Volume One, Chapter Four: Shuya Faces Trouble

Shen Qingzhu stepped into the villa, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings. Since it was a private party attended solely by women, there were over a dozen gathered in the courtyard and quite a few more inside the main hall.

She was about to look away when her eyes caught sight of a woman in a corner, gentle as a summer night breeze.

Shen Qingzhu’s pupils contracted sharply.

Shu Ya?

What was she doing here?

Of course.

Shu Ya must have come deliberately to sabotage her friendship with Mrs. Zhou.

Persistent as ever, a ghost she could never shake off.

Shen Qingzhu strode up to Shu Ya, her tone unfriendly.

“What are you doing here?”

Shu Ya sat calmly in her chair. “I come when I want to. Do I have to report to you?”

Shen Qingzhu sneered coldly. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You want to cry and make a scene at the party to ruin my relationship with Mrs. Zhou, right? You’re truly capable of such brainless, shrewish acts.”

“But I advise you to stop. Everyone here is an adult, dealing with interests and exchanges. Stop your crying and tantrums! Otherwise, the one who ends up a laughingstock will be you!”

Shu Ya looked at Shen Qingzhu with icy indifference.

“Five years ago, you wouldn’t have dared speak to me like this.”

Five years ago, Shen Qingzhu was a helpless, destitute wretch who couldn’t even afford a meal and was nearly tricked into filming degrading scenes to make money. It was Shu Ya’s pity that placed her in her family company.

And how did Shen Qingzhu repay her?

By seducing her husband and giving birth to his illegitimate child!

Not to mention... she would soon be responsible for the death of Shu Ya’s daughter!

Mention of her past humiliation briefly darkened Shen Qingzhu’s expression.

But soon, the shame vanished completely. Shen Qingzhu was a survivor—one who could endure and rise, otherwise she wouldn’t remain so composed as an underground mistress.

She raised an eyebrow and spoke.

“Have you ever heard the saying: the past is the past, and now is now? Yes, I was in a tight spot back then, but I’ve passed the hardest times. No matter how miserable I was, could it be worse than what you’re going through now?”

“After years of sleeping with that man for nothing, helping him build a fortune worth billions, in the end, I took his fruit. Shu Ya, I really should thank you. Thank you for your foolishness in sending your husband to my bed! It’s because of that I have my current status in society.”

“But it’s still not enough!”

There was a heavy greed in Shen Qingzhu’s words.

“I don’t just want your husband—I want your social connections! I want your identity as Mrs. Fu! I want everything you have! Including your daughter Nannan, who must step aside for my Beibei!”

“Shu Ya, just watch closely.”

“Watch how I trample on you and soar into the clouds!”

Like a victor, Shen Qingzhu lifted her chin, sneered mockingly at Shu Ya twice, then turned and walked away.

Shu Ya clenched the corner of her dress tightly.

She turned her head, watching Shen Qingzhu’s departing figure, her eyes deep and unfathomable. After several seconds, she finally exhaled the heavy breath weighing on her chest.

Then she would watch closely.

She would see whether Shen Qingzhu would rise by trampling on her, or if she herself would bring Shen Qingzhu crashing down to the destitute state she once was five years ago.

...

Mrs. Zhou sat on a rattan chair in the courtyard.

Shen Qingzhu walked straight over, her tone humble and gentle.

“Hello, Mrs. Zhou, my name is Shen Qingzhu. I saw one of your paintings at the auction before—‘Autumn Day.’ Your rendering of light and shadow, the composition, and technique are all exquisite. Even though the couple in the painting is shown only from behind, I can feel their love.”

That painting had left a deep impression on Shen Qingzhu.

The artistry was peerless; even across the paper, one could feel the tenderness and embrace of the artist’s brush.

She painted too.

She understood just how remarkable that work was.

If she could forge a connection with Mrs. Zhou, just as she had with Shu Ya, to leverage their value and achieve a social leap, the thought alone made her tremble with excitement.

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhou turned her head.

Almost forty, Mrs. Zhou maintained such good care that she looked no older than thirty. She wore an emerald green gown with a black fur coat draped over her shoulders, exuding a powerful aura.

Mrs. Zhou looked deeply at her twice.

“You know about painting?”

Speaking of her profession, Shen Qingzhu smiled confidently. “Yes. I’m a well-known designer and often paint myself. My works have won numerous awards.”

“Oh? Sounds impressive. Sit by me; let’s have a good chat.” Mrs. Zhou said.

Shen Qingzhu sat down.

Their conversation grew increasingly warm.

