Chapter 96

"Let go, let go." Song Shi winced in pain, almost shedding tears. She hadn't expected Yan Xi, who seemed delicate, to have such a strong grip; her wrist felt like it was being clamped by iron pincers, causing sharp, stabbing pain.

"Miss Song, the feudal system has long since collapsed. Even if you have power and influence, you can't just hit people. Everyone is born of a mother and raised by parents. Is hitting people something your Song family does on a whim? Is it a family tradition?" Yan Xi released Song Shi's hand, pointing to a nearby security camera. "I advise Miss Song to control your impulses. Otherwise, I have the right to defend myself, and that's not a crime."

Song Shi massaged her wrist and took a step back, glancing at the few friends behind her. These so-called "brothers" were all hesitating, too scared to cause trouble for Yan Xi. She sneered, knowing they were concerned about the influence of the Yuan family. What friends? What brothers? Now that she had lost the inheritance rights to the Song family, their loyalty evaporated like morning dew.

Taking a deep breath, Song Shi glared at her "friends" and then turned to Yan Xi. "Yan Xi, my brother said that when he had the car accident, the police found a wireless miniature listening device in the car. Was that you?"

"Miss Song, when your brother suddenly sent bodyguards to kidnap me into the car, I'm not a fortune-teller, how could I know he would do something like that?" Yan Xi felt that the relationship between Song Ci and Song Shi, these cousins, must be quite good since they could speak the same "language" intellectually.

"And what does that have to do with the listening device?"

"Since I had no idea he would suddenly kidnap me, how could I have preemptively brought the listening device into the car?" Yan Xi sighed. "Miss Song, I'm not interested in your Song family's affairs, so please don't disturb my life."

Song Shi was at a loss for words. She struggled to come up with a response, finally saying, "You and Song Chao's illegitimate child are entangled, who knows what dealings you have in private."

"Miss Song!" Yan Xi's tone became stern. "Is this the kind of upbringing a noble lady from a prestigious family has?"

"Miss Yan, I apologize. My younger sister doesn't know better and caused you trouble." Song Chao walked over with an assistant, glancing lightly at Song Shi. "Her mother passed away early, and her upbringing is lacking. I apologize on her behalf."

"Song Chao, shut up!" Song Shi's voice was sharp. "You're just a bastard. What right do you have to talk about my upbringing?"

Song Chao smiled instead of getting angry. He strode forward, and when he was near Song Shi, she recoiled a few steps, scared.

"What are you going to do?"

"If I were you, I would learn to keep my mouth shut," Song Chao said with a light laugh, his voice gentle like that of a considerate, older brother. "Although the police have temporarily ruled Song Ci's car accident as an accident, well..."

He paused, turned his gaze to Yan Xi nearby, lowering his voice to a volume only the two of them could hear: "What if new evidence appears? It's not impossible."

"What are you trying to do?" Song Shi looked at Song Chao in shock. "You want to frame me? Song Ci won't believe you."

"You can try," Song Chao smiled with a slight curl at the corner of his lips. "You never know the result unless you try."

Song Shi took a step back, lowering her eyes to avoid Song Chao's gaze. "You... you can't do this."

Seeing her timid appearance, Song Chao sneered and then suddenly stopped smiling. "Do you think it's still like twenty years ago, when you could just say whatever you wanted and it would be accepted? In the future, you should act more sincerely. Now, the Song family has no one to back you up."

"You... you..." Song Shi's face changed several times. Thinking of Song Ci, who was still in the hospital, she turned pale and quickly walked away, no longer even wanting to provoke Song Chao.

Song Chao narrowed his eyes as he watched Song Shi leave. He then turned and walked up to Yan Xi. The two exchanged a glance, and as Yan Xi turned to leave, Song Chao called out to her.

"Yan Xi," Song Chao smiled. "Would you like to go to the café nearby and sit for a while?"

Yan Xi didn't respond. Due to Song Chao's habit of setting up schemes, she always wondered if he had something up his sleeve whenever she saw him.

"Don't worry, I have no other intentions," Song Chao said, placing his hands behind his back. "Let's just chat like old classmates. Who knows... we might not have another chance to run into each other and talk again."

When Yan Xi saw this man suddenly drop the fake smile and the false elegance, she doubted if her eyes were playing tricks on her. "I thought the two of us had nothing to talk about."

"Considering that innocent love letter, I've lived twenty-seven years and have only written one like that," Song Chao didn't even change his expression. He pointed to the coffee shop nearby. "Let's just go there, no need to go anywhere else."

