Luo Changfang was released without charges after being detained for forty-eight hours.

News about the Jiang Family’s disregard for human life and absolute control spread wildly, causing the reputation of their group to plummet and affecting all of the companies under Jiang Family’s umbrella to various extents. The stock prices took a steep dive, and several hospitals that had partnerships with Jiang Family Pharmaceuticals subsequently terminated their contracts.

The Jiang Family suffered heavy losses, and Old Madam Jiang fell ill and could not rise from her bed.

“Lin.”

Jiang Xiaolin stepped forward, “Yes, Grandmother?”

Behind the curtained bed, Xu Jiuru lay ill, appearing lethargic. Her speech lacked energy and sounded listless, “Work harder on managing public opinion. In the pharmaceutical business, the brand cannot be neglected.”

“Mhm, understood.”

In the quiet room, only the grandchild and grandmother were present, the scent of sandalwood burning softly.

Occasionally, coughs could be heard from behind the curtain.

“Did the Lu Family secure that project with the Drug Administration?” Xu Jiuru asked.

She had phlegm stuck in her throat that she couldn’t cough out, making her breathing labored, emitting a raspy sound.

Jiang Xiaolin responded, “No, the Lu Family withdrew.”

“The Lu Family actually withdrew.” Xu Jiuru hadn’t expected this outcome, “Who benefited then?”

“JC Medical.”

The Jiang and Lu Families had been at each other’s throats, allowing this dark horse that came out of nowhere to reap the benefits.

“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.” Xu Jiuru laughed, no longer mentioning the dark horse that had gotten the better of the Jiang and Lu Families, “Go on and get busy.”

Jiang Xiaolin left.

Shortly after, Jiang Fuxi came in to bring medicine, accompanied by Madam Gui.

Xu Jiuru’s spirits were low, and her body felt extremely weak; she was taking a rest.

“Grandmother.”

Jiang Fuxi approached the bed, calling out once more, “Grandmother.”

The elderly woman on the bed opened her eyes, “Mhm.”

Jiang Fuxi drew back the curtain, “Time to take your medicine.”

Xu Jiuru stretched out her hand, and Madam Gui came over to help her sit up.

“What has Brother Zhi been up to these days?”

Jiang Fuxi passed the bowl of medicine, speaking softly, “Several hospitals want to break off their partnerships with us. Brother Zhi is dealing with them.”

“The company facing such a big mishap just as he took office, those old timers at the corporation might not take his leadership well.” Xu Jiuru finished her medicine and placed a piece of honeyed fruit in her mouth.

Jiang Fuxi took the medicine bowl and set it down on the side table.

“You shouldn’t worry, Grandmother. Brother Zhi will take care of the company matters. You just focus on regaining your health,” she reassured.

Xu Jiuru leaned back on the bed, her eyelids drooping weakly, “How could I not worry? Brother Zhi probably resents and hates me deep down.” She sighed deeply, her forehead creased with worry, “With the Jiang Family in such turmoil, the Lu Family must be pleased.”

Jiang Fuxi sat down by the bed, “Grandmother, do you have some kind of grievance with the Lu Family?”

It was well known that the Jiang Family and Lu Family had poor relations, but no one dared to raise the topic in front of Xu Jiuru, and the truth behind those rumors was unknown.

Xu Jiuru lifted her eyelids, glancing at her.

Jiang Fuxi looked down, “I spoke out of turn.” She went on to explain, “I see that Brother Zhi has a decent relationship with people from the Lu Family. I worry that it might lead to further misunderstandings with you in the future.”

Upon hearing that, Xu Jiuru grew serious, “He has a decent relationship with who from the Lu Family?”

“Zhou Qingrang is the boyfriend of Lu Sheng.”

Zhou Qingrang?

Xu Jiuru had heard the name, “The one from the TV station?”

Jiang Fuxi nodded, “He’s Miss Zhou’s uncle.”

Indeed, quite the coincidence.

Xu Jiuru stopped talking and lay back down to rest.

After spending a day in bed and consuming several doses of medicine, she still felt no improvement and her coughing worsened.

Jiang Chuan brought over a meal, and before entering the room, he could already hear the severe coughing, “You’re coughing so much, Old Madam, shall I call Dr. Qin over?”

Xu Jiuru sat up with effort, her usually impeccably combed hair now in disarray and streaked with white, “No need, at my age, once one lies down, it’s very hard to get up again. Who knows how much longer I can last.”

