Chapter 67: Temptation

Jiang Shumo finally agreed to Yan Qingxu’s request and gave her the address of a villa under her own name.

Once she finished speaking, she noticed that Yan Qingxu’s expression had turned extremely strange.

Jiang Shumo: “…?”

Seeing Yan Qingxu’s peculiar look, Jiang Shumo wondered if there was some problem with the place. “What’s wrong? Do you live there too?”

Yan Qingxu shook her head vigorously. “How could I afford a villa in Niangguang Mansion? Even if I could buy one, I wouldn’t be able to maintain it.”

It turned out that when Yan Qingxu had earned her first modest fortune, she had briefly considered buying a standalone villa. But she had quickly learned that the country had banned construction of such properties long ago. The few that remained were mostly holdovers from earlier times, including genuine high-end villa districts like Niangguang Mansion.

If Yan Qingxu was dead set on buying one, it wasn’t impossible. But she couldn’t afford the price tag just yet, and the ongoing maintenance costs were another massive expense.

After running the numbers, Yan Qingxu had given up—why bother with a villa when a luxury apartment was plenty for one person?

Here, Yan Qingxu hesitated. “Your father doesn’t live there too, does he—”

Jiang Shumo lifted her eyelids. “What are you thinking? He lives over in South Lin Villas, not Niangguang Mansion.”

She’d have to be missing a few marbles to bring Yan Qingxu for an extended stay at the house where Jiang Zhuoyuan lived, especially when they had other options.

Yan Qingxu: “!!!”

Yan Qingxu looked even more deflated, which struck Jiang Shumo as odd. “What’s wrong? Do you want to meet him?”

“No…”

Yan Qingxu gazed at her with a mournful expression. “I just suddenly realized the gap between us is pretty huge.”

She could barely swing a luxury apartment, while the Jiang family probably had several standalone villas to its name…

Jiang Shumo: “…!”

She abruptly recalled how she’d indulged herself upon first arriving in this world. Back then, she hadn’t grasped just how loaded the original host—this super-rich heiress—really was. She’d been focused solely on blowing cash and living it up. In hindsight…

Jiang Shumo suddenly felt the weight on her shoulders grow heavier. Could she really hold up the empire under Jiang Zhuoyuan’s command?

For some reason, the thought filled her with eager anticipation.

That kind of wealth meant she had plenty of safety nets. Plus, with that sly old fox Jiang Zhuoyuan still steering the ship, she could start small—maybe flex her skills at one of the branch offices.

Before Jiang Shumo could rein in her surging excitement, Yan Qingxu ventured cautiously, “You won’t look down on me because I’m not as well-off as you, right?”

Jiang Shumo: “…”

Jiang Shumo stared at her in disbelief. “Are you a fool?”

Yan Qingxu felt aggrieved by the blunt words. Before she could even droop her eyes in self-pity, Jiang Shumo declared righteously, “As if there’s a long line of people who can match my fortune anyway.”

Yan Qingxu: “…”

Fair point—she had a valid argument!

Reassured, Yan Qingxu beamed. “Then I’ll go pick up Little Beauty first. Once I’ve got Little Beauty, I’ll head straight to you!”

…

When Jiang Zhuoyuan learned that Jiang Shumo was heading to Niangguang Mansion to stay, he didn’t object. And once he heard Yan Qingxu would be crashing there for a bit, he promptly dispatched Aunt Qiu.

Aunt Qiu had filled him in on the latest between his daughter and this “rival” upon her return, including how much Yan Qingxu adored her cooking. With the girl coming for an extended visit, sparks were sure to fly. As a father, how could he possibly stand in the way?

Thus, the moment Jiang Shumo stepped off the plane and returned to Niangguang Mansion, she savored a glass of sour plum soup brewed by Aunt Qiu herself. One sip chased away all the summer swelter from her body.

This marked the first time Jiang Shumo had stayed here since arriving in the book. Cup in hand, she took in the surroundings and spotted a large cat tree mounted along the floor-to-ceiling windows and the adjoining corner wall. She paused, taken aback.

It looked brand new. Had the original host planned to get a cat and had it installed?

