The Billionaire in Disguise: How a Fake Romance Exposed a Web of Betrayal and True Love

The streets of Shanghai pulsed with the kind of energy only a metropolis of twenty-four million people could generate. But for Su Yan, the view from the top of the city was beginning to feel profoundly empty.

At twenty-six, Su Yan was a phenomenon. As the chairwoman and CEO of the Su Corporation, she had inherited a massive conglomerate and ruthlessly expanded it, securing her position as the youngest executive among Shanghai’s top three mega-corporations. She commanded boardrooms with a single glance. She controlled billions in capital.

Yet, as she sat in her sleek, minimalist office overlooking the Huangpu River, she felt entirely disconnected from the world below.

Her executive assistant, Xiaoling, sighed as she scrolled through a tablet filled with high-resolution photos of eligible bachelors.

“Send in another batch,” Su Yan said, rubbing her temples, her voice laced with exhaustion.

Xiaoling lowered the tablet, her expression a mix of professional deference and genuine concern. “President Su, all the outstanding men in Shanghai have been selected and vetted for you. Scions of real estate, tech innovators, finance prodigies. You didn’t like a single one. Could it be… your standards are just too high?”

Su Yan leaned back in her Italian leather chair. “I am the youngest CEO among the top three companies in this city. It’s only natural for me to be picky. But honestly, Xiaoling, it isn’t about their resumes.”

“Then I don’t know what kind of person you’re looking for, Ma’am,” Xiaoling said, exasperated.

“Me?” Su Yan looked out the window, her gaze softening. “I just want someone who loves me for who I am. Not because of my status, my power, or what I have in my bank accounts.”

Xiaoling let out a small, sympathetic laugh. “President Su, in today’s world, people are incredibly practical. What you’re looking for? You might only find that kind of pure, untainted love in college these days. The men in our circles are looking for mergers, not soulmates.”

Su Yan’s eyes narrowed. A sudden, daring idea sparked in her mind. “Yeah,” she murmured, a slow smile spreading across her lips. “You just reminded me of something.”

She stood up, her bespoke suit radiating authority. “Xiaoling. Go get me some old clothes. The older and more worn out, the better.”

“Ma’am?” Xiaoling blinked, confused.

“Just do it,” Su Yan commanded, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Part I: The Street Performer and the Courier
Two hours later, the immaculate CEO of the Su Corporation was gone. In her place stood a young woman dressed in faded, oversized sweatpants, a worn-out denim jacket, and scuffed sneakers. Her pristine makeup had been scrubbed off, and her hair was tied in a messy, haphazard ponytail.

She stood on a busy pedestrian shopping street, clutching a cheap acoustic guitar, pretending to be a struggling street performer.

“Where on earth is my pure-hearted college guy?” she muttered to herself, strumming a few off-key chords as thousands of busy Shanghai residents ignored her completely.

A few feet away, a young man in a bright yellow delivery uniform was taking a desperate breather on a public bench. His name was Lu Chenyang. He looked utterly exhausted, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

“Sorting packages for this courier job is brutal,” Chenyang groaned to himself, massaging his aching shoulders. “Worked all night, and I only made a hundred bucks.”

He watched the crowds walk past, his eyes heavy with the weight of trying to survive in a city that demanded perfection and endless hustle. “There’s just so many girls these days,” he sighed. “And the guys are such players.”

Su Yan, noticing the exhausted young man, decided it was time to test her theory. She slung the guitar onto her back and approached him cautiously, putting on her best impression of a desperate, broke girl.

“Wait, hold on. Hold on,” she said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

Chenyang jumped, startled. “Hey, what are you doing?”

Su Yan looked down at her scuffed shoes, projecting absolute misery. “I mean… I don’t even have enough money for the bus home. Can you give me a little cash?”

Chenyang frowned, looking at her ragged clothes. Despite his own bone-deep exhaustion and empty wallet, his natural empathy flared. “So, how much do you need?”

“Ah… a hundred. A hundred bucks,” she said softly.

Chenyang’s eyes widened. “A hundred? Look, last night I worked my butt off at the sorting facility, and I only made a hundred. That’s my entire shift.”

“But I… I just want to go home,” Su Yan pleaded, her voice trembling with manufactured desperation. “I’m really out of cash.”

Chenyang stared at her for a long moment. He looked at his worn-out delivery bag, then back at the girl who looked like the city had chewed her up and spit her out. With a heavy, resigned sigh, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a crumpled hundred-yuan note—his entire night’s earnings—and handed it to her.

“All right. All right,” he said softly, forcing a tired smile. “Take it. Get home safe.”

Su Yan was genuinely stunned. She took the bill, staring at it as if it were a solid gold bar. In her world, men fought ruthlessly over pennies in boardrooms, betraying friends for fractional percentage points. And here was a boy, clearly struggling to survive, handing over his last dollar to a complete stranger.

“Thanks,” she whispered, her heart doing a strange, unexpected flutter.

Chenyang stood up, grabbing his delivery bag. “Well, what are you up to now? Seriously, I am flat broke now.”

Su Yan looked up at him, her eyes shining with genuine admiration. “You seem like a really good person. A little kindness deserves a big payback.” She stepped closer, dropping the pitiful act just a fraction. “I just heard you worked at a delivery company last night. How about I hook you up? You can be the general manager of the delivery company.”

Chenyang burst out laughing, shaking his head. “Whoa. For real?”

“Of course it’s real,” she said, entirely serious.

“Ma’am, it’s broad daylight. Don’t mess with me,” Chenyang chuckled, adjusting his cap. “All the major delivery companies in our city are owned by the Su Group conglomerate. What could a street performer possibly give me?”

Su Yan smiled, a hint of her true corporate swagger bleeding through the faded denim jacket. “You’re right. It’s true. It is the Su Group. But I… I’m actually the chairwoman of the Su Group.”

Chenyang stared at her for three seconds before bursting into loud, uncontrollable laughter. “Haha, you? Uh-huh. Chairwoman. Yeah, right. If you were the chairwoman of a multi-billion-dollar empire, wouldn’t you have enough money to buy a bus ticket?”

Su Yan bit her lip, suppressing a laugh of her own. He had a point.

“Hey,” Chenyang said, his tone softening. “But I feel kind of bad just taking your time, and you taking my hundred bucks. How about this? Is there anything else I can help you with? You need help with anything?”

Su Yan’s eyes lit up. A crazy, impulsive plan was forming. “Help out? Yeah. Actually… there is something you could help me with.”

Part II: The Fake Girlfriend
Before Chenyang knew what hit him, he was sitting in an upscale café with the strange “beggar” girl, listening to her pitch the most insane idea he had ever heard.

Just as they sat down, Chenyang’s phone rang loudly. It was his mother. He answered it with a sigh.

“Chenyang!” his mother’s voice boomed through the speaker, loud enough for Su Yan to hear. “Last time I told you to come back to the village for a blind date, didn’t you say you already found a girlfriend in the city? Then bring her home so we can meet her!”

“Mom, she’s a big boss,” Chenyang lied smoothly, rubbing his forehead. “She’s super busy.”

“No matter how busy she is, she still has to come home and meet us! And Qiao Yi might show up, too. If you don’t bring this ‘boss’ girlfriend home, then you have to marry Qiao Yi. I’m serious, Chenyang!”

“Hey. Hey. Hello?” The line went dead.

Chenyang groaned, dropping his head onto the table. “Where am I supposed to find a fake wife for her now? Qiao Yi is a nightmare.”

Su Yan, sipping an iced coffee she had magically produced the funds for, smiled wickedly. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to help me out? And now you need a girlfriend.”

Chenyang looked up, his eyes widening. “You?”

“Yeah. Don’t overthink it. Just take me home with you. I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend, and I’ll help you deal with your mom.”

Chenyang looked at her faded clothes and messy hair. “No problem… but you have to come with me first. I need to buy you a couple of outfits. We’re going shopping.”

Su Yan raised an eyebrow. “Shopping?”

“I mean, I can’t have you show up to my family’s village dressed like this, right?” Chenyang said earnestly. “Wouldn’t that embarrass you?”

Su Yan felt another flutter in her chest. Even while orchestrating a fake relationship to save his own skin, he was worried about her dignity. “You’ve got a point,” she smiled. “Let’s go, then.”

Part III: The $8,888 Dress
An hour later, they were standing inside a high-end luxury boutique in one of Shanghai’s premier shopping districts. Su Yan stepped out of the dressing room wearing a stunning, tailored emerald green dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was down, cascading in soft waves over her shoulders.

She spun around, looking like the billionaire she actually was. “Does it look good? Being your girlfriend… that’s not embarrassing, right?”

Chenyang’s jaw practically hit the floor. He stared at her, completely awestruck. “Honestly… I have to say, now that you’re all dressed up, you look pretty classy. You look incredible.” He smirked playfully. “So, how about we make this fake relationship real?”

Before Su Yan could respond to the flirtation, a snooty sales associate walked over, eyeing Chenyang’s cheap delivery uniform with clear disdain.

“Sir,” the associate said tightly, “if you two like this outfit, I can wrap it up for you at the register. Actually, this piece is on sale right now. It’s only 8,888 yuan.”

Chenyang choked on his own spit. “How much?! 8,888?! Why don’t you just rob us?!”

Su Yan watched, amused, as Chenyang panicked. But to her surprise, he didn’t ask her to take it off. He gritted his teeth, pulled out his heavily battered wallet, and handed the associate his debit card.

“Put it on my card,” Chenyang said, his voice trembling slightly. “All right.”

As they walked out of the store, Su Yan holding the luxury shopping bag, she bumped his shoulder playfully. “Where did you get all that money? You didn’t take out a loan just to come home with me, did you? Do you know how many deliveries I’d have to make to pay that off?”

Chenyang sighed, shoving his empty wallet back into his pocket. “It’s fine. It’s my emergency savings. If I can’t pay it back, then I’ll just devote my life to working it off.”

Su Yan stopped walking and looked at him seriously. “When my mom asks you later,” Chenyang instructed, completely oblivious to her true identity, “don’t say you’re a street performer. Just tell her you’re a big boss in the city. Tell her you make 200,000 yuan a year.”

“200,000?” Su Yan suppressed a laugh. She made that in about four seconds of interest.

“I know 200,000 is a bit much to lie about,” Chenyang said apologetically, “but my mom… she cares a lot about appearances. If you say less, my relatives will look down on our family.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, and tell her you do housework. You can cook. And you’re great at raising and butchering pigs.”

Suan’s eyes widened in sheer horror. “Me? Raising pigs? Housework?”

“I know it’s asking a lot of you to lie this much,” Chenyang pleaded. “Once this is all done, whatever compensation you want, I’ll give you anything. I promise.”

Su Yan’s corporate predator instincts kicked in. “Of course. I want… you.”

“What?” Chenyang stepped back, blushing furiously.

“I want you to work for me,” Su Yan corrected smoothly.

“Work for you? A street performer?” Chenyang chuckled. “How much are you going to pay me? If it’s less than five grand, I’m not interested.”

Su Yan stepped closer, locking eyes with him. “I’ll give you 50,000 a month, plus a massive year-end bonus, and I’ll buy you a company car.”

Chenyang stared at her, then burst out laughing. “50,000? You make it sound so real! Anyone who doesn’t know you’re broke might actually think you’re a CEO or something. With acting skills like that, it’s a shame you’re not starring in short films.”

