The Heiress's Game

Zhuo Shengnan's private jet landed at Yunjing International Airport at 2 p.m. the next day.

As soon as the cabin door opened, a dry, cool breeze carrying the unique solemnity of a northern city rushed in, sweeping away the lingering damp heat of the south from her body.

The black Maybach drove out of the airport VIP passage and went directly onto the ring expressway, heading north. Forty minutes later, it came to a smooth stop in front of the Bai family's old residence.

The housekeeper opened the door, and upon seeing Zhuo Shengnan, he was initially taken aback, but then greeted her with a broad smile:

"Madam Zhuo, what brings you here? The old master is in his study; I'll go inform him—"

"No need," Zhuo Shengnan said, changing her shoes and handing her trench coat to the maid, continuing on her way.

"I'll go up myself."

She lived in this house for nearly fifteen years.

She has lived here ever since she was ten years old, when Bai Lingfeng led her in by the hand.

She knew every step of the stairs, every door, and every corridor here as well as the lines on her palm.

Even after the divorce, everyone in the house—from the housekeeper to the gardener to the kitchen maid—still addressed her respectfully as "Mrs. Zhuo," not "Mrs. Bai."

This is a rule set by Bai Lingfeng, and it hasn't changed in over a decade.

The study was at the end of the second-floor corridor, with its double rosewood doors slightly ajar.

Zhuo Shengnan raised her hand and knocked twice. A frail but powerful voice came from inside: "Come in."

She pushed the door open and went in.

The study was large, with three walls lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, densely packed with books, ranging from thread-bound ancient books to original English economics works. The variety of categories made it impossible to discern the owner's reading preferences.

A huge rosewood desk stood by the window, its surface covered with undried ink stains, an inkstone, a wolf-hair brush, and a steaming cup of Biluochun tea.

Bai Lingfeng sat behind his desk, his hair completely white.

"Dad," Zhuo Shengnan called out.

She has been called this name since she was ten years old, through the beginning and end of her marriage, through countless storms and changes, and she has never changed it.

Bai Lingfeng looked up, and when he saw her, the wrinkles on his face immediately smoothed out. He put down his pen, took off his reading glasses, and waved to her.

"Shengnan's here? Come and sit down. Weren't you going to Dahai City for a wedding? Why are you back so soon?"

Zhuo Shengnan sat down in the rosewood armchair opposite the desk, accepted the tea brought by the maid, and waited for the door to close again before speaking:

"I saw a girl at the wedding."

Bai Lingfeng slightly raised one eyebrow.

He knew Zhuo Shengnan too well—this woman never liked to beat around the bush when she spoke, but a "girl" who could make her come straight here after getting off the plane without even going home must not be an ordinary girl.

Which company is it?

"The Gu family of Dahai City," Zhuo Shengnan said, "Gu Yunjin, the second daughter of Gu Zhenxing."

Bai Lingfeng leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Gu Zhenxing... that Gu Zhenxing from the Gu family?"

"Yes, that's him."

Bai Lingfeng nodded slowly.

Although he has been based in Yunjing for many years, he knows all the top figures in the Chinese business world by heart.

Gu Zhenxing's name would never fall out of the top three on any version of the Dahai City Rich List, and even on a national scale, the Gu family would be firmly in the top tier.

"A place like Dahai City," he said slowly.

"There are countless wealthy families, and it takes a lot of family-oriented people to stand out in the top tier in such a place."

I've heard of Gu Zhenxing; he's domineering, ruthless, and a tough character. His daughter?

"The second daughter, born to my second wife, is twenty-six years old."

Zhuo Shengnan took a sip of tea. "Although I was sent abroad to study at the age of fourteen and have lived in both the UK and the US, I have a master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, with a double major in finance and law."

Bai Lingfeng's eyes lit up: "A dual major in finance and law? That's quite rare."

"And he didn't go astray."

Bai Lingfeng was silent for a moment; both of them knew what was going on.

It's not uncommon for wealthy families to send their children abroad to study, but being abandoned alone in a foreign country at the age of fourteen or fifteen, without parental guidance and with endless money at their disposal, makes it incredibly easy for them to go astray.

Many scions of wealthy families have become addicted to drugs and gambling abroad, fathered illegitimate children, and caused scandals that cannot be brought to the table. After returning home, they rely on their families to spend money to smooth things over. On the surface, they appear glamorous, but their inner selves are already rotten to the core.

The fact that she was able to stay true to herself in that environment and even earn a double degree from a prestigious university speaks volumes.

"This child has a steady temperament," Bai Lingfeng commented. "Anything else?"

"She's only been back for a year and a half. Instead of joining the Gu family's company, she started her own media company. The nationally popular variety show 'Walking with Brilliance' was produced by her."

Zhuo Shengnan put down her teacup, her tone carrying an undisguised admiration.

"Dad, he's twenty-six years old, and he made it himself."

It wasn't because of Gu Zhenxing's connections, nor the Gu family's resources; she built her own team, secured platforms herself, and oversaw the content creation herself.

Bai Lingfeng picked up his teacup, took a sip, remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought, and then suddenly chuckled.

"Are you going to a wedding, or to find a suitable daughter-in-law?"

"We ran into each other," Zhuo Shengnan laughed.

"And I also witnessed a good show."

She recounted everything that happened at the charity gala in detail.

After hearing this, Bai Lingfeng let out a loud, energetic laugh.

"Interesting! This girl is really interesting!"

He patted the table, and laughter echoed throughout the study.

"Don't panic when framing her, don't hesitate when fighting back, and be ruthless when necessary."

They handled things cleanly and efficiently when it was time to end things, and even managed to pull everyone back for a happy ending.

"This skill, this sense of proportion, this wit—twenty-six years old? I doubt even a thirty-six-year-old veteran could match her level of sophistication."

That's why I rushed here to find you.

Zhuo Shengnan leaned forward slightly. "Dad, this is what I'm thinking—Junze is thirty-three this year, and I've urged him so many times."

But Gu Yunjin is different. Her family background is high enough that she wouldn't look inferior standing next to Junze;

A person who is intelligent and has a stable mind will remain calm no matter what storms they encounter in the future.

"More importantly, if she really marries into the family, she will definitely be able to keep the Bai family in check."

Bai Lingfeng's biggest worry is whether the Bai family can continue to maintain the word "family" after he passes away.

So he made a decision: he would give all the shares he held to Bai Junze.

Currently, only Zhuo Shengnan and Bai Tianyi know about this.

Because Zhuo Shengnan knew this, she understood better than anyone else that Bai Junze's future wife would be facing not only a corporate empire, but also a deeply entrenched and turbulent family.

That woman must be strong enough to stand by Bai Junze's side and withstand the pressure and scheming from all sides with him.

A gentle and understanding woman is useless, a virtuous and obedient woman is useless; it has to be another Bai Junze—intelligent, calm, decisive, and not to be trifled with.