The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

The supermarket wasn't far from where they lived, and the car arrived quickly.

Xi Yuanchen and Yao Yingxi got out of the car, and because of their superior temperament and appearance, they attracted a lot of attention.

Xi Yuanchen didn't care, and Yao Yingxi had gotten used to it recently.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the supermarket was not as crowded as usual. Yao Yingxi was about to push her shopping cart when Xi Yuanchen beat her to it.

He was using his right hand, the shoulder on the side that wasn't injured. Seeing this, Yao Yingxi didn't try to push the shopping cart.

The two walked towards the fresh produce section, neither of them mentioning what they wanted to eat.

Xi Yuanchen frowned slightly as he smelled the fishy odor emanating from the fresh food section.

Yao Yingxi stepped forward, picked up a large octopus, examined it, and then handed it to someone, saying, "Please weigh it for me, thank you."

After saying that, she continued to check the fish to see if it was fresh. Xi Yuanchen stood beside her without saying a word, but his expression of disgust remained unchanged.

After leaving the fresh produce section, Yao Yingxi went to the vegetable section and picked out a few more vegetables, some fruit, and other things, filling her car to the brim.

The two people lined up to pay, and the cashier blushed as she looked at Xi Yuanchen.

Yao Yingxi remained silent.

After counting the items, the cashier said, "That'll be two thousand three hundred and eighty in total. Will you be paying by card or cash?"

"Swipe your card."

Yao Yingxi turned her head and took out the card from her bag.

"Brush mine."

Xi Yuanchen was the first to take out his card and hand it to the cashier.

The cashier blushed as she took it, her eyes sparkling. Holy crap, so handsome, I'm swooning.

Yao Yingxi was slightly taken aback and didn't say anything more.

After the cashier took the card and swiped it, Xi Yuanchen carried the items in his right hand and suddenly took Yao Yingxi's hand with his left, making it as ostentatious as could be.

He saw someone at the door, their gaze lingering on Yao Yingxi, which made him very uncomfortable.

The two got into the car, and Xi Yuanchen fastened his seatbelt. The car drove for a while.

Suddenly, a car crashed into them from behind, slamming them straight into the guardrail.

The car was forced to stop, and Xi Yuanchen frowned slightly.

A man got out of the car behind them. He was muscular, had a dark face, and was carrying a thick steel pipe.

Yao Yingxi turned pale with fright, but she wasn't as flustered as before. She picked up her phone and called Anan without Xi Yuanchen saying a word: "Hello, Secretary Nan, Mr. Xi and I are at a supermarket near our community when someone hit our car with a steel pipe."

Xi Yuanchen remained motionless because he was surrounded by bodyguards. Ever since the last incident, and with Xi Zhishen constantly calling and mentioning Yao Yingxi each time, he had been on guard.

He worried that Xi Zhishen might take action against Yao Yingxi, or that someone might have enemies who knew he was keeping Yao Yingxi and would harm her.

So I hired bodyguards, and they've been stationed at the apartment entrance for the past few days.

So, of course, they were accompanied by bodyguards this time.

As soon as Yao Yingxi hung up the phone, she saw two men in suits with stern faces approaching from behind the man carrying the steel pipe.

She subconsciously looked at Xi Yuanchen, who gently patted her hand: "You did very well."

This sentence is a compliment to Yao Yingxi for calling Anan earlier.

Yao Yingxi didn't speak. The muscular man's attention was entirely focused on their car, and he didn't notice anyone behind him at all.

They were quickly stopped by two bodyguards.

He was very strong and quick-witted, and soon broke free of the bodyguards and drove away.

Xi Yuanchen got out of the car and just then saw him running.

The two bodyguards wanted to give chase, but Xi Yuanchen stopped them: "Don't chase."

Anan happened to be nearby and rushed over. He saw the person driving away and remained silent.

Xi Yuanchen glanced at him: "Go check it out."

Anan nodded: "Okay, boss."

Yao Yingxi remained seated in the passenger seat, glancing nervously at Xi Yuanchen to make sure he wasn't hurt or injured before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Xi."

Xi Yuanchen glanced at her sideways.

Yao Yingxi shook her head: "It's nothing."

Xi Yuanchen didn't say anything, started the car and drove away.

After driving back to the apartment, Xi Yuanchen went into the study, while Yao Yingxi put all the groceries she had bought into the refrigerator.

Xi Yuanchen was on the phone in his study: "Go check on Liang Pingyin's whereabouts in Yuncheng."

He had a vague worry that those people might have been sent by Liang Pingyin.

Anan replied on the phone, "Okay."

Just as Xi Yuanchen was about to hang up, Anan spoke up: "Boss, I just checked, and the leader of the people we arrested, Li Zhi, has a younger brother named Li Yong."

Xi Yuanchen remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"His physical characteristics are exactly the same as the person who was running on the street just now. He just called to ask you to meet him."

"Reply to him, go tonight."

If it were Li Yong, he might have discovered that he had bodyguards around him, making it difficult for them to harm him. So, he might have arranged to meet with Li Yong because he wanted to do something to him or negotiate with him.

Xi Yuanchen has never been a passive person.

Anan hung up the phone, and Xi Yuanchen got up from his chair, picked up a cigarette from his desk, put it in his mouth, walked to the French windows, lowered his head slightly, and lit the cigarette.

Take a deep breath, cup your hands between your fingers and gaze into the distance, your thoughts drifting away.

After tidying up, Yao Yingxi came out of the kitchen and, feeling utterly bored, went to the bedroom to get her computer and books.

She was looking up things to pay attention to for self-study exams online when Xi Yuanchen came out.

Because she was so engrossed in watching, Yao Yingxi didn't notice Xi Yuanchen coming out from inside.

Xi Yuanchen was about to go to the kitchen to get some water when he saw Yao Yingxi's IELTS registration page popping up on her screen.

Her face was cold and displeased. Yao Yingxi had actually clicked on it unintentionally; the page popped up, and she wanted to close it, but she pressed the wrong button.

Xi Yuanchen brought out the water and sat on the sofa. Yao Yingxi's computer screen was closed for IELTS and she was watching a variety show channel.

Xi Yuanchen asked, "Do you want to study abroad?"

Yao Yingxi only then noticed that Xi Yuanchen had come out of the study at some point and was sitting next to her. She was stunned for a few seconds before shaking her head: "Let's see how things go."

She's unsure about this right now; she'll wait until she passes the self-study exam before making any decisions.

Xi Yuanchen looked at her coldly: "In our relationship, unless I tell you to leave, your freedom is entirely up to me."

After saying that, he got up from the sofa and was about to walk into the study.

Yao Yingxi said, "Mr. Xi, don't worry, I won't run away without your permission."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yuanchen did not stop and continued walking into the study.

Yao Yingxi lowered her eyes, but her gaze did not fall on the ground. She knew that Xi Yuanchen was warning her not to use him to deal with the Xu family and then run away.

Cut ties with him or something like that.

She couldn't stand watching the variety shows anymore, so she turned off her computer and checked the time; it was already 11:30.

I put the computer back in the bedroom and went to the kitchen to cook.

At this moment, Xi Yuanchen was sitting behind his desk in the study. He didn't know why, but the thought that Yao Yingxi might be studying as if she were away from him made him feel uneasy.