Why are there women like this?
Lin Qianwei gripped the doorknob, took a moment to steady her breathing, then let go and looked at Ji Yunxiao with a calm, indifferent face.
“You’re not welcome here.”
Ji Yunxiao kept up her pitiful act.
“Then I guess I’ll have to sleep on the street.”
Lin Qianwei frowned and said coldly, “You can go back to the Ji family.”
Ji Yunxiao sighed.
“The Ji family doesn’t want me.”
Afraid she’d go soft, Lin Qianwei looked away and didn’t look at her again, just said coldly, “Then go stay with Youran and take care of her.”
Ji Yunxiao had already wheeled her suitcase inside and came closer, saying, “I’d rather take care of you than Youran.”
Lin Qianwei finally lost her patience.
She glared at her, annoyed.
“What makes you think I need you to take care of me?” Lin Qianwei was just too beautiful.
She was naturally delicate and attractive, and even when she was angry, her features could still be utterly captivating.
Ji Yunxiao stared at her for a couple of seconds, then tried to coax her.
“Don’t be mad, Qianwei.”
How could Lin Qianwei not be mad? What pissed her off was that she could have thrown Ji Yunxiao out, suitcase and all.
Even if Ji Yunxiao didn’t cooperate, she could have called the bodyguards to force her out.
But for some reason, she just couldn’t do it.
She could only watch as Ji Yunxiao walked right in, and then stew in her own anger.
Ji Yunxiao said to her, “Yesterday your cook texted you to say she couldn’t make it this morning and needed the day off.”
Before Lin Qianwei could say anything, Ji Yunxiao added, “So let me make you breakfast.”
Lin Qianwei rejected her coldly.
“No need.”
“I can’t just let you go hungry, can I?” Ji Yunxiao put her suitcase aside, went to the kitchen to wash her hands, then turned and asked Lin Qianwei, “Where’s the apron?”
Lin Qianwei pointed it out.
“Over there.”
As soon as she said it, Lin Qianwei bit her lip.
Why did she even tell Ji Yunxiao?
Ji Yunxiao tied on the apron herself, glanced at her beautiful, icy wife, and said on purpose, “What should I make? How about some fried youtiao?”
Lin Qianwei hated that kind of food.
She immediately frowned and said, “I don’t eat youtiao.”
Just as expected.
But Ji Yunxiao said, “Okay, I’ll remember that.”
She asked naturally, “So what do you want to eat, Miss Lin?”
Lin Qianwei said, “Crepes.”
It just slipped out.
Lin Qianwei couldn’t help feeling a little annoyed, but Ji Yunxiao just smiled.
“Okay.”
Ji Yunxiao took out some butter to melt over hot water, cracked an egg and mixed it with milk, then looked up to see Lin Qianwei still standing there, staring blankly.
She gently reminded her, “You don’t have to keep me company.
Go back to bed for a bit.
I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
“Who wants to keep you company?” Lin Qianwei turned and left, still annoyed.
She slammed the bedroom door pretty hard, but in the end, she didn’t throw Ji Yunxiao’s suitcase out, and even tacitly allowed Ji Yunxiao to make her breakfast.
Lin Qianwei couldn’t sleep anymore.
She took a shower and checked herself for any marks.
The truth was, her skin was still perfectly smooth.
Maybe Ji Yunxiao really had just changed her into pajamas and hadn’t done anything else, just like she said.
Ji Yunxiao made a lavish breakfast: banana oat crepes, taro apple mille-feuille, avocado shrimp scrambled egg toast, matcha pudding with cream, vegetable salad, and two bowls of thick, golden, tempting pumpkin millet porridge.
When the pumpkin millet porridge was served, Lin Qianwei was already dressed and ready.
She wore a minimalist office outfit: a tailored blouse with ruffled cuffs and a pencil skirt, her makeup light and natural, looking elegant, beautiful, and poised.
Ji Yunxiao didn’t hold back on the compliments.
“You look amazing today.”
Lin Qianwei shot her a glare, washed her hands, and sat down.
Ji Yunxiao put a spoon in the millet porridge and pushed the bowl over.
“Try it.”
Lin Qianwei took a small, reserved spoonful.
