Yang Yuxin Arrives as Promised

Clearly, Su Xian'er was upset. This was understandable given her inherent distaste for Yang Yuxin and now with her mother's incessant praises for the same woman. Moreover, her mother was keenly pushing for a marriage between Su Chen and Yang Yuxin.

If Su Xian'er wasn't miffed by all this, Su Chen would think something was amiss in their relationship dynamic. The door to Su Xian'er's room was unlocked. Instead of knocking, Su Chen chose to just walk in. From his experience reading manga, such abrupt entries could sometimes lead to unexpected sights.

Over the years, Su Chen had spent a significant amount on manga subscriptions, especially those without any censorship. From them, he had learned quite a bit. Currently, Su Xian'er was standing before a mirror, admiring her alluring physique. Dressed in minimal attire, she showcased her long legs and slim waist; she was truly breathtaking.

But Su Xian'er wasn't content. Despite her beauty, she wasn't sure if she outclassed Yang Yuxin. If she wasn't clearly superior, then in her eyes, they were rivals. When she felt Su Chen's intense gaze, instead of getting annoyed, she felt a hint of joy. But she hid her feelings and lamented, "It seems mother is hell-bent on having you married to Yang Yuxin. If that happens, I might just end up being a mere consort, a woman without proper status in your life."

Su Chen attempted to pacify her, "Don't take mother's words to heart. Yang Yuxin didn't even show up today. And even if you were a consort, I'd still adore you." Su Xian'er sharply retorted, "You might as well become the consort, you and your entire family!" Su Chen was exasperated. Evidently, placating a jealous woman was no easy task, but he had to try.

Suddenly, Su Xian'er's mood shifted, she cheekily said, "Why don't we have a child? Then our parents won't have any grounds to separate us. And neither will that cunning Yang Yuxin!" 

Su Chen was taken aback and replied, "Let's not rush, there's always time." 

Su Xian'er, in a teasing manner, responded, "You're just scared of our parents finding out."

She leaned closer with a sly smile, whispering, "When the time comes, I'll simply tell them that I'm carrying their son's child." 

Startled, Su Chen quickly silenced her, throwing a nervous glance towards the door, "Why are you speaking so loudly? What if someone overhears us!" The more Su Chen thought about it, the more he felt Su Xian'er was deliberately trying to provoke the situation. Su Xian'er, however, wished her mother would find out, removing any excuse Su Chen had.

In Su Xian'er's eyes, neither Yang Yuxin nor Lin Qingyan stood a chance against her. In the future, maybe she'd magnanimously let them serve as maids. Concealing her amusement, she stealthily moved closer to Su Chen, softly asking, "What if mom really finds out? She must have some suspicions already."

Su Chen complained internally, "How could you even mention it? If not for you, would mother have suspected?" What a wicked woman! Seeing Su Chen's skeptical look, Su Xian'er felt a bit guilty.

She cleared her throat and said with conviction, "Think about it. Mother is so observant; she can instantly pick up on your ill-intentioned glances towards others." Ah, so I'm the scapegoat now. Why doesn't she consider how she looks at me, as if there's something on my face?

Su Chen finally understood. "Don't worry too much. Even if mother suspects, she doesn't have any solid evidence. At most, she'll just be curious. And she doesn't even know the exact nature of our relationship." 

The fact that Su Xian'er was adopted was a well-guarded secret in the Su family. The level of confidentiality maintained by Chen Qing was very high. Only the couple was aware of it, and over time, there was no reason for Su Chen and Su Xian'er to figure it out.

Suddenly, Su Chen thought of a serious question and asked, "Have you ever thought about looking for any siblings you might have?" 

Su Xian'er questioned, "Su Chen, what are you up to?" 

Su Chen's expression turned dark, "I was just expressing concern." Actually, he was recalling what Yang Yuxin had told him earlier – she could help by drugging Yang Danxuan. Su Xian'er hummed in response. She knew Su Chen wasn't being entirely truthful, but his words still made her inexplicably happy.

