Chapter 7

Not knowing what to talk about with the boss, Shang Zhiyi remained silent the entire way.

When she came back to her senses, the car had already stopped in front of the apartment building where she rented.

‘President Jiang, thank you for driving me back.’

Jiang Sixun glanced around before retracting his gaze. ‘You’re welcome.’

Shang Zhiyi gently closed the car door and stood in a spot that wouldn’t block the car from turning around, waving her hand.

After she left, Jiang Sixun sent out a voice message.

‘Find your sister a new place to stay.’

Ten minutes later, Xu Heng called back and said, ‘No. My dad has to see the place his daughter is staying.’

‘That works.’

Xu Heng was in Hong Kong at the time. His father had returned to Shanghai to attend the opening of a high-profile forum, while Xu Heng was handling the investigation at the hospital regarding the switched babies.

Twenty years was a long time, and during that period, the hospital had changed ownership twice. The doctors and nurses had long since turned over, and aside from finding the basic records from when his sister was born, there was nothing else.

‘When did your family take over the hospital?’

Currently, the largest shareholder of this private hospital was the Lu family.

Jiang Sixun replied, ‘More than ten years ago.’

Because the old man was getting on in years, he decided to acquire a hospital for his own medical needs.

The hospital was a minor part of the Lu family’s vast business empire, barely worth mentioning. Xu Heng asked who was responsible for the hospital’s management.

‘At first, it was my third uncle, but now it’s my second uncle.’

Xu Heng wasn’t familiar with the second uncle of the Lu family, only exchanging nods at social gatherings.

Jiang Sixun said, ‘You probably won’t be able to get a meeting with my second uncle. I’ll head back.’

His trunk always had luggage ready for business trips. He instructed the driver to head straight to the airport. Since there wasn’t time to arrange a private flight, he had his secretary book a ticket back to Hong Kong.”

At 10 p.m., he boarded the flight back to Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, in a brightly lit villa in the wealthy district, the lights were still on.

He Yi’an had just returned from dinner with her adopted daughter. After reminding Ning Wei to rest early, she went directly upstairs to the study. She had kept Xiao Meihua’s number and called her directly.

Xiao Meihua was meditating during yoga. It had taken her a while to calm down, but as soon as she thought about Xu Ningwei’s attitude, her peace was shattered. Just then, her phone vibrated, and she answered the call.

‘President He, what’s the matter? Is Ning Wei feeling unwell?’

No matter how upset she was, she still maintained her patience in front of others.

‘It’s not about Ning Wei. Sorry to disturb you so late.’

‘It’s fine, I wasn’t asleep yet. What can I do for you?’

He Yi’an opened her notebook and picked up a pen from the holder. ‘Could you tell me Zhiyi’s measurements? I need them to order a dress.’

Xiao Meihua apologetically replied, ‘I really don’t know. We’ve never ordered a dress before.’

‘Not even for her 20th birthday?’

‘…No.’

‘My apologies,’ He Yi’an said, realizing her mistake. ‘In that case, could you at least tell me her clothing size? Her waist, bust, and hip measurements?’ She wanted to buy Zhiyi a few work outfits.

Xiao Meihua suddenly fell silent.

She didn’t know Zhiyi’s measurements either.

He Yi’an thought the signal had dropped. ‘Hello? Can you hear me?’

Finally, Xiao Meihua spoke up. ‘Zhiyi buys her own clothes.’

He Yi’an blurted out, ‘You never go shopping with her? You don’t buy her clothes for holidays or special occasions?’

Her tone sounded like a boss reprimanding a subordinate, which Xiao Meihua found highly unpleasant.

Her voice grew colder. ‘Of course, we bought her clothes when she was younger. But now that she’s older and in college, she buys them herself. Zhiyi isn’t like some children who need their parents to manage every aspect of their lives. She’s very independent. She’s been living in a dorm since she was young, and she has her own opinions on everything, including buying her clothes.’

He Yi’an couldn’t miss the subtle criticism of her own tendency to micromanage Xu Ningwei’s life. But she ignored it and pressed on. ‘She’s been in boarding school since she was young?’

