Cooking herself

"Thanks to Xiao Wen, Xiao Ci made it through this safely."

"Second Brother, you really have terrible taste in friends. If it hadn't been for Xiao Wen this time, you might have..."

Mu Xu Ci rubbed the side of his nose with his index finger. "Um... Xiao Wen, I wasn't very nice to you before. Don't take it to heart."

Yan Wen was still basking in the joy of receiving three million. At that, he waved a hand. "It's fine, really. You and Mu Huai'an were brothers for over a decade. It's normal to need some time to adjust."

Xie Yunshu smiled lovingly. "I'll cook dinner myself when we get home tonight."

Mu Xu Xi linked her arm through Xie Yunshu's, wheedling, "Mom, I want crucian carp soup."

"All right, all right. I'll make it for you."

Mu Huai'an was holding his phone, his expression a mixture of anger and panic. Visible bruises still marked his left eye and the corner of his mouth.

Playing on his phone was footage of Yan Wen stealing the spotlight at the Ci Li Group's celebration banquet. Now, Mu Huai'an would probably find it even harder to hold his place in the Mu Family.

Mu Huai'an hurled his phone onto the bed. "Yan Wen, don't even think about taking my place as the young master of the Mu Family."

By the time Mu Huai'an composed himself and went downstairs, Xie Yunshu and the others had returned, carrying plenty of shopping bags.

Mu Huai'an forced a smile. "Mom, Ci, Xi, you're back?"

Xie Yunshu cheerfully handed out gifts. "Xiao An, come here. These two are yours."

Mu Huai'an accepted them. "Thank you, Mom."

After handing everything out, Xie Yunshu hummed a tune as she entered the kitchen to prepare dinner. Seeing that Yan Wen had received more gifts than he had, Mu Huai'an felt slighted. Still, he couldn't say anything, so he went upstairs on the pretext of putting his things away.

Mu Xu Xi had completely accepted Yan Wen as her younger brother. While he was playing on his phone, she sat down beside him. "Xiao Wen, you have another month before you have to report to school. Is there anywhere you want to go before then? I'll take you."

Yan Wen looked at her curiously. "Third sister, don't you have to go to school?"

"I'm almost graduating, and I don't need to go to school every day anyway. Unless I have to be there, I can study at home."

Yan Wen nodded, feeling envious. Studying at home without having to go to school sounds great. I want that too, but I'd better go and report properly so I can make a good impression on my teachers.

Hearing his thoughts, Mu Xu Xi smiled. "But I remember Shengyuan lets you apply to study off campus too. As long as you get an A+ on your assessments for two consecutive years, you can apply. Work hard, Xiao Wen, and you can apply to study at home with me."

Yan Wen smiled. "Sure. I'll work hard."

With the company's affairs finally settled, Mu Xingfeng came home that evening. Seeing his wife cooking herself, he smiled and said he had Yan Wen to thank. It had been ages since he'd eaten a meal made by Xie Yunshu.

Xie Yunshu smiled. "We certainly do have Xiao Wen to thank. Everything has been going smoothly since he came home. Today, I'm cooking to celebrate Xiao Ci making it through that danger."

Mu Xingfeng frowned slightly. "What happened to Xiao Ci?"

Mu Xu Xi briefly recounted what had happened. Mu Xingfeng shook his head. "You didn't inherit any of my judgment of character. That man was already plotting against you. If it hadn't been for Xiao Wen, you'd have walked straight into a trap."

Mu Xu Ci looked away awkwardly. "Dad, I'll be more careful from now on. Please stop bringing it up."

Xie Yunshu took off her apron. "Let's eat. It's been a long time since I cooked. I wonder if it still tastes the same."

Mu Xu Xi went upstairs to call Mu Huai'an down. Seeing the bruise around his eye, Mu Xingfeng asked in shock, "Xiao An, what happened to your face? Who hit you? And why is your hand bandaged?"