Suddenly, Su Xian'er turned and posed a serious question, "Remember the gift I gave you? You didn't leave it at home, did you?" Her expression shifted. She intended it as a thoughtful gift and hadn't given it much thought at the time. But if it were to be discovered now, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Su Chen reassured her, "Don't worry, it won't be found." Noticing her puzzled look, he knew he couldn't say he'd discarded it, suspecting she had ulterior motives. That would be suicidal.

"How did you even think of giving me black stockings as a gift? I'm genuinely curious," Su Chen decided to change the subject. Su Xian'er blushed, explaining in a whisper that boys apparently liked the color black. Who came up with that? That's misleading. Su Chen decided to set her straight, "Boys don't just like black stockings; they like the person wearing them." Su Xian'er gave him a sidelong glance, her face showing clear disdain.

"However, right now, it's easy for mother to suspect us. So, in front of them, we should maintain our previous demeanor. You need to keep up that aloof image, okay?" Su Chen nodded in agreement, "This way, mother won't be suspicious." Su Xian'er retorted, "That won't do. Isn't that giving Yang Yuxin an advantage?" 

She sat on the bed, visibly upset. 

"Can't you just behave when we're alone, like now? We can be ourselves. For example, could you massage my legs right now? They're a bit sore," Su Chen placed his legs in front of Su Xian'er.

"Go away, I don't want to!" Su Xian'er shot a resentful glance at Su Chen and adjusted herself. Su Chen immediately grew discontented. No matter where Su Xian'er went, he persistently extended his leg towards her, appearing as if he wouldn't rest until she gave in to massaging him.

Lifting her gaze, Su Xian'er exclaimed, "Mom, your son is bullying me. Mom!" Rising from her seat, she approached Chen Qing with her grievance. Su Chen was left dumbfounded, thinking this woman was truly overreacting. They'd only just settled on being discreet about their closeness. But now, she was actively involving her mother. Grumbling, Su Chen trailed behind her.

In the dining hall, Su Xian'er was already settled at the table, eating her meal bit by bit. Every so often, Chen Qing engaged her in conversations about the company's affairs. Discussions about the marriage arrangements hardly came up. Chen Qing didn't really want Yang Yuxin to marry so soon; it was all a tactic to pressurize Su Chen.

Moreover, the mother-daughter duo seemed engrossed in a popular drama on their phone, "The Legend of Zhen Huan". Su Xian'er, emotionally charged, passionately critiqued the on-screen characters. She even began revealing major plot twists, which irked Chen Qing who snapped, "You've told me the whole story! What's left for me to watch?"

"Sorry, Mom, I got carried away!" Su Xian'er hurriedly apologized. Casting a reproachful look at Su Chen, who had just entered, he decided to ignore it, sitting down and focusing on his meal. Shortly, he received a message from Yang Yuxin. Sneaking a glance at Su Xian'er to ensure she was none the wiser, he read, "I'm hungry, care to join me for dinner?"

Hiding his phone slightly from Su Xian'er, he replied, "Perhaps another time. It'd be an honor to dine with a beauty like you." Yang Yuxin's playful response came, "Stop the flattery. I just want to see you." She attached an image that left Su Chen befuddled. But somehow, with his current perspective, her actions seemed even more endearing.

Teasingly, he typed back, "I'd genuinely love to, but I'm really tied up right now." Her understanding reply came quickly. As he set his phone down, the doorbell rang. The house staff moved to answer but Chen Qing halted them. Grinning at her son, she said, "It must be Yuxin. Why don't you open the door?"

Staring incredulously at his mother, Su Chen mumbled, "What's going on?" 

"Do I need your consent for her to visit?" Chen Qing, a hint of exasperation in her voice, retorted, "Just go and see who it is." Resigned, Su Chen made his way to the door. Yang Yuxin stood there, her face illuminated with a mischievous grin, holding her phone, clearly anticipating his reaction.

The raw love in her unadorned face was evident when Yang Yuxin saw Su Chen. "Oh, I knew you'd be occupied, so I decided to visit. Now, you can see me," she declared, taking Su Chen's hand and walking inside.

