Chapter Five: Apology

The two of them arrived at the top floor just as Shen Ruizhang came out to greet them. He acted as if Jiang Yunzhou was invisible, stepping straight to Zhou Qingfei and taking the cake from her hands.

“Why did you go out to buy it yourself? The weather outside is cold. You should have let the assistant go.”

Zhou Qingfei smiled shyly, her eyes brimming with tenderness. “You’re busy anyway, and I was bored waiting, so I went for a little stroll. The assistant might not know your tastes as well.”

Shen Ruizhang took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, completely ignoring the pallor on Jiang Yunzhou’s face. Then, he glanced at her and spoke indifferently, “From now on, you’ll be in charge of Qingfei’s public relations. Every little detail must be handled properly.”

Jiang Yunzhou clenched her fists, her tone icy. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t have the time.”

Shen Ruizhang’s brows furrowed, his voice turning sharp. “No time? Then drop all your other work and focus solely on Qingfei. She’s the company’s top priority.”

Jiang Yunzhou’s pupils trembled; her heart felt as though it were being crushed. Was this still the uncle who never played favorites at work? Or perhaps, he simply never had any real feelings for her?

Suddenly, Jiang Yunzhou lost the urge to argue. As her gaze darkened, Shen Ruizhang’s hand tightened—a hand that was slender and fair, with clearly defined joints, a hand that had once been entwined with hers.

Jiang Yunzhou was stunned for a moment.

At that instant, Zhou Qingfei, who was leafing through her script, cleared her throat and called out, “Yunzhou, could you help me bring my coffee?”

Jiang Yunzhou responded softly, avoiding her uncle’s gaze. She made a cup of coffee and handed it to Zhou Qingfei.

As Zhou Qingfei took the cup, her hands trembled. The steaming coffee spilled onto Jiang Yunzhou’s hand, instantly raising several blisters.

Yet Zhou Qingfei cried out in pain before Jiang Yunzhou could.

Shen Ruizhang rushed anxiously, “Where are you hurt? What happened?”

Zhou Qingfei smiled gently. “It’s nothing. Yunzhou handed me the coffee and I didn’t catch it. It’s no big deal, I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”

Jiang Yunzhou’s heart sank. As expected, the next moment, Shen Ruizhang’s sharp gaze fixed on her.

“Jiang Yunzhou!”

“Have you not learned even the most basic manners?”

Zhou Qingfei tugged at his hand. “Let it go, Yunzhou didn’t do it on purpose. It’s my own fault—I didn’t see it coming, I should have avoided it.”

Shen Ruizhang let her hold his elegant fingers, but his face remained cold. “Jiang Yunzhou, apologize.”

Jiang Yunzhou parted her lips, feeling her throat choke with emotion.

The coldness in Shen Ruizhang’s eyes deepened.

“Apologize.”

Hearing his urging once more, Jiang Yunzhou laughed.

She laughed at herself: years of companionship, outweighed by a single word from Zhou Qingfei. But she no longer cared.

Zhou Qingfei sighed softly, understanding. “Ruizhang, don’t make things difficult for Yunzhou. If she doesn’t want to apologize, let it go. Maybe it’s me who’s not worthy…”

Shen Ruizhang frowned.

“Jiang Yunzhou! Can’t you learn from Qingfei and be a little more considerate?”

“If you won’t apologize, then leave the Shen family.”

Jiang Yunzhou looked at Shen Ruizhang’s forceful attitude and then at Zhou Qingfei. She caught a glimpse of satisfaction in Zhou Qingfei’s eyes.

See—Shen Ruizhang would always stand unconditionally by her side.

Jiang Yunzhou couldn’t be bothered to deal with them any longer.

“I’m sorry.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now.”

Watching her slender, solitary figure depart, Shen Ruizhang felt an inexplicable panic rising in his heart. It was as if he was about to lose something very important.

…

Human Resources Office.

Jiang Yunzhou printed two copies of her resignation letter, one for her uncle as a parting gift.

Letting him go was also letting herself go.

The other copy was handed to Administration.

The administrator was startled for a moment, disbelief clear in her voice. “You’re really leaving? Can you bear to leave?”

As a senior employee, everyone could see Jiang Yunzhou’s affection for President Jiang.

She could have returned to inherit her family’s business at any time, yet for President Jiang, she had stayed humbly for years. She worked herself to the bone, nearly ruining her health.

Under everyone’s complicated gazes, Jiang Yunzhou nodded with bitterness.

She had stayed for her uncle. But now, having woken up, she had no reason to remain.

The administrator had no choice but to sign and approve her resignation.

“Congratulations. As for the president…”

“Don’t say anything yet,” Jiang Yunzhou interrupted.

“All right.”

Only then did Jiang Yunzhou feel at ease to leave.

Watching her slender, somewhat lonely figure, the administrator felt dazed.

She remembered when Jiang Yunzhou first arrived, she was like a little sun.

But now…

The smile had disappeared from her face, and her eyes held a melancholy that didn’t belong to someone so young.

Jiang Yunzhou had barely left when the manager immediately dialed a number.

“President Shen, Miss Jiang has handed in her resignation.”

Across the ocean.

He stood before the vast floor-to-ceiling window, his silhouette tall.

The light revealed broad shoulders and a narrow waist beneath his shirt.

A low, cold voice sounded. “Good. Book me a ticket home.”

Night had fallen.

Jiang Yunzhou finished her resignation procedures and was preparing to leave.

But Assistant Li stopped her. “President Jiang wants you to accompany him to the yacht banquet.”

Jiang Yunzhou replied coolly, “I won’t go.”

Assistant Li sneered, “If you don’t go, is it because you still can’t let President Jiang go? But how could you ever compare to Miss Zhou? You might as well use this opportunity to catch yourself a wealthy husband.”

Jiang Yunzhou laughed in exasperation.

“Do you want the opportunity instead? So you come to work just to catch a rich husband—have you ever gotten what you wanted?”

Everyone glanced over, amused. The assistant was infuriated.

Jiang Yunzhou ignored her, took the dress from her hands, and went to the changing room.

It was the last time.

No need to arouse her uncle’s suspicion.

She just wanted to leave quietly.

A luxurious yacht waited at the dock.

Jiang Yunzhou boarded, and at first glance saw Shen Ruizhang and Zhou Qingfei standing together: one a rising star of the entertainment world, the other a powerful figure of the Beijing elite.

They looked perfectly matched.

She smiled bitterly at herself and walked toward them.

She was strikingly beautiful—even with a cold expression, she outshone Zhou Qingfei, and dressed in something alluring, she seemed to radiate light.

For a moment, she became the focus of the crowd.

Shen Ruizhang frowned in displeasure.

“Who told you to dress like that?”