‘Yes, she went to an international school and started boarding in the sixth grade.’

‘Sixth grade allows for boarding?’

‘It can be requested.’

‘She was so young. How could you bear to send her to boarding school?’

Xiao Meihua nearly choked with frustration. ‘We had no choice. I spend half the month traveling for work, and her father is busy with his research projects. He barely has time for himself. If we want to maintain this standard of living, it’s not possible for me to stay home and raise a child without earning money. No boss is kind enough to spend millions a year hiring someone who only works from nine to five and gets all sorts of paid holidays.’

He Yi’an no longer held back her emotions. ‘No matter how independent she is, she’s still a child. She hasn’t entered the workforce and knows nothing about professional attire. Besides, Zhiyi is already two years younger than her peers. President Xiao, you’ve dealt with young professionals. You know how important first impressions are. You don’t need me to remind you. She’s a senior in college now. She should be prepared with a few outfits for interviews and work before she receives an internship offer. That’s a mother’s responsibility.’

The call ended on a sour note.

At 2 a.m., Xu Ningwei still couldn’t fall asleep. She hadn’t eaten well at dinner because of Shang Zhiyi, and now she was both hungry and uncomfortable. She got up to look for something to eat downstairs.

As she passed the study, the door was half-open, and the light was still on.

She pushed the door slightly and saw He Yi’an standing by the window, arms crossed, staring into the darkness. She was still wearing the same clothes from dinner.

Xu Ningwei gently knocked on the door and softly called, ‘Mom.’

He Yi’an’s mind was filled with thoughts of Zhiyi being younger than her classmates, boarding at such a young age. Didn’t she miss home? She was probably the only one in her class boarding, surrounded by older students. Wouldn’t she feel lonely? At that age, kids are eager to share even the tiniest details of their day with their parents. But who did Zhiyi share her daily joys and frustrations with?

‘Mom?’

He Yi’an snapped back to reality and saw her adopted daughter standing at the door.

Xu Ningwei entered the room. ‘It’s so late. Are you waiting for a video conference with someone back in China?’

He Yi’an smiled and casually replied, ‘Yes. Why aren’t you asleep yet?’

‘I was thirsty and got up to get some water.’

‘Drink your water and go to bed quickly.’

‘Okay.’

Xu Ningwei went downstairs to find something to eat and then heated up a cup of milk to bring back to the study.

He Yi’an patted her on the head. ‘You’ve grown up.’ Then she urged, ‘Go to sleep now.’

‘Will do.’ She hugged He Yi’an. ‘Mom, don’t overwork yourself.’

Xu Ningwei woke up at 10:30 a.m. the next morning to find only her car in the driveway.

‘Did Mom go to the office?’ she asked the housekeeper.

The housekeeper replied, ‘I’m not sure.’

President He had left the house early, but it didn’t seem like she had gone to the office.

—

Ever since Jiang Sixun had driven her home that night, Shang Zhiyi hadn’t seen him at the office for two days. But like clockwork, afternoon tea was delivered at 3 p.m. every day.

Afternoon tea was her only time to relax and let her mind wander.

In a casual conversation with Luna, she learned that the beautiful woman chasing their boss was named Auraro. Not only was she stunning, but she also had a sharp business mind. She was active on social media, had many followers, and often trended due to her luxurious lifestyle.

Talking about trending topics, Luna said, ‘She probably pays for it herself. After all, she’s loaded.’

Auraro’s Chinese name was Ning Yun, the granddaughter of Ning, the chairman of the Xiao Ning Group. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. The Ning family was one of the prominent families in Hong Kong. Ning Yun had lived on Deep Water Bay Road for seven or eight years before moving to London with her parents. It was said that her 10th birthday gift was a mansion worth hundreds of millions in Shek O, and her 18th birthday gift was an estate in England. On her 20th birthday, she received a luxury yacht.

On social media, Ning Yun often shares snippets of her daily life. Treating everyone at the company to afternoon tea barely even counts as an expense for her.

Luna said, ‘All her photos and videos are done by a professional team. For her 25th birthday, she even hired a director to film a birthday video.’

