The night had grown quieter, with only the soft hum of the car engine and the occasional streetlight breaking the darkness.
Yang Qinru sat beside Ren Yuxin, her chin propped up on her hand, as the car turned into the long driveway of the Ren family estate.
As they approached the gate, a tall figure stood out against the soft glow of the estate lights. Dressed in a crisp, tailored suit, Ren Yuxin's second brother, Ren Yulin, waited by the gate, his posture relaxed but commanding.
"Your second brother?" Yang Qinru asked with a tilt of her head.
Ren Yuxin grinned. "Yes. He's probably here to lecture me about something. Typical Yulin behavior."
When the car stopped, Ren Yuxin hopped out and waved to Yang Qinru. "Thanks for today, Qinru. I'll call you tomorrow!"
Yang Qinru leaned out the window, her tone suddenly bright and enthusiastic. "Goodnight, Xiao Yu! Don't forget to dream about your stray kitten!"
Ren Yuxin blushed furiously as Ren Yulin raised a brow in curiosity, but before Ren Yuxin could retort, the car was already pulling away.
As soon as they turned the corner and the Ren estate was out of sight, Yang Qinru's cheerful demeanor vanished like a passing breeze. Her smile faded, replaced by a wistful expression as she stared out the window.
"Lucky girl," she muttered under her breath.
Butler Fu glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Young Miss, did you say something?"
"Nothing," Yang Qinru replied quickly, her tone sharp.
Her thoughts, however, remained turbulent. She envied Ren Yuxin—not for her wealth or family status, but for something far simpler.
A living brother. Someone who cared enough to wait at the gate, even if it was to lecture her.
Yang Qinru's brother? Too busy hating her, holding onto grudges from their tumultuous past.
"Miss?" Butler Fu asked cautiously, sensing the shift in her mood.
"Buy me the Reve Company," Yang Qinru said suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence.
Butler Fu blinked, unsure if he'd misheard her. "The Reve Company? But… Young Miss, it's a declining company. The new chairman is inexperienced, and it's not performing well in the market. Their new chairman barely knows how to keep it afloat. It's practically a sinking ship."
Yang Qinru turned her gaze to him, her expression calm but firm. "Exactly why I want it. Before it becomes unattainable."
Butler Fu's confusion deepened. "Unattainable? Miss, with all due respect, this company—"
Yang Qinru cut him off, leaning back in her seat with a smirk. "Butler Fu, remember our agreement?"
"Agreement?" he echoed.
"Yes. The one where you don't question me? Did you already forget that?" she said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Or is your memory declining? Should I schedule you a visit to the neurologist?"
Butler Fu coughed awkwardly, hiding his exasperation. "Young Miss, it's not that I'm questioning you. I'm merely… concerned."
"Well, stop being concerned," Yang Qinru said with a wave of her hand. "Just acquire the company and leave the worrying to me. Trust me, Butler Fu, one day, this sinking ship will become a cruise liner. The kind everyone wants a ticket for."
"Your confidence is admirable," Butler Fu muttered, half to himself.
"And entirely justified," Yang Qinru shot back, grinning.
Butler Fu shook his head with a resigned smile. "As you wish, Young Miss. I'll start the process in the morning."
Yang Qinru gave a satisfied nod. "I'm counting on you, Butler Fu. You're a man of action, I know you'll get it done. And remember, we'll need to keep a low profile for now. Once it's ready, everything will fall into place."
"Excellent," Yang Qinru said, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Now, drive me home. I have dreams to dream and siblings to ignore."
Butler Fu chuckled softly. "Of course, Miss."
He muttered under his breath, more to himself than to her, "Sometimes I wonder if you have a sixth sense, Young Miss."
Yang Qinru, despite her teasing, couldn't help but smile. "If I did, I'd be reading all the stock markets by now, Butler Fu. Maybe then, I wouldn't be out of cash after yesterday's impulsive buys," she added with a playful roll of her eyes. "Don't tell anyone, though."
Butler Fu, who was both amused and slightly worried about his young mistress's unpredictable ways, nodded. "Your secrets are safe with me, Young Miss."
"Good." Yang Qinru leaned back in her seat, satisfied. "Now, let's get home before I run out of ideas for tomorrow's plan."She winked as if everything had already been settled.
As the car drove through the quiet streets, Yang Qinru's thoughts returned to the Ren estate and the familial warmth she'd glimpsed there. Her heart ached, but she quickly pushed the feeling away.
She didn't need anyone's approval or love—not her brother's, not anyone's.
She'd build her empire, make her moves, and prove her worth on her own terms. And maybe, just maybe, one day her brother would see her for who she really was, not the version he despised.
Yang Qinru lounged comfortably on her oversized bed, surrounded by soft pillows and the faint glow of her laptop
The luxurious silk sheets beneath her contrasted sharply with the sly grin playing on her lips.
On the screen was a detailed chart of the stocks she had bought yesterday—specifically, the stocks of Time's Company.
At the moment, the company's performance was nothing to boast about—steady but unremarkable. But Yang Qinru's eyes sparkled with excitement as if she were staring at a goldmine.
In six months, this would change.
She knew this as clearly as she knew the back of her hand.
The reason? Yang Jin, her eldest cousin.
She could still vividly recall the scandalous moment in her previous life when he invested heavily in another company, only to lose millions of yuan in one fell swoop.
The public humiliation, the family's silent judgment, and most importantly, his face. That mix of disbelief and fury was seared into her memory like a masterpiece hung in an art gallery.
'Oh, dear eldest cousin, how will you handle it this time when you realize I've beaten you at your own game?' she thought gleefully.
"Ah, Yang Jin," she muttered to herself, scrolling through historical data on the company's performance, "You always think you're the smartest person in the room. But this time, I'll show you that even your little cousin can outwit you."
She let out a chuckle, flipping to another tab on her laptop.
The news surrounding Time's Company wasn't promising at the moment.
Articles warned against its unstable leadership, weak market performance, and a questionable future. For most people, investing in this company would be akin to throwing money into a fire.
But Yang Qinru knew better.
She had the ultimate cheat code—her memories from her past life. She knew that, in three months, Time's Company would sign a revolutionary deal with a major tech corporation, causing its stock prices to soar sky-high.
"Three months," she whispered, tapping her fingers on the keyboard rhythmically. "Three months, and I'll be swimming in profits."
Her gaze wandered to the side of her screen where her portfolio balance was displayed. She couldn't help but wince. Her recent spending spree on the stocks had drained her available funds. For now, she was effectively broke.
"Ugh, what a miserable sight," she muttered, scrolling down the page. "I can't even afford to treat myself to bubble tea tomorrow. How tragic."
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, interrupting her train of thought.
She reached for it absentmindedly, only to see a text from one of her relatives in the family group chat.
The message was about an upcoming family dinner, complete with Yang Jin's bragging about some new investment he'd made.
"Oh, here we go again." Yang Qinru rolled her eyes dramatically. "Let me guess, Jin-ge is going to flaunt his so-called genius moves, and everyone will ooh and aah like trained seals."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But wouldn't it be fun to see his face when he finds out that the little broke Yang Qinru made a smarter move than him? Maybe I should bring popcorn to the dinner."
Her laughter filled the room as she typed out a quick reply: "Looking forward to the dinner, everyone! Especially excited to hear about Jin-ge's brilliant investments"