally opened in a creak.

    Shen Xi saw Yu Qiubai and nodded in his direction. She walked ahead with a disoriented look on her face, looking rather normal albeit like a puppet that lost its soul.

    Yu Qiubai shivered as he observed the girl. He got a terrifying feeling from her face. Sure, she seemed in a trance, but he could sense a gut-wrenching murderous intent and resentment from her. Still, Yu Qiubai bit the bullet and looked at her with worry. ¡°Are you okay, Xixi?¡±

    ¡°Tm fine.¡± Shen Xi suddenly curled her lips and smiled at him.

    Startled, Yu Qiubai took a step back from the murderous and bloodthirsty intensitying his way. He knew it was not meant for him, but he was still shaken to the core. He braced himself. ¡°Tl drive you home.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the Fifth family¡¯s home is?¡± Shen Xi abruptly asked.

    With his heart sinking to his stomach, Yu Qiubai nodded. ¡°I do.¡±

    The Fifth family was dead with no survivors. However, the family home had been left empty and rumored to be haunted.

    People living around the area had moved away, saying that they could hear cries and shrieks in the middle of the night as they passed by the residence. Others mentioned hearing gunshots and quarrels. There were also sightings of lights flickering inside much like a house of horrors. It was eerie even

    during the day.

    ¡°Take me there.¡± Shen Xi spoke in a low and raspy voice. She lowered her gaze to hide the blood streaks in her eyes.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Yu Qiubai took a nce at the room. Seeing that Mom was not behaving out of the ordinary, he excused himself from Mrs. Li before catching up to Shen Xi.

    What did Mom say to her?

    What was her purpose to go to the Fifths¡¯ home?

    Since it was already dark, the residence of the Fifth family must be at its spookiest.

    He had heard a lot about the Fifth family. They were a family of lunatics for centuries. Following their deaths, the family became evil spirits forever haunting the grounds due to their unwillingness to let go of the past.

    Snowkes fluttered in the air.

    The car made its way to the Fifth family¡¯s house. The closer they got to the ce, the chillier it became.

    Yu Qiubai saw the old mansion from afar. The age-old estate brought out a sense of heaviness, but the gloomy sky only added a creepy air to it.

    Second to the Li family¡¯s ancient buildingpound in the capital, the Fifth family¡¯s estate was in a prime location and worth a lot. Ever since the family was wiped out, the ce grew deste day by day. There were some curious adventurers and paranormal explorers who would swing by for an

    excursion every now and then.

    The car rolled up near the property.

    Yu Qiubai turned around and looked at Shen Xi who had been quiet in the backseat. ¡°We can¡¯t go any further. There are people keeping watch. I¡¯ll walk you there. I know a way to steer clear of the surveince cameras.¡±

    He had once snuck to the house and found a safe route when he was investigating his mother.

    Yu Qiubai suspected that the watchmen and surveince around the Fifth family¡¯s property were arranged by Li Yuan. Heter found out that that was not the case. These people were sent by the government to prevent vandalism of historical buildings.

    This building was listed under Li Yuan¡¯s name. No one had the right to his property until the day he gave the word.

    Relevant departments of China had tried to engage with Li Yuan regarding the matter, but it came to no fruition.

    Yu Qiubai got down from the car and strolled ahead.

    Following behind, Shen Xi looked up at the residence as she walked along in the shadows, throwing off ominous energy.

    She was tempted to blow up the ce!

 Chapter 730 - His Past (1)

    <h4>Chapter 730: His Past (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yu Qiubai was quite familiar with surveince around the area as well as theyout of the Fifths¡¯ estate like the back of his hand.

    Shen Xi followed behind Yu Qiubai as they climbed over the wall into the residence. Her dismal and murderous intent only grew stronger.

    Yu Qiubai kept a distance from her, as though the dreary air around her would crush him if he got too close. He did not have the guts to ask about her intention toe here either.

    Shen Xi looked up and inquired, ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s a basement in the house?¡±

    Although she looked scary, Yu Qiubai told her all that he knew, ¡°The basement goes on. There¡¯s a cer for wine and food. The Fifth family¡¯s personal work studio and human specimenb are underground too.¡±

    The wealthy tended to have a basement built underground for various purposes.

    ¡°It¡¯s to hold people captive.¡± Shen Xi abruptly curled her lips into a ruthless smile, unable to hide the chilling appetite for blood.

    With clenched fists, she scanned the bleak and gray building, tempted to pulverize everything in sight.

    Turning grim-faced after a quick daze, he nodded. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    He had snuck into the Fifths¡¯ residence more than once but did note across anything useful. Yu Qiubai was dying to find out about one particr bunker. It was a small and stuffy room, much like an interrogation room. However, it was a room meant for torture with instruments of torture present.

    Yu Qiubai had been there once at night. He could not shake the eerie feeling creeping under his skin. No ordinary people would want to experience that the second time.

    Following Shen Xi¡¯s question, Yu Qiubai suddenly saw the light. An utmost ridiculous ¨C yet the most sensible ¨C answer entered his mind.

    Li Yuan!

    That was the reason she was behaving as such and wanting to enter the basement. Li Yuan was locked in that basement.

    The darkness befell.

    Shrouded in darkness, the Fifths¡¯ estate appeared gruesome and spooky. The weather and fallen snow may have heightened the scare levels.

    Yu Qiubai had braced himself to go with her but was stopped at the door. He could only watch as Shen Xi ventured there alone.

    It had been a while since anyone had been in the basement. The door lock was broken and sat rusted on the floor.

    Pausing at the doorway, Shen Xi took a deep breath before slowly pushing open the heavy metal door.

    The musty, damp, and foul smell came on full force inside, but she seemed unaffected as she moved along.

    The switch was to the left of the door. The light was still functioning. The cool white light was like a pair of wicked eyes as it shone over the apparatus amid the dark, bringing out malice like no other.

    There was a small metal cage by the wall she was facing. The property of the metal with no rust was one to ponder.

    Beside the cage were four thick metal chains with cuffs at the top end. With the cuffs smaller and thinner than the chains, it was in to see that it was used to tie down children.

    There were bloodstains on the cage, cuffs, chains, and floor that had changed color over time.

    The variety of torture devices on the walls, table, floor, and stand were not spared of the ominous stains either.

    The arm-width whip by her feet was soaked in blood, looking more like rust with its orange-brown color.

    Shen Xi had no idea how she came. With heavy footsteps, she felt like she was walking as her footsteps were heavy. She felt as though she was walking on the edge of the knife as her heart bled for him.

    This was the ce.

    Li Yuan was held captive by the lunatic here. This was where he spent his childhood.

    She could not imagine the pain and suffering he went through at such a young age. How did he survive?

    Shen Xi could see the tiny figure cowering and lying in the cage in blood lifelessly.

    It finally struck her why his eyes bore such chilling bloodthirst and animosity when Shen Xi first met him.

    That was a fire of a person who went through the depths of hell and back, capable of burning everything in its path.

    Yu Qiubai¡¯s mother said that his father was the head of the Fifth household and he was a mad and inhumane animal.

    The man controlled and manipted everything, and anyone who stood in his path would face his deadly wrath.

    His wife and son were no exception.

    Although the Fifth family feared him to the core, no one dared to tell on him. Anyone who tried to was all dead. Everybody was living in the man¡¯s despotic shadow.

    The Fifth family new they were safe so long as they did as they were told, met his demands, and took his side without angering him.

    Yet for some reason, the man was a rotten beast hiding under the skin of a dapper gentleman and prince charming of everydy¡¯s dreams.

    He always had one clear goal in mind ¨C the Li family. Hence, he wooed the only darling princess of the Li family and stole her heart. The man swept the girl off of her feet and made her more than willing to marry him. She thought she had found love and happiness.

    s, it was all an illusion.

    He treated her like a princess more than ever after they got married. Together with her, he came up with a name for their child, decorated the nursery, told stories to their unborn child, and looked forward to the baby when she carried his child.

    Yet, he did not visit her on the day the baby was born. The man she loved did not stay by her side as she struggled in pain in thebor room.

    The baby was born. It was a boy. They had a name ready for him ¨C Yanchen the Fifth. She was happy for his arrival, despite feeling weary afterbor.

    However, she did not see the joy of a father in his eyes, neither concern nor love. He merely gave her and the child in her arm a cold look with disdain, disgust, contempt like they were trash.

    At the time, she had no clue the nightmare of all the pain, suffering, grief, and despair in life had just begun.

    The man ordered for her child to be taken away in spite of her resistance and cries. He became a stranger to her as she could no longer find a hint of familiarity in his eyes. It was as though the love and tenderness in the past were all in her head..

 Chapter 731 - His Past (2)

    <h4>Chapter 731: His Past (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Since then, the girl no longer perceived warmth and happiness. Pain, struggles, and despair were all she knew.

    With the child as leverage, the man forced her to steal the Li family¡¯s secrets, destroy the Li family¡¯s business, take the Li family¡¯s assets, and harm her family.

    She could not catch a break. He was like a knife hanging over her son¡¯s head. If she so much as showedpassion or signs of stopping, the animal would throw her son into abysmal, hurt him ruthlessly, and kill him without mercy.

    The animal locked her son in the dark, damp, and savagely cold basement since the day he was born, as if Yanchen the Fifth was not his son but his enemy. Perhaps to the man, Yanchen the Fifth was only a defenseless creature to let off steam on.

    If she was obedient toplete all his tasks, the man would show grace and let her see and spend time with her son.

    ¡®The slightest disy of resistance and uncooperativeness on her part would prompt the animal to experiment with various torture devices on her son in front of her. Yanchen the Fifth barely survived his injuries.

    The animal had a cage made to keep her son in. It was where Yanchen the Fifth ate and slept like a dog. By the age of three, her son still could not speak or walk as all he knew was to bark and crawl like a dog.

    Her son was so young, At that point in time, she was tempted to end his life since it was better than living in insult and without dignity.

    Still, her son was so little and well-behaved. Despite the pain, he would nuzzle against her palm and smile at her presence.

    He had been living in a tiny, dark, and damp basement since his birth. Her son had never seen the sun or the beautiful side of the world. She could not bear to let him leave the world.

    The Li family was aware of the filth¡¯s doing. All of them knew about it, yet they yed dumb and watched by the sidelines. They watched a child being pushed into Hell.

    The girl had once contacted the Li family members who were defiant and wanted to retaliate against the animal. She nned to rescue her son from his grasp and bring to light his evil deeds so he could pay for his sins.

    Nevertheless, these people betrayed her. Everyone let her son down. They were aplices and deserved to die!

    Following the uncovering of her ns, the animal¡¯s oppression only intensified. While he left her alone, he wouldy his hand on her son while she had to stand by and watch. With her sanity and pieces of heart eaten away, she drowned in a bottomless abyss of pain, anger, and despair.

    She did not know if there was an end to the terror or how long more she could hang on. All she ever wanted was to save her son from the animal. She did not want her son to live without dignity or basic rights as a human being.

    The girl wanted to take her son to see the world. She wanted to tell him that there was not just darkness, pain, and cruelty in the world. There was also light and beauty.

    Later, her older brother found out about it from somewhere. Behind her back, he put up a meticulous n to rescue her and her son, but he was ultimately discovered by the animal.

    With her own eyes, she witnessed as the animal took a smile, so wickedly, and stabbed her brother in the chest. Her brothery in a pool of blood in front of her.

    While many Li family members watched, no one came forth to stop the animal. They looked at her and her deceased brother in glee as if taunting their futile attempt.

    She did not and could not die. The animal did not kill her. She knew he would not touch her until she was rendered useless by him.

    The girl needed to live for the sake of her son and the Li family. She could not die. She had to live and see the animal get what he deserved.

    However, there was nothing she could do.

    After killing her brother, the animal took her and her son to the funeral at the Li family¡¯s residence. In front of her brother¡¯s shrine, the animal killed her parents with poisoned wine.

    The animal looked at her with such a cynical, smug, and scornful smile. He was telling her that those who defied and attempted to, had died in his hands.

    The Li family had rtively few direct descendants. With her brother and parents dead, the girl became the only heiress to the Li family. Now that the animal had acquired the Li family, he no longer needed her. It was finally her time to die.

    That day, he dragged her into the dark room where her son was locked up.

    In front of her son, the animal pulled a gun to her head, grinning at her son and then her. The crazy smile was on the face she longed to tear apart.

    She said nothing, nor did she beg. Her pleading would only excite the animal. There was no way she would give him the satisfaction.

    The girl gazed at her son, having so much on her mind to share with him.

    Bruised and battered with old and new wounds, her sony in the cage ¨C the world he had only ever known.

    There was blood all over the cage and floor. Some were new while others had dried. It was all his blood.

    Sometimes, she wondered how much blood a child could give. Why was the room covered in his blood?

    She wanted to hold him, kill him, and let him know that she was there for him.

    Yet, she failed in her duty as a mother. She could not keep him safe from the torture and pain.

    Her son was looking back at him in a daze, contemting the thing that was held against her head. He pondered why she did not draw near to him.

    At one point, she caught the fleeting hatred and chills of hell in her son¡¯s hazy and confused eyes.

    Her son looked at the animal with the deepest resentment. Able to read all his emotions, she knew and wanted to warn him from going against the animal before learning to protect himself.

    s, she no longer had the chance to watch him grow up. She could notfort him and hug him in his most painful moment.

    ¡®That fateful day was a day before his fifth birthday. She was left without the opportunity to celebrate his birthday. With the devil pulling the trigger, her world tumed gray at the sound of a bang. Her life came to a screeching halt on that very day.

 Chapter 732 - His Past (3)

    <h4>Chapter 732 His Past (3)</h4>

    Outside, the temperature plunged as snow fluttered along with the howling North wind.

    Yu Qiubai kept watch at the entrance to the basement, not knowing what was going on with Shen Xi in there. With the snow growing heavy and wind blowing in the elements, he was well on his way to bing a shivering snowman.

    It was quiet inside since she went in there. Yu Qiubai listened and waited for a while before moving away to make a call. Although he did not have Li Yuan¡¯s number, Yu Qiubai had Yun Jinping¡¯s contact. After calling Yun Jinping for Li Yuan¡¯s number, Yu Qiubai made up his mind to call Li Yuan.

    Given that Xixi said or did nothing to him despite finding out, Yu Qiubai and his mother probably had little to do with the Li family¡¯s dark past.

    Time passed.

    Standing by the doorway, Yu Qiubai kept his eyes ahead until that person emerged amid the snowstorm around half an hourter.

    Afar, the figure was blurry against the snow screen. With hurried footsteps, the person quickly drew close and nodded at Yu Qiubai.

    Yu Qiubai nodded back and pointed at the metal door behind before sensibly leaving the space to them.

    It suddenly struck Yu Qiubai that he overthought the situation as he detected no animosity from the man. After all, the man could find anyone if he put his mind to it.

    Yet, the man did not seek him or his mother. It was proof enough that the man left them be, rather than that he and his mother were doing a good job at hiding.

    In the back, the old metal door let out a soft creak.

    Yu Qiubai did not look back since the rest toe had nothing to do with him. His job was done. Yu Qiubai wanted to get home to see his mother, having so many questions that needed answers.

    It was time his mother told him the whole story.

    The snowkes blew into the basement together with the North wind.

    Li Yuan quietly stood by the doorway of the basement, blocking the iing snowstorm with his huge build.

    The cool white light enveloped the room while a foul, musky, and damp smell stank up the air.

    Everything in there was exactly as he dug deep into his most repulsive nightmare.

    This was the ce he dreamed of running away and destroying

    He once thought he would never step foot in here again. Yet, he came back to his worst nightmare.

    Gazing at the tiny figure curled up in the cage, he could feel his heart broken into pieces.

    Apart from the stench that he hated and made him sick to the stomach, there was a scent, uniquely hers, wafting toward him, bringing along magical powers that soothed his soul.

    He took strides forward and kneeled by her before reaching his hand out to her. His warm and tender voice amid the quiet space softened the chills in the air. ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Life seemed to be brought back in the cold space.

    Locking herself in the cage, Shen Xi rested her chin against her folded knees as her disoriented eyes turned watery. She looked at him, unable to hold back the tears anymore.

    The clear teardrops streamed down her cheeks to the base of the cage, letting out tiny pitter-patters. Each teardrop tore his heart apart. He extended his arm out in a panic to wipe her tears away, but his attempt was futile. She quietly and solemnly observed his face, as though to carve every outline of his facial features into her mind and soul.

    Unable to hold back any longer, he pulled the girl out of the cage and into his arms. With her hands tightly wrapped around his waist, she shivered and wailed repressively.

    He could not find the words to console her. All he could do was hold her tight and prop his chin on her shoulder as he caressed her face. He whispered affectionately, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡±

    The painful and anguish memories of being trapped in a hellish nightmare were over.

    Mom once told him that there was light in the world. He did not believe it until the moment he met her.

    Her presence was like a light he saw in the deepest abyss, the light he spent all of his life chasing and holding onto. It was beautiful and warm.

    He once believed that he did not deserve her or to have a light in his life. He sought her for so many years, yet fate did not let them cross paths.

    Before he sank into despair, she reemerged and crashed straight into his heart without warning

    Surrounded by the man¡¯s deep and gentle voice, Shen Xi slowly felt a warm stream seeping into her heart and all corners of her body.

    She was clueless as to what she should or wanted to say. Only the most primitive and physical contact against his body warmth and heartbeat could calm her nerves and pain. Shen Xi knew he had it rough and experienced many hardships, but she was unaware that the ordeal he went through was far worse than she could ever imagine. He practically crawled out of the depths of a gory hell.

    This ce was his hell, a hell that imprisoned him.

    She could not bear to imagine what he had been through here. He was just a little child who knew nothing.

    The cold room with foul blood and frigid cage was once his home.

    Despite knowing his pain and his innocence, the Fifth family refused to help and showed him concern. They were all animals that deserved to die! No one was innocent in this!

    ¡°She told you.¡± Heartbroken, Li Yuan gently patted her back to simmer her down.

    He did not know how much was told. Yu Qiubai was in the dark about the conversation between his mother and Xixi.

    Li Yuan should have met Mrs. Yu sooner as he did not want his fairdy to know about this. It was all in the past, over and done with.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi suddenly lifted her head and locked gaze with her swollen and bloodshot eyes. ¡°Are they all dead?¡±

    Were those who hurt him, watched his plight on the sidelines, and betrayed his mother dead?

    She was unable to imagine the kind of monster that would do such a horrible thing to his own son. If the animal was still alive, Shen Xi would smoke him out and return the pain inflicted on Li Yuan in a million-fold to the b*stard!

 Chapter 733 - His Past (4)

    <h4>Chapter 733: His Past (4)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Yuan tenderly held her face as he glided his fingers to wipe away thest of her tears. ¡°They died six years ago. Each and every one of them.¡±

    Shen Xi responded softly before hooking him by the neck to bury her head against his ear. Her voice was raspy amid uncontroble sobs. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Li Yuan picked her up. The tiny girl barely had any weight to her, but to him, she was the most precious and important treasure. Carrying her in the arms, he draped a coat over her and took strides out.

    Outside, the snow wasing down heavily.

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan tucked her in as the girl nuzzled against his neck and whispered softly in his ear. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Li Mansion.¡±

    Although taken aback, he nodded with a smile.

    Many things and hate had been put to rest. Since she showed up in his life, all he saw was her.

    Shen Xi buried her head against his chest. ording to Mrs. Yu, Li Yuan had only been to the Li family¡¯s home a handful of times since he was born. However, his memories of the Li family¡¯s home were probably the only warm and beautiful image he held dear.

    ¡°She¡¯s my aunt.¡± While walking ahead, Li Yuan talked to her. His voice may be scattered by the North wind, but she could catch every word. ¡°She often visited me in secret, to give me food, and teach me how to talk.¡±

    His memory of his mother from those days was blurry. Kept on a short leash by the animal, she rarely had the chance to see him. During the exceptional times she could, it was merely a passing meeting as she would be dragged away after barely sharing a word.

    On the other hand, it was his aunt that provided a bit of warmth in his life at the time.

    It was not often that she could drop by. However, she was great at makeup and had a good rtionship with the mute girl who took care of him. His aunt would disguise herself as the mute girl and deliver him food whenever there was an opportunity.

    There were a lot of cameras installed in the basement. To avoid detection, she made sure the meeting and chat were kept to a minimum.

    Nevertheless, he learned and found out a lot from the asional and short exchange. Li Yuan started to have an inkling about the world. He was a human, not a dog, nor did he deserve this kind of life.

    Perhaps survival was the most basic human instinct. Slowly but surely, he started to understand, know, and ponder more. He even learned to put on a facade.

    One night, his uncle, who he only met a couple of times, barged into the basement and freed him from his shackles. In his uncle¡¯s eyes, Li Yuan saw a different emotion from his mother. Li Yuanter found out that it was an outburst after a rage which reached a tipping point.

    However, the rescue failed. That animal soon emerged with men when his uncle tried to take him away. Li Yuan watched as the animal killed his uncle. This was the first time death happened before his eyes.

    That day, Li Yuan saw many people; some he recognized while others he never met. These people smiled at them and pointed fingers judgingly at his uncle¡¯s corpse.

    All the pain that was pent up ran through his veins, bringing along a fire that bumed away his sanity. Li Yuan had never felt such hatred to the core.

    It was at that moment that he decided that everyone here had to die!

    A few dayster, that animal brought him and his mother to his grandparent¡¯s house for the funeral. In front of his uncle¡¯s shrine, the lunatic poisoned his grandparents to death right before Li Yuan¡¯s eyes.

    These kind elders were always happy to see him and spent good times together.

    Li Yuan nearly lost it. Maybe his survival instincts kicked in as he was able to swallow his anger and resentment.

    Later, the animal murdered his mother while Li Yuan watched on helplessly. At that moment, he made the decision to run away and take revenge!

    Still, no one was on his side. His aunt was too afraid. In fact, the whole Fifth family feared the animal. After his aunt found out what Li Yuan was thinking, she stopped seeing him for a long time.

    Ona dark and cold night of snowstorm much like tonight, his aunt came over and left him a key.

    That was thest time he saw her, but it was also the first time he was the master of his own fate. Li Yuan was fortunate enough to escape and slip past their search by crouching in the waters for over 24 hours.

    Since then, his life revolved around revenge. He remained alive to kill that animal and avenge all that died for his sake ¨C his mother, his uncle, and his grandparents.

    The animal did not end the search and manhunt just because he escaped. Li Yuan had thoughts of ending his life through many narrow escapes and in his darkest moment. He would rummage through the trash bins for food like a feral dog during times of extreme hunger.

    Li Yuan could never forget that fateful day when he was feeling cold and hungry after shaking off his pursuers that were on his tail for three days. He was covered in bruises and pushed beyond the edge as he copsed in front of a trash bin on hisst gasp. Li Yuan closed his eyes in bitterness.

    He did not want to die just like that. He did not want to leave this dirty and unfair world with a grudge.

    Nevertheless, he was left without an ounce of strength, having no more in him to crawl. It was snowing and cold in the empty alley. He could feel the warmth leaving his body and death drawing near.

    Li Yuan thought he was about to die at that point.

    With footsteps trailing in the alley, he abruptly opened his eyes. Even if he had to die, he was going to drag those people down to hell with him.

    To his surprise, it was not them but a little girl. The little girl wore a red padded jacket. The fiery color brought out her cute rosy cheeks. Looking rather lost, she was calling out for her parents in a fragile voice that brought Li Yuan back to reality.

    The little girl shouted and moved ahead in a daze, unaware of his presence. It was only when she drew close that she saw him. Shaken, she let out a shriek and tured on her heel to run off.

    For some reason, Li Yuan¡¯s heart ached. Everyone feared him. He assumed he must look terrifying then and scared her away.

    At the time, he believed his mother and aunt were wrong. The world was not as beautiful and kind as they mentioned. Instead, it was a cruel and heartless ce, with no one willing to reach out and help him.

    Despite his grievance and animosity, Li Yuan was destined to die here. Like a feral dog, no one would know even if he passed, and hungry dogs in the winter would feast on him after his death..

 Chapter 734 - His Past (5)

    <h4>Chapter 734: His Past (5)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The alley resumed its dead silence as the little girl¡¯s footsteps faded away. Li Yuan could not feel the howling wind brushing against his body.

    He slowly closed his eyes while his body was no longer susceptible to the cold.

    Time appeared to pass slowly yet fast at the same time. The sound of footsteps reemerged in the alley. Instead of at a hastened pace, someone was approaching slowly and step by step.

    The light footsteps belonged to a young child.

    Judging by the careful treading, the child seemed afraid of him yet put on a brave face to draw close. He could even hear the child¡¯s heart pounding out of her chest.

    By the time she paused in motion, Li Yuan caught a whiff of food. He opened his eyes and looked into the little girl¡¯s crystal-clear and bright eyes. Just like that, she crashnded into his mind and soul.

    Her tiny figure shivered in fear. After he scared her stiff, the little girl mustered the courage and put a bag of bun and hot soy milk by him before fleeing.

    Li Yuan gazed at the food that was ced nicely on the floor. She did not toss the food aside because of the fear.

    The little girl¡¯s scurried footsteps were exactly like the first time he met her. Soon, she stopped in her tracks again.

    From the corner of his eye, he observed the back of her figure as she paused in motion as though to make up her mind. The little girl put down her backpack and took off her red padded jacket before running back.

    This time, she did not seem as scared anymore. Advancing, she gently ced the jacket by his feet and smiled. The little girl then got up and ran off.

    He knew that she was terrified of him. Still, she came back to give him food, beverage, and clothes.

    It was close to New Year¡¯s back then. Her red padded jacket was new, so it must be her New Year¡¯s gift.

    Li Yuan found the will to live there and then, With a burst of energy overwhelming him, his stiffened body gradually recovered its sensation.

    ¡®Mom was right. There was light and beauty in the world. He came across it the moment he was about to give up.

    Because of her, Li Yuan overcame the darkest, most anguished, and most painful moments in his life. She was thest light andst defense line of his moralpass as a decent human being.

    Her existence held him back from losing his mind from revenge and bing the devil like that animal.

    Shen Xi suddenly stirred a little in Li Yuan¡¯s mind, pulling him out of his thoughts. With downcast eyes, Li Yuan looked at the girl in his embrace and his memory merged into one. Curling his lips, he held her tight.

    He once thought he might never find her again. Their paths may not cross until the end. However, God was kind to him, and here she was in his arms.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi mewed. His voice was hoarse.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Li Yuan softly responded as he lowered his gaze to her swollen eyes. He gave her light kisses.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi cried while her clear eyes locked onto his, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear before her eyes.

    ¡°Tm here.¡± Meeting forehead to forehead, Li Yuan rubbed against her nose.

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi leaned in for a peck on his lips before swiftly backing off to bury her head against his chest. She moaned, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Li Yuan spoke in a tone so low and affectionate it came straight from the heart. ¡°It¡¯s a little chilly. Sleep in the car. You don¡¯t want to catch a cold.¡±

    His fairdy stopped talking and simply snuggled up in his embrace. Her head found a nice spot in his wide coat.

    The car cruised along the road and pulled up on the driveway of Li Mansion half an hourter.

    Li Yuan faintly called the girl¡¯s name but received a quiet murmur and another snuggle in return. Since she was sleeping like a baby, Li Yuan did not have the heart to wake her. He carried her down the car.

    Uncle Li had been waiting at the door for quite some time as a thickyer of snow had amassed on his umbre. With them getting out of the car, Uncle Li quickly came up to them and held the umbre over them.

    Li Yuan nodded at him with a wide smile.

    Uncle Li grinned back without a word. However, his eyes took a quick nce at the person in Li Yuan¡¯s eyes. This was the first time the young master brought Ms. Shen back to Li Mansion.

    He knew they had gotten their marriage license, but he could not be there to give his regards.

    Uncle Li could finally rest, knowing that he could deliver the good news to the family for when he was to depart from the world. The young master¡¯s legs were all better, and he had found a partner worth spending his life with. Things could not be better.

    With heavy snow enveloping Li Mansion, the pavilion and garden bridged over water streams, embedded with a strong sense of history, gave an illusion of going back in time.

    Li Yuan ced the girl on the bed and tucked her under the covers. He then proceeded to the study next door as he had an important meeting to host.

    Shen Xi opened her eyes to a quaint room and his orchid scent. Stretching herself, she got off the bed and noticed a pair of fluffy rabbit slippers by the bed. The rabbit fur was soft and toasty.

    She knew where she was. Sneaking out the door, she caught a glimpse of an old man sitting on the sofa in the living room. It was the same old man who talked to her and gave her an umbre when she first visited Li Mansion. She let out a polite smile at the old man.

    With Shen Xi emerging from the room, Uncle Li got up and wanted to speak, but the former gestured for silence. She quickly approached him.

    ¡°Hello, Grandpa.¡± Shen Xi whispered a greeting with a warm smile.

    Looking at the little sunshine, Uncle Li kept his voice low too. ¡°The young master is in the study. You can look for him there.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not looking for him.¡± Shen Xi gleefully gazed at the old man. ¡°Can you tell me about him?¡±

    The old housekeeper of the Li family¡¯s home must know a lot more than her. There were many things Li Yuan would not tell her since he could not bear to share his painful struggles with her.

    Uncle benevolently nodded with a grin.

    Shen Xi pointed to the outdoors.

    Uncle Li pointed at her clothes for Shen Xi toyer up as it was snowing outside. He did not want her to freeze out in the cold.

    Taking the hint, Shen Xi tiptoed to the bedroom and soon came out with a huge ck coat that reached her ankles.

    Uncle Li thought the girl was the most adorable little thing as she seemed to shrink inside the coat and only her cute face was poking out.

    Despite the harsh elements outside, the night view of thendscape was simply a sight to behold..

 Chapter 735 - His Past (6)

    <h4>Chapter 735: His Past (6)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡®The young and old sat in the foyer, looking at the snow and chatting.

    Shen Xi wanted to know everything about Li Yuan, no matter how big or small. She craved every little detail of his life and to take in the good with the bad.

    ¡°The young master first came to the Li family¡¯s home fourteen years ago.¡± Watching fluttering snow, Uncle Li strolled down memoryne. He spoke in an unhurried tone, ¡°It was a snowy night like today when he came over.¡±

    There was nothing left of the Li family¡¯s home then. It was only an empty shell. The animal took everything.

    Fortunately, Uncle Li got around things and managed to save the Li family¡¯s home. He wanted to wait here for the return of the young master ¨C the only heir to the Li family.

    Everyone said that the young master was dead. Uncle Li was the only one who knew and believed that the young master was not. The young master would return.

    The day finally came.

    Uncle Li could never forget the fateful day the young master suddenly appeared before him. Although skin and bones, the young master had the savage eyes of a wolf.

    That day, the young master told he wanted revenge and to revive the Li family with amanding presence unbefitting his age.

    It was that day the young master carried everything of the Li family on his young shoulders. The young master changed his name to Li Yuan, Li to signify the break of dawn and Yuan as in abyss.

    In the deepest abyss, he looked up to the sunrise like a watcher of the abyss. Since then, he would pave his way forward. No one could harm or stop him from advancing.

    Uncle Li tried to talk some senses into Li Yuan, saying that the heavy responsibility of the Li family should not fall on him. Li Yuan should not carry the grudge and hatred in his life.

    He was still young and had so much to live for. However, despite only being ten years old at the time, Li Yuan exuded an intimidating air and presence that exceeded even the old master¡¯s.

    Uncle Li knew that no amount of talk would get to Li Yuan¡¯s head. Although Uncle Li could not be of help, he was able to watch over the estate and wait for the young master¡¯s return.

    ¡®There were days when Li Yuan was barely home. The longest time Uncle Li went without hearing from him was six months. s, there was nothing more he could do than wait.

    The young master would return covered in injuries from head to toe, yet he kept mum about what he did or went through.

    Uncle Li knew the young master had chosen a tough road to go against the Fifth family alone. Li Yuan was teetering on the edge, dancing with death with each strike he made.

    Although the old man¡¯s heart went out to him, he could do nothing to stop Li Yuan. He could only watch as Li Yuan made countless hairbreadth escapes at the age where he was supposed to be spoiled with his parents¡¯ love and the warmth of a family.

    Gradually, he was wounded less.

    Slowly, he began to bring people back to the Li family¡¯s home.

    Bit by bit, his businesses went steady.

    Nevertheless, Uncle Li never saw a smile on the young master¡¯s face. Thetter was a shell with only vendetta on his mind.

    One day, Uncle Li saw him smile. The young master was looking at a girl¡¯s red jacket and smiling like the first gentle ray after the snow and ice melted. It was real and warm.

    Later, the young master began his search for the girl. Realization hit Uncle Li that the jacket belonged to a girl. The young master was looking for the girl, his only light and sce to his lonely heart.

    ¡®The young master had potential and was a genius, but many said he was the devil and a cold-blooded animal without feelings due to his ruthless ways. However, only the heartless and cruel could survive in the dog-eat-dog world and retain sanity in the hands of the lunatic.

    It took the young master a decade to chip away the Fifth family. Six years ago, Li Yuan delivered the finishing blow and thest of the Fifth family either died or went crazy.

    Since that day, the young master¡¯s health had worsened. For decades, he worked himself to the bone, burning through his life force to fight the Fifth family.

    He lived for revenge, but his purpose was fulfilled once the deed was done. At that moment, the fire in his eyes was put out.

    The young master then got into a car ident and lost function of his legs. He became grumpy and built walls around himself, locking himself in his own world to prevent anyone froming close. It was only when he stared nkly at the red jacket that his eyes would reveal the rare tenderness.

    Uncle Li was worried that the young master had given up. Uncle Li hoped the young master could find sess in his long search of over a decade, and the girl would appear and walk him out of the darkest abyss.

    ¡®The young master had experienced too many hardships in life. He should not have to live like this. Li Yuan should have a healthy body, someone who loved him deeply, and aplete and warm family.

    At the time, everyone knew that the young master was still alive to find the girl that had been on his mind. A proud man like him would not be willing to live a life without dignity on a wheelchair his whole life.

    Li Yuan also made a will to leave all his inheritance to the girl after his death. In case he could not hold on until she was found, Kun Lun and his men would carry out hisst wish on his behalf.

    If the moment were toe, the young master would choose assisted suicide when he could not go on any longer.

    A year ago, Uncle Li heard from Kun Lun that he moved house. His neighbor was a beautiful young girl whom the young master was always willing to lend an ear to. Uncle Li¡¯s mind immediately flew back to the owner of the jacket that the young master had been on the hunt for.

    As expected, the girl was the person the young master had been looking for. With her around, the young master¡¯s health and mood was getting better in time.

    Later, the young master recovered from his illness and regained sensation in his legs. He was also together with his fairdy.

    Uncle Li had never been happier. He could rest in peace, having known that fact. The only person Uncle Li was concerned about finally found his happiness. Uncle Li looked at the girl who was listening intently to him. ¡°Ms. Shen, the young master had it rough. I hope you two can live happily ever after.¡±

    He did not say this to garner sympathy for the young master. All he ever wanted was to wish them well.

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Li.¡± Shen Xi changed the form of address and looked the old man in the eyes before giving her word. ¡°I will do right by Brother.¡±

    She never wanted Li Yuan to go through any more suffering as he had been through enough hell for the first half of his life. Shen Xi would hold his hand tightly and give him everything of her and all the love in the world.

    ¡°Great.¡± Uncle Li grinned from ear to ear. His eyes spoke of longingness. ¡°Our home has everything, but the ce is too big, empty, and quiet. You should have more kids after your wedding. The house will be lively.¡±

 Chapter 736 - I Felt Sorry for You

    <h4>Chapter 736: I Felt Sorry for You</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Hearing that, Shen Xi turned flushed in the face. She turned back to find light seeping through the door to the study that was left ajar. Shen Xi quietly asked the old man beside her, ¡°Uncle Li, where¡¯s the kitchen?¡±

    ¡°You must be hungry. I¡¯ll get someone to serve the food.¡± Uncle Li¡¯splexion grew benevolent as he beamed a gentle glow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you check on the young master in the study?¡±

    ¡®They must have missed dinner since they came at around seven o¡¯clock in the evening. Ms. Shen also slept for a few hours. Her tummy must be rumbling as it was past ten now.

    Look at him. Uncle Li could not stop once he started talking. He should have prepared something for Ms. Shen to eat just now.

    ¡°ll go with you to the kitchen.¡± Catching up to Uncle Li, Shen Xi said with a smile, ¡°T¡¯ll deliver the food to him in the study.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Uncle Li felt reassured to see a smile on her face. He wondered at one point whether it was the right decision to tell her the young master¡¯s past when solemnity and heartache overtook her eyes.

    ¡®The young master went through an ordeal in the past. He deserved happiness more than anyone in the world.

    Shen Xi quickly pushed the food cart out of the kitchen and stopped in front of the study. Knocking the door, she changed her voice. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±

    She imitated Uncle Li¡¯s voice, picking it up while on the way to the study. Shen Xi believed she had it down pat.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Li Yuan closed the file in hand and lifted his gaze to the door. With love in his eyes, he curled his lips into a delighted angle.

    Shen Xi pushed the door and groaned under her breath, ¡°How did you know it was me?¡±

    She did a great impression, so how did he see through her in no time?

    Grinning at the girl, Li Yuan stood up and was ready to approach her.

    Shen Xi pointed at him. ¡°How could I let the young master handle these tasks? I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Li Yuan shook his head andughed while staying put. He watched as the girl pushed the cart over and tidied up the desk before serving the dishes together with cutleries.

    Havingpleted all that, Shen Xi pulled a chair and sat opposite him. She cheerfully uttered, ¡°Enjoy.¡±

    Li Yuan nodded and gazed at the girl. He then reached out an arm to feel her eyes. His voice bore a clear heartache. ¡°When did you get up?¡±

    Why did her eyes look puffier than when they arrived home? The swelling had gone down a lot as he applied something to her eyes in the car.

    ¡°Not long.¡± Of course, Shen Xi was not going to tell him that she had been awake and was listening to Uncle Li¡¯s stories at the doorway for quite some time.

    The man¡¯s fingertips were slightly chilly to the touch, seeping into her soul bit by bit. She poked his hand and coyly murmured, ¡°Eat.¡±

    Feeling bad, Li Yuan caressed her eyes and asked, ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡±

    Did she cry in her sleep?

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t have enough sleep.¡± Shen Xi yed dumb, knowing well what he was referring to. With Uncle Li telling her his history, she could not help herself but cried. Needless to say, her eyes were swollen again.

    Godd*mnit! How could she forget to reduce the swelling beforeing here?

    Her little gestures and tricks did not go unnoticed. Nevertheless, the sound of the girl¡¯s rumbling tummy made himugh instead. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    He could ease the swelling after dinner.

    Li Yuan then gave an instruction, ¡°Uncle Li, boil some eggs. Send them over half an hourter. They¡¯re to reduce swelling.¡±

    Keeping watch by the door, Uncle Li responded, ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡±

    Li Yuan turned his head back and grabbed the girl¡¯s bowl, ready to scoop some soup to ease her throat. The girl¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    Seizing him by the hand, Shen Xi took back her bowl. ¡°I can do it.¡±

    Li Yuan barely had to lift a finger throughout the meal. The girl would serve him food and feed him more than he had ever done for her during their private meals together.

    He let her be, knowing that the girl was hurting for him due to his past. However, the past was behind them. The only thing that mattered to him now was her.

    Li Yuan was content and happy to have her in his life.

    After dinner, Shen Xi watched as Uncle Li cleared the table and put the boiled eggs for the swelling on the table before turning her attention to Li Yuan. ¡°Do you have something to ask me?¡±

    Raising his brow, Li Yuan fell into contemtion. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about a girl¡¯s red jacket in your room!¡± Shen Xi had been meaning to ask about that. s, she could never find the right time. She might as well seize the moment and get to the bottom of everything.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that yours?¡± Taken aback, Li Yuan grinned at her.

    By the look on the girl¡¯s face, she must have heard it from Uncle Li. Ever since she came into the picture, he stored the jacket in the closet and had not taken it out.

    ¡®There was no need for him to see the girl through her belongings when the real deal was before his eyes.

    Snuffling, Shen Xi propped her hand against her chin and stared at her with bright eyes. ¡°When did you recognize it was me?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°The first time I met you.¡±

    ¡°How did you know it was me? Did I look the same as when I was a child?¡± Shen Xi thought it was odd.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Taking a pause, Li Yuan drew close and murmured a seductive tone, ¡°You¡¯re my little sunshine.¡±

    It was a feeling he could never forget. Her smile and bodily warmth were a ray of sunshine, shining and melting his heart.

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Even though they got physical, shared a bed, and shared intimacy except for thest step, his close-up handsome face and husky voice still made her weak in the knees.

    While the girl was caught in shock, Li Yuan brushed her nose tip and asked the question that had been on his mind. ¡°Why are you so good to me?¡±

    He knew that the girl crawled up the wall to chat him up because she recognized that it was him.

    To this day, Li Yuan was perplexed. His fairdy was not one to initiate contact, yet she reached out and opened her heart to him who was aplete stranger.

    ¡°I felt sorry for you.¡± Shen Xi simply blurted her mind. ¡°You were so miserable as a child and have it rough when you¡¯re all grown up. You couldn¡¯t walk either. It tugged on my heartstrings.¡±

    Would it scare him if she were to talk about her previous life? It was best she sort out her thoughts and figure out what to say before letting him know..

 Chapter 737 - A Devastating and Miserable Dream

    <h4>Chapter 737: A Devastating and Miserable Dream</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Liar.¡± Li Yuan extended his arm to pinch Shen Xi¡¯s earlobe. The girl was not crafty at lying as her ears turning red in a fluster were a dead giveaway.

    Her pink earlobes appeared appealing, inviting him for a nibble.

    Before Shen Xi could make her escape, he gnawed her earlobe between his lips. With a numbing sensation electrocuting her from under her skin, she turned teary and mewed softly, ¡°Brother.¡±

    As his heart melted by her gentle cry, Li Yuan was floating on cloud nine. He swallowed hard and tilted his head to seal her lips.

    Hooking him by the neck, Shen Xi covertly responded to him.

    The heat in the study rose as their hastened breaths intertwined in passion.

    It was only until Shen Xi lost her breath and fireworks exploded in her mind that she was held into the man¡¯s arms between gasps.

    Shen Xi was panting for air as she buried her head against his neck, speaking in a lingering moan like dream murmurs to him and herself, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m here to repay your kindness.¡±

    Whatever she said before were lies while this statement came from the heart. She came for him to give him all the love and pull him out of his world to her side to repay his kindness.

    However, Shen Xi would never tell him the struggles she went through back then. She was confident that he would believe her story, but she did not want him to relive her pain.

    ¡°Repay what kindness?¡± Li Yuan¡¯s deep and sensual voice carried the huskiness of lust. He kissed the girl on the forehead. ¡°I should be the one to repay you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know I once had a dream. I was a white bunny in my previous life, tortured and left for dead at the trash can. You took pity on me and collected my remains. You even avenged me.¡± Putting on a serious face, Shen Xi said.

    She uttered so casually as if it was a story and a joke. Nevertheless, Li Yuan¡¯s face fell as his heart sank to his stomach. He held the girl tightly without a word.

    Picking up on his somber mood, Shen Xi nudged him. ¡°The eggs are getting cold. My eyes are still swollen. Am I still your big baby or not?¡±

    He would believe every word that came out of her mouth. If he took her seriously, Li Yuan would pursue with more questions and crack her open like an egg. It was not her intention for him to find out about her past.

    Li Yuan carried the girl to the sofa and propped her head under a cushion before retrieving the eggs.

    Tilting her head, Shen Xi observed him as he peeled the eggshells and wrapped the eggs with gauze. Li Yuan tested the temperature on his face and turned to her. ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    Shen Xi closed her eyes, but her mouth would not stop. ¡°Brother, would we still be together in the next life?¡±

    There were many inexplicable miracles in the world. She was not a believer but now she was because she died and transmigrated in the realm of fiction.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask this question in our past life?¡± Li Yuan gently massaged around her eyes while muttering in an affectionate voice.

    With her heart melting, Shen Xi curled her lips. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so smooth.¡±

    Li Yuan leaned in for a peck on the lips before inquiring with a smile. ¡°How smooth?¡±

    Smacking her lips, Shen Xi licked her lips as if to relive the taste. She soon replied, ¡°Smoother than butter.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled and he was fixated on the girl. Deep inside his eyes, there was an irresolvable heartache and doubt about her half-truths just now.

    He knew she experienced hell with the Su family. However, his fairdy was so kind. She would not go in for the kill if that was the extent of her grudge with them.

    She must be keeping a lot of things from him. Should he bring it up or wait for her to tell him one day?

    Shen Xi was left wanting for more. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. I want more.¡±

    Li Yuan gazed at the girl¡¯s moist lips. ¡°Your mouth is swollen.¡±

    Shen Xi licked her lips in passing, sending a rather sensual message.

    Feeling a rush in his blood, Li Yuan was parched in the throat as a burning me danced around his eyes. His voice was raspy. ¡°Stop squirming.¡±

    Shen Xi went on her best behavior and hummed an acknowledgement through pursed lips.

    Pulling himself together, Li Yuan continued to gently apply the eggs to reduce her swelling while his heart was thumping out of his chest.

    ¡®That night, Shen Xi was going to hug her human pillow to sleep for sure. She let out a contented sigh. ¡°That hits the spot.¡±

    It had been too long since she held her pillow. Still, Shen Xi learned from Yan Xiaoxiao to acquire a life-size pillow of him.

    She would not be so bold to put that life-size pillow at home. It would be troublesome if Mom and Dad found out. After the pillow was produced, Shen Xi had it sent to the school to keep in her dormitory.

    Li Yuan clutched onto the back of the girl¡¯s head to hold her still. Otherwise, he would lose his willpower and take her.

    Yet, Shen Xi remained ignorant, believing her human pillow, from head to toe, belonged to her. She could not keep her hands to herself, and his words only aggravated the fondling. She whined in displeasure, ¡°I¡¯m only touching a little, Mr. Stingy!¡±

    Unable to hide the hots for her, Li Yuan huffed into her ear. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to hold it in.¡±

    He was a man, and a normal man at that. With his beloveddy in his arms, he was trying so hard to restrain the beast within.

    Shen Xi yed innocent and she threw back a serious question. ¡°What should we do about it?¡±

    Grinding his teeth, Li Yuan nibbled her rosy earlobe and growled a scratchy yet sexy voice, ¡°What do you think? I¡¯ll have to get someone to put out the fire.¡±

    Shen Xi closed her eyes and stayed put.

    Now that the girl quieted down, Li Yuan tucked her in andy down.

    Shen Xi opened her eyes and looked at him. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°Where to?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°To get someone to put the fire out.¡±

    Looking at the girl ying dumb, Li Yuan turned over and pressed down on her body. He hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°Do you really not know what I was talking about?¡±

    Shen Xi raised her hands in surrender. ¡°My bad.¡±

    Li Yuan flicked the head of the cowardly girl. ¡°I might just sleep on a separate bed if you try anything again.¡±

    Shen Xi yed it coy. ¡°I knew I was wrong.¡±

    The pair¡¯s giggles filled the bedroom with happiness.

    That night.

    Shen Xi slept like a baby.

    On the other hand, Li Yuan had a long, devastating, and miserable dream.

 Chapter 738 - How Could She Be So Silly

    <h4>Chapter 738: How Could She Be So Silly</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Everything in the dream felt so real.

    The girl seemed nervous as she clutched onto her schoolbag. Her bright eyes bore jitters, excitement, and anticipation for her life toe. She would steal a nce at Li Jingran, who was sitting beside her with a poker face, every now and then.

    Li Yuan sat next to Shen Xi, but thetter could not see him. He could not touch her, so he was reduced to watching on. This was the day she was taken to Su¡¯s residence.

    Li Jingran was the only one who came to take Shen Xi home, but she acted nothing like a mother who had found her long-lost daughter. It was fair to say that her demeanor was less than that of a stranger¡¯s.

    ¡®There was a weird vibe in the car. His fairdy was looking at Li Jingran and longing for affection.

    Li Jingran never cast a nce the whole time, merely dropping a cold statement just before getting off the car, ¡°Your father and I had a talk. You can call us Mom and Dad at home, but to avoid unnecessary hassle, you¡¯re the Su family¡¯s distant rtive to the public.¡±

    Catching a glimpse of the fleeting disappointment in the girl¡¯s eyes, Li Yuan¡¯s heart went out to her.

    His cunning fox had turned into this little bunny. Although upset and hurting, Shen Xi cheerfully nodded at Li Jingran and softly uttered, ¡°Got it, Mom.¡±

    With eyes flickering with disgust, Li Jingran turned on her heels and took off without looking at Shen Xi.

    Since his fairdy ran after Li Jingran, Li Yuan quickly dogged her footsteps.

    Between flurried footsteps, the girl clenched her fist and cheered herself on while looking at the cold figure in adoration as if hoping thetter would look back at her.

    s, that person never stopped for Shen Xi even for one second.

    Feeling bad for her, Li Yuan traced her footsteps and watched her give out well-prepared gifts to each member of the Su family. Shen Xi sweetly called them family.

    The Su brothers did not hide their disdain as they took the presents and threw them into the bin without even opening them.

    Li Yuan saw Su Ruowan thanking her sister with a smile but smashing the gift to the ground behind closed doors. Su Ruowan put on a menacing look and cursed Shen Xi.

    He watched the Su family gather for dinner in cheers andughter under a warm light every night. Everyone fussed over Su Ruowan, making herugh, serving her food, peeling shrimps for her, and giving all the love to her.

    His fairdy was left out in the cold. She quietly dug in her rice with tear-filled eyes. No one asked her what she liked to eat or served her food. Nobody even shared a word with her. She was an outcast of the family and invisible to them.

    Standing by her, Li Yuan reached out with the intention to feel her, hug her, and tell her that he was there for her.

    His fairdy had never been so put down. The sight felt like someone was cutting his heart into pieces.

    He observed the Su family talking andughing in front of the TV. Su Yi, Li Jingran, and the Su brothers surrounded Su Ruowan while showering her with adoration.

    His fairdy silently and enviously watched on the sidelines. No one talked to her while she was too shy to jump into the family¡¯s conversation.

    Li Yuan watched as she tried so hard to fit into the family and gain their approval. He watched her pulling all stops in her own way to cozy up to every member of the Su family. Yet, all she received was cold looks of repulsion in return.

    He followed her perseverance at giving herself the pep talk in the face of maltreatment. Shen Xi believed she was not good enough for Mom, Dad, and her brothers.

    Li Yuan wanted to shout at her to stop it. Try as she may, the Su family would never see her efforts.

    He wanted to tell her that she was good enough. She needed not change herself for anyone. The Su family were animals not to recognize her goodness. They did not deserve her. It was never about her not being good enough.

    Shen Xi was like a kid as she tried to prove herself to the family, unwilling to look back even if she stumbled and fell. It was heartbreaking for Li Yuan to watch.

    He wished he could go back to this time and take her away from the Su family.

    Li Yuan saw Su Ruowan lose her footing and fell down the stairs. The Su family¡¯s d*mn domestic helper had the guts to lie that Shen Xi pushed Su Ruowan down. No one would listen to Shen Xi¡¯s exnation.

    He observed Su Yishing the whip on Shen Xi until her flesh was torn. Yet, there was nothing he could do but watch.

    Li Yuan got a load of her lying in bed covered in bruises as she bit on the covers to muffle her wails. Her tears pained him unfathomably.

