She just didn't know if the woman had caught the subtle implication that Cheng Ying thought she was an idiot.

Gao Yue considered herself quite beautiful, and it was understandable that she'd want to flaunt her prime youth in a way that elicited envy, though it still sounded rather grating to hear.

Even a pretty girl frowning is still good-looking, but the way Miss Gao Yue looked at Cheng Ying was just as irritating; she felt that exchanging any more words with Cheng Ying would be an insult to her precious time. "I don't understand what you're implying. I came here today specifically to tell you that Mr. Chi—that is, Chi Wu—has excellent prospects in B City. His company is currently viewed with high expectations in B' City. Those of us who have struggled up alongside Mr. Chi are also willing to follow him to take the company to the next level."

Cheng Ying found the preamble far too long. Still, she conceded the girl was certainly earning her salary; this was all for self-interest, a loyal servant, perhaps. "Should I give Miss Gao a raise?"

Gao Yue’s face, moments ago full of grand pronouncements, flushed a mottled blue-purple. "A joke! I'm from the Research Institute under Mr. Chi. You, a mere housewife, giving me a raise?"

Cheng Ying decided the coffee wasn't up to par and discreetly waved over the waiter.

The waiter approached, bowing low, his service impeccable. "How may I assist you?"

Cheng Ying said, "Just bring me some lemonade."

She couldn't interrupt the beautiful speaker; Cheng Ying worried she might splash coffee on her, an action that would be completely out of character for her. Hold it together.

Gao Yue snapped, her tone sharp and severe. "Interrupting someone is extremely impolite. Were you not taught any manners in that regard?"

Cheng Ying's expression remained unchanged. She was long past the age of impulsiveness. When someone questioned her upbringing, Cheng Ying could face it with perfect calm. Not everyone can be reasoned with. "My apologies. My manners are quite good. Didn't you yourself just say yesterday that the matriarch of my household raises only exceptional children? Please, continue."

Gao Yue’s face darkened. I was complimenting Chi Wu, what does that have to do with you?

Gao Yue didn't want to waste any more time on this woman. "What I need to say is that you are dragging Mr. Chi down. The company's prospects in B City are far superior to relocating here. The results we achieved building things up in B City over two years will be completely squandered because of this move. And where is B City? What achievements could Mr. Chi possibly attain in B City ten years from now? Do you even grasp that?"

Cheng Ying frowned. Would anyone know better than her what heights Chi Wu could reach? She felt this woman was simply failing to understand the situation. "Thank you for your kind reminder. Our family can certainly absorb this particular loss."

Gao Yue choked, momentarily stunned. This woman simply wasn't taking in what was being said. "I'm talking about you hindering Mr. Chi, stalling the company's development! This small provincial capital, perhaps it seems large and wonderful to you, but for Mr. Chi, it's too confining—there's no room for him to truly deploy his abilities."

This was what they called the 'discouragement tactic.' She hadn't even been discouraged out of school, and now, as a wife—and soon to be a mother—she was facing an official attempt to push her out.

Cheng Ying took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Firstly, if I truly possessed the power to affect things to that degree, I personally consider it an honor. For a woman to have such a profound influence on a man—I feel immensely proud. 'Easy to find priceless treasures, hard to find a beloved partner.' Thank you for informing me, indirectly, how much my husband, my beloved Chi Wu—whom you call Mr. Chi—is sacrificing for my sake. You are, in fact, the living link between us, the witness to our true love. Secondly, as an employee of my household, your sense of proprietorship is commendable, but you must understand: you are, and remain, merely someone drawing a salary. You can care about the company's progress, but you cannot concern yourself with Mr. Chi himself. He is my husband, my love, and he is claimed. He is mine. Miss, your logic has gone astray. And where exactly are your moral standards? Did your upbringing teach you to concern yourself with the future prospects of a married man? Could you perhaps enlighten me as to which prestigious lineage you hail from? Is your arrogance derived from your uniquely deviant moral code? Who granted you that conviction? Thirdly, let me tell you this: covet what you are capable of obtaining, but do not yearn for what is not yours. Some things are predestined, like Chi Wu and me. Some things are simply anomalies of fate, like you. You are that anomaly, daring to speak so loudly to the legally wedded wife of the man you target. Who gave you such audacity? I assure you, the only reason I came out to share this beverage with you is because I thought life was becoming too monotonous. There will not be a next time. Next time you dare to look at Chi Wu again, I will confront you every time. Don't think that just because you have a high academic degree, you can destroy a marriage and still not be a homewrecker. Are you not ashamed, you who represent the educated class?"

That line of reasoning was perhaps too aggressive. Cheng Ying felt it wasn't quite fitting for a pregnant woman to say. "Don't assume that just because you're a technician, you hold all the leverage. I’m telling you, this company can run perfectly well with or without you. It’s not your place to lecture me. You can pack your bags and leave."

That had a rather nouveau riche tone.

Cheng Ying realized that paying to employ a woman who lusted after her man meant there was something fundamentally wrong with her own judgment.

Gao Yue had likely never encountered a woman like this in her life, which is why her mouth kept trembling. When Cheng Ying finally paused to draw a breath, Gao Yue managed to interject, "On what grounds are you telling me to leave?"

