"No need to force it. Just take it one step at a time."
Xu Shufang slipped the steak Cheng Yi handed her into the oven, her tone calm and soothing. If even Xu Shufang—who wielded absolute authority in this household—was saying this, what more could Cheng Yi, as an "outsider," possibly add? She set down the plate she was holding, a question still lingered in her mind.
Would he come?
He hadn't said he would, but neither had he said he wouldn't. Cheng Yi fidgeted with the table settings, her eyes darting cautiously toward Ye George, who sat comfortably with one leg crossed over the other, pretending to read Business Weekly. What was he thinking, reading such a serious magazine while humming Beatles tunes? It was so painfully obvious he was just trying to hide his smugness. Who was he kidding? The old man had just won a battle against his son—of course he was over the moon!
It wasn't surprising, really. If he didn't find some way to distract himself, his wife would surely give him an earful. He'd been sneaking back to China behind her back for decades, and she probably hadn't finished being mad at him yet. Cheng Yi had nothing but admiration for her mother-in-law's fortitude. How had she survived decades in this constant tug-of-war between a pair of sparring partners? Yet there she was, serenely preparing dinner as if everything were perfectly normal. Just how strong did her nerves have to be?
By seven o'clock, the Ye family's usual dinner time, the three of them were already seated at the table. Cheng Yi deliberately took her time ladling out four bowls of soup, hoping to stall a little longer for the missing family member.
Right on cue, the sound of keys turning in the lock came from the entrance. Cheng Yi hurriedly sped up as the door swung open and a tall figure walked in. Without a word, he strode straight to the table, pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up the bowl of soup, drinking it as if it were water.
"No manners at all! Starting to eat before the elders have even picked up their chopsticks?"
"Look who's talking, you old hypocrite!"
"What? You little brat, did you just call me old?"
"Why don't you take a look at your reflection in the soup bowl?"
"You..."
Ye George was stumped, poised to lash out, but for a moment, he couldn't think of a good comeback and ended up shooting his son a murderous glare instead.
Cheng Yi felt a headache brewing. She shot an imploring look at her mother-in-law, but Xu Shufang continued eating calmly, unfazed by the exchange. Great. Looks like there was no way to avoid tonight's impending "battle." Cheng Yi could only lower her head and keep eating quietly, mentally repeating her own mantra: Didn't hear a thing, didn't hear a thing…
"Business is business, even between father and son. Every penny must be accounted for, right? Isn't that what they teach you on Wall Street?"
Ye George snorted derisively, his voice dripping with mockery.
Of all the things to bring up, why mention that? Do you want to finish this meal or not, old man? Cheng Yi's appetite vanished instantly. She could practically see Ye Mingzhe's face darkening on the other side of the table, anger flashing in his eyes like a wildfire.
"Did you think we were just a bunch of idiots? All that effort we put into securing clients, and you turned out to be the major shareholder pulling the strings behind the scenes! Sending us chasing after projects all over the globe, demanding three proposals a day, only to reject us in the end with a dismissive, 'I don't trust small firms'? What the hell do you take us for?"
This was the rage Ye Mingzhe had been holding back for weeks, finally starting to spill over. Cheng Yi's mind flashed back to the banquet that night, still shaken by the memory.
She hadn't even recovered from Yu Yali's carefully orchestrated humiliation when she'd been thrust into the centre of everyone's envy, blindsided by that sudden, romantic kiss. She barely remembered her own reaction at the time, as a bigger shock had soon followed. The host's grand announcement still echoed in her mind.
"We are in awe of Mr. and Ms Ye's enduring love. And now, to further celebrate their success, let us welcome Mr. Ye George, Chairman of Changsheng Group, to present a special gift in their honour."
"To further celebrate their success"—those words were seared into Cheng Yi's memory, cutting into Ye Mingzhe's heart like a knife. She'd watched as he stood frozen, ashen-faced, his expression wiped clean of all life. Then his face began to twitch uncontrollably, like a cornered tiger ready to pounce, his gaze locked furiously on Ye George's smug grin.
Cheng Yi had held her breath, knowing that an inevitable storm was brewing.
He had stormed towards Ye George, his voice a low, furious growl.
"Tell me—who are you?"
"Oh, forgive me. Looks like your dear old dad somehow became the chairman."
"Are you... toying with me?"
"Chairmen don't have time for this. We're busy running things."
"No time for this, huh? But when you do get involved, you make sure to go all out, don't you?"
Mingzhe's long-suppressed rage was dangerously close to erupting. Cheng Yi had hurried forward, wedging herself between them, terrified that a fight might break out right there on stage. Judging by his posture, he'd probably be more than willing to flip the entire platform over.
"Please, please… everyone's watching."
She took the gift box from George's hands, trying to pull Mingzhe away, but he wouldn't budge, his eyes blazing with fury. Cheng Yi broke out in a cold sweat. Someone, please save her! She silently prayed. And, miraculously, her prayers were answered.
"Do you really want to air the family's dirty laundry for all to see?"
A soft yet authoritative voice drifted over from behind her. Cheng Yi turned and saw Minglang supporting Xu Shufang as they made their way onto the stage, the perfect intervention for the brewing storm.
"Think carefully. What's really important?"
Xu Shufang's gaze was calm but piercing. Her voice was gentle, yet it cut through the tension, cooling the simmering atmosphere.
Mingzhe hung his head in thought, the beast of rage trapped inside his chest, struggling to break free. Cheng Yi could see the tension in his clenched jaw and trembling shoulders, fear tightening around her heart as she worried he might lose control in front of everyone. She reached up and lightly patted his chest, soothing him as best she could.
"Let's talk about it at home… please, let's go home, alright?"
Go home and talk…
And now, here they were at home, the confrontation inevitable.
Cheng Yi's thoughts drifted back to that night. She vaguely remembered how Mingzhe had forced out a strained smile for the cameras, accepting the gift and posing with his father under the glare of the flashbulbs. The moment the cameras clicked, he had grabbed her hand and whisked her away straight to the airport. They caught the earliest flight to Hawaii and spent the next two weeks there recuperating.
During that time in Hawaii, he'd become a completely different person—eating, sleeping, and doing little else. He'd left the company's affairs entirely in the hands of Minglang and Mandy, and neither of them complained. The tireless workaholic who had once worked late into the night had suddenly transformed into someone who couldn't care less. One day, Cheng Yi cautiously asked if he wanted to check his emails. He glanced at her lazily and casually replied:
"Don't bother. The old man's got plenty of money for me to burn."