Chapter 51

He had planned everything thoroughly, leaving no room for rejection.

Xu Zhiyi opened her laptop, staying silent, subtly agreeing to his arrangement.

“Do you remember Qing Medical, the company I invested in a few years ago?” she asked the man in the driver’s seat.

Jiang Sixun started the engine and glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Yeah, they specialize in producing implant-grade raw materials. Why? Are you planning to pull out or invest more?”

“Neither. I’m thinking of bringing in Jin Yun.” Xu Zhiyi explained. “Qing Medical’s current management team is competent, but they lack the connections. They’re losing ground to competitors in the market. Shang Yun, on the other hand, has the right network. Qing Medical has the products, Shang Yun has the resources, and Yuanwei has the money.”

A partnership like this would be rock solid.

Jiang Sixun pressed the gas pedal, eyes on the road ahead since he could no longer check the rearview. “Who’s Qing Medical’s strongest competitor?” he asked.

Xu Zhiyi paused for a moment. “Xinrui Medical.”

“Xinrui?”

“Yes, it’s a subsidiary of the Yu family.”

There was no need for further explanation. Jiang Sixun could already guess which member of the Yu family was overseeing Xinrui Medical.

“How competitive are Qing Medical’s products?” he asked, concerned.

“They’re decent,” Xu Zhiyi replied plainly. “Their new materials are currently undergoing modification tests, aiming to be used in 3D printing. The bio-compatibility outperforms their competitors.”

“They’re also hoping for breakthroughs in healing time.”

Jiang Sixun asked, “Are you worried that if we compete head-on, I’d go easy on Yu Rui?”

Xu Zhiyi looked up from her laptop, her eyes fixed on his sharp profile. “Just try it.”

As they waited at a traffic light, Jiang Sixun met her gaze through the rearview mirror. “It’s not about whether I dare or not. I have no reason to go easy on her.”

Dropping the hypothetical, Xu Zhiyi changed the subject. “You’re staying with me today. Don’t you have your own work to take care of?”

“It won’t slow me down. While you’re discussing the partnership with Shang Yun, I’ll head to Yuanwei’s temporary office for a video conference.”

Jiang Sixun continued to watch her. “Can we talk about something other than work during the drive?”

Xu Zhiyi glanced at him. “What do you want to talk about?”

The man smirked. “Tomorrow night, I’ll take you to this cozy little tavern. I think you’ll like the vibe.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then we’ll head back, and I’ll carry you home. Once your project’s finished, I’ll take you to that bar in London. Actually…” He paused thoughtfully, “Maybe it’s better if you don’t like the tavern.”

Xu Zhiyi gave no reply, her focus shifting back to her emails.

When they arrived at Jin Yun Tower, Jiang Sixun parked and got out. Xu Zhiyi waved him off with her laptop in hand. “See you later. You don’t need to walk me in.”

Ignoring her, Jiang Sixun casually followed, reaching for her laptop bag. Their hands brushed, and his warm fingers briefly enveloped hers before she withdrew her hand, letting him take over the bag.

Inside the lobby of Jin Yun Tower, Shang Yun sat in the lounge waiting. The receptionists exchanged curious glances—this second heir was usually hard to spot, let alone waiting in a public space for ten minutes.

“And he’s wearing a tie too.”

“Must be waiting for someone important.”

“His business partners never get this kind of treatment.”

As they whispered, a striking couple entered through the doors, and Shang Yun immediately rose to greet them.

“Oh, he was waiting for a beauty.”

“What beauty? Don’t you know how to speak? Shang Yun’s top leader is ranked by looks!”

Someone couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

Xu Zhiyi hadn’t expected Shang Yun to wait downstairs, but Jiang Sixun had anticipated it. After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Sixun said, “I hope we haven’t kept you waiting, President Shang.”

“Waiting sounds so polite, but the truth is, I’ve waited much longer on blind dates,” Shang Yun teased.

Xu Zhiyi: “…”

The two men extended their hands at the same time, shaking firmly.

“Since you’re already here, how about a quick visit to my office?” Shang Yun offered.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your business. I’ll visit next time to learn from you properly,” Jiang Sixun replied.

