Ji Chuxing hadn't let the thought slip her mind—she still needed to retrieve her five hundred yuan from the Wen household.
Bo Yanchen, unwilling to leave the young woman to fend for herself, firmly escorted her all the way to the gates of the Wen family villa.
"Are you absolutely sure I shouldn't come in with you?" Bo Yanchen asked again, his tone laced with concern.
Ji Chuxing pursed her lips. "No." Her voice carried no room for negotiation.
Bo Yanchen chuckled softly, though his expression remained guarded. "Alright. I'll wait out here for you."
Ji Chuxing's sole purpose for returning was to claim what belonged to her. Five hundred yuan—it was no small sum, and she certainly wasn't about to let the Wens keep it.
She had left yesterday evening and hadn't returned until now. Aunt Wen, stationed on the first floor per Zhou Ru's instructions, had spent the entire night waiting, stewing in irritation. She intended to give Ji Chuxing a proper scolding once she walked through the door—a lesson in Wen family etiquette, since this impudent girl seemed to lack even the faintest understanding of propriety.
But after waiting all night, Ji Chuxing hadn't shown up. Aunt Wen was livid.
When she finally laid eyes on Ji Chuxing, Aunt Wen dropped her work and sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, Miss Ji deigned to return, did she? I assumed you'd forgotten this was your home."
Ji Chuxing paused mid-step, casting a brief but piercing glance at the older woman.
Aunt Wen met her gaze, her heart inexplicably trembling under the weight of Ji Chuxing's icy stare—but she quickly shook off the unease.
What else can she be but a country bumpkin with no sense of decorum? If I don't put her in her place, she'll start thinking she's the Wen family's young mistress, forgetting her true station! Who knows? She might even try to usurp Miss Wen's position someday, like a cuckoo stealing another bird's nest!
Aunt Wen's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Miss Ji," she began, her tone sharp and biting, "don't take offense, but even though you're Madam's daughter, the Wen family isn't your home. We're merely providing you shelter out of respect for Madam, Miss Wen, and Young Master Wen. What happened yesterday mustn't occur again. Otherwise, the Wen family isn't a charity that welcomes just anyone."
Her words were a thinly veiled reminder of Ji Chuxing's precarious standing within the household. Though she was Zhou Ru's daughter, her status paled in comparison to Wen Xinyue and Wen Liyang.
"When did you, a mere servant, gain the authority to decide who enters the Wen family?" A deep, frigid voice cut through the tension.
Wen Lian had just returned from outside and overheard the exchange. Having taken over the family business upon reaching adulthood, he rarely visited the main residence, preferring to stay at his private apartment. Still, he was aware that someone—Zhou Ru's biological daughter—had recently moved in.
He hadn't expected her position to be so tenuous that even a servant dared speak to her with such insolence. Privately, he knew many others likely treated her similarly.
Though the current head of the Wen family was Wen Huaming, Wen Lian commanded an aura of authority that few dared to challenge. Even Aunt Wen, who had served the Wen family for two decades, tread carefully around him.
At the sound of his voice, Aunt Wen's face shifted instantly. She turned, bowing deeply. "Young Master."
Ji Chuxing glanced over as well. The man appeared to be roughly the same age as Bo Yanchen—tall, lean, and radiating an air of detached coldness. Dressed in black trousers and a crisp black shirt, he exuded an aura of calculated restraint. This was Wen Huaming's eldest son, the most capable and formidable member of the Wen family—someone whose influence often eclipsed even his father's.
Ji Chuxing spared him only a cursory glance. Hmm, looks like someone who knows how to throw a punch. But she said nothing.
Wen Lian waved dismissively, his voice devoid of warmth. "Go to your room."
Without hesitation, Ji Chuxing turned and walked away. The Wen family's mess was theirs to clean up; she had no intention of getting involved.
As Ji Chuxing ascended the stairs without so much as a backward glance, Aunt Wen attempted to explain. "Young Master, Miss Ji—she—"
Wen Lian raised a hand, silencing her. His voice was as cold as steel. "Remember your place."
They were all hypocrites, their polished exteriors masking rot within.
Aunt Wen lowered her head, biting back her resentment. Inside, however, she seethed. The Young Master has no idea what this girl has been up to! If I don't discipline her soon, she'll try to seize the Wen family's assets!
Wen Lian's next words cut through her thoughts. "She's Madam's daughter. Even if she's made mistakes, it's Madam's prerogative to address them—not yours. Let this be the last time."
Though simmering with frustration, Aunt Wen nodded obediently. Wen Lian didn't linger, heading upstairs to the study.
The room Ji Chuxing occupied had originally been prepared for Wen Xinyue's pet. After the animal's death, Ji Chuxing had been moved in. It was sparse, almost bare, but she quickly located her five hundred yuan alongside some belongings she had brought from Qingxi Town.
Just then, Zhou Ru returned, her face etched with exhaustion. Wen Xinyue trailed behind her.
"Mom, I'm sorry," Wen Xinyue said, her voice heavy with guilt. "I didn't realize things would turn out like this. Please don't blame Sister. She must have been desperate."
Zhou Ru's expression softened slightly at the sight of her younger daughter. "Xinyue, this isn't your fault. It's your sister who lacks manners. If she had explained herself earlier, none of this would have happened."
"What about the Sun family?" Wen Xinyue asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "Grandma's health hasn't been good. She just returned to the country, and we were planning to have the Sun family help her recover. Now… I've ruined everything."
Zhou Ru sighed deeply. "It's alright. We'll find another solution. If the Sun family won't assist us, there are other doctors."
"By the way," Zhou Ru added, attempting to steer the conversation toward more positive topics, "Teacher Liu mentioned that you helped Teacher Wu complete their experiment."