She tasted it, paused, then took a big spoonful.
Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but smile.
Looked like she was pretty satisfied.
Seeing this, Ji Yunxiao took off her apron and sat down across from her, ready to eat together.
But after swallowing a bite of pudding, Lin Qianwei wiped her mouth and made things difficult for her.
“My cook never eats at the same table as me.”
“Really?” Ji Yunxiao didn’t mind at all.
She calmly put down her utensils, stood up, and said, “Then I’ll wait until you’re done.”
Lin Qianwei: “……”
How could Ji Yunxiao be like this? She had to admit, she’d meant to embarrass Ji Yunxiao, but seeing her like this, she just felt uncomfortable.
Lin Qianwei got even more frustrated.
Watching Ji Yunxiao actually leave, showing only her back, she gripped her spoon and called out, “Come back.”
Ji Yunxiao turned around.
“Sit down,” Lin Qianwei said awkwardly.
Ji Yunxiao’s voice was still lazy.
“You really want me to sit?”
Lin Qianwei kept her pretty face stiff and ordered, “Sit down and eat.”
Ji Yunxiao sat back down, smiling.
“Didn’t you just say—”
Lin Qianwei cut her off.
“Are you the cook?”
Ji Yunxiao looked serious.
“Honestly, I want to be your cook, and cook for you for the rest of my life.
Qianwei, why don’t you fire the cook and let me do it?”
Lin Qianwei snapped, “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
Ji Yunxiao said, “Nothing’s more important than you.”
Lin Qianwei’s face was cold.
“Can’t you have a little ambition?”
Ji Yunxiao looked at her and smiled.
Lin Qianwei was inexplicably moved and looked up too.
Their eyes met in the air.
Ji Yunxiao was sitting right in the sunlight, the breeze from the window gently lifting her hair, the morning light giving her a warm glow.
Lin Qianwei looked at her beautiful face, and her heart skipped a beat.
Lin Qianwei lowered her eyelids, her lashes trembling like crow feathers.
Lin Qianwei said coldly, “I’m not firing the cook.”
Lin Qianwei said, “Just eat.”
After finishing that hearty breakfast, Lin Qianwei went to work.
Ji Yunxiao stood by the window, watching her leave.
Only after her figure disappeared did she dial a number.
“Auntie, you can come over to clean up now.”
“Mm, I have other plans.
You’ll have to make dinner for Qianwei again tonight.”
Ji Yunxiao did have things to do.
She took some time to visit the Lin family villa to check on Lin Youran, coaxed Lin Youran for over an hour, and then hurried off again.
During that time, Lin Yuan still didn’t give Ji Yunxiao a good face, and kept using all sorts of words to needle her, but Ji Yunxiao didn’t take the bait at all, dissolving every attack as gently as a spring breeze and rain.
Lin Yuan got even angrier.
When she finally finished her errands, Ji Yunxiao saw a message from the auntie saying Lin Qianwei wasn’t coming home for dinner tonight.
Not coming back? Ji Yunxiao drove home, opened the door, and found the house pitch black, all the lights off.
Ji Yunxiao took out her phone and called Lin Qianwei.
It took a while for the call to be answered.
“What is it?” Lin Qianwei’s tone was cold.
But Ji Yunxiao’s question was gentle as water: “Why aren’t you home yet?”
Lin Qianwei was silent for two seconds.
“If you want the door code, I’ll tell you.” Lin Qianwei recited the code.
“The code?” Ji Yunxiao raised her eyebrows, pressed the receiver, and stepped back to close the door.
She stepped outside, stood at the door again, and asked Lin Qianwei, “Can you say it again? I didn’t catch it just now.”
Lin Qianwei repeated it.
Ji Yunxiao: “Oh.”
Lin Qianwei vaguely heard the sound of the door opening and asked, “Did you get in?”
Ji Yunxiao: “Yeah, I’m in.”
Lin Qianwei: “Okay, I’m hanging up.”
“Wait,” Ji Yunxiao stopped her with a laugh and admitted, “Actually, I already knew the code.
I was already inside.”
Lin Qianwei: “?”
Ji Yunxiao explained, “You were drunk last night and couldn’t get your fingerprint to work, so I asked for your code to help you unlock the door, and I remembered it.”
