Chapter 54 Exclusively Published on Jinjiang Literature City Chapter 54 "Yuan Ning! What are you doing...?"

Chapter 54 Exclusive Release Chapter 54 "Yuan Ning! What are you doing...?"

Yuan Ning stared at him, the little girl seemed a little frightened.

But she wasn't an innocent little girl. She glared at him and said, "Elijas, do you really believe I can make money from this?"

Elias didn't make any further moves. He continued to stroke her head: "Guess what? Wynne, guess whether I approve of your ideas and investment thinking, or just want to spoil you. After all, I'm happy to spend $300,000 to make you happy."

Yuan Ning's expression changed repeatedly, while Elias gently touched her head.

But she still wondered if Elias truly approved of her or was just trying to please her.

He didn't give her a definite answer; he just looked at her like that.

Yuan Ning began to get angry.

Elias pulled her onto his lap, wrapped his arms around her, and then kissed her, landing on her ear and cheek, causing her to shrink back.

I hate you.

Elias didn't say anything, but kissed her intermittently.

He slowly left only after he had kissed her enough.

"Go on, tell me your thoughts."

Late at night, only a wall lamp remained in the study, casting a soft, dim light.

She sat on his lap, her back pressed against his warm chest. Elias had one arm around her waist and the other casually resting on the sofa armrest, his fingertips idly twirling the ends of her hair that fell over her shoulders.

Yuan Ning rested her hand on the desk, moved the mouse, and opened the organized file.

“I can submit color swatches for these two colors for registration and launch a limited-edition color series with high-end fabric workshops. The patents for these colors and fabrics will be ours.”

As she said this, she turned to look at him.

Unfortunately, capitalists can't utter any emotion, even though his hand is still caressing her waist.

She turned to look at him, and Elias's gaze moved from her waist to her eyes, politely correcting her: "It's mine, not ours, baby."

Yuan Ning felt her breath catch for a moment, unable to vent her anger.

"You're right, boss."

She turned around, and after a while, she heard Elias make a short nasal sound from behind her neck: "Hmm. Go on."

"The patent protection for the color itself is highly controversial internationally, but we happen to have the ability to tell a story—no, it's me, I have the ability to tell this story and its 'scarcity' through the most prestigious channels. This Sighing Blue will become, like Tiffany Blue, your exclusive color, unique to Elias."

"We can also collaborate with Casanova. If you use Casanova leather goods in this color, the price can be increased by another 30%. Members who own this color series become the talk of the town and set the standard, attracting the next level of followers."

Elias tightened his arms around her, lowered his head and sniffed the crook of her neck: "Hmm, my little kitten, you're very smart. Now, make money for me, make lots and lots of money."

Late at night, the No. 1 Willow Street residence was enveloped in a reserved silence.

Yuan Ning returned to her guest room. The room had been personally arranged by Theodora and was not a perfunctory place to entertain guests.

Velvet curtains, an upholstered chair, and a small bookshelf even containing a few art history books related to her interests. The bathroom held unopened basic skincare products from the same but more upscale line of her usual brand. Everything was impeccably thoughtful.

She washed away the glitz of the auction and the dampness of the study, changed into a silk nightgown she had brought, and leaned against the headboard. Her fingertips unconsciously slid across the computer's touchpad; the screen still displayed those cold words about paints, patents, and the narrative of capitalism.

At present, making money is indeed the top priority.

After finishing all her work, she turned off the light and lay down.

Elias wore a dark blue velvet robe, the belt loosely tied, and slippers on the thick, silent wool carpet of the corridor.

He had just closed the door to his master bedroom and turned around when he saw his mother, Theodora, walking towards him from the direction of her small study.

She wasn't asleep either, wearing a robe—an ivory-white silk robe—with a cashmere shawl casually draped over it. In her hand was a small book with a leather cover, perhaps a collection of poems, or perhaps a prayer.

The light from the corridor wall lamps was dim and soft. The two met in the middle of the corridor, just a few steps away from Yuan Ning's room.

There was a momentary pause in the air. Elias stopped, and Theodora also stopped, her gaze calmly falling on him, from the loose collar of his bathrobe to his bare legs after his shower, and then slowly moving to the closed guest room door behind him.

"Still not resting, Elias?" she spoke first, her voice as smooth and steady as ever, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet corridor.

“There are some work details that need to be confirmed again,” Elias replied, his voice equally calm.

He even slightly turned aside, making a gesture to let him pass, as if he really was just passing by. "Mother, are you still awake?"

