Chapter 52

Yu Sui'an's deep, knowing eyes fixed on Zheng Yanran. A faint, cold smile curved her red lips. "What does my business have to do with you?"

Her stare was ravenous, as if she wanted to bore holes through Zheng Yanran. Zheng Yanran couldn't make sense of the malice. She had always been domineering and spoiled, and Yu Sui'an's attitude infuriated her. She clenched her fists, itching for a showdown. "Keep looking at me like that, and I swear one word from me will get you blacklisted. You'll never work in the entertainment industry again."

Rage boiled in Zheng Yanran. Yu Sui'an's attitude felt like a fierce provocation, the likes of which she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Who had ever met her with anything but the utmost respect? At the very least, people treated her politely and kindly. She had never met a woman like Yu Sui'an, radiating hostility from their very first meeting.

She hadn't even done anything to the woman yet. Such baseless hostility truly left her speechless.

Hearing this, the smile on Yu Sui'an's lips slowly deepened. "You're welcome to try." She spoke slowly, her words dripping with provocation. "If you can blacklist me... I'll admit defeat."

That slow, deliberate, word-by-word tone instantly ignited Zheng Yanran's fury. Zheng Yanran was so angry she kept saying "Fine. Fine." Then, ignoring Xu Chun's attempts to stop her, she pulled out her phone on the spot to call Zheng Jinchan. "Mom! That Yu Sui'an made me so mad today. Blacklist her. Right now!"

While Zheng Yanran was on the phone, Yu Sui'an watched her without moving, not a flicker of fear on her face.

A bad feeling came over Xu Chun. Could Yu Sui'an's financial backer be at the same level as Zheng Jinchan or even a big shot with more power?

Otherwise, how could she be so arrogant and fearless?

Xu Chun couldn't help but recall He Qingli's words. He Qingli's family background wasn't bad. In fact, one could say it was among the best in the entertainment industry. Although He Qingli's family didn't support her entering showbiz, anyone with a brain wouldn't easily provoke He Qingli and make an enemy of her.

But Yu Sui'an's backer was completely unscrupulous, snatching He Qingli's resources without a second thought and treating the He family like nothing.

Staring unblinkingly at Yu Sui'an's calm face, Xu Chun felt a sudden, intense curiosity about the woman's backer. A wealthy woman who wanted no money, no influence, and no sex—who gave generously whatever was asked for—how was that a backer? That was clearly a living bodhisattva!

A thought stirred in Xu Chun's mind—your backer's fine, but in another second, she'll be mine.

Yu Sui'an had no idea Xu Chun was already eyeing her backer. Sensing Xu Chun's gaze, she turned and flashed her a brilliant smile, asking patiently again, "Sister, who exactly is she?"

Just as she finished asking, Zheng Yanran suddenly raised her voice in disbelief, her face panicked. "What? You want me to handle it myself?!"

Zheng Yanran was aghast. "If I could handle it myself, would I be calling you... Hello? Mom? Mom!"

She shouted twice unwillingly, but there was no response from the other end. Yu Sui'an smiled slightly and reminded her in a gentle tone, "Your mother seems to have hung up on you."

That gentle tone instantly sent Zheng Yanran's fury through the roof.

Zheng Yanran put down her phone resentfully, lifted her eyelids, and fixed Yu Sui'an with a fake smile. "Oh, you think you can escape disaster like this?" She sneered. "I have plenty of people behind me."

If she didn't get this Yu Sui'an blacklisted today, she would not let it go.

Seeing the crowd of onlookers growing, Xu Chun quickly grabbed the restless Zheng Yanran. "Enough, let it go, let it go." Their only task today was to pick up Jiang Zhaolie. Xu Chun didn't want any complications, not now, at such a critical juncture.

After all, the character she was set to play in her next drama was a police officer. Before filming started, during shooting, and even for a long time after the show aired, she had to keep her head down to avoid any incident that would get her shelved by the higher-ups.

