The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Xi Yuanchen coldly uttered a few words: "If you invite someone here, they must be of use."

The implication is that if you don't call the maid you hired, what's the point of hiring her?

Bai Tingsheng paused, then continued, "Boss, I'm not eating what you made, why are you being so stingy?"

"Money is saved."

Bai Tingsheng almost choked on his words. Would the Xi family's assets be lacking in this way?

After that, no matter what Bai Tingsheng said, Xi Yuanchen didn't respond. His attitude was very firm, as if he couldn't afford to feed Bai Tingsheng.

Yao Yingxi had almost finished cooking when Xi Yuanchen walked in.

Yao Yingxi paused for a few seconds, then asked, "Mr. Bai is gone?"

Xi Yuanchen gave a faint "hmm," then, as if remembering something, he asked Yao Yingxi, "What do you think of Tingsheng?"

Yao Yingxi was a little confused as to why Xi Yuanchen would suddenly ask this. She hesitated for a moment, considering how to answer so that Xi Yuanchen wouldn't get angry.

"Mr. Bai is a very nice person. He can cook and shouldn't have any bad habits. Besides, he's a friend of Mr. Xi, so he can't be too bad."

Although it was said to be praising Bai Tingsheng, it was actually a disguised compliment to Xi Yuanchen's taste.

Upon hearing the first sentence, Xi Yuanchen's face darkened with displeasure. He was about to pull Yao Yingxi aside to ask her for clarification when he heard her praise him afterward, and his mood instantly brightened.

Xi Yuanchen didn't realize that he was being so calculating about Yao Yingxi praising someone else, even though that person was his brother.

Seeing Xi Yuanchen's calm expression, Yao Yingxi smiled bitterly. She hoped that Xi Yuanchen would be jealous, but she was also afraid that if he was jealous, he would take it out on her.

Xi Yuanchen looked at her indifferently as Yao Yingxi finished cooking the last dish.

Xi Yuanchen held out his hand: "I'll take it out."

Yao Yingxi paused for a moment and handed the dish to Xi Yuanchen.

Xi Yuanchen placed the dishes on the dining table.

During the meal, Yao Yingxi didn't speak to Xi Yuanchen, and Xi Yuanchen didn't say a word either.

The two remained silent. As Yao Yingxi cleared the dishes, she secretly glanced at Xi Yuanchen.

Xi Yuanchen's phone rang. He glanced at the screen before speaking, "Xiaoya and the others are coming over tomorrow."

Yao Yingxi paused for a few seconds before nodding, "Okay."

Xi Yuanchen was in the living room when the phone rang again. Yao Yingxi glanced at him, then turned back to continue with her own business.

A short while later, Xi Yuanchen returned from outside, and Yao Yingxi had just finished tidying up.

"Mr. Xi, is there anything we need to prepare for tomorrow?"

She didn't know if Yuan Xi and his group would eat here.

Xi Yuanchen paused, then shook his head: "No need."

Yao Yingxi nodded. The two went upstairs together, but Xi Yuanchen went to the study, while Yao Yingxi went to the master bedroom.

She took her clothes into the bathroom, finished showering, and glanced at her easel in the corner.

Yao Yingxi stood with her arms wrapped around herself in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the night view of the entire villa.

The villa was large, and at night, streetlights were turned on along every path in the garden, with warm orange lights hanging from tall, dark poles. The light spilled onto the ground, as if waiting for everyone to return home.

Yao Yingxi stood there for a while, the cold wind blowing her hair, and she also felt a little cold.

But at this moment, so peaceful and serene, she couldn't bear to leave, couldn't bear to disturb it.

Xi Yuanchen pushed open the door and saw Yao Yingxi standing in front of the French windows. His brows furrowed in displeasure.

Hearing the door open, Yao Yingxi's thoughts were pulled back. She turned around and saw Xi Yuanchen, greeting him with a smile: "Mr. Xi."

Xi Yuanchen regained his composure and walked over: "What are you doing standing here?"

Yao Yingxi shook her head: "I didn't do anything."

