Chapter 2

From one o’clock in the afternoon onward, Wen Ruan’s phone had not stopped ringing. Countless unfamiliar numbers kept flooding in, one after another. The screen lit up, went dark, then lit up again. The vibrations came in an endless stream, like waves that refused to recede. She didn’t answer a single call. The youngest granddaughter of the Su family in Nancheng, this year’s national top scorer in the college entrance examination—overnight, that title had overshadowed all the trending topics surrounding the most prominent families, leaving countless people green with envy. Her grandfather sat nearby, unable to hide the smile in his eyes. He gently tapped the constantly vibrating phone screen with his fingertip. The Su family had been firmly established in Nancheng for generations. They were immensely wealthy, with an impeccable family background, wealth, and social standing. Yet, despite everything passed down through the generations, they had never produced a genuine top scorer in the college entrance examination. No one had expected that this honor would ultimately fall to their granddaughter, Wen Ruan. “Answer a few of them.” Her grandfather raised a hand and gently stroked the top of her head, his voice full of affection. “Don’t let outsiders say our little top scorer is too aloof and arrogant.” Wen Ruan lightly pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes. There was not the slightest hint of joy at becoming the top scorer. Instead, her gaze was filled with an oppressive gloom she could not hide. Her mind was filled with memories of that Lantern Festival night—the argument between her parents when they finally tore away the façade they had maintained for years, and the lies and cracks that had been hidden for more than a decade, shattering all at once beside her ears. In the eyes of outsiders, her family had always been a perfect model. Her father, Wen Chongyue, came from a privileged background. Handsome and accomplished, he held a high-ranking position and had firmly established himself within Beijing’s intricate network of prestigious families. Everyone praised him as a good husband and a good father. Her mother, Su Qing, was an extraordinary woman. Fluent in more than a dozen languages, she was recognized within the industry as the most beautiful diplomat. She was dignified and graceful, gentle yet perceptive. And Wen Ruan herself was the cherished jewel carefully raised in a greenhouse. She never mingled with the socialite circles, never chased after luxury brands, and had no interest in noisy parties. Books and beautiful landscapes were the only things she truly loved. During her free time, she would accompany her mother on official visits to different countries, immersing herself in their history and culture. Obedient, outstanding, sensible—she fulfilled every expectation people had of a perfect young lady. That seemingly enviable perfection shattered completely on the night before she returned to school for her senior year. Late at night, the argument in the master bedroom was kept extremely quiet, yet every word slipped through the door and reached Wen Ruan’s ears. Su Qing’s voice trembled with a coldness she had never shown before, carrying the exhaustion of years of restraint. “Wen Chongyue, after all these years, you still can’t let her go, can you?” “Don’t let your imagination run wild.” Wen Chongyue’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying the rigid sternness of someone accustomed to being in a position of authority. He tried to conceal every trace of guilt. “Let my imagination run wild?” Su Qing gave a quiet laugh, the sound filled with utter heartbreak. “The company under Liang Xi and her husband’s names suffered a major financial crisis and has already been placed under investigation by the procuratorate. She made one phone call to you, and in less than a week, every problem disappeared without a trace. Wen Chongyue, tell me—if it wasn’t you working behind the scenes to resolve everything, then who was it?” “This is the most critical year of your career. Everyone in the Wen family, from top to bottom, including me and Ruanruan, has been keeping an extremely low profile, terrified that even the slightest mistake might cause trouble. But what about you?” “For the sake of your first love from university, you were willing to leave yourself vulnerable, gambling the entire future of the Wen family!” If she hadn’t been worried about Wen Ruan, who was about to take the college entrance examination, and feared that this would disrupt her state of mind, Su Qing would have submitted her report to the authorities long ago. Wen Chongyue’s tone hardened, his favoritism leaving no room for argument. “I’ve looked into that company’s problems. Liang Xi knew nothing about them from beginning to end.” “It was a company jointly operated by a husband and wife, and such a massive problem happened without her knowing?” Su Qing’s voice turned completely cold. “You might be able to convince other people, but can you convince yourself?” She paused, then delivered each word like a blade. “If the Wen family hadn’t pressured you back then, forcing you to calm down and stopping you from making a reckless choice, do you really think Liang Xi would have turned around and married a rich second-generation heir simply because of reality?” “Enough!” Wen Chongyue’s voice suddenly rose, his anger breaking through the façade he had maintained. “If you want to report me, then go ahead.” The heavy bedroom door was abruptly pulled open. Wen Ruan stood just two steps away, quietly watching him. Her dark eyes were clear