Secretly Seducing the Third Female Lead Behind the System’s Back - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Emergence

 

Bai Chu carried Jiang Yisheng up the steps and had her unlock the door with her fingerprint.

 

The housekeeper, Aunt Wu, saw the scene and hurried over. “Miss, what happened?”

 

Jiang Yisheng grinned and explained, “It’s nothing, Aunt Wu. I just twisted my ankle a little.”

 

Bai Chu gently lowered her onto the sofa. Once Jiang Yisheng was settled, she stood upright.

 

“I’ll go get the medicine,” Bai Chu said, turning to leave.

 

Jiang Yisheng reached out and tugged at her sleeve. “No rush. Stay with me a while.”

 

Bai Chu nodded and sat down beside her.

 

Aunt Wu brought over a cup of hot tea for Bai Chu and a glass of juice for Jiang Yisheng, along with some fruit and desserts.

 

Jiang Yisheng took a big, satisfied sip of the juice and then smiled at Aunt Wu, “Aunt Wu, this is Bai Chu, my best friend.”

 

Hearing the introduction, Bai Chu stood up politely, nodded at Aunt Wu, and greeted her, “Aunt Wu.”

 

“And this is Aunt Wu, the head of our household,” Jiang Yisheng introduced in return.

 

“Hello, Miss Bai,” Aunt Wu smiled warmly. “Miss Jiang loves to joke. I’m no head of anything—just here to take good care of her.”

 

“Please sit, Miss Bai. You haven’t eaten, have you? I’ll ask someone to prepare food.”

 

“No need to trouble yourself. I’ve already eaten,” Bai Chu quickly said.

 

Aunt Wu turned to Jiang Yisheng.

 

Holding Bai Chu’s wrist, Jiang Yisheng gently coaxed, “You didn’t eat much earlier. Just have a little bit—our chef, Sister Liu, cooks really well.”

 

“I’ll pass. I promise I’ll try it another time. I need to head back to the hospital later,” Bai Chu replied.

 

“Alright then. Aunt Wu, you can get back to your work. Don’t worry about us.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Jiang Yisheng turned to Bai Chu. “You don’t have to eat, but at least sit with me a little longer.”

 

Bai Chu nodded.

 

Jiang Yisheng kept offering her cake and even tried to feed her cherries—anything to keep her from leaving too soon.

 

Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

 

It was a message from Zhang Tao:
“President Jiang, are you done over there? Do you need me to come pick you up?”

 

Jiang Yisheng pressed the voice button and replied:
“Bai Chu-jie sent me home. If you don’t have anything urgent, you can head off work now.”

 

Bai Chu glanced at the time—it was about time to go.

 

Jiang Yisheng was just about to show her some pictures from the office that Zhang Tao had sent when Bai Chu stood up and accidentally knocked her phone to the ground.

 

As Bai Chu bent to pick it up, her eyes unintentionally landed on her own profile picture.

 

She noticed her name in Jiang Yisheng’s pinned contacts—with a note:
“N Friend”
Next to it was a little bear emoji.

 

“What does ‘N Friend’ mean?” Bai Chu asked.

 

Jiang Yisheng froze, her brain spinning at full speed. “Umm… it means…”

 

Bai Chu patiently waited for an answer.

 

“‘Niú!’” Jiang Yisheng blurted out.

 

“Hm?”

 

“N Friend means a niú (awesome) friend!” Jiang Yisheng said firmly, convincing even herself as she locked eyes with Bai Chu.

 

Bai Chu laughed again—it was totally something Jiang Yisheng would say.

 

“Alright, I’ll go get the medicine now,” Bai Chu said, her eyes soft as she looked at her.

 

Jiang Yisheng nodded.

 

After Bai Chu left the room, Jiang Yisheng blinked a few times and let out a long breath.

 

Phew—Good thing this silly girl didn’t figure it out.

 

When Bai Chu returned with the medicine, she was about to carry Jiang Yisheng upstairs.

 

“No need. I’ll sit downstairs a bit longer. Aunt Wu can help me up later. You go ahead,” Jiang Yisheng said, her eyes sparkling with reluctance.

 

“Okay,” Bai Chu nodded, looking around. “Your home is beautiful.”

