Although the Old Master Jiang never said it outright, he was secretly pleased that his eldest daughter-in-law had improved herself after marriage—becoming pregnant, then earning a master’s degree and a doctorate, and finally securing a position as a university professor.
For a family like theirs, which made its fortune in business, they valued adding a touch of scholarly refinement to the household.
“Your mother-in-law was also a university professor, but she taught medicine. Even during summer break, she had to go to the hospital to oversee her students’ internships.”
The “your mother-in-law” the Old Master referred to was, of course, Jiang Yihua’s biological mother—his devoted wife of many years, a woman Yu Xiang had never met in person.
Yu Xiang quickly responded, “Medical professors certainly bear a heavier teaching burden.”
And the reason the Jiang family could invite Mayor Pei in the name of a private banquet was because the mayor’s wife had once saved his life: when Mayor Pei first started his career and encountered danger, she had performed emergency surgery on him.
The Jiang family had long kept that favor in reserve, never using it lightly—until now, this critical moment.
Ge Furen (Mrs. Ge) chimed in from the side, “I was just worrying that with Lin’an away, Little Seven might be bored at home this summer. With Yu Xiang here to keep him company, it’s a perfect chance to really strengthen their mother-son bond.”
In one sentence, she openly exposed the two recent embarrassments of the eldest branch—yet Ge Furen maintained a look of sincere unawareness, still appearing gentle and virtuous as ever.
Jiang Yihua’s face turned bitter, and he looked anxiously at his father.
Jiang Linzhi, however, seemed mildly surprised at those words. He lifted his head, his sharp gaze falling directly on his step-grandmother.
This step-grandmother of his had always been the epitome of propriety; she had never before spoken with such a lack of tact.
Expressions around the dining table varied. Yu Xiang smiled faintly and said, “You are quite right, madam.”
Interrupted, the Old Master pursed his lips and didn’t continue. After all, as a father-in-law, he could offer a word or two of advice about his son and daughter-in-law making up—but pressing the issue further would make him seem disrespectful and overly meddlesome in his son’s household affairs.
After a round of business inquiries, the conversation returned to the birthday banquet five days away.
“On Friday, after everything ends, stay a little longer. I have something to discuss,” the Old Master said slowly.
Lately, the Old Master had been making frequent moves. His private legal team had even stayed in the main house’s guest rooms for nearly a week, only vacating yesterday.
The banquet details had already been finalized long ago; they were merely waiting for Mayor Pei, his wife, and their young son to grace the occasion with their presence. For such a formal and grand banquet as the seventieth birthday, it could only mean one thing…
Guesses circulated among the family members, though none showed it on their faces. They spoke only pleasantries, wishing the Old Master boundless blessings and longevity.
“Alright, I know my own health well enough. Save those flowery formalities for outside; at home, there’s no need for them.” The Old Master waved his hand to signal they should eat.
But if anyone could truly eat in peace, it was probably only the man of honor himself.
That evening.
In the secondary second-floor residence, the second branch’s husband and wife had a private conversation.
“What do you suppose the Old Master means? Is he really going to announce the will?” Qian Yuqiong sat at her vanity, wiping her face as she asked her husband.
Jiang Yijie, still in his jacket, leaned back on the bed and snorted coldly. “How could I fathom the Old Master’s thoughts?”
“True enough.” Qian Yuqiong picked up a comb. “The Old Master is most wary of power slipping from his hands. I suspect that even if he announces the will, it will only cover asset distribution. He probably won’t reveal the group’s future leader so early.”
But what was there to fight over with a few billion in assets? The one who eventually inherited the company would be the one who secured endless wealth.
Jiang Yijie grunted vaguely in response, his mind already wandering to his phone.
“But today gave me a good laugh. I never expected my normally gentle and soft-spoken sister-in-law to hold out this long against my brother! It turns out a child is a mother’s bottom line—no one can touch that.”
Qian Yuqiong couldn’t stop talking when she was amused. “But my sister-in-law is also rather foolish. If my two sons ever wanted to break with the family over some ordinary girl, I’d have that girl sent abroad and never let her back. And yet my sister-in-law, out of self-respect, didn’t even go find trouble? I find that simply baffling.”
She chattered for a while, but her husband didn’t respond.
Qian Yuqiong slapped her comb on the table in annoyance. “I’m talking to you! Why have you been so distracted lately?”
“It’s about company matters. I’m going to the study to call my secretary.” He stood up to leave.
“Jiang Yijie! Do you even believe that yourself?!”
He turned with a look of impatience. “Do you want to end up like our eldest brother and sister-in-law, making a scene in front of the Old Master at next Friday’s banquet?”
“You!”
Qian Yuqiong, who valued face above all else, was left speechless. She watched helplessly as her husband got up and left to sleep in the study.
Her expression chilled. Swallowing her anger, she swept her hand across the vanity, sending skincare products and beauty devices crashing to the floor. Only after a long pause did she get up and call for someone to clean it up.
“Get a new set,” she ordered coldly.
The maid murmured an acknowledgment, but as she cleaned, she couldn’t help carefully picking up items to avoid spilling anything else.
After all, each bottle cost tens of thousands of yuan; the entire vanity was worth hundreds of thousands. She figured she could at least salvage the remnants in the broken bottles to smear on her own hands.
Once the room had been cleaned, the lingering floral scent remained annoyingly. Qian Yuqiong went to sleep in a guest room instead.
When she learned her husband had already left the study, she suppressed her rage further and ordered the household staff to keep their mouths shut—especially from the third branch.
The second and third branches both lived in the secondary second-floor residence, but on different levels. Any stir on one floor would inevitably reach the others.
For the sake of a future filled with luxury and power, Qian Yuqiong could endure it.
The next day.
Qiuyun, never comfortable writing with a hard pen, had to copy things out four times before her handwriting didn’t look too out of place. After checking that there were no mistakes or omissions, she sent the letter to that rude young master of the Ruan family.
As for Jiang Chuling, she knew Sister Qiuyun was busy preparing a gift for her mother’s teacher’s birthday. So she continued to go out horseback riding, oil painting, and meeting friends on her own, bringing Lan Xin along.
Perhaps spurred on by the competition, Lan Xin had become much more attentive than before, even following Qiuyun’s example by preparing a multi-functional nanny bag.
That way, if the young lady ever needed anything Qiuyun could provide but she couldn’t, she’d be ready.
“Cough cough…” Jiang Chuling was jolted by the scalding water in her thermos, nearly burning her lips. “Teacher Lan, I want some ice water now.”
Look at this remote countryside—Lan Xin was at a loss. “Miss, there’s no ice water around here. Wait a bit, I’ll let your water cool down so you can drink it.”
But even after half an hour, the July heat made the water still feel lukewarm.
Jiang Chuling frowned slightly. Before she could say anything, Lan Xin made an excuse: “Traditional Chinese medicine says it’s bad to drink cold drinks in hot weather, especially for children. It harms the spleen and stomach.”
Jiang Chuling saw right through her words—an ostensibly caring statement masking excuses.
Still, out of respect for Aunt Chen, she didn’t call her out on it.
“I’ll skip drinking for now.”
Jiang Chuling picked up her brush. After failing to mix the right shade of color multiple times, she grew restless even with the breeze by the riverbank. Before long, she told Teacher Lan to pack up the easel and informed her art teacher that today’s outdoor sketching session was over.
She came home early today. Jiang Chuling wanted to go see Sister Qiuyun embroider, so she sauntered over to Qiuyun's room, and happened to find her sketching patterns.
"Sister Qiuyun, you know Chinese painting?!"