Shang Yun smirked. “I’m honored, but what wisdom could I possibly offer? Perhaps some… more open-minded advice?”

Jiang Sixun grinned. “No need, I’m already more open-minded than you.”

Shang Yun: “…”

“President Shang, I’ll see you after your evening meeting.” Jiang Sixun’s tone softened as he turned to Xu Zhiyi. “I’ll come pick you up tonight.”

With a nod to Shang Yun, Jiang Sixun left.

Once back in the car, Jiang Sixun made a call to his secretary, instructing them to track Lu Jianliang’s next moves—who he met with, and any financial dealings.

Just as he hung up, his father’s call came through.

Lu Jianbo asked his son when he’d be making a trip to Hong Kong.

Jiang Sixun, adjusting his seatbelt, replied, “At the latest, next week.” There were matters he needed to handle personally. He then asked, “Have you spoken to Grandfather about securing shares?”

“I’ve tried. No success,” Lu Jianbo admitted. “The old man granted your cousin 6% of the shares, which I didn’t see coming. Now that Lu Kaichi’s on the board, your uncle’s side has two voting rights. The old man will transfer the shares next week, and your uncle, even if he agrees to step down, will stall, using this time to bargain with us.”

It wasn’t that Lu Jianbo thought the old man was particularly ruthless, but, “Your grandfather enjoys keeping his sons in check, ensuring no one disobeys him. He’s letting you have power, but he’s also given your uncle’s family enough leverage to keep you in line.”

Lu Jianbo had seen through many people, but his own father remained an enigma.

The old man’s unpredictable ways were hard to decipher.

Lu Jianliang’s apparent willingness to step down was merely a ploy, a strategy to secure the old man’s 40% of the shares and his vast overseas assets, which Lu Jianliang coveted most.

Even Lu Jianbo’s second brother had his eyes on them.

The small portion of assets divided at today’s family meeting didn’t satisfy anyone. The only thing of real value was Lu Kaichi’s voting rights.

Money wasn’t what Jiang Sixun sought—he had more than enough to spend lavishly, even if it wasn’t as much as the entire Lu family’s fortune. His 30 years of accumulation still amounted to quite a bit. What mattered to Jiang Sixun was the voting power tied to those shares.

By allowing Lu Kaichi into the board, the election had become unpredictable. The votes of the other shareholders were now critical to Jiang Sixun, and the Yu family’s vote was the biggest uncertainty.

“You and Yu Rui have tension now,” Lu Jianbo pointed out. “I’ll handle that vote.”

Before retiring, the old man had modified the company’s bylaws. To be the head of the Lu family, you had to balance all the interests at play.

But when it came to the Yu family, it was a balance Jiang Sixun couldn’t achieve on his own.

“Shen Qingfeng manipulated Zhiyi to help Lu Jianliang secure the Yu family’s vote,” Jiang Sixun added.

Lu Jianbo: “Make some time to visit your third uncle in Hong Kong.”

“Did he have a role in the hospital’s file destruction?”

“No, he didn’t. When your mother and I divorced, your uncle got caught up in one of your elder uncle’s schemes. He might be worried I’ll come after him for it.” Jianbo scoffed. “He didn’t know any better. There’s no point holding a grudge.”

“Out of everyone in the Lu family, your third uncle is the most reliable. He has the skills and the means. But your grandfather never saw that.”

Jiang Sixun understood the dynamics well. “Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up.”

Lu Jianbo hesitated. “Nothing more. I’m heading back to New York tomorrow. Secretary Cai will stay in Hong Kong, so if you need anything, go through him.”

“Oh? My word carries weight now?”

“Probably not, but you’ve got Zhiyi, haven’t you?” His father ended the call with a chuckle.

Jiang Sixun drove to Yuanwei Tower, where his office was right next to Xu Zhiyi’s. He’d barely sat down and hadn’t even opened his laptop when his cousin Jiang Shenghe knocked and came in.

Shenghe was looking for Xu Zhiyi, but the secretary had told him she wasn’t in. He noticed Sixun’s door was ajar.

