The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Yao Yingxi was gambling, gambling with herself and with the Xu family. She was gambling that she would keep her actions absolutely secret and that the Xu family would not want to lose Xi Yuanchen as a partner.

She wanted to let Xu Xinya know what it felt like to be forced to bow down, and this was just the beginning.

Yao Yingxi tried her best to appear calm and have solid evidence, but only she knew that her palms were starting to sweat.

Xi Yuanchen's hand, which was holding hers, suddenly moved. Yao Yingxi froze, instinctively grabbing his hand and not letting go. She also instinctively turned her head to look at him, her eyes revealing obvious panic.

Xi Yuanchen looked at her expressionlessly and slowly pulled his hand out of her palm.

Yao Yingxi's face paled, and her mind went blank.

Her body trembled, whether from the cold or fear, Yao Yingxi suddenly felt a chill seep into her bones from her pores, freezing her completely. Despair swept over her with overwhelming force.

Yao Yingxi was unwilling to accept it. She looked at Xi Yuanchen, wanting to see clearly whether he was going to abandon her.

Xi Yuanchen lowered his head, smiled at her, and reached out to adjust the suit jacket draped over her shoulders. He then looked up at the Xu family and said, "President Xu, you've really impressed me tonight. Let's leave tonight's matter to the police. It just so happens that Wang Wan's case is still pending. Even my women have villains attacking them. It seems I'm not ruthless enough, which is why people think my people are easy to mess with."

For a moment, Yao Yingxi's mind went blank. When she came to her senses, Xi Yuanchen had already reached out to her and called out, "Yao Yingxi."

He suddenly called her name, and Yao Yingxi realized what was happening. She placed her hand in his palm, and the two walked away.

As Yao Yingxi walked down from the second floor to the outside of the villa, she was completely dazed.

Once she had cleared her head a bit, Xu Hengyuan hurriedly led Xu Xinya out to catch up.

"Mr. Xi, Xiao Xi, wait a minute." Xu Hengyuan called out to them, then pulled Xu Xinya in front of them and said in a deep voice, "Apologize to your sister now!"

Xu Xinya's face was even paler than before, and she glared at Yao Yingxi with resentment.

Yao Yingxi looked at her, but before Xu Xinya could speak, she saw Xu Hengyuan slap Xu Xinya and say sternly, "Kneel down and apologize to your sister and President Xi!"

Xu Xinya's face was turned to the side by Xu Hengyuan's slap. She did not expect Xu Hengyuan to hit her suddenly, and she did not expect Xu Hengyuan to make her kneel down to Yao Yingxi.

"I……"

"Ya Ya, my child!" He Qinfang rushed out from somewhere and hugged Xu Xinya, looking at her with heartache and red eyes. She interrupted Xu Xinya, "Be good and apologize to your sister. You are the best child. Let's make peace, okay?"

Xu Xinya looked at He Qinfang in disbelief and opened her mouth: "Mom... do you want me to kneel down to Yao Yingxi?"

"No!" Xu Xinya said stubbornly, "She's a cheapskate..."

He Qinfang reached out and covered Xu Xinya's mouth, then shook her head at her.

“Yingxi, I know you misunderstand me and Yaya, I know you hate us. But we are family!” After telling Xu Xinya to shut up, He Qinfang, with red eyes, adopted a humble posture: “Yaya is also your sister, you are connected by blood.”

"May I apologize to you on Ya Ya's behalf for what happened tonight?" He Qinfang said, bowing to Xu Xinya with an expression that seemed genuinely humbled.

He Qinfang was a very clever woman, which is why she was able to successfully rise to power despite having only one daughter and remain Mrs. Xu for so many years. She knew that the most important thing now was to keep Xi Yuanchen in check. She and Xu Xinya were subservient to Yao Yingxi, and no matter how things turned out, at least in front of Xu Hengyuan, they, mother and daughter, were both sensible and on his side.

So, she suppressed her resentment and bitterness and apologized to Yao Yingxi.

Yao Yingxi looked at He Qinfang without saying a word. Xi Yuanchen held her hand, glanced at He Qinfang and her daughter, then looked at Xu Hengyuan, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Mr. Xu, are your words often taken with a grain of salt?"

The implication is, didn't you say to kneel down?

Xu Hengyuan's career has developed rapidly in the past two years, and he has become somewhat arrogant. In Yuncheng, many people have to curry favor with him. After hearing Xi Yuanchen's words, his face fell: "President Xi! It's always good to leave room for maneuver in life, don't you think?"

“Heh…” Xi Yuanchen chuckled, looking at Xu Hengyuan with a smile on his lips, and nodded: “Mr. Xi is right.”

As he spoke, he opened the car door and called out, "Yao Yingxi."

Yao Yingxi didn't even glance at the Xu family members before opening the car door and getting inside.

The car slowly started moving, and the air conditioning inside was turned up to the maximum. Yao Yingxi felt even colder at this moment amidst the alternation of hot and cold.

She turned her head to look at Xi Yuanchen, who was lying in a cold expression with his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

Yao Yingxi exhaled silently, turning her head to look at the receding night view outside the car window.

Back at the apartment, Xi Yuanchen got out of the car and left immediately.

Yao Yingxi had to jog to catch up with him. She bit her lip and only mustered up the courage to speak after they arrived at the apartment: "Mr. Xi, I didn't mean to lie to you."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yuanchen stopped in his tracks.

Yao Yingxi took a deep breath without making a sound, clenched her fingers, and walked up to Xi Yuanchen: "I really didn't intend to use myself as a pawn at first, but that child is so young, what if she falls into the swimming pool..."

She could have avoided falling, but the child was right in front of her. If she had pulled Xu Xinyue away, the little girl named "Nini" would have fallen with Xu Xinyue. She couldn't ignore such a small child.

"Yao Yingxi, if you want revenge, then stop with your rotten kindness!" Xi Yuanchen looked at her, his eyes cold and brooding.

The child she was talking about might not be so innocent. A five or six-year-old child couldn't possibly be so ignorant, and her parents couldn't possibly have failed to teach her to stay away from the pool and to be polite to others.

Yao Yingxi looked at Xi Yuanchen, opened her mouth, but couldn't refute his words at all.

Xi Yuanchen, his face grim, didn't look at her again and turned to go into the study.

Yao Yingxi stood alone in the living room, her dress half-dry. She took a few deep breaths before taking a shower.

After taking a shower, Yao Yingxi glanced at the time; it was almost midnight, and Xi Yuanchen still hadn't returned to the bedroom.

Yao Yingxi went to the entrance hall and saw that Xi Yuanchen's shoes were all on the shoe rack.

He didn't leave, but he was genuinely angry.

Yao Yingxi stood in the entryway for a while, then took a cup of hot water and went to the study.

Before going to the study, she went back to her bedroom to take a pill before knocking on the door.

After knocking on the door several times, Yao Yingxi saw no sign of Xi Yuanchen letting her in. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the door open, went inside, and called out to Xi Yuanchen, "Mr. Xi..."