The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Yao Yingxi walked along the roadside for an unknown amount of time.

Her mind was in turmoil, and her heart was in complete disarray.

"Drip..."

A message notification came through my phone.

Yao Yingxi did not immediately point it out.

It was getting darker and darker, but she wasn't in a hurry to go back.

Xi Yuanchen stormed out in anger yesterday and probably won't be returning to his apartment tonight.

Night falls, and the cold winter air is bleak.

When Yao Yingxi returned to her apartment, her limbs were so cold that she could barely feel them.

She quickly went to the bathroom and took a hot bath. Only after picking up her phone did she see the text message Yao Yingyue had sent that afternoon.

—Yao Yingxi, ever since I went to find you, I've regretted it every single moment. I regret leaving the Xu family, I regret having you as my sister. Why didn't you die with Mom? You disgust me.

Yao Yingxi stared in shock at the words on her phone screen, tears welling up in her eyes again. She clenched her teeth tightly, trying not to cry out loud.

She didn't know how long she stood there, until her legs went numb, before she finally walked to the window.

The lights downstairs were bright, and they remained on day after day, regardless of whether anyone returned, which filled Yao Yingxi with a sense of helplessness.

It was as if she were that street lamp, waiting for Xi Yuanchen no matter whether he returned or not.

"Bang bang bang..."

Suddenly, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky, their colors vibrant and their glow casting flickering light on Yao Yingxi's face.

The clock on Yuncheng's most famous building chimed, followed by a chorus of New Year's greetings: "Happy New Year, and may everything go as you wish."

Hearing this, Yao Yingxi belatedly realized that today was New Year's Day and tonight was New Year's Eve.

She stood by the window, her figure lonely and out of place amidst the myriad lights.

"Crack..."

The bedroom door was pushed open, and Yao Yingxi turned her head to see Xi Yuanchen walking in with a cold expression, which surprised her greatly.

A moment later, her thoughts returned, and she hurriedly went out: "Mr. Xi, have you been drinking?"

He smelled of alcohol and had a glazed look in his eyes, probably from drinking too much at a business dinner.

Xi Yuanchen stared at Yao Yingxi in front of him, dazed for a moment, and then pulled her into his arms.

Yao Yingxi was slightly taken aback, when she suddenly heard Xi Yuanchen's soft voice in her ear: "Happy New Year."

Yao Yingxi paused, her eyes welled up with tears, and she remained silent.

Xi Yuanchen lay on top of her and closed his eyes.

Yao Yingxi used all her strength to help Xi Yuanchen to the edge of the bed, and the two of them fell onto the bed together.

She was panting heavily, and with Xi Yuanchen pressing down on her hand, she didn't bother to pull it out.

After catching her breath for a while, Yao Yingxi carefully pulled her hand out from behind Xi Yuanchen.

Seeing the person in front of her sleeping peacefully with his eyes closed, his expression not as cold and unsmiling as usual, Yao Yingxi leaned down as if possessed, tracing Xi Yuanchen's features with her hand.

The person on the bed stirred, and Yao Yingxi quickly got up and ran into the bathroom.

Xi Yuanchen wasn't actually very drunk; he was still quite conscious, just too lazy to move.

Yao Yingxi took two hot towels from the bathroom and used them to wipe Xi Yuanchen's face, hands, and feet before putting the towels back in the bathroom.

She stared at Xi Yuanchen for a while before gently patting his shoulder: "Mr. Xi, wake up."

Xi Yuanchen remained motionless, thinking about what the owner of that building had said during the social gathering earlier.

His lover is exceptionally gentle and considerate, taking meticulous care of him when he's drunk.

Yao Yingxi called him several times, but he still didn't move.

Helpless, she had no choice but to bend down and approach Xi Yuanchen, and unbutton his suit jacket in front of him.

After unbuttoning all the buttons, she was about to lift Xi Yuanchen's arm to take off his clothes.

