The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Has Completely Moved On - Chapter 6

She couldn’t be trying to trap her, could she?

Given Jin Yuzhen’s personality, rashly showing up at her door to tell her everything would be futile; she would never believe it. Such an approach would only backfire.

The System offered a more reasonable suggestion: Exchange Intimacy Points for the “Hear Heartfelt Thoughts” reward.

However, Intimacy Points were not easy to acquire. Nie Feiyin had tried many methods and failed. She had not expected that simply signing onto a drama with Lu Wenqi would earn her three points.

The System’s reasoning was that Lu Wenqi and Jin Yuzhen were friends; since Nie Feiyin was the female lead in Lu Wenqi’s new drama, they were now considered “close” by association.

As it turned out, this was indeed a good start. Lu Wenqi was very satisfied with Nie Feiyin and was therefore willing to introduce her to Jin Yuzhen.

However, after spending so much time together tonight, the Intimacy Points had only reached ten.

Nie Feiyin remarked, “She drove me back and even gave me her shawl. It cannot be just ten points.”

The System corrected her: “She did drive you home, but as for the shawl, it appears it was only lent to you.”

Nie Feiyin was surprised. “Does it have to be distinguished that clearly?”

“Of course,” the System said. “I have reviewed your files. You never need a stunt double for action scenes. The people following you earlier were not that difficult to deal with. You truly are an actress; even the female lead was fooled by your performance.”

Nie Feiyin sneered, “And what about you? When you found me, you said you wanted to change her fate, yet you do not dare let her know you exist.”

The System was quite candid: “No need to provoke me with that. I know better than you how cold she can be. If I went to her, you would probably be seeing my mangled remains on the science and education news right about now.”

Nie Feiyin thought that was true enough.

This made Cen Shu’s existence even more irritating. “What is her current attitude toward Cen Shu?”

The System replied: “The kind of attitude where she wants to tear her into a thousand pieces.”

According to the original plot, Jin Yuzhen would have been swindled out of her family fortune by Cen Shu, eventually losing everything and dying a miserable death.

But who could have predicted that simply by hearing others’ inner thoughts, she would have a sudden epiphany and see through Cen Shu’s true colors so quickly?

The car drove from Boyuan all the way to the Jin family estate.

The gates were wide open in an “eight” shape, symbolizing rolling wealth. The lamps on the gatehouse cast a warm, gentle glow. Using the light, she grasped the door knocker and pushed her way inside.

Staff members were pruning the welcoming pines; they were shocked to see her return. Since graduating from college, the second young mistress had moved out of the estate. In the past five years, she had rarely stayed overnight. Tonight was a true rarity.

By the time they remembered to greet her, Jin Yuzhen had already crossed the covered walkway and headed straight for the main building.

After returning to her room and showering, it was exactly midnight. Jin Yuzhen did not go to sleep; she waited a little longer.

About five minutes later, she received the surveillance footage from the hotel.

Ning Sui called her to explain: “Nie Feiyin originally booked a room to stay at the hotel. Those two men followed her the whole way. She likely realized something was wrong, so she returned to the banquet.”

She sent over several more photos. “I have looked up their information. These two are actually the ‘Campus Idols’ of Tao Science and Technology University.”

Jin Yuzhen glanced at them casually. “Idols? More like a joke. It has been years since I have seen such short-circuited brains. What was their motive?”

Ning Sui said disdainfully, “To stir up a scandal for publicity and break into the entertainment industry.”

Jin Yuzhen asked, “Who sent the invitations?”

“Your eldest uncle’s side,” Ning Sui replied.

Jin Yuzhen remarked, “He has truly lived long enough.” His brain had seemingly become a piece of non-performing real estate.

Ning Sui laughed out loud. “Zhenzhen, I believe that one day you will actually provoke him to death.”

Jin Yuzhen raised an eyebrow. “Hopefully. His early passing would be an act of merit for the world.”

