Xu Yinyin returned to the meeting room with Xue Weiwei. Just as they sat down, Sun Min arrived.
“Oh? Secretary Sun?” Xu Yinyin was a bit surprised to see her. “Did my second aunt ask you to pass on a message?”
“No, I’m here on my own. Could we speak privately for a moment?” Sun Min held a document in her hand, looking slightly nervous and unsure of herself.
Thinking Sun Min needed a favor, Xu Yinyin agreed immediately. “Of course! Lead the way.”
Relieved, Sun Min guided her to the rooftop garden and handed her the proposal in her hand.
“I took the liberty of putting this together—it’s a plan outlining the future prospects and market trends of artificial intelligence. I hope it can be of some help to you.”
Xu Yinyin lowered her gaze and flipped through the document. Compared to her second uncle’s flashy yet impractical proposal, Sun Min’s was far more grounded in market realities. It was backed by thorough research, covering a wide range of demographics—high, middle, and low-income groups—and detailed their understanding and expectations of AI. Sun Min had even tailored product solutions for each group and highlighted their shared needs in a clear, concise way. It was easy to grasp at a glance.
For Xu Yinyin—who was about to face a client empty-handed—this proposal was nothing short of a lifesaver. How could she not be surprised?
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Lso, oblvbla pbl oydvle vs sa dsv, pbl bye ds nbsknl cwv vs pvlr wr—vbkp oyp Fwd Ykd’p byae osaj, yqvla yzz.
“Xb ds, dso usw byhl vs es vbkp. Xvblaokpl, usw’al dsv fwpv zlvvkdt uswaplzq esod—usw’al cwaukdt Fwd Ykd’p lqqsavp yde oypvkdt vyzldv.”
“Fbwv wr. Xq nswapl, R osd’v zlv psxlsdl yp nyryczl yp Fwd Ykd cl oypvla. Rv’p qkdl kq R’x y zspv nywpl—R’hl tsv aknb ryaldvp vs qyzz cynj sd, yde xu cydj cyzydnl kp zsdtla vbyd uswa zkqlpryd—cwv Fwd Ykd kp ekqqlaldv. Tla ealyxp yde yxckvksdp yal vkle vs bla nyalla, yde Qaydery kp lmynvzu vbl jkde sq rlapsd obs hyzwlp vyzldv zkjl blap. Mbkp kp y okd-okd.”
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“R’x dsv vaukdt vs vyjl nalekv qsa yduvbkdt,” Fwd Ykd pyke psqvzu. “R fwpv vbswtbv usw xktbv dlle psxl kdrwv. Mbkp kp qsa uswa alqlaldnl—wpl kv kq kv blzrp, yde kq dsv, vbyv’p sjyu vss.”
Dw Zkdukd ralvldele vs cl ydtau plakswp yde okvb y plakswp qynl pyke, “Flnalvyau Fwd, vbyv’p dsv aktbv. Tso nyd usw nyzz pwnb yd lmnlzzldv rasrspyz fwpv ‘y bwxczl srkdksd’? Gde nzlyazu, vbkp oypd’v psxlvbkdt rwv vstlvbla shladktbv. Tyhl usw clld alplyanbkdt yavkqknkyz kdvlzzktldnl qsa y obkzl dso, iwklvzu eskdt uswa bsxlosaj?”
Fwd Ykd, y ckv lxcyaaypple, dseele. “R yx kdelle kdvlalpvle kd vbkp qklze. R caswtbv kv wr okvb Valpkeldv Mydt clqsal, cwv dsvbkdt nyxl sq kv. Ebld R blyae vbl nsxrydu oyp lmrzsakdt GR elhlzsrxldv, R vbswtbv R’e vyjl y nbydnl vbaswtb usw—bsrkdt usw xktbv tkhl xl yd srrsavwdkvu.”
“Xq nswapl xu ywdv oswze pwrralpp usw. Jspplp byvl kv obld vblka pwcsaekdyvlp pvlyz vbl prsvzktbv—vbl xsal vyzldvle usw yal, vbl byaela vblu rwpb usw esod. Mbyv’p obu pbl’p wpkdt bla tyxczla bwpcyde vs jllr usw kd nblnj. Tsdlpvzu, vbkp xktbv fwpv cl vbl rlaqlnv srrsavwdkvu qsa Qaydery vs tlv ake sq xu ywdv. Flnalvyau Fwd, zssjp zkjl R xktbv byhl vs wpl usw.”
