Ji Feng sat in his room feeling inexplicably restless and wanted to find an open space to clear his head.
His thoughts drifted to the large terrace on the hotel’s second floor.
Surrounded by openness, it offered both liveliness and a quiet corner—a perfect spot to breathe.
He rose from the sofa.
Xue Rui had no idea where he was suddenly heading and quickly followed.
It wasn’t until they reached the second-floor terrace outside the hotel that Xue Rui had a chance to express his surprise.
“Boss, you’re actually willing to sit here?” Though the area had a café, a small bar, and even a reading nook and tea room, with clear skies and a gentle breeze, it was indeed quite pleasant.
But for someone like Ji Feng—
“Isn’t this place a bit too… ordinary?”
For a man as particular as Ji Feng, it was hard to imagine him enjoying such a mundane setting.
Ji Feng ignored Xue Rui’s chatter.
He walked to the tea room at the corner of the terrace, pulled out a chair, and ordered a pot of Biluochun tea from the server.
Xue Rui watched in astonishment.
Hadn’t this aloof CEO just been drinking the same tea upstairs? And he’d only taken a few sips. Not to mention, the quality of the tea upstairs was a hundred times better than what was in this pot?
So he’d rushed downstairs just to drink the same type of tea, only with worse flavor?
Xue Rui felt he understood Ji Feng less and less.
As Ji Feng sipped the somewhat mediocre Biluochun, enjoyed the breeze, and basked in the sunlight, his inexplicable irritation gradually eased.
He leisurely buttoned his shirt collar back up and adjusted his tie.
Bathed in the bright sunlight, caressed by the gentle wind, and refreshed by the clean air, his thoughts grew clearer and more rational.
Ji Feng reflected carefully—his disdain for Xu Miyu wasn’t entirely unfounded.
Though she hadn’t clung to an unfaithful husband, her money was indeed spent on supporting another useless man—her brother.
A sibling supporter was equally undeserving of sympathy. Even if she hadn’t remained in a rotten marriage, willingly sinking into the mud of a patriarchal family and allowing parasitic relatives to exploit her showed a lack of ambition and self-respect.
Having reasoned this out, Ji Feng felt his annoyance lessen.
But as the tea touched his lips again, he immediately tasted its cheapness. When the breeze brushed past, he now found it too dry. Though the air was fresh, the sun was too harsh, beating down relentlessly and making him uncomfortable.
He stood up abruptly and left.
He must have been out of his mind—this Biluochun wasn’t even a tenth as good as the one in his room, half of it tasting like dirt, yet he’d insisted on coming down for a few sips.
Xue Rui trailed behind Ji Feng, utterly bewildered. One moment he decided to come down, the next he ordered tea, drank less than three sips, and then abruptly left.
Xue Rui hurried to catch up and asked, “Boss, where are we going now?”
“Upstairs,” Ji Feng replied tersely.
“…” Xue Rui’s confusion only deepened.
The mind of a wealthy CEO was something a mere assistant could never hope to decipher.
As they rode the elevator upstairs together, Xue Rui couldn’t hold back and asked Ji Feng for his thoughts on what he’d learned about Xu Miyu.
“Boss, don’t you think Xu Miyu is actually quite a surprising person?”Ji Feng let out a cold snort and shot him a sidelong glance. "What's there to change my mind about? Even if she didn't cling to a cheating husband, isn't she still willingly trapped in a patriarchal family, being exploited by her parents and brother? It's all the same lack of self-respect."
Xue Rui froze in place.
He never expected that even after clearing up the misunderstanding about Xu Miyu not getting divorced, Ji Feng could still find new reasons to dislike her.
His boss's "perfectionism" was truly in full force at this moment—when it came to others, the boss certainly had plenty of criticisms.
Amid Xue Rui's stunned silence, Ji Feng's cold voice rang out again.
"And another thing—you've been blabbering on about this woman all day. Are you getting bolder by the minute? Have I not made it clear that I don't want to hear her name?"
"..." But you didn't stop me while I was talking! You listened to the whole thing from start to finish! Only after hearing it all do you say you didn't want to listen—what's the difference between that and refusing to pay after finishing a meal? This is just freeloading!
Xue Rui hardly knew how to describe his current state of mind.
Lately, Xu Miyu felt that life was finally smiling upon her again, as the challenges at work were gradually being resolved and overcome.
The dramas she used to watch at home—those pastimes her ex-husband had deemed pointless or even wasteful—unexpectedly became sources of wisdom she could draw from.
She never imagined she could actually learn so much from them. Just like the male protagonist in the movie Sheep Without a Shepherd*, who managed to evade the police by relying on his extensive viewing of crime and mystery films, she too had absorbed lessons from countless shows.
