After finishing the call, Qiuyun hung up and told Miss Jiang about Jiang Yifeng’s invitation. “Mr. Jiang called so quickly. I’m guessing the profit-sharing is just an excuse. He may actually be calling me over because of our company.”
Jiang Chuling curled her lip. “Fourth Uncle really is something. Grandpa just finished reprimanding him, and he still refuses to accept it. Now he wants to give you trouble, Sister Xiaoqiu. Don’t pay any attention to him.”
Qiuyun rubbed her chin. “Miss, you really don’t want me to go?”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Then aren’t you curious about what exactly Mr. Jiang wants to say to me?”
Hmm?
She was actually rather curious about that.
Jiang Chuling reminded her, “Then take the recorder with you, Sister Xiaoqiu. I’ll listen through the app.”
The last time she had gone to see Jiang Chuyun, she had easily retrieved the recorder. She had also been won over by how useful the little device was, and now kept recorders on her person, in her schoolbag, on her bedside table, and in her study—always within reach.
“Okay.”
Qiuyun picked out a slender one and used it like a hairpin, securing her hair at the back of her head.
She took a taxi to the familiar old street.
There weren’t many people around in the afternoon, but quite a few recognized her.
A beautiful woman who could appraise antiques was hard to forget.
Qiuyun didn’t linger, though. After declining several stall owners’ invitations, she went to the teahouse they had visited last time. A server led her to the glass room upstairs.
Today was November ninth, the day of the Beginning of Winter. The glass room had already been moved from the shaded side to the sunny side. Warm sunlight streamed through the glass, making the room comfortable and inviting.
Qiuyun took the elevator up.
“Young Master Jiang, long time no see.” She offered a polite greeting.
Jiang Yifeng rose and extended his hand. His manner was warm, his tone familiar. “Long time no see, Miss Qiuyun. You’re as elegant and beautiful as ever.”
Qiuyun frowned slightly and shook his hand briefly. “You’re too kind, Young Master Jiang. You’re as dashing as ever yourself.”
“Please, sit.”
“After you.”
The two of them took their seats on opposite sides of the tea table. Jiang Yifeng pushed a cup of milk tea toward her. “Have a taste. It’s a new creation from the teahouse.”
Tsk.
Whenever this profit-driven playboy capitalist showed her goodwill, every hair on Qiuyun’s back stood on end. She was afraid there was a trap waiting for her.
“Didn’t Young Master Jiang invite me here to discuss the bracelet’s profit-sharing? How were the sales? Do you have the financial report?”
“Thanks to you, Miss Qiuyun, sales have been excellent. It’s been the hit product of the second half of the year. Here’s your share.”
Qiuyun took the document and glanced at it. “That much?”
She had received more than four million yuan in profit-sharing from just one quarter!
Jiang Yifeng said, “Over a hundred thousand bracelets have been sold. But sales are usually highest in the first quarter. Once the hype dies down, sales will continue to decline.”
So, after doing the math, she would probably receive a little over ten million yuan in total after a year.
“Thank you, Young Master Jiang.” Qiuyun promptly signed the confirmation document.
Jiang Yifeng raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to have an accountant check it?”
Qiuyun smiled brightly. “I trust you, Young Master Jiang.”
She had received four million from just five percent of the profits. One could imagine how much Jiang Yifeng had earned!
And she was the one who had created this money-making opportunity. Being nice to the God of Wealth was every unscrupulous capitalist’s duty.
With a clear conscience, Qiuyun picked up the milk tea he had pushed toward her and took a sip. Then she couldn’t help taking another.
“Young Master Jiang is certainly generous. You’re using tea that costs over a hundred thousand yuan per half-kilo to make milk tea?”
Jiang Yifeng had also brewed Jin Jun Mei. He poured the golden, translucent amber-colored tea into a cup. “I’d only be willing to do that for a guest of Miss Qiuyun’s stature.”
Since he still wasn’t getting to the point, Qiuyun couldn’t be bothered to dance around the subject. “You’re too kind, Young Master Jiang. But I’m guessing you didn’t invite me here just to discuss the silver bracelet’s profit-sharing, did you?”
