Chapter 15: Anger Ages You Faster

The doorbell rang for the third time before it was finally opened.

Jiang Mian looked coldly at the person who opened the door—Jiang Zhixuan.

Probably because she had just woken up not long ago, she was still wearing an off-white silk camisole nightgown.

Her rounded shoulders were bare, and now, leaning sideways against the door, she exuded a rather unique charm.

Unfortunately, Jiang Mian was also a woman.

She lowered her gaze and scanned Jiang Zhixuan from head to toe, her eyes gliding past her shoulder.

“Where are my things?”

“Oh,” Jiang Zhixuan laughed aloud, pushing the door gently and turning with a sway of her waist toward the living room sofa.

“You still remember, sister? I thought you didn’t care about these things.”

She stepped inside and habitually reached out to close the door.

If Jiang Zhouyi hadn’t changed the password and fingerprint, she wouldn’t have been unable to get in.

Looking at this villa now, her mood was completely different.

Jiang Zhixuan had already sat down on the sofa, legs curled up, turning on the TV and picking grapes from the table to eat casually.

She didn’t take Jiang Mian seriously at all.

Jiang Mian walked over and sat down, glancing at the television where a popular entertainment show was playing.

Several male and female celebrities were rolling around in the mud, their appearances completely unrecognizable.

“Sister, haven’t I told you? I really like those things.”

“You’ve enjoyed a lot since you were young; it’s about time it’s my turn, isn’t it?” Jiang Zhixuan joked, turning to look at Jiang Mian and raising her eyebrows.

“That’s what Mother left for me.”

Jiang Mian frowned, looking at Jiang Zhixuan with displeasure.

They had already taken over Jiang Corporation and even claimed this villa as their own; why were they still coveting these little things of hers?

Feeling her anger, Jiang Zhixuan only smiled more joyfully.

“But, sister, the more you cling to it, the more I like it. What can I do?”

She raised her hand, twirling a lock of long hair that fell over her chest, fingers circling gently.

This indifferent attitude truly made Jiang Mian want to curse.

Seeing that she said nothing, Jiang Zhixuan continued.

“Sister, you know, I asked A Yan. He said, since you have so many things already, missing this little bit doesn’t matter.”

“A Yan also said that as long as I like it, even if I have to buy it from you, it should be mine.”

“Shut up!”

Jiang Mian breathed heavily, her brows tightly furrowed, fingers clenching and pressing hard on the armrest.

She had said more than once that she didn’t care about Jiang Zhixuan and Wen Yan’s matters.

But Jiang Zhixuan always acted as if she was unwilling to let go and repeatedly mentioned that name in front of her, trying to provoke her.

Indeed, the name Wen Yan did irritate her.

But her anger toward Wen Yan was only because that person, along with Jiang Zhixuan, had pushed her into the abyss.

Their childhood friendship had turned out to be nothing more than that.

“Sister, why are you angry?”

The girl before her smiled sweetly, twirling a grape between her fingers and placing it near her lips.

“Sister, too much anger makes you age faster, you know.”

“Give me my things. I never wanted to fight with you, nor will I in the future.”

Jiang Mian frowned, but Jiang Zhixuan disdainfully waved her hand, leaning half her body on the sofa, not even sparing her a glance.

“Sister, I’ve already said it, I really like it. If you don’t want to be locked out of the Jiang Corporation forever, you better stop talking.”

Unlike her previous mocking tone, Jiang Zhixuan’s voice dropped slightly when she said this.

Jiang Mian’s fingers pinched into her palm, but her words stuck in her throat.

She always knew Jiang Zhouyi coveted the shares she held; only by obtaining those shares could Jiang Zhouyi truly be considered the ruler of Jiang Corporation.

At most, he was currently a person in charge controlling most of the power.

If Jiang Mian wanted to get involved, with the help of the company’s veterans, it might still be possible to take back Jiang Corporation.

But unfortunately, she was utterly clueless about this domain.

If she sought help, she couldn’t be sure if the person was truly reliable.

Her gaze darkened as she involuntarily recalled the events at her parents’ funeral.

At that time, before her father and mother were even buried, she saw an old company veteran show respect to Jiang Zhouyi in the courtyard.

What was she feeling then?

She had always called that veteran “uncle,” someone who had worked with her parents for many years and visited her during holidays.

Yet overnight, he could forget her existence.

It seemed as if he was eager for Jiang Zhouyi to become the ruler of Jiang Corporation.

Covering her eyes with her hand, Jiang Mian exhaled, trying hard to calm herself.

When she lowered her hand, she felt a little better.

Jiang Zhixuan was still staring intently at the television, but Jiang Mian found it utterly boring.

She stood up without a word and strode toward the door.

Opening it, the sunlight outside bathed her body, instantly enveloping her previously chilly frame with warmth.

From behind came Jiang Zhixuan’s voice: “Sister, remember to close the door!”

She pressed her lips, closed the door, and walked out in a somewhat dazed manner.

Xiao Li saw her like this as she left the neighborhood and hurried out of the car to meet her.

“Sister Mian! Are you okay?”

She waved her hand but looked a little downcast. “I’m fine. Let’s go home.”

She had originally gone to meet a previous collaborator to discuss business and only thought to stop by and retrieve her things on the way back.

Before she could open the car door, a black business van passed by and drove into the neighborhood.

She looked over and locked eyes with the person in the back seat.

The window was down, and she found herself staring straight into Jiang Zhouyi’s cold, indifferent eyes.

The moment he saw her, a disdainful smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Well, in Jiang Zhouyi’s eyes, she was nothing more than an incompetent junior—what could she possibly do to him?

Xiao Li tugged at her sleeve, worried. “Sister Mian, it’s time to go back. They’re still waiting for us to eat, you know?”

“Mm.”

She almost forgot that she had arranged to have dinner with her studio partners yesterday.

It was a sort of consolation—she hoped they wouldn’t think she was a terrible boss.

Or, if anyone wanted to quit and find better work, this could serve as a farewell party.

Getting into the car, Jiang Mian lowered her head.

Her phone screen was dark, with no new messages.

Her thumb rubbed over it absently, her thoughts drifting away.

Wen Jinhai’s words uncontrollably surged into her mind, as if about to break through some barrier.

“Sister Mian, the plane tickets have been successfully exchanged. We can leave the day after tomorrow.”

Xiao Li’s voice brought her back to reality. Jiang Mian raised her hand to rub her temple, then smiled softly.

She had almost forgotten she was going to XG’s new product launch.

It had been a long time since she last saw her senior brother.