Chapter 10: Saved

Thanks to waking up early, Jiang Ruoning enjoyed a beautiful lazy sleep-in and wasn’t woken by the phone until past one in the afternoon. It was Jiang Qin calling.

Jiang Ruoning rubbed her eyes and sat up from the sofa. It took her a good while to shake off the drowsiness before she finally answered.

There was wind whistling on Jiang Qin’s end of the line.

Jiang Ruoning spoke first. “Mom.”

Jiang Qin had to raise her voice over the noise. “Ningning, are you resting today?”

This break hadn’t been part of Jiang Ruoning’s original plans. The company had scheduled a show abroad and a photoshoot after her return, but it got canceled at the last minute. The other side said outright that they didn’t dare to use a model with that kind of risk.

The company accepted it, and Jiang Ruoning understood, which was how she ended up with half a month off.

If she’d known earlier, she probably would have signed up for a group tour with Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin regretted it too, saying she should have set off a bit later.

Jiang Ruoning laughed. “Yeah, I’m resting.”

Jiang Qin asked, “Have you eaten?”

Jiang Ruoning’s meals were wildly irregular—and she didn’t really need them to be regular. When she was hungry, she’d just grab a blade of grass to munch on. Her colleagues were even more extreme; they’d only drink water when hungry.

She lied. “I ate.”

Jiang Qin didn’t buy it. “What did you eat?”

“I ate—” Jiang Ruoning said, “fruit.”

“Fruit counts as a meal?” As expected, Jiang Ruoning moved her phone half a meter away, twisted her earlobe with her other hand, and turned on speakerphone. Jiang Qin’s nagging skills were as relentless as ever, unchanging after a decade. Finally, once she finished, Jiang Ruoning said, “Mom, I’m saving room for a big dinner tonight.”

Jiang Qin backed off. “Going out to eat tonight?”

Jiang Ruoning confirmed. “Yeah.”

Jiang Qin asked, “With who?”

Jiang Ruoning wasn’t sure if she was being overly sensitive, but she detected a hint of tension in those few short words.

It had been like this for years.

Whenever she went out alone for a meal outside of work hours, her mom always had to know exactly who it was with.

Jiang Ruoning was used to it. “It’s with the brand side.”

Hearing it was work-related, Jiang Qin let out an “oh” and instructed her, “Eat more.”

Jiang Ruoning smiled. “Got it, Mom.”

Before hanging up, she tested the waters. “Oh, right, Mom.”

Jiang Qin: “Hm?”

Jiang Ruoning said, “Zhengzheng called me yesterday and said you invited her and Yun An over for dinner?”

There were a few seconds of silence on Jiang Qin’s end, nothing but the roar of the wind blasting into the phone’s microphone with a whooshing sound. Her voice wasn’t very clear. “Mm, we’ll talk when I get back.”

She was vague about it.

But Jiang Ruoning was satisfied.

Compared to her previous attitude of outright disgust at the mere mention, this was already much better. Zhengzheng was right—her mom was really trying to accept it.

In a great mood, Jiang Ruoning got up and made herself a vegetable salad. She even took a pretty photo and posted it to her Moments.

Shi Sui emerged from the conference room and spotted an unexpected guest in her office.

Lin Wei was sitting in her desk chair, her fingers rubbing the real leather armrests, her nails digging in and leaving deep marks.

She didn’t like Shi Sui.

She never had, not since they were kids.

Lin Wei had been born into the spotlight. All the relatives in the family had boys—except for her, the only girl. Wherever she went, whatever she wanted, the adults indulged her. She remembered how every summer vacation, the relatives would take turns bringing her out to play, buying her treats, even taking her to amusement parks.

Anything she wanted, she got.

Especially from her aunt.

Her aunt treated her like a precious pearl, holding her in the palm of her hand.

From the earliest memories, Lin Wei had loved following her aunt around. Later, when her aunt got pregnant, she even prayed that her aunt would have a boy, so she could go back to being her little princess.

The only little princess among all the relatives.

But things didn’t go as planned.

Shi Sui was born.

At first, Lin Wei had thought about treating her like a good little sister. But when she saw the delight in her aunt’s eyes whenever she looked at Shi Sui, jealousy surged up uncontrollably. She was too young back then, letting the envy fester. By the time she wanted to rein it in, it was too late.