By then it would really be too late to cry.

Zheng Yanran wouldn't listen and still wanted to trade insults with Yu Sui'an on the street. Xu Chun had no choice but to lean close to Zheng Yanran's ear and say, "If Jiang Banxia finds out you're out here making a scene like a shrew..." Before she could even finish, Zheng Yanran immediately dropped the act and turned obediently to Xu Chun. "Let's go, then."

With that, she didn't forget to viciously condemn Yu Sui'an. "I won't lower myself to argue with a tasteless female star like her."

Only then did Xu Chun breathe a sigh of relief. She tilted her chin at Jiang Zhaolie and signaled, "Get in the car."

Jiang Zhaolie's unfocused eyes regained their focus. She snapped back to reality, let her gaze linger on Yu Sui'an for a moment, then looked at Zheng Yanran several more times before nodding. "Okay."

Xu Chun dragged the two children who had exhausted her into the car, completely unconcerned with whether Yu Sui'an lived or died.

Yu Sui'an stood expressionlessly in place, her mind filled only with the image of Xu Chun standing so close to Zheng Yanran just now. Her sister had been so unrestrained and intimate with that woman...

What exactly was their relationship? To be so undisguised even in public.

If they were somewhere with no one around, then wouldn't they—

Yu Sui'an didn't dare to think further.

With an ugly expression, she turned and instructed her assistant to gather their things and leave. At the same time, she copied Zheng Yanran's little trick and called her backer. "Sister Zhao, someone got into a conflict with me today. I want her to pay the price..."

"I don't know her identity yet. Once I find out, I'd like to ask for your help." She said some nice things, and only after receiving a definite answer from the other end did a deep smile finally rise on her pure, delicate face. "Thank you, Sister Zhao."

Yu Sui'an deeply believed in Sister Zhao's abilities. In this world, there was nothing she couldn't do.

She even felt that if Sister Zhao set her mind to opposing and fighting Qin Yao, Qin Yao might ultimately fall in defeat. Sister Zhao had enormous, deep connections, connections in both the black and white worlds—while Qin Yao... Yu Sui'an curled her lips.

Yu Sui'an's gaze deepened. Her sister had been getting quite close to Qin Yao lately. If she wanted to deal with Qin Yao, she would still have to rely on Sister Zhao's connections.

...

After hanging up on her daughter, Zheng Jinchan casually picked up the hot coffee her secretary had brewed for her, her head pounding. Couldn't Zheng Yanran just behave for a single day? Who was the person behind Yu Sui'an? It was that ruthless, merciless woman from the Zhao family who acknowledged no kin. Did she dare provoke her?

Could she even afford to?

Her thoughts paused for a moment. Zheng Jinchan narrowed her eyes and weighed the matter. Provoke her? She could afford to, but there was absolutely no need!

To oppose that woman surnamed Zhao just for some Yu Sui'an was completely not worth it. Most importantly, that woman from the Zhao family was a complete, hysterical lunatic. Compared to her, Yu Sui'an was like an amateur showing off before an expert, overestimating herself.

Speaking of that person surnamed Zhao, there was plenty to say.

Ruthless, cold-blooded, heartless, all the negative words in the world were not an exaggeration when applied to her. When people in the circle saw her, it was like ordinary people seeing Zheng Yanran: they paled at the mention and avoided her at all costs.

That woman had initially moved into the Zhao family with her mother. Later, no one knew what happened. The Zhao family changed overnight. Her mother hanged herself, her stepfather jumped from a building, and another stepsister disappeared without a trace. The massive Zhao family suddenly had the dead dead and the vanished vanished, causing a huge sensation back then.

In such circumstances, that woman naturally took over the Zhao family's assets, and over more than a decade, she built her company bigger and stronger step by step. Because of her ruthless methods, almost no one dared to defy her, and she seized the opportunity to grow under others' fear. To this day, she sat securely on the throne like a queen.

