When the results from the hospital came out, holding the report in his hand, Jiang Mingyao felt dizzy for a while. He had to lean against the wall to keep himself steady, but there was a sense of confirmation in his heart, as if things had fallen into place just as he had suspected.
In the days that followed, the Jiang family noticed that their son had become much quieter, looking more mature and reserved, but also more reticent, often staying alone in his room for hours on end.
The couple was worried, thinking that their son was busy with plans for studying abroad after graduation. They were afraid of disturbing his thoughts, so they refrained from offering too much advice and instead showed their concern through their actions.
One day during lunch, Kong Jinghua served her son a piece of meat and said with concern, “Son, you’ve been locking yourself in your room these past few days. Eat more meat; you’ve been looking thinner lately.”
“Yes, take care of your health, young people should avoid staying up late,” Jiang Shi added as he served more dishes for his wife.
Ignoring the small mountain of food in front of him, facing his parents’ sincere concern, Jiang Mingyao hesitated countless times and finally made up his mind. He spoke in a serious tone, “Mom, Dad, I’ve decided not to study abroad.”
“What’s wrong, son?” Kong Jinghua asked in surprise. “Didn’t you plan this a long time ago? Why the change of heart at the last moment?”
Jiang Shi was also taken aback but then frowned and asked, “Is it because of financial concerns? Don’t worry, even if you don’t get a scholarship, we’ll do whatever it takes to support your overseas education.” Besides, their family wasn’t in dire financial straits.
“It’s not about the money…” Jiang Mingyao slowly closed his eyes, unable to reveal the truth. He could only say, “Remember how we designed that game together? Yin Corporation noticed our abilities and offered us high-paying positions on their team after we graduate. I… I accepted the offer, and I’ve already submitted my resume. I have an interview with Yin Corporation tomorrow.”
In reality, none of this was true. Yin Corporation had indeed extended an offer, but it was for him to work there after returning from studying abroad. Currently, he was just a fourth-year student with nothing but his university degree. He had no advantage in applying for positions at a major corporation, and there was a high likelihood that he would be rejected in the first round of interviews. However, he wanted to join that child’s company, even if it meant starting from the bottom.
“Yin Corporation?” Kong Jinghua was momentarily stunned, briefly at a loss for words.
Yin Corporation was a renowned company in the industry, offering high salaries and excellent benefits. If their son had an opportunity to work there, it would be considered an honorable achievement among her circle of friends. She supported her son’s decision to work at Yin Corporation but couldn’t understand why he couldn’t wait for just three more years, as the offer from Yin Corporation was valid for five years.
“Is it because the conditions offered by Yin Corporation are too good?” Jiang Shi put down his chopsticks and pushed his black-framed glasses up as he speculated. He thought that the salary and benefits offered by Yin Corporation must have been so attractive that it made their son reconsider studying abroad. Perhaps after the interview, their son would be promoted to a junior management position directly. Yin Corporation was indeed a prominent player in the industry, and they seemed very eager to recruit talent.
“Yes… that’s why I want to give it a try.” Although he felt guilty about deceiving his parents and was essentially gambling with his own future, Jiang Mingyao was willing to do it. He took a few more bites of food, then returned to his room to continue preparing for his interview the next day.
When Jiang Mingqin returned home after evening self-study, she couldn’t help but complain when she heard her older brother giving up on studying abroad in favor of working at Yin Corporation. She said, “What’s so great about working at Yin Corporation? So many people are trying so hard to get in, but in the end, isn’t it just working for someone else? What kind of future can you have?”
Setting aside how many people she offended with this statement, strictly speaking, Jiang’s parents were employees of a state-owned enterprise, which, in theory, meant they worked for the country. However, in essence, it fell into the category of working for someone else, doing tasks for others.
“You, my child, why do you speak like that?” Kong Jinghua felt a headache coming on due to her outspoken daughter. She raised her hand, intending to give her a light slap, but the clever girl evaded it and then clung to her mother’s arm, acting cute and saying, “Mom, since my brother isn’t going abroad, can I use the remaining money to travel abroad? I haven’t been to the United States yet. How about it?”
The reason she wanted to go to the United States was because Yin Minglu had gone there during the summer vacation. Relying on his family’s wealth, she went to the United States casually, from the breezy beaches of Hawaii to the concrete jungle of Washington. The young man posed for photos with foreigners under towering skyscrapers, and it was said that they even embarked on a spontaneous road trip to the Grand Canyon while on their way. In just two months, they enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Those photos had spread like wildfire in their class, and everyone envied the young man. At their age, summer vacations were usually dull and uninteresting, spent either buried in textbooks or in the quiet countryside. Going abroad for a few days at most was the extent of their excitement. Upon returning, they even brought gifts for everyone. It was really extravagant.
