“But I’ve only ever heard of ‘appointing the worthy regardless of kinship.’”
Miss Jiang retorted stubbornly, “I don’t want to be an intern—it’s tiring and hard! I’m only twenty, I haven’t even started enjoying life yet!”
She buried her little head into Jiang Mother’s warm embrace, acting spoiled, “With you and Dad by my side, I’m the happiest little princess in the world. Why would I need any internship?”
“Stop being cheeky.”
Jiang Mother was amused by her antics and patted the girl’s delicate head, pretending to be stern.
“This is something your father and I have decided. If we don’t let you go through some hardships, do you really think your dad’s money comes out of thin air? Every month you spend millions chasing celebrities, you really think your dad is an ATM? We’ve long thought about freezing your bank card.”
“Take a page from Zhao Yicheng of the Zhao family, Fengyu Bai from the Bai Corporation, or Yuwu Li from the Li family. At your age, they’re all capable of handling things on their own.”
“And besides, your cousin Yinsheng has some connections with the young master of the Zhao Group. For his sake, you’ll naturally be well looked after.”
“But I don’t like him.”
“It’s not like we’re asking you to go on a blind date. What does ‘liking’ have to do with it? You’re already in your early twenties, a real adult now. It’s time to rein in that childish temper.”
“But… Mom~”
Miss Jiang hugged Jiang Mother even tighter, mumbling, “I really don’t want to be an intern!”
“Enough nonsense, this time you don’t get a say.”
Jiang Mother put on a stern face, her tone full of warning.
“If you think you’re capable, start your own business. Your father and I will each give you five million in capital.”
What followed was a string of familiar clichés: “Look at other people’s children,” “Learn from others,” “You’re not a kid anymore,” “Have you found a boyfriend yet,” “Stop chasing celebrities so much.”
“Alright, alright.”
Miss Jiang couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted, “It’s just being an intern, right? Fine, I’ll do it.”
Hearing this, Jiang Mother smiled and said, “That’s my good daughter.”
Miss Jiang rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag, and ran straight to her room.
“This child~”
Jiang Mother shook her head helplessly.
***
Miss Jiang’s room was mostly pink in tone.
The floor was covered with a plush carpet, all the furniture was solid wood, the curtains were pink too, and her wardrobe was stuffed with pretty dolls.
The whole atmosphere was filled with a cute girlish vibe—warm and cozy.
After returning to her room, Miss Jiang threw herself onto the soft mattress.
She squinted for a moment, then opened her eyes again and took a photo from the bedside drawer.
The person in the photo was a man with slightly delicate features.
She then took out three incense sticks, placed the photo on her bedside, and bowed toward it.
“Cousin, rest in peace up there.”
“I will definitely find the evidence of the man who murdered you, sooner or later.”
***
Meanwhile.
Tianlin City, New District.
A luxurious villa located within the inner ring.
Well-trimmed bushes, cozy and simple interior decorations, small toys in some rooms, and occasionally, a lair cat would squat on the balcony gazing at the moon, meowing “meow~ meow~” into the quiet night.
Every detail revealed the owner’s unique taste.
A bright room.
Xu Yinsheng sat cross-legged on the bed, wearing blue and white striped pajamas with a Doraemon print.
Her eyes were slightly narrowed, and she pressed her index finger gently against her temple.
After a long time, she slowly opened her eyes.
A faint glint of cold, metallic silver flickered within them.
Back when she had a chance encounter with Jiang Fan, she caught a trace of a familiar scent on the other.
At first, she suspected another mole.
Using a trick, she left a drop of liquid metal on the target to eavesdrop, but ended up hearing some surprising news.
Xu Yinsheng pulled a long face.
“Cousin, having you really is a blessing for me.”
“But you really can’t win against Zhao Yicheng. He’s got more schemes than you’ve eaten salt.”
Because of the earlier “bidding proposal” incident, Zhao Yicheng earned himself yet another label in Xu Yinsheng’s mind: treacherous and cunning!
Full of tricks!
And if Zhao Yicheng ever discovered someone investigating him, who knows what extreme measures that lunatic would take?
It’s not like she had other close cousins.
