Extra 1: Digging a Hole

After the Lunar New Year, Yue Jincheng saw Yu Yanqing again on the Dragon Boat Festival.

Yu Yanqing had come to Manor Yuan to deliver festival gifts and keep the elderly Zhou Xiaojun company with casual conversation.

Yue Jincheng’s family of three arrived just before lunch. As soon as they entered, they saw Yu Yanqing discussing Buddhist scriptures with Zhou Xiaojun. To their surprise, he seemed quite knowledgeable about the subject. Zhou Xiaojun was delighted and quickly asked Fu Jiaxi, “He hasn’t secretly become a monk, has he?”

Fu Jiaxi replied earnestly, “Yes, he becomes a monk during the day and returns to secular life at night—slaughtering opponents in the commodity futures market.”

Yu Yanqing shot her a glance. “Have you finished your translation task? Did you send me the revised draft?”

Fu Jiaxi took Yue Jia’s hand. “Do you want to eat an orange? Let’s go, Mommy will take you.”

Little Jia said, “Mom, I don’t want to eat an orange.”

Fu Jiaxi insisted, “No, you do.”

Yue Jincheng glanced at Yu Yanqing, his gaze unfriendly, as if to say, Hey, be polite to my wife.

Yu Yanqing showed no fear, meeting his gaze with a silent retort: Hmph, she’s not exactly your wife anymore, is she?

There’s an innate hierarchy in people’s energy fields.

Yue Jincheng and Yu Yanqing likely belonged to the “frenemies” camp.

________________________________________

After lunch, Fu Jiaxi accompanied Zhou Xiaojun to the fish pond to cool off. Yue Jincheng, craving a cigarette, deliberately walked far away to smoke under the corridor. Unexpectedly, Yu Yanqing was already there.

When they noticed each other, both had just pulled out their cigarette packs from their pockets.

The same motion, the same thought, the same location.

After locking eyes for a few seconds, they both burst into laughter.

“Want one?” Yue Jincheng tossed his cigarette pack to him.

“You can try mine too.” Yu Yanqing threw his pack back.

Two arcs traced through the air, landing neatly in their respective hands.

Upon closer inspection, they realized both were the same brand.

What strange karma. Yue Jincheng sighed helplessly. “I suppose I still don’t know you well enough, Teacher Yu. You’re always full of surprises.”

Yu Yanqing accepted the compliment with ease. “One of Livermore’s trading rules states that when investors see danger signals, they should retreat promptly.”

Yue Jincheng responded, “Retreating only happens when the stakes aren’t high enough.”

If the bet was Fu Jiaxi, he would face death a thousand times without hesitation.

Yu Yanqing fell silent for a moment, clearly understanding the implication.

“I never expected someone like you to have moments of childlike innocence,” Yue Jincheng remarked pointedly, recalling how Yu Yanqing had intentionally misled him during the Spring Festival here.

Yu Yanqing calmly replied, “As President Yue said, when the stakes are high enough, deception is nothing.”

“Teacher Yu must really like our Jia. You’ve been influenced by him so much that your childish nature has rubbed off.”

“It’s not from learning from children—it’s from being inspired by you, President Yue.” Yu Yanqing sneered. “Even the president of such a large corporation resorts to such petty displays of dominance.”

Yue Jincheng sneered back.

Who doesn’t know how to sneer?

The scorching summer sun bore down on them, not a whisper of wind breaking through.

Silence thickened the sticky heat even further.

Yu Yanqing pursed his lips and relaxed first.

“Enough with this animosity. Don’t forget, Fu Jiaxi still works for me—I’m the one paying her salary.”

Yue Jincheng scoffed. “You have the nerve to say that. She’s busier than I am these days; we barely see each other once every ten days or so.”

“I never make her work overtime. She’s ambitious and driven—maybe she just doesn’t want to see someone.”

“And who taught you this passive-aggressive attitude?” Yue Jincheng mocked. “No wonder you’re still single.”

“What does it matter if I’m single or not? Some people get married and then divorced, others regret divorcing and beg for reconciliation but still fail. Isn’t that even more heartbreaking?” Yu Yanqing’s tone carried a hint of pity. “President Yue, what do you think?”

Yue Jincheng narrowed his eyes slightly. “There’s a nice boxing gym downstairs from my office. Teacher Yu should give it a try sometime.”