“I’m getting old, and I sleep lightly,” Theodora said casually, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, her eyes deep.

Her son was getting old, and she could no longer discipline him as she used to, nor did she intend to teach Miss Wynne how to behave.

In short, all she could do was give him that one look; she couldn't ask anything else.

He left with only the words, "Take good care of the guests," before turning and leaving.

"Thank you for the reminder." Elias nodded slightly, his icy blue eyes appearing exceptionally calm under the wall lamp.

Elias stood there, watching his mother's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor. Only when the soft footsteps had completely faded away did he turn back towards Yuan Ning's door.

He grasped the doorknob and turned it gently; the door was unlocked.

He slipped inside as if entering his own territory, and silently closed the door behind him.

The room was completely dark. He walked to the bedside and, by the dim light, saw Wynne lying on her side, facing him. Her eyes were wide open in the darkness, staring at him intently, like a wary yet curious cat.

Elias didn't speak, but simply lifted the covers and lay down. The mattress sank, bringing with it his unique scent and warmth.

"I heard Theodora talking to you, why did you come?"

Elias pressed her shoulders from behind, forcing her to press against his lower abdomen.

Yuan Ning's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed.

The following morning, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant at No. 1 Willow Street, casting bright dappled patterns on the gleaming mahogany dining table. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, the rich bitterness of coffee, and the soft sizzling of bacon.

This was not a formal dinner party, but just a regular weekend family breakfast. Viscount Arthur usually ate breakfast in his study, while the only other guests in the dining room were Theodora, Linus, Yuan Ning, and Elias.

Wearing a simple off-white cashmere sweater and charcoal gray casual pants, with her hair loosely tied up, Yuan Ning was sipping orange juice as Linus enthusiastically described his recent research on 14th-century Dutch still life paintings and their symbolic meaning of withered flowers, as well as their connection to a series of installation art pieces he was conceiving.

“…So I want to use modern materials to simulate that feeling of decay and splendor coexisting, which may require some special resins and metal oxidation reactions…” Linus gestured.

Theodora gracefully sliced ​​a small piece of fried egg, nodding slightly at the suggestion. "That sounds quite challenging, Linus. If you need advice on the lab, perhaps you could ask Wynne; she seems to have a good understanding of the history and properties of materials." Her tone was calm and natural, as if it were just a casual remark, and her gaze swept over Yuan Ning with a faint, encouraging smile.

“Really? Thank you so much!” Linus’s eyes lit up.

Elias sat opposite him, with the Financial Times spread out in front of him, seemingly reading the financial section.

He would occasionally glance over the newspaper at the conversation at the table, especially when Yuan Ning was speaking.

As the sunlight slowly shifted, the conversation at the table darted from art to recent exhibitions in New York, then to Linus complaining about the rigid professors at the academy. The bacon was finished, the bread basket was empty, and the coffee pot was nearly empty.

An ordinary morning filled only with food, conversation, and sunshine.

Yuan Ning gently touched Elias's leg under the table. Elias turned a page of the newspaper, his hand naturally hanging down, and under the cover of the tablecloth, he accurately grasped her hand and squeezed her fingertips.

It felt warm and reassuring.

Theodora touched the corner of her mouth with a snow-white napkin and stood up. "I should go check on the orchids in the greenhouse. Wynne, see you in the study at three o'clock this afternoon."

“Okay, Theodora.”

Elias folded up the newspaper and said to Yuan Ning, "Perseus has a video conference this morning. If you're free, you can use my study."

"Um."

Linus grabbed the last piece of bread, muttered "I'm going to the studio," and ran off.

Only Yuan Ning and Dorota, who was quietly tidying up, remained in the restaurant.

She slowly finished the last bit of warm tea in her cup.

Sunlight shifted from the restaurant into the corridor. Yuan Ning had just stepped onto the Persian carpeted stairs when her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was an unfamiliar number from Lake City, but she recognized the area code prefix.

She stopped in her tracks, standing in the shadows at the corner of the stairs, watching the numbers flashing on the screen. The warmth she felt from breakfast quickly cooled, replaced by a cold, familiar sense of wariness.

She pressed the answer button, but didn't speak immediately.

"Hello, Meng Yuanning." A male voice came from the other end of the phone.

"May I ask who you are?"

After a brief silence, the other person made no attempt to conceal his identity: "I am Meng Qingxing. According to the birth order in the family, you should call me Second Brother."

