Please Marry Me (GL) - Chapter 29

Shen Siyun froze on the spot. She couldn’t believe her ears.

Because of the recent struggle, her high-quality Chanel collar had been tugged open by Jiang Yi, and the strap had even slipped down to her arm.

The black stockings were Jiang Yi’s own choice; she was the one who extended her legs; she was the one who sat on Shen Siyun’s lap; and she was the one who wrapped her arms around her neck.

And now, she was telling her to go away?! Asking for her wife?

This was bullying of the highest order.

“Jiang Yi.” Shen Siyun’s voice turned dark. She pinched the soft flesh at Jiang Yi’s waist, making her cry out in pain. Yet, those delicate hands remained pressed against Shen Siyun’s shoulders, pushing back with all her might. Jiang Yi tilted her exquisite chin, her dark hair falling like a waterfall as she struggled to break free.

Suppressing her rage, Shen Siyun let go. She watched coldly as Jiang Yi fell straight back onto the mattress, bouncing twice. Her hair fanned out across the quilt in a display of disheveled beauty, revealing her pale collarbones and the rise and fall of her chest.

Shen Siyun tried to stand up, but her path was blocked.

Looking at the black silk before her, Shen Siyun couldn’t help but recall the scene at the dinner table earlier that day. If there weren’t so many bad people in this world—so many scumbags eyeing women—perhaps Jiang Yi wouldn’t have needed to call her at all.

Jiang Yi moved again, continuing to obstruct her.

“Jiang Yi, what exactly do you want to do?” Shen Siyun brushed her aside.

“Go away… don’t touch me, waaaah.” Jiang Yi’s willow-leaf brows knitted together in a look of pity and grievance. Her foot escaped Shen Siyun’s hold and stepped directly onto her shoulder, with her heel even pressing against Shen Siyun’s chest.

Shen Siyun felt the air catch in her lungs. She’s definitely not drunk! She must be teasing me!

Flirting and then pushing away, pushing away and then flirting—what a masterful game of “hard to get.”

Breaths mingled with the thick scent of alcohol sprayed over her in close proximity. After that aggrieved cry, Jiang Yi fell silent. She turned her face away and closed her eyes tight, exposing her stubborn yet fragile neck.

Shen Siyun was thoroughly incensed.

“Jiang Yi, I know you’re not drunk.”

“Wake up.”

“Are you playing with me?”

“If you don’t wake up, I’m going to kiss you.”

Receiving no response, Shen Siyun’s red lips curled into a frosty chill. She leaned down, and their lips met.

One second, two seconds… the woman beneath her remained unresponsive, save for the soft snoring of deep sleep.

Shen Siyun was stunned. She slowly released Jiang Yi’s wrists, the soft sweetness of the woman’s lips still lingering on her own. She stared at her for a long time before finally pulling a quilt over her and getting up to leave.

The moment she turned, her wrist was suddenly caught.

Shen Siyun’s brow twitched. Enough. I’ve endured her all night.

“Sister… help me unfasten it…” a mumble followed by a sob.

The hand she intended to shake off hung suspended in the air. Shen Siyun doubted her own hearing. This woman hadn’t called her “Sister” since that business trip long ago; after the wedding, she had only used her full name.

Jiang Yi didn’t like sleeping in clothes; Shen Siyun had known that since the very first night they spent together in college.

Shen Siyun turned around, staring blankly at her wrist held in Jiang Yi’s grasp. Just as Jiang Yi began to let go after receiving no response, Shen Siyun reached out to catch her falling hand and pulled her into a sitting position.

After a few seconds of silence, she finally raised her hand to her shoulder.

---

The next morning, the early autumn sun spilled across the bed through the window lattice.

Jiang Yi felt like her head was splitting. She rubbed her forehead hard. “Song Rao, my head hurts so much… what time is it? Do I have to go to work?”

A moment passed with no response.

“Song Rao…”

Jiang Yi forced her eyes open against the stinging sunlight. Seeing the familiar decor, she blinked in disbelief.

