Bai Yue continually reminded herself not to be anxious. "Once this period ends, everything Han Yanyan has, I will have too," she whispered. Yet, an unavoidable sense of loss began to creep in.
In her past, life was frugal for her. It wasn't until she graduated and got close to Qiao Wenxing that she had her first taste of luxury. When Qiao Wenxing gifted her lavish items, it wasn't merely a show of wealth. He genuinely admired Bai Yue's tranquil nature. Her simplicity was a beauty in his eyes.
He purchased these things purely out of affection, thinking they suited her—not for the sake of flaunting money. Each item he presented carried meaning, devoid of any stench of wealth.
Before revealing everything to Han Yanyan, Qiao Wenxing and Bai Yue remained low-profile. He had never taken her to any significant events. Bai Yue hadn't had the chance to experience the vibrant life of high society. To her, people like Han Yanyan were just those with more money than ordinary folks; nothing remarkable.
After being together with Qiao Wenxing, Bai Yue’s life improved greatly compared to her classmates. Many of her peers were sharing rentals after graduation, frequently venting about troublesome roommates and odd landlords in their class group chats. As for Bai Yue, even in D City or M City, Qiao Wenxing's choice of high-end apartment was something she had only dared to dream about before. She always felt life was already quite beautiful.
That is, until she witnessed the engagement ceremony between Han Yanyan and Qiao Chengyu.
Just an engagement, not even the wedding, yet it was so grand and opulent that it left her breathless. Trying to maintain her previous calm demeanor and not feel lost was nearly impossible. Still, she didn’t express her feelings outright; she hoped that Qiao Wenxing would sense something was off.
But Qiao Wenxing was too busy with his blossoming business to pay attention to her sudden, inexplicable emotions. Every time he faced financial difficulties, he could only call his mother.
Despite a ruckus during the last call, he knew she was his mother, and as the only son, no overnight grievances could last. His mother, Qiao Mu, had been discreetly supporting him against his father’s wishes.
Qiao Wenxing had to call his mother because he discovered that his former "friends" were unwilling to lend him money. Their reasons varied, each leaving him speechless.
“Yanyan was my friend too. How can I lend you money when you’re turning your back on her?” one said.
“Not gonna happen. Your father made it clear: anyone who lends you money is going against him. Dad warned me not to lend you a cent. Don’t blame me; blame your father,” another added.
Reluctantly, Qiao Wenxing found himself calling his mother.
To get the funds, he had to endure her tears, nagging, and cruel remarks about Bai Yue. Upon arriving in M City, he had even switched Bai Yue’s phone number to keep his mother from contacting her, striving to protect her fully. As a man, he couldn't stand seeing Bai Yue suffer because of him.
Now, living in such a cramped apartment felt like a grievance for her. She never complained and acted as if being with him made her happy and content. Every time Qiao Wenxing saw her busy in the kitchen, his heart softened.
So, when Bai Yue mentioned her parents would be visiting, he thought little of it.
What surprised him was when Bai Yue's parents arrived and directly moved into the apartment. Though he felt awkward, he didn’t want to seem petty; after all, he wasn't home during the day and usually returned late at night. Moreover, Bai Yue's parents treated him warmly, grateful for the help he’d given them. He just found it uncomfortable to have them around, yet he couldn’t voice that either. A grown man shouldn’t fuss over such matters.
However, the clutter and mess that came with their stay unsettled him further. So he began returning home even later. Fortunately, Bai Yue seemed to notice and persuaded her parents to return home after just a week, which greatly relieved Qiao Wenxing.
Neither Qiao Wenxing nor Bai Yue anticipated the shock Bai Yue’s parents had regarding their apartment. They had never seen such a luxurious residence with exquisite décor and high-end furniture. It was astonishing for them that this large apartment housed just Qiao Wenxing and Bai Yue.
So one weekend, when a sleepy Bai Yue received a call from the security guard saying someone claiming to be her younger brother was visiting, she was taken aback.
