Jiaxuan stood by the window, the wind slipping past the curtain like a whispered warning. Her phone buzzed. A name she hadn't seen in a while blinked across the screen.
Chen Yuze.
Against her better judgment, she answered.
"Xuan," his voice oozed like warm honey. "I've missed hearing your voice."
She didn't reply.
"I saw the article about Shenzhi's new food canning project," he continued casually. "Brilliant move. It'll blow the market open."
"What do you want, Yuze?" she said flatly.
He chuckled low. "Straight to the point. I like that. You always did get better when you were angry. Listen… I need the proposal."
Jiaxuan laughed. "You're joking."
"Not at all," he replied smoothly. "Send it over. And while you're at it, have Shenzhi wire ten billion yuan to an account I'll share later."
"You must have lost your mind."
"No," his voice turned icy, "I'm just finishing what we started. Don't forget, sweetheart… you were mine first. You owe me."
"I owe you nothing," she said through clenched teeth.
He laughed softly. "Dont forget that,that husband of yours doesn't really love you. I have been with you and now you want to rebel?,Are you mad because I was it Lin meilin?, We really are just friend Jiaxuan "
The line went quiet.
Jiaxuan's fingers trembled, but her voice was steel. "We have nothing to do with each other from now henceforth ."
"We'll see," he murmured. "Tick-tock, Jiaxuan. You've got until tomorrow night, or else you'll lose me too and you won't have anybody to run to"
He hung up.
She slowly lowered the phone, her breath heavy. He didn't know she had lived through this before. He didn't know that this time, she wouldn't play his game.She clearly remember how he would manipulate her thinking she had no one left, making her stick to him like a slave just to use her.
Jiaxuan stared at the phone for a moment, then redialed.
He picked up instantly. "I knew you'd call back."
She chuckled softly, the sound light, warm—just like he remembered. "Yuze… you haven't changed. Still so confident."
His breath hitched slightly. "Only because I know you. You sound… softer now."
She walked slowly toward the kitchen, her voice laced with affection. "Maybe I missed you too. You always did make me laugh."
"I knew it," he said triumphantly. "No one knows you like I do. And I can still help you, you know. You're not happy there."
Jiaxuan laughed gently. "Maybe you're right. Shenzhi's changed, and his family… it's hard."
There was a pause. Then, "So you'll help me with the proposal? And the funding?"
Her eyes darkened, but her voice remained playful. "Of course. For you? Anything. But you'll have to meet me. I want to talk about the numbers. And see your face."
He groaned, pleased. "You still know how to say the right words. I'll text you a time and place."
"Good," she murmured sweetly. "I'll be waiting."
She hung up, smile fading the moment the line disconnected. Her fingers curled tight around the phone. She knew everything now. The lies. The betrayal. The manipulation.
And this time?
She wasn't the naive woman who loved blindly.
Jiaxuan sat quietly in her room, the screen of her phone still glowing faintly in her palm. Her lips were curled in a faint, amused smile—the kind that didn't reach her eyes. Just moments ago, she had spoken sweetly to Chen Yuze, matching his tone with careful precision, pretending to be the same naive girl who once believed in his lies. But in truth, every word he spoke was only fuel to the fire building within her
She had lived through this once—trusted Yuze, defended Meilin, given them her heart. And in return, they destroyed her. But now she knew better.
She rose from her chair and walked to her dresser, pulling open the drawer where she kept her notes and plans. She flipped open the notebook and jotted down everything she had learned. Her hand was steady, her mind sharp. This wasn't just revenge it was justice.
Let them laugh now.
They wouldn't be laughing for long.
In the quiet of his luxury penthouse, Chen Yuze leaned back on a leather couch, one arm stretched along the backrest, a glass of fine whiskey in the other hand. His shirt was half unbuttoned, his tie loose, and the smirk on his face said everything about the kind of man he thought he was untouchable.
The phone was on speaker. On the other end, Lin Meilin lounged in her satin robe, legs crossed as she sat on her vanity stool, painting her nails in a lazy, practiced motion.
"What's with that look? Who were you talking to?"
"Jiaxuan."
