The next morning, old Master Chen was having breakfast under the grape arbor in the courtyard. The simple, plain breakfast consisted of steamed buns dipped in a small bowl of pickled vegetables and a bowl of vegetable porridge, which had been his usual taste for years.
Chen Huaixiao came before old Master Chen, fidgeting with a piece of white gauze. Before he could speak, the old master asked ahead of him, “When did you come back?”
“Last night.”
“Drove back overnight?”
“Yes.”
“Have you finished with your business?”
Chen Huaixiao hesitated for a moment, then answered truthfully, “Not yet.”
As soon as he finished speaking, old Master Chen heavily put down his chopsticks and let out a cold snort.
Bai Yin knew that the old master had much higher expectations of Chen Huaixiao than his other nephews. Hearing such words, he was naturally displeased.
He had always thought that Chen Huaixiao did not have feelings for this girl, which was one of the reasons he agreed to this marriage.
Without feelings, he would not lose his composure.
Marriage is inherently about mutual assistance. It would be much better for Chen Huaixiao to marry a capable wife who could aid his career, than to marry a woman he was fond of.
Now it seemed he had misjudged.
"Number three, I thought you didn't like this girl."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yin's hand shrank back.
But Chen Huaixiao gripped her even tighter, "Aiyin is my wife. She offended grandfather, so I should come back to apologize on her behalf."
Old Master Chen said coldly, "It doesn't look like you've come to apologize for her. You were worried I would bully her, so you rushed back to protect her."
"Grandfather, Aiyin knows she was wrong."
Bai Yin had grown up under old Master Chen's care since she was a child. His little sister-in-law stood behind him, her face full of embarrassment, showing no sign of remorse at all.
He put on a stern face and said coldly, "Miss Bai, now that you have married into the Chen family, you can't behave like you did back in the countryside. There are things that number three hasn't taught you, so I will - you are the daughter-in-law of the Chen family, your interests will always be tied to the Chen family's interests. Consider whether something is appropriate or not before you speak or act. Don't just follow your impulses."
Bai Yin remained silent, while Chen Huaixiao respectfully responded, "She understands now."
"Are you her mouthpiece? She has a mouth of her own. Last night she was so eloquent, how come she's turned mute now?"
Chen Huaixiao pulled Bai Yin's hand.
Bai Yin's face showed some unwillingness, but seeing Chen Huaixiao's haggard face after a sleepless night, she still said, "Grandfather, I know I was wrong not to respect you."
Old Master Chen's expression softened a little. He said to Chen Huaixiao, "If I remember correctly, Miss Bai is signed to your Sparkle Media?"
"Yes, grandfather."
"Give her fewer jobs, especially acting ones that keep her away from home for days. What kind of look would that be?" Old Master Chen said solemnly, "You've been married for some time now, you should be preparing to have a child. With her schedule so busy, who knows when there will be news."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yin's expression changed subtly.
Chen Huaixiao held her hand and said, "Aiyin is still young. There's no rush for children. I want her to have her own career."
"Her biggest career is to support you," old Master Chen said, his expression stern. "Why else would I have cultivated her and allowed you to marry her?"
"Grandfather, I married Aiyin of my own free will, not because you required it. Even without your phone call, I would still have rushed to propose to her. I would not have let her marry someone else."
Bai Yin looked at Chen Huaixiao in surprise, wondering if his words were sincere or...
But his gaze was so earnest.
"Good, I really didn't expect that. If I had known you felt this way, I would never have brought her into your life."
Hearing old Master Chen's words, Bai Yin felt very uncomfortable.
Although she had received his kindness since she was a child, she still couldn't stand how he had objectified her... as if she were not a person, but a gift that could be given away anytime.
And her only value was to assist Chen Huaixiao, or to bear him children.
"Grandfather, does Chen Huaixiao's marriage have to be a cold business alliance? There can't be a shred of personal feelings?"
"This kind of marriage is the most prudent and long-lasting, beneficial to both the family and his career."
"Don't his thoughts, emotions, joy and sorrow matter at all?"
"With his current accomplishments, isn't he proud of himself?"
"Doing all this now, when the person he loved and was closest to, his mother, can no longer see any of it - do you really think he'll be proud of himself?!" Bai Yin's eyes turned red as she said this.
She wasn't speaking for Chen Huaixiao, she was just expressing her own feelings.
No matter her revenge, becoming famous, being loved by many, or earning lots of money... her mother could no longer see any of it.
Listening from the porch, Chen Jingye was on tenterhooks and rubbed his forehead vigorously upon hearing this.