Su Yan smirked, reaching into her designer handbag. “Oh, right. I had someone make these. One for each of us, so we don’t get exposed.”

She handed him a small, red booklet. Chenyang opened it and gasped. It was a completely authentic-looking marriage certificate with their names and photos on it.

“Huh? Is that really necessary?!”

“Why not?” Su Yan said casually. “If this Qiao Yi girl actually comes to your place and doesn’t see a marriage certificate, she’ll never give up chasing you, right?”

“Who told you about Qiao Yi?”

“You did,” she smiled.

“She’s my first love,” Chenyang admitted, looking at the fake certificate. “But it’s all in the past now.”

Part IV: The Village Birthday Banquet
The rural village of the Lu family was a sharp contrast to the towering skyscrapers of Shanghai. The air smelled of dust, roasting meat, and cheap alcohol. Chenyang’s mother, Aunt Jiao, was hosting a massive outdoor birthday banquet in the courtyard of their ancestral home, and half the village had shown up to gossip and eat free food.

“Come on, drink up!” a boisterous uncle yelled, raising a glass of rice wine.

“Hey, hey, everyone, eat well, drink well!” Aunt Jiao called out, practically glowing with pride as she worked the crowd.

A gossiping neighbor leaned in close to Aunt Jiao. “You know, Aunt Jiao, you are really lucky. I heard both your sons married big-time bosses in the city!”

“Really?” another woman gasped. “Wow, Aunt Jiao, you’re going to be loaded soon.”

“No doubt about it,” the first neighbor nodded sagely. “You marry into a rich family, you follow their lead. All their businesses will be part of Aunt Jiao’s family now!”

Aunt Jiao waved her hand dismissively, though she was beaming. “Oh, wow. As long as my family’s doing well, I’ll never forget all you folks from the neighborhood, right? Eat up!”

A loud, booming voice interrupted the chatter. “Second son from the Lu family gifted a thousand bucks!”

“Mom!” Chenyang called out, walking through the rusted metal gates. “Mom, I’m home!”

Aunt Jiao dropped her ladle and sprinted over. “Son! Oh my gosh, you finally made it back! I’ve missed you so much.” She grabbed his face, inspecting him. “How did you get so skinny? Are you not eating well out there in Shanghai?”

“No, Mom, I’m doing fine,” Chenyang smiled. He stepped aside, revealing Su Yan in her stunning emerald dress. “This is my girlfriend, Su Yan. And Su Yan, this is my mom.”

Su Yan offered a polite, measured bow. “Hello, Auntie.”

“Hello! Hello!” Aunt Jiao’s eyes went wide as she took in the expensive fabric and Su Yan’s undeniable aura of wealth. “Hey… I heard you and our Chenyang are already living together in the city. Is that true?”

Chenyang panicked. “Living together?! Mom, we’ve got so many relatives here, keep your voice down!”

“She’s a young lady, she needs her dignity,” a relative chimed in.

“Yeah, yeah,” Aunt Jiao nodded rapidly. “Xiao Su, my son told me you’re a big boss in the city. Every day, you take such good care of my son.”

Su Yan smiled, slipping perfectly into character. “Ah, that’s right, Auntie. It’s just what I should do.”

A gossiping auntie nudged another. “Oh, wow. Look at her figure. Who knows? Maybe she’ll give our Lu family two big, healthy grandsons at once!”

“Let me tell you, Aunt Jiao is really blessed,” another villager added loudly. “Not only is her daughter-in-law beautiful, but she’s also hardworking and thrifty!”

“Yeah, I’m so jealous,” an older man sighed. “If I could bring home such an amazing wife, I’d be the happiest man alive.”

Aunt Jiao puffed her chest out. “Come on, come on. You two have a seat. Your older brother, Jianqing, will be back soon. He’s probably on his way now. Come on!”

Just as they sat down, a sleek, black luxury sedan pulled up to the dirt road outside the gate. The crowd went silent as a woman stepped out, wearing a flashy, tight red dress and carrying several expensive-looking shopping bags.

It was Qiao Yi.

“Fifty thousand!” the announcer yelled as Qiao Yi handed over a thick red envelope. “Lu family’s second daughter-in-law candidate… Qiao Yi!”

Qiao Yi strutted into the courtyard, ignoring the stares. “Auntie! It’s been so long since we last saw each other. I brought you some gifts. Just a little something.”

Aunt Jiao’s eyes practically turned into dollar signs. “You really didn’t have to! Why did you bring gifts?”

“Oh, come on, it’s nothing fancy,” Qiao Yi said smoothly, flipping her hair. “I know you like to go shopping downtown a lot. That BMW parked out front? I got it just for you. Figured it would make things easier for you.”

The entire courtyard erupted in shocked gasps.

“Wow, that big BMW?!” Aunt Jiao squealed. “How much does that cost? I bet it’s at least a hundred grand!”

“You two really have no idea,” a neighbor whispered loudly. “People just gave 50,000 in cash as a gift. That car has to be worth at least 500,000 yuan!”

Qiao Yi waved a manicured hand. “Auntie, as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. The money doesn’t matter. Besides, aren’t we all going to be family soon?”

She turned, her predatory gaze locking onto Chenyang. Then, she saw Su Yan sitting next to him. Her smile vanished.

“Chenyang,” Qiao Yi said coldly. “Who is she?”

“She’s my girlfriend, Su Yan,” Chenyang said firmly, grabbing Su Yan’s hand.

“Girlfriend?” Qiao Yi scoffed loudly, ensuring everyone heard. “How come I’ve never heard you have a girlfriend in the city? Did you just hire some street girl to pretend?”

“Of course not,” Chenyang shot back. “Why, do we not look like a real couple?”

Qiao Yi crossed her arms, a vicious smirk playing on her lips. “You might fool these village people, but Chenyang, I know you. I can’t believe you’d go so far as to hire someone just to avoid marrying me. If you two are really a couple… then do you dare kiss in front of everyone?”

The courtyard fell dead silent.

“We’ve kissed so many times already,” Chenyang bluffed, his face flushing red. “What’s the big deal?”

The villagers started chanting, banging their chopsticks on the tables. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

Chenyang looked at Su Yan in absolute panic. I can’t do this to her, he thought. She’s just a girl I met on the street.

But before he could pull away, Su Yan grabbed the lapels of his cheap jacket, pulled him down, and crashed her lips passionately against his.

The courtyard erupted in wild cheers and applause. Chenyang’s brain short-circuited. He kissed her back, his hands instinctively wrapping around her waist. It wasn’t a fake, awkward peck. It was deep, electric, and completely real.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing heavily, staring at each other with wide eyes.

Qiao Yi’s face contorted in furious disgust. “Why are you getting all touchy now?!” she shrieked. “Don’t act all innocent after getting what you want! You… you guys… Chenyang, I didn’t expect this from you. Your taste in people just keeps getting worse. You have me, a general manager of a massive corporation, and you don’t pick me, but you go for some pretty face with empty pockets?!”

“Su Yan is not just a pretty face,” Chenyang defended her, stepping in front of Su Yan. “She’s actually a big boss in the city!”

“A big boss?” Qiao Yi laughed hysterically. “Auntie, didn’t you say before that you wanted me to be your future daughter-in-law?”

Aunt Jiao looked nervously between the BMW keys in Qiao Yi’s hand and Su Yan. “Qiao Yi, you can’t really blame Auntie for this. This was Chenyang’s own choice. I can’t exactly interfere with his freedom, can I?”

“Right,” Qiao Yi sneered, turning her venom back to Su Yan. “Chenyang says his girlfriend is a big boss in Shanghai. Is that right?”

“That’s right,” Suan said calmly, crossing her arms.

“Really? Then what’s this lady’s company called?” Qiao Yi challenged, stepping closer. “I’ve attended a lot of high-level business networking events in Shanghai. How come I’ve never seen you?”

“I don’t usually go to those minor events,” Su Yan replied smoothly.

“Oh, I see,” Qiao Yi mocked. “Is your company too small to get an invite? I’m the one who organizes all those regional business networking events for the Su Corporation, and you’re saying I never invited you?”

Su Yan’s eyes glinted with sudden, dangerous amusement. “If you say so, then sure.”

“Chenyang, did you hear that?” Qiao Yi gloated. “With her tiny, invisible company? I really don’t get what you’re hoping to get out of this fake relationship.”

“Su Yan is my woman,” Chenyang said fiercely, his protective instincts overriding his fear. “Whether her company is big or small, I love her just the same.”

Qiao Yi’s face flushed with genuine anger. “Chenyang, did you forget? You promised to marry me when we graduated college! Now I’m the branch general manager of the Su Group, making a million a year! Whatever you want, I can give it to you!”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“Su Group?” an uncle whispered loudly. “Why does that sound so familiar? That’s the top conglomerate in Shanghai! Always on TV. They say the boss is only in their twenties, so young and successful.”

Aunt Jiao’s eyes widened. “Hey, hey, Qiao Yi! What did you say? You’re already working at a Su Group branch?!”

“Of course, Auntie,” Qiao Yi said proudly, puffing her chest. “Would I lie to you?”

Part V: The Battle of the Bosses
Aunt Jiao’s loyalties immediately shifted. She turned to Su Yan with a highly critical, suspicious gaze. “Xiao Su… so Auntie wants to ask, exactly how big is your company?”

“Mom, why do you care about that?” Chenyang groaned.

“I’m just worried about you! Trying to help you out!” Aunt Jiao snapped, then looked expectantly at Su Yan.

Su Yan smiled politely, entirely unbothered. “Auntie, honestly, I’m not really sure of our exact square footage. Usually, my executive team handles those minor details.”

Qiao Yi burst out laughing. “Not sure? Or just embarrassed to say?” She turned back to Aunt Jiao, adopting a sickly-sweet tone. “Don’t talk nonsense with her. I’m just doing this for your own good, Auntie. Besides, you know as well as I do, I grew up without parents. So, if I marry Chenyang, you’ll be my real mother. I promise I’ll treat you like a queen. I’ll bring you to live in the city. You can go shopping every day at high-end malls, play mahjong whenever you like. I’ll cover all your expenses. You won’t have to lift a single finger.”

Aunt Jiao’s eyes glazed over with greed. “Shopping? Playing cards? Oh, wow…”

“Plus,” Qiao Yi added, dealing the final blow, “I bought two luxury apartments in Shanghai. They’re both in the same high-end complex. Once I marry Chenyang, it’ll be easy for us both to take care of you in style.”

“Oh, wow!” Aunt Jiao gasped, clutching her heart. “Those city apartments must have cost a massive fortune!”

“Of course,” Qiao Yi bragged. “They’re worth millions at least. I wonder how many apartments this ‘big boss’ has bought in the city?”

All eyes turned to Su Yan.

Su Yan didn’t flinch. “I don’t own any personal apartments,” she said casually. “But I never lack a place to stay.”

Qiao Yi sneered triumphantly. “Not even a single apartment?! Don’t tell me you’re still renting. If Auntie moves to Shanghai with you guys, does that mean she’ll have to squeeze into a cramped, dirty rental with you?”

Su Yan took a slow, elegant step forward. The air around her seemed to drop ten degrees. “I don’t need to buy a personal apartment. My company owns over 10,000 luxury properties across the country. If Auntie wants to stay, she can pick absolutely any penthouse she likes.”

The courtyard went dead silent.

