My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 33

Lin Wan’s secretary walked over and handed her a small ceramic jar. “Director Lin… is your chest hurting again?”

“Cough… cough…” Lin Wan pressed one hand against her chest, took the fast-acting heart medicine the secretary handed her, poured out two pills, and swallowed them with some water.

“Director Lin,” Qiu Miaoran stood up. “How are you feeling now? Should I take you to the hospital?”

“I’m fine…” Lin Wan raised her arm. “Qiu, you can sit down. Since we’re not family, I don’t need your concern. As for the engagement cancellation… I need to ask my daughter.”

Lin Wan stood and slowly walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. “Hey, Xuan Xuan…”

“Why cancel the engagement? Did you and Qiu have a conflict? Have you talked before?”

“How could Lin Family’s marriage be canceled so easily?” Her reflection shimmered on the glass, her figure thin. Her emotions slightly unstable, her voice trembling.

“Xuan Xuan, what do you mean? Mom doesn’t understand.”

“What? You already talked at the annual meeting? Even you agreed to cancel the engagement?”

“Huh? Then why didn’t you tell Mom?”

“……”

The call ended.

Lin Qiaoxuan gripped her phone tightly, her knuckles whitening.

Sure enough, Qiu Miaoran had still told her mother about the “engagement cancellation”…

“Cancel… cancel…”

Lin Qiaoxuan pressed her back tightly against the wall, closed her eyes, and repeated the words over and over. She felt nauseated.

No one cared about her; they treated her as a substitute for Ji Jiayu.

Lin Wan had adopted her back then because her age was similar to Ji Jiayu’s. Her small habits—peeling grapes slowly, eating little bits at a time—were reminiscent of Ji Jiayu as a child.

Lin Qiaoxuan had been in the orphanage since she was two or three. Grapes were extremely rare there, but unlike Ji Jiayu, she couldn’t bring herself to eat them back then…

Why? Why was Ji Jiayu born Lin Wan’s daughter?

Why had she spent so many years as Ji Jiayu’s replacement, only for Ji Jiayu to return and take everything from her?

Jealousy and resentment completely engulfed Lin Qiaoxuan.

Lin Wan was no longer just her mother; Tongda Investment was no longer hers alone; even the shares she was supposed to receive by marrying Qiu Miaoran were now out of reach.

Wasn’t Qiu Miaoran supposed to ally with Lin Family to deal with Qiu’s main branch? Why had he changed too? He wouldn’t even engage in a business marriage?!

—And now she was humiliated in front of her mother!

Lin Qiaoxuan leaned against the wall, unable to calm down. How could this happen? She was supposed to be the main character of this story!

From the moment she transmigrated, under the system’s guidance, she was adopted by Lin Wan and gradually molded into her current self. Her expressions and small gestures imitated Ji Jiayu.

She had painstakingly maxed out everyone’s goodwill toward her…

And Ji Jiayu, the so-called secondary character, returned to Lin Family on her own initiative? When did the original plot start changing?

Everything was in chaos!

According to the original story—

Ji Jiayu should have been entangled with Qiu Miaoran, a love-hate relationship, a forbidden lover…

Until the day of the wedding, when Ji Jiayu, as the true heiress (and love-brain), would angrily rush to the stage and stab Lin Qiaoxuan with a fruit knife.

From then on, the real heiress would go to jail, and Lin Qiaoxuan, as the story’s main character, would become Lin Wan’s only daughter, inheriting Tongda Investment, completing her system mission—becoming CEO and marrying a wealthy beauty!

But now, all of this was ruined!!

“System, what’s going on?” Lin Qiaoxuan asked in frustration.

[Billionaire from Zero System]: Darling, the story in the book has already changed, it cannot be modified~ The worldline is chaotic, and some characters have developed self-awareness.

“How could this happen? Does anyone else have a system?” Lin Qiaoxuan frowned.

[Billionaire from Zero System]: No other system detected. Only the noble host (you) is worthy. Other characters are merely supporting roles. Even Ji Jiayu’s system was assigned by you, a deliberately limited AI~

Lin Qiaoxuan’s eyes flickered with sharpness, and she slammed her small fist against the door panel in anger, gasping in pain.

She quickly withdrew her hand, pouting, muttering, “Wasn’t the system supposed to insert a branch in Ji Jiayu’s consciousness to make her fall for Qiu faster?”

“You didn’t do your job…”

[Billionaire from Zero System]: Indeed. However, three years ago, the system already planted a sub-system in Ji Jiayu’s consciousness and guided her to “interact deeply” with main character Qiu Miaoran. In theory, the two should be deeply in love, inseparable.

“What about now?”

[Billionaire from Zero System]: System error.

“Why an error? Check it… what’s next? Open the mall, let me buy a cheat! Restore the original story!”