Yuan Ning held her phone, her gaze fixed on the closed study door at the end of the corridor, where Elias was conducting his video conference.

She stood at the empty corner of the staircase, her voice completely flat: "Mr. Meng, is there anything I can help you with?"

Meng Qingxing on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback by the way he was addressed.

Not long ago, they even fantasized that their half-sister would be eager to be recognized by them and call him "brother".

But at this moment, Meng Qingxing couldn't help but think of what the younger sister on the other end of the phone looked like.

She used this completely detached, almost cold politeness as if they were completely isolated from her world.

She looked down on them.

He suppressed the turbulent emotions surging within him and tried to make his voice sound businesslike, even carrying a hint of the helplessness that belonged to an older brother: "Do we have to speak to each other in this tone? Yuan Ning, we are, after all, siblings connected by blood."

“Mr. Meng,” Yuan Ning repeated, her tone even more subdued, “if your call is merely to confirm titles or blood relations, then I think there’s no need for us to continue this conversation. My time is precious.”

"Wait!" Meng Qingxing said anxiously, his feigned warmth instantly crumbling, revealing his underlying anxiety. "I... have something important to discuss with you."

Yuan Ning's fingers tightened for a moment on the cold frame of her phone. Sunlight streamed through the high window at the corner of the staircase, casting fine shadows on her eyelashes and obscuring the sharp, cold glint that flashed in her eyes.

Her lips curled up slightly for a moment.

“Serious business? My serious business with your Meng family was fully discussed through lawyers and the court six months ago. I think we should call it even now.”

Meng Qingxing felt a pang of sympathy. The incident involving Meng Qingyuan was the greatest disgrace and loss for the Meng family in nearly twenty years, not only in terms of money but also in terms of face.

He took a deep breath, knowing that beating around the bush would only put him in a more passive position: "I know you have a close personal relationship with Du Wenjin from Hong Kong. I have a project with her..."

Yuan listened quietly, her face expressionless. She even turned slightly to the side, leaning against the cold wooden handrail of the stairs, her gaze still fixed on the tightly closed study door.

Elias was inside. She didn't need to get close to know that the world was well-ordered, full of rational calculations and clear boundaries.

On the other end of the phone lies another muddy swamp, filled with decaying family ties and naked exchanges of self-interest.

“So,” she began slowly, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible hint of playful inquiry, “Mr. Meng, are you trying to pass a message to Ms. Du through me? Or are you hoping that I can use my ‘sister’ connections to get Ms. Du to go easy on your project that’s stuck in the mud?”

Meng Qingxing's palms were sweating as he held the phone. The once-proud young master of the Meng family, who was quite successful in the business world of Hushi, felt powerless in front of a girl in her early twenties.

When he last came to New York to handle matters for Meng Qingyuan, he hadn't realized how much trouble this man was.

I never expected that she would grow to such an extent in such a short period of time.

He had to admit that his adopted sister was too strong in every way.

“I know there have been things our family did wrong in the past.” He carefully chose his words, trying to regain some control. “Qingyuan was young and naive, and Mom and Dad… also had some misunderstandings. But Yuanning, business is business, and this project involves a lot. If it fails, it will be a significant blow to the Meng family. As for Du Wenjin, it might just be a matter of a word. Since you have the ability, it’s only right and proper for you to help the family…”

"If you keep talking like that, I'm hanging up," Yuan Ning gently interrupted him.

"Don't hang up!" Meng Qingxing finally changed his tune, his voice calming down. "Tell me what you want. You can name your price. Money, shares..."

Yuan Ning remained silent for a moment. The stairwell was so quiet that she could hear her own steady breathing, and Meng Qingxing's suppressed, heavy breathing on the other end of the phone.

The sunlight moved, illuminating half of her cheek, while the other half remained hidden in shadow, obscuring the view.

“Mr. Meng,” she finally spoke again, her voice neither sarcastic nor purely declarative, “do you know? All the conditions you just proposed seem…extremely cheap in the world I live in right now.”

She looked up, her gaze seemingly piercing through the thick walls, and saw the blond, blue-eyed man in the study who was controlling the world of capital.

“Some people have suggested that I get involved in this matter so that I can get something out of you. Even if I don’t care about the money and shares, it would be quite satisfying to see you groveling before me.”

Meng Qingxing on the other end of the phone gritted his teeth. For someone like him, he would be able to endure the insult he suffered in the short term. Everyone would be fooled by his honesty and harmlessness, but he would definitely repay the favor tenfold when he had the chance in the future.

