The drive home was silent; the couple barely spoke a word to each other.
Even the rare exchanges of a sentence or two were only because of their daughter, Meimei.
Xiao Chen, the veteran driver for the Wen family, was naturally quick to pick up on gossip.
Something was off—Mrs. Wen and Mr. Wen had surely argued.
And judging by their mood, it must have been a serious quarrel.
Mrs. Wen was clearly upset over something her husband had done; otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone the entire way home without speaking. The drive wasn’t particularly short, but it wasn’t long enough to remain silent unless there was a conflict.
Xiao Chen knew Mrs. Wen well enough to understand her temperament. A woman like her wouldn’t go tens of minutes without taking the initiative to talk to her husband unless something had gone wrong.
So it had to have been an argument.
But what exactly had caused it?
The drive was heavy with speculation as Xiao Chen, lost in thought, imagined an entire 18-episode drama unfolding in his mind.
Once he had successfully dropped off the family of three at Cui Ming Shui Yuan, he immediately shared the news in a private chat group.
As Wen Mochuan’s driver and an employee of his company, Xiao Chen had several close colleagues in the office. They often exchanged casual gossip when free.
Perhaps human nature is just drawn to gossip, because the moment Xiao Chen sent the message, responses poured in.
Since Wen Mochuan wouldn’t be using the car today, he told Xiao Chen to leave work and return the next morning. Xiao Chen drove out of the community, chatting in the group and providing first-hand juicy details to satisfy everyone’s curiosity.
As the group speculated wildly about the cause of the cold war between the couple, a usually silent member finally spoke up:
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s probably because Miss Shu is coming back.”
Immediately, someone asked, “Miss Shu? Which Miss Shu?”
“The one who’s Mrs. Wen’s non-blood-related elder sister, the eldest Miss of the Jiang family.”
The discussion then flared over who the eldest Miss of the Jiang family actually was, and why Mrs. Wen would be upset with her husband because of her return. Hundreds of messages flew in within minutes.
Xiao Chen could barely keep up with the group while driving out of the community.
Cai Wenqing spent the morning uneasy. Calculating the time, she figured it was around eight a.m. in the U.K., meaning her daughter should be awake. She finally called her daughter.
Worried someone might overhear, Cai Wenqing locked herself in a room.
She didn’t fear her husband Jiang Cheng or her stepson Jiang Xu; her only concern was her stepdaughter, Jiang Yiyan.
Jiang Yiyan was the variable that could destabilize her and her daughter’s life. In the past, Yiyan had been difficult and domineering. Though harsh and malicious, she had been entirely transparent with her intentions. Dealing with her required Cai Wenqing to be submissive, yielding in every confrontation.
As long as Yao Yao received real benefits, and as long as Cai Wenqing could establish a foothold in Shen City with the Jiang family’s money and influence, the occasional verbal abuse or injustice seemed negligible.
Compared to the days of homelessness, she was grateful and content with her current life.
She even hoped Yiyan would remain harsh.
Only through Yiyan’s obstinacy and cruelty could Cai Wenqing and her daughter appear weak and innocent, thus securing the protection of the Jiang family.
But now, Yiyan has changed.
She had become reasonable and even strategic.
Her sudden change disrupted all of Cai Wenqing’s plans.
She was at a loss, unsure of how to proceed.
After all, Yiyan was Jiang Cheng’s biological daughter. Any conflict between father and daughter was due to personality clashes. Jiang Cheng cared about his face, yet Yiyan had consistently challenged him.
If Yiyan changed and stopped opposing her father, assuming the role of a filial daughter, Yao Yao would lose her standing in the Jiang household.
Cai Wenqing worried deeply and wanted to speak with her daughter immediately to strategize.
Those tense seconds before the video call connected felt unbearably long.
Just as Cai Wenqing considered hanging up and calling again, the call connected.
“Yiyan came back today,” Shu Yao answered, and Cai Wenqing hurriedly shared the news.
Her tone was urgent, and Yao Yao immediately sensed something was wrong.
Yao Yao had just gotten up, still in her nightdress after washing up. She stepped out onto the small balcony adjoining her bedroom, opening the curtains and the sliding door, surrounded by her potted plants.
