"Jian Rou was flawless in every way except her health—graceful, gentle, cultivated. Even when doctors said she wouldn't live past sixteen, she never grew bitter. She lived as she pleased."
Sun Kailin swirled her wine glass. "When she outlived that death sentence, all eyes turned to the Jian family. By eighteen, every elite heir in the capital was courting her—as if by prior agreement. We never uncovered why. But I suspect it was tied to her prolonged life. At the time, it was society's favorite gossip. And Jian Rou? Her heart belonged to the current head of the Gu family."
She pointed upward meaningfully.
"They dated for a year. Were nearly engaged. Then Zhao Mufeng appeared—somehow charming Jian Rou's father. At twenty, she married him in a rushed ceremony. Rumors flew. That the Gu patriarch rejected her for her frail health. That the Jians feared ties to the top family. That she was pregnant. The truth? Buried.
Yet no child came. Strangely, her health improved. At twenty-two, she finally conceived. The Jians were overjoyed—even took her home to recuperate."
"That's when Qian Yi appeared." Sun Kailin's lips curled. "With a big belly, claiming Zhao Mufeng's child. Begging for legitimacy. The shock nearly made Jian Rou miscarry. Somehow, Zhao Mufeng was summoned to the Jian estate. By the baby's first month, Jian Rou divorced him—vanishing with you, not yet a hundred days old. No trace of you both surfaced… until now.
After she left, the Jians withdrew from society. They passed three years ago, leaving everything to Jian Rou. She only appeared at their funerals. Zhao Mufeng tried to intercept her—failed. Your mother was ruthlessly decisive. The Zhaos thrived during their marriage, rising to elite status. But after she left? Decline. Subtle, but the top families noticed—no principles, no restraint. Now, karma strikes: his son needs a kidney, and we want control."
Jian Dan listened, piecing together her mother's fragmented history. How much was truth? Her mother's letter had warned her: "Trust no secondhand tale."
"Your move against Zhao Mufeng isn't just about me," she mused. "Who backs you?"
Sun Kailin laughed. "Sharp, like your mother. The Gu family."
"Oh?"
"Men cherish what they can't have. A white moonlight becomes the cinnabar mole forever etched in their hearts. Think—why would 'unbuyable' intelligence exist? Only because the powerful wish it so."
Jian Dan froze. "So that's why." Yet in her past life, no such protection had reached her.
"Zhao Zihan needs a kidney transplant. You want Zhao Mufeng's shares in exchange. Do you have a suitable kidney source?"
"Almost. Zhao Mufeng placed his hopes on you and thought you would be a suitable donor. Unfortunately, you two are not a match, so he can only rely on us."
"Here's my offer," she said at last. "Half my shares. The rest, you scavenge yourselves—don't pretend you haven't been hoarding loose stock."
Sun Kailin's eyes gleamed. "More than we hoped. My father will handle the transfer."
"Market price. And one condition—the kidney donor? Make it Zhao Ziyu."
"The tests said she wasn't compatible—"
"Because someone rigged them." Jian Dan smiled. "Retest. You'll be… surprised."