Noticing Jiang Shumo’s gaze fixed on the cat tree, Aunt Qiu explained, “Miss Yan has that cat named Little Beauty, doesn’t she? When Mr. Jiang heard Miss Yan was coming, he had us add some cat supplies here to make it easy for her to bring the kitty along for playtime.”

“…That’s pretty considerate.”

Jiang Shumo had considered basics like a litter box but hadn’t thought about a full cat tree. After all, Yan Qingxu was only bringing the cat for a short stay; there was no need to splurge on specialized gear for a temporary guest.

She hadn’t expected Jiang Zhuoyuan to handle it all proactively.

That afternoon at two, Yan Qingxu’s nanny van pulled up to Niangguang Mansion No. 16.

Ever the gracious host, Jiang Shumo went to the door to welcome Yan Qingxu—and the pure white little… pig kitty cradled in her arms.

Jiang Shumo dimly recalled Little Beauty as a lithe, graceful longhair cat. But this chubby creature in Yan Qingxu’s embrace… it was fat enough to be two cats in one!

Had Yan Qingxu been photoshopping pics of her pet?

Spotting the undisguised shock in Jiang Shumo’s eyes as she looked at Little Beauty, Yan Qingxu awkwardly hoisted it higher. “…My parents spoiled it rotten. They’ve been feeding it way too much these past six months.”

The memory of coming home and opening the door still irked her. Her mom had been cradling Little Beauty like an infant, stuffing it with treats. Feeding it was bad enough, but that posture? No wonder it ballooned.

Caught in the act, her mom hadn’t even tried to explain—just hid the treats, treating her like an idiot!

Little Beauty had clearly packed on pounds. Lifting it up… whoa, she could barely manage.

Yan Qingxu fumbled to extract one of its paw pads for a wave at Jiang Shumo, but one arm couldn’t support nearly twenty pounds. She nearly dropped it.

After some fumbling, Yan Qingxu quit trying. She simply raised her elbow to angle Little Beauty’s head toward Jiang Shumo. “Come on, say hi to Auntie.”

Curled cozily in Yan Qingxu’s arms, Little Beauty peered about curiously. Fatter than its photos, sure, but its cheeks still gave it a dainty look. Spotting Jiang Shumo, it emitted a soft, adorable meow. “Meow~”

Jiang Shumo: “!”

What a cute pig kitty!

No surprise the elders fawned over it. With that glossy, luxurious long fur and such a coquettish, melting voice—who could resist?

Jiang Shumo’s face softened. She reached out to pet it, then remembered the heat outside. Long-haired cats were prone to heatstroke.

She stepped aside. “Come inside first.”

“Hello, Teacher Jiang.”

Yu Xiaozhou, Yan Qingxu’s personal assistant, had come along as expected. But she wouldn’t be staying—just helping with the bags.

Yu Xiaozhou and the driver hauled Yan Qingxu’s luggage in, handed it off to the Jiang household staff, and departed.

Struggling with her pet, Yan Qingxu entered. Her eyes immediately locked on the massive cat tree nestled in the corner by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It spanned two walls like a sprawling tree from afar—perfect for a kitten’s climbing and leaping antics.

Jiang Shumo had gotten such an elaborate cat tree for Little Beauty!

A twinge of jealousy stirred in Yan Qingxu. She kept her face composed and glanced hesitantly at Jiang Shumo. “Do you have a cat too?”

Jiang Shumo had been eyeing the odd-eyed little fat cat in her arms. She extended a hand near its pink nose for a sniff. At the question, she shook her head. “No, this is for your Little…”

Watching the fat cat sniff her finger, she opted to honor Yan Qingxu’s naming choice. “…Beauty.”

“!”

Yan Qingxu eyed her warily. “What’s with that suspicious pause?”

She truly couldn’t hold this several-pounds-heavier cat any longer, so she bent to set Little Beauty down.

It didn’t bolt upon landing. The unfamiliar scents all around made it cautious; it settled primly by its owner’s feet, fluffy white tail draping over its plump, grape-like paw pads.

Overlook the rotund body, and its posture was downright ladylike.

Jiang Shumo smiled faintly. “…Maybe because it looks more like a big beauty.”

She stressed the “big,” and though Yan Qingxu caught the jab, she zeroed in on something else. “I’m the big beauty!”

