Jianglai couldn’t explain why, seated safely in the passenger seat, a sudden chill swept through her entire body, goosebumps prickling her skin.

It felt as if a sharp sword hung over her head, fixated on her, ready to strike at any second. The sensation of being watched sent shivers down her spine.

But the feeling vanished almost instantly. Jianglai dismissed it, her mind preoccupied during the drive home: *What kind of job could she possibly get in her current situation?*

Yingyu Chi had promised to handle her household registration. Jianglai trusted her sister-in-law would solve it. Once she had an ID, she could leverage her strengths to find work.

Her advantages now were youth and beauty. Beyond that, she had almost nothing.

Her mind brimmed with knowledge; her skills could easily qualify her for executive roles in listed companies. Yet without proof, her past brilliance meant nothing—just dust, faded into irrelevance.

Her former education and work experience were useless for her current female identity. She couldn’t even prove she’d completed China’s nine-year compulsory education. On today’s job market, she was effectively illiterate. No legitimate company would hire her.

Scanning recruitment sites on the way home, Jianglai realized her best options were waitressing or odd jobs.

Decades after graduation, she was reliving that fresh-graduate confusion—the agony of having nowhere to apply her talents.

Accustomed to decades of hard work, the sudden lack of a job gnawed at her. An invisible pressure squeezed her mind, a persistent unease.

She knew being jobless made her feel like a parasite clinging to others, utterly worthless.

Though Jianglai masked her dejection well—returning from the mall with forced energy—Yingyu Chi, always by her side, sensed it instantly.

At dinner that evening, Yingyu Chi made her offer: "If you don’t mind, brother-in-law… would you consider working at my firm? I’ve been thinking of expanding. I’d really appreciate your help managing things."

Yingyu Chi knew her brother-in-law’s capabilities were exceptional. Managing a few staff at her small firm would be a waste of his talent.

She remembered clearly: her solo law practice, now a powerhouse of nearly twenty people across the city, owed its growth to him. He’d provided seed funding, hunted for clients, and connected her with opportunities, letting her legal brilliance shine.

When Yingyu was just a fledgling lawyer, Jianglai had nurtured her with care. Without him, she wouldn’t be where she was today.

If Jianglai had wanted it, Yingyu would have handed her the entire firm—and herself. He was the true boss behind the scenes. But Yingyu knew he’d refuse. He’d never accept rewards.

Before, when she tried to share profits as dividends, he’d gently ruffled her hair, smiling. "I’m just happy seeing my little sister thrive," he’d said. "That’s how I can face my wife again."

Her brother-in-law was extraordinary. Yet in this new identity, finding work matching his old salary—or even something decent—seemed impossible.

Yingyu would never allow it. His talent deserved a grand stage, not to be buried under dust.

When Jianglai heard the offer, she neither refused nor accepted. "Let me look around first. If I can’t find anything suitable… I’ll reconsider later."

She’d set her own timeline. With Chinese New Year less than a month away, most companies were wrapping up annual work. She aimed to find a job after the holidays. These days were just for scouting the market, testing her worth.

Over the next few days, Jianglai applied for roles with lax education requirements. While delivering lunch to Yingyu’s firm, she also observed the workplace.

Though small—under twenty staff—their credentials were impressive. Even the newest intern graduated from a top national university.

This solidified Jianglai’s resolve not to burden Yingyu. A relative like her joining would breed resentment. In a tight-knit firm like this, one complaint could spiral, tainting Yingyu’s image forever.

If she could impress the staff, it might be fine. But she lacked that leverage. Even her past degrees held little weight now.

She refused to jeopardize Yingyu’s firm—or shatter the perfect image her sister-in-law held among employees.

To Jianglai, Yingyu was just a forgetful little sister who skipped meals. But to her staff, she was a rising star in law—a young attorney with a staggering 90% win rate in court.

Her icy beauty and terrifying competence made her an idol among peers. Jianglai wouldn’t become a stain on that reputation during her career ascent.

Even if she joined the firm, she’d be useless. She wanted to stand on her own again, building her own achievements like before.

But job hunting revealed harsh truths. Online postings rarely matched reality.

One "administrative clerk" interview led her to a dimly lit bar. One glance, and Jianglai turned to leave.

Many interviews had suspicious locations. Decades of street smarts made her wary. Yet she worried: *What if her future daughter faced this same chaos after graduation?*

She resolved then: no matter what, she’d push her daughter to keep studying.

As Jianglai frantically called about jobs, her desperation was quietly noted by someone else.

——————

——————

In her office, Siyina reviewed a report on a phone number. After parting ways with the beautiful stranger, she’d ordered an immediate trace. But all they found was a temporary registration number from a company visit.

That number belonged to a secondary SIM card. No further details surfaced—until recently. Over the past few days, it had contacted over a dozen companies.

One happened to be a subsidiary under her conglomerate. Otherwise, this report wouldn’t exist.

Siyina traced the name the beauty had given: *"So… Jianglai."*

But the name sparked not the image of that stunning woman. Instead, she recalled an unrelated mid-level manager.

A somewhat charming older man also named Jianglai. Siyina had never paid him attention—she wasn’t interested in men. Her only memory: he hadn’t shown up for work in half a month.

Siyina had been gathering dirt on executives, waiting to "streamline management." Yet this Jianglai left no trace of scandal—as if he weren’t human.

Now, she finally had her chance… Once he was gone, she could focus on luring the beautiful stranger to her side.