After Yin Minglu began to leave early and return late, Jiang Mingqin also adopted the same routine. Every time she returned home, her eyes sparkled like the blossoms on a peach tree, filled with boundless sweetness, and a natural upward curve on her lips. Everyone in the family noticed, and it was clear that Miss Jiang was in love.
As for the gossip that ensued, life went on as usual. What else could they do? If the housekeeper caught them slacking off or gossiping, their salaries would be docked. As for when the young master wanted to gossip with them, the housekeeper would join in the conversation.
One day, while playing with the birds in the courtyard, he caught the young grandson trying to sneak into the house with a pair of shoes in hand. Old Master Yin was furious, his beard askew, and he exclaimed, “Stop right there!”
The young boy immediately turned to look at him. Upon seeing it was his grandfather, he instantly relaxed. He had thought it was Yin Yunqiu; with his grandfather, there was no pressure.
“You’re coming home so late; are you really in love?” the old master questioned, “Look at you, sneaking around like a thief. You even took off your shoes when coming home. Have you done something wrong?”
“No,” the boy innocently replied.
As for whether he was talking about not being in a relationship or not doing anything wrong, it’s hard to say, but his grandfather clearly didn’t believe him. After giving a dissatisfied snort, the grandfather questioned, “Where is she from? How did you two meet?”
“He’s from the same city as me. We’ve known each other for a long time,” he replied honestly. Known each other since the age of four, that was quite a long time indeed.
“Oh? So, you have a history together,” the grandfather’s complexion improved a bit, and he continued, “Is she from the same school as you?1In Chinese”he” and “she” are often misunderstood because the spoken language does not have gender-specific pronouns; so Grandpa Yin and Minglu are in the same page but at the same time they’re not. That’s why in the next dialogues I’m using “she” for Grandpa Yin’s and “he” for Minglu’s”
The young man shook his head and replied honestly, “No, he’s not from the same school. He studied abroad and started working early. Now he’s in the entertainment industry, and he’s quite famous. Grandfather, you’ve probably seen the shows he’s been in.” He couldn’t resist adding a few compliments.
“She started working early? What does that mean? Is she much older?” Could it be that this woman was older? Especially since she worked in the entertainment industry, the grandfather couldn’t help but suspect her character. It seemed that his grandson was being secretive because the relationship was still in its early stages and he didn’t want anyone to know. But this was precisely what made the grandfather worried. People didn’t hide their relationships unless there was something to hide.
The grandfather’s face changed suddenly, and in a fit of anger, he picked up his cane, intending to give his oblivious grandson a good beating. However, he realized he couldn’t do it. Those who had experienced such relationships knew that the more you tried to break them apart, the harder it was for the couple to let go.
So, he deliberately said, “Isn’t your school known for producing beauties? Aren’t there any pretty girls there? Haven’t you taken a liking to any of them? Instead, you prefer those mature women? I’m worried about your taste, grandson.” He couldn’t help but question his grandson’s taste, especially considering that his grandson often came home late several days a week when he was of age. It was clear that the female celebrity was quite skilled, and his grandson, being young and inexperienced, was easily enchanted. However, once he had more worldly experiences, he wouldn’t be captivated by her charms.
“There are good-looking girls, why are you asking this, Grandpa?” The young man asked in confusion while putting on his shoes. Since he had been caught, there was no point in taking off his shoes.
The old man huffed and said, “You, brat, are in love yourself. Have you forgotten that your brother is still single?” His elder grandson, Jiyu, was also a tough nut to crack. He was over thirty and seemed impervious to the charms of wealthy heiresses or even attractive but less well-known women. It was as if he couldn’t be bothered with any of them.
“That’s true.” The young man suddenly realized and began to worry about Jiyu’s marriage just like the old man. Perhaps Jiyu’s strong and charismatic presence made potential suitors hesitant to approach him. While he had never pursued Jiyu, this generation’s Jiyu, despite not being as lovesick as his previous incarnation, still maintained his virtue of being chaste.
