A Fishing-Type Omega Always Wants to Possess Me - Chapter 106

The moment she heard those words, Jiang Zhi’s expression sank completely.

Gloom spread openly across her pale face, swallowing her whole.

Fine.

Wonderful.

Yu Mianzhou truly meant what she said. She was already so eager to move out of this apartment that she could not bear to remain for even one second longer.

Jiang Zhi clenched her teeth, her jaw drawn painfully tight.

She abruptly turned her head toward the floor-to-ceiling windows and forcibly suppressed the heat gathering in her eyes.

“Pack your things yourself.”

Her voice was icy and utterly flat.

Yu Mianzhou remained where she was, looking at Jiang Zhi’s slender back.

Her foot shifted, and she took one step forward.

But in the end, she said nothing.

She turned and walked toward the guest bedroom where she had previously stayed.

She had never left many belongings there in the first place—several changes of clothes, a few books, and some toiletries.

Less than ten minutes later, Yu Mianzhou emerged carrying a small suitcase.

In the living room, Jiang Zhi remained standing before the window in the same position as before.

She did not turn around even once.

The lock sounded with a quiet click, completely separating the air inside from the corridor beyond.

Only when the footsteps outside had entirely faded did Jiang Zhi slowly turn around.

The enormous living room looked hollow and empty.

A conspicuously large space had appeared where the sofa once stood.

Several Mu family servants remained by the entrance, exchanging uncertain looks.

The servant in charge cautiously stepped forward and asked tentatively:

“Eldest Young Miss, everything has been moved to the elevator. Do you truly want us to take it downstairs?”

Jiang Zhi stared at the empty space.

At last, her eyes reddened beyond her control.

She had only learned from a servant at the Jiang residence that Yu Mianzhou intended to come to the apartment.

She had deliberately arranged this entire scene because she wanted to act out of spite.

She wanted to force Yu Mianzhou to lower her head.

She wanted Yu Mianzhou to come and coax her.

Who could have expected Yu Mianzhou to be delighted by the opportunity instead?

Had Yu Mianzhou wanted to leave for a long time?

Did she finally feel liberated now?

Jiang Zhi walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked through the glass.

Before long, the familiar figure appeared below the apartment building.

Yu Mianzhou walked farther and farther away until she disappeared completely around the corner.

An unbearable ache spread from the depths of Jiang Zhi’s heart, making even each breath painfully difficult.

Why should she allow Yu Mianzhou to leave so decisively?

“Don’t move them!”

Jiang Zhi spun around, abruptly raising her voice.

“Bring everything back! Put it all exactly where it was!”

The more Yu Mianzhou wanted to leave this place and erase everything that had happened between them, the more Jiang Zhi refused to replace any of it.

She would keep that sofa.

She would keep the rocking chair.

So that whenever Yu Mianzhou stepped into this apartment again, she would constantly remember everything she had done to Jiang Zhi inside these rooms.

Afterward, the two of them never saw each other again.

S University was far too large.

As long as one person deliberately avoided another, they truly could pass through life without crossing paths at all.

Yu Mianzhou threw all her energy into her studies.

For an entire month, she spent her days and nights inside the laboratory and library, completing every grade and credit required for the following semester in advance.

Her supervisor’s recommendation letter had long since been prepared.

The visa application proceeded smoothly.

Only the flight remained unbooked.

Inside a conference room at S University, the project team’s final handover meeting had just ended.

Joyce gathered the documents from the table and walked over to Yu Mianzhou.

Joyce was originally from Country Y. Her exchange period had ended, so she would be returning there at the same time as Yu Mianzhou and several other students.

“Mianzhou, are you doing all right?”

Joyce bent slightly and studied her face.

Yu Mianzhou had lost considerable weight over the past month.

Her already cool, distant features now looked even sharper, while her complexion carried the pallor of prolonged sleep deprivation.

Yu Mianzhou paused while packing her laptop.

She turned her head and looked through the conference room’s glass window into the deep darkness outside.

Over the past month, she had hesitated countless times.

She did not know whether this gamble was right.

Would Jiang Zhi truly come to find her?

Or would they genuinely go their separate ways from here onward, with Jiang Zhi forgetting her completely?

Her heart beat chaotically inside her chest, unable to find any stable place to land.

“I’m fine,” Yu Mianzhou replied softly, withdrawing her gaze.

The moment she finished speaking, the phone on the table lit up and vibrated.

Yu Mianzhou picked it up.

It was a message from Yu Shu.

【Mianzhou, what time are you leaving tomorrow? What time is your flight?】

Yu Mianzhou opened the screenshot of her electronic ticket and prepared to send it directly.

Her fingertip hovered above the button.

Suddenly, the space between her brows throbbed.

She canceled the image, opened the keyboard, and sent only a time.

