After Bringing Joy to the Short-Lived Mad Young Lady - Chapter 6

Fang Yi’s schedule was packed. By the time she left He Shuanghua’s apartment, Wang Quan had already been waiting outside the neighborhood in a red Ferrari for quite some time.

They had originally planned to meet in the evening to discuss company matters, but an unexpected situation forced them to postpone.

Under the dim glow of the streetlights, Wang Quan spotted Fang Yi from afar. She jumped out of the car and waved excitedly.

“Boss! You’re finally out! Have you eaten yet? If not, let’s grab something now!”

Wang Quan circled around Fang Yi, itching to pounce but holding herself back. In the end, she clasped her hands behind her back, her puppy-dog eyes darting pitifully toward Fang Yi.

“So you really agreed to the arranged marriage? Does that mean our startup plan is still on?”

Fang Yi steadied the restless Wang Quan and gave her a reassuring pat. “Of course. It’s just a nominal marriage, not a lifetime of servitude. What does that have to do with our business?”

“Whew!” Wang Quan was so relieved she nearly teared up. “I was afraid it’d be like those ancient scholars who lost all ambition after being chosen as the emperor’s son-in-law. I really thought we’d fail before even getting started—oops, bad luck, bad luck!”

She opened the car door for Fang Yi. “Just say the word if you need any help. Even if it’s the Lin family, we’re not scared!”

The Wang family was nouveau riche, having risen to prominence only in the last decade or so. Old-money families like the Lins and Lis might look down on them, but that didn’t dampen their confidence as the “cash kings” of the moment.

So what if they were nouveau riche? You still needed talent to make it big!

“Today, we scored two SSR-tier talents! I feel like we’re just a step away from the Fortune 500. Guess who? One of them you’ve probably met—she gave a talk at our school before.”

Fang Yi tilted her head obligingly. “Who?”

“Zong Heng!!! How insane is that?!”Zong Heng, the Zongheng.”

Fang Yi rarely remembered names, but the moment Wang Quan said it, the face of this prodigy instantly flashed in her mind.

Heng—the ancient moon goddess.

Her presence was even more formidable than her name, as if she were the living embodiment of the legendary strategists from the School of Diplomacy centuries ago.

A child prodigy, she cracked the internationally renowned “Panhera Conjecture” at twelve, flawlessly replicated the monopolized chips of M Country’s MoreTech at fifteen, was invited to join the Ministry of Defense’s independent “E-Chip Project” at twenty, achieving groundbreaking results, and won the International Hermison Award at twenty-seven.

Her other accolades were too numerous to count.

Logically, someone of her caliber would never enter the private sector. But for some reason, she disappeared for two years and re-emerged only to be scrubbed from all records related to the “E-Chip Project.” Every trace of her involvement had been erased.

Fang Yi once heard from her mentor that Zong Heng had “committed a grave mistake” and was only spared harsher consequences because a major conglomerate intervened.

“Isn’t this amazing?! Our team is stacked with top-tier talent now. We could easily crush those pretentious foreign competitors.”

Wang Quan whistled, and the roar of the engine added to her excitement.

“Aurora’s already drafted the basic proposal. We’re aiming straight for multinational standards—four-day workweeks, high benchmarks, top quality!”

Wang Quan was practically vibrating with enthusiasm, though most of these ideas had been discussed long before they decided to start the company.

Fang Yi asked, “Who’s the other SSR?”

Anyone who could stand alongside Zong Heng was surely no ordinary figure.

“Jiang Xiye is really good at leading teams. She’s a seasoned employee transferred from my mom’s side.”

“I’ve met everyone, they’re all great. But they’re basically my mom’s spies. It’s my first time running a project, so she’s not too confident.”

“My mom gave us three years. If we don’t produce any results in three years, she’ll make me go back and take over the company, back to the old grind.”

“I said—”

Her voice stretched out in the wind.

A light drizzle began to fall as the bright red supercar raced down the elevated highway, faster than the raindrops.

The girl with a diamond hairpin gripped the steering wheel, her hair glowing under the streetlights. “I said, Mom! We will succeed!!!”

In the passenger seat, Fang Yi half-crossed her arms, her white shirt fluttering in the wind. Her eyes narrowed into a faint smile as she stared steadily ahead.

After a long moment of thought, she replied with restrained calm, “Okay.” Unlike Wang Quan’s bold declaration, her tone was more like an approval, a promise—a single word that sealed the future.