    Holding her teddy bear, she asked between sobs, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. Why did she frame me?¡±

    She was holding so much sadness within, but she could only let out her grievance to a teddy bear. Shen Xi was isted in the Su family, like a lonely ind out in the open sea, yet she stubbornly hung in there.

    Looking at the silly girl, he drew close to her face and his hand traversed her cheeks. Li Yuan could not touch her. Her sadness and sorrow were all he could take in.

    He saw Su Ruowan pushing herself on a wheelchair to Shen Xi¡¯s room. Su Ruowan acted as if she cared about Shen Xi and thetter thanked Su Ruowan gratefully.

    Li Yuan wanted to get to Shen Xi¡¯s head and warned her that Su Ruowan was the mastermind. However, Shen Xi remained in the dark, thinking that the domestic helper set her up.

    During Su Yi¡¯s questioning, Su Ruowan came forth and stood up for Shen Xi. Despite breaking her legs, Su Ruowan got Shen Xi¡¯s back and exined that she missed her step.

    The more she said, the more convinced the Su family was that Su Ruowan was so kind to cover up for Shen Xi. The punishment turned heavier.

    After Su Ruowan left, Shen Xi held the teddy bear and mumbled to herself, ¡°Say, would Mom, Dad, and my brothers like me if I be like Wanwan?¡±

    Li Yuan¡¯s heart was bleeding to see his fairdy covered in open wounds. Despite all that, she bore no grudge and was still pondering ways to be epted into the family.

    How could she be so silly and foolish?

    Shen Xi gave her all to pursue happiness. To Li Yuan, it was not worthwhile as they did not deserve her.

    She possessed more than she imagined. When would she wake up and look back on her adoptive parents who went after her?

    Li Yuan watched as she slept, woke up, and ran after the unattainable happiness every day.

    She thought theplete eptance of the Su family was happiness¡­

 Chapter 739 - A Realistic Dream

    <h4>Chapter 739: A Realistic Dream</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Li Yuan watched his fairdy waste away and the fire in her eyes put out. He observed time and again Shen Xi giving her heart to the Su family only for them to crush it under their feet.

    He saw the Su family attack her as though she was their enemy. In fact, Shen Xi was treated worse than an enemy. They did not care about her feelings or her life. All they cared about was Su Ruowan and doing everything in their power to make Su Ruowan happy.

    Li Yuan watched Su Muxuan tamper with the car. Getting into the car with glee, Shen Xi mumbled to herself that it was the first gift she ever received from her oldest brother.

    Unbeknownst to her, her older brother was nothing less than the devil. The car he gave her was a ride to hell!

    When the car hit the crash barrier, Li Yuan stood in the front and looked at the girl¡¯s blood-stained face. His eyes turned bloodshot as his heart broke to a million pieces.

    With her legs broken, she could never dance again. She was bothered with aching difort every rainy season. Still, Shen Xi never med anyone but herself for wrecking the birthday gift from her oldest brother.

    Li Yuan saw Su Muyan handing someone a bottle of acid in secret. The person snuck into the washroom and sshed it into the stall she was in.

    Disfigured, Shen Xi was called an ugly monster. Everyone stayed away from her like the gue.

    She harbored no resentment for anyone. Afraid that showing her ugly look in public would embarrass the Su family, Shen Xi began to lock herself in the house and avoided contact with the world outside.

    Li Yuan watched Su Mushi put on a show by engaging with a mob to kidnap her and cut the nerves in her hands. Since then, Shen Xi had to live in a wheelchair.

    All the miseries in life descended upon her. Believing they were all idental, Shen Xi only had the Su family¡¯s best interest in mind. She still dreamed of the day the Su family would see the good in her and ept her.

    With downcast eyes, the girl in the wheelchair held a pen and drew. s, her hand refused to do her bidding. The drawing ended up as distorted scribbles.

    She looked up at the starry night sky through the bay window on the balcony.

    Kneeling by her, Li Yuan gently ced his hand on hers as they quietly watched the stars together. All was beautiful and quiet, but his thumping heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

    In the beginning, the pain and anger he felt prompted him to destroy the world.

    Li Yuan gradually regained his senses and, in his own way, walked life¡¯s journey alongside her through happiness and pain.

    He wanted to tell her not to be afraid and that he had always been around.

    It did not take long before she fell terribly sick. It was leukemia.

    Li Yuan watched her grow thin, saw her struggle with the pain, observed her stay true to her loving self without ming or hating anyone. On her own, she took on all the suffering.

    During that time, Shen Xi enjoyed spacing out in the sky. She could not eat or sleep because of the physical agony. Even if she managed to sleep, she would wake up from the pain.

    She was waiting, waiting for thest glimmer of hope.

    Atst, Su Ruowan came and took away herst hope. Su Ruowanid bare about their misdeeds toward her.

    Standing in one corner, Li Yuan saw the girlugh until she cried. The ironic, sarcastic, and contemptuousughter bore her mockery and curse at everyone.

    He knew that it was not that she was oblivious to them but a mere denial on her part. All she ever wanted was love, warmth, and their approval. In the end, she got nothing at all.

    The dejection after extreme agony was the most hurtful.

    The Su family did not show their faces thereafter, and the girl spent thest of her days in peace. It was awfully tranquil like a stillke with not a ripple to be found.

    The pair locked eyes asionally, and he could feel the tenderness in her eyes. It was as though she could see or feel him. Yet somehow, it might just be all in his head.

    Shen Xi began to talk a lot, no longer bringing up the Su family. She mentioned the Shen family ¡ª Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, Shen Tang, Shen Feng ¡ª and everything beautiful in her memory.

    With her illness taking a turn for the worse, the girl grew weak and frail as if she would disappear with the wind. Still, her voice only became gentler. It did not seem like she was mumbling to herself, rather she appeared to be talking to him.

    Li Yuan was there for her all the time, staying with her through the pain, looking at the sky, and watching the stars and moon. That was all he could do for her.

    Two dayster.

    At night.

    Waking up, Shen Xi opened her eyes and serenely looked in his direction. She let out a warm and cheeky smile. ¡°Thank you for staying with me.¡±

    With his pupils dting, Li Yuan approached her bed and saw that she had peacefully closed her eyes as if she was asleep.

    He cried in a gut-wrenching despair.

    ¡°Brother! Brother!¡± Scared witless, Shen Xi rocked him, pped his face, and pinched his nose in a panic. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here!¡±

    Li Yuan abruptly opened his eyes and met the girl¡¯s worried eyes. His heart seemed to stop at that moment, so did time.

    Shen Xi looked at him strangely. ¡°Brother, did you have a nightmare?¡±

    Without a word, Li Yuan stared at her as though to etch her face in his mind. He was fixated on her with affectionate, loving, and heartbroken eyes.

    Was it a dream?

    Could a dream be so realistic?

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi gently patted his face. Seeing that he was not out of it, she asked, ¡°What did you dream about me?¡±

    Li Yuan reached out to trap the girl in his arms, hanging onto her tightly. Resting his chin on her head, he breathed in the warm and sweet scent that was uniquely hers. He felt alive again.

    She was still here and well.

    Shen Xi could feel his beating and unrestful heartbeat. He was shaking and scared of something. What was it? Was his dream terrifying?

    ¡°Let me hold you.¡± Li Yuan sighed. It seemed he transmigrated from the previous to the present life through her worldview.

    He could see her in the dream, but he could not touch her. Li Yuan never wanted to experience that again..

 Chapter 740 The Millennial Snow Lotus

    Chapter 740 The Millennial Snow Lotus

    Sitting still, Shen Xi let Li Yuan hug her for as long as he wanted. It took a while before she whispered, "Brother, what was your dream about?"

    What did he dream about to cry out her name so anxiously and hopelessly in his sleep?

    "I dreamed that you were picked on by the Su family." Having simmered down, Li Yuan spoke slowly. Everything in the dream seemed so real.

    He had never seen his fairdy so cautious to please anyone while wearing her heart on her sleeve to only receive apathy in return.

    In the dream, she saw him just prior to her departure. Could he find sce in that?

    "They did bully me when I was living with them." Shen Xi sounded muffled as she clung to his waist and sighed. "But the Su family is no more. There''s no need to dwell on it."

    She was now living her happy ending. Nothing could beat that, and she could not ask for anything more.

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan tried to read the girl''s expressions. However, she buried her head in his arms. Her tightened grip around his waist saw his face fall.

    The girl''s calm and collected reaction only confirmed his suspicions that everything in the dream may have happened.

    His fairdy was not unreasonable. She would not tear the Su family apart if all they did was give her the snub.

    Li Yuan failed to find the courage to tell her the truth about his dreams, nor could he bring himself to ask her whether it had once been her reality.

    Whatever happened in the dream hurt him too much.

    As an observer, he saw the pain eat her alive in the dream. How was she able to put up a brave face and get through it?

    If this was true, the Su family deserved more than being torn from limb to limb. How could they do that to her!

    "Brother, I had a dream too." Between snuffles, Shen Xi blurted, "I dreamed that I died from a terminal illness. You cremated me."

    He burned the book and destroyed the whole world with it. She guessed she could say that they died in cremation.

    Everything from the previous life should disperse along with the Su family''s demise. The only thing on Shen Xi''s mind now was to safeguard the hard-won happy moments.

    With still a lifetime to spend together, Shen Xi could slowlyy bare to him bit by bit.

    "Hm." Li Yuan responded as he leaned in to nt a kiss on her forehead. With heartache etched in his eyes, he tenderly uttered, "Don''t dwell on it. Go to sleep. I''ll always be here by your side."

    Drawing near, Shen Xi kissed him on the lips and stared at him with bright eyes. "Goodnight."

    The next morning.

    Shen Xi opened her eyes and met the man''s narrow eyes. In a daze, she furrowed her brows and felt his face. Shen Xi mumbled, "Why aren''t you asleep, Brother?"

    Why was he staring at her bright early in the morning?

    "I just got up." Li Yuan brushed the girl''s nose tip with his hooked finger while smiling affectionately. "What do you fancy havingter?"

    He lied. Li Yuan did not dare to sleep or close his eyes after waking up from the nightmare. He was afraid she might disappear once he shut his eyes.

    "Anything''s fine." Shen Xi loved the feeling of waking up to her beloved. She could see and feel him.

    "How does a sandwich sound?" Li Yuan asked for her opinion.

    Shen Xi immediately bobbed her bird''s nest of a head. She sat up and raised her hand. "I want to help."

    The couple got out of bed and freshened up.

    Uncle Li came by to ask about breakfast. After finding out that they were going to work on it together, Uncle Li had the kitchen prepare the ingredients before dismissing them for the morning.

    The couple was left alone in the wide space.

    Taking the girl by the hand, Li Yuan walked into the kitchen before examining and picking her favorites from the readied ingredients.

    Shen Xi made her selections while helping herself to it. She was about to grab the bacon when she was seized by arge hand.

    Li Yuan sounded helpless. "You can''t eat this."

    Shen Xi stuck out her tongue. "I''m not a dummy. I want this."

    As she was speaking, Shen Xi reached for the shredded cheese and squished it a little. Seeing that the man was still looking at her, she stuffed the shredded cheese in his mouth.

    With darkened eyes, Li Yuan gazed at the girl. "Are you that hungry?"

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. "Not really."

    She had the feeling that something was missing if she did not munch on food while working in the kitchen. Anything would do, be it a tomato or lettuce, so long as she had something in her mouth.

    Li Yuan suddenly leaned forward to kiss her on the lips.

    His actions caught Shen Xi off guard. The man''s handsome face magnified in her vision, and soon a heavy stench of cheese from his mouth ensued.

    A simple breakfast of sandwiches took them two hours toplete. It was then they finally had the first meal of the day.

    Grinning from ear to ear, Uncle Li would take a quick look at the couple every now and then while clearing the table. The young master and Ms. Shen should get married soon.

    He had never seen a happier and more delightful smile on the young master''s face. The young master was simply beaming with joy.

    Uncle Li heard from Kun Lun that the young master and Ms. Shen had gotten their marriage license. Kun Lun also shared the good news that the wedding may possibly be held at Li Mansion. If the old master, madam, youngdy, and young master were still alive, they would be so happy for the pair.

    It was about time to bring life back to Li''s family home. Ms. Shen had only been here for one night, and the house already seemed like it had been given a new lease of life.

    After breakfast, Li Yuan dropped Shen Xi off at the building of her medical school. He watched as his fairdy waved her hand and walked into the building with her backpack before taking off.

    She stepped into the ssroom to find her ssmates gathered in twos and threes. The conversation appeared to revolve around the millennial snow lotus.

    In Chinese medicine, the snow lotus was a valuable herb. As medical students, the students took a lot of interest in this rare treasure.

    Perhaps Shen Xi had been too busy to learn about it. Situ Zhangyou had not brought it up during their calls either. She did not have much of a demand for snow lotuses, regardless of their age.

    Still, she was interested to acquire the treasure if it was true.

    "Xixi, do you think there''s really a millennial snow lotus in the world?" Yan Xiaoxiao earnestly inquired.

    "Of course, there is." Jiang Xuanxuan answered her.

 Chapter 741 - The Auction

    <h4>Chapter 741 The Auction</h4>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The world was full of wonders.

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°I¡¯m interested to see it myself If a snow lotus of that age really exists.¡±

    She had acquired one of several centuries of age to formte the medication for Li Yuan. Despite pulling all his connections, Situ Zhangyou came back empty on

    his quest for a millennial snow lotus.

    However, it was unsurprising for a millennial snow lotus to exist somewhere in a vast country like China.

    ¡°Shen Xi, do you want to go?¡± Having heard Shen Xi, a bespectacled boy in front turned and asked her.

    Although Shen Xi recognized him, they had never really shared a conversation since she was barely at school. She did remember his name though ¡ª Lu Ning. Shen

    Xi smiled and nodded at him. ¡°I¡¯m interested to take a look. Where is it previewed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that the Qing family kept the snow lotus safe for a thousand years. It will be auctioned at Treasure Trove today. I¡¯m going there, so I can take you there

    without an invitation if you want and don¡¯t mind.¡± Lu Ning was a friendly guy.

    He knew that with Shen Xi¡¯s status, she could simply request an invitation and go. Still, Lu Ning offered in passing since he heard her mentioning it.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Xi dly took up the offer. However, she was surprised that he possessed the invitation to Treasure Trove.

    Treasure Trove was China¡¯s finest auction house, known to appraise and auction artifacts equivalent to national treasures. The auction house rarely came into

    session unless there was an item worth opening its doors for.

    ¡°Do you want that snow lotus?¡± Lu Ning was taken back by her straightforward reply.

    Everyone was aware that Shen Xi was the youngdy of the Fu family. The Fu family was at the forefront of the world¡¯s most affluent families. Money was no issue if

    she intended to put in a bid.

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Just a look-see.¡±

    The snow lotus was a rare herb that only came once in a lifetime. There were bound to be people fighting over it. Shen Xi believed she was not in the capacity to

    pete for the snow lotus.

    Taking a nce at her, Lu Ning did not continue the conversation. However, an ominous glint shed past his eyes.

    Ever since his family found out that Lu Ning was in the same ss with Shen Xi, they had been putting ideas in his head to take advantage of the proximity and go

    after Shen Xi¡¯s heart. The Lu family would be put on the pedestal if he were to win her favor.

    Lu Ning knew himself best to understand that he was not good enough for Shen Xi.

    Although he had a clear understanding of himself, his family failed to see that fact. The Lu family had nothing on the Fu family, so who were they to suck up to the

    Fu family?

    Fond of gossip, Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan whispered between themselves about Lu Ning.

    Lu Ning was a rich kid. His family was made of money. The Lu family in the capital might not be a household name, but they did amass a bit of wealth.

    The handsome, brilliant, and humble Lu Ning was their ss president and pride.

    Last month, Lu Ning defeated the juniors and sophomores by a thousand votes for the position as president of the student council. It was much talked about how

    he was able to secure the seat despite being a freshman.

    Lu Ning was now the big man on campus. His poprity would have soared to an all-time high had Yu Qiubai not stolen the crown as the school hunk.

    ¡°What business does Lu Ning¡¯s family engage in?¡± Out of curiosity, Shen Xi directed the question to her nosey roommates.

    ¡°He¡¯s part of the Lu family.¡± Yan Xiaoxiao jumped in to answer with what she knew. ¡°His family is loaded. Of course, no one beats yours.¡±

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless. How many families in China, or the world at it, couldpare to the Fu family? Nevertheless, the Lu family did leave asting

    impression on Shen Xi as Lu Li was from that family.

    She wondered if Lu Ning¡¯s Lu family and Lu Li¡¯s Lu family belonged to the same family.

    Still, it did not take up much of her thoughts. Once their afternoon ss was over, Lu Ning approached Shen Xi. ¡°We should get going.¡±

    Although intrigued to learn the ins and outs of China¡¯s finest auction house, Yan Xiaoxiao and Jiang Xuanxuan knew better than to invite themselves.

    Shen Xi followed Lu Ning to the car park. Lu Ning drove a rather inconspicuous car. Judging by his clean-cut mien and sunny personality without the bad habits of

    a typical rich kid, it seemed he had a good upbringing.

    However, Lu Li¡¯s family was clearly bad news from the way they treated Lu Li. They must not be from the same Lu family Lu Ning belonged to.

    There were probably more families of equal wealth and power to the Lu family than she could count on her fingers.

    Exercising the gentleman¡¯s code in keeping a distance, Lu Ning, together with Shen Xi, ventured to Treasure Trove without initiating any talk.

    It was a bustling scene at Treasure Trove. They took their seats as groups of twos and threes engaged in a heated discussion of the prized possession to be

    auctioned today.

    Lu Ning¡¯s seats were in the far back on the left. Perturbed, he observed Shen Xi¡¯s facial expression and felt at ease to find no signs of disdain.

    It had been on his mind the whole ride here. Lu Ning said that he would take her to Treasure Trove, but they ended up without good seats. Would she hold it

    against him and get angry?

    Shen Xi took her seat and looked around the room. Those present were either wealthy or influential while the best seats in the house were taken by the hot shots in

    the business.

    Her eyes met someone who happened to look over. It was Situ Zhangyou. Situ Zhangyou was surprised to see her and quickly nodded with a smile before leaving

    his seat.

    Soon, he drew near to Shen Xi. Having heard that Lu Ning brought her in, he took another look at Lu Ning and courteously said with a grin, ¡°Mr. Lu, do you mind

    switching seats with me? I¡¯m sitting in the first row, numbered 10. My name is on it.¡±

    God forbid if Boss found out that the young missus came with a boy to an auction. As apetent subordinate, Situ Zhangyou must always have his master¡¯s best

    interest in mind. He could not allow anyone the opportunity to steal Boss¡¯ woman!

    Lu Ning nodded indifferently and gave his seat up. After letting Shen Xi know, he went forth to take Situ Zhangyou¡¯s seat.

    Situ Zhangyou then asked, ¡°Do you want the millennial snow lotus?¡±

    He had not informed her about the snow lotus because Kun Lun warned him that Boss and the young missus were busy catching up on love. No one was to disturb

    them.

    Shen Xi smiled. ¡°I just came for a look-see to satisfy my curiosity. I¡¯m sure there are a lot of people here today, ready to splurge on the snow lotus.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou pointed at everyone in the auction house. ¡°Ny percent of them.¡±

    The millennial snow lotus was rumored to be a kiss of life that could bring back the dead. Even if the herb could not grant immortality, its benefit guaranteed

    longevity.

    With Shen Xi¡¯s gaze sweeping to thest row on the right, she locked eyes with another who nodded and smiled at her.

    Lu Li.

    She recognized her..

 Chapter 742 - Sheâ€™s a Con-Woman

    <h4>Chapter 742 She¡¯s a Con-Woman</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion<strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Do you know her?¡± Situ Zhangyou was sharp to read the room. Following Shen Xi¡¯s line of vision, his eyes lit up with interest. He said with a smile. ¡°Oh, a beautifuldy.¡±

    Thedy was gorgeous and a different type of beauty to the young missus. The young missus was a detached ice queen while thedy had the tough and wild look, like a rose with thorns.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit on her.¡± Shen Xi warned him. ¡°She¡¯s not someone you can mess with.¡±

    Situ Zhangyou was lost in his thoughts. Apart from Boss and the young missus, who else could he not mess with in the capital or even the whole of China? ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°The mother of Fu Qingli¡¯s children.¡± Shen Xi did not mind telling him that. However, why did Lu Lie alone? The young master of the Su family, Su Jingyan, who came to pick her up the other night was not here

    with her.

    With Situ Zhangyou¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground, he tactfully stopped checking Lu Li out. Fu Qingli¡¯s woman was definitely a handsoff!

    Nevertheless, was it not rumored that Fu Qingli stayed away from women and perhaps swung the other way? Where did the mother of his childrene from?

    It was not his ce to gossip, but nothing was stopping him from looking into it himself.

    The auction soon began with the host appearing on stage. Various valuable antiques were sold off one after another at a ridiculously hefty price tag.

    Shen Xi quietly kept an eye on Lu Li. Seeing that thetter did not raise her card to put in a bid, Shen Xi could guess that Lu Li was not after any ordinary item. Lu Li had her eyes on the millennial snow lotus.

    Situ Zhangyou had been paying attention as well. She must be something to be able to sort Fu Qingli out. It was clear that everyone was after the snow lotus since the woman had not made a move.

    The millennial snow lotus was saved for thest. The moment the showstopper was brought out, the bidders perked up and set their sights on the snow lotus.

    The bid started at 10 million yuan with 500 thousand yuan increments.

    The snow lotus was quickly pushed to 100 million yuan. ustomed to the auction scene, the auctioneer on stage remained unfazed.

    Theplexion of bidders saw some changes as many capped their price at 100 million yuan. They could not afford any more increase.

    With the price tag of 100 million steering away a lot of the bidders, the bids began to slow down and retained at the minimum increment of 500 thousand. The bid was now at 110 million yuan.

    Lu Li suddenly raised her card and opened her mouth. Her clear and sweet voice echoed in the silent auction house. ¡°120 million.¡±

    The twopetitions in the front looked toward Lu Li in unison.

    One of them was a beautiful and regaldy in her prime. Thedy nced at Lu Li and frowned, wondering who Lu Li was to afford such a high bid.

    The other person was a middle-aged man. Sitting next to him was a girl in her twenties, dressed up in an innocent fashion. They seemed intimate.

    Jealousy alighted in the innocent-looking girl¡¯s eyes when she saw Lu Li. Clenching and loosening her fists, she clung to the man¡¯s body and batted her eyes at the middle-aged man. ¡°Darling, we have to get the snow

    lotus. Don¡¯t you want to have babies with me?¡±

    Hearing that, the middle-aged man gritted his teeth and raised his card. ¡°125 million.¡±

    Lu Li smiled faintly. ¡°130 million.¡±

    The middle-aged man became hesitant.

    The girl rested her assets on the man¡¯s trunk while breathing tingles into his ear. ¡°Think about our baby. Is a baby less important than your money?¡±

    Who did Lu Li, that b*tch, think she was to covet the snow lotus? The girl was not going to let Lu Li win.

    ¡°150 million.¡± Lu Li put forth another bid.

    Unable to sit still, the middle-aged man looked daggers at Lu Li and raised his card. ¡°160 million yuan.¡±

    ¡°200 million!¡± Lu Li looked back and nodded while smiling provokingly.

    The middle-aged man could no longer hold in the bubbling rage. Sensing that the girl beside him was acting out of the norms, he asked, ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    Who the hell was that b*tch? He never heard of her in the capital. Must the b*tch scr*w him over for a snow lotus?

    The girl drew close. ¡°Darling, she doesn¡¯t have money. She can¡¯t afford it. She¡¯s my cousin. The shameless b*tch gave birth to two b*stards without a father in the picture. My grandma took pity on her and took her in.¡±

    The middle-aged man¡¯s frown lines deepened. He understood the Lu family well enough to know that it would kill them to buy a snow lotus for 50 million, let alone 150 million.

    Seated next to him was histest sugar baby, Lu Meng, the daughter of the Lu family. Aged 21, the girl was beautiful, youthful, and green.

    He was rich, but his wife was ugly and grumpy. The fact that his wife could not give him a son made things worse. Since his wife was seriously ill and nearly at death¡¯s door to get into his business, the middle-aged man

    grew a pair and built a love nest with the meek Lu Meng. Lu Meng wanted to give him a son, but the middle-aged man was old and not in the best of health. He also had immotile spermatozoa in his semen.

    The middle-aged man came to the capital because he caught wind two days ago that China¡¯s no. 1 shaman was here. The shaman could apparently cure anything. He sent someone to ask if there was a cure to his

    condition and received word that the millennial snow lotus was crucial to his healing. The middle-aged man set out to buy the snow lotus, but some b*tch was now in his way.

    ¡°Are you sure she doesn¡¯t have money?¡± The middle-aged man hissed through clenched teeth. Having never had humiliation thrown to his face, the middle-aged man vowed to put Lu Li through hell.

    ¡°She grew up in the countryside. She¡¯s a country bumpkin who never finished high school because she had children. Where would her moneye from?¡± Lu Meng jolted up and angrily pointed at Lu Li. ¡°She¡¯s a con

    woman! Don¡¯t be fooled by her. She doesn¡¯t have that kind of money.¡±

    This was an upscale event. Regardless of how they acted behind the scenes, the people present would keep up appearances in public.

    For Lu Meng to suddenly stand up, many looked at both her and Lu Li, who had the finger pointed at her, while whispering among themselves to exchange intel. 200 million was not a small number to anyone after all..

 Chapter 743 - Youâ€™re My Fatherâ€™s Mistress?

    <h4>Chapter 743 You¡¯re My Father¡¯s Mistress?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The girl who bade 200 million was gorgeous and magnificent, to say the least. She seemed to be in her twenties. The crowd wondered who she was as they had never seen her at high-profile events in the capital.

    Everyone stood by and watched. There were many families in a vast territory like China. It was a possibility that she was some heiress who was not a fan of socializing or making public appearances.

    The Fu family¡¯s long-lost daughter was about that age. It was said that she had the face of an angel, but she was never seen in public. If it was her, they would be ying with fire to voice out at a time like this.

    ¡°Did you run a capital verification on her before letting her in? Is she qualified??¡± Lu Meng scoffed coldly. ¡°Does Treasure Trove allow any riff-raff into the ce?¡±

    Color washed off the auctioneer¡¯s face as he solemnly stared at Lu Meng. ¡°We¡¯ll perform capital checks on everyone here. Thisdy is well qualified.¡±

    Treasure Trove was not essible to the general public. Those with assets worth less than 10 billion were not allowed in unless they were guests specially invited.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a penny to her name. I demand a live capital verification.¡± Lu Meng blurted feverishly.

    The Lu family¡¯s whole assets put together was only 100 million yuan. Why would Lu Li, that b*tch, brazenly return to the Lu family if she had 10 billion?

    Lu Meng was shouting like a coarse woman talking smack in the streets. However, the middle-aged man beside her seemed pleased. Standing up, he turned his nose up and arrogantly said, ¡°I¡¯m sure Treasure Trove

    doesn¡¯t want to lose the snow lotus for nothing. She¡¯s Lu Li, the daughter of the Lu family and my wife¡¯s younger sister. She can¡¯t fork out that kind of money even if she sells off the whole family.¡±

    Although Lu Meng was offended by the statement, she said nothing. To be honest, she had noeback as the Lu family had been slipping.

    Otherwise, she, as the youngdy of the Lu family, would not stoop so low to be the mistress of an old geezer like Chen Qiang. The Lu family could not satisfy her luxurious needs. Lu Meng had to plead with her

    grandmother just to buy a handbag which cost several hundred thousand yuan.

    Besides, the Lu family business hit a snag with the supply chain recently. It was Chen Qiang who took care of the problem. Without a word, he invested 20 million.

    Chen Qiang might not be cultured, but he was wealthy and generous enough to splurge on her. Her family was now buttering up to Lu Meng because she was the savior of the family. Lu Li, the b*tch, had nothing on

    her.

    o one at the auction house knew Lu Li, but there were people who recognized Chen Qiang. He was a giant in real estate with personal assets worth 100 billion yuan. Of course, the crowd was leaning toward the man

    who was among China¡¯s richest twenty.

    Looking at Shen Xi, Situ Zhangyou inquired intriguingly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help?¡±

    That was Fu Qingli¡¯s wife, the young missus¡¯ sister-inw. The young missus was watching the scene with great gusto while Fu Qingli¡¯s partner remained rather detached in the whole matter.

    Lu Li was the daughter of the Lu family.

    Situ Zhangyou was familiar with the Lu family, and like what the woman said, they were an insignificant family with an estate valued at 100 million. Selling the entire Lu family would not be enough to buy the snow

    lotus.

    Sitting at the front, Lu Ning turned pale in the face. He nced at Lu Li and then at Lu Meng, not knowing whether he should speak up.

    They were both his cousins. Trouble brewed within the Lu family, especially among his second uncle¡¯s family, albeit they never aired their dirtyundry. For Lu Meng to nder Lu Li in public, even at the risk of

    disgracing the Lu family, what good would it do for her?

    ¡°Verify my capital.¡± Lu Li fished out a centurion credit card and handed it to one of the security attendants.

    It was obvious that Lu Meng did not expect Lu Li to go through with the check. The smugness in her eyes turned into suspicion when Lu Li took out a bank card. Lu Meng did not believe Lu Li had the money, but Lu Li

    seemed undaunted and even allowed a capital verification. Lu Meng had to rethink all this.

    With a frown, Chen Qiang gave Lu Meng the look to ask what was going on. Things could turn ugly if Lu Li really had the money.

    ¡°Mr. Chen, is it?¡± Lu Li turned to the middle-aged man next to Lu Meng. ¡°Judging by the dark cloud over your forehead and glossy eyes, you¡¯re about tond yourself in hot water.¡±

    ¡°We have verified that the youngdy¡¯s capital qualifies her to be here.¡± The auctioneer on stage announced the result of the verification.

    Holding the centurion bank card in hand, an attendant was respectfully walking past Chen Qiang while getting to Lu Li when Chen Qiang yelled, ¡°The card! That¡¯s my father¡¯s centurion card!¡±

    He recognized the logo on the card. It was his father¡¯s. Well, his father-inw.

    The dirty old man had no shame. He and his d*mn daughter watched Chen Qiang like a hawk every day. Chen Qiang would be intimidated and beaten up if he cheated in any way. He could not even enjoy the simple

    pleasures of a man.

    His father-inw had Chen Qiang on a leash, yet he himself was having an affair with a young girl.

    The attendant stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re my father¡¯s mistress? The kids you gave birth to are my father¡¯s love children?¡± Beyond shock, Chen Qiang turned blue in the face.

    All hell broke loose at that point.

    With the dirty old man and his daughter soon to kick the bucket, the Shen family, his inws, would be his to keep.

    The dirty geezer had double standards. There was nothing holding Chen Qiang back now.

    ¡°Your father wouldn¡¯t even talk to me like that.¡± Lu Li remained poker-faced, but her eyes turned cold as she shot a look at him,

    Situ Zhangyou looked at Shen Xi once more.

    Shen Xi¡¯s facial muscles stiffened as she gazed at Chen Qiang without hiding the murderous intent in her eyes. That was crossing the line. Why were all the dirty geezers in the world named the father of the children?

    Although she did not care for Fu Qingli, she should uphold the Fu family¡¯s dignity. Besides, she did not dislike Lu Li and the two adorable kids.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that your b*stards are not my father¡¯s children? Why did he give you the centurion card then? Chen Qiang got in Lu Li¡¯s face.

    The old fool was foolish to leave an important thing like the centurion bank card to someone else.

    Lu Li was still without a word.

    Shen Xi got up and looked at Chen Qiang. ¡°You should be held ountable for ndering and throwing mud without proof.¡±

    Amid a fit of anger, Chen Qiang was surprised that someone came at him. He furiously turned to Shen Xi, ¡°Who are you? Who are you to stand up for her?¡±

    She was not sitting on a good seat because the seats were assigned ording to personal wealth. Those seated in the back had lesspared to everyone here while those specially invited were not subjected to the

    capital verification..

 Chapter 744 - My Boss Missus

    <h4>Chapter 744 My Boss¡¯ Missus</h4>

    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Despite Chen Qiang¡¯s thoughts, many eagle-eyed onlookers had caught sight of Situ Zhangyou who sat next to Shen Xi. The eldest young master and future heir of the Situ family was also the right-hand man to head of the Li household, Li Yuan.

    Chen Qiang may not recognize the beautiful girl, but was he that blind to not notice Situ Zhangyou? With looks such as Situ Zhang-you¡¯s, it was hard to miss.

    Laying her eyes on Situ Zhangyou, Lu Meng had a bad feeling. Situ Zhangyou was no average joe. He was sitting next to the girl who stood up for Lu Li.

    ¡°Mr. Chen, that¡¯s some big talk.¡± Situ Zhang-you listlessly got up and coldly stared at Chen Qiang with an offhanded look on his face before casting an overwhelming presence and murderous intent.

    Too deep in a fit of rage, Chen Qiang only spotted Situ Zhangyou now and nearly wetted his pants.

    Fortunately, he was able to put on his big-boy pants and adapt quickly enough to let out a cringing smile. ¡°Young Master Situ, this youngdy here is your...?¡±

    Could the girl be Situ Zhangyou¡¯s girlfriend? However, Situ Zhangyou was a celebrity with a multitude of fans who likened themselves to his girlfriend. It would be an uproar in showbiz if he had a girlfriend. The socialites anddies of the upper ss would have done something about it.

    If nothing else, Chen Qiang¡¯s daughter was a crazy fan of Situ Zhangyou. He was all she talked about every day, and if Situ Zhangyou was dating anyone, Chen Qiang was sure his daughter would kick up a huge fuss.

    ¡°This is my boss¡¯ missus.¡± Looking at the senseless brute, Situ Zhangyou listlessly opened his mouth.

    Everyone on-site widened their eyes at Shen Xi. Atst, someone identified Shen Xi and cried out.

    ¡°She¡¯s Shen Xi!¡±

    ¡°The Fu family¡¯s daughter?¡¯

    ¡°Oh my god! Is she the long-lost daughter the Fu family just reunited with?¡±

    Following the revtion, everyone¡¯s jaw dropped. No way! This huge bombshell of the century could rock the high society to its core.

    The boss mentioned by Situ Zhang-you was Li Yuan, the head of the Li household. The girl was Shen Xi, the daughter of the Fu family. In other words, the Fu family and the Li family were an alliance through marriage!

    Now that all eyes were on Shen Xi, very few were concerned about Lu Li.

    Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi was getting a major headache from all the attention. She smiled faintly. ¡°Ms. Lu Li is a friend of mine. Is there anything else you would like to ask, Mr. Chen?¡±

    Chen Qiang lost the will to pursue the matter. With his face turning red, he wished he could get down on his knees and beg for mercy. He had an egg on his face. ¡°No, no. I didn¡¯t know you were the youngdy of the Fu family. Please forgive me for offending you.¡±

    With downcast eyes, Lu Meng hid the wickedness in her eyes as she clenched her fists. D*mn Lu Li! How did she befriend the youngdy of the Fu family?

    How did Shen Xi, the youngdy of the Fu family, be the missus of the Li family? This was the Li family, the greatest family in China! Every girl in the capital dreamed of marrying into the Li family, and so many families aspired to join forces and gain stature with the Li family through marriage.

    Yet now, the Li family and Fu family came together. Imagine the power and influence the partnership between China¡¯s greatest and the world¡¯s most affluent could bring.

    Shen Xi let out a contemptuous smile. There were so many who bullied the weak and feared the strong in this world.

    Chen Qiang was a smart man. Otherwise, he would not have gotten to where he was today through his wife¡¯s connections. He did his homework on taking stock of situations. Chen Qiang turned to Lu Li. ¡®Ms. Lu, I apologize. I didn¡¯t know you were friends with Ms. Shen. It¡¯s all just a misunderstanding.¡±

    Lu Li smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not for you or me to say whether it¡¯s a misunderstanding or not.¡±

    She then took a nce at Lu Meng.

    Shaken by the piercing look, Lu Meng quickly red back in retaliation.

    So what if Lu Li, the b*tch, was a friend of Shen Xi? She was a cheap woman who had privileges to Chen

    Qiang¡¯s father-inw¡¯s centurion card. There was no other exnation for the rtionship besides the fact

    that she was the sugar baby.

    The two b*stards Lu Li gave birth to must be fathered by the dying old geezer. What was with the cocky attitude? Lu Li was no more noble and virtuous than Lu Meng was as they were mistresses all the same.

    Chen Qiang grinned obsequiously. ¡°Rest assured, Ms. Lu. I will pay a visit another day for a personal apology.¡±

    Thus, that was the end of the matter. Since the party concerned made no fuss, it would be pointless to dwell in the argument. The interrupted auction resumed.

    Shen Xi looked at Lu Li and smiled, feeling a little worried she had poked her nose where she should not.

    Lu Li did not reflect much of an opinion about Shen Xiing to her defense. She simply nodded and grinned at Shen Xi in a show of her gratitude.

    Fu Qingli did not have the most likable character, but his sister was versatile. Lu Li had a good feeling about Shen Xi, and even her daughter and son took to their aunt.

    Shen Xi¡¯s reaction to the situation was in Situ Zhang-you¡¯s expectation. With that personality of hers, Shen Xi

    would help Lu Li for sure. The thing that took him by surprise was Shen Xi withholding Lu Li¡¯s identity.

    Fu Qingli was not one to mess with. It would not end up good for Chen Qiang since he ran his mouth and gave Fu Qingli¡¯s children a new father.

    Following the spectacle, the auction was thest thing on the bidders¡¯ minds. They discussed hushedly the bombshell that was dropped.

    The Li and Fu family¡¯s union would shake China¡¯s high society to its foundation.

    The auction went on.

    Chen Qiang bit his tongue from saying anything more. Revenge was a dish best served cold anyway. Nevertheless, he put the me on Lu Meng for the humiliation and scare he went through.

    He would not have stepped on the toes of Ms. Shen¡¯s friend had the woman not spurt nonsense in his ear. Upsetting Ms. Shen¡¯s friend was crossing her, and crossing her meant getting under the Fu and Li family¡¯s skin.

    ¡°Darling, I didn¡¯t know about that.¡± Lu Meng murmured as tears filled her doe eyes. ¡®I l kept an eye on them. Lu

    Li and Ms. Shen aren¡¯t close at all. There¡¯s no way Lu Li would know any important people since she¡¯s from the countryside.¡±

    Ms. Shen should mind her own business. Someone like Lu Li could not possibly be acquainted with the youngdy of the Fu family. It was ridiculous.

    Chen Qiang gave Lu Meng the evil eye to shut up.

    He had his doubts. The centurion bank card, for example, belonged to the old fool. How did it end up in Lu Li¡¯s hands?

    Could she really be that old fool¡¯s mistress? Was the old b*stard the father of her children?

    Lu Li closed the deal on the millennial snow lotus at 200 million yuan in the end. Someone came bursting through the doors as the auctioneers announced the new ownership of the snow lotus. .

 Chapter 745 - A Lofty Figure

    <h4>Chapter 745 A Lofty Figure</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Chen Qiang.¡±

    A robust voice was heard.

    Turning their heads to the source, everyone on-site saw a grizzled old man standing at the door. Although his frail body was supported by a cane, his straightened back showed he had a spine.

    The person was the head of the Shen family, Shen Jiugui. He was also Chen Qiang¡¯s father-inw.

    Chen Qiang was sort of a live-in son-inw. His business was able to take off because of the Shen family. Since then, he wasbeled as someone who feared his wife and was sustained by his father-inw. Chen Qiang

    was silently resentful, only running his mouth about the family in his mind. He feared and hated Shen Jiugui.

    The old man¡¯s voice was enough to make him shake in his boots. He instinctively looked over and tried to get his act together. ¡°Dad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your father.¡± Shen Jiugui mmed the cane on the ground and gazed at Chen Qiang with eyes unlike the murkiness of the old. His windows to the soul were clear as his voice resounded in the room. ¡°Your wife,

    my daughter, Shen Furong, is still in the ICU, fighting for her life. Yet, here you are, having a great time with a confidante of your daughter¡¯s age.¡±

    The old man remained respectful in his talk, addressing the girl as a confidante even though she was the mistress. However, anyone could feel his rage.

    ¡°Dad, I...¡± Chen Qiang smiled obsequiously at the old man. ¡°Mengmeng and I don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship. She¡¯s my secretary. She came with me to buy Furong the thousand-year ginseng.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not blind, Chen Qiang. Don¡¯t take me for a fool.¡± With an imposing mien to match, Shen Jiugui looked at everyone in the room. ¡°I¡¯d like to have everyone here as my witness as I, Shen Jlugui, announce here today

    that Chen Qiang is banished from the Shen family. The Shen family is cutting all ties with him.¡±

    Color drained from Chen Qiang¡¯splexion. He had many assets, but most were in the Shen family¡¯s name. Many of his business partners only agreed to a partnership in respect of the Shen family.

    Although he had been trying to escape the Shen family¡¯s shadows and crack down on the Shen family¡¯s alliances over the years, little progress was made with the old geezer in control.

    On the other hand, Lu Meng was filled with glee as she contemted her next move to rightfully marry Chen Qiang and be a rich man¡¯s wife.

    Chen Qiang¡¯s personal assets would still make him among the richest 20 in the nation. Even if he was disassociated from the Shen family, he was still worth hundreds of millions.

    ¡°Dad, is this because of her?¡± Driven to the edge, Chen Qiang went full force as he pointed at Lu Li. ¡°You¡¯re throwing me out of the Shen family to make way for her and her children? Are you scared I¡¯ll take your

    illegitimate children¡¯s inheritance?¡±

    The old geezer had always imed to love his daughter the most and see Chen Qiang as his own. Yet, the old fart wanted to have a son to bequeath his inheritance to. All that talk about leaving the Shen family in Chen

    Qiang¡¯s hands so long as Chen Qiang treated his daughter well was only a cover for him to work his *ss off for the Shen family.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Jiugui turned ashen with rage as he angrily pointed at Chen Qiang. ¡°Shut your filthy mouth. I entrusted Ms. Lu with the task to bid for the snow lotus. The millennial snow lotus was for Furong¡¯s illness.¡±

    Shen Jiugui was not an old fool who knew nothing. He had caught wind of the stuff Chen Qiang had been up to. Nevertheless, Shen Jiugui had no time to deal with him because his daughter¡¯s illness was a priority.

    ¡°Bid for the snow lotus? Why can¡¯t you leave the task to me? I¡¯m here to buy the snow lotus for Furong.¡± Chen Qiang lied through his teeth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to expose you in front of so many people. Well, I got to spare my millionaire son-inw¡¯s feelings, right?¡± Shen Jiugui could not believe that Chen Qiang was still trying to give him a bad name.

    Despite his old age, Shen Jiuqui saw reputation as a necessity. He would not dare take advantage of a youngdy; unlike Chen Qiang who had no guts to act on his wandering eyes when his daughter was healthy but

    had an affair now that his daughter was sick.

    ¡°Are you afraid to expose me or destroy your legacy?¡± Chen Qiang had a good grip on the old man¡¯s temper. There was no going back now that the word was out that he was cutting ties.

    Still, Chen Qiang did not want to give in so easily. There was no way the old geezer could have his way with women and get a girl who could pass as his granddaughter to bear his children while Chen Qiang was driven

    out of the family when he only found a woman. As if Chen Qiang would believe that the old geezer was not paving a way for his love children.

    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Shen Jiugui¡¯s face fell. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been bitter throughout the years. I¡¯m kicking you out for Furong. You don¡¯t deserve her. You can insult me, but don¡¯t insult Ms. Lu.¡±

    Chen Qiang scoffed coldly. He grew more convinced of his theories the more the old man tried to exin. Lu Li¡¯s children were the old geezer¡¯s. ¡°Did you ask Shen Furong about kicking me out? Did she agree to it? I¡¯m

    her husband.¡±

    Shen Jiugui and Chen Qiang got into a stand-off in the face of the public.

    The onlookers were caught at the edge of their seats by the sudden twist and turn much like a telenov. They whispered in each other¡¯s ear about the father of Lu Li¡¯s children.

    The Shen family¡¯s old master threw his integrity out the window if the children really belonged to him. However, it would only be deemed as inappropriate even if the old master had children with another woman since

    everyone knew his wife had been dead for thirty years.

    It was a different story with Chen Qiang as he was a man with a family. He was cheating on his wife by having an affair. It was wrong on all levels.

    Nevertheless, Chen Qiang had a point about Old Master Shen kicking out of the family to make way for his illegitimate children.

    The attention now centered on whether Old Master Shen was the father of Lu Li¡¯s children.

    Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Lu Li as they waited for an exnation from her. She had to speak up at some point, right? Chen Qiang had put it all there. If her children were not Old Master Shen¡¯s, Chen Qiang would be

    tantly insulting her just to get under her skin.

    Could the people take her silence as acknowledgment?

    Shen Xi looked at Lu Li, at a loss of Lu Li¡¯s ns. Chen Qiang was full of sh*t and should pay for it. Shen Xi wondered if she should step forth.

    It never urred to Situ Zhangyou that he woulde across such a drama at an auction. By the looks of the situation, it did not seem like Lu Li was going toe out and rify the father of her children¡¯s identity.

    She probably had no interest in Fu Qingli in that way and refused to be associated with him.

    ¡°Mommy.¡± A little girl¡¯s voice echoed at the auction ce.

    Everyone turned their heads to the door. Against the light, a lofty figure approached while carrying a child..

 Chapter 746 - The Father of the Children is Fu Qingli!

    <h4>Chapter 746: The Father of the Children is Fu Qingli!</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion</h4>

    A little boy followed behind the man. Despite his young age, the boy bore a simr unweing demeanor to the man.

    Since the light was dim where they were, the crowd could only have a good look at the man¡¯s face when they drew nearer.

    Dressed in a ck windbreaker, the man was a dreamboat and carried an air of innate nobility and grace. His presence was intimidating enough to make people go down on their knees.

    In the man¡¯s arms was a little girl with a cute bun. Her tender face which resembled a rice dumpling was so adorable.

    Behind the man, the handsome boy with a straight face was a spitting image of the man.

    At a closer inspection, some of the people were quick to notice that the little girl took after Lu Li. Following another nce, the little girl was basically a mini version of Lu Li.

    By then, many of them could ascertain that the young child in the man¡¯s arms was Li Lu¡¯s daughter while the boy behind the man must be his son.

    Someone looked in the direction of Chen Qiang. Thetter had been running his mouth, insulting Ms. Lu and calling her the mistress who lived off of Old Master Shen and bore his illegitimate children.

    What was Chen Qiang going to do now that the real father of the children made an appearance? He should burn in shame for cheating on his wife while she was sick at home. Yet, he threw nder left, right, and center after being driven out of the Shen family.

    The moment Lu Li saw the iing person, she instinctively turned to Shen Xi.

    With an innocent look on her face, Shen Xi shrugged and shook her head. It was not her. She did not say anything. She had nothing to do with Fu Qingli showing up here.

    Furrowing her brows, Lu Li heard her daughter calling for her. ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Lu Meng¡¯s heart beat fast when her eyesy on the man. The man was a Greek god with those charming looks.

    Yet why was such a high and mighty man the father of Lu Li¡¯s children?

    Others may not know the b*stard child, Lu Zhen, but she did. She was certain by just one look that the man was Lu Zhen¡¯s biological father.

    Taken aback, Chen Qiang¡¯s heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he mumbled under his breath about his stupid luck. He spat and red at the man.

    Who did the man think he was for barging in here and sticking his up Chen Qiang¡¯s business? This year had been a series of bad luck for Chen Qiang.

    ¡°Mr. Fu.¡± Situ Zhangyou got up and courteously greeted him.

    ¡°Big Brother.¡± Shen Xi cried. This was the first time she addressed him as ¡°big brother¡±. It sounded strange and awkward.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s icy eyes softened as he beamed at her. He asked, ¡°Are youing home tonight?¡±

    Shen Xi fell into deep thought. ¡®Yes.¡±

    Giving a nod, Fu Qingli carried the little girl toward Lu Li.

    The public was stunned by the word ¡°Brother¡±ing out of Shen Xi¡¯s mouth. He was none other than Fu Qingli.

    Oh, gawd!

    The man, who had just arrived and the father of Lu Li¡¯s children, was Fu Qingli!

    Many gave Chen Qiang looks of pity as if to tell him that he was a dead man walking.

    Chen Qiang was about to lose it. His knees gave out, nearly causing him to stumble on the floor. He widened his eyes in disbelief while his lips quivered violently.

    Impossible.

    No way.

    Lu Meng said the father of Lu Li¡¯s b*stard children was unknown. How could they be Fu Qingli¡¯s children?

    Not knowing what to feel, Lu Meng was in a daze. However, the raging jealousy was tearing her apart inside.

    The b*tch¡¯s children were Fu Qingli¡¯s!

    There was no way Lu Meng could ept that fact. Lu Li¡¯s children should be little b*stards without a father. Lu Li should be outcasted and rejected by society while her children should bebeled b*stards for the rest of their lives!

    Shen Jiugui took a fleeting nce at Chen Qiang before turning to Lu Lai.

    With a stone-cold face and well-hidden bloodthirst in her eyes, Lu Li looked at Fu Qingli.

    He had signed the agreement. He was not to approach and take the kids away without her permission. He broke the contract.

    Fu Qingli reached Lu Li in a blink of an eye and nodded at her. ¡°I ran into them on the way here.¡±

    Even though he never liked to exin himself, Fu Qingli was afraid she might get the wrong idea about him meeting and taking the children away on his own ord.

    Lu Li looked at Lu Zhen.

    Lu Zhen bobbed his head in testament to Fu Qingli¡¯s words.

    He and his younger sister came to look for mommy and bumped into him at the subway station, so they came with him.

    After getting a confirmed answer, Lu Li nodded at Fu Qingli and smiled politely. She then picked Lu Guoguo up. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Hiding his emotions behind his poker face, Fu Qingli turned to Chen Qiang. ¡°Mr. Chen, is it? What was it that you were saying earlier?¡±

    Chen Qiang wanted to rip his mouth out. He was almost at his knees in the face of the oppressive man. ¡°Mr. Fu, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know they were your children. I shouldn¡¯t haveshed out.¡±

    Why did he have to blurt things like that?

    D*mn Lu Meng. What did she know? Was she out to scr*w him over and see him make a fool of himself?

    The coldness intensified Fu Qingli¡¯s murderous eyes. ¡°Oh?¡±

    The single utterance sent chills down Chen Qiang¡¯s spine. He could wet his pants. Dragging Lu Meng over, he pointed at her. ¡°It didn¡¯te out of nowhere. She told me.¡±

    His own safety was a priority when it came to the crunch. Women were nothing. Plenty woulde licking his feet at the wave of his arm. It was just one Lu Meng.

    It never crossed Lu Meng¡¯s mind that Chen Qiang would throw her under the bus to save himself. She was reeling inside. Conjuring her own safe route, she coughed out crocodile tears and turned to Fu Qingli. ¡°Brother-inw, it¡¯s not true at all. I did no such thing. How can I ever badmouth my sister? It was him. He said it. He insulted my sister. You must get even for her.¡±

    Ha! Why should she hang on to an old geezer like Chen Qiang when Lu Li found herself inside the pants of a Fu family member? Lu Meng would cozy up to the Fu family and get whatever she wanted.

    Lu Meng saw it clearly. Fu Qingli and Lu Li seemed estranged. Since Lu Li never revealed who the father was, it was likely she did not like Fu Qingli.

