ISWTDB Ch115

Chapter 115: My Husband Has a Split Personality (17, 18)

So, today, at the behest of Father Mo, Mo Yingying proactively came to Ying Shi Group to see Ying Zhao. Considering it was the weekend and following the usual routine, even though he was working, he shouldn’t be too busy.

With this in mind, she personally prepared lunch and brought it over, hoping to show her diligence and also to see him. However, upon arriving at the office, she was greeted by the scene before her.

Mo Yingying was momentarily stunned, which led to the earlier incident. But soon, upon recognizing the young man’s face, she realized he was Ying Youjie, who, like her, was studying at Saint Forest Academy and had already become her senior at a young age.

Regarding the relationship between Ying Youjie and Ying Chengye, though there were various rumors, the majority assumed they were related by blood. Although there were rumors about them being involved in an unclear relationship, Mo Yingying paid little attention.

After all, gossip about prominent families was mostly speculative. Besides, she had once heard Ying Zhao refer to Ying Youjie as “uncle” when he came to pick him up from school.

So, they must be an uncle and nephew. Mo Yingying thought to herself, and upon recalling their recent interaction, it seemed the young man was merely helping Ying Zhao adjust his tie.

Her earlier reaction had been quite an overreaction, unbecoming of a lady. Mo Yingying felt inwardly regretful but maintained a composed appearance.

Noticing that the two seemed ready to go out for lunch, she forced a smile and asked Ying Zhao, “Mr. Ying, are you heading out for a meal?”

Seeing Ying Zhao nod, she quickly added, “Since I haven’t had lunch yet, why don’t we go together?”

Ying Zhao had no ill feelings towards the woman, and since she had proactively suggested joining them, he didn’t refuse. He didn’t notice that Ying Youjie’s glance at Mo Yingying after agreeing carried a subtle trace of hostility.

The three of them went to a private dining restaurant not far from Ying Shi Group. The food here was quite good. Ying Zhao had brought the young man to the company today partly to delegate some routine work and partly to let him try the restaurant’s private dishes, as compensation for falling asleep after promising to accompany him for drinks last night. Mo Yingying’s unexpected presence was a surprise.

At the lunch table, Mo Yingying sat beside Ying Zhao with a charming smile, engaging him in conversation. As a young lady from a prominent family, she was well-versed in etiquette and had a broad range of knowledge. There was never an awkward silence when conversing with others.

Moreover, Ying Zhao’s inherent gentle nature meant that even though he was decisive in business, in daily life, he didn’t mind giving some extra courtesy to those he felt a slight fondness for.

While they were chatting, Ying Youjie was diligently attending to Ying Zhao’s plate, serving food and peeling shrimp with meticulous care.

Ying Zhao was used to this kind of attention and didn’t find it unusual. However, Mo Yingying grew increasingly uneasy.

As a woman, her intuition made her sense that the atmosphere between the two was far from simple. Especially with Ying Youjie, although he didn’t openly show anything and his expression remained unchanged, Mo Yingying could feel an almost imperceptible hostility directed at her.

Moreover, when Ying Youjie looked at Ying Zhao, his eyes clearly held affection, though it was unclear if Ying Zhao was aware of his feelings for him.

However, Mo Yingying thought that even if Ying Youjie had feelings for Ying Chengye, it wouldn’t change much. After all, Ying Zhao seemed to regard him more like a child, and since Ying Youjie was a man, he couldn’t compete with her.

With this thought, Mo Yingying gained some confidence. But then she saw the young man next to Ying Zhao directly lean in and gently wipe sauce from the corner of the man’s mouth with his slender fingers.

Ying Zhao, who had been talking to Mo Yingying, didn’t seem to notice anything unusual and even slightly tilted his head to cooperate with the young man’s action. Ying Youjie’s other hand was wrapped around the back of Ying Zhao’s chair, making it appear as though he was half-embracing him. After wiping off the sauce, Ying Youjie even put the finger he used to wipe the sauce into his mouth.

Such intimate gestures made Mo Yingying blush and her heart race, but it also made her feel even colder. This level of interaction was clearly beyond the bounds of an uncle-nephew relationship.

