Chapter 64

The next day, Xu Heng returned to Shanghai. Besides handling company matters, he wanted to continue his evening lessons with the florist. That same afternoon, their parents also left Beijing.

When Xu Zhiyi got home late after working overtime, the vast living room echoed only with her own footsteps.

“We’ve scheduled a meeting with the lawyer to discuss Shen Qingfeng’s case,” her mother had told her over the phone. “Your father has a forum opening to attend next week, but once that’s done, we’ll come back to stay with you.”

Despite her usual independence, the call had left Zhiyi feeling a bit lonely.

She grabbed a jar of yogurt with fruit made by He Yian from the fridge and headed up to her room. Unlike their Shanghai house, the terrace here wasn’t filled with flowers, leaving it wide open with a clear view. Since she’d finished all her work at the office, she decided to enjoy this rare moment of peace. Sitting on the terrace, eating her yogurt, she began drafting her personal goals for the next few years.

She hadn’t written much when she heard a car pull into the driveway.

The terrace lights were on, and as Jiang Sixun stepped out of his car, he immediately noticed her silhouette.

Zhiyi put down her pen and leaned against the terrace railing. Without her glasses, she couldn’t tell if he was looking at her or not. She waved, “Jiang Sixun!”

He called up to her, “I see you.”

Shutting the car door, he walked leisurely toward the villa, stopping below the terrace to look up at her on the third floor. “Not calling me ‘brother’ anymore?”

Zhiyi blinked in confusion, taking another bite of yogurt before remembering why he said that.

This man sure held a grudge. Six years ago, when she first returned to her Shanghai home, she had mistaken him for her brother when he came back late at night and had called him “brother” by accident.

“I said that once, why do you remember it so…” She couldn’t finish the sentence before bursting into laughter.

Right, why did he remember it so clearly?

Because he’d kept it close to his heart.

Jiang Sixun looked up at her, still eating her yogurt, the two of them staring at each other across two floors. Neither could see the emotions in the other’s eyes clearly.

He asked, “Why aren’t you still complaining about me?”

Zhiyi grinned, “I’ll never complain about you again.” She changed the subject. “I thought you weren’t coming tonight.”

“How could I not come?” he replied.

She invited him up, “I was just thinking about you.”

“Oh, by the way,” she added with a teasing smile, “my dad said your ‘territory’ is limited to the first floor.”

But it was too late—Jiang Sixun was already stepping into the villa.

Not even two minutes later, there were two soft knocks on her bedroom door.

She hadn’t responded yet, but he pushed the door open anyway. Now that he was closer, Zhiyi noticed he was wearing a deep blue pinstripe shirt. Ever since he’d stopped wearing bright-colored shirts, his wardrobe had become a bit dull.

“You know,” she teased, “you could wear something a bit more colorful. My parents are used to seeing you in reds and purples.”

Jiang Sixun responded, “I’ll wear something bright on your birthday.”

Zhiyi thought about the shirt and tie combination she’d bought for him. “It would clash. Not a good look.”

“Then I’ll save the tie for our wedding day,” he said with a casual smile.

He moved to switch off the floor lamp but paused when he saw her notebook on the table.

“Working on your plans?” he asked, hand hovering over the lamp’s remote.

“Not work plans,” Zhiyi replied, smiling playfully. “These are our plans for the next few years.”

His calm expression shifted ever so slightly. “Can I take a look?”

Zhiyi instinctively placed her hand over the notebook and raised an eyebrow. “You still owe me a proper confession in Mandarin. There’s got to be more in your Cantonese one that I didn’t catch. I want to hear it.”

She waved the notebook as if it were bait.

Then, a bit of doubt crept in. “Do you even remember what you said back then?”

Jiang Sixun nodded. Of course, he remembered.

He had already shared the stories of the concert and the sports game with her.

He leaned closer and spoke softly, recounting only the second half of what he had said back then: “You were right. It doesn’t matter the cuisine—many of China’s regional dishes are amazing. But I was always alone when I traveled, so I could never order much. Next time, you’ll come with me. Six years late, but today, I’m finally telling you that I love you.”

