Shang Xuci pondered for a moment, then turned and left. On the way, he ran into a gardener, who told him to go to the back garden first.
Jian Xun had to put in some effort to drag Xu Tutu to the front door. Since both he and Xu Tutu were wearing hats, it was hard to see what they were doing. After Xu Tutu cleared his head with some fresh air, Jian Xun hailed a car, gave the driver the address, and took him home.
As soon as Xu Tutu left, Jian Xun returned to his room, transformed into a cat, and went to look for Shang Xuci.
“Meow.”
“Sui Sui.” Standing in the bedroom, Shang Xuci walked toward the cat, one hand cupping its sturdy hindquarters, the other pinching its ears. Remembering the cat’s words, he felt as if something precious—once lost—had been restored to him.
He wanted to tell him that he would never be with anyone else, that his feelings for Meng Jingxue were only friendship, and that he would never let go of his cat. Whether he was a cat or a human, whether a few years or a decade had passed, as long as he lived, he would never give him up and would always love him.
Telling this to Sui Sui might not make the cat understand. But when Jian Xun finally opened up and told him the truth—that he was Sui Sui, his cat—Shang Xuci wanted to make a promise to the insecure man.
Shang Xuci himself wasn’t secure either. When he saw his grandmother collapse that afternoon, he felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar, frozen solid. His blood reeled. He was afraid things would never change, and he was equally afraid that Sui Sui would leave him one day.
Hearing the little cat’s words, his heart warmed and calmed.
The cat felt the heat of the man’s gaze, even more intense than usual. He held her in a close, intimate embrace.
The big white cat stretched out its front paws, pressing its paw pads against the man’s cheek, staring at him firmly while meowing softly.
“Meow—”
It’s okay. Grandma will be fine.
“I’ll take you to see her after dinner.”
“Meow.”
…
Gu Zhen was hospitalized, and Shang Xuci spent countless hours at her side. Sui Sui also lay by her bedside, running to Shang Xuci whenever there was any movement.
Once things stabilized, Jian Xun returned to work, using his annual leave to make up for the time off.
Study.
Shang Xuci obtained Xu Tutu’s information. His background was similar to Jian Xun’s: both had lost their parents and grown up in an orphanage. The difference was that Xu Tutu only had a high school diploma and had graduated from a special school.
He had looked into the school, and it seemed that all the students there were non-human. Only those paying close attention would notice its unusual nature—it offered classes from elementary through university level.
At noon, while Shang Xuci and Jian Xun were having lunch together, he pretended to casually ask about Xu Tutu’s situation. This further confirmed both her identity and her attitude toward her previous owner.
Thinking Xu Huai’s change might be connected to the cat, Shang Xuci planned to bring up the matter during contract negotiations in a few days.
…
Shang Group.
Shang Ye stared solemnly at the latest issue of a financial magazine, which analyzed the Shang Group’s recent performance—and it was dismal.
Some experts predicted that if the current situation continued, the group would be bankrupt within six months.
Shang Jue was ill and had been recuperating. A few days ago, word of the crisis reached the old man, who flew into a rage and called an emergency family meeting for tomorrow night.
The thought of what awaited him then filled Shang Ye with irritation. He dropped his pen on the table and pressed his temples.
Knock, knock—
Xu Rong pushed the door open.
“These are former partners. They’re all withdrawing their investments.” She placed the documents on Shang Ye’s desk and caught sight of his gloomy expression. After a moment’s thought, she added, “It’s eight o’clock tonight. The Xu family’s youngest daughter is having her birthday. Don’t lock yourself up in here—go out, meet some people. Maybe that problem will find a solution.”
“No.” Shang Ye frowned. He was about to be put on trial in front of the family tomorrow night, and he had no mood for parties.
…
Seven o’clock in the evening.
Shang Ye appeared at the Xu residence, still in his suit and tie, a polite smile on his face as he headed straight for his target.
He knew the Xu family’s youngest daughter was interested in him, and Shang Ye wanted to try a different approach—perhaps it could save the company.
Xu Xiaoxiao was surprised to see him. She walked over, exclaiming, “Senior, you’re here?!”
The two were alumni.
They chatted for a while, Shang Ye maintaining a graceful smile throughout. Xu Xiaoxiao was so amused that she couldn’t stop laughing. When the party officially began, Shang Ye invited her to share the first dance.
