“Third Aunt, that’s not right. Even though we live in a villa, we would never forget family, you know. Even wealthy people have a few less fortunate relatives. We’re not rich, and you’re certainly not poor either.”
First, she calls you “poor,” then tries to take it back, claiming, “you’re not poor.” Good and bad, sour and spicy, all spoken in one breath.
Liu Shuting’s face darkened momentarily, then quickly regained a smile. “Oh, it’s Yueyue! Last time you weren’t here, off on summer vacation by yourself, not helping out at home at all. I saw your parents’ little pancake shop was so busy, and I even suggested to your mom that I’d introduce someone to help. Your mother refused, saying they had enough help. So much for my good intentions…”
She looked quite put out.
The Jiang family rarely went online or watched the news, so they had no idea of Jiang Fuyue’s impressive achievements in IPhO and IOI competitions.
And Jiang Da and Han Yunru were low-key people—if others didn’t ask, they didn’t volunteer.
So, Jiang Fuyue’s summer camp and overseas competitions weren’t mentioned to the family, leaving Liu Shuting under the impression that she’d just been out having fun.
Yet, Jiang Fuyue picked up on three key points from her words:
- This wasn’t the Jiang family’s first visit—she’d already come by when Jiang Fuyue wasn’t around.
- Liu Shuting was subtly criticizing her for being irresponsible.
- This aunt had her eye on meddling in the pancake shop.
Jiang Fuyue wanted to ask, where do you get the nerve?
But she held back, out of respect for her father, Jiang Da.
Han Yunru smiled, quickly calming herself. “Sister-in-law, I appreciate your kindness, but we’ve already hired a lady to help at the shop. We don’t need extra hands at the moment.”
Liu Shuting’s eyes darted. “Wouldn’t more help be better? You and Jiang Da work so hard…”
“No, really,” Han Yunru stood firm, with a subtle but unmistakable tone of authority. “It’s a small business; we can’t afford to hire that many people.”
“Eldest Sister-in-law, you must be joking,” Liu Shuting said lightly, her tone calm. Her gaze swept across the exquisitely decorated living room, a flash of jealousy flickering in her eyes before disappearing as she lowered her head gracefully. “You and Big Brother are living in a villa at Yutian Huafu now. Surely you can afford to pay a housekeeper’s salary?”
Han Yunru didn’t respond but remained firm in her stance.
Liu Shuting stood there, awkwardly, with no way to proceed.
Yang Jinqiu observed the scene coldly, clearly uninterested in coming to her sister-in-law’s aid. In fact, she even silently mouthed the word “idiot” in disdain.
Though others might not see it, Yang Jinqiu understood the situation perfectly. Liu Shuting’s resentment wasn’t merely because Han Yunru refused to hire someone she recommended. It was rooted in her dissatisfaction that the sister-in-law who had always lived less comfortably than her suddenly turned her fortunes around and moved into a “golden nest.”
This was a villa in Yutian Huafu—detached, no less!
Expansive, beautifully designed, and luxurious to the point of resembling something straight out of a TV drama.
And yet, Han Yunru had simply moved right in?
To someone as proud as Liu Shuting, how could this not feel unbearable?
She had always considered herself the best off among the three daughters-in-law in the Jiang family. Driving a BMW and living in a duplex apartment, she had been basking in smug satisfaction—until now.
Who could have imagined that Han Yunru would unexpectedly overtake her, securing a home she wouldn’t even dare to dream of?
Utterly… infuriating!
If anyone could truly understand Liu Shuting’s feelings, it was none other than Yang Jinqiu.
As fellow sisters-in-law, who wouldn’t be envious of such luck?
Every glance at this grand house was like a tiny ant burrowing into their hearts—itching with jealousy.
But Yang Jinqiu was far craftier than Liu Shuting. She stayed composed, allowing the “clown” to step forward and make a scene, while she watched quietly from the sidelines.
Jiang Qin, too, was feeling sour. At the moment, she was busy inspecting the house, paying no attention to Liu Shuting’s plight.
Besides, Jiang Qin didn’t have the slightest intention of helping her out. She couldn’t stand her third sister-in-law, with her endless scheming and sly tricks. Seeing her in an awkward position was almost satisfying.
And so, Liu Shuting remained stranded in awkward silence. When she realized no one would step in to support her, she turned and threw herself into Jiang Teng’s arms with a pitiful expression.
“Husband~ I was only thinking about what’s best for Big Brother and Sister-in-law. I had no other intentions,” she whined.
Jiang Teng hurried to comfort her. “I know, we all know. Don’t overthink it, okay?”
