As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, opened the permissions manager, and scrolled through the blacklist before asking, “Assistant Manager Sun, which number were you again?”
“…” Sun Bo had already made up his mind to raise a fuss in front of Master Jiang if things escalated.
“This one.” He took a deep breath, calming himself not to get hung up on such trivial matters.
Qiuyun unblocked him, saved the contact with a note, and asked, “What can I do for you, Assistant Manager Sun?”
Since he was already there, he might as well get things sorted out.
“It’s about Teacher Lan. Madam Jiang only told me to find an excuse to let her go, but how am I supposed to do that?” Sun Assistant Manager said. “But Madam Jiang did say I could consult you on this matter.”
Tsk.
Lan Xin was the daughter of Assistant Manager Chen, and Sun Bo didn’t want to offend an old colleague, so he’d decided to put the blame on her, using her as a scapegoat.
“An excuse? That’s easy to find.”
Qiuyun said, “Please have someone look into Teacher Lan’s Moments or other social media posts. We all signed confidentiality agreements, didn’t we? That’s a perfectly legitimate reason—even if Assistant Manager Chen comes asking, we can justify it without a flaw.”
Last time when she brought fruit to Lan Xin, Qiuyun had seen her take a photo with her own eyes.
A woman who wants to rival the young ladies in food and clothing—she didn’t believe Teacher Lan took those photos just to admire them privately in her album.
At this point, Sun Assistant Manager’s face looked even more strained than before.
His initial plan had been to put Qiuyun on the spot while simultaneously stirring conflict between her and Assistant Manager Chen.
But now it was clear the other party had caught onto his intention and refused to get involved.
“Assistant Manager Sun?” Qiuyun seemed oblivious to his scheme, her smile unwavering.
Given the situation, Sun Assistant Manager could only force himself to adjust his demeanor. “Assistant Qiu, I might have been a bit too hasty when I came over just now, and my tone wasn’t the best. I hope you don’t mind.”
Sun Bo, now in his forties and having climbed to this position, was certainly no fool.
After one attempt to test her was deflected, and she even offered an unimpeachable solution, he realized that in the great estate, Qiuyun’s handling skills far surpassed his.
“Of course not!” Qiuyun’s smile was generous and her manner warm. “We’re both part of the eldest branch’s household. It’s just a small matter. Besides, I was at fault too—I should be the one apologizing to you.”
“Not at all. Just a misunderstanding.” After adjusting his mindset, Sun Bo finally managed to squeeze out a smile. “We’re quite fated, really. When you first joined the estate not long ago, I already thought you were a talent, Assistant Qiu. Who would’ve thought that in less than three months, you’d already have a say in front of Master Jiang and Madam Jiang? Truly impressive for someone so young!”
Qiuyun replied, “I’m just grateful that Master Jiang and Madam Jiang think highly of me. I’ve only done my due duty.”
After the polite pleasantries, Sun Assistant Manager left Moonlight Tower to have someone investigate Lan Xin’s social media activity.
Qiuyun shrugged, not bothered in the least by a timeserver like Sun Bo.
A week later.
Lan Xin received a termination notice. Faced with a six-page investigation report, even her mother, Assistant Manager Chen, was left speechless.
“I have failed the trust of Master Jiang and Madam Jiang.” Assistant Manager Chen wept in front of Yu Xiang, not only grieving that her daughter had lost such a good job but also fearing she herself might no longer be able to stay in the estate.
Though Yu Xiang was kind-hearted, that kindness was reserved for ordinary, decent people.
For someone like Lan Xin, who schemed and caused trouble behind the scenes, there were no kind words waiting. “Everyone has vanity, but breaking a signed agreement shows a complete lack of integrity.”
Assistant Manager Chen’s back stiffened. She hadn’t expected Madam Jiang to define the matter in such stern terms, making it impossible for her to even secure a position for her daughter in the office building.
“But don’t worry. Your daughter is your daughter, and you are you.” Yu Xiang reassured her. “You’ve worked diligently in the estate for decades, taking good care of Ling’er. I’ve seen all your efforts.”
Assistant Manager Chen forced a smile and reluctantly abandoned that idea. “Yes, I am grateful for Madam Jiang’s trust.”
The Seventh Miss was now short one attendant, but with Qiuyun around, it wasn’t strictly necessary to find a replacement.
However, since Qiuyun was also taking on duties for Madam Jiang, Assistant Manager Chen tentatively asked whether they should hire a new tutor for the young lady.
Yu Xiang patted her hand. “I’ve already had Xiao Qiu handle that. Let the young people take on more tasks to gain experience.”
Assistant Manager Chen nodded with a smile.
But deep down, she knew Madam Jiang no longer trusted her as much as before.
The matter of finding a companion was indeed Qiuyun’s responsibility.
HR had sent several candidates, but Qiuyun turned them all down.
A companion doesn’t require exceptional knowledge or high qualifications.
But they must be clever, sharp, socially adept, and have the wisdom to either dissuade or step up when it counts.
Such children are hard to find, even harder in a modern society with abundant material conditions.
—Ding-ding
A message came through. Qiuyun opened it and saw it was from Little Yu Heng in the main kitchen: “Sister Qiu, my uncle is making ‘boiled cabbage in superior broth’ for the main building today. There’s a lot of it—want a portion?”
Boiled cabbage in superior broth is a classic Sichuan dish, requiring over twenty ingredients for the broth, which yields at least over a dozen pounds—quite a large batch.
Qiuyun replied, “Sure. How much?”
Yu Heng: “No need. The broth’s already prepared, and cabbage is cheap. You order from us all the time, Sister Qiu—this one’s on the house!”
Such a sharp little kid for her age.
Qiuyun thought for a moment and asked, “How old are you, Little Heng? What grade are you in?”
Yu Heng: “Eleven. Going into fourth grade next semester. When summer vacation ends, I have to go back to my hometown.”
So she wasn’t from here. That’s why HR hadn’t picked her up. She was a year older, but still in fourth grade—no problem.
Qiuyun: “Is your uncle there? I’ll come to the main kitchen to talk to you both about something.”
Yu Heng: “He’s here, Sister Qiu. What’s up?”
Qiuyun: “Too long to type. I’ll explain when I get there.”
Ten minutes later, Qiuyun took a shuttle to the main kitchen. After all these meals, she finally met the chef.
“Hello, you must be Yu Heng’s uncle,” Qiuyun said with a smile.
“Yes, yes. I’m Yu Heng’s uncle, Yu Aide.” The middle-aged man before her was short in stature, spoke with a Chengdu accent, but had a round, kind-looking face.
“I’m the assistant to the Seventh Miss.” Seeing he was more nervous than she was, Qiuyun quickly explained her purpose. “Please, sit. Since the Seventh Miss’s tutor has left, Moonlight Tower is looking for a new companion for her. I’m here to ask about Yu Heng.”
“Wh-what?” Yu Aide looked very uneasy. “She’s just a country girl. How could she be a companion for the Seventh Miss? No, no—she can’t handle it.”
Little Yu Heng, who had been silently listening, first lit up with bright eyes, but then dimmed as she heard her uncle’s refusal.
“Uncle Yu.” Qiuyun’s voice turned firm. “If I didn’t think Yu Heng was capable, I wouldn’t have come all the way here to ask about her. You must know—becoming the Seventh Miss’s companion could change her life! Even so, you’re not willing to let her give it a try?”
