{"id":7912,"date":"2026-04-10T07:57:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T05:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=7912"},"modified":"2026-04-10T07:57:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T05:57:29","slug":"a-love-struck-brain-is-nothing-in-the-face-of-melodrama-chapter-32","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2026\/04\/10\/a-love-struck-brain-is-nothing-in-the-face-of-melodrama-chapter-32\/","title":{"rendered":"A Love-Struck Brain Is Nothing In The Face Of Melodrama &#8211; Chapter 32"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">No one responded to the person who had just spoken, and most of the people in the assistant department fell into silence.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">There was only one young master from the Qin family in Shixing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">That was the heir of the Qin Group\u2014Qin Shi.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Because of that, no one else in Shixing dared to call themselves &#8220;young master,&#8221; no matter how many resources were tilted in their favor. After all, there was a real young master still around.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">However, this one didn\u2019t have much of an arrogant personality. He usually stayed quiet, only showing a bit of presence this past week.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">After all, he had been sent by Chairman Qin to the countryside to assist with farming. Even though it benefited his career, no one thought it was an act of care from Chairman Qin. They all felt something was off.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But before they could figure out what exactly was going on, the young master who had been sent to the countryside came back.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">And the moment he returned, a big piece of news broke\u2014he had actually argued with President Ye.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">And who was President Ye? He was none other than the new \u201cqueen\u201d whom Chairman Qin had just married.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Chairman Qin had booked out three full days of entertainment headlines for their wedding photos. It wasn\u2019t until the pictures hung on the pages for three straight days that the country finally accepted Chairman Qin\u2019s marriage.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">So how exactly did the two of them end up arguing?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Could it be that the newly appointed \u201cmale queen\u201d was trying to seize power, and the young master, sensing the threat, used An Yang as a pretext to confront him?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">After thinking for a while, the assistant department shifted their focus back to An Yang.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang didn\u2019t have many friends in the assistant department, and the news only reached them this morning.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The moment it spread, most assistants were struck with envy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">They had worked diligently for years, with solid performance, competence, and high emotional intelligence. How could they lose to someone so clumsy and silly, who had been bullied constantly?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Driven by jealousy, two assistants\u2014provoked by others\u2014stepped forward and began to mock An Yang with veiled sarcasm.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Yet all their sarcasm landed like punches into soft cotton\u2014An Yang hadn\u2019t even realized they were talking about him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Before, they thought An Yang had low emotional intelligence and couldn\u2019t understand what people were saying. He just laughed foolishly and seemed happy. It had its advantages\u2014after all, they could insult him to his face and he wouldn\u2019t even know. But now, all those jabs had turned into boomerangs and hit them instead.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">They mocked An Yang for being dumb, but this \u201cdummy\u201d had suddenly soared to the top and caught President Ye\u2019s attention. And what were they?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Not even as good as a fool?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Even if it was just because of the young master, so what? At least that counted as a reason. They didn\u2019t even have what it took to be used as a reason.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The air in the assistant department became as thick as a brick. Just then, hurried footsteps sounded again outside the door.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Where\u2019s An Yang?!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Before the person even stepped into the assistant department, their angry voice rang out.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The anger in the voice gave everyone still caught up in the previous mood a shiver.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Zhang had still been zoning out, but upon hearing the voice, he snapped back to attention.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He had just texted Xu Feng, but didn\u2019t expect Xu Feng himself to come. Brother Zhang had thought Xu Feng would just send a bodyguard\u2014who would\u2019ve guessed he\u2019d come in person?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">That meant things had escalated.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An ordinary assistant being bullied was one thing. A trusted assistant to a celebrity getting bullied? That was entirely different.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">As Brother Zhang was thinking this and about to step forward, Xu Feng already stormed in with an aggressive air, frowning at everyone and repeating his question: \u201cWhere\u2019s An Yang?! Even my man dares to get bullied?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">When Xu Feng got Zhang\u2019s message, he thought An Yang was just trying to get his attention. After all, he had used similar tricks before. But he hadn\u2019t expected that, upon arriving at the assistant department, people would actually say a newcomer had really been bullied. That made him quicken his pace.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Getting attention was one thing. Actually being bullied? That was something else.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">And now, judging by the guilty looks on everyone\u2019s faces, Assistant Zhang\u2019s words were absolutely true.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng\u2019s expression darkened instantly. The assistants all felt guilty, but before Xu Feng could start yelling, Brother Zhang pulled him aside.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">So you&#8217;re saying An Yang really got bullied, but before you arrived, the vice president had already taken him upstairs? And that President Ye and Qin Shi argued over An Yang?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng looked incredulous. Since when did An Yang have this kind of influence?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">I want to ask that too. So what exactly did An Yang negotiate yesterday? Did he tell you? Otherwise, how could this whole thing blow up like this?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Zhang lowered his voice.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng, on the other hand, didn\u2019t bother whispering. He touched his chin and said thoughtfully: \u201cHe told me he has a Level 2 Arabic interpreting certificate. Yesterday, he helped President Ye close a deal with some Arabs.