Chapter 26

After returning home from the restaurant, both parents and her brother were already there.

Xu Zhiyi took an unusually long time to change her shoes at the entrance, while Jiang Sixun had already settled comfortably in the living room. She, however, was still perched on the shoe-changing bench.

Xu Heng, not seeing her around, asked Jiang Sixun, “Where did she go?”

“She’s untying her shoelaces,” Jiang replied.

“Did she wear sneakers again? Didn’t we tell her to stick to sandals for a while?”

“They are sandals,” Jiang clarified.

“Huh?” Xu Heng frowned, confused for a moment, before realizing that some sandals come with complicated straps that take time to tie and untie.

He turned to their mother. “Didn’t you buy her sandals that are more like slippers? Something easy to wear?”

He Yi’an smiled. “We have all kinds of shoes at home, but girls like to look pretty. Strappy sandals probably match her outfit better today.”

Jiang Sixun cast a quick glance at Xu Heng, slightly amused that he was now concerned even about what his sister wore on her feet.

Finally, after swapping out her shoes, Xu Zhiyi joined them, her mood noticeably bright, eyes sparkling with happiness.

Xu Heng observed his sister. “Just a meal out, and you’re this happy?”

Jiang Sixun jumped in to explain, “She’s happy because she received two recommendation letters.”

Xu Zhiyi was surprised. “When did it become two?”

Jiang turned to Xu Heng. “I asked Cohen’s grandfather to write one more.”

Knowing the influence of the Cohen family, Xu Zhiyi made a mental note to treat him to a few meals when she returned to school—and to invite Cohen along too.

He Yi’an beckoned her daughter with a smile. “Come over here, sweetie.”

Xu Zhiyi happily nestled beside her mother, resting her chin on her shoulder. The joy she felt was beyond words.

He Yi’an leaned in close to her daughter, whispering, “Looks like you had quite a fruitful day.”

Xu Zhiyi mirrored her mother’s move, lowering her voice to a near whisper, “Mom, when there’s good news, you’ll be the first to know.”

Xu Xiangyi, standing nearby, smiled helplessly and asked, “What are you two whispering about?”

Zhiyi turned back, grinning at her father. “It’s a secret.”

She then mentioned to her parents that she’d be heading back to school the day after tomorrow, suddenly feeling reluctant to leave. “Mom, can we sleep together tonight?”

He Yi’an smiled indulgently. “Of course, sweetie. And by the end of September, I’ll have some free time to come visit you.”

The next afternoon, she and Jiang Sixun left together for the return trip.

Life after the semester started was different from her internship days; she couldn’t see Jiang Sixun every day like before.

That Friday, Xu Zhiyi didn’t have any classes. She returned from the library as dusk settled. With her roommates out, she made herself a salad, toasted a couple of slices of bread, and sat cross-legged at the dining table, browsing through her recent messages with Jiang. Since the day they had dinner at the Spanish restaurant in Shanghai, when she’d asked him for advice on how to pursue someone, they had been in contact almost daily.

September 6:

Xu Zhiyi: “How do I let someone know how I feel?”

Jiang Sixun: “No homework today?”

Zhiyi: “…”

Zhiyi: “I do.”

Jiang Sixun: “Then go do your homework.”

September 7:

Jiang Sixun: “I have meetings all day today. Leave me a message if anything comes up, and I’ll reply when I can.”

Zhiyi: “Good morning.”

Jiang: “Morning.”

Zhiyi: “Call me when you’re done.”

Jiang: “Sure.”

That night, they talked for 19 minutes and 32 seconds, chatting about everything and nothing.

September 8:

Zhiyi: “I think I’ve figured out a bit of what’s been bothering me.”

Jiang: “Don’t jump to conclusions. You might be misunderstanding things.”

Zhiyi: “…”

They didn’t talk on September 9.

September 10:

Jiang: “So you’re upset with me over a guy you might not even have a shot with?”

Zhiyi: “No.”

Two hours later…

Jiang: “Meet me after your class. Here’s the location.” He sent her his coordinates.