Catching a flicker of guilt in Xu Yinyin’s eyes, Sun Min felt even more ashamed. She wanted to tell Yinyin that if it weren’t for her exposing Tang Wan’s true colors, she would still be unknowingly manipulated.
Her self-rescue began with Xu Yinyin’s wake-up call, and this proposal was just the first step in repaying her.
“I’ll take the proposal,” Yinyin said, “and if the client likes it, I’ll make sure your name is included. We’ll split any profits 50/50.”
“No, no, that’s not necessary. This is company business—it’s part of my job.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t we work for that pitiful paycheck? It’s only fair to be compensated for what we contribute. It’s settled—thank you, Secretary Sun.”
“Oh, and one more thing—please keep this from President Tang,” she added. At least until the deal was done, she didn’t want Tang Wan interfering.
“Of course, I understand,” Sun Min replied, smiling as Yinyin playfully winked at her.
“If I have any questions, I’ll call for you.”
“Alright!”
After seeing Sun Min off, the system chimed in: “Are you really going to go all out for Secretary Sun?”
“No way! If I try too hard, how can I keep living my lazy, carefree life?”
“I’ll still go to the negotiation, but as for the proposal—I’m going to hold onto it until my uncle stumbles again. When he comes back with his tail between his legs, I’ll ‘offer’ the proposal like it’s a gift, and if he likes it, he’ll definitely need Secretary Sun’s help. If they succeed, she’ll get her recognition, won’t she?”
“You’re really that sure your uncle will fail again?”
“Xiaoqi, you may be a melon-eating system, but use your brain for once. If my uncle had anyone competent around him, would his proposal have been that garbage? Would he still be under my aunt’s thumb? Grandpa would love to promote him—but he has to be capable first!”
“Hold on… so you actually want to help your uncle?”
“Look, no matter how cowardly or useless he is, he’s still Grandpa’s son and Xu Yao’s dad. He might be arrogant and incompetent with a messy personal life, but he’s not evil—he doesn’t want to kick out the family and take everything for himself. My aunt, though? She absolutely wants to control the company and drive us all out, leaving Xu Yao as her puppet.”
“Before, she had Guo Cheng to scheme with, but now that he’s out of the picture, she’s weakened. This is my best chance to make a move. As long as I keep the company in the family’s hands, I can continue living the good life. Plus, I’m not targeting Yaoyao right now, so I won’t trigger the original storyline where I die a tragic death. My future is bright! Even if it’s just for myself, I need to score some points for my uncle.”
“So basically, you just want to be the the ‘old man who doesn’t have to do anything but can enjoy a good life quietly’?”
“Exactly! What’s the point of fame and fortune? I just want a life of comfort.”
“Wow… you really are a genius.”
“Hehe.”
Xu Yinyin grinned slyly—born into a wealthy family, only a fool would work too hard.
—
Meanwhile, Xu Yanrui gathered his team overnight to revise his proposal, burning the midnight oil. Finally, three hours before the client meeting, they finalized their plan.
He rushed home to shower and change, meticulously grooming himself before heading off to meet the client. But when he opened the door…
It was Yan Feng.
The man’s reputation had spread like wildfire after the disastrous family recognition banquet, where his daughter Yan Yiyi’s mistreatment by her in-laws became public knowledge. The scandal was the talk of high society for days.
Xu Yanrui had assumed Yan Feng would lay low until the storm passed, but here he was, ready for business. Wasn’t it said that for him, face was more important than anything else?
Huh.
Still, Xu Yanrui couldn’t figure out if the old man had invited Yan Feng to give Xu Yinyin an advantage—or if this was a trap, creating an opportunity for Yan Feng to make things difficult for her.
Based on Yan Feng’s reputation, it seemed more likely that he had volunteered for this meeting, looking to settle the score with Yinyin. After all, she was the one who exposed his family’s shame. Who wouldn’t hold a grudge?
At the time, he might have been too busy taking his daughter home and saving face, but once she was safe, there was no doubt he’d want payback.
In Xu Yanrui’s mind, these old foxes never let an opportunity slip—they might suffer a blow, but they always made sure to claw something back.
After this mental gymnastics routine, Xu Yanrui felt oddly refreshed.
