The spiral staircase revealed a corner of tailored suit trousers, soon followed by a pair of long legs coming into view, and then that cold, stern face that seemed unshakeable even if Mount Tai collapsed before it—it was Jiang Tiansong.
Nianchu's gaze fell back in disappointment.
Jiang Tianqi, however, was overjoyed. Gone was his earlier sharpness as he scurried toward Jiang Tiansong:
"Second Brother! You're here too—what a pleasant surprise."
Jiang Tiansong treated him much the same as he had Nianchu—neither warm nor cold.
"Mhm."
Jiang Tianqi was long accustomed to his temperament and remained all smiles and enthusiasm, clinging to his arm and acting spoiled:
"Good Second Brother, Grandfather dotes on you the most. Put in a word for me, will you? Tell him to stop making me study that blasted math and science. This is the only break I get, and all the other kids are traveling the world. I don't want to be cooped up at home with tutoring the whole time."
Jiang Tiansong: "What did you score on the final math exam this time?"
Jiang Tianqi: "Much better than last time—went up quite a bit."
"How much?"
"Went up over thirty points!"
"Last time you scored sixteen. This time you went up over thirty, so that adds up to…"
"Ah, don't say it, don't say it."
Jiang Tianqi covered his ears with a mournful face, indignant:
"Big Brother handles business, Second Brother handles appearances, and Third, Fourth, and Fifth Brothers all have bright futures. The family already has everything it needs. What does it matter if my grades are a little worse? Why do they have to push me to the brink?"
Nianchu, standing nearby, silently did the math in her head. After arriving at the result, she couldn't help but lower her head and curl the corners of her lips.
She forgave his rudeness from earlier. A person who couldn't even score fifty on a math exam couldn't possibly have much malice in their heart.
Jiang Tiansong then noticed Nianchu standing off to the side like a wooden post. As he passed her, he paused briefly: "Find a seat."
Compared to his troublesome younger brother Jiang Tianqi, Nianchu—who was quiet and unassuming, and had gotten into a top-tier university entirely on her own merit—was indeed far more intelligent.
Jiang Tianqi snorted coldly: "She's some wild girl of unknown origins. Why are you being so polite to her?"
Nianchu shot a quick glance at Jiang Tiansong, thought for a moment, mustered her courage, and said in a small voice:
"Understood, Second Brother."
With that, she quickly hurried past him and took a seat in the most out-of-the-way corner.
Jiang Tiansong showed no reaction, but Jiang Tianqi was thoroughly startled.
"She—what did she call you? You country bumpkin, who gave you the nerve to call him Second Brother like I do?"
Jiang Tiansong furrowed his brow, for the first time truly examining his younger brother and discovering just how reckless and unreasonable he was.
"Xiao Qi, where are your manners and upbringing?"
The Jiang family wielded immense power, living at the very apex of the pyramid—and such extreme heights came with extreme danger.
Even the smallest action could be noticed by others, even magnified.
Jiang Tiansong lectured his oblivious younger brother.
"Since Miss Liang has come to our home, she is a guest. Guests deserve respect. Xiao Qi, apologize."
Nianchu hadn't expected him to speak up for her. For a moment, she was stunned.
Jiang Tianqi was stunned too, his eyes welling with grievance:
"I won't. Second Brother, I'm your real brother. Why are you protecting some wild girl?"
The boy was stubborn and unrepentant. Jiang Tiansong's eyes darkened, his tone carrying authority:
"Jiang Tianqi, don't make me repeat myself."
Using his full name meant he was truly angry.
As reckless and young as Jiang Tianqi was, he still knew who not to cross.
Clenching his fists and grinding his molars, he lowered his head and muttered reluctantly:
"I'm sorry."
Jiang Tiansong: "Who are you apologizing to?"
Jiang Tianqi said in a muffled voice: "Miss Liang, I'm sorry."
Jiang Tiansong was determined to temper his brother's disposition:
"She is two years older than you. By seniority, she deserves to be called 'Sister.'"
Jiang Tianqi snapped his head up, flames already blazing in his eyes, shooting straight toward Nianchu.
"You want me to call someone like her 'Sister'? Look at her—she's…"
Jiang Tiansong raised his left hand and rested it lightly on Jiang Tianqi's shoulder: "She's what?"
The pressure was light. The tone was light.
Yet Jiang Tianqi still shuddered, his words taking a smooth turn:
"I'm sorry, Sister Liang. I shouldn't have been so rude to you."
Nianchu: "…"
She felt even more uncomfortable than when she'd been pressed to call Jiang Tiansong "Second Brother."
In the silence, Jiang Tiansong's gaze had already turned toward her.
Though he said nothing, that presence of his…
Nianchu made a snap decision and forced a smile that looked barely better than crying:
"It's fine. I know you didn't mean it—you were just joking around with me."
Jiang Tiansong: "He's the sixth in line."
Nianchu: "Sixth Brother."
Both she and Jiang Tianqi grimaced at the exchange.
Jiang Tiansong slowly withdrew his hand, wiped it with a hot towel, and quietly took his leave of the scene.
The sound of a door opening came from the elevator. Elder Jiang arrived late, leaning on his cane with the help of a servant.
Jiang Tianqi was the first to spring up and run toward his grandfather, complaining:
"Grandfather, Second Brother is bullying me."
Jiang Tiansong walked steadily behind him, then took over from the servant and supported the old man himself.
Nianchu lagged two steps behind, and by the time she caught up, there was no room left beside Elder Jiang.
She quietly rose to her feet as well, standing in place, at a loss for what to do.
Elder Jiang wasn't buying Jiang Tianqi's act. "Nonsense. Do you think I don't know you? You must have done something wrong again, and Tiansong was disciplining you."