"She called you?,That's pathetic."
"Pathetic, but useful. I'll squeeze every last bit of value out of her. Then when I'm done, I'll toss her aside like before."
"You should've heard her voice, Meilin," Chen Yuze said to Lin Meilin, the step-Sister Jiaxuan hates to the core,with a laugh, his tone laced with mockery. "Sweet as syrup. Jiaxuan practically purred when I told her I missed her. I swear, if I told her to kneel and lick the floor just so I could walk past, she'd ask me if I preferred marble or wood."
"She's desperate," he had told Lin Meilin, "I swear, she'll lick the floor just to get my attention. Didn't you hear how she talked just now? Smiling like a fool. It's only a matter of time before she begs me to come back."
Meilin laughed sharp and cold. "Still acting like she has any pride left, huh? It's hilarious, Yuze. The way she used to look at you like you were the sun."
"She still does," he replied smugly, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "She thinks I didn't call her before because I was heartbroken, that I was struggling with guilt or whatever nonsense she's built up in her fantasy. The truth? I was busy planning her downfall."
"She doesn't suspect anything?" Meilin asked, arching a brow as she examined her freshly painted nails.
"Not a clue," Yuze said. "She thinks I'm interested in her again. I fed her some story about missing the past, how I want to make amends. And guess what? I asked her for a favor. Told her I was looking into a food canning company and needed Shenzhi's proposal. Even threw in the idea of a ten-billion transfer to support a new account."
"And she agreed?" Meilin blinked in mock surprise.
"She's playing hard to get, acting hesitant. But she will," Yuze said with certainty. "That woman has always been soft for me. She'll do it, and when she does, she'll hand me everything I need to destroy that smug bastard of a husband."
There was a pause, then Meilin said with a laugh, "You're so cruel, Yuze. I love it."
He chuckled darkly. "Cruelty is a privilege of the clever."
Meilin's voice softened. "But what if she finds out? You know she's not as naive as she used to be."
"She won't. Not until it's too late. By then, I'll have what I want, and she'll be left with nothing but ashes."
"Of course," Yuze replied confidently. "But first, she's going to get me what I want,Shenzhi's proposal and ten billion yuan to fund my new account. The fool won't even realize he's feeding his enemy."
Neither of them knew that Jiaxuan, reborn and far wiser than the woman they remembered, was no longer the lamb they once led to slaughter. This time, she would be the one lightning facts.
The moment Chen Yuzerealized something , the smug satisfaction on his face didn't fade in fact, it deepened. He leaned back in his sleek leather chair, fingers laced behind his head as he gazed up at the chandelier above him. The soft glimmer of the crystals danced across the ceiling like fragments of his own ambition. Jiaxuan was exactly where he wanted her desperate, vulnerable, and seemingly grateful for his renewed attention.
"Pathetic," he muttered under his breath, a lazy smile stretching across his lips. "She'll hand me everything I need, and think she's doing it out of love."
The city skyline beyond the glass wall of his office was veiled in twilight haze, but Yuze's thoughts were sharp and clear. There was no time to waste.
He reached for the work phone on his desk, the sleek black device reserved for operations that didn't always involve clean hands. With a practiced swipe, he tapped his assistant's contact.
It rang once.
"Assistant Shen speaking, sir."
Yuze's voice lost its mockery, taking on a cold efficiency. "I want you to set up a meeting with the board of Golden Harvest Canning Company. Preferably within the next forty-eight hours."
There was the slightest pause on the other end. "Golden Harvest, sir? That's the same company Shenzhi's team has been eyeing for merger talks."
"Exactly," Yuze said, rising to his feet and pacing slowly toward the tall window. "Tell them I have a proposal that will increase their distribution margins by twenty percent within the next quarter. Mention my affiliation with the Huo family, and they'll listen."
"Understood. Shall I prepare a preliminary draft of the proposal?"
Yuze's fingers tapped against the glass. "Start by gathering Shenzhi's public financials and projections from his previous pitch. Use that as a skeleton. I'll flesh it out once Jiaxuan hands me the original proposal,she's working on getting it for me."
"You're confident she'll send it?"
