After the Bankrupt Heiress Married into a Rich Family - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Looking for Rong-rong.

Jiangyue City. Mid-March, where the air wavered between warmth and the lingering bite of winter. The night was cold and damp.

Fifth floor, Inpatient Department of Jiakang Private Hospital.

Bai Mingzhu stood in the outer room of the hospital suite, clutching an LV duffel bag filled with her mother’s clothes and essentials. She kept her head bowed, listening to the conversation drifting from the inner room. Her eyelashes trembled delicately; her eyes and the tip of her nose were flushed a painful red.

Her hair was a vibrant flame-red, styled just that afternoon by a top professional into her favorite voluminous waves. Usually, that fiery color paired with her bright smile gave off the impression of someone as intense and passionate as summer.

Now, the flame-red hair only served to make her face look paler, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, extinguishing her light and leaving her shivering with cold.

“I don’t care! I want my biological daughter, but I want Mingzhu too! Mingzhu has been my precious baby for twenty-two years. What does it matter if there’s no blood relation? In my eyes, she is my biological daughter!”

“Wife, please don’t cry… don’t get worked up. You just woke up, you’ll faint again if you keep crying…”

“Bai Zhaolin, let me tell you—if those Qin people come and shout in front of me about taking Mingzhu away, I’ll die right in front of you! They mistreated Yining so badly; how could they ever be good to Mingzhu? They’re so poor—I won’t let my precious Mingzhu go back with them to suffer… Bai Zhaolin, give them money. Give them all of it. Isn’t the company still afloat? Give them everything. I’d rather have no money at all. I want Yining, and I want Mingzhu. I only want them… Why are you crying, you big man? Go handle the Qins and then cry! And put out that cigarette! Haven’t you quit for twenty years?!”

“Simian, calm down. We’ll keep them both! We want both children! But Simian, think about it… Yining has suffered so much all these years. If Mingzhu stays at home, Yining might not be willing to come back with us… Don’t glare at me, don’t hit me! Wife, I adore Mingzhu too, she’s my precious daughter as well. Don’t you know how much I’ve spoiled her all these years? I’m not saying Mingzhu can’t come home; we just need to figure out how to make both children feel comfortable…”

Her mother’s wailing and her father’s sobbing drifted out continuously, a mournful melody that would be etched into Mingzhu’s memory forever.

Mingzhu turned and left the room without a sound, gently pulling the door shut to hide the fact that she had ever been there.

In the hospital corridor, the bright lights made her dizzy. Countless piercing spots of light flew toward her eyes, making her sway on her feet.

She forced her body to steady itself. She reached into her purse, pulled out two sets of car keys and the supplementary credit cards her parents had given her, and tucked them into the travel bag. She took off her diamond earrings, necklace, bracelet, watch, and rings, adding them to the bag as well. She couldn’t spend another cent of her parents’ money.

Mingzhu felt her limbs go numb. Her ears buzzed, and her head throbbed, as if something was trying to burst out from every inch of her skin—perhaps it was the blood in her veins that shared no connection with the parents who had raised her.

They loved her so much.

Mingzhu wiped away her tears, but they were endless. She tilted her head back, blinking hard and taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Finally, the tears stopped. She put on her sunglasses, tapped her phone twice, and walked toward the nurse’s station.

“Hello,” Mingzhu said, leaning against the high desk. Her voice had returned to its usual bright, charming tone. She smiled. “I’m a family member from Room 513. I wanted to ask—”

The nurse, who had been typing, looked up and recognized her immediately. “Miss Bai, you’re back with the things. Is there something you need?”

Miss Bai was tall, beautiful, and had striking red hair. She was impossible to forget.

Mingzhu rested her chin on her hand and smiled sweetly. “Yes, I’m back, but I got turned around as soon as I stepped out of the elevator. I’ve been wandering in circles. Beautiful Sister, which way is Room 513?”

The nurse stood up and pointed to the right. “It’s that way, Miss Bai. Third door on the right. Shall I walk you there?”

It was a VIP room. The patient inside had fainted earlier that evening. Her husband had handled the admission; the Chief Physician had mentioned they were the owners of Mingzhu International Travel Agency.

