The sudden inner voice caught the others off guard, leaving them momentarily stunned. However, the content of that voice quickly sharpened their focus.
If their guess was correct, the “queen” referred to Ji Yue, and the “subjects beneath her skirt” must be the four men present.
But… a one-against-four? Ji Yue?
The men were inwardly shaken, their disbelief mingled with deep resentment visible in their eyes.
Sensing the sudden drop in temperature around her, Ji Yue instinctively straightened her posture.
Although she had countless questions swirling in her mind, everyone here was a seasoned veteran of the business world, capable of remaining unshaken even in the face of a metaphorical Mount Tai collapsing before them.
Without solid evidence, all rumors were unreliable.
At that moment, Ji Yue, seated in the center, spoke up:
“This young lady seems unfamiliar. Manager Tang, aren’t you going to introduce her?”
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Mydt Eyd tzydnle yv Dw Zkdukd okvb y pxkzl yde kdvasewnle bla:
“Zkdukd, vbkp kp Kk Zwl, vbl plnalvyau vs vbl nbykaxyd sq Fbldtey Qaswr. Qs yblye yde kdvasewnl uswaplzq vs Flnalvyau Kk.”
Dw Zkdukd pvsse wr taynlqwzzu yde kdvasewnle blaplzq:
“Flnalvyau Kk, dknl vs xllv usw. Yu dyxl kp Dw Zkdukd. R’x blal vs zlyad, yde R zssj qsaoyae vs uswa twkeydnl.”
“Dw Zkdukd?” Kk Zwl alrlyvle bla dyxl, nblokdt sd vbl puzzyczlp vbswtbvqwzzu. Fbl vbld zssjle yv Mydt Eyd.
“Fbl pbyalp vbl pyxl pwadyxl yp uswa bwpcyde’p qyxkzu. G ekpvydv alzyvkhl, rlabyrp?”
Mydt Eyd pxkzle yde tzydnle yv Dw Zkdukd clqsal elqzlnvkdt vbl iwlpvksd.
“Fbl’p psxlsdl rlapsdyzzu alnsxxldele cu vbl sze xypvla. Flnalvyau Kk, rzlypl vyjl tsse nyal sq bla.”
Mydt Eyd’p osaep kxxlekyvlzu nzyakqkle vbkdtp qsa Kk Zwl.
Gp ryavdlap, lhlau elvykz ycswv vbl svbla pkel dllele vs cl jlrv wdela nzspl oyvnb. Mbl tkaz clqsal bla oyp zkjlzu vbl zsdt-zspv vawl eywtbvla sq vbl qyxkzu vbyv bye fwpv clld caswtbv cynj.
Mbl sze xypvla’p kxxlekyvl elnkpksd vs kdhszhl bla kd pwnb yd kxrsavydv rasflnv bktbzktbvle fwpv bso xwnb bl hyzwle bla. Rv oyp nzlya bl kdvldele vs dwavwal bla okvb nyal.
Kk Zwl pxkzle pwcvzu yde pyke vs Mydt Eyd, okvb y xlydkdtqwz vsdl, “R pll. Elzz, usw’e clvvla osaj byaela, vbld—esd’v qyzz clbkde.”
Tang Wan’s smile stiffened, but she responded smoothly, “Thank you for your concern. I will.”
Who didn’t know how Ji Yue climbed the ladder? It was simply a case of the pot calling the kettle black. What was she so smug about? Just wait until the gossip blows up—then she’ll be the one crying.
Tang Wan glanced smugly at Ji Yue, then cast a deliberate look at the four men around her, as if anticipating an entertaining show.
Ji Yue sneered silently. She wasn’t afraid. Those inner voices were nothing but baseless speculation. The young newcomer was simply eager to make her presence known. Ji Yue had seen plenty of such petty schemes.
“Why do I feel like the pretty sister and my second aunt don’t get along? Do they have some kind of grudge?”
“What kind of grudge do you think two party girls would have?”
“Fighting over the same boy toy, maybe?”
“Ding ding! You guessed it. The first time they met, they fought over a club boy.”
“Wow! Really? Tell me more!”
The men present clenched their fists. Ji Yue had said her heart belonged only to them, yet she secretly had a boy toy? Outrageous!
“President Tang, I’ve marked the sections of the contract that need improvement. See if you find them acceptable, and then we can discuss further.”
Ji Yue interrupted Xu Yinyin’s thoughts, pushing the contract toward Tang Wan.
