After leaving President Cheng’s office, Mu Lian immediately called her team together for a meeting. She passed along the project details and placed special emphasis on the non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
“Everyone present needs to sign this Non-Disclosure Agreement,” Mu Lian said. “Please make sure to read through it carefully before signing.”
“Tiantian, please hand out the agreements to everyone.”
“Got it, Director,” replied her assistant, Tiantian, as she distributed the copies to the three team members.
The trio exchanged glances, whispering among themselves in low voices.
Photographer Zhang remarked, “Signing an NDA? That’s quite a grand posture to strike.”
Art Director Zhao chimed in, “Well, she has the standing to pull that off. Don’t tell me you don’t even know who she is?”
Photographer Zhang replied, “Of course I know. Who doesn’t know President Ye? It’s just that nobody’s ever seen what she actually looks like in person. Now’s our chance to see if this big figure is a beauty, or…”
“Alright, alright! Just sign it,” Director Zhao cut in. “Cut the chatter.”
Designer Chen sat with her head down, staring at the opened agreement, remaining silent the entire time. After skimming through the document at a glance, she raised her pen and signed her name in the designated spot.
An hour later, the meeting adjourned.
Mu Lian had a habit of keeping her meetings brief. She would clearly cover the necessary points and guide the team to discuss and find the most reasonable solutions for any issues. Efficiency was her top priority, aiming never to waste anyone’s precious time.
As the meeting wrapped up, the team members filed out of the room one by one.
Mu Lian stood up from her executive chair. As she reached for her documents and phone on the desk, her muted phone lit up with a WeChat notification. In the brief split-second it took her to unlock the screen, two more messages popped up in succession.
All three messages came from the same person, a account manager from the Customer Service department.
Zhao Lan: [Lianlian, did you get the instructions on your side too?]
Zhao Lan: [I just heard some juicy gossip about this big shot, super, super mind-blowing! Do you want to hear it?]
Zhao Lan: [Promise me first that you won’t tell a soul.]
In the company, the Customer Service and Creative departments maintained a good relationship, and Mu Lian’s relationship with Zhao Lan went even deeper than what met the eye on the surface.
Mu Lian’s thick eyelashes fluttered. Without a second thought, she immediately typed back a “Yes.”
Mu Lian: [Sure.]
Mu Lian: [I promise I won’t tell anyone.]
Zhao Lan: [To put it briefly, this President Ye is a lesbian.]
Zhao Lan: [Not only is she into women, but rumors say she even got involved with her own sister-in-law.]
Zhao Lan: [What’s even wilder is that to be with her sister-in-law, she didn’t hesitate to ship her twin brother off abroad and banned him from coming back.]
Zhao Lan: [Let me know when you’ve read this so I can unsend it.]
“!!” Mu Lian’s clear, dark eyes widened instantly as she stared at the stream of messages filling the chat box.
In less than a hundred words, the information was overwhelming. Mu Lian digested the text as quickly as she could, remaining skeptical.
Mu Lian: [Okay, I’ve read it.]
The moment her message sent, Zhao Lan immediately recalled all the gossip messages on the other end, leaving not a single trace behind.
Zhao Lan: [So? Isn’t that gossip wild?]
Mu Lian: [Aren’t those just rumors, though?]
Zhao Lan: [Well, as the saying goes, ‘there’s no smoke without fire’, there must be a reason behind it. Otherwise, why would such rumors start out of nowhere?]
Mu Lian: [What are you having for dinner? Want to grab a bite together?]
Zhao Lan: [Yay! I want to eat crawfish!]
Zhao Lan: [I actually wanted to invite you out yesterday, but who knew you’d get pulled into overtime on a big weekend… Poor you (hug)]
Mu Lian: [OK.]
Mu Lian: [Let’s connect after work.]
Mu Lian stared blankly at their chat window. The rims of her eyes gradually turned red, and moisture welled up in her gaze.
Mu Lian didn’t understand why she suddenly felt like crying. Taking a deep breath, she forced back the tears.
She berated herself fiercely in her heart for being overly affectionate!
She and that high and mighty President Ye no longer had anything to do with each other. To be precise, they had never truly had any real relationship to begin with.
Someone like President Ye had both wealth and looks, she could be with whomever she wanted. Mu Lian had no right to be angry, let alone any reason to feel heartbroken.
The rain had fallen through the night, only coming to a complete stop during the early hours before dawn.
