Deliberate Possession [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Mom

They chatted all the way in the car. Jiang Yumian still insisted on repaying the money when she had the means. Although there was no hurry after their conversation, the money still needed to be repaid.

She had understood the sister’s meaning: before she had someone she liked, she was still her digital pet and couldn’t flirt with others indiscriminately.

Jiang Yumian walked on the way back home, silently sighing. Liking someone wasn’t that easy. She just thought Jing Xiaoyan was nice. So far, she didn’t have that feeling of intense liking.

But she didn’t want to miss the opportunity either. She felt she could try with Jing Xiaoyan; they were quite compatible.

And Jing Xiaoyan liked her so much.

Although this thought was a bit narcissistic, Jing Xiaoyan really did like her.

A cool breeze blew, and Jiang Yumian couldn’t help but shiver. Autumn nights were truly quite cold.

She complained as she walked, “Why is my house so big!”

She was exasperated. She was already within the “home” boundary, but it would take at least twenty to thirty minutes to walk from here to the house.

The housekeepers and aunties had already finished their shifts. Although they lived there, their time was their own after work. And it was already nine o’clock. Jiang Yumian wouldn’t bother them to specially come out and pick her up.

When she saw the door, Jiang Yumian’s face was chilled. She gnashed her teeth and entered the gate password. Her mom wouldn’t have changed the password and refused to let her come home, right!

Fortunately, the password hadn’t changed. Mom wasn’t that cruel after all.

Jiang Yumian turned on the light and looked around the living room. No one.

She called out loudly, “Mom!”

The sound was so loud that it seemed to echo in the vast space.

“Mom!” Hearing no response, Jiang Yumian called out again at the top of her lungs.

Her mother wasn’t replying to messages. She wondered where she had gone.

Jiang Yumian walked around the living room, searching room by room, and finally found her in the arcade room.

This room was supposedly renovated for her to play in, but it was actually for Ms. Jiang herself.

“Mom!”

Jiang Yumian walked up to Jiang Jiyu, reached out to take off her headphones, and saw her mother looking at her blankly. She shouted again, annoyed, “Mom!”

Who would have thought that such a powerful CEO would be here playing video games!

Jiang Jiyu blinked, took back her headphones. “Babe, why are you back?”

She glanced at the screen, then put down her headphones and chose to quit the game.

Jiang Yumian snorted a few times. Her mother, except when sitting on the gaming chair playing games, had presence and aura in every other situation.

Not to mention her looks. Her mom really perfectly fit the main character trope of a ‘stepmother’ in literature… well… she sometimes secretly compared her to that type in novels.

But sometimes her mom was just exasperating!

“I came home! Why are you asking why I’m back?” Jiang Yumian snorted again.

Mom looked at the screen again. It was past nine at night. Her daughter came back by herself so late. Usually, wasn’t she too lazy to come back?

Jiang Yumian followed her gaze and also looked at the screen, starting to play the pity card. “It took me half an hour to walk home. I sent you messages and called you, but you didn’t reply.”

She started to throw a mini tantrum. “I haven’t eaten dinner. I’m hungry!”

“Oh, I’ll make you some noodles. Do you want some? The aunties at home are already asleep.” Mom got up and walked out of the room. She took out her phone and checked. There were indeed quite a few missed calls and messages. Hmm… a little guilty.

Jiang Yumian followed her to the kitchen, huffing. “Yes, I want it. Add an egg and some vegetables. I haven’t eaten all day today.”

Mom turned back to look at her. “Is your production crew so poor that they can’t even afford food?”

Jiang Yumian pushed her towards the kitchen. “I didn’t eat there. I came back early.”

While Mom was cooking noodles in the kitchen, Jiang Yumian stared intently at her, not moving an inch out of the kitchen, as if afraid she would run away.

Mom suddenly said, “Babe.”

Jiang Yumian looked up. “What is it?”

“The noodles will be ready soon. Why don’t you go check your room? I prepared a gift for you. It just arrived today. It’s still hot.”

Jiang Yumian looked puzzled, a little unconvinced.

She came home suddenly today. How could Mom have prepared a gift for her by chance?

“Really?”

Mom quickly nodded. “Really. When has your mom ever lied to you? It’s what you said you wanted before.”

Jiang Yumian hesitated for a while, then slowly returned to her room.

Her expression instantly froze when she saw the cardboard cutout casually tossed on her bed.

“Mom!”

Jiang Yumian hadn’t even reached the kitchen before she yelled out. “Mom! Are you okay! Why did you seriously get me a cardboard cutout?”

And there was one of Jing Xiaoyan next to it.

Mom looked innocent. “Didn’t you say you wanted one too? We can put them by the main gate during the New Year. You on the left, Xiaoyan on the right. Festive, right?”

Jiang Yumian almost couldn’t breathe.

“You, you, are you okay!”

“I grant your every wish, and you’re still not satisfied…” Mom scoffed lightly, scooped the noodles from the pot, and placed them on the nearby dining table. “Eat, don’t burn yourself.”

Jiang Yumian sat down on a stool. “Then I also said I like girls. Why don’t you agree…”

The more she spoke, the less confident her voice became, and it quickly dwindled.

She deliberately hadn’t brought this up since coming home, holding it in until now.

Jiang Jiyu’s expression paused. Her daughter was indeed quite persistent.

She sighed, trying to reason with her. “I’m not refusing to agree; I can’t agree. Can’t you like someone else?”

Jiang Yumian frowned. “You mean I can’t like Jing Xiaoyan, is that it?”

Jiang Jiyu pulled a stool beside her and sat down, saying earnestly, “Mom will give you a chance and tell you: Xiaoyan and you…”

“Stop!”

