C7 Roll over and Meet Me

After Xu Fengjiao dashed home, she feared her sister might spill the beans about the recent incident to their parents, so she decided to beat her to the punch with her own version of the story.

As soon as Jiang Yan and Xu Fengqiu stepped through the doorway, they were met with Zhou Hui's stern expression.

"Fengqiu, Jiang Yan, get over here!" she demanded.

Puzzled, Xu Fengqiu approached and inquired, "What's wrong, Mom?"

Zhou Hui interrogated them, "Did you encounter Jiao and Zhao Yu when you got back? Did you go up to Zhao Yu's car and interrupt their romantic moment?"

"Mom, let me explain—it's like this..."

Xu Fengqiu attempted to clarify, but it was clear Zhou Hui wasn't in the mood to listen.

"Enough, save it. Jiao has filled me in. So what if Jiao and Zhao Yu were a bit affectionate at the neighborhood entrance? No strangers were watching, nothing shameful about it. If you want to talk about shame, bringing that good-for-nothing into our family as your husband—that's the real embarrassment for your father and me."

"We can't bask in your glory or that of your useless husband, so we'll just have to bask in Jiao and Zhao Yu's. With a son-in-law like Zhao Yu, the Xu family can finally stand tall. Your father and I will probably have to depend on Jiao and Zhao Yu in our old age, since we certainly can't count on you two."

Hearing this, Xu Fengqiu's face was etched with hurt.

"Mom, I wasn't trying to interfere with Jiao's relationship with Zhao Yu. I just didn't want her to be taken advantage of."

"Tsk!" Xu Fengjiao scoffed, her lips curling with contempt. "What disadvantage could I possibly face? Zhao Yu is so good to me. He buys me anything I want. And to think, I even asked Zhao Yu tonight to help Jiang Yan find a job, and he agreed on the spot."

Zhou Hui chimed in immediately, "Do you hear that? Zhao Yu is wholeheartedly devoted to our Jiao, so you two can stop fretting. And Jiang Yan, once Zhao Yu helps you land a job, you better start right away. We don't need you lounging around the house and getting in the way."

Tears welled up in Xu Fengqiu's eyes as she turned and fled to the bedroom, her heart heavy with grievance.

Jiang Yan didn't add to the words already hanging in the air. He followed her into the bedroom and offered words of comfort.

"I'm sorry, honey. This is all on me. Mom's taking her temper out on me, and you're caught in the crossfire."

Xu Fengqiu quickly regained her composure, taking several deep breaths to steady her emotions.

"Maybe I'm just sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. If Jiao is so fond of Zhao Yu, then we should let her make her own choices. Plus, Zhao Yu's offering to help you find a job. With his network, he's bound to land you a decent position. When that happens, babe, you've got to give it your all. Show my family what you're made of."

"Absolutely, I will!"

Jiang Yan promised, though he harbored doubts about the quality of job Zhao Yu might procure for him.

If Zhao Yu's idea of help was to slot him into an apprenticeship in a hotel kitchen, he'd refuse flat out.

Come morning, Xu Fengqiu was off to work.

Jiang Yan tidied up the kitchen, took out the trash, and headed to the market for groceries—a daily ritual.

Groceries in hand, he'd often detour through the nearby park, partly to clear his head and partly to kill time.

Heading straight home meant facing his mother-in-law's biting remarks.

It was nearing lunchtime when Jiang Yan made it back.

He busied himself in the kitchen, washing and chopping vegetables for the meal, when the sound of Zhou Hui's voice caught him off guard.

"Hey, Fengqiu, what brings you home at this hour?"

"I'm not feeling well. I came back to rest up and won't be returning to work this afternoon."

Xu Fengqiu rushed past him toward the bedroom. Jiang Yan stepped out of the kitchen just in time to catch a glimpse of her retreating figure.

It was unusual for Xu Fengqiu to come home at midday. With limited break time, she typically grabbed a quick bite near her office before heading back to rest and resume work in the afternoon.

Jiang Yan considered checking on Xu Fengqiu's discomfort, but the locked bedroom door stood between them.

"Fengqiu, are you feeling alright? Do you need me to pick up some medicine for you?"

"No, I just need to lie down for a bit. Don't worry about calling me for lunch; I'm not hungry today."

Jiang Yan's brow furrowed, sensing that something was amiss.

He detected a hint of a sob in Xu Fengqiu's voice, suggesting she had been mistreated.

He headed to the living room and told Zhou Hui, "Mom, can you handle lunch today? I need to step out for a bit."

Zhou Hui called out with irritation, "Hey, why aren't you cooking at noon? Where are you off to?"

After leaving the house, Jiang Yan hailed a taxi to the Dahua Real Estate Sales Center.

He suspected that Xu Fengqiu had run into trouble at work, prompting him to investigate.

Upon arrival, he saw several female sales associates enjoying takeout, including Li Xiaoya.

"Jiang Yan? What brings you here?"

Li Xiaoya shot Jiang Yan a look of displeasure.

Unfazed, Jiang Yan said, "I need to ask you about something. Could you step outside for a moment?"

Li Xiaoya cast a glance at her coworkers, set down her chopsticks, and said, "Sure, let's talk outside."

Once outside, Li Xiaoya preempted him, "You're here about Fengqiu, aren't you?"

Jiang Yan, concerned, inquired, "Fengqiu came home upset this afternoon. Was she bullied?"

Li Xiaoya scoffed, her gaze filled with scorn.

"What can you possibly do about it? The one who harassed Fengqiu is our sales center's manager, Han Wenshan, the son of the Dahua Real Estate Group's CEO. His father, Han Fujiang, is a real estate magnate in Yunzhou. Do you think you can stand up to him?"

Jiang Yan's expression turned steely as he pressed, "What happened to Rachel?"

Li Xiaoya responded, "I don't know the details. Young Master Han summoned Fengqiu to his office, and shortly after, she came out crying, her clothes in disarray. It seems they had some kind of altercation."

Jiang Yan's face was as cold as ice, his mind already piecing together the events that had unfolded.

"Where's Han Wenshan?" he demanded.

"After Feng Qiu left, he took off as well," came the reply.

Li Xiaoya let out a mocking laugh before saying, "Jiang Yan, no offense, but you're not even in the same league as Han Wenshan. You don't stand a chance against him. Honestly, if you divorced Feng Qiu and she remarried Han Wenshan, she'd become the young mistress of Dahua Real Estate Group. She'd be set for a life of opulence, which is leagues beyond anything you could offer her."

Without another word, Jiang Yan spun on his heel and departed, no longer willing to entertain Li Xiaoya's taunts. He hailed a taxi and headed straight for Dahua Real Estate Group.

"Is Han Fujiang in?" Jiang Yan inquired, his face a mask of brooding darkness.

The receptionist gave Jiang Yan a once-over, noting his modestly priced clothing, and couldn't hide her disdain.

"And you are? What business do you have with our general manager? It's after hours; he's not here."

Undeterred, Jiang Yan pressed on, "Where is he now? Let him know I need to see him."

The receptionist snickered, "Who do you think you are? Our boss isn't someone you can just summon at will."

Jiang Yan wasted no more time with her, pulling out his phone to dial an unusual number. The call was quickly answered.

"Hello, this is Chiang Yan."

"Master Chiang Yan, you've reached the family hotline. What can I do for you?"

"Within half an hour, I need you to do whatever it takes to get Han Fujiang from Yunzhou Dahua Real Estate Corporation to come out and meet me. I'll be waiting right outside his office."