Chapter 65

Jiang Zhaolie had come on Qin Yao's instructions to bring Xu Chun's father and Tang Shiyu in as shareholders.

When she'd first heard Qin Yao's orders, her instinct had been to ask why, but the question circled once in her head and she swallowed it. It wasn't really surprising—given Xu Chun's relationship with Mother, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

Anyone would do; the money would flow the same way either way. So why not win over her future in-laws first? If she buttered them up now, things would go that much smoother when the time came to formally propose.

So when she met the two of them, Jiang Zhaolie steadied herself, pushed the jumble of thoughts to the back of her mind, and explained her purpose simply and clearly, making a point of mentioning Qin Yao. This was all Qin Yao’s idea, after all; there was no need to steal credit from Mother in front of them.

Tang Shiyu and Xu Chun’s father exchanged a glance and didn’t answer for a while. Jiang Zhaolie soon noticed Zhao Ciying and Zheng Jinchan arriving too. She went on high alert, watching them approach with wary caution. She wondered if they were there for the same reason she was.

Zheng Jinchan reached them before Zhao Ciying did. Her gaze swept over Jiang Zhaolie. “You're here to invite President Xu to cooperate too?”

At the question, Jiang Zhaolie's mood instantly sank. “Mn.”

Now there was more than one competitor. Who knew whether she could even complete the task Qin Yao had given her today. If Tang Shiyu and Xu Chun's father chose her for Qin Yao's sake, fine—but if old grudges made them resent her still, and that affected Qin Yao's plans...

A bitter taste rose in Jiang Zhaolie's mouth. In that moment she dearly wanted to offer them a solemn, sincere apology, but clearly this wasn't the right time.

Yet apart from Qin Yao, she had no bargaining chip strong enough to move Xu Chun's parents. Jiang Zhaolie couldn't help feeling anxious.

The answer was exactly what she’d expected; Zheng Jinchan wasn’t surprised. She imagined everyone here, Zhao Ciying included, had set their sights on the connections in Old Master Xu’s hands. For an ordinary project, it wouldn’t matter who they partnered with, but this time was different. The entire project was government-led, which made Old Master Xu a crucial link in the chain.

Still, Zheng Jinchan couldn’t figure out why the Xu family had once set aside good resources and connections to play philanthropist in the backwoods. But after the Yang Xingyan mess these past few days, the Xu family’s company had begun making big moves, not only ending its poverty-alleviation activities but clearing out all the riffraff inside the company. From the look of it, they were preparing to do business in earnest.

President Xu had always been content with the status quo, lacking any particular competitive drive or will to win. Even his wife was more ambitious than he was. So how had he suddenly changed his nature and overhauled the company from top to bottom?

Thinking of certain bits of gossip she'd heard, Zheng Jinchan narrowed her eyes slightly and invited them in a gentle tone: “Would President Xu and Mrs. Xu have time to sit down for tea?”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Zhao Ciying cut in, “Tea? Count me in.” Seeing Zheng Jinchan turn toward her with obvious displeasure, Zhao Ciying smiled sweetly. “Oh my, you have private matters to discuss? What a coincidence. I do too.” She smiled, unhurried, and said, “If I’m not mistaken, we’re all here to talk to President Xu and Mrs. Xu about the same thing, aren’t we?”

Zheng Jinchan had no desire to tangle with this lunatic, but Zhao Ciying was the type who never gave up until she got what she wanted. And Jiang Zhaolie, backed by Qin Yao, was no pushover either. Zheng Jinchan had worked with Qin Yao before, but on this project, no one would complain about having too large a share of the pie.

The three of them stood before the couple in a three-way standoff. Whichever one Tang Shiyu chose, she would offend the other two. From what she knew of all three, even if she made a choice now, the other two would not let it go easily. After a moment’s thought, Tang Shiyu deflected with tai chi-like grace, “Let’s find somewhere to sit first.”

Jiang Zhaolie spoke up at once. “I've already prepared a room.”

Qin Yao happened to be nearby. She couldn't outcompete Zhao Ciying and Zheng Jinchan, but surely she could outcompete Qin Yao? Though her task now counted as a failure, if she could deliver the two of them to Qin Yao smoothly, that would make up for some of it.