Xi Yuanchen didn't say anything more. He turned around and glanced at the drawing board on the floor. He paused for a moment and then walked straight to the bathroom.

The two of them lived their lives in this uneventful way.

The next morning.

When Yao Yingxi got up, the seat next to her was already empty.

She checked her phone and realized it was only six o'clock.

She hadn't gotten up this early since she got together with Xi Yuanchen.

After getting out of bed and washing up, Yao Yingxi went outside, but Xi Yuanchen was nowhere to be seen.

She suspected that Xi Yuanchen hadn't slept all night.

She walked to the study door and knocked, but no one answered. When Yao Yingxi opened the door, she found that Xi Yuanchen was not there.

She wondered if Xi Yuanchen had gone out when she heard a noise in the living room.

As Yao Yingxi went downstairs, she saw Xi Yuanchen running in from outside, covered in sweat and wearing sportswear.

Xi Yuanchen paused when he heard the noise coming downstairs.

Yao Yingxi spoke first: "Good morning, Mr. Xi."

Xi Yuanchen glanced at Yao Yingxi's clothes and said, "Go change into your sportswear."

Yao Yingxi paused for a moment, then said, "I don't have any sportswear here."

Xi Yuanchen paused for a moment: "Let's just run like this."

Yao Yingxi spoke up again: "I don't have any sneakers."

She lacks exercise and is lazy to move.

Xi Yuanchen was about to say something.

Yao Yingxi spoke first: "Mr. Xi, would you like breakfast? What would you like to eat?"

Xi Yuanchen said calmly, "Porridge, please."

Fearing that Xi Yuanchen would make her put the rice in the rice cooker and then make her go out to exercise, Yao Yingxi asked again, "Do you want to cook with me?"

Actually, Yao Yingxi was overthinking it. Xi Yuanchen, who couldn't cook, had no idea that porridge could be cooked in a rice cooker and then he could do whatever he wanted.

Xi Yuanchen paused, then said, "I'll go change my clothes."

Yao Yingxi watched Xi Yuanchen go upstairs before letting out a sigh of relief and entering the kitchen.

Put rice into the rice cooker and wash it.

Then I took out the remaining portion of fresh shrimp from the refrigerator, washed them, and removed the shrimp veins.

When Xi Yuanchen came downstairs after taking a shower, Yao Yingxi had basically finished everything.

He thought Yao Yingxi would wait for him.

When Yao Yingxi saw him, she told him, "Mr. Xi, the porridge will be ready soon."

After hearing Yao Yingxi praise Bai Tingsheng's cooking, Xi Yuanchen thought for a moment and realized that he could sometimes cook with Yao Yingxi, which would be a kind of rest.

"Is there nothing else to do?"

Yao Yingxi paused for a few seconds, afraid that Xi Yuanchen would think she wasn't waiting for him.

She spoke up: "Yes, I haven't heated the toast yet, Mr. Xi, come here."

Xi Yuanchen walked over, and Yao Yingxi took the toast out of the refrigerator: "Put the toast in there and press this button."

Xi Yuanchen took it and did as she said.

After seeing what Xi Yuanchen had done, Yao Yingxi turned around and went to the rice cooker to stir the porridge.

Xi Yuanchen turned around and watched her busy figure. Suddenly, on a whim, he walked behind Yao Yingxi and hugged her waist from behind.

Suddenly being hugged, Yao Yingxi was stunned for a few seconds before continuing to stir the food.

Xi Yuanchen buried his head in her neck and sniffed, a gesture he almost never made when he was not in desire.

Yao Yingxi forgot to breathe for a moment, thinking how wonderful it would be if time could stand still forever.

She greedily longed for it.

Xi Yuanchen held her for a while before letting go.

The porridge in the rice cooker was bubbling and foaming.

Yao Yingxi poured the porridge into a bowl, and at the same time, the toast, which had been heated, popped up with a "drip".

Xi Yuanchen took the porridge out.

Yao Yingxi put the toast in a bowl, made Xi Yuanchen a cup of coffee, and gave herself a glass of milk.