At the charity gala, Ye Yinfeng had drunk quite a bit. The champagne was a carefully selected vintage reserved specifically for the banquet, and its aftereffects were rather potent.
Having just fallen asleep, Ye Yinfeng was awoken by a series of urgent knocks on her door.
“President Ye! Oh no, Miss Liu says her stomach hurts!”
Hearing a pregnant woman complain of abdominal pain naturally made Ye Yinfeng tense up. Despite being heavy with sleep, she immediately pulled off the covers, got out of bed, threw on an outer jacket, and hurried out of the bedroom.
After rushing her to her family’s private hospital, Ye Yinfeng accompanied Liu Yi through a color Doppler ultrasound, blood tests, and other relevant examinations. Fortunately, there was no major issue.
Even though it wasn’t serious, Liu Yi still occasionally complained of pain. Unable to set her mind at ease, Ye Yinfeng stayed behind to keep vigil by her bedside.
This ordeal lasted the entire night.
The next morning, at the VIP ward of Dingxian Private Hospital.
One of the windows was propped open, letting in a gentle summer breeze. It lightly brushed against a bouquet of lilies in a vase, dispersing their subtle, elegant fragrance through the air.
On the hospital bed, Liu Yi sat leaning back against the headboard, dressed in a blue-and-white striped hospital gown. She had her head lowered, sipping swallow-nest soup. It had taken her over half an hour, and she still hadn’t finished a single bowl.
Beside the bed, Ye Yinfeng sat erect in a tailored suit, a look of displeasure crossing her features.
Tilting her head slightly, Ye Yinfeng tugged impatiently at her tie, trying to soothe her restless mood.
The woman’s face remained cold as she questioned, “Why were you drinking in the middle of the night?”
Liu Yi said playfully, “No real reason, I just felt like having a drink.”
Ye Yinfeng’s brows furrowed tightly as she scolded in a low voice, “You can’t drink alcohol during pregnancy. Don’t you even have that basic common sense?”
“Or rather, you did it on purpose.”
Liu Yi handed the bowl back to the caregiver beside her, took a tissue from the worker, and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her head lowered.
“I’m seven months pregnant now and already in my late third trimester. What’s wrong with having a little drink?”
Ye Yinfeng refused to argue, saying in a cold voice, “This cannot happen a second time. Otherwise, pack up and get yourself back to the Liu family.”
Liu Yi countered, “You care about this child that much?”
Ye Yinfeng let out a cold snort. “Of course.”
This was her twin brother’s flesh and blood, as his elder sister, how could she not care?
Liu Yi smiled bitterly. “Don’t worry, there won’t be a next time.”
Ye Yinfeng said, “Get some proper rest. I’m heading back to the company.”
With that, Ye Yinfeng stood up from her chair. Turning around, she began walking toward the exit.
Liu Yi raised her face to gaze at Ye Yinfeng’s back, raising her voice slightly: “Sister!”
“Can’t you stay and keep me company a little longer?”
Ye Yinfeng paused in her tracks and replied neutrally, “The caregiver and nurses are both here. They will stay by your side 24 hours a day.”
With a look of reluctance, Liu Yi called out softly to Ye Yinfeng again, stopping herself mid-sentence.
“Sister…”
There was so much she wanted to say, yet bound by her current status, many words simply couldn’t be uttered and had to remain buried deep inside her heart.
Ye Yinfeng kept her back to Liu Yi, hesitated for a moment, and reassured her, “I’ll come visit you again tonight.”
Leaving those words behind, Ye Yinfeng continued forward without turning back, the crisp click-clack of her high heels echoing as she approached the ward door.
Liu Yi’s brows instantly brightened with joy. She gently stroked her protruding lower abdomen.
“Okay!”
Liu Yi followed her with her eyes the entire way, only reluctantly withdrawing her gaze once that slender, tall silhouette completely vanished beyond the doorway.
She lowered her eyelids slightly, her tender gaze settling on her stomach. The corners of her lips curled up high into a smile glowing with maternal affection.
[My sweet baby, you really are Mommy’s little good luck charm. Mommy is so looking forward to your arrival, I can’t wait to meet you soon.]
It was now 8:00 AM Beijing time.
During the morning peak hour, a Hongqi Guoli (Golden Sunflower series) glided along the congested asphalt road. Measuring six meters long, the vehicle exuded a dominant and formidable aura.
