“Sister-in-law, Ranran.” Jiang Xian walked over to them carrying two bottles of water and stopped in front of them. His gaze was candid as he looked toward Yan Yunning.
His eyes swept over her hair — dyed in a western-sleeve pink-brown that looked as though it had been kissed by the sunlight and coated with a faint golden filter. He sincerely found it beautiful from the bottom of his heart.
“Sister-in-law, here’s some water.” He smiled as he spoke.
Yan Yunning helplessly pushed away Xuan Zhaoران, who was still clinging to her, “No thank you. Get in the car.”
“Oh, okay.” Jiang Xian put away the water he had extended toward Yan Yunning, and with one arm around Xuan Zhaoران, helped her into the car.
The car pulled up to the Xuan Group. Yan Yunning put on her sparkling high heels, opened the door, and stepped out.
Xuan Zhaoران pressed her face against the car window and stared at Yan Yunning’s graceful figure from behind, murmuring, “I think Dad should be saying to my brother — that he is the one who has good fortune.”
Jiang Xian reached up and tugged lightly at a strand of Xuan Zhaoран’s hair, leaning close to her with a suspicious look. “The way you’re talking, it sounds like you really envy Yuer-bro?”
Xuan Zhaoран patted her forehead and said deliberately, “Is it that obvious? When my brother arrives in a moment, I’ll be more careful.”
Jiang Xian: “?”
Xuan Zhaoران glanced back in confusion, wondering why Jiang Xian hadn’t responded, and unexpectedly found their noses touching. Her ears flushed hot. Their breaths mingled close enough to hear. She froze in place, at a loss.
——
Xuan Group — 18th Floor.
The elevator and the conference room doors opened at the same moment.
Yan Yunning stepped out of the elevator, arms crossed, and looked at the man standing there — one hand casually tucked in his suit pocket, tie nowhere to be found, the top three buttons of his shirt undone, revealing light wheat-toned, well-defined collarbones.
A perfectly proportioned face beyond all reproach. Dressed in a black suit, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the muscle lines on his strong arms clean and defined. On his wrist, a couple’s blue diamond bracelet more eye-catching than any watch. His every movement carrying a languid, unhurried ease.
Behind him followed several dozen department managers in black suits, every button done up with impeccable neatness.
“Madam.”
“Welcome, Madam.”
“Madam.”
“……”
Yan Yunning smiled and gave a slight nod.
Xuan Yanyu tossed the documents in his hand backwards without looking. Ye’an reached out swiftly to catch them.
The man sauntered lazily toward Yan Yunning. From the moment she appeared on the 18th floor, his gaze had not shifted from her even once.
“Wife.” Xuan Yanyu’s throat moved. His slender, well-defined fingers hooked around a strand of her hair and he leaned down close to her, his voice low and husky. “Can you wear a short skirt only for me to see?”
Yan Yunning’s tone carried a smile. She raised her slender fingers and lightly traced over the man’s beautiful collarbones. “Where’s your tie?”
The man lightly ran his tongue over his lips, his eyes darkening a shade. “In the office.”
“Oh.” Yan Yunning played with her hair, twirling the ends around her fingertip. “Is there still work to do? Are you getting off now?”
Xuan Yanyu looped his long arm around her neck, pulled her into his embrace, and raised his eyes slightly. “Going home.”
“Alright.” Yan Yunning was close to the elevator and casually pressed the button.
“Wife, you still haven’t answered my question just now.” The moment the elevator doors closed, those outside heard this one sentence drifting out from inside.
Ye Jian cleared his throat. “Off work. Off work.”
The moment the words left Ye Jian’s mouth, people carrying documents began dispersing one after another.
Ye Chen leaned against the wall, clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth with a soft “tsk,” and said with utterly unconcealed admiration, “How is Madam so beautiful today?”
Ye Jian gave him an unhurried sidelong glance and slapped the documents in his hand onto Ye Chen’s chest. “When has Madam ever not been beautiful?”
Ye Chen rubbed the spot on his chest where the documents had landed and shot a glare at Ye Jian.
