Becoming the Runaway Little Wife of the Domineering CEO - Chapter 11

After Yin Shuang blurted out those words, the two of them just stood there, staring at each other in a daze. Neither spoke for a long time. Fu Mang took the sudden surge of bitterness and hostility in her heart and pushed it down deep. She cleared her throat and said, “Alright, you can ask your questions now.”

Yin Shuang blinked and pointed at the three women in the second row. “Is every single one of them a mistress?”

Fu Mang glanced at the screen and shook her head, pointing to the second woman. “This one was the mistress. She’s been ‘promoted’ now and is officially Mrs. Fu.”

Yin Shuang understood perfectly. She muttered under her breath, “Ah, the concubine became the matriarch.”

“…The what?”

Fu Mang heard the mutter and felt a wave of irritation. Before she could snap back, Yin Shuang raised her hand again. “You said they all want you dead. So… would they actually try to kill you?”

Fu Mang paused for two seconds. “In their hearts? Yes. But they don’t have the guts to actually go through with it.”

“Then why are you—”

Before she could finish, Fu Mang anticipated the question. “Even if they won’t overtly take my life, they will use every trick in the book to make things difficult for me. So whenever they appear, stay sharp. Who knows what kind of trouble they’ll stir up next.”

Yin Shuang nodded, half-understanding. “I have one more question.”

Fu Mang leaned against her desk, looking at her with a hint of begrudging indulgence. “Go ahead.”

“What are they afraid you’ll ‘steal’ from them?” Yin Shuang asked earnestly.

She truly didn’t see what there was to fight over. Her values were still those of the Heavenly Realm. These people, to put it nicely, had the reputation of “concubine-born children,” and to put it bluntly, they were illegitimate. As long as they had a roof over their heads and food to eat, what else was there? What could they possibly worry about Fu Mang stealing?

Fu Mang was taken aback. Remembering that “Jin Xiaoyu” had supposedly grown up abroad and might not understand local family dynamics, she composed herself. “They’re afraid I’ll take Fu Quanru’s money. And the Fu Group.”

Yin Shuang was even more confused. “But shouldn’t those things be yours anyway? How is that ‘stealing’?”

Fu Mang let out a dry laugh. “Who says they’re mine? Everything belongs to Fu Quanru. He can give it to whoever he wants. If he felt like it, he could donate the whole lot to charity. He has eight children, and I’m the most invisible, least-liked one of them all. Understand?”

Yin Shuang frowned slightly. She looked away and muttered again, “Promoting the bastards is one thing, but the legitimate daughter being this spineless… the Fu family is well and truly doomed.”

“…What did you just say?”

Yin Shuang looked back, her eyes meeting Fu Mang’s.

Jin Xiaoyu’s face was only “averagely” pretty, but her eyes were incredibly vibrant, as if they held all the spiritual energy in the world. Whether she was smiling or frowning, those dark orbs sparkled like radiant gems, making Fu Mang unable to look away. More than anything, she envied how clean those eyes were—not a single speck of filth or cynicism had touched them.

Yin Shuang leaned forward, feeling that the situation was unacceptable. She offered a friendly reminder, “How is it ‘stealing’? It belongs to you by right. Your father is muddled, but you can’t be muddled too. You are the only true, legitimate bloodline. Those people are all born of ‘concubines’—they’re secondary. If it were truly as you say, that your father can give the money to anyone, they would just spend their time sucking up to him. Why would they bother targeting you? It’s because they know they have no right to it, so they have to treat you as a thorn in their side.”

Yin Shuang, being a very chivalrous sword spirit, stood up and patted Fu Mang’s shoulder. “Hang in there. Take back what’s yours. Show them what a ‘Comeback of the Legitimate Daughter’ looks like. I’ll help you!”

Fu Mang looked at the hand on her shoulder, then up at its owner.

Yin Shuang had momentarily forgotten her “cold bodyguard” persona and gave her a bright, happy smile.

Great, Fu Mang thought. Now I’m certain.

My new bodyguard isn’t just flighty—she’s a lost soul who’s been brainwashed by too many web novels.

******

Yin Shuang’s pep talk didn’t cause a single ripple in Fu Mang’s actual worldview. She spent two days at home—either watching dramas or working—and when Monday rolled around, she headed back to the office.

Standing by her car, Fu Mang held up her keys and stared at Yin Shuang. “How can you not know how to drive?”

“I… I do know,” Yin Shuang said, using the excuse Qin Ke had prepared for her. “But I learned abroad. My foreign license isn’t valid here. Just wait a bit; I’ll get a local one soon.”

Fu Mang was speechless. Resigning herself to her fate, she climbed into the driver’s seat. A second later, Jin Xiaoyu hopped in beside her—into the passenger seat.

The boss drives while the bodyguard hitches a ride.

…How original.

