7:00 AM, East Wing corridor.
When Jiang Lin opened his door, Chen Qian was standing outside.
She was holding some documents in one hand and that dark grey tie from last night in the other.
Seeing Jiang Lin with his collar open, her face instantly flushed red.
"Mr. Jiang, Mrs. Wendell asked me to bring this to you."
"Where is she?"
"Downstairs, discussing the old collection documents with Sir Simon."
Chen Qian handed the tie over.
Jiang Lin took it and, looking down, wrapped it around his neck once.
He had only tied it halfway, and it was noticeably crooked.
Chen Qian watched, holding back for a few seconds.
"Mr. Jiang..."
"Does it look that bad?"
"A little."
"Do you know how to do it?"
"I used to tie it for my dad."
Jiang Lin handed the tie back to her.
"Go ahead."
Chen Qian's fingers stiffened.
"Me?"
"Is there anyone else here?"
She was having trouble holding the documents, so Jiang Lin reached out and took them from her.
Chen Qian stepped half a step closer and raised her hands to adjust his collar.
Her fingertips brushed against the area below his Adam's apple, and she quickly pulled back.
"Don't tremble."
"I'm not."
"The tie is trembling."
Chen Qian's face turned even redder as she gripped the fabric again.
Just as she wrapped it for the second loop, footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
Victoria, wearing a dark green long dress and holding a cup of black tea, stood not far away, watching them.
"Morning."
Chen Qian's hand shook, and the knot became completely crooked.
Victoria approached, her gaze landing on Jiang Lin's collar.
"Miss Chen is tying it very seriously."
Chen Qian immediately stepped back.
"Mrs. Wendell, I was just..."
"Just helping."
Victoria handed the black tea to the maid behind her and reached out to take the tie.
"Let me."
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"Are we changing people again today?"
"We can't have a guest looking disheveled in the castle."
Victoria's movements were skillful; her fingertips brushed against his shirt collar as she pulled the tie apart again.
Chen Qian stood to the side holding the documents, not knowing whether to leave or stay.
Victoria had the knot halfway done when Isabella came up from the staircase.
Seeing this scene, she stopped in her tracks.
Jiang Lin turned his head.
"Madam."
Isabella walked over.
"Last night I said, it depends on my mood."
Victoria didn't let go.
"Mrs. Montclair's mood arrived late today."
Isabella stood in front of Jiang Lin.
"It's here now."
Victoria smiled slightly and released the tie.
Isabella took over.
She undid the knot that had already taken shape and tied it again.
Her movements were steadier than last night; her fingertips pressed against the fabric, slowly tightening it.
Chen Qian kept her head down, not daring to look.
Victoria picked up her black tea, standing to the side and watching quite naturally.
Isabella finally pushed the tie to the center and looked up at Jiang Lin.
"Don't let anyone else touch it today."
Victoria chimed in.
"And if it gets crooked?"
"Let it stay crooked."
Jiang Lin looked down at the tie.
"I'd better not look down today."
Chen Qian couldn't help but chuckle.
Isabella looked over.
Chen Qian immediately stood up straight.
"Madam, Sir Simon had someone deliver new documents. The old collection boxes have been sealed, and we will audit Earl Edward's private accounts this morning."
"Let's go."
They went downstairs.
In the hall, Sir Simon and two lawyers were already seated.
Eileen spread out the copies brought back from Mayfair last night.
The old collection transfer confirmation.
The reserve price list.
Grant's witness signature.
Harold's signature.
Edward's signature.
Sir Simon pushed up his glasses.
"Mrs. Wendell, there is sufficient evidence to initiate a formal investigation."
Victoria sat down.
"What about Edward's accounts?"
"You need to sign the authorization for the investigation of abnormal transactions in the family trust."
Eileen handed over the documents.
Just as Victoria picked up her pen, Edward came down the stairs.
His expression was grim.
"Do you dare to sign that?"
Victoria didn't look at him and signed directly.
As the pen tip touched the paper, Edward's expression darkened completely.
"Simon, are you going to go crazy with her too?"
Sir Simon closed the documents.
"This is procedure."
"Procedure?"