If he couldn’t win this deal, then Xu Yinyin sure as hell wasn’t getting it either.
“Chairman Yan, what an honor to have you here in our humble home,” he said with a polite smile, reaching out to shake Yan Feng’s hand.
Yan Feng, a former soldier who inherited the family business after leaving the military, exuded a stern, commanding presence. His sharp features and no-nonsense demeanor only added to his cold, distant aura.
Famous for his serious and unsmiling nature, Yan Feng’s very presence seemed to cast a frosty chill over the room.
Faced with Xu Yanrui’s enthusiastic small talk, Yan Feng merely responded with a faint “Mm,” showing little emotion.
Xu Yanrui’s smile instantly stiffened, and noticing the slight impatience on Yan Feng’s face, he dared not push further. He quickly signaled his secretary to hand over the proposal and sat quietly, waiting for Yan Feng to review it.
Yan Feng glanced at the cover page, clearly uninterested, and slid the document over to his assistant. Looking at Xu Yanrui, he asked, “Mr. Xu mentioned there were two proposals. Is the other one from Xu Yinyin?”
“That’s right. It’s hers.”
“Why isn’t she here yet?”
Xu Yanrui’s heart leaped with excitement — see? He really was waiting to settle a score.
“She probably wants me to finish my presentation first.”
Yan Feng gave a slight nod. “Then you can leave now. I’ll review the materials later.”
“…Huh?” Xu Yanrui thought he misheard. “Don’t you need me to explain it? I’ve prepared everything.”
“No need.” Yan Feng waved a hand dismissively.
The secretary by the door immediately stepped forward and gestured politely, “Mr. Xu, this way please.”
Xu Yanrui: “…”
Wait, did I just pull an all-nighter for nothing?
Or maybe he’s just too focused on getting back at Xu Yinyin and doesn’t have the patience to listen to me?
Yes — that must be the reason. Definitely!
Reluctantly, Xu Yanrui got up and followed the secretary out.
As they reached the elevator, they ran into Xu Yinyin.
“Oh? Second Uncle, you’re done already?” She was genuinely surprised.
Xu Yanrui chuckled smugly. “Of course. I’ve got this one in the bag.”
“Really? Then congratulations in advance.” Xu Yinyin replied with sincere politeness.
But to Xu Yanrui, her words sounded like thinly veiled sarcasm. Out of nowhere, he blurted, “Yinyin, don’t start crying later, okay? Bye-bye!”
With a snide smile, he waved mockingly before stepping into the elevator. He even exchanged a subtle glance with his secretary, who made an excuse to stay behind, clearly planning to snoop.
Once Xu Yinyin watched him leave, she turned and entered the meeting room without a second thought.
However, when she stepped through the door and saw who the client was, she froze — it was that young lady’s father.
Judging by his stern, impassive expression, he radiated a clear “stay away from me” vibe.
“Hello.” Xu Yinyin still greeted him politely.
“Mm. Sit.” Yan Feng responded with as few words as possible.
“Oh no, why is it the young lady’s dad? Look at him — like the whole world owes him money. Did something happen to the young lady?”
The moment the thought echoed in her mind, Yan Feng’s rigid posture subtly relaxed.
He’d been wanting to meet Xu Yinyin for a while. That night, after bringing his daughter home and understanding the full story, he immediately had someone investigate that mother and son duo. As it turned out, their crimes aligned perfectly with what Xu Yinyin’s “inner voice” had revealed. Even more astonishing, thanks to her foresight, he was able to take preemptive action and easily bring the pair to justice — almost like magic.
Whether it was her thoughts or that mysterious second voice that sometimes accompanied them, there seemed to be an unexplainable power at play. It wasn’t a stretch to call it prophetic.
Since then, he’d kept tabs on Xu Yinyin. When he heard she was assigned to a new project — one related to artificial intelligence, a field his company was eager to break into — he immediately contacted Xu Hongtian and proposed a collaboration, leading to this very meeting.
At the very least, he owed Xu Yinyin for helping his precious daughter escape her nightmare. And besides, this partnership would be mutually beneficial.
That said, Yan Feng had already decided — no matter how tough Fengyi’s negotiation terms were, he would sign the deal without hesitation.
Unaware of Yan Feng’s hidden goodwill, Xu Yinyin simply handed over her proposal and quietly waited for her system companion, Xiao Qi, to dish out the latest gossip.
