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◎He lowered his head and kissed her lips.◎
After the emotional toll, she was utterly exhausted.
Once Yue Jiayi had fallen asleep, Yue Jincheng finally entered Fu Jiaxi’s room.
Fu Jiaxi was curled up in a ball, like a tiny shrimp lying on the bed.
Yue Jincheng tucked a blanket over her. She didn’t move, tears still clinging to her lashes.
She wasn’t asleep, but she didn’t want to open her eyes either.
She didn’t want to face him, didn’t want to see him.
Yue Jincheng understood but couldn’t do anything or offer any explanations.
What was there to explain?
He was also a member of the Yue family, the one who had returned with life-and-death determination to reclaim everything. What fault was there in Fu Jiaxi standing by him? When they first met, he was obscure, mocked and belittled by others. Later, as he busied himself with operations, smoothing relations with people at all levels, many times it was Fu Jiaxi who was left alone.
For all these years, beyond the title “Mrs. Yue,” what else had he given her?
Money, status, fame—yet none of these were things Fu Jiaxi had needed or wanted before meeting him. She had lived well enough without them.
Yue Jincheng sat in the living room, wanting to smoke but restraining himself. Jiayi had allergic rhinitis and couldn’t tolerate even the slightest trace of cigarette smoke.
He sat idly until the early hours of the morning when he noticed faint rustling sounds coming from the bedroom.
“What’s wrong?”
Pushing the door open, he saw Fu Jiaxi leaning halfway over the bed, rummaging through the drawers of a low cabinet.
Yue Jincheng hurried over.
Up close, he noticed a layer of fine sweat on her forehead.
His heart sank as he reached out to feel her brow—it was scorching hot, her face pale with fever.
Fu Jiaxi refused to go to the hospital, no matter what.
At first, Yue Jincheng tried to persuade her gently. “Your fever is severe. You need to see a doctor.”
Suddenly, Fu Jiaxi broke into tears, overwhelmed with委屈 (grievance).
She shook her head. “I won’t go.”
Yue Jincheng gradually realized something—Fu Jiaxi likely harbored an innate aversion to hospitals. Those places held two painful memories for her, making her instinctively resist and avoid them.
“All right, we won’t go,” Yue Jincheng agreed immediately, wrapping her in a soft blanket and fetching a thermometer and fever-reducing medicine.
Her fever soared close to forty degrees Celsius, leaving her disoriented.
Yue Jincheng didn’t sleep all night.
Every half hour, he checked her temperature.
The fever-reducing medication took effect, but fevers often fluctuated.
As dawn approached, the light filtering through the curtains felt like a blanket of goose feathers—soft and muted.
Finally, Fu Jiaxi’s temperature stabilized. Only then did Yue Jincheng settle beside her, closing his eyes for a brief rest.
When Fu Jiaxi woke and opened her eyes, she saw his weary yet serene face.
His features were sharp, his high nose bridge prominent, his eyelashes thick like dense fans.
She shifted slightly, and Yue Jincheng woke instantly.
“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
Fu Jiaxi shook her head. “Nothing, just weak. It’s not quite dawn yet. Rest a little more.”
Yue Jincheng got out of bed and poured her a glass of warm water.
“Take two days off. I’ll let Old Liu know. Jiayi can stay with Grandma at Man Yuan, listening to scriptures and calming his mind.” Yue Jincheng said, “Later, I’ll have Dr. Ling come over. If you don’t want to go to the hospital, we won’t. Let him check you out—I’ll feel reassured.”
Fu Jiaxi responded softly, “Mm.”
The bedside lamp was set to its lowest setting, casting a warm yellow glow that softened the weariness in his eyes.
Yue Jincheng said, “From now on, neither you nor our son needs to go there again. I’ll give you an explanation.”
Fu Jiaxi, pale with illness, remained eerily calm. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Yue Jincheng grew acutely sensitive at this moment, fearing she might say something final about their relationship.
“Some people are rotten to the core. No matter how you discipline them, they won’t repent. But I believe heaven sees all, watches all. Justice and fairness will find their way to those who deserve it.”
Fu Jiaxi was truly composed.
She knew what she wanted. Her energy was limited, and she wouldn’t waste it on futile efforts.
Yue Jincheng’s gaze flowed over her face like water.
For some reason, he felt… an indescribable sense of loss.
There was a meeting in the morning, so Yue Jincheng asked Jiao Rui to postpone it by two hours.
Only after Dr. Ling arrived, examined her, prescribed medication, and left did he feel relieved.
By then, Fu Jiaxi had fallen asleep again.
Her head was buried under the blankets, still curled up like a shrimp—an instinctive self-protective posture.
