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The next morning, they flew back to Beijing.
Both of them hadn’t slept well the night before and took the opportunity to catch up on some rest during the flight. When Xu Zhiyi opened her eyes, they had already landed.
Xu Heng was there to pick them up, holding a steaming cup of coffee for his sister.
He greeted her with a gentle hug. “Careful, it’s hot,” he said, handing her the coffee while examining her closely. He could see the remnants of last night’s sleeplessness in her eyes—just a hint of dark circles, but thankfully no puffiness.
“I was worried you cried yourself to sleep,” he added, a note of concern in his voice.
Xu Zhiyi replied, “I’m not that fragile.”
It was true; she hadn’t slept well. There was only one cup of coffee—no drink for Jiang Sixun.
Xu Heng ruffled her hair affectionately. “Let’s go.” He turned to Jiang Sixun. “Are you riding with me, or will you head back on your own?”
Jiang Sixun pushed Xu Zhiyi’s suitcase, saying, “Let’s go together. We can talk in the car.”
Xu Zhiyi didn’t refuse; deep down, she hoped they could clear the air between them.
Xu Heng, sensing the only potential conflict was Xu Zhiyi wanting to go shopping and Jiang Sixun not wanting to tag along, figured that was the only point of contention. They had always been in sync, especially when dealing with work projects or facing Shen Qingfeng.
But shopping was a different story. Jiang Sixun had a history of refusing to accompany Xu Zhiyi; when Xu Ningwei invited him out, his response was always a flat “not going.”
Not out of busyness—just a firm “no.”
He often didn’t even humor their mother, He Yian, when she wanted him to join.
Once they got in the car, the outside world faded away.
Xu Heng spoke up, “Let’s hear it—why’s Zhiyi upset? If it’s about shopping, you can forget about stepping into my house again. If you don’t want to shop, don’t date a girl.”
“It has nothing to do with shopping. He’s the one who offered to go with me,” Xu Zhiyi confessed. “It’s about Yu Rui.”
In the business van, Jiang Sixun sat in the front, adjusting his seat to face the siblings.
Xu Zhiyi glanced at him for a brief moment before quickly looking away at the window.
Xu Heng was reminded of Yu Rui, a name he hadn’t thought of in years. “Did Yu Rui confess to you again?” he guessed.
“I don’t know; ask him,” Xu Zhiyi replied.
Jiang Sixun chimed in, “No, he didn’t.”
His words were directed at Xu Heng, but his gaze remained on Xu Zhiyi.
“I don’t know how I treat Yu Rui in private, but I’m sure you know,” Jiang Sixun added, glancing at Xu Heng. “Tell her. Otherwise, she might think I’m just trying to placate her.”
Xu Heng wasn’t trying to stir the pot. “I really don’t know how you two interact. I’m not always around when you meet.”
Jiang Sixun fell silent.
Xu Zhiyi turned to her brother, “You’ve even met Yu Rui?”
“Yeah. We’ve had dinner together a couple of times.”
Jiang Sixun observed the potential future brother-in-law, realizing that Xu Heng’s take on their relationship was more credible than his own. “What about me and Yu Rui? You know that well, right?”
Xu Heng nodded, “They’ve known each other since they were kids, spending summers together. It’s not like they’re super close; they’d hang out maybe ten days out of a year.” He glanced at Jiang Sixun. “Is that about right?”
“Pretty much,” Jiang Sixun replied. He didn’t keep track of the exact number of days; who would?
Xu Heng continued, “It’s not like you and Qi Zhengchen’s relationship. They grew up together, so there’s a different kind of closeness than with friends you meet as adults.”
He spoke with an unusual patience reserved only for Xu Zhiyi.
Xu Zhiyi had suspected their relationship was like that. Jiang Sixun was only casual with their cousins, and Yu Rui was one of those childhood friends from the extended family.
Xu Heng added, “I’m sure Jiang Sixun doesn’t have any romantic feelings for Yu Rui. But how he treats him privately, I really don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to make that up.”
He was honest about everything he knew; it wouldn’t be right for a brother to meddle too much in the affairs of young lovers.
“Whatever other issues you have, sort them out yourselves.”
Xu Zhiyi handed her coffee to her brother. “Hold this for me; I’m going to sleep.” She pulled an eye mask from her bag and put it on.
The weight that had been pressing on her heart for days lifted slightly; suddenly, she felt incredibly tired.
