After Seeing Through the Plot, the Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Lead Overturned Her Fate - Chapter 39

The newcomer was Jiang Ming’s eldest brother, Jiang Yuan.

Although Ye An had never had direct contact with him before, she had heard much about him. Jiang Yuan was known for his integrity and extraordinary ability; he had achieved a great deal at a young age, possessing a unique and effective strategy for handling affairs.

In fact, certain aspects of him were quite similar to the old Xia Yihuan, so it was no surprise the two were acquainted.

The slap was heavy. Jiang Ming, who was already a bit drunk, stumbled back several steps and sat directly on the floor, unable to make a sound for a long while.

Chi Yan’s face turned pale at the sight. She hesitated for a few seconds, intending to leave, but before she could take a step, Jiang Yuan cast a sharp glance her way. “Miss Chi, I presume? Based on the conversation just now, it seems you have taken quite good care of my brother lately. The Jiang family does not neglect etiquette; we will certainly thank you properly in the future.”

He emphasized the words “thank you properly” heavily. Hearing this, Chi Yan’s face went ashen, looking like a dead woman walking.

Jiang Yuan withdrew his gaze. “President Ye, I am truly sorry for what just happened. Jiang Ming acts without considering the consequences. I will certainly educate him thoroughly in the coming days.”

“It is late now, and it would be inconvenient to disturb you further.” Jiang Yuan glanced at his watch and gave Ye An a polite bow. “Please give me some time; I will surely bring him to your door to apologize another day.”

He was a veteran of the business world, and his words were watertight—full of politeness and poise.

Ye An understood his meaning. No matter how much of a scoundrel Jiang Ming was, he was still a member of the Jiang family. If things truly escalated, it would be the Jiang family’s reputation at stake. Jiang Yuan was willing to lower his stance now as a strategic retreat, hoping Ye An would stop pursuing the matter and forgive Jiang Ming this once.

Since that was the case, Ye An was willing to give him “face.” “Alright.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Yuan nodded. “I’ll have someone see President Ye home.”

“No need,” Ye An shook her head. “I have a car.”

“Very well, then take care on the road.” Seeing her insistence, Jiang Yuan didn’t press further and stood in place to watch the two leave.

As they reached the corner of the stairs, Ye An thought she heard the sound of another slap echoing in the distance.

Xia Yihuan soon drove Ye An home.

The effects of the hangover medicine weren’t that powerful. Ye An had drunk quite a bit and was indeed somewhat intoxicated. After taking a quick shower, she immediately lay down on the bed.

Xia Yihuan followed her into the room and sat down beside her.

Only a small lamp was lit. Ye An raised her right arm, placing it over her face to cover her eyes. Her voice came out in a murmur: “Did you eat dinner?”

“I did,” Xia Yihuan said.

“That’s good.” Ye An nodded slightly. After a long silence, she added, “Then you should get some rest early.”

“I drank a bit too much today; I’m really sleepy.”

This time, Xia Yihuan didn’t respond with an acknowledgment. Instead, she started a new topic, asking softly, “President Ye, do you need to talk?”

“Talk about what?” Ye An asked after a moment.

“Anything.” Xia Yihuan gently reached out to tuck the covers around her. “As long as you are willing, you can say anything.”

As long as she was willing.

Ye An paused, and after a while, a faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “How do you know Jiang Yuan?”

“We collaborated on several business deals in the past,” Xia Yihuan said.

“When did you arrive?” Ye An asked again.

“Just as the food was all served,” Xia Yihuan replied.

“You arrived that early? Why didn’t you think about coming in sooner?”

“Because I wanted to resolve the matter once and for all,” Xia Yihuan said. Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on Ye An’s face, the emotions flowing within them soft and serene. “Jiang Yuan is not an easy person to invite. Since I wanted him to come, I naturally had to let him hear the evidence.”

“Jiang Ming is not a sane person, and neither is Chi Yan. If I had pushed the door open in a fit of impulse, it might have solved the immediate crisis, but it wouldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t come to harass you again in the future.”

This approach was indeed very much in line with Xia Yihuan’s character.

Ye An nodded in agreement. “Mhm, that makes sense.”

“Do you have anything else you want to ask, President Ye?” Xia Yihuan continued.

Ye An was silent for a few seconds, then slowly pursed her lips. “No. There are some things I wouldn’t get an answer to even if I asked you.”

Immediately, Xia Yihuan said, “Do you want to ask about Chi Yan?”

Ye An was stunned. “What, you know about her too?”

“I know a bit,” Xia Yihuan said truthfully. “For example, why she suddenly returned to the country.”

“In the third year after Chi Yan went abroad, she married an aristocrat.” She spoke, her voice calm and pleasant as usual. “She lived a life of luxury for a few years but suddenly divorced recently. According to reports, it was because she had an affair—something that brought dishonor to the aristocratic family.”

“When the news broke, it caused quite a stir, but as it was a scandal, it was naturally suppressed quickly. However, if one looks carefully, information can still be found.”

“Chi Yan couldn’t survive abroad because of this, so she simply came back. But Old Master Chi has passed away, the Chi family has long since split apart, and there is no place left for her.” Xia Yihuan shook her head. “Money, status, a way to rise again… I think that might be her motive for colluding with Jiang Ming.”

Hearing this, Ye An let out a cynical chuckle. It turned out that from beginning to end, there were so many things she hadn’t known. “I wonder how many benefits Jiang Ming would have given her if today’s plan had actually succeeded.”

Ye An’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Money… it’s all a load of rubbish. Friendship, affection—none of it matters.”

Ye An’s voice sounded noticeably raspier than before.

Xia Yihuan watched her quietly without responding. The atmosphere grew still. After an unknown amount of time, she finally lowered her eyes and slowly leaned in.

“President Ye, you’re crying,” she said.

“I’m not,” Ye An insisted, her arm still covering her eyes, her voice hardening.

Xia Yihuan didn’t speak. She reached out and gently moved Ye An’s arm, and as expected, she found a mist of tears in her eyes.

Without a second thought, Xia Yihuan lowered her head and gently kissed her eyes.

This was the second time she had kissed her.

Ye An was stunned. Even in her drunken state, she could feel Xia Yihuan’s soft lips and warm temperature. She paused, the corners of her mouth gradually turning up. “Why are you kissing me again?”

“Do you like me?” she asked, finally raising her eyes to meet Xia Yihuan’s.

This time, Xia Yihuan remained silent—neither admitting nor denying.

Ye An stared at her wordlessly for a long time. While she felt a sense of relief, a dull ache also throbbed in her chest. Love was just like money—both were rubbish. Too many people wanted it, yet it was rarely attainable.

But an occasional indulgence was fine too.

“Have you ever kissed before?” Ye An asked suddenly after a few seconds.

“Never,” Xia Yihuan replied.

“Neither have I.” Ye An shook her head. Having spent so many days together and experienced so much, she could no longer treat Xia Yihuan as the arch-rival of the past.

So what should she be? Assistant, friend, partner, roommate… or lover?

“Want to try kissing?” Ye An said. Since Xia Yihuan had kissed her twice in a row, it seemed like too much of a loss if she didn’t get one back. “Nod if you agree; if not, just assume I’m drunk and nothing happened.”

“What do you think?” Ye An asked.

“I have no objection,” Xia Yihuan said. She lowered her eyes, and her lips met Ye An’s.