That day, he’d come to her campus. It was the first time she’d seen him since returning to school. They had lunch at the cafeteria, and he gave her the signed recommendation letter.

September 12:

Zhiyi: “I just realized—my birthday’s a little over a month away.” She was clearly just making conversation.

Jiang: “I’ll give you a special gift on your birthday.”

Zhiyi: “How special?”

Jiang changed the subject: “No classes today?”

Zhiyi: “I do. It’s a packed schedule.”

Jiang: “I’ll treat you to a nice dinner tonight. You’ve earned it.”

Zhiyi: “Thanks, boss.”

Even though they hadn’t seen each other for just a day, it felt like forever.

That evening, she picked a Cantonese restaurant for dinner because she knew Jiang liked Cantonese food. His mother, Aunt Jiang, had always cooked Cantonese dishes, and while he had eaten them often as a child, he rarely got the chance to enjoy his mom’s home cooking anymore.

September 13:

Zhiyi: “I’m waiting.”

Jiang: “?”

Zhiyi: “It translates to ‘I’ve been waiting in love.'”

She then asked him, “What do you think of using this line when I confess?”

Jiang: “Are you planning a confession?”

Zhiyi: “Yes.”

Jiang: “Zhiyi, don’t rush into this.”

Zhiyi: “I’m not confessing right now. When the time comes, I’ll send this message, telling him I’ve liked him for a long time and that my feelings never stopped.”

Jiang didn’t reply right away. Five minutes later, he called.

They talked for 16 minutes and 19 seconds. She had thought he’d call to dissuade her, but instead, he asked if her senior-year classes were light. If they were, he wanted her to help him out as his assistant over the weekend.

“Too much free time leads to overthinking,” he said over the phone.

Today was September 14, and Xu Zhiyi still hadn’t replied to Jiang about whether she’d take the assistant job.

It was a rare opportunity, so of course, she had to take it.

As she ate her salad, she reread their conversation twice, then set down her fork and typed: “Boss, I’ve decided. I’ll be your part-time assistant this weekend. Pay me whatever you think is fair.”

At that moment, Jiang still hadn’t finished work, and Xu Heng was in his office.

For some time now, Xu Heng had been investigating Shen Qingfeng and had found some leads related to the mix-up with his sister.

Shen Qingfeng had changed her name 22 years ago after a feng shui master in Hong Kong told her that her old name wasn’t auspicious. Normally, Shen Qingfeng wouldn’t have believed in such things, but after losing her chance to marry into a wealthy family, she became desperate and renamed herself.

After Lu Jianbo’s divorce, Shen Qingfeng continued to be involved with him for nearly two years. During that time, she kept a low profile, avoiding high-society events and staying out of the public eye, determined not to become gossip fodder.

In his younger years, Lu Jianbo had been the epitome of a scoundrel among Hong Kong’s elite—charming but heartless. After his divorce, he went completely off the rails, defying his family by insisting on marrying Shen Qingfeng, his former mistress. The Jiang and Xu families had only one demand: Lu Jianbo could marry anyone he wanted, just not the woman he’d had an affair with.

Given the intertwined business ties between the Lu family and the Jiang and Xu families, even a child could understand how delicate the situation was.

Shen Qingfeng once thought she had everything in her grasp, believing it was only a matter of time before she married Lu Jianbo. But her plans fell apart when Lu declared that he wouldn’t marry and distanced himself from the Lu family’s power center. He went from Hong Kong to Wall Street, making waves in the financial world, founding Yuanwei Capital—named after his ex-wife’s company.

Twenty years later, the long-forgotten affair that had once rocked the Lu family resurfaced in the most dramatic way possible. Shen Qingfeng had married the current head of the Lu family, Lu Jianliang.

After her breakup with Lu Jianbo, Shen changed her name, married a divorced tycoon, and settled in London, occasionally visiting Hong Kong. No one in the Lu family, not even Jianbo himself, knew that his older brother’s new wife was his former lover—until the day his brother brought her to the hospital to visit their father.

