Chapter 141: 1401 - 1410

Chapter 1401 All Tools in the End

René Alejandro nodded. Although he still believed that Jin Liwei's elite security staff at Dragon Palace Home #10 were a few levels below that of the abilities of people from his organization, it would still be a mistake to underestimate them. Like what one of his brothers said, they needed to be extra careful if Jin Liwei decided to send some of his people with them on the flight.

He glanced at his wristwatch for what felt like the hundredth time. "Is she not ready yet?"

Just as he was about to send someone to the main mansion, Wei Lan and Randy finally appeared. They were followed by a bunch of household staff and the bodyguards that Jin Liwei originally lent to her last year but now she was claiming as her own.

These bodyguards were all professional and excellent in their jobs. However, René Alejandro had long noticed that their skills couldn't compare to the ones still working at Dragon Palace Home #10.

What he didn't know was that the ones who remained at Dragon Palace Home #10 had improved their skills by leaps and bounds ever since they started using the special training regimen of Shadow Winds. The bodyguards that were assigned to Wei Lan didn't have the chance to return to Dragon Palace Home #10 and join their original colleagues with the new training. This was why their skills stayed the same and didn't improve much since last year.

The bodyguards and the household staff were dragging a large amount of luggage.

René Alejandro frowned. "Mamá, why bring so many things? We are in a hurry. It is good to bring only what is necessary, no?"

Wei Lan wiped real tears flowing down from behind her dark sunglasses. "Whaaaaaaaat do you mean that I'm bringing sooooooooooo many things? These aren't even a tenth of what I usually briiiiiiiiiiiing when I go abroad. I'm ooooooooooonly bringing 25 baaaaaaaaaaags and they're all necessary!"

"Alright, Mamá." René Alejandro sighed. He didn't want to argue with the woman.

Time was of the essence. His adoptive father was reportedly fighting for his life right as they were speaking. The organization already sent someone to rescue his father and transfer him in a medical facility. However, he and Wei Lan still needed to go see the real situation. This was part of the plan to make René Alejandro's background more authentic and aid in his mission.

It was good that Iris provided assistance in the form of sending one of Jin Liwei's private jets. René Alejandro could definitely use this to strengthen his connection with them. If they could sympathize with him and Wei Lan, then all the better.

He and his brothers could see as clear as day that the organization was taking advantage of his adoptive father's serious accident. They knew it but didn't have any choice but obey. Even though his adoptive father was one of the organization's highest leaders, it didn't matter. All members of the organization were only tools in the end.

Nevertheless, René Alejandro and his brothers were genuinely worried about his adoptive father. All of them were orphans and they considered the viscount as their father even when René Alejandro was the only one legally adopted. Even the Matador craved the viscount's attention and often fought René Alejandro and his brothers because of it.

René Alejandro heard that Emilio Miguel had been reprimanded by the higher-ups because the man wanted to fly straight to the viscount's side after hearing about the accident. The organization even sent additional people to watch over the Matador just in case he disobeyed his orders and went to see the viscount by himself without permission.

The Matador might be violent and unruly but he was still extremely obedient when it came to following missions. It was just that he often bended the rules to suit his perverted tendencies. His excuse was always that he was bending the rules, not breaking them. Since he was one of the best, the higher-ups often just ignored his actions as long as he wasn't explicitly breaking the rules and continued successfully completing missions.

René Alejandro might not agree with the amount of tolerance the higher-ups had with the Matador but he wasn't in any position to criticize them. Like all the others, he was just a tool for the organization along with his brothers.

He also had no time to care about Emilio Miguel's situation at the moment. Worry for his adoptive father sat in his gut like a hard and heavy rock. At the same time, he needed to continue playing the role of a distraught yet hopeful son and a concerned, kind stepson.

It was difficult to be patient especially with someone as extra like Wei Lan. They had already wasted too much time because of her.

Finally, all her bags—each of them weighing as if they were stuffed with boulders—were arranged in a separate van.

Randy, the Zumba instructor, was also coming with them. At first, Randy didn't see the need for him to go with them but Wei Lan insisted that he accompany her for moral support. It was a good thing that he wasn't like her who brought an excessive amount of luggage.

At last, they headed to the private airport where Jin Liwei's private jet was already waiting for them, ready to fly as soon as possible.

Just as expected, Jin Liwei sent a few additional bodyguards to join them. René Alejandro and his brothers looked meaningfully at each other before acting like there was nothing wrong.

What they didn't know was that all of these bodyguards were Shadow Winds members. Wei Lan's bodyguards didn't recognize any of them but their lady boss already informed them beforehand that these fellows were Lu Zihao's people. They needed to pretend to know each other. The loyalty of Wei Lan's bodyguards remained with Jin Liwei and Iris Long until this day.

René Alejandro and his brothers didn't notice anything amiss about the familiarity (or lack thereof) between Wei Lan's bodyguards and the additional bodyguards that they mistakenly believed were sent by Jin Liwei.

It didn't take long after they boarded that the jet began taking off in the air.

###

Dragon Palace Home #10.

Jin Liwei got home well past dinner time. Today was particularly productive perhaps because of the buffet lunch that his beloved wife sent for everyone at the company. Jin Liwei himself felt happy at his wife's surprise visit with their twins. He had been filled with energy and motivation for the entire day. As a result, he was able to finish all the meetings and complete other tasks today in record time.

He might have missed dinner time at home but at least he still got home earlier tonight compared to the past few nights. Last night was the worst. It was already well past midnight when he got home.

"Welcome home," Iris greeted him when he arrived in the bedroom.

He smiled and immediately went over to her for a kiss and a hug. "Still awake?"

"I was waiting for you."

He grinned and stole another kiss. Then he checked their twins.

The babies were already asleep in their crib. Little Mochi was hugging a small teddy bear and twitched a few times. He must be dreaming about something for him to move so much. Compared to him, Little Matcha slept like a log. He didn't move at all. He was just like his mother who stayed in the same position once asleep.

Jin Liwei quietly and carefully kissed each of his twins. Little Mochi moved and even opened his eyes a tiny slit. He smiled upon seeing his dad before falling right back to sleep. Little Matcha didn't move even one bit.

"Ice Cream is with her Lu cousins?" Jin Liwei asked.

Iris nodded. "Little Dima was being fussy and wouldn't stop crying. Ice Cream decided to stay with her baby cousins again tonight to help comfort Little Dima."

"I see."

While Jin Liwei took a shower, Iris called the kitchen to send dinner for her husband. Dinner was being arranged at their master suite's living area when he came out of the bathroom.

"Ketchup told me that you only ate a little before going home," Iris told him before pulling him to sit and starting to serve him food.

Jin Liwei enjoyed his wife's pampering. Both of them liked pampering each other.

They didn't talk much while he was eating. The companionable silence was comforting and not awkward at all. It helped ease Jin Liwei's exhaustion.

Only after he finished all the food that they started to chat. Their topic was Wei Lan's husband.

"Big Brother is finding out more about the viscount's accident. He also sent some of his men with Wei Lan and René Alejandro."

"I heard." Ketchup already informed him about it. Then he asked, "Will they bring the viscount with them when they return here?"

"I don't know. According to Wei Lan, the viscount is in serious condition. I don't know if she's exaggerating as usual but she sounds genuinely devastated when she called me earlier. I couldn't talk to her properly because she was crying so hard. Dom was the one who coaxed the details out of her but she doesn't know much other than her husband being in an accident and is now fighting for his life somewhere in the Caribbean."

Jin Liwei nodded. "Since you already helped them, then I have no problem with your decision. Do what you see fit. I think it's also high time that we meet the viscount in person."

"I'm very curious about him. Wei Lan and René Alejandro keep singing his praises. He and René Alejandro are suspicious but it's better to keep a close eye on them until we determine whether they're truly dangerous or not."

"En." He nuzzled her hair. "Time to sleep, love."

Chapter 1402 Is He Targeting Me?

Iris sat on her husband's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jin Liwei held her waist and smiled at her actions. He always enjoyed it whenever she seduced him. He loved that she wasn't shy at all when getting intimate with him.

They kissed each other in a slow, almost playful manner. The air sizzled, immediately turning sensual.

He stroked her waist, lowering his hands bit by bit, and feeling the beautiful curves of her hips. When he reached her buttocks, he squeezed them, eliciting a thrilling moan from her.

Iris' hands weren't idle either. She caressed his hair, face, neck and then chest. When her fingers slipped inside his shirt, she felt his muscles contract and something harden below her.

She pulled her head away and pressed their foreheads together. Both of them were panting, their eyes heavy with desire.

"Are you tired?" she asked, her voice sultry.

He tightened his hold around her. "No. Not tired. I want you tonight, baby. So much."

She chuckled and dove for another kiss.

Their tongues dueled at times and danced together at the other times. They took their time and just simply enjoyed the slow-building pleasure of foreplay.

Just as they were about to start removing their clothes, a loud wail interrupted them.

Iris jumped out of her husband's lap by instinct and rushed to check on her crying baby.

Jin Liwei was left there hanging in the living area. He sighed and stared at the ceiling with an angry, raging hard-on. Without even looking with his own eyes, he knew that it was their eldest twin son who interrupted them.

Again.

Little Mochi had timing so good and so accurate that it was starting to become frightening. Almost 90% of the time, the baby would interrupt the husband and wife when they were about to do something naughty. It was as if the baby was equipped with some sort of radar to prevent his parents from doing anything similar to how he and his twin brother had been conceived.

The remaining 10% of the time was when the husband and wife left the babies to their nannies. They didn't do this often because of their wish to personally care for their children as much as possible. But there were times that they needed some time for themselves as a couple without their children. It was only during these times that the two of them were able to make love.

