Secretly Seducing the Third Female Lead Behind the System’s Back - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Visiting the He Family

Bai Chu looked into Jiang Yisheng’s eyes, seeing her reflection in those clear pupils, and nodded firmly.

A gentle, heartfelt smile lifted her lips.

Jiang Yisheng lowered her gaze. This matter about Bai Chu’s parents couldn’t be rushed—perhaps it was better to let Bai Chu believe it was an accident for now.

She glanced at her half-finished coffee and felt nauseous. She didn’t want to eat another bite here.

“Shall we…” Jiang Yisheng began, but Bai Chu’s phone rang before she could finish.

Jiang Yisheng leaned over Bai Chu’s shoulder and saw the caller ID: He Youran.

She puckered her lips, quietly shifting her attention to Bai Chu.

Bai Chu’s finger paused over the answer button, caught by Jiang Yisheng’s expectant look.

“Answer it,” Jiang Yisheng said, lifting her chin in a teasing yet possessive gesture—though inside she was thrilled Bai Chu would check with her first.

“Hello, Youran?” Bai Chu answered and turned on speaker.

“ChuChu, you haven’t eaten yet, right?”

Jiang Yisheng inwardly burned with jealousy at how He Youran addressed her.

“Not yet,” Bai Chu replied.

“Well, perfect—my parents want you to come home for dinner. It’s almost ready.”

Bai Chu glanced at Jiang Yisheng, hesitating. “This evening might not be convenient… I’m with President Jiang.”

Jiang Yisheng narrowed her eyes—Youran just calls Bai Chu “Chu Chu,” but calls her “President Jiang”?

Then a woman’s voice piped up from the background: “President Jiang? Chu Chu should invite President Jiang to join us for dinner—I’m cooking extra dishes. He, please defrost the beef and shrimp in the fridge…”

Jiang Yisheng could sense the falseness even through the phone.

“Chu Chu, ask President Jiang if she can come,” Youran continued, her voice more hesitant. “My parents want to invite her.”

Bai Chu looked at Jiang Yisheng, silently asking her permission.

Jiang Yisheng thought for a moment, then nodded. She was going to meet that old man anyway.

Bai Chu smiled and said into the phone, “We can—give us about half an hour.”

“Okay, safe trip!” Youran hung up and returned to help in the kitchen.

Jiang Yisheng and Bai Chu exited the café. Bai Chu walked to the car and opened the door for Jiang Yisheng—who hadn’t moved.

“Shengsheng?” Bai Chu called softly.

Jiang Yisheng snapped out of it and approached. “Meeting… them for the first time empty-handed is awkward. I’ll ask Zhang Tao to send some gifts.”

She didn’t know what to call He Youran’s parents in front of Bai Chu and settled on calling them “them.” She hated them, but from Bai Chu’s perspective, these were the people who raised her. If it was her girlfriend’s first visit, she could hardly show up empty-handed.

Bai Chu’s comfort was most important; her emotions would wait.

This still felt like deceiving Bai Chu in some way.

“All right,” Bai Chu said, opening the door for her. “Come on in.”

Jiang Yisheng watched Bai Chu walk around the car and shook her head to clear her thoughts. The most important thing was making Bai Chu happy. Maybe by making her fall in love with life, her fate could change.

Thinking this, she followed Bai Chu.

Zhang Tao had quickly delivered the gifts to the trunk. Within minutes, Bai Chu drove them to He Youran’s home.

The building was an old complex—it was quite nice back in the day to be able to live in such a place.

They parked and carried the gifts inside. He Youran’s home was on the third floor; as they reached the halfway point on the stairs, the door swung open.

“We have President Jiang?” a hoarse male voice called into the hallway.

Jiang Yisheng recognized it as He Dafang’s voice.

She remembered him from the hospital, where he had been semi-conscious—she hadn’t really taken note of him then.

Today, he truly embodied the saying “you are what you look like.” He was short with a big beer belly, belly protruding far out, oily-faced with stubble, one eye flicking around calculatingly. The sight churned her stomach.

She followed Bai Chu upstairs and greeted him. “Hello.”

Bai Chu placed their gifts neatly in the entryway. “Uncle, Auntie, these are meeting gifts from President Jiang.”

Jiang Yisheng let out a quiet breath—she was willing to endure this for Bai Chu’s sake.

“Oh my, President Jiang! You came and brought gifts too—your presence honors us enough!” He Tingyuan, wearing an apron, emerged from the kitchen.

Jiang Yisheng forced a polite smile. “It’s my pleasure.”

