After the event, Yi Wulan, protected by bodyguards, walked toward a white Maybach not far away.
Although the car wasn’t very far, it was still a bit of a strain for someone like Yi Wulan, whose legs had just regained sensation.
Yi Wulan did her best to maintain her public image. Fortunately, the driver promptly drove over.
After getting in the car, Gu Yan, in the passenger seat, had also received the investigation results. He reported to Yi Wulan, “President Yi, the person who leaked the original project plan for Shuilin Fang has been caught. It was a subordinate from Yi Jingming’s former project department. The leaker had participated in drafting the initial bidding contract for Shuilin Fang.”
As Gu Yan spoke, he felt a pang of self-reproach. “This is all my fault for not handling it properly. I should have collected all the backup copies of the original plan from those people back then.”
“It’s hard to guard against a fickle heart. This has nothing to do with you.” Yi Wulan had little interest in the small fry who leaked the contract. What she truly cared about was the person behind this incident.
The cool air from the car’s air conditioner blew past, making Yi Wulan’s voice a few degrees colder. “Have you found out who’s behind it?”
Gu Yan handed over his tablet. “Thanks to the police’s cooperation, the investigation information from the bank shows that Jiang Fang and Wan Yu have both received transfers far exceeding their salaries during this period. The source of the transfers was hidden behind two layers of shell companies, ultimately pointing to a small, temporarily registered company.”
Yi Wulan took the tablet and flipped through it. “The company’s legal representative, Ruan Cha?”
Gu Yan nodded, quickly connecting another thread. “That’s Yi Hongwei’s sister-in-law. She served as Yi Hongwei’s assistant seven years ago. She was the one who extended an olive branch to me back then, so I have a strong impression of her.”
The pressure around Yi Wulan instantly turned icy.
Yi Hongwei was Yi Zizhuo’s father and the one who had been most enthusiastic about carving up Yi Jingming’s resources after he was dismissed.
Yi Wulan had turned a blind eye before, wanting to test the waters, but she hadn’t expected to feed their appetites this much.
She gazed at the tablet in her hand and ordered calmly, “Proceed with the original plan.”
“Yes, President Yi.”
In a lavishly decorated suburban villa, a small victory party was being held.
The villa was specifically used for hosting banquets. A spacious leather sofa was placed in front of a huge screen. Yi Jingming sat in the center of the sofa, swirling a glass of champagne, his eyes filled with smug arrogance.
After a dance ended, someone quickly approached. “How was it, Brother Jingming? Feels great to cooperate with me, right?”
The newcomer was Yi Zizhuo. Today, he was unusually dressed in a formal white shirt and black trousers, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his face. He looked like a refined young master, but it still couldn’t hide his ambition and restlessness.
Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Yi Jingming found this cousin, whom he usually looked down on, to be quite agreeable.
He handed Yi Zizhuo a glass of wine. “Once the Shuilin Fang plan is exposed, the online public opinion will become even more intense. We’ll have to add more fuel to the fire during the shareholders’ meeting.”
“Yi Wulan’s shares don’t give her absolute control. If this blows up and gets out of hand, she’ll naturally have to take the fall. Even if she doesn’t have to, she’ll have to make concessions at the shareholders’ meeting.”
Yi Zizhuo clinked his glass, unabashedly sitting down next to Yi Jingming and draping an arm over his shoulder. “When Brother Jingming takes power, you won’t forget about your little brother, will you?”
“Don’t worry, we agreed from the start. I’ll give you all the projects I promised.” Yi Jingming drained his champagne in one gulp. “Your family will get its share of the benefits from this.”
Yi Wulan’s trip abroad a while ago was no secret. Although it was under the guise of a business trip, they could roughly guess it was to seek medical treatment.
With such a golden opportunity before them, they naturally couldn’t waste it.
During this time, they had spent a lot of money on marketing accounts and hired an online army to guide public opinion on the internet. That was how Jiang Tong’s Weibo post could generate such an overwhelming wave of comments after it hit the trending list.