The system, infected by the mood, chimed in: We will definitely succeed!!!

Fang Yi paused, then said, “Close the roof. It’s raining.”

“Oh, right!”

As the convertible top slowly rose, Wang Quan glanced over and noticed a faint golden embroidery on Fang Yi’s collar, as if she’d stumbled upon a hidden treasure. “Huh!”

“Does the Lin family make you change clothes too? That’s so strict.”

The embroidery was a personal logo from an exclusive high-end tailor, serving only select members—the kind of place where money alone couldn’t get you in.

Wang Quan’s mom had once tried to commission a dress for her coming-of-age ceremony but was turned down. Furious, she ventured into the fashion industry herself, privately declaring that any business that rejected clients was trash.

“Are people bullying you?”

Wang Quan’s smile slowly faded, probably recalling those stories of mistreatment in wealthy families. Visions of a tyrannical father-in-law tormenting Fang Yi flashed through her mind.

Talent was the lifeblood of a family’s prosperity—her mom had drilled that into her since childhood. For those with exceptional ability, a gentle, co-opting approach was best. You never knew when they might come in handy.

Wang Quan herself hadn’t thought that far ahead, but Da Lao was her friend. If the Lin family had the audacity to poach her and mistreat her—

Wang Quan was outraged. She turned to Fang Yi, her heart pounding. “I object to this marriage!!”

The highway was nearly empty, the red Ferrari slicing through the night like lightning.

“…”

Fang Yi tightened her grip on the seatbelt. “Okay. Eyes on the road, not on me.”

“The Lin family just seems shady. Those old-money types are all rotten inside. My mom once went to Luoshen Mountain and saw Lin Lan worshipping at some nameless shrine. So weird—who even worships at a random shrine?…”

Wang Quan rambled on, trashing the Lin family with the righteous indignation of a grade-schooler sharing gossip. Then, belatedly, she realized: “Wait—okay? Da Lao, you’re just agreeing like that? Really?”

Fang Yi’s dry humor hit like an ice cube in the desert—unexpected and abrupt:

“The steering wheel’s in your hands. Do I have the right to refuse?”

“No right to refuse?” Wang Quan immediately overinterpreted, growing even more agitated. “Are you saying they threatened you??”

It never crossed Wang Quan’s mind that Fang Yi might be “unworthy” of the Lin family. In her mind, it was purely the evil capitalist Lins forcing an innocent into submission.

“No, really, no. Just focus on driving.” Fang Yi raised one hand in surrender, then countered, “Who could possibly threaten me?”

Wang Quan pondered briefly, then turned her head slightly, her expression sharpening on the side hidden from Fang Yi’s view. “You’re right. Anyway, as I always say, anyone who messes with you is messing with me, Wang Quan!”

Fang Yi looked at her resolute demeanor, both amused and exasperated.

Their friendship had begun when Fang Yi casually helped her solve a few project issues. Wang Quan had been so impressed that she practically became Fang Yi’s shadow, following her around with adoring eyes until graduation.

Wang Quan often reminded Fang Yi of the golden retriever she had raised in her past life—smart, capable of scavenging supplies from the ruins and eagerly bringing them back to her.

Sadly, pets don’t live long, accompanying humans for only a brief stretch of life’s journey.

The rain had grown heavier without notice, splashing against the asphalt road and blooming into fleeting, transparent lilies-of-the-valley.

Fang Yi’s gaze pierced through the downpour as she raised her voice, “Slow down. There’s an accident ahead—watch out.”

Wang Quan stuck out her tongue. “I see it! Don’t worry, we won’t crash.”

Despite her flamboyant style and designer wardrobe, Wang Quan had simple tastes when it came to food. They drove straight to the night market and headed to a small eatery they frequented.

The owner, a woman in her fifties, worked with brisk efficiency, deftly flipping dozens of skewers over the charcoal grill with one hand.

“You’re here! The usual?” She smiled warmly, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes crinkling like petals.

Wang Quan nodded cheerfully. “Yes, Auntie! Extra spicy, please!”

“Coming right up! Sit over there—it’s just been cleaned.”

Outside the small shop, the rain pattered noisily. A thin mist crept up the glass windows, and the warmth inside was noticeably cozier than the chill outside. A yellowed fan creaked as it spun relentlessly.