The more dramas she watched, the more she subconsciously integrated their insights into her thinking. Usually, she didn't notice it, but when she needed ideas, those learned concepts would emerge from the depths of her mind, forming unexpected solutions that helped her achieve her goals.
Through this approach, she first bided her time and remained patient, even allowing others to see her as a fool, while she quietly observed the operations of the entire housekeeping department and identified each person's faults. Then, she confronted them directly, laying out their mistakes right in front of them. Finally, she showed leniency and kindness—not punishing them but instead speaking with them heart-to-heart.
In this way, she actually managed to win over everyone on that floor.
For the first time in her life, she tasted the immense sense of accomplishment that came from relying on her own abilities.
However, strictly speaking, this achievement had one small flaw. Among all the attendants on that floor, there was still one person who remained unconvinced by her: Luo Qingping.
But Xu Miyu thought, Rome wasn't built in a day. She would take it slow and wait—perhaps life wouldn't be so harsh on her. One day, she might just win over all their loyalty and submission.
Recently, due to her promotion to team leader and her solid performance at work, Xu Miyu had been moved to a single room in the staff dormitory.
On Saturday morning, just after waking up and before she had decided how to spend her day, Xu Miyu received a call from her eldest sister, Xu Mizi.
Over the phone, Xu Mizi told her, "Third Sister, come over to my place later. Your brother-in-law and I haven't had enough of the braised beef you made last time. Since you're off today, come and make some more for us. I've already bought the meat and restocked the seasonings you used last time."Xu Miyu had been exhausted all week and finally had a rare day off. She really wanted to relax and rest properly.
She replied to Xu Mizi: "Sister, I'd like to rest today. Since you've already prepared all the ingredients, I can just teach you how to make it directly."
Xu Mizi immediately became displeased: "Last time you said you were making stewed meat for colleagues, I didn't hear you complaining about needing rest. Why are you making so many excuses when it comes to your own sister? Besides, you've known my cooking skills since we were kids. Even with the same meat and same ingredients, I just can't make it taste like yours."
After a pause, she changed her tone, turning complaints into praise, though her compliments came with a condescending attitude: "Third sister, you've always been the best at cooking in our family. Since this is your only strong point, shouldn't you come show your big sister what you can do?"
Xu Miyu sighed. Who told her she had used her sister's kitchen before?
She had no choice but to get up, wash up, quickly eat something, and take the bus to her sister's house.
The bus route was rather circuitous. By the time Xu Miyu arrived, Xu Mizi was already somewhat impatient: "You, third sister, why is it so difficult to ask you for a favor? You should have come faster. If you dawdle any longer, it'll be too late today."
Xu Miyu defended herself: "I didn't delay for even a minute. The bus was slow and there's nothing I could do—it's not like I could grab the steering wheel from the driver." Then she casually asked in return, "What's the rush anyway?"
Her sister hesitated and didn't explain in detail.
Sister-in-law Qi looked Xu Miyu up and down and clicked his tongue twice: "Third sister, you seem different somehow? A while ago you looked worn out, but now you're fair and fresh again, even younger and prettier than before. What, are you dating again?"
Xu Mizi shot him a glare: "Is it appropriate for a brother-in-law to ask his sister-in-law such things?" After rebuking her husband, Xu Mizi also came over to examine Xu Miyu. "But your brother-in-law is right—you do look much fresher, almost like when you were living comfortably before your divorce. Third sister, has something good happened to you recently?"
Xu Miyu smiled and said: "Nothing particularly good has happened, and I'm not dating. I've just figured out how I should work and live."
When people find their purpose, they naturally become more motivated and energetic.
Under her sister and brother-in-law's skeptical gazes, she walked into the kitchen and started braising the beef.
At first glance of the beef her sister had prepared, Xu Miyu was startled.
There was practically half a cow lying on the kitchen counter.
"Why so much? Can you and brother-in-law finish all this?"
Sister Xu Mizi immediately said: "Your brother-in-law and I love it, of course we can finish it!"
With such a large amount of beef, Xu Miyu worked until afternoon before finishing braising it all.
After transferring the braised beef to a large serving plate, Xu Miyu told Xu Mizi: "Let it cool first. After it cools, portion it according to the amounts I showed you, seal it in bags, and freeze it in the refrigerator. It'll last you a long time."
Xu Mizi quickly agreed.
Nearby, Sister-in-law Qi smelled the meat and grew tempted, unable to resist reaching for a piece to eat.
Sister Xu Mizi saw this and immediately slapped his hand, not allowing him to eat: "Can't you control your greed?"