“Where’s Zhiyi?” Shenghe casually poured himself a glass of water and took a seat opposite.

“She’s meeting with Shang Yun to discuss a partnership.”

“Discussing the Shangqing Medical deal?”

“You’re keeping tabs on Shangqing?”

Shenghe nodded. “Zhiyi originally wanted me to build a team to handle their market expansion, but with Aunt retiring and too much on my plate at the group, I didn’t have the energy for it. Better to bring in Shang Yun—more money for everyone.”

He sipped his water. “How’s Aunt been? I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the chance to take her out to dinner.”

Jiang Sixun leaned back. “I only just found out my mom’s been seeing a therapist for years.”

Shenghe’s reaction mirrored his own when he first heard the news—stunned into silence.

The guilt weighed heavily on Shenghe. Before Aunt Jiang Yue retired, they had practically seen each other daily, yet he’d never noticed anything wrong.

Jiang Sixun continued, “Even I didn’t catch on, so don’t beat yourself up. Next time I head back to Manhattan, I’ll take Mom with me. I can’t leave her alone at home anymore. Now that she’s retired, she’s more likely to spiral.”

He had already instructed his secretary to send his mother details on various properties in Manhattan, letting her choose whichever suited her best.

Shifting away from somber topics, Sixun smiled. “Let me share some good news.”

Shenghe immediately jumped to a conclusion. “The old man’s giving you shares?”

“I’m with Zhiyi now.”

Shenghe had just taken a sip of water, but his grip faltered, spilling it onto his shirt. He hurried to grab a napkin and dab at the wet spot, visibly flustered.

In public, Shenghe never lost his composure like this.

He stared at Sixun. “Weren’t you committed to being single? Not interested in relationships?”

“I didn’t want marriage because of her. Now, I want marriage because of her.” Jiang Sixun paused for a moment. “Let’s not talk about the past.”

Sensing the weight of the statement, Shenghe didn’t pry further. Instead, he remarked, “Qi Zhengchen’s investing in a golf club for Zhiyi, you heard?”

Sixun nodded. “I know.”

“If he finds out you’re with Zhiyi, he might not take it well.”

“He already knows. He ran into my mom at the therapist’s office.”

“…”

Shenghe was speechless. He set down his glass, realizing he needed to retreat to his own office to process all of this.

Jiang Sixun stayed in the office for another two hours, finishing his work. Just after six, he received an email from Zhiyi saying her meeting wouldn’t be over until 9:30.

With some time to spare, he decided to stop by his mother’s house and talk to her about her move.

No matter what, he couldn’t leave her living alone any longer.

Unusually, she wasn’t in the garden tonight.

The housekeeper informed him that his mother was upstairs, packing in her room.

“Mom.” Jiang Sixun knocked gently on the bedroom door.

It was open, and his mother was in the walk-in closet, sorting through her things.

“Come in.”

Jiang Yue glanced at her son. “You’re home early.”

“I have to go out again at nine.” His gaze fell on the open suitcase, half-filled with clothes. “Planning a trip?”

“I’m heading to Manhattan. I’ll decide for myself which house to buy and where to live. The house is for me, so it has to feel right. You don’t need to worry about it.”

Her son had made up his mind about her moving there, and she couldn’t be stubborn anymore. She didn’t want to give him one more thing to stress over.

Jiang Sixun wrapped his arms around his mother. “Thank you, Mom.”

Jiang Yue gently patted his back. The little boy who had comforted her whenever he saw her cry, even at two years old, might have frustrated her over the years, but he was still as caring as ever.

“I’ll head over next month, to check out the houses in person.”

Lately, her visits to therapy had become too frequent. She really needed to get away for a while.

She also reminded him to find time to play golf with Qi Zhengchen.

“Relying on therapy long-term isn’t a real solution.”

Jiang Sixun helped his mother pack her favorite books, and by the time he left, it was already 8:30.

When he arrived at Jin Yun Tower, he didn’t use WeChat. Instead, he sent Zhiyi an internal email: I’m downstairs.

