Fourth Uncle straightened up, patted Ning Bing'an's shoulder with a burning gaze: "Anzai, well done. I've been waiting for this moment for too long."
Ning Bing'an nodded slightly, his face still displaying the gentle demeanor of a clear breeze and bright moon, showing no trace of pride or excitement.
He personally escorted his fourth uncle to the kitchen door, watching his slightly hunched figure in a Tang suit disappear at the end of the corridor.
Ning Bing'an slowly turned around and calmly instructed his subordinates who had been guarding the door: "Let the waiting guests in."
The subordinates acknowledged and withdrew.
Ning Bing'an then calmly put on disposable gloves and turned on the professional oven next to him.
He took out the cake base that was emitting an enticing aroma.
The steaming hot cake has a rich aroma of milk and eggs.
He placed the cake base steadily on the turntable, picked up a spatula, and began the next step—piping the cake—with skillful and deliberate movements.
Not long after, the kitchen door was pushed open again by his subordinates, and a slender figure walked in gracefully.
Today, the other person was wearing a well-tailored Chanel suit, with exquisite makeup and fiery red lips.
Her charming eyes held a hint of languor, and she exuded the allure and confidence of a mature woman.
She walked slowly to Ning Bing'an's side, watching him make a cake with great interest, and said with her red lips slightly parted, "Brother Bing'an, I really didn't expect you to have such a leisurely interest."
Ning Bing'an didn't look up, his hands moving without pausing, the butter knife slicing across the cake surface, leaving a uniform white line.
Cha Meiling stretched out her slender fingers and gently placed them on his shoulder, her breath sweet as orchids: "I haven't congratulated you yet, you've succeeded."
Ning Bing'an didn't pause at all, nor did he care about her expression, and directly avoided her hand.
His gaze remained fixed on the cake, still not looking at her—
"As long as Uncle Si can find similar materials in terms of quality and clarity to make those three indistinguishable jade chili peppers, our plan will be half successful."
His voice was calm and without a trace of emotion.
Cha Meiling didn't care that her hand missed its target.
She leaned against the kitchen counter, admiring Ning Bing'an's profile, and smiled brightly: "I love your drive and initiative."
"You've only been promoted to my uncle's senior assistant for a month, and you've already accomplished things that many people want to do but can't. Brother Bing'an, you really haven't disappointed me."
Ning Bing'an finally stopped what he was doing and looked at Cha Meiling: "After you get the real jade chili pepper, when do you plan to go to Switzerland to open the warehouse?"
Cha Meiling chuckled softly and leaned closer to him again, exuding charm and elegance: "Of course I'll go with Brother Bing'an. This big cake from the Ning family is meant to be shared by everyone."
As she spoke, she dipped her slender finger into the cream and touched it. Her red lips parted slightly, and she licked her fingertip with her tongue: "Brother Bing'an's cake smells so good."
The next second, a cold, sharp light flashed by!
The squeegee in Ning Bing'an's hand had been turned around at some point.
The long metal knife, originally used to cut cakes and spread cream, was now coldly pressed against Cha Meiling's slender, fair neck!
Cream left a white mark on her neck.
Ning Bing'an's voice was gentle yet chilling: "Your hands are dirty, don't touch my work."
The cold blade brushed against the delicate skin on the side of her neck, bringing a slight stinging sensation that was enough to make one's heart skip a beat.
Cha Meiling's movements stopped instantly. A hint of surprise flashed in her beautiful eyes, but there was no fear.
She raised her hand and touched the cream on her neck: "Brother Bing'an, I just wanted to taste it, there's no need to be so nervous, is there?"
Ning Bing'an's gaze grew colder: "I hate it when people ruin my work, and I hate it even more when people touch my things without permission."
Cha Meiling's smile widened, as if she didn't care about the knife at her neck at all: "Of course I understand, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to cooperate."
If Ning Bing'an wanted to kill her, he wouldn't have cooperated with her.
She reached out and gently grasped Ning Bing'an's wrist, effortlessly removing the cream-stained knife from her neck.
"After all, everyone knows that the second branch of the Ning family went to great lengths to get you to marry Ning Yuan, giving the chairman shares of Ning's Group as a 'dowry.' In return, the chairman generously exchanged those shares for several properties under his name, and then registered them under your and Ning Yuan's joint names."
Cha Meiling watched as Ning Bing'an's face gradually darkened, and continued speaking slowly and deliberately—
"It sounds like you, Young Master Ning, are living a life of unparalleled glory, not only marrying the Ning family's most favored youngest daughter but also instantly becoming a shareholder of Ning Corporation. But what's the reality?"
"Those shares are visible but intangible, and you have to jointly hold them with your 'newlywed wife' Ning Yuan. That woman is secondhand goods, used by other men and already has children. You can't buy, sell, or dispose of the shares at will! To put it bluntly, what's the difference between this and you not owning a single share?"
Ning Bing'an put the knife away and placed it on the counter. He continued to decorate his cake with a piping bag, his expressionless face showing even more chill in his eyes.
Cha Meiling scoffed, her tone filled with undisguised sarcasm—
"This is simply a deal between the first and second wives, a performance to balance family power and appease all parties!"
"You and Ning Yuan are both pawns used by the old man and my uncle to stabilize the internal relations of the family."
Ning Bing'an's fingers tightened slightly, and the butter knife left a less-than-perfect mark on the cake.
Cha Meiling's gaze held a hint of pity, yet also a touch of satisfaction—
"But the difference is that Ning Yuan is a legitimate member of the second branch of the Ning family, Ning Zhengkun's own niece. She holds real power and is becoming increasingly important. And what about you?"
“You, Ning Bing’an, have lived under someone else’s roof since childhood, working as a lowly servant. You were bullied at school because of your status as an adopted son. You finally managed to get a job, but you can only be a hotel general manager who could be fired at any time. Even the servants in the Ning family mansion dare to give you attitude.”
"You've endured humiliation and hardship for so many years, and what have you gained in the end? Ning Yuan has the right to grab a piece of the cake that the first and second branches of the Ning family are dividing up, while you, who have been obediently guarding Ning Zhengkun's house, don't even have the right to smell it!"
The man in the snow-white chef's uniform expressionlessly used the tip of his knife to draw delicate patterns on the cream, his technique terrifyingly precise.
It's as if all emotions are being poured into these silent lines.
Cha Meiling leaned against the side with a smile, her voice carrying a deadly allure and malice—
"When you realize that you've worked hard all day but haven't gained any real benefits, that Ning Yuan, that secondhand woman, won't sleep with you, and you can't even freely dispose of those pitiful shares."
"The resentment and bitterness in your heart finally overwhelmed your years of feigned docility, which made you finally decide to cooperate with me, didn't it?"
Ning Bing'an finally slowly lifted his gaze from the cake, his chilling gaze landing on Cha Meiling's face.
Cha Meiling met his cold gaze with a smile and said, "After all, before this, you seemed... so protective of your 'little sister' Ning Yuan. I thought you really had feelings for that country woman."
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