This was… Shen Siyun’s apartment?!

How did she get here? Before she could think it through, the sensation on her skin told her she was currently wearing nothing at all.

She sat up in a daze and turned to the mirror. The clean surface reflected her fair, smooth back. But Jiang Yi felt no relief; the absence of marks didn’t mean nothing had happened. At the very least, her clothes being removed meant she had been seen completely.

The only person who could enter this apartment was Shen Siyun.

Jiang Yi closed her eyes, her rims turning red. In that woman’s eyes, was marriage just a piece of paper? For someone with her power and wealth, was it completely devoid of binding force?

Even though she was already married to someone else, Shen Siyun could still kidnap her and bring her here to sleep whenever she pleased.

Jiang Yi wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and opened her contacts, unable to stop the tears from falling.

The moment the call connected, all her grievances rushed to the surface. “Song Rao…”

In the living room, Shen Siyun had dressed in a white shirt and a tight black skirt that outlined her graceful curves. She was putting on a pair of square ruby earrings when she stepped out of the bedroom.

Picking up her vibrating phone from the table, she answered, “Hello.”

It was Ding Lanqi on the line. “President Shen, you have a meeting at ten. I’m driving now and should be downstairs in about ten minutes.”

As Shen Siyun listened to her schedule for the day, the sound of a door handle turning came from the bedroom on the left. She turned to look, phone still to her ear.

In an instant, her breath hitched.

The door was only halfway open. That familiar figure stood at the threshold, eyes red from crying. However, the most important thing wasn’t that Jiang Yi had cried—it was that she was standing there completely undressed, her silhouette reflected on the polished floor tiles.

She looked at Shen Siyun with an expression she couldn’t understand. It was calm, yet filled with resentment, grievance, and an undeniable coldness.

“Shen Siyun, are you proud of kidnapping a married woman to sleep with?” Jiang Yi lifted her eyelids and let out a soft, mocking laugh, struggling to keep her emotions buried.

Hearing those words over the phone, Ding Lanqi instinctively gasped, “President Shen?”

“I know. Talk later.”

Shen Siyun kept her eyes locked on Jiang Yi as she hung up the phone. Her jaw tightened. “Say that again.”

“Shen Siyun, are you proud of kidnapping a married woman to sleep with?”

Jiang Yi stood still at the door, her right hand on the handle and her left holding her phone, repeating the sentence with red-rimmed eyes.

A sneer echoed in the air, followed by another, as if she were laughing at something incredibly hilarious.

Suddenly, Shen Siyun strode toward her in her high heels. Jiang Yi, startled by the cold fury on her face, took a small step back.

With a forceful tug, the phone was snatched into Shen Siyun’s hand. While waiting for the call to connect, Shen Siyun closed her eyes, the force of the gesture deepening the folds of her eyelids.

“Hello, this is Song Rao.”

The moment the call connected, Shen Siyun hit the speakerphone. Her voice was cold and heavy with anger. “Song Rao, you said yourself last night that you were busy with an experiment and couldn’t get away, so you asked me to take care of your wife. Did you or did you not say those words?”

“Shen Siyun, what do you mean by that?” Jiang Yi looked at her with cold eyes. “Yesterday was the weekend. Putting aside the fact that there are no classes, Song Rao was at the supermarket with me. She had no time to go to the lab. How could she be busy with experiments? You can even make up a lie like that.”

Shen Siyun ignored her, staring at the phone. She was waiting for Song Rao to admit it.

“President Shen, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The voice on the other end was gentle and kind, giving off an unruffled impression. “How could I possibly entrust my wife to your care? You’re her former benefactor. Do you think I’m so big-hearted that I’d let you look after my drunk wife? President Shen, if it were you, would you do such a thing?”

“Song Rao, once again, you’ve framed me.” Shen Siyun finally realized what the “strangeness” she had ignored last night was.

Song Rao was forcing Jiang Yi to be completely disappointed in her. She had set a trap and invited her to walk right into it.