“In any case, whether they are classmates or employees, if you come across any good girls, keep an eye out for your brother.” The old man cleared his throat a few times, although these were just excuses. His true intention was to broaden his younger grandson’s horizons and prevent him from being ensnared by a mature woman.
The young man agreed, although his assumption about why the old man raised the topic was incorrect.
On the first day the young woman returned, she accidentally entered Yin Jiyu’s music room, feeling like Alice wandering into Wonderland.
As she watched the handsome man in a light-colored suit, surrounded by a faint halo, playing the piano with closed eyes, the young woman’s breath caught as if she had been moved by the man’s music. It wasn’t until the piece concluded that she whispered to herself, “This music is truly wonderful, the most sad and moving music I’ve ever heard in my life.”
With those words, a string of tears, like pearls, rolled down her cheeks. The sensation of her neck being moistened by the tears made her feel as though she had awakened from a dream. She quickly wiped away the tears and forced a smile. “Oh my, why am I crying? I’m so silly.”
The young woman’s voice shattered the silence in the room.
Yin Jiyu glanced at her briefly and then averted his gaze. Through her false pretenses, he saw the little girl who had been cute and danced gracefully for him more than ten years ago. So, he calmly withdrew his gaze, treating the girl as if she were insignificant.
However, his indifference gave the girl hope, and she boldly walked up to him, her eyes watery, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said, “Um, do you still remember me? We met at the coffee shop before… back then, I didn’t know that you were my brother and I was your sister. I never expected there would be such a fate between us.”
Yin Jiyu gave her a subtle glance but didn’t reply.
“Your white piano is truly beautiful, and the contrast between the black and white keys creates the most beautiful colors I’ve ever seen, as if it holds a magical power. May I have the honor of playing a piece with you?” The young woman delicately touched the piano with her hands, her gaze filled with reverence. She quickly added, “I don’t mean anything else by it. I also enjoy music, and I just want to play alongside the wonderful music you just played… Don’t worry, I’ve been playing the piano since I was young, and I have experience playing with others. I won’t be a burden to you.”
Yin Jiyu lowered his eyelashes slightly and interrupted the young woman after a moment of silence. “Please leave.”
“Huh?” The young woman was suddenly taken aback. This wasn’t what they had agreed upon, right? Shouldn’t the lonely musical genius appreciate a girl who shares his love for music?
Yin Jiyu lazily explained, “Ever since I started playing the piano, girls like you, nine out of ten times, approach me like this.” He recalled their first meeting at the coffee shop a few years ago, thinking that the young woman was interested in his brother Minglu, only to realize later that it was him she had noticed.
But what of it? She was just a sister brought back home. His father’s2Zhongyuan illegitimate children were not few in number, but throughout, he had only one younger brother3they’re cousins but they treat each other as siblings hence this sentence “he had only one younger brother, Minglu”, Minglu. Although he didn’t understand why the girl, knowing they were cousins4this part was supposed to be siblings but it didn’t sound right so I changed it to cousins, would use such ambiguous words and even want to get close to him, Yin Jiyu couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it. After driving the girl away, he continued to play the piano quietly.
As a result, the young woman’s plan was thwarted. She had initially thought that since nobody in the family liked her, she could use their sibling relationship to first gain the favor and approval of the seemingly most approachable Yin Jiyu and gradually integrate into the family. However, before she could even finish her sentence, she was immediately driven away by him, which was truly embarrassing. The young woman bit her lip in frustration. Every time she saw Yin Jiyu, she was reminded of that awkward incident. So, even though they lived under the same roof, she would always turn and leave whenever she saw him. Consequently, no sparks flew between them.
Yin Jiyu continued to be the aloof and proud music prince, while the young woman continued to focus on her future and life goals. Their lives had no intersection, and this matter remained known only to the two of them.