Every industry has competition, and the entertainment industry is especially crowded, but even someone like Cen Shu would disdain using such low-class scandals for hype.

Ning Sui added, “By the way, they are from the same company as Jin Ke.”

“No wonder they use the same tactics,” Jin Yuzhen said. “I will handle the rest. Are you still at the office?”

Ning Sui groaned, “Yes, I am on duty.”

“If you stay in the administrative department any longer, your mother will come after you with a knife. Aunt’s temper is not any better than mine.”

“She just called to scold me. Knowing I am on the night shift, she even insulted me, complaining that my salary is only four thousand. I am obviously not taking that lying down; there is still a three-hundred-yuan perfect attendance bonus she did not count!”

Jin Yuzhen said, “She has high expectations for you.”

Ning Sui sighed, “Maybe in a few years, she will be able to accept reality.”

Jin Yuzhen thought to herself that it would likely be difficult. Ning Fang had put a lot of heart into cultivating Ning Sui, but everyone has their own pursuits.

After hanging up, she checked the activities of Jin Ke’s company online. She discovered that a Jin Group disinfectant product had hired those three for promotion. They were all smiles in the promotional photos, but the data conversion was practically zero.

She wondered what they were even aiming for. Because this product was included as a giveaway in the hotel rooms, the invitations had been sent along with it. Some people always love doing things that benefit no one, just to prove they are unfit for their positions.

The next day.

When Jin Yuzhen appeared in the dining room, it fell silent for several seconds.

If she had not called out “Grandmother,” Jin Yuelan would have thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She adjusted her glasses and waved with a smile, “Zhenzhen, come sit by me.”

Jin Yuzhen walked over obediently and sat beside her grandmother. “I came back too late last night and did not have time to tell you.”

Jin Yuelan asked, “Ning Fang said you went to a victory banquet last night?”

The kitchen staff quickly brought out breakfast.

Jin Yuzhen poked at a cuttlefish cake with her chopsticks and said softly, “Eldest Uncle is overwhelmed by company affairs. As a junior, I should naturally help out.”

Jin Yuelan laughed at her words, her face full of doting affection. “Alright, do I not know you by now? Tell me, how did Jin Hong offend you this time?”

Jin Yuzhen said aggrievedly, “I do not dare say.”

Jin Yuelan turned to Butler Yue beside her. “Listen to that. As if there is anything she does not dare to do.”

Butler Yue smiled as well. “If the Second Young Mistress speaks up, Grandmother will surely settle the matter for you.”

Jin Yuzhen said, “Then I will really say it. If Grandmother gets angry listening to it, Sister Yue will have to help me.”

Butler Yue replied helplessly, “How could I not help the Second Young Mistress?”

Jin Yuzhen then said, “Grandmother, last night at the hotel, an artist friend of mine was stalked. I looked into it and found that the two men are actually collaborating with our company, apparently facilitated by Eldest Uncle. You know how the media environment is these days; should he not vet partners before choosing them? That is why I say he is overwhelmed.”

Jin Yuelan frowned. “Is your friend alright?”

Jin Yuzhen shook her head. “Fortunately, no.”

Jin Yuelan fell into thought for a moment, then looked at her and asked, “Then, what does Zhenzhen think should be done?”

“Incompetent people should stop forcing themselves to hold on.”

“The Jin family is not a dictatorship,” Jin Yuelan said. “If you do not approve of Jin Hong, then why do you not step up yourself?”

Jin Yuzhen was startled. “Me?”

Jin Yuelan asked, “No confidence?”

It was not a lack of confidence; she just had not expected her grandmother to be so direct. For the past few years, she had been avoiding Jin family affairs, and her grandmother clearly had not favored her as much. Last night, she was even wondering if she would be rebuffed when she brought this up.

But Jin Yuelan was throwing an olive branch.

