Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 544: Aunt Jing's Thoughts

"Huh? Sister Jing, you didn't know?"Sensing the shock in Liu Jing's voice over the phone, Sun Juan felt very puzzled. Sounding almost as if she were muttering to herself, she asked, "Isn't Zhou Yuwen your son-in-law?"

This question left Liu Jing at a loss for words. She naturally knew that Zhou Yuwen was currently in the limelight, having made a billion over in New York. In fact, Sun Juan wasn't the first person to call her about him.

After all, Liu Jing used to tell anyone who would listen that Zhou Yuwen was her son-in-law. Her original intention had been to introduce him to her business friends. Who could have imagined he would develop so rapidly? As his fame skyrocketed, people frequently called to say, "Oh right, Liu Jing, that young man trading stocks in the United States is your son-in-law, right?"

However, when it came to building a skyscraper, Liu Jing hadn't heard a single word about it.

She wondered to herself what kind of massive stir Zhou Yuwen was causing now.

Thus, she gave a vague reply, "Didn't I tell you? I handed the business over to those young people a long time ago. How would I know what they're up to?"

"No, but you should still keep yourself in the loop." Sun Juan pursed her lips. Even though she had called to ask for a favor, she could tell that Liu Jing's relationship with her new son-in-law didn't seem very good. This realization made Sun Juan secretly gloat a little.

Liu Jing couldn't be bothered with Sun Juan's tone and simply asked what the actual purpose of her call was.

Beggars couldn't be choosers. Prompted by Liu Jing, Sun Juan finally recounted the matter with a bitter tone, pleading with Liu Jing to definitely help her out.

It was only then that Liu Jing learned Zhou Yuwen was already preparing to build a headquarters building in Jinling.

This truly took Liu Jing by surprise; she found it absolutely unfathomable. Just how old was Zhou Yuwen? Although she had felt a bit snubbed upon hearing how much money he made in the United States, her lack of attention to him over time meant she didn't harbor many lingering thoughts. But one had to understand, Jinling was her territory. By building a skyscraper here, Zhou Yuwen was essentially transforming from a "cross-river dragon" into a "local tyrant". Didn't that mean she would be running into him at every future event?

Most importantly, as Zhou Yuwen transitioned into a local powerhouse, his influence would inevitably grow stronger. Leaving aside the awkwardness of bumping into him at social gatherings, her fair-weather friends would undoubtedly joke, "Hey, isn't that your son-in-law? Aren't you going over to say hello?"

Just thinking about it made Liu Jing flush with embarrassment.

Sigh, the most agonizing part was the prospect that her daughter would likely marry someone from out of town now.

Thinking back on it now, Liu Jing felt that her daughter had been a bit too impulsive. The relationship between Zhou Yuwen and Su Qing was just young people fooling around casually when they were naive. Only her daughter had taken it so seriously, pointlessly missing out on a wonderful marriage.

She wondered how her daughter was doing now.

Liu Jing truly ached for her daughter, feeling a deep sense of guilt. She thought to herself that if she hadn't insisted on her daughter being with Zhou Yuwen back then, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

However, if there was anyone to blame, it was definitely that You Shenmejin.

It was precisely because You Shenmejin had chosen to pester relentlessly after Jiang Xinyi. Terrified that her naive daughter might be deceived by such a character, Liu Jing had vigorously pushed for her to choose Zhou Yuwen. Therefore, the fact that things had ended up like this was entirely You Shenmejin's fault.

That being said, Liu Jing felt that since she had entrusted the company to her daughter for so long, she really should take some time to go check on her.

Taking advantage of her free schedule today, Liu Jing freshened up a bit and got ready to visit her daughter at the company.

Currently, the majority of the Jiang family estate's business was managed by Jiang Xinyi's father. Because of this, he was out of town all year round and rarely came back. As for their local operations in Jinling, Liu Jing used to keep an eye on things. Now, with Jiang Xinyi developing a strong drive for her career, Liu Jing had gradually handed over the reins to her daughter.

She herself was left with plenty of leisure time, usually just strolling through shopping streets and buying clothes.

So, after hanging up the phone, Liu Jing quickly readied herself. Although she was in her forties, she had always lived a pampered life. With her tall figure and a waist completely free of any excess fat, she didn't look her age at all. She changed into a purple qipao and adorned herself with a matching jade necklace, adding a radiant touch to her appearance before stepping out with a graceful, swaying gait.

The Jiang family's office building was located near Xuanwu Lake Park. Built at the end of the 20th century, nearly two decades had already flown by. Its construction had caused quite a sensation back then, but as time passed and skyscraper after skyscraper sprang up around it, the Jiang family's building gradually faded into the background. Even though it had undergone several renovations over the years, it inevitably appeared dated compared to its former grandeur.

When Liu Jing arrived at the company, her lingering prestige was still palpable. Seeing the Dowager Empress arriving for an inspection, the employees hastily bowed their heads in greeting, respectfully calling out, "President Liu."

