Mu Heng smiled faintly. “Hard to say. CEO Xuan Senior didn’t build the company to what it is today without a certain way of doing things. And he has always adored Yuge — he would only be more protective of his child. Those two young women nearly caused Miss Shi to lose the baby. I’d imagine they’ll have to eat some bitterness.”

Yan Yunning bit into a sparerib, blinked twice. Not eating bitterness — eating spareribs, and they smell incredible.

Xie Yan cast a slow, sidelong glance at Yan Yunning. “Eating roast goose, actually.”

After leaving Jingzhi’s villa earlier, he had gone home and had someone look into it. He had been genuinely curious about the kind of people who could make CEO Xuan Senior go and apologize in person.

The answer, as it turned out, was interesting. In the span of one day, this young Miss Yan had managed to offend both Yuge and Miss Shi.

And here she sat, entirely at ease, enjoying her roast goose. She was quite a character.

Yan Jingzhi felt the liquor catch in his throat, and for a moment it felt as though the sky were caving in.

“One of the two young women was Ningning?” Nan Chu stared in disbelief at the well-mannered young woman seated so prettily beside her — who was at this very moment delicately dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

“Yes. Her friend was the other one.” Xie Yan’s lips held a quiet curve of amusement.

Nan Chu: “……”

A few others let out dry laughs and quietly turned their attention back to their plates.

“A toast to everyone.” Yan Jingzhi suddenly stood, glass in hand. “As you all saw in the group chat — in five days, Zhijing and Zhibai will be returning from abroad to celebrate Yuge’s recovery.”

Yun Ze raised an eyebrow, silently inviting him to continue.

Yan Jingzhi cleared his throat, drained the glass in one go, and pressed on. “My sister was careless and stirred up some displeasure with Yuge. I’d like to ask everyone to put in a good word for her in front of Yuge that day. This isn’t charity — within my means, I’ll owe anyone here a favor. Name your terms.”

Yan Yunning tightened her grip on the cup beside her. Xuan Yanyu didn’t remember her — and if he refused to forgive her, then she really would have caused her brother trouble.

“Easy enough. After all these years of friendship, a word is all it takes.”

“Exactly, Jingzhi — don’t talk like a stranger.”

“……”

“……”

Mu Heng, Pei Qingyan, Yun Ze, Xie Yan, and the other men present all nodded and agreed with a smile.

“How did Ningning manage to offend Yuге?” Yan Zhiyi asked the question everyone else had been wondering.

Yan Yunning looked up and found a circle of eyes gleaming with curiosity trained on her. She coughed lightly and said with studied vagueness, “I just… said something about liking to collect dog droppings.”

“Pfft.” Nan Chu inhaled and choked on the water. She had genuinely not expected these three words to come out of such a soft and sweet-looking young woman.

“Drink slowly.” Xie Yan passed her a napkin and rubbed her back gently.

“What does that have to do with Yuge? It’s not as if Yuge is fond of collect—” the scorching three-word phrase stuck in Pei Qingyan’s throat, and he simply couldn’t bring himself to finish it.

“Because little sister said she’d sooner collect dog droppings than accept a gift from Yuге. How could Yuge not be angry?” Xie Yan said it for Yan Yunning, still amused.

“Hold on.” Yun Ze stared at Yan Yunning for a moment, a question forming slowly on his face. “Yuge sent you a gift?”

Yan Yunning gave a small nod.

Yun Ze rubbed his chin. Was something slightly off about that?

Why would Yuge be sending gifts to Jingzhi’s little sister?

And more to the point — he had been turned down.

“Why?” Mu Heng frowned. “Why refuse Yuге’s gift in a way like that?”

Yan Yunning opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Yan Jingzhi shouldered the blame. “That’s my fault, honestly. There used to be all these guys trying to give Ningning things, so I told her that if she didn’t want it, she should refuse bluntly and make it clear. She’s been doing it that way ever since.”

What Yan Jingzhi said was half true — the first part was accurate, the latter half entirely fabricated.

