#54: Secrets

◎ We experience everything within the flow of time. ◎

Yue Jincheng’s mischievousness truly knew no bounds.

Fu Jiaxi, ever the patient one, rolled over and slipped out through a gap beside him.

As she left the study, she didn’t forget to give Yue Jincheng a kick before opening the door wide, letting the living room light flood in.

Little Yue Jiayi’s small figure was right there, but fortunately, he was absorbed in building his LEGO set and hadn’t noticed his father’s shameless antics.

Yue Jincheng quickly tidied up his clothes, while Fu Jiaxi sat beside her son, talking on the phone while watching him.

Yu Yanqing was tactful, pausing for a moment before asking, “Did I interrupt something?”

Fu Jiaxi felt slightly uncomfortable. “No, go ahead.”

“I’ll send you the materials. Think it over.” Yu Yanqing said, “Rest early.”

The word “you” carried an unspoken weight.

Fu Jiaxi belatedly realized that this man’s words often hinted at emotions too.

“He told me about an event,” Yue Jincheng leaned against the doorway, his tone lazy. “He really thinks of you in everything.”

Before Fu Jiaxi could respond, little Jiayi chimed in, “Of course! Uncle Yu really likes Mommy!”

His young voice was soft and endearing, almost as if he were talking to himself.

Yue Jincheng was utterly speechless. “Kid, I should remind you—the LEGO you’re playing with is mine.”

“I know. I’m very clear about it. I won’t confuse yours with Uncle Yu’s.”

Fu Jiaxi relaxed. “Let your son handle you from now on.”

“By the way, Mommy,” Yue Jiayi added, “I’m letting you know now—I’m not going home tonight. I’m sleeping here with Dad.”

Fu Jiaxi agreed readily. “Alright, stay. I’ll leave.”

“You can’t leave! Otherwise, I’ll cry hysterically, roll on the floor, and go crazy in this neighborhood!” Jiayi declared solemnly.

Fu Jiaxi was at a loss for words.

Yue Jincheng chuckled comfortably. “Our son knows how to handle you too.”

The little one was addicted to building LEGOs, dragging out several five-minute intervals before finally agreeing to take a bath and go to bed.

Yue Jincheng had been holding back all night. After cleaning himself up, he climbed into bed, but Fu Jiaxi wasn’t having it. She sat coldly, wearing frameless glasses, fully focused on her book.

Yue Jincheng, being the troublemaker he was, burrowed into the soft blankets, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and lifting her slightly to prepare for what came next.

But Fu Jiaxi kept her legs tightly closed. “Don’t disturb me while I’m reading.”

“You find me more interesting than your book,” Yue Jincheng said. “Look at me.”

Fu Jiaxi glanced at him indifferently. “You’ve already been used. What’s there to look at?”

Yue Jincheng said, “Miss Fu, you’re making me lose confidence.”

Fu Jiaxi calmly reassured him. “Useful, good-looking, delicious. Is that enough?”

Yue Jincheng: “….”

He was satisfied. But such straightforward praise also made his heart race uncontrollably.

After the tide of passion receded, Yue Jincheng joined her in reading. It was an obscure financial history book—not widely known.

“Recommended by Yu Yanqing.”

“Hmm.”

“He has taste.”

“Of course.”

Yue Jincheng disliked her praising other men, especially those with the surname Yu.

“Next week, I’ll let Liu Yun know to give you a day off.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“The civil affairs office only handles procedures on weekdays.” Yue Jincheng said, “We’re remarrying.”

A brief silence fell.

Fu Jiaxi’s gaze remained fixed on the book. She asked, “And then what?”

“The day we hold the banquet, Yu Yanqing will sit at the head table.”

Fu Jiaxi wanted to laugh. “Are you still acting childish?”

Yue Jincheng said, “I want to remarry. I want to go to work with you every day, and when I come home, I want you there. That’s what makes a home. Jiaxi, come back to me, okay?”

Fu Jiaxi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.

The warm yellow bedside lamp cast an even glow under her eyes, making her appear calm and independent.

“I know you really want me to say yes. But I haven’t fully decided yet. Yue Jincheng, you are my partner, the person I once wanted to spend my life with, and the father of my son. Of course, I can add another title for you—like, Fu Jiaxi’s husband.”