and cold, taking in every bit of his disheveled state and selfishness. Wen Chongyue froze. Su Qing abruptly turned around. The moment she met her daughter’s clear gaze, all the anger and grievance on her face disappeared. In an instant, she returned to her usual gentle and composed demeanor. “Ruanruan, why aren’t you asleep yet?” she asked softly. The practiced composure and façade of adults felt like a fine needle, quietly piercing Wen Ruan’s heart and leaving behind a faint, lingering ache. She lowered her eyes, suppressing her emotions. Instead of mentioning the argument she had just overheard, she quietly asked an unrelated question. “Mom, isn’t there a European diplomatic trip this week?” Su Qing was slightly stunned before nodding. “Yes. I’ll be accompanying the Ministry of Commerce on a visit to Europe.” “I want to go with you.” Wen Ruan’s voice was calm, yet there was an unwavering determination in it. “No.” Wen Chongyue was the first to speak. His black pajamas accentuated his cold expression, and his presence was overbearing. “The college entrance examination is in June. You must stay in the country and prepare for it.” Wen Ruan looked up and met his gaze calmly. “I heard everything you said.” Su Qing’s throat tightened, and all the comforting words she had been about to say became lodged there. Her daughter was far too perceptive for her age. She was sensitive, intelligent, and understanding, and had never needed her mother to waste many words explaining things to her. After a long silence, Su Qing gently reached out and pulled her into her arms. “Okay. I’ll apply for permission. If you’re allowed to come, I’ll take you with me. If you’re not, you’ll obediently go back to school, all right?” Wen Ruan nodded softly. This was not the first time she had accompanied her mother on an official overseas trip. She was obedient, sensible, quiet, and never caused trouble—the unanimous impression she had left on all of her mother’s colleagues. However, this particular trip to Europe was going to be especially demanding. The trade negotiations were unpredictable, the length of their stay in each country was uncertain, and there were countless variables. “I’ll bring all my study materials with me.” Wen Ruan had already made every arrangement. “You can focus on your work. I’ll stay at the hotel and study and do practice questions. It won’t interfere with my preparation. I’ll return to the country in time for the college entrance examination.” Her academic performance had already stabilized. A short trip abroad would not cause her grades to fluctuate. More importantly, she simply wanted to escape from this house filled with lies as soon as possible. The next day, Wen Ruan submitted her leave application to her homeroom teacher. Teacher Sun stared at the request for a long time, his face filled with disbelief. “You mean you won’t be coming to school for the rest of the semester, all the way until the college entrance examination?” “Yes, Teacher. I’m sorry.” Wen Ruan’s attitude was gentle, yet unusually firm. “Did something happen?” Teacher Sun was particularly regretful and deeply puzzled. “No.” Wen Ruan answered calmly. “The school’s review schedule doesn’t offer me much additional benefit.” “There will be three important mock examinations this semester. The results can be used to estimate your ranking for the college entrance examination.” “Please just take photos of the test papers and send them to me. I’ll complete them on my own and evaluate myself according to the schedule.” Teacher Sun studied her resolute expression. After carefully considering the matter, he could only nod and agree. Everyone assumed that Wen Ruan, the top-ranked student in her grade, would stay home with her door closed, studying hard and preparing for the college entrance examination. No one knew that early the very next morning, she had already boarded a flight to Europe with her mother’s official delegation. At an altitude of ten thousand meters, the cabin was quiet. A colleague sitting beside Su Qing lowered her voice and leaned over, whispering, “Sister Su, I just heard that one of the partner companies on our itinerary this time is a top-tier corporation, but they didn’t travel with our main delegation.” “With such a major business engagement, they actually dared to operate independently? That’s quite a show of confidence. Which company is it?” Su Qing closed the work notebook in her hands and took a sip of coffee, her expression calm. “Changsheng Guangyao Semiconductor.” Her colleague looked bewildered. “Never heard of it. Is it a very large company?” “It’s a wholly owned subsidiary of Yuanhang Group, specializing in semiconductor and high-end chip research and development.” Her colleague was instantly stunned and even more confused. “The big shots from both the diplomatic and business sectors are all on this plane, yet they aren’t traveling with us for the negotiations? Isn’t that a little too dismissive of the government?” Su Qing merely smiled faintly, unwilling to elaborate. “Everyone has their own arrangements. We just need to do our own work well.” In the seat in front of them, Wen Ruan had been quietly resting with her eyes closed. At those words, her ears twitched slightly. Yuanhang Group. Those four words represented a name that no one in Beijing’s uppermost circles dared to casually provoke. The century-old Qi family had established a deep foothold in finance, real estate, media, technology, and numerous other core industries. Their foundation was deeply entrenched. Even an ordinary subsidiary of the family was a major taxpayer in whichever region