No reconciliation, no forgiveness! Mr. Pei leaves with nothing.

Jiang Hua didn't hang up the phone, nor did she pay any more attention to it. After hearing the last response from the other end, she put down her phone, turned over, and went to sleep.

Pei Zhan, dressed in a dark gray French striped bathrobe, exuded the air of a top-tier aristocrat. In his hotel suite, a torrential downpour prevented his flight from taking off, so he had to temporarily handle company matters. A delay in the capital wasn't too bad. He silenced his phone as Kagel entered. "The young mistress's photos have been kept private as you instructed, minimizing public exposure, but… the impact is simply too great. People all over the country are uploading her photos online, and some are even offering high prices on the black market for her identity and address."

“There are even talent agencies that want to use the platform to obtain information about the young mistress in order to sign her as one of their artists.”

"The fact that just one photo has caused such a sensation is probably something the young mistress herself didn't know. Judging from the login information, this is the first time she has posted a photo of herself in four or five years."

Pei Zhan: "No matter what methods we use, all the photos on the entire internet will be cleaned up."

"Yes, young master." If Jiang Hua is indeed the future mistress of the Huo family, then the eldest young master is right to do so as the heir of the Huo family. He sees the Huo family as a thorn in his side and would inevitably do something to harm her if he knew the identity of the young mistress.

"All personal information within the country is kept confidential."

"Yes."

As Kagel left, Pei Zhan's phone suddenly vibrated. Thinking that his wife had finally come to her senses and was willing to send him a message, Pei Zhan picked up his phone almost immediately. He saw the photo sent by Xu Zhoulan, which was deeply etched into the man's deep eyes.

Xu Zhoulan gazed at the dim lights of the hotel suite, sent a photo, but felt it wouldn't ignite the fire, so he simply sent a text message: "With such a beautiful wife at home, aren't you afraid of being cheated on? You really do look like a family of three."

Xu Zhoulan smirked wickedly, downed his glass of red wine in one gulp, and turned to look at the girl who was fast asleep on the three-meter-long bed. Her exposed arms were covered with marks from their lovemaking.

Pei Zhan... I never expected your sister to be so clingy in bed.

Huo Ling was resting limply when she suddenly felt her breath being taken away, and the smell of alcohol invaded her senses. When the kiss ended, Huo Ling squinted her sleepy eyes and wrapped her arms around the man's neck. "Brother, how come you were so amazing tonight?"

"I have to go to work tomorrow, so please don't."

In order to calm the man down and make him let her go, Huo Ling leaned back and kissed him.

"Three times...that's not enough!"

The thief is still intent on stealing.

Pei Zhan picked up his phone and opened the contact's status update. He did see the photo there. Jiang Hua was holding a child in her arms, and Shen Yebai was sitting beside her and the child. His gaze was gentle as he looked at her. Pei Zhan had never seen Jiang Hua like this before. The child in her arms was handled so carefully. Even Pei Zhan could feel that her aura had softened because of the child. There was a maternal aura about her. Anyone who didn't know better would think that this was their child.

The man's gaze gradually turned cold...

Pei Zhan's social circle and his interactions with the Shen family were mostly business-related. Last time he visited the Shen family, a neighboring family member was interested in cooperating with the Jiang family. If it weren't for Jiang Hua's offer of assistance, the Shen family would never have had any opportunity to connect with the Huo family or the Jiang family for resource cooperation.

The photos were blatantly displayed in front of him, but the Shen family seemed to completely disregard him.

The political circle always has the upper hand over the business world. Officials and businessmen are always one and the government is always in the lead. The government can never suppress the power. In the eyes of the Shen family, no matter how capable Pei Zhan is, he is just a businessman and has no value. Now that the Jiang family has risen from the ground to become the richest family in the capital, is the Shen family trying to set their sights on his wife?

The photos were released so openly; was it an attempt to sow discord or a provocation?

If the Wang family hadn't fallen, the capital city wouldn't have been in their hands; the Shen family would have been in charge.

It's not necessarily true that the Jiang family is in trouble. The Shen family has already made their move, and now they're trying to poach her. Aren't the Shen family taking themselves a bit too seriously?

Pei Zhan stared at his phone, which was still connected to the call, until the next morning.

Song Qingran has been extremely secretive about her activities, revealing no information to the outside world. The entire floor is under the protection of bodyguards. Currently, Song Qingran is still in critical condition due to excessive blood loss, and even her organs are beginning to show signs of rejection...

