Pei Mingyuan felt a sudden headache.
"Let me ask you first. Do you know what it means to get pregnant while in a relationship? What are your plans for the future?"
"Do you even need to say that? Of course I know," Pei Weiwei replied nonchalantly. "I've already made a plan. Once Duan Jia has a stable job and income, I'll tell Dad that we're together and I'm pregnant, and then marry Duan Jia. Although his family is poor, he can marry into our family."
This younger sister of his... was really too naive. She made marriage sound so easy. Marrying into the family... Father was counting on her to secure a reliable business partner. There was no way he would agree to such an unrealistic request.
Why was there such a big difference between Weiwei and Xiaoxi, even though they were both rich young ladies and unmarried mothers?
"Dad probably won't agree to your marriage," Pei Mingyuan said wearily. "So you'd better prepare yourself mentally."
"Don't worry, brother. I have a way to get Dad to agree," Pei Weiwei said confidently.
...
At the Haicheng International Hotel, the cooking competition came to a successful end amidst the stirring award - giving music and the falling glitter. As the host announced the end of the competition, all the media on - site swarmed up and blocked Xu Zixi and Xie Shi on the stage.
"Ms. Yuan Xi, may I ask who your culinary master is? What kind of cuisine are you best at? There have been no rumors about you in the industry before. Is it because you're too low - key?"
"Master Xie, you invited Ms. Yuan Xi to have a cooking showdown on stage just now. Could you tell us how you two got to know each other?"
"Ms. Yuan Xi, you're so young yet you can be on a par with Xie Shi. Will you join the C - country Chefs Association?"
"Ms. Yuan Xi..."
Behind them, Yan Yincheng and the two kids were also surrounded by the contestants and the public judges.
"Little kids, can we take a photo together?"
"You're so cute. Uncle likes you so much. Just take a photo with uncle!"
Yuan Xiaoxu had a long memory. He still remembered how these uncles, aunts, and uncles had tried to tempt him with delicious food. He buried his face angrily in Yan Yincheng's arms and turned his butt towards the crowd.
"I don't want to! No photos!"
Yuan Xiaoxuan hugged Yan Yincheng's leg and said seriously, "We need Mommy's permission."
Yan Yincheng had never expected everyone to be so enthusiastic. The babbling voices made him extremely uncomfortable. He tightly protected the two kids, his handsome face cold, frowning as he said, "Sorry, we're not taking photos."
On the stage, Xu Zixi originally wanted to answer the reporters' questions, but the crowd had swallowed up Yan Yincheng and the two kids. She saw an uncomfortable look flash across Yan Yincheng's face. She immediately apologized to the media in front of her, bypassed them, and quickly walked towards Yan Yincheng and the kids.
Seeing that the media also wanted to follow Xu Zixi, Xie Shi smiled and said, "Dear media friends, Master Yuan Xi and I got to know each other because of a very picky customer..."
In order to get the exclusive scoop, the media immediately chose to give up following Xu Zixi and turned their microphones back to Xie Shi. If they couldn't interview Yuan Xi, interviewing Xie Shi was also okay!
Xu Zixi rushed back to Yan Yincheng's side in a hurry. She smiled brightly and said to the enthusiastic people around, "Thank you all so much for your love for my babies. Since everyone wants to take a photo with my kids, why don't we take a group photo together?"
Everyone looked at each other and readily agreed.
Finally, including the cameramen from the Haicheng TV station, everyone on - site gathered in front of the main canvas of the cooking competition for a group photo. Xu Zixi and Xie Shi were standing side by side in the middle, surrounded by the crowd. Yan Yincheng stood beside Xu Zixi, and the two kids were next to their daddy, each holding a bright - red cooked crab in their hands. Yuan Xiaoxuan was smiling brightly at the camera, while Yuan Xiaoxu's eyes were all on the crab, drooling.
The shutter froze the moment.
After the group photo, everyone left contentedly. Xu Zixi looked up and met Xie Shi's half - smiling eyes. She finally realized what stupid things she had done before -
She had actually competed with Xie Shi, who was old enough to be her mother, trying to outdo her!
It was so embarrassing and such a misunderstanding!
