Chapter 11: When Are You Planning the Wedding?

"Sister Yan!"

Chu Yan stepped forward to greet her. "Sister Yan, long time no see. You've become even more beautiful."

Yuan Xi looked at the young woman wearing a cheongsam that accentuated her slender figure. Hearing how Chu Yan addressed her, she gathered that this must be Bo Fan’s sister, Bo Yan.

In truth, the reason Chu Yan and Yu Xiaoxiao were so wary of Yuan Xi seducing Gu Hanchen had something to do with Bo Yan—or, to be precise, with Bo Yan’s former fiancé, the CEO of Yuzi Film and Television.

Yuzi Film and Television was one of the largest video platforms in the country, and its CEO, Si Chen, had made it onto the Forbes list at only thirty years old.

The Bo family had been transitioning into the entertainment industry in recent years, so they naturally wanted to marry into a film company like the Si family. The elders of the Si family were also keen on playing matchmaker between Bo Yan and Si Chen.

However, just as they were about to get engaged, Si Chen suddenly announced he was going to marry the secretary who had been by his side for three years.

Ignoring his family’s objections, Si Chen resolutely registered his marriage with his secretary. The wedding invitation for Si Chen and his secretary was still sitting in Gu Hanchen’s office.

It seemed the wedding was set for May 20th.

Bo Yan glanced at Yuan Xi with disdain before enthusiastically linking her arm with Chu Yan’s. "Yan-yan, you really have a sweet mouth. Don't worry, the Bo family only recognizes you as our daughter-in-law, and I only recognize you as my sister-in-law. Some people shouldn't harbor wild fantasies about entering the Bo family gates."

Mrs. Bo chuckled softly. So what if Yuan Xi was the true daughter of the Chu family? Her upbringing over the years was plain to see.

It was common knowledge that Yuan Xi worked as Gu Hanchen’s secretary. Even if she had transformed into a Chu family heiress, it couldn't change the fact that she came from the countryside and had worked as someone’s secretary.

Chu Yan hugged Mrs. Bo’s arm and said, "Auntie, let’s go look at the jewelry. I want to buy a jade *wushipai* (peace pendant) for my mother to wear at my sister’s homecoming banquet."

Mrs. Bo smiled. "We recently received a few new imperial green *wushipai*."

Yuan Xi followed them inside into a reception room. The furniture was antique, and incense was burning on the table. Yuan Xi covered her nose with her hand; since becoming pregnant, she couldn't stand the smell of any incense.

"Auntie, Bo Fan wants my sister to be his secretary... It seems Bo Fan is also very satisfied with my sister. If it weren't for me, my sister would be the one who is the Bo family’s daughter-in-law..."

Mrs. Bo chuckled lightly. "I’m in the jade business. Burmese jade and Guatemalan jade are both jade, but the price difference is worlds apart. The value depends entirely on where the material was grown. The Bo family doesn't accept just any kind of jade; we don't want Guatemalan jade."

Several waitresses in traditional-style dresses entered to serve tea.

Yuan Xi simply pretended not to understand the subtext of Mrs. Bo’s words.

Mrs. Bo said to Yuan Xi, "Secretary Yuan, this must be your first time drinking this kind of tea. Would you like to try some?"

Yuan Xi smiled faintly. "I’m sorry, I have a stomach condition and cannot drink tea."

Bo Yan scoffed from the side, "Is it a stomach condition, or are you just afraid of making a fool of yourself because you don't know how to appreciate good tea? Don't worry, we know you grew up in the countryside; we won't laugh at you for not understanding tea."

Yuan Xi found the situation incredibly tedious, but she maintained a professional, faint smile on her face. Just as she was looking for an excuse to leave, Huo Shiyan’s call came through.

Yuan Xi answered, "I'm off work. Yes, okay..."

Yuan Xi stood up and said to Mrs. Bo, "Mrs. Bo, I have something to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first."

Chu Yan said, "Sister, why are you leaving just as you arrived? What about the jewelry for Mom?"

Yuan Xi replied, "I have some other matters to attend to. I will go elsewhere to pick out jewelry for Mom."

It was clear that Chu Yan had set up a trap, and Yuan Xi had no interest in staying to be ridiculed, nor did she want to give them her money.

Yuan Xi walked outside, hailed a taxi, and headed to the location she had agreed upon with Huo Shiyan. After getting into the passenger seat, she let out a soft sigh.

Huo Shiyan looked at Yuan Xi. "Why weren't you at Michen Games?"

Yuan Xi said, "Don't even mention it. Chu Yan insisted on thinking I wanted to marry Bo Fan, so she took me to Mrs. Bo today to try and intimidate me. She is really... too idle."

Huo Shiyan said, "Why didn't you tell her you're already married? Telling her that would have saved you a lot of trouble."

"I was afraid she would dig for the truth about who my husband is," Yuan Xi said. "Then we wouldn't be able to hide our marriage from Gu Hanchen."

