OFCC – Chapter 87

When the sun slowly climbed to its highest point in the sky, the commotion in the hospital room finally ceased.

In a daze, Mu Yanxi seemed to feel herself being lifted again, and she heard Yi Wulan’s voice by her ear, saying she was going to take her for a bath.

The VIP room was a suite of a hundred square meters, but the bathroom wasn’t far from the large bed.

She vaguely remembered that Yi Wulan was a patient and wanted to refuse, but she was so exhausted that she didn’t even have the strength to open her mouth before falling completely asleep.

After getting Mu Yanxi cleaned up, Yi Wulan walked to the living room in the adjoining part of the suite.

This was the first time Yi Wulan had handled Rongjia’s business since her surgery.

Although Rongjia’s senior executives knew that the news of Yi Wulan’s illness couldn’t be hidden, they were still very worried that if it was publicized at the financial summit, it would cause public panic. Rongjia’s stock would be the first to be affected.

Fortunately, after yesterday’s financial summit, Mu Yanxi’s performance was widely reported by the media, receiving unanimous praise from the public. As the executives breathed a sigh of relief, a new idea began to form in their minds.

Since Mu Yanxi’s online popularity was so high, and she was one of their own, wasn’t it perfectly reasonable for her to endorse their holographic product?

It was the weekend, and banking on the fact that Yi Wulan was still hospitalized, they planned to suddenly bring it up during the meeting under the pretext of acting in Rongjia’s best interests, hoping to get Mu Yanxi to accept the endorsement unprepared.

The proposal for the spokesperson, while packaged beautifully at first glance, had actually compressed the substantial benefits of the endorsement again and again, as if they were asking Mu Yanxi to do charity work.

In any case, Rongjia’s interests weren’t harmed, so they weren’t technically making things difficult for Mu Yanxi at work. Even if Mu Yanxi wanted to complain, she would have no one to complain to.

Then, three minutes before the meeting started, when they saw Yi Wulan on screen, their enthusiastic smiles instantly vanished.

Yi Wulan glanced at the endorsement proposal Gu Yan had sent over, her gaze sweeping coolly across the screen. “It’s been a few days. Is Rongjia going bankrupt?”

Her voice carried no emotion, no different from her usual tone, yet it sent a chill down the spines of everyone on the other side of the screen, rendering them speechless.

They exchanged glances, and perhaps because the temperature in their respective rooms was too high, some of them began to break out in a sweat.

Seeing this, Yi Wulan didn’t bother asking whose idea it was and looked directly at Gu Yan. “What do you think?”

Gu Yan seemed prepared. He immediately produced a brand-new proposal, based on the highest standards for celebrity endorsements within Rongjia Entertainment, which even included a share of the profits from the holographic product’s sales.

Tech products like holography were different from daily goods like food, cosmetics, and skincare. While endorsements for daily goods might give the spokesperson a share of the profits, for high-priced products like holography, the spokesperson usually only received an endorsement fee.

The moment this proposal appeared, the expressions of those present changed again. Someone spoke up, bracing against the pressure, “President… President Yi, given President Mu… ah, no, Miss Mu’s status in the entertainment industry, the previous terms were actually good enough. Hiring an international supermodel or a triple-crown-winning actress would only cost that much. Isn’t the profit-sharing in the back a bit of an exaggeration?”

Yi Wulan scanned the terms in the proposal. “It is a bit of an exaggeration.”

The people in the meeting room breathed a collective sigh of relief.

But before they could fully exhale, they heard Yi Wulan speak again. “After all, supermodels and award-winning actresses can’t get into a financial summit, nor can they generate the kind of online buzz for Rongjia that we have now.”

The senior executives: …

Only then did they realize that Yi Wulan’s “exaggeration” wasn’t about Mu Yanxi’s status being unworthy of such terms, but that Yi Wulan felt those terms were an exaggeration for any supermodel or actress who might endorse the product.

They racked their brains, trying to block Yi Wulan’s decision, but before they could speak, they heard the young and promising Gu Yan, who, despite being just an assistant, earned the highest bonus in the entire company, speak with considerable hesitation:

“President Yi, President Mu has already rejected this endorsement on Weibo twice. Even if we want to hire her, it might be a bit difficult. And as far as I know, President Mu’s manager is being flooded with countless endorsement offers, especially from that new energy vehicle project in Feicheng, which also wants President Mu as their spokesperson.”

At this, one of the executives retorted defiantly, “New energy vehicles have nothing to do with us. What’s the conflict in taking on two endorsements at the same time? Don’t some celebrities take on dozens?”