    The fact that Lu Li did not like Fu Qingli gave Lu Meng the opening. She could get close to Fu Qingli in Lu Li¡¯s name and seduce him..

 Chapter 747 - She Doesnâ€™t Like Me Tagging Along

    <h4>Chapter 747 She Doesn¡¯t Like Me Tagging Along</h4>

    The Lu family would roll out the red carpet for Lu Meng if she could marry Fu Qingli. No one else in the whole of China could beat her in terms of the aristocracy. Lu Meng couldugh her face off at the mere thought of it.

    ¡°You b*tch!¡± Furious, Chen Qiang grabbed ahold of Lu Meng¡¯s hair and pped her face for passing the buck. He gave her a dirty look. ¡°You said Lu Li¡¯s children are fatherless b*stards.¡±

    Lu Meng wailed in sorrow while crying for help. ¡°Brother-inw, save me! Help me! He¡¯s the one who said Guoguo and Lu Zhen are Mr. Shen¡¯s illegitimate children. It was him. He made the usation. Mr. Shen, he alsomented that you seem to be clinging on to life. He hopes you and your daughter will drop dead soon so the Shen family will be his.¡±

    With his face flushed, Chen Qiang gave her hair a forceful tug and pulled off clumps of her hair. ¡°What did you say, b*tch? Quit the bullsh*t and incitement¡±

    Although screaming in pain, Lu Meng did not hold back as she wed Chen Qiang¡¯s face. At the same time, she did not forget to seek help from her brother-inw.

    Watching the scene unfold, Fu Qingli¡¯s icy eyes saw a fleeting hint of taunt and disdain. He nced at Lu Li with a frown.

    Was this case with the other Lu family members as well?

    Lu Li red at him. Why was he staring at her? She was not Lu Meng.

    Shen Xi clicked her tongue in amazement at the duel between the man and the woman. It sure took all sorts to make the world. The pair was a strange match made in Heaven.

    Just like that, Chen Qiang and Lu Meng got into a public brawl.

    Lu Meng, believing she was in the right, was not going to back down from retaliating against Chen Qiang. She resorted to tacticsmonly used by women ¨C wing, scratching, and

    biting.

    Chen Qiang was a man after all. Since he was stronger than Lu Meng, it did not take long before Lu Meng was subdued. Holding her by the hair, he was about to ram her to the chair.

    Everyone there watched the circus without any intention to stop them. Even Shen Jiugui held his tongue as he solemnly looked on.

    In the end, Lu Ning could not stand by and watch any longer. Lu Meng would be beaten to death at this rate. No matter what, she was family and his cousin. Lu Ning charged right in there and held Chen Qiang¡¯s arm down.

    Chen Qiang was on a warpath to kill Lu Meng. Livid by the abrupt interruption, he yelled, ¡°Are you looking to get some too, boy!¡±

    Lu Ning stared at him. ¡°Mr. Chen, you¡¯re making yourself look bad by hitting a woman in public.¡±

    Chen Qiang¡¯s actions only proved that he was not a man. Shame on him. Lu Ning was aware that his cousin had found herself a sugar daddy. Instead of feeling ashamed, the Lu family took pride in Lu Meng as she could save the family from a financial crisis.

    His second uncle¡¯s family especially, would not stop bragging that his daughter found a good man as if it was the most honorable thing.

    Lu Ning was tempted to show them the true colors of the good man they spoke so highly of.

    Without a word, Chen Qiang turned red in the eyes and shifted to pour his fury at Lu Ning.

    ¡°Cut it out.¡± Shen Jiugui broke his silence atst with a resounding yell. He looked at Chen Qiang. ¡°Have you no shame?¡±

    Chen Qiang really stopped this time. He gave Lu Meng the evil eyes while rage was still building up inside.

    What did he do to deserve this? Because of this b*tch, he was driven out of the Shen family and even stepped on Fu Qingli¡¯s toes. He was ruined and about to lose everything!

    ¡°Dad.¡± Crying his eyes out, Chen Qiang fell on his knees with a thump. ¡°I know I¡¯m wrong. The d*mn b*tch seduced me and I couldn¡¯t hold it in my pants. It was her. I love Furong with all my heart. Dad, please forgive me just this once. You don¡¯t want Lil¡¯ Xin to lose her father, right?¡±

    Chen Qiang had it in his ns to take on Shen Jiugui, seeing that thetter had illegitimate children. It would put them in a position where no one was better than the other.

    Yet now, it had been verified that Lu Li¡¯s children belonged to Fu Qingli. Chen Qiang would be killed by Fu Qingli for saying what he said. The only person who could save him now was the old fool.

    For the old fool to hand a valuable thing like the centurion bank card to Lu Li, it was enough to show that they were close. Chen Qiang might live to see another day if the old geezer put in the good word.

    Without paying Chen Qiang any more attention, Shen Jiugui turned on his heel and walked toward Lu Li with the cane. He first nodded at Fu Qingli before turning to Lu Li with the utmost respect. ¡°Ms. Lu, we should get the snow lotus and leave. Chen Qiang has nothing to do with the Shen family now.¡±

    In other words, everyone else was free to deal with him. There was no need to hold back for his sake.

    Color washed off from Chen Qiang¡¯s face as he bitterly cried, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t do this to me. I know I¡¯m at fault. It¡¯s my mistake. Please forgive me. I won¡¯t ever do it again.¡±

    The godd*mn fool! He had already admitted to his mistake. What more did the old geezer want? Yes, Chen Qiang had a mistress, but so did all the wealthy men in the world. Must the old fart spare him no mercy for a one-time fling?

    Shen Xi furrowed her brows as she looked at Chen Qiang with a look of disgust. There were many that knew no shame in the world, but Chen Qiang was on a whole new level of shamelessness.

    He was the one who cheated and yet he made excuses in hopes others would forgive him.

    Situ Zhangyou gave Chen Qiang a look of pity before gazing at Fu Qingli. Someone was about to get it. Fu Qingli was known to hold onto grudges.

    Fu Qingli was a perfect gentleman in public to live up to the Fu family¡¯s honor but behind the scenes¡­ He was just as ruthless and cruel as Boss.

    Chen Qiang was done for. Fu Qingli did not give Chen Qiang the time of the day, nor did he leave with Lu Li. He waited for Shen Xi and left with her.

    Once at the door, Shen Xi asked, ¡°You should go after Ms. Lu.¡±

    Why was Fu Qingli with her when he should be with Ms. Lu and the children? An insensitive and unromantic guy like Fu Qingli deserved to be single for the rest of his life. He should be jumping at the opportunity to spend time with them.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me tagging along.¡± With dark eyes, Fu Qingli watched as the woman and kids quickly disappeared out of his sight. Deep inside his eyes, a quick sense of loneliness shed by.

    Shen Xi gave him a piece of advice. ¡°Sometimes, you can¡¯t be too reserved. You need to have thick skin when it counts. How would you know she won¡¯t like it if you don¡¯t chase after her? Or are you not interested in her that way?¡±

    She then observed Fu Qingli¡¯s expression to read his thoughts on this.

 Chapter 748 - So Fu Qingli Wanted the Woman in His Life Now?

    <h4>Chapter 748: So Fu Qingli Wanted the Woman in His Life Now?</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion <strong>Editor: </strong>EndlessFantasy Trantion

    With his pupils dting, Fu Qingli pursed his lips and looked daggers at the woman and kids as they got into a car. He was without a word.

    Shen Xi suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re even the slightest interested in her, you guys should try to get along.¡±

    Fu Qingli solemnly nodded. His voice was deep. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    Across the street, a Rolls Royce cruised along and pulled up.

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes lit up. She nced at Fu Qingli and nudged him. ¡°Ms. Lu¡¯s car hasn¡¯t left. Go on and give it a go.¡±

    She had heard from Mom, Dad, and Qingye that Fu Qingli never got physical with a woman. Had it not been because he got on well with Aunt Junqiu and Mom, people would think he was allergic to women.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s pupils dted again when his gaze fell upon the Rolls Royce. His eyes screamed murder, albeit the intent was fleeting. He looked at Shen Xi intimidatingly. ¡°Come home tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Shen will be there too.¡±

    ¡°Got it. You¡¯d lose them if you dawdle on.¡± Shen Xi reminded him.

    While moving along, Fu Qingli took another nce at the car with his chilly eyes. With the person inside getting off, Fu Qingli darted the evil eye at him.

    Giving a nod, Li Yuan smiled and greeted him, ¡°Big Brother.¡±

    Fu Qingli was tempted to dropkick Li Yuan. However, he had no time for Li Yuan since the car ahead was leaving. He made a beeline over.

    Thinking it was strange, Li Yuan nced over and found Fu Qingli walking away in flurried footsteps. Li Yuan looked on with interest as Fu Qingli caught up to a nearby car and banged on the window.

    The window was wound down, revealing a woman¡¯s stone-cold but beautiful face. It was none other than Lu Li. A tiny head poked through from behind Lu Li with a bright smile.

    Someone ran into Li Yuan¡¯s arms and hugged his figure with her supple curves before uttering sweetly, ¡°Brother.¡± He turned his attention back to the person. With downcast eyes, he looked at the girl in his embrace with a smile. ¡°Has your brothere around?¡± So Fu Qingli wanted the woman in his life now?

    ¡°Maybe.¡± Getting on her tiptoes, Shen Xi rested her chin on his shoulder as she observed the people in the opposite direction.

    Li Yuan grabbed her thin waist to lift her so that she could have a better look. He curled his lips in delight. ¡°Tell Qingye to have a talk with him and teach him how to treat thedies.¡±

    Although Li Yuan was not fond of Fu Qingli, personal conflicts should be left at that. In all, he still hoped Fu Qingli could get the woman ande together as a family.

    ¡°Does he look like someone who would listen?¡± Pursing her lips, Shen shook her head and sighed. Watching as Fu Qingli got into the car, she patted Li Yuan¡¯s head. ¡°Brother, put me down.¡±

    With a smile, Li Yuan hooked Shen Xi by the legs and carried her like a

    princess into the Rolls Royce. He leaned forward and murmured with endless allure, ¡°Like this?¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s heart was jumping out of her chest at the man¡¯s closeup face. Biting her lip, she grabbed the man¡¯s tie and gave it a pull. Their lips met.

    Behind the wheel, Kun Lun took the hint and raised the divider screen with a sigh. What did a single guy like him do to deserve front row seats to the couple¡¯s public disy affection?

    He must bring it up to Boss about taking turns with other guys to be his driver. It was only fair to share the love.

    The heat seemed to be on a rise in the backseat.

    Shen Xiy in Li Yuan¡¯s arms amid gasps, burying her head against his neck while nuzzling gently. Her voice was light and raspy. ¡°Brother.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Li Yuan stroked the girl¡¯s long mane while breathing in her sweet scent. He was on cloud nine.

    ¡°Shall we go to the amusement park?¡± Shen Xi softly nibbled on his earlobe and blew in his ear.

    With his body stiffening, Li Yuan felt a rush to his blood. His breathing turned ragged as he began to lose his willpower. His voice bore a sultry gruff. ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Xi responded while her nimble tongue shyly licked his rolling sexy Adam¡¯s apple.

    Following quickened breaths, Li Yuan held the back of the girl¡¯s head to keep her still. The desire in his eyes was about to break free. ¡°Stop squirming.¡±

    She was ying with fire!

    If it was not because they were in a car, and if it was not because he did not want her hurt, he was tempted to take her right here right now!

    Shen Xi held still and asked, ¡°Brother, does it feel ufortable?¡± Li Yuan could barely get a word out. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Let me help you.¡± Shen Xi¡¯s eyes were as vivid as the stars shining in the sky. She was ready to get into action to relieve him.

    Li Yuan grabbed her by the hand while suppressing a creeping lust simmering behind his profound eyes. His voice could not be any huskier. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I know what to do.¡± Shen Xi muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen it before.¡±

    ¡°P*rn!¡± Looking at the man, Shen Xi burst outughing. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± Li Yuan met her eyes and said, ¡°Never.¡±

    Shen Xi blinked. ¡°For real?¡±

    Li Yuan gritted his teeth. ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shen Xi inquired, ¡°So you satisfied yourself?¡±

    It must be hard for men to hold back the urge. Without a girlfriend, they had to relieve themselves with their hands. Was it possible that Li Yuan never had that kind of urge?

    Li Yuan uttered with a deep voice, ¡°No!¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How do you take care of your needs?¡±

    Li Yuan answered, ¡°Just hold it in and it¡¯ll go away.¡±

 Chapter 749 - The Four Stood Across from Each Other

    <h4>Chapter 749 The Four Stood Across from Each Other</h4>

    With Li Yuan drawing near, his warm breath brushed against Shen Xi¡¯s face. ¡°What did you

    say?¡±

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve done nothing of that sort.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled, unable to help himself from pinching the girl¡¯s rosy cheeks. ¡°Well, watch out for what¡¯sing.¡± Shen Xi retorted, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Shen Xiughed in delight while nudging him to the other end. She retrieved an item from her backpack and gave it to him before lying down on her side with her head resting against hisp. ¡°Brother, I feel an itch in my ear. Clean my ear for me.¡±

    Li Yuan looked at the ear pick that had a scoop on one end and a kitten¡¯s head on the other. The ear pick was in cute pink. He turned his attention to the girl. ¡°It¡¯s dark. I won¡¯t be able to see.¡±

    Shen Xi sweetly cooed, ¡°Press the cat head.¡±

    Li Yuan gave his thumb a push and the ear pick lit up. He smiled dotingly as his eyes glimmered in surprise.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°I just bought this amazing device. Clean my ears and then I¡¯ll clean yours.¡±

    Li Yuan held down the girl¡¯s squirmy head. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll begin now.¡±

    Responding favorably, Shen Xi closed her eyes and indulged in the moment.

    Li Yuan always knew to exert the right amount of strength, but there was nothing in the girl¡¯s ear. Her ears were clean.

    Since they were in a moving vehicle, Li Yuan remained cautious as he gently dug the ear. The girl¡¯s paced breathing saw a tender smile across his lips.

    The girl was like a cat, soft and cute. His heart could melt by just watching her. He wished time would stop at this moment. As the amusement park was having its year-end annual carnival, there was a sea of people even at night.

    At the entrance to the park, Li Yuan stared at the long-faced girl. ¡°Are we still going in?¡±

    Although the amusement park was fun, they would have to wait at least half an hour for each ride because of the crowd. They would not be able to get on many rides.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that there would be that many people at the amusement park thiste. The scene of people packed like sardines made her shudder. ¡°Brother, let¡¯se another day. We should get home.¡±

    Mom and Dad were home. Fu Qingli also told her toe back for dinner.

    ¡°How about I get the ce cleared?¡± Li Yuan looked at her and sought her opinion.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t be fun. It¡¯s better to have some people around. We¡¯ll wait another day to have a st when there aren¡¯t too many people.¡± It had been on her mind to revisit the amusement park once Li Yuan¡¯s legs were better. She wanted to drag him along to all the thrilling rides and games she had her eye on.

    Li Yuan nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s head home then.¡±

    The pair turned back and ran into another couple. Hand-in-hand, the couple was in full-blown disguise with masks and sunsses. The four stood across from each other.

    Shen Xi stared ahead. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, Brother.¡±

    ¡°Are you justing out of the park?¡± Letting go of Yu Yuanxi¡¯s hand, Song Wenye ran to Shen Xi and asked her in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s with the crowd today?¡±.

    Shen Xi pointed at therge fonts at the entryway. ¡°There¡¯s a carnival and performances going on. A few famous singers and celebrities have been invited today.¡±

    Most of the people were here today to join in the bustle, watch the performances, and support their idols as fans.

    ¡°What luck.¡± Song Wenye sighed. Why was it so hard to have a date? She read that the amusement park was a must-go for couples. Hence, the reason she was here.

    She and Yu Yuanxi had nothing on their work schedule today, so they picked to go to the amusement park at night to avoid being spotted. Yet, their ns hit a roadblock.

    Yu Yuanxi approached. ¡°Are you guys on your way out?¡±

    Li Yuan shook his head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s crowded there. We haven¡¯t gotten in.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi was also in the same mind that it was jam-packed after a nce at the mass. He turned to Song Wenye. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, are we still going in?¡±

    ¡°Of course. So what if there¡¯s a lot of people?¡± Song Wenye resolutely nodded and pulled Shen Xi along. ¡°Xixi, join us.¡±

    ¡°You barely get to spend time on a date. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea if wee along.¡± Shen Xi did not want to intrude.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They can line up and hold our stuff while we y.¡± High in spirits, Song Wenye dragged Shen Xi forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go. I haven¡¯t been to the amusement park with you before.¡±

    IIIUSCI.

    Yu Yuanxi and Li Yuan exchanged nces as the girls ditched them and took off as if they did not exist. The boys quickly caught up so as not to be left behind.

    No men coulde in between when girls, especially two besties, hung out. The men were now their personal porters.

    The long queues at the many rides and games at the amusement park could make their stomachs churn. The food street, on the other hand, had smaller crowdspared to the rides.

    Shen Xi did not splurge much.

    Song Wenye basically bought everything she saw, be it a toy, food, or something she had never seen before.

    Nevertheless, the girls did one thing inmon ¨C they would relish the food they like while only taking a couple of bites out of the ones they did not and leaving them with their personal escorts.

    A bunch of stuff hung around Li Yuan and Yu Yuanxi¡¯s necks. Their hands were full too. Following behind the girls, they footed the bill and carried the items.

    Yu Yuanxi and Song Wenye wore sunsses and masks, but shen Xi and Li Yuan did not. With the pair¡¯s looks standing out among the ordinary, they were the center of attention everywhere they went. The public was naturally drawn to them.

    All candid videos and photos taken of Shen Xi in public had been wiped clean. It was not that no one recognized her but nobody dared to step forth and point her out.

    Song Wenye was a member of China¡¯s top girl group that was at the height of its poprity. However, it was hard to recognize her in full disguise, unless they were die-hard fans.

    Sure, Yu Yuanxi had gone into showbiz, but his first movie had not hit the screens until the lunar new year. Once the movie was released, he, as the male lead, would officially make his debut. He was not considered a public figure as of yet, so not many people could recognize him.

    Meanwhile, Shen Xi and Song Wenye were waiting for their order in front of a stall that sold stinky tofu.

    Li Yuan and Yu Yuanxi stood on the girls¡¯ sides like bodyguards. ¡°Song Wenye!¡± Someone amidst the crowd cried and pointed at Song Wenye.

    The youngsters were the majority at the amusement park. Those who were not keen on celebrities would still keep an eye on thetest happenings in showbiz. Since Song Wenye was a household name, many looked over to the source.

    There were also people who charged ahead.

    A man, who was the closest to them, ran and somehow tripped when fast approaching. He was about to knock Shen Xi over.

 Chapter 750 - Call Me Uncle

    <h4>Chapter 750 Call Me Uncle</h4>

    The congested crowd only resulted in a chaotic scene.

    With his pupils dting, Li Yuan sensed the impending danger looming on Shen Xi. Despite his intent to get right in there, he knew he could not make it on time. The girl who had her hands full stumbled her feet after being knocked over and was falling back onto a pot of boiling oil.

    In the next second, a towering figure suddenly emerged beside her and grabbed her by the arm to hold her steady. It happened so fast that Shen Xi did not realize what was going on. While she was held, the first whiff to hit her in the face was a cold scent. She looked over at Fu Qingli¡¯s worried and frowning face. She was dumbstruck for a while before uttering, ¡°Big Brother, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Miss.¡± Lu Guoguo happily waved her little hand in greeting.

    Shen Xi then took notice of an adorable little girl riding on Fu Qingli¡¯s shoulders. The little girl had two ponytails sealed with red ribbons today. Her rosy face bore a sparkling grin. She was just the cutest little thing. Shen Xi earnestly corrected her. ¡°That¡¯s Aunty to you.¡±

    Holding onto Fu Qingli¡¯s head, Lu Guoguo blinked her eyes, pursed her lips, and tilted her head. ¡°But Mummy told me to call the pretty ones ¡®Miss¡¯.¡±

    Shen Xi was amused by the child. ¡°I¡¯m your father¡¯s sister. You should call me Aunty.¡±

    Lu Guoguo gave it a thought before shyly muttering, ¡°Aunty.¡± Shen Xi happily nodded. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±

    Li Yuan drew close to check on his fairdy. Hiding the murderous intent in his eyes, he turned to Lu Guoguo. ¡°Call me Uncle.¡±

    Fu Qingli shot him the deadliest look.

    Lu Guoguo was a well-behaved little girl. She heeded the call and sweetly said, ¡°Uncle.¡±

    Li Yuan grinned. ¡°What a good girl.¡±

    In the back, Yu Yuanxi pulled Song Wenye away from the circling sharks of fans and ran off.

    Perhaps because Song Wenye was edged away by the crowd or because Fu Qingli¡¯s cold demeanor scared everyone away, no one darede close to the group within half a meter radius even though the surrounding was jam-packed.

    Shen Xi took a nce and saw Lu Li heading this way with Lu Zhen in her arms. She smiled at Fu Qingli. So they took the children to have fun at the amusement park. It seemed everyone had the same idea.

    Lu Li quickly approached and politely greeted Shen Xi and Li Yuan.

    She had promised to take her kids out to the amusement park today, but Fu Qingli insisted on tagging along. It never urred to her that she would bump into Shen Xi and her husband here.

    Putting on a straight face like an adult, Lu Zhen nodded at the couple without a word, albeit his eyes softened and turned vivid at the sight of Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi looked at the mini version of Fu Qingli and delivered a skittle to his mouth. ¡°Lu Zhen, do you want to ride the horsey like your sister?¡±

    epting the candy, Lu Zhen opened his mouth and ate the skittle. He then instinctively nced at Fu Qingli and shook his head.

    Shen Xi pinched the little guy¡¯s supple face and said with a smile, ¡°Your uncle will give you a ride.¡±

    Lu Li could not bring herself to ept the offer. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Lil¡¯ Zhen is fine.¡±

    That man was Li Yuan, the head of the Li household, who was rumored to be a heartless and callous demon. Lu Li had heard of his name in the past, but he did not seem as terrifying in person.

    ¡°No problem. Leave it to me.¡± Li Yuan reached out and smiled at Lu Zhen. ¡°Come with your uncle, alright? You can see further ahead on my shoulders.¡± Lu Zhen turned his head away to hide his blushing cheeks. Pursing his lips, he remained silent, but his eyes sparked curiosity and a glow.

    ¡°Big Brother, you can really see very far. It¡¯s fun.¡± Lu Guoguo looked at Lu Zhen with sparkling eyes. ¡°Or do you want to ride on Daddy?¡±

    Fu Qingli stared at Lu Zhen with helplessness. He had no idea what was going on with the boy as thetter seemed to have a problem with him. Lu Zhen had never really said a word to him.

    Lu Zhen did not refuse when Li Yuan happily went to carry him.

    Lu Li knew her son was giving the green light since he did not turn down the offer. Although the boy never mentioned it, he longed for the love of a father.

    Despite her best efforts, Lu Li could never rece the existence of a father. She could not make up for the lost fatherly love.

    Li Yuan raised the boy high and put him on his shoulders.

    Although Lu Zhen kept a straight face, his eyes shimmered brighter.

    With kids riding on their shoulders, Li Yuan and Fu Qingli carried on with their trip.

    Lu Guoguo was chatting with Lu Zhen non-stop. Her smiley eyes were adorable.

    The tourists around could not help but look. The two men were the finest of the fine and together with the two cutest little things, they drew quite a breathtaking and envious picture.

    Being friendly, Shen Xi approached Lu Li and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your next stop? Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Lu Li replied, ¡°Guoguo wants something to eat. We¡¯re going there to take a look around. What happened to you guys?¡±

    ¡°Song Wenye was recognized by her fans.¡± Shen Xi exined with a smile. ¡°She and my brother are an item. The two came for a date at the amusement park.¡±

    Lu Li immediately gazed toward Fu Qingli and said, ¡°I know Song Wenye.¡±

    She thought Fu Qingli came to the amusement park to spend time with the kids. Lu Li was surprised that he was actually here on a date. Were she and the kids keeping Fu Qingli from his date? Well, that was not good at all.

    ¡°Not my big brother.¡± Clearing her throat, Shen Xi immediately exined the situation revolving around her family. It was indeedplicated and hard to cut the long story short. ¡°Her boyfriend is the son of my adoptive parents. His name is Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    Lu Li was not any clearer following the exnation, but she did not show it on her face. She nodded. ¡°Oh.¡±

    She did a bit of homework on Fu Qingli¡¯s family background after her visit to the Shen family¡¯s home. Lu Li was aware that Shen Xi was Fu Qingli¡¯s long-lost sister, but she had no clue about the situation with the Shen family.

    Should the son of the Shen family not have the surname Shen? Why was he called Yu Yuanxi? Shen Xi and Lu Li were talking in the back.

    In front, the two men sauntered to the cotton candy stall and made a brief stop there.

    Soon, they returned with four cotton candies. The young ones held one each.

    Holding a pink cat head in his hand, Li Yuan dotingly smiled at Shen Xi and handed the cotton candy to her.

    Fu Qingli was holding one too. He looked at Lu Li and gave it to her.

 Chapter 751 - Let Me Sample It First

    <h4>Chapter 751 Let Me Sample It First</h4>

    While Lu Li took in the shock, the man had stuffed the cotton candy in her hand with a poker face. He then turned to walk away.

    Keeping tabs on them, Shen Xi sighed to herself and stared deeply at Fu Qingli. Li Yuan was right. Dad or Qingye should impart the know-how to Fu Qingli on the way to a woman¡¯s heart.

    Li Yuan nced at his fairdy and tipped her the wink. He was under the impression that it came with the territory that men would try anything to please thedies in the courting stage.

    Men could always learn even if they were venturing into uncharted territory so long as they had the heart to. However, Fu Qingli¡¯s behavior left them speechless.

    While Lu Li was not looking, Shen Xi shrugged at Li Yuan. She got the feeling that Fu Qingli did not reject or hate Lu Li¡¯s presence. Otherwise, judging by that ruthless nature of his, he would keep it strictly business even if she was the mother of his children.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s attitude toward Shen Xi back then was the best example.

    Sitting on Li Yuan¡¯s shoulders, Lu Zhen caught a glimpse of the look on Shen Xi¡¯s face. He looked at her strangely with confusion in his eyes.

    Shen Xi gestured to keep it between them while handing him a box of skittles. She asked, ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, do you have a sweet tooth?¡±

    Shaking his head, Lu Zhen quietly gave the skittles to Lu Guoguo instead.

    Lu Guoguo always had a craving for something sweet, but Mom never allowed her to have too much. Since she could never have enough, she happily took over the candy and looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Thank you, Aunty.¡±

    The girl was smart and adorable, always saying the right things at the right time.

    Shen Xi smiled at the little girl. ¡°There¡¯s a stall selling chewy candy ahead. I¡¯ll get some for you. There¡¯s also a hard candy store over there. Let¡¯s get thatter too.¡±

    Lu Li wanted to say something but held her tongue at the cozy scene. Never mind. It was just this one time. She could allow the little girl to eat to her heart¡¯s content for once.

    ¡°Xixi.¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s voice was heard from behind. She drew close and was stunned by the group. Nevertheless, she pulled herself together and earnestly said hello. ¡°Hi, Big Brother, Sister-inw.¡±

    For some reason, the word ¡°Sister-inw¡± brought Fu Qingli glee.

    Stiffening her facial muscles, Lu Li made it clear with a chilling voice. ¡°I¡¯m not the sister-inw.¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s handsome face fell as he coldly blurted, ¡°She¡¯s not.¡±

    He then turned on his heel and took off.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡± Song Wenye gave Lu Li an embarrassed look and pulled Shen Xi to one side to ask in secret, ¡°How should I address her?¡±

    Shen Xi quickly got to the introductions. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye, this is Ms. Lu. Ms. Lu, this is Song Wenye. This is my brother, Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi smiled tenderly and uttered politely, ¡°Hello, Ms. Lu.¡±

    Lu Li courteously exchanged greetings. With Fu Qingli taking Lu Guoguo far with an emotionless figure and a heavy cloud over his head, Lu Li frowned in puzzlement and chased after them.

    Now that the person in question was gone, Song Wenye pulled Shen Xi aside to stop her from advancing forth. Song Wenye whispered a question, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Big brother and Sister-inw? Is he angry?¡±

    Shen Xi pinched her. ¡°Everything is still up in the air. What sister-inw? What if you scare Ms. Lu away?¡±

    Finding it odd, Song Wenye mumbled, ¡°I see the way Big Brother was looking at Sister-inw. It¡¯s clear he has feelings for her. He stormed away when Sister-inw was trying to exin to me.¡±

    was

    Shen Xi coughed. ¡°You should call her that when he has gotten hisdy.¡± Pursing her lips, Song Wenye smiled dubiously for some hot gossip. ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen, but Big Brother has a bit of an attitude problem. You should teach him the way to ady¡¯s heart. At this rate, he would soon get a sense of jumping through hoops to get his woman after acting callous for even a second.¡±

    Shen Xi nudged Song Wenye. ¡°You teach him. I¡¯m not going.¡±

    Song Wenye retorted, ¡°That¡¯s your brother. You should talk to him for the sake of his lifelong happiness.¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°He needs to do this on his

    own.¡±

    Song Wenye uttered, ¡°He needs to get it. Look at him. It¡¯s clear he hasn¡¯t. Someone has to set a fire under his *ss. I would teach him if I were his birth sister. To tell you the truth, I¡¯m a little scared of him.¡±

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes. ¡°Me too.¡± Song Wenye was worried about Fu Qingli¡¯s road to wooing his wife. ¡°What should we do now?¡±

    ¡°Let nature take its course.¡± Shen Xi added. ¡°I¡¯ll let my dad and Qingye know once I¡¯m home. They can share their experience with him.¡±

    ¡°Your dad¡¯s fine, but are you sure Qingye has any experience to impart?¡± Song Wenye let out a sigh while tapping on Shen Xi¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that my dear Qingye has never been in a rtionship?¡±

    Where would the experiencee from when Qingye had never dated anyone? Besides, Big Brother seemed to have gotten himself in quite the situation. He had children, two of them! ¡°What do you mean he hasn¡¯t been in a rtionship? His experience on screen is plenty enough.¡± Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have dating scandals with all the actresses he worked with?¡±

    Song Wenye pouted sulkily. ¡°It¡¯s all a lie. Those women threw themselves at Qingye. My dear Qingye never admitted to any one of them.¡±

    All the actresses Qingye and those who ran lines with him had a thing for Qingye. However, Qingye always kept things professional and never went out of bounds with any actress.

    ¡°Look at you all hot and bothered. Aren¡¯t you afraid my brother will be jealous?¡± Shen Xi burst outughing while casting a nce at Yu Yuanxi.

    Song Wenye solemnly and proudly smacked her chest. ¡°Your brother isn¡¯t that petty. I have the freedom to admire any celebrity. I¡¯m Qingye¡¯s biggest fan and I¡¯ll follow him to the end.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi approached them, not having the slightest clue of what they were muttering about. Still, he urged them forward as the girls were left far behind by the group. ¡°You better pick up the pace.¡±

    Song Wenye dragged Shen Xi along to run. Once they caught up with the group, she inquired Yu Yuanxi, ¡°As a man, do you think there¡¯s a chance for something to happen between Big Brother and Sister-inw?¡±

    Yu Yuanxi fell into contemtion for a while before speaking his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    It all boiled down to the stance of both parties. Fu Qingli was not very smart in the way he handled rtionships.

    Leading the group, Lu Guoguo fanciedtiao that was made to order. The stall owner gave Fu Qingli a piece to test. Fu Qingli¡¯s hands were tied since he was holding Lu Guoguo. He turned to Lu Li. ¡°Take it for me.¡±

    Lu Li went over and put on disposable gloves to hold thetiao. She was about to feed it to Lu Guoguo when the man¡¯s husky voice rang in her ear. ¡°Let me sample it first. She can¡¯t have it if it¡¯s too spicy.¡±

 Chapter 752 - The Perfect Wing-Girl

    <h4>Chapter 752 The Perfect Wing-Girl</h4>

    Lu Li, ¡°¡­¡±

    She had the feeling that Fu Qingli was doing it on purpose!

    Drooling, Lu Guoguo looked at Lu Li with sparkling and expectant eyes. She licked her lips, unable to wait to take a bite.

    Lu Li frowned in a brief hesitation and decided against giving thetiao to Fu Qingli. Instead, she sent the food to her mouth for a taste.

    With Lu Li hogging thetiao, Lu Guoguo grabbed Fu Qingli¡¯s ear and fretted, ¡°Mommy can¡¯t take anything spicy! She¡¯s allergic!¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s pupils dted after listening to the little girl. He quickly seized the woman by the wrist before leaning forward to gnaw it away.

    Lu Li¡¯s lips hade in contact with thetiao, but she was stopped by the man before she could savor the taste.

    It slipped her mind to move back when the man closed in on her. She watched as the handsome face erged in her vision and got a mouthful of theti§Ño in her hand.

    Because he was so quick and loomed up unexpectedly, his lips unintentionally brushed past her fingertips during the lean. Her heart skipped a beat as the man¡¯s scorching breath, inconsistent with his detached demeanor, tickled between her fingers. She was caught in a daze.

    Fu Qingli was so close when he took a bite that he had a good view of chili stains on the woman¡¯s lips. For once, his different and emotionless eyes painted a tinge of fluster.

    Lu Li¡¯s heart was beating fast as she retrieved her arm. Putting her game face on, she nced at Lu Guoguo. ¡°You can only have one bite.¡±

    She then felt a ze across her lips. The man ced a handkerchief over her mouth and said, ¡°Give it a wipe.¡±

    Clearing her throat, Lu Li took the handkerchief. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She simply could not handle spiciness and was not at all allergic as mentioned by Lu Guoguo. It was true that she would have a stomachache every time she had something spicy though. His handkerchief seemed to carry his breezy scent that wormed its way to her heart. Yet somehow, it did not feel that chilly.

    Smiling through her eyes, Lu Guoguo tilted her head as she urged, ¡°Dad, give me. I want to eat. Guoguo can take the heat.¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡± Fu Qingli did not feed Lu Guoguo thetiao he took a chunk of. It was not good to share food with children that adults took a bite

    of.

    Soon, the stall owner packed the slicedtiao in a box and added two cocktail forks to eat with.

    Despite wiping her lips clean, Lu Li still got a tingling sensation as if they were swollen. She took thetiao from the stall owner and grabbed one for Lu Guoguo.

    Like Lu Li, Lil¡¯ Zhen could not handle spicy food.

    For Guoguo, the spicier the better. Following the scene, Shen Xi and Song Wenye exchanged nces. Hmm, there was hope.

    Song Wenye spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Your big brother is getting the hang of it! Look, he got it right just now, right?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded in agreement. She believed that was the case too. It was true that certain things came naturally.

    ¡°Should we leave and give them some space?¡± Song Wenye asked Shen Xi. ¡°It¡¯s tiring to carry a child.¡± Shen Xi nced at the boy over Li Yuan¡¯s shoulder. Although they did not get emotions out of him, the boy¡¯s eyes appeared softer.

    The little guy might not say anything, but he was a toddler after all. He yearned to be like other children. The little guy would not get any horsey rides if they were to leave.

    ¡°I think we can bring the children along,¡± Song Wenye suggested.

    Shen Xi shook her head. ¡°You had no idea that Ms. Lu has no interest in my big brother. If it weren¡¯t for the children, she wouldn¡¯t be alone with him.¡±

    It was wishful thinking for them to have a date alone by the current state of their rtionship.

    Sure, Fu Qingli was getting it and trying to warm up to Ms. Lu. However, Ms. Lu did not take kindly to Fu Qingli.

    ¡°How about we take Lu Zhen with us and leave Guoguo with them to y culprit?¡± Song Wenye believed she could note up with a better idea.

    Leaving a witty and cute kid like Guoguo to stick around would make the perfect wing-girl.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and tell them.¡± Thinking it might work, Shen Xi nodded in agreement. She dragged Song Wenye toe with.

    Lu Guoguo relished thetiao Fu Qingli bought for her. They then stopped by a spicy skewer stall next door to order some and were now waiting on their food.

    Song Wenye drew near and gazed at Lu Zhen with a smile. ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, I see a shop there selling ice cream and bubble tea. Do you want to go with us to get some for your sister?¡±

    Lu Zhen remained silent but turned to Lu Li to ask for her opinion.

    Shen Xi jumped in and cheerfully inquired, ¡°Can we, Ms. Lu? We¡¯ll take good care of Lil¡¯ Zhen.¡±

    Lu Li could not say no. ¡°Make it quick. We¡¯ll wait for you right here.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi then pulled Li Yuan toe along.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi excused themselves and went after Shen Xi. Having seen through her ns, Li Yuan looked at the girl next to him and dotingly smiled.

    Shen Xi lifted her head with smugness and gave him a cheeky nce before turning to Lu Zhen. She asked, ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, what does your sister like?¡± Lu Zhen blurted, ¡°She likes spicy food and drinks fruit juices like orange and mango.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get her orange juice and mango juice.¡± Shen Xi then inquired, ¡°What do you like to drink?¡±

    Lu Zhen gave it a thought before saying, ¡°I¡¯m good with anything.¡±

    Shen Xi felt sorry for the little kid. ¡°Do you like to eat ice cream?¡±

    Lu Zhen bobbed his head.

    Song Wenye crept up and hugged Shen Xi by the shoulder. Tilting her head at Lu Zhen, she curled her finger at him. ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, I want to eat the candy that you¡¯re holding. Can you give me one?¡±

    It was a wonder how the child grew up as he did not exhibit signs a child should have. He was heartbreakingly sensible for his age. Lu Zhen earnestly lowered his head to pick up one skittle from his box and handed it to Song Wenye.

    Song Wenye opened her mouth. ¡°Ah!¡±

    Lu Zhen froze for a little butpliantly fed her the skittle.

    Shen Xi also opened her mouth and pointed at the candy in his hands.

    Lu Zhen patiently poured another one to feed Shen Xi.

    Shen Xi smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you, Lil¡¯ Zhen.¡±

    Lu Zhen bit his lip in embarrassment. His lusciousshes fluttered in his lowered gaze as he whispered, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye exchanged looks and grinned.

    The little man was not, in fact, detached. He just was not used to acting like a child in front of outsiders, especially Fu Qingli.

 Chapter 753 - Not an Orphan

    <h4>Chapter 753 Not an Orphan</h4>

    Shen Xi and her group may have taken Lu Zhen away, but they had no intentions of returning him. At least, not for the time being. While waiting for the freshly squeezed juice, Song Wenye asked Lu Zhen, ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, can I take you to get a ride on the pirate ship?¡± Lu Zhen¡¯s straight face tensed. ¡°I have to deliver the juice and ice cream to Mommy and my sister.¡± Song Wenye dragged Yu Yuanxi over. ¡°Let this uncle deliver to them while we y, okay?¡±

    Put in the spot, Lu Zhen furrowed his brows.

    Shen Xi jumped on the bandwagon. ¡°I want to go too, but I¡¯m scared. Can you go with me?¡±

    Lu Zhen was still in two minds. If he were to go, Mommy and his sister might be bullied by the Big Bad Wolf. It did not sit right with him.

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, I¡¯m scared too.¡± Song Wenye put on a show, snuffling and staring at him pitifully.

    Lu Zhen was a child after all. How was he supposed to know that Song Wenye was a drama queen? The pitiful look on her face yed at his heartstrings. He nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±

    With Guoguo around, the Big Bad Wolf would not try anything on Mommy.

    Shen Xi pinched Song Wenye¡¯s hand at the win, albeit she did feel guilty for lying to an innocent baby.

    Nevertheless, it was worth it to give the pair some alone time. They could only hope Guoguo could work her magic as the wing-girl.

    As for Fu Qingli, there was all they could do for him. He had to put in the work if he wanted to get thedy.

    Lu Li and Fu Qingli were still waiting in the same spot in case the group could not find them when they got back. Nevertheless, it was Yu Yuanxi who came by with juice and ice cream.

    Yu Yuanxi gave them the beverages and embarrassedly exined, ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, Xixi, and Lil¡¯ Ye went on rides. We¡¯ll call you when they¡¯re done.¡±

    Lil¡¯ Ye and Xixi wanted to let Fu Qingli and Ms. Lu spend some time getting to know each other. Knowing that, Yu Yuanxi was going to y along. Lu Li understood that her son took to Shen Xi, so she had no doubts about Yu Yuanxi¡¯s statement.

    Fu Qingli took a good look at Yu Yuanxi, picking up a strange vibe from thetter. Things were not as simple as he put it to be. After letting them know, Yu Yuanxi took his leave.

    Only one ice cream and two cups of juice, orange and mango juices, were delivered. It was Song Wenye¡¯s idea.

    Lu Guoguo was a good kid who knew to share. She looked at the ice cream in her hand and then at Mom and Dad before deciding that they would eat it together!

    Lu Li stuck straws into the juice and handed one cup to Fu Qingli.

    Fu Qingli was still holding the spicy skewers. Having quite a bit to eat, he was thirsty from the numbing heat. However, there were only two cups of drinks. He did not take the its. ¡°You and Guoguo can have them. I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±

    It never urred to Lu Li that he would refuse the drink. Still, she insisted as the man¡¯s thin lips were scarlet like rose petals due to the spicy food.

    Lu Guoguo blinked her eyes, brushing her thickshes up and down. Next, her sweet voice came to y. ¡°Dad, you can drink one with Mommy or me.¡±

    Lu Li choked. ¡°¡­¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s eyes flickered with tenderness as he uttered, ¡°No, you take it.¡±

    Lu Li no longer insisted.

    Lu Guoguo looked strangely at the pair with her brows in a knot. Mommy taught her to share with friends. There were only two cups of juice. Why could she not share with Daddy?

    Shen Xi¡¯s group took Lu Zhen with them.

    Fu Qingli asked the little girl, ¡°Is there any attraction you fancy, Guoguo?¡± With shimmering eyes, Lu Guoguo pointed at the Ferris wheel not too far away. ¡°I want to go on the Ferris wheel!¡±

    Fu Qingli¡¯s heart melted just listening to the little girl¡¯s mellow and soothing voice. His eyes bore his affections. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go there.¡±

    Lu Guoguo perkily dangled her feet. ¡°Go, Horsey! Faster!¡±

    Meanwhile, the performances in line with the carnival were about to begin. It was broadcasted on the speaker to urge the visitors, who came for the performance, to get to the venue.

    Many tourists were fans here to watch their idols. Following the announcement, they began to make their way toward the stage. However, it was too crowded to move any faster.

    While strolling ahead, Fu Qingli ate Lu Guoguo¡¯s leftover skewers. The little girl tasted the food for the novelty of it. She would eat a little more if it was to her liking but refused to take another bite if it was otherwise. The rest ended up in his belly.

    Lu Li observed the man nearby and got into thinking. As a father, he did an okay job. He was patient with the kids and loved them.

    Once again, Lu Guoguo gasped at the spiciness after ditching the bitten grilled sausage to Fu Qingli. She took arge sip of the orange juice and stuck her tongue out while crying aloud how spicy it was.

    Fu Qingli also gasped sharply and winced after a bite. ¡°Daddy, isn¡¯t it spicy?¡± Lu Guoguo panted for air and urged, ¡°Mommy, give Daddy a drink. It¡¯s really hot and spicy. It¡¯s the spiciest I¡¯ve ever tasted!¡±

    Lu Li had not had time to react.

    Fu Qingli approached and took big gulps out of the drink in her hand, only realizing his actions were inappropriate after the deed was done. He apologetically said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was too spicy.¡± Lu Li caught a whiff of it and choked. She carefully scanned her eyes over him without taking it the wrong way. It must be spicy if Guoguo said it was.

    They carried on their journey to the Ferris wheel.

    Since many of the visitors went off to see the celebrities¡¯ performances, there were fewer people in the line.

    Lu Guoguo finally got off her horsey and walked on her own. Chest out and chin up, she appeared cocky as she sauntered along with one hand holding Lu Li and the other holding Fu Qingli.

    She now had a full set of parents and was no longer a fatherless orphan. No more would she be the subject of bullying. Her brother needed not to fight with those mean kids.

    Lu Guoguo wondered if she could bring Daddy home and tell those mean kids and friends at the nursery that she had a father. She was no longer an orphan.

    Lu Li looked at the pride and joy written all over her daughter¡¯s face. The smugness came with bragging rights. It was the first time she ever saw the expression as though Lu Guoguo was proiming to the world that she was a child with both Daddy and Mommy. For a moment, Lu Li was lost in sorrow.

 Chapter 755 - Poor Soul

    <h4>Chapter 755 Poor Soul</h4>

    After getting a positive response from Lu Li, Song Wenye became bold and approached Lu Li. ¡°Ms. Li, let¡¯s exchange WeChat contacts so we can stay in touch.¡± Lu Li took out her phone to add her number before politely excusing herself. She got into the car.

    Fu Qingli was to drive them home. Su Jingyan, who was supposed toe to the amusement park with them, left at the first chance he got so they took his car.

    Shen Xi and the lot watched the car disappear out of sight before getting ready to make a move themselves.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi met at the airport and took a cab here.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan came by car.

    During their trip home, Li Yuan took the wheel. Yu Yuanxi sat on the front passenger¡¯s seat while the girls were kicking in the back.

    Song Wenye expressed her thoughts. ¡°Ms. Lu seems to be indifferent, but I think she¡¯s easy to get along with. She¡¯s pretty too.¡±

    Shen Xi grinned. ¡°Ms. Lu is very nice. I wonder if Big Brother will ever win her heart.¡±

    ¡°I think you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Your brother seems to care about her.¡± It had crossed Song Wenye¡¯s mind in the past about the kind of woman that could tie Fu Qingli down.

    Now it appeared that Ms. Lu was that person. Song Wenye was sure of it.

    Shen Xi did notment. If Fu Qingli was interested, he should go for it. However, Fu Qingli¡¯s personality was worrying.

    ¡°Guoguo and Lil¡¯ Zhen are so cute. They¡¯re so cute!¡± Song Wenye excitedly tugged Shen Xi¡¯s arm. ¡°Kids are so much fun! When are you and Toffeecito¡¯s Dad going to have children?¡±

    Behind the wheel, Li Yuan turned his attention to the conversation in the back. He was about to speak.

    Shen Xi reached out to tap Li Yuan¡¯s seat. Clearing her throat, she nced at Song Wenye. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and my brother have kids sooner?¡±

    Sure, she got her marriage license, but she was not ready to have kids. Children would happen when it happened.

    Song Wenye stuck her tongue out and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re not married.¡±

    Giving a suggestive smile, Shen Xi drew close. ¡°Hurry up and get married then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an idol. My girl group is on the rise right now. It¡¯d only reflect badly on them if I were to get married. Do you want the group¡¯s poprity to drop and lose all ability to make money?¡± Song Wenye looked at Shen Xi with raised eyebrows. ¡°Chairman Shen?¡±

    She found out recently that Shen Xi invested in Cosmos Entertainment. As the biggest shareholder, Shen Xi would not want to see the girl group hurt.

    For the sake of Shen Xi, Song Wenye stored the thoughts of making her rtionship public. It could wait until the group was in a stable condition.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that. You and my brother can do whatever you want. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Shen Xi read her mind.

    She was not short of money. Even if the girl group¡¯s poprity hit rock bottom because of Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s announcement to the world, Shen Xi would not bat an eysh.

    ¡°You¡¯re not my only concern. I have Yangyang and the rest to think about too.¡± Song Wenye¡¯s smile turned broader at the thought of her besties. ¡°I won¡¯t go public that soon even if it was for them. Think about the thrill of a secret romance and dating in secret!¡± She and Yu Yuanxi had talked it out. They would not make their rtionship public in the next two years, albeit they would not hide that they were taken from the fans and audience at home. By then, it would not stir much of an uproar or impact the group when theye out about their rtionship.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were still up, waiting for Shen Xi and the rest to get home.

    As they were walking through the door, Yun Jinping went up to them but did not see Fu Qingli. Before asking if they had eaten, she inquired, ¡°Where¡¯s your big brother?¡±

    Shen Xi gave a straight answer. ¡°He drove Ms. Lu and the kids home.¡±

    Yun Jinping was concerned about Fu Qingli. ¡°How is your big brother getting along with Ms. Lu?¡±

    Qingli was too detached for his own good, and Ms. Lu was not one to take the initiative. At the end of the day, Qingli had to make the move.

    It was great if the two ended up together. However, no one should push it if that were to fail. As the older generation, they hoped the pair could be together. It was good for the kids and themselves.

    ¡°They seem fine.¡± Taking Yun Jinping¡¯s arm, Shen Xi walked with her into the house.

    Song Wenye drew near and swung by the other side of Yun Jinping. Song Wenye listened as Shen Xi talked about Fu Qingli and Lu Li, adding details that were not mentioned.

    Shen Zhangqing came out and chased after Yun Jinping with a coat. He did not want her to catch a cold in the cold weather.

    Shen Xi grabbed the coat and draped it over Yun Jinping while still going on about what happened at the amusement park. She picked the important events and gave a rough ount.

    After storytime.

    Yun Jinpingmented, ¡°Ms. Lu is a poor soul. A girl like her needs attention and affection the most.¡±

    She learned about Lu Li. Thetter was sent to live in the vige by the Lu family and was only epted back into the family not too long ago. The elders in the family were making her walk down the aisle.

    Jiang Yin had gathered quite a bit of information. During Lu Li¡¯s return, the elders hid the children away and threatened her to get married or she would never see the kids again.

    Later, Lu Li somehow convinced the Lu family to give up on marrying her off. The reason remained unknown. In short, Lu Li had it rough in life.

    If Yun Jinping could find out, Qingli would know too with a bit of digging.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not our ce toment on certain things. You can talk to him like an elder.¡± Shen Xi spoke her mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s what your mom said too. She¡¯ll be here in two days.¡± Yun Jinping had an exchange with the Fu parents about Fu Qingli going to the amusement park with Lu Li and the kids.

    ¡°She had only just left.¡± It was not that Shen Xi did not want her toe. She was worried the flight might wear Shangguan Yanqiu out. It was a ten-odd-hour flight each time and she was not in the best of health.

    ¡°She¡¯s worried about you. And misses you.¡± Yun Jinping nced at Shen Xi with a smile before turning to the two in the back. ¡°I bet you¡¯re hungry. The food is heated in the kitchen.¡±

    Every one of them said they wereing back, but none actually did.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Rubbing her belly, Song Wenye pulled Yu Yuanxi to the kitchen. ¡°Let¡¯s bring out the food.¡±

    In fact, she was not at all hungry as she filled her tummy at the amusement park. Nevertheless, she could not disappoint Mr. and Mrs. Shen¡¯s kindness. Plus, Song Wenye enjoyed Mrs. Shen¡¯s home-cooked food.

    Shen Xi dragged Li Yuan along to help out.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were arranging the table and chairs when the door outside was pushed open.

 Chapter 756 - The Voice Came Before the Person

    <h4>Chapter 756 The Voice Came Before the Person</h4>

    ¡°My dear sister!¡±

    The voice came before the person. It was Fu Qingxuan.

    Getting up, Shen Xi looked out and caught a glimpse of a joyful-looking young man arriving under the moonlight.

