Chapter Thirty-One: Supporting Oneself

Li Qingqing was truly speechless—why did Julie always drop by every few days?
“Nana, why do you keep coming here so often? You should know this isn’t exactly a good place.”
Julie, despite her boisterous nature and fiery temperament, was helpless in the face of her illness. She couldn’t tolerate environments thick with dust or anything that felt oppressive or uncomfortable; such conditions would leave her body covered in red bumps—commonly known as an allergy.
“Oh come on, it’s not easy for me to make the trip. Don’t chase me away,” Julie said, affectionately draping herself over Li Qingqing’s shoulder. The two had known each other a long time and were close friends—sisters in all but blood.
Once strangers, the three of them—Julie, Li Qingqing, and Yuan Xiangdie—had become an unbreakable trio, a force to be reckoned with in the world of fashion.
In the end, they would rely on their own abilities to win honor for themselves.
“Aren’t you supposed to be spending time with—you know who? What brings you here today?”
It was through this mischievous girl’s mouth that Li Qingqing had learned what kind of person Yuan Xiangdie was. Rumors had once swirled around her, a girl who had killed her own father—how could she be a good person? Because she was under sixteen at the time, she avoided the death penalty.
“All right, get up! If your brother sees this, even I won’t be able to save you.”
Julie always got angry when her brother was mentioned. That annoying man lavished Li Qingqing with tenderness, while she, his own sister, was treated as if she were picked up off the roadside—her existence barely mattered.
Time flew by; winter arrived in the blink of an eye.
The world was sealed in ice and snow—an unfamiliar landscape, unlike the distant mountains they used to gaze at, unreachable no matter how much they longed for them.
“Auntie, have some tea.”
Little Wei, ever thoughtful, had already grown into a six-year-old.
Seeing the ginger tea he brought out, Yuan Xiangdie’s face fell.
“Can I not drink this?”
She tried to negotiate, but ultimately rejected the child’s proposal with a dignified air.
Waving his short fingers and mimicking a cool pose he’d seen on TV, he looked at her with a playful glint—ah, woman, you’ve caught my attention.
“You little silly, isn’t that a pose your father should be making?”
Yuan Xiangdie continued her dramatic imitation, sweeping her hair behind her ears to reveal a neat face, grasping her chin and casting a contemptuous glance, nostrils flared.
“Hmph, woman. You’re playing with fire. You lit it—put it out yourself.”
It was amusing; little Wei was always like this, especially since starting kindergarten—he found life increasingly difficult.
Jin Yuan was like a madman, scheduling elementary school courses for the kindergarteners.
Yuan Xiangdie was dissatisfied for a time, feeling sad that her little treasure had to leave her side.