Sister-in-law Qi retorted unwillingly: "What's wrong with having one piece? It won't interfere with your plans!"Xu Mizi glared. "Is it just my business you're delaying? You're holding up important matters for both of us—control that wretched mouth of yours." Her glare sent Sister-in-law fleeing directly.
Xu Miyu asked, "What were you two talking about?"
Xu Mizi replied, "Nothing much. I just can't stand your sister-in-law's gluttony—like some starving ghost from a past life!"
She didn't invite Xu Miyu to stay for dinner, telling her instead: "Your brother-in-law and I have things to attend to later, so I won't keep you for dinner."
Xu Miyu couldn't help complaining: "I only had a quick bite this morning, skipped lunch entirely, and was counting on dinner tonight. And you won't even feed me? You really are working me like unpaid labor."
Xu Mizi made a surprised sound and retorted: "Look at you, with those clipped wings of yours getting bold again! I say one thing and you counter with a dozen. Go on, get going. Consider it my treat owed to you, alright?"
Xu Miyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Just like that, she was used and dismissed by her elder sister on an empty stomach.
Since she had the evening shift, she decided not to return to the dorm and took the bus directly to the hotel.
By the time she got off, it was nearly five o'clock. Her stomach felt like a hollow mountain valley inhabited by hundreds of birds cooing in unison.
The bus stop was on the street opposite the hotel, where half the block was lined with various street-side snack shops.
Xu Miyu headed to the most affordable noodle shop, planning to splurge today on a bowl of noodles to fill her stomach before crossing the street for her night shift.
Unexpectedly, the noodle shop was packed at this hour. Even the three outdoor tables had only one spot left—the one closest to the road.
With no other choice, Xu Miyu sat at that table and ordered a bowl of hot noodle soup.
In under three minutes, steaming noodles were served.
She snapped apart her chopsticks, rubbed them smooth, plunged them into the noodles, and gave everything a thorough stir. Once the noodles and broth were well mixed, she lowered her head and ate in big, voracious mouthfuls.
The taste was actually quite ordinary—nothing compared to her own homemade noodle soup. But she was so hungry that she slurped up the noodles noisily, almost like a living advertisement for the shop, attracting passersby who couldn't help finding it appetizing and stopping to give it a try.
On a weekend afternoon, Ji Feng was summoned home by his mother Feng Xuelan's repeated pleas to join her for dinner.
He hadn't wanted to go back, preferring to rest with some tea at the hotel or check on the recreational department. He'd heard there was a large swimming pool under the hotel's second-floor terrace, often hosting glamorous pool parties with music and drinks. He wanted to see just how decadent it got and whether things ever crossed the line.
But his mother had practically begged him over the phone to come home for a meal and keep her company.
In the end, he couldn't harden his heart and agreed. With the driver off for the weekend, Xue Rui personally drove him home.
Only upon arriving did he realize he was merely his mother's bargaining chip—a means to lure his father back home.
It turned out his mother had told his father: "Our son is coming home for dinner today. You should come back too. It's rare for the three of us to have a meal and chat together."Ji Shengming thought about the unpleasant ending of the last family dinner and initially didn’t want to go home. But he also felt that the matter he had discussed with Ji Feng last time hadn’t received a clear response, so he really should go home and ask again. Recently, the territory that the Duan family’s son had built over many years in the Thai market was gradually collapsing—was this related to Ji Feng?
At the dinner table, Ji Shengming did ask exactly that.
Ji Feng answered candidly, “Yes, it was me. Isn’t this the outcome he deserves?”
Ji Shengming immediately slammed the table. “I already told you to stop. Why are you so stubbornly determined to drive them to ruin? How do you expect me to save face when I see Old Duan again after what you’ve done to his son?”
Ji Feng raised the corner of his eye slightly and gave a faint smile, one filled entirely with mockery and sarcasm. “You want me to care about your face? Then when you set up another family outside, did you ever care about the face of me and my mother?”
Provoked by his son’s direct challenge, Ji Shengming grew furious with shame and turned his anger on Feng Xuelan. “Look at the fine son you’ve raised! What’s wrong with me having another family outside? At least the daughter she raised is considerate to me!”
This remark instantly shattered all the elegant pretense Feng Xuelan had worked so hard to maintain. She immediately became hysterical again—overturning the table, cursing her husband, driving him out, and swearing he should never return.
After Xu Miyu finished her noodles, she picked up the bowl to drink the remaining broth. As the soup in the bowl dwindled, she lifted the bowl higher and higher.
Finally, after drinking every last drop of broth, she set down the bowl, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and stood up to leave.
But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure in a suit walking toward the shop counter.
That figure looked strangely familiar.
Unable to help herself, she glanced back a couple more times as she walked forward.
Distracted by this, she ended up bumping into someone.