 

Jiang Yisheng immediately grinned and teased her, “You’re even more beautiful.”

 

Sure enough, the tips of Bai Chu’s ears turned red, and her gaze began to dodge. “I’m heading off then.”

 

“Be safe!” Jiang Yisheng called after her.

 

After Bai Chu left, Jiang Yisheng lay back on the sofa and looked out at the Yujiang Building across the river.

 

If He Dafang hadn’t done that horrible thing back then, Bai Chu would probably be even happier than her.

 

She let out a soft sigh. If Bai Chu ever found out the truth, would she blame her for not telling her?

 

As she was lost in thought, a voice suddenly spoke up:
“Congratulations on completing your second mission. You’re even better than I expected.”

 

Jiang Yisheng jumped in fright. “Could you not show up out of nowhere like that? You scared me half to death!”

 

System: “……”

 

“I did so well—do I get a reward?” Jiang Yisheng asked.

 

“What kind of reward do you want?”

 

She thought for a moment. “I want to ask something about Bai Chu.”

 

“I cannot answer questions about non-main characters,” the system replied mechanically.

 

“Non-main character?” Jiang Yisheng bristled.

 

“Then I’m technically a non-main character too. Why don’t you just leave me out of it and go match up your main leads yourself?” she said sulkily.

 

“Please follow the rules of this world,” the cold voice responded.

 

Jiang Yisheng didn’t say anything more. She lay back on the sofa and slowly closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling…

 

Back in the car, Bai Chu let out a quiet breath, the corners of her lips turning up.

 

She looked at the pink plush doll lying in the passenger seat, gently adjusted its position, and carefully fastened its seatbelt…

 

At the hospital room.

 

When Bai Chu returned, An Hao had already left. He Youran and Gao Tingyuan were eating.

 

Seeing Bai Chu, Gao Tingyuan quickly greeted her, “Xiao Chu, come here.”

 

“Have you eaten?” He Youran asked.

 

“Yes, I have,” Bai Chu replied immediately.

 

“Bai Chu,” Gao Tingyuan asked while chewing her food, “are you and President Jiang good friends?”

 

“We’re just regular friends. Not that close,” Bai Chu replied, glancing at her.

 

She knew exactly what Gao Tingyuan was hinting at.

 

“Oh.” Gao Tingyuan lowered her head and continued, “You know, it’s a shame that Old He’s company is just wasting away like this. Since you and President Jiang get along, maybe see if Yujiang Group can lend a hand? Otherwise, him gambling all the time is no good either.”

 

She sighed deeply.

 

“Mom.” He Youran cut in, “What does my dad’s company have to do with Yujiang Group? If he’d stop gambling and work hard, the company will recover.”

 

“You’re too naive. Hard work alone doesn’t cut it—you need connections and timing,” Gao Tingyuan shot back, then smiled at Bai Chu. “You could at least mention it to President Jiang. If she helps, great. If not, no harm done, right?”

 

“Auntie, if your family needs money, just let me know. My relationship with President Jiang isn’t close enough for that kind of favor,” Bai Chu replied firmly.

 

Gao Tingyuan’s expression darkened. She stuffed a greasy piece of braised pork into her mouth. “Sigh, forget it then. Better rely on my own daughter.”

 

She turned to He Youran. “You really need to hold onto that An Hao boy. His family’s well-off. Once you marry—”

 

“Ugh, Mom,” He Youran interrupted, putting her chopsticks down. “My relationship with An Hao is genuine. Can you stop focusing on money all the time?”

 

“What else should I care about? Everything costs money nowadays—even sleeping in a hospital!” Gao Tingyuan retorted.

 

“If you love money so much, why don’t you go earn it yourself? Dad gambles, you spend your time dancing or vacationing. Do you even spend your own money?” He Youran snapped.

 

“Is that how you speak to your mother? No respect at all!” Gao Tingyuan slammed the table and shouted.

 

“Youran, let’s go check if your father’s test results are out,” Bai Chu cut in smoothly and led her out.

 

The two of them strolled around the hospital garden.

 

“I’m sorry, Chu Chu. Don’t mind what my mom said—she’s just obsessed with money,” He Youran said.

