Chapter 26
Chapter 26: The Real Life-Saving Benefactor Exposed
Sheng Yun Yi narrowed her eyes.
She knew nothing about Zhou He Chen’s past, but that didn’t stop her from profiting from it.
The Zhou Family was riding high. With Zhou He Chen looking after her, benefits fell into her lap without effort. Why would she refuse?
Among River City’s Five Great Magnate Families, none of the waters were shallow. The Sheng Family had plenty of brothers and sisters this generation, and she wasn’t the most favored one.
Everything changed when the Zhou Family came to offer thanks in person, declaring her Zhou He Chen’s life-saving benefactor. Overnight, her position in the family reversed.
Sheng Yun Yi understood exactly how to use her strengths to draw affection and indulgence. But above her head hung a sword—the person who had truly saved Zhou He Chen.
She never knew when it would fall.
Her gaze dimmed.
When Fang Qing Ya was about to press again, Zhou He Chen and Xu Li arrived.
Fang Qing Ya rose at once. “Brother He Chen. Brother Xu Li.”
Zhou He Chen radiated frost. He didn’t even glance at her, walking straight to Sheng Yun Yi. Fang Qing Ya’s smile stiffened.
“Qing Ya, don’t take it personally,” Xu Li said quickly. “Brother He Chen is in a foul mood.”
He gave her a quick version of what had happened. “What rotten luck. I’m starting to think Ye Wan Lan follows Brother He Chen around every day.”
“He Chen, don’t be angry,” Sheng Yun Yi said softly. “Maybe Miss Ye wanted to help you land the Quan Family contract, but she used the wrong method. When the time comes, you can teach her.”
“Her?” Zhou He Chen’s temper flared. “Teaching her is a waste of time!”
“All right.” Sheng Yun Yi laid a hand lightly against his chest. “Getting worked up like this isn’t good for you.”
Her smile was gentle. “After lunch, I’ll go with you to see President Quan, okay?”
Zhou He Chen tightened his grip on her hand. “Mm.”
Xu Li chuckled. “Sister Yun Yi, you’re amazing. I talked his ear off the whole way and it didn’t work. You say one sentence and he’s fine.”
He shook his head to himself.
Zhou He Chen and Sheng Yun Yi were a match made in heaven. Everyone in the Jiang circle was waiting for their grand wedding.
No matter how Ye Wan Lan schemed, she would never wedge herself between them.
—
At the Peninsula Restaurant, attendants brought out dish after dish.
Ye Wan Lan spoke evenly. “I’m sure President Quan already understands. The only person who could have poisoned you is your husband. No one else had the chance.”
“Yes. Only him.” Quan Zhao Ning closed her eyes, her voice trembling. “I never thought he…”
She swallowed. “So he wanted me dead that badly.”
She and her husband had been together since their school days, the so-called golden boy and jade girl in their classmates’ stories.
After marriage, she took over the family business. Her husband pitied how hard she worked and volunteered to handle the household and everything else. These past years, they had cared for each other so attentively…
So how had it come to this?
Her heart clenched. Cold seeped into her bones.
“Your interests are tangled together,” Ye Wan Lan said calmly. “Even if the poisoning comes to light, he can always find someone to take the fall. If you move too soon, you’ll only alert him. It’s not worth it.”
“If President Quan trusts me,” Ye Wan Lan continued, “then one day he will leave with nothing—and he’ll sit in prison until the end of his life.”
Quan Zhao Ning’s expression shifted. After a few seconds, she nodded hard. “All right. I trust you.”
The private room door opened. Jiang Xu Lin strolled in, pulled out a chair, and sat as if he owned the place.
“Impressive. Really impressive.” He clicked his tongue. “Ye, you actually got my aunt to work with you. As your matchmaker, shouldn’t I get a little benefit?”
“How do you talk?” Quan Zhao Ning’s voice turned icy. “No manners at all.”
Jiang Xu Lin stared. “No manners? Aunt, I’m seven years older than she is.”