Jiang Shumo: “…”

So that explained Yan Qingxu’s pet-naming logic?

Amused, Jiang Shumo gave her an appraising once-over. Yan Qingxu promptly straightened up, tossing her hair for effect. “Right?”

In a sea of waifish starlets chasing slim ideals, Yan Qingxu’s fuller figure stood out. Her fitted camisole hugged voluptuous curves that brought a flush to Jiang Shumo’s cheeks; she averted her gaze. “Yes. Of course you are.”

Yan Qingxu: “!”

For the first time, she’d seen Jiang Shumo flustered. Eager to press her advantage, she was interrupted by a warm female voice. “Miss Yan, you’re here! Care for some sour plum soup?”

“!!!”

“Yes, please—thank you, Aunt Qiu!”

Yan Qingxu immediately straightened up and hurried over to Aunt Qiu. The Little Beauty squatting at her feet moved too. It curiously scooted over to Jiang Shumo’s feet, circled her legs a few times, then rolled onto its back right atop her shoe. A soft meow purred from its mouth: “Meow~”

Its entire body radiated an unmistakable vibe of “Come pet me!” and “Pet me, please!”

Jiang Shumo had never met a cat this friendly and affectionate. Caught off guard by the attention, she squatted down and stroked Little Fat Cat’s head. The cat eagerly tilted its head up and nuzzled into her palm.

The sight reminded her of Yan Qingxu earlier, when she had sidled up wanting her head patted.

Then Jiang Shumo glanced at its round, pudgy belly—a little thicker around the middle—and couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle. Pets really do resemble their owners.

“Wow, it’s so cute.”

The System’s voice piped up out of nowhere, startling Jiang Shumo for a second. She recovered and shot back, “I didn’t realize you were into kittens.”

System: “…Not particularly. It’s just that it really is cute.”

Tsk. Little Retard even had tastes like that?

Jiang Shumo bantered idly with the System, all the while savoring the sleek, velvety fur beneath her palm. In that moment, she finally understood why Yan Qingxu’s parents had let the cat get so plump.

Who could resist when it played the soft, needy card like this?

Yan Qingxu had just finished a cheerful chat with Aunt Qiu and turned around with a cup of refreshing sour plum soup in hand. That was when she spotted Jiang Shumo on the sofa, cradling Little Beauty in her arms. The cat lay blissfully on its back, belly exposed, letting out a stream of coquettish mews.

And Jiang Shumo—her face softer than Yan Qingxu had ever seen, the corners of her mouth curved in a gentle smile.

Yan Qingxu: “…QAQ”

Was Jiang Shumo here for her Little Beauty after all?

The clingy, spoiled little thing that feared no strangers had won over all the Jiang Family aunties on its very first afternoon at Niangguang Mansion. Aunt Qiu had even consulted the pet vet and whipped up a nutritious, mouthwatering feast just for it. Little Beauty promptly flopped at her feet, belly up, meowing its little heart out.

“Meow meow~”

Yan Qingxu flushed at the sight of its greedy display. A sudden worry hit her: did she look this ridiculous whenever she got hungry for Aunt Qiu’s cooking?

She glanced instinctively at Jiang Shumo, only to catch her mouthing words across the room.

—“Pets resemble their owners.”

Yan Qingxu: “…”

If Little Beauty was that cute, then she had to be cute too!

Right. Jiang Shumo was complimenting her!

…

That night, Jiang Shumo was just settling in for an early bedtime when a knock sounded at her door. Her pulse quickened. She rose and opened it.

The door swung wide, and a luminous, pearl-white glow nearly blinded her.

Jiang Shumo: “!”

In the corridor’s dim light stood a breathtaking beauty with an exquisite figure, lounging against the doorframe. Slightly wavy black hair tumbled over her shoulders, striking against the wine-red silk of her nightgown. It set off her flawless porcelain skin, dripping with seductive charm.

The beauty’s phoenix eyes brimmed with emotion, her ruby lips plump and inviting. She leaned in, voice husky and plaintive, as if on the verge of tears:

“Miss Jiang, I’m feeling a bit cold. Could I borrow your nice warm bed?”

Jiang Shumo: “…”