Chapter 59: Zhou Kuan's Persona

Seeing Jiang Zao remain silent, Zhou Huai continued, “You are rare in your steadiness and intelligence—your path is yours to choose.”

Jiang Zao leaned against the headboard, silent for a long time, before she spoke: “…Uncle, thank you for your acceptance and patience. Right now, all I want is to protect my child. As for everything else… I’d like to wait a couple more days. Zhou Lichuan… he’s always been the gentlest person, how could he have said something like that… Am I dreaming?”

Zhou Huai spoke with a trace of pity, “Last night, that was the real Xiao Chuan you’ve always known. If you don’t believe me, wait until you’re well enough, then talk to him yourself. But for now, you need to rest and recuperate. Stay at the old house during this period; there’s a live-in physician here around the clock, and your aunt and I will feel more at ease.”

Jiang Zao was reminded, “Aunt… is she angry?”

Zhou Huai laughed softly, “Your aunt is furious. Such a big thing as your pregnancy, and you didn’t tell her. When Du Bin carried you in at dawn, she nearly fainted from fright.”

Jiang Zao felt embarrassed, “I’ll have to apologize to Aunt later for worrying her.”

Zhou Huai stood and said, “She’s making soup for you; have some more when she brings it. I won’t stay long—take care and recover well.”

Jiang Zao smiled.

Zhou Huai opened the door and left.

The moment the door closed, the warmth faded from Jiang Zao’s face.

So much had happened recently—more than in all her previous twenty years, turbulent and sweeping.

Things were as they were now; the only thing left was to make sure they didn’t get any worse.

Lying in bed with nothing to do, Jiang Zao pulled out her phone to browse the news, checking entertainment industry updates.

Before his surgery, Zhou Lichuan had made many preparations. With his talent, even if he lost his memory, he could still let events unfold by following their causes and effects.

The feed kept updating, and suddenly a trending topic caught Jiang Zao’s eye.

#Zhou Group Power Struggle#

Clicking in, the first post was a clip of Zhou Kuan from a variety show.

“It’s the next generation’s world now; I’m already old and rarely make decisions at the company. If my child were still here, maybe I could help him. Now he’s gone to find his mother… ah…”

The other guests on the show comforted him, and he responded, “He’s gone, so let’s not talk about this. I’ll make braised pork ribs for you all—my wife makes this dish the best, let me show you my skills.”

A gentle, approachable, deeply loving image appeared on screen, and Zhou Kuan’s stature in the eyes of netizens was monumental.

[I knew something was up with the Zhou family—how could such a CEO be so wronged otherwise?]

[Rumor has it, the “wife” Zhou Kuan refers to isn’t his current spouse, but his first love. The old chairman separated them, so he married his wife, then after having children, they lived apart in different cities. Their relationship was always distant.]

[Turns out Zhou Lihui was an illegitimate child. He’s been gone for over a year, but Zhou Kuan still gets teary-eyed when mentioning him. If only I had a father who loved me so much.]

[What “mistress’s son”—it’s the later wife who’s the third party. The unloved one is always the outsider.]

[Who still thinks like this these days? Are you from the Qing dynasty or what?]

…Such a lively scene.

Jiang Zao found the episode of the variety show and the more she watched, the more familiar it felt.

“When Zhou Lichuan woke up, this episode must have been playing in the ward…”

Jiang Zao seemed to grasp something, but before she could think further, Meng Qiaoyuan knocked at the door.

After coming in and seeing Jiang Zao looking as usual, Meng Qiaoyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are you alright? Any discomfort?”

Jiang Zao looked at Meng Qiaoyuan’s worried face and laughed, “You seem to be asking me that a lot lately.”

Meng Qiaoyuan thought back and realized it was true.

“There’s just been so much happening—I care about you, is that not allowed?”

Jiang Zao took her hand and pulled her to sit beside her. “I know you care. I’m much better now.”

Meng Qiaoyuan sat there, hesitating, wanting to ask what had happened the night before, but fearing that thinking about it would make Jiang Zao sad and her health would suffer.

Jiang Zao knew what she was thinking, so she smiled and told her yesterday’s events lightly.

Meng Qiaoyuan jumped up, furious: “What’s his problem? What does he want? Even if he lost his memory, can’t he respect people? The Zhou family’s century-old legacy—who’s he being arrogant for? Did Shen Mushi botch the surgery and leave nothing but a tumor in his head?”

“Pfft…” Jiang Zao laughed so hard she couldn’t straighten up. “Hahahaha! You… hahaha… How do you come up with such metaphors? Hahahaha…”

Meng Qiaoyuan’s face grew warm from Jiang Zao’s laughter. “Hey, I’m speaking up for you and you’re laughing at me!”

“I won’t laugh, I won’t… pfft—sorry, I can’t help it, hahaha…”

Meng Qiaoyuan was amused as well, picking up a nearby cushion and gently hitting Jiang Zao’s leg, who retaliated with her own pillow, and the two of them frolicked and laughed on the bed.

After their bout of play, Meng Qiaoyuan lay in a corner of the bed and asked Jiang Zao, “What’s your plan next?”

Jiang Zao lay back, rubbing her forehead and sighing, “I… I want to confirm one thing first, then make my decision.”

Meng Qiaoyuan propped herself up and asked, “What kind of decision?”

“Chairman Zhou wants to send me away, so I can stay far from the eye of the storm and focus on the pregnancy.”

Meng Qiaoyuan sat up on the bed, “Is he offering you millions to leave Zhou Lichuan?”

Jiang Zao was amused by her and hid under the covers, laughing nonstop.

Meng Qiaoyuan anxiously pulled back the covers and leaned next to her, “Say it, what is Chairman Zhou really planning?”

Jiang Zao grabbed her mischievous hand and said, “The chairman is far-sighted—there’s no way we can guess what he’s thinking. Give me two days, I need to think carefully.”

“Is there anything I can help with?”

Jiang Zao looked into Meng Qiaoyuan’s earnest eyes, “You’ve already helped me with the biggest thing. The rest, I want to try myself.”

Meng Qiaoyuan relaxed and lay back, “You’ll do it, Jiang Zao will definitely do it.”

Jiang Zao reached for her hand, “Thank you.”

Sunlight poured in as the girls, still laughing after their play, exchanged smiles. The road ahead was unknown; such moments of peace were all the more precious.

…

On the weekend, with Zhou Huai’s permission, Jiang Zao called Gao Chenggong to the old house.

These past two days, Jiang Zao had done only one thing at home—browse the internet.

Every piece of news about Zhou Kuan and the Zhou family she found online, she compiled and organized.

Zhou Huai asked her what she was planning. Jiang Zao just smiled and said nothing.

Shen Xiaonan didn’t care what Jiang Zao was planning; all she cared about was Jiang Zao’s health. She made nourishing soups and meals, one after another, and restored Jiang Zao’s vitality, sweeping away all the fatigue from her hospital stay.

Gao Chenggong saw Jiang Zao sitting in the parlor, her complexion rosy, and finally let go of the worry he’d been holding onto.

“Miss Jiang, it’s wonderful to see you healthy.”

Jiang Zao smiled and invited him to sit, “Mr. Gao, let’s drop the formalities—sit down. I have some questions for you. You once said I could ask you anything about the company.”

Gao Chenggong hesitated for a moment, “A lot of things Chairman Zhou doesn’t remember now, so I don’t know how much is still the same as before.”

After all, Zhou Lichuan didn’t recognize Jiang Zao, so she wasn’t exactly a related party. If he disclosed anything carelessly and Zhou Lichuan found out, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.