Early the following morning—

The chill of Songcheng’s winter had not yet completely faded.

The wind bit painfully against the skin.

Fine drizzle drifted through the air, wrapping the entire airport exterior in a hazy gray mist.

Yu Mianzhou wore a long black coat and stood outside the glass doors of the departure hall, one hand resting upon her suitcase.

Behind her, the electronic female voice over the airport announcement system repeated flight reminders again and again.

Yu Mianzhou did not move.

She simply stood in the cold wind and allowed the drizzle to strike her face.

Occasionally, she raised her wrist and checked the time.

There was only half an hour remaining until the time she had sent Yu Shu.

Travelers hurried past her in every direction.

Yu Mianzhou remained where she was, her thoughts stretching endlessly through the cold wind.

She suddenly remembered spring during her second year of university.

At the time, Songcheng was filled with spring warmth.

The weather was pleasant.

One weekend, Ke Jin, a student from the same department, insisted upon dragging her to an exhibition at the Songcheng Botanical Garden.

All kinds of flowers were in full bloom, and the garden was crowded with visitors.

Halfway through their visit, a group of high school girls wearing uniforms from an elite private school approached from the opposite direction.

They chatted noisily, apparently there as part of a school outing.

Ke Jin could never remain idle.

The moment she saw a group of beautiful younger students, her eyes brightened, and she immediately nudged Yu Mianzhou with her elbow.

“Mianzhou, look! Look!”

Ke Jin lowered her voice, her tone filled with amazement.

“All those juniors have such elegant bearing. They’re so beautiful. As expected of the younger students from my Fanxing Private School!”

“Especially the one in the middle. She’s practically a little peacock transformed into human form.”

At the time, Yu Mianzhou had been studying experimental data on her phone.

Hearing Ke Jin, she perfunctorily raised her head.

Her gaze drifted vaguely across the crowd without even focusing, then immediately returned to her screen.

“Mm.”

Ke Jin naturally noticed her indifference and sighed.

“Mianzhou, are you planning to spend your entire life with nothing but data?”

“Isn’t it boring to stare at this stuff every day?”

Yu Mianzhou swiped across the screen and opened the next page of charts.

What had she been thinking then?

She had thought that strings of data were the most beautiful things in the world.

Wrong was wrong.

Right was right.

Everything was sharply divided between black and white, governed by precise logic.

Data never betrayed anyone.

It contained no deception and no lies.

While she was thinking, cries of alarm suddenly erupted beside the lake nearby.

“Oh no! A stray fishing cat fell into the lake!”

“Quick, call a staff member!”

Yu Mianzhou looked toward the sound.

Water churned violently across the surface.

An orange stray cat had fallen into the lake, one of its hind legs tangled in weeds beneath the water.

The more it struggled, the faster it sank.

It was on the verge of drowning.

Visitors gathered around anxiously, shouting for help.

At that moment, a white figure rushed past the crowd and leaped directly into the lake.

The high school student in uniform swam extremely quickly.

Within moments, she reached the stray cat, dove underwater, and untangled the weeds.

Then she held the cat in one arm and swiftly swam back to shore.

The instant she climbed out, the other high school girls rushed over and surrounded her.

“Zhizhi! Are you all right?”

“That was too dangerous! What if something had happened to you?”

“Exactly! The staff were already on their way. How could you jump in and risk yourself?”

Yu Mianzhou stood several steps away.

She watched the soaking-wet girl crouch upon the ground with the frightened orange cat in her arms.

The girl gently stroked the cat’s back, her movements extraordinarily tender as she smoothed away the droplets clinging to its fur.

But when she raised her head, the words leaving her mouth were impatient and cold.

“I’m fine.”

The girl frowned.

“Besides, I only thought that watching it drown would ruin such beautiful scenery.”

Yu Mianzhou stared at that face.

Every proportion of her features was perfectly symmetrical, without the slightest flaw.

Droplets slid along her beautiful jawline and fell upon her collarbones.

At that moment, Yu Mianzhou stopped breathing.

An uncontrollable tremor rose from the depths of her soul, and even her heartbeat skipped heavily.

She remembered now.

This seemed to be the “little peacock” Ke Jin had mentioned.

After that day, Yu Mianzhou frequently thought of that face—

A truly perfect face, comparable to the most flawless model an AI could ever generate.

Several months later, Yu Shu—who had long since moved into the Jiang residence—called and asked Yu Mianzhou to visit.

Yu Mianzhou did not want Yu Shu to feel hurt, so she went as requested.

She had never expected to meet that little peacock again.

Songcheng was so large.

How could two strangers who crossed paths only once possibly meet again?

Yet that was precisely what happened.

She stepped through the entrance of the Jiang residence.

Yu Shu linked arms with her and pointed toward the girl descending the staircase.

“Mianzhou, that is your younger sister Zhizhi.”