Taking a deep breath, she hung up decisively and looked at Jiang Yi. “Last night you were forced to drink by that Zhang Mengqi. You called me to come save you.”

“Yes, you did save me. I confirmed that with Song Rao. But it’s also a fact that after saving me, you drove me straight to your apartment and slept with me.”

“I didn’t touch you.”

“Then did my clothes take themselves off?”

“…”

“You took them off with your own hands, Shen Siyun.”

“But—”

“You only need to answer yes or no.”

Jiang Yi’s eyes were brimming with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. “Yes or no? Shen Siyun, answer me.”

For the first time, Shen Siyun tasted the bitterness of being unable to defend herself. Though her lips were painted a brilliant red, she felt exceptionally cold.

“I took them off.”

“Did my black stockings feel good to touch?”

“…Yes.” Shen Siyun clenched her fingertips. “I won’t deny it. I brought you back to this apartment, and I took off your clothes. But Song Rao definitely said those words to me. She personally asked me to take care of you. Jiang Yi, believe me, that Song Rao is not a good person.”

“And you are?”

Jiang Yi let out a cold sneer from her throat, looking at her with frozen eyes. “My wife loves me very much. These underhanded attempts to drive a wedge between us—President Shen, remember not to use them again. They won’t work.”

A long, heavy silence filled the air.

“Do you know what ‘driving a wedge’ actually means?”

Suddenly, Shen Siyun tossed the phone onto the sofa and let out a sudden, cold laugh. “Do you know what it means to actually sleep with a married woman?”

“Shen Siyun, what are you doing?!” Jiang Yi’s gaze followed the phone as it landed on the springy sofa, then snapped back to Shen Siyun’s eyes. In that instant of eye contact, her heart gave a violent jolt.

“Jiang Yi!”

A roar erupted in her ear. Before Jiang Yi could react, her wrist was grabbed. A force dragged her back into the room. Realizing the woman had snapped and was about to do something to her, terror flooded her heart. Startled and afraid, she struggled to retreat.

“Shen Siyun, you lunatic! You can’t touch me!”

Her feet tripped over the bed frame, and she fell hard onto the mattress, her body sinking into the soft quilt. Before she could push herself up, she was pinned down.

Her hands were pinned above her head. Jiang Yi felt a surge of regret—regret that she hadn’t dressed first before coming out to argue with Shen Siyun.

When those areas touched the woman’s warm palms, Jiang Yi angrily tried to twist away. “Don’t touch me, Shen Siyun! Go away!”

Shen Siyun actually didn’t take it any further. Instead, she held her palm up in front of her.

Jiang Yi took one look and turned her face away in a fury. On those long-fingered hands…

“Does Song Rao know you still love me this much?” Shen Siyun’s voice was thick with mockery in her ear. “Don’t you love her?”

“Shen Siyun… it’s just a physiological reaction.” Jiang Yi felt both ashamed and enraged.

Knock, knock, knock. A sound came from the front door. The bedroom door was open, and Song Rao’s voice could be heard faintly from outside.

“Song Rao!” Jiang Yi took advantage of Shen Siyun’s distraction to break free. She stumbled to the side, grabbing her clothes and dressing in a frantic rush.

Shen Siyun, however, sat on the edge of the bed with composed ease, legs crossed. She wore silver heels on her slender ankles, and one elbow rested on her knee.

“Has she ever tasted it?”

“You pervert.” Jiang Yi’s hands paused as she pulled on her stockings, cursing under her breath.

“I have.” Shen Siyun licked her lips, watching the now-dressed Jiang Yi grab her phone and bag, ready to walk out.

She called out to her. With a cold smile, she said, “Go back and tell her that her wife tastes sweet. I’ve confirmed it personally.”

Jiang Yi nearly tripped. She turned back to glare at her. “I told you, my wife loves me. You think this kind of thing can break our bond?”

Leaving those words behind, she opened the front door without looking back and embraced Song Rao.

“Song Rao, you’re here.”