Back at the office, Jiao Rui had prepared a change of clothes in advance.
The suit he wore yesterday was too wrinkled to be worn again. Not wanting to put it back on, Yue Jincheng went into the adjoining suite on the right side of his office and selected a light-colored trench coat from the wardrobe.
After changing, Liu Yun happened to arrive to report on work.
His expression was thoughtful and serious as he submitted a report.
After Yue Jincheng finished reading, he extracted the key points. “Price fluctuations—you think they’re caused by unconventional reasons. Explain your logic.”
“For the past twenty-plus days, every trading day, during the same time period, there have been large buy or sell orders for zinc products,” Liu Yun said. “And it’s becoming more frequent. These few minutes of price volatility are causing dramatic swings in the floating profits and losses of our hedging account.”
Yue Jincheng gestured for him to continue.
Liu Yun handed over another sheet. “This is compiled by Yu Yanqing. He investigated the companies behind the large trades—there are many, almost different every day. The only commonality is that these companies are all overseas institutions registered in New York.”
Yue Jincheng placed the list under a notebook. “Good. I understand.”
Liu Yun was deeply concerned. “President Yue, I’m worried that market volatility could impact the group. Although it’s the most pessimistic assumption, the market is unpredictable. If things turn worse, the group will be in a difficult position.”
Yue Jincheng asked, “So what’s your suggestion?”
Liu Yun replied, “Set a stop-loss line. Once the account’s floating losses reach a certain amount, strictly enforce the stop-loss.”
Yue Jincheng rejected his proposal, showing no particular gravity, his expression calm throughout. “Perhaps this isn’t entirely bad. We compete in the market, and naturally, the market will choose us. There’s no avoiding trials. Perhaps this trial is an opportunity gifted by the market.”
Liu Yun initially thought these were Yue Jincheng’s words of comfort.
When contacting Yu Yanqing for work, he relayed Yue Jincheng’s attitude. Then he sighed, “Uncertain storms lie ahead. President Yue is comforting me—he bears more pressure than anyone.”
The fierce arguments with Yue Yunzong at board meetings, the overt and covert power struggles, the wager agreements, the decision-making outcomes—all weighed heavily on him.
But upon hearing this, Yu Yanqing suddenly said, “I understand.”
“Eh?”
Liu Yun was baffled. How did the two of them seem to communicate in code? Since when had they become so in sync?
Fu Jiaxi had taken leave to recover from her illness.
Yu Yanqing visited her once.
Her fever had just subsided, leaving her pale and gaunt, her face thinner than the last time he’d seen her. Already petite, she now appeared even smaller. Her long hair cascaded down her back, and her loose hoodie made her look like a college student recovering in a dorm room, skipping class.
“I’ve always wanted to ask but didn’t dare to—what happened that day?” Yu Yanqing frowned. “Seeing you like this, I even suspected you were kidnapped and just rescued.”
Fu Jiaxi smiled faintly. “No, it’s just a cold. Sorry to have delayed work for a few days. I’ll catch up fully afterward.”
“Liu Yun told you to rest more.” Yu Yanqing handed her a file folder. “If you’re feeling up to it, you can take a look at these.”
Fu Jiaxi opened it immediately—some data summaries and materials inside.
After glancing through them for a while, she looked up. “This is…”
Yu Yanqing’s gaze was indifferent. “You understand.”
She furrowed her brows. “These buying and selling times and quantities are so neat, uniform, and regular—it’s highly likely they’re being manipulated artificially.”
“90%.” Yu Yanqing affirmed.
“Is he insane? Such illegal trading will have serious consequences.”
“I don’t interfere with or care about the internal power struggles within your company,” Yu Yanqing said. “I’m just giving you a heads-up. No matter what Yue Jincheng’s thoughts are, the development of this situation will undoubtedly put immense pressure on both you and Liu Yun.”
Fu Jiaxi’s expression remained calm. “I know.”
Yu Yanqing suddenly understood.
Perhaps, from the very beginning, she had chosen to accept whatever might come.
After a long silence, he asked, “Is it really worth it for Yue Jincheng?”
Fu Jiaxi forced a smile. “Why do you assume that whenever I do something beyond your expectations, there must be a reason—and that reason must involve a man?”
Yu Yanqing was momentarily stunned.
Fu Jiaxi sighed deeply, not feeling particularly hurt, just purely reflective.
“Can’t I simply do what I believe is right? I don’t want to be an accessory, nor do I want to be a full-time housewife. I’m not rebelling against societal prejudices—I’m confident that I can balance life and work. And honestly, I’m doing quite well, aren’t I?”
Yu Yanqing genuinely admired her. “You’re doing great.”