Yue Jincheng’s deep, stubborn eyes captured every nuance of her words.

“But the premise and foundation of all these titles—is that you are someone I love.”

Because I love you, I’m willing to walk into the future with you.

“A change in identity doesn’t affect my feelings for you. No matter what kind of relationship or way we interact in the future, you’ll always be in my heart.”

She was sincere.

Her love was open and honest, her intentions straightforward and clear.

She wouldn’t rush into a decision because of fleeting emotions.

“Do you need time to think about it?” Yue Jincheng asked softly.

Fu Jiaxi smiled. “Aren’t we already experiencing everything within the flow of time?”

Yue Jincheng smiled too. “Alright, then I’ll work harder.”

“To remarry with me soon?”

“To get Yu Yanqing seated at the head table sooner.”

Fu Jiaxi sighed helplessly, her toes brushing against his thigh. “Enough, Yue San-sui.”

True to his nickname, Yue San-sui practiced three times that night.

________________________________________

The next day at work, Fu Jiaxi didn’t dare wear high heels. Her legs felt weak, and she was afraid she might lose her balance.

“Group Leader Liu, do you have a moment? I’d like to talk to you.” She asked Liu Yun.

“Perfect timing. I was just looking for you.”

Liu Yun enlarged the trend chart and rotated the monitor to show her.

“The intraday fluctuations are significant. I’ve studied them carefully, and during these past few trading days, there have been 3-4 such occurrences each day.”

Fu Jiaxi pressed a shortcut key, pulling up the MACD and KDJ technical indicators.

She circled two points on the screen with her finger. “And they all happen within the last half-hour before closing.”

“I checked the transaction records, and nothing has been disclosed externally.” Liu Yun said. “There shouldn’t be any major issues. It could be erroneous trades or internal hedging operations.”

A few anomalies alone weren’t enough to indicate a problem.

“Alright, Group Leader Liu. I’ll keep an eye on it these next few days.”

Liu Yun reviewed their accounts again. The hedging positions they had taken were already showing considerable floating profits. Once the batch of finished goods under the current contract pricing was shipped out, the entire hedging cycle would conclude perfectly.

This also meant that the outcome of Yue Jincheng and Yue Yunzong’s wager would soon be determined.

“By the way, when we returned from Guangzhou last time, you had something urgent come up, so our dinner plans fell through. Let’s make up for it today.” Liu Yun glanced at his watch. “I’ve already invited Yu Yanqing. He said he wants hot pot.”

Liu Yun thought it was quite coincidental. “You both love hot pot. No wonder you have so much in common.”

Fu Jiaxi: “….”

Punctuality was one of Yu Yanqing’s best traits. Regardless of traffic conditions, he always estimated travel time accurately and arrived at the meeting point five minutes early.

The hot pot restaurant was chosen by Fu Jiaxi. Unlike modern chain brands with sleek decor, this was a humble street-side eatery on Erwu Street. Business was booming, and the atmosphere was lively. The simplest wooden tables, worn and battered from years of use, were filled with the warm, bustling energy of everyday life.

At a private club.

Wan Yu accompanied Yue Yunzong to an official dinner, poised and elegant with her meticulously applied makeup. Her smile was so forced it almost hurt her face.

Her stomach ached from hunger, but she could only take small bites to preserve her image.

Inside the private room, smoke filled the air. Wan Yu found it suffocating but dared not show it. She obediently followed her husband’s instructions—offering drinks to this director, greeting that executive, and keeping an eye on the table to ensure dishes were replenished and drinks refilled promptly.

Wan Yu didn’t understand much of their conversation, only catching words like “CSRC” and “short selling.”

The banquet didn’t end until nearly ten o’clock. Yue Yunzong was drunk, requiring two people to support him.

He vomited twice in the car before feeling slightly better.

Wan Yu took care of him tenderly, patting his back. “Drink less. It’s bad for your health.”

Yue Yunzong waved her off impatiently. “What do you know?”

“I know you’re under a lot of pressure, but your body is yours. When you act like this, it hurts me too.”

“Words of sympathy don’t mean anything,” Yue Yunzong slurred, his speech uninhibited by alcohol. “Take Yue Jincheng’s ex-wife, for example. Even after their divorce, she still supports him fully. Hiccup—”

He burped, acid rising in his throat.

