Feeling wronged and unable to get justice, Jiang Chuyun hated her older brothers and sisters even more for looking down on her just because she came from outside.
"Waaah... Grandma, Grandma, why is our family so miserable!"
Ge Furen (Mrs. Ge) gently patted her granddaughter’s back to soothe her. "Our Chuyun is pretty, well-behaved, and sensible. One day, your siblings at home will know how wonderful you are. Don’t keep fighting with them, okay?"
"Waaah, okay, okay. Chuyun will be good and won’t argue with my brothers and sisters." Jiang Chuyun replied through her sobs.
"Good girl."
After comforting her granddaughter, Ge Furen had the child taken away to wash her face and change her clothes.
"Madam." Steward Li briefly reported what had happened at the horse arena to Ge Furen.
The noblewoman let out a cold laugh. "So her ambitions have been fed. She actually dared to let her daughter ask for a crown worth hundreds of millions."
Steward Li, sharp and capable, wore glasses, with her shoulder-length hair tied back neatly. "She endured everything from pregnancy until the child was six, only coming to stir trouble when the girl started elementary school. After seven years of lying low, this was what she aimed for all along."
"She’s a schemer, but her children aren’t as sharp." Ge Furen said flatly.
"Children who are too clever are harder to control. Miss Chuyun may be simple and straightforward, but her heart is always with you and the Master."
Steward Li, being a close confidant of Ge Furen, fully understood her thoughts.
"That is true." Ge Furen glanced at the surveillance footage. "Is that the new nanny from Bright Moon Pavilion? She’s quite pretty. Why was she assigned to Little Seven?"
"Yes, she just passed her probation after a month." Steward Li glanced at that clean and striking face. "Perhaps because she’s too beautiful, HR didn’t dare send her to the buildings where the young masters live." After all, she would be worn down by the competition among the wives.
Ge Furen nodded. "She has some brains. Keep an eye on her."
"Yes ma’am."
Three hours later, the equestrian class ended. The teachers and assistants waiting by the horse arena swarmed in, handing out water and wiping away sweat.
Jiang Chuyu took off her helmet and untied her wrist guards, and Qiuyun, staying close by, swiftly gathered Miss’s protective gear.
"Are you really new?" Jiang Chuyu asked from the side. "Your movements are so quick and clean—even I, with my OCD, feel at ease watching you."
"Mm, she’s only been here a month and just passed probation a couple of days ago." Jiang Chuyu couldn’t help showing off a little.
The two went together to the restroom by the horse arena, where staff were already waiting to massage and relieve the young masters and misses after their workout, preventing muscle soreness the next day.
Taking advantage of Jiang Chuyu changing, Jiang Chuyu walked over and glanced at Qiuyun’s nametag. "Qiuyun, right? How about transferring to my side? I’ll pay you an extra salary."
Qiuyun’s current salary was close to ten thousand, so double that would be twenty thousand.
But having come from the complicated inner quarters, Qiuyun knew too well the principle of serving only one master. Even more so, with the rivalry between different branches—she would have to be incredibly foolish to secretly switch sides.
"I’m truly sorry, Sixth Miss. I’m quite content at Bright Moon Pavilion and have no plans to leave for now."
Jiang Chuyu had watched Qiuyun care for Little Seven earlier and truly liked having a quiet, self-aware, and efficient personal assistant by her side. She had gone through many replacements recently, none satisfactory.
"Thirty thousand." She raised a finger. "Regardless of your current salary, I’ll give you an extra thirty thousand each month."
Qiuyun still didn’t waver. If Sixth Miss could lure her away with thirty thousand, she would later suspect others could do the same with forty thousand.
"Tch." Jiang Chuyu frowned, about to scold Qiuyun for not knowing her place, when she looked up and saw Jiang Linzhi behind her. Her eyes flickered with guilt. "Ahem, Fourth Brother."
"Fourth Young Master." Qiuyun turned and lowered her head in greeting.
Outwardly calm, she inwardly praised the Fourth Young Master’s perfect timing.
After all, when it came to showing loyalty, no amount of verbal promises was as effective as the master side witnessing personally how she had resisted another’s poaching offer.
And that person was even Miss’s own brother.
"Hm." Jiang Linzhi’s expression was unreadable as he studied the new nanny beside his sister. After a moment, he asked, "Where’s Little Seven?"
"Changing clothes," Qiuyun replied.
"Alright." Jiang Linzhi headed toward the changing room, coincidentally bumping into his sister just as she came out.
Jiang Chuyu looked surprised. "Brother? I thought you never liked post-workout massages."
The girls rarely missed them, not wanting to develop overly muscular bodies, but the boys came only sporadically, fearing they might lose their hard-earned muscle.
"I’m playing ball tomorrow and don’t want soreness to affect my performance." Jiang Linzhi tossed his gear to the assistant behind him and said to his sister, "Come here, I need to talk to you."
"Oh." Jiang Chuyu obediently followed. "What is it, Brother? Sixth Sister is still waiting for me."
Jiang Linzhi frowned. "That new nanny by your side—what’s her background?"
"Huh?" Jiang Chuyu blinked in confusion. "She’s just new, transferred over by HR. What’s wrong?"
Jiang Linzhi’s brow furrowed deeper. "Just now I heard Sixth Sister try to poach her for thirty thousand a month, and she didn’t even budge."
"What!"
Jiang Chuyu was furious. "How could Sixth Sister do that! Trying to steal her behind my back!"
"Get back here!" Jiang Linzhi, exasperated, grabbed the back of his sister’s collar. "Don’t you think this is strange? People naturally aim higher. She’s only been here a month, and you barely know each other. Why would she turn down such a high salary to stay with you, a little brat?"
"Can’t it be because I’m kind and beautiful? Besides, I have a much better temper than Sixth Sister!" Jiang Chuyu wriggled. "Brother, let me go! I need to settle things with Sixth Sister."
With that, Jiang Chuyu smartly slipped free from her brother’s grip and dashed out.
"..."
Though only seventeen, Jiang Linzhi knew all too well that in this world, interests came first. Nothing good came from someone being overly accommodating without reason.
It was normal that an assistant by his side for over a decade couldn’t be poached. But someone who had only been around a little over a month—could such deep loyalty really exist?
Seeing his sister already completely won over by the new nanny, Jiang Linzhi’s eyes darkened. It seemed he’d have to investigate the secrets behind her arrival himself.
"Sixth Sister!" Jiang Chuyu ran over angrily. "How could you do that? Sister Qiuyun belongs to Bright Moon Pavilion!"
Jiang Chuyu, realizing that Fourth Brother had heard, knew she couldn’t hide it from Little Seven.
"We all work at the estate anyway, what’s the difference?" Jiang Chuyu felt a bit sheepish. "Alright, alright, weren’t you always wanting my limited-edition Barbie doll? I’ll give it to you as an apology, okay?"
She was too old for that childish stuff now, and using it to appease Little Seven was a fair deal.
Jiang Chuyu, only ten years old, brightened up immediately. "Hmph, that’s more like it."
