Chapter 242: The Half-Eaten Temptation

"You there, old lady—shouldn't you be home doting on your grandchildren instead of wandering around frightening children? That would certainly be more fitting for someone your age." 

It was Xiang Ri who spoke, his tone dripping with mockery as he directed his words at the gaudy, chicken-like old woman who had been grating on his nerves for some time. Now that she had gone so far as to insult his "brother," his retort was particularly scathing. 

As expected, the old woman's face twisted into a grotesque mask of fury. Her trembling finger pointed at Xiang Ri. "You... you dare call me old? I'll kill you!" 

Already unattractive, her face contorted further in anger, making her look truly terrifying. 

"Kill me? With those spineless shrimp you've got?" Xiang Ri cast a disdainful glance at the four boy-toy bodyguards behind her. Their glares only amused him further. 

"Kill him! Kill him for me!" the old woman shrieked, her composure completely shattered. 

The bodyguards, already irritated by Xiang Ri, were only too eager to act. It wasn't just about obeying the old woman to secure their livelihoods; their envy boiled over. While Xiang Ri had two beautiful women by his side, they, despite their youthful good looks and muscular physiques, were stuck serving a decrepit, hideous employer. The injustice gnawed at them, fueling their hostility. 

Driven by hatred and a desire to vent, they struck with full force, unconcerned about holding back. After all, with the old woman's connections, even killing someone wouldn't be a problem—she could easily sweep the matter under the rug. 

As the four burly men charged toward him, Fang Yingying and An Xin couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry, even though they knew of Xiang Ri's formidable strength. 

But their fears were unwarranted. To Xiang Ri, these lackeys were mere small fry. Seeing that they meant to strike with lethal intent, he discarded any notion of mercy. 

With a few resounding blows, the four bodyguards were sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. Blood sputtered from their mouths as they lay groaning in agony, clearly incapable of getting back up. 

Dusting off his hands as though he'd just completed a trivial task, Xiang Ri smirked at the dumbfounded old woman. "Hey, granny, still planning to embarrass yourself here? Why don't you go home and dote on your great-grandkids?" 

"You—!" The old woman's eyes bulged in rage, her claw-like hands trembling as though ready to pounce. But the icy gleam in Xiang Ri's eyes stopped her cold, sending a shiver down her spine. Instead, she turned her fury on her downed bodyguards. "You useless fools! Get up this instant!" 

Ignoring their grievous injuries, she stormed off, but not before throwing Xiang Ri a venomous glare. "Mark my words—you'll regret this!" 

"Honey, wait for me!" the pale-faced pretty boy whimpered, scrambling after her. 

A resounding slap greeted him as he caught up, but he dared not utter a word of protest, meekly trailing behind like a chastened dog. 

"Well, that takes care of that!" Xiang Ri declared, casually wrapping an arm around the slender waist of the woman beside him. 

The secretary squirmed but couldn't break free, finally speaking up with a helpless reminder, "Boss, thank you for stepping in just now." 

"Eh?" Xiang Ri froze, his smug expression vanishing. He didn't need to look to realize he'd grabbed the wrong person. An Xin, standing nearby, was already glaring daggers at him, her eyes ablaze with fury. 

Hastily releasing the secretary, he laughed nervously. "What are you saying? With our relationship, there's no need for thanks!" 

"Oh, really?" An Xin interjected, feigning casual curiosity. "Would you care to elaborate on what kind of relationship that might be?" 

Xiangu Ri wanted to slap himself. Why on earth had he brought that up? It was as though he'd poured fuel on the smoldering fire of An Xin's jealousy. 

Noticing her expression growing darker by the second, he hurried to her side, stammering, "Xin Xin, listen to me, it's not what you think—" 

Before he could finish, she cut him off coldly. "Save it. Why don't you stay here and enjoy the company of your secretary? I won't get in your way. Goodbye!" 

Snatching the ingredients from the man's hands, she turned away decisively, leaving him no opportunity to plead. 