Jiang Yuanqing was also there. When a friend mentioned she thought she’d seen Shang Ye, Jiang Yuanqing didn’t believe it. Before arriving, she had even run into Xu Rong, who said she’d invited Shang Ye but he had declined.
Shang Ye had indeed been busy with company matters lately and hadn’t had time for dates. Jiang Yuanqing had been understanding. After all, they were both career-oriented, putting work before anything else. She herself had been focused on filming, carefully studying her scripts and roles. They admired this trait in each other.
But as time went on, Jiang Yuanqing began to feel that Shang Ye wasn’t as remarkable as she’d once imagined. The few times she saw him helpless in the face of work challenges made her realize her boyfriend was just an ordinary man.
“Look, it really is Mr. Shang!” a friend whispered, tugging her inside. “He’s dancing with Xu Xiaoxiao!”
At first, Jiang Yuanqing refused to believe it. But when she saw the man’s face on the dance floor, it was indeed Shang Ye—and her smile froze.
She texted him, then stared blankly as the dance ended. Afterward, she slipped away to a quiet corner and called him.
“Honey, are you still busy?”
Shang Ye covered his phone, stepped quickly outside, and after a brief pause answered, “Yes.”
“Are you still at the company? I just got off work and thought I’d come see you.” Jiang Yuanqing’s tone was casual, unlike her usual warmth. From the third-floor balcony, she happened to glance down and spotted Shang Ye standing in the courtyard.
“No need.” Shang Ye turned his head to look at Xu Xiaoxiao, who was waiting for him in the lobby, then continued, “I’ll be working overtime very late. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Jiang Yuanqing said coquettishly. “Then we have a deal. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
After hanging up, her expression darkened, a mixture of emotions clouding her face. Shang Ye had actually lied to her!
Soon after, Jiang Yuanqing lost all desire to stay and went straight home.
…
Weekend.
Shang Wei went to the hospital to pick up Shang Jue. Feeling weak and unwell, he decided to get a checkup. When the results came back, he was devastated.
How could he have that disease? Shang Wei consulted another doctor, but the results were the same. His face turned pale in an instant, and he walked out of the hospital trembling.
Just as he left, he saw Xu Rong on the other side of the street, arm in arm with a man, behaving intimately.
So this woman had cheated on him before, and now she dared to do it again!
Shang Wei felt even worse. He rushed forward angrily, only to lose them around a corner. His phone vibrated in his pocket—it was Shang Jue calling.
Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Shang Wei recalled Shang Xuci’s words. He forced himself to take a deep breath, calm down, turn around, and slowly walk back.
…
Xinyu Company.
Shang Xuci checked the time. He had to leave work early today. Since Shang Jue already knew about the Shang Group’s difficulties, the purpose of tonight’s dinner was obvious.
He expected another argument, and he didn’t want to bring Sui Sui along.
After sending a message to Jian Xun, Shang Xuci pulled two concert tickets from his drawer and waited quietly.
The moment Jian Xun entered, he asked, “Boss, what do you want to talk about?”
Shang Xuci slid the tickets across the desk. “There’s a concert tomorrow night. Can you come with me?”
“Okay.” Jian Xun agreed readily. He still remembered the last time Shang Xuci had locked Maomao in the room and gone to the concert alone on the cruise ship. Was this compensation? Even if it wasn’t for Sui Sui, he didn’t mind.
After agreeing, Jian Xun carefully examined the tickets, flicking them between his fingers as he walked briskly back to his workstation.
A female colleague, noticing his joy, asked, “What’s that? Did your boss give it to you?”
Just moments ago, everyone had seen him enter Mr. Shang’s office. His cheeks were rosy when he went in and just as rosy when he came out, waving a slip of paper in his hand. No one had ever seen him so happy at work—except during holidays or payday.
“Concert tickets.” Jian Xun sat at his desk, proudly holding them up for her to see.
At once, the others rushed over. “Wow, you’re going to watch this with your boss?”
Jian Xun quickly explained, worried they’d get the wrong idea: “It’s just part of the job.”
After all, the newly signed contract included escort duties as part of the three-escort agreement.
Meng Jingxue, who happened to be passing by, overheard and stopped in her tracks to look over.
“Jian Xun.”
They had last met at Ludao Garden, and they were already somewhat familiar with each other. Meng Jingxue recalled how, on several occasions, she had accidentally spotted Jian Xun getting out of Shang Xuci’s car—always from the passenger seat, a place she herself had never been allowed to sit.
So that seat was reserved for him?