Mo Yingying’s gaze involuntarily shifted to Ying Youjie, who then smiled at her. However, the moment he smiled, his pupils turned blood-red. The cruelty and coldness in his eyes were chilling.

Mo Yingying was so shocked that she dropped her chopsticks. When she looked again, Ying Youjie’s pupils had returned to their normal black color, and his expression hadn’t changed. It was as if what she had seen was just an illusion.

Seeing Ying Zhao’s puzzled look, Mo Yingying forced a smile and tried to compose herself. She was still shaken, realizing that a mere glance had made her back sweat with cold fear. She felt a sense of imminent danger.

After a disconcerting lunch, Mo Yingying felt the food tasteless and didn’t even notice when she left.

On the way back, she grew increasingly unwilling to accept her situation. The marriage had been arranged when she was sixteen, and her first encounter with Ying Zhao, who was her future husband, had made her fall for him.

Over the years, she had already come to see Ying Zhao as her future husband. Although he had once told her that if she had someone she liked, he would unilaterally break off the engagement without affecting her, she felt deeply touched by his kindness.

Recalling the young man’s behavior earlier, Mo Yingying was convinced that Ying Youjie harbored unusual feelings for Ying Zhao. However, she was unsure whether they were related by blood as rumored. Regardless, she resolved not to be outdone by a man.

At this moment, Ying Youjie was unaware that his display had sparked Mo Yingying’s competitive spirit. She began visiting Ying Zhao more frequently.

Ying Zhao noticed this change but did not stop it. After all, the arrival of the “transmigrated girl” was drawing near.

Mo Yingying’s proactive visits saved him the trouble of arranging constant surveillance. Mo Yingying, unaware of his motives, was quite pleased with her frequent visits.

Meanwhile, Ying Youjie and Ming were extremely frustrated. They were desperate to complete their academic requirements quickly and spend every spare moment by Ying Zhao’s side. Yet, they constantly encountered that woman.

This made them both feel extremely annoyed and further heightened their anxiety about the relationship between Ying Zhao and the woman.

The engagement had been set, and Mo Yingying was already of legal age. Over the years, Ying Youjie had built his own influence and knew very well what the Mo family was aiming for.

Allowing Mo Yingying to frequently visit his uncle was clearly an attempt to finalize the marriage quickly and use the woman to secure a position in the Ying family’s powerful circle.

After class, as Ying Youjie walked through the campus, deep in thought, he didn’t notice someone approaching until he was tapped on the shoulder. Reflexively, he threw the person to the ground. Only then did he realize that it was Xu Hao, who he hadn’t seen for a few days.

Xu Hao, caught off guard by Ying Youjie’s throw, landed on the ground in pain. Ying Youjie didn’t react much, thinking Xu Hao was tough enough and could handle a few more throws.

Xu Hao groaned in pain on the ground for a while. Seeing that Ying Youjie really wasn’t paying him any attention, he begrudgingly got up and looked at the young man with a resentful expression. He said, “Hey buddy, what are you thinking? I’ve been calling you from behind, and when I tapped your shoulder, you threw me like that. Or are you just waiting to deal with me?”

Ying Youjie raised an eyebrow, not answering Xu Hao’s question. He waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave. However, turning around, he found himself face-to-face with Mo Yingying, who was studying at the same academy.

Mo Yingying, now a first-year graduate student and younger than Ying Youjie, approached him directly without avoiding him, which surprised the young man. They had seen each other a few times recently due to Mo Yingying’s frequent visits to Ying Zhao.

Even though he hadn’t said much to his uncle, he had expressed his hostility toward the woman several times when his uncle wasn’t around. He didn’t believe that the woman wouldn’t have noticed at all.

But when Mo Yingying came closer, before she could even speak, Xu Hao, standing beside her, dazedly stepped forward and, with a silly smile, waved at Mo Yingying, saying, “Cousin, cousin, hello! Long time no see!”

Upon hearing Xu Hao’s words, Ying Youjie’s eyes flashed, and he remembered that there was indeed such a familial connection between the Xu and Mo families. However, seeing Xu Hao’s foolish appearance, could it be that he had some other feelings towards Mo Yingying?