Then, Qiao Yi laughed so hard she doubled over. “Haha! Over 10,000 properties in Shanghai?! Only a mega-giant like the Su Group could own that many properties! And you? Who the hell do you think you are?!”

“That’s enough,” Chenyang interrupted, stepping between them. He pulled the small red booklet from his pocket. “Su Yan and I already got our marriage certificate. We are legally bound. Even if we end up living in a tiny rental together, I’d still be the happiest man in the world.”

“What?!” Aunt Jiao shrieked. “You got your marriage certificate?!”

Qiao Yi snatched the booklet from Chenyang’s hand, flipping it open. Her eyes narrowed into slits. She rubbed her thumb over the gold foil seal, and it flaked off onto her skin.

“Auntie,” Qiao Yi said loudly, holding the booklet up like a trophy. “This marriage certificate is completely fake. Look, the cheap paint’s even peeling off!”

“What?! Fake? It’s fake?!” the villagers murmured, scandalized.

“Ah, how could the marriage certificate be fake?” Aunt Jiao wailed, clutching her chest. “Chenyang, how could you lie to your mother?!”

Before Chenyang could defend himself, the heavy metal gates of the courtyard were violently kicked open.

“Why is it so lively in here?!” a brutal, booming voice echoed.

A dozen men in hard hats and high-vis vests marched into the courtyard, carrying sledgehammers and crowbars. At the front was a burly, scarred foreman chewing on a toothpick.

“Today, all of you have to pack your trash and move out!” the foreman shouted, pointing a crowbar at Aunt Jiao. “Our company is taking this land!”

Aunt Jiao screamed, running to the front. “This is the Lu family’s ancestral home! You can’t tear this down!”

“Stop giving me crap, old woman,” the foreman spat. “This prime land is exactly what the Kunyang Group asked for. It’s got to come down today. Pack your bags or get buried in the rubble.”

Chenyang stepped forward, his fists clenched. “Who gave you the guts to forcefully demolish someone’s home without a court order?!”

“I’ll tear down whatever I want, boy!” the foreman laughed. “Our company’s boss already signed a massive, iron-clad contract with the Su Corporation’s chairman to build a luxury resort right here on this dirt. If you dare hold us up, I swear none of you will walk away from this alive.”

Aunt Jiao grabbed Qiao Yi’s arm in a panic. “Hey, Qiao Yi! Yeah, aren’t you with the Su Corporation?! Can you put in a good word for us? Tell them to stop!”

Qiao Yi swallowed hard, suddenly looking very small. “Um… I’m the general manager of a Su Corporation branch. Today is my future mother-in-law’s birthday. Can you cut me some slack? Let’s talk about this another day?”

The foreman looked her up and down and spat on the ground. “Okay, screw you. You’re just a branch manager. Who the hell do you think you are to halt a multi-million-dollar development? You’re all not leaving, huh? Fine. Guys! Tear this place down for me!”

The men raised their sledgehammers, moving toward the ancestral home. Women screamed. Children cried.

“Stop!”

The single word cracked like a whip across the courtyard. It wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable, terrifying authority.

Everyone froze. Su Yan stepped forward, her eyes blazing with absolute, unadulterated fury. “Let’s see who dares to make a single move against this house.”

The foreman sneered, stepping up to her. “Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around, little girl?”

Su Yan didn’t flinch. She stared directly into his soul. “I am the Chairwoman of the Su Corporation. Even your boss, Du Kunyang, would have to drop to his knees and show me some respect if he saw me standing here.”

The courtyard fell dead silent.

Then, the foreman burst into vicious laughter. “Chairwoman? Boss? Don’t trust her, boys, she’s just a fraud trying to play hero!”

Qiao Yi grabbed Chenyang’s arm frantically. “Chenyang, get her out of here! She even dares to mess with the Kunyang Group! If we get in legal trouble for this, what are we supposed to do?!”

“Yeah, Chenyang!” Aunt Jiao cried. “You should just let her go! This house was left by your dead dad. I don’t want anything to happen to it!”

“Exactly!” a neighbor agreed. “She’s a troublemaker! If something happens, we’ll all get dragged down with her lies!”

“I told you not to brag so much,” Chenyang whispered to Su Yan, panicked. “What are we supposed to do now?”

Su Yan didn’t look at him. She kept her eyes locked on the foreman. “I wasn’t bragging. They’ll find out soon enough if I’m the Chairwoman or not.”

“What an idiot,” the foreman laughed, cracking his knuckles. “It’s one thing to scam poor village people, but you even dare to mess with the Kunyang Group? You nasty woman. You dare to try and fool me?!”

“Fool you?” Su Yan said softly, her voice dripping with venom. “You must be crazy. You just believe whatever your corrupt boss says?”

“All right, you want to insult me?” The foreman signaled his men. “Guys, teach her a violent lesson.”

The thugs stepped forward, raising their weapons.

Su Yan didn’t take a single step back. She pulled a sleek, black smartphone from her pocket. “Do you not believe I can make one single phone call and have every one of you down on your knees begging me for mercy in exactly two minutes?”

“Who do you think you are?!” the foreman roared. “You might not care about your life, but the rest of us do! Get lost already! Get out now!”

Su Yan dialed a number, put the phone on speaker, and held it up.

“Du Kunyang,” Su Yan’s voice was icy perfection. “Who gave you the guts to tear down my mother-in-law’s house?”

A terrified, stammering voice echoed from the speakerphone. “President Su?! What… what are you talking about? I have no idea what’s going on!”

“Your men are right here in the Lu family courtyard,” Su Yan said coldly. “You know exactly what to say to them to keep your company alive. I don’t need to teach you.”

The foreman’s face drained of all color. He recognized the voice on the other end of the line.

“Gu Jiao!” Du Kunyang roared through the phone, sounding like he was on the verge of a heart attack. “You have got some nerve! Get down on your knees and apologize to President Su immediately!”

The foreman, Gu Jiao, dropped his crowbar. “Mr. Du? Are you kidding me? Do I look like I have time to joke around with you?”

“GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND APOLOGIZE TO PRESIDENT SU RIGHT NOW OR I’LL BEAT YOU TO DEATH MYSELF!” Du Kunyang screamed, his voice cracking with sheer terror. “Give the phone to President Su!”

Gu Jiao’s knees buckled. He dropped to the dirt, trembling violently. “Yes… yes, sir.”

“President Su,” Du Kunyang begged through the speaker, sounding like he was crying. “I am really, really sorry. My people didn’t know the rules. We honestly had no idea this was your mother-in-law’s place. Please, have mercy.”

“Your Kunyang group is forcibly demolishing people’s ancestral homes without legal permits,” Su Yan said softly, delivering a death sentence. “I’ll deal with you when I get back to Shanghai. The contract is void.”

“Chairwoman Su, please! This was a huge misunderstanding! I sincerely apologize—”

Su Yan hung up the phone. She looked down at the trembling foreman.

“Get out. Get out. Get out,” she commanded.

“Yes, ma’am! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Gu Jiao screamed at his men, scrambling to his feet and sprinting out of the courtyard as fast as his legs could carry him.

The courtyard was completely, utterly stunned into silence.

Su Yan turned to Aunt Jiao with a polite, deferential smile. “Auntie, it’s all taken care of.”

Aunt Jiao stared at her, her jaw practically on the floor. “Xiao Su… you’re amazing! Just one phone call… Oh, right. I just heard you say you’re the Chairwoman of the Su Group.”

Before Su Yan could answer, Qiao Yi let out a loud, bitter laugh.

“Su Yan, is it fun directing and starring in your own little stage play?” Qiao Yi sneered, clapping her hands slowly.

“Qiao Yi, what are you trying to say?” Chenyang asked defensively. “Just now, Su Yan helped us solve a huge, dangerous problem!”

“She was just lying to you, you idiot!” Qiao Yi shouted. “She and that foreman guy were in on it together from the start!”

“In on it?!” Aunt Jiao gasped.

“Yes, Auntie!” Qiao Yi insisted wildly. “How come there was never any forced demolition threat before, but as soon as this strange girl shows up, suddenly there’s a demolition crew ready to tear your house down? She hired them to make herself look like a savior!”

The villagers started murmuring, nodding their heads.

“Exactly. Listening to her, it kind of makes sense,” a neighbor whispered.

“Yeah, this is obviously a whole play she set up beforehand,” another agreed. “She even managed to fake a state marriage certificate! Is there anything she wouldn’t do to get Chenyang’s money?”

Su Yan crossed her arms, thoroughly amused by Qiao Yi’s desperate mental gymnastics. “The marriage certificate might be fake,” Su Yan said calmly, “but Chenyang and I are going to register for real tomorrow.”

“Really?!” Aunt Jiao gasped, clutching her head. “I’m getting too old for all these surprises.”

“Auntie, I swear on my character,” Qiao Yi pleaded. “Every word I say is true. She is a fraud!”

Chenyang pulled Su Yan aside, whispering frantically. “Oh my god, I just asked you to pretend to be my girlfriend for one afternoon! How did it turn into actually getting a real marriage certificate?! If my mom takes this seriously, what are you going to do then?”

Su Yan smirked, adjusting her collar. “You really get into character, Chenyang. You might as well go act in a short drama. You’d definitely land the lead role.”

“Well, I don’t need an outsider like you worrying about me!” Qiao Yi yelled, stomping over.

“Me? An outsider?” Su Yan raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve known Chenyang for over ten years,” Qiao Yi spat. “You two have barely known each other for a day! And you call me an outsider? Tomorrow, we’ll be legally married around here!” Qiao Yi turned to Aunt Jiao, her eyes shining with fake tears. “Well, if you want me to marry Chenyang, then Auntie will be my future mother-in-law. You came to Auntie’s birthday party, ‘Chairwoman,’ but you didn’t even bring a decent gift!”

“I just found out about the party, too,” Su Yan replied calmly.

“You only heard about it now? That kind of excuse might work on kindergarten kids,” Qiao Yi mocked. “And you call yourself a big boss. From what I see, you’re probably the type of cheap girl who rents herself out to desperate men to make money, right? Otherwise, how could you not even have a proper present for your future mother-in-law?”

“Renting yourself out?” Aunt Jiao gasped, clutching her pearls. “That sounds pretty sketchy.”

“Come on,” a neighbor whispered loudly. “A young woman renting herself out to men in the city… nothing good ever comes from that.”

Su Yan didn’t lose her temper. She simply smiled at Chenyang’s mother. “A proper gift? As long as Auntie likes it, I will provide it.”

“Don’t go bragging around here,” Qiao Yi scoffed. “Just look at yourself. I got Auntie a brand-new BMW worth half a million yuan. And you? What do you have?”

Su Yan ignored her and looked kindly at Aunt Jiao. “Auntie, what do you like to do in your free time?”

“Me?” Aunt Jiao blinked, overwhelmed. “I’m from the countryside. What kind of expensive hobbies could I have? Oh, usually I just like feeding the pigs. My family runs a pig farm out back. It’s actually pretty big.” She looked at Chenyang hopefully. “Chenyang studied animal husbandry in college, right? When he comes back, he can help out with the pigs.”

“Mom, what are you even saying?” Chenyang groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Qiao Yi saw her opening and pounced. “Oh, Auntie! Since she claims to be the big boss, why not have her get you a nice, luxury car too?”

“Qiao Yi, can you drop it already?” Chenyang snapped.