Fu Jiaxi smiled warmly. “Thank you for your affirmation and respect.”
“So, your decision to work at Bofeng, to fight on the front lines, isn’t because of Yue Jincheng?”
“How could it not be?” Fu Jiaxi replied frankly. “He’s the father of my child, the man I once wanted to spend my life with. I stayed by his side as he rose from obscurity to prominence. During his toughest years, I was there with him. Back then, we lived in a small duplex apartment where we both worked and lived. When he had nothing, I gave him everything I had—firmly and unreservedly. So, when I need him, why shouldn’t he help me? Why shouldn’t I accept what he offers?”
Fu Jiaxi coughed softly twice. “I’m not stupid.”
Yu Yanqing chuckled. “Yes, you’re sensible. So, does this mean you’ll stay at Bofeng as his supportive wife forever?”
Fu Jiaxi thought for a moment and answered honestly, “I don’t know. If this time our opponents are fully prepared and we can’t turn things around, then we’ll have to accept defeat, and I’ll have no choice but to leave. At that point, Teacher Yu, I hope you’ll kindly write me a few recommendation letters.”
Yu Yanqing responded coldly, “Don’t count on it.”
After a forty-minute conversation, before leaving, Yu Yanqing pointed to the gift boxes by the door. “I had a classmate abroad help me buy these—they’re limited edition. I think Jiayi doesn’t have them yet.”
Fu Jiaxi thanked him. “He’s at his grandmother’s house. I’ll have him thank you via video call tonight.”
Jiayi was naturally overjoyed. On the video call, he chatted with Yu Yanqing for a long time.
First, he wanted to see his house, then the flowers in his garden, and he was especially fascinated by his chubby cat, repeatedly mentioning “Orange Juice” in his little voice.
Yu Yanqing was unusually patient—more patient than ever before.
He fulfilled every single one of the child’s requests.
Eventually, Jiayi started making wild wishes: “Uncle Yu, I want to come to your house right now to play with the kitty.”
If Zhou Xiaojun hadn’t intervened and taken the phone, Yu Yanqing probably would have driven over immediately to pick him up.
“All right, all right—he’s already spoiled rotten by you,” Zhou Xiaojun said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Yanqing, you’ve lost weight again. You need to eat more; being too thin doesn’t suit you.”
Yu Yanqing found it hard to smile.
They had only seen each other during the New Year, and it had only been a few months since then. Yet Zhou Xiaojun looked even thinner than before. Time was cruel, especially to those in their twilight years, easily etching deep marks of age onto her.
Zhou Xiaojun muttered, “Oh dear, my eyesight is failing. Later, ask Jiaxi to buy me a new phone.”
However, less than two hours later—
Liu Shu’s surprised voice echoed from the yard outside. It was Yu Yanqing, bringing a newly purchased phone for Zhou Xiaojun.
________________________________________
Just a couple of days later, subtle turbulence began to ripple through Bofeng Group.
The price fluctuations in zinc contracts were extremely frequent, contradicting the current market index trends. The most direct observation for the senior executives was the changes in the hedging account equity on the daily reports.
From earlier floating profits, it had turned into floating losses.
The difference between the two reached eight figures.
No one understood the market changes of the past few days. Even senior researchers from various institutions and investment banks admitted the situation was abnormal, offering a variety of analyses with conflicting reasons.
Jin Ming summoned Liu Yun and Fu Jiaxi to his office—not just to inquire but also to lay the groundwork for assigning blame.
“You were so adamant back then, and now things have gone awry. If you continue holding the position, it will result in even greater losses. Whatever happens, you need to present a decision.”
Fu Jiaxi immediately understood the implication behind his words. “Director Jin, are you suggesting we stop the losses and close the positions?”
Jin Ming replied, “This hedging strategy has already failed. Cutting losses is the best option. The market volatility has been extremely frequent recently, yet you didn’t take notice. For now, no one is holding you accountable!”
Fu Jiaxi’s gaze was steady. “So, Director Jin, did you foresee the outcome when you noticed the market fluctuations?”
Jin Ming was left speechless, forcing a sly smile. “Don’t forget, who was it that strongly supported you and guaranteed your decisions? Do you really think leaning on a big tree guarantees shade? Bofeng has never belonged to any single person. Whoever causes trouble will bear responsibility—no one can escape.”
Jin Ming’s attitude was firm.
It was as if he was certain of how things would end.
The market continued to rise sharply, and by the evening session, it surged 3% higher at the opening.
Fu Jiaxi stared at the screen in her office, not daring to blink.
The numbers on the account changed every second, jumping by millions at a time.
This was real money—money tied to corporate decisions, performance, and the pricing of massive volumes of finished products at the downstream production line.
