Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jiang Mingsuo, propped up in his hospital bed, scrolled through Jin Ran’s WeChat Moments.

“The feeling of an empty wallet is strangely wonderful”—accompanied by a selfie featuring a wry smile.

In the photo, the woman wore no makeup, her dark, long hair casually draped over her shoulders, looking softer and more innocent than with her usual bold red lips.

Jiang Mingsuo unconsciously rubbed his fingertips, lost in thought.

He considered the timing of her transformation—it coincided precisely with the Jin family’s attempts to sabotage him overseas. Did she believe a change in demeanor would make him spare the Jin family? If so, she was in for a disappointment.

The day he returned to the country, he had instructed his assistant to hand over the evidence to the authorities. Soon enough, those individuals would be invited for a “tea session.”

Just as Wei Mo entered with a nurse, Jiang Mingsuo sneezed, his nose slightly red.

Wei Mo immediately walked over and closed the window, exasperated. “You’re injured and sitting in a draft—are you trying to kill yourself?”

Jiang Mingsuo glanced at him, turning off his phone. “I’m not that delicate. I’ve faced worse injuries than this.”

In fact, this particular attack was arguably the most ordinary he’d encountered since achieving success.

The Jin family members lacked true resolve. If they truly wanted to seize what was in his hands, they should have gone all in, not tentatively tested the waters like children. Little did they know, showing mercy to an enemy was being cruel to oneself.

Of course, if he were the enemy, Jiang Mingsuo would have been quite pleased.

He even managed a faint chuckle, sending a shiver down Wei Mo’s spine, who was a perfectly normal person.

But his friend had always been this way: decisive and ruthless toward others, and even more so toward himself.

They had graduated from the same university—one in finance, the other in medicine. They never met during their college years but became acquainted after graduation through business ventures. Over time, they became good friends.

That’s why every time Jiang Mingsuo was injured, he came to Wei Mo.

Wei Mo couldn’t decide who had the harder life. He waved his hand, signaling the nurse to examine Jiang Mingsuo’s wound.

Though stubborn, Jiang Mingsuo was in good physical shape. The wound on his arm had already healed and would likely scab over in a few days.

Wei Mo breathed a sigh of relief. After the nurse left with the medical supplies, he lightheartedly teased, “East or west, home is best. You’ve been here for two days already—aren’t you planning to go home? If you stay any longer, the nurses in our department will treat this room like a tourist attraction.”

Jiang Mingsuo had just had his dressing changed and looked pale. Leaning against the headboard, his shirt hung open casually, revealing a well-built chest.

He responded flatly, “Which nurse? Anyone neglecting their duties can be fired.”

“Oh, I forgot—you’re not just heartless, you’re also a capitalist tyrant,” Wei Mo remarked with a straight face.

After a moment, he asked again, “Really not going back? Xiao Li’s final exams are coming up. Without his dad around, he’s bound to feel disappointed.”

Jiang Mingsuo remained unmoved. “He’s not a child.”

Even when Xiao Li was younger, Jiang Mingsuo hadn’t raised him—a nanny had done most of the caring.

Wei Mo didn’t know much about Jiang Mingsuo’s past. Hearing this, he could only shake his head helplessly. “Even if Xiao Li’s studies don’t worry you, you just got married. Don’t you need to spend time together to maintain a relationship? Why not have your wife come take care of you? It’s better than being alone here in this cold, lonely room.”

Truth be told, he was curious about the woman Jiang Mingsuo had married. Aside from Jiang Mingsuo and the Jin family, very few knew about the arranged marriage. Wei Mo was one of them and had heard about the bold move Jin Ran made by snatching her sister’s fiancé. But these days, things seemed different from what he had imagined.

Jiang Mingsuo’s expression turned dismissive at the mention of her. “No need.”

He offered no explanation.

After Wei Mo left, Jiang Mingsuo called his special assistant. “Transfer some money to Jin Ran.”

Setting everything else aside, in the eyes of the public, she was now his wife. He couldn’t let people think Jiang Mingsuo couldn’t afford to support his wife.

/

At the mall, Jin Ran gritted her teeth and splurged on the outfit.

Clothes make the man. The original owner’s clothes were stylish but too “fashionable” for a teacher’s dress code.

A suit, a shirt, matching shoes, and accessories—after this extravagant spending, her card balance was down to just 1,385 yuan.

Jin Ran could only take solace in the fact that her school interview was the day after tomorrow. Initially, she hadn’t been overly ambitious, thinking she could always try another school if she failed. Now, no matter what, she had to secure this job.

Back at the villa, the servants were clearing the dining table. Jin Ran casually asked, “Why was cooking done?”

A servant smiled and replied, “The young master and his friends wanted oil-braised lobster. The kitchen happened to have a few crates of French blue lobsters delivered today, so they prepared them.”

Jin Ran was taken aback. Since arriving, she had been living alone in the villa and had almost forgotten that her new stepson was also the master here. He hadn’t been home the past few days, apparently to participate in some competition.

