Yun Shanhe, a man over seventy years old, was standing before Ye Nan, acting as deferentially and obediently as a junior receiving instructions.
"Mr. Ye, let me drive you!"
Seeing Ye Nan get up to leave, Yun Shanhe hurriedly offered.
"No need."
Ye Nan waved his hand and strode away with casual elegance.
On the way back, Ye Nan's state of mind completely calmed down.
Perhaps the tranquil and refined atmosphere of the Leisure Studio had played some auxiliary role.
When he returned to Lin Qingrou's villa, the three members of the Qi family had long been waiting in anxious agitation.
"Carry her upstairs, and everyone else wait downstairs," Ye Nan dropped these words and headed upstairs on his own.
In a guest room, Qi Jingyao stared at Ye Nan before her with the utmost vigilance.
Even if Ye Nan were to do something excessive right now, she had no strength to resist.
But Ye Nan did not.
He didn't even spare Qi Jingyao another glance, much less bother to waste a single word on her.
He was earnestly drawing talismans.
Talismanic arts were a profound and rigorous discipline.
When drawing talismans, a fraction of an inch off could lead to a thousand miles of error.
After a while, Ye Nan finished one talisman and nodded with satisfaction.
Since it was merely using one talisman to break another, it didn't really require that much seriousness.
Holding the talisman, Ye Nan walked over to Qi Jingyao and raised his hand to press it against her chest.
"What are you doing?!"
Qi Jingyao cried out in terror.
Ignoring her, Ye Nan continued his motion without pause, pressing the talisman paper against her heart.
Qi Jingyao gritted her teeth, ultimately not daring to put up a fight.
Then, Ye Nan gently waved one hand, and intricate spells began to form at his fingertips.
The talisman paper plastered to Qi Jingyao's chest suddenly lit up with a faint golden glow.
"Snap!"
Following a stylish final finger snap from Ye Nan, the talisman paper on Qi Jingyao's chest flashed abruptly and vanished into thin air.
At the same time, Qi Jingyao felt her entire body suddenly become incomparably light.
It was as if a heavy burden of hundreds of pounds had been lifted from her shoulders in an instant.
Not only was there no longer any sign of bodily pain, but her hearing and vision had sharpened, restoring her to the state she had been in before she contracted her bizarre illness.
"That's it," Ye Nan said indifferently.
Qi Jingyao sat blankly in the wheelchair, her still-pale face filled with shock.
After a long while, she managed to shift her gaze toward Ye Nan.
"Just who are you?"
Ye Nan replied with a blank expression, "Haiqing Group, security guard, Ye Nan."
Qi Jingyao's pretty face instantly flushed crimson.
It burned fiercely.
It felt as though she had just been slapped hard across the face.
A security guard?
This was the identity she had previously used to humiliate him.
But... unless she had brain damage, nobody would still think that way now!
The golden glow of the talisman, a single snap of the fingers—and her bizarre, strange illness was cured.
Was this a normal security guard?
Calling him a human being was practically an insult to him!
"The consultation fee, I will pay double."
After holding it in for a long time, Qi Jingyao could only squeeze out those words.
Before the profound methods Ye Nan had displayed, all of Qi Jingyao's arrogance and overbearing attitude were instantly smashed to smithereens.
"No need."
Ye Nan shook his head and pulled a black card from his pocket.
It was precisely the one Qi Jingyao had flung at him earlier.
"You've already paid."
Qi Jingyao's heart sank, and at the same time, a wave of intense regret surged within her.
It wasn't that she had changed her mind so quickly and developed a liking for Ye Nan.
It was just that, having witnessed Ye Nan's abilities, she finally realized how disastrously miscalculated the Qi family's attitude toward Ye Nan had been!
To let a person with such remarkable skills slip right through their fingers—
Not only had they failed to befriend him, but they had accumulated a host of grievances instead.
Was there still any way to make amends...
"You can go back now."
Just as Qi Jingyao was wracked with vexation, Ye Nan spoke again with indifference, "You should have no problem walking now."
Qi Jingyao bit her lip, cast a complex look at Ye Nan, and slowly got to her feet.
The three members of the Qi family slunk away in disgrace.
When they left, apart from Li Ruomei, who sincerely expressed her gratitude, the other father and daughter kept their heads drooping low, looking as though they were dying to dig a hole and bury themselves in it.
"Brother-in-law, why did you have to save her!Lin Qingxuan linked her arm through Ye Nan's and pouted in dissatisfaction.
Ye Nan gave a faint smile, "Your Lin family still has to do business in Jiangling. Driving them to absolute ruin wouldn't be appropriate.At these words, both Lin Qingrou and Lin Qingxuan experienced a simultaneous shudder through their delicate bodies.
They were both sharp-witted young women.
