Chapter One: Searching for the Eldest Miss of the Jiang Family

Page 1 of 3

River City, Jiang Family Villa

"Chairman, something terrible has happened. The President's private plane has crashed."

Lin Fan, the chief assistant of Jiang Group, rushed before Jiang Zhenting, his face deathly pale and full of panic.

Jiang Zhenting, now in his seventies and dressed in a white tunic suit, stared in shock at the television, which was broadcasting breaking news.

“We interrupt this program for a local news update: The bodies of Jiang Jin Xiu, President of Jiang Group, his wife Lin Dan, and the twenty-year-old heir Jiang Che, have been found among the wreckage of the Jiang family’s private jet. According to reliable data, all six people onboard perished. Whether this was an accident or sabotage, we await further investigation from the police.”

Crash!

The teacup fell from Jiang Zhenting’s trembling hand and shattered on the floor. His eyes were bloodshot, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

“How could this happen? What did our Jiang family do to deserve such calamity—an old man sending off the young? My son, Che, how could you leave me, an old man with white hair, all alone?”

As Jiang Zhenting pounded his chest and wept in despair, Lin Fan stepped forward with heavy sorrow. “Chairman, please restrain your grief. There’s no one to handle the overseas project now, and Jiang Group’s stock price has already dropped by several billion in less than an hour. Your family’s relatives, having heard about the President’s accident, are circling like vultures. What should we do? You must collect yourself and take charge of the situation.”

Jiang Zhenting took deep breaths, struggling to maintain composure.

“What should we do? No, quickly—go find Jin Xiu’s former secretary, Xie Yun. She left with my son’s child twenty-five years ago. Yes, it’s a girl… her name is Jiang Li. Send someone to find her immediately, have her and the eldest miss return to take over the Jiang Consortium.”

Lin Fan froze for a moment, then nodded solemnly. “Yes, I’ll send someone to look for Secretary Xie and the eldest miss at once.”

Cloud City

Jiang Li was cornered by her husband, Chen Shaojie, in their daughter’s hospital room.

“Jiang Li, stop struggling. That girl’s heart is weak—she won’t live much longer anyway. Let her donate a kidney to the young master from a wealthy family. It’s a blessing for her, and it’s ten million! Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.”

Smack!

Jiang Li slapped him hard across the face. “Chen Shaojie, are you even human? I’ve already agreed to divorce you, and yet you still have designs on my daughter?”

Chen Shaojie grabbed Jiang Li’s hand tightly. “You wretched woman, how dare you hit me? Do you believe I won’t make your mother’s illness worse or throw your daughter out of the hospital right now?”

“You…! Chen Shaojie, you’re just a live-in son-in-law. Don’t forget who took you in when you were at your lowest?”

Page 2 of 3

Their three-year-old daughter on the bed burst into terrified wails. Jiang Li rushed to hold her, glaring at Chen Shaojie with fierce hatred.

Chen Shaojie, instead of anger, laughed coldly. “How could I forget? It was you and your mother who took pity on me, an orphan, and paid for my studies abroad. I won’t forget that.”

“But don’t you forget, Jiang Li. Four years ago, you married me just to give the bastard in your belly a father. I never even touched you.”

Jiang Li was furious. “That’s enough. Even if Youyou isn’t your biological daughter, you’re still her father in name. How could you want her to donate a kidney for ten million? You know perfectly well her heart is weak. What you’re doing is murder for money, don’t you see?”

Chen Shaojie shrugged. “So what? Her heart disease is incurable anyway. Isn’t it better to make some money before she dies?”

“Despicable! You’re an animal, Chen Shaojie. I know you’ve found someone richer, fine! I’ll agree to the divorce, just let my mother go and leave Youyou alone. I’ll sign the papers right now.”

“Ha!” Chen Shaojie spat in disdain, his twisted features betraying his greed for money.

“Sign the papers? Too late! I won’t divorce you. And forget about me letting your mother and that little bastard go. That kidney must be donated.”

Jiang Li clenched her fists so tightly that the veins stood out, her endurance stretched to the breaking point.

“You, Chen Shaojie! When I married you, you had nothing. I paid for you to study abroad for three years, but you repay kindness with treachery!”

Seeing Jiang Li grit her teeth in hatred, Chen Shaojie curled his lips into a mocking smile.

“Blame your useless mother for being poor. I’m telling you, I want ten million. If not, I will never let you go.”

“You… you’re going too far. Where am I supposed to get ten million? You spent nearly a million during your three years abroad, don’t you know that?”

Jiang Li’s anger grew, her clenched fists trembling.

“All the money my mother and I saved went into Youyou’s treatment. Even the house was sold by you behind my back. And now you want ten million from me—why don’t you just die, Chen Shaojie?”

She could bear it no longer. Jiang Li grabbed a chair and attacked him in a fit of rage, sending him fleeing in terror.

As he ran, Chen Shaojie shouted threats over his shoulder. “Fine, Jiang Li, just you wait. I’m a top executive at Jincheng Group here in Cloud City. If you refuse to donate the kidney to the young master and offend my boss, you’ll regret it!”

“Get out!” After her hysterical roar, Jiang Li could no longer stand.

Page 3 of 3

Closing the door behind her, she clung to her daughter and broke down in tears.

“Mama, don’t cry. Youyou will help Mama fight the bad guys. Mama is the best!”

Hearing her daughter’s words, Jiang Li hugged her even tighter.

“You’re the best too, Youyou. Mama won’t cry. I’ll protect you and never let you be harmed.”

At Jiang Li’s words, little Youyou pushed her mother away and looked up with innocent eyes.

“Mama, am I going to die soon? If I really can be exchanged for a lot of money, I’m willing. That way Mama would have lots of money, you could save Grandma, and you wouldn’t be so tired.”

“Youyou! Don’t say such things!” Jiang Li cupped her daughter’s flushed cheeks, making a solemn promise. “You won’t die. Everything Chen Shaojie said was nonsense. Mama will protect you. You can’t leave me, okay?”

Youyou nodded, her big, glittering eyes and delicate features making her look like a porcelain doll.

“Mm, pinky promise. I’ll be strong and grow up so I can protect Mama.”

Jiang Li wiped away her tears. “Good, pinky promise—if we break it, we’ll hang for a hundred years.”

Holding her daughter, frail and feverish in her hospital gown, Jiang Li’s heart was wracked with guilt.

Her daughter’s persistent high fevers lately had left her on edge, and with her congenital heart disease, if she didn’t get a transplant soon…

Once again, Jiang Li’s tears were unstoppable.

What should she do? How could she find a heart to save her daughter?

Did she really have to beg him? But that man was so ruthless… No, he would never help Youyou. Knowing his nature, he probably wished Youyou had never existed at all.