Chapter Nine: With Trembling Caution

Oushi Group was about to welcome an unprecedentedly important client!

Ouyang Xiao might be a force to reckon with outside these walls, but in front of Jin Yuan, what power did he truly hold?

Inside the lavish and opulent office, Jin Yuan sat upon a sofa that was far inferior to the one in his own workspace. The reason he didn’t sit in the specially prepared revolving chair was simple: Jin Yuan disliked the color of it.

The employees gathered below were trembling with anxiety, at a loss for what to report. Even the company’s big boss bore an air of subdued pressure, as though anger was impossible, or at least ill-advised.

“Mr. Jin, since you have no interest in collaborating with our company, there’s hardly a reason for you to remain here. Besides, your schedule must be packed—you need not waste your time.”

Cold sweat beaded upon Ouyang Xiao’s brow. He’d long heard the rumors: that this man possessed feminine features. But now, seeing for himself, he realized how utterly false those claims were. Even if Jin Yuan were to powder his cheeks and apply rouge, his face would outshine all those dazzling socialites outside, women who flaunted themselves daily.

Tian Xiaomeng, sitting at the side as his assistant, was equally mystified. What business did her boss have here today? If he were here to deal with the ongoing real estate dispute, shouldn’t he have fetched Xiaowei first?

The ticking of the oversized clock in the office only heightened the tension, each minute passing with a chill of dread.

Jin Yuan had no particular objective; he simply wanted to sit for a while. He had regular updates from his bodyguards on Xiaowei’s whereabouts—there was nothing to worry about. The Yuan family lacked the means to harm Xiaowei, unless they had a death wish.

Meanwhile, the very Xiaowei that Jin Yuan regarded as his talisman was now suffering from a terrible bout of morning grumpiness. Hadn’t she fallen asleep in Aunt Yang’s arms? Why did she now find herself in a freshly adorned room, with people she did not welcome?

Yuan Xiangdie could only stand there awkwardly, tray in hand, bearing the fish congee she’d just cooked in the kitchen. For a young lady who had never so much as dipped her fingers in spring water, to make such a dish was remarkable.

Yuan Yao’er dared not lose her temper before the child. This was no ordinary child, after all—this was Mr. Jin’s precious treasure! Only by pleasing this little ancestor could she hope to win Mr. Jin’s favor.

Zhang Xi also recognized this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Yao’er could secure this connection, all of their company’s issues would resolve, especially with brand partners placing greater trust in them.

“Sweetheart, you’re awake. I’m the big sister you met before—you’re in my home now. If you feel unwell in any way, just tell me.”

There was no denying it: Xiaowei’s face was the spitting image of that gentleman’s, as if carved from the same mold. Her small countenance was frosty, lips pressed in a tight line—she must be starving.

Yuan Xiangdie mused bitterly. She’d brought the fish congee, only for this mother and daughter to intercept it. The steaming bowl exuded an irresistible aroma, especially for a child who’d just woken up. No child could resist such temptation.

Her twitching nose searched the room—Xiaowei was looking for Yuan Xiangdie, peering about longingly. The entire household seemed to revolve around this child, and Yuan Xiangdie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. For this little one, these two women turned the world upside down. Even when Grandfather fainted, there hadn’t been such a commotion—they merely summoned a driver to take him to the hospital, and hadn’t visited since.

The more Yuan Yao’er observed the child, the more she was struck by how much her features resembled a certain someone. The longer she stared, the stronger the impression grew. Who was this child’s mother? Who had stolen the young master’s heart and borne such a child?

“Little darling, are you hungry? Granny will fetch you something to eat, all right?”

Zhang Xi, who had raised children herself, handled this with aplomb, far more adept than Yuan Yao’er. No wonder this was the child of a great man—her aura was leagues above that of ordinary children.

At the mention of food, Xiaowei’s stomach grumbled audibly. Her nose twitched, and Yuan Yao’er, seeing this, barked instructions as if to a servant.

“Didn’t you see? Young master is hungry! Why are you just standing there—bring the food over!”

