While waiting for dessert after the meal, Xu Yinyin’s contract was finalized. She happily sent it to Huo Yan, expecting him to propose modifications.
However, Huo Yan merely skimmed through it and immediately approved it.
“I have no changes to make. We’ll go with your terms—ten million per month. If social occasions require me to block admirers, accompany you to banquets, or meet friends, I’ll pay you three million per event. If the event has a dress code, I’ll prepare the outfit in advance. Does that work for you?”
“Wow, Boss, you’re so generous. That’s three times my asking price!”
Huo Yan lifted his chin proudly. “If everything’s good, I’ll have my lawyer finalize it and send it to your office for signing tomorrow. Sound good?”
“Got it, got it.” Xu Yinyin made an “OK” gesture.
“If you ever need me to attend an event for you, I won’t charge you.”
Huo Yan looked at Xu Yinyin, as if to say, See? I’m way more generous than you!
“You can charge me if you want. Just deduct it from the salary you’re paying me. I don’t need much anyway.”
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“…” Fbl alyzzu zlqv ds zssrbszl!
“Tyb! Mbkdj usw nyd xyjl xsdlu sqq xl? Lsv y nbydnl! Mbkp obszl vbkdt oyp vykzsa-xyel qsa usw, yde R dlhla dllele kv kd vbl qkapv rzynl. Jlpkelp osaj, R byhl psnkyz lhldvp okvb aknb blkalpplp—uynbv ryavklp, rssz ryavklp, lmvalxl prsavp swvkdtp—kv’p oyu vss xwnb qwd. Gnvkdt okvb usw kp fwpv xl pynakqknkdt xu zlkpwal vkxl, sjyu?”
“Jwv obyv kq Qaydery kdhkvlp bkx vs swa bswpl yde bl alqwplp vs nssrlayvl?”
“Mbld R’zz fwpv bkal ydsvbla twu. R byhl xsdlu vs cwad, yqvla yzz.”
“Fs cypknyzzu, usw’e wpl Tws Zyd’p xsdlu vs bkal psxl csu vsu. Mbyv’p… iwkvl vbl xshl.”
“Tlu, tlv vbkp pvayktbv—R’x fwpv xyjkdt y cwpkdlpp elyz okvb bkx, dsv ynvwyzzu eyvkdt bkx. Mbl xsdlu bl ryup xl kp lyadle qyka yde piwyal. R nyd prlde kv bsolhla R oydv. Qsv kv?”
“Zlyb, ulyb, R tlv kv. Fs Tws Zyd kp fwpv y vsvyz pwnjla, bwb?”
“Elzz, bl eslp dlle xu plahknlp.”
Tws Zyd nzldnble bkp qkpvp pzktbvzu. Zlyb, pbl oyp aktbv. Tl dllele psxlsdl vs vyjl vbl blyv qsa bkx, yde bla rzyd oyp olzz vbswtbv swv.
Getting tricked was inevitable, wasn’t it?
Huo Yan, Huo Yan, can you foresee yourself stumbling into a pitfall one day?
After lunch, Huo Yan dropped Xu Yinyin off at her office building and said, “Clear your schedule this weekend. I’m taking you to meet some friends.”
Xu Yinyin wasn’t happy about that.
“I was supposed to go skiing with Yiyi on her private jet this weekend! Damn capitalist, always squeezing out every cent’s worth!”
“Are you sure about the weekend? The contract says weekends count as overtime, so the pay doubles,” Xu Yinyin tried to subtly discourage him.
“I’m very sure.” Huo Yan saw right through her little scheme.
The more annoyed she was, the more satisfied he felt.
“Fine, whatever.”
Xu Yinyin got out of the car, exuding resentment.
Even after stepping through the office doors, she still felt annoyed. She turned around and shot Huo Yan’s car a fierce glare.
“Damn you, capitalist dog!”
Only after cursing him did she finally feel better and stride into the office.
Huo Yan chuckled. He only drove away once her figure had completely disappeared.
—
As soon as Xu Yinyin sat down at her desk, Xu Yao popped out of the break room next door, full of curiosity.
