Chapter 25

Jiang Xian slouched in her seat. Who knew where she had pulled out a bag of potato chips from, but she was crunching away noisily on purpose, trying to attract Jing Lian’s attention.

After all, at this critical moment, it was not the time for two people to gaze deeply at each other. It was time to get down to business. Business.

However, as a female supporting character, she deeply understood that her influence over the two female leads was so tiny. So the melon-eating noises she made were like those of a little mouse.

The two sisters had reunited after a long separation, and the emotion of longing poured out of their eyes like spring water. Yes, just their gazes were enough. They did not need actions, they did not need words, and they certainly did not need earth-shaking laughter. They only looked at each other, watched each other, as if they had been nailed in place, with only each other in their eyes.

Did the two of them still have her in their eyes at all?

No matter what, she could still be considered the vicious female supporting character. How could she let the two of them flirt with their eyes right under her nose?

She coughed, and her large hand cut across their line of sight like a pair of scissors, severing the red thread of love tied by Yue Lao. “Have you looked enough?”

Once their gazes were cut off, Jing Lian hurriedly lowered her eyes and said softly, “She’s my younger sister.”

Jiang Xian lifted her eyes to look at Weiwei. She saw that Weiwei’s gaze had already shifted from Jing Lian to her. As expected, Weiwei also seemed a little surprised. But the surprise in her eyes was like a lush flame that was extinguished in an instant. What replaced it was disregard. Her single eye slanted across Jiang Xian, as if she disliked her very much, then she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

How baffling.

Twenty minutes later, almost all the invited guests and media personnel had entered the Egret Viewing Pavilion. At this moment, the main doors were closed, leaving only a narrow passageway for people to enter and exit. Jiang Xian and Jing Lian got out of the minivan and walked gracefully toward the pavilion.

When they were still five [stolen content]meters away, they heard Xia Zhongxin’s voice coming from the passageway.

Today was the ceremony for him to accept the Shen shareholders’ meeting. There were six shareholders in Shen Group. The other five would vote to decide whether Xia Zhongxin would become a candidate for control of Shen Group.

He stood in the center of the election platform, dressed in a black-and-red Tang suit. His hair was parted in the middle, and he wore gold-rimmed glasses, carrying an air of gentle refinement. With clear and proper pronunciation, he explained why he wanted to become a candidate for Shen Group and what contributions he would make after becoming the successor, how he would raise Shen Group to another level.

All the guests present were stirred by his words and began clapping.

Jing Lian and Jiang Xian also entered through the passageway and blended into the crowd. She quietly looked toward the high platform, at that smiling tiger standing on it.

Her small hand clenched slightly.

At this moment, a bold and direct reporter asked, “May I ask whether Miss Shen’s remains have been found? Isn’t making this decision so early a little too hasty?”

The entire venue fell silent. Everyone was waiting for Xia Zhongxin to give the best answer.

When Shen Jing Lian was mentioned, tears filled his eyes. “I have failed both mother and daughter.” He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, pulled out a handkerchief, and silently wiped eyes that were not shedding tears. “So much time has passed. I also sought help from the police. Perhaps that daughter of mine has long since been eaten clean by fish.”

After saying that, he could not bear it and cried bitterly.

“Liar.”

Jing Lian clicked her tongue softly. Only Jiang Xian could hear what she said.

Jiang Xian silently turned her head and quietly looked at Jing Lian.

She saw anger flickering in Jing Lian’s eyes, and her body unconsciously tense as well, as if a force were surging inside her, a force that wanted to rush up and overturn the podium.

Jiang Xian reached out and lightly held her small hand.

Jing Lian’s hand trembled slightly. Her brows and eyes shifted, then lowered again. She did not shake Jiang Xian’s hand off, nor did she make any other movements.

“So I must represent Shen Group and shoulder this fifty-one percent of the shares. This can also be considered the last small effort I can offer for both mother and daughter, and for Shen Group.”

After he finished speaking, the entire venue scattered tears along with him.

The voting began.

There were five people in the shareholders’ meeting. At this moment, the emcee came forward and distributed paper and pens to the five shareholders.

The reporters in the venue whispered among themselves, all discussing whether he had any chance of inheriting Shen Group.

The media personnel raised their cameras and pulled them into close-up, recording Xia Zhongxin’s expression at all times.

The shareholders wrote down either “agree” or “disagree” with swift strokes. No one knew their choices.