At the same time, Yi Jingming and Yi Zizhuo had also visited many small shareholders and other Yi family members who held shares. Although these people were somewhat vague in their discussions, Yi Jingming had no doubt that after tonight, those fence-sitters would completely switch sides.
Seeing Yi Jingming brush off his words perfunctorily, Yi Zizhuo showed no sign of displeasure. After all, as long as Yi Wulan suffered a great blow this time, even if she remained the president of Rongjia, her credibility would be nothing like before.
As for Yi Jingming, he had never taken him seriously.
If he could take down Yi Wulan, what was a self-important Yi Jingming?
Rongjia would sooner or later be in the palm of his hand.
As Yi Zizhuo was thinking, he suddenly noticed two figures peeking from not far away.
He finally remembered something and gestured for the two to come over.
Jiang Fang and Wan Yu, who had been waiting for a long time, exchanged a glance and immediately walked over. They nodded respectfully to the two young masters of the Yi family, yet they were also somewhat impatient. “Young Masters, we’ve given you the project plan for Shuilin Fang. Shouldn’t you be settling the final payment you promised?”
“You two have been a great help to us. Naturally, you won’t be short-changed.” Yi Zizhuo pointed to the sofa beside them and called over two internet celebrities from the dance floor to keep them company. “Have a seat for a while. I’ve already asked my assistant to transfer the money to you.”
Hearing this, Jiang Fang and Wan Yu both revealed greedy expressions, and their attitude when toasting Yi Zizhuo became even more respectful.
Yi Jingming concealed his inner disdain at the sight, but his face still showed great enthusiasm toward Yi Zizhuo. “Zizhuo, I never realized you were hiding so deep. You even managed to get your hands on the project plan for such an important project under Yi Wulan.”
Yi Zizhuo demurred, “I can’t take the credit. It was all thanks to the connections Brother Jingming left behind.”
Yi Jingming’s face stiffened for a moment upon hearing this. After he was dismissed from Rongjia’s headquarters by Yi Wulan, his power had been taken over by Yi Zizhuo’s branch of the family. But fortunately, they were all on the same side, so he didn’t pay it much mind. “We’re all brothers, why distinguish between yours and mine?”
Just then, Jiang Fang’s and Wan Yu’s phones chimed simultaneously with notifications of funds received. They looked at the huge sum on the screen, then asked with some hesitation, “Young Master Yi, will there really be no problems with this project later? I’m afraid…”
“Afraid of what?” A flash of displeasure crossed Yi Zizhuo’s eyes. He was in a good mood and didn’t want to hear anything unpleasant.
He frowned and retorted, “What’s the use of Yi Wulan investigating who did this? She can’t even suppress the public opinion online right now. Besides, you’ve already resigned. By the time Yi Wulan reacts, won’t you be long gone?”
The two felt slightly more at ease. With public opinion raging online, Rongjia was indeed overwhelmed. After they got this quick money, even if Rongjia really wanted to hold them accountable, they would already be far away.
Perhaps their cooperation with these two young masters of the Yi family these past few days had given them confidence. They also felt that Rongjia was about to change hands, so what could Yi Wulan do to them then?
After giving his instructions, Yi Zizhuo planned to head to the dance floor.
Yi Jingming also stood up, intending to enjoy this night of debauchery.
But the next second, the main door was pushed open with a “bang.” The assistant who had just been busy with the transfers rushed over with his phone. “Young Master Yi, this is bad!”
Yi Zizhuo and Yi Jingming exchanged a glance, both frowning as they asked, “What’s wrong?”
The assistant’s serious face was filled with panic. He spoke quickly, “Shuilin Fang held a press conference. They’ve been cooperating with the government all along. The project plan we got is fake!”
For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire living room nearly froze.