Lu Jianliang, upon learning his wife had once been involved with his younger brother, merely said, “The past is the past, and the present is the present.” His implication: he didn’t care.

Shen Qingfeng’s beauty had been famous in Hong Kong, and even now, at 48, she still exuded charm. With her presence, she completely muddied the already murky waters of the Lu family.

Finding evidence that Shen had switched the children all those years ago had already been difficult due to the hospital changing ownership twice. Now that she had married the head of the Lu family, it seemed nearly impossible.

After hearing the story, Jiang Sixun calmly said, “We can’t let my uncle find out that Shen Qingfeng is involved with Zhiyi’s situation. Not only would he not believe us, but he’d think we’re trying to drive a wedge between him and his wife.”

Xu Heng asked, “How’s Uncle Lu doing?”

“You’ll see for yourself soon enough,” Jiang replied.

“Is Uncle Lu coming over?”

Jiang Sixun checked his watch. “He’ll be here around 7:30.”

Lu Jianbo had already arrived in Manhattan. Half an hour earlier, he had called his rebellious son, telling him to wait at the office.

While waiting, Jiang Sixun noticed a message from Xu Zhiyi, confirming that she’d help as his assistant. He replied: “Come over now? Your brother’s here in my office. Let’s have dinner together tonight.”

Zhiyi sent him a thumbs-up emoji and began rifling through her closet for something to wear.

Jiang scrolled through her social media. Her profile signature had changed to “I’m waiting.” Unable to like the signature itself, he liked her cover photo instead, silently reminding her not to place too much importance on love—after all, there was so much family business she’d need to inherit one day.

“Zhiyi’s coming over later,” Jiang said to Xu Heng. “I’ll take her out for dinner tonight.”

Xu Heng hesitated. “Uncle Lu is arriving soon. Is it a good idea for her to come? I’m not ready for her to find out about the baby swap yet. Let her wait at home, and after we finish here, we can go pick her up.”

But Jiang disagreed. “How long do you plan to hide it? It was fine to keep it quiet when we didn’t know who switched the babies, but now that we do, there’s no point in keeping it a secret.”

Xu Heng paused before responding, “Alright, let’s tell her then.”

At 7:41, Lu Jianbo finally arrived, delayed by traffic for about ten minutes. Seeing Xu Heng there, he didn’t seem surprised.

“You two ungrateful sons have even started investigating me!” he grumbled.

They’d dug up every detail of his past, leaving nothing untouched.

Xu Heng explained, “We were thorough because this concerns Zhiyi.”

Jiang Sixun handed his father a cup of coffee with eight sugar packets stirred in—barely mixing it.

Lu Jianbo looked at his son. “…”

It was clear his son was mocking him, implying he had a lot of bitterness inside.

Jiang pushed the overly sweetened coffee toward his father, pointedly bringing up a sore subject: “Aren’t you always saying you and Uncle are close?”

Defeated, Lu Jianbo picked up the cup, choosing to remain silent. The coffee was too hot to drink anyway.

“No need to mock me like that,” Lu said. “Your uncle is right. The past is the past. I came here to tell you both that KEWE Medical Technology, where Li Ke seems to be the face, is actually owned by Shen Qingfeng. Did you really think Li Ke could pull it off on his own?”

Because of his actions, Zhiyi had grown up apart from her biological parents. Now that she had her sights set on KEWE’s 3D printing technology, he couldn’t let her stumble in her career. He had done everything he could to investigate Shen Qingfeng.

“Whether or not you want to invest in KEWE is up to you and Zhiyi,” he concluded.

Jiang Sixun was still processing the fact that Shen Qingfeng was the true owner of KEWE when his phone rang. It was a call from Qi Zhengchen.

As he answered, Qi asked, “How’s Zhiyi getting along with Uncle Xu’s family?”

“Pretty well, but they’re not that close yet.”

“Good. I’ll wait a little longer then.”

Curious, Jiang pressed, “Wait for what?”

Qi didn’t bother hiding his intentions: “I’ll wait a bit longer before confessing to Zhiyi.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Is your signal bad?” Qi asked innocently. “I’ve always liked Zhiyi. I’ll confess once she’s settled in with her new family.”

