Chapter 2: Second Day as a Salted Fish
“Mhm.” Qin Jiaojiao stepped through the main doors.
Qin Jiaojiao was still wearing the same black silk pearl suit from yesterday. The wrinkled fabric clung to her nice figure. Her hair was wet from the rain, with stray strands sticking to her fair cheeks, stripping away a bit of her usual intimidating arrogance.
The servant withdrew her surprised gaze. Working for a wealthy family, the most important thing was to keep one’s mouth shut. She didn’t ask where Qin Jiaojiao had been all night. Instead, she quickly grabbed an umbrella from the guest cabinet by the door, opened it to shield Qin Jiaojiao from the rain, and escorted her all the way into the villa’s living room.
The summer rain pattered down, and the sky remained gloomy. The magnificent villa was brightly lit, its smooth marble floors reflecting the figures within.
“Madam.” A middle-aged woman in a light gray suit walked over, bringing out a pair of slippers for her. “Have you had breakfast while you were out?”
Qin Jiaojiao changed into the soft, comfortable slippers. “Not yet. Is there anything to eat at home?”
Auntie Zhang’s face carried a look of concern. Seeing her still wearing yesterday’s suit and looking slightly exhausted, she said gently, “It’s almost eleven, so lunch will be ready soon. Madam, why don’t you head back to your room, take a shower, and change your clothes? I’ll have the kitchen prepare something light for you. Let me know what you’d like for lunch later, and I’ll have the kitchen go buy the ingredients.”
Lacking the original owner’s memories, Qin Jiaojiao had no idea where her room was. She looked at Auntie Zhang and asked, “Did my mother-in-law say what time she’s coming over this afternoon?”
Auntie Zhang replied, “Probably around two o’clock. It won’t be too late for Madam to move your things after lunch.”
Qin Jiaojiao massaged her forehead and said, “I want to rest for a bit after lunch. Get someone to come upstairs with me and help move things now.”
“Xiaoli,” Auntie Zhang called out to the servant who had just held the umbrella for Qin Jiaojiao. “Go help Madam pack her things.”
“Oh. Okay.” Xiaoli scurried over to Qin Jiaojiao’s side.
The two stepped into the living room’s private elevator. Xiaoli proactively pressed the floor button. This courtyard villa had five floors in total, and the young couple lived on the third floor.
Xiaoli walked ahead and opened the bedroom door for Qin Jiaojiao.
Entering the bedroom, Qin Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up.
From the outside, the villa was a New Chinese-style building heavily steeped in traditional charm, and the general interior decor leaned towards a vintage aesthetic. But her bedroom was a whole different world. The decor was simple European style, featuring a silky-smooth carpet and numerous cute plushies arranged on the bed and bay window.
Pushing open another door in the bedroom revealed a walk-in closet. One of the three glass-walled cabinets held a variety of gorgeous clothes, while the other two displayed shoes, bags, and jewelry.
Xiaoli asked, “Madam, what do you need to bring over to Mr. Zhou’s room?”
Qin Jiaojiao scanned the room. To pretend they were sleeping in the same room, she just needed to bring over her everyday clothes, daily necessities, and pajamas.
“Just take over some of my cosmetics and pajamas. Don’t worry about the rest.”
“Understood.” Xiaoli briskly went to work.
Qin Jiaojiao casually picked out a nice outfit from the closet to wear later. Spotting a massive bathtub big enough for two, she couldn’t resist grabbing a sheet mask and running a bath.
The warm water washed away the fatigue of her hangover. Wearing the face mask, she closed her eyes and drifted into a doze.
It wasn’t until a knock sounded at the door that she stirred. Auntie Zhang’s voice called from outside, “Madam, are you done washing up?”
Hearing her, Qin Jiaojiao peeled off the mask and replied, “I’ll be out in a second.”
“Morning tea is ready. Come down and eat once you’re done, don’t let yourself go hungry,” Auntie Zhang said caringly.
“Got it.” Qin Jiaojiao rinsed herself off, slipped on a bathrobe, went to the closet to change, and headed downstairs.
In the dining room sat a fine rosewood round table. The chef had prepared a spread of morning dim sum that emitted a wave of sweet, appetizing aromas, making her stomach give a soft rumble.
Her appetite fully awakened, Qin Jiaojiao pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up her chopsticks to grab a pastry.
Every dim sum dish was perfectly soft, sticky, and delicious—sweet but not cloying. She took a sip of tea, a look of pure delight washing over her face.
Auntie Zhang stood by and gently reminded, “Madam, don’t eat too much. You still have lunch later.”
“Mhm,” Qin Jiaojiao agreed.
