Once the leisurely Saturday passed, Shi Youwan, who had entered her Heat Period on Sunday, switched to work mode at home. Although her mother, Shi Yan, had not yet stepped down as chairman, she had handed over full decision-making authority of the group to her five years ago.
Personal assistant Qiao Ke and personal bodyguard and driver Zhang Kai arrived at the Old Mansion’s reception hall at eight in the morning to stand by.
After finishing a video conference, while Qiao Ke sorted the meeting minutes, Shi Youwan asked Zhang Kai to go to the gym and call down Chi Yumo, who was doing her morning workout.
The tall Alpha wore fitted athletic clothes, her face covered in sweat beads from exercise, cheeks flushed red. Thinking Shi Youwan had something urgent, she hurried upstairs without even wiping her sweat.
“Sister, you wanted to see me?” Chi Yumo stopped a meter away from Shi Youwan, like an obedient child.
The sleeveless T-shirt exposed her arms, toned to perfection, while her high ponytail revealed her clear and delicate features.
Only Shi Youwan knew how many scratches she had accidentally left yesterday on the Alpha’s flawless skin beneath her clothes, extending to her back. It wasn’t her fault for not controlling her strength; it was just that the Alpha had wanted her too much.
“That’s enough exercise for today. Go do something else.”
Chi Yumo looked slightly puzzled.
Shi Youwan stood up and walked over to her, taking the towel from around her neck and wiping the sweat from her face.
The boss, who was aloof and distant to everyone outside, doted on Miss Mo endlessly in private. The assistant and driver were already used to it.
“Go practice driving with Zhang Kai. You’re about to graduate soon; you need to master driving skills proficiently.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll listen to you, Sister.” Chi Yumo smiled in response.
At the beginning of the year, Shi Youwan had told her to get her driver’s license. After getting it, she hadn’t touched a car for over two months. As long as it was a “task” assigned by Shi Youwan, she would complete it fully.
Even if she didn’t like driving or wasn’t good at it, if Shi Youwan wanted her to learn, she would learn.
“Then I’ll go upstairs to rinse off first.”
“Mm, remember to wear your hat, mask, and gloves.” Shi Youwan draped the towel back over Chi Yumo’s shoulder, then lifted her right wrist and removed the wrist guard.
Near the pulse on her fair skin was a round, old scar about the size of a fingertip.
It was faint, neatly shaped, not unsightly, but highly distinctive. So after getting involved with Chi Yumo, Shi Youwan had asked her to cover it up when they were together.
“Don’t worry, Sister. I’ll keep it hidden.” After two years, Chi Yumo was used to it and didn’t mind being an invisible person by Shi Youwan’s side.
Because she understood that hiding herself was also a way to protect Shi Youwan.
If her identity was discovered, gossip news would swarm, bringing unnecessary trouble to Shi Youwan and severely disrupting her own life.
“Xiao Mo,” Shi Youwan’s thumb gently pressed the small scar as she looked up at Chi Yumo, “I’ll ask you one last time: are you sure this scar on your wrist won’t hinder your job search or your future career? If it will, I can arrange scar removal surgery for you as soon as possible. These kinds of minor surgeries are very mature and safe nowadays…”
“No need, Sister. It won’t be a problem.”
Chi Yumo turned her hand to grasp Shi Youwan’s. “Concealer technology is great now; this little scar won’t affect my performances.”
Not long after they met, Shi Youwan had asked her once if she wanted to remove the scar.
Her answer today was still no.
“Although I’ve forgotten everything before age ten, I believe Grandma wouldn’t lie to me. Since I once proudly told her this was a badge of courage, it must hold great significance.”
Remembering her late grandmother, sorrow surged in Chi Yumo’s heart. “I want to keep it. I don’t want to regret losing it if I recover my memories later.”
Shi Youwan nodded. “I won’t ask again. Go on.”
