Chapter 8

Just as he pulled out the entire belt and was about to continue undressing, Yuan Ying suddenly regained her senses.

Stop! she snapped.

Zhu Feng rested his hands on his waist and asked, You cooked yesterday—why didn’t you save any for me?

Yuan Ying laughed in disbelief. Why should I save any for you?

You used to save some for me before.

That was because we were dating back then. But now, Yuan Ying emphasized for what felt like the hundredth time, we’ve broken up!

After saying this, she expected Zhu Feng to argue shamelessly as he usually did, but instead, he said nothing. He simply stared at her for a moment before turning and walking away.

As if he were deeply hurt.

What a lunatic! Yuan Ying took a moment to compose herself, then slammed the door shut with force.

Shu Lin, standing at the top of the stairs on the second floor, had overheard her voice. When he saw Zhu Feng reappear, he asked suspiciously, What did you do?

Nothing, Zhu Feng replied calmly.

Shu Lin: …

Even the Queen, who was usually so good-tempered, had cursed at him—there was no way he’d done nothing.

Shu Lin said worriedly, King, we can’t resort to force, you know.

Zhu Feng had no interest in discussing his relationship with Yuan Ying and cut him off directly. What did you come to me for?

Only then did Shu Lin remember his original purpose, and he spilled everything that had happened that day like pouring out beans.

A Ye and I went around asking nearby. That Feng Zhuangzhuang is truly despicable—anyone who doesn’t listen to him, he finds a way to mess with them. Several businesses around here have been ruined because of him.

The predecessor of Jin Yuanbao, Tingxue Homestay, was the same. The owner was bullied by Feng Zhuangzhuang until they had no choice but to sell the homestay and move elsewhere to develop.

When the Queen bought this place, she probably never expected to have a bully as a neighbor. Who knows how much hardship she’s endured these past two years… Ah, it’s so pitiful. Luckily, we’re here now—we can back her up.

Shu Lin rambled on and on, but when he looked up, he saw Zhu Feng with his eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.

Did you hear what I said? Shu Lin asked doubtfully.

Zhu Feng glanced at him. Are you finished?

…Yeah, Shu Lin nodded.

Zhu Feng turned and went back into his room, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Shu Lin stood stunned for a few seconds before snapping back to reality and frantically pounding on the door. Do you even want to win the Queen back or not? I said all that, and you didn’t react at all. If you don’t want to make up with her, just say so—don’t make me waste my effort…

Zhu Feng had originally intended to go back to sleep, but the noise irritated him. He opened the door expressionlessly.

King.

Shu Lin looked innocent and well-behaved, as if he hadn’t been the one causing a scene just moments before.

Zhu Feng tried his best to be patient. I already knew all that you said a couple of days ago.

Shu Lin was taken aback. How did you know?

Zhu Feng: I guessed.

Shu Lin: Guessed… guessed?

Zhu Feng looked down at him condescendingly. Was it hard to guess?

That Feng Juan herself had said she was able to work at Jin Yuanbao thanks to her nephew.

Despite her terrible work attitude, Yuan Ying was still willing to keep her—either because she liked her nephew or because she was afraid of him.

A couple of nights ago, Zhu Feng had gone to Qixian Erwo. After seeing Feng Zhuangzhuang’s face, he ruled out the first possibility.

Hey. Zhu Feng’s voice was cold and low from lack of sleep.

Shu Lin, who had been spacing out, immediately stiffened his back at the sound.

If she hasn’t asked for your help, don’t interfere.

Shu Lin’s brows gradually furrowed. But…

No buts. Don’t underestimate her.

After saying this, Zhu Feng returned to his room to sleep. Shu Lin scratched his head and left as well.

Feng Zhuangzhuang arrived early the next morning.

The others hadn’t gotten up yet, and Xiao Yu had just arrived at the front desk. When she saw him, she froze for a moment, then invited him into the tea room while secretly sending a message to Yuan Ying.

By the time Yuan Ying finished washing up and came to the tea room, Xiao Yu had just finished pouring water for Feng Zhuangzhuang and was standing awkwardly in the corner holding a tray, looking nervous.

Though usually bold and carefree, she was still young after all, and facing such a notorious bully made her tense.