“Of course not.” Jiang Yifeng lifted his teacup toward her. “Miss Qiuyun, you’re truly resourceful. You joined forces with my eldest brother and made me take a nasty loss.”
Qiuyun had known from the beginning that she couldn’t hide it from Jiang Yifeng, so she felt no guilt whatsoever. She raised her enamel cup with its gilt trim and clinked it against his. “Not at all. You seem to have swallowed that loss quite happily.”
He had schemed against his own brothers and still didn’t dare admit it. The third branch of the family, lacking both strategy and courage, was probably destined to have no hope of inheriting anything.
Jiang Yifeng avoided the subject. “How about marrying me, Miss Qiuyun?”
“—Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!”
Qiuyun had just clinked cups with him and was drinking her milk tea when his words hit her like a bolt from the blue and sent the drink down the wrong pipe!
At the same time, on the other end of the recorder, Jiang Chuling was sitting in the living room with Bluetooth earphones in, watching television while eavesdropping.
She had just been about to open a bag of chips when she heard those words. Her hand jerked, tearing the bag wide open, and imported olive-oil chips spilled all over the sofa.
She hurriedly muted the television and listened with complete concentration.
“Are you all right? I’ll have someone bring you a glass of water.” Jiang Yifeng leaned toward her slightly.
Qiuyun covered her mouth with one hand and raised the other palm. “Cough, cough—I’m fine!”
After recovering, she elegantly dabbed the corner of her lips with the back of her finger. Then she turned her head, narrowing and lifting the corners of her eyes while curving her lips into a flawlessly polite smile. “Did I hear that correctly just now? Could Young Master Jiang repeat himself?”
Jiang Yifeng raised an eyebrow and did as she asked. “Would Miss Qiuyun be willing to marry me?”
“…”
If they hadn’t been practically strangers, she would have asked whether Jiang Yifeng suffered from intermittent brain damage.
“Don’t rush to turn me down.” Jiang Yifeng leaned forward, interlacing his fingers on the table. “To be honest, before meeting you, Miss Qiuyun, I had never considered marriage.
“My eldest sister-in-law is dignified, elegant, gentle, and kind, but her personality is too weak. She couldn’t shoulder any real responsibility. My second sister-in-law is decisive and efficient, but her mouth tends to run ahead of her brain. She’s more likely to ruin things than accomplish them. As for my third sister-in-law, she can keep her composure, but she’s too cold and arrogant, and Father doesn’t particularly like her. I’ve always felt that if a wife is only going to hold me back, I’d rather not marry at all.”
His gaze focused on her. “But you, Miss Qiuyun, are socially adept and brilliant in both emotional intelligence and intellect. Not only can you navigate all the twists and turns within the family, you’re exceptionally sharp when it comes to the ruthless maneuvering of the business world. Your beauty is the least remarkable of all your qualities. You’re practically the embodiment of everything I want in a future wife!”
“…”
Qiuyun pressed a hand to her forehead. “Young Master Jiang, are you looking for a wife or a military strategist?”
He didn’t need to go this far just to poach someone from his elder brother’s side!
He answered frankly, “I’m looking for a capable wife.”
“Why don’t you give it some serious thought, Miss Qiuyun?” Jiang Yifeng urged. “You work for my eldest brother. At most, he’ll give you a few billion. But if you marry me, we can join forces, combine our strengths inside and out, and become the owners of the estate together. What do you say?”
At that point, even Jiang Chuling, listening through the recorder, held her breath.
Fourth Uncle’s offer was simply too tempting. She didn’t even know whether she should be glad that her spur-of-the-moment idea had led her to ask Sister Xiaoqiu to bring the recorder.
She even felt a strange nervousness, like someone approaching home after a long journey. She was afraid to hear Sister Xiaoqiu’s answer.
But on the other end, Sister Xiaoqiu’s calm yet powerful voice came through.
“And then?”
“What?” Jiang Yifeng was stunned.
Qiuyun’s expression remained impassive. “Join forces and become the owners of the estate together. And then what?”
Jiang Yifeng frowned.
“Let me tell you.” Qiuyun leaned back, perfectly at ease.
