Upon hearing the woman in the room threatening a hunger strike, Ji Tingyang's face, which had been somewhat gentle just a moment ago, suddenly turned icy cold.
He walked over and pushed open the door.
He saw porridge and greens scattered on the floor, and beneath the bed, two lone buns had rolled away.
A woman with waist-length hair stood inside, her figure exquisitely framed by the silk nightgown she wore.
Her fair face was marked with traces of anger, and her eyes, brimming with unyielding tears, stared resentfully at Ji Tingyang, like a delicate white flower refusing to admit defeat in adversity.
Lin Xu sighed inwardly.
Worthy of being a novel's heroine, I can't help but sympathize.
Ji Tingyang stood still, his face frosty: "Housekeeper, since Lady Wen does not like the food, then dismiss Aunt Zhang."
The nanny next to him, hearing this, pleaded frantically with Ji Tingyang: "President Ji, please don't dismiss me, I have two elderly to take care of at home and two children to put through school. If you dismiss me, my whole family won't be able to make ends meet!"
Although the Ji Family was difficult to serve, the compensation was high, enough to sustain a family. But if she were to be dismissed, it would be hard to find another job that pays so well.
Aunt Zhang continued to beg Ji Tingyang for mercy, and seeing him unmoved, she then turned to Wen Li with a beseeching look.
"Lady Wen, please, speak up for me, I beg you..."
She knew that Young Master Ji would definitely listen to this woman.
Wen Li bit her red lips, her eyes showing a struggle tinged with pain.
After a long while, she softened her heart.
"I'll eat, don't fire her."
Ji Tingyang's expression finally softened, and he walked in to grab the woman's slender wrist: "Wen Li, don't threaten me with a hunger strike."
Wen Li's tears on the brink of falling made her seem all the more pitiable.
Lin Xu, witnessing the entire scene from the threshold, was dumbfounded. In her faint dreams, she had seen her normally well-behaved and kind eldest son turn into a ruthless villain.
But even now, witnessing it with her own eyes, she was still shocked.
Just as Wen Li was tearfully upset over being threatened, a small hand reached out and struck Ji Tingyang's arm hard.
"Ji Tingyang, how dare you, you've even learned to threaten people now?"
Lin Xu angrily patted his arm, signaling him to let go of Wen Li.
Wen Li looked shocked, not expecting that someone would dare to hit Ji Tingyang in the Ji household.
Then, a wave of concern rose from deep within her. The woman standing before her had dared to confront Ji Tingyang for her sake. What if Ji Tingyang decided to dismiss this woman too?
Just as Wen Li was about to plead on her behalf, she saw Ji Tingyang let go of her hand, his expression noticeably uncomfortable: "I wasn't threatening."
Lin Xu stared at him with a stern face, silent.
The familiar look brought back a flood of memories deep in Ji Tingyang's mind.
Ji Tingyang remembered that when he was a child and lied about having a stomach ache because he didn't want to go to school, Lin Xu had the same stern expression, watching him in silence.
Until he apologized out of guilt and was escorted to school.
Now, under Lin Xu's gaze, Ji Tingyang's eyes flickered, and he looked away.
Lin Xu spoke sharply: "How did I use to teach you?"
However, Ji Tingyang was ultimately no longer the little boy he once was. His brow furrowed slightly, and he couldn't help retorting: "You haven't been around for these twenty years, not fulfilling any responsibility, so what right do you have to say anything now?"
Lin Xu was taken aback, the seriousness on her face gradually fading. She lowered her eyelids, her eyes tinged with a hint of desolation, and turned to leave.
Ji Tingyang's heart skipped a beat, and he rushed out after her in a panic.
Wen Li was left standing there, utterly baffled.
----
Lin Xu returned to her room, just about to close the door when a broad, powerful hand reached in, stopping the door.
Lin Xu gave Ji Tingyang a glance, expressionless, let go of the door, and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Ji Tingyang pushed the door open and stood awkwardly by the side. He had a flurry of apologies prepared in his heart, but now facing Lin Xu, he found them difficult to voice.
As he struggled internally, a tear fell from Lin Xu's cheek.
Ji Tingyang immediately panicked, "I, I didn't mean to say that just now, please don't cry..."
Lin Xu sobbed, "It's not like I had the accident on purpose. You don't comfort me, fine, but you still blame me for not taking good care of you. You used to be so obedient when you were a child, saying you liked mom the most. Just twenty years have passed and you already hate me, wuwuwu..."
The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt, and tears kept pouring from her eyes.
Ji Tingyang quickly checked his pockets for a handkerchief but couldn't find one, so he reluctantly used his sleeve to wipe the tears from her cheeks, continually apologizing, "From now on, I'll listen to whatever you say."
Lin Xu's eyes were rimmed with tear, and a subtle hint of cunning flashed through them. She bit her lip, fearing she couldn't help but laugh and give herself away.
When he was little, Ji Tingyang was always disobedient. She would pretend to cry like this, and in less than two seconds, he would relent, wiping her tears and babbling promises to listen to mom in the future.
She thought now that he was grown up, it might not work, but it was still effective.
Gurgle.
As Lin Xu was crying, her stomach suddenly let out a loud rumble. She and Ji Tingyang eyed each other awkwardly, and she sheepishly said, "…I'm hungry."
Ji Tingyang got up, "I'll have Aunt Zhang prepare more breakfast."
Ten minutes later, Wen Li looked at Lin Xu sitting at the head of the table and ate, a flash of surprise in her eyes.
This woman had just crossed Ji Tingyang and was still not kicked out?
While she mulled over it, Aunt Zhang came out with the breakfast.
The fragrant smell of steamed buns and dumplings filled the air, alongside an assortment of staples like corn porridge and pumpkin porridge...
The breakfast was laid out with the spread of a buffet.
Wen Li glanced at it, her expression listless, "I don't feel like eating."
Ji Tingyang's brows were furrowed, and he shot a fierce look at her, "If what Aunt Zhang made doesn't suit your taste, then she no longer needs to work for the Ji Family."
Another threat.
Wen Li clenched her hand by her side, seeing Aunt Zhang casting pleading eyes at her, anger burning increasingly fierce in her chest.
She clenched her teeth, about to speak out, when she heard the person beside her put down her chopsticks.
"I don't feel like eating either," Lin Xu sighed.
Wen Li's brows slightly furrowed. Was she mimicking her?
Ji Tingyang surely wouldn't pay her any mind.
Just as Wen Li thought this, Ji Tingyang turned towards Lin Xu, concerned, "Why, don't you like these? What would you like to eat? I'll have someone make it for you."
Lin Xu thought for a moment, "Is that rice noodle shop on Liberty Road still open?"
Ji Tingyang nodded, "It's still there."
Lin Xu said, "I'd like to have their rice noodles."
Ji Tingyang immediately sent the butler to buy them, and also asked her about lunch and dinner preferences, ordering them to be made as well.
Lin Xu made several requests, and Ji Tingyang agreed to all.
Wen Li looked at the kind-faced Ji Tingyang in shock.
In her memory, Ji Tingyang was always cold-faced, arrogant, and spoke only in threats and commands. She had never seen him treat anyone so obligingly.
Who exactly was this woman?