Suddenly, Xi Yuanchen opened his eyes.

Yao Yingxi felt dizzy and disoriented. When she came to her senses, she found herself pinned down by Xi Yuanchen.

His hoarse voice rang out: "What do you want to do?"

Yao Yingxi was taken aback, and a blush crept onto her cheeks: "No, I didn't do anything."

"Did not do anything?"

Xi Yuanchen nodded, repeatedly pondering the sentence.

Yao Yingxi's face was almost a liverish color. Perhaps because he had drunk some alcohol, Xi Yuanchen was somewhat dazed at the moment. His hand couldn't help but stroke Yao Yingxi's cheek, slowly sliding down her eyebrows and eyes, and he murmured, "So alike."

Yao Yingxi was completely bewildered by his seemingly random remark.

She didn't move because she could feel something hard pressing against her from beneath Xi Yuanchen, and it was also unusually hot.

Xi Yuanchen lifted her chin and kissed her passionately yet tenderly.

Let Yao Yingxi slowly succumb, until she realizes she has nothing on her body.

After a night of ups and downs, when Yao Yingxi got out of bed, Xi Yuanchen's warmth was no longer beside her.

After coming out of the bathroom, she casually made a bowl of noodles in the kitchen for breakfast.

For several days in a row, Yao Yingxi resumed her normal life, preparing for the self-study exam, reading books and filling out test papers every day.

With the year-end approaching, Xi Yuanchen was also extremely busy.

Until the 26th of the lunar year, when the whole country was on holiday, Yao Yingxi sat on the sofa calculating what New Year's goods she should prepare.

She and Yao Yingyue had prepared all of this together. Thinking of this, her hand holding the pen paused, and her eyes dimmed.

She took a deep breath and got up from the sofa. So much had happened in the past year.

When Xi Yuanchen returned at night, Yao Yingxi had just finished cooking and was carrying the meal out.

She saw Xi Yuanchen and smiled slightly: "Mr. Xi, the meal is ready."

Xi Yuanchen gave a faint "hmm" and walked into the restaurant.

As Yao Yingxi ate what was in her bowl, she hesitated whether she should ask Xi Yuanchen what New Year's goods he needed to prepare.

Xi Yuanchen frowned slightly when he saw her staring at the bowl and rummaging through the rice.

The meal was quickly finished. Yao Yingxi packed her things, while Xi Yuanchen walked to the living room and sat down, noticing the things on the table.

He was slightly taken aback. When Yao Yingxi came out, she saw Xi Yuanchen sitting down. She was too embarrassed to go to the bathroom, so she sat down as well and was about to bring up the matter of New Year's goods.

Xi Yuanchen spoke first: "What are your plans for the New Year? Do you want to travel abroad or stay at home?"

Yao Yingxi had originally planned to ask Xi Yuanchen if he would be spending the New Year with her at the apartment, but after hearing what he said, she figured he probably wouldn't be here. She also wanted to ask Xi Yuanchen where he was going to spend the New Year, but thinking about her relationship with him, she smiled bitterly to herself, realizing she didn't have the right to ask.

And she didn't want Xi Yuanchen to know that she was looking forward to spending the New Year with him.

She paused for a few seconds, trying to control her disappointment, and said in a light tone, "There's hardly anyone left in my family. I'll probably travel abroad by myself."

For some reason, when Xi Yuanchen heard what she said, he felt a strange tightness in his chest, and nodded with a not-so-good expression: "Well, whatever you want."

After saying that, Xi Yuanchen got up from the sofa and walked straight into the study.

Yao Yingxi watched his departing figure, her expression gloomy, a bitter smile on her lips as she shook her head, inwardly mocking herself.

Yao Yingxi, everyone says you're lucky, but how are you lucky?

His biological father murdered his wife to marry his mistress. He grew up in an orphanage, gave up his studies for his younger sister, and is now hated by his sister and betrayed by the person he loves.

Where is the luck in falling in love with the wrong person now?