    Yun Jinping was pleasantly surprised by the young man¡¯s appearance. Fu Qingxuan ran into the house. ¡°Why are you here thiste at night?¡±

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Shen.¡± Fu Qingxuan greeted them. ¡°I¡¯m here in China on business. I have a medical symposium tomorrow.¡±

    He intended to arrange for more medical conferences in China. This way, he had a good reason to visit his sister.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± It was not work Yun Jinping was worried about. It was his health. ¡°No.¡± Dropping his luggage, Fu Qingxuan drew close and grabbed the food with his bare hand, but Shen Xi pped it with a chopstick.

    ¡°Go and wash your hands.¡± Shen Xi gave a look of disgust. Biting his lip, Fu Qingxuan gave the puppy look. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Even though Shen Xi knew he was pretending, she turned soft and fed him a piece of lotus root. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    Smiling like an idiot, Fu Qingxuan munched and bobbed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go and wash my hands.¡± The best food came from his sister¡¯s hand.

    Under the table, Li Yuan gently squeezed the girl¡¯s finger and looked at her.

    While everyone¡¯s attention was on Fu Qingxuan, Shen Xi fed a piece of braised pork to Li Yuan.

    Shen Zhangqing abruptly turned around and caught them in the act. Taking in their sneaky move there, he red at Li Yuan.

    Oh, great.

    The marriage license gave them no right to act lovey-dovey in front of him.

    Clearing her throat, Shen Xi picked a piece of Shen Zhangqing¡¯s favorite ribs and ingratiatingly smiled. ¡°For you, Dad.¡±

    Li Yuan let out a smile without a peep.

    Shen Zhangqing took a nce at her. Of course, he did not have the heart to reprimand her. All he could do was sigh to himself. His daughter was closer to his son-inw than him now that she was married. The ribs did not taste the same anymore. Fu Qingxuan ran back after cleaning his hands. He said, ¡°Tangtang is having surgery next week. Why didn¡¯t you let me know?¡±

    Shen Zhanging said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. We managed to contact Dr. Jiu Zhou to do the surgery. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°I want to meet Dr. Jiu Zhou too.¡± Fu Qingxuan sat down and took the chopsticks handed to him by Yun Jinping. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Shen.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and dig in. You look hungry.¡± Yun Jinping urged, ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou doesn¡¯t want to meet anyone. He told Xixi and Lil¡¯ Yuan that they¡¯re the only ones allowed during the day of the surgery.¡±

    Song Wenye put down the chopsticks and stared at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, do you know Dr. Jiu Zhou?¡±

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad must know him if Xixi did not. Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was amazing, and there was no one he could not locate.

    ¡°We had a chat.¡± Shen Xi nodded.

    She had not had the chance to let the cat out of the bag about the disguise. Apart from Li Yuan, Fu Qingli, and Yu Qiubai, everyone else was pretty much in the dark.

    Shen Xi had no intention of saying anything to avoid unnecessary trouble. Unless it was a tough case, a medical genius like Fu Qingxuan was enough to handle the medical side of things.

    ¡°Can I look for him?¡± Song Wenye asked.

    Shen Xi sized her up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with

    you?¡±

    A trip to the doctors should do the trick.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s for my grandpa. His rheumatism is getting worse. He¡¯s seen a doctor and taken medication. You name it ¨C pain-relief patches, herbal medicine bath, acupuncture ¨C he¡¯s done them all but none is working for him. He can¡¯t even walk now.¡± Song Wenye sighed.

    ¡°Should I go with you to take a look at Grandpa?¡± While stuffing his mouth, Fu Qingxuan rmended himself. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor too and I¡¯m good.¡± Song Wenye smiled. It had slipped her mind that there was a medical genius here. ¡°Let¡¯s go first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°Illness can¡¯t wait. We¡¯re family. Why wait until tomorrow? Grandpa must be aching all night. I¡¯ll go with you after supper.¡± Fu Qingxuan earnestly uttered.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡± Shen Xi added. ¡°I know a thing or two about acupuncture and massage. I can examine Grandpa.¡±

    With a smile, Li Yuan scratched the girl¡¯s palm. His fairdy was so humble. As if she only knew a thing or two about acupuncture and massage. No one was equal to her in the whole of China.

    Song Wenye nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll let Grandpa know. We don¡¯t have toe backter. It¡¯ste. Just stay over at my ce.¡±

    With that, the family happily decided on the matter.

    After supper, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing saw the children off to the door and watched them leave before returning to the house.

    The kids were all grown up now.

    ted to have her granddaughter bringing home some friends, Old Man Song had been waiting at the doorway. He got up from the wheelchair with the help of a cane as the car pulled up.

    ¡°Grandpa.¡± Getting down from the car, Song Wenye was first to bolt ahead and give the old man a hug. She then introduced everyone to him.

    Among the group, only Yu Yuanxi had met Old Man Song. With the old man giving the kid a friendly vibe, the group called him Grandpa and exchanged greetings.

    Following the introductions, Old Man Song grinned from ear to ear, particrly warming up to Shen Xi. He gazed at her with benevolence. ¡°I know you. Lil¡¯ Ye can¡¯t stop talking about you. I told her to bring you here, but she refused.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s name was a legend. Not only did he hear his granddaughter bringing her up in conversation, but he was also a fan of Shen Xi, watching her TV shows on reruns. He wondered when her next show would be released.

    ¡°Xixi is busy.¡± Song Wenye argued in a hushed tone while pressing the old man to sit in his wheelchair. ¡°It¡¯s cold here. Let¡¯s get inside to talk.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi drew near and pushed the wheelchair while chatting with the old man. Since Fu Qingxuan was here to do a medical examination as a doctor, he approached the old man and asked a few medical questions. Holding Li Yuan¡¯s hand, Shen Xi listened intently to the answers. Rheumatism was one of the world¡¯s mostplex conditions. It was also nicknamed non-fatal cancer. There was no cure medically speaking. All they could do was relieve the symptoms. ¡°Grandpa, we have professional equipment in ourb to provide you with an independent treatment n. You cane with me to United M if you have the time.¡± Fu Qingxuan did not have a better way to treat the illness, but his medicalb had seen some promising results after extensive research.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve had it for a long time. The pain came back because it¡¯s getting humid nowadays. It¡¯s nothing serious. Lil¡¯ Ye made a big deal out of it.¡± Old Man Song smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pass on going abroad.¡±

 Chapter 756 - The Voice Came Before the Person

    <h4>Chapter 756 The Voice Came Before the Person</h4>

    ¡°My dear sister!¡±

    The voice came before the person. It was Fu Qingxuan.

    Getting up, Shen Xi looked out and caught a glimpse of a joyful-looking young man arriving under the moonlight.

    Yun Jinping was pleasantly surprised by the young man¡¯s appearance. Fu Qingxuan ran into the house. ¡°Why are you here thiste at night?¡±

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Shen.¡± Fu Qingxuan greeted them. ¡°I¡¯m here in China on business. I have a medical symposium tomorrow.¡±

    He intended to arrange for more medical conferences in China. This way, he had a good reason to visit his sister.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± It was not work Yun Jinping was worried about. It was his health. ¡°No.¡± Dropping his luggage, Fu Qingxuan drew close and grabbed the food with his bare hand, but Shen Xi pped it with a chopstick.

    ¡°Go and wash your hands.¡± Shen Xi gave a look of disgust. Biting his lip, Fu Qingxuan gave the puppy look. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Even though Shen Xi knew he was pretending, she turned soft and fed him a piece of lotus root. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    Smiling like an idiot, Fu Qingxuan munched and bobbed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go and wash my hands.¡± The best food came from his sister¡¯s hand.

    Under the table, Li Yuan gently squeezed the girl¡¯s finger and looked at her.

    While everyone¡¯s attention was on Fu Qingxuan, Shen Xi fed a piece of braised pork to Li Yuan.

    Shen Zhangqing abruptly turned around and caught them in the act. Taking in their sneaky move there, he red at Li Yuan.

    Oh, great.

    The marriage license gave them no right to act lovey-dovey in front of him.

    Clearing her throat, Shen Xi picked a piece of Shen Zhangqing¡¯s favorite ribs and ingratiatingly smiled. ¡°For you, Dad.¡±

    Li Yuan let out a smile without a peep.

    Shen Zhangqing took a nce at her. Of course, he did not have the heart to reprimand her. All he could do was sigh to himself. His daughter was closer to his son-inw than him now that she was married. The ribs did not taste the same anymore. Fu Qingxuan ran back after cleaning his hands. He said, ¡°Tangtang is having surgery next week. Why didn¡¯t you let me know?¡±

    Shen Zhanging said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. We managed to contact Dr. Jiu Zhou to do the surgery. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°I want to meet Dr. Jiu Zhou too.¡± Fu Qingxuan sat down and took the chopsticks handed to him by Yun Jinping. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Shen.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and dig in. You look hungry.¡± Yun Jinping urged, ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou doesn¡¯t want to meet anyone. He told Xixi and Lil¡¯ Yuan that they¡¯re the only ones allowed during the day of the surgery.¡±

    Song Wenye put down the chopsticks and stared at Shen Xi. ¡°Xixi, do you know Dr. Jiu Zhou?¡±

    Toffeecito¡¯s Dad must know him if Xixi did not. Toffeecito¡¯s Dad was amazing, and there was no one he could not locate.

    ¡°We had a chat.¡± Shen Xi nodded.

    She had not had the chance to let the cat out of the bag about the disguise. Apart from Li Yuan, Fu Qingli, and Yu Qiubai, everyone else was pretty much in the dark.

    Shen Xi had no intention of saying anything to avoid unnecessary trouble. Unless it was a tough case, a medical genius like Fu Qingxuan was enough to handle the medical side of things.

    ¡°Can I look for him?¡± Song Wenye asked.

    Shen Xi sized her up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with

    you?¡±

    A trip to the doctors should do the trick.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s for my grandpa. His rheumatism is getting worse. He¡¯s seen a doctor and taken medication. You name it ¨C pain-relief patches, herbal medicine bath, acupuncture ¨C he¡¯s done them all but none is working for him. He can¡¯t even walk now.¡± Song Wenye sighed.

    ¡°Should I go with you to take a look at Grandpa?¡± While stuffing his mouth, Fu Qingxuan rmended himself. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor too and I¡¯m good.¡± Song Wenye smiled. It had slipped her mind that there was a medical genius here. ¡°Let¡¯s go first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°Illness can¡¯t wait. We¡¯re family. Why wait until tomorrow? Grandpa must be aching all night. I¡¯ll go with you after supper.¡± Fu Qingxuan earnestly uttered.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡± Shen Xi added. ¡°I know a thing or two about acupuncture and massage. I can examine Grandpa.¡±

    With a smile, Li Yuan scratched the girl¡¯s palm. His fairdy was so humble. As if she only knew a thing or two about acupuncture and massage. No one was equal to her in the whole of China.

    Song Wenye nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll let Grandpa know. We don¡¯t have toe backter. It¡¯ste. Just stay over at my ce.¡±

    With that, the family happily decided on the matter.

    After supper, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing saw the children off to the door and watched them leave before returning to the house.

    The kids were all grown up now.

    ted to have her granddaughter bringing home some friends, Old Man Song had been waiting at the doorway. He got up from the wheelchair with the help of a cane as the car pulled up.

    ¡°Grandpa.¡± Getting down from the car, Song Wenye was first to bolt ahead and give the old man a hug. She then introduced everyone to him.

    Among the group, only Yu Yuanxi had met Old Man Song. With the old man giving the kid a friendly vibe, the group called him Grandpa and exchanged greetings.

    Following the introductions, Old Man Song grinned from ear to ear, particrly warming up to Shen Xi. He gazed at her with benevolence. ¡°I know you. Lil¡¯ Ye can¡¯t stop talking about you. I told her to bring you here, but she refused.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s name was a legend. Not only did he hear his granddaughter bringing her up in conversation, but he was also a fan of Shen Xi, watching her TV shows on reruns. He wondered when her next show would be released.

    ¡°Xixi is busy.¡± Song Wenye argued in a hushed tone while pressing the old man to sit in his wheelchair. ¡°It¡¯s cold here. Let¡¯s get inside to talk.¡±

    Yu Yuanxi drew near and pushed the wheelchair while chatting with the old man. Since Fu Qingxuan was here to do a medical examination as a doctor, he approached the old man and asked a few medical questions. Holding Li Yuan¡¯s hand, Shen Xi listened intently to the answers. Rheumatism was one of the world¡¯s mostplex conditions. It was also nicknamed non-fatal cancer. There was no cure medically speaking. All they could do was relieve the symptoms. ¡°Grandpa, we have professional equipment in ourb to provide you with an independent treatment n. You cane with me to United M if you have the time.¡± Fu Qingxuan did not have a better way to treat the illness, but his medicalb had seen some promising results after extensive research.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve had it for a long time. The pain came back because it¡¯s getting humid nowadays. It¡¯s nothing serious. Lil¡¯ Ye made a big deal out of it.¡± Old Man Song smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pass on going abroad.¡±

 Chapter 757 - Signed and Sealed

    <h4>Chapter 757 Signed and Sealed</h4>

    There was no best course of action to treat rheumatism in the world. There was no miracle drug. Old Man Song was used to the pain.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll customize a treatment n for you.¡± Fu Qingxuan understood the pain that came with rheumatism. It was not life-threatening, but the agony was hard to handle.

    He could always transport the professional medical equipment here. It was not much of a hassle.

    Old Man Song was grateful and kicking himself. ¡°No need to bother. My illness is nothing new.¡±

    He had basically given up. After seeing all the doctors in the world, he would have been treated by now if it was at all possible.

    Rheumatism was a tricky illness that had no cure. It was unnecessary to put the children through the hassle for an old man like him.

    ¡°Grandpa, I know that it¡¯s not an easy fix, but we have made significant progress in our research.¡± Fu Qingxuan kneeled by the old man. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    It was in his ns. Fu Qingxuan had discussed with Qingye on opening a secondaryboratory in China. The process was underway. China was the best ce to research and promote Traditional Chinese Medicine after all.

    ¡°You kids.¡± Old Man shook his head with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    They were good kids. Fu Qingxuan¡¯s medical research had been leaning toward Western Medicine, primarily looking intoplex diagnoses that had yet to meet a breakthrough. His patients either had rare diseases or were critically ill. Common sicknesses were not in his department.

    Old Man Song¡¯s rheumatism was one example. Fu Qingxuan did not know where to start without the right equipment. Despite his six-month research into acupuncture, Fu Qingxuan believed he was not quite there yet to put his skills to the test.

    shing silver needles, Shen Xi looked at the old man. ¡°Grandpa, I know a bit about acupuncture. Let me treat you to ease your

    pain.¡±

    Old Man Song stared at her in shock. ¡°You know about acupuncture as well?¡±

    The girl was a bag of surprises. She was talented at songwriting, scriptwriting, singing, dancing, and now acupuncture as well?

    ¡°Grandpa, Xixi is a medical student at Capital University.¡± Stepping forth to vouch for Shen Xi, Song Wenye cheerfully praised with pride. ¡°She¡¯s awesome.¡±

    Nodding his head with a grin, Old Man Song inquired Shen Xi about the next steps. He was wheeled into the bedroom and ced on the bed.

    Shen Xi took out the needles and began the therapy.

    Standing in one corner, Fu Qingxuan watched her technique with earnestness and amazement. In fact, it was starting to look rather familiar.

    During the time Mom was receiving medical care, Dr. Jiu Zhou would not allow any visitors on the ground that he needed to focus while performing acupuncture.

    One time, Fu Qingxuan pushed open Mom¡¯s bedroom door, not knowing Dr. Jiu Zhou was around. It was a quick nce, but somehow Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s mannerism and the way he performed the acupuncture was simr to his little sister right now.

    Shen Xi did not kick anyone out of the room for a change. However, no one was to talk. They quietly and attentively watched by the sidelines, even taking light breaths so as not to disturb her.

    Half an hourter.

    Shen Xi put away the needles.

    Fu Qingxuan took a deep breath as if heaving a sigh of relief. He gazed at Old Man Song, hoping to hear that the pain was gone.

    Old Man Song smiled at him.

    Noticing his gaze, Shen Xi turned around and looked at Fu Qingxuan. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take effect that quickly. Do you think acupuncture therapy is a miracle? You get well right off the bat?¡±

    Old Man Song nodded and grinned. ¡°Xixi is right. It won¡¯t show straight away.¡±

    He did not feel much of a change right now. It still hurt where it should, but the pressure and blood clots in his legs lifted quite a bit.

    His aching joints seemed to find relief too. It was a huge difference from previous acupuncture therapies.

    Since Fu Qingxuan was eager to learn, Old Man Song reported on the physical changes. The kid was likely obsessed with medicine.

    After the therapy, Old Man Song watched TV with the kids before urging them to go to bed.

    Song Wenye had called Grandpa earlier to tell him that they would be staying the night instead of heading back. Old Man Song got four guest rooms ready for them. He did not do much in the bedrooms for the boys.

    The old man made sure to have Shen Xi¡¯s room decorated ording to her preferences.

    Sitting in the living room, Old Man Song could not wait for Shen Xi to get into her room. No sooner had she stepped into the bedroom than Li Yuan followed behind. They then shut the door behind them.

    Shut the door!

    ¡°She¡­ He¡­ They?¡± Old Man Song pointed at the bedroom door, stammering for words. He thought they were only boyfriend and girlfriend. Why were they sharing a room?

    <b>COO.</b>

    Fu Qingxuan wasing out of the bathroom when he saw them closing the bedroom door. He rushed over and knocked on the door. ¡°Get out, Li Yuan!¡±

    Yu Yuanxi cleared his throat. While he understood the behavior of smitten couples, it did not mean he approved of it. Yu Yuanxi was in the right mind of barging right in there, but Fu Qingxuan was ahead of him.

    Song Wenye did not see a problem with that. Since Xixi and Toffeecito¡¯s Dad had gotten their marriage license, they were bound to share a bed and live in the same room. Was it not how things should go?

    Shen Xi opened the door and popped her head out. ¡°What do you need him for?¡±

    ¡°Tell him toe out.¡± Fu Qingxuan furiously yelled while peeking inside. Li Yuan was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s taking a shower.¡± Shen Xi spoke matter-of-factly. ¡°You should get some rest. Don¡¯t you have a conference tomorrow morning?¡±

    Fu Qingxuan gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you going to share a room with him?¡±

    Shen Xi nodded. ¡°Young Master, we¡¯re husband and wife, signed and sealed. Can¡¯t we stay together?¡±

    Turning ck in the face, Fu Qingxuan huffed and puffed as he pointed at her at a loss for words. In the end, he stormed off. With bloodshot eyes, he took a few steps before blurting, ¡°I don¡¯t give a f*ck anymore!¡±

    All she did was pick on him. Would she say the same to Mr. and Mrs. Shen back at home? Would she have the guts to let Li Yuan stay in her bedroom?

    Yu Yuanxi nced at Shen Xi and sighed when thetter gave him a smile. It was not his ce to butt in as Xixi was right about being awful husband and wife.

    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to do something about it?¡± With Yu Yuanxi holding his tongue and condoning Shen Xi¡¯s actions, Fu Qingxuan switched targets and pointed fingers at Yu Yuanxi.

 Chapter 758 - Was He Putting His Guard Up against Her?

    <h4>Chapter 758 Was He Putting His Guard Up against Her?</h4>

    Yu Yuanxi shrugged to express that it was out of his hands. Still, he gave Fu Qingxuan a suggestion. ¡°You could call Mom and Dad.¡±

    Xixi and Li Yuan loved each other and were married. They were also adults, so sleeping in the same room was only natural.

    Giving Yu Yuanxi the stink eye, Fu Qingxuan stormed out in a huff. His heavy stomping shook the ground.

    Song Wenye nced at Yu Yuanxi and burst outughing

    Old Man Song watched the fiasco and coughed. He turned to Song Wenye. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed? It¡¯ste.¡±

    Xixi and Li Yuan were a married couple, so they could stay together. However, it was a different story with Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi. At least, not on his watch!

    Song Wenye cheekily stuck her tongue out at the old man before ncing at Yu Yuanxi. She sweetly uttered, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    She then bolted upstairs.

    Looking at her receding figure, Yu Yuanxi went forth and pushed the old man¡¯s wheelchair. ¡°Grandpa, let me push you to your room.¡±

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye is still young. I want her to focus on her career in the next two years. Be mindful of your behavior when you¡¯re dating.¡± Old Man Song did not think he was a stick-in-the-mud but everyone had been young once. It was hard for the hot-blooded youngsters to keep their hands off of each other. Nevertheless, Old Man Song had to drill it in their heads to remain cautious on certain aspects of life. ¡°Grandpa, Lil¡¯ Ye and I¡­¡±

    ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye¡¯s parents don¡¯t care much about her. She¡¯s been acting like a boy with a reckless attitude since she was a child. As her grandfather, I can¡¯t talk to her about a lot of things. She¡¯s a girl after all. Don¡¯t let her take that kind of medicine when you¡¯re together. It¡¯s not good for her health.¡±

    ¡°Got it, Grandpa.¡± It never urred to Yu Yuanxi that Old Man Song would tell him this. It made him blush. He and Lil¡¯ Ye had not advanced to that stage.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you know. I¡¯m not against you two being together, but I¡¯m concerned you might have idents.¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re a good kid. Thank you for assuring me.¡± Old Man Song could tell that the child was raised well. The kid had a heart of gold and was good to Lil¡¯ Ye. Old Man Song was pretty content with Yu Yuanxi.

    Lil¡¯ Ye had never gotten love from her parents. An old man like him could only do so much for Lil¡¯ Ye. His biggest hope was to see her find happiness and someone who would give her his heart before he passed on.

    While bringing the old man to his room, Yu Yuanxi humbly listened and acknowledged the old man¡¯s advice and teachings.

    Back in the bedroom, Shen Xi was on the bed ying mobile games as she listened to the sshinging from the bathroom. The vague figure of the tall man was visible through the frosted ss. Sauntering there barefooted, she tapped on the door. ¡°Brother, can Ie in?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s sexy voice bore hints of sultry huskiness.

    Feeling a weird tingle, Shen Xi blushingly knocked again. This time, she sounded urgent. ¡°I need to pee.¡±

    He was such a stiff. Surely, he wanted her toe in!

    ¡°Go outside.¡± Li Yuan turned off the water and picked up a towel to dry his hair.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold it in much longer.¡± Shen Xi gave it a push, but the door did not budge. It was locked from the inside. She bit her lip in disappointment.

    Was he putting his guard up against her?

    Did she look like a hungry wolf?

    ¡°I¡¯ming out.¡± With Li Yuan¡¯s voice ringing in her ear, the door was quickly opened.

    Caught off guard, Shen Xi lunged forward right into the man¡¯s arms since her weight was against the door.

    The man only had a white bath towel wrapped around his waist. He had not had time to dry the water streaming down his body, and his tanned skin only made her go weak in the knees.

    Shen Xi¡¯s gaze slowly moved upwards from his abs, his chest, his exquisite cor bone, long neck, and stopped at his seductive lips. She took a gulp.

    The steaminess of men sure led people astray.

    As Li Yuan lowered his gaze, drops of water slid down his lusciousshes, blurring his vision when they made a ssh. While fixating on the girl, he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡±

    Shen Xi stared nkly at his face. Her voice was sweet as though dipped in honey. ¡°Brother, we¡¯rewfully wedded husband and wife.¡±

    Raising his brows, Li Yuan curled his lips and chuckled in delight. Not to mention, he drawled with that sexy voice of his. ¡°And? What do you want to do to me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Shen Xi was suddenly tongue-tied. Turning angry from embarrassment at the man¡¯s mocking smile, she got on her tiptoes and clung to his neck for a pull before meeting her lips with his.

    Li Yuan held the girl¡¯s supple waist as she had her way with him. With downcast eyes, he saw the hazy friskiness in her eyes. With his breathing turning ragged, he took control.

    It pushed the intimate tension in the room to overdrive.

    The knock on the door was untimely. The hurried knocks expressed the knocker¡¯s disgruntlement.

    Li Yuan breathed heavily to calm his inner beast while resting against the girl¡¯s forehead for a breather. His voice was alluring and raspy. ¡°Go and take a shower. I¡¯ll open the door.¡±

    Bobbing her head amid gasps, Shen Xi went into the bathroom and patted her thumping heart. She smiled like an idiot. Jesus, that was thrilling

    The person who knocked on the door was none other than Fu Qingxuan. With Li Yuan opening the door, Fu Qingxuan looked inside and annoyedly uttered, ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡±

    Li Yuan smiled politely. ¡°She¡¯s in the shower.¡±

    Still, Fu Qingxuan shoved Li Yuan out of the way and went into the bedroom without giving him another look. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for her here. Qingli wants to speak to her. There¡¯s something he needs to ask.¡±

    Li Yuan was not convinced. Fu Qingxuan was probably here to stop him from pulling anything on the girl. Shen Xi was in and out of the shower in ten minutes. Knowing that Fu Qingxuan was around, she put on a white bathrobe and walked out while drying her hair. ¡°Why does Big Brother want to look for me?¡±

    Qingli was in China and living in her house. What could not wait until they met face-to-face? Did he have to call thiste in the night?

    ¡°About something.¡± Fu Qingxuan promised that he did not tell on her, nor mentioned they were sharing a room.

    Shen Xi grabbed her phone in doubt and gave Fu Qingli a call. To her surprise, Fu Qingli actually had something to talk about. The Fu family was about to open a secondaryboratory in China, so he asked if she could attend the opening ceremony as Dr. Jiu Zhou.

 Chapter 759 - Out of Our League

    <h4>Chapter 759 Out of Our League</h4>

    Fu Qingli¡¯s request took Shen Xi by surprise, but it was nothing to be hesitant about. She agreed to it. ¡°Sure.¡±

    He said, ¡°Once you¡¯re done with your term exams, I¡¯ll get Xuan to take you to medical events so you can get to know the people.¡± Shen Xi replied, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Fu Qingli then hung up the call.

    Following Shen Xi¡¯s return, Fu Qingxuan looked puzzled. ¡°What did Qingli say to you?¡±

    What was with the secrecy as if he would eavesdrop? There must be something going on between Xixi and Qingli, and they were leaving him out of it.

    The phone rang soon after. It was Fu Qingli telling him to bring Shen Xi to socialize after her exams were over.

    If Li Yuan was not around, Fu Qingxuan would be spinning around in joy. To hang out with his sister was all he ever wanted. It was right up his alley. Qingli did love him.

    Fu Qingli told him to show Shen Xi around but said nothing about Shen Xin being Dr. Jiu Zhou.

    Time flew by.

    Shen Xi finally endured through the exam week by mid-January and weed the holidays.

    Fu Qingxuan had been out and about China¡¯s medical scene for his secondaryboratory. He could be seen in every medical conference, more than he ever participated in thest one and half years.

    Since the start of the holidays, Shen Xi was running around with Fu Qingxuan as his assistant too. The pair were joined by the hip.

    Everybody knew who Shen Xi was. She was Fu Qingxuan¡¯s sister and a medical student at Capital University. She was one of them.

    Nevertheless, many medical professionals could not care less about her. In fact, they looked down on her, believing that she only had ess to these symposiums due to her connections with Fu Qingxuan. A regr medical student would not have a chance to have a social exchange with leading medical personnel.

    That Sunday, there was a medical exchange forum exclusive to only the best of the best in the country. The participants were either prestigious members of the medicalmunity and doctors who won many international awards, or gifted medical scientists like Fu Qingxuan.

    On site, everyone was enthusiastically chatting about one thing, and it was not medically rted for a change. Instead, it was about the mysterious Dr. Jiu Zhou.

    The conference¡¯smittee managed to invite the mysterious Dr. Jiu Zhou. This was the person everyone named the miracle doctor in China. All attendees were looking forward to seeing his real face.

    The appearance of Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan halted the bustling scene. Everybody looked toward them, specifically at Shen Xi.

    Many people in the medical world were disgruntled about Fu Qingxuan abusing his position and taking Shen Xi everywhere. Even if he came from a powerful family or was a young genius, he had no right to preferential treatment.

    The medical big shots had their own assistants and students too. No matter how wrapped up they were in their studies without a care for anything else, they were concerned about everything rted to their personal gains.

    For example,panions were not allowed in many confidential academic exchanges. It was out of the question for staff and those who wanted to use connections to gain entry.

    However, it was a different story with Fu Qingxuan. It did not matter how tight the ess was, he always had a way to bring Shen Xi along. Of course, it stirred discontent and outrage among the rest.

    The conference today was an SSS-ss private symposium. Apart from those invited, the rest were strictly not allowed entry.

    Shen Xi¡¯s presence dropped a huge bombshell at the venue. It opened the floodgates to an outburst of disgruntlement.

    ¡°Dr. Fu, it¡¯s inappropriate for you to bring your sister here today.¡± Yao Lan could not take it anymore. Her pet peeve was people like Shen Xi who pulled strings and connections to get experience.

    Why should those who worked hard not have the chance to participate in this sort of academic exchange while half-hearted ones without the right attitude to learn got all the opportunities in the world?

    It was all because she had her good brother and a backer like the Fu family. However, it was unfair toward the people who actually wanted to learn something.

    The crowd turned to Yao Lan, seeing eye to eye with her statement while feeling impressed by her. As expected from a genius like Fu Qingxuan. Her words carried weight.

    Coming from a family of doctors, Yao Lan made a name for herself from a young age as a genius in the medical world. She was epted into China Medical School at the age of 12 andpleted her Master¡¯s by the age of fifteen.

    At the same time, she was a proud student of Lu Kunting, the dean of China Medical School and president of the China TCM Society. Yao Lan just hit eighteen this year, just like Shen Xi.

    Despite being peers, Yao Lan was a renowned physician at the top of the medical field while Shen Xi was only a girl tagging along with her brother.

    With Yao Lan spearheading the discussion, more began to jump on the bandwagon. A person like Shen Xi had no right to participate in this conference.

    ¡°The Fu family sure is a real treat. They sure have China in the palm of their hands. They can stuff any riffraff into a high-security conference.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Dr. Chen. All somebody needs are the Fu family and Dr. Fu. We civilians can¡¯tpete. They¡¯re out of our league.¡±

    Filled with bitterness, the young and hot-blooded threw touches of sarcasm.

    ¡°Quit it. Shen Xi, do you have an invitation? Are you allowed to join the event?¡±

    ¡°Youngdy, you should know your ce. We can turn a blind eye to you following your brother around for the past few days. We¡¯ll take it that you¡¯re eager to learn, but not this time. This conference is our nation¡¯s top secret. Don¡¯t humiliate yourself and leave. Don¡¯t make us kick up a fuss. It won¡¯t be good for anyone by then.¡±

    ¡°Leave right now and we won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± The older generation lectured her as an elder.

    Fu Qingxuan was caught in a daze by the public attack. He had not seen any invitation, nor was he aware of how ssified the conference was. Looking at the angry mob, Fu Qingxuan stood in front of Shen Xi. ¡°Take your grievance out on me. I was the one who brought her in.¡±

 Chapter 760 - Excuse Me, Please Move Over

    <h4>Chapter 760 Excuse Me, Please Move Over</h4>

    ¡°Dr. Fu, you sure are a good brother. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what your sister is made

    of.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Dr. Fu, I think if you have a bit ofmon sense, you would know better than to bring her to such an important event.¡±

    Mockery and taunt finally reared their ugly heads.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Fu Qingxuan scoffed coldly.

    ¡°What are we trying to say? Oh, don¡¯t y dumb, Dr. Fu. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve received a notification saying that only those in possession of the invitation card are allowed to participate in the conference. This is not somewhere any Tom, Dick, and Harry can waltz in.¡± ¡°Dr. Fu, take a good look. Is your sister¡¯s name on the list?¡±

    <b>name</b>

    ¡°I checked the list. She¡¯s not in there.¡±

    People started to air their disgruntlement.

    Turning ashen in the face, Fu Qingxuan could blow steam out of his ears. He was about to give them a piece of his mind when Shen Xi grabbed him by the arm.

    ¡°Brother, they¡¯re right. The name, Shen Xi, doesn¡¯t have a right to attend this important conference.¡± Shen Xi smiled while taking in all the hostility around them. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the list. There¡¯s no Shen Xi on it.¡±

    Everyone gazed at her in confusion as Shen Xi addressed herself from a third-person perspective. Not knowing what she was trying to get at, they looked at her in contempt.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s fury was overtaken by sweet joy, as if doused in honey, at the word ¡°Brother¡±.

    His little sister called him ¡°brother¡±!

    This was the first time she verbally acknowledged him in public.

    Dragging Fu Qingxuan along, Shen Xi strode to the best VIP seats in the front. The name tag on the seat was written ¡°Jiu Zhou¡±.

    She then took the seat.

    It was pin-drop silence in the hall. With their jaws dropping to the ground, the crowd stared at Shen Xi and tried to talk themselves out of the shock.

    No way!

    The joke was not even funny!

    Was Shen Xi the mysterious and amazing Dr. Jiu Zhou?

    The person who was shocked more than anyone else was Fu Qingxuan. Widening his eyes in disbelief, he stared at Shen Xi with doubt, surprise, and anger. That was right.

    Anger. He was furious!

    Fu Qingxuan had no idea that his little sister was Dr. Jiu Zhou! That was unbelievable of her!

    In the face of questioning looks, Shen Xi said with a smile, ¡°I should ask. Does Jiu Zhou have the right to sit here and participate in the conference?¡±

    Her statement brought in more questions than answers.

    ¡°How can you prove that you¡¯re Dr. Jiu Zhou?¡±

    She could be an impostor for all they knew. Dr. Jiu Zhou was quite the mystery, and no one had actually met the doctor in person; even previous invitations to international medical conferences were ignored.

    ¡°Do you need to prove that you¡¯re your father¡¯s son or your son¡¯s father?¡± Shen Xi replied with a question in a taunting manner. Her unhurried tone bore weight and authority. ¡°D-Don¡¯t change the subject and deflect the question!¡± The person turned flushed in rage. ¡°You im to be Dr. Jiu Zhou, but why should we take your word for it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to take my word for it.¡± Shen Xi nonchntly grinned. ¡°You can choose to either believe it or not.¡±

    Too livid to get a word out, the person was still hung up on the interrogation when someone nearby gave him a tug. What if Shen Xi was Dr. Jiu Zhou? They would only be embarrassing themselves.

    They would soon find out whether she was Dr. Jiu Zhou either way. She would be proven wrong when the real Dr. Jiu Zhou emerged.

    There was still a possibility that she was a fraud if no one came to prove her otherwise. She was young and ostentatious, an unfit match to Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s profile who was rumored to keep a low profile and be indifferent to fame and fortune.

    Besides, she was the youngdy of the Fu family. Dr. Jiu Zhou had no care for vanity. There was still a chance that she was impersonating Dr. Jiu Zhou.

    Whispers spread across the room but no one had the guts to mess with Shen Xi. They were waiting with bated breath for the real Dr. Jiu Zhou to make an appearance.

    Fu Qingxuan pulled Shen Xi aside and sulkily asked, ¡°How dare you!¡±

    She¡­ She was out of line!

    He was her brother!

    ¡°You never asked me.¡± Shen Xi looked strangely at him. ¡°Why did you look the way you did when you provided medical care to Mom?¡± Fu Qingxuan questioned in hushed tones.

    ¡°That¡¯s makeup.¡± Shen Xi was forting.

    ¡°Why did you feel a need to put on a disguise?¡± Fu Qingxuan¡¯s feelings were hurt.

    ¡°Fu Qingli had a huge problem with me at the time. He hated me.¡± Shen Xi told the truth.

    To be frank, had it not be because of Fu Qingli¡¯s godd*mn attitude, she would not put onyers of makeup.

    Shen Xi had been through a lot to avoid unnecessary trouble and get Fu Qingli off of her back about having an ulterior motive.

    ¡°Qingli¡¯s outrageous! It¡¯s all his fault.¡± Fu Qingxuan shifted his fury to Fu Qingli while feeling bad for Shen Xi.

    ¡°Yes.¡¯ Shen Xi shared the sentiment.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Fu Qingxuan paused before adding. ¡°Do Qingli and the rest know about this?¡±

    Qingli was the liaison in getting Dr. Jiu Zhou to attend the conference.

    ¡°Qingli knows about it, but the rest has no idea,¡± Shen Xi answered.

    Fu Qingxuan felt so much better, having found out he was not thest person to know. However, why was the pain in the *ss, Qingli, the first to find out?

    ¡°When did Qingli find out?¡± Fu Qingxuan dropped another question.

    ¡°When I went to treat Mom.¡± Shen Xi took a deep breath.¡± I suspect Qingli hasser eyes. He sees through all my disguises with just one look.¡±

    It was not that she was keeping it from Fu Qingxuan, but Fu Qingli was too witty to catch on to her meticulous disguises. She had to say, Fu Qingli had a gift.

    Although Fu Qingxuan was sulky, Shen Xi gave him a reason to kick himself for failing as an older brother.

    Sure, it was forgivable that he could not recognize his little sister through her disguise, but despite connecting with Shen Xi through telepathy, it took Fu Qingxuan some time to be aware of her. It was ipetence on his part.

    Qingli was right. He was useless.

    Shen Xi chatted with Fu Qingxuan, answering all his childish questions and doubts.

    A middle-aged man, exuding a sage character, emerged from the back and stopped near Shen Xi. Looking down at her, he said politely, ¡°Excuse me, Young Lady. This is my seat. Please move over.¡±

 Chapter 761 - 1 The Real Dr. Jiu Zhou

    <h4>Chapter 761 The Real Dr. Jiu Zhou</h4>

    Taken aback, Shen Xi lifted her head and gazed at the man. ¡°You¡¯re Dr. Jiu Zhou?¡± Jesus. To think someone would impersonate her. Her indifference to fame and fortune as well as her absence from public events were no excuse to take advantage of her.

    The man scoffed coldly. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m not? Who are you?¡±

    Shen Xi was without a word.

    Fu Qingxuan stood up and took a protective stance in front of her. ¡°My sister is Dr. Jiu Zhou. You must be sick in the head to impersonate her in her face.¡±

    Who did he think he was? His little sister was Dr. Jiu Zhou. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry seemed to have the nerve to pose as her. ¡°And who are you?¡± The man stood firm on his ground, refusing to stoop low and engage with them. ¡°Since you two are young, I¡¯m not going to argue with you. Take your little sister and leave before you embarrass yourselves. I won¡¯t hold her ountable for pretending to be me.¡±

    There were sneers and jeers all around. The crowdughed in mockery, having predicted that this was how things would y out.

    There was no way Shen Xi was Dr. Jiu Zhou and such was the case. The youngdy of the Fu family was shameless to impersonate Dr. Jiu Zhou. Had she no care for the Fu family¡¯s reputation?

    ¡°You may not hold me ountable, but I¡¯m not going to let things go.¡± Shen Xi was amused.

    She had only provided medical care a handful of times, but word got out quickly. Still, some people had the nerve to pass off as her

    <b>nen</b>

    This person was cocky enough to show his face and confront the real deal because he was convinced that no one had met Dr. Jiu Zhou nor could anyone testify for Shen Xi.

    The man chuckled in disdain. ¡°Young Lady, I am Jiu Zhou. Who are you blowing the whistle on?¡±

    Raising her brows, Shen Xi nonchntly asked, ¡°If you im to be Dr. Jiu Zhou, how can you prove it?¡±

    The man was enraged by her attitude. ¡°I am Dr. Jiu Zhou. I don¡¯t have to prove myself.¡±

    The onlookers already had a problem with Shen Xi after losing the first round to her. There was no way they were going to pass up a chance to put her down.

    ¡°Ms. Shen, are you sure you still want to keep up with the fa?ade now that the real Dr. Jiu Zhou¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself. I¡¯ve never seen someone with no shame. Some people just do as they please just because their family is loaded and has power.¡±

    There were people who stood up and mocked aloud. The tables turned rather quickly, but it made them feel good. How was Shen Xi going to talk her way out of it now? It was a real eye-opener how she could leave her dignity out the door to participate in the conference.

    Judging by these people¡¯s attitudes, the middle-aged man was assured that Shen Xi was a fraud. Smiling to himself, he knew his n would go on without a hitch.

    All he had to do now was kick this phony and he would be home free.

    ¡°Since you say you¡¯re Dr. Jiu Zhou and I say I¡¯m Dr. Jiu Zhou, why don¡¯t we prove it?¡± Shen Xi remained unflustered as she said with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m Jiu Zhou. Why do I need to prove myself to you and go along with your charade?¡± With a change of emotions in his eyes, the man appeared furious.

    Having caught wind that Dr. Jiu Zhou never attended any public events, the man came to try his luck here. The nerve of this kid to say she was Dr. Jiu Zhou instead.

    The name ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou¡± was worth a lot of money. Should his n to fill in for Dr. Jiu Zhou seed, he would be swimming in cash in less than a few days.

    After scamming the money, he nned to immigrate overseas and enjoy a luxurious life.

    ¡°Scared?¡± Shen Xi disinterestedly shrugged and put him up for a dare. ¡°Where is the person in charge here?¡± Instead of answering Shen Xi, the man sternly questioned, ¡°Someone¡¯s causing a nuisance here. Isn¡¯t anyone going to deal with this impostor?¡±

    ¡°Security!¡± One step ahead of the man, Fu Qingxuan yelled and angrily pointed at him. ¡°Kick this poor excuse of a man out of here.¡±

    The security personnel had heard themotion. Since the conference had not started, confidentiality was not a concern yet. The security guards soon approached.

    They were medicalymen so they did not recognize any of the attendees, much less Fu Qingxuan.

    Apart from Fu Qingxuan who unwaveringly stood by Shen Xi¡¯s side and believed she was Jiu Zhou, the rest believed Shen Xi was a fraud and the middle-aged man the real deal.

    The security guards looked at Shen Xi. ¡°Madam, pleasee with us.¡±

    Shen Xi¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    The security guards still had a job to do. ¡°Don¡¯t me us for doing our work.¡±

    They were about to get handsy with Shen Xi. Fu Qingxuan came in between and struck the security guards. Fuming with rage, heid it hard on the guards, and soon they were knocked out.

    One of them had his leg broken and was rolling and howling on the ground in pain. He cried for reinforcement through his radio.

    Looking like a victor, the man gazed at Shen Xi with delight. ¡°Why are you still here? Are you waiting to be locked up?¡±

    ¡°You should be the one behind bars.¡± Shen Xi let out a chilling smile. ¡°It¡¯s actually easy to prove who the real Dr. Jiu Zhou is. A lot of you must know that Dr. Jiu Zhou hase up with a miracle drug not too long ago.¡±

    The people around exchanged nces. Sure, they had heard about it. However, there was no telling whether the news was authentic. It was hard to tell if such a miracle drug actually existed in the world. For all they knew, it could just be an exaggeration.

    Two months ago, Dr. Jiu Zhou cured the head of the Su family. The head of the Su family was a paraplegic. In other words, Dr. Jiu Zhou had a cure for paraplegia!

    The rumors were more than a spectacle, saying that it only took Dr. Jiu Zhou one pill to heal while there were talks that it was no easy job.

    ¡°You are doctors. Come and check on this person¡¯s injury.¡± Shen Xi pointed at the security guard whose leg was broken by Fu Qingxuan.

    It took her a year to manufacture the right medication for Li Yuan¡¯s legs. Shen Xiter made improvements and increased the drug¡¯s efficiency by tenfold. The head of the Su family was all better after trying one pill. The crowd was skeptical. If she had the miracle drug that could instantly cure the security guard¡¯s broken leg, then there would be no question that she was Dr. Jiu Zhou.

    Nevertheless, did such a medicine exist in the world?

    If it were true, the drug was no less than a miracle pill. People would be flocking and begging her for the medicine.

    At this point, the man finally panicked. With his eyes frantically scanning the room, he broke out in cold sweat as he deliberated the quickest escape route.

 Chapter 762 - A Medical Wonder

    <h4>Chapter 762 A Medical Wonder</h4>

    The first toe forward, Fu Qingxuan nced at the screaming security guard and said, ¡°Leg fracture.¡±

    A few who stood nearby were not here for the drama. Rather, they were interested in finding out who the real Dr. Jiu Zhou was, so they stepped forward. Everyone here worked in the medical field and was among the elites of China. They went forth to examine the security guard¡¯s injury before giving a uniform answer ¨C bone fracture, albeit a hairline fracture. However, two weeks were needed for a full recovery.

    Shen Xi immediately gave the pill to the security guard.

    After going through immense pain, the security guard could now better tolerate the pain. Holding the pill, he skeptically swallowed it.

    Everyone was fixated on the security guard for any changes he may experience next. The middle-aged man saw an opening to make a run for it. He would be done for if he was found to be an impostor. It was time for an escape. Before the man could make his escape, Fu Qingxuan kicked him on the knees, prompting him to fall on his knees in pain. Still, the middle-aged man tried to crawl himself out of there but could not move as his back was stomped on.

    Fu Qingxuan¡¯s actions were seen as inappropriate on such asions. However, it was understandable. If Shen Xi was really Dr. Jiu Zhou and someone was indeed impersonating his little sister, it made sense for Fu Qingxuan to stand up and stick up for his little sister.

    It was outrageous if the middle-aged man turned out to be a con artist. The majority here, who challenged and ridiculed Shen Xi, were perturbed and secretly praying that she was not Dr. Jiu Zhou.

    Although Dr. Jiu Zhou hardly made an appearance or treated patients, the doctor¡¯s name was celebrated all over China. Dr. Jiu Zhou was hailed as China¡¯s miracle doctor.

    It would be detrimental in the event Dr. Jiu Zhou held their disrespect and attitude against them. Anyone in their right mind would want to improve their medical acumen and be on good terms with Dr. Jiu Zhou to learn and share.

    Having been restrained, the impostor knew he was in the doghouse. Hence, he begged for forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯m not Dr. Jiu Zhou. It¡¯s my fault. I lost myself to greed and came up with this n. Please, just let me go. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    His words and fear were enough indicators that he was not Dr. Jiu Zhou. It was the buzz that Dr. Jiu Zhou was a lone wolf. How could Dr. Jiu Zhou be associated with this coward?

    Since Fu Qingxuan was an internationally renowned medical genius, it was fair to justify that his little sister, Shen Xi, had a knack in the medical field too.

    Nevertheless, if she really was Dr. Jiu Zhou, it was illogical why she would hide her identity.

    Dr. Jiu Zhou had been a very private person, never having made public appearances before while Shen Xi had been attending all medical conferencestely. She did not seem like the kind who would rather fade into the background and be indifferent to fame and fortune.

    Everyone quietly waited for things to unfold. Most of the pain seemed to be lifted from the security guard¡¯s face after he swallowed the pill. Ten minutester, he looked at Shen Xi in surprise. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. My leg doesn¡¯t hurt. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± ¡°It stopped hurting?¡± Shen Xi looked back at him. ¡°You can try to stand up and walk if it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡± One middle-aged man stopped them. Carrying a duty toward the patient, he earnestly uttered, ¡°Let me examine him.¡±

    There was a possibility that it was a strong painkiller to numb the security guard¡¯s nerves from feeling pain.

    Others quickly chimed in and echoed his thoughts. All of them knew a thing or two so who was she trying to bluff? They suspected Shen Xi did something to ease the security guard¡¯s pain temporarily.

    Shen Xi took a step back to give way so they could check on the security guard¡¯s injury. Her expression remained detached and aloof.

    This was why she disliked participating in social events, be it a financial forum or an academic symposium. There was alwayspetition andparison where vanity fairs were. Back-stabbing went hand-in-hand with wherever people were involved. Shen Xi would not havee had Qingli not asked her to. She had no intentions to blow her cover as Dr. Jiu Zhou so soon.

    Dozens of the finest doctors examined the security guard and found themselves staring at each other in disbelief. They then turned to Shen Xi in unison.

    The person¡¯s leg was all better. He waspletely healed.

    This was a medical miracle!

    If they had not personally made the diagnosis and identified the security¡¯s injury, plus the security guard had been hanging right under their nose, they would seriously doubt whether the security was reced.

    The rest of the crowd heard the diagnosis, including the interaction during the medical examination, loud and clear.

    For a moment, everyone was at a loss ining to terms with this.

    ¡°I am Dr. Jiu Zhou. You¡¯ve gotten the proof you need.¡± ncing around the room, Shen Xi was ready to make a move. ¡°I hope the conference will be a sess. If you¡¯d excuse me.¡±

    She then took off.

    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Fu Qingxuan pulled a long face while throwing off an unapproachable vibe.

    These people were not worth his and his little sister¡¯s time.

    So much for some bullsh*t academic conference between the finest of the fine. These people were nothing more than they presented on the surface.

    ¡°Spare me, Dr. Jiu Zhou. Please help me out here!¡± The impostor was arrested by the police who came by. With Shen Xi about to leave, he implored out loud.

    The police officer would only give him a p on the wrist if Dr. Jiu Zhou decided to let the whole matter go.

    Shen Xi did not even look back.

    Fu Qingxuan was indifferent all the way.

    ¡°Dr. Jiu Zhou, Dr. Fu.¡± Someone went after them in a fluster. ¡°The conference is about to begin. Please don¡¯t leave.¡±

    Oh, gawd! The Fu family was a family of geniuses.

    That was not right. If Fu Qingxuan was a medical genius, then Dr. Jiu Zhou was a medical wonder!

    Panic finally sat in among the crowd as Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi walked out. Fu Qingxuan was a prodigy in the international medical field with the most advancedboratory in the world under his belt. They could forget about participating in any of his projects after stepping on Fu Qingxuan¡¯s toes.

 Chapter 763 - Xixi Finally Called Me Brother!

    <h4>Chapter 763 Xixi Finally Called Me Brother!</h4>

    Dr. Jiu Zhou was the most mysterious miracle doctor in China. Sure, the people had heard the rumors, but to see the miracle unfold in person was breathtaking. Dr. Jiu Zhou could be named the future of medicine.

    Yet now, they had insulted both Dr. Jiu Zhou and Dr. Fu in the heat of a moment.

    They had given China¡¯s medical scene a bad name. They would be too ashamed to show their faces in the medicalmunity if they were to lose Dr. Jiu Zhou and Dr. Fu now.

    Try as the crowd may, Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan refused to stay and quickly drifted away from sight.

    Some people sighed and others regretted their actions, while a few bemoaned their impulsive acts.

    Those who had been talking trash were scared to death, concerned that Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan would remember them and scr*w them over.

    Their worries were for nothing. Shen Xi could not care less about them since it was pointless to waste her time with the likes of them.

    Fu Qingxuan stormed out, still beside himself. ¡°These people think they¡¯re all that. Their pretentiousness makes me sick to my stomach.¡±

    Shen Xi consoled him with a smile, ¡°Young Master, no need to argue with them. You¡¯d only be lowering yourself to their level.¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± Fu Qingxuan protested in disgruntlement while staring at her sulkily. He repeated, ¡°It¡¯s Brother to you!¡±

    She called him Brother at the venue just now. Why was she singing a different tune now? He was not some young master but her older brother.

    ¡°Young Master.¡± Shen Xi emphasized gleefully. ¡°Meanie.¡± Fu Qingxuan was furious, so furious his eyes welled up. ¡°Call me Brother, or I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡±

    ¡°Or you¡¯ll what?¡± Shen Xi teased him as usual. It was so much fun to see the young master getting riled up.¡± You¡¯re only older than me by a minute.¡±

    ¡°A minute¡¯s still a minute. A minute¡¯s still older than you. I¡¯m the older brother.¡± Snuffling, Fu Qingxuan huffed and puffed exaggeratedly. ¡°I¡¯ll cry if you don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    Shen Xi curled her lips harder. ¡°Cry then. It¡¯s not a crime for men to cry.¡±

    She started to sing along with the same lines.

