Chapter 18: The Adopted Daughter of a Wealthy Family Leaks Telepathy 18 Did I Ruin It…

Chapter 18: Revealing the Inner Thoughts of a Wealthy Family's Adopted Daughter 18 – Did I Ruin It All...

Xu Ziyan picked out an outfit for work and went to bed early. She was now practicing healthy living, cherishing her precious life.

The next morning, as soon as she came downstairs, she saw Fu Qixuan finishing his workout and preparing for breakfast. She couldn’t help but admire him: "Being a big boss isn’t for everyone. First, you need boundless energy and peak health—no minor illnesses to slow you down, almost machine-like.

Wow, steamed buns for breakfast! I love these! Wonder if the company cafeteria is any good. If not, maybe I’ll order takeout for lunch? Since I’m sharing an office with the big boss, should I order for him too?"

Fu Qixuan sat across from her, his ears filled with her constant chatter. Seeing her eat so heartily, he unconsciously took a few extra bites himself.

Just then, a servant approached and handed her a card. "Second Young Miss, someone delivered this card for you last night. I didn’t disturb you since you were already asleep. The person who brought it said you’d know what it was about."

Xu Ziyan nodded. "I know. Give it to me."

Fu Qixuan asked, "Whose is it?"

"Ding Jie’s," Xu Ziyan answered casually.

Fu Qixuan frowned. "Are you short on money? I’ll transfer some to you. Don’t spend the Ding family’s money. Ding Jie has ulterior motives—keep your distance."

Xu Ziyan waved the card in front of him with a grin. "That’s exactly why I should spend it like crazy! Since it's from a rival family, it's not my money, so why should I care? Besides, he’s pulling schemes. Shouldn’t I get some compensation for my hard-earned performance skills?"

The Fu family, worried the two might not get along, had come downstairs early—only to overhear their disagreement. Fu Dongfeng immediately called Fu Qixuan into the study and told him everything they’d heard from Xu Ziyan’s inner thoughts.

Following the plot was no trivial matter—it had to be taken seriously to prevent the world from collapsing. They’d already tested it: as long as the plot was nominally followed, or at least perceived as such by Ding Jie, it would suffice. That’s why, despite discovering issues with Li Dong and Zheng Wenbo, they’d held their position, waiting to follow the later plot points.

Since Xu Ziyan always allocated her skill points to luck, they decided to cooperate as much as possible, enduring and assisting her in completing her assigned plotlines. The more skill points she gained, the better—hoping that good fortune would indeed turn calamity into blessing and danger into safety. Only then could they truly break free from the plot and continue their lives.

Previously, Fu Qixuan hadn’t believed in the so-called "inner thoughts," nor had he discussed it deeply with his family. Now, though still struggling to accept this absurdity, he recognized its importance. Whether real or not, he’d play along. Even if it was fake, caution wouldn’t hurt.

Once father and son reached an understanding, Fu Dongfeng felt reassured. His son, though self-centered, always kept his promises. He’d definitely take good care of Xu Ziyan.

Xu Ziyan and Fu Qixuan rode to the company together. Fu Qixuan immediately began reviewing documents, while Xu Ziyan busied herself with her tablet.

Soon, Fu Qixuan’s ears were bombarded with noise.

"001, look at this car! Isn’t it gorgeous? The design is stunning!"

"Huh? They say the performance is mediocre? Next! How about this one? A bit pricey, maybe?"

"Or this one—lovely color, spacious seats, just feels right. I’ll have to test-drive it."

"Gosh, in my past life, I never dreamed I’d be casually picking from million-dollar cars. This is pure bliss!"

"001, doesn’t this bag match my outfit perfectly? I should buy it as my work bag. Wow, 800,000? No problem. Needs to be specially ordered? I’ll place the order now!"

"This massage chair looks amazing—only 200,000-something. I’ll get one for the office. Oh, and a projector screen, plus headphones so I don’t disturb the big boss."

Fu Qixuan rubbed his temples. Should he thank his adopted sister for at least remembering him? Not that it made a difference—her "inner thoughts" were a constant chatter in his ears. Even when Xu Ziyan sat quietly, his mind was flooded with her ramblings.

For the first time in his life, he felt one person could equal ten—her thoughts were endless!

Yet Fu Qixuan never suggested moving Xu Ziyan elsewhere. He wanted her close, to personally verify whether these "inner thoughts" were real.

Thus, the two entered the company in peaceful silence. The only difference Fu Qixuan noticed was that the Xu Ziyan he once knew had vanished, replaced by this endlessly chatty new version.

At the company, Fu Qixuan slipped effortlessly into his domineering CEO persona, while Xu Ziyan got a firsthand taste of the novel-esque "domineering CEO" atmosphere. Employees greeted them respectfully, and she even rode the private executive elevator—reaping the benefits of being the boss’s adopted sister!

The executive office had many employees, including Lin Xiaoyun, who had resumed her polite smile, blending in seamlessly—except for her all-white suit dress, which stood out slightly.

Lin Xiaoyun, recalling how she’d walked home in the rain the previous night without anyone chasing after her, seethed with anger inwardly. The Fu family was insane—Fu Qixuan was insane, and so was Xu Ziyan. But she needed to complete Ding Jie’s task to get the rest of her payment. She immediately glanced at Xu Ziyan, hoping to exchange glances.

Xu Ziyan thought, "Since I took Ding Jie’s card, I should humor him a little—makes spending his money guilt-free. Time to follow the plot."

001: "Host, you just want the rewards for following the plot, don’t you?"

Xu Ziyan: "No need to spell it out."

Aloud, she smiled and said, "Assistant Lin, bring two coffees—same as my brother’s preference."

