The boys who were called upon just remembered they had something to do and could only regretfully shake their heads.
"I actually do have time." Song Xingyu put on his cap backwards, "I'll go help."
Jiang Zhe was noncommittal, while Xia Enci and Xiao Meng hurriedly followed her, and Song Xingyu quickly caught up with them.
The girls in Class 1 saw Xiao Meng coming and immediately lowered their heads to whisper and gossip.
"Xiao Meng still has the face to come back?"
"Does she think she can return to Class 1?"
"Good riddance, always screaming from nightmares at night, she seriously affected our study!"
Xiao Meng's face turned slightly red, and she cast her eyes down.
The next second, they saw that following Xiao Meng were the infamous Iron Barbie and school bully from the unnamed class, and their murmurs stopped at once.
Jiang Zhe was acutely aware of the last sentence they said.
Song Xingyu went to get Xiao Meng's luggage and nearly broke his arm lifting it: "Why is this so heavy?"
Xiao Meng, feeling embarrassed, said, "There's quite a lot of books."
"Step aside, I'll do it." Xia Enci's girlish voice was obedient and sweet as she easily picked up the luggage and strode out.
A smile finally appeared on Xiao Meng's face, which had been devoid of any cheer.
After everything was packed, it was also time for school to let out, so they all went to the cafeteria to eat.
Jiang Fanyue was carrying her backpack out of the classroom when she saw Jiang Zhe being held at the center like a star by a crowd, with several people surrounding her.
She said nothing, and even her eyes and brows were expressionless and cold, while the people around her chattered with each other, the pattern always centering on her.
Once Jiang Fanyue clearly saw that Xia Enci was among those surrounding Jiang Zhe, fear crept into her heart.
She had already learned that Xia Enci was her cousin, and if Xia Enci called her "cousin" in front of everyone, wouldn't that be...
Thinking this, she hurried out.
The classmates who left with her were surprised, "Fanyue, why are you running so fast?"
Only after getting out of Xia Enci's sight did Jiang Fanyue stop: "It's nothing, someone from my family came to pick me up."
"You're really lucky to be driven back and forth every day. The noble lady of the Jiang Family, a treasured daughter, loved by your family, good grades, and beautiful to boot, it's as if heaven created you as its own child, right?"
Hearing these words, Jiang Fanyue couldn't muster a smile. She hurriedly bid farewell to her classmates and got into the car that came to pick her up.
Liang Jinlan was there with Jiang Yunxuan in the back seat.
Her mother had come to pick her up with her brother, and Jiang Fanyue's restless heart was soothed.
"Why are you panting?" Liang Jinlan asked with a smile.
"I saw you and wanted to see you sooner."
Liang Jinlan was full of affection, "Silly child. By the way, I thought I saw Jiang Zhe just now. What is she doing at your school? She's not coming to bother you, is she?"
Upon hearing the name Jiang Zhe, Jiang Yunxuan immediately perked up, "Is it sister? Can I see sister now?"
"Your sister is sitting right here!" Liang Jinlan said irritably.
"Yunxuan, behave, sister will buy you something delicious in a bit," Jiang Fanyue said in a very gentle tone.
"Oh," Jiang Yunxuan lowered his head.
Liang Jinlan spoke with grave concern, "Fanyue, your potential is limitless, and Jiang Zhe, even if he wanted to influence you, wouldn't be able to. You need to be resolute and spend more time practicing the piano, getting ready for the upcoming competition. As long as you can smoothly become Master Yue's disciple, we won't have to worry about a thing. The little difficulties our family is facing now won't be a problem anymore."
"What kind of difficulties is our family facing?" Jiang Fanyue's heart skipped a beat, and she clenched her fingers.
Liang Jinlan hesitated to speak, "It's nothing, just focus on your own matters."
Jiang Fanyue, seeing her worried expression, didn't dare to ask further.
The Jiang Family's business was in fashion, and it had always been doing well, especially in the past decade, flourishing more than ever.
Jiang Fanyue couldn't think of any problems that might arise.
Yet Liang Jinlan was deeply troubled. Recently, a well-known designer, J, who had long collaborated with the Jiang Family, suddenly announced his withdrawal.
J was a famous international brand master whom Liang Jinlan had contacted by chance over a decade ago, and he had expressed a willingness to collaborate with the Jiang Family.
At the time, Liang Jinlan was also skeptical about his abilities, especially since he refused to meet in person, so she didn't dare to trust him too much.
Unexpectedly, J generously provided some design drafts to the Jiang Family to use for free, suggesting that they collaborate further if the results were good. With a try-and-see attitude, Liang Jinlan made use of the design drafts.
Then, the Jiang Family's otherwise steady fashion business suddenly soared and reached new heights.
Liang Jinlan hurriedly contacted J again, respectfully seeking cooperation with polite words.
Over the past decade or so, even though they had never met, J had continuously provided the Jiang Family with a variety of design works.
This was also a key reason why the Jiang Family was able to firmly establish themselves as a prominent family in Jincheng.
Liang Jinlan had thought that these good days would last forever. Even without J, with the brand the company had built, what was there to worry about? Could the world not go on without anyone?
Yet in less than half a month, internal problems began to emerge in the company.
The designs provided by J could barely sustain for a while, but the Jiang Family's other designers, who had grown dependent on J's constant guidance, seemed to have lost their backbone. Their work was either unacceptable or riddled with various flaws.
Even a few of the more capable ones, upon learning of J's departure, started clamoring to leave or demanding promotions and pay raises.
Liang Jinlan, accustomed to good times, was naturally overwhelmed by these troubling issues when suddenly faced with them.
But fortunately, there was still Jiang Fanyue. As long as she successfully became Master Yue's student, once the Jiang Family knocked on the door to Beijing, all of these problems would be trivial.
After returning home, Liang Jinlan felt uneasy and instructed her assistant to look into Jiang Zhe appearing at No. 1 Middle School.
Jiang Zhe attending No. 1 Middle School wasn't some extraordinary secret.
The assistant quickly responded, "That Jiang Yaowang, he drained the family coffers to... to send Jiang Zhe to No. 1 Middle School."
"What a waste of resources," Liang Jinlan shook her head, but then thought that if Jiang Zhe really managed to get involved with the Gu Family in some way, that money wouldn't be wasted.
Calculations were best left to those born of commoners.
"I also heard that Jiang Yaowang sent some food for the second young miss to the school. But the second young miss didn't accept it."
Liang Jinlan grew irritable, "Protect Fanyue well next time, don't let their family get anywhere near her!"
The assistant nodded.
"Also, Fanyue is not some second young miss. In the Jiang Family, she is the only daughter!"
...
Jiang Zhe returned to his dormitory that evening, and his phone received a new message.
"J, could we discuss the collaboration again? I know you never mentioned anything about compensation before, but from now on, you can make any demands you want, and the Jiang Family will fulfill them all."