Edward pointed at Jiang Lin.
"An outsider, relying on his ambiguous relationships with two women to stir up the Wendell Family like this. You call this procedure?"
The hall went quiet.
Chen Qian's face turned pale.
Isabella looked up.
"Watch your language."
Edward sneered.
"Mrs. Montclair, do you think no one saw what happened at the Mayfair mansion last night?"
Isabella stood up.
"So what if they did?"
Edward hadn't expected her to admit it directly, and he froze.
Victoria slowly set down her teacup.
"Edward, who are you trying to humiliate with words like that?"
"I'm just reminding you not to be led around by a young man."
Victoria stood up.
"When I was led around by you before, the Wendell Family lost the old collection, lost jewelry, and almost lost the Training Ground."
She walked up to Edward.
"Now that I'm listening to someone else, at least we've gotten the documents back and saved the team."
Edward gritted his teeth.
"You will regret this."
Jiang Lin glanced at Sir Simon.
"This statement can be recorded as the Earl's attitude toward the trust audit."
The lawyer beside Sir Simon immediately bowed his head to record it.
Edward's face turned livid.
Isabella walked to Jiang Lin's side and reached out to gently nudge his tie back to the center.
"Ignore him, your tie is crooked again."
Victoria watched her actions and suddenly laughed.
"Mrs. Montclair just said to let it stay crooked."
"I've changed my mind."
Edward looked at the three of them and turned to leave.
Sir Simon continued flipping through the documents.
"Earl Edward's private accounts, documents signed by Harold, and the old collection transactions handled by Grant will be audited simultaneously."
Victoria nodded.
"How long will it take?"
"Preliminary results in three days."
Jiang Lin spoke up.
"Three days is too long."
Sir Simon looked at him.
"Mr. Jiang, audits take time."
"Audit Edward's transfers and dealings with Grant from the last month first. The old collection contract has already been exposed; they will move the remaining items."
Chen Qian handed out a table.
"This is the order of relevant accounts I organized last night. Check the five items marked in red first; it will be the fastest."
Sir Simon took it and looked it over.
"Miss Chen, this table is very clear."
Chen Qian blushed.
"Thank you."
Isabella spoke.
"She organized this until the early hours?"
Chen Qian immediately shook her head.
"Not very late."
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"What time did you go to sleep?"
Chen Qian didn't say anything.
Victoria let out a laugh.
"It seems Mrs. Montclair will have to supervise someone again tonight."
Isabella directly took the other stack of documents from Chen Qian's hands.
"Only do recording this morning; you are not allowed to touch the accounts again."
Chen Qian whispered, "Okay."
At 10:00 AM, Sir Simon left with the documents.
Victoria saw him to the door.
When she returned, Jiang Lin was standing by the window looking at the news concerning the Training Ground.
Hall Capital had temporarily withdrawn its offer.
The fan association had unfurled banners at the club entrance.
The news of Ethan's starting lineup on Saturday had been pushed to the top of the local sports forum.
Victoria walked to his side.
"Hall has taken half a step back."
"They will advance again."
"Are you really going to watch the game on Saturday?"
"I promised Ethan."
"Then stay."
Isabella walked up from behind.
"Regarding Montlais Winery, Alain just called; the bank extension has officially entered the approval process."
Jiang Lin turned his head.
"Are you going back to France?"
"I was planning to."
Victoria looked at her.
"And now?"
Isabella looked at Jiang Lin.
"I'll leave after watching the game."
Victoria's lips curled slightly.
"For the sake of the team?"
"To prevent my partner from being snatched away by someone in the UK."
Jiang Lin chuckled.
Isabella raised her hand, her fingertips tapping on his tie knot.
"Don't laugh."
Victoria looked at her hand.
"Mrs. Montclair, the number of times you've touched his tie today has already exceeded the number of documents you've handled."
"Mrs. Wendell remembers such details so well."
"I remember everything that happens in the castle."
Chen Qian passed by, her footsteps light.
Isabella called out to her.
"Miss Chen."
"Madam?"
"Go and rest before noon."
Chen Qian looked at Jiang Lin.
Before Jiang Lin could speak, Isabella had already looked over.