“The young lady’s situation has been handled smoothly. That wretched mother and son have been detained, and the evidence has been submitted to the prosecution. The trial will happen soon. With the severity of their financial crimes, they’ll be looking at a minimum of ten years. Once they’re out, Chen Xu’s so-called “financial prodigy” reputation will be in ruins — blacklisted by the entire industry. It’s basically a life sentence, since ex-cons rarely land legitimate jobs. Their futures are over.”
“Serves them right! People like that need to face real consequences. But if the young lady’s okay now, why does her dad still look so pissed?”
“Because there’s another juicy piece of gossip.”
“What is it?!”
Xu Yinyin unconsciously straightened her back, eagerly awaiting the “tea.”
Yan Feng’s hand trembled slightly as he flipped through the proposal. More gossip?
I live a clean, disciplined life — what scandal could I possibly have?!
Meanwhile, the staff in the room subtly perked up their ears. Spill it — what skeletons could their cold, strict, practically monk-like boss possibly have in his closet?
“But it’s not about him — it’s about his younger brothers. This is really shocking. Buckle up!”
As soon as those words dropped, the gossip-loving staff exchanged discreet yet excited glances. Forget questioning how they were hearing these “inner thoughts” — they were too busy savoring the thrill of workplace drama. It’s so rare to eat the boss’ melons while getting paid.
“Yan Feng has two younger brothers and a sister who all live back home. His second brother has three sons, but the third brother hasn’t had any children yet. Desperate for a son, the third brother and his wife tried everything — from top specialists to fertility treatments — but nothing worked. So, they came up with a plan…”
“Let me guess — surrogacy or gender-selective IVF?”
Xu Yinyin’s guess mirrored the thoughts of the other eavesdroppers.
“Nope — they decided to “borrow” sperm from the second brother.”
The room collectively sucked in a sharp breath.
Yan Feng’s eyes went wide with shock — this was the kind of scandal that could make their ancestors turn in their graves!
“Oh my god, “borrowing seeds”? Isn’t that something from the last century? How can such feudal nonsense still exist in today’s society?”
“Sigh, I told you before — human thoughts are unfathomable. People are capable of doing the most outrageous things. Don’t be fooled — even though I’m a gossip system, there are some scandals even I can’t stomach.”
“True, true. Keep going, don’t get sidetracked!”
The gossipers nodded in unison. Yes, yes, keep going!
“Ordinarily, no sane person would agree to something like this, but the brothers were deeply bonded. The second brother felt sorry for his younger brother, who had tried everything to have a son — praying to gods, seeking medical advice — and since his own family already had three sons, he couldn’t bear to refuse. So after constant begging and pleading, he agreed.”
“He just agreed?! Can I say the second brother is… “kind-hearted”? :)”
Xu Yinyin’s sarcastic comment mirrored the melon babies’ reaction — men… huh!
“Even if the second brother agreed, did his wife go along with it?”
“She did.”
“Huh?! The wife agreed so easily? That’s just… wrong. Don’t tell me the second brother and the sister-in-law already had a thing going on?”
Xu Yinyin’s suspicion struck a chord with the gossipers, who nodded vigorously. It couldn’t have gone so smoothly without some shady business behind the scenes.
This wasn’t just a matter of personal morality — it defied basic human decency!
Yan Feng clenched his fists in silence. It seemed he had given his brothers too much financial security, leaving them so idle they ended up pulling off this disgraceful, outrageous stunt that would make their ancestors roll in their graves!
“There was no affair — it was all “clean.” If not for the desperate desire to have a son, who would agree to such a thing?”
“So what happened next?”
“The second brother secretly went to his sister-in-law’s place to “make a baby” behind his wife’s back”
“Oh my god… this is mind-blowing. Did they succeed?”
“Of course not — not at first. At the beginning, the second brother would sneak over at night, but after two months without any news, the younger brother grew anxious. So he asked him to come over during the day too, keeping the “sessions” frequent and short to increase the chances of conception.”
“Are you kidding me? That often? Was the second brother even able to keep up? Didn’t his wife notice anything?”
The melon babies nodded frantically. Yeah, how clueless was the sister-in-law?
“Of course she noticed. The second brother was too exhausted to fulfill his “husbandly duties” at home, which naturally made his wife suspicious.”
