Chapter 37: I’ll Show You What a Real Schemer Looks Like

"What do you think I should know?" Jiang Zhiyou looked at Jiang Xiaoxiao with a half-smile, her gaze both amused and dismissive.

Jiang Xiaoxiao felt a tremor of guilt inside, but her expression remained fierce. She detested most this air of effortless composure, this sense of innate superiority that Jiang Zhiyou always seemed to carry, as if she were born to be a lady above all others.

"Jiang Zhiyou, you’re nothing more than a dog taken in by our family now. You’d better know your place. A dog that dares to bite its master will end up with no grave to bury its bones," Jiang Xiaoxiao threatened, her voice loaded with warning.

She wanted Jiang Zhiyou to understand: no matter what she thought she knew, if she dared say a word, she would be finished.

But Jiang Zhiyou showed not the slightest sign of anger; she only let out a light laugh. "No grave to bury my bones? Just because of you?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao was incensed.

"What are you so arrogant for, Jiang Zhiyou? You have nothing left now. Don’t think I don’t know—Yan Feng doesn’t want you either. Since returning to the country, he’d rather live with his mistress than look at you. Your parents have abandoned you, your husband despises you, you’ve even lost your job—what makes you any different from a stray dog? And you still dare to mouth off to me? What are you, really?"

Jiang Zhiyou’s smile deepened, untouched by anger, her eyes cold with contempt as if she were looking at nothing more than a clown.

"I’ve heard that the more uncertain and fearful a person is, the louder she barks. Of course, dogs are the same."

Jiang Xiaoxiao froze for a moment, her eyes almost bulging with rage. "Jiang Zhiyou, are you calling me a dog? If I don’t teach you a lesson today, you’ll never know your place!"

She raised her hand, ready to slap Jiang Zhiyou.

But her wrist was caught mid-air by Jiang Zhiyou’s grip.

A glint of ruthless intent flashed in Jiang Xiaoxiao’s eyes.

But just then, Jiang Zhiyou glanced up and noticed a silhouette appearing at the top of the stairs.

She abruptly squeezed Jiang Xiaoxiao’s wrist hard, then released it.

A sharp pain shot up Jiang Xiaoxiao’s arm, making her movement falter. The slap meant for Jiang Zhiyou’s face landed awkwardly on her own shoulder.

Jiang Zhiyou seized the moment to stagger backward, collapsing on the steps.

"Sister, what have I done to offend you? I just returned, and you want to hit me already?" Jiang Zhiyou’s earlier aura vanished in an instant. She clung to the banister, frail as a willow in the wind, the very picture of Lin Daiyu herself.

Didn’t they say she was a scheming green tea? Then she would show them just how it was done.

Jiang Xiaoxiao’s wrist throbbed as if it were about to shatter, the pain buzzing in her head. She had clearly seen murderous intent in Jiang Zhiyou’s eyes a moment ago, yet now she looked so weak and helpless.

But Jiang Xiaoxiao didn’t care; she lunged forward, ready to kick her.

"Stop! Xiaoxiao, what are you doing?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao spun around to see Jiang Jinhui and Yao Shulan standing at the head of the stairs, both staring down at them.

She reacted immediately. "Dad, Mom, she’s pretending. She was the one who wanted to hit me!"

Jiang Jinhui came downstairs. "We saw everything from up there. I’ve told you many times: Zhiyou will always be part of our family, always your sister, and you are not allowed to bully her."

Jiang Xiaoxiao burned with frustration. Jiang Zhiyou was obviously faking it—she hadn’t even touched her, and now her own wrist hurt terribly.

Yao Shulan stepped forward, taking Jiang Xiaoxiao’s hand. "Why scold our daughter for the sake of an outsider? Hasn’t Xiaoxiao suffered enough all these years because of her?"

With that, she led Jiang Xiaoxiao toward the dining room.

As they left, Jiang Xiaoxiao shot Jiang Zhiyou a smug, challenging glance.

At least Yao Shulan was still firmly on her side.

During dinner, Jiang Jinhui asked, "Zhiyou, why didn’t A’Feng come with you?"

"He’s busy with work," Jiang Zhiyou replied vaguely.

The Jiang family and the Yan family were as close as one could be. Surely, Jiang Jinhui already knew about her separation from Yan Feng. There was no need to elaborate.

"Busy with work? I heard that ever since Yan Feng returned home, he’s been living with his mistress, not wanting to see you at all," Jiang Xiaoxiao interjected.

Jiang Jinhui shot her a stern look, then sighed. "You and Yan Feng grew up together. Right now, it’s only because someone took advantage of the situation. We’ve watched Yan Feng grow up—he’s always been devoted to you. I believe that if you put in a little more effort, he’ll come to his senses eventually."

The situation between Yan Feng and Jiang Zhiyou was well known to both families. It was likely that Jiang Jinhui had called her home tonight at the Yan family’s request.

"Dad, I know what I’m doing," Jiang Zhiyou replied. Some matters were better left unsaid, and Jiang Jinhui did not pursue the topic further.

Jiang Xiaoxiao, seeing her father’s concern for Jiang Zhiyou, cut in abruptly. "Dad, Mom, I have an announcement to make."

Everyone turned to her.

"I applied for the position of secretary to the CEO of BJ, and I’ve been accepted. I start work tomorrow," she declared.

Jiang Jinhui was surprised. "You were doing perfectly well in the company’s design department. Why go to BJ?"

The Jiang family owned a fashion business, with their own company and factory, and their own brand, 'Born a Beauty.' The company had gone public two years prior. 'Born a Beauty' was quite famous domestically and was becoming known overseas as well. In Rong City, the Jiang family ranked among the wealthiest.

After Jiang Xiaoxiao returned home, the family had wanted to send her abroad to study, but she was never cut out for academics. So they arranged for her to learn management within the company, but wherever she went, chaos followed—even driving several senior staff members to resign. Helpless, they gave her an idle post in the design department.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Xiaoxiao showed some talent for design and quickly adapted to the department. However, compared with Jiang Zhiyou, she was still far behind.

Jiang Zhiyou had displayed remarkable talent for drawing and design since she was a child, designing clothes for 'Born a Beauty' at the age of nine. The brand’s rise to international fame was thanks to her winning a grand prize at an international design competition.

But after Jiang Xiaoxiao joined the design department, Jiang Zhiyou had stopped submitting designs for the company. As a result, 'Born a Beauty' hadn’t produced any stunning new pieces in three years, relying instead on its classic collections to maintain its reputation. In the past two years, the company’s stock price had been in gradual decline.

Jiang Xiaoxiao said, "I’m doing this for the company, for the sake of 'Born a Beauty.' Dad, surely you know about WORLD Mall. If 'Born a Beauty' could gain entry to WORLD, it would immediately join the ranks of top luxury brands internationally, sought after by all the socialites and ladies. Our stock price would soar."

Of course, Jiang Jinhui knew of WORLD Mall. It was the largest, most luxurious shopping center in the country—the only members-only mall in the nation. Ordinary people couldn’t even get inside; it catered exclusively to the country’s elite.

All the brands inside were international high luxury. The mall was located in a prime area of the capital and was the favored haunt of the city’s aristocracy.

Jiang Jinhui said, "WORLD only carries international luxury brands and not a single domestic label. For 'Born a Beauty' to enter WORLD would be nothing short of a pipe dream."