Clearly, Mo Yingying had not expected to encounter Xu Hao here. Xu Hao was a distant relative from the Xu family’s side branch, and could call Mo Yingying “cousin” due to their familial connection.

The two had not met often, and Mo Yingying naturally did not have a deep impression of him. However, since there was someone she knew here, some things she originally wanted to say became less easy to express.

After hesitating for a moment, Mo Yingying decided to leave. But unexpectedly, Ying Youjie took the initiative and spoke to her, “Miss Mo, the Ying Group has a lot of things to deal with on a daily basis. If there’s nothing important, please don’t keep disturbing us. After all, we don’t have as much time as you to spend on romantic matters.”

Mo Yingying was taken aback that she hadn’t even gone to find trouble with him, yet he was already showing hostility. Her face flushed with anger as she retorted, “I’m going to see my fiancé, the head of the Ying family. What’s wrong with that? But you, what exactly do you think about Ying Chengye? Do you think he won’t find out?”

Hearing Mo Yingying’s words, Ying Youjie raised an eyebrow and, still looking indifferent, replied, “Miss Mo can go ahead and say whatever she wants. But I must advise you not to waste time on someone who doesn’t love you. It’s important to have self-awareness.”

With that, he ignored the furious Mo Yingying and walked around her toward the school gate. Xu Hao glanced at Mo Yingying and then at the departing Ying Youjie, clearly feeling conflicted, but ultimately chose to follow his friend.

Turning to Mo Yingying with a red face, Xu Hao said, “Uh, cousin, I’ll be going ahead,” before running off after Ying Youjie. However, Xu Hao found the conversation between his cousin and Ying Youjie rather confusing.

Just now, his cousin said something about Ying Youjie having some thoughts about her uncle. So what kind of thoughts were those? Xu Hao couldn’t figure it out and decided not to dwell on it. He quickly caught up with his friend and asked in puzzlement, “What was that cryptic talk between you and cousin about?”

Ying Youjie looked at the naive Xu Hao. Initially, he hadn’t paid much attention to Mo Yingying, but seeing Xu Hao’s special interest in her, he decided to say a few more words just to see Xu Hao’s reaction.

Indeed, Xu Hao was very concerned about that woman. Realizing this, Ying Youjie smiled faintly and didn’t answer Xu Hao’s question but instead asked him, “Do you like Mo Yingying?”

Xu Hao was startled by Ying Youjie’s question. Although he often pursued girls and was flirtatious, he had never been in a serious relationship. As for Mo Yingying, she was a distant relative who had been an outstanding figure in his eyes since childhood, excelling in everything and being almost like a dream girl.

Although marriage between distant relatives is possible in this world, Xu Hao never considered that such luck would fall upon him. After all, he was just a side branch of the Xu family, and Mo Yingying, being the daughter of the main branch of the Mo family, would never look at him.

Moreover, Mo Yingying had been betrothed to Ying Chengye since she was sixteen. Therefore, Xu Hao had no intention of pursuing a relationship with a woman who was clearly beyond his reach.

However, this did not prevent him from admiring his “goddess” from afar. After all, Xu Hao was at an age where he was just beginning to experience romantic feelings. Seeing Mo Yingying still made his heart race.

Seeing Xu Hao’s troubled expression and not knowing how to respond, Ying Youjie became more convinced of his own guess. Smiling at Xu Hao, he said, “So, do you want to have her?”

Xu Hao was stunned for a moment and then quickly shook his head, denying, “No, no, no, buddy, what are you talking about? First, we’re related, and second, she’s already betrothed. I would never do something as despicable as intruding on someone else’s engagement!”

However, Ying Youjie ignored Xu Hao’s denial and instead continued to persuade him, “Xu Hao, my uncle doesn’t like overly naive women. They are only bound together by the engagement, and there are no real feelings involved. The engagement was arranged by the family, but happiness is something you have to fight for yourself. If you really like Mo Yingying, you should pursue her. I assure you, there won’t be any issues with my uncle.”