Bai Yin just had to dance in the minefield. She had clearly been spoiled by number three.
Unexpectedly, however, Chen Huaixiao did not stop her this time.
Bai Yin's words had pricked the most sensitive and vulnerable part of his heart.
Old Master Chen was furious. He flung the teacup in his hand, "Chen Huaixiao, divorce her! A woman like this cannot stay in the Chen family!"
Chen Huaixiao pulled Bai Yin behind himself, "Grandfather, please calm down."
"Number three, you disappoint me greatly. If you are so emotional, I will leave the entire Chen Group to Chen Jingye instead of you!"
Chen Jingye was so frightened that his legs turned soft, "Grandfather, you can't do that. I just want to sing..."
Old Master Chen grabbed the teacup to throw at him again, and he quickly raised his hand to block it.
"Number three, I understand the girl's personality too well. Back then, she only had eyes for you, looking forward to your visits every week. I thought a woman who liked you so much would put you first in everything after marrying you. Now it seems I was mistaken." As old Master Chen's anger subsided somewhat, he said, "Do you want the inheritance or do you want her, make your choice."
Chen Huaixiao looked at Bai Yin in surprise for a moment. Bai Yin lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth.
Without any hesitation, he said, "Grandfather, I choose..."
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Yin interrupted him, "Get divorced if you want! If grandfather's real reasons for agreeing to this marriage are so ridiculous... I'd rather bow out to let him marry a real virtuous wife."
Chen Huaixiao's heart sank suddenly, and his hand holding hers went limp without strength.
His heart felt as if countless sharp blades were scraping away... the pain indescribable.
"Number three, you heard her." Old Master Chen's expression lightened a little as he looked at Chen Huaixiao, "This is the daughter-in-law you married. And you were protecting her just now. She can utter the word divorce so lightly, without any hesitation."
Chen Huaixiao was silent. Bai Yin's belly full of frustration also dissipated.
Seeing old Master Chen's cold expression, her heart instead felt increasingly sad.
She had thought before that old Master Chen was a business magnate who inspired awe and fear in everyone. Bai Yin was just a poor neighbor girl. Why did he treat her so well?
If it was just a matter of showing kindness by rescuing a stray kitten, it would be fine. But he had expended great effort to cultivate her.
Without old Master Chen's guidance over those years, there probably wouldn't be today's Bai Yin either.
Now she understood, it wasn't because of kindness. As the founder of the Chen family, kindness was the least important trait.
Training soldiers for a thousand days had its uses too.
Old Master Chen saw her unyielding heart that could endure hardship and restraint. Compared to the young ladies of high society, even Tang Ka who was pampered and cultivated - she was more suitable for Chen Huaixiao.
The good intentions over the years were not selfless after all, but had ulterior motives.
A cold smile appeared on Bai Yin's mouth corners. She shook her head and said self-deprecatingly, "Grandfather, I truly understand now. I was too foolish, really treating you as my own grandfather, acting without propriety and offending you with my words... I shouldn't have."
Old Master Chen knew she was an intelligent girl. Seeing her in this state, he knew she had figured everything out.
A certain place in his heart felt... rather uncomfortable.
Over so many years, had he not treated her like a granddaughter, even if his motives were not pure? But people are emotional creatures after all.
"Girl Bai, I'm giving you one last chance. Admit you were wrong, and the matter ends here."
"Master Chen, I can divorce Chen Huaixiao. He is a good man who has done nothing wrong. The Chen family should be his."
After saying this, Bai Yin turned and left the lakeside villa. She walked out of the front gate, following the garden path for some distance before using the back of her hand to wipe the tears welling up in her eyes.
Don't look back, absolutely don't look back.
Soon, the Maserati came roaring out to catch up with her.
Chen Huaixiao forcefully pulled open the car door and grabbed Bai Yin in, buckling her seatbelt without asking, then slammed down the accelerator.
The sports car sped out of the suburbs, hurtling straight towards the southern hillside.
Bai Yin grabbed the handle beside her, watching the scenery outside the window speeding past. Her heart thumped loudly, "Chen Huaixiao, where are we going?!"
"Aren't we getting a divorce?" Chen Huaixiao's face was icy, his voice low. "The civil affairs bureau."
"The civil affairs bureau isn't on the mountain!"
Chen Huaixiao did not respond. He continued stomping on the accelerator, drifting wildly around the mountain roads.
Bai Yin urged anxiously, "Is the inheritance more important than your life? You can't vent your unhappiness by playing with your life like this!"
Then, huge inertia threw Bai Yin's body forward forcefully. The Maserati stopped at the scenic lookout on the winding mountain road.
