Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

New Year's Day, early morning.

The air in Shanghai was chilly.

A black Mercedes-Benz G-Class drove out of the city and onto the bumpy western suburban outer ring road.

Jiang Fan held the steering wheel with one hand, while Song Siyi sat in the passenger seat with a sealed kraft paper tube on her lap.

She wore a beige turtleneck sweater today, and her long hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, looking simple and gentle.

The car stopped in front of the iron gate of the "Sunshine Children's Welfare Home".

Jiang Fan got out of the car.

In the courtyard, more than thirty children were jogging in the morning, their breath forming a continuous white cloud.

Fang Xiulan was washing a basin of vegetables in the yard.

"Aunt Fang," Jiang Fan called out.

Fang Xiulan turned around and walked over quickly. "Why are you here so early in this cold weather?"

Song Siyi stepped forward: "I'd like to present you with a gift."

She unscrewed the brown paper tube, pulled out a thick roll of blueprints, and spread them out on the old wooden table in the center of the yard.

"Aunt Fang, this is the design plan for the 50-acre welfare home in Songjiang." Jiang Fan pointed to the lines on the drawing. "The teaching buildings, dormitories, and indoor gymnasium are all built to the highest standards. This is the medical center, and this is the art building."

Fang Xiulan stared at the blueprints.

Her fingers traced the intricate architectural outlines, and her eyes quickly welled up with tears.

"How much money will this cost..." Fang Xiulan's voice trembled.

"You don't need to worry about the money." Jiang Fan pressed down on the edge of the drawing.

After finishing their morning exercises, the children gathered around, clinging to the edge of the table, looking at the colorful renderings on the blueprints, chattering excitedly.

At that moment, the roar of several engines came from the intersection.

A black Toyota Alphard, a white Mercedes-Benz RV, and a taxi were parked side by side outside the iron gate.

The car doors opened one after another.

Su Yuyan stepped out of the car wearing a red coat and long boots.

Xu Qingya wore a pure white cashmere trench coat and sunglasses.

Shen Nian was carrying two huge gift boxes.

The three women met in front of the iron gate.

Su Yuyan glanced at what Xu Qingya was holding: "Empress Xu, you don't have any work scheduled today? Why are you running off to the suburbs on such a holiday?"

"Isn't President Su quite free too?" Xu Qingya took off her sunglasses, her tone icy.

Shen Nian shrank back, didn't reply, and walked straight into the courtyard.

"Jiang Fan." The three women said in unison.

Su Yuyan brought a whole carload of high-end fruits.

Xu Qingya had her assistant bring in more than a dozen boxes of winter clothes.

Shen Nian placed the gift box in her hand on the table; it was full of the children's favorite toys.

Fang Xiulan stood aside, looking at these women who were all top-notch in appearance and temperament, feeling at a loss.

Just then, an even deeper engine sound came from the intersection.

A pure black Rolls-Royce Phantom drove up alongside a Mercedes-Benz G63, domineeringly occupying the already narrow dirt road, and came to a steady stop outside the gate.

The car doors opened simultaneously.

Gu Qingqiu wore a black belted coat, her long hair casually falling down.

Tang Yingxue wore a deep purple trench coat, her red lips striking.

The two walked through the iron gate side by side.

The moment Shen Nian saw Gu Qingqiu's face clearly, she took half a step back and grabbed the edge of the wooden table next to her.

Gu Qingqiu stopped in her tracks.

Her gaze swept over Su Yuyan, Xu Qingya, and Song Siyi, finally settling on Shen Nian.

Gu Qingqiu smiled.

Shen Nian lowered her head, not daring to meet her gaze.

"Jiang Fan," Gu Qingqiu said, "Have you finished looking at the blueprints?"

"I've finished reading it. What's wrong?" Jiang Fan met her gaze.

Gu Qingqiu took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Notify Shengda Construction to fence off that 50 mu of land in Songjiang. The heavy construction vehicle fleet will enter the site at 8:00 AM tomorrow. I want to see the main structure topped out within three months. If there are any problems, the project manager is fired."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qingqiu looked at Fang Xiulan.

