Chapter 38

From the courtyard to the front door, Jiang Sixun held her hand, never letting go.

Once they reached the kitchen, he lifted her up and set her on the island countertop, changing his mind. “Forget cooking, I’ll just grab a quick bite.”

“It’s no trouble, it’ll be fast,” Xu Zhiyi offered.

“You already showered, don’t get oil on yourself.”

“It’s fine, I can rinse off again before bed.”

Saying this, Xu Zhiyi began unbuttoning her shirt—she had just put it on and didn’t want to risk getting it stained with oil splatters.

Jiang Sixun pressed her shoulders down, stopping her from taking it off. “I’ll just have instant noodles.”

“That’s not nutritious.”

“Do I look like I’m lacking nutrition?”

Xu Zhiyi was momentarily at a loss for words. “… Fine, how about I make you a salad?”

She had already undone most of the buttons, but Jiang Sixun pulled her shirt back together. “It’s not that warm in here, no need to take it off.”

“Alright,” she agreed, but added, “It’s not because I’m warm. I just didn’t want to get it dirty. You did say I could use it as sleepwear.”

They held each other’s gaze in silence for a few moments.

Jiang Sixun’s emotions stirred.

Even though Xu Zhiyi tried to remain calm, her breathing became uneven. “I’ll make the salad for you. What veggies do you want? We’ve got everything in the fridge.”

Once his thoughts had wandered down a certain path, there was no way he was going to let her go to prepare food.

Jiang Sixun leaned down, his warm breath brushing her face. “It’s too late. Let’s skip it and have breakfast together in the morning.” His voice dropped as he asked, “Next time I’m in a tough spot here, will you help me out?”

He gently took her hand in his, the implication crystal clear. A small favor was all he was asking.

Xu Zhiyi played innocent. “What kind of trouble?”

Jiang Sixun’s voice was laced with a smile. “You tell me.”

Feigning distraction, she tapped her temple. “After working all night, my brain’s not quite working.”

Jiang Sixun chuckled. “No worries, you’re overthinking it. No brainpower needed for this.”

They both burst out laughing.

Who needed to think? A single hand would do. Of course, she understood.

Jiang Sixun kissed her, his usually magnetic voice now laced with a touch of hoarseness. “I’ll handle it myself this time, but next time, you’ll help?”

Xu Zhiyi didn’t shy away. She nodded slightly, murmuring a soft “Mm.”

Her response was intoxicating, and Jiang Sixun captured her lips again, pulling her closer with a hand on her nape, pressing her into his embrace. This wasn’t the gentle kiss from that night at the hotel; this one was passionate, consuming her entirely.

His tongue invaded her mouth, completely overwhelming her senses.

Surrounded by his intense presence, his kiss was so fervent it almost devoured her.

Xu Zhiyi still hadn’t mastered the art of breathing while kissing, and after just two minutes, she was gasping for air, pushing him away.

Their strength was hardly comparable—he barely budged.

“Learn to breathe while kissing,” Jiang Sixun whispered, diving back in.

But how could she learn so quickly? Xu Zhiyi clung to his muscular arm, her fingers instinctively digging into his skin.

Jiang Sixun finally released her lips, trailing kisses down her neck, lingering on her collarbone, then instinctively moving lower.

Through her nightgown, his lips found the curve of her chest.

Xu Zhiyi let out a soft moan, her voice melting with a hint of desire.

His body tensed with restraint. Unable to take it any longer, he pulled away, grabbed a bottle of ice water from the fridge, and downed it. One bottle did nothing to cool him down, so he opened another.

As Xu Zhiyi caught her breath, she asked, “Are we still watching the sunrise tomorrow? Maybe we should skip it—we won’t be able to get up.”

Jiang Sixun, wanting her to get more rest, changed his mind. “Let’s go the morning after.”

He pulled out a cup of instant noodles, trying to shift his focus to food.

“I’ll make you a salad,” Xu Zhiyi offered again.

Jiang Sixun glanced at her, his voice soft but firm. “No need. I’m not eating noodles because I’m hungry.”

Xu Zhiyi was left speechless.

