Chapter 26: Familiar Part 2

Even without memories, Jiang Ruoning couldn’t let go.

To the point that, without memories.

She fell again.

A few days ago, Qin Zheng had told her Jiang Ruoning liked someone new, emphasizing it was different this time. Yun An couldn’t tell if Qin Zheng looked happy or sad.

Just like now, face-to-face with Jiang Ruoning—she couldn’t read her expression either. Happy, or sad.

When Jiang Ruoning was the least able to hide her feelings.

When Qin Zheng returned, Jiang Ruoning was still staring down Yun An. She sat and handed the phone over. Qin Zheng took it and asked, “Who is it?”

“Who else.” Jiang Ruoning leaned to her ear. “Your darling wife.”

Qin Zheng: …

She touched her earlobe and peered at Yun An on the screen for a moment. “Where are you?”

Yun An said, “Hotel. Just finished work.”

Qin Zheng raised a brow. “Eaten yet?”

Yun An looked guilty. “Not yet.”

Qin Zheng stared. Yun An said, “Soon, waiting for my colleague.”

Qin Zheng asked, “What for dinner?”

Yun An said, “There’s a restaurant downstairs. What are you having?”

Qin Zheng said, “Noodles.” She turned the screen, panning around. “You’ve been to this place.”

Yun An nodded.

The noodles arrived. Jiang Ruoning buried herself in eating, tuning out the couple. Before she finished, her phone buzzed from her bag. She checked—it was Wu Jie.

She answered without hesitation. Wu Jie said, “Ruoning, eaten yet?”

Jiang Ruoning slurped a noodle. “Eating now. What’s up?”

Wu Jie said, “Not great news.”

Jiang Ruoning’s left eyelid twitched. Instinctively: “Is it Fengshang…”

“It’s less.” Wu Jie said, “A friend told me—the general agent for less is dining with Ai Wen.”

Jiang Ruoning frowned. “Ai Wen?”

Wu Jie paused two seconds. “Actually, Ai Wen’s been pushing Du Youran for less’s winter show main model, but less preferred you, so I didn’t tell you.”

Jiang Ruoning gripped her phone tighter. “What does their dinner mean? They’re collaborating?”

“Not sure,” Wu Jie said. “This afternoon, we couldn’t agree on the price. It might be because of that, so less agreed to meet with Ai Wen.”

Jiang Ruoning picked at her noodles, devoid of appetite, and merely sipped some soup.

Wu Jie continued, “We need to lock in the lead model spot for less’s winter show as soon as possible. I’ve looked into it—they outsource to Ying Jinan’s studio. They’ve already been talking price and schedule with Jiaren. Unless something unexpected happens, it’ll be set this week. Ruoning, we can’t drop the ball here. This is the best opportunity on the table right now. If we miss less, waiting for the next brand might take forever.”

Jiang Ruoning understood the stakes.

From leaving Del to now, her commercial gigs had been sporadic but nonstop, yet the resources were always subpar, often snatched away. This was a rare chance, and Wu Jie didn’t want to let it slip.

Neither did she.

“I get it, Wu Jie. I’ll follow your lead,” Jiang Ruoning said.

Wu Jie replied, “I’ll have a friend feel out their side first and try to nail it down this week at the latest.”

Jiang Ruoning knew she wasn’t fond of Ai Wen either. “Okay.”

Wu Jie hung up and immediately asked a friend to check on less’s progress with Ai Wen.

Ai Wen, meanwhile, was riding high.

Though Shi Sui had repeatedly refused to meet before, deals like this rarely closed on the first try. Now, Shi Sui had proactively invited them to dinner.

Du Youran was surprised when she heard Shi Sui had booked dinner with them and double-checked with Ai Wen. “President Shi?”

less’s East District had two general agents: Shi Sui and Lin Wei. Ai Wen had already dug up all the intel. The reason was simple—for existing brands, she’d heard Shi Sui recommended Du Youran, but got brushed off with excuses of no time or no current interest. It had given Ai Wen a massive headache. Back when she managed Jiang Ruoning, everyone begged to work with her. Now, she had to beg and plead just for a dinner—and even then, it was inefficient business talk.

Wasn’t she pissed?

Of course she was.

It was all that bitch Jiang Ruoning’s fault. Leaving the company and still burning bridges, leaving her out to dry.

That ungrateful wretch. Ai Wen had groomed her from newbie to big shot, but when she wanted a slice of her resources, Jiang Ruoning refused. She never stopped to think—without her, where would those connections and opportunities come from?

Had to make it so ugly.

Even escalated to reporting her.

If Du Youran’s family hadn’t pulled strings to squash it, who the company would protect was anyone’s guess.

But now, she and Du Youran were tied at the hip.

Du Youran had a young miss temper, no easier to handle than Jiang Ruoning. She needed coaxing. “Yeah, President Shi’s assistant reached out,” Ai Wen said.

She hadn’t believed it at first either. Rumor had it President Shi was already talking with other models—probably hadn’t panned out.

Though Du Youran didn’t love being a backup, it was Shi Sui. She’d met her twice. At less’s first show, she’d crashed via a friend’s ticket. Shi Sui took the stage last for her speech, in a black mini suit jacket, even her undershirt black—crisp, sharp, cool.

Tall and poised, she stood toe-to-toe with the models, her effortless poise making her more captivating than anyone on stage.

Du Youran barely heard the speech, tugging her friend. “Who’s that?”

“less’s founder,” her friend explained with a grin. “Heiress to Fuli Foods.”