“Yes, I’ve come to take you home.”

Their conversation drifted in from outside. Shen Siyun collapsed back onto the bed, listening to their footsteps grow distant. Soon after, the beep-beep of a car starting echoed from the courtyard below.

Shen Siyun let out a self-deprecating laugh. She had been played like a fiddle by those two.

Ding Lanqi came up the stairs and saw the front door open. She hesitated before knocking twice. “President Shen? Are you home? It’s almost time for the meet—”

She cut herself off. Seeing the woman emerge from the room, Ding Lanqi wisely shut her mouth. The President’s expression today was incredibly grim.

It probably has something to do with that ‘kidnapping’ comment, Ding Lanqi thought to herself.

“Are you standing there waiting for me to brew you a pot of tea before we go?”

The President’s voice was several degrees colder than when she first heard the news of her mistress getting married.

“No need.” Ding Lanqi gave an awkward smile and followed cautiously behind Shen Siyun as they drove to the company for the meeting.

---

Jiang Yi sat in the passenger seat, rubbing her temples.

“Don’t think about it anymore. Think about something good,” Song Rao said, glancing at her while driving. Her eyes turned cold as she recalled the phone call from Jiang Yi that morning.

“Are you going to work today? Or should I call in sick for you?” It was Monday, and Jiang Yi was supposed to go in, but after what happened, Song Rao feared she would be too depressed.

“Let me take this call first.” A call came in. Jiang Yi answered. “Hello?”

It was her team leader, Lin Fei. “Jiang Yi, are you okay after yesterday? I heard Mr. Zhang is in the hospital with a broken finger. What happened?”

Jiang Yi’s mind was a mess. “It’s hard to explain right now. I’ll tell you when I get to the office.”

“Song Rao, drop me off at the company.”

Song Rao nodded. “Okay.”

When they arrived at Qiguang Trading Co., Jiang Yi was about to step out when Song Rao stopped her.

“There are clean clothes in the back seat. If you want to change, take them in with you.” Jiang Yi was a germaphobe; she wouldn’t wear the same outfit two days in a row, no matter how much she liked it.

Jiang Yi paused, then gave a relieved smile. She opened the back door. “Then I’ll take them to change.”

“I’ll wait here for you. Put the old clothes in my car after you change; I’ll take them home to wash.”

“Okay.”

In the restroom, Jiang Yi changed out of the knit skirt and black stockings she had worn all day, folded them into a bag, and brought them to Song Rao.

“I’m heading in now.”

Song Rao had stepped out of the car and was waiting. Seeing her, she smiled warmly. Jiang Yi was wearing a coffee-colored V-neck top that showcased her striking collarbones. She was slender, but perfectly curved, paired with an orange-and-blue floral skirt. Such a dull color seemed to come alive on her, drawing the eye to her willow-thin waist. She looked like something out of an oil painting.

“Here. There’s a McDonald’s nearby; I just bought you breakfast.”

“Thank you.” Jiang Yi had expected to work on an empty stomach; she hadn’t expected Song Rao to go out and get her breakfast. “Did you eat? Want some?” Jiang Yi took a bite of the sandwich and a sip of hot milk, remembering to ask.

“I’ve eaten.” Song Rao prepared to get back in the car, but after two steps, her body swayed.

Jiang Yi rushed to put the milk and sandwich on the car hood. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Song Rao steadied herself. “Probably just didn’t sleep well last night. My blood sugar dropped.”

“I should go with you to see a doctor. I’m not comfortable with you like this.” Jiang Yi cursed Shen Siyun again in her heart. If she hadn’t taken her away without a word, Song Rao wouldn’t have spent the night worrying and losing sleep.

She tried to support her, but Song Rao brushed her off. “Go to work. I’m fine. I’ll just rest in the car for a bit.”

Jiang Yi was still worried. “Forget it, I’ll call in sick.”

“No need.” Song Rao stood firm, her expression returning to normal. “I told you, it’s just low blood sugar. I’ll go buy some chocolate in a bit. Go on up, you’re almost late.”