Xu Hao felt a bit hesitant upon hearing Ying Youjie’s words. He rarely saw Ying Youjie smile, and when he did, it was usually toward Ying Zhao. The smile was dazzling, but it made Xu Hao feel a strange chill, as if he was stepping into a trap.

Despite the pleasant-sounding advice, Xu Hao felt he shouldn’t pursue such a course of action. Ying Youjie, seeing Xu Hao’s hesitation, decided not to push further.

After all, he was only planting a seed in Xu Hao’s mind. When it would sprout and what would trigger it was up to Xu Hao’s fortune. Even if Xu Hao didn’t have the capability, he would create opportunities for him.

Speaking of which, although Mo Yingying was annoying, she was indeed quite pretty, and her character was passable. Paired with his so-called friend, it should be considered a good match.

Determined to accelerate his plan to win over Ying Zhao, Ying Youjie felt he needed to act quickly. However, the reason for his actions today was also due to his observation that Ying Zhao had no special feelings for Mo Yingying.

The two had always maintained a respectful distance, and his uncle’s gaze toward Mo Yingying lacked any affection, being more attached to himself. If it weren’t for this, Ying Youjie and Ming wouldn’t have tolerated this woman for so long.

Taking a deep breath to suppress his malicious thoughts, he ignored the still-conflicted Xu Hao and left the school, heading to the Ying Group as usual.

His thesis defense was almost ready, and he expected to graduate ahead of schedule in about a week. Normally, this was the busiest time, but due to Mo Yingying’s influence, he had been visiting the Ying Group more frequently than usual.

Arriving at the Ying Group without any hindrance, he reached Ying Zhao’s office. Seeing Ying Zhao busy as usual made Ying Youjie feel a pang of sympathy. He quickly called out to Ying Zhao to take a break, as it was already lunchtime.

When Ying Zhao saw the young man approach, his previously tense expression softened significantly, and he gave Ying Youjie a smile. Since his partner had started coming to the company frequently, Ying Zhao’s routine had become much more regular, including having lunch on time. With the partner’s help, even work had become much easier.

However, as they were happily discussing lunch and walking towards the office door, they suddenly saw the door being pushed open from the outside. Mo Yingying and her secretary behind her had not knocked but tried to enter directly.

At this moment, even Ying Youjie could no longer maintain a composed expression in front of Ying Zhao. Ying Zhao, too, did not expect that the secretary would bring Mo Yingying to his office without any prior notice and frowned.

His office was naturally the most important place in the Ying Group. Except for his partner, Ying Zhao had never allowed anyone to enter freely. Both Ying Zhao and Ying Youjie disliked the feeling of their private space being invaded.

Seeing the displeased expression on his boss’s face, the secretary standing beside Mo Yingying realized she had made a serious mistake.

The secretary had thought that since Miss Mo frequently visited the president and was his fiancée, she must have the same privileges as Ying Youjie. However, seeing the president’s attitude just now, it was clear that this was not the case, and she had misunderstood.

Then, to Mo Yingying’s surprise, Ying Zhao spoke directly to his secretary in front of her, “Secretary Li, you’ve been with me for many years. Being just a secretary might be beneath you. How about you take over the project in City A?”

Ying Zhao’s tone was icy. Although his words did not directly reprimand his secretary, Secretary Li knew well what City A represented.

He hadn’t expected that after so many years of hard work to reach this influential position, he would be demoted because of such a trivial matter, and he wasn’t even sure if there would be an opportunity to return.

Realizing this, Secretary Li was filled with regret. However, understanding Ying Zhao’s methods from his cold gaze, he could only wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and nod awkwardly. Seeing Ying Zhao’s gesture, Secretary Li hurriedly left.

Ying Zhao watched Secretary Li’s departing figure with a cold gleam in his eyes. Recently, there had been reports that this secretary had been secretly in contact with Xu Jin multiple times and even tried to get involved in the Ying family’s major projects.

Although City A was somewhat remote, it was still a lucrative area, and more importantly, City A was Xu family’s primary influence. The bait had been thrown; now, it was time to wait for the fish to take the hook.