Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 24: A Conversation Between Two Men

However, their ambiguous behavior left Li Xiaowan feeling a bit at a loss—she didn’t know whether to step forward or back. Fortunately, Yu Feilan, who was inside the inner room, happened to glance up and spot her. “Xiaowan, you’re back. Have you taken care of the task I assigned you?” Yu Feilan had finally found a lifeline; he certainly didn’t want to remain in Feng Yan’s ambiguous embrace any longer, especially in an office setting. Deep down, however, he didn’t dislike Feng Yan at all—in fact, he regarded her as his own younger sister. “It’s all taken care of. Also, Feng Dong asked me to pass on something else that I think you should know about—and since you’re here, I thought you could help me relay it. He said he’s revoking the two-percentage-point discount he previously offered to the other Company. They’ve accepted it and said they’ll definitely host a welcome banquet for him sometime soon.” ” Li Xiaowan didn’t want to have too much interaction with Feng Lingzheng, so she decided to take this opportunity to have Yu Feilan pass along the message the other Company’s general manager had asked her to convey. That way, she’d not only be relieved of the burden but also avoid having to see someone she didn’t want to see against her will. “The other company is truly magnanimous. All right, I’ll be sure to pass this on to Feng Dong. Xiaowan, you can go back to work now!” Yu Feilan said with great satisfaction. She had heard about Li Xiaowan’s competence even before transferring her to the top floor; with a little more training, she would definitely become her right-hand woman. “Yes, President Yu,” Li Xiaowan replied, turning to return to her office. But just as she turned, a flash of venom shot from Feng Yan’s eyes toward her—though it lasted only a split second, for Feng Yan didn’t want the person she cared about to see that side of her. That’s right—she truly, deeply loved Yu Feilan, ever since she was in kindergarten. Back then, her older brothers had been sent to study in the United States, leaving her alone in China. Consequently, the responsibility of protecting her naturally fell to the son of the Yu Group’s chairman—a close friend of Feng Lingzheng’s father—namely, Yu Feilan. But why Yu Feilan later chose to work at Fengyi Group instead of his father’s Company is a long story. Back then, Yu Feilan did indeed protect Feng Yan like a real older brother, ensuring she wasn’t harmed in any way. Yet to him, Feng Yan had always been nothing more than a younger sister. Unfortunately, Feng Yan had never viewed the relationship that way, nor had she ever tried to understand it more deeply. She simply assumed—in her own one-sided way—that Yu Feilan felt the same way about her as she did about him—that is, that he liked her and loved her deeply, just as she liked and deeply loved him. That’s just how matters of the heart are—there’s no right or wrong, only ties that are impossible to sever and a tangled web of emotions. “Yan'er, why don’t you go home first? I’ll come see you tonight, okay?” Yu Feilan said affectionately as he looked at Feng Yan. In his eyes, Feng Yan was a spoiled little sister—apart from being a bit willful at times, she was otherwise exceptional and utterly endearing. “Okay, I’ll listen to Brother Lan. Then I’ll head home right now to cook dinner myself and wait for you. Brother Lan, you can’t stand me up, okay!” Feng Yan relented at just the right moment, adopting an air of complete obedience as she spoke. “Don’t worry, I’d never stand you up. It’s been ages since I’ve tasted Yan'er’s cooking. I’ve missed you terribly while you were away from China.” Yu Feilan was speaking the truth; Feng Yan’s Western cuisine was truly exceptional, with a unique flavor that left a lasting impression. “That’s great. Well then, Brother Lan, I’m heading back now! See you tonight!” After saying this, Feng Yan caught Yu Feilan off guard and planted a deep, fragrant kiss on his cheek. Before Yu Feilan could even react, Feng Yan had vanished into the office. As she left, she didn’t even say goodbye to Li Xiaowan but walked straight out. However, as she passed by Li Xiaowan, she stole a glance out of the corner of her eye at Li Xiaowan, who was buried in her work, her gaze filled with a complex mix of emotions. By then, it was almost time to clock out. Li Xiaowan couldn’t help but think to herself: Since I’m back early, I might as well stick to the plan I made with Qi Xin'er earlier—to go out to dinner together after work. So, while she was in the restroom, she quietly sent Qi Xin'er a text message, asking her to be sure to wait for her downstairs. Unexpectedly, as soon as she returned to her office, she saw a face as grim as Judge Bao’s, sitting at her desk and staring intently at her—the only thing missing was a gaping maw, which would have made Li Xiaowan think that person was about to devour her in the very next second. “Where have you been! You’ve completed the task I assigned you—why didn’t you come to my office in person to report it, instead of having President Yu relay the message?” Feng Lingzheng said, her authority commanding respect without a trace of anger. He really was a persistent ghost—how could she run into him everywhere she went? But Li Xiaowan had forgotten that the Company belonged to him in the first place! “I figured you must be very busy, so I didn’t want to bother you over such a minor matter,” Li Xiaowan said, trying to pass off her reason for not coming in person as a well-intentioned gesture. But given her consistently unfriendly attitude in the past, it didn’t take a genius to see just how hypocritical those words