Unfortunately, tonight was not the night.

Jin Liwei sighed once again before dragging himself (and his now softening erection) back to the bedroom. He saw his wife changing Little Mochi's diaper. If not for the uncomfortable state of his lower region, he would have taken over the task.

"Be careful of that naughty boy shooting pee at you," he warned his wife after remembering his own experience.

Iris chuckled and tickled her baby who laughed in delight. "Little Mochi never does that to Mommy. Right, Little Mochi? You're Mommy's good little baby, aren't you?"

Little Mochi cooed and laughed as if agreeing to what his mother was saying.

"Is that naughty boy targeting me, his own dad?" Jin Liwei grumbled in a sullen tone.

"Why would you think that?" Iris laughed at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her before stealing a kiss from her sweet, smiling lips.

Little Mochi expressed his complaint upon seeing this scene by punching his cute little hands and kicking his cute little socked feet in the air. His dissatisfied expression looked so adorable that Iris felt her heart melt from unconditional maternal love.

She laughed from joy and kissed her baby several times. Little Mochi immediately laughed as well, delighted by his mother's kisses.

Jin Liwei gave his son a meaningful look before pulling his wife and giving her another kiss, longer this time.

Once again, the baby protested.

Jin Liwei chuckled from amusement. He kissed his wife again, causing their eldest twin son to complain even louder.

"You demanding boy," he muttered while chuckling.

Then he also dropped several kisses on the baby's face.

Little Mochi giggled. He even grabbed his dad's face with both his cute, little hands and returned the kisses.

Jin Liwei's gaze softened, not at all minding the baby's saliva that was now glistening on his cheek.

The parents savoured this precious moment playing with their attention-seeking but very adorable eldest twin son.

"Oh, Little Mochi. You. Are. So. Cute!" Iris punctuated each word with a kiss to her adorable baby."

While Iris continued playing with their eldest twin son, Jin Liwei went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. The mother and son weren't done yet when he finished and climbed on the bed.

By the time Iris finished lulling Little Mochi back to sleep, her husband had already fallen asleep in their bed. She climbed beside him and studied his face.

Now that she looked at him more closely, there were dark circles under his eyes. A furrow also formed between his brows, most likely from exhaustion and stress from work.

Her heart ached for him. Now that she was also running a group of fast-growing and increasingly successful companies, she knew firsthand how tiring and stressful it felt.

Jin Liwei had always been supportive of her business endeavours and would even provide helpful, timely assistance to ease her overall burden. She also wanted to do the same thing for him but her time and energy were extremely limited right now because of their babies.

The best thing that she could do right now was to provide some warm and comforting family moments during his breaks from work. This was why she brought their twins to his company earlier today and ate lunch with him. They might not be able to spend as much time together as they liked but at least she helped relax him even for just a bit.

She decided to optimize Ketchup in the next few days to provide better assistance to Jin Liwei especially during this hectic time at Jin Corporation. This was what she was best at anyway.

Iris pressed a gentle finger between Jin Liwei's brows and smoothed out the furrow.

He turned his head and instinctively rubbed his cheek against her hand while not waking up. He must be really exhausted.

She lowered her head and gave his lips a soft, lingering peck.

"Good night, Liwei."

###

The alarm went off early in the morning. Long Hui reached over and turned it off. He blinked, adjusting his eyes to the bedroom's darkness.

Still feeling groggy from tiredness and insufficient sleep, he threw a woman's arm and leg away from his body.

Oh, right.

The woman was now his wife.

Mao Qiuyue didn't wake up. She only turned over to the other side and continued sleeping.

Long Hui sighed in relief. If she knew that he pushed her away just now, she would be livid and fight with him again.

Ever since their wedding, the days passed by without any meaning. He felt lonelier and emptier.

It was the complete opposite of his original expectations. Where was the wedding bliss? The happy and contented married life?

Even the honeymoon that he was having with Mao Qiuyue now felt like a chore.

If only everything went according to his original plan, the woman sleeping beside him would be Jiang Ying Yue. If she were his wife, he would be reluctant to even leave their bed with her in it.

He would slowly seduce her until she woke up. They would have morning sex before washing up together and then heading to the dining area to eat breakfast with their son, Little Jun.

Maybe in the next year, Little Jun would have a new brother or sister—a full biological sibling, not a half one.

What the hell happened? How did things turn to shit like this?

Everything had been going well when he connected Jiang Ying Yue to Iris for a bodyguard job. They had all been happy at that time.

It was when Wei Lan, that old whore, returned to the country. She began corrupting Jiang Ying Yue. Then Jiang Ying Yue began caring a bit more about her appearance. As a result, she began attracting the damn farmer, Lin Yehan.

Long Hui gritted his teeth at the thought of Lin Yehan.

He climbed out of the bed and locked himself in the bathroom. There wasn't a shred of clothing on his body. His skin was filled with red marks, both hickeys and scratches, left by Mao Qiuyue in the past few nights.

Was Lin Yehan like this, too? Did Jiang Ying Yue leave a lot of love marks on him, too? Or maybe vice versa?

Just the thought was enough to make Long Hui burn with jealousy, fury and hatred.

Although he suspected and accused Jiang Ying Yue of cheating on him with Lin Yehan which triggered the complete breakdown of their own relationship, there was still hope in his heart that everything would be fine between them in the end.

Truth be told, he never really believed that Jiang Ying Yue cheated on him. He just reacted like a normal man and lashed out at her due to jealousy. He knew that despite her having a lot of reservations about their relationship right from the start, she still loved him a lot because of their child, Little Jun.

Now, however, he felt like she had slapped him in the face. No, more like she punched him in the face with all her muscled might.

The day after his terrible wedding, he saw a slew of photos and videos of Jiang Ying Yue and Lin Yehan together at the highly-publicized victory gala for the national shooting team. They were partners for the event.

Jiang Ying Yue looked so beautiful in her tuxedo suit. Despite her intimidating demeanour, her eyes were soft and gentle whenever she locked eyes with Lin Yehan.

Chapter 1403 Real Alpha

Lu Zihao's people, who accompanied Wei Lan and René Alejandro's group on their trip to see the viscount, reported the situation back to their boss.

Apparently, the vizconde had been attacked while doing some research for his work in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. As a result, he had sustained multiple injuries of different causes, such as being beaten up, knife lacerations and even gunshots.

Two of his companions had been killed. The other one, including the vizconde, survived the attack but was now also fighting for his life like him.

Their final companion was completely unscathed because he hadn't been present when the attack happened in the first place. Nevertheless, the vizconde sent him to buy groceries and other supplies in the neighbouring city.

It was only when he returned that he discovered what happened. He was the one who performed first aid to the vizconde and their other surviving companion. He was able to transfer the two heavily injured people to a better medical facility by flying to Barbados.

Wei Lan and René Alejandro's group flew directly to Barbados, where it was safer for everyone.

It was there that Lu Zihao's people called to report the situation.

Late at night, back at Dragon Palace Home #10, Lu Zihao glanced at his sister and brother-in-law.

"That's what happened," he told them. "Allegedly."

Iris and Jin Liwei nodded.

The three were in the master suite. They decided to keep it a secret from Long Jinjing, who was already sleeping in the bedroom she shared with Lu Zihao. So he left her to meet up with his sister and brother-in-law.

"I see a lot of suspicious points in the attack," Lu Zihao said. "Yes, Trinidad's crime rate is quite high, mostly gang-related violence. There have been many instances where tourists have been targeted and attacked. But if the only purpose of attacking the viscount was to rob or extort him, then why did he sustain such brutal, life-threatening injuries? It's as if his attackers had a vendetta against him."

Iris agreed. "That's true. Do you want me to help dig for more information about the incident?"

"Not right away. My subordinates that I sent to the Caribbean and Bacon's assistance are enough for now. Wait until my group finds out something more substantial and useful before you enter the scene. I don't want to send out the big guns when I'm unsure if the target is really a dangerous beast or just an insect."

She was amused at her brother's analogy. "So you think that I'm the big gun?"

Lu Zihao rolled his eyes. He said so many things, yet she decided to focus on this instead?

Jin Liwei, on the other hand, immediately raised his wife's hand and kissed it. "Of course, you're the big gun. My wife is the best."

She laughed and pressed herself closer to her husband.

Lu Zihao rolled his eyes again before tearing his eyes away from them. He refused to look at the shameless couple!

His sister and brother-in-law weren't the only loving couple in this place. Hmph!

At the same time, he couldn't wait to return to his own wife and embrace her. Long Jinjing had become so much happier after his love confession to her. As a result, her weekly therapy sessions decreased to every two weeks instead.

Lu Zihao felt relieved and also a bit guilty. If he had only realized his feelings for his wife sooner, Long Jinjing's mental and emotional states might not have been so unstable after giving birth.

"What are your next plans, Big Brother?" Iris' question interrupted his thoughts.

Lu Zihao cleared away all thoughts that didn't belong to their original conversation. After this, he had plenty of time to comprehend the full extent of his feelings for his wife.

The three continued talking about the vizconde. This matter was something out of their control for now due to a lack of information. They could only react according to how the situation developed while finding out more information about what really happened, and of course, the vizconde's real background.

A loud wail interrupted their meeting.

Iris moved so fast that it was like she was flying. Her maternal instincts activated before she could fully process what was happening. It felt like her body was already moving on its own before she could even think about it.

"Sounds like Little Mochi," Jin Liwei commented, sighing.

"Ah, the fussy brat," Lu Zihao said.

