◎Don’t fail to learn from this lesson.◎

The next day, after sending Yue Jiayi off on the school bus, Fu Jiaxi went to the office as usual.

Everything at Changdi Securities seemed normal. Workstations gradually filled up.

At eight in the morning, the management meeting began as scheduled, with the conference room door tightly shut. When the receptionist entered to refill the tea, she couldn’t help but gossip afterward. “Boss Lin injured his forehead last night—it required stitches.”

“How did it happen?”

“They say he fell down the stairs last night. He didn’t want to take leave; everyone’s praising him for being so dedicated.”

“Boss Lin is also a great husband—such a good man.”

Fu Jiaxi pressed her lips together tightly, finding the irony unbearable. She glanced at the clock, estimating the meeting would soon end.

“Jiaxi, Boss Lin asked you to bring him some materials.” An assistant approached, mentioning that there was an account to handle and that Lin had returned to his office early.

Fu Jiaxi acknowledged the request and gathered the documents before heading over.

Lin Yiming still wore that same harmless, “good man” smile, as if nothing had happened the previous night.

“To be honest, among dozens of employees here, I think you have the most potential,” Lin Yiming said. “Don’t let emotions get the better of you. In this era, beauty is a rare form of capital.”

Fu Jiaxi stood straight, listening quietly, just as she always did during these hierarchical work reports.

Lin Yiming continued, “I might not always express myself tactfully, and perhaps I failed to consider your feelings as a woman, but you can’t deny the truth.”

Fu Jiaxi interrupted, “Please get to the point.”

The man’s hypocritical demeanor was as grotesque and ridiculous as the wound on his forehead.

“No hidden meaning here. Since we’re working in the same company, disagreements are normal, but teamwork values harmony above all. During the year-end evaluations and performance reviews, I’ll give special consideration to you.”

It was a veiled threat wrapped in a façade of reconciliation.

After a moment of thought, Fu Jiaxi nodded.

Boss Lin exhaled in relief. A newcomer re-entering the workforce without connections or resources was indeed the easiest to deal with.

“Is there any work-related matter you need to report?” Lin asked, glancing at the envelope she’d brought in.

Fu Jiaxi smiled politely and replied, “Not work-related—it’s evidence.”

With that, Fu Jiaxi strode out of the office with her head held high.

Before Lin could process what she’d said, a voice rang out—

“I’m filing a complaint.”

________________________________________

Audio recordings, video footage, and high-definition screenshots from the private room’s surveillance captured Lin Yiming grabbing her arm and draping his arm around her shoulder.

This chain of evidence was flawless, decisive, leaving no room for denial or confrontation.

Fu Jiaxi hadn’t given him any leeway. She went straight to the boardroom and played the audio recording of the previous night’s incident at full volume.

Boss Lin’s face turned pale, his body trembling uncontrollably. He never expected Fu Jiaxi to have recorded everything amidst such chaos and panic the night before.

He could only grasp at one loophole in her accusations. “I—I didn’t sexually harass you.”

“And how exactly did you describe me? A single mother raising a child alone wouldn’t have been hired unless she were attractive—Boss Lin, you need to correct your cognitive bias. Physical contact isn’t the only form of sexual harassment. Defining someone through gendered stereotypes and making subtle attacks is an even more serious form of harassment.”

The upper management, who initially wanted to mediate, now found themselves speechless.

In front of numerous men, Fu Jiaxi stood firm and composed, like a hard rivet refusing to budge.

When the leaders remained silent, Fu Jiaxi gave a slight, crooked smile.

She had anticipated this. When it came to issues of right and wrong, men always rallied together for mutual protection.

“I respect and accept whatever disciplinary action the company takes against Boss Lin,” Fu Jiaxi said calmly but firmly. “However, personally, I’ve already filed a police report. I hope Boss Lin will cooperate with the investigation.”

As she stepped out of the office, colleagues cast curious glances her way.

Fu Jiaxi returned to her workstation, continuing her tasks with an unperturbed expression.

When Bai Duo learned about the incident, she praised Fu Jiaxi’s actions.

Fu Jiaxi sighed. “What’s there to praise? They won’t let me stay at the company anymore.”

Bai Duo asked, “Do you regret it?”