She treated Yuan Xiangdie like the family help. Yuan Xiangdie was reluctant; after all, she’d made the congee, so why was it now being offered by these two? Yet her feet moved against her will, rebellion in her mind but obedience in her step. She placed the bowl on the bedside table, not handing it to the mother and daughter, but instead sat by the bed herself.

Seeing someone familiar, Xiaowei stretched out her hands and instantly softened, her expression turning sweet and plaintive—a little charmer, ready to cry if not embraced at once.

Yuan Xiangdie’s maternal heart thudded wildly, as if a fawn were kicking madly inside her chest. If not for the two irritating interlopers, she would have scooped the child up without hesitation, stroking her hair and patting her back.

But for now, she could only dutifully set the congee aside and wipe the little one’s hands with a damp towel.

“There, I made fish congee for you. Give it a try—see if you like it. I think it’s best for children to have lighter flavors.”

She unconsciously treated this child as an adult, carefully placing the small bowl on a tray set up like a hospital bed’s side table—a wooden board pulled up to serve as a desk. Xiaowei, still dazed, picked up the ill-fitting spoon and took a bite of the plump rice grains, which had burst open from perfect cooking. For reasons she couldn’t explain, Xiaowei tasted a hint of home, a mother’s flavor.

Yuan Xiangdie’s heart fluttered with anxiety—what if the child disliked her cooking? She wasn’t afraid of what the mother and daughter might do; she just couldn’t bear the thought of rejection from Xiaowei. The scene between the two was harmonious, the others feeling shut out. Yuan Yao’er was truly unwilling to admit defeat—when had this woman learned to cook, and how had such a plain dish won the young master’s heart?

Her tone turned haughty. “You’ve finished your business here, haven’t you? Why are you still hanging around? Don’t you have a wedding to plan? Stay at home and stop running about.”

As a mother, Zhang Xi knew that the impression left on the child now would be hard to change for a long time. She poked the fuming Yuan Yao’er and firmly led her out of the room, leaving only Xiaowei and Yuan Xiangdie behind.

Once outside the door, Yuan Yao’er’s agitation only increased. Zhang Xi could do nothing about her daughter—children were always a debt owed by their parents, and this daughter had been spoiled all her life.

They stopped in the corridor beside Yuan Yao’er’s room. The children’s room had been assembled in an hour, with clothes and jewelry piled up outside, the hallway lined with cabinets as though preparing for a great migration.

“Mom, why did you pull me out? That wretch is so manipulative—she tricked the young master! And you’re letting her be alone with him?”

Her aggrieved look was truly pitiable. Zhang Xi drew her into her arms, cradling her head as she did when Yao’er was a child, her hands gently patting her back. Sure enough, Yao’er’s temper cooled a little.

The servants, long accustomed to such scenes, considered nothing unusual in this house. Even the heiress, famed outside as the epitome of refined womanhood and an international designer, reverted to childish petulance at home, flying into rages over the smallest slight.

“We’ll leave this to Yuan Xiangdie. Since the young master enjoys her company, we’ll let him be. It’ll soften his hostility toward us and save you from exhausting yourself.”

Jin Yuan’s assistant had already called. At first, Zhang Xi thought it was a scam call—until the number’s IP revealed it was from Jin Group, and she realized it was no joke.

“Hello, this is Jin Group. Please be prepared to receive the young master at any time. Apologies for any inconvenience.”

It was a woman’s voice, and as a woman herself, Zhang Xi’s instincts were sharp—she seized the opportunity, converting her daughter’s dressing room into a children’s room despite her complaints.

Comforted in her mother’s arms, Yuan Yao’er’s tears eventually dried. When she stood up again, she was the peacock once more—all show and no substance, her heart still dark. “My silly child,” Zhang Xi murmured, “I’ve placed them right beside your room. All you need to do is care for the child.”

The two conspired outside, while Yuan Xiangdie leaned over the bed, watching the adorable little one eat slowly, bite by bite, like a beloved pet. Good heavens, how could a child be so cute? Yuan Xiangdie struggled to restrain the urge to cuddle her, not daring to interrupt the little one’s meal.