She is the eldest sister whom Lu Yun has not seen in fifteen years.
Ye Qingcheng.
Comparing her to the photograph Lu Yun had just seen, the real-life eldest sister was even more beautiful, yet also more aloof.
As Lu Yun looked at Ye Qingcheng, she caught sight of him as well.
In that instant, their eyes met.
Ye Qingcheng’s delicate frame trembled slightly, and a flicker of surprise crossed her beautiful eyes, but she quickly composed herself, as if nothing had happened.
"Wang Gang, for the sake of Grandpa Wu, I will help you one last time. If you dare to act up again, I will break your legs."
To avoid upsetting Grandpa Wu, Ye Qingcheng wrote a check for two hundred thousand and tossed it to Wang Gang.
Wang Gang was ecstatic. "Thank you, Eldest Sister."
"Do not call me Eldest Sister. I find it disgusting," Ye Qingcheng said with distaste.
"Heh heh..."
Wang Gang grinned shamelessly. Since the money was already in his hands, he didn't care at all about her attitude toward him.
"Sister, it’s me."
At this moment, Lu Yun, standing to the side, could finally hold back no more and called out softly.
Five years of military life had forged Lu Yun’s iron-blooded character; even facing an army of a million, he had never shown a hint of fear.
Yet now, looking at his eldest sister, Ye Qingcheng, standing within arm’s reach, he was nervous.
Even an iron-willed man has his soft side.
And Lu Yun’s soft side was his seven sisters.
Ye Qingcheng’s body jerked violently.
This voice carried her thoughts back fifteen years, back to the brother she had missed day and night.
She turned her neck stiffly to gaze at that somewhat familiar face, her voice trembling.
"Are you... are you..."
Ye Qingcheng couldn't believe it.
When she first entered, she had seen Lu Yun and thought the young man looked very similar to the brother she had lost in that fire.
But she hadn't dared to recognize him for fear of disappointment.
Even now, as Lu Yun called her "Sister," his tone and demeanor so strikingly similar, she still found it hard to believe.
It wasn't until Wu Wende said with a smile, "Qingcheng, he is your brother, Lu Yun. Lu Yun has returned."
"Lu Yun..."
Ye Qingcheng was momentarily lost. Had her brother, Lu Yun, really returned?
"Sister, it’s me. I’m back."
Lu Yun smiled gently and stepped forward to give her a hug.
Ye Qingcheng’s soft body stiffened instantly, and a flicker of resistance flashed in her cool, clear eyes, though she didn't make it too obvious.
"Lu Yun, it really is you! You’ve come back. Your sister is so happy!"
Even as she said this, she pulled back slightly, breaking free from Lu Yun’s embrace.
Lu Yun was stunned.
His eldest sister’s reaction was somewhat beyond his expectations.
It wasn't as emotional as he had imagined, nor did she ask how he had survived that fire.
It felt like two old friends meeting after a long separation, exchanging polite greetings.
That was all.
Had fifteen years truly made them grow apart?
A bitter taste lingered on Lu Yun’s tongue as he suddenly realized a serious problem: could his eldest sister already have her own family, which was why she was keeping her distance?
After all, though they called each other siblings, they had no blood relationship.
If that were the case, Lu Yun could only wish her well from the bottom of his heart.
Wu Wende, failing to notice the subtle atmosphere, laughed as he pulled them both to sit down and chat about daily life.
Throughout the conversation, Ye Qingcheng did not ask Lu Yun a single thing about himself.
The bitterness in Lu Yun’s heart grew even deeper.
Perhaps they really had grown apart.
***
After chatting for nearly half an hour, Ye Qingcheng stood up and said, "Grandpa Wu, I need to return to Qingcheng Group. I’ll come to visit you again next time."
"Mhm, focus on your business; I’m doing fine here," Wu Wende said with satisfaction.
"If Wang Gang dares to anger you again, you must tell me. I will teach him a lesson."
After bidding farewell to Grandpa Wu, Ye Qingcheng looked at Lu Yun. "Follow me. I have something to say to you."
Lu Yun nodded and followed silently behind his eldest sister.
Outside the courtyard, a Porsche 911 was parked on the main road with the driver waiting nearby.
"Get in."
Ye Qingcheng was concise.
Lu Yun climbed into the back seat and immediately felt a chill radiating from her.
Lu Yun was slightly startled.
