In the Jin family home, the living room was scattered with open suitcases.

Mrs. Jin ran up and down, anxious and unable to sit still, occasionally pulling Aunt Cen aside to discuss, “Should we bring another thick coat? I heard that the temperature difference between day and night in Rochester is huge, what if she gets cold?”

Jin Yaotiao knew her mother was trying to calm herself through busyness, so she didn’t stop her.

She only asked, “Mom, have you finished your treatment today?”

She was referring to the breast treatment that she had arranged for her mother.

With the help of the treatment, along with medication and diet supplements, Mrs. Jin’s previously severe breast issues had greatly improved.

The results of her recent checkup had shown that all indicators were back to normal.

Thanks to the doctor’s explanation, she gradually understood that the checkup arranged by her daughter had helped her avoid an impending disaster.

Now, she was almost obedient to everything Jin Yaotiao asked. When asked, she immediately nodded, “Yes, yes, I go every day on time.”

After saying that, she anxiously asked her daughter again, “Yaotiao, is it really true that the doctor you found said your dad’s condition can be treated with surgery? It won’t cause any complications, right?”

Jin Yaotiao smiled, “Mom, don’t worry, I’ve already made all the arrangements.”

She was calm, as if completely unaffected, which gradually helped to settle her mother’s anxious mood.

---

On the top floor of Jingmao, after the meeting, Shen Qiming walked briskly out of the conference room.

He was tall with long legs and walked quickly.

Several assistants struggled to keep up, but he didn’t slow down or wait for them. He simply asked calmly, “Has the flight ticket been booked?”

“It’s done,” Ning Meng spoke before all the assistants could answer, “The driver and car are also ready, they’re in the parking lot. Should I have him drive to pick you up?”

Shen Qiming nodded without looking at her and turned to Jiang Sen, “The signal on the plane is bad. I’ll contact you once I land, and we’ll arrange the next two forecasting meetings then.”

Jiang Sen asked, “Video call?”

Shen Qiming responded, “Yes.”

Jiang Sen thought for a moment and said, “You’ll be flying for nearly twenty hours. You should at least rest a bit when you land, right?”

Shen Qiming said in a deep voice, “The market opens Monday morning, and I need to finalize the investment proposal before Saturday.”

“You’re a machine,” Jiang Sen scoffed, shrugging. Thinking about Shen Qiming’s almost packed schedule, he couldn’t help but ask, “What exactly are you going to Rochester for? Why don’t you bring a few assistants along?”

Ning Meng’s eyes lit up.

Shen Qiming answered calmly, “I’m going to pick up Yaotiao. She’s going to Rochester.”

Jiang Sen was stunned, “????”

You’re flying from China to the U.S. to pick someone who’s also flying from China to the U.S.?!

Are you messing with me?

Shen Qiming didn’t explain, walking straight into his office.

Before Jiang Sen could follow, he glanced back and saw Ning Meng had stopped walking.

She had been left behind by the fast-moving group and stood a distance away, her face as pale as paper.

He clicked his tongue and entered the office, watching Shen Qiming gather documents. “Buddy, what’s going on between you and Yaotiao? She’s not your fiancée anymore.”

Shen Qiming paused in his actions and, after a moment, looked at him and said, “She said we can still be friends after breaking up.”

Jiang Sen was completely stunned, “What? You’re going to pick up a friend in the U.S. like this? You’re killing me.”

Shen Qiming also seemed confused by his comment. “It’s just a small favor.”

A small favor…?

Jiang Sen stared at him, “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Shen Qiming finished gathering his documents and stood up to leave, glancing at him. Jiang Sen said, “You’re chasing after a woman.”

The unfamiliar term made Shen Qiming stop in his tracks. “You don’t know the situation.”

Only he knew that Jin Yaotiao was going to Rochester to accompany her father for surgery and needed help.

The last time, during the Xunxiang banquet anniversary, Jin Yaotiao was in charge of the work, and she also needed support.

