AADWFL Chapter 27

After parking at the hotel, the lightly sleeping Yu Xiuming opened his eyes naturally.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car with fluid, practiced ease—so quickly that An Ning didn’t even get the chance to offer to carry the food box meant for him.

By the time An Ning locked the car and caught up, he was already several steps behind Yu Xiuming.

He hurried after him, trying to retrieve the food box to carry it himself.

Now, watching Yu Xiuming walk ahead of him, An Ning realized—he didn’t look like the usual domineering, sharp, always-one-step-ahead CEO.
He looked like someone who’d walk beside him—only stepping forward first to shield him from the wind and rain.

That thought formed so suddenly it startled An Ning himself.
Thankfully, he was walking behind, so he could quietly shake his head, trying to fling the dangerous idea away.

Yu Xiuming gave him no chance to ask for the food box back. He carried it all the way to his room, and before swiping his key card, glanced at An Ning and gestured for him not to leave—
to come in.

An Ning understood, obediently following Yu Xiuming into the suite.

Whenever they went on business trips, they usually booked two executive suites.
But on nights when they had to work late, An Ning would often go to Yu Xiuming’s suite to continue discussions—or sometimes even stay overnight.
After all, the suite had multiple bedrooms; in a pinch, it could comfortably fit three or four people.

He had entered this room countless times before.
In the mornings, he’d come in with Yu Xiuming’s key card to pick out and iron his clothes.
During the day, he might knock and come in to serve tea.
At night, if there was work to be done, he’d join Yu Xiuming in the study.

But tonight—doing the exact same thing he’d done so many times before—An Ning hesitated.

Because now, he was painfully aware that Yu Xiuming might soon begin a relationship with another woman, sincere or not.
And that realization made him see: many of his behaviors had already crossed a certain boundary.

Yu Xiuming didn’t seem to mind now—because he was single.
But that didn’t mean his future partner wouldn’t.
And it didn’t mean An Ning could ignore the line between professional and personal.

That thought made him realize his plan to resign might have another kind of necessity altogether.

After entering, Yu Xiuming placed the box of lemon lobster risotto on the dining table, went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands, and then sat down.
When he looked up and saw An Ning still standing there motionless, he spoke gently:

“Will you eat first?” he prompted softly.

An Ning quickly moved toward the kitchen and turned on the tap at the island counter.

The last time he’d been in this open-style kitchen—he’d cooked a meal for Yu Xiuming himself.
Now, thinking back, the memory made him cringe.

What had possessed him to cook for his boss, of all people?
As if he were trying to prove he was… domestic.

Mortified, he shoved his hands under the cold running water, scrubbing hard, hoping the chill would wash the heat from his face and his foolishness from his mind.

Meanwhile, Yu Xiuming stood up again, calmly rolling up his sleeves.
He unwrapped the paper bag, set the packaging aside, and opened the food box—revealing steaming hot lemon lobster risotto.

The scent filled the room, drifting straight to An Ning’s nose.
He instantly felt his appetite stir.

Of course it did—this was the work of a five-star hotel chef. Worlds away from the instant noodles he’d choked down earlier.

At 179 centimeters, An Ning wasn’t exactly burly, but for a man in his twenties, his appetite was decent.
A cup of noodles could keep him going—but never fully satisfied.
Now, faced with the real thing, his taste buds rejoiced.

Still… wasn’t he the one usually doing this sort of thing for Yu Xiuming?

As he watched the man neatly take out utensils and arrange them on the table, An Ning finally snapped out of it and hurried forward.

“President Yu, please, you don’t have to— I can handle it,” he said, rushing back after drying his hands.

But Yu Xiuming had already finished setting everything up.

“Eat.”

Two words—gentle but unarguable.

An Ning gave a sheepish smile. He couldn’t keep pretending to be reserved, so he sat down and began to eat.

Just one bite—and he was convinced:
Five-star chefs really did earn every cent of their salary.

The joy on his face was unfiltered, unguarded.
Yu Xiuming, sitting opposite him with one elbow on the table, watched quietly—and the sharpness in his eyes slowly melted into something soft.

Only then did he realize—watching someone you like simply sit there, eating happily, could make your chest feel so full—
fuller, warmer, even, than the cold satisfaction of outmaneuvering people in his family’s ruthless power games.

That kind of success was intoxicating, yes, but it was cold.
Unlike this warmth—simple, human, and alive.

“President Yu,” An Ning finally spoke between bites, slowing down now, “do you… have something you wanted to tell me about work?”

Yu Xiuming’s near-gentle gaze made him a little uneasy.

Thankfully, the man blinked and seemed to rein it in, his expression returning to calm.
He glanced at An Ning’s half-empty bowl, and without refusing the question, began to speak.