Reflecting upon Yang Yuxin's words, Su Chen sighed, "Was she just trying to coax such a response from me earlier? These female leads can really be demanding." His gaze then shifted to Su Xian'er. It wasn't that he disliked Yang Yuxin, but she seemed too eager to define their relationship. Especially with the presence of the explosive Su Xian'er nearby. Women really know how to challenge one another. Both hailed from esteemed families in the capital and should be acting more reserved.

Leading Yang Yuxin to the dining area, her voice, soft and sweet, intimated, "Su Chen, I'm getting hungry." 

"Well then, serve her some food!" Chen Qing cast an impatient glance at Su Chen, prompting him to take action. In the meantime, Yang Yuxin's gaze found the silent Su Xian'er, her main adversary in her eyes. Not only were they living together, but their intimate whispers also reached her ears. If not for the public setting, Su Xian'er might have actually lost her cool, "This woman is showing off right in front of me."

Yang Yuxin's arrival delighted Chen Qing even more. The two chatted about daily life. Cleverly, Yang Yuxin focused on the shared topic between the two: the marriage between Su Chen and Lin Qingyan. Trying to connect, she whispered, "Mom, it's my fault for not helping Su Chen dissolve his engagement with Lin Qingyan." Su Chen sat down, mentally applauding her tactical retreat. It looked like an apology, highlighting her own faults.

Chen Qing, with a comforting smile, reassured, "Everything's fine now, I'll step in." Brilliant, thought Su Chen. Direct assistance from mom! Even though he had a soft spot for Lin Qingyan, Su Chen remained silent. Speaking in her favor would mean crossing three formidable women. He decided it was best to keep quiet.

"By the way, I've officially started my own venture now. But there are still some insecurities. I fear I might make mistakes. I wonder if Xian'er has any valuable experiences she could share?" Yang Yuxin asked, feigning concern. Su Xian'er's eyes sparkled, her voice dripping with sweetness, "I don't have any particular expertise. Mostly, my brother would comfort me at home, allowing me to achieve such great results outside." A counter from Su Xian'er.

Even if Yang Yuxin had every right to marry Su Chen, Su Xian'er subtly hinted that by the time Yang did so, Su Xian'er's children with him would be grown up. Feeling Chen Qing's disapproving gaze, Su Chen hurriedly served food to Yang Yuxin. He didn't neglect Su Xian'er either. Otherwise, he doubted they'd get through this meal. Both Yang Yuxin and Su Xian'er recognized the delicate atmosphere and decided not to push their rivalry any further, at least for now.

All these strange behaviors were clearly noticed by Chen Qing. She narrowed her eyes, her thoughts inscrutable. Chen Qing then asked, "As far as I remember, you don't live with your parents anymore, right? That's not ideal. When you get busier with the company, you'll definitely need someone to look after you."

"Why don't I find a maid for you? Someone who can take care of all your daily needs!" Su Xian'er pretended to say with genuine concern. However, before Yang Yuxin could reply, Chen Qing voiced her own thoughts. "Why hire a maid? Su Chen has been taking good care of you. Why not just have Yuxin move in with him? That way, Su Chen can take care of both of you at the same time."

Taking care of both of them? With what means? Su Chen couldn't even begin to imagine such a scenario. But he mused, if Lin Qingyan were here too, could he suppress both of them? The thought was indeed tantalizing.

In the end, Yang Yuxin did not agree with Chen Qing's proposal. Not because she didn't want to, but she believed the time wasn't right. Moreover, she was aware of Su Xian'er's departure and with Chen Qing currently around, things were bearable. Without her, wouldn't she be subjected to Su Xian'er's taunts daily? She wouldn't accept that. For now, she felt she had the upper hand.

Su Xian'er was truly infuriated, venting her frustrations by glaring intensely at Su Chen. It was inevitable; even though she wasn't the "other woman", her position was inherently disadvantaged. If push comes to shove, she could always lay her cards on the table. She discerned that Chen Qing and Su Long probably wouldn't mind that much. The real concern was Su Chen. So, the root of all her problems was undeniably Su Chen!