Gu Yan shook his head. “But the terms offered by the new energy vehicle project are not only similar to my proposal, but their project also has national backing. After President Mu accepts that endorsement, she’ll have access to more mainstream resources in the entertainment industry in the future.”

It meant Mu Yanxi would gain both fame and fortune, benefiting from both sides.

And even if Rongjia provided Mu Yanxi with resources from the entertainment industry, it could only offer the commercial ones from Rongjia Entertainment, which were ultimately different from the resources of the mainstream circle.

After speaking, Gu Yan sighed. “Actually, President Mu isn’t someone who haggles over money, so your original proposal would have been fine. It’s just that if the new energy vehicle project finds out these are the only terms we offered…”

Gu Yan’s words stopped at just the right moment, leaving the rest to everyone’s imagination.

Both were projects Mu Yanxi was involved in, and both were giants in their respective fields. If there were no endorsement from the new energy project, others might understand it as Mu Yanxi not charging a fee because of her relationship with Yi Wulan.

But since the new energy project was also offering a high price, if Rongjia went ahead with the original contract, it would look like they were using the marriage to bully her. For such a large company to be unwilling to pay that small endorsement fee, their stature and magnanimity would instantly shrink.

Almost the instant Gu Yan finished speaking, several others in the meeting reacted and immediately interjected, “I think we’re offering a bit too little.”

Others quickly chimed in, “I agree. Their stupid car is just starting out and hasn’t even taken shape yet. We can’t be outdone by them.”

“President Mu is our acting chairman, after all. Shouldn’t she sign with Rongjia first?”

With everyone chiming in, the tide of the meeting immediately turned.

Someone even called out, “Assistant Gu, you have a good relationship with President Mu. We’ll leave it to you to persuade her.”

Upon hearing “good relationship,” Gu Yan accidentally choked on his water and coughed urgently. For the sake of his hefty bonus, he immediately denied it, “I just support President Mu’s work. This matter still depends on President Mu’s own thoughts.”

After speaking, he glanced at Yi Wulan. Seeing that his boss’s expression was still normal, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Redo the endorsement proposal and submit it to me for review first,” Yi Wulan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke. “Next item.”

Yi Wulan’s meeting lasted a long time. It wasn’t just about the holographic product endorsement; she also had several senior executives report on Rongjia’s recent situation.

Rongjia’s various projects had not been hindered by her absence. Yi Wulan deliberately did not mention Mu Yanxi’s contributions, instead giving corresponding performance bonuses for everyone’s recent work. A stick and a carrot, successfully stabilizing morale.

By the time Yi Wulan returned to the bedroom, she was just at the door when she heard the little ancestor, who had been half-dead, chattering away about something.

But when she opened the bedroom door, it was completely quiet inside. Mu Yanxi was curled up in bed, seemingly not yet awake.

Everything just now seemed like a figment of her imagination.

Yi Wulan walked to the bedside and sat down. Only after a careful scan did she notice the corner of a phone peeking out from the pillow.

It seemed that what she heard just now was not her imagination after all.

Yi Wulan reached out, brushed aside the hair that had fallen onto Mu Yanxi’s cheek, and called out softly, “Mu Yanxi.”

Mu Yanxi pretended to have just woken up, responding with a muffled, “Mmm?”

“You didn’t eat anything for lunch. Do you want me to have the bodyguards buy you some dessert to tide you over?” Yi Wulan tidied Mu Yanxi’s long hair and asked again, “Do you want to get up?”

Mu Yanxi slowly opened her eyes, yawned, and said lazily, “Tired. Don’t want to move.”

Yi Wulan glanced at the time. “You just slept for over four hours.”

Only then did Mu Yanxi realize how quickly time had passed. She let out an “ah” and played the victim. “Has it been over four hours? But I slept for so long and I still don’t feel like I’ve recovered.”

Yi Wulan was slightly taken aback and felt a little embarrassed. Especially since Doctor Xiusina had been so blunt these past two months, talking about how it would drain one’s energy and vitality. From yesterday afternoon until now, Mu Yanxi had been put through so much, it seemed a bit excessive.

Yi Wulan held her breath slightly and asked softly, “Should I have someone prepare something to replenish your qi and blood for dinner?”

Mu Yanxi rolled her eyes without a care for her image. “Are you trying to embarrass me even more?”

“It’s for me,” Yi Wulan replied quickly. “I’m the patient.”