Tang Wan replied, “We also have some differing opinions on this contract. Secretary Ji, please review them.”
Ji Yue frowned. What was Tang Wan implying? Was she refusing to cooperate? Or had she come today with no intention of signing the contract, just to cause trouble?
As Ji Yue flipped through the contract, she realized that not only had Tang Wan ignored their requested revisions, but she had also added several unreasonable demands. Ji Yue trembled with anger, just about to protest, when yet another inner voice emerged.
“See the bespectacled guy over there? So refined, clean-cut, and fair-skinned—totally a premium little puppy type. He’s the boy toy they fought over. They even argued about whether he should wear a maid outfit or a bunny costume.”
“Wow! I love bunny costumes—the fluffy tail must feel amazing.”
Xu Yinyin’s gaze swept over the man’s figure as her mind conjured up the image.
“Yinyin, tone it down! I can feel your emotions resonating with mine, and my vibes are starting to shake!”
“Haha, sorry, couldn’t help it. Sluuurp!”
The subject of their imagination: “…”
Tang Wan frowned as she studied the man, looking increasingly perplexed.
“It seems like my second aunt didn’t recognize him. She looks more confused than I am.”
“Of course she didn’t recognize him. He’s wearing clothes, after all. Oh, by the way, he made an appearance last night.”
Sun Min suddenly coughed, her fingers digging into her thigh. “Sorry,” she muttered. She couldn’t hold it in any longer.
Ji Yue glanced sideways at the man in question, who nervously avoided her gaze. Oh, so you’ve been two-timing me, huh? Is the money I’ve been giving you not enough?
While Ji Yue was glaring daggers at him, the other three men stared at her with resentful eyes, as if silently accusing her: You told us we were the only ones.
“Oh my gosh, did you see that? The other three men look so jealous—just because she glanced at another guy?”
“If they find out about each other’s existence, there’s bound to be a fight.”
The men clenched their fists harder. Thanks to you, now we do know about each other. Much obliged.
“By the way, how does the pretty sister manage to juggle four guys at once while keeping them all in the dark?”
“That’s the brilliance of it—she’s so outstanding. Beautiful, competent, highly educated, and trusted by the chairman. In public, she’s an aloof and refined elite. In private, she’s a seductive queen of the night. It’s an achievement to win her favor—who wouldn’t be captivated?”
“Not to mention, she keeps them all close at hand to monitor their schedules. Her strategy is staggered attention: if one is unavailable, she uses work as an excuse to pop into their office and maintain the relationship. It’s a masterclass in deception.”
“Wow, the riskier the place, the safer it is. But now all four of them are in the same room, negotiating a multi-billion-dollar contract. What a wild setup—are all the company’s key personnel her lovers? What about the chairman?”
“The chairman likes to be on top. :)”
Xu Yinyin: “…”
“Isn’t the Shengda chairman almost 60? How could she go that far?”
The men’s expressions darkened further, their accusing stares growing heavier. Ji Yue could hardly take it anymore.
“Well, she didn’t have much choice, did she?”
The moment that thought surfaced, everyone’s ears perked up.
Ji Yue bit her lip hard, a trace of frustration flashing in her eyes. How can people be so nosy? Choke on your gossip, why don’t you!
“From the moment she started, she relied on her looks to climb the ladder. Her goals were clear: promotions, raises, and using money to buy true love. Her first paycheck went straight to a male model who pampered her, making her believe she’d found her soulmate. Only later did she realize she was just another fish in his pond, discarded the moment her funds ran out.”
“So, to earn more and climb higher, she set her sights on wealthier men, fueling both her ambitions and her tastes. Eventually, she became the queen of the sea, raising her own fleet and living a life of carefree indulgence without emotional ties.”
“Wow, the dragon slayer has become the dragon. A perfect full circle!”
“If you just look at the progression of her rise, it’s inspiring. But the result… well…”
“Well, what? I think everyone’s getting along pretty well—no fights or arguments. It’s quite harmonious, don’t you think?”
“Heh.”
That one “heh” immediately made one of the suited men loosen his tie, his face tense with unease.
Ji Yue also felt a wave of foreboding.
“Why did you just ‘heh’? Don’t you know it’s a sarcastic laugh?”
“Harmony is just on the surface. Did you really think her actions were that well-hidden? Among the four men, only the naïve one who sneaks out at night has no clue. The other three have long suspected something but lacked the evidence to confront her. Well, not anymore—someone’s brought them proof.”