“Do you even know how much a luxury car costs?” Qiao Yi sneered at Su Yan. “Isn’t she supposed to be a big boss? Even I, a mere branch manager, could gift Auntie a 500,000 yuan car. So, as a boss, she can’t even do better than me? She’s just a regular, broke worker.”

Su Yan pulled out her sleek black phone, her eyes dead and cold. “No problem at all.”

She dialed a number, putting the phone to her ear. “Get me five luxury cars sent to the Lu family village immediately.”

She hung up before the person on the other end could even respond.

Aunt Jiao looked nervously at her son. “Son, be honest with Mom. Is she… crazy?”

“Mom, stop getting involved and making things worse!” Chenyang pleaded. “Don’t listen to what Qiao Yi says. She’s just talking nonsense because she’s jealous.”

“I’m doing this for your own good!” Aunt Jiao argued. “What if someday you end up getting completely tricked by this girl?”

“That’s right, Aunt Jiao,” Qiao Yi nodded sympathetically. “She really is looking out for you. This Xiao Su… even though she’s pretty, our respectable family can’t marry a girl like that.” She leaned in close to Aunt Jiao, whispering loudly. “Mom, I’ve heard that girls in the city who look this good… they actually rent themselves out to those old, gross big bosses. What do they call it again? Something with an M… Mistress!”

“Oh, right! Right!” Aunt Jiao gasped, her eyes going wide. “Mistress! Mistress! We can’t get involved with dirty women like that! We can’t support her, and she obviously can’t support herself either. What if she tricks us out of all our pigs?!”

“Mom!” Chenyang yelled, finally losing his temper. “She’s not the home-wrecker you all say she is! She never sold herself out! She’s just been living an honest, incredibly hard life!”

“Ah, that’s good. That’s good,” Aunt Jiao mumbled, clearly not believing him. “Mom’s just worried about you, you know.”

Qiao Yi smirked, looking at Su Yan’s phone. “Finished your fake call?”

“Yeah,” Su Yan said neutrally.

“So, what kind of imaginary car did you get for Auntie?” Qiao Yi mocked. “A Benz or a BMW?”

“No idea,” Su Yan shrugged. “I told my people to handle it.”

“Wow, you’re really getting deeply into this acting thing,” Qiao Yi laughed hysterically. “‘Your people,’ huh? You guys in your escort line of work actually have people under you? I bet you were just over there talking to a dial tone, weren’t you?”

Before Su Yan could verbally destroy her, a loud, booming voice echoed from the gate.

“Mom! I’m home! I’m back!”

A tall, sharply dressed man walked into the courtyard, adjusting an expensive-looking watch. It was Chenyang’s older brother, Jianqing.

“Whoa, bro,” Jianqing grinned, slapping Chenyang on the shoulder. “I heard you landed yourself a massive city boss as your girlfriend. Is that for real?”

“What’s it to you?” Chenyang muttered, crossing his arms.

“Watch it,” Jianqing snapped, his smile vanishing. “Is that how you talk to your older brother? Do you even see me as your brother anymore?”

Jianqing turned to look at the “big boss” girlfriend. He froze. His eyes widened in absolute shock.

“Su Yan?!” Jianqing gasped. “Jianqing?!”

“Old classmates!” Jianqing laughed, though there was a vicious, cruel edge to it. “Long time no see! I almost didn’t recognize you in those nice clothes!” He reached out to grab her shoulder.

Su Yan swatted his hand away like it was a diseased insect. “Get your filthy hands off me. Are we even that close?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jianqing sneered, his face hardening.

“Nothing,” Su Yan said coldly. “I heard from some old college classmates that you used to run a business but ended up losing absolutely everything. You didn’t even show up to the ten-year class reunion last month. You were too embarrassed to come.”

Jianqing’s face flushed deep red with humiliation. “Huh? I had something important going on at the time!”

“Busy with what, exactly?” Su Yan mocked. “Busy trying to fool your little brother?”

“I bet she even claims she’s some big boss, doesn’t she?” Jianqing turned to the crowd, pointing an accusing finger at Su Yan.

“Jianqing?” Chenyang frowned. “What are you getting at? Are you saying she’s not a big boss?”

“She’s no big boss! Not at all!” Jianqing shouted, ensuring the entire village heard him. “Mom, she tried running a startup business right out of college. Lost absolutely everything she had! Rumor has it she’s still in debt to loan sharks for millions!”

“What?!” Aunt Jiao shrieked, clutching her chest. “Millions?! Millions in debt?! Oh my god!”

“Chenyang,” Jianqing said, grabbing his brother’s shoulder. “I think you and her should just forget about this entire relationship. Millions in debt… Even if our family sold every single pig we own, it wouldn’t be enough to cover a fraction of her losses.”

“Marriage is about building a stable life, Chenyang,” a neighbor chimed in. “Not doing charity work for bankrupt city girls.”

“Mom, what are you even talking about?” Chenyang pleaded, desperate to protect Su Yan. “Don’t listen to their nonsense!”

Qiao Yi stepped forward, smelling blood in the water. “Xiao Su… uh, Auntie’s just really blunt, huh? Honestly, our family doesn’t have much money to bail you out. Chenyang’s not the brightest kid either. Maybe you two should just call it off.”

“Auntie, don’t take it the wrong way,” Su Yan said calmly, staring daggers at Jianqing. “I did owe some investors money years ago, before my company took off, but I’ve paid it all back with interest now.”

“Huh? You say you paid it off, so it’s just done?” Jianqing scoffed. “Exactly. Women like you… can you ever say a single honest thing?”

Suddenly, the heavy iron gates of the courtyard were pushed open again. A sleek, professional-looking woman in a tailored business suit stepped in, holding a leather briefcase.

“Aren’t you President Su?” the woman asked, staring at Su Yan.

“You are?” Aunt Jiao blinked, completely confused.

“Hey, aren’t you the CEO of Su Group, President Su?” The woman rushed forward, offering a deep, respectful bow. “Oh, wow! I saw you on the financial news TV before. Just last year, our firms even worked together on a merger. So, is there a reason you came to this small village today?”

“I’m here to fulfill the engagement with Chenyang,” Su Yan lied flawlessly, playing into the chaos.

“Engagement?!” Qiao Yi shrieked.

“Mom, what’s going on here?” Jianqing demanded.

Aunt Jiao looked extremely nervous. “Oh… Qiao Yi and Chenyang. They have known each other since they were little kids playing in the dirt. Your dad and I actually arranged a childhood engagement for the two of them. We said when they grew up, they could get married.”

“So now, Chenyang,” the business woman asked, looking at the stunned delivery boy. “Does he have a girlfriend now?”

“I never expected my little brother-in-law would actually be childhood friends with Qiao Yi!” Jianqing muttered to himself, his greedy gears turning. “No way. I need to figure out how to set them up right now. If they get together, my failing company could totally connect with the Su Group through Qiao Yi!”

Jianqing stepped forward, raising his hands. “Oh, Mom, I really have to say something about this. When traditional parents make a match, you can’t just go back on your word! Besides, President Qiao is a regional general manager! That’s a hundred times better than some bankrupt woman out there who owes who knows how much money to loan sharks!”

“Yeah, Mom!” a cousin agreed. “Honestly, I think Qiao Yi should be with Chenyang! Don’t you all agree?”

“Yeah! I also think Qiao Yi and Chenyang would make a great, wealthy couple! They’re a perfect match!”

“Guys, stop making a scene!” Chenyang shouted, standing in front of Su Yan to shield her from the onslaught. “Who I’m with is my own damn business! It’s my freedom!”

“Oh, Chenyang,” Qiao Yi said smoothly, adopting a patronizing, sisterly tone. “As your future sister-in-law, I really have to say a couple things to you. Marriage is something you really need to think about practically. Look at me and your brother. After we get married, life’s just been getting better and better. If you bring home somebody with massive debt baggage, no matter how much money you make delivering packages in the future, it’ll never be enough to clean up after her financial mess!”

“Did college make you completely lose your mind?” Jianqing demanded. “You’re ignoring all these amazing, wealthy options, and you just have to pick someone with absolutely nothing to her name?!”

“I chose my girlfriend myself,” Chenyang stated, his voice unwavering. “Whether we’re rich or poor, happy or not, has absolutely nothing to do with you! Even if she comes with massive debt baggage, I’m fully okay with it!”

“Chenyang, I really don’t get what’s so great about her that you’re so hung up on her!” Qiao Yi screamed, losing her cool.

“Su Yan,” Jianqing sneered, turning his venom on her. “Let me tell you, you’re just not good enough for our Chenyang. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll just leave this village right now.”

“Exactly,” Qiao Yi added. “Don’t think that just because you tricked my little brother into a fake marriage, you’ll get any financial help from us to pay off your debts. Let me tell you, that’s never going to happen.”

“Both the brother and the future sister-in-law told you to leave,” Aunt Jiao said coldly, crossing her arms. “So why are you still standing here? Have you no shame at all?”

Su Yan didn’t flinch. She looked at the greedy, superficial faces surrounding her and let out a soft, pitying laugh.

“Get help from you?” Su Yan asked, her voice dripping with pure ice. “With your current pathetic situation, you’re in absolutely no position to help me.”

“Su Yan, what’s that supposed to mean?” Jianqing demanded, stepping forward aggressively. “Are you getting cocky now just because Chenyang likes you?!”

“Do you even know how much my company and I make in a single year?” Qiao Yi bragged loudly. “At least five million yuan!”

Su Yan raised a single, perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Is five million really that much? It’s just my company’s passive revenue for about three days.”

“Chenyang,” Jianqing groaned, rubbing his face. “I honestly didn’t expect you’d end up dating a delusional scammer like her. Three days’ revenue? Haha!”

“Su Yan, it’s been years since we last saw you in college,” Jianqing sneered, “but your ego has gotten even bigger than your debts. Do you even know what five million actually means? Have you ever even seen that much money in your whole miserable life?!”

“All right. All right. That’s enough,” Chenyang sighed, pulling on Su Yan’s arm. “You’re bragging so much, Su Yan. How am I supposed to cover for your lies later?”

Su Yan looked at Chenyang, her expression softening just for him. “If you still don’t believe me… when we get back to Shanghai, I’ll buy you a sports car. How about that?”

“Looks like we really underestimated your delusions,” Qiao Yi laughed mockingly. “If that’s the case, do you dare to show us your bank card so we can all see how much money you actually have in it? I just went to the bank at lunch, and I have a mobile POS machine in my car right now. Why wouldn’t you dare to swipe it?”

“Come on,” Jianqing taunted. “Let me see what you’ve got, ‘billionaire’.”

“Su Yan, I’m telling you, that’s enough!” Chenyang pleaded in a whisper. “Why do you keep dragging this lie out? Just drop the act! They’re going to humiliate you!”

“Then tell me,” Qiao Yi demanded, holding out the mobile card reader. “How much money do you actually have in your account?”

“I have a few offshore and domestic accounts,” Su Yan said casually, reaching into her designer handbag. “I don’t remember exactly how much is in this specific one.”

She pulled out a sleek, heavy, matte-black metal card with no numbers on the front, only a subtle gold crest.

Jianqing frowned, staring at the card. “What kind of bank card is this? I’ve never seen one like it in my life.”

“What kind of cheap junk is this?” Qiao Yi scoffed, snatching it from Su Yan’s hand. “Where did you even get this card? Why is this card black? As far as I remember, standard bank cards don’t come in this color.”

