NWWNL – Chapter 24

Chapter 24.

Six o’clock in the morning, dawn had just broken. Butler Chen started his same morning routine that he had repeated for many years as if they had all been a single day. He got up, told the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and urged cleaning staff to make things presentable. The Yi estate covered a wide area and it took a lot of time just to clean up the front yard and backyards.

At seven o’clock, Mrs. Yi came down dressed and ready to start the day and Butler Chen brought her breakfast to her.

“Butler Chen, dad should wake up soon. Please go and have a look.”

“Alright, I’ll go right away.”

“By the way, have you prepared the bird’s nest I told you to get for Xinyi yesterday?”

Butler Chen said with a smile, “Yes, I have it ready in the kitchen.”

“Good, then go and see to my father first.”

While Butler Chen went upstairs Mrs. Yi took her time eating her breakfast.

She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she felt this sort of hustle and bustle. The house had been cold ever since Bo Ming died. Yi Yang grew up quickly, was very busy with work, and was constantly on the road for business. Old Master Yi retreated to recuperate and she was the only one left in the family.

There had been no one to talk to every day.

But now that was over. Old Master Yi was getting better. The company was stable and Yi Yang could come home every day. And as for Xinyi, Mrs. Yi smiled, ever since Old Master Yi came back there were more and more smiles on his face and his body seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. Now, almost every day, Xinyi could be seen chatting amusingly with the Old Master.

She was a very filial child.

Now, the family finally seemed to be regaining a lively atmosphere.

But she thought it would be better if she could have a grandchild.

She was worried at the thought of it.

She knew in her heart that while Yi Yang and Xinyi acted as husband and wife, they were only doing so on the surface in front of Old Master Yi, and they probably weren’t acting as husband and wife in truth at all.

She needed to find a chance to talk to Yi Yang.

Just as she was thinking, there was the sound of hearty laughter and voices coming from upstairs.

“You child… Don’t do that next time.”

Xinyi was holding the Old Master’s arm and coming down from upstairs. The pair were followed by Yi Yang.

As soon as Mrs. Yi saw them all coming down, she smiled and asked, “Dad, what’s so funny this morning?”

Old Master Yi sat down at the dinner table. “Xinyi said that Yi Yang gave her one of his cards two days ago, and as a result, she accidentally swiped a million Yuan.”

Yi Yang sat down expressionlessly at the table.

Xu Xinyi had especially said all that early in the morning. What did she mean by it? He wasn’t sure.

–“Now his mom must have a worse impression of me!”

–“Come on, scold me for being a spendthrift! Say, ‘How dare you spend a million Yuan so lavishly!’”

The knife and fork in Yi Yang’s hand trembled and made a scratch on the plate.

He realized, it seemed that the woman wanted to start stirring up trouble early in the morning.

“A million?” Mrs. Yi looked at Yi Yang.

Yi Yang nodded.

But under Xu Xinyi’s expectant eyes, Mrs. Yi smiled and said, “What is this? It’s only a million. I haven’t been shopping for a long time. Next time you want to go shopping, take me along, your mother will pay for you. “

What else could Xu Xinyi say to that?

She could only smile and say, “Thank you, mom.”

“Anyway, sit down and eat quickly. I asked Butler Chen to stew some bird’s nest soup for you,” Mrs. Yi said to Butler Chen, who was serving breakfast. “Butler Chen, please bring the bird’s nest to Xinyi.”

“Bird’s nest soup?” Xu Xinyi was at a loss when Butler Chen brought out a bowl of bird’s nest soup.

It was glittering and translucent. The bird’s nest was also mixed with some other valuable stewed tonics.

Xu Xinyi looked at the bird’s nest in front of her and said, “Mom, this is …for me? “

“The Madam had it stewed especially for you.” Butler Chen explained with a smile.

Especially for her?

Xu Xinyi felt flattered.

–“What’s going on? What happened? What is she thinking… no, rather, why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? Didn’t you always try to find faults with me before? “

–“Shouldn’t the plot be more like, ‘you scolding me because you found out early in the morning that I had squandered a million of Yi Yang’s money’, or maybe you heard the news about me in the entertainment industry recently and so you would start to scold me?”

–“Is it because I stood up for Yi Yang at Qin Yan’s party last time, so now you began to be nice to me?”