His help was for a reason.

“I don’t know what?” Jiang Sen said, “You’re messing up your image. You’re really messing up.”

Shen Qiming ignored him and walked past.

Jiang Sen couldn’t help but continue complaining, “No wonder you rush home every day after your engagement. I thought you had OCD… You’re finished, really. You’re finished.”

Shen Qiming impatiently said, “Shut up.”

Jiang Sen said, “Then why are you chasing Yaotiao to the U.S.? There are so many women who like you. Don’t tell me you don’t know.”

As he said this, he caught sight of Ning Meng standing at her workstation, looking in their direction.

She had obviously heard what he said and looked startled for a moment, before her expression changed to one of anticipation as she looked at Shen Qiming, seemingly waiting for his response.

But Shen Qiming didn’t even glance in her direction.

He frowned and asked, “What does it have to do with me?”

Indeed, many women had pursued him in the past, and at one point, it had even bothered him.

But as he got older, he learned not to care. If he paid attention to them, he might as well stay at home and never work again.

Ning Meng stood frozen for a while, watching him enter the elevator.

After a long time, she slowly sat down, gritting her teeth.

Earlier, some assistants had joked about her trying to steal the spotlight, exchanging sarcastic glances as they happily vented in their WeChat group chat—

“Always stealing the spotlight, trying to show off. If you didn’t know, you’d think she was the boss’s wife.”

“She used to always talk about how the boss’s wife chased the boss, like she was living under his bed.”

“Ugh, I can’t even listen to this, and now the boss’s wife dumped him. The boss is flying to the U.S. to try and please her.”

“No wonder her name is Lemon, so sour. She’s my happy fruit.”

---

At Linjiang Airport, Jin Yaotiao pushed a luggage cart with the driver, and a large crowd in the distance made Mrs. Jin glance over frequently, “What’s going on over there?”

Jin Yaotiao glanced casually and heard loud screams, “Maybe a celebrity is arriving.”

In the first-class lounge, Ning Shun finally relaxed, having escaped from the crowd of fans.

He was about to fly to Australia for an MV shoot, and the flight time would likely be his rare opportunity to rest.

He lay back in his seat and took out his phone to pass the time, idly typing “Linjiang Chamber of Commerce” into the search bar and scrolling through.

The Linjiang Chamber of Commerce held grand events every year, but rarely invited the media, so photos from the events were scarce.

This time, only a few group photos were released. Due to the large number of people, the faces were mostly blurred.

But without much effort, he quickly spotted the one in the center.

During his break, he had persuaded Ning Meng to let him play the MV role for Qiao Yusi, and he observed her watching him from afar as he focused on his phone.

She hesitated for a while before walking over with a bowl of beef noodles. “Ning Shun, you…”

A voice came from the door: “Dad, slow down, Mom, watch your step.”

Before Qiao Yusi could finish speaking, she saw Ning Shun in front of her, as if shocked by an electric jolt, looking up towards the door.

Qiao Yusi paused for a moment, then turned her gaze towards the door. It took her several seconds to recognize the tall girl who entered wearing casual clothes.

Before she had time to be surprised, in the blink of an eye, Ning Shun’s back had already rapidly approached the girl.

---

“Sis.” After Jin Yaotiao had settled her parents and stood up to get some water, she heard someone call her.

Turning around, she saw a familiar face, her brows raising slightly, “It’s you.”

Ning Shun, wearing a fisherman’s hat and a black mask on the side of his face, smiled in a way that suited his age—meaning, in a very commercial way.

He scanned Jin Yaotiao from head to toe and smiled, saying, “What a coincidence, meeting you here. Where are you headed, Sis?”

Jin Yaotiao couldn’t even be bothered to be perfunctory with him. “Abroad.”

Who isn’t going abroad when they’re at an international departure? Ning Shun was momentarily caught off guard, paused for two seconds, then changed the topic, “Sis, did you receive the dress I sent last time?”