“Who knows?” a neighbor whispered loudly. “Let me tell you, that woman Chenyang brought home is definitely hiding something illegal. At first, she said she was running a massive business. Then she claimed she was gifting Auntie a luxury car. So where’s that luxury car now?”

“Of course you haven’t seen this card before,” Su Yan said, her voice echoing with the absolute authority of the elite. “This is a Black Centurion limited-edition card from the International Bank. There are only ten of these issued in the entire world.”

“Su Yan, you’re seriously cracking me up,” Qiao Yi laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. “A limited-edition bank card? Really? I deposit millions every year for my branch, and I’ve never even heard of any kind of limited-edition bank card.”

“Do you actually deposit more than I do?” Su Yan asked softly.

“Quit bragging already!” Jianqing snapped. “At Biha Bank, if you don’t have a verified minimum of at least 100 million yuan in your liquid account, you’re not even eligible to join the basic VIP tier, let alone get some so-called ‘limited edition’ black bank card!”

“Are you for real?” Su Yan asked, an icy smile touching her lips. “Why don’t you just swipe it and see for yourself?”

“You just won’t give up until you hit a dead end, will you?” Qiao Yi sneered, grabbing the POS machine. “Fine. I’ll expose your pathetic lie right here in front of everyone.”

Qiao Yi swiped the heavy metal card through the machine.

The small digital screen flickered. The machine beeped aggressively. Then, the screen froze, glitching violently as a string of numbers longer than the screen could display scrolled across it.

“What’s going on here?” Qiao Yi frowned, shaking the machine. “I have no idea. Everything was fine just a minute ago. How did it suddenly break?”

The business woman who had recognized Su Yan earlier stepped forward, peering over Qiao Yi’s shoulder. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth.

“I… I think I just saw…” the woman stammered, pointing a trembling finger at the screen. “She’s got a billion dollars in her primary checking account.”

“What?!” Jianqing shrieked. “A billion dollars?! Are you kidding me?!”

“Manager Qiao, did you see that, too?” a villager asked in awe.

“I… I think I saw it, too,” Qiao Yi whispered, her face draining of all color. “If she’s got a billion dollars… then I must have ten billion! The machine is broken!”

“Hey, Xiao Su!” Aunt Jiao practically shoved Qiao Yi out of the way, her entire demeanor transforming into sickeningly sweet adoration. “Oh, wow! Oh my gosh! Auntie really didn’t see this coming! How do you have so much money?!”

“This is just a small part of my liquid assets,” Su Yan said casually, taking her card back.

“Oh, Chenyang!” Aunt Jiao cried, hugging her bewildered son. “You’re really so lucky you found such an amazing, rich wife!”

“Did you guys hear that?!” a neighbor yelled to the crowd. “She said that a billion dollars is just a small part of it! The Lu family really hit the jackpot this time! Not only did they find a beautiful daughter-in-law, but she’s loaded, too!”

“No way,” Jianqing muttered, shaking his head in furious denial. “There’s only one person in Shanghai who has a Black Centurion Biha bank card, and that’s the CEO of the Su Corporation. How could you possibly have one?! Exactly! She’s broke! How could she possibly have a Biha bank card?!”

Jianqing’s eyes suddenly widened in horror. He looked from the card to Su Yan’s unbothered face. “Is it possible… that you are the CEO of the Su Corporation?”

“You… you… you’re the CEO of Su Corporation?!” Qiao Yi stuttered, physically backing away. “Su Corporation… Su Yan… they both have the last name Su…”

“Are you really the CEO of Su Corporation?!” Aunt Jiao gasped, dropping to her knees.

“Are you really the Chairwoman of Su Corporation?!” Jianqing demanded, his voice cracking.

“Yeah,” Su Yan said simply, looking down at them like peasants. “I’ve told you before. The owner of the Su Corporation.”

“The Lu family won’t have to worry about food or money for generations!” a neighbor cheered.

“Not just a few generations! Dozens of generations would be set for life!”

“You’re someone with no background at all!” Jianqing protested, his mind breaking. “You were poor in college! How did you manage to get to the very top of the Su Corporation?!”

A man in a sharp business suit stepped out of the crowd. It was Lu Chinming, the CEO of Tinglong Enterprises. He approached Su Yan and offered a deep, respectful 90-degree bow.

“President Su, I am the CEO of Tinglong Enterprises,” Lu Chinming said reverently. “My name is Lu Chinming. I sincerely hope we can work together on the new development projects in the future.”

“Ah, I’ve heard about your company,” Su Yan replied graciously. “You guys have been doing pretty well these past couple of years.”

“Oh, not at all compared to you, Ma’am,” Lu Chinming said humbly. “We’ll definitely need President Su to look out for us going forward.”

Qiao Yi’s brain finally snapped into place. “Wait… I get it now! What?”

“She’s not actually the boss of Su Corporation!” Qiao Yi screamed, pointing an accusing finger. “If she was, why have I never seen her at the company headquarters?!”

“Because you’re just the general manager of a minor, insignificant branch office right now,” Su Yan said, her voice dripping with absolute disdain. “You’re not qualified to even breathe the same air as me, let alone meet me.”

“No way! I’ve met our boss before!” Qiao Yi lied desperately. “What do you mean?! She’s not the CEO! She actually dared to pretend!”

“Chairwoman of the Su Group?” Jianqing laughed hysterically. “You’ve got some nerve. So, after all this fuss, turns out she’s a complete fake!”

“Yeah, Qiao Yi already said she’s met the real CEO!” Aunt Jiao agreed, immediately flipping her loyalties back to the girl with the BMW. “If it’s not her, then she’s definitely a fraud! Xiao Su, are you trying to trick me?!”

“Auntie, I’m not,” Su Yan said calmly.

“Mom, she’s obviously lying to you!” Jianqing sneered. “You think I don’t know what kind of person she is? She thinks she can be the boss! She couldn’t even qualify to drive the real boss around!”

“Wait, hold on, honey,” Aunt Jiao frowned. “That black bank card… how do you explain that? It swiped a billion dollars!”

“That bank card isn’t hers, but it’s in her possession,” Qiao Yi said, a wicked, triumphant grin spreading across her face. “What does that mean? There’s only one explanation.”

“What explanation?”

“She’s a thief!” Qiao Yi shouted. “She stole that card from the real CEO!”

“Chenyang!” Aunt Jiao shrieked, backing away from Su Yan as if she had the plague. “Our family… we’re honest people! Generation after generation! We can’t have anything to do with a convicted thief!”

“You’re calling me a thief?” Su Yan asked, her voice dangerously quiet. “Do you have any proof?”

“Proof?!” Qiao Yi laughed. “I’ll call the corporate law enforcement team to come arrest you right now!”

“Enough!” Chenyang roared, stepping in front of Su Yan again. His face was pale, but his resolve was iron. “Let me just be honest. I rented her. She’s not my real girlfriend. I hired her off the street today to pretend.”

The courtyard gasped in unison.

Chenyang turned to Su Yan, his eyes filled with desperate regret. “I’m sorry. You’ve been through way too much humiliation because of my lie. You should just go. Run.”

“Why should she leave?!” Qiao Yi demanded, stepping forward. “She stole our billionaire boss’s bank card, and you think she can just walk away?! Hurry up and call the police!”

“Like hell she’s leaving,” Jianqing growled, signaling for the village men to block the gates.

“That’s enough! All of you!” Chenyang yelled, shoving his brother back. “I already told you, I rented her! Okay? What more do you want from me?!”

“Chenyang, I’m just looking out for you!” Qiao Yi pleaded with fake sincerity. “She’s a massive con artist! If law enforcement gets involved, you could be considered a criminal accomplice!”

“Exactly!” Jianqing agreed. “Chenyang, you don’t even know what kind of dirty person she really is! Be careful or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

“Chenyang, we’re an honest family!” Aunt Jiao wailed. “If you end up in jail for aiding a thief, how am I supposed to face anyone in this village from now on?!”

Jianqing puffed his chest out. “Don’t go around saying you’re my little brother. With me being the big boss of my company, I can’t have that kind of criminal reputation attached to my name.”

“No matter if she’s a thief or not,” Chenyang stated, his voice echoing with fierce loyalty, “she’s here because I asked her to help out. This whole thing… I should take full responsibility for it.”

He turned to Qiao Yi. “It’s just a stolen card, right? When the cops show up, just say I stole it. Leave her out of it.”

“This kid… is he for real?!” a neighbor gasped.

“Of course he is,” another muttered. “And he’s supposed to be the smart college grad from our town. Acts like he’s never even seen a woman before.”

“Exactly. Seriously embarrassing.”

“Chenyang, are you completely out of your mind?!” Qiao Yi screamed, grabbing his arm. “Do you even know what this black card means?! If the cops dig into this, grand larceny of a billionaire’s assets is at least ten years in a maximum-security prison! Minimum!”

“How many?!” Aunt Jiao screamed, falling to the ground. “Oh my gosh, Chenyang! We lost our woman, we can always find someone new! But if you end up locked up ten years from now, who knows what you’ll be like when you get out! You’ll be ruined!”

“Mom, I called her here to help me!” Chenyang shouted back. “How could I just abandon her to the police?!”

“Xiao Su!” Aunt Jiao cried, grabbing Su Yan’s dress. “Our family has always been honest folks! Generation after generation! We can’t afford to end up in jail! Please, just confess!”

“Auntie, you’re worrying for nothing,” Su Yan said gently, looking at Chenyang with profound admiration. In a world full of cowards, he was willing to throw his entire life away to protect a girl he barely knew. “They’re the ones who can’t see what’s right in front of them. I can promise you, every single word I say today is absolutely true.”

“Su Yan, keep bragging while you still can,” Qiao Yi sneered. “When the authorities get here, let’s see how you talk your way out of federal prison.”

“I already told you,” Su Yan said, her voice echoing with the terrifying calm of an apex predator. “I am the Chairwoman of the Su Corporation. This card belongs to me.”

“Just go!” Chenyang begged, trying to push her toward a side exit. “Let me handle whatever’s left here!”

“You don’t believe me either,” Su Yan said softly, looking up at him.

“If you really are the Chairwoman,” Qiao Yi mocked mercilessly, “why were you out here performing on the dirty street for spare change?!”

“Yeah!” Jianqing laughed. “If you’re really the chairman, why are you out here performing on the street for change?! So, you’re actually a beggar!”

“What?” Aunt Jiao gasped, utterly horrified.

“Chenyang, as your future sister-in-law, I have to say something to you,” Qiao Yi said, shaking her head in disgust. “Even if you’re just renting a fake girlfriend, at least pick someone who’s decent! No wonder the moment I walked into this place, I could smell how broke she is. She smells like the gutter.”

“She’s here because I asked her to help,” Chenyang repeated fiercely. “No matter what, I’ll take full responsibility.”

Suddenly, the roar of massive diesel engines shook the ground.

Everyone in the courtyard froze. Five massive, gleaming black luxury transport trucks had pulled up to the dirt road outside the gates. The lead truck bore the unmistakable, gold-plated crest of the Su Corporation.

“What’s going on?” Jianqing muttered, stepping back.

A team of men in immaculate black suits stepped out of the trucks. The lead assistant, looking incredibly stressed, jogged into the courtyard.

“Our GPS route is way too narrow,” the assistant panted, bowing deeply to Su Yan. “This transport van can’t get through the village roads.”