The deafening electronic music was still playing, but the pressure had dropped. Everyone sat bolt upright in their places, afraid that the two young masters of the Yi family in the main seats would vent their anger on them.
Watching the video of the press conference on Weibo, Yi Zizhuo was so angry he smashed his phone to pieces. Only at this moment did Yi Jingming and Yi Zizhuo realize that Yi Wulan had set this trap for them long ago, and they had foolishly jumped right in.
Now, not only was Yi Wulan’s position secure and Shuilin Fang had received several rounds of free publicity, but even Rongjia’s newly developed holographic technology had gotten free marketing.
This level of massive attention would be hard to achieve even by hiring A-list celebrities, yet Yi Wulan had enjoyed this benefit without spending a single cent.
Projects like Shuilin Fang usually only attract public attention in the later stages of construction. But the online army they had hired and the marketing accounts they had employed to frame Shuilin Fang had instead drawn the public’s gaze to it, unwittingly paving the way for Yi Wulan!
Overcome with rage, Yi Zizhuo swept the wine bottles off the coffee table, sending them crashing to the floor. Finding no other outlet, he stared at Yi Wulan’s healthy legs in the video and questioned, “Yi Jingming, explain this to me. Didn’t you say you were keeping an eye on Yi Wulan?”
“This… this is impossible. My dad went to check on her just a few days ago. Yi Wulan was clearly incurable.” Yi Jingming hadn’t noticed at first, but reminded by Yi Zizhuo, he rewound the progress bar. “Could the injury in her head be healed too?”
Hearing this, Yi Zizhuo’s head throbbed with anger. Back when the Yi family was fighting for power, a healthy Yi Wulan had suppressed everyone in the family. He only dared to make a move now because he thought Yi Wulan was in poor health.
But now, he was being told that Yi Wulan might have recovered. The shadow that had loomed over him for years immediately crept back into his heart.
To make matters worse, Jiang Fang and Wan Yu, who had just taken the money, were whispering not far away, thinking they couldn’t be heard: “What do we do now? It’s all my fault for being blinded by greed. Following Yi Wulan might mean slow promotions, but at least there wouldn’t be any major trouble. Now that I’m with these two young masters from a side branch of the Yi family, is my life over?”
These seemingly worried words were practically trampling on Yi Jingming’s and Yi Zizhuo’s pride.
Whether it was the speculation that Yi Wulan’s illness might be cured or the fact that they had been completely outmaneuvered by her tonight, both of them began to panic.
At the press conference, Yi Wulan had clearly stated that she would pursue legal responsibility and claimed she would do so at all costs. This wasn’t excessive worry; it was because Yi Wulan had never fought a battle she wasn’t prepared for in all these years!
What terrified them most was that, given Yi Wulan’s penchant for setting such traps, she had likely already discovered their private little schemes.
After all their efforts, not only had they gained nothing, but they had also completely exposed the careful facade they had maintained in front of Yi Wulan for the past two years!
Jiang Fang and Wan Yu, standing by, finally couldn’t bear their anxiety anymore and ran over to ask, “Young Master Yi, what… what should we do now?”
“Don’t panic yet. It will still take some time for Yi Wulan to trace this back to us. The marketing accounts online have all been silenced. You two leave Yuncheng immediately and lie low. Come back after the storm has passed.” Yi Zizhuo laid out the only plan he could think of at the moment.
However, before they could act, the main door that had just been pushed open was pushed open again. Several plainclothes police officers showed their badges. “Jiang Fang, Wan Yu, there is now sufficient evidence to suspect you of leaking Rongjia Group’s corporate secrets and causing commercial losses. Please come with us.”
“Off-Officer, there must be a misunderstanding, I didn’t… Young Master Yi, Young Master Yi, save me!” Jiang Fang realized the gravity of the situation, his legs went weak, and he knelt on the floor, casting a pleading look at Yi Jingming and Yi Zizhuo.
Yi Jingming shook his head and backed away. “Officer, I, I don’t know anything.”