Especially Lin Qingrou; this time, without needing to eavesdrop on his inner thoughts, she understood the subtext behind Ye Nan's words.
He didn't care about a mere Qi family.
But he would be leaving sooner or later.
"Brother-in-law, no!Panic struck Lin Qingxuan's heart, and she hurriedly tightened her grip around Ye Nan's arm even more.
This action also gave one of Ye Nan's arms a luxurious treat.Ye Nan couldn't help stealing a glance at the firmness just below Lin Qingxuan's collarbone.
[No wonder the old woman looks unfavorably upon this younger sister.]
Huh?
Hearing this out-of-nowhere remark, Lin Qingrou looked deeply puzzled.
[Sigh, the pressure is real, the anxiety is real...]
Lin Qingrou's heart gave a jolt as she cast a complex glance at Ye Nan.
Could he also empathize with the frustrations in her work and daily life...
It seemed this guy wasn't entirely a loafer; sometimes he was quite thoughtful...
[This pressure,tsk tsk tsk, so big, so round, so heavy...]
Lin Qingrou paused once more.
What did that mean?
Pressure... was round? Could it possibly be square?
Amidst her bewilderment, she followed Ye Nan's gaze, and her expression instantly turned frosty.
You dog of a man!
Any illusions she had about this dog of a man were simply nauseating!
With a cold snort, Lin Qingrou turned on her heel and went upstairs.Ye Nan and Lin Qingxuan looked at each other in blank dismay, completely at a loss.
...
Early in the morning, Ye Nan woke up very early.
He even went out to buy breakfast.
The villa where Lin Qingrou lived was not in the most high-end district of Jiangling, but at least the surrounding area of the villa complex still retained a bit of lively, everyday warmth.
He bought steamed buns.
There were many breakfast stalls, with all sorts of varieties fully available.
Yet his eyes had locked onto the steamed buns at first glance.
"Your buns come to twenty-one and a half yuan total; just give me twenty-one."
The voice was soft, devoid of dramatic inflection, flowing like a stream in a continuous thread that easily slipped quietly into people's hearts.
A day's plan starts with the morning.
Ye Nan felt the morning had gotten off to a good start.
The "Steamed Bun Beauty" should be named "Shumei," because the name of the stall was literally "Shumei Breakfast"—unpretentious and simple.
As for what her surname was...
Naturally, Ye Nan wouldn't just blurt out a question.
Such a tacky move was something only an old woman would pull!
Far away in the villa, Lin Qingrou, deep in slumber, let out an inexplicable sneeze and woke up.
"You must have just moved here, right?"
Ye Nan hadn't expected this beauty named "Shumei" to take the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.
He looked up.
She was a very striking young married woman.
An ordinary floral T-shirt struggled to contain an extraordinarily plump figure.True to being a mature woman, compared to the petite stature of that girl Lin Qingxuan, she not only possessed a more substantial weight but also carried a sense of the passage of time—heavy and full.
Tight jeans bound her thick hips and waist, and with every casual, slight sway of her body, it felt as though ripples were spreading across water, complete with sound effects...
Shumei's face—how should he put it—was very "Shumei."
Time had not been harsh to this woman approaching thirty; instead, it had adorned her with a layer of mature, restrained charm.
Fair skin, a prominent bridge of the nose, thick crimson lips, and a pair of slightly weary yet still vibrant eyes.
Only... there were some impurities in her gaze, something unclear and indefinable.
The morning light was just right, gently spilling over her dark, coiled hair, making her look both clean and serene.
"How did you know?" Ye Nan replied instinctively.
"Hehe, I've never seen you around before," Shumei said with a gentle smile, her hands never slowing down in her work. "If you find the taste good, come support my business more often in the future, okay!"
A slight tremor went through Ye Nan's heart.
Her face flushed slightly, as if she felt embarrassed after uttering such a routine solicitation for customers.
Ye Nan suddenly understood why she had taken the initiative to strike up a conversation,
and even more, he understood what that trace of impurity in her eyes meant.
Life is not easy...
Chapter 32: The Joy of a Dominant CEO!
"Shameless!"
Suddenly, an unharmonious whisper interrupted Ye Nan's rare philosophical state of mind.
"Such a slut!"
"Look at that, flirting with customers again!"
"No wonder her business is so good!"
"Aish, I'm so jealous. Blame my parents for teaching me too well, or else I'd be a bit more cheap and make money too!"
The owners of the nearby breakfast stalls were operating at maximum aggressiveness.
Two middle-aged women were consumed by pure, impotent jealousy.
One middle-aged man was driven by pure, unsatisfied lust.
Shumei's stall was the only one with an actual storefront.
All the other breakfast stands were just set up on temporary tables.
It seemed Shumei's business really was that good.
