“This…”
Qiuyun changed the subject. “By the way, I’m going to see Assistant Manager Chen. My old room is vacant now, so we can hire another live-in housekeeper and lessen the burden on you two.”
Sister Fang and Sister Yuan watched Qiuyun walk away, then exchanged a glance.
You had to admit, Xiaoqiu really was wonderful—both in personality and character.
At noon.
After finishing her piano practice, Jiang Chuling came running over, her face bright with delight. “Sister Xiaoqiu, you’re here!”
“Yeah, I arrived this morning. I saw you practicing piano, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Qiuyun then told her about the matter concerning MR.
This was a business decision on the company’s part. Even Fourth Brother had to follow the proper procedures, and Jiang Chuling didn’t concern herself with it.
However…
“The audition show has already started filming?”
“Mm-hmm.” Qiuyun remembered the phone call Qiu Ze had made to her. “Oh, right. There’s one more thing I may need to report to you.”
“What is it?”
Qiuyun said, “I have a younger brother. He joined MR as a trainee last July, and he’s also participating in this audition show.”
“What!?” Jiang Chuling was shocked, but at the same time, she felt a little sour. “So Sister Xiaoqiu isn’t only my sister—you’re someone else’s sister too.”
Children were like that. They were naturally possessive of the people they cared about.
Just like how best friends always insisted that, in each other’s hearts, they had to be the very best friend—without exception!
Qiuyun hurriedly reassured her, “But, Miss, the two of us chose each other personally. My brother and I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”
That was true.
Jiang Chuling was still unhappy, but she didn’t want Sister Xiaoqiu to think she was being petty. “Fine. Anyway, Sister Xiaoqiu and I are still the best in the whole world.”
She blinked her eyes. “Sister Xiaoqiu, I’ve heard that younger brothers are all incredibly annoying. Just look at my eldest brother and my other brother. You must find yours annoying too, right?”
Qiuyun thought of how her own nonsense had caused Pei Cizhou to misunderstand Qiu Ze…
“Not really,” she replied. “My younger brother treats me very well. When we were little, he would give me all his New Year’s money. Whenever he had something delicious or fun, he would think of me first. He even bought me a present with his first paycheck. He’s a very good and obedient boy.”
“…”
Jiang Chuling was so angry that her mouth nearly twisted out of shape.
What a scheming little brother!
Just then, Assistant Manager Chen called out from the doorway, “Assistant Qiu, Human Resources says we can transfer someone over from the Horticulture Department. There’s no need to recruit separately.”
Qiuyun bent down and said to Miss Jiang, “I’ll go over there for a moment. What do you have planned after your advanced math class this afternoon?”
“Carving wood.”
“Okay. Then I’ll embroider you a new school uniform while I’m at it.”
“Mm!”
Watching Sister Xiaoqiu walk away, Jiang Chuling immediately called Liang Siqi.
“Chairwoman, is there something you need?”
Jiang Chuling asked, “Which trainees from our company are participating in this audition show?”
“One moment.” Liang Siqi opened DingTalk and found the relevant employee page. “There’s Zhang Siheng, Cao Yu, Wang Ge’er, Qiu Ze…”
“Stop.” Jiang Chuling said, “Send me Qiu Ze’s information.”
“Okay.” Liang Siqi picked up her mobile phone with one hand and the landline receiver with the other. She called the Artists Department internally, explained the situation, and hung up. Only then did she belatedly realize, “Qiu Ze… Could he be related to Assistant Qiu?”
After all, Qiu wasn’t a common surname.
Jiang Chuling gave a soft snort. “He’s Assistant Qiu’s younger brother.”
“What?”
Liang Siqi was astonished. “Assistant Qiu kept that well hidden! She’s never mentioned him before.”
“Sister Xiaoqiu didn’t tell me his name. Maybe she doesn’t want that Qiu Ze getting too much attention. Just pretend you don’t know, and have him come in through the normal process. You mustn’t give him any special treatment just because he’s Assistant Qiu’s younger brother!”