Jiang Yumian’s face was taut, a little angry. Her mother was so afraid of her being with Jing Xiaoyan and cared about her that much.

Jiang Jiyu pursed her lips and smiled politely. Heh!

“Fine, stop. I won’t say it then. I’m not against you liking girls. If you want to pursue her, go ahead. But you might not actually be able to get her.”

She added, “Seriously.”

Her silly daughter didn’t know Jing Xiaoyan was her cousin, but Jing Xiaoyan did.

Hearing the first half of the sentence, Jiang Yumian’s heart leaped with joy. Her mom wasn’t against it!

She picked up her chopsticks, twirled the noodles, and looked at her mom with a smile. “Mom, you might not know this, but Jing Xiaoyan likes me now. She already confessed to me.”

Mom suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. “Stop bragging. Hurry up and eat.”

Jiang Yumian ate and talked at the same time. “Seriously, she really likes me.” She didn’t even stop to swallow the noodles in her mouth.

Why doesn’t she believe me?

Mom lowered her head to play with her phone, ignoring her.

After finishing the noodles, Jiang Yumian washed the bowl herself. When she returned, she sat right next to her mom on the sofa.

Seeing her mom busy on her phone, Jiang Yumian scooted closer, her tone fawning. “Ms. Jiang~”

Mom raised an eyebrow but didn’t move.

Jiang Yumian blinked, speaking in a deliberately softer voice. “Sister Jiang~”

Mom cleared her throat, still ignoring her.

Jiang Yumian gave up, directly wrapped her arms around her mother’s arm, and started to act spoiled. “Mom~ Mom~ Ma~”

“Mind your manners! Sit properly!”

Jiang Yumian refused, shaking her arm. “Mom~ Give me some money. Your daughter is about to sell herself.”

Mom was merciless. “No money. Earn it yourself.”

Jiang Yumian’s face fell. “But all the money I earn is with you!”

“I bought you company shares. Perfect timing; tomorrow is Monday. Go to the company and start working. I’ll have Xiao Zou guide you through the business. I’ll pay you ten thousand a month.”

She added, “That’s the family price, by the way.”

Jiang Yumian fell silent.

She stared at her mom, who stared back.

After a few seconds of deadlock, her shoulders slumped. She sighed. “I’ll go on Tuesday. I need one day to rest.”

Mom nodded. “Alright.”

She wasn’t worried that Jiang Yumian wouldn’t know anything when she joined the company. She had hired tutors for her before. She knew about finance and investment now.

Jiang Yumian had usually looked over company documents with her. She wasn’t an empty-headed rich socialite.

Jiang Yumian pouted, feeling wronged. “Then give me one hundred thousand first. I need to repay a debt.”

Jiang Jiyu turned to look at her. “You said Jing Xiaoyan likes you. Why don’t you ask her for it?”

Then she twisted the knife further. “You can’t even repay one hundred thousand. And I’m still hoping you’ll earn ten billion?”

“You might as well break my legs…” Jiang Yumian muttered softly.

Ten billion! Was that something you could just earn?

Mom’s gaze slowly fell on her legs.

Jiang Yumian instinctively pulled her legs back, eyes wide open. She felt the gaze was chilling. Is this really my birth mom!?

Mom’s voice was light. “Your legs aren’t worth ten billion. If I break them, I’d have to pay to get them fixed.”

Jiang Yumian: “…”

Mom stood up to leave. “I’m not arguing with you. I’m going to sleep. Your mom has to work tomorrow.”

Jiang Yumian hugged a pillow and snorted. Then, remembering something, she immediately threw the pillow aside and hurried after her.

“Mom! I’m sleeping with you tonight!”

After finishing the program recording, she didn’t dare sleep alone now.

After working at the company for several days straight, Jiang Yumian’s mind was completely muddled. The files she had to read were truly too many. However, the employees at the company were quite respectful of her.

For the first two days at the company, she might not have been very familiar with her colleagues. After she treated the employees on her floor to milk tea a few times and ordered desserts many times, everyone finally relaxed around her. Many even asked her for her autograph after work.

She could be considered to have one foot in the company now. She still needed to work harder.

Today was Friday. After work, she had to rush to catch a red-eye flight for the program recording. It was non-stop work, but it was better than sitting in the office all the time. More importantly, she would get to see her beautiful friends from the entertainment industry again.

Especially Jing Xiaoyan, hehe.

Jiang Yumian took time these past few days to watch Jing Xiaoyan’s old videos. She learned more and more, discovering that Jing Xiaoyan was truly dedicated to her profession.

However, the two of them hadn’t contacted each other these past few days. The group chat, which only included them, was only lively on the night they left, and it had been quiet for the following days.

Jiang Yumian sat in the office. Since her work was done, she was a bit bored. She opened the group chat and sent a message.

Jiang Yumian: My flight is a red-eye. See you tomorrow, sisters!

She initially thought no one would reply immediately, but someone responded before she put her phone down.

Xie Yunhuan: Sister, I’m already there.

Chu Qianyuan: On the way to the airport with Mumu.

Luo Cheng: Which airport are you guys at? Lin Xi, Ling Yisong, and I are at the same airport. The three of us are on the same flight.

Jiang Yumian chatted with them for a while but didn’t see Jing Xiaoyan show up. She was a little puzzled. She wanted to open her private chat box and ask, but in the end, she couldn’t figure out how to start the conversation, so she exited.

Seeing the red dot on the Moments, she clicked into it on a whim. It was actually posted by Jing Xiaoyan one minute ago.

Caption: Launch party…

There was also a photo.

Looking at the location information under her Moment, wasn’t that a restaurant near her company?

Support