Provoking the Obsessive, Cold, and Aloof CEO - Chapter 3

Over the past five years, most of the Ruan Family’s servants had been replaced.

Since Ruan Taoran’s return, she had been busy searching through storage rooms, picking flowers from the garden, and rearranging and cleaning the house. Through these activities, she had come to recognize most of the staff.

Some servants eagerly offered their help, while others remained silent and kept their distance. Ruan Taoran didn’t mind either way, always greeting them with a radiant smile.

When Ruan Feng returned home that evening, he found Ruan Taoran had set up an easel and was painting near the main gate.

The breeze lifted her light brown hair, and the delicate pearl hair ornaments adorning it were charmingly petite. Her bright eyes were fixed on the canvas, her face radiating focused concentration.

Every appearance of the “Workaholic Queen” was meticulously planned, ensuring she always presented herself in the most pleasing manner.

As if sensing the approaching car, she turned her head, her eyes sparkling like a thousand stars, and sprang up cheerfully.

Her face was wreathed in smiles, her eyes brimming with laughter, and her slender, willow-leaf eyebrows arched with vitality.

In that moment, Ruan Feng seemed to see a familiar face reflected in hers.

The first time Ruan Feng saw Song Lingyu, she was wearing a simple white dress, her hair cascading down her back, and her smile radiant as sunlight.

Song Lingyu was Ruan Taoran’s mother. By the time Ruan Feng first met her, she was already his sister-in-law.

“Taoran’s back,” Ruan Feng said, a warmth creeping into his eyes as he waved to greet her.

“Uncle, I bet you’ve been thinking of me and prepared a gift for me,” Ruan Taoran said with a playful smile, extending her hand.

“Well…” Ruan Feng’s expression froze momentarily. He hadn’t prepared anything and hadn’t even thought about it.

“I’ve got one,” Ruan Taoran said, bringing her other hand from behind her back and opening it to reveal a pair of sapphire cufflinks. They weren’t top-grade sapphires, but they were small and exquisitely crafted.

“You…” A gentle smile softened Ruan Feng’s face.

No one dislikes the feeling of being remembered. Ruan Taoran grinned. “If you like them, I’ll help you put them on your suit tonight.”

The air was thick with the warmth of familial affection when a voice cut through the moment: “You’re back. Don’t just stand at the door—get ready for dinner.”

Rao Man approached, glanced at Ruan Taoran’s drawing, frowned slightly, and pulled Ruan Feng inside.

Ruan Feng turned back to remind his daughter, “Taoran, hurry up and pack up. Come eat too.”

“You talk too much,” Rao Man grumbled, tugging at his sleeve.

In the entryway, Rao Man helped Ruan Feng remove his coat and loosen his tie. Lowering her voice, she asked, “What are you going to do about that girl?”

“What do you mean?” Ruan Feng feigned ignorance.

“She’s back from graduation. Are you going to let her join the company?” Rao Man’s tone grew heavy.

Noticing Ruan Taoran still packing up her easel and hadn’t followed them, Rao Man lowered her voice further. “Don’t underestimate her. She could seize control.”

“For the past two years, no one in the company dared speak up. But things are different now.”

“Most of the Ruan Family shares are still in her name. You only signed a proxy agreement.”

“Some board members still remember your deceased eldest brother and are hoping this girl will return.”

“Once she’s back, what say will you have? What say will our family have?”

“We’ve only enjoyed a few years of good fortune. We can’t just hand everything over the moment she returns.”

Ruan Feng’s head began to buzz. “Madam, you’re overthinking this. Taoran might not even be thinking that way…”

Every time he saw Ruan Taoran, the girl would greet him with a sweet smile and present him with carefully chosen gifts.

Rao Man, on the other hand, had been nagging him incessantly—not just today, but ever since she learned Ruan Taoran was coming back.

As Rao Man unbuttoned his collar, her hand froze at these words. She yanked his collar roughly.

“Ruan Feng, don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind. Are you missing your eldest brother? Or perhaps your deceased sister-in-law?”

“You’re neglecting the future of your own daughter and son to worry about outsiders?”

Seeing Ruan Taoran approaching, Ruan Feng cut her off with a few hasty words: “Alright, alright, I understand.”

After washing her hands, Ruan Taoran helped the kitchen maids set the table outside.

The maids quickly protested, “Second Miss, you must be tired from painting. Please sit down; we’ll handle this.”

Ruan Taoran smiled. “I only made a few strokes. It’s no trouble at all. I’d just be sitting around anyway.”

She truly had only made a few strokes. Having timed Ruan Feng’s return from work perfectly, she had carried her easel to the entrance and posed there briefly.

The sunset’s golden light bathed her as she sat quietly, painting. It was a scene of warmth and beauty, one that would naturally evoke feelings of tranquility and grace.