Seeing Song Rao’s persistence, Jiang Yi agreed. She picked up her breakfast and headed into the building.

The elevator chimed. As Jiang Yi sat at her desk, Lin Fei came over. “Are you okay, Jiang Yi?”

“I’m fine, really.”

Lin Fei signaled toward the opposite desk and whispered, “You sent Ye Sixin home last night, which meant she didn’t get the contract signed and sent Mr. Zhang to the hospital. The deal is basically dead. She’s likely fuming at you.”

Jiang Yi looked over. Ye Sixin gave her a resentful glance before angrily pounding on her keyboard. Jiang Yi was speechless. She had pulled the girl out of a fire, and now the girl resented her for it?

“Jiang Yi, what’s this?” Lin Fei asked in surprise as Jiang Yi pulled a document from her bag.

“Who said I didn’t get the contract?” Jiang Yi handed the file to Lin Fei. “Don’t call me next time something like this happens. It’s a thankless task.”

Lin Fei flipped to the end and saw Mr. Zhang’s signature. “Nice one, Jiang Yi! Good work.” She turned and took it to Ye Sixin. “Here, Sixin. Jiang Yi negotiated it for you.”

“Ah…” Ye Sixin looked at the contract in disbelief. “It actually went through?”

Lin Fei nodded. “Don’t be so impulsive next time. You can always make less money, but as a girl, the most important thing is protecting yourself. That Mr. Zhang loves to touch women. I’m the one who sent Jiang Yi over; she was looking out for you.”

“I’m sorry, Team Leader. I won’t do it again.” Ye Sixin bit her lip, full of guilt. “I just really wanted to close the deal.” She had been with the company for a month and hadn’t achieved anything. Even the last investigation into Pengting had ended with her being a nuisance.

“She’s the one you should be apologizing to. Go on.”

“Okay.”

Meanwhile, Jiang Yi was called into the boss’s office. The boss of Qiguang was a middle-aged man named Shi Baobin, who looked very jovial. “Jiang Yi, I heard you stepped in for Ye Sixin to negotiate with Mr. Zhang yesterday?”

“That was me. Is there a problem?”

Boss Shi rested his hands on the desk, his fingers tapping rapidly. He sighed. “Can you tell me what happened? Mr. Zhang is in the hospital with a fractured finger. We need to make a gesture of concern.”

“I don’t know about the fracture, but he kept forcing me to drink. He couldn’t outdrink me, started singing loudly, and then tripped over himself. I assume he hurt his finger then.”

“You worked hard. He didn’t take advantage of you, did he?” Boss Shi cared about his staff’s safety, but since the contract was signed, he didn’t want to make an enemy of a partner. “Next time you run into someone like that, try to let a male colleague handle it.”

Jiang Yi shook her head. “I understand, Boss. If that’s all, I’ll get back to work.”

“Wait. Pack up. Get that intern and come with me to the hospital to visit Mr. Zhang.”

“Okay.”

When Jiang Yi came out of the office, a hot cup of coffee was on her desk. Who made it?

“It was me. I’m sorry, Jiang Yi, I misunderstood you.” Ye Sixin came over to apologize with her head down.

Jiang Yi didn’t immediately forgive her, speaking in a professional tone. “Get ready. The boss wants us to go to the hospital with him to visit Mr. Zhang.”

“Ah? Okay.” Ye Sixin slunk back to her desk.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Is everyone ready?” Boss Shi emerged from his office in his blazer, a black leather bag tucked under his arm.

They drove for a while before suddenly stopping at the side of the road. Ye Sixin and Jiang Yi watched in confusion as the boss got out, ran into a fruit shop, and returned two minutes later with a basket of fruit.

“Oranges were 15 yuan for three pounds today, and they charged me another 20 for the basket packaging. What a rip-off,” Boss Shi grumbled, slamming the door and hitting the gas.