Jiang Sixun prepared the noodles, then leaned against the island counter, watching her. When she texted earlier saying she missed him, he’d immediately wanted to hold her tight.

Xu Zhiyi met his gentle gaze. “What are you thinking?”

Jiang Sixun didn’t answer directly. “Just sit there. Once I’m done eating, I’ll come over and hold you.”

Xu Zhiyi teased, “Just holding?”

Jiang Sixun promised with a smile, “Just holding, no kissing. I can manage that.”

“What made you say Farway’s success is all because of me?” She changed the subject to business.

Jiang Sixun raised an eyebrow. “You really think there’s a difference between you and me?”

He smiled slowly, knowing she was leading him into a trap. “If we’re married, there’s no difference. When will you bring me home?”

Xu Zhiyi’s heart skipped a beat, but she wasn’t about to lose. “Haven’t I already brought you home? You’re in my place right now.”

Jiang Sixun held her gaze. “I’m talking about our home in Shanghai.”

Xu Zhiyi smiled slyly. “You’ve lived there longer than I have. I don’t need to bring you.”

Jiang Sixun turned serious, thinking for a moment before responding. “Then I’ll bring you home. I’ll tell Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu I’m bringing my girlfriend to meet them.”

“…”

Sensing the tension, Jiang Sixun shifted the conversation. “The trending topic you arranged—did you get Shang Yu to help?”

Xu Zhiyi was surprised. “How’d you guess him?”

As he began eating, Jiang Sixun smiled. “I picked up on it. My radar detected him.”

Xu Zhiyi laughed, “You’re just being jealous over nothing.”

After finishing his noodles and tidying up the table, Jiang Sixun splashed some cold water on his face before coming over. His forehead and the tips of his hair were still wet, but he didn’t care.

Xu Zhiyi reached for her phone beside her, unlocked it, and with one tap, turned off all the lights in the villa’s common areas.

Suddenly, the entire first floor was plunged into darkness. They could barely see each other.

Sensing the fatigue hidden beneath Jiang Sixun’s usual smile, Xu Zhiyi lifted her arms, wrapping one around his neck and the other around his back, pressing her face against his shoulder without saying a word.

It was the first time Jiang Sixun had been comforted like this. Something inside him softened, and he encircled her with his long arms, holding her close. His chin brushed against the top of her head as he murmured, “I’m fine.”

But his grip tightened, as if holding back something deeply.

Xu Zhiyi sat up, creating a bit of space between them.

Jiang Sixun adjusted his hold, now wrapping one arm around her. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, his fingers brushed the necklace around her neck. In the dim light, he could only make out the outline of the pendant. “Why aren’t you wearing the ones I bought you?”

One necklace for when they went public, another for her birthday. Both carefully chosen by him.

Xu Zhiyi replied, “They’re at home. I’ll wear them when I go back.”

She hadn’t thought there would be a “later,” so she hadn’t worn them.

Jiang Sixun let the necklace fall back into place, adjusted it, and then gently lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist. “It’s late. Let’s get to bed. I’ll carry you upstairs.”

The way he held her was intimate, and Xu Zhiyi’s heart raced. “No need to carry me. I can walk.”

But Jiang Sixun didn’t put her down. Instead, he lifted her from the kitchen island, holding her firmly.

Unable to see in the dark, Xu Zhiyi worried they might trip. She turned the lights back on, and their intertwined shadows stretched up the staircase.

From the first floor to the third, Jiang Sixun took two or three times longer than usual with her in his arms. He tilted his head slightly to watch his step, and she stayed perfectly still in his arms.

Finally reaching her bedroom, Jiang Sixun set her down and left, closing the door behind him. Xu Zhiyi exhaled a long sigh—she had been holding her breath the entire way up the stairs.

She touched her back, feeling the dampness of sweat.

After taking another shower, she looked at her discarded nightgown, now stained with sweat and unwearable.

Her eyes lingered on his shirt. She would have to get used to his scent, his embrace, and everything about him. Pulling off her towel, Xu Zhiyi picked up his shirt, buttoning only a couple of buttons, and lay down on the bed.