“Sis, that meal sure took a while. What were you two talking about?”
“Business. That’s how arranged partnerships work, right?”
“…” Xu Yao was speechless.
He opened his banking app. “Sis, give me your account number. I’ll transfer the money to you.”
Xu Yinyin glanced at his balance—just the fifty million Huo Yan had given him. She suddenly felt bad for him. “Forget it, keep it for yourself. I have twenty times that amount in my account.”
“TWENTY times?! Where did you get that kind of money?” Xu Yao was stunned.
“Allowance from Mom and Dad, plus the 5% shares Grandpa gave me in Fengyi. The dividends alone bring in five hundred million a year. You don’t have that?”
“…” His parents controlled all his finances.
“Ohhh, right! You’re trying to be independent. That means you don’t have access to that money. So, you better treasure every chance to make some extra cash. Once you enter the workforce, even if you earn forty or fifty thousand a month, you’ll still be barely scraping by.”
“Forty or fifty thousand? You call that a salary?” Xu Yao was in complete disbelief.
“Brother, what do you think a salary should be?”
“At least a base salary of a hundred thousand! That’s the average at Fengyi!”
“Ha! You seriously don’t know real-world struggles. ‘Average salary’ means they take both high-level executives and entry-level workers, add up their incomes, and divide by two. Fengyi’s execs make tens of millions a year, while receptionists make ten thousand a month—an industry high. What fantasy world are you living in?”
“WHAT?!”
“You should probably research the job market before spreading your wings, huh?”
Xu Yao shook his head. He really had no clue about the realities of the working world.
“A monthly income of fifty thousand puts you in the top 10% of earners in this country. The rest? Their average salary is around three thousand—no more than that.”
“What the hell? Three thousand bucks isn’t even enough for a meal!”
“Heh, in the future, with that three thousand, you won’t just be eating—you’ll also be paying for rent, utilities, food, transportation, social events, hospital bills, and everything else. If you mess up at work, they’ll deduct your pay. After all the cuts, you’ll barely be left with anything. That means living in a basement, eating expired food, and drinking plain porridge. Tsk tsk, little brother, life is tough. You’d better hold on to that money to stay alive!”
“….” Xu Yao felt like he had just been hit with a million damage points. “Is it really that bad?”
Xu Yinyin caught the naive look in his eyes, sighed, and pulled him out into the office corridor. She pointed at an employee and introduced him, “That’s Xiao Li from the Marketing Department. The one in the suit, with the thickest hair. Graduated from MIT. Makes forty grand a month. Impressive, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Do you know how he got promoted and got a raise?”
“Through hard work and skill?”
“Nope. By desperately sucking up to his boss, marrying his boss’s mistress, covering up their affair, and even offering himself when necessary. That’s how he became the top performer and now earns forty grand a month.”
Xu Yao gasped. “Holy crap!”
“An MIT degree is pretty impressive, huh? And yet, in the end, he still had to lower himself to reality.”
“Now, look over there—see that guy in the custom-tailored suit, wearing handmade Italian leather shoes? Looks all high-class, right? That’s the Procurement Department manager, the grandson of our company’s major shareholder, Yu Lang. Graduated from some no-name university, has no skills whatsoever, yet makes 150,000 a month and even gets company dividends at the end of the year.”
“That’s… so unfair.”
“This is the adult world. Fairness has never been absolute. Some people are born with everything that others have to spend their entire lives fighting for, while others struggle all their lives just to keep their stomachs full.”
Xu Yinyin looked at Xu Yao with a meaningful expression. “But I’m different. I have no dreams, no ambitions. I don’t even need to touch my bank interest to get by. At home, my parents take care of everything. I have people to handle my daily needs, a private car to take me to work, and weekends filled with parties, luxury, and extravagance. Money, to me, is just a bunch of meaningless numbers. But you? You’ll probably never experience this kind of life in your entire lifetime. After all, you insist on making it on your own. Go ahead, fly bravely! Your big sister supports you… in spirit.”
“….” I’m speechless.