“The antiques and curios line is almost fully established. Are you not researching collectibles? It is right up your alley. If you are willing, you can take over anytime,” Jin Yuelan said, observing her reaction.

Jin Yuzhen thought to herself: The antiques market is hard to manage. Grandmother could not be trying to trap me, could she?

“But…”

Jin Yuelan reached out and stroked her hair with a kind expression. “I started my business with jade. Now that I am old, I want a proper beginning and end. Zhenzhen, you are the one I favor most.”

Jin Yuzhen thought it over. “Give me a few days.”

Jin Yuelan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, “No problem.” Without an explicit refusal, there was still a chance.

After finishing breakfast, Jin Yuzhen bid her grandmother farewell.

As soon as she left, the doting look in Jin Yuelan’s eyes was replaced by a sharp glint. “Xiao Yue, do you think there is a chance?”

Yue Xu replied, “Zhenzhen will come around.”

Jin Yuelan sighed. “I cannot stop worrying. Help me pick out a few capable people for Zhenzhen to use.”

Yue Xu did not quite understand. “So many things have happened to Zhenzhen over the past few years; Grandmother, you could have easily guided her.”

Jin Yuelan said, “Some mistakes can only be corrected after you have made them yourself.”

Her biggest worry was that Jin Yuzhen had no ambition whatsoever for the Jin family business. How do you persuade someone without ambition to fight for power? Jin Yuelan had pondered this for years and finally realized that Jin Yuzhen had to feel something herself. If she could not stand the way people like Jin Hong behaved, she would act.

“Today counts as a major breakthrough. At least this stubborn girl has learned to ask me for help.”

Yue Xu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Then Grandmother must not let Zhenzhen down; she does not easily ask for assistance.”

Jin Yuelan thought of something and looked up to ask, “Is Zhuhuai back?”

Yue Xu’s expression shifted slightly. “Yes.”

When Jin Yuzhen went out, the driver was already waiting outside.

As she was about to get in the car, the driver held out a hair tie wrapped in a silk cloth. “Second Young Mistress, this was found in the car.”

Jin Yuzhen took it and looked. The black satin hair tie was embedded with a cat-faced blue diamond. It looked very familiar. She remembered; it seemed to be Nie Feiyin’s. Last night, when Nie Feiyin got in the car, her hair was tied up, but when she got out, her hair was loose.

She sat in the car, folded the silk cloth neatly, put it in her bag, and called a friend she had not contacted in a long time.

The phone rang for ten seconds before the other side picked up. The first words were: “So you still remember I exist?”

Jin Yuzhen said, “You are my emergency contact, after all.”

The person on the other end immediately deflated. “If this is still about Cen Shu, just pretend I am dead.”

Jin Yuzhen reassured her, “It is not. I have something I want to entrust to you.”

She sent over the information on the two stalkers. “To dare to stalk someone at a Jin Group victory banquet, they have likely done this many times before.”

After reviewing the data, the friend sighed. “Has the threshold for the entertainment industry dropped this low? These two pieces of trash are actually collaborating with the Jin family? What a lack of vision.”

Jin Yuzhen said, “I will leave it to you. I have things to do; let us catch up another day.”

“Hey, give me a specific date! Do not trick me.”

“The day after tomorrow. I will come find you.”

“Fine, it is a deal. I am quite pathetic, so do not leave me hanging again.”

Jin Yuzhen thought to herself that she should not keep her waiting.

Returning to the collectible shop, she took the silk cloth from her bag, wondering when to return it to Nie Feiyin. As she headed upstairs, she ran into her assistant and learned that Jin Zhuhuai had arrived.

She placed her bag in the meditation room and went to the reception hall to meet her.

No tea was being brewed on the yellow wood tea table. Beside the tea set sat an auspicious beast incense burner, the smoke rising from it thin and ethereal. Jin Zhuhuai had just set down the incense tools when she heard footsteps outside. Looking up, she saw Jin Yuzhen pushing the door open.