Then, Xiao Zhi reasoned with emotion and moved Housekeeper Hu, and the three of them went to face the “big villain” together.
Jin Yuan needed only a glance to defeat the mischievous child, who clung tightly to his own clothes and trembled.
Yuan Xiangdie deeply regretted the boy’s deliberate antics—at the critical moment of her design, Jin Yuan claimed she had misled his son, and declared, with righteous conviction, that she would stay in the villa for three days.
It was during those three days of seclusion that her rebirth appeared on the pages: buying fabrics, searching for suitable jewelry, planning production, sketching and revising—all of this took over a year.
Teacher Han visited several times during this period, and eventually, their group merged, offering unique suggestions here and there.
“Auntie, hurry inside! Daddy will be back soon; if he sees you standing at the door without a coat, you’ll get scolded.”
It had nearly been a year since Jin Yuan had confessed his feelings or concern, or suggested living together. Yuan Xiangdie felt time had flown by, grateful she hadn’t agreed back then.
The man’s mood had soured and grown colder; had she accepted, she’d have become a resentful woman confined to the depths of a lonely mansion.
Seeing the child’s mitten-clad hands, Yuan Xiangdie could tell the ginger tea’s temperature. She finally took the cup by its handle, lightening little Wei’s burden.
“Auntie, hurry up.”
His shining eyes fixed on her, making her almost unable to resist. He’d grown a year older, but remained just as adorable.
Yuan Xiangdie didn’t linger outside; she took the child’s hand, and together they returned to the vacation house—Julie, Li Qingqing, Jin Yuan, and little Wei.
The others were busy and hadn’t come. Li Qingqing’s culinary skills, unique insight, and gentle heart made her indispensable.
From the moment she first met Yuan Xiangdie, she was captivated; afterwards, the three often spent time together, pulling all-nighters, only to be rounded up by the two men—one big, one small.
During this time, Jin Yuan made great progress; his company expanded, and his second company, Kunpeng, was preparing to go public.
Little Wei, upon entering the room, shed all his thick layers, resembling a plump rice ball, leaving only his inner clothes, which made him even cuter. Yuan Xiangdie, who adored children, couldn’t resist grabbing his cheeks, pinching them until they turned bright red before letting go, waiting for the next opportunity.
Little Wei had been ambushed countless times, but always forgot, and afterwards looked like a bullied little bride.
“Ultraman protection!”
This was from a recent Ultraman show little Wei watched. Yuan Xiangdie didn’t understand it but was pleased to see him more cheerful—it was a good sign.
Looking at the ginger tea on the table, she felt her stomach turn, and carried it to the kitchen to secretly pour it out.
But as she entered the kitchen, her mood bright with anticipation, she caught sight of the child’s small feet and instantly lost her nerve.
“Hey, why aren’t you over there? The kitchen’s not a place for kids.”
Oh, her little heart nearly jumped out of her chest—when had this little ancestor arrived?
“Daddy told me to make sure you drink it all, or you’ll get sick.”
Faced with the child’s sudden concern, Yuan Xiangdie’s heart warmed further. They’d always been like this; in the end, she no longer struggled—so be it.
After all, one was a little heartthrob, the other a big one, and the big one was incredibly handsome.

Always chasing after her; even if she had no intention to be with him, they could be friends, couldn’t they?
“I’m back.”
Just as the little bundle was about to lose the battle, the voice at the door sounded like a war drum. Two sides retreated instantly.
Jin Yuan was a famed “God of War”—at least in business. In private, he had his cute moments.
Yuan Xiangdie had long realized that the CEO had a sweet tooth, which was oddly fitting. Their personalities had enough in common for fans to ship them.
The air was filled with the faint scent of ginger tea. Jin Yuan, for the first time, removed the black mask from his mouth.
His sexy Adam’s apple moved; Yuan Xiangdie, ever the female wolf, swallowed hard.
But the mischievous child was ready to stir things up: “Daddy, Auntie didn’t listen to me and drink the ginger tea. She was about to pour it down the sink.”
“Don’t make things up—I was about to drink it, and then you came home to open the door.”
Little Wei, out of Jin Yuan’s sight, made faces at Yuan Xiangdie.
…
Yuan Xiangdie gritted her teeth—the boy was surely doing it on purpose… Jin Yuan had placed the child with her more than once; both were nearly used to it, as if they were meant to be a family.
Standing in the yard, Yuan Xiangdie stared blankly at the snowy garden. Two snowmen stood in the corner, adorned with tiny decorations.
Unlike the usual carrot noses and pebbles, Yuan Xiangdie was curious and went closer. She touched the dark object—it fell to the snow, glinting coldly.
She recognized it, but wasn’t sure where it had come from.
“Micro—”
Not wanting little Wei to notice, Yuan Xiangdie quickly picked it up and slipped it into her pocket, missing another one in her haste.
Jin Yuan placed the child on the sofa; the big and little were engaged in negotiations.
Little Wei’s face was serious, as if discussing something important.
“Auntie treats me very well.”
He even added an eye roll; Jin Yuan didn’t care at all. Jin Xiaowei couldn’t stay outside forever, and after all, Yuan Xiangdie was only an employee.
Jin Yuan didn’t argue; he tried to reason with the child.
He took off his suit jacket and draped it over little Wei. They had come inside hand in hand, but the small hands were icy cold.
Yuan Xiangdie must have been outside for a while, and little Wei had waited at the door just as long. With his frail constitution, Jin Yuan’s eyes showed a trace of distress.
“You are my child; you must stay with me. Yuan Xiangdie needs to work, to support herself.”
Jin Yuan had once considered publicly declaring Yuan Xiangdie his woman. He thought, as he had done with others before, he could give her a check to help care for little Wei.