57. The Transition into Wealth

This New Year, the snow flew all across the sky, and it was exceptionally cold.

The wind and snow took away many things:

Those wedding vows that were never spoken aloud.

Or perhaps, the departure of a lover during the year they loved each other most.

A Weibo artist with over three million fans, 【Begonia in the Drizzle】, also faded from the internet this year, vanishing as if into thin air, never updating her profile again.

The new art wall at Cloud University was completed, and the finished piece made people stop in uncontrollable awe and reverence, yet the students heard that its painter had dropped out of school.

No one knew why she dropped out; her brother handled the withdrawal procedures for her, and no one ever saw her again.

That same year, the partners of Starstream Studio parted ways. One of the controllers, Killian, stepped down from the management, and Leo took sole control of the power, reorganizing and remolding Starstream Studio, renaming it the Star-Rise Group.

Not long after Bentley's accident, the world-renowned West Group of Country M welcomed a young new controller. What surprised everyone was that this new head of the West family did not bear the surname West.

Three years later, the old patriarch of the West family, Weston West, passed away. His eldest son, Gordon, also vanished without a trace, and his eldest grandson, Bentley, still showed no signs of waking up.

Five years later, a comprehensive reshuffling took place among the high-level executives of the West family, and the West Corporation changed its name and identity, turning into the Qi Corporation, while its headquarters were relocated to China.

Seven years later, the Qi Corporation welcomed its most glorious era, breaking into the ranks of the world's top ten comprehensive enterprises in one fell swoop. The controller of the Qi Corporation, Killian, who was only twenty-eight years old, thus became the world's youngest top-tier billionaire.

Of course, outside the realms of business and politics, a genius female painter named Ivy also bloomed with her own dazzling brilliance in the vast starry sky of the global art world.

……

In Country F, at the birthday banquet of Zeno Ferguson, the young master of the Ferguson family.

The light from the crystal chandeliers was bright and dazzling, reflecting the entire banquet hall in magnificent gold and jade splendor.

The melodious violin music fully displayed a soothing and elegant style, lingering in every corner.

The guests dressed in gorgeous attire were all looking at the scene in the center of the dance floor in surprise at this moment.

That proud, immaculate, favored son of heaven, Young Master Zeno, who usually kept his distance from women, was actually holding flowers and a luxury, expensive ring, kneeling on one knee to propose to a girl.

Different from the blond-haired and blue-eyed characteristics of the people of Country F, the girl possessed a quiet and delicate Eastern face, which always made people uncontrollably think of sweet and soft things.

Zeno looked at her deeply like this, his blue eyes entirely filled with deep affection: "Ivy, marry me, okay?"

Under the bright lights, the girl wore a simple and elegant pinkish-white satin gown. Her skin was white and delicate like congealed fat, her figure slender and beautiful, and her shimmering glass-bead-like eyes gazed calmly at Zeno, who knelt on one knee before her eyes.

Everyone was cheering, playing matchmaker, and urging them on.

They didn't understand why she delayed making a response.

In their view, being able to marry into the Ferguson family represented a lifetime of endless wealth and glory, a supreme honor.

Finally, the girl's small, rose-petal-like red lips parted slightly: "I'm sorry, Zeno. I already have someone I like."

The surrounding cheering came to an abrupt halt, and all around became completely still, a terrifying silence falling over the room.

Zeno's eyes were entirely filled with disbelief. After a moment, it transformed into a lost, dispirited state, and even resentment.

"Who?"

He stood up, his usually gentlemanly and elegant bearing no longer present, stepping forward in a lapse of composure to grip her smooth, delicate shoulders.

"Tell me, the person you like, who is he?"

His voice couldn't stop the jealousy and hoarseness, directly questioning: "Is he more outstanding than me? Better looking? Or wealthier?"

These were the assets he took pride in; in Country F, barely anyone could stand on equal footing with him.

He couldn't believe that with his conditions, he would actually face a rejection.

