Chapter 25: Jiang Xingran’s Painting Is Stolen

Another workday had arrived.

Jiang Suisui had just finished her midday tasks and was debating what delicious snacks to prepare for her younger siblings. Suddenly, Wu Chenchen approached, head tilted slightly, and said, "I want to eat spicy chicken."

Jiang Suisui couldn't help but feel puzzled. "Then make it yourself."

Why was she telling her? Surely she didn't expect her to cook it? As it turned out, that was exactly what she had in mind.

Wu Chenchen’s expression stiffened for a moment, and she said irritably, "I am telling *you* to make it!"

"On what grounds?" Jiang Suisui rolled her eyes at her. "Are you my boss, or did you pay me a processing fee? If neither, why on earth would I cook for you?"

Wu Chenchen hadn't expected Jiang Suisui to talk back like that; her uncle was the deputy director of the Morning Star Kindergarten. Usually, in the cafeteria, which of her colleagues didn't fawn over her? Even Liu Song, the legitimate head chef, treated her with courtesy and would occasionally try to curry favor with her. How could a mere intern like Jiang Suisui dare to defy her?

"I told you to make it, so you have to! Do you still want to become a permanent employee or not?" Wu Chenchen grew more furious the more she thought about it.

Jiang Suisui found it laughable. "Oh, does Morning Star Kindergarten belong to you, Wu Chenchen? Will making a dish for you guarantee my promotion?"

"Of course it—" Wu Chenchen wasn't truly stupid; realizing she had almost said something she shouldn't have, she quickly backtracked, glaring at Jiang Suisui. "Are you trying to trap me? You’re so devious!"

Jiang Suisui shrugged. "If repeating your own words back to you is devious, then what does that make you?"

Wu Chenchen panted heavily. "That's not what I meant! You're clearly twisting my words!"

With that, she looked aggrieved, her mouth pouting and her eyes shimmering with tears. All she wanted was some spicy chicken; why did Jiang Suisui have to be so fierce? It was just a simple task—was it really worth making such a fuss? She sniffled, slammed the door, and ran out of the kitchen. If she stayed any longer, she would surely burst into tears, and that would be too humiliating.

Jiang Suisui was unaware of Wu Chenchen's internal monologue; she only regretted the wasted time. Deciding to move on, she went to the locker room to drop off two jars of mushroom and minced meat sauce for Jiang Xingran and Jiang Yueyi.

By the afternoon, Jiang Suisui was idling in the hallway, killing time since there was no work to be done. She had intended to draft a development plan for Jiang Xingran, but before she could start, an employee found her. "Little Jiang, there’s someone looking for you in the lobby."

Jiang Suisui assumed it was Qin Wulan or Zhou Yan, but upon arrival, she found an elderly gentleman with white hair. As soon as she appeared, he scrutinized her from head to toe with a serious expression. "Are you Jiang Xingran’s older sister, Jiang Suisui?"

Hearing this, Jiang Suisui had a hunch. She sat down opposite him. "Hello. I am Xingran’s sister. May I ask what you need?"

The old man looked suspicious, staring at her for quite a while before replying, "You don't look like Jiang Xingran at all."

Jiang Suisui didn't take it to heart—she was an adult and he was a child; how much could they possibly look alike? She got straight to the point. "May I ask, are you Master Lin, Teacher Yu’s maternal grandfather?"

Elder Lin nodded slightly, his eyes reflecting a hint of arrogance and a judgmental gaze. "Correct. I am here today to tell you that I intend to take your brother as my apprentice."

Jiang Suisui blinked, responding neither servile nor overbearing. "Teacher Yu mentioned this to me, but I haven't had a chance to bring it up with Xingran yet. Thank you for your appreciation, but please wait until I ask for his thoughts before we proceed."

When she finished speaking, Elder Lin’s breathing grew heavier, as if he were somewhat offended. Jiang Suisui couldn't understand why, but the old man spoke up, clearly dissatisfied. "Do you know who I am? People who want to apprentice under me could line up from here to the Azure Dragon City!"

So what? Jiang Suisui thought to herself. She wasn't selling her siblings; everything had to be based on their own willingness.

"Master Lin, I am aware of your extensive expertise. It is Xingran’s honor to have caught your eye. However, I respect his wishes deeply. I truly cannot make this decision for him, and I do not wish to force him to study or do anything he doesn't want to. I hope you understand."

Upon hearing this, Elder Lin’s expression softened slightly. He gave a muffled snort. "You and Jiang Xingran are quite similar—both equally stubborn. But that boy is even worse; he actually called me a fraud! It’s a good thing I helped him out, otherwise, he would have come to you in tears today."

Jiang Suisui’s eyes widened. "What happened to Xingran? Is he alright?"

Elder Lin remained unhurried, unscrewing his thermos to take a sip, then frowned and clicked his tongue. "Tea leaves that have steeped too long just don't taste right; it must be brewed fresh."

Seeing this, Jiang Suisui was ready to get up and head to the teaching building to find her brother.

Elder Lin raised a hand, signaling her to stay seated. "Relax, with me around, nothing went wrong."

"Some blind little brat stole your brother’s drawing and submitted it with his own name on it. When your brother complained to the substitute teacher, that brat even tried to shift the blame onto him."

"If you ask me, that substitute teacher is laughably ignorant, thinking that a child from a poor background couldn't possibly be influenced by art or produce such a spirited painting. They actually believed your brother was lying."

At this point, Elder Lin gave a disdainful laugh, shook his thermos, and looked at Jiang Suisui. "Girl, do you have any good tea leaves here?"

Jiang Suisui suppressed her anxiety and took a deep breath. "Yes, Master Lin, please wait a moment."

Seeing the old man’s relaxed demeanor and considering his genuine appreciation for Jiang Xingran, she figured the trouble had already been resolved and there was no need for extreme worry. She went to the locker room and exchanged some green tea from the system store. She packed it in an ordinary bag and grabbed a few items from the staff breakroom—a kettle, a teapot, and a cup.

Elder Lin watched as Jiang Suisui casually scalded the teapot and cup, then pulled tea leaves from a plastic bag, tossed them in, and poured boiling water directly from the kettle. The whole process was so simple and rough that he instantly regretted asking. He shouldn't have said anything; he would have been better off drinking his own... wait, what was that aroma?

Elder Lin sniffed vigorously, as if trying to inhale all the fragrance in the air. The tea scent was fresh, natural, and invigorating, retaining the tender quality of the leaves perfectly.

"Girl, what kind of tea is this? Is it a new variety from Shennong Star?"

Elder Lin reasoned that for such a simple brewing method to produce such a refined aroma, Jiang Suisui must value him highly; otherwise, she wouldn't have brought out such top-tier green tea, a quality he rarely encountered himself.

If Jiang Suisui knew his thoughts, she would have laughed out loud. She simply couldn't afford the expensive tea from the Star Network supermarket and figured the tea from the system store was decent enough to fool the old man.

After brewing, she poured the tea and asked, "So, Master Lin, what happened afterwards?"