The memory ended abruptly.

A sharp winter wind suddenly blew toward her, carrying cold rain that struck her cheeks.

Yu Mianzhou pulled herself from the past.

She raised her eyes and looked through the glass doors toward the airport passages crowded with travelers.

There was nothing.

No familiar figure.

No one had come to find her.

The hands upon her watch had already passed the time she gave Yu Shu.

The final trace of hope sank completely into the depths.

It appeared she had imagined everything.

Jiang Zhi did not care whether she left.

Yu Mianzhou lowered her lashes, concealing the emotion in her eyes.

She tightened her grip on the suitcase handle, turned, and prepared to walk toward security.

“Ms. Yu, please wait.”

Several uniformed airport employees suddenly appeared and blocked her path.

The person in charge wore a severe expression and spoke with an uncompromising attitude.

“We apologize, but we need to inspect your suitcase. Please cooperate and wait in the VIP lounge for a moment.”

They gave her no opportunity to refuse.

They directly escorted her toward the far end of the corridor.

The VIP lounge door opened.

The instant a narrow gap appeared, a rich lychee fragrance rushed outward.

Yu Mianzhou froze completely.

A wave of numbness shot upward from her tailbone and spread through her spine across her entire body.

Inside the lounge, Jiang Zhi stood beside the sofa.

Her eyes were bright red.

She sneered.

“You didn’t expect this, did you? I won’t let you leave so easily.”

As she continued, an irrepressible sob entered her voice.

“If we don’t settle everything between us properly, don’t even think about—”

The rest of her sentence lodged in her throat.

Yu Mianzhou strode forward, wrapped an arm around Jiang Zhi’s waist, and pulled her firmly into her embrace.

The warm hug immediately enveloped Jiang Zhi completely.

Yu Mianzhou’s coat still carried the chill of the winter rain outside the airport, mixed with the faint mint fragrance that always clung to her.

It instantly filled Jiang Zhi’s lungs.

That cool scent acted like an invisible silencing drug, trapping every accusation and harsh word Jiang Zhi had prepared inside her throat.

She remained stiff and forgot to struggle.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Yu Mianzhou tightened both arms, holding her so firmly that Jiang Zhi could barely move.

Her chin rested in the hollow of Jiang Zhi’s shoulder.

Thousands of words ultimately became a single husky murmur.

“Thank goodness you came…”

The heart that had remained suspended for an entire month finally settled securely inside her chest.

She had won this gamble.

Jiang Zhi cared about her.

Before long, someone knocked twice upon the lounge door.

The sound interrupted their tight embrace.

Jiang Zhi abruptly returned to her senses and withdrew from Yu Mianzhou’s arms.

A uniformed airport employee opened the door, looked at them both, then hesitantly approached Jiang Zhi and whispered something into her ear.

Jiang Zhi’s expression changed.

She turned and stared sharply at Yu Mianzhou.

Sensing the situation, the employee tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind her.

The instant the door shut, Jiang Zhi’s chest rose and fell violently.

She was furious, yet also visibly relieved.

She gritted her teeth and stared into Yu Mianzhou’s eyes.

“The suitcase is empty. You deceived me!”

It was not a question.

She was completely certain.

Yu Mianzhou had given Yu Shu a false departure time.

Yu Mianzhou did not deny it.

She raised a hand and gently brushed her fingertips across Jiang Zhi’s flushed cheek.

“I’m sorry.”

Her voice was exceedingly soft.

“Someone in the research group encountered a problem. I haven’t booked the ticket yet. I won’t leave for another ten days.”

“I shouldn’t have deceived you. But…”

Jiang Zhi turned away, evading her touch, though her eyes became even redder.

Yu Mianzhou stubbornly followed and held Jiang Zhi’s face between both hands.

“I needed an answer too badly.”

She looked into Jiang Zhi’s amber eyes, where hurt and stubbornness were clearly visible.

“Zhizhi, I know you like me.”

Yu Mianzhou laid her feelings bare without hesitation.

“And I like you too.”

After the words fell, Yu Mianzhou lowered her head and pressed her lips against Jiang Zhi’s.

It was an extraordinarily gentle kiss, carrying secret longing and almost reverent tenderness.

Their lips touched and separated.

Yu Mianzhou rested her forehead against Jiang Zhi’s, their breaths mingling.

“Zhizhi, will you be with me?”

Forget every worldly convention and restriction.

Forget conditions and prerequisites.

They could simply be an ordinary couple.

Hearing those words from Yu Mianzhou was devastatingly powerful.

Jiang Zhi’s nose stung, and an inexplicable desire to cry surged through her.

All the grievance, torment, and uncertainty she had endured over the past month finally found an outlet.

She raised her head resentfully and bit Yu Mianzhou’s lower lip hard.

