In their senior year of college, most students were busy preparing their graduation theses, searching for internships, or studying for graduate school entrance exams.
Ji Nian had no plans for grad school, nor did she need to look for an internship.
"Ji Nian, come on, our food's here!"
Ji Nian had just finished her call with Lu Jinghuai and turned to see who had called her.
Little Rong was waving her over.
"Coming." She pocketed her phone and walked toward them.
Little Rong sidled up to her and said, "Fu Kai and Liu Ziyang might seem unreliable most of the time, but they’ve got some real business sense. The location they picked for this club is great."
Ji Nian nodded. "It is."
Who would’ve thought? Liu Ziyang, the biggest party animal of them all, had suddenly cut ties with his family in their junior year. He used whatever money he had left to take out a loan and partnered with someone to open this club.
Miraculously, it not only recouped its costs but was turning a decent profit.
"Hey, you two are slow. So, what do you think? My place isn’t bad, huh?"
Liu Ziyang grinned lazily as the two walked in.
The room was full of people, most of whom Ji Nian knew. After scanning the crowd, she replied nonchalantly, "Not bad. If I ever run out of places to hang out, I’ll come here. You giving me a discount?"
Liu Ziyang scoffed. "Damn, Ji Nian, what’s that supposed to mean? You don’t pay a cent here. You’re my lucky charm."
Back when he’d first broken off from his family, hardly anyone understood him. They urged him to apologize—after all, arranged marriages were common in their circles. What was the big deal? They could always live separate lives afterward. Some even thought he’d lost his mind and mocked him behind his back.
All his cards had been frozen, leaving him with only a small stash of savings.
It was during this time, drowning his sorrows alone in a bar he rarely frequented, that an unexpected person showed up.
That person was Ji Nian.
His impression of her had never been particularly strong. Though they moved in the same circles, there were still invisible divides. Ji Nian was quiet, and Liu Ziyang always felt she wasn’t quite like them. They joked around, but there was always some distance.
And yet, it was this same person who suddenly appeared at his lowest point, speaking in her usual indifferent tone: "Hey, I’ve got a prime piece of land. Wanna buy it?"
That one sentence sparked Liu Ziyang’s entrepreneurial ambitions.
From then on, Ji Nian had helped him in more ways than one.
You could say she was his benefactor.
"Piss off. Who’s calling who ‘bro’?"
Ji Nian kicked at him, but he dodged with a laugh.
The group gathered for dinner, chatting and complaining about work. Now that they’d all started jobs at their family companies in their senior year, carefree days were rare.
Amid the lively conversation, Liu Ziyang walked over and gestured for Little Rong to switch seats with him.
Leaning toward Ji Nian, he said, "That thing you wanted—I got someone to track it down."
Ji Nian arched a brow. "Thanks."
He crumpled his beer can slightly. "No big deal." Then, hesitating, he added, "About the Gu family..."
Ji Nian cut him off. "It’s fine."
Liu Ziyang nodded slightly before turning back to the group, his usual carefree demeanor returning. "Hey, what’s going on over there? Drink up!"
After a while, when Ji Nian left, the club manager was already waiting in the lobby with a carefully prepared package. "Miss Ji."
She took it with a nod. "Thanks."
The staff’s eager greeting drew curious glances from others in the lobby. Some were here not just for leisure but to network and seek opportunities.
Before anyone could approach her, Ji Nian was already out the door.
Gu Corporation.
The conference room was thick with tension—their young CEO had just unleashed his fury.
The Gu family had been struggling in recent years. Market trends had shifted abruptly, and Old Mr. Gu’s declining health left the burden of reform entirely on Gu Xiuyuan’s shoulders.
The employees trudged out of the meeting, heads low, when a woman’s voice cut through the gloom. "What’s going on here?"
They looked up, and one of them brightened immediately. "Miss Ji is here!"
Ji Nian nodded. "I brought some food. Go share it."
They thanked her profusely before hurrying off.
A newcomer frowned. "Why are they so excited over food?"
A veteran shook his head. "You don’t get it. That’s the boss’s younger sister. Just wait—his mood’s about to do a complete 180."
"Come in."
Gu Xiuyuan didn’t look up at the knock on his office door.
"Busy? You’re frowning so hard you could crush a fly."
Ji Nian walked in to find him pinching the bridge of his nose, his expression tense.
At the sound of her voice, he finally looked up, some of the strain easing from his face. His tone held a hint of resignation. "What brings you here?"
Ji Nian waved a bag. "Pastries from Liu Ziyang’s club. The chef cost him a fortune, but the food’s worth it. Figured you didn’t eat much for lunch."
Gu Xiuyuan took off his glasses and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples wearily.
"Yeah. Lost my appetite after that meeting."
The years had stripped away any trace of boyishness, leaving behind sharp features tempered by maturity. The once-young "Little CEO Gu" had fully stepped into his role as simply "Mr. Gu," his presence now carrying the weight of the business world.
Setting the food on his desk, Ji Nian went straight to the fridge to grab a drink.
Gu Xiuyuan’s fridge was always stocked with their favorite snacks and drinks, replenished by his assistant whenever they ran low.
She pulled out a shrimp-flavored sparkling water—her usual—and turned back to him.
"That thing you asked me to get from Liu Ziyang is ready. I’ll have someone deliver it later."
At her words, Gu Xiuyuan’s eyes flickered.
He’d long believed Gu Corporation’s outdated model couldn’t keep up with the times. He’d anticipated the need for change but never expected his father to fall ill so suddenly.
Now, he was left to fight the stubborn old shareholders alone.
Still, after holding on this long, he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Yeah. You were right about him from the start."
Gu Xiuyuan sighed.
Back when Ji Nian had unexpectedly helped Liu Ziyang, he’d been skeptical. What value could a spoiled playboy possibly offer?
Yet that same person had now become an unexpected lifeline.
"Told you so. You were frowning just as hard back then."
Ji Nian smirked before changing the subject. "How’s Uncle Gu doing?"
Gu Xiuyuan said his condition had stabilized—he was out of danger.
Ji Nian said that was good and confirmed with Gu Xiuyuan when he would be available for a visit, planning to bring gifts once he was feeling better.
"S High School is celebrating its 100th anniversary—are you going?"
For such an important occasion, S High School had invited many outstanding alumni who had achieved success in their respective fields to give speeches, including Gu Xiuyuan.
"I'm going."
Gu Xiuyuan gave a wry smile.
Even if he were as busy as a spinning top, he’d still have to attend.
"Who told you to keep saying in front of Shen Qingtang that you wanted to go back and visit?"
Ji Nian pouted.
In her heart, she thought, It’s clearly you who wants to go, okay?