Su Yan didn’t blink. “Wait for me in the car.”

“I was wondering why she’s so sneaky with her hands and feet,” Qiao Yi scoffed, desperately clinging to her narrative. “Turns out she’s just a street beggar playing dress-up. People who seem pitiful usually have something annoying about them. She became a beggar… I guess she must have her pathetic reasons.”

“He’s not wrong,” Su Yan said, her voice slicing through the tension. “Because I wanted to find a man who doesn’t care about what I have in my bank account. Who just loves me for me, to spend my life with. So, I dressed in old clothes and pretended to be a beggar, hoping I’d run into that kind of pure-hearted guy. And I actually did.”

She looked warmly at Chenyang. He stared back at her, completely dumbfounded.

“You… you pretended to be a beggar?” Chenyang stammered.

“What else could I do?” Su Yan smiled playfully. “Do you really think someone like me looks like a beggar? Honestly, not at all.”

“Su Yan, I think you’ve watched way too many soap dramas,” Qiao Yi laughed nervously, her voice cracking. “Now you’re out here pretending to be the main character, hiding your real identity?! This is hilarious. The billionaire CEO hides her identity, becomes a street beggar, and looks for a poor delivery boy to spend her life with? Maybe I should invest in a TV show like that. Let you act for the show with your fake acting skills! It’s a shame you’re not a professional actress!”

“A beggar is just a beggar,” Jianqing sneered. “Stop pretending to be the boss.”

“Oh, come on,” Aunt Jiao muttered, embarrassed. “Some people, you know, are just so vain. They barely get by out there on the streets, but when they come home, they brag like they’re all that.”

“Am I the CEO?” Su Yan asked softly. “You’ll find out in exactly one minute.”

The lead assistant from the trucks jogged back in, holding a massive, velvet-covered presentation box. “Sorry I’m late, CEO! CEO! The road in the village is way too narrow. Our car couldn’t make it through. Here’s what you asked for.”

Su Yan took the box and walked over to Chenyang’s mother. “Auntie, you came here in such a rush to judge me. Here… inside is a gift I got for you.”

Aunt Jiao hesitated, looking at the luxurious box. “What’s inside?”

“What else could it be?” Qiao Yi sneered. “She’s just a petty thief. Whatever’s in there is probably stolen goods!”

“Stolen! Stolen! Stolen goods!” the villagers murmured, backing away.

“Su Yan, you really have absolutely no shame,” Jianqing spat. “You tried to frame my brother before with that fake marriage. Now you want to drag our whole family into this criminal mess!”

“Watch your words,” the lead assistant barked, his voice echoing with corporate authority. “These are gifts personally prepared by the Chairwoman of the Su Corporation. They’re worth millions.”

“Haha! Worth millions?!” Qiao Yi laughed hysterically. “Why not just say they’re worth ten million? Chairman, huh? I bet you paid someone 200 bucks at a temp agency to pretend to be an assistant with you!”

Qiao Yi turned to Chenyang. “My dumb brother, you’re getting completely played by this con woman.”

“Auntie, please don’t worry,” Su Yan said gently. “Everything in here is totally legit. I bought it with my own money.”

“Xiao Su, it’s not that I don’t trust you,” Aunt Jiao stammered, pulling her hands away, “but everyone’s saying these are stolen goods! If I touch them, what if the police arrest me?!”

“You guys are seriously too much,” Su Yan sighed, finally losing her patience. “If I don’t bring gifts, you say I’m an insincere gold-digger. If I do bring expensive gifts, you say it’s stolen. What do you actually want from me?”

“Even if it’s not stolen,” Qiao Yi scoffed, “what could someone like her possibly give? If she really is a billionaire chairman, how come she doesn’t even have a fancy car? Before I came here, I didn’t want to reveal who I am, so I came back with Chenyang riding a tractor! Besides, I wanted to get a feel for country life!”

“Suan, you’re really something,” Jianqing laughed. “That’s a pretty creative excuse. Then why didn’t your people drive cars here?”

“I already told you,” Su Yan said coldly. “The dirt roads in the village are too rough. Low-clearance luxury cars can’t get through.”

“Then how come our BMW could make it in, but yours couldn’t?” Qiao Yi sneered. “Who would buy that lame excuse?”

“You’re impossible,” Su Yan said, shaking her head. “Auntie, I’ll vouch for it with my own reputation. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with what’s inside this box.”

“What could someone like you possibly bring?” Qiao Yi mocked. “Let me guess. A bag of dirty yams? Or maybe some rotten potatoes?”

“And you know, some people just won’t give up until they hit rock bottom,” Jianqing added. “Well, then let’s open it up and see! Let us regular folks see for ourselves!”

“Exactly!” the villagers chanted. “Open it up and take a look! I really want to see if it’s actually yams or potatoes inside!”

“Exactly! That’s right!”

“Hey, it’s lunch time anyway. Let’s see if we can get ourselves a little treat!”

“Chenyang,” Aunt Jiao whispered nervously to her son. “Honestly, I have no idea what’s inside this thing. If it’s stolen goods, will I get in trouble for opening it?”

“Mom, I’ve told you a thousand times,” Chenyang groaned. “There’s no way this is stolen stuff!”

“Xiao Su, what’s actually in here?” Aunt Jiao asked.

“Ah… she helped me pack this,” Su Yan lied smoothly, pointing to her assistant, “but I’m not really sure what specific items she put inside either.”

“What’s in here?” Qiao Yi demanded, grabbing the box from the assistant.

“Director Su,” the assistant announced loudly, ignoring Qiao Yi. “Inside there are the verified title deeds and keys to five luxury Mercedes-Benz Maybachs, and the deed to a fully furnished, multi-million-dollar waterfront villa in downtown Shanghai.”

The courtyard erupted in absolute pandemonium.

“A villa in Shanghai?!” Aunt Jiao shrieked. “How much is that worth?!”

“What?” Su Yan smiled playfully at Qiao Yi. “You want one, too? I’ll get you a cheap condo when I get back to the city.”

“Wait, what? Five cars? A villa? Haha!” Qiao Yi laughed, though her voice was trembling violently with sudden, creeping terror. “Su Yan, a villa in Shanghai? Do you know how much that’s worth? My CEO husband and I couldn’t afford it! What makes you so special? What, just because you’re a beggar? Or maybe pretending to be some other rich guy’s girlfriend on the side?”

SMACK!

Before Qiao Yi could finish her insult, a sharply dressed, terrifyingly severe woman stepped out of the crowd and slapped Qiao Yi across the face with the force of a hurricane.

“Ah! You! How dare you hit me?!” Qiao Yi screamed, holding her burning cheek.

“I hit you,” the woman said coldly, her voice echoing with executive authority. “That’s right. Try talking trash about my boss again and see what happens to your teeth.”

“You say she’s the chairwoman?!” Qiao Yi shrieked. “I’m the general manager of a Su Group branch office! I can have you fired!”

“You two?” the woman sneered, looking Qiao Yi and Jianqing up and down. “I’ve never even seen you before. A little, insignificant branch manager like you doesn’t have the right or the clearance to meet the Chairwoman of the entire conglomerate.”

“I don’t have the right?!” Qiao Yi screamed hysterically. “My brother is a senior supervisor at headquarters!”

“What’s your brother’s name?” the executive demanded.

“My brother’s name is Qiao Chiao!” Qiao Yi boasted. “So what if I tell you?! What, you think you could actually get my brother to come all the way out here to the village?!”

“Go call her brother,” the executive ordered a subordinate without looking away from Qiao Yi.

“Wow, you’re really something,” Qiao Yi mocked. “You even know my brother’s name?”

“Whether I know him or not, you’ll find out soon enough.”

The subordinate returned, looking pale. “President Su. Qiao Chiao’s phone is turned off.”

“Turned off?” Qiao Yi laughed triumphantly. “Guess you can’t keep pretending anymore! I’ll call my brother myself right now!”

She pulled out her phone and dialed. It rang twice before someone picked up.

“What’s up, little sis?” a tired voice answered on speakerphone.

“Bro!” Qiao Yi gloated. “I ran into a delusional woman in the village pretending to be the Chairwoman of the Su Corporation!”

“What?!” Qiao Chiao gasped on the other end. “Who’s got the guts to impersonate the Chairwoman?!”

“She didn’t just pretend to be the Chairwoman,” Qiao Yi sneered, glaring at Su Yan. “She also stole the Chairwoman’s exclusive Black Centurion card for Ba Bank!”

“Send me your location right now,” Qiao Chiao ordered urgently. “I’ll be there in a minute. Sis, you really pulled off something big this time! Once I tell the real Chairwoman about this criminal fraud, maybe you’ll get promoted to work at the main office!”

“All right, bro. I’m sending you the location now.” Qiao Yi hung up, looking incredibly smug.

“See that?” Qiao Yi gloated to the crowd. “My brother’s call goes through just fine! If you’re going to lie, at least try to make it believable. You actually had the nerve to try and scam us here in our own town!”

She turned to the angry villagers. “Everyone, seriously, are you really going to just let this massive con artist go so easily?!”

“People like this,” Jianqing shouted, riling up the mob, “they deserve to have their legs broken and get thrown out of the village!”

“That’s right!” the villagers chanted.

“You!” Qiao Yi pointed at her brother Jianqing. “Go break her legs for me! Break her legs!”

“Me?!” Jianqing balked, suddenly cowardly.

“Are you stupid or what?” Qiao Yi hissed at him. “If we catch the thief and make Qiao Yi happy, won’t it be way easier for us to get massive orders and promotions from the Su Corporation in the future?”

Jianqing’s eyes lit up with greed. He grabbed a heavy wooden stick from the ground and charged at Su Yan.

“Stop!” Chenyang roared, throwing himself in front of Su Yan.

CRACK!

The wooden stick slammed into Chenyang’s shoulder. He groaned in pain, dropping to one knee.

“Are you okay?!” Su Yan gasped, catching him before he hit the dirt.

“Huh? I’m fine,” Chenyang grunted, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

“Mom!” Jianqing yelled, panicked. “Are you crazy?! How could you hit your brother?!”

“No, Mom, I didn’t mean to hit him!” Jianqing pleaded, dropping the stick. “I… This Su Yan, she… she probably just wanted to save face! That’s why she said something so big!”

“I was the one who asked her to come help out,” Chenyang shouted, standing up and shielding Su Yan with his injured body. “Whatever happened today, it has absolutely nothing to do with her!”

“She’s just a fraud!” Aunt Jiao cried, running to Chenyang. “Is she really worth you giving up so much?! She’s going to ruin your life!”

“I’m fine,” Chenyang gritted his teeth. “Just wait a second. You’ll see soon enough.”

“Am I really the CEO?” Su Yan asked softly, looking at the furious, pathetic crowd.

“Even now, you’re still pretending!” Qiao Yi screamed. “Just leave! My son already took a physical hit for you! Why aren’t you getting out of here?! Seriously, you’ve embarrassed us completely!”

“You’ll see in a minute,” Su Yan said coldly. “Who’s really pretending.”

“Who dares to impersonate our CEO?!” a new, furious voice roared from the gate.

“Are you tired of living?!”

A convoy of black SUVs had pulled up, and a man in a sharp suit stormed into the courtyard, followed by heavily armed corporate security. It was Qiao Chiao, Qiao Yi’s brother.