After tasting the faint metallic tang of blood, Jiang Zhi threw herself into her arms and clutched tightly at the front of her coat.

“Do you have any idea how I survived this entire month?”

She buried her face against Yu Mianzhou’s chest.

Her voice was thick with tears, every word an unreasonable accusation.

“I don’t like you at all! I hate you!”

“I’m not someone you can win over that easily. Until you coax me properly, I absolutely refuse to accept you!”

Listening to the muffled complaints of the person in her arms, Yu Mianzhou stroked Jiang Zhi’s back and held her tightly.

“It doesn’t matter if Zhizhi hates me.”

Yu Mianzhou gently followed her words.

“As long as I like Zhizhi, that’s enough.”

All she needed was certainty that Jiang Zhi held her inside her heart.

As for how to coax this moody and unpredictable Eldest Young Miss—

During the past several months, Yu Mianzhou had already mastered Jiang Zhi’s entire instruction manual.

One hour later—

They returned to the upscale apartment near the university.

Yu Mianzhou opened the door and swept her gaze across the living room.

The dark-gray leather sofa remained intact in its original position.

The rocking chair was still on the balcony.

Every furnishing inside looked exactly as it had before she left.

Not a single object had been moved even half an inch.

Yu Mianzhou turned toward Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi was drinking water.

When she noticed Yu Mianzhou’s gaze, she paused.

A blush rapidly spread across her pale cheeks.

She straightened, raised her chin, and forcibly attempted to recover her pride.

“Don’t assume I couldn’t bear to throw them away.”

Jiang Zhi glared at her and stubbornly declared:

“I only kept them to make you uncomfortable!”

Yu Mianzhou was long accustomed to the Eldest Young Miss saying the opposite of what she meant.

She did not argue.

She simply walked over, bent down, and lifted Jiang Zhi horizontally into her arms.

Jiang Zhi cried out in surprise and instinctively wrapped her arms around Yu Mianzhou’s neck.

Yu Mianzhou carried her into the living room and placed her upon the dark-gray sofa.

Then she leaned over her and lowered her head to find the corner of Jiang Zhi’s lips.

“Yes, yes.”

Yu Mianzhou spoke indistinctly against her lips.

“You’ve made me extremely uncomfortable. I feel terrible.”

She deliberately paused, her tone carrying several notes of coaxing temptation.

“Only kisses from Zhizhi can make me better.”

Jiang Zhi’s ears burned at those words.

She pretended to push against Yu Mianzhou’s shoulders.

“Get off me…”

Before she could finish refusing, Yu Mianzhou’s lips slid along the side of her face and fell upon her earlobe, then her neck.

Jiang Zhi trembled all over.

The strength immediately left the hands that had been pushing Yu Mianzhou away.

She lay softly in Yu Mianzhou’s arms, her breathing turning rapid.

The heating inside the living room was turned high, blowing steadily and drying away the moisture they had carried in from outside.

Their body heat mingled within the confined space, the temperature climbing continuously.

Clothing scattered across the floor.

In the end, Yu Mianzhou carried Jiang Zhi into the bathroom and lowered her into the broad bathtub.

Warm water rose over her skin.

The corners of Jiang Zhi’s eyes were completely red, and her long legs remained tightly drawn.

Yet at that moment, Yu Mianzhou stopped.

She held Jiang Zhi at the very edge and refused to continue.

Jiang Zhi panted with unbearable need.

A watery haze covered her eyes as she reached for Yu Mianzhou’s arm in silent urging.

Yu Mianzhou caught her wrist and lowered her head to kiss away the moisture at the corner of her eye.

“If Zhizhi doesn’t agree, you get nothing.”

The water in the bathtub surged back and forth with their movements, spilling over the edge and splashing onto the tiles.

Even Jiang Zhi’s hair seemed to droop in defeat.

She could no longer endure the torment of being suspended at the edge.

Her eyes reddened, and she forcibly squeezed out several tears, hoping to feign grievance and escape the question.

But the moment the tears slipped free, Yu Mianzhou turned her head and kissed them away.

Every trace of evidence was wiped completely clean.

Jiang Zhi gritted her teeth.

Then she simply closed her eyes, tilted her head aside, and decided to pretend she had fainted.

Yu Mianzhou stopped moving.

She understood Jiang Zhi’s limits too well.

She held her precisely at the threshold, refusing to give even the slightest bit more and unwilling to retreat by a single step.

The sensation of hanging helplessly in the middle made Jiang Zhi’s toes curl.

After their prolonged stalemate, Jiang Zhi was ultimately the one who surrendered.

She opened her eyes, which were filled with moisture.

Her voice was shattered beyond recognition.

“All right…”

The instant the words fell, every muscle in Yu Mianzhou’s body tightened.

She lowered her head and bit the gland at the back of Jiang Zhi’s neck.

They held each other tightly amid the sounds of surging water.

