Chapter 29: Let's Have a Child

Ye Shihan was not someone who lacked courage. The reason she had previously set her sights on the Huayi Group project was simply to prove her own abilities. Now, barely any time had passed since she took over the Ye Group, and yet such a crisis had already arisen. Naturally, she could not allow herself to admit defeat so easily.

Upon hearing Ye Shihan’s words, everyone present knew she was preparing for a do-or-die struggle. Spirits were high, and everyone threw themselves into their tasks with renewed vigor.

“Mr. Xiao, it seems the Ye Group has reached a dead end. The capital they’ve injected this time is nowhere near enough to fight back against their opponents.”

Lin Xue’er, who had been monitoring the data all along, turned to Xiao Yu as she spoke.

Xiao Yu also understood at this moment that, without allies stepping in, the Ye Group might not last another half hour. He slowly turned to Lin Xue’er and said, “Do it. Consider it a favor I owe Liu Junhe.”

A smile flickered across Lin Xue’er’s lips. She was accustomed to complying with Xiao Yu’s requests unconditionally—such were the instructions their chairman had given her.

She picked up her phone and made a call, dialing straight to the Huayi Group’s chief strategist. In just a few words, Lin Xue’er explained what needed to be done.

“Mr. Xiao, the arrangements have been made. I’ll allocate ten billion to support the Ye Group in the chairman’s name,” Lin Xue’er said with a smile.

Xiao Yu simply nodded in response.

Meanwhile, back at the Ye Group—

As the newly injected hundreds of millions were devoured in the blink of an eye, despair crept over the entire room; even Ye Shihan found herself sinking into hopelessness.

Just then, one of the traders suddenly sprang to his feet, pointing at the data on the computer, so shocked he could barely speak, his face a mask of terror.

“President Ye! Someone is helping us! They’ve injected an entire ten billion! It’s the Huayi Group—they’ve stepped in!”

Everyone was speechless, but in the next moment, their faces transformed from utter despair to exuberant joy as they stared at the computer screen. Even Ye Shihan was stunned—Huayi Group? Why would they help her? Was it simply because of their partnership?

As she lost herself in speculation, her phone suddenly rang on the table. Glancing at the screen, she saw it was Lin Xue’er calling and hurriedly answered.

“Miss Ye, I wonder if our sincerity has moved you,” Lin Xue’er said with a laugh.

Ye Shihan was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled as well. “Miss Lin, if not for your intervention, the Ye Group would have been doomed. Thank you so much!”

Lin Xue’er chuckled at her gratitude. “No need to thank me. If you really want to be thankful, you should thank Mr. Xiao.”

Ye Shihan paused in surprise, but before she could reply, Xiao Yu’s voice came through the phone.

“That ten billion wasn’t easy to procure. Don’t you think you should repay me somehow? For instance, perhaps give me a chubby little son—that would be wonderful.”

Xiao Yu half-joked, hoping to ease her tension.

“Alright! I’ll do it when I get home.”

To his astonishment, Ye Shihan actually replied, leaving Xiao Yu at a loss for words. Before he could say anything more, she hung up.

Recalling what she’d just said, Ye Shihan’s face flushed crimson. She felt flustered, wondering what she should do if Xiao Yu actually took her up on her words once she got home—should she refuse, or not?

Some rejoiced, others worried. With the injection of ten billion, the Ye Group had secured their footing in the commercial war, even gaining the upper hand.

In a vast office inside a thirty-six-story skyscraper, the heads of the four great families sat before their computers, faces grim. They had all believed that swallowing up the Ye Group was a sure thing, but hadn’t expected a sudden turn of events that disrupted all their plans.

After some investigation, they discovered their unexpected opponent was none other than the Huayi Group, which left all four of them seething with anger.

“Why? What is the real relationship between Huayi Group and the Ye family? Why would they put up ten billion to help them?” Wang Bolin’s face was ashen. Hot-tempered as ever, he smashed his computer to pieces in a fit of rage.

“It seems their relationship is not simply a business partnership. Now that Huayi Group has made a move, our plan is likely beyond salvation,” said Zhou Binglong, the calmest among them.

“Even if all four of our families joined forces, going head-to-head with Huayi Group would be like throwing eggs at a rock. Let’s back out,” Chen Qiang said, his brow furrowed with concern.

The other three nodded in agreement.

“In that case, you may all go now,” Wang Bolin said, still simmering with anger as he glanced at the others.