 

“It’s okay. I know she’s upset seeing your dad in the hospital. We’ll find a way to help with the company later.” Bai Chu paused, then added, “And I want to apologize on behalf of President Jiang.”

 

He Youran looked puzzled.

 

“Those things President Jiang said earlier—they weren’t ill-intentioned. She just wanted to convince your dad to gamble less. Her tone wasn’t great, that’s all.”

 

“I know. President Jiang seems nice. Actually, I think she’s kinda cute,” He Youran smiled.

 

Bai Chu couldn’t help but smile too. “Yeah, she is pretty cute.”

 

“You two seem really close lately,” He Youran noted.

 

“We get along,” Bai Chu replied, rubbing her nose.

 

“Oh, right. An Hao mentioned he saw you picking up medicine for President Jiang. What happened to her?”

 

“She twisted her ankle. It wasn’t bad, but I dragged her out today and she hurt it again,” Bai Chu said, guilt washing over her.

 

“Is it serious?”

 

“Pretty bad,” Bai Chu looked down.

 

“With her temper, the fact that she’s not mad means she really cares about you,” He Youran commented.

 

“She was mad,” Bai Chu said softly.

 

“You mean… she was mad at first, but then wasn’t?”

 

“Mm.” Bai Chu nodded.

 

“You made it up to her?” He Youran’s tone was a bit incredulous.

 

“I apologized. Then she cried a bit, and after that, she forgave me. I guess that counts.”

 

“Huh.” He Youran sucked in a breath.

 

“What?”

 

“You two sound just like when I get mad and An Hao has to coax me.”

 

At the mention of An Hao, Bai Chu’s expression darkened.

 

“You should be careful with him. Don’t trust everything blindly or you’ll be the one who ends up hurt,” Bai Chu warned quietly.

 

“I know, I know.” He Youran linked arms with her. “His family puts a lot of pressure on him. He just needs time.”

 

Bai Chu looked at her and sighed silently.

 

Before the New Year, the company Bai Chu worked for—Renyuan—was tackling one final major project.

 

And Bai Chu was the lead on it.

 

“Bai Chu, you’re the most promising young leader in the company—way ahead of your peers,” said Deputy General Manager Zhang Qiming, calling her in for a chat.

 

“If we land this project, our yearly performance will be 1.5 times better than last year. And after the New Year, your position will definitely rise.”

 

He took a hard drag on his cigarette, knocking ash onto the desk and brushing it aside.

 

“This project is crucial. The company hopes you’ll go all out to secure it.”

 

Jiang Yisheng’s ankle had healed quite a bit in the past few days. She wanted to ask Bai Chu out for dinner, but Bai Chu was too busy—something about an important project.

 

Bored at her desk, Jiang Yisheng slumped forward.

 

“President Jiang, there’s a gala tonight. Director Yu and Chairman Jiang will both attend. They asked if you’d like to go,” Zhang Tao reported.

 

“Those dresses are so uncomfortable. I don’t want to go,” Jiang Yisheng grumbled.

 

Zhang Tao glanced at the guest list, hesitated, and then said cautiously, “President Bai will also be there.”

 

Boom. The office chair shot backward.

 

Jiang Yisheng stood up, radiant. “Bai Chu being there doesn’t matter. I just want to gain some experience.”

 

“Understood,” Zhang Tao replied, seeing right through her but not saying anything. She quickly contacted a stylist to send over a gown.

 

On the way to the gala.

 

“You usually avoid these kinds of events,” Yu Mushan said, helping fix her hair. “Don’t tell me you changed your mind because someone special is going?”

 

“Of course not. I just think I should broaden my horizons—lighten your workload,” Jiang Yisheng replied, dead serious.

 

“See that? My daughter is so thoughtful,” Jiang Hang said fondly.

 

Yu Mushan scoffed, holding Jiang Yisheng’s hand while watching the city lights pass by.

 

The moment the three of them entered the gala, they became the center of attention.

 

Most of the crowd were old acquaintances of Yu Mushan and Jiang Hang—too many to offend by ignoring.

 

Jiang Yisheng, however, was free to wander. She tugged Zhang Tao through the crowd, searching for Bai Chu.