[Billionaire from Zero System]: I cannot, dear~

This damn system was still maliciously acting cute. So frustrating…

Lin Qiaoxuan clenched her teeth, gripped her phone, almost exploding in anger.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. The screen lit up.

Two new messages appeared:

[Kate]: Qiaoxuan, are you home today?
[Kate]: I’ve brought your sister back home too, haha… You’re from the same generation, you’ll have lots to talk about.
[Kate]: I have other things this afternoon, but once she’s back, you should help her get familiar with the house~

Lin Qiaoxuan’s palms were sweaty. Her breath fogged the screen.

Trembling, she opened her bedroom door, slippers tapping hurriedly on the spiral wooden staircase.

—Who wanted to show this person around?! Ji Jiayu was just a disgusting antagonist fighting over property!

Lin Qiaoxuan snorted. She’d rather go to the company and work overtime…

She ran downstairs, and at the same time—

“Click”—the sound of a door unlocking. Wang, the housekeeper, opened the door.

“Madam, who is this?”

“She’s Xiaoyu,” Kate smiled, introducing the two. “Xiaoyu, this is Wang. You’ll live here, and you can ask Wang for anything you need.”

“Ah, Miss… welcome home!” Wang greeted Ji Jiayu warmly, taking her small suitcase.

“Madam and Director Lin have already prepared your room. Please follow me.”

Ji Jiayu followed Wang, smiling lightly. “You don’t have to call me ‘Miss.’ Call me Jiayu… or Xiaoyu, it’s fine.”

“Alright, Miss.”

Wang carried the suitcase upstairs, just as she bumped into a figure coming downstairs. “Ah, it’s D…”

Wang paused, swallowed the words “Miss,” and hurriedly corrected, “Second Miss, are you going out?”

—The title shifted from “Miss” to “Second Miss.”

Lin Qiaoxuan forced a smile, a little stiff. “Don’t call me ‘Second Miss’ either. Wang can just call me Qiaoxuan from now on…”

“Okay, Second Miss,” Wang paused, then glanced at Ji Jiayu, who was two steps above Lin Qiaoxuan, and awkwardly smiled, “Sorry, Xiaoyu, Qiaoxuan, I’ll slowly get used to it.”

“No problem.” Lin Qiaoxuan lowered her head, glanced at Ji Jiayu, smiling sweetly. “Since sister is back, I’ll fulfill my duty as a younger sister. I’ll show you your room…”

Wang put Ji Jiayu’s things in the room and left.

“Okay.”

“Sister, this is your room,” Lin Qiaoxuan said, walking in with her, smiling as she explained. “Ah? Even the bed and furniture have been replaced?”

“Now I can’t even recognize it… This used to be my room~”

Lin Qiaoxuan’s words carried multiple points: she was introducing the room to assert ownership and create a distance for Ji Jiayu, showing her own sacrifice as the former resident.

Ji Jiayu, who grew up in a poor orphanage, was different; Qiaoxuan had the grace of a wealthy girl.

Ji Jiayu raised an eyebrow, gripping her suitcase. “Don’t like it? I can move to another room; this one’s yours…”

Qiaoxuan quickly pulled the suitcase. “Ah… no, that’s not what I meant.”

This room had belonged to Ji Jiayu before her father’s treachery; Lin Wan intended for her to reclaim it. If Ji Jiayu gave it to Qiaoxuan, it would show that Qiaoxuan, as an adopted daughter, was competing for her sister’s room…

“Sister, just stay here. I’m not attached to this room,” Qiaoxuan said softly, her face slightly haggard.

“I’m really jealous of you… so many people like you. Someone like me… nobody does.”

Lin Qiaoxuan’s tone, sweet and pitiful, was usually enough to elicit sympathy.

But Ji Jiayu, having grown up in the orphanage fighting for everything, wasn’t impressed.

She didn’t deny it, just glanced at her. “You’re self-aware… indeed, many like me…”

“Unlike you… poor thing, no one likes you.”

Unexpectedly, Qiaoxuan didn’t gain sympathy but was criticized.

She clenched her silver teeth, nearly biting herself. “Oh… by the way, did Director Qiu cancel the engagement with me? Do you know?”

“No,” Ji Jiayu let go of the suitcase, casually pushing it aside. Her tone was indifferent. “I’m not interested.”

—Not interested?! Aren’t you Qiu Miaoran’s lover?

Lin Qiaoxuan’s eyes widened. She almost couldn’t believe Ji Jiayu’s attitude.

It seemed like Qiu Miaoran was just a stranger to her.

Qiaoxuan cleared her throat and mentioned Lin Wan. “Mom probably doesn’t know your relationship with Director Qiu; otherwise, she’d be angry…”

“It’d be messy if two sisters got involved with the same woman…”

Qiaoxuan realized she had spoken too freely, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of regret in her eyes. “Sister, I didn’t mean to say that… Besides, there’s nothing between Qiu and me…”

“Oh, even if there is something between you two,” Ji Jiayu scoffed lightly, “so what?”