Tang Shiyu didn't refuse. Xu Chun's father naturally listened to his wife. The two of them privately speculated about Jiang Zhaolie's intentions and concluded that whether it was Qin Yao or the Jiang family waiting for them, they had nothing to lose.

Since everyone wanted to use the old master's connections, why shouldn't they seize the initiative and fight for more benefits for themselves?

With each party nursing their own designs, they soon arrived at the meeting room. Qin Yao showed no surprise at the two extra guests, Zhao Ciying and Zheng Jinchan. She glanced at the secretary beside her, who immediately left the room to make preparations. Only then did Qin Yao speak: “Wait a little longer. President Jiang and the others should be arriving soon too.”

Zheng Jinchan toyed with the paper cup on the table, shooting Qin Yao several meaningful glances.

Zhao Ciying followed suit and glanced at Qin Yao as well. This old fox. Once again, she had everything under control. Zhao Ciying crossed her arms, silently calculating her odds of winning today.

President Jiang and his special assistant arrived shortly. Looking around the meeting room, they saw heads of nearly every top-tier family in the country, proof of just how tempting this project was.

Though other families were also eager to try their luck, as long as these few major families joined forces and each secured satisfactory benefits, leaving some scraps for the rest was fine too. After all, one had to leave others a way to live.

Everyone wanted the connections in Old Master Xu's hands, and Tang Shiyu understood that deeply. So in the negotiations that followed, she gave no ground, fighting her case through the heated back-and-forth until she ultimately secured the maximum benefits. The others looked at Tang Shiyu, then at Xu Chun's father, and all understood: Tang Shiyu was now the one truly in charge of the Xu family.

As for Xu Chun’s father, one look at the sparkling ‘my wife is amazing’ gaze in his eyes made it clear this was another female-A, male-O pairing.

But that didn't affect them. After each party had gotten what they wanted, the atmosphere at the negotiating table finally eased. Zhao Ciying, in a rare good mood, even asked the group, “Shall we eat together? My treat.”

Qin Yao looked at her. “Let's go. I've already made arrangements.”

Zhao Ciying: “...” She knew Qin Yao was a dog, but did she have to be this much of a dog? To curry favor with Xu Chun's parents, she'd really risk her life.

At the thought of Xu Chun, Zhao Ciying's eyes flickered slightly. Not to be outdone, she pointedly added, “President Xu, Mrs. Xu, join us too. We owe today's happy outcome to the two of you.”

Though Zhao Ciying's words weren't false, something about them struck Tang Shiyu as carrying hidden meaning. She couldn't help but glance suspiciously at Xu Chun's father, who looked back at her innocently. “What's wrong, honey?”

Tang Shiyu withdrew her gaze. Forget it. Counting on him was worse than counting on herself.

She didn't refuse, because after the company had been overhauled inside and out, they desperately needed reliable allies. Otherwise, seeing them weak and exposed, others might seize the chance to kick them while they were down and try some underhanded tricks against the company. Such things wouldn't do real damage, but repeated often enough, they became tiresome.

And everyone present had considerable strength.

Even forming a connection with just one of them would secure the company's future development and resources.

On the way over, Tang Shiyu thought of the gossip she’d heard from her aunts and uncles and couldn’t resist messaging her daughter, 【Among Zhao Ciying, Zheng Jinchan, Qin Yao, and Jiang Zhaolie with the Jiang family behind her, which family do you have the best relationship with?】

When Xu Chun saw the message, she replied without a second thought: 【All of them are pretty good. Why, Mom?】

Tang Shiyu: “...” You've got to be kidding me.

While she was busy doing business, what exactly had her good daughter been up to behind her back? Jiang Zhaolie and Qin Yao she could understand, but how had Xu Chun gotten connected with Zheng Jinchan and Zhao Ciying?

Thinking of Zheng Jinchan's lawless, terrifying daughter, Tang Shiyu felt a headache coming on.

But then she thought about her own daughter's recent behavior and suddenly fell silent. It seemed... not much different from Zheng Yanran? Both were equally troublesome little devils.

No matter what her daughter became, though, she would always love her.

After replying to Tang Shiyu, Xu Chun fell into thought. Why had Mom suddenly asked that? Had she met with all of them today? Xu Chun pursed her lips. It was probably because of that project Zhao Ciying had mentioned before.