Jin Liwei gave his brother-in-law a side-eye. Even though he agreed that his eldest twin son was a fussy brat, he still didn't like other people describing his child like that.

Lu Zihao saw how Jin Liwei was looking at him. He snorted. "At least you only have one troublesome kid. Both of mine are already causing me and my wife headaches. Mikhail likes copying your sons. He would've already jumped out of the crib to the floor and played on the carpet with Mochi and Matcha if he could only support his head. Jinjing is already worrying about the dangerous things the brat would try to do once he grows up. The other isn't as adventurous, but Dmitri cries at every little damn thing. He even gets scared at the sound of his own voice and cries harder. I swear that Matcha is the easiest baby among the four."

"Little Matcha is indeed the most trouble-free compared to his elder twin brother and cousins, but his temper is the worst when triggered," Jin Liwei countered. "Even Little Mochi, the older brother, gets scared and starts behaving whenever Little Matcha is in a bad mood."

Lu Zihao laughed. "Seems like we now know who's the real alpha among the brats. Silent but terrible."

Jin Liwei raised an eyebrow. "You don't mind that the alpha isn't your kid?"

"Those two?" Lu Zihao curled his lip. "If Mikhail becomes the alpha, Evelinka and Jinjing will constantly worry about the kids getting into constant trouble. And Dmitri? I'll be shocked if that crybaby and scaredy-cat becomes an alpha."

"You're terrible saying that about your own sons," Jin Liwei said while laughing.

"I'm only being honest."

Despite Lu Zihao's disdainful words, his expression when talking about his sons was soft. Clearly, he loved his children even though his words were harsh.

Because it was already well past midnight, Lu Zihao decided to leave and return to his own wife and children. The matter about the vizconde was really not that urgent compared to his group's other current missions. For now, keeping a constant eye on the vizconde's situation was enough.

###

Lin Yehan removed his straw hat and wiped his sweat with his sleeve. He carried the full basket on his back and poured its contents into a waiting truck. The persimmons weren't wholly ripe yet, but their colour already looked mouth-watering. They smelled nice, too.

"Lunchtime, boss!"

"Alright," he replied and followed the other farmers to the sorting shed where packed lunches were already being distributed.

Lin Yehan interacted with the farmers working under him like they were all long-time friends. There was no awkwardness between a boss and his subordinates at all.

They were at a persimmon plantation that he owned far away from his farm villa. So he had to take a helicopter to reach this place. It was persimmon season, so he came here for an inspection.

When he arrived, he saw everybody working together to harvest the beautiful fruits. So he didn't hesitate to roll his sleeves and join them.

The weather was already getting colder, but Lin Yehan and the farmers still sweated from all the hard work. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

He didn't mind doing this kind of manual labour. As the boss, he wasn't required to do the actual farming. However, he preferred to go to his agricultural properties now and then to do the dirty work personally.

It was to remind himself that the source of his wealth was the land, and he should never forget it. For him, this was an effective way of humbling himself.

At the moment, he was texting Jiang Ying Yue while eating with his workers.

"Look at Boss' smile. Is he talking to our future lady boss?"

"When is the wedding banquet, Boss?"

Lin Yehan laughed and didn't shy away from all the teasing.

"My girlfriend and I are still getting to know each other. But when the right time comes, I'll definitely marry her. If she agrees to be my wife, I'll give everyone a bonus."

All the workers cheered and wished him good luck.

After lunch, the workers started harvesting again while Lin Yehan began the inspection. He walked to a shaded area and tried calling Jiang Ying Yue when he was done. However, the line was busy.

"I wonder who she's talking to," he mumbled but didn't overthink it.

Instead, he called his assistant back home and discussed some work matters. After the call, he saw that Jiang Ying Yue had sent him a "Please call me" message.

He immediately called her.

"Yehan," she said before he could even greet her.

He frowned at her tone. She sounded desperate, even a little scared. His expression turned serious at once.

"What's wrong? Tell me, Ying Yue."

Jiang Ying Yue told him what had happened.

When he tried calling her earlier, she had been on the phone with her ex. Long Hui called her requesting to meet their son. He wanted to spend a day with Little Jun.

"I said it's fine, but some of my colleagues need to follow them all the time wherever they go," she said.

"Good. How did he respond?"

"He didn't like it at first but eventually accepted when I threatened that I won't let my son go to him without my colleagues. Then he requested something else."

"What?" Lin Yehan asked.

"He said...that he wants to, uhm, meet and talk to me...in person."

His expression turned ugly. "No!"

Chapter 1404 If That's What You Want

Lin Yehan closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm himself. The thought of his girlfriend meeting and talking to her scumbag ex in person was enough to infuriate him.

"Ying Yue, I don't want to dictate your actions, but...I just can't find it in myself to agree to Long Hui's request to meet you," he said in a measured tone to keep his emotions as stable as possible while talking to his girlfriend.

"I know," Jiang Ying Yue replied. "But Long Hui says that he'll stop bothering me if I agree to meet and talk to him. He wants...closure, I guess. But, to be honest, I also want closure so that I can go forward with my relationship with you without any remaining emotional and mental baggage from my past failed relationship. So I'm also curious about what he wants to talk about with me."

It was taking Lin Yehan everything to control his temper. Feeling an almost overwhelming flood of negative emotion like this was quite rare for someone with a calm and stable personality like him. He didn't want to scare his girlfriend, but it was difficult to agree with her plan.

Then she asked, "Will you come with me?"

"Huh?" Her question didn't register in his mind right away.

She clarified, "I want you to come with me when I meet with Long Hui. I think...I'll feel more assured and confident with you there. C-can you, Yehan?"

All of Lin Yehan's anger seemed to dissipate after hearing what his girlfriend said. His ugly expression turned into a smiling one.

"Alright, Ying Yue. Of course, I'll come with you if that's what you want."

"Thank you, Yehan."

After the phone call, Lin Yehan's mood was now lighter than ever. His usual gentle smile had an extra warmth and even a noticeable sparkle in his eyes.

He couldn't help but appreciate Jiang Ying Yue even more. She was not only an impressive woman and a wonderful mother, but she was also a considerate lover. She must have known that he would feel awful about her plan to meet and talk with her ex, so she asked him to go with her. He liked her openness. If she met with her ex behind his back, he would undoubtedly feel horrible even if he understood the reason behind her decision.

"Look at Boss Lin's smile! I bet he just spoke to our future lady boss on the phone!"

The workers teased him, but he felt fantastic. So he decided to stay and help with the harvest for the rest of the day.

###

Jin Corporation.

When Iris and Jin Liwei heard that Long Hui wanted to spend a day with Little Jun, they were both displeased. However, it didn't matter what they felt about it because Jiang Ying Yue had already allowed her ex's request. She was the mother, while the two of them were only the godparents.

They also couldn't deny that Long Hui was indeed their godson's father, whether they liked it or not. Despite their misgivings, they didn't bother dissuading Jiang Ying Yue from her decision.

"I'll talk to the head of our security and form the best team to protect our godson," Jin Liwei said.

"Good." Iris also thought of a way to fortify their godson's safety and security when the child went with his father. "There are still a few days before Long Hui takes Little Jun. I can make a small and simple device that will monitor Little Jun the whole time and immediately alert us if something happens to him."

"How about a smartwatch?" Jin Liwei suggested. "I've seen some little kids wearing a simplified child's version of a smartwatch. You can just reprogram it, so you don't have to create a whole new device from scratch."

"That's feasible. I just don't know if Little Jun is willing to wear a smartwatch. He doesn't like to wear the gold bracelets that his Grandma Lan bought for him. So I'll try the smartwatch, but maybe I'll also tweak a keychain or something else that we can just pin to him."

"En. Up to you, love—Jin Haoyu!"

Jin Liwei grabbed a tissue and wiped the splashes of baby food his eldest twin son made all over the table. Unfortunately, there were even some that landed on Jin Liwei's business suit.

Little Mochi giggled and used his hands to shove a gloop of baby food into his mouth.

Unlike his messy elder twin brother, Little Matcha obediently ate his food whenever his mother spoon-fed him. There was not even a drop of mess on him. He would stay still and wait for his mother to wipe any mess on him before continuing to eat. As usual, he was completely unbothered by all the ruckus his twin brother was causing.

The family was once again spending time together at Jin Corporation. However, Jin Liwei's hectic schedule wasn't done yet, so Iris continued to bring their babies to his workplace for lunchtime.

Today, there was no buffet for the employees, but she still ordered bento boxes for everyone. But, of course, they weren't cheap convenience store bento boxes either. Instead, they were fancy bento boxes prepared by a hotel restaurant that she ordered in advance. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

Because of the delicious variety of lunch food, everyone at Jin Corporation wished that the lady boss would come to the company every day. However, they knew that she was only doing this because of the company's hectic schedule. Once everything returned to normal again, it was highly likely that she would stop regularly coming like this.

Some of the employees even wished that the hectic schedule would be extended. It was hard, but lunch every few days were awesome. Sometimes, the lady boss would even send them discount coupons for Orchidia products. They could use the coupons in any of the three Orchidia brands—

Orchidia Beauty, Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby.

All of these perks just because of the lady boss' visit made everyone at the company more motivated while working on their own respective tasks.

Back to the CEO's office on the top floor, Jin Liwei and Iris finally finished feeding their twins. A nanny took the twins and changed their clothes while Iris helped her husband change his suit, which had been soiled by Little Mochi's baby food.

"Ying Yue says that Long Hui also wants to meet and talk to her in person," she shared.

Jin Liwei frowned. "Didn't she have a restraining order against him?"

"Yes."