“No, I was instructed to do it, I was instructed to do it!” Wan Yu quickly turned on them.
Yi Zizhuo barely maintained his composure. “Officer, there must be some mistake, I’ve always…”
“Please cooperate with our work.” The police officer cut him off forcefully, delivering the final verdict. “Everyone present tonight is related to this case. Please all cooperate and come with us, or we will take coercive measures!”
These words fell like a clap of thunder, completely blocking the last escape route Yi Zizhuo and Yi Jingming could think of.
The charge of stealing commercial secrets alone could lead to a prison sentence of three to seven years. If the charges were confirmed, their lives would be over.
Until they were led into the police car, the two Yi brothers, unable to accept the reality, their faces flushing and paling in turns, couldn’t understand why the police had arrived so quickly.
Just an hour ago, they were the triumphant victors. But in a short span of time, everything they had done had turned to dust, and they were now facing prison time!
Meanwhile, Mu Yanxi, waiting for news at home, finally saw information about the press conference on Weibo.
To save time, she decided to enjoy a bath while scrolling through Weibo.
Mu Yanxi filled the large, diamond-faceted bathtub with water and casually picked a bath bomb with dense foam. In just a minute, the thick foam submerged her chest.
After the exposure of the seemingly real, yet fake, Shuilin Fang project plan that afternoon, the scolding on Weibo had gradually died down by this point.
Just as netizens thought the matter was settled, the official Weibo account of the Yuncheng Land and Resources Bureau suddenly posted a message, announcing a collaboration with Rongjia Group to create a new type of tourist resort.
The Land and Resources Bureau’s official account usually had few followers, so it didn’t cause a big stir at first. The comments below were just a few loyal fans congratulating and celebrating, looking as fake as internal staff trying to boost the post.
However, not long after, countless Blue V accounts started a frenzy of reposting this Weibo message from the Land and Resources Bureau.
Countless media and newspaper Weibo accounts joined in the reposting, completely bringing the matter to the attention of netizens and causing the once-quiet Weibo to boil over again.
Netizens were still immersed in the political correctness of attacking Shuilin Fang. Seeing this collaboration post, they were all stunned. How was this possible?
A project in cooperation with a government department needed no explanation; everyone knew it was not privately owned.
In an instant, regardless of whether this was true or false, netizens flooded the Land and Resources Bureau’s comment section to seek confirmation:
【Holy crap, I never thought I’d live to see a department like this post on Weibo】
【You there? You didn’t take Rongjia’s money to come out and whitewash for them, did you?】
【Capital can really do anything, huh? Seeing their reputation tank, they pull out the government to provide false evidence?】
【Does the person above not know that you can be held legally responsible for what you say on the internet? Anyone with a bit of common sense wouldn’t say something like that, right?】
【Stop being so suspicious, go look at the trending topics! The full video of the Shuilin Fang press conference has been posted online. Rongjia and the Yuncheng government reached a cooperation agreement long ago!】
With this comment, the clueless netizens here rushed to check the trending topics. Due to the large number of reporters attending the press conference, they all released news about it at the same time, bringing in a huge amount of traffic. In less than ten minutes, it was already a trending topic.
#ShuilinFangPressConference# directly surpassed the afternoon’s trending topic #ShuilinFangProjectPlan#.
Who would have thought that this matter, which had seemed like a done deal, could have such a major reversal.
Moreover, at the press conference, every word from Yi Wulan was too concise and direct, and every piece of evidence she presented was too straightforward and effective, leaving no room for fault.
There was simply no possibility of fabrication.
In contrast, all the previous slanderous remarks against Shuilin Fang were truly a case of baseless rumors and speculation that couldn’t hold water.
Although this was a business matter, netizens, accustomed to celebrity gossip, quickly realized that this was a malicious frame-up against Rongjia and Shuilin Fang.
