Chapter 68: The Underwear Is a Bit Small

“Xiao Mo, take this file to President Wang later… She should be back soon.”

Secretary Fang walked into the president’s office as usual and spotted Mo Nono standing by the windowsill at a glance.

She was carefully holding up a vase.

Secretary Fang leaned over to look—it was the roses President Wang kept in the office.

August was halfway through, people were nearly melting from the heat, yet these flowers bloomed vibrantly.

“Uh… Isn’t this flower supposed to be in the office?”

“Cousin asked me to let it breathe some fresh air when I have time.”

Secretary Fang was speechless. 

She placed the file on the nearby desk and hurried away.

By the time she returned, it was already past two in the afternoon.

Mo Nono was sitting at her desk, staring blankly.

“Did you send the file in?” 

She walked behind Mo Nono and tapped the desk edge.

“Ah… Yeah, Cousin looked it over when she just got back.”

Mo Nono seemed lost in thought.

Secretary Fang happened to have some free time and got interested.

“What are you thinking about? You look distracted.”

“I’m wondering how someone should pursue a high school student if they like them.”

“A high school student?” 

Secretary Fang stared at Mo Nono. 

“What? You’ve got your eye on someone younger?”

The two often chatted casually and occasionally gossiped about the company. 

Secretary Fang, feeling bored, sat up straight and grabbed a pack of biscuits from Mo Nono’s desk.

“It’s not me… Uh, never mind, I was just mentioning it casually.”

Mo Nono suddenly became alert and glanced sideways at Secretary Fang.

Their eyes met, as if exchanging some secret code.

“A high school student?”

“A pretty high school student.”

“A girl?”

“A pretty girl.”

Mo Nono slapped the table hard, about to say something when a head of striking golden hair passed through the hall, heading straight to the office behind her.

“You two have no work this afternoon?”

Wang Ziyue glanced at the biscuits in Secretary Fang’s hand—the latter had just stuffed one into her mouth.

“Ahem, Cousin—”

Wang Ziyue shot Mo Nono a look.

“President Wang, Secretary Fang just got back from outside.” Mo Nono corrected herself in explanation.

The company’s lunch break went until two, and Secretary Fang hadn’t rested because she’d gone out at noon.

Wang Ziyue checked her watch and lightly tossed out a sentence.

“Rest a bit before starting work.”

She entered her office, leaving the two with a back view slowly blocked by the door.

Secretary Fang and Mo Nono were quiet for a while before whispering.

“President Wang… Is she in a bad mood?”

“Possibly, but it doesn’t feel like it’s work-related.” Mo Nono touched her chin, analyzing.

Their eyes met unexpectedly again.

This tacit understanding was their gossip souls burning—Secretary Fang saw the barely concealed excitement in Mo Nono’s eyes.

“Be careful.”

She reminded softly.

From her experience, President Wang might pick faults in the time from now until the end of the day.

“I remember I have to go to the branch office, so I’ll head out first.”

Secretary Fang left the office, leaving Mo Nono sitting there dumbly.

“This…”

Nono.

Wang Ziyue had pushed open her office door at some point and was looking at her.

“President Wang, what’s up?”

“Go notify for me… We’re having a temporary meeting soon. Call all the market department supervisors and above.”

“That’s quite a few people. Should I notify through the system?”

“I think it’d be faster if you go in person.”

How is that faster?! 

Mo Nono suddenly understood why Secretary Fang had left that remark.

“Then I’ll have someone else help…”

“I’ve assigned work to the others too. Nono, as my life assistant, you don’t have much to do usually—it’s not a big deal to work a little harder occasionally, right?”

Wang Ziyue deliberately lowered her voice, making Mo Nono not dare to talk back.

“Okay, I’ll go right now.”

Mo Nono walked dejectedly toward the elevator, receiving sympathetic looks from the others in the secretarial office.

When President Wang was unhappy, she liked to drag people into overtime—who knew how long this meeting would last today.

Wang Ziyue was indeed irritated. She had discovered a serious problem—

She seemed unable to contact Jiang Chen again. 

More precisely, since parting ways on the roadside, Jiang Chen hadn’t initiated any WeChat messages, let alone calls.

She couldn’t call either, so she could only endure it—

A couple of days ago, when she went to Nancheng Real Estate, she happened to run into Jiang Xiaoyue reporting work. 

Wang Ziyue specially kept her “future mother-in-law” after the meeting for some indirect probing.

“Auntie, has Jiang Jiang been quite tired since school started recently?”

“It’s senior year after all, being tired is normal. I’ll take good care of her.”

Jiang Xiaoyue took a sip of the Tieguanyin tea President Wang had personally brewed.

“Of course, of course. I’m just concerned about her—senior year is the most crucial, after all.”

Wang Ziyue gave an awkward laugh. Jiang Xiaoyue savored another sip of the hot tea, seeming to ponder.

“Yes, this period absolutely can’t be disturbed by other things. Don’t you agree, President Wang?”

“Right, right… The college entrance exam—after years of effort, it’s all for a good score next year.”

“That makes sense. President Wang, you also hope Xiao Chen gets good results, right?” 

Jiang Xiaoyue asked abruptly.

Wang Ziyue scratched her palm and touched her hair. 

Under Jiang Xiaoyue’s oppressive gaze, she nodded silently.

Then thank you, President Wang.

“No need, no need. Jiang Jiang’s exam is important; I’m concerned about her too.”

Jiang Xiaoyue smiled without speaking.

After she left the conference room, Wang Ziyue slumped back in her chair as if drained of all energy.

It was the height of summer heat, yet she felt a chill.

Tsk… Who set the AC so low?!

“Xiao Chen, how was school today?”

When Jiang Xiaoyue got home, Jiang Chen had already made two dishes.