Seeing the young man, who had been adored by so many people and was constantly asked about the customs and scenery of the United States, Jiang Mingqin couldn’t help but sneer in her heart. Did he really think he was so impressive by spending his family’s money lavishly? She didn’t believe his claim that he spent nothing in two months, just relying on his English skills and talents to communicate with foreigners and make money. What a load of nonsense.
He was really slick with his words, constantly telling lies to please the poor students in their class.
Jiang Mingqin might not believe him, but privately, she still worked hard to consolidate her English skills, fearing that she might make a mistake if she ever went abroad. If she had the opportunity to go abroad, she would definitely outperform the young man.
Now, the opportunity had come. With her brother not going abroad, there was only a sum of money left in the family. Why not use it to broaden her horizons? After all, girls couldn’t stay locked up in a deep boudoir. If they didn’t step out and gain experiences, they would have no perspective or experience. She didn’t want to be like that in her past life.
Those wealthy young ladies chatted about London’s rain, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and shoes in Milan. She couldn’t join in any of those conversations and could only sit quietly with a forced smile, listening to the women chattering away about everything under the sun, which was actually a way to show off. In her heart, she resented the Jiang family even more, blaming them for being partial to Jiang Mingyao, their elder brother, from childhood. They were willing to scrape together money to send him abroad but kept their younger daughter in obscurity at home.
Full of resentment, she lifted her beautiful face and pouted, making herself look adorable. She blinked her eyes innocently, a demeanor that was both unfamiliar and cute, making Kong Jinghua unable to resist. Just as she was about to agree, considering that her son’s plan to study abroad had stalled and the family’s financial burden had significantly lightened, she thought that the money could be used for the family, such as buying her husband a new winter coat, getting her son a new computer, or allowing her younger daughter to travel abroad.
“Mom, please say yes, you’re the best.” Seeing her mother’s hesitation, the young girl felt a surge of joy. She thought that she had imitated Yin Minglu to get some benefits, and it seemed that she had succeeded. If she continued to work hard, she could probably get most of the money out of Kong Jinghua’s mouth.
…
“Honey, Mingqin said she really wants to go abroad. Shouldn’t we agree?” Kong Jinghua discussed it with her husband over the phone.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Mingyao overheard their conversation and, disagreeing, furrowed his brows and interjected, “Going abroad requires sitting on a plane for more than ten hours. Can her fragile body handle it? She’s unfamiliar with life abroad, and what if she gets lost or encounters danger? What will you do then?”
When this was said, Kong Jinghua’s heated thoughts immediately cooled down. She thought, “That’s right, my daughter’s fragile health is indeed an issue.” She really wasn’t a qualified mother. She had almost forgotten about it. Fortunately, her son persuaded her.
Back in her room, Jiang Mingqin was feeling elated and calling her rich and beautiful friends to boast about her impending trip to the United States. However, she soon learned that her parents, who had initially agreed, had changed their minds. She couldn’t believe her ears and widened her almond-shaped eyes, exclaiming loudly, “Mom! Didn’t you promise me?”
She had already told people about it, even posted on social media, and received numerous likes. People were envious of her. Now, she suddenly changed her mind and said she couldn’t go. How would others view her? They would probably mock her in private.
The phone call was still connected, and her embarrassed friend whispered, “Mingqin, don’t speak so loudly to your mom. Since you can’t go, I’ve made plans with someone else.” Without waiting for the girl to respond, she hung up, as if her opinion of her had dropped a little more.
When Jiang Mingqin learned that it was Jiang Mingyao’s words that had changed Kong Jinghua’s mind, she became furious. She clenched her teeth so tightly that they made a clicking sound. Unable to suppress her anger, her chest heaved up and down. She then vented her frustration by ruthlessly pounding a stuffed toy on her bed, thinking that the Jiang family was really biased, especially her parents. They favored their son so much, even willing to send him abroad by scraping together every last penny. She was about to repay them in full for their efforts when she married into a wealthy family.
But they were so biased, even if their son wasn’t going abroad, they wouldn’t leave the money for their daughter to use. She would always remember this scene, and she wouldn’t give a single cent to the Jiang family in the future! They had mistreated her!
On the other hand, Jiang Mingyao was still immersed in the suspicion of why his sister knew he wasn’t her biological brother. Soon, he received a reply confirming his acceptance into Yin Corporation’s internship program as a game planner.
