Chapter 10

Li Shanshan felt a bit like laughing. What did Xiang Hui take her for? Although in her past life she did marry Zhou Yuqi for money, their relationship back then was a coincidence. She was so beautiful—not just any unsavory character would be willing to come near her. Before Zhou Yuqi, she had plenty of suitors, many far more direct than Xiang Hui. If Xiang Hui was a reincarnator, was he planning to claim both of Zhou Yuqi’s wives? Did he harbor some deep blood feud with Zhou?

Amid Xu Huihui’s incredulous gaze, Li Shanshan suddenly stepped back with an innocent expression. “Assistant Wang, what is this? A necklace? Why would Mr. Xiang give me a necklace? No gift is accepted without merit. Please take it back and tell Mr. Xiang that I am merely a translator. My main job is interpreting for the leaders; I have no time to accompany Mr. Xiang for morning tea.”

Remember, she was now a native country girl who didn’t recognize jadeite. In fact, before 1994, ordinary people had never even heard of jadeite. She only came to know and appreciate jadeite after marrying Zhou Yuqi, eventually becoming a seasoned jadeite collector. All her jadeite investments appreciated in value. She once bought a pendant for 10,000 yuan in 1998, which later soared to 30 million—a 3,000-fold increase!

The pendant Assistant Wang delivered was that very piece. In her past life, Li Shanshan often wore it to social events. If someone were to search the internet for prized jadeite, it would surely feature. It was old mine glass type, brilliant green, entirely translucent without a single flaw, carved into a triangular melon shape, with a coral bead at the top and a black cord, exactly as she had purchased it.

Currently, jadeite grading and the term "glass type" weren't officially recognized in the industry. The owner of the triangular melon pendant once told Li Shanshan he had processed the jadeite in 1995 when prices had plummeted about 70% from their peak in the 70s and 80s. The earlier rise was fueled by booming economies in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, with demand from the wealthy skyrocketing, causing prices to multiply thousands of times. The 90s decline was due to rampant fakes disrupting the market and the 1997 financial crisis that halved Hong Kong housing prices, dragging down jadeite’s overall market.

True high-quality jadeite still fetched high prices at auctions, but he was a wholesaler supplying major malls, which then resold at many times the price. Li Shanshan had planned to save up to buy back the triangular melon pendant, but now that chance was gone.

She was furious. That scoundrel, that despicable man—Xiang Hui wanted to sweep up the future most successful businesswoman, the most beautiful socialite, and the most valuable jadeite all at once! Among all jewelry, jadeite appreciated the most and was Li Shanshan’s top investment choice. The 90s were the best time to collect jadeite; most wealthy mainlanders then were newly rich and unaware of jadeite’s beauty.

Assistant Wang was unprepared for Li Shanshan’s reaction. She froze, then blurted out, “You’re actually rejecting Mr. Xiang? Do you even know what you’re refusing?”

Li Shanshan naively replied, “It’s just a meal, right? Would he be upset just because I didn’t have morning tea with him?”

Assistant Wang glanced at her. Was it really just a meal? No, it was a ladder to skyrocketing success. She was just from a small town, beautiful but narrow-minded, not even recognizing jadeite, let alone understanding what Xiang Hui’s favor meant.

“Miss Li, I’m only here to deliver gifts. You’ll have to explain the rest to Mr. Xiang yourself.” Assistant Wang had long admired Xiang Hui, but he barely noticed her. Despite years working closely together, he regarded her as an ordinary female assistant, nowhere near the breathtaking mainland girl he had just met—who could casually receive jadeite worth hundreds of thousands.

Seeing Assistant Wang leave abruptly, leaving behind the jadeite worth hundreds of thousands, Xu Huihui was dumbfounded and flustered. “Shanshan, what should we do?” She had never faced such a situation.

She glanced at Li Shanshan’s steamed, rosy, flawless face—her eyes almost shimmering with a hint of allure that made even Xu Huihui’s heart flutter despite being a woman.

Li Shanshan picked up the hairdryer. “Return it.”

Though it had once been her prized possession, it wasn’t now, and never would be again. She was even more enraged.

Xu Huihui nodded in agreement. “Yes, if it should be returned, then return it. We can’t afford to lose face now.”

Li Shanshan took the chance to tell the translation team not to think badly of her. She added, “That Mr. Xiang is strange—at the dance last night, he even wanted me to become a star in Hong Kong, saying I could make a lot of money. But I refused. I want to keep studying, get into a good university, and develop in a better city.”

Xu Huihui studied her face. “Honestly, it’s such a pity you don’t go into showbiz. Those pretty actresses wouldn’t even dare stand in front of you.”

“Sister Xu, you’re flattering me!” Li Shanshan turned on the hairdryer.

After drying her hair and changing clothes, she asked Xu Huihui to accompany her to the rooftop to find John directly—the senior executive at Qilin Technology who had warned her at the dance.