Even before she could straighten up, a stream of apologies spilled from her lips.
When she finally straightened and looked up, she froze in place.
The person she had bumped into was none other than Ji Feng.
He stood lazily before her, hands tucked into his suit pants pockets. Behind him was his eye-catching, luxurious Rolls-Royce. His aura and demeanor were so striking that even standing there coldly and motionless, he easily drew the attention of passersby.
Good-looking people always attract the admiration and favor of many eyes.
In that moment of stunned silence, Xu Miyu thought, So the person who just entered the noodle shop was really Xue Rui?
People like them, who live in the penthouse, actually come to a street-side noodle shop to buy noodles?
She had heard that Ji Feng was the most particular guest in the entire hotel. This was simply too unbelievable.
In the next instant, she saw the familiar disdain in Ji Feng’s eyes.
“Do you ever watch where you’re going?”
Hearing this cold, slightly mocking question, Xu Miyu immediately recalled his previous attitude toward her: “Have you no self-respect? Do you have to live so cheaply?”
And his warning to her: “Don’t let me see you again.”
She immediately took a step back, almost eager to prove her innocence as she explained, “I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t plan to bump into you. I really didn’t see you—I’m sorry!”Then she immediately brushed past him and hurried across the street, fleeing as if escaping some terrifying demon, never looking back.
Only after crossing the street and calming down did Xu Miyu realize that Ji Feng had actually been standing in a spacious area with plenty of room on either side. Though she hadn’t seen him, he had clearly seen her. If he had just moved slightly to the left or right, he could have avoided her—the person he despised—bumping into him.
Yet he had stood there motionless, waiting for her to collide with him…
Was it so that after the collision, he could seize the opportunity to humiliate her again, venting his disgust and aversion at seeing her once more?
Xu Miyu felt somewhat speechless. She immediately warned herself that from now on, she must be even more cautious and do everything possible to avoid encountering Ji Feng.
That way, she wouldn’t offend his sight, provoke his displeasure, or give him another chance to humiliate her.
Xue Rui returned with the noodles and was surprised to see Ji Feng standing outside the car as he approached.
He asked, “Boss, why did you get out of the car?”
Ji Feng replied coldly, “I came down to see how long it would take you to buy a bowl of noodles.”
After saying that, he got back into the car.
Xue Rui, feeling confused by the reprimand, also got in and drove back to the hotel.
Sitting in the back seat, Ji Feng suddenly asked Xue Rui, “Do I look like some kind of devil or something?”
The question was so abrupt that Xue Rui was momentarily stunned and didn’t know how to respond: “…Not really.” (Actually, yes!)
“Do I make you want to flee in panic?”
“…No.” (Of course, there are plenty of times when you do!)
“Then why…” Ji Feng’s words abruptly trailed off.
He stopped himself just before saying, “Then why did Xu Miyu flee in panic like she’d seen a devil when she saw me?”
The entire way back to the hotel, his mood had been on the verge of exploding because of his mother—who stubbornly refused to leave her cheating husband and insisted on clinging to her rotten marriage.
Just moments ago, while passing by on the other side of the street, he had inadvertently spotted Xu Miyu sitting outside the noodle shop, eating.
It was strange. The frustration he felt over his mother’s lack of resolve had, in that instant upon seeing Xu Miyu, transformed into an inexplicable sigh and an uncomfortable, almost eerie feeling.
He sighed because she seemed so fragile and vulnerable, yet she was far stronger than his mother—she had the courage to walk away from a terrible marriage. As for the eerie discomfort…
He thought perhaps it was because he had previously misunderstood her, assuming she was determined to stay with her cheating husband and refusing to divorce, and had spoken harshly to her.
So he had deliberately gotten out of the car and waited there, intending to take advantage of this chance encounter—with Xue Rui sent away and not around—to say something to her.
For instance, he had previously thought she was living a pitiful life, but that was his misunderstanding, and he admitted he was wrong about that.
But before he could say any of this, her reaction upon seeing him was as if she had encountered a venomous snake or a devil—she avoided him as if he were something to be feared.
How ridiculous! He hadn’t even had the chance to show his disdain for her today, and she was already the one looking down on him.
Ji Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression dark as he thought: Fine. Since she was in such a hurry to leave and didn’t want to hear anything, he wouldn’t explain anything either.
After all, it seemed his opinion of her didn’t matter much to her anyway.
He had made up his mind, but for some reason, the more he felt he had figured it out, the more a sense of resentment seemed to settle in his heart, leaving him with an unresolved frustration and discomfort.He narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips, and stared out the car window in the direction where Xu Miyu had just run off. His thoughts drifted as he wondered, so was she on the late shift today?
OpenNovel