However, on his first day at work, his supervisor suddenly called him aside and said, “Xiao Jiang, the game planning department has enough interns for now, so we can’t accommodate you at the moment. We’ll have to assign you to a different job temporarily.”
A different job? Was he going to be a waiter, serving tea and water, or a janitor cleaning toilets? Jiang Mingyao’s heart skipped a beat.
The supervisor continued, “Well, our young master’s previous driver had some family matters and resigned. We had looked for a few replacements, but the young master found them too rigid and kept reporting to the family. He specifically asked for a young driver with a tight lip. I think you’re suitable for this role. Personal assistant and driver combined. You’ll receive two salaries.”
Driver and personal assistant to that child? That meant he would be seeing him every day, which was much better than being a junior planner who only met the boss occasionally.
This felt like a pie falling from the sky, and Jiang Mingyao’s heart pounded. He didn’t even pay attention to the supervisor mentioning double salaries, monthly pay, weekends off, and other details. He was willing to work overtime every day if it allowed him to get closer to the child.
On his first day, Jiang Mingyao was nervous about driving the expensive car. As he was adjusting his suit, a young boy with a backpack emerged from the luxurious mansion. He looked drowsy, like a chick that hadn’t awakened fully.
The butler explained, “Our young master stayed up late again. Just drop him off at school and pick him up at noon and 5:30 pm. Here’s his phone number. He’ll contact you if plans change. Your phone must always be reachable.”
“Is this my new driver?” The young boy looked at him and remarked, “He looks familiar.” He thought to himself, isn’t this the original protagonist’s elder brother? Why is he my driver?
Jiang Mingyao held his breath, fearing the boy would discover his intentions.
The butler sighed, “Young master, you said the same thing about the last driver. Not everyone has a familiar face.” The boy has face blindness, but won’t admit it.
“Hmm, really? Let’s go then, don’t be late for school.” The young master ruffled his hair, and without waiting for someone to open the car door for him, he climbed into the back seat.
Jiang Mingyao quickly followed. Once seated, he glanced at the young boy who was sleeping soundly in the back seat. His heart softened. The young master had been born into wealth and was pampered by his father. He had everything he wanted in this home and genuinely treated the Yin family as his own kin. Would they really want to exchange places?
He dared not unveil the truth, fearing it might shatter the young master’s carefree spirit. For now, he only wanted to slowly integrate into the boy’s life, hoping that after gaining the young master’s trust over time, he could then reveal the truth.
It was rush hour in the morning. The sidewalks were bustling with students and office workers. As it was Jiang’s first day at work, he wanted to make a good impression on his young employer, hoping that this temporary job could become a long-term one. Thus, he drove very cautiously, maintaining a steady speed without any jolts.
The peaceful expression on the sleeping young master’s face was evidence of how smoothly the car was moving.
But as they turned a corner, an old lady carrying a basket of vegetables suddenly darted out. Startled, Jiang Mingyao slammed on the brakes. The old lady crashed into the front of the car with a thud, falling to the ground, her vegetables scattering everywhere. A pitiful cry followed.
“Accident! Someone got hit!” Bystanders who witnessed the scene shouted, drawing a crowd.
The sudden braking caused the young master in the back seat to tumble and fall, landing with a painful cry. He seemed to have hit his head. Climbing up, he asked, “What happened?”
With the innocent face of the young master on one side and the eager onlookers on the other, Jiang Mingyao was sure he hadn’t hit the old woman – she had intentionally bumped into his car. However, despite knowing this, he felt his heart sink. It was his first day on the job, and he was already facing such an incident. If it were any other employer, he’d surely be fired. He had just started to get close to the boy, and now he might be forced to leave.
“Another scam?” The young master rubbed his reddened forehead and stepped out to inspect the situation.
Seeing a rich-looking young master exit the car, the old lady on the ground became even more animated in her cries.
However, after a quick survey and picking a vegetable off the car window, the young master nonchalantly said to Jiang Mingyao, “It’s fine, don’t look so worried. I’m used to these scams. After all, I have money.”
Hearing this, greed flashed in the old lady’s eyes. Jiang Mingyao frowned, thinking the young master was going to pay her off. But the boy’s next words left him stunned, “Because I have money, I’ve installed dozens of cameras on my car.” They cover every angle, and yes, they’re the latest dash cams from the US.
So, that’s what you meant by having money?
The old lady: ???
The onlooking crowd: ???
The author has something to say:
Thank you to the little angels who have voted for me with the “Supreme” votes or nourished me with nutrients~
Love what you read? A little donation can go a long way!