“Hahaha, you’re so cruel! You can’t scare the poor kid like this.”
“I’m just stating facts. A spoiled young master like Xu Yao needs to get beaten up by society to understand the harsh reality of the world. Some people just have to hit a wall themselves before they truly get it. As for me? I will never work hard. If I die, I’ll die in my cozy little nest of luxury.”
“Alright, let’s drop this topic. Tell me about Yaoyao. Has she visited her biological mother again?”
“No. Grandpa assigned Yaoyao a new task—she’s working on an AI project with my dad. Nothing unusual so far.”
“What about your uncle?”
“He’s even busier lately. It seems like Grandpa has started shifting some of my mom’s work over to him. Those two are juggling work while secretly battling it out. They barely have time to breathe.”
“Is Grandpa trying to weaken Auntie’s power? Wouldn’t that force her to retaliate?”
“What can she even do at this point? Just dealing with Secretary Sun is already enough to keep her occupied.”
“Sigh, illegal detention, inciting crimes—any single charge could get her five to ten years in prison. If it really comes to that, do you think Xu Yao will break down?”
“Poor Xu Yao…”
Xu Yao clenched his fists. He had foreseen his mother’s downfall a long time ago, but he was just a child—powerless to change anything. If it really came to that, she would have no one to blame but herself.
“Sis, do you hate my mom?” Xu Yao suddenly asked, his eyes filled with uncertainty.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because she’s always going against Uncle, and she even had something shady going on with my aunt’s husband. She’s caused so much chaos in the Xu family. I know Grandpa has been tolerating her for a long time, but she never repents, never restrains herself. Sooner or later, she’ll bring about her own downfall. She’s terrible, but… I just can’t bring myself to hate her. Because she’s my mom. She gave me life.”
“Ahh, this is heartbreaking… poor Xu Yao.”
Xu Yinyin pulled him into a hug, gently patting his back in comfort. “We’re the younger generation. The conflicts between Auntie and the family are from the previous generation, and they’re her own choices. Xu Yao, no matter what happens to her, it’s not your fault. Just remember that, okay?”
“Mm… I understand now, Sis. Thank you.”
“Ah Yao, you’re even better than you think. If you want to chase your dreams, go for it! Worst case scenario, I’ll take care of you. And hey, don’t forget—you’ve got a new brother-in-law now too!”
“That’s true.” Xu Yao chuckled softly, his heart warming with gratitude.
That Friday night, Huo Yan did something unusual—he called up his old friends for a meetup. Four grown men gathered in a private room at an upscale club, sipping fine liquor and chatting.
After some casual small talk, the group started to dig for the real reason behind Huo Yan’s sudden invitation.
“Huo Yan, it’s rare for you to be the one organizing a get-together. Don’t tell me you have some big news to announce?” Wang Xun raised an eyebrow at him, eyes full of curiosity.
“Let me guess—could it be that the ice has finally thawed? Are you about to rub it in our faces, us three lonely bachelors?” He Yang teased.
“Hey, hey, don’t lump me in with you guys. I’m about to get out of the single life,” Ji Kai said smugly.
“Pfft, yeah right. Your ‘golden canary’ already flew away. What are you showing off for?”
Ji Kai just smiled without a word, leisurely taking a sip of his drink. His expression seemed to say, You mere mortals just wouldn’t understand.
“Oh? What’s this? You’ve got something new going on?”
He Yang leaned in mischievously, grabbed Ji Kai by the collar, and sniffed. “So? Which new flower is it this time?”
“Get lost! She’s a genuine artist!” Ji Kai lifted his chin slightly, looking incredibly smug.
“An artist taking a liking to a rich playboy like you? Everyone knows about your past keeping mistresses. Would a highbrow, proud artist accept that?”
“Exactly. I think you must be delusional!” Wang Xun scoffed.
“Scram, don’t pry into my personal affairs. Tonight’s main focus is A’Yan, not me.”
Reminded by Ji Kai, the two quickly turned their attention back. “Right, right, right! Let’s interrogate A’Yan first, then we’ll get to you.”
All three pairs of eyes landed on Huo Yan, full of curiosity.