If it was one of her own rowdy friends or those adopted sisters, she’d probably already be the talk of the tea table by now.
“Who are you talking to, muttering away like that?”
At that moment, the door opened.
Zhao Yicheng walked in, wearing blue pajamas and holding a blow dryer, asking casually.
He had just showered.
His hair was still wet, a few stray strands falling over his forehead, making his handsome face look even more charming.
“It’s nothing.”
Hearing Zhao Yicheng’s voice, Xu Yinsheng quickly shook her head and wrapped herself up in the quilt.
But this only had the opposite effect—trying to cover up, she only drew more attention.
Zhao Yicheng narrowed his eyes, making Xu Yinsheng even more nervous.
In the end, he didn’t do anything—just handed her the blow dryer and told her to dry his hair.
So Xu Yinsheng stood by the bed, holding the blow dryer for Zhao Yicheng.
His hair was a bit stiff and very thick, with no sign of a middle-aged balding spot.
Her fingers slipped through his hair, ticklish but comfortable.
As she dried his hair, Xu Yinsheng heard Zhao Yicheng speak: “You don’t have to go to work on Wednesday. I took leave for you.”
“Really?”
Xu Yinsheng’s eyes sparkled.
Winter had arrived.
The days were short, the nights long.
The latitude of Tianlin City was a bit unusual.
Though not quite “wearing fur in the morning and gauze at noon, eating watermelon by the fire,” mornings in the middle of winter were freezing.
If Zhao Yicheng didn’t drag her out of bed, she could stay under the covers all day.
“Not just Wednesday, but also Thursday and Friday.”
As if seeing right through Xu Yinsheng’s thoughts, Zhao Yicheng added as she was celebrating, “But you’ll be back at work as usual on Monday.”
Xu Yinsheng’s face fell instantly, looking dispirited, like a cat that’s just been neutered.
“Where are you going? Business meeting again?”
“If you come home reeking of alcohol like last time, you might as well not come back that night.”
“University lecture, and I’m recruiting interns at the same time.”
Upon hearing this, an instinctive thought popped up in Xu Yinsheng’s mind—“If Zhao Yicheng, that lunatic, goes to give a speech, will he ruin those students?”
She asked offhandedly, “Which university?”
“There are only a few in Tianlin City—Linyu Xinyuan University, Qilu Securities University, Weiye Shenglu University.”
Zhao Yicheng replied indifferently.
All these schools were ranked among the top in the country.
Companies often recruited interns there to bring in fresh talent.
Xu Yinsheng’s movements paused for a moment, her eyes flashing with a complicated look that she quickly hid.
Casually, she asked, “Can I come with you?”
“Not going to laze around anymore? Who was it that complained about work being so exhausting and boring?”
Zhao Yicheng teased.
Xu Yinsheng was at a loss for words.
There was that time in the dead of winter when she got up early and unleashed her temper on Zhao Yicheng, cursing him out till the ancestors’ graves were shaking.
As for the consequences of that outburst… well, her butt hurt for a whole day.
Thinking about this, she put down the blow dryer, hugged him from behind by his strong waist, and rested her face on his back, her voice soft.
“It’s the dead of winter, and I’m all alone in the villa. It’s boring and lonely. I’d rather go with you to recruit interns.”
“Is that the truth?”
Zhao Yicheng raised an eyebrow.
Given what he knew about Xu Yinsheng, this was definitely not the truth.
What kind of person was Xu Yinsheng?
When something interested her, she could play for days and nights—like throwing drinking parties.
If she wasn’t interested, she’d either ignore it completely or just muddle through.
“Fine, I just want to look at pretty girls.”
Xu Yinsheng’s cheeks flushed, as if Zhao Yicheng had seen right through her.
“You know university girls are the prettiest—those fair legs, those slender waists, those lively little mouths, and they know how to dress up. I’ve got a rowdy friend who likes recruiting club staff from universities.”
Hearing this, Zhao Yicheng thought for a moment and nodded slightly.
He’d been with Xu Yinsheng through her university years and naturally knew what her true nature was.
Xu Yinsheng’s true nature was an incorrigible flirt!!