Huo Shiyan said, "It wouldn't matter if Gu Hanchen found out we were married. If he really decides to step down, should I find a new CEO for Michen?"

Yuan Xi agreed, "Okay."

Huo Shiyan said to Yuan Xi, "I'm taking you to a gathering with my friends today."

"Now?" Yuan Xi opened the vanity mirror in the passenger seat and looked at her haggard makeup after a full day of work.

Huo Shiyan said, "Yes, you should have met them before."

Yuan Xi took a cushion compact and lipstick out of her bag to touch up her makeup, then glanced sideways at Huo Shiyan. "Who?"

"Si Chen."

Yuan Xi: "I just saw Bo Yan."

Huo Shiyan asked, "Who is Bo Yan?"

Yuan Xi raised an eyebrow. "Isn't Si Chen your good friend?"

"Yes, he was my neighbor when I was studying in the US. He’s three years older than me and helped me a lot while I was there."

Yuan Xi said, "Since Si Chen is your good friend, how could you not know that he almost had an engagement with Bo Yan half a year ago?"

Huo Shiyan said, "The elders probably acted on their own, right? Si Chen never mentioned it. He and Qin Yue have been dating for three years; how could he possibly get engaged to someone else?

Qin Yue is Qin Lang’s twin sister and used to be one of my special assistants. Si Chen took a liking to her and poached her from me. If you count it up, I’m their matchmaker."

Yuan Xi said, "So you’ll be attending their wedding in a couple of days?"

Huo Shiyan nodded. "I will. What about you?"

Yuan Xi whispered, "Gu Hanchen asked me to be his date to attend it with him. It was decided a week ago when the invitation arrived..."

Not accompanying her husband, but instead going with her boss—Yuan Xi felt a bit guilty.

Huo Shiyan didn't say much more and took Yuan Xi to a private restaurant by Ruo Lake.

Upon entering the private room, a massive floor-to-ceiling window came into view. Yuan Xi had thought the view of Ruo Lake from the Ruo Lake Mansion was the best, but she hadn't expected the view of the lake at sunset from this restaurant to be even more spectacular.

Yuan Xi took out her phone and snapped a photo. "I grew up by Ruo Lake, and I’ve never seen it look this beautiful."

Huo Shiyan said, "The view of the lake from here is indeed superb."

"Shiyan, are you really not going to be my best man?"

Hearing the voice at the door, Yuan Xi turned to see Si Chen and Qin Yue.

Qin Yue was quite surprised to see Yuan Xi.

Si Chen said, "This lady looks very familiar. I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before."

Yuan Xi extended her hand gracefully. "CEO Si, I am Yuan Xi, secretary to Gu Hanchen at Michen Games. We’ve met a few times at the Internet Conference and the Jiangcheng Comic-Con."

Si Chen shook hands with Yuan Xi. "So it’s Secretary Yuan."

Huo Shiyan placed his hand on Yuan Xi’s shoulder. "My wife, Yuan Xi."

Si Chen was surprised. "You’re married? Why didn't you say anything about such happy news earlier?"

Huo Shiyan said, "We only got married a couple of days ago. Yuan Xi doesn't want Gu Hanchen to know she married me, so don't say anything in front of him."

Si Chen said, "I’m not close with Gu Hanchen, so don't worry, I won't say anything. No wonder you didn't want to be the best man; it turns out you’re already married."

Huo Shiyan said, "Also, don't let anyone know I’m in Jiangcheng."

"Understood, understood," Si Chen said. "Don't worry, we’ll tell everyone you’re Qin Yue’s cousin; we won't say you’re Huo Shiyan."

Qin Yue looked at the blue diamond ring on Yuan Xi’s finger and said, "This blue diamond suits Mrs. Huo very well."

Hearing the title "Mrs. Huo," Yuan Xi smiled. "You can just call me Yuan Xi."

Qin Yue smiled back. "What would you like to drink?"

Huo Shiyan placed his hand on Yuan Xi’s waist. "She’s pregnant, so she’ll have coconut juice."

Si Chen looked at Huo Shiyan in surprise. "You move fast. When do you plan to hold the wedding?"

Huo Shiyan looked at Yuan Xi, and Yuan Xi looked back at Huo Shiyan. In truth, she had no plans to hold a wedding...

Yuan Xi didn't want to wear a wedding dress while heavily pregnant, and besides, she and Huo Shiyan hadn't married out of true love; it was just an accidental one-night stand that led to marriage for the sake of the child.

Yuan Xi felt a wave of nausea. "Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom."

Yuan Xi vomited for a while in the restroom. After rinsing her mouth with water, she saw Qin Yue handing her a soft tissue. "Thank you."

Qin Yue watched Yuan Xi from the side. "I used to look at your photos in President Huo’s office all the time. I’m finally seeing you in person today. You look even better now than you did in the photos from when you were a child."

Yuan Xi wiped her mouth with the tissue. "I’m sorry, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m not his childhood sweetheart; I just happen to look similar to her."