–“Really?”

After thinking about it, Xu Xinyi smiled and pushed the bird’s nest soup away, “Thank you mom but lately I haven’t…”

After hearing this, Yi Yang directly pushed the bowl of bird’s nest soup back in front of Xu Xinyi and interrupted her, “You should drink what mom gives you. Do you want me to feed you?” Then he picked up a spoon and moved like he was going to feed her. 

“No thanks, I’ll drink it myself.” Xu Xinyi glared at him and took the spoon from his hand and drank the bird’s nest soup.

–“It’s all over. It seems my position as Yi Yang’s wife seems to be getting more and more stable. How will I divorce this dog man in the future?”

The Old Master watched them with a smile but said nothing.

Mrs. Yi continued: “It seems that Xinyi’s new studio is just opposite of Yi Yang’s company. When you go to work later just let Yi Yang give you a ride.”

“It’s fine, I can drive to the office by myself without bothering Yi Yang. At any rate, in two days I have to join the crew to begin filming. So I have to go back to the apartment and pack up my things tonight.”

Mrs. Yi asked with concern, “Filming? For how long?”

“I don’t know, maybe a few months, maybe half a year, it depends on how things progress.”

“I see… I think filming outside all the time is not as good as being at home. Make sure to call home if you need anything. I’ll be sure to get it ready for you.”

“Thank you mom. I will.” Xu Xinyi buried herself in breakfast, not looking up.

Mrs. Yi’s words were becoming more and more gentle and it made Xu Xinyi more and more frightened.

The Old Master was already an obstacle in the way of her divorce and now there is another one? How can she stand it!

–“Even if one day Yi Yang does finally decides to do a good deed and ask me to divorce, will grandpa stand up and say, ‘Don’t you dare divorce Xinyi, if you do I won’t leave you a penny!’ and then his mother will also stand up and object, saying,’If you divorce Xinyi, I will sever our mother and son relationship henceforth!’ “

The picture was so beautiful that she dared not think about it.

“Have you finished eating?”

The voice of Yi Yang suddenly rang in her ear. Xu Xinyi returned from her thoughts and looked down. She saw only the bottom of the bowl, it seemed the bird’s nest was eaten by her unwittingly.

“Finished.”

“Then come on, I’ll see you off.”

Xu Xinyi felt she needed to calm down and think about countermeasures, so she stood up and said, “Grandpa, mom, I’m going to head to work now.”

“Go ahead.”

After the two left, there was a silence on the table.

After a long time the Old Master asked, “What’s going on?”

Mrs. Yi understood what he wanted to know and said, “After I heard about what happened to Yi Yang at Qin Yan’s birthday party, I’ve thought about it carefully and found that some things were not as simple as they seemed. It seems I misread Qin Yan and maybe Xinyi as well. I used to think that Xinyi was no good at all but, in retrospect, I feel I was just prejudiced. Dad, don’t worry, I will take Xinyi seriously in the future.”

“It’s good for you to think so.” The Old Master smiled with relief.

———–

Along the way, Xu Xinyi started to speak but paused at least twice.

Yi Yang was looking at his documents and didn’t seem to care at all.

The Bentley smoothly rounded a corner and was getting closer and closer to the company. Xu Xinyi finally couldn’t stand it and asked, “Yi Yang, have you noticed that mom was very strange today?”

Yi Yang answered absently, “Strange? What’s so strange?”

“She doesn’t usually treat me like that. Ordering a bird’s nest soup prepared and showing all kinds of care. What’s going on? “

Yi Yang slowly turned the page of the document he was reading and finally condescended to look up at her. “Isn’t it good?”

Xu Xinyi forced herself to put on a smiling face, “It’s good.”

“Isn’t it alright then?”

“But why did mom suddenly…”

“It’s not all of a sudden. You’ve been doing so well lately that mom saw your strengths and started to like you.”

“…is that it? But I don’t deserve to be liked by mother.” Xu Xinyi said.

–“Where does she like me? I’ll change it!”

Yi Yang turned to her and the corner of his mouth was arced up with pleasure that he didn’t notice himself. “From your appearance, to your character, your ability, and your filial piety. Mother likes it all.”

Xu Xinyi’s heart felt like it was wrenched by a knife.

