The Heiress's Game

Gu Yunjin received the news of Zhou Ji's return to China three days ago.

The two met at a park on the western outskirts of Dahai City, not near any upscale residential area, where even the parking lot lines were drawn crookedly.

There is a grove of sycamore trees in the park, and several faded benches in the grove, one of which faces a small artificial lake.

Zhou Ji sat on the bench, wearing a dark gray trench coat, with a hot Americano bought from a roadside convenience store on his lap.

He looked older than his actual age, with high brow bones and deep-set eyes. When he wasn't speaking, he resembled a stone sculpture polished by time.

Gu Yunjin sat down next to him, with a person's distance between them.

The wind blowing across the lake carried the slightly fishy scent of aquatic plants. In the distance, children were screaming and chasing each other. The sounds were dispersed by the wind and then returned as only indistinct fragments.

"Gu Mingyue's side has been making quite a few moves lately. During dinner, someone from the Zhao family asked a friend to inquire about Xingyao Media."

"The Zhao family?" Gu Yunjin turned her head slightly. "Did she use her in-laws' connections?"

"Probably. The other party didn't specify who sent them, but the person who could get this person to speak must at least be from the Zhao family's circle."

Zhou Ji's tone was indifferent. "They want to find out who the actual controller of Xingyao Media is, what level the equity structure penetrates to, and—whether there is anything that can be used against them during the production of the 'Walking with Brilliance' project."

For example, tax issues, copyright defects, or incomplete procedures at a certain stage.

Gu Yunjin smiled.

"Gu Mingyue has finally stopped using online trolls."

"The online trolls are no longer effective," Zhou Ji said. "She previously spent money hiring online trolls to smear Chen Cui, but Chen Cui turned the tables with one interview. Now everyone online is praising Chen Cui for her magnanimity and gratitude."

She's lost the public opinion battle, so she's changed tactics—if she can't win the public opinion war, she'll try a different approach: make the variety show itself unbearable to air.

A breeze stirred on the lake, rustling the reeds. Several wild ducks fluttered out from the reeds, splashed a few times on the water, and then landed back down. Gu Yunjin watched the ducks and remained silent for a while.

"Taxes, copyrights, compliance—you don't need to worry about those. Xingyao has always adhered to the strictest standards from the very beginning. Contracts, procedures, and fund flows—everything has been filed with the lawyers. She's miscalculating; she's trying to find a breakthrough here."

"I know." Zhou Ji picked up his coffee and took another sip. "I had Xingyao's accounts checked. If she can find a loophole in the accounts, I'll change Yunjing Capital's name next week."

Gu Yunjin chuckled softly at his words.

"But this preliminary investigation is only the first step. She's still in the probing stage, using the Zhao family's connections to test the waters. Once she can't find out anything from the Zhao family, who will she turn to next?"

"Gu Zhenxing."

"Yes," Gu Yunjin said, "her last card is always her father."

It's always been like this since I was little—when I feel wronged, I go to my dad; when I want something, I go to my dad; when I can't handle something, I go to my dad.

Her father was her ultimate weapon, and the only source of power she truly believed in.

"So what do you plan to do?" Zhou Ji asked.

"Gu Mingyue would go to her father and cry. She would say how Chen Cui climbed up the Gu family's reputation, how this variety show damaged the Gu family's image, how she was chased and ridiculed by gossip media, and how netizens called her mean and ungrateful. The root of all this is Chen Cui and her show."

Gu Yunjin spoke slowly, as if he were deducing the middle stages of a game of chess.

"The more emotionally she speaks, the more likely her father is to soften his heart. And if he softens his heart, he will take action."

When he makes a move, his methods won't be as childish as Gu Mingyue's.

He will exert direct pressure, forcing platforms to reconsider the broadcast risks and partners to reassess the value of their collaborations—he won't openly ban the project; he'll let it slowly suffocate on its own.

"So you have to get ahead of her," Zhou Ji said.

"Yes." Gu Yunjin turned to look at him.

"But this matter cannot be handled through others. I cannot ask Xu Bingjun to pass on the message, nor can I hint at it through any third party."

It has to be me—I have to go myself. Because if Dad finds out from someone else that Xingyao is mine, he'll feel like he's been deceived.

But if I take the initiative to tell him, that's being honest.

How much are you planning to tell him?

"All of them," Gu Yunjin said.

"Xingyao is mine, Nanzhen is all the people I hired, Chen Cui is the one I chose, and I produced this variety show from beginning to end."

Zhou Ji was silent for about three seconds, then slowly nodded.

He understood. Gu Mingyue's leverage in front of Gu Zhenxing was "I am your daughter"; Gu Yunjin also wanted Gu Zhenxing to know—I am also your daughter.

The difference is that Gu Mingyue's logic is "I am your daughter, so you should help me";

Gu Yunjin wanted Gu Zhenxing to see the logic that "I am your daughter, so I am worth your investment."

"You're right," Zhou Ji said, "Only you can say this yourself."

"Moreover," Gu Yunjin's gaze shifted from the lake surface to Zhou Ji's face.

"I'm not just going to confess. I'm going to give him a choice—to help a daughter who's grown up and can earn money for him, or to help an older daughter who only spends his money and causes trouble every day."

Of course, this is all on the condition that Gu Mingyue hasn't rushed to him crying and complaining before I walk in—which means you'll need to keep an eye on her timeline for me.

Zhou Ji nodded.

I'm so busy every day! I wish I could update every day, but I just don't have enough time!