Volume One, Chapter Seven: A Strange Call at One A.M.

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Ji Shuxin felt a surge of suspicion, her gaze fixed intently on Old Zhou’s inscrutable expression, sensing that something was amiss. It wasn’t until she saw the person standing beside her workstation that she understood why Old Zhou had worn such a mysterious look earlier.

The assistant Old Zhou had found was none other than him.

“Hello, Senior Ji Shuxin. My name is Fang Ye. Old Zhou told me to shadow you for the upcoming period,” he introduced himself.

“Fang Ye?” Ji Shuxin repeated his name, glancing around the office before saying, “Come with me to the conference room.”

Once inside, she closed the door and pulled out a chair, gesturing for him to sit. Ji Shuxin rested one hand on the table’s edge, studying the young man before her. Though seated, his posture remained impeccably straight. Unlike other male art students who sported long hair, his was simple and neat. Perhaps out of nervousness, he kept his head lowered, avoiding her gaze.

Ji Shuxin tapped the table lightly a few times, then repeated his name once more. “Fang Ye? Were you the one who called me last night?”

His ears flushed red at the mention of his name. He looked up to respond, “Sorry, Senior, I was drunk last night, but I meant everything I said. You really should consider me.”

His voice grew quieter toward the end, as if lacking confidence.

Ji Shuxin didn’t answer his question immediately but instead asked, “I’ve seen your profile—you study sculpture. Why come to a mural studio? Mural work isn’t as glamorous as you might think. Have you seen the bricklayers and plasterers on construction sites? When we work, it’s no different from them.”

Fang Ye tightened his jaw. “I know, Senior, but don’t you remember me?”

“Have we met before?” Ji Shuxin racked her memory but came up empty.

Seeing her confused expression, the smile on Fang Ye’s face vanished instantly, replaced by palpable disappointment. He hurriedly said, “Have you really forgotten me? The final make-up exam, the snowy day, low blood sugar—does that ring a bell?”

His reminder sparked faint, blurry images in Ji Shuxin’s mind that gradually grew clearer.

“You’re the guy with low blood sugar?” she exclaimed.

Fang Ye nodded several times, looking embarrassed. “You gave me all the cookies from your bag, and I didn’t even get to thank you before you took that call and left. After the semester started, I learned you were about to graduate. Then I heard from others that you were at Old Zhou’s Everything’s Alive Studio, so…”

“So that’s why you chose to intern at Everything’s Alive after graduation,” Ji Shuxin finished for him.

Fang Ye nodded again.

Ji Shuxin sighed softly, never expecting that a simple act of kindness years ago would lead to so much.

After a moment’s pause, she softened her tone. “Fang Ye, don’t joke about your work. I’ve already clearly declined you, and besides, I’m married.”

Though she was on the verge of divorce, that was a truth she kept to herself.

“I hope you think it through carefully. If you want to quit, I’ll speak to Old Zhou on your behalf.”

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Fang Ye stared at the woman before him—her features delicate and her aura remarkable. Just standing there, she could draw the gaze of most people.

His mind swirled with countless thoughts, leaving him speechless and rooted to the spot.

Ji Shuxin didn’t press him for an immediate answer, speaking in a tone of negotiation. “Take your time to think. Can you give me your answer when you come to work tomorrow?”

Fang Ye gave her a meaningful look, full of sincerity. “Senior, I’ve thought it over. I want to stay and learn from you. Art is inseparable, and Old Zhou said no one in the circle can match your mural expertise.”

Ji Shuxin studied him for a long moment, then raised an eyebrow. “Alright, I’ll keep the door open for you. If you want to leave, just tell me.”

As Ji Shuxin turned to leave, Fang Ye grew anxious and blurted out the questions he hadn’t asked earlier. “Senior, the day you took that call and left—later I heard a family elder of yours had an accident. Is he… alright?”

Ji Shuxin’s fingers tightened uncontrollably around the door handle, her fingertips paling from the pressure. She controlled her voice and replied softly, “He has passed away.”

Those simple words carried an immeasurable weight of sorrow and gravity.

Realizing he’d touched on a sensitive topic, Fang Ye quickly apologized.

Ji Shuxin met his eyes with calmness. “It’s okay. Remember to report to my workstation tomorrow and prepare for endless days and nights of drawing drafts with me.”

In the following days, Ji Shuxin led Fang Ye through a repetitive cycle of sketching, field inspections, and revisions.

Each night, she returned home late, exhausted to the point of silence, only wanting to lie down.

Lu Jinchuan had yet to return, and Ji Shuxin could only catch bits of news from her studio colleagues.

[Seega Media has acquired an entertainment company, rumored to be entering the entertainment industry.]

[The truth behind Lu Jinchuan’s renunciation of inheriting the Lu Group family business is suspected to involve his father, Lu Cheng.]

Her coworkers chatted eagerly, but Ji Shuxin only smiled wryly.

The intrigues of wealthy families run deep as the ocean. What gets reported is only what they want the public to know—the tip of the iceberg.

That night, just as she was about to sleep, a phone call jolted her from a half-dream state.

She checked the time when she answered: 1 a.m.

An unknown number.

“Hello? Who’s this?” Ji Shuxin rubbed her eyes, her voice still heavy with sleep.

There was a pause on the other end before a low male voice said, “It’s me.”

“Sorry, you have the wrong number,” Ji Shuxin replied, then hung up.

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Her foggy mind cleared somewhat after that call.

A stranger calling in the middle of the night—just another prank from some bored person.

Shortly after, the familiar ringtone sounded again.

The same number.

Hesitating for three seconds, Ji Shuxin answered.

There was noise on the other end—sounds of a raucous party echoing through a bedroom. Ji Shuxin held the phone away from her ear.

Then a sweet, sultry female voice slipped through the receiver, “Young Master Lu.”

Ji Shuxin frowned, her clear voice laced with suppressed anger. “Lu Jinchuan?”

“It’s me.” The man’s tone was cold, chilling in the quiet night.

Ji Shuxin immediately hung up.

...

Yue Garden.

“So careless?”

Lu Jinchuan subtly pushed away the woman in front of him, frowning at the red wine stain on his shirt.

“Mr. Lu, I’m so sorry for staining your shirt. Let me take it off for you,” the woman in the red dress advanced again after being pushed aside.

She had been watching Lu Jinchuan all evening, unwilling to miss this rare opportunity.

She had never failed when dealing with playboys like Lu Jinchuan.

“No need.”

Lu Jinchuan glanced at his phone screen, which had gone dark. He looked again and again but couldn’t quell the agitation within.

Seeing her hand blocked, the woman in red was undeterred. She gently placed her hand on his and bit her lip coquettishly. “Then how can I make it up to you? I’ll compensate you.”

Lu Jinchuan glanced at the room key she slipped into his hand, a smirk curling his lips with a hint of mockery.