It was not just the limited-edition series—even the entire Jewelry Division had been built by Shang Wu from the ground up. Every part of it contained her hard work.
Not only Ji Yu but also Zhou Yanci was certain that, short of the apocalypse or the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart, Shang Wu would never abandon the Jewelry Division in any crisis.
“Yanci, I’m responsible for receiving the overseas team this week. Did you forget?”
Shang Wu spoke up without warning.
Zhou Yanci froze for a moment.
Ji Yu looked puzzled. “What overseas team?”
“Partners coming from overseas to inspect our operations. They want to help us sell our products abroad. By then, the Jewelry Division won’t just serve the domestic market—we could turn it into an international luxury brand.”
Shang Wu explained unhurriedly, looking at Zhou Yanci. “Once we reach an agreement, Chengzhou’s profits will increase by at least five times, and its name will become known throughout the world.”
She looked at Ji Yu and continued painting her a bright future. “And you’ll become a world-class designer.”
The two of them were startled at the same time, a glimmer of anticipation appearing in their eyes.
Shang Wu turned and sat down beside the table. “Do you want me to receive the team or handle the design? Decide for yourselves which is more important.”
Zhou Yanci raised a hand and pressed his fingertips to the space between his brows, considering what to do.
Ji Yu grew somewhat impatient at the sight. “So you mean you’re just going to leave the design alone?”
“I never said I wouldn’t handle it. I just won’t design it personally.” Shang Wu raised her eyes and arched a brow at her.
Ji Yu spread her hands. “You’re not asking me to design it, are you? What’s the difference between that and deliberately ruining the limited-edition series?”
Shang Wu curled her lips mockingly as she thought of Ji Yu’s chat history with Zhou Yanci.
Ji Yu had acted superior while extensively criticizing Shang Wu’s work as tacky, then turned around and said that the limited-edition design could not do without her own work.
She had no ability to match her boasting, but at least she had enough self-awareness now.
Disgusting.
Shang Wu leaned calmly against the edge of the sofa, her movements elegant and her emotions steady.
She pondered for a moment before saying, “There is another way. Find a designer whose style resembles mine and have them rush out a set of designs for the limited edition.”
“No!” Ji Yu’s eyes flickered with guilt. “If word gets out that I had someone else design it for me, it won’t just damage my reputation—the entire Chengzhou Group will be disgraced!”
Zhou Yanci frowned slightly and echoed her. “Shang Wu, apart from you, I don’t trust anyone else.”
“This person can be trusted.”
Shang Wu tapped the screen twice and handed them the résumé of a designer.
“Qiu Ting?”
Zhou Yanci paused, then looked down at the designer’s profile.
A renowned designer, Freya’s only personal disciple, he had participated in the design of five international jewelry showcases.
“My apprentice.”
There was an amused glint in Shang Wu’s eyes as she quietly looked at the two of them. “He’s loyal enough to me. If I ask him, he has no reason to refuse, and he won’t tell anyone about this. How does that sound?”
Meeting her gaze, Zhou Yanci weighed the advantages and disadvantages. After hesitating again and again, he finally nodded.
He added, “Have him sign a confidentiality agreement. One must always guard against the possibility of betrayal.”
Shang Wu agreed readily and rose to make a phone call in the next room.
She had only one sentence.
“Ji Yu betrayed me. Help me.”
The other person did not hesitate in the slightest. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do it.”
…
At the end of the workday, she told Zhou Yanci that Qiu Ting was willing to accept money to ghost-design the work.
Zhou Yanci sat in the car replying to messages, his body turned slightly toward Shang Wu.
It was an instinctively guarded posture.
Shang Wu glanced at his phone and said without revealing anything, “Yanci, are you listening to me? It’s all taken care of.”
“Huh? Mm. My Shang Wu, you’ve worked hard.” Zhou Yanci put down his phone and smiled as he took her hand, though he seemed distracted.
Shang Wu raised a brow. “You look like something’s on your mind. What’s wrong?”
