Chapter 6

Chapter 06

As soon as the car door opened and Feng Jin steadied herself, she was pulled into a tight embrace by a woman whose scent was alluring. They were on a cobblestone path lined with trees, and despite the uneven surface, the woman was wearing towering high heels.

"Let go. I just broke a sweat. Aren't you afraid it's gross?" Feng Jin said with distaste, but her hands still hovered around the woman's waist to keep her from twisting an ankle.

After holding her fill, the woman finally released Feng Jin. Even up close, her face was breathtaking. Even other women would find it hard not to admire her beauty—a kind of beauty that inspired awe rather than envy. Her fox-like, alluring eyes lifted slightly at the corners as she smiled. "Did everything go smoothly this time?"

"What do you think?"

"If it's you, Ah Jin, of course there was no problem." Shi Yu's gaze fell on the men's suit jacket draped over Feng Jin's shoulders, then shifted to the male secretary behind her. Her eyes narrowed slightly but she said nothing.

The two women walked into the villa side by side, Jiang Suliu following behind.

Once inside the living room, Shi Yu sat gracefully on the sofa, crossing her legs with elegance and smiling. "If the Chu family thinks this is enough to bring down Sheng'an, they're being ridiculous."

"The Chu family holds 9% of Sheng'an's shares and is part of the board." Feng Jin didn't underestimate her opponent. She handed the coat back to Jiang Suliu, murmuring a soft thank-you, and sat down opposite Shi Yu. After a brief pause, she continued, "Putting aside how many loose shares they've acquired, the real problem is them allying with other shareholders."

"Looks like the Chu family's ambitions have been brewing for a long time, huh?" Shi Yu stood and walked to the bar, mixing two cocktails. When she remembered Feng Jin wasn't feeling well, she handed the second drink to the quietly present Jiang Suliu instead. Then she continued, "Maybe this was their plan all along—starting from your engagement."

"..." A fleeting shadow passed through Feng Jin's eyes. She nodded. "I know."

Jiang Suliu, coat draped over his arm, caught that brief look in her eyes. A strange emotion stirred in his chest, but he quickly pulled himself together. He had a crucial and tricky meeting to prepare for that afternoon.

Even though Feng Jin's fever had subsided, she was still weak. Yet the afternoon meeting couldn't be postponed. Jiang Suliu frowned slightly.

He put the cocktail back on the bar and turned to Feng Jin, who even while reclining on the sofa still maintained her dignified posture. "President, you might catch a chill like this. I suggest taking a hot bath and resting. Drink more warm water to avoid getting sick again."

Feng Jin looked up and nodded. "Mm, thank you."

"Then I'll head back to the office now."

...

After Jiang Suliu left, Shi Yu studied Feng Jin closely. "That's the new secretary you hired? My instincts tell me he's not really a secretary."

Feng Jin stood and looked back at her. "You noticed too?"

"Maybe it's just my imagination." Shi Yu twirled her wine glass with her fingertips and smiled. "Oh right, before returning to the country, I visited your father. He's recovering well, told you not to worry. The doctor said that if things keep improving, he could come back for rehabilitation in three months."

"Mm," Feng Jin smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Shi Yu."

"No need for formalities between us. Now go take a hot bath. Don't get sick again."

"Alright." Feng Jin responded and went upstairs to her bedroom.

Ever since her father fell ill two years ago, the house had become lonelier. The butler now stayed by her father's side to manage things, so aside from Uncle Hua and his wife, and the part-time staff, there was no one else in the villa. Feng Jin had grown up in this kind of solitude, so she didn't find it uncomfortable.

Soaking in the tub, she let out a sigh. The warm air in the bathroom kept her from worrying about catching cold.

After drying off and putting on her robe, she felt refreshed. She got dressed and prepared to go downstairs.

Seeing her still dressed in a full business suit, Shi Yu sighed from the couch. "Ah Jin, you just got back and now you're heading to the office again?"

"Mm. It's Monday. The shareholders' meeting was pushed to 4:30 this afternoon." As Feng Jin buttoned her cufflinks, she asked, "Shouldn't your agent be here to find you by now?"

"I'm on vacation this month. Just finished filming a movie and handed over my phone to my agent."

"When does the movie premiere?"

"Mid next month," Shi Yu winked, her red lips curving. "Will our dear President book out the whole theater for me?"

"Sure."

"Ah Jin, you really do love me!"