“Yu Qi’s been making moves lately,” Yu Xiuming said after a short pause. “And fast ones. He’s gotten in touch with Yi Mingwei’s younger brother.”

Everyone in their social circle knew that the Yi family valued their daughter and eldest son the most. Yi Mingwei’s younger brother, three years her junior, had never excelled academically nor shown much talent elsewhere—but he had mastered the art of indulgence. After barely scraping through university, he didn’t bother to find a job. Instead, he spent his days burning through his family’s money, drinking and partying.

Yi Mingwei’s older brother, Yi Mingqian, had been groomed from childhood for success. Top grades, elite education, overseas study—he’d returned to take over the family business, walking almost the same path as Yu Xiuming. Yi Mingwei herself was intelligent and capable, and everyone once assumed she’d share the responsibility of running the family empire. But the heiress, headstrong and defiant, turned her back on that destiny and stepped into the entertainment industry—wanting to act, wanting to become a leading actress.

To outsiders, it was glamorous.
But to an old-money family like theirs, it was nothing short of a disgrace.

At first, her parents cut her off financially. But blood is thicker than water. Thanks to Xu Jianan’s inside knowledge, Yu Xiuming knew that in the past year, Yi Mingwei’s relationship with her parents had started to thaw.
She would never be completely cast out.

Still, most people in the circle believed she’d lost her chance to inherit the family business.

Now that her younger brother Yi Mingrui had graduated, the gossip mill had turned toward him. People speculated that this playboy might join his brother in managing the family fortune.

Naturally, others began to court him. Even if there was no meat to share, no one would say no to sipping the broth.

Compared to the aloof, sharp-tongued daughter and the shrewd, battle-tested elder son, the naive, pleasure-seeking younger brother looked like an easy target—a perfect entry point.

“I remember,” An Ning quickly caught on, “our group’s new business expansion in Lenzhou involves the Yi family’s Yifang Corporation, doesn’t it?”

Yu Xiuming nodded slowly.

The Lunzhuo project was a new venture for the Yu Cheng Group, while Yifang had long dominated that market.
In the early stages, it wasn’t just cooperation—Yifang even had some say in personnel appointments within certain regions of Yu Cheng’s Lenzhou operations.

“I heard not long ago that Yu Qi’s been trying to secure a position in the company,” An Ning added. “But in Binzhou, there isn’t much room for him to interfere, and we never gave him the green light. So he hasn’t gotten anywhere yet.”

Lunzhuo, however, was Yu Cheng’s major expansion target this year—the very reason for their current business trip.

“We’ve already assigned our management staff there,” An Ning continued, frowning, “but Yifang still has some overlap and influence in certain departments. Is Yu Qi trying to use that as a way in?”

Yu Xiuming inclined his head. “Xu Jianan wants me to win over Yi Mingwei.”

His tone was calm but laced with weariness.

The Yi and Xu families were on good terms, but in elite circles, relationships were murky—half sincerity, half strategy.
In the Yu family’s internal power struggle, the Yi family had so far remained neutral.
If Yu Xiuming wanted to gain their support, he’d need more leverage.

And truth be told, Yu Xiuming’s spotless reputation, strong background, and self-discipline had long made him the kind of man the upper class considered ideal son-in-law material.

If Yu Xiuming and Yi Mingwei were to get engaged—even just publicly date—that alone could secure Yifang’s open allegiance to him.

An Ning’s face grew serious. Even the lemon lobster risotto before him lost its appeal. His chopsticks slowed to a halt.

“Miss Xu must be… doing this for your own good,” An Ning said carefully after much thought. When Yu Xiuming didn’t react negatively, he ventured further, “So what do you plan to do?”

Yu Xiuming’s relationship with his mother had always been complicated. Not openly estranged like with his father, Yu Linshan, but neither close nor simple. Even An Ning, who’d worked beside him for years, couldn’t always guess what he was thinking.

One thing, however, was certain: Xu Jianan had only one child. Whatever her methods, she truly wanted what was best for him.

Yu Linshan, on the other hand, had barely spent a year with Yu Xiuming in total. He had countless illegitimate children and an unpredictable mind—no one could tell whose side he’d ultimately take. Maybe he’d just watch from afar, waiting for the strongest to survive and inherit his empire.

“Work with Yi Mingwei,” Yu Xiuming said finally.

An Ning’s heart skipped a beat.

Work with Yi Mingwei?
That would mean Yu Xiuming had to make sacrifices—emotional, personal ones.
And An Ning, in his private heart, felt that this was asking far too much of him.

---

Author’s Note:
A bit of a dry plot chapter 🤓 Next one—sweetness resumes!