The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Meng Yao gave Fang Qing a deep look and remained silent.

Fang Qing gazed out the window, a flicker of unreadable emotion in her eyes, her hands clenched tightly on her knees.

I originally planned to come because I thought it would only be Xi Yuanchen alone, but I didn't expect that Xi Yuanchen would also bring Yao Yingxi.

Since that's the case, then don't blame me.

As if thinking of something, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

After closing the door, Yao Yingxi checked the time and went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

At six o'clock, the sound of a car engine turning off and a horn honking rang out, and Yao Yingxi came out of the kitchen.

The door opened, and Xi Yuanchen, dressed in a suit and tie, was followed by Anan, who was carrying documents.

Yao Yingxi greeted him: "Mr. Xi, Secretary Nan."

Anan smiled: "Miss Yao."

After saying hello, Anan went upstairs by himself.

After watching Anan leave, Yao Yingxi said, "Mr. Yuan and the others came looking for you. You're not going back."

Xi Yuanchen gave a faint "hmm".

Anan came downstairs with a document, nodded to Yao Yingxi and Xi Yuanchen, and then went out.

"Mr. Xi, please have a seat. I'll go make some food."

She simply chopped the vegetables but didn't put them in the pot.

Xi Yuanchen spoke up: "I'll go with you."

Yao Yingxi was surprised, but she didn't show it on her face and just replied, "Okay."

She completely dismissed it as a whim of Xi Yuanchen's.

Yao Yingxi walked in front, and Xi Yuanchen followed behind, entering the kitchen one after the other.

Some of the dishes Yao Yingxi placed on the table were uncut, and the fish, having been frozen for a long time in the refrigerator, was being thawed in a basin.

Xi Yuanchen stood beside him, his brows furrowed slightly, suppressing his disgust.

Yao Yingxi lowered her eyes, thinking about what she wanted Xi Yuanchen to do, and didn't notice his disgusted expression.

Yao Yingxi watched for a long time, but still had no idea what Xi Yuanchen could do.

She could only ask tactfully, "Mr. Xi, are you done with your work?"

She was afraid that if she directly asked Xi Yuanchen to leave, he might think she was looking down on him.

Xi Yuanchen could easily tell that Yao Yingxi was indirectly asking him to leave.

He slowly stepped forward, pulling Yao Yingxi into his arms, his eyebrows slightly raised in a flirtatious manner: "What? You want me to leave?"

The warm breath tickled Yao Yingxi's skin.

Yao Yingxi paused for a moment: "No, I just feel that Mr. Xi works so hard, it's really not right for you to do these cooking tasks."

Xi Yuanchen chuckled: "It was just once in a while."

Yao Yingxi had no choice but to give up. Fearing that Xi Yuanchen might do something embarrassing here, she bent down and crawled out from under his arm.

"How about you clean the fish, Mr. Xi?"

Xi Yuanchen glanced at the large fish soaking in the basin, his brows furrowing slightly, and he steeled himself to step forward.

Yao Yingxi handed him the knife, and Xi Yuanchen took it, staring blankly at the fish.

Yao Yingxi thought he wouldn't kill it, so she ran her hand across the fish's belly and said, "You can cut it open here and take out the internal organs."

Xi Yuanchen was stunned. The CEO, who usually wouldn't hesitate to take a life, was now helpless against a fish.

Seeing that he was cold, Yao Yingxi wanted to take the knife from his hand and do it herself.

Xi Yuanchen dodged her, then forcefully made a cut on the fish's belly.

Crimson blood oozed from the fish's belly.

Yao Yingxi smiled gently: "That's how it is."

Her tone was filled with joy, after all, Xi Yuanchen, the young master, had never done any housework before.

Last time I went into the kitchen, I was extremely disgusted with it.

Now that he can actually take action, she's starting to wonder if Xi Yuanchen has taken the wrong medicine.

Yao Yingxi only dared to curse Xi Yuanchen in her mind, but dared not say it out loud.

Xi Yuanchen pulled out the fish's innards, his hands reeking of the sea and blood. Just looking at it made him lose his appetite.

