You got your marriage certificate and then abandoned me? I'll feed the richest woman in the wor

boom.

A dull thud came from the tablet screen.

Several burly men slammed steel pipes into the edge of the live stream camera.

The screen instantly turned into a deathly black.

Chen Yuan calmly placed the tablet upside down on the marble countertop.

As if nothing had happened, she turned around and opened the refrigerator door.

A blast of cold air hit him as he took out the chilled dough.

Sprinkle a little dry flour on the cutting board and roll the dough back and forth with the rolling pin.

The buttery aroma of puff pastry slowly filled the kitchen late at night.

Shen Wanzhou sat on a high stool, holding half a strawberry in her hand.

Her bright, peach-blossom eyes were fixed on Chen Yuan's movements.

The bloodshed outside couldn't even disturb a single leaf in the manor.

Time slipped away quietly as the dough rose and fell.

The oven made a crisp "ding" sound.

The golden, crispy Napoleon cake was served on the counter.

As the knife sliced ​​through, the pastry made a soft, crackling sound.

Chen Yuan cut a small piece and handed it over with a silver fork.

Shen Wanzhou took a bite, and the crispy crust fell onto her pajamas.

She squinted her eyes contentedly, like a cat that had stolen a bite of fish.

The tension I'd been feeling due to work for days completely dissipated with this sweet treat.

Chen Yuan reached out and casually wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth.

The warmth from her fingertips instantly flushed her cheeks.

Nothing was said that night, only the sweet aroma of vanilla and butter lingered in the air.

The next morning.

The sky over Jianghai City cleared completely, and sunlight filtered through the branches of the plane trees, casting dappled shadows.

Sparrows chirped and chattered on the branches, bringing life to the early spring.

But outside the heavy mahogany door on the second floor, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost dripping with tension.

The old butler, Uncle Fu, paced back and forth in the corridor.

The leather shoes stepped onto the carpet, yet the person walked with the air of an ant on a hot pan.

Sweat poured from his forehead, layer after layer, trickling down the wrinkles on his face.

He clutched a gold-embossed invitation tightly in his hand, wringing his hands anxiously.

Today is the highest-level annual banquet for the business community in Jianghai City.

This concerns the implementation of several core strategic projects of the Shen family conglomerate in the second half of the year.

Hundreds of media outlets and tens of thousands of eyes are watching.

As the helmsman of the entire conglomerate, Shen Wanzhou cannot be absent today under any circumstances.

Even just showing up briefly is a stabilizing force for stock prices.

If I can't go today, Shen's stock is likely to experience a major upheaval when the market opens tomorrow.

But the master inside had locked himself in for a full three hours.

The kitchen on the first floor was steaming hot.

Chen Yuan placed the flat-bottomed black iron pot on the gas stove.

The snow-white, round dough balls were neatly stacked at the bottom of the pot, packed tightly together.

Pour in water, cover, and simmer over high heat.

Sizzle—!

The crackling sound of water and oil mixing echoed in the kitchen.

White steam lifted the heavy wooden pot lid, billowing outwards.

Chen Yuan, timing it with a stopwatch, lifted the pot lid.

A handful of black sesame seeds and bright green scallions were sprinkled down like raindrops.

The rich aroma of meat blends with the crispy, wheaty crust, soaring powerfully into the sky.

The skin of the pan-fried buns becomes translucent, and you can vaguely see the plump meat filling inside.

The broth bubbled and simmered at the bottom of the pot, making an enticing sound.

A flurry of footsteps broke the rhythm in the kitchen.

Uncle Fu stumbled into the kitchen.

Even the most meticulously chosen button on his tuxedo was buttoned wrong.

My leather shoes slipped on the smooth tiles, and I almost fell, only managing to grab the door frame for support.

"Mr. Chen, I'm begging you, please go upstairs and check on Miss!"

Uncle Fu's eyes were red, his voice was trembling, and his weathered face was filled with anxiety.

"The banquet motorcade has been waiting outside the estate for two hours."

"The chairman has called more than a dozen times to urge us to leave. If we don't leave now, it will really be too late."

"The young lady's phobia is acting up again at the thought of meeting hundreds or thousands of people."

"I heard her breathing heavily outside the door just now."

"She hid under the covers and refused to come out; her pajamas were soaked with cold sweat!"

As Uncle Fu finished speaking, his voice became choked with sobs.

Chen Yuan frowned slightly, his hand holding the long chopsticks pausing in mid-air.

With a flick of his wrist, he turned off the gas stove.

The blue flames went out instantly, and the sizzling sound from the pot also subsided.

He used a slotted spoon to pick out the pan-fried buns one by one, their bottoms now golden brown and crispy.

They were placed steadily on a white porcelain plate with an orchid pattern.

"Okay, I'll take care of it."

He took off his apron and casually draped it over the back of the chair.

He picked up the plate of still-steaming pan-fried buns and strode out of the kitchen.

I climbed the spiral staircase to the second floor.

The air in the corridor seemed several degrees colder than on the first floor.

The mahogany door was not locked, leaving a narrow gap.

Uncle Fu was so anxious that he left the spare key in the lock.

Chen Yuan pressed down on the doorknob with one hand and pushed the door open to enter.

The room was dark, like a closed basement, with the lights off.

The heavy, three-layered blackout curtains were drawn tightly, completely blocking out the sunlight.

