A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 114

Modern AU Extra 8

Living Together

After hearing Nanny Wu’s tattling, Wu Daoyuan knew that Jiang Chenyu had been running wild lately, even learning to act first and report later—just moving out and living on her own.

            

It seemed if he didn’t come back and knock some sense into her, she’d soon be completely beyond his control.

His main purpose in returning was to get his hands on that batch of jewelry in her possession, and maybe even gold bars. Before that old man died, he had locked all the valuable jewelry away in an overseas bank, barely leaving anything for his daughter.

But after his wife passed away, he had turned the house upside down and still couldn’t find the relevant keys. As for his stepdaughter, she claimed complete ignorance—he really couldn’t tell whether what Jiang Chenyu said was the truth or not. After all, when the old man died, she was only six or seven.

            

He didn’t believe a six- or seven-year-old child could keep such a secret without anyone catching on.

After getting off the plane, Wu Daoyuan went early to Jiang Chenyu’s current residence, figuring that as long as he had the girl in his grip, those assets would be his sooner or later.

Jiang Chenyu knew Wu Daoyuan was coming today. After school, she pulled Shen Hetang along and walked out the school gates with her. Avoiding the issue wasn’t a solution—sooner or later, she’d have to face that sanctimonious bastard head-on.

            

“Let’s go. I’ll go back with you.” Seeing how heavy-hearted she’d been, Shen Hetang knew exactly how little she wanted to see that stepfather of hers.

“Okay!” Looking at the person beside her, Jiang Chenyu felt much more at ease.

Wu Daoyuan was already waiting at the entrance, ready to pick Jiang Chenyu up and take her home.

            

But one glance told him she wasn’t alone. He assumed she was simply leaving school with a classmate and didn’t think much of it.

“Uncle Wu, this is my classmate Shen Hetang. She’s been helping me with tutoring lately—we’re going home together tonight.” Jiang Chenyu made the introduction as she approached.

Wu Daoyuan’s eyes immediately darkened at this, a trace of veiled viciousness flickering through—well hidden under the cover of night.

            

“Chenyu, I can hire a professional tutor for your studies. No need to trouble a classmate and hold back their coursework.” Wu Daoyuan measured Shen Hetang from the corner of his eye. He didn’t take a girl her age seriously, but she was genuinely in the way.

“We could pay her the tutoring fees instead—it’d be a token of appreciation. And I’ve tried other tutors before, but none of them worked out. Uncle Wu, you don’t need to worry about my studies. I can handle it myself.” Jiang Chenyu spoke pleasantly, looking like the picture of obedience.

But the hand behind her back kept gripping the hem of Shen Hetang’s shirt, as if terrified she might bolt. Shen Hetang quietly slipped her fingers closer, letting Jiang Chenyu hold on.

            

Wu Daoyuan watched this stepdaughter who insisted on bringing a classmate home, secretly nursing a headache, growing irritated.

“Uncle, it’s fine. It won’t delay my studies. I’m happy to tutor her.” Shen Hetang played the part of someone too clueless to read the room—insisting on coming along even when she was clearly unwelcome.

Wu Daoyuan’s face darkened. He squeezed the car door and said, “Fine, then. Thanks for the trouble tonight, Classmate Shen. I’ll personally take you back tomorrow.”

            

“We’ll see about that.” Jiang Chenyu’s expression cooled slightly as she pulled Shen Hetang into the car.

Wu Daoyuan had no choice but to go around to the front and drive.

Ever since the master of the house arrived, Nanny Wu seemed to have found her backbone, deferring to him in everything and acting much tougher toward Jiang Chenyu.

            

Jiang Chenyu couldn’t be bothered with her. Wu Daoyuan had his schemes, and she had her own agenda. This was a contest of wills¹, and who would come out on top remained to be seen.

After dinner, Jiang Chenyu retreated to the bedroom with Shen Hetang under the pretext of studying.