“…”

Jiang Yi glanced at the basket on the passenger seat. It looked like maybe three pounds of oranges, totaling less than 50 yuan. She had heard from Lin Fei that Boss Shi was frugal, but she hadn’t expected him to bring 35-yuan worth of oranges to visit a business partner in the hospital. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

At the hospital, Boss Shi decisively handed the basket to Jiang Yi and led them up the stairs. Mr. Zhang was in Room 4041. Apparently, the doctors had induced vomiting several times last night; he had truly brushed with death.

“Yes, yes, President Shen is very thoughtful. I’m in the hospital right now, but I’ll bring the contract to discuss it with her personally this afternoon.”

Mr. Zhang had just hung up the phone with a joyful expression, likely having landed another good deal. He didn’t seem to care about the modest fruit basket. He laughed, “Boss Shi, you’re too kind. I made a fool of myself yesterday, truly sorry.”

Zhang Mengqi was good at hiding his vile intentions under a dignified facade. As a capitalist himself, Boss Shi knew the game. “And your finger, Mr. Zhang… is it okay? I heard it was fractured.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I must have hit the chair when I fell. It has nothing to do with your staff, don’t blame yourself.”

“In that case, we’ll head back.”

Mr. Zhang was eager for them to leave; he needed to discharge himself and talk about a big deal that afternoon. “Sure, safe travels.”

After the pleasantries, Boss Shi led them back to the elevator. As they waited for the floor numbers to change, the doors chimed and opened.

Two of the three people outside the elevator instantly changed expression. Ye Sixin looked at the two people inside, then at the frozen Jiang Yi and Boss Shi.

“What’s wrong? The elevator is here, aren’t we going?”

At her words, the woman in the elevator stepped out. She handed the document she was reading to the female assistant beside her.

“Long time no see, Boss Shi.” Shen Siyun extended her hand toward Shi Baobin, her gaze briefly flickering over Jiang Yi behind him. Her red lips were pressed tight.

“A pleasure, President Shen.” Boss Shi’s expression shifted several times before he regained his dignity as a CEO. He put on a show of magnanimity and shook her hand. “I didn’t expect to run into you here. It’s truly an honor.”

“Boss Shi is as… humorous as ever.” Shen Siyun gave a light smile, looking as pleasant as a spring breeze.

Ye Sixin didn’t know who this woman was. If she had known this was the President of Jiayu—the woman who had once snatched a hardware project from her boss and nearly made him die of anger—she probably wouldn’t have spoken.

She smiled along with Shen Siyun. “Our boss has always been humorous.”

Everyone looked at her.

Jiang Yi rubbed her forehead in a headache. Boss Shi’s face was contorted and ugly. Only Shen Siyun and Ding Lanqi couldn’t help but smile. “Your little employee is quite interesting.”

After all, it wasn’t every day a subordinate mocked their own boss in front of a rival.

“President Shen is joking. My employee just needs more training.” Boss Shi practically spat the words through his teeth.

After the formalities, Boss Shi led them past Shen Siyun and Ding Lanqi into the elevator. Jiang Yi walked past Shen Siyun without a single pause. Likewise, Shen Siyun kept her eyes forward and walked on.

Back on the first floor, Boss Shi looked at Ye Sixin, sighed, and shook his head. “Get in the car.”

Jiang Yi and Ye Sixin nodded.

“Wait, I left my leather bag up there.” Boss Shi felt his pockets. “The keys are inside too.”

Everything was going wrong today. Boss Shi looked miserable. Jiang Yi felt sorry for him; just minutes ago he had been mocked by his rival and his subordinate, and now he’d forgotten his bag.

She volunteered. “Boss, I’ll go up and get it for you.”

“That would be good. I’d rather not run into Shen Siyun again.” Boss Shi told her to be quick.

Jiang Yi went back into the hospital, took the elevator, and arrived at Room 4041. She knocked. “Mr. Zhang, it’s Jiang Yi. My boss left his bag here. May I come in?”

“Come in.”