"And he still wants to meet and talk to her in person? He's really crazy. Does he want to be arrested?"

"Ying Yue agreed to meet him." She disagreed with her friend's decision, but Jiang Ying Yue sounded firm.

Jin Liwei's frown deepened, but he didn't comment any further. If the issue involved his godson's wellbeing, he would definitely step in. But if it was just Jiang Ying Yue, it was none of his business to interfere with the woman's choices.

"Apparently, Ying Yue asked Eldest Brother Yehan to accompany her, and he agreed," Iris added.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow before nodding. "Good. We don't have to worry about Jiang Ying Yue anymore. Eldest Brother will surely protect her if Long Hui attempts to do something."

"I think so, too. I'm more worried about Little Jun. I just can't help but feel nervous."

He took her hand and rubbed it, trying to comfort her. "I'll send more bodyguards. Maybe even ask your brother for a couple of his people. Ketchup will also be there when you make the device for Little Jun."

She nodded. "Okay."

###

Long Hui's honeymoon finally ended. He felt drained instead of refreshed. Even completing his community service punishment was better than being stuck with Mao Qiuyue every day. At least, he felt fulfilled doing the community service.

Despite Mao Qiuyue's insistence on bribing someone to let him complete fewer hours of community service, he insisted on completing all 500 hours before his wedding.

During the first week, he cleaned the streets. He hated every minute of it. He had been tempted to follow Mao Qiuyue's suggestion to bribe someone but was able to restrain his impulse.

It got better the second week when he was transferred to a food bank. Then to a juvenile detention centre.

When he got assigned to an orphanage next, he thought about his own son. His heart stirred, and he began missing Little Jun until it hurt.

His final assignment was at a community centre where volunteers arranged free classes and workshops. He had been arranged to lead a class and share his experiences as a business executive. This was his favourite experience, a perfect ending to his 500 hours of community service punishment. It made him feel important again.

Of course, even if he felt that completing all 500 hours of community service was fulfilling, he swore to never do it again. Granted, he might do it for appearance's sake in the future to improve his reputation. But if he were forced to do it again for punishment's sake, then no way!

After their honeymoon, Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue returned to their new marital home. It was a gift from Long Tengfei.

Even though Long Tengfei disapproved of Long Hui's marriage to Mao Qiuyue, he still cherished his reputation as the current head of the Longs. Therefore, he couldn't let outsiders belittle his son even if that said son displeased him.

As a result, he gifted the newly wedded couple a property in an upscale neighbourhood. Another reason was that Long Tengfei didn't want Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue to live with him and Yang Jiahui at the Long ancestral home.

Long Hui didn't want to bring Mao Qiuyue to the ancestral home either. The woman was high maintenance, and he might not be able to hold it in if the woman started demanding endless modern renovations on the historic property.

Chapter 1405 Make an Exception for Her

Mao Qiuyue was unsatisfied with the marital property that her father-in-law gave them. Whenever she complained to Long Hui, he would scold her.

"This is already bigger than your family's property. What more do you want?"

She pouted at him and stomped away. He ignored her and began reviewing the work documents his assistant sent him while he was out on his honeymoon. She looked back at him.

Seeing that he wasn't even trying to coax her, she was indignant.

"You're a jerk, Hui! I'm going home to my parents!"

This time, she stomped away for real.

Long Hui watched her throwing a tantrum like the spoiled brat that she had been all her life. She reminded him of his youngest half-sister. Iris had been similar to Mao Qiuyue—no, she had been worse than this woman he married before she changed for the better.

Resentment for having to marry such a shallow and uninteresting woman like Mao Qiuyue welled up in his heart.

Iris was also at fault, without a doubt. If she hadn't changed from her bratty ways and started posing a real threat to his position as the legitimate successor, he wouldn't have been forced to take such a drastic measure as finding outsiders, the Maos, for assistance.

Because of Iris, he had no choice but to marry Mao Qiuyue, a woman he didn't even like all that much. Now that they were officially married, he even started to feel disgusted by his own wife. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

All of these negative thoughts were preventing him from concentrating on the documents. So, finally, he sighed and gave up for today.

He took his car keys and headed to the garage. Mao Qiuyue's car was gone. She must have really followed her threat of running to her parents and tattling on him for bullying her.

Whatever.

He would just deal with whatever happened after this. But, for now, he needed some time to relax.

Later, he arrived at a mall. Despite all the ruckus that resulted in him being featured in the news (for all the wrong reasons), nobody recognized him at this place. He wasn't a celebrity like Iris Long after all.

He headed to a children's store. When he came out later, he was carrying several bags. He packed everything in his car and drove straight to a secret apartment that he didn't disclose to Mao Qiuyue.

Whenever he needed a quiet escape, he usually stayed here. It was small, only one bedroom, and it wasn't particularly luxurious compared to his usual standards. But it served the purpose of a safe little haven for him.

The only woman he had ever brought here before was Jiang Ying Yue. He wasn't 100% sure, but there was a high chance that they conceived Little Jun in this very apartment.

Jiang Ying Yue was the only woman that had the privilege of entering his personal haven. All his ex-girlfriends were brought to hotels, and sometimes even to the ancestral home if he could sneak them in without his father's knowledge, but never in this apartment. He didn't even plan on bringing his wife here. Ever.

He carefully arranged all the clothes, toys, books and other stuff that he purchased earlier at the mall for his son. Basically, he just bought whatever the clerks recommended to him.

Mao Qiuyue didn't know about his plan to spend a day with his son soon. He had no plans of telling her. The woman despised Little Jun. There was no way that he would allow her to stop him from having a relationship with his own child.

At the same, he was also looking forward to meeting and speaking with Jiang Ying Yue. But, truth be told, he was surprised that she agreed to his request.

Maybe...just maybe...she still had feelings for him.

His mouth curved into a pleased smile.

If she still had feelings for him, he would make an exception for her. But, at the end of the day, she was still the mother of his firstborn child. This bond had already connected them forever, whether the two of them liked it or not.

It was a shame that his original plan of marrying Jiang Ying Yue failed. But if she was willing, it was possible to continue their relationship again for a third time. He might not be able to marry her anymore as long as there was a Mao Qiuyue in the picture, but he would treat her like a wife and the mother of his son.

As long as she left Iris and Jin Liwei's side and returned to him, he would provide for the rest of their lives. First, of course, she had to swear her loyalty to him.

His fantasy (a.k.a. delusion) put him in a good mood for the rest of the day. He already imagined the moment of bedding Jiang Ying Yue again. Her body was the best. All those beautiful and robust muscles were like a rare and addictive delicacy to him.

He had no idea that this fantasy (a.k.a. delusion) would be shattered when Jiang Ying Yue brought an additional person to their appointed meeting.

###

The appointed day finally arrived.

Long Hui left his apartment. He didn't return to his marital home. The housekeeper informed him that Mao Qiuyue didn't return either. Both were already having a cold war when they hadn't even been married for that long.

His in-laws called him several times and attempted to help the two of them make up. However, long Hui still needed their help, so he pretended to be humble and accept their suggestions.

He had his assistant buy and send Mao Qiuyue some flowers and chocolates. When those didn't work, expensive bag. When that still didn't work, an expensive necklace.

Unfortunately, Mao Qiuyue still refused to back down.

Long Hui didn't know why she was being so troublesome. What more did she want him to do? Did she want him to buy her the moon as well? Ridiculous!

Only when Long Hui's mother-in-law called him did he know what his wife wanted.

Mao Qiuyue wanted him to coax her to return to their marital home.

How annoying.

He didn't want to bother with her spoiled brat ways anymore, but he couldn't anger his in-laws until he achieved his ambitions. But unfortunately, the balance of power was tilted in the Mao family's favour, not him. So he had to compromise and continue tolerating their spoiled daughter even if it was against his real wishes.

Therefore, he would pretend to coax her...later.

Right now, he had an important meeting to attend.

He drove along a familiar area. Gold Heights Condominium was just one of the high-rise buildings in this area, but it was the most distinct to Long Hui because of all the memories he had of it.

He often went here when things were still wonderful. It was where he rekindled his relationship with Jiang Ying Yue and lived like a happy family with their son. But it was also where their relationship fell apart for the second time.

His expression was blank as he drove past the cursed condo. Finally, he made a turn and soon arrived at an upscale café.

There weren't a lot of customers at this time, but he still requested a semi-private area. There were no rooms, but at least there were some partially partitioned areas on the second floor.

After ordering coffee for himself, he arranged all the presents he bought for Little Jun. Then he fished out his phone and made a call. It was answered by the third ring.

"I'm here. Where are you?"

"We'll be there in five minutes," Jiang Ying Yue replied.

He sighed in relief. "Alright, then. See you."

The call ended.

He was in a good mood.

In his mind, Jiang Ying Yue already agreed to become his lover again. Perhaps when he successfully achieved his ambition of becoming the next head of Long Industries and the clan, he could divorce Mao Qiuyue and cut ties with the Mao family. He would no longer need to submit to their demands when he finally had the power to defy them.

Once he was free, he could marry Jiang Ying Yue once and for all after waiting for so long. He would be able to give her the proper status befitting of the mother of his firstborn child. Then they could finally live together as a truly happy family for the rest of their lives.

He was still in the middle of his fantasies (a.k.a. delusions) when Jiang Ying Yue arrived carrying their son. Long Hui saw them and grinned. He stood up and was about to welcome them when he stopped in his tracks. His expression turned ugly.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

Lin Yehan replied in a calm tone, "Ying Yue asked me to come with her."

The intimate way Lin Yehan said her name was like a slap to Long Hui. He stared at the man and the woman as if seeing them for the first time.