    Tears burst through Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes and streamed down his cheeks.

    Shen Xi, ¡°¡­¡±

    Oh,e on. He actually cried!

    Biting his lip, Fu Qingxuan held his tongue in rage. He kept to himself as he walked ahead.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan, are you really crying?¡± Shen Xi stifled herughter. Fine, maybe she went a little overboard, but did she though?

    Fu Qingxuan remained silent.

    ¡°Let me buy you dinner.¡± Shen Xi picked up the pace to catch up to him.

    Fu Qingxuan was still without a word.

    ¡°Young Master, aren¡¯t you acting sensitive? You¡¯re better than that.¡± Shen Xi reflected deeply on her actions and decided to apologize on the safe side. ¡°I was wrong. Stop crying. Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed showing your crying face in public? How are you going to show your face now?¡±

    As if he did not hear her, Fu Qingxuan was unresponsive.

    ¡°Fu Qingxuan!¡± Shen Xi pretended to be angry.

    Fu Qingxuan ignored her.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Shen Xi gave in. The young man, who was quietly walking ahead, stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at her.

    ¡°So you can hear me now?¡± Shen Xi gave him a nasty look.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Fu Qingxuan bobbed his head.

    Shen Xi smiled helplessly. Fu Qingxuan was more childish than a little kid. ¡°Young Master, buy me dinner.¡±

    A broken reflection, albeit a dubious one, filled Fu Qingxuan¡¯s eyes to the brim.

    Shen Xi was defeated. ¡°I was wrong. It¡¯s my fault, okay? Brother! Brother! Brother!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Fu Qingxuan broke into a smile atst. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you. What do you want to eat?¡±

    Shen Xi replied, ¡°There¡¯s a newly opened grilled fish restaurant at Qiankun Street. The ratings look promising. Let¡¯s get us some grilled fish.¡±

    Fu Qingxuan nodded his head. ¡°Sure.¡±

    This appeared to be his first dinner with his little sister. It was a good bragging rights.

    Qiankun Street was not too far away, about two kilometers in distance.

    Fu Qingxuan let Shen Xi take the wheel while he took the passenger¡¯s seat. He drew close to Shen Xi for a picture together, so he could unt it in his WeChat Moments.

    (FuQingxuan: Dinner with my little sister. Just the two of us.]

    Attached was a coge of nine photos taken from various angles. Since Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi were attractive, they looked good from the front, side, overhead, or down-low shots.

    He had to emphasize that it was only the two of them.

    Comments flooded his screen in a matter of minutes.

    Fu Qingxuan happily went through thements to find Fu Qingli¡¯s reply. (FuQingxuan: Xixi finally called me Brother!)

    He meant to show off as he was over the moon that his little sister called him Brother. Today was a day worth remembering.

    Nevertheless, the replies under his reply caught him off guard. Fu Qingxuan received question marks and queries in return. (So, your little sister doesn¡¯t call you Brother?]

    It then hit Fu Qingxuan that the joy got to his head. He was too busy to let the good news hang out that it backfired on him.

    If he did not post it on his Moments or reply to Fu Qingli¡¯sment, only his family would know that his little sister refused to call him Brother.

    Yet now, all his contacts had found out that Xixi never used to call him Brother.

    Fu Qingli replied to his message with an impressed emoji to taunt him.

    Pouting to himself, Fu Qingxuan smacked his head and fixed his gaze on his Moments, in two minds about whether to delete the post.

    By the looks of the replies, his circle of friends had seen the post. It was meaningless even if he were to delete it now.

    With Fu Qingxuan grabbing his hair in conflict, Shen Xi asked in confusion, ¡°Young¡­ Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She was quick to swallow ¡°Young Master¡± and skillfully switched it up to ¡°Brother¡±.

    Fu Qingxuan put away his phone and faintly uttered, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Xixi rarely looked at his Moments. She had too many friends to scroll on her Moments too, so it was likely she would miss his post.

    After a quickugh at Fu Qingxuan, it then entered Fu Qingli¡¯s mind that the pair were supposed to be at the medical conference. Why were they driving off to dinner? He gave Fu Qingxuan a call.

    Fu Qingxuan put his own spin on the tale and eximed in indignation, ¡°Qingli, who are these people? They have no ss. Xixi and I are not going to theseme events anymore.¡± He would not take part in this stuff if it were not because he wanted to spend time with his little sister. Fu Qingxuan would rather use his time by throwing himself into experiments than waste time on pompous gatherings.

    Fu Qingli¡¯s voice reflected a dangerous chill. ¡°Got it. Tell Xixi to drive carefully. I¡¯ll deal with this matter.¡±

 Chapter 764 - It Was Great to Be Young

    <h4>Chapter 764 It Was Great to Be Young</h4>

    After hanging up the call, Fu Qingxuan became obsessed with either deleting or keeping the post on Moments.

    In the end, he made up his mind not to delete it since the post was out there now. At least, everybody would know that his little sister called him Brother.

    These people would only remember Xixi calling him Brother. No one would be so silly to gossip about whether his little sister addressed him the same in the past. The reveal that Shen Xi was Dr. Jiu Zhou stirred a huge uproar in China, not so much on the international stage though. Shen Xi¡¯s activities were limited within China after all.

    The winter vacation was only for a month. With Shen Xi¡¯s identity out of the bag, she kept a low profile and did not even show up at her family¡¯s secondaryboratory in China again.

    As for the invitations to engage in various medical events, Shen Xi turned them all down. The medicalmunity with inside information on that matter was disgruntled toward the people who had given Shen Xi nothing but doubt and hostility in thest conference. Had they not acted like a snob, Shen Xi, who was ready toe out of seclusion and actively engage in the medical scene, would not have suddenly gone back into hiatus. It was clearly these people¡¯s fault that Shen Xi was disappointed in China¡¯s medicalmunity.

    Meanwhile, Shen Xi was having a blissful and rxing holiday.

    It was not her intention to hang out at the medical scene. Qingli discussed with her aboutying the groundwork for their secondaryboratory and ying with the big boys. This was necessary work to make a name in China.

    What happened thereafter was right up her alley by chance. She would disappear and not make another appearance.

    ¡°What time is your big brothering?¡± Gazing at the girl catnapping on hisp, Li Yuan asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Xi listlessly responded, wrinkling her nose as the wind tickled her hair against her face.

    With a doting smile, Li Yuan reached out to curl her hair behind her ears before grazing her little nose. ¡°It¡¯s getting a little windy. Let¡¯s get inside.¡±

    Although the sun was bright in the winter, the weather was still cold. Shen Xi did not do well in the cold, but she insisted on basking in the sunlight.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Xi noddedpliantly while clinging onto his arm like a sloth.

    Li Yuan helplessly smiled and pped her hand. ¡°Move a little to the back.¡±

    Shen Xi was toozy to move even an inch. Still, she listened to him and moved back a touch to lean on his back. Putting her arms around his neck, she drew her lips next to his ear. ¡°My big brother said that Guoguo and Lil¡¯ Zhen will being home with us.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Li Yuan inquired.

    ¡°Oh, you.¡± Shen Xi paused, letting a hint of cunningness slip past her eyes as she nibbled on his ear and uttered in a muffled tone. ¡°You have to stay back and keep Uncle Lipany for the New Year. Uncle Li must be so lonely in the barren Li Mansion.¡±

    ¡°Kun Lun and the rest are there for him,¡± Li Yuan answered.

    ¡°That reminds me. As their boss, you should be spending the New Year with them. You¡¯re staying at Li Mansion this year.¡± Shen Xi teased him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t miss me?¡± Li Yuan asked whiningly.

    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xi shook her head. Getting the thrill of it, she huffed into his ear between nibbles.

    The little game Shen Xi yed sparked a me from his ear to every inch of his body. Swallowing hard, he could not hide the gruff in his voice. ¡°Ingrate.¡± ¡°I miss you!¡± Shen Xi chirped, making him go weak in the knees with her sweet voice. ¡°My heart aches the second I can¡¯t see you.¡±

    Li Yuan chuckled heartily. He turned his head and sealed her lips. ¡°Where did you learn all that smooth talk from?¡±

    Shen Xi looked doe-eyed at him as they faced each other. She batted her lusciousshes and cooed lovingly, ¡°You like it?¡±

    Li Yuan licked his lips and murmured in a sultry voice, ¡°I do.¡± While Shen Xi lost her breath, the man grabbed her by the waist and pulled her forward.

    She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he cupped her sweet cheeks. A flush quickly traveled through her bloodstream straight to her face.

    It all happened in a sh.

    Li Yuan leaned forward and met her lips. With her breath taken away, Shen Xi¡¯s mind went nk. All she remembered along the slow walk home was the air sucked right out of her.

    Under the sunlight, the air came to the boiling point along with their passion. Even the cool breeze was stained a sensual shade.

    Then came Uncle Li to call them over for lunch. Watching the scene, he immediately covered his eyes and turned around. The smile on his face was content though.

    The young master and Ms. Shen were married on paper. It was a wonder when they would have children to bring life and joy into the huge Li Mansion.

    However, Uncle Li did not sit around and wait for long as Li Yuan and Shen Xi soon returned hand in hand. The good-looking pair were such eye candies. Uncle Li had to say that it was great to be young

    There was a lot that Shen Xi and Li Yuan could do together as a couple. Even if they did nothing, they were filled with love to just quietly lie there together.

    Nevertheless, they barely had time to be alone. Other than having to go with Fu Qingxuan to mingle with the crowd for experience, Shen Xi usually had a full schedule.

    Sometimes she had to stay at home during her time off. There was no chance for some hanky-panky if she was at home.

    She managed to get away today with a bit of time in her hands. Shen Xi dragged Li Yuan to Li Mansion for a moment together.

    s, the bliss did notst long. Fu Qingli called during lunch and told her to pick Lu Guoguo and Lu Zhen up at the tutoring agency. Fu Qingli had been spending a lot of time with Lu Litely. Shen Xi believed there was a breakthrough in their rtionship, but she stayed out of their business to let nature take its course.

    At half-past four, the couple showed up at the tutoring agency on time. It was a music center where the children learned to y the drums.

    Many little ones hade out, but the two kids were nowhere in sight.

    Afraid something might have happened, Shen Xi pulled Li Yuan along to enter the building and quickly located the ssroom for drum lessons.

    Although there were not many people left in the ssroom, it was a chaotic scene. A woman with a thick cake of makeup on her bitter face had a finger up Lu Zhen¡¯s nose and was yelling at him angrily.

 Chapter 765 - My Husband, Li Yuan

    <h4>Chapter 765 My Husband, Li Yuan</h4>

    Not someone to have a way with words, Lu Zhen pulled a long face as he protected Lu Guoguo behind him. His clear eyes faced the woman with stubbornness and callousness.

    The drum instructor was a young female in her twenties. The woman¡¯s aggressive berating put the instructor on the spot and at a loss of what to do. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Chen. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m in the wrong. I should¡¯ve kept a better eye on the kids. It¡¯s my responsibility. Can we forget about it and move past this?¡± ¡°Forget about it and move past it?¡± The woman abruptly turned high-pitched while angrily pointing at Lu Zhen. ¡°The little monster beat my son up, and you want me to let it go?¡±.

    The female instructor was nearly pushed to tears. With the woman about toy a finger on the boy, the female instructor immediately came in between them. ¡°They¡¯re kids. It¡¯s not unusual for kids to fight. Lu Zhen is wrong to hit your son, but your son called him names. I¡¯ll call Lu Zhen¡¯s parents right now and we¡¯ll talk, okay?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was rich and mean. These two traits did not make a goodbo. Her son, Chen Xiaonian, was the ss bully and had always picked on the other kids.

    Lu Zhen and Lu Guoguo were new additions to the ssst week. The siblings were adorable, smart, and popr among the students and instructors.

    Chen Xiaonian may be young, but he had a big nose. He stopped Lu Zhen right after ss andbeled thetter a b*stard without a father in front of the whole ss.

    It was unclear where the kid learned the information from, but it got on Lu Zhen¡¯s nerves. For an indifferent kid, Lu Zhen sure packed up a punch. He pressed Chen Xiaonian, who was older by three years, on the ground andpletelyid it all on him. ¡°Talk?¡± As if hearing the biggest joke of the century, the woman shoved the female instructor aside. ¡°My son was beaten. How do you n to talk it out? You said my son called him names? He was only telling the truth. Is he not a b*stard, a little monster, or fatherless?¡±

    She then spat before looking at Lu Zhen and Lu Guoguo in disdain. She had seen these kids before at Old Madam Lu¡¯s eightieth birthday celebration. They were children belonging to the Lu family¡¯s youngdy and God knows who the father was.

    Lu Li¡¯s presence was not wee in the Lu family, so the woman was not afraid to step on the former¡¯s toes. Forget talking it out, the woman intended to teach the little b*tch a lesson when Lu Li came over.

    The female instructor was fresh to how society functioned. She was doing alright with teaching kids to y drums, but exchanging words was a whole new world to her. There was no way she could beat the woman. As her face turned flushed, the female instructor had no idea what to do. She resorted to the clumsiest way ¨C using her body as a blockade and waiting for backup.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that attitude. So you¡¯re on the little monster¡¯s side, huh?¡± Letting out a scoff, the woman aimed a p at the instructor¡¯s face.

    The female instructor turned white as sheet as she was caught off guard by the sudden outburst of violence. She closed her eyes expecting the worst, but the pain never came. She opened her eyes to find a beautiful girl standing in front of her and holding the woman¡¯s arm down.

    <b>om</b>

    <b>in</b>

    ¡°Who the hell are you? I¡¯m warning you. Stay out of this.¡± The woman eyed Shen Xi down while feeling jealous of Shen Xi¡¯s gorgeous looks.

    The girl was more beautiful than the b*tch like Lu Li.

    ¡°Aunty.¡± Lu Guoguo had been staying strong and fighting off the tears, but the floodgate opened at the moment her family arrived. She ran to hug Shen Xi¡¯s legs as she let out a heartbreaking cry. ¡°I should introduce myself. My name is Shen Xi.¡± Shen Xi gazed at the woman and smiled. ¡°This is my husband, Li Yuan. Guoguo and Lil¡¯ Zhen are my big brother, Fu Qingli¡¯s children. Nice to meet you.¡±

    A minute ago, the woman had a few ideas in mind to give the girls the works. However, Shen Xi¡¯s words put a block on her thoughts. Color drained from herplexion as her body shook violently.

    No doubt she was familiar with these names. Families with a bit of influence and money, be it big or small, would want to get in on the major leagues ¨C the Li and Fu families. These were the families that everyone in China yearned to rub shoulders with.

    The woman was aware of that fact, but the female instructor was clueless. Looking at Shen Xi like a savior, the female instructor was grateful for the helping hand and hoped Shen Xi would put an end to the matter. ¡°Guoguo¡¯s Aunt, Mrs. Chen, let¡¯s have a chat in the office.¡±

    The ssroom was not a good ce to talk. The students and parents who were here for the next lesson could walk right through the door at any time. It was not very nice for them to witness the ruckus.

    ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m prepared to reconcile.¡± The woman was unlike her cocky and arrogant self from minutes ago. She looked at the instructor. ¡°My son is in the wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have called names.¡±

    With that, the woman red at her son and nudged him. ¡°Little rascal, where are your manners? How can you berate your ssmate? Hurry up and apologize to Lu Zhen.¡±

    Chen Xiaonian was baffled by his mom doing an instant 180. She was only defending him a minute ago. What went wrong within that minute? Since kids did not share theplex thoughts of adults, they tended to say what popped into their minds. ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing. He hit me. Mom, you have to get even for me. It hurts.¡±

    ¡°Aunty, he¡¯s the bad boy. He insulted me and Brother first.¡± Angrily giving Chen Xiaonian the eye, Lu Guoguo refuted. Her brother hit him because he started it.

    ¡°My son is young and doesn¡¯t know better. I¡¯ll make sure he gets what he deserves.¡± The woman smiled awkwardly at Shen Xi while dying to beat the little rascal up. Her kid could not seem to get the hint. Still, she tipped him the wink and nudged him again. ¡°You were wrong to start it.¡±

    She was done for if the matter could not be resolved. The Chen family would go down the drain if the Fu and Li families held the matter against them. Spoilt rotten, Chen Xiaonian was not going to admit guilt. ¡°Never! If you¡¯re not on my side, I¡¯m going home to tell Dad. Dad will hit you.¡±

    The woman grabbed the kid by the cor with an ugly look on her face. ¡°Say you¡¯re sorry.¡±

    Shen Xi watched the show like a passerby in intrigue. It was all good as Lu Zhen was not hurt. Nevertheless, the boy was amazing to single-handedly take down a child that was older than him.

    Chen Xiaonian wailed even louder and was dead set on not apologizing. He kicked up a fuss like the spoiled brat that he was.

 Chapter 766 - Keep the Secret

    <h4>Chapter 766 Keep the Secret</h4>

    Frustrated, Mrs. Chen gave Chen Xiaonian a good p.

    Chen Xiaonian¡¯s cheek quickly swelled up with a fresh handprint as he wailed louder.

    Mrs. Chen did not hold back as she picked up a drumstick to whack the kid. It was all a show for Shen Xi and the group.

    Shen Xi was without a word.

    Li Yuan remained silent.

    Scared, Lu Guoguo clung tightly to Shen Xi¡¯s leg while hiding behind her. Her tiny head poking from behind revealed the displeasure in her doe eyes.

    Bad boy. Chen Xiaonian was a big bully! He should be taught a lesson so he would leave her and her brother alone.

    The female instructor who had been trying to be the mediator could not take it any further. These kids were her students. Sure, Chen Xiaonian was spoiled rotten and naughty, but that did not mean he was mean in nature. He was a child and not rotten to the core.

    Besides, monkey see, monkey do. The child was only mimicking the adults.

    ¡°Mrs. Chen.¡± The female instructor stopped her. ¡°We could talk about this. Don¡¯t beat the kid.¡±

    Mrs. Chen turned ashen in the face. ¡°Move aside. I need to get it through his head today. He shows no remorse. I need to beat him until he admits to his mistake.¡±

    The female instructor looked at Shen Xi for help, hoping she could say a few words. The bickering and fighting between children should not spiral into such a mess.

    Shen Xi was of the opinion that Mrs. Chen was something else, acting all puffed up when she entered the room. It was changed in the blink of an eye. At the end of the day, Mrs. Chen was a bully.

    Mrs. Chen would give them hell if they were ordinary people of ordinary families.

    The child was spoiled rotten by the parents. He was bound to grow up to be a defiant loser. A proper lesson would only do him good.

    Mrs. Chen chased after Chen Xiaonian around the ssroom to hit him. The kid was running away while crying about telling Grandpa and Grandma on her to get his revenge. Shen Xi scoffed coldly before moving her gaze to the panicking instructor. ¡°Miss, we¡¯re done here. We should get going.¡±

    She then held one kid on each side and turned on her heel to leave.

    Li Yuan picked up the pace.

    Once at the door, Shen Xi uttered, ¡°Your father has something on today, so he told me to pick you up. How about we go out for dinnerter?¡±

    With her eyes lit up, Lu Guoguo incessantly nodded and shyly replied, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lu Zhen said nothing but gently bobbed his head.

    The noise of pursuit and beating in the ssroom gradually stopped after they left. Chen Xiaonian could pass out from all the sobbing. While gasping for air, Mrs. Chen could not hide the nervousness in her eyes. She wondered if hitting her son was enough for the Fu family to let the whole matter go.

    The father of Lu Li¡¯s children turned out to be the eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Qingli. She must keep the secret and not let the cat out of the bag.

    She could not be the only one to suffer from this. There were many other third-rate families who could not stand the sight of Lu Li and talked smack about her. They should get a taste of this as well.

    The music center was on the fourth floor of the children¡¯s section in a big mall. The third floor was the children¡¯s y area with many facilities to offer.

    In the lift, Lu Guoguo looked around with sparkling eyes. She wanted to get in on every attraction. Nevertheless, she was not especially close to Shen Xi after all. As a sensible child, she knew better than to demand rides like other kids.

    Lu Zhen might be mature for his age, but he was still only three years old. Although it was hard to resist the temptation for some fun, he rather held his tongue.

    Shen Xi, on the other hand, was a happy kid, pointing at the iing train. ¡°Guoguo, Lil¡¯ Zhen, shall we get on the choo-choo ride?¡±

    Lu Guoguo stared at the train, envious of the kids enjoying the choo-choo ride with their parents.

    Lu Zhen did not express any opinion. There were still a lot of seats avable on the ride.

    Li Yuan ran over to g the train down. He carried and ced Lu Guoguo onto the ride before smiling at his fairdy.

    Shen Xi did not have the cheek to let him carry her onto the train in public. They were at the children¡¯s area after all. It would look bad.

    She was about to get in there when Lu Zhen held her hand. The little man finally spoke, ¡°Aunty, I¡¯ll sit with my sister.¡±

    After a quick pause, Shen Xi happily bent over to carry him and put him next to Lu Guoguo. She earnestly said, ¡°Sit tight.¡±

    With her smiley eyes, Lu Guoguo bobbed her head and held onto Lu Zhen. ¡°Aunty, Uncle, hurry up and get in. The train is about to set out.¡±

    Her kiddish and sweet voice invited friendly smiles and looks from those on the train and passersby.

    Shen Xi got onto the train atst.

    Looking at her, Li Yuan extended his arm out to her.

    Shen Xi grabbed his hand and pulled him aboard. It was a different kind of happiness just sitting side by side on the kid¡¯s train ride.

    Li Yuan took a nce at Lu Zhen. The kid was taciturn, but he was quick-witted. He sure had a bright future ahead of him, knowing to create some alone time for him and his fairdy.

    The young and old pairs were head-turners. The passersby, adults, and children on the rides could not help but look at them.

    The choo-choo ride had never received such attention, so much so the driver was ttered.

    The train stopped after its round.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan each carried one child off the train and arrived at the bumper cars. Shen Xi asked Lu Guoguo who was in her arms. ¡°Do you want to get on the bumper ride?¡± Li Yuan stared at the girl dotingly, imagining the same situation with their children if they were to have them.

    Lu Guoguo nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Since his sister wanted to y, Lu Zhen was going to keep herpany for sure. He secretly wanted to try the ride too. However, they had to sit next to an adult for the ride.

    Taking one car, Shen Xi and Lu Guoguo chose the tiger.

    Li Yuan and Lu Zhen picked the cat.

    Shen Xi and Lu Guoguoughed joyfully when the cars bumped into each other. The adults and kids were having a st.

    Li Yuan looked at the girls with a smile.

    Lu Zhen had a grin stered on his face. Judging by the glimmer in his huge eyes, the boy appeared happy too.

    Shen Xi looked at Lu Zhen, who had been a master of keeping his emotions inside, and asked, ¡°Lil¡¯ Zhen, was that fun?¡±

    The kid was already a chip off the old block at such a young age. Looking at him, Shen Xi could imagine that Fu Qingli was the same during his younger days.

 Chapter 767 - They Still Had a Long Road Ahead of them

    <h4>Chapter 767 They Still Had a Long Road Ahead of them</h4>

    Lu Zhen froze in Li Yuan¡¯s arms. He then looked at Shen Xi and nodded.

    ¡°Are you happy?¡± Shen Xi followed up with another question.

    Lu Zhen bobbed his head again.

    Shen Xi said, ¡°Laugh when you¡¯re happy. Cry when you¡¯re sad. You¡¯re a child. It¡¯s a kid¡¯s right tough, cry, and kick up a fuss when you want to.¡±

    Following a change of emotions in his eyes, Lu Zhen lowered his gaze to shy away from her. He was without a word.

    Shen Xi sighed to herself. Her heart broke for him. The child might not behave like this if he had aplete family from the start.

    Hang on. He would not behave like this for sure.

    Fu Qingli was the only member to keep to himself while Qingye and Qingxuan were vibrant characters. ording to Qingye, Fu Qingli did not exhibit such behavior at a young age.

    The change in Fu Qingli came after Shen Xi and Dad went missing one after the other. Picking up the broken pieces of the family, he withdrew into his shell.

    Li Yuan knew his fairdy was trying to make Lu Zhen happy and let the little man indulge in the joy a kid his age deserved. s, Li Yuan could do nothing to help in this department.

    Lu Zhen had his own mind. He was not going to be swayed easily just because someone said something. It could not be rushed. Changing him by nting the idea in his head would take time.

    Li Yuan believed the little man would see a personality change after a year or so with a bit of time alone with either him and his fairdy or the Fu family, excluding Fu Qingli of course.

    After the bumper ride, Lu Guoguo opened up and went full out on the rides, joining Shen Xi in whatever and pointing out rides she was interested in.

    Subsequent to the rides, Lu Guoguo dragged them into a pottery shop. Many children, apanied by adults, made little creations. The shop provided models and samples, but the kids were free to make anything they liked.

    The store oversaw the baking too. The children could retrieve their masterpiece two dayster.

    Shen Xi was an artist, so this was right up her alley. Anything made by her hands came to life.

    Li Yuan was a stranger to handicrafts since he never tried his hands on them before. These little things reminded him of the first snowst winter. His fairdy piled up a snowman that looked just like him.

    ¡°What are you going to make, Lil¡¯ Zhen?¡± Shen Xi became the leader of the children, showing Lu Zhen a catalog of samples. Lu Zhen shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make my own.¡±

    Shen Xi stroked the little guy¡¯s head. ¡°Sure. What about Guoguo? What do you want to

    make?¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Lu Guoguo gave it a thought. ¡°I want to make my own too.¡±

    She could not say it out loud. Lu Guoguo wanted to make something for Aunty and Uncle to thank them for bringing her out. She really enjoyed herself.

    Shen Xi smiled and grabbed a handful of y. ¡°I want to make Guoguo and Lil¡¯ Zhen.¡±

    The two kids were adorable, and a model of them would be cuteness overload.

    Lifting her head, Lu Guoguo gazed at Shen Xi with sparkling eyes. ¡°Then I want to make one of Aunty too.¡±

    She wanted to create models of Aunty and Uncle to present them as a gift. That was decided!

    The two children were only three years old. Hence, their hand-eye coordination was stillcking. Still, Lu Zhen had better motor skills than Lu Guoguo.

    Shen Xi sat in between the kids, giving pointers every now and then.

    Sitting opposite, Li Yuan looked at the grownup and children with adoration written all over his face. Since the girl was earnestly teaching the kids, Li Yuan was on his own in making a cup.

    Shen Xi lifted her chin to find the man burying his head in his work. Her eyes welled up, observing his longsh flutter along with his movements. The next minute, Shen Xi dabbed her finger in ck ink and tapped it on the tip of the man¡¯s nose.

    Feeling the girl¡¯s moist fingertip on his face, Li Yuan lifted his head. The girl¡¯s finger slid down his face and dragged a long ck trail.

    Shen Xi burst outughing.

    Lu Guoguo lifted her head and chuckled at Li Yuan.

    Lu Zhen could not help but snicker as well.

    Hearing Lu Zhen¡¯sughter, Shen Xi looked over and found the little guy in stitches despite his best efforts to keep his emotions in check. His giggles melted her heart.

    See. The boy knew how tough after all, and he looked good chuckling too. The kid shouldugh more instead of putting on a straight face.

    With cunningness shing past her eyes, Lu Guoguo dabbed on some ink and painted Lu Zhen¡¯s face.

    Lu Zhen was stunned.

    It gave Shen Xi the opportunity to dab on more ink to rub on Lu Zhen¡¯s face. She then tipped Li Yuan the wink.

    Getting the idea, Li Yuan soaked his finger in some ink and wiped it on Lu Zhen¡¯s face.

    The different shades of ink on Lu Zhen¡¯s face made him look rather hrious.

    Forget kindness, Lu Guoguo was first to point at him and guffawed.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan joined in on theughter.

    Lu Zhen¡¯s face became stiff while his eyes grew watery. The three of them ganged up on him. Trying to suppress the hurt, Lu Zhen only ended up more upset. It was not as though he did not have a temper. He furiously dabbed on ink and rubbed it on Shen Xi who was closest to him.

    Shen Xi was taken aback. She was ted to see the little man finally fighting back. Shen Xi reached out to poke his little face. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. You¡¯re a kid. Follow your heart and do as you please. Speak up if you¡¯re angry. Get your revenge if we pick on you!¡±

    With rosiness creeping up his cheeks, Lu Zhen locked eyes with Shen Xi. Tears glistened in his eyes as he was caught between tears andughter. He lifted his head to find his face covered in ink. Lu Guoguo was naughty to make a face at him too. In the end, a case of giggles simply took over him.

    Lu Guoguoughed happily when her brother chuckled.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan exchanged nces and grinned in relief. The boy finally showed some progress. Nevertheless, they still had a long road ahead of them to change the kid¡¯s awkward personality.

    Out of the four, Shen Xi was the most efficient. The kids fumbled at first, but they were smart and got the hang of it rather quickly. Their creations were taking shape.

    Li Yuan made two cups and drew aic version of him and his fairdy on each cup.

    Shen Xi also molded two Toffeecitos to crouch over the brim of the cups. They could not look more adorable. Lu Guoguo¡¯s eyes lit up at the cups. ¡°Aunty, I want that too.¡±

    Shen Xi inquired, ¡°Who do you want to be drawn on the cup?¡±

    After contemting for a moment, Lu Guoguo counted on her fingers. ¡°Me, Brother, Mommy, and Daddy.¡±

 Chapter 768 - Baby in Her Tummy

    <h4>Chapter 768 Baby in Her Tummy</h4>

    ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Xi responded before getting her hands dirty with the kids to make presents for their parents.

    Once they were all done and ready to go home, it was alreadyte. They had too much fun to realize their bellies were rumbling.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan inquired about the collection time and took the kids upstairs for food.

    The restaurants were on the fourth floor. The ce was packed since it was eight o¡¯clock at night on a weekend. There were long lines outside every restaurant.

    Looking at the children, Shen Xi picked their brains. ¡°There are a lot of people here, so we¡¯d have to wait a long time for our turn. How about we go home for dinner?¡±

    She then turned to Li Yuan.

    Having noments, Li Yuan nodded in agreement. It was not healthy to consume too much food outside. Nothing beat home-cooked food.

    The kids sensibly bobbed their heads.

    Shen Xi made the call. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Li Mansion and get Uncle Li to prepare something kids would love to eat.¡±

    Mom and Dad were not at home to make her dinner. Yu Yuanxi would take a long time if she asked him to cook for them. They were too hungry to wait.

    While heading to the car, Li Yuan asked Kun Lun to buy some food on the way to ease the hunger pang. Otherwise, they would be traveling home on an empty stomach.

    Kun Lun bought a cake and some kids¡¯ favorite desserts at the bakery. He also got what Shen Xi liked ¨C duck innards.

    Having heard they wereing back for dinner, Uncle Li had the kitchen make haste to prepare Shen Xi and Li Yuan¡¯s favorites. Of course, he did not forget the little ones. He told them to hold off the spice for the kids.

    Uncle Li¡¯s eyes lit up when Li Yuan and Shen Xi returned with Lu Guoguo and Lu Zhen. He approached and gazed lovingly at the children as if they were his grandchildren.

    ¡°Uncle Li, this is Guoguo and Lil¡¯ Zhen. They¡¯re my big brother¡¯s kids.¡± Shen Xi made the introduction.

    Uncle Li nodded with a bright grin. He warmed up to the kids immediately.

    He was told about Fu Qingli a while back but never had a chance to meet the children. Now that Uncle Li had a good look, the girl was pretty, adorable, and a tterer.

    <b>IS</b>

    The little guy was very well-behaved but a tough nut to crack. He definitely took after the eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Qingli.

    Even the eldest son of the Fu family had children. When would it be Ms. Shen and the young master¡¯s turn?

    The twin genes ran in the Fu family. Ms. Shen surely had higher chances of bearing twins.

    Uncle Li was over the moon at the thought of the little additions to the family. He hoped the couple would hurry up and bring life into Li Mansion.

    The adorable Lu Guoguo raised her arms, asking for hugs from Uncle Li. Shen Xi smiled. ¡°Guoguo, Uncle Li can¡¯t carry you. Don¡¯t wear Grandpa out.¡±

    Uncle Li could not be happier about being the recipient of the kid¡¯s friendliness. Nothing could tire him. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m not tired. I might be old, but I¡¯m tough. I can still take care of your children in the future.¡±

    He then picked Lu Guoguo up and smiled affectionately. ¡°Let Grandpa carry you.¡±

    The little girl was the cutest little thing that he could just put in his pocket.

    Holding Lu Zhen¡¯s hand, Shen Xi observed the interaction between the elderly and child with tenderness in her eyes. She wondered what Li Yuan and her child would be like.

    She hoped her child would not behave like Lu Zhen if it was a boy.

    If it were a girl, Shen Xi hoped the child would be as cute as Guoguo.

    Looking at the girl, Li Yuan drew close and whispered in her ear, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    Shen Xi gave him the side nce and heaved into his ear. ¡°Thinking about our baby Brother, when are we going to have one?¡±

    Li Yuan replied, ¡°After your graduation.¡±

    She was still young. He did not want to hold her up in life by giving her a baby so soon.

    Shen Xi spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Are you concerned you¡¯d put me behind my studies? It¡¯s okay. You can watch the baby after I give birth.¡±

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Even if you and I are okay with it, do you think your brothers would be fine about it?¡±

    If children were in the cards, they should not keep it from the family as they did with the marriage registration. They had to let the family in on the ns.

    ¡°We¡¯re the ones having the baby. What does it have to do with them?¡± Shen Xi mumbled sulkily.

    ¡°They¡¯re your family. The people who love you the most in the world,¡± Li Yuan answered.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Shen Xi looked into his eyes between blinks.

    Li Yuan gently smacked the girl¡¯s head. ¡°I love, love, love you the most in the world.¡±

    Shen Xi let out a bright smile. Taking in the man¡¯s handsome features, she drew in for a kiss while no one was looking.

    To her surprise, she turned around to find Lu Zhen, who was looking at his sister a moment ago, staring right at her. His gaze fell on her lips. Shen Xi cleared her throat and yed it cool.

    Lu Zhen quickly looked away, holding it together better than Shen Xi. In his little mind, he wondered if kissing could make babies.

    Did Aunty have a baby in her tummy? Was it a boy or a girl?

    Shen Xi could feel Lu Zhen¡¯s gaze on her belly every now and then. He seemed lost in his thoughts as he rubbed his tummy.

    Lu Zhen blurted, ¡°Aunty, is the baby in your tummy a boy or a girl?¡±

    The boy was not one to initiate talk, but that question seemed important to him. His eyes were fixated on her stomach.

    Shen Xi was blushing all over. The question threw her for a loop. ¡°I don¡¯t have a baby in my stomach.¡±

    Lu Zhen furrowed his brows, With confusion reflecting in his eyes, he asked in a tender voice, ¡°When will you have a baby in your belly?¡±

    Not knowing what to say, Shen Xi gave Li Yuan the look to take over. Li Yuan chuckled at the girl¡¯s cute and red face. He turned to Lu Zhen. ¡°Do you want a younger brother or sister?¡±

    Lu Zhen answered without a second thought, ¡°I don¡¯t mind either.¡±

    He would love and protect them since he was the older brother after all!

    Li Yuan smiled. ¡°Aunty doesn¡¯t have a baby in her belly yet, but she will in the future. Lil¡¯ Zhen, will you y with them?¡±

    Lu Zhen solemnly nodded. ¡°I will y with them and protect them.¡±

    Just like how he protected his sister.

    Lu Guoguo was puzzled by the baby talk at first but soon caught on when more was said. She happily raised her hand and uttered, ¡°I want to y with the babies too.¡±

    She would be the older sister if Aunty had a baby.

 Chapter 769 - Doctors Donâ€™t Treat Themselves

    <h4>Chapter 769 Doctors Don¡¯t Treat Themselves</h4>

    Shen Xi smiled at Li Yuan. ¡°Brother, we should work on it since Lil¡¯ Zhen and Guoguo really want a younger sibling.¡± Li Yuan cleared his throat and dotingly nodded with a smile.

    The conversation saw Uncle Li walking on air. He was already making ns in his head to do his homework for the baby. That night, Lu Zhen and Lu Guoguo stayed over at Li Mansion.

    The children might be young, but they had learned to sleep on separate beds. They each had a cot to themselves in the same room. They stuck to the routine and went straight to bed after a shower.

    They were independent during bath time too.

    Shen Xi helped Lu Guoguo in the bathroom.

    oom.

    Li Yuan watched Lu Zhen take a shower.

    Shen Xi waited until the kids dozed off before turning off the lights and leaving two nightlights on. She tiptoed out of the bedroom and left the door ajar.

    With Shen Xi emerging out of the room, Uncle Li beckoned her over and whispered, ¡°I left some soup for you and Young Master. Go and help yourself.¡±

    Shen Xi nodded and nced at the study. The door to the study was cracked open a little to let a streak of light shine through. She could hear the man talking inside. He seemed to be in a meeting

    Uncle Li told the kitchen to bring over the soup and handed it to Shen Xi. He gleefully watched her carry the bowl into the study.

    The young master had not been in the best of health. It took a toll on his body after he lost function in his legs. It had not been two months since he got better, so the young master had better boost his health if he wanted to have children.

    Bringing the soup over, Shen Xi gazed at him and murmured, ¡°Brother, take this.¡± She was feeling hungry now that it was past ten o¡¯clock. ncing at the soup, she contemted whether to ask Uncle Li for two bowls of rice.

    The soup was not enough to fill her tummy. It was all water weight that could be lost after a trip to the loo.

    Li Yuan had already ended the meeting and shut hisptop when his fairdy entered the room. He reached out to grab the bowl of soup as the girl took a seat beside him.

    The soup tasted nd but had a unique aroma. It was refreshing, fragrant, and appetizing. Chicken wings and thighs were part of the ingredients, but the soup did not smell like the typical chicken soup.

    Li Yuan first sampled the food for the degree of seasoning and heat before blowing on each spoonful to feed to the girl.

    Shen Xi poked his cheeks and uttered sweetly, ¡°Brother, have some too.¡±

    Taking one spoonful in turns, Li Yuan and Shen Xi soon finished the bowl of soup.

    Li Yuan picked up a chicken leg and fed it to the girl. He also took a bite after his fairdy urged him to.

    The soup, chicken leg, and chicken wings were quickly eaten up by the couple.

    Uncle Li was grinning from ear to ear when he came in to clear the dirty dish. He told them, ¡°Young Master, Madam, it¡¯ste. You should get some early rest.¡±

    Shen Xi had a strange feeling from Uncle Li. Thetter was smiling as though he had a secret. Before she could get a second look, Uncle Li had already left the room.

    Something did not feel right as shey in bed after a shower. Her body was kicking up a temperature as if her blood reached boiling point. She breathed heavily and her throat was dry.

    As a doctor, she knew what these symptoms meant. It was no ordinary soup Uncle Li gave them. It was a revitalizing soup.

    Li Yuan felt the same. The irregrities in his body kicked in earlier than Shen Xi, not too long after he consumed the soup. The hot shower Shen Xi took enhanced blood cirction and intensified the feeling.

    Li Yuan showered in cold water and came out in a white robe, oozing with cold vapor. With his face crimson, he did not dare to look at the girl. He gruffly said, ¡°Let¡¯s sleep in separate rooms today.¡± He would not be able to resist her.

    How was he supposed to hold himself back in the presence of his fairdy?

    Lying in bed, the girl hid under the sheets. It was not known whether she heard him because she did not make a peep.

    Li Yuan took a nce at her with concern. The girl¡¯s inviting scent tickled his nostril into his heart before he could go over. He was about to lose it. Pushing back the stir in his core, Li Yuan turned on his heel to escape the scene.

    He had made it to the door when the girl¡¯s tantalizing voice was heard.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m hot.¡±

    All it took was one sentence.

    Feeling the rush to his head, Li Yuan could not hide the huskiness in his voice and the mad desire in his usually still eyes. He took two steps forward while trying to keep it together. ¡°You¡¯re a doctor. You can find a way. What do you need? I¡¯ll get Uncle Li on it.¡±

    ¡°Doctors don¡¯t treat themselves.¡± Shen Xi lifted the covers a little to reveal her flushed face. Her sultry voice could make anyone weak in the knees.

    Li Yuan closed his eyes, not to look and think about her, but all he could see in his mind was her. ¡°I¡¯ll get a doctor.¡±

    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Xi cried before abruptly lifting the sheets.

    Li Yuan had a full view of the shade of bare skin the moment the sheets were pulled open. Thest shred of his sanity was burned to ashes in that instant.

    The raw tension in the room rose rapidly, sparking a burst of passion.

    The night was long. Tonight belonged to them. It was the most beautiful and unforgettable night.

    The first ray of the morning shone through the cracks between curtains.

    Shen Xi felt as though she was hit by a bus, feeling sore all over. Her body could fall apart.

    Lying on his side, Li Yuan propped his chin against his arm as he watched the girl open her eyes. Heartache, love, and remorse were written all over his eyes. His voice was raspy but sultry. ¡°Does it still hurt there?¡±

    Last night, it hit him that he went overboard after the act. The girl was covered in bruises. He felt so sorry he could kill himself. Shen Xi was out cold the whole time Li Yuan bathed her and applied the medication to her. Since then, Li Yuan kept awake and watched her until she woke up.

    Looking at the man, Shen Xi snuffled and welled up in the eyes. ¡°It hurts everywhere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Li Yuan wanted to hold her but was scared he might hurt her.

    Shen Xi reached out to hug him and snuggled in his embrace. ¡°You men say one thing and do another. You must be a wolf, I believe.¡±

    He had endless stamina. ¡°Yeah.¡± Li Yuan murmured while resting his chin on her head. He sniffed her mesmerizing scent and uttered gruffly, ¡°I¡¯ve been hungry for twenty-four years.¡±

    That feeling of ecstasy got him hooked and drove him to the edge. He simply had no control. This was the person he loved with his life!

 Chapter 770 - Iâ€™m Not Good Enough for You

    <h4>Chapter 770 I¡¯m Not Good Enough for You</h4>

    Shen Xi was too tired to lift a finger, but she could not just lie in bed all day. She had to bring the children to their extracurricr activities.

    They had to see the job to the end since they brought the kids home yesterday,

    Li Yuan helped his fairdy get dressed while struggling to lock the beast within. Men tended to have needs in the morning.

    Nevertheless, he felt bad enough to see the girl so lethargic. How could he possibly have the heart to go for another round?

    At the door, Shen Xi nudged him. ¡°Go and get me a scarf.¡±

    She felt her neck. It would be embarrassing if the kids saw it.

    With a doting smile and love in his eyes, Li Yuan gazed at the love bites on the girl¡¯s fair neck. He went to pick a scarf from the wardrobe.

    Shen Xi opened the door to find a human-shaped thing tumbling to her feet. At a closer inspection, she met a pair of angry and distressful eyes staring at her.

    Fu Qingxuan!

    Taken aback, Shen Xi stammered as she pointed at the person. ¡°W-why are you here?¡±

    When did hee over? Had he been eavesdropping at the door?

    Biting his lip, Fu Qingxuan sat up. With bloodshot eyes, he hissed, ¡°Meanie!¡±

    He had a sudden difort in the heart in the middle of the night, thinking something had happened to her. Rushing to Li Mansion, Fu Qingxuan was struck by a thought at Li Mansion¡¯s doorstep.

    What else could happen when Shen Xi and Li Yuan were together? It could only be the most natural act between men and women.

    Shen Xi¡¯s head was spinning from the blow. No way, no way, no way. What could be more embarrassing between twins? Could Fu Qingxuan sense whatever she was doing?

    Jesus. How was she supposed to do the deed with Li Yuan thereafter?

    Sensing her shame and panic, Fu Qingxuan added. ¡°We were at close range. I felt an uneasiness in my heart.¡±

    He did not want to have a telepathic connection with what she and Li Yuan were doing. Otherwise, Fu Qingxuan might just pass away in rage.

    ¡°That¡¯s weird, okay!¡± It did not sit well with Shen Xi. She was speechless. ¡°I ought to find a way to cut the telepathy between us.¡±

    That would not do. It would be awkward if she could perceive Fu Qingxuan engaging in the act of love when he had a lover down the road.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to pick on that if you didn¡¯t get your panties in a twist.¡± Turning flushed in the face, Fu Qingxuan red at her. Could they change the subject?

    Shen Xi heaved relief. Fu Qingxuan was right. She must have gotten too excited because yesterday was Li Yuan¡¯ and her first time. Hence, Fu Qingxuan felt it.

    Fu Qingxuan would not be able to feel a thing if she showed a little restraint next time.

    ¡°Uncle.¡±

    Lu Guoguo¡¯s sweet voice cleared the awkward air between them.

    Fu Qingxuan got himself in a sticky situation. He regretted it, believing he should not havee or said anything. Nevertheless, there was no point crying over spilled milk. Fu Qingxuan bolted to Lu Guoguo and Lu Zhen¡¯s side.

    Shen Xi asked Uncle Li and found out that Fu Qingxuan spent the night at Li Mansion¡¯s entrance.

    Uncle Li stumbled upon him at the doorstep and invited him in when he got up to sweep. Fu Qingxuan was not eavesdropping bright early in the morning

    Despite no one at home talking about Shen Xi and Li Yuan consummating the marriage, everyone was aware of it. It wasmon for lovers to be intimate during their private time.

    In the next few days, Shen Xi tried to figure out if Fu Qingxuan could feel anything when she and Li Yuan did the deed. She could finally rest, seeing that he acted nothing out of the ordinary.

    Fu Qingxuan was right. She was hot with emotions that night because it was her first time. He could pick up on high fluctuations of emotions.

    The Shen family had an agreement with the Fu family to celebrate the New Year together.

    This would be their first New Year together. After a discussion, they decided to spend the New Year at the Fu family¡¯s residence. Shen Tang¡¯s family was included in the celebrations too. The merrier the better. The Fu family had enough rooms to amodate everyone.

    In the afternoon of December 24th in the lunar year, the family gathered at the Li family¡¯s private airport for their flight to the Fu family¡¯s country of residence.

    Shen Tang was going to meet up with them after taking care of business. She was thest one to arrive.

    Yu Qiubai drove her to the airport.

    The pair started datingst night.

    Shen Tang had her eye surgery ten days ago and the bandage was removed yesterday. Although she had regained vision, the swelling around the eyes had not gone down.

    Yu Qiubai had been in low spirits since getting out of the car. He carried the luggage and quietly walked ahead.

    Shen Tang gazed at him amusingly. ¡°You have to stay behind to spend the New Year with your

    mom.¡±

    Yu Qiubai begrudgingly looked at her. He was sad and pouty. ¡°Just tell me that you don¡¯t want me to tag along.¡±

    Shen Tang replied, ¡°We¡¯re dating, not married.¡±

    Besides, she was already a little shy about going to the Fu family¡¯s residence. She was afraid the Fu family might think the Shen family knew no boundaries if she also brought along her boyfriend.

    Shen Tang was aware that the Fu family was nice. That being the case, she should reciprocate with good manners and not inconvenience the family.

    ¡°So you¡¯d bring me along if we¡¯re married?¡± With his face beaming, Yu Qiubai asked.

    Shen Tang hesitated. ¡°Um¡­¡±

    If nothing else, the guy was a world-ss clinger.

    ¡°You must be talking about this.¡± Yu Qiubai suddenly whipped out their household registers. ¡°City hall is still open. We have two hours before they close. It takes us one hour to get there. Let¡¯s go now.¡±

    It blew Shen Tang¡¯s mind that he took out the household registers and talked about getting a marriage license out of the blue. She took a while to get over the shock. ¡°You must be joking.¡±

    Yu Qiubai drowned himself in a pity party. ¡°I knew it. I¡¯m not good enough anymore. You don¡¯t like me now that your eyes are better.¡±

    Shen Tang got a goodugh. ¡°What about your mom if youe with me? Is she spending the New Year on her own?¡±

    ¡°My mom is going too. My mom is Li Yuan¡¯s aunt. Come to think of it, we¡¯re family.¡± Yu Qiubai came clean. ¡°I asked Xixi for a favor. She¡¯s picking up my mom. Just tell me if you want me.¡±

    Shen Tang answered, ¡°I want you.¡±

    Yu Qiubai broke into a smile. With his foxy eyes reflecting joy and happiness, he drew near. ¡°I got your household register from your mom. When are we getting our license?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not of age.¡± Shen Tang reminded him.

    The legal age to marry in China was eighteen for women and twenty for men. He had two years to go! ¡°We can have the wedding first.¡± Yu Qiubai would not let it go. ¡°We can get the marriage license on my twentieth birthday.¡±

 Chapter 771 - Gag

    <h4>Chapter 771 Gag</h4>

    Since Yu Qiubai had made up his mind to woo her, he went all out and threw his dignity aside. He was ready to beg, borrow, and steal to get his girl.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t wait at all?¡± Shen Tang questioned with a smile.

    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t wait. Now that you have your vision back, you¡¯ll see better-looking men. You¡¯d think I¡¯m ugly and lose interest in me. You¡¯re going to abandon me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yu Qiubai spoke matter-of-factly without shame.

    He had been gued by insecurities since he begged her to be with him. Yu Qiubai believed that she agreed to be his girlfriend because she was moved by his persistence.

    Shen Tang saw him as a younger brother for a long time. However, he did not want to be regarded as a brother. Yu Qiubai wanted to be her man.

    ¡°Apart from you, who else pays so much attention to a blind person like me?¡± Shen Tang clung to his arm and leaned in for a kiss. She was brought back to the past year of all the things he did for her. She made a mental note of every single detail. All these things added up to one beautiful memory.

    Taken aback, Yu Qiubai held his breath and looked into her eyes, ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t leave me no matter what the future holds or how many outstanding and good-looking men go after you?¡±

    ¡°I swear.¡± Shen Tang raised her hand. Looking at his solemn face, she extended her arm to give it a pinch. ¡°Can you promise you won¡¯t leave when I grow old and ugly?¡±

    She was older than him by five years. Shen Tang should be the one worried. Hence, she did not allow herself to ept and dive into the rtionship headfirst despite knowing his feelings.

    Boys had not reached maturity at that age. Perhaps it was only a spur of a moment for Yu Qiubai, or maybe he took pity on her.

    More than just being moved by himter on, she liked him too. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, Shen Tang started to develop feelings for him.

    By the time she looked back and realized it, the feelings had only gotten stronger. ¡°Of course.¡± Yu Qiubai lifted his hand to swear. ¡°My heart, my person, up and down, inside out, belong to you and only you for the rest of my life.¡± He had just finished his sentence.

    ¡°Tangtang.¡±

    Shen Xi called from the back. Gazing at the sweet couple, she was cringing by their mushiness.

    Yu Qiubai was made of perseverance. Only God knew how many rejections he took from Tangtang in the past year, and still, he persisted and got the girl. He stole Tangtang¡¯s heart and soul.

    Shen Tang¡¯s cheeks burned when she heard Shen Xi¡¯s voice. She turned back to find Mrs. Yu together with Shen Xi and Li Yuan. Feeling embarrassed, she wanted to push Yu Qiubai away. Yu Qiubai held her hand tightly, not allowing her to shrink back into her shell. It was normal for couples to be intimate.

    Besides, they were only holding hands. It was not like they were venturing into the third or fourth base in public.

    ¡°Your mom is here.¡± Shen Tang did not have skin as thick as his. As a rather conservative girl, she felt it was improper to behave that way in front of her elders.