Before long, the emcee came to collect the ballots.

Her slender hand held five ballots as she quietly walked onto the stage.

Because this vote was anonymous, the emcee simply opened them one by one, facing the guests below the stage.

“The first: approved.”

“The second: approved.”

The third, the fourth, and the fifth—all unanimously approved.

When the vote passed, the entire venue’s focus gathered on Xia Zhongxin’s face. He accepted this result with an apologetic expression.

Jing Lian was not surprised by the vote. She had long since guessed that Xia Zhongxin had privately bought over the shareholders. Today was nothing more than announcing this result in front of the media.

At this moment, the emcee had already presented the equity-change contract, handing it to Xia Zhongxin. She also gave him a quill and had him sign and press his fingerprint.

Just as he was swiftly writing down several large characters, the doors of the Egret Viewing Pavilion were suddenly kicked open, and someone rushed in.

“I don’t agree!”

That person was a middle-aged woman wearing a blue-and-white nanny uniform, with a white lace headpiece on her head. Her voice was sharp. As soon as she entered, she rushed toward the stage.

“I don’t agree! I don’t agree! The company and manor both belong to Miss Jing Lian! Go die!”

The incident happened too suddenly. unauthorized copy Security had not been able to stop the woman. She shot onto the stage like an arrow and clawed wildly at Xia Zhongxin’s face.

“Ah!”

A low cry came from the man onstage. He covered half his face and retreated repeatedly, finally escaping only after security restrained her.

Three red marks had risen on his face.

Jiang Xian watched like she was enjoying a joke. “Who is that?”

She leaned close to Jing Lian’s ear.

“It’s Auntie Meiling.”

Jing Lian pressed her lips together. “Auntie’s mental state seems a little off.”

Meiling was the manor’s head housekeeper. She had once served Jing Lian and her mother. Originally, the head housekeeper should have been wearing a uniform, but now she was dressed in nanny clothes. For a moment, Jing Lian could not understand it.

Very soon, before everyone’s eyes, Meiling was held by two security guards and dragged out of the hall while cursing loudly.

The doors closed again. The scene was extremely awkward for a time. Xia Zhongxin briefly handled the wound, then smoothed things over by saying he was fine. Before long, he asked the emcee to continue the ceremony.

He began signing and pressing his fingerprint.

Standing beside Jing Lian, Jiang Xian turned her head and asked her, “When do we start?”

He was already signing and pressing his fingerprint. Once this was settled, it would be set in stone.

Jing Lian’s eyes were steady. “No rush.”

Jiang Xian was more anxious than she was, because once certain things were finalized, breaking the agreement would not be so easy.

It was obvious that Jing Lian did not plan to disturb Xia Zhongxin while he signed and pressed his fingerprint.

Finally, under everyone’s attention, Xia Zhongxin completed the ceremony.

A smile appeared on his face. Several shareholders below the stage stood up and applauded one after another, congratulating him on becoming the largest shareholder of Shen Group.

“Congratulations, President Xia, on becoming president of Shen BioTech. Everyone present, no one disagrees, correct?”

This sentence was a joke from the emcee. She did not intend to receive a response.

However, a voice rang through the hall from below the stage.

“I disagree.”

Jiang Xian’s voice was extremely penetrating, like a gust of wind blowing from beneath the stage up onto it, stabbing into everyone’s ears. The whole venue erupted. Everyone turned their heads and looked toward her and Jing Lian.

Following the sound, Xia Zhongxin looked over. His gaze first landed on Read on BaiLianTales Jiang Xian, and he wondered who could be so recklessly bold. But very quickly, his gaze was drawn to the other person beside her.

It was Jing Lian!

His mind buzzed, as if countless little bees were darting around inside his head. His pupils also abruptly shrank. It was clearly a sunny day, yet he suddenly felt the sky turn gray. Dark matter covered the pure glass around them, and darkness seeped in like a heartless hand, passing through the crowd and fiercely strangling his heart.

For a moment, he could not breathe.

At this moment, the crowd automatically parted into a narrow path. That unfamiliar woman held Jing Lian’s hand and slowly, slowly walked onto the stage.

“It’s Miss Jing Lian!”

“Miss Jing Lian isn’t dead!”

“She’s back.”

Someone in the crowd began discussing it. The shareholders looked at one another, and the media personnel also sensed that there was a good show to watch. They pulled their HD cameras into close-up, and no one wanted to miss today’s major news.