What was wrong with his sister? Even if they hadn't seen each other for fifteen years and felt estranged, she shouldn't be this cold to him, should she?
"Tell me, what exactly is your motive for getting close to Grandpa Wu?" Ye Qingcheng asked coldly.
Motive?
Lu Yun was taken aback. "Sister, what are you talking about?"
"Still pretending? I don't have time to waste on you. Just say how much money you want!"
Ye Qingcheng’s eyes were icy as she glared at him.
At this point, Lu Yun finally understood. The reason for her coldness was that she mistook him for an imposter.
Interesting.
A smile appeared at the corner of Lu Yun’s mouth. He decided to tease his sister a little, so he leaned back, pressing his entire spine against the seat, looking incomparably lazy.
"Since you know I’m an imposter, why didn't you expose me back there in front of Grandpa Wu?"
So he admitted it.
Ye Qingcheng’s expression grew colder.
Indeed, as Lu Yun suspected, she didn't believe for a second that her brother was still alive. She hadn't exposed him earlier because she didn't want to ruin Grandpa Wu’s mood.
She had seen the changes in Grandpa Wu over the years and felt deep heartache, but there was nothing she could do.
Today was the most Grandpa Wu had smiled in over a decade; she couldn't bear to shatter that.
Of course, she felt no need to explain herself to an imposter, so she didn't answer his question, merely staring at him coldly.
Lu Yun shrugged, feeling he was getting nowhere. "Just give me a lift, I'm heading in the same direction."
With that, he closed his eyes.
Ye Qingcheng had no choice but to look at the driver. "Drive."
The Porsche sped away. No one spoke for the duration of the ride, the atmosphere in the car dropping to freezing.
Ye Qingcheng’s pretty face remained frost-bitten the entire time.
After about twenty minutes, Ye Qingcheng frowned slightly. "This isn't the way to Qingcheng Group."
The driver acted as if he hadn't heard, driving straight ahead.
Ye Qingcheng felt a vague sense of unease.
*Screech!*
Finally, the car came to a stop in a desolate area.
The driver, He Shun, turned around and said with a smile, "President Ye, we’re all just trying to make a living. I hope you can understand."
"What do you mean by this?" Ye Qingcheng’s eyes were cold.
"It means nothing personal. I just want President Ye to cooperate and let me take a few photos. As long as you cooperate, I certainly won't hurt you."
As he spoke, He Shun locked the car doors and pulled a camera and a sharp knife from under the seat.
"President Ye, you are a smart person; you should know what to do."
He Shun sneered, then glanced at Lu Yun.
"Kid, you’re lucky today. Many people have fantasized about the body of this beautiful president. You’re in for a treat."
It was clear he intended to take compromising photos of Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Qingcheng didn't scream; instead, she stared coldly at He Shun. "I want to know, are you in league with Liren Group, or is Liu Zhifeng in league with them?"
Liren Group and Qingcheng Group were both major players in the skincare market, and they had been locked in a fierce rivalry for a long time.
With Qingcheng Group preparing for an IPO, news of a scandal involving Ye Qingcheng would undoubtedly deal a fatal blow to the company.
Liu Zhifeng, the person Ye Qingcheng mentioned, was the Human Resources manager at Qingcheng Group, and it was he who had hired this new driver.
He Shun clicked his tongue in wonder. "They say President Ye is sharp and courageous. Today, I’ve seen it for myself."
His words confirmed her suspicions.
"President Ye, I have always been a man who cherishes beauty, especially when it comes to a goddess like you who stands so high above. I can't bear to desecrate you, so why don't you take them off yourself?"
"If you force me to take action, it won't just be about taking photos, heh heh!"
He Shun let out a strange laugh, seemingly expecting that she wouldn't comply, his eyes flashing with greedy, lustful fire.
But just then—
*Smack!*
He Shun’s wrist was suddenly gripped by a large hand. Immediately after, he met Lu Yun’s freezing, bone-chilling gaze.
"Daring to bully my sister in front of me? Do you want to experience what the abyss feels like?"
Lu Yun’s voice was as cold as his eyes.
Having spent five years on the battlefield, Lu Yun had seen countless people; any sign of malice from an opponent couldn't escape his eyes.
The moment he saw the driver, Lu Yun had sensed something was wrong from his shifty gaze, which was why he had asked his sister for a ride.
As it turned out, things were indeed not simple.