"Looking at him won't help."
Chen Qian immediately bowed her head.
"I'm going right now."
Victoria chuckled from the side.
"So obedient."
Isabella replied coldly.
"Don't you worry about it."
In the afternoon, at the castle Greenhouse.
The rain had stopped, and there was a bit of mist on the lake.
Victoria had arranged a simple lunch.
Chen Qian was forcefully pressed into a chair by Isabella, with hot soup and toasted bread placed in front of her.
Jiang Lin sat opposite; just as he picked up his cup, Isabella handed him coffee.
Victoria immediately followed by pushing black tea to the other side.
Chen Qian hesitated for a moment, then pushed warm water to the center.
The three cups appeared again.
Jiang Lin looked at the table.
"Are we doing this again today?"
Victoria: "Habits must be maintained."
Isabella: "Drink the water first."
Chen Qian whispered: "It's good for your stomach."
Jiang Lin picked up the water glass and took a sip.
Chen Qian breathed a sigh of relief.
Victoria pushed the black tea closer.
"Now drink the tea."
Isabella looked at her.
"He drinks coffee in the afternoon."
"In the UK, we drink tea in the afternoon."
"He is not British."
"He is in the UK now."
The two looked at each other.
Jiang Lin picked up the coffee and took a sip, then picked up the tea and took a sip.
"I've drunk both."
Chen Qian pointed at the water.
"There's still the water."
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"Are you starting too?"
Chen Qian immediately bowed her head and drank her soup.
Victoria laughed, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Isabella couldn't help it either, and her lips curled up.
After lunch, Victoria took Jiang Lin to the small library in the castle.
Isabella was originally following, but Eileen suddenly brought over a fax from a French bank.
"Mrs. Montclair, Mr. Alain needs you to confirm a few terms."
Isabella glanced at Victoria.
Victoria smiled.
"I'm just taking Mr. Jiang to look at some old maps."
Isabella handed the fax to Martin.
"I'll be back soon."
The small library was next to the Greenhouse.
The room wasn't large, with bookshelves on all four sides, a narrow long table in the middle, and a view of the lake outside the window.
Victoria took out several old maps.
"The land around the Wendell Training Ground was still family farmland twenty years ago."
Jiang Lin spread out the map.
"Hall Capital wants more than just the Training Ground."
"Where else?"
"This abandoned warehouse on the south side, and this old road on the east. If the planning is connected, it could be turned into a residential area."
Victoria leaned in to look at the map, her shoulder almost touching his arm.
"Are you sure?"
Jiang Lin pointed to the map.
"Gray Architectural Consultants wouldn't do preliminary research just for a single Training Ground."
As she bent over, her hair brushed against the back of his hand.
"Then how do you intend to stop it?"
"Have the club, the fans, and the trust all simultaneously raise the issue of public interest protection. Then have the media keep a close eye on the planners."
Victoria turned her head to look at him.
The distance was very close.
"Mr. Jiang, every time you say'stop', you're actually looking for an opportunity."
"Only things with opportunity are worth stopping."
She laughed softly and reached out to take the pen from his hand.
"Then what about me?"
"You?"
"Am I also an opportunity?"
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"You are the entry point."
Victoria's smile faded a little.
"That's very cold."
"It's also very true."
She put the pen back into his palm, her fingertips not leaving immediately.
"What if I don't want to just be an entry point?"
Footsteps sounded at the doorway.
Isabella was standing there.
"Then get in line."
Victoria didn't step back; instead, she continued looking at Jiang Lin.
"Mrs. Montclair arrived very quickly."
Isabella walked in.
"I told you I would."
She came to Jiang Lin's other side and looked down at the map.
"What did you find?"
Jiang Lin pointed it out to her.
"The Training Ground, the warehouse, the old road—Hall wants the entire area for development."
Isabella took a look.
"So, before the game on Saturday, we must release this information."
"Yes."
Victoria watched the two of them looking at the map side by side.
"You two are quite in sync when you work together."
Isabella didn't look up.
"You can get used to it too."
Victoria laughed.
"That sounds like an invitation."
"It sounds like a warning."