“No way, isn’t that person Jiang Xian?”

“Who is Jiang Xian?”

Some people did not follow the entertainment industry, so naturally, they did not know who Jiang Xian was.

“She’s that female singer who shocked the music world.”

“Ah, then what’s her relationship with Jing Lian? Why did she say she disagrees?”

“I don’t know. Just watch.”

Jiang Xian held Jing Lian’s hand and finally stood onstage, facing Xia Zhongxin directly.

Xia Zhongxin was clearly at a loss. His face was pale, and he stared at them for several seconds. He was terribly nervous, and sweat began forming on his palms and forehead. One had to know that Jing Lian had personally seen what he had done. Could she have come to expose his crimes?

No. The things he had done had not left behind any evidence at all. There was only her side of the story. How could others possibly believe her?

Moreover, Jing Lian had already been missing for more than three months. Even if she said something, he could claim she was mentally unstable, say she was not in her right mind, then lock her up in a psychiatric hospital. That would perfectly resolve this crisis.

Thinking of this, his heart calmed.

He quietly looked at Jing Lian, waiting for her move.

Jiang Xian held Jing Lian’s hand and faced Xia Zhongxin. “President Xia, today’s equity handover ceremony absolutely cannot count.”

Naturally, he did not listen. His expression suddenly changed. “Nannan, you’re finally back. Your father has worked so hard to find you. Is your body all right?”

After saying that, he stepped forward to take Jing Lian’s hand. Jing Lian lowered her eyes and shrank into Jiang Xian’s arms in fear.

“Sorry, President Xia. Something happened to Miss Shen. Her memory is somewhat abnormal, and there is a reason she can’t recognize you.”

Jiang Xian held the person in her arms tighter, her palm rubbing Jing Lian’s thin shoulder in comfort.

When Xia Zhongxin heard her say this, the stone in his heart instantly fell.

So she had lost her memory. He pretended to be concerned. “What happened? How could this be?”

Jing Lian turned her eyes away in disgust, her brows furrowed as if she were terribly afraid, refusing to acknowledge him.

He turned to Jiang Xian instead and inhaled slightly. “May I ask who this is?”

Jiang Xian introduced herself. “I’m the female artist Jiang Xian. I’m very famous.”

Xia Zhongxin raised a brow. “Oh? I’m sorry, I haven’t heard much of you.”

“That means President Xia is ignorant and ill-informed.”

Jiang Xian did not lose in presence. She was already tall, and standing together, she was even a little taller than the man. Her gaze carried a bit of looking down from above, along with contempt.

Xia Zhongxin smiled awkwardly. “Hello, Miss Jiang.”

He extended a hand, intending to shake hers.

Jiang Xian did not reach out. She only looked at him quietly and repeated what he had just ignored. “President Xia, today’s [Read on BaiLianTales]equity-change contract cannot count.”

Xia Zhongxin held his breath, withdrew his leaning hand, and straightened his posture. “Why can’t it count?”

Jiang Xian said, “Because Miss Shen has returned.”

The two people onstage faced off sharply with their brows and eyes, while the reporters below the stage did not dare speak, quietly recording everything.

Some people had already begun to discuss. Since Miss Jing Lian had returned, Shen Group’s shares should naturally be inherited by Jing Lian. Such a sentence came from somewhere in the crowd, causing the members of the shareholders’ meeting to nod one after another.

Seeing that the situation was turning bad, Xia Zhongxin could not help saying, “Nannan has indeed returned. But Miss Jiang, didn’t you just say that Nannan has some mental problems? Since that’s the case, how can I feel at ease returning Shen Group to Nannan?”

That also made sense. They could not hand such a large family business over to a mental patient.

The people below the stage were fence-sitters, swaying whichever way the wind blew.

Jiang Xian laughed coldly. “President Xia, she only has a mild concussion. The memory loss is temporary. The doctor said that as long as she receives proper care, she can recover as usual.”

Xia Zhongxin seized the opening. “Recover as usual? In one month? Three months? Or a year, even many years? I can’t be irresponsible and simply allow her to manage it.”

“Well, I don’t think that is something President Xia should be concerned about.” Jiang Xian did not retreat by even one step, smiling as she confronted him.

Xia Zhongxin hated her so much his teeth clenched tight, but he could not show it. The only thing he could be certain of was this: “The equity-change contract has already been amended. It cannot be broken.”

“Is that so?”