"Xin Xin—" Xiang Ri barely managed a quick goodbye to the secretary before chasing after her, leaving the latter standing in thoughtful silence, watching their retreating figures. 

"Xiang Ri, explain yourself! What exactly is your relationship with her?" Despite his endless apologies along the way, An Xin remained unmoved. The moment they arrived home, she launched into her interrogation. 

"My dear wife..." Xiang Ri felt on the brink of despair. He could swear An Xin was the most jealous woman he'd ever met. "I've told you hundreds of times—she and I have nothing more than a subordinate-superior relationship. There's absolutely no inappropriate connection between us!" 

"Hmph!" An Xin's face was etched with a frosty sneer. "Even now, you think you can fool me? I told you not to go, but you still ran to her aid. Wasn't it because you were worried about your little lover? Do you think I don't know? Let me tell you this—today, if you don't explain everything clearly, don't even think about touching me ever again!" 

"You can't be serious, can you?" Xiang Ri tried to diffuse the tension with a sheepish grin, reaching out to embrace her. His go-to tactic of melting her anger with affection had worked countless times before. If not for the public setting earlier, he would have used it already. 

But this time, he was doomed to disappointment. Before his hand could even graze her, An Xin slapped it away forcefully. "Don't touch me!" It was evident that her anger was genuine this time. 

"Sigh—" Xiang Ri let out a bitter laugh. There was no getting past this without a proper explanation. He hadn't expected the usually carefree An Xin to be so fixated on the matter. Perhaps it wasn't just jealousy; maybe it was also the feeling of betrayal, knowing he had a company she wasn't aware of. 

"Xin Xin, don't be like this. Fine, I'll tell you everything!" Left with no alternative, Xiang Ri decided to reveal the "truth." 

"So, you finally admit it?" An Xin's teeth ground together, her fists clenched as though she were ready to knock him to the ground. 

"It's not what you think!" Xiang Ri protested, exasperated. "Here's what really happened..." 

He began recounting how he had met his secretary, explaining how a misunderstanding had left her with a poor impression of him. It wasn't until they traveled to France together that the misunderstanding was cleared, after which they became "good buddies." 

Of course, he tactfully omitted certain details. Xiang Ri had no intention of reigniting An Xin's immense jealousy. For instance, the so-called "Empress" was conveniently left out of his account—he didn't need the additional headache of explaining that woman's presence in his life. 

"That's it?" After hearing his explanation, An Xin's mood eased slightly. No matter how clever Xiang Ri was with words, it seemed unlikely he could concoct such an elaborate and convoluted lie on the spot. Besides, she could verify his story. Confirming there was no romantic connection between him and the secretary, she felt a sense of relief—albeit accompanied by a lingering unease. 

"Is it true that Xiangri Company belongs to you?" An Xin pressed further. 

"Without a doubt!" Xiang Ri nodded firmly. 

An Xin's heart tightened. "So, you must be quite familiar with Su Yu, the company's CEO, right?" 

Xiang Ri's expression flickered. "Not really. I've only met her twice, like I just said." 

"Hmph!" An Xin snorted. "Who knows if it's really just twice? Let me warn you—don't ever appear before her again, or don't blame me for what happens! And as for that secretary—what's her name, Fang something? You'd better stop seeing her too. If you have anything to discuss, call her. Whatever happens, you are not to meet her in person!" 

Pausing briefly, An Xin raised her voice. "Did you hear me?" 

"I heard you," Xiang Ri replied weakly. 

Finally satisfied, An Xin allowed a trace of triumph to appear on her face. "Fine, since you look so pitiful, I'll give you a reward. How about this: you don't have to finish the entire lunch I made today—just eat half." 

"Is that supposed to be a reward?" Xiang Ri's face fell. "Why does it feel more like punishment?" 

"Hmph, you should be grateful!" Watching his dejected expression, An Xin felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Then, as if tossing out an irresistible bait, she added with a devilish grin, "If you manage to eat half, you can nap in my room this afternoon. Oh, and I'll even invite Qing Qing to join us. How's that? Aren't I good to you?"