He undid his seatbelt. Seeing the suppressed anger in Chen Huaixiao's eyes, Bai Yin thought he was going to attack her. But the man reached over to envelope her in a deep, passionate kiss.
Like a sudden storm sweeping over the land, Chen Huaixiao held her tightly, seemingly wanting to devour her as he kissed her madly.
Bai Yin's breath was completely stolen away. Blushing furiously, she was powerless to struggle, collapsing limply into him.
"What are you doing..."
Before she could get the words out, Chen Huaixiao forcefully bit down on her lower lip.
She pushed him away in pain.
Chen Huaixiao threatened viciously, "If you dare utter the words divorce again, I'll bite you to death."
Bai Yin hesitated for a few seconds, then reached out and put her arms around his neck, touching the short stubble on the back of his head: "I said that because Grandpa made you choose one or the other - the inheritance! That must be so much money!"
After all, Bai Yin was a vulgar person who was afraid of being poor again, so she loved money more than anything.
She had no idea how much the Chen family's assets were worth, she just felt it must be a huge, huge, huge amount of money, and it would be such a pity to lose it all.
Chen Huaixiao licked her lower lip, stirring things up inside her, his breath hot: "To hell with the inheritance, I only want you."
...
That night, Bai Yin and Chen Huaixiao returned home. Tang Ka hurried over and opened the car door to help Bai Yin out.
"Madam, you didn't come home all last night, I was so worried!"
"Tang Ka, I'm fine, I just stayed overnight at Grandpa's place." Bai Yin spoke gently and softly, very gentle.
"In the future, whenever you don't come home at night, you must call me to let me know. I didn't go back last night because I was afraid something might happen to you, and I couldn't get through to your phone."
"Because there's no signal in Grandpa's basement."
Tang Ka walked with Bai Yin inside, saying, "I've made your favorite food, you must be hungry, come inside quickly."
"Okay, thank you for going to the trouble."
Chen Huaixiao followed behind Bai Yin. He saw that Tang Ka had indeed prepared a large table full of sumptuous dinner, but he had only taken out one bowl and chopsticks, which he handed to Bai Yin: "Just some simple home cooking, please try it."
Bai Yin ate while praising: "It's so delicious, thank you for making so much."
"You must be starving."
Tang Ka looked back and saw Chen Huaixiao staring at him with a speechless expression.
"Oh? Young Master, do you want dinner too?"
Chen Huaixiao: "What do you think?"
Tang Ka thought for a moment: "No dinner, then I won't get you any bowls or chopsticks. Don't stand there either, the Madam doesn't like having people disturb her while she eats."
"..."
Chen Huaixiao threw him an ice-cold "do you want to die" look, but Tang Ka didn't take the bait. His heart and eyes were full of the lady of the house, intent only on serving her well.
A brilliant smile appeared in the corner of Bai Yin's eyes. She happily said, "Tang Ka, bring him a bowl and chopsticks."
"Yes, Madam, I'll go get them right away." Tang Ka obediently replied, then turned and went to the kitchen.
Chen Huaixiao sat down across from Bai Yin and tugged at his collar. He said to Bai Yin, "Not bad, it didn't take long for you to turn my servant to yours."
"Who made you never come home, always staying in your office at the company? Tang Ka is the butler of this mansion, not your personal butler, Chen Huaixiao. I've lived here longer, so of course the butler listens to me more," Bai Yin retorted.
"Nonsense." Chen Huaixiao neatly folded a napkin around his neck. "If you rent a house for a long time, does it become yours?"
"That's different. I'm the rightful lady of this mansion."
"Don't forget, just a few hours ago, the rightful lady was discussing divorce with me."
Bai Yin carefully poked at her white rice with her chopsticks. "Grandpa brought up divorce, not me."
"But you agreed." When Chen Huaixiao brought this up, there was an evil fire in his body and his expression didn't look very good either.
"What was I supposed to do if he really forced me?"
"You could have refused, like I did."
"Then..." Bai Yin looked at him with a smiling expression, "Why don't you divorce me?"
Chen Huaixiao expressionlessly said, "Don't want to split assets."
"You gave up Grandpa's inheritance, yet you're still afraid to split assets?"
"The inheritance was Grandpa's to give. Everything I have now I earned myself. It's not the same."
Bai Yin put down her chopsticks and asked him directly: "Was Grandpa telling the truth? Do you have feelings for me?"
Chen Huaixiao smiled faintly and asked back, "Grandpa said you waited eagerly for me to visit every week for several years. What, were you secretly crushing on me?"
"Let's talk chronological order - I asked first."