You can go out first, Yuan Ying said gently.

Though somewhat afraid, Xiao Yu shook her head.

Just as Yuan Ying was about to persuade her further, Feng Zhuangzhuang suddenly chuckled. This girl’s quite loyal, no wonder my aunt said Boss Yuan likes you. No matter what you say about her, Boss Yuan would believe you.

Xiao Yu instinctively retorted, When did I ever say anything bad about her?

If you didn’t say anything bad about her, why would Boss Yuan fire her for no reason? Feng Zhuangzhuang’s voice turned cold.

Tall and stout, wearing a floral shirt and a small gold watch, his stern expression made him look like a stereotypical gangster.

Xiao Yu’s eyes reddened under his glare, but she stubbornly remained where she was.

Xiao Yu, go out first, Yuan Ying said calmly amid the silence.

I won’t—

Be good, go out, Yuan Ying looked at her.

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yu finally left, but deliberately left the door open so she could keep an eye on the tea room from the living room.

After she left, Yuan Ying smiled. The girl doesn’t have much life experience. Don’t scare her, Boss Feng.

Did I scare her? Feng Zhuangzhuang lounged lazily on the sofa, not even lifting his eyelids.

Yuan Ying didn’t argue with him about it and simply handed him a folder. Firing Aunt Feng was my personal decision and has nothing to do with anyone else. This is her attendance record. She’s been here for three months. The first month she was quite diligent, but since last month, her performance has declined.

With a casual glance, Feng Zhuangzhuang saw numerous instances of leave, tardiness, and early departures.

He chuckled and put down the folder. Employees are human too. Everyone has personal matters sometimes. Surely Boss Yuan can understand that?

But she’s been absent too many times. I doubt you have employees like this in your homestay, Boss Feng, Yuan Ying replied, still smiling.

Feng Zhuangzhuang clicked his tongue. I’ve already talked to her, and she knows she was wrong. She’s just a country woman who hasn’t seen much of the world. Boss Yuan should cut her some slack.

Yuan Ying didn’t respond, instead pouring herself a cup of floral tea and sipping it slowly.

The tea room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After staring at her for a moment, Feng Zhuangzhuang narrowed his eyes. We’ve known each other for so long. Are you really not going to show any consideration, Boss Yuan?

Yuan Ying said, Technically, given her frequent absences, firing her doesn’t require any compensation. But out of respect for you, Boss Feng, I’ll give her an extra month’s salary. How does that sound?

Feng Zhuangzhuang laughed. One full meal can’t compare to having meals every day.

He clearly didn’t agree.

Yuan Ying set down her cup and fell silent, as if considering the matter.

Feng Zhuangzhuang immediately took a step back: I know she doesn’t take her work seriously, and it’s difficult for you too. But I have no choice—she doesn’t want to work under me and insists on following you. She says she’ll only ever recognize you as her boss. Since you’re so good-tempered, could you forgive her just this once? She promises to work hard from now on.

Good-tempered, huh.

Yuan Ying smiled wryly.

Good-tempered—that’s how many people described her.

But she wasn’t born with a gentle disposition.

Her parents divorced when she was just six months old. As an unwanted remnant of their failed marriage, neither parent wanted her, so she was raised by her grandmother.

The rural old woman was fierce and protective, and Yuan Ying learned from her example, developing an unyielding character.

When she was nine, her grandmother passed away. Her parents, both with new families by then, still saw her as a burden and refused to take her in.

After her grandmother’s funeral, she lived alone in the small rural house for two months. Eventually, the village committee intervened and contacted her parents through the police. Thus began her life of rotating between households—three months here, three months there.

She remembered when her grandmother first died; at nine, she didn’t fully grasp the meaning of death. Even after surviving two months alone on leftover grain and vegetables her grandmother had planted, no shadow darkened her spirit.

She continued to stand up for herself as her grandmother had taught her. She’d ask her mother why, in a house jointly paid for by her mother and stepfather, her stepbrother had his own room while she was relegated to sleeping on the balcony. She’d question her father why he and her stepmother would take her half-sister out to eat while leaving her home alone.

Each time she challenged them, the identical impatience on her parents’ faces made her think they were so well-matched it was a pity they’d divorced.

