The senior colleagues exchanged glances and then looked down at their phones, browsing the menu items from Mingde Canteen.

The Mingde employee had posted an animated gif—crispy chicken being slowly torn apart with chopsticks.

Beneath the crispy skin, which was first boiled and then roasted, was tender, juicy chicken meat.

When the chopsticks picked it up, the meat even had a bit of bounce to it, and as it was torn from the bone, a drop of glistening, oily broth dripped out.

The sour radish and old duck soup was thick and rich, the duck pieces stewed to a bright red hue, decorated with sour radish and a bit of pickled pepper—just looking at it through the screen made one’s mouth water.

The grilled fish fins—uncertain what kind of fish was used—were grilled to a golden hue, including the fattest part of the fish’s belly.

The fish bones appeared so crisp that they could be chewed up easily, and the fat in the fish belly was forced out, creating a soft, tender texture with a translucent, fatty sheen.

Fish belly… the best part of the fish belly…

The feedback was indeed enthusiastic.

The Mingde employee who posted the gif practically wrote an essay praising it:

[“It’s so delicious! Oh my god, I really can’t find the words to describe this fish. It’s not greasy at all, so soft and tender, and the fish bones are as crisp as pastry. Trust me! I’m so grateful that my mother gave birth to me, and I got to study and join Mingde. What a blessing! I hope you all can try it at one of our restaurants soon!”]

Many employees from various companies in Linjiang followed Mingde Canteen’s super-topic and, during their lunch break, discussed it excitedly:

[“I can’t take it anymore, the crispy chicken is fine, but the fish fins are really not my thing!”]

[“I curse our company’s cafeteria’s tomato stewed eggplant today.”]

[“I nominate Mingde as a public nuisance in the Linjiang CBD business district.”]

The senior colleagues liked this comment and tears welled up in their eyes.

There was a time when Jingmao could have become a public nuisance as well.

---

It was expected that Jin Yaotiao would run into Shen Qiming at the regular meeting, but their seats were a bit far apart.

The Jingmao representatives sat at the front, while Mingde was arranged toward the back.

Even amidst the crowd, Shen Qiming still stood out. Surrounded by people, he looked down at the speech in his hands.

When Jin Yaotiao glanced at him, he seemed to sense something, and in a flash, he stopped and looked up at her.

The lights shone on him, casting a radiant glow, and Jin Yaotiao paused for a moment, nodding as a greeting.

What she disliked, however, was that Mingde’s seats were very close to the Cheng family’s.

Jin Yaotiao spotted Cheng Chen and then noticed an old acquaintance sitting next to him. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

Cheng Chen pushed up his glasses and smiled at her: “Miss Jin, long time no see.”

Jin Jiarui, standing next to him, was less polite and even snorted in amusement.

Cheng Chen wasn’t just trying to annoy her—he was obviously doing it on purpose.

Jin Yaotiao showed no sign of being upset.

She smiled brightly: “Mr. Cheng, long time no see. It looks like your dark circles are worse than before. You should really get some rest.”

Yesterday, in the dream where Cheng Chen was shot at: “…”

Why can’t you sleep? Don’t you know in your heart?

Since they weren’t getting along, Jin Yaotiao turned away and sat down, but suddenly, the meeting coordinator came over, apologizing awkwardly: “Sorry, there was an oversight when assigning the seats. Please, the Mingde representatives should move to the front.”

Cheng Chen was momentarily stunned, but Jin Yaotiao didn’t feel slighted.

However, since they insisted on the invitation, she went along with it in order not to delay the process. Those around them noticed the change in seating and their gazes shifted.

The seating arrangement was an official task, and sitting at the front signified something. Immediately, the atmosphere grew warmer and friendlier.

Cheng Chen, still seated at the back, crossed his arms and watched Jin Yaotiao walk away, faintly hearing the sound of him grinding his teeth.

Jin Jiarui stared at the scene in shock, unable to accept it: “Why are they sitting at the front?”

Cheng Chen took off his glasses and smiled at him: “You talk too much, should I promote you to be the official spokesperson for the Cheng family?”

Jin Jiarui, still not used to his status as a Jin family descendant: “Really?”

Cheng Chen: “…”

Cheng Chen put his glasses back on, nearly spitting blood: “Get lost, get lost, the meeting is starting. Go wait outside.”

What the hell is wrong with me?

I brought this person just to annoy Jin Yaotiao.

That woman is my nemesis.

Absolutely.

A popular bar in Linjiang, where local young socialites often rent out the space for small parties.

Hu Wanyue, wearing a short skirt, sat with her close friends drinking, and Bai Qin, Cheng Chen’s cousin, was also there.

Bai Qin sized up Hu Wanyue and asked, somewhat puzzled, “Baby, have you been losing weight recently?”

Hu Wanyue quietly straightened her back. “…Yes, I have!”

Bai Qin was even more confused.

Was it true?

Hu Wanyue’s little belly had already popped out, and usually, such overeating wouldn’t cause that round shape.

There were a few new girls from out of town at the party, chatting about Linjiang’s gossip, and suddenly someone mentioned Jin Yaotiao.

A girl from Deep City seemed very interested. “Have you seen the article by Ye Baiqing? It mentioned Mingde, which seems to be from your Linjiang! I searched them online, and Jin Yaotiao, the daughter of Mingde’s boss, is quite famous. She’s also from Linjiang. Do you know her?”

When Cheng Chen’s cousin heard the names Mingde and Jin Yaotiao, her expression immediately soured. Hu Wanyue noticed and smiled, replying to the girl, “I don’t know her. She’s not from our circle.”

This subtly implied that Jin Yaotiao was not on the same level as them, and though it was a little underhanded, it seemed to make Cheng Chen’s cousin’s expression look a bit better.