“Proof? What proof?”
“Someone has caught… a certain disease.”
“Who?! Is it the guy sneaking out at night?”
Everyone’s gazes discreetly shifted to the bespectacled young man, who bit his lip nervously, his eyes pleading, It’s not me! I just got a health check!
Ji Yue’s sharp gaze swept over the four men, finally landing on the muscular man sitting at the end of the table.
He loosened his tie—a clear sign of anxiety.
“See? The protein-shake-loving gym bro. He’s the one who ended up catching something while being the ‘receiver’ in the relationship. Tsk, tsk, what a tragedy.”
“Wow, that’s awful. Sure, it’s pitiful to catch a disease, but deliberately infecting others? That’s downright malicious.”
“Well, to be fair, Ji Yue was unfaithful first.”
“Uh, well—”
Ji Yue couldn’t sit still any longer. Until she confirmed whether she had been infected, she figured she’d probably have to stay at the hospital indefinitely.
As for the contract? It wasn’t her company anyway, so what did it matter?
If she really had some terminal illness, money would be meaningless. What was the point of working so hard? Could it buy her more time? Could it save her life?
Without hesitation, she opened the revised contract Tang Wan had handed her, signed her name decisively, and left the room with a flourish.
Soon after, the remaining men also left hurriedly, as if chased by a pack of dogs.
Tang Wan: “…”
What just happened? Ji Yue just left? After all the dirt Xu Yinyin dug up on her, she didn’t even want to slap her, rip up the contract, and throw it in their faces?
Why did she even sign the contract? What the heck?!
“Wait, why did she leave? That’s a two-billion-yuan deal. She looked so pissed off just now at the revised contract. What’s going on?”
“Who knows? Either way, the deal’s done. Two billion secured. Look, your aunt is so thrilled she’s in shock.”
Tang Wan: Thanks, but no thanks. 🙂
Sun Min, who had been holding back her laughter, almost burst out.
Although Tang Wan had her back to her, judging by the way her body trembled, her face was probably green with anger. And just as Little Qi added fuel to the fire, Sun Min was dying inside.
Clearing her throat, she cautiously reminded, “Tang Wan, Ji Yue has left.”
“I know she left!” Tang Wan struggled to suppress her seething rage.
“So, should we…” Sun Min dared to probe further.
“Go back to the office!”
Tang Wan’s words were filled with gritted teeth. She took two steps, paused, and then changed her mind.
“No. You and Yinyin take a cab back to the office. I need to go somewhere else.”
“Got it.”
“Where’s my aunt going? Hopefully not sneaking off for a quickie with the boy toy.”
Tang Wan immediately turned to glare at her, her eyes filled with fury.
Xu Yinyin shivered, startled. “What’s wrong?”
“Why is she looking at me so aggressively?”
“You came with me, and I successfully closed the deal. You must be my lucky charm!”
“Heh, you flatter me.”
“This afternoon, I’m giving you the rest of the day off. No need to come back to the office.”
Tang Wan wanted to minimize the risk of gossip spreading from Ji Yue’s scandal. If anyone looked deeper into it and discovered the drama about fighting over a male model, she’d lose face entirely.
She needed to find out immediately if she’d been infected. Damn it—this was just awful!
“Wow, a free afternoon off. Nice!”
Sun Min smiled and patted Xu Yinyin on the shoulder. “Let’s go. I’ll drop you home.”
“Thank you, Secretary Sun!” Xu Yinyin beamed sweetly.
The news of a successful collaboration with Shengda quickly reached the old chairman. He gleefully reviewed the contract, which was highly advantageous to Shengda, and couldn’t stop grinning.
“My granddaughter never ceases to amaze me! I was still celebrating her success with Zheng Rui, and now she’s brought Shengda to the table. The empire I’ve spent my life building finally has a worthy successor. I’m so proud!”
Xu Hongtian’s laughter turned to tears of joy.
“Lin Yu, tell the kitchen to prepare a feast. Gather everyone tonight for a proper celebration.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll take care of it right away.”
After a relaxing bath, Xu Yinyin was about to watch a movie when Jiang Xin knocked on her door.
“Yinyin, it’s Mom. Can I come in?”
“Sure, of course.” She opened the door while answering.
The moment the door opened, Jiang Xin enveloped her in a big hug.
“My darling daughter, you’re amazing! I heard you helped your aunt close a two-billion-yuan deal today. To celebrate, Grandpa has invited us to dinner at the family estate tonight.”
