Jiang Guangze's inheritance, apart from real estate and other property, included shares from various companies totaling around 70 billion yuan.
First there were the shares from Jiang Water Group and its subsidiaries, valued at around 35 billion yuan. Jiang Lian would never let go of them, and Madam Jiang was also unwilling to withdraw, so in the end they were split three ways - 35% to Jiang Lian, 30% to Jiang Xue to be managed by her mother until she came of age, and the remaining 35% to Jiang BaiYan.
The three Jiang siblings were not very happy about this, but Jiang Lian and Madam Jiang knew they were in the wrong, so in the end they had to swallow this insult.
In exchange, Jiang BaiYan gave up his shares in the water, energy and telecommunications companies.
Of the 10 billion yuan from Jiang River Water, 5 billion went to Jiang Ou and 5 billion to Jiang Qi. The 5 billion yuan from Jiang Heart Telecommunications all went to Jiang Qi. Of the 8 billion yuan from Jiang Energy, 5 billion went to Jiang Ou and 3 billion to Jiang Yue.
Jiang Yue of course refused to suffer losses. As compensation, real estate worth 5 billion yuan was given to her. She had never had any experience managing a company before, so after thinking it over she agreed.
From the remaining real estate, Madam Jiang as the spouse received real estate worth around 5 billion yuan. Jiang Lian, Jiang Ou, Jiang Qi and Jiang Xue each received 2.5 billion yuan, and the remaining 8 billion yuan went to Jiang BaiYan, including this holiday villa.
Jiang Lian and his siblings didn't haggle with him. Long before this, the Chairman had already gradually gifted them some luxury mansions, and what they valued most was no longer these lifeless objects.
Of the remaining 1.4 billion yuan in movable assets, the siblings only picked a few individual items. For example, Jiang Ou took the yacht, Jiang Qi took his father’s luxury car, Jiang Lian took some antiques, and the rest all went to Madam Jiang.
After hearing about how they divided things up, Jian Jing almost forgot how to write the character for “hundred million”.
“And they all accepted this?” she asked.
“Everyone was pretty satisfied,” Jiang BaiYan shrugged. “Jiang Qi never liked the group anyway, he wanted to start his own business. The water company is very mature after so many years, it won’t take too much effort from him. Jiang Ou can’t handle the water company, but the energy company is in America, he can still make something happen there, plus Jiang Yue’s boyfriend also works at that company. As for Jiang Xue, I won’t even mention her. If Madam Jiang returns to the group, she’ll definitely oppose Jiang Lian, they can’t work together to squeeze me out.”
He calculated it very clearly: “Not giving Jiang Lian any shares, if he makes trouble, it’s best to give it to him and let him work himself to death developing the company and fight Madam Jiang to the death. I’ll just collect money without lifting a finger, isn’t that great?”
“Oh yes,” he suddenly remembered something and fished around in his pocket, taking out a diamond necklace.
The diamonds were dazzling enough, always the centre of attention no matter when, but at this moment, even the brilliant radiance of the diamonds seemed to be suppressed. A flash of green passed before her eyes, reflecting the surroundings in a green glow.
What Jiang BaiYan took out was a pure emerald, translucent green, shimmering like a forest reflection. When the light shone on it, the whole room became cool and refreshing, even better than air conditioning at dispelling the heat.
“Does Teacher Jing remember this?” He held up the gemstone to examine it closely, “The Crown Jewel Emerald, Chairman bought it for 130 million yuan 10 years ago.”
Jian Jing remembered.
When Jiang BaiYan was kidnapped, he had used a gemstone to tempt the kidnappers and escape with his life.
That gemstone was called the Crown Jewel Emerald.
She never imagined it would be so beautiful.
“We each took a memento, I picked this first,” he smiled, “I think it's worth 5 billion now.”
Jian Jing said, “Don’t worry, you're worth way more than 5 billion.”
Jiang BaiYan seemed confused for a moment before he finally reacted: “I guess you’re right, strange.” He laughed, “I used to think 130 million was a crazy amount of money, unbelievable.”
Jian Jing deadpanned: “I still think it’s a lot.”
“Is that so?” He blinked innocently, “Then this is for you.”
He simply tossed the emerald necklace into her hoodie pocket.