Now that the competition was likely over, he had returned.

But—

Weren’t they supposed to be eating out?

Jin Ran’s expression turned odd. As an adult familiar with social niceties, she quickly figured out the reason and couldn’t help but shake her head in amusement.

To maintain distance from his stepmother, he had lied about eating out, eaten the kitchen’s food instead, and left before she returned.

The thought of such a scene suddenly made the teenager’s contradictory behavior seem somewhat endearing.

The next day, Jin Ran got up early. She woke up before sunrise and, under the faint glow of dawn, sat cross-legged on the lawn in the garden to begin her exercise.

In her previous life, to maintain her figure, she had signed up for yoga classes in her free time. Though she had only attended three sessions, relying on vague memories, she managed to stumble through a few basic poses.

But her body was too stiff from lack of stretching, and many of the movements left her grimacing in pain.

So much so that Jiang Xuli, who had woken up hungry and sneaked downstairs for a snack, thought he had stumbled upon a murder scene and nearly called an ambulance.

Thankfully, he kept his cool.

He hid by the window and observed for a while, eventually confirming that the person was very much alive and kicking.

Jiang Xuli: “…”

The teenager’s lips twitched. He couldn’t figure out what Jin Ran was up to. After hesitating for a split second, he decisively turned and headed to the kitchen.

Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with him.

Since it was still early, the villa’s chef hadn’t arrived yet. Not wanting to make a fuss, Jiang Xuli rummaged around and finally found half a pack of buckwheat bread in the fridge before taking it back to his room.

By 6:30 a.m., the servants began appearing one after another.

Jin Ran also wrapped up her exercise.

After half an hour of workout, she was covered in a light sweat.

She took a hot shower on the second floor and came out to find the chef had already laid out breakfast on the table.

Along with the usual breakfast items like soy milk and rice porridge, there was also the oil-braised lobster she hadn’t gotten to try the day before.

Seeing Jin Ran's confusion, the chef explained with a smile, "Blue lobster meat is sweet and firm, with rich tomalley. It's usually braised with Burgundy red wine and finished with black truffle sauce for the most delicious flavor. This batch was freshly delivered this morning, Ma'am. You should try it."

Just hearing the description made Jin Ran's mouth water. She eagerly took her usual seat and picked up her chopsticks, but then she suddenly remembered there was another person in the house now.

She hesitated.

Everyone said being a stepmother was hard, especially with her own past behavior. If she hadn’t known Jiang Xuli was home, she could have pretended nothing was wrong and enjoyed her lobster. But now that she knew, ignoring him might make her seem like a wicked stepmother.

After a moment’s thought, Jin Ran decided to put up appearances. She asked the house manager, "Am I eating alone?"

The house manager caught on right away. "It’s Saturday today. The young master probably isn’t awake yet. Would you like to start without him?"

Though he said this, the house manager expected Madam to refuse. After all, she usually doted on the young master, even personally checking the temperature of his morning milk. He assumed she would insist on waiting for him.

The house manager was already running through in his head how he'd mediate if an argument between mother and son broke out. To his surprise, Jin Ran nodded and started eating by herself.

Now it was the house manager’s turn to hesitate.

"...Or should I go check on him?"

"Oh, go ahead then."

Jin Ran didn’t even look up.

She peeled the shell off a plump lobster, revealing tender, springy meat. The taste was even more delightful than she had imagined.

With such nutritious and delicious food, everything else seemed trivial. She felt energized enough to get through two extra practice tests later!

Jin Ran had it all planned out, but man proposes, God disposes.

Just as she finished her meal, an unexpected visitor arrived at the villa.

"Ran Ran, are you alright?"

The woman had an oval face with a sharp chin, walking with unsteady, breathless steps. She rushed in and grabbed Jin Ran’s hands, her tone critical but her expression full of concern. "You haven’t replied to any messages these past few days. The whole family's been worried about you."

Jin Ran was baffled.

Who's this?

It wasn’t until a servant addressed her as "Miss Jin" that she realized this frail woman was her cousin—her cousin from her father's older brother.

On closer inspection, their features were somewhat similar. But while Cousin Jin Jing had a delicate, fragile air about her, the original Jin Ran—or rather, the current Jin Ran—bubbled with energy, like the morning sun at eight o’clock.

Jin Ran couldn’t figure out the specifics, especially since she hadn’t received any calls lately.

And she had this feeling that there was something off about Jin Jing. She replied vaguely, "My phone broke."

Jin Jing looked surprised. "Why didn’t you buy a new one?"

"I’ve been busy."

Hearing this, Jin Jing let out a relieved sigh. "That’s good. I thought your stepson had—"

She cut herself off, as if she'd said something she shouldn't have, but her hesitant expression just made people more curious.

At that moment, Jin Ran was sure now it wasn't just in her head—this "cousin" definitely had something going on.

She raised an eyebrow. Noticing the servants’ curious glances, she didn't beat around the bush but came right out and asked, "What did my stepson do?"