Volume One, Chapter Two: Return to the Homeland

Four years later.

At the airport, Tan Yin spotted that striking figure and waved happily.

The woman wore a knee-length red dress, revealing tender, fair calves beneath. Her slender high heels clicked against the tiled floor, captivating the ear as she slowly approached.

With the passage of time, Si Tang’s aura had become even more distinguished. She had shed the layers of hardship, blossoming like a luminous pearl nestled inside an oyster shell.

“It’s been months! I missed you so much, my dear!” Tan Yin gave her a big bear hug.

Si Tang returned the embrace warmly.

Four years ago, Si Tang had mailed a divorce agreement to Gu Yubai’s company. The man ignored it initially and only called two weeks later, by which time Si Tang had already left for Europe, following Tan Yin to prepare for the latest fashion exhibition.

Si Tang and Tan Yin both majored in the arts and had entered the entertainment industry together after graduation, working behind the scenes.

Si Tang chose to marry during her career’s growth phase.

Though a bit regretful, Tan Yin gave her best support as a friend.

***

“There’s a major client at the company,” Si Tang said, removing her sunglasses to reveal a radiant, oval face the size of a palm.

Tan Yin linked arms with her. “Now that you’re back, there’s no way I’m letting you leave again!”

They had since co-founded an entertainment company specializing in talent management. Tan Yin handled networking, while Si Tang managed operations domestically and abroad. For years, Si Tang had been overseas and rarely came back.

With the domestic business booming and several batches of artists rising to fame, the company was gaining prominence.

Si Tang's lips curled slightly into a smile as she shook her head. “I’m not leaving anymore.”

Together, they got into a car and headed to the office. Si Tang listened as her assistant called to report on work.

“Sister Si Tang, the client is already here, but once he heard your name, he said he’d wait until you returned to discuss matters.”

“Wait for me? Does he know me?” Si Tang frowned.

“He’s Gu Yubai, the new president of Meilun Entertainment. You haven’t worked with him before, so you probably don’t know him,” the assistant whispered.

Si Tang gazed out at the drifting scenery. Hearing that name again made her momentarily dazed.

In fact, there was much gossip online about Gu Yubai and Su Jinyu. Su Jinyu had stormed into the entertainment industry, rising from an eighteen-tier to a third-tier star with great momentum.

Her employer was none other than Gu Yubai’s newly appointed Meilun Entertainment. Outsiders said they were a perfect match—talented and beautiful, like a golden boy and jade girl.

Si Tang, however, had long since become indifferent.

Arriving at the company, she pushed open the door and entered the conference room directly.

The man stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the view. He was dressed in a tailored suit, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, tall and upright.

Si Tang froze for a few seconds, then lifted her eyes, locking into his deep, ink-black pupils.

Gu Yubai’s usually cold and composed expression cracked slightly. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, as if a storm was brewing.

“Si Tang! You actually came back!” he gritted out.

A cold smile crept onto Si Tang’s lips. “Of course I came back, but not for you two scoundrels!”

Back then, she had blocked all of Gu Yubai’s contact information.

Within days, the man had angrily returned the divorce papers, and they never contacted each other again.

Even when Gu Yubai tried reaching her from other phones later, she blocked them all.

“You—” Gu Yubai was furious. “Si Tang, our little Zhuzhou is still so young. How can you be so heartless as a mother?”

Seeing him again, he was as self-righteous as ever.

Si Tang took a breath.

“If Su Jinyu insists and Gu Zhuzhou begs and cries, then I’ll just leave him to her,” she said expressionlessly. “I’ll pretend I never had this son.”

Pretend he never existed.

Gu Yubai’s pupils constricted, unable to believe those words came from her.

She had once been so indulgent, so loving toward Gu Zhuzhou.

The man’s heart sank deeper and deeper, as if all the vows they once made were slipping through his fingers. Unable to grasp them, a sudden panic welled up inside him.

Yet on the surface, he remained composed. “You have no heart at all…”

Si Tang let out a bitter laugh. Who truly lacked heart?

Tired of dealing with this scoundrel, she abruptly changed tone. “If you’re so free, turn left when you leave, and settle the consultation fee.”

Gu Yubai stared at Si Tang deeply, then placed the contract on the table, his expression still grim.

“I’m here today to discuss matters concerning Yue Jin.”

The topics around Su Jinyu’s diva antics and slapping a staff member remained hot on the trending searches, and she was being harshly criticized.

They urgently needed a firm public relations strategy.

But Meilun Entertainment had so many people; it was strange that Gu Yubai, the president himself, had to personally handle this—unless he cared deeply.

Si Tang’s heart stirred uneasily at this thought but soon returned to calm.

Even in the past, Gu Yubai would never have cared so much about her. Now, for Su Jinyu, he was willing to make personal efforts. Truly a deep bond…

“We won’t take it. Find someone else,” Si Tang said coldly, sitting down to sort through the piled-up documents.

***

If this were a normal client, a two-million-yuan project, Si Tang would have braved fire and water for it.

But now, with her scoundrel ex-husband bringing along a gold digger to help Su Jinyu clear her name, it was simply a losing battle.

“Three million,” Gu Yubai’s thin lips parted slightly, fingers tapping rhythmically on the contract.

Si Tang glanced at the contract, pressing her lips into a straight line.

Gu Yubai doubled the offer instantly: “Six million.”

It would be foolish not to take the money!

“Fine, it’s a deal,” Si Tang said briskly, standing and lifting her chin.

They quickly printed another copy and signed it in under half an hour.

Six million yuan just to handle Su Jinyu’s PR releases was a bargain.

Si Tang had officially returned to China. Even if Gu Yubai didn’t look for her, she would wait for the right moment to strike back, repaying all the grievances she had suffered.

She hadn’t expected to meet him so soon.

Since she had accepted the job, despite her nausea, she would see it through.

She opened Su Jinyu’s profile.

“Who is supporting such a resource-heavy diva? Are staff lives not lives?” one comment read.

“Su Jinyu, get out of the entertainment industry. Little stars acting big never end well,” another said.

“Don’t be too shameless, Moonface! You’re going to be hated for life,” a third declared.

Netizens debated fiercely, and Si Tang spent several minutes piecing together the story.

It began with surveillance footage from the set showing Su Jinyu berating an assistant and then slapping her hard.

Then the victim spoke out publicly, demanding an apology on social media.

The string of evidence caused an uproar. Su Jinyu’s career had its most notorious day ever, but all for the wrong reasons.

Si Tang instructed her team to follow up.

The top priority was to reduce the trending heat, then negotiate with Meilun to see if there was any evidence to counter the negative publicity.