At the beginning of October, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ni Yang brought Cotton Candy back to Yinshuang Manor early in the morning.
He Siyu was still overseas, so she returned alone.
The moment Ling Xiaoye saw Cotton Candy, he became incredibly excited. The little boy and the puppy played joyfully across the manor lawn.
Ni Yang and Madam Ling sat together on a double hanging basket swing nearby.
“Siyu called us this morning to apologize. He said he still can’t come back for now, but once he returns, he’ll definitely have a meal together with you and us.”
Madam Ling gazed absentmindedly at her precious girl.
How had she gotten married so quickly already?
“He’ll be back in a few more days.”
Ni Yang leaned against Madam Ling’s shoulder and softly rubbed against her affectionately.
“Do you two usually call each other?”
“We do. Whenever we have time, we video chat. I can’t let him miss Cotton Candy’s growth period. I want him to feel involved.”
The swing creaked gently back and forth.
Not far away were the laughing figures of Little Ye being chased around by Cotton Candy.
The sunlight was bright, and large clouds floated across the sky.
Madam Ling smiled.
“It sounds like you two are getting along pretty well. Your uncle and I were worried you wouldn’t be able to adapt to He Siyu’s old-fashioned personality.”
Ni Yang suddenly realized that everyone’s first impression of He Siyu seemed to be that he was rigid and old-fashioned.
But he was clearly an attentive and warm man. He did not match the word “old-fashioned” at all.
“Auntie, he’s not old-fashioned. He’s especially thoughtful. The studio at Yutang Villa is extremely similar to the one at my home. If he didn’t care, how could he possibly have gone that far?”
Madam Ling looked surprised.
“That’s very good then. As long as he treats you sincerely.”
“He’s very sincere.”
At noon, the family ate a reunion meal together.
Close to five in the afternoon, Ni Yang left Cotton Candy at the manor and headed alone to the He Family old residence by car.
On a holiday meant for family reunion, the old residence had become lively long ago.
The siblings of Old Master He and Old Madam He had all returned. The parking area outside the gates was filled with luxury cars.
The moment Ni Yang stepped out of the car, a butler immediately led servants over to carry the gifts she brought.
As she entered through the gates and walked past arched bridges and long corridors, people constantly sized her up from every direction.
Uncle Zheng followed beside her, quietly introducing everyone.
“The one wearing red is the son of Old Master’s younger sister. His name is Shang Chang. He’s still in university.”
“The ones sitting in the pavilion over there are Old Master’s older sister’s son and daughter. Both are currently working at the grassroots level in Yi An.”
“The one over there making a phone call is Old Master’s younger brother’s son, He Jinbai. He’s a vice president at Yi An.”
The farther they walked inside, the more people there were.
For the first time in her life, Ni Yang felt social anxiety.
Every face was unfamiliar.
She headed straight toward the main hall. Old Master He and Old Madam He were currently drinking tea and chatting with the uncles and elders.
The moment Old Madam He saw her, she stood up and personally went to greet her.
When she noticed the prayer beads she had gifted resting on Ni Yang’s wrist, she felt immensely gratified.
Smiling brightly, she introduced Ni Yang to everyone.
“Yangyang—you all met her at the engagement banquet. She’s Siyu’s wife. Siyu is still away on a business trip, so don’t any of you think about bullying my granddaughter-in-law while he’s absent. If your grandfather and I find out, then don’t bother returning to the old residence ever again.”
In front of all the relatives eyeing the He Family greedily, Old Madam He directly established Ni Yang’s position in both her and Old Master He’s hearts.
Bullying her was equivalent to giving up future inheritance rights within the He Family.
The moment those words came out, Ni Yang’s standing within the He Family instantly became second only to the three people currently in power.
The smiles on Wen Shuhua and He Chuanhan’s faces failed to reach their eyes.
The two old people’s favoritism had practically reached outer space already.
An outsider who had only just married into the family could receive such honor.
Then what were they, the people who had worked themselves half to death for the He Family?
Just pitiful fools?
He Rong, Old Master He’s younger brother, laughed and said,
“Sister-in-law, you’re joking. Yangyang isn’t just Siyu’s wife—she’s also President Ni’s precious treasure. Who would dare bully her? Anyone who does must be tired of living.”
Someone else quickly chimed in.
“Exactly. Besides, I haven’t seen those heirloom prayer beads in many years. Today, thanks to Siyu’s wife, we finally got to see this treasure worth billions again.”
Old Madam He held Ni Yang’s hand and guided her to sit beside her.
Ni Yang calmly swept her gaze across everyone’s expressions around the room.
There were truly undercurrents flowing everywhere within the He Family.
From the moment she entered, every single person had stared at the item on her wrist.
The expressions on their faces had been incredibly colorful.
Resentment.
Greed.
Confusion.
Hatred.
Envy.
There were not many situations in life where someone could witness so many emotions all at once.
Yet one Mid-Autumn banquet at the He Family displayed all of them perfectly.
Out of politeness, Ni Yang greeted each elder one by one.
The graceful fake smile on her face practically became permanent.
During dinner that evening, someone drank too much and accidentally let something slip.
“Chuanhan, your hands are reaching too far. Is the London branch something you should even be coveting? You planted so many of your own people into management—what exactly are you trying to do? Seize power? That branch was personally saved by your son. It’s now one of the top companies in London. How dare you touch it?”
The moment those words fell, the entire room went silent.
Everyone turned to look at He Chuanhan.
His brows were tightly furrowed, and his body trembled uncontrollably while he lowered his head, not daring to meet Old Master He’s eyes.
In that instant, Wen Shuhua finally understood what He Siyu had meant that day.
His trip to London had been to remove the people his father secretly inserted into the company.
She had known absolutely nothing about it.
Over the past few days, He Chuanhan’s temper had been terrible. She originally thought someone within Yi An had offended him.
Now she understood.
His plan had been exposed and had failed.
Idiot.
Of all companies to touch, he just had to target the London branch.
That was the company Old Master He valued the most.
After He Siyu took over, he had rescued it from the brink of bankruptcy with astonishing methods.
Over the past few years, it had achieved an unbelievable status in London.
Old Master He slammed his chopsticks down heavily onto the table.
The loud sound startled Ni Yang so badly that her body shook.
Seeing that, Old Madam He gently patted her hand reassuringly.
“Chuanhan, are you truly that dissatisfied that I handed the company to Siyu?”
“Tell me honestly. Do you hate me, your father?”
Old Master He’s voice remained calm, without obvious anger.
He simply spoke to He Chuanhan in the most even tone possible.
Yet somehow, it seemed to have stepped directly onto the man’s tail.
He suddenly lifted his head.
Those eyes, identical to Old Master He’s, glared resentfully and darkly at his father seated above them, whose aura remained imposing despite his old age.
He stood up and laughed bitterly as he questioned the man before him.
“Hate? Of course I hate you.”
“You were the one who abandoned me first. You were the one who turned me into what I am today.”
“I’m your son. Why didn’t you think of me first?”
“You taught all your abilities to He Siyu—that bastard who should never have been born.”
“Why?”
“I’m his father, yet I have to work under my own son. Even investing in a project requires me to look at his expression first.”
“Every single investment proposal I submitted was rejected by that beast He Siyu.”
“Where am I supposed to put my pride?”