“Mmm.” Quan Zhao Ning sipped her wine. “Miss Ye is my partner now. That puts her in my generation.”
She set the glass down. “So you can call her Aunt too.”
Jiang Xu Lin looked at Ye Wan Lan like he’d been struck. “What did you feed my aunt? Some kind of love potion?”
“Trade secrets,” Ye Wan Lan said, unruffled. “Young Master Jiang shouldn’t listen too closely.”
Then, as if discussing the weather, she added, “Come to work at Wan Tian Qing tomorrow.”
“Your company name is weird,” Jiang Xu Lin muttered, then leaned back with a dramatic sigh. “Fine. A bet’s a bet. I’ll learn how to be a proper corporate slave.”
He lifted his chin. “But I’m not working for free. Pay me. If the salary’s too low, I’ll walk whenever I feel like it.”
Quan Zhao Ning looked him over. “Jiang Xu Lin, do you know why you’re only one meter sixty?”
His eyes went wide. “Joking! I’m one eighty-six!”
“I’m not joking.” Quan Zhao Ning’s smile was sweet as poison. “Keep lying and I’ll break your legs.”
Jiang Xu Lin went silent.
For the sake of his “height advantage,” he decided he’d better behave.
Quan Zhao Ning turned back to Ye Wan Lan. “Where are you going after this, Miss Ye? I’ll have Little Lin drive you.”
“I’m going to No. 1 High School to see a psychologist.” Ye Wan Lan wiped her hands. “I’ll walk. No need.”
“Yes, you really should see a psychologist,” Jiang Xu Lin said with a straight face. “I think you’re a lunatic who escaped from an asylum. Not joking.”
Ye Wan Lan stood and smiled. “Thanks for the compliment.”
Jiang Xu Lin choked. “You really—”
Crazy, yet somehow perfectly rational.
After saying goodbye to Quan Zhao Ning, Ye Wan Lan went to her follow-up appointment at the time she’d agreed on with Rong Yu.
Rong Yu had been waiting.
In three years of part-time work as a psychological counselor, he’d never met a case as troublesome as Ye Wan Lan.
He had to cure her.
Rong Yu sat up straighter. “Classmate Ye, do you have a plan for your life?”
People needed desire to keep going. Maybe he could guide her back to normal from that angle.
“My plan?” Ye Wan Lan smiled. “At sixteen, I’ll finish my bachelor’s at Yun Jing University. At eighteen, I’ll finish my PhD at Shen Zhou University. At twenty…”
She paused, thoughtful, as if choosing a tea flavor. “No, twenty-five. I’ll take control of the Global Center.”
“Pfft—!”
Rong Yu sprayed out the water he’d just swallowed, coughing so hard his face went red.
Yan Ting Feng lifted his gaze.
“Miss Ye Wan Lan,” Rong Yu gasped, staring at her, “do you even hear yourself? Forget taking control of the Global Center. An eighteen-year-old with a PhD from Shen Zhou University is one in a hundred million. You could count them on one hand!”
Shen Zhou University was, without question, the top institution in the world—but it didn’t belong to Shen Zhou.
It had been named to commemorate the mighty Shen Zhou of three hundred years ago.
Back then, the Great Ning Dynasty had been the undisputed number one in the world.
But now…
Ye Wan Lan corrected him with a small smile. “That’s not dreaming. That’s ambition.”
Her ambition was bigger than anyone could imagine.
She had set her plan at thirteen, only for the Transmigrator to steal four full years from her.
Her lashes lowered, hiding a flash of killing intent that made the air go cold.
“You—”
“Young Lord!”
A knock rattled the door. Bing He rushed in, breathless. “We found her!”
Heaven truly favored the persistent. They had finally tracked down the trashy woman who had slept with their Young Lord, tossed down one hundred bucks, and run.
Bing He lifted his head—
And met Ye Wan Lan’s gaze straight on.
The room fell silent.