“Ah Ye, Sheng Sheng is allergic to mangoes. You’ve been with her this long and you didn’t even know that?”
Duan Yunning’s expression didn’t look too good. Her brows were furrowed, clearly displeased.
Shi Sheng instinctively tried to placate Madam Duan:
“Ah Ye is usually quite busy with work…”
“So what if he’s busy? Is being busy an excuse?” Duan Yunning said indignantly. “You just don’t care about Sheng Sheng! If Sheng Sheng runs away, what are you going to do then?”
After saying that, Duan Yunning realized what she’d just said and spat three times herself:
“Forget it, we can’t be saying such inauspicious things from now on.”
She shot a sideways glare at Qi Ye:
“What are you standing there in a daze for? Hurry up and apologize to Sheng Sheng!”
In the spacious villa living room, the atmosphere sank to something terrifying.
Qi Ye’s expression was gloomy. Those sharp, peach-blossom eyes stared at Shi Sheng, his face sour as could be.
Shi Sheng: “…”
Damn it. She was just a kept canary—how could she possibly let her sugar daddy apologize to her? Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?
Qi Ye wasn’t willing, and naturally, Shi Sheng wasn’t either.
She gently grabbed Duan Yunning’s arm: “How about we just let it go… Madam Duan, it’s not a big deal. Next time I’ll remind Ah Ye.”
“No!” Duan Yunning waved her hand and said earnestly, “Sheng Sheng, you’re just too lenient with him. Men all need to be trained. If you keep indulging him like this, Qi Ye will end up turning the world upside down!”
Shi Sheng awkwardly lowered her hand: “Haha, is that so…”
But the problem was that Qi Ye wasn’t her man at all. At best, the two of them had an employer-employee relationship. Since when did employers apologize to their employees?
Shi Sheng was trembling with anxiety, feeling like her job as a lookalike canary was hanging by a thread.
Qi Ye was equally unwilling:
“Mom, so what if it’s a mango allergy? What’s the big deal about me not remembering?”
Duan Yunning’s anger grew even more: “You…”
Before Duan Yunning could finish her sentence, a voice came from the other end of the sofa:
“Apologize to her.”
Shi Sheng was startled and looked up toward the opposite side.
Duan Yujing sat with his legs crossed, holding a cup of tea still steaming with hot air in his hand.
Those deep, dark eyes hidden behind his glasses looked at Qi Ye with calm indifference.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Qi Ye said in disbelief:
“Brother?”
Duan Yujing repeated himself:
“Apologize to her.”
Qi Ye clenched his fist secretly, but in the end, he didn’t dare defy his order. He obediently apologized to Shi Sheng:
“I’m sorry, Sheng Sheng. I’ll pay more attention next time.”
As he said this, Qi Ye’s peach-blossom eyes stared at her, as if in warning.
Shi Sheng pretended not to see it and barely managed to stay calm as she nodded: “It’s fine.”
It was anything but fine.
That bastard was definitely going to find some new way to torment her once they got back.
Shi Sheng wanted to cry but had no tears.
Still, she knew that ever since Duan Yujing had spoken up today, there was no turning back.
Duan Yujing was the firstborn of their family. Qi Mingde, the head of the Qi family, respected his wife’s wishes and let him take the mother’s surname.
Duan Yujing was three years older than Qi Ye. Gifted since childhood, he had taken over the family company as soon as he came of age. Now, his say in the Qi family surpassed even Qi Mingde’s.
So Qi Ye—that scumbag rich second-generation, that unruly little tyrant—only ever listened to Duan Yujing.
Shi Sheng suppressed her slightly trembling hands and took a sip of her strawberry milkshake.
Stay steady. Don’t panic.
At worst, she could just cook a few extra meals over the next week, wait on Qi Ye a few more times, and endure the nausea of watching Qi Ye put on a live show of spring scenes for her…
Actually, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Yeah, right!
Just thinking about it was enough to make Shi Sheng want to cry.
Her subsequent chat with Duan Yunning was somewhat distracted, until her phone on the side vibrated twice.
Shi Sheng opened it and saw a message from Qi Ye—
Money but no brains: [Pretty impressive, you managed to win over both my brother and my mom.]
Money but no brains: [How come I never noticed you had this much skill before?]
Shi Sheng’s hand twitched. She turned off her phone, pretended she hadn’t seen anything, and looked up across the room.
Qi Ye was sitting not far away. When their eyes met, he raised an eyebrow slightly and flashed a wicked grin.
Seeing that expression, Shi Sheng knew he would stir up trouble again once they got home tonight.
Whatever. She’d just treat it as entertaining a little kid.
Shi Sheng lowered her head and changed Qi Ye’s contact name.
—Money but no brains little chicken.
Perfect.
Without changing her expression, she continued chatting with Duan Yunning:
“Of course, maybe I could paint a portrait for you later…”
The Qi family’s family banquet was usually held in the evening, because Qi Mingde typically stayed at the company until night before coming home.
So at noon, only the four of them were eating at the Qi residence.
Duan Yunning adored Shi Sheng. Whenever she went out to play cards with her girlfriends, she loved to boast about how beautiful and well-behaved her daughter-in-law was.
She bragged about it so much that all the wealthy ladies in that circle came to know Shi Sheng’s name. After meeting her a few times, their relationships grew even closer.
