Chapter 135

At a little past eleven in the evening, Shen Quan brought Xiao Zheng back home.

Jiang Nian was still awake and came downstairs upon hearing the noise.

She saw Shen Quan supporting the half-drunk Xiao Zheng, struggling to drag him inside.

Jiang Nian: “Why is he drunk?”

Shen Quan explained, “It was just the two of us, and we ended up drinking a bit too much without realizing it. Sister Jiang, could you give me a hand? Ah Zheng is too heavy!”

Jiang Nian waved her hand in front of her nose, visibly disgusted, and gestured for Uncle Wang to help carry Xiao Zheng inside.

Two grown men should be able to handle one Xiao Zheng.

Shen Quan fell silent.

Don’t blame me for not helping, buddy.

It’s just that you’re too smelly and annoying.

Xiao Zheng hung his head, pouting in disappointment.

He was helped into the living room and laid down on the sofa.

The housekeeper brought out a bowl of sobering soup to feed him, but he pushed it away in disgust.

Despite her gentle coaxing, he grew increasingly irritable and impatient.

Jiang Nian frowned and snorted, “How dare you misbehave when you’re drunk?”

…He opened his mouth and drank it obediently, even finishing the dregs at the bottom of the bowl.

Shen Quan watched in amazement, thinking that Xiao Zheng was quite something.

Even when drunk, he could be so obedient.

After finishing the sobering soup, Xiao Zheng lay motionless on the sofa.

Jiang Nian glanced at him and said to Shen Quan, “Thank you for bringing Xiao Zheng back today. I’ll treat you to a meal another time.”

Shen Quan smiled and said it wasn’t necessary.

He and Xiao Zheng were like brothers, so there was no need for formalities.

Now that Xiao Zheng was home, Shen Quan didn’t stay long.

Before leaving, he added, “Sister Jiang, please take good care of Ah Zheng.”

Jiang Nian nodded and saw Shen Quan off at the door, watching him drive away.

When she returned to the living room, she noticed that Xiao Zheng, who had been lying with his eyes closed, seemed to have woken up.

He was half-glancing at her, his collar open, and his usually stern face now exuded a lazy, drunken charm.

“Are you sober now?”

“…”

“If you’re awake, go back to your room and sleep.”

“Sister-in-law…”

“Hmm?”

“Will you stay with our family forever?”

Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Didn’t you tell me before not to stay with your family all the time?”

Xiao Zheng replied, “That’s different.”

“How is it different?”

“…”

He didn’t answer, struggling to sit up while rubbing his throbbing forehead.

Jiang Nian said, “Alright, go upstairs and rest. Drink less in the future.”

Xiao Zheng nodded and said, “Got it. I’ll drink less in the future.”

A man nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a cold and imposing demeanor, now looked somewhat… docile.

Or rather, Xiao Zheng had always been obedient and well-behaved in front of Jiang Nian.

He stood up and staggered towards the stairs.

Jiang Nian couldn’t bear to watch and went over to help him up.

His body stiffened, and the arm she held felt like it was burning, making his heart race faster and faster, almost uncontrollably.

…She’s so beautiful.

He lowered his eyes, hiding the strange emotions in his gaze.

“Sister-in-law, have you… met someone you like?”

“No.”

He felt a secret joy but didn’t dare show it.

“What kind of man do you like?”

Jiang Nian glanced at him.

“Why are you asking so much? Are you going to introduce someone to me if you find a suitable match?”

“…No.”

Introducing someone was out of the question.

“I’m just asking casually.”

“Okay.”

“Then…”

Jiang Nian suddenly let go of him.

Xiao Zheng, caught off guard, thudded against the wall.

He was startled and looked at Jiang Nian in surprise, only to see her glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

A hint of grievance flashed in his eyes.

“Sister-in-law…”

Jiang Nian: “You talk too much. You seem quite energetic, so go back to your room by yourself.”

She clapped her hands and turned to leave.

Xiao Zheng watched her retreating figure, scratching his head in confusion.

He leaned against the wall and made his way back to his bedroom.

He collapsed onto the bed, rubbing his forehead, and covered the spot where Jiang Nian had held him.

He wanted to laugh but also felt a pang of sadness.

…

The next morning, Xiao Zheng woke up and once again experienced the agony of a hangover.

As he came downstairs, the housekeeper handed him a bowl of sobering soup.

The old lady stared at him for a while and said, “There’s nothing special going on. Why did you drink so much? Don’t drink like that in the future. You’ll ruin your health.”

Xiao Zheng grunted in acknowledgment and glanced at the dining table.

Jiang Nian was already gone.

At this time, she was probably out for a run.

He didn’t see Jiang Nian again before leaving for work.

He felt a sense of melancholy and gazed out the window, feeling lost.

He thought that Jiang Nian probably liked men like his brother—talented and brilliant.

He couldn’t even compare to a fraction of his brother’s worth.

He had never imagined that Jiang Nian would like him.

Only the most outstanding men were worthy of her.

When he arrived at the company, his assistant said, “Mr. Xiao, Yun Shu has contacted me several times. Her mother’s condition has stabilized after treatment, and she wants to thank you. But she’s afraid of disturbing you.”

Xiao Zheng was momentarily stunned before remembering who Yun Shu was.

After some thought, he realized that their agreement could now be terminated.

He asked his assistant to call Yun Shu.

On the other end, Yun Shu hadn’t heard from Xiao Zheng in a long time.

