Secretly Seducing the Third Female Lead Behind the System’s Back - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: I Miss You

Jiang Yisheng quickly browsed through the novel app, trying to pick out an interesting book.

Suddenly, a name caught her eye.

It was a romance novel, and the female lead’s name was:

Yu Mushan.

Jiang Yisheng’s eyes widened instantly. Just as she was about to click into it, the office door opened.

“Shengsheng, time to go.” Yu Mushan walked over, calling out with a smile.

“Oh, right.” Jiang Yisheng closed the app, stood up, got dressed, and left the office with Yu Mushan.

On the way, Yu Mushan’s assistant Hua Zhang sat in the front seat, while Yu Mushan and Jiang Yisheng sat in the middle, and Zhang Tao sat in the back.

Jiang Yisheng connected her phone via Bluetooth to choose some music, humming as she scrolled.

Yu Mushan glanced at her and couldn’t help but ask, “You’re in such a good mood?”

Jiang Yisheng replied playfully, “Of course I’m happy—going out with my mom!”

“Oh, please, it’s not because of me,” Yu Mushan teased.

Jiang Yisheng chuckled, picked an instrumental track, and tapped her fingers rhythmically on her knee.

The meeting was at a teahouse. Jiang Yisheng followed Yu Mushan into a private room.

Inside were two people who looked like father and daughter.

When they saw Yu Mushan, they quickly stood up.

“Old classmate! I’ve been waiting for you,” the man said, approaching with outstretched hands.

“Hope it wasn’t too long. I had some matters to handle this morning,” Yu Mushan replied, shaking his hand.

“We just got here,” the man responded, then looked at Jiang Yisheng. “This must be young President Jiang. You’re looking more and more like your mother.”

“Hello, Uncle Chen. I’ve heard a lot about you—my mom says you were top of your class, and after starting your own business, became a model in the industry.” Jiang Yisheng greeted him with a handshake. Yu Mushan had introduced him on the way there, so she was prepared for the pleasantries.

The man laughed heartily and shook her hand. “I still remember your mom finishing all her university credits in just two years, and getting her company listed after only three. She’s the industry leader, no doubt.”

Jiang Yisheng laughed along. Clearly, the two had a strong friendship.

“Hello, Aunt Shan. Hello, Sister Yisheng.” A gentle voice spoke up.

Yu Mushan turned and smiled warmly. “Zhizhi, is that you?”

“Yes, Aunt Shan.” The girl nodded sweetly.

“My, you’ve grown so much.” Yu Mushan looked genuinely surprised. “Last time I saw you, you were still in middle school. Come here, let me see you.”

Chen Shuzhi walked over and smiled at both of them.

“I remember you’re four years younger than Shengsheng, so you must be twenty-two now,” Yu Mushan said, slightly nostalgic.

“Yes, I’m about to start my master’s.”

Yu Mushan turned to introduce her to Jiang Yisheng. “This is Uncle Chen’s daughter, Chen Shuzhi. You two met when you were little.”

“Hello,” Jiang Yisheng greeted her with a smile.

“Hello, Sister,” Chen Shuzhi replied again.

“No need to stand—come, sit and chat,” Chen Qing’an said, gesturing to everyone.

They sat down, and Chen Shuzhi poured tea for them.

Yu Mushan and Chen Qing’an hadn’t seen each other in years, so they had a lot of catching up to do.

Jiang Yisheng occasionally smiled politely at Chen Shuzhi, but mostly sipped tea while secretly sending WeChat messages to Bai Chu.

“I miss you”

“So bored”

“What are you doing?”

Bai Chu didn’t reply for a long time. Jiang Yisheng knew she was in class, so she reluctantly locked her phone.

Yu Mushan had said this was supposed to be “training.” At this point, Jiang Yisheng felt more like she was being trained to nap. The two elders just wouldn’t stop talking.

She stifled a yawn behind her hand and looked at Chen Shuzhi through sleepy eyes. The girl was still sitting upright, sipping tea gracefully and smiling at their conversation.

A true lady, Jiang Yisheng thought admiringly.

Her own butt was starting to hurt from the hard seat.

Eventually, the conversation shifted to business.

Yu Mushan already knew Chen Qing’an’s capabilities, and with their history, forming a partnership was a natural decision.

They scheduled the contract signing for next Monday at Yujiang Group.

On the way back, Jiang Yisheng reclined her seat, finally able to rest a bit.

Yu Mushan covered her with a blanket and casually asked, “What do you think of Uncle Chen and his daughter?”

“They’re nice,” Jiang Yisheng said, rubbing her lower back.

“How long do you think we should sign the contract for?” Yu Mushan asked again.

Jiang Yisheng looked puzzled. “With your relationship with him, can’t it be as long as you want?”