—So what?

Could it be that Ji Jiayu didn’t care about Qiu Miaoran at all?!

Lin Qiaoxuan froze, staring blankly. “Sister… do you and Director Qiu…”

According to the system, they should be deeply entangled, love and hate intertwined.

Ji Jiayu raised her brows, clicking her tongue. Her light brown eyes stared steadily, lips curling slightly.

“Qiu Miaoran and I? Just mutual convenience…”

“When people are lonely, they play with others’ feelings. It’s not being cheap.”

“What? Am I… disappointing my younger sister?”

Her tone was slightly disdainful, no longer soft and coquettish by Qiu Miaoran’s side.

She was free, playful, mischievous—her true self awakened.

When Ji Jiayu said “so what,” her small, playful expression was lively, like a cunning little animal after a successful hunt, making one want to ruffle her soft hair…

Could this be the supporting character awakening?

Ah… she was too bold!

Lin Qiaoxuan, initially shocked, finally responded with a sweet smile. “I didn’t expect sister to speak so frankly…”

Ji Jiayu’s light brown eyes reflected Qiaoxuan. “You don’t need to act in front of me… I’m an actress; I can see through your fake smile.”

Qiaoxuan blinked, her smile stiffening. “What do you mean? I don’t understand…”

Ji Jiayu tilted her head slightly. “Do you feel wronged?”

She stepped closer. Lin Qiaoxuan, taller than her, felt her gaze sweeping from below, forceful. “Qiaoxuan…”

“I feel even more wronged. If not for you… if Mom had found me instead of you…”

“What kind of life would we have?”

—You took over my life, didn’t you?

Qiaoxuan’s lips stiffened. Back against the door, she muttered softly, innocent-sounding: “I don’t know…”

Ji Jiayu leaned in, red lips slightly parted, her gaze calm, voice flat as mineral water:

“Lin Qiaoxuan, without me, there would be no you.”

A direct hit—straight to the point, leaving Qiaoxuan stunned.

—As a Lin Family heiress, no one had ever spoken to her this way. Lower-class people were subservient, upper-class were indirect…

—Being repeatedly put in one’s place was thrilling…

Lin Qiaoxuan stared closely at Ji Jiayu, noticing her long, curled eyelashes, gently fluttering like tiny fans.

She could smell the faint sweetness from her, like honey—sweet, but not cloying.

This antagonist… she was too exquisite.

Lin Qiaoxuan swallowed silently, feeling a little strange…

“Thump thump—”

Her heartbeat raced.

Ji Jiayu moved the suitcase, assuming a dismissive posture. “Alright, I’m packing now. If you don’t want this room, please leave, younger sister.”

Qiaoxuan stood awkwardly, unsure how to help.

Ji Jiayu was openly disdainful. “My things are messy. Standing here, you’re quite in the way…”

Qiaoxuan forced a smile, blinking rapidly to hide her earlier daze. “Okay, sister, pack slowly. If you need me, just call…”

The door gently closed.

Meanwhile, at Qiushui Venture Capital Tower, the CEO office door was closed.

Qiu Miaoran sat elegantly, legs crossed, at her desk.

Her fingers traced a phone case—silicone, soft like skin.

—It was Ji Jiayu’s old phone. Since her departure, Qiu Miaoran had kept it close, as if it still held the girl’s warmth.

She couldn’t believe Ji Jiayu was gone. She had tidied the room to its original state.

It had been a month since Ji Jiayu left.

Each night, Qiu Miaoran would lie on Ji Jiayu’s bed, touch the simple, flower-patterned pink sheets, recalling every pose: stretching, reading, curling toes…

Every pose was vivid, as if etched in memory. Even her hair strands were clear.

Qiu Miaoran held the phone, rubbing the case, marveling at how Ji Jiayu didn’t care about luxurious goods.

Could she really just leave all those expensive things behind?

Where could she have gone? She still had a contract with Qiushui Venture’s talent agency…

Qiu Miaoran lay on the bed, thinking about Ji Jiayu’s intentions. She dared not stay too long in the room, fearing the scent would fade.

In the 32nd-floor CEO office, documents stacked on the desk needed signing.

The CEO herself stared at a tiny phone, lost in thought for two hours…

Why did she suddenly leave home?

She’ll come back.

Qiu Miaoran kept repeating this to herself. She needed to know where Ji Jiayu was and why she left.

She opened her computer and sent a message through the company system…

Glancing at a small aquarium in the corner, she noticed a few goldfish. One had a long tail, floating like silk, ethereal.

Some people raise fish as pets. Fish don’t grieve when owners die; they adapt to new caretakers…

Qiu Miaoran clenched the phone, increasingly captivated by Ji Jiayu’s uniqueness…

So cute.

Thinking further, she felt tortured…

—She had to do something.

“Knock knock knock—” Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.

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