The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

The next day, news of Liang Pingyin's engagement spread like wildfire, with reporters and media outlets vying to cover the day's events live.

All the invitations were sent out, and the Zhao and Liang families did not intend to keep it a secret from anyone. After all, they wanted to take this opportunity to clarify the previous 'cheating' incident. Liang Pingyin and Zhao Zhe were in love and a perfect match, and there was no so-called marriage between them.

This news also included Yao Yingxi and Xi Yuanchen. Although Xi Yuanchen tried his best to suppress the news about Yao Yingxi, some fearless newspapers still published it.

Immediately, rumors spread like wildfire. Some said that Yao Yingxi was a mistress who used underhanded tactics to get Liang Pingyin and Zhao Zhe together, all so that she could break off their engagement and take her place.

Some people say that Liang Pingyin cheated on Zhao Zhe, and the Xi family could not bear the torment of being cuckolded, so they chose to break off the engagement. As for why the engagement was broken off just over ten days before the rumors started, there must have been some vested interests involved.

While the public outcry was raging, Yao Yingxi remained completely unfazed. She continued with her life and classes. When she saw the news, she simply smiled and said, "It's true," without much expression. She could say she hadn't completely let go of the fact that she was once a mistress, but she wasn't bothered by it either. Life went on, and the matter was in the past. As long as she and Xi Yuanchen could grow old together, what did it matter if she bore that label?

Moreover, Xi Yuanchen's engagement to Liang Pingyin was only agreed upon by his family; he himself never acknowledged it.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, when Yao Yingxi went to Xi Yuanchen's company, she knocked on the door and went in, and saw Bai Tingsheng sitting on the sofa.

She paused for a moment, then greeted him with a smile, "Tingsheng, when did you arrive?"

Bai Tingsheng waved the invitation in his hand: "I've been invited to someone's engagement."

After saying that, Bai Tingsheng flipped open the invitation, glanced at it, and clicked his tongue a few times.

Yao Yingxi went inside and placed her design draft on the table.

Bai Tingsheng looked at Yao Yingxi and teased Xi Yuanchen: "Boss, look, your ex-fiancée is already engaged, when will it be your turn with Miss Yao?"

Xi Yuanchen looked up at him upon hearing this, but said nothing.

Yao Yingxi felt a little hopeful, but when she saw that Xi Yuanchen didn't answer, she felt disappointed, but she didn't show it on her face. She smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Xi and I aren't in a hurry."

She knew in her heart that Xi Yuanchen wouldn't marry or get engaged to her so soon, but knowing that was one thing, wanting Xi Yuanchen to give her a promise was another.

Even if there were no more people like Liang Pingyin in her current relationship with Xi Yuanchen, Yao Yingxi still felt insecure.

Sometimes she would wonder if Xi Yuanchen would end up with her in the future.

Xi Yuanchen stepped forward and put his arm around Yao Yingxi's waist: "If you're in a hurry, you can get married first. I'll always have the money for the wedding gift ready."

Bai Tingsheng was speechless.

Yao Yingxi said, "You and Tingsheng talk first, I'm going to the restroom."

Xi Yuanchen nodded: "Okay, is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll have someone bring it over."

“I don’t have anything in particular I want to eat. Why don’t you ask Tingsheng what he wants to eat?” Yao Yingxi said as she turned around and walked into the lounge.

Entering the lounge, Yao Yingxi closed the door, stood at the entrance, took a deep breath, and then went to the restroom.

She cared, cared about Xi Yuanchen's attitude, cared about everything he said. She remembered that she had gotten angry about this last time, and Xi Yuanchen, because of Tom's excessive concern, didn't believe she was throwing a tantrum, and the two of them had a big fight because of it.

So she didn't dare show it, afraid that the two of them would argue again. Most relationships end because of arguments, and she couldn't bear to see her relationship with Xi Yuanchen come to an end.

Xi Yuanchen walked to his desk and pressed the internal phone: "Bring in two cakes and fruits, as well as one mocha and two Americanos."

After hanging up the phone, Bai Tingsheng said, "Boss, I don't eat cake." He felt it was awkward for a grown man to eat such sweet things, and besides, he didn't like them either.

Xi Yuanchen replied calmly, "It wasn't ordered for you."

Bai Tingsheng belatedly realized what was happening and said through gritted teeth, "There are women but no men, wives but no brothers. What about the saying that women are like clothes and brothers are like limbs?"

"There are plenty of people in the world with broken arms and legs, but how many dare to run naked?"

When Yao Yingxi came out and heard those words, her earlier disappointment eased considerably.

She had a smile on her face. Bai Tingsheng and Xi Yuanchen heard the door close and turned around to see Yao Yingxi.

Bai Tingsheng pretended to complain: "Sister-in-law, you should keep an eye on the boss. You just asked me what I wanted to eat, but before I could say anything, the boss had his assistant make it. It's dessert, and you didn't even have anything you wanted to eat. The boss prepared two cakes for you, but I didn't get anything. Do you think he's entertaining guests or showing off that he's not a single guy in front of me?"

Yao Yingxi smiled and asked in return, "Tingsheng, are you an outsider?"

As soon as Yao Yingxi finished speaking, there was a knock on the office door. Xiang Chi responded and saw Miss Julie walking in with a tray in her hand.

She placed the cake, coffee, and fruit on the table, said something to Xi Yuanchen, and then turned and walked out.

Bai Tingsheng shook his head: "Compared to your relationship with the boss, I am an outsider. But if we don't compare, I am considered family."

Yao Yingxi chimed in, "That's it. Mr. Xi treats you like family, that's why he didn't ask what you wanted to eat."

Upon hearing this, Bai Tingsheng jumped up from the sofa: "I understand now, sister-in-law, you're working in cahoots with the boss."

Yao Yingxi smiled but remained silent. Xi Yuanchen stepped forward and put his arm around Yao Yingxi's waist: "Compared to our relationship, aren't you just an outsider?"

Bai Tingsheng slumped on the sofa: "He has no humanity when it comes to women."

Xi Yuanchen released his hand from Yao Yingxi's waist, placed the cake on her other side, pulled Yao Yingxi to sit down, and asked Bai Tingsheng, "Do you want some?"

"I'm full from eating dog food." He got up from the sofa. "I have to go out for a bit. Let's go out for dinner tonight."

It was a reunion after a long time, so Xi Yuanchen nodded: "Okay, you find a place then, and we can go there."

With one person missing from the office, Xi Yuanchen asked Yao Yingxi, "Would you like to attend Liang Pingyin's engagement?"

Yao Yingxi didn't know why he was asking her again, so she asked in return, "Does Mr. Xi want me to go?"

"If you're not going, I'm not going either. I only asked you because the Liang family was rude to you. Why should I care about what outsiders think and be polite to them?" Xi Yuanchen said calmly.

Yao Yingxi reached out and hugged his neck: "Why do I feel like you're being stubborn when you say that?"

Xi Yuanchen lifted her buttocks and kissed her: "I'm not being stubborn, I'm just venting my anger for you."

Yao Yingxi smiled and leaned against Xi Yuanchen's chest. That's how it is. If he doesn't make a promise, he doesn't make a promise. As long as she doesn't hold onto hope, she shouldn't be too sad if things don't work out with Xi Yuanchen in the future.

Yao Yingxi comforted herself in her heart, closed her eyes and smelled the familiar scent on Xi Yuanchen, as if the two of them would be separated at any moment.