“Auntie…”
The corner of the paper crumpled under Wang Ziyue’s grip.
“I already told you very clearly before.” Jiang Xiaoyue took a deep breath.
“My daughter will always come first.”
“But there’s been no problem at all in how we interact…”
“That’s because she’s willing to trust you. What about me, her mother? How am I supposed to say ‘I trust you’ to an adult who covets my underage daughter?”
Each of Jiang Xiaoyue’s words struck Wang Ziyue’s heart like a hammer.
“I…”
Her actions had crossed Jiang Xiaoyue’s bottom line.
All along she had overlooked the fact that this woman was Jiang Cheng’s legal guardian.
“My earlier words were rash.”
“Heh.”
Jiang Xiaoyue gave a cold laugh.
The mocking curve of her lips made Wang Ziyue wish the floor would swallow her whole.
Why couldn’t she stay calm and rational about Jiang Cheng the way she was in everything else?
Wang Ziyue lowered her head and stared bitterly at the document in her hand.
“Let’s end it here. Once the handover is complete…”
“Wait, Auntie.”
Jiang Xiaoyue had been about to stand when Wang Ziyue cut her off.
Impatience flashed across her face.
“This resignation letter… I’ll hold onto it for now.”
If Jiang Xiaoyue left the company, the thread connecting her to Jiang Cheng would be severed completely.
Wang Ziyue knew which battles mattered most.
“President Wang, this is me informing you. I will follow normal HR procedures.”
“Auntie, things between Jiang Cheng and me aren’t what you think…”
“I naturally trust my daughter. But I’ll say it again—how am I supposed to trust you? Hm?”
Jiang Xiaoyue folded her arms across her chest.
Her brows had not relaxed once since the conversation began.
“I don’t expect to earn your trust immediately, but there are some things I have to say.”
Wang Ziyue had gathered her thoughts.
“If you quit now and Jiang Cheng finds out, what then? She’s so smart—she’ll definitely realise it’s because of her. Do you want her to blame herself?”
Jiang Xiaoyue’s lashes trembled.
Seeing the hard edge in her attitude soften, Wang Ziyue knew she had taken the right step.
“You’re right. As the adult, I should maintain an appropriate distance.”
After leaving Jiang Cheng’s home she had still been wondering whether to push harder.
Now she wished she could turn the clock back to Friday night.
That night she had truly lost her mind.
“You really understand?”
Jiang Xiaoyue didn’t interact with her often, but every time Wang Ziyue had always been warm and pleasant.
For her to remain this composed even while being pressed so aggressively—it was impressive.
Either her personality was genuinely like this, or… Jiang Xiaoyue sincerely hoped it wasn’t the other possibility.
“I know you’re protecting Jiang Cheng. That’s a mother’s instinct. I hope you can understand that I don’t want to take your daughter away, and I definitely don’t want to do anything inappropriate at her age… I just… want one more person to care about her…”
Seeing Jiang Xiaoyue’s gaze sharpen again, Wang Ziyue slammed on the brakes mid-sentence.
“What you said earlier makes sense. I don’t want Little Cheng worrying about me either.”
Jiang Xiaoyue pointed at the resignation letter.
Wang Ziyue inwardly wiped away cold sweat. As long as there was still room to manoeuvre, she was fine.
“But I still don’t trust you as a person. Honestly, I haven’t changed my mind.”
“In the end it’s my fault.”
Wang Ziyue said sincerely.
“I handled this too rashly. But please believe me—I haven’t said anything to Jiang Cheng that I shouldn’t have.”
She had almost let it slip, though.
“As for what she thinks… well, I can’t control that, can I…”
“If you stayed out of her life, I wouldn’t have to worry about it at all.”
Jiang Xiaoyue was certain Jiang Cheng wouldn’t start dating while preparing for the college entrance exam, but what about after the exam?
What right would she have as a mother to stop her then?
If her daughter really did develop feelings in that direction, what stance should she take?
That was what gave Jiang Xiaoyue the biggest headache.
“Auntie, my parents taught me since I was young to chase what I truly want. For years I thought my focus, my goal, was my career. Only now do I realise there’s something far more worth stopping for.”
“Love, dating…”
Jiang Xiaoyue seemed to think of something; a trace of melancholy entered her voice.
“Those are just what you feel right now. Marriage isn’t sustained by a single promise—it’s the collision and blending of two families. I can be reasonable. If Little Cheng needed it… But the biggest problem isn’t us.”
Wang Ziyue froze.
She wanted to argue, but couldn’t find a single point to refute.
If earlier it had been mostly compromise, now she genuinely understood how reckless she had been.
The vow of love she had uttered sounded weightless in Jiang Xiaoyue’s ears.
Without family blessing, it was hard for anyone to feel its sincerity.
She could already imagine her parents’ reaction if she brought this up.
Her father’s blood pressure would probably would shoot up again—he’d only just had surgery…
“President Wang, you can see clearly and decide cleanly in business.
But love and marriage—how can they be wrapped up in a simple promise?”
“Little Cheng’s future needs someone who will walk beside her and support her for life. A relationship with too great a disparity—I’m not optimistic about it.”
This was the second time Jiang Xiaoyue had raised the issue.
Wang Ziyue wanted to dodge it, but she had to face it.
If even she didn’t dare confront it, what right did she have to say she wanted to stand by Jiang Cheng’s side?
“I’ll think very carefully about everything you’ve said… But I can also tell you very clearly—I like Jiang Cheng.”
Her eyes opened slightly wider, meeting Jiang Xiaoyue’s icy gaze without flinching.
“I can write you a formal letter of guarantee.”
“Oh?”
“List whatever conditions you want… and I’ll bring a witness.”
“The witness you have in mind…”
“I’ll ask my brother to be the witness. That should be acceptable, right?”
“I’d like to speak with him alone first.”
“…Fine.”
Wang Ziyue scratched her cheek.
She felt like a kid whose parents had been called to school.
When she was little, her parents were always busy with work, so her older brother had basically raised her—he was half a father to her.
Whenever the school called for parents, it was always her brother who went.
But right now she couldn’t afford to worry about pride.
If she didn’t calm Jiang Xiaoyue down today, she could forget about ever seeing Jiang Cheng again.
Wang Ziyue pulled out her phone and called Wang Ziyang.
“Hey, Ziyue?”
Wang Ziyang glanced at the time on his computer.
His sister was usually still working at this hour.
“Bro, I need your help with something urgent.”
“What is it?”
Hearing the tension in her voice, Wang Ziyang grew nervous too.
“Come here first and I’ll explain. The café I bought, the one right outside Nancheng Real Estate.”
“Got it, I’m on my way.”
He hurriedly changed clothes and headed downstairs.
Fang Qinghua was lying on the living-room sofa watching TV.
Without turning her head she called to her husband, “Perfect timing! What are we having for dinner?”
“Something came up—I’m heading to Ziyue’s!”
Wang Ziyang sat at the entrance putting on his shoes.
“Are you coming back for dinner?”
Fang Qinghua finally stood and walked over.
“We’ll see!”
His voice sounded anxious, brows knitted tight.
“What’s wrong?”
Fang Qinghua’s heart skipped a beat.
“She didn’t say on the phone, just told me to get there fast.”
Wang Ziyang grabbed his car keys and pushed the door open.
“Wait! Could it be something at the company? Should I come too? What if it’s the board—”
Fang Qinghua had been an executive herself before her husband stepped away from the company.
“Fine, let’s go together.”
Wang Ziyang didn’t overthink it.
The couple practically raced the speed limit all the way to Nancheng Real Estate, parked, and hurried toward the café Wang Ziyue had mentioned.
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