“Mentor? Wow, Fourth Bro, that sounds pretty impressive.” Jiang Nanshu followed his train of thought.
Jiang Zhouye curled his lips in a smile, “It’s alright, these reality shows are just about scouting talent; whether you can become famous or not is all up to your own skills.”
Jiang Nanshu didn’t see it that way, though. There was definitely capital at play, and the remaining spots were fought for by ordinary dream-chasers, making bloody battles of it.
“Alright then, good luck with your career—I’ve got some things to take care of, so I’ll head out first.” Jiang Nanshu gave him a smile.
She trotted out of the villa.
Jiang Zhouye watched her retreating figure and finally opened the chatbox with Mrs. Jiang; [Mom, the thing you asked me to arrange, I can’t say it, and Dad also ignores me; you should go talk to him yourself.]
Mrs. Jiang replied quickly: [Zhou Ye, help your mom, please. I can’t stay in the Song Family, my sisters-in-law mock me with sarcasm every day, and your grandparents are also displeased with me because of Shi Zhao’s troubles, to the point that they won’t even let the servants prepare my meals in the evening.]
Jiang Zhouye was annoyed as he read.
She thought her parental home was so great, didn’t she?
And now she couldn’t stand it after just a few days.
Jiang Zhouye: [Grandpa is just angry right now; it’ll be better after some time. Don’t worry. Besides, didn’t Dad give you eight apartments, three sports cars, and a hundred million in assets after your divorce? You should just move out of the Song Family and live more comfortably on your own.]
Moreover, Mrs. Jiang had taken all her clothes, as well as dozens of designer bags worth tens of millions—those alone could ensure she lived without worries for the rest of her life.
Mr. Jiang had been more than generous to her.
He gave her enough money to live without worries for the rest of her life.
The opposite side was continuously typing.
Jiang Zhouye waited for almost five minutes.
Mrs. Jiang finally replied: [I gave everything to your grandparents for emergency funds because Shi Zhao might go to jail. The Song Family is under police investigation, with no spare capital for turnovers, let alone for getting Shi Zhao out. I’ve given the money to your uncles and aunties, listed the houses for a low price, and sold the cars as well. I’ve managed to gather nearly five hundred million in three days, but it’s still not enough. I’m out of money now. I gave everything I could to them, but then they started to ignore me. I can’t take it anymore; I want to come home. [crying]]
Jiang Zhouye was dumbfounded.
Goodness.
What kind of logic does it take to give all your divorce settlement to your parental home?
And to have it all transferred in just a few days?
There must have been a scheme behind this.
Jiang Zhouye didn’t even know what to say to her.
So he replied: [Just hang in there… Grandpa won’t let you starve.]
Then he quickly switched to another WeChat.
Only after he couldn’t see Mrs. Jiang’s chat window could he finally relax.
It was just too terrifying.
At her rate, the Jiang Family could give whatever they had to the Song Family.
After some thought, he decided to tell Mr. Jiang about it.
Mr. Jiang happened to be at home and heard from Jiang Zhouye, so he peered down from the spiral staircase: “Fourth, come up here; I’m in the study.”
“Dad? You’re home.” Jiang Zhouye responded and hurried to the study.
After closing the door.
Jiang Zhouye then asked, “What do you think about mom’s situation?”
Mr. Jiang snorted coldly, “She brought it on herself. The whole family took turns persuading her, Nannan even warned her. But stubbornly she refused to see sense. We’ve said what we could, threatened as well, but she insisted on her way. Now what she’s dealing with is within expectations.”
Jiang Zhouye was slightly stunned, confused, “Dad, what do you mean? Aren’t grandpa and grandma her own family? Why would they treat her like that?”
“Ha, family… She’s no kin of theirs! She isn’t even a child of the Song Family; God knows which man Old Madam Song was with. Old Sir Song didn’t want the scandal to break, and he loved Old Madam Song, so he just accepted this cuckolding. Chu Xin is Old Sir Song’s true daughter! What a twisted mess, disgustingly sick.” Mr. Jiang spoke as if he wanted to vomit.
The first time he saw a group of people having so much wild fun.
The problem was Mr. Chu still didn’t know that the daughter he had cherished for decades was the child of another man.
Had either of them gone to the hospital to check their fertility, Chu Xin’s mother would’ve been kicked out on her ass.
But both of them were already in the ground, and if Mr. Chu found out now, the shock could bring him back to life.
Jiang Zhouye was stupefied: “Mom isn’t a daughter of the Song Family, but she is the granddaughter’s daughter, Chu Xin is Old Lady Chu’s daughter, and also the illegitimate daughter that my grandfather placed in the Chu family…”
“You could say that,” Mr. Jiang said, as he twitched the corner of his mouth: “These discoveries were made only recently, before Nannan reported Song Shizhao, I was considering her reputation and couldn’t say it outright. When I hinted to her covertly that the Song Family wasn’t made up of good people, she not only wouldn’t listen but couldn’t stand to hear me speak ill of her maternal family. Now that she’s been sent back to get reacquainted, she’ll be grateful for my decision to divorce her.”
Jiang Zhouye: “….”
“Alright, it’s rare for you to come back, so don’t just hang around here. Go have fun somewhere else.”
Jiang Zhouye was driven out.
Then he started a private chat group for the five brothers.
Jiang Zhouye: [Do you all know about Mom being the fake rich daughter of the Song Family?]
Jiang Yunchuan: [I know… It even feels a bit theatrical.]
Jiang Jingcheng: [I did a paternity test for Mom and grandfather, and the results are in. They have no blood relation. I’m considering when to send her the report to take a look.]
Jiang Hemian: [Forget about it, by then she’ll just say you’re faking it, trying to drive a wedge between her and her maternal family, you unfilial son.]
Jiang Jingcheng: [(Smile) Are you asking for trouble, Third Son Jiang?]
Jiang Hemian: [Just a joke, don’t be so serious, I’m scared when you’re like this, big brother.]
Jiang Zhouye watched as they joked around in the chat.
So he was the only one who didn’t know?
But it was also because he was a bit busy recently and hadn’t had time to check the messages.
He exited the chat interface.
Forget it, he might as well go record his program…
He couldn’t handle the matter with Mrs. Jiang.
…
Racing Track
Jiang Nanshu had taken a taxi here.
It cost her a hundred bucks.
Yan Yidan said something to the gatekeeper.
After sizing up Jiang Nanshu, he let her through.
Once they were together, Jiang Nanshu asked, “Did you find Ji Ze?”
Yan Yidan shook her head, “No… I can’t get ahold of him.”
They had agreed not to turn off their phones, to prevent any accidents, so he could call for help at any time.
Jiang Nanshu pursed her red lips, looking at the enthusiastic cheering crowd: “Maybe because I called him, he panicked and turned off his phone, but what I don’t understand is what he is doing here if nothing’s wrong?”
Yan Yidan started to speak, then stopped, wrestled with her words, and finally made up her mind to come clean: “I arranged for him to come here…”
She didn’t want to hide anything from Jiang Nanshu, to avoid damaging their relationship.
Jiang Nanshu stared blankly at her for about ten seconds.
Then she asked slowly, “Do you have a thing for my brother?!”