She made a point of emphasizing, “And don’t let anyone outside of us know that Qiu Ze is Assistant Qiu’s younger brother!”
Judging from the chairman’s tone, did she have some sort of grudge against this Qiu Ze?
Liang Siqi replied, “Understood.”
When Qiu Ze’s information arrived, she forwarded it to the chairwoman.
Jiang Chuling received it and carefully read through it.
The company’s internal information was certainly comprehensive.
There was even a scanned copy of the contract Qiu Ze had signed when he joined the company, along with his daily attendance and training records, his scores on minor tests, VIP fan statistics, and so on.
She went through everything but couldn’t find a single blemish. In the end, she could only give up in disappointment.
It didn’t matter. She had already decided: from now on, she would be Qiu Ze’s biggest anti-fan!
Sister Xiaoqiu could only be her sister—no one else’s!
There was nothing unusual about returning to work after the New Year.
After all, the Jiang family had just gone through such a major upheaval before the holidays. Even the members of the second branch, who had been released from confinement, had become completely well-behaved after hearing about the third branch’s insane plan.
Jiang Yifeng had gradually pulled himself together during the long months of darkness and finally emerged from Xihe House.
“Dad.” Yifeng came to the main house.
When Old Master Jiang saw the frail smile on his youngest son’s face, then looked at the legs hidden beneath the blanket, he couldn’t help feeling a pang in his heart.
He wasn’t even thirty yet…
“Don’t worry. Didn’t we say there’s still a chance you might be able to stand again?” He patted his youngest son on the shoulder. “Come on. Today, Dad will take you to vent some of your anger.”
Jiang Yicheng had been confined to a small bungalow in the back garden of the estate. Old Master Jiang had ordered a wall to be built around it and trees planted nearby, discreetly hiding the place from view.
As he pushed his youngest son’s wheelchair, Old Master Jiang said, “While I’m still here, I can keep him under control. Once I’m gone, you brothers can give him some money and send him out of the country.”
He was, after all, his own son.
Even though Jiang Yicheng had committed such a serious crime, Old Master Jiang still couldn’t truly bring himself to take his life.
Jiang Yifeng’s eyes flickered, and he answered, “Yes.”
They arrived at the bungalow.
The bodyguards guarding the door opened it, then went inside first and tied Jiang Yicheng up.
After all, with one of them an old man and the other crippled, it would have been far too dangerous for the father and son to go in alone.
Once Jiang Yicheng had been secured, the bodyguards came back out.
Old Master Jiang took the black leather bag from Butler Lin and slowly pushed his youngest son inside.
The bungalow had everything Jiang Yicheng needed for daily life. He could tend to flowers or read books there, and if he wanted to play games or watch movies, he could have someone download them for him.
The phone and computer there, however, had been configured to block all internet access. If he wanted to learn what was happening outside, newspapers were his only source of information.
“Third Brother.” Jiang Yifeng entered the living room and saw Jiang Yicheng tied to a bench, his expression numb with resignation.
Jiang Yifeng stopped his wheelchair in front of him, his voice bitter. “I only came to ask one thing: why?”
Jiang Yicheng glanced at his younger brother, then at their father. Realization flashed across his eyes, followed by a scornful laugh. “I can’t leave this little hundred-square-meter courtyard, and you can’t leave that wheelchair. I’d like to know why, too.”
“You ungrateful wretch!”
Old Master Jiang slapped him across the face, then pulled a silenced pistol from his bag and handed it to his youngest son. “I shot his left leg. You can settle the debt for the other one yourself.”
The pistol was cold and black. Pain filled Jiang Yifeng’s eyes as he swiftly loaded it and took aim.
Jiang Yicheng abruptly closed his eyes, while Old Master Jiang turned his face away.
They were both his sons. To watch them turn on each other and fight to the death right before him…
In the end, it was simply too much for a father to bear.