Xu Zhiyi tightened her grip on the notebook, unable to contain her surprise.

Seeing the look of shock on her face, Jiang Sixun asked, “What’s wrong?” That expression wasn’t what he had expected.

“Just… wait a moment before I tell you,” she said, her heart racing.

Jiang Sixun realized he hadn’t yet confessed in Cantonese. He reached out, “Come here.”

He pulled her close, locking eyes with her as he declared, “迟左六年，今日先同你讲：我钟意你。” (I’ve been late by six years; today I finally tell you: I like you.)

Hearing those words a second time sent a rush through her veins.

Xu Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his neck. “From now on, if we argue, you have to speak Cantonese to make me feel better.”

Jiang Sixun raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you the one who doesn’t understand it?”

“Even if I don’t understand, I’ll still be happy.” The rich timbre of his voice mixed with Cantonese made her anger dissipate by half. “When I’m upset, apologies come second; emotional validation comes first.”

“Got it, I’ll remember that.”

He continued, “I’ll try not to make you angry.”

“It’s not about whether you try or not; sometimes you offend me without meaning to.”

“…” Jiang Sixun laughed. “From now on, if I see you looking upset, I’ll just speak in Cantonese.”

He glanced at the notebook on the table and asked, “Can I see it?”

Xu Zhiyi turned the notebook toward him, even though it wasn’t finished, letting him look at what she had so far.

As Jiang Sixun flipped to the current page, he noticed the cities and names of local restaurants she had jotted down. Now it made sense why she had been shocked earlier.

She was planning to accompany him to all those unique dining spots across the country.

There were too many places to explore scattered across the vast expanse of China, and it would be impossible to visit them all in one trip. She had mapped out a five-year plan and had just started writing down her itinerary for the third year.

He placed the notebook back on the table and pulled her into his embrace again. “Thank you.”

Xu Zhiyi rested her chin against his chest, tilting her head up to look at him. “No need to thank me. If we’re talking about thanks, I should thank you for all those times you took me out for lobster noodles.”

Just then, Jiang Sixun’s phone rang; it was a call from his bodyguard.

He answered, “What’s up?”

“Lu Kaijing has arrived in Beijing and has probably arranged to meet with Shang Ningwei.”

“I see.”

Not long after they hung up, Shang Ningwei received a call from Lu Kaijing, inviting her to meet at a quiet bar.

The bar was just a ten-minute walk from her apartment.

She politely declined over the phone. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be so quick to refuse. Let’s meet first, and if you still want to decline afterward, that’s fine. No matter what, I’m your boss now; let me buy you a drink.”

As she ran her fingers through her loose hair, she realized she had forgotten that Lu Kaijing had taken over the project. As her boss, how could she refuse?

“I don’t drink alcohol, and I never go to bars.”

Lu Kaijing replied, “Then let’s meet at the café across from your apartment.”

Ningwei suspected Lu Kaijing had been waiting for her downstairs when she called because when she arrived at the café, her boss was already sipping coffee and had even ordered her a cup.

This young lady from the Lu family shared a striking resemblance to Jiang Sixun in her confident demeanor; even without seeing the table number, she recognized her instantly among the crowd.

Lu Kaijing gestured with her chin. “Sit.”

In that brief moment of contact, Ningwei sensed that Lu Kaijing’s personality was completely different from Shen Qingfeng’s—Shen was adept at reading people and pleasing them.

This young lady had been born with a silver spoon, like her former self, used to being at the top, not needing to please anyone or worry about others’ opinions.

“You’re not considering my offer because of Jiang Sixun, are you?”

Ningwei remained silent.

Lu Kaijing pressed on, “You’re both 26 this year, just like Xu Zhiyi, right? At 26, you’re still treating love like it’s a meal?”

“I don’t like Jiang Sixun, and don’t compare me to Xu Zhiyi,” Ningwei replied coldly.

“Regardless of the type of relationship, as long as there are feelings involved, that’s enough,” Lu Kaijing stated, unfazed.

“Let’s be realistic; feelings can’t pay the bills. A few days ago, my family was dividing up the inheritance—what does family mean in the face of money? In front of wealth, nothing matters. Money gives you power. My grandfather has money, and if he dislikes someone, he can easily withdraw his support. I’m offering you something tangible, Miss Shang. Money in hand is yours.”

