The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

Yao Yingxi returned to her apartment, took a shower, and came out of the bathroom when Xi Yuanchen grabbed her around the waist.

Yao Yingxi was a little confused. She had just uttered the word "Xi" when Xi Yuanchen lowered his head and kissed her.

It wasn't exactly a gentle kiss. Yao Yingxi frowned, trying to pull away, when Xi Yuanchen opened his mouth and bit her lower lip.

It really bit her. Yao Yingxi hissed in pain and said indignantly, "Mr. Xi, are you a dog?"

Xi Yuanchen's kisses traveled to Yao Yingxi's back. He chuckled softly in her ear, his warm breath tickling her ear like a small hammer striking her heart.

Yao Yingxi felt something spreading through her. Xi Yuanchen picked her up and pressed her into the bed, continuing, "If I'm a dog, then you're a dog's 'fucking' son."

Xi Yuanchen rarely used vulgar language. Although he would say some shameless things under the bed, he had never been this crude before.

Yao Yingxi's eyes widened in surprise, while Xi Yuanchen had already begun to engage in combat.

Yao Yingxi tightened her grip on Xi Yuanchen's shoulder, and her thoughts immediately scattered.

Xi Yuanchen seemed to have been provoked by something, and he was unusually ruthless tonight.

Yao Yingxi begged for mercy several times, but he didn't stop. In the end, he carried Yao Yingxi to the bathroom to clean her up.

Thinking he was going to come back, Yao Yingxi was scared. She hugged him and said in a hoarse voice, "Mr. Xi, leave yourself an out."

Xi Yuanchen didn't stop for a few steps. He looked down at her, his voice deep and resonant, like a cello plucking at one's heartstrings: "You don't want to stay?"

"..." Yao Yingxi remained silent.

Although the two had been honest with each other countless times, Yao Yingxi was still embarrassed.

Xi Yuanchen put her in the bathtub, squatted down with a bath sponge in hand, and Yao Yingxi's face turned red. She bent over, bent her legs to cover her front, and said in a hoarse voice, "Mr. Xi, I can do it myself."

"Do it yourself?" Xi Yuanchen looked at her with a half-smile and asked, "Still have the strength?"

Yao Yingxi looked at Xi Yuanchen and remained silent.

She closed her eyes in despair, relaxed her whole body in the bathtub, and ignored Xi Yuanchen.

After she took a shower, Xi Yuanchen carried her back to bed and then lay down on the bed himself.

Perhaps it was because she had taken a shower, but Yao Yingxi felt much more awake and wasn't sleepy at all while lying in bed.

The bedroom was dark, with only a few rays of moonlight filtering through the curtains that weren't fully drawn. Yao Yingxi opened her eyes; the man beside her was breathing steadily, seemingly fast asleep.

Yao Yingxi watched him drift into thought for a while. Thinking of the vulgar words he had uttered in bed earlier, she didn't seem to find them offensive. In fact, she even thought Mr. Xi was quite manly.

As she thought about it, Yao Yingxi blushed and sighed, feeling utterly ashamed.

She sighed subconsciously, and a steady, slightly languid voice sounded in her ear: "Can't sleep?"

Yao Yingxi immediately froze, then spoke after a moment of stiffness: "Mmm..."

Xi Yuanchen turned on the light and sat up in bed. Yao Yingxi thought she had woken him and was angry, so she also sat up, cautiously observing his expression: "Mr. Xi..."

"Pour me a glass of water," Xi Yuanchen said, glancing at her sideways.

Yao Yingxi glanced at him, nodded, lifted the covers, got out of bed, and went to the kitchen.

Xi Yuanchen watched her retreating figure, and when she left the bedroom, he reached into the bedside drawer and took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Just as he finished smoking, Yao Yingxi returned with two glasses of honey water.

Yao Yingxi noticed that the cigarette between his fingers paused for a moment, then walked to the bedside and handed him a glass of water: "Mr. Xi."

Xi Yuanchen took the honey water and tossed his cigarette and lighter aside. A hint of impatience flickered between his brows.

Yao Yingxi thought she had disturbed him, which was why he was angry, so she stood to the side cautiously, not daring to say a word.

Xi Yuanchen finished his glass of water, casually placed it on the bedside table, and looked at Yao Yingxi: "Go to sleep."

Yao Yingxi said "Oh," and lay down, snuggling closer to the covers. Xi Yuanchen pulled her into his arms, his whole body pressed against hers.

This time, Yao Yingxi fell asleep quickly.

When I woke up the next morning, Xi Yuanchen was already gone.

The bed was still warm. Yao Yingxi originally thought he was still in the apartment, but after searching the house, she found that he was really gone.

Unable to say for sure, Yao Yingxi felt somewhat disappointed.

Xi Yuanchen has been staying at the apartment for most of this time, and Yao Yingxi has gotten used to seeing him every day. But this morning he left early, and when she woke up, the feeling of having only him left in the apartment was really unpleasant.

Fortunately, after having breakfast, a girl who had recently been working part-time called to ask if she wanted to go hand out flyers together, and Yao Yingxi agreed without hesitation.

The weather was great today, with blue skies and white clouds, and Yao Yingxi felt much better when she went out.

Today's job is to distribute advertising flyers for a real estate company. Yao Yingxi discussed it with the girl and decided to distribute them on the commercial street in the morning and go to places like clubs, bars and restaurants in the afternoon.

Wearing a bear mask, Yao Yingxi stood outside a high-end restaurant and saw three familiar faces.

Xi Yuanchen, Xu Xinya, Yao Yingyue, Anan, and several other people that Yao Yingxi didn't recognize walked into the restaurant.

Yao Yingxi knew that Xi Yuanchen had a partnership with Hengyuan Group, and that he had even taken her to meet Xu Xinya. She also used him to extort 20% of the profits from Xu Hengyuan's project.

But... knowing is one thing, but seeing a man she doesn't even see in the morning chatting and laughing with the person she hates the most is really not a pleasant feeling.

When Xi Yuanchen reached the hotel entrance, he suddenly stopped and looked in Yao Yingxi's direction. Yao Yingxi froze, wondering what to do as he thought he recognized her. Then, Yao Yingyue smiled and asked, "Mr. Xi, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Xi Yuanchen withdrew his gaze and replied with two indifferent words. The group then entered the restaurant.

After Xi Yuanchen left, Yao Yingxi turned her attention back to her work.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Yao Yingxi finally finished handing out all the flyers. She took off her mascot costume, said goodbye to the girl who was with her, and went back to her apartment.

Her mood had been somewhat low ever since she saw Xi Yuanchen and his group in the afternoon, as she sat on the bus looking at the neon lights all around her.

A clear thought flashed through Yao Yingxi's mind, and she could no longer deceive herself.

She fell in love with the man who was forcing her, and she loved him very, very much.

From the moment he said she had killed someone and he handed her the knife.

From the moment he said that no one around him had ever been bullied and remained silent. From the moment he said she was his woman. From the moment he said he would remember those who bullied her.

There are so many other small things, but to her, they are all acts of care and warmth.