◎The Most Skilled at Being a Rogue (Part 2)◎
By the time Le Qing returned to her car and drove some distance, the heat in her ears had finally subsided. It was only when she noticed the bag on the passenger seat that she remembered what she had forgotten amidst the nonsense spouted by the two little ones.
She still hadn’t given Jiang Suizhi his gift.
But they weren’t even heading in the same direction, and she had a lot on her plate lately. She decided to wait until he returned in a few days to hand it over.
With the most important matter in her heart finally settled, and the magazine’s positive reception lifting her spirits for days, she had even scheduled test shoots with several photographers. However, since she needed to sort out the children’s kindergarten arrangements first, the shoots were set for after the Lantern Festival.
She had her own plans.
If she wanted to raise the children on her own, she couldn’t slack off—even if the Jiang family provided some financial support. Otherwise, if she fell behind, there was a risk of losing custody.
So she had to choose a high-paying profession, and modeling happened to be a perfect fit. She just needed to balance work and family.
With Sister Wang taking care of the household, she felt at ease. Once the kids started school, she’d have even more time to focus on her career.
Suddenly, the future seemed full of promise—no longer the haze of confusion she had wandered through before.
While she was feeling lighter, the Jiang household had been shrouded in gloom for days.
Jiang Yu’s incident had left its mark on everyone except Jiang Suizhi, who remained unaffected. With the New Year festivities still ongoing, the house was eerily quiet, devoid of laughter. Old Master Jiang had lost his appetite, and if this continued, his health might take a turn for the worse.
But the Jiang family was cursed with a collective inability to communicate. Jiang Suizhi was constantly jetting between domestic and international affairs, leaving the two older men—Jiang Hechang, who only knew how to lecture, and Jiang Heling—to handle things.
Jiang Heling wasn’t in a rush to return to his own home. Instead, he stayed to keep Old Master Jiang company.
Seizing the moment while his elder brother was in the study making an overseas call to Jiang Suizhi, Jiang Heling approached the old man and whispered, "Dad, let me take you out for a walk."
Old Master Jiang shook his head. "These old bones don’t feel like moving."
In the past, Jiang Yu had always been the one whispering in the old man’s ear, driving a wedge between father and son.
Perhaps that was why Jiang Heling had never been eager to marry or have children. He saw the Jiang family as fundamentally unhealthy—a dysfunction he believed had tainted him as well. The thought of his own family turning out the same way was a nightmare.
He’d rather grow old alone.
Now that Jiang Yu was gone, even trying to strike up a conversation felt awkward. Since he couldn’t muster any tactful words, he simply hauled the old man up by force, shoving a cane into his hand. "You want to."
"Your brother and Suizhi are swamped right now. Shouldn’t you be helping them instead?" Old Master Jiang grumbled as he was pushed along. "What’s the point of walking around? The garden has more to see than wherever you’re dragging me. I don’t want to go!"
"You do want to go. I promise it’ll be more interesting than any garden," Jiang Heling said. "Keep your voice down—don’t let my brother hear."
"What are you up to?" Old Master Jiang raised his cane threateningly. "You’re always so unreliable. Given the current situation, if you cause any more trouble, I won’t let you off easy!"
"You’ll understand once we get there."
Meanwhile, in the study, Jiang Hechang stood by the window, watching as a car pulled out of the estate gates. It was his younger brother’s car—probably restless after being cooped up at home for days.
He paid it no mind. "When are you coming back?" he asked into the phone.
Jiang Suizhi’s voice came through from the other end. "Tomorrow. The people here aren’t reliable, so I’m bringing a few of our own to oversee things."
"What about the executives at the group—"
"They’re not your people."
Jiang Hechang frowned. "They’re seasoned professionals with experience. Who else would you send?"
"Lin Shengxi."
"Lin…" The name sounded familiar, and it took Jiang Hechang a moment to place it—the son of an old friend.