–“It’s over. It’s really all over now.”

–“I don’t know if Yi Yang will be able to resist the double pressure of his grandfather and mother when he asks me for a divorce. This dog man is staunch and resolute, so he should still be able to speak out, right?”

The car suddenly stopped moving.

“Madam, we’ve arrived.”

Xu Xinyi took a look out the car window and saw that while she was lost in thought they had already arrived in front of her company.

“Xiao Zhang, please go up another street,” she smiled and looked at Yi Yang. “Our marriage is a secret, right?”

–I’ll just pretend like I’m doing what’s best for you.

Yi Yang snapped the document shut and checked his wristwatch. “There’s no time. I have an emergency meeting later. Go on.”

“No!” There were so many people coming and going outside the car. If she got out she would be photographed at once. Xu Xinyi definitely wouldn’t get out of the car. “I’m not in a hurry, Xiao Zhang. You just drive to the parking lot of Yi Yang’s company, and I’ll get off there.”

The driver, Xiao Zhang, looked at Yi Yang.

Yi Yang nodded.

Ten minutes later, Xu Xinyi, wearing a hat and sunglasses, snuck across the street from the underground parking lot of Yi Yang’s company and hurried into her own company.

Making her eat two losses in a row, dog man, you just wait!

Xu Xinyi, who seemed to be being liked by her mother-in-law, came to the studio with a gloomy face.

She complained seriously to Anya, “Anya, there’s something wrong with my mother-in-law recently.”

Anya, who had her head buried in a private message sent by her little lover, didn’t look up. “Why is something wrong?”

“She is too kind to me.”

Anya sneered.

Xu Xinyi gritted her teeth. “I mean it!”

Anya looked up at her. “Alright, don’t ask for trouble. Since she’s nice to you, don’t overdo it. Be a good daughter-in-law and wife. Sooner or later, Yi Yang will fall in love with you. Trust me.”

“…” She really believed Anya’s evil words!

“By the way, did you hear? Jiang Nian has been buried by Tianyu. “

Xu Xinyi was temporarily distracted, “They buried him?”

“That’s what I heard from the mole I left in Tianyu. He also said that now big_five has changed its name to big_four. Early this morning, Tianyu issued an announcement saying that Jiang Nian had retired temporarily for personal reasons and his return date was uncertain.” Anya turned to her and spread her hands helplessly, “Although not many fans paid attention to it.”

Xu Xinyi had known that Jiang Nian would be buried by Tianyu but she didn’t expect it to happen so soon. It had only been a few days.

She frowned for a moment and said, “Anya, what do you think of Jiang Nian?”

“Handsome!” Anya praised him firmly.

“I’m being serious.”

“Seriously?” Anya put down her phone and pondered carefully for a moment. “He looks good and has a very mainstream aesthetic. Even without plastic surgery it can be expected his face will not collapse for at least ten years. His figure belongs to the type that can wear clothes and look good. He should be able to easily wear those big brands and represent their aesthetics in their clothing. He dances well and sings averagely. Generally speaking, he is a good seedling worth cultivating.”

Xu Xinyi raised her eyebrow, “Such a high evaluation?” She had never heard such a high opinion from Anya.

For most artists she would give a look that said  ‘Don’t push me garbage like that’ or an attitude that said ‘Don’t waste my time. I don’t have the energy to take over such a ‘special’ project’*.

“What are you saying, I’m an agent, of course, I have to judge people a little harshly. But I do think it’s a little strange, Jiang Nian, who has been in the company for two years has not been able to get popular and has been fighting silently. I really don’t know if the company is blind or someone is deliberately trying to bury him.”

“What will you say if I want to sign him on with our studio?”

“What will I say? Of course, looking at it from my perspective, a man with such potential should definitely be recruited. But can you solve the problem of his contract with Tianyu?”

“There is always a way. Please contact him.”

“Alright.”

Half an hour later, Anya came back to her office.

“I can’t find him.”

“The phone number didn’t work?”

“It didn’t.”

“WeChat?”

“Nope.”

“Doesn’t he live in Huaming Court? Just ask where he lives and go knock on his door. “

“I’ve already asked around but no one knows exactly where he lives.”

“No one knows?”

“No.”

