Chapter 34

Wei Shuyu had not lied; she was sincere.

She had always had poor sleep, finding it difficult to fall asleep every day. Even during the period when she was creating exhibition pieces, when both her mind and body were utterly exhausted, she would still jolt awake in the middle of the night at the slightest noise.

After receiving Jin Yizhu’s call and hearing her say in that tone, “Come keep me company,” how could she possibly sleep?

Even without the sudden flight to Hong Kong, she would only have lain there in the long night with her eyes wide open, not knowing what she was doing with herself.

Wei Shuyu knew very well that she was the type who could not tolerate the slightest change.

It was precisely because she knew how fragile her mental state was that she took reassuring actions before things could worsen.

For example, coming to Jin Yizhu’s side.

Rather than saying it was for Jin Yizhu, it was more for herself.

“Really?” Jin Yizhu’s voice was very soft. “It’s not because I insisted you come?”

“Jin Yizhu, I’m not that bored.”

Wei Shuyu’s body temperature dropped a little, but in the grip of the high fever, even her voice had become hoarse.

“You think I’d go just because anyone calls me?”

She glanced at Jin Yizhu. The usually vibrant Eldest Miss hung her head, her face showing a hint of unease.

Really, that was not an expression that should appear on Jin Yizhu’s face.

If she could, she hoped Jin Yizhu would always smile brightly, without worrying about anyone or anything, forever acting recklessly and dressed in splendid clothes astride a fiery steed.

“Jin Yizhu, what exactly happened?” Wei Shuyu asked. “You look like you’re in a bad mood.”

She could sense that Hong Kong had been unsettled lately. Jin Yizhu might have been caught in some kind of vortex; the innocence and naivety of the past were gradually fading, replaced by Ah Jin Yizhu who was slowly revealing her sharp edges.

She did not mind Jin Yizhu’s changes, but she wanted to know what had happened.

“Am I in a bad mood?” Jin Yizhu smiled. “Why do you say that?”

“You called me over in the middle of the night, you’re nowhere to be seen all day, and when you come back, you have this expression. It’s hard for me to believe you’re in a good mood, isn’t it?”

Wei Shuyu stared at her. Her face was pale, but her gaze was startlingly bright.

She thought, it was time. She wanted Jin Yizhu to see the real her.

“Jin Yizhu, didn’t you say I was yours?”

Jin Yizhu was stunned.

At Tokyo Tower, gazing at the eternal snow on Mount Fuji, she had told Wei Shuyu, you are mine.

No one understood better than her what that meant.

She had used unreasonable means to keep Wei Shuyu, building a cage of pure gold for her, wanting her to stay by her side.

In truth, she just wanted some psychological comfort.

Someone who would not betray her, someone who would not leave her, someone who would always belong to her.

That was all Jin Yizhu wanted.

She had never expected Wei Shuyu to actually do anything for her.

But when she was deep in the vortex, not knowing what to do and only probing forward tentatively, Wei Shuyu had come to her side without regard for anything, just because of her words.

Now, the Wei Shuyu nestled by her side looked so fragile, like mist that could dissipate at any moment, yet she looked at her with such bright eyes, questioning her sincerity.

“…”

If she truly had sincerity.

Jin Yizhu’s breathing slowed. She pondered her own heart, and after some time, she finally said,

“Yes, you are mine.”

As if waiting for her response, Wei Shuyu immediately asked, “Then at least tell me what happened.”

She very much wanted to say, I know you don’t take me seriously, that your grand family struggles have nothing to do with me, that I’m just your comfort pill, about as effective as a guest-starring psychologist.

But what if I wasn’t?

What if my value far exceeded your imagination?

Though she did not want to measure herself that way… A bit of sadness welled up in Wei Shuyu’s heart, but she quickly suppressed it. So-called value would turn to nothing if not used.

It was precisely because she knew this that she hated measuring a person’s existence with so-called universal values.

