After Xiao Ran left, she glanced back through the glass window at Jiang Qinian’s retreating figure.
She thought indignantly, serves him right that Sister Jiang Zhi won’t give him the time of day!
Messy relationships within the industry were nothing new, but she had always believed that the gentle, jade-like Jiang Qinian was a true gentleman—someone who remained unstained by the muck around him.
Who would have thought, all crows are equally black!
Hmph, men really only behave themselves when they’re hung on a wall!
Jiang Zhi hadn’t taken a single day off in three years. Sister Qing valued profit above all, but even she couldn’t find fault with Jiang Zhi’s record, so she approved the leave on the spot.
Her belongings were all at Jiang Qinian’s apartment, but fortunately, she always kept her important items in her shoulder bag, carrying them with her at all times.
What remained at the apartment were just clothes and cosmetics—mere worldly possessions.
As for important documents like client information, she had the habit of backing everything up to the cloud.
Thank goodness for that habit; it meant she didn’t have to go back and tangle with Jiang Qinian again.
Though a week from now, she’d still have to face him—she was his agent, and they had a five-year contract. To completely sever ties with him, she’d have to wait at least two more years.
But at least for this week, she didn’t want to trouble herself with his affairs.
Jiang Zhi took a cab to the mall, bought some daily necessities and a few changes of clothes, then returned to Qihayuan.
She had barely set her things down when Cheng Shuwen called. “Jiang Zhi, didn’t you say you were going to find the Shang family? Why is there no movement at all? Did you even go?!”
“The creditors have already blockaded our doorstep! Get back here and solve this!”
Jiang Zhi’s brow twitched.
She had thought that since she’d already gotten her marriage certificate with Shang Chi, a man in control of the entire Shang Corporation wouldn’t take someone’s money without delivering.
But she hadn’t anticipated that he’d gone on a business trip, and it was highly possible he’d let this matter slip.
Jiang Zhi massaged her brow and said to Cheng Shuwen, “I’ll be there in half an hour.”
She checked the time. The man hadn’t told her where he was on his business trip, and for all she knew, he might be on a plane right now.
She could only send him a message while rushing to her uncle’s house.
The message went out, and unsurprisingly, there was no reply.
When Jiang Zhi arrived, over a dozen people were blockading the entrance to her uncle’s house.
The ones in the front row looked fierce and menacing—clearly not people to be trifled with.
Taking advantage of the scuffle between the security guards and these people, Jiang Zhi slipped in through the side courtyard.
The moment she stepped inside, she saw Qin Mingsheng on the phone with a harried expression, while Cheng Shuwen paced back and forth anxiously.
Catching sight of Jiang Zhi from the corner of her eye, Cheng Shuwen immediately began wailing and playing the victim, her words dripping with sarcasm.
“The door is surrounded tight as a drum now, and every single one of those people outside looks vicious. Who knows if we’ll even make it out of here in one piece!”
“I’m so unfortunate. If only Yuchuan had been born a girl instead of a boy. Now that I’m old and gray, I still have to live at the mercy of the younger generation.”
“The Shang family is huge and powerful—saving our company would be nothing more than a snap of their fingers. If Yuchuan were a girl, I’d have tied him up and dragged him over myself…”
“Enough!” Qin Mingsheng barked at Cheng Shuwen the moment he hung up the phone.
Cheng Shuwen’s words died in her throat. She dabbed at the tears in her eyes and added weakly, “Am I wrong to say it? I’m just cursed with bad luck!”
Qin Mingsheng was already annoyed enough without getting into an argument with Cheng Shuwen.
He shifted the topic, his expression turning grave as he looked at Jiang Zhi. “Zhizhi, what exactly did you privately trade with Shang Chi?”
Jiang Zhi’s gaze flickered. She didn’t answer Qin Mingsheng. Instead, she pulled two cards from her shoulder bag and placed them on the table.
Her fingertips slid one card in front of Qin Mingsheng. “This card holds all the money you’ve transferred to me over the years. My own income is enough for my expenses, so I saved all of it in this card.”
Then she pushed the second card forward. “There’s about two million here. I know it’s not much, but please use it for emergencies first.”
She couldn’t use the black card Shang Chi had given her. She had her principles—she would never touch a single cent of what wasn’t hers.
Qin Mingsheng looked at the two cards on the table, his expression shifting slightly. He knew this was Jiang Zhi’s savings.
He averted his gaze and pressed on with his earlier question. “Zhizhi, tell your uncle!”
Jiang Zhi knew that paper could never wrap fire forever. She let out a soft sigh. “He’s on a business trip. When he returns, I’ll come visit you together with him.”
Hearing this, Qin Mingsheng’s face twisted with anguish, his lips trembling with anger. “Didn’t your uncle tell you? Shang Chi is deeply calculating—he’s not a good match for you!”
Cheng Shuwen was completely dumbfounded.
Was Jiang Zhi agreeing to marry Shang Chi?
But she didn’t believe it. If that were really the case, would they still be trapped in their own home?
Besides, she knew that Jiang Zhi had always been in love with that movie emperor, Jiang Qinian. The room on the second floor still held a large stash of photos of Jiang Qinian from his university days.
She didn’t think Jiang Zhi would be so selfless as to change her mind overnight.
She was certain this was just a delaying tactic—an excuse to deceive Qin Mingsheng so that when the company collapsed, Jiang Zhi could walk away clean.
And besides, which movie emperor’s agent only had two million to her name?!
Cheng Shuwen was convinced Jiang Zhi was still holding something back.
Cheng Shuwen feigned a look of surprise. “Zhizhi, what do you mean by that?”
Jiang Zhi stated frankly, “Shang Chi and I have gotten our marriage certificate.”
Cheng Shuwen reacted swiftly, her tone dripping with contempt. “It’s not that I, your aunt, doubt you—let me and your uncle see the marriage certificate.”
Marriage certificate?
Jiang Zhi was caught off guard for a moment, the image of the red booklet slipping into a black inner pocket flashing through her mind.
She furrowed her brows slightly. “It’s with him.”
Hearing this, Cheng Shuwen became even more certain of what she suspected.
Marriage certificates were usually held one by each party. Besides, the two were hardly acquainted—strangers would be a fair description.
How could they possibly keep the certificate in one person’s hands? That was something only a couple in love would do.
Cheng Shuwen sneered, “You failed to negotiate with Shang Chi, didn’t you? Your uncle doesn’t know what you’re really up to, but don’t think I’m so easy to fool!”
The marriage agreement stipulated that Shang Chi could not marry any woman other than Jiang Zhi before he turned thirty—yet a man at thirty was at the peak of his charm.
And Shang Chi was already twenty-seven. Who would care about those three years?
Besides, it only forbade marriage. During those three years, he could still date other women.
As long as Jiang Zhi didn’t push for marriage, why would he be foolish enough to spend a fortune cleaning up this mess? Unless he was in a hurry to marry someone he loved, he would never agree to Jiang Zhi’s demands.
Qin Mingsheng listened to the exchange, his furrowed brow easing slightly, though doubt began to creep in—was Jiang Zhi really married to Shang Chi?
He would rather go bankrupt than see Jiang Zhi marry someone as deep and calculating as Shang Chi.
But the phone call just now had clearly addressed her as Mrs. Shang.
Jiang Zhi found Cheng Shuwen’s words laughable.
What was she trying to fool anyone about?
Just as Jiang Zhi was about to speak, a loud crash sounded from outside the door. The next second, the door burst open—