After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 62

“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on bringing her along, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Stop wailing like a ghost. Nothing actually happened, did it?”

“I don’t care! My Ginger… if something happens to you, what am I going to do?”

Sun Jiabao sat in the courtyard, throwing a tantrum at her older cousin. Her voice was so loud it drifted up into the attic room.

Shen Xiaojiang knitted her brows tightly, squinting her eyes as she woke from a deep sleep, unable to adjust to the sudden light.

An unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar bed.

She felt a bit dazed. Where was she?

Auntie…

“Auntie!” Shen Xiaojiang suddenly sat bolt upright, her chest heaving.

She was alone on the somewhat tidy twin bed. Was everything that happened last night really just a hallucination brought on by being drunk?

Just then, Shen Xiaojiang heard Sun Jiabao’s voice from the courtyard downstairs. She dragged herself toward the window and pushed open the long neglected old wooden frame, calling out, “Sun Jiabao.”

The person addressed didn’t seem to hear her. Shen Xiaojiang called out again.

Sun Jiabao looked up sharply. The moment she located the source of the voice, she almost wept with joy.

Moments later, she appeared in the small room. The floorboards creaked under her weight, sounding as if the whole building might collapse if she ran any faster.

“Ginger, you’re finally awake! You scared me to death!” She gripped Shen Xiaojiang’s shoulders, her expression and tone equally exaggerated.

“Hey, hey, hey… if you don’t let go of me, something really will happen,” Shen Xiaojiang patted her arms.

“Ginger, if you have such a low tolerance for alcohol, you should have told me earlier,” Sun Jiabao sat on the edge of the bed. “My cousin made some porridge, she’ll bring it up for you in a bit.”

“Low tolerance? What do you mean?” Shen Xiaojiang clearly remembered that the last person she saw was Chen Yi. And at that time, she hadn’t felt very drunk.

“Ginger baby, it looks like you were really out of it. My cousin and I nearly dug up this old house looking for you. We finally found you in the furthest stall of the restroom. You were passed out cold. I was so terrified…”

“Oh, right. When we found you, we found this next to you.” As she spoke, Sun Jiabao pulled out a soiled Persimmon Bear plush. “I remember this, it’s yours.”

Shen Xiaojiang stared at the Persimmon Bear in Sun Jiabao’s hand. Recalling everything from the previous night, she knew it wasn’t a hallucination. It was real.

Whatever Sun Jiabao said afterward, Shen Xiaojiang filtered out. Her mind was occupied by the image of Chen Yi leaning softly into her arms so soft, so cold, sharp tongued yet heartless.

“Coward,” Shen Xiaojiang suddenly blurted out.

Sun Jiabao blinked hard, bewildered. “Huh? Who?”

Shen Xiaojiang lowered her head, her heart aching. That cowardly and cruel woman had truly abandoned her. Last night was, perhaps, their final “fling.”

Just then, her phone on the nightstand lit up.

“Ginger, I think you have a call,” Sun Jiabao said.

Shen Xiaojiang didn’t move. Sun Jiabao sighed, walked over, and handed it to her. “Here, your phone.”

Shen Xiaojiang continued to stare blankly at the bedsheets.

Sun Jiabao caught a glimpse of the screen. “Hey, look! It’s your counselor! Your counselor is calling!”

Usually, the counselor rarely contacted her since Shen Xiaojiang wasn’t a class officer. Shen Xiaojiang set aside her low spirits, took the phone, cleared her throat, and answered.

It was another campus recruitment season. Influential companies from across the country were starting to hunt for talent. These recruitments weren’t just for juniors and seniors; they were open to outstanding students from all levels.

The counselor gave her a brief overview: this early recruitment involved only three companies, all of them prestigious tech “rising stars.” The requirements for students were exceptionally high. Shen Xiaojiang was the “golden brand” of the department, and the Dean had specifically recommended her. All three companies were interested in her and wanted to meet her in person.

When she arrived at the university, the counselor was already waiting at the entrance of the teaching building. Shen Xiaojiang paused for a moment, squeezed the strap of her chest bag, took a small deep breath, and walked toward her.

“Shen Xiaojiang, you’re finally here. The Dean has been waiting for a while.”

The counselor was a young woman who always had a smile on her face and was very kind to the students.

“The Dean?” Shen Xiaojiang asked, confused.

The counselor handed her a stack of brochures. “Xiaojiang, this is for Wanning Electronic Technology, this is Wisdom Electronics, and this is Zhongde Tech. Read through them quickly.”

Actually, Shen Xiaojiang had already received the digital versions on her way there. There was no need to read them again. It was clear the counselor was more nervous than she was.

“Wanning Electronics is one of the top tech companies in the country. Students in your major dream of getting in. This is a rare opportunity, you must seize it.” The counselor placed high hopes on Shen Xiaojiang, who had been the provincial top scorer in the science stream.