Zhiyi stared at the short message, savoring those four words she’d once only dreamed of seeing.

“President Jiang has arrived?” Shang Yun asked as he packed up his documents.

Xu Zhiyi glanced at her phone screen, locking it before she began to tidy up as well. “Yes.”

“Then, you should ride with him. I’ll take my own car.”

If it were anyone else, they might feel awkward tagging along when a couple was celebrating a promotion. But Shang Yun wasn’t one of those people.

The other attendees gradually left the meeting room, and Xu Zhiyi grabbed her laptop and headed downstairs.

Outside the building, a sleek black car was already waiting.

As soon as Jiang Sixun saw her approaching, he stepped out, walked around the front of the car, and opened the passenger door for her.

It wasn’t until she got closer that she noticed his tie—it was the one she had bought him during their trip to Hong Kong.

She reached for the backseat door, but Jiang Sixun gently stopped her. “Sit in the front.”

Their eyes met. His grip was firm, but the look in his eyes was tender.

Brushing past him and the car door, Xu Zhiyi slipped into the passenger seat, placing her laptop bag by her feet. She glanced back instinctively, noticing the bouquet of roses was no longer there.

“Where are my flowers?” she asked.

Jiang Sixun got into the driver’s seat and replied, “They’re on your desk. I’ll get you another bouquet on the way.”

He leaned over, intending to buckle her seatbelt for her.

From Xu Zhiyi’s angle, it looked like he was about to kiss her, and she instinctively put her hand on his lips, trying to push him away.

Jiang Sixun chuckled softly and kissed her palm instead.

Her hand recoiled as if shocked, and she pushed at his chin to keep him at bay.

With a playful stretch of his arms, Jiang Sixun pulled her into an embrace over the center console. “I wasn’t trying to kiss you, just helping with the seatbelt.”

Their faces were so close their breaths mingled, and Xu Zhiyi stared into his deep eyes, half-expecting him to lean in further.

“I’ll do it myself,” she murmured.

Jiang Sixun didn’t press the issue, holding her for a moment longer before asking, “Tired?”

“I don’t want to tell you the truth.”

The truth was, seeing him waiting to pick her up outside, catching that first glimpse of him—no matter how tired she was, it all vanished.

“You need more people on your team,” Jiang Sixun said. “One secretary and one assistant aren’t enough. Add a few more.”

“Even with more people, there are things only I can handle.”

“If you had a capable assistant, you’d be doing half as much.”

“Finding someone that good is easier said than done.”

“Cai, my secretary.”

“…”

Xu Zhiyi pushed him away. “I’m getting hot.”

Her back was already drenched in sweat. She couldn’t even imagine the absurdity of having Cai, Jiang Sixun’s highly competent secretary, working for her.

Jiang Sixun let go. “I’m transferring all of my shares in Yuanwei to you. As for how much you want to offer Cai to join your team, that’s up to you.”

Xu Zhiyi stared at him. “Do you realize what you’re saying? That first part.”

“I do. You’ve contributed more to Yuanwei than I have. It’s yours anyway, sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.”

“It’s different. If you transfer now, it becomes pre-marital property.”

Jiang Sixun gazed into her eyes. “It’s the same. I never plan to divorce.”

Xu Zhiyi unbuckled her seatbelt and gave him a serious look. “Let’s be clear. I’ll accept the transfer, but we are not adding each other back on WeChat. That’s a non-negotiable boundary.”

Jiang Sixun laughed. “Alright, no WeChat.”

On their way to the restaurant, Jiang Sixun stopped at a flower shop.

Xu Zhiyi had almost forgotten he’d promised to buy her flowers.

Jiang Sixun asked the florist to wrap a bouquet of red roses with no extra decorations. He then plucked two peonies from a flower bucket, snipped off the stems and excess leaves himself.

“Add these two as well,” he told the florist.

“Sure thing!”

Back in the car, Jiang Sixun handed her the bouquet along with the two unwrapped peonies.

Xu Zhiyi glanced at the two flowers. He always gave her two peonies—together, as if they were inseparable. He suggested she place them in her bag, just enough for the flowers to peek out.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Shang Yun had already finished half a glass of water.

