Chapter Nineteen: Rather Let It All Out

As if he had already anticipated it, the other party quickly sent a message.

"I've checked—they don't know each other. Shen Tingxiao probably just helped Jiang Yunzho out of kindness, or maybe to go against you."

Is it really that simple?

Shen Ruizhang leaned back against his chair, feeling a wave of fatigue, and pressed his fingers to his brow, unable to push aside a memory that surfaced.

Ten years ago, before Jiang Yunzho returned to the country, Shen Tingxiao seemed to have already been abroad...

But at that time, Shen Tingxiao was still the exiled heir of the Shen family—paranoid, ruthless, and absolutely unlikely to have any connection with the innocent Jiang Yunzho.

Later, he was recognized by the Shen family, and within three years, he forced the beloved false heir out of the company, turning him into a marginalized figure.

How could someone so cold-blooded ever show genuine feeling?

And yet...

When he’d met with Shen Tingxiao previously, the man had mentioned Jiang Yunzho several times.

...

When Jiang Yunzho returned home, she went straight to the bathroom. But as soon as she stepped out, she was nearly furious enough to explode.

Someone had anonymously posted the complete video from the studio, clearing her name—a good thing, in theory.

But the problem was, Sang Bai was having a meltdown online, directly confronting Zhou Qingpei.

Sang Bai: This isn’t the first time—our Yunzho does have some connection with Shen Ruizhang, but it’s not like she stole your boyfriend. Top-tier green tea! You actually want our Yunzho to kneel and change your shoes for you? Is she even worthy? Since your marriage with Shen Ruizhang, he hasn’t even visited his own mother! @Zhou Qingpei.

Jiang Yunzho’s temples throbbed. She’d prepared for everything, but never expected Sang Bai to pull a stunt like this.

She called Sang Bai right away.

"Yunzho," Sang Bai answered, sounding surprisingly spirited. "Don’t scold me, I know I wasn’t rational, but I have no regrets."

Zhou Qingpei’s targeting of Sang Bai was, after all, because of her.

Forget it.

If Sang Bai couldn’t make it in the country anymore, she’d go abroad with her. There’s always a way forward.

"As long as you’re prepared," Jiang Yunzho said helplessly. After chatting a bit more, she hung up.

She held her phone, lost in thought.

At that moment, the sound of a car engine drifted in from outside.

Jiang Yunzho stood up and walked toward the door, heading downstairs.

She wanted to talk to Shen Ruizhang—the penalty for Sang Bai’s contract breach was too high. If she could negotiate with Shen Ruizhang, maybe some of it could be waived.

But as soon as she stepped outside, she was met with a torrential downpour, and Zhou Qingpei, wearing a pale green fitted dress, was kneeling in the rain, her figure seeming especially frail beneath the deluge.

The moment Jiang Yunzho walked out, Zhou Qingpei suddenly spoke up, her voice raised.

"Yunzho, this time it was my fault. As an artist, when I take photos, it’s often for the best outcome, so things like changing shoes or adjusting outfits are usually done by assistants or makeup artists—sometimes even my manager steps in. Today was my mistake. I shouldn't have asked you to change my shoes for me."

"And because of me, I failed to manage my fans, leading them to attack you online. Yunzho, I know the harm is done—saying sorry or asking you not to be angry is useless. All I can do now is try to appease you this way."

Behind her, Shen Ruizhang rushed out of the car.

Jiang Yunzho leaned against the door, watching quietly.

"Qingpei, what are you doing?" Shen Ruizhang supported her, trying to help her up.

But Zhou Qingpei pushed him away, her eyes fixed on Jiang Yunzho. "Yunzho is the victim. I won't stand until she forgives me. I truly didn't know things would escalate like this. If I had known, I would have been much more careful."

In the pouring rain, Zhou Qingpei looked at Jiang Yunzho, utterly wretched.

"Yunzho, I’ll keep kneeling until you’re no longer angry."

Jiang Yunzho let out a cold laugh.

So this was her way of moral coercion—how skillful.

"Yunzho," Shen Ruizhang turned to her, a hint of anxiety in his eyes. "Say something, persuade Qingpei."

"She chose to kneel," Jiang Yunzho replied expressionlessly. "I didn’t tie her up and force her to stay there."

"Jiang Yunzho!" Shen Ruizhang clearly hadn’t expected such words from her. Disappointment was plain in his eyes. "You weren’t like this before. Now you have no compassion at all!"

Compassion?

"Uncle," Jiang Yunzho looked at him heavily, "I’ve changed a long time ago—and so have you."

Her words left Shen Ruizhang speechless.

Zhou Qingpei’s body swayed, then suddenly collapsed forward!

Shen Ruizhang hurried to catch her, feeling her burning skin as he scooped her into his arms. "Doctor! Butler, call the doctor!"

As he passed by Jiang Yunzho, he didn’t spare her a single glance.

The wind brushed past—Jiang Yunzho suddenly felt a chill.

...

Zhou Qingpei came down with a high fever, and Shen Ruizhang stayed by her side the whole night, never leaving. The entire villa was restless that night.

Jiang Yunzho hid in her own room, intending to sleep quietly. In the middle of the night, she received a message from Shen Ruizhang’s new assistant.

"Ms. Jiang, our company has decided to suspend all resources for Ms. Sang. According to her contract, she is also prohibited from seeking external work."

In other words, she was blacklisted.

Jiang Yunzho didn’t reply but took a screenshot and sent it to Sang Bai.

That girl, ever nonchalant, simply replied: OK.

Immediately after, Sang Bai posted the screenshot on Weibo, with only the crucial details redacted.

The next morning, Jiang Yunzho woke up with no interest in Zhou Qingpei’s affairs. Instead, she went straight to the company. Her last remaining artist was gone; all that was left was to tidy up her own affairs.

What she could take, she would. The rest, she’d leave behind.

Sang Bai had offended Zhou Qingpei and had no future in the domestic industry—her only option was to try her luck overseas.

As for her team—

Those willing to follow, Jiang Yunzho would find a way to take with her. Those who weren’t, she’d let them go.

Halfway through sorting, a phone number popped up on her screen. Jiang Yunzho paused, her hand shaking with a trace of excitement.

That number hadn’t called her in ages.

She answered.

A clear, unfamiliar male voice came through, quite different from the boy she’d last spoken to years ago—now touched with the mature timbre unique to men.

"Yunzho, it’s been a long time."

Jiang Yunzho was surprised and a little nostalgic. "It has. How have you been these past years?"

On the other end, Shen Tingxiao lowered his eyes to look at the screen, as if gazing through the phone at her, his expression inexpressibly gentle. "Not too badly."

Eleven years ago, Jiang Yunzho was thirteen, Shen Tingxiao fifteen.

It was one of those rare, exceptionally fine days in country M—a winter day that wasn’t too cold.