“Here’s something you won’t want to hear: Xu Zhiyi has such a wealthy father, yet she’s still trying to turn KEVE into her own. Compared to her, what do you have? Is money a hot potato for you?”

“Don’t act superior, at least not in front of money.”

Lu Kaijing sipped her coffee, “In our family, no one has ever acted high and mighty in front of money—even my fourth uncle is competing for it.”

Ningwei remained silent but glanced at her.

Noticing a flicker of hesitation in Ningwei, Lu Kaijing added fuel to the fire. “You don’t want to be compared to Xu Zhiyi because deep down, you know she surpasses you in every way, so you refuse to mention her.”

Ningwei’s expression shifted repeatedly, ultimately settling into a disdainful smirk.

Lu Kaijing set her coffee cup down. “Xu Zhiyi knows how to leverage her father’s connections and resources to make money. What about you? You have opportunities right in front of you, yet you’re turning them down—are you stupid?”

“If you change your mind, come find me by 8 a.m. tomorrow. After that, it’s too late.”

With that, she grabbed her bag and walked away.

Ningwei hadn’t taken a sip of her coffee, placing it down untouched.

The sound of her high heels receding felt like a weight on her heart. Was money really a hot potato? Was she pretending to be high-minded?

“Lu Zong,” she called out, stopping her.

Lu Kaijing turned back, silent, her gaze fixed on Shang Ningwei.

Ningwei bit her lip, struggling for several long seconds before finally asking, “Where can I find you tomorrow?”

“Jin Yun Building. The office that used to belong to Shen Qingfeng is now mine,” Lu Kaijing replied casually.

---

The next afternoon at 5:30, Xu Zhiyi was about to send a message to Secretary Cai to ask if he had any thoughts on part-time work when there was a knock at the office door, announcing an unexpected visitor.

Lu Kaijing strolled in leisurely, seemingly unbothered by the expressions of those at the desk. She took in the office with a sweeping glance, “This office is quite beautiful.”

Xu Zhiyi looked up. “Follow me.”

“…” Lu Kaijing was left speechless, momentarily stunned.

If it had been anyone else acting so self-important, she would have shot back a witty retort. But when it came from Shen Qingfeng or Xu Zhiyi, it left her with nothing but a hollow chuckle.

“I came to find Sixun, and thought I’d drop by to see you,” she smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, adding in a slow drawl, “Make sure you comfort him well after work tonight.”

Xu Zhiyi returned her smile with a forced one. “Comfort him about what? Comfort him for the new Hong Kong branch of Yuanwei Capital that’s about to be established? Or for Grandpa deciding to act as an advisor? Maybe I should comfort him for being the largest shareholder in the group and remind him to take care of himself with all that pressure?”

Lu Kaijing’s expression darkened; she hadn’t anticipated Xu Zhiyi would show this side of her, dripping with sarcasm—more so than even Shen Qingfeng.

Xu Zhiyi nodded toward a chair. “Sit.”

Leaning back against the chair, Lu Kaijing scrutinized the woman before her, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, her makeup flawless down to the tiniest detail.

Everyone from the Lu family seemed exceptionally elegant, and she was no exception.

Suddenly, Lu Kaijing smiled lightly. “You look a bit unwell; do you want me to comfort you?”

Not wanting to give Lu Kaijing an inch, Xu Zhiyi merely smiled and said, “See you.”

Stepping out, Lu Kaijing turned left. Before arriving, she’d made sure to find out that Jiang Sixun’s office was next door. However, just as she took two steps, a man with a buzz cut blocked her path, making a gesture for her to leave.

She recognized him. He had been shadowing Xu Zhiyi during her two visits to the Lu family home. Especially at the first family banquet, when Shen Qingfeng went to the restroom, this man had stood guard outside.

Realizing she couldn’t even see her cousin, she stormed back to Xu Zhiyi’s office and called out, “Xu Zhiyi, don’t go too far!”

Without looking up, Xu Zhiyi replied, “In Yuanwei, I have the final say. What’s wrong with that?”