"Dean Fang, the children will be able to move into the new campus in six months."

Su Yuyan and Xu Qingya's expressions changed.

Tang Yingxue took out her phone and immediately dialed the number of the CFO of Universal Entertainment.

"I transferred 30 million from my personal account to the Sunshine Children's Welfare Institute. I contacted a German medical equipment manufacturer to order the most advanced children's medical equipment, and then poached two pediatric directors from top-tier hospitals to be stationed there permanently."

Putting down her phone, Tang Yingxue gave Gu Qingqiu a provocative look.

Su Yuyan immediately followed up: "Times Media will establish a special fund to cover all the future education expenses of the children in the welfare home. From elementary school to university, all expenses will be fully reimbursed."

Hsu Ching-ya followed suit: "I contacted the principal of the National Symphony Orchestra to give the children two art classes every week."

Tens of millions of dollars and top-tier resources were carelessly squandered in this dilapidated cement courtyard.

The children were frightened by the commotion and hid under the eaves, too afraid to make a sound.

Tiger held half a steamed bun in his hand, staring wide-eyed at the women in the center of the courtyard.

Fang Xiulan grabbed Jiang Fan's arm and pulled him aside.

"You little brat!" Fang Xiulan whispered, her fingers trembling. "What on earth have you been up to outside? All these people are rich and powerful; are you planning to tear down the orphanage?"

Jiang Fan grabbed Fang Xiulan's wrist and patted the back of her hand.

"Aunt Fang, it's alright. I'll handle it."

Jiang Fan turned around and released Fang Xiulan's hand.

He strode to the center of the courtyard.

He didn't look at anyone, but just coldly scanned the crowd.

"Shut up, all of you."

Gu Qingqiu raised an eyebrow.

Tang Yingxue shut her mouth.

Su Yuyan and Xu Qingya fell silent.

Shen Nian didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

"This is an orphanage. It's where the children live." Jiang Fan's gaze swept across the faces of the six women one by one.

"This is not your boardroom, not a stage for fame and fortune, and certainly not a place for you to flaunt your capital."

Jiang Fan pointed to the iron gate.

"Anyone who makes another sound, get out of here right now."

Absolute pressure.

Six women, each powerful in their own field, dared not refute Jiang Fan at this moment.

Gu Qingqiu looked at Jiang Fan's cold and hard profile, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

She liked Jiang Fan's arrogance, which made him look down on even her.

"Boss Jiang has spoken, everyone behave yourselves." Gu Qingqiu broke the silence first. She walked to the wooden table, picked up the toy gift box that Shen Nian had put down, and said, "Shen Nian, come here and teach me how to play with this."

Shen Nian froze.

Jiang Fan stepped to the side, blocking Shen Nian and Gu Qingqiu.

"Chairman Gu, it's a holiday, don't cause trouble." Jiang Fan stared into Gu Qingqiu's eyes.

Gu Qingqiu put down the gift box, raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, and smiled, "Okay, I'll do as you say."

Su Yuyan walked up to Fang Xiulan and put on a gentle smile: "Aunt Fang, it's cold outside, let's come inside and help make dumplings."

Not to be outdone, Xu Qingya immediately chimed in, "Aunt Fang, I can make them too."

Fang Xiulan stood there, stunned, staring at the women whose expressions had changed in an instant, unable to recover for a long time.

They were just on the verge of a tense standoff, spending tens of millions, and now they're all scrambling to get into the kitchen to make dumplings?

"Go wash your hands," Jiang Fan ordered.

The six women, including Gu Qingqiu who had just been aloof, all obediently walked to the water trough in the corner of the yard.

Jiang Fan stood in the middle of the courtyard, watching the six figures lining up to wash their hands.

Li Cheng was driving a minivan parked on the side of the road when he saw this scene. He had just carried two boxes of ingredients into the yard when he almost dropped the boxes on his feet.

"Brother Jiang..." Li Cheng swallowed hard. "What...what's going on?"

"Get to work." Jiang Fan kicked Li Cheng.