In fact, since she left the Xiao family, she hadn’t spoken a word to him.

He never answered her calls, nor did he reply to her messages.

Fortunately, she could still contact his assistant, who told her that Xiao Zheng was busy—he was in meetings, handling business, and so on.

Yun Shu considered herself a pragmatic woman.

She had experienced the harsh realities of life and no longer indulged in fantasies.

But Xiao Zheng’s sudden help had been like a divine intervention, pulling her out of despair.

While she was grateful, she also feared that he might make other demands.

Yet, all he asked was for her to pretend to be his girlfriend and have a meal with his family.

At the Xiao family banquet, she saw the true upper class.

They talked about art, auctions, and new products from luxury brands.

Even a simple hairpin cost several months of her salary.

She didn’t harbor any grand illusions, but seeing them made her realize how unfair the world truly was.

As for Xiao Zheng, he was cold, almost ruthless.

His eyes never held a trace of warmth, except when he looked at the old lady and Jiang Nian.

That was when a hint of tenderness appeared.

This man, who had helped her, made her unable to stop herself from fantasizing…

Such a good man.

How she wished she could truly get close to him.

If only she had met him earlier, accompanied him through his most difficult times.

Would he look at her with even a fraction of the warmth he showed Jiang Nian?

But he never gave her the slightest chance.

Just as she was losing hope, she suddenly received a call from Xiao Zheng.

She was stunned, but more than that, she was thrilled.

“Mr. Xiao?”

Xiao Zheng leaned back in his chair and said coldly, “Yun Shu, our agreement can be terminated now. I hope you can keep it a secret. If anyone asks, just say we weren’t compatible and broke up.”

Yun Shu’s smile froze.

In that moment, her joy turned to shock.

“You…”

Xiao Zheng cut her off.

“Your mother’s medical expenses won’t stop. You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll have the money transferred to your account. From now on, let’s not contact each other anymore, and don’t try to reach out to me.”

His words were decisive and final.

Yun Shu felt an overwhelming sense of loss.

She smiled bitterly, knowing she couldn’t keep Xiao Zheng, nor did she dare to hope for more.

After all, receiving his help was already a rare blessing.

“Can I at least thank you? Even though we had an agreement, I feel like I took advantage of you. I didn’t really help you with anything. I’d like to treat you to a meal to thank you for saving me and my mother.”

Xiao Zheng replied, “If you’re truly grateful, just do as I’ve asked. I don’t want any unnecessary rumors spreading.”

He didn’t say more and hung up.

Yun Shu held the phone, listening to the dial tone.

Then she saw a text notification—a large sum of money had been deposited into her account.

She didn’t feel happy; instead, she felt a deep sense of loss.

Someone like her, who lived in the dust, how could she ever be worthy of getting close to him?

…

After dealing with Yun Shu, Xiao Zheng felt relieved.

Although he didn’t dare to hope for too much, he also didn’t want Jiang Nian to misunderstand that he liked another woman.

As for the old lady…

The old lady thought he had ulterior motives towards Jiang Nian, but his motives were different from what she imagined.

He just wanted to see her often, and that was enough.

But if the old lady brought it up, even that wish might be shattered.

He naturally didn’t want that to happen.

Xiao Zheng furrowed his brows and thought for a while before calling his assistant.

“Have Yang Hai and Jiang Tao been up to anything recently?”

The assistant replied, “Yang Hai and Jiang Tao have been busy with the land in the northern part of the city. They’ve hosted several dinner parties and seem determined to get it.”

Xiao Zheng tapped his fingers on the desk.

“They can’t have that land.”

The assistant glanced at Xiao Zheng and understood.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Xiao. I know what to do.”

The reason Jiang Tao coveted the Xiao family was because the Xiao family’s “pie” was big and sweet.

The Jiang family couldn’t compare at all.

That’s why Jiang Nian, who owned 10% of the Xiao family’s shares, was such a coveted prize.

Many people were eager to get close to her.

For example, many people had already approached the old lady, asking to introduce Jiang Nian to potential suitors.

Although she was 35, she was still relatively young.

She was capable and stunningly beautiful.

Time hadn’t been harsh on her; even with wrinkles, she was like a fine wine that had been aged to perfection.

Every smile and gesture exuded a captivating charm and grace.

Those who didn’t know her would never guess she was 35.

The old lady didn’t object and even helped filter out a few men she deemed unworthy of Jiang Nian.

She said it was up to Jiang Nian.

If she wanted to, then it was fine.

If she didn’t, the old lady wouldn’t force her.

Jiang Nian wasn’t opposed to the idea either.

When she first transmigrated, Xiao Yi was already dead.

She had inherited the original host’s memories but not her emotions.

So, Xiao Yi wasn’t particularly important to her.

She just felt a bit of regret—the man was truly outstanding, no less than Xue Hang.

If he hadn’t died, the Xiao family wouldn’t have fallen into crisis.

In fact, it might have been even more powerful than it was now.

Of course, Jiang Nian’s focus was still on causing trouble.

She kept an eye on Yang Hai and Jiang Tao’s movements while also staying in touch with Jiang Tao.

She even asked him, “Didn’t you say you were sorry for what happened to me? Why are you still in contact with Yang Hai? You’re so close now. Have you forgotten the suffering I went through?”

Jiang Nian thought that if there was a competition for who could be the most “white lotus,” she would undoubtedly be the world champion.

No one could surpass her!

She was truly a genius.

When she returned to her original world, she would definitely reign supreme!