Even Xue Ruyao and Ye Qing couldn't get through to her by phone. They had wanted Song Qingran to come over in person to witness Jiang Hua's panicked, frightened, and helpless appearance after her reputation was ruined. Just thinking about it made them feel very gratified.

"How about we just forget about it? Qingran has been busy drawing recently, but it's okay. I've set up a camera in the corner, and with the news from the new media reporters, everyone will definitely see it."

Xue Ruyao smiled confidently, "I'm really looking forward to seeing how bewildered she'll be then."

In the reception room next to the Great Hall of the People, many people had already arrived one after another, and even reporters were preparing for the upcoming filming.

Jiang Huai was the first to arrive. Given the occasion, he had no choice but to be there first. Jiang Weiguo, as the most important guest, was seated to the right of Jiang Huai, while Shen Yebai was on the left. As mayor, Shen Yebai should have sat in the middle, but given the relationship between the two families, the younger Shen Yebai gave up the center position.

The etiquette staff temporarily assigned by Imperial University were all trained and moved among all the positions of authority to serve water.

This is the first time such a massive meeting has been held publicly; there is no room for any mistakes.

When the two families met, they drank tea instead of wine and chatted amiably.

Shen Yebai wore a black executive jacket, exuding a classic cadre style, but it didn't make him look old at all. Instead, it added a touch of solemnity and sternness, making him unapproachable. "Where is Huahua?"

Jiang Weiguo said with a smile, "She hasn't been getting enough rest lately. When I left, she was still asleep, so I didn't wake her up. I just let her sleep a little longer. If I had brought her earlier, she wouldn't have been able to sit still."

Jiang Huai: "No rush, she's the last one to go on stage, it doesn't matter how late it is."

Yes, Jiang Hua hasn't gotten up yet.

Instead of being woken up by Xu Ma's knocking, she was finally awakened by Pei Zhan's urgent phone call.

Jiang Hua, still half asleep, put the phone to her ear, her mood extremely irritable, "I know, stop rushing me, I'm up."

"The package arrived, did you receive it?"

"So fast?"

"Awake?"

"I'm awake, I'm awake."

Pei Zhan: "Don't be late for the lecture."

Hearing a knock at the door, it was Xu Ma. "Young Miss, are you awake?"

"Come in, Aunt Xu." Aunt Xu pushed open the door and entered, carrying a delicate black shopping bag. Jiang Hua immediately jumped out of bed, forgetting even to put on her shoes. She dropped the phone and went to unpack her bag, which would match her outfit perfectly.

Aunt Xu said, "It looks like it was brought back from abroad by Mr. Pei, and it was just delivered this morning."

Jiang Hua liked it more and more as she looked at it. "Aunt Xu, please help me prepare some clothes."

"Good lady."

Jiang Hua suddenly remembered her phone. She walked to the bedside and answered the call, "How did you know I had a lecture?"

Pei Zhan: "In Mrs. Pei's eyes, I am omnipotent, so of course I know everything."

"I've asked Xiang Nan to come pick you up."

Jiang Hua: "Okay, alright, that's fine then. Anyway, you won't be back in time. I need to change my clothes."

Pei Zhan walked on the empty ground of the airport. Not far away, the world's largest private jet was parked. The sky above the plane was covered with dark clouds, and the weather was gloomy and dreary. He had encountered strong winds in the middle of the journey. After transiting through Russia and landing, it would take at least three hours to fly back to China.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Hua, knowing that today's occasion was very important, put her long hair up in a bun, wearing a jade hairpin that dangled down her back, and Pei Zhan's ring on her ring finger. Apart from that, she did not wear any other jewelry.

"So alike, so incredibly alike, Lady Qingcheng! They're practically identical!" Xu Qiulan was astonished when she saw Jiang Hua in the mirror.

Jiang Hua looked at herself in the mirror. "I look good, but Aunt Xu... don't I look too old? I look like I'm thirty."

Xu Qiulan: "No, no, when Madam Qingcheng was nineteen years old, she wore this cheongsam and stood on the stage to attend a speech. I remember... Madam Qingcheng also wore this hairpin back then. She didn't look old at all. She looked so beautiful."

"Then... let's do it this way."

Jiang Hua is used to being unserious, so she feels a little uncomfortable attending such an important occasion.