But he’d often heard Old Lin complain about his youngest son’s lack of focus, his penchant for play, and his youth.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Not only was Lin Shengxi not part of the Jiang family, he wasn’t even affiliated with the group—just a spoiled rich kid with no direction.
In contrast, Jiang Suizhi remained unruffled. "His starting point is higher than mine ever was. If I could manage, why can’t he?"
"I trained you myself."
"And I trained him myself."
The two locked into a stalemate until Jiang Suizhi suddenly chuckled. "You forget—I call the shots now."
Jiang Hechang took a deep breath, forced to acknowledge that his son’s capabilities far exceeded his expectations. He had no grounds to object—because the current Jiang Suizhi had already surpassed the man he once was.
"Your uncle just left. I’ll go keep your grandfather company," he said before hanging up.
On the other end, Jiang Suizhi frowned slightly.
His uncle had been unusually subdued lately, taking on the responsibility of caring for Old Master Jiang while the overseas matters kept everyone else busy. He’d promised to stay by the old man’s side until Jiang Suizhi returned from the northwest.
So why was he leaving now?
He dialed Jiang Heling’s number.
To his surprise, it was Old Master Jiang who answered. "Your uncle’s driving. Whatever it is, call back later."
"???"
A bad feeling settled in Jiang Suizhi’s gut.
After a brief silence, he turned to his secretary. "Move up my flight. I’m heading back tonight."
Meanwhile, Jiang Hechang, having descended the stairs, found the house devoid of both his brother and his father. Panic flickered as he asked the housekeeper, "Where’s my father?"
"Mr. Jiang Heling took him out. Said the old master was in low spirits and needed some fresh air."
Jiang Hechang: "?"
Since when were they so close?
And hey—wasn’t he in low spirits too?
Forming cliques now, were they?
Old Master Jiang was similarly baffled. Had the sun risen in the west? His second son was personally driving him somewhere.
But he had deep reservations about their destination. In his mind, his second son had little to do at his company, spending most of his time drinking with all sorts of dubious businessmen.
The old man shuddered at the thought of being surrounded by such people.
Judging by the direction, they were heading downtown—flashy, bustling, and utterly superficial.
"I suggest you think carefully about where you’re taking me," Old Master Jiang said sternly. "This will significantly impact our father-son relationship going forward. I refuse to step foot in any of your usual disreputable haunts."
"..." Jiang Heling was speechless. "What kind of person do you think I am?"
Old Master Jiang didn’t mince words. "An unreliable one."
"Unbelievable." As the car entered an underground parking lot, Jiang Heling scowled. "Get out!"
Old Master Jiang stubbornly remained seated. "This is a place for young people."
What business did he have here?
Jiang Heling’s patience snapped. "Fine. When I buy gifts for my grandkids later, you can go empty-handed."
With that, he turned to leave.
Only for a cane to jab him sharply in the back. "What did you just say?"
"I remember your hearing is just fine."
Old Master Jiang quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, tucking his cane under his arm as he strode ahead with surprising vigor. "Hurry up, stop dawdling! We’ll miss our chance if we’re late!"
Jiang Heling: "..."
He should’ve known—no one in this family was trustworthy. Every single one of them was scheming as hell.
Even after barely eating for days, the old man had enough energy to sprint straight to a basketball court.
It was only at this moment that Jiang Heling realized he was the most naive person in this entire family.
Meanwhile, Le Qing was touring kindergartens with the children.
Originally, she had planned to go alone, but the kids didn’t want to stay home, so she brought them along, letting them see which one they preferred.
The result? They liked every single one—but didn’t actually want to attend any of them.
Since they were still resistant to the idea of school, Le Qing didn’t push it. Instead, she carefully noted the pros and cons of each institution.
Jiang Suizhi had only recommended private international kindergartens. The tuition was steep, but the resources and facilities were excellent—some were just closer or farther away. In the end, Le Qing settled on one that wasn’t too near but also not too distant.
Beyond the kindergarten’s own environment, the surrounding area was also ideal—right next to a police station and a commercial district, making it convenient to pick up daily necessities while dropping off or picking up the kids.