"Excuse me, dear guests, but are you not going to sit down yet?"

The waiter's question interrupted the tense atmosphere.

Long Hui was too upset to react, so it was Lin Yehan replied with his usual gentleness. Jiang Ying Yue followed him to the table, leaving Long Hui standing there like an idiot.

"Sir, are you okay?" the waiter asked Long Hui.

It took a few seconds for Long Hui to snap out of it. "I'm fine!"

The waiter was startled at the man's sharp tone. The man had been nice when he served him the coffee just a few minutes ago. Why was he now so rude now? Was he on his period? Nah, maybe he was just an asshole.

Chapter 1406 You're The One Who Destroyed Your Family

Long Hui sat at the table opposite Jiang Ying Yue and Lin Yehan. His expression was fierce as he watched the two of them order drinks from the waiter. He didn't even notice that his son was looking at him with scared eyes.

"What's wrong, Little Jun?" Jiang Ying Yue asked.

The child hugged her neck and hid his face against her chest. It was as if he was hiding from his own father.

It was only then that Long Hui remembered his son's presence. He fixed his expression and tone.

"Little Jun, it's Dad. Did you miss me? Because I missed Little Jun. Come here and give your dad a hug."

The child peeked at him but didn't move right away. His wariness was apparent.

"Don't you remember Dad anymore?" Long Hui asked. He smiled on the outside and tried to appear as gentle as possible, but deep inside, he was seething.

What did this mean? Wasn't this because his own son had been brainwashed to act like this to him, the father?"

Little Jun stared at him. "Dada?"

"Yes, Little Jun. I'm your dada." Long Hui was relieved that his son at least remembered him. He stretched out his hands. "Come here, son. Give your dada a big hug."

"Dada!" The child jumped out of his mother's arms and ran to his father.

Long Hui caught the child and placed his son on his lap. Love and warmth filled him as he embraced Little Jun. He felt his eyes moisten a little when the child's little arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Then he started to feel suffocated because Little Jun was hugging his neck a little too, er, tightly.

"Little J-jun, let go of my neck a bit...and let Dad k-kiss you...."

Long Hui released a big sigh of relief and took several deep inhales of air after his son released him. He studied Little Jun. The child looked healthy.

Little Jun resembled him more than Jiang Ying Yue. The blood of the Longs was strong in the child. As a matter of fact, Little Jun also resembled Iris because of this.

Now, however, Long Hui realized that Little Jun might have inherited his mother's extraordinary strength. The child was still this small, yet he could almost choke his own father with just a simple hug.

Long Hui already imagined what his son would look like when he grew up. Little Jun would be as handsome as his father and have a fit, muscled body like his mother. In other words, the child would grow up into a perfect adult.

He felt great pride.

This was his son.

If he had another child with Mao Qiuyue someday, he doubted it would be as superb as Little Jun. Mao Qiuyue's DNA wasn't as useful as Jiang Ying Yue's. If not for his mother and in-laws' pressure, he wouldn't even want to have a child with such a shallow woman as his wife.

Only someone as extraordinary as Jiang Ying Yue could match his own superb DNA with her beautiful and strong muscled body. Together, they produced an outstanding child—Little Jun. If given another chance, the two of them would surely produce another excellent child.

However, his hopes were dashed because of the man sitting beside Jiang Ying Yue. Lin Yehan was an eyesore.

Long Hui tried ignoring the man's presence at first while focusing on giving his son the presents he had prepared. Little Jun's delighted exclamations temporarily calmed down his agitation caused by Lin Yehan's presence.

By this time, he also began to notice the presence of several civilian-dressed bodyguards in the café. There were both males and females alike. He counted seven so far but suspected there were more where he couldn't see.

Once again, he felt suffocated but from anger this time. When Jiang Ying Yue insisted that she would only allow their son to spend a day with him if bodyguards were accompanying them. He agreed, thinking that there would only be a couple bodyguards, maybe three at most.

But more than seven? This was too excessive!

He didn't doubt that this was the work of Iris and Jin Liwei. Clearly, the two of them were treating him as a danger to his own son.

Ridiculous!

He was filled with many complaints, but he held all of them in. His son looked so happy. He didn't want to ruin it by scaring Little Jun. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

"Where do you plan on taking Little Jun today?" Jiang Ying Yue asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"I plan to take him to the zoo today and eat at a restaurant for dinner."

Jiang Ying Yue nodded. "I want him home by 9 PM at the latest. You don't need to personally send him. My colleagues will take him home."

Long Hui frowned. "9 PM? That's too early. I want to spend more time with my son, even if it's just a few more hours."

"You know that our son is only three, right? He starts to feel sleepy at around 8 PM. He's also a very active child, so he has a regular daily routine. If you plan to take him to the zoo, he'll tire more easily. I doubt that he'll be able to keep awake past 9 PM."

"Even if he's asleep, it's fine," Long Hui said. "I just want to spend more time with my son."

She didn't reply right away. Then she sighed. "Fine. 10 PM. That's final."

He still wanted to negotiate and ask for an extension until midnight but decided not to push it too far this time. What if he upset Jiang Ying Yue and she refused to let him see their son after this?

"10 PM, then." For now, he would agree.

There would come a time when he would be able to spend a whole weekend with his son. But, of course, he wouldn't bring Little Jun to the marital home he shared with Mao Qiuyue. There was no way that he would leave his son to be maltreated by his wife. So instead, he would bring Little Jun to another place, maybe his secret apartment, and enjoy a quality father and son time together, away from Mao Qiuyue's narrow-minded jealousy.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Jiang Ying Yue asked, changing the topic.

Lin Yehan gestured to the bodyguards. The bodyguards took Little Jun and the presents a few tables away. The child would still be able to see his parents and Uncle Yehan but wouldn't be able to hear what the adults were talking about. Not that he cared with all the presents he was too buy opening up.

"Now, you two can speak freely," Lin Yehan announced.

Long Hui glared at him. "Why are you still here? Go away. I want to talk to Ying Yue. Alone."

Lin Yehan had a smile-that-was-not-a-smile on his face. He just looked at Long Hui with this expression but didn't move.

"I want...Yehan to stay," Jiang Ying Yue said.

Long Hui stared at her in disbelief. The way they addressed each other was too intimate.

"Are you two in a relationship?" he asked.

Ling Yehan looked at her. He didn't answer the question himself and waited for her to answer it instead.

Her face reddened.

This reaction was enough answer to Long Hui. His expression darkened.

But Jiang Ying Yue still looked at Long Hui straight in the eye and told him, "Yes, Yehan and I are together now."

"You—"

Lin Yehan raised a hand and stopped him before he could curse. "I suggest you don't say anything, or we will take Little Jun away without letting you spend the day with him. We can't risk you taking your anger at us to the child."

"You think that I'll hurt my own child?!" Long Hui was furious at the man's insinuation.

"Don't tell me that you've forgotten what you did the last time we were at my son's condo unit?" Jiang Ying Yue countered.

Memories of that fateful day flashed in Long Hui's mind. But he still defended himself. "I was fighting with you that time. I never raised a hand against our son!"

Jiang Ying Yue banged her hands on the table and stood up. "But you were pulling him hard away from me! That hurt our son, don't you know? And all your shouting scared him! It took him a while to overcome that trauma! Even the court ruled the incident as a form of child abuse. That's why they gave me full custody of our son!"

Long Hui still wanted to continue defending himself but stopped after seeing the waiter looking at them with concern.

Once again, it was Lin Yehan who apologized on their behalf and reassured the waiter that everything was fine. Then he started coaxing Jiang Ying Yue to calm down.

"This is all your fault," Long Hui told him. "You're the reason Ying Yue and I fought that day. If you hadn't been chasing after my woman since that day, I would be still together with her! You're the reason why my family is in shambles like this!"

"No, you're wrong." Lin Yehan's look and tone were calm. "You were the one who didn't protect Ying Yue and your son well enough from all the people who wanted to break you apart like the person who sent you the photos. You're also the one who didn't trust Ying Yue's faithfulness to you enough. She's innocent. I'm innocent.

"You're the one who believed in the malicious lies of outsiders and allowed your feelings for your family to waver. You're also the one who chose to run to another woman and cheat with her while shifting the blame on Ying Yue and me.

"So, no, Long Hui. I'm not the one who destroyed your family. You did."

Chapter 1407 I Can See it in Your Eyes

"You son of a—"

Long Hui pounced on Lin Yehan over the table, but Jiang Ying Yue blocked him. Both of the men's eyes widened at her actions. Long Hui was in disbelief that she would blatantly protect another man in front of him. Lin Yehan was also surprised at her quick reflexes, but his gaze on her softened. He never knew that being protected by his lady like this would feel so good. This kind of gender role reversal didn't bother him at all. On the contrary, his admiration for his girlfriend only grew because of this. "You stopped me?" Long Hui asked Jiang Ying Yue. Gone was her usual timid and submissive personality when in front of him. Right now, she was fierce. It wasn't only because of her usual cold bodyguard aura, either. She was really glaring at him with all her might. For a few seconds, Long Hui even felt scared that she might break the arm that she was holding.

"Our son is watching us," she told him in a low but firm tone. "You can act like an asshole all you want, but not just in front of Little Jun. If you do, I won't let you meet him anymore unless you fix your attitude."

He glanced to the side and found their son watching them with curious eyes. If it weren't for the bodyguards distracting him with the new toys, the child would have already run toward his parents. Long Hui forced himself to calm down. Jiang Ying Yue threw his arm back to him, the force almost toppling him backwards. He glared at her, then at Lin Yehan. Now that she had a new man, she could really bear to treat him so harshly like this. Long Hui felt resentful. His glare on Lin Yehan turned more hostile. The man's close proximity to his woman was a definite eyesore. If it weren't for the presence of Little Jun, Long Hui would have already swung a punch at the man's ugly face.