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">There was a commotion from the assistants nearby.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Zhang didn\u2019t notice it and said in shock: &#8220;That certificate\u2019s hard to get! And with everything happening to An Yang yesterday, why didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng frowned. \u201cTell you what? That small-time stuff is beneath me. Even with President Ye\u2019s red envelope, he only made about 50,000.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Zhang was almost drooling with envy. His base salary was around 8,000, and even with all the bonuses and commissions, he barely reached 50,000 a month. That was already considered high income\u2014many in his line of work didn\u2019t even make 10,000.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Yet An Yang had earned his monthly income in a single day.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng looked at Zhang\u2019s pathetic expression with distaste. \u201cHaven\u2019t I sent you enough red envelopes? Why are you acting like such a loser?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Zhang just chuckled awkwardly. He thought, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>Those \u201cred envelopes\u201d were really just hush money for putting up with your temper. I earned that with my own ability to endure.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2018<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>I wonder if the assistants can hold it together. A scene this dramatic, it\u2019s like something out of a novel. Did anyone break down and yell?\u2019<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> Brother Zhang thought.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But when he and Xu Feng stepped back into the assistant department, they didn\u2019t witness any such \u201cface-slapping\u201d drama from a novel.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">What they saw was everyone busying themselves.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Some were pouring water. Some were pointing at screens with colleagues. But Zhang, through the reflection in the back glass, saw clearly\u2014it was just a plain desktop.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng didn\u2019t notice. He looked around in confusion, wondering what they were so busy doing that he couldn\u2019t even threaten them properly.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But Zhang knew.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He looked at one assistant who had already poured water three times and had now started watering the plants. Zhang silently sighed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Turns out when people are awkward, they really do become extra busy.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2018<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>If they\u2019d known this earlier, why act like that in the first place?\u2019<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> Zhang thought.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng wasn\u2019t paying attention to them. He wanted to scold someone, but finding An Yang came first, so he turned and left with Zhang.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The assistants all let out a collective sigh of relief.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Outside the door, Zhang asked: &#8220;There shouldn\u2019t be any trouble with President Ye, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng replied: &#8220;But what if there is? You know his temper. If no one caught them in the act, An Yang would never say a word about being bullied.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Zhang agreed. Especially with that young master involved\u2014he didn\u2019t seem like the easygoing type.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">I didn\u2019t expect you to care about An Yang so much. Looks like marriage really gave you some sense of responsibility\u201d Zhang teased, not noticing Xu Feng\u2019s uncomfortable expression.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Actually, Xu Feng didn\u2019t think he cared that much about An Yang\u2014he just didn\u2019t want him to get bullied.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But when Zhang said it out loud, Xu Feng suddenly felt like protecting An Yang was betraying Yun Cheng.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Still, the words had been spoken, and he couldn\u2019t take them back. He followed Zhang to the executive floor with a stiff face.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But when they arrived, they found it eerily quiet. The usual hustle and bustle of secretaries was completely gone.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">As they passed the secretary\u2019s office, Xu Feng glanced inside out of habit.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">All the secretaries were quietly seated, typing away at their keyboards. From the doorway, it almost looked like a horror movie set.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Zha<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">ng, watching them pound keys and slam the Enter button with expressionless faces and wide eyes, instantly understood.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">They were all secretly gossiping, and judging from their poker faces, the gossip was juicy. The speed those little message windows were refreshing could rival parent group chats after a teacher dropped an announcement.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But there was no need to explain that to Xu Feng.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Assistant Zhang silently guarded the secrets of working people, while the secretaries noticed Xu Feng poking his head in.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Mr. Xu, is there something urgent?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">A secretary smiled.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Uh, I came late this morning and had a bit of a disagreement with the staff. I just wanted to check with President Ye if I need to apologize or something.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng reflexively made up an excuse.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Then you should go to the PR department, or find Vice President Wang. She\u2019s in her office now. President Ye doesn\u2019t handle business affairs.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The secretary kept her smile.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Had Zhang not noticed her feet subtly turning back toward her desk, he wouldn\u2019t have realized she was already annoyed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Alright, actually I came to catch up with Qin Shi. We\u2019ve got an upcoming concert, and he\u2019s one of the leads. Thought reconnecting might help the performance.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng threw out another excuse\u2014but clearly, it wasn\u2019t very convincing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Everyone in Shixing knew that after the peak debut of their duo, the two members had gone their separate ways. Xu Feng had even gone out of his way to show loyalty to Yun Cheng, avoiding Qin Shi like the plague.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Even when the duo had a brief comeback to make some money, Xu Feng had made a huge fuss with the company.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">And now he was saying he wanted to \u201ccatch up\u201d with Qin Shi?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Only a fool would believe that.