Jiang Lianyu was a mess inside, her expression shifting unpredictably. Seeing this, Jiang Yu immediately put the pieces together. Remembering what Jiang Chan had said to him earlier, a surge of anger flared up in his chest.
He grabbed the water cup on the coffee table and smashed it at Jiang Lianyu’s feet. “Useless! Always making things worse! What exactly did you say to her?”
The ceramic cup shattered with a sharp crack and Jiang Lianyu trembled. When had Jiang Yu ever lost his temper like this? Since she could remember, he had always been kind to her. Why did he seem like a completely different person today?
Unable to handle the sudden change, Jiang Lianyu burst into tears. “I just thought, since we had a break from school, she could come over so we could all get together. We’re family, aren’t we? Can’t we just talk things out properly?”
Jiang Yu was livid. “Who told you to say that to her? Are we family with her?”
Qin Miao’s lips curled slightly, but she still put on a comforting act as she soothed Jiang Lianyu. “She meant well. Seeing how tense things are between you and Jiang Chan, she just wanted to help smooth things over. Was there really a need to get so angry at her?”
She pulled Jiang Yu down to sit beside her. “Calm down and tell us what happened. We should at least know what’s going on.”
As she spoke, she poured Jiang Yu a cup of water and subtly signaled Jiang Lianyu. Sniffling, Jiang Lianyu got up to clean the shattered cup and broken vase.
Jiang Yu took a sip of tea before setting the cup down heavily on the coffee table, spilling a few drops. He briefly recounted what had happened, leaving both Qin Miao and Jiang Lianyu looking devastated.
Neither of them had expected Jiang Chan to act this way, let alone move so quickly. It was like a sweeping autumn wind clearing away fallen leaves, catching Jiang Yu completely off guard.
When Jiang Yu finished speaking, the living room fell into an unusual silence, the air heavy with a solemn mood.
Qin Miao carefully gathered her thoughts. Jiang Chan’s real goal in saying those things was obvious. She wanted to turn Jiang Yu against Jiang Lianyu. That couldn’t happen. If Jiang Yu ever grew tired of Lianyu, what would happen to her in the future?
No matter what, even if she had to use every bit of persuasion she had, Qin Miao had to change Jiang Yu’s impression of Jiang Lianyu.
“I think Jiang Chan has been planning this for a long time. She’s been eyeing the company for ages but didn’t have the money before. Now that you gave her funds last time, didn’t that just give her the means to act?”
Jiang Yu knew this made sense, but he still couldn’t help resenting Jiang Lianyu. In his mind, if she hadn’t pulled this stunt, even if Jiang Chan had been planning to seize power, she would have had to hold back for a while longer.
To put it plainly, Jiang Chan’s provocation was neither subtle nor sophisticated, anyone with a keen eye could see right through it. But the problem was, Jiang Yu had taken the bait.
Sometimes, a tactic doesn’t have to be covert. As long as it works, that’s all that matters.
Seeing that Jiang Yu’s expression remained grim, Qin Miao added fuel to the fire. “Our biggest disadvantage is that she’s in the shadows while we’re out in the open. That’s how she caught us off guard. We just need to be more cautious in the future.”
Jiang Yu let out a heavy sigh. “There is no future. I don’t even have a position at the company anymore. From now on, I’ll have to rely on my shares for dividends just to get by.”
Qin Miao wasn’t happy either, but right now, she needed to soothe Jiang Yu. She patted the back of his hand and said, “Come on, you’ve never really suffered a loss before. That’s why getting hit hard by Jiang Chan all of a sudden feels so hard to accept.”
“But this might not be a bad thing. We never expected you to make a fortune anyway. You’ve been busy all these years and haven’t spent much time with us, so why not take this opportunity to rest at home for a while?”
“Besides, we can wait and see how Jiang Chan handles things now that she’s taken over as chairman. If she makes a wrong move, that’s when our chance will come.”
Qin Miao truly had a silver tongue. No matter how furious Jiang Yu had been, his anger gradually subsided. It was clear he still had feelings for her.
Seeing Jiang Yu and Qin Miao deep in conversation, Jiang Lianyu wisely retreated to her room. She didn’t dare act spoiled in front of Jiang Yu anymore, she knew when to keep her head down.
Seeing Jiang Lianyu retreat to her room, Qin Miao doubled down, using every trick she had to coax Jiang Yu until he was completely pacified. But the more she played along, the more she seethed with hatred for Jiang Chan.
That wretched girl was always in her way. When would she finally be rid of her once and for all? Qin Miao’s eyes darkened. Now wasn’t the time to deal with that brat. She had to be patient.
She had already outlasted Lin Wan. One more Jiang Chan wouldn’t make a difference.
Jiang Yu lay in bed, his hand idly roaming over Qin Miao’s smooth back. He let out a grunt. “Tell Lianyu to stay away from Jiang Chan. That girl is a rabid dog right now, who knows when she’ll come after her again?”
Qin Miao ran a hand over his forehead. “I know. If we can’t afford to provoke her, we can at least avoid her.”
She said the words lightly, but her heart bled with resentment. Lin Wan was already dead, yet she still had to live like some shameful mistress in hiding. Now, she even had to avoid Jiang Chan? The thought only made her hate Jiang Chan more.
Back in her room, Jiang Lianyu was fuming, her eyes brimming with tears. How could Jiang Chan do this to her? What grudge did they even have for her to treat her this way?
Jiang Yu was her father, and she didn’t even mind sharing him with Jiang Chan. What more did she want?
This school break had been especially miserable for Jiang Lianyu. Not only did she have to constantly gauge Jiang Yu’s mood, but she also had to tread carefully at home, afraid that he might truly grow tired of her.
When Monday finally arrived, she felt like she could breathe again. Just being able to get away from Jiang Yu, even for a little while, was a welcome escape.
On Monday morning, the school was bustling with students coming and going, but the atmosphere in the third year Class One was unusually heavy. Jiang Chan arrived just in time, barely making it before the bell. Her schedule was packed to the limit.
Less than a minute after she stepped into the classroom, the bell rang. First period was math with Old Wang, who walked in holding a stack of test papers, his expression grim.
Students familiar with him immediately tensed up, and groans of despair spread through the room. Noticing Mo Xingyu looking especially nervous, Jiang Chan nudged her with a pen. “What’s wrong?”
Mo Xingyu nearly jumped in surprise. Seeing that it was Jiang Chan, she slumped in relief. “Just look at Old Wang’s face. I already know our math scores are a disaster. I just hope I don’t end up in the line of fire.”
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