Time seemed to freeze.

If only time could have frozen when she sent that message to Jiang Sixun saying, “I’ve never stopped liking you.” Or perhaps a little earlier, when her second brother had taken her to play badminton.

But it didn’t.

The vibration of her phone snapped Zhiyi back to the present. It was her date calling, pulling her thoughts away from memories of six years ago.

In front of her stood red walls, a lush locust tree, and fallen flowers sticking to her shoes as she walked on the rain-soaked cobblestones.

“Zhiyi, walk closer to the side,” a voice from the past echoed in her mind, as vivid as if it were only yesterday.

“Did you go to the wrong place?” her blind date asked over the phone.

Xu Zhiyi looked around, realizing she had indeed walked past the restaurant. “Sorry, I missed it,” she replied, distracted moments earlier and completely unaware she’d passed the entrance.

“I’ll come get you,” the man offered.

“No need,” she said, turning back. “I can find it.”

He didn’t press further and hung up.

The private dining restaurant was nestled in a quiet courtyard. Her father frequented the place and had recommended it, saying, “The blind date is just a bonus. The food is what’s important.”

After entering the courtyard and giving the room number, a waiter led her through the garden. The trees were mostly crabapples, their blossoms long gone. She crossed a small bridge over a stream, watching the fish swim lazily in the pond.

Descending from the bridge, she passed through a traditional moon gate and turned onto a long, ancient-style corridor with elegant lattice windows lining the walls.

The air was filled with a serene, old-world charm.

“Miss Xu, right this way, please.”

At the entrance to the private room stood three people: two men and one woman. The man on the right, refined and graceful, was unfamiliar to her. The other two—an attractive couple—were none other than Qi Zhengchen and his wife.

Zhiyi froze, her feet rooted to the spot.

Qi Zhengchen turned his head and, in an instant, his heart clenched. Had she been in one of those cars parked along the street earlier, when he’d suddenly turned back in the alley?

His companions, Zhong Yanyue and Shang Yun, followed his gaze.

“Xu Zhiyi?” Shang Yun recognized her resemblance to Xu Heng and introduced himself. “I’m Shang Yun.”

Shang Yun—second son of the Shang family, and her blind date for the evening.

Zhiyi forced a polite smile. “Hello.” Though every fiber of her being resisted, she had to step forward.

They all knew each other, but no one broke the silence with a greeting.

Beneath the surface, tension simmered, emotions swirling painfully.

Shang Yun introduced her to the couple across from him and then said to Qi Zhengchen, “She’s Chairman Xu’s daughter, recently returned from abroad.”

Qi Zhengchen extended his hand. “A pleasure.”

He’d forgotten the etiquette that women should extend their hand first.

Zhiyi gently shook his hand, her voice barely audible. “A pleasure.”

Twenty-four years of affection, and now they were strangers. It would have been better if they’d never crossed paths again.

The last time they had been this close was two years ago, after she rejected his confession. He had paused as he walked away from her, turning back to apologize to her tear-streaked face.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. Zhiyi, can you forgive me? I never meant to take for granted the bond we shared for so many years. If you hadn’t been swapped at birth, Aunt Xiao would still be your mother, and I would never have confessed. I was afraid that if my confession failed, you’d have no one left to turn to. But things are different now. Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu love you so much. You have a family that cares for you deeply. I just wanted to selfishly try once more. Honestly, I’m terrified that there’s no future for us, which is why I hesitated from your 20th birthday until now.”

He had asked her over and over again, “Zhiyi, can’t you forgive me? Let’s pretend this never happened.”

But she had never blamed him.

Forgiveness was never the issue. How could she, knowing how much he loved her, continue to keep him close under the guise of family and still enjoy his care?

He had no idea that even now, he was the only contact pinned at the top of her messaging app.

He had always been.

Six years ago, as she walked through the airport with two suitcases containing everything she owned, not knowing where home was, he had rushed to find her. When she saw him, even with her strained ties to family, she had felt that this life, however fleeting, had been worth living.