“Didn’t I tell you not to come?”
Inside the car, Sheng Yunshu sipped her mushroom soup and grumbled, “I already told you I was fine. Stop treating me like a child. Aren’t you tired after working all night?”
Sheng Qingshan had likely just gotten off work; she had not yet had time to change out of her formal attire. Her dark gray suit jacket was draped over the back of the seat, and her shirt sleeves were rolled up to her forearms, revealing the clean, sharp lines of her wrists.
She was scrolling through pending notifications on her neural link. Supporting her head with one hand, she turned her head to look at Sheng Yunshu.
“It is no trouble. Finish your shrimp. Why are you leaving so much?”
“I already ate dinner! You are being so unreasonable.” Sheng Yunshu muttered, though she finished the plate of stir-fried shrimp regardless.
Only when Sheng Yunshu was truly full did Sheng Qingshan seem satisfied. She entered the address of Sheng Yunshu’s residence into the control console, and the vehicle started.
Sheng Yunshu reclined in her seat, trying to let her meal settle, but her eyes could not help but drift to the person beside her.
Perhaps to appear less conspicuous, Sheng Qingshan had straightened her hair, thinning it out slightly, with the remaining length tied back loosely with a hair tie. She even wore a pair of rimless glasses. When she was not smiling, she looked even more unapproachable than before.
She looks fierce, Sheng Yunshu thought, staring at her side profile.
Sheng Qingshan noticed her gaze and retrieved a thermal container from the climate-controlled storage, handing it to her.
“Have some dessert.”
Sheng Yunshu pouted. “Are you trying to stuff me to death?”
Despite the protest, she took it. Opening the container, she found four neat pieces of osmanthus cake, still steaming.
Even though she was full, the sweet fragrance tempted her, and she picked up a piece.
The vehicle moved smoothly. The only sounds in the cabin were the soft noises of Sheng Yunshu chewing and swallowing. Sheng Qingshan was busy with work and did not pay much attention to her.
After replying to the last message, Sheng Qingshan let out a soft sigh. As she turned her head, ready to speak, a piece of osmanthus cake was pressed against her lips.
“I cannot eat anymore; you have some too.”
Sheng Qingshan tilted her head slightly to avoid the cake, her eyes showing a trace of helplessness. “I am not hungry.”
“You are not ‘not hungry’; you are past the point of hunger.” Sheng Yunshu held her hand out stubbornly, bits of golden sugar-preserved osmanthus clinging to her fingertips. “Eat it, I have something to ask you!”
Sheng Qingshan could not resist her. She took the pastry and finished it in a few bites.
“How have things been at home lately?” Once she finally asked, Sheng Yunshu felt a bit nervous. “She… are you two getting along? She should like you well enough, and she listens to you, right?”
The reason Sheng Yanzhou had gotten into a physical altercation with Sheng Qingshan that day was because she, Yunshu, was there. Now that she and Sheng Qingshan were no longer on the same family register and she had stopped returning to the old family estate, Sheng Yanzhou likely would not cause trouble anymore. They were, after all, sisters.
Sheng Yunshu tried to ignore the tightness in her chest, looking at Sheng Qingshan with a forced smile.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Qingshan fell silent.
Just as Sheng Yunshu began to worry that something major had happened, she heard Sheng Qingshan apologize.
“Hm?”
Sheng Qingshan frowned, guilt showing in her eyes. “There was an issue with the equity distribution. The portion I promised you previously… I could not deliver it.”
Five days ago, Sheng Yanzhou had suddenly proposed terminating the partnership between Shengshi and Sheng Yunshu.
“She is moved behind the scenes now. Her online activity is low, she rarely attends offline events, and her engagement drops every month, yet Shengshi still has to pay her a huge endorsement fee every year.”
Sheng Yanzhou played with her earring, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
“It is not worth it.”
Sheng Qingshan looked at her. “Is it necessary?”
That endorsement fee was a drop in the ocean compared to Shengshi’s monthly turnover. Was there a need to be so urgent?
“It is very necessary.” Sheng Yanzhou nodded earnestly. “An artist who lacks the character to match her position will only damage the Shengshi brand image.”
“Sheng Yanzhou.” Sheng Qingshan gave her a warning, then calmed down. “Tell me, what do you want?”
The day before yesterday, Sheng Yanzhou took over Shengshi, while Sheng Qingshan retained the title of “Honorary Chairwoman,” participating only in major policy decisions. Changing an endorser did not count as a top-tier decision; Sheng Yanzhou had the authority to handle it herself.
Through their time together, Sheng Qingshan had figured out Sheng Yanzhou’s motives; it was not just that she disliked Sheng Yunshu, but that she wanted more power from the Sheng family, or specifically from her.
Hearing this, Sheng Yanzhou smiled, stood up, and stared into her eyes.
“The trust fund. I want the core equity currently under her name.”
“Impossible.”
Sheng Qingshan refused without a second thought.