“Huh? I didn’t help much at all. Aunt Tang handled everything. I was just there watching the whole time,” Xu Yinyin replied, looking puzzled.
All she did was sit and watch the show.
“That doesn’t matter! What matters is that your aunt had been negotiating for over half a month with no success, and the contract kept going back and forth. The moment she took you along, it all worked out. In young people’s terms, you’re a lucky charm—a living ‘koi’ who brings good fortune to everyone around you!”
Xu Yinyin was so stunned that her mouth twitched: This can be forced? I’m clearly just a useless person! Mom, really, there’s no need for this.
“Sweetheart, go change your clothes. We’re heading to grandpa’s house. Dad and Yaoyao got the afternoon off too, and they’ll come straight from the company.”
“Oh, I’ll go change now.”
“No rush, take your time.”
“Mm-hmm.”
As Xu Yinyin changed clothes, she couldn’t help but worry. The system, sensing her mood, asked, “Why aren’t you happy? Don’t want to go to grandpa’s house?”
“I do want to go. Grandpa’s manor is big and beautiful, I love going there. I’d love to live there! But I don’t want to see Aunt and that scumbag, especially not their lovey-dovey behavior, it’s so annoying. Do you think I should subtly remind Aunt about it?”
Xu Yinyin often thought about her aunt’s situation. Being obsessed with love is irritating, but there’s no need to “save” her.
But it’s her aunt, her father’s sister, and Grandpa’s daughter. Out of respect, she shouldn’t just ignore it. Yet when she thought about how hopeless her aunt was, obsessed with the scumbag, and even Grandpa couldn’t stop it, what could she, a younger generation, do?
Sigh…
“Hey, don’t sigh. It’s not that we are ignoring it. It’s just that Aunt is too deep into this, and there’s no saving her. We can only wait for the scumbag to mess up, and then Aunt will wake up from the dream.”
“But what if they have kids? That would make things even more complicated. And by then, the scumbag will use the child as leverage to gain inheritance rights and make life harder. Grandpa might have to be considerate of his grandson, which would be so frustrating!”
The system shrugged: “What can we do? This is one of those things where one wants to fight and the other wants to endure. Outsiders can’t really interfere, and it might just end up offending people without any benefits.”
“Ahhh! Why doesn’t that scumbag just die? Ugh, it’s so annoying!”
Xu Yinyin cursed while getting dressed, looking down as she slouched in the car to the grand residence.
At the same time…
Guo Cheng and Xu Yanyan were also on their way.
“Wife, thank you. I really don’t know how to thank you. I love you.” Guo Cheng gratefully held her hand and kissed it.
Xu Yanyan returned a gentle, familiar look, and comforted him warmly: “Since not being able to get pregnant is my problem, of course I have to make concessions. Like you said, rather than adopting a stranger’s child, it’s better to raise your own flesh and blood. We are married, and a good marriage is about accepting each other’s flaws, just as you accepted that I can’t be a mother, right?”
Guo Cheng placed a finger on her lips, gently reprimanding, “I don’t want you to say that. It’s not your fault. Let’s not talk about it anymore, okay?”
Xu Yanyan smiled faintly. “Yes, let’s not talk about it. Later, when we go to my dad’s house, I’ll explain it well to him. Dad loves me so much, he’ll definitely respect my decision.”
“I’m sorry, wife. I swear I will always treat you well.”
“I know, I always knew.”
Guo Cheng hugged her tightly, but Xu Yanyan’s eyes no longer showed any emotion.
—
As everyone gathered, but Tang Wan was still missing, Xu Yanwen came out to the balcony and called her.
“What are you doing? Grandpa specifically called everyone back to celebrate you signing the big deal with Shengda, and you’re missing? Who are you trying to impress?”
“I’m not trying to impress anyone, I really have something and can’t make it. Bye!”
Hearing the busy signal on the phone, Xu Yanwen was furious.
Back at the dinner table, Grandpa casually asked, “Where’s Tang Wan?”
Xu Yanwen hesitated and replied, “She’s meeting a client outside, couldn’t make it back.”
Xu Hongtian nodded, “My bad, I should have considered everyone’s schedules. Since everyone is here, let’s eat.”
Xu Yinyin thought to herself: “I had a feeling something was off when Aunt said she was going elsewhere. Was she really meeting a client?”
“No, she went to the hospital.”