After all, he and his mother were the same kind of people. Yuan Ning had already experienced this firsthand.

“But,” Yuan Ning’s voice rang out again after a pause, “I thought about it later, why should I help you if you beg me a few times? Tsk tsk, that’s a considerable sum of money.”

She tilted her head slightly, as if examining a less-than-perfect solution.

"Mr. Meng, you say business is business. Very well, then let's just talk business." Her tone completely stripped away the last trace of personal emotion belonging to "Meng Yuanning," transforming her into a pure, cold evaluator. "I've seen the public information about your project, and Ms. Du has mentioned it casually. Yunjin International in the Hushi New District occupies a considerable area, but its positioning is awkward. There are hidden conflicts between the initial planning and local policies. Most importantly, the Hong Kong design firm you're working with had a similar project in Kuala Lumpur three years ago, which was abandoned due to structural defects and misappropriation of funds, and they're currently involved in a transnational lawsuit. Ms. Du's due diligence team probably already has all of this on their desks."

The breathing on the other end of the phone suddenly stopped. Meng Qingxing felt as if someone had grabbed his throat. Some of these internal problems were only vaguely perceived by him; he was completely unaware of them.

"So, you want me to pass on a message? What message? To tell Ms. Du that these risks don't exist, or to beg her to jump into the fire pit with her eyes closed for... my sake?" Yuan Ning chuckled lightly, short and sarcastic. "Mr. Meng, you think too kind of me, and you think too foolish of Ms. Du."

The sunlight moved completely onto her, enveloping her in a bright halo.

“I won’t pass on any information to you. But,” she changed the subject, with the composure of a hunter finally revealing his true purpose, “I can point you to another path. A path that might prevent you and the Meng family from being completely dragged down by this project, and even give you a chance to extricate yourself gracefully.”

Meng Qingxing's heart skipped a beat, a mixture of wariness and hope rising within him. "What road?"

“Relinquish control of the project from the Meng family.” Yuan Ning spoke each word clearly. “I can introduce you to a truly capable and willing investor who will take over this half-dead project. They are adept at handling these kinds of complex real estate legacy issues, have sufficient local resources to re-plan, smooth relationships, and even have the ability to kick out that problematic design firm and bring in a top international team. Of course, the prerequisite is that the Meng family needs to relinquish most of their shares, becoming a secondary shareholder, or even retaining only a symbolic right to profits.”

This isn't helping; it's clearly inviting a wolf into the house, then forcing the Meng family to hand over their own flesh to the hungry wolf! Meng Qingxing could almost hear the sound of his blood rushing to his head.

"Yuan Ning! You're jeopardizing the foundation of our Meng family!" he roared, unable to maintain his composure any longer.

“You can refuse. Just wait for the cash flow to break, the bank to withdraw the loan, the supplier to sue, the project to be completely abandoned, and then the Meng family’s credit will be bankrupt, and they will never be able to hold their heads up in the Hushi business district again.”

Meng Qingxing had considered these consequences she mentioned, otherwise he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to beg her.

"Who is the investor you introduced?" he asked through gritted teeth.

“You don’t need to know that for now. If you accept, my lawyer will approach you with a preliminary framework for cooperation. Goodbye, Mr. Meng.”

Before he could answer, the busy tone of the phone rang, indicating that the other party was very busy, and he was just one of their many tasks.

Yuan Ning quickly hung up the phone, partly because she didn't want to talk to him anymore, and partly because the heavy oak door had been pulled open from the inside.

Elias had clearly just finished a meeting; he was still wearing a crisp white shirt, trousers, and waistcoat, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Across a long corridor covered with ornate Persian carpets, their eyes met in the air.

He didn't ask "whose call was it?" or "what happened?"

He simply looked at her for about two or three seconds. Then, he slightly raised the folder in his hand and said in his usual calm, task-oriented tone, "Any new projects?"

“Yes, I do.” Yuan Ning walked up to him, looked up, met his gaze, and smiled very faintly. “Making money is more important.”

Elias nodded politely: "Of course."

At 5:55 p.m., Yuan Ning changed into a more elegant off-white knitted dress and appeared on time at the door of Theodora's small study.

After a gentle knock, a warm "Please come in" came from inside.

The interior was more private and warm than Elias's study.

The air was filled with the scents of old books, dried flowers, and a very faint beeswax. Theodora was already seated in the velvet sofa by the window. On the small round table in front of her, several crystal wine glasses refracted the sunlight, while next to them were a decanter and three bottles of red wine without labels, distinguished only by different colored wax seals.

