Ji Liuguang stiffened.
He didn’t understand why Rong Yu had brought up Nanny Zhang.
In the past, he had indeed been inseparable from her, wishing she could stay by his side every moment.
But after learning the truth about his origins, he realized his dependence and affection for Nanny Zhang stemmed from blood ties.
The mere thought that he had crawled out of a servant’s womb filled him with disgust and revulsion, making his skin crawl.
“I’ve adjusted just fine,” Ji Liuguang replied, suppressing his emotions. “I was just spoiled by Nanny Zhang. Without her, I can grow up faster and live up to Old Master Ji’s expectations.”
Rong Yu studied him. “Nanny Zhang worked for the Ji family for over twenty years. Dismissing her so abruptly doesn’t sit right with me. How about this—let He Jingchuan, Nanny Zhang’s son, take her place in the Ji household?”
At these words, Ji Liuguang’s expression visibly shifted.
He forced a laugh. “The Ji family’s minimum hiring standard for servants these days is a university degree. He Jingchuan… probably isn’t suitable.”
Rong Yu watched him silently for a moment before standing and leaving.
She descended the stairs, where Old Master Ji immediately approached her, looking nervous. “Did the fourth young master cause trouble again?”
“Steward Yu, arrange a car,” Rong Yu instructed before turning to Old Master Ji. “Yingbao, come with me.”
Old Master Ji was baffled. “Dinner’s about to be served. Where are we going at this hour? Did something happen?”
“To Nanny Zhang’s house.”
Rong Yu’s expression was grim.
She wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but since suspicion had taken root, she needed to confirm it.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
“Why go to Nanny Zhang’s place? It’s quite far,” Old Master Ji said, bewildered. “From what she’s mentioned, it takes over fifty minutes by car. Maybe we should go tomorrow?”
Rong Yu paused, her voice strained. “If it takes fifty minutes by car, how long would it take by electric bike?”
The driver answered, “Nearly two hours.”
Rong Yu pressed her lips together.
She glanced at Old Master Ji. He was getting older—she wasn’t sure he could handle such a shock.
“Never mind. You stay and eat. Don’t go hungry,” she said, then called out to Ji Zhiyuan. “A-Yuan, come with me.”
Ji Zhiyuan set aside his work. “Duoduo, stay home and watch TV with Great-Grandpa. We’ll be back later.”
Duoduo replied loudly, “Yes, Daddy!”
They got into the car, which drove smoothly out of the bustling city and toward a village in the outskirts.
After forty minutes, they arrived. It was past seven in the evening, and the sky was dark. The village houses were scattered here and there. Ji Zhiyuan suggested, “Should we call Nanny Zhang to come meet us? Otherwise, we won’t know which house is hers.”
Rong Yu said, “No need.”
The village had a senior activity center where people gathered to dance and chat.
Rong Yu approached them to ask around.
“The He family lives over there, the bungalow at the very end. He Dazhu is a real piece of work—beat his wife and kids when he was younger, then abandoned them to run off with another woman. Left the mother and son to fend for themselves…”
“That boy He Jingchuan had a hard life. Born tiny, his own mother wouldn’t even breastfeed him—almost starved to death. Nanny Zhang went back to work as a nanny for a rich family before her maternity leave was up, leaving her newborn behind. His father didn’t care, his mother didn’t care—passed around relatives, fed scraps here and there, barely survived…”
“One New Year’s, the boy ran a high fever and was delirious for three days. If the villagers hadn’t noticed something was wrong and checked on him, he would’ve died. And Nanny Zhang acted like it was nothing…”
“By four, he was washing his own clothes and cooking. One day, he accidentally set the kitchen on fire and nearly burned to death. When Nanny Zhang came home, instead of comforting him, she hung him up and beat him half to death…”
“Nanny Zhang came back to the village a couple of days ago, trying to arrange a marriage for Jingchuan. Guess what? She picked a mentally disabled girl for him and even wanted her only son to be a live-in son-in-law. What kind of mother is that cruel…”
Ji Zhiyuan’s face paled at these revelations.
In his memory, Nanny Zhang had been kind and gentle, doting on him and his brothers, always soft-spoken and attentive… How could the villagers describe her as… monstrous?
Rong Yu’s expression was icy.
She thanked the villagers and strode toward the He household.
Ji Zhiyuan’s mood was equally grim.
Though Rong Yu often called him foolish, compared to most people, he was quite sharp.
He was beginning to suspect the truth.
He quickened his pace to catch up with Rong Yu.
The He family’s door was closed, but the lights were still on. Ji Zhouye knocked sharply.
“Who’s there at this hour?”
Nanny Zhang’s voice came from inside, followed by the door creaking open.
The moment she saw Ji Zhiyuan’s face, she froze, then forced a smile. “Y-Young Master, what brings you here?”
In her twenty-plus years working for the Ji family, not a single member had ever visited her home—not even Fourth Young Master Ji Liuguang.
Now that she’d been dismissed, why would the eldest young master come here so late at night?
A deep unease settled in her chest.
Rong Yu spoke. “Aren’t you going to invite us in, Nanny Zhang?”
Snapping out of it, Nanny Zhang hastily stepped aside. “Young Master, Miss Rong, please come in. Make yourselves comfortable. I only have plain water to offer—hope you don’t mind.”
Rong Yu entered, scanning the modest bungalow—a living room and two bedrooms. One door was open, revealing what was likely Nanny Zhang’s room. The other was shut tight.
“Is He Jingchuan not home?” Rong Yu asked.
“He is, he is,” Nanny Zhang said with a strained chuckle. “He was busy all morning and came back exhausted. He’s already asleep.”
“I need to speak with him,” Rong Yu said coolly. “Call him out.”
“P-Perhaps not,” Nanny Zhang murmured, lowering her head. “He’s upset with me… I arranged a match for him, and he wasn’t happy. We argued, and now he’s locked himself in his room, refusing to eat or drink… Grown man acting like a child. I’m embarrassed for you to see him like this.”
Ji Zhiyuan’s voice turned steely. “Bring him out. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Nanny Zhang flinched.
Clenching her fists, she mustered a defiant tone. “I’ve been dismissed from the Ji family. I don’t think I’m obliged to follow your orders anymore, Young Master. Besides, this is the He household…”
Rong Yu’s frown deepened.
With all the noise outside, He Jingchuan couldn’t possibly have missed it.
Unless something was wrong.
Ji Zhiyuan seemed to reach the same conclusion. He stood and kicked the door open with one forceful blow.
The wooden door splintered under the impact.
Inside, He Jingchuan lay on the floor, clutching a half-empty bottle of pesticide…
