Volume 1, Chapter 24: A Family of Vampires

Gusu Yānróu stood at the doorway, wrapped in a bath towel.

Inside the room, Yan Fēngjiǎ sat in a chair, while Qin Wǎnqiū stood awkwardly in place, looking flustered.

"Sister Qingwǎn said there was a mouse in her room, so I came over to check. Well... since the mouse is gone, I won’t disturb you any further."

"Ah, right."

Qin Wǎnqiū squeezed out an embarrassed smile.

Only after the door clicked shut did Qin Wǎnqiū press her hands to her chest, catching her breath. If Yan Fēngjiǎ hadn't been quick-witted just now, it would have been disastrous.

However...

Qin Wǎnqiū looked at her fair arm where his fingers had left a mark, her heart fluttering uncontrollably.

What did Yan Fēngjiǎ mean by that just now?

For this twenty-seven-year-old woman, it left her heart in a state of confusion.

"I don't think you went to catch a mouse; I think you went to play basketball," Gusu Yānróu blocked Yan Fēngjiǎ at his door on his way back.

Yan Fēngjiǎ was speechless. "Seventh Senior Sister, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? Why are you running around wrapped in a towel?"

"Can't I take a bath? You have a bathroom in your room; is it a crime for me to come over and use it?"

"On the contrary, you little brat, I think you’ve taken a fancy to Sister Qingwǎn. But to be honest, Little Fēngjiǎ, no man could resist a figure like that."

"Did you take a bite?"

"My conscience is clear," Yan Fēngjiǎ dived into his room and slammed the door shut, locking it tight.

"There’s a main bathroom in the living room. Go wash downstairs; I’m going to sleep."

"You brat, you're looking for a beating," Gusu Yānróu feigned raising her fist, punching the air.

...

The next morning, monumental news reached the house.

Qin Wǎnqiū’s eyes welled with tears. "Dad, the Shen family is willing to cooperate with us on a major project. We’re saved."

Father Yan was reading the newspaper, but he looked surprised upon hearing this and couldn't help but look at Yan Fēngjiǎ.

"Fēngjiǎ, is that the Shen Màn girl from the other day?"

Yan Fēngjiǎ nodded, not hiding the truth.

"I heard that Shen Màn has become the largest shareholder on the Shen family’s board. I treated her illness, and the condition for my help was that they cooperate with our family."

"So that’s how it is," Father Yan didn't doubt him further, but he grew pensive. "I’m old now, and after this major illness, I don’t have the energy to manage the company anymore."

"Dad, I’ve decided. Let Sister Qingwǎn continue managing the Yan family company."

"Me?" Qin Wǎnqiū shook her head immediately. "No, I can't."

The last time had left her with such immense psychological trauma that she would rather die than go back.

Yan Fēngjiǎ said earnestly, "I don't have the ability to manage a company, and I don't have your experience, Sister Qingwǎn."

"The last time happened because Su Chēn colluded with the Li family, which caused you to let your guard down. It had nothing to do with your ability to run a company."

"I absolutely cannot do it, Dad. Please don't ask me to go back."

Father Yan laughed from the side. "Qingwǎn, you are a smart girl with drive; otherwise, why would I have dared to let you sit in that chair in the first place?"

"Alright, Fēngjiǎ and I are of the same mind on this. Manage it well, and if you encounter any difficulties, just come to me."

"Sister Qingwǎn, can you believe in yourself?" Yan Fēngjiǎ smiled.

Qin Wǎnqiū remained silent for a long moment. "I... I will try."

That same day, shares in a real estate development firm under the Yan Group appeared out of nowhere and skyrocketed.

Just when everyone thought the Yan family would declare bankruptcy and stocks were being dumped at low prices across the board, the company unexpectedly came back to life, staging a powerful return.

A group of shareholders likely felt like jumping off a building today.

Early in the morning, Qin Wǎnqiū dressed in a professional business suit. Although it was very conservative, it could not hide her curvaceous and sexy figure.

Yan Fēngjiǎ had already spoken with Shen Màn in advance. He personally walked Qin Wǎnqiū to the door and watched as she rode away on her small pink electric scooter.

Gusu Yānróu walked out holding a meat bun, resting one hand on Yan Fēngjiǎ’s shoulder.

"Little Fēngjiǎ, you’re really quite generous. Even though the Junlin Group is the number one corporate empire in China, if our master found out you threw twenty billion into this for fun, wouldn't he beat you to death?"

Yan Fēngjiǎ curled his lips. "As long as my family is happy and healthy, money is ultimately just a number."

"It’s not like you’re the one working hard running all over the world, right? So, when are you going back to inherit the Junlin Group so I can enjoy my life?"

Yan Fēngjiǎ was stunned and quickly changed the subject. "Let's eat, let's eat. I haven't even had a few bites yet."

"You brat," Gusu Yānróu gave Yan Fēngjiǎ’s backside a light kick, but her face was full of doting affection.

He was her only little junior brother, and he was her first man.

If she, Gusu Yānróu, didn't dote on him, who would?

After all, she knew exactly how difficult the past five years had been for Yan Fēngjiǎ.

He had made it this far entirely by relying on his own conviction.

Gusu Yānróu believed that one day, this man would stand before the Jiang family of the Heavenly Palace again and tell those people that Yan Fēngjiǎ had returned.