“Alright, alright. Little sister, just apologize sincerely to Yuге and it’ll be fine. After all these years, he won’t make it too difficult for you — that’s what brothers are for.” Pei Qingyan winked at Yan Yunning. “Don’t worry, little sister.”

Yan Yunning smiled and nodded.

Mu Heng and Xie Yan exchanged a look. If it were purely about this incident, Yuge would likely let it go for Jingzhi’s sake — at worst, he’d simply want nothing more to do with the girl.

But the problem was that Ningning had also nearly caused Miss Shi to lose the baby. Given Yuge’s temperament, and how much he cared about the child she was carrying — would he truly forgive Ningning so easily?

After dinner, the group headed to the hospital. Yan Yunning had no wish to go, but Yan Jingzhi dragged her along anyway.

Obstetrics and Gynecology — VIP Ward.

Shiyao was reclining against the headboard, watching a variety show. Her caretaker and Shiyu sat nearby, peeling fruit for her.

“Miss Shi, are you feeling better?” Mu Heng walked in with a smile, setting a fruit basket on the table.

“Much better — I should be able to go home tomorrow.” Shiyao’s voice was gentle. She glanced around the room at the others and gave a pleasant, acknowledging nod. “Thank you all for coming again.”

“Not at all, not at all.” Nan Chu stepped forward and placed a red envelope on the table. “Miss Shi, take care of yourself.”

“Thank you.” Shiyao smiled and accepted it.

“A small gesture, Miss Shi.” Mu Heng, along with Yan Jingzhi, Pei Qingyan, Yun Ze, and the others, each passed their pre-prepared red envelopes to Shiyao.

Shiyao pressed her lips into a smile, offered her thanks, and accepted them all. The generosity never failed to amaze her — even the last time she was hospitalized, the red envelopes had left her speechless. If she were working a regular job, it would take her several years to earn as much. A single red envelope could buy her younger brother a decent car. Her mother and father’s combined income for three full years couldn’t match one of these. Being a corporate president really meant giving with an open hand.

“Ningning?” Yan Jingzhi noticed Yan Yunning standing motionless at the ward doorway and tilted his head, gesturing for her to come forward and present the red envelope he had prepared for her to give.

Shiyao had also spotted Yan Yunning. The color in her face shifted.

Yan Yunning glanced at the red envelope in her hand, then without hesitation tucked it into her own bag.

Yan Jingzhi frowned and stepped close, lowering his voice. “You expect your brother to transfer you more money?”

“Brother, watch the video first and then tell me if you still think I should give her the red envelope.” Yan Yunning took out her phone, her slender pale fingers tapping open a video clip.

She deliberately turned the volume to its highest setting — loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

This footage had been requested while she was on her way to the hospital, her father having asked the boutique manager for it on her behalf.

“I’m the sort of person who falls for things at first sight.”

“You want me to pay ten times the price for something you’ve already worn?”

“Half price — after all, you’ve worn it.”

“……”

Shiyao’s haughty, imperious voice rang through the room without pause.

Yan Yunning swept a glance at Shiyao, whose complexion was shifting between ash and purple, and said calmly, “From start to finish, she was the one who provoked me and Xia Xia.”

Yan Jingzhi clenched his fist. His heart ached for Yan Yunning. The next second, unable to contain himself, he crossed the room, stood before Shiyao, and pulled back the red envelope he had just given her.

“Miss Shi, I’ll also need you to return the red envelope I gave you last time you were hospitalized. If you don’t, I’ll go to CEO Xuan Senior for it.” Yan Jingzhi gritted out the words through clenched teeth.

He had assumed this was a minor falling-out between young women who hadn’t quite gotten along, and that because of Yuге, showing Shiyao a gesture of goodwill would give her a graceful way out — after which she would have no good reason to keep holding anything against Ningning.

What he hadn’t known was that Shiyao had deliberately come looking for trouble with Ningning. She had brought this on herself.

Shiyao’s face went chalk white, and her composure crumbled.

“Jingzhi!” Mu Heng cast a complicated look at Shiyao, whose eyes were reddening on the hospital bed, and said quietly, “She’s still hospitalized. If something goes wrong, you can’t bear that responsibility. You won’t be able to explain yourself to Yuge.”