Upon entering, she saw the familiar figures. Shen Siyun and Ding Lanqi were standing by Zhang Mengqi’s bed, handing him a document. They paused when she entered.

“Mr. Zhang, this is the contract. See if there are any issues.”

“Ah, thanks for making the trip, President Shen. I was planning to visit you personally.”

Zhang Mengqi opened the contract. It was the acquisition deal for those parts. He had a batch in his warehouse, but the supply requirement here had doubled. These 40M dual-channel board components were parts he had bought low and stockpiled. It just so happened Shen Siyun needed them and was willing to pay a high price. Since he was the only one on the market who could provide 100,000 units at once, it was no wonder she chose to work with him.

But now the volume had doubled to 200,000. Zhang Mengqi hesitated. While double the units meant double the profit, he couldn’t produce that much at once.

Ding Lanqi seemed to read his mind. “Mr. Zhang, we are doing installment payments. Within two months of the first payment, you only need to provide 150,000 units. The remaining 50,000 are due two months after the second payment.”

150,000 for the first batch… that was 50,000 more than he had. He figured it wouldn’t be a problem; he could just buy the rest from somewhere else to make up the number. With the first payment, the final 50,000 wouldn’t be hard to get. After some thought, he signed it.

“Then I look forward to our successful cooperation.” Zhang Mengqi laughed heartily. He caught sight of Jiang Yi picking up the bag. “Hey, you find it?”

“Found it.” Jiang Yi picked up Boss Shi’s bag. She looked at the contract Ding Lanqi was tucking away, her expression complex.

Shen Siyun was actually working with Mr. Zhang. She knew exactly what kind of man Zhang was. If it hadn’t been for the fact that she had already signed for Ye Sixin, she wouldn’t have given him the time of day.

“Give Boss Shi my regards.” Mr. Zhang took a sip of water, in high spirits.

Jiang Yi nodded vaguely and left the room.

---

Jiayu Group.

Shen Siyun returned from the hospital. No sooner had she sat down in her office than Xin Wenyue arrived.

“Shen Siyun, no way—did you get played again?” Xin Wenyue found it unbelievable. “I told you that Song Rao wasn’t a good person. Look at her denying everything; she clearly set you up.”

“Well, now your little niece hates your guts. She’s convinced you’re a villain who kidnaps married women and destroys families.” With that reputation, Shen Siyun was basically doomed. Winning back her mistress’s heart was now a pipe dream.

Of course, Xin Wenyue was on her side. Seeing her poor complexion, she didn’t push the subject. “I’ve had the shell company registered and hired a few staff. What’s the next step?”

“Run it for half a month. See how well they can coordinate.” Shen Siyun picked up her desk phone. “Lanqi, set up meetings for me tomorrow with Mr. Li Ding and Mr. Li Guozhi.”

Xin Wenyue teased, “Are you so crushed that you’re turning into a workaholic to numb the pain?”

“If you’re really that bored, go weave some shoe soles at the village entrance.”

“…”

“Fine, I’m leaving.” Xin Wenyue didn’t want to get involved in her love life. She turned to call her friends for afternoon tea.

Just as she turned, her phone rang. It was her brother. As soon as she picked up, he started wailing. “Sis! What did you do yesterday?! That passenger you picked up—the one with the ending digits 2791—she gave me a one-star review! One star! Just now!”

Xin Wenyue was stunned, then furious. She turned to Shen Siyun. “Look at what your little mistress did! I didn’t even kick her out, I sped up just like she asked, and she turns around and gives me one star! She’s definitely taking out a personal grudge!”

Too much! Giving her brother a one-star review was effectively insulting Xin Wenyue herself. “Shen Siyun, this is definitely your fault. My brother and I got caught in the crossfire.”

Shen Siyun stopped her pen. “What was the comment?”

Xin Wenyue asked her brother over the phone. “She said she booked a private car, but you guys carpooled her and still charged her the private rate.”