Mu Huai'an held his chopsticks. "It's nothing, Dad. I hurt myself by accident."

Xie Yunshu said, "Xiao An did something wrong, so I gave him a few strokes with the ruler. Come on, eat. I went to all this trouble to make a whole table of dishes. You have to finish everything today."

Everyone began eating, and Yan Wen praised her. "This is delicious! Mom, your cooking is incredible. Not even a five-star chef could match you."

Delighted by the praise, Xie Yunshu said, "Oh, surely not."

"Really. With your skills, you'd probably be earning more than Dad by now if you'd become a chef."

"Really? I actually did dream of becoming a chef once. My son understands me after all. Try this beef, and these shrimp."

Xiao Qi suddenly spoke up. Host, I've got some juicy gossip!

Yan Wen raised an eyebrow. You finally showed up. What gossip have you got this time?

Xiao Qi said, Your dad's company is in danger!

Yan Wen asked, What's going on?

Everyone in the Mu Family slowed their eating, straining their ears to listen.

Your dad's newly appointed secretary is a mole planted by a rival company.

There's a mole in my dad's company?!

"What?!" Mu Xu Xi sprang to her feet in shock, startling Yan Wen. "What's wrong?"

Mu Xu Xi pointed at her phone and made up an excuse. "This novel is infuriating."

Yan Wen smiled. Making such a fuss over a novel. She nearly gave me a heart attack. Xiao Qi, tell me the details.

That secretary was planted by the rival company three years ago. He was behind the failed project that cost your dad's company a billion last time. His name is Liu Tianzhong. Your dad appointed him as his secretary two months ago, and he's been working at his side ever since.

Wow! My dad really knows how to pick them. Of all the people he could have chosen, he picked a mole. Sigh, how can someone be that unlucky?

I found out that the company will face a major crisis in three months. Liu Tianzhong could be the cause. Host, you have to warn your dad.

Yan Wen held his chopsticks, his brow furrowing slightly. But how do I warn him? Write him a note? No, he'd think I was crazy. I've got it!

Yan Wen looked up at Mu Xingfeng. "Dad, I can actually tell fortunes. I just read your face and discovered that you'll face a calamity in three months."

Mu Xu Xi couldn't help lowering her head to hide her laughter. Mu Xu Ci lowered his head in exactly the same way.

Seeing that Mu Xingfeng's expression looked off, Mu Huai'an assumed he was angry and began fanning the flames. "Xiao Wen, how could you curse Dad like that?"

Yan Wen shot back without hesitation, "This has nothing to do with you. Just eat your food." Then he turned back to Mu Xingfeng. "Dad, do you believe me?"

Mu Xingfeng smiled. "Yes, of course I do. Then tell me more, Xiao Wen. What do I need to do to avoid this calamity?"

"The time hasn't come yet, so I can't tell you for now. But Dad, you need to be careful of that secretary of yours named Liu. He brings bad luck to you and the company."

"All right. I'll listen to you. Things at the company really have been off lately. Looks like I need to investigate thoroughly."

Yan Wen nodded, then looked at Mu Xu Xi. "Oh, right, Third Sister. You'd better not go out tomorrow, no matter who asks you. Especially if someone invites you to go hiking for exercise."

Mu Xu Xi's smile stiffened, and she nodded. "All right."

Overseas, in the chairman's office of a certain corporation.

A man sat behind his desk, gazing at the lights outside the window and the sparse passing traffic. His well-defined fingers tapped lightly against the desktop.

The man locked his phone, a smile playing on his lips. "Yan Wen? Interesting. Looks like I need to find some time to go home."

After a knock at the office door, a woman in business attire and gold-rimmed glasses walked in. "Sir, you have a meeting in an hour."

"All right. Secretary Yuan, rearrange my work schedule. I'm going back to China next month."

"Of course. What will you be returning for this time, sir?"

The man fiddled with an ornament on his desk. "To meet that younger brother of mine whom I've never seen."