They had only officially begun their relationship and clung to one another for a few days before the time arrived for Yu Mianzhou to go abroad.

The airport was filled with noise and movement.

Yu Mianzhou pushed her suitcase and lowered her gaze toward the person standing before her.

Now that she was truly leaving, every trace of reluctance surged upward.

She had just parted her lips, intending to say something reassuring.

But Jiang Zhi spoke first.

“It’s all right. It’s only six months.”

Yu Mianzhou did not want grief to surround their farewell either.

She swallowed the words she had intended to say.

Taking Jiang Zhi’s left hand, she slipped a cool object onto her ring finger.

Then she lowered her head and kissed the corner of Jiang Zhi’s lips.

“Wait for me.”

After speaking, Yu Mianzhou released her hand and turned toward security.

Jiang Zhi remained where she was and lowered her gaze toward her finger.

A simple silver band circled its base.

It fit perfectly.

Six months passed in the blink of an eye.

At the start of her fourth year, Yu Mianzhou returned to Songcheng.

She did not return to the Jiang residence.

Instead, she immediately registered a company with several partners and fully implemented the project they had advanced abroad during the previous six months.

The moment Jiang Zhi learned the news, she reserved one of Songcheng’s finest banquet halls and arranged an extremely high-profile welcome reception for Yu Mianzhou.

The invitations were sent out.

Nearly every prominent figure in Songcheng attended.

The venue overflowed with elegantly dressed guests.

Everyone learned about Yu Mianzhou’s newly established company.

Lingxi AI, which had recently exploded in popularity and become one of the hottest names in the technology industry, had been developed by her team.

Yu Mianzhou wore an impeccably tailored black gown and stood at the center of the crowd with a glass of champagne.

She barely needed to initiate conversation.

People approached one after another, and she handed out stack after stack of business cards.

One month after returning—

Yu Mianzhou received a phone call from Yu Shu.

“Mianzhou, now that you’re back in the country, come to the Jiang residence more often when you have time and keep your mother company.”

Yu Shu’s voice carried exhaustion and resentment.

During the previous six months, she had often called to complain.

She complained that Jiang Yingqiu remained occupied with the company every day and returned to the Jiang residence only once or twice a week.

They barely managed to exchange a sentence.

Yu Shu suspected Jiang Yingqiu had grown tired of her.

“It seems those feelings from our youth could never last very long,” Yu Shu said bitterly over the phone. “And I truly thought I might marry into the family…”

Even when a white moonlight finally came within reach, how many years could she continue to shine?

Yu Mianzhou leaned back in her chair and looked across the nightscape beyond the window.

“My answer is still the same as before.”

Yu Mianzhou’s tone was steady.

“You can leave the Jiang family at any time and live the life you truly want.”

Previously, Yu Shu had regarded her as merely a student and had not believed she possessed the ability to support her.

But the situation was different now.

Yu Mianzhou earned more than enough for Yu Shu to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

Yu Shu could pursue anything she genuinely enjoyed.

She could even find several younger lovers if she wished.

There was no need to remain there and endure anyone’s contempt.

The other end of the line fell silent for several seconds.

Then Yu Shu’s voice rose sharply.

“Mianzhou, what are you saying? Is this something you should say to your mother?”

“You and Aunt Jiang were never legally married. You don’t even have an official status. You’re free.”

Yu Mianzhou remained unmoved.

“Mom, you can do whatever you want. Regardless of your age, you should never be trapped by it or by some intangible idea of love.”

This time, Yu Shu did not dismiss her words as she had before.

Only slightly heavy breathing could be heard through the phone.

After a long silence, Yu Shu stiffly said, “I’m hanging up,” and ended the call.

Yu Mianzhou lowered her phone.

She knew Yu Shu had listened.

The situation erupted half a month later.

Someone sent Yu Shu a photograph of Jiang Yingqiu dining with another woman at an expensive restaurant.

Yu Shu trembled with rage.

She became convinced that one of the women attempting to replace her had deliberately sent it as a provocation.

All the resentment she had suppressed inside the Jiang residence surged upward at once.

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.

She remained alone in her room and cried for an entire afternoon.

At the height of her emotional collapse, Yu Shu desperately needed someone to confide in.

She picked up her bag and took a taxi directly to Yu Mianzhou’s residence.

Standing outside the door, Yu Shu entered Yu Mianzhou’s birthday.

The lock opened as expected with a quiet beep.

Yu Shu pushed open the door.

Without even changing her shoes, she walked directly toward the living room.

She was about to call out “Mianzhou” when the word lodged abruptly in her throat.

In the center of the living room—

Upon the broad dark-gray sofa, two intertwined figures were holding each other and kissing with complete abandon.

A designer handbag fell from Yu Shu’s hand and struck the floor.

Immediately afterward came the dull impact of her phone.

