Dark clouds rolled outside the window, a harbinger of change.
Jiang Pianran gently placed the tea cup on the tray and calmly looked at the noble lady dressed in a ruyi-style qipao in front of her, and said, "Mother, in the end, you cast your vote for Jiang Jingqiao."
"The result of the board of directors is out, and I am only two votes behind Jingqiao. These two votes are from you and Uncle, correct?"
Though the voting at the meeting was anonymous, Jiang Pianran didn't need to investigate to know where those two votes had gone.
She came to ask Ren Qiyu so as to accept her loss in all clarity.
Ren Qiyu casually picked up the tea in front of her and took a sip, "Pianran, you shouldn't fight with your younger brother. The Jiang family will be his sooner or later, so is the position of chairman."
Jiang Pianran chuckled, "Mother, a week ago at the tender meeting, Jiang Jingqiao insisted on sticking his neck out, causing the group to lose fifty million for nothing! Think about how many times I had to clean up after him this year! I didn't fight him for what was rightfully mine."
Ren Qiyu placed her cup down with a "snap," her tone suddenly sharp, "Jiang Pianran, who are you talking to?"
"The Jiang family is Jingqiao's! The company is also Jingqiao's! If you are more capable than Jingqiao, as his sister, you should spare no effort to help him! Not embarrass him on the board of directors, not fight him!"
Jiang Pianran cast her gaze down, her vision falling on Ren Qiyu's bright red nails, her heart aching.
She didn't argue, she didn't speak, in fact, on her way here Pianran already seemed to foresee Qiyu's attitude. But she overestimated her own ability to bear it.
No matter how well she did or how excellent she was from childhood to now, she could never compete with her brother Jiang Jingqiao's simple words - "Mom, I want this."
The Jiang family was a family deeply rooted in a male-biased mentality; Jiang Pianran had already gone numb to it.
After Ren Qiyu finished scolding, she straightened her clothes and stood up from the stool, "Mom, sometimes I really doubt whether I am your own child. I will move out."
Ren Qiyu took a glance at her, with a weird tone said: "Grown your wings now?"
"It's true, you should move out and live on your own, since you're already with Jia Zhi, you should hold on to him tightly! I won't tolerate any willfulness regarding this marriage!"
Jiang Xuanran didn't hesitate as she left the tearoom.
Upon seeing Jiang Xuanran coming out, the secretary Xiao Ye quickly put her coat over her, "Ms. Jiang, it's raining outside."
Beyond the tearoom, there was a traditional Chinese courtyard. The Jiang family was a prestigious and wealthy family in Kyoto, and the house was decorated in a grand, traditional Chinese style.
A few drops of rain splashed onto Jiang Xuanran's sleeve. She glanced at the murky sky and quickly departed.
A white Bentley was flashing at the door. After the two got in, they drove into the heavy rain until they disappeared from sight.
The atmosphere inside the car was eerily silent. Jiang Xuanran had kept her eyes closed and leaned back in her seat after getting in, looking extremely tired.
Over the years, Xiao Ye had followed Jiang Xuanran on numerous business ventures across the country, but she had never seen her like this. Jiang Xuanran didn't say a single word after leaving the tearoom where she has spent less than ten minutes. Her sadness run deep, as if her heart was dead.
It made sense when Xiao Ye thought about it. After strategizing and planning for over half a year, to be pushed away by the person closest to her was something nobody would take well.
At this moment, the cell phone emitted a few subtle vibrations. "Buzz buzz buzz".
Jiang Xuanran slowly picked it up and saw five new messages had popped up.
After reading the contents of the messages, Jiang Xuanran's eyes suddenly darkened.
Five pictures, each from a different angle, were taken on a bed.
The man sleeping soundly in the photographs was her boyfriend — Yan Jia Zhi, someone Jiang Xuanran knew only too well.
But the woman laughing wickedly under his arm was unknown to her. This woman, with a victorious expression on her face was making a V-sign at the camera.