Yuze let out a chuckle, low and indulgent. "She thinks I'm giving her a second chance. She'll dance if I tell her to crawl."
Assistant Shen's voice was neutral, but the hesitation lingered. "Very well, sir. And the ownership name? Should it go under Yuze Holdings?"
"No," Yuze snapped. "Use Y&R Global Logistics. I want no direct ties—this needs to look clean. Get our offshore legal rep to draw up the confidentiality clauses. I want Golden Harvest to think we're the saving grace they've been waiting for."
"Understood. Shall I notify the legal team to begin prep?"
No," Yuze replied quickly. "Not until we have the final draft. This one's delicate. The less people involved, the better. Discretion is key."
There was a pause, then the assistant said, "Of course, sir. I'll move discreetly."
He hung up and stood quietly for a moment, staring down at the pulsing veins of traffic far below. The city looked small from this height,just like everyone else in his life.
He turned and reached for a tumbler of whiskey, pouring a generous amount before raising it in the air as if toasting someone unseen.
"To the game of kings," he murmured, sipping slowly. "And to the queen who thinks she still has a throne."
Unbeknownst to him, the queen he so casually mocked was beginning to remember the checkmate he once delivered in her past life—and this time, the pieces were moving differently.
_____________________________________________________
The soft creak of the study door echoed in the stillness of the upper floor as Shenzhi' stepped out, a tired hand brushing through his tousled hair. His meetings had been pushed to later the next day,giving him a rare break in the late afternoon. Instead of heading downstairs or toward the balcony like he usually would, his steps turned toward their shared bedroom,more out of impulse than intention.
The door was half-open. The warm scent of vanilla and citrus lingered in the air, and soft humming drifted from inside. As he stepped in, his gaze immediately landed on her.
Jiaxuan stood in front of the mirror in a cream-colored dress, brushing her hair back with delicate fingers. She turned slightly, catching his reflection over her shoulder, then smiled—bright, warm, and utterly disarming.
"You're here," she said, voice sweet as honey. "I was just thinking about you, honey."
He blinked, the word catching him off guard. She rarely called him that anymore. Not since...
She turned fully now, walking toward him with soft, measured steps. "You didn't go into the office today?"
"Meetings got rescheduled," he muttered, eyes scanning her expression as if trying to see beneath it.
Jiaxuan stopped a few inches from him, tilting her head playfully. "You should take more breaks. You've been working so hard. Your eyes are always tired."
She reached up, brushing a thumb beneath his eye. Shenzhi's body stiffened slightly, not from discomfort but from surprise.
Before he could say anything, she spoke again. "Actually, I was going to ask… we're running low on a few things in the house. Groceries, Yichen's formula, cleaning supplies, even fresh flowers for the table." She smiled up at him. "Do you mind if I go shopping? I want to cook something special tomorrow when you come back from work."
Shenzhi' narrowed his eyes slightly, but not with anger. Caution. Curiosity. There was something so oddly… soft about her today. No bitterness. No hesitation.
"Take the black card," he said finally, reaching into his wallet and pulling it out. He placed it gently into her hand. "Get whatever you need."
Jiaxuan's smile widened as she held the card like it was a cherished gift. "Really? I can take this one? Are you spoiling me, darling?"
Shenzhi' scoffed lightly under his breath and turned, walking toward the dresser. "Don't push it."
But Jiaxuan only giggled lightly and walked back to the mirror, the black card in hand, her reflection catching his eyes again.
It wasn't just an act. She had begun her pursuit—and he had no idea what storm was quietly gathering behind that gentle, affectionate mask.
Jiaxuan, holding the black card in her hand, turned back toward Shenzhi' with a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Well, since you're already in the mood to spoil me," she said sweetly, her voice light, almost teasing, "why don't you help me pick out an outfit for tomorrow's shopping trip? I want to look good while I'm out."
Shenzhi' froze momentarily, his hand halfway to his jacket on the chair, before lowering it slowly. He glanced at her, a slight frown pulling at the edges of his lips. The suggestion was casual, but there was something about the way she phrased it—so soft, so persistent—that unsettled him.