Yu Yanqing tilted his chin. “Practicing isn’t hard—I’m ready anytime, anywhere.”

The sun was briefly obscured by clouds, dimming the light. Perhaps even the heavens couldn’t bear to watch these two act like children.

Another stretch of silence passed.

Yue Jincheng relented first. “Forget practicing. Since you’re Jiaxi’s boss, let me treat you to dinner next time.”

Yu Yanqing replied, “Why wait until next time?”

Yue Jincheng immediately called Secretary Jiao. “Book Qingxi Manor for 6 PM.”

The dining venue was serene and elegant, its Chinese-style design exquisite. Yu Yanqing spent a while feeding the fish in the pavilion, and Yue Jincheng also grabbed a bag of fish food, sprinkling it little by little into the pond.

He sighed. “I never imagined there’d come a day when I could peacefully feed fish with you.”

“I’m your wife’s boss. Two bags of fish food as bribery? That’s a bargain for you.”

Yue Jincheng chuckled. “Grandma often mentions you, saying you love fish.”

Yu Yanqing also curved his lips slightly. “Mm, they’re simple and help relieve stress.”

The tense atmosphere between them finally began to ease at this moment.

“You can rest assured,” he said calmly. “There was never any possibility of anything starting between Jiaxi and me. She’s a wonderful person—hardworking, ambitious, pragmatic, and capable of enduring hardship.”

Yue Jincheng acknowledged his gratitude. “Thank you for taking such good care of her and supporting her in many ways.”

Yu Yanqing replied, “At work, I treat everyone equally. While I once had feelings for her, I would never confuse or exploit those emotions. Her worth isn’t something that should be influenced by a man taking advantage of his position at work. It wouldn’t be fair to her, and it would also be an insult.”

Yue Jincheng smiled knowingly. “I finally understand why she always remembers your kindness and doesn’t hesitate to mention and praise you in front of me.”

Yu Yanqing smirked confidently. “I’ve always been a great person. But sometimes, matters of the heart boil down to timing. You appeared too early and accompanied her through so much. No matter how hard I try to catch up, I can’t replace you.”

Yue Jincheng admitted freely, “That’s right. I won against you because of time.”

Yu Yanqing shot him a glance. “No need to shout it out—I already know I can’t catch up. You should thank your wife. Her strong willpower, clear self-planning, and well-defined boundaries are enough to protect her from many temptations. It’s not that you’re particularly good—it’s that she thinks you’re good. That’s why you’re unique and irreplaceable.”

Yue Jincheng accepted this truth with equanimity. “It’s always been me chasing her—I’m the one who was chosen. I was just slightly luckier than you. Back then, there weren’t competitors as excellent as you around her.”

Yu Yanqing sprinkled a pinch of fish food into the pond and sighed. “If you want to compliment yourself, just say it outright.”

Yue Jincheng laughed, losing control of his hand and accidentally dumping the entire bag of fish food into the water.

A nearby security guard rushed over in panic. “Oh no! Stop feeding them! The fish are going to die from overeating!”

And so, not only did they pay for dinner, but they also ended up compensating for an entire pond of fish.

When Fu Jiaxi found out later, she was utterly shocked. “You… the two of you… did you fight by the fish pond? Did you smash the fish?”

Yue Jincheng lazily glanced at her. “Yes, he’s so heavy.”

“Nonsense—he’s thinner than you!” Fu Jiaxi defended him. “Staying up late analyzing charts is mentally exhausting. Though he doesn’t talk much and isn’t the type to socialize easily, his thoughts run deep, and he considers every angle thoroughly. He’s very insightful. Plus, he loves reading books and makes notes on the pages with his own interpretations.”

“So you know him this well?” Yue Jincheng felt like he’d been handed a sour lemon. “Does he make notes while reading? Who else doesn’t?”

“Do you do that?”

“Yes.” Yue Jincheng’s tone remained nonchalant. “Of course I do. How could I not? I only get to see our Teacher Fu so rarely. Didn’t we do it just last night?”

Fu Jiaxi realized what he was implying and refused to fall into his trap.

This man had grown too spoiled lately.

Especially regarding this matter—he got whatever he asked for, which made him quite brazen.

With mild sarcasm, she let out a soft scoff. “Hmph, and you still have the nerve to bring it up?”