Zhao Ciying had gone out of her way to probe her for information, so the others surely wouldn't be far behind. But unlike Zhao Ciying, they had chosen to approach her parents directly.

Tang Shiyu was a capable and ambitious career woman; with her on the case, this matter shouldn't be a problem.

Once she'd thought it through, Xu Chun put it out of her mind and focused on filming. If there were any new developments, the papers and the internet would report them anyway.

Two days passed, and sure enough, there was movement in the media, and He Qingli was the one who told Xu Chun about it. Because of Fu Xin’s parents, He Qingli kept a constant eye on the business world so she could think of countermeasures at the first sign of trouble and help Fu Xin, lest she be morally blackmailed into submission by her parents.

Fu Xin's parents, having heard that their daughter had nearly paid off the family's debts, had gotten it into their heads to return to the country, revive their old business, and make a comeback. Recently they had been frantically pulling strings and calling in favors everywhere, trying to secure more investment and sponsorship.

But everything Fu Xin had suffered had already been exposed in full by the variety show. Anyone with an ounce of conscience looked down on this son-preferring couple, let alone invested in them. Would anyone dare invest? If the business failed even once, this pair would probably pull the same trick again, abandoning their own daughter and fleeing abroad to reunite with their precious son.

Then all the money these investors had worked so hard to earn would go down the drain for nothing.

They would never fund this couple’s trial and error for free. They weren’t stupid. And in business, character and integrity came above all. This couple had been blacklisted more times than anyone could count.

The couple's daughter, on the other hand, was quite something. No one could figure out how two such selfish people had been lucky enough to raise such a strong, sensible girl.

A girl like that, in any other family, would have been cherished and nurtured. Only these two were so heartless, trampling all over someone's sincere devotion.

So when He Qingli learned that Fu Xin's parents had hit walls everywhere in the country, she was delighted beyond words. She shared the news with Xu Chun: “I heard they even pulled strings trying to wedge their way into the ‘Tianyu’ project.” He Qingli snorted, her tone full of disdain. “They should look in a mirror and see what they actually amount to.”

Xu Chun had little reaction to He Qingli's strongly personal outburst. It was only at the second mention of the ‘Tianyu’ project that she felt some curiosity: “Has the project been finalized now?”

“Not yet.” He Qingli shook her head. “But it should be soon. With the four companies Qin, Zhao, Zheng, and Jiang grabbing the lion’s share and stabilizing the situation, I’d guess the rest will be carved up by everyone else after a bloody scramble.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Your parents moved pretty fast this time.”

Xu Chun smiled. “It was Zhao Ciying who pulled them in.” Before He Qingli could ask, Xu Chun added, “Because my grandfather has some connections that are very useful to her.”

“I see.” He Qingli changed tack and suddenly declared, “I just knew my idol had a rock-solid backing!”

Xu Chun: “...?”

Seeing the bewilderment on her face, He Qingli explained, “It's just that there's been stuff online recently saying Yu Sui'an's background isn't simple.”

She pursed her lips carelessly. “But however impressive it is, could it be more impressive than my Sister Xu?” He Qingli genuinely disliked Yu Sui’an, that two-timing woman who had abandoned her idol and even tried to destroy her. “Even if some wealthy family took her back, that doesn’t erase all the despicable things she did before.”

“And there are only so many top-tier families in this circle. Qin Yao, Zhao Ciying, and Zheng Jinchan are all still single. None of them could suddenly produce a daughter that age. As for the remaining wealthy families, even if she’s one of their heiresses, it’s nothing worth mentioning.”

“Anyway, however impressive she is, she's not more impressive than them.”

There was truth in that. Xu Chun followed her reasoning: even if Yu Sui'an's background did turn out to have some twist, it didn't pose much of a threat to her now.

“And I’ve never heard of any of the notable wealthy wives having a daughter switched at birth or lost outside the family.” He Qingli propped her chin on her hand, thought it over, and delivered her final verdict. “So she’s probably some illegitimate daughter with an awkward status, no proper name, no legitimacy, just annoying.”

Hearing all this, Xu Chun unexpectedly thought of one particular family, but then she frowned, mulled it over, and was unwilling to dwell on it further.

Because if it were true, it would only be a crushing blow to that person on top of everything else.

