Provoking the Obsessive, Cold, and Aloof CEO - Chapter 16

The ball veered off course and landed in the tall grass. The caddy, after getting his bearings, located the patch of grass and prepared to retrieve it.

Ji Qingyun’s voice carried over, “Ruan Taoran, you go.”

Ruan Taoran lowered her gaze, seemingly absorbed in texting on her phone. Her slender fingers moved casually, her lashes drooping, not even sparing Ruan Taoran a glance.

What is this…? Ruan Taoran blinked, thinking, Well, President Ji must be having another one of her moods.

The caddy seized the opportunity, quickly saying, “Miss Ruan, I’ll go with you.”

After all, it was unheard of to let a guest retrieve their own ball. The caddy hurried ahead.

Ruan Taoran followed behind the caddy, while Feng Shanshan watched their retreating figures, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face.

What exactly does Ji Qingyun feel for Ruan Taoran? Feng Shanshan wondered. Just moments ago, she was trying to set them up, but now she’s treating her like a plaything.

Ruan Taoran, however, understood the situation perfectly. After just a few steps behind the caddy, it became clear.

She had been told her task for the day was to stay by Ji Qingyun’s side, but instead, she had slipped away to make a phone call to Lin Xiaoxiao.

The caddie turned back and said, “Miss Ruan, you can wait here. I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll come with you,” Ruan Taoran replied, her face lighting up with a smile. She hurried forward, falling into step beside the caddie.

The white golf ball was easy to spot in the grass. Ruan Taoran walked over, parted the blades, and picked it up.

Beaming, she jogged back to Ji Qingyun. “Sister, I got it!” she said, leaning closer.

“Aren’t you angry?” Ji Qingyun’s voice was cool. Her lashes lifted, and her pale, glass-like eyes met Ruan Taoran’s gaze from behind her gold-rimmed glasses.

Her eyes were like an endless sea, calm and still, with the sky and water blending seamlessly into a single, fathomless expanse. There was no hint of waves or turbulence, only a deep, impenetrable darkness that seemed to stretch to infinity.

“No, I’m not angry at all. I’m happy to fetch the ball for you, Sister,” Ruan Taoran replied, her cheeks glowing like they were dusted with fine gold leaf in the sunlight.

Her smile was radiant, her dark lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, full of life and vitality. Her eyes were as clear and pure as spring water.

There was nothing to be upset about. Ruan Taoran had never been one for petty grievances or the entitled attitude of an eldest miss.

Ji Qingyun had arranged for Lin Xiaoxiao’s mother to be hospitalized, spending a fortune just so she could pick up a golf ball. What was there to feel wronged about?

Picking up a golf ball was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. You couldn’t find a job with such high pay anywhere else, and bending down to pick it up wasn’t exactly strenuous.

So, she genuinely held no resentment. The smiles she gave Ji Qingyun were heartfelt and genuine, bubbling up from the depths of her heart.

A single golf ball was worth so much money that Ruan Taoran couldn’t help but exclaim, “From now on, I’ll pick up all of your golf balls, Sister! You can’t ask anyone else.”

Ji Qingyun’s fingers paused mid-air as she put her phone back in her pocket. When she looked up again, the coldness in her eyes seemed to have softened slightly. “Alright.”

The genuine joy and anticipation in Ruan Taoran’s eyes were unmistakable; she truly looked forward to helping her pick up the balls.

Ji Qingyun pressed her lips into a thin line, glancing down to select a club based on the caddie’s recommendation. Yet, within her pale, glass-like eyes, a faint ripple seemed to stir.

Even picking up golf balls didn’t feel like a chore to Ruan Taoran. She was truly devoted to Ji Qingyun, her heart and eyes filled with nothing but her.

As the first half of the game neared its end, Shen Qiuxu had already secured her victory. Golf was both her passion and her forte, placing her among the top amateur players.

Shen Qiuxu beamed with delight, while Feng Shanshan’s heart leaped into her throat. This Eldest Miss truly doesn’t know how to show President Ji any respect.

Ji Qingyun’s final shot left the ball just a short distance from the hole.

Ji Qingyun selected her club and turned to Ruan Taoran. “Come here.”

Ruan Taoran stepped forward, standing cheerfully before Ji Qingyun. “Sister, what is it?”

Her radiant smile, bathed in sunlight, resembled a vibrant sunflower—lively, sweet, and utterly endearing, her voice crisp and clear as spring water.

Feng Shanshan couldn’t help but mutter, “No wonder she’s so successful…”

Though her voice was soft, Shen Qiuxu, standing beside her, heard clearly. She turned and asked, “What was that?”

“Nothing!” Feng Shanshan quickly denied. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I heard you. You said… um…” Shen Qiuxu’s eyes widened as Feng Shanshan clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Just shut up,” Feng Shanshan hissed, terrified she’d blurt it out and President Ji would hear.

Shen Qiuxu forcefully yanked Feng Shanshan’s hand away. “Feng Shanshan, you’re going too far! You’ve ruined my makeup!”

“So what if it’s ruined, Eldest Miss? Can you please stop yelling?” Feng Shanshan said dismissively, taking a towel from the caddy to wipe her palms.

Shen Qiuxu grew even angrier. “Feng Shanshan, what do you mean? Is my mouth dirty?”

“It’s just lipstick. Nothing more,” Feng Shanshan replied, her head throbbing from the noise.

“No, you’re just disgusted by me! You’re finished! I won’t submit my designs for next season unless you come begging for them.” Shen Qiuxu raised her eyebrows haughtily, her nose in the air.