“Hmph.”

“Today you were lucky to get in; the front desk mistook you for Jiang Sixun’s cousin. There won’t be a next time.”

This was the first time Lu Kaijing had been put in her place, and it left her fuming.

Half an hour later, Jiang Sixun wrapped up his tasks and headed to Xu Zhiyi’s office.

He had recognized Lu Kaijing’s voice in the earlier commotion outside her door but hadn’t interrupted the video call he was on at the time.

“Did Lu Kaijing leave because of you?” he asked.

Xu Zhiyi laughed. “Aren’t you worried she’ll be upset with me?”

Jiang Sixun shook his head. “She wouldn’t dare. She might challenge me, but she wouldn’t dare challenge you.”

While she could provoke him without consequence, crossing lines with someone he cared about was a different matter. Lu Kaijing wasn’t foolish; she was always aware of the boundaries.

Xu Zhiyi frowned, “She came to see you; it must be about the Jin Yun project.”

Jiang Sixun suspected that if he was right, Shang Ningwei had already signed a collaboration agreement with her; otherwise, Lu Kaijing wouldn’t have been so provocative. He had plenty of ways to secure project shares—there were alternatives to working solely with Professor Shang.

Yet, that was the easiest path and wouldn’t jeopardize the interests of the Shang family.

He reassured Xu Zhiyi, “It might not even be about the project. She could simply be dealing with something related to the Lu family.”

Just then, Shang Ningwei’s call came in.

“Let me take this call,” he said to Xu Zhiyi, swiping to answer as he stepped outside. “Go ahead.”

“I signed an agreement with Lu Kaijing, and my dad signed one too; his is for project collaboration. I can’t go into specifics about mine, but it’s all good for me.”

“I figured as much.”

“Don’t hang up yet, Sixun. Hear me out.”

Jiang Sixun was capable of understanding the bigger picture. “Go on.”

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Shang Ningwei looked out at the colorful evening sky, feeling an unfamiliar sense of ease. “I wasn’t planning to collaborate with Lu Kaijing, but she pointed out that Xu Zhiyi was manipulating things to make KEVE her own, leaving Shen Qingfeng empty-handed. Lu Kaijing even called me foolish for not learning from Xu Zhiyi.”

In that moment, she had asked herself the same question—why not learn from Xu Zhiyi? After all, she had already fallen behind; why not figure out how to make money too?

“Lu Kaijing told me money isn’t a hot potato and to stop pretending to be high-minded in front of it.”

Since Lu Kaijing had forced the benefits into her hands, she had no reason to refuse.

She accepted the money, viewing it as compensation from Lu Kaijing for Shen Qingfeng.

Ningwei continued, “You can have the collaboration agreement you gave my dad. He signed it, but he officially agreed to collaborate with Lu Kaijing, so it’s not convenient for me to meet with you again. The signed agreement is at my grandmother’s house; you can ask Xu Zhiyi to collect it.”

Her decision surprised Jiang Sixun. He thanked her and reminded her, “Accepting Lu Kaijing’s benefits while pretending to collaborate with her and secretly switching sides to my side carries risks.”

“Revenge is inherently risky; this is nothing. If she finds out the truth and comes after me, you won’t just stand by and watch, right? Li Ke is a cautionary tale for me. She seems to be doing well now, living freely, and still manages KEVE.”

Shang Ningwei paused for a moment and said, “My dad actually hates Shen Qingfeng. If things hadn’t changed back then, if I had grown up by his side and received his guidance, maybe I would have achieved something in my research by now and wouldn’t have spent these years so unhappily. I can’t remain indifferent to the people he hates anymore.”

“Sixun, that agreement I gave you is like an early wedding gift from me to you. It’s only for you, and it has nothing to do with Xu Zhiyi.” She still couldn’t bring herself to like Xu Zhiyi.

“When I first learned about the mix-up, you told me that even if everyone else abandoned me, I could still come to you. I’ve remembered those words for many years, and they’ve stuck with me all this time.”

