Chapter 10: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — Canoodling Like Newlyweds

“Just me?”

“…And my mother.”

Shi Yu had guessed as much, which was why she’d asked. Pei Shuyu was a kind person, but she was just as timid as Shi Yu, obedient to her parents in all things, never daring to resist.

Pei Yiyi had raised her well. Gentle, elegant, tactful and gracious. A perfect Eldest Miss. But she’d also lost her own personality, like a piece of jade with every edge polished away.

At a juncture like this, without her parents’ blessing, she would never have arranged a private meeting.

“I have nothing to say to Ms. Pei. I’m hanging up if there’s nothing else.”

Back at the Pei family, Shi Yu had joined the servants in calling Pei Yiyi “Madam.” Now that they had no connection, “Ms. Pei” was already the utmost courtesy.

Pei Yiyi had never bullied her directly, but she’d known full well what Shi Huaixin had done. She was complicit.

Shi Yu couldn’t help hating her, and couldn’t sit down to chat with her calmly. The only thing she could do was never see them again.

After hanging up, Shi Yu sank onto the sofa, exhaustion pressing her into the cushions.

Every time something involving that family came up, her mood grew heavy. Now even hearing about them left her drained. Complete PTSD.

A WeChat notification pinged. Shi Yu didn’t need to look to know who it was. She closed her eyes, blanked her mind, and took a long time to steady her emotions.

This apartment was so big. Being here alone felt lonely.

The auntie would come to tidy up later and prepare dinner. The only thing left for her was to wait for Jiang Qiuyan to come home.

Shi Yu wasn’t particularly ambitious. Once life got comfortable, she didn’t want change.

After all, who would refuse to lie flat?

She felt this couldn’t go on. She needed to find something to do, or she’d lose herself in comfort and forget why she’d approached Jiang Qiuyan in the first place.

Ding. The smart lock clicked open. The auntie pushed the door in and smiled when she saw her.

“Miss Yu, you’re home?”

Shi Yu nodded and smiled back.

She didn’t like the surname Shi, so she’d only told the auntie her name was Little Yu.

Originally, her household registration carried her mother’s surname. Shi Huaixin had forced a change, stamping his own surname on her.

Thinking of it made Shi Yu sick. But everyone was already used to calling her Shi Yu, and she couldn’t correct every single person.

Once she left here, she’d go back to her original name, Su Yu.

She didn’t love her mother’s surname either. But a person had to have a surname. Between Shi and Su, she’d take Su. At least that person had given her life.

The auntie pulled on gloves and went to wash dishes. Shi Yu squeezed in beside her to help. The auntie jumped in surprise.

“Miss Yu, you just sit down! Let me, let me!”

“I’m bored with nothing to do. Let’s do it together and chat a bit.”

The auntie still refused, blocking the sink. “Miss Jiang told me I absolutely have to take good care of you. If she finds out I let you help, my salary would be for nothing!”

“You won’t tell and I won’t tell. She’ll never know.”

Shi Yu winked at her. Her hands were already in the sink.

“Aiyah!” The auntie sighed helplessly.

Shi Yu grinned mischievously. “Auntie, is anyone around here hiring?”

“Huh?” The auntie was confused.

From her perspective, someone living in such a fine apartment, using such expensive furniture, dining with exquisite tableware, the owner had to be rich and powerful. Why look for a job?

“After Miss Jiang goes to work, I’m all alone at home. It’s too boring. I want something to do.”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

Though Jiang Qiuyan had given her two hundred thousand, it wasn’t enough to sustain the rest of her life. Moreover, she’d have to deal with people in whatever new city she moved to. This would be good practice.

The auntie thought about it. “The supermarket downstairs from my building is hiring cashiers. I’ll ask around for you.”

“Thanks, Auntie~” Shi Yu smiled sweetly. Then a thought struck her. “Are there education requirements? I only finished middle school.”

She’d been forced to drop out before finishing senior year of high school. She didn’t even have a high school diploma.

The auntie was stunned again. It took several seconds before she replied: “Probably not? Cashiering isn’t hard. A little training and you’ll pick it up.”

“Great!” Shi Yu cheerfully placed the dishes in the sanitizer.

The auntie had assumed Shi Yu was a university student from a nearby college. Hearing “middle school education” completely threw her.

She found it rather a pity.

After helping the auntie with chores for a while, Shi Yu’s mood lifted considerably. Physical exhaustion truly did quiet the mind.