Lin Xiaoyun complied, hurrying to prepare the coffee. Others watched, speculating if Lin Xiaoyun had connections—how else would the boss’s sister know her on the first day?

Xu Ziyan’s desk was already set up on the other side of the office, a distance from Fu Qixuan’s, but with the same high-quality desk and chair materials.

Xu Ziyan made herself at home, first touring the CEO’s office before spinning playfully in her chair. "001, don’t I look like a domineering CEO? Look the part, huh? In my past life, I was a manager too!"

She pulled out her phone to take selfies. Fu Qixuan had to admit his family’s recent conclusion was right—this Xu Ziyan had an enviably carefree attitude.

When Lin Xiaoyun returned with the coffee and tried to leave, Xu Ziyan stopped her. "Stay and brief me about the company. I’m new here. Also, tell me about my brother’s daily routine—what he eats, drinks, when he works, when he rests."

As Fu Qixuan’s personal assistant, Lin Xiaoyun handled trivial matters and had meticulously studied his habits. She smiled, sitting gracefully to showcase her devotion, hoping Fu Qixuan would notice her efforts.

Seduction was her forte.

Meanwhile, Fu Qixuan grew increasingly wary as he listened. Lin Xiaoyun had only been here briefly yet knew his routines so well—was it observation or had Ding Jie investigated him? Either way, alarms blared in his mind.

He wondered when the investigation into Lin Xiaoyun would yield results. He’d already ordered probes into Ding Jie, his mother, and the entire Ding family. He disliked chaos—only by knowing his enemies could he control the situation.

For now, though, he had to play along—letting Lin Xiaoyun believe she was succeeding and Xu Ziyan think she was completing her mission. This way, they wouldn’t alert the enemy, and the plotline could advance, boosting Xu Ziyan’s luck points.

After a moment, he spoke. "Assistant Lin, you’ve worked hard. You’ll receive double bonuses this month."

Lin Xiaoyun stood quickly, declining. "President Fu, you’ve already helped me so much. I do this willingly—it’s no trouble at all. No need for bonuses."

Xu Ziyan screamed internally: ["What the hell, who refuses bonuses?! As a fellow wage slave, this offends me! Don’t ruin the market rate! And ‘willingly’? That’s not how you use that phrase! Ugh, people like her are insufferable!"]

Fu Qixuan found her outward elegance and inner chaos amusing and chuckled. "I insist. You’ve earned it—take it."

Lin Xiaoyun finally accepted, feigning shyness as she took the opportunity to leave. To make his plotline more natural, Fu Qixuan watched her go before turning away.

Outside, Lin Xiaoyun’s face flushed with triumph.

Xu Ziyan’s eyes widened, ready to spectate the drama. "Wow, why bother with novels or dramas when I can spectate real-life drama? Oh wait—she’s more of a socialite. A venomous flower who’ll deceive the domineering CEO."

Fu Qixuan took a deep, patient breath. If not for the need to avoid alerting the enemy, would he be doing this? He didn’t believe in CEO-Cinderella romances—he felt nothing for Lin Xiaoyun beyond the kindness one shows a stray animal. He’d always had a soft spot for helping others.

He’d hired Lin Xiaoyun because he was busy and needed a personal assistant. She was meticulous and eager to repay his kindness—hence the probation period. Yet in Xu Ziyan’s mind, he was some lust-blinded fool.

He refused to believe the plot would make him obsess over a woman he’d merely helped. Impossible!

Sure enough, Xu Ziyan’s thoughts continued: ["The original plotline didn’t even focus on their love story—just Lin Xiaoyun trying to seduce the boss, who showed her some extra care as his cold heart warmed, before she stole company secrets with my help. So... did I ruin their romance? Cut it short?"]

Fu Qixuan stared at his documents, absorbing every word—though not a single line registered.

But Xu Ziyan stopped there, standing abruptly. "Brother, I’m heading out to shop."

Fu Qixuan frowned. "You're already skipping work on your first day?"

Xu Ziyan replied matter-of-factly, "You know what they say: 'A workman must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well,' and 'Good preparation ensures efficient work.' A proper work environment helps me think better, so of course I need to buy things to set it up first. I’ll be back soon."

As soon as Xu Ziyan stepped out, she received a message before even reaching the ground floor. "My stingy brother actually transferred me money? Ten million! Jackpot!"

Fu Qixuan sent a follow-up message telling her not to spend outsiders' money—their family wasn’t short on funds.

Xu Ziyan gave a dismissive "Uh-huh" before pocketing her phone. Only a fool would pass up free money. If Ding Jie dared to give her his card, why wouldn’t she dare to spend it? She was determined to bleed him dry.

The moment Xu Ziyan left, Fu Qixuan called in his most trusted assistant. "Book me an appointment with a psychiatrist." He paused, then amended, "Actually, book one for my entire family. The sooner, the better."

The assistant studied him cautiously. "Mr. Fu, is something wrong?"

Fu Qixuan couldn’t exactly say he suspected his whole family had lost their minds, so he brushed it off. "Just routine checkups. Schedule them along with other medical exams."

What kind of normal family gets routine psychiatric checkups? But the assistant didn’t dare question it—he simply went to make the arrangements.

Unaware of Fu Qixuan’s questioning his sanity, Xu Ziyan headed straight to a car dealership to pick up a new ride, then went shopping for bags, a massage chair, and all the other things she’d eyed earlier. The thrill of swiping without a care was exhilarating—especially when it was a scumbag’s money.

Ding Jie was in a meeting when his silenced phone kept lighting up with notifications. Unable to resist, he glanced at it—only to find a barrage of purchase receipts???