Chu Ci, sitting in the SUV, overheard Jiang Hexi and her brother's conversation and laughed so hard she nearly choked, slumped over the steering wheel for a long time, unable to get up.

Yan Jie loaded the New Year's goods into the trunk, opened the car door, and got in.

Chu Ci immediately stopped laughing and pretended not to understand anything, saying:

Why didn't your cousin-in-law say goodbye before leaving?

"Didn't you hear everything?"

"What did you hear?"

Chu Ci took off her headphones and looked back at him blankly. "I was sitting in the car with my headphones on listening to music the whole time, and I didn't hear anything."

Yan Jie kicked the back of the seat. "Then what are you laughing at? I can hear you laughing so hard through the car door."

Chu Ci's pretense was exposed, so she simply stopped pretending.

"Big cousin, I'm not trying to be mean, but you've been chasing after your cousin's wife on two seasons of a farming reality show, how come you still haven't won her over? You're just being led around by the nose by her all this time?"

"Who said I didn't win her over?"

"Then you should bring her home and give me a big red envelope for Chinese New Year."

"You just wait, you're sure to get a red envelope."

Yan Jie took one last look at the stone courtyard outside the car window, then looked away and said, "Drive back."

After returning to his villa in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, Jiang Hexi locked himself in his study to write a speech.

Ms. Zhou pushed open the study door and brought over a cheongsam for her to try on:

“Ah Xi, this moon-white cheongsam really flatters your complexion. Try it on and let me see.”

Jiang Hexi looked up from her computer and reprimanded her for not knocking: "Mom, I'm writing a speech, please don't disturb me."

"When will you finish writing this speech? Come over and try on this cheongsam. The master craftsman in Suzhou is waiting for you to make some changes."

"No, I can't afford to delay this speech for even a moment longer."

Seeing her lack of cooperation, Ms. Zhou put on a cold face and adopted an authoritative posture:

"Aren't you going to listen to me? Come over here and try on the cheongsam."

“I won’t try,” Jiang Hexi replied firmly.

Ms. Zhou looked at her with great surprise, and before she could even show her power, she heard her proudly say:

Do you know where I'm going to give a speech this time?

"Isn't it just a domestic agricultural product trade fair?"

"It's the International Agro-Food Conference. I'm going to the headquarters in Switzerland and will be giving a speech entirely in English."

Ms. Zhou seemed quite impressed by the conference and immediately asked, "How many people will be speaking?"

Jiang Hexi said with increasing smugness:

"A total of thirteen countries around the world have sent their speeches. I am the only representative of new farmers from China, and I will be standing on the stage to give a keynote speech."

Ms. Zhou never expected her to be so successful, to the point of being sent abroad as a representative.

Jiang Hexi asked her one last time, "Do you still want me to try on a cheongsam?"

"At a time like this, why are you still trying on a cheongsam? You should focus on writing your manuscript. I won't bother you anymore."

Ms. Zhou quietly left the study, and before leaving, she thoughtfully closed the door behind her.

Jiang Hexi carefully wrote down the words of her speech.

A moment later, there was a light knock on the door, and Ms. Zhou entered carrying a platter of milk and fruit, which she gently placed on the desk.

Jiang Hexi glanced at her slightly, silently asking: What does this mean?

Ms. Zhou explained, "Writing is mentally taxing, so I drink a glass of warm milk to nourish myself. Sitting for too long can make me feel tired, so I eat some fruit to ease my mood."

Jiang Hexi accepted her kindness with a solemn expression and dismissed her, saying, "You can leave now."

Not daring to delay her writing, Ms. Zhou quietly left.

Jiang Hexi forked a crisp plum, took a bite and crunched it, thinking to herself that this was more like it.

She wrote a manuscript at home for two days, and then acted as an emperor at home for two days.

The whole family took turns serving her, and she thoroughly enjoyed this unprecedented treatment, which made her write an exceptionally smooth and fluent speech.

On the day of her formal speech, she wore a white shirt and black trousers, and stood on the podium, speaking eloquently to representatives and media from around the world.

She summarized her experiences over the past year in a report, talking about the "fighting chickens" flying overhead on the mountain, how she angered the village bully Li Youtian by fishing in the wrong pond, and the thousand acres of wheat fields that were flooded.

What was supposed to be a humorous and witty speech ended up bringing tears to the eyes of most people, to the point that she bowed as she left the stage, and the applause from the audience lasted for a long time.

Jiang Hexi came out of the huge conference room and stood outside to get some fresh air.

That experience was so profound, it felt like it happened just yesterday, yet she turned the page and put it in the past.

She gazed at the flowers and plants in the rooftop garden, gradually becoming lost in thought.

She turned around slightly when she heard the sound of a camera clicking away behind her, and met a pair of deep eyes looking at her. She exclaimed in surprise:

What brings you here?

"Come listen to your speech."

Yan Jie put away his camera and smiled at her, "Then I missed you."

Jiang Hexi rushed over and gave him a big hug:

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand? That way, when I was giving my speech on stage, I would have looked in your direction and given you a close-up shot."

"I don't want close-ups."

Yan Jie held her tightly in his arms. She could feel the muscles in his arms tense up, like an iron wall firmly welded to her.

What he wants is self-evident.

Jiang Hexi asked in a muffled voice, "Where do you live?"

Yan Jie said in a hoarse voice, "The presidential suite upstairs in the hotel."

The two took the elevator upstairs and entered the presidential suite together.

Yan Jie especially liked to kiss Jiang Hexi's lips.

He was like a dried-up well, always able to draw sweetness from her mouth.

He relentlessly pursued her, relentlessly kissing her until she could barely breathe and her cheeks flushed red, yet he still wouldn't let her go, fiercely and persistently.

"My phone...my phone...it's ringing—"

Yan Jie pulled her onto his lap and swallowed her voice in one gulp; the sounds of kissing lingered on the sofa.

After a brief pause, the phone rang again, relentlessly.

Jiang Hexi turned her head to avoid his kiss, and gently tucked his hair in a soothing motion, saying:

"Honey...it must be my mom calling. She won't feel at ease if she can't hear my voice."

Tell your aunt that you're going back the day after tomorrow.

Yan Jie pressed his forehead against hers, looking at her with deep desire, and said, "Otherwise, don't even think about answering this call."

Jiang Hexi picked up the phone with slightly trembling hands. Even though the speakerphone wasn't on, the conversation could be clearly heard in the living room.

"Mom—, things here aren't finished yet, I won't be able to go back for a couple of days."

"There's another themed exhibition coming up. I figured since I'm already here, this is a rare opportunity, so I might as well see the exhibition before I go back."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful and let you know I'm safe. Someone's looking for me here, we'll talk later."

Before Jiang Hexi could hang up, she heard him ask in a low voice, "Are you done talking?" Startled, her fingers trembled, and she immediately hung up the phone.

Before she could reply, Yan Jie lowered his head and captured her lips, kissing her uncontrollably.