"Kid, don't be ungrateful!"
He Shun’s face darkened instantly. "Not satisfied with watching a show for free? You want to add some sibling drama to spice it up?"
He jerked his arm hard, only to be horrified to find that Lu Yun’s fingers were as unbreakable as iron pliers.
Suddenly.
*Crack!*
With a crisp sound, the bones in He Shun’s wrist shattered, and the knife fell to the floor.
"Ah—"
How could He Shun have imagined that a human’s grip strength could reach such a terrifying level? With just one move, his wrist had been pulverized.
He screamed in agony.
He Shun dropped the camera and scrambled to unlock the door, trying to flee.
However, a sharp, piercing pain suddenly struck his legs, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Two irregularly shaped pebbles were deeply embedded into the back of his knees.
What kind of technique was this? *Ah!!!*
He Shun was terrified to his core, an unprecedented fear gripping his heart, his entire body trembling violently.
"My sister, even I can't bear to bully her—what do you think you are?"
Lu Yun stepped forward coldly and brought his foot down heavily onto He Shun’s injured area.
"Ah—"
With another pig-like shriek, He Shun passed out from the pain.
A dragon has scales that are forbidden to touch, and anyone who touches them must die.
Lu Yun’s "scales" were his seven sisters; anyone who dared to touch a single hair on their heads would have to face the wrath of the Heavenly Zhad King.
If this were the battlefield, He Shun would already be a corpse.
Ye Qingcheng stepped out of the car, appearing behind Lu Yun. Seeing him act so domineering, her beautiful eyes couldn't help but tremble.
"Who exactly... are you?" Ye Qingcheng asked.
At that moment, Lu Yun suddenly turned around, unzipped his pants with one hand, and firmly pushed Ye Qingcheng’s soft body down.
"Sister, forgive my offense!"
"Umm..."
***
Ye Qingcheng panicked. It was an unprecedented panic, and mixed with that panic was an incredibly intense sense of shame and anger.
Just a moment ago, after Lu Yun had helped her, her opinion of him had changed, and she had even thought that even if he weren't her brother, they could still be friends.
But who would have thought this would happen?
Ye Qingcheng felt as if she had just escaped a pack of wolves only to fall into a tiger's den.
She struggled furiously to get up, but what she saw next left her completely stunned.
Lu Yun had a small secret: on the outside of his thigh, there was a birthmark, a birthmark shaped like a purple lightning bolt.
The children at the orphanage basically all knew about this birthmark.
Of course, his seven sisters knew about it too.
So when Ye Qingcheng saw the purple lightning, she knew that the young man before her was her brother, Lu Yun, from whom she had been separated for fifteen years.
"Little Luyun, it really is you, it really is you. Sister thought... thought she would never see you again."
Ye Qingcheng stood up and pulled Lu Yun into her arms, tears streaming down her face like a bursting river.
Lu Yun felt a lump in his throat too.
Nothing had changed. Everything was exactly the same. His eldest sister was still the same person; fifteen years had not made their relationship distant—if anything, it had made them closer.
Lu Yun was moved and secretly vowed that he would use his life to protect his sister.
However, why did he feel something was wrong?
Soon, Lu Yun realized what it was, and he said with a wry smile, "Sister, let me put my pants back on first."
"..."
Ye Qingcheng’s face flushed red, but she quickly glared at him. "Why are you being shy? It’s not like your sister hasn't seen it before!"
"That’s not it, Sister. There’s an outsider here."
"Ah!"
Ye Qingcheng gasped in surprise, suddenly realizing that they weren't alone.
She hurried over to check on He Shun and, upon finding him still unconscious, breathed a sigh of relief.
He Shun would probably never dream that in this short time, he had missed a priceless sight.
The Porsche 911 started up again.
Ye Qingcheng was driving, and Lu Yun sat in the passenger seat.
After so many years apart, the siblings naturally had endless things to talk about.
Ye Qingcheng was most concerned about how Lu Yun had survived the fire fifteen years ago and what he had experienced since then.
Lu Yun answered them one by one, though he didn't mention his five years of war, only saying he had spent the time on a mountain training with an old Taoist priest.
Ye Qingcheng gave him a sidelong glance. "Are you telling your sister a fairy tale?"
Of course, she wouldn't believe something so outrageous.
Lu Yun felt helpless—he was telling the truth, but his sister didn't believe him!
