Although Ying Huaijin was reassured by the old man's persuasion, his worry for Ying Jingsheng had not diminished. After the two left the study, Ying Huaijin called Ying Jingsheng to the car for another talk. He only hoped he could withdraw safely; if needed, he would give his full support. Ying Jingsheng understood all the elders' concerns; he felt the same way himself. "Jingsheng, your father can't intervene in the group's affairs now. Your grandfather has assigned me to other tasks, so this matter is entirely in your hands. You're the most outstanding of your generation. Your grandfather trusts you, and I trust you. You must do this well." Ying Jingsheng nodded and walked out of the Ying family home. His thoughts still lingered on everything that happened tonight. Ying Jingsheng closed his eyes to rest, staying in the car for a long time. To be honest, this matter was not easy. It was both a test and a responsibility. He couldn't be bothered anymore to think about who had leaked this matter. Now, he just wanted to peacefully be an 'ordinary colleague' at Yunlu and complete the task his grandfather had entrusted to him. Not until Wang Anran reminded him that it was late did he come to his senses, seeing that the clock in the car had stopped at 10:30. At this point, it would be almost 11 o'clock by the time he returned to the Tao family home. According to the contract, he had to be home before 10 o'clock, or else the door would not be left open for him. He had already prepared to sleep at some random hotel tonight, but then he thought about it: with his current identity as an ordinary working-class person, spending that money wasn't worth it. So he decided to try his luck instead. Unexpectedly, the lights at the Tao family home were still on. While thinking about what excuse to give, he opened the door. The scene in the living room startled Ying Jingsheng. The TV was still on, its light flickering silently. On the sofa, Tao Xinrou was leaning her head to one side, dozing off little by little. A thin blanket was draped over her. Her long hair was slightly messy on her shoulders, and her cheeks had a faint blush from deep sleep. On the coffee table were a plate of washed fruit and a glass of water that had long gone cold, clearly prepared for someone. This sight formed a stark contrast with the banquet that had just ended, which was full of scheming and cold confrontation. Ying Jingsheng stood at the entrance, feeling dazed for a moment. He tried to close the door as quietly as possible, but the slight sound still disturbed the light sleeper. Tao Xinrou's eyelashes fluttered a few times. She opened her eyes groggily, and it took a while for her vision to focus before she could make out the figure at the door. She seemed startled. She sat up abruptly, the thin blanket sliding halfway down. Her voice was hoarse from just waking up as she said in a fluster, 'Ah, Pres... you, you're back?' "Mm, sorry, I'm back late. Did I wake you?" Ying Jingsheng changed into slippers and walked in, his eyes sweeping over the fruit and glass on the coffee table. "No... no, I wasn't asleep yet! I just accidentally dozed off while watching TV." Tao Xinrou hurriedly tidied her hair and put away the blanket. "Would you like some water?" As she spoke, she picked up the glass of cold water on the table, only to realize it had long gone cold. She paused and said, 'Ah, it's already cold. I'll pour you a fresh cup of hot water.' She stood up in a rush. Because she got up too quickly and her legs were still a bit weak from just waking up, her calf caught on the edge of the hanging blanket, causing her to lurch forward uncontrollably. "Careful." Just as she thought she would have a close encounter with the floor, an arm caught her arm in time. Tao Xinrou looked up, still shaken, and found herself staring directly at Fang Rong's face, which was very close. Under the warm yellow light of the living room, his face held a hint of concern, his brows slightly furrowed. He looked at her, and she looked at him. Their eyes met, and time seemed to slow down. Tao Xinrou's mind had already wandered elsewhere. She smelled the faint fragrance on him, felt the warmth of his hand holding her arm. Like that time he had held her, memories came flooding back. Thump, thump—her heartbeat became more pronounced again. This time, Tao Xinrou could clearly feel that this was her own heartbeat. Her heartbeat sounded especially clear in the quiet living room. She seemed to have fallen a little deeper. Faced with this face that had made her heart pound several times, she unhesitatingly sank down. If Fang Rong really liked her... Wait—pfft, pfft, pfft! She shouldn't delude herself! It's just because of the close distance. Besides, Fang Rong was just being helpful. She quickly pulled herself out of that train of thought, immediately withdrew her hand, stepped back to create distance, but her face instantly turned red as if on fire. She looked down and stammered, 'Th-thanks, I'll go pour you some water.' Ying Jingsheng also let go of her hand naturally. 