Why did she, such a smart person, always stumble when it came to issues related to Yan Yincheng? Why did she endure not checking Xie Shi's information just to prove a point?
Especially when Yan Yincheng beside her said to Xie Shi, "Aunt Shi, thank you for arranging all this for me."
Aaaaah, he even asked Xie Shi to speak up for her and build her reputation! He called Xie Shi Aunt Shi. What would Xie Shi think of her now? Would she think she was being unreasonable?
"You really should thank me. From today on, Ms. Yuan will probably become a hot - shot chef in the culinary world," Xie Shi said with a scolding smile. Her gaze turned to Xu Zixi as she continued,
"Ms. Yuan, I wasn't just complimenting you when I said I'd heard so much about you before. I'm really curious. If you can conquer A Cheng's picky taste buds, it means your cooking skills are not inferior to mine, and may even surpass me. Since you're here, why don't we have a showdown?"
Yan Yincheng quickly said, "Aunt Shi, we have other things to do. We won't disturb you. Let's talk about the competition another time..." After saying that, he took Xu Zixi's hand, turned around, and tapped his blind stick as he walked towards the outside of the banquet hall.
"A Cheng! You're so unpredictable... Ms. Yuan, you must remember to have a showdown with me next time you have the chance!"
Xu Zixi didn't expect Yan Yincheng to decline Xie Shi's invitation. She stumbled along with him for a while before she realized what was going on.
It was just as well. She didn't want to stay and face Xie Shi awkwardly either.
Taking the initiative to hold Yan Yincheng's hand, Xu Zixi walked quickly in front of him. She turned back and waved to Xie Shi, saying, "Master Xie, we're leaving. Kids, say goodbye to the pretty auntie!"
The two kids waved the crabs in their hands:
"Goodbye, pretty auntie!"
"Be careful on your way back. A Cheng, see you tomorrow," Xie Shi's voice came from behind, barely suppressing her laughter.
The two of them left the Haicheng International Hotel with the kids. Outside, Wei Shu had already sent a car to wait there after receiving the news.
After getting in the car, to cover up her embarrassment of regarding Xie Shi as a rival, Xu Zixi didn't dare to say a word. She just blushed and hugged the kids while looking down at her phone.
When she did, she found that her WeChat Moments was in an uproar.
She had suddenly appeared on the Haicheng TV station with the kids and Yan Yincheng and served as a judge for the cooking competition. Colleagues she knew and didn't know had all sent her messages asking about her relationship with Yan Yincheng.
She had expected this result, so she wasn't surprised.
Ignoring these not - so - familiar colleagues, she clicked on the small group chat with Zhou Yaru and the others. She found that the group was also very lively.
Since the start of the cooking competition, the three of them had been sending screenshots to the group. Xu Zixi clicked to take a look and found that the screenshots were all the comments of netizens on a well - known social forum.
After this exposure, some people on the Internet had indeed dug out the old news from four years ago to attack and smear her and Yan Yincheng. The words they said were extremely unpleasant. But gradually, in the screenshots, there were more and more positive comments. Some praised her, some said she was a perfect match for Yan Yincheng, and some praised the two kids for being smart and cute. Even though there were still occasional discordant skeptical voices, they were just a few words and couldn't stir up much trouble.
Looking at the accounts of the netizens who spoke well of her, Xu Zixi knew that there must be someone behind the scenes. As for who that person was, she already had the answer in her heart.
However, what surprised her a bit was that one of the accounts that had been most active in smearing her was an account named pww.
Zhou Yaru: The initials of this name clearly indicate that it belongs to the Miss Pei. Why is she so idle? After being kicked out of Pei's by Mr. Yan, she still refuses to give up and wants to deal with Xiaoxi. I'm going to scold her to death!
Dai Sha: These people actually doubt Xiaoxi's cooking skills? Well, I'm going to make them drool!
Huang Zhenzhen: Wait, I'll find someone to block Pei Weiwei's account right away!
Huang Zhenzhen: Wow, I don't know which immortal did it. Before my helper could act, Pei Weiwei's account has already been blocked!
Which immortal?
The immortal named Yan Yincheng, perhaps.
Xu Zixi couldn't help but burst out laughing.