Lin Qian looked toward the door and saw Candy dressed in a pink princess dress, her face half-hidden by sunglasses as she trotted over to her with her short little legs.
A few black-clad bodyguards were following behind her.
Lin Qian quickly handed the clothes to a colleague nearby and crouched down to lift the soft and fragrant little one into her arms, taking off her sunglasses and ruffling her soft hair.
"Candy, did you come here by yourself again?"
Did the little one come to buy a gift for Yin Moran?
She must have sneaked out again.
"Nope, the butler grandpa knew, and the bodyguard uncle came with me."
Candy, leaning in Lin Qian's arms, smiled and tugged at the small bag slung across her body, "Mommy, Candy has money, can you help me pick out a gift for daddy later?"
She wanted to see Mommy, so she called her brother to ask where Mommy was.
Brother said Mommy went to work to earn money to support him.
So, she asked him for the address of Mommy's workplace and came here to buy things to help Mommy make money.
She wanted to make Mommy earn lots and lots of money.
After all, her daddy had money to burn!
"Okay, what kind of gift do you want to buy for your daddy?"
Lin Qian smiled and asked Candy, holding her hand, amidst the astonished looks from everyone around.
"The more expensive, the better."
Lin Qian: "..."
Was this little one serious?
"Ahem, Candy, it's not about the price being suitable for your daddy. Think about it, what does he really want?"
"I know! Daddy most wants Candy to be happy, and Candy's happiness depends on Mommy being happy. If Mommy makes money, isn't she happy? So, Mommy, just sell me a few of the most expensive things in your store, okay?"
Lin Qian: "..."
Everyone: "..."
What a considerate little cotton jacket she was!
They all wanted to take her home!
"Ahem, Candy, how about this, Auntie will help you pick out a few gifts, and you can see if you like them?"
"As long as Mommy picks them, both I and daddy will definitely like them."
"..."
Lin Qian's heart melted as she took the little one around the shop, choosing clothes and shoes and bags suitable for Yin Moran.
Qiao Xiya, standing aside, watched the interaction between the two, her exquisite face turning pale.
Candy kept calling Lin Qian 'Mommy' and didn't even glance at her, completely ignoring her presence.
It was a blatant slap in her face.
If everyone knew that Yin Moran's daughter called Lin Qian Mommy, then her deliberate spreading of rumors that she was Yin Moran's girlfriend would turn into a laughingstock.
Sure enough, the onlookers had already started gossiping.
"Hey, hey, I didn't quite understand. Is this Lin Qian's daughter? But I remember Lin Qian only has a son, right?"
"Yeah! This little girl is so delicate and comes with bodyguards, she doesn't look like a child from an ordinary family."
"Ha-ha, you guys obviously don't know. I once had the privilege of seeing Yin Moran and he had a baby in his arms at the time, and she was so delicate that I remember it vividly. Guess who this little girl is?"
"What? You mean, the little girl who just called Lin Qian Mommy is Yin Moran's daughter?"
"..."
Everyone was shocked, their eyes scanning Qiao Xiya's now ugly complexion with curiosity.
Qiao Xiya had always claimed publicly to be Yin Moran's girlfriend.
But Yin Moran's daughter called Lin Qian "Mommy."
So, what exactly was Yin Moran's attitude towards the two?
As Qiao Xiya listened to the scattered discussions of the crowd, her freshly done nails nearly snapped.
She had come today to humiliate Lin Qian, yet unexpectedly, she had been the one to face embarrassment!
"Qiao, we still have an engagement this afternoon. What do you think..."
Qiao Xiya's assistant knew very well the relationship between Qiao Xiya and Yin Moran.
Yin Moran had never acknowledged Qiao Xiya as his girlfriend.
He gave her resources and indulged her capriciousness, merely for the sake of Qiao Xiya's deceased sister.
Furthermore, the young princess of the Yin Family had no fondness for Qiao Xiya.
Looking at the situation today, her assistant predicted her days wouldn't be easy.
"What engagement? Cancel them all and say I'm not feeling well."
As expected, Qiao Xiya glared fiercely at her, beginning to slack off at work.
The assistant had no choice but to wait until the young mistress had vented her anger before attempting to soothe her with kind words.
Shen Bing, standing on one side, looked at Qiao Xiya's ugly expression, quickly poured a cup of water, and walked over to offer it to her.
"Miss Qiao, have a cup of water to cool down. Your status is noble. Don't lower yourself to the level of those beneath you."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiya turned her gaze to Shen Bing, examining her with a haughty and disdainful air.
She took the water cup and spoke faintly, "You don't like Lin Qian?"
This woman's words were filled with flattery towards herself and disparagement of Lin Qian; it was clear she did not like Lin Qian.
"Yes, I can't stand her behavior."
Shen Bing feigned indignation, "Miss Qiao, that Lin Qian is a real schemer. She hasn't been here long and has already taken the opportunity to deliver clothes to Mr. Yin to get close to him. Moreover, she used some method to make Mr. Yin's daughter stick to her like glue. Miss Qiao, in my eyes, Mr. Yin and you are the perfect match. Lin Qian is nothing but an ignorant vixen and a poor wretch."
The words caused Qiao Xiya's complexion to change repeatedly.
Her gaze shifted to the large and small figures who were already gathering a pile of items, her eyes filled with a cold light as sharp as poisoned arrows, wishing she could immediately kill Lin Qian.
"All right, Candy, buying so many gifts for your daddy should be enough, right?"
Lin Qian held a heap of pricey items in her arms, finding herself somewhat unable to keep up with the little tyke's shopping spree.
"Mommy, you're so virtuous. If Daddy could marry you, he would be the happiest man in the world."
Candy's flattery patted Lin Qian's ego, leaving her amused and exasperated.
This little devil, why so adorable!
But, fulfilling her wish seemed an impossibility.
After all, her real boyfriend had just shown her a bit of attitude!
Lin Qian could feel a burning gaze without even looking, knowing it was the death stare from Qiao Xiya.
"Candy, shall we check out then?"
"Sure!"
The two headed to the checkout counter, only to be blocked by Qiao Xiya.
"Candy, stop this nonsense, this woman is nothing but a lowly sales clerk. How can you call her 'Mommy'? Also, are these clothes and accessories her picks? Your daddy has good taste; he certainly wouldn't approve of her choices. Put these things back right away."
This Yin Xiaoxuan, she was like a plague sent by the heavens to oppose her.
Truly vexing!
"She is my Mommy. I want my Mommy to pick things out for Daddy. It's none of your business."
Candy pouted at Qiao Xiya and continued walking forward, tugging her along.
"Stop right there."
Qiao Xiya was irate but couldn't vent her frustration on Candy, so she had no choice but to take it out on Lin Qian.
"Lin Qian, you've got some nerve! For the sake of your own sales performance, you actually dare to encourage a three to four-year-old child to spend a fortune. I think you don't want to work in the luxury industry anymore, do you?"