“You’re still strong, don’t speak like that.”

Jiang Chuan set up a small table on the bed and placed the meal on it.

Xu Jiuru, with no appetite, didn’t touch her food and sighed with a heavy heart, “Lin Qiunan hasn’t fallen yet; if I were to go now, I’d be unwilling to accept it.”

“We need to step up efforts with our young master.”

“It’s hopeless now, I’ve taught him to be too shrewd; he’s not easily fooled. He’s probably been suspicious of me for a long time and won’t listen to me. And with Zhou Xufang,”

The sight of the elderly clouded over with age, but her gaze remained sharp, “I’ve underestimated Zhou Xufang; compared to me, Brother Zhi might listen more to her.”

Jiang Chuan remained silent, passing her the soup spoon.

Xu Jiuru took a spoonful of soup, but as soon as it went down her throat, she vomited it out, pushing away the table on the bed and bending over the side coughing violently.

Her throat tasted of blood.

She covered it with a handkerchief, and when her coughing subsided, there were traces of blood on the cloth.

Age had taken its toll; her body was failing.

She sighed, “I can’t wait any longer.”

Seeing the blood on the handkerchief, Jiang Chuan said urgently, “I’ll go get Dr. Qin right now.”

Dr. Qin Shiyu arrived at the Jiang residence at eight in the evening. After the examination, he prescribed a treatment, stating that the Old Madam was overly worried and had caught a cold, requiring rest and peace.

The night sky was clear with sparse stars, and the early summer night breeze carried a hint of dryness.

“Meow.”

“Meow.”

He Xi lay on the windowsill, calling weakly, though only six years old, it sounded like an old cat.

Jiang Fuxi set down her paintbrush, “What are you yowling about?”

A visitor had come.

He Xi meowed twice more.

The visitor entered on their own, calling out, “Fuxi.”

Jiang Fuxi stood up, her apron stained with various colors of paint, “Is she coughing blood?”

“Mhm.”

She approached him, cupped his face, and kissed him, “Reduced by one qian of Eucommia, increased by one qian of Poria.” Her voice was clear and cold in the night, “I’ll make her taste what Brother Zhi has tasted.”

“Alright.”

Dr. Qin Shiyu was brought to the Jiang Family by his father at the age of fourteen, with Jiang Fuxi being the first patient he treated.

Around eight thirty, Xue Baoyi called.

“Brother Zhi, come out and have some fun.” This guy gets itchy bones if he doesn’t go out and play for a day.

Jiang Zhi was on the phone, holding a math paper: “No time.” He had to earn money for his girlfriend.

These past few days, Fang Lixiang had been away filming with the crew, and Xue Baoyi was left alone in her empty boudoir, terribly bored. Now that Jiang Zhi was a married man, he couldn’t just hang out with any random crowd or play mahjong. He wanted to lure Jiang Zhi out to have some fun: “What’s keeping you so busy at this late hour, come on, let’s go wild together.”

Jiang Zhi said, “I’m rushing to finish homework.”

Xue Baoyi doubted his ears: “Rushing what?”

The other end hung up.

Xue Baoyi figured, Jiang Zhi must be ‘getting busy’ with his girlfriend, still pretending to be all proper with him.

After finishing the third math paper, Jiang Zhi looked up: “Zhou Xufang.”

She hadn’t glanced at him in at least half an hour.

She was buried in her work: “Hmm.”

Jiang Zhi sat on the sofa, stretching out his long legs and occupying the whole couch: “Is the love letter done?”

Zhou Xufang had been writing love letters at the computer desk since after dinner: “Not done yet.” She turned her head and finally looked at him, “I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

She took the relationship chart she had drawn, squatted between the sofa and coffee table: “Luo Changfang was released not guilty because she got something on Xu Jiuru.”

Jiang Zhi put down the paper, retracted his legs, and pulled that squatting bundle of a girlfriend to sit by his side.

She had drawn a relationship diagram of the Jiang Family on her notebook and was now pondering over it, analyzing seriously: “I think this leverage was provided by the Jiang Family because the timing was too precise for an outsider to achieve.”

Holding a pen in her hand, she crossed out Jiang Xiaolin and his son on the notebook: “If Luo Changfang goes to jail, the second branch will break with Xu Jiuru and the main branch benefits; they couldn’t be the ones who gave the leverage.”

