Adopting Myself from the Young Heiress - Chapter 22

No one spoils you like Yan Ciwei…

“For the winter survival reality show, your team will be assigned a planning position,” Yan Ciwei said, handing over a stack of documents.

This was the project she had wanted to discuss with An Chixu during their previous meeting in her office.

At the time, she had given the documents to Tang Shu, but Yan Ciwei had never actually sent them to him.

She had simply been reserving a spot for An Chixu.

An Chixu took the documents and began to review them.

It was a massive project. The reality show was highly acclaimed, with individual episodes having surpassed 100 million views.

This was the second season, building on the success of the first, and the celebrity lineup was exceptionally strong.

An Chixu skimmed through the list: the nation’s top idol, the female lead and second lead from the recent blockbuster drama, and even the “King of Variety Shows” brought in by the Rian Group—all aimed at ensuring the second season matched the hype of the first.

However, with the brilliance of the first season as a benchmark, the pressure on the second season’s content was immense.

This was definitely not a project where one could coast.

The planning team would be large. An Chixu flipped to the collaborators section and saw several internal planning teams from the group, as well as external partner teams.

To have carved out a special position for her and held it open for so long… It was easy to imagine the pressure Yan Ciwei must have faced.

Perhaps because she was facing Yan Ciwei, An Chixu felt emboldened to ask more pointed questions.

“Are we here to observe and learn, or just run errands?” she asked bluntly. No one else would indulge her like this, except Yan Ciwei.

Of course, she was speaking the truth. A bottom-tier team like hers should progress step by step, starting with small projects and gradually building up to larger ones. Only by proving their capabilities would they earn recognition.

Currently, An Chixu’s team had produced only one standout member, Shen Jibai, whose performance was still unstable and in its developmental phase.

Throwing them into the planning of such a high-profile program would only result in them being used as errand runners, unable to contribute meaningfully.

If anyone else had assigned her this project, An Chixu would have suspected malicious intent, believing they were trying to sabotage her team.

But the project came from Yan Ciwei.

Yan Ciwei sat across from her. It was rare for them to sit face-to-face like this, both composed and serious.

Even Yan Ciwei had shed her usual casual demeanor from meetings.

In public, she always maintained a languid air, handling everything with effortless ease. Her privileged background was her capital, and her innate talent was her effortless confidence. She never needed to raise her voice or feign focus or depth.

Yet facing An Chixu, she sat remarkably straight, her hands clasped before her, propping up her chin. At An Chixu’s words, she lifted her gaze, meeting her eyes.

Their gazes met without a hint of ambiguity, devoid of both love and hatred. Stripped of personal emotion, their exchange was purely a business confrontation.

An Chixu met Yan Ciwei’s gaze with equal composure, neither intimidated nor obsequious, matching her rhythm.

The air grew even more oppressive than before. The muggy heat of the rainy day had sealed the office, turning the atmosphere into a viscous gel that suffocated the room, preventing oxygen from circulating.

An Chixu responded to Yan Ciwei’s piercing stare, gasping for breath.

After a long moment, Yan Ciwei chuckled softly and slid another sheet of paper across the desk.

“The treatment you receive depends on the quality of your work, doesn’t it?”

She watched An Chixu lower her head, finally allowing a hint of tenderness to flicker in her eyes.

As An Chixu read the document, her heart trembled with shock.

Yan Ciwei had given her a powerful backing.

Their team would represent Yan Ciwei herself, ensuring no one would dare underestimate them.

“Is it worth it?” An Chixu murmured, signing the contract first.

From that day forward, she was the team leader, Yan Ciwei’s handpicked subordinate, and her public face.

“If it’s you,” Yan Ciwei replied, her lashes veiling her eyes. A cold light glinted darkly beneath them.

An Chixu, oblivious to Yan Ciwei’s unusual expression, signed the contract and moved on to the next task.

