{Chapter: 236 Who agrees and who opposes?}
Early in the morning, Lin Yuan arrived at the entrance of the Hope Cake Shop, the quaint storefront still bathed in the soft golden hues of dawn.
To his mild surprise, Chen Yu was already standing outside the store. For a moment, Lin Yuan assumed she had been waiting for him, anticipating his visit. But as he stepped out of his car and observed more closely, he realized that Chen Yu was not loitering—she was working. With surprising strength and efficiency, she hoisted two large sacks of flour into the shop, her slender frame belying the power she possessed.
After all, Chen Yu wasn't just anyone—she was an internationally feared assassin, someone whose presence could make underworld figures tremble. Seeing her involved in such a mundane, domestic task was strangely surreal.
Lin Yuan watched with interest as she carried the second sack into the bakery. Memories stirred—he recalled how he had sent her to the warehouse in the eastern suburbs not long ago to assist in the downfall of the Qingshan Gang. He'd told her that within three days, her blade would be stained with the blood of the Chen family.
True to his words, the Qingshan Gang had been annihilated in record time. That ruthless efficiency hadn't been lost on Chen Yu. From that moment on, she realized that Lin Yuan's conflict with the Chen family wasn't just business—it was personal and irreconcilable. That understanding had ignited a deep respect in her heart, strengthening her loyalty toward him.
Now, seeing him, Chen Yu's cold expression softened—just a little. She greeted him first, a rare gesture coming from someone of her temperament.
"Good morning, Master," she said quietly, her voice still tinged with her usual cool demeanor but noticeably sincere.
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow. For someone like Chen Yu, who rarely initiated conversation or showed any emotion, this was almost monumental. He responded warmly, "Good morning."
As he walked closer, a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes. He teased, "So, has the renowned international assassin been reduced to carrying sacks of flour for a living?"
Caught off guard by the teasing, a faint hint of embarrassment crossed Chen Yu's usually stoic face. Still, she kept her composure and replied earnestly, "I just wanted to help out. The store manager's always so busy handling everything here, so I thought I could lighten her workload a bit."
Lin Yuan was momentarily taken aback. It wasn't just the fact that she volunteered to help—it was the tone of her explanation. It lacked any defensiveness and carried a quiet, respectful sincerity.
"Oh?" he said, genuinely intrigued. "I didn't expect that from you."
Chen Yu turned her head slightly, hiding a faint flush. Lin Yuan, reading her like an open book, realized something else—she seemed to genuinely like Qiu Wanxi, the shop's manager.
He thought back to when he first tasked Chen Yu with protecting someone. At the time, she had clearly resisted the idea of bodyguard duty. But the moment she met Qiu Wanxi, her attitude shifted. Lin Yuan had read her personality well in the original novel—Chen Yu wasn't the type to be emotionally swayed easily. She certainly wasn't interested in women romantically. But Qiu Wanxi's warm-hearted innocence and relentless optimism had a way of affecting even the coldest of people.
Maybe it wasn't attraction, but admiration—or maybe even a desire to protect something pure.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and patted her lightly on the shoulder. "Good job," he said with approval.
Although visibly uncomfortable with the unexpected praise, Chen Yu still responded with an awkward nod. "Thank you, Master," she muttered.
Lin Yuan's eyes wandered toward the counter, where he saw Chen Yu now cutting a cake with exceptional precision and speed. He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly—was she using her knife skills from her assassin days to slice pastries?
Then he asked casually, "Where's Wanxi?"
Before Chen Yu could answer, two cheerful voices chimed in unison from the side.
"Wow! Young Master came all the way here early in the morning just to see the store manager?" one said with playful curiosity.
"The store manager is still upstairs!" the other added helpfully.
Turning to look, Lin Yuan saw two familiar faces—Xiao Lian and Xiao He, the shop's lively and ever-playful assistants.
Xiao Lian smirked and said, "Master must be feeling a little hungry this morning, right? Came rushing over to see the manager before breakfast, tsk tsk…"
Xiao He giggled. "Young men these days really get hungry too easily. Xiao Lian, you have to be understanding!"
Watching the two tease and finish each other's sentences with perfect chemistry, Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh. Without warning, he raised his hand and gave them each a light swat on their backsides.
After a few pats on their asses, the two girls ran away shyly.
Startled and red-faced, they squealed in protest, their voices overlapping.
"Rogue! Hooligan!"
"Young Master is such a hooligan!"
Still giggling, the two girls ran off toward the kitchen area, throwing playful grimaces over their shoulders. Lin Yuan just smiled, ignoring their mock complaints.
With that, he made his way upstairs, unhurried, the corners of his lips curled in a relaxed, amused smile.
As soon as Lin Yuan stepped upstairs, the soft sound of running water reached his ears.
He paused for a moment, listening intently. Judging from the sound, he guessed that Qiu Wanxi was freshening up.