Jin Xiaoyu had swapped her all-black ensemble for something much “cuter.” She wore a red-and-white flared skirt over nude leggings. Underneath a pale pink faux-fur jacket was a pink pullover sweater. The jacket featured two plush pink pom-poms on the front and a hood with fluffy rabbit ears.

It looks so soft, Fu Mang thought. I want to touch it…

Fu Mang went silent, quickly refocusing on the road. Her voice turned stern. “Don’t wear that jacket to work ever again.”

Yin Shuang was busy stroking the fur on her jacket. The texture was incredible! She kept smoothing it down with her hand. Hearing the order, she looked up in shock. “Why?”

“Have you ever seen an assistant dress like that? Assistant attire needs to be formal.”

Yin Shuang let out a small “Oh,” looking troubled. “But all the sets I bought are like this. None of them are formal…”

Yin Shuang put her hands on her knees, shrinking inward. She turned a pitiful gaze toward Fu Mang. “Does it have to be formal?”

“…” Fu Mang drove on, completely ignoring the fact that the car had just swerved slightly. “Forget it. You aren’t a real assistant anyway. Wear whatever you want.”

Yin Shuang cheered up. Once they arrived at the company, she followed Fu Mang to the office. Fu Mang went inside to work, while Yin Shuang stayed in the outer secretarial office with the other assistants and secretaries.

Since Yin Shuang didn’t have actual work to do, she wandered around out of boredom until her gaze locked onto a familiar figure.

Shao Yang was returning from the breakroom with a cup of coffee. It was a struggle to brew and carry it with his arm in a cast. He was carefully balancing the liquid, but just as he sat down, a pink blur flashed past. A second later, Yin Shuang had plopped into the chair next to him and grabbed his arm.

SPLASH—

Half of the hard-earned coffee spilled everywhere. Specifically, all over his trousers.

Today was clearly another “bad luck” day for Shao Yang.

******

Shao Yang pulled out some tissues to wipe his pants, looking like he wanted to cry. “Sister, please. Just let me be. My arm is already in a cast; I don’t want to go back to the hospital for leg burns.”

Yin Shuang looked sheepish. She pushed the tissue box toward him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. It was my fault.”

Since her apology was so sincere, Shao Yang didn’t press the matter. He went to the restroom to change his pants and then turned to Yin Shuang. “I was too arrogant last time. I didn’t realize you were that skilled. Where did you learn your moves?”

“Abroad,” Yin Shuang replied. She looked at his arm. “Does it still hurt?”

Shao Yang grinned broadly. “Doesn’t hurt at all. A minor injury like this? I didn’t even blink.”

Yin Shuang looked at him suspiciously. That day, his screams had been loud enough to reach the first floor from the twelfth. That was “not hurting”?

“Really?”

“Of course!” Even if it hurts, I can’t say so. This is a man’s pride!

Yin Shuang was impressed. She reached out and tapped the cast on Shao Yang’s arm, offering a heartfelt compliment. “Brother Shao, you’re amazing!”

“Haha, it’s nothing.” The tap had actually sent the cast jarring into the fracture. Cold sweat broke out on Shao Yang’s forehead, but he maintained a stiff smile for her.

Luckily, Yin Shuang didn’t linger. Fu Mang had added a workstation for her closest to the manager’s office. Yin Shuang sat down, so bored she felt like she was growing moss.

Around noon, a middle-aged woman walked in.

She was dressed in a wealthy, elegant manner—the quintessential high-society socialite. Only Shao Yang, a secretary, and Yin Shuang were in the office. The secretary was new and didn’t recognize the woman, but Shao Yang’s expression changed instantly. He walked over immediately. “Mrs. Fu, what brings you here?”

Yin Shuang stood up a moment later. She compared the face to the photos Fu Mang had shown her and remembered who she was.

Lu Shaomin. The “promoted” mistress.

******

If Lu Shaomin knew Yin Shuang was calling her a “concubine” in her head, she would likely tear off her mask of polite smiles and strangle her on the spot.

A gentle smile played on Lu Shaomin’s lips. “I’m here to see Mang-mang.”

As she spoke, she pushed past Shao Yang. Despite her gentle appearance, she was surprisingly strong, almost forcing her way through. Shao Yang stumbled. By the time he regained his footing, Lu Shaomin was already at the office door. He tried to run and block her, but someone was faster.

Yin Shuang stood squarely in front of the door. She looked at Lu Shaomin and said, “Ma’am, you cannot go in.”

Lu Shaomin hadn’t met her before and took a moment to look her over. She smiled. “You must be new. I’m not an outsider; I’m Mang-mang’s mother. I can go in.”

Yin Shuang’s eyes widened. “You’re President Fu’s mother?”

Lu Shaomin’s smile was as warm as a spring breeze. “That’s right.”

Behind her, Shao Yang was frantically signaling Yin Shuang to hold the line. But Yin Shuang didn’t even look at him. She just kept her eyes wide, looking utterly shocked. She looked Lu Shaomin up and down.

“Mrs. Fu… did you rise from the dead?!”

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