Mu Yanxi hummed softly, seeming reluctantly satisfied. “Then I’ll do you the favor of eating a little with you later.”

After sending a message to the bodyguard with her phone, Yi Wulan leaned down again. “Are you uncomfortable anywhere? I can give you a massage.”

“I’m sore everywhere.” Mu Yanxi was incredibly well-behaved, whining and nuzzling against Yi Wulan. “My waist and stomach are sore, and my legs are sore too.”

In truth, after a few hours of sleep and being repaired by her ability, she was no longer sore. Mu Yanxi was purely trying to be difficult. Especially a few hours ago when Yi Wulan was tormenting her, she had repeatedly initiated kisses to test if she could absorb abilities from Yi Wulan’s mouth.

As a result, she got the ability, but Yi Wulan thought she was full of energy and that it wasn’t enough. So, she varied her techniques and increased her force, and Mu Yanxi was almost broken by her.

Thinking about this, Mu Yanxi’s temper flared up uncontrollably. “A little lower. Mmm, harder. Hey, a little lighter.”

Yi Wulan could see that her little ancestor was throwing a tantrum and let her have her way.

Seeing such a compliant Yi Wulan, Mu Yanxi found it boring again. As Yi Wulan lifted the blanket and pushed up her nightgown, her eyes darted around, and she let out a slow yawn, teasing:

“President Yi, even if you’re really all better, fooling around with me in this hospital room all day will tarnish your lifelong reputation if word gets out.”

Yi Wulan: …

Before, the cold-faced and cold-hearted President Yi might not have paid any attention to Mu Yanxi’s provocative words and would have continued with what she was doing. But at this moment, her hand froze for a rare moment.

The hem of the skirt was rolled up, revealing a strip of snowy white waist. Mu Yanxi was just enjoying the verbal sparring. Seeing Yi Wulan’s stunned expression, she immediately sensed something was wrong. She asked vaguely, “Yi Wulan?”

Yi Wulan came back to her senses and nonchalantly continued to push the clothes up, her hand pressing against a reddish bruise on Mu Yanxi’s waist.

That was the mark left when she had held Mu Yanxi’s waist while Mu Yanxi was both hooking her neck to kiss her and twisting her hips to escape the unbearable pleasure. Yi Wulan gently caressed the already fading mark.

Mu Yanxi couldn’t help but tremble, instinctively dodging to the side. “It’ll definitely be gone after a night’s sleep. Don’t, don’t touch it.”

Yi Wulan continued to rub Mu Yanxi’s waist, applying some pressure with her fingertips. “Isn’t it still sore?”

Mu Yanxi was at a loss for words. She couldn’t very well say she was just pretending, so she had to go along with what she had said earlier. “Mmm-hmm, it’s killing me.”

Yi Wulan continued to rub diligently.

But gradually, Yi Wulan’s touch made Mu Yanxi’s whole body tingle. She felt her body, which had just been repaired by her ability, go soft again. She reached out to brush Yi Wulan’s hand away, dodging haphazardly and even trying to pull the blanket over to wrap herself up.

But these movements were a bit too big, and she accidentally knocked the phone tucked in the pillow out onto the bed.

Yi Wulan was about to help Mu Yanxi put the phone on the nightstand, but Mu Yanxi, as if protesting her innocence too much, quickly reached out to grab it, pressing down hard on Yi Wulan’s hand, which was already covering the phone.

No matter how slow Yi Wulan was, she could see something was fishy. She remembered the few words she had vaguely heard before entering the room and gave Mu Yanxi a deadpan look.

Mu Yanxi played dumb. “What is it?”

Yi Wulan: “Give me the phone.”

Mu Yanxi blinked innocently. “What for, President Yi? I was just chatting with my sister. She told me something about Mu Yanche. Why are you interested too?”

If it were really about Mu Yanche, Mu Yanxi wouldn’t be so nervous. Yi Wulan’s hand still hadn’t moved. “Let me see.”

Mu Yanxi: …

Mu Yanxi looked at Yi Wulan mournfully. “Really, my sister said Mu Yanche has gone crazy, and I was just gloating a little. You know I’ve never been one for pleasantries. I’m afraid of polluting your ears.”

Yi Wulan coldly watched Mu Yanxi’s hand trying to snatch the phone. She had only asked casually, but she didn’t expect this unexpected gain. “Let go.”

“Ah…” Mu Yanxi suddenly moved her leg and frowned.

Yi Wulan immediately let go. “What’s wrong…”

Just then, Mu Yanxi swiftly snatched her phone back, leaped off the bed like a rabbit, and ran out, showing no sign of a leg cramp whatsoever.