Logically, she understood that no matter what feelings Jiang Sixun had for Yu Rui—even if there had been something before they met—it shouldn’t matter.
But she couldn’t help feeling jealous.
After days of simmering jealousy, she was worn out.
Jiang Sixun took the coffee cup from Xu Heng. “Give it to me.”
He downed the remaining half before turning his chair back.
As they drove into the city, he leaned back, closing his eyes and mentally reviewing all his preferences, ensuring none were influenced by Yu Rui.
The singers Xu Zhiyi liked and her favorite songs had always been linked to Qi Zhengchen—something he had begrudgingly accepted in the past.
“In my heart, there’s only one special person, and that’s you.”
When Xu Zhiyi stepped out of the car, she received a friend request from Jiang Sixun, who had already turned it into a makeshift chat window.
He was no longer in the vehicle; Xu Heng dropped him off as they reached the city.
Seeing her still half-asleep, Xu Heng said, “Have lunch and then catch some more sleep.”
“No time; I’ve got a meeting,” Xu Zhiyi replied, pushing the car door open.
She told her brother her holiday was over, and she had a meeting with Shang Yun to discuss a collaboration.
Once inside her apartment, she splashed cold water on her face and drank half a bowl of cooling soup, finally feeling alert.
She sank into the couch, feeling a bit relieved.
Xu Heng folded a cold towel and placed it on her forehead. “Lie still, don’t move.”
“What’s this for? I’m not sick,” she protested.
“Head not pounding?”
“A bit,” she admitted.
Xu Heng sat beside her, legs crossed, pressing the towel down. “You probably spent the whole night feeling guilty.”
Xu Zhiyi denied it. “No way.”
“Didn’t you think about adding Jiang Sixun back last night?”
“…”
“In front of me, what do you have to be afraid of losing?” Jiang Sixun teased, a smirk playing on his lips.
Xu Zhiyi turned her head to meet her brother’s gaze. “I really don’t want to argue with him.”
“I know.”
“Now that I’ve calmed down, I regret how I treated him.”
“After Jiang Sixun explains today, your heart will soften, right?”
Xu Zhiyi nodded. “At least I don’t feel bad anymore.”
Xu Heng ruffled her hair affectionately. “As long as you’re feeling okay.” Their mother always hoped she could be a little more carefree around them, but Xu Zhiyi was just too sensible.
When Jiang Sixun returned home, he found his mother lounging on the sofa, absorbed in a book.
Life had become monotonous for her after retirement, filled only with reading and watching movies. Occasionally, Aunt Xu would visit Beijing for work, and the two would catch up over afternoon tea.
Jiang Yueyu raised an eyebrow at her son’s two large suitcases, sensing he might be staying for a while. “When did you become such a homebody? Don’t overstay your welcome and annoy me.”
“I’ve been staying at home for the past two months,” he replied.
“Any projects in Beijing?”
“Zhiyi has a project.”
Jiang Yueyu assumed her son was helping Xu Zhiyi. “I saw Shenghe’s social media post; Zhiyi is now the head of Yuanwei Capital. Looks like she’ll have her work cut out for her.”
She closed the book and fell silent for a moment. “Your father’s past mistakes caught up with you and Zhiyi.” It irked her that Jiang Sixun was treading through this complicated situation while Xu Zhiyi worked tirelessly to keep Yuanwei running, all while Lu Jianbo seemed unaffected and occasionally stirred up scandals.
Jiang Yueyu felt guilty. “I should have listened to your grandfather and not pursued that relationship back then; maybe we wouldn’t have this child-swapping mess.”
Jiang Sixun comforted her. “If you hadn’t dated, I wouldn’t even exist. It’s Dad’s fault; don’t take the blame.”
He opened one suitcase and revealed a beautifully wrapped gift box containing a brooch. He placed it beside her. “Zhiyi picked this out for you.”
“You two went shopping?” she asked.
“Yeah, the day before the cocktail party, Zhiyi wanted to go out.”
“Did anything go wrong at the family dinner? Was Zhiyi able to handle herself?”
“She got into a scuffle with Shen Qingfeng in the bathroom; she almost choked him out,” Jiang Sixun said, chuckling.
“…”
Jiang Yueyu was so shocked she forgot to open the box in her hands. “Did she get hurt?”
“Not really. She had a bodyguard with her.”
Jiang Sixun then pulled out another box containing a tie.
“You have enough ties already and hardly wear them; why buy another?” Jiang Yueyu questioned.
