“Of course not. Do you really think Cizhou is a high school senior? That guy has practically finished all the courses in college! He only goes to school to appease his family. If he didn’t attend classes, he wouldn’t have any excuse to come out and get some fresh air every day!”
Qiuyun frowned slightly. “What about the company, then? Once he’s gone, there’ll be no one at the helm. What if something happens and there’s no one to take charge?”
Jiang Linzhi snorted. “What are you worried about? Don’t I have it under control? There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Phew! With you here, President Jiang, I’m relieved. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head downstairs first. Madam is waiting for me to arrange her flowers.”
“Go ahead.”
Qiuyun rose and left. It wasn’t until she had stepped outside the pavilion that Jiang Linzhi finally realized what had happened.
Well, damn.
He had asked her three questions, and she had sidestepped the important parts, choosing only the easiest one to answer! She had completely avoided the other two, deftly leading him around in circles. The entire conversation had been under her control.
“…”
Jiang Linzhi felt a headache coming on. He had vaguely heard that his father’s recent honey trap had been orchestrated and countered by his sister’s assistant.
Come to think of it, that really was possible.
After brushing off the Fourth Young Master, Qiuyun returned to the sitting room to continue arranging the bouquets.
By then, Sir and Madam had finished dinner and were strolling over.
Yu Xiang praised her with a smile. “Xiaoqiu, I have to say, with a pretty girl like you tending my flowers, even the blossoms seem more fragrant and beautiful!”
“Madam, please don’t tease me. For this hydrangea, would you like a long stem or a short one?”
“What do you think?”
“Madam is using the white porcelain vase today. A short stem would look better, with the flowers cascading down.”
Yu Xiang nodded. “All right, short stems it is.”
After arranging the flowers and placing them beside Madam, Jiang Chuling waved from upstairs. “Sister Xiaoqiu! Come quickly—I’m ready!”
The last time, the elaborate hairstyle planned by the styling team had never been completed. Today, Jiang Chuling’s violin teacher had taken the day off, and she had finally gotten a rare evening free, so she hurriedly asked Sister Xiaoqiu to come up and do her hair.
“Coming.”
Qiuyun went upstairs. The two of them stood and sat in front of the mirror, chatting as Qiuyun combed her hair.
“Sister Xiaoqiu, what did my brother want with you?”
Qiuyun first combed out the tangles. “How did you notice?”
“Hehe, from where I was sitting, I could see the reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window. What did he say?”
“It was about the company. President Pei has been confined at home by his family, so he probably won’t be coming out anytime soon.”
“Huh?” Jiang Chuling shuddered. “Brother Pei is so pitiful. At the birthday banquet, I already felt that Auntie Ruan seemed to hate him. Why is that?”
Qiuyun shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Just as Pei Cizhou himself had said, some parents were simply born not to like their children.
“Pick a headband you like.” Qiuyun opened the jewelry box.
Since the outfits were essentially game merchandise, Pei Cizhou had used his connections to have all the jewelry and fabrics made under the name of Chengyuan. A set this exquisite cost at least 160,000 yuan at cost, not counting the labor involved in making the clothes. Its retail price would probably be close to 200,000.
“This one!” Jiang Chuling chose a pale green headband. “Oh, right, Sister Xiaoqiu, CEO Liang sent over the completed project proposal. Later, use my computer to send it out yourself.”
“That fast?” It had only been three days.
“Mm. I’m planning to take the proposal to Grandpa tomorrow. Do you think this approach will work?”
Qiu Yun finished braiding her hair and securing it into place. “What approach? Let me hear it.”
“Little Heng and I think that when you’re asking for money, you have to be shameless and forceful! The basic idea is: Fourth Uncle is bullying us! Grandpa, you have to stand up for me!”
To be honest, there wasn’t much strategy to it. It was nothing more than pestering someone until they gave in. But there was no denying that it was highly effective.
The Old Master probably thought much the same way as Ruan Siheng did. Tossing a little money to the younger generation so they could have some fun and give him some peace and quiet was hardly a problem.
But since they were asking for money anyway, how could they settle for just “a little”?
“Miss, the Old Master is getting on in years. Can you guess what elderly people like doing most?”
“What?”
Qiuyun fastened a hairpin into her hair. “Accumulating virtue, of course.”
When people grew old, they not only wanted to extend their lives in this world—they also began worrying about the next one.
In the old days, the mistresses and concubines who had been ruthless in their youth would all retreat to the family temple in their later years, where they practiced Buddhism, ate vegetarian food, and endured hardship to atone for their sins.
Wasn’t it all for peace of mind, so they could be reborn into a good family in their next life?
Jiang Chuling gradually caught on. “Sister Xiaoqiu, you mean that charity variety show that doesn’t make any money?”
“Exactly.” Qiuyun tied two braids that hung down on either side of her head. “Use it as your reason for asking. The Old Master will definitely be moved.”
Once her hairstyle was finished, Jiang Chuling leaned toward the mirror and examined herself from side to side. “It looks great! Sister Xiaoqiu, you’re so skillful!”
“If you like it, Miss, we can try a different style next time.”
“Okay!”
Jiang Chuling admired her reflection happily while Qiuyun went to turn on the computer and transfer the files over for a closer look.
The next day.
It had to be said—Sister Xiaoqiu had predicted everything correctly.
At first, Grandpa had only intended to give her five million yuan to get it over with. But once she brought up the charity variety show, he became considerably more serious and read through the project proposal from beginning to end.
In the end, he transferred fifty million yuan to her, with one condition: someone personally chosen by Grandpa had to accompany and oversee the production of the show.
After sending his youngest granddaughter away, the Old Master’s expression darkened. He ordered Butler Lin, “Put me through to Fourth Uncle.”
At that moment, Jiang Yifeng had just crawled out of a beauty’s bed. “Hello, Dad. What is it?”
“What is it? I’d like to ask you what you think you’re doing, giving that company to the main branch as compensation! You bundled up projects worth hundreds of millions and sold them off, leaving only an empty shell behind, and you still call that letting him gain experience? No wonder Lin’an handed it directly to Little Seven!”
“He gave it to Little Seven?”
Jiang Yifeng casually draped on a piece of clothing, walked out onto the balcony, and lit a cigarette. “Tsk, Dad, you know I was the one who suffered for someone else’s mistake. If I hadn’t been trying to cover the matter up, would I have given Big Brother an entire company, only to get stabbed in the back by him afterward? You can’t expect me to give away the company and reimburse all the money I invested before that, too, can you? Besides, didn’t I leave the receivables on the books? There are no debts or unpaid bills. That was pretty generous of me.”
The Old Master slowly calmed down. It was true that Fourth Uncle had taken a loss in this matter.
“Regardless, you should have told me in advance. You’re an elder now. Stop acting irresponsibly every other day.”
“I understand, Dad. I’m very responsible. My eldest nephew wanted experience, so I left him an entire team and infrastructure. Wasn’t that generous enough? What good would it do him to continue working on the same projects as before? Would that really count as experience?”
“You just keep talking back.”
The attitude on the other end had clearly improved, so Jiang Yifeng began flattering the Old Master. “Oh, right, Dad. How are those therapists I recommended recently? Have they helped with your leg pain?”
The tension between the Old Master’s brows eased slightly. “They’re pretty good. You were thoughtful to arrange that.”
“Of course. I’m your most considerate son. Otherwise, how could I read your mind so well?”
With just a few words, he had coaxed the Old Master into a good mood.
A moment earlier, Jiang Yifeng’s lips had still been curved in the warmth of familial affection. Gradually, however, his expression darkened, and then the corners of his mouth slowly lifted into a smile.