Jiang Chenyu’s room was on the second floor—spacious and fully equipped, with an en-suite bathroom, a walk-in closet, a small balcony, and floor-to-ceiling windows. If she didn’t feel like going downstairs for meals, she could have food brought right up.

            

This small villa had originally been a casual purchase by the Jiang family. Who could have imagined that after her grandfather passed away, it would become Jiang Chenyu’s last refuge.

Wu Daoyuan stayed in the guest room downstairs. He barely ever came here—he looked down on such a low-value little villa.

His original plan to get the girl to drink some red wine and loosen her tongue had been completely derailed by that meddlesome classmate. The good wine he’d brought back was wasted on nothing.

            

This nuisance absolutely could not stay. Tomorrow he’d find a way to make her leave, or she’d only keep getting in the way of his plans.

Although he controlled the Jiang family company, business was hard and competition fierce. Recently, losses had been trending upward.

That dead girl was sitting on an old estate worth tens of millions, plus jewelry of considerable value. How could he just watch his company slide downhill?

            

Besides, she was as pretty as a flower. Once she got married, all that property would end up benefiting outsiders. Since that was the case, he’d rather keep the wealth in the family². He wanted the money, and he wanted the girl too.

Wu Daoyuan swirled his glass, his eyes carrying an unspeakable covetousness and greed.

Tap tap tap. While the two were reading, an unhurried knock came at the door. Shen Hetang and Jiang Chenyu exchanged a glance.

            

“It’s fine. I’ll go see. With an outsider here, he won’t dare do anything.” Jiang Chenyu got up and opened the door. Sure enough, Wu Daoyuan was standing outside.

“Chenyu, Uncle Wu has something he’d like to discuss with you.” His tone even carried a touch of paternal warmth—enough to make Shen Hetang think he truly was a conscientious, dutiful guardian.

“Oh? What about?” Jiang Chenyu’s expression was natural on the surface, but inwardly she resisted, always expecting him to dig another pit for her.

            

“This isn’t the right place to talk. Come to my room—it’s about the company.” He reached out to put his arm around Jiang Chenyu’s shoulders.

Chenyu stepped out of the room faster than he could reach her, leaving his arm grasping at air. He didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest, maintaining that magnanimous air.

“I’m going to discuss some matters with Uncle Wu. I’ll be back soon, and then we can keep writing.” She gave Shen Hetang a reassuring look, then headed downstairs.

            

Shen Hetang stared at the closed door, her heart heavy. She knew that Jiang Chenyu’s stepfather shouldn’t do anything truly unhinged with someone else in the house.

But watching how reluctant she looked still didn’t sit right.

Finding a way to shake off this stepfather was the real priority—but right now was the crucial stretch before Gaokao³. Alerting him prematurely⁴ would only end up hurting Jiang Chenyu instead.

            

Besides, once they got to college, no matter how capable that Wu man was, he’d be powerless to reach that far⁵. So this matter would likely need to be handled with cold pragmatism.

Shen Hetang lowered her eyes and idly counted her fingers. Mm—seven months until Gaokao. As long as things stayed quiet through this period, they could last until the day Jiang Chenyu’s wings were fully grown.

On the other side, Wu Daoyuan was playing the poverty card all the way, recounting how hard it had been since he took over the business.

            

“Chenyu… why don’t you sell the old estate? You wouldn’t want the empire the Jiang family worked so hard to build to go bankrupt under our watch, would you?” Wu Daoyuan started laying on the guilt.

“Uncle Wu, has the company really reached the brink of bankruptcy? How come I haven’t heard a single whisper about it?” Jiang Chenyu frowned delicately, her face full of skepticism.

“It’s not quite bankruptcy yet. It can still be saved—but we’re short a large sum of operating capital. Otherwise, I really can’t say what will happen.” Wu Daoyuan put on a bitter face, as though he truly had been working himself to the bone for the company.

            

“Uncle Wu, you’ve got to hold on. How about this—after I graduate from college, I’ll come back and help you at the company.” Jiang Chenyu made absolutely no mention of selling the old estate.