He Qingli was called away. Xu Chun sat in her chair and read through the script for a long while, then finally sought out Jiang Banxia to ask about her business venture.

It was already common knowledge that President Jiang paraded his illegitimate sons and daughters around every day without even pretending otherwise, all to arrange marriages with other families and secure more benefits for himself. Because of this flagrant behavior, which showed not the slightest regard for Jiang Banxia's feelings, her relationship with him had long since turned ice-cold.

Though Madam Jiang would have preferred her daughter to compete for the family fortune like those illegitimate children, Jiang Banxia was far too proud to endure being around such people every day. She had left the Jiang family cleanly and decisively, and using the savings and connections she'd accumulated over the years, she had founded a company of her own and struck out independently.

Jiang Banxia's company was newly established and desperately short of resources on every front. Xu Chun thought over Jiang Banxia's abilities and excitedly sent Zheng Yanran a message: 【I'm going to make some money. Want in?】

Zheng Yanran replied quickly: 【?】

【Jiang Banxia's company just launched a couple of days ago, right? I figure she's pretty short on capital at this early stage, so I'm planning to invest in her company and projects. You want in?】

【That would be wonderful!】 Zheng Yanran said, aggrieved. 【I offered to invest before, and she turned me down flat.】

【But with you joining in, she'll have to accept our goodwill, won't she?】

Xu Chun hadn't expected Zheng Yanran to have already made a move, even if it failed. She asked casually: 【How much were you planning to invest before?】

Zheng Yanran answered without hesitation: 【Five hundred million.】

Xu Chun: “...” Filthy rich. Ostentatiously, outrageously rich.

【How much are you planning to put in?】 Zheng Yanran asked in return.

Xu Chun had originally intended to put up about thirty million, but after hearing Zheng Yanran's grand gesture, she hesitated: 【Fifty million?】

【Fifty million is way too little, isn’t it? Xiaxia is so capable. She’s bound to succeed! So the more you invest now, the more you’ll reap later. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Are you really going to just watch a golden chance to make money slip through your fingers, Sister Xu Chun?】

Xu Chun's eyelid twitched. “?” Don't think I can't tell your bias stretches all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Every single day, all she thought about was digging money out of Xu Chun's pocket for Jiang Banxia.

Still, Zheng Yanran's pie in the sky was genuinely tempting. Thinking of a certain offhand line in the original novel about Jiang Banxia's ending, Xu Chun steeled herself and gritted her teeth: 【One hundred million. Not a cent more.】

She'd made quite a profit buying Qin Group stock earlier anyway; allocating some of it to support Jiang Banxia through the awkward early days of tight finances wasn't out of the question.

Zheng Yanran also knew this was the most she could squeeze out of Xu Chun. Without further hesitation, she agreed: 【Alright. When are you done? I'll drive over and pick you up.】

Glancing at her schedule, Xu Chun replied: 【Tonight. I don't have any scenes.】

She'd agreed, but the thought of a hundred million about to leave her pocket still left Xu Chun heartsick and unable to breathe. Looking at the balance in her account, she decided she was going to eat Zheng Yanran out of house and home tonight.

The moment Zheng Yanran arrived, she saw the gleam of calculation in Xu Chun's eyes over her private savings. She shrank back, on full alert. “Don't look at me like that. It's creepy.”

“What's there to be afraid of?” Xu Chun smiled at her with utmost benevolence. “We're good sisters now. Would I ever do anything to you?”

“Who knows?” Zheng Yanran muttered. Though she hadn’t known Xu Chun long, she had an extremely clear understanding of the other’s stingy nature. That was exactly why she couldn’t figure it out. The Xu family wasn’t poor, and Xu Chun’s own earning power was among the top in the entertainment industry. She was already this rich, so why was she still this stingy?

Xu Chun's wallet was bulging to that degree, yet she still took advantage of Zheng Yanran every single day. It was utterly shameless.

One look at Zheng Yanran and Xu Chun knew exactly what was going through her head. She smiled sweetly. “And aren't you always eyeing the few pennies in my pocket too?”

Zheng Yanran: “...” I learned it from you.

Spending your own money was never as satisfying as spending someone else's.

The two of them bickered for ages before finally getting into the car. Xu Chun fastened her seatbelt, and Zheng Yanran volunteered: “I already told Xiaxia in advance. She's still busy at the office, so we'll head straight over?”

