Chapter 53 She still has family in this world…

Chapter 53

Perhaps it was the near-separation that made us realize that all good things must come to an end, and that instead of hoping for the future, we should cherish every moment we have now.

So that evening, after inspecting her own "territory," the little three flowers inexplicably received princess-like treatment.

When Jiang Mingxu returned home from the company, he saw Jin Ran and Jiang Xuli sitting on the floor dressing up the kitten. The sofa next to them was covered with various cat outfits—exquisitely tailored princess dresses and colorful onesies, which were even more varied than those in clothing stores.

“Xiao Sanhua is a girl, of course she should wear a princess dress!” Jin Ran insisted on her opinion.

“But it just barked at my green hoodie, which means it likes this one more!” Jiang Xuli retorted.

The two were so engrossed in their argument that they didn't even hear him enter the room.

Jiang Mingxu loosened his tie and casually draped it over the sofa. Over there, the little calico cat, its head throbbing from the noise, leaped lightly and strode over to the man: "Meow~"

The other two then noticed that Jiang Mingxu had returned. Jin Ran immediately complained as if she had found a backer: "Jiang Mingxu, your son bullied me!"

The more Jiang Xuli got to know her, the more she realized that this woman was a blabbermouth, all bark and no bite. For example, right now, she was pretending to wipe away tears and started distorting the truth in front of her. Jiang Xuli couldn't help but argue anxiously: "It's clearly you who are disrespectful to your elders!"

Jin Ran's eyes widened in disbelief: "You actually said I'm old?!"

Jiang Xuli has stirred up a hornet's nest. What was originally a fake cry is now a real cry.

No girl wants to be called old. She's only 25, the prime of her life. She was in a car accident and transmigrated into a book, which was bad enough, but she also had to become the stepmother of a 15-year-old high school student, who then complained that she was too old!

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. In an instant, her clear black and white eyes became misty with tears, and she looked over with a "If you don't uphold justice, I'll cry right now" attitude.

Jiang Mingxu, who was being watched, really wanted to rub his temples at that moment.

His previous interactions with these two had caused him headaches, and now he realized that he was the one who was truly troubled.

He bent down and picked up the little calico dog that had been pawing at his leg, tapped its rosy nose with his fingertip, and then said to the pitiful Jin Ran, "Come here and dress it."

Upon hearing this, Jin Ran's mood instantly brightened. She glanced disdainfully at Jiang Xuli, then took the princess dress and went over.

This time, Jiang Xuli was furious and blurted out to his father, "You value women more than your son!"

Unfortunately, he kept his voice down so low that his father didn't hear him at all.

The study was completely silent at night.

Only occasionally did the pen tip graze the paper, making a rustling sound.

After finally finishing grading the last assignment, Jin Ran put down her red pen, stretched lazily, and turned off the desk lamp in front of her.

Instead of leaving immediately, she picked up her cartoon cup and went to the water dispenser to get a glass of water.

She took a small sip, letting the warm water moisten her tight lips, and then strolled unhurriedly to Jiang Mingxu's desk. The man was intently reviewing documents, his slender fingers gripping a fountain pen. When he exerted force, the veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly, and with a few strokes, he left vigorous ink characters on the paper.

It's the kind of handwriting that looks beautiful at first glance.

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Some people are stubborn but soft-hearted. They may have the fountain pen their son gave them with them, but when they meet, they are always like the dead of winter, with a stern face. It's really hard to know what to say to them.

Fortunately, the relationship between the father and son improved slightly during this period.

"What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

Jiang Mingxu waited for a while but she didn't speak. However, the gaze above him felt so real that he had no choice but to look up and ask.

Jin Ran smiled; she had indeed been thinking about something.

This man was even willing to give her a black card, which in a sense was equivalent to handing over the couple's joint property to her. If she were still the original owner of the body, she could even use this money to support the Jin family. With Jiang Mingxu's wealth and status, it would not be difficult to revive a bankrupt company.

Or perhaps, it was precisely because he realized she was not the original owner of this body that he dared to be so at ease?

Jin Ran couldn't figure out Jiang Mingxu's thoughts, so she simply went around to the inside of the desk, put her hands behind her and supported herself on the edge of the desk, almost leaning half of her body against it.

Under the bright lights, her eyelashes fluttered like scattered gold dust. She had intended to ask the Jin family, but what came out of her mouth was: "I was thinking about that black card you gave me. How much money can I spend on it?"

Jiang Mingxu raised an eyebrow: "Didn't I say you could spend it however you wanted?"

"Then it's okay for others to use it?" Before he could answer, she was already listing examples on her fingers, "Like my family, or friends..."

Jiang Mingxu's expression changed: "Family?"

Does she still have family in this world?

