Upon hearing Du Anrao say that she looked almost exactly like her late biological mother, Du Yuxi felt a jolt in her spirit and clenched her hands into fists at her sides.
On the other side, Xi Jingyue, who had been focusing on their group since Du Anrao stood up, instinctively pulled out his phone and snapped a photo in their direction.
He zoomed in and out to confirm that the faces of Du Yuxi and the others were clearly captured before putting his phone away. When he looked up, he met the complex, hesitant gaze of the middle-aged man beside him.
The look in that man’s eyes seemed to say: "I never expected you to be this kind of President Xi!"
Xi Jingyue: "..."
Ye Mengzhen remained silent for a moment before speaking up again, awkward and stiff after hearing Du Anrao’s words: "I knew you were from some backwater place—totally uncultured. A few plates of pastries are all it takes to buy you off. She’s just a server; what could she possibly have to say to anyone? In the end, it’s all just business. Whatever, never mind. Consider it me doing a good deed. My family owns this restaurant, so I’ll have someone pack up a few portions of everything for you in a moment."
The remark was truly unpleasant. Just as Du Yuxi was about to lash out, she heard Du Anrao muttering internally.
*Pfft… Miss Ye isn’t just obsessed with good looks; she’s a total tsundere. She clearly wanted to use these pastries to apologize, yet she makes it sound like she’s picking a fight. And if I recall correctly, didn’t she call this place a "shabby little restaurant" when she was mocking Fourth Sister earlier? Good grief, she’s so ruthless she even insults herself!*
The corner of Du Yuxi’s mouth twitched. When she looked at Ye Mengzhen, her expression suddenly softened with a kind of pity, as if looking at a fool. "If you want to apologize, just say it. Even when you’re trying to be kind, it sounds like you’re just dispensing charity. You probably don’t have many friends, do you?"
Struck in her Achilles' heel, Ye Mengzhen instantly flew into a rage from embarrassment. "When did I ever say I wanted to..."
"I accept your good intentions, benefactress. To thank you for your generosity, this humble Daoist will offer you a fortune-telling."
"You can tell fortunes?"
Mother Du and Du Yuxi were also startled. They exchanged a look but said nothing.
"I observe that the tail of your left eyebrow is thick and lush, and beneath it, there is a small mark. You should have a brother, and the two of you share a close and harmonious bond."
Ye Mengzhen was stunned. She did indeed have an older brother who doted on her, always putting her needs before his own.
Not even Du Yuxi knew this, let alone this outsider who had only been back in the Du Family for a few days.
"However, the end of your left brow ridge appears on the verge of breaking, which signifies that your brother’s luck has been poor lately. There is a risk of a bloody disaster; at best, a physical injury, at worst, it could be life-threatening. To avoid this calamity, it would be best for your brother to avoid leaving the house for the next half month. Even if he must go out, he should be accompanied at all times. He must absolutely avoid going out alone."
Ye Mengzhen was confused at first, but as she heard the final words, her face darkened. "How dare you curse my brother!"
"How could this be called a curse? This humble Daoist is merely stating the truth. As the saying goes, 'Those who ignore warnings will suffer the consequences.' Since this concerns your brother’s safety, benefactress, you ought to be cautious."
It had to be said that Du Anrao’s warning hit the mark.
Ye Mengzhen never believed in such things, but if Du Anrao had only spoken about her, she might have brushed it off. But instead, she had brought up the family member she cared about most.
Even if she didn’t believe it, she didn’t dare gamble on that one-in-ten-thousand chance.
Having lost all appetite, she glared at Du Anrao, grabbed her bag, and walked out.
Only after her figure had completely vanished did Du Anrao react: "She just left like that? Does that mean I don’t get my pastries?"
"..." You scared the poor girl away and you’re still thinking about her pastries?
Mother Du, wanting her two daughters to build a closer relationship, gave a small cough to remind her: "It’s fine. Don’t you have your sister?"
Du Anrao’s eyes brightened, overjoyed.
*Mm-hmm, Fourth Sister really is the reliable one!*
"Alright, I’ll help you get them in a moment." Du Yuxi suppressed the urge to smile. "An'an, was everything you just said true? Will something really happen to Ye Mengzhen’s brother?"
Du Anrao acted mysterious, raised her hand, and recited: "Amitabha, the secrets of heaven must not be revealed!"
Mother and daughter of the Du Family: "..."
You came from a Daoist temple, yet you’re making Buddhist gestures and reciting Buddhist mantras—aren’t you afraid your master will scold you for betraying your lineage?
*Of course it’s fake!*
"..." We almost believed you!
*But according to the original plot, right after Ye Mengzhen finishes bothering Fourth Sister, her brother—that ultimate "simp"—will accidentally discover Li Qianxi hugging and whispering sweet nothings to "Simp Number Two." Deeply devastated, he’ll get drunk alone late at night, and then die in a car accident while driving home, ending up in a vegetative state.*
A simp is a simp; they end up with nothing. Not only does he ruin himself, but he also drags his family down with him.
Because of this, Ye Mengzhen’s parents will be overcome with grief and fall ill, and the family business will plummet.
Having lost her value, Ye Mengzhen will soon be kicked out of the heroine’s circle of friends and reduced to early cannon fodder.
The ending of Ye Mengzhen’s family was chilling to hear, and they gained a deeper understanding of the danger posed by the Miss Li they had yet to meet.
Xi Jingyue stood up immediately, heading toward the restroom while ignoring the surprised look from the man beside him.
He first made several calls to his cousin, but no one answered, so he had to send a message instead.
On his way back to his seat, he passed Du Anrao and instinctively glanced at her.
Unexpectedly, he met the gaze of Du Anrao, who was looking around. Both of them were stunned.
*This guy… so handsome! Is everyone in the city this good-looking?*
Xi Jingyue’s footsteps faltered. For some reason, his ears felt suddenly warm.
Mother Du and Du Yuxi, who had just come over to deliver food, were on high alert. Like mother hens protecting their chicks, they immediately hid Du Anrao behind them, staring at Xi Jingyue with dark, warning, and defensive eyes as if they were looking at a wolf.
"..."
Seeing their expressions, Xi Jingyue vaguely guessed what was going on. His mouth twitched, and he didn't linger.
Only then did Du Yuxi and Mother Du breathe a sigh of relief, quickly steering the topic toward the food on the table to distract Du Anrao.
After lunch, they didn’t leave immediately.
Now that the truth was known, Mother Du was intent on having Du Yuxi move back home.
Du Anrao supported this as well.
"There are so many rooms at home. Sister, there’s really no need for you to live outside. It’s a waste of money and inconvenient."
*Most importantly, Li Qianxi probably already knows Fourth Sister has moved out. Who knows what she might do now that she’s cornered? That woman is hard to read. She looks weak and sickly, as if she could stop breathing at any moment, but she’s actually ruthless and poisonous. Fourth Sister might not really be able to defeat her.*
Mother Du, who was already worried about Du Yuxi living alone, was even more insistent now, clutching Du Yuxi’s hand and refusing to let go.
Du Yuxi, feeling helpless, finally agreed.
She hadn't taken much when she left home, so moving back was simple.
The two of them accompanied Du Yuxi to her rental, grabbed her bags, and headed home. As soon as they entered, they discovered that there was one more person in the house than there had been that morning.