    ¡°My mom is happy.¡± Yu Qiubai looked back and greeted the approaching trio. He gazed at them. ¡°Thank you for picking up my mother.¡± That day, Mom¡¯s health took a toll after she learned that Li Yuan was still alive.

    Later, Xixi brought Li Yuan along to visit her. With things out in the open, Mom was lifted off of her internal troubles and started to get better thereafter.

    Following two months of recuperation, her health bounced back in body and mind.

    Mom wanted to visit Li Yuan during the New Year. However, she had the feeling that she and the whole Fifth family owed him too much.

    Although ashamed, Mom secretly bore hope. Yu Qiubai, on the other hand, did not carry the same emotional baggage. He spoke with Xixi and Li Yuan, and they happily obliged.

    Mrs. Yu looked at her son and future daughter-inw. The more she looked at them, the more she approved and believed they made a cute couple. She drew close and smiled lovingly as her son held hands with the girl.

    She had been living her life in a haze that she could not take good care of her son and watch him grow up. In fact, Mrs. Yu became her son¡¯s problem. Yu Qiubai had to run around and care for a nutcase.

    ¡°Mrs. Yu.¡± Shen Tang squeezed Yu Qiubai¡¯s hand to finally escape from his clutches. Walking up to Mrs. Yu, Shen Tang chatted with her in delight. Shen Xi smiled provokingly and braggingly at Yu Qiubai while clinging intimately to Li Yuan¡¯s arm.

    Yu Qiubai, ¡°...¡±

    Sure, show off!

    As if no one was ever in love. He had a girlfriend too. He was no longer a single guy, subject to their public disy of affection!

    With the arrival of Shen Xi¡¯s group, they were all set and ready to go. The group bustled into Li Yuan¡¯s private ne to fly to the Fu family¡¯s residence.

    The passengers on the ne consisted of the Shen family ¨C Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, Yu Yuanxi, Song Wenye, Granny Yu, Shen Zhanglin¡¯s family, and Yu Qiubai who pulled some strings to tag along.

    Song Wenye bought some snacks for the flight. She took out the food andid it on the table before pulling Shen Xi and Shen Tang over for snack time.

    The three girls chatted,ughed, and ate. They even drove away Yu Qiubai and Shen Feng who wanted in on the fun.

    Yun Jinping was talking with Du Juan, Granny Yu, and Mrs. Yu about the kids.

    Since getting on the ne, Li Yuan had been dragged to y chess with Shen Zhangqing. Shen Zhanglin was watching from the side and had booked the next round. He was up next to rece the loser.

    After they were kicked out of the girls¡¯ circle, Yu Qiubai and Shen Feng might as well y mobile games as they had nothing better to do. Song Wenye¡¯s pets were unable to sit still as they scrambled around the ne, scurrying here and there.

    As for Toffeecito, Lu Guoguo and Lu Zhen could not have enough of it. Two days ago, Fu Qingli took Toffeecito with him when he brought the kids back to the Fu family¡¯s home.

    The girls were gossiping by the window about someone close to Shen Xi. It was Gong Zhi, the film star. She was in love and about to settle down.

    Song Wenye knew all the inside stories. ¡°The man is the fifth son of the Jiang family and younger than Gong Zhi by a decade. He is a handsome gentleman.¡± ¡°How is hepared to your Qingye?¡± Shen Xi asked with a smile.

    ¡°Can that ever be a question?¡± Song Wenye was not having it as the idol was nothing but perfection in her eyes as a fan. ¡°No one is more outstanding than my Qingye in the world. You hear me? No one!¡±

    She then suddenly covered her mouth and began to gag.

    Shen Xi and Shen Tang exchanged nces before their minds came to one conclusion. Their gaze was fixed on her belly.

 Chapter 772 - Pregnant

    <h4>Chapter 772 Pregnant</h4>

    Staring at the girls in a daze, Song Wenye was struck by a thought. She was quick to exin herself. ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡±

    Shen Xi smiled without a word.

    Shen Tang immediately handed Song Wenye a ss of water and stroked her back to help ease the gag reflexes. Shen Tang tenderly asked, ¡°Did you eat something bad?¡±

    Now that was better. Song Wenye poutingly red at Shen Xi. See! Tangtang got things right while the little pr*ck probably had her mind in the gutter.

    Clearing her throat, Shen Xi earnestly nodded. ¡°You ate something bad? Let me take a look.¡±

    She then reached out to feel Song Wenye¡¯s wrist.

    Song Wenye was dumbstruck at first before getting the idea. Take a look, her *ss. Shen Xi wanted to check her pulse, but since Song Wenye had nothing to hide, Shen Xi could check all she wanted. It was not like Shen Xi could tell if she had a child through a pulse. Narrowing her eyes, Shen Xi felt it a little and let go, then felt it again before saying. ¡°You¡¯re four weeks pregnant.¡± Song Wenye widened her eyes and sprang to her feet. She eximed, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Shen Tang stared at Shen Xi in shock, inquiring whether she was for real or merely joking.

    ¡°Do I know no boundaries?¡± Shen Xi pretended to sniffle in sadness. ¡°And joke about something like that?¡±

    Song Wenye¡¯s stunt of jumping and shouting caught everyone¡¯s attention on the ne. They turned to look at her.

    Yu Yuanxi was the first to rush up to her, worried to see Song Wenye hot and bothered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Pursing her lips, Song Wenye gave him the eye and puffed her cheeks to sulk.

    Shen Xi wanted to say something but was not spared the intimidating look from Song Wenye too. Song Wenye was clearly threatening her from telling anyone.

    With no one talking and more people gathered here, Shen Tang said, ¡°It¡¯s just girl talk.¡±

    She was not used to lying. Changing the subject was enough to make her blush.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Yu Yuanxi scanned every inch of Song Wenye¡¯s face.

    Song Wenye shoved and shooed him away. ¡°You heard us. It¡¯s girl talk. Why are you so annoying? Go!¡±

    There was something wrong with her attitude. She came across as a little too presumptuous.

    <b>me across a</b>

    <b>Us</b>

    Yu Yuanxi caught that at first glimpse. Despite feeling worried sick, he was afraid he might anger her more by staying. Hence, he left.

    Shen Xi was frustrated as Yu Yuanxi could do more. Jesus. He was a straight arrow for sure. When a girl said she was fine, what she meant was, she was not fine!

    With Yu Yuanxi gone, Song Wenye whispered to Shen Xi. ¡°Is it true? Am I expecting?¡± How could it be? This was not in her and Yu Yuanxi¡¯s ns. They made sure to take proper protective measures to avoid any idents every time they did it.

    Shen Xi uttered, ¡°Contraception isn¡¯t 100% effective.¡±

    idents could happen.

    Song Wenye was not having it. Sprawling over the table as if she was about to die, Song Wenye had the urge to cry. ¡°What do I do now?¡±

    Shen Xi sighed. ¡°You should ask your man about it. You two should have a talk. What¡¯s the point of asking me?¡±

    Song Wenye pulled a sad face. ¡°What would you do if it were you?¡±

    Shen Xi did not hesitate. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the baby.¡±

    Song Wenye then turned to Shen Tang.

    Shen Tang nodded her head. ¡°I agree with Xixi.¡±

    However, Shen Tang respected Song Wenye¡¯s choices. The baby was not hers nor was she pregnant. She had no way to dictate what others should do.

    Song Wenye pulled her hair in distress while cing her hand on her belly. In the end, she needed more assurance from Shen Xi. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Shen Xi answered, ¡°I am sure. How about I take you to theb for a proper examination once we get off the ne.¡± Song Wenye still did not trust her. Her pulse-reading could beat all those ultrasound devices.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± With aplicated look on her face, she made up her mind and called, ¡°Yu Yuanxi.¡±

    She yelled out loud. Yu Yuanxi dashed to her side. Song Wenye pulled him away. ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    The couple took off to a quiet spot.

    The remaining few looked at Shen Xi and Shen Tang, asking what was going on.

    Shen Xi and Shen Tang were not going to let the cat out of the bag before Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi made a decision. They quietly sipped on their bubble tea and looked out the window.

    Shen Xi rubbed her belly, wondering when her turn woulde.

    Although this thing could not be rushed nor were they in a hurry, she would be lying to say she was not looking forward to it.

    Shen Tang drew close and whispered in Shen Xi¡¯s ear. ¡°When are you and Li Yuan going to have a baby?¡± Shen Xi bit on her straw. ¡°Um¡­ It¡¯lle when it¡¯s time. We¡¯re not in a rush.¡±

    <b>me</b>

    Li Yuan said to wait until she graduated from college. They took all precautions when they were together.

    Nevertheless, there was no telling in this kind of thing. What if, like Song Wenye, she got pregnant despite all the protections. No one could ever see iting.

    As the older sister, Shen Tang might not have practical experience, but she got the theoretical knowledge down pat. She gave some advice. ¡°Unless you guys are sure, you should make sure to take precautions. You don¡¯t want to be blindsided.¡±

    All that talk made Shen Xi¡¯s face as red as the sunset. She retorted with a smile, ¡°Tangtang, I¡¯m a doctor.¡±

    Looking at the smile on Shen Xi¡¯s face, Shen Tang extended her arm out and poked her. ¡°Are youughing at me?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Shen Xi pleaded coyly while shaking Shen Tang¡¯s arm. She even leaned in to steal a sip out of Shen Tang¡¯s bubble tea. ¡°Yours tastes better.¡±

    Feeling helpless by her behavior, Shen Tang dotingly grinned. ¡°Drink some more.¡±

    While the girls were talking, Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi emerged holding hands. They came to the middle of the cabin.

    Following their appearance, those concerned about them, Granny Yu particrly, were on pins and needles.

    ¡°I have an announcement to make.¡± Yu Yuanxi¡¯s voice was nervous and excited as he gazed at the family all around. He solemnly said, ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye is pregnant. We n to keep the child.¡±

    For a rambunctious kid, it was a rare moment to catch Song Wenye shy. She was blushing so hard and could not look anyone in the face. She nodded in agreement.

    The family was worried stiff, thinking the couple had an argument. It took them a while to take in the news.

    Granny Yu was the first to stand up. ¡°Lil¡¯ Ye is pregnant?!¡±

    Yun Jinping quickly bolted to Song Wenye¡¯s side. ¡°Really? Is it confirmed?¡±

    The chess piece in Shen Zhangqing¡¯s hand dropped to the ground. After getting a grip of himself, he turned to Shen Zhanglin. ¡°Zhanglin, am I going to be a grandpa?¡±

    Lil¡¯ Ye was pregnant!

    His daughter-inw was pregnant!

 Chapter 773 - Something Went Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 773 Something Went Wrong</h4>

    Song Wenye was pregnant. After a discussion, Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi decided to keep the baby.

    With the New Year approaching, the additional good news lifted the family to higher spirits.

    Granny Yu, Yun Jinping, Du Juan, and Shangguan Yanqiu especially were already onto ns for the child¡¯s clothes, shoes, and hats.

    The n was for Granny Yu to make a pair of tiger shoes. She should start now since she was slow. Granny Yu might not have them ready before the baby was born.

    The grandma and mothers were over the moon.

    Song Wenye was pulling her hair out. This was not in the n. The sudden pregnancy threw all their nning out the window.

    She never dreamed that the baby came before they even had time to think about a marriage license.

    ¡°These things happen. There¡¯s no use fretting over it.¡± Shen Xi consoled her. ¡°If you¡¯re not happy, the baby in your tummy can sense it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± She spent thest two days in a trance. Song Wenye could not believe a little baby was growing inside of her and was on her way to bing a mother when she was still a baby herself.

    Shen Xi had no idea what to say since she had no experience to share. It was hard for her to understand the overwhelming feelings Song Wenye was having. Hence, she changed the subject. ¡°Have you and my brother discussed when you¡¯re getting married?¡±

    The wedding should happen soon, ideally while the baby was in the early stages. As a matter of fact, there was no rush. Yu Yuanxi was not one to shrink from responsibilities. They should be the ones to decide when they would want to tie the knot.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Song Wenye¡¯s mind was all over the ce. She had not figured out what to tell her group members. ¡°Are you worried about thepany? Your schedule? Your work?¡± Shen Xi went straight to the point. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you have nothing to worry about. We won¡¯t put anything on your itinerary. Thepany will take care of all your problems. Ye Weiyang and the rest will do well even if they have to go solo. Thepany is already putting forth the next steps. Just concentrate on having the baby.¡±

    As for an official announcement, it would depend on Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi¡¯s thoughts. Thepany would handle all the public rtions.

    Besides, it wasmon for singles to get married. Fans would usually understand.

    Nevertheless, it could not be ruled out that some aggressive fans may act drastically, especially when Lil¡¯ Ye was an idol of a girl group. The position of idols was different from actors and singers.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Song Wenye held her and nodded.

    Song Wenye was not at all worried. It was not a huge deal if she had to give up on bing an idol and left showbiz. Song Wenye had billions of yuan worth of assets to inherit so money was no concern.

    However, her other group members were not from well-to-do families. Making it in showbiz was a dream of theirs. Song Wenye did not want to drag everyone into her mess.

    Her best friend, Shen Xi did offer her a little assurance.

    Shen Xi added. ¡°Honestly, you girls are aces. You can go solo and still beat any singer or dancer out there.¡±

    Others may not know this, but Shen Xi knew the girls she found were champions in their own right. They made a powerful team together.

    Otherwise, the girl group would not have gone viral all over Asia and be the leading girl idols through one talent show.

    They were now heading to the world stage as more people got to know them, fall in love with them, and support them.

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re like a me setting the world on fire.¡± Song Wenye was proud. ¡°Say, after I have the baby, will there be a change in my position in the group? Where should I go from there?¡±

    The person beside her was the expert. She was Cosmos Entertainment¡¯s chairman after all. Thepany flourished under her management. Shen Xi was the one who brought in all the artists, including her now best friends.

    ¡°Do you like the entertainment world? Shen Xi asked a serious question.

    Song Wenye only participated in the talent show because Shen Xi told her so. She strived to make a career in showbiz because of her Qingye.

    ¡°I do.¡± Song Wenye bobbed her head without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s very fulfilling.¡±

    Growing up, Song Wenye had never worked her butt off for something. The feeling of sess was so uplifting.

    ¡°I¡¯d suggest you go into film.¡± Shen Xi gave her honest opinion. Cupping her face, she looked Song Wenye in the eye and caressed her skin. ¡°You have a lot of potential. You have a face like Yu Yuanxi that¡¯s made for the big screens.¡±

    The movie industry was the go-to for her career as it was the ultimate goal and most promising in showbiz.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I sing and dance?¡± Song Wenye asked.

    ¡°No one says you can¡¯t but you can¡¯t go solo on that path. Your singing is not on par with Ye Weiyang and Ji Jingyan. You can¡¯t beat Tong Kejun and Guan Rou at dancing either.¡± Shen Xi was not trying to tear her down, butying bare the honest truth.

    Song Wenye would not be able to find a footing with a world-ss singer like Ye Weiyang and multiple-award winner like Ji Jingyan around.

    With Tong Kejun and Guan Rou taking the world by storm with their dancing, it would beughable to say that Song Wenye could overtake them.

    ¡°Can you not beat me up?¡± Song Wenye cried. Why did Shen Xi have to be so blunt? She already knew what she was made of.

    ¡°You have a talent for acting. You do have potential.¡± Shen Xiforted the emotionally vulnerable pregnantdy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can guarantee you¡¯ll be the next international film star with my scripts.¡±

    ¡°Can you put me in the same film as Qingye?¡± Song Wenye inquired.

    It was her dream to work alongside Qingye!

    ¡°I can put you and Yu Yuanxi together in a film. Husband and wife making a movie together and winning the award for best actors. Doesn¡¯t it sound exciting, thrilling, and romantic?¡± Shen Xi had the ability to make it happen.

    Yu Yuanxi had just finished filming the movie ¡°Mirror¡±. Since he was a fresh face in the movie scene, people would not be convinced that this should be his ticket to winning best actor.

    ¡°We have to wait until I have the baby.¡± Song Wenye¡¯s eyes were heart-shaped. The thought of bing the male and female lead of a movie with Yu Yuanxi was thrilling!

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± Shen Xi smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t even written a script.¡±

    ¡°It shoulde easy to you.¡± Song Wenye had absolute trust and admiration for her.

    Out for a bit of sun, the girls chatted during their stroll. Before they got to the door, a maid hurried out. Something huge must have happened.

 Chapter 774 A Headache Before Fainting

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye rushed over and stopped the maid to ask what had happened.

    Seeing that it was Shen Xi, the maid forewent formalities and pulled her into the house. "Young Lady, the old master copsed. The madam is worried sick. Come and take a look."

    Shen Xi hurried there.

    Fu Handing was still lying on the floor. He had passed out just moments ago, so he had not been moved to a bed.

    Shangguan Yanqiu was overwrought, crying and shouting Fu Handing''s name. She was at a loss for what to do. The sight of Shen Xi only made her tears flow uncontrobly. "Xixi, your dad¡­ Come and take a look. What''s wrong with your dad?"

    "Don''t worry, Mom. Everything will be okay." Shen Xi consoled Shangguan Yanqiu. She kneeled by Fu Handing''s side to examine him. After a brief moment, she heaved relief. "He''s okay. He''s just passed out."

    However, why did Dad copse out of the blue?

    Shangguan Yanqiu sobbed while mumbling to herself that everything was fine. As her grip over Song Wenye loosened, she fell unconscious too.

    Song Wenye was quick to hold her up.

    Shen Xi and Song Wenye, with the help of the maid, carried Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing to the sofa. Shen Xi then whipped out the needles to stick on them.

    Shangguan Yanqiu quickly regained consciousness after the therapy.

    Fu Handing remained unconscious.

    Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi carefully checked his pulse. The pulse was steady, and so was his breathing. There was nothing wrong with his body. Why did he not wake up after the needling?

    Shangguan Yanqiu looked concerned. "Xixi, why isn''t your dad awake? What''s wrong with him?"

    "He''s doing fine physically. He should wake up soon." Shen Xi looked at her. "Mom, what happened to Dad just now? Did anything out of the ordinary happen before he passed out?"

    Only she, Song Wenye, Mom, and Dad were at home.

    Fu Qingxuan went to work on a huge project. His attendance was required to lead the experiment.

    Fu Qingli had not been home for two days due to year-end workmitments.

    The film Qingye was shooting had not wrapped up. He would be back at night.

    Madam Yun and Old Shen went to stock up on New Year goods first thing in the morning, and the family went with them.

    Mom was forced to take rest at home as she went to bed with a feverst night. She was still light-headed in the morning. Hence, she did not go along with the group.

    With Mom stuck at home, Dad stayed with her, of course.

    "Nothing was out of the ordinary." Shangguan Yanqiu reflected for a moment. "I was outside knitting a sweater. Your dad said he could cut some fruit for me in the kitchen. That''s when he fainted."

    She called the maid who was on standby. "Mrs. Chen, is there anything strange about the master before he passed out?"

    Mrs. Chen shook her head. "Madam, I went over because I heard a noise in the kitchen. The master was on the ground by the time I got to him."

    Although the master was not that old, there was still a risk of strokes and high blood pressure in midlife. Nevertheless, it must not be anything serious since the youngdy said he was okay.

    Shen Xi said, "Mrs. Chen, get someone to pull the security tape."

    "Yes, Young Lady." Mrs. Chen responded and got right on it.

    Soon, Andre, the person in charge of home security, arrived and yed the video of Fu Handing entering the kitchen and falling unconscious.

    Shangguan Yanqiu covered her mouth as she watched Fu Handing suddenly crouching down in pain. He ced his hands on his head before fainting from the pain.

    Shen Xi frowned gravely. "Mom, Dad must have remembered something. He might be regaining his memories."

    Shangguan Yanqiu cried in joy at her words. Holding Fu Handing''s hand, she observed his face.

    Their family had been helping him to recall his memories for a long time but to no avail.

    This was great news. However, Shangguan Yanqiu would rather he did not remember than see him suffer. She did not want him to go through the pain.

    Shen Xi could be certain that even if Dad did not recover his memories fully, he must have found important pieces of them. Nevertheless, everything would have to wait until he regained consciousness.

    An hourter, Fu Handing finally came around. He was heartbroken to see Shangguan Yanqiu''s swollen eyes. Smiling tenderly, he hugged her. "I''m okay. It''s only a dizzy spell. Why the sad face?"

    The sound of his voice released Shangguan Yanqiu''s tears. "Xixi said you''ve recovered your memory? Is it true?"

    Fu Handing nodded. A dangerous murder intent wiped away the affection in his eyes. "I remembered some images, but they were blurry. My head hurt so badly I passed out."

    He saw broken fragments and vague images. Fu Handing witnessed the person who started the fire, but it was a blurry figure. He could not get a good look.

    These were things he could not tell Shangguan Yanqiu. She was already poor in health and easily swayed by emotions. Fu Handing nned to tell Qingli instead once thetter was home.

    Qingli never stopped looking for the real reason behind Fu Handing''s disappearance. However, his eldest son was not even close to a breakthrough.

    Fu Handing knew that his memory was the key to unlocking the mystery. Surely, Fu Handing must have picked up on something about the mastermind.

    Shangguan Yanqiu did not dig further concerning his memory, afraid Fu Handing might suffer another migraine attack.

    Shen Xi was not hung up about asking either, albeit she had more on her mind than Shangguan Yanqiu. She had an inkling that Dad probably had shbacks about his disappearance.

    Nevertheless, Shen Xi was not going to leave the Fu brothers out of what happened today for sure.

    Fu Qingxuan was the first to rush home. He immediately went to Fu Handing for a thorough physical examination before asking worriedly, "Dad, what did you recall?"

    There was not much medical intervention when it came to human memory. The only thing that saw some degree of sess was hypnosis but on the condition that the patient was willing to cooperate.

    "It was too blurry. I don''t know," Fu Handing replied.

    Fu Qingxuan solemnly uttered, "Dad, how about I arrange for another hypnotherapy? Professor Ackerson happens to be around."

    "It''s fine." Fu Handing refused.

    He had a feeling that without any intervention, his memory would soone back to him.

    Despite going for hypnotherapy a while back, Fu Handing made no progress in retrieving his memory. Xixi also customized a treatment n for him, but it was ineffective too.

    Today was the first time blurry images popped into his mind.

    Fu Qingli was called to the study by Fu Handing at his return.

    Passing them by chance, Shen Xi was called in there too.

 Chapter 775 Overly Nice

    Feeling out of ce, Shen Xi proceeded into the study.

    Fu Handing gave a detailed ount of the blurry images in his head to the siblings.

    The shbacks brought him back to when he was trapped in a wooden cabin that was on fire. Amid the ze, he saw a blurry figure disappear out of sight.

    It sparked a deadly look from Fu Qingli. Feeling the fire within him burn, Fu Qingli clenched his fists tightly. "Dad, please work with Xixi and go for another round of hypnotherapy."

    The matter should not be put on hold anymore. Since Dad was starting to show signs of recovery, it would be best if he could get his memory back once and for all in case any issuese up down the road.

    The mastermind had to be caught as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would remain a sword hanging over the family''s head. The next shot in the dark might be lethal to the family.

    "Sure." Fu Handing first turned down Fu Qingxuan''s suggestion to get another doctor for hypnotherapy because it might put the family in jeopardy if anyone were to find out about his memories.

    Nevertheless, it was a different story with Xixi as she was his daughter. Who else in the world could he trust if not her?

    Shen Xi nodded in agreement.

    She did perform hypnotherapy on Dad before but to no avail. The memory Dad had lost was sealed away so deeply that hypnosis was unsessful.

    It was a big question mark whether they would get any results this time.

    Shen Xi put Fu Handing into a trance.

    Fu Qingli watched from the side.

    The same result as thest, the therapy was for naught.

    Fu Handing had only recovered a blurry part of his memory and not a recollection more.

    Shen Xi sighed deeply as a sense of helplessness overwhelmed her. Despite trying her hand at everything, nothing seemed to work.

    Aftering around, Fu Handing looked at Shen Xi and Fu Qingli. "Did I remember anything?"

    He knew nothing more than before he went into hypnotherapy. He only hoped that he had unconsciously given them useful information during the time Xixi lulled him to sleep.

    Shen Xi shook her head. "Dad, don''t rush it. I''m sure you''ll remember more now that you''re starting to get an inkling. It''s a back and forth process to regain your memory."

    Fu Handing was beating himself up and it showed in his eyes. Why could he not remember? The person behind it all had not given up and was still out for him and his family''s blood.

    There was a sudden knock on the door.

    Fu Qingxuan said, "Dad, Qingli, Great-uncle and family are here."

    Fu Qingli went over. "Got it. We''ll be out in a minute."

    He then turned around to exin the situation regarding the newly arrived guests to Shen Xi and Fu Handing. Well, mainly to Shen Xi.

    The Great-uncle was Fu Handing''s paternal uncle and probably the most senior member of the Fu family. Great-uncle''s family was also the closest in blood to the Fu family.

    During previous New Year''s Eves, the extended families would always bring along younger members of the family here for a visit.

    In recent years, Fu Qingli had cleared all the rotten worms who threw their weight around in the name of the Fu family and refused to leave the family business. Of course, it had invoked a lot ofints in return, but those who could remain were assets to thepany.

    Most of Great-uncle''s family members kept their seats in the Fu family''spany. Many of them were high-ranking officers with a say in administration.

    It was impossible for Fu Qingli to take on the huge family business on his own after all. He needed strong aids on his side, and his great-uncle''s family ¨C an uncle with two cousins ¨C was his right-hand men.

    Fu Qingli''s uncle, Fu Hannian, stepped in during his toughest moment. Among the voices of objection, Fu Hannian firmly took his side and gave him the biggest support. Fu Qingli had since returned the kindness with respect.

    The two families often kept in touch and remained close.

    Now that Shen Xi had a vague idea, she was to carry herself with social graces as the youngsters would toward the elders, but the family was not too fussy about it.

    In the living room, Shangguan Yanqiu, Fu Qingxuan, together with just homebound Fu Qingye and Fu Junqiu were chatting with Great-uncle''s family.

    Fu Qingli and Fu Handing walked side-by-side with Shen Xi like her protectors.

    "This must be Xixi." Great-uncle was in his sixties, but he seemed to be in the pink of health. With a friendly smile, he beckoned at Shen Xi. "Come here and let me look at you. I wanted to visit you sooner, but your parents said they''d be dropping by at my ce with you for the New Year. Well, I''m not the kind to wait."

    The old man may be grumbling, but his tone reflected no reproach. Instead, it was filled with concern and affection.

    Shen Xi sweetly greeted him with a smile. "How do you do, Great-uncle?"

    "Good. Good." Smiling from ear to ear, Great-uncle took out a sandalwood box and gave it to her. "This is my gift to you, just a little something."

    "Thank you, Great-uncle." Shen Xi took the gift and expressed her thanks.

    Great-uncle was beaming and taking to Shen Xi the more he looked at her. The Fu family was blessed with more boys than girls. Junqiu was the only girl in her age group while Xixi was the only girl in her generation.

    It was not a big family for Great-uncle either, with only him and his two sons, Fu Hannian and Fu Hanji.

    Fu Hannian was in his forties and older than Fu Hanji. He looks a little plump with a friendly smile and generally gave a good vibe.

    On the other hand, Fu Hanji was a good-looking man who took care of his figure despite his age. Although detached in character, he was nice. It was just that Fu Hanji was not as well-spoken as Fu Hannian.

    "Great-uncle, why didn''t you bring your whole family here? We can spend the New Year together. Imagine the lively scene." Shangguan Yanqiu said with a smile.

    "We have a huge family and kids running around. The noise would be overwhelming." Great-uncle chuckled. "I heard Xixi''s parents are here too. Rooms aside, it''s too much of a hassle for you if all of us were toe."

    "It''s no trouble at all. What''s a few extra pairs of chopsticks and rooms between us?" Shangguan Yanqiu grinned.

    "Honestly speaking, I wouldn''t havee before you swing by my ce if I could wait to meet my new granddaughter here." Great-uncle made himself at home.

    "Xixi is studying in China. Otherwise, I''d have brought her to visit you sooner," Fu Handing replied.

    "It''s quite all right. We''re a family, so don''t be a stranger." Great-uncle gave a friendly re at him.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu chatted with Great-uncle.

    Fu Qingli and the rest enjoyed a conversation with the two uncles.

    Fu Hannian appeared fond of Shen Xi as he kept on talking to her on every subject.

    Shen Xi answered all his questions with a grin, having the feeling that the man was overly nice. Call it a woman''s sixth sense, but she got the impression that he was wearing a friendly mask, and underneath the mask might lie a menacing face.

 Chapter 776 A Silhouette Much Like Him

    The first thing Li Yuan saw was Fu Hannian sitting next to Shen Xi when he stepped into the room. With his face falling, he approached them.

    Shen Xi immediately caught a glimpse of Li Yuan and smiled the moment he walked in.

    Great-uncle and the rest looked toward Li Yuan, not knowing who he was. However, judging by his presence, it was in to see that he was no ordinary man.

    Fu Handing cheerfully introduced them. "Uncle, this is Xixi''s husband, Li Yuan."

    "Oh, your son-inw." Great-uncle bobbed his head while sizing Li Yuan up between nods. He uttered with a grin, "Great. I know you. You''re Li Yuan of the Li family."

    Li Yuan''s name was known far and wide. He was the richest Chinese in the world and the Li family was also the most influential in China.

    Fu Hannian and Fu Hanji warmly said hello to Li Yuan.

    Fu Hanji reflected that business would only flourish following the marriage alliance between the Li and Fu families.

    Xixi was amazing. It was said that Li Yuan was her long-time boyfriend and they had long been in a rtionship before she reunited with the Fu family.

    The girl sure had an eye for Mr. Right, picking the richest and most powerful man in the world.

    Li Yuan exchanged greetings with every one of them before taking a seat next to Fu Handing to spend some time with the elders.

    Fu Hannian kept bbering on with Shen Xi, getting in her face about the story of how she and Li Yuan met.

    Great-uncle and the family intended to meet and thank the Shen family before leaving.

    Nevertheless, the Shen family had not returned despite their wait. They had to take off as they had made prior engagements with an old friend.

    Li Yuan quietly observed Fu Hannian and waited until the party was over before sending Kun Lun a message. He wanted Xuan Yuan to sweep all the cars in the basement parking lot during the day of the shooting and to look into Fu Hannian.

    Sensing something amiss, Shen Xi saw the guest leave and pulled Li Yuan into the bedroom. She asked with worry, "Brother, what''s wrong?"

    Li Yuan gazed at the girl. "I''ve seen Fu Hannian before."

    Furrowing her brows, Shen Xi gave him an inquisitive look.

    Li Yuan was not one to keep her in the dark. "On the day of the shooting at the temple, there was a silhouette much like him."

    As Xuan Yuan was going through the surveince video in the parking lot, Li Yuan had taken a quick nce and caught a figure resembling Fu Hannian.

    He was not too sure and needed Xuan Yuan to reexamine to confirm his suspicion.

    "Are you saying that he did it?" Shen Xi spoke in hushed tones as a murderous intent fleeted across his eyes. "I think he''s bad news. He must be behind it."

    Qingli would trust Fu Hannian with his life. It was clear that Fu Hannian was so deep in his persona that even Qingli did not suspect him.

    "Wait for the update." Li Yuan looked at the girl. "I need a moment with your big brother."

    If it was indeed Fu Hannian, they must get him to show his true colors.

    The man was too cunning. Li Yuan and Fu Qingli had not been sessful in finding any clue that linked him. True enough, he left the crime scene squeaky clean and without a trace.

    "I''m going with you." Shen Xi held his hand.

    Fu Handing was around when Shen Xi and Li Yuan went to Fu Qingli. There was no need to hide the matter from Fu Handing since he was the person involved.

    Li Yuan was not 100% sure that the person in the parking lot was Fu Hannian. Hence, he gave Fu Qingli the heads up. "I think we can put the word out there that Dad is slowly recovering his memories and has remembered certain events."

    Fu Hannian would feel the fear and strike again out of desperation if he was the mastermind. After all, it would be toote to do anything else once Dad got his memory back.

    "Send the evidence to me the moment you hear back." Fu Qingli neither agreed nor disagreed with the idea. His profound eyes reflected aplex of emotions.

    How could it be his uncle!

    He did not leave stones unturned in his investigation, except for one ¨C Great-uncle''s family. His family was the most loyal to him.

    They had unwaveringly stood behind Fu Qingli, giving him support and aid for over a decade.

    After Dad went missing, Fu Qingli faced tremendous opposition when he took over thepany. He was believed to be too young to handle the heavy responsibility. Fu Hannian was the first to step up before pledging his support and allegiance to him.

    Yet now, his uncle might be the perpetrator who went after Dad and his little sister''s life. How was he to ept that fact?

    "Okay." Li Yuan responded and took off with Shen Xi in tow.

    He had heard about Fu Hannian. Thetter was Fu Qingli''s most trusted right-hand man and walked Fu Qingli out of his darkest moments.

    It could be said that Fu Hannian''s help and support were instrumental to Fu Qingli hanging tightly as the head of the Fu household at a young age.

    Shen Xi looked glum. "Brother, I think we should just kill him."

    There was no need to mull over it. For Fu Hannian toe after her, she should return the favor by sending assassins on his tail.

    "How are you going to exin to your brother?" Looking at the girl, Li Yuan sighed. "Your big brother needs to see concrete proof."

    Humans were susceptible to feelings, and Fu Qingli was no exception. It was unlikely for Fu Qingli to put the man who built him up to death.

    "What if we can''t find evidence or he doesn''t take the bait?" Shen Xi balled her fist as a chilling face took over. "He got his tracks covered airtight. You and Qingli didn''t smell a rat in him. How would he fall for it?"

    "He has been hiding in in sight for your big brother to notice." Li Yuanfortingly patted the girl''s head to calm her down. "I believe your brother won''t go soft toward the person who harmed you and Dad."

    Shen Xi was still hung up about killing Fu Hannian.

    Otherwise, that person might cough up something sinister. Shen Xi did not want to see anyone in her family hurt again.

    They heard back from Xuan Yuan by the time Shen Zhangqing, Yun Jinping, and the group got back from an evening of New Year shopping.

    After aprehensive cross-referencing, it was determined that there was a 60% chance that the man in the car and Fu Hannian were the same person.

    It was hard to get a clear look at the man through the car window. This was the best they could get. Otherwise, they would have jumped on the clue back then instead of waiting until now.

    Fu Qingli said nothing as he took the video to his independent study, not even leaving the room for dinner.

    In the still of the night, everyone headed into dreand.

    Shen Xi abruptly opened her eyes and nced at the man fast asleep beside her. nting a kiss on his lips, she quietly got up and changed her clothes before drawing close to the window. Shen Xi cracked it open a little and was ready to jump when she was seized by the wrist.

 Chapter 777 Qingliâ€™s Out For Blood

    Shen Xi turned back and met the man''s distressed and helpless eyes. Thetter sighed as he pulled her into his arms.

    "I can just kill him." Sounding drab, Shen Xi buried her face against his chest.

    She had a million ways to wipe Fu Hannian from the face of the earth without anyone noticing. He would not pose a threat then.

    "I believe you." Li Yuan rested his chin on the girl''s head while keeping her close. "But what about your big brother?"

    The matter was straightforward andplicated at the same time. The tricky party in Fu Qingli''s feelings for Fu Hannian. He needed to see proof.

    "Brother, I''m less important than Fu Hannian in Fu Qingli''s eyes?" There was a heavy air behind Shen Xi''s tone.

    "Silly girl." Li Yuan murmured as he knocked her little head. "It''s not that. How can he convict the man without evidence?"

    Fu Qingli was keeping a clear head on the matter. It was not easy to make a decision when it came to murder cases, especially when the killer was someone he held dear to his heart.

    "What if we can''t find proof at all?" Shen Xi lifted her head and locked eyes with Li Yuan.

    "That won''t happen." Li Yuan pulled her to sit on the bed. "The truth wille out when Dad regains his memories. Fu Hannian won''t be able to talk his way out of it."

    Without a word, Shen Xi let him gently remove her changed clothes and got back into her pajamas. He then enjoyed a moment of embrace with her.

    "Don''t read too much into it. Let''s sleep." Li Yuan kissed her forehead.

    Amid snuffles, Shen Xi inquired about another matter. "Did you know I drugged your drink? Didn''t you drink it?"

    "I''m resistant to meds." Li Yuan tapped her pointy nose. "The health supplement you gave me came in use."

    Due to his poor health, he had been taking all kinds of medicines over the years. Hence, he was most sensitive toward medication and picked up on the drug when she gave him the drink.

    However, the girl probably did not know that he grew immune to the harmful drugs after he started taking her pills.

    Li Yuan believed he was likely to be invincible if anyone were to poison him.

    Intrigued by what she was up to, Li Yuan pretended to be out cold. It never crossed his mind that she was nning an assassination in the middle of the night.

    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Shen Xi gave him a dirty look before turning her back on him.

    Looking at the girl''s back, Li Yuan reached out to jab her tender ear and spoke in a rather alluring and husky manner. "I''m sorry. My bad."

    "What did you do wrong?" Shen Xi asked with a pout.

    "I shouldn''t have kept it from you." On his best behavior, Li Yuan nuzzled up against her neck. "Mrs. Li, can you forgive me just this once?"

    This was not the source of Shen Xi''s tantrum. Li Yuan was only an excuse. Still, his soft pleas melted her heart. She snorted and turned around to bite his lips. "I won''t want you anymore if there''s a next time."

    "Roger that." Li Yuan held her as he affectionately covered butterfly kisses on her lips and neck.

    Despite getting breathless, the pair stayed close in each other''s arms without taking it further. Instead, they quietly embraced and indulged in the moment''s tranquility and intimacy.

    The first thing in the morning.

    Shen Xi just got out of bed to find Fu Qingye leaving in a hurry. Without a second thought, she jumped from the second floor and chased after him. "Qingye, where are you going?"

    Her gut was telling her something was up. Qingye had never been so freaked out.

    "Qingli left at dawn and is out for blood. Do you have any idea what''s going on?" Fu Qingye anxiously looked at Shen Xi. "Qingli took a gun with him. I heard he''s heading up to Uncle Hannian''s."

    Taking a solemn stance, Shen Xi dragged him to move along. "I''m going with you."

    It had only been one night. Why was he going after the man prior to any concrete n and the word getting out?

    ? "I''ming too." Li Yuan caught up. Fully dressed, he grabbed his jacket and draped it over the girl. He also changed her fluffy indoor slippers.

    Fu Qingli must have discovered something for him to go straight to Fu Hannian with a gun. He was not there to bond.

    Behind the mountains of the Fu family''s estate was the sea.

    The rising sun painted a red-orange hue over the sea as if it was set on fire.

    Two vessels were in the vicinity of a confrontation across the sea.

    "Uncle." With his hands behind his back, Fu Qingli faced the person on the other side. His face could spark chills.

    "When did you find out?" Fu Hannian seemed collected on the surface, carrying out the conversation with a grin across his face like they were talking about the weather.

    "Yesterday." Fu Qingli smiled. He rarely curled his lips, but the grin bore no emotions. In fact, it could send chills down everyone''s spine. "What a coincidence, huh? You should have made a run for it two days ago."

    "I miscalcted my move." Fu Hannian sighed. "Did Li Yuan tell you?"

    Curling his lips, Fu Qingli remained courteous, "Uncle, let''s cut the bullcr*p. Come back with me. We should settle the family matters at home."

    "Qingli, I''ve been nothing but nice to you. I helped build you into who you are today. Have you forgotten?" Looking Fu Qingli in the eye, Fu Hannian appealed to pathos. "Even so, you should forgive me this once for all that I''ve done for you. Pretend you never saw me here. We''re family."

    Fu Hannian had a bad hunch yesterday. He brooded over the whole night on ways to kill Fu Handing as a means to tie up loose ends. Ideally, the whole family should be annihted so there was nothing left to fear.

    However, all his ideas led to a dead end. Fu Hannian knew the nephew he catapulted to high ranks all too well. Fu Qingli was not one to be messed with.

    As for Li Yuan, Fu Hannian was familiar with his cool and callous ways. Li Yuan wiped out his own family without mercy. Now, that was a true demon with blood on his hands.

    Fu Hannian thought about it and believed he stood no chance against them both. Needless to say, another assassination and whatnot were out of the question.

    It was only a matter of time before Fu Handing got his memories back. The best course of action was to run far away and nevere back before the worst happened. Fu Hannian could change his name and appearance so they could never find him.

    Still, Fu Qingli cornered him due to the one slip-up. Had Fu Hannian nned the escape earlier than Fu Qingli got eyes on him, he would never be caught.

 Chapter 778 Last Lesson For You

    "Uncle, at least you still know that you''re my uncle," Fu Qingli scoffed contemptuously. "Has it ever crossed your mind that you''re my uncle, you''re family, when you were out to get my sister and father?"

    "Qingli, I made the wrong move. I''m epting defeat. Kill me if you must." Taking a step forward, Fu Hannian tossed the gun he was holding onto the boat and raised his hands.

    "Go over there and bring him over," Fu Qingli ordered.

    Xu Xu armed himself alongside two bodyguards and boarded the vessel. He kept his guard up in case the other party decided on an open fire.

    Nevertheless, they were slightly relieved that Fu Hannian did not make any sudden movement. Instead, thetter maintained a poker face throughout.

    Fu Hannian was soon brought over.

    Fu Qingli coldly stared at Fu Hannian. Withplex emotions consuming his eyes, he clenched his fists tightly.

    He had so many questions to ask the man.

    The matter should be taken care of right here right now to avoid further implications.

    Fu Hannian was not the least bit nervous, scared, or guilt-ridden. Still with a tender smile on his face, he extended his arms and looked at Fu Qingli. "Qingli, aren''t you going to cuff me?"

    Fu Qingli kept to himself as he studied Fu Hannian''s face. How could the man be so calm in the face of death? Fu Qingli could not find any signs of guilt, remorse, regret of failing to run away, or anger from the man. All that was written on Fu Hannian''s face was the usual friendly andposed smile.

    "What''s wrong?" Finding it odd, Fu Hannian gazed at him. "You know I was behind it all. Why aren''t you asking me why I did it?"

    Of course, Fu Qingli wanted answers. Dad was nothing but nice to Fu Hannian and treated him like a brother. How could Fu Hannian be so cruel to do that to Dad?

    "Why did you do it?" Although Fu Qingli appeared unfazed, the tension in his body and burning murderous intent said otherwise.

    "Let me think." Fu Hannian paced himself as he took them back to the past. "We''ll start with your sister."

    Fu Qingli''s pupils dted. Harking back to his sister going missing since young, the years of hope and despair searching for her, and the torment Mom went through, Fu Qingli could put a gun to Fu Hannian''s head.

    Still, he needed to know why Fu Hannian hurt Xixi.

    "I once had a daughter. You might know about her, but she died at a young age." Fu Hannian sighed, but his eyes reflected no sadness. He lifted his head and looked at Fu Qingli before asking, "Do you know how she died? It was by an act of retaliation. Your dad was such a cowboy back then and I made a lot of enemies while working under him. Those people couldn''t get close to your family so they came after mine. They killed my daughter."

    Fu Qingli drew deep breaths as rage spilled from of his eyes. "So you took it out on Dad and my sister? If you want revenge, why don''t you go after the ones who killed your daughter?"

    Either way, the me should not be put on Dad.

    "Now you''re wrong to say that. I only rubbed people the wrong way because I work for your dad. My daughter''s dead because of him. Someone has to be held ountable and he''s the culprit." Fu Hannian''s tone was nonchnt, as though it was no biggie. "I had intended to take your sister away, kill her, and show your family her corpse when she was born, so you can feel the pain of losing your own flesh and blood."

    He paused, albeit there was nothing peaceful about his voice anymore. In fact, he expressed regret. "It''s a shame that those good-for-nothings told me she was taken away by a wolf. Well, you must be aware that the private hospital your mother stayed at was by the mountains."

    Fu Hannian ordered a search on the mountain, but nothing came back positive. He presumed she was dead. It was not like a wolf could take a child away to nurture them.

    Out of all the scenarios he had in mind, Fu Hannian never thought that the child survived and gave him hell.

    If she had died, he would be exposed and uncovered by Fu Qingli.

    That Li boy yed his cards right and caught on to his act. Perhaps it was easier for an outsider to have a clear view of the situation. Qingli would have figured it out too had he suspected Fu Hannian.

    However, Fu Qingli never once doubted Fu Hannian''s loyalty. Fu Hannian was d that his years of service led to Fu Qingli putting his guard down.

    "What about my dad?" Sparks were flying in Fu Qingli''s eyes.

    His little sister was lucky to escape death. Fu Qingli could not bear to imagine Mom''s reaction if they had found his sister''s dead body back then.

    "What about your dad?" Fu Hannian smiled. "Say, if given two choices, one is to be an obedient underling to a ruler who will always be wary, doubtful, and distrustful of you while risking being ditched at any time.

    "The other option is aiding a young ruler to get ahead in ranks. You can help him, support him, earn his trust and respect. Others view you as the regent, an uncrowned king.

    "Which would you choose, Qingli?"

    "You lunatic!" Fu Qingli''s heart fell to the pit of his stomach. The man before him was nothing less than terrifying and menacing.

    For this reason, Fu Hannian could take out the brother he grew up with. Perhaps he never saw Dad as his brother.

    "Qingli, I watched you grow up and move up thedder. You''re more decisive than your dad. None of this would have happened if your dad didn''t try to shut me down when he discovered I embezzled public funds and solicited thepetition. He''s too emotional and soft." Fu Hannian expressed regret.

    With a bloodthirsty face, Fu Qingli toyed with the gun in his hand. His voice reflected no hint of emotion. "Uncle, thank you for telling me this. I know now. Do you have anyst words? If there''s none, I should send you on your way."

    The feud between them was irreconcilble. One person must die today, and it had to be him.

    Fu Hannian was right. He was more decisive and ruthless than Dad. Dad may go soft, but he would never go easy on anyone.

    "Qingli, it''s almost time to say goodbye for good." Fu Hannian let out a deep sigh as he looked at Fu Qingli and smiled. "As an uncle, there''s onest lesson I can teach you. Consider it my parting gift."

 Chapter 779 Possibly Qingliâ€™s

    After everything that was said.

    There went a bang.

    The heavy smoke that engulfed them obstructed everyone''s vision.

    "Goodbye, Qingli," Fu Hannian muttered.

    Fu Qingli felt someone drawing near. Following a looming spark, his reflexes took over and saved him from the fatal shot.

    Fu Hannian seemed to be surprised he missed the shot. However, going for another round was out of the question at this point.

    He turned around to jump into the waters.

    It never urred to him that the wounded Fu Qingli would suddenly seize him by the arm.

    Ssh.

    The sound of a man going overboard echoed in the air.

    Xu Xu cried in a panic, but the cloud of smoke disabled him from opening his eyes to look around.

    Not too far away.

    A speedboat raced over.

    On the boat, Kun Lun brought along men to fire shots at Fu Hannian''s vessel while Xuan Yuan stealthily infiltrated behind the smokescreen.

    In the hands of China''s best martial artists, these people copsed to the ground in an instant.

    Kun Lun brought his men onboard to escort Xu Xu''s team back.

    Xu Xu''s eyes were bloodshot, undetermined whether it came from the anxiety or the smoke. He took a moment for himself and got his vision back before falling onto his knees in a thump. "Young Master Qingye, Young Lady, it''s my fault. I didn''t protect Young Master Qingli well."

    He should have remained vignt. A man who spent decades mastering the art of deception like Fu Hannian would not give in that easily.

    Still, like Young Master Qingli, he thought the jig was up for Fu Hannian since he was apprehended.

    Who knew he had another card up his sleeve?

    Fu Qingli and Fu Hannian fell into the vast sea together. The turbulent waves made it difficult to identify any traces, living or dead.

    Soon, the rescue team arrived. Helicopters and boats were dispatched to sweep the ocean.

    Sitting at the bow, Shen Xi gazed at the boundless sea, the rescue boats, and the helicopters in the air while feeling out of it.

    Fu Qingli was a fool to jump ship with that kind of person. He should have let Fu Hannian escape. They would find Fu Hannian so long as he was still on this earth.

    Yet now, Fu Qingli jumped in the water with him. What about Mom and Dad if the unthinkable were to happen to him? What about them?

    Li Yuan took a nket and draped it over Shen Xi before handing her a cup of hot milk. "Drink this and keep warm."

    The sea was too cold in this season. The ocean breeze was biting to the core.

    It had been ten hours since Fu Qingli went under. His chances of survival grew slim as the clock ticked on.

    Shen Xi took the milk but did not drink it. Instead, she sped the cup in her hand, albeit she could not seem to feel the warmth. Overwhelmed with despair and self-reproach, she stared at the sunset and asked, "Brother, was I too hard on Fu Qingli?"

    At the time, she was unable to warm up to Fu Qingli because thetter was impersonal and a pain in her *ss. Besides, there were far too many unresolved issues between them.

    "He doesn''t mind that. Nothing is of greater joy to him than finding you." Putting his arm over her shoulder, Li Yuan spoke softly.

    "No way. He''s petty. He stole Qingxuan''s scarf, you know. He must feel sorry, beat himself up, and believes he owes me. Qingli is very cautious when he talks to me like he''s trying to curry my favor." Only times like this could Shen Xi settle down and reflect on this.

    "Wait for his return and talk it out." Li Yuan grinned. "You can be nicer to him then."

    "Yeah." Shen Xi nodded. Watching the sunset gloss a bloodstain in the background, she firmly uttered, "He will get back safely. He owes me too much."

    Forget her, Fu Qingli owed Lu Li and the two children a lot more.

    For now, the ident was kept among the three who came for Fu Qingli. They did not tell the family to prevent causing any rm.

    Fu Qingye was distraught, worried, and afraid. All the wait would only get to him, so he joined in the search. He set out to sea in the morning and had not returned since.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan stayed behind in case Fu Qingli could not see anyone during his return.

    Night came early during winter. The sun soon disappeared off the face of the sea, bringing along thest hint of sun glow.

    The weather was ever-changing at sea; along came a storm and then rain. The wind, the cold, and wetness were bing unbearable.

    Shen Xi''s heart was in her throat as she stood by the window and watched the thunderstorm. The light in her eyes was slowly put out.

    The weather only made the rescue difficult and the survival rate slim. No few could withstand such freezing and turbulent weather conditions.

    Li Yuan understood that she was anxious, worried, and upset. Looking at her fragile figure by the window, Li Yuan was at a loss on how tofort her. Hence, he held her hand and gave her strength.

    The sea was calm at best during the day, but now the violent storm picked up on tempestuous waves. With another downfall to be expected, the search could no longer continue. The situation was dire.

    From afar, a rescue vessel quickly approached and pulled up. A drenched Fu Qingye emerged with a pale face and hair dripping wet. He looked at Shen Xi and Li Yuan before solemnly saying, "You two should go home. I''ll stay."

    They still could not find Fu Qingli after so long. Dead or alive, they needed to see the body. Shen Xi and Li Yuan would only worry and be scared by being here.

    "Qingye." Drawing close, Shen Xi handed him a clean towel. Other than heartache, she had no idea what to say or do.

    Li Yuan instructed Kun Lun to prepare a hot meal. Fu Qingye had gone a day without a drink of water. Now that he was soaked, Fu Qingye''s body might take a toll without proper care.

    "I''d need to head out again. They said they discovered something that could possibly be Qingli''s on an ind. I need to check it out." Fu Qingye could not allow himself to stop. His thoughts would go wild the moment he stopped. He would feel better if he kept himself busy.