"I've got work to do," he said curtly, turning his back on her and walking toward the window.
Jiaxuan watched him, unfazed. Her smile remained intact, unwavering. "But, Shenzhi'," she said, stepping closer, her voice almost a whisper now, soft enough to tease but still warm. "I've been so busy lately. I'd love your opinion. You always choose the best outfits for yourself, so I'm sure you'd know what would look good on me."
There was a pause before she added, almost as if it was an afterthought, "Please, just a little help?"
Shenzhi' exhaled sharply, his irritation obvious as he turned to face her. He looked at her with an unreadable expression, his gaze cold but not without a certain sharpness. "I told you, I'm busy. I don't have time for—"
But Jiaxuan didn't give him a chance to finish. She took a step closer, her sweet smile never faltering. "Please? Just this once? I really need you, Shenzhi'."
Her voice, so genuine and soft, stirred something inside him—a mixture of guilt and frustration. He knew she was persistent, that much was obvious, but it was the way she was looking at him now. So soft, so earnest, her eyes pleading with him in a way that made it impossible to ignore.
He let out a resigned sigh. "Fine," he muttered, his voice stiff. "But only for a minute. I have things to do."
Jiaxuan's smile widened at his reluctant acceptance, and she walked over to the wardrobe, her steps light, almost like she was dancing on air. She opened the closet and began to sift through the clothes, pulling out a few dresses and holding them up to herself. Shenzhi' stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw tight. He was trying to remain indifferent, but there was something in the way she looked at him—something that made him feel oddly exposed, almost as if she were stripping him of his defenses.
After a moment, she turned to face him, holding up a dress, her fingers lightly trailing over the fabric. "How about this one?" she asked, her voice sweet, but there was a knowing glint in her eyes. "It's simple, but I think it could work."
Shenzhi' glanced at the dress, barely giving it a second glance. He didn't care about the clothes, didn't care what she wore. His mind was still clouded with the nagging thoughts of work and the pressures of his life outside of this, but her eyes… her eyes kept pulling him back. They weren't the desperate, pleading eyes he'd once seen in their earlier arguments. They were different now—playful, almost like a game.
"Whatever," he muttered, not wanting to engage more than necessary.
But Jiaxuan wasn't finished. She smiled knowingly, stepping forward again, placing the dress on the bed, and walking closer to him. "I think you'd look so much better if you weren't always so serious." Her voice dropped slightly, almost teasing. "Don't you think Honey? Maybe if you smiled more, we'd get along better. I miss seeing you smile, you know."
Shenzhi' stiffened, his gaze sharpening. She was playing with him, prodding at the parts of him that he didn't want to face. But before he could respond, she continued.
"I think we could be great together if you just let go a little," she added, her voice lower now, but laced with something subtle—something manipulative that he couldn't quite place.
He opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself. Instead, he turned, muttering a soft curse under his breath. "I don't have time for your games, Jiaxuan."
She was too close now, standing right beside him, her presence filling the space between them. "I'm not playing games," she whispered, her hand lightly brushing his arm, a simple touch that sent a jolt through him. "I just want us to be happy. Don't you?"
Her words hung in the air, thick with meaning. She was being sweet, but there was something deeper there—something behind the sweetness, behind the smiles, that he couldn't ignore.
Shenzhi' stood frozen, unable to decide whether to pull away or let her in. He stared at her, his cold exterior faltering for just a moment, his mind racing with thoughts he wasn't ready to confront.
"I'm not your toy to play with," he said, his tone clipped, though it was softer than before. He turned away, walking toward the door. "I'll leave the clothes to you, Jiaxuan. You know where everything is. But I've got things to do."
Jiaxuan watched him, her smile not fading even as his back was turned. Her eyes glinted with something darker now—something he wasn't prepared to deal with.
"Of course," she replied sweetly, her voice too perfect, too calm. "Take care of yourself, Baby."
He left the room without another word, his footsteps fading down the hallway. But Jiaxuan didn't move. She stood there for a moment, her eyes staring at the door he had just passed through, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile.
He wasn't immune to her just yet.
But soon, she would have him exactly where she wanted him.