The morning sun had just risen, the air crisp, and the view serene.
Taking a deep breath, Shu Yao asked, “What’s going on?”
Cai Wenqing, wary of eavesdroppers, moved to the window and lowered her voice: “This morning, Yiyan suddenly called to say she would have lunch at home. From the moment I saw her, something felt off. She’s completely different today, reasonable and considerate. Father and daughter didn’t argue; in fact, their relationship seemed better. Yao Yao, what do you think… what is she really up to?”
Shu Yao listened carefully and then said, “If she genuinely wants peace, isn’t that better?”
Cai Wenqing replied, “If it’s genuine, of course, that’s ideal. But what if it’s not?”
Cai Wenqing hoped for a harmonious household and wished Yiyan truly meant well.
But if Yiyan was pretending, then today’s act had an ulterior motive.
She knew Yiyan too well—more than even her father. She was like a hedgehog covered in thorns, proud and dignified, unlikely to change suddenly.
Unless she had some hidden scheme.
Shu Yao remained silent. She couldn’t tell whether Yiyan’s recent change was genuine or calculated.
Cai Wenqing continued, “Yao Yao, be cautious. You’ve suffered so much to get what you have today. I don’t mind a little hardship myself, but I don’t want you to suffer. You said you wanted to work at a university when you return to China, and I support that, but you must think carefully. If you choose that path, you’ll be just a university professor, abandoning everything in the Jiang family business. You have other opportunities to achieve much more.”
Shu Yao remained silent, tempted by ambition and opportunity.
“Mom, let me think about it more,” she finally said.
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Cai Wenqing exhaled in relief.
“Then you must think carefully, decide wisely.”
A few days later, Wen Meimei finished her last day in the kindergarten’s lower class and began her holiday.
Remembering her mother’s promise, she ran into her mother’s arms that evening, backpack bouncing.
“Mom said she’d teach me to paint!” she exclaimed, full of childish excitement.
Jiang Yiyan hadn’t expected a child to remember a promise so well, thinking perhaps children only had a seven-second memory. But Meimei had patiently waited until her holiday.
True to her word, Yiyan said, “Of course I remember. I was worried you’d forget, so I wouldn’t let you start learning otherwise.”
Thrilled, Meimei jumped up.
That evening, when Wen Mochuan came home, Meimei couldn’t wait to tell him the news.
“Mom’s going to teach me to paint!”
When Mrs. Wen mentioned painting, Wen Mochuan had only listened idly, unaware she could paint, thinking it was just to amuse Meimei.
But hearing it again today, his curiosity was piqued.
“Alright, Dad knows. Go play first, Meimei.” He bent down to hug her, pressing his cheek to hers, then, with good humor, said, “Dad has something to say to Mom. Meimei, go play first.”
Meimei obediently slid off and ran to her own activities.
Observing his wife quietly on the sofa playing on her phone, Wen Mochuan walked over.
These past few days, the couple had adopted a mode of mutual non-interference—separate beds, separate routines, only together at meals.
Jiang Yiyan, of course, noticed her husband’s return but didn’t react as the original wife might have, rushing over to greet him. She continued her own activities.
Only when Wen Mochuan sat beside her on the sofa did she temporarily set aside her phone.
“Is there something you want to say?” she asked, a natural reflex given their relationship.
Immediately realizing her phrasing might be off, she quickly amended, “I mean… you’re usually busy, even coming home only to go to study and work. Today you didn’t… so you must have something to say, right?”
Perhaps unable to read her mind, Wen Mochuan adjusted his glasses, a subtle sign of his slight impatience.
The eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were deep and distant, the dark pupils framed by thick, curled lashes, brows sharp and angled, adding a heroic edge to his refined, scholarly face.
Jiang Yiyan could only think: upright and honorable.
“It is something I need to say.” Wen Mochuan’s brow furrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure at her staring, he raised his voice a bit: “You want to teach Meimei to paint? Do you know that children take every adult word seriously? If Meimei finds out you can’t really paint, or your painting isn’t as good as hers, she’ll be disappointed.”