"If you don't answer, I won't answer."
Bai Yin snorted, "As if I'd like you!"
Chen Huaixiao: "Then I don't like you either."
Tang Ka came out with the bowl and chopsticks. Hearing the CEO couple bickering like primary schoolers, he silently went to the wall and turned on the dreamy rose-colored lights, then put on a hand of winding, lingering love songs.
Chen Huaixiao: ...
Looking at the rose-colored dreamy lights that made the place look like a song and dance hall, he unpleasantly looked back: "Who allowed you to put up these lights in my house?!"
Tang Ka respectfully replied, "The Madam."
"This is my house!"
"But the Madam thought they were very romantic."
Chen Huaixiao rubbed his eyes in frustration: "Does the Madam or do I pay your salary?"
Tang Ka looked innocent. "But Young Master pays me a high salary to take good care of the Madam, right?"
Chen Huaixiao looked at Bai Yin's beaming victorious smile, and rubbed his brow in complete speechlessness.
This butler had been utterly subdued by Bai Yin.
Forget the butler, even his personal assistant Shen Bin was almost conquered by this woman.
To create a romantic atmosphere, Tang Ka took out some candle holders, planning to set up a candlelight dinner for the CEO couple.
Of course, a candlelight dinner would not be complete without red wine.
Seeing Tang Ka take out the wine, Chen Huaixiao said, "The Madam doesn't hold liquor well, no wine for her."
Tang Ka respectfully moved to take it away, but Bai Yin called out to stop him: "Wait, since neither of us has good tolerance, why don't we play a game - split one bottle evenly, half each, and see who gets drunk faster."
Chen Huaixiao frowned. "A Yin, you're so childish."
Who wanted to play such a childish game with her?
But Bai Yin just laughed and said, "I'm not done yet. After drinking, let's play truth or dare. Whoever gets more drunk has to answer truthfully."
Chen Huaixiao pondered for a moment. He was confident in his alcohol tolerance.
Even if he couldn't drink much, he'd still be better than this lightweight.
"Fine, let's play."
Bai Yin immediately perked up and told Tang Ka, "Take out Chen Huaixiao's best, most expensive red wine."
Tang Ka looked to Chen Huaixiao, who nodded, "Go to the wine cellar and bring me my 1982 Rose Treasure vintage."
"Yes, Young Master."
Twenty minutes later, Tang Ka decanted the wine and evenly split one bottle into two big glasses for them.
Chen Huaixiao and Bai Yin picked up their brimming wine glasses, clinked them together, then each downed theirs in one go.
Tang Ka's mouth twitched. Usually the CEO couple rarely drank alcohol outside, yet here they were challenging each other to drink heavily at home.
Chen Huaixiao became tipsy very quickly, his eyes taking on a drunken glaze as he gazed deeply at Bai Yin: "A Yin, how do you feel?"
Bai Yin leaned on the table with one hand, seemingly still unable to recover. She struggled to speak, "This wine..."
Chen Huaixiao laughed. "I told you your tolerance is no match for mine."
But just as he finished speaking, Bai Yin lifted her head, smiling tipsily at him: "You really thought I'd drink with you? Silly Chen Huaixiao, the only drunk person here is you. Don't worry, I'll record your truthful words by hand."
It took Chen Huaixiao a few seconds to react. He asked, "You didn't drink?"
"Tang Ka is my man. As long as I don't want to drink, he wouldn't actually make me drink! That glass just now was grape juice."
"Oh?" Chen Huaixiao's expression was very calm. "Is that so?"
Bai Yin's face gradually flushed red, and her surroundings slowly started spinning. Her smile also froze on her face.
No, what she drank wasn't grape juice, grape juice wouldn't make her dizzy like this!
She looked at Tang Ka in astonishment.
Tang Ka stared innocently at the ceiling.
"Tang Ka, you..."
The corner's of Chen Huaixiao's mouth turned up in a faint smile. "Did you really think he was your man? Don't forget, I'm the one who pays his salary. My drink was the grape juice."
"Damn it!" Bai Yin even cursed out loud. "Tang Ka, you traitor!"
However, Chen Huaixiao didn't get to gloat for long before his vision also started spinning. He picked up the wine glass and sniffed it. "Tang Ka, what you poured for me is..."
Tang Ka had a look of impending death on his face. "Young Master, Madam, stop playing double agent games! It's too difficult being a butler for you two! You both drank alcohol, have fun playing, I'm off work now!"
After saying that, he hastily exited the room, leaving behind the drunk Bai Yin and Chen Huaixiao awkwardly facing each other.
...
Five minutes later, both their heads were spinning so much they could barely stand upright.