Yi Wulan followed with a cold face.

Although Mu Yanxi was shameless in front of Yi Wulan, she still had a reputation to uphold in front of others and wouldn’t actually run out of the hospital room in her nightgown.

When Yi Wulan pushed open the living room door, the phone in Mu Yanxi’s hand had vanished, hidden somewhere by her.

Mu Yanxi grinned at Yi Wulan, feeling secure.

Yi Wulan looked at her coldly. She didn’t need to guess to know that there was something incriminating in Mu Yanxi’s chat history with Mu Yanqing, and it most likely had to do with her.

These two sisters. One was long-winded with her back in school, and the other, who started out so sweet and lovely, had been spoiled into a master of tall tales after a few years. They were clearly blood sisters.

“Yi Wulan, don’t look so grim.” Mu Yanxi stood with her hands behind her back, smugly approaching Yi Wulan. “You were the one who tried to snatch my phone first. Now that the phone is gone, you can’t find any evidence.”

Yi Wulan still said nothing, just watching her little ancestor show off as usual.

“I’ll make you a deal. If you can find my phone and dig up any evidence today…” Mu Yanxi deliberately drew out the last syllable, blinking her lively fox-like eyes, which were even brighter after being washed by tears. “I’ll let you do whatever you want with me. How about it?”

After speaking, Mu Yanxi sat down on the sofa, kicked off her slippers, and propped her feet triumphantly on the coffee table. She picked up Yi Wulan’s computer and started looking through documents.

She was chuckling at the juicy terms of the endorsement contract on the screen, about to ask Yi Wulan what kind of concessions she had to make for those old foxes at Rongjia to agree, when the hospital room door was suddenly opened, accompanied by a voice: “I told you long ago that Yi Wulan is no good. I’m here, come out quick…”

Mu Yanxi shot her head up and saw Mu Yanqing walking in from outside, in the middle of sending a voice message on WeChat.

Just as Mu Yanxi was panicking, Yi Wulan’s peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and she walked towards Mu Yanqing.

Mu Yanqing had heard from Mu Yanxi that Yi Wulan’s health had recovered, but she hadn’t expected it to be to this extent. She was slightly stunned when she saw Yi Wulan walking towards her.

In that moment of shock, Yi Wulan snatched her phone.

Mu Yanxi was so scared she immediately shot up from the sofa.

Yi Wulan casually played a few of Mu Yanxi’s voice messages:

“Divorce! Divorce! I want a divorce, Elder Sister! I really can’t live like this anymore! Achoo… Speaking of divorce makes me sneeze. Why does torn paper fly around so much?”

“I think you’re right, Yi Wulan is just a big-tailed wolf in human skin. What ‘unattainable flower of the high mountains, devoid of desire’? The outside world must be blind. I’ve never seen a flower of the high mountains who knows so many tricks.”

“Sis! Elder Sister! I’m about to die from the smell of disinfectant in this hospital. Go buy me some perfume, the expensive kind! The kind that attracts bees and butterflies!”

Mu Yanxi: …

Mu Yanxi’s face instantly went from red to a myriad of colors, then to green. Then, she felt the gaze on her grow heavier, carrying a hint of pressure.

Seeing that Yi Wulan’s expression wasn’t great either, Mu Yanqing immediately snatched her phone back from Yi Wulan’s hand, terrified that Yi Wulan might hear something else she shouldn’t.

Yi Wulan let Mu Yanqing take the phone back, then asked, “Is there something you need?”

Mu Yanqing shifted her feet towards the door. “I guess… not?”

But no matter how she shifted, she didn’t leave the room. Her gaze darted back and forth between Mu Yanxi and Yi Wulan, like someone waiting for a good show.

Mu Yanxi felt extremely guilty. Not daring to lose her temper at Yi Wulan, she could only grit her teeth and give Mu Yanqing a pointed look with her eyes. The moment Yi Wulan turned her head, she frantically mouthed at Mu Yanqing: Save me! Elder Sister! Help!

The living room was also fifty square meters. With such a distance between them, how could Mu Yanqing understand what Mu Yanxi was saying? She frowned and asked, “What? Save what?”

Mu Yanxi: …

Mu Yanxi’s hand slapped over her eyes, and she collapsed back into the sofa, utterly devoid of hope.

Yi Wulan, standing next to Mu Yanqing, guessed something from the conversation. But fortunately, Yi Wulan wouldn’t let Mu Yanxi lose face in front of others. She just walked towards Mu Yanxi with a blank expression, ignoring Mu Yanqing.

