The “Scent-Seeking Feast” was in full swing, bustling with activity.

Compared to the past, the crowd seemed even more packed.

Watching the scene, Jin’s Third Brother felt a surge of excitement in his chest.

He led his son inward and, as expected, saw Master Tu leading the young apprentices in a frenzy of work.

The kitchen was roaring with the sound of fire, and the delicious aroma spread everywhere.

Master Tu seemed to be in a bad mood again, his face as sour as ginger, scolding his apprentices in a voice as boiling as hot water: “I told you to grab the chicken, not to play on your phone! Do you believe I’ll throw you in the oven like a beggar’s chicken?”

One apprentice, standing across from him, looked miserable and said, “Master, I saw on the internet that Mr. Jin…”

Jin’s Third Brother smiled and stepped forward to greet him, “Old Tu, busy, huh?”

Seeing him, Master Tu’s expression softened a little. “Oh, it’s Old Three, you’re here?”

Jin’s Third Brother gave his son a look, and Jin Jiarui quickly bowed politely, “Hello, Uncle Tu.”

Master Tu, who had a notoriously bad temper, didn’t even give him a glance, instead asking, “What’s your son doing here?”

“I heard the Scent-Seeking Feast is really busy lately,” Jin Laosan said, “Anyway, he doesn’t have much going on at the company, so I thought he could come help you out, learn something.”

Master Tu glanced at Jin Jiarui, who was standing there, bowing and keeping his head down, as obedient as a lamb.

He chuckled, “Your son is quite polite.”

A lot more polite than that troublesome girl, Yaotiao.

But before Jin Jiarui could feel happy, Master Tu’s tone shifted as he rejected the offer, saying, “But I’ve got enough people here, I don’t need a young master coming to suffer.”

Jin’s Third Brother smile froze, but he wasn’t giving up. “Boys shouldn’t be afraid of hardship. Besides, Yaotiao’s not here. Don’t you need someone to help you?”

Master Tu immediately waved his hand, “Don’t, don’t say that. I can’t boss around Yaotiao. She bosses me around enough.”

Hearing these unguarded, sour remarks, Jin Laosan’s heart secretly rejoiced, realizing that Yaotiao had clearly offended Master Tu’s temper.

But Master Tu continued, “Hurry up and take him back, don’t make trouble for me.”

Jin’s Third Brother was taken aback, not understanding why Master Tu was so adamant.

Jin Jiarui, who had been repeatedly rejected, grew anxious and volunteered, “Uncle Tu, please let me stay. I’ve always admired you. I’ll definitely listen to you and work hard.”

He flattered Master Tu in such a humble way, but Master Tu remained unmoved.

He only chuckled and said, “Admire me? Now, that’s something rare.”

Jin’s Third Brother face became a little awkward.

He lowered his voice and said, “Old Tu, we’ve talked this much. Do me a favor.”

Master Tu lazily leaned to the side and tossed a peanut into his mouth, “I’d like to do you a favor, but let me ask you something. Does your older brother know you’ve sent your son here?”

Jin’s Third Brother was caught off guard.

Even with his thick skin, he felt a little embarrassed. “Why do you care so much? Anyway, as long as he’s here and listens, what’s the big deal?”

“I’ve got enough obedient people here, I don’t need one more,” Master Tu sneered. “Old Three, you’re usually quiet, but who knew you’re such a tough character. If my master were still here, he’d slap you into the stew pot.”

Jin’s Third Brother expression changed, and his tone turned colder: “Old Tu, stop using my father to pressure me. Just answer me—yes or no?”

Master Tu shot him a sideways glance, raised his chin, and gestured around him. “Don’t ask me. Ask my apprentices.”

Jin’s Third Brother froze. When he looked up, his face immediately showed a look of surprise.

All the young apprentices, who had been busy in the kitchen moments ago, had gathered around, glaring at him and his son.

“Master!” The apprentice who had been scolded for looking at the news about Mr. Jin earlier, Wang Sheng, stepped forward with a cleaver and asked, “What do they want? Are they trying to take advantage of Mr. Jin’s illness and bully our manager?”

The other apprentices’ eyes were burning with intensity, as if they’d pounce on him at any moment if Master Tu gave the word.

Master Tu rolled his eyes at his unruly apprentices, clearly annoyed, and turned his gaze back to Jin Laosan’s father and son. “See that? There’s no place for him here. So, while I’m still holding back, get out quickly.”

Jin Jiarui, seeing a group of tall apprentices with cleavers approaching threateningly, almost wet himself in fear. Jin Laosan’s face also turned pale, but more out of disbelief. “You… You! What did my brother give you, for you to be this protective over that girl?”

“I’m protecting her?” Master Tu almost exploded, his face red with anger.

