***

"In your Chinese words, a promise from a gentleman is hard to chase after once made."

"Enough, I understand. You all can leave."

An underling probed, "Has Miss Liang come around?"

Liang Anya sneered, "Do I have another choice?"

Seeing her finally relent, the underling was overjoyed beyond expectation, waved his hand and led several people away.

Jiayi rushed to the door, ready to close it, but saw that underling turn around outside the door, "Then, during this period, I’ll trouble Miss Chu to take good care of Miss Liang—"

With a snap, Jiayi pushed the door forcefully with neither too much nor too little strength, hurling it towards the faces of the several men.

The door banged shut, causing their eardrums to ache. The underlings from Beiming Hall got a door slammed in their faces. Chinese women really didn’t seem to be pushovers. They muttered to themselves and went downstairs.

Jiayi returned to the room to find Anya in a daze. She walked over and gave a light pat on her shoulder, "Have you really thought it through?"

Liang Anya snapped out of it, her eyes whirling, "Have a child for him? In his dreams."

Jiayi was surprised, "So you were just deceiving the people from Beiming Hall just now?"

"If I didn’t say that, would they have left? I’ve thought it through. Rather than a head-on confrontation, it’s better to let them lower their guard first. That way, I might still have a chance." Anya yawned and headed to the bedroom, "Xiaoyi, I’m so tired. I didn’t have any strength after that earlier move. I’ll head to sleep first, not eating dinner... Oh, right, I lost one of my slippers when I jumped out the window just now. If you find it, please bring it inside for me, thanks dear..."

Jiayi couldn’t help but laugh and cry.

*

Ever since the people from Beiming Hall showed up that day, Liang Anya had quieted down a bit.

At least she no longer made a fuss about jumping out of bay windows and such.

This, to some degree, eased Jiayi’s mind.

At the same time, Nie Yixiao’s bodyguard business had gotten on the right track.

This time of year was the wedding dress shop’s peak season.

After collaborating with a drama crew a while back, they had branched out into evening wear and custom clothing, and the shop was receiving an increasing number of orders.

As the busy season was upon them, and they were almost too swamped to keep up, they had hired a few new staff.

That day, after interviewing new staff with the store manager at the wedding dress shop, Jiayi stepped out the door only to have her phone ring.

It was a call from Nie Yixiao.

A few days ago, she heard his bodyguard business had taken on several deals, sometimes keeping him so busy he didn’t return to the apartment until late into the night.

Thinking that he must be very busy since just taking over the bodyguard business, Jiayi didn’t want to disturb him and hadn’t been looking for him much either.

She just occasionally called the nanny at his apartment to check on his health.

After all, his body was not as resistant as before due to a gunshot wound and lingering effects.

Apart from being afraid of disturbing his work, there was another reason she hadn’t contacted him—it was because of what happened at the entrance of the neighborhood after returning from the courthouse that day...

That almost fulfilled kiss still made her feel embarrassed up until now.

The way she and Nie Yixiao were getting along now felt very comfortable for her.

It was like going back to the feeling of mutual care and concern they had when they were children.

Not lovers, but more like siblings who depended on each other for survival.

She was somewhat afraid of breaking this feeling.

Jiayi answered the phone, lifting her lips into a smile, "Brother Yixiao, what’s up?"

"Are you done with work?" His tone was as gentle and warm as stream water.

"Yeah."

"Are you free tonight? I’ve booked a place at the Four Seasons Imperial Garden Hotel’s Haitian Pavilion. Let’s have dinner together."

The Haitian Pavilion at the Four Seasons Imperial Garden Hotel is a locally famous private restaurant.

Not only is it expensive, but it also only serves one to two tables of guests daily, and one might not secure a reservation even if booking several months in advance.

"Oh, has the bodyguard industry landed some big deal that they are celebrating?" Jiayi joked.

Just as she had expected.

Brother Yixiao was always at the forefront of the industry.

After taking over the bodyguard business, he reorganized the personnel, cleaned up the accounts, and in a short time, he had revitalized the business, breathing new life into it.

There was a pause on the other end of the line for a few seconds, "It is a celebration, but not for landing a big deal."

"Hmm?"

"Don’t you remember?"

Just then, an employee from the bridal shop called out to Jiayi, talking about some work-related matters. By the time Jiayi turned her head back, holding her phone, she said, "Hmm? What?"

Nie Yixiao didn’t say anything more and simply stated, "If you’re free, come over and we’ll talk."

Jiayi glanced up and saw a car parked at a corner outside the bridal shop.

It was from the subordinates of Lawyer Yang’s law firm.

After all this time, every time she went out, Lawyer Yang really wouldn’t let up, never relenting, either personally showing up or sending subordinates to follow her.

"What’s wrong? Is there something the matter?" Nie Yixiao sensed her prolonged hesitation.

Until now, Jiayi hadn’t told him about that overbearing clause in the divorce agreement.

At this moment, she didn’t want to disappoint Yixiao, and besides, it was just a meal. Surely she still had that small bit of social freedom, she bit her lip, "It’s nothing. I’ll come over in a bit. But I have to go to the kindergarten to pick up Zaizai first, drop him off, and then come back, so you might have to wait a bit."

"It’s fine."

After hanging up, Jiayi retrieved her car and drove to the kindergarten.

As expected, the car from the law firm began to follow slowly behind her.

Upon arriving at the kindergarten, Jiayi picked up Zaizai and walked out the entrance, glancing inconspicuously at the law firm’s car.

She squatted down and beckoned to Zaizai with a hooked finger, "Zaizai, can you do Mommy a favor?"

"Hmm?" Zaizai blinked his long eyelashes.

Glancing at the car under the trees across the street, Jiayi said, "Mommy doesn’t like the people from Lawyer Yang’s office watching, can you help distract them for me?"

Zaizai was aware that every time he and Mommy went out, Lawyer Yang would have someone follow them.

Needless to say, it was certainly Daddy’s doing.

Daddy must be guarding against those wanting to get close to Mommy.

"Mommy, you usually don’t say anything, so why don’t you like being watched today?" Zaizai wondered.

Jiayi playfully scraped Little Baozi’s nose, "If you can’t handle it, just say so. No dawdling. Forget it then." With that, she stood up and took Zaizai’s hand.

This strategy of reverse psychology worked as expected, and Zaizai immediately let go of Jiayi’s hand, indignant, "What’s so hard about it?"

The plump little figure with a cartoon backpack in tow dashed over to the car in a short while and tiptoed to knock on the car window. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Young Master? What can I do for you?" The law firm’s employee on duty to watch Jiayi was surprised and quickly got out of the car.

"Uncle, the West City District mall has a new limited edition Thomas track train set that’s just been released, and I want to buy it today, but Mommy has to go home to take care of Aunt Anya and said she can’t leave Aunt Anya alone at home for too long. Can you go buy it for me now?"

The law firm’s employee was taken aback, "Ah, Young Master, I’m working right now, how about I buy it for you tomorrow?"

"I told you it’s a new limited edition and it’s in high demand—you even have to line up for it now. If we wait until tomorrow, it’ll definitely be sold out."

"But—"

"If you won’t go for me, then I’ll have to ask Uncle Nie to help, okay?"

The employee took a deep breath, of course remembering the instructions from Lawyer Yang, "Fine, I’ll go buy it for the Young Master."