Yan Xi glanced at the coffee shop a few dozen steps away, then looked at the time. "Twenty minutes."

"Okay."

The coffee shop near the large shopping mall had a very ordinary style. However, since many young people had gone home for the New Year, it was unusually quiet today, though it normally did good business.

When the coffee and cake arrived, Song Chao took a sip of his coffee and put the cup down. The coffee wasn't strong enough for his taste. He then noticed Yan Xi adding several sugar cubes to her coffee. With so much sugar in such a small cup of coffee, didn't she find it too sweet?

The two sat facing each other for two or three minutes. Song Chao didn't speak, and Yan Xi didn't say anything either. She tucked the hair near her cheek behind her ear and gently stirred her coffee.

"I really liked you back then."

Yan Xi paused her hand, but didn't respond.

Seeing her reaction, Song Chao took off his glasses, revealing his narrow eyes. Without the glasses, he appeared less refined and more cold-hearted. Yan Xi suddenly understood why he wore those glasses.

"I was too young back then, always fantasizing that girls should be pure and innocent like lotus flowers, so beautiful that you wouldn't want to hurt them." He couldn't help but glance at Yan Xi. "You just happened to appear, perfectly replicating the kind of girl I imagined."

"Mr. Song probably doesn't know, but 'lotus flower' has become an insult in some contexts nowadays," Yan Xi took a sip of her coffee. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Yes, people are really hard to judge by their looks. Aside from this face, you're nothing like the girl I imagined," Song Chao lowered his eyelids, his neatly trimmed fingers lightly stroking the surface of his cup. Such a simple action, yet he made it look exceptionally elegant. "I never expected you to be with Yuan Yi."

Yan Xi smiled politely. "Life is unpredictable."

"Yes, life is unpredictable," Song Chao suddenly sneered. "What if I had stood up back then to prove Yuan Yi didn't hurt you? I wonder if your relationship would have turned out differently."

Yan Xi froze. "You were there back then?"

Song Chao smiled without denying Yan Xi's guess.

"Why didn't you..." Yan Xi stopped herself from asking, feeling like she had just asked a pointless question.

"Why should I help him?" Song Chao laughed, "You probably don't know, but your future mother-in-law is a very self-righteous woman. She once made my mother lose face in front of countless people. She only needed to look at my mother with disdain, and women all around would eagerly step up to mock her."

He could still remember the feeling vividly—his mother holding his hand as women spoke politely but with hidden barbs, making his mother so angry that she pinched his hand until it bled, but still had to smile better than anyone.

Meanwhile, while he was being mocked and looked down upon, Yuan Yi enjoyed prince-like treatment, with people praising him as cute and well-behaved, even though he was less good-looking than Song Chao.

It seemed that from that moment on, he started to despise those who prided themselves on being high and mighty and developed an unspoken animosity toward Yuan Yi.

Sometimes, you don't need much reason to dislike someone.

Song Chao spoke about the past in an oddly calm tone. Yan Xi knew he didn't expect her to say anything. He, the victor in the inheritance struggle, simply wanted to find someone to share the words he had buried in his heart, and she just happened to be the emotional trash can.

She didn't know whether to feel sorry for him or laugh. He managed to take control of the family power from his uncles, cousins, and others, yet he didn't have anyone to talk to. In the end, he turned to her, someone with whom he had little connection.

"No one can choose their birth, and I certainly didn't," Song Chao laughed. "My dad's a scumbag, my mom's a lunatic, and as their son, I've been mocked as a bastard and an illegitimate child. Isn't that interesting?"

Yan Xi could almost guess what his childhood environment must have been like. She looked at this elegantly speaking man and after a long pause, smiled. "Are you trying to win my sympathy?"

"No, I'm showing off my success," Song Chao smiled. "Birth doesn't always mean anything."

Half of his coffee was gone now. Song Chao stared carefully at the well-made-up woman in front of him. It felt as though time had turned back to nine years ago, when she wore a school uniform, tied her hair in a ponytail, and handed him the school ID.

He blinked, and the girl from his memories disappeared. He smiled, then put his glasses back on.

Standing up, Song Chao's thin lips curled slightly. "Thank you, Miss Yan, for listening to my rambling. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future if fate allows." He paused, his smile becoming more evident. "Maybe when you marry Yuan Yi, we'll cross paths at other occasions. But it seems we don't have much fate after all."