The equity division had been decided before she returned. Initially, the trust fund only carried Sheng Qingshan’s name. Sheng Jiuyuan and Sheng Jiazhen had disagreed with adding Sheng Yunshu; it was only because Sheng Qingshan had pestered them incessantly that she had secured it for her.
Even then, Sheng Yunshu only held thirty percent.
After Sheng Jiazhen returned, there was no intention to redistribute the family equity. Sheng Qingshan understood the elders’ concerns: she was too unstable, and there were certain things that could not be handed over to her.
“Then there is nothing more to say.” Sheng Yanzhou spread her hands. “I will have someone contact her to discuss the contract termination. Big sister, are you going to get angry again?”
Seeing the warmth drain from her expression, Sheng Qingshan felt a pang of guilt. She explained, “You just got back, we cannot hand these things over to you yet, and besides…”
The division of the trust fund was set in stone; changing it required the signature of every beneficiary. Since even their closest relatives could not fully trust Sheng Yanzhou, there was no way the other elders would be willing to take that risk.
Sheng Yanzhou sneered. “‘We’? Then who am I? If you do not trust me and are not willing to give me anything, why did you have to bring me back?”
She lifted her eyebrows; her eyes were a lighter shade than Sheng Qingshan’s, looking hazy now.
“Actually, in your hearts, I am just a useful tool, right? On the surface, you are willing to kick her out for my sake, but in reality, you do not value me as much as her. If you were not about to enter the committee, and the family business was not at risk of falling into the hands of the side branches, you would not have come looking for me at all.”
It was the first time Sheng Qingshan had seen her like this, and her eyes were filled with panic. “No, that is not what I meant! It is just that you have only just returned, and the elders are not familiar with you yet, so…”
“Sister, if I had not been kidnapped back then, would you still have let me beg you for this?”
Sheng Yanzhou cut her off, shutting her down with that one sentence.
The office went quiet.
Just as Sheng Qingshan was pondering what to do, Sheng Yanzhou stepped forward, tilting her head back slightly, the rebelliousness in her eyes replaced by resentment.
“Sister, I want it too.”
Looking at the deep-seated grievances in her eyes, Sheng Qingshan clenched her fists, muttered “I understand,” and turned to leave.
Through a mix of hard and soft tactics, the contract was revised several times, finally being split into three parts: Sheng Qingshan held fifty percent, Sheng Yanzhou thirty percent, and Sheng Yunshu twenty percent.
“…I wanted to give you each thirty percent, but it did not pass.” Sheng Qingshan pulled the contract from the document folder and handed a pen to Sheng Yunshu.
Sheng Yunshu was stunned for a moment, then gave a dismissive sound, took the pen, signed without reading it, and leaned back in her chair.
“Is that it? I thought it was something major.”
Sheng Qingshan watched her nonchalant demeanor, her brow furrowing deeper.
“That was yours by right.”
“What ‘by right’ or ‘not by right,'” Sheng Yunshu waved her hand, looking down to rummage through the remaining osmanthus cakes in the thermal box. “That equity was something you carved out of your own share for me; it was extra to begin with. If someone wants to take it back now, there is nothing to say about it.”
“Yunshu.”
“Besides, I am not short on money now.” Sheng Yunshu stuffed a piece of cake into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out as she mumbled, “Acting might not pay as much as what the family gives me, but it is enough. You do not have to worry about me.”
Sheng Qingshan did not speak; she just looked at her.
Sheng Yunshu felt uncomfortable under her gaze, swallowed the cake, and muttered, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Sheng Qingshan shook her head and remained silent.
After reaching the destination, Sheng Qingshan dropped her off at home.
Declining Sheng Yunshu’s invitation to come inside, Sheng Qingshan hesitated for a moment before saying.
“Yanzhou wants to invite you over tomorrow; she wants to apologize to you for what happened that day. Do you want to go?”
Sheng Yunshu blinked. The image of the day they were brawling together flashed through her mind, along with the undisguised hatred in Yanzhou’s eyes when she looked at her.
She did not think Sheng Yanzhou actually wanted to apologize; she was likely harboring some kind of malicious intent.
However.
She looked up and caught a flash of anticipation and anxiety in Sheng Qingshan’s eyes. Sheng Yunshu suddenly felt that the lingering resentment in her heart did not matter as much.
“Fine, I will go.” Sheng Yunshu raised a hand and poked her finger at her. “You come pick me up tomorrow, or I will not go.”
Hearing this, Sheng Qingshan’s expression softened with a smile, and she pinched her hand. “Alright. Go inside, do not catch a cold.”
“Oh.”
Sheng Yunshu shrunk her neck in, waving goodbye to her.
…
The next day, the old Sheng family estate.
For various reasons, the Sheng family had not made the relationship between Sheng Yanzhou and Sheng Yunshu public. Instead, they adopted Sheng Qingshan’s method, portraying Sheng Yanzhou as someone frail since birth who had lived overseas and was not often seen.
However, everyone present was shrewd; this narrative was just a formality. Everyone knew the truth.
The moment Sheng Yunshu stepped into the hall following Sheng Qingshan, she felt gazes coming from all directions.
