Chapter 9: Don’t Call Me Baby

When Jian Qing followed Yan Jin to her house, the door had just opened when the piercing scream of a woman rang out. A man hurled a vase at her, shards of porcelain exploding and slashing her clothes and skin, blood splattering across the scene.

The air reeked of alcohol, and the household staff, though wanting to intervene, dared not approach. Upon seeing Jian Qing, they looked as if they’d found their savior.

“Miss Jian, thank goodness you’ve come,” one cried, making it seem as though Jian Qing were the old master’s child, not Yan Jin.

Yan Jin didn’t hesitate, rushing forward to shield her mother, while Jian Qing darted up and grabbed Yan Jin’s father's arm from behind.

“Uncle, you’re drunk,” she said.

“Damn it, you wretched woman! If I hadn’t provided for you, how could you live such a comfortable life? All I’m asking is for your daughter to curry favor with Li Jingche, and you’re so unwilling. Would you only be happy if the company went under? Let’s see if I don’t beat you to death!”

He raised his hand again, but Jian Qing stood her ground.

“Uncle Yan, put down whatever’s in your hand,” she commanded.

“…”

“Don’t force me to hit you.”

“…”

Though drunk, the man seemed to sober up at her words. He glanced at Jian Qing, feeling as if his legs and arms ached.

The last time he’d hit his wife, Jian Qing had intervened. Back then, she’d come over with Yan Jin to play, and the two hadn’t officially met yet. Jian Qing had acted out of simple righteous indignation, her years of training in free-fighting coming to bear, and the consequences had been predictable.

That day, her nearly annihilating attack had left the old master terrified. Now, seeing her again, he instinctively wanted to hide.

The man quickly calmed down, the flush of anger fading from his face. He was like those men who harass women when drunk—just using alcohol as an excuse for misbehavior.

A couple of beatings would set him straight.

Once things settled, Yan Jin separated her parents and tugged at her father’s hand.

“Dad, what’s wrong with Auntie? Why were you so harsh?”

The current Lady Yan wasn’t Yan Jin’s biological mother, nor was the trembling girl on the stairs Yan Jin’s real sister. This woman was the mistress who’d risen to power; as the daughter of the late first wife, Yan Jin was already being gracious.

The old master sighed, pulling Yan Jin to the sofa and shaking his head.

“The Li family in the capital has bought up the old commercial district’s land for redevelopment. With the real estate market in decline, we have to win this project. Otherwise, we can’t keep the company afloat, never mind pay off the debts from earlier projects.”

Yan Jin glanced at Jian Qing, comforting her father and assuring him she was planning to get close to the eldest Li son at his birthday party next week. She also apologized and asked Jian Qing for help.

“Qingqing, could you look after Auntie and my sister for me?”

Lady Yan showed no sign of gratitude, and after being helped up by the staff, she left. But the girl on the stairs—Yan Jin’s half-sister—watched Jian Qing timidly.

Jian Qing reached out, finding the girl trembling, and draped her own coat over her shoulders.

“Yan Ni, let me take you back to your room to rest.”

Yan Ni had just graduated from university this year. She’d studied jewelry design, not civil engineering, and lacked any real talent; her thesis had been completed under Jian Qing’s guidance. She hadn’t even bothered with a thank you; were it not for Yan Jin’s sake, Jian Qing wouldn’t have wanted to deal with this ungrateful girl.

But today, as soon as Jian Qing got Yan Ni to her room, Yan Ni clung to her, sobbing in her arms. Seeing her so young, Jian Qing couldn’t help but feel moved, gently stroking her hair.

“Qingqing, you and Big Sister were born into wealthy families. I know you both look down on someone like me, a child born out of wedlock, but I want to help Father too. He wants me to cozy up to Li Jingche, to… climb into his bed. But I don’t want to!”