Bai Yue's brother arrived, dragging a suitcase and cheerfully calling Qiao Wenxing "brother-in-law." Bai Yue was bewildered and asked him why he was there. He replied, “Mom and Dad said this place is big and it feels lonely with just you two. They sent me to keep you company.”
Bai Yue felt dizzy.
Her brother then added, “Brother-in-law, Mom and Dad told me you started a company. Can you get me a job? Just a small one; I can be a manager.”
Qiao Wenxing frowned. He knew Bai Yue’s brother had just a vocational school education. What could he possibly do at his company? And he dared to ask to be a manager right away? Yet, seeing the uncomfortable and anxious expression on Bai Yue’s face, he held back his thoughts.
Qiao Wenxing told Bai Yue, “You know how things are at the company. I can only have him help with business stuff for now, nothing more. Let him stay here a few days, and we'll talk about it once he finds his footing.”
Bai Yue understood her family’s situation and dared not make further demands. She worried about Qiao Wenxing’s idea of “a few days.” When she discussed this with her brother, he was huffy upon hearing that he could only be a salesperson. He frowned, “Isn't this your brother-in-law's company? It shouldn’t be hard to get a managerial position with just a word from him!”
Bai Yue patiently explained, “Running a company is about making money. You don’t know anything; how can you be a manager? How can you earn everyone’s respect? If you only favor family, how would your brother-in-law manage anything? Look at me; I’m just a secretary. You should start at the bottom, perform well, and you’ll naturally get promoted.”
Though her brother reluctantly accepted her reasoning, he was still quite unhappy. His temper flared, and Bai Yue didn’t dare to suggest he move out on his own.
Bai Yue's brother began working at the company and immediately boasted about his connection to the wealthy family. Colleagues raised their eyebrows in surprise. His manager consulted Qiao Wenxing, who sighed, “Just let him do his job. I pay him to work, not to slack off.”
Previously at the Qiao Corporation, Qiao Wenxing would have had no issues supporting a few acquaintances. But now, with almost nothing, in this small office, he could only tolerate Bai Yue as someone not working. Others had no right to benefit from his hard work.
Bai Yue's brother was used to a life of leisure. Although he had had a few jobs in the past, none lasted long. He had initially believed living with his wealthy brother-in-law would be a cushy life, but the oblivious manager assigned him actual work. He often complained, filled with grievances.
This prompted Bai Yue to speak with the manager privately. Though soft-spoken, her request went against Qiao Wenxing’s wishes, asking the manager to turn a blind eye toward her brother and be more lenient. The manager understood her intentions and began to ignore Bai Yue's brother, giving him only trivial tasks.
This situation did not satisfy Bai Yue's brother either. As a salesperson, he didn’t have fixed hours, and while his colleagues rushed around, he lounged in the apartment, playing games.
As time passed, Qiao Wenxing asked Bai Yue if her brother had found a place to live yet. Bai Yue hesitated. Upon further questioning, she tearfully remarked, “He hasn’t lived away from home much; I truly worry about him being alone. Can he stay a bit longer, please?”
Bai Yue’s brother spent most of his days hiding in his room gaming, not appearing as irritating as her parents had been. Qiao Wenxing felt uneasy but forgave it for Bai Yue’s sake.
After six or seven months of leaving D City, his business began to stabilize and slightly improve. He was busier than ever and truly had no extra energy to deal with this brother-in-law situation.
At that moment, his mother called, abruptly cutting off his financial support. Qiao Wenxing was taken aback. “Why?”
His mother’s tone was unusually firm. “I was wrong from the beginning. I shouldn’t have given you any money. If you were broke, you would have come back and wouldn’t have let that bastard take advantage of you! Don’t you understand? At this rate, he will usurp your position!”
Qiao Wenxing didn’t believe it. “How can that be? Dad doesn't even like him; he only wants to push me around.”
His mother growled, “Like or dislike, he is still your father’s son! Just like you! And he…"
She could not get the words out; for a mother to admit that her husband’s illegitimate child was superior to her own was a deeply painful admission.
