Su Lingyu coldly retorted, “In your dreams.”
“It’s simple! Grandpa gave Uncle a black box—help me find out what’s inside. Grandpa has always disliked him, so suddenly giving him something must be important!” Shen Qiao didn’t believe Grandpa’s “none of your business” excuse.
“I never thought you were this kind of person.” Su Lingyu sneered, “If you’re curious, go ask yourself! Why should I help you? Because you abandoned me at the airport? Because you choked me? Because you called me a creepy stalker?”
The moment his feet touched the ground today, he became full of himself again.
“If you won’t help me or stand by my side, have you fallen for him that quickly? How fickle can you be…” Shen Qiao pressed closer step by step, “Su Lingyu, do you think I actually like you? If you weren’t the Su family heiress, would I have tolerated you for over a year? Aren’t you annoying? Sending so many messages every day! Do you think everyone is as idle as you? I’m going to inherit Baichuan someday—I’m not some idle playboy!”
“I think… Uncle is more capable than you. He’d be better suited to inherit.” Su Lingyu stated calmly.
Shen Qiao exploded in rage: “Is he all you see? Have you already taken his side? Do you pity him? What about me! Su Lingyu, wake up! Pity and sympathy aren’t love!”
Having been pampered since childhood, Su Lingyu had never been shouted at like this.
She said, “Look at you, so irritable. I’m just stating facts—Uncle is clearly more skilled in business than you.”
Shen Qiao went mad with anger, snatching the Small Figure from her hands and smashing it violently to the ground!
The figure shattered upon impact.
Though initially unruffled, Su Lingyu was truly enraged now. She slapped him across the face: “I just unboxed that!”
Though not the Hidden Edition, it was the one she needed—”Feather of Freedom.” Ironic that something named “Feather of Freedom” now lay broken.
Furious, she kicked Shen Qiao.
“Su Lingyu, you—” Shen Qiao’s roar was cut short.
He’d been kicked by Su Lingyu from the front—but who had kicked him from behind?
He spun around furiously, meeting Jiang Yuli’s ice-cold dark eyes.
“Laying hands on my guest in my office.” Jiang Yuli’s gaze was frigid, “Shen Qiao, did you feed your manners to the dogs?”
“Jiang Yuli! You’re seducing my girlfriend and now lecturing me about manners? Are you qualified?” Shen Qiao didn’t even call him “Uncle” anymore, “Don’t accuse me of what you lack yourself!”
He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
At the doorway, Zhao Kai quietly closed the door.
“Pao Pao, are you okay?” Jiang Yuli asked.
Su Lingyu cradled the broken figure, tears welling in her eyes: “Uncle, I’m not okay… The others are all duplicates, this was the only new one. That bastard Shen Qiao actually broke it!”
Her collection quest had encountered another obstacle.
The poor Small Figure had split in two.
Jiang Yuli’s eyes darkened, his voice low: “My fault.”
“How could it be your fault? It was clearly Shen Qiao’s!” Su Lingyu carefully placed the fragments back in the box.
“Uncle~” she called to him.
“Speak.”
Jiang Yuli restrained himself from approaching, filled with self-blame.
In his own territory, he had failed to protect Pao Pao, allowing her beloved possession to be destroyed.
“Don’t always shoulder the blame yourself. Grandpa Shen not liking you shows his poor judgment. Any other father would cherish a son as outstanding as you.” Su Lingyu said earnestly, “Uncle, you’re wonderful—don’t underestimate yourself. Learn from Shen Qiao’s arrogance, be more confident!”
Jiang Yuli’s heart trembled, as if the gloom shrouding him had brightened a little more.
Her figurine was broken, yet she was the one comforting him.
“Alright,” he replied softly.
“Uncle~ What exactly did Grandpa Shen Qiao give you?” Su Lingyu asked curiously.
“My mother’s photo album—pictures taken when she was pregnant with me,” Jiang Yuli answered without holding back.
“Oh~” Su Lingyu smiled knowingly.
Jiang Yuli was puzzled. “What is it?”
“Earlier, Shen Qiao was all nervous and wanted me to be his spy, to find out what ‘important thing’ Grandpa Shen gave you—whether it might threaten his position at Hundred Rivers Group. And it turned out to be Madam Jiang’s photos!” The thought of Shen Qiao fretting over a few pregnancy photos made Su Lingyu feel vindicated.
“So… will you tell him?”
“Of course not! I’m not that nice to my ex-boyfriend.” Su Lingyu made a zipping motion over her lips. “Don’t worry, I’m tight-lipped. You go ahead with your work; no need to mind me.”
“Mm. I won’t let him bother you again.”
“Wait.”
Su Lingyu suddenly called him back.
Jiang Yuli turned to look at her, a subtle hint of anticipation hidden in his gaze.
She smiled gently, her pleasant voice carrying, “Let’s go to the restaurant you booked last night for dinner again tonight. I’m sure you waited a long time yesterday, and everyone probably thought you got stood up. I’ll go with you today so they’ll know someone as handsome as you would never get stood up!”
“As you wish.”
Jiang Yuli left the office in high spirits.
Meanwhile, Zhao Kai stood guard outside the office like a door god.
With such an imposing bodyguard on duty, employees steered clear, none daring to approach.
Jiang Yuli went to attend a meeting.
Shen Qiao returned to his own office, so furious that he swept all the documents off his desk!
“Jiang Yuli!”
“Jiang Yuli!!”
“As soon as he returned to the country, he took the CEO position that should have been my father’s! I grew up by Grandpa’s side, yet I’m only a vice president!”
“Grandpa despised him for twenty-six years! Now he’s secretly giving him things and even preparing his room! What right does he have?!”
“Grandpa clearly hated him so much before!!”
Hu Kexin silently knelt to gather the scattered documents.
“President Shen, calm down. You’ve said before that the chairman disliked President Jiang for twenty-six years. For him to suddenly show kindness now, I think…” She stood up. “Could it be that the old man’s health is failing? When people get old and near the end, they look back on their lives and feel they’ve wronged Jiang Yuli the most. Maybe he wants to make it up to him, to ease his guilt—like atonement?”
“I believe the chairman still cares for you the most. So what you should do now isn’t confront President Jiang head-on, but spend more time with the chairman, cheer him up, let him feel your filial devotion. Make him understand that you, raised by his side since childhood, are his closest kin.”
“There’s been a rift between that father and son for twenty-six years. Even if the chairman wants to reconcile, it depends on whether President Jiang will accept it. With President Jiang’s cold-blooded nature and eighteen years exiled abroad, his resentment is probably deeper than a ghost’s. There’s really no need to waste too much energy on him.”
Shen Qiao fell into thought, his anger gradually subsiding.
“You’re right. Hundred Rivers Group ultimately belongs to Grandpa. As long as Grandpa’s will states that I’m the heir, even if Jiang Yuli is CEO now, he’ll just end up working for me in the future.”
Hu Kexin nodded. “So we need to stay patient and do well on our current projects.”
Shen Qiao sat back in his office chair. “Even so, I still need to attend Su Lingyu’s birthday banquet tomorrow night. Help me prepare a gift for her.”
“Alright, President Shen.” Seeing him begin his work, Hu Kexin turned and exited the office, but her expression darkened.
They’ve already broken up, yet he still prepares birthday gifts for his ex-girlfriend and attends her birthday party?
Is he really that unable to let go of Su Lingyu?