“Very punctual.” Theodora smiled. “Have a seat and relax. It’s just some new vintage samples sent by a few friends’ wineries. They haven’t been officially named yet, so we can taste them together and chat.”

Yuan Ning sat down on the single sofa opposite her as instructed.

Theodora personally picked up the decanter and slowly poured the dark ruby-red wine into the glasses in front of the two of them.

“This one comes from a very small plot of land in the Côte de Nuits in Burgundy. The owner is an old friend of mine. He’s a bit stubborn and insists on the most traditional winemaking methods, so the production is extremely limited.” She gently pushed the glass towards me. “Let’s look at the color first.”

Yuan Ning picked up her wine glass and held it up to the light. The wine was a deep color, but the rim revealed a vibrant purplish-red hue, hinting at her youth. She gently swirled the glass, and the wine clung to the sides, leaving clear "tears" on the surface.

"It's a beautiful color, the purple at the edges is so vibrant," she described truthfully.

Theodora nodded, picked up her glass, smelled it first, and then gestured to Yuan Ning. Yuan Ning brought the glass closer, and a complex yet restrained aroma wafted towards her.

She took a small sip, letting the wine linger in her mouth, savoring the texture of the tannins, the support of the acidity, and the evolution of the flavors in her palate. The tannins were delicate yet powerful, like smooth silk enveloping grit; the acidity was bright, providing the framework of the wine; the flavors unfolded layer by layer, from the initial sour cherry and cranberry, to the more grounded leather and mushroom in the middle, finally leaving a lingering minerality and subtle bitterness, like a cobblestone path after the rain.

"The tannins are very fine, yet powerful. The acidity is excellent, giving the wine a very upright character. The flavors are somewhat complex, requiring some thought." Yuan Ning put down her glass, carefully choosing her words. "It's not the kind of wine that tries to please you from the start."

“Well said. It’s not flattering, and it’s even a little hard to understand. But those who understand it will love it for a long time.” She took a bite herself, squinting her eyes slightly, as if recalling, “The grapevines on this plot of land are very old, with deep roots, struggling every year to draw that little bit of nourishment from the barren limestone.”

Next is the second one, from the right bank of Bordeaux. It's more rounded and full-bodied, with distinct black plum and chocolate notes and sweeter oak flavors, and smoother tannins. The third one is an Italian Barolo, with a grand structure and tannins as firm as a young boy's. It needs more time to decan and wait, and its aromas are dried rose, tar, and aged orange peel, full of sharp edges and personality.

After tasting the three wines, Theodora didn't delve into the technical details, but instead shared the terroir, the winery's story, and the feelings each wine evoked in her.

Yuan Ning followed her rhythm, savoring the experience carefully and trying her best to describe her true feelings, without deliberately pandering or being afraid to express her confusion.

As the last lingering flavor of Barolo faded in her mouth, Theodora picked up a snow-white linen napkin and gently dabbed it at the corner of her lips.

“Tasting wine is like knowing a person, Wynne,” she suddenly began, seemingly digressing from the wine itself. “Some people are like the first Burgundy; the initial taste may be astringent, not ‘sweet’ enough, requiring time and patience to understand their inner structure and depth. Their value lies not in immediate pleasure, but in the slow and gradual unfolding through long-term companionship and appreciation.”

Yuan Ning's heart stirred slightly, knowing that she was referring to Elias.

“Some people are like this Bordeaux,” Theodora said, tapping the second glass with her fingertip, “They know how to be more approachable and friendly, easy to drink, and successful in social situations. But if you drink too much of it, you might get tired of it and miss a bit of your edge.”

Yuan Ning was somewhat stunned. Although Theodora often praised Elias in the past, often saying that "Elijas is the most gentlemanly man on the East Coast of the United States," this was the first time she had praised him so subtly.

"But you know, if you give him enough time to settle, breathe, and unfold in the bottle and the cup, he will develop amazing complexity and charm. However, this process requires waiting, and also... knowing how to get along with him, neither rushing to extract from him nor being afraid of his rawness."

Yuan Ning almost laughed: "Theodora, he's already very charming."

"But it's always just a little bit short, isn't it?"

Yuan Ning did not reply.

“I always thought he should be matched with the most talented lady, the Winthrop daughter, a Cambridge graduate, fluent in four languages, able to manage the estate’s accounts, and also an connoisseur of Renaissance paintings. Everyone said it was a match made in heaven.”