Lin Qianwei: “……”
Lin Qianwei didn’t know what to say, so she just said, “Whatever.”
She still hung up.
When Ji Yunxiao called again, she didn’t answer, so Ji Yunxiao could only send a voice message: “When are you coming back?”
Lin Qianwei: [I’m not coming back.]
Lin Qianwei was still at the office, while Qiao Xi was sitting on the big sofa in her office, looking a bit speechless.
Qiao Xi asked, “Why did you tell her the code?”
Lin Qianwei’s expression was calm: “I couldn’t just let her sleep on the street.”
Qiao Xi held her forehead: “How could she possibly end up sleeping on the street?”
Lin Qianwei’s brows furrowed slightly, a bit exasperated: “It’s already like this anyway.”
Qiao Xi couldn’t understand: “You’re leaving your own place empty for Ji Yunxiao to sleep in.”
Lin Qianwei adjusted her mood and said, “I have plenty of houses.”
Qiao Xi spread her hands: “Is that the point?”
Lin Qianwei added, “There’s nothing confidential there, I’m not worried about her snooping around.”
Qiao Xi held her head: “That’s not the point either, is it?”
Lin Qianwei didn’t really want to respond anymore.
But Qiao Xi kept going: “The Lin Qianwei I remember wasn’t this soft-hearted.
Back when a few minor shareholders caused trouble at the company, you handled it so decisively, like a thunderstorm.
Now Ji Yunxiao just shows up and insists on living with you, and not only did you not kick her out, you handed over the code and ran off yourself.”
“I didn’t run,” Lin Qianwei still tried to argue, “I just got tired of living there and wanted a change of scenery.”
The excuse was so lame that Qiao Xi didn’t even bother to call her out.
Qiao Xi shook her head and dropped the topic of Ji Yunxiao, just handing over an invitation.
“Madam Liu’s seventieth birthday banquet.
President Lin, don’t forget to show up.”
Madam Liu was highly respected, and had been Lin Qianwei’s mother Lin Yuan’s music teacher.
With her turning seventy, of course Lin Qianwei would attend.
She prepared an appropriate gift and arrived on time that day, only to find Ji Yunxiao at the event as well.
Why is Ji Yunxiao here? No one should have sent her an invitation.
The banquet hall was lavishly decorated, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Celebrities from all walks of life gathered here, chatting and mingling, the air full of laughter and the rustle of fine clothes.
Waiters bustled back and forth, making it easy to lose track of things, but even so, Lin Qianwei still spotted Ji Yunxiao right away.
Today, she wore a blue starry sky dress, strapless, showing off her beautiful collarbones, the waist cinched with rhinestones, her slim figure perfectly highlighted.
The skirt was a soft, misty tulle, the base color tranquil and pure, adorned with sparkling designs.
Not everyone could pull off a dress like that, but Ji Yunxiao wore it perfectly.
On her, that blue dress looked like the vast Milky Way, like a boundless sea of stars.
And the Milky Way sparkled, the sea of stars shone.
Ji Yunxiao was dazzling.
For a moment, Lin Qianwei was a little dazed.
It wasn’t until Ji Yunxiao flashed her a brilliant smile and raised her glass from afar that Lin Qianwei snapped out of it.
Today, that woman wore a golden-red lip gloss, her lips parting and closing, enough to steal someone’s soul.
But they were too far apart, so Lin Qianwei couldn’t hear her voice, only guess from the shape of her lips.
Ji Yunxiao was probably saying: “Wife.”
Lin Qianwei turned around and didn’t look back.
Her ears felt a little hot, and she thought, Ji Yunxiao is so annoying.
Qiao Xi was also startled when she saw Ji Yunxiao.
Ji Yunxiao looked stunning today.
Wherever she stood, she was the center of attention.
Some people who didn’t recognize her even came over to ask who that lady was.
Qiao Xi felt complicated and said, “That’s President Lin’s wife, Ji Yunxiao.”
The people asking were dumbfounded.
“That’s her? She’s like a whole new person.”
Lin Qianwei was also making polite small talk with people, but during a lull, she called Qiao Xi over and said, “Keep an eye on Ji Yunxiao for me.”