Jiang Tiansong helped the old man to his seat and waited until Elder Jiang was settled before chiming in at the right moment:
"Sixth Brother isn't young anymore. He should start learning some restraint in his words and actions."
Jiang Kaishan nodded in deep agreement:
"Your second uncle has become more and more irresponsible these past few years—having kids but not raising them properly. Tiansong, since your eldest brother isn't here, you're the head of the younger generation. If your brothers do something wrong, don't hesitate to discipline them."
Hearing that his grandfather's criticism had dragged his own father into it, Jiang Tianqi immediately dared not say another word.
Elder Jiang noticed Nianchu standing alone off to the side:
"Girl, what are you standing there like a statue for? Sit down."
He gestured toward the dining table, chuckling warmly:
"It's your first day here, and I didn't know what you like to eat, so I had the chef bring out all his signature dishes. See if any of them suit your taste."
His warm, solicitous attitude toward Nianchu stood in stark contrast to the stern rebuke he'd just given Jiang Tianqi.
Jiang Tianqi grew even more aggrieved and resentful, biting down on his chopsticks with a loud creak.
Elder Jiang caught the commotion and shot him a cold glance, his tiger-like eyes carrying authority without even trying:
"You're not convinced? Look at your grades. That girl Zhaozhao grew up in a village without even a decent set of stationery, and she still scored nearly seven hundred points. Now look at you—everything you've eaten and used since childhood has been the best money could buy. Do your grades do justice to any of that?"
Jiang Tianqi was a freshman in high school this year, and his academic performance was a disaster. The Jiang family had spent no small amount of effort worrying over it.
Especially after learning about Nianchu's scores, Elder Jiang was furious at his grandson's lack of ambition. Even before today, he'd frequently compared the two, hoping to spark some fighting spirit in his youngest grandson.
But Jiang Tianqi only felt like it was the end of the world. Ever since that country girl showed up, not only did Second Brother stop taking his side, but Grandfather liked her more too and stopped doting on him.
Filled with grievance and frustration, Jiang Tianqi shot Nianchu a venomous glare.
Nianchu was baffled by his stare, unable to understand why Jiang Tianqi harbored such hostility toward her.
Despite the table laden with delicacies, she had no appetite at all. Instead, she felt like needles were pricking her back—utterly uncomfortable.
The entire meal tasted like chewing wax.
After dinner, to avoid seeming completely useless, Nianchu took the initiative to stand up:
"I'll do the dishes."
The servant standing nearby with hands at her sides was taken aback.
Jiang Tianqi let out a snicker. Figures—someone from a small town, even when trying to curry favor, couldn't manage anything more presentable:
"If you wash the dishes, what's the servant supposed to do? Or are you planning to take her wages along with her job?"
Nianchu realized she'd said and done the wrong thing again. She lowered her head in shame.
Jiang Kaishan came to her rescue: "Zhaozhao, you've come to your grandfather's house. The Jiang family has no rule requiring girls to do chores. If you find it boring just sitting around, come keep your grandfather company with a game of chess."
The old man meant well, but Nianchu was still at a loss: "I…"
Back home, aside from homework, all she did was work. She'd never had any form of entertainment—she barely even played, let alone knew how to play chess.
Jiang Kaishan read the look on her face and understood. He thought for a moment, then beckoned:
"Tiansong, you come. Play a round with Grandfather first. Zhaozhao can watch from the side. Chess is very simple—you're smart, you'll pick it up after watching for a bit."
The chessboard was in a dedicated tea room, so the group moved to a new location.
Seeing that he wasn't included, Jiang Tianqi pouted: "Grandfather's playing favorites. You've all forgotten about me."
Nianchu noticed that whether it was the cold and composed Jiang Tiansong or the young and fiery Jiang Tianqi, both of them unconsciously showed a docile side when facing Elder Jiang.
She stole a glance at Jiang Tiansong—especially him. A man so icy and commanding to the outside world suddenly displaying such an obedient, agreeable demeanor was a striking contrast.
Though his youngest grandson was somewhat lacking in ambition, he was lively and straightforward in personality, and Jiang Kaishan did dote on him.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent so much money hiring tutors, all in the hope that the boy would strive to improve.
"You come along too. Come brew the tea."
Hearing his grandfather call for him, Jiang Tianqi perked up again and followed cheerfully.
As he passed Nianchu, he deliberately angled his shoulder and bumped into hers.
Nianchu pressed her lips together, her composure still intact.
A kid with more brawn than brains—she wouldn't stoop to his level.
The tea room was simply decorated. The accent wall was built as a display shelf, holding antiques and books, giving the space an elegant charm.
On the left was a small rosewood table, flanked by two long rattan benches front and back.
On the right was the tea table, with a tea cabinet beside it. The table was covered in professional tea sets of various sizes.
Jiang Tiansong and Jiang Tianqi were both familiar with the place. Jiang Tiansong helped the old man take a seat at the small table, then deftly opened a hidden compartment beneath it and took out the chess set.
Jiang Tianqi made a beeline for the tea table: "Second Brother, Grandfather, do you want something lighter, or something stronger?"
Jiang Kaishan said, "Isn't there jasmine tea? Brew that. Zhaozhao is a girl—she's sure to like it."
Jiang Tianqi was dissatisfied again, muttering under his breath, "What does she know about tea? Why should we have to accommodate her?"
His voice was low, and Jiang Kaishan, being old, didn't catch it clearly. "What?"
Jiang Tiansong also glanced over, his eyes slightly cold, carrying a silent warning.
Jiang Tianqi unexpectedly met his second brother's gaze, and a chill ran through his heart. He realized this was a sign that his brother was angry.
Immediately, he didn't dare say another word. Sensibly, he picked up the kettle.
"Nothing, I said I'll go boil the water now."