Nowadays, probably only Qin Yao and the Jiang family could easily contend with her.

Zheng Jinchan thought seriously: the Qin Yao of before might have fallen short, but the current Qin Yao, after using the variety show to further expand her influence, was now fully capable of using her own strength to check that woman surnamed Zhao, making her dare not act rashly.

Even given the Qin Group's current momentum, it was likely that for a long time to come, the one surnamed Zhao would not be able to catch up.

Ultimately, while the priest may stand one foot above the devil, with Qin Yao holding the top, that Zhao woman likely wouldn't dare go too far. Thinking this, Zheng Jinchan couldn't help but raise a finger to rub her brow. If Zheng Yanran would just obediently go home and inherit her company, she would have enough energy and time to push further upward.

But... Zheng Jinchan reconsidered. Qin Yao and that Zhao woman both managed so well without children. She had a child, but the child was already grown. Logically, she shouldn't be much worse than them.

Her eyes flickered several times. Zheng Jinchan suddenly straightened up and pressed the secretary bell on her desk. "Prepare the car. I'm taking a trip abroad."

Since the domestic market was mostly controlled by Qin Yao, she could just develop abroad, right?

If she could carve out her own territory in the fiercely competitive, mutually squeezing domestic market, she should be even more in her element abroad.

Zheng Yanran had barely warmed the car seat before she received the news that Zheng Jinchan was going abroad on a business trip for ten days to half a month. Her face was full of question marks. Even if the backer behind Yu Sui'an had an unshakable background and was impossible to provoke, Mom, you don't need to flee abroad to avoid the spotlight, do you?

She immediately panicked. Even Mom had run away, so was she... Zheng Yanran swallowed. Should she also tuck her tail between her legs and behave for a while?

After all, without Mom in the country to protect her, she really felt very insecure.

Zheng Yanran was quiet as a mouse the moment she got in the car. Xu Chun was puzzled, but she was more eager to know how Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui'an had started arguing, so she asked. Jiang Zhaolie was silent for a moment, then said without emotion, "Purely an accident."

She hadn't expected to run into Yu Sui'an either, and she hadn't even noticed her. Yu Sui'an had been the one to call out to her and start talking. But before they had exchanged more than a few words, Yu Sui'an suddenly went mad, looking at her and hysterically accusing her of all sorts of wrongs.

One moment Yu Sui'an said she was a shameless fox spirit seducing her sister; the next she said she had ulterior motives and was deliberately sowing discord between her and Xu Chun; then she said she must have been blind to think that the old her was her salvation. In short, she said every harsh word imaginable in just a few minutes.

Jiang Zhaolie, having suddenly suffered this unwarranted calamity, was naturally unconvinced and immediately refuted her point by point. She admitted that after being provoked by Yu Sui'an, her counterattack had been somewhat vicious, and she admitted she had taken the opportunity to vent the resentment she had long held in her heart onto Yu Sui'an. But she did not regret it.

She had long been extremely dissatisfied with Yu Sui'an. Now, after venting, and with Xu Chun defending her in front of Yu Sui'an, Jiang Zhaolie kept a taut face on the surface, but her heart was secretly delighted.

No matter how shamelessly Yu Sui'an clung to Xu Chun, Xu Chun still ignored her.

But she was different. Whether or not Xu Chun married into the family, as long as Xu Chun remained ambiguous with Mom—still in a romantic relationship with her—Jiang Zhaolie would forever be her stepdaughter. And Xu Chun would forever gently and patiently care for her, treating her as if she were her own child.

This was something Yu Sui'an could never obtain in her lifetime.

Although... Jiang Zhaolie paused. The taste of this love had soured somewhat, but that didn't matter. Xu Chun's indulgent feelings for her were still feelings, more or less.

At least she hadn't become like Yu Sui'an, an enemy Xu Chun was so weary of that she didn't even want to exchange a few more words with her.

