The Arrogant President’s Cute Assistant

No way… The hope Ye Ranxi had finally ignited was instantly doused, like cold water poured over her.

“Do you think there’s still a chance Grandma could be alive in this world?” Ye Ranxi, mature and strong, held back her tears despite her heartache. This time, she was genuinely worried, and tears streamed down her big eyes.

“Of course, Grandma is so kind; heaven must look after her,” Ling Xiaonai could only comfort her in this way now, gently holding her close. “Let’s keep looking. We might still find her.”

Ye Ranxi nodded; as long as there was a glimmer of hope, she couldn’t give up.

“Wait, why didn’t I think of this? Maybe Grandma is still living in her old house,” Ye Ranxi patted her head. Earlier, they had just returned to the entrance, and seeing no one inside, they left. Grandma might have just been out at that moment, which is why they missed her.

Ye Ranxi and Ling Xiaonai returned to the old, dilapidated house. Sure enough, as soon as they opened the door, they saw an old woman sitting in the yard, holding a wooden spoon.

Although Ye Ranxi had grown up and could hardly recognize the person before her, she would never forget that this was her Grandma, who had always treated her the best since childhood.

“Grandma!” Ye Ranxi called out, rushing over to hug her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I finally found you; I can’t believe you’re still alive…”

Zhang Ying looked at the young woman holding her in disbelief. This person called her Grandma; could it be…

“Are you… Xiaoxi?” The old woman’s voice trembled as she held Ye Ranxi’s face, studying it closely. “Is that really you, Xiaoxi?”

“Yeah, it’s me; I’m Xiaoxi…” The person in front of her was indeed her Grandma, her only family in this world.

Zhang Ying had thought her granddaughter was long gone. She had heard about her disappearance a long time ago and later heard people from the village say she had met with an accident. She had believed her to be no longer in this world, so she never expected they would have a chance to reunite.

“Xiaoxi, I’ve finally met you…” The old woman started crying as she hugged her back.

“Grandma, it’s just so good you’re alive. It’s cold here; can we go inside and talk slowly?” Ye Ranxi wiped the tears from her face. This reunion should have been a happy occasion, yet they were crying continuously, and thinking about it felt a bit silly.

Zhang Ying wrapped her arms around Ye Ranxi’s waist and nodded. “Alright, let’s go inside first.”

In their moment of nostalgic chatter, they completely forgot about Ling Xiaonai, who was standing behind them.

“Xiaoxi, that is…”

“That’s my boyfriend,” Ye Ranxi said, looking down shyly as she spoke to her grandma.

Hearing the words “boyfriend,” Ling Xiaonai’s body gave a slight shiver, and a smile spread slowly across his face. His dark, intense gaze fixated on her, as if he were trying to absorb her entirely.

Zhang Ying smiled gently, her age showing through the many wrinkles on her face.

“Xiaoxi, you’re all grown up now and have a boyfriend… It makes me feel at ease to see someone caring for you like this.”

Ye Ranxi helped Zhang Ying into the house. When Zhang Ying noticed Ling Xiaonai still standing by the door, she turned and said with a smile, “Young man, come in quickly.”

Ling Xiaonai nodded, a rare soft expression appearing on his face. “Okay.”

It was clear that Grandma seemed to really like Ling Xiaonai… And who wouldn’t? He was dressed in a well-fitted black suit that perfectly showcased his physique. With his striking features, he stood there like a perfect backdrop, and anyone would be drawn to him.

But what would Grandma think if she knew he was the one responsible for the tragedy that befell their family? Ye Ranxi wasn’t ready to reveal that just yet. They had finally reunited after such a long time, and as long as Grandma was happy, that was enough for her. She didn’t care about anything else.

The furnishings in the house were still quite shabby, and every time Ye Ranxi thought about how long the elderly woman had lived there, her heart ached. How she wished she had found her sooner; then Grandma wouldn’t have had to endure so much suffering…

“Grandma, have you lived here alone all these years?” Ye Ranxi helped her settle into a chair, holding her hand affectionately as she asked.

Zhang Ying nodded. “Yes, I’ve grown old… The house is quite old, but I’ve grown used to living here alone.”

“Why don’t you come live with Xiaoxi instead?” Ye Ranxi wanted to cherish every moment she had with her only family.

“It’s better not to. I’m just an old woman. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to live with me; it’s better if I stay by myself.”

Actually, Zhang Ying was worried about being a burden to Ye Ranxi… She was getting older, and her health was declining. She didn’t want to trouble anyone, only to end up needing care herself.

Hearing her say this, Ye Ranxi could only nod in agreement. “Alright, but this house is really too old. How about Xiaoxi stays here for a while to keep you company and help fix up the house?”

“Sure, Grandma hasn’t seen you in a long time, so it’s a great opportunity for you two to catch up.”

