Teasing the Icy President

Nan Yan and Qing Shan stood at the entrance of Ye Ziqian’s office, their faces expressionless. Lu Zizhong glanced at them and pushed the door open.

Ye Ziqian was slumped over his desk, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

“President Ye, is your stomach acting up again? Let’s go to the hospital-” Lu Zizhong asked with concern.

“No, let’s just go home. Later, go check out the scene from this morning and look for An Shaochen. I feel like there’s something off about this whole situation. Those four unidentified bodies-two couples-it seems like a premeditated murder!” Ye Ziqian’s fist slammed heavily on the desk. His brow furrowed even deeper, and the anger made his stomach ache even more.

“Alright, I’ll go check the scene later. Let Nan Yan and Qing Shan-oh, and the little girl-accompany you home,” Lu Zizhong said.

“Call her Mu Qingtian from now on! That’s her name!” Ye Ziqian emphasized.

In the car, Nan Yan was driving, Mu Qingtian sat in the passenger seat, and Ye Ziqian reclined in the backseat. His eyes were slightly closed, and his brow was furrowed, clearly in pain somewhere in his body-a pain that was tormenting him.

Mu Qingtian kept observing Ye Ziqian through the rearview mirror. At this moment, he seemed less like a devil and more like someone pitiful.

Haha, you big demon, today you’ve fallen into my hands. Uncle Zhong didn’t come back with us, and Nan Yan and Qing Shan are only responsible for your bodyguard duties. Once we get home, your daily care will be entirely up to me, the temporary housekeeper. I’ll show you just how capable I am, and you’ll see that spending 20,000 a month to hire me as your butler is worth it. Mu Qingtian was mentally calculating, her thoughts clicking away like an abacus.

The car was moving fast, but Mu Qingtian could clearly feel it swaying violently from side to side. She looked at Nan Yan in surprise. This wasn’t a mistake a professional bodyguard should make. What’s wrong with him? Mu Qingtian wondered, but all she saw was a gaze as cold as ice. Nan Yan’s eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

In the first twenty-three years of Mu Qingtian’s life, her world had been nothing but ordinary and mundane. The people around her-family, friends, classmates, teachers-were all ordinary too. Perhaps the most extraordinary person she knew was Nie Shuangshuang, the mayor’s daughter, who was also her best friend. Maybe it was because she was chubby, or maybe because she had a good temper and didn’t mind being teased-or maybe both. In any case, she was her closest friend.

Mu Qingtian sent a message to Nie Shuangshuang: “Shuangshuang, come stay at my place tonight. No matter how late it is, I’ll be home, and we can talk.”

“Prioritizing romance over friendship!” was the only reply. Mu Qingtian smiled happily.

The car arrived at the Ye Mansion. Nan Yan and Qing Shan got out first, then respectfully opened the door for President Ye. Mu Qingtian, in her usual clumsy manner, managed to slam her head hard against the car door as she stepped out.

Stars danced in her vision. She wanted to say something to Qing Shan but immediately clamped her mouth shut, staying silent.

Ye Ziqian heard the dull thud and knew she had hit her head pretty hard. Looking at this odd, chubby girl who hadn’t spoken a word all day, he couldn’t help but feel that keeping her silent was the best punishment for her.

Qing Shan helped Ye Ziqian into his bedroom and then quietly left.

Now, the vast, luxurious room was occupied only by Mu Qingtian and Ye Ziqian. Mu Qingtian felt she ought to do something useful. She went upstairs to the storage room, found a cloth, and began meticulously cleaning the tables and sofas in the lobby downstairs. She didn’t even skip the corners of the staircase.

After a while, Mu Qingtian decided she should check on the uncle in his bedroom to see how he was doing. After all, if something happened to him… who would pay her salary? The thought spurred her into action, and she quickly rushed into Ye Ziqian’s room.

Ye Ziqian was lying on the bed, facing the wall. The rhythm of his breathing suggested he was still in discomfort.

Mu Qingtian hurried downstairs to pour a glass of hot water. As she climbed back up the stairs, she spilled half of it, scalding her hand and making her grimace in pain.

When she returned to Ye Ziqian’s bedroom, she carried the half-full glass of water to his side.

The uncle’s face was pale as paper, devoid of any color, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans dotted his forehead. Mu Qingtian’s heart tightened at the sight. This man, who usually wielded his authority so fiercely, was now brought low by illness, looking pitiful and vulnerable.

Mu Qingtian fetched a towel and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. Ye Ziqian stirred awake, pushing her hand away and glaring at her.

Still, Mu Qingtian didn’t speak. She patiently continued to wipe his forehead with the towel.

What’s with the attitude? This is my job. If I don’t do it well and act subservient, you won’t be satisfied. And if you’re not satisfied, I’d feel guilty taking my salary. Determined to earn her pay honestly, Mu Qingtian persisted with her task.