It wasn't peak time yet, and Zuo Xiangnan was driving to Imperial University, arriving at the auditorium just in time.

A huge display screen was on the stage, and all the important guests were already seated, facing thousands of students. The host was about to announce the start of the lecture when…

Suddenly, the tightly closed door reopened. Everyone heard the noise and looked towards the door. As soon as they saw it, everyone held their breath, and all those eyes filled with amazement focused on Jiang Hua.

Jiang Hua wore light makeup, her thin lips were red and tender, and her eyes swept across the entire room.

However, the moment Jiang Hua appeared, the photographer had already captured countless shots of her.

Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, "Goddess, you are so beautiful."

One wave after another followed, creating a bustling atmosphere.

Jiang Hua raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, showing little emotion. While she was still looking for her seat, Xie Huai had already stepped forward and given her the seat on the far side of the second row in front of her.

In the end, it was the host who brought the entire audience under control and calmed things down.

Xue Ruyao's eyes flashed with impatient ruthlessness: What's the use of being good-looking, Jiang Hua... How many people are chasing after you now? In the future, you will face everyone's contempt and curses.

Xu Qing suddenly felt her eyelids twitch. "Ayao... don't you think Jiang Hua looks like someone we've met before?"

“We didn’t notice before, but now… look… doesn’t she look like the person in this jewelry restoration video, Jiang Qingcheng!” Xu Qing said, still somewhat incredulous, as she turned on her phone and paused the video.

Xue Ruyao's eyes darkened, but she said confidently and firmly, "Impossible. You've forgotten that the real heiress of the Jiang Group is studying abroad and is not in China at all. Also... we've done so many investigations before, whether it was outside that private room or in the Kyoto Grand Hotel, that's enough to prove her identity, isn't it!"

“Xiaoyu, you heard it with your own ears too. Jiang Hua called the chairman of the Jiang Group ‘Chairman Jiang,’ not ‘Dad.’”

"Alright, stop worrying unnecessarily. Now you just need to quietly watch the show."

The meeting began with the opening remarks of the speech.

There was also a live broadcast at the scene. The barrage of comments on one of the reporters' computer screens was completely flooded with people wanting to see Jiang Hua, who had just appeared. In order to increase the number of views, the reporter stepped forward and pointed the camera at Jiang Hua. Just as he was about to conduct another interview with her, Xie Huai stepped forward quickly and interrupted them, and the camera lens was moved away.

The speech was inaudible; Xie Huai said something to the other party, and then they had already left.

This meeting could easily go on for at least three hours.

Despite her impatience, Jiang Hua thought of her grandfather and father sitting in front of her, and decided that she had to get through this day no matter what. She probably wouldn't come back a second time.

An hour and a half had passed by the time the various intangible cultural heritage representatives finished their speeches. In the last few minutes, the host mentioned her at the end of the script, "The last speaker is Jiang Hua, a representative of intangible cultural heritage jewelry restoration..."

When Jiang Hua took the stage, she adjusted her microphone. The camera flash illuminated her skin, making it bright and flawless. "Hello everyone, I am Jiang Hua... It is an honor to stand here and meet you all."

"I had prepared a speech to read, but then I thought it was too long, so I gave up. I think everyone would eventually get restless, since traditional speeches can be quite dry and boring."

"Now, I won't take up any more of your precious study time and will finish as soon as possible."

"Actually, my purpose in standing here is very simple: to continue this tradition, to keep going what shouldn't be erased, because... the meaning of jewelry restoration is very important to me. It represents a person, someone I miss dearly. Every time I do this, it's as if she has never left my side..."

"... "

"The spirit of inheritance has nothing to do with money, nor with making a living; its very existence transcends everything else..."

A thunderous round of applause erupted from the audience.

Immediately afterwards, a reporter took the microphone and began asking questions: "Ms. Jiang, we would like to know if you chose jewelry restoration because of a certain person? Could you please tell us who that person is?"

Jiang Hua was about to answer into the microphone when she was interrupted by gasps of surprise from the audience.

Seeing countless gazes fixed on her back, Jiang Hua turned around curiously.

Finally, all that could be heard was her own voice coming from the screen…

Recording content: "Mr. Pei, you absolutely mustn't let that young lady from the Jiang Group hear about this..."

"Mr. Pei, it's all my fault. I ruined your family and caused you to divorce your wife..."

"... "