Yan Xi nodded. "I think so too."

"A woman being so direct doesn't seem very cute," Song Chao raised an eyebrow. "Yuan Yi must have unique taste to like a woman like you."

"That's why I don't need to be cute. As long as someone loves me, that's enough," Yan Xi picked up her coat, not concerned with Song Chao's comment.

"Although I should wish you and Yuan Yi the best at this time, sometimes it's better to be honest," Song Chao slid his hands into his pockets. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Yan Xi nodded slightly. "Well, goodbye?"

"Goodbye." Song Chao nodded lightly, his face devoid of much expression.

He watched Yan Xi walk past him and then slowly fade into the distance. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.

"Song Ci..."

"Shh." Song Chao raised a finger to his lips. "A smart woman should never be too curious."

Yan Xi was momentarily stunned but didn't say anything further. She turned and walked out. Pushing open the transparent glass door, she put her coat back on and glanced back at him. Song Chao still stood where he was, elegant yet lonely.

She tightened her coat, stomped her foot, and ran into the nearby shopping mall.

After buying lanterns, window decorations, and other New Year items, Yan Xi finished her meal and drove out in her Jeep. Tao Ru had already booked her flight for the afternoon to go back to her hometown for the New Year. Worried about not being able to catch a taxi and wanting to send some gifts home with Tao Ru, Yan Xi decided to drive her to the airport.

The two were as close as sisters, and Tao Ru didn't hesitate to accept Yan Xi's offer. When she saw the New Year gifts Yan Xi had prepared for her parents, Tao Ru frowned. "Daha, the things you've gotten for my parents are even better than what I got them. When I get back, they'll probably say I'm a useless daughter."

"Then it's even better," Yan Xi smiled. "I really like the crispy meat your mom makes. When you're home on holiday, be sure to bring me some."

"I haven't even left yet, and you're already thinking about what I can bring back for you?" Tao Ru joked for a while, then suddenly asked a bit shyly, "There's been talk outside that you and our company's second young boss are getting close, is that true?"

"I'm still cooking," Yan Xi stopped at a red light, "If it really happens, I'll tell you even if I don't tell anyone else."

Tao Ru smiled playfully. "Do you know what our colleagues are saying about you?"

"What are they saying?"

"The Dragon Rider."

"Who's the dragon?" Yan Xi glanced at the red light, noting it still had over thirty seconds, then turned to Tao Ru. "It's not Yuan Yi, is it?"

"Yep," Tao Ru nodded, "You managed to make the seemingly fierce second young boss so devoted to you. If that's not heroic, then what is?"

Yan Xi: "..."

What image do the Longfeng employees have of Yuan Yi? A hot-tempered guy who beats people up and throws tantrums?

After finding a parking spot and getting out of the car, Yan Xi accompanied Tao Ru to the ticket gate. Tao Ru suddenly turned and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "Good luck, get that grass near your nest into your mouth."

Yan Xi was stunned for a moment, then smiled and returned the hug. "Okay."

The fierce dragon. The grass near the nest. Yuan Yi, who had spent the entire morning practicing his cooking, now felt nauseous at the smell of oil fumes and had no desire to ever set foot in the kitchen again.

When Yuan Bo entered the house, he almost thought Aunt Li had burned the kitchen because of the overwhelming smell of oil. Scanning the room to confirm there was no fire, he sat next to Yuan Yi. "What are you messing around with at home?"

Yuan Yi lazily opened his eyes and sat up from the sofa. "Bro, you're here?"

"Who else could swagger in besides me?" Yuan Bo had the key and card to the villa. He patted Yuan Yi. "You smell like oil. Did you fall into a frying pan?"

"A frying pan? I'm practicing cooking to impress my future father-in-law," Yuan Yi yawned. "But cooking really depends on talent. I'm destined to never impress my father-in-law."

Yuan Bo: "..."

They were blood brothers, but Yuan Yi's brain had always been a mystery to him. He had never been in the kitchen before, so where did his confidence come from, thinking he could become a master chef in just a day or two?

"You don't necessarily need to rely on your cooking skills. Even if you can't cook, you can always hire someone to do it. That's not a flaw," Yuan Bo cleared his throat. "Look on the bright side."

"But Daha's family cooks their own meals..."

Before Yuan Yi could finish, his phone rang. He picked it up, and Xu Qiaosheng's loud voice immediately came through. "Yi Ge, go check the entertainment section. Song Chao that bastard is at it again, trying to steal someone else's partner!"