With only a few days left before the official start of the school year, the kindergarten’s principal and teachers were holding daily meetings, so Le Qing took the opportunity to schedule a consultation and register the children in advance.
The person in charge answered her call promptly and came out to greet her. Upon seeing Le Qing, they paused briefly before quickly adjusting their expression. "Hello."
Unlike ordinary private schools, this kindergarten was affiliated with an international school. Most children who enrolled here would stay from kindergarten through high school without transferring elsewhere. The teachers, from early education to high school, were all top-tier educators sourced globally, and the annual tuition ran into the hundreds of thousands.
Otherwise, the school wouldn’t have such a prime location in the city center’s commercial district.
Because of this, every year, there was fierce competition for the limited enrollment slots—families vying for admission were either wealthy or influential, each more affluent than the last.
Some idle onlookers even made a habit of filming the luxury cars lining up outside the school during drop-off and pickup times.
The person in charge was used to seeing impeccably dressed parents—or at the very least, nannies dropping off the children.
But the woman before them didn’t look like either. She was young and beautiful, yet dressed plainly. Frankly, some of the nannies they’d seen were far more polished than this.
"Hello," Le Qing extended her hand. "I’m the parent who just called. My name is Le Qing."
Since the school year had already begun six months ago, anyone who could secure a spot now was clearly not ordinary. The person in charge didn’t dwell on it. "Please follow me."
With no students around today, they walked while explaining, "Our enrollment slots are fixed every year, with only one or two exceptions. Today, a child happened to leave with their family abroad, which is why there’s an opening. You’re quite well-informed."
That was Jiang Suizhi’s doing—he must have checked that this kindergarten had vacancies.
Le Qing had researched the school beforehand. The tuition was indeed high, but the education quality was excellent. She believed she could afford it, especially since she didn’t have extravagant personal expenses.
The money she earned was meant for the children anyway.
As they walked toward the office, her phone suddenly rang.
It was Jiang Heling—Jiang Suizhi’s second uncle—whose number she’d saved from their last meeting. She answered, puzzled. "Mr. Jiang?"
"Le Qing," Jiang Heling’s voice came through, sounding like he was juggling something. In the background, Old Master Jiang’s voice could be heard, along with what sounded like toys clattering. "Are you home? I was thinking of dropping by to see the kids."
"I’m sorry, we’re out right now, touring kindergartens for them. It might be a while before we return."
"Kindergartens?" Jiang Heling sounded surprised. "Which one? You’re handling something this big alone?"
"It’s not that big of a deal."
"Of course it is!" Jiang Heling insisted. "Back when Jiang Yan started kindergarten, the whole entourage showed up—nannies, his father, his grandfather—like they were sending him off to be crowned emperor."
The more he thought about it, the more he felt for Le Qing. Raising two kids alone was hard enough, and now she had to arrange their schooling by herself too.
Compared to how Jiang Yan had been treated, this was downright unfair.
Le Qing: "..."
She glanced silently at the two little ones bundled up in thick coats, each with oversized water bottles hanging around their necks.
Well. Maybe she had shortchanged them a bit.
"I’ll add you on WeChat. Send me the address—I’ll come with their great-grandfather to take a look." He paused, then added in a conspiratorial tone, "Don’t worry, I didn’t tell his grandfather we’re visiting you."
Le Qing was baffled. What kind of family was this?
Why was meeting the kids treated like some covert operation? Even their own grandfather wasn’t allowed to know.
But she did catch that he was bringing their great-grandfather.
Yikes.
That was definitely not someone to take lightly.
She sent the kindergarten’s address to Jiang Heling.
Just as she finished, the person in charge also picked up their phone. "Excuse me, I need to take this call."
"Of course."
The two little ones, holding each other’s hands, looked up at her. "Auntie, is someone coming to visit us?"
Le Qing crouched down to their level. "Your second great-uncle is bringing your great-grandfather to see you."
"Great-grandfather?"