Feng Jin blacked out for a moment as Shi Yu tackled her onto the soft sofa.

With a laugh that was both raspy and seductive, Shi Yu whispered, "How should I repay our dear President?"

"Get off me right now!" Feng Jin, still recovering, lacked her usual commanding tone.

"Nope~" Shi Yu clung to her like an octopus, pinning Feng Jin's flailing hands above her head, chuckling. "Ah Jin, you rarely look this delicate. I'd regret not doing something while I have the chance~"

"Shi Yu..." Feng Jin felt dizzy. "Don't mess around, I have a meeting."

"The company won't collapse if you skip one day. You're too capable—that's why that guy from the Chu family was so intimidated by you. He couldn't control his lower half and went chasing after someone soft and fragile to soothe his pathetic ego. Hah~ Useless man." Shi Yu still wouldn't budge, smiling down at Feng Jin. "Look at you now—so fragile, so tempting!"

"Shi Yu." Feng Jin frowned but was powerless against her.

"Ah Jin, that man never deserved you. Childhood friends or not, in the end, he betrayed you." Shi Yu remained unaffected by the cold stare and looked into Feng Jin's eyes with a smile but also seriousness. "You're just too good. You deserve better."

Feng Jin looked up at the woman pinning her down, sighing. "If you're trying to comfort me, at least get off me first."

"No rush." Shi Yu leaned close, propping herself up so she wasn't putting weight on Feng Jin anymore, but still refused to move. "I always thought that Chu guy wasn't good enough for you. Turns out I was right. Once this is over, I'll go pray for some romantic luck for you. Maybe you'll meet your fated one!"

"I appreciate the thought." Feng Jin stopped struggling, knowing resistance was useless.

Still, when it came to Chu Mingyu, she couldn't fully let go.

Feng Jin once had a fiancé from an old-money family. Unfortunately, he always seemed to keep a distance from someone as formidable as Feng Jin. Even their intimacy was mechanical—just holding hands, occasional hugs, nothing more. Their interactions were limited to routine family visits.

For a grown man with a fiancée, living like a monk was something the privileged young master couldn't tolerate. Yet he never dared show discontent. Feng Jin didn't dislike him, but she simply wasn't the type to fawn or act sweet.

Eventually, the man secretly got involved with an actress from their company. Feng Jin had seen the woman before—undeniably beautiful, like a blooming white rose with a fragrance that could lure anyone. It was a beauty and charm that Feng Jin didn't possess.

So when she stumbled upon that indecent scene, she managed to remain composed thanks to the emotional discipline she'd built up over the years. Later, she realized confronting Chu Mingyu was pointless.

The wedding was just two weeks away.

Feng Jin called off the engagement with the Chu family. Out of respect for their elders, she kept quiet about the affair and bore the media storm alone. But instead of gratitude, the Chu family turned around and stabbed her in the back.

That was when she finally saw through the Chu family's intentions—they were after Sheng'an all along.

Feng Jin never told her father the truth. If she had, the stress would only worsen his condition—a risk she couldn't take.

Sheng'an was her parents' life's work. When the company finally found its footing in S City, her mother passed away. Feng Jin was just nine.

Later, her father had a string of pretty young women around him, none of whom stayed long. None dared get close to Feng Jin. Their eyes were always filled with disdain and forced flattery.

At sixteen, Feng Jin was forced to shadow her father's assistant, learning company operations on top of her schoolwork. It was dull and draining.

But she had no choice.

Eventually, she could handle some documents herself. Even if she made mistakes, her father would follow through with her decisions.

"Don't rely on anyone. Take responsibility for your own actions. No one's cleaning up your mess."

—That was her father's exact advice.

Feng Jin's upbringing was different from her peers. After her mother died, she had no warmth from family. Her only companion was Chu Mingyu, two years her senior.

Their engagement felt inevitable. Everyone saw them as a couple. So when she unilaterally broke it off, the fallout was huge.

She bore the consequences. Including the Chu family's sabotage and covert attacks on Sheng'an.

At that time, her father had already lost consciousness and was in the U.S. for treatment.

And she, as his daughter, couldn't even be there for him.

Seeing the fleeting confusion in Feng Jin's eyes turn into resolve, Shi Yu finally let go and stood up. She extended her hand with a smile. "I'll be asking for a reward someday."

"Alright." Feng Jin took her hand without hesitation and stood up.