A loving expression crossed Auntie Zhang’s face. She had worked for the Qin family for nearly ten years; it was safe to say she had watched Qin Jiaojiao grow up. As the sole heiress of the Qin family, Qin Jiaojiao had grown up surrounded by love. She was a bit spoiled and arrogant, but she wasn’t a bad person—just a pampered little girl.
Auntie Zhang treated Qin Jiaojiao like her own daughter. Sometimes she was chatty and liked to nag. In the past, Qin Jiaojiao hated listening to it and would occasionally get impatient, but she never yelled at her. She always respected her as an elder.
Nibbling on a pastry, Qin Jiaojiao’s voice was a bit muffled as she asked, “Where did Zhou Shaoli go? When is he coming back?”
The thought of seeing her mother-in-law that afternoon gave her the chills. Her mother-in-law disliked her, had no good impression of her, viewed her with disdain, and would likely try to make things difficult for her verbally.
But because her mother-in-law was Zhou Shaoli’s mother, and an elder, Qin Jiaojiao couldn’t afford to be impolite.
If her son were here, she might dial it back a little.
“Madam, did you forget that President Zhou flew to S City for a business trip two days ago? He probably won’t be back for another two days,” Auntie Zhang said.
“Oh, I forgot.” Qin Jiaojiao put down her chopsticks. The food was delicious, but eating too much made it a bit rich. She needed to save room for lunch.
After morning tea, Qin Jiaojiao wandered aimlessly around the villa, enjoying the scenery and teasing the birds kept in the backyard corridor.
For lunch, the kitchen prepared her favorite Western cuisine. Fully satiated, she retreated to her bedroom, hugged a plushie, and took a nap. Her wonderful mood lasted right until her mother-in-law arrived in the afternoon.
Auntie Zhang came to her bedroom to call her downstairs.
Sitting on the sofa in the living room and sipping tea was a middle-aged woman radiating an aura of absolute wealth. She wore a plain white, loose-fitting traditional Chinese dress, a jadeite bangle on her wrist, and an emerald necklace around her neck.
Seeing her, her mother-in-law, Li Wanru, looked her up and down a few times. Revealing a trace of disgust, she remarked, “Look what time it is, and you’re still sleeping.”
Qin Jiaojiao flashed a mild smile and greeted her, “Mom.”
Her mother-in-law, Li Wanru, was a true daughter of a prestigious, old-money family—entirely different from a nouveau riche second-generation heiress like Qin Jiaojiao. Therefore, she looked down on Qin Jiaojiao, viewing her family as too low-class.
This daughter-in-law had neither academic qualifications nor talent. If the Qin family hadn’t been riding a wave of success in recent years, and if the Old Master hadn’t been so eager for Shaoli to get married and settle down, she would never have allowed Qin Jiaojiao into their family.
“What are you standing around for? Sit down,” Li Wanru said unceremoniously.
Qin Jiaojiao sat down on a small side sofa, maintaining a polite, neutral distance from her mother-in-law.
“On the table is a nourishing soup I brought for you. Drink it,” Li Wanru ordered.
Qin Jiaojiao glanced at the thermos on the Chinese-style console table. Smiling, she said, “Mom, I just had lunch. I’m not hungry yet.”
Li Wanru stared at her. “Jiaojiao, it’s not that I want to nag, but you and Shaoli have been married for half a year now. Why is there still no news from your belly?”
Qin Jiaojiao remained silent. The two of them had been sleeping in separate rooms ever since they got married. Where would a baby come from? Did she expect one to pop out of a rock?
“Mom, Shaoli and I are still young. We aren’t planning on having kids yet.”
Seeing this, Li Wanru looked angry. “It’s exactly because you’re young that you should have children earlier. Babies born when you’re young are healthier.”
Qin Jiaojiao: “…”
Being pressured to marry, being pressured to have kids… it seemed you couldn’t escape it, even in a wealthy family.
“You and Shaoli can afford to wait, but the Old Master can’t…” Li Wanru changed her tone, painstakingly persuading her, “The Old Master’s health has been deteriorating this year. He just hopes to see a great-grandson before he passes.”
Qin Jiaojiao lowered her eyes and stared at the console table. She thought to herself: Once Zhou Shaoli gets back, I’m going to ask for a divorce and go back to being a free and unrestrained wealthy miss. Whoever wants to have this kid can go ahead and have it.
Li Wanru kept on nagging: “You should spend less time fooling around outside all day and focus more on the family. Shaoli is so busy at the company, you need to care for him more. Learn to cook, make him something to eat, and fulfill your duties as a wife…”
“Mhm, mhm.” Qin Jiaojiao nodded perfunctorily. It was best to just play along with her preaching mother-in-law for now. Once she sent her packing, she’d be at peace. Otherwise, she felt this mother-in-law could lecture her from dawn till dusk.
