Yu Xiang looked up: “Hmm?”
In a few words, Qiuyun recounted last night’s discovery, then returned to her room to retrieve the damaged embroidery and showed it to Madam Jiang.
Yu Xiang’s expression turned serious. After asking Qiuyun for the exact time she had last left her room, she immediately pulled up the hallway surveillance footage. She found the timestamps where a figure passed by and clicked through them one by one.
The maids’ rooms were behind the guest living and dining area, with the hallway leading to the garden outside—the back entrance of Bright Moon Tower. Qiuyun, Sister Yuan, and Sister Fang lived here, so the figures that appeared were usually one of them.
But as Yu Xiang scrolled down through the captured footage, an unexpected yet unsurprising figure suddenly appeared.
Lan Xin, Teacher Lan.
She walked calmly from the back garden into the villa. Once she was in a dead zone beyond the estate’s surveillance, she quickened her pace and rushed to Qiuyun’s room. There, she used a spare key to unlock the door, slipped inside for only a dozen seconds, and then came out immediately.
After that, she swiftly made her way past the hallway, kitchen, bathroom, and dining area. Approaching the entrance in the living room, she deliberately slowed her pace, picked up a water cup she had “forgotten” by the door, and wore a natural expression as she leisurely walked out again.
Without the hidden surveillance, Lan Xin’s route would have appeared entirely innocent—just someone passing through to retrieve a forgotten item. Based on the time difference between the two estate cameras, she would have had no opportunity for wrongdoing.
But neither she nor her mother knew that there were hidden cameras indoors.
Yu Xiang’s gaze darkened. “Even though there’s no clear footage of her destroying the embroidery, this video is enough as evidence.”
Qiuyun remained silent.
The decision was up to the head of the household.
“I’ll find an opportunity to dismiss her,” Yu Xiang said softly, offering reassurance. “As for the loss and harm this caused you, the family will compensate you.”
After all, the evidence came from hidden cameras, so it wasn’t suitable to bring it into the open.
Qiuyun understood and felt a wave of relief. She nodded, expressing her gratitude to Madam Jiang.
Anyone who had lived in a large estate knew that the masters held absolute control. The reasons given for dismissing servants were usually “sticky fingers” or “laziness,” but the real motives were often known only to the masters themselves.
Looking at the nearly finished fan surface that was now ruined, Yu Xiang sighed and remarked, “I suppose my mentor’s wife just wasn’t meant to have this fan.”
There was only a week left until the teacher’s birthday, and no matter how she figured it, time was insufficient.
“If we’d followed the original plan of stitching the entire orchid with full leaves and blossoms, time would indeed be too tight. So last night, I worked hard to find a solution. Madam, please have a look.”
Qiuyun brought out the draft she had prepared overnight, along with the fan surface where she had already stitched a small section. “My idea is to use the orchid’s stem, leaves, and flowers as metaphors for a beauty’s figure, hair, and face. At a glance, it appears like a beautiful lady.”
Looking at the completed draft, Yu Xiang was stunned.
It wasn’t just Qiuyun’s skill in Chinese painting that impressed her, but her ability to solve problems quickly!
What to do when there wasn’t enough time to embroider the entire “Orchid in a Quiet Valley”?
Simplify the embroidery, emphasize the mood.
“I originally sketched this based on my own imagination of a beauty. If you have any artistic photos of your mentor’s wife, Madam, I can adjust the design to match them, making your gift even more thoughtful.”
“Yes, I have those, of course!” Yu Xiang immediately opened her phone to search. After sending the photos to Qiuyuan, she casually transferred her an additional 200,000 yuan as compensation. “This is for your emotional distress. Rest assured, this household will not tolerate someone with ill intentions like Lan Xin!”
Qiuyun accepted with a smile. Looking at the photos of the mentor’s wife in elegant cheongsam attire set against misty rain, she quickly came up with new ideas for revisions.
Thinking of how pleased her mentor’s wife would be with the gift, Yu Xiang’s expression brightened. “By the way, call the estate’s HR later to have them start looking for a new home tutor for Little Seven.”
At these words, considering Madam Jiang’s gentle temperament and her deep affection for her children, Qiuyun asked, “Madam, why do you always hire such elderly home tutors for the young masters and misses? From what I’ve seen, the miss’s tutoring either comes from online classes on a learning tablet or subject teachers who come to the house. What Teacher Lan does as a home tutor is no different from my role as an assistant!”
In essence, it was like a personal maid from ancient times.
Yu Xiang sighed. “It’s an old tradition of the Jiang family. I heard it was the same when Little Seven’s father was young.”
Qiuyun understood.
Back in those days, scholars were highly valued, and the old master of the house was too busy with work to stay at home. An adult home tutor was hired as both a teacher and a babysitter—someone who genuinely raised the children.
But as times rapidly advanced and the Jiang family business grew larger, the roles around the children were divided among more people. The home tutor had kept the name “teacher,” but the job had essentially become a study companion.
In that case, why not just hire a study companion instead?
Having listened to Qiuyun’s suggestion, Yu Xiang pondered for a moment before deciding: “Let’s hire a study companion! I’ve watched those ancient dramas where kids from wealthy families get study companions. Children should play with children. Having an adult constantly hovering over them is too restrictive!”
Having resolved to reclaim her role as a mother, she was willing to adopt any good advice for the sake of her children.
Qiuyun showed no arrogance at having her suggestion accepted; she simply said calmly, “Very well, Madam. A little later, I’ll go to the estate office to see HR.”
Yu Xiang, thinking ahead, instructed, “If we’re hiring a study companion, it’s best if they’re a child from the estate—someone we know well and can trust. Also, don’t look among the other three branches.”
“Don’t worry, Madam, I understand.”
Qiuyun moved her things to the spare bedroom that Madam Jiang had converted into a temporary study and began reviewing the handover from Sun Assistant Manager.
Qiuyun knew that Sun Assistant Manager and Madam Jiang were both aware of the hidden cameras, but she herself had not been told in advance.
The two of them moved smoothly and confidently, knowing that even if some unclear accounts remained, they could check later. But Qiuyun had actually memorized everything Sun had explained back then.
Now, as she reviewed and verified everything, it was all accurate down to the details.
Qiuyun deleted the hidden surveillance footage and destroyed the originals. Taking the estate shuttle bus to the HR office at the side gate, she not only conveyed Madam Jiang’s suggestions but also added the estate’s requirements for a study companion.
“…Good looks and excellent grades go without saying. But when you conduct background checks, pay special attention to the candidate’s parents’ relationship. It doesn’t matter whether both parents are present, but the home environment must be positive. Choose a child who’s cheerful and optimistic, one who can provide healthy guidance to the miss. Young children are not good at hiding their moods, so we can’t have a companion bringing bad energy from work into the miss’s presence.”
Even with such meticulous requirements, the staff member remained patient, typing each item diligently. Finally, they handed Qiuyun an iPad with the details displayed. “Please check everything to see if something needs to be added or changed.”
Qiuyun took it and reviewed it carefully. “That’s all for now. When you find suitable candidates, report them to me first.”
“Alright, I’ll post this immediately in our internal recruitment on the app.”
After it was released, Qiuyun added, “Oh, and about our app—upgrade my permissions to Assistant to the Mistress.”
The staff member paused and looked up. “Wait… aren’t you the assistant to the Seventh Miss?”