“She really is too beautiful today,” Qiao Xi leaned in and whispered, “You’re worried someone will try to hit on her, so you want me to watch her, right?”
Lin Qianwei’s face was expressionless.
“She doesn’t know how to behave at these parties.
She embarrassed herself last time.
I just want you to make sure she doesn’t do anything too outrageous.”
Qiao Xi said, “Alright.”
But today, Ji Yunxiao didn’t cause any trouble.
She was very poised.
Dressed like this, of course people came over to chat, but she brushed them off easily.
Qiao Xi came over and asked, “You handling it okay?”
Ji Yunxiao was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, looking relaxed.
Even so, she was still so elegant and beautiful that no one could find fault with her.
Ji Yunxiao smiled.
“My wife’s title is really useful.
Just now, when I said I was Lin Qianwei’s wife, those guys who wanted my contact info all left disappointed.”
Qiao Xi laughed.
“Weiwei even asked me to keep an eye on you.”
Ji Yunxiao’s eyes lit up.
“She’s worried about me?”
Qiao Xi told the truth.
“She wants me to watch you so you don’t embarrass yourself again.”
Ji Yunxiao smiled.
“I won’t.”
As they spoke, Lin Yuan entered the room, accompanied by Ji Liuliu and another long-haired girl.
Ji Yunxiao didn’t recognize her, so she asked, “Who’s that?”
“That’s Yan Lulu,” Qiao Xi said.
“Aunt Lin Yuan’s star student, and also Ji Liuliu’s good friend.”
“I see.” Ji Yunxiao’s eyes dimmed a little.
She remembered now.
In that novel, there really was a Yan Lulu, and she was also one of Lin Qianwei’s admirers.
“Two love rivals at once, huh.” Ji Yunxiao stood up and clicked her tongue.
Qiao Xi asked, “What love rivals?”
Ji Yunxiao didn’t answer and walked toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan didn’t notice Ji Yunxiao approaching.
She was still holding Yan Lulu’s hand and saying, “Lulu, you’re really something.
If only you had married our Weiwei back then, wouldn’t that have been great?”
Ji Yunxiao lazily interrupted, calling out, “Mom.”
Lin Yuan was startled and immediately snapped, “What are you doing here? This is my teacher’s birthday party!”
Ji Yunxiao smiled.
“I know.”
Lin Yuan almost fainted from anger.
She pointed at Ji Yunxiao’s nose and asked, her voice shaking, “Weiwei brought you in, didn’t she? She’s getting more and more out of line!”
With that, Lin Yuan went off to find Lin Qianwei for an explanation.
Ji Liuliu tried to stop her but was too late, so she turned to Ji Yunxiao and called, “Sis.”
Ji Yunxiao ignored her.
Ji Yunxiao just looked at Yan Lulu.
Ji Yunxiao greeted her.
“Hi.”
Yan Lulu looked at her with nothing but wariness and hostility, and her words were blunt.
“Don’t try to get close to me.”
Ji Yunxiao curled her lips.
Interesting.
Actually, Yan Lulu was also sizing up Ji Yunxiao.
This Ji Yunxiao was really beyond her expectations.
The atmosphere was tense for a moment, but Ji Yunxiao just smiled and asked, “If I remember right, Miss Yan plays the konghou, right?”
Ji Liuliu chimed in, “Yeah, Lulu’s really good.
Aunt Lin Yuan is her mentor.”
“What’s so great about that? It’s just playing the konghou.” Ji Yunxiao changed her tone, putting on a deliberately annoying look, and said lazily, “Playing the konghou is easy.
As long as you have hands, you can do it.”
Yan Lulu: “?”
Ji Liuliu glanced at Yan Lulu’s expression, her eyes darting, then said, “Sis, how can you say that? When Lulu performed at the international music festival the other day—”
Ji Yunxiao didn’t have the patience to listen and interrupted, “So what? It’s just playing the konghou at an international music festival.
I could do it too.”
With that, Ji Yunxiao turned and walked away.
Yan Lulu was provoked and asked her good friend Ji Liuliu, “Is she for real or just pretending?”
Ji Liuliu shook her head.
Ji Liuliu said softly, “I don’t know.
The old Ji Yunxiao definitely couldn’t.