Fortunately, Ye Qingcheng didn't press him, saying excitedly, "If your other sisters knew you were alive and had grown into such a handsome young man, I wonder how they would feel."
"Heh heh, let’s keep it a secret for now. I want to surprise them one by one."
"You really are a little rascal."
Ye Qingcheng gave him a knowing smile.
The two chatted along the way, and time flew by. By the time they regained their focus, they had arrived at Qingcheng Group.
When the two walked into the Qingcheng building, laughing and talking, everyone wore an expression of disbelief.
When had their "Ice Queen" ever been this close to a man?
It’s over. Hearts are broken.
Countless people were destined to suffer from insomnia tonight.
The first thing Ye Qingcheng did upon returning to the company was to fire the HR manager, Liu Zhifeng.
She never hesitated.
Ye Qingcheng was that kind of decisive woman.
With the HR manager position vacant, Ye Qingcheng winked at Lu Yun. "Little Luyun, any interest in playing around as a manager?"
Lu Yun shook his head with a bitter smile. "Better not. I don't know the first thing about managing a company."
Although he was the Heavenly Zhad King, and his thirty-six subordinates were world-renowned legendary generals, that was different from managing a company.
Managing the Heavenly Zhad required only immense strength, but managing a company required all sorts of rules and regulations.
Lu Yun wasn't good at that.
Ye Qingcheng said, "It doesn't matter. It’s just an honorary position. If you don't understand something, Anqi will teach you."
Gu Anqi was Ye Qingcheng’s secretary. They were very close; at work, they were superior and subordinate, but in private, they were best friends.
Since his eldest sister insisted, Lu Yun had to agree, thinking he could step down if he found it didn't suit him.
As they were talking, Gu Anqi knocked and walked in.
She was a sexy woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six, wearing an office uniform. Her shapely, rounded legs were tightly encased in black silk stockings, and she swayed as she walked.
Pink-rimmed glasses hid the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye.
Overall, Gu Anqi was quite beautiful, second only to the cold goddess Ye Qingcheng in the company.
But Lu Yun only took one look before averting his gaze. In his heart, no woman could compare to his seven sisters.
"Anqi, you’re just in time. I want to introduce someone to you."
Ye Qingcheng smiled and said, "This is my brother, Lu Yun. I’m planning to give him the vacant manager position. What do you think?"
Following Ye Qingcheng’s gaze, Gu Anqi glanced at Lu Yun, her expression intriguing.
Earlier, she had heard colleagues whispering that the president had brought back a "kept boy."
Of course, Gu Anqi didn't believe it, because she knew the president had extremely high standards; not just anyone could catch her eye.
But seeing this now, it seemed the president really had fallen for him.
"President Ye, I don't know if I should say this."
Although they were close, at the company, Gu Anqi was very professional, addressing Ye Qingcheng as "President Ye."
Ye Qingcheng smiled. "We’re all family here, just say it directly!"
Gu Anqi pushed up her glasses and said:
"I think that with the company going public soon, it’s best not to change the management team easily, especially the HR manager position. It would be better to leave it empty than to let Mr. Lu take the post."
"Oh? Tell me why."
Gu Anqi thought for a moment before saying two words: "Public perception."
"Do you also think that Lu Yun is a boy toy I’m keeping?" Ye Qingcheng was sharp enough to immediately grasp her meaning.
Gu Anqi said, "It’s not just me who thinks so; everyone does."
With the company going public, if news spread that Ye Qingcheng had fired a veteran employee just to install her "boy toy," it would undoubtedly ruin the company’s reputation.
How could Ye Qingcheng not understand that logic? But she didn't offer much explanation, waving her hand.
"I’ve decided. As of this moment, Lu Yun is our company’s HR manager. Anqi, take him to get familiar with the environment."
***
Inside the elevator at the Qingcheng building, Gu Anqi glanced sideways at the young man beside her, occasionally revealing a look of disdain.
She had worked with Ye Qingcheng for a long time and only knew that she had an irresponsible brother named Wang Gang.
She had never seen this man before, so he must be a kept boy.
However, Gu Anqi couldn't figure out what qualifications Lu Yun had to be a kept boy.
His clothes were ordinary, his temperament was plain, and while his looks were acceptable, he wasn't strikingly handsome—at least, not worthy of Ye Qingcheng.
Moreover, his skin wasn't even fair.