He wants to adopt a younger sister, but his aloof wife disagrees.

Thursday, 10:00 AM.

The lobby on the first floor of the Shen Group headquarters building.

The atmosphere today was unusually eerie. The two young girls at the front desk were whispering to each other over a car full of red roses that were almost blocking the revolving door.

And standing among these roses was a man.

Gu Yanzhi.

He wore a white, bespoke Italian suit, his hair was meticulously combed, and he wore a Richard Miller watch worth three million on his wrist. He was indeed handsome, the typical elite young master, exuding an air of superiority in every gesture.

"Is President Shen here? Tell her that our old friend Gu Yanzhi has arrived."

Gu Yanzhi smiled at the receptionist, his confidence suggesting that this was his own backyard.

……

Top floor, CEO's office.

"Mr. Shen, Mr. Gu is downstairs and refuses to leave. He says he'll wait in the lobby until he sees you," the secretary reported somewhat awkwardly.

Shen Qingge was reviewing documents when she heard this, her pen paused, and a hint of disgust flashed in her eyes.

"Let him come up."

Shen Qingge closed the file, stood up, and walked to the full-length mirror to straighten her collar.

Today, she made a point of wearing the "Heart of the Ocean" blue diamond necklace that Jiang Che had given her. The dazzling blue light tempered the austere look of her all-black outfit, adding a touch of cold and noble elegance.

A few minutes later.

The office door was pushed open.

Gu Yanzhi walked in carrying a bouquet of flowers, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes when he saw Shen Qingge.

She's even more beautiful than before, after all these years. If she was a rose with thorns before, now she's an unapproachable queen.

Happy birthday, Qingge.

Gu Yanzhi ignored Shen Qingge's cold gaze, placed the flowers on the table, and even reached out to take Shen Qingge's hand:

"Sorry I'm late. When I called you last night..."

"Mr. Gu."

Shen Qingge took a step back, avoiding his hand, and didn't even look directly at the bouquet of flowers:

"If you're here to discuss business, please have a seat. If you're here to catch up, the door is over there. Goodbye."

Gu Yanzhi's hand froze in mid-air, then he awkwardly withdrew it and smiled:

"Qingge, you're still so strong-willed. Do we have to be so distant between us?"

He sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and adopted a serious and earnest posture:

"I heard. You married a man named Jiang Che? He's... a web novelist? And he cooks for you at home?"

When Gu Yanzhi mentioned the word "cooking," his tone was full of disdain and sarcasm:

"Qingge, are you giving up on yourself? How could someone of your status marry such a loser from the bottom of society?"

"waste?"

Shen Qingge sat in the boss's chair, twirling the pen in her hand, a cold smile playing on her lips:

"Mr. Gu is abroad most of the year, so he may not know. In Jianghai City, the line of people who want to eat my husband's cooking could stretch all the way to the Huangpu River."

"And you, you don't even have the right to queue."

Gu Yanzhi's face darkened, then he sighed, adopting a "I'm doing this for your own good" expression:

"Qingge, I know you still resent me for going abroad back then. You're only looking for Jiang Che to spite me, aren't you?"

"But when I came back this time, I investigated his background."

Gu Yanzhi took a document out of his pocket and threw it on the table:

"He came from an orphanage, didn't even finish college, mingled in the streets, and is said to associate with some shady characters."

"This kind of person will do anything for money. He only approached you because he's after the Shen family's money and wants to exploit them."

"Qingge, I am the second young master of the Gu family. As long as you are willing to divorce, our Gu and Shen families will be united by marriage, and the entire Jianghai City will be ours. I will give you the grandest wedding, instead of keeping a gigolo like this."

Shen Qingge looked at the so-called "investigation report" on the table without even flipping through it.

She simply looked at Gu Yanzhi quietly.

Looking at this man who once caused her immense pain but now disgusts her.

"Gu Yanzhi."

Shen Qingge finally spoke, her voice calm, yet every word was like a knife:

Do you know what the biggest difference is between Jiang Che and you?

"What?" Gu Yanzhi frowned.

"Back when the Shen family was in crisis, you bought a plane ticket overnight and fled abroad to protect the inheritance rights of the Gu family. You didn't even dare to say goodbye to me in person."

"And Jiang Che."

Shen Qingge stroked the blue diamond necklace around her neck, her gaze softening yet resolute.

"When I was surrounded by thugs, he dared to risk his life; when the Shen family was besieged by the Zhao family, he dared to use all his wealth to help me break the deadlock."

"You're saying he did it for the money?"