Silence fell over the office. Xin Wenyue and Shen Siyun looked at each other. That logic was actually hard to argue with. Shen Siyun was in the car; Xin Wenyue couldn’t exactly kick her friend out just to give Jiang Yi a private ride. But that wasn’t a reason for a one-star review; she was 100% sure Jiang Yi was settling a score.

“Shen Siyun, want to get even?” Xin Wenyue couldn’t swallow this. Jiang Yi and Song Rao had driven them both crazy with one move after another.

Shen Siyun’s lips thinned. Thinking of Jiang Yi’s accusatory tone that morning, a knot of anger tightened in her chest. Her eyes grew cold. “What’s your plan?”

---

Near the end of the workday, Boss Shi came out to give the team a “pep talk.”

“Lin Fei, you’re the team leader. Set an example. We have to conquer this real estate coating project. Even if our competitors are Jiayu and Pengting, we cannot lose to them! I believe in your abilities. You can do this!”

After the pep talk, everyone was excited. But once the clock struck five, everyone packed up to head home. Jiang Yi was no exception. She looked at the weary Boss Shi; he was likely still fuming over Shen Siyun.

Descending from the office building, Jiang Yi couldn’t help but sneeze.

“Caught a cold?” Song Rao, who had driven over to pick her up, asked with concern.

“Probably not.” Jiang Yi shook her head. “By the way, I might have to go on a business trip tomorrow.”

The big coatings client, Zuo Jinrong, had returned from Nanming City yesterday. Lin Fei had tried to negotiate with him immediately, but he was being difficult, saying he needed more time to consider. Lin Fei guessed he was playing both sides against Yin Lei to see who would offer a better deal. To win him over, Lin Fei found out he was heading to Wuhai Island for business and a short vacation. She planned to take Jiang Yi, Yan Zhijie, and Ye Sixin there to intercept him.

“It’ll be hot on Wuhai Island,” Song Rao said. “Remember to pack plenty of sunscreen.”

“I will.”

The next morning, Jiang Yi met the team at the airport. After a three-hour flight, they arrived at Wuhai Island. Lin Fei, in sunglasses and jeans, checked the navigation. “Zuo Jinrong is supposedly staying at the InterContinental in Hexin New Town.”

“The sun is brutal here.” Ye Sixin held an umbrella. It felt like summer, even though it was October.

They took a car to the hotel—a massive, grand spherical structure by the sea. At night, it glowed with a luxurious, golden light.

“Hello, checking in. Four people. One single room, one double.”

As Lin Fei handled the check-in, Jiang Yi caught a glimpse of a tall figure with a short haircut and a familiar green-faced quartz watch.

“Lin… Lin Fei, it’s Yin Lei!” Yan Zhijie spoke first, panicking.

“Not just her. She brought several colleagues,” Jiang Yi added.

“Go, go, go!” Lin Fei grabbed the key cards. “Don’t let them see us here!” Given Yin Lei’s intelligence, she’d know in a heartbeat they were there to steal her client.

The group hurried toward the elevators. Inside, Lin Fei realized they couldn’t keep this up. If they met head-on, their cover would be blown. “We need a reason for being here. We shouldn’t appear as a group of four. Split into pairs. If we’re caught, we say we’re on vacation.”

Vacationing with one colleague was normal. Vacationing with three was suspicious. Yin Lei wouldn’t buy it.

The elevator was slow, stopping at almost every floor. Finally, it was empty as it neared their level.

“Hello, this is Yin Lei. President Shen is coming personally tomorrow to talk to Boss Zuo? We’ve arrived at the InterContinental and are checking in. Should I book a suite for her?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from outside the elevator, making everyone inside scramble in shock.

“Press the button! Press it!” Lin Fei slapped Yan Zhijie’s backpack as he stood nearest the controls, urging him to pick another floor.

“I’m pressing it!” Sweat poured down Yan Zhijie’s face. Who could have guessed Yin Lei was staying on the same floor—and had arrived just seconds before them?

Based on the voice, she was right outside the doors. And the elevator was slowly sliding open!