“How can I explain it clearly…”

Under Wei Shuyu’s gaze, Jin Yizhu’s voice softened. She could not figure out at all what the emotions in her heart were.

In the family that appeared glamorous on the surface, those messy affairs were the last things Jin Yizhu wanted others to know about.

But compared to her negligible self-esteem, she was even less willing to disappoint Wei Shuyu.

“It’s a long story.”

“Then tell it slowly.”

Wei Shuyu yawned, tossed aside the pillow beside her, leaned into Jin Yizhu’s embrace, and looked up at her.

“We have plenty of time.”

She pointed at the IV drip beside them; there was still more than half left in the bottle.

Jin Yizhu’s body stiffened. She looked at her helplessly. It seemed there was no fooling her way out of this. But just thinking about telling someone else about these things made her scalp tingle.

Fortunately, Wei Shuyu was leaning in her embrace. The faint morning dew scent enveloped her, her soft skin pressed against her, and her warm body heat transmitted through the thin sleepwear, gradually calming Jin Yizhu’s restless heart.

She looked into Wei Shuyu’s eyes. There was no curiosity there, no prying, just a gentle gaze that embraced everything about her.

Jin Yizhu finally made up her mind to tell her the things she had never shared with anyone else.

“So that’s how it is.”

After hearing everything, Wei Shuyu sighed softly.

“Using marriage to seize resources… Your dad is really insidious.”

Hearing her blunt assessment, Jin Yizhu could not help but lower her head and look at her in surprise.

“You’re so direct; aren’t you afraid I’ll get mad?”

“Jin Yizhu, would you get mad at me?”

Wei Shuyu’s lips curved into a sly smile, clearly certain she would not.

“Besides, I’m not wrong.”

Rather than saying she would get mad over those words, it was more that Jin Yizhu wanted to hear her say them.

People found it hard to deny their parents. For most, denying their parents was like denying their own existence, let alone rebelling. Even knowing they were suffering undeserved pain, they would choose to endure it.

At times like this, someone was needed to tell her the truth.

Even if the truth was not pleasant.

“Didn’t you just say it? Lionheart is your mom’s family business, passed down for three or four generations. Now it’s in your dad’s hands.” Wei Shuyu spoke slowly. “Your maternal grandfather wouldn’t have handed over power that easily, right?”

“Yes, but he’s over eighty now.” Jin Yizhu’s tone was confused. “A few years ago, when I first returned to the country, I wanted to enter headquarters, but my dad said…”

A shadow passed over her face. “He said girls shouldn’t do such tiring work. They should have a carefree time playing for a few years, then marry into a good family and enjoy life.”

“Ha.” Wei Shuyu let out a cold laugh. “He’s afraid that if you came back, his position as son-in-law would not be entirely legitimate, and he’d have to step aside, right?”

“What did your mom and your maternal grandfather say?”

Wei Shuyu raised the most crucial question.

“From their standpoint, they should want you to inherit the family business more than your dad.”

“My mom loves my dad a lot. She supports what he said too. Rather than me entering headquarters, she hopes I find someone to marry in Mid-Levels, join forces with a strong partner, and merge the two families into one.”

Jin Yizhu’s eyes darkened inscrutably. She unconsciously hugged the person in her arms tighter, as if hoping to draw a bit of strength from her.

“It just so happened that my maternal grandfather fell ill around then. With no one supporting me, the matter got delayed.”

“He might have poisoned him, who knows.” Wei Shuyu’s tone was light, as if joking. “But it’s not too late now. Doesn’t the board of directors support you?”

“Yes, they support me now, but it’s hard to say later.”

Jin Yizhu’s tone was worried. She could not help but lower her head, resting her chin on Wei Shuyu’s forehead and rubbing gently.

“I’ve just taken over the overseas business. My dad is trying to get me out. If I leave Hong Kong at a time like this, it’s all over for me.”