Jiang Xian looked steadily at him. After a moment, she looked toward the contract on the podium. She stepped forward, picked up the contract, and handed it to Jing Lian. “Take a look. Are you willing?”

The moment Jing Lian received the contract, she immediately ripped it to pieces in two or three swift motions, then threw it toward the sky. The white scraps of paper danced through the air before slowly falling like butterflies with broken wings.

Xia Zhongxin’s gaze gradually filled with anger. “You, you…”

Jing Lian shrank fearfully into Jiang Xian’s arms, both hands hugging her waist as she buried her head in her chest.

Jiang Xian smiled faintly and comforted Xia Zhongxin. “President Xia, don’t get worked up. Since she’s back, the contract would be torn up sooner or later.”

That sentence was quite fitting.

Xia Zhongxin was completely out of moves.

Jiang Xian continued, “Starting today, as Jing Lian’s fiancée, I will assist her in taking over Shen Group until she recovers.”

The farce at the Egret Viewing Pavilion did not last long. The shareholders led by Xia Zhongxin, the media personnel, and the invited guests withdrew one after another.

The true mistress of Rose Manor had returned. Those unrelated people occupying this place naturally had to leave.

After everyone dispersed, only three people remained in the vast hall.

The sunset’s afterglow spilled through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows unauthorized copy and fell over the three of them, stretching their shadows long.

After a moment, that solitary shadow lifted a foot and moved. Leather shoes made clicking sounds that echoed through the hall.

Weiwei walked toward the two of them, looking straight ahead, her eyes fixed on Jing Lian.

At the same time, Jing Lian slowly withdrew from Jiang Xian’s arms, her gaze also remaining on Weiwei.

In their eyes, each saw the other inside themselves.

They did not put Jiang Xian in their eyes at all.

Weiwei walked up to the two of them and paused slightly. Her eyes were filled with tears. Jing Lian took a deep breath, and the two lunged forward at the same time, embracing each other tightly.

Jiang Xian stood to the side, so awkward her toes curled against the floor. Looking at them felt wrong, and not looking felt wrong too. She was so anxious she scratched her ears and cheeks.

Just as she had nowhere to hide, she vaguely saw a gaze flick toward her. She looked over from the corner of her eye and saw Weiwei’s left eye pressing lightly downward as she slanted a hostile glance at her.

When Jiang Xian looked over, Weiwei immediately withdrew her gaze, pretending she had not seen her.

Jiang Xian thought, Had she seen wrong?

After the two embraced affectionately, they finally separated.

Jing Lian tidied her hair and said to Weiwei, “This is Jiang Xian.”

After a moment, she introduced Weiwei to Jiang Xian. “This is my younger sister, Weiwei.”

Remembering Weiwei’s look just now, Jiang Xian did not plan to give her a smiling face.

Who knew the little mute would suddenly smile faintly at her, make two “ah ah” sounds, and extend her hand, taking the initiative to shake Jiang Xian’s.

Her hand was extremely cold, carrying hand sweat. Her fingers were clearly jointed, pale, and held a bit of strength.

Jiang Xian played along and also smiled at her. “Hello.”

Weiwei pointed at her own throat, then made a sign to her: Hello.

After greeting Jiang Xian, Weiwei turned to Jing Lian and began signing to her again. Her fingers pointed east for a moment, west the next, then pointed at Jiang Xian and then at Jing Lian, as if asking about the relationship between them.

Jing Lian smiled and said, “Yes. She’s my fiancée.”

Weiwei’s large eyes instantly rippled, containing an unclear sense of loss.

No way. What did that mean? At this point, did Jing Lian still not understand Weiwei’s feelings? And Jing Lian did not intend to tell Weiwei that she and Jiang Xian had a cooperative relationship. It seemed the two of them had not yet communicated their feelings.

That made sense. The plot was still in its early stages. How could they have already communicated their feelings? Usually, that only happened at the grand finale.

After a moment, the three of them left the Egret Viewing Pavilion.

Along the way, the reunited sisters signed to each other. Jiang Xian stood beside them, extremely awkward, feeling as if she were a six-thousand-watt lightbulb.

Weiwei seemed very concerned about their relationship.

“Sister, how did you meet?” Weiwei signed. Although Jiang Xian could not understand, she guessed the question from Jing Lian’s answer.

“I washed ashore, and she saved me.”

Weiwei: “Then when did the two of you get together?” Weiwei signed with her fingers, her gaze drifting toward Jiang Xian from time to time.