“You’ll continue to handle Shen Jibai’s character planning,” Yan Ciwei said, her gaze meeting An Chixu’s again. The earlier intensity had vanished, replaced by a slightly detached demeanor—more distant than when they were alone together, yet softer than how she treated others.

“Thank you,” An Chixu replied. For a while, she had genuinely believed Yan Ciwei was going to take action against Shen Jibai.

Shen Jibai is probably the first person to confess to her and get away unscathed, An Chixu thought with self-deprecating amusement.

“…There’s one more person I want you to handle,” Yan Ciwei continued, her tone leaving no room for misunderstanding An Chixu’s unspoken thoughts.

She chose to ignore them, as usual, but their strange relationship only deepened the unease in her heart.

“Another character planning assignment?” An Chixu reached for the documents Yan Ciwei held.

Yan Ciwei handed them over. Their fingertips brushed lightly, and An Chixu instinctively withdrew her hand.

Yan Ciwei didn’t try to stop her.

The assignment involved Yang Xu, the female lead of a wildly popular drama, who would also be participating in a survival reality show.

“Yes. Her previous planner resigned, so I’m assigning her to you. These are the files the previous planner left behind. Her contact information is at the bottom—add her right away. She officially leaves in five days, so make sure you get everything sorted out before then.” That was all the work.

Two character planning assignments and one show planning assignment. An Chixu couldn’t help but feel that Yan Ciwei had an unreasonably high opinion of her and her team of slackers.

An idea flashed through An Chixu’s mind as she stared blankly at the documents.

This is so strange.

Yan Ciwei was fiercely possessive and stubborn, demanding absolute obedience and trying to keep An Chixu confined like a caged bird. Yet professionally, she always went out of her way to help her shine, as if wanting her to dazzle the world.

“Thank you, Little President Yan,” An Chixu said, rarely at a loss to understand Yan Ciwei’s actions. She decided to simply put it out of her mind.

Yan Ciwei’s motives didn’t matter. An Chixu needed to focus on doing her job well.

An Chixu stood up to leave.

Yan Ciwei didn’t follow, nor did she call out to her even once.

She remained seated, maintaining her earlier serious demeanor, her lashes lifting slightly as she watched An Chixu.

An Chixu felt Yan Ciwei’s gaze burning into her back, intense and fervent, until she closed the door behind her.

“Tuantuan.”

An Chixu whirled around, only to see the closed door.

Yan Ciwei’s office was now shut to her. Whether that voice had been real or a figment of her imagination, there was no way to know.

An Chixu stood motionless for a minute.

She peered at the tightly sealed crack beneath the door, foolishly trying to imitate Yan Ciwei and catch a glimpse of her movements through that tiny gap.

But the room was dark, the lights off.

She saw nothing.

Only the bitter scent of geranium brushed her nose.

An Chixu had already been promoted to Team Leader An.

Returning to the office, she moved her workstation to the team leader’s desk.

Several colleagues who had spoken to her earlier approached, exchanging meaningful glances and hesitating to speak.

“Just say it,” An Chixu said, glancing at them as she walked toward Tang Shu’s former desk with her files and laptop.

“Well… An Chixu, do you know Little President Yan?” Everyone had seen Yan Ciwei personally change An Chixu’s nameplate.

Before the nameplate change, they had been buzzing with gossip, dissatisfied with Yan Ciwei’s decision.

But after the change, they hardly dared utter a word, fearing An Chixu might have some connection to Yan Ciwei and report them, prompting Yan Ciwei to retaliate.

The office was small, and rumors spread like wildfire.

Some whispered that Tang Shu had been fired for offending Yan Ciwei.

“She’s the director of our department. Don’t you know her?” An Chixu replied casually, her movements unhurried and without the slightest hesitation.

After settling in, she pulled out Tang Shu’s work records and began reviewing them.

The colleagues lingered. “Aiya, that’s not what we meant! We’re talking about… personally.”

“Right, right! Did you know Little President Yan before? Are you close to her?”