He waved them off and said, “Go, go, go. Don’t argue with me. Just take your son and get lost.”

Jin Jiarui, for the first time in his life, was humiliated so openly.

His self-esteem shattered completely.

His eyes turned red with anger.

He couldn’t understand, “Uncle Tu, what’s so bad about me compared to Jin Yaotiao? Why do you look down on me like this?”

When Master Tu mentioned Jin Yaotiao before, his tone had been harsh, but now, when he looked at Jin Jiarui, his eyes were filled with disdain. “You? You think you can compare to Jin Yaotiao?”

Jin Jiarui, meeting his disdainful eyes, felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Jin’s Third Brother anger was at its peak, his hands trembling as he pointed at Master Tu.

The atmosphere between them was on the brink of explosion. Jin Laosan had never been so humiliated in decades.

With a crowd of relatives watching, he was so angry that he wished he could dig a hole to hide in.

His finger shaking as he pointed at Master Tu, he spat out, “Old Tu, you better not regret this!”

Master Tu snorted coldly, “What’s wrong? Old Three, who do you think you are? You want to threaten me?”

Jin’s Third Brother was furious, his teeth clenched as he threatened, “Fine. You remember this. One day…”

“One day, what?”

Jin’s Third Brother, upon hearing that voice, subconsciously thought of a time when he would avenge himself after taking control of Mingde following his older brother’s death.

A few seconds later, he realized that the soft, slightly hoarse voice wasn’t Master Tu’s.

He froze, quickly turned, and looked toward the door.

---

At the door, the relatives were silent, parting to make way.

They all looked toward the same direction.

At the end of the gap, a slender, tall figure slowly walked in.

She had long legs, and the sound of her Martin boots tapping on the floor echoed, reverberating in the hearts of everyone present.

Wang Sheng, the apprentice holding the cleaver, was the first to recognize her.

His face lit up with joy as he shouted, “Manager Jin!”

Jin Yaotiao smiled at him, her eyes slightly squinting, then casually let her gaze fall on Jin’s Third Brother: “Third Uncle, why aren’t you speaking? What’s this about some day in the future? Let me hear it too.”

Her smile, with eyebrows and eyes that were almost aggressively beautiful, instantly suppressed the presence of everyone around her.

Jin’s Third Brother didn’t expect to see her at this moment and froze, instinctively asking, “You, Yao Tiao… how come? Didn’t you go to…?”

“To Rochester,” Jin Yaotiao directly finished his unfinished sentence, her tone mocking, “I felt someone really missed me, so I came back early.”

Her words made the entire room erupt.

No one expected her to directly admit that she had gone to Rochester, which was an indirect acknowledgment of her father’s surgery.

The shareholders of the Jin family, who hadn’t fully believed the rumors, were suddenly in panic.

Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Yao Tiao! Did your dad really… get… cancer?”

Jin Yaotiao nodded, her tone light, “Lung cancer.”

The crowd was stunned, unable to take their eyes off Jin’s Third Brother.

Even though he knew the news was true, hearing it directly from the person involved made him uncontrollably excited.

Before he could process why Jin Yaotiao could speak so casually about the matter, she was already beaming at him and clapping her hands. “But thanks to everyone’s concern, my dad’s surgery went smoothly. He’ll be back in a few days. He’s as energetic as ever. If he knew how much everyone missed him, he’d be so touched.”

The shareholders immediately changed their expressions upon hearing this implied gratitude.

Those who had been wavering instinctively distanced themselves from Jin Laosan.

Jin’s Third Brother was stunned, and after half a minute, he realized the meaning of her smile and words. His face turned ashen. “Energetic… Lung cancer… this kind of disease…”

When he heard the news, he had even asked the doctor, who confirmed that lung cancer was terrifying because its early symptoms were hard to detect, and there were few diagnostic methods.

It was usually discovered when it was already quite advanced.

The patient’s passing was only a matter of time.

Jin Yaotiao looked at his disbelief and smiled even more happily, “Yeah, luckily it was detected early. It was diagnosed in the early stages, isn’t that a coincidence!”

It was almost unreal!

Jin’s Third Brother instinctively doubted she was just playing tricks, but the next second, Jin Yaotiao actually took out her phone, dialed a video call, and after a few words with the nurse on the other end, the camera turned and focused on the hospital bed.

It was already nighttime on the other end, and the well-lit hospital room showed Jin’s father, who was awake, wearing a hospital gown and lying weakly on a bed that had been raised slightly.

He looked a little frail, but his gaze, as he looked toward the camera, was as commanding as ever.

Anyone could see that he was in good spirits.

The shareholders present could feel the weight of his presence through the screen.