Jiang Zhaolie suddenly felt immensely fortunate. Fortunately, she had a mother like Qin Yao. In every sense, Qin Yao made her endlessly grateful.

Jiang Zhaolie only briefly skimmed over a few points without detailed explanation. After listening, Xu Chun was inexplicably speechless. "...She really is getting more and more impressive." Jiang Zhaolie quite agreed. Seeing Xu Chun's thoughtful, slightly frowning expression, she assumed she was worrying about her own future and comforted her gently. "Don't worry. If she gives you trouble, Mom will definitely deal with her."

"I know." Xu Chun didn't think much and only glanced at Jiang Zhaolie. "I was just thinking, if I poached that backer of hers, would she still be able to be so arrogant?"

Jiang Zhaolie: "?"

Zheng Yanran: "???"

As expected of you, the two people who had just met for the first time couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Speaking of this, Zheng Yanran was definitely the first to agree. She immediately grabbed both of Xu Chun's little hands and said sincerely, "I support you." Her eyes were certain, her face full of approval. "I support you poaching her backer."

"Sister, you just fly. Your little sister will forever follow." Zheng Yanran patted her chest without a second thought. "If you run into any difficulties while digging the wall, just say the word. Even if I have to risk my life and shed my blood, climb mountains of knives and plunge into seas of fire, I will help you without hesitation."

Xu Chun's eyes lit up slightly, and she immediately gripped Zheng Yanran's hands back, deeply moved. "Good sister, I was waiting for you to say that!"

Jiang Zhaolie looked at the four tightly clasped hands. "............"

She had only been away from Xu Chun for a month. How had her dramatic flair deepened so much? And now she even had a sidekick.

If these two hung out together every day, would anyone have peace in the future?

An inexplicable sense of despair washed over Jiang Zhaolie.

The road back to the company wasn't long, but Jiang Zhaolie felt as if a century had passed. After Xu Chun exchanged a few words with her at the start of the ride, she hadn't paid her any more attention. Instead, she chatted nonstop with Zheng Yanran, as if the two had endless things to say.

Watching this, Jiang Zhaolie suddenly understood Yu Sui'an's thoughts a little.

Perhaps it was simply jealousy and unwillingness. Jealous that Xu Chun was so good to others, so close to them, yet ignored her completely. More importantly, she knew deep in her heart that there was no longer any possibility between her and Xu Chun.

Precisely because she knew this deeply, she became more unwilling, more unable to believe it, and thus more unreasonable and hysterical.

She knew that no matter what she did, she couldn't change the situation. So she could only use these low, despicable tactics to attract the other's attention, to try to make her pay more attention to her, even if only for a moment.

It could be said that the more lofty and assured Yu Sui'an was in the past, the more lowly and wretched she was now, fallen to the dust. But everything now was simply the consequence of her own actions. If she hadn't been eyeing the pot while eating from her bowl, but had instead cherished the person who truly treated her well, she wouldn't have ended up like this.

Jiang Zhaolie's heart was filled with a complex mix of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy.

She secretly criticized Yu Sui'an in her heart, but wasn't she the same? How was she any better than Yu Sui'an? Hadn't she ultimately ended up in the same place?

The only thing she had better than Yu Sui'an was probably that she still had Xu Chun's great maternal love...

While Jiang Zhaolie was lost in these thoughts, the car had already stopped. Xu Chun and Zheng Yanran got out arm in arm, sisterly, having completely forgotten about her. Jiang Zhaolie couldn't help but fall silent. And to think Xu Chun had said they came specially to pick her up at the airport. She had probably accidentally offended Qin Yao and run out to avoid the spotlight.