Zhou Yanci hesitated for two seconds, then looked deeply at her. “I wanted to take you to a bar to meet up with some friends, but I was worried you’d be too tired and wouldn’t want to go.”
“It’s fine. I won’t find it tiring if I’m accompanying you.” Shang Wu smiled, but she did not miss the illuminated screen of his phone.
It displayed a message from one of Zhou Yanci’s friends.
【Shen Mian is with us. She came looking for you. Get here quickly.】
Zhou Yanci started the car. “Then let’s go. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely stop them from pressuring you to drink.”
Shang Wu smiled and nodded, but her gaze turned cold.
Before long, they arrived at the private room.
Shang Wu entered and swept her eyes across the room.
Several of Zhou Yanci’s friends were drinking and rolling dice, while Shen Mian sat quietly in a corner, watching them.
When they came in, Gu Ziqian hurriedly turned off the music and rose with a smile. “You’re here! Come sit down. The party’s just getting started.”
When Zhou Yanci saw Shen Mian, he stopped in his tracks, and his expression darkened.
“Who told you to call her here?”
That single sentence shattered the entire mood.
Shen Mian stiffened, embarrassed and at a loss.
Shang Wu pressed her lips together.
He had clearly brought her here precisely because he knew Shen Mian would be there, and yet he was quite good at pretending.
She smiled and tugged lightly at Zhou Yanci’s sleeve. “Sis, why are you treating Miss Shen like that? That’s all in the past. When people meet again, they can still be friends.”
Shang Wu’s voice was gentle, and a few words were enough to soothe the tension in the private room.
Shen Mian glanced at her, clenched her teeth, and walked toward Zhou Yanci.
“A-Ci, there’s something I need your help with. I’ve just returned to the country and have nowhere to live. Could you rent one of your vacant properties to me? I’m sorry. If I weren’t truly out of options, I wouldn’t have come to disturb you and Miss Shang.”
Her eyes glistened with tears, though she tried hard not to let them fall. Her body trembled faintly, revealing a hint of fragility despite herself.
Zhou Yanci’s gaze shifted slightly. “Why should I help you? Sis, what sort of relationship do you and I have?”
Shen Mian drew a deep breath and said in a trembling voice, “We were in love once. Do you really have to be this heartless?”
As soon as she said that, everyone turned to look at Shang Wu.
Some were sizing her up; others were waiting for a show.
Everyone present was one of Zhou Yanci’s closest friends, and their families’ businesses were tied to Chengzhou Group.
On the surface, they were all warm toward Shang Wu and called her Sister-in-law. In reality, every one of them followed Zhou Yanci’s lead.
The moment Shang Wu saw the message, she had known that these people were well aware of Shen Mian’s position in Zhou Yanci’s heart.
Every one of them had concealed it from her, working with Zhou Yanci to treat her as a tool.
Zhou Yanci clenched his fists, visibly unsettled. His expression was cold as he scoffed. “Miss Shen was actually in love with me? How surprising!”
Tears rolled down Shen Mian’s cheeks.
Zhou Yanci chose to ignore them and withdrew his gaze. “I’m not capable of helping an ex-girlfriend with something like this, and I don’t want Shang Wu to be unhappy. Go ask someone else.”
He pulled Shang Wu directly to a seat.
Shen Mian bit her lip, swaying as though she might collapse.
Zhou Yanci acted as though he could not see her at all. Once he sat down, he began mixing Shang Wu’s favorite drink.
Shang Wu watched him pick up cherry juice instead of strawberry juice, and her eyes darkened slightly.
Zhou Yanci handed it to her with an indulgent smile. “Cherry fruit wine. You’ve always liked it. Your period is coming soon, so don’t have it with ice, all right?”
His gaze was still full of affection, yet it seemed as though he was looking through Shang Wu at someone else.
Shang Wu took the drink and was about to sip it when Shen Mian suddenly hurried over, stepping right in front of her.