 

“There she is,” Jiang Yisheng said, waving to catch her attention.

 

But Bai Chu was holding a wine glass and deep in conversation, not noticing her.

 

“Who are those people she’s talking to?” Jiang Yisheng asked.

 

“President Qin, President Mo, and President Yan—from Fuxing Group.”

 

“Fuxing Group?” That name rang a bell.

 

“It’s the company Renyuan hopes to work with. President Bai is probably discussing business,” Zhang Tao explained.

 

“Oh, I see.” Jiang Yisheng nodded and found a seat, not wanting to interrupt.

 

Then someone caught her eye.

 

The more she looked, the more familiar he seemed—but she couldn’t place him.

 

When the man approached Bai Chu, alarm bells rang in her head.

 

He was the same guy who loitered at Bai Chu’s residential entrance last time!

 

“Taozi, who’s that guy?” Jiang Yisheng stared intently.

 

“Zhao Fengyun, second son of the Zhao Group. His reputation is pretty bad—he uses his family’s power to get away with shady stuff,” Zhang Tao said.

 

Jiang Yisheng’s brow twitched. She immediately moved to go over.

 

Just then, Yu Mushan, while still chatting with others, caught sight of her and called out, “Shengsheng, come here.”

 

Not too loud, but loud enough.

 

Jiang Yisheng turned and saw Yu Mushan beckoning.

 

She glanced back at Zhao Fengyun. He was just standing beside Bai Chu, saying a few words—not doing anything inappropriate.

 

She had no choice but to head to Yu Mushan.

 

When she got there, Yu Mushan affectionately ruffled her hair.

 

“Where did you run off to? Come greet the aunties and uncles.”

 

“Hello everyone,” Jiang Yisheng said sweetly, nodding to the group.

 

“She’s grown so much! I remember having tea with your mom when you were still playing with Barbies, asking them to find their moms,” one woman said with a laugh.

 

The crowd chuckled warmly.

 

“Let’s toast to President Jiang,” someone suggested. Everyone raised their glasses.

 

Jiang Yisheng found a glass of juice in her hand. She turned and saw Yu Mushan had subtly handed it to her.

 

“Thank you, aunties and uncles,” Jiang Yisheng said, taking a small sip.

 

Everyone else drained their red wine.

 

“Alright everyone, we’re going to take Shengsheng to rest. Please excuse us,” Jiang Hang said with a smile, leading them away.

 

Yu Mushan followed Jiang Yisheng’s gaze, then gently flicked her on the forehead.

 

She snapped out of it.

 

“Mom, I need to go find Bai Chu-jie,” Jiang Yisheng said, setting down her juice.

 

“Hold on,” Yu Mushan stopped her.

 

“Huh?” Jiang Yisheng looked anxious.

 

“I said wait. What’s the rush?” Yu Mushan pulled her down to sit beside her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re worried that Zhao Fengyun will do something to Bai Chu, aren’t you?” Yu Mushan saw right through her daughter’s thoughts at a glance.

 

Jiang Yisheng frowned slightly and nodded.

 

“If Zhao Fengyun gets involved in this partnership with Bai Chu, the success rate will increase by ten percent,” Yu Mushan said slowly.

 

Jiang Yisheng didn’t quite understand. “What do you mean?”

 

“You’ll see whether Bai Chu is willing to let Zhao Fengyun get involved or not,” Yu Mushan said, lowering her head to look at Jiang Yisheng seriously.

 

Jiang Yisheng thought for a moment. “Mom, what are you talking about? There’s no way Bai Chu-jie would be that kind of person.”

 

“This partnership is very important to Renyuan Company—it could influence the entire future direction of their business. If Bai Chu can secure the deal by herself, her future prospects will be vastly expanded,” Yu Mushan replied evenly. “Sweetheart, people have desires. Not everyone can hold the line.”

 

“With power and money, many things become effortless.”

 

A flicker of doubt passed through Jiang Yisheng’s eyes as she watched Zhao Fengyun chatting confidently with others, glass in hand. Her thoughts drifted to that day at the entrance of Bai Chu’s neighborhood, when Bai Chu had admitted Zhao Fengyun was her friend.