But now… I’m not so sure.
She really is different from before.”
Ji Liuliu’s innocent face was full of confusion as she muttered, “She used to be afraid to drive, but now she does.
Yesterday, when chatting with Aunt Lin Yuan, Aunt Lin Yuan even said Ji Yunxiao is good at Chinese cooking…”
Yan Lulu caught the key word.
“Chinese cooking?”
Yan Lulu asked, “You mean Ji Yunxiao can cook?”
“Yeah,” Ji Liuliu said softly.
“Just a few days ago, she made squirrel fish for little Youran, and now little Youran can’t stop talking about how good it tasted.”
Yan Lulu had made up her mind and sneered, “If she was really skilled at playing instruments, she’d take care of her hands.
How could she cook? I’ve never seen anyone who’s both a musician and a chef.”
Ji Liuliu thought for a moment, then cautiously said, “Should we go test her again?”
Yan Lulu said, “Sure.”
Yan Lulu walked up to Ji Yunxiao and got straight to the point.
“I have a question for you.”
Ji Yunxiao swirled her wine glass.
“Go ahead.”
Yan Lulu asked, “Is the konghou single-row or double-row strings?”
Ji Yunxiao answered confidently, “It’s either single-row or double-row.”
Yan Lulu’s eyes filled with disdain, and she challenged, “You don’t know, do you?”
Ji Yunxiao’s face showed just the right amount of panic, but she quickly calmed down and said, “Of course, there are both single-row and double-row.”
Yan Lulu laughed out loud on the spot.
Ji Liuliu couldn’t help but laugh too.
Ji Yunxiao still insisted, “Isn’t that right?”
Yan Lulu and Ji Liuliu exchanged a look and walked off together.
No one noticed, but after they left, Ji Yunxiao raised her eyebrows and took a leisurely sip of red wine.
After walking a bit, Yan Lulu sneered, “Ji Yunxiao is definitely faking it.
She doesn’t know anything.”
Ji Liuliu said, “Maybe I overestimated her.”
Yan Lulu sneered.
“I can’t stand people like her.
She’s totally useless, doesn’t have any skills, but still loves to pretend.
Even when she doesn’t know something, she acts like she does.
Just watch how I deal with her in a bit.”
Ji Liuliu couldn’t help but look forward to it.
“What are you planning to do?”
Yan Lulu said, “Just wait and see.”
When the banquet officially started, Old Madam Liu finally appeared.
She was dressed in a festive red dress, leaning on her cane as she chatted with everyone.
This birthday banquet was a grand affair, so of course there had to be performances.
Originally, Yan Lulu was supposed to go on stage and play a piece, but when the konghou was brought out, she lifted her chin and glanced at Ji Yunxiao beside her.
Yan Lulu said, “The eldest Miss Ji just said that playing the konghou is a piece of cake, that she could do it too.
Since that’s the case, I’d like to give her this chance to perform.”
Ji Yunxiao had only been back with the Ji family for less than half a year, and she’d already made quite a few embarrassing mistakes.
Even though she was dressed to impress today and looked almost flawless, because of her past, hardly anyone thought much of her.
Ji Honghai’s younger sister, Ji Yunxiao’s biological aunt, came over to smooth things over.
“Xiaoxiao was just talking nonsense.
How could she know how to play the konghou? Lulu, don’t take it seriously…”
Ji Yunxiao glanced at Lin Qianwei not far away, her smile gentle and her eyes deep.
“I actually did study the konghou for a while, and I’m not too bad at it.”
Ji Yunxiao turned to Yan Lulu, her expression serious.
“Are you really giving me this chance?”
After seeing that casual look in her eyes, Yan Lulu’s heart skipped a beat for no reason.
She suddenly felt a little flustered and even started to regret it.
It was like she’d suddenly realized she’d been set up.
But how could that be? Ji Yunxiao didn’t even know the konghou had double rows of strings.
But it was already too late.
The short-haired middle-aged woman supporting Old Madam Liu bent down slightly and whispered a few words in her ear.
Right after, the respected artist smiled kindly and said, “Let this Miss Ji give it a try.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Ji Yunxiao, but she just smiled, then calmly walked up onto the stage.
