CEO's Encroachment

Chapter2

It was night.

Under the warm yellow glow of the lamp, Huai Nian was sketching and designing new style qipaos on a piece of white paper, with the classic ancient music "Dream Journey to the Immortal" playing from the speakers.

Whenever her mind was restless, drawing was her best way to relieve it.

She had a deep love for traditional Chinese culture and had established her own clothing brand - "Nian Nian Bu Wang", selling modified Chinese-style clothing and related products online.

As a co-owner and brand designer, Huai Nian's daily work was not easy. But her ambitions were modest; as long as the income was enough for her family to live and work in this city, she was satisfied. Although in the eyes of her peers, she seemed to lack ambition.

The sudden ringing of her phone interrupted Huai Nian's thoughts. She put down her colored pencil and answered the call.

Her fingers clenched the phone tightly, her face turned pale.

Xi Ye had been in a car accident on the expressway and was being treated in the hospital...

Hurriedly, Huai Nian rushed to the hospital.

Xi Ye's parents were waiting outside the operating room, with staff filling both sides of the corridor. The medical staff passing by all felt immense pressure.

Xi Ye's mother, Li Junhua, choked back tears. Xizi Cheng embraced her, gently patting her shoulder, whispering, "Our Ye'er is lucky, nothing will happen to him."

Huai Nian approached them quietly and called out softly, "Uncle, Aunt."

Li Junhua's eyes filled with sharp anger when she saw Huai Nian.

She gave Huai Nian a fierce glare and ignored her.

Xizi Cheng took over, saying, "Ye'er is still in the operating room. Let's wait first. The child will be fine."

"Hmm," Huai Nian nodded.

Xizi's home was the most relaxing place for her, with Xizi Cheng's gentle and refined demeanor.

Li Junhua choked up, "Ye'er was supposed to come back the day after tomorrow... but things weren't finished, so he left everything to his assistant, rushing back on the highway tonight, saying he wanted to come back and appease his wife..." The assistant also instructed that Mr. Xizi was in a hurry when he left, afraid of being blamed if he was late.

"Why did Ye'er encounter such misfortune? Even if he wore gold and silver, he still wouldn't be satisfied without risking his life..."

Li Junhua's words were filled with resentment, and Huai Nian remained silent.

Xizi Cheng tried to comfort, "Alright, no one wants Ye'er to have an accident."

"If anything happens to our Ye'er, I..."

The sound of leather shoes hitting the ground echoed from the other end of the corridor, crisp and clear, gradually approaching. Li Junhua forgot to speak.

Huai Nian noticed the change in atmosphere and turned to look as well.

The man leading the group was...

Xi Ye's uncle, Xi Ziyue?

She had seen him in the family photo of the Xizi's. Just by looking at the photo, he seemed dignified and imposing, and in reality, his presence was so powerful that no one dared to meet his gaze.

A group of men walked briskly, their footsteps controlled with precision, without any sense of disorder or noise.

The man at the forefront wore a black suit, with neat black hair and sharp facial features. His deep-set eyes exuded a dominant force that suppressed everyone around him.

Seeing him, everyone on the corridor bowed respectfully, "Vice Chairman."

When Huai Nian met his deep black eyes, she felt a sudden panic and quickly averted her gaze.

Xi Ziyue, Xizi Cheng's brother, ten years older than Xi Ye, the soul figure of Dongyao Technology, was also the most influential person in the family after the founder of Dongyao, his father, Xiguangyao.

Dongyao Technology, as a private company, had gone through thirty years of ups and downs to become the international giant it was today, with its own history of hard work and entrepreneurship. Survival in Dongyao was extremely harsh; there was no room for weakness, not even for those with royal connections. Xizi Cheng, not understanding the ways of business, had been abandoned early on and became an art collector.

Xizi Cheng and Xi Ziyue had different mothers and completely different personalities and talents. Xi Ziyue had been groomed by his father to be his successor since childhood and had been with Dongyao for eighteen years. He didn't disappoint, leading Dongyao to new heights, and was now the widely acclaimed Vice Chairman.

Everyone knew that Mr. Xizi was not in good health, and the future of Dongyao rested on Xi Ziyue's shoulders.

Huai Nian had been dating Xi Ye for a few months, and although she hadn't met this frequent flyer who lived abroad, she keenly felt his absolute position in the Xizi family. Xi Ye's respect for his uncle was evident, and she was worried that his family wouldn't accept her. Xi Ye reassured her, "My uncle is not the kind of person who looks at pedigree. As long as he agrees, my parents will be okay."