Hearing the surrounding remarks, Shumei's body trembled slightly, and a look of panicked unease flashed through her eyes.
Yet she quickly adjusted herself, returning to normal as if she had heard nothing at all.
Clearly, she was accustomed to such malicious slander.
Furthermore, she was accustomed to yielding, choosing non-action and non-retaliation.
"Who knows if she puts some kind of drug in her buns!"
The middle-aged woman frying pancakes at the side curled her lip, looking petty and vicious as she continued to output.
Shumei's forbearance did not bring about a peaceful resolution.
"Of course she does!" another woman making steamed rice chimed in with a laugh. "Didn't you smell that weird, slutty-yet-fragrant odor coming from the buns!"
As they spoke, the two covered their mouths and chuckled smugly.
On the other side, the lecherous uncle frying dough sticks was inflamed by this exchange; his triangular eyes glowed with heat as he savagely carved a few looks over Shumei's body.
Shumei's body shook even more violently.
Her eye sockets also grew somewhat damp.
The pair of delicate, slender hands busy at work were no longer as nimble as before.
She bit her lip, struggling to maintain a calm expression.
Sigh... damn life...
Ye Nan sighed inwardly.
He was no bleeding heart.
Ever since he was a little kid, the old geezer had told him his heart was stored in a refrigeration unit.
After years of bloodshed and slaughter, it had long since been moved from the refrigerator to the freezer.
But...
Who told him he had just engaged in a spiritual communion with Mengde earlier...
Acting as if nothing were wrong, Ye Nan pulled a steamed bun from the plastic bag in his hand and took a huge bite.
"Oh mother dear, so good!"
Ye Nan wasn't exaggerating; Shumei's buns had paper-thin skin and massive fillings, and the meat filling used some sort of secret sauce that made it exceptionally fresh and refreshing.
Hearing Ye Nan's heartfelt affirmation, the wronged Shumei finally saw a trace of gratification and a sense of achievement pierce through her gaze.
She almost wanted to say again: If it tastes good, please trouble yourself to come support the business more often.
But the moment she moved her lips, her whole body shuddered; she cast a timid, fearful glance at the breakfast stalls on either side and closed her mouth.
"Boss lady, these buns of yours are awesome!"
"Freaking delicious!"
Ye Nan gave a generous thumbs-up.
The bosses of the neighboring stalls all wore looks of jealous yet impotent frustration.
Country bumpkin!
Never eaten anything good in your entire life!
A few steamed buns—look at that pathetic expression of yours!
"Thank you!"
The moisture in the corners of Shumei's eyes rose another notch.
She wasn't some naive young girl anymore; naturally, she could see that this clean yet not particularly sunny young man was deliberately cheering her up.
"How many are left?" Ye Nan asked with his mouth full, chewing voraciously while clutching a bun.
"What?" Shumei was startled.
"The buns," Ye Nan pointed to the steamer trays, "including the ones wrapped up but not steamed yet."
"A little over a hundred..." Shumei replied instinctively.
Running the shop all by herself, preparing the ingredients every night and waking up at dawn to wrap them fresh, she usually sold around just over two hundred a day.
Ye Nan pulled out his phone and scanned the QR code, "I'll take them all. Pack up the ones already steamed for me to take now, and steam the unsteamed ones quickly and send them over to Villa Number 8, Zone C when they're done."
"Beep! Alipay received, 5,000 yuan!"
A fairly loud notification sound rang out inside the shop.
"Ah?!"
Shumei was dumbfounded!
She... she would take them all?!
What did this mean...
The petty women and lecherous uncle at the neighboring stalls popped their eyes wide open.
The pancake-making woman was so dazed that her finger accidentally brushed against the hot griddle, causing her to let out a ghost-like howl.
"Not enough?" Seeing Shumei dazed, Ye Nan calmly lowered his head like an unrivaled dominant CEO and tapped his screen a few times.
"Alipay received, 5,000 yuan!"
Another notification sound rang out like a mischievous thunderclap, bouncing back and forth in the hearts of the other stall owners, even drumming out a rhythm.
"Gulp!" The woman making steamed rice swallowed hard, her eyes betraying an uncontrollable greed.
The lecherous uncle frying dough sticks twisted the corner of his mouth as a droplet of saliva fell into the boiling oil pan, hissing with a "sizzle."
"Still not enough?" Seeing Shumei still frozen in a daze, Ye Nan calmly asked again.
This dog of a man was only calm on the surface.
Inside...
He was thrilled!
Freaking awesome!
Was this the joy of a dominant CEO?
Was this the thrill of pelting people with money?
Was this the confidence of predecessors like Long Aotian and Ye Chen?
He didn't realize that using a mere ten thousand bucks to throw around would make seniors like Long and Ye kick him out of the chat group for sheer embarrassment.
