In the evening, Kang Jinse returned home alone, as Yun Shen said he had social engagements and probably wouldn’t come back tonight. Kang Jinse entered the living room, heavy with thoughts. The secretary was a sly one, and with social engagements outside, what if Yun Shen got drunk... anything could happen naturally. In this day and age, a secretary is akin to a mistress. She had once visited Yun Shen at his company, where the secretary was the very image of a vixen, boasting flagrantly. It was as clear as day what she was after, and the more Kang Jinse thought about it, the more uneasy she became, wishing she could sprout wings and fly to Yun Shen’s side. "Aunt Jiang, you’re back. Filming must have been exhausting," a sweet female voice suddenly rang out just then. Kang Jinse looked up to see a young girl in a goose-yellow dress sitting on the sofa, her skin fair, her features delicate, and her eyes brimming like autumn water. When Kang Jinse saw that face, she thought of Ah Xian’s description of withered despair and sadness, and couldn’t suppress the rage in her chest as she strode over to slap Yun Ya across the face. Yun Ya’s clear eyes stared straight at her, brimming with a smirking smile, but ice flashed deep within, as chilling as heavy snow in midwinter, causing Kang Jinse’s hand to freeze subconsciously in mid-air. Yun Ya casually swatted away her hand, laughing, "The weather is getting hotter, and people’s tempers more irritable. Aunt Jiang, getting angry not only causes heat and damages the liver but also leads to wrinkles on the face. As an actress, your livelihood relies on your face, so you really need to take good care of it." Kang Jinse quickly touched her face. She was already in her thirties, and women start to age from there. She already took great care of her skin, but loose skin and fine lines around the eyes were undeniable facts. Her agent suggested she get hyaluronic acid injections, but she hesitated because of potential side effects. Could it really be that obvious? Thinking of Yun Shen’s beautiful and enchanting secretary, her heart tightened again, an indescribable fear gripping her entire mind. Chapters first released on novel fire.net Noticing Kang Jinse’s expression, Yun Ya’s lips curled slightly, "You should learn more from Grandma. Standing next to each other, you two look like sisters. But Dad isn’t that shallow. He wouldn’t spurn you just because you are aging." Aging and losing charm—spurning... These words rolled around in her head like a curse. Was she really getting old? She suddenly recalled how, a few days ago while filming, the director frowned when the camera focused on her face, then asked the makeup artist to apply another layer of powder to her. It was white enough and covered the fine lines, but it diminished the effect in front of the camera... Yun Ya watched Kang Jinse head upstairs in a daze, then slightly curled her lips. Kang Jinse was straightforward to a fault, or rather, somewhat naive. Despite the years, she hadn’t grown wiser. Women like her were a dime a dozen; what on earth made Yun Shen keep her by his side? At that moment, Bai Ran came back holding her son, obviously taken aback at the sight of Yun Ya. "When did you come back?" Bai Xi seemed to be asleep, tucked cozily in Bai Ran’s arms but appearing restless. As she gently patted his back, Bai Ran asked softly. "This morning. Aunt Bai, how have you been these past days?" Bai Ran gave a bitter smile, "Good or bad, it’s all the same." Yun Ya glanced at her, "The Yun Family is but a gilded cage. Do you really want to trap yourself here for life, Aunt Bai? Moreover, growing up in such an environment is harmful to Xi’er, both physically and mentally." Bai Ran pressed her lips together, looking at the little one in her arms, "I have no choice; I’m just taking it one step at a time." With a sigh, she carried Bai Xi upstairs. Once bright and sexy, her silhouette now bore traces of desolation and weariness. After laying Bai Xi in bed and carefully tucking him in, Bai Ran sat by the bedside, watching her son sleep for a long while. The room was dark without lights on, and in the cold silence, a tear slowly trailed down her face. In the middle of the night, Xi’er predictably came down with a fever again, a common occurrence. Bai Ran adeptly cooled him down and administered medicine. The small child curled up in her arms, pitifully calling for his mother. In that moment, her heart hurt so much, she could barely breathe. Once the child fell back into a deep sleep, she collapsed on the bed, her eyes blankly staring at the ceiling, and the radio broadcast she heard in her car surfaced in her mind. "Professor Ning returns triumphant and is set to give a personal lecture at the Jiangzhou University Grand Theater the day after tomorrow..." Now, he was even more out of her reach.