“Ah, but I’m afraid I won’t last that long. Chenyu, the old estate won’t appreciate in value anyway—why not convert it into cash to help the company weather this winter?” Wu Daoyuan leaned closer, gazing at her eagerly.

Seeing him draw too near, Jiang Chenyu shifted aside. The company had originally been held by three shareholders—her mother, herself, and Wu Daoyuan. Now Wu Daoyuan had inherited her mother’s forty percent, giving him a seventy percent stake.

            

She only held thirty percent. Whether her mother had truly left all her shares to Wu Daoyuan, or he had used some trick to claim that forty percent for himself—she had no idea.

But he’d only taken over for two or three years and the company’s funding chain was already broken. Beyond his own incompetence, he’d likely skimmed off plenty for himself.

There was another important reason: Jiang Chenyu’s grandfather had built a real-economy manufacturing business, and with the internet boom, traditional industry had taken a heavy hit. Everyone was transitioning.

            

Wu Daoyuan clearly wasn’t cut out for it. That he could still pay the workers’ wages was already pushing his limits.

But none of this was reason enough for her to hand over tens of millions. What kind of daydream was he having?

“Uncle Wu, you know I can’t touch this estate until I turn twenty. And even if I could, why should I just give it away to you? This is the dowry my maternal grandfather left me. I will not sell it.” Jiang Chenyu’s voice suddenly grew firm—probably because Shen Hetang was right nearby.

            

Hearing her state it so bluntly, Wu Daoyuan choked on his words, momentarily forgetting that she was already nearly a grown woman—one who knew enough to protect her own rights.

“But Chenyu, the company was your grandfather’s life’s work. You can’t just stand by and watch it die!”

Jiang Chenyu laughed coldly inside. Did he think he could coax her like a child? As if saying a few lines about her grandfather’s hardships would make her lose her head and sell the estate without thinking?

            

“Uncle Wu, there’s nothing to discuss. I can’t even get my hands on the property certificate—I simply don’t have the means to help even if I wanted to.” Jiang Chenyu spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness.

“Leave the property and land certificates to me—I’ll think of something. But you need to take the company seriously too. After all, this will all be your business someday. Uncle Wu has no other children—everything will go to you in the end!” Wu Daoyuan knew it wouldn’t be easy to succeed in one try. It looked like he’d need to wear her down over several attempts.

Jiang Chenyu wasn’t swallowing his empty promises⁶. She made an excuse and went back to sleep.

            

Watching Jiang Chenyu head straight for her room, Wu Daoyuan calculated how long it would take to talk her into surrendering what she held. If she pushed him too far, he wouldn’t hold back from playing rough.

This girl didn’t seem as easy to control as before. He needed to make plans sooner rather than later.

After returning to the bedroom, she did a quick wash and got into bed. Shen Hetang, who had been waiting for her, hadn’t dared to shower—she only went to the bathroom after Jiang Chenyu finished.

            

“I’m a little cold. Come closer.” The person lying on the bed spoke softly, yet with an undeniable bossiness.

“Should I turn on the AC?”

“No, it’s bad for your skin.” Jiang Chenyu rolled her eyes, offering a flimsy excuse.

            

“What’s this—using me as a heater? That’ll cost extra. Those two little cakes of yours won’t cover it.” Shen Hetang moved closer to her. It was November, the weather was cold, but the district heating still hadn’t kicked in.

“Fine, I’ll add ten little cakes to the tab.” With that, she grabbed Shen Hetang by the waist and pulled her down onto the bed, her loose long hair pressing against her front.

“Since this is a paid service, I need you to warm my toes.” Without waiting for an answer, she shoved her feet straight into Shen Hetang’s pant legs.

            

Seeing that Jiang Chenyu was still in the mood to be playful, Shen Hetang figured she probably hadn’t suffered any real losses, and her own heart lightened too.

Using the cold as an excuse, she pulled the girl firmly into her arms—softer than a body pillow…!

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