After Chi Yumo and Zhang Kai left, Qiao Ke finally shifted her gaze from the computer screen to Shi Youwan.
“President Shi, the car you ordered for Miss Mo will arrive on Wednesday. When exactly should we pick it up?”
“The day she officially graduates.” It was the graduation gift she had prepared for Chi Yumo in advance. “Like with the house, draft a repayment contract.”
“Yes, President Shi.”
…
The Old Mansion’s garage held five cars. Following Shi Youwan’s instructions, Zhang Kai drove out the most ordinary one.
Chi Yumo, “fully armed,” came outside and put on noise-canceling headphones before getting in.
The Old Mansion was in the suburbs with little noise, and Shi Youwan’s Pheromones had a unique soothing effect on her body and mind. Here, she could relax fully without worrying about her ears being irritated.
Practicing driving outside was different.
Prolonged exposure to noisy environments, especially the piercing car horns on the road, was unfriendly to her sensitive hearing.
Fortunately, many people wore Bluetooth earphones, so her frequent use of noise-canceling ones wasn’t unusual.
“Kai Ge, sorry to trouble you again with practice driving today.” Chi Yumo sat in the passenger seat, her attitude humble.
Zhang Kai had been “ordered” to take her practicing many times before his own road test, and their rapport had deepened during that time. After all, Chi Yumo wasn’t a natural “racer.”
Practicing with her also put personal safety on the line.
“Where do you want to go for a spin this time? Mountain roads? Or the city?” Zhang Kai started the car and asked jokingly.
As a male Beta, he stood out with his superior combat skills and driving prowess, earning the chance to serve Shi Youwan.
Over these years, Shi Youwan had treated him well, and he was loyal, reliable, tight-lipped, one of her trusted confidants alongside Qiao Ke.
“…” Chi Yumo’s hands were rusty; she said guiltily, “Somewhere with few people, few cars, and few lights…”
“Miss Mo,” Zhang Kai turned to stare at her seriously, reminding her, “You should know what kind of roads are suitable for practice.”
“…” Of course she knew winding mountain roads and congested urban areas were what she needed most, but just touching the steering wheel made her panic. “Then… you decide, Kai Ge.”
Zhang Kai saw through her tension but didn’t call it out.
As for the boss’s private relationship with Chi Yumo, as a subordinate, it would be overstepping to comment.
The car hadn’t gone far from the Old Mansion gates when a flashy red sports car passed them, heading to the mansion.
It was Shi Youwan’s friend Yin Man arriving.
Chi Yumo recognized Yin Man, but Yin Man had never seen Chi Yumo.
“Did Sister schedule work with Miss Yin?” Was sending her out to practice driving just an excuse because Yin Man was coming?
“Not sure; Qiao Ke didn’t mention it.” He had picked up Qiao Ke that morning; usually, Qiao Ke would inform him of important schedules.
Chi Yumo said “oh” and fell silent.
Yin Man’s arrival reminded her of what Shi Youran had said to Shi Youwan on Friday night about having children.
Was it related to that?
From the Shifeng Group’s perspective, or the Shi Family’s standpoint, she understood why Shi Youran advised Shi Youwan that way. The vast family empire, built by the Shi ancestors, should be guarded and inherited by Shi descendants generation after generation.
Some people were born destined to bear certain missions.
Shi Youwan was one, as would be some future child of Shi Youwan’s, or even Shi Youran’s unborn child.
They were noble upper-class elites, while she, at the very bottom, worlds apart, didn’t even qualify to stand openly by Shi Youwan’s side—let alone to be the other mother of Shi Youwan’s child?
Shi Youwan would eventually have a child.
Shi Youwan would eventually… conceive new life with someone else.
The scenery outside shifted from greenery and hills to buildings, and Chi Yumo received a message from Shi Youwan: [Practice seriously. Come back in two hours for lunch.]
Two hours—what would they discuss with Yin Man?
Chi Yumo replied: [Okay, Sister. I’ll practice seriously.]
But she couldn’t manage it. Just over ten minutes after switching to the driver’s seat, she got distracted and crashed the car.
She panicked, heart pounding, mind buzzing, blank.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, she hadn’t mistaken the accelerator for the brake. After Zhang Kai shouted “Turn left quick!” he decisively pulled the handbrake.
Due to Chi Yumo’s distraction, the car hit the guardrail at the curve.
Zhang Kai got out to check: the right front was dented, headlight shattered—repairable at the shop.
Through the window, he comforted the still-shaken, pale-faced Chi Yumo. “New drivers scratch and bump all the time.”
Beyond the guardrail was farmland; even if they’d gone over, lives probably wouldn’t have been lost.
At this point, rather than blame her for not focusing or nearly sending them to the hospital, as the elder, he preferred to guide and encourage her.
From her first driving lesson to now, this was Chi Yumo’s first distraction, first mistake, first taste of crash terror.
Her hands still shook on the wheel, palms slick with cold sweat.
Still shaken, she got out, walked to the front, stared at the “crash scene” she’d caused, speechless for a long time.
Zhang Kai fetched two bottles of mineral water from the trunk and handed her one. “No big deal. This car’s not expensive. I’ll take it to the 4S shop this afternoon; it’ll be fixed in days.”
“Kai Ge, sorry.”
Chi Yumo took the water, full of self-reproach. “I’m off today. I don’t want to practice anymore.”
“Okay, drink some water to calm down. I’ll drive.”
“Thanks.”
Then Zhang Kai drove to the Old Street, bought Chi Yumo’s favorite Snow Red Fruits, and headed to the Riverside to kill time.
They sat on a secluded stone step. Chi Yumo removed her mask and popped a fruit into her mouth.
During license practice, they’d come to the Old Street area, bought Snow Red Fruits, sat by the river blowing wind.
That wind had been cold.
Today’s wind… was humid and hot.
Just like breathing through her mask.
The cool, sweet-sour taste from the fridge eased her two negative moods—irritation and panic.
Months ago, she’d shared Snow Red Fruits with Shi Youwan once, but Shi Youwan couldn’t handle sour—not even a little—so she rarely ate sour-sweet snacks anymore.
Aside from these snacks, their daily meals matched: light, low-spice, no gamey flavors.
On the third Snow Red Fruit, she heard Zhang Kai say, “Life-or-death matters can end with one mistake. Why force yourself?”
She wasn’t surprised he’d seen she disliked driving.
There were many things she liked.
Many she didn’t.
But not all liked things should or could be done, nor should all disliked ones be avoided.
“I don’t want her to be disappointed.” Nor did she want, on some future day when she needed to drive for her, to freeze at the accelerator.
It wasn’t dislike so much as—fear of driving.
She couldn’t say why she feared it, but she… just did.
At noon back at the Old Mansion, the housekeeper waiting at the door welcomed Chi Yumo inside. “Miss Mo, the young mistress is already waiting in the dining hall. Lunch for Zhang Kai and Qiao Ke is arranged separately. Wipe your hands and face, then go eat.”
Chi Yumo took a large and small wet towel from the housekeeper’s tray—large for face, small for hands.
She indirectly asked, “Just me and Sister?”
“Miss Yin Man wanted to stay for lunch, but the young mistress refused.”
Nodding thanks to the housekeeper, Chi Yumo walked on, removing her black cap, tucking her loose hair behind her ears, then putting the cap back on backward.
Since leaving the Old Mansion, she’d worn all-black, simple clothes without logos—all prepared by Shi Youwan.
Not just at the Old Mansion; her own place had them too, down to socks and wrist guards.
Entering the dining hall, she heard Shi Youwan’s soft voice call, “Come here so I can see you.”
As she approached and sat in the chair next to Shi Youwan, the “Sister” on the tip of her tongue unspoken, Shi Youwan took her hand and asked gently, “You got scared, didn’t you?”