No matter what Li Wanru said, she obediently nodded and agreed.
Seeing that she wasn’t acting like her usual self—getting impatient and talking back after just a few sentences—Li Wanru’s tone softened a bit. “I brought a soup-making auntie with me this time. I’ll arrange for her to work in the kitchen. When you have free time, learn how to make soup and cook from her.”
Qin Jiaojiao murmured an acknowledgment.
Li Wanru looked at Qin Jiaojiao suspiciously. Is this daughter-in-law just humoring me? Her face showing a hint of displeasure, she warned, “Don’t you try to brush me off. You need to make soup for Shaoli at least once a week. I’ll be checking in with the auntie randomly to see if you’ve done it…”
Qin Jiaojiao listened on the surface, but internally she thought: Making him drink nourishing soup once a week… aren’t you afraid your son will get nosebleeds from all those tonics?
“Mom, I will,” Qin Jiaojiao said with a kind smile. “I’ll deliver soup to him every week.”
Seeing Qin Jiaojiao being so obedient, Li Wanru couldn’t help but suspect if she had done something shameful on the outside.
However, she had plans for the afternoon and couldn’t be bothered to lecture her anymore. She had planted someone to keep an eye on her anyway, so this daughter-in-law couldn’t turn the world upside down.
“I have an appointment with someone. I’m leaving first. I’ll come see you again in a few days.”
Qin Jiaojiao walked her out. The smile on her face instantly vanished as she rubbed her cheeks.
Auntie Zhang came over and asked, “Madam, should we keep the servant Madam Li brought over?”
In truth, Qin Jiaojiao didn’t like it and could have refused to her face, but that would make things incredibly tense with her mother-in-law. After thinking about it, she said, “Let’s keep her for now.”
It wasn’t like she was the one paying her salary anyway. Keeping an extra person just meant one more mouth to feed on Zhou Shaoli’s dime. As for learning to make soup? Not a chance in hell.
Back in her room, Qin Jiaojiao pulled out her phone and downloaded some mobile games. She played a few rounds, felt a bit bored after dinner, and went to the home theater to watch a movie.
Two days flew by. For the past two days, Qin Jiaojiao stayed holed up at home, playing games and binge-watching dramas. Her life was as blissful as a fairy’s.
At dusk, Auntie Zhang called her via the internal line to inform her that Zhou Shaoli, who had been away on a business trip for a week, was finally back.
Qin Jiaojiao, who had been lazing around all day, quickly changed out of her pajamas. She slipped on a flowy nude-pink maxi dress and went downstairs to meet him.
Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw a tall man walk through the door. He wore a suit, carried a briefcase, and looked incredibly handsome and dashing. She was just about to speak when an even more exquisitely handsome man stepped out from behind him.
Qin Jiaojiao froze.
That was close! I almost called out to the wrong person!
The man was tall and slender, a luxurious suit jacket draped over his arm. His dress shirt was wet from the rain, clinging tightly to his muscular chest, and perfectly ironed suit trousers wrapped around his long legs.
His black hair was slightly damp, sticking to his smooth forehead. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and his light brown eyes carried a faint, indifferent expression.
His handsome face was sharply defined, with distinct contours like something out of a manga, exuding a slightly wicked charm. Yet, his entire being gave off an air of careless nonchalance, making it seem as if he didn’t care about anything. The combination of these two contradictions gave off an indescribable vibe.
Qin Jiaojiao stared blankly at the man, unable to look away.
The man’s gaze cut through the air and landed on her. He paused for half a second before withdrawing his eyes and leading his assistant upstairs.
Instead, it was the assistant beside him who politely greeted her: “Madam.”
Qin Jiaojiao snapped back to her senses and smiled slightly. “Hello.”
The two men went upstairs one after the other. Qin Jiaojiao waited in the living room, playing on her phone, until the assistant finally left the villa. Then, she couldn’t wait any longer and hurried upstairs.
She went to the study but couldn’t find him, so she headed towards the master bedroom. She knocked on the door, but when no one answered, she pushed it open and walked in.
This was her first time entering the master bedroom. The sandalwood bed was draped in white covers, and a glazed chandelier glowed from the ceiling. The bedroom’s style leaned heavily towards a minimalist, cold aesthetic. Aside from an ink-wash painting hanging on the wall, there were hardly any other decorations.
With a click, the bathroom door opened. Qin Jiaojiao turned to look.
The man was wearing nothing but a bath towel around his waist, using a white hand towel to dry his hair. Meeting her watery, lustrous eyes, he paused slightly.
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