 

If Bai Chu gains more influence, she could push her investigation into the truth even further.

 

She looked at Bai Chu’s elegant and upright figure, and a wave of bitterness swept through her heart.

 

Bai Chu was desperately trying to uncover the truth—and she knew everything. Yet all she could do was stand by and watch her struggle, watch her make painful choices.

 

“If our family were to step in, how much would her chances improve?” Jiang Yisheng asked Yu Mushan.

 

“If we get involved, she will definitely secure the project,” Yu Mushan said, intentionally emphasizing the word definitely, her eyes dark and unreadable.

 

“So, are you still going?” Yu Mushan toyed with a wine glass filled with fruit juice and looked at Jiang Yisheng.

 

Jiang Yisheng fell silent. She didn’t know if she should go.

 

“If Zhao Fengyun stands there, Bai Chu can choose whether or not to involve him. But if you step in, that’s already involvement—Bai Chu won’t even have the chance to say no.”

 

“Fuxing Company has always wanted a connection with Yujiang. If you step in and the deal succeeds, will the credit go to you or to Bai Chu? What will they think of her then? Will her company pressure her again by using her relationship with you? Will her relationship with you stay pure?”

 

Jiang Yisheng widened her eyes. She had never thought that far ahead.

 

She hadn’t realized that her impulsiveness just now might’ve caused Bai Chu a huge problem.

 

“So, what should I do?” Jiang Yisheng asked, a little disheartened.

 

“If Zhao Fengyun gets involved—will you still like her?” Yu Mushan asked as though she were speaking to a child.

 

Jiang Yisheng lowered her lashes. She didn’t know.

 

Yu Mushan chuckled, pinched her cheek, and her tone softened. “She’s so close with you, but didn’t come to you for help. What makes you think she’d turn to Zhao Fengyun?”

 

A realization struck Jiang Yisheng.

 

In the two months they’d spent together, it was always her who reached out first. Bai Chu never asked her for help—not even for something as simple as a meal.

 

Outsiders didn’t understand Yujiang’s influence well, but Bai Chu definitely did.

 

Yet she had never once brought up work matters to her.

 

“You thought your mom stopped you from going because she wanted to test her?” Jiang Hang suddenly spoke.

 

Jiang Yisheng nodded. That was what she’d thought at first.

 

“Your mom’s good at reading people—she doesn’t need childish tests. She’s protecting Bai Chu,” Jiang Hang said with a smile. “The best thing you can do for her now is prepare her some hangover soup.”

 

Jiang Yisheng looked up in surprise. Bai Chu had already had god-knows-how-many drinks, and her face was flushed.

 

She immediately told Zhang Tao to go buy some hangover soup.

 

Then she waited… and waited—until she saw Zhao Fengyun leave early.

 

A smile bloomed across her face. That annoying man was finally gone.

 

But Bai Chu was still deep in conversation with the others.

 

From a distance, Jiang Yisheng watched her. Today, Bai Chu wore a gray suit, her hair pinned up neatly with a few soft curls framing her face—absolutely beautiful. In her right hand, she held a wine glass, and around her wrist was the bracelet Jiang Yisheng had given her. Her every move exuded elegance.

 

Then Bai Chu drank another glass.

 

And another.

 

Jiang Yisheng saw her subtly use her left hand to steady herself on the table behind her and felt her heart ache.

 

“Why isn’t it over yet?” she asked, growing anxious again.

 

“Business negotiations aren’t easy,” Yu Mushan said, looking at Bai Chu with a touch of fondness.

 

No one knew how long it lasted, or how many more drinks Bai Chu had.

 

Finally, Jiang Yisheng saw Bai Chu shake hands with the three men across the table.

 

“Great! She’s finally going to sign the contract,” she said joyfully.

 

“That’s just a verbal agreement. The contract signing could still fall through,” Jiang Hang threw a bucket of cold water on her excitement.

 

“What?”

 

“But probably not,” Yu Mushan smiled at Jiang Hang. “As long as no one interferes, it should be settled.”

 

“He’s just scaring you with the harsh truths of the business world,” she added.

 

“You two…” Jiang Yisheng grumbled, but smiled again.

