During the day, she would sometimes be at the manor wrapping up the new regulations, other times at DreamChase following up on the project, and then after the young miss finished class, she'd go pick her up.
At that point, Yu Heng's tutoring duties were done, and the rest of the afternoon belonged to Qiuyun, who would accompany the young miss home to various cram classes, enrichment classes—horseback riding, violin, oil painting, the works.
A week passed in quiet, routine rhythm.
And sure enough.
A full week went by without a whisper from print or online media—Mrs. Ge had the orphanage charity event clamped down tight.
Jiang Yihua had expected exactly this outcome, but given Qiuyun's earnest and reliable performance, he deliberately handed her a hundred-thousand-yuan red envelope as a bonus.
Ahem.
Though Qiuyun figured the real reason was that her boss simply enjoyed watching Mrs. Ge squirm, and used any excuse to throw her ten grand.
She happily pocketed it.
Still, she later went online to search for related news and finally understood why the eldest branch's simple charity visit to an orphanage had provoked such a strong reaction from Mrs. Ge.
Turned out Qiuyun's own charity logic was still stuck in the old famine-era model—giving out porridge to save lives, doing good deeds, accumulating merit, building a reputation. But modern society had already turned charity into a whole sophisticated game.
It wasn't just those old-school benefits anymore. It covered tax avoidance and exemptions, socialite networking, bidding on government projects—multidimensional growth. On top of that, it carried a dual attribute as both a corporate function and a family office role, and it was the only corporate position a female family member could hold.
Not important didn't even begin to cover it.
Qiuyun compiled the next orphanage's information and handed it to the young miss, letting her plan the donation supplies herself.
Heh heh.
Well, this strategic battleground—the eldest branch was taking it, no question.
For the following two weeks up to National Day, her boss kept to his regular nine-to-five routine, stubbornly sticking to his schedule. He even drove to his wife's university every day after work to pick her up, occasionally whisking her off for candlelit dinners, or to see plays and musicals—thoughtful and attentive through and through.
So meticulous that even Qiuyun couldn't see that his real motive was to lower the old master's guard. And with the couple already having a foundation of affection, his wife's attitude was visibly softening.
Besides her husband increasingly resembling the version of himself from when they'd first dated, there was also the eldest son back home—the family of five eating three to five meals together every week, and the younger daughter having meals with them daily.
That sense of home gave her warmth and a feeling of belonging, and with better spirits, she naturally saw Jiang Yihua in a much kinder light.
"It's no trouble, junior sister, they're not heavy." Dai Yudong, carrying several large paper bags, walked beside Yu Xiang as they came out of the school building. "Thanks to you putting in a good word for me with the professor, I got this chance. Let me at least do something small to help."
Yu Xiang replied politely: "It's just a teaching assistant position. With your credentials, you'd definitely pass the entrance exam at our school anyway."
"The exam isn't until early spring next year, though." When they reached the exit path, Dai Yudong stepped aside to let his junior sister go first. "Otherwise, there'd be a gap in my résumé, and that'd be awkward to explain later."
"Senior, you were always the big talent back in the day. Gold shines no matter where it is."
"Don't tease me. If I hadn't run into you at the professor's birthday banquet, I honestly wouldn't know what to do with myself after coming back to the country."
"You're too modest."
"Not at all. Say, I just got here and I have no idea what good places to eat are near campus. Any recommendations? Drinks on me sometime?"
"There's a decent Chinese place near the south gate that our professors frequent." They reached the curb by the entrance, and Yu Xiang tried to take the bags from him. "No need for a meal—seriously, it was just a small favor. You don't have to make a fuss."
"No trouble at all." Dai Yudong dodged her hands. "Where's your car? I'll put these in the trunk for you."
A Maybach 57S—one of only 666 in the world—was parked right in front of the school gate. The rear window rolled down slowly, and Jiang Yihua asked: "Xiang'er, who is this?"
All eyes fixated. Yu Xiang's head throbbed: "A colleague."
The car that normally shuttled her was a low-key Mercedes, and since Jiang Yihua had started picking her up in his own car, she'd had him park around the corner across the street, not in front of the school.
Dai Yudong stared at the Mr. Jiang who was perpetually on business news channels, frozen.
So this was her husband. No wonder a single word from her solved his employment problem.
Secretary Zhu stepped out of the passenger seat, walked over to Dai Yudong, and asked: "Are these things for the madam?"
"Oh—yes."
"May I? Thank you."
Secretary Zhu took the bags, placed them in the trunk, and then opened the door for the madam.
"I'll be off." Yu Xiang nodded politely.
Dai Yudong snapped back to himself: "Oh—see you, junior sister."
After they got in, Secretary Zhu tactfully raised the partition. Jiang Yihua snorted: "Junior sister? I went to the same school as you, how come I never knew you had a senior like that?"
"A senior from my master's program."
"Oh, looks quite close, huh? What did he gift you, such a huge pile of things that are obviously cheap—"
Yu Xiang was speechless: "Get your facts straight. These are leftover teacher's day gifts from students, and they've been piling up in my office ever since. I only brought them home today."
"Who'd believe that!" Jiang Yihua scoffed. "National Day is a week away, and you're telling me—"
"Because of the holiday, the faculty union is hosting a 'Beautiest Office' contest. I brought them home for that."
"A university hosting that? I don't believe it one bit."
"Believe it or not, I don't care." Yu Xiang ignored him.
Jiang Yihua pushed: "I don't care either way—according to our deal, you're going to have to make it up to me."
What??
Yu Xiang turned in shock, staring at him in utter disbelief: "Jiang Yihua, will you be serious? You're forty-four now, not twenty-two!"
"So what? You gonna tell me you don't keep your word?"
Yu Xiang gritted her teeth in anger, but she was someone who never broke a promise—whether to others or to herself.
"…Fine."
Jiang Yihua, emboldened by his win, played coy: "What's that? Didn't catch it."
"Fine!"
Jiang Yihua pressed the intercom and told the driver: "Head back to the basement level. I've got a file to put in the safe."
Uncle Cao: "Yes, sir."
The deal they made as a young couple: whoever accepted favors or attention from an eligible member of the opposite sex, that person had to serve the other in bed.
Back then, in the sugar-sweet honeymoon phase of marriage, it was obviously just flirty fun. But now they were an old married couple, just emerging from a cold war—ele didn't have the nerve to bring that up!
Shameless.
Dinner.
When the beaming husband and flush-faced wife appeared together in the Moonlight Pavilion dining hall, Qiuyun understood instantly.
Ahem.
Even though she was still a pure unmarried lady, having stood outside her masters' bedroom door countless times, later changing the sheets and keeping them clean, she was well versed in the signs.
Their state now? Impossible to miss.
Qiuyun felt a deep relief.
The old wounds embedded in the eldest branch had finally been scraped away and slowly healed. From here on, as long as they were united in purpose, holding the status as the first wife's eldest son line—how could the inheritance slip away?
"Mom, Dad, eat up—I've got things to do soon." Jiang Chuling wolfed down her food.
"Slow down. What busy things could you possibly have?" Yu Xiang made her sip some bird's nest soup so she wouldn't choke.
Jiang Chuling smirked slyly: "Hehe, it's a secret."
After dinner, as Jiang Yihua was in the middle of discussing with Yu Xiang whether they should move back to the basement apartment together, Secretary Zhu called, voice as gloomy as if he'd just lost a father: "Mr. Jiang, something major happened."