Few knew less back then, but Du Youran knew Fuli Foods—big player. Everyone thought Shi Sui launching less was just a rich girl’s whim, harmless business expansion. But as less’s fame and profits soared year after year, Du Youran realized that woman on stage with the gentle smile wasn’t playing around.

Memory might add a filter, but recalling it, Du Youran still pictured Shi Sui on that stage, brimming with ambition.

Her heart stirred. “Where’s dinner tomorrow?”

“Tianyue Grand Hotel,” Ai Wen said.

Du Youran smiled.

Ai Wen coaxed her. “See? President Shi must value this meeting.”

“What about Lin Wei?” Du Youran asked.

“We’ll keep her warm for now. See what President Shi says tomorrow.”

less’s winter show had two rounds: Shi Sui’s mid-month, Lin Wei’s end-month. From the gossip they’d gathered, nailing the lead model for whichever succeeded meant landing East District GM. They’d approached Shi Sui full of confidence at first, only to hit walls—rumor was she already had a model lined up. So they’d pivoted to Lin Wei.

Hoping to leverage the winter lead into a full endorsement.

But Lin Wei didn’t think much of Du Youran—probably felt her star power too low to carry the brand. Their two meetings over dinner had been lukewarm at best. Du Youran was already irked by Lin Wei’s attitude; now with Shi Sui’s invite, she looked down on her even more.

Lin Wei was just an employee at less. Shi Sui would inherit less—and Fuli Group.

Team choice was obvious.

But Ai Wen was right.

It wasn’t time to burn bridges with Lin Wei yet. If Shi Sui talks fell through, they could still fall back on her.

Du Youran nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Ai Wen said, “Her assistant sent me President Shi’s card this afternoon. I’ll forward it—you say hi.”

Du Youran glanced at her phone as Ai Wen shared the contact. Her heart skipped. Involuntarily, she recalled their second meeting—a gala. Shi Sui in a deep blue gradient starlit gown, dreamy hue. The skirt’s hem embroidered with golden threads of starry skies, stunning beyond words.

She was stunning, impossible to look away from.

Tall frame, slender neck, pearl necklace draping above her collarbone—smooth, pronounced lines. She looked slim, yet her bare arms showed muscle definition and power.

Rumor had it she worked out often.

No wonder her figure was flawless.

Du Youran’s finger hovered over Shi Sui’s avatar and sent the friend request.

Shi Sui hadn’t eaten the barbecue. She told the boss lady her friend had something come up. The boss lady stuffed a drink into her hands to take on the road. Back in the car, Shi Sui stared at the can, popped it open one-handed, and took a sip.

Six years later, still the familiar taste.

Jiang Ruoning always poured herself a glass after finishing hers, claiming no waste. Abroad, Shi Sui habitually left half. Jiang Nuan would tease, seeing her not finish, “Who’s getting the rest?” She’d grab a cup: “Here, don’t waste it—sis will take it.”

Shi Sui watched Jiang Nuan’s hand reach out, snatched the drink, and chugged it.

Jiang Nuan’s mouth twitched.

Thinking back, it was still hilarious.

Shi Sui set the half-finished drink in the cupholder, started the car, and drove to the clinic.

Jiang Ruoning lay on the bed. She’d arrived earlier than yesterday. She’d told Doctor Ma she’d come later, but after dinner with nothing to do, she and Qin Zheng came straight over. Arriving early, the next room had two young girls getting acupuncture, chatting about Ye Yu’s new song. Doctor Ma sent her to an empty room. Jiang Ruoning knew the drill, leading Qin Zheng next door.

Two beds inside. Jiang Ruoning shed her jacket, lay in her undergarments, arms at her sides, face turned inward to the wall. Doctor Ma soon entered with the acupuncture kit. “How’s it feeling today?”

“Still hurts. Can’t move my neck here,” Jiang Ruoning said, pointing to the strained nerve.

Doctor Ma pressed it—stars burst in her eyes from the pain—but afterward, the tension eased. Doctor Ma inserted the needles; Jiang Ruoning gritted her teeth.

“Still half an hour,” Doctor Ma said.

Jiang Ruoning inhaled. “Got it.”

After she left, Qin Zheng sat by her bed. “One, two, three, four…”

Jiang Ruoning, unable to turn, asked, “What’re you doing?”

“Counting the needles,” Qin Zheng said. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Hurt going in. Numb now,” Jiang Ruoning replied.

Qin Zheng eyed the thin silver needles, scalp tingling. Her phone buzzed. “Station calling. I’ll take it outside.”

“Okay,” Jiang Ruoning said.

Perfect—she hadn’t slept much and wanted a nap.

Qin Zheng gripped her phone and shut the door behind her.

Shi Sui arrived just as Doctor Ma finished removing needles from the two girls. Spotting her, “Here for your friend?”

After all, she’d brought Jiang Ruoning yesterday.

“She here?” Shi Sui asked.

“Yeah, Room Three,” Doctor Ma replied.

Shi Sui approached Room Three’s door, raised her hand to knock, hesitated, then gripped the handle and pushed in.

Empty.

Jiang Ruoning lay on one bed, head turned inward, thin blanket over her waist, dark undergarment accentuating her pale skin. Hearing footsteps, she said, “Done with the call?”

She shifted her waist toward the center. “Zhengzheng, pull the blanket up a bit. I dozed off—kinda cold.”

Footsteps neared, beside her. A hand lifted the blanket, tucking it higher over her waist. Slender fingers warmed by the fabric brushed her back. Jiang Ruoning’s nerves snapped taut.

This scent, this touch.

Familiar yet strange.

Not Qin Zheng.