Jiang Mingxu suddenly remembered the minor celebrity named Wei Ya, but her network of relationships was very simple. Her only direct relative was a younger brother, or perhaps that was her descendant?

A thousand thoughts swirled in his mind, but in the end, they all culminated in a simple gesture: he nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

You can spend it on your family or your friends.

Upon hearing this, Jin Ran was slightly shocked. Had this man taken some language arts classes? Otherwise, why was he so good at making women happy?

Often, what women want isn't an expensive gift, but simply a sweet word that makes them feel good.

As for whether it was real or fake, Jin Ran didn't investigate too much. Anyway, the black card was already in her hands, and with the other party's word, she could spend it however she wanted.

Thinking this way, she felt a sense of support and her attitude towards him became more casual, revealing a familiar intimacy: "By the way, are you free for the parent visit next week?"

When the two of them brought up this matter last time, Jiang Mingxu only said that he would go over when he had time, depending on the situation.

"What number?" Jiang Mingxu put down his pen.

"The 30th, which happens to be a Friday."

Jiang Mingxu paused for a moment. Seeing this, Jin Ran, who had initially felt confident of success, suddenly became nervous: "What, is there a plan?"

Jiang Mingxu nodded helplessly: "There's an economic summit at the municipal government that day, involving the signing of cooperation agreements, so I'll probably need to be there."

Mingji Technology is undergoing a multi-faceted transformation, and this government-enterprise cooperation is crucial to the company's industrial layout for the next few years. As the leader, he is indeed overwhelmed with the task.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Jin Ran's eyes, but she knew what was important and quickly put on a smile again: "It's okay. After the event, I'll organize the video and briefing of the visit and send them to you. I promise it won't delay President Jiang from learning about our school."

"Okay." Jiang Mingxu chuckled.

The two said goodnight to each other in the study and then returned to their respective bedrooms.

Before going to sleep, Jin Ran lay in bed and went through the parent visit meeting process in her mind again. After confirming that each step was arranged properly, she closed her eyes with peace of mind, planning to hand over the plan to the principal the next day.

Unexpectedly, when she met the principal the next day, he actually wanted to send her a "helper".

"This is the academic affairs officer from our school's administrative department. He has been working at the school for more than ten years and is quite familiar with all aspects of affairs. Having him work with you to arrange this event will definitely make things much easier."

The man shook hands with her: "Xiao Jin, right? These large-scale events are not like classes; they require experience and connections. Female teachers like you are more likely to mess things up in certain aspects."

Jin Ran almost couldn't maintain her smile.

What does it mean that female teachers can't do a good job?

This old man not only interfered, but he also engaged in sexism.

Old Deng showed no remorse and even continued shamelessly, "I happen to know a few CEOs of groups. I can ask them to give advice on the future and development of Wencheng. At that time, school-enterprise cooperation and sponsorship funds will be no problem."

Jin Ran finally understood that this person, like her, also had a powerful background.

The fact that the principal put her forward at this time clearly shows that he has doubts about her abilities, or perhaps he prefers to appoint the old man as the dean of students.

Admit defeat?

Jin Ran put the proposal away: "Do any of you CEOs have school-aged children in your families?"

"This has nothing to do with the students."

"So they value Wencheng's prospects and want to invest in it in advance?"

Old Deng waved his hand dismissively, his face full of disdain for women being "vulgar": "These bosses are entrepreneurs who truly care about education and have a sense of social responsibility! They are willing to make a contribution to the development of Wencheng Middle School. Of course, they don't ask for anything in return, but we can't just take advantage of them. We still need to show our appreciation when necessary."

Several flattering remarks were omitted because Jin Ran really didn't want to listen to any more.

She looked at the principal, who awkwardly avoided her gaze, clearly unwilling to get involved in their "fight".

Jin Ran took a deep breath, trying to hold back, but she couldn't help it. She immediately interrupted him with a forced smile: "Since Teacher Wan is so capable, I won't hold you back. Besides, my work here is already finished. If Teacher Wan comes now, I'm afraid there won't be any room for you to make a difference. Why don't we split up? I only need to make sure I can take care of the parents I bring. You can handle those powerful executives."

Teacher Wan frowned, clearly dissatisfied with her attitude, but thinking that she could monopolize the resources, she nodded with a straight face.

Jin Ran left the principal's office with a burning anger in her heart.

She wasn't unaware of the harsh realities of the workplace; it's just that she'd always had it too easy. This was the first time she'd encountered someone stealing her thunder halfway through her career, and she couldn't suppress her anger.

She hasn't even had a chance to use the unspoken rules herself, yet someone else has?

Looking around the office, Jin Ran wanted to find someone to confide in, but all her colleagues were engrossed in their work. Besides, she had only been with the company for a short time and wasn't familiar with everyone yet.