Jiang Lin closed the map.
"Let's handle the important business first."
Isabella reached out and took the pen Victoria had just put back from his palm.
"I'll use this pen."
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
"Mrs. Montclair wants even the pen?"
"It's just convenient."
Victoria laughed out loud.
In the evening, Sir Simon sent word.
Edward had a transfer of 200,000 pounds in the last month, and the recipient was related to an art consultancy under Grant.
Harold also had a consulting fee.
Both transactions occurred around the time "the lady in the grey dress by the window" flowed into Drouot.
After reading the email, Victoria immediately had Eileen notify the lawyers.
"Tomorrow morning, officially apply to freeze a portion of Edward's trust authority."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"That's enough."
Isabella looked out the window.
"This game is about to wrap up."
Victoria put down the email.
"We still need Hall."
Jiang Lin glanced at the match schedule.
"On Saturday, at the home game, in front of the fans and the media, release Hall's development plan."
Chen Qian had just returned from her rest and immediately chimed in upon hearing this.
"I can make the map into a comparison chart."
Isabella looked at her.
"Are you done resting?"
"I'm done resting."
"Did you eat something?"
"I did."
"Then go do it."
Chen Qian's eyes lit up.
"Okay."
Victoria watched her walk away holding the documents.
"Mrs. Montclair, you've been raising her to be more and more spirited."
Isabella replied coldly: "Don't make it sound like she's your cat."
"If she were a cat, she would be very likable too."
Jiang Lin chimed in: "She knows how to scratch people now."
Isabella looked at him.
"You taught her."
At night, East Wing of the castle.
Isabella, holding the pen she had swiped from the small library, knocked on Jiang Lin's door.
Jiang Lin had just finished showering; his shirt collar was unbuttoned, and his hair was still a bit damp.
After entering, Isabella placed the pen on the table.
"Returning this to you."
"Didn't you want to use it?"
"I'm done with it."
She glanced at his open collar.
"No one to adjust it for you today?"
"I was just about to sleep."
Isabella walked closer and buttoned up two buttons on his collar.
Her movements were very slow.
Jiang Lin looked down at her.
"Madam, checking my appearance at this hour?"
"Checking to see if you brought back someone else's things."
"For example?"
"Mrs. Wendell's pen."
"It was taken by you."
"So I'm returning it."
She buttoned the second one, her fingertips lingering on the third.
She didn't continue.
Jiang Lin gripped her wrist.
"No kiss tonight?"
Isabella looked up.
"Do you want one?"
"Madam is usually the one who takes the initiative."
"Then you take the initiative tonight."
She didn't step back.
The sound of rain outside was very light.
Jiang Lin lowered his head and kissed her.
Isabella's fingers gripped his shirt, and she pressed her whole body forward.
This time there were no documents.
No carriage.
No Victoria.
She tilted her face up, her breath cut short for a moment by the kiss, then she raised her hand to hook around the back of his neck.
Jiang Lin supported her waist and pressed her against the desk.
The documents on the table were knocked open by a few pages.
The pen rolled onto the carpet.
Isabella whispered: "The documents."
"Pick them up tomorrow."
He kissed her again.
Isabella didn't dodge.
A moment later, extremely light footsteps sounded outside the door.
Both of them stopped at the same time.
Jiang Lin turned his head.
A sliver of light shone under the door crack.
Victoria's voice came through the door.
"Mr. Jiang, Eileen just delivered a new document."
Isabella leaned into Jiang Lin's arms, her breathing not yet fully settled.
Jiang Lin spoke: "Leave it at the door."
Victoria chuckled.
"It seems it's not convenient right now."
Isabella raised her hand and undid one of the buttons she had just fastened on Jiang Lin's collar.
Then she raised her voice.
"It is indeed not convenient."
It was quiet outside the door for a second.
Victoria said: "Goodnight, Mrs. Montclair."
Isabella leaned against Jiang Lin's chest, her lips curling slightly.
"Goodnight, Mrs. Wendell."
The footsteps faded away.
Jiang Lin looked down.
"You did that on purpose."
Isabella looked at him.
"Mm."
She pulled him down.
"Continue."