"If you still insist on creating trouble for Yehan and me, then I think there is no point in this meeting anymore," Jiang Ying Yue said. "Remember that I still have a restraining order against you. So if I call the police right now, they can haul you away."

"I...won't cause trouble," he replied through gritted teeth.

They all sat back down. "What else did you want to talk to me about?" she asked. Long Hui studied her. She was still the same woman he had pursued before, took as his lover, and impregnated with his own child. But right now, she gave off a different feeling to him. Jiang Ying Yue was firmer and fiercer. Of course, it could be due to her grudge against him that she was deliberately acting like this to him. But it didn't feel that way. As a matter of fact, there was a kind of stability in her gaze that hadn't been there before. Back when they were still together, it would only take him one look at her eyes to analyze if he could coax her into following his wishes. Now, however, it felt like there was an insurmountable chasm between the two of them that he couldn't cross no matter how hard he tried. This realization was like a hard punch in his gut. If, before this, he still had some hope that they would be able to return to how they used to be before everything had been destroyed, he couldn't delude himself anymore now.

Jiang Ying Yue had changed. Before he knew it, she was now in a place he could no longer reach.

"Well?" She frowned at him. The impatience was apparent in her eyes. She had never looked at him like this before. "Is there anything else that you wanted to talk about? Unfortunately, I can't stay long. I still have an important training to attend later."

He pursed his lip. All the things he wanted to tell her felt useless at this point. Besides, Lin Yehan was present. If he still expressed his intention of accepting Jiang Ying Yue as a lover again, he and Lin Yehan might brawl.

There was a lot at stake for him at the moment. The defamation lawsuit cost him a lot. His father didn't help him pay for the 50 million RMB compensation at all. Half of the money came from his own pocket. The other half came from his in-laws, the Maos. Even his mother, Zheng Suyin, pitched in a little.

Although he could afford the total amount by himself, he still decided to borrow from his in-laws and mother to lessen the burden. He was Long Hui, the veritable legitimate eldest son of the current head of the Longs. It was essential to maintain a wealthy and noble front, or others would start looking down on him. If he paid the full compensation by himself in one go, he would have needed to spend less than usual and be more frugal. He could bear it—or at least, that was what he believed—but his wife, Mao Qiuyue, would never tolerate living below the standards of her usual lifestyle. Jiang Ying Yue stood up, interrupting his thoughts. "You're not saying anything, so I think you don't have anything more to tell me. I told you that I can't stay long." She paused and looked at him straight in the eyes. "And to be frank, I don't want to stay a second longer and talk to you."

"Ying Yue—"

"Please stop calling me so familiarly like that. You've already lost that privilege. Just call me by my full name. Also, I fulfilled my end of the bargain today. So I hope you can deliver on your promise not to bother Yehan and me ever again after this."

Long Hui didn't know how to react. She continued, "Don't worry. As long as you don't make trouble, I won't hinder you from seeing our son. I also won't do anything to make him hate you. I can at least promise this to you. But I hope that whenever you spend time with him, you'll always make sure that he's safe, especially from...I won't say anything anymore. You know what I'm talking about."

He could only nod and watch Jiang Ying Yue walk away to say goodbye to their son. Lin Yehan still hung around, though. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

"Why are you still here?" Long Hui asked him in a bad mood. "You want to mock me again?"

Lin Yehan raised an eyebrow, but the rest of his expression remained pleasantly neutral. "You think I mocked you? The things I said to you earlier weren't to mock you. I only told the truth. If you felt mocked, then that's not my problem."

"Shut up," Long Hui hissed.

He wanted to punch the ugly farmer's face but could only restrain himself because of his son's presence.

Lin Yehan wasn't bothered by Long Hui's hostility. "I just have one more thing to say to you."

"I don't want to hear it."

The man ignored his refusal.

Lin Yehan's pleasant expression disappeared. Instead, it turned serious, even threatening.

"I know what you want from Ying Yue and what you hoped to achieve in requesting this meeting with her today. I'm a man, too. I can see it in your eyes."

Long Hui opened his mouth and was about to deny it but decided not to bother anymore. Instead, he sneered. "Indeed, you're a man, too. You're just like me. Are you happy? You now have her. She's good, isn't she?"

Lin Yehan curled his lip in disgust. "Don't compare me with you. I respect Ying Yue. I'll never treat her, or any woman for that matter, like a mere object of my desire."

"I call bullshit."

"Think whatever you like. Ying Yue now has me. I won't let you harass her again. And don't think of using Little Jun to pressure her into doing anything against her wishes either. You might think of yourself as someone great, but in my eyes, you're nobody. A simple Long Hui like you, I, Lin Yehan, can handle and squash you by myself."

"You damned farmer!" Long Hui grabbed the man's collar before even thinking about his actions. "I dare you to attack me." Lin Yehan wasn't fazed at all. Instead, he stood still and looked down at Long Hui. He was literally looking down at Long Hui because he was taller than the other man.

"Go on, hit me. But if you do, don't even think about taking Little Jun today."

"What's going on?" Jiang Ying Yue asked a few tables away. She was carrying Little Jun in her arms. She looked like she would run off with her son any second if the tense situation worsened. Lin Yehan sent her a reassuring smile. Then he returned to giving Long Hui a hard look.

The hand that was gripping Lin Yehan's collar trembled a little. Veins popped out and throbbed in it. Long Hui sent another murderous look at the man before letting him go. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"For the sake of my son...."

Lin Yehan smoothed out his wrinkled collar. "Good. Your self-control has improved a lot. It appears that the 500 hours you served the community was truly effective. The judge should've added more hours to your punishment. Then maybe your personality would've improved so much better than this."

"Shut up and leave!"

Lin Yehan didn't bother replying to him. Instead, he headed straight to Little Jun and said goodbye as well. Long Hui watched the man's interaction with his son. It was even more of an eyesore than Lin Yehan's interaction with Jiang Ying Yue. The three of them together like this was like looking at a real family!

Chapter 1408 (Title is a Spoiler)

n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Later, outside the café, Lin Yehan opened the car door for Jiang Ying Yue. She didn't climb in right away. Instead, she continued gazing at the second floor with worried eyes. Even though she couldn't see her son inside, she knew that he was there with his father. She didn't fully trust Long Hui, but she didn't want to hinder their father and son relationship either. All she could do right now was trust her colleagues to protect her son. "Ying Yue." Lin Yehan could only imagine what she must be feeling. Of course, he couldn't relate to her entirely because he had never had a child before. But he at least understood her concerns. She smiled at him before climbing into the front passenger seat. Lin Yehan glanced at the café before climbing into the driver's seat of his own car. Earlier, he was the one who drove Jiang Ying Yue and Little Jun to the café. The bodyguards followed behind them in two other separate vehicles.

He looked at her before starting the car. She looked distracted. "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded. "Thank you for accompanying me, Yehan. I felt so much more confident because of you. Maybe...if I met Long Hui on my own, I might have not been so firm."

He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. It was rougher than his own hands with hard callouses, but to him, it was a symbol of her discipline and dedication to her job. He raised it and kissed it, making her blush.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Ying Yue."

The flush on her face deepened.

He reached for her face with his other hand and caressed her cheek. "You did a great job laying down your boundaries to him."

She smiled. "This is the first time that I could speak to him like that without stumbling on my words. Xiulan, Dom, our other friends, and even Aunt Lan helped me build up my confidence. I feel so...incredible."

"You are incredible."

She chuckled. "Thanks."

"You're the most incredible woman that I've ever met."

Her entire face and neck were now wholly red from his words. "I doubt that, but thank you, Yehan."

"Believe me, Ying Yue. I do admire you the most as a woman, as a mother, and as a person. Your strength, both inside and out, kindness, and the way you always do your best to stick to your principles are something that I'm finding incredibly rare nowadays. Even when you're hurting, you still always manage to stand back up and continue fulfilling your duties and responsibilities."

"It's because I have a child, Yehan. So many times, I wanted to give up but couldn't because of my son. I don't want my son to lose me, his mother, so soon. I want to watch Little Jun grow up. I don't care about him achieving anything great. As long as he stays healthy and happy until he grows up, I'll already be satisfied."

"This is why I find you so incredible, Ying Yue." Lin Yehan's gaze on her was filled with soft warmth, gentleness and admiration. "You are so dedicated to your son, your job, your friends. I hope...that I can also be a recipient of that kind of dedication. I would be honoured."

She shifted her body on the seat to a sideways position to face him more easily. "I already agreed to be together with you, Yehan. You still don't feel my dedication to you?"

His eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Really? You're dedicated to me?"

"Of course."

He smiled. After a few seconds, his smile turned into a wide grin. "I, too, am dedicated to you...and Little Jun too, of course."

Jiang Ying Yue flipped the hand he held and took his hand instead. "Remember the words I told you when I agreed to be together with you that night?"

"How can I forget?" He might have been a little drunk that night, but all the memories stayed intact in his mind. Nothing was erased by the alcohol. "You agreed to become a family with me."

She nodded. "I...Yehan...uhm...."

"Yes?" Lin Yehan didn't rush her. On the contrary, he felt a little amused that she would begin to feel shy again right now when she had been acting so fierce with that scumbag Long Hui earlier in the café. "Uhm...you still want to become a...family with me...right?"

He smiled. "Of course, Ying Yue. I stand by my promise when I courted you."

