I'm sorry, but your fiancé loves me.

After Zhou Xue hung up the phone, it slipped from her palm and fell onto the blanket with a dull thud.

She slumped against the headboard, feeling completely drained, her mind replaying Zhao Yuan's last words—

She remembered what her father was like back then, always smiling at home, saying that she was his most precious daughter, and that he would be the first to object to anyone who bullied her.

At that time, she felt that this was the most natural thing in the world. Her father was powerful and influential, so it was only right that he would take care of everything for her.

But now, hearing that detail from Zhao Yuan, she suddenly felt that those words were like a needle pricking her own skin.

Jiang Xiaohua didn't leave on her own; her family made her leave. She didn't even have a chance to pack her desk or say goodbye to anyone before being removed from that school and that city.

Zhou Xue picked up her phone, scrolled to the private investigator's chat window, and typed a line:

"Help me look up someone. Jiang Xiaohua, she attended the city's No. 1 High School, then transferred schools, and moved away from the city around 2009."

Her thumb hovered over the send button for a long time, and she stared at the words for a long time before finally pressing it.

After sending the message, she tossed her phone aside and lay back down.

She suddenly thought of Yun Muqian.

Ever since Yun Muqian appeared, her life has been plagued by one problem after another.

First, Qin Qihan broke up with her, then the Zhou family had a problem. Each event made sense on its own, but when viewed together, they all had a common point in time—the time when Yun Muqian appeared in her life.

Zhou Xue sat up abruptly, her heart skipping a beat.

Yun Muqian.

How did she meet Yun Muqian?

It seems to have been at Qin Qihan's company. She was his secretary at the time. She was beautiful, efficient, and spoke with a respectful yet assertive manner.

Later, Yun Muqian took the initiative to add her on WeChat, and they became familiar with each other after a while.

Zhou Xue didn't think about those things too deeply at the time; she just felt that she was unlucky and that Qin Qihan had changed his mind.

But what if we look at it from another angle—what if Yun Muqian came for the Zhou family from the very beginning?

If Yun Muqian's approach to her, Qin Qihan, and entry into Qin Qihan's company was all pre-arranged, then...

What if Yun Muqian is actually Jiang Xiaohua?

The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning. Zhou Xue's fingers unconsciously tightened around the bedsheet. Yun Muqian's face appeared in her mind—beautiful, refined, with a proper smile, and a perfect sense of distance in every gesture.

She is completely different from Jiang Xiaohua in high school.

Jiang Xiaohua was thin, drab, and spoke in a soft voice, like a shadow that dared not stretch out. Yun Muqian was completely different; she was confident, capable, and knew what she wanted.

They couldn't possibly be the same person.

But Zhao Yuan said that no one has seen Jiang Xiaohua since she transferred schools.

No one knows where she went, no one knows what she became. So many years have passed; a person has every reason and opportunity to transform themselves into a completely different person.

Zhou Xue shivered. She opened Yun Muqian's WeChat chat window. The last message was "Goodnight" from Zhou Xue, and Yun Muqian replied with a smiley face.

Zhou Xue opened Yun Muqian's Moments and scrolled down one post after another. Most of them were work-related, with the occasional photo of a coffee shop, a book cover, or a bouquet of flowers.

There were no selfies, no photos with other people, nothing that could reveal any trace of her past.

Zhou Xue felt increasingly disheartened as she scrolled through her social media posts. A normal person wouldn't keep their social media feed so meticulously organized, would they?

She held her phone to her chest, closed her eyes, and her mind was a jumble of thoughts. On one hand, there was the image of Jiang Xiaohua squatting in the toilet retrieving her textbooks, and on the other hand, there was the image of Yun Muqian in a business suit, holding a champagne glass and smiling at a cocktail party.

Two faces alternated in her mind, becoming increasingly blurry, yet increasingly similar.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Yun Muqian was sitting by the window in a Western restaurant, with a glass of red wine that was already two-thirds full in front of her, and a man in a dark gray suit sitting opposite her.

The man was in his early thirties, with deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and a clean-cut jawline, exuding a relaxed yet noble air. He leaned back in his chair, twirling a glass of red wine in his hand, his gaze towards Yun Muqian carrying a hint of amusement.

"What have you been busy with lately?" Shen Xubai asked, his voice low and steady. "I've tried to contact you several times, but you haven't had time."