'No need. You should rest early. Next time, don't wait for me.' "No, I wasn't waiting for you." Tao Xinrou blurted out, then realized that was a guilty conscience betraying itself. Her voice immediately dropped, and her eyes darted around. 'I just stayed up a bit late watching TV. Oh, right.' She picked up the plate of washed strawberries from the table. 'Um, the strawberries you bought last time were really good, so I bought some too. Since you worked late, have some fruit to replenish your vitamin C. Um, and I'll go boil some water for you.' With that, she practically fled to the kitchen. Ying Jingsheng watched her flustered retreating figure, then looked down at the plate of carefully arranged fruit in his hand. The corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up. His landlord was very thoughtful. He carried the fruit to the sofa and sat down. The TV commercials were still flickering silently. The sound of the kettle came from the kitchen, and everything became warm and cozy. Until Tao Xinrou came out with a cup of steaming hot water, the blush on her face not yet fully faded. She set it down quickly and said in a muffled voice, 'I'll just leave it here. I'm going to bed. You should rest early too.' With that, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she dashed into her bedroom without looking back and slammed the door shut. Inside the room, Tao Xinrou leaned against the door, covering her still-burning face. Her heart was still pounding stubbornly. Second time! The second time! Tao Xinrou, are you an idiot? Why did you leave the light on? Why did you prepare fruit? Why did you fall asleep and then almost fall when you got up? It's all over now! He must think I'm... Ahhh!! I can't face anyone! On the other side of the door, Ying Jingsheng looked at the tightly closed door and sat quietly for a moment. Ying Jingsheng took off his jacket and loosened his collar. But his mind flashed again with her flustered eyes when she woke up, and her reddened earlobes when she pretended to be calm while handing him the fruit. It was as if a small, warm pebble had been dropped into a corner of his icy heart lake. What he could now be sure of was that Tao Xinrou was definitely not a mole sent by Zhang Hongbin, but her entry into Yunlu Hotel was certainly not simple either. If Tao Haizhen really was her father, then she must also have a purpose. Ying Jingsheng narrowed his eyes at Tao Xinrou's door. It seemed he would have to probe her further.
*
The calm before the storm is always short-lived. A few days later, a tense atmosphere suddenly filled the office at Yunlu Hotel. Headquarters suddenly issued a notice requiring all employees not on duty to immediately assemble in the main conference room for an important announcement. Colleagues chattered noisily as they hurried to the main conference room. Tao Xinrou and Zheng Shuhui had just finished their work when a colleague informed them to go to a meeting. The two looked at the hurried expressions on everyone's faces and whispered speculations. "Xinrou, why do you think they're calling us to such an urgent meeting?" Tao Xinrou shook her head. She had been busy since early morning and hadn't had a chance to interact with anyone at the hotel. After everyone gathered in the conference room, the main seat was still empty, and the seats for the department heads were also vacant. Soon, the hotel management escorted several people in through the side door. The leader was Ying Huaishan. The audience collectively gasped. Tao Xinrou also wondered to herself, 'Why is Ying Huaishan here?' He walked toward the main seat with a smile, and the leaders immediately took their places. The room fell silent. After Zhang Hongbin adjusted the microphone for Ying Huaishan, his voice traveled through the speakers to every corner of the room: 'Dear colleagues, good morning. Today we have gathered everyone on short notice to announce an important personnel change.' 