With the lights off, she tossed and turned for half an hour, still unable to fall asleep.

…

Overnight, the Lu family scandal had brewed, but it hadn’t impacted their stock price. In fact, because Jiang Sixun was now publicly tied to the Lu family, the market soared as soon as it opened.

For years, Lu Jianliang’s actions had shaken investor confidence. Among the younger generation, few seemed capable of taking the reins, and their performances had been mediocre. But Jiang Sixun’s emergence brought new hope to the family’s future.

The most anxious person was Lu Jianliang. A rising stock price was the last thing he wanted. A significant drop would have been better—it would have allowed him to pin all the blame on Jiang Sixun and show the old patriarch how his beloved grandson was nothing but a cold-hearted, ungrateful traitor.

But with the stock price soaring, what grounds did he have to accuse Jiang Sixun and his father?

Sure, airing the family’s dirty laundry was a grave offense, but the old man cared most about the company’s profits. At worst, he’d give Jiang Sixun and his father a scolding, telling them to reflect on their actions.

A light punishment was all but guaranteed.

Jiang Sixun’s move had also sent a clear signal to the outside world: he intended to vie for the position of head of the Lu family. When the time came for the old man to step down, the core of the Lu family business might no longer be in the hands of his sons and daughters.

Ten minutes later, across the world in London, Shen Qingfeng was woken by a call from her husband.

Glancing at the clock, it was only 5:40 a.m. Just as she was about to lash out for being disturbed so early, her mind clicked. It was noon in Hong Kong, and this had to be about the scandal from the day before.

Though still needing her husband for certain things, she swallowed her irritation. Her tone, however, was far from pleasant.

“What’s so important? Don’t you know I don’t wake up this early?”

Lu Jianliang scoffed, “And yet you can sleep soundly!”

Shen Qingfeng sat up, tossing off the covers. “I haven’t done anything wrong, so why wouldn’t I sleep well?”

Lu Jianliang found that amusing. She hadn’t done anything wrong?

Shen Qingfeng leaned back into a chair on the balcony. “What do you want? You didn’t call to check on me.”

“You still have feelings for my fourth brother, don’t you? Want to grab coffee with him? Go ahead, I’ll pay for it.”

“What are you getting at?”

“The marriage stays. Keep having your coffee. If you want to drive a wedge between him and his son, I’m right there with you. That clear enough?”

Lu Jianliang hung up.

Shen Qingfeng smirked. A man’s pride was nothing when faced with power and immense wealth.

With dawn barely breaking, she gave up on trying to go back to sleep.

Scrolling through her phone on the balcony, she saw an update from Xu Ningwei. The location tagged on social media showed she was in London for an academic conference.

Shen Qingfeng left a comment: “Free tonight? Let’s meet up.”

Xu Ningwei hadn’t been in London long and was still adjusting to the time difference. She was in her hotel room, scrolling through the Lu family scandal, when she saw the message. After a moment’s hesitation, she replied: “I’m free this morning. Want to grab breakfast?”

Shen Qingfeng: “OK. Send me your hotel address, and I’ll pick you up.”

She put her phone down and went to freshen up.

Unlike her meetings with Lu Jianbo, this time she wasn’t in the mood to dress up. She applied light makeup, pulled her hair into a simple bun, and slipped into a pale grey blazer.

Shen Qingfeng decided to drive herself rather than wait for her driver.

The early morning streets were unusually quiet, and as the wind blew through the car windows, she couldn’t help but think back to when she used to meet Lu Jianbo here in her youth. She had once clung to him, teasingly asking who he loved more.

Shen Qingfeng turned on the car’s music, refusing to let herself get lost in the past.

She waited at the hotel entrance for less than two minutes before Xu Ningwei came downstairs.

“It’s been a while.” Shen Qingfeng smiled faintly. “I thought you’d avoid me like the plague, considering I’m the woman everyone’s hating online right now.”

Xu Ningwei climbed into the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt. She knew better than to play coy with Shen Qingfeng, so honesty was her safest bet. “Before replying to you, I did hesitate about whether to meet. But in the end, curiosity got the better of me.”

Shen Qingfeng chuckled, “Curious about my scandal in person?”

