It was the lover—the woman Bai Ran had arranged for Xu Yinian to “accidentally” catch her with.
Ruoshuang had always loathed the woman and hadn’t cared enough to even learn her name. She had assumed Shen Yi would never let someone like that off easily.
And yet, here she was, appearing openly at Shen Yi’s private banquet.
In an instant, Ruoshuang recalled the way Shen Yi had brought that woman back to the Main Residence, treating her with a level of consideration that almost seemed… sincere.
It was an unprecedented privilege. For someone with Shen Yi’s cold, ruthless nature—a woman who usually preferred to uproot her enemies entirely—this was the only exception she had ever made.
Even at a high-stakes banquet like this, Shen Yi was usually careful not to bring a female companion who could be used as Leverage against her. The fact that this lover was waiting in the distance, unattended yet present, was undeniable proof of her status.
If this woman is indeed the one Shen Yi is currently favoring, Ruoshuang thought, then her interest in Yinian—and the threat she poses to her—will be greatly diminished.
At the very least, Xu Yinian would be safe for the next two months while Ruoshuang worked to secure her own capital.
With that thought, she cast another heavy gaze toward the lover.
This minute shift in focus did not escape Shen Yi’s sharp intuition.
A cold sneer flickered across the older woman’s face. This was, of course, her own handiwork. Allowing Liu Qiao to attend was a calculated move to mislead Ruoshuang’s judgment.
When the moment called for it, Liu Qiao was a pawn who could play her part perfectly.
The woman was already acting like a fox borrowing the tiger’s terror, using the “privileges” Shen Yi had “bestowed” upon her—the very things Xu Yinian had discarded—to lord it over her peers. Shen Yi hadn’t struck her down yet for daring to let people associate the name “Madam Shen” with hers only because the woman still had a use.
Shen Yi masked the darkness in her eyes.
No matter how steady or calm Ruoshuang tried to be, she was still just a girl who had recently come of age. What kind of waves could she possibly hope to make? Her defiance was nothing more than a byproduct of Xu Yinian’s unnecessary pity and misplaced affection.
The door to the lounge clicked shut behind them, the sound vanishing into the plush surroundings.
From the moment they entered, the silence signaled that Ruoshuang was prepared to be at Shen Yi’s mercy.
Shen Yi let out a cold laugh. Her daughter was surprisingly flexible when she needed to be. How worried must she be that I’ll move against that defenseless girl?
“Done pretending?”
Shen Yi’s voice was dripping with a condescending arrogance that sought to shred Ruoshuang’s dignity. “You’re more impatient than I thought.”
She stepped closer, her aura suffocating. “Don’t you understand? The more you care about her, the more she has to suffer. She cannot bear the weight of your obsession.”
“It’s one-sided,” Ruoshuang stated flatly. It was a calm, rehearsed declaration, one she had likely repeated in her mind a thousand times. “She doesn’t like me, and she hasn’t agreed to anything.”
Even with her rival showing such weakness, Shen Yi felt no sense of victory. Instead, a wave of irritation rose within her at the sight of her successor acting so self-deprecating and pathetic.
No affection at all? Is that right?
Shen Yi frowned. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, a surge of jealousy hit her first. Her chest felt heavy, her voice turning sharp and impatient.
“What, are you showing me how spineless you are? Or are you trying to tell me that your failed little crush is already dead in the water, so there’s no need for me to interfere?”
All because of one Xu Yinian.
How twisted and taboo had this become?
Shen Yi recalled the girl’s usual timid and dull demeanor. She didn’t look like a Femme Fatale or some enchanting fox spirit at all. And yet… she certainly had quite the talent for causing trouble.
Ruoshuang remained indifferent to the mockery.
She knew Shen Yi had long ago investigated Xu Yinian’s background. To a woman like Shen Yi, a girl who was poor, simple, and possessed nothing was like a tiny ant that could be crushed with a single finger. Offering a “gift” like sending her abroad to study, never to return, would be nothing more than a casual whim to her.
There was only one way to keep Xu Yinian safe from Shen Yi: make her realize the girl’s value.
The more Shen Yi viewed Xu Yinian as a useful piece of Leverage to control Ruoshuang, the safer Xu Yinian would be. Ruoshuang could even use Shen Yi’s power to eliminate the other dangers lurking around the girl.
But the price was steep.
Until she quietly amassed enough capital to be truly independent, she could not have any contact with Xu Yinian.
She needed… two months. From the upcoming exams through the winter break.
Ruoshuang looked up, her Peach-blossom Eyes burning with a relentless fire.
“Shall we make a deal? My condition this time is… anything.”
She met her mother’s gaze steadily. “As long as you don’t touch her, she is the perfect piece of Leverage for you to control me.”
The phrase “don’t touch her” carried a dual meaning that both women—bound by blood and sharing the same cold, sharp features—understood perfectly.
Shen Yi was a businesswoman, but the premise for this deal didn’t exist.
She had already “touched” her. She had already established a twisted, ill-fated bond with that girl. At this moment, Xu Yinian was a priority that outweighed any business interest.
Shen Yi narrowed her eyes. “You think you’re in any position to negotiate with me? You think playing the martyr to protect her makes you look noble?”
Her red lips parted, spitting out words that were cold and cruel.
“From beginning to end, haven’t you been the one bringing all the trouble to her doorstep?”
Just as she had struck at Bai Ran, Shen Yi knew exactly where Ruoshuang’s Weakness lay. And it was because of this weakness that she would never hand Xu Yinian over to her.
Ruoshuang couldn’t protect her three years ago. She couldn’t protect her now.
As expected, Ruoshuang’s eyes darkened instantly, clouding over with a mix of struggle and internal chaos.
“You are welcome to try and see what happens when you slip from my control,” Shen Yi warned, her voice hard and authoritative as she brushed past her daughter.
They never sounded like mother and daughter. They sounded like a superior and a subordinate.
However, Shen Yi failed to see the fleeting moment of relief that flashed in the depths of Ruoshuang’s dark eyes.
By provoking her mother and maintaining her facade, Ruoshuang had ensured Xu Yinian’s safety under the assumption that a “deal” was unnecessary.
If there were a deal, two months would be a betrayal. Without a deal, it was merely patient endurance.
Yet, Ruoshuang wasn’t the only one who refused to trade.
Once again, mother and daughter were locked in a silent, mutual pursuit of calculation and schemes, competing for the final prize.
