Xu Yiyi stopped mid-sentence.
Under Qian Xiao's intensely hopeful gaze, she revealed two small canine teeth and smiled sweetly. "I'm not giving it to you."
Qian Xiao was stunned. The next second, his expression turned aggrieved, and his nose began to twitch as if he were about to burst into tears.
Xu Yiyi jumped in fright. "Here, it's yours! Don't cry, I was just teasing you."
"Thank you, Sister Yiyi!"
Qian Xiao was instantly full of life again, excitedly taking the cotton candy Xu Lai had made. He took a huge bite, and it was so delicious he felt like his body was about to float away, as if he were soaring through the clouds.
As for Candy Studio... Utter trash, pure garbage!
Qian Xiao quickly finished the treat and said with fawning devotion, "Sister Yiyi, from now on, you're my real sister, and your dad is my real dad... uh, I mean, my real uncle!"
Xu Lai rested his head in his hand.
You're a six-year-old boy, and you abandoned your own father for a single stick of cotton candy. Don't you have any pride?
Although Qian Xiao was a bit of a flake, he seemed to come from a prominent family. With this kid around, Xu Lai wasn't worried about his daughter having trouble fitting in.
「Seven-thirty.」
Xu Lai left the kindergarten to look for a job. He wandered the streets all morning but unfortunately couldn't find any suitable work.
He decided to go to Ruan Tang's company to discuss this important issue with his dear wife. However, upon arriving, he saw a young man in a suit standing by the door to the CEO's office, holding out a large bouquet of roses to Ruan Tang.
"Ruan Tang, flowers for a beautiful woman. These are for you," Li Jie said with a warm smile.
Ruan Tang hesitated, unsure whether to accept them. The Li Family owned a construction company with total assets exceeding ten million, and they had recently landed a major deal—the reconstruction contract for a commercial building in the city center. Li Jie, the general manager of the family business, had promised to use his connections to rent her three prime storefronts at the lowest possible price.
Accepting the flowers would mean accepting his advances. But if she refused, the storefronts, which were vital for her company's future, might be lost.
As if sensing her dilemma, Li Jie said, "The flowers just represent my admiration for you. They have nothing to do with any business matters. Also, let's go to the university reunion together at noon."
A subtle smile played on Li Jie's lips. He knew Ruan Tang would soon fall into the trap he had so carefully laid, to be devoured by him step by step. After all, the Ruan Fashion Company's capital chain was broken. In such a precarious time, it desperately needed a strong ally.
And he had arrived like a timely rain. What woman could resist such a grand, moving gesture? Accepting the roses and attending this reunion he had meticulously arranged would be the start of their blossoming relationship.
But just then, the roses were snatched from Li Jie's hands by a strange man, leaving him dumbfounded. "Who are you? What are you doing with my flowers!"
"When you're chasing a woman, you can't be so wishy-washy. Let me teach you a trick."
Xu Lai swept Ruan Tang into his arms, pinning her against the wall. He held the roses out to her and said gently, "Ninety-nine roses, each one a symbol of my heart. I love you, honey."
Ruan Tang was speechless.
Oh, no. My heart is suddenly racing. This feeling... it's the urge to stomp on Xu Lai's foot as hard as I can. What on earth is this scoundrel doing?!
Yet as Ruan Tang held the roses, she lowered her head with a blush, which in Li Jie's eyes was the very picture of shyness. The way she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the flirtatious twinkle in her eyes—that charm nearly made the young master of the Li Family's blood boil.
He had pursued Ruan Tang for seven long years! Ever since their freshman year of university, he had never once had a meal alone with her, and his roses had been rejected countless times.
But now...
Some nameless nobody managed to capture Ruan Tang's heart?
Li Jie glared at Xu Lai. "Kid, trying to win favor with my gift, are you? I bought those flowers!"
"Oh, I don't mind."
"???"
Li Jie's face turned green. "Are you deaf, or are you just playing dumb with me?"
"You don't know who I am?" Xu Lai asked, looking puzzled.