Jing Lian coughed awkwardly. Suddenly, she did not know how to answer.

This was originally a lie, and Jing Lian did not seem good at lying. So her expression turned embarrassed as she looked toward Jiang Xian.

Jiang Xian was famously good at lying. Whether something was black or white, she could make it yellow. “It was love at first sight the first time we met, and then we got together.”

After saying that, she did not forget to reach out and place her hand on Jing Lian’s waist, pulling her away from Weiwei’s side.

One had to know that she was the vicious female supporting character. Doing this would not alienate their feelings. Instead, it would become an assist.

So Jiang Xian did not feel there was anything wrong with her behavior.

Jing Lian crashed into her shoulder. She immediately held her breath, her face reddening [Read on BaiLianTales]as she lowered her head.

A trace of loss flashed through Weiwei’s eyes. The corners of her mouth pressed into a straight line, as if she were trying hard to stop them from drooping.

After a while, she lifted her single eye and began signing again. “Then how far have you two gone?”

Jing Lian stared at her and suddenly laughed with a puff. She reached over and rubbed Weiwei’s hair. “You’re still young. What are you asking?”

Jiang Xian did not understand Weiwei’s sign language, so she tilted her head and asked Jing Lian, “What did she ask?”

How could Jing Lian be comfortable saying it? She shook her head. “Nothing.”

However, Weiwei seemed to care about this very much. She took out her phone, swiftly typed a few words, and handed it to Jiang Xian: “How far have you and Sister gone?”

Seeing this question, Jiang Xian truly did not know whether to laugh or cry. She tilted her head back and laughed several times, her laughter startling a flock of sparrows from the ginkgo trees.

Hearing it made Weiwei restless and irritated. She lowered her eyes and clenched her fingers tightly.

“Your sister and I have naturally done everything.” After saying that, Jiang Xian lowered her head and kissed Jing Lian on the forehead.

Jing Lian’s hair smelled so fragrant. There was even a faint scent of disinfectant on it.

She lifted both eyes, their ripples carrying faint anger, but she did not dare release it.

Seeing this, Weiwei instantly turned red. Trembling, she picked up her phone and quickly typed several words: “I’ll ask the housekeeper to arrange your room and dinner. bailiantales.com You two can walk around first. Excuse me.”

After saying that, she turned around and fled in panic.

“Wei…”

Jing Lian looked at her back and reached out into the air, wanting to speak but stopping.

In the end, she said nothing.

Only after Weiwei had gone far away, becoming a small black dot that disappeared from sight, did Jing Lian abruptly pull herself away from Jiang Xian and bite her lip. “Why did you have to do something like that?”

The forehead Jiang Xian had kissed just now was burning hot. Jing Lian wanted to touch it, but worried it would only make her seem more guilty.

Jiang Xian did not take it seriously. “What’s wrong? Aren’t we pretending to be a couple? If we don’t act a little more realistically, how would she believe it?”

Jing Lian’s breathing was heavy and uneven. She knew that Jiang Xian had definitely done that on purpose to take advantage of her, but she also could not say anything.

“Don’t do that again.”

Seeing that her face was bright red and that she looked extremely embarrassed, Jiang Xian nodded. “Oh. Then next time I’ll kiss your cheek.”

Jing Lian felt she was extremely shameless and unreasonable. She shook off Jiang Xian’s hand and walked forward alone.

Jiang Xian followed with a teasing smile. “I won’t tease [unauthorized copy]you anymore. But you have to show me around the manor so I can relax a little.”

Jing Lian’s steps slowed, as if she had agreed to Jiang Xian’s suggestion. However, instead of introducing the manor, she said softly, “Jiang Xian, thank you for today.”

If it had not been for Jiang Xian, she would not have known how to turn this situation around. Today’s round had been won beautifully, and her heart had steadied considerably.

Jiang Xian clearly heard her, but her first reaction was to doubt her own ears. Jing Lian could say thank you?

So she suppressed the joy in her heart, leaned in, and asked, “What?”

“You didn’t hear.”

“Thank you.”

“Louder. You sound like a mosquito.” Jiang Xian dug at her ear and moved even closer to her.

Being watched by her made Jing Lian’s cheeks turn red. Her eyes blinked. “Thank you.”

“Huh? Still didn’t hear.”

Jing Lian’s face darkened, and she quickly strode forward. Then she suddenly turned her head. “Shameless.”