Not only would all the reputation she had built up vanish into smoke, but the board would also doubt her judgment. Why would she accept something like this at such a time?

Even if it meant losing a fortune on the overseas business, as long as it did not drag Lionheart down, it was better than her actually doing something.

“But you don’t want to do anything foolish for the power struggle. After all, the company’s employees need to eat.”

Just from her expression, Wei Shuyu knew what she was thinking.

If Jin Yizhu left Hong Kong now, her department’s employees and the subsidiaries she had worked at before would all be branded as failures. There would be no promotions or raises for them in the future.

“I didn’t expect you to be so kind-hearted.”

“I’ve always been kind-hearted.” Jin Yizhu said discontentedly. “What misunderstanding do you have about me?”

“The moment you saw me, you said you wanted to keep me as a mistress. I thought you were a playboy Eldest Miss living for pleasure.”

Wei Shuyu shrugged and asked again,

“What do you mean by overseas?”

“Tokyo.” Jin Yizhu said. “Lionheart wants to set up a branch there for cultural entertainment investments.”

“Hahaha, Tokyo hardly counts as overseas.”

Hearing the expected answer, Wei Shuyu tilted her face up and actually laughed out loud.

“What kind of person are you short of?”

Jin Yizhu stared at her blankly, as if seeing her for the first time.

The person in her arms clearly looked weary and listless. Her smile was not the usual gentle one, and her eyes were unbelievably cold, accentuating that clear, sharp aura about her.

But why did she find it even harder to look away?

At the beginning, she had just wanted to grasp that wisp of mist, to keep this person who seemed so faint she might leave at any moment. That was why she had so willfully made that demand of her.

Discovering she was so gentle and so adorable had been a pleasant surprise.

Jin Yizhu knew exactly what parts of Wei Shuyu she liked. She liked her refined and delicate face, her slender and thin shoulders, her clear and fine collarbones and shoulder blades, the curve of her lips when she smiled, the slight upturn in her tone when she spoke, the way she looked at her gently, the way she held her arm, the way she spoke softly to her…

She liked the Wei Shuyu built from countless such clear, concrete details.

The soul hidden beneath those concrete things, she had never noticed, let alone seen.

But now, it seemed a little different.

Wei Shuyu lay in her arms, looking at her or perhaps at nothing.

She gently pushed her wrist, urging, “Tell me, what kind of person are you short of?”

“An art director.”

Jin Yizhu snapped back to reality, casting aside her jumbled thoughts, her tone full of frustration.

“The company overall is handled by Tang Su, but for art and culture, we need someone to oversee it, to avoid picking the wrong projects.”

Lionheart had started with real industry. In the wave of economic development, they bought up vast amounts of land, and their worth rose with it.

Though they held some patented technologies, it was not enough for peace of mind. Tech development took time, so they took a different path and targeted the cultural arts sector.

This area had always been where old money gathered. To get a slice from groups holding famous brands or film resources, money alone was not enough.

Money was just the ticket in. What mattered most was vision.

Jin Yizhu had no interest in it, Jin Shenghua even less so. He Wanruo had studied in Europe, but after years away from the market, she was no different from an outsider.

With no other choice, they had to look for a professional manager, but such people were hard to find on the market, giving Jin Yizhu a constant headache.

“Then you’ve found the right person.”

Wei Shuyu slowly straightened up from her embrace, smoothed her collar, and said seriously,

“You have my resume, right?”

“Hm?”

Jin Yizhu did indeed have her resume. Back when they first met, her assistant had sent Wei Shuyu’s resume to her desk, though she had not looked at it closely.

Why bring it up now?

“You mean?”

“Just what you’re thinking.”

Wei Shuyu chuckled lightly, leaned close to her ear, her hoarse voice carrying a strange allure, like a little demon seducing the heart.

“Tomorrow, print out my resume, slap it in front of them, and say this is the person you’re hiring.”

“Then you can enjoy their expressions.”

“Your troubles are solved, baby.”