Shen Xiaojiang nodded with a smile. She had heard of Wanning Electronics; they frequently appeared as sponsors for major national science and technology programs.

Nancheng University was a first class national university, and its computer science department was among the best. But even so, Shen Xiaojiang didn’t feel like she had to be hired by a giant like Wanning during early recruitment. She was only going into her junior year, the road ahead was long, more companies would rise, and more opportunities would come.

Consequently, Shen Xiaojiang appeared composed and unburdened. She even began to comfort her counselor. “It’s okay, don’t worry. Even if I don’t get hired, there’s a long way to go.”

The counselor patted her shoulder and said earnestly, “You have to understand, early recruitment isn’t just a recognition of your ability it’s a bridge to your future. So many students would kill for this. If you get hired, forget about being recommended for grad school overseas study at public expense would be a given. Don’t be so casual, show your best self when you meet the leaders.”

“Okay, okay, I understand,” Shen Xiaojiang replied obediently.

At the Dean’s office, Shen Xiaojiang followed politely behind the counselor.

“President, Dean, leaders of the companies..hello. This is the student I mentioned, Shen Xiaojiang from the sophomore Computer Science class.” The counselor stepped aside to let her forward.

The President’s office was traditional. A magnificent landscape painting hung on the wall facing the door, and a Clivia plant sat on the massive solid wood desk.

Upon seeing her, the Dean of the Computer Science department stepped forward first, his face wrinkling with a smile. “Here she is. ‘Shen’ as in Shen Congwen, ‘Jiang’ as in Ginger. This student has left a deep impression on me. The other students call her the ‘Goddess of Exams’ whatever she takes, she passes.”

Shen Xiaojiang remembered this Dean he was a total old school “slippery fox.” Being introduced like that for the first time was so embarrassing she felt she could dig out a luxury villa with her toes.

A group of people sat on the guest sofas by the desk men and women, some with glasses, some without. She gave them a constrained smile and sat in the seat arranged by the Dean.

The hour-long conversation that followed was relatively simple and dry. The three companies introduced their product directions and corporate cultures. They asked about her family, academic background, future career plans, and expected salary and position.

“ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest Gold Medal,” “Blue Bridge Cup National Software Professional Talent Design and Entrepreneurship Contest Gold Medal…”

Once Shen Xiaojiang presented these high-caliber certificates, the tone of the recruitment changed completely. It was no longer companies picking a student; it was three companies fighting over one Shen Xiaojiang.

Everyone was dressed formally except for one person.

“Student Shen, would you be interested in visiting our company?” The speaker was Bai Shuhua, the CEO of Wanning Electronic Technology. She was thirty-four, young, and highly successful.

She had shortish hair tied in a half-bun and wore black rimmed glasses. A white tight fitting T-shirt hugged her lean, toned figure, and a black necklace hung down to her chest. Beneath a loose, multi-layered black gauze skirt, her straight, slender legs were partially visible. The neon pink studded high heels on her feet were jarring, yet somehow, they matched her bold face perfectly.

She smiled at Shen Xiaojiang, waiting for an answer.

Shen Xiaojiang blinked and looked at the President and Dean, then at her counselor. The counselor couldn’t hide her excitement and kept nodding and smiling. Everyone watched her as if she were a priceless artifact.

“Visiting the company isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean you must choose us just because you visit. You have your own judgment, you are an independent individual. Whatever you choose, I will support you.” Bai Shuhua placed Shen Xiaojiang’s resume on the coffee table. Her smile was different from Chen Yi’s.

Since entering the room, Shen Xiaojiang noticed this woman had been smiling constantly. She wasn’t stunningly glamorous, but she was elegant and poised, with sharp features and bright eyes that would stand out in a crowd. However, her smile was stiff and carried a sense of aggression. Her words sounded sincere, but every syllable carried a weight of non-negotiable pressure.

It wasn’t necessarily good or bad; after all, a CEO of a major company wouldn’t be able to lead without some level of intimidating charisma. Chen Yi and she were around the same age one was seductive and alluring like a “super-villainess,” while the other was poised and upright like a “heroine.”

“Um, I’ll consider it,” Shen Xiaojiang replied flatly. Because she had the talent to back it up, she wasn’t at all timid.

This simple answer made everyone’s eyes light up. Bai Shuhua’s eyes narrowed slightly, and her smile flickered for an instant before she adjusted, appearing even more sincere. She handed her business card to Shen Xiaojiang with both hands.

“I’ll give you time to think. I’ll be back at your school in a week. Of course, if you have any thoughts during the week, feel free to call the number on the card. I am online for you twenty-four hours a day.”

