Rong Yu drove back to Hibiscus Manor.
At the same time, another car pulled up at the estate’s entrance.
It was Ji Zhiyuan’s car.
He had attended a business banquet and had a few too many drinks, leaving him slightly intoxicated. Worried about his safety on the road, Lan Rouxue accompanied him back.
Through the car window, she noticed a strikingly luxurious vehicle parked ahead.
She recognized it—a limited-edition model that had debuted just a few months prior, priced at sixteen million per unit.
The Ji family owned plenty of luxury cars, so this wasn’t particularly surprising.
However, this one was clearly designed for women.
The Ji household had no female members.
Just as she was pondering this, Rong Yu stepped out from the driver’s seat.
Was she the one driving this car?
Lan Rouxue had looked into Rong Yu’s background—the eldest daughter of the Rong family, raised in the countryside and largely neglected. Would the Rong family really splurge on such an extravagant car for her?
Unlikely.
Lan Rouxue pushed open the car door and approached her. "Miss Rong."
Rong Yu acknowledged her with a faint nod before continuing toward the manor.
Unable to hold back, Lan Rouxue spoke up, "I thought a young girl like you would be more… innocent. I never expected you to accept such an expensive gift from the Ji family."
Rong Yu halted.
Her gaze swept over Lan Rouxue, cold and assessing.
For some reason, Lan Rouxue’s chest tightened.
Even though Rong Yu was just an eighteen-year-old high school student, there was an inexplicable pressure radiating from her that was hard to withstand.
"Perhaps Secretary Lan should take a look at her own outfit before speaking," Rong Yu remarked, her lips curling slightly.
Her memory was sharp—after a single trip to the mall yesterday, she had memorized the prices of most brands. Lan Rouxue’s outfit cost over thirty thousand, her shoes nearly ten thousand, her bag a little over one hundred twenty thousand, and her earrings and bracelets combined added up to around five or six hundred thousand…
How could a secretary from an ordinary background afford such luxuries in her daily life?
The only explanation was that Ji Zhiyuan, that fool, had gifted them to her.
Perhaps sensing Rong Yu’s disdainful gaze, Ji Zhiyuan, slightly tipsy in the car, opened his eyes. Rubbing his temples, he stepped out. "What’s going on?"
Rong Yu walked away without another word.
Lan Rouxue bit her lower lip and said softly, "I just thought… a high school student like Miss Rong shouldn’t accept such lavish gifts from others. She seemed upset when I mentioned it…"
Ji Zhiyuan frowned. "Go apologize to her."
Lan Rouxue’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Zhiyuan, you—you want me to apologize?"
Ji Zhiyuan replied, "You were the one who overstepped first."
Lan Rouxue clenched her jaw but had no choice. She followed him inside.
Just then, she saw Rong Yu ascend to the second floor and enter the largest master bedroom.
According to Steward Yu, that room had once belonged to the Ji family’s late matriarch.
And now… Rong Yu was staying there?
Did Old Master Ji intend for her to become the next mistress of the Ji household?
Then what did that make her?
Rong Yu closed the door, shutting Lan Rouxue out.
Her voice trembled as she asked, "Just what is Miss Rong’s status in the Ji family?"
Ji Zhiyuan chose his words carefully. "She’s family."
"Family?" Lan Rouxue’s tears fell instantly. "Then what am I, Zhiyuan? After all this time together, what does that make me?"
Ji Zhiyuan frowned. "Her being family doesn’t conflict with you being my girlfriend. Why are you crying?"
He sighed, wiping her tears and pulling her into an embrace. "You’re overthinking this."
Lan Rouxue sobbed quietly.
She wished it were just her imagination…
Ji Zhiyuan arranged for someone to take Lan Rouxue home.
He then went upstairs and knocked on Rong Yu’s door.
"Come in."
He entered to find her seated in a chair, reading a book.
"Great-Grandmother, I’d like to apologize on behalf of Rouxue. She didn’t know your identity and overstepped. Please don’t take it to heart."
Rong Yu set the book down. "If it were someone else who’d been treated this way by Secretary Lan, Zhiyuan, how would you handle it?"
Ji Zhiyuan hesitated.
Rong Yu waved a hand. "Never mind. You may leave."
Ji Zhiyuan remained where he was, lips pressed together. "Rouxue is my girlfriend."
"I know," Rong Yu said with a faint smile. "That’s why I didn’t have Steward Yu throw her out. Consider that my courtesy to you."
Just then, Old Master Ji happened to pass by the door.
Sensing the odd atmosphere, he stepped inside. "What’s going on? Zhiyuan, did you upset your great-grandmother?"
Before Ji Zhiyuan could explain, Rong Yu’s phone rang.
She raised a hand to silence them.
"Hello, is this Rong Yu? This is the 'Star Dream Project' program team. We formally invite you to attend the first recording session this Saturday at Ji's Entertainment…"
The call ended shortly after.
Old Master Ji’s face lit up with excitement. "This is a talent show I’ve been planning for years! Mother, you’re actually participating? What a coincidence!"
Rong Yu smiled. "Not a coincidence at all."
She had signed up precisely because this was something Yingbao wanted to do.
Now that Yingbao had awakened, perhaps there was no need to continue.
"I remember when I was little, singing was your greatest passion," Old Master Ji reminisced. "You used to take me to the Great Shanghai Ballroom to watch performances. If you hadn’t devoted yourself to scientific research, you might have become a star renowned across the nation, right?"
Rong Yu did love singing.
She had studied vocal music as a child, but later realized that music couldn’t save the people, much less the country.
So, she poured all her energy into physics and chemistry.
Her former hobby had been shelved, gathering dust over time…
Old Master Ji looked at her. "Since you’ve been given a second chance at life, Mother, why not experience something different?"
Ji Zhiyuan, eager to salvage his image in his great-grandmother’s eyes, quickly added, "Most participants in this show are students, and all recordings are scheduled for weekends. It won’t interfere with your studies, Great-Grandmother. It’d be a good experience."
Rong Yu nodded. "Fine."
Old Master Ji immediately said, "Zhiyuan, who’s the current general manager of Ji's Entertainment? Summon him to headquarters tomorrow. We must secure the best resources for your great-grandmother, and—"
"Yingbao," Rong Yu interrupted. "If I rely on the Ji family’s influence to participate, how is that experiencing life? Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to the others."
"You’re right, Mother," Old Master Ji conceded. "Then tomorrow, I’ll accompany you to the recording."
Star Dream Project was Ji's Entertainment’s flagship variety show. After preliminary selections, eighty-eight young women had been chosen for the live-recorded program.
When Old Master Ji dropped Rong Yu off at the entrance of Ji's Entertainment’s headquarters, they were met with a sea of cameras.
Reluctantly, he said, "Mother, this is as far as I can go. But don’t worry—I’ll be upstairs in the Ji Group building, keeping an eye on the recording."
Rong Yu stepped out of the car.
As she walked down the program’s red carpet, the live broadcast officially began.
She gave a brief self-introduction to the cameras when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a group of people surrounding Rong Ruoyao as she entered the frame.
Among the eighty-eight contestants, most were unknowns, but Rong Ruoyao had some fame in the entertainment industry. Many flocked to her, either to curry favor or to share screen time and gain exposure.
Just as Rong Ruoyao finished greeting the audience…
She looked up and saw Rong Yu.
A flicker of worry crossed her mind—what if Rong Yu came over to greet her?
If the audience found out Rong Yu was her sister, they’d be forever linked in the public eye. That would be disastrous…