Jin Yaotiao replied with a simple “Mm.”

Ning Shun was stunned for a moment. “Then why aren’t you wearing it?”

Oh, he’s actually concerned about the follow-up.

Jin Yaotiao gave him a sideways glance, not understanding what he was trying to do—was he flirting?

Well, you’re still too young, little brother.

She lightly chuckled, her voice slightly husky, carrying a hint of teasing, “I don’t like red, so I threw it away.”

Maybe he didn’t expect such a blunt reply, and Ning Shun’s smile froze. He stared at her for a moment before suddenly asking, “Sis, do you not like me?”

“I’ve already said,” Jin Yaotiao replied, “I’m not interested in younger men.”

After saying this, she grabbed three bottles of water and left, leaving Ning Shun standing there, his face obscured by the shadow of his fisherman’s hat.

He turned and walked back to his seat.

Qiao Yusi stared at him without blinking, making him feel somewhat irritated. He put on his mask, and the fake smile he had earlier vanished completely.

He coldly asked, “What are you staring at?”

Qiao Yusi’s heart skipped a beat from his harsh tone. She remembered the scene from earlier and softly asked, “Ning, Ning Shun, was that Jin Yaotiao?”

Ning Shun glanced at her and sneered, “What, are you going to report me to my agent?”

Qiao Yusi rolled her eyes at him, and after a moment, she said quietly, “That’s not what I meant.”

Ning Shun looked back at his phone and ignored her.

She continued to watch him, feeling suddenly uneasy for some reason, and couldn’t help but quietly ask, “Ning, Ning Shun, you… you want to use her, don’t you?”

Ning Shun paused, lowered the brim of his hat, and impatiently replied, “Of course, what do you think, I have nothing better to do?!”

After saying this, he turned his attention back to his phone, aimlessly scrolling.

He’s too young…

He clenched his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

On his Weibo feed, the system had probably recommended an article about the annual anniversary celebration of Mingde Company in Linjiang City based on his recent search keywords.

It seemed to be Jin Yaotiao’s family’s company.

He looked at it for a long time, then switched to her official account and specifically searched for the news, giving it a like.

---

At the Mingde office building, things were in an uproar.

This morning, the HR department received a direct order from the top management regarding a personnel transfer.

Jin Yaotiao, the third group leader of the “Yin Yan” project, was to simultaneously take over the most important project group at Mingde Company—Mingde Garden.

It wasn’t just some small group leader position anymore; she had stepped up to become the vice director of the Mingde Garden project, a significant role that could directly influence the life and death of the project.

“What’s going on?”

Many mid-level managers who received the news were confused and had to double-check several times to believe that this was really an order from the chairman.

While they were still trying to figure out what was happening, Mingde’s countless employees were already in a frenzy in their private chat groups, with dozens of identical messages flooding the screen in just a few seconds:

“Report!!!!!!”

“Princess!!”

“She’s starting to rule!!!!”

“Long live, long live, long long live!!!!”

---

In the project team’s office, Jin Jiarui stared at the screen, pale-faced, and after a long time, she stood up, her mind blank, and staggered out.

---

At the airport, Jin Yaotiao picked up her phone as management and staff from her previous project group continued to send congratulatory messages.

She lowered her head in thought, and after a moment, she smiled and opened the project group chat, generously sending out a red envelope.

She had always gotten along well with the project staff, and now, they were happily grabbing the red envelopes while showering her with compliments. Inevitably, someone let something slip, sending a private joke that was quickly deleted.

Jin Yaotiao paused as she read the message that had been sent and quickly retracted, slightly stunned.

Regent?

She liked the sound of that.

---

Several hours later, she stood at the airport exit with her parents and suitcase, locking eyes with another pair of eyes.

A few seconds later, she rubbed her forehead and asked, “Mr. Shen, what’s going on?”

“…” Shen Qiming’s lashes fluttered in the wind, his delicate face calm, showing no sign of guilt, “I’m on a business trip, just passing by.”