“Zhiyi gave it to me.”
Things had been perfectly normal before the cocktail party last night. Feeling generous, Jiang Yueyu assumed it was a thank-you gift for taking her to the family dinner.
“It’s a nice color,” she complimented.
Jiang Sixun had intended to tell his mother about his relationship with Xu Zhiyi, but given their current disagreement and his father’s interference, it was uncertain when they would reconcile.
Jiang Yueyu then asked, “What’s up with Qi Zhengchen lately?”
Jiang Sixun paused as he tied his tie. “What do you mean?”
She had been visiting a therapy room for two hours every afternoon since retiring. Unbeknownst to her, she had bumped into Qi Zhengchen four times in just one week.
That was quite the frequency.
Jiang Yueyu carefully avoided mentioning the therapist. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him; he hasn’t seemed well lately.”
“His mood’s never really been great; that’s normal,” Jiang Sixun replied.
“…”
Using the pretense of returning his suitcase to his room, Jiang Sixun called Qi Zhengchen.
Since their meeting in Madrid, they hadn’t been in touch.
The call connected quickly.
“How’s it going?”
“I can answer your call, so I’m not dead yet.”
“Have you been visiting my mom again?”
“Not really. Is Aunt Jiang unwell? I’ll go see her this afternoon.”
Jiang Sixun stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring into the garden below, suddenly falling silent.
“No need to come; my mom is fine,” he said. “I’ve been at home lately.”
Qi Zhengchen decided it was time to be honest. “Aunt Jiang has been seeing a therapist; I’ve run into her four times in a week. She’s been doing it for many years. You should check in on her.”
In that moment, Jiang Sixun couldn’t hear anything clearly.
“You’ve known my mom’s been seeing a therapist?” he asked.
“Not for long.”
“How about you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’ve mostly accepted things. Just be good to her.”
After hanging up, Jiang Sixun stood by the window for over ten minutes, lost in thought.
When he finally returned downstairs, it was lunchtime. He sat down casually across from his mother.
After her surgery, Jiang Yueyu had been eating smaller meals more frequently. Her bowl held just a small mound of rice, and the dishes were very light.
As they chatted, Jiang Sixun started with the Yuanwei project, eventually steering the conversation back around. “Mom, once this project is confirmed, you should come with me to Manhattan.” Yuanwei Capital’s headquarters was in Manhattan, and Xu Zhiyi would be there most of the time as the head.
“Why would I go to Manhattan?” she asked.
“Now that you’re retired, being alone at home is too lonely.”
“I’ll get used to it eventually.”
Jiang Yueyu teased, “You don’t have any kids to keep me company; it’s not like I’ll be living with you. It’ll still be just me at home, just as lonely.”
Jiang Sixun smirked, “If you want grandkids, I’ll definitely make that happen.”
Jiang Yueyu waved her hand dismissively. “Alright, alright. I won’t pressure you into marriage. I’m not your father—if you don’t get married and have kids, I’ll just die in peace!”
She couldn’t help but reflect, “Life is all about living it, isn’t it?”
“Mom, if I asked you to set me up with someone, what kind of person would you choose?” Jiang Sixun inquired.
Jiang Yueyu immediately ruled out Xu Zhiyi. “I don’t have anyone suitable to introduce to you. Sixun, don’t live your life for me.”
“It’s not for you,” he replied.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a message from Ning Yun, abruptly ending their conversation.
Ning Yun: [Have you left the port yet?]
Jiang Sixun: [Yeah. What’s up?]
Ning Yun: [I wanted to ask, under what circumstances would you apologize to Yu Rui?]
Jiang Sixun: [No circumstances.]
Ning Yun sighed, rubbing her temples. She wasn’t surprised; it was exactly what she expected.
“Mom, while you’re here for the next couple of months, let Auntie pack up your essentials. When I head back to Manhattan, you’re coming with me. You can stay next door or nearby.”
After finishing his meal, Jiang Sixun went upstairs, sending a message to Uncle Zhuang to remind him to let Grandpa know when he woke up from his nap.
Uncle Zhuang replied, visibly anxious: [What are you planning to spill this time?]
Jiang Sixun: [Just a few things in the family group chat.]
Uncle Zhuang still couldn’t calm down: [Don’t anger your grandfather.]
Jiang Sixun: [He’ll definitely get angry; just keep an eye on him.]
At 2:20 PM, Grandpa Lu woke up from his nap.
