Thinking back on the month or so she’d been here, aside from the colleagues she worked with at the Jiang family estate, the people she’d spent the most time with were the eldest branch’s wife and the three young masters and misses.
The wife was a former university professor, simple, kind-hearted, and not especially sly.
Eldest Young Master was gentle and courteous, with his mind set elsewhere—he didn’t seem like someone with heavy designs.
Seventh Miss was still too young to consider.
So that left…
Only Fourth Young Master, who had always been ambiguous toward her, was the most likely to have noticed something odd.
Remembering how his gaze had followed her everywhere that night at Eldest Young Master’s house, Qiuyun took a deep breath and quietly made it her top priority to drop her verbal tics and change her speech habits!
Catching movement from the veranda, the Ruan family steward stepped forward at just the right moment. “Assistant Qiu, have you and Young Master settled on things?”
In an instant, Qiuyun had composed herself again, looking perfectly at ease. “Yes, thank you for the introduction, Steward. Young Master’s calligraphy is excellent.”
Phew.
The Ruan family steward breathed a sigh of relief. Getting that particular person out of the way—Assistant Qiu had done a truly meritorious deed. After all, the last time they’d been scolded by the boss, Cheng Garden wouldn’t dare accept Young Master’s items for consignment anymore.
“Here’s the bill, please take a look.” The Ruan family steward handed over the slip with a smile.
Qiuyun scanned it and promptly transferred the money. “I’ll pay Young Master’s calligraphy fee in a few days when I come to pick up the booklets. Could I trouble you to pass the payment along then, Steward?”
“No problem at all. It’s only right.”
After seeing Assistant Qiu out, the Ruan family steward headed back to the veranda, planning to persuade the little troublemaker not to set his sights on Cheng Garden again.
But before he could even speak, he heard the young man ask with interest, “How did that woman who just left look?”
The steward paused in surprise before replying, “Are you referring to Assistant Qiu, Young Master?”
“Who else?”
The steward was baffled. “She seemed fine. Nothing, uh, nothing strange.”
He paused to think it over. “Assistant Qiu even praised your calligraphy, asking me to remember to pass the fee along to you.”
“Oh?”
He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. That woman looked at most twenty, yet her composure was this good? Calm on the surface, no sign of displeasure in private—she had more self-control than his parents, who were in their forties or fifties.
Ha.
Ha ha.
He just couldn’t buy it.
“Looks like Assistant Qiu was quite satisfied with your work, Young Master. I’d say I made a successful introduction. Next time she comes, I’ll have a reason to ask her to produce a few more books.” The Ruan family steward was already daydreaming happily.
“She made those books?” he asked in surprise.
The steward said, “Yes. Didn’t Assistant Qiu mention it to you?”
He couldn’t help picking one up and flipping through it again.
The handwriting was nothing special, but the bookbinding craftsmanship was top-notch.
Leaving Cheng Garden, Qiuyun calculated her expenses from the car. Buying materials plus the calligraphy fee came to 168,000 yuan. After paying off the loan, she’d still net close to 100,000 yuan.
Not bad.
With some cash in hand, she first transferred 10,000 to her younger brother, asking if he was settling in at his new company.
Qiu Ze was the kind of diligent guy even brick-carrying bosses praised. Dance and vocal training were nothing to him. Every day, he was the first to arrive and the last to leave, full of energy like a shot of adrenaline. The fan club members camped outside the building all knew that MR had a hot new dark-skinned trainee who worked like a beast.
Back at the estate, the wife was at school for a meeting, and the miss wasn’t in Bright Moon Tower either. Fang Jie said she’d gone with Sixth Miss to try on dresses.
The birthday banquet was next Friday. After the fitting, there would be alterations, so a week ahead was just right.
“Sister Xiaoqiu, are you back?”
Soon after, Seventh Miss called.
Qiuyun had just set up her embroidery hoop. “Mm, I just got back. Is there something you need, Miss?”
“The braid you did for me last time was so pretty. Do you have time to do another one now? I want to see if it matches my outfit.”
“Of course. Where are you now?”
“At West Maple Pavilion, at my sixth sister’s place.”
“Alright. Give me a moment, I’ll be right over.”
By the time she was done, Qiuyun had not only become Seventh Miss’s personal hairstylist but Sixth Miss had also requested her braiding services.
It wasn’t for nothing, though. Sixth Miss paid her 30,000 yuan at market rate.
Teacher Lan, who was always by the miss’s side, watched with jealous eyes.
In less than twenty-four hours, this new little nanny had earned 450,000 yuan—more than her own mother’s annual salary! How could anyone be so good at making money? And she was just a high school graduate who hadn’t even gone to college!
What gave her the right?
Not just Lan Xin, even Fang Jie and Yuan Jie, colleagues who got along well enough with Qiuyun, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. Everyone really was different from everyone else, they sighed.
Sunday.
It was the weekly Jiang family dinner once again.
The eldest branch’s husband and wife, who hadn’t seen each other in six days, finally met at the main building.
Seeing his wife in decent spirits, gently chatting with their daughter, Jiang Yihua couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache. In a moment of sulking, he didn’t approach, and the two of them remained in a cold war through dinner.
On top of that—for the first time ever—the eldest branch’s eldest grandson, Jiang Lin’an, also didn’t show.
The eldest branch seldom put on a show, but when it did, it came in pairs. Qian Yuqiong had barely been able to keep the corners of her mouth from rising all day while drinking water. It was easy to imagine just how delighted she was inside.
“Dad, Ge Furen.”
Before long, the Old Master and Ge Furen came downstairs together, and everyone stood to greet them.
“Sit, all of you.”
The Old Master walked steadily to the table and took his seat before anyone else dared to do the same.
The atmosphere at the table was eerily quiet. Even Old Master’s fourth son, Jiang Yifeng, usually fond of cracking jokes, could only idly toy with his utensils.
The Old Master lifted his gaze to the empty seat at the table. Though the person wasn’t there, the dishes meant for him were still placed there in full, which only fanned the invisible flames of anger.
If his eldest grandson had any regard for this family, he wouldn’t abandon family affairs for a woman!
And then there was his eldest son, looking haggard lately, all because his wife had moved out to live separately from him?!
One after another, so completely lacking in backbone. The Old Master could hardly contain his fury.
“Eldest.”
“Here.” Noting his wife’s cold, icy expression, Jiang Yihua was already eating without tasting a thing. He quickly set down his utensils.
“How’s the group been these past couple of days? Is the Jianghai District redevelopment project going smoothly?”
“Smoothly.” Jiang Yihua briefly summarized what he’d handled and offered a few constructive suggestions, seeking the Old Master’s opinion on key decisions.
“No rush for now.” The Old Master thought for a moment. “Let’s finalize things after the banquet next week. Dragging it out a few days just means losing a bit of money, but it’ll be better than throwing funds into something that goes down the drain.”
“Understood.” Jiang Yihua dropped the subject.
The Old Master’s gaze fell on his eldest daughter-in-law. “Eldest’s Wife.”
Yu Xiang stiffened briefly before setting down her utensils and responding, “Yes, Father?”
“How’s work? Any problems recently?”
Father had never asked about her work before. Yu Xiang replied gently, “It’s all fine. Summer break has just started, so once I finish this last bit of work, I’ll be on holiday.”