Did Ye Nan feel a pang of heartache over ten thousand yuan?
That was literally the entire balance in his account.
His five senior sisters hadn't paid their service fees yet.
Haiqing Group hadn't paid out wages yet.
In the past, Ye Nan would never have dared to act this arrogant even if you beat him to death.
But now.
Why panic a bit!
A black card was resting quietly right in his pants pocket.
Small in size, massive in energy.
So warm, so reassuring!
President Qi, actually the right side of my cheek has a slightly larger surface area, so you can fling two cards at once next time~
"Enough!!"
Shumei finally snapped back to her senses, acting as if she had stepped on an electric wire and nearly taking off on the spot.
"No, no, no!" Immediately afterward, she waved her hands frantically, her face a mask of panic and fluster, "Too much, too much! We don't need anywhere near that many..."
"Save it as a balance," Ye Nan waved his hand indifferently, his tone carrying three parts casualness, three parts arrogance, another three parts arrogance, and a final single part arrogance.
"From now on, I want all the steamed buns every single day."
"Find me to reload when the money runs out."
Watching the looks of near-homicidal jealousy the neighboring stall owners were giving Shumei, Ye Nan felt an internal rush of pleasure.
Because those people also cast a portion of their gaze toward Ye Nan—and that was pure awe!
"But this... this..." Shumei was completely flustered, her slender hands repeatedly wiping her apron in anxious panic.
Ten thousand yuan was already two months of pure income for her.
"Got some difficulty?" Ye Nan raised an eyebrow. "Don't want to make money?"
"Ah! No, no!" Shumei hurriedly waved her hands.
She desperately needed the money.
That panicked look possessed a sort of girlish cuteness, making her even more alluring.
"Then what are you standing there for? Pack them up." Ye Nan gave a light smile.
"Oh, oh, right..." Shumei then scrambled in a fluster to pack up all the steamed buns that were already done.
Her heart was racing at a super-accelerated speed.
If her body hadn't forcefully imposed a speed limit on her, she probably would have started walking halfway out of sheer shock.
Ye Nan nodded in satisfaction, gazing around at those three gossiping blockheads like an unmatched martial arts master while leisurely humming to himself, "Boss lady, I really envy you—getting off work so early in the morning."
"Unlike us wage slaves, who still have to bitterly go to work and hustle for business, sigh..."
He said "us," but his eyes were looking directly at "them."
Those three blockheads instantly felt as though they had been forced to swallow shit and then smeared across the face, their complexions turning pitch-black.
They were hit with an urge to vomit blood.
The gazes of all three darted back and forth between Shumei and the phone in Ye Nan's hand, repeating the motion more than a dozen times.
Ten thousand yuan!
For doing absolutely nothing, ten thousand yuan!
But thinking about it carefully, this ten thousand yuan was practically earned for Shumei by the three of them.
Had it not been for their loose mouths, today would have been just another ordinary day for Shumei.
Thinking of this, they felt an urge to die right then and there—filled with regret, heartache, and an impulse to scratch at the walls!
The gears of fate sometimes turned in such a bizarre fashion.
Hearing this, Shumei paused, stared blankly at Ye Nan, and could no longer control her impulse as small pearl-like tears bounced and tumbled from her eye sockets.
If she still didn't understand that this young man was standing up to vent her frustrations, she truly would have lived through the beatings of society in vain.
The bitterness, grievance, unwillingness, and helplessness in her heart all rushed to her throat in an instant.
She felt a strong impulse to pour out her entire story to this stranger.
Yet her choked throat couldn't produce even a single syllable.
Even if she could make a sound, would she speak?
No.
There was something that would stop her.
It went by the scientific name: a b*tch's sense of boundaries.
Chapter 33: Sleep Any Later and It's Lunchtime!
Amidst Shumei's endless expressions of gratitude, Ye Nan strolled away leisurely, carrying several bags of steamed buns.
Returning to the villa, Lin Qingrou was already up and had just finished washing up.
"Where did you go so early in the morning?"
Ye Nan hoisted the bags of steamed buns and gave them a shake. "Bought breakfast."
Lin Qingrou frowned slightly. "Why did you buy so many steamed buns?"
"To eat."
"How long are you going to be eating this many?"
"Eat them slowly, naturally."
Ye Nan walked into the kitchen and stuffed all the buns into the refrigerator, leaving out only seven or eight—enough for three people.
Lin Qingrou stared at Ye Nan for a moment, her beautiful eyes flashing with light.
"Take me to have a look at the shop where you bought these buns in a moment."
"No, why are you—ow..."
Ye Nan broke character in a single second.
Lin Qingrou sneered.
She knew this fellow hadn't just bought buns for no reason!
"Brother-in-law..."