Chapter 100: Extra Three

It was another spring, and everything was coming to life. Hengtai had already become a well-known company in the country. Many people envied Yuan Yasen, as both of his sons were hardworking and successful, and whenever people mentioned them, it was all praise.

Then there was his second daughter-in-law, a famous TV host whose shows were loved by both the elderly and children in the family. Just a month ago, she had won the highest award for TV hosts in the country, which made everyone envious. The media joked that Yuan Yasen must have saved the entire galaxy in his past life to have such capable sons.

A few years ago, rumors about Yuan Yasen disliking his second daughter-in-law had surfaced. However, with Yuan Yi's business growing more successful and his unwavering devotion to his wife, those rumors had long been forgotten.

In just a few years, the industry had come to recognize only Yuan Bo and Yuan Yi, while Yuan Yasen's name was almost forgotten. The two brothers managed their companies with little industry conflict, often benefiting from each other. People began referring to them as the "Yuan Brothers," and some smaller media outlets, hoping to gain favor with the brothers, even gave them a nickname:

The "Yuan Brothers."

"Yuan Brothers..." Yan Xi laughed heartily as she held a tabloid magazine, lying on the couch. Yuan Yi took the magazine from her hand and glanced at it, looking speechless at how Yan Xi was laughing without any dignity. "Enough, this kind of nonsense, you actually enjoy reading?"

"Don't underestimate these tabloid writers," Yan Xi said, wiping the tears from her eyes as she stood up. "Their plot control ability is quite strong. They know how to create a story—if there's drama, there's drama; if there's melodrama, there's melodrama. The characters are complicated but not chaotic, and the melodrama is quite engaging. Like when you two brothers had a falling out as kids, and you went to a nightclub and got drunk. Your brother carried you home, and you both reconciled, crying in each other's arms..."

"Haha!" Yan Xi laughed again, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm going to change my clothes now, I need to pick up Xiao Chitang from kindergarten."

Outside the kindergarten, although it wasn't yet time for the children to be released, the parking lot was already filled with luxury cars. The security guards had grown accustomed to such scenes and didn't even bother glancing.

When it was time to pick up the children, the parents began entering the school with their pick-up cards. A new security guard noticed a man without a pick-up card, following behind a group of parents as if he was planning to sneak in. The man didn't look like someone with the patience to pick up a child, so the security guard was cautious and called out, "Excuse me, sir, may I ask where your pick-up card is?"

Yuan Yi patted his body, realizing he didn't have the card.

"You can't enter without a pick-up card..." The security guard was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly saw Yan Xi behind Yuan Yi. He broke into a bright smile. "Miss Yan, I'm the new security guard here."

"Hello," Yan Xi said, swiping her pick-up card. She took Yuan Yi's hand and said, "This is my husband. I'm here to pick up the child with him."

"Sorry, sorry, this is all a misunderstanding," the head of security walked over, smiling. "Mr. Yuan, Ms. Yan, this is our school's new security guard. He's still not familiar with the job."

"It's fine, he's very diligent," Yan Xi said, smiling as she pulled Yuan Yi's hand and led him away.

After the two left, the head of security knocked on the new guard's head, saying, "So you just recognized Yan Xi, huh?"

"Yan Xi is very famous where we're from. Our whole family loves the shows she hosts," the new guard scratched his head, a tall guy over 1.8 meters, grinning shyly. "I didn't expect such a famous host would personally come to pick up her child."

"Do you know who her husband is?" The head of security, seeing that the new guard only remembered Yan Xi, couldn't help but add, "Her husband is the boss of Hengtai Group."

"Big bosses like that, don't they always have bodyguards wherever they go? Why would he personally come to pick up the child?" The new guard had noticed during his time working at the kindergarten that many children weren't picked up by their parents but by bodyguards or nannies. For busier parents, sometimes teachers would accompany the child to the bus.

"Who knows," the head of security shrugged. "Mr. Yuan often comes to pick up the child himself."

In the toddler class, after the teacher handed out small red flowers, the children lined up waiting for their parents to pick them up. Those without parents waiting for them sat quietly, waiting for the teacher to take them to the school bus.

Yuan Chi obediently stood at the back of the line, tiptoeing toward the door. His mother had said this morning that she would come with his dad to pick him up, but he wondered if his mother had arrived yet.

Soon, the classroom door opened, and Yuan Chi immediately spotted his mom. Like a fledgling bird returning to its nest, he rushed into Yan Xi's arms. "Mom!"

"Little Pond!"

The mother and son embraced warmly, as if they hadn't seen each other in ten or twenty years.

Yuan Yi watched the dramatic scene with a blank expression. This mother and son had just performed a dramatic farewell earlier that morning. When they were finally done with their affectionate display, Yuan Yi crouched down and looked at Yuan Chi. "Let's go, little handsome, time to go home."

Yuan Chi looked left at his mom, then right at his dad, before turning to the teacher. "Teacher, my mom and dad are here to pick me up. Goodbye, teacher."

"Goodbye, Chi Chi," the teachers bent down to say goodbye, then stood up and smiled at Yan Xi and Yuan Yi. "Goodbye, Mr. Yuan, Mrs. Yuan."

"Goodbye, teacher, and thank you for your hard work."

"Mom." As they descended the stairs, Yuan Chi said seriously, "Hold my hand tight, don't fall."

Yuan Yi, who had his hand dismissed by his son, was speechless.

"Okay, thank you, Chi Chi." Yan Xi smiled, letting her son "protect" her as they went down the stairs, playing the role of a delicate damsel.

"You're welcome." Yuan Chi puffed out his chest, striking a heroic pose. Though it was a childish gesture, Yan Xi didn't laugh. Instead, she played along, pretending to be a helpless damsel being protected by her little superhero son, fighting off the "dirty monster" who refused to take a bath.

After entering the house, Yuan Yi sat on the sofa, watching his wife and son each holding a "golden sword," bravely fighting the "pot monster." He suddenly had the strange feeling of raising a pair of dragon and phoenix twins.

What was even more surprising was that Yan Xi seemed to be enjoying it, as if she had become a three-year-old child herself.

How did he not realize back then that inside this woman, Yan Xi, there was a dramatic princess?

"Mom, there's a giant 'don't wash your feet' monster behind you!"

"Where? Where? I'm so scared, Chi Chi, come protect me!"

"Don't be afraid, Super Chi Chi is here, transforming!"

Yuan Yi covered his face and turned his head, not wanting to watch this dramatic mother and son duo. He got up and went to the kitchen to bring out the fruit plate prepared by the housekeeper.

After they were done with their noisy game, he would join them.

He really didn't understand how Yan Xi could enjoy such childish games so much.

"Superman Dad, Chi Chi is out of energy, you need to come save us!" Yuan Chi half-knelt on the ground, struggling toward Yuan Yi.

"Little Superman, wait! Superman Dad is coming!"

Yuan Yi had no hesitation. He immediately struck a superhero pose and ran toward the mother and son.

After getting used to being slapped in the face, he had no fear anymore.