Just as she was lamenting to herself how gossipy these people were, her hand was suddenly gripped. Sheng Qingshan scanned the room, and those scrutinizing gazes were immediately withdrawn discreetly.
Sheng Yunshu glanced down at her held hand, then up at Sheng Qingshan’s expressionless profile, and a smile suddenly bloomed on her face.
“Do not always do that,” she muttered quietly, though she did not pull away.
“Do what?”
“Like a mother hen protecting her chicks.”
Sheng Qingshan paused and turned to look at her. “What kind of metaphor is that?”
“An accurate one,” Sheng Yunshu replied righteously.
Sheng Qingshan did not respond, pulling her through the crowd toward the main hall.
People came up to exchange pleasantries along the way, which Sheng Qingshan handled flawlessly. Sheng Yunshu, trailing beside her, only needed to keep smiling to get through it.
When Sheng Jiuyuan sent someone to find her, Sheng Qingshan brought Sheng Yunshu over to where Ji Xi and the others were. After giving her a few instructions, she left under Sheng Yunshu’s impatient urging.
“No wonder your sister has no interest in dating; she is basically raising you like a child, haha.” Ji Xi teased them, poking Cheng Nuo next to her. “Did you see that? Just now when Qingshan dropped her off, I had a total hallucination of us dropping Lebao off at kindergarten.”
Cheng Nuo helplessly wiped some cream that had accidentally gotten on her hand, glanced at the slightly uncomfortable Sheng Yunshu, and smiled meaningfully.
“Big sister caring for little sister, it is only natural.”
The three of them had not chatted for long when the Lu sisters walked over. Where there was Lu Ling, there was Chu Jingyun. Seeing Sheng Yunshu, Chu Jingyun ended her small talk in a few sentences and walked over with a wine glass.
Before long, a large group had gathered.
Everyone knew about the Sheng family’s affairs. To avoid rubbing salt in Sheng Yunshu’s wounds, they kept silent about that incident, asking either how Sheng Yunshu’s movie was going or how far Chu Jingyun and Lu Ling’s relationship had progressed.
Lu Ling was thin-skinned and wanted to run away after a few words, but Chu Jingyun had absolutely no shame.
“Progress?” She tilted her head and thought about it, saying seriously, “She kissed me last week.”
The wine glass in Lu Ling’s hand nearly went flying.
“Chu Jingyun!” Her ears turned beet red, and her voice shifted pitch. “What nonsense are you…”
“I am not talking nonsense.” Chu Jingyun blinked innocently and dodged half a step to the side, just in time to avoid the hand Lu Ling reached out to cover her mouth. “It was on the forehead; it is not like it is anything shameful.”
Ji Xi laughed, leaning on Cheng Nuo’s shoulder, and Sheng Yunshu could not help but curve her lips.
Just as the group was making a commotion, the protagonists entered.
Watching the harmonious family of four on the stage, the light in Sheng Yunshu’s eyes dimmed. She could not hear a word of what Sheng Yanzhou was saying; she just kept drinking.
Until Ji Jingxing took the glass from her hand and handed her a glass of orange juice.
“Drink less. It is uncomfortable if you get drunk.”
Sheng Yunshu looked at her, her lips moving, but before she could speak, she felt two intense gazes.
She turned her head and found it was Ji Xi and Cheng Nuo.
Having been caught, the couple tapped their glasses together in a tacit understanding and began whispering to each other, pretending nothing had happened.
Sheng Yunshu: …So intentional.
The speech was short, and the hall soon became lively again.
Lu Qiyue wanted to stay and chat with Sheng Yunshu, but out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a woman who was exactly her type and ran off.
With Ji Jingxing watching over her, Sheng Yunshu stopped drinking alcohol and instead chugged glass after glass of orange juice, attempting to stuff herself until she could not eat anymore.
Not long after, a nasty voice came from behind her.
“You have been acting for so many years, and you cannot even afford a drink? Great film queen?”
Sheng Yunshu closed her eyes, not wanting to get into a conflict.
But Sheng Yanzhou did not intend to let her off.
“I am talking to you, why are you ignoring me? How rude. Figures, even if you raise a low-class gene, it will never amount to anything.”
Sheng Yunshu could not take that.
Just as she was about to snap back, Ji Jingxing stepped in front of her.
“If no one taught you how to speak, you can sign up for a class, Miss Sheng.”
Sheng Yanzhou lowered her eyes and scanned her. “The Ji family?”
The younger generation of the Ji family had a set of twins; this one in front of her…
Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chu Jingyun giggling around Lu Ling, and Sheng Yanzhou withdrew her gaze.
This must be the older sister.
Ji Jingxing felt no shame in using her background to suppress others; her tone was flat. “Keep your mouth clean in the future. She does not want to clash with you, but that does not mean I cannot.”
Hearing this, interest flickered in Sheng Yanzhou’s eyes; she stepped forward instead of back.
“Threatening me? Are you not afraid I will take action against you, little kid?”
Ji Jingxing raised an eyebrow, a shallow smile curling on her lips.
“You can try.”