From their entrance to the moment they sat down, neither He Dafang nor He Tingyuan spoke directly to Bai Chu—they either stared at her or the gifts.

Jiang Yisheng silently grew more annoyed but turned her attention to holding Bai Chu’s hand.

“I heard you’d come, so I told my husband to make extra dishes. Should be ready in five or six minutes. Please have some fruit in the meantime,” He Dafang said, pushing a fruit platter toward Jiang Yisheng.

She glanced at it and said, “Not in a hurry—not too hungry.”

She focused instead on tracing Bai Chu’s palm lines lightly with her finger.

He Dafang observed Jiang Yisheng and Bai Chu’s close interaction, then tried speaking to Bai Chu.

“Chu Chu, work been tiring lately?” he asked.

Jiang Yisheng paused, noticing him calling her as “Chu Chu” and felt her indignant tension rise.

“It’s okay—been attending training, so not too tiring,” Bai Chu answered politely.

“If you don’t understand something, you should ask President Jiang at work. And if you have other questions after work, you can always ask me,” He Dafang said, sitting upright.

Jiang Yisheng noticed his smooth shift to focus on Bai Chu and narrowed her eyes, barely hiding her displeasure.

“So I hear you’ve had quite a business success?” she asked pointedly.

He Dafang waved it off. “That was back in the day. Now the economy’s tough—business is hard.”

He was basically lamenting lost glory.

Jiang Yisheng mercilessly followed up: “Was it your own company?”

He Dafang froze, surprised she had asked such a question.

“Well, sort of. My partners left years ago—I was the only one willing to invest,” he replied, leaning his elbows on his knees.

“Investing all by yourself? That’s impressive,” she said.

His face quickly beamed. “Small matter! My company means as much to me as my own children.”

“Oh? You’re so sentimental?” Jiang Yisheng pretended to be impressed. “No wonder Bai Chu always says you treat her like your own.”

That struck a nerve—he bristled but kept his composure, eager to release all his praises of Bai Chu.

“Wash up for dinner, let’s eat and chat,” He Tingyuan said, bringing the last dish in.

At the table, He Dafang insisted on pouring wine for Jiang Yisheng.

She calmly covered her glass. “Sorry, I don’t drink.”

“Oh. Then juice instead,” he said, switching to pour juice.

Jiang Yisheng took the bottle herself, pouring a glass for Bai Chu first, then her own.

He Dafang poured himself wine and raised a glass toward her. “President Jiang, please try this dish!”

Jiang Yisheng inclined her head slightly. “Thank you.”

She picked up some beef and shrimp for Bai Chu with her chopsticks.

Seeing that, He Dafang took his own plate, silently watching every movement.

Bai Chu lifted her hand to peel shrimp, but Jiang Yisheng stopped her. “Don’t dirty your hands.” She peeled multiple shrimps herself, placing them in Bai Chu’s bowl.

He Dafang and He Tingyuan watched silently as she tended to Bai Chu.

When she finished peeling, she wiped her hands and started conversation.

“I actually have a question I’d like to ask both of you.”

“Please,” He Dafang leaned forward, curious.

“I’m trying to learn new recipes to cook for Bai Chu—could you tell me what she likes? I want to learn a few signature dishes.”

An awkward silence followed.

He Dafang didn’t know how to reply. He Tingyuan, sensing the atmosphere, hurriedly spoke: “Oh, we eat simple home cooking—nothing fancy.”

Bai Chu glanced at Jiang Yisheng—her partner had changed since entering the house.

“I’m not picky,” she assured.

Just then, He Youran chimed in: “Actually, I don’t know what Bai Chu likes.”

He Dafang quickly intervened: “I heard you and President An were childhood sweethearts—no wonder you two match so well.” He lifted his glass. “President Jiang, I toast to your success in both career and love.”

Jiang Yisheng was speechless by the strange toast and didn’t raise her glass.

He Youran froze.

He Dafang quickly drank and smiled.

“An Hao and Youran have been together for ages—didn’t you know? They really suit each other,” Jiang Yisheng countered.

“Not at all! Please don’t misunderstand. I know my daughter well—and she isn’t worthy of An Hao,” He Dafang flattered, “When it comes to the perfect match, it’s definitely President Jiang and President An.”

Jiang Yisheng hadn’t anticipated his flattery. She originally thought he was just being defensive on behalf of his daughter, but now realized he was simply buttering up.

Putting down his own child to flatter someone else—she’d never seen anything like it.

“Please don’t say that,” she replied gravely.

“I already have a partner. I have no relation with An Hao.”

“And Youran is exceptional. Others are the ones not living up to her.”