Jiang Chenyu lingered at the top of the stairs for a couple of minutes, silently watching the night unfold outside. He let out a soft sigh, his expression unreadable, before heading upstairs with a blank face.
As he stepped into the room, Gu Nuannuan looked at him in surprise. "Oh, you're back so soon! Didn't you go out for a date? Why so fast?" she teased.
Jiang Chenyu shot her an icy glance before heading straight to the cloakroom, avoiding her question entirely.
Gu Nuannuan couldn't resist a cheeky remark. "Tsk~ Rolling your eyes at me again? Only you can pull off those big, dramatic eye rolls."
Down in the yard, Wei Aihua arrived home, stepping out of her car only to be greeted by the sight of her friend, Gao Rouer, weeping on the balcony. Alarmed, she quickly ordered the servants to carry her things inside before walking over to Gao Rouer alone.
"Rouer, what happened?" Wei Aihua asked, her voice full of concern.
Gao Rouer quickly wiped her tears, trying to put on a brave face. "Sister-in-law, you're back."
Wei Aihua frowned as she noticed the two teacups on the table. "Why are you crying? Who upset you? Was someone here with you just now?"
Gao Rouer bit her lip, too embarrassed to tell Wei Aihua what had really happened between her and Jiang Chenyu. She shook her head softly. "Sister-in-law, please, let's not talk about it."
Wei Aihua, however, had already jumped to her own conclusion. Her tone turned sharp. "Was it Gu Nuannuan? Did she do something to you?"
Before Gao Rouer could respond, Wei Aihua stood abruptly, fully prepared to confront Gu Nuannuan. "Wait here! I won't let her bully you."
"No, sister-in-law, don't go!" Gao Rouer grabbed her arm, feigning helplessness.
Wei Aihua paused, suddenly remembering. "Oh, right... I forgot that today was the day Chenyu and Gu Nuannuan returned home. They probably aren't even here." Realizing her mistake, she began to cool down, wondering if she had been too impulsive. But before she could fully calm down, Gao Rouer let slip, ever so deliberately, "She's back, sister-in-law. I saw her just a moment ago."
Wei Aihua's anger reignited in an instant. "What? She really is back? That girl dares to bully you? Just because she's now calling herself Madam Jiang, she thinks she can act high and mighty?"
"Sister-in-law, please don't confront her for me. She's not someone we can easily mess with anymore... she's also scheming," Gao Rouer said, her voice trailing off, deliberately sowing seeds of doubt.
Wei Aihua's eyes narrowed as she caught the hesitation in Gao Rouer's voice. "Scheming? What is she planning?" she asked, her voice rising in anger.
Gao Rouer hesitated, glancing away as if afraid to reveal too much. She swallowed hard. "Just now, she was buttering up Uncle Jiang, trying to get on his good side. He even said that she's the... true mistress of the Jiang family now. And he mentioned... well, he said you're too narrow-minded to run the family."
Wei Aihua's fists clenched, and her face darkened with rage. She turned back to Gao Rouer, her voice low and tense. "Is that true?"
"Sister-in-law, please don't tell her that I told you any of this," Gao Rouer said quickly, feigning fear. "I'm worried she'll manipulate Uncle Jiang even more, and I won't be able to come to you in the future."
Seeing Wei Aihua's mounting anger, Gao Rouer pressed further, knowing exactly where her friend's vulnerabilities lay. "Sister-in-law, let me be honest with you... a woman like Gu Nuannuan shouldn't stay by Chenyu's side. Look at her now—she's already trying to take away your authority in the family. If she's so bold about it now, imagine what she'll do in the future. She'll make sure that Jiangsu doesn't inherit any shares in the Jiang Group."
These words hit Wei Aihua right where it hurt. Gao Rouer knew that Wei Aihua's greatest fear was Jiang Chenyu consolidating power within the Jiang Group. Over the years, as Jiang Chenyu grew stronger, many of the company's older employees had been replaced by his own people, and the possibility that Jiangsu might one day be left out entirely haunted her.
Sensing that she had successfully fueled Wei Aihua's concerns, Gao Rouer delivered her final blow. "Sister-in-law, I love Chenyu deeply, but I'm not without conscience. The Jiang Group belongs to the Jiang family. Chen Yu and your eldest brother both have shares, and Jiangsu—being the eldest grandson—should, of course, have his share as well. But now, with her around, who knows what might happen? I've already been warned that I'm no longer welcome at the Jiang family's residence without an invitation. You need to be careful."
Wei Aihua's face was a mask of fury, her mind now swirling with suspicion and anger. Gao Rouer's manipulation had planted a deep distrust toward Gu Nuannuan, stoking the flames of resentment in her heart.