The two people on the sofa froze.

Yu Mianzhou straightened and turned toward the entrance.

Jiang Zhi sat up as well.

Her previously hazy eyes instantly cleared, and her brows drew together.

Yu Shu stood there, her face deathly pale.

She seemed completely drained of strength.

Her eyes remained fixed upon the two people on the sofa.

Her lips trembled, yet for a long time she could make no sound.

Every grievance and fury she had accumulated on the journey there was completely overwhelmed by a far greater shock.

Yu Mianzhou stood.

“Mom.”

Her voice still carried a trace of lingering hoarseness.

At that single word, Yu Shu abruptly retreated one step.

Her heels scraped sharply against the floor.

Yu Shu’s gaze moved repeatedly between Yu Mianzhou and Jiang Zhi, her chest rising and falling violently.

Only after a long while did she recover her voice.

It was painfully dry.

“Zhizhi.”

Yu Shu looked toward Jiang Zhi, her tone trembling uncontrollably.

“Could you leave for a moment? There are some things I want to discuss with Mianzhou alone.”

Jiang Zhi remained seated upon the sofa without moving.

She studied Yu Shu’s bloodless face, then turned toward Yu Mianzhou.

Yu Mianzhou met her gaze and nodded.

“Go outside for a moment.”

Only after Yu Mianzhou spoke did Jiang Zhi stand.

She straightened her skirt, silently passed Yu Shu, opened the door, and left.

The door closed.

The living room fell into deathly silence.

Yu Mianzhou walked over, picked up the bag and phone from the floor, and placed them upon the shoe cabinet.

Then she supported Yu Shu and guided her toward the sofa.

Yu Shu remained completely numb, allowing Yu Mianzhou to arrange everything.

Yu Mianzhou went to the kitchen, poured a glass of purified water over ice, and handed it to her.

The cold from the glass passed into Yu Shu’s palms.

She shivered, finally returning to herself.

Holding the glass with both hands, she lowered her head and took two large swallows.

The icy water slid down her throat, barely suppressing the turmoil inside her.

“When did this begin?”

Yu Shu stared at the glass in her hands, her voice severely hoarse.

Yu Mianzhou stood before her and did not conceal the truth.

“My third year.”

Yu Shu snapped her head upward, her eyes widening.

Half of their fourth year had already passed.

Combined with the present…

“Two years?”

Yu Shu’s voice became shrill.

“Two years! You’ve been doing this right beneath my eyes…”

Her mind became completely chaotic.

Countless details from the past flashed rapidly through her thoughts.

She truly had not noticed the slightest clue.

But if she had failed to see it, what about Jiang Yingqiu?

Yu Shu seized Yu Mianzhou’s wrist.

“Does your Aunt Jiang know?”

How could someone as intelligent and perceptive as Jiang Yingqiu possibly have noticed nothing?

Yu Mianzhou remained silent for a moment.

During the six months she spent abroad, Jiang Zhi had flown over almost every month to see her.

Jiang Zhi still performed with the orchestra and had an extremely tight schedule.

There was no possibility Jiang Yingqiu remained unaware of such frequent international trips.

Yet Jiang Yingqiu had never caused trouble for Yu Mianzhou.

After Yu Mianzhou returned, she had even sent a letter proposing cooperation.

“I don’t know,” Yu Mianzhou answered honestly.

Yu Shu released her and leaned against the back of the sofa.

She closed her eyes.

She remembered the photograph of Jiang Yingqiu dining with someone else.

She remembered Jiang Yingqiu’s increasingly distant treatment during the previous six months.

She remembered how rarely Jiang Yingqiu returned home.

So that was it.

Yu Shu suddenly understood everything.

At that realization, her tightly wound nerves abruptly relaxed.

Did she love Jiang Yingqiu deeply?

Not really.

So many years had passed.

They had reached middle age, and those romantic feelings had long since faded.

Yu Shu had clung desperately to Jiang Yingqiu only because she coveted the privileged life the Jiang family could provide.

But had she genuinely been happy all these years?

No.

Without any legitimate status, she was always looked down upon within their social circle.

She could not even attend afternoon tea without worrying about the expressions of those wealthy women.

But now, she had a daughter she could depend upon.

Yu Shu opened her eyes and wiped away the tears at their corners.

She sat straight and took Yu Mianzhou’s hand.

“Mianzhou.”

She looked directly into her eyes, her expression more serious than ever before.

“Your mother will ask you only one question.”

“Are your feelings sincere? Will you continue treating Zhizhi well forever?”

Yu Mianzhou met her gaze.

“I will.”

There was no excessive explanation.

Her voice was open and calm, her eyes completely sincere.

Yu Shu studied her for a very long time.

Finally, she patted the back of Yu Mianzhou’s hand.

“Your mother understands.”