“Miss Shang, there’s really nothing between A-Ci and me anymore. I truly only came today because I need to ask him for help. I had no choice. Please, I’m begging you—could you be a little understanding?”
She grabbed Shang Wu by the wrist.
The glass wobbled. Shang Wu tightened her grip on it and said with an ambiguous smile, “Yanci doesn’t want to help you. What can I do?”
Zhou Yanci’s eyes flickered. “Shang Wu, whether I help her or not, I’ll only listen to you.”
A wounded look flashed through Shen Mian’s eyes, her face full of bitterness. “See? He loves you so much. As long as you say the word, he’ll definitely be willing to help.”
The two of them tugged at one another from opposite sides.
One wanted to help but was too proud to say so, certain that Shang Wu would be considerate enough to plead on her behalf.
The other was advancing by retreating, trying to find out whether Zhou Yanci still had feelings for her while placing Shang Wu over a blazing fire.
Shang Wu turned the glass in her hand, deep in thought.
Zhou Yanci calmly took a sip of his drink and glanced at Gu Ziqian in the distance.
Gu Ziqian immediately understood. “Sister-in-law, look how pitiful Shen Mian is. Help her, won’t you? There’s really nothing between her and Yanci anymore.”
The others chimed in as well.
Openly and covertly, every one of them was pressuring Shang Wu to be “considerate and magnanimous.”
Shang Wu raised her eyes, seeming not to notice what any of them were thinking, and smiled lightly. “I’m sorry, Miss Shen, but I don’t want Yanci to help you. I’ll get jealous.”
Both of them froze.
“I didn’t realize Miss Shang cared so much about my existence. Never mind. I don’t want to affect your relationship.” Shen Mian’s eyes reddened. She rose awkwardly and turned to run out.
Zhou Yanci panicked and stood up to chase after her.
Behind him, Shang Wu’s leisurely voice rang out.
“Miss Shen, I haven’t finished speaking.”
Shen Mian stopped and turned back with tear-filled eyes. Choking back a sob, she said, “I understand what you mean, Miss Shang. Don’t worry. Even if I end up living on the streets, I won’t trouble A-Ci. Is there anything else you want to say?”
Shang Wu rose and walked toward her.
Seeing the aggressive way Shang Wu was approaching, Zhou Yanci felt a tightness in his chest and followed after her without thinking.
Shang Wu stopped in front of Shen Mian and suddenly raised her hand.
Shen Mian instinctively turned her head away and closed her eyes.
“Don’t hit her!” Zhou Yanci shouted in a low voice, worry and warning mixed together. Without thinking, he seized Shang Wu’s wrist.
Then he saw the bank card clutched in Shang Wu’s hand and froze.
Shang Wu stared at him in astonishment. “I was only going to give Miss Shen some money so she could rent a hotel room. That way, she wouldn’t have to waste time looking for a place, and she wouldn’t have to make things difficult for you. What are you doing?”
At her words, Zhou Yanci released her as though he had been burned, flustered.
“I’m sorry. I—I thought…”
“All right. Don’t say anything.” Shang Wu shoved the bank card into Shen Mian’s hand, rubbed her reddened wrist, and returned to the sofa to retrieve her bag.
Zhou Yanci blocked the door to the private room, looking down at her anxiously. “Shang Wu, don’t be angry.”
Shang Wu gave him a long look.
“The drink you mixed is really delicious.”
She pushed past Zhou Yanci and left without looking back.
Shen Mian’s lips curved slightly, revealing a triumphant smile.
She savored the moment Zhou Yanci had warned Shang Wu and protected her. “A-Ci, you still care about me, don’t you?”
Zhou Yanci felt inexplicably irritated.
He had known perfectly well that Shen Mian had nowhere to live and had deliberately come to see her.
But now that Shang Wu had left, some place in his heart felt empty as well, and he found himself unable to adjust.
Zhou Yanci ignored Shen Mian and walked to the table to pick up Shang Wu’s bag. When he saw the drink she had left on the table, his gaze paused. He picked it up and took a sip.
It tasted of strawberries.