And they had been played for fools. The thought of themselves boycotting Rongjia Group and Shuilin Fang before tonight made their anger burn even hotter.
As the matter escalated, netizens turned their anger into words, expressing their opinions on the topic’s feed:
【OMG, a huge reversal!】
【Damn, do the people who slandered Rongjia Group before have any shame? Rongjia Group donates a lot every year, and their company benefits are great. Who did they offend to be targeted like this?】
【I thought something was weird when I saw the trending topics a few days ago. It’s a resort, they can build it however they want. So many private resorts exist, why was Rongjia’s the only one getting attacked? Turns out they were deliberately distorting the facts…】
【I’m gonna puke, the marketing accounts that spread rumors before are so disgusting. Can these unscrupulous marketing accounts be permanently banned by the ‘Clear and Bright’ campaign?】
【Rongjia, I’m sorry. I was ignorant before. I apologize to you. I’ll buy your products from now on! By the way, when is the holographic equipment coming out? I’m so hungry for it!】
【So I’m not the only one who noticed the holographic equipment at the press conference? That three-dimensional cherry blossom forest is so romantic! To the point where I want to take my wedding photos there!】
Soon, the topic #ShuilinFangHolographicPark# also appeared on the trending list. In addition, topics like #TheAdventOfTheHolographicEra# and #HolographyEntersDailyLife# also appeared one after another.
The videos of the holographic effects captured at the press conference were reposted by countless people. The scene operated by Gu Yan, in particular, was something only seen in sci-fi movies. Who would have thought it would soon appear in real life?
The comment section was full of praise, with everyone saying they would definitely go experience it once Shuilin Fang officially opened.
However, in this atmosphere, it’s unknown who first started paying attention to Rongjia’s president. As the popularity of Shuilin Fang reached its peak, the discussion about Rongjia’s president also skyrocketed.
In the video, Yi Wulan sat poised on the stage, her voice cool, her temperament cold and distant. Her demeanor was business-like throughout, but just by her sitting there, everyone’s gaze would invariably focus on her.
Those peach blossom eyes looked down at the audience, her gaze aloof and devoid of warmth, yet her every move displayed excellent upbringing. Her entire being exuded an air of nobility, perfectly embodying the temperament of a refined villain, a social elite.
Not long after the Shuilin Fang incident was clarified, screenshots of Yi Wulan from the video once again blew up the trending topics.
Rongjia’s most important project right now was Shuilin Fang. In addition, the Shuilin Fang project had also served as an advertisement for their upcoming holographic products. Rongjia had absolutely no time to buy trending topics to market its own president.
Yi Wulan’s appearance on the trending list was purely due to the power she wielded and her outstanding looks.
Many marketing accounts that hadn’t managed to participate in the Shuilin Fang clarification posts thought they wouldn’t meet their KPI for the night. With the idea of riding the wave of popularity, they managed to extract this topic from the press conference video.
Who knew, it would explode.
The video was readily available, and the Weibo posts were all full of praise. Even if Rongjia’s PR department requested their deletion later, they wouldn’t do much to them. It was traffic they’d be foolish not to take.
It had to be said, the marketing accounts that piggybacked on trending topics all day had some skills. When they marketed Yi Wulan, the netizens ate it up. The KPI they had no hope for was not only met but quickly surpassed.