When I messaged Xu Zhen on WeChat, before I could even reply, she started wailing that she had to deal with difficult parents and that we could talk about it when she got back.

Finally, Jin Ran angrily opened Jiang Mingxu's chat box.

Lesson Planner Ham (Unnamed Version, Unable to Pass Teacher Recruitment Exam): 【(Angry)(Angry)(Angry)】

It took almost half an hour for them to reply.

Jiang Mingxu: [?]

【What's wrong? 】

Lesson Planner Ham (The Unnamed Version for Those Who Failed the Teacher Recruitment Exam): [Something bad happened, and I'm very angry right now!]

If you don't mind, you can talk to me about it. Two people working together might be more effective than one person working alone.

So Jin Ran told the other party about the proposal she had prepared, only to have the principal try to force her to submit someone else at the last minute, and angrily berated Old Deng for his lack of sportsmanship: "I wanted to throw the proposal in his face right then and there!"

After a barrage of angry outbursts, followed by half an hour of calm, Jin Ran's temper subsided slightly. Looking back at the screen filled with her own complaints, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Jiang Mingxu is, after all, the president of a listed company. Would it seem too sensitive for me to bother him with such a trivial matter?

Just as she was about to say something to salvage her image, Jiang Mingxu's message popped up.

The proposal is too thin; it will fold when subjected to external force, resulting in a small contact area and insufficient impact.

Jin Ran stared at the screen and blinked: [???]

What are you, a company president, saying? And why does your analysis sound so familiar, like you're very familiar with similar matters? [Which book is this theory from?]

[This isn't just theory from the book; it's something I've tried.]

【？？？？？】

Jiang Mingxu frankly stated: "Similar things happened many times when Mingji was first established. I was young and hot-blooded at the time, and I often argued with them."

Jiang Mingxu, who argues with others?

Jin Ran found it unbelievable. In her memory, Jiang Mingxu was always calm and composed, a man of great wisdom and strategy, the kind of person who wouldn't flinch even if the sky were to fall. But at this moment, the image of him coldly slamming documents down flashed through her mind, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

With a smile, the man on the other side of the screen suddenly became real and tangible—no longer the aloof elite boss, but an ordinary person who would lash out at injustice and hold grudges.

Suddenly, she wasn't angry at all.

Thinking that even a big shot like Jiang Mingxu would encounter such a thing, what's so strange about me running into some idiots at work?

There's a saying that goes something like this: "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their will and strengthens their body."

She is now that person who has been tempered and refined.

Besides, it's not worth getting angry over an idiot.

With her mood brightening again, Jin Ran thought for a moment and then declined when Jiang Mingxu asked if she needed his help.

Given the other party's status, they wouldn't even need to show up in person; a few simple words would be enough for the principal to give them face.

But Jin Ran felt that if the problem could only be solved by Jiang Mingxu's intervention, wouldn't that make her seem incompetent? She insisted on doing it perfectly herself, so that the principal would be convinced!

Of course, she didn't rule it out completely, adding later: "If I can't handle it, I'll ask you for help (Xiao Ba hands on hips)."

Jiang Mingxu's reply was brief and forceful: 【Good】

/

On the other side of Mingji Technology, Jiang Mingxu put down his phone, looked up at Assistant Wang, and asked, "Can the schedule for the summit on the 30th be adjusted?"

Assistant Wang quickly pulled up the schedule and reported: "The summit starts at eight o'clock in the morning, followed by speeches from several leaders. Your speech is scheduled for nine o'clock, and there will be a half-hour break after nine-thirty."

Jiang Mingxu tapped the table thoughtfully: "Is the sponsorship project between the company and Wencheng Middle School still progressing?"

Assistant Wang was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Yes, but the school's coordination is not very efficient, so the project has been temporarily put on hold."

"I contacted the school and will go there in person on the morning of the 30th."

Upon hearing this, Assistant Wang was taken aback, unable to understand why President Jiang had suddenly become so concerned about this matter.

As he walked out of the office, he remembered that his young master was studying at Wencheng Middle School and couldn't help but wonder if President Jiang wanted to see how his young master was doing at school.

After all, the reason the president's office chose Wencheng Middle School for the initial collaboration with the school was because of the young master.

Assistant Wang felt he had glimpsed the truth.

Although President Jiang is extremely busy and has never inquired about his son's studies, he is still his biological son and holds a very important place in his heart.

As for his wife, she also works at Wencheng... Assistant Wang, as Jiang Mingxu's confidant who has followed him for many years, knows a little about President Jiang, if not completely. He is not the kind of person who acts impulsively for love, and it is absolutely impossible for him to see his wife during work hours.