Jiang Zhiwu left work early today, something completely out of character for her.
As soon as she received the call from Jiang Yanzhou, she swiftly wrapped up the meeting.
Her employees were long accustomed to seeing their CEO as a total workaholic. Watching her stride purposefully toward the private elevator to leave, they exchanged bewildered glances, as if they had just seen a ghost.
But Jiang Zhiwu had no time to care about their astonishment.
In that novel she knew so well, she had worked herself to death from endless overtime. When she was gone, her younger brother was left alone and defenseless, vulnerable to anyone who wished to harm him. No matter what happened this time, she would not let history repeat itself.
The private elevator descended smoothly, cutting off the lingering chatter from the office area. Her car was already waiting in the underground garage. She opened the door and slid into the back seat, her expression hard and unyielding, showing no sign of relaxation.
Almost instinctively, her fingers brushed across the cold screen of her phone, and she skillfully tapped open the familiar Weibo icon. However, she did not log into the official corporate account with the blue verification badge, but rather a personal account named “Wu”.
This was her little-known yet incredibly popular alter ego—the famous illustrator known as “Lady Pigeon Spirit”.
However, due to her busy schedule, she rarely found time for her hobby.
Beneath her tiny profile picture, her follower count was steadily approaching seven figures—a miracle for an artist whose updates could only be described as “annual”.
The very first post on her feed was a recent comment from a recognizable loyal fan with a cute avatar: “Ma’am!!! Are you still alive out there??? We’re starving! Feed us! [Humble.jpg]”
Beneath it, other hungry fans chimed in eagerly:
– It’s been 205 days since you posted that god-tier piece ‘Broken Wings’! Even the donkeys in the production team don’t rest this hard!
– Ma’am, if you’re being held hostage, just blink and we’ll come rescue you! (And also nag you for updates)
The comments were filled with playful resentment, and despite herself, the corners of Jiang Zhiwu’s tense lips twitched upward slightly.
“Madam Jiang, we have arrived,” the driver’s voice came from the front seat.
She looked up instinctively out the window. The familiar silhouette of their villa stood before them, yet the entire building was shrouded in complete darkness, not a single light on.
A subtle sense of unease crept into her heart.
Jiang Yanzhou’s company was only a ten-minute drive away. Even with the evening rush hour, he should have been home long ago.
Where was he?
Her eyes narrowed slightly, her voice firm and decisive.
“Turn the car around. Head to Huayao Media.”
Jiang Yanzhou was indeed in a bit of trouble at that moment.
He had been pleasantly surprised that Jiang Zhiwu, usually so swamped with work, had actually found time to have dinner with him. Lost in thought, his steps had unconsciously become lighter.
Who would have thought that the moment he stepped into the underground parking lot, he would run straight into Shen Yu.
Jiang Yanzhou strode past as if he hadn’t seen him, yanked open the passenger door, and sat down, calling out to Zhang Wenshi who was huffing and puffing behind him, “Hurry up!”
In the dim, shifting light, his streaked blue hair shimmered like tempered steel. His sharp, handsome profile stood out clearly, radiating an undeniable brilliance even in the poor visibility.
To Shen Yu, however, this sight was nothing short of irritating.
Shen Yu had started out years ago in a boy band, but never quite made it big. Later, he switched to acting, and only managed to gain some popularity thanks to his family’s backing.
Seeing Jiang Yanzhou—young, talented, and already famous as a “genius”—made him feel a complex mix of emotions.
Glancing at the paparazzi hiding nearby, he forced a professional smile. “Little Jiang, what a coincidence.”
Jiang Yanzhou turned his head. The blue strands of his hair caught the overhead lights, flashing a cold glint. His face was expressionless, his eyes deep and shadowed, like thin ice covering water, as he coolly watched Shen Yu approach.
Looking at Jiang Yanzhou’s arrogant demeanor, Shen Yu felt a surge of anger rise in his chest.
This guy always acted so high and mighty, as if no one else was worth his time.
Were his brainless fans all blind?
Shen Yu kept the smile plastered on his face. “Just finished work? How about we grab dinner together?”
Jiang Yanzhou’s gaze lingered for a moment on Shen Yu’s hand resting on his car door. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, so quickly it might have been an illusion.
He didn’t immediately respond to the invitation. Instead, he leaned against the half-open door, his posture radiating the lazy impatience of someone whose path has been blocked.
“I’m in a hurry to meet someone,” he finally said. His voice was clear and youthful, yet completely devoid of warmth.
The meaning was clear: Get out of my way.
Shen Yu pretended not to understand and sighed dramatically. “We’re from the same company, there’s no need to be so cold. Is it… because I’ve offended you somehow?”
“You’re overthinking it,” Jiang Yanzhou replied flatly.
Shen Yu clicked his tongue inwardly. He hated this kind of impenetrable attitude the most.
His carefully maintained smile twisted for a split second. Suddenly, he leaned closer, lowering his voice to ensure only the two of them could hear:
“I thought maybe you still held a grudge about the Shen family calling off the engagement with your sister all those years ago. Really cost her quite a bit of face in the industry, didn’t it?”
Every word was like a poisoned needle.
After saying that, the strange resentment in Shen Yu’s chest finally eased a little.