Only Jin’s second son laughed aloud: “Big Brother, I told you it was nothing, thank God. Some people are probably going to be so mad now!”

Jin Yaotiao didn’t let her father handle the situation too much, quickly hanging up.

Then, her smile gradually faded as she looked at the pale-faced father and son ahead of her. “Yes, thank God.”

Jin’s Third Brother couldn’t speak.

Jin Yaotiao didn’t pay him any more attention and turned to leave, throwing a line over her shoulder: “Come with me to the company, we have a meeting.”

As a younger generation member, her words stunned everyone.

Without thinking, the group of older members instinctively followed her.

On the way, Jin Yaotiao returned calls and messages she had missed during her flight. After thinking for a moment, she dialed a number to Master Tu.

Master Tu answered quickly: “What is it?”

Jin Yaotiao smiled as she looked out the window: “Thanks, Uncle Tu.”

Master Tu grunted impatiently: “I’m busy, don’t bother me.”

---

In Mingde, the news of Jin’s father’s illness had naturally spread among the company’s employees.

In fact, they were gossiping wildly, all guessing who would eventually take over the top position in the company.

At quitting time, two female employees were walking out of the building, worriedly discussing:

“Do you think the company will be in trouble? Chairman Jin suddenly fell ill, and he hasn’t trained a successor.”

“Who told you he hasn’t trained a successor? Isn’t the prince a successor?”

“But the prince is not even in the company now, and she’s so young, she’s only been with the company for a short time. In a family business like this, when all the shareholders start fighting, who knows if she can outmaneuver the old-timers?”

Just as they were talking, a few black cars suddenly drove up and stopped in front of the hall.

Everyone was shocked, and the car doors opened. A long, slender leg stepped out, wearing black Martin boots, followed by a stunning face.

A cold, imposing aura quickly spread.

Jin Yaotiao scanned the surroundings and smiled slightly at a few employees who were staring at her, then turned to glance at the other elders stepping out of the cars.

The nervous shareholders instinctively followed her, step by step.

Luna, who had received her safety call earlier, had been waiting downstairs and ran up to her as soon as she saw her, wiping away tears. “Yao Tiao!”

Jin Yao Tiao patted her gently, telling her not to worry. “I’m fine, don’t worry. You go out and have some fun. I’ll take you to the Fragrant Feast later when I’m done.”

Luna, sniffling and seeing the shareholders behind her, realized Jin Yao Tiao had business to attend to and nodded obediently, stepping aside.

Jin Yao Tiao turned away, her face growing serious as she led the group of shareholders into the elevator, walking confidently ahead.

After she had been gone for a while, the employees who had been stunned by her rare, sharp aura finally came back to their senses. They clutched their chests, exchanging glances, and collectively let out excited and restrained sounds.

“Shit!!!”

“The princess is back!!!”

“Princess smiled at me! She’s so beautiful!! So cool!! I can’t— I really can’t!!”

“Help me up! My legs are weak!”

“As soon as the princess takes charge, the evil spirits are immediately suppressed!”

---

Shen Qiming, who had returned with her for safety, kept following Jin Yaotiao, but since she was in a bad mood, she hadn’t spoken to him much.

He wasn’t angry, just worried.

When he saw that Jin Yaotiao had safely entered the company, he finally got out of the car to take a breath, intending to find someone to investigate how her father’s illness had been leaked.

Many people around were looking at him, but he had long been used to being the center of attention and didn’t mind, just looking at his phone.

Until the whispers of Mingde employees around him reached his ears, sounding different from usual:

“Wow, there’s a handsome guy over there! So handsome!”

“He looks like he came back with the princess!”

“Oh my god! Is he the princess consort?! The princess consort is so good-looking!!”

“Wait, wait! This aura is too strong. I think he’s more like the princess consort! Look at him, he’s so handsome!”

One of the employees raised her chin, signaling her colleagues to look at a certain direction, and Shen Qiming instinctively turned to look.

In the hall, Luna, who had spoken with Jin Yao Tiao earlier, was standing by the doorway. She hadn’t left, anxiously looking in the direction where Jin Yao Tiao had disappeared. After crying earlier, her eyes were red, and she seemed very pitiful, waiting for something.

“Ah, this girl is really cute! So soft! And just now, the princess even patted her hair and smiled at her. The princess really dotes on her!”

“Ughhh, why not me? I’m cute too! When will the princess look at me?”

“But compared to him, I think that super handsome guy looks more like the princess consort! He’s really handsome!”

“I think this girl is more like it. She looked so sweet when she spoke with the princess.”

“Ughhh, just collect them all. The one with the highest beauty should be the main wife, and the soft one as a concubine, pampered and adored.”

“The princess really has great fortune in love.”

Shen Qiming: “????”