Chapter 19 An Old Acquaintance, That’s All

The turning point of my life arrived on this dazzling night, under the bright lights of the party.

Among the guests invited to the birthday party were a few vain and pretentious women. I had once torn into some of them during a party with Shen Jin when I couldn't stand their antics.

Back then, I exposed a certain socialite's "handsome and wealthy boyfriend" as a fraud. Not only was he not a rich second-generation heir, but he was also using her for both s*x and money.

The scene had been exceedingly awkward.

How did I know all this? Because that guy had tried the same trick on me. Unable to tolerate him, I had Shen Jibai investigate him…

Shen Jibai's information was never wrong.

When I didn't take the bait, the guy quickly moved on to his next target.

Though I had technically done her a favor by exposing him, saving her from further harm, some people would rather suffer in silence than lose face.

As a result, I wasn't on good terms with their circle. We maintained a superficial politeness but often badmouthed each other in private.

During the party, I overheard them mentioning my name in their conversation.

"Is this gossip reliable? Bankruptcy isn't a joke—it'll go on the credit report…"

"It's totally true. I overheard my dad talking about it with his company's VP…"

"So Jiang Li is done for…"

"Serves her right. She always acts so high and mighty. Let's see how she'll even show her face now!"

"But I heard she's hooked up with some wealthy guy recently… The one she accompanied to that welcome dinner… the eldest grandson of the Shen family…"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…"

"No wonder… She's really working hard for the money…"

I froze, stunned, knowing this wasn't baseless gossip.

In that moment, pieces of recent oddities clicked together in my mind, forming a clear picture:

My dad, who had never cared much about my academics, suddenly decided to end my overseas studies unilaterally. Since I returned to the country, Shen Jibai had never allowed me to go back to my old home. Even when I accidentally left a delivery address as my former home, he made excuses and insisted on having his driver retrieve it instead. Then there was the unlimited credit card—my dad had never indulged me to such an extent before…

The socialites had already moved on to their next piece of gossip, but I remained rooted to the spot.

Inside, a tsunami raged in my heart, but outwardly, I stood still, not letting anyone see.

In a daze, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. I turned around—it was Ye Jingzhan.

He was also one of the invited guests at tonight's birthday party.

"Jiang Li, got a moment? Let's talk," he said, raising his glass toward me.

Still in a daze, I mechanically nodded.

Taking that as permission, he began talking non-stop."Jiang Li, I've thought a lot about what you said last time. You're right—I wasn't honest or sincere enough. But I really want a chance to start over… Today, I even heard some people gossiping about your 'improper' relationship with Mr. Shen. I shut them up right away. Those women are so petty, always making baseless accusations. But I know what kind of person you are, Jiang Li…"

Ye Jingzhan showed no signs of stopping. My mind was a chaotic mess, and I couldn't focus on what he was saying. His words soon became nothing more than a blur of moving lips.

After a while, I suddenly interrupted him and spoke my thoughts aloud.

"Ye Jingzhan, I don't hate you at all. Back then, when my family's business was struggling and on the verge of bankruptcy, your father didn't approve of us being together, so you were forced to return to the country. That wasn't your fault—I understand…"

Ye Jingzhan looked stunned at first, then quickly composed himself, putting on his usual expression."Jiang Li, I'm so grateful you understand. Sigh, in my family, I've never had control over my own life. My father is cold and calculating. But now I've realized that all this talk of business marriages is nonsense. Finding someone you truly like is what matters. So, Jiang Li, can you reconsider? This time, I promise…"

I couldn't hear the rest of his words, nor did they matter. Because just now, I had confirmed what I had feared to be true—my family had indeed gone bankrupt, and it hadn't happened recently.

I abruptly set my glass down, clenched my purse tightly, and strode out of the party without looking back.

Ye Jingzhan was left standing there, utterly confused about what he might have said wrong this time.

I called Shen Jin and Lin Xi, using clubbing as an excuse to get them to meet me.

Faced with my relentless questioning, they both lowered their heads and admitted the truth.

So, I was the last idiot to find out that my family had gone bankrupt.

For the first time in years, I finally understood why Ye Jingzhan had suddenly returned to the country and dumped me so quickly. I finally understood why his cruelty had always carried a hint of reluctant finality. Back then, I had been so focused on trying to move on from the heartbreak of our abrupt breakup that, with my limited experience, I hadn't been able to dig deeper.

It was because we were no longer equals.

The Shen Group had significant economic ties with my dad's company over the years. Shen Jibai must have known the truth long before the Ye family did.

His warmth yet aloofness, his impulsiveness yet restraint—all these contradictions suddenly made sense.