She gritted her teeth in anger. “Your father has already let him into the core management of the Corporation! This person is frightening; he knows how to win people's hearts!”
Using “winning hearts” to describe the recognition of the illegitimate son’s abilities struck a nerve in Qiao Wenxing. He felt a vague sense of unease growing within him.
There could only be one heir. For a family, inheritance, assets, and power shouldn’t be overly diluted. The heir holds the majority; the rest can only share the crumbs.
Could it be that his father would truly abandon him?
One day, Qiao Wenxing asked Bai Yue, “If I can’t inherit the Qiao Corporation, what will you do?”
“What can I do?” Bai Yue was surprised, replying as a matter of course. “Of course, I’ll continue to be with you.”
Qiao Wenxing felt somewhat relieved.
Bai Yue added, “My parents taught me, ‘A good woman doesn’t live on her wedding gown.’ Everyone should rely on themselves. I stopped asking my parents for pocket money while in college; I worked to earn my living expenses. If I can do this, how much more capable are you? You’re amazing!”
Bai Yue’s admiration for Qiao Wenxing had once felt natural to him. But now, he could only smile wryly. However, he never voiced, “I’m not as impressive as you think.”
Because of this, he ended up in another fierce argument with his mother, ultimately hanging up the phone and refusing to take her calls. Their relationship fell to an even colder level.
Qiao Wenxing was thankful that his mother had cut off his funds only after he started turning a profit. Though he was tense, he managed to get by. He had genuinely grown fond of the little company he had built; every detail was reflective of his hard work.
A month later, the family computer suddenly fell victim to a virus, damaging several important files. It turned out that Bai Yue’s brother had played games on it without his knowledge, leading to the infection.
Qiao Wenxing was furious. He had never allowed anyone to use his possessions without permission, especially something as personal and important as his computer. With Bai Yue’s brother staying for almost two months, Qiao Wenxing’s patience was wearing thin.
He ordered Bai Yue to make her brother move out immediately, and Bai Yue, pale-faced, gently agreed. She rented a small apartment for him and sent him away. Bai Yue's brother was annoyed by Qiao Wenxing's attitude and welcomed the chance to live independently without anyone hovering over him.
Moreover, it was still Bai Yue who would pay his rent.
However, Bai Yue’s parents were furious and called to scold Bai Yue. How could such a spacious apartment not accommodate a boy?
Furthermore, the apartment Bai Yue rented for her brother was neither luxurious nor even a new building; it was an old and shabby place! Bai Yue’s parents were most outraged by her apparent comfort while their son suffered.
Bai Yue couldn’t counter her parents’ anger and ended up crying after the phone call. The reason behind her grievance was her brother, yet she dared not tell Qiao Wenxing, keeping everything bottled up inside. She felt increasingly down, while Qiao Wenxing was busier than ever with no time to comfort her; he had no energy left to make her happy, leaving Bai Yue feeling distraught.
Amidst the busy days, the company suffered a theft, losing several laptops. Qiao Wenxing reported to the police, who apprehended the thief with ease.
In the police station, Bai Yue's brother sobbed, “This is my sister’s company! If I take a few laptops, she wouldn’t mind. Please bring her in so we can clear this up!”
Outside, hearing all this made Bai Yue nearly faint. Qiao Wenxing’s expression darkened tremendously.
Bai Yue’s brother had plundered the company, wanting to act wealthy like in games. When his funds ran short, he had his sights set on the company instead. His petty thefts weren’t his first offense, as before, the trivial items he had pilfered were mostly overlooked by his coworkers, given the close relationship. After all, it was the boss’s little brother-in-law; it was just family business.
Who could have predicted he would dare to steal four or five laptops at once, containing critical company files?
Qiao Wenxing went over the financial reports handed to him and called Bai Yue into his office. Pointing to the reimbursements for Bai Yue's brother’s rent, he declared angrily, “Where did this money come from? Tell him to go back where he came from!”
As the young master, his temper was undeniable.
Tears streamed down Bai Yue’s face in response.