Volume One, Chapter 12: My Goal Is the Ninth Dan

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Shen Yechu kept staring at Jiang Li, his eyes filled with struggle and pain. There was still the second half of the interview to go, so Jiang Li could only try her best to ignore his gaze.

“Chairman Jiang, you have already secured the best possible conditions for your comeback in the Go world, but has the recent divorce scandal affected your state of mind in any way?”

Jiang Li turned her head slightly to avoid seeing Shen Yechu’s figure in her peripheral vision, then smiled and replied, “Since you say my comeback conditions are excellent, it definitely hasn’t affected me.”

“But you and Mr. Shen were in love for three years. Don’t you feel the slightest sadness?”

“Perhaps you’re using the wrong word. We were ‘married’ for three years.”

In the audience, Shen Yechu clenched his fists tightly. Not only had Jiang Li denied that they were in love, but when she turned her head, he saw the obvious red mark behind her ear.

Before marriage, he had already been with Bai Nannan. Though he hadn’t touched Jiang Li in three years, there was no way he didn’t know what that mark was.

It was a love bite! Jiang Li actually had someone else’s love bite on her body less than a month after their divorce!

He hadn’t touched her in three years! Who was it? Who?

“Chairman Jiang, now that you are single, have you considered starting a new relationship?”

Jiang Li shook her head. “It took a lot of effort to change back from someone’s wife to being Jiang Li again. Right now, I just want to focus on achieving greater honors.”

Shen Yechu’s face darkened. The love bite behind Jiang Li’s ear kept flashing before his eyes. Unable to bear it any longer, he turned and left the studio.

The host smiled mysteriously, “Then let me ask on behalf of countless single young men: does Chairman Jiang have anyone she likes now?”

“Actually, those two questions are the same. Whether or not I have someone I like, I only want to win more titles for our country and bring honor to Teacher Cui.”

Seeing her avoidance, the host did not press further. “You still hold a professional sixth dan rank, which is quite high among women.”

“Mm, perhaps so. After all, there has only ever been one female professional nine-dan in the world,” Jiang Li said with a playful smile. “My goal is to reach nine-dan.”

*

“My goal is nine-dan.” Cui Tao imitated Jiang Li’s voice as he placed the milk on the table with a thud. “Why don’t you say your goal is to become the ten-time champion?”

“Is that okay?” Jiang Li blinked.

“Why not? The next headline will be: ‘Jiang Li’s bragging blows Cui Tao away.’”

“Hahaha,” Jiang Li laughed heartily. “Teacher, you have quite a sense of humor.”

“Humor my foot. I’m letting you say whatever you want, not nonsense!”

Jiang Li took a sip of the warm milk, feeling completely soothed.

She stared at the cup in silence for a long moment, then said with an unmistakable determination, “Teacher, I’m serious. My goal is nine-dan.”

Cui Tao looked into her eyes, seeing the unhidden ambition and brightness there, finally realizing she meant it.

He thought for a moment, then said, “Then you need to be prepared. If that’s your goal, I’m going to have to increase the intensity of your training.”

Jiang Li smiled brightly. “Yes, Teacher!”

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After the interview, Jiang Li’s popularity soared to new heights.

The previous divorce news was pushed down, and all forums and platforms had headlines reading: “My Goal Is Nine-Dan” by Jiang Li.

Lu Jinye saw the headline pop up on his phone at least five times and finally tapped on it.

Jiang Li wore a cream-colored silk cheongsam that outlined her perfect waist-to-hip ratio, the slit surprisingly high.

When seated, one could almost glimpse her thigh.

Lu Jinye shut his phone irritably. Since that night, he had been busy at work in the office.

Whenever he stopped, images of Jiang Li blushing with misty eyes flooded his mind.

He dialed an internal extension. Qin Yue’s voice came back mechanically: “President Lu.”

“You go… never mind.”

Five seconds later, he redialed. “Check her recent whereabouts.”

Qin Yue hesitated only a second before answering, already prepared: “I’ve already checked. I’ll send the information to your phone immediately.”

Lu Jinye opened the file. It detailed Jiang Li’s daily routine meticulously.

But since the interview, her movements had become not just single, but almost nonexistent.

She stayed home every day.

Qin Yue even recorded when deliveries arrived at her house and when they left.

Lu Jinye’s fingers drummed the desk unconsciously. After a long moment, he grabbed the coat from the back of his chair and walked out.

*

Jiang Li had half a month to rest. Cui Tao told her to prepare for a training schedule from eight in the morning to ten at night — this was the sweet calm before the storm.

She had been home for five days, both relaxing and adjusting her mindset.

After the day’s interview, Shen Yechu had disappeared without a trace.

Jiang Li didn’t know if he had come looking for her deliberately or if it was a chance encounter prompted by Bai Nannan.

She was divorced. She didn’t want any further entanglements with Shen Yechu.

“Buzz—buzz—buzz—”

Her phone vibrated. It was Xie Ya.

[Ya, what’s up?]

[My dear Miss Jiang, you’re not hiding away inside your house, slowly transforming into a butterfly, are you?]

[That’s impossible. I was just exhausted before and needed a few days to rest.]

[Stop making excuses. Let’s go shopping this afternoon.]

Xie Ya’s tone was resolute, but Jiang Li felt five days of adjustment was enough, so she agreed to Xie Ya’s invitation.

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Having not gone out for a long time, Jiang Li planned to pamper herself today.

It was still morning. She ordered lunch delivery and began to do her makeup and get ready.

Xie Ya was very particular about shopping companions — no sloppiness, no casualness, no bare faces, no ugliness.

Jiang Li applied light makeup with a moody, atmospheric touch.

Then she changed into a light purple modern-style cheongsam she hadn’t worn in a long time, different from the one she wore during the interview. This one was more form-fitting.

It reached her knees, with no slit on the sides, only a small cutout near the collar buttons, revealing a patch of fair skin, adding playfulness and a subtle sensuality to the traditional garment.

By half past twelve, she was dressed and slightly annoyed. “Why hasn’t the delivery arrived yet? Don’t tell me it was delivered somewhere else.”

She called the delivery person.

“Hello, how much longer until my delivery arrives? I have something at three o’clock.”

“Uh… are you Ms. Jiang?”

“Yes.”

“Your delivery has already been delivered.”

“Where? I didn’t hear anyone knock.”

“I didn’t knock. Your husband took it. I saw him at the gate of the community.”

Jiang Li’s heart skipped a beat. No way—could some weirdo have stolen her delivery?

“You must be mistaken. I don’t have a husband.”

“No way! But he gave the exact building number and phone number from your address.”

Jiang Li’s mind immediately flashed to Shen Yechu’s somewhat gloomy figure in the studio. Had he been investigating her?

“Okay, I understand.”

She hung up, feeling uneasy.

Could it have been Shen Yechu who took her delivery? What did he want?

Was it revenge for what she said in the studio?

At that moment, the doorbell of the building rang downstairs. Jiang Li immediately grabbed her phone and dialed 110.

Call the police? But she wasn’t sure if it was Shen Yechu at the door.

She had moved into this apartment in a hurry, and because of good security, no cameras had been installed yet.

Holding her phone, she went down to the first floor, trying to keep calm and said, “Who is it?”

Silence outside for a moment, then, “It’s me.”