She tried to recall the director’s name, ‘Zhou Mingqian. Ning Yun replied to a commenter saying Zhou Mingqian is an older brother figure she’s known since childhood.’

Shang Zhiyi had watched every film Zhou Mingqian directed. She liked his style, which was rich in directorial talent. Despite his young age, he had already won several international awards. He was also the son of a jewelry tycoon in Hong Kong.

Luna took a sip of coffee and quietly added, ‘Our boss’s family is even wealthier than Ning Yun’s, and she might be interested in him for that reason.’

Shang Zhiyi: ‘…’

‘The boss took his mother’s surname, Jiang. You must have heard about his father before you joined Yuanwei.’

After finishing her coffee, Luna didn’t say much more about the boss’s personal life.

Shang Zhiyi had indeed heard about it. Yuanwei Capital’s founder, Lu Jianbo, was rumored to be Jiang Sixun’s biological father. Lu Jianbo was the youngest son of the Lu family, one of the four prominent families in Hong Kong. He had made a name for himself on Wall Street after leaving Hong Kong, dominating the capital markets.

The Jiang family was politically powerful, but whatever emotional entanglements Jiang Sixun’s mother had with Lu Jianbo were a mystery to outsiders.

That world felt far removed from her own. Shang Zhiyi pushed aside her thoughts, finished the last bite of dessert, and got back to work.

By 5:30 p.m., Shang Zhiyi left the office. Her roommate, Yu Zijia, had been pestering her on WeChat, saying she wanted spicy fried rice. So, Shang Zhiyi stopped by the supermarket to pick up some seasoning.

When she got home, Yu Zijia was making a salad.

‘I got a new salad dressing. It’s got great reviews online. Try a bite and see how you like it.’ Before Shang Zhiyi could say anything, Yu Zijia shoved a forkful of fruit into her mouth.

Shang Zhiyi tasted it. ‘Not bad,’ she said. The sweet and sour flavor was nice.

‘I was worried it might be too sweet for you,’ Yu Zijia handed her the plate. ‘Take it all, I’ll make more.’ She pointed to the rice cooker, ‘The rice is ready, just waiting for our chef to come home.’

Shang Zhiyi quickly ate a few bites of salad and tied on an apron.

It was already Thursday, and Yu Zijia mentioned her plans for the weekend—visiting her boyfriend. She asked what Shang Zhiyi would be doing.

‘Going to a concert Saturday night.’

Yu Zijia slapped her forehead, ‘How could I forget? I was the one who got the ticket for you.’

She had quick reflexes and was lucky enough to snag a standing ticket.

Shang Zhiyi smiled but said nothing more.

With everything going on in her life, she wasn’t in the right mindset for a concert. Work was the only thing keeping her from dwelling on her personal troubles.

Twenty minutes later, the spicy beef fried rice was ready, filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma.

Yu Zijia took a big bite and was thoroughly satisfied.

‘So good.’

‘Better than what the maid at my parents’ house makes.’

‘One plate definitely isn’t enough for me… hey, what’s wrong?’

Yu Zijia finally noticed that something was bothering Shang Zhiyi.

Shang Zhiyi didn’t hide it and told her roommate about the mix-up with her biological parents.

Yu Zijia froze, forgetting the spoonful of rice in her hand, her eyes blinking in disbelief.

She thought about the time at the airport when she joked, ‘Did your mom kick you out?’—which now felt like she had stabbed Shang Zhiyi in the heart. She wanted to slap herself.

‘Hey, don’t worry about rent or living expenses. I don’t have much money, but I have enough for both of us. If it’s really tight, I can squeeze a bit out of my boyfriend.’

Shang Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I’m fine. My second brother gave me a card.’

Yu Zijia had met Qi Zhengchen before and had a good impression of him. Now her opinion of him skyrocketed.

In a small voice, she cautiously asked, ‘Have you found your biological parents?’

Shang Zhiyi replied, ‘Yes, it’s Xu Xiangyi.’

Yu Zijia mulled over the name. ‘It sounds familiar, like the richest man’s name.’ She stuffed the now-cold rice into her mouth.

‘It’s not just the same name. It’s him.’