Then Yu Shu stood, retrieved her bag and phone from the shoe cabinet, and left the apartment.

Yu Mianzhou remained where she was.

At first, she did not fully understand what Yu Shu meant by those final words.

Not until three days later—

Yu Mianzhou received a call from Yu Shu.

Yu Shu had moved out of the Jiang residence and into the villa Yu Mianzhou had already arranged to purchase in the western part of the city.

The entire move proceeded extremely smoothly.

Jiang Yingqiu never appeared.

She made no calls to prevent it.

She did not even offer a single word asking Yu Shu to stay.

That evening—

The main light inside the apartment bedroom was off.

Yu Mianzhou leaned against the headboard.

Jiang Zhi lay across her chest, idly playing with the buttons of Yu Mianzhou’s pajamas.

The room was quiet.

Jiang Zhi suddenly leaned closer and lightly bit Yu Mianzhou’s collarbone.

“What are you thinking about?”

She raised her chin.

“You’ve been distracted all evening.”

Yu Mianzhou rested a hand upon Jiang Zhi’s waist, her fingertips touching warm skin.

“I’m thinking about your mother,” Yu Mianzhou answered honestly. “Whether she knows about us.”

From Yu Shu moving out to Jiang Yingqiu silently allowing it, everything had proceeded far too peacefully.

The tranquility itself felt abnormal.

Jiang Zhi stopped moving.

She rolled over and straddled Yu Mianzhou’s thighs, looking down upon her.

“Why do you care what she thinks?”

Jiang Zhi sounded completely unconcerned.

“Even if she disagrees, I won’t break up with you.”

Yu Mianzhou looked at the face so close to hers.

Jiang Zhi’s amber eyes contained undisguised possessiveness and obsession.

Yu Mianzhou reached up, pressed a hand against the back of Jiang Zhi’s neck, and pulled her downward.

Lowering her head, she pressed her lips against that vulnerable gland.

Her teeth rested against the skin and ground gently.

The sweet scent of lychee exploded into the air.

Without realizing it, they had already been together for so long.

“Zhizhi.”

The instant the gland broke beneath her teeth, Yu Mianzhou spoke beside her ear.

“Will we always be together?”

The person in her arms trembled continuously beneath the injection of pheromones.

Even her breathing became fragmented.

Yet Jiang Zhi’s arms remained tightly wrapped around Yu Mianzhou’s neck.

“Of course.”

There was no hesitation whatsoever.

Her tone was certain.

Those two simple words fell into Yu Mianzhou’s ears.

The beating heart inside her chest suddenly gained endless courage.

June—

The temperature in Songcheng rose higher every day.

Yu Mianzhou officially received her degree from S University.

Lingxi AI’s market share expanded steadily, and the company established itself firmly within the technology industry.

Everything was progressing in a positive direction.

Yu Mianzhou looked at the plain silver band on her ring finger.

She had purchased it before leaving the country to reassure Jiang Zhi.

Now she believed it was time to replace it.

But before doing so, she needed Jiang Yingqiu’s consent.

At two that afternoon, Yu Mianzhou drove alone to Jiang Corporation’s headquarters.

The reception room on the top floor possessed an exceptional view overlooking most of Songcheng.

Yu Mianzhou sat upon the sofa, a freshly brewed cup of hot tea before her.

The door opened.

The person entering was not Jiang Yingqiu, but the chief secretary who had worked beside her for many years.

“Miss Yu, thank you for waiting.”

The secretary approached and sat opposite her, wearing a professionally courteous smile.

“President Jiang is still in a meeting and cannot leave. She asked me to speak with you.”

Yu Mianzhou nodded without speaking and quietly waited.

“First, congratulations on being shortlisted for this year’s Yuanshu Award,” the secretary said. “The list was announced this morning. You are the youngest nominee since the award was established.”

“Thank you,” Yu Mianzhou replied calmly.

The secretary studied her face, then changed the subject.

“In truth, six months ago, while you were abroad, Miss Zhizhi had an enormous argument with President Jiang.”

“It was extremely severe. Miss Zhizhi did not return to the Jiang residence even once during those six months.”

Yu Mianzhou’s fingers tightened in shock until her knuckles turned white.

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

Seeing her expression change, the secretary quickly reassured her.

“What mother and daughter can remain angry overnight? They reconciled long ago.”

“However, after that argument, President Jiang truly realized that Miss Zhizhi had grown up.”

“She was no longer the little girl who would allow her mother to arrange everything.”

The secretary paused, her tone becoming gentler.

“President Jiang has a hard personality. There are many things she cannot bring herself to say.”

“But as a mother, her greatest hope is simply that someone will treat her daughter well.”

With those words, Yu Mianzhou understood.

Jiang Yingqiu’s refusal to meet her was itself a statement.

She would not meet her, prevent her, or express an opinion.