“No regrets,” Fu Jiaxi replied. “Never let any man, power, or position manipulate you. If anyone should regret anything, it’s him.”

“Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!!”

After a moment, Bai Duo sent another message:

“Have you noticed? Your temper is starting to resemble your ex-husband’s more and more.”

Fu Jiaxi wanted to laugh. After a chuckle, she took a sip of coffee and decided to objectively defend her ex-husband’s reputation.

“He’s much better than me.”

…

Every Friday, Yue Jiayi would go to the Yue Mansion for dinner as per usual.

Yue Puhuai had returned from recuperation at Tan Mountain a day earlier than planned. He couldn’t wait to see his grandson. Yue Jiayi accompanied him in the study, reading picture books and later suggesting they play chess.

The grandfather and grandson sat opposite each other, their foreheads almost touching.

Yue Jiayi’s chess moves were clear and strategic, showing promise despite his young age.

Yue Puhuai only had this one grandson, so naturally, he held high hopes for him. His affection overflowed, treating Jiayi like a successor to be groomed. Back when Yue Jincheng and Fu Jiaxi divorced, Yue Puhuai was extremely dissatisfied with the custody arrangement, even considering secretly coercing Fu Jiaxi into compliance.

It was Yue Jincheng who quelled the situation.

And it was also the first time Yue Jincheng sharply opposed his father.

At that time, Baifeng Group’s management was in a precarious state—outwardly prosperous but inwardly crumbling. Yet, Yue Jincheng used this as leverage. If anyone dared to make things difficult for Fu Jiaxi, he would abandon everything, ensuring no one else could take over.

This act was like thrusting a thick thorn directly into Yue Puhuai’s heart.

From then on, the father-son relationship grew colder and more distant.

Fortunately, Yue Jiayi was well-educated, pure-hearted, and emotionally intelligent, easily winning Yue Puhuai’s favor. He became the most beloved junior in the Yue family.

Before dinner, Yue Puhuai needed to take his medication. Yue Jiayi bounded out of the study.

“Little Jiayi.”

“Hello, Uncle Two!”

Yue Yunzong smiled warmly, bending down. “Are you hungry?”

“Hungry! I’m going to eat three bowls of rice,” Yue Jiayi said. “Uncle Two, your tie is very handsome today.”

“Thank you, little Jiayi. Today, Uncle Two will also eat three bowls of rice.” Yue Yunzong continued, “Next time, you can ask your mom to come and have dinner with us.”

“Maybe not.”

“Is your mom unwilling?” Yue Yunzong asked concernedly. “Why doesn’t she want to come with you? You can make requests.”

Suddenly, Yue Jiayi took his hand, looking up with pure eyes. “Uncle Two, can you fulfill a small wish of mine?”

“Of course,” Yue Yunzong said kindly. “What toy does Jiayi want to buy?”

“I don’t want toys,” Yue Jiayi said. “I just hope you won’t make such requests anymore.”

“Huh?” Yue Yunzong didn’t understand immediately.

Yue Jiayi looked up at him with dark, clean eyes, like a child correcting a teacher’s mistake. “Like if you and your first wife got divorced, would you still invite her over every week for dinner together, eating three bowls of rice?”

“I think Uncle Two wouldn’t be too happy about that,” Yue Jiayi added. “Mom told me that we shouldn’t do things that make others unhappy because no one will like it if we do.”

Such a young body delivering such piercing words.

Yue Yunzong couldn’t maintain his composure and brushed off Yue Jiayi’s hand.

“Second Brother,” a voice came from behind—it was Yue Shaoheng.

Yue Shaoheng, dressed in white pants and shirt, was elegant and youthful. He smiled and said, “Such a cute child, and you don’t even want to hold his hand. It seems Second Brother is deeply devoted to his new wife and only wants to hold her hand.”

Sarcastically mocking, Yue Yunzong gave a painless smile. “My palms are too sweaty; I’m afraid it might stick to Jiayi’s hands. Jiayi is so clever—who wouldn’t like him?”

Yue Shaoheng pulled Jiayi behind him and agreed, “If you like him, cherish him more and stop making strange jokes to trouble a child.”

Yue Yunzong found his third brother annoying, always speaking in veiled insults, making it hard to detect sarcasm.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “So protective. Those who don’t know might think he’s your biological son.”