Shi Yu had cooked for herself since she was young. Though her dishes were unorthodox and unrefined, somehow the ingredients she tossed together ended up tasting pretty good.

Jiang Qiuyan didn’t come inside when she got home. Instead, she sent Shi Yu a message saying she was at the door. The moment Shi Yu walked over, the door swung open and Jiang Qiuyan swept her into a big hug.

“I’m home!”

Her voice was cheerful, like an office worker who’d survived a brutal day and finally caught a breath.

Shi Yu hugged her back and nuzzled her cheek. “Good work today.”

The auntie leaned against the dining table, beaming.

Oh my, young people and their canoodling. But both of them are so beautiful, it’s easy on the eyes.

Auntie: More hugging. Love watching.

By the time Jiang Qiuyan changed and came out, the auntie had already gone home. Normally she’d stay until the two had eaten and the table and kitchen were cleaned. Shi Yu had told her to leave early.

She didn’t like people watching her eat. It was more comfortable with just her and Jiang Qiuyan.

Jiang Qiuyan looked at the oddly paired dishes on the table, hesitating before picking up her chopsticks. Shi Yu propped her chin on her hands. “Why aren’t you eating? I made these especially for you.”

Jiang Qiuyan caught the key detail. “You made all this?”

“The auntie prepped the ingredients. So we made them together.”

Shi Yu smiled with sweet innocence, two tiny canines showing. Dopey and adorable.

Jiang Qiuyan immediately dug in. After one bite, her eyes lit up and she praised her without holding back.

“Delicious. Much better than the cooks at home.”

Shi Yu knew the food was only passable at best, nothing compared to the chefs at the Jiang Family Manor. But hearing Jiang Qiuyan say so, her vanity was enormously satisfied.

A chaebol heir like her had tasted every delicacy imaginable. For her to call a few home-cooked dishes delicious, that was the highest praise.

Shi Yu couldn’t stop grinning, piling Jiang Qiuyan’s bowl high.

“Eat up. All yours.”

Jiang Qiuyan squeezed her round cheeks. “You’re not eating?”

“Watching you eat fills me up.” Shi Yu grinned. Then she remembered something. “…A feast for the eyes.”

She’d just recalled the idiom and said it casually. But to Jiang Qiuyan, it landed differently. Her heart skipped a beat, something flickering deep in her eyes.

So the kitten has real feelings for me after all.

Liking her face still counted as liking. She’d make good use of this passable appearance to deepen those few feelings.

Until liking became love.

Stripped of her status, her position, her money, and every external factor, liking her purely for who she was.

Then perhaps it would be love.

Good thing there was plenty of time. She could wait.

“Open up,” she said.

Shi Yu obediently opened her mouth and was fed a large piece of braised pork.

“With so much food on the table, you’ll never finish it all by yourself.”

Shi Yu mumbled her agreement, cheeks puffed out, eyes curving into crescents. Long, thick lashes fluttered like butterflies alighting on peach blossoms.

A feast for the eyes. The phrase suited her equally well. Jiang Qiuyan thought so, and fed her even more eagerly.

After the meal, Shi Yu gathered the dishes to wash. Jiang Qiuyan stopped her. She didn’t ask why Shi Yu had sent the auntie home. She simply didn’t want those pretty fingers touching water, and took over all the chores herself.

How could Shi Yu let a chaebol heir wash dishes and mop floors? Besides, she was clearly a young lady who’d never lifted a finger. She just threw the bowls into the sink, sparks and lightning flying as several plates shattered.

“Let me do it.”

Shi Yu sighed with amusement and stood beside her, quickly washing the dishes clean.

Jiang Qiuyan’s eyes never left her face the entire time. As Shi Yu turned to put a dish away, she stole a kiss.

“Our Baby Little Yu is so impressive.”

Shi Yu blinked. What’s so impressive about washing dishes?

But it felt nice.

Growing up, her mother had never praised her. At the Pei family, she was belittled at every turn. She’d never imagined that one day she’d earn praise for something as ordinary as cooking and washing dishes.

Strange and novel.

Her heart felt like it was soaking in warm water, bubbles gurgling to the surface. She figured it was probably gratitude toward Jiang Qiuyan.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Qiuyan didn’t know why the sudden gratitude. But since the opportunity was here, letting it go to waste would be a shame.

“All just words?”

“What else can I use?”

“Words aren’t necessary. Show me instead.”

Jiang Qiuyan gathered her in and pressed her against the edge of the counter, nuzzling their noses together. Their lips were close but not touching.

She wanted Shi Yu to make the first move.