“We don’t mean anything by it, just curious.”

Perhaps because An Chixu looked so innocent and had always been quiet and unassuming, they pressed her relentlessly, as if they absolutely had to know.

“The meeting starts at 4:35. You have five minutes to prepare. Two new tasks have been assigned to our group, and I’ll assign roles during the meeting.” Ran An Chixu completely ignored their questions, immediately bringing up work matters.

Unable to get a clear answer and unable to discern anything from Ran An Chixu’s attitude, the colleagues pursed their lips and left to gather their things and head to the conference room.

Outside the office, Yan Ciwei stood in the shadows, listening to Ran An Chixu’s voice as she gripped her phone tightly.

With her head bowed, she didn’t linger and took the private elevator back to her office.

Opening her phone, she finally received a reply from Pei Yuxi.

Sister, why are you suddenly offering to help? I’ve already arranged for foster care, so don’t trouble yourself.

[ Then settle the fees with her. Send the cat over. ] Yan Ciwei offered no further explanation.

Pei Yuxi, still procrastinating on studying in her dorm, was completely baffled until she received a transfer from Yan Ciwei.

After checking the amount, Pei Yuxi sent back an exclamation mark. [ My eternal Sister, I’ll send her over next month! ]

I’m sorry, kind cat-loving lady.

[ It’s not for you, ] Yan Ciwei replied.

Pei Yuxi stared at the message for a long moment before realizing it was a subsidy for the foster care fees.

[ … ] Does three months of foster care cost 100,000 yuan? And her cousin is giving this to a complete stranger?

She hadn’t realized her cousin was this extravagant. It must be nice to have money.

Pei Yuxi wiped away her tears and tapped “Accept.”

As An Chixu walked to the conference room, she heard a commotion downstairs.

“The Chairman has arrived,” her colleague said, informing the new team leader.

“The Chairman? President Yan? Is she here for an inspection?” An Chixu frowned, a flicker of worry crossing her face.

“Not just her. Little President Yan from Four-Nine City—you know, President Yan’s cousin or something—is with her. Looks like they’re here to seize power,” the colleague whispered.

Only fools would still be wondering about An Chixu’s connection to Yan Ciwei or how Tang Shu left. The smart ones had already started currying favor with this team leader whose background remained a mystery.

An Chixu’s frown deepened, remaining etched on her face until she entered the conference room.

The visitor must be Yan Ciwei’s cousin, Yan Zhaoyin.

Yan Ciwei and her cousin had always been at odds, frequently clashing over power and harboring deep-seated resentment. Yan Ciwei had told An Chixu all about their strained relationship.

Though An Chixu had never met Yan Zhaoyin in person, she knew this woman was a major headache for Yan Ciwei.

Yan Ciwei shouldn’t have stayed in S City. After graduating, she should have returned to the Four-Nine City headquarters to assume a senior management position, eventually succeeding her mother as head of the Rian Group.

Yan Ciwei hadn’t fared well with her cousin last time. If she really was here to seize power in S City, then…

“Alright, let’s not dwell on this. It has nothing to do with us,” An Chixu said, pressing her temples.

Apart from her relationship with Yan Ciwei, their team was too low-level for such matters to concern them. What did it matter if the leadership changed? They were mere cogs in the machine, with no decision-making power.

“First, let’s review the two new projects. The first one is…” An Chixu was chairing her first meeting.

It was her first time assigning tasks to her subordinates.

A subtle, fleeting sense of power washed over her. It felt like she could control these people’s time and lives.

But then a more grounded anxiety pulled her back. Don’t get carried away, she thought. You’re just a team leader.

The meeting ended after six o’clock. An Chixu felt a bit drained but relieved that she had managed to explain everything clearly. Tomorrow, she would be going out to oversee the handover.

As she walked out of the building, she heard familiar footsteps behind her. Only then did An Chixu realize:

She hadn’t been worried about her own fleeting sense of power.