Upon meeting John, Li Shanshan pitifully explained, “I have to get up early tomorrow to prepare for a full day of interpreting. My family is poor; I owe tuition I can’t pay, so I really need this translation fee. Our accommodation and meals are simple, and we must coordinate with the leaders’ schedules. It’s truly inconvenient to accompany Mr. Xiang for morning tea. Assistant Wang delivered the necklace and left, telling me to find Mr. Xiang myself. I’m worried about rumors, so I specifically ask you to return it to him on my behalf.”

She was preparing to lodge a complaint—going straight to Yang Hailin.

John admired Yang Hailin greatly and was surely her trusted aide. Even if not, he would likely inform her of everything since she was his big boss.

Li Shanshan had dealt with Yang Hailin and knew she wasn’t the love-struck fool the public imagined.

Continuing as Mrs. Zhou would mean the family business was out of her reach, and the Changning Holdings of the Zhou family would never be hers. After divorcing, reverting to the Yang surname, Mao Yixuan would also support her.

In the end, she won—defeating all siblings to become the head of the Zhanhong Group and Hong Kong’s richest woman.

Li Shanshan admired her greatly.

Outsiders assumed the former and current wives of Zhou Yuqi would be hostile beneath the surface, but they later became very good friends.

After hearing Li Shanshan’s explanation, John accepted the jadeite box. “Don’t worry, I’ll hand it to Xiang.”

Relieved, Li Shanshan and Xu Huihui took their leave.

After closing the door, John casually tossed the box onto the tea table and dialed his boss.

Everything was exactly as Li Shanshan wished.

Xiang Hui, who lived next door to John, was furious.

Assistant Wang’s exaggerated report embarrassed him.

Marrying the man 18 years her senior, Zhou Yuqi, was all about money, wasn’t it? Now she was putting on airs in front of him.

Xiang Hui’s face darkened.

“Assistant Wang, immediately invite the leaders from Fengcheng’s Investment Office to lunch tomorrow. We’ll discuss whether Qilin Technology should open a branch in Fengcheng.” As the translator, Li Shanshan had to accompany him.

At that time, he would be seated while she would stand.

Did she really think she was still the billionaire Mrs. Zhou, high and mighty?

Ten years ago, he married Yang Hailin, Zhou Yuqi’s childhood sweetheart and social equal. With his current wealth and status, he wasn’t afraid that penniless Li Shanshan would slip out of his grasp.

Xiang Hui truly wanted to make Li Shanshan famous.

He would open an entertainment company and sign her as the top star.

He was the boss; he called the shots.

Many had said if Li Shanshan hadn’t married Zhou Yuqi but debuted as an actress, her beauty would have made her famous at home and abroad, and she wouldn’t be labeled as a gold digger.

Marrying not a man of her own class but a wealthy older man—if that’s not gold digging, what is?

Solid proof.

Xiang Hui hated women like Li Shanshan most because they seemed to ruin good social morals, yet he was enraptured by her unparalleled beauty.

Truly the most stunning woman in Hong Kong for thirty years!

At fifty, without cosmetic surgery, fine wrinkles had appeared at her eyes, yet whenever she accompanied Zhou Yuqi to public events, the media still praised her as the most beautiful and elegant socialite.

Because she was rich and influential, despite being known as a gold digger, the media and netizens lavished her with praise.

Now, the rich one was himself.

Xiang Hui was full of confidence.

Wasn’t it normal for rich men to have multiple wives and mistresses?

Which wealthy man on those rich lists didn’t have a mistress? No news just meant they hid it well.

And corrupt officials had countless mistresses.

As for Yang Hailin’s reaction to learning of Li Shanshan’s existence, Xiang Hui didn’t worry at all.

Yang Hailin grew up in more traditional Hong Kong; her father-in-law, Yang Zhanhong, had five legitimate concubines and supported several actresses. In that environment, Yang Hailin would understand that as long as she was a considerate, magnanimous, and virtuous main wife, most of the estate would go to her children after his death.

No one knew Xiang Hui’s visit was targeted at Li Shanshan.

He wanted to take her in before Zhou Yuqi and Li Shanshan met again!

He hadn’t expected to find Li Shanshan, who should be in high school, as soon as he got off the plane. What did that mean?

It meant fate.

Looking at his spirited face and the vast wealth he controlled, Assistant Wang didn’t hide her admiration, gazing affectionately. “Yes, Mr. Xiang, I’ll invite the leaders right away. Please don’t be angry and rest well. If Li Shanshan refuses you, it’s her loss.”

“She will say yes.” After all, she was so poor she couldn’t even afford school fees.

Li Shanshan once gave an interview after earning her doctorate, candidly speaking of her rural origins and poverty—never daring to spend more than five yuan a week on pocket money. She couldn’t attend university after high school due to lack of funds, but luckily met Zhou Yuqi, who gave her the chance to study further. She was very grateful.

That chance—he was giving it to her now!

Xiang Hui believed she should immediately bow before him.