Jiang Zhi took her pen and crossed out Jiang Wei’er too: “Not Jiang Wei’er either, she doesn’t have the IQ.”

“…”

Well then, apart from the not-so-smart Jiang Wei’er, that left only Jiang Chuan, Gui Family, and Jiang Fuxi.

Zhou Xufang circled Gui Family: “I think she’s problematic.”

Jiang Zhi cuddled up from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder: “There is an issue. The driver who died in the car crash along with my mother was her distant nephew.”

Zhou Xufang had an epiphany, “That explains why she would help you.”

Jiang Zhi ruffled her hair: “Such a smart head, how come you can’t write a love letter?”

“…”

She tugged at her hair, feeling defeated.

Afraid she would pull herself bald, Jiang Zhi took her hand and placed it on his waist, picked up her notebook, and flipped to the previous page, where two paragraphs were written.

The first paragraph: I want to take you to my grandma’s house to watch the sunset until we both fall asleep. I want to hold your hand and never let go.

The second paragraph: You are my only one, never doubt that. I treat you as my air, inseparable as shadows.

The handwriting was beautiful, but the words didn’t sound like Zhou Xufang’s straightforward style.

“Why does this sound so familiar?”

Zhou Xufang remained silent.

Jiang Zhi read it again: “Zhou Xufang, are you copying song lyrics?”

Oops, caught red-handed!

Jiang Zhi laughed at her trick: “Can’t write one?”

She looked troubled: “Yeah.”

“I’ll teach you.”

He held her hand, and stroke by stroke, he wrote: Zhou Xufang loves Jiang Zhi.

Zhou Xufang: “…” She didn’t think it was more impressive than song lyrics, but she couldn’t bring herself to discourage her boyfriend.

“Keep writing that line after.”

The same phrase for three pages?

Zhou Xufang: “Okay.” She went back to the desk to write.

Such an obedient girlfriend.

Jiang Zhi half-reclined on the sofa, propping his chin and watching his girlfriend for a while. The more he watched, the cuter she seemed. He thought to himself that when they were old, he’d have her read the love letters to him… Then he looked at the papers on the couch and felt a headache coming on.

He took a photo with his phone and sent it to Qiao Nanchu.

Qiao Nanchu called back quickly: “What did you send?”

Jiang Zhi: “Papers.”

“Are you that free?”

Jiang Zhi stated plainly, “Your girlfriend took on the same assignment as mine, eighteen papers.”

Qiao Nanchu: “…”

The girlfriend took it, what could he do? Just bear with it.

“Physics for me, you take care of the maths.”

Jiang Zhi agreed, snapping photos of all the physics papers and sending them over.

It wasn’t even nine o’clock when Zhou Xufang, who had been laying on the desk writing love letters, fell asleep, pen still in hand.

Jiang Zhi went over to her and whispered: “Xufang.”

“Xufang.”

Zhou Xufang murmured drowsily, sounding like a mosquito: “Hmm.”

He crouched down, brushing the hair from her face: “Go to bed to sleep, okay?”

She turned her head to the side and continued to sleep sprawled on the desk.

He checked the time; it was still early. He picked her up and placed her in bed, and the moment she touched the bed, she rolled into the blankets by herself.

She hadn’t even showered.

Jiang Zhi fetched a basin of hot water from the bathroom, wiped her face and hands, took off her socks, and wiped her feet as well. Her eyes didn’t open, just humming a few times, still in slumber.

He asked by her ear: “Do you want me to carry you to brush your teeth?” Zhou Xufang loved being clean; she wouldn’t sleep without brushing her teeth normally.

But tonight she didn’t want to move, like a cat, burrowing her head into the pillow and squirming: “I want to sleep.” She turned over, facing away from him.

She was still wearing her hoodie home clothes. He went to get her pajamas, placed his hand under the blanket, and started undressing her: “Lift your arm a bit.”

She didn’t budge, sleeping like a snug log.

“Fang Bao.”

Jiang Zhi cooed: “Fang Bao, change your clothes and then sleep.”

She pushed away his head as he leaned in close, mumbling: “I’m sleepy.”

Fine then, let her sleep in her hoodie.

Jiang Zhi kissed her cheek: “Goodnight.”

Lately, Zhou Xufang seemed to be sleeping an awful lot.