Li Jie laughed in fury. "And who the hell are you that I should know your name?"
"It's only been five years, and I'm already a has-been. People really are forgetful," Xu Lai said, shaking his head.
"A has-been? Were you ever a 'been'?! Ruan Tang, call security and have him thrown out," Li Jie ordered.
Ruan Tang shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Mr. Li. He is my..."
"Your cousin? On your father's side or your mother's?"
"He is my daughter's father, Xu Lai."
"..."
Xu Lai had indeed been famous once. Five years ago, Ruan Tang had a child out of wedlock. The ensuing scandal had created a storm in East Sea City and the surrounding areas near Hangcheng. To this day, it remained a favorite topic of gossip. It had also become the Ruan Family's greatest shame.
Because of this, Ruan Tang had been kicked out of the Ruan Family. She had to start her own business from scratch, enduring countless scornful looks and grievances to achieve the small success she had today. Back then, many had tried to find the man who had ruined the reputation of their goddess, Ruan Tang, but it was like tossing a pebble into a deep well. It vanished without a splash, and no one could ever find him.
Afterward, Ruan Tang's suitors had dwindled significantly, which was how Li Jie finally got his chance to stand out. He never expected that the man would return.
A sense of crisis washed over Li Jie. He tried to persuade her, "Ruan Tang, we were college classmates. We know each other inside and out. I've pursued you relentlessly for seven years, while he just abandoned you. I promise, if you marry me, I will treat Yiyi as if she were my own daughter!"
Ruan Tang bit her lip. After a long moment of hesitation, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Li. Xu Lai and I are already engaged."
Li Jie's expression turned grim, but he managed to force a smile. "That's fine. What about the class reunion at noon...?"
"We'll go," Xu Lai said, his voice soft. "I'll go with Ruan Tang."
A cold glint flickered in Li Jie's eyes. His plans were in complete disarray. He gave Xu Lai a long, hard look. "Fine. I'll be waiting for you at Mingyue Tea House. Be there or be square."
After Li Jie left, Ruan Tang frowned slightly and said, "You don't need to get involved in my business."
"But I need your input on mine," Xu Lai replied earnestly. "Honey, what kind of job do you think I should look for?"
Just as Ruan Tang was about to offer her opinion, Xu Lai continued, "After all, for a man as outstanding as me, any industry I enter is bound to be completely revolutionized."
What a narcissist!
Ruan Tang rolled her eyes dramatically. "How is Yiyi?"
"Her enrollment is all set, and she already has some little followers... uh, friends, at kindergarten," Xu Lai said. "But the tuition is incredibly expensive."
"Don't worry about the money. The principal is a friend of mine. I can pay the tuition after the company gets through this rough patch," Ruan Tang said, rubbing her temples as she returned to her work.
Standing behind her, Xu Lai glanced at the financial statements. "Has the company's capital chain snapped?" he asked, puzzled.
"We're facing some malicious competition. It's a bit of a hassle, but I can handle it."
"That's good. Anything that can be solved with money isn't a real problem."
"You have money?" Ruan Tang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not at the moment. But if you wanted, honey, our family could become the richest in the world by the end of the day," Xu Lai declared, full of confidence. "Honey, your man is far more dependable than you imagine."
"If the sky were falling, could you hold it up?"
"I am the sky."
Hah. Men. Nothing but big talk.
Ruan Tang's lips twitched. She pulled a credit card from her wallet and handed it to Xu Lai. "Use this until you find a job. And if Yiyi needs anything, don't let her down."
"Okay."
Xu Lai accepted the card and tucked it away as if it were a priceless treasure.
"Xu Lai, you really shouldn't come to my class reunion," Ruan Tang said with concern. "Their families are quite influential. They might try to give you a hard time, and I'm worried..."
Even though they were just a fake couple with no real emotional connection, she didn't want her daughter to find out that Xu Lai had been humiliated and then have her daughter blame her for it.
Influential families?
Xu Lai curled his lip, noncommittal.
When it came to family background, Xu Lai had never been afraid of anyone.