Hearing her mom’s voice, she ran out of the kitchen mid-serving rice, wiping her hands as she said.

“It’s just doing test papers as usual. Our class teacher has sped up the pace; we’re already preparing for the first round of review.”

“So early?” 

Jiang Xiaoyue was surprised; she remembered Jiang Chen had only been back in school for a few days.

“Not really early—I’ve heard Mingli has already started.”

Jiang Chen sighed and went back to the kitchen to finish serving the other bowl of rice, bringing them out together.

“Sigh, all this comparing back and forth just leads to more cramming. The content learned isn’t different anyway.”

Jiang Xiaoyue washed her hands and sat down to eat with her daughter.

“You’d better not let Teacher Ma hear that. She just said today that our class’s study attitude is too lax.”

Jiang Chen bit into a chicken wing—the sweet and sour flavor was so delicious it made her squint. 

She clipped another one into her mom’s bowl.

“Your skills have improved.” 

Jiang Xiaoyue commented after tasting it. 

She looked at her daughter’s slightly messy hair and reached out to smooth it.

“Or maybe Mom should get off work earlier to come home and cook.”

“It’s fine; making two dishes doesn’t take much time. Besides, didn’t you say the content learned isn’t different anyway?”

“But Mom said that because I feel bad for you—with all the papers you’re doing every day, they’re practically piling up.”

“It’s okay…” 

Jiang Chen felt a headache coming on at the mention; even though they were basic questions, grinding through them was mentally exhausting.

“Teacher Ma said we’re training our problem-solving speed now. Once it’s a habit, we’ll be confident during the exam.”

“So, Mom can’t take up your study time even more.”

Jiang Chen wanted to say something but was stopped by Jiang Xiaoyue.

“Listen to Mom—this work stuff, I can coordinate with the company; some things can be done at home. It’s just this one year anyway.”

Jiang Xiaoyue thought of what she’d said that afternoon—wasn’t that also a promise to herself?

“Mm…” 

Jiang Chen nodded, then heard her mom add.

“Our President Wang often cares about employees’ family situations and whether families with children are doing well.”

“Mom, stop probing me.”

Jiang Chen was speechless and buried her face in her mom’s arms, acting spoiled.

Jiang Xiaoyue hugged her shy daughter, but sighed inwardly repeatedly.

Mom doesn’t even need to probe.

Her daughter had probably slowly figured it out—so what next… What should she do as a mother?

It seemed the only thing she could do was provide her daughter a shelter from the storm, letting her always remember she had a home to return to.

“No matter what, studying comes first.”

“I promise no early romance.” Jiang Chen repeated the words she’d said countless times.

Jiang Xiaoyue pinched her nose. Jiang Chen hummed twice, and then both laughed.

“Eat.” Jiang Xiaoyue picked up her chopsticks again and added a chicken wing to her daughter’s bowl.

“Tomorrow, Mom will make you beef brisket stew.”

“Mm-hmm~” Jiang Chen happily shoveled rice.

After eating, Jiang Chen was shooed off to shower while Jiang Xiaoyue cleaned the kitchen.

“Mom, I think I forgot to bring in my pajamas.”

Jiang Xiaoyue had just wiped the table clean when she heard her daughter’s voice from the bathroom.

“You child, always forgetting things.”

Jiang Xiaoyue entered her daughter’s room and sure enough saw a silk nightdress tossed on the bed.

This was one she’d bought for Jiang Chen before; she’d been wearing it a lot lately.

“Here, is this it?”

Jiang Xiaoyue knocked on the door, and the bathroom sliding door opened. 

Jiang Chen reached out a hand to take it.

Soon, the sound of a hairdryer came from the bathroom.

Jiang Xiaoyue shook her head and went back to the kitchen to continue tidying. 

When she came out, Jiang Chen was already sitting on the sofa edge, eating fruit.

“Mom, ah~” 

Jiang Chen forked a piece of orange and held it to her mom’s mouth.

Jiang Xiaoyue bit it. 

As she turned her head, she noticed the nightdress seemed a bit small.

She stared at Jiang Chen’s bulging chest and frowned. 

“Have you gained weight recently?”

“No.” 

Jiang Chen pinched her face and squeezed her waist—smooth, no extra fat.

She noticed her mom’s gaze and was speechless.

“Mom, where are you looking…”

“What’s wrong with looking at my own daughter?” 

Jiang Xiaoyue swatted her daughter irritably.

“Mom’s thinking if your previous underwear might be a bit small too.”

“Now that you mention it… It does feel a bit tight here.” 

Jiang Chen pointed to the side near her underarm.

“Come, follow Mom into the room.”

Jiang Xiaoyue took her daughter’s hand, and the mother-daughter pair entered the bedroom.

“Try changing now and see.” 

Jiang Xiaoyue realized she hadn’t really taught her daughter about this kind of thing. 

Seeing Jiang Chen’s clueless look, she probably hadn’t looked it up herself.

“Oh…”

Jiang Chen dumbly pulled down the nightdress straps, then suddenly looked at her mom.

“You… Turn around.” 

She was a bit embarrassed.

“Okay, Mom’s turning around.” 

Jiang Xiaoyue turned her back, inwardly thinking if she had time this weekend.

“Done.” 

Jiang Chen adjusted the straps.

The half-cup design lifted the two full peaches.

“Turn around; Mom will help adjust.”

Jiang Chen obediently turned, then shivered from her mom’s somewhat cool palms.

Jiang Xiaoyue silently adjusted the cups and straps for her daughter.

“It feels a bit tight.”

Jiang Chen said softly.

“Mm, this weekend Mom will take you to buy a few new ones. You’re growing, after all.”

“Oh…” 

Jiang Chen blinked twice.

This weekend’s outing plan was set.