Various topics like #MostBeautifulDomineeringPresident#, #OtherPeoplesPresident#, and #FictionalCharacterComeToLife# appeared one after another. Clicking on the trending topics revealed a flood of genuine reactions from passersby:
【WTF WTF WTF, Rongjia, are you sure you didn’t get rich by selling your president? It’s one thing for a president to be so young, but to look like this, is this for real?】
【Sisters, from now on, girls will have a face when reading yuri novels, and guys will have a face when reading GB novels!】
【Help help help, I, a straight woman, want to bend into an electric mosquito coil right here and now】
【So this is the real-life version of a domineering president, right? I’m so here for it!】
【So beautiful beautiful beautiful, just watching the video makes my legs go weak, okay】
【This must be the level of Nuwa’s graduation project, right? Why are all the good-looking people married off so young (sobbing and biting a handkerchief)】
【Good-looking and rich, did God forget to close the door and windows for her (gritting teeth fiercely)】
【Why did no one ever tell me the president of Rongjia was this good-looking? If I had known, I would have fought to the death for a spot in Rongjia’s campus recruitment】
【You guys above clearly didn’t watch the press conference video carefully, right? Don’t you know how good the relationship between Rongjia’s president and her wife is?】
As soon as this sentence appeared, both the netizens and Mu Yanxi, who was scrolling through Weibo, were stunned. They immediately went to find the press conference video.
Actually, they couldn’t be blamed. Most of the videos that were released were cut off after Gu Yan demonstrated the holographic application. The necessary clarifications and holographic promotions were all included, so the subsequent reporter Q&A wasn’t deemed necessary.
But there just had to be some more idle netizens who clicked on the full version of the video and watched it until the progress bar ended, naturally seeing Yi Wulan’s response to the reporter at the end of the event:
【Shuilin Fang was proposed by my wife, but she was unwilling to come with me today.
Miss Reporter, what do you think of my outfit today?
It was bought for me by my lover.】
After watching the video, the netizens tearfully returned to the related topics about Yi Wulan and flooded the comments:
【I’m like a stray dog sleeping by the roadside, and someone suddenly kicked me awake just to force-feed me dog food】
【I must be a masochist to have been reminded by that person just now to rewatch the video】
【Reporter: I’m here to find fault, who asked you to show off your love life?】
【Why are such beautiful older sisters all married off young and so devoted? I’m so envious】
【Beautiful, beautiful, your clothes are the most beautiful, so what does your wife actually look like?】
【I know this one, the one who married into Rongjia is from Xinyu Bank】
【Xin… Xinyu Bank? The one I have to pay thousands in interest to every month? Never mind, I’m not worthy】
【…】
Mu Yanxi felt like she was sleepwalking, repeatedly watching Yi Wulan’s response in the video. From the moment Yi Wulan said “wife” and “lover,” Mu Yanxi’s brain had already shut down.
She didn’t even know how she finished watching this short one-minute interview.
By the time she came to her senses, she had already neurotically dragged the progress bar back and forth countless times, still unable to recover from Yi Wulan’s persona of a deeply affectionate wife.
But, wait.
Mu Yanxi replayed her feelings just now, and her long-stalled brain finally started working again.
Yi Wulan must be taking the opportunity to show off!
She wouldn’t even give her a bigger share of the Shuilin Fang profits, so how could she be good to her?
Didn’t you see Yi Wulan remain silent for a good ten seconds after the male reporter asked his question?
Wasn’t it because she had a guilty conscience and was desperately trying to make up a reason, finally resorting to making things up about her and creating the persona of a deeply affectionate wife?
And since when did Yi Wulan like the outfit she wore today?
In the afternoon, she had to coax and pester for a long time before Yi Wulan reluctantly put it on. Don’t think she didn’t know Yi Wulan looked down on her taste!
Mu Yanxi grumbled inwardly, taking all sorts of bizarre possibilities as the truth, and instantly felt a sense of relief.
But she hadn’t been happy about her clever brain for more than a few seconds when her hands, weak from the long bath, trembled, and her phone fell into the bathtub with a ‘plop’.
Halfway through her gossip session, Mu Yanxi still wanted to see the online reaction to the holographic technology. She quickly fumbled for it in the water.
But after soaking for so long, her body was limp and weak. Just as Mu Yanxi turned over and leaned down, her foot slipped, and there was a much louder “thud” of a heavy object hitting something.
“Are you okay?” The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open.
Hearing the voice, Mu Yanxi’s head shot up from under the water. The bathwater, tinted red by the bath bomb, slowly trickled down her cheeks, past her fair, slender neck, and finally disappeared into the foam-covered chest.
