Before returning to the country, Shu Yao had already contacted a few close friends from her undergraduate days. They made plans to visit their old campus together and reminisce about their youth.
They set the date for the very next day after her return, so she got up early that morning.
Before going to bed the previous night, she had taken two melatonin tablets, so her sleep quality had been fairly good. Even though her jet lag had not fully adjusted yet, it did not affect her plans for the day.
Shu Yao had attended a prestigious university in Jiang City, and most of its graduates went on to become elites in society. When Jiang Cheng heard that his stepdaughter was meeting her university classmates, he was very pleased.
“Do you have enough money on you? You just got back and already made plans with your friends. They’re taking time and effort to accompany you, so you should be the one treating them to a meal.”
Shu Yao quickly replied, “I have enough, Dad! The money you’ve transferred to my card over the years, I haven’t even managed to spend it all.”
In her mind, the Jiang family had already spent a great deal on raising her. Now that she had graduated and returned, she wanted to find a job and support herself. She did not want to keep asking the Jiang family for money.
So when her stepfather brought it up, she immediately said she still had enough, worried that he might transfer even more money to her.
Jiang Cheng was wealthy and did not care about such small amounts. When he offered money, he did so sincerely, not as a test.
But that did not mean he did not care about her attitude.
He could give, but she should not accept it as if it were her due. She did not need to be overly grateful, but at the very least, she should remember the kindness.
He did not raise ingrates.
So he was quite satisfied with Shu Yao’s instinctive response.
“If you ever run short, tell me or your brother. Don’t keep everything to yourself.” As he spoke, he could not help but glance at her outfit. As always, it was simple and plain, just a T-shirt with jeans, or a casual dress.
When she was younger, it was fine, but now that she is older, she should wear something more suitable for her age.
He did not say anything in front of her, but after she left, he mentioned it to Cai Wenqing.
In front of Jiang Cheng, Cai Wenqing was always gentle and accommodating. Whatever he said, she listened without interrupting or contradicting him, only speaking after he finished.
“Yao Yao has always been like this, used to being frugal. Over the years, you were afraid she might suffer abroad and gave her a lot of money, but she hardly spent any of it. Aside from her studies, she even worked part-time to earn her own living expenses. She may look delicate, but she’s actually strong, independent, and hardworking. She probably feels she’s already spent too much of your money and is worried she won’t be able to repay it in the future.”
Jiang Cheng admired independence and resilience, so every word of praise from Cai Wenqing struck the right chord.
“Though Yao Yao isn’t my biological daughter, after all these years, I treat her as one of my own. Being thrifty is a good thing, and being hardworking is even more admirable, but she shouldn’t dress too plainly. After all, she’s still a daughter of the Jiang family. We can’t let people think I treat her differently.”
“Do this, go buy her a few outfits. Even if tonight’s dinner is just a family gathering, it doesn’t matter, but in the future, she’ll have to attend social occasions.”
Jiang Cheng’s words reassured Cai Wenqing, but no matter how pleased she felt, she kept it hidden and simply replied with a smile, “Alright,” before continuing to stay quietly by his side.
Since Shu Yao would not be coming home for lunch, and both Jiang Cheng and Jiang Xu would be out, Cai Wenqing decided to go shopping with Wu Jingmeng.
Firstly, she wanted Wu Jingmeng’s opinion while picking out clothes for her daughter. Secondly, she wanted to have lunch together and discuss future plans.
Yao Yao was too naive. If she, as a mother, did not plan ahead for her, then her daughter would truly have nothing.
She was already fifty, but Yao Yao was still young. She could not stay by her daughter’s side forever.
As long as she was around, Yao Yao’s life would be easier. But what if one day she was gone? With Yao Yao’s kind and stubborn nature, she would never accept help from the Jiang family again. Yet she was still Jiang Cheng’s stepdaughter, and she deserved a share of the Jiang family’s wealth.
They chose a restaurant they often visited. The owner recognized them immediately and warmly led them to their usual private room.
“You know our tastes, just the usual,” Cai Wenqing said as she sat down.
After attending to them briefly, the owner tactfully left.
Once the room was quiet, the two began speaking privately.
Seeing Cai Wenqing’s worried expression, Wu Jingmeng quickly asked, “Is it about Yao Yao?”
Cai Wenqing sighed helplessly. “Yao Yao is too naive and honest, while Yiyan is cunning. I can’t help but worry.” She then mentioned how, shortly after Shu Yao returned home last night, Jiang Yiyan had made a video call to greet them.