That was already her greatest concession and silent permission.

Yu Mianzhou stood.

She did not look at the secretary.

Instead, she turned toward the far end of the corridor, in the direction of Jiang Yingqiu’s office.

With her back straight, Yu Mianzhou bowed deeply.

“I understand.”

She looked toward the firmly closed mahogany door, her voice solemn.

“Please tell Aunt Jiang that I will do everything in my power to treat Zhizhi well.”

Half a month later, in the capital—

The annual Yuanshu Award ceremony, the highest honor in the technology industry, was held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

As expected, Yu Mianzhou defeated numerous highly experienced experts with the core algorithm behind Lingxi AI and received the year’s highest award.

At ten that evening, the organizers reserved the hotel’s top-floor ballroom for a celebration banquet.

As the youngest recipient present, Yu Mianzhou naturally became the center of attention.

People approached in waves to toast her.

Unable to decline everyone, she held a glass and drank intermittently throughout the evening.

As the banquet neared its end, Yu Mianzhou leaned against the corridor wall with one hand pressed between her brows.

Her steps were slightly unsteady.

“You can’t handle alcohol, yet you drank that much.”

Jiang Zhi approached and supported her arm.

“The organizers prepared rooms upstairs. I’ll help you up.”

Yu Mianzhou naturally leaned against Jiang Zhi’s shoulder, rubbing her nose gently against the hollow of her neck.

They entered the elevator and traveled up to the room.

Jiang Zhi swiped the card and opened the door.

The entry light illuminated automatically.

Yu Mianzhou could not stand steadily, and the two fell together onto the broad double bed.

The mattress sank softly beneath them.

The main light was off.

Only the city’s neon glow entered through the windows and cast dim shadows across the carpet.

Jiang Zhi caught her breath and propped herself up to rise.

“Let me go first.”

She patted the arm around her waist.

“I’ll get you some hangover medicine. Otherwise, you’ll wake up with a headache tomorrow.”

The moment she extended her hand, Yu Mianzhou caught her fingers.

Her palm was warm, her grip so strong Jiang Zhi could not break free.

“I won’t let go.”

Yu Mianzhou spoke beside her ear, her voice husky and carrying several notes of stubbornness.

“I won’t let go for the rest of my life.”

Jiang Zhi stopped moving.

The next instant, she felt the plain silver band she had worn for so long being gently removed from her ring finger.

Then a cool metal ring slid along her fingertip and settled securely into the same place.

Jiang Zhi stopped breathing.

Her fingertips touched the hard, sharply cut stone mounted upon the ring.

Its facets reflected faint light in the darkness.

There was no need to switch on the light for her to understand that the diamond was certainly not small.

Her eyes reddened instantly.

A painful emotion surged unexpectedly through her nose.

“You aren’t drunk?”

Jiang Zhi’s voice trembled.

Yu Mianzhou tightened her arm and held her securely, resting her chin atop Jiang Zhi’s hair.

“I’m not drunk.”

Yu Mianzhou admitted it honestly.

“I barely swallowed any of the alcohol. The moment I remembered this was inside my pocket, I only wanted to leave as quickly as possible and be alone with you.”

The moisture in Jiang Zhi’s eyes could no longer be restrained.

Tears slid from their corners and struck the sheets.

“Do you understand what it means to give me this?”

Jiang Zhi bit her lip, her voice thick with tears.

“I understand.”

Yu Mianzhou turned over.

In the darkness, she traced Jiang Zhi’s features with an intensely focused gaze.

“Zhizhi.”

Her tone was more solemn than ever before.

“In the past, I always believed I possessed too little. I wasn’t good enough and wasn’t worthy of you.”

“But now I’ve received the Yuanshu Award.”

“At last, I have the confidence to say these words to you.”

“Before I met you, my world was entirely black and white.”

“My life followed a predetermined path. It was dull and lifeless.”

“Until you appeared.”

Yu Mianzhou pressed her lips against the corner of Jiang Zhi’s mouth.

“Only then did I discover that the world could be this vivid and this scorching.”

Large tears fell continuously from Jiang Zhi’s eyes and soaked the back of her hand.

Inside the silent room, only their overlapping breaths remained.

Yu Mianzhou took the hand wearing the diamond ring, interlaced their fingers, and pressed it beside the pillow.

“Zhizhi, will you marry me?”

A tear struck the back of her hand, astonishingly warm.

Jiang Zhi raised her head and met Yu Mianzhou’s gaze.

Her voice was choked with emotion, yet perfectly clear.

“I will.”

The instant the words fell, she hooked both arms around Yu Mianzhou’s neck and kissed her fiercely.

Their long hair spread across the pillow and intertwined strand by strand.

Vines winding together.

Roots embracing.

For the remainder of their lives—

Staying together was destiny.

Entanglement was instinct.