"T-then..." It took her a few moments before she could spit out what she wanted to say. "Then how about we marry?"

Lin Yehan was stunned. He was unable to react for some time. "Y-yehan?" Uncertainty filled Jiang Ying Yue's face at his reaction—or lack thereof. Then he laughed. "Ying Yue, are you proposing to me?"

"Y-you...you're laughing at me?"

"No. I'm not laughing at you. This laughter is from joy. Can't you see? So are you really proposing to me, Ying Yue?"

She pouted. "Call it a proposal if you want."

His grin couldn't get any wider. "Yes. I'll marry you."

Before she could say anything, he grabbed her and smashed their lips together. This kiss wasn't anything like the ones that they had shared before. It was harder, deeper. More intense. And more desperate. Lin Yehan showed her that he wasn't always a gentleman. He could also be a rogue. And Jiang Ying Yue loved it. She gave as much as she got. When the kiss ended, both of them were panting. Their eyes were dazed as they looked at each other with deeper intimacy. She leaned her head on his chest while his arms wrapped around her. Their positions were awkward because of the tight space in the car, but neither of them minded it.

"Yehan...."

"Yes?" He nuzzled her hair (made soft and fragrant thanks to the original best-selling shampoo and conditioner from Orchidia Beauty).

"Do you mind if I say that...I'm not sure yet if...I do love you?" she asked while waiting for his reaction. "I could ask you the same question. I'm also not sure yet if my feelings for you can be considered love already. Maybe I'm already in love with you. Or maybe I'm close to it. But what I do know is that I want to be with you and Little Jun. So maybe this is already love."

"You've never been in love before?"

He gave her ear a playful pinch. "I have. At least, that's what I believed. It's just that what I feel for you is so different from my past experiences. I can't compare it."

She nodded. "I know what you mean. What I feel for you is also different from my experience with...Little Jun's father. That's why I said I'm not sure if this is love. That one felt so fast, intense and, uhm, thrilling...."

"I get it," he said, chuckling. "Same here. My past relationships always started off with sexual attraction and developed from there. It was always exciting. But what we have now...."

"It's calmer," she continued his sentence. "Easier. More comfortable."

"Yes. Calmer, easier and more comfortable. Those are the right words. But I hope you don't find it boring because I don't."

She quickly shook her head. "No, of course not! I don't find our relationship boring at all."

"I'm glad." He dropped a soft peck on her lips. "Shall we go now?"

"Okay."

The car finally started driving away from the café.

Lin Yehan was in an excellent mood. He was able to distract his girlfriend from thinking about their meeting with Long Hui. And now, to his surprise, they even became engaged just like that.

Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine being proposed to by a woman. So when he heard that his Fifth Brother Zihao had been proposed to by Long Jinjing, he thought that it was funny and amazing at the same time. But now that the same thing had happened to him, he almost couldn't contain his delight.

He had never been the type of man who felt emasculated by this gender role reversal. However, his experience as a sports shooting athlete back then exposed him to the prowess of females. There had been times when female athletes, both local and foreign alike, defeated him without mercy during training and co-ed sports events. For example, in the realm of sports shooting, there were quite a number of female athletes who bested the males. If the major competitions didn't separate by gender, he wouldn't be surprised if many of the overall champions were females. Unlike most other physical sports where males had the natural biological advantage, sports shooting presented a fairer stage to all genders. Not wholly unbiased but still better than other sports where a clear distinction of biological gender was needed. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

This was one of the reasons why he felt so excited about Iris' talent in shooting when he discovered it. But unfortunately, she didn't show interest in pursuing an athletic career in sports shooting, no matter how he tried enticing her.

Back to his original point, his experience dealing with formidable females in the world of sports shooting contributed to making him into the open-minded man that he was today.

He didn't feel awkward when Jiang Ying Yue proposed. As a matter of fact, he felt flattered and happy. This must be how women felt when their lovers proposed to them. He thought that many men were missing out on this kind of wonderful feeling. His grin didn't even stop as he continued driving. He glanced at his girlfriend—oh right, she was his fiancée now. "So when do you want to marry?"

Chapter 1409 Forced Acknowledgement

Jin Corporation.

Once again, Iris and her twins came to the company to eat lunch with Jin Liwei. Work was still hectic but had already begun to ease towards the end of the month. Nevertheless, Iris still did her best to bring her twins to see their father whenever she had free time. This was a crucial period in the twins' development. It was vital for them to spend as much time with their parents as possible to fortify their family bond. Also, it was easy for babies at such a young age to forget someone if they hadn't seen that said person for a while. Jin Liwei's current hectic schedule would have made his presence scarce in the twins' waking moments. If Iris didn't make an effort to bring their babies to him regularly, they might start to forget their father. Iris and Jin Liwei would hate it if this were to happen. Iris' constant efforts weren't lost on Jin Liwei. He felt like the luckiest man in the universe for marrying a woman like her. She wasn't only a beautiful genius but also a dedicated wife to their family. What more could a man like him ask for? His wife made him feel like the most blessed husband and father in the world. At the moment, the family was inside Jin Liwei's office as usual. The original large, modern and masculine space had long been softened by the addition of happy family photos, vases of fresh flowers, and comfortable furniture. The sleek leather sofas had been swapped with soft cloud sofas instead. In addition, there was now a sizeable fluffy rug where the twins could roll around as much as they pleased. Despite these changes, the CEO's office still retained its professional majesty. It just felt a lot more welcoming and comfortable than before. Of course, Jin Liwei did all this for his family. He wanted them to feel at home in his workplace whenever they visited. What was the use of being the President-CEO of a large multinational company anyway if he couldn't even at least do this much for his own family?

Lunchtime was already over. Fortunately, Jin Liwei didn't need to attend any meetings in the afternoon. He could stay in his office and work from there for the rest of the day. The workload was still heavy and required him to be on constant standby in case the various project leaders needed his verification in person. But at least he could see his family while working. Iris was playing on the fluffy carpet with Little Mochi. The baby was quite noisy with his adorable giggles and coos, but Jin Liwei didn't mind. He could still concentrate on his work even with his child's noise. Unlike the lively Little Mochi, his younger twin brother was quiet and well-behaved as always. Little Mochi sat on his father's lap behind the large desk. The baby was mesmerized by the moving executive pendulum clicker display beside a framed photo of their family. He had been watching the balls swinging for almost half an hour now.

This harmonious scene continued until Jin Liwei felt a gaze on him. He glanced up and saw his wife taking photos of him and Little Matcha with her phone. Iris checked the pictures. "You father and son look so much alike. Even your serious expressions are identical."

He smiled. What else would a father like him feel if one of his sons resembled him this much? Pride, of course! Though this didn't mean that he liked Little Matcha more than Little Mochi. Not at all. He loved both of his twin sons equally regardless of their differences. Maybe this would change in the future depending on how the twins grew up, but for now, he didn't give any preferential treatment to one son over the other. "Little Mochi fell asleep?" he asked after finally noticing quietness.

"Yes, he got tired playing," Iris replied. Little Mochi was now lying on a makeshift bed on the fluffy carpet made up of a blanket.

Jin Liwei glanced at his other son, who was on his lap. Little Matcha was yawning and was about to nod off as well. Jin Liwei paused his work. Then he carried his younger twin son and carefully placed him beside Little Mochi on the makeshift bed on the carpet. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

The parents watched their sleeping babies.

"Little Mochi and Little Matcha are already treating this place like home," Iris commented.

"Because their mom and dad are with them," Jin Liwei replied. She smiled. "I wonder if Little Jun feels comfortable with his father. He hasn't seen Long Hui in person since last year."

"Our godson isn't a weakling like his father. He can adapt to new situations quickly and thrive."

She agreed with him. "I just can't completely relax today. I'm worried about Little Jun."

"I sent extra bodyguards to protect our godson just in case. Didn't you also modify his shoes and add a tracking and two-way communication device?"

"Yes, but I still worry," she replied, sighing. Little Jun refused to wear the kiddie smartwatch that she modified just as she had expected. The child didn't like wearing anything around his wrists. He was still too young to appreciate the technology of a smartwatch. So Iris decided to modify his shoes instead. She chose the shoes because they were the least likely to be removed, changed or lost during the day.

Of course, Jiang Ying Yue knew what Iris did and agreed to let his son wear the modified shoes to increase Little Jun's security. Ketchup was in charge of monitoring her human cousin.

"Does Mommy and Daddy want to hear a report on what my cousin Little Junjun is doing now?" Ketchup asked. "Meow~"

Iris almost agreed but hesitated before shaking her head. "Never mind that. Hearing about Long Hui's every single action today will just annoy me. Just let us know if your cousin is safe and alert us immediately if he's in danger."

"Aye aye, Mommy! Meow~"

Jin Liwei gave his wife a quick kiss and a hug to comfort her. He was also worried about their godson, but not to the point that his mind was filled with worry. Perhaps this was the difference between mothers and fathers. His wife had become so much more anxious about the children's well-being after giving birth.

"Go back to work," she told him. "I'll try calling Ying Yue and ask her about what Long Hui plans to do with Little Jun today."

"En."

###

Mao Qiuyue was at the spa with some of her friends. She had been in a bad mood ever since she stormed out of the marital home she shared with her husband a few days ago. Since their argument, they hadn't spoken either in person or on the phone. To Long Hui's credit, he did send her some rather lovely presents. He also attempted to call her phone and sent her messages many times. However, she didn't reply to any of his gestures. They weren't enough for her. She wanted him to personally pick her up from her parents' home and coax her into returning with him. She had been waiting for him, but he still didn't come. She was already starting to lose patience but refused to be the first one to give in. It wasn't her fault anyway. So why should she be the one to make the first move? He was the man, wasn't he? His responsibility should be to make the first move and coax her, the woman.