Cumin and chili powder scattered over the grill, while fresh, tender beef sizzled, golden droplets of oil dripping from the skewers onto the charcoal below with a sharp hiss.

When the piping-hot skewers arrived on a silver platter, Wang Quan immediately grabbed one and took a bite, yelping from the heat but still managing to give the owner a thumbs-up.

“So good! Mmm… sooo good!” Juice filled her mouth as she finally swallowed. “Auntie, you’re the goddess of barbecue!”

The owner laughed heartily at the compliment. “Eat up, dear! There’s plenty! Our meat’s fresh—good for growing girls like you!”

Outside, someone called for two more plates of grilled eggplant. The owner clapped her hands. “Coming, coming!” She turned back to them. “Enjoy your meal, girls. Just holler if you want anything else!”

“Will do!” Wang Quan had barely replied when her phone rang. The smooth, mellow vocals of a classic old song drifted lazily from the speakers of her top-tier smartphone.

“Hey, Mom! I’m having late-night snacks with Fang Yi! Say hi, Mom—hi!”

Wang Quan handed the phone over. Fang Yi, mid-bite, found herself face-to-face with an exuberant woman on the screen. Swallowing hastily, she managed an awkward, “Hello, Auntie.”

“Oh, oh, what a good girl! Look at that appetite—and such strong teeth!”

The woman scanned the dishes on the table. “Oh, Xiao Quan! How come there’s no proper drinks? Didn’t I tell you to take good care of Xiao Yi? Look how thin she is! Have the driver bring over two bottles of Moutai—Xiao Yi, do you drink baijiu?”

“Mom, I told you before—she doesn’t drink! Can’t let alcohol dull the mind of our future star!”

“Oh, Mommy didn’t think it through. Then you’re not allowed to drink either. Learn from others—no wonder Xiao Yi is so clever!”

“…”

Mother and daughter had always chatted freely, no different from the lively atmosphere around them. Fang Yi smiled and continued eating her skewers.

The phone screen lit up with a faint glow. It was already quite late, and Fang Yi initially didn’t want to bother, but she unlocked it anyway.

A black-faced cat avatar at the top of the screen met her gaze.

AAA Fiancée: Are you home yet?

Fang Yi: No.

Fang Yi thought for a moment, then snapped a photo of the barbecue and sent it over.

Fang Yi: I’m out having skewers with friends.

The other side showed “typing,” but no message followed for a long time.

Fang Yi exited the chat and casually tapped open a question from a junior. They were full of energy, still working on research topics at this hour.

By the time she finished adding comments and revisions to the document, she noticed several red notification dots had popped up in Lin Shuxing’s chat.

AAA Fiancée: Fried? Charcoal-grilled?

AAA Fiancée: Don’t eat street food. Too greasy and salty—it’s unhealthy.

AAA Fiancée has recalled a message.

AAA Fiancée: Whatever.

Fang Yi stared at Lin Shuxing’s cat avatar, suddenly curious about what she had recalled.

She tentatively replied: Good night.

There was no response. Fang Yi guessed Lin Shuxing had probably gone to bed.

A moment later, the system, which had been tucked under its little blanket ready to hibernate, suddenly jolted upright as if resurrected from death: “Oh my god! Little Star made a wish!!!”

The empty main interface, untouched for so long, displayed text once more.

Main Quest · Lin Shuxing’s Request: Craving street food.

Completion Reward: 50 points.

Failure Penalty: None.

“Street food,” “greasy little stalls”—Fang Yi noted the difference in wording and couldn’t help but smile. It seemed Lin Shuxing had been polite when messaging her earlier.

Even her wish was written so indirectly. She must have been tempted by the skewers Fang Yi had photographed under the bright lights, right?

But could she even eat this stuff? Given her poor health, if she was wishing for it, her family probably never let her have it.

The system, bored out of its mind, often passed the time by reading the original novel. It knew full well that Lin Shuxing’s meals were always carefully planned by a nutritionist. But such a simple takeout mission for 50 points?!

Besides, this was Lin Shuxing’s first wish. She was the main focus—they had to start off on the right foot.

Forget greasy stalls—if she wanted to eat gold, diamonds, or even people today, they’d make it happen!

The system abruptly switched to a sweet, radio-host voice: “Fresh beef, lightly charcoal-grilled—it’s all high-quality protein! A little won’t hurt at all~”