Uncle Zhuang brought him a glass of water but hesitated to speak.
“What did Sixun ask you to do?” Grandpa Lu queried.
“He wants to address a few things in the family group. Not sure what it is,” Uncle Zhuang replied.
“Well, it’s probably not good news. If he had something nice to say, he wouldn’t bring it up with us,” Grandpa Lu said, pausing. “I know Sixun is unhappy with me; he thinks I favor his uncle too much. Give me my phone.”
Uncle Zhuang handed over the phone and glasses. “Sixun’s temperament is just like your fourth son’s.”
Grandpa Lu sighed, “They’re cut from the same cloth.”
He sent a voice message to his most rebellious grandson: “What do you have to say?”
Jiang Sixun immediately shared a document in the group chat. The first to open it was Shen Qingfeng.
As she scrolled down, Shen Qingfeng’s expression froze. The evidence of Lu Jianliang’s misdeeds against his younger brother was laid out clearly. How did Jiang Sixun manage to gather all this? With everyone able to see the proof, she lost her leverage over Lu Jianliang.
Jiang Sixun tagged Lu Jianbo: [Take a look at how your ‘best brother’ stabbed you in the back. You’re getting divorced, and your brother’s been pushing things along, playing a key role.]
He then tagged Lu Jianliang: [You were the most eager for my parents to split back then, worried that my grandparents’ background would overshadow you once they supported the wedding.]
Next, he tagged his second uncle: [You know the details about Zhiyi’s birth. When Dad asked you to join him at the cocktail party, it was a warning. He doesn’t invite people to share tables for no reason.]
Meanwhile, Lu Jianliang’s third uncle, watching on his phone, wiped his forehead. Last night, his fourth brother had shared some fruit with him but had said nothing.
Grandpa Lu pressed his fingers against his temple, relieved they hadn’t aired this out during the family dinner. Otherwise, it could have escalated into a real fight.
Jiang Sixun tagged his grandfather: [Our family holds over two-thirds of the shares. Consider this a shareholders’ meeting, Grandpa. You hold the most shares—who do you want to choose as the next leader? Me or the uncle’s family? You must choose one.]
Everyone but Lu Jianbo held their breath. Aside from Lu Jianbo, Jiang Sixun was the second person to dare threaten Grandpa Lu.
Lu Jianbo privately messaged Jiang Sixun: [Are you trying to drive Grandpa crazy?]
Jiang Sixun replied: [I was going to wait a few more days and settle things after Lu Jianliang stepped down, but now that Zhiyi’s feeling upset, I don’t know what Shen Qingfeng told her.]
He continued: [Lu Jianliang must step down early. If he refuses to divorce Shen Qingfeng, then we’ll settle accounts together.]
Lu Jianbo responded: [You’ve spent the last six years gathering evidence on how your uncle stabbed me in the back?]
Jiang Sixun shot back: [You were too scared to look, so I did it for you.]
Lu Jianbo: “…”
Jiang Sixun pressed on: [I’m also busy collaborating with the other shareholders for the upcoming board elections. I’ve lined up some candidates for the core management team—that’s about it.]
Lu Jianbo said: [You probably won’t need the other shareholders’ votes; during the board elections, your second and third uncles will vote for you, plus my vote. It all depends on how Grandpa feels about it now.]
Jiang Sixun: [Grandpa will have to choose me. If he doesn’t, it won’t just be Uncle’s family that suffers.]
On the other side, Lu Jianliang received a voice message from Grandpa Lu: “What do you think?”
What did he think about Jiang Sixun threatening him to resign early?
Lu Jianliang smirked bitterly; what else could he say?
“Dad, are you really going to let Jiang Sixun act so recklessly? I still have a year until I step down!”
Grandpa Lu shot back: “You brought this on yourself! Look at the mess you’ve made; how much of it have I covered for you! If you hadn’t married Shen Qingfeng, would you be in this much trouble?”
Lu Jianliang retorted: “It’s not about what I’ve done; it’s about your favoritism toward the fourth son. Now that he has a son, you’re favoring his kid!”
Grandpa Lu cut him off: “You should take the initiative to resign and say it’s for health reasons. That way, everyone saves face.”
Lu Jianliang had no energy left to argue. “You don’t care about our father-son bond at all.”
Grandpa Lu replied sternly, “I’m focused on the greater good for the Lu family. Otherwise, do you think you’ll all thrive on thin air?”