Since it had been Wang Bolin’s idea to unite the four families, the others had always felt the Wang family should bear the main responsibility, and the Wang family had invested the most—three billion—while each of the others had only put in two billion. Now that Huayi Group had intervened, they were all anxious to withdraw, leaving the Wang family to bear the brunt of the losses. Naturally, Wang Bolin had no pleasant words for them.

Zhou Binglong and the others, seeing Wang Bolin’s dark expression, said nothing more and left the office one after another.

Watching them leave, Wang Bolin’s face grew even darker. He slammed his palm down on the desk with such force that the solid wood splintered, breaking apart completely—a feat of strength shocking for someone who appeared to be well over fifty.

“Hmph! I don’t dare touch the Huayi Group, but surely I can still deal with the insignificant Ye family!” A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes, and a sinister smile curled his lips, enough to make anyone shudder. He pulled out his phone and made a call.

“We did it! They’ve finally withdrawn their funds!”

Inside the Ye Group’s conference room, when the four great families gave orders to retract their remaining capital, the whole room erupted in thunderous cheers. To survive the combined assault of the four great families was nothing short of miraculous, though it was largely thanks to the Huayi Group’s intervention.

Seeing their opponents finally withdraw, Ye Shihan let out a long sigh of relief. Remembering what Lin Xue’er had said, she was eager to return home and ask Xiao Yu exactly what deal he had struck with the Huayi Group—what had prompted Lin Xue’er to invest ten billion to help the Ye Group through its crisis?

“Even though it seems we’ve won, I believe this is only the beginning. Once you return to your posts, keep vigilant—if you notice anything unusual, inform me at once. That’s all, you may all go now.”

Seated at the head of the table, Ye Shihan massaged her temples tiredly as she spoke. The others nodded and left the room one after another, until only Ye Shihan remained in the vast conference hall.

Though the Ye Group had managed to fend off the four great families thanks to Huayi Group’s timely help, Ye Shihan knew that since their enemies had already set their sights on the Ye Group, further schemes were surely in motion. What troubled her most was that she had no idea what their next move would be.

But worrying was futile. Rather than guessing the enemy’s plans, it was better to prepare for the unknown. With that thought, Ye Shihan left the office as well.

That day, Ye Shihan stayed at the company, worried the four families might return for a counterattack, though her fears turned out to be unfounded. There were no further moves from her opponents that day.

By the time Ye Shihan returned home, it was already around eight in the evening. As she reached the front door, the aroma of home-cooked food drifted out to greet her. As the door swung open, she saw Xiao Yu and Taisui bustling about, carrying dishes from the kitchen to the dining room.

“You’re back—just in time for dinner. Come, have a seat,” Xiao Yu said with a smile.

Ye Shihan nodded and sat down at the table. Thus the three of them quietly finished their meal together.

“I’m full. I’ll go up and take a shower first.”

With that, Ye Shihan, having eaten her fill, set down her chopsticks and headed upstairs.

As she left, Taisui put down his own bowl and looked at Xiao Yu with a mischievous grin. “Big brother, I wish you an unforgettable night.”

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but laugh and scold him. “You can’t even keep your mouth shut while eating! Since you’re so free, go wash the dishes!”

Taisui scratched his head, laughing, and hurried to clear the table. Xiao Yu, too, left the dining room and made his way upstairs.

“Good luck, big brother!” Taisui called after him.

Xiao Yu could only shake his head and smile wryly, ignoring him as he returned to his room.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Ye Shihan sitting at the head of the bed, her hair still damp—she had clearly just finished washing up. Xiao Yu approached and sat down beside her. Yet there was a hint of shyness in Ye Shihan’s gaze as she looked at him.

“Um, I was only joking earlier… You don’t need to take it seriously.” Xiao Yu, realizing she might still be thinking about what he’d said over the phone, hurried to explain.

Ye Shihan’s cheeks reddened instantly, her beauty so striking that Xiao Yu had to resist the urge to kiss her right then and there.

She said nothing, and for a long while, the two sat in silence. Then Ye Shihan took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for a decision, and looked at Xiao Yu with unwavering resolve.

Her sudden seriousness caught Xiao Yu off guard.

With her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest, she murmured shyly, “Let’s have a child tonight.”

Xiao Yu’s answer was to gently lift her chin and press a deep kiss to her lips, not parting for a long while.

Outside, at some point, a gentle rain began to fall, blurring the world beyond the window. But both Ye Shihan and Xiao Yu knew that the night before them—the night that had just begun—would be one they would remember for the rest of their lives.