The two of them finished their meal in a peaceful manner. Aside from Jiang Lin'an asking his sister about her life and studies, not another word was exchanged between them.
After the meal, they walked downstairs together and stood at the entrance of the cafeteria. Before leaving, Qiuyun said politely, "I'll be going now. See you on the weekend, Eldest Young Master."
Jiang Lin'an was speechless.
He'd said he'd consider it, hadn't he!
Back at home, he'd laid down the law so fiercely—and now she was just going to harden her stance without giving him even a single step down!?
Didn't he have a reputation to maintain!?
But Assistant Qiu seemed sharp as a tack. Her next line was: "I'll have the young miss come and persuade you. I'm sure that with her eloquence, persuading her elder brother—who's been away from home for so long—to come back will give her a real sense of accomplishment."
"…"
Jiang Lin'an's head throbbed. "Got it. I will con-sider."
Qiuyun smiled and was about to say her goodbyes again, when a girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere, leaning warily against Jiang Lin'an. "Senior, you're eating at the cafeteria too? Why didn't I see you earlier?"
"I ate upstairs."
"Oh." The girl changed tack. "Anyway, who's this? Aren't you going to introduce us, Senior?"
Qiuyun calmly looked away.
Tsk.
Another new face.
"Someone from my family," Jiang Lin'an said in a warm tone. "I actually have a few things to take care of right now. How about we meet at the club tomorrow?"
The junior reluctantly said, "Alright, I won't bother you then, Senior. See you tomorrow!"
"Yeah, goodbye."
After she left, Jiang Lin'an looked at Assistant Qiu's expression—as if she'd seen it all before—and remembering the last time she'd thrown his own words back at him, couldn't help but defend himself. "I'm not a player. She's just a junior from the same club."
Qiuyun looked up with a smile. "The Eldest Young Master is gentle and proper, kind and soft-hearted. You're a warm person, really."
AKA, a central air conditioner.
Jiang Lin'an: …
It clearly sounded like a compliment, but somehow it felt off?
"Goodbye, Eldest Young Master."
Without waiting for his reaction, Qiuyun took her leave politely.
-
She took a cab from A University back home and ordered takeout for her silly younger brother along the way.
By the time the property management delivered the food, she'd just arrived home.
"Sis!" Qiu Ze stood up. "What's the deal with this place!?"
Earlier that morning, there'd been property management staff and installation workers coming through—even he knew, as dense as he was, that there were some things you didn't ask about in front of outsiders!
Qiuyun admired her new home.
Not bad, not bad. The fully furnished place was already finished and free of formaldehyde—just move in the appliances and furniture and it was ready to live in.
"Sis!" Qiu Ze pressed.
"I helped the boss out of a tight spot. He gave it to me as thanks," Qiuyun said briefly.
Qiu Ze was stunned. "Gave it to you!?"
"Yeah. A really big favor—like saving his life." If you considered the old man's inheritance as his life's work.
A life-saving favor, huh.
Qiu Ze visibly relaxed. Good, so it was a life-debt—thank god. He'd really been afraid some clueless guy would try to win his sister over with a house. Such a shallow and insulting move—he would never approve of that!
"So I'm living here from now on?" he asked.
"The dorm at your company is pretty average, and there's hardly any privacy. This place has strict property management. And as your fanbase grows, those obsessive fans will only multiply." Qiuyun finished walking through the whole house. "You're staying here?"
She'd bought two beds—one in the master bedroom for herself, and one in the room right next to it.
"Yeah! The sunlight is great here." Qiu Ze grinned.
"This room is small, and there's no private bathroom." Qiuyun made a call. "I'll have the property staff come move you to the bigger secondary bedroom—the one with the balcony and its own bathroom."
Qiu Ze looked at his sister with puppy-dog eyes, but by the time the call was already made, he had no choice but to mumble a dejected "okay."
After dinner, the siblings went back to the dorm to pack up their luggage. When they returned, the staff had already moved the bed, wardrobe, and desk over to the new room.
With everything done, Qiuyun sent her brother back to training while she used the gap to go to Dreamweaver—the game studio—to hash out the script, then took a cab to the young miss's school to pick her up.
Tsk. She really should get her driver's license.
Otherwise, getting around was such a hassle.
Sister Little Qiu! Why did you come to pick me up today?
Qiuyun beamed, bending down to her level. "Because I have good news, of course—I just couldn't wait to tell you and make you happy."
"What good news!" Jiang Chuling beamed.
"The old master finally couldn't take the lady of the house's cold shoulder anymore. He's planning to buy groceries this weekend and cook at your Bright Moon residence to make it up to her."
That was good news!
Jiang Chuling's lips curled into a huge grin, and she hugged Qiuyun's arm. "Sister Qiu, I love you so, so, so much! How did you know this news would make me this happy!"
Qiuyun tapped her on the nose. "Who was it that kept coming to me asking for updates every chance she got?"
"Hehe."
The three of them got into the car. This time, Qiuyun joined the young miss in the back seat and pulled up the privacy partition.
She fastened both of the kids' seatbelts. "But—the lady of the house's heart isn't troubled over the old master. Even if he buys groceries and cooks and fawns all over her, it probably won't win her back."
Jiang Chuling bit her lip, looking troubled. "Then I'm still on Mom's side."
After all, she came out of Mom's belly.
"Why don't you think about what the lady of the house's real worry is?"
Jiang Chuling's eyes lit up in an instant. "It's my brother! It's the eldest brother!"
Qiuyun: "Exactly. If the Eldest Young Master can show up that day, the lady of the house will probably be much more likely to soften and forgive."
But Jiang Chuling frowned at that. "But how could my brother listen to me? He was so determined and cold the way back then."
Yu Heng glanced at Assistant Qiuyun and spoke up at the right time. "The young miss also said back then. Maybe enough time has passed—who's to say the Eldest Young Master hasn't changed his mind?"
"That makes sense!"
Jiang Chuling was suddenly full of fighting spirit. "Let's go storm over there right now!"
Qiuyun quickly stopped her. "Today's only Monday. There's no rush. Why don't you spend this week thinking about how to negotiate with the Eldest Young Master and get him to come home for that meal."
"True."
"And this has to stay a secret. We want to surprise the lady of the house."
Jiang Chuling let out a cackling laugh. "Of course! I'm the best at surprises!"
Tuesday—after school, Jiang Chuling went to her brother's apartment at A University. She begged for ages but he wouldn't budge. Qiuyun encouraged her to keep trying.
Wednesday and Thursday, the same.
Until Friday, when Jiang Lin'an finally felt he'd held out long enough, and began to ask his sister the question that had been circling his mind all week.
"Little Seven, do you want Dad to take over Grandfather's position?"
Jiang Chuling leaned in with a confused look and pressed a hand to her brother's forehead. "Big brother, are you sick?"
He had to be talking nonsense.
Jiang Lin'an let his sister touch his forehead without protest. "Of course not. Why would you ask that?"
"Who in our family wouldn't want Dad to take over Grandfather's position?!"
Jiang Chuling gave him a strange look. "If Dad takes over Grandfather's spot, I'll be the only little princess in the family—everything in the house gets picked by Mom and me first! Second Aunt won't come at me with her nonsense every time she sees me, Third Aunt won't keep giving me the cold shoulder, and as for Jiang Chuyun—if my dad ends up the head of the family and moves into the main residence, does she dare pick a fight with me again?"
