The Counterattack of a Wealthy Family's Substitute

His gaze deepened as Xi Yuanchen looked at Yao Yingxi. His previously cold and stern face softened into a half-smile, and his voice held a hint of amusement: "Jealous?"

Yao Yingxi hadn't thought through anything she did just now. She didn't expect Xi Yuanchen to find out. When Xi Yuanchen questioned her, she didn't say anything, but her cheeks turned a little red.

Xi Yuanchen smiled, picked her up horizontally, and walked towards the bedroom.

A shiver ran through her body, and a blush spread from Yao Yingxi's face to her ears. Xi Yuanchen asked her, "Stubborn?"

Yao Yingxi wasn't just being stubborn now; she was too afraid to speak.

Xi Yuanchen pressed her down into the blankets, supporting himself with his hands on either side of her face, and said with a smile, "If you don't say it now, you won't have a chance to say it later."

Yao Yingxi felt utterly humiliated. She glared at Xi Yuanchen, thinking she was speaking fiercely, but little did she know how captivating she looked at that moment: "Mr. Xi, you are so narcissistic. I am well aware of the special relationship between us, and I have kept in mind what you told me, Mr. Xi, not to cross the line."

"I'm just afraid that President Xi will come back with some kind of unclean disease. I love myself, and I'm afraid of getting sick!"

Yao Yingxi emphasized the word "illness" with extra force.

After she finished speaking, Xi Yuanchen's face darkened. He had truly underestimated this little hedgehog beside him. Not only did she dare to raise her quills against him, but she also dared to use his own words to hurt him.

"Very well." Xi Yuanchen sneered, enunciating each word clearly: "Yao Yingxi, don't beg me!"

Yao Yingxi remained silent, but began to work vigorously beneath her.

Xi Yuanchen was genuinely angry with Yao Yingxi. He disregarded her completely, regardless of whether she begged for forgiveness or not, and only cared about venting his own anger.

In the end, Yao Yingxi was so overwhelmed that she fainted.

When Yao Yingxi woke up the next day, her body ached as if it weren't her own. She sat up slowly, and her lower body was swollen, but it didn't hurt; instead, she felt a cool, refreshing sensation.

Without even thinking, Yao Yingxi knew that it must have been Xi Yuanchen who applied the medicine.

Even so, she still remembered that last night he ignored her pleas for mercy and smashed her to pieces.

When Yao Yingxi got out of bed, her legs were trembling. If she hadn't been aware of her own limitations and held onto the edge of the bed, she might have fallen flat on her face.

She didn't feel sticky on her body; Xi Yuanchen must have helped her wash up last night. But she felt so uncomfortable that she filled the bathtub with hot water, added essential oil, and soaked herself in it.

She soaked in the bathtub for about half an hour before getting out, and her fatigue and soreness had eased somewhat.

After changing her clothes and leaving the bedroom, Xi Yuanchen was standing at the bar, his back to Yao Yingxi, making a phone call.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around, his gaze falling on Yao Yingxi. He hummed in response to the person on the other end of the phone and then hung up.

Yao Yingxi felt very uncomfortable being stared at by him. His hands were clenched behind her back, and she stood frozen in place.

Now, she remembered the flowers she had mentioned last night. She had practically challenged Xi Yuanchen's authority. If it were now, she wouldn't have dared to say anything, but since she had already said it, she didn't want to back down.

As Yao Yingxi's thoughts wandered, Xi Yuanchen stood in front of the dining table and said to her, "Come here."

Yao Yingxi was genuinely afraid of him. She stood still, and Xi Yuanchen sneered, "Weren't you quite formidable yesterday? What, are you chickening out now?"

From childhood, Yao Yingxi has had a bad habit: she can't resist being provoked.

Xi Yuanchen's words were practically a provocation to her. He was the one who benefited and had the most fun, yet he was still so self-righteous!

Yao Yingxi snorted indignantly and went to the kitchen. Seeing the exquisite breakfast laid out on the table, she immediately felt hungry, pulled out a chair, sat down, and began to eat.

Xi Yuanchen looked at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

Perhaps because she felt indebted to others for their hospitality, Yao Yingxi's earlier indignation subsided after she finished eating.

After Xi Yuanchen finished eating, she conscientiously cleared away the dishes to wash them. Xi Yuanchen was saying something when he left the restaurant.

Yao Yingxi came out of the kitchen after tidying up, and Xi Yuanchen was sitting on the sofa in the living room. He looked up at Yao Yingxi and asked, "Are you done tidying up?"

"Ah."

"Let's go then."

"Where?"

Xi Yuanchen stood in the entryway, looking at her with a half-smile: "Let's see who got me tainted with something unclean last night."

"..." Yao Yingxi looked at Xi Yuanchen speechlessly, but since she had said so, of course she had to go.

Judging from Xi Yuanchen's current attitude, he doesn't seem to know that he has a woman's lipstick mark on him. Regardless of how he got hurt, Yao Yingxi already has someone in her heart.

She couldn't possibly refuse an opportunity to humiliate Xu Xinya that was offered to her.

"I'm going to get another coat," Yao Yingxi said, going back to her room to get a long down jacket before following Xi Yuanchen out.

The weather was great today, with bright sunshine, but Yao Yingxi still felt cold when she stepped out of the apartment.

She shrank her neck, and Xi Yuanchen noticed, frowning as he asked her, "Are you cold?"

With temperatures nearing zero, it was certainly cold. Yao Yingxi nodded, looking at Xi Yuanchen, and then noticed that he had only put on a black overcoat over his suit.

He reached out and took her hand, a stark contrast to her icy demeanor.

Yao Yingxi originally thought that the two of them were still angry and she wanted to shake him off, but once he held her hand, she didn't want to let go.

The driver took them to the restaurant from yesterday afternoon. Yao Yingxi remained silent and indifferent until they reached the private room, without saying or asking anything.

The private room was heated, and Xi Yuanchen took off his coat as soon as he entered, but Yao Yingxi didn't move.

After a few minutes, Xi Yuanchen said, "Take off your coat."

Yao Yingxi didn't want to move, and since she didn't feel that cold, she blocked the view and didn't hear Xi Yuanchen's words.

"Yao Yingxi, if you get sick again, I'll leave you outside to fend for yourself."

Xi Yuanchen's voice was cold, but his words clearly carried a hint of concern.

A warm feeling washed over Yao Yingxi, but she restrained herself and obediently took off her coat.

It was lunchtime, but they had eaten before leaving, so they didn't order anything and just sipped their tea slowly.

After sitting for about twenty minutes, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Yao Yingyue walked in from outside, wearing a white fitted knitted long dress: "President Xi, I'm sorry, there was a traffic jam on the way, I'm late."

Her soft and sweet voice conveyed a coquettish tone even without close listening.

Yao Yingyue walked in, not expecting Yao Yingxi to be there as well. Her sweet smile froze, and when she spoke again, it had faded considerably: "Sister, what brings you here?"