Jian Jing was rendered speechless. Thankfully her physical flexibility was good, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to reach behind for it.
“I’m really giving it you,” he lay back down, yawning, “So tired.”
Jian Jing rolled her eyes, fishing out the gem to give back to him. “I don’t want it.”
“Come on, this is...” After who knows what battle of wits and courage last night, Jiang BaiYan’s brain processing speed was obviously slower, and it took him a good while to recall that word, “Remuneration.”
Jian Jing’s mouth twitched. “I didn’t open a detective agency.”
“But you spent so much effort investigating only for it to be useless in the end, that must be very disappointing right?” he said. “Compensation, it’s compensation. I have no use for the gem anyway.”
Jian Jing: “Then sell it for money.”
“This is my life we’re talking about,” he protested.
“Then take good care of your little life,” she kicked the chair. “Move over and let me lie down for a bit, I’m exhausted.”
Jiang BaiYan reluctantly made way.
Jian Jing immediately took over the prime spot. She had to say, the reclining deck chair perfectly suited ergonomic principles and was extremely comfortable. Rocking gently back and forth, indescribably blissful.
She had only rocked for a short while before feeling sleepy.
When the brain grew lazy, words came out without too much deep thought: “Speaking of which, why didn’t you go?”
Jiang BaiYan asked: “Who said I didn’t go?”
“I did, was I wrong?” She lifted her eyelids.
Jiang BaiYan didn’t make a sound.
Jian Jing turned on her side, pillowing her head on her bent arm, using just her body weight to press down the back of the chair, swaying slowly back and forth: “So why didn’t you go?”
The stars filled the sky. He hesitated for a long time before saying: “I don’t know either.”
*
Jian Jing did not stay with the Jiang family for long. She checked into a homestay near the scenic area the next day and enjoyed herself thoroughly for two days before flying back to Peace City.
Kang Mu Cheng: “You’re back?”
Her: “...Yup.”
Kang Mu Cheng: “Where’s the manuscript?”
Her: “I’ll definitely have it by next Monday.”
Kang Mu Cheng: “It’s already March. Is Devil 3 coming out this year or not?”
Her: “It will definitely come out!”
After swearing up and down for a long time, she finally got an extension of half a month.
Jian Jing hurried back home to work on her manuscript in seclusion. Aside from taking Knight out for walks in the morning and evening, she practically lived in front of her keyboard, spending her days writing, editing phrasing, researching information. Even falling asleep was just to mull over case details.
But writing itself wasn’t the scariest part. The scariest part was after finishing the plot, when checking it over she discovered a bug - if she changed her angle of thinking, the intricate scheme she designed would immediately fall apart.
Instant mental breakdown.
And so in that half month, the messages Kang Mu Cheng received were very...sporadic.
Jian Jing: [I can submit the manuscript real soon]
Jian Jing: [I’m almost done writing]
Jian Jing: [...Problem came up]
Jian Jing: [I’m sick]
Jian Jing: [My brain broke]
Him: [?]
Him: [Don’t delay the manuscript, only 5 days left]
In short, after living and dying for half a month, she submitted the manuscript right on deadline.
Kang Mu Cheng cancelled his evening appointments to read her manuscript alone in his office. The manuscript this time was very special - she had edited it herself before sending it over, demanding that he only read the physical copy.
After a quick skim, he understood why.
This was a book with special reading requirements, split into two parts.
The first story was read normally from front to back, from the devil’s perspective, recounting a murder case. The case was intricate but not outstanding. However, a cliffhanger was left at the end of the story.
The second story had to be read in reverse, from the last page to the front cover, narrated from the hunter’s point of view, telling a completely different case. Although the ending provided an answer, it similarly left behind unsolved mysteries.
At this point, readers would discover that the cliffhanger in the devil’s story seemed identical to the hunter’s.
The third story started from the middle.
You could read the devil part first to obtain a clue, or read the hunter part first to also get a clue.
The two clues corroborated each other to find the same answer amidst both their stories.
That person was the true perpetrator behind a series of connected murders.
Moreover, he had appeared several times in the preceding text, sometimes as a hotel customer service manager, sometimes as an insurance salesman, sometimes as a gentle and refined doctor. Each description was different, but when the personal accounts were strung together by details of the timeline, it proved he was one and the same person.