At noon, Qin Wǎnqiū walked out with excitement, escorted by Shen Màn.

Because the project had been delayed, it was now being relaunched.

Shen Màn had "borrowed flowers to present to Buddha" by directly allocating two billion to solve their immediate crisis.

"President Qin, let us wish for a pleasant cooperation between our two families."

Shen Màn extended her hand respectfully, not daring to show the slightest neglect.

Qin Wǎnqiū smiled. "Pleasant cooperation."

With that, Qin Wǎnqiū rode her small pink electric scooter off to survey the construction site.

This time, she had to handle everything personally; she could not afford another mistake.

However, not long after Qin Wǎnqiū left, a BMW 5 Series suddenly blocked her path in the middle of the road.

The door slowly opened, and a beautiful woman wearing gold and silver jewelry stepped out, accompanied by a young man.

"Qin Wǎnqiū, where do you think you're going? I called you last night, how dare you not answer?"

Qin Wǎnqiū was startled, quickly stopping her scooter and stepping forward nervously.

"Mom, why are you..."

*Slap!*

The woman raised her hand and slapped Qin Wǎnqiū to the ground, speaking coldly, "Good for you. You haven't even married into the Yan family yet, and now you won't even send living expenses to your own family?"

"Mom, you know the situation with the Yan family. I really can't get any more money for you right now."

"Sister, don't treat us like fools."

Her younger brother, Qin Hàorán, puffed on a cigarette. "I heard that the Yan family’s stocks are soaring and the Shen family is planning to enter the domestic market."

"You’re managing two billion in funds; what’s wrong with taking a little bit to subsidize your own family?"

Qin Wǎnqiū felt wronged. "Mom, that money belongs to the company, not to me personally."

"I don't care about that. Your brother recently met a wealthy girlfriend."

"He needs money urgently."

"How about this: consider it the bride price from the Yan family. It’s not much—go ask the Yan family for ten million for me. From then on, you are a daughter of the Yan family, and I will never bother you again."

"What? Ten million?"

Qin Wǎnqiū was almost sobbing with anger.

For years, the Qin family had been bleeding her dry; she hadn't even been able to bear buying new clothes for herself in years.

Now they wanted ten million—where was she supposed to get that?

"Sister, you’re working yourself to death earning money for the Yan family; is ten million really that much?" Qin Hàorán shook his head. "Ten million is really very little."

"Alright, think it over. We’ll be waiting for your news in Qinghai City."

"Otherwise, we’ll go and wreak havoc at the Yan family company and make their lives a living hell."

Meanwhile, on the sixth floor of the building, Shen Màn, holding a cup of coffee, witnessed the scene. She took out her phone, called Yan Fēngjiǎ, and told him about Qin Wǎnqiū being struck.

"I understand," Yan Fēngjiǎ furrowed his brows, recalling Qin Wǎnqiū crying the previous night.

Was there a connection between the two?

In the afternoon, when Qin Wǎnqiū returned home, she was preparing to report the site survey to Father Yan, but as soon as she entered, she saw Yan Fēngjiǎ waiting for her.

"Fēngjiǎ, why are you here?"

"Sister Qingwǎn, I have something I want to tell you. Come here."

Yan Fēngjiǎ stood up and led Qin Wǎnqiū into the courtyard.

"I heard that you were struck by a mother and son today. Who are they?"

Qin Wǎnqiū was stunned; she hadn't expected Yan Fēngjiǎ to find out about this.

"Are they your family?" Yan Fēngjiǎ saw the clues.

Qin Wǎnqiū nodded. "Fēngjiǎ, please rest assured, I will never misappropriate a single cent belonging to the company. Please don't fire me."

Yan Fēngjiǎ was caught between laughter and tears. "Sister Qingwǎn, you are my family now. Since I have put you in this position, I will not doubt you."

"What exactly happened? Perhaps I can help you."

Qin Wǎnqiū shook her head. "It's nothing, just my mother and brother coming to see me."

"See you?" Yan Fēngjiǎ brushed aside Qin Wǎnqiū’s hair, revealing the slightly swollen right side of her face that had yet to subside.

"If they came to see you, why did they hit you so hard?"

Qin Wǎnqiū suddenly burst into tears. The grievances she had suppressed for years poured out like a flood.

"Fēngjiǎ, my parents are forcing me to buy a car and a house for my brother, and now they want a ten-million-dollar bride price from the Yan family. They said as long as they get ten million, they’ll sell me to your family."

"I’m their daughter too... why would they treat me like this?"

Yan Fēngjiǎ’s heart trembled. No wonder his father always said Qin Wǎnqiū lived so frugally.

She was a company president, yet she never dared to buy herself clothes or designer cosmetics.

Was the Qin family actually draining her blood dry all by themselves?

"Fēngjiǎ, you don't need to worry about them. I know them too well; if they get ten million this time, they’ll dare to ask for twenty million next time."

"They are accustomed to being lazy and greedy; they have no idea how hard it is to earn money. I will resolve this myself; I absolutely won't let it implicate the company."

"Sister Wǎnqiū," Yan Fēngjiǎ suddenly grabbed her hand and said earnestly, "So what if it's ten million? Sister Wǎnqiū has taken care of my father for so long; let alone ten million, I would give a hundred million."

"Fēngjiǎ, what are you doing?" Qin Wǎnqiū asked, bewildered.