“There was a time I fought with Xiaomei and had nowhere to go, and you sent me the apartment access card. When I went to Shen Qingfeng’s research center and said I didn’t want to hate anyone, you told me that hatred means seeking revenge, while not hating is repaying grievances with kindness. You probably thought it was just a comforting phrase, but to me, it meant a lot.”

“You used to love staying at my house—well, my adoptive parents’ house—because you could feel the warmth of a family. I wish you all the happiness and joy, and a lovely home.”

Jiang Sixun was moved. “Thank you.”

He had always yearned for a home filled with laughter.

A few days later, on Friday evening, after finishing work, he and Xu Zhiyi went to his grandmother’s house.

Halfway through the journey, Xu Zhiyi still found it hard to believe that Shang Ningwei was willing to help secure shares, especially since those shares were meant for her.

Turning to the man in the driver’s seat, she said, “Once the project is in my hands, I’ll invest heavily in research and development as a way to repay Uncle Shang for raising me.”

Six years ago, before they all went back home, Shang Ningwei had said over the phone that she didn’t want to leave because she had dreams that needed her adoptive parents’ support.

Xu Zhiyi had replied, “What dreams? I’ll support you.”

Little did she know, those words would come back to haunt her.

As always, they left the grandmother’s house less than half an hour after arriving.

These days, Shang Ningwei was almost always having dinner at her grandmother’s place, though she would occasionally take some time in the afternoon to visit her.

She avoided meeting with Shang Ningwei, not wanting to disrupt her life.

Once she had the collaboration agreement, she smiled and asked Jiang Sixun, “Is this my birthday gift?”

“It’s not,” Jiang Sixun replied.

“Then what kind of gift is it?”

“It’s not a gift; it’s just something I’m giving you.”

Reaching over the armrest, she hugged the man. “Thank you, Boss Jiang.”

Jiang Sixun was about to start the engine, but her embrace made him unbuckle his seatbelt and turn to wrap his arms around her. “Change the way you address me.”

“Thank you, General Manager Jiang.”

“What’s the difference from ‘Boss Jiang’?”

Xu Zhiyi feigned ignorance, “So what should I call you then?”

“I’ve called you ‘my wife’ before. What do you think you should call me?”

Xu Zhiyi met his deep gaze and leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, “I’ll call you that after we get our marriage certificate. I’ll say it a hundred and eighty times a day.”

Jiang Sixun couldn’t help but laugh.

---

With the shares from the Jin Yun project secured, Xu Zhiyi finally felt a sense of stability. After all, Lu Kaijing was bustling about, so she didn’t have to worry.

The team for the Hong Kong branch was also coming together rapidly, and she asked Secretary Cai if he had ever considered taking on a part-time role.

Secretary Cai replied: [I’ll be too busy. I’ll have my hands full soon.]

“…”

He had politely declined.

On October 22nd, the project in Beijing had temporarily come to a close.

Xu Zhiyi messaged He Yian: [Mom, I’m coming home tomorrow and will stay for a few days. After my birthday, I’ll have to go to Hong Kong.]

Setting up the branch required her personal attention for several matters.

He Yian responded: [What time will you be home? I’ll leave the office early.]

As soon as she replied, she took a screenshot of the chat and sent it to the family group chat, tagging Jiang Sixun: [Zhiyi is coming home tomorrow; the family is setting up the venue. Find an excuse to keep her out until her birthday.]

Jiang Sixun replied: [Got it, leave it to me.]

Immediately, he called Zhou Mingqian to see where he was.

Zhou Mingqian answered, “I’m at home; I just returned from Hong Kong.”

He had just finished filming a new drama and finally had time to visit.

Jiang Sixun said, “Can you throw a private party the day after tomorrow? Zhiyi and I will attend.”

Zhou Mingqian was confused. “Since when do you ask others to throw parties for you?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Zhiyi finished work early and is heading back to Shanghai. If she goes back, it’ll blow her cover. You’re her idol; she’ll be motivated to see you. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“…I suppose that works.” Zhou Mingqian chuckled, adding, “But throwing a last-minute party is a bit rushed.”

“I’ll help you with it.”

“…” Zhou Mingqian felt a bit stunned.

No wonder his left eye had been twitching all day; good things like this were happening!