Wan Yu: “I’ve always been on your side. Whatever you do, I support you.”

Yue Yunzong leaned back against the seat, loosening his tie and closing his eyes with a dismissive wave. “You? Spare me. Fu Jiaxi is truly remarkable—well-read, sharp-minded. A woman with such interest in financial hedging, crafting proposals, writing reports, and delivering comprehensive presentations. Only now do I realize how deceptive her low-key demeanor is. She conceals her brilliance while Yue Jincheng takes center stage. In the shadows, she subtly supports him. The two of them work together seamlessly.”

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. “She proposed raw material hedging, brought in Yu Yanqing, devised precise hedging plans, executed real trades decisively… all her doing. Heh, I can’t help but admire my older brother. Despite the hardships he endured as a child, he survived. And look at the capable wife he found—a true homemaker. Thank goodness they divorced. Otherwise, it’d be utterly unfair.”

Wan Yu listened silently, her hands clenched tightly at her sides without her realizing it.

“This is what true support from a woman looks like,” Yue Yunzong sighed, eyes closed, tapping his foot lightly to the rhythm of the music.

Without sparing a glance at his wife, he sneered, “As for you, buy fewer handbags and stop letting your useless brother exploit my name to scam people and embarrass us. That would be enough support for me.”

Wan Yu turned her face away, pretending to gaze out the window, biting her lip hard to keep the tears from falling.

When they got home, she settled Yue Yunzong in, exhausted and drenched in sweat.

Finally able to check her phone, Guan Yeqin had sent a voice message ten minutes earlier: “Little Yu, I brought you a gift from Australia. When you have time, I’ll give it to you.”

Overwhelmed with委屈 (grievance), Wan Yu called her back. “Sister Yeqin.”

Guan Yeqin immediately noticed the sadness in her voice. “What’s wrong? Don’t cry. I’ll come pick you up, and we can go out for some fresh air.”

Having no one else to confide in after marrying into the Yue family, Wan Yu had come to regard Guan Yeqin as an older sister.

After venting her frustrations, Guan Yeqin consoled her. “Yunzong is under immense work pressure. You’re his closest and most trusted person, so naturally, he vents his emotions to you. He’s actually a good man—kind, loyal, and caring toward you. This isn’t about your relationship as a couple. Don’t overthink it.”

Wan Yu wiped her tears, somewhat persuaded, though she couldn’t help but grumble resentfully. “It’s all because of Big Brother and the others. They’re family; why make things so tense? Why not let Yunzong have his way? He’s already the president of Bofeng. Do they really need to push him to the brink?”

“Jincheng has his struggles too. No matter the disagreements, you’re still family. Everyone just wants what’s best for the family.” Guan Yeqin chuckled softly, then sighed. “Still, Jiaxi is truly admirable. She’s earned the favor and recognition of all three brothers. I envy her.”

Wan Yu flinched at the mention of her. “It’s because of her! If she hadn’t joined the company, none of this would have happened.”

Guan Yeqin gently advised, “Jiaxi is a woman with high aspirations and strong opinions. She doesn’t lack money or love, and she has her adorable son. Little Jiayi is such an angelic child. There’s a saying—’armor and soft spot.’ For Jiaxi, Jiayi is her only vulnerability.”

Wan Yu remained silent, her eyelashes fluttering faintly.

Seizing the opportunity, Guan Yeqin naturally steered the conversation toward Yue Jiayi. “He’s both fortunate and, in some ways, a bit pitiable.”

The last time,

she had hinted at a similar topic.

Curious, Wan Yu pressed further, but Guan Yeqin refused to elaborate.

“Sister Yeqin, what exactly is going on?” Wan Yu clung to her arm, eager to know. “I swear, if you tell me, I won’t tell anyone else.”

Guan Yeqin hesitated, struggling against Wan Yu’s pleading. Finally, she relented. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. But you must promise not to say a word, especially not to Jiayi. Things like this can deeply hurt a child once they find out.”

The summer night was long, the breeze refreshing, carrying away the heat and leaving behind a cool serenity.

After hearing everything, Wan Yu covered her mouth, stunned and unable to process it for a long while.