Jiang Fuyue couldn’t help but feel a wave of goosebumps.
Even Yang Jinqiu couldn’t resist curling her lip in disdain. What a shameless flirt, she thought. Doesn’t she care about saving face? Flirting with her husband in front of everyone like this?
However, Liu Shuting wasn’t satisfied with her husband’s reaction. She felt she had been deeply wronged, so why wasn’t Jiang Teng speaking up for her? Why wasn’t he scolding Han Yunru? Forget the sweet words—he should be unleashing his temper by now!
But to her disappointment, even after waiting a long while, Jiang Teng showed no signs of acting out.
She couldn’t help but feel let down.
Jiang Teng, on the other hand, had no intention of creating a scene. He had already noticed Jiang Da standing not too far away, observing quietly. Since the others hadn’t spotted him yet, Jiang Teng decided to stay cautious.
If he dared show the slightest disrespect toward Han Yunru, there was no doubt that Jiang Da would skin him alive.
What’s more, Jiang Hua wasn’t present today, and if it really came to blows, his scrawny build wouldn’t stand a chance against his eldest brother.
So, for now, it was best to endure…
Liu Shuting stepped away from Jiang Teng’s arms, glared at him in frustration, and silently mouthed, Useless!
She then turned to the Old Madam, placing a hand on her wheelchair as she complained, “Mom, sister-in-law misunderstood. Don’t you know what kind of person I am?”
The Old Madam adored her youngest son, and by extension, doted on her youngest daughter-in-law. Especially when she sought comfort from the Old Madam, it reinforced her sense of importance in the family. This pleased the Old Madam immensely.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, you…”
Seeing her grandmother about to speak, Jiang Fuyue, not wanting Han Yunru to be mistreated, smiled slightly. “Grandma, you brought Aunt, Third Aunt, and Uncle here to introduce a helper for my mom? That’s wonderful!”
The Old Madam’s expression froze, her words halting mid-sentence.
She certainly hadn’t come all this way just to help her youngest daughter-in-law hassle the eldest. If she upset Han Yunru, what she had come here to discuss next might become difficult…
“Third daughter-in-law, while I appreciate your good intentions, you don’t know much about the shop. Best not to trouble your sister-in-law.”
The Old Madam, a master of reading the room, adapted quickly.
Liu Shuting blinked, confused. Wait, what?
Han Yunru softened, smiling. “Mom, have you eaten yet? We’re still eating; would you like to join us?”
She extended the invitation to the others as well.
The Old Madam hesitated. “We had something earlier, but now that you mention it, I could eat a bit more.”
In other words, I’ll humor you and join.
With the Old Madam leading, Jiang Teng, Jiang Qin, and the others had no reason to refuse.
Last time, they only saw the living room. Eating wasn’t important—what mattered was getting a closer look at this renowned, luxury villa.
After researching, they discovered this was the “A3 plot, the king of the complex!”
So they were led to the dining room.
Liu Shuting’s eyes widened at the lavishly set table: candles, crystal chandeliers, Hermès logos discreetly printed on the table linens.
She had once heard someone say that to estimate the value of a crystal chandelier, amateurs look at the design, while experts evaluate the lighting.
A truly exquisite crystal chandelier’s light shouldn’t be overly warm, as that would create a stifling, irritable atmosphere. Nor should it be too soft, as that would diminish its grandeur and compromise the overall decor’s impact.
Since she’d never seen such a thing, Liu Shuting didn’t believe it at the time. She thought the socialite who made the claim was simply showing off, trying to highlight her own refined taste.
But now, she believed it.
Jiang Teng wasn’t any better off than his wife; in fact, he was worse.
Liu Shuting, after all, came from a wealthy family. She had been pampered since childhood and had seen her fair share of luxury. Jiang Teng, on the other hand, came from a regular household. Thanks to his good looks and a quick tongue, he managed—with considerable effort—to marry Liu Shuting. But when it came to taste and experience, he was undeniably lacking.
As he gazed at the floor tiles, polished to a mirror-like sheen, he couldn’t find any seams upon closer inspection. It looked as though an enormous, seamless slab had been set into the dining room floor.
How much did this cost?
He had no idea about the dining table or the candelabra, nor could he judge the quality of the chandelier. All he knew was that the table’s surface gleamed with a mix of purple and reddish-brown hues, which he found oddly beautiful.
The candelabra was even in use, with lit candles creating a cozy, atmospheric glow—something entirely at odds with his eldest brother’s rough and rugged image.
The chandelier’s light was warm yet understated, casting a gentle glow over the dishes, making their colors look even more appetizing.
Gulp—
He swallowed involuntarily.