Not even a ray of light could get in.

The air was thick with a sense of oppressive heaviness, mixed with a faint smell of cold sweat.

In the center of the large bed, a trembling bulge rose.

The silk quilt was rolled into a ball and tightly wrapped around the person inside.

Like a hedgehog facing danger, it hides all its vulnerabilities.

Rapid, disordered breathing came from under the covers, like someone struggling near water.

Chen Yuan tiptoed to the bedside.

Place the plate of pan-fried buns on the rosewood bedside table.

The overpowering aroma of meat and scallions instantly tore a hole in the stuffy air.

The figure in the blankets visibly stiffened for a moment.

Then, a pale, thin hand reached out from the gap.

His fingers gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, his knuckles turning a bluish-purple as if he were suffocating.

Shen Wanzhou pulled the blanket down further, revealing a pair of terrified eyes.

Her hair was completely soaked with cold sweat, clinging to her cheeks in clumps.

The pink silk pajamas clung tightly to her body, exuding a layer of cold moisture.

He looked like he had been pulled out of the water.

His face was as white as a sheet of paper devoid of blood.

"I don't want to go..."

She looked at Chen Yuan, her voice broken and incoherent.

The teeth chattered, making a soft knocking sound.

"Those people... will keep staring at me, their eyes will devour me."

The rumors of her being a female tyrant in the business world are nothing more than a false facade created by the Shen family to protect her.

Strip away this shell, and she's just a severe social phobia sufferer who can't even bear the gaze of strangers.

Every time she appeared in public, it was like being slowly tortured to death.

The surrounding noise would be amplified into piercing din in her ears.

Chen Yuan sat on the edge of the bed.

The mattress dips slightly, exuding a reassuring and stable power.

He didn't spout any nonsense about considering the bigger picture, nor did he offer any empty words of comfort.

I picked up the chopsticks from the bedside table and took out a pan-fried bun.

Gently blow away the scalding heat from the surface.

"Open your mouth first and eat this."

As I brought the pan-fried bun to my mouth, its crispy bottom exuded an enticing aroma of oil.

Shen Wanzhou, her eyes red-rimmed, obediently opened her pale lips.

Biting through the thin dough releases a burst of hot, savory meat juices that instantly fill your mouth.

The warmth of the food slides down the esophagus into the stomach.

The spasms and chills caused by fear were forcibly suppressed a little by this warm current.

She leaned against the pillow like a frightened kitten, chewing in small bites.

There was a layer of shiny oil on her lips.

Chen Yuan took out a tissue and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

Her movements were gentle, yet carried an undeniable force.

His palm, through the tissue, pressed against her skin, transmitting a continuous stream of heat.

"It's just walking the red carpet and showing your face."

Chen Yuan threw the tissue into the trash can, his voice low and steady.

"No one dares to eat you."

Shen Wanzhou swallowed the food in her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

She shook her head desperately, gripping the sheets beneath her tightly with both hands.

He ripped the smooth bed sheet into messy wrinkles.

"I'm scared... Chen Yuan, I can't even walk."

She was afraid of the flashing lights from cameras and the insincere, flattering smiles.

I'm afraid of those people whispering and pointing fingers behind my back.

She was even more afraid of losing control and embarrassing herself in public, bringing shame to her grandfather.

Various negative emotions clung tightly to her heart like vines.

Chen Yuan looked at her pitiful appearance.

The softest string in my heart was gently plucked.

This girl, she usually even has to pass a black card through the crack in the door.

Asking her to face hundreds of cunning old foxes head-on is indeed putting her in a difficult position.

"What if I go with you?"

Chen Yuan suddenly spoke, his tone as relaxed as if they were discussing what to eat for dinner.

Shen Wanzhou was stunned.

Even the chewing motion stopped.

She stared at Chen Yuan with wide eyes, her eyelashes trembling violently twice.

Even my breathing stopped for half a second.

"you?"

"right."

Chen Yuan picked up another pan-fried bun and fed it to her.

"As your personal assistant, I will accompany you down this red carpet."

"This plate of pan-fried buns is the deposit."

He put down his chopsticks and took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hands.

"Once you get there, you don't need to say anything or see anything."

"If someone tries to chat me up, I'll fend them off."

"There are cameras filming you, I'll stop them."

"You just need to keep your eyes on my back and follow me forward."

Chen Yuan's deep eyes gazed at her, like a deep sea that could encompass all fear.

"With me here, no one in Jianghai City can touch a hair on your head."

Shen Wanzhou stared at him blankly.

The buzzing in my ears gradually faded away, replaced by his steady voice.

This person can always use a meal or a single sentence to achieve their goal.

They easily pulled her out of the mire.

The overwhelming sense of panic that threatened to overwhelm him miraculously dissipated after hearing his promise.

She lowered her head and took a big bite of the pan-fried bun, not even bothering to wipe the meat juices from her lips.

The warmth in my stomach flowed throughout my body, dispelling the coldness in my limbs and bones.

She suddenly sat up in bed.

The silk pajamas slipped down to her shoulders, revealing her fair and rounded shoulders.

She was completely unaware, reaching forward with both hands as if grasping at a lifeline.

Shen Wanzhou gripped Chen Yuan's suit sleeve tightly, her nails digging into the fabric: "You swear, you won't leave my sight for even a second."