Chapter 50

Yu Mu originally intended to wait until Yu Sui was less defensive to find an opportunity to meet Chu Jiayun. Even if she didn’t offer any advice, she at least wanted to know Instructor Chu’s stance on the matter.

Her younger sister had been spoiled by the family since childhood; whatever she wanted, she had to have, and if she couldn’t get it, she would exhaust every means to cause a stir. Yu Zhongqing’s way of doting on them was a mix of indulgence and restraint. He restrained their paths in life, insisting they follow the direction he planned; on the other hand, as long as they complied with his wishes, he wouldn’t strictly regulate other matters. Anything that could be solved with money or connections, he would handle the trouble for his children.

Yu Sui had been at her most rebellious during high school, getting into increasingly troublesome situations. Even Yu Zhongqing, who usually didn’t manage family affairs, couldn’t help but call her in for a serious talk once.

Over the last few years, Yu Sui and Yu Zhongqing had reached a stalemate. The elder Yu rarely mentioned her name at home, but Yu Mu knew Yu Sui would eventually have to go back. If the disagreement was merely over career paths, she could find a way to mediate, but the fact that Yu Sui was rushing to become a stepmother left even a capable older sister like her feeling powerless to help.

To her surprise, Yu Sui refused to budge an inch, even emphasizing that if Yu Mu went to see Chu Jiayun privately, she would stop informing her of her whereabouts entirely. Yu Mu spent two days in Ancheng before finally boarding a plane back to Jingcheng alone.

Having been away for two days, there was plenty of work waiting for her at the company. Once she finished her tasks, she received a call from Bai Jiling. It turned out that Bai Jiling had successfully handled the matter regarding Sheng Nanxi’s internship that she had requested last time.

Yu Mu finally had something to be happy about: “Dinner is on me tonight. You’ve been such a great help; I must thank you properly no matter what.”

Bai Jiling didn’t refuse. Yu Mu had been navigating the business world for Read on BaiLianTales years and couldn’t have brought the Yu Group to such heights without social savvy. Besides, she really wanted to probe into what Yu Mu had gained from her trip to Ancheng.

Yu Mu cancelled her evening social engagements specifically to treat Bai Jiling to dinner. They had met privately a few times this year because of the school anniversary, but this was the first time for such a formal invitation.

Seeing Yu Mu so solemn, Bai Jiling felt a flicker of doubt; it was clearly different from what she had expected before coming.

On the phone, Bai Jiling had only given a general outline of the internship resources she found for Sheng Nanxi. After meeting Yu Mu, she clarified the details: it was a children’s rehabilitation school under the Bai Research Institute.

Fearing Yu Mu might think the internship was “not high-end enough,” Bai Jiling added the school’s unique nature: “This school specifically trains children with severe illnesses to reintegrate into normal life after treatment. It’s the only one of its kind in the province and receives significant attention across the country.”

Because it was rare, it was special. Because it was significant, it attracted attention.

Yu Mu nodded repeatedly: “I know this school. When I attended the medical forum in the Netherlands, many people were asking Professor Bai about it. For modern society to progress, we not only need to be able to treat human diseases medically, but we also need to focus on post-treatment recovery and all aspects of reintegration into society.”

Seeing Yu Mu was satisfied with the arrangement, Bai Jiling continued: “From what I know, Sheng Nanxi is pursuing a PhD in child education, but she’s also very focused on the field of child psychology. That’s why I chose this school, hoping to give her a chance to showcase her skills.”

Anyone with experience knows that so-called internships are mostly just going through the motions—having a name listed somewhere while idling ​stolen content​for a few months. In the end, one often only learns the surface and rarely gets a chance to touch real business, let alone make any significant findings.

“I’ll have to properly thank Professor Bai another day.”

“My uncle also appreciates Sheng Nanxi’s abilities, and the school truly needs talent like her. If you go out of your way to thank him, it might actually make things awkward for him.”

Bai Jiling knew Yu Mu was the type to repay favors. Even if she didn’t thank him in person, she would show her appreciation in other ways. She said, half-jokingly: “I’m just a bridge allowing the supply and demand sides to find each other faster. It’s just a small favor; you don’t need to take it to heart. Besides, if you go around thanking everyone, it’ll be hard for Sheng Nanxi not to find out you helped.”

Yu Mu thought for a moment and understood Bai Jiling’s meaning.

Bai Jiling took the chance to steer the conversation toward Yu Sui: “You’ve even thought through Sheng Nanxi’s internship so thoroughly. Do you have any thoughts now that Yu Sui is back in the country?”

Yu Mu looked at her thoughtfully but didn’t speak.

Bai Jiling gave an awkward smile and explained: “Although I don’t know much about the design field, Jingcheng University’s alumni resources are very rich. I also hope to be able to help her.”

Yu Mu withdrew her gaze, her tone ​unauthorized copy​calm: “She’s still quite playful, and her return to the country is only temporary. I won’t bother with her internship.”

Bai Jiling frowned, momentarily unable to tell if Yu Mu was genuinely unaware of the situation or deliberately covering for Yu Sui. But she couldn’t ask more directly, so she continued to probe indirectly.

Yu Mu, however, seemed to be intentionally avoiding the topic and even made a request of Bai Jiling: “Over the last few years, Yu Sui has had some disagreements with Dad over her career plans, so things have been a bit unpleasant. She snuck back this time because she hasn’t figured out how to communicate with the family yet. I want to give her a bit more time and space and don’t want Dad to know for now.”