 

Once the people from Fuxing Company left, Bai Chu slumped into the chair beside her, dizzy and now experiencing ringing in her ears.

 

She unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse, intending to rest a bit before leaving.

 

Suddenly, she heard a voice in her ear. “Bai Chu-jie.”

 

“Bai Chu-jie.”

 

She forced her eyes open and saw Jiang Yisheng crouching beside her, her eyes full of worry.

 

“You came?” Bai Chu gave her a tired smile.

 

“Do you want to go throw up?” Jiang Yisheng asked gently, reaching out to support her.

 

The moment her hand touched Bai Chu, it was tightly grasped.

 

“Don’t move,” Bai Chu said hoarsely, frowning and shielding her eyes from the light. Her lips had gone pale.

 

Jiang Yisheng obeyed. Bai Chu’s grip was strong—it hurt, but she didn’t want to pull away.

 

She stayed quietly by her side, eyes full of concern.

 

A few minutes later, Bai Chu’s breathing grew rapid. She loosened her grip and gave Jiang Yisheng a slight squeeze.

 

“Help me to the bathroom,” she whispered.

 

“Okay.” Jiang Yisheng helped her up, steadying her as they slowly walked toward the bathroom.

 

Suddenly, Bai Chu moved her hand to Jiang Yisheng’s waist.

 

Jiang Yisheng: “!!”

 

“Help carry some of the weight,” Bai Chu said softly.

 

Jiang Yisheng couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.

 

She pressed her hand to Bai Chu’s waist, feeling her shape—soft on the outside, firm muscles underneath. It felt… really nice to the touch.

 

Blushing furiously, she tried not to think too much.

 

Once they reached the bathroom, Bai Chu locked herself in a stall and threw up everything she’d drunk.

 

Jiang Yisheng opened a water bottle and waited outside, ready to hand it to her.

 

Normally, she couldn’t stand the sound of vomiting—it made her sick too.

 

But now, hearing Bai Chu from behind the door only made her anxious and distressed.

 

After a few minutes, the door opened and Bai Chu stumbled out.

 

Jiang Yisheng quickly handed her the water and helped her to the sink.

 

While Bai Chu rinsed her mouth and washed her face, Jiang Yisheng helped roll up her sleeves, handed her tissues, and wiped the dripping water from her arms before gently lowering the sleeves again.

 

“President Jiang really knows how to take care of people, huh?” Bai Chu teased, looking at her through the mirror.

 

“Now’s not the time for jokes.” Jiang Yisheng linked arms with her. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

 

Bai Chu obediently followed.

 

Yisheng forgot to support her waist again.

 

“You’re heavy,” Bai Chu suddenly murmured, voice soft and sweet.

 

Yisheng quickly slid her hand to her waist again to support her.

 

Bai Chu’s waist moved slightly with every step—soft on the outside, strong underneath. It felt… really good.

 

Jiang Yisheng blushed again.

 

At the hotel entrance, Zhang Tao waited with a down jacket.

 

Jiang Yisheng wrapped it tightly around Bai Chu before getting into the car.

 

Her parents left in another car—this one was for the two of them.

 

Bai Chu felt a chill and her headache worsened. She leaned on Jiang Yisheng’s shoulder, too weak to speak.

 

Jiang Yisheng wrapped her arms around her, and asked the driver to slow down.

 

“Do you want some hangover soup?” she asked gently.

 

Bai Chu didn’t respond—but frowned deeper.

 

“Alright, we’ll wait.” Jiang Yisheng understood.

 

As Bai Chu’s breathing slowly evened out, Yisheng also slowed her own, afraid of waking her.

 

But soon, they arrived near Bai Chu’s apartment complex—and she didn’t know which building she lived in.

 

“Bai Chu-jie.” She gently called her.

 

“Which building do you live in?”

 

No response. She was still sound asleep.

 

After thinking a moment, Jiang Yisheng said, “Then I’ll take you to my place, okay?”

 

The car was quiet.

 

Then Bai Chu made a faint sound—maybe a sleepy murmur.

 

Jiang Yisheng smiled. “Drive home.”

 

Once at the house, Yisheng didn’t wait for instructions and supported Bai Chu by the waist.

 

“President Jiang, let me help,” Zhang Tao offered.

