Chapter 420: Back Me Up

The gathering stayed noisy until after eleven before it finally dispersed.

Before leaving, Yu Ci pulled Jiang Liangjin aside and said a few words, but Gu Xingnan dragged him away.

Lin Ning hugged Mu Youyu, said "Sleep early," then left with Leng Anzhi.

The others also came forward, smiling as they said goodbye to Jiang Liangjin and Mu Youyu, then left the banquet hall one after another.

Moments later, the once noisy hall held only a few servants tidying up, and Jiang Liangjin and Mu Youyu standing at the doorway.

Jiang Liangjin stood beside her, "Going upstairs?"

Mu Youyu had already informed her three older brothers at home by nine, "All right, I'll go take a shower first."

"All right." Jiang Liangjin agreed and went up with her.

Mu Youyu's room was unchanged; after her shower, her hair still dripped water, she casually wrapped a towel around it, barefoot on the carpet, and walked toward the patterned door.

This small door connects her room to Jiang Liangjin's; when she first stayed at the Jiang family, finding it troublesome to run back and forth, she had the adults of both families knock through the wall and install a small door.

Back then she was delighted; each morning staying at the Jiang family, the first thing she did upon opening her eyes was push the door open and run over, dragging Jiang Liangjin out of bed.

Later she came less often, so the door was rarely opened, but it remained unlocked.

She walked over, gave it a gentle push, and the light on the other side was on.

At a glance she could see Jiang Liangjin sitting at his desk, back to the door, staring at something on the computer screen.

Hearing the movement, Jiang Liangjin turned his head, the head poking out from the door gap, and froze for a moment.

Mu Youyu blinked. "Still not asleep?"

Jiang Liangjin's gaze fell on her wet hair, his brows knitting. "Why didn't you blow-dry it?"

"Can't be bothered." Mu Youyu, barefoot on his carpet, let droplets fall from her hair ends, leaving tiny dark spots on the light-colored rug.

"Have a seat." Jiang Liangjin sighed helplessly, got up, and went to the bathroom to fetch the hair dryer.

Mu Youyu took the chance to move closer to his desk, wanting to see what he had been looking at.

Well, there was nothing… he didn't forget to turn off the computer screen before leaving.

She leisurely took in his room; the layout hadn't changed.

Only on the wall that originally held their photo together, a new poster had been put up—the drawing she made last year and gave him at today's birthday banquet.

She also glanced at the pile of unopened gift boxes in the corner of the desk; the gifts were less than half.

Mu Youyu understood him: gifts from people he didn't know well were placed on the fourth floor, while those stacked in his room were considered from family.

Only hers—the poster-sized drawing from earlier—had been framed.

Another vinyl record had its plastic wrap removed and was neatly placed on the record player; as for the gift she had sent him the night before his birthday, she didn't see it and didn't know where it had been put.

Mu Youyu tilted her head, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.

Jiang Liangjin returned with the hair dryer, patted the sofa, and said, "Sit tight."

Mu Youyu sat obediently; his long fingers slipped into her wet strands, separating them lock by lock as warm air flowed evenly over them.

When her hair was almost dry, she murmured, "Jiang Zong, will you not have time to keep me company in the future?"

The dryer's sound was normal; he heard her clearly, "Just squeeze it in and there will be."

Not hearing her response, Jiang Liangjin turned off the dryer, smoothed her hair with his fingers, and asked, "What's wrong? Unhappy?"

"No." Mu Youyu added, "I just feel you're working hard."

Jiang Liangjin soothed, "No way. Compared to your older brothers at home, I'm already taking it easy."

Mu Youyu thought it over and agreed.

Mu Nian had been handling company affairs since high school, and Mu Xin was always exceptionally capable—no need to elaborate.

Mu Xi appeared at leisure; besides entering various competitions, she never neglected her duties, and occasionally when Mu Nian was away on business, she would go to the office to help hold down the fort.

Most of their cousins who were in school also had side jobs; compared to them, Jiang Liangjin really couldn't be called the busiest.

Jiang Liangjin seized the moment, "Tomorrow, my first day, will you come with me to establish authority?"

Mu Youyu exclaimed, "Establish authority?"

"Yes, a new official takes office; the first day you should go check the situation at the company." Jiang Liangjin set the hair dryer aside and sat beside her.

Mu Youyu sat cross-legged on the sofa, hugging her knees as she looked at him, "How do you plan to establish authority?"

"First go see the situation, discipline those who need it, replace those who need replacing."

Mu Youyu blinked. "Are you going to replace people?"

"It depends." Jiang Liangjin explained, "I often visit the Jiang clan side, and the people there are quite obedient. Mainly it's the Shen clan side—I don't go there often; although my uncle and mother have transferred their shares to me, those people in the company may not all obey a sixteen-year-old chairman."

Mu Youyu understood. "So you want to intimidate them?"

"Calling it intimidation isn't wrong—those who listen