As for his brother’s bachelor status, Yin Minglu temporarily set it aside. He had heard some rumors recently about Jiang Mingqin’s love life.
It was none other than Xie Jiangcheng, the childhood friend who had grown up with the original host and had once accused him of stealing someone else’s life. In this life, Xie Jiangcheng had been sent abroad by his father due to his failure to establish a good relationship with the Yin family’s young master, Yin Minglu. He had only returned a few months ago, and during this short period, he had somehow gotten involved with Jiang Mingqin. It was unclear whether their relationship was true love, but their life trajectories had not changed significantly. Xie Jiangcheng had returned to the country with some advanced gaming resources from abroad and had started a gaming company, seemingly wanting to compete with Lu Company.
Thinking about the recent media attacks on his company, Yin Minglu touched his chin with interest, as he had already guessed that the male and female couple were probably behind these incidents.
-Intercontinental Hotel-
A group of wealthy young men gathered together, clinking champagne glasses, enjoying the opulence of the moment. Jiang Mingqin sat blushing among the group of well-dressed young men, all of whom were attentively watching her with admiration in their eyes. She relished the feeling of being adored.
All of this was brought about by Xie Jiangcheng, introducing her to the upper echelons of high society.
As the game continued, Jiang Mingqin pursed her lips and seemed hesitant. At this moment, Xie Jiangcheng leaned closer to her and spoke with a persuasive tone, “You currently have five cards in your hand, ranging from five to king. Which card do you think you should play?”
“This one?” The young woman pointed to one of the cards.
“Smart girl, you’re quite talented,” Xie Jiangcheng said with a faint smile, complimenting her. Then he casually added, “Your older brother, Minglu, has a variety of card games under his banner, right? Have you never been exposed to these things before?”
Recently, Lu Company’s reputation had become extremely prominent, even participating in national gaming competitions. Moreover, the gaming industry was an enticing field, and almost everyone wanted a piece of the action.
At the mention of this, the young woman couldn’t help but curl her lip and said with a hint of grievance, “You know, my relationship with him is actually quite average. It’s as if he’s been trying to take everything from me since he was born. I have no interest in playing his games.”
“I understand you. Don’t worry; I’m on your side,” Xie Jiangcheng reassured her, patting her shoulder gently. “If your family doesn’t value you, just shine so brightly that they have no choice but to pay attention to you. I’m here for you in all of this.”
…
With the young woman in tow, he brought her to an office building in the city center.
Taking the elevator straight to the top floor, ascending one floor after another, she gazed at the dazzling city lights outside the glass windows. Her heart raced as if the entire world was at her feet. Overwhelmed with excitement, she struggled to find words, saying in a disjointed manner, “Ah, Jiangcheng, I didn’t expect your family to be so wealthy, actually buying a building in the city center. You deliberately hid it from me! Saying you were a poor guy kicked out of the country by your father! Hmph, I’m not talking to you anymore!”
In reality, she had known for a while. After all, he was a well-known figure even before her rebirth, handsome and successful in his career. He was the type of husband she had dreamed of when she was still with her unfaithful husband.
Xie Jiangcheng smiled and joined her in the playful act, saying, “Forgive me, my dear.”
He took a few steps closer, and his warm breath brushed against her face as he spoke in a coaxing tone, “As long as we can push out Yin Minglu, you will shine, and everyone will be watching you. I imagine that at that time, I might be right here on this rooftop, proposing to you proudly in front of the whole world.”
At the mention of being proposed to in such a romantic and beautiful place, which woman could resist? Jiang Mingqin was no exception. She covered her heart, which was beating like a startled deer, and her heartbeat accelerated as she asked, “So, what should I do?” After all, bringing down Yin Minglu was something she had wanted to do for a while, and it seemed like she and the man were a perfect match, sharing the same goals.
Upon hearing the girl’s agreement, the man smiled, and everything was understood without the need for further words.
Author’s Note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nourishment~
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