Xu Xinyi frowned, “What’s wrong with this kid?” After thinking about it she said, “Forget it. Just put his name down for the time being and contact him when you hear from him. Just keep him in mind. By the way, I have to join the film crew in two days. Will you be joining me or staying here to develop the company?”

Anya smiled and shook her phone. “Of course, I will be developing the company to let you, Your Highness, find all the beautiful men in the world to fill your harem. While Your Highness is out there remember to take good care of yourself.”

These words won Xu Xinyi’s heart.

———–

She went back to the apartment to pack her things that night. She wore a hat, sunglasses, a long trench coat, and her collar was turned up to cover half her face when she slipped into Lanting.

Her apartment was located on the top floor and had an excellent view. Lanting was Yi Group’s building and the staff were all professionally trained and signed confidentiality agreements to never reveal the residents’ information.

Therefore, when Xu Xinyi passed the lobby and entered the elevator, she was not too surprised when a man dressed up suspiciously like she was appeared.

Those who could afford an apartment here were all either rich or powerful and it was normal that they did not want to expose themselves.

Xu Xinyi did not try to peep at the man who was covered from head to toe. She just pressed the button for the top floor.

The man pressed the button for three floors below her floor.

He left first.

The moment the elevator door was closing Xu Xinyi felt like the man’s back was familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

But soon the elevator doors closed, interrupting her thoughts.

Xu Xinyi, who didn’t know who the man was then, found out the next day when she and the man both appeared in entertainment news together.

——-

–Shocking! Han Xiao unexpectedly had a private meeting with an actress in the middle of the night! They went in together and it is suspected they live together!

Han Xiao was huge online, the two words of his name were more attractive than money, and he had always said that he was single. But now he was photographed with a girlfriend? They were living together?

His whole fan circle suddenly detonated.

Some of Han Xiao’s fans scolded the marketing account for making up nonsense and chasing shadows, while other fans watched on while munching on melon seeds and lamenting that a fine swan was eaten by a toad.

She had suddenly turned into a toad. Xu Xinyi, the toad, was heartbroken at the moment. She held her cell phone and was grieving.

There had only been a difference of 0.01 meters between her and Han Xiao last night!

No, she touched Han Xiao’s shoulder!

She had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be intimate with Han Xiao, but she didn’t even know!

Xu Xinyi had the words “Repentance” written all over her face.

It was okay. She wouldn’t cry.

–“You just missed one opportunity. But soon you will have a chance to be in a kiss scene and a bed scene with Han Xiao.”

Xu Xinyi was strong enough to wipe away her tears. She opened Weibo, logged onto her secondary account, and began to fight with the fans.

As soon as Yi Yang had got close to the room, he heard Xu Xinyi’s thoughts, and it took him a long time to swallow his anger and enter the room.

“What are you doing?”

Xu Xinyi’s expression was grim and resentful. “There is a marketing account saying that I live with Han Xiao! This is abhorrent! They are scribbling randomly on my back and destroying my innocence, so I was scolding them!”

Yi Yang leaned over and saw Xu Xinyi was typing rapidly and making no effort to conceal it from him.

“Xu Xinyi doesn’t deserve it? Then do you deserve it? I have the key to Lanting. Do you?”

“Isn’t Xu Xinyi beautiful? You think she’s not good? Sorry that you went blind so young.”

“Who is Xu Xinyi? I can tell you. I’m a fortune teller.”

“Don’t talk to me. Thank you. I have a penchant for cleanliness.”

“Who am I? I am your father!”

After a good fight, Xu Xinyi looked up with an expression that said ‘I am innocent and I was wronged and this is all their fault’ and complained: “Husband, their words are so vicious!”

After watching Xu Xinyi spit fire online without using any dirty words, Yi Yang suddenly felt extremely complicated.

Should he thank Xu Xinyi for being kind to him?

Previous TOC Next

*the actual insult here is a “spicy chicken” which is apparently slang that has a meaning that is hard for me to decipher. In short, it’s an insult.

The end of this chapter is rough for me. Obviously Xu Xinyi is scolding the netizens so she’s using slang that is hard to decipher with MTL. Maybe I should take the time to make it more accurate… but otoh I dunno how necessary that is. The meaning is clear even if I didn’t precisely translate all the slang, right?