Jiang Sixun draped his jacket over the back of the chair and took a seat across from him.

Shang Yun picked up the menu on the table and handed it diagonally to Xu Zhiyi. “You order.”

Jiang Sixun eyed the man across from him, but Shang Yun acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Jiang Sixun called the restaurant manager, asking for one of the bottles of wine he had stored there.

“Of course, Mr. Jiang. I’ll bring it right over.”

After hanging up, Jiang Sixun wiped his hands with a towel and began laying out a napkin for Xu Zhiyi.

She glanced at the menu and said, “I can do it myself.”

“Order first, then ask what Mr. Shang would like,” Jiang Sixun said calmly, continuing to arrange the napkin meticulously.

Shang Yun shrugged. “I’m easy. You decide.”

The waiter brought over two glasses of water, and just as Jiang Sixun reached to pass one to Xu Zhiyi, Shang Yun swiftly took it and placed it on her left side.

Xu Zhiyi caught the scene out of the corner of her eye—Shang Yun was deliberately trying to rile Jiang Sixun up.

Note to self: never dine with these two together again.

During the business discussion, Shang Yun was entirely professional, haggling over every last detail when it came to interests and profits. But once outside the negotiation room, it was like he turned into a malfunctioning robot, provoking anyone in his path.

Leaning back in his chair, Shang Yun casually mentioned the project collaboration between Tianyun Medical and the Lu family. “Xu Ningwei joined the R&D team for that project. Did you know, President Jiang? She signed the contract with HR earlier today.”

“I know. It was her choice.”

“She came to me, saying she wants no further involvement with Shen Qingfeng. Funny. Like I’m supposed to keep Shen Qingfeng in check.”

Jiang Sixun raised an eyebrow. “Why are you telling me all this?”

Shang Yun chuckled. “What else do we have to talk about?” He glanced at Xu Zhiyi. “Unless… you’d prefer we talk about President Xu?”

Ah, so that’s what this was leading to.

Jiang Sixun smirked. “Why don’t we talk about why your blind date didn’t work out?”

“…”

Shang Yun let out a laugh. “Because I ran into Qi Zhengchen that day. We clash like fire and water.”

Jiang Sixun stared at him, speechless.

Xu Zhiyi, unable to hold back anymore, interjected, “Aren’t you two going to eat something?”

The table fell silent for a moment.

Apparently, they needed to be well-fed before stirring up more drama.

Shang Yun turned his gaze toward Xu Zhiyi. “President Xu, mind if I ask you a personal question?”

She looked up at him. “Go ahead.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

He seemed to have picked up on the tension between her and Jiang Sixun.

Instinctively, Xu Zhiyi turned to look at Jiang Sixun, and their eyes locked.

Jiang Sixun’s voice was low and coaxing as he asked, “Well, do you?”

Xu Zhiyi’s heart had never raced so fast.

Jiang Sixun continued, “If you don’t, I’ll pursue you. If you do, I’ll still pursue you. So, what’s the answer?”

Xu Zhiyi smiled. “Then go ahead and chase me.”

Shang Yun cut in with a grin. “So that means I can pursue you too, right?”

“President Shang, even if you chase me, I’m not giving up any points on the contract.”

Shang Yun covered his mouth with his hand, stifling a laugh. “You never know, I might be the one who gives in.”

Jiang Sixun took a slow sip of water, his tone casual but pointed. “President Shang, don’t lose your head over romance.”

Shang Yun’s eyes gleamed as he shot back, “Funny you should say that. I was just about to give the same advice to President Xu.” His gaze lingered on Xu Zhiyi, his sharp features making him hard to look away from.

“President Xu, while you’re not at the ‘head-over-heels’ stage yet, prevention is better than cure. I happen to know a foolproof method to avoid falling too deep in love. Want to hear it?”

Jiang Sixun answered for her. “No need, President Shang.”

But Xu Zhiyi glanced at him, curious. “Go on, let’s hear it.”

Shang Yun smirked. “Date two people at once. That way, you’ll never lose your head over one.”

“…”