With casual steps, Lin Yuan made his way toward the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, and through the gap, he caught a glimpse of a graceful figure standing quietly in front of the sink.
Qiu Wanxi was in the middle of brushing her teeth. She wore a loose pink pajama set decorated with bright red strawberries, an outfit that made her look both adorable and youthful.
Lin Yuan couldn't help but recall the Qiu Wanxi from the past. Back then, she had been severely undernourished—her body frail, her figure thin and almost brittle. But now, thanks to a steady diet and proper care, she had filled out in the healthiest of ways. Her physique had changed dramatically—soft curves replacing the angles of starvation.
Her skin, especially her arms, looked smooth and milky-white under the morning light, with just the right amount of softness and definition.
Lin Yuan slowed his approach, his footsteps deliberately quiet as he took a moment to admire the innocent scene before him. Qiu Wanxi, unaware of his presence, hummed lightly while brushing her teeth, her face still showing the drowsy flush of early morning.
With a playful grin, Lin Yuan crept behind her and gently covered her eyes with both hands.
"Guess who I am?" he asked teasingly, lowering his voice on purpose to sound mysterious.
Without hesitation, Qiu Wanxi beamed with joy and replied, "Of course it's you, Young Master! You really came!"
Lin Yuan chuckled softly. "Oh? And how were you so sure it was me?"
Qiu Wanxi turned slightly, her cheeks puffed with foam but her smile still evident. "I memorized your scent a long time ago. I would recognize it anywhere. Besides," she added with a wink, "only Xiao Lian, Xiao He, or you would sneak up and do something like this."
Turning around more fully, Qiu Wanxi looked up at Lin Yuan, her face blushing slightly as her eyes met his. There was a mix of affection and shyness in her expression, as though she was both happy and a little bashful about being caught in her pajamas.
Seeing her like this, Lin Yuan's heart softened.
"What's wrong? Are you unhappy I came?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.
Qiu Wanxi shook her head hurriedly, her toothbrush still in hand. "Wanxi is very happy—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Yuan leaned down and kissed her. The rest of her words were swallowed in surprise, her lips caught in his.
…
Ten minutes later, the two emerged from upstairs, walking hand-in-hand down to the cake shop below.
As they descended the staircase, their fingers still interlocked, the early bustle of the shop met them. Xiao Lian and Xiao He were wiping down tables, but when they noticed Lin Yuan and Qiu Wanxi coming down together, they immediately exchanged suspicious glances.
Chen Yu, who was still silently slicing a large cake with precise motions, glanced at Qiu Wanxi's slightly flushed cheeks and messy hair.
"There's a situation here," Xiao Lian said dramatically, putting a finger to her chin like a detective deep in thought.
"A definite case," Xiao He chimed in with a serious nod. "It's a clear-cut mystery. Possibly…a hammer case."
"Hammer case?" Xiao Lian raised a brow.
"That's what Holmes would call it if he had a hammer and no clue what to name the case," Xiao He said with a grin.
Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh. He raised a hand and gently knocked their heads, one after the other.
"Today, I'm borrowing your store manager for a day. Any objections?"
"I object!" both Xiao Lian and Xiao He shouted in unison, crossing their arms like children refusing to share their toys.
Chen Yu, however, said nothing. She continued cutting the cake, her gaze calm and uninterested.
Bang! Bang!
Two playful head smacks followed.
"Well, since everyone clearly agrees—unanimous approval. Wanxi, let's go."
Lin Yuan didn't wait for further protests. He took Qiu Wanxi's hand again and led her out of the shop like a triumphant hero stealing a princess away.
Behind them, Xiao Lian and Xiao He pouted with exaggerated sadness, their gazes full of betrayal.
Qiu Wanxi giggled softly behind her hand. The warmth of Lin Yuan's palm wrapped around hers sent a gentle current of joy flowing through her chest. This feeling—so simple, so pure—made her heart feel light and sweet, like she was floating on air.
As the shop door closed behind them, Chen Yu followed a few steps and called out, "Master, do you want me to accompany you?"
Her voice was calm, but Lin Yuan understood the hidden meaning—she was offering to act as his bodyguard in case of danger.
He waved her off with a smile. "No need. You can stay here and help out in the store."
Chen Yu nodded silently and stepped back inside.
Lin Yuan and Qiu Wanxi walked toward his parked Lamborghini. Once seated inside the luxurious car, Lin Yuan noticed something interesting.
Qiu Wanxi, who had once been timid and anxious during car rides, now sat much more comfortably. Her body no longer tensed at every movement of the vehicle. Her delicate feet, wrapped in soft green sandals, rested lightly on the floor mat. She looked relaxed—at peace.
Yet, when Lin Yuan glanced at her face, those same bright eyes met his gaze. They still shimmered with that endless hope and admiration that had always been there from the beginning.
What had changed, however, was the deepened warmth and affection they now held—for him, and only him.
*****
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