Qin Yulian froze for a moment. "Make breakfast here?"
Jiang Youli raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I want to eat at home."
Qin Yulian suppressed her irritation. "Fine, my dear. I’ll make breakfast for you right now. Just wait."
As she spoke, she reached out to take Jiang Youli’s hand.
Jiang Youli sidestepped her and instead walked over to Zhang Susu, linking arms with her. "Mom, isn’t it great? Today, we get to enjoy breakfast personally made by Auntie Qin."
Qin Yulian nearly choked on her own anger at those words.
She hurriedly explained, "Youli, I made it just for you."
Jiang Youli scoffed. "Take it or leave it. If you don’t want to make breakfast for my mom too, then get lost. Don’t ruin our morning."
Qin Yulian’s displeasure was unmistakable.
Jiang Zhao, who had always been hot-tempered, completely forgot Qin Yulian’s earlier warnings and snapped, "Jiang Youli, don’t push your luck! Mom making breakfast for you is a privilege!"
Qin Yulian quickly interjected, "Zhao, don’t speak to your sister like that. It’s my privilege to make breakfast for her."
Jiang Zhao grumbled, "Mom..."
Qin Yulian squeezed his wrist and forced a smile. "Alright, Youli, have it your way. I’ll make breakfast for both you and your aunt!"
Zhang Susu sighed inwardly, watching Qin Yulian’s desperate attempts to win Jiang Youli back. She couldn’t understand why Qin Yulian hadn’t thought of this sooner.
Qin Yulian turned to Jiang Yonghe. "Yonghe, go fetch the bird’s nest I love from home. I’ll make bird’s nest porridge for your sister."
Jiang Yonghe nodded. "Of course."
Jiang Youli dismissed Nanny Wang to attend to other tasks and then urged Qin Yulian, "Hurry up. I’m starving."
"Right away!" Qin Yulian replied with a strained smile before turning to Jiang Yonghe. "Quickly, Yonghe!"
Jiang Yonghe forced a smile as she glanced at Jiang Youli, who was lounging comfortably on the sofa with Zhang Susu, before swiftly leaving the villa.
"Yonghe, I’ll go with you—"
Jiang Zhao started to follow, but Qin Yulian stopped him. "Zhao, stay and help me!"
Jiang Zhao halted, shooting a glare at Jiang Youli’s relaxed posture before reluctantly joining Qin Yulian in the kitchen.
Once they were out of earshot, Jiang Youli smirked. "Let’s see how long they can keep up the act."
Zhang Susu chuckled helplessly. "Hungry? Your aunt’s cooking might take a while. Should we have something Nanny Wang made first?"
Jiang Youli grinned mischievously. "You’re right, Mom. Let’s eat first. Who actually wants Auntie Qin’s cooking anyway?"
Zhang Susu playfully tapped her forehead. "You little troublemaker."
...
Jiang Yonghe returned to the west-wing villa, retrieved Qin Yulian’s prized bird’s nest, and clenched it tightly in frustration.
After composing herself, she carried it back to the east-wing villa, only to find Qin Yulian and Jiang Zhao still busy in the kitchen while Jiang Youli and Zhang Susu were already leisurely enjoying their breakfast—clearly with no intention of waiting.
Jiang Yonghe immediately realized Jiang Youli was toying with them.
Yet Qin Yulian still believed she had a chance!
A cold laugh rose in Jiang Yonghe’s heart. At this point, she almost wished Jiang Youli would stay this defiant forever.
She entered the kitchen without mentioning the breakfast outside and softly asked, "Mom, do you need help?"
Qin Yulian beamed. "No, sweetheart. Your hands were never meant for kitchen work. Go wait outside."
Jiang Yonghe nodded. "Alright, Mom."
She sat silently on the sofa, watching Jiang Youli and Zhang Susu laugh over their meal, her resentment growing fiercer by the second.
If not for Jiang Youli, she could still be enjoying peaceful, joyful mornings with her family.
Her father, Jiang Yangxu, had valued her. Her mother, Qin Yulian, had doted on her. Her brothers had adored her.
But in just a week since Jiang Youli’s return, everything had changed.
Jiang Youli had destroyed it all.
And she wouldn’t let her get away with it.
...
Half an hour later—
"Youli, here’s the bird’s nest porridge I made for you. Try it!" Qin Yulian and Jiang Zhao emerged, each holding a steaming bowl.
Jiang Youli and Zhang Susu had just finished their meal. Jiang Youli patted her stomach and glanced indifferently at the porridge. "Just leave it there. I’m full now."
Jiang Yonghe murmured, "Mom, Sister Youli and Auntie already ate."
Jiang Zhao slammed his bowl onto the table, furious. "Jiang Youli! Mom and I worked hard to make this for you, and you couldn’t even wait? Who do you think you are?"
Jiang Youli scoffed. "Oh please, Jiang Zhao. I never asked you to make it. How dare you act so entitled? What, do you expect me to grovel over a bowl of porridge?"
Jiang Zhao gritted his teeth. "Must you always be so vicious—"
Jiang Youli smirked. "I’m never this vicious with my parents. Maybe you should reflect on why that is."
Jiang Zhao knew she meant Zhang Susu and her uncle.
"Enough!" Qin Yulian stepped in, wiping her hands and nudging Jiang Zhao forward. "Youli, your brother was punished last night—he knelt and wrote a ten-thousand-word apology letter just for you."
She pulled out a stack of papers and handed it to Jiang Youli with a warm smile. "See? He truly regrets what happened. Let’s put the evening gown incident behind us, alright?"
"Ten thousand words?" Jiang Youli took the letter and tossed it straight into the trash. "Is this supposed to be an apology? Auntie Qin, have you considered what would’ve happened if I hadn’t proved my gown was authentic at the banquet? Grandfather would’ve despised me. The elite of Jing City would’ve mocked me. My life in the Jiang Family would’ve been hell."
She let out a cold laugh. "And now, Jiang Zhao thinks a mere apology letter is enough to make me forgive him? Should I say you all overestimate yourselves or underestimate me? Besides, you claim he wrote it on his knees—who knows if that’s true? Why doesn’t he kneel right here in front of me and write it again?"