Feng Shanshan: “……” If only I hadn’t coddled this Eldest Miss back then. Now she has me by the throat.

Still, she had no other choice. The other designers’ work paled in comparison to Shen Qiuxu’s.

Feng Shanshan couldn’t help but glance at Ruan Taoran. Comparing people really is infuriating.

Look at Miss Ruan—her attitude was impeccable. Even when President Ji was being difficult, she remained smiling, radiating warmth and enthusiasm.

No wonder she was so successful, standing beside Ji Qingyun. This woman was truly extraordinary.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Shen Qiuxu scoffed. “You really don’t want the designs anymore?”

Feng Shanshan felt her temples throbbing. She quickly lowered her voice and pleaded, “Eldest Miss, please, I’m begging you, don’t make things harder for me.”

“Your attitude is unacceptable,” Shen Qiuxu retorted, unmoved.

“Then what would be considered a good attitude?” Feng Shanshan forced a smile. “Should I come to your door to apologize?”

“Fake smile,” Shen Qiuxu scoffed, though she seemed somewhat appeased. “We’ll see how I feel later. If I let you in, consider it a reward.”

Their bickering didn’t disrupt Ji Qingyun and Ruan Taoran’s rhythm.

Ji Qingyun picked up a golf club and handed it to Ruan Taoran. “This shot is yours.”

“Me?” Ruan Taoran hesitated, not taking the club. “Sister, I don’t know how to play golf.”

“It’s just a friendly game, and we’ve already lost anyway,” Ji Qingyun said, keeping the club extended. “The club is still yours.”

Ji Qingyun’s decisions were always obeyed without question. No one ever dared to refuse her.

Ruan Taoran smiled sweetly as she took the club, her dewy, deer-like eyes gazing up at Ji Qingyun, reflecting only her image.

“Sister, will you teach me?”

With such a perfect opportunity, she couldn’t possibly let it slip away. Who could resist the joy of nurturing someone’s potential?

Unfortunately, Ji Qingyun’s phone rang at that precise moment.

“She’ll teach you,” Ji Qingyun said, gesturing toward the caddie. She then pulled her phone from her pocket, held it to her ear, and walked aside to answer the call.

Ruan Taoran wasn’t disappointed. Ji Qingyun was the head of the Ji Clan, a major figure. It was a favor for her to teach Ruan Taoran at all; it was perfectly normal for her not to.

The caddie had already begun instructing Ruan Taoran on proper technique: “Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, distribute your weight evenly—yes, just like that. Grip the club like this…”

Ruan Taoran adjusted her stance, her gaze fixed on the small white ball as she estimated the distance to the hole.

She raised the club, put her weight into the swing, and with a sudden, forceful motion, swung the club and her arm down.

Instead of a satisfying thwack, Ruan Taoran’s overexertion caused her to lose balance, her body tilting forward.

Before she could regain control, just as she was about to fall, a firm grip tightened around her elbow, steadying her.

Ruan Taoran stumbled into a slightly cool embrace, enveloped by a faint, icy herbal scent that wrapped around her like a vast net.

Ji Qingyun’s hand pressed against Ruan Taoran’s arm, but because Ruan Taoran had turned halfway around, it appeared as if Ji Qingyun were holding her by the waist.

“Sorry, I have to go,” Ji Qingyun said, hanging up the phone with one hand. Her lashes lowered, her gaze settling on Ruan Taoran’s face. “Be careful.”

“That might be a bit difficult,” Ruan Taoran replied with a light laugh, showing no embarrassment. Her smile sparkled with vitality.

She straightened up from Ji Qingyun’s embrace and gripped the golf club firmly again. “I’ll give it another try.”

Resilient and always cheerful, even though she wasn’t skilled at golf, her confidence and exuberance shone through, like a flower blooming defiantly against a cliff face.

Ji Qingyun’s vision blurred momentarily as she watched Ruan Taoran regain her stance, her eyes focused intently on the white ball.

Everyone has a first time, and Ruan Taoran refused to be discouraged. She simply re-estimated the distance and glanced at the hole.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared to swing again when a cool sensation suddenly touched the back of her hand. Another hand had covered hers.

Long, steady fingers closed around hers, guiding her hand downward slightly. A voice as crisp as ice colliding with ice said, “Too high. Adjust your position.”

Thwack! The crisp sound of the club striking the ball rang out. This time, she hit the ball, but it didn’t go in. The ball spun erratically, stopping just short of the hole.

“I hit it!” Ruan Taoran exclaimed, her sun-flushed nose glistening with a thin layer of sweat, like a seagull skimming the water’s surface, sending ripples across the pond.

She was genuinely thrilled, just for hitting the ball. That simple act brought her such joy.

“Do you like golf?” Ji Qingyun asked suddenly, watching her expression.

“I do,” Ruan Taoran replied, ever mindful of providing emotional support. “I especially love playing golf with you, Sister.”

“I mentioned to President Feng earlier that I’ve acquired half of this golf course. I’ve already transferred ownership to you. You can come play whenever you like,” Ji Qingyun said casually, as if she were mentioning buying a head of cabbage at the market.

“Keep it. No refusing,” Ji Qingyun added, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Ruan Taoran blinked. She knew Ji Qingyun’s nature well—once she offered something, rejection was never an option.

Ruan Taoran was simply stunned. As someone who had always struggled financially, she had never witnessed such casual extravagance—half a golf course given away on a whim, just because she said she liked it?

She glanced around the sprawling course, unable to suppress a silent sigh of admiration:

Is picking up golf balls humiliating? Not at all. I’d pick up golf balls for Ji Qingyun for the rest of my life.