Mrs. Zhou lavishly praised her, her words lifting Shen Qingzhu to cloud nine, her smile never fading, her gaze growing ever more amicable.

After a while, Mrs. Zhou glanced at the empty teapot.

“We’ve been talking so long, I’m thirsty now. Qingzhu, please fetch me a pot of tea. The one in the tea room, in the gilded box on the highest shelf.”

Shen Qingzhu was tasked without resistance.

For now, being humble and low could secure long-term benefits—she thought it worthwhile.

She stood and headed to the tea room.

Passing by Shu Ya, she raised an eyebrow.

Shu Ya had tried and failed for five years to win over Mrs. Zhou. Shen Qingzhu had managed it in one evening. Now, Mrs. Zhou even called her sister—this was her entry into high society!

Ten minutes later.

Shen Qingzhu returned with the tea.

“Please, Sister Zhou.”

But Mrs. Zhou did not take it.

She spoke again. “Sister Zhou, please have some tea.”

Under the light, Mrs. Zhou’s eyes were deep and dark, like a wolf lurking in the night, filled with ill intent.

Shen Qingzhu was stunned.

The next moment, the villa’s butler’s voice came from behind her.

“Miss, the tea you just opened requires payment. It’s valued at 2.46 million. How will you be paying?”

Shen Qingzhu froze.

Her tone turned sharp. “This is Sister Zhou’s villa. The tea naturally belongs to her. Why are you asking me for money?”

A lady nearby couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh dear, you really have no worldly experience. Who holds a party at their own home? They must have rented this villa. Not everything inside is free to use—some collectibles, like rare teas and vintage wines, require payment.”

This was common knowledge.

No one expected the newcomer to be so ignorant.

Everyone covered their mouths to laugh.

Those mocking and scornful glances washed over Shen Qingzhu like a flood, nearly suffocating her.

She looked at Mrs. Zhou. “Sister Zhou, you asked me to open that box of tea, so this payment...”

Mrs. Zhou sat calmly, smoothing her clothes leisurely, her smile as warm as before—like a caring older sister—but her words were cold and merciless.

“When did I ever tell you to open that tea box?”

Shen Qingzhu could no longer stay composed, her tone betraying anxiety. “Just now, you asked me to bring you tea and specifically said the one in the gilded box. How else would I have touched that tea?”

Mrs. Zhou raised an eyebrow and asked the others nearby, “Did any of you hear me tell her to open the tea box?”

The ladies shook their heads.

What a joke.

Mrs. Zhou was clearly setting up the newcomer—they wouldn’t dare defend her. If anyone was to blame, it was the newcomer herself for offending Mrs. Zhou.

“No, no.”

“She opened it by herself.”

“Oh, we’ve seen plenty of women like her—somehow got their hands on an invitation and desperately tried to ingratiate themselves, but know nothing of etiquette and end up making a fool of themselves.”

“Not everyone is a Shu Ya.”

“Exactly. Shu Ya always handles things calmly and effectively. If any of us had a problem, she’d resolve it easily. She’s much more capable than these rude women who pop up from nowhere!”

Hearing these words, anger filled Shen Qingzhu’s chest, threatening to tear her apart!

They twisted the truth!

And they praised Shu Ya while belittling her—those words were like sharp daggers stirring her heart, filling her with pain and fury, leaving her speechless.

“You... you all...”

Mrs. Zhou sneered at her. “You opened the tea. Enough nonsense. Pay up quickly and don’t keep the butler waiting. If you don’t pay today, we’ll send the bill to your home.”

No, this wouldn’t do!

She couldn’t lose face like this!

She had no choice but to accept misfortune.

Clenching her teeth, Shen Qingzhu pulled out a credit card from her bag.

It was from Yi Chen, with a three-million credit limit she was temporarily using. With her abilities, she’d make that money back soon enough.

But as the butler took the card, she clung tightly, unwilling to let go. It took some effort for him to pry it from her grasp.

The card was swiped with a beep.

Over two million vanished instantly.

Shen Qingzhu’s heart bled.

After paying, she forced back her resentment and showed Mrs. Zhou a wronged expression. “Mrs. Zhou, I...”

Before she could finish, Mrs. Zhou gave her a disdainful glance, stood up, and walked away, clearly looking down on her.

Shen Qingzhu watched them leave, scenes of their interaction replaying in her mind.

That’s right—though Mrs. Zhou had seemed intimate earlier, her eyes occasionally flashed a deep darkness. That intimacy was probably a façade. From the start, Mrs. Zhou had planned to scheme against her!

Shen Qingzhu trembled with fury.

She thought of a possibility!

With a face full of rage, she approached Shu Ya.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”