‘!’

The revelation was explosive. Yu Zijia almost choked on her rice. She swallowed hard, nearly rolling her eyes from the pain.

Once she digested the fact that Shang Zhiyi’s biological father was the wealthiest man, her chest still hurt.

How does it feel to find out your biological father is the richest man?

When will she move into her family’s mansion?

Yu Zijia tried not to ask, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back: ‘Are you going back home?’

Shang Zhiyi calmly replied, ‘They’re giving Xu Ningwei time to adjust.’

‘How long will that take?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘And if… they never adjust?’

Yu Zijia finally understood why her roommate, despite discovering her father was the richest man, remained so quiet about it.

She tried to comfort her: ‘Honestly, I don’t want you to move out. Stay here and keep me company.’

Shang Zhiyi smiled, ‘I won’t leave you behind.’

Yu Zijia, feeling heartfelt, said, ‘You should avoid living with Xu Ningwei. I’m not sure if it’s the right thought, but I know a bit about Xiao Meihua’s favoritism toward her younger daughter. I don’t want you to go back and have to compete with the adopted daughter. It would be too stressful. But then again, Xu Xiangyi is the richest man, not just any regular tycoon. The resources he has are unmatched, and it’s so hard to decide.’

Shang Zhiyi responded, ‘I won’t. Either we each go our separate ways, or she stays, and I leave.’

She had given herself three months. After that, whether she stayed or left would no longer concern her.

After they finished eating, Yu Zijia took on the responsibility of cleaning the dishes and tidying up the kitchen.

Shang Zhiyi returned to her room. The bedroom was small, just big enough for a wardrobe and a bed. There was also a simple desk by the window, filling the room.

Of the two boxes she had brought back from home, only one had been unpacked. The closet was full, and the other box had nowhere to go, so it remained packed.

With nothing to do, she opened the closet and spent time picking out an outfit for tomorrow’s commute.

There weren’t many suitable work clothes. She had originally planned to go shopping for a few outfits the week she returned home, but the blood type error uncovered her real family background, and after that, she had no interest in shopping anymore.

The next day was Friday, the last workday of the week.

Shang Zhiyi arrived at the office building at her usual time. Now that she had an access card, she no longer needed to register at the lobby.

Just as she pulled out her access card from her bag, she caught a tall figure entering the adjacent turnstile in her peripheral vision.

The person greeted her, ‘Good morning.’

His voice was deep and resonant.

Shang Zhiyi turned her head and met the man’s eyes. She quickly responded, ‘Good morning, Mr. Jiang.’

With a beep, the man passed through the turnstile with facial recognition.

He had landed in New York early that morning, went home to shower and change into clean clothes, and then headed straight to the office. Xu Heng was still in Hong Kong handling some follow-up matters.

Shang Zhiyi swiped her card through the turnstile and walked behind Jiang Sixun. His long legs were wrapped in tailored black trousers. As usual, today’s shirt was eye-catching—a deep nightshade purple. He hadn’t fastened any cufflinks, and his sleeves were casually rolled up twice.

It turned out there was someone who could pull off wearing a nightshade purple shirt without looking frivolous. Instead, it made him appear even more masculine.

She glanced down at her own pale lavender shirt, which looked like a bleached version of his.

There were other people in the elevator area. Once they got in, they stood on opposite sides without speaking another word.

Not long after Jiang Sixun got to his office, Luna came over to report her work. She had to go on a business trip to London next week, and she had stayed late the previous night to prepare the necessary materials. After reviewing the data, Jiang Sixun praised her, as he never hesitated to compliment his subordinates.

‘Take Shang Zhiyi with you on the business trip next week,’ he instructed.

Luna was puzzled. It was unprecedented to take an intern on such a trip.

Jiang Sixun closed the folder and handed it to her. ‘Zhiyi is my sister. She was only recently found and brought home.’

Oh my god!

Luna’s mind was reeling, but she kept a calm face. ‘Got it. No problem.’

Back at her desk, she pulled over Shang Zhiyi, who was in the middle of sending an email, and looked her over from head to toe.

Shang Zhiyi was confused. ‘What’s up?’