“Sure.” Xu Chun had no objection, so Zheng Yanran stomped on the gas and sped her luxury car out of the filming location like she was flying.

Secretary Zhao caught a glimpse of the sports car flashing past and blurted out instinctively, “President Qin, I think I just saw Miss Zheng and Miss Xu...” Halfway through, she realized it might be inappropriate and shut her mouth at once.

Qin Yao looked up at her, then glanced at the garishly colored supercar ahead. “Are you sure?”

“I— ” Secretary Zhao pursed her lips. “I must have been mistaken. At this hour, Miss Xu should still be on set.”

Qin Yao said nothing. Secretary Zhao didn't dare let her own attention wander either; she pushed aside the stray thoughts and focused on driving.

Yet a few minutes later, Qin Yao’s phone received an entertainment news push notification about Xu Chun, no less: 【Zheng Group’s heiress spotted in ultra-luxury sports car on secret rendezvous with A-list actress Xu Chun; the two suspected of an ambiguous relationship...】

Qin Yao quietly read the news page she had opened. Her expression didn't change.

Xu Chun, meanwhile, had no idea that the shameless media had once again fabricated rumors about her love life. She was getting out of the car with Zheng Yanran, heading up to Jiang Banxia's hotel room.

They knocked, and the door opened quickly.

Jiang Banxia had already heard from Zheng Yanran about Xu Chun’s offer. After some thought, she hadn’t refused, knowing it would be useless. Xu Chun was the type who, once she set her mind on something, wouldn’t stop until she got her way. Besides, Xu Chun had gone to such lengths to consider her. How could she rebuff such sincerity?

All she could do was repay them twice over and prove their decision today hadn't been wrong.

Jiang Banxia hadn't asked about the investment amounts in advance. So after they sat down and the two of them stated their figures one after the other, Jiang Banxia looked up in disbelief: “What?”

She frowned instinctively. “Are you two out of your minds?”

She was about to refuse on the spot. Zheng Yanran quickly looked at Xu Chun, and Xu Chun cleared her throat and said seriously, “Yanran and I haven't eaten yet...”

“I'll book a restaurant right now,” Jiang Banxia said. “But the investment—”

“Yanran, what do you want to eat?” Xu Chun turned to Zheng Yanran and asked. Zheng Yanran caught on quickly and immediately rattled off a long list of dishes. When she finished, she asked Xu Chun in turn, “And you?”

Xu Chun thought it over, agonized for quite a while, and finally ventured a few tentative options.

Watching the two of them chat as if she weren't even there, giving her not the slightest chance to get a word in, Jiang Banxia felt a subtle warmth slowly seep through her heart.

By the end, Xu Chun and Zheng Yanran had talked until their mouths went dry. Then they both turned to Jiang Banxia. “Is that all right?”

How could Jiang Banxia not see through their little scheme? Her expression said she'd seen right through them. “Of course it's all right.”

For some reason, under Jiang Banxia's half-smiling gaze, Xu Chun and Zheng Yanran both felt absurdly guilty and utterly unsure of themselves—despite having just handed over money.

Once they'd decided what to eat, the three prepared to set off. But just then Xu Chun's agent called. “Are you with Zheng Yanran and Jiang Banxia?”

Xu Chun was baffled. “Yeah.”

Instinctively she sensed something was off. “What's wrong?”

The agent was silent for a long moment before saying, “Go look online yourself.”

Zheng Yanran, sharp-eared, immediately pulled out her phone and checked the news. When she opened the trending topics and saw the conspicuous hashtag #XuChunZhengHeiressJiangHeiressThreeWayLateNightHotelTryst#, she burst into gleeful laughter. “Oh-ho, you're done for.”

Xu Chun snatched her phone. After reading the entire article, her face turned green.

That shameless outlet, Tudou News! Were they specifically targeting her to fleece?!

Without a second thought, she personally charged in to refute it: 【Stop spreading rumors, or I'll sue you.】

To her surprise, the Tudou News editor was utterly brazen: 【You dare say you're not with the two of them right now?】 He followed it with a snickering emoji that looked as punchable as could be: 【Our reporter is still camped outside your hotel room door as we speak.】

Xu Chun: “...” She hadn't seen that coming.