Mao Qiuyue complained about her thoughtless husband to her friends while getting their nails done. Of course, she exaggerated most of what happened and pushed all the blame on Long Hui.

"This is the problem of marrying someone who already has a bastard child with an ex," a friend commented. "He already had most of his firsts with his ex, so he's not putting extra effort into his new relationship."

Another friend chimed in, "I agree. He already has a kid. He's not worried about producing another one with you. His son might be a bastard, but the kid is still his biological child. So even if you fail to give birth, he will always have that son."

"Qiuyue, if you really fail to conceive, Long Hui might even bring back that bastard child and force you to legally acknowledge it as his heir."

"Hell no!" Mao Qiuyue was enraged at the idea. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Her friend shrugged her shoulders. "This practice is quite common in our circles. You should already know that. My uncle did it. He brought back a secret bastard son because my aunt-in-law only gave birth to two daughters, no son. My uncle is one of those ridiculously old-fashioned men who still believe in that traditional rule of only letting sons inherit most of the family wealth and business. So my aunt-in-law was forced to acknowledge my uncle's bastard son and watch my uncle, her husband, train the bastard to inherit the family business when my cousins are way more competent than the guy."

"I know someone who went through a similar situation."

"So we're saying that you have to be careful, Qiuyue. You already told us that Long Hui refuses to abandon his bastard son and intends to maintain regular communication with it. These are all red flags for you. He might force you to acknowledge the bastard if you don't produce a legitimate heir."

"I dare him to do that to me!" Mao Qiuyue's eyes burned with fury and hatred. "Acknowledge that bastard and let it be the heir? Over my dead body!"

Chapter 1410 I Can't Take it Anymore

Mao Qiuyue's bad mood worsened after listening to her friends. She could indeed imagine Long Hui doing precisely what they said—forcing her to acknowledge his bastard son and make the child his official heir. Although she didn't think she had any fertility issues, she wouldn't feel completely secure in her position as Long Hui's legitimate wife until she became pregnant. Only then would she feel less threatened by her husband's bastard child. So the need to conceive as soon as possible felt even more urgent now. After the friends finished being pampered at the spa, they headed to the next destination—the mall. Mao Qiuyue's friends decided that shopping therapy was the best solution to improve her bad mood. She agreed. They descended upon the brand-name luxury boutiques like hungry locusts. They almost cleaned out the shops' latest and most expensive items, earning envious gazes from fellow shoppers who couldn't afford to buy so many like them. Their shopping spree lasted until dusk. Then they headed to an upscale restaurant for dinner. They were in the middle of waiting for their orders when one of Mao Qiuyue's friends gasped. "Look there! Isn't that your husband, Qiuyue?"

All of them looked out of the restaurant's glass wall. They saw a familiar man carrying a little boy and walking in the mall's hallway. "Long Hui!" Mao Qiuyue recognized her husband right away. Her vision darkened at the sight of the child in his arms. There was no need to guess the child's identity. Wasn't it her husband's bastard son?

"Wow, the boy looks like Long Hui. No wonder he can't abandon his son."

Mao Qiuyue glared at her friend, who made the insensitive comment. She stood up and looked like she was heading for battle. Her friends immediately held her back. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow the author on Instagram: @arriacross]

"Girl, you can't make a scene here. We're in public!"

"Calm down first. Okay, Qiuyue? Your reputation in public is pretty bad right now. Don't make it worse."

"Fight with your husband later at home but not here in public.

Mao Qiuyue faltered. However, her fury continued to intensify and made her feel suffocated. If she didn't do anything to release her rage, she would definitely explode.

"He messaged me saying that he's busy catching up on work at the company, that's why he didn't yet have the time to personally pick me up at my parent's house. So he doesn't have the time to pick me up but has the time to spend the day with his bastard son at the mall?! Unforgivable!"

She continued dissing her husband to her friends. Of course, they sided with her and joined in dissing Long Hui and his bastard son regardless of their true thoughts about the matter.

They watched the father and son strolling in the restaurant section of the mall, probably looking for a place to eat dinner. Mao Qiuyue and her friends overlooked the civilian-clothed bodyguards following Long Hui and his son in various positions. For now, Mao Qiuyue listened to her friends and didn't rush to make a scene with her husband in public. She could not enjoy the dinner she ordered because all she thought about was confronting Long Hui. If it weren't for her friends stopping her, she would have already fought with her husband in front of everyone and maybe even hit his bastard son. The child was a big eyesore to her. She wanted to tear the bastard apart and make it disappear forever. ###

"Where do you want to eat, Little Jun?" Long Hui asked his son while showing him the restaurants. "Dad will let you eat whatever you want today."

They had a fun day earlier at the zoo. The weather was already starting to become cold, but it was just perfect for a family day trip. Not too hot, but not freezing either.

Little Jun enjoyed seeing and learning about the animals, especially the cute panda bears. After the zoo, they headed to the mall for dinner. Long Hui felt fulfilled seeing his son's happy smile. He watched as Little Jun looked around the restaurants before pointing at a popular fast-food restaurant. "Junjun want fwy chikin!" (Junjun wants fried chicken!)

Long Hui's gaze softened. "Alright, Little Jun. Let's eat fried chicken. I heard that kids like the gravy in that restaurant, too. Do you want to eat gravy with your chicken?"

"Eat Gwaby?" The child looked shocked and then horrified. "No, Dada! No eat Gwaby! Waaaah!" (Eat Gravy? No, Daddy! I don't want to eat Gravy! Wah!)

Long Hui was startled by his son's reaction. Why was Little Jun crying all of a sudden? "Fine, we won't eat gravy with the chicken. Don't cry anymore, son. We won't order gravy if you don't like it. We'll eat the chicken with ketchup instead, okay?"

Little Jun stopped crying. But before Long Hui could feel relieved, his son's expression turned for the worst. Little Jun looked at him like he was some kind of a monster. "Eat Chechup? Nooooooo! No eat Chechup! Dada, no! Bad dada! Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!" (Eat Ketchup? No! I don't want to eat Ketchup! Daddy, no! Bad Daddy! Uwah!)

Long Hui was at his wit's end trying to calm down his crying son. He had no idea why Little Jun was suddenly throwing a tantrum like this. Then, he looked around and saw people staring at them. The situation made him panic.

"Alright, Little Jun. No gravy, no ketchup. We won't get any of them. We'll just eat the fried chicken, okay? Don't cry anymore."

Unfortunately, his son continued crying and calling him "bad dada". He was embarrassed at all the unwanted attention they were getting. He was about to carry off his son to a place with fewer people when one of the female disguised bodyguards following them approached. She then explained why Little Jun reacted like this at the mention of gravy and ketchup. Long Hui finally understood.

So it turned out that this was Iris' fault all along. He knew about the cats Ice Cream and Popcorn when he was still on good terms with his half-sister. He thought that it was just that one time and never expected that her terrible naming sense would continue until this day. Another cat named Ketchup and now a dog named Gravy?

What on earth was she thinking? Had she been always hungry when choosing the names for the pets?

And now Little Jun was confused because of her!

How terrible!

Long Hui gritted his teeth and cursed Iris inside his head. However, he didn't dare criticize his half-sister aloud in front of his son. Iris and Jin Liwei were Little Jun's godparents. He knew how close his son was to the married couple. If he badmouthed Iris and Jin Liwei to Little Jun, it would only backfire on him. His son might end up hating him if he did that. He couldn't afford to give Jiang Ying Yue any reason to take away his current visitation rights for their son. Regardless of how everything would turn out in the future, he was determined to keep this son. Just imagining a future of him and his son alienated from each other was enough to make his heart hurt. For this reason, he could only keep his opinions about Iris to himself in front of his son. The female bodyguard helped Long Hui coax Little Jun. Finally, the child stopped crying. Long Hui carried his son to another fast food restaurant, afraid that Little Jun might cry again if he saw a damn gravy or ketchup. Unbeknownst to them, Mao Qiuyue and her friends saw everything from inside one of the restaurants. The friends couldn't hear what the father and son were talking about. They concluded that the child was acting spoiled and throwing a tantrum in public to get what he wanted from his father, Long Hui. Mao Qiuyue gnashed her teeth. She had never seen such a gentle and doting expression on her husband's face. She didn't know that he could even produce such an expression! How hateful! n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

And who was that impertinent woman just now?

So many sluts circling around her husband. If she took her eyes off him for even a second, he might produce another bastard child with a different slut under her nose! There was no way in hell that she would stay silent and act like a tolerant wife like so many in their circles. She refused to act like a martyr and turn a blind eye to her husband keeping a mistress and a secret family behind her back. No way!

"The woman is just a passerby," her friend said. "Look, she went away after helping stop the child from crying."

"No, look again. The woman is following Long Hui and his bastard. She's keeping her eyes on them."

"Why are you still surprised? Qiuyue's husband is one of the most handsome in our circles. Even when it was revealed that he has an illegitimate child, many young misses continued to target him, hoping that they would become the next Madam Long. Only when he paired up with our Qiuyue did most of them give up. But there are still some remaining who want to become a mistress. So you better be careful, Qiuyue."

"I can't take it anymore!" Mao Qiuyue stood up and rushed out of the restaurant before any of her friends could react. They chased after her, but she was already beyond stopping. Mao Qiuyue barrelled through the strolling shoppers and earned several nasty complaints, but she ignored them all. She closed in on her target—the woman following her husband like a disgusting stalker.

"You slut!"