She followed the two alone. At this moment, the barrage expressed great welcome: 【Our love-brained President Jiang is back. I wonder if we'll see any more exciting melodramatic drama in the last few days of the livestream? Let's wait and see!】

【Oh, it's been so long since we've seen President Jiang. Why do I feel like President Jiang's aura is deeper and more mature than before?】

【Isn't she though? The current President Jiang looks unsmiling, her eyes carrying a clear, cunning light. She's much more charming than before.】

【Wake up, you guys in the comments above. This is a heartbreaker who tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice!】

【How should I put it? I feel like Jiang Zhaolie is also a pitiful person. She gave her true feelings, broke off her engagement with Sister Xu for Yu Sui'an without a second thought, only to find out Yu Sui'an only loved her briefly. Once she cut ties with Sister Xu, Yu Sui'an ruthlessly dumped her and went back to chasing after Sister Xu.】

【So Yu Sui'an did it on purpose, right? She deliberately approached Jiang Zhaolie and seduced her, and she did all this just to destroy their marriage and free Xu Chun.】

【What great love! I'm practically moved to tears. Yu Sui'an really went all out for my Sister Xu.】

【...That's just f***ing ridiculous.】

Jiang Zhaolie couldn't see the barrage, and she wasn't in the mood to look at it now anyway, because as soon as they arrived at the company, Secretary Zhao came over and called her to Qin Yao's office.

Although she had been reporting work to Qin Yao via video during this time, the moment she truly stood before Qin Yao, she still inevitably felt a trace of nervousness.

She used to firmly believe she was Qin Yao's biological child, so of course she could do as she pleased without worry. But now it was different. They were actually just strangers with no blood relation. She couldn't be as unscrupulous as before, always assuming Qin Yao would cover for her.

Jiang Zhaolie stood up straight. Qin Yao looked up from the computer screen. "You're back." She noticed Jiang Zhaolie's stiff posture and tilted her chin, motioning. "Sit."

Qin Yao was as kind and amiable as always, without any abnormality, but Jiang Zhaolie felt extremely unnatural inside.

She stiffly reported her work to Qin Yao. Meanwhile, Xu Chun had already started making all sorts of preparations for her "resignation." When Xu Chun left, Zheng Yanran would leave too. Although Zheng Yanran was usually annoyingly talkative, when it came time to actually go, some colleagues were quite reluctant to see her leave.

But right now everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming half-price event, so busy they were dizzy and on their toes, with no extra time to pay attention to this. Any reluctant words could wait until everyone was done with the rush.

Qin Yao was carefully instructing Jiang Zhaolie on this matter. The success of this event would determine the Qin Group's future status and development plans; it was the top priority for the entire company. Jiang Zhaolie also knew the importance of the matter and quickly set aside her strange emotions to devote herself seriously to work.

The event would largely determine the Qin Group's future development, and the abilities she demonstrated in it would largely determine her own future development. Whether for the company or for herself, she had to perform well.

The two discussed until very late. It happened that Xu Chun had something to discuss with Qin Yao. She knocked and entered, briefly explained her matter, and after it was resolved, she prepared to leave so as not to disturb their work discussion. But just then Qin Yao suddenly spoke. "You two have met before."

Xu Chun and Jiang Zhaolie looked up at the same time, expressions slightly puzzled as they looked at her. "Why aren't you greeting each other?"

Huh? Xu Chun was bewildered. Hearing this, she reflexively turned to Jiang Zhaolie, raised her right hand, and tentatively said, "...Hi?"

Jiang Zhaolie was also bewildered for a moment, then fell silent for a long time. Her expression struggled, as if she were engaged in some fierce inner battle. About ten or twenty seconds passed before she finally turned pale, her lips trembling as she broke the suffocating silence of the president's office. "...Mom."

Xu Chun couldn't help but say: "?"

TL Note:

the priest may stand one foot above the devil (道高一尺，魔高一丈) = a saying that for every bit of good, evil/temptation is one step stronger; here it implies even a powerful person has someone stronger above her.

tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice (偷鸡不成倒蚀了把米) = a scheme backfires and costs you instead.

living bodhisattva (活菩萨) = a person who is exceptionally kind and generous, like a saint.

black and white worlds (黑的白的关系) = connections in both the criminal underworld and legitimate society.