She hated Shi Sui.

Because Shi Sui was beautiful, obedient, well-behaved, and sweet-tongued.

After her birth, all the special treatment that had been Lin Wei’s alone got split in half with Shi Sui. In fact, Shi Sui often got even more, because adults loved to compare.

“Our Sui Sui is so smart—she can already recite ancient poems. Weiwei, at your age, you could barely speak.”

“Who says otherwise? She even knows the Three Character Classic.”

“Sui Sui is amazing. Yesterday she told me a joke. Weiwei can’t do anything like that.”

Lin Wei stood behind Shi Sui, listening to the adults’ praise, pretending on the surface to be innocently oblivious, while inside she seethed with rage and maddening jealousy. And to top it off, Shi Sui’s grades were excellent too.

“Second place again?”

“First place again?”

“Little Wei, you should learn from your sister. She always scores so well.”

She didn’t want to learn from Shi Sui!

Not one bit!

She didn’t even want to hear Shi Sui’s name!

She loathed and despised her. Just hearing Shi Sui’s name made her want to dry-heave.

Want to vomit.

She hated this person, blocked out every scrap of news about her. In middle school, she transferred to another city to live. Later, when her aunt tracked her down, she learned that Shi Sui liked girls.

That she’d even dated one in college.

How ridiculous. How laughable.

The perfect Shi Sui.

Had a crack running through her.

She was no longer the outstanding child in everyone’s eyes; now people sneered at the mere mention of her.

That feeling was pure bliss.

The person she’d been helplessly hating was now despised by everyone. Those piercing glares aimed at Shi Sui became Lin Wei’s source of joy. Her aunt even asked her to join the company to keep an eye on Shi Sui.

She couldn’t have asked for more.

But these past few years, Shi Sui had been like a flawless egg—no matter how hard she watched, she couldn’t find a single flaw. Lin Wei had thought Shi Sui had compromised for the family business and her aunt, but she never expected her to apply to come to the East District on her own, or to reach out to Jiang Ruoning proactively.

That woman who had dragged her from her pedestal as the perfect child in front of all the relatives straight into scandal and disgrace.

Sure enough, a dog can’t change its habit of eating shit.

She was still hung up on that woman.

But that was fine too. Let her aunt find out. Let all the relatives see. Shi Sui was a hopeless case, mud that wouldn’t stick to the wall. Lin Wei rubbed the deep marks her nails had left on the leather with her fingertips and laughed mockingly.

Shi Sui pushed open the door and saw her. She greeted her expressionlessly. “President Lin is really eager.”

Lin Wei had never hidden her ambitions. Xu Qingqing had repeatedly emphasized that if Shi Sui got tangled up with another woman, she wouldn’t recognize her as her daughter anymore—she’d cut her out of the company and the inheritance. Lin Wei took it to heart.

Over the years, thanks to Lin Wei’s “care,” Shi Sui had been introduced to quite a few women friends of hers, all in a vain attempt to scrape together some tiny bit of evidence from her interactions to report back to her mom for credit.

But Lin Wei had miscalculated in the end.

Shi Sui wasn’t interested in other people.

If Lin Wei had handed her Jiang Ruoning’s information sooner, she might have succeeded.

Shi Sui lowered her eyes.

Lin Wei stood up, all smiles like a tiger. “Just came to say hi. No need to be so tense, Sui Sui. I’m your big sister, after all. Is it wrong for me to visit my little sister?”

Her words were impeccably righteous.

Shi Sui tugged at the corner of her lips. “President Lin, let’s skip the sister act in the company.”

What a nasty way to speak.

But Lin Wei was in a good mood and didn’t argue.

Shi Sui walked over to her side and sat in the chair. She asked Lin Wei, “Is there anything else?”

Lin Wei said, “There is one thing. I submitted an application to the committee. The secretarial department is splitting into two divisions, and the transfer orders should come down by tomorrow at the latest.”

Shi Sui looked up.

Lin Wei continued, “Don’t say your big sister doesn’t take care of you. I’ve sent you the full list for the secretarial department by email. Pick first.”

She carried herself like the winner, the master of the company.

Shi Sui glanced at her coolly, unconcerned. “Got it.”

A knock sounded at the office door, followed by Jiang Nuan’s voice from outside. “President Shi.”