Xu Ningwei just smiled without answering.

“It’s still a bit early for breakfast,” Shen Qingfeng suggested. “How about we drive around a bit and then grab something to eat?”

“I’m easy,” Xu Ningwei replied.

They cruised aimlessly through the streets.

After a while, Shen Qingfeng broke the silence. “Want to hear some gossip? People are wondering if Lu Jianbo and I are really involved this time.”

Xu Ningwei shrugged, “I’ll listen to whatever you’re willing to share.”

“It’s fake. Just the media stirring things up. You’d get better gossip from the internet than from me. But let’s not talk about that—I asked you to meet because I wanted to discuss your plans after you finish your PhD.”

“I’m seriously inviting you to join our research center. Name your conditions, and I’ll do my best to meet them. If I can’t, I’ll get my husband to approve.”

Xu Ningwei hesitated, but before she could speak, Shen Qingfeng pulled the car over, turned off the engine, and smiled. “What were you about to say?”

Xu Ningwei came straight out with it, “With everything going on, it doesn’t affect your relationship with your husband at all?”

“Well, divorce isn’t on the table. It’s all fake, after all. But you know men—pride is everything. Of course, he’s not happy. That’s why I’m working hard to show my loyalty.”

Shen Qingfeng laughed at herself, “People don’t understand why I’d stir up drama when I could live a cushy life. But the truth is, there’s nothing cushy about it. I’ve got no education, no family background, just my looks. That’s what got me into this wealthy family, but do you think it’s a good life? You, of all people, would know better than outsiders.”

Xu Ningwei’s expression changed. Before she turned 20, she had known exactly what that world was like.

But six years had passed, and now that world seemed so distant.

“To be honest,” Shen Qingfeng continued, “I envy you. You’re educated, talented, with a biological father who’s a research powerhouse and adoptive parents who are among the richest. Even without the blood relation, you’ve got two decades of emotional ties that are as strong as any family bond. Xu Xiangyi is your backer, your strength. If it were anyone else, they’d have jumped at this high-paying job offer. But not you—you’ve got so many options.”

She then half-joked, “Look, even I have to personally invite you. If your adoptive father wasn’t Xu Xiangyi, do you think I’d swallow my pride like this?” She answered her own question, “No way.”

Xu Ningwei smiled faintly but didn’t respond. Her heart ached.

Twenty years, more than 7,000 days of shared memories, and yet she still couldn’t let go. Whenever she felt lost or upset, she longed to ask her adoptive parents if they still thought of her.

On her birthday each year, did they ever remember her?

Over the past six years, there were times she had wanted to return home, just to see them.

Every tree and blade of grass there had been part of her growing up.

She wondered if her room was still the same.

And the music room facing the glass greenhouse—did it still look the way it used to? The walls had been decorated with her childhood paintings, left behind when she moved to Beijing.

Many times, she had dialed He Yian’s number, only to hang up before it connected. She missed her adoptive mother so much. She couldn’t believe that He Yian wouldn’t think of her too.

Shen Qingfeng glanced at the girl, sensing her distraction. She decided to wrap things up and broke the silence. “Think about what terms you’d like to propose. If you’re unsure, talk it over with your biological father. This project is a collaboration with Shang Yun, so I don’t need to tell you how promising it is.”

Xu Ningwei nodded, “Thank you, Mrs. Shen. I’ll talk it over with my family.”

Every time she had a meal with Shen Qingfeng, it felt like swallowing shards of glass—painful and cutting.

After a quick breakfast, she made an excuse about needing to prepare for a meeting and cut their time short.

Xu Ningwei: “Shen Qingfeng reached out to me again today.” She texted Jiang Sixun.

Jiang Sixun had slept poorly the last few nights. He had turned off his phone before bed and didn’t wake up until 10 a.m., finding over 30 messages waiting for him.

After scanning through them, he only replied to Xu Ningwei: “Don’t meet her again. If you do, she’ll mess with your head sooner or later.”

Knock, knock.

Jiang Sixun locked his phone and opened the door. Standing there was Xu Zhiyi, dressed in a white dress, smiling. “Good morning. Let’s go down for breakfast.”