The girl from out of town looked thoughtful. “I see…”

She had thought that Jin Yaotiao was really impressive. Perhaps Ye Baiqing had exaggerated things?

At that moment, someone came over holding a phone. “Linjiang’s live news broadcast today, my dad will be on it too!”

The screen showed footage from today’s meeting. Many of the girls present laughed, as their family elders were also at the meeting.

This wasn’t just some minor event, so they immediately gathered around, interested.

As the camera panned across the venue, the girl holding the phone was about to look for where her father was sitting, but suddenly someone gasped in surprise. “Isn’t that Jin Yaotiao?”

The video was a bit blurry, making everyone appear smaller, but Jin Yaotiao’s face stood out clearly. Even though the pixels were blurry, it only made her look even more striking.

Sitting among a group of well-dressed men, her delicate features stood out like a single red flower among the green, making her hard to miss.

Hu Wanyue immediately sat up straight, her eyes wide. It really was her!

The girls around her were shocked, speaking all at once: “Why is she at the meeting? My dad didn’t even bring my brother! They said one invitation only had one seat!”

“Wait, she’s sitting in the second row?”

“Oh my god, I found my dad. He’s in the ninth row. I can’t believe he’s sitting so far back.”

Hu Wanyue gritted her teeth. “Why is she sitting so close to the front?”

The out-of-town girl was a bit confused. “Do you all know her? Didn’t you say you weren’t from the same circle?”

How could they recognize her if they weren’t close?

Hu Wanyue: “…”

Hu Wanyue felt a bit embarrassed and didn’t know how to explain. But the out-of-town girl seemed to understand. “Oh, I get it now. She’s from the heir’s circle, right?”

She immediately began to envy her. “She’s amazing.”

Although they were all rich second-generation kids, there were still rules within their circles, and the heir’s circle was definitely one they couldn’t just enter.

Hu Wanyue: “…”

She covered her aching heart, and after a moment, she couldn’t help but touch her little belly, which had been poking out due to all the food she had eaten at Yinyan recently.

Honestly, it was soft and nice to touch.

“Oh my god.”

Hu Wanyue felt like crying even more.

Jin Yaotiao was clearly out to get her!

And now, she was going to make money for her.

---

The meeting finished, and the Jin family left the venue.

Jin Yaotiao breathed in the cool air and looked up at the sky.

The 29th day of the Lunar New Year.

With this event over, all the work for the year was effectively done.

Her father was on the phone nearby.

She looked back at him—after his surgery and recovery, her father was looking radiant, speaking energetically to someone on the other end of the line.

Jin Yaotiao couldn’t help but smile.

They could finally rest for a few days.

She called her mother to tell her that she and her father were going home, but her mother mentioned she was heading out to shop for New Year’s goods.

Jin Yaotiao suddenly remembered that the family had given the aunts time off for the New Year, so they had to prepare the New Year’s goods themselves.

Her mother asked, “I’m not sure what to buy, but what about our New Year’s Eve dinner? Should we eat at a restaurant?”

Jin Yaotiao thought for a moment and shook her head. “Let’s eat at home. I’ll cook.”

She wasn’t sure why, but she really wanted to spend this New Year at home with her parents.

The family’s chauffeur had also been given time off for the New Year, so for this trip, she and her father drove themselves.

Unless necessary, she didn’t like to make people work overtime.

And during special times like these, why take up their time when they should be with their own families?

She knew well how it felt to want to be with family, especially during the holidays.

Just then, she heard Shen Qiming’s voice. “Are you waiting for a car?”

Jin Yaotiao turned around and saw that he had just come out of the meeting.

His dark gray coat looked perfectly pressed, not a single wrinkle in sight, and his hair was equally neat.

Because he had to speak, he was dressed more formally today, and the suit beneath the coat was impeccably tailored.

His cold, composed expression gave him an almost abstinent look.

Jin Yaotiao smiled and met his gaze. “No, we drove ourselves here.”

Shen Qiming knew about her father’s health and frowned as he looked at him, who was still on the phone. Jin Yaotiao quickly explained, “I’m driving.”

Shen Qiming paused and glanced at her feet. Naturally, she wouldn’t dress casually for such a meeting.

Today, Jin Yaotiao wore nude-colored red-bottom shoes, with pointed toes and thin heels, the curve of her foot arching elegantly.

Jin Yaotiao explained, “I have flat shoes in the car.”

As she shifted her weight, the red-bottom shoes were beautiful, but with a 10-centimeter height, comfort was definitely not a factor.

After walking to the meeting, her feet were sore from the shoes.

At that moment, Shen Qiming’s car arrived, and the chauffeur got out to open the door.

Jin Yaotiao stepped aside and signaled him to go ahead.

But Shen Qiming didn’t move.

Jin Yaotiao asked, “?”

Shen Qiming said, “Get in. I’ll have someone take you home.”

He lowered his head, and when Jin Yaotiao met his eyes, she shook her head. “No need.”

There was a brief silence.

Shen Qiming finally turned and walked toward the car.

Jin Yaotiao watched him give up and made her way to her own car with her father, still on the phone.

But just then, she heard the sound of a door slamming shut behind her.

The chauffeur was confused. “President Shen?”

Shen Qiming closed the car door and said coldly to the chauffeur, “Drive the car back to the company. You can take the rest of the day off.”

After that, he walked towards Jin Yaotiao and her father.

The chauffeur was left bewildered. “???”

What was going on?

The New Year’s Eve holiday wasn’t until tomorrow, but he was giving himself time off on the 29th?

The boss suddenly showed some humanity?!

Jiang Zong always said the boss had no heart, but maybe he did after all.