Their experience with rocking horses hadn’t covered this level of family hierarchy.
"Great-grandfather is your father’s grandfather."
The kids gasped in awe, as if encountering something legendary. "Does that mean he’s super duper important?!"
"Mm." Le Qing considered how to phrase it, mindful of the recent upheavals in the Jiang family. She guessed the old man might still be grieving. "Can you promise me something?"
"Okay!"
"When Great-Grandfather arrives, don’t bring up anything about your parents, alright?"
Little Le Jia blinked, utterly guileless. "But we don’t have any ‘parents’ things to talk about."
To them, "Mom" and "Dad" were just words—no memories attached.
Le Qing: "..."
Right. She’d overthought that.
Little Le'an, however, furrowed her brow in confusion. "If we have a great-grandfather, a second great-uncle, an uncle, and an auntie… why don’t we have a mom or dad?"
"Because our family is special."
"Huh?"
"We’re a family with two little heroes." Le Qing smiled softly. "That’s why we’re different from other families. When you grow up, you’ll understand about your parents."
Ohhh! They were little heroes!
The two kids’ eyes sparkled instantly—this was the first time their aunt had ever mentioned anything about their parents!
"I get it." Little Le Jia struck a dramatic pose, one small hand under her chin. "With great power comes great responsibility."
"Where did you learn that?"
Since when did she know such complex phrases?
"It’s in the videos!" Little Le Jia grinned, then started waving her hands in an exaggerated flourish—a perfect imitation of those exaggerated online gestures.
Le Qing: "..."
Yep. She could see the exact kind of videos now.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting," the person in charge said, walking over with her phone and smiling. "Let's continue. Oh, I forgot to ask, where do you live?"
"Mingzhang Garden."
Mingzhang Garden?
The person in charge paused for a moment, unfamiliar with the name at first. After a few seconds, she recalled it was an upscale residential complex—certainly better than average, though not excessively high-end. She didn’t seem to know anyone from the school who lived there.
"I see," she nodded. "Please follow me."
Once in the office, the person in charge poured a glass of water for Le Qing, then for the two children as well, before saying, "Miss Le Qing, have you prepared the required documents?"
"Yes." Le Qing took out a stack of photocopies and originals from her bag and handed them over.
The person in charge flipped through them and froze. "That’s it?"
"Is there anything else needed?" Le Qing asked. "I checked your website, and it seemed these were the only requirements."
"Well, technically, yes," the person in charge hesitated when she saw the property ownership certificate. "But Miss Le Qing, our kindergarten has an unspoken rule—guardians must undergo a financial verification process."
Le Qing was taken aback.
Financial verification?
What an obscure term.
Just then, the office door was knocked. "Teacher Xu!"
"Madam Li!" The person in charge quickly stood up. "You’re here so soon."
"I was already at the school gate when I called you. I’m familiar with this place, so I came straight in," Madam Li said, glancing around the office. Her eyes first landed on Le Qing’s face, then drifted to the two children beside her. She smiled. "Ah, another parent is here."
The person in charge nodded. "Yes, this lady, like you, intends to enroll her children."
Madam Li’s smile faded. "I was told there’s only one spot left?"
"Technically, that’s correct," Teacher Xu said awkwardly. "We didn’t expect two parents to arrive on the same day, right before the semester starts."
"My eldest daughter already attends this school," Madam Li said bluntly, walking over to sit on the sofa. "If not for her grandparents wanting to spend more time with her, we would’ve taken her abroad. But now my son wants to be in the same school as his sister, so here we are." She sighed, then finally turned her attention back to Le Qing, her gaze shifting from her face to her clothes.
What on earth is she wearing?
"Are both children yours?" Madam Li asked.
Le Qing nodded. "Yes."
Madam Li smirked. "Madam, there’s only one spot. It wouldn’t be suitable to separate the children, would it?"
Le Qing smiled faintly. "From the moment I entered this school until now, Teacher Xu never mentioned a single spot. Was this restriction added just now?" Her tone remained gentle. "Also, my name is Le Qing. I’m not a 'Madam.'"
