As the elevator doors closed, Sun Assistant Manager quickly pressed the intercom and instructed, "The Master, the Eldest Young Master, and the Madam are back. Everyone drop what you're doing and come downstairs immediately. I repeat, come down now without delay!"
The study was on the third floor.
Jiang Yihua strode toward the bookshelf as soon as he entered, pulled out a ruler, turned around, and with a swish, struck his eldest son across the back.
"What are you doing!" Before Yu Xiang could react to her husband's speed, she saw her eldest son hit and rushed over to shield him.
Jiang Yihua snorted coldly. "What am I doing? I'm teaching this rebellious son a lesson!"
Seeing that his eldest son only had sweat on his forehead but clenched his lips tightly, forcing himself not to even cry out in pain, Jiang Yihua grew even angrier. "Your grandfather clearly gave you an out. The sensible thing would have been to let the matter drop, but you, daring as you are, had to poke the hornet's nest yourself! Do you think it's a good thing to make your grandfather angry and disappoint him?"
Jiang Lin'an looked up directly at his father. "Maybe it's not a good thing for you. But for me, being able to break free from the shackles of the family and your control, and freely choose my own life—I'm very happy."
"How dare you!" Jiang Yihua, enraged, struck his son with the ruler again. Since his wife was shielding the upper body, he lashed the ruler across his son's legs!
"Jiang Yihua!" Yu Xiang blocked in front, furious. "Can't you talk things out properly? Must you hit the child?"
Jiang Yihua pointed at his son and cursed, "Do you hear the nonsense this rebellious son is talking? The family provides him with fine clothes and good food, and I have laid the groundwork for his future wholeheartedly—yet he says I'm controlling him? That I've given him no freedom? Fine! What kind of freedom does he want? The same reckless, idle freedom as his Fourth Uncle?"
Jiang Lin'an, in pain, bent his knee and hunched his back, but with his mother's support, he did not kneel. "Dad, I just turned twenty, and you are in your prime. Are you really paving the way for my future, or are you sacrificing my marriage to boost your own career?"
Jiang Yihua was so enraged he nearly fell backward. "You ungrateful brat!"
"Enough!" Yu Xiang could no longer bear the two men stabbing each other with words. "Both of you, say no more!"
Under the wife's and mother's mediation, the two sat on opposite sides of the meeting table in the study.
Yu Xiang took two cups of tea from Mrs. Zhou at the door and set them in front of father and son. "You're old enough, and your son is an adult. Sit down and talk things out properly at the negotiating table. Will hitting a child or saying things that hurt your parents really solve anything?"
As the elder, Jiang Yihua quickly calmed down and quelled his anger. He looked at his wife with some confusion.
In the past, at times like this, his wife had always sided with him. Even when she disapproved of his parenting methods, she would only bring it up afterward, never contradicting him in front of the children.
But now was not the time to think about that. Without his wife's mediation, he might have beaten this rebellious son half to death by now.
"Tell me," Jiang Yihua finally adopted the negotiating stance he used in business, his eyes sharp as he fixed them on his eldest son. "Is it really because you like that girl that you're going all out to oppose your parents?"
Jiang Lin'an's gaze was calm. "I just don't want my marriage to become a tool for your power struggles."
Jiang Yihua laughed—a genuine, hearty laugh. "Fine, fine! You're noble, you want freedom, you've awakened and refuse to be bound by your parents and family, and you want to pursue true love! Fine. I'll grant you that."
Jiang Lin'an knew his father well. He remained silent, waiting for what came next.
"But from now on, don't expect a single cent from the family!" Jiang Yihua sneered. "Since you have the courage to rebel against your parents and the family, you must be ready to accept the consequences of our punishment! If you can only show off your so-called freedom by relying on your parents, where's your backbone and pride?"
"Fine." Jiang Lin'an accepted calmly.
He had been prepared for this ever since he decided to break with the family.
"Lin'an!" Yu Xiang frowned and wanted to say something, but her husband's words left her with no grounds to argue.
Jiang Lin'an stood up, a lighthearted ease about him, his brows and eyes filled with the pleasure of relief. "It's getting late. Allow me, as your son, to stay one more night. I'll move out tomorrow."
Before leaving, he bowed to his parents. "I won't forget the kindness of raising me for twenty years. I'll still come to visit you often in the future."
"..." Jiang Yihua expected his eldest son to be angry or furious, to question why he was cutting off his financial support, or to storm off in anger, determined to prove he could support himself without the family, severing all ties.
But Jiang Yihua never expected his eldest son to accept it so calmly, without any resentment in his heart, and to say he would continue to honor his parents in the future.
Watching his eldest son resolutely leave the study, and hearing his wife sob quietly beside him, he clenched his fists in frustration. He couldn't understand why his usually obedient, sensible son—the pride of the eldest branch—had become so rebellious and uncontrollable.
Would he really not regret this in the future, breaking with the family over a girl he'd only known for a few months?
Jiang Linzhi dropped his sister off at Brightmoon Tower and immediately left the oppressive, decaying estate. He had major business—important matters—to attend to tonight!
Because their grandfather, an old feudal relic, despised Western culture, none of the children in the family were allowed to study abroad. They all received elite education domestically, with at most a summer or winter study trip abroad to experience different cultures.
Jiang Linzhi had deliberately chosen a high school far from home, using the excuse of commuting time as a waste, and had bought a large penthouse near the school. Except for weekends when he returned to the estate, he spent the rest of his time openly living outside.
In the Jiang family, only he and Fourth Uncle Jiang Yifeng did not often reside in the estate.
Back at Brightmoon Tower, Jiang Chuling shut herself in her room carving wood. Since it was not Teacher Lan's working hours on a weekend evening, and Chen Assistant Manager, as Brightmoon Tower's overseer, wasn't always available, Qiuyun was asked to keep an eye on the Seventh Miss.
After all, she was still a child, and the carving knife was sharp.
Qiuyun sat quietly, watching the Seventh Miss carve wood with gentle, silent attention.
Faintly, she could see a trace of her young lady, the Duchess of the Manor, in her youth. Back then, when her stepmother was harsh to her, the legitimate daughter of the first wife, and tried to persuade the Master to snatch away the marriage arranged by her maternal grandfather's family, the Duchess had also sat silently by the octagonal table, expressionless, deftly weaving knots with her fingers.
Very composed.
"Be careful."
Quick to react, Qiuyun knocked away the wooden carving just as the knife slipped from the Seventh Miss's hand. The blade slid along the piece, not cutting her fingers.
"Phew..." Jiang Chuling rubbed her wrists. "Put it away."
As Qiuyun packed up the woodcarving tools, she carefully swept away the sawdust from the table. "Is the Seventh Miss worried about the Eldest Young Master's situation?"