Upon hearing the news, a few of her trusted aides rushed out to welcome her, calling her "Sister Jing" with honeyed sweetness.

Liu Jing merely responded by nodding slightly, then asked if Xinyi was in the office.

"She is, she is."

"Sister Jing, let me tell you, they don't say Xinyi is your flesh and blood for nothing. She's exactly like you were in your youth! She's been at the company for months now, and she always charges to the front lines no matter what happens. Why, just recently, she landed another massive contract for us."

Hearing her former subordinate praise her daughter, Liu Jing chuckled and nodded. "She still has many shortcomings. You need to guide her and point them out more often. Alright, go on back to your work; I'll go see Xinyi."

"Understood, Sister Jing!"

Navigating the familiar hallways, she soon found her way to Jiang Xinyi's office.

At that moment, Jiang Xinyi was in high spirits, gazing at the winning bid notification resting on her desk.

Jiang Xinyi knew in her heart that despite Zhou Yuwen's icy exterior toward her, he still cared for her deep down.

Otherwise, with a total of twenty companies participating in the bidding, why would he choose hers alone?

Jiang Xinyi thought to herself, 'Zhou Yuwen, just you wait. I will definitely make you look at me with new eyes this time.'

Just as Jiang Xinyi was basking in her joy, Liu Jing stepped in from outside and happened to catch sight of this scene. Unable to hold back an amused smile, she asked, "Oh my, President Xiao Jiang, what happened? Why so happy?"

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Jiang Xinyi was momentarily stunned upon seeing her mother. She hurriedly tried to tuck the bidding document out of sight. She absolutely did not want her mother to see that she was still in contact with Zhou Yuwen.

"I came to see you, of course!"

Liu Jing's attention was entirely focused on Jiang Xinyi, so she clearly hadn't noticed her daughter's little maneuver.

She smiled and said, "I came to see if our family's little princess is only thinking about work and if she's remembered to eat."

"Look at you, you've lost weight."

Liu Jing felt a pang of heartache for her. Because the company was quite a distance from their family villa, Jiang Xinyi had been staying in an apartment near the office lately, only going home occasionally.

In the blink of an eye, it had been quite a while since they last saw each other.

Liu Jing knew that the reason her daughter had thinned out was all Zhou Yuwen's fault.

She also blamed herself for pushing her daughter toward such a man.

Whenever Zhou Yuwen was brought up, Liu Jing naturally had nothing good to say. She sighed at Jiang Xinyi and said, "It's all Mom's fault. I picked the wrong man for you and ended up making you too afraid to even date anyone now!"

"Sigh, Xinyi, you have to trust Mom. That was just an accident. I will help you find a good man who is a thousand, no, ten thousand times better than Zhou Yuwen!"

Holding Jiang Xinyi's hands, Liu Jing made this solemn vow.

Hearing this, Jiang Xinyi merely offered an awkward smile and said there was no need.

"Mom, I'm still young. I want to focus more of my attention on my work."

As she spoke, Jiang Xinyi stole a glance at the half-hidden winning bid notification, terrified her mother might spot it.

Seeing how mature Jiang Xinyi was being, Liu Jing was naturally pleased. She said, "Work is important, but marriage is also a major milestone in life. You can't be careless about it. You and people like him are fundamentally different. No matter how talented or capable he is, he still has to start from scratch. Unlike you, who was born with everything. I heard he's building some skyscraper now, over near the Olympic Sports Center, right? That place used to be a swamp; who would've thought it'd be developing now too? Over here is the real city center. Back then, your father and I put in a lot of effort to secure this plot of land."

Smiling, Liu Jing sat down in Jiang Xinyi's chair.

As she sat, the slit of her elegant qipao naturally parted, revealing a stretch of snow-white thighs.

Liu Jing casually glanced over the documents on the desk, intending to see her daughter's recent work accomplishments.

When her eyes landed on the half-concealed winning bid notification for the G13 plot near the Olympic Sports Center, her brow furrowed slightly. Olympic Sports Center? Wasn't this...?

Before she could piece it together, Jiang Xinyi abruptly stepped between her and the desk. Stammering, she tried to deflect, "Uh, Mom, well, I'm pretty busy here. What made you suddenly decide to come see me today?"

Despite Jiang Xinyi's best efforts to cover it up, Liu Jing still noticed that something was off. Her expression instantly turned cold. Staring at her visibly guilty daughter, she asked frostily, "What are you hiding?"

"N-nothing!"

Jiang Xinyi still tried to hide the bidding document, but the problem was, how could she possibly conceal it now?

Liu Jing's face hardened as she demanded, "Take it out."

Jiang Xinyi lowered her head and remained silent.

Losing her patience, Liu Jing simply stood up. Sure enough, Jiang Xinyi had hidden the bidding document behind her back. Without any politeness, Liu Jing snatched it right out of her hands.

She then held it up and flipped through it. Not only did it detail the plot and its area, but it also explicitly stated which companies were collaborating.