Jiang Yanzhou’s voice dropped to an icy growl. “You aren’t even fit to tie her shoelaces.”
“Oh come on, those were decisions made by the elders. We youngsters can’t really interfere, right?” Shen Yu spread his hands innocently and took a step back.
Like a big cat whose territory has been violated, Jiang Yanzhou stood up straight. The car door swung fully open, and his entire demeanor shifted instantly from lazy indifference to overwhelming pressure.
Zhang Wenshi, who had finally caught up, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead but didn’t dare make a sound.
The cold air in the parking lot seemed to freeze solid.
At that critical moment—
A matte black luxury car glided closer. Its bright headlights forced Shen Yu to squint and look away.
*Click.*
The car door opened gently from the inside.
A slender yet upright figure gracefully stepped out from the back seat. The sound of high heels clicking rhythmically against the concrete echoed through the silence.
Although the lighting was dim, the woman’s aura cut through the darkness like a beacon. She wore a sharply tailored off-white coat, her long hair pulled back into a perfect, neat bun, exposing her slender, elegant neck. She exuded an air of severe elegance and chilling distance.
Her fair hand reached out naturally, with an air of unquestionable certainty, and gently covered Jiang Yanzhou’s clenched fist—knuckles white, as if he were about to burst blood vessels.
Her fingertips were cool to the touch, yet in that instant, they acted like an invisible lock, perfectly containing the fury that was about to erupt from him.
Jiang Yanzhou instantly froze, stiff as a statue.
Shen Yu was momentarily stunned by her striking beauty. It took him a while to find his voice.
“And… who is this?”
“She’s my sister.”
Shen Yu thought he detected a subtle lift in Jiang Yanzhou’s tone when he said the word ‘sister’.
Almost… like he was showing off?
But soon, Shen Yu’s attention was fully captured by the woman standing before him.
Was this really the same girl from back then?
Jiang Zhiwu—the one the Shen family had ruthlessly dumped?!
The woman finally turned her head slightly. “Mr. Shen.”
Her gaze, hidden behind sunglasses, didn’t land on Shen Yu’s face, but looked pointedly past him.
Right at the hidden camera lens lurking in the darkness.
Shen Yu’s fingers went cold, and his heart sank. He had a terrifyingly strong intuition: this woman saw right through his malicious provocation.
“If there is nothing else, I will be taking this child home now,” Jiang Zhiwu said coolly. “Goodbye.”
Every word dripped with the dismissal of someone who couldn’t be bothered to waste time on irrelevant people.
Her presence was so intimidating that even though Shen Yu was a head taller, he involuntarily took a step back.
Jiang Yanzhou glanced at Shen Yu’s ashen face. Feeling his sister’s cool hand resting lightly on his shoulder, he held his tongue, merely letting out a sharp, icy scoff through his nose—full of unmasked disdain.
The engine roared. Without hesitation, the car reversed smoothly, turned, and sped away, tires humming against the pavement.
Left behind and completely ignored, Shen Yu’s face turned dark as thunder.
He dialed a number, his voice grim.
“Find out Jiang Yanzhou’s next schedule.”
“Oh? He got a variety show offer? Get me on the same show.”
In the car.
Jiang Yanzhou stole a glance at the woman beside him, then another.
Jiang Zhiwu was acting so strange today.
Usually, she was only concerned with business and paid him no mind at all.
No matter how much success Jiang Yanzhou achieved in the entertainment industry, no matter how many awards he won, her reaction was always a flat “Oh”—as indifferent as if they were discussing the weather.
But today… she had actually come personally to pick him up from work. It was unprecedented.
“What are you looking at?” Jiang Zhiwu asked suddenly, turning her head.
Caught staring, Jiang Yanzhou jumped slightly. The tips of his ears turned pink, and he looked away awkwardly. “N-Nothing.” He fidgeted with his fingers, then couldn’t help but ask, “That negative trending topic this morning… was it you who had it taken down?”
“Mm,” Jiang Zhiwu acknowledged simply.
“Oh…” Jiang Yanzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His heart was a tangled mess of emotions, but in the end, only that single dry sound came out.
Jiang Zhiwu tapped her knee lightly with her fingers. “You said you had something to discuss with me. What is it?”
“I…”
Jiang Yanzhou glanced quickly toward the front seat.
Zhang Wenshi, sitting there, was so intimidated by Jiang Zhiwu’s aura that he was trying to make himself as small as possible, barely daring to breathe. Clearly, he was no help at all.
The young man bit his lip and decided to speak up himself. “I want you to come with me to film a family variety show.”
“A family show? What’s it called?”
*”When I Open the Door, it’s you.”*
Jiang Zhiwu fell silent.
This show… wasn’t this exactly the starting point in the novel where Jiang Yanzhou faced public backlash and his fate took a turn for the worse?
To the boy, her momentary silence felt like rejection. Jiang Yanzhou’s jaw tightened instantly. “I was just asking. It’s fine if you don’t want to go.”
He turned his head away sharply, sulking.
Jiang Zhiwu lifted her eyelids lazily. One sentence was enough to stop the angry teenager in his tracks.
“Who said I wasn’t going?”