Chapter 40 – A Heart-to-Heart Between Sisters-in-Law

The next morning, before Jiang Zao, exhausted from the previous night’s ordeal, had a chance to crawl out of her dreams, Zhou Lichuan was already dressed and on his way to the company with Du Bin in tow.

Du Bin had also moved from his rented apartment into the Tingshan Villa, settling on the first floor directly beneath Zhou Jiayan’s room. His commute was now shorter, and he enjoyed free food and lodging without having to pay rent. Delighted, he found his savings growing fatter by the day.

All the necessary discussions had already taken place the night before. The sooner they acted, the sooner Zhou Lichuan could have his surgery.

By the time Jiang Zao had enjoyed a deep, satisfying return to sleep and was savoring her usual late breakfast in the dining room, Zhou Jiayan came downstairs, phone in hand, just as Jiang Zao was gnawing on a cob of corn.

“You don’t look elegant at all eating corn like that,” Zhou Jiayan remarked.

Jiang Zao didn’t mind in the least, swallowing the mouthful of corn and looking up. “Then why don’t you show me an elegant way to eat corn?”

Zhou Jiayan bristled instantly, leaping up, “Why should I perform eating corn for you! I’m not a hamster!”

Jiang Zao shrugged and continued devouring her corn with gusto.

Zhou Jiayan cleared her throat, “Ahem, my brother went to the company?”

Jiang Zao mumbled, “Du Bin isn’t home.”

“I asked about my brother, not Du Bin!”

“Your brother went with Du Bin.”

“...Childish! Jiang Zao, you’re just impossibly childish!”

In truth, Jiang Zao was only guessing, but at that moment, her guess was confirmed.

Something must have happened during those days when Miss Zhou and Du Bin were alone together. That tie she’d found hidden in the deepest corner of her suitcase, clearly left behind, must be Du Bin’s.

But what exactly had happened… Jiang Zao was burning with curiosity!

Zhou Jiayan bypassed Jiang Zao, grabbed a slice of toast, and sat across from her, eyes fixed on her phone, scrolling up and down, constantly monitoring the internet.

Hearing Zhou Jiayan’s impatient sighs, Jiang Zao couldn’t help but ask, “What are you looking at? If it’s upsetting you so much, maybe don’t look.”

Zhou Jiayan shot her a look. “Mind your own business. Go paint and stop being nosy.”

With that, Jiang Zao wiped her hands, signaled to the waiting housekeeper to clear her dishes, and headed upstairs without looking back.

Who knew what sort of trouble this little harbinger of chaos was brewing again—best to keep her distance.

...

That afternoon, Jiang Zao was painting in the studio with headphones on, soft and gentle music relaxing her body and mind, even making her brushstrokes lighter.

Completely absorbed, she didn’t hear the knock at the door. It wasn’t until Zhou Jiayan came in and tapped her shoulder that she startled.

“Zhou Jiayan? What’s wrong?”

She turned to see Zhou Jiayan’s face full of worry and panic.

Zhou Jiayan opened her mouth but didn’t know how to begin. The last time she’d been hurt, she’d deliberately brought up their father and older brother, only for Jiang Zao to sidestep it easily. But now…

Jiang Zao couldn’t guess her tangled thoughts, but she could see it was serious.

She quickly set down her brush, took off her headphones, and, grabbing her arm, led her to the bedroom she shared with Zhou Lichuan.

They sat on the sofa. Jiang Zao’s expression turned earnest. “If something’s wrong, tell me. We’ll figure it out together. Has someone bullied you?”

Zhou Jiayan’s eyes were red as she lowered her head. “I saw it online.”

Jiang Zao was puzzled. “Saw what?”

Zhou Jiayan pulled out her phone and played a video for Jiang Zao. “My dad was invited as a guest on an economic interview show. He kept saying bad things about my brother, both openly and in veiled terms.”

Jiang Zao took the phone and watched the video from start to finish. It had been edited by a gossip account, barely two minutes of soundbites, crudely summarizing Zhou Kuan’s entire segment.

With all the context stripped away, it was obvious who the scheming, hypocritical, profit-driven businessman Zhou Kuan described was meant to be.

When the video ended, Jiang Zao set down the phone. “You didn’t go back to your school overseas; I thought you’d already made up your mind.”

Zhou Jiayan’s voice was full of hurt. “I just don’t understand. Why is Dad like this? Since I came back, he hasn’t met with me alone even once. The only time I went to see him, Lin Rui was there, making snide remarks.”

In matters like these, outsiders can offer little comfort; only when she herself came to terms with it would the pain fade.

Seeing Jiang Zao silent, Zhou Jiayan grew anxious. “Say something! I don’t even know what to do anymore.”

Jiang Zao sighed softly. “Your brother once said you should make a decision soon to avoid things getting messy. It sounds reasonable, but it isn’t. The two of them—one your father, the other your favorite brother—the ones most hurt by their conflict aren’t themselves, but family like you who care about them the most.”

Struck to the heart, Zhou Jiayan’s tears began to fall.

“I just don’t know what I should do.”

Jiang Zao handed her a tissue. “Luckily, I know most of what happened. If you want to know anything, I can tell you. But if you ask me what you should do, I really can’t decide for you.”

Dabbing her tears, Zhou Jiayan sobbed, “What… what exactly did Dad do to my brother? Was my brother’s eye really hurt by him? How did Lin Rui betray my brother? He used to seem so obedient and honest—I never saw this coming.”

She’d gone straight to the heart of it, and Jiang Zao hesitated, unsure how to explain without deepening the young girl’s pain.

Looking into those tearful eyes, Jiang Zao sighed and decided to tell her everything as it was.

As she listened, Zhou Jiayan found it hard to believe.

The father she remembered was cold, yes, but also kind. Even if he didn’t love her as much as Zhou Lihui, at least he’d never mistreated her. How could he now be so ruthless, scheming even against his own nephew?

“So behind it all, it’s actually my dad pulling the strings? The deliberate harm, stealing the seals—it was all his idea?”

Jiang Zao shook her head gently. “I don’t know how the blame is divided, but without Zhou Kuan masterminding it, the others wouldn’t have had the chance.”

Zhou Jiayan sagged. “Does it even matter what the details are? Things have already come to this. He can’t possibly wash his hands of it now.”

Jiang Zao offered her another tissue. “All this is between them. Actually, Zhou Lichuan once told me privately that keeping you at home was not only because he truly worries about your safety, but also as a statement to Zhou Kuan: no matter how things end, you won’t be dragged in or affected. What’s rightfully yours in the Zhou family will always belong to you.”