“Bro!” Qiao Yi cheered, running up to him and pointing excitedly at Su Yan. “She’s the one pretending to be the CEO of Su Group! She says she’s the Chairwoman!”

Qiao Chiao looked past his sister. His eyes locked onto Su Yan.

The color instantly drained from his face. His knees buckled.

“Chairwoman…” Qiao Chiao whispered, his voice trembling in absolute terror.

“Qiao Chiao,” Su Yan said, her voice echoing with the terrifying, unyielding power of a billionaire. “You sure are acting all high and mighty now. Haven’t you just become a minor supervisor for a few days?”

Qiao Chiao dropped to his knees in the dirt, bowing his head to the ground. “Secretary Yan… Chairwoman Su… I’m sorry! I didn’t know it was you! I swear! All the way you and the Chairwoman have treated me… I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life! Please have mercy!”

“Bro?!” Qiao Yi shrieked, her reality violently collapsing. “What’s wrong with you?! What are you even talking about?! She’s just a fraud! There’s no way she’s the Chairwoman!”

“Shut up!” Qiao Chiao roared, slapping his sister hard across the arm. “I really didn’t expect this! You actually managed to get yourself in catastrophic trouble with the Chairwoman of the entire conglomerate! We are ruined!”

“Come on, bro,” Jianqing laughed nervously, backing away. “Stop messing with me. Did something happen to you? Why do you seem so out of it right now?”

“Yeah, seriously, Qiao Chiao,” Qiao Yi stuttered, terror finally sinking in. “I went to college with Su Yan! She came from nothing! When she tried to start a business, she lost millions! Now she’s got creditors chasing her everywhere!”

“You shut up, too!” Qiao Chiao screamed at Jianqing. “So what if she owes millions to loan sharks?! Do you even know how many millions the Su Corporation makes in an hour?! Even if they lost millions every day, they couldn’t run out of cash in a hundred years!”

“But… but like you just said, that’s the Su Corporation!” Qiao Yi cried. “You can’t just say Su Yan is the Chairwoman of Su Corporation just because her last name is Su!”

“Jianqing,” Su Yan said, turning her icy gaze to Chenyang’s brother. “Do you know why I had Qiao Yi give your failing company that massive logistics project?”

“Isn’t it because my Ling Group is just that good?” Jianqing stammered, sweating profusely.

“Good my ass,” Su Yan scoffed. “There are plenty of logistics companies in Shanghai ten times better than yours. If someone powerful hadn’t quietly put in a good word for you, your pathetic company would never have had any connection with the Su Corporation.”

“Someone put in a word for you,” Qiao Yi whispered, her eyes wide with shock.

“That’s right,” Secretary Yan said coldly, stepping forward. “It was Su Yan. The Chairwoman of the Su Corporation. She personally approved the bailout of your failing company.”

“Oh my god,” Aunt Jiao whispered, falling into a chair. “The Lu family’s second son from downtown actually brought back a massive billionaire big shot from the city!”

“Hey, so what do you guys think?” a neighbor whispered loudly. “That Chairman must be loaded! A major boss from the city!”

“They’ve got to have at least four or five million, right?”

“Way more than that! I think it’s more like ten million!”

“No way. That’s impossible,” Jianqing muttered, shaking his head in furious denial. “Why would Su Yan be the Chairwoman of Su Group? Bro, are you sure you’re not mistaken? She’s just a thief!”

“Shut up, bro!” Qiao Chiao yelled, raising a hand to hit him again.

“You really going to hit me?!”

“If I don’t hit you, you’ll just cause an even bigger mess and get us all killed!” Qiao Chiao screamed.

“Come on, Qiao Chiao,” Jianqing pleaded. “I think you really got it wrong. Su Yan and I went to college together! I know exactly what her financial situation is. She paid her own tuition, working as a cheap waitress!”

“You know, you just don’t see what’s right in front of you,” Su Yan sighed, shaking her head.

“You say she’s the Chairwoman of Su Group,” Qiao Yi demanded, clinging to her last shred of delusion. “Then why would she be sending me assignments?! I’m honestly fed up with you two cuties.”

“Jianqing,” Su Yan said softly. “I helped you out back in college, so I gave you a few projects to keep your company afloat. But I never, ever thought you’d turn out to be a cruel, greedy monster like this.”

“That’s… It’s obvious the Chairwoman of Su Group saw how talented I am!” Jianqing bragged desperately. “That’s why she wanted to work with me!”

“You’re still in denial even now,” Su Yan laughed. “So, if you claim you’re the Chairwoman of Su Group, do you have any proof?”

“To prove myself?” Su Yan raised an eyebrow.

“Yes!” Qiao Yi demanded. “But what if Qiao Chiao really did get it wrong? Hey, Qiao Chiao, didn’t you say before you’d never actually met your Chairwoman in person?”

“I’m just a junior manager!” Qiao Chiao defended himself. “How could I possibly be qualified to meet our CEO face to face?!”

“Then what makes you think she’s actually the CEO of Su Group?!” Jianqing demanded.

“I’ve seen the CEO’s official portrait photo!” Qiao Chiao yelled. “Plus, the CEO’s executive secretary, Yan, is standing right here! How could this be fake?!”

“Come on, bro,” Qiao Yi sneered. “With technology these days, any photo can be photoshopped and faked. She and the CEO definitely knew each other ages ago. They set this whole elaborate thing up ahead of time to steal our money!”

“What a little cutie,” Su Yan said, shaking her head. “Even now, you violently refuse to admit you’re wrong. That’s enough.”

“Qiao Chiao, stop being stupid!” Jianqing yelled. “She really is the CEO!”

“If she was the CEO, after everything we just did to her and Chenyang, she would have already sent someone to deal with us and ruin our lives!” Qiao Yi argued.

“Little cutie,” Su Yan said softly, her voice dropping to a terrifying, deadly calm. “If it wasn’t for you and Chenyang being childhood friends for so many years… do you really think I’d let you off the hook for putting your hands on me?”

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Qiao Yi mocked, crossing her arms. “Hurry up. Don’t let me off the hook.”

“That’s right,” Jianqing added. “You can’t even figure out who you are yet! You have the absolute nerve to claim you’re the CEO?! Why not just say you’re the governor of Shanghai while you’re at it?!”

“Governor?” Su Yan smiled. “Ah, we just had dinner together a couple days ago at a private charity gala. Haha.”

“Su Yan, you really are something,” Qiao Yi laughed. “You just love to talk big, don’t you? Weren’t you trying to get me to prove myself? Well, let me show you what I can actually do.”

“What?” Su Yan raised an eyebrow. “You trying to call someone over here to beat me up?”

“You’ve got five minutes,” Qiao Yi smirked, pulling out her phone. “Call off all cooperation with Tunglong Group right now. Let’s see you do it.”

“Haha! Su Yan, you really can’t stop acting, huh?” Jianqing laughed. “Now you want to end our massive partnership? Do you have any idea how much profit our company brings to the Su Group every single year?!”

“That little bit of profit is just a pathetic drop in the bucket,” Su Yan said coldly. “Better check your phone.”

“Tch. Everyone, take a good look!” Qiao Yi yelled to the crowd, holding up her phone. “My phone is switched on right now. I want to see who you think you can get to call off our multi-million-dollar partnership!”

Suddenly, Qiao Yi’s phone rang loudly. It was the regional director of the Su Group.

Qiao Yi answered with a smug smile, putting it on speaker. “Hello, Mr. Jun! Are you calling about the new contract expansion?”

“Oh, I’m actually back in my hometown with my husband right now,” Qiao Yi bragged. “We’ll deliver the signed contract to you tomorrow morning.”

“We don’t need the contract anymore,” Mr. Jun’s voice echoed through the courtyard, cold and professional. “Effective immediately, the Su Group is terminating all cooperation and contracts with the Tinglong Group and your branch office.”

“What?!” Qiao Yi screamed, her face draining of blood. “Wait! Hello?! Hello?!”

“This… Why would Su Group cancel their partnership with us?!” Jianqing panicked, grabbing his own ringing phone.

“It’s over,” Qiao Chiao whispered, dropping to his knees. “Everything is over.”

“Do you even know how much debt we have out there?!” Jianqing screamed at his sister. “If this Su Group project falls through, our company’s cash flow will instantly collapse! We’ll go bankrupt by Friday!”

“Bankrupt?!” Aunt Jiao shrieked. “Are you kidding me?!”

“Who’s joking with you?!” Jianqing roared, shoving his sister. “It’s all your fault! You pissed them off! The Chairman of the Su Group!”

“How was I supposed to know she’s the actual Chairman of the Su Group?!” Qiao Yi sobbed, falling to the dirt.

“So,” Su Yan said smoothly, looking down at the broken, weeping family. “Is this enough to prove that I am the Chairman?”

“Su Yan… Oh, no. No!” Jianqing cried, crawling toward her on his knees. “Chairwoman Su! I want to apologize for my horrific behavior today! But… but considering we were college classmates, could you please not cancel our partnership?! Otherwise… otherwise our company is completely finished!”

“Then why, when you violently kicked me out just now, didn’t you mention we were classmates?” Su Yan asked coldly.

“Come on, Chenyang!” Qiao Yi begged, crawling to the delivery boy’s feet. “Help me out here! Talk to her for me! We grew up together!”

“You brought this on yourself,” Chenyang said firmly, refusing to look at her. “If you hadn’t been so pushy and cruel, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

Part VI: The Godfather’s Arrival
“Jianqing, even if your deal with Su Group falls through, it’s not a big deal,” Qiao Yi said suddenly, wiping her tears and adopting a desperate, vicious new strategy. “My dad is the Chairman of the Shanghai Qing Group! He can easily set you up with a couple of massive projects!”

“Qiao Yi. Are you kidding me?” Jianqing scoffed, utterly bewildered. “Your dad, old Joe, didn’t he die of a massive stroke five years ago?”

“Father sounds more like your ‘godfather,’ right?” Su Yan smirked, crossing her arms.

“Haha!” a villager laughed. “The Qiao family’s daughter sure knows how to find rich godfathers in the city!”

“The daughter of the Qiao family actually found herself a sugar daddy out there!” another whispered loudly.

“Haha! You really never know what dirty secrets people are hiding. You went and made some old rich man your godfather. Even an idiot could figure out what’s going on here. Haha!”

“Still, the Lu family’s second kid is the smart one,” Aunt Jiao bragged proudly. “Snagged a massive billionaire boss in the city! Haha! And you? You actually found yourself a dirty godfather out there! Completely embarrassed our whole village!”

“Bro, just leave me alone!” Qiao Yi screamed at the laughing crowd. “I’m just trying to have a better, richer future!”

“I heard a while ago that Li Chong took in a young goddaughter,” Su Yan said thoughtfully. “I never thought it would be you.”

“Yeah, so what if it’s me, Su Yan?!” Qiao Yi shrieked, completely unhinged. “Even if you’re the Chairwoman of the Su Group, so what?! Li Chong is not any worse or poorer than you! You might be top three in Shanghai, but the Qingting Corporation is number one for real! So from now on, we’re all counting on you!”

“I think Li Chong must have completely lost his mind to take someone as stupid as you as his goddaughter,” Su Yan laughed.

“Can you actually call me godfather?!” Qiao Yi screamed. “Do you believe I could have my godfather and every major company in Shanghai blacklist you and your company completely?!”

“Oh?” Su Yan raised an eyebrow. “If your ‘dad’ is so powerful, then why did you want to work at the Su Group?”