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The secretary naturally didn\u2019t believe him, so she only asked Xu Feng to wait for the time being. Xu Feng immediately breathed a sigh of relief, he no longer wanted to go rescue An Yang. The secretary\u2019s words came at the perfect time. Afterwards, he wandered around with the tea the secretary had poured for them. However, he didn\u2019t go to anyone else\u2019s workstation\u2014he just walked back and forth by the window, looking at the scenery outside. Yet, when he reached one particular window, he heard a faint sound.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">It seemed like an argument.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng instinctively walked toward the source, and the voices grew clearer. He stood at the window closest to the sound, his back against the wall.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He pretended to admire the view, but his ears were straining.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang is a very capable person. His certificates and abilities prove that, and besides, he\u2019s already married.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng recognized the voice\u2014it was CEO Ye\u2019s. An Yang was beside him, explaining that there was absolutely nothing between him and Ye.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">A subtle guilt rose in Xu Feng\u2019s heart. He had just been thinking about not rescuing An Yang, yet An Yang was working hard to prove his innocence while being troubled by Qin.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">After they explained for a long while, the neighboring CEO\u2019s office fell silent, making Xu Feng start to doubt whether Qin was actually inside.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Not long after this thought appeared, he heard a low, somewhat melancholy voice say,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother Wangxing, you don\u2019t care about me anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Pfft\u2014!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Xu Feng immediately sprayed out his coffee.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The secretary hurriedly brought tissues, and Xu Feng dazedly wiped the coffee off his clothes and the corner of his mouth, then slowly turned to look at the CEO\u2019s office on the other side of the window.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The words, sounding like those of a complaining woman, had truly come from the Qin who never spoke more than three sentences to him and was as cold as a machine???<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang also doubted his own ears.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He stared at the young man in front of him, dumbfounded.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The young man\u2019s eyes, nearly identical to his father\u2019s, should have been sharp, but now they were soft with tears. His thin lips were bitten, showing traces of blood, and his pale skin made him look so pitiful.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang watched the Qin who had just aggressively questioned him about his relationship with Ye now resemble an abandoned puppy, radiating a pitiful aura.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Yet An Yang felt he had heard these words somewhere before.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>It was similar to what his mother had said to his father when they argued when he was a child.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But his mother had said: &#8220;You don\u2019t love me anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Even An Yang, who initially thought both parties were good people, started feeling something was off.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Very off.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">From the moment the vice president had grabbed him by the arm and run with him like a rag doll into the elevator, the entire situation had seemed strange.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Not to mention that he was only helping Ye with translation, yet it caused a quarrel between Qin and Ye\u2014just the fact that Ye would quarrel with someone was incredible to An Yang.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">CEO Ye was a gentle person, unless extremely provoked, how could he ever argue with someone?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang thought about how Ye had shielded him from drinking yesterday, thoughtfully given red envelopes to all employees, and handed tissues when someone\u2019s emotions broke down\u2014Ye had done nothing wrong.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">However, An Yang couldn\u2019t just assume that because one person was good, anyone arguing with them was bad. So, in the elevator, he asked the vice president what had happened\u2014was there some misunderstanding between the two?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">After all, both young master QIn and CEO Ye are good people.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">As An Yang spoke, the vice president\u2019s expression gradually twisted into a \u201c<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>Are you serious?<\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But An Yang didn\u2019t notice\u2014he was still looking down, thinking about Ye, while the vice president, realizing he was indeed serious, momentarily distorted her expression.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">President Ye was undoubtedly a good person, but the prince of the company\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Recalling how difficult he was to satisfy and the tense atmosphere in the CEO\u2019s office, the vice president could not bring herself to call him a good person. She stiffly changed the subject: \u201cYou\u2019ll understand once you go up. Just tell the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Hearing An Yang behave obediently, she felt relieved\u2014at least he was compliant. Thinking about the grandpa in the CEO\u2019s office, she wished the elevator would move faster.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>After all, she knew what had happened at the wedding.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Even if she didn\u2019t know, seeing the prince not call for a stepfather, Ye not using full names, but addressing \u201c<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d while asking about yesterday\u2019s whereabouts and companions, her internal radar should have gone off.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">While President Ye didn\u2019t say much, he just told him to calm down. But the combination of authority and hidden fear made the vice president\u2019s brain race.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She then made a brilliant decision, worthy of replacing Ye as CEO of Shixing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u2014<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She dashed to the secretary\u2019s room and found the secretary responsible for reporting documents today, telling him to go immediately.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">After confirming a third person was in the CEO\u2019s office, she ran downstairs to fetch the assistant who had gone on the business trip with Ye yesterday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Seeing that, aside from the secretary\u2019s slightly dazed expression, the distance between the two was safe, the vice president finally relaxed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">She pulled the secretary out and pushed An Yang in, thinking the situation had ended.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">However, she probably never imagined that ten minutes after she returned to her office, the scene inside had almost overloaded An Yang\u2019s brain.