She spoke the words “for you” a bit slowly, with a heavy emphasis. It sounded… deliberate. Shen Xiaojiang couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

Early recruitment was about selecting talent, but companies rarely gave their cards directly to students; they usually went through the Dean or counselor. Bai Shuhua’s motive was obvious she didn’t care about Nancheng University she cared about Shen Xiaojiang. Her aggressive stance was a warning to the other two companies she intended to sign Shen Xiaojiang.

Shen Xiaojiang looked down at the card and took it politely. “Okay, thank you,” she replied calmly.

Meanwhile, after returning to Venus, Chen Yi sat on the sofa in the lounge, staring into space.

There wasn’t much going on at the bar today, just routine work. For the first time, she wanted to “slack off.” She handed the work over to He Zhong and locked herself away.

The Tax Law book in her hand had been open to the same page for twenty minutes without her turning it once.

Last night felt like a dream. She never thought she would say such harsh words to Shen Xiaojiang, nor did she think Shen Xiaojiang would be so heartbroken. She had told herself she would never return to that old district in this lifetime, yet for some reason yesterday, she had followed Shen Xiaojiang there.

Without realizing it, Shen Xiaojiang had become the exception to all of Chen Yi’s rules.

Chen Yi set down the book in her hand, lifted her feet off the floor, and curled up on the sofa. She had lived this way for a long time, and after Shen Xiaojiang appeared, everything seemed the same yet, it was fundamentally different.

Chen Yi didn’t know why extracting Shen Xiaojiang from the depths of her heart was so difficult, so agonizing. She felt as if she had entered a period of hibernation, constantly wanting to space out. Her mind felt hollow she was absent-minded in everything she did, sometimes becoming agitated over the smallest trifles.

She was no longer the Chen Yi of the past. She was no longer that cold.

Gradually, she had become capable of feeling sorrow for a specific person, capable of questioning whether the path she was walking was truly the right one. She had changed.

The wind picked up, carrying a stifling summer heat against Chen Yi’s face. It felt exactly like Shen Xiaojiang’s kisses tender and warm, carrying the restless anxiety of a young girl and a purity unique to youth. It was something to be loved, something to indulge in, something addictive something one couldn’t bear to let go of from the bottom of one’s heart.

Chen Yi closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the breeze just as she had felt every inch of Shen Xiaojiang during that late night of drinking and clubbing.

Knock, knock, knock..

“Who is it?” Chen Yi’s peace was disturbed, her brow furrowing with irritation.

He Zhong sensed her displeasure and lowered his voice, as if that would prevent her from being upset. “Seventh Mistress, the directive for the old district demolition has come down. The higher-ups are asking for your opinion.”

Chen Yi slowly opened her eyes, a trace of icy coldness flashing in her gaze. She had waited three years for this directive. It was finally here.

Three years ago, by a stroke of luck, Chen Yi learned from Old Man Bai that the government intended to demolish a batch of old urban areas. She had exhausted her connections to get her old neighborhood on the list. During that time, she had forced countless smiles and downed endless amounts of alcohol. It was no exaggeration to say that her high alcohol tolerance was forged back then.

Chen Yi didn’t do it for the money, she did it to completely erase the shadows of her childhood. That place held a past she never wanted to revisit.

“Come in,” she said coldly.

Upon receiving the order, He Zhong pushed the door open, carrying the documents.

“Mistress, this copy has the official seal; this one does not,” He Zhong said respectfully, placing two files on the coffee table. “If you wish to make changes, use the unsealed one. If no changes are needed, use the sealed one.”

“Mhm.” Chen Yi glanced at the files indifferently, gave a casual acknowledgment, and returned her gaze to the window.

The pigment of her pupils was naturally light; under the sunlight, they appeared almost transparent. Her voice lacked emotion, and her eyes lacked light. No matter how dazzling the sun was, she couldn’t feel the warmth, like a patient with damaged sensory nerves.

During those three years of waiting, Chen Yi had lived in anticipation. But today, with the directive right in front of her where a single nod would level the nightmare that haunted her why wasn’t she happy?

After leaving the meeting room, Shen Xiaojiang was pulled aside by the Dean. There was a dinner gathering at the small cafeteria that evening, and she was expected to attend. The attendees would be representatives from the three companies, school leaders, and a few student representatives.

Shen Xiaojiang wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t withstand her counselor’s pleading gaze. Since she had nothing else to do, she figured she might as well go.

When she entered the school’s small cafeteria, she was shocked by its elegant, rustic decor. It turned out that within the industrial atmosphere of Nancheng University, there was such a secluded, winding path to a quiet place.

However, no amount of elegant decor could mask the stagnant atmosphere. Upon entering the private room, several people in suits were already waiting. She didn’t know what they were waiting for, but their hypocritical smiles were genuinely annoying.