Tara quietly watched the young man who had lost his composure before her. As if thinking of something, her pale rose eyelids lowered slightly, softening unconsciously.

She didn't speak his name, only telling him softly: "He is in far-away China. He is a very outstanding person, and I am going to find him."

She was always gentle and approachable, but this naturally flowing gaze of deep affection was something Zeno had never seen before.

He was driven almost insane with jealousy in his heart.

But she didn't explain any more to him, only nodding to him apologetically, and then walked gracefully out of the banquet hall.

Her close friend, Daisy, stepping in sky-high red high heels, hastily set down the red wine in her hand and hurriedly chased after her: "Ivy, wait for me!"

It was currently the height of summer, and below the luxurious mid-mountain castle, the asphalt road wrapping around the mountain was brightly lit. When the night breeze blew over, it was warm and comfortable.

To prevent Zeno from catching up, Daisy started her red Ferrari and slammed on the gas pedal, carrying Tara away like a bolt of lightning.

"Ivy, you actually have someone you like?" She looked straight ahead, casting a glance over, unable to conceal her shock.

Tara leaned lazily against the car door, her moist red lips curving into a shallow smile, her gaze uncontrollably reflecting a vibrant radiance.

"Yes," she answered softly.

She had liked him for seven years. Through countless days and nights, she had missed him, even gathering her courage several times to go and look for him secretly.

Unfortunately, due to various reasons, she ultimately failed to meet with him.

In fact, it hadn't been that hard to endure at the beginning.

Because although she wasn't by his side, her physical sensation sharing with him still existed. Even if they couldn't contact each other, they were still so intimate that it felt as if they had never been separated.

When it truly began to get hard to endure was the lifting of the physical sensation sharing with him.

From that moment on, she completely lost all connection related to him.

Fortunately, everything had settled now, and she could finally go to find him without any misgivings.

Daisy turned her head to look over again: "I just heard you say you're going to find him, is it true? When are you going?"

Suppressing the secret yet erupting urgency in her heart, Tara answered her calmly: "Tomorrow morning."

Daisy slammed on the brakes.

"Huh? That rushed?" Her blue eyes widened completely round. "Then when are you coming back?"

Tara rubbed her arm, which had turned red from being caught off guard by the impact. "I don't know, maybe I won't come back."

Killian was settled in China. Going back to find him this time, she might live with him in China forever. Even if she were to return here, she didn't know when it would be.

Hearing this, Daisy grew anxious.

"No way, I want to go with you! How can you leave me here all by myself?"

Her tone was firm: "I'll pack my bags tonight and buy a ticket for the exact same flight as you. Don't even think about leaving me behind!"

Tara let out a helpless, gentle laugh: "This is your hometown, won't you regret it if you leave with me?"

"I won't!"

Daisy reached out and directly caught her soft hand, her gaze sincere: "Ivy, you are the angel who rescued me, my best friend in this life. Losing you is what would make me regret it enough to want to die!"

This sudden confession caught Tara a bit off guard.

Rescued...

Over these seven years, had Daisy not also been the person who rescued her?

Her eyelids lowered gently, and she squeezed her hand back: "Alright then, let's go together."

In the city of Yun, at the Starry Yard.

The night was hazy, and the lights were brightly lit.

In the bedroom of the main building, on a minimalist-designed leather sofa, a tall and well-built male frame lay reclined desolately.

The bright crystal chandelier with floating brilliance overhead reflected into his narrow, long phoenix eyes, lighting up those deep, calculating pupils with extreme brightness.

But X felt that it was just a surface layer.

Those eyes seemed to be a black, bottomless abyss; no matter how much brightness shone into them, they remained like a dead, silent, and cold grave.

It was a state diametrically opposite to seven years ago.

"Mr. Qi, the assistant Sam just delivered Miss Mancy's birthday invitation for you. There are some words Miss Mancy wrote to you inside, do you want to take a look?"

Hearing this, his cold, dead gaze remained calm without a ripple, his deep and slightly hoarse voice spitting out two words as if bestowing a favor: "Leave it."