Chapter 7 Scheming and Spoiled Stepsister VS Cold Childhood Sweetheart Brother

The sky was overcast, dark clouds rolled in, and the view outside the window was obscured by the rain.

It's Friday night, and the man who promised to be back before the weekend is still nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Zhiyi lay on the table, her hand tapping absently on the glass window next to her.

Outside the window, rain and mist shrouded the scene, and the trees swayed in the wind.

Raindrops fall on the windowpane, small droplets gather into large droplets, and then slide down in big drops.

"You're back?" She heard the sound of a car outside, stood up to look, and sure enough, it was his car.

She immediately ran downstairs to meet him. The man had just entered the room when the girl rushed into his arms.

"Brother Xunzhou!" the girl called out as she hugged him.

"Let go first." The rain was too heavy, and he had gotten some on himself, so he was all wet.

"Where's my gift?" She looked around expectantly.

"Miss Jiang," Zhang Cheng greeted her. He was standing right behind Fu Xunzhou, though she hadn't noticed him at all.

She saw that Zhang Cheng was holding an exquisite box, which must have been her gift.

Fu Xunzhou took the box and said, "You can go home today."

"Okay, Mr. Fu."

Fu Xunzhou patted Jiang Zhiyi's head: "Come on, let's go upstairs first."

The room upstairs.

"Let's open it and take a look." Fu Xunzhou sat down at the table and took a sip of the hot tea that the nanny had just brought in.

Jiang Zhiyi sat on his lap and then picked up the gift to start unwrapping it.

It is a sapphire necklace.

Under the light, it was dazzling and sparkling, clean and flawless, a dreamy blue.

The necklace had been bought long ago, before she reminded him to bring a gift back.

The moment he saw the necklace at the auction, he thought of her, her eyes clear and bright like the first wisps of mist.

"Put it on for me."

What girl wouldn't like something so pretty? She was eager to try it on.

Today she was wearing a light white nightgown with an off-the-shoulder design and a low neckline.

He put the necklace on her; her skin was already very fair, and the luster of the gemstones further accentuated her complexion.

He placed his hands on her shapely, rounded shoulders and kissed her collarbone.

"Brother Xunzhou, it itches." She tried to push him away.

He held her tightly in his arms, inhaling the fragrance of her hair.

She looked up at him, and the man's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. He said in a hoarse voice, "Don't move."

But Jiang Zhiyi wouldn't listen to him; she landed a wet kiss on his neck.

Several red, ambiguous kiss marks were left behind.

"Here's a necklace for you." She grinned mischievously.

This is a gift she gave him in return, a mark she left for him.

The next morning.

Since it was the weekend and it had been quite a while since they had returned to the Fu family home, Fu Xunzhou took Jiang Zhiyi back to the Fu family's old residence.

"Mom!" Jiang Zhiyi called for her mother as soon as she entered the door.

"How old are you? Why are you still acting like a child?"

Jiang Yao looked at her daughter's coquettish act and showed that she wasn't buying it.

"Uncle Fu." Seeing the man standing next to her mother, Jiang Zhiyi straightened up and greeted him.

"Yes, I'm back," Fu Chengzhao replied.

"Alright, come and eat. You haven't been back for many days. Xunzhou, did Zhizhi bother you at your place? If it's inconvenient, let her come back to stay. It's just a bit far, so as not to disturb you." Jiang Yao looked very concerned.

"Mom, I won't make a fuss, I'll be good!"

Jiang Zhiyi strongly disagreed with Jiang Yao's statement, questioning why she was being spoken of in this way.

"Aunt Jiang, it's alright, you're fine staying at my place."

Yes, she is indeed quiet and obedient.

Last night, the noise went on until late into the night, and Jiang Zhiyi was already exhausted.

She was getting sleepy, but he was keeping her up all night, so she got angry and threw his pillow on the floor. She kicked him away and told him to go sleep outside.

Thinking of this, Fu Xunzhou tilted his head back and drank most of a glass of water.

After dinner, Jiang Zhiyi nestled on the sofa in the living room to watch TV, clinging to Jiang Yao and not letting her leave.

"Mom, watch it with me. This show is really good. The male lead is so handsome!"

Jiang Yao watched her daughter from the side, her eyes filled with doting affection.

"Xunzhou, come to the study, I have something to tell you." Fu Chengzhao entered the study.

Hearing the sound, Jiang Yao looked up at the building and only saw a figure from behind.

"Xunzhou, you should handle that cooperation project with Jihe. Half of the investment there is related to the Jiang family. It's not appropriate for Dad to get involved."

As early as when Fu Xunzhou graduated, Fu Chengzhao handed over the reins of the Fu family business to him.

Aside from a few particularly important projects, I basically don't get involved in anything else; you could say I'm in a semi-retired state.

"Next month is your grandfather's birthday. Prepare well and show him your respect. You know, with your mother gone, some people in the Jiang family haven't been behaving themselves lately."

Fu Chengzhao originally didn't want to talk about it, after all, it was a matter for the Jiang family, and as a former son-in-law, he really had no status or right to say anything.

During this time, Fu Chengzhao heard a lot of rumors—because Jiang Yin, the only daughter, had been staying abroad, Old Master Jiang had arranged for several children from collateral branches of the Jiang family to work in the company, seemingly to give them special attention.

This undoubtedly poses a potential threat to Fu Xunzhou.

"Yes, I know. I've already had it prepared."

“If you have time, you should go abroad and visit your mother. If she's willing to come back, that would be wonderful. She's been alone abroad for so many years; it's been long enough.”

Fu Chengzhao wanted to say something more, but Fu Xunzhou didn't want to continue the topic, especially since it involved his mother.

Fu Xunzhou quickly changed the subject: "We still need to follow up on the resort project. What did you think of the information Zhang Cheng gave you last time?"

"Have you gotten the permits over there yet? They've been cracking down really hard lately. If you're not 100% prepared, the risk is still pretty high."

"Logically, there shouldn't be a problem, unless someone maliciously reports it." Fu Xunzhou said meaningfully.

"Since you already know what's going on, I won't say any more. Just don't go too far; these kinds of problems happen everywhere. You still need to consider the feelings of your uncles and elders."

In business, Fu Chengzhao may seem ruthless, but he always leaves room for maneuver and is more sentimental than most people in the industry, sometimes even appearing overly kind.

Fu Xunzhou, on the other hand, is completely different. He's a real smiling tiger, and when it comes to interests, he's more ruthless than anyone else.

"By the way, come have dinner with me and your Uncle Ji in a few days. Ji Ning, that girl from the Ji family, will be there too. You two should spend more time together. Xunzhou, you should think about settling down."

Fu Chengzhao arranged a blind date for him.