Shen Qingge smiled dismissively:

"What he gave me was more than what the entire Gu family gave me."

"There's one more thing I'd like to say to you."

Shen Qingge stood up and pointed to the door:

"Late-blown affection is worth less than grass."

"Take your flowers and get out."

Gu Yanzhi's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. When had he, the dignified second young master of the Gu family, ever been humiliated like this?

"Shen Qingge! Don't push your luck!"

Gu Yanzhi dropped his pretense, stood up abruptly, and his eyes turned sinister:

"How long do you think you can last with that pretty boy? The Zhao family fell because they were stupid! My Gu family is returning to China this time with billions of dollars, ready to take over Jianghai's market!"

"Since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will make the Shen Group..."

"Buzz—Buzz—"

Just as he was making those threats, his phone suddenly started vibrating wildly in his pocket.

Gu Yanzhi answered the phone impatiently: "What?! Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Second...Second Young Master! Something terrible has happened!"

On the other end of the phone, the assistant's voice was trembling with tears, and a cacophony of alarm sounds could even be heard in the background.

"Just now! Our company, 'Gu's Technology,' listed on the US stock market, was suddenly attacked by a short-selling firm!"

"The other party has a frighteningly large amount of capital! And they possess crucial evidence of our financial fraud! In less than ten minutes, the stock price triggered a circuit breaker! It plummeted by 30%!"

"And... those projects in China that were originally agreed upon, they all suddenly called to cancel them, saying... saying..."

"What do you mean?!" Gu Yanzhi roared.

"They say 'Clear Capital' has already snatched it up! They offered a 20% premium, and... and they specifically named him, saying it was a 'return gift' for Young Master Gu!"

boom--!

The phone slipped from Gu Yanzhi's hand and crashed heavily to the floor.

Clear capital?!

That mysterious financial tycoon who has recently risen to prominence in Jianghai City?!

Why would they target the Gu family?!

Shen Qingge looked at Gu Yanzhi, whose face was ashen. Although she was also a little surprised, she quickly realized what was going on.

Clear capital.

Jiang Che.

She glanced down at her phone and just then received a WeChat message.

[Husband: I heard someone delivered flowers to your office? You didn't really like the color. So I asked Han Xiao to send him some "green." Do you like it?]

Shen Qingge looked at the "green" (referring to the color of the stock market crash) and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

That smile was like ice and snow melting away, her beauty beyond compare.

"It seems Mr. Gu's backyard is on fire."

Shen Qingge crossed her arms and looked down at Gu Yanzhi, who was completely dumbfounded.

"Is this the billions of dollars you were talking about?"

"Go back and put out the fire, little one."

"Also, please pass on a message to your grandfather, Mr. Gu."

Shen Qingge walked up to Gu Yanzhi and straightened his slightly crooked tie, her tone gentle yet deadly:

"Jianghai City, the surname is Jiang, and also Shen."

"The only thing that doesn't have the surname Gu."

"roll."

……

Gu Yanzhi didn't know how she got out of the Shen's Building.

He arrived as arrogantly as he left, and left just as pathetically. The security guard swept the entire truckload of roses into the trash can as if they were garbage, just like his pride.

Inside the CEO's office.

Shen Qingge stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Gu Yanzhi's car hurriedly drive away downstairs, and the gloom that had lingered in her heart for many years completely dissipated.

She picked up her phone and made a video call.

Seconds.

Jiang Che's familiar face appeared on the screen. He seemed to still be on set, with a noisy crowd in the background, but he had deliberately found a quiet corner and was looking at her with a smile.

"How is it, Mr. Shen? Are you satisfied with this bouquet of 'green roses'?"

"satisfy."

Shen Qingge pressed her face close to the screen, her eyes filled with adoration and love:

"Mr. Jiang, isn't the cost of your jealousy a bit too high?"

"What does it matter if the entire Gu family is buried with you, as long as it makes you happy?"

Jiang Che's tone was indifferent, as if he had merely stepped on an ant:

"And dare you call me trash?"

"Then I'll show him what it means to be... even worse than trash."

Looking at the domineering man protecting his wife on the screen, Shen Qingge felt an overwhelming surge of longing in her heart.

"Jiang Che..."

"Um?"

"I miss you."

Shen Qingge bit her lip and suddenly made a decision:

"I'm going to visit the film set tonight."

"I'd like to... personally sign for my 'return gift'."

Jiang Che's eyes darkened, and a wicked smile curled at the corner of his lips:

"it is good."

"I'm all clean and waiting for you."