Bai Jiling understood immediately. This wasn’t a request; it was a clear hint not to talk too much.

Since Yu Mu had “requested” it so politely, Bai Jiling couldn’t use it as leverage. Moreover, Yu Mu had an attitude of not wanting to talk much more, making it impossible for her to find a way to probe further.

She had originally thought that prompting Yu Mu to go to Ancheng would make Yu Sui retreat due to family pressure and allow Chu Jiayun to see Yu Sui’s weakness. But judging from Yu Mu’s reaction, it was like throwing a small pebble into the ocean; never mind a wave, she didn’t even know where it landed.

This thank-you dinner was truly unsatisfying for Bai Jiling.

Yu Sui and Chu Jiayun sat in the living room, looking at several promotional brochures scattered on the coffee table, feeling the struggle of a difficult choice.

Xinxin sat on Chu Jiayun’s lap, very curious about the colorful things in front of her. But her mother wouldn’t let her [unauthorized copy]touch them, saying they were dirty.

Yu Sui ran a hand through her hair: “These kindergartens all look pretty good and have great reputations in Ancheng. It really is hard to choose.”

Chu Jiayun didn’t speak, but she felt the same as Yu Sui.

Who would have thought that two people who were so decisive in their careers would be stumped by the choice of a kindergarten?

Chu Jiayun had recently memorized the materials for these kindergartens; she could tell which was which and what their specialties were just by looking at the cover.

“The two that offer bilingual teaching are actually quite good. They aren’t too far away, so pick-ups and drop-offs would be convenient.”

Yu Sui pulled out the brochures for the two Chu Jiayun mentioned: “They are good. I prefer these two as well. But the interview conditions are a bit too demanding, aren’t they? It’s even more exaggerated than when I applied for university.”

Chu Jiayun smiled: “Competition in this country starts from childhood. Since we haven’t reached the point where admission is easy and graduation is hard, the pressure can only be shifted to the parents.”

Yu Sui shook her head with a sigh: “Raising a child really isn’t bailiantales.comsimple, and not everyone can be a good parent.”

Having said that, for fear that Chu Jiayun would misunderstand and think she found it troublesome, she immediately emphasized her position: “I am definitely that ‘good parent’ who isn’t afraid of difficulties and will resolutely face them head-on.”

Chu Jiayun’s lips curved into a smile, but she said nothing.

Xinxin looked at Auntie Yu in confusion, not quite understanding her intention in trying to show off in front of her mother. Usually, she was the one trying to perform well to earn her mother’s kisses; was Auntie Yu joining her in the competition?

Her little head couldn’t process such complex matters. The more she thought, the more distressed she became, and her face began to scrunch up.

Seeing Xinxin was unhappy, Yu Sui said worriedly: “Is Xinxin afraid of going to kindergarten? All children go to kindergarten when they grow up. There are teachers who will teach Xinxin things, and many friends the same age to play with. Kindergarten is very fun.”

Xinxin didn’t understand what going to kindergarten meant for her; she was thinking about not letting her mother be snatched away. She wanted to perform better too, so she tried hard to burrow into Chu Jiayun’s arms, sticking close to her mother.

Seeing she had been holding her for a long time and fearing Chu Jiayun would get tired, Yu Sui offered to help: “Xinxin, come to Auntie Yu. I’ll play with you, okay?”

To her surprise, Xinxin’s stolen content little head remained firmly nestled in her mother’s arms, very resolute: “I want Mom.”

The change in Xinxin’s attitude left both Yu Sui and Chu Jiayun a bit puzzled, but Yu Sui was calmer than before, no longer worrying at every turn that the child would hate her.

After Chu Jiayun coaxed Xinxin to sleep, the two adults seriously discussed the kindergarten issue. They narrowed the choice down to the two bilingual ones but were still undecided on which to choose.

Yu Sui suggested: “Let’s take Xinxin to experience them during an open day before deciding. After all, Xinxin is the one who will be attending. If she doesn’t like the environment, it doesn’t matter how good we think it is.”

“Alright, I’ll make an appointment with the kindergartens tomorrow.”

Xinxin was taken by her mother and Auntie Yu to visit the kindergartens that would eventually separate her from her parents temporarily. She didn’t realize the significance of the trip; she only knew she met many children and kind, beautiful teachers.

She was carried by Yu Sui. Her newly bought leather shoes hadn’t even taken a few steps on the ground, but it didn’t dampen her interest in directing Auntie Yu to take her “all over the place.”

Chu Jiayun was mainly responsible for communicating with the school’s promotional teacher to learn more about the kindergarten. This was a private kindergarten that placed more importance on a family’s soft power.

The families of those who could afford this kindergarten wouldn’t be in bad financial shape. But having money alone wasn’t enough; after all, raising a child well requires the joint effort of both parents and the school.

Having money doesn’t necessarily mean one can be a good parent, so the kindergarten had to seriously consider the parents’ strength during the mutual selection process.

Chu Jiayun wasn’t worried about her professional ability or social status, but she had concerns about the stability of her family. She brought home the materials required for the parent interview and prepared for each item one by one.

However, she got stuck on the “parents” section.

Being a single mother wasn’t a problem; the problem was that compared to other dual-parent families, there would indeed be a lack of stability. She was excellent, but other parents were equally outstanding. Chu Jiayun didn’t want her own situation to affect Xinxin’s admission.

Yu Sui took the documents from her desk and glanced at her furrowed brow: “In the parents’ column, you can write my name as well.”