'I believe you've all heard some rumors recently. Yes, our Ying family's promising third young master has returned from his studies abroad and, adhering to the philosophy of immersing himself in grassroots work and learning earnestly, has joined the Yunlu family and has been working alongside all of you for some time.' Wow—the audience instantly erupted! Everyone looked around excitedly and curiously, scanning the crowd frantically to find the mysterious crown prince. Tao Xinrou's heart sank. A sense of foreboding gripped her. She quickly located Fang Rong. His gaze was intense, but his jawline seemed slightly tense. Was Fang Rong's true identity about to be revealed? Just as Tao Xinrou was still trying to figure out what was happening, Zhang Hongbin's smile deepened. He slowly scanned the faces of everyone in the audience, then fixed his gaze on Fang Rong's position. 'Now, let's welcome with the warmest applause our Ying family's third young master, also the future leader of our hotel—Ying Jingsheng!' Boom! A real nuclear explosion erupted on site! Everyone's gaze, like a searchlight, instantly focused on the housekeeping department's formation. Time seemed to stand still, and everyone's thoughts paused for a moment. Someone whispered, 'Who is it exactly?' Until Zhang Hongbin walked off the stage, bent respectfully beside Fang Rong, and said loudly, 'Third young master, please come up.' Only then did everyone's thoughts, like a short-circuited wire, get reconnected. Then came the explosion of discussion—"Oh my god! It's Fang Rong? How could it be him? I guessed so many people, but never Fang Rong!" "I even asked him to carry boxes for me before. Damn, I bossed around the third young master. Am I going to get fired?" "No wonder! I kept saying his temperament didn't seem like an ordinary worker! Last time at our team-building, he left the base manager speechless with just a few words. Definitely an upper-class mind." "I'm done, I'm done. Last week I was complaining to him in the break room about low wages and the boss being an idiot. Will he take notes on me?" ... Tao Xinrou felt those gazes on Fang Rong like needles piercing her own body. She stood stiffly, her mind blank, her ears filled with the buzzing of discussions. At this moment, she felt she had reached the peak of embarrassment. The president's mask hadn't fallen off voluntarily—it had been forcibly stripped off! Zheng Shuhui was so shocked that her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Xin, Xinrou... pinch me. Am I dreaming? Fang Rong... he's the third young master? That Ying family's third young master, Ying Jingsheng?" On stage, Ying Huaishan took in everything, his smile perfectly maintained. But Ying Jingsheng could see a hint of icy satisfaction from a successful scheme in his expression. This was exactly the effect he wanted. Suddenly, without warning. Forcing Ying Jingsheng to be scrutinized and questioned by everyone without any buffer, pushing him to the highest position. Ying Jingsheng clenched his fists at his sides. Even though he was in a difficult position with no way out, he had to hold his head high and walk toward that direction. He nodded to Zhang Hongbin, who had lowered his eyes, and walked to the stage with determined strides. Step by step, he firmly walked to the microphone. Ying Huaishan vacated the main seat, led the applause, and said with a smile, "Jingsheng, say a few words to everyone." Everyone held their breath, waiting. What would be the first words of this third young master, who had just been forcibly pushed to center stage? Ying Jingsheng took the microphone, his gaze fixed straight ahead, his voice cold as a glacier: "Dear colleagues, good morning. I am Ying Jingsheng." This public execution and praise-killing, directed single-handedly by Ying Huaishan, had now officially entered its critical phase.
Author's note:
----------------------
Originally, the following plot was scheduled for the paid chapter, but due to insufficient collections, I'm continuing to let everyone read for free.
New Year's wish: to start paid chapters soon!
I hope 200 more people will come and read my novel!
I also wish everyone their wishes come true and lots of prosperity!
Random small red envelopes for those who comment on this chapter, until tomorrow's update.
————
Emergency notice: Before posting, I found out I ate something bad and feel terrible. I don't know if I can update tomorrow. Although I have stockpiled chapters, I still check them before posting.
If I can't update tomorrow, I'll put up a leave notice.
Everyone, be careful not to overeat during the New Year.
I'm going to lie down now.