Chapter 14: Does Your Brother Know?

Page (1/3)

Xie Yixing carried the gift and bent down to smooth out the slightly disheveled hem of Jiang Yunyao’s dress, then urged, “Let’s hurry inside!”

Assistant Li’s eyes flickered with surprise.

This young master, who had been pampered since childhood and feared nothing, was now—this was the first time Assistant Li had seen him humbly adjusting someone else’s attire, without the slightest reluctance.

Jiang Yunyao nodded to Assistant Li and followed behind Lu Mucheng and his wife, walking toward the estate.

She handed the invitation to the messenger at the entrance, and while waiting for the verification, her gaze accidentally caught a figure to the east.

Jiang Yunyao glanced over and saw a girl surrounded by four or five men in black, disappearing around the corner.

“Jiang Yunyao, what’s wrong?” Xie Yixing saw her dazed expression and leaned closer, waving his hand. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Startled by the sudden touch, Jiang Yunyao instinctively stepped back two paces and took a deep breath. “Nothing’s wrong.”

That silhouette was far too similar to Xiao Jin; she even doubted her own eyes.

“Could it be nerves?” Xie Yixing looked at her curiously. “You were just like this before you came to my house last time!”

Jiang Yunyao’s pride was provoked. She raised her tone slightly, “Nervous? I’ve attended at least twenty, if not fifty, banquets. How could I be nervous?”

In their line of work, who didn’t attend social gatherings and banquets?

Not to mention nerves, just hearing the word ‘banquet’ now could instantly make her simulate every gesture and expression she needed to perform.

At that moment, the program’s live broadcast had just started, catching Jiang Yunyao’s words.

[Meow meow meow? That’s Jiang Yunyao’s voice, right? The crew followed her to the banquet?]

[The crew’s amazing! Even this private banquet they managed to sneak into—such powerful connections!]

[Jiang Liangliang has really hitched a ride on a big thigh now. Without Xie Yixing, this wealthy young master, how else would she get an invitation?]

[Hitching a ride depends on ability. Jiang Liangliang can only be considered selling herself, right?]

[Enough with the haters! They’re a legitimate married couple. How does it become so disgraceful in your mouths?]

While Jiang Yunyao and Xie Yixing were talking, the waiter confirmed their identities and respectfully gestured for them to enter.

“Miss Jiang, Mr. Xie, please come in.”

The address “Miss Jiang” silenced the haters in the live chat.

Everyone instinctively thought that if Jiang Yunyao had obtained the invitation through Xie Yixing, the waiter should have called her “Mrs. Xie,” not “Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Yunyao noticed the form of address and silently appreciated Mr. Xie’s attentiveness.

Page (2/3)

Except for a deliberate instruction, she couldn’t understand why the invitation didn’t specify her status as the young mistress of the Xie family, even though she was attending the banquet as such.

Led by the waiter, Jiang Yunyao and Xie Yixing passed through the banquet hall and headed to Mr. Hu’s reception room.

The production team had negotiated with the estate manager, promising not to film guests’ faces, let alone Mr. Hu, the host.

Therefore, after the guests entered the reception room, the cameramen stopped outside, pointing their cameras at the floor.

Mr. Hu was short, bald on top, with sharp eyes that gleamed with shrewdness. His beer belly protruded as he smiled cheerfully, shaking hands with Lu Mucheng and Lin Wanwan.

“Several years have passed; Wanwan has grown so much!” Mr. Hu spoke like an elder, smiling as he chatted with Lin Wanwan. “How are Professor Lin and Professor An’s health? I’ve been so busy lately, it’s been a long time since I last saw them…”

Jiang Yunyao and Xie Yixing sat waiting. Only after Mr. Hu finished exchanging pleasantries with Lu Mucheng and his wife did they speak with him.

Upon seeing it wasn’t Mr. Xie who arrived, Mr. Hu’s smile faltered slightly, and his attitude grew perfunctory.

However, out of respect for Xie Yixing’s status, his words remained courteous.

“So, this is the young master Xie and the young mistress! Your first time at my estate; be sure to have a good time. If you need anything, just call the servers—don’t be shy!”

The unspoken message: If you have issues, call the servers, not me.

Jiang Yunyao and Xie Yixing presented their gift and then left the reception room, heading back to the hall.

The hall was crowded, with people clustered in small groups, clinking glasses, laughing and chatting.

Jiang Yunyao didn’t listen intentionally, but she roughly knew that the men discussed business, while the women talked about jewelry.

Xie Yixing showed no interest in the socializing. He pulled Jiang Yunyao to a corner to sit.

Jiang Yunyao took a seat on the sofa, accepted the small cake he handed her, and, seeing him happily eating another, couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

“Aren’t you resentful?”

Mr. Hu’s differential treatment largely stemmed from the fact that Xie Yixing didn’t hold control over the Xie family enterprise.

Given Xie Yixing’s status, if he were even slightly petty or had a strained relationship with his brother, resentment and dissatisfaction would easily arise.

Xie Yixing immediately understood her meaning and swallowed the cake in his mouth.

“I don’t feel that way, because even if my brother were here, Mr. Hu would only smile at him for the sake of business cooperation, not because they’re close!”

Jiang Yunyao glanced at him in surprise.

She hadn’t expected him to be so insightful!

Xie Yixing poked at the cake on his plate with his fork and continued,

Page (3/3)

“I’ve always thought there’s nothing good about being the CEO of the Xie Corporation. Just look at my brother—he leaves for the company before dawn and doesn’t come home until eight or nine at night. He rarely has holidays and has to deal with scheming in business!”

“This kind of life will continue for decades until he can’t work anymore and can step down. But by then, he won’t have much time to enjoy life, nor will he truly enjoy it!”

“I honestly don’t understand why people fight so hard for that position. They could be young and do whatever they want, but instead, they trap themselves in work. What’s the point?”

Jiang Yunyao: “Does your brother know you think this way?”

Xie Yixing replied casually, “Yeah! He even told me not to tell others because it might offend people!”

Jiang Yunyao, the hardworking one: “...”

Indeed, it would offend people—for example, her, who now very much wanted to give him a good scolding!

[Wuwu, Little Xie, don’t say anymore, we can’t handle this truth!]

[CEO Xie’s life isn’t easy either! Early to late, and still taking blows from his own brother!]

[Weren’t we told ‘in this world, people are either beasts of burden or poultry’? Why can he be so carefree?!]

[Ahhh, Little Xie said don’t tell others, but he told A’Yao!]

[Ah, sis says: Who cares about beasts of burden or not, let’s just ship this couple first!]

Unfamiliar with the banquet guests and with nothing else to do, Jiang Yunyao and Xie Yixing began sampling the food.

“Mmm! This cookie is blueberry-flavored, with a filling inside. Try it!”

Jiang Yunyao picked up a cookie and placed it on Xie Yixing’s plate.

“This wine tastes pretty good. Let me pour you a glass!”

Xie Yixing took Jiang Yunyao’s glass and filled it up.

They ate and drank, nearly sampling everything the banquet had to offer.

Soon, Jiang Yunyao noticed cream accidentally smudged on her hand and said she was going to the restroom.

At the restroom door, just before she turned inside, she heard voices from within.