It made her appear serene, natural, and uninterested in trouble—someone who simply loved the artistic pursuits of painting flowers, the moon, and romance.

However, a cold wind had risen as the sun set, chilling her to the bone.

Still, she endured it. This minor discomfort was a small price to pay.

Her plan had worked perfectly. It was clear that Ruan Feng was touched by her thoughtfulness, ensuring she would never be unwelcome in the Ruan Family.

Ruan Taoran didn’t lift a finger herself, instead directing the maids.

“Place this dish near Uncle—he loves sea bass. Swap out the sweet and sour ribs; he doesn’t care for sweet flavors.”

Ruan Feng walked over just as he heard that last sentence, and the impatience in his eyes softened slightly.

“You should sit down and eat too. It must have been tiring flying back on an international flight,” Ruan Feng said, settling into his seat and gesturing for Ruan Taoran to join him.

Rao Man huffed softly and kicked Ruan Feng under the table.

He didn’t react, subtly withdrawing his leg before accepting the bowl of soup Ruan Taoran offered.

Ruan Taoran first served soup to Ruan Feng, then to Rao Man, before finally taking her own seat.

She didn’t mention work at all, instead chatting and laughing with Ruan Feng, sharing amusing anecdotes from her time studying abroad.

Ruan Feng’s face lit up with smiles, which only infuriated Rao Man, who kicked him repeatedly under the table.

Rao Man’s kicks irritated Ruan Feng. He didn’t want to talk about work.

Ruan Taoran’s words were full of genuine concern and warmth, making him feel at ease.

Rao Man, on the other hand, was preoccupied with stock market matters and hadn’t even asked if he’d had a hard day at work.

Ruan Feng subtly shifted his chair, imperceptibly distancing himself from Rao Man.

After finishing his meal, Ruan Taoran didn’t mention work at all. Instead, he asked the butler for a pair of tweezers and replaced his cufflinks with sapphire ones.

Ruan Feng, dressed in a suit, spun around in front of the mirror twice and repeatedly raised his hand to admire the cufflinks, much to Rao Man’s exasperation, who rolled her eyes several times.

Ji Qingyun was also at the table, but she had little appetite.

That evening, her grandfather called, urging her to come home for dinner. She rushed back during a break from work, only to find the entire family gathered around the grand dining table.

Her grandfather, Ji Ming, sat at the head of the table, flanked by her father’s three mistresses and a gaggle of children.

Though Old Master Ji Ming had long retired from active management, he still wielded considerable influence within the Ji Clan.

The seat beside him remained empty, reserved for Ji Qingyun, while a young man sat on the other side.

The man wore a light brown suit, complete with a bow tie and pocket square, impeccably dressed as if attending a formal gala.

Ji Qingyun had been handling company affairs and arrived after dinner had already begun. The young man was meticulously removing bones from a piece of fish for her.

When the Old Master saw Ji Qingyun, he beckoned her over. “Qingyun, everyone’s already introduced themselves. You’re the only one left. Come meet your eldest brother.”

“Eldest Brother?” Ji Qingyun’s lashes fluttered slightly, her pale amber eyes showing no emotion. “Didn’t he go to Poland to study oil painting?”

Ji Qingyun’s eldest brother was an eccentric—or perhaps just a clever man who wanted no part in the power struggles of the wealthy elite.

As the eldest son of the main wife, he had long declared his lack of ambition for the family business. From childhood, he had clamored to study art, nearly driving his mother to madness.

When Ji Qingyun rose to power, he promptly handed over all his shares to her and fled to Poland.

His mother, unwilling to accept this, repeatedly urged him to return, but he refused. Eventually, he stopped replying to messages altogether, didn’t even come home for New Year’s, and started a family in Poland.

Given his willingness to step aside, Ji Qingyun saw no reason to make things difficult for him. She ensured he received his full share of dividends and regularly invested in his art exhibitions.

The Old Master snorted coldly. “Don’t mention that unfilial son.”

He turned to the young man beside him. “I’m talking about Xiao Chuan.”

The young man placed the deboned fish meat into the Old Master’s bowl, quickly wiped his hands, and stood up.

“Xiao Chuan, this is your sister, Ji Qingyun, whom we were just talking about. Qingyun, this is your Eldest Brother, Ji Yucuan.”

“Don’t mention that unfilial son in Poland again. He’s no longer your Eldest Brother; he’s now the second-born.”

“Hello, Qingyun,” the young man said with a smile, extending his hand.

Ji Qingyun, her face cold, gave him a brief, polite handshake. “Hello… Eldest Brother…”

The title felt awkward on her tongue.

Her Eldest Brother, still in Poland, probably had no idea he’d been demoted to second-born.

Ji Qingyun glanced sideways at her mother’s face—the skin sagged, her expression dark and ugly, as if someone owed her a billion yuan.

It would have been strange if she’d smiled.