Shi Sui said, “Come in.”

Lin Wei brushed past Jiang Nuan as she entered.

Once outside, the assistant immediately sidled up. “President Lin, your new office is ready upstairs.”

Lin Wei nodded. “Has the secretarial department staffing been decided?”

The assistant said, “We’ve selected a few candidates, waiting for your approval.”

Lin Wei acknowledged it.

The assistant added, “I heard President Shi is also reaching out to Designer Ying Jinan.”

Lin Wei’s expression showed no surprise. Ying Jinan was hailed as the “godmother of fashion trends.” Collaborating with her would be like firing the company’s first big shot in the East District, solidifying her position. Right now, she and Shi Sui were both after the perfect partner.

That’s why she’d been so proactive before.

But ever since she learned Shi Sui’s model invitee was Jiang Ruoning…

Lin Wei’s mindset shifted.

If her aunt found out that Shi Sui had gone to such lengths—using the company as a stepping stone to collaborate with Ying Jinan—all just for Jiang Ruoning…

She wondered what expression she’d make.

It was sure to be spectacular.

Years of pent-up hatred finally vented in that moment. Lin Wei said, “Contact Wu Mao Studio these next couple days.”

The assistant was puzzled. “Aren’t we collaborating with Designer Ying anymore?”

Lin Wei replied, “Prepare a backup.”

The assistant found it odd. In the past, whenever Lin Wei and Shi Sui eyed the same designer or the same proposal, she’d fight tooth and nail, never giving up until the river ran dry. Why was she so quick to prepare an alternative this time?

Lin Wei didn’t explain. She’d already negotiated with Ying Jinan three times, each time driving the terms lower. If Ying Jinan ever agreed to work with them, it’d be under her squeezed conditions. Whereas Shi Sui, if she wanted to collaborate with Ying Jinan, would have no choice but to accept Ying Jinan’s terms.

And Shi Sui definitely wanted to work with Ying Jinan.

Because she wanted to prop up Jiang Ruoning.

Jiang Ruoning had been on top of the world two years ago. This year, after switching agencies, scandals hounded her—no bookings, no shows, not even her exclusive runway. If not for that, why would Shi Sui be in such a rush to apply for the East District? It was all to help her old flame.

Pretty devoted, huh.

Lin Wei flashed a mocking smile.

She glanced at Shi Sui’s office door and turned to leave.

Shi Sui sat in her chair and heard Jiang Nuan say, “What a move—splitting the company into two battlegrounds the moment she arrives.”

The East District had always had plenty of issues, the biggest being neglect. The Shi Family had started with food products, and there were big differences in tastes between north and south—especially in the East District. Back when they did their initial surveys, they hadn’t even considered the East District. Later, when the company pivoted to fashion, old habits died hard, and they continued overlooking it.

But fashion wasn’t the same as food. After the East District consistently avoided last place in sales without any proper oversight, the company committee eyed that juicy opportunity.

So Shi Sui’s smooth transfer to the East District wasn’t just because she’d volunteered; it also aligned perfectly with the committee’s push to develop the area.

As for Lin Wei…

She was her mom’s tool to monitor her.

Jiang Nuan was annoyed. “She doesn’t even pretend.”

Shi Sui soothed her. “It’s fine. She’s always been like this. Let her pick first from the secretarial staff.”

Jiang Nuan looked at her. “You’re not going to poach a few?”

Shi Sui smiled and fiddled with her phone. “With my Assistant Jiang here, what do I need to poach anyone for?”

“Hey—” Jiang Nuan was flattered. “President Shi’s got a silver tongue today?”

It wasn’t like her usual self.

Jiang Nuan picked up on it. “Good mood today?”

Shi Sui’s lips curved up.

Jiang Nuan grew more curious. “What good news?”

Shi Sui glanced at her. The usual sternness was gone from her eyes, replaced by a touch of softness as her gaze fell on her phone screen.

Ten minutes earlier, Jiang Ruoning had posted to her Moments.

A vegetable salad.

The dressing was smeared crookedly into a smiley face.

For no reason at all, Shi Sui thought back to that year at Yun An’s hometown, the snowman they’d built. The mouth had been scratched out by Jiang Ruoning with a stick too.

Just as crooked and wobbly.

She liked the post, long-pressed the image, and saved it.

Into a folder no one knew about.