“It’s all right, don’t be afraid. As for the Crown Prince, I suspect his bed isn’t that easy to climb into anyway,” Jian Qing replied, trying to comfort her. She realized her words were not quite appropriate and scratched her head in embarrassment.

“I’ll have someone bring you some fruit. Eat something and rest a bit. We’ll take our time figuring out the Li family matter.”

After Jian Qing left the room, Yan Ni watched her close the door, wiped her face, and opened Jian Qing’s handbag, searching for her phone, hoping to find some eligible young gentlemen in the socialite circles—someone whose photo she’d at least seen on Weibo, to help dispel her father's unrealistic ambitions.

But facial and fingerprint recognition blocked her way.

Unable to find anything, Yan Ni suddenly remembered Jian Qing’s fiancé was Xiao Yuncheng.

The Xiao family was renowned in the architecture world, and Yan Ni had met Xiao Yuncheng. If nothing else, he was truly handsome.

Rumor had it Xiao Yuncheng and Jian Qing were recently on rocky terms. Yan Ni’s eyes gleamed as she took out an adult toy from her bedside drawer—a pink bunny-shaped device. She wrote her phone number on the base, kissed it with lipstick, and slipped it secretly into Jian Qing’s bag.

When this little scheme was done, Jian Qing returned with the maid, and Yan Ni sat cross-legged on the bed, crying pitifully.

“Try to sleep, Yan Ni. Don’t overthink things. Uncle Yan is just desperate. Next week is Young Master Li’s birthday—Yan Jin will figure something out. Trust your sister.”

Yan Ni nodded obediently, her eyes reddened.

“Qingqing, without you, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

It was a bit cloying. Jian Qing rubbed her arm, sunlight streaming in through the window, her bright face softened with a comforting smile.

“Yan Jin and I will always be here for you.”

After caring for Yan Ni through lunch, Jian Qing left the Yan residence, and Yan Jin apologized repeatedly.

“I’m sorry, Qingqing, for dragging you into our family mess. It’s just… my dad is terrified of you, and I had no choice. About the loose diamond for Young Master Li’s birthday next week—I’ll have to trouble you.”

Yan Jin had heard that the Li family’s second daughter was passionate about jewelry and wanted to use that as an entry point.

Jian Qing nodded. After getting into the car, she assured Yan Jin, “Don’t worry, I’ll push all my recent orders back and prioritize yours.”

Yan Jin was nearly in tears. “If you were a man, I’d just marry you.”

Jian Qing: …

Leaving the Yan house, Jian Qing wanted to head straight to her studio to inspect the diamond, but midway, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen—“33.”

It was already 1:30.

Damn! A pang of guilty anxiety swept over her, as if she’d been caught cheating. She wiped sweat from her brow, drove toward the restaurant where she’d agreed to meet 33, and answered the call.

“Baby, you’ve been waiting so long! Don’t be mad, sweetheart, I had some work issues. I’m coming now, darling.”

Three “babys” in one sentence.

Li Jingche sat expressionless in the restaurant, phone in hand. The spot where he sat was now touched by sunlight.

Not far away, Qin Jin watched his boss furtively, noting the red flush creeping up his neck beneath his shirt collar.

He opened his mouth, but Li Jingche’s anger transformed into a simple question:

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. What about you, baby? Have you eaten?”

“I haven’t either. Perfect, I’ll wait for you.”

“I’m driving, I’ll hang up for now, sweetie.”

“Mm.”

Li Jingche’s heart pounded wildly. After hanging up, he stared absent-mindedly at the seat opposite him.

He’d thought, aside from Jian Qing’s beauty, nothing could sway him.

Now, unexpectedly, with every “baby” from her lips, he found himself utterly captivated.

On Qin Jin’s table, three empty juice glasses had already piled up. After finishing a fourth, he shook his head and sighed quietly.

“It’s over. My boss, the iron tree, has finally blossomed. After nearly thirty years as a lifelong bachelor, he’s really found his first love.”