Even in death, Ji Qingyun’s Father’s affairs remained unresolved.

In life, he’d taken four wives and fathered a swarm of illegitimate children.

Now, even in death, more illegitimate offspring were still coming forward.

In the past two years, they had found two children, both around seven or eight years old.

But this year was different. A thirty-year-old man suddenly appeared, instantly becoming the Eldest Brother in the family’s age order and completely reshuffling the Ji Family’s rankings.

This illegitimate son’s age made it clear that his mother had been involved with Ji Qingyun’s Father long before the First Madam, perhaps even before her.

The Old Master, who cherished a large family, insisted on acknowledging any child with Ji Family bl00d.

Ji Qingyun remained silent, as this matter was beyond her jurisdiction. She simply sat down and ate her meal.

Seeing Ji Qingyun’s silence, the First Madam, Liang Shuang, couldn’t contain herself any longer. “Father, Ayan has been dead for five years. We can’t even conduct a DNA test. How can we be certain he’s a member of the Ji Family?”

The other three concubines continued eating without a word. To them, one more son or one less made no difference.

But for Liang Shuang, it was different. The Old Master was traditional, and her son had originally held the position of eldest son. If he proved capable, he might even inherit the family’s power.

Now, with the sudden appearance of an Eldest Brother, her son’s claim to the title vanished, leaving her understandably anxious.

“Xiao Chuan and I underwent DNA testing,” the Old Master said. “We’re definitely related.”

“That still doesn’t prove he’s Ayan’s child,” Liang Shuang retorted, unable to swallow a single bite of her meal.

Ji Yan had been dead for five years, cremated and buried long ago, making DNA extraction impossible.

The DNA test between the Old Master and Ji Yucuan only confirmed their familial connection; it couldn’t establish a grandparent-grandchild relationship.

“Our Ji family has passed down through a single male heir for five generations,” the Old Master declared. “Ayan was my only son. If he’s not Ayan’s, then whose could he be? Mine?”

“Aunt Liang, it’s like this,” Ji Yucuan explained. “My mother and father were together when they were eighteen, but their families disapproved, forcing them to separate. After she left, my mother discovered she was pregnant with me.”

“I still have photos of my parents from that time, as well as their love letters. I’ve shown them all to Grandpa. There’s no mistake.”

“Shut up!” Liang Shuang snapped. “Why come now, after he’s dead? What are you really after?”

“Besides,” she added, “we’re having a family meal here. When elders are speaking, juniors should keep their mouths shut.”

Ji Yucuan, though pointedly scolded, remained unperturbed, continuing to meticulously pick fish bones for the Old Master.

The Old Master happily ate the fish, his face radiating affection. “Xiao Chuan is such a good grandson, so filial. You should all learn from him.”

Liang Shuang’s nose nearly twisted in anger. She turned to Ji Qingyun. “Qingyun, you’re in charge of the company now. Say something!”

Say what? That he’s not her Eldest Brother and that he’s going against the Old Master?

The Old Master was clearly in high spirits, doting on his eldest grandson. His face beamed with grandfatherly love and filial devotion.

Liang Shuang’s remark drew all eyes to Ji Qingyun.

After taking a few bites, Ji Qingyun said, “Grandpa, I’m full. I have a meeting tonight…”

The Old Master, lost in his grandfatherly affection, waved dismissively. “You’re busy, go ahead. Today was just for you to see your Eldest Brother.”

Ji Qingyun nodded to his four stepmothers in acknowledgment, then rose and left.

Back in the car, the sound of Liang Shuang’s bickering still rang in his ears, grating and painful.

“Where to, President Ji?” the driver asked.

Transnational conferences sometimes took place at night, and no one checked her schedule. She’d simply made up an excuse; there was nothing pressing at the company right now.

Ji Qingyun pondered for a moment, then suddenly caught a faint scent of gardenias.

“Did you change the car’s air freshener?” she asked.

The driver was taken aback, not expecting such a question. He quickly pointed to the hanging sachet. “Miss Ruan gave it to me when she left today, saying the car’s air freshener had faded.” He added hastily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll buy a new one and replace it immediately.”

Ji Qingyun gazed at the pale purple sachet, and for a moment, Ruan Taoran’s face flashed before her eyes—those beautiful, doe-like eyes and radiant smile.

Earlier that day, when she had picked up Ruan Taoran, she had indeed noticed a faint fragrance, similar to the sachet’s gardenia scent.

“No need to change it,” Ji Qingyun said, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes. “Take me to Longhua Tianyu.”

“Understood,” the driver replied, starting the car without further questions.

Yet inwardly, he couldn’t help but wonder: Ji Qingyun had a mansion in Longhua Tianyu that had been abandoned for years. Why the sudden urge to stay there? If not for driving Miss Ruan home earlier—her family lived in Longhua Tianyu—he might have forgotten the way.