 

But Bai Chu leaned more heavily on Yisheng, avoiding Zhang Tao’s hand.

 

“I’ve got her,” Jiang Yisheng said.

 

She helped Bai Chu into the house and told Aunt Wu, “Please make a fresh bowl of hangover soup and bring it to my room.”

 

The one Zhang Tao bought was cold—she didn’t want Bai Chu to drink that.

 

She helped Bai Chu into her room, took off her shoes and socks, and tucked her in.

 

She turned off the main light, leaving only a small lamp on.

 

But Bai Chu’s breathing was still uneven, occasionally exhaling long, painful sighs.

 

Yisheng held her hand—it was ice cold.

 

She quickly wrapped it in both of hers to warm it up.

 

Aunt Wu arrived with the soup.

 

“Thank you, Aunt Wu. You can rest now,” Yisheng said, taking the soup and placing it on the coffee table.

 

She propped Bai Chu up with a pillow and stirred the soup.

 

She blew on the first spoonful to cool it, then brought it to Bai Chu’s lips.

 

“Here, drink some soup,” she said softly. “Open up.”

 

Bai Chu barely opened her mouth. The soup was hot and gingery—not pleasant.

 

She frowned, cracked her eyes open, and muttered, “Tastes awful.”

 

Yisheng laughed. “You drank all that bitter wine—what’s this compared to that?”

 

“It has ginger. I hate ginger and scallions,” Bai Chu muttered.

 

It was the first time she had voiced a personal dislike in front of Yisheng.

 

“I’ll remember that. But you still need to drink this.” Yisheng coaxed, spooning more to her lips.

 

“If you drink it all, I’ll give you a piece of candy,” she said like coaxing a child.

 

Bai Chu frowned again, but obediently drank it all.

 

Once done, she turned her head away and urged, “Candy.”

 

Yisheng found a candy, unwrapped it, and brought it to her lips.

 

“Here you go,” she said with a teasing lilt.

 

Bai Chu opened her lips, and the candy went in—her lips brushed Yisheng’s fingertips softly.

 

Yisheng froze—her heart trembled at the sensation.

 

But Bai Chu’s frown finally eased, softened by the sweetness.

 

Yisheng helped her take off the suit jacket but left the shirt—she was afraid if she took that off too, she’d lose control.

 

Two buttons had already been undone earlier, and from this angle, Yisheng could see just a hint of skin.

 

Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.

 

She looked away quickly, chanting silently in her head.

 

She pulled the blanket up from neck to toe and turned off the nightlight.

 

In the faint moonlight, she studied Bai Chu’s face.

 

She must have drunk like this many times for business deals.

 

Fighting in the business world alone all these years—she must’ve endured so much.

 

Why couldn’t Bai Chu be the protagonist?

 

In novels, no matter how bitter it starts, the main character eventually gets their happy ending.

 

But for Bai Chu, the bitterness only deepened.

 

She wasn’t just seeking truth—she was digging up old wounds.

 

Her greatest enemy was the one who raised her, and even her upbringing was part of a scheme.

 

“Being used” was the theme of her life—yet she never used anyone.

 

Tears welled up in Jiang Yisheng’s eyes again from the pain she felt for her.

 

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, not wanting to disturb Bai Chu.

 

But just as she stood up, a strong hand grabbed her wrist.

 

She looked at Bai Chu—under the soft moonlight, her eyes shone like stars.

 

“Why are you crying?”

 

Yisheng sniffled. “Because you ate my candy. I’m heartbroken.”

 

She only told half a lie.

 

After a while, Bai Chu asked again, “President Jiang, are you like this with everyone?”

 

Her voice trembled slightly, uncertain and cautious.

 

“No one else gets to eat my candy,” Yisheng said coyly.

 

A soft laugh escaped. Bai Chu loosened her grip, gave her wrist a gentle squeeze, and let go.

 

“Good night.”

 

She turned away and buried herself under the covers.

 

Idiot.

 

Yisheng watched her back, mouthing silently: I’m only like this with you.

 

“Good night.”

 

Moonlight spilled into the room like flowing silk. In the soft breeze, the hidden joy beneath the veil slowly began to reveal itself.