    Qingli would make it out alive. He would.

    "I''ming with you." Shen Xi held him back and looked into his eyes. "Qingye, get into a clean set of clothes. We''re going together."

    At this rate, he would go down before Qingli was found.

 Chapter 780 Lu Liâ€™s Here

    "I''m fine." Fu Qingye shook his head in rejection. There was no point in changing into a clean set of clothes in this weather as he would be drenched anyway. He stood firm on his ground. "Xixi, go back with Li Yuan. I''ll let you know the second I receive any news."

    "Let''s go together." Li Yuan held the girl''s hand tightly. Having read her mind, he jumped in to answer for Shen Xi.

    Fu Qingye nced at the pair, finally relenting with a nod. His tone and eyes softened at the sight of Shen Xi. "Do you have a raincoat? Put it on. It''s cold out there. I don''t want you freezing."

    They had raincoats in stock. Kun Lun had the foresight to have them in hand upon receiving a storm alert.

    Li Yuan grabbed one and handed it to Fu Qingye. "You better listen to Xixi and get a change of clothes."

    Gazing at the worried look on Shen Xi''s face, Fu Qingye quietly took the raincoat and went to get changed.

    Li Yuan covered the girl from head to toe with the raincoat. The raincoat was customized to provide full coverage against the rain. The face was the only area equipped with see-through stic.

    After putting her in the raincoat, Li Yuan helped her put on some boots before dressing himself in one.

    Getting soaked in midwinter was not fun at all.

    With Fu Qingye emerging in a set of clean clothes, the trio set out on their quest.

    The ind discovered by the rescue team was 200 nautical miles away. The turbulent weather made it impossible for helicopters to fly. The high risk left them no choice but to take the boat.

    The speedboat reached the ind in half an hour at maximum speed.

    They had onlye ashore when another speedboat raced over from the other side.

    As the vessel approached them, Shen Xi noticed that it was Lu Li with a child in her arms. The child was Lu Guoguo. Furrowing her brows, she looked at Fu Qingye. "Qingye, why is she here?"

    How did Ms. Lu find out that something happened to Qingli? Why did she bring along a child? The violent storm could put them in danger.

    "I didn''t tell anyone." Shaking his head, Fu Qingye appeared confused.

    However, he always had the feeling that Ms. Lu was more than met the eye. Perhaps she got the news through her own resources.

    Li Yuan might know something. He looked at Shen Xi and said, "I got Fang Chu on the case, and he found out that Ms. Lu has a gift forputers. She has built quite awork online and is linked to many experts."

    Shen Xi got the vague hint. "Hacker?"

    Having said that, she knew that Fang Chu was a hacker and a kick*ss one too. Could Ms. Lu be a hacker too?

    "Yes." Li Yuan nodded.

    "A good one?" Shen Xi asked.

    "ording to Fang Chu, she''s better than her by a little," Li Yuan answered.

    Shen Xi wanted tough. When Fang Chu said a little, he actually meant that she could kick his *ss. He barely acknowledged anyone''s potential. It seemed Shen Xi''s future sister-inw was pretty bad*ss!

    While they talked, Lu Li''s speedboat hade ashore. Wearing a ck raincoat, Lu Li carried her daughter as she charmingly leaped off the boat.

    The trio was still in conversation.

    Lu Li rushed over and cut to the chase. "Do you have any of Fu Qingli''s personal belongings?"

    Shen Xi turned to Fu Qingye.

    Fu Qingye whipped out the blood-stained fabric and gave it to her. "This was hanging on the ship''s rail when Qingli fell."

    Lu Li grabbed the piece of cloth and ced it under Lu Guoguo''s nose. "Sniff and remember the smell."

    Shen Xi was dumbstruck by the event. Was Guoguo a dog? What was with sniffing and remembering the smell?

    "Mommy, it smells like Daddy," Lu Guoguo said after earnestly taking a whiff.

    Putting the fabric in her pocket, Lu Li exined, "Guoguo''s very sensitive to smell. She can smell him if he''s near."

    Fu Qingye was caught in a daze too. However, there was no need for further questions with Lu Li putting it out there.

    Lu Li pushed the raincoat away from Lu Guoguo''s face before patting her head.

    They had to count on Lu Guoguo to track the man down. Still, it remained a question whether Fu Qingli was dead or alive once they got to him.

    Although she had no feelings for Fu Qingli, he was still her children''s father. Guoguo and Lil'' Zhen would be sad if the person or body could not be found.

    Lu Guoguo bobbed her head while sniffing around in the air. "Mommy, the stench here is stronger than before."

    Nodding her head, Lu Li looked at Shen Xi''s group. "He must be on the ind. Guoguo said the smell was growing stronger as we were on our way."

    Fu Qingye gratefully nodded and extended his arms. "I''ll carry Guoguo."

    "It''s fine. Let''s move quickly to find him." With Lu Guoguo in her arms, Lu Li advanced following the little finger pointing ahead.

    Even a minute dy in this weather could be a matter of life and death. The clock was ticking.

    Lu Li held Lu Guoguo as she paved the way.

    Shen Xi, Li Yuan, and Fu Qingye trailed behind and soon reached the center of the ind.

    The ind appeared small, but the walk was long among the exposed boulders and scrund. The fallen trees, courtesy of the strong winds, only made it more difficult for them to move on.

    They stopped in front of a huge rock after walking for half an hour.

    Lu Li took a nce at the trio and uttered, "He must be around here. Let''s split up."

    The four adults took four separate directions and continued their search. Having received a location from Fu Qingye, the rescue team who was scouring the ind quickly made their way over.

    Shen Xi had only walked for less than five minutes, around a several-hundred-meter radius when Lu Li called them over. Fu Qingli was found.

    She ran over to find a rock that could shelter the rain. Leaning against the rock was Fu Qingli covered in blood.

    Next to him was Fu Hannian''s cold body. The seawater had washed all color off him.

    Lu Guoguo was crying.

    Hugging the little girl, Lu Li covered her eyes to stop her from looking. Lu Li had examined. Fu Qingli was breathing.

    Hang on. Specifically speaking, Fu Qingli was barely conscious when she and her daughter got to him. Fu Qingli lost consciousness the moment he realized it was them.

    It was hard for Lu Li to imagine how an injured Fu Qingli was able to hold out despite floating at sea for several nautical miles amid the storm during winter.

    The man had terrifying willpower.

 Chapter 781 Please Accept My Apologies

    Fu Qingli was found, albeit heavily wounded and unconscious. Fortunately, Shen Xi was there to perform first aid with a medical kit she brought. She had medical supplies and needles ready just in case.

    Once at the boat, Fu Qingye and Li Yuan changed Fu Qingli into some clean clothes before Shen Xi did another thorough examination.

    He was badly hurt. The most severe injury was physical but it was not looking good internally as well. Compared to his other injuries, the stab wound from Fu Hannian was nothing.

    With teary eyes, Lu Guoguo stood at the foot of the bed as she sobbed and held Fu Qingli''s hand tightly.

    Standing on one side, Lu Li carried her daughter to sit on the bed. She tenderly soothed the little girl. "Guoguo, your dad is okay. He''ll wake up soon. Don''t worry."

    Lu Guoguo bobbed her head while keeping her eye on the man in bed. She was too upset for words.

    Fu Hannian''s body was retrieved too.

    Shen Xi refused to look, nor touch that dirty body. She told the attending doctor to do a quick autopsy.

    Fu Hannian suffered a fatal wound to the head. The preliminary assessment showed a sharp force trauma, likely from a reef, resulting in a deadly concussion.

    Of course, the injuries on the corpse were no less than what Fu Qingli had sustained. Nevertheless, the resources at hand limited the post-mortem examination. They needed to get onnd to be better equipped for a proper autopsy.

    Fu Qingli was seriously injured and unconscious while Fu Hannian was dead. The Fu family was bound to find out, so there was no point hiding it from them.

    It was three o''clock in the morning by the time they returned home.

    The family was up.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu could not sleep a wink all night, feeling an unexined uneasiness as though something was about to happen.

    Sure enough, something happened. Something terrible had happened.

    The moment Shangguan Yanqiu saw the heavily injured Fu Qingli carried into the house, she could have passed out if Fu Qingxuan had not been there to hold her.

    After Shen Xi, Li Yuan, and Fu Qingye gave a brief ount of the situation, Fu Handing called them all into the study.

    "Dad, Fu Hannian is the culprit who took Xixi away and tried to kill you." Fu Qingye could not hide the anger and pain in his eyes.

    Xu Xu had already told them about the incident.

    The conversation between Qingli and Fu Hannian was recorded.

    He whipped out his phone and yed the voice recording. Although the winds were strong at sea, Fu Qingli and Fu Hannian''s voices came through clear enough.

    Having listened to the recording, Fu Qingxuan wished nothing more than to ughter Fu Hannian himself. Fu Hannian was no human but a madman and an animal.

    The Fu family had not once done wrong by Fu Hannian to deserve such vile deeds. Dad saw him as a brother, not an enemy!

    Fu Qingxuan was livid to learn the truth because he trusted Fu Hannian was family.

    Fu Handing remained silent the whole time, albeit he did not seem surprised. It was as if he had known it for a while. In the end, Fu Handing sighed and said, "Call your great-uncle and tell them toe."

    Great-uncle had the right to know about Fu Hannian''s malicious act. He had reasons to believe that Great-uncle was kept in the dark.

    "Dad, did you remember something?" Shen Xi asked him.

    Fu Handing nodded and let out a deep sigh. "I recalled a lot of things. It''s just as he said. I found a huge gap in his finances before what happened to me."

    He gave Fu Hannian a warning and seized his authority when he discovered the embezzlement of public funds. This must be the reason Fu Hannian attacked him.

    Still, the reason Fu Hannian went after his daughter waspletely unexpected. Fu Handing could not believe that Xixi would be dragged into this.

    Fu Handing misjudged Fu Hannian and had no clue that thetter would be so wicked toy a hand on a newborn.

    "Dad, I think we should wait for Qingli to wake up before calling Great-uncle over." Fu Qingye was concerned.

    Great-uncle was Fu Hannian''s father after all. Now that Fu Hannian was dead, the voice recording was all they had to prove his criminal history.

    Fu Hannian''s cause of death would be known once Qingli came around.

    Fu Qingye was regretting it now. They should have tossed Fu Hannian''s body into the sea instead of bringing him back. At least then, they would not be in this predicament.

    "Your Great-uncle is an understanding man." Fu Handing smiled bitterly. "He had seen a lot in his lifetime. Nothing can crush him. Let''s not give the public something to talk about."

    People would think the Fu family was up to no good if they were to keep quiet about bringing Fu Hannian''s body back.

    Great-uncle had been out and abouttely visiting old friends and family to bond with.

    Fu Qingye gave Fu Hanji a call to exin a little and told them to make a trip over.

    Half an hourter, Fu Hanji arrived together with Great-uncle.

    Great-uncle was detached when he saw the corpse. After quietly staring at the body for a while, he lifted his head to look at Fu Handing. "Was this animal behind Xixi''s disappearance and your mishap?"

    Fu Handing nodded. "Yes."

    "Great-uncle, Uncle, this is the exchange between him and my big brother." Fu Qingye took out his phone and tapped on the recording.

    The voice recording was yed once more.

    Great-uncle and Fu Hanji was thrown into a whirlwind of emotions ¨C upset, anger, disappointment, and anguish. They did not know what to say or how to face the Fu family.

    It was just horrific what Fu Hannian did. Even those closest to him had to call him a monster.

    Besides, Great-uncle and Fu Hanji genuinely had the Fu family''s best interest at heart. They worked for the Fu family with the purpose of making the family stronger.

    They believed that their sess was tied to the Fu family''s sess. Although they were distant rtives of the Fu family, they held the perception of rising and falling together.

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan exchanged nces and held each other''s hands tightly.

    There wasplete silence in the study.

    A whileter.

    Great-uncle suddenly got up and fell to his knees.

    Fu Handing quickly helped him up.

    "Don''t help me up." Great-uncle hoarsely yelled. With bloodshot eyes, he turned to Fu Handing and Shen Xi. "Handing, Xixi, I didn''t raise my son well and ended up with a monster. I''ve wronged you. Please ept my apologies."

    He then kowtowed.

    The gesture was too huge for Fu Handing and Shen Xi to ept. The pair helped Great-uncle up by holding each of his arms.

 Chapter 782 Fu Qingliâ€™s Awake

    Hanging his head low in guilt and anguish, Great-uncle clutched their hands and wailed.

    Fu Handing turned to Fu Qingye and Li Yuan. "Please take Great-uncle to his room for some rest."

    Shen Xi followed them out and gave a moment to the two elders in the study.

    Fu Hanji watched his old man''s drooped figure leave and sighed before turning his attention back to Fu Handing. He was upset and overtaken byplicated feelings to say anything.

    Fu Handing and Xixi had been through a lot and even survived death to return to the Fu family''s arms because of Hannian. Fu Hanji had never doubted his older brother, nor was he aware that his amiable brother was capable of doing something so horrible.

    "I believe that you and Great-uncle had no idea." Fu Handing let out a deep sigh as sorrow overwhelmed his eyes. "You and your brother have always been different."

    Hannian may appear to be friendly and easy-going, but people like that tended to be dark and twisted inside once they were ridden with ill intentions.

    On the contrary, the trustworthy ones were those who were unapproachable but wore their hearts on their sleeves and were forting with issues.

    Hannian and Hanji were blood brothers with personalities on pr ends.

    "Handing." It took Fu Hanji a while to gather the words. "About my brother¡­ My family will make it up to your family."

    Either way, his brother''s death did not wipe out the things that he had done. Fu Hanji''s family was very much alive and should make up for the suffering Hannian had caused!

    "Hannian is dead. He has already paid the price." Fu Handing was not going to hold a grudge against the innocents, especially Great-uncle and Hanji because of Fu Hannian. "Don''t me yourself. It''s your brother''s doing, not yours."

    A man of few words, Hanji valued action over words and upheld a strong sense of responsibility. Fu Handing wanted some time alone with Fu Hanji to take the burden off him so he would not put all the me on himself.

    Now it seemed that nothing could get to Fu Hanji''s head. It was best if he could see the light himself.

    "My family should be responsible for my brother''s vile deeds." Fu Hanji welled up in his eyes. "Had I realized sooner, perhaps it would not havee to this."

    Hannian was not one to have a heart-to-heart talk while Fu Hanji was indifferent in nature to confide in anyone. If Fu Hanji had paid a little more attention to Hannian, could the oue be any different?

    Shen Xi, Li Yuan, and Fu Qingye kept watch at the door of the study. They had no idea what was said since they were not in the room.

    With Great-uncle in great sorrow, Shen Xi was afraid the old man''s distress might get to him, so she performed acupuncture on him. The elder was asleep for now.

    She could tell that Great-uncle and Uncle Hanji were different from Fu Hannian. They genuinely wanted the best for the Fu family and treated them like family. They should not be the ones to shoulder Fu Hannian''s crimes.

    Heaving a sigh, Fu Qingye leaned against the wall and lifted his head to stare at the hanging lights in the living room. He was shadowed by a heavy air of agony.

    Everything happened so suddenly and caught him off guard. It never crossed his mind that the perpetrator was right under his nose.

    The demon in human''s skin had lurked in their household. Fu Qingye treated and respected Fu Hannian as family. The thought of it sent Fu Qingye into a rage.

    Qingli could have lost his life today. Fu Hannian had it easy to die like that.

    "Qingye, get some rest. Brother and I will wait here." Noticing the weariness on his face, Shen Xi urged him.

    "I can''t sleep." Fu Qingye curled his lips bitterly and sighed. "Xixi, you and Li Yuan should rest. I''ll wait for Dad."

    She could not know or experience the emotions he had had. The betrayal and hurt from those closest were the most painful.

    Li Yuan squeezed the girl''s hand and muttered softly, "Listen to your brother. We should rest our heads and relieve him of waitingter."

    She had been through a tensed, harrowing, and frightful day. It was time to catch her breath.

    Giving a nod, Shen Xi nced at Fu Qingye and reminded him to take a break once Dad was out before taking off with Li Yuan.

    After entering the bedroom, Shen Xiy in bed and soon fell asleep in Li Yuan''s arms.

    Li Yuan heartbreakingly embraced the girl and tucked her under the covers before slipping away. The girl was so tired that her hands reached out to grab him at random. In the end, she snuggled up against the covers and fell into a deep slumber.

    He watched her by the bed for a long time and tiptoed his way out. Shutting the bedroom door, he went downstairs to look for Fu Qingye and the rest.

    Fu Qingxuan wanted to check on Fu Qingli with Shangguan Yanqiu, but since Lu Li and Lu Guoguo were there, the mother and son decided to leave them some space.

    At present, the family sat in the living room wide awake. No one could sleep after the series of events.

    "Is Xixi asleep?" Watching as Li Yuan trod down the stairs, Shangguan Yanqiu inquired in hushed tones.

    "She''s asleep." Li Yuan responded and took a seat next to Fu Qingye. "How is it going with Dad and Great-uncle''s family?"

    Fu Handing sighed. "Your Uncle Hanji is too stubborn to let go of the matter. He''s resigning from his position in thepany and intends to see the world. It''s quite a blow for your Great-uncle. I''m afraid he might not make it through."

    Although Fu Handing considered Fu Hannian and them as separate entities, the episode stuck out like a sore thumb to Fu Hanji and Great-uncle. It would be easier for them toe around.

    Li Yuan nodded in understanding of where Dad wasing from. They were family. With the wicked dead, the living should carry on living.

    Nevertheless, Fu Hanji and Great-uncle had a conscience that would ride on them for life.

    The sky outside had turned from dusk to dawn.

    Lu Li walked out of Fu Qingli''s bedroom and gazed at the family in the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Fu, he''s awake."

    This guy was a freak to regain consciousness so quickly despite his severe injuries.

    Hearing that, Shangguan Yanqiu immediately got up and ran over.

    Fu Handing picked up the pace to hold her steady.

    Li Yuan and the rest followed behind.

    Fu Qingli looked at the crowd surrounding him and gestured to keep it quiet before pointing at Lu Guoguo who was sleeping next to him.

    Since it was not a time for questions, Shangguan Yanqiu took the chance to get a grip on herself and looked at Fu Qingli with concern. She then turned to Fu Qingxuan and gave him a look to examine Fu Qingli.

 Chapter 783 Daughters Were The Cutest Little Thing

    Fu Qingxuan went forward to perform a physical examination on Fu Qingli. For extra measures, he ran off to call Shen Xi.

    He was at the doorway when Shen Xi came down the stairs. Fu Qingxuan pulled her into Fu Qingli''s bedroom so she could check on Fu Qingli.

    "I''m fine." Fu Qingli''s voice was weak and gruff. His face was also discolored.

    The others looked at Shen Xi and Fu Qingxuan.

    The pair nodded. Fu Qingli was injured inside out. Anyone else would require major surgery at the hospital.

    However, Shen Xi administered Fu Qingli drugs the moment she found him. The potent drugs repaired most of the damage inside his body, leaving only the superficial wounds that seemed gruesome.

    Fu Qingli had a narrow escape from death. Had it not for his great physical fitness and strong willpower, it was likely he would have died like Fu Hannian before he was found.

    Fu Hannian would have survived if surgery was timely. However, the Lord did justice by letting a man like him die.

    Fu Qingli was awake and looking good. Afraid of disturbing Lu Guoguo from her rest, Fu Qingli instructed Lu Li to carry her next door.

    The little girl opened her eyes in a daze when Lu Li touched her. Following the sight of Fu Qingli, Lu Guoguo could not help but bawl. It was gut-wrenching to watch.

    "I''m okay. Daddy is okay." With Fu Qingli''s heart bursting with sadness, relief, and happiness, he reached out to wipe away the little girl''s tears.

    Biting her lips, the little girl kept to herself. She nuzzled against his palm like a kitten following the stretch of Fu Qingli''s hand. Her raspy voice reflected her dejection. "Don''t die, Daddy."

    Fu Qingli''s heart melted as his palm met the little girl''s supple face. Nodding his head, he softly uttered with a shattered glint in his eyes, "Daddy won''t die. Don''t cry, Guoguo."

    Lu Guoguo clung onto his arm and bobbed her head. She lifted her chin and wiped away her tears before noticing the room full of people. Out of embarrassment, she buried her face in the sheets.

    Looking at the adorable little girl, Shen Xi tugged on Li Yuan''s arm and picked on the flesh of his palm. She whispered, "Brother, let''s have a daughter too."

    Oh, gawd! Daughters were the cutest and sweetest little thing ever!

    She kept her voice low, thinking the conversation was only between them. Fu Qingxuan''s keen ears somehow picked up on it. Thetter turned to look at her before turning his head back without a word.

    Shen Xi cleared her throat. "¡­"

    Lu Guoguo might be awake, but there were a lot of things unsuited for a child her age to listen to. As Lu Li carried her away, Lu Guoguo reluctantly waved goodbye to everyone in the room but her eyes were fixated on Fu Qingli with worry.

    Now that Fu Qingli had regained consciousness with Great-uncle and Fu Hanji present, the family had the right to find out how Fu Hannian had died.

    Fu Qingli told them the whole story. After Fu Hannian wounded him, Fu Qingli knew that there was no way to track him, let alone get even once Fu Hannian escaped. Hence, Fu Qingli jumped into the waters with Fu Hannian.

    While battling it out at sea, the pair encountered a maelstrom and was sucked into it. Fu Hannian hit his head hard on the reef during his escape from the maelstrom.

    Then came the storm. Dragging Fu Hannian along, Fu Qingli drifted along the waves but could see nond or boat. Ultimately, he wafted onto the ind.

 Chapter 784 What Are You Looking At? Heâ€™s Your Uncle!

    Severely injured, Fu Hannian breathed hisst not long after he arrived at the ind due to the low temperature and loss of blood.

    Shen Xi and Fu Qingye exchanged nces while heaving a sigh of relief. It was an idental death rather than a homicide. This was great news.

    Qingli may seem callous, but he was actually a sentimental man, especially when it came to family. He saw Fu Hannian as family and taking the life of a family member would kill him.

    Fu Handing clutched against Shangguan Yanqiu''s hand without a word, albeit the weight on his shoulder was lifted.

    He had been worried that Hannian was killed by Qingli. Regardless of the reason, Qingli would carry the guilt with him if he hadid his hands on Hannian.

    "I see." Great-uncle nodded amid tears as he stared at Fu Qingli. "Qingli, get some rest. I understand. It''s not your fault. Hannian has himself to me. He deserved what he got."

    Not only did the heartless monster feel no regret about harming Xixi and Handing, but he tried to kill Qingli too.

    Hannian was dead now, and he got iting.

    Still, Hannian was his son. Regardless of how bad he was or what evil he had done, Hannian was his son.

    "Qingli, Handing, I have a request." Great-uncle sighed and looked at them in guilt and anguish. "I want to take away his corpse."

    As for the funeral, it would be unnecessary. Since Hannian lost the right to be buried in the family plot, Great-uncle intended to just find somewhere else to bury him. Either way, he had toy his son to rest.

    Fu Qingli nodded silently with his eyes closed. His pale face reflected his exhaustion.

    It may be for the best that Fu Hannian died this way. At least, Fu Qingli did not have blood on his hands. To this day, Fu Qingli had no idea if he had the courage to end Fu Hannian''s life.

    Fu Hannian''s body was taken away by Great-uncle and Fu Hanji. There was no funeral, but it was made known to the public that he died a sudden death and would not be buried in the family plot.

    Fu Hannian''s incident did not affect the New Year celebrations. It was lively all the same.

    The excitement rose to new heights on New Year''s eve upon Fu Junqiu''s return withher boyfriend.

    On airport-fetching duty, Shen Xi and Li Yuan were joined by Song Wenye who insisted oning with them, and poor Shen Tang who was dragged into this.

    The girls froze when they saw the boyfriend was Qi Xiu. Jesus. No way! Were they together? When did it happen?

    Fu Junqiu looked at the lot and gave one a noogie. "What are you looking at? He''s your uncle!"

    Qi Xiu smiled amiably as he nodded at the bunch. All in all, he behaved more maturely than Fu Junqiu.

    "You?" Shen Xi took a while to absorb that she had a new uncle. "When did you two get together?"

    Qi Xiu was herpany''s top producer as well as an influential idol and singer!

    "What''s with all the nonsense?" Fu Junqiu knocked on her head. "Young Lady, you''re pretty nosy to snoop into the elders'' affairs."

    After giving Shen Xi an earful, Fu Junqiu intimately clung onto Qi Xiu''s arm. "Darling, let''s go."

    She then left the suitcases to the lot.

    Feeling a little abashed, Qi Xiu whispered, "I can carry them."

    "Well, you outrank them now. You''re the elder, so you should act like one too. They should be carrying our luggages." Fu Junqiu opened his mind to a newfound fact.

    Qi Xiu looked tenderly at her as he smiled helplessly. "Xixi is my boss."

    "And I''m the boss'' aunt. That makes you the boss'' uncle-inw." Fu Junqiu earnestly reminded him. "Remember, you don''t have to fear anyone when we get home. Other than my brother and sister-inw, we''re the oldest."

    Following behind, Shen Xi let out a cough.

    Fu Junqiu gave her the stank eye. "What? Do you have a problem? Spill if you do."

    Shen Xi quickly shook her head. "No. I don''t!"

    "Don''t pick on her." Qi Xiu was feeling the pressure. Despite bracing himself, Qi Xiu was letting his nerves get the best of him due to the huge change of status.

    Pulling a straight face, Fu Junqiu did soften her voice as she talked to him. "I''m not picking on anyone. I''m making her see reason."

    Shen Xi sobbed. It was tant abuse in broad daylight!

    Song Wenye turned into a fraidy cat and was too afraid to say anything.

    Shen Tang tried hard not tough. Aunt Junqiu''s temper was something else.

    Gazing at the girl''s pouty look, Li Yuan murmured in her ear. "Do you want me to bully her back?"

    Shen Xi bit her lip. "She''s my aunt."

    Li Yuan sighed.

    It was an undeniable and irrefutable fact, so there was no way to bully her back.

    Fu Junqiu had long informed the family that she was bringing her boyfriend home for the New Year. It never urred to anyone that her boyfriend was Qi Xiu.

    Unless the family never paid attention to the music scene, they should know who Qi Xiu was.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu were happy that Fu Junqiu was bringing her boyfriend back. They had begun preparations on things like amodation and his favorite food the moment she mentioned it.

    This was the first time Fu Junqiu was bringing someone home. As her brother and sister-inw, they must warmly wee him and check him out.

    Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu were having a conversation with Qi Xiu while Fu Junqiu had his back all the way in case anyone was mean to him.

    Pulling Shen Xi aside, Fu Qingxuan asked about Qi Xiu in hushed tones.

    Fu Qingye sized up his future uncle-inw who was younger than him. He fit the bill for Aunt Junqiu''s criteria for men. Qi Xiu was tall, good-looking, attractive, and a talented music producer.

    Fu Qingli walked in with the kids in tow when he saw Qi Xiu sitting next to Fu Junqiu. That must absolutely be the boyfriend. Handing the kids over to someone else, he went over to see if Qi Xiu made the cut.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were there too. However, they were familiar with Qi Qiu since he came to his house for dinner before. He was a good kid.

    Shen Zhanglin and his wife also knew Qi Xiu. The boy had driven their daughter home every once in a while. He was the music producer of Xixi''spany.

    There was a time they thought Qi Xiu was in love with their daughter. Seeing that he was nice and capable, it was not a bad idea for them to be together.

    Nevertheless, Shen Zhanglin and his wife had not seen Qi Xiu since Qiubai came into the picture. Qi Xiu must have taken the role of a driver to help out their daughter and keep her from harm''s way. He was a boy with a heart of gold.

    Happiest of them all, Yu Qiubai had popcorn ready to watch the show.

    He bore a grudge. Qi Xiu the b*stard had once pretended to be a couple with Tangtang to trick him. Yu Qiubai even got into a fight with Qi Xiu after finding out the truth.

    Well now, the b*stard was taken by Aunt Junqiu. With a temper like hers, Aunt Junqiu would have Qi Xiu eating out the palm of her hands.

 Chapter 785 Have A Wedding Together

    Qi Xiu''s presence was anticipated yet unexpected. Now that he was here, Qi Xiu was considered family.

    That night after a pleasant dinner.

    Pulling Qi Xiu to stand together, Fu Junqiu dropped a bomb. "Handing, Yanqiu, Qi Xiu and I have gotten our marriage license. We intend to have a wedding sometime this year."

    She was not one to drag her feet. Once she had her mind set on something, she would see it through immediately.

    Munching on an apple, Shen Xi nearly choked herself to death. She hacked violently.

    Li Yuan, who sat beside her, immediately patted her back tenderly.

    "What? You got a problem?" Fu Junqiu looked at Shen Xi.

    "No, I don''t." Shen Xi coughed while denying. It simply took her by a pleasant surprise. Why would she have a problem?

    "What about you?" Fu Junqiu turned to the rest.

    Fu Qingye cleared her throat. "So long as you''re sure, Aunt Junqiu. I respect your decision."

    Fu Qingxuan raised his hand. "I concur."

    Fu Qingli nodded his head. It was not like their objection could change Aunt Junqiu''s mind.

    "Handing? Yanqiu?" Fu Junqiu''s re and voice simmered down when she looked at them.

    "Your brother and I only want the best for you. We''re happy if you''re happy." Shangguan Yanqiu was taken aback by the couple taking it to city hall, but it did not take long for her to ept the fact.

    Fu Yanqiu was forting with her feelings. It was not out of character for her to get married right away if she loved somebody.

    Fu Handing nodded his head. "Yanqiu is right. We can rx knowing you two are meant for each other."

    "Brother, Sister-inw, don''t worry. I will look after her and make her happy." Qi Xiu solemnly gave his word.

    Fu Junqiu held his hand tightly. Truth be told, she was nervous as this was her first step into marriage. Upon getting their stamp of approval, Fu Junqiu was relieved. "So then, Handing, you''re the man of the house. If you could find someone to pick an auspicious date for us."

    Although Shen Xi had not gotten rid of the catch in her throat, she could finally speak. Raising her hand, she weakly uttered, "I can pick an auspicious date for you."

    Fu Junqiu then turned to Shen Xi. Her eyes lit up as it struck her. "Oh, you and Li Yuan are getting married this year. Why don''t we have a wedding together?"

    One to take charge, Song Wenye stood up and raised her hand too. "Don''t forget us. Aunt Junqiu, me and Yu Yuanxi too."

    They were tying the knot this year too. Besides, the wedding had to be held within two months, or else she would have to wait until she gave birth before walking down the aisle.

    "That''s right. You, too." As it dawned on Fu Junqiu, she made the call. "We three should have a wedding together, a mass wedding ceremony. It will be a spectacle and a lot easier to do it in one go. Otherwise, it''d be troublesome to go through multiple weddings in one year."

    "Aunt Junqiu." Taking a nce at Shen Tang, Yu Qiubai got on his feet. "Count me and Tangtang in."

    Shen Tang was caught off guard. Following his words, she did not dare to show her blushing face.

    What was with Yu Qiubai jumping on the bandwagon? When did she agree to get married this year? He sure took the liberty to decide for her.

    "Tangtang." Fu Junqiu knew a thing or two about what went on between the two. She looked at Shen Tang and asked, "Did you say yes?"

    Fu Junqiu knew about Xixi and Li Yuan, as well as Lil'' Ye and Yuanxi. However, this was the first time she heard that Tangtang was going to marry this guy. She had to be sure.

    Grabbing Shen Tang''s hand, Yu Qiubai looked at her with expectant eyes. "Tangtang."

    Shen Tang nced at her parents and little brother.

    Shen Zhanglin cleared his throat. "You and Qiubai should be the ones to decide. It''s your call."

    It would be special and memorable to have a group wedding. The merrier the better.

    Du Juan bobbed her head as she lovingly stared at the pair.

    Mrs. Yu was embarrassed by her son''s sudden proposal. It was not very nice to put Tangtang in the spotlight if she was unwilling. She apologetically nced at Du Juan. "Qiubai doesn''t know better. Sorry for the inconvenience."

    Du Juan smiled. "Qiubai is a good kid. We can let the kids decide for themselves. Let''s just leave it to them."

    Shen Feng was upset, but he did not show it on his face. Not only did Yu Qiubai steal his sister away, but they wanted to be tied down so soon too.

    Afraid that Shen Tang might be flustered, everyone in the living room kept quiet but they averted their gaze from her as they waited for her answer.

    Shen Tang paused for a moment before murmuring, "Yes."

    It was a blessing and a great thing to be able to wear a wedding dress and walk down the aisle with her best friends on the same day.

    "That makes four of us." Fu Junqiu grinned from ear to ear. "If there are no objections, I''m going to start the nning. Well then, on to the discussion. Where should we have the wedding?"

    The venue had to amodate a lot of people. After all, they had a few public figures among them. It was still up for discussion whether it was going to be a public or private wedding.

    "You lot can talk about it. We''ll chat over there." Yun Jinping was the first to get up. Holding Shangguan Yanqiu''s arm, they walked away smiling.

    The others took off one after another.

    In the end, Fu Qingli, Fu Qingye, Fu Qingxuan, and Shen Feng stayed behind to act as advisors.

    Shen Xi turned back and looked at Fu Qingli. "Big Brother, how about we count you in as the groom as well?"

    Fu Qingli furrowed his brows as a glint shed past his eyes. Clearing his throat, he stood up and changed the subject. "I''m going to check on Guoguo and Lil'' Zhen."

    "Big Brother, the wedding ns would take at least two months. You can do it!" Shen Xi cheered him on.

    After Qingli and Fu Hannian went missing, she could be sure of one thing ¨C Lu Li did bear some feelings for Qingli.

    On the other hand, Qingli had fallen in love with Lu Li.

    "You can do it, Big Brother!" Song Wenye stood up and made a fist gesture to root for him.

    Fu Qingli stopped in his tracks for a moment before resuming his way. Curling his lips into a faint smile, he fell into deep thought.

    Perhaps he should really give it a try.

    The n for Shen Xi and Li Yuan''s wedding was to be held at Li Mansion. Li Mansion was big enough to amodate a mass wedding ceremony.

    The few discussed at length and unanimously agreed to have the wedding at Li Mansion. Always there to stir the pot, Song Wenye whispered to get ready for one more couple to join them. That was of course if Qingli was able to get Lu Li onboard before the wedding.

    The date was set on the 18th of March, which was also the 6th day of the second lunar month. They now only had a lead time of two months and six days to prepare.

 Chapter 786 Wedding Rehearsal

    Time flew by and it was soon February.

    Shen Xi pretty much adopted a hands-off approach to the wedding and venue nning. All she did was cast her vote during decision-making time. She had no issues with anything.

    The venue and wedding dress were designed by Jiang Yin and Yun Jinping''s team. Of course, it was only the best for the couples.

    Even so, having a mass wedding ceremony was a battle against time. Fortunately, Jiang Yin had a lot of friends in the fashion world. She got in touch with a few internationally renowned designers to help design wedding dresses.

    Jin Yun would be making the wedding dresses while the rest were to be tailormade by established brands.

    In charge of wedding photography, Ruan Sisi looked for her contact, a world-renowned photographer, to take the job.

    The photographer was handsome and top-notch at taking pictures. Each picture was stunning without requiring any editing. It was beauty captured in its rawest form.

    Ruan Sisi had been using their pre-wedding photos as her mobile screensaver, switching between different photos every minute. Feeling envious, she wondered if she should look for a boyfriend herself and have a wedding with them.

    The day before the wedding was the rehearsal.

    Shen Xi was nervous to even fall asleep. Although there was no need to be anxious about the rehearsal, she simply could not sleep. She also pestered Li Yuan and that too disallowed him from sleeping.

    Li Yuan had been working round the clock for two weeks and had just gotten home that night. He had dreamed about holding his fairdy for a good rest, but thetter could not sleep. He pecked on her lips. "Want some wine?"

    Shaking her head, Shen Xi nuzzled against his chin and softly chuckled. "You should sleep if you''re tired."

    "Want to get physical?" Li Yuan''s eyes deepened as the girl set off sparks all over his body. He came onto her.

    He swallowed her resistance and chained her arms down on top of her head before Shen Xi could say anything.

    With tension rising quickly, the tumbling between sheets and creaking of the bed sang a beautiful tune.

    Shen Xi finally lost her strength amid the rocking. She was taken to the bathroom in a daze. The indecency in the bathtub would remain as a moment that would flush her cheeks crimson.

    It was a night of passion and ardor.

    Shen Xi did not have the energy to get up the next morning. Feeling limp all over, she nestled in his embrace without the desire to move at all.

    Li Yuan gently knocked on the girl''s head. His voice was husky, having just woken up both his person and inner beast. "Sleepyhead, it''s time to get up for the rehearsal. Otherwise, Aunt Junqiu wille looking for you."

    Shen Xi rolled around in his arms like a cat, mumbling inartictely.

    Li Yuan dotinglyughed before drawing close to whisper in her ear. "Let''s try to get out of bed. I can carry you there if you''re tired."

    It was eight o''clock now and the rehearsal was at ten. Aunt Junqiu would send out a search team if they were to bete.

    "Tell Aunt Junqiu that I''m not going to the rehearsal." Her speech turned nasal as she pretended to wail.

    "How about I attend the rehearsal myself?" Li Yuan stroked the girl''s hair as he met her nose-to-nose. "Okay?"

    "Tell her I''m having morning sickness! I don''t feel well!" Shen Xi grew impatient and could not be bothered to lift a finger. Looking at the closeup of the man''s handsome face, she nibbled on his lips. "It''s your fault! Your fault!"

    "My bad." Li Yuan tenderly let her have her way. "I shouldn''t havee up with that stupid idea when you couldn''t sleep."

    He had not seen her for nearly ten days. Since the wedding rehearsal was today, he intended to have a good night''s sleep the day before.

    s, she could not keep her hands to herself and led him on. How was he supposed to resist the temptation? Of course, he surrendered to his innermost desire.

    "Hmph!" Shen Xi scoffed while burying her face against his chest. She was not going to get out of bed.

    Then came a knock on the door, followed by Fu Junqiu''s voice. "Shen Xi, Li Yuan? Come on, you two. The sun is up, for Pete''s sake. Get up or don''t bothering to the wedding tomorrow."

    Getting the shivers, Shen Xi was up and running. "Aunt Junqiu, we''re getting dressed. We''ll be right there."

    Li Yuan felt bad to see his fairdy in such a state, so much so he did not have the heart to mock her. He whispered, "Why don''t you tell Aunt Junqiu that you have morning sickness?"

    "Hurry and get up." Shen Xi red at him before jolting up, shaking off thenguidness she disyed earlier.

    Li Yuan rose and went to retrieve her clothes.

    "Pajamas. I want to wear my pajamas. It''s a nuisance to change my clothes againter." Shen Ximanded while hugging the sheets.

    "Aye, aye, wifey." Li Yuan grabbed her onesie pajamas and put them on her. He carried her to sit down by the bed before getting down on one knee to help her into her shoes. "Are you going to wash up?"

    Shen Xi shook her head. "For what? I don''t have to put on makeup before rehearsals."

    Li Yuan nodded with a smile. Her wish was hismand. "Sure."

    He then carried her on his back to the meeting point. By then, everyone else had arrived.

    Looking at Shen Xi, Fu Junqiu pointed at her nose. "Look at you. Li Yuan, are you keeping her in line? Today''s the wedding rehearsal. Can we stay focused here?"

    With a grin, Li Yuan turned his head to fixate on the girl. Love was written all over his eyes. It was out of his hands. He was never going to tell her what to do as all he ever wanted to do was spoil her rotten.

    Shen Xi jumped off Li Yuan''s back while chomping on her breakfast. She had food in her mouth when she mumbled, "I''ll just follow your lead."

    Pointing at her, Fu Junqiu expressed her disdain. "God knows how your wedding would end up if we didn''t step in."

    Song Wenye pulled Shen Tang to one corner tough up their sleeves. Xixi had turned into azy bug and a gluttontely. Her plump face was proof.

    Shen Xi stuck her tongue out at Song Wenye.

    Fu Junqiu put her finger up Shen Xi''s nose a few times before giving Li Yuan the evil look. "You''re going next door. What are you standing there for? Move."

    Li Yuan gave a wet wipe to his fairdy. Smiling to everyone, he set off next door to the grooms'' changing room.

    Song Wenye went over to rub Shen Xi''s belly. "Are you pregnant? Why do I feel like your tummy is bigger than mine?"

    She then mimicked Shen Xi by holding her wrist to check her pulse.

    Shen Xi rolled her eyes. "I ate too much."

    "Why did you have so much to eat this morning?" Stepping forth, Fu Junqiu snatched the pancake in her hand. "Keep on eating and you won''t be able to fit in your wedding gown. I told you to eat less. When can we ever stop worrying about you?"

    Shen Xi was rendered speechless. Snuffling in grievance, she drew a deep breath and sucked in her belly. Atst, she got her slim figure back.

    Shen Tang chuckled at the bustling scene. "Alright alright. Cut it out already."

    "Xixi."

    With Ruan Sisi''s voiceing through the door, she soon entered the room.

    Shen Xi looked at Fu Junqiu with her fangs bared. Was she thatte to deserve an earful? The head makeup artist had only just arrived.

 Chapter 787 Too Nervous To Sleep

    Pretended she saw nothing, Fu Junqiu pped her hands and urged, "Hurry up. ces, everyone. Let''s not waste time."

    Shen Xi clenched her fists. The nerve of Aunt Junqiu to ignore her!

    The rehearsal went smoothly. However, Shangguan Yanqiu, Yun Jinping, and a few of the elders ushered the brides-to-be away right after the rehearsals, forbidding the grooms-to-be toe along.

    That night, Shen Xi and the girls stayed at home while Li Yuan, the grooms, and groomsmen were left at the Li family''s house.

    The former students of the international ss were back. Ye Weiyang and members of the girl group ditched the glitzy dresses for bridesmaid''s dresses on the wedding day.

    As expected, the sudden announcement of wedding bells from a popr idol like Song Wenye rocked the entertainmentmunity to its core. The public did not take the news too well.

    Song Wenye was called out for being brainless and a hopeless romantic to jump into marriage when her career was taking off.

    Yu Yuanxi was put on st for riding on his girl''s coattails and finding his fifteen minutes of fame through the rtionship and marriage. He was shameless and bad news. If he really did love Song Wenye, he should not choose to marry her right now for her sake.

    At the peak of public criticism, Shen Xi published a Weibo post. [ShenXi: Let me introduce you to my big brother @YuYuanxi.]

    Li Yuan followed up with another post. [LiYuan: @YuYuanxi. Big Brother, here''s to a happily ever after with my sister-inw.]

    The big guns of the Fu family got in on the act, tagging Yu Yuanxi and giving their blessings.

    That was enough to stop the trolls. Although frustrated, they had to cease fire on Yu Yuanxi.

    Yu Yuanxi getting media attention through Song Wenye, getting his photo opportunity, and milking her dry were all bullsh*t. The trending posts on Weibo were a real eye-opener.

    Li Yuan, the world''s wealthiest man, called him Big Brother.

    The three young masters of the Fu family took roles as Yu Yuanxi''s bros and backed him up against the trolls.

    With the trolls making a hasty retreat, the rest of the keyboard warriors gave it a rest. It was not like any of them had the guts to get in these big shots'' faces. That would be ying with fire while walking on thin ice.

    Who was the Fu family? They owned the most influential talent management agency in the world with the knack for making superstars. Be it in China or anywhere else in the world, they had the power to cancel anyone out of showbiz.

    Shen Xi was the head of Cosmos Entertainment, China''s top entertainmentpany; Ms. Cai Ni the renowned designer; Screenwriter Cloud Seven; and topposer, Xixi. Since everyone in showbiz wanted to rub shoulders with her, no one would dare step on her toes.

    It was enough to shut everyone up about Yu Yuanxi and Song Wenye''s union.

    The figures of show business, fashion world, corporate circle, and political scene sent their best regards and blessings.

    The fans continued to show their support for Song Wenye as her happiness was above all else.

    The trolls and keyboard warriors had to swallow their bitterness, unable to stir drama viaments even if they wanted to as their electronics had been hacked. Such was going out for wool anding home shorn.

    To this day, Song Wenye''s poprity continued to soar, so did Yu Yuanxi''s following. He became the subject of envy for getting famous before his movie even hit the screens and gaining over five million fans.

    Song Wenye blew up on social media because of her social standing and connections. Glitzy Girls was caught in the storm of media attention too. Despite being constantly thrown into the limelight, the girl group did not suffer a loss to their reputation and received plenty of endorsement deals instead.

    Any artist would fight tooth and nail to get into Cosmos Entertainment because that was their surefire ticket to stardom.

    It never urred to Shen Xi that Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi''s wedding announcement would be such a big deal. Still, she was d that it was a big deal in a positive way.

    Ye Weiyang and the other girls were chatting, joking, and fooling around with Song Wenye in the living room.

    A fan of the girls, Mrs. Yu happily held a poster and asked for their autograph when they came over.

    In fact, Shen Tang had gotten their signed merchandise on Mrs. Yu''s behalf, but she was over the moon to see her favorite idols.

    The house was looking festive with the decorations up. The living room had been converted into a banquet hall for a bachelorette party where Fu Junqiu nned to say onest goodbye to her singlehood.

    Nevertheless, it was not the best decision to organize the bachelorette party a night before the wedding. Shangguan Yanqiu and the otherdies were worried the brides-to-be might miss their own wedding after a night of drinking and partying, so they took away the alcohol and reced it with non-alcoholic beverages.

    Still, the group of young girls had fun until midnight. Having kicked up their heels, they called it a night and headed to bed arm in arm.

    There were far too many people in the house to amodate everyone even if a few were squeezed into one room. Li Yuan''s vi next door was cleared to be used as guest rooms.

    Shen Xi and the other brides-to-be were sleeping in Shen Xi''s bedroom. Another bed was moved into the room and put next to the existing bed so that all four of them could sleep together.

    Theyy in bed without shutting the curtains, allowing the moonlight to shine through a warm bask.

    Tossing and turning, Song Wenye finally sat up and held her chest. "Xixi, Tangtang, Aunt Junqiu, do you feel nervous?"

    Fu Junqiu was calm. "No."

    Although Shen Xi hummed a single utterance, it was not known whether she heard the question as she could not even open her eyes. She was tired and about to fall asleep after a long night of fun.

    Shen Tang got up and held Song Wenye''s hand. Looking like she found a confidant, she nodded. "I can feel that I''m exhausted physically and should get some rest, but my heart is beating fast, and my mind is awake. I can''t sleep."

    She was nervous and rightfully so since she would be walking down the aisle tomorrow. Her palms were mmy during the rehearsal.

    "Settle down." Fu Junqiu detachedlyforted them. "It''s just a wedding."

    Once again, Shen Xi responded with a single syble before faint snoring was heard. It seemed she had fallen asleep.

    Fu Junqiu pointed at her and smiled. "Take it from her. She doesn''t have a heart. Look, she dozed off in the middle of a conversation."

    "She''s just tired fromst night." Song Wenye nced at Shen Xi. Judging by the love bites behind her neck, she must''ve had a wild night with Toffeecito''s Dad.

    Shen Tang affectionately grinned and bobbed her head. "Xixi''s worn out."

    Shen Xi would have caught some sleep in Li Yuan''s arms if Aunt Junqiu did not keep an eye on her during the rehearsal.

    It was a good thing someone was capable of invoking fear in Shen Xi. Thetter was able to look sharp as she went through with the rehearsal. She had been on her best behavior.

    Apart from Shen Xi who was fast asleep, the rest could not sleep. They had girls'' talk, and soon Shen Tang together with Song Wenye drifted into dreand.

    Despite telling others to settle down and saying she was not at all nervous, Fu Junqiu was wide awake. Time passed until she finally crashed.

    The rm clock went off before the break of dawn, followed by a knock on the door. The ever-energetic Ruan Sisi hade to wake them up to get into hair and makeup.

    By the sound of the noise at the door, it appeared that Ye Weiyang and the girls as well as Chu Ying and other International ss students, who had flown in from all over the world, were there and getting more worked up than the brides-to-be.

 Chapter 788 Wedding Of The Century (1)

    Shen Xi slept like a log and woke up full of life.

    Song Wenye, Shen Tang, and especially Fu Junqiu only fell asleepte into the night. Having dreamed the whole night through, they woke up tired and looking more dead than alive as if they never slept.

    However, there was nothing that could not be fixed with a bit of makeup and a wedding gown. It did the trick to put the pink back on their cheeks.

    Jiang Yin and Yun Jinping designed the wedding gowns under the Jin Yunbel. Each dress was a beautiful masterpiece and the gown of every girl''s dreams.

    The wedding ceremony was a private affair and not open to the public. Still, more than a thousand guests attended the wedding of the four couples, bringing forth numerous gifts.

    Li Mansion was lively and festooned with festive colors. The sounds of firecrackers had not stopped since morning.

    There was a firework showst night at Li Mansion, giving citizens in the capital a glimpse of the lifestyle of the rich.

    The grooms and groomsmen got up first thing in the morning. Compared to the brides, they got up feeling fresh despite a sleepless night of nervousness and excitement. They were pumped in anticipation.

    The wedding convoy, made of super-luxury cars worth over 50 million yuan, was ready to set out.Had there not been for the traffic control and roadblocks, arge crowd would have invited themselves there.

    At seven o''clock sharp, the wedding convoy departed from Li Mansion, taking a predetermined route to the destination.

    Over at the Shens'' family home, the brides were ready and waiting in bed for the arrival of their grooms.

    Chu Ying enthusiastically suggested, "Hear me out. We should get all brides to put on the veils and blindfold the grooms to find their own bride. The wedding''s off for whoever picks the wrong bride."

    Raising her hand in agreement, Ruan Sisi''splexion was flushed with thrill. "That''s a good idea. They should pick the right bride out. They can marry themselves if they get the wrong girl."

    "Do you think they''d get it wrong?" Jiang Yin went along for the ride. Retrieving a perfume from the dressing table, she sprayed the whole room. She then said with a smile, "That would do it."

    These grooms could pick their girls out of the crowd even if they were blindfolded. It was a piece of cake for them.

    "Let''s see who''s the first to find their bride. Thest person to do so will be punished." Chu Ying proposed another idea.

    "What''s the punishment?" Ruan Sisi thought hard.

    "Um... No... No hanky-panky on the wedding night!" Chu Ying burst intoughter.

    The rest chuckled along. The suggestion was a little mean, but it was a joke after all. What was a wedding night without intimacy?

    Fu Qingxuan was standing by the door. Picking up on the discussion, he ventured forward and grabbed the perfume from Jiang Yin''s hand to spritz on Shen Xi. He snorted. "No hanky-panky, it is!"

    Helpless, Jiang Yin pulled him aside. It was a joyous asion. Although she could understand his reluctance to marry his little sister off, he should not take the whole thing overboard.

    The intense spraying saw Shen Xi extending her foot to kick Fu Qingxuan as she pinched her nose and coughed. Even if she was doused and marinated in the perfume, Li Yuan could spot her right away. No amount of perfume could stop that from happening.

    "What are you guys talking about? I can hear the giggling." Lu Li walked in with the children in hand. The kids were the flower children.

    Dressed in a ck suit, Lu Zhen looked like a young prince.

    Lu Guoguo was an adorable princess with her tutu dress.

    The young ones covered their nose and mouth the moment they walked into the room. The smell of perfume was suffocating.

