The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

For half a month, the two of them did not see each other again after Xi Yuanchen brought Yao Yingxi back that day.

Yao Yingxi had previously hoped that Xi Yuanchen would return, but now she no longer dared to hope for it.

She took out her phone and dialed Anan's number.

Anan, who was holding the phone at that moment, glanced at Xi Yuanchen sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror before answering the call after seeing Yao Yingxi's number on the screen.

"Hello, Miss Yao."

The car wasn't big, and Anan's voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for Xi Yuanchen to hear.

Xi Yuanchen, sitting in the back seat, looked up from his computer and glanced at Anan in front of him.

"Hello, Secretary Nan, what is Mr. Xi doing?"

"My boss and I are currently on a business trip in Mingcheng."

"How many days will it take you to get back?"

"Five days."

"Oh, then you guys get back to work."

After the two finished their conversation, Yao Yingxi heard the exact number of days the business trip would last, gave a brief reply, and then hung up the phone.

She sat on the sofa for a while before getting up.

It was now mid-April, and Yuncheng had fully entered spring; the weather was no longer cold.

Early in the morning, Yao Yingxi got up at 5:30, washed up, poured herself a glass of wine from the wine cabinet, and went to the balcony.

She lay on a chaise lounge, with red wine on the table beside her, a drawing board resting on her stomach, and a brush in her right hand.

Yao Yingxi has been studying painting recently, and since she already had some basic skills, she has become quite proficient.

Her thoughts drifted away, and after sketching and erasing on the canvas, she painted a sunrise.

Her paintings were somewhat naive. Yao Yingxi put the easel aside, picked up a glass of red wine, downed it in one gulp, and went into the room.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Yao Yingxi quickly packed her luggage, checked the weather in the neighboring city, and went out with her suitcase.

After getting out of the taxi, Yao Yingxi pulled her suitcase and went through the airport check-in process.

The plane took off, and Yao Yingxi didn't get off until an hour later.

She walked out of the airport, glanced up at the unfamiliar sky, and a faint, bitter smile appeared on her lips.

Yao Yingxi felt that in all her life, she had never gone to certain places to look for someone, except for business trips.

But now she has come to Mingcheng for a man who will never love her.

She flagged down a passing taxi, got in, and told the driver she wanted to go to a hotel in downtown Mingcheng.

The vehicle moved slowly, and Yao Yingxi looked out the window at the scenery along the way.

The roadside from the airport to the city center in Mingcheng is lined with flowers, and the trees on both sides of the road are covered with tender buds, all proclaiming the arrival of spring and the growth of all things.

The car arrived at the hotel that Yao Yingxi had booked online. After getting out of the taxi, Yao Yingxi glanced at the hotel, then looked down at the booking confirmation on her phone, checking it against the records.

Unwittingly, Yao Yingxi glanced to the side and saw Xi Yuanchen standing not far away, with a girl standing beside him, chatting and laughing with Xi Yuanchen, who would occasionally respond with a smile.

Yao Yingxi was stunned for a few seconds, standing there and momentarily forgetting to react.

Perhaps it was because Yao Yingxi's gaze was too uninhibited, but Xi Yuanchen followed her gaze and looked over.

When he saw Yao Yingxi standing there, pushing a suitcase beside her, he was stunned for a few seconds before regaining his composure.

He smiled faintly, looked away, and opened the back door.

When Yao Yingxi came to her senses, Xi Yuanchen's car had already driven away.

She quickly flagged down a taxi, put her suitcase inside, and anxiously sat in the back seat.

"Miss, where are you going?"

"Follow the car in front."

Yao Yingxi pointed to the black Mercedes in front of her.

The driver understood and followed behind.

Yao Yingxi clenched her hands, the name that some people had mentioned at the banquet that day and in Yingcheng echoing in her mind.

Ye An'an? Could she be the person next to Xi Yuanchen?

Lost in thought, she noticed the car in front of her suddenly stop, and a man in a suit and tie got out and walked toward a taxi with a stern expression.

The driver, Yao Yingxi, was stunned. She spoke up to remind her, "Miss, we may have been discovered."

Yao Yingxi snapped out of her daze and saw Xi Yuanchen standing in front of her car window, momentarily forgetting to breathe.

After several knocks on the car window, Yao Yingxi reluctantly rolled it down.

Her smile was stiff: "Mr. Xi, what are you doing here?"

Xi Yuanchen didn't call her out on it: "Come down."

Yao Yingxi sat for a while, and when Xi Yuanchen saw that she didn't react, he spoke again: "Get out of the car."

This time, her tone was a bit harsh. Yao Yingxi quickly took out some money from her bag, handed it to the driver, and got out of the car without taking the money: "Sir, could you please open the trunk?"

The driver understood and opened the carriage door.

Xi Yuanchen walked to her side, took her suitcase out of the car, and put it in the Mercedes.

Yao Yingxi awkwardly placed her hands and feet together, completely unexpected that she had been discovered following Xi Yuanchen.

Her mind was a mess at that moment, and she couldn't make sense of it at all.

If Xi Yuanchen hadn't noticed her from the beginning, someone following her would have easily shaken her off, and Xi Yuanchen would have personally come down to open the door and let her pass.

Xi Yuanchen walked to the car and opened the back door: "Let's go."

Yao Yingxi lowered her eyes and got into the car.

The girl she had just met was sitting in front of her.

Yao Yingxi gave a slight smile as a greeting.

Xi Yuanchen got into the car and introduced the person in front to Yao Yingxi: "This is my younger sister, Ye Xiaoya."

Ye Xiaoya was just wondering why Xi Yuanchen got out of the car, but when she saw Xi Yuanchen knock on the car door and bring someone out, she asked Anan gossipy on the surface, but her hands were clenched into fists in anger.

But after getting on the bus and seeing that face, her anger subsided considerably.

Ye Xiaoya nodded to Yao Yingxi: "Hello."

Yao Yingxi nodded: "Hello, Yao Yingxi, Mr. Xi's friend."

Although that's how she introduced herself, anyone with eyes could tell she was Xi Yuanchen's mistress.

Anan nodded and called out, "Miss Yao."

Yao Yingxi nodded, and the atmosphere quieted down. Yao Yingxi sat there somewhat uncomfortably.

Xi Yuanchen remained silent as the car slowly drove to a stop in front of a large Chinese-style building.

Anan got out of the car and opened the back door, and Yao Yingxi and Xi Yuanchen got out one after the other.

Ye Xiaoya opened the car door herself and got out, taking Xi Yuanchen's hand: "Brother Yuanchen, you still remember that I like to eat this?"

When Yao Yingxi saw her action, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she quickly concealed it.

Ye Xiaoya and Xi Yuanchen walked ahead, and Yao Yingxi felt like a third wheel interrupting their date, whether she was trying to hide or not.

Upon entering the building, Yao Yingxi realized it was a restaurant.

Xi Yuanchen and Ye An'an walked in front, while he and Anan followed behind.

After seeing someone come up and greet Ye Xiaoya and Xi Yuanchen, Yao Yingxi led the way.

The group went to a private room, and Ye Xiaoya quickly sat down next to Xi Yuanchen. Yao Yingxi felt uncomfortable seeing Ye Xiaoya's behavior and deliberately sat down a little further away from Xi Yuanchen.

Perhaps it's because they are regular customers or because Xi Yuanchen had previously made a reservation.

The group had barely sat down when the restaurant began serving dishes.