Seeing that Le Qing was still composed, Teacher Xu hurried to explain, "Miss Le Qing, I apologize for not clarifying earlier. I only realized after reviewing the documents that you have two children. I assumed the other was just tagging along."
"Is that so?" Le Qing stood up and retrieved the documents she had handed over earlier. "But the first two pages clearly list both children’s identification details. Yet you flipped to the end before telling me about the financial verification. Did you not even glance at the first pages?"
Teacher Xu hadn’t expected her to be so sharp and logical. Flustered, she said, "But Miss Le Qing, I’m telling the truth."
"Would you have mentioned this if that phone call hadn’t come in?" Le Qing asked.
"Why are you bullying a teacher?" Madam Li interjected. "The fact is, there’s only one spot, and financial verification is required. If you’re unhappy, you can leave. Or is it that you can’t afford it?"
Seeing their aunt being confronted, the two little ones immediately held hands and stepped in front of Le Qing. "Auntie, don’t be scared. We’ll protect you."
"Auntie?" Madam Li sneered. "First time I’ve heard of an aunt bringing kids to school. I heard you live in Mingzhang Garden—impressive that someone like you even got Teacher Xu’s contact. Must be tough raising kids without them calling you 'Mom' or 'Dad.' Your 'sponsor' won’t even buy you decent clothes or a better place to live. Look at what you’re wearing. Honestly, if you don’t fit in, don’t force it."
"You like it?" Le Qing’s voice was calm, not a trace of anger in it. She gently pulled the children behind her. "You can have it."
"You—"
"Teacher Xu," Le Qing ignored Madam Li and turned to the person in charge. "What’s the minimum amount for the financial verification?"
Teacher Xu glanced at Madam Li before answering, "One million in disposable funds."
"Fine," Le Qing agreed without hesitation. "Assuming there’s only one spot, and first come, first served, does that mean if I prove I have one million, my child can enroll?"
Madam Li was stunned. "You’d separate the two?"
"It’s just kindergarten," Le Qing said dismissively. "This is just for the second half of the year—more like playtime. The other child can go to a different school."
Madam Li scoffed. "As if you actually have a million."
"Miss Le Qing, there’s no need for this," Teacher Xu pleaded. "Why separate them? Wouldn’t it be better if they stayed together?"
Le Qing looked at her calmly. "Just answer me: yes or no?"
Her tone was eerily gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority.
Cornered, Teacher Xu could only nod. "Yes."
"Good." Le Qing smiled slightly and took out a card from her bag. "Then proceed with the verification."
Both Teacher Xu and Madam Li paled.
As Teacher Xu hesitantly reached for the card, Madam Li glared at Le Qing. "Are you really that desperate to enroll your child here?"
"No," Le Qing replied, finally meeting her gaze. "After this semester, I’ll transfer both children to another school."
"Then what’s the point?"
"The point," Le Qing said leisurely, "is the look on your face right now. It’s quite satisfying."
Madam Li’s face turned green with fury. Le Qing was clearly provoking her, but her unshakable composure made Madam Li hesitate.
If the verification went through, her own child would lose the spot.
If not for the rumor that a child from the Jiang family was considering this kindergarten, she wouldn’t have rushed back to the country so urgently.
She hadn’t heard of any Jiang family members having children, but whether secret or public, any connection to them was worth pursuing.
Currently, all power in the Jiang family was concentrated in the hands of one person—Jiang Suizhi. However, he rarely made public appearances, and the others in the family kept themselves completely detached, leaving no room for anyone to cozy up to them.
Le Qing pushed the card further toward Teacher Xu. "What are you waiting for? Go ahead and verify it."
Teacher Xu was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she actually verified it, she might offend Madam Li.
But the documents Le Qing had provided contained no clear background information, making it impossible to investigate. Given Le Qing’s attitude, Teacher Xu was at a loss about which side to abandon. "Miss Le Qing..."