Without another word, she rose gracefully and walked away.

Yue Jincheng was momentarily stunned. “Wait, what did I do wrong?”

“Nothing—you’re doing just fine.”

Her words dripped with irony.

Fu Jiaxi picked up her bag and left indifferently. “I’m heading to the office for a bit and will be back later. Bye.”

Yue Jincheng frowned, walked over, grabbed her hand, and pressed the other hand against the doorframe, trapping her between himself and the door.

“Explain yourself. What exactly are you dissatisfied with?” He leaned closer, their bodies almost touching. Their body heat intertwined, igniting a fire within.

“I remember when I touched you here, and here, and here last night, you moaned quite sweetly,” Yue Jincheng feigned confusion. “Did I misunderstand? Shall we practice again? Tell me where I went wrong or which move wasn’t satisfying enough—you can correct me right now.”

Fu Jiaxi wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered close to his ear, “You wish.”

It was like being lightly teased by a feather—an appropriate level of intimacy, both alluring and elusive, raining down warmth into his heart.

“Do you want to give it a try?”

Yue Jincheng bent his index finger and gently tapped the doorframe, like a subtle reminder of restrained desire, sending shivers through Fu Jiaxi’s ears.

“Standing is better than lying down.”

His voice dropped low as he parted his lips slightly and fiercely enveloped her fingers in his mouth.

The dull thud of the door echoed like a daytime bell toll—out of place yet strangely arousing. Yue Jincheng seemed more suited to rough terrain; his astonishing arm strength was enough to support the swing that had lost its momentum. The rise and fall of his firm chest, along with his steady heartbeat and breathing, cheered on the nearly suffocating fish.

Fu Jiaxi suddenly understood how those poor fish felt after being fed until they were about to burst.

She was feeling pretty close to bursting herself.

“Am I good?” Yue Jincheng asked hoarsely.

Fu Jiaxi sighed helplessly. “Would I dare say otherwise? You’ve already taken half my life.”

Yue Jincheng chuckled, stood up, and tidied things up with practiced ease. “Can you walk? If you’re too tired, I’ll carry you to take a bath.”

Fu Jiaxi rolled herself up in the blanket like a little marshmallow, her cheeks still flushed. “I’m never taking a bath again.”

Yue Jincheng smiled. “Don’t be silly—it’s uncomfortable for you too.”

Fu Jiaxi muttered sulkily, “Either way, it’s uncomfortable. Better to stink than to tire myself out.”

“Where did you exert yourself? Are you really that tired?” Yue Jincheng casually pulled a black shirt from the wardrobe and slipped it on. His muscular legs were pleasing to the eye, and without underwear, he slowly buttoned the shirt in front of the mirror.

The sight was visually striking, especially the bruise-like marks on his thigh left by Fu Jiaxi’s careless pinching.

Fu Jiaxi watched comfortably and chose to remain silent.

Self-discipline truly was a man’s best cosmetic surgery.

As Yue Jincheng focused on buttoning his shirt, he casually instructed, “Send a message to Alice for me, saying I’ll come for class tomorrow.”

His phone lay beside the pillow, its password set to Fu Jiaxi’s birthday. She browsed through his WeChat contacts freely—there was nothing secretive or hidden.

Alice was his personal fitness trainer, whom Fu Jiaxi had met twice. She composed and sent the message, then casually asked, “Didn’t you say you’d be busy with work these days? Aren’t you resting?”

“Exercise is also a great way to relax and relieve stress,” Yue Jincheng turned to face her, methodically buttoning the last button of his shirt. “It keeps me sharp during the day and makes you less clear-headed at night.”

His fingers paused at his Adam’s apple, which involuntarily bobbed.

Fu Jiaxi grew a little flustered, her gaze unconsciously dropping lower, drawn to the area partially concealed by the hem of his shirt.

A few seconds of silence passed.

Yue Jincheng spoke earnestly, “Stop looking—they’re all yours anyway. Look now if you want. If you feel like doing something more extreme, it’s not entirely impossible. Once or twice, I can tolerate it. But if it happens too often without proper justification, wouldn’t that violate moral ethics?”

Fu Jiaxi: “….”

It was hard not to suspect that this was his deliberate attempt at seduction—a trap waiting for her to fall into.