As they chatted happily, they completely forgot about Ling Xiaonai, who was standing quietly to the side. Ye Ranxi occasionally glanced over, worried he might be bored sitting there, but he maintained a gentle smile on his face, showing no signs of impatience.

“Are you hungry? I’ll go prepare some food for you.” As evening approached, Zhang Ying stood up to head to the yard to cook, but Ye Ranxi stopped her.

“Grandma, let us younger folks take care of these little things. You go rest,” Ye Ranxi said, helping her to the dining table. “Just sit here and wait for the food.”

Zhang Ying could hardly argue and nodded in agreement. “Alright, then I’ll wait for Xiaoxi to make me something delicious.”

Ye Ranxi smiled. “Okay.”

When she turned around, Ling Xiaonai was nowhere to be found.

Did he think it was boring and leave? Ye Ranxi wondered, glancing around the house several times but still not spotting him.

Stepping into the yard, she found him rolling up his sleeves. His suit jacket was nowhere to be seen, and in the chilly weather, he was only wearing a thin shirt.

Ye Ranxi had never seen him like this before. In her memory, he had always been someone above everyone else. When had he ever done such rough work?

“I’ll take over,” she said, walking over and reaching for the spoon in his hand. She brushed against his large hand, which felt a bit cold-likely from standing outside in the wind for a long time.

Ling Xiaonai looked at her gently and firmly held onto the wooden spoon. “You go to the garden and pick some vegetables. I’ll handle the cooking.”

Seeing his determination to help, and realizing she couldn’t manage it all by herself, Ye Ranxi nodded and went to the garden to select some fresh vegetables. Together, they busily prepared in the yard.

She recalled playing there often as a child. Ye Ranxi remembered how back then, she would never help out at all and would always annoy Grandma instead. Now, so much time had passed; Grandma had aged significantly, and she was no longer that clueless little girl.

Once the meal was ready, Ye Ranxi brought the steaming dishes inside. “Grandma, it’s time to eat.”

“Okay, where’s Xiaonai? Where did he go?” Zhang Ying looked around several times but still couldn’t see Ling Xiaonai, so she asked Ye Ranxi.

It was clear that Grandma truly liked Ling Xiaonai. Ye Ranxi felt a bit dejected and said, “Grandma, do you really like him that much? I’ve been busy in the kitchen all day, and you haven’t even checked in on me. You’re just singing his praises.”

“I can see that he’s a good boy, and I hope you two can be happy together. Xiaoxi, if you can find happiness, I can leave this world with no regrets,” Zhang Ying said, holding her hand with a sigh. Perhaps recalling her deceased daughter, tears welled up in her eyes.

Ye Ranxi hurried to interrupt, “Grandma, don’t say such things! You will live a long life.”

“Alright, let’s not talk about that. Go and call Xiaonai to come in for dinner,” Zhang Ying said, wiping away her tears. It seemed she was so happy that her emotions were overflowing.

Just then, Ling Xiaonai came in, carrying steaming dishes. “Grandma, Xiaoxi, it’s time to eat.”

At that moment, Ling Xiaonai seemed to have shed his usual air of superiority, appearing just like an ordinary person in front of Grandma. No wonder she liked him so much.

Ye Ranxi hadn’t seen Grandma smile so joyfully in a long time. She felt that this meal was the happiest she had had in recent memory. They chatted and laughed, and before they knew it, night had fallen.

This house was quite worn down, but it could be made livable with some repairs. Currently, there were only two bedrooms-one occupied by Grandma and the other assigned to Ling Xiaonai.

After taking a shower, Ye Ranxi grabbed a pillow and walked to Grandma’s room, knocking on the door. “Grandma, I’m here.”

“Xiaoxi, what’s the matter?” Zhang Ying, seeing the pillow in her hands, immediately understood that she wanted to sleep with her.

“Grandma, I… can I sleep with you?”

Before Ye Ranxi could finish her sentence, her grandmother interrupted, “Why don’t you squeeze in with Xiaonai? I’m getting old now, and it would be a hassle for two of you to sleep together with me.”

She wasn’t unaware of what Grandma meant… Though Grandma was old, she must have realized that there was some tension between her and Ling Xiaonai. Perhaps she was saying this to help get them closer.

Since Grandma had said so, Ye Ranxi felt embarrassed to push the issue further. “Okay, then I’ll go sleep with him.”

Zhang Ying knew that Ye Ranxi had the same stubbornness as her mother, which was why she was trying to encourage her to leave. If the child didn’t take the initiative, she would have to give her a little nudge.

Holding her pillow, Ye Ranxi stood at the bedroom door, suddenly feeling a bit irritated.

If only Ling Xiaonai hadn’t come over, there wouldn’t be so much trouble now… So, it was all his fault.

Never mind; the room was big enough, and sleeping on the floor wouldn’t be a big deal. With that thought, Ye Ranxi pushed the door open and walked inside.