"Oh, isn't this Yan Beichen's secretary?" A woman dressed in luxurious attire sneered, looking down at her. "Dressed like this to come here?"
Hiding nearby to watch the commotion, Yan Nanzhe and Fang Zhiyi instinctively glanced at their own outfits—one in casual wear, the other in shorts and a T-shirt.
"Bro Fang, I think she's insulting us," Yan Nanzhe muttered.
"Shh, just enjoy the show."
"I remember her—she used to chase after my eldest brother all the time. She’s the Chen family’s heiress, isn’t she?"
Fang Zhiyi was slightly surprised. This person hadn’t appeared in the original plotline, so she must have shown up after the original host was gone.
"Well, it’s normal. Every story needs its villainess."
"Bro Fang, what did you say?"
"I said this girl’s eyesight is terrible."
"Yeah, look at her figure, her face… How could she fall for my brother?" Yan Nanzhe said, only to turn and see Fang Zhiyi giving him a mischievous look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You wouldn’t happen to like this type, would you?"
"No! That’s not true! You’re making things up!"
Fang Zhiyi clamped a hand over his mouth. "Quiet, keep watching."
While they were talking, the scene escalated—Miss Chen’s lackeys had surrounded Xiao Ruoruo.
"You only managed to seduce Yan Beichen because you look like that Xie woman, don’t you? Once Xie Yutang comes back, you’ll be thrown aside. Tsk tsk," Miss Chen taunted with a mocking tone.
Xiao Ruoruo froze upon hearing the name for the first time.
"Xie Yutang?"
"Oh, so you didn’t know? Did you really think you’d become a phoenix by perching on a high branch?" Miss Chen continued her ridicule.
"You—you’re lying! Yan Beichen truly loves me!" Xiao Ruoruo flared up in anger and shoved Miss Chen, who stumbled but was caught by someone. Furious, Miss Chen raised her hand to teach this insolent girl a lesson.
"Stop!" A furious shout rang out, followed by a hand gripping Miss Chen’s raised wrist.
Yan Beichen looked at Xiao Ruoruo. "Are you alright?"
Xiao Ruoruo shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as if she wanted to ask something.
Yan Beichen frowned at the persistent Miss Chen. "Chen Wanting, stay away from my fiancée!"
Chen Wanting froze. "Fiancée?"
Yan Beichen’s gaze softened as he looked at Xiao Ruoruo. "In a few days, Ruoruo and I will be engaged. As for you," he pointed at Chen Wanting and her entourage, "if any of you dare trouble her again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
Chen Wanting’s eyes filled with despair, her voice breaking. "Why her? What does she have that I don’t? Just because she looks like Xie Yutang?!"
At the mention of that name, Yan Beichen’s expression darkened dangerously. "What did you say?" He raised his hand as if to strike.
Another hand caught his wrist. "Big brother, hitting a woman is disgraceful."
Fang Zhiyi, who had been enjoying the spectacle, blinked in surprise and glanced at the now-empty spot beside him—When did this kid run over there?
Yan Beichen narrowed his eyes. "It’s you." Though they worked in the same building, just floors apart, the proud Yan Beichen had never once visited his younger brother’s office. In his eyes, this pleasure-seeking sibling was nothing more than a useless figurehead—not worth his attention, especially with that traitor Fang Zhiyi by his side.
Yan Nanzhe shook off his grip and stepped in front of Chen Wanting. "Big brother, long time no see. I’ve been so busy, I haven’t even had time to visit you downstairs."
"Hmph. Busy indulging in debauchery, no doubt," Yan Beichen retorted, spotting Fang Zhiyi scratching his head as he approached.
This Fang Zhiyi must have pulled some trick to latch onto my brother. What else do these two do besides drinking, gambling, and womanizing?
Yan Beichen glared at his slightly shorter brother, impatience flashing in his eyes. "If you stand in my way again, I’ll make sure you regret it—even if you are my blood brother, Yan Nanzhe."
Yan Nanzhe opened his mouth to retort, but Fang Zhiyi cut in, "Uh, President Yan, your fiancée just ran off."
Yan Beichen turned—Xiao Ruoruo was already gone. He immediately sprinted after her, pausing only at the door to throw a final threat: "Chen Wanting, remember this—if anything happens to Ruoruo, I’ll make sure every single one of you pays for it!"
"You just can’t resist adding one last threat, can you?" Fang Zhiyi muttered. He then noticed Yan Nanzhe holding Chen Wanting’s wrist, examining the red marks left by Yan Beichen’s grip.
"Are you okay?" Yan Nanzhe asked.
Chen Wanting pulled her hand back, flustered. "I’m fine." She turned to leave, her followers trailing behind, but after a few steps, she glanced back. "Thank you."
On the way back, Fang Zhiyi watched as Yan Nanzhe grinned foolishly, occasionally staring at his palm. A single thought looped in Fang Zhiyi’s mind:
This is a disaster.
Yan Beichen disappeared again, leaving all corporate affairs in the hands of the vice president. Even Fang Zhiyi had to step in to help manage things. If he remembered correctly, this was the first time Xiao Ruoruo had left Yan Beichen.
Then came the call from the old man—he’d clearly been informed about the company’s situation. Hearing reports that his younger son had been performing exceptionally well, he outright handed full corporate responsibilities to Yan Nanzhe. The only catch? The title of president remained Yan Beichen’s.
"Bro Fang, what’s the old man playing at? He wants me to do all the work but won’t make me president," Yan Nanzhe grumbled, dark circles under his eyes.
Fang Zhiyi tossed down his pen. "You already know the answer when you ask me, don’t you?" After spending so much time together, Fang Zhiyi had realized this kid wasn’t stupid—in fact, he was quite sharp.
"He’s using me as cheap labor so my brother can waltz right into the position later," Yan Nanzhe said, throwing his own pen aside. "I’m done! I thought hard work paid off, but turns out being born first is the real key."
Fang Zhiyi fell silent. His original plan had been to showcase Yan Nanzhe’s competence and force the old man to reconsider the succession—but now, it seemed they’d both been reduced to mere employees.
Fang Zhiyi’s eyes gleamed with a sudden idea. "Well, not necessarily." The two huddled together, whispering schemes.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ruoruo had found work at a bakery—still within A City—and was located by Yan Beichen within days.
The system, tagging along for the drama, reported back to Fang Zhiyi, who laughed. "Of course she didn’t go far. How else would the domineering CEO track her down? She’s just playing hard to get."
Xiao Ruoruo ignored Yan Beichen as he stood in the bakery, brushing off his pleas to return.
"Ruoruo, your boyfriend is so handsome," a coworker whispered.
"He’s been coming every day for three days—just forgive him already."
Xiao Ruoruo shook her head. "He doesn’t love me."
"And look at that car outside—a luxury model! How can you resist someone so rich and good-looking?"
"I don’t care about money! I just want someone who loves me!" Xiao Ruoruo snapped.
The coworker fell silent, rolling her eyes discreetly. Yan Beichen, still standing in the shop, heard every word.