She had been worried about Yan Ciwei.

After working late, Pei Yuxi arrived at An Chixu’s apartment building just as she was delivering Orange.

She felt a bit awkward. She had taken Yan Ciwei’s money and, after stalling for several days, finally told her to have the foster parent send the cat over next month.

By then, Pei Yuxi would be back in Four-Nine City, leaving her no choice but to ask her sister to deliver Orange personally.

The problem was, she didn’t know how to tell An Chixu.

During their initial conversation, An Chixu had explained that she wanted to try fostering a cat for a few months to see if she could adapt to pet ownership. This way, she could back out if necessary, avoiding the hassle of finding a new owner if she couldn’t adjust due to work or other reasons.

Now that her cousin had taken Orange, An Chixu wouldn’t have the chance to test the waters. Pei Yuxi felt somewhat guilty about this.

“How’s Orange been these past few days?” An Chixu, still unaware of the situation, accepted the cat carrier.

“He’s been doing great—distracting me from studying… Good thing your cold is gone, or I might have failed my exams because of him,” Pei Yuxi said indignantly, though her tone betrayed no real annoyance, only reluctance.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” An Chixu said, peering through the carrier at the little darling inside.

Orange’s golden fur shook loose from the cat carrier, scattering across the ground. Seeing An Chixu’s face, it turned and let out a meow, then reached out to paw at the carrier’s zipper.

“I should get back to studying! I have an exam tomorrow,” Pei Yuxi blurted out, desperate to escape. She made up a flimsy excuse and hurried away.

“Okay, good luck with your exam. You don’t need to pay me for this month; you only looked after him for a few days anyway…” An Chixu’s words trailed off.

Pei Yuxi dove into her car, barely glancing at the cat, and sped off.

“…sigh,” An Chixu chuckled to herself.

Looks like she’s really going to fail that exam.

The residential area was quiet at night, reflecting the high-quality environment and well-mannered residents.

An Chixu could only hear Orange moving inside the carrier, his fur rustling against the fabric.

But that couldn’t drown out the sound of another person’s breathing.

Breathing shouldn’t have such emphasis. Even with a cold, it shouldn’t be audible from several meters away.

Yet An Chixu’s sharp senses still picked up the distinct rhythm:

Inhale… exhale.

It synchronized with her own heartbeat.

Her heart rate gradually quickened, while Yan Ciwei’s breathing remained steady.

An Chixu turned toward the shadows.

A figure flickered in the dim light, completely blending into the night. To any other eyes, it would have been invisible.

An Chixu met Yan Ciwei’s gaze.

She knew Yan Ciwei was there.

Yan Ciwei had followed her all the way, her footsteps echoing softly in An Chixu’s mind.

During her transaction with the stranger, Yan Ciwei had watched intently, her gaze like a thousand-pound weight pressing down on her.

Now, Yan Ciwei was still watching her.

Watching the culprit.

Her heavy gaze flickered up and down, sweeping over Orange’s cat carrier and startling the usually sociable cat into shrinking back.

An Chixu hid Orange behind her, accepting Yan Ciwei’s prolonged stare.

She was accustomed to, fond of, and weary of this gaze.

In the entire world, only she could withstand Yan Ciwei’s eyes.

Her heartbeat gradually slowed, syncing with Yan Ciwei’s breathing.

Their rhythms converged.

Her breathing perfectly masked by her heartbeat, An Chixu turned and carried Orange upstairs to her apartment.

She had already acknowledged Yan Ciwei’s presence; no further words were necessary.

After closing the door, An Chixu cared for Orange as usual, cooked herself dinner, and settled back into her monotonous single life.

Unbeknownst to her, the night was clear and moonlit, without a single cloud or drop of rain.

The dark hallway welcomed an uninvited guest, the moonlight illuminating her figure with stark clarity.

Yan Ciwei approached the familiar door and reached out.

This was her home.

She pressed her hand against the lock.