Huo Yan swirled his wine glass lightly. The warm orange light cast a glow on the amber liquid, and through the refraction of the crystal glass, his overly elegant hand seemed to shimmer with brilliance.
As he rotated his wrist, the deep blue gemstone cufflinks gleamed, complementing his relaxed, nonchalant demeanor—the perfect image of an aristocratic gentleman.
The sight made the three men sigh inwardly: Damn, when Nuwa created Huo Yan, she must have played favorites to the extreme. How can one person be flawless in every way? Tsk!
“My grandmother arranged a marriage partner for me. I think I’ll settle down,” he said casually, dropping a bombshell as if it were nothing.
“Huh?!!”
All three widened their eyes in shock.
“Wait, you’re agreeing to it just like that?!”
“Who is she? Who’s the lucky lady who plucked the snow lotus from our mountaintop?”
“A’Yan, if your grandma forced you into this, just blink twice. We’d stake everything to rescue you from this misery!”
Listening to their exaggerated reactions, Huo Yan chuckled. “What, you guys think I’m supposed to be a monk?”
“Aren’t you?” they answered in unison.
“…”
Wang Xun stroked his chin. “No, not a monk—more like a suspected homosexual.”
The other two nodded vigorously.
“Get lost!” Huo Yan lifted a long leg and kicked Wang Xun.
“Think about it—since childhood, you’ve had flocks of beautiful girls chasing after you, but have you ever cared about any of them? You made countless little girls cry. When you got older, your popularity skyrocketed, but you still kept your distance. You even switched out all your secretaries for male ones, claiming it was to avoid trouble. Heh, if that’s not suspicious, I don’t know what is.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s weird—whenever you show up, there’s not a single female mosquito around, let alone women. It’s hard not to overthink it.”
Ji Kai suddenly sat up straight and asked warily, “A’Yan… could it be that your fiancée is actually a woman disguised as a man?”
It was obvious Ji Kai had some personal trauma.
“Holy shit, that’s wild! You really think outside the box!” Wang Xun gave him a thumbs-up.
Huo Yan shot him a glare. “Sounds like you’ve had experience with that?”
Ji Kai’s back stiffened as the ghosts of his past came haunting back.
He forced a laugh. “Forget I said anything. I’ll shut up now!”
The three exchanged glances, convinced he was hiding something.
“Drink! Let’s drink!” Ji Kai quickly raised his glass, trying to divert attention.
If these guys ever found out about his past mishap, they’d mock him for life—no, they’d probably engrave it on his tombstone so his descendants could also laugh at him for generations.
Just imagining it made him shudder.
So, even if he were beaten to death, he couldn’t spill the truth!
“Anyway, back to the topic—who’s your fiancée? When do we get to meet our sister-in-law?” He Yang was impatient.
“The eldest granddaughter of the Fengyi Group—Xu Yinyin,” Huo Yan answered succinctly.
“WHAT?!!”
“PUH—”
Two shocked gasps rang out, along with Ji Kai’s dramatic spit-take.
“Cough, cough, cough—” Ji Kai nearly choked himself to death.
Of all people, why did it have to be Xu Yinyin?! That woman was the ultimate gossip enthusiast!
Oh no, his secret was about to be exposed! Someone save him!!!
“A’Kai, that’s an over-the-top reaction. Sure, Xu Yinyin has an unusual background, but the Xu and Huo families have been close for years. A marriage alliance isn’t surprising. Is that really worth spitting out your drink over?”
Xu Yinyin’s grand homecoming banquet had been extravagant, attended by all their parents, so they were well aware of the details.
“I just happened to choke, that’s all.”
Huo Yan eyed him suspiciously, sensing he was hiding something. “You’ve met Yinyin before, haven’t you?”
Ji Kai cleared his throat and dodged the question. “Last week, I went to Yan family’s racetrack with some friends. We ran into her there. She’s pretty and has a great personality. The ladies in our circle adore her.”
“Is that so?” Huo Yan still had doubts.