Bai Yin slumped on the table, mustering all her willpower not to pass out, and dug her fingernail into a small crescent-shaped patch of skin on the back of her hand.
Can't faint, at least can't faint before him.
Chen Huaixiao still sat at the table, one hand propping himself up and the other holding a cigarette to his lips. His handsome face was flushed from the alcohol.
In the swirling cigarette smoke, he was also struggling to remain conscious.
"Still want to play the game?" Bai Yin lifted her drunken, blurry eyes to test him.
Chen Huaixiao was slightly more sober than her. He calmly replied, "What, too drunk to play now?"
"I can play!" Bai Yin slapped the table forcefully and sat up. "Come on! Rock paper scissors to decide winner and loser."
Chen Huaixiao extended his long, well-proportioned fingers, drunk amusement flashing in his eyes. He played rock paper scissors with Bai Yin, both exhibiting the domineering aura of billion dollar deals.
The first round, Chen Huaixiao won.
"Truth or dare?"
Bai Yin collapsed on the table, exhausted. She really didn't want Chen Huaixiao to ask her a truth question, lazily dragging out her words, "Dare."
"Take off the underwear."
"..."
Bai Yin looked up at him. His long beautiful eyes held a trace of lust.
"Do over, I choose truth!"
"Truth is for the next round."
Bai Yin wasn't a sore loser. She'd said they'd follow through, so Chen Huaixiao couldn't renege later either. She turned around, took off her panties, and angrily threw them at Chen Huaixiao's head.
Chen Huaixiao caught them, neatly folded them and placed them beside him, murmuring "Continue" as he stared at the thin dress's barely discernible outline...
Bai Yin won the next round. The corner of her mouth turned up in an evil, vengeful smile.
"Truth or dare?"
Chen Huaixiao chose dare with great risks rather than revealing his true feelings in his drunken state.
Bai Yin wanted to get back at him badly, making him do embarrassing things like streaking. But on second thought, although humiliating, it wouldn't benefit her.
Bai Yin had always been selfish, so she abandoned those ridiculous ideas and said, "Give me half of your shares in Chen Star Media, and you can't take them back in later dares."
"Bai Yin," Chen Huaixiao stressed, "Don't joke around."
Bai Yin laughed gently, "No way, I'm serious but you can't handle it, brother."
Chen Huaixiao pondered briefly before grabbing her bra, "For later dares...you can't make me give you the other half too."
"Deal."
"Come sign the contract tomorrow."
Next round, Bai Yin lost again, but having gained such a big advantage already put her in a good mood. She breezily said, "Dare again."
Looking into her eyes, Chen Huaixiao said, "For this dare, I want you to answer three truthful questions, no lies allowed."
"What!" Bai Yin exclaimed, "You can do that?"
"Why not?" Chen Huaixiao leaned back against his chair, fingers undoing the cuff buttons of his white shirt. "Dare means agreeing unconditionally to anything."
Bai Yin remembered last round, Chen Huaixiao had given her shares.
He was playing for real.
Gritting her teeth, she said, "Fine, just three questions, ask away."
Leaning forward, Chen Huaixiao stared into Bai Yin's eyes intently. "Why are you interested in my mother's matters?"
"Because I want to cure you."
"Why do you want to cure me?"
"You had an episode in the elevator, it scared me."
His questions came faster and faster. Bai Yin's tipsy state left her no time to think: "Damn it, you're my husband! Can't I worry about you? Enough questions, my turn!"
Chen Huaixiao didn't quibble and skipped the rock paper scissors round. "Go ahead."
"Why was grandfather so angry about your mother's matters?"
"It was a family secret, I was too young then and don't remember clearly."
"Did grandfather really agree to our marriage just because you don't like me?"
"Yes."
Chen Huaixiao answered without hesitation: "He doesn't want me to be emotionally invested in marriage. Decision makers need composure and rationality, not emotional involvement."
"So you really don't like me?"
"Does it matter to you?"
Bai Yin blurted out, "It doesn't."
Chen Huaixiao was just as quick: "I don't like you."
"......"
The game...fell into awkward silence again.
Too drunk to care, Bai Yin lazily got up and sprawled onto the soft sofa. "Don't wanna deal with you, going to sleep."
Chen Huaixiao threw his loosened tie at her face, then went upstairs with her bra.
Halfway up the stairs, Bai Yin tentatively asked, "What if I said...I care a little bit?"
In a flash, Chen Huaixiao strode to the sofa and knelt before her on the carpet, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly, eyes full of warmth—
"I love you, Bai Yin, I love you."