‘The boss is your brother?’ The more Luna looked at her, the more she saw the resemblance.

Shang Zhiyi was flustered for a few seconds. It seemed that Jiang Sixun had revealed some details about her to Luna but not the full story.

‘…Sort of, but I’m not really close to him.’

Luna responded, ‘I know. You were just found and brought home.’

‘…’ Perfectly logical.

As for why she had only just been found, that was a private matter for the rich and powerful. Luna wasn’t particularly concerned—or more accurately, it wasn’t something she should be concerned about.

When it came to matters she shouldn’t ask about, she knew to keep her mouth shut.

‘Next Monday, I’m accompanying the boss on the business trip to London, and you’re coming too.’ She added a reminder, ‘Make sure to pack your luggage over the weekend and bring it to the office on Monday.’

‘You’ll probably meet your future sister-in-law in London,’ Luna said, her last comment unrelated to work.

Sister-in-law?

Shang Zhiyi immediately realized she was referring to Ning Yun. Ning Yun was currently in London, and if she managed to win over Jiang Sixun, she would indeed be her sister-in-law.

Suddenly thinking of something, Shang Zhiyi quickly pulled out the project brief Luna had given her on her first day as an intern. The offshore wind power project they were working on was a collaboration with the Xiao Ning Group.

No wonder Luna mentioned meeting Ning Yun.

During the afternoon coffee break, Luna pulled her downstairs for a bit of relaxation. Many people from the office building came down to the coffee shop across the street at this time to grab coffee.

Luna said that ever since Ning Yun started treating everyone, she hadn’t had to buy her own coffee, and it had been almost a month since she last came down to relax.

Shang Zhiyi bought two ice creams and found a cool spot. They chatted while eating.

Luna stared at her pale lavender shirt. ‘You and your brother both like shades of purple.’

Shang Zhiyi was speechless for a moment.

Luna added, ‘The boss has shirts in all kinds of colors.’

Shang Zhiyi thought to herself, ‘I’ve noticed.’

Luna continued, ‘But his most frequent choices are deep red and dark purple.’

Curious, Shang Zhiyi asked, ‘Doesn’t he wear white or black?’

‘He does, but only for formal occasions. In his everyday wardrobe, it’s rare.’ As she spoke, Luna held up five fingers, indicating that the number of times he wore black or white shirts casually wouldn’t exceed one hand.

Just then, Shang Zhiyi’s phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. She answered casually.

The voice on the other end asked, ‘You’re not in the office?’

It was Jiang Sixun’s magnetic voice.

Shang Zhiyi quickly swallowed her ice cream and replied, ‘I’m downstairs.’

‘Come to my office after your coffee.’

‘Okay, I’ll be there soon.’

After hanging up, Luna asked who it was.

‘The boss wants to see me.’ Shang Zhiyi saved the number, then pulled out a small mirror from her bag. Noticing a bit of cream on the corner of her mouth, she wiped it off with a tissue and reapplied her lipstick before hurrying upstairs.

It was her second time visiting his office, and she no longer paid excessive attention to the view outside the window.

Used to speaking English with other colleagues, she naturally switched to Mandarin when addressing him: ‘Mr. Jiang, what’s the matter?’ She no longer called him by his English name.

Jiang Sixun stood up from his chair and gestured for her to sit and look at his computer. ‘These are the data and documents needed for next week’s negotiations. Familiarize yourself with them in advance.’

She understood. Her access to this confidential project information was thanks to Xu Xiangyi.

Shang Zhiyi read half a page, then looked up at him. ‘Thank you.’

Jiang Sixun leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed. He had a laptop on his lap and was replying to emails. ‘Uncle Xu has done more for me than my own parents, so there’s no need for you to be so formal with me.’

Giving credit where it’s due to the parents, Shang Zhiyi couldn’t bring herself to take things for granted.

Jiang Sixun’s phone vibrated. He glanced at it and opened the message to check.

Xu Heng: [My dad’s in New York. He wants you to come over for lunch tomorrow.]

Jiang Sixun replied: [Alright. When are you coming back?]

Xu Heng: [I’m already on the plane.]