Vehicles on both sides and behind maintained a respectful safety distance, not daring to get too close. This wasn’t just any ordinary multimillion-dollar luxury car, its owner undoubtedly possessed an exceptional social standing.
After all, the Hongqi Golden Sunflower series wasn’t something one could own simply by having money, purchasers had to undergo rigorous political vetting. This meant the owner’s status was far from ordinary: beyond possessing wealth, they required a clean background and an impeccable family lineage.
A ray of morning sunlight filtered through the window glass into the cabin. The interior sported a “Sand Dune Green” and “Dunhuang Beige” color scheme, featuring aviation-grade comfortable seating that showcased Silk Road culture while exuding grand national elegance.
Sunlight splashed across Ye Yinfeng’s weary face. The pale golden aura outlined her features, from her neatly defined brow to her refined nose, tracing down the slight hump along its bridge, and down to her beautifully shaped lips.
Ye Yinfeng wore no makeup today, wearing only a bean-paste date-red lipstick that closely matched her natural lip tone.
The woman methodically re-tied her loosened necktie, her gaze casually drifting outside the window.
The bustling street was packed with people, and a steady stream of diners gathered outside a breakfast shop.
A young girl held a large steamed meat bun, taking big bites with her head down. In her other hand, she held a cup of soy milk, taking occasional sips of the hot drink.
Though it was merely a stranger, Ye Yinfeng’s eyes were drawn to the girl, her expression visibly drifting into a daze.
In an instant, a familiar, beautiful face surfaced in Ye Yinfeng’s mind.
A palm-sized heart-shaped face, a pair of bright, clear almond eyes with elongated, slightly upturned corners. Two sets of dense, naturally curled eyelashes brushed outward like small fans, enhancing her beauty even further.
Right in the middle of her nose bridge rested a tiny, light-tea-colored mole. Whenever she smiled, that mole sparkled like a diamond, radiant and bright. Whenever she cried, it turned into a teardrop, moving anyone to pity.
In a flash, the luxurious, spacious car cabin “transformed” into a cramped rental room, and the Hunan-embroidered “Sea of Clouds” ceiling turned into a moldy, peeling plaster ceiling.
The comfortable, aviation-grade seat beneath Ye Yinfeng turned into a plain plastic stool.
“You like eating these big meat buns?” Ye Yinfeng looked down, glancing at the two steamed buns sitting on the table.
Ye Yinfeng had never seen such massive buns before, just two of them took up the entire plate. However, what Ye Yinfeng didn’t know was that before she moved in, Mu Lian usually just munched on plain steamed bread for breakfast.
Mu Lian crinkled her clear, dark almond eyes with a smile and said, “Because they’re big and filling.”
“One big meat bun costs one yuan and fifty cents, while a small steamed juicy bun costs one yuan. Eating one big meat bun fills me up, but I’d need to eat at least three small ones.”
Ye Yinfeng said, “Eat your breakfast before heading out.”
Mu Lian retrieved a clean plastic bag, picked up a meat bun with her chopsticks, placed it inside, and explained, “I won’t have time, I have to catch the subway.”
“It’s fine, I can just eat the bun on the way.”
Ye Yinfeng hesitated for a moment before asking directly, “Are you very poor?”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement of absolute certainty.
Mu Lian smiled awkwardly and admitted candidly, “It’s alright, just a little poor. But… adding an extra set of bowl and chopsticks for you won’t be a problem.”
Ye Yinfeng reminded her, “Take this cup of soy milk with you to drink on the way.”
Mu Lian waved her hand repeatedly. “No need, no need! Carrying soy milk is inconvenient. If it spills on my clothes, I’m ruined, I have to meet a very important client today.”
“I’m heading out now!”
Ye Yinfeng said softly, “Be safe on the road.”
Mu Lian pointed her chin toward the cup of soy milk on the table and instructed, “Remember to drink that soy milk.”
Ye Yinfeng gave a gentle smile. “Okay.”
Looking at the unappetizing meat bun on the plate, Ye Yinfeng’s two naturally long, slender brows knit together bit by bit. Even though she had now fallen on hard times to the point of relying on someone else to support her, her picky eating habits couldn’t be cured overnight.
After hesitating for a moment, Ye Yinfeng reached out, picked up the meat bun from the plate, took a small bite, and tried to chew it.
As expected, it tasted awful.
Her instinct was to spit out that mouthful of meat bun.
This was, without a doubt, the worst meat bun Ye Yinfeng had ever tasted in her entire life.