People of their class would never marry a woman who brought no benefit to the family. And even if they took ten thousand steps back, they wouldn't marry the daughter of someone who had defaulted on their debts.

The Shen family was a family business. Though Shen Jibai's grandparents were elderly, they still held great authority. His uncles, aunts, and especially Shen Jin's father were influential shareholders in the group.

The web of relationships within the family was intricate and complex.

And Shen Jibai and my father had been business partners for years.

Their good relationship wasn't just because they had once been neighbors. When Shen Jibai first returned to the country to take over the Shen Group, facing immense pressure from his family elders, my dad had taught him a lot.

The kindness of the past and the awkwardness of the present had put Shen Jibai in a difficult position.

All the care and attention that had kept me tied to him for so long—ultimately, he was just fulfilling my father's request.

Jiang Li was nothing more than the daughter of an old acquaintance.

On the way home, I passed by my old house and resisted the urge to take a detour for one last look.

Now that I knew it no longer belonged to me, going back would only bring unnecessary trouble.

When I returned to the villa, I called my dad and pressed him for his current address. Then I booked a flight for the next day to Kuala Lumpur.

My family used to own several properties abroad, one of which was near Kuala Lumpur. I'd only been there once. It was a massive villa in the countryside, with absurdly large front and back gardens. My dad preferred the lazy, laid-back vibe of tropical landscapes to the bustling cities of Europe and America. He used to say he'd retire there someday.

I just didn't expect his retirement to come so soon.

When I saw my dad, I cried for half an hour. It had been over a year since we last met, and he looked so much older. Once a spirited and successful businessman, he had become a small, white-haired old man.

But he was still well-dressed and remained calm. When I arrived, he was even tending to the flowers in the garden.

Things weren't as bad as the rumors made them out to be. He was just temporarily restricted from high spending. The company was undergoing a buyout process, and if all went smoothly, he'd soon regain his freedom. But reclaiming his former position would be impossible.

In the future, my dad would likely become just another ordinary old man walking his dog in the neighborhood. He was no longer the high-and-mighty President Jiang, and I was no longer the arrogant heiress.

But so what? No matter what he became, I was still his only beloved daughter. Everything I had eaten, worn, or used over the years had been provided by him. I'd already enjoyed the benefits for so long—what right did I have to demand that he always give me the best?

I said, "Old Jiang, let's just live carefree and wander the world together. That sounds good too."

He immediately exploded, insisting that I go back to the country and finish college!

"Fine, I'll go back. But I don't want to stay at Shen Jibai's house anymore," I mumbled.

"Why? Haven't you always liked living at the Shen family's place?"

"But I've grown up now. Staying at a single man's house long-term doesn't look good…"

"True," my dad nodded in realization. "I'll have Jibai find you a place then."

"No, no, I'll find one myself," I quickly stopped him.

Based on the start of the new semester at my university in China, I still had a few months of being a jobless wanderer. So, I decided to stay at my dad's place for the time being.

There's a certain charm to being an ordinary girl from an ordinary family. This was the first time I'd spent so much time with my dad.

And nothing beats having your own dad around. He cooked all sorts of delicious meals for me every day. No matter how good Shen Jibai's chef was, he'd never crawl out of bed in the middle of the night to make me instant noodles just because I suddenly craved them.

With our fathers, we can ask for anything without hesitation, as if it's all our birthright.

As Lin Xi once said, love is blind. When my romantic infatuation was crushed by reality, I suddenly realized that Shen Jibai wasn't as good to me as I had imagined. He simply understood me better than others.

When he came home at night, aside from eating at the same table as me, he almost never spent time with me—not even to watch a movie together.

And now, I'd been gone for over a week, and he still hadn't sent me a single message…

In stark contrast, Shen Jin, Lin Xi, and a few other friends had been frantically trying to reach me lately…

Forget it. From now on, I'll just treat him as an ordinary friend. Better to stop before I fall too deeply, before I lose all dignity.

My dad's house had vibrant gardens and vegetable plots that looked lush and thriving but were exhausting to maintain.

For a week straight, I wore flip-flops and gloves every day, watering, weeding, and cleaning up trash. My skin darkened by a shade, but my fitness improved significantly. I looked like a local island girl who had lived here for over a decade.

So, when Shen Jibai suddenly appeared at my dad's front gate, I was wearing a tank top and shorts, a fisherman's hat, and a messy braid. Dragging a heavy hose, I was struggling to water the garden, my feet covered in mud.

My first instinct was to run toward him.

But as soon as I took one step with my left foot, reason took over.