“Did she catch him in the act?”
The melon babies held their breath, eyes glued to the “storyline.”
“The second sister-in-law started secretly following him. One day, when her husband went to the younger brother’s house again and “got to work,” she suddenly barged in — and guess what? The younger brother was standing guard right outside the bedroom door. It was obvious this wasn’t the first time. Wild!”
“Ew… So the younger brother was eavesdropping while his wife and his older brother were “making a baby”? What kind of twisted mentality is that? My brain needs a deep clean.”
The melon babies collectively shuddered — it was all too much.
Yan Feng was already seething with rage. If not for the need to keep Yinyin’s secret (that he could hear her inner thoughts), he would’ve flipped the table and stormed out by now.
But he couldn’t afford to blow this cover. If the people involved ever found out their thoughts were leaking, he’d lose his advantage in future situations.
I must endure this!
“Wait, there’s more — the most shocking part is yet to come.”
“There’s more?!”
Xu Yinyin’s gasp made the gossipers lean in eagerly again.
“After being caught red-handed, the wife surprisingly didn’t cause a scene. She didn’t scream, didn’t fight — she just quietly left.”
“Why? Wouldn’t most people slap their cheating husband right then and there? She was practically being paraded around in a garden of betrayal!”
The melon babies mirrored the same furious expressions — who would just stand there and swallow their pride?
“It was all about saving face. It’s a family scandal, after all. If word got out and spread like wildfire through the relatives, the whole village — including the farm animals — would know. How humiliating would that be?”
“So… she just let it go?”
“What could she do? Even if she was furious, for the sake of her children’s reputation, she had to grit her teeth and bear it.”
“That’s… complicated.”
Xu Yinyin sighed helplessly.
“But since the scandal was exposed, I guess the younger brother’s family didn’t try to pull off any more outrageous schemes, right?”
“Ha — people’s obsessions are scary. When the second brother’s plan failed, the younger brother turned to his brother-in-law next — because the brother-in-law had two sons and a daughter.”
“…”
The silence was deafening.
Yan Feng trembled with fury, his face turning a shade of dark blue.
“Wait… don’t tell me the brother-in-law actually succeeded?”
“That’s the craziest part — he did. The sister-in-law got pregnant with a son, and the baby looked exactly like him. Every time they were seen together, people mistook the child for his own. And people misunderstand that his son and this child are twins.”
“…”
What the… this was next-level absurd!
“Uh… wouldn’t this kind of “evidence” be hard to hide?”
“Eh, everyone pretends not to notice. They see it, but they don’t say it out loud.”
“…”
Absolutely insane.
Yan Feng suddenly recalled a time during a family video call when his little nephew popped up on screen. The kid’s face was a mirror image of the brother-in-law’s. He remembered asking about it, and the younger brother had mumbled a vague excuse. Never in his wildest imagination did he think it was this insane.
Dear heavens, what kind of mess was this?
“Luckily, Yan Yiyi’s dad doesn’t have such twisted ideas. Do you think, if he ever found out about his family’s crazy antics, he’d cut ties with them?”
“How would he even “clean up” the situation? The adults involved are his brothers, and the kids are his nephews — they’re all family. Legally, this doesn’t count as a crime, at most it’s just a moral disgrace.”
“Still, I find it really disgusting. The more you think about it, the more it gives you goosebumps.”
Yan Feng finally couldn’t take it anymore. He abruptly stood up and said to Xu Yinyin, “Today’s meeting will be paused here. We’ll reconvene once we’ve reviewed the proposal. Goodbye!”
With that, the crowd hurriedly dispersed.
Xu Yinyin was puzzled: “Why is he leaving in such a hurry?”
The onlookers silently speculated: Thanks to you, looks like Chairman Yan is rushing back home to “clean up” his family mess.
“Who cares? You’ve finished your task for today — you can clock out and head home now, right?”
“I guess so.”
“Then hurry up! We still have half of that suspense drama from yesterday to finish. I have to watch the ending tonight.”
“Yes, yes — let’s go home! We’re watching it in the starry sky room with a giant screen and surround sound tonight. It’s going to be intense!”
“Ahhh, rich people really live the dream. I wish I could become human too.”
Xue Weiwei quietly pouted. She also wanted to watch on a giant screen. Sob…
There are so many rich people in the world — what difference would it make if I became one too?
Hmph! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
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