Appearing at the bathroom door was Yi Wulan, who had returned at some unknown time.
The phone Mu Yanxi had just managed to fish out was still playing Yi Wulan’s words to the reporter.
Since she was alone in the bathroom just now, she had turned the volume up high. Now, it was even more clearly audible to Yi Wulan.
Mu Yanxi felt like she had been caught red-handed and fumbled to turn off her phone.
But the phone seemed to be deliberately working against her. Not only could she not exit Weibo on the waterlogged phone, but she couldn’t even turn off the screen. It just brazenly played on in the quiet bathroom.
Frightened, Mu Yanxi’s foot slipped, and she once again plunged headfirst below the surface of the bathtub.
“Careful!” Yi Wulan instinctively wanted to step forward and grab Mu Yanxi.
But her legs had already been through two hours of rehabilitation this afternoon, and she had walked quite a bit at the press conference tonight. They were now at their limit.
The slippery tiles acted as the final catalyst, pushing Yi Wulan toward the bathtub.
With a “splash,” she fell onto Mu Yanxi, who had just managed to poke her head out of the water.
In half a second, between Yi Wulan falling and herself falling, Mu Yanxi chose the latter, serving as a solid human cushion for Yi Wulan.
“Ugh…” Even with the buoyancy of the water, Mu Yanxi couldn’t help but let out a muffled groan from the pressure.
Yi Wulan, still shaken from the fall, was slow to perceive her surroundings. It wasn’t until she heard Mu Yanxi’s muffled groan that she belatedly realized she was pressed against a warm body.
Yi Wulan’s whole body stiffened, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart.
She difficultly, bit by bit, lowered her head to look.
Mu Yanxi had been taking a bath, so she was naturally naked.
She herself hadn’t expected that just by falling and sinking in the bathtub, Yi Wulan would be so anxious as to try and help her up.
With no preparation at all, she had a ‘frank and open encounter’ with Yi Wulan just like that.
But fortunately, Mu Yanxi was pinned underneath, with plenty of foam and colored bathwater obstructing the view, which saved her some face.
She looked up at Yi Wulan, who was pressing down on her and hadn’t moved for a long time.
Even though Mu Yanxi didn’t use all sorts of blush-inducing flirty words to corner Yi Wulan like before, Yi Wulan still didn’t dare to move.
She could only let the water soak her clothes completely, and let the warmth from Mu Yanxi’s side transfer to her own body.
Yi Wulan took a deep breath, not even daring to meet Mu Yanxi’s gaze.
Seeing this, Mu Yanxi, whose ears were already red enough to bleed, seemed to have discovered a new continent and slowly relaxed her tightly clenched fists.
Ever since Yi Wulan had bitten her neck that day, apart from the special moments of transferring abilities at night, Mu Yanxi had maintained a normal distance from Yi Wulan for half a month.
The lesson she should have learned had long been forgotten, and the shame and anger from being bitten by Yi Wulan had also faded.
Thus, that mischievous streak of hers, that love for teasing Yi Wulan that was etched into her bones, made a comeback at this very second.
Her hands emerged from the water’s surface. Dripping water beads fell back into the water like a hint, and then her hands slowly hooked around Yi Wulan’s neck as she revealed a soul-stirring smile.
The long bath had made the corners of her eyes slightly red. Her already charming fox-like eyes seemed filled with sensuality, her gaze flowing slowly, like a spirit-devouring demon, dangerous yet irresistible.
Mu Yanxi gently pressed Yi Wulan’s neck down, her slightly husky voice ringing out, “President Yi, just finished your press conference, and you’re already this eager to come and eat me?”
Mu Yanxi’s every move was already very obvious. Even her feet nimbly wrapped around Yi Wulan’s legs, the smooth, slippery touch a blatant and repeated provocation.