“One year at most,” Yu Mushan replied, turning to look at her.

“Why?” Jiang Yisheng asked, confused.

“He’s a well-known figure in the industry, and it’s his first time approaching me for a partnership. Based on their company’s strength and our history, it should be a win-win deal.

“But the founder of his company was actually his wife.”

Yu Mushan’s tone grew more serious as she explained.

“They met in university. Before they even got together, she already had entrepreneurial ideas, but Chen Qing’an didn’t believe she’d succeed.

“After graduation, she launched the company and he joined her. But after she gave birth, the company’s legal representative changed to him.”

“I recently ran into his wife at a banquet. I tried to talk to her about the company, but she said she hasn’t been involved in a long time. I thought maybe she just wanted to focus on family more.

“Turns out, ever since giving birth, she wasn’t allowed back at the company.”

Jiang Yisheng frowned. “How could he do that?”

Yu Mushan looked down at the diamond ring on her hand. “That’s why we’re only signing a one-year deal. If not for our relationship and the pressure from the industry, I wouldn’t sign at all.”

So he wasn’t as impressive as he looked. He just climbed on the shoulders of a giant, then kicked her away once he got to the top.

So this is the “training” she meant. Jiang Yisheng finally understood.

She looked out the window and sighed silently. Things like this really do happen all the time in the real world.

Human nature is the same everywhere.

By the time she returned to the company, it was already afternoon, and Bai Chu was still in training.

She could only rest in her office for a while.

Just as she sat down, she remembered the novel she saw that morning, so she opened the app to search again.

She couldn’t remember the title, and searching by the character name didn’t help either.

Maybe I misread it earlier.

Jiang Yisheng shook her head and exited the app.

She yawned. Bai Chu would be out in another thirty minutes, so she decided to nap a little.

Just as she got up to head to the small side room, the office door suddenly slammed open.

She jumped in fright.

Standing before her was An Hao, looking furious, chest heaving, eyes red.

“You seriously have no manners,” Jiang Yisheng complained, displeased.

Right behind An Hao, Zhang Tao and the bodyguards rushed in.

Zhang Tao signaled to the guards to wait after glancing at Jiang Yisheng’s expression.

Jiang Yisheng sat back down and crossed her arms, looking annoyed. “What brings you here, President An?”

“Jiang Yisheng, I’ve told you many times—I don’t like you. Can you please stop torturing me?” An Hao shouted, veins bulging on his neck.

Jiang Yisheng figured this was about the anniversary banquet at Yujiang.

“I don’t like you either,” she said flatly.

“Then why?!” An Hao slammed his hands on her desk. “Yes, my parents want to pair us up because they’re after Yujiang’s resources.

“But I’m not like them! I love Youran, and I would never do anything to betray her.”

“So why are you telling me this?” Jiang Yisheng asked. “You don’t seriously think Yuran is ignoring you because of me, do you?”

“If not you, then who?” An Hao’s temper flared again at the mention.

“Couldn’t it just be your own fault?” Jiang Yisheng replied. “You say you love He Yuran—what kind of love is that, and what exactly do you bring to the table?”

“You offer her tiny acts of kindness, but when it really mattered, did you actually choose her?”

“You knew she’d be upset if you attended the banquet with me. If you truly wanted to leave, could I have stopped you?” Jiang Yisheng tilted her chin.

She admitted she played a part, but in the end, the decision was An Hao’s.

She was merely a test for their relationship—and judging by the results, An Hao had failed.

An Hao clenched his jaw, falling silent.

“You said you’re different from your parents, but in the end, you still showed up with me. How are your choices any different from theirs?”

“And now that He Youran is ignoring you, you don’t reflect on yourself—you come and interrogate me instead. Have you really thought about what you did wrong?”

The more she looked at him, the angrier she got.

How did someone this useless get to be the male lead?

“I don’t need your lectures,” An Hao said through gritted teeth.

“I don’t have time to lecture you.” Jiang Yisheng rolled her eyes. “You’re not welcome here. Please leave.”

An Hao took two deep breaths, then turned and slammed the door behind him.

Only then did Zhang Tao speak. “I’m sorry, President Jiang. He rushed in too fast—I couldn’t stop him.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about that lunatic,” Jiang Yisheng waved it off casually.

The next second, the office door opened again.

Everyone looked up—it was Bai Chu.

When Zhang Tao looked back, Jiang Yisheng was already slumped in her chair with the most pitiful expression, as if she was about to cry.

She reached out toward Bai Chu.

“Chu-jie…” Her voice was soft and sweet.

Bai Chu’s heart melted at the sight. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around her, letting Jiang Yisheng lean into her.

“What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yisheng hugged her tightly around the waist. “I missed you…”

Her muffled voice, feather-light and warm, swept softly across Bai Chu’s heart.