Ye Jian flicked a finger against Ye Chen’s shoulder with a backhanded snap. “What? Am I wrong?”
Ye Chen slapped the documents back. “You’re not wrong — but what you’re doing is inhumane.”
Ye Jian made a hissing sound. “Tomorrow, I’ll pass it on to Mr. Xuan for you — tell him you’re curious about why his wife is so beautiful.”
Ye’an patted Ye Jian on the shoulder with a sly grin. “I was thinking exactly the same thing.”
Ye Chen scratched his head. “Come on — can you two act like decent human beings?”
Ye’an raised an eyebrow. “One week’s worth of lunches — you buy, we deal. Deal?”
Ye Chen was speechless to the extreme. “Is walking to the company cafeteria going to break your legs??”
“Oh? So that’s a no, then? Understood. Old Jian, let’s go — tomorrow we’ll help Old Chen ask Mr. Xuan and make sure Old Chen gets an answer.” Ye’an made as if to turn and leave.
“Fine.” Ye Chen said through gritted teeth. “I’ll buy! I’ll buy!!!”
“Then we’ll leave it in your capable hands, Old Chen.” With that, Ye’an promptly pressed the elevator button and stepped inside.
Ye Chen: “……?”
“Does that count as bullying a colleague?” Before Ye Chen could finish grumbling, Ye Jian said languidly, “There’s my meals too — buy them at the same time. Buying one is buying, buying two or three is no heavier.”
Ye Chen: “!!!”
Is walking to the company cafeteria going to break your legs??
“Don’t worry — I have the strictest lips. You buy my meals and I absolutely will not tell Mr. Xuan.”
Ye Chen: “???”
——
Xuan Group — Parking Garage.
Xuan Yanyu opened the car door and saw Xuan Zhaoران and Jiang Xian still with lips pressed together, not yet separated. He laughed in exasperation. “Are you two putting on a romantic drama for me? Is one audience member enough?”
Xuan Zhaoران flushed red with embarrassment. “Brother, you — you didn’t even knock.”
“Knock?” Xuan Yanyu laughed out loud. “You’re in my wife’s car — and you want me to knock??”
He’d had no idea those two were even in Ningning’s car.
“Brother……”
Xuan Yanyu said with limited patience, “Get out.”
Xuan Zhaoران got worked up. “You said it yourself — this is sister-in-law’s car. What right do you have to kick us out?”
Then she opened the car window, looked at Yan Yunning with a pouty expression, and said softly, “Sister-in-law, look at my brother.”
Yan Yunning gave her a reassuring look.
Xuan Zhaoران raised her chin and cast a provocative glance at Xuan Yanyu.
Xuan Yanyu: “……”
“Alright, alright, go drive.” Yan Yunning took hold of Xuan Yanyu’s hand that was gripping the car door and pulled him away, then sat down in the front passenger seat he had opened for her.
The man walked around to the driver’s seat, and “bang” — the door was pulled shut with considerable force.
Xuan Zhaoران pressed her lips together — he startled her.
Yan Yunning turned on the in-car navigation, entered the restaurant address, and said, “Husband, follow the navigation. I made a reservation for a private room — let’s go eat first.”
“Mm.” The man removed his suit jacket and draped it over Yan Yunning’s fair long legs, then turned to look at the two eyesores in the back seat. “Don’t you two want to go on your own date?”
Xuan Zhaoران’s lips curved into a smile. “Brother, I don’t treat you and sister-in-law as outsiders. With you two here, it doesn’t interfere with my date with A’Xian at all.”
Xuan Yanyu took a deep breath and said bluntly, “I want to go eat alone with your sister-in-law. Can you understand that?”
“Brother, I also want to go eat alone with my sister-in-law.”
Later on, she also wanted to go home with sister-in-law and rest in the same room together. She had so many things she wanted to talk to sister-in-law about.
If she left now, her brother would take sister-in-law back to their own home. Then who would she confide in?
Xuan Yanyu looked as though he had just heard a joke. “Xuan Zhaoران? You……”
Yan Yunning cut in at the right moment. “Husband, I’m hungry. Stop talking, let’s get to the restaurant quickly.”