“Since things have come to this, I might as well tell you the truth,” Qiao Yi sneered maliciously. “The only reason I joined the Su Group was to act as a corporate spy to steal your internal financial information!”

“Who would have thought you were so clueless that you stuck me in a minor branch office for three years?” Qiao Yi bragged. “With your supposed intelligence, I really don’t know what kind of drugs Li Chong was on to make you an undercover agent!”

Su Yan stared at her, genuinely astounded by the sheer stupidity.

“Hey, Godfather!” Qiao Yi yelled into her phone, having dialed a number. “Hurry up and get over here! Someone’s picking on me in my village!”

“What?!” a deep, raspy voice demanded through the speaker. “Who dares mess with you?! I’m on my way right now in the helicopter!”

“Just you wait,” Qiao Yi threatened Su Yan, a psychotic smile on her face. “My godfather will be here any minute.”

“And what’s he going to do when he gets here?” Su Yan asked calmly.

“Su Yan, who do you think you are?!” Qiao Yi screamed. “Do you have any idea that my godfather has already signed exclusive partnership deals with over 90% of the companies in Shanghai?! He could wipe out your pathetic Su Group in a matter of minutes!”

“Really?” Su Yan asked, faking shock. “I had no idea Li Chong was so impressive.”

“Hmph! If you actually knew, that would be a miracle!” Qiao Yi laughed.

“I really underestimated you,” Jianqing said to Su Yan, shaking his head. “Didn’t expect you’re actually the Chairwoman. Why didn’t you say so earlier? I honestly thought you were just some poor, gullible girl who couldn’t even afford a hot meal.”

“I told you ages ago,” Su Yan said calmly. “You just didn’t believe me.”

She turned to Chenyang, who was holding his bruised shoulder. Her eyes softened completely.

“But you know… it’s probably for the best,” Su Yan whispered, stepping closer to him. “At least now I know you’re with me. Not because you want something from me… but because you actually care.”

“Babe,” Chenyang whispered, looking deep into her eyes. “You’re really the Chairwoman.”

“Who dares to mess with my daughter?!” a booming voice roared from the sky.

A massive, black helicopter landed in the field behind the courtyard, whipping up a storm of dust and leaves. A heavyset, older man in a flashy gold suit stepped out, flanked by armed bodyguards. It was Li Chong, the notorious billionaire CEO of the Qingting Corporation.

“Godfather! You finally made it!” Qiao Yi cried, running to him and hugging his arm. She pointed a vicious finger at Su Yan. “She’s the one who bullied me!”

Li Chong marched forward, a cigar clamped in his teeth. He stopped dead when he saw Su Yan.

“President Su?” Li Chong gasped, pulling the cigar from his mouth.

“Li Chonging,” Su Yan said coldly, crossing her arms. “You’re really something now. Not only did you take in a pathetic goddaughter, but you even sent her to our Su Group as an undercover corporate spy?”

“An undercover spy?!” Li Chong sputtered, sweating instantly. “Godfather, why don’t you just say it straight?!” Qiao Yi interrupted, completely oblivious to his terror. “What’s there to be afraid of?! Haven’t you partnered with tons of mega-companies?! Are you really scared of her?! She’s just from a small, pathetic Su Group!”

“Shut your mouth!” Li Chong roared, backhanding Qiao Yi across the face. She crumpled to the dirt, screaming.

“Li Chong,” Su Yan said, her voice dripping with lethal authority. “You’re pretty well known in this business for being shrewd. So why’d you pick this absolute idiot to be your goddaughter and your spy?”

“President Su,” Li Chong stammered, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his dripping forehead. “Is there… is there some kind of misunderstanding here?”

“Misunderstanding?” Su Yan laughed a cold, sharp laugh. “Li Chong, you better tell the absolute truth.”

“All right,” Li Chong sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Since things have come this far, I won’t pretend anymore. Over the years, you’ve made a killing in Shanghai, Su Yan, but you’ve gotten a little too greedy. It’s time to pull back a bit.”

“Chonging,” Su Yan said, stepping forward, radiating dominance. “Don’t forget you started out with absolutely nothing. It was my father, the former President Su, who invested in you when you were a broke street hustler. If it weren’t for the Su Group, you wouldn’t be where you are today. You owe us your life.”

“Hey, what you’re talking about was all in the past!” Li Chong argued weakly. “Times change! Now I’m already working with several massive companies in Shanghai. Do you really think the Su Group still matters to me?”

“Looks like our Su Group has raised a real, ungrateful snake,” Su Yan said softly.

“Haha, that’s business for you,” Li Chong laughed nervously. “It’s ruthless. President Su, don’t tell me you don’t get it.”

“Su Yan, did you hear that?!” Qiao Yi shrieked from the dirt, clutching her bleeding cheek. “Even if you’re running the Su Group, so what exactly?! Why don’t you get lost already?! Stop embarrassing yourself here!”

“Oh, Mr. Li,” Jianqing groveled, running up to the older billionaire. “In the future, we’ll still need you to put in a good word for us! Let Mr. Li send more business our way!”

“Oh, of course. Of course,” Li Chong nodded arrogantly.

“Li Chong,” Su Yan said, her eyes narrowing. “So what are you saying?”

“What I’m saying is, President Su,” Li Chong grinned wickedly, “sell your entire Su Group to me as a package deal right now. The money from the forced sale should be enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. Surrender.”

“You ungrateful traitor,” Su Yan hissed. “Don’t even think about taking advantage of me while I’m out of the city. And what if I refuse your hostile takeover?”

“President Su, don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit,” Li Chong threatened, snapping his fingers. His bodyguards stepped forward, cracking their knuckles. “If you don’t agree to sign the papers today, I’ll team up with every other major company in Shanghai and completely blacklist you. By tomorrow morning, the Su Group will have no choice but to go bankrupt.”

“Su Yan, did you hear that?!” Qiao Yi cheered maniacally. “Hurry up and package the group and sell it to my godfather! Maybe you’ll even get a decent, pity price for it!”

“I wonder, Mr. Li,” Su Yan asked calmly, not breaking eye contact. “How much are you planning to spend to buy out our entire multi-billion-dollar company?”

“One hundred million,” Li Chong said arrogantly. “No… ten million yuan.”

“Li Chonging, you’re way out of line,” Secretary Yan shouted, stepping in front of Su Yan. “Our Su Group is valued at well over fifty billion, and you want to buy us out for ten million?! Keep dreaming!”

“Who do you think you are?!” Li Chong roared. “You’re just a secretary! What gives you the right to talk to me?! I’m asking Su Yan!”

“Where do you get the confidence that everyone else will join you in blacklisting me?” Su Yan asked, an amused smile touching her lips.

“Since President Su doesn’t believe me,” Li Chong laughed, pulling out his phone. “Then just watch and see if I can blacklist you. All of you… come over here.”

He dialed a conference call.

“You really won’t give up until you hit rock bottom, huh?” Qiao Yi mocked Su Yan. “Fine. Ten million it is. We’ve still got a bunch of pigs at home. We can raise pigs from now on, and that’ll be enough to get by.”

“Lu Chenyang,” Jianqing sneered at his brother. “The Su Group is basically done for. Why are you still hung up on her? Dump her before you go down with the ship!”

“I never cared about her company,” Chenyang said fiercely, wrapping his arms around Su Yan. “What I care about has never been her company. I like her as a person. I love her.”

Qiao Yi looked like she was going to be sick. “How am I any less than her that you’re so devoted to her?!”

“Someone like you, who will do absolutely anything, betray anyone to get what you want, isn’t worth my love,” Chenyang said coldly. “You disgust me.”

Part VII: The Ultimate Checkmate
Within thirty minutes, a fleet of luxury helicopters and armored Maybachs descended upon the tiny, dusty village.

The CEOs and Presidents of Shanghai’s top fifty corporations stepped out, adjusting their ties and looking around the rural courtyard in utter confusion.

“President Li? President Li, why did you bring us to a place like this?” one of the CEOs asked, stepping around a terrified chicken.

“I want to permanently blacklist a company today,” Li Chong announced proudly, standing on a wooden crate. “But I’ll need your combined financial help with that.”

“Who is it who made President Li upset?” another CEO asked eagerly, wanting to please the mob boss.

“It’s her,” Li Chong grinned, pointing a fat finger directly at Su Yan.

The fifty CEOs turned to look. Their faces simultaneously drained of all color. Several of them physically stumbled backward in sheer terror.

“What’s with all this, President Su?” one of the CEOs stammered, bowing deeply. “Talk. She’s not going to be President for much longer!”

“You… you want us to join you in blacklisting President Su?!” the CEO shrieked at Li Chong as if he had suggested they all jump off a cliff.

“That’s right!” Li Chong cheered. “Once I successfully acquire her company for ten million today, everyone here gets a massive share of the fifty billion!”

“This is ridiculous!” the oldest CEO in the group roared, turning his wrath on Li Chong. “Li Chong, do you even know what you’re really capable of?! Exactly nothing!”

“How dare you even dream of blacklisting President Su’s company?!” another CEO screamed, spitting in Li Chong’s face. “You’ve just had a few good years, and now you think you’re unstoppable?!”

“Once Su Yan is out of the picture, everyone can make money, right, Li Chonging?!” a female CEO mocked. “Is money all you ever care about? Do you realize the only reason our companies could ever work with you is because President Su was quietly helping you behind the scenes out of respect for her late father?!”

“What?!” Li Chong gasped, stumbling backward off the crate.

“Otherwise, how could you expect us to partner up with a street thug like you?!” the oldest CEO spat.

“Are you all blind?!” Qiao Yi screamed, completely unable to process reality. “My godfather’s company is number one in Shanghai, and you’d give up working with him just for this broke girl?!”

“Su Yan, shut up!” Jianqing yelled, trying to save his own skin.

“Li Chong,” Su Yan said softly, her voice echoing in the dead-silent courtyard. “If you don’t want to work with me, then I’ll gladly grant your wish.”

She turned to the fifty assembled CEOs. She didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t need to.

“I hereby announce that from this moment on, the Su Group will no longer have any cooperation with the Qingting Group.”

“The Huong Group is canceling all collaborations with the Qingting Group immediately!” the oldest CEO announced loudly.

“The Yuya Group is blacklisting all subsidiaries of the Qingting Group and will never work with Li Chong again!” the female CEO echoed.

One by one, all fifty CEOs formally announced the immediate, devastating termination of their contracts with Li Chong. In less than sixty seconds, Li Chong went from a multi-billionaire to a man drowning in catastrophic debt and breach-of-contract lawsuits.

“Godfather…” Qiao Yi whispered, falling to her knees in the dirt.

Li Chong didn’t answer. He collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, his empire turning to ash before his very eyes.

Su Yan didn’t spare them a second glance. She turned her back on the ruined traitors and looked up at Chenyang. The delivery boy who had given her his last hundred-yuan note. The boy who had taken a physical beating to protect her.

“Hey man,” Su Yan smiled, her eyes shining with genuine, profound love. “Are you willing to come back to Shanghai with me?”

Chenyang looked at the most powerful woman in the city, then smiled, his heart incredibly full.

“I could,” Chenyang chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Yeah. But I have one condition.”

“What’s your condition?” Su Yan laughed, leaning into his embrace.

“Can you make me a delivery supervisor? I really don’t want to sort heavy packages anymore.”