After reading, Kang Mu Cheng pondered alone for a long time before calling her: “Very bold writing.”
“Does it work?” she asked.
She would always ask this question, it made him smile: “Of course.”
Jian Jing said, "If I don't write the answer clearly, will the readers scold me?"
"Appropriate blank space is necessary. Readers also need to ponder and think," Kang Mu Cheng said. "But we can do even better, for example, put the murderer's name on the cover."
Jian Jing said, "I was thinking about the patterns on the sides of the pages."
Kang Mu Cheng thought for a moment and said, "That's good too, it can echo with the way of reading."
"Ok, then I'll leave it all to you," Jian Jing felt relieved as if a heavy load had been taken off her shoulder, "I can finally submit the manuscript."
He said, "Temporarily. I will take another careful look, ask the editor-in-chief to review it one more time. There must be many places that need to be revised. Especially your grammar. I told you many times to pay attention to your run-on sentences."
Jian Jing complained, "I know 'looks like..." is a run-on sentence, but everyone says it that way. When I'm halfway through writing, I feel uncomfortable."
Kang Mu Cheng said coldly, "That's still a run-on sentence."
"I won't change it. If it needs to be changed, you change it," she exercised the privilege of a popular writer.
"Jing Jing—"
"Got to go, walking the dog," Jian Jing quickly hung up the phone.
Looking out the window, the night had already fallen, but this was the first day after being "released from prison". She couldn't wait to go out for a random stroll.
"Knight." Jian Jing shook the leash, "Let's go for a walk."
The Knight suddenly got up and dashed to the door at the speed of light. Its paws stepped on the floorboards making crisp "pad pad" sounds, like raindrops hitting roof tiles, cheerful and brisk.
This was supposed to be a long-awaited evening stroll, but before Jian Jing walked out of the neighbourhood gate, her good mood was completely ruined.
There was actually a reporter squatting outside. Seeing her come out, he sneakily approached and secretly took pictures of her with a camera hidden in his backpack.
Jian Jing: "???"
Could she have overdue manuscripts to the point that reporters had to take action?
"Hey, what are you doing?" She stopped and looked at the reporter who thought he was hiding very well.
The other party was stunned for a moment, then turned around and ran away.
Jian Jing became suspicious. She unleashed the Knight, "Stop him!"
Knight: "Woof!"
It rushed out like an arrow from the string. Its four legs ran out afterimages. Almost instantly it caught up to the other party and bit his backpack.
The reporter stumbled and almost fell flat on his face.
Jian Jing walked over leisurely with her hands on her hips, "Why did you run?"
"Uh, Teacher Jian," the reporter said awkwardly, "can you ask your dog to...let me go first?"
Jian Jing asked back, "Why did you secretly take pictures of me?"
The reporter mumbled and fumbled for words.
Jian Jing: "The police station is two intersections away. Shall we go together?"
"No, Teacher Jian. This is my job, just barely making ends meet." The reporter said, "You see, even if I took pictures, I might not necessarily publish them. And I've been squatting here waiting for you for a few days without getting anything."
Jian Jing was puzzled, "Job? Who asked you to take pictures of me?"
The reporter observed her words and expressions, then asked cautiously, "Uh, haven't you been online these past two days?"
"..." To be precise, she was grounded. She had an ominous feeling, "Did something happen?"
Reporter: "Why don't you take a look yourself? It's still trending on the hot search."
Jian Jing was just out walking her dog, so she only brought a smart bracelet that could receive calls. She reached out her hand, "Knight, let him go and give me the phone."
The reporter surrendered under coercion and handed over the phone.
Jian Jing opened Weibo and immediately saw her scandal on the home page.
— Jiang BaiYan's rumored romance exposed, girlfriend turned out to be famous writer
Jian Jing flared up at once, "I'm not even worthy of a name?"
Entertainment gossip loves to fabricate rumors — she had eaten quite a few melons that later turned out to be fake — it's not surprising to be rumored when it happened to herself. The problem was, what happened to the "well-known" reputation? How come in the hot search she didn't even have a name?
No one knows who "Jian Jing" is?
That made no sense.