Wen Xinyue smiled modestly. "Mom, it was mostly luck. I didn't expect things to turn out this way."
Zhou Ru beamed with pride. "My dear daughter, you've always been exceptional. Luck favors the prepared. I believe in your abilities. Keep working hard with Teacher Wu, and the gates of Beicheng University will open for you."
The mother and daughter chatted happily downstairs, oblivious to Ji Chuxing descending the stairs with her backpack slung over one shoulder.
Wen Xinyue noticed her immediately. "Sister! You're back!"
Ji Chuxing ignored her completely, striding toward the door.
"Stop right there!" Zhou Ru's voice was sharp, her expression darkening. "You dare walk in without so much as a greeting? Didn't you hear Xinyue calling out to you?"
Ji Chuxing cast her a disdainful glance. "Should I roll out the red carpet for you? Or perhaps organize a parade?"
Zhou Ru's anger flared anew. Was this girl mocking her? Remembering Wen Xinyue's presence, she forced herself to remain composed. Patting her daughter's hand, she said, "Xinyue, go upstairs and finish your homework."
Wen Xinyue looked between her mother and sister, her expression conflicted. "Mom, please don't be angry with Sister. Sister, don't argue with Mom. Talk things out calmly."
Reluctantly, she headed upstairs.
Ever since witnessing Ji Chuxing being led away by Bo Yanchen—and even being reprimanded by him—Zhou Ru's fury had simmered beneath the surface. Seeing Ji Chuxing now, her rage reignited with full force.
Bo Yanchen might wield immense power, but in her eyes, he was still a junior. For a junior to humiliate her in public—all because Ji Chuxing had defied her. If she hadn't provoked her, none of this would have happened.
"What exactly is going on between you and Second Master Bo?" Zhou Ru demanded, her voice shrill.
Didn't she know this girl's situation? Before yesterday, Ji Chuxing hadn't known anyone in Nan City outside the Wen family. And now she was entangled with Second Master Bo? Did she even understand the gravity of her actions?
If word got out that Zhou Ru's daughter had pursued Second Master Bo, where would her reputation go? What would the other ladies say about her?
Zhou Ru clenched her fists, resisting the urge to slap Ji Chuxing across the face.
"What's it to you?" Ji Chuxing retorted, her tone dismissive.
"Ji Chuxing!" Zhou Ru exploded. "I'm warning you not to overstep your bounds. That's Bo Yanchen—Second Master Bo of the Bo family in Beicheng. Do you think he's just some ordinary man you can toy with? If something happens, even the Wen family won't be able to protect you!"
"How could you do something so shameless? Have you no sense of decency?"
"You're hilarious," Ji Chuxing said, her voice dripping with mockery as she appraised Zhou Ru from head to toe. "You assume everyone operates the way you do?"
Zhou Ru's face turned ashen. "What did you just say?"
This topic struck a nerve. After all, Zhou Ru herself had used questionable methods to secure her position beside Wen Huaming years ago.
Ji Chuxing ignored her, her voice calm but cutting. "Stay out of my affairs. You and I have nothing to do with each other."
"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Ru snapped.
"Exactly what I said." Ji Chuxing tilted her chin upward, her tone icy. "Madam Wen, remember this—you're not my mother. My mother died long ago. You're simply Wen Huaming's second wife—Madam Wen."
Zhou Ru's greatest insecurity was her status as a second wife. Hearing this, her composure shattered. "Ji Chuxing, how dare you! I've fed you, clothed you, sent you to the best schools, and this is how you repay me? You ungrateful wretch!"
With a sharp flick of her wrist, Ji Chuxing tossed a bank card onto the table in front of Zhou Ru. The clink of plastic against wood echoed through the room.
"There's fifty thousand yuan in there. Since I came to the Wen family, I haven't touched a single penny of your money or eaten a single bite of your food. This covers a year's tuition at Nan City No. 1 High School. Consider us even."
Though she delivered the line with practiced indifference, inside, Ji Chuxing winced. Fifty thousand yuan was a staggering amount, and she wasn't sure when—or if—she'd ever earn it back. But severing ties with the Wen family was worth every cent.
Zhou Ru stared at the card, momentarily stunned. "So, you've really latched onto Bo Yanchen, haven't you? Let me tell you something, Bo Yanchen won't live past thirty. We'll see how long you can rely on him. Even? You think we're even? You're my daughter, and no matter what, people will always know you're Zhou Ru's child!"
Even if they were "even," it wasn't Ji Chuxing's place to decide that. It was Zhou Ru who would expel this ungrateful daughter from the family!
Ji Chuxing's eyes narrowed, her voice frosty. "Won't live past thirty? Don't worry—he'll outlive you."
She gave Zhou Ru a look of pure disdain. "Your blood? That's pretty filthy."
Zhou Ru was speechless, her fury rendering her momentarily mute. Ji Chuxing shrugged, slinging her backpack over her shoulder, and headed for the door.
"Stop her!" Zhou Ru shrieked.
The Wen family's servants, having heard the commotion, gathered nearby. This was the first time Ji Chuxing had openly clashed with Madam since her arrival.
She's just a country girl lucky enough to live in the Wen family. How dare she be so ungrateful?
The gardeners moved to block Ji Chuxing's path.
Ji Chuxing's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Perfect." Finally, a chance to fight!
She shot Zhou Ru an appreciative glance, slowly setting down her backpack. Her posture shifted, ready for action.
Zhou Ru felt a strange chill run down her spine as Ji Chuxing's gaze locked onto hers. But then she reminded herself—this was her daughter. Her life was in Zhou Ru's hands. What could she possibly do?
Tensions mounted on the first floor when Wen Xinyue suddenly burst out of her room, panic written across her face. "Mom, the diamond watch Brother gave me is missing! I can't find it anywhere. Have you seen it?"