Yue Shaoheng’s tone cooled by two degrees. “Second Brother, speak properly.”

Yue Yunzong straightforwardly retorted, “You know exactly who you’re protecting. Just a reminder: later in front of Big Brother, it’s best to rein in your excessive concern. Don’t fail to learn from past mistakes.”

With that, Yue Yunzong adjusted his tie and walked downstairs.

One moment there were hidden daggers and barbs, and the next, at the dining table, everyone was cheerful as if nothing had happened.

In this family, there was no real fraternal harmony. Everyone had their own agendas, putting on performances—they were all tricky characters.

________________________________________

That night, Fu Jiaxi read with her son.

A little penguin embarked on a snowy journey to find its mother, meeting many friends along the way. Though the friends helped, the ending wasn’t perfect—the penguin never found its mother.

Yue Jiayi loved the story and made up a happy ending, telling Fu Jiaxi what happened afterward.

“In the end, after great hardships, the little penguin finally found its home—a seashell igloo. Inside, there was fragrant milk, fresh and sweet fish, and the warm embrace of Penguin Mommy. That’s it—the story is finished!”

Fu Jiaxi praised her son until he blushed.

“Did you enjoy dinner today?”

“It was delicious! I ate two bowls of rice and two chicken legs. I played chess with Grandpa, flew a drone with Dad, and Uncle Three gave me a set of colored pens.”

“Were you happy?”

Yue Jiayi was in great spirits. “Happy! The chicken legs were tasty, and the drone was fun.”

Besides the agreed-upon Friday dinners, there was also a family day every Saturday.

A true family day for the trio.

Yue Jincheng and Fu Jiaxi would take their son outdoors—hiking, camping under the stars, or visiting his great-grandmother.

Yue Jiayi said, “I need to sleep early so I can wake up early tomorrow. Goodnight, Mommy.”

Every Saturday, it wasn’t the alarm but her son who woke Fu Jiaxi.

Dressed in a stylish baseball uniform and holding a gift for his great-grandmother, Yue Jiayi exclaimed from the window, “It’s Daddy!”

Yue Jincheng’s car was already parked downstairs, arriving earlier than his son woke up.

Their outfits were perfectly coordinated—he wore a short baseball-style jacket that accentuated his figure, arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the car with sunglasses perched on his nose, standing out in the morning light.

As the elevator doors opened, Yue Jiayi ran toward him with open arms.

Yue Jincheng lifted his son high. “You look very handsome today, young man!”

Yue Jiayi mimicked the tone. “You look very handsome today, Daddy!”

Yue Jincheng let his son get into the car first, then went around to open the passenger door for Fu Jiaxi.

“Thank you,” Fu Jiaxi said softly. “Have you had breakfast?”

“No.” Yue Jincheng glanced at her as he fastened his seatbelt, checking if she had hers on too.

Fu Jiaxi took a bottle of warm milk from her bag. “It’s warm. Drink it.”

Yue Jincheng accepted it, his fingertips brushing against hers.

It felt like a small electric current, noticeable yet quickly fading.

The sunlight grew brighter and heavier, draping the car in a dazzling glow.

Light piano music played inside the car. For a brief moment, neither spoke, yet there was no awkwardness.

These moments of peace, warmth, and beautiful weather mirrored complete happiness.

“Mommy,” Yue Jiayi peeked out from the backseat, whispering into Fu Jiaxi’s ear. “Last night, you asked me if I was happy at Grandpa’s house.”

“Yes. You said you were happy.”

“I was happy, but not the happiest,” Yue Jiayi said, forgetting he was supposed to whisper. “Actually, the happiest time is now. Daddy is here, and Mommy too. You’re both with me, like you’ve never been apart.”

Fu Jiaxi’s heart tightened painfully.

Yue Jincheng’s lips pressed together slightly, his expression calm, but his hands unconsciously gripped the steering wheel tighter.

“Daddy and Mommy will always be with you. We’ll always be a family,” Fu Jiaxi gently reassured him.

Yue Jiayi shook his head, lowering his eyes. “A family lives in one house, picks me up from school together, eats meals and sleeps together. Daddy and Mommy hold hands and walk together every day—that’s what a family is.”

The little boy pouted. “...But I don’t have that.”