Jiang Sixun looked her over, “Are you heading out this morning?”

“Yeah.” She paused, “Why was your phone off?”

“Since we’re home, you can always find me.” He took her hand, leading her downstairs.

Last night, he hadn’t had a chance to eat her cooking, so this morning, Xu Zhiyi prepared a lavish breakfast. Just as he sat down, his mother called.

Jiang Yue asked the same question as Xu Zhiyi: “Why was your phone off?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “I didn’t want to take any calls.”

“How are things with your father?”

“Not great, I guess. I didn’t go home last night, so we haven’t met.” He added, “I stayed at Zhiyi’s.”

Jiang Yue had long since grown accustomed to her son staying over at Xu Xiangyi’s house, so she didn’t react with any surprise. Instead, she asked, “Have you taken care of everything?”

“I’m working on it today,” Jiang Sixun replied.

Jiang Yue had seen the trending photos last night. They featured Lu Jianbo and Shen Qingfeng, but she resisted the urge to click on them. However, this morning, a few of the photos were pushed straight to her homepage—she couldn’t ignore them if she tried.

Thirty years, and so much had changed.

“The photos are quite something. Where’d you get a professional camera on such short notice?”

He’d originally brought the camera to take photos of Zhiyi on their trip, but it ended up being useful for something else.

Jiang Sixun didn’t answer her question directly and instead explained, “The photos were taken from certain angles. They’re using each other. There’s no need for you to worry, Mom.” He had already messaged her about it last night, but he wanted to reassure her in person today.

Jiang Yue shrugged, “I’ve long stopped caring. It’s not thirty years ago anymore.”

When the photos leaked last night, Lu Jianbo had his secretary reach out to explain. It was ironic. Back when she did care, he had remained silent, his expression saying, “If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Getting an explanation from him back then had been impossible, and that’s when her heart had slowly begun to grow cold.

Thirty years ago, there were no such things as trending searches. All gossip came from tabloids, and Shen Qingfeng had done everything she could to get herself photographed in intimate moments with Lu Jianbo.

The first time Jiang Yue saw the photos, she was heartbroken for a long time.

Later, Xu Xiangyi had quietly bought up all the photos. She only learned this many years after their divorce, when a friend in the entertainment industry told her by chance. To this day, she didn’t know exactly how many photos had been bought or how many of Shen Qingfeng’s plans had been thwarted.

“Take care of this,” Jiang Yue instructed her son. “No matter what, don’t let your grandfather get too worked up over this.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control,” Jiang Sixun reassured her before hanging up and returning to his breakfast.

Xu Zhiyi, watching him finish the call, asked, “Aunt Jiang must be feeling upset, right?”

Jiang Sixun replied calmly, “She’s immune to it by now.”

When his uncle first got involved with Shen Qingfeng, his mother had actually warned him ahead of time, telling him how Shen Qingfeng was always causing trouble. She had even told him that if he ever saw photos of her with Lu Jianbo, he shouldn’t let it affect him.

Zhiyi then asked, “Do you have any important plans this morning?”

Instead of answering, he asked, “Do you have something on your mind?”

“If you’re not too busy, I’ll go with you. The last thing your uncle and Shen Qingfeng want is for you and your father to grow apart,” she explained. “Aunt Jiang’s plan to get you close to Lu Jianbo has been disrupted. There’s no such thing as a grudge that lasts overnight between father and son. Even if there is, it should be dealt with privately.”

When he had said earlier, “Things are probably not going well,” she could hear the sadness in his voice.

Jiang Sixun smiled, “Isn’t it usually said that grudges don’t last overnight between a married couple?”

Zhiyi shot him a look. “Stop changing the subject. So, are you going back or not?”

Jiang Sixun hadn’t intended to give in to his father, but after a pause, he nodded. “Fine. I’ll go back—with you.”

Zhiyi teased him, “Don’t worry, I won’t make you be the first to apologize. I’ll go find Uncle Lu and give him a piece of my mind for making you so upset.”

Jiang Sixun laughed, putting down his fork and pulling her into his arms.