Everyone’s attention piqued, Xu Yanwen straightened up, nervous that Xu Yinyin might reveal something they couldn’t handle.
“What does she need to go to the hospital for?”
“Remember that pretty sister from Shengda? She was competing with your aunt for the young master, but she’s been diagnosed with a disease. She’s in a panic and went for a check-up.”
Xu Yinyin was shocked: “If Aunt really got infected, then Uncle and the scumbag would be in danger too. Aunt might suffer as well!”
The people involved were all shocked and uncomfortable.
“The report’s out, it’s nothing serious, just a false alarm.“
“Could you just say everything at once? You scared me to death. I don’t want my gentle aunt to suffer from the scumbag’s fault.”
Xu Yanyan looked at Xu Yinyin with a smile, feeling warmth in her heart. Her little niece was so thoughtful.
“Speaking of Aunt, I have some big news!”
“Huh? Don’t tell me Aunt is pregnant!”
Xu Yinyin’s face turned worried.
Grandpa tightly gripped his chopsticks, trying to suppress his anger. Had it really come to this, the situation he dreaded?
Xu Yanwen and his wife exchanged worried glances.
Xu Yao looked at her aunt with concern, feeling both heartache and bitterness.
Xu Yanrui had just calmed down from his own fear of being infected y his wife, but upon hearing the bad news, she unconsciously looked at Xu Yanyan with questioning eyes.
“No, Aunt isn’t pregnant. She’s been diagnosed with infertility and is preparing to adopt a child.”
Everyone sighed in relief. As long as it’s not the scumbag’s child, there’s still hope.
“But can an adopted child help repair the relationship? Aunt is becoming more and more confused.”
“What’s even more infuriating is that Aunt was convinced by the scumbag to adopt his and that secretary’s illegitimate child. She actually agreed! She agreed!”
The system’s voice was filled with anger and disappointment, as if it were frustrated by its inability to change things.
“Ah?!!! The scumbag is so shameless! No, Aunt must have been brainwashed by him! How can someone do something like this? Is there no bottom line in being human anymore? This is driving me crazy! Ahhhh!”
Xu Yanwen’s family stared wide-eyed, looking at Xu Yanyan in disbelief.
Xu Yanrui, sitting next to her, clenched his fists in anger. If it weren’t for his sister being overly protective, he would want to punch Guo Cheng right now!
Xu Hongtian’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, his chest rising and falling with each breath. His sharp gaze first landed on Guo Cheng, who shamelessly smiled back at him, pretending not to hear Xu Yinyin’s thoughts. This made the old man seethe with fury.
He suddenly raised his hand to protect his heart, his face contorted in pain. Lin Yu, standing behind him, tried to approach but was stopped by his raised hand.
He just sat there quietly, staring at Xu Yanyan with those sharp eyes, as if seeking confirmation.
Xu Yanyan’s palm, hanging by her side, clenched tightly, her heart feeling as though it was being stabbed by a knife. “I’m sorry, Dad, please wait just a little longer. Just a little while longer.”
Guo Cheng noticed her discomfort and gently squeezed her hand, offering her a reassuring look when she glanced at him.
Xu Yanyan forced a smile, took a deep breath, and met her father’s furious gaze. Calmly, she said, “While everyone is here, I have something to announce.”
With Xu Yinyin’s earlier revelation, no one had much hope left; all that remained was a sense of helpless anger.
Xu Hongtian stared at her, his eyes full of warning: “If you have something to say, say it privately.”
“No, this has to be said in front of everyone. I need everyone to witness this.”
Xu Hongtian laughed angrily, his fury reaching its peak: “Witness what? Witness that my daughter is the biggest fool in the century? That she’s been manipulated again and again without knowing how to fight back? I taught you the ways of life, taught you principles for handling things, so you could become better and reach higher platforms, not to demean yourself like this! Xu Yanyan, you have completely disappointed me!”
The old man slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table, his red eyes and heaving chest signaling the uncontrollable rage inside him.
Sansukini: This system is actually manipulative. If you noticed, he has a tendency to control the narrative. Only revealing things that’s beneficial to him and Yinyin. Like this time, Guo Cheng’s azoospermia should have been detected by the system already, but it didn’t reveal it yet. It’s waiting for the other party’s actions first before releasing more gossips. I feel like this system is a villain from other novels. ♪～(￣、￣ )
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I agree yet disagree, the system is just fueling more drama to be fair which might allow the aunt to catch her scum husband unaware
He lives for the melons.