"I’ll buy it from you, alright?" Seeing Teacher Xu waver, Madam Li gritted her teeth. "How much do you want? I’ll buy this spot from you."
"Buy?" Le Qing scoffed. "Do I look like I need your money?"
Madam Li couldn’t hold back any longer, her voice rising sharply. "Then what do you want?!"
"An apology." Le Qing finally brought the child forward. "For what you just said."
"Are you insane? You’d rather have an apology than money?"
"Now it’s two apologies." Le Qing raised the card. "My patience is limited."
Suddenly, the child standing beside Madam Li rushed forward, hurling a toy ball at Le Qing. "Don’t bully my mom!"
The two little ones guarding Le Qing immediately flared up, kicking without even rolling up their sleeves. "Don’t you dare hit our aunt!"
The chubby kid was kicked in the stomach and fell onto his backside, bursting into tears.
"Why did your child hit someone? Can’t you control him?!" Madam Li picked up her son, shoving the two kids aside in a rage and raising her hand to slap them.
But before her hand could land, someone intercepted it.
The slap meant for the children instead landed on her own face—with a loud crack.
Madam Li, usually delicate and frail, was no match for Le Qing. Stunned, she collapsed to the ground, shrieking, "How dare you hit me? I’ll sue you!"
"Self-defense." Le Qing crouched down with a smile. "There are surveillance cameras here, you know."
Madam Li struggled to break free. "So what? Do you think the school would dare release the footage?"
"The school might not, but I would." Le Qing pointed at the scarves around the two kids’ necks. "My little ones love wearing mini cameras to document their daily lives. Feel free to look up their accounts online—give them a follow while you’re at it. And wouldn’t you know it? Everything you did today was recorded."
Madam Li’s face twisted in fury. She lunged at Le Qing, trying to snatch the cameras from the kids.
But the two children were too busy pinning down the chubby kid, playing the role of little heroes, to pay her any attention.
"See?" Le Qing sighed. "Apologies are just empty words. Actions speak louder. Thanks for raising such a rude kid—it gave me the perfect opportunity."
Madam Li was so furious she nearly fainted. "Teacher Xu! What are you just standing there for?!"
"Miss Le Qing..." Teacher Xu, finally snapping out of her daze, realized things were spiraling out of control. Le Qing was utterly unyielding—even daring to post the incident online. Flustered, she pulled out her phone to call security, determined to seize the cameras.
Just as Le Qing was about to stop her, a commotion erupted at the door. She frowned.
"Useless idiots! Why didn’t you follow us up? How did Jiang Suizhi end up hiring such fools?" The person at the door barked angrily. "Get in there and help now!"
Le Qing froze, looking up to see Jiang Suizhi’s second uncle, Jiang Heling, along with an elderly man with graying hair leaning on a cane.
Jiang Heling strode in, effortlessly grabbing the two kids by their collars. "Enough. You’ll pull each other bald at this rate."
The two immediately clutched their messy hair protectively.
The bodyguards, looking sheepish, hurried over to take over for their young masters. Madam Li, who had barely managed to sit up, was promptly shoved back down.
But the moment Madam Li heard Jiang Suizhi’s name, she stopped struggling, her face draining of color.
"So you’re Le Qing?" Old Master Jiang tossed his cane aside, helping Le Qing up with both hands. "I’m Jiang Yan and Jiang Suizhi’s grandfather. Are you alright?"
Le Qing, who had just been pinning someone to the ground: "...I’m fine."
"You shouldn’t have resorted to violence." Old Master Jiang chided.
Le Qing nervously rubbed her hands together. Would this family think she was too aggressive and a bad influence on the kids?
"Next time, let the bodyguards handle it. No need to hurt your own hands."
Le Qing: "..."
"Your second uncle has plenty of experience in this. He can teach you next time." Old Master Jiang added. "And Suizhi—he’s the best at dealing with scoundrels."
Le Qing: "..."
She couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of family was this?
Jiang Suizhi (off-screen): Absent, but his reputation takes the hit.