“I don’t know if she did it deliberately for her father to see. When she came back a few days ago, she was the same, constantly trying to please him, as if she had become a different person. As her stepmother, I shouldn’t say such things, but… I truly worry about Yao Yao.”
Wu Jingmeng already held many grievances against Jiang Yiyan, and now that she found someone who shared her thoughts, the two immediately bonded over their complaints.
“She’s so scheming. Acting like this in front of Uncle Jiang, pretending to be kind, isn’t it just so she can later bully Yao Yao while still appearing innocent? It’s disgusting!”
Wu Jingmeng clenched her teeth in anger, but Cai Wenqing remained cautious and did not directly insult Jiang Yiyan. Instead, she only expressed concern over her recent abnormal behavior, fearing she was hiding ill intentions.
Wu Jingmeng had always disliked Jiang Yiyan, and after recently losing the class committee president position to her, she hated her even more. With Cai Wenqing reinforcing these thoughts, her anger intensified.
“She’s gone too far!” Wu Jingmeng said through gritted teeth. “Forget trying to guess her intentions, she definitely has nothing good planned.”
Seeing Wu Jingmeng so enraged that she had even started cursing, Cai Wenqing cast her a meaningful glance.
“I’m just worried she might bully Yao Yao. But if she truly wants to reconcile, that would be for the best,” she said in her usual tone.
Wu Jingmeng snorted, clearly unconvinced.
“Aunt Cai, you’re too kind. You and Yao Yao both think too simply. How could she suddenly change her personality? Just a few days ago, she even set me up.”
Cai Wenqing was shocked. “What did she do?”
Wu Jingmeng pursed her lips and, naturally exaggerating a little, described how Jiang Yiyan had taken the class committee president position from her.
After hearing this, Cai Wenqing’s brows furrowed tightly, her face clouded with worry.
“So it’s true… the kindness she’s showing us is just an act, with ulterior motives. She’s still the same Jiang Yiyan as before, never changed.”
Wu Jingmeng sneered. “Don’t worry, Aunt Cai. At tonight’s family dinner, I’ll make sure she doesn’t have it easy!”
Cai Wenqing did not respond, pretending not to hear as she lowered her head and sipped her barley tea.
.
During the day, Jiang Yiyan spent all her time painting with Meimei. After two days, she had regained her familiarity with the brush and rediscovered her old skills.
Of course, she had not forgotten the important family dinner that evening. Around four in the afternoon, she ended the day’s lesson.
“Have Feng Ma help you take a bath, then change into something pretty. We’ll wait for Daddy to pick us up.”
Meimei was deeply engrossed in painting and still wanted more. When told to stop, she became slightly upset.
Jiang Yiyan patiently coaxed her. “Dinner was planned in advance, and since we agreed, we can’t go back on our word, right? We can paint anytime. I’m always here, so you can paint whenever you want.”
Meimei was easy to comfort. As long as things made sense, she would listen.
“Alright,” she said, her mood improving. “I’ll listen to Mommy.”
“Good girl.” Jiang Yiyan patted her head and called Feng Ma.
After settling her daughter, she went upstairs to take a shower.
When she finished, she saw that it was still early, so she put on a face mask.
The original owner had plenty of unused skincare products, but since taking over this body, Jiang Yiyan had never used them. The mask she applied now was a gift from Wen Mochuan after his business trip.
At the time, he had promised her a gift in exchange for attending Meimei’s school meeting on his behalf.
The gift had been purchased by Assistant Xu at the airport duty-free shop. In a rush, he simply bought the most expensive items, and the entire set had cost tens of thousands.
Even the mask Jiang Yiyan was wearing cost two to three hundred per sheet. There were five boxes, each with five masks, totaling twenty-five masks, worth six to seven thousand in all.
There were also toners, serums, and creams.
Jiang Yiyan could not help but sigh at how good life was for the rich.
Lying on the bed with the mask on, she casually studied how to use the skincare set.
By the time fifteen minutes had passed and she needed to wash her face, she had already figured it out.
From today onward, she decided she would take good care of her body.
After all, everyone loved beauty. The original owner already had excellent features, but she did not mind becoming even more beautiful.
As the saying goes, beauty before twenty-five is given by one’s parents, but after twenty-five, it is maintained through effort. With such a good foundation, she could not let it go to waste.
Even if she eventually returned to her original world, she would have done right by this body. And if she never returned, she would live well in it.