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Yet An Yang\u2019s brain was overloaded, while Ye\u2019s was not. He suddenly lowered his head, staring at the documents on the desk, daring not to look at the tall, handsome young man in front of him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The handsome man stood in front of the desk, flipping through papers busily, while saying,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">This is your father\u2019s fault. I will talk to him. However, going to the countryside for a live-stream sales event actually benefits your career. You can discuss it with your manager and, with this opportunity to expand business globally, if a good script for a mainstream drama comes up, you could still participate\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Every sentence was considerate of the young man, seemingly the template of a good stepfather.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But when the young man spoke, the previous concern suddenly felt off.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">You still care about me, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The young man\u2019s voice carried a hint of joy. His pale skin, usually shut in a room creating, flushed slightly in excitement\u2014like a handsome male ghost with a light blush.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The handsome man didn\u2019t stop flipping papers, his movements even grew faster, but his mouth was tightly closed, and he dared not look at the young man.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">At this moment, An Yang\u2019s brain finally processed the situation. Seeing the escalating tension, he stepped forward to help explain for his very good President Ye.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Of course CEO Ye cares about you! When Ye learned young mastr Qin was going to the countryside for live-stream sales, he even had a conflict with Mr. Qin. Later, when reviewing your performance, he praised you, saying you did well and helped local rural businesses prosper\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang spoke rapidly, praising Ye for his beauty and kindness.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He had noticed the tension but, with his shallow experience, could not imagine its depth, so he used his usual method to resolve conflict\u2014praise both parties.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">If both are good people, surely there is no real conflict, he reasoned.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">In his eyes, CEO Ye was perfect in every way\u2014ability, demeanor, kindness.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">And Young Master Qin had never bullied him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">So the two good people must have had a small misunderstanding causing the quarrel.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">However\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The situation unfolded, just like at the wedding, once again exceeding An Yang\u2019s threshold.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Really?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Hearing this, the young man stopped and spoke, not turning to An Yang but keeping his gaze on the busy man.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang immediately nodded.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">So young master Qin, you must treat President Ye well. You can\u2019t doubt him like this\u2014it\u2019s disrespectful.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang reasoned logically. Whether he applied these lessons to himself was unknown.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Hearing An Yang, the young man seemed not to register the words at all.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">His lips slowly curved, his handsome features radiating astonishing beauty.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He looked joyfully at the man.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother, I\u2019m so happy.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The young man spoke gleefully.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">You planned my future and praised me. You actually care about me, you care about me\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">He spoke word by word, stepping closer to the handsome man with each syllable.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother, you don\u2019t dislike me, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The young man leaned on the desk, smiling.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The handsome man finally raised his eyes. Seeing how close the young man was, he suddenly leaned back to leave the chair, but the young man quickly grabbed his arm, preventing escape.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">I am your stepfather now! Of course I care about you! Don\u2019t overthink it!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The man said, exasperated.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But these words seemed to touch the young man\u2019s taboo. His expression suddenly changed, and in a few steps, he flipped behind the desk, pinning the man forcefully to the chair.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Brother, how could you say that? You care about me, and I\u2019ve been so good to you, but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Their faces drew closer. An Yang panicked and rushed to pull the young man away.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">But as soon as his hand touched the young man\u2019s arm, it froze.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Then why Brother, why are you leaving me?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">The young man\u2019s choked voice sounded. From An Yang\u2019s angle, he could see tears slowly sliding down his cheeks.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">So beautiful, like a 3D model face.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c\u2026<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Back then, I pretended so well to be your father.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">An Yang: \u201c\u2026Huh?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">At this moment, multiple voices could faintly be heard from the distant window.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Ah????\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/bePatron?u=25191841\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-338 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/become_a_patron_button.png?resize=217%2C51\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/51;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/lajnaa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/kofi3-3.png?resize=185%2C47\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png\" width=\"185\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 185px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 185\/47;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No one responded to the person who had just spoken, and most of the people in the assistant department fell into silence. There was only one young master from the Qin family in Shixing. That was the heir of the Qin Group\u2014Qin Shi. Because of that, no one else in Shixing dared to call themselves [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-love-struck-brain-is-nothing","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20250409131120_300_420.jpeg?fit=300%2C420&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7912"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7912\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7913,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7912\/revisions\/7913"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}