Lu Jianliang felt helpless. After all, 46% of the company’s shares were in Grandpa’s hands.
That was the most ruthless part about Grandpa: at ninety years old, he still held onto the shares tightly.
Lu Jianliang couldn’t afford to fall out with him; if he did, he might not see much of that 46% himself.
“Fine, I’ll step down early, but my son should get a seat on the board. You can’t favor your little grandson too much,” Lu Jianliang said, conceding.
Grandpa Lu shot back, “You need to make a statement in the group first.”
Lu Jianliang tagged Jiang Sixun: [I’m not feeling well and plan to resign from the board. What do you think your grandfather will decide?]
As soon as he sent the message, his children flooded his phone with calls, all of which he ignored.
Finally, Grandpa Lu made his statement in the group: [The eldest is not in great health, and with so many affairs to handle, Xiaochi, you need to help your father out. Next week, I’ll transfer 6% of the shares to you. Do a good job.]
Lu Jianliang’s eldest son was stunned: [Thank you, Grandpa.]
Grandpa Lu continued: [As for the second and third families, they’ll receive equivalent cash and assets. The secretary will be in touch with you. That’s all for today’s family meeting; you all can go back to your business.]
Lu Jianbo privately messaged his father: [Since my family isn’t getting anything, shouldn’t I try to secure something for my son too?]
Grandpa Lu replied curtly: “You’ve already been given power; what more do you want?”
Lu Jianbo shot back, “Money is more tangible.”
Grandpa Lu sighed, “Haven’t I given you enough cash over the years? Your younger brother doesn’t fight for it, so I always top him up—enough to buy dozens of planes if we added it all up.”
Lu Jianbo retorted, “I’ve spent it all.”
Grandpa Lu nearly choked on his breath. “Shouldn’t I leave something for Sixun? Tell him to behave, get married early, and not be so tempestuous.”
“Before Sixun gets married, you need to meet with Yueyu to discuss the children’s marriage arrangements. Go together to propose to Zhiyi’s family.”
Lu Jianbo replied: [I don’t think she wants to see me.]
He asked his son if he had mentioned his romantic life to Jiang Yueyu.
Jiang Sixun: [I was going to tell her, but weren’t you the one who had Zhiyi block me? We’ll talk once we’re back on good terms.]
Lu Jianbo remained silent.
The last time he visited Beijing was six years ago, and he hadn’t seen her since.
Jiang Sixun added: [My mom is still seeing a therapist; you’d better stay out of her sight.]
He exited the chat, grabbed his car keys, and headed out.
Xu Zhiyi lived in another villa community three kilometers away.
Traffic was light, and he arrived quickly.
That afternoon, Xu Zhiyi was getting ready to meet with Shang Yin. She changed into a crisp shirt and high-waisted trousers, applied some light makeup, and was about to leave.
As she stood on the stairs, she heard a car engine in the yard. Looking through the lattice windows, she saw the familiar license plate from Jiang’s family.
As she stepped out of the villa, the car window slid down, and she caught a glimpse of the man in the driver’s seat.
“Mr. Jiang,” she greeted, but then opened the back door and got in.
Jiang Sixun glanced at her through the rear-view mirror. “Aren’t you sitting in the front?”
Xu Zhiyi replied, “It’s not convenient; I need to work on my laptop.”
Jiang Sixun shifted in his seat, reached over to grab a bouquet of fresh flowers, and handed it to her in the back. “I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable these past few days. I didn’t handle things well.”
Xu Zhiyi took a moment to appreciate the large bouquet of red roses in front of her. This wasn’t the first time he’d sent her flowers; he had gifted her a mixed bouquet for her birthday before, but this felt different—more meaningful.
“Thank you,” she said softly, accepting the flowers.
Jiang Sixun turned back, fastening his seatbelt. “I’ve made dinner reservations for tonight to celebrate your promotion.”
Xu Zhiyi replied, “I’ll be busy with Shang Yin this afternoon, and then I have a video call with the Boston partners. It’ll probably go past nine. Shang Yin mentioned dinner afterward, so I can’t celebrate with you tonight. We’ll have to do it another day.”
“It’s fine,” Jiang Sixun said. “I already spoke to Shang Yin and invited him to join us for the celebration.”
Xu Zhiyi fell silent, a mix of emotions swirling in her mind. She appreciated the gesture but couldn’t shake the feeling that their paths were diverging at the worst moment.