Then he recalled something—Ji Kai had been evasive about his own love life, had just made that weird remark about crossdressing, and Xu Yinyin was known for digging up everyone’s skeletons.
Tsk, now he was really curious—what dirt did she have on Ji Kai?
“You all know how cliquey the young ladies in our circle can be. The fact that they welcomed her so easily says a lot about her charm.”
“Then that means she has an outgoing personality and should be easy for us to get along with, right?”
“You know, the biggest reason brothers drift apart after marriage is because of their wives. If a wife disapproves of her husband’s friends, no matter how tight the bond, the group eventually falls apart.”
“Exactly, which is why we all made an unspoken pact to stay single. That’s next-level brotherhood!”
“Pfft! Can you have some shame? You just can’t accept giving up your playboy lifestyle for a woman—don’t use us as your excuse.”
Wang Xun mercilessly exposed He Yang’s shamelessness.
“I call it ‘life is short, so enjoy it while you can.’ I could never live like A’Yan, all serious and disciplined like a monk—not even for a minute.”
The group collectively scoffed at him in disdain.
“Alright, enough nonsense. Keep this weekend free—we’re flying to R Country to go skiing.”
“The hell? Flying to R Country just to ski? My family’s private ski resort spans thousands of acres—is that not enough for you?” He Yang looked at Huo Yan like he had lost his mind.
“Consider it an excuse to take the jet out for a spin. So, are you in or not?”
“I’m in! I’m in!” Wang Xun responded enthusiastically.
“Just the four of us?” Ji Kai asked, feeling uneasy.
“I’m bringing Yinyin along.”
The other two immediately let out a long, teasing “Ohhhhhh~~~”
Their gazes were filled with mischief.
Ji Kai hesitated—he really didn’t want to run into the “Gossip Queen.”
“A’Kai, you don’t look too thrilled. Is there something you’re not telling us?” Wang Xun finally picked up on his strange behavior.
“You’re not… afraid to see our sister-in-law, are you? What, do you two have some kind of conflict?” He Yang speculated.
As Huo Yan glanced over, Ji Kai quickly waved his hands in denial. “No way! We only met once—how could we possibly have a conflict?”
“Then why are you hesitating?”
Wang Xun smirked and leaned in. “Wait… don’t tell me you want to bring a girlfriend too?”
“No, it’s not that fast.”
“The more mysterious you act, the more I want to meet your girl. I hate being kept in suspense—if you keep this up, I’ll just have someone look into it tomorrow.” He Yang was impatient as ever.
“No investigating! If you dare to dig into my business, I’ll cut ties with you.”
“Fine, fine! Daddy won’t investigate. You’re still my good little son.”
“Screw you.”
The two started wrestling like children.
Huo Yan watched Ji Kai’s unusual behavior, growing even more curious about what he was hiding.
Why didn’t he have a gossip-loving little troublemaker like Xu Yinyin by his side? She was pretty entertaining, honestly. Tsk.
Sansukini: I started a new translation. I would appreciate if you could add it to your read later list. It’s a 70’s/80’s era rebirth novel. It’s written by the same author of Bai Fumei in the 70’s. Click the title link for the chapters.
I also finished a novel last week, please check it out **I’ll Share the Bed with You**
In her past life, due to an unexpected drowning accident, Ye Qingshui, a village girl, was forced to marry a male educated youth from the city who had no choice but to wed her to quell the rumors. However, married life was far from the happiness she had imagined.
The man divorced her in order to return to his hometown, leaving her with nothing, even losing her child.
Reborn and given another chance, Ye Qingshui has realized the truth—if a man wants to leave, let him roll away as far as he pleases.
Wait, not so fast! Before he goes, there’s still that little child who has yet to arrive—her precious baby.
A naive but beautiful village girl VS a wealthy and handsome man who was set up in marriage
- A sweet romance with a focus on food, 1V1, and really fragrant face-slapping moments.
- The male lead was never a scumbag in both lives.
- Why the ML left her was a mystery, there were a lot of things she didn’t know but would understand later.
Tags: Food, Rebirth, Healing, Sweet Romance, Historical Setting, 70’s era
Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)
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