What a double dose of joy!
After planning for half a year, she failed to secure the position and on top of that, her current boyfriend cheated on her. The mistress even had the audacity to flaunt the affair in front of her, which left no room for doubt about how long they've been seeing each other.
Recalling the frequent business trips Yan Jiazhi had made to Fengcheng over the past six months, everything suddenly made sense.
Jiang Pianran's relationship with Yan Jiazhi was a business marriage. Everyone in their social circles knew about their relationship and due to their strong ambition, they respected each other like colleagues rather than lovers. Their relationship was superficial.
Their meetings in a month could be counted on one's fingers and if they got busy, they barely saw each other.
Although she didn't love him, Jiang Pianran always maintained her dignity and never did anything to hurt Yan Jiazhi.
She thought they would get married eventually and lead a proper life. But she didn't expect herself to be cheated on like this!
And this mistress had the nerve to flaunt their affair in front of her!
Thinking about it, Jiang Pianran felt a surge of anger.
Well, since it's come to this, he shouldn't blame her for not being virtuous.
Jiang Pianran closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her demeanor had completely changed.
"Come move your stuff out tomorrow."
"Yes."
"You don't need to return to the office. Go to the Jinling Hotel."
When the Bentley arrived at the Jinling Hotel, the night was filled with a depressing heavy rain.
The presidential suite on the top floor of the hotel was dark, a drunk man was sprawled out, sound asleep on the large double bed.
Under the dim light from the floor-to-ceiling windows, Jiang Pianran walked to the side of the bed and surveyed He Chi on it, "Today is my unlucky day, and it's yours too."
Jiang Pianran always had a Plan B, and He Chi was her Plan B.
Yan Jiazhi was unfaithful, there was no necessity for her to maintain chastity. A business alliance didn't have to be exclusively with Yan Jiazhi; there were other candidates, she was not bound to him!
Speaking of family background, He Chi, the third young master of the He family, was not inferior to Yan Jiazhi.
However, when it came to the degree of philandering, He Chi was notoriously frivolous in the capital circle.
But, Jiang Pianran initially thought that Yan Jiazhi was a rare good man in this circle. In fact? He was actually a superficially cultured scoundrel.
If He Chi enjoyed playing around, one openly, one in secret, there's no need for the older brother to belittle the younger brother.
In any case, neither seemed reliable, so she might as well choose someone with an attractive facade, at least that would be pleasing to the eyes.
Looking at He Chi on the bed, Jiang Pianran slowly leaned over and gently stroked the bridge of his nose with her finger.
The face, media acclaimed as the most handsome model, was indeed not bad, at the very least much more handsome than Yan Jiazhi's.
He Chi subtly turned his face to one side, avoiding Jiang Pianran's fingertip.
Her fingertip met air, so Jiang Pianran reached out to undo the man's shirt buttons, when suddenly, her cool hand was gripped by a hot, large one.
"…"
Jiang Pianran thought He Chi had woken up, but to her surprise, He Chi merely squeezed her hand then his arm fell back down limp.
Jiang Pianran chuckled, standing up from the bed. "Tequila is strong liquor. If you're drunk, you better lie down."
The man didn't respond, but his silence was quite expected.
Jiang Pianran left He Chi in nothing but a pair of black underwear, before taking off to the bathroom for a shower.
When she emerged from the bathroom, the formidable Jiang who ruled over corporations was no more. Instead, she was replaced by a tantalizing figure, wrapped in nothing but a towel.
After the shower, Jiang Pianran collected her thoughts, sitting on the bed, debating whether to continue this path indefinitely. If she were to quit now, there would still be a chance to turn back.
The surroundings were silent, and He Chi, who was lying on the bed, had opened his eyes at some point. His gaze trailed over Jiang Pianran's shoulder and neck, his deep dark eyes impenetrable.
As the fog began to thicken, who was the real prey?