And under the name of the company's boss, the three characters for Zhou Yuwen were glaringly printed.

Staring at that name, Liu Jing looked at Jiang Xinyi standing before her and asked coldly, "Even now, you still can't forget him?"

Jiang Xinyi still wanted to make an excuse. Keeping her head down for a long time, she finally muttered, "N-no, I was simply thinking of the company."

"The company has so much business, are we really lacking this single one!?" Liu Jing snapped directly.

"Mom, times are different now. Doing business is incredibly difficult these days!" Jiang Xinyi argued.

Liu Jing naturally didn't buy it. "Difficult? How difficult could it be? Is it harder than it was when your father and I started out?"

"I'll just ask you one thing. Are you still thinking about him in your heart?" Liu Jing demanded coldly.

Jiang Xinyi kept her head down, saying nothing.

Looking at her daughter like this, Liu Jing felt a surge of helplessness. She said, "If you still have him in your heart, then make it clear to him. This collaboration is the perfect opportunity. I told you a long time ago, two people being together doesn't rely simply on impulse!"

"?" Jiang Xinyi was stunned. She looked at her mother in disbelief. "Mom, you... you aren't angry?"

"Why should I be angry? It's the path you chose for yourself," Liu Jing said with a pout.

Overjoyed, Jiang Xinyi immediately embraced her mother and earnestly thanked her.

Feeling wronged, she explained that she had been afraid Liu Jing would object, which was why she had kept it a secret the whole time.

If she had known Liu Jing wouldn't be against it, she would have told her much earlier.

"Silly child, this is all for your own good, and for the good of the company. Why would Mom object? Besides, his project has been causing a massive stir all over town lately. The fact that he's willing to hand such a huge project over to you proves that he still has some feelings for you in his heart," Liu Jing sighed as she let Jiang Xinyi hold her.

Hearing this, Jiang Xinyi grew even happier and asked, "Mom, do you really think so too?"

Liu Jing simply smiled without saying a word.

Her mother's smile made Jiang Xinyi feel a bit embarrassed. She admitted that she had actually wanted to tell her mother earlier, because there were many aspects she didn't understand and she was terrified of messing it up.

"Mom, with you here, I'm not afraid anymore. Let's look through it together." Saying this, Jiang Xinyi pulled out the complete set of project documents.

Liu Jing agreed, "Alright, let's take a look. We'll see if we can throw a few wrenches into Zhou Yuwen's works while we're at it."

Jiang Xinyi jumped in fright upon hearing this.

Liu Jing burst into laughter and said, "I'm just teasing you. No matter what, I'd never smash our own family's reputation."

Only then did Jiang Xinyi crack a smile.

Regarding Jiang Xinyi doing business with Zhou Yuwen, from Liu Jing's perspective, she certainly wouldn't object. Zhou Yuwen's growth was simply too rapid. Truthfully, while Zhou Yuwen as an individual still couldn't match the entire Jiang family estate, as long as he was given time, surpassing them would be inevitable.

Liu Jing genuinely hoped her daughter could be with Zhou Yuwen. She naturally knew that he was a playboy, but so what? As long as Zhou Yuwen and Jiang Xinyi had a child together, no matter how many other women there were, they would all be irrelevant.

However, there was no way Liu Jing would voice these thoughts to Jiang Xinyi right now. She could only maintain an magnanimous facade, helping her daughter review the plans for Zhou Yuwen's project, while secretly calculating how to get the two of them back together.

Constructing an office building was no minor undertaking. From acquiring the land, to processing the construction permit, to finalizing the architectural and construction plans—all in all, dealing with this chaotic mess would take at least half a year.

Zhou Yuwen's original plan had been to build a customized, low-density office building with a dozen or so floors. However, after discussing it with Su Qing's studio, he decided to construct mother-and-son twin buildings. This meant one 38-story skyscraper paired with an 11-story building that emphasized a highly personalized design.

Doing it that way would naturally increase the construction costs, so the timeline was split into two phases. The first phase would focus on building the 11-story headquarters building.

Because of the building project, Zhou Yuwen had been holding daily video calls with several foreign experts, leaving him feeling rather annoyed.

As he walked out of the company that day, Zhou Yuwen said to Shen Yu, who was trailing behind him, "In the future, just coordinate these video calls directly with Su Qing. I honestly don't care about these designs at all. As far as I'm concerned, as long as we can work in it, it's fine."

Hearing this, Shen Yu chuckled. "But Su Qing seems to be taking it very seriously."

"Of course she is. You girls just love these flashy, impractical things," Zhou Yuwen replied.

Just as he stepped out of the elevator and was walking through the underground parking garage, someone called out to him.

"Yuwen!"

Zhou Yuwen turned around, only to find Liu Jing, dressed in a fur coat.

Zhou Yuwen was somewhat surprised, but out of politeness, he still greeted her, "Aunt Jing."

"Is there something you need, Aunt Jing?"