During this bleak winter, aside from the shops that stayed open specifically for the New Year's season,
business at other stores was clearly getting worse and worse.
After a whole year of hustle and bustle, it was really ti for a rest.
Her employees had originally prepared a winter promotion plan, intending to sell off the old stock that had accumulated over the year in a different way. But at the last minute, Qin Ting rejected it. She had gone through an emotional upheaval this year, and after her divorce, she wasn't as passionate about business.
It was as if she had lost her forr drive and needed ti to readjust.
This weekend, Qin Ting did not stay in the store as usual, but instead arrived early at a coffee shop in Lanjing's Sky Garden.
She waited for a long ti.
Nearing dusk, just as night was about to fall, a figure finally appeared at the shop's entrance.
She sauntered over and sat down with considerable grace, not sparing a single glance for the coffee on the table. Her face was hidden behind sunglasses, her lips were a vivid red, and she exuded an unapproachable, cold air.
Upon seeing her, Qin Ting quickly said with deference, "President Jiangg!"
The woman humd faintly and placed the handbag she was carrying to one side.
It looked like the two of them had known each other for a long ti.
If Jiangg Ning were present at this very mont, she would be utterly shocked. She never would have imagined that her best friend, Qin Ting, had any connection to Jiangg Ruxue. These two people, who seed to exist in completely different worlds, had actually known each other for many years.
"President Jiangg, what brings you here this ti? If there's anything I can do to help, I'll certainly give it my all." Qin Ting eagerly pledged her loyalty.
Her attitude was not the least bit feigned.
Her journey from a simple country girl to her current success was all thanks to Jiangg Ruxue's patronage.
Jiangg Ruxue had not only given her opportunities but had also helped her break into the beauty industry, from which she earned a small fortune every year.
She was more than content with the life she had now.
One could say that she owed Jiangg Ruxue a profound debt for recognizing her talent and giving her a chance.
"It's nothing major. It's about Jiangg Ning. For the past two years, I've been busy with my career and haven't paid much attention to the two sisters. I only recently discovered that they've grown very distant from ."
"Ningning?"
"They're both in Lanjing and you see them often. I asked you to keep an eye on them, didn't I?"
"You don't have to ask, it's the least I can do! After all, I owe you so much, President Jiangg."
Jiangg Ruxue was very pleased with Qin Ting's attitude.
Her plan was already halfway complete, and Qin Ting was the key.
When she had allowed the two sisters to go teach in Lanjing, she hadn't just helped Ningning submit her application to Landa University. She had also secretly arranged for Qin Ting to get close to Jiangg Ning, beco her best friend, and act as her eyes and ears.
With Jiangg Ruxue's calculating nature, how could she possibly let two young won run wild without any supervision? She had her own plans from the very beginning.
"So, tell . What have the two of them been up to in Lanjing?"
...
As the night grew deeper, Qin Ting carefully recalled everything that had happened since the two sisters arrived in Lanjing.
She knew a great deal, because she was the one who had helped them rent their apartnt.
She told Jiangg Ruxue everything, holding nothing back. She felt no guilt about her friendship with Jiangg Ning. Compared to everything Jiangg Ruxue had given her, their so-called deep sisterly bond was a complete joke.
Besides, Qin Ting was unaware of the true nature of their mother-daughter relationship; she simply saw this as the concern a mother should have.
And so, Qin Ting told her everything in one breath: Jiangg Yao becoming a virtual strear, Jiangg Ning getting drunk several tis, quitting her job, and even her new romance!
Jiangg Ruxue's eyes flickered as she listened.
She knew it. Once the sisters were out of her control, they wouldn't just behave. And now they had done so many outrageous things.
'She beca a virtual strear?!'
'With Jiangg Yao's status, how could she take on such a degrading job? In Jiangg Ruxue's mind, strears and internet celebrities were all bottom-feeders.'
Just as her anger was rising, she suddenly caught sothing amiss in what Qin Ting said.
"Wait. You're saying Ningning has a boyfriend? And you've t him?"
"Yes, I've t him. When we went drinking together after the New Year's Day party, I called her boyfriend to co pick her up."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I saw the contact na in her phone, and he confird it himself when he arrived."
After hearing this from Qin Ting, Jiangg Ruxue was confused. She had been sure it was Jiangg Yao who had a boyfriend. Based on her behavior, there was no mistaking it.
But now, the information she received painted a completely different picture.
"Then what about Yaoyao?"
"Yaoyao? I'm not really sure about her. I don't see her very often, and Ningning has never ntioned anything."
Jiangg Ruxue nodded. She was starting to get the picture. It seed it wasn't just Jiangg Yao who was causing trouble.
Jiangg Ning had also completely ignored her previous instructions, keeping everything from her and making decisions on her own.
As things stood, both sisters were in a very precarious position.
"You've t this man. What does he look like? What about his background?"
"I don't really know. To be honest, my mory is a little fuzzy. I was pretty out of it myself from the drinking, and I woke up the next day with a massive headache."
Qin Ting tried to recall, attempting to bring up an image of Chen Yuan's face.
But the mory was hazy. She could only recall that he had a certain air about him.
Moreover, Qin Ting had forgotten one crucial detail.
She forgot to tell Jiangg Ruxue that the man was young—much younger than Jiangg Ning.
This key piece of information was omitted.
This omission sent Jiangg Ruxue's imagination down a completely wrong path. In her mind, her dear Ningning had probably found a teacher from the university, or perhaps a mature, middle-aged man like a small business owner.
The idea that he might be a young man never even crossed her mind.
"So why did she quit?"
"Ningning ntioned quitting to several tis. I think she was growing tired of university life. Her desire to teach and nurture students had been fulfilled, and now she probably wants to try sothing new... She actually asked for my advice on how to run a brick-and-mortar store."
"I knew it. I knew this child would go down this path sooner or later."
Jiangg Ruxue's eyes narrowed as she recalled a ti, long ago, when Jiangg Ning had first shown a talent for business.
Like mother, like daughter.
The saying was true.
Aside from her looks, there were too many things about Jiangg Ning that weren't like her at all. Their tempers and personalities were completely different.
The only thing she seed to have inherited was a portion of her mother's business acun.
"All right. You know where Ningning lives. Take there."
"Of course, President Jiangg. Should I drive you, or...?"
"That won't be necessary. My assistant is waiting downstairs."
With that, Jiangg Ruxue calmly rose and gracefully made her way downstairs.
At this ti, Jiangg Ning and Jiangg Yao were still far away in Mingzhu City, busy visiting elders in their family, completely unaware that their mother had already found her way to Lanjing and was rushing to their rented apartnt.
...
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