were. Excellent. The woman before him was different from all those who had previously tried to curry favor with him—from head to toe, inside and out. She exuded a sense of novelty, and coupled with that familiar face, she was utterly irresistible. “All right, I’ll let you off the hook this time. This Friday at 8:00 p. m. , Feng Family Estate—don’t be late. A car will be there to pick you up. I hope you’ll behave yourself.” After Feng Lingzheng finished speaking, without waiting for Li Xiaowan’s reply, she turned and entered Yu Feilan’s office, slamming the door to the general manager’s office shut behind her. Inside the General Manager’s office. “I’m telling you, Chairman Feng Dong, just because every piece of paper, every stroke of ink, every flower and blade of grass, every table and chair, and every door and doorframe in the Company belong to The Feng Family as private property, that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want and recklessly destroy things!” Yu Feilan suppressed a chuckle and said solemnly. He wasn’t unaware of what had just happened outside; he’d simply chosen to remain silent. “Listen, President Yu, since when did you become so fussy? That’s not your usual style at all!” Feng Lingzheng retorted, refusing to back down. “Fine. So this is how you treat a loyal subordinate and close friend who has worked tirelessly for you all this time—and remains single to this day,” Yu Feilan said, sounding exceptionally aggrieved. “Is that my fault? Ever since you were a kid, there’s always been a stunning beauty who’s been pining for you and caring for you every single moment, yet you’ve always chosen to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.” Feng Lingzheng said this without any intention of blaming Yu Feilan; he knew full well that when it came to matters of the heart, no one could force Yu Feilan to do anything. As for Feng Lingzheng’s kind understanding, Yu Feilan had been aware of it from the very beginning. That’s why the matter involving Yu Fengyan hadn’t affected their revolutionary friendship in the slightest; on the contrary, it had deepened their mutual reliance and trust. During those perilous years in the United States, they had even been willing,willingly sacrificed their own lives for one another. However, in the end, fate did not go their way—or, to be precise, even the heavens were moved by the sincerity of their friendship and chose to rescue them both from the perilous situation that was already hanging by a thread. “All right, let’s not talk about that anymore. By the way, Yan'er stopped by earlier and asked me to come over to your place tonight for a Western-style dinner she’s cooking herself. It’s been ages since I’ve had anything she’s made.” ”Logically speaking, under these circumstances, Yu Feilan should be doing his best to avoid Feng Yan. However, Yu Feilan knew full well the saying, “You can run but you can’t hide,” not to mention the unbreakable bond of brotherhood between the Yu and The Feng Family. “That girl’s eyes light up whenever she mentions you, she gets distracted the moment she thinks of you, and she forgets all about her brother the instant she sees you—best not to bring it up!” Feng Lingzheng said with a sigh of resignation. The only regret was that, though the falling flower was willing, the flowing water remained indifferent. “Well… I’ve always made my stance and feelings toward Yan'er clear, but she stubbornly insists that I’ve always harbored deep feelings for her. What do you expect me to do? Am I supposed to tell her straight out, ‘I’ve never loved you, or even liked you—so please stop getting your hopes up’? Given Yan'er’s personality, you, as her older brother, surely know better than I do just how serious the consequences would be.” ” Yu Feilan said with a bitter smile. “Lan, I understand exactly what you’re saying. Don’t worry—Big Brother, Ye, Xiao Tong, and I will all be there to gently remind her not to cling to these illusions. It’s just that I can’t help but feel that even with all our best intentions, it won’t make much of a difference. If we don’t handle this carefully, it could very well backfire.” ” Feng Lingzheng certainly understood his younger sister very well. She suffered from acquired heart disease; although it had been kept under excellent control through medication and surgery, her attending physician had repeatedly warned that, to be on the safe side, she must never be subjected to any major emotional stress—otherwise, there was a high risk of relapse. Precisely for this reason, everyone around her had always been patient with her and doted on her. Of course, it wasn’t just because she had acquired heart disease that she received special treatment; even if she hadn’t had the condition, they would still care for and cherish her just as they did now. However, under the current circumstances, their care and affection were tempered by an extra measure of caution—all out of concern for her physical health—to ensure she wasn’t subjected to any stress. However, Feng Yan has not made good use of this special treatment; yet, since she has always concealed her true nature so well, no one has noticed anything unusual about her. “Zheng, I know—she’s not only your sister, but also mine. Deep down, I’ve long regarded her as my own flesh-and-blood sister. She’s outstanding, lively, and even a bit headstrong—in my eyes, all of these traits represent a unique kind of beauty. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, I would never say or do anything to hurt her. Even if such a day were to come, I would handle the situation with the utmost care.” ” Yu Feilan said with a serious expression, clearly showing just how earnest he was.