Mu Yanqing took the opportunity to close the door and walk towards the sofa.

Seeing this, Mu Yanxi said irritably, “What are you doing here? Visiting a patient?”

“I’m here to bring something to a little ingrate like you.” Mu Yanqing gestured with the exquisite gift bag in her hand. “Didn’t you want to attract bees and butterflies?”

Mu Yanxi was at a loss for words, offering a lame excuse, “I, I was just going to put some potpourri in the bathroom.”

After speaking, she secretly glanced sideways at Yi Wulan.

Yi Wulan’s expression was normal, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking. Just then, her phone lit up. She gestured to Mu Yanxi and walked towards the bedroom.

Seeing this, Mu Yanxi blinked, finding it quite novel.

Yi Wulan had heard all her nonsense, yet she could still give her so much face?

Once Yi Wulan was gone, Mu Yanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. She grabbed Mu Yanxi and asked curiously, “I thought you were lying to me. So Yi Wulan really recovered this quickly?”

Mu Yanxi looked at her mournfully and said irritably, “Yeah, but it’s good. I finally don’t have to work for Rongjia anymore.”

Seeing this, Mu Yanqing said in a low voice, “Then before you leave, hurry up and change the contracts for the cooperation between our two families. Or, if the others aren’t urgent, just change the profit-sharing for the holographic product line.”

Mu Yanxi didn’t expect Mu Yanqing to still be hung up on this. She yawned and said perfunctorily, “Didn’t you already go see Mu Yanche? Aren’t you afraid you’ll end up like that after being locked up for a few days?”

Mu Yanqing immediately shivered and didn’t mention it again. She then asked, “You just said you two are planning a wedding. When are you going to have it? Your big sister will give you a huge gift.”

Mu Yanxi shook her head. “I don’t know, probably in a few months. It’s just a formality anyway, no need to be too serious about it.”

“What do you mean, a formality?” Mu Yanqing looked at her, dissatisfied. “Could it be that Yi Wulan is too poor to afford a wedding for you? Oh right, Rongjia’s funds are really tight lately because of the holographic project, and they’re relying on Xinyu for everything. No, no, if she’s this poor, you shouldn’t have a wedding. You two should just get a divorce… Mmph?”

As Mu Yanqing’s voice grew more agitated, Mu Yanxi clamped a hand over her mouth. Then she glanced at the still bedroom door and breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t talk nonsense, Elder Sister.”

Mu Yanqing was unhappy. “She’s poor, and I can’t even say it?”

Mu Yanxi said perfunctorily, “Yes, yes, Yi Wulan is dirt poor, completely relying on our Xinyu for poverty alleviation.”

That sounded much better, so Mu Yanqing reluctantly stopped picking faults. “Fine.”

Just then, Mu Yanqing’s phone lit up. She glanced at it and asked Mu Yanxi, “I have a cocktail party to attend later. Do you want to come with me?”

Normally, Mu Yanxi would have agreed in a heartbeat. The parties Mu Yanqing invited her to were definitely not the boring business type; there was bound to be something good.

But thinking of Yi Wulan in the hospital room, Mu Yanxi hesitated for a long while before saying softly, “I… I have to ask Yi Wulan.”

Mu Yanqing: “Tsk.”

Mu Yanxi frowned. “Did you just tsk at me?”

Mu Yanqing shook her head. “You heard wrong. I’ll leave the perfume here for you. They’re all limited edition custom blends, so you won’t run into anyone with the same scent. You just stay here and keep that dog Yi Wulan company.”

After speaking, Mu Yanqing left without any hesitation.

Mu Yanxi glared at her retreating back, then dug her phone out from the sofa cushions with a pained expression, starting to agonize over how to explain this mess to Yi Wulan.

But before she could agonize for long, Mu Yanxi suddenly realized something: Yi Wulan was almost fully recovered. What did she need her company for?

In the past, she would go to such banquets whenever she wanted, never hesitating for a moment.

Why did she now have to consider Yi Wulan every single time?

What was even more terrifying was that this feeling had developed imperceptibly. By the time she noticed it, it was as if she had been ‘tamed,’ instinctively considering Yi Wulan’s feelings.

And the ever-willful, arrogant, and spoiled Second Miss Mu didn’t feel the slightest bit of rejection towards it.

Mu Yanxi punched the sofa hard, thinking to herself: President Yi’s beauty is truly corrupting.

Damn it.