Ye Ziqian grabbed her arm and yanked it backward with force. If he hadn’t been suffering from stomach pain, the move would have been enough to send Mu Qingtian tumbling from one side of the bed to the other. But instead of achieving his intended goal, he ended up pulling her body heavily onto his own.

Mu Qingtian lay awkwardly on his back, squirming clumsily but unable to get off him. Ye Ziqian gritted his teeth through the pain and flipped over, accidentally pinning Mu Qingtian onto the blanket. The sudden movement caused a surge of air to rise in his stomach.

“Pfft-” Ye Ziqian let out a loud fart.

Mu Qingtian couldn’t stop laughing, though she didn’t dare make a sound. She buried her face in the blanket for a while, and when she finally emerged, her face was still bright red.

Laughing at a fart-yes, Mu Qingtian knew that’s exactly what she was doing, and she was laughing so hard her stomach hurt, but she still didn’t make a sound.

Ye Ziqian glared at her, then yanked her over and pinned her beneath him.

This woman is so ugly, so fat, and so annoying, Ye Ziqian thought to himself, but his body had already begun to react in a subtle way.

Mu Qingtian, trapped beneath him, was so startled by the sudden move that she was completely flustered. Her round eyes widened, making her face look even rounder.

Ye Ziqian looked down at her, not actually intending to bully her, but he noticed that Mu Qingtian had already started to cry.

Damn this woman, Ye Ziqian thought. He hated it when women acted pitiful in front of him. If it were a beautiful woman, he might have tolerated it, but this was Mu Qingtian!

A wave of nausea hit him, and he rolled off her, leaning over the edge of the bed to dry heave.

Mu Qingtian didn’t say a word. She sat up but didn’t leave. Instead, she gently patted his back to help him feel better. The dry heaving had drained Ye Ziqian’s energy, and he grabbed her hand-perhaps initially to push her away, but now it felt more like permission.

Mu Qingtian was stunned by the gesture. She wanted to say something, but her rationality held her back. She remained silent.

Uncle Zhong hadn’t returned, and Mu Qingtian felt it would be inappropriate to leave now. She went into the kitchen and made some millet porridge for Ye Ziqian, along with a small side of pickled vegetables. She brought the simple meal over to the uncle.

You capitalist parasite who can’t do anything for yourself, I’m so much younger than you, yet here I am cooking for you. Your brain is only good for controlling stacks of paper money, so you’re stupid and vulgar. Mu Qingtian couldn’t speak, but the thoughts in her mind were practically bursting out of the house.

Ye Ziqian had no energy to cause any more trouble today. He didn’t even have the strength to ask why Uncle Zhong hadn’t returned. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. When he woke up again, it was already midnight.

Mu Qingtian’s loud greeting to Uncle Zhong echoed from downstairs: “Uncle Zhong, you’re finally back! It’s past midnight now, so I can talk again. The uncle is lying in his room-he’s not feeling well today. I made him some millet porridge and pickled vegetables, and I left some for you too. Go ahead and heat it up to eat. Nie Shuangshuang is still waiting for me at home, so I’ll head back now.”

Lu Zizhong nodded in acknowledgment, though his expression was troubled. It was clear he had encountered something he couldn’t easily resolve, but he didn’t intend to share it with the little girl. This wasn’t something she needed to know.

After seeing Mu Qingtian off, Lu Zizhong entered Ye Ziqian’s bedroom. “President Ye, something seems off. I investigated the surrounding area, and one witness mentioned seeing a couple with the surname Nan entering Mr. An’s compound. They were dressed plainly and even asked at the newsstand outside his house if the person living there was Mr. An. Their manner of speaking was very unrefined. It’s possible someone knew about this operation and deliberately sent those four innocent people here-not as scapegoats, but for some other purpose.”

“We’ll need to keep digging. If necessary, we’ll mobilize the Flame Gang. What’s An Shaochen’s reaction?” Ye Ziqian asked, his tone seemingly casual, but the slight furrow in his brow betrayed his concern.

Meanwhile, Mu Qingtian walked home under the dim glow of streetlights, her shadow shifting from one patch of light to another. As she walked, she hummed a tune: “I walk alone on the path through the woods, bringing cakes to my grandma to taste. She lives in a faraway, beautiful place, and I must beware of the big bad wolf nearby…” Her plump cheeks jiggled slightly with each step under the flickering light.

When Mu Qingtian quietly entered her home, she noticed a faint yellow light still on. Nie Shuangshuang was already asleep in her bed. After washing up quietly, Mu Qingtian gently lay down beside her. In this unfamiliar city, having Nie Shuangshuang by her side meant she was never truly alone.

“Everything will be better tomorrow,” Mu Qingtian thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.