Chapter 6

After the first love carried her pastries to the table, she exchanged a few words with Madam and left.

She ran into Mr. Fu on her way out but did not speak to him either.

Madam wore a pale-yellow qipao and had dressed the Young Miss in the same color.

Mr. Fu’s eyes brightened once again. He was about to approach his wife when she walked past him to welcome the Old Madam.

For the first time, the CEO found himself receiving nothing but coldness from the women who used to circle him no matter how often he drove them away.

He was dumbfounded.

He turned to me. “Mrs. Wang, what’s wrong with those two?”

I pursed my lips. “They took off their blindfolds.”

“What?”

Before he could ask another question, the Old Madam announced that dinner was served.

The Young Miss wriggled out of her mother’s arms. We had cared for her well over the past few weeks. Not only had she grown healthier, but she had also become much bolder.

She stood confidently beside the Old Madam and the Old Master.

“Hello, Grandma. Hello, Grandpa.”

The Old Master continued eating without a smile and ignored her. Fortunately, the Old Madam stroked her head kindly and gave Madam an approving nod.

“You have taught the child well.”

The Young Miss immediately dragged her little stool over to the Old Madam’s side.

“Grandma is very pretty.”

Sure enough, the Old Madam was delighted. She glanced around the table and praised the CEO.

“You did well too. At least you finally know not to bring outsiders to a family dinner.”

Having grown up starved of maternal affection, the CEO was overwhelmed by this rare praise. Eager to perform the role of a loving husband, he piled food into Madam’s bowl.

Madam found a kindergarten for the Young Miss.

During the day, after dropping her daughter off, she took me with her to select products.

At a banquet the CEO had brought her to, Madam had met several like-minded friends. She was interested in the maternity and infant industry, and the Young Miss was so adorable that every outfit she modeled became irresistible.

With such a good model, the brand found its market quickly. Combined with the prestige of its founder being the richest man’s wife, Madam’s business flourished.

She became a hardworking little bee, constantly flying between her career and her family.

Sometimes the CEO came home to find Madam tapping away at her computer with the Young Miss in her arms, too busy to notice him.

Perhaps the contrast displeased him.

“What have you been doing lately?”

Madam rarely bothered to explain. The quickest solution was to murmur a few sweet words and kiss him a few times.

Exactly as he used to placate her.

The CEO clearly failed to notice. Instead, he basked in the attention.

“You’ve changed, Madam.”

While she continued typing, he crouched beside her and kissed her hand.

His renewed interest in his wife even made him slightly kinder to the Young Miss. When the mood struck, he would play with his daughter for a while before coaxing Madam.

“Why don’t we have another child—a son—to keep Ziling company?”

“The two children could play together. It would make your life easier too.”

Madam smiled. “Ask one of your little lovers to give you a son.”

His face stiffened, but warmth quickly returned.

“Are you jealous?”

“That woman is like a younger sister to me. I only took her to see Grandmother that day because I didn’t want to tire you.”

“Plenty of women want to climb into my bed, but I have never agreed to a single one.”

Madam ignored him, but he insisted on explaining.

“It’s true. We only knew each other at university.”

“Her family wasn’t well-off, so she treated me like an older brother. I merely looked after her from time to time.”

“Madam, you can’t truly be holding that against her, can you?”

Madam could not be bothered to argue about the past. She only wanted to keep moving forward.

So she said nothing and gave him a perfunctory kiss.

“I know. You’re the best.”

That used to be the CEO’s favorite line whenever Madam questioned him.

Back then, he often could not even be bothered to wipe the lipstick from his neck. Yet Madam had treasured his hollow reassurance as though she had captured a piece of his heart.

Now that their roles were reversed, I could only applaud.