    Ruan Sisi immediately opened the windows to air out the smell. The fragrance was overpowering since Fu Qingxuan basically sprayed the whole bottle.

    Everyone was bustling with work from upstairs to downstairs, waiting for the arrival of the wedding convoy. The brides and bridesmaids were enjoying a moment of peace as their only job was to demand red packets besides giving the grooms and groomsmen a hard time when they arrivedter.

    Shen Xi observed Lu Li who was busy helping with the preparations. In the end, her big brother did not make it to be one of the grooms as he had not managed to put a ring on Lu Li''s finger. Their wedding bells were a long way ahead.

    Nevertheless, Fu Qingli and Lu Li seemed to have grown closertely. It was good news that their rtionship was heading in a positive direction.

    The noise of firecrackers amid enthusiastic mors was heard at nine o''clock in the morning.

    Ruan Sisi and Chu Ying took the lead in kicking up an uproar since mischief was their specialty. The other girls exchanged nces before rushing to close the door.

    Looking back, Ruan Sisi asked, "Did you hide the shoes? Make sure they can''t find them. The groom that puts his bride in the wrong shoes will be grounded from seeing his bride for three days."

    It stirred another round ofughter among the crowd.

    The voices of the grooms and groomsmen could be heard outside. With footsteps drawing close, the party of men soon arrived upstairs at the bedroom door.

    "Chu Ying, open the door. We''re here to pick up the brides." It was Pei Xu. He was the best man.

    "Red packet!" Chu Ying shouted.

    Red packets were slid through the door crack, but it was not money inside but auspicious trinkets like gold beads and nephrite essories.

    However, Chu Ying and the girls were not having it and made a fuss. It was half an hourter by the time the men were let in. Then came another course of fun ragging.

    The tricky games that Chu Ying and the girls nned meticulously were nothing in the face of the groomsmen. It did not take long before the grooms and groomsmen sessfullypleted the missions.

    In the blindfold segment, the grooms found their brides at the same time, and no one got the wrong girl.

    It was the same situation with the brides'' shoes. Chu Ying and the bridesmaids were plunged into self-doubt. Ruan Sisi rummaged through the8

    room to see if there was any CCTV because it was a huge blow to their egos that the men went through the games without a hitch.

    As it turned out, there were no hidden cameras in the room. All the girls could do was convince themselves that the grooms and groomsmen were clever and did their homework.

    The neighborhood was packed with people who were here to witness the wedding of the century when the wedding convoy was making its way back to Li Mansion. There was also real-time coverage and live streaming of the wedding cars passing by. The broadcast was live on dozens of streaming tforms. Crowds gathered by the roads to watch and give their blessings.

    Of course, Song Wenye and Shen Xi''s fans were not going to miss the event. There were also those who came to join the fun and were curious about the unions among major figures. There was festivity in the air as people set off firecrackers throughout the journey.

    The onlookers on either side of the road lessened due to traffic restrictions as the wedding cars approached Li Mansion. There were only residents of nearby vis around.

    With the wedding car door opened, Shen Xi lifted her chin to meet the man''s warm and tender eyes. She ced her hand in his, allowing him to pull her up. The man then picked her up and carried her in his arms.

 Chapter 789 Wedding Of The Century (2)

    "Are you going to carry me throughout?" Drawing near to his ear, Shen Xi asked Li Yuan. The loud firecrackers around muffled her voice, so much so she had to keep a close distance.

    "Yes." Li Yuan nodded with a smile. Leaning forward, he gleefully murmured in her ear. "The bride''s feet shouldn''t touch the earth."

    His fairdy was breathtaking in her white gown, and he could not and did not want to take his eyes away from her. Li Yuan wished he could hold her and look at her until the end of time.

    Shen Xi reflected on his words. No one had told her that she could not walk and had to be carried. Once at the entrance, she looked over his shoulder and noticed that Song Wenye and the other brides walked by themselves. Shen Xi pinched the tender flesh in Li Yuan''s waist. "Liar."

    It was a bustling scene at Li Mansion with friends and family of the brides and grooms present. People lined up from the entrance all the way inside, throwing flower petals in weing the happy couples. Only the freshest handpicked flower petals were deserving of the floral wee.

    There were also drones in charge of a flower shower. It was a surreal sight under the sunlight.

    There was an aroma of flowers in the air. With only the freshest flowers of the season brought in, the Li family''s estate was a burst of early spring and lushndscape.

    A thickyer of rose petals paved a red passage from the home''s entrance to the wedding venue. The roses were airlifted overnight from a rose hall.

    Nestled in Li Yuan''s embrace, Shen Xi could only see him in her eyes, heart, and mind. She could hear his heartbeat. Poking his chest, she asked, "Brother, are you nervous?"

    With downcast eyes, Li Yuan came at eye level with the girl''s curious bright eyes. He nodded his head. "I didn''t sleepst night."

    It was the truth.

    Shen Xi uttered, "Lil'' Ye and Tangtang said they were too nervous to sleepst night, but I slept well."

    Li Yuan cheerfully teased her with a voice that could make her go weak in the knees as he pointed out. "That''s because you''re tired."

    Getting the hint, Shen Xi blushed and red at him. "Whose fault do you think it was?"

    Li Yuan chuckled and grinned dotingly. "Mine."

    Shen Xi cleared her throat and nudged him. "I''ll walk. How about I take your arm?"

    Li Yuan tightened his grip over her. "I want to carry you."

    Shen Xi was carried all the way to the wedding venue. The guests had arrived and taken their seats. However, the brides still had to powder their noses in the back.

    Ruan Sisi came to round up the girls.

    Li Yuan finally put the girl down. Watching as Shen Xi turned on her heels straight away, he grabbed her wrist and hesitated for long before letting go.

    The wedding venue could not be any livelier.

    Song Wenye and the other brides were already in the dressing room by the time Ruan Sisi dragged Shen Xi there. They were smiling at her suggestively.

    "Why are you looking at me?" Shen Xi frowned. "Is there something on my face?"

    "Toffeecito''s Dad has great stamina." Song Wenyeughed.

    "Yes." Shen Tang bobbed her head.

    "That''s right." Fu Junqiu thought so too.

    Even Li Yuan knew that his wife''s feet should not touch the ground. Fu Junqiu''s silly man only figured to carry her after Li Yuan demonstrated the correct way.

    Shen Xi saluted them. "Likewise."

    The grooms followed suit to carry the brides too. Why were they talking as though she was the only one who was carried in?

    The girls chatted and giggled as Ruan Sisi led the makeup team to reapply their makeup. There was a knock on the door, and it was Fu Qingli who came to ask if they were ready.

    Ruan Sisi rushed over and opened the door to the brides'' family standing outside. Apart from the Fu and Song families, Yuan Yu was also in the midst. He stood on his tiptoes to peek inside.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were not present. As the parents of Yu Yuanxi, the groom, they were busy running back and forth. Otherwise, it could get chaoticter at the ceremony.

    The Fu family was here for Shen Xi and Fu Junqiu. Since Qi Xiu was an orphan without parents or close family members, the Fu family was also acting as his parents.

    Song Wenye''s parents found the time out of their busy schedules to attend the wedding as it was their daughter''s wedding after all. They had just arrived not long ago. Old Man Song was also in attendance.

    Not one to be bothered, Song Wenye acknowledged her mom and dad''s presence without pouring in much feelings. She was used to them not being around.

    Pei Xu, on the other hand, felt bad for Song Wenye as he grew up with her. As her childhood friend, he did not have much respect for Song Wenye''s parents.

    They might as well note. Pei Xu would be walking Song Wenye down the aisle and giving her away to Yu Yuanxi as the brother of the bride.

    Furrowing her brows, Fu Qingxuan whispered in Pei Xu''s ear. "Why are Lil'' Ye''s parents like this?"

    It was improper for the parents to only arrive now for their daughter''s wedding. They certainly failed as parents. Poor Lil'' Ye for ending up with such parents.

    "Why don''t¡­" Pei Xu curled his lips cunningly and licked his teeth. His voice bore a hint of wickedness. "Why don''t we knock them out, lock them up, and rece them as the bride''s family?"

    Fu Qingxuan replied, "Are you kidding?"

    "No." Pei Xu mumbled indifferently, "Don''t you feel bad for her? Her parents only came to show their faces."

    "Who are we to the bride?" Fu Qingxuan murmured under his breath.

    "We''re the bride''s¡­ brothers." Pei Xu drawled as he smiled at Fu Qingxuan. He best left it at that. The young master would probably throw a tantrum on this joyous asion if Pei Xu took the joke further.

    Song Wenye''s parents approached Song Wenye for a chat.

    Her mother was a beautiful, poised, and independent businesswoman. Seeing her daughter in a wedding dress, Song Wenye''s mother expressed the longing and relief of a parent. Overwhelmed with emotions, she was at a loss for words. In the end, she said, "I hope you''ll always be happy."

    Song Wenye''s father was a handsome and suave man. He did not feel much of a connection with Song Wenye since he had been missing from his daughter''s life. Still, he was filled with a pang of indescribable guilt as he stood before her. Song Wenye''s father held her hand and smiled.

    It did not seem to matter to Song Wenye whether they were here or not. She exchanged a few words with her parents before waving to the back. "Grandpa."

    She then looked at her parents with a smile. "Dad, Grandpa wille with me to the hall. You and Mom should wait in the front."

 Chapter 790 Wedding Of The Century (3)

    The Songs knew their position in their daughter''s life. Looking into Song Wenye''s eyes with guilt, her parents let out a forceful smile and walked away.

    Song Wenye cried, "Grandpa, Grandpa! Come here."

    The heartbreaking and upsetting situation left Old Man Song without a word. He approached his smiling granddaughter. "It''s only appropriate for the parents to stay with you on this special asion."

    "I don''t care whether it''s appropriate. I want you, Grandpa." Etiquette or tradition was thest thing on Song Wenye''s mind. "I''m getting married today. It''s my day, so whatever I say, goes."

    "Okay. You''re the boss." Old Man Song grinned from ear to ear.

    Never mind. It was high time Song Wenye''s parents got a taste of their own medicine for leaving their kid out to dry. What kind of parents would have children and not take care of them?

    Everyone was gathered.

    The parents walked down the aisle alongside the brides.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were by Shen Xi''s side.

    Fu Junqiu was apanied by Fu Handing and Shangguan Yanqiu.

    Shen Tang was with her parents.

    Song Wenye was in thepany of Old Man Song and Jiang Yin.

    Jiang Yin thought it was improper at first since Song Wenye''s parents were there. Yet, instead of Song Wenye''s parents, she was the one walking thetter down the aisle. It was a bit of a p in the cheek to Song Wenye''s parents.

    Nevertheless, it was no big deal the more Jiang Yin thought about it. Of course, she was going to heed Lil'' Ye''s call. Regardless of what others had to judge and say, Lil'' Ye would have included her parents in the biggest moment of her life if they were good parents, to begin with.

    Shen Zhangqing''s eyes welled up. He did not feel much emotions moments ago because he had been preparing himself for this moment. However, his feelings got the better of him when he gave his daughter''s hand away to another man.

    He could only hope that his daughter would always be happy. There was nothing more he would ask for in life.

    Yun Jinping squeezed Shen Xi''s hand while wiping her tears. Yun Jinping''s voice was also hoarse. "Why the tears? Don''t cry. I''ll cry if you cry."

    Her child had always put on a brave face. Yun Jinping had never seen her cry, yet Xixi was shedding tears on this joyous asion.

    Refusing to admit that she was the one bawling, Shen Xi looked back at Fu Qingxuan. "Stop crying. My makeup''s running."

    For some reason or perhaps caught in the moment, she could not seem to stop these tears from falling. There goes her makeup.

    Wiping his tears as well, Fu Qingxuan had never been so wronged. He was not bawling, but she was. He could not believe she was framing him on her wedding day.

    Still, Fu Qingxuan was going to let the matter slide since it was her big day. Fine, he would take one for the team and admit he was the crybaby.

    The wedding march ying in the backgroundmanded solemnity in the wedding hall. All guests watched the main stars, bearing only their sincerest blessings.

    Li Yuan stood down the hall as he looked at his fairdy striding toward him with her parents by her sides. He was actually feeling nervous.

    She was inching closer to him. Her face had been etched on his mind, body, and soul since a long time ago. Li Yuan could trace every single detail of her features without looking at her.

    Shen Xi was like a fallen angel in her white dress. As she smiled, her eyes carried no hubbub of the mortal world. All that was left was her and only her.

    Li Yuan''s heart was filled with joy, overflowing with an intoxicating love when their hands met.

    The apuse thundered the room as the couples exchanged vows, promises of eternal love, exchanged rings, and shared a kiss.

    The shower of petals over the couple depicted the most beautiful painting in the world. The picture was one to be in awe and envious of.

    The beautiful, emotional, and moving scene stirred happy tears among the crowd.

    After the wedding ended, it was time for a change of clothes and onto the toast.

    It was just past five in the evening by the time the ceremony was over.

    Shen Xi was too exhausted to lift a finger. Unable to be bothered to take off her wedding gown, shey in bed without any strength left. A wedding was too much to take.

    It was dark outside when Li Yuan returned. Looking at the girl who was asleep in her gown, he frowned and checked on the room thermometer. It was a good thing the temperature was just right, or she would have caught a cold wearing that to bed.

    Knackered, Shen Xi snored in her deep slumber. There was something adorable about her even though she looked messy without a change of clothes or wash-up.

    Li Yuan sat by her and bobbed her nose while tenderly murmuring, "Mrs. Li, it''s time to get up to eat."

    Everyone was waiting out there. Shen Xi was the only one who came back for a nap while the others were working their *ss off outside. Aunt Junqiu, in particr, was a ball of energy. She took a quick moment to freshen up and change into something simpler before getting down to bossing people to clear the stuff away.

    Shen Xi whimpered and rubbed her nose before flipping over to return to dreand.

    Li Yuan drew close and muttered in her ear. "Aren''t you hungry? Mom made your favorite coconut chicken."

    Hearing the words "coconut chicken" while in a daze, Shen Xi squinted her eyes and slipped her delicate arm around his neck before nuzzling into it. "Hmm¡­ Hugs."

    Li Yuan carried her to the bathroom.

    Shen Xi only came around when her clothes were taken off. She looked at Li Yuan confusedly. "I thought we''re to eat? Are we doing it now?"

    Their wedding night should not be in the bathroom!

    "Bath, dinner, and then our wedding night." Li Yuan had it all covered. He ced the girl into the bath he had run.

    Shen Xi curled her toes and sighed in pleasure. Rxing in the bathtub, she flirted, "Hubby, bathe me."

    Li Yuan looked intently at his fairdy. His breath turned ragged with an underlying upsurge of an animal drive as he washed her.

    It took a lot out of him to hold back.

    Nevertheless, the bathing made the girl wide awake. She began to y with fire, tempting and pushing him to the edge. Atst, he could no longer keep the beast within.

    In his arms, Shen Xi smirked for getting her way. However, tragedy struck next. She gagged and dropped her head to retch.

    The fire spurring in Li Yuan was put out. Since she was his priority, Li Yuan nervously grabbed the girl''s arm and his voice pierced the room. "What''s wrong? Do you feel sick?"

 Chapter 791 Pregnant

    Shen Xi was gagging her tongue out as her stomach churned inside out. It took a while before she got over it. With all her energy leaving her body, she picked up her breath while leaning against his body. "I might have drunk too much."

    Furrowing his brows, Li Yuan picked her up from the bathtub and wiped her body dry. He put her in a clean set of clothes and put on some shows on the TV before carrying her out of the bathroom. "Doctors don''t treat themselves. I''ll get your brother to examine you."

    Shen Xi was toozy to move and simplyy on his chest. "Of course, I can diagnose myself. I had too much to drink."

    That said, she propped her head away from him and started to retch again. Afraid she might throw up on him, she nudged him to put her down.

    Li Yuan put the girl down before whipping out his phone to call Fu Qingxuan.

    Fu Qingxuan quickly arrived with a first-aid kit in hand and dove straight into examining the ill-looking girl. Unable to find anything wrong with her, he frowned. "Can you be pregnant?"

    Shocked, Shen Xi checked on her pulse. Her weak pulse or queasiness seemed to mess with the diagnosis as she could not get much of a pulse. Furrowing her brows, she mumbled to herself, "It can''t be."

    Don''t tell her she did not do her due diligence in contraception and hit the jackpot like Lil'' Ye.

    On second thought, there was a good chance she was. Li Yuan had great stamina, capable of going on and on. Had it not been because she was fit, Shen Xi would be dead beat.

    "Let me see." Fu Qingxuan knew a thing or two about Traditional Chinese Medicine, having picked up the skill from Shen Xi and medical books. He got the gist of checking pulses.

    Kneeling by the girl, Li Yuan held her hand as his eyes reflected worry, anticipation, and joy.

    Her sudden pregnancy was not in their ns. He never intended for them to have children so soon.

    Still, it was not like they had everything under control. He was happy with the pleasant surprise.

    With the pulse inconclusive, Fu Qingxuan frowned. "Your pulse is irregr and weak. Why did you drink alcohol today?"

    He started to get frustrated and pointed his finger at Li Yuan. "And you! Why did you let her drink? She shouldn''t be drinking. What are you going to do if she''s really pregnant?"

    During pregnancy, alcohol was strictly forbidden especially in the early term. Shen Xi helped herself to the drinks more than everyone else during the toast today.

    Li Yuan believed he deserved the telling off as he had himself to me. Holding the girl by the waist, he picked her up. "We should head to the hospital for an examination."

    Still unable to let it go, Fu Qingxuan pointed at them. "If something happens to the child¡­ Wait up!"

    Before he had the chance to pack up the first-aid kit, Fu Qingxuan rushed to them.

    What was with those two? Did the pregnancy sneak up on them? It clearly happened more than two weeks ago since she was throwing up now.

    Li Yuan looked back. "Don''t tell the family yet."

    Fu Qingxuan red at him. "Do you take me for a fool?"

    Meanwhile, the family was waiting for Li Yuan and Shen Xi for dinner at the dining hall. In fact, Fu Qingxuan sneaked out without anyone noticing.

    He had the tact when it came to the crunch. It was best not to stir a scene on a big day if it was nothing serious. Mom, Dad, and the others would be so worried if they were to find out that Xixi was not feeling well.

    "What happened?" Shangguan Yanqiu came up in distress as Shen Xi was carried out with a pale face.

    "She had a bit to drink, so we''re taking her to the hospital." Fu Qingxuan answered her.

    "Can''t you check her?" Shangguan Yanqiu hit Fu Qingxuan so he could get out of the way. She looked at her daughter. "I told you not to drink so much. Do you feel sick? Do you want Uncle Li to bring you some hangover tonic?"

    There were two doctors in the house, and they were the best doctors out there too. Why was there a need for a trip to the hospital? Her gut told Shangguan Yanqiu that things were moreplicated than that.

    "We''ll be right back." Shen Xi then covered her mouth to gag.

    Following her retching, everyone in the living room turned to her. The mothers in the house had an idea of what was going on.

    Yun Jinping told Li Yuan, "Put her down. Don''t move her around like that or you''ll make her sick. Go and get some tea. Hurry."

    It was not that Xixi had too much to drink but she was expecting!

    Li Yuanpliantly put her down.

    Ruan Sisi grabbed a bin for Shen Xi to throw up in. Beaming, Ruan Sisi blurted, "Xixi, you must be pregnant."

    Shen Xi was too busy vomiting to give her the time of day.

    "We''re going to the hospital for a check-up." Fu Qingxuan refused to admit that he s*cked at checking pulse.

    "Do itter. At least, wait until she''s feeling better before going." Shangguan Yanqiu squatted and patted Shen Xi''s back.

    Carrying the tea over, Yun Jinping fed Shen Xi some to gargle after she was done throwing up.

    Shen Xi shook off nausea before looking at her family surrounding her. "Don''t stress. I''m okay."

    Yun Jinping did not have the heart to lecture the girl. What did Xixi know? She was okay? As if. What if she was pregnant? She had quite a bit to drink today.

    Song Wenye and Shen Tang exchanged nces without a word. Xixi and Toffeecito''s Dad were at it every single night¡­

    The baby must be determined to be birthed.

    Li Yuan and Shen Xi, apanied by Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu, went to a nearby hospital. The rest was to wait at home for the news. It would only be chaotic if more people tagged along.

    Shen Xi was pregnant.

    She held theboratory report.

    Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu nervously looked at the doctor. "Is the baby okay and healthy?"

    The doctor pointed at the monitor and showed them. "Don''t worry. The baby is healthy. The heartbeat is strong."

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan were relieved and squeezed each other''s hands.

    Feeling the sweat in his hands, Shen Xi smiled at Li Yuan and whispered gleefully, "Everything''s okay, Brother."

    Li Yuan held her hand tight as his heartbeat was all over the ce. He nodded at her while embracing the lingering fear. "Thank goodness."

    Still concerned, the two mothers questioned the doctor carefully before getting peace of mind. They looked back at the couple and held their tongues.

    The pregnancy was a bolt out of the blue. Since the couple had no experience, it was not their fault they did not realize that fact. Besides, Yun Jinping and Shangguan Yanqiu did not suspect a thing even though they were mothers themselves.

    Shen Xi carried the pregnancy to full term.

    During the first snow.

    Shen Xi gave birth to twins sessfully. The boy was the older brother while the girl was the younger sister.

 Chapter 792 Life After Marriage (1)

    Li Yuan had been feeling the blues and lonesometely. Even since his fairdy moved into motherhood, her attention was now on the babies while he, the husband, was shoved aside.

    He had not shared an intimate moment with Shen Xi, be it night or day. Forget the day, she was gued with a million worries and unwilling to let her mothers take care of the children at night.

    It had only been less than a week, yet Shen Xi was looking horrible inplexion due tock of sleep despite her best efforts to load up on vitamins and supplements. She lost a lot of weight while caring for the newborns day and night. Li Yuan''s heart went out to her, but she refused to listen to him. All that talk only made her kick up a fuss.

    Mom and Dad told him that women tended to have mood swings after childbirth. Since Li Yuan dared not take too hard of an approach, he tried to coax her and figure out ways to nurse her to health.

    Yu Yuanxi mentioned giving it time. Song Wenye hogged the baby for the first month, insisting she wanted to bepletely hands-on, and no one could talk her out of it.

    Nevertheless, things got a lot better once a month had passed, maybe because the joy and novelty of bing a mother had worn off a little. Song Wenye finally allowed Mom and Granny Yu to watch the kid at night.

    Yu Yuanxi felt bad as his wife suffered a lot, giving birth and taking care of the baby. They only had one child while his fairdy conceived two in one go.

    That night, the two infants slept early without much fuss.

    Li Yuan carried the newborns to their bed and looked at the new mother who was fast asleep. Lifting the covers, Li Yuan held her dearly and nted light kisses on her eyes.

    With the girl''sshes fluttering, she opened her eyes and nudged him away, mumbling groggily. "Bring Tangtang and Mianmian here."

    "No." Holding the girl tightly in his arms, Li Yuan stood his ground. "Don''t get up in the middle of the night to feed them. I''ll feed them when they''re awake."

    "They say mother''s milk is the best." Shen Xi snuggled up in his arms and spoke in a soft and raspy voice. "Bring them here."

    "No." Although speaking through clenched teeth, Li Yuan did not have the heart to be harsh on her. In the end, he sighed. "The milk you pumped in the morning is in the bottle. I''ll heat the milk up when they''re hungry."

    "The milk''s not fresh anymore." Shen Xi''s volume turned down as she tried to stay up. She murmured, "Fresh is best."

    "It''s fresh. The milk is sealed with the most advanced technology to retain its freshness. There''s no difference whether they have it straight from you or the bottle." Li Yuan gently patted her back as if she was a child. "Sleep tight and stop worrying about them."

    Had he known that giving birth and raising children would put her through so much, Li Yuan would ensure contraception was 100% guaranteed against having children. Still, what could they do now that the two pains in the *ss were out of her womb?

    He thought at first that his fairdy was too carefree to end up like Song Wenye even after childbirth. To his surprise, Shen Xi was worse off, clinging to the children 24/7.

    Following a subtle snore, he lowered his gaze and found the girl deep in slumber. He could also hear the kitten-like mewsing from the cot behind him, and the girl in her arms stirred a little in response.

    "Sleep." Li Yuan tenderlymanded in her ear. If she continued to care for these little troublemakers day and night, he would have to speak to Fu Qingxuan about making her get some proper sleep.

    Perhaps she was at her limit, the girl in his embrace let out a whimper before falling back asleep. Li Yuan got up and tiptoed out, quietly pushing along the cot.

    "Is Xixi asleep?" Shangguan Yanqiu was outside waiting. Looking at the babies, she realized one of them was wide awake. The newborn had huge and beautiful eyes that twinkled like ck pearls. It was her granddaughter, Tangtang.

    It was easy to tell the twins apart. Her grandson, Mianmian was a crybaby and a carbon copy of Qingxuan when he was younger. He slept after his belly was full and woke up crying.

    Tangtang took after Xixi, looking content even when she was awake. She would smile when feeling amused and hum when she was hungry. She was a well-behaved baby.

    "Yes." Li Yuan nodded. "Mom, sorry to trouble you tonight."

    "It''s no trouble. I love the darling babies the most." Shangguan Yanqiu noticed his eyebags. "You should get some rest."

    Xixi had not slept well in the past week, and so did he. Her daughter watched the two children while he looked after three of them which included the oldest baby in the house.

    Watching as the children were pushed out of the room, Fu Qingxuan ran over to hold the babies but was stopped by Shangguan Yanqiu. "Don''t start. Xixi will get up if you make them cry."

    Fu Qingxuan was not one to listen. He had picked one of them up. "Mom, this is Tangtang, we''re talking about. Tangtang won''t cry. Right, Tangtang?"

    Shangguan Yanqiu grinned. "Yes. Tangtang won''t cry, just like Xixi when she was little. This little man is basically you. His cries can shake the earth, and man, the tantrums."

    "Tangtang, say Uncle." Fu Qingxuan yed dumb as he teased the little girl in his arms. Seeing that Li Yuan had not left, Fu Qingxuan looked back to give him the stink eye. "What are you looking at? Get back in there and take care of my little sister."

    "Oh, you." Shangguan Yanqiu helplessly shook her head. Qingxuan sure loved to pick on Yuan. Fortunately, Yuan had a good temper. Otherwise, it would progress to a full-blown fight.

    Li Yuan crept his way back into the room, but his movements still awakened the girl in bed. Watching as she opened her eyes in a daze, Li Yuan approached with a smile. "I handed the children to Mom. Now get some good night''s rest."

    Half-asleep, Shen Xi hugged his waist and cuddled up before letting out a soft hum as he drew close. There was no telling whether she heard him.

    Li Yuan affectionately caressed her face with heartache written all over his eyes. "Give yourself some love and don''t worry about the babies."

    He wanted to find a confinementdy to take care of the newborns, but Shen Xi refused him. Mom and Dad would not agree to the idea too as the grandparents and uncles wanted their turns to watch over the children.

    Qingye and Fu Qingxuan aside, Qingli was great with the infants, perhaps because he was a father to Guoguo and Lil'' Zhen. Qingli was not at all his usual ruthless self and turned in the paperwork for diapers.

    "Mianmian will cry if I take my eyes off him." Shen Xi heard him and added.

    "You can''t spoil him or else he can''t leave you ever." Li Yuan believed the bad habit had to go. Otherwise, it woulde back to haunt them.

 Chapter 793 Life After Marriage (2)

    Shen Xi chuckled while burying her head in Li Yuan''s arms. She nuzzled against his embrace to find a sweet spot. "Goodnight."

    She did not get much sleep in the past few days, but he basically stayed awake the whole night, caring for her and the babies. Shen Xi''s heart could not be any fuller since childbirth, but a mother''s job was definitely wearing her out.

    It was a natural birth, and the two little children came out fine. She did not suffer too much.

    Li Yuan tenderly acknowledged and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Goodnight."

    That night, the couple finally had uninterrupted sleep until the next afternoon. Shangguan Yanqiu knocked on the door because she felt sorry for Mianmian as nothing could stop him from crying.

    Carrying Mianmian, Fu Qingxuan tried to scare him. "I''m going to throw you if you cry some more, little punk. Why do you love to cry? Why can''t you learn from Tangtang?"

    The little rascal was hard to please. He got his milk and was not sick, but here he was, crying his lungs out. Xixi was exhausted and finally got some sleep, but that did not stop him from kicking up a storm.

    "Why is Mianmian crying again?" Fu Qingli walked in with Lu Zhen in tow. Lu Zhen entered with a poker face, looking sterner than Fu Qingli.

    "The kid''s a pain in the neck. Just listen to him. We can''t get him to settle down." Fu Qingxuan had the mind to throw Mianmian away.

    "Give him to me." Fu Qingli strode over to carry the little man in his arms and rocked him. "Mianmian is not a pain in the neck. Your uncle is though. Don''t cry."

    Fu Qingxuan snorted. "He''s a pain in the neck. He only wants Xixi. No one else can¡­"

    Before he could finish his sentence, the wailing boy gradually ceased the tears, albeit sobbing a little.

    Fu Qingli looked at him. "Do you know why Mianmian cries?"

    "Because he''s scared of you," Fu Qingxuan shot his mouth off.

    How was he supposed to know? No one could settle the baby down. Fu Qingxuan, Mom, Dad, and the maids had tried their hand, but it was no use. Why did Mianmian stop crying in Qingli''s arms?

    "Because he doesn''t like you." Holding the baby, Fu Qingli turned around and looked at his son who had an anticipating glint in his eyes. "Do you want to see your little cousin?"

    Lil'' Zhen was still shutting Fu Qingli out despite thetter having gotten together with his mom now. Lil'' Zhen never looked pleased when he was around, but the boy was willing toe back with him for a change. Although Lil'' Zhen never said it aloud, he had intended toe and visit his younger siblings.

    Lu Li brought Guoguo along to visit the newborns when Xixi was inbor. Lil'' Zhen was not able to make the visit because he was in China. Guoguo had been talking about how cute the new siblings were since her return.

    Although Lu Zhen''s eyes lip up, he kept a straight face as he nodded. Concerned that he might not get a peek of the baby, Lu Zhen got on his toes nervously and excitedly.

    Fu Qingli kneeled and put Mianmian near Lu Zhen for a good look. "This is Mianmian, your younger brother. Your younger sister, Tangtang is fast asleep over there."

    Mom said that Tangtang took after Xixi. She was a good little girl, eating and sleeping without kicking a fuss. Not even an earthquake or Mianmian''s crying could wake the little girl.

    Guoguo named the girl Tangtang, after Tangguo.

    Mianmian stopped crying.

    Li Yuan and Shen Xi''s bedroom door was opened, but Shangguan Yanqiu pushed Li Yuan back in now that the crying had stopped. "Have a good rest with Xixi. Just sleep in. Mianmian''s not crying anymore."

    Li Yuan turned back and nced at the girl who was nestled under the covers and fast asleep. He nodded. "Sure."

    Sure, they were told to get some good night''s rest. However, the girl stirred awake in the middle of the night at the slightest noise. She would sit up to look for the children and only realized they were with Mom after her little search.

    It happened a few times. She finally crashed out at the break of dawn and had not woken up since.

    Shangguan Yanqiu took off.

    Li Yuan closed the door and got into bed. The girl rolled and tumbled in his arms, mumbling something in her sleep. Then came her steady breathing.

    The girl in his embrace slowly opened her eyes when it was time to eat. Rubbing her belly, she looked at him and spoke hoarsely, "I''m hungry."

    With a smile, Li Yuan met her forehead. "Get up to eat. Mom said she made your favorite."

    "Okay." Shen Xiy still.

    Li Yuan asked cheerfully, "Do you want me to bring the food over so you can eat in bed?"

    Rolling around in his arms, Shen Xi shook her head. "No. I want to get up and eat."

    Shen Xi had to see the babies as she felt as though she had not seen them for a long time. Oh, she missed them so much.

    Li Yuan got out of bed before pulling her up. He helped her into her clothes and shoes before standing in front of her. "Should I carry you out?"

    Breaking into a smile, Shen Xi spread her arms to be carried.

    Lunch was ready.

    Everyone was all over the children when Shen Xi and Li Yuan walked out of the room.

    Tangtang was awake, and Fu Qingxuan was enjoying some time with her.

    Lying on the sofa, Mianmian was awake and not crying for a change. Lu Zhen was teasing him with a teaser wand.

    Shen Xi, "¡­"

    Did he really take Mianmian for Toffeecito?

    Nevertheless, Mianmian was such a crybaby. No one but her could soothe the boy once he turned on the waterworks. For once, Mianmian was on his best behavior.

    "Aunty, Uncle." With Shen Xi and Li Yuan approaching, Lu Zhen greeted his elders.

    "Let me look at you." In front of the kid, Shen Xi jumped off Li Yuan''s arms to go and check on her son.

    Li Yuan grabbed Shen Xi''s wrist. "He has finally quieted down. He''d only want your full attention if you go there now."

    The boy was an oddball. Lil'' Zhen should sit and y with him during this rare moment of peace.

    "Well then, I''ll check on my darling daughter." Shen Xi turned around and faced the chuckling girl in Fu Qingxuan''s arms.

    "I''m not handing her over." Fu Qingxuan ran away while holding Tangtang. "Tangtang loves Uncle the most, right? Does Tangtang want to y with Uncle?"

    Shen Xi, "¡­"

    He should know that Tangtang was her daughter.

    "They just ate. You two should get some food while they''ve quieted down." Shangguan Yanqiu called the couple over as the food was ready.

    Since that day, everyone started fighting over two babies. Fu Qingxuan would return home whenever he had the time, wishing he could bring Tangtang along to theboratory and everywhere he went. As for Mianmian, Fu Qingxuan was not the biggest fan as the kid would cry in his face every single time.

    Fu Qingli really liked Mianmian though. Apart from Shen Xi, Mianmian enjoyed being in thepany of Fu Qingli and Lu Zhen. The rest, including his father, Li Yuan, was not treated too kindly.

    After wrapping up histest movie, Fu Qingye cleared his schedule to garden and watch the kids at home. Mianmian did not warm up to Fu Qingye at first, but the little kid was soon swept away by his charms. Tangtang, on the other hand, was mild-mannered and got on with anybody.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi waited until their child celebrated his full moon to visit.

    Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing were not at the Fu family''s home as they intended to spend some time with their grandchildren back in China.

 Chapter 794 Life After Marriage (3)

    After the twins'' full-moon, Shen Xi took the kids back to Shen''s family home. Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing could not spend a minute away from the children.

    The wall between the Li and Shen family vis was taken down. Toffeecito was sad for days. Song Wenyeughed and said Toffeecito must be upset that it could not climb the wall anymore. After all, that wall belonged to it for over a year.

    In the end, Yu Yuanxi installed adder where the wall used to be, and Toffeecito was back to its bubbly self. The cat would climb up and down thedder to get to the other side since it was an unmissable ritual for Toffeecito.

    Granny Yu had been staying with the Shens'' since Song Wenye had her baby. Although she was advanced in age, she still had the energy to care for the child and lightened the load off the young couple.

    Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping could not be around full-time to tend to the child as they had to get back to work once the kid reached a month old. A confinementdy was hired to look after the child.

    Song Wenye was an idol. As a public figure, she had an image to keep. Hence, she started weaning her child off breast milk on his full-moon.

    Shen Xi had Shangguan Yanqiu and her husband take over childcare. Fu Qingxuan and the other brothers would drop work and make time for the babies. Besides, the twins were safer in the hands of family than outsiders.

    By the time Li Yuan and Shen Xi returned home with the children, Toffeecito, who had not seen them for two months, bounced up and down in excitement. It kneeled by the cot and sniffed curiously at the babies.

    "Toffeecito," Shen Xi called.

    Toffeecito looked back before continuing its observation of the twins. It cautiously reached out a paw to touch the little fe but quickly retracted in timidity.

    With a smile, Shen Xi held its paw. "This is your siblings. Come and touch them, but don''t bring your ws out. You don''t want to scratch them."

    "Our Toffeecito behaves like a human. I suspect it might be human." Song Wenye carried her infant in and looked at them gleefully. "Yu Song nearly fell out of his cot one time. Toffeecito sat there and made sure he didn''t."

    "Is Yu Song awake?'' Shen Xi turned back and found the little man in Song Wenye''s arms looking at her with those beady eyes.

    Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi''s son was named Yu Song. Shen Zhangqing and Yun Jinping were understanding that Granny raised Yu Yuanxi all on her own. The child was given thest name "Yu" so that the Yu family had a sessor.

    "He just woke up." Song Wenye carried Yu Song over as she looked at the twins in the stroller. "Tangtang is such a good girl. She can be my son''s wife in the future."

    "Are you mad? You''re my sister-inw." Shen Xi rolled her eyes.

    "That''s some backward thinking you have there. We''re only rted through the household register. You and your brother don''t share a blood tie. What''s wrong with Tangtang bing my daughter-inw?" Song Wenye earnestly lectured Shen Xi before adding after much thought, "Why don''t you change your name and move your household register to the Fu family?"

    Struck with another thought, Song Wenye smiled to herself. "Your brother is a child of the Yu family ording to the household register. That makes things easier. Based on the household register, we have no rtions."

    ? Shen Xi rolled her eyes. "Who''s the one with backward thinking? You''re suggesting an arranged marriage. Everyone has the freedom to date and marry whoever they want. It''s all up to them."

    The girls sat together and watched over the children while chatting.

    Toffeecito stood still as it looked at the twins. People might mistake Toffeecito to be a statue if its eyes did not move too.

    Yu Song was well-behaved in Song Wenye''s arms. He would not cry so long as he was held by someone. Yu Song had begun babbling, but no one knew what he was talking about.

    "Xixi, your crybaby is awake." Song Wenye pointed at the cot and teased.

    A little guy like Li Mianmian could cry a house down. Hence, the nickname "Crybaby".

    However, the crybaby held the tears back this time even though he could not see anyone. His bright and huge eyes were fixated on Toffeecito.

    Startled by Mianmian suddenly opening his eyes, Toffeecito nearly lost its footing and fell. It got a hold of itself and poked its head to look at Mianmian curiously.

    The child and the cat stared into each other''s eyes for a long time before Mianmian broke the silence with a loud cry.

    The wails knocked Toffeecito off its paws. Frightened, Toffeecito fell and tumbled on the group before getting up. It twirled around in a daze.

    Finding it amusing, Song Wenyeughed out loud and said, "Come here, Toffeecito."

    Toffeecito then looked in Song Wenye''s direction and meowed. It jumped onto the bed and sniffed Yu Song. Toffeecito rubbed its head against Yu Song and waved its tail at him.

    Yu Song extended his arms to catch the tail. Tried as he might, he could not grab the tail. Still, he did not throw a tantrum and kept on going.

    "Toffeecito let Yu Song y with its tail when he cries. Yu Song will then stop crying." Song Wenye tapped on Toffecito''s head and pointed at the little man in Shen Xi''s arms. "Go and settle Mianmian down."

    Toffeecito turned around and nced at the whiner. Tilting its head, Toffeecito approached Mianmian and wagged its tail in front of him.

    Shen Xi watched as the crybaby stared intently at Toffeecito''s tail and gradually stopped crying. She chuckled when Mianmian tried to reach out to grab the tail. "That''s a kid''s toy right there."

    She did not spoil Toffeecito for nothing. It could help her to calm the babies down now.

    "Toffeecito is the sweetest with children," Song Wenye added with a smile. "Look at Tangtang. No amount of crying can take her away from her sleep."

    "She''ll never get some sleep if she lets the crying get to her," Shen Xi joked.

    Kids were usually easily startled, and the crybaby could shake the earth with his wailing. Tangtang would be awakened by him if she was not as nonchnt as she was now.

    It somehow started snowing outside. With pure snowkes fluttering outside the window, the figures of two handsome men carrying stic bags in hand, strolled along inughter and talk.

    Entering thewn, the pair lifted their gaze and looked at the bedroom window with love and delight in their eyes. Therey their everything.

 Chapter 795 Happy Ending

    Shen Xi and Li Yuan were first-time parents, but Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing got them covered. Hands-on with the children, the old folks enjoyed a prettyid-back life of gardening and raising their grandchildren.

    Song Wenye would, oftentimes, dump her son on Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing. The old couple was mild-natured, patient, and attentive with the children. Most of all, they loved kids and were happy to take them on.

    Time passed in a blink of an eye. Soon, the children went from crawling, waddling, running, and babbling, to the age of following adults around.

    Mianmian the crybaby kicked the habit of crying at every single thing as he grew up. However, he would go up against anyone who called him out on his past.

    On the other hand, Tangtang, taking after Mianmain and Yu Song, went from a behaved little princess to a wild child. She hiked mountains, climbed trees, caught fish in the river, and collected bugs. There was nothing she would not do or was scared of.

    Yesterday, she hid in the bushes in a game of hide and seek. Her hair got into a tangling mess and matted too much to bebed through. In the end, Shen Xi furiously took out the scissors and snipped it all off.

    Li Yuan always stood by his wife, supporting her in every decision and cleaning up the aftermath. At least, the little girl''s unkempt hair was now a buzz cut.

    Shangguan Yanqiu and Fu Handing were in distress when they came home. They told Shen Xi off for chopping off Tangtang''s locks. It was not easy to grow her hair to a good length.

    Yu Song and Li Mianmian voluntarily gave themselves timeout at a wall because of their little sister''s hair fiasco. They promised to protect Tangtang so nothing of this sort would ever happen again.

    Thest one smiling turned out to be Tangtang. She showed off her buzz cut to everyone as if it was such a big honor.

    Shen Xi was caught between tears andughter, eximing that she should ditch the kid.

    Li Yuan consoled her, saying that girls should behave like Tangtang so as not to be a pushoverter in life. Kids should just be kids since childhood onlysted for so long.

    During Tangtang and Mianmian''s 2nd birthday party, Fu Qingli nned a proposal and Lu Li finally said yes. It was their turn for a happy ending.

    The wedding was set for six monthster.

    The wedding venue was a castle by the sea.

    Shen Xi and the rest went a month ahead to get familiar with the surroundings but honestly, they were there for a holiday.

    Then came the grand wedding after a full week of fun. It was a livelier scene than Shen Xi and the other girls'' wedding. It was a magical sight that tingled with the senses with flowers, a beautiful backdrop, and blessings.

    The flower children were Tangtang and Mianmian. These adorable two-year-olds added a touch of vibrancy and cuteness to the wedding.

    Shen Xi held Lu Guoguo while Li Yuan carried Lu Zhen as they watched the couple exchange rings and vows. Shen Xi and Li Yuan were brought back to the time they got married.

    Three years had unknowingly gone by. Their babies were now two years of age and yed the parts of flower children. Time sure flew by in the midst of happiness.

    Li Yuan looked at his wife who was standing next to him with love in his eyes and held her hand.

    Shen Xi drew close. "Brother, I can''t believe how time slipped away."

    Time sure crept up on them. It felt as though it was only yesterday when they tied the knot. The memories and that moment''s heartbeat were so fresh and clear in her mind.

    "Yes." Li Yuan gleefully responded while interlocking their fingers. Feeling the warmth from her skin, his heart had never been so full.

    ...

    After the ceremony, Shen Xi took the kids along and sneaked to the beach. She brought some food and found a spot to put a nket and sit down.

    The boundless white sand and azure waters were a sight to behold.

    Tangtang''s favorite fruit was strawberry. She was very picky and only ate the tip of the strawberry.

    It was a habit she picked up from Shen Xi as thetter only ate the pointy bit of strawberries. Tangtang and Mianmian inherited that from her.

    The ocean breeze was soothing, especially when the temperature dropped in the evening, and the sunset painted a warm orange hue on the sea. The best time toe out and y was during this magnificent scene.

    They were at a private beach. No one else was around aside from their group.

    Realizing that Shen Xi and the kids were missing, Song Wenye ran out and found the lot on the beach. She approached them as they were helping themselves to some strawberries.

    Shen Xi ate the tip of the strawberries and left the rest on the empty te which was then picked up by Yu Song.

    Tangtang took a small bite out of the strawberry and stuffed the remainder in Yu Song''s mouth.

    Mianmian nibbled on the strawberry tip before furrowing his brows in dilemma. He was lost in thought about what to do with the remnant.

    "Give me." Yu Song volunteered.

    Mianmian hesitated for a while before handing him the leftover.

    Song Wenye had no idea whether tough or cry. The little rascal sure did not have high ambitions. It was not like their family could not afford strawberries, yet here he was taking the leftovers.

    Sensing his mother''s gaze, Yu Song ate and mumbled, "Mom, I like to eat strawberries. The strawberry butt is the yummiest."

    He then quietly peeked at Tangtang.

    Song Wenye pointed at him without a word. Taking a seat by Shen Xi, she joked, "See that? My son likes to eat strawberry butts."

    She then bit on a strawberry and shoved the rest in Yu Song''s mouth. "Have some more if you like them. They''re all yours."

    Yu Songpliantly nodded. "Sure."

    Song Wenye gnashed her teeth. The silly kid could not read sarcasm.

    Shen Xi chuckled.

    "What are youughing at?" Song Wenye spoke in hushed tones and broke into a smile. "You should have Tangtang to thank for."

    Song Wenye''s son epted whatever food Tangtang disliked or left uneaten. He could not be more hung up about Tangtang.

    Shen Xi answered with a grin. "Your son will make a good husband."

    It was clear from Yu Song''s daily mannerisms that he had high IQ and EQ. He was attentive, caring, and considerate of people''s feelings. It was amazing for someone his age.

    Song Wenye replied, "He''s devoted too. Have you seen him so nice to girls other than Tangtang?"

    With Shen Xi turning over, the girls exchanged looks and smiled.

    The three toddlers, who were enjoying strawberries in a corner, turned toward them. Although they had no idea why their moms were smiling, they grinned along too.

    Not too far away, Li Yuan and Yu Yuanxi walked side by side toward the group.

    The sunset, the sea, thedies and children sitting by the beach, and the gentlemen heading toward them lovingly drew an eternal picture of bliss and happiness.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 754 Adorable Girls

    Chapter 754 Adorable Girls

    By the corner of his eye, Fu Qingli quietly sneaked a nce at the woman next to him. The radiant streetlight flushed away her icy aura. Her eyes captured tenderness when she stared at her daughter, making his heart skip a beat. It was a strange electrifying feeling. It was a noisy environment, yet he felt calm. It was as if there were only three of them in the world. With weird tingles spreading from his core, he could hear his thumping heartbeat. Perhaps Xixi and the rest were right. He should try to give the rtionship a go or better, woo her. He did not hate the feeling. More so, he was happy when he was with her. Lu Li nced over and met the man''s dark and lean eyes that carried a rare gentleness. It was hard to stop her racing heart when a man with such stunning looks gazed at her with such tender and loving eyes. She had to admit that he had a face that could take anyone''s breath away. The handsome family of three were head-turners. The passers-by gave them friendly and envious looks. Getting prouder by the minute, Lu Guoguo leaped and jumped like a penguin in delight. One kid in the front was flying high in the air with his parents lifting him by the arms. Lu Guoguo thought it was interesting and fussed about wanting the same too. "You''d get hurt." Lu Li stood firm on her ground, not wanting her to be injured. "Fine. I don''t want it then." Lu Guoguo lowered her head and bit her lip in disappointment. She gave Fu Qingli a puppy dog look. Feeling sorry, Fu Qingli tried to convince Lu Li. "How about if it''s just a while?" His voice softened. Furrowing her brows, Lu Li watched the other family of three walking by before solemnly refusing, "No!" How could he horse around together with Guoguo? Kids had fragile limbs. What if she got hurt? "Just a while." Fu Qingli continued to get Lu Li toe around. Lifting her head, Lu Guoguo gazed at Lu Li while biting her lips with anticipation written all over her doe eyes. Lu Li looked at the adult and child duo, taken aback by Fu Qingli''s behavior. In the end, she gave in. "Just a little while." Fu Qingli curled his lips in glee. Lu Guoguo turned her head around and gave Fu Qingli a sneaky smile. It was adorable. Lu Li had a feeling that the father and daughter pulled a fast one on her. Having gotten her way, Lu Guoguo asked for more after one flying jump. Her melodiousughter was infectious to the people around. A handful of the crowd at the amusement park went to watch the performances. Shen Xi''s group took Lu Zhen to try out a few attractions that were favorites among boys; thrilling and kid-friendly at the same time. They nearly yed the night away, yet Lu Zhen''s eyes were still wide and bright past eleven o''clock. He still wanted to have more fun. However, Fu Qingli called Shen Xi to meet up at the entrance. It was time for the kids to go home. Lu Zhen''s rtionship with Shen Xi and Song Wenye hit a breakthrough in the course of one night. Compared to other members of the family, the little man was already very fond of Shen Xi, to begin with. As for Song Wenye, she was the life of the party and loved to put a smile on children''s faces. Anyone could feel at ease with her, be it an adult or child. Lu Zhen was no exception. Li Yuan and Yu Yuanxi gave Lu Zhen horsey rides, so the little boy had a major change of attitude toward the pair. It appeared that Lu Zhen had opened up to them. Fu Qingli was going to drive Lu Li and the two kids home. At departure, Lu Zhen was the one who was reluctant to leave as he clung onto Shen Xi''s arm. Letting go in hesitation, he waved them goodbye while expressing the dismay in his eyes. "See you next time." Shen Xi waved at him. "Lil'' Zhen, when are your holidays? I''ll take you to the TV station and recording studio. How about that?" Song Wenye did not want the little man to leave. The kid might not say much, but he was sensible and adorable. He would grow up to be a heartthrob and sweep many girls off of their feet for sure. "January the fifteenth." Lu Zhen gave her a specific answer. "Okay." Song Wenye nodded. "I''ll look for you then. Give us a call or a video call if you miss us. We''ll contact you via video call too. You better not reject our calls." Lu Zhen earnestly bobbed his tiny head. "Sure."

    "I want to go too. Is it fun?" Jumping out, Lu Guoguo raised her hand and shyly asked. Song Wenye replied, "It''s fun. It''s really fun. I''m a superstar. You can go home and watch my shows. You should be able to watch it on TV." Lil'' Zhen was very smart. He knew a lot without being taught. Song Wenye was about to show him the ropes when he whipped out a phone and began searching for her shows. "Mommy, can brother and I go have fun with Aunty?" Dying to go, Lu Guoguo asked Lu Li in anticipation. Raising her hand, Song Wenye gravely promised, "Ms. Lu, I''m good with the kids. My group members love children too. I promise we''ll take good care of them." "They''ll bother you." Lu Li could tell that her son was fond of them. Although the boy was an oddball, he was intelligent and able to tell the good from the bad. Lu Zhen returned kindness with kindness. The Fu family were nice people. She was grateful that they treated her daughter and son well. Over the years, there were not many who were genuine to them. Although Lu Li tried to keep the children away, the kids would soon find out a lot of people in society were malicious and judgmental sooner orter. These people were the reason why Lil'' Zhen hid in his shell. Lu Li was out of alternatives to have him enjoy an innocent and a happy childhood like other kids. "No, not at all. Get Xixi to bring them if you''re not free." Song Wenye smiled brightly. "But it''s better if all of you can make it." Lu Li could not say no to Song Wenye''s kindness and enthusiasm. She nodded and uttered with a smile, "Sure. We''ll drop by." The Glitzy Girls was a popr girl group in China. Lu Li knew about the group despite not paying much attention to the entertainment world. After all, their adverts and endorsement posters were stered everywhere, including in malls. They seemed like a group of adorable girls.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!