When he proposed to her a week ago, he had mentioned taking her to the overseas research center to meet his uncle, giving her a sense of meeting the parents.

As the footsteps approached, she found herself tense and nervously stepped back.

"Ziyue, you're here!" Li Junhua and Xizi Cheng stood up together to greet Xi Ziyue.

Xi Ziyue stopped and looked fixedly at her, ignoring the usual greetings between siblings-in-law.

"This is Ye's girlfriend, Huai Nian," Xizi Cheng introduced them, "You're so busy all the time, you haven't met her yet."

Xi Ziyue's gaze was direct, his face revealing no emotion.

"Nian Nian, this is Xi Ye's uncle, Xi Ziyue," Xizi Cheng introduced Huai Nian again.

Huai Nian cautiously glanced at Xi Ziyue, their eyes met briefly. The man's eyes were calm but powerful. Huai Nian quickly lowered her eyelids and politely bowed, "Hello, uncle."

The atmosphere was tense.

Huai Nian felt a chill down her spine, had she done something wrong?

Xi Ziyue didn't look at her anymore, turning to Xi Ye's parents, he asked, "How's Ye doing?" His deep, steady voice, like his demeanor, was full of authority.

"It's been a few hours, the surgery is still going on," Xizi Cheng sighed.

"Ziyue came all the way here to visit Ye, with his uncle's kindness, Ye will definitely get through this," Li Junhua's expression showed clear flattery.

Xi Ziyue nodded, saying nothing more.

There was only one long bench in the corridor, which was originally occupied by Li Junhua and Xizi Cheng. After a few seconds of silence, Li Junhua said to Xi Ziyue, "You must be tired from the journey, come and sit."

"No thanks." Xi Ziyue stood in the corridor with his hands in his pockets.

With his nearly two-meter tall, broad and upright figure, coupled with his annual participation in militarized training, he exuded a military-like masculinity, standing like a giant

pine, with a majestic air.

With Xi Ziyue here, Li Junhua's sadness was somewhat suppressed, not knowing how to cry. She vented her emotions on Huai Nian, "If Ye hadn't rushed back to see you, this wouldn't have happened. How can our Xizi family afford your delicate princess!"

Huai Nian's face turned pale.

"Given grace but ungrateful, causing trouble instead. A person from a humble background is ultimately uncouth and greedy..."

Huai Nian's trembling fingers hung down lightly, refraining from clenching into a fist.

With Xi Ye's life hanging by a thread on the operating table, his mother's emotional outburst was understandable...

Xi Ziyue reached into his trouser pocket and touched it, then turned to Huai Nian, saying, "Go buy me some cigarettes," interrupting Li Junhua's scolding directly.

As soon as Xi Ziyue spoke, Li Junhua fell silent.

After a few moments of silence, Huai Nian raised her head. Realizing the words were directed at her, she quickly responded, "Of course."

She hurriedly turned down the corridor, escaping from the suffocating environment.

Outside the hospital gate, she entered a tobacco and alcohol store. Only then did she realize she forgot to ask what brand of cigarettes he wanted. Huai Nian felt a little annoyed and chose Huanghelou 1916, which Xi Ye had smoked and was available at this store.

She held the cigarettes and walked back to the hospital. As she was about to climb the steps to the building, she saw Xi Ziyue coming out, the bright light shining on him, making him appear majestic like a deity.

Huai Nian averted her gaze, this man was intimidating.

The footsteps approached closer and closer, until they stopped in front of her. Huai Nian looked up, her gaze falling between his nose and lips, avoiding his eyes, and handed him the cigarettes, "Uncle, here's your cigarettes."

As Xi Ziyue reached for the cigarettes and closed the box with his five fingers, their hands touched, his fingertips brushing against her palm.

Huai Nian was very nervous and didn't notice the slight delay in his movement.

Xi Ziyue opened the cigarette box, took out one, and held it between his fingers. His assistant stepped forward to light it for him.

With the elder present, Huai Nian didn't feel it was appropriate to leave first, so she stood there with him. He didn't speak, and she didn't know what to say. After all, they weren't acquainted, and he was such a legendary figure. She was afraid that anything she said would sound like flattery.

The smell of smoke drifted over, and the silent air made her feel very distressed.