And now this talk of “accompanying”? Meng Jingxue couldn’t help but think negatively. Could Shang Xuci really be that kind of man—playing games and keeping someone like a mistress?
She didn’t like to speculate, but her curiosity pushed her forward. As she approached, the group surrounding Jian Xun scattered.
“Miss Meng.” Jian Xun was flustered. It seemed she had overheard what he’d just said. Had she misunderstood?
“Are you living with Shang Xuci now?” Meng Jingxue asked with a smile.
Jian Xun nodded, then immediately shook his head, blurting out almost desperately, “I’m just doing this for the money. There’s nothing going on between us.”
Little did he know, his explanation only deepened her misunderstanding. She had already asked the security guard at Ludao Garden, who confirmed that Jian Xun did indeed live there.
Meng Jingxue wasn’t deeply interested in Jian Xun himself; what fascinated her was Shang Xuci’s attitude toward him. Now that she had uncovered this hidden side, she wanted to dig deeper.
“Shang Xuci is coming back to the old house tonight,” she said casually. “How about I treat you to dinner?”
“Huh?” Jian Xun was bewildered. Why would Meng Jingxue invite him to dinner? Did she want to pry into Shang Xuci’s affairs?
“I’ll meet you downstairs at five.” Without giving him a chance to refuse, Meng Jingxue smiled and left, as if the matter was already settled.
The nearby colleagues, who had been eavesdropping with great interest, whispered among themselves: “Is this turning into a Shura field?!”
“Jian Xun won’t get bullied, will he?”
One female colleague close to Jian Xun suggested gently that he didn’t have to go if he didn’t want to.
Jian Xun nodded and said he’d think about it.
Not long after, Secretary Fu informed him that Shang Xuci had left work early and returned home. Around five o’clock, Meng Jingxue called. After some hesitation, Jian Xun finally agreed.
The restaurant was near the musical theater, so he figured he could wait for Shang Xuci there afterward.
…
The old Shang family residence.
When Shang Xuci arrived, everyone was already seated at the table.
Shang Jue sat in a wheelchair, a thin blanket draped over his lap.
The old man was very frail now; the fall had nearly cost him his life. After surgery, his body had withered and his face had grown gaunt, yet his cloudy eyes still retained a sharp gleam.
Shang Yan and Shang Dao sat beside him, both looking far younger than their father. Shang Xuci hadn’t seen the three brothers sitting together so peacefully in a long time. It seemed their grandfather understood what he meant.
Shang Ye stood between Xu Rong and Shang Wei, composed and unflinching. He turned and gave Shang Xuci a polite smile.
In addition to these familiar faces, there were also members from the eldest and second uncles’ households, as well as Shang Jue’s most trusted confidants.
An empty seat was left next to Shang Jue. Shang Xuci knew the old man had reserved it for him, but instead he drew out a chair near the door and sat down, saying calmly, “Everyone’s here. Let’s begin.”
Shang Jue noticed Shang Xuci sitting at the farthest end. He frowned slightly, let out a quiet sigh, then raised his voice: “I believe everyone knows why I called you here, don’t you?”
His gaze swept across the room before settling on Shang Ye.
No one spoke, not even Shang Ye, who kept his head lowered, looking as though he were listening respectfully.
At a signal from Shang Jue, the aide behind him stepped forward, laying several documents on the table.
The old man struck his cane against the floor and thundered, “It hasn’t been long since I handed over power, and yet you’ve already reduced the Shang family’s generations of hard work to this state! If you keep concealing things from me, the next time you’ll be telling me we’re bankrupt!”
Shang Yan slouched in his chair, sneering coldly at his younger brother. Shang Dao, meanwhile, glanced nervously at both elder and younger brothers, tormented over how he might mediate their quarrel.
Even so, Shang Jue’s fury was justified.
Calling each of them by name, he demanded, “Tell me your solutions.”
Shang Wei, who had already received a plan from Shang Xuci, responded first. He explained what he was doing, then turned to Shang Yan and said, “That depends on my uncle and the others.”
Shang Yan snorted. “I’ve already said—Yuanqu is my life’s work.”
He hadn’t begged Shang Ye to step in; he had signed the contract himself. Now that the two companies had reached this point, whether they could still be saved—or even if they went bankrupt—he would never ask Shang Jue for help. As the eldest son, he still resented that his father had given the family business to his younger brother. Shang Yan had never let that go.
Now, if they wanted the companies to merge, it would have to be Shang Jue who came to him.
“What’s the point of stalling? Just say it.”