Mingzhu shook her head. “Thank you, Sister. I can find it myself.”

Miss Bai’s voice was as sweet and melodic as a piece of candy. The nurse’s smile widened. “You’re very welcome, Miss Bai.”

Mingzhu turned to go, but as she did, her phone rang. She stopped to answer, then suddenly raised her voice in feigned surprise. “You want me to join the crew and help with photography? The car is already at the hospital? That’s so urgent! But I don’t have my gear… Hello? Hello?”

She switched her phone to airplane mode, placed the travel bag on the high counter, and said with an apologetic rush: “Nurse Sister, when you’re done with your work, could you please take these things to my mom? I have to leave in a hurry, and my phone is dead. I also have to trouble you to tell them that I’ve gone to help a crew with a shoot. I might be gone for two or three months. Tell them not to worry about me. If I go in to tell them myself, I won’t be able to leave anytime soon. Thank you so much for your help.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, Miss Bai…”

Mingzhu nodded gratefully with a thousand-watt smile that left the nurse dazed.

Her tears were about to break through again. Unable to wait for the elevator, she turned and bolted for the stairs.

The nurse stared blankly at Miss Bai’s departing figure. Her red curls bounced against her white trench coat; her pale legs were luminescent under the lights as she strode away in pristine white sneakers, looking energetic and determined.

Only after Mingzhu had disappeared did the nurse snap out of it, patting her chest. Just a short conversation with that gorgeous woman had made her heart race, despite the fact that she was definitely straight.

Mingzhu ran down the stairs, nearly twisting her ankle twice. She burst out of the hospital doors without looking back and hailed a taxi.

“Where to, beautiful?” the driver asked cheerfully.

Mingzhu lowered her head, covered her mouth, and finally let out a sob. “Just drive…”

Startled, the driver looked back. But he was experienced and sighed sympathetically. “Ah, I see. My condolences. Life and death are in the hands of fate. Are we going to the funeral home? The one on Nanshan Road?”

Mingzhu’s heart ached so much she was bent double. “I’m not going to a funeral home. Just drive anywhere. Hurry—”

Forty-seven minutes later, the taxi stopped near the Rongguang Tianjing Manor.

The driver had asked where she wanted to clear her head, and Mingzhu had subconsciously directed him here. She rolled down the window, letting the cool air soothe her stifled heart.

To her right were blooming pink cherry blossoms. Beyond them was a high red wall—the boundary of the manor.

Rongguang Tianjing (Glory Sky Mirror). The name sounded just as arrogant as its owner: Rong Zhao. The “Zhao” in her name was the same character used by Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of China.

This was Rong Zhao’s home. She had lived here alone since graduating and returning to the country.

Looking at the cherry blossoms, Mingzhu thought of Rong Zhao.

Rong Zhao was the eldest miss of the Rongke Group. She had been overshadowing Mingzhu since they were children. First, it was exams. Later, they drifted apart; Mingzhu went to school in the US, while Rong Zhao went to the UK. But Rong Zhao finished a three-year undergraduate degree and a one-year Master’s in four years. So, while Mingzhu finished with a Bachelor’s, Rong Zhao already had a Master’s—surpassing her again.

It had been over a year since graduation. Rong Zhao had returned to become a Manager at Rongke Group, leading a major project, while Mingzhu had zero work experience and nothing to her name.

Mingzhu shifted uncomfortably on the taxi seat, adjusting the hem of her trench coat. She sat right on the edge. She had never taken a taxi in her life. The smell was unpleasant, and she couldn’t help but imagine the sweaty men who had sat there before her. This white trench coat she’d bought in Paris was likely already ruined. Her misery turned into a fresh wave of jealousy toward Rong Zhao.

She vividly remembered the time she lost to Rong Zhao yet again, taking second place in the grade. As Rong Zhao walked past her, she had stopped and said indifferently: “If you ask me to tutor you, maybe you’ll catch up.”

It was a humiliation. She had sworn then that she would never bow her head to Rong Zhao.

But things were different now. She had no one else to turn to. Her best friend, Jiang Jiang, was traveling abroad, and she didn’t want to ruin her trip. Besides, staying with a friend wasn’t a long-term solution.