Yun Muqian and Shen Xubai haven't seen each other for a long time; recently, all sorts of things have been happening.

But she didn't forget that Shen Xubai was also a generous and magnanimous man.

Yun Muqian spoke slowly:

"I have so many things to do."

"for example."

"For example, I want to break into the entertainment industry," Yun Muqian put down her fork, picked up her wine glass, and took a sip. "I've been meeting with all sorts of producers, screenwriters, and agents lately. Do you know how awful those dinner parties are in this industry? You have to go to three different venues in one night, and your face gets stiff from smiling so much."

Shen Xubai raised his eyebrows slightly.

"The entertainment industry? Didn't you plan to start your own business?"

"That's just preparation," Yun Muqian said, a slight, enigmatic smile playing on her lips. "I want to try everything."

"Okay." Shen Xubai looked at her for a moment, then put down his wine glass and leaned forward slightly. "What resources do you want? I can get them for you. Don't meet those men casually; you know what they're thinking."

Yun Muqian was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "You're so good to me."

"What do you think?" Shen Xubai's tone was indifferent. "He said he wanted to date me before, but then he disappeared without a trace."

Yun Muqian lowered her eyes and got straight to the point, "Shen Xubai, I need your help with something."

"you say."

"I have a grudge against someone," she said calmly. "I need to bring down her family's conglomerate. Someone is already helping me push this forward. If you could lend a hand, it would go much more smoothly."

Shen Xubai's expression didn't change much; he just looked at her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

Yun Muqian briefly explained the situation of the Zhou family, focusing on the key points.

She didn't say much about high school, only that she had an old grudge against Zhou Xue. The Zhou family was currently at its weakest point, with partners withdrawing their investment, stock prices falling, and banks tightening loans. If someone were to give it a push at this time, it could be completely ruined.

"It should benefit you too," Yun Muqian said. "The Zhou family holds the development rights to that piece of land in the west of the city. If they collapse, the project will be released, and your Shen family has a high chance of getting it."

After listening, Shen Xubai didn't immediately respond, but instead picked up his wine glass and took a sip. "Those dinners you mentioned before, were they also part of the plan?"

"Part of it," Yun Muqian admitted readily. "I need money and connections. But bringing down a corporation isn't something one person can do."

Shen Xubai leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on her face. "How long have you been preparing for this?"

"A long time," Yun Muqian said, her voice softening, "I started preparing even before I was myself."

Shen Xubai nodded, and Yun Muqian raised an eyebrow slightly, "Aren't you going to ask me why I have a grudge against her?"

"You just said you had a grudge against someone," Shen Xubai said. "If you want to say it, then say it. I don't need to ask. Besides, you're right, this matter is also beneficial to me."

Of course, it's all for her.

"You're...it's really easy to deal with you," she said.

"Isn't it better to save trouble?"

"Very good."

"Have you been in contact with Qin Qihan lately?" he suddenly asked. She hadn't hidden her relationship with Qin Qihan from him; it was the path she had taken.

"Yes. He's helping me too."

"What's your relationship now?"

Yun Muqian was silent for a few seconds. She brought the wine glass to her lips, took a sip, and then put it down. "A cooperative relationship."

"Are you sure?"

She looked up at him, her gaze flickering for a moment, but quickly regained its composure. "I said, it's a partnership. He has his reasons, and I have my goals. We each get what we need."

Shen Xubai nodded without pressing further. He raised his glass in a gesture towards her. "The collaboration went smoothly."

Yun Muqian also raised her glass, gently clinked it with his, finished the last sip, then stood up and picked up her coat draped over the back of the chair.

"I'm leaving," she said. "There's another tough battle tomorrow, and I still have to meet with the producer."

Shen Xubai stood up, took her coat, and handed it to her. "I'll see you out."

"No need, I drove."

Shen Xubai didn't press the matter, but as she turned to leave, he said, "Call me anytime if anything happens."

Yun Muqian stood at the restaurant entrance, the night breeze seeping in through the cracks, causing her hair to flutter slightly. She turned to look at Shen Xubai, smiled—a very light and faint smile, but with genuine warmth in her eyes.

She was quite lucky. Although she had experienced many hardships, the men she met later in life all truly loved her.

"Okay," she said, then pushed open the door and walked into the night.

She hasn't decided who to choose yet, but she thinks that as long as she's happy, nothing else matters.