At her father’s house, he and her stepmother would say her younger sister was just a child and she, as the older sister, should yield. At her mother’s house, she became the younger one but was told to defer to her stepbrother, three years her senior.

She didn’t understand this yielding business. Her grandmother had taught her to raise hell whenever faced with injustice—never suffer in silence.

So she raised hell, and in response, her parents sent her to a boarding school, beginning nearly a decade of dormitory life.

As a transfer student, she entered a dorm where cliques had already formed. Bristling with defensiveness, she quickly had her first conflict.

Then the second, third, fourth—until one girl’s mother stormed in.

You little beast born without a mother’s guidance! How vicious can you be? Look what you’ve done to my daughter’s arm! I won’t let this go until your parents are here!

The woman stood in the teachers’ office, arms crossed, shouting like a triumphant general. Behind her, the girl stroked the faint teeth marks on her wrist, her face already victorious.

Yuan Ying waited outside the office, head bowed, staring at her sandaled feet. Her exposed toes were red and wrinkled—a minor lingering effect from having hot water thrown on them.

She thought it was no big deal. Her mother was a skilled yeller too, with impressive stamina—she’d once shouted for nearly two hours at her grandmother’s funeral without needing water. Once her mother arrived, the outcome was far from decided.

But in the end, her mother never came.

The shouting parent was eventually persuaded to leave by the homeroom teacher, still griping as she led her daughter away, vowing the girl would never board again.

She stared at them for a long time before asking the homeroom teacher, If Mom is unavailable, what about Dad?

Only after seeing the apologetic smile on the teacher’s face did Yuan Ying suddenly understand what death truly meant.

It meant she was completely alone.

It meant the survival methods her grandmother had taught her no longer applied to her current life, because there was no one left to stand up for her during conflicts—no one to shield her like a valiant general with arms crossed, guarding her from harm.

Later, she changed dormitories, learned to retract her defensive edges, and tried a different approach to interacting with people.

The experiment proved successful. She quickly integrated into the group, earned the teachers’ affection, and was even permitted by her parents to occasionally visit their respective homes for meals during holidays.

Humans are inherently lazy creatures. When she discovered that avoiding arguments and overlooking minor issues could prevent most conflicts, she habitually adopted this behavioral pattern.

If maintaining calm composure in all situations—simply to avoid the trouble of uncontrolled emotional outbursts—qualified as good temperament, then she supposed she had a good temperament.

But when this good temperament began causing more trouble than it prevented, she knew it was time to change her approach.

Just like now, facing Feng Zhuangzhuang’s moral blackmail disguised as good temperament, she still chose to refuse after careful consideration.

Sorry, but Aunt Feng really isn’t suitable to work at Jin Yuanbao, Yuan Ying said gently.

Feng Zhuangzhuang’s smile vanished. Are you sure about this?

Yuan Ying: Quite sure.

She disliked trouble and avoided being the nail that sticks out. That’s why when she first arrived in this unfamiliar place, she’d complied with Feng Zhuangzhuang’s unreasonable yet minimally damaging requests like other homestay owners, and had even allowed Feng Juan to be hired under his insistence.

But Feng Juan’s work attitude had become a new problem—one that, if not thoroughly addressed, would continue festering like improperly treated acne, eventually becoming a bigger issue than offending Feng Zhuangzhuang.

I’ve already given her chances. This conflict could have been avoided if Feng Juan had simply done her job properly, yet everyone expected Yuan Ying to keep making concessions. She found this utterly exasperating.

Feng Zhuangzhuang shot to his feet. You—

He barely uttered the first syllable when a tall silver-haired man entered yawning. Com ignoring everyone present, the man poured himself a cup of floral tea, drank it, then leaned against the tea table with remarkable lack of decorum.

His behavior was so abrupt that while Yuan Ying was speechless, Feng Zhuangzhuang—whose outburst had been interrupted—was also puzzled, feeling he’d seen this man somewhere before.

Under the dual gaze of Feng Zhuangzhuang and Yuan Ying, Zhu Feng calmly crossed his arms. What? Am I too handsome for you two?

Feng Zhuangzhuang: …

Yuan Ying: …

Who is this guy?!

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