After lunch, Shi Sheng accompanied Duan Yunning and her girlfriends in an online card game, occasionally offering soft hints. Duan Yunning never lost a single round.
After a few games, the wealthy ladies on the other end protested one after another:
“Yunning, are you cheating? Every time Sheng Sheng is by your side, we can never win.”
“Exactly, I can even hear Sheng Sheng’s voice.”
“No way, if I keep losing like this, I won’t even have money left to buy cosmetics.”
“Sheng Sheng, I know you’re there. Let me tell you, you should take a cab down from the Qi estate and come over to my place. Auntie will make you a big braised pork hock…”
Duan Yunning laughed and cut her off:
“I know exactly what you’re thinking. You just want Sheng Sheng to play cards with you, don’t you? Dream on!”
Shi Sheng pursed her lips and smiled, two small dimples forming on her cheeks, making her look especially endearing. Her voice was crisp and clear:
“Madam Li, another time. Once I have some free time, I’ll come visit you. Today’s family banquet, I can’t get away.”
“Alright, alright, wonderful!”
Duan Yunning laughed and scolded: “You all want to steal my daughter-in-law! Get out of here!”
For a moment, the living room was filled with laughter.
About half an hour later, Duan Yunning bid farewell to her girlfriends and went upstairs to take her beauty nap.
She lovingly stroked Shi Sheng’s hair:
“Have fun outside. If that brat Qi Ye bullies you, come find me and file a complaint.”
Shi Sheng nodded obediently:
“Okay, Madam Duan, go on up.”
Duan Yunning smiled with satisfaction and turned to go upstairs.
The living room fell quiet.
Shi Sheng sat on the sofa, hugging a throw pillow, feeling a bit bored.
Before long, she couldn’t sit still and ran out to the garden to play.
The Qi family garden was very large, filled with flowers both rare and ordinary, and there was even a jujube tree tucked away in a corner.
But it wasn’t the season for jujubes to ripen, so all she could see was lush green leaves.
Shi Sheng stood by the flower bed, her fair fingers reaching toward the rose petals.
Just as she was about to touch them, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes beside her.
Sensing something, Shi Sheng withdrew her hand. The moment she turned her head, a dark shadow appeared before her eyes, charging straight at her!
Startled, Shi Sheng was knocked down, her body falling backward and hitting the ground hard.
“Hiss—”
A warm, wet sensation touched her face. Shi Sheng turned her head with difficulty and saw what was lying on top of her…
It was actually a Tibetan Mastiff!
Shi Sheng’s face instantly turned pale.
She cried out in alarm and tried to scramble up from the ground, but the mastiff pressed down on her firmly, its eyes fixed on Shi Sheng, sending an inexplicable chill down her spine.
Shi Sheng was on the verge of tears.
Just then, a stern voice came from behind her:
“Xiao Qi, come back.”
The mastiff barked once, glanced ahead, then looked down at Shi Sheng. Finally, it nuzzled reluctantly against her neck before hopping off and trotting away with a happy bounce.
Shi Sheng caught her breath and quickly scrambled to her feet.
She turned around and saw Duan Yujing.
The mastiff, with its sleek and glossy coat, lay obediently at his feet, but its dark, shiny eyes were still fixed on Shi Sheng.
She took two fearful steps back, her expression panicked. It took her a long moment before she spoke timidly:
“Brother…”
“Mm.” Duan Yujing acknowledged.
He shooed the mastiff over to the edge of the flower bed, ordered it not to come over, and only then walked toward Shi Sheng.
“Are you hurt?” Duan Yujing asked.
Shi Sheng instinctively touched her elbow. There was a scrape there, and the moment she pressed on it, a burning pain shot through her.
She nodded. “A little, but it’s fine. It doesn’t hurt.”
The moment she finished speaking, Duan Yujing lifted his gaze to look at her.
The man’s eyes were deep and unfathomable. Perhaps because he had held power for so many years, his gaze always seemed stern and intimidating.
Shi Sheng was a little afraid and curled her fingers inward.
Noticing her reaction, Duan Yujing’s body stiffened slightly.
His imposing aura deflated. He looked away and said in a low voice:
“Come on, I’ll take you to get some medicine on it.”
Without waiting for Shi Sheng to refuse, he reached out and took hold of her wrist, still wrapped in her jacket sleeve, and led her into the house.
Now Shi Sheng couldn’t very well refuse.
Once she was seated back on the sofa and Duan Yujing had found the ointment and was about to apply it for her, Shi Sheng quickly spoke up:
“No need, I can do it myself.”
Duan Yujing didn’t hand her the medicine. He only said: “It’s inconvenient for you to apply it yourself.”
“Give me your hand.”
Shi Sheng didn’t dare refuse him again and obediently extended her hand.
While the medicine was being applied, the living room was deathly quiet.
Shi Sheng carefully tried to make conversation:
“That mastiff—is it yours, Brother?”
“Yes.”
Duan Yujing kept his eyes lowered, his expression unreadable.
“I’ve been keeping it at my own place all this time. I didn’t expect it to hurt you the moment it arrived.”
“I’m sorry.”
Shi Sheng quickly replied: “It’s fine, it’s fine.”
She cleared her throat and asked again:
“Xiao Qi… why did it pounce on me? It seems pretty lively.”
The living room fell silent for a moment.
After a long pause, Duan Yujing spoke in a low, deep voice:
“It likes you.”