Fearing that Xi Yuanchen would be even more disgusted, Yao Yingxi turned on the tap: "Mr. Xi, please wash your hands."

Xi Yuanchen washed his hands under the tap.

Yao Yingxi rinsed the fish under the tap before placing it on the board and said to Xi Yuanchen, "Mr. Xi, you can make a few cuts on it."

This time, Xi Yuanchen didn't let Yao Yingxi use her hands to gesture on it. Even if she'd never cooked fish before, had she never eaten it?

Yao Yingxi was surprised to see Xi Yuanchen make several neat cuts on the fish.

Where should we put this?

Xi Yuanchen followed her actions, washing the fish under the tap and then turning to ask Yao Yingxi.

Yao Yingxi snapped out of her daze and quickly handed a plate to Xi Yuanchen: "Mr. Xi, just put it in there."

Xi Yuanchen put the fish inside and handed the vegetable basket to Xi Yuanchen, saying, "This is for you."

Xi Yuanchen looked at the vegetables in the basket in his hand and paused.

Yao Yingxi turned around and started the fire, preparing to make braised fish.

"Miss Yao, Miss Yao."

Suddenly someone called Yao Yingxi's name in the living room.

Yao Yingxi glanced at Xi Yuanchen hesitantly, while Xi Yuanchen looked up at her at the same time.

The kitchen was somewhat soundproofed, so it was impossible to tell whose voice it was.

Yao Yingxi had no choice but to come out of the kitchen. When she saw Bai Tingsheng standing in the hall, she paused for a few seconds before calling out, "Mr. Bai."

Bai Tingsheng was holding a document when he saw Yao Yingxi walking out of the kitchen wearing an apron. He nodded and asked, "Miss Yao, where's the boss?"

Yao Yingxi was stunned, unsure whether she should tell Bai Tingsheng that Xi Yuanchen was in the kitchen.

"Miss Bai? Isn't the boss here?"

Bai Tingsheng asked again.

Yao Yingxi opened her mouth and said, "Mr. Xi is in the kitchen now."

Upon hearing this, Bai Tingsheng's first reaction was that he thought he had misheard.

"what?"

Seeing Bai Tingsheng's incredulous expression, Yao Yingxi thought she had misspoke and whispered again, "Mr. Xi is in the kitchen."

Bai Tingsheng suddenly became anxious: "Miss Yao, aren't you afraid that the boss will blow up the kitchen? He's not me."

Having known each other for over twenty years, Xi Yuanchen had never stepped into the kitchen, or rather, he had never even stood at the kitchen doorway.

"say what?"

Xi Yuanchen emerged from the kitchen at some point, abruptly stopping Bai Tingsheng's incredulous exclamation.

"Boss, what are you doing in the kitchen?"

Bai Tingsheng couldn't contain his curiosity and asked. He didn't believe Xi Yuanchen could cook, not even if you beat him to death.

Instead of answering, Xi Yuanchen asked, "Is the matter resolved?"

Bai Tingsheng realized what was happening and handed the things in his hand to Xi Yuanchen: "It's all taken care of."

After saying that, he continued, unwilling to give up, "Boss, were you cooking in the kitchen just now? When did you learn to cook?"

Xi Yuanchen remained indifferent and did not answer.

Watching Yao Yingxi and Bai Tingsheng cook together today, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

Yao Yingxi said, "Mr. Xi, Mr. Bai, you two chat first, I'll go to the kitchen to get busy."

Yao Yingxi really wanted to ask Bai Tingsheng if he wanted to eat here, but remembering Xi Yuanchen's warning a while ago, she didn't say anything.

Bai Tingsheng smiled and nodded: "Miss Yao, prepare one for me too. It's rare for the boss to come into the kitchen today, so I'll have to have a good taste."

Xi Yuanchen looked somewhat displeased: "None of yours."

Bai Tingsheng joked, "I took a look at the refrigerator today. Boss, you and Miss Yao can't eat that much. Having me will save me the trouble of asking the housekeeper to cook when I get back."