If they truly went against the market trend, it would mean that this decision, from top to bottom, was a complete failure.
Fu Jiaxi had never felt this way before.
Like floating duckweed, she couldn’t see a foothold for the future, nor did she have the confidence to stand by her initial decision.
The harsh glare of the screen burned her eyes, which were already dry and aching after staring at it all day.
Finally, Yu Yanqing called.
Her voice trembled slightly. “The price is still rising. At this rate, our margin won’t be enough. What do you think? Earlier today, Jin Ming called Liu Yun and me in—his stance was very firm...”
But Yu Yanqing interrupted her directly. “Come to my house.”
“Okay, let’s meet and talk.”
“I’m not discussing work with you.”
Fu Jiaxi paused. “Then why am I coming?”
“My cat food is out—you can help me feed the cat.”
Fu Jiaxi drove over. Yu Yanqing was wearing an apron, tending to plants in the yard.
“Just in time—come, give me a hand.” Without uttering a word about the market, he instructed her, “Hand me the spade—the sharp one. Also, dismantle that hydrangea pot carefully without knocking off the buds.”
At first, Fu Jiaxi was distracted and half-hearted.
But Yu Yanqing was meticulous. If she didn’t do something right, he made her redo it. After finishing, he assigned her new tasks—repotting, fertilizing, soaking, and cleaning up afterward. Finally, he insisted she feed the cat and scratch its belly.
Fu Jiaxi was exasperated. “You really treat me like free hourly labor.”
With mundane tasks filling her hands, she had no breaks.
Yu Yanqing glanced at her. “Distracting you like this prevents you from being overly tense.”
Fu Jiaxi was silent for a while. Her lackluster belly scratching drew the fat cat’s paw to nudge her hand, seemingly dissatisfied.
“The pressure is immense,” Fu Jiaxi said.
Yu Yanqing replied, “Even if the worst happens, I’ll write you a hundred recommendation letters so you can get the best job.”
Fu Jiaxi shook her head gently. “I’m talking about him.”
Yu Yanqing’s heartbeat skipped a step, and he remained silent for a long while.
Fu Jiaxi drove back to the company and coincidentally ran into Jiao Rui in the elevator.
“Jiaxi.”
“Secretary Jiao.” Fu Jiaxi’s gaze fell to his hands.
“I’m bringing President Yue’s coat upstairs.” Jiao Rui noticed the lunch box in her hand and immediately understood. “Could you help me bring it up as well?”
“Sure.” Fu Jiaxi took the coat and asked, “How is he?”
“Yunzong came to see him once, but there haven’t been any meetings called today, nor have any other directors come by. Don’t worry, Jiaxi.”
If she were truly at ease, she wouldn’t have returned to the company so late.
The administrative floor was silent, lit only by corridor lights. His office was dim, and as Fu Jiaxi entered, it felt like sliding into the crack of a volcano where lava simmered beneath.
Yue Jincheng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought.
Sensing movement, he turned his head slightly, his expression relaxing as he extended his hand toward Fu Jiaxi.
Fu Jiaxi gripped his hand tightly, slowly wrapping her arms around his waist.
His suit fit perfectly, without excess.
Holding him, she could feel his body temperature, even the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Yue Jincheng stroked the back of her head. “You should rest. Stop staring at the screen—it’s bad for your eyes.”
Fu Jiaxi rested her face against his right shoulder. “So calm, huh? You’re almost losing all your money.”
Yue Jincheng hummed. “It’s fine. Worst case, I’ll cover it with my personal funds.”
Fu Jiaxi chuckled softly. “So much hidden money—how much have you been hiding from me?”
“I’m not telling you. You’re not my wife. Only Mrs. Yue has the right to manage me.” Yue Jincheng’s voice was low and slightly hoarse, his hand tightening on hers.
Fu Jiaxi’s laughter trembled faintly. “Then what are we now? You’re not holding Mrs. Yue either.”
“I’m holding the mother of my child.” There was a hint of youthful defiance in Yue Jincheng’s tone. “And I’m holding her.”
“Fine. Hold me.”
In their silent embrace, a thousand unspoken words lingered.
After a while, Fu Jiaxi tilted her face upward. In the dim light, her face glowed like porcelain, gentle and serene.
“Jiao Rui said you didn’t have dinner. That won’t do—you need to eat something. What do you want?”
Her patience was unwavering. Yue Jincheng murmured softly, “Cake.”
Fu Jiaxi was momentarily stunned. “I didn’t bring you cake. Let me go downstairs and buy some.”
She released her embrace, stepping back.
The sudden chill felt like tearing away a piece of flesh.
Yue Jincheng pulled her back, his voice low. “You have some.”
He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
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