She needed a place to stay, but she had no money for a hotel. Her WeChat and Alipay were linked to her parents’ credit cards. She couldn’t use them anymore. If she did, they would find her. She didn’t want to be a burden; she wanted them to focus on finding their biological daughter.

Mingzhu clutched her chest, trying to ease the sharp pain and the urge to cry.

In the end, only Rong Zhao could help her. She needed a place to stay.

Rong Zhao might be cold and arrogant, but if Mingzhu was thick-skinned enough to bow her head, she could surely stay there for a while. If her parents came looking, she could refuse to go back, letting them know she was safe at the Rong house. Her parents had always praised Rong Zhao; they trusted her.

Mingzhu took out her compact to fix her makeup. She couldn’t let Rong Zhao see that she had been crying. She covered the tear tracks and applied a bold red lipstick. She might be bowing her head, but she would look beautiful doing it.

Once finished, she told the driver to go to the main gate of the manor. At the entrance, the driver rolled down his window in confusion. “What’s up with this mansion? It’s the middle of the night—why is the gate wide open? Aren’t they afraid of thieves?”

Mingzhu looked up. Was the gate sensor broken?

Inside, the five-story villa was fully lit, bright as day. The cherry blossoms in the courtyard made it look like a fairy tale.

“Sir, just drive in. This is my friend’s house. It’s fine.”

“Your friend? Wow, she’s rich. It looks like a cherry blossom park. You sure I can drive in?”

“Go ahead. I won’t charge you for admission,” Mingzhu joked.

The driver laughed and drove in slowly, admiring the flowers. Mingzhu’s heart was pounding. She was worried a security guard would jump out. She didn’t have Rong Zhao’s WeChat, nor did she remember her phone number. Explaining herself would be difficult. But if no one stopped them… might as well try.

Surprisingly, they made it to the front of the villa without being stopped!

The taxi came to a halt. “Sir, don’t leave. Wait for me a moment. I just need to say a few words to my friend.”

Without waiting for a reply, Mingzhu ran to the door and rang the bell. After ten seconds of no response, she peeked through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but the grey curtains were drawn tight.

Ten seconds later, she heard a click. Thinking it was the housekeeper, she waved and called out enthusiastically: “Hello! I’m Rong-rong’s frien—”

Before she could finish, a long leg clad in a bathrobe stepped out of the door.

The skin was pale and supple. On the feet were white slippers, and a delicate ruby ring adorned the second toe.

Mingzhu didn’t even need to look up to know who it was. She immediately pushed the person back, wedging her foot in the door crack. Looking down at the legs, she said: “Why did you open the door dressed like that? Rong-rong, lend me some money. The taxi is sixty-three yuan, and the driver is waiting.”

The leg retracted, and the door slammed shut.

A moment later, the door cracked open again, and a crisp hundred-yuan bill was held out. “Keep the change.”

The voice was cool and indifferent. Mingzhu grabbed the money and ran.

She paid the driver and asked if he had change. He didn’t, and offered to scan a QR code. Mingzhu didn’t want to turn on her phone and risk a call from her crying parents, so she told him to keep the change and watched him drive away.

Once the taxi was gone, Mingzhu ran back to the door. Just as she reached out to open it, the door was pushed wide by an arm in a wide bathrobe sleeve.

The fingers were slender and elegant, and a clear white jade bangle adorned the wrist. The skin was even whiter than the jade—the hand of someone who had been pampered their entire life.

Clearly, she had just showered. A thick scent of roses wafted toward Mingzhu—warm, damp, and fragrant enough to make her nose itch.

Mingzhu didn’t look up yet. She was too familiar with Rong Zhao’s face. She looked back at the open gate instead. “By the way, Rong-rong, why isn’t your gate closed? I drove right in. That’s so unsafe.”

Rong Zhao leaned lazily against the doorframe, wet hair draped over her shoulders. She looked at the bright red-haired figure before her with a cool, lingering gaze.

“Is that so? Maybe the gate is broken,” Rong Zhao said in a low, indifferent voice. “It’s so late. Why are you still wearing sunglasses? Do you need something?”