If this had been a month ago, Yi Wulan would definitely have a dark face and would have quickly fled this small bathtub, even with her inconvenient legs.
But now, Yi Wulan knew clearly that the nonchalance Mu Yanxi displayed, and her behavior of wanting to tease her anytime, anywhere, was just a paper tiger facade.
As long as she went along with Mu Yanxi’s words, the one who would be blushing with shame later would definitely be Mu Yanxi.
The provocation and eagerness in Mu Yanxi’s eyes grew stronger. “Yi Wulan, look at me, won’t you?”
Her breath tickled Yi Wulan’s cheek. The fragrance from the bath bomb grew stronger, seeping into every inch of skin.
Yi Wulan’s hands, which had been propped up in the bathtub, relaxed, and her whole body pressed down.
Mu Yanxi: …
Mu Yanxi’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
Yi Wulan suddenly understood why Mu Yanxi had loved teasing her so much before, tirelessly and pushily doing so for the several months of their marriage.
Even someone as serious and monotonous as Yi Wulan couldn’t help but absurdly think that watching someone’s emotional fluctuations due to her own actions was indeed a very novel experience.
The bathtub was a bit crowded with two adult women. Even if Yi Wulan did nothing, her hand would still occasionally brush against Mu Yanxi’s most ticklish waist.
Yi Wulan said faintly, “Is this the ‘eat’ you mean?”
Mu Yanxi: …
This time, those beautiful fox-like eyes were filled with confusion. As her eyelashes fluttered, they seemed to carry a bit of mist from the steam, looking very pitiful.
Mu Yanxi forced herself to calm down and feigned composure. “I never thought the great President Yi, so calm and unruffled in public, would bully a weak woman behind closed doors, relying on her age and wealth. Those netizens who like you should really see your true face.”
Since their marriage, Yi Wulan had always taken care of her like an older sister. Mu Yanxi knew Yi Wulan cared most about this point, so she deliberately played the victim.
After speaking, Mu Yanxi waited with self-satisfaction, expecting to see Yi Wulan’s shocked and flustered expression.
But she never expected that after she finished speaking, Yi Wulan didn’t even twitch an eyebrow, merely asking indifferently, “What are they saying online?”
Her voice was devoid of any emotion, just like her tone at the press conference.
Mu Yanxi finally panicked, pressing down on the hand on her waist. “You, go see for yourself!”
Yi Wulan nodded. “Okay.”
Mu Yanxi: …Then why aren’t you leaving yet?
Mu Yanxi and Yi Wulan stared at each other for a long time before Mu Yanxi finally couldn’t hold on any longer.
She covered Yi Wulan’s eyes with one hand, forced herself to sit up, and hastily grabbed a bath towel from the side to cover her chest, blustering, “Aren’t you getting up yet?”
Yi Wulan obligingly moved and, with the help of Mu Yanxi’s offered hand, finally got out of the bathtub.
Seeing this, Mu Yanxi quickly threw the towel wrapped around her body hard at Yi Wulan’s head. “You’re still not leaving?”
“My legs have no strength.” Yi Wulan turned around, wanting to show Mu Yanxi.
But as soon as she turned back, she saw Mu Yanxi with her back to her, trying very hard to bury her entire body in the now much shallower water.
Only half of her head remained above the surface. It seemed she had submerged her mouth and nose as well, as she could only blow bubbles in the water. The water’s surface, where the foam had just dissipated, once again showed a string of ‘gurgle gurgle’ bubbles.
The roots of her ears, half-hidden by her beautiful hair, were slightly red.
Yi Wulan: …
Yi Wulan hesitated for a long time before asking with concern, “Are you alright?”
Mu Yanxi’s back stiffened. After a while, she turned her head with feigned impatience. “Don’t you know girls take a long time to bathe? Just because you don’t know how to enjoy it doesn’t mean you can stop me from soaking, does it?”
“Then how much longer will you be?”
Mu Yanxi said huffily, “All night!”
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