Cheng Ying smiled beautifully. "Miss—ah, no, Miss—I forgot to mention something. You probably haven't looked at the corporate registration documents for your company. My name is listed there. While serving as the company's legal representative carries significant risk, we are husband and wife; we willingly share that risk. Therefore, both our names are on the registration. In other words, you work for me. If I tell you to go, you go. I won't mistreat a contributing employee, but I certainly won't reward a contributing employee with my husband. I'm sorry, but I cannot meet your compensation demands."

Gao Yue went momentarily blank. The company wasn't solely Chi Wu's? And this woman didn't seem as useless as she looked.

Cheng Ying stood up to leave. It was beneath her dignity to engage with a woman living entirely within her own self-constructed reality. Furthermore, judging by the woman's appearance, she wouldn't handle further setbacks well; perhaps this path wasn't for her.

However, as she stood up to pay the bill, she addressed Gao Yue one last time. "Oh, and thank you for expressing such concern for my grandmother."

Gao Yue immediately wanted to retort that she cared about Chi Wu's grandmother.

Cheng Ying preempted her, adding softly, "If you intend to follow the 'grandmother' route, perhaps you haven't fully investigated. Chi Wu’s parents and grandparents do not live with us. The person currently residing with us is my grandmother, Cheng Ying's grandmother. Goodbye. As a final employee benefit, this coffee is on me."

With that, she swept out, heavily pregnant.

Gao Yue’s face turned ashen, not from fear, but from pure rage fueled by Cheng Ying. How could a woman from the countryside possess such confidence?

Gao Yue absolutely refused to believe that Chi Wu would fire her for anything. Therefore, she paid no mind to Cheng Ying's threats. She truly was brimming with self-assurance.

The coffee shop, by design, was a comforting space. Each table was separated by partitions, intended to provide privacy for conversations. Perhaps the content of their exchange was too scandalous for the current era, because the surrounding area remained quiet. Everyone was straining their ears, listening. This was far more entertaining than any stage play; people wondered if the two were rehearsing something.

Cheng Ying, her belly prominent, walked out, receiving a wave of admiring glances. A pregnant woman exhibiting such command was rare; this woman was truly admirable.

Of course, some people stood up to observe the remaining women nearby. Curiosity, a common trait among locals.

Gao Yue stood up, pale-faced, bristling with haughtiness. "What are you looking at? Have some manners!" That statement was essentially an invitation for conflict; looking at them twice apparently meant one possessed zero class.

But "we" were people of class, and engaging with an enraged, frantic woman was, as the saying went, "lacking dignity."

A young woman near the counter stood up, followed by her companions. They didn't spare Gao Yue a glance as they walked past to settle their bill. "Please include this lady's bill as well, and perhaps make a call to the nearest psychiatric facility. Releasing patients to wander about and consume substances unsupervised is largely irresponsible. This is blatant sabotage of a legally sanctioned marriage! We haven't heard of any family in our provincial capital whose upbringing allows for such behavior."

With that, the group tossed down money and left.

This statement made every consumer in the café want to applaud the woman who had just paid; she had brought immense credit to the people of their provincial capital.

By the time Gao Yue understood the full weight of those words, the group had already departed, leaving her only with a stunning retreating figure.

Gao Yue didn't understand the concept of starting the day on the wrong foot, otherwise she would have known this day had started very badly for her. However, she maintained her arrogant head held high as she left. It was rare for someone to possess such resilience against a setback. Her mental fortitude was truly impressive.

Cheng Ying walked slowly, mindful of her pregnancy, but she was soon caught up to.

Qing Fang also stood tall, looking at Cheng Ying with a proud glint in her eye, then raised an eyebrow toward the group of young women walking alongside Cheng Ying. "Weren't you trying to meet her? Cheng Ying, my nephew's wife."

Cheng Ying, surrounded by three or four beautiful young women, heard Qing Fang utter those words.

Her heart skipped a beat then trembled. Had these girls just entered or just passed their overly dramatic adolescence phase? This was the first time someone had referred to her this way. What a painful realization: Chi Wu suddenly had an aunt.

Cheng Ying met her with a cheerful smile, deciding to treat this as practice for cultivating her son's tolerance. "What a coincidence."

The group immediately swarmed Cheng Ying, chattering: "You have such charisma! You're the most striking pregnant woman I've ever seen! The way you spoke was so powerful! How could that other woman be so shameless? Wasn't she openly trying to steal someone's partner?"

Qing Fang nodded, still looking very proud. "So tacky. If you're going to pursue someone, you should do it before they're married!"

Cheng Ying glanced at Qing Fang's puffed-out chest and raised chin. How much identification do you feel with this situation? Are you sure you aren't just trying to validate yourself?

Cheng Ying laughed lightly. "Haha, just kidding. Thank you all for thinking so highly of me. But next time you watch a show, you need to buy a ticket; you can't just let me perform for free, especially when I'm carrying such a burden."

The surrounding girls laughed. "Oh, we're practically family now! Aren't you Qing Fang's nephew's wife? That makes you one of our younger relatives."

Cheng Ying felt her skin crawl. These girls were incredibly bold. She suddenly had a whole contingent of aunts. Heavens know her grandfather hadn't sired that many daughters; where would she find dowries for all of them?

Acting as the senior relative, Qing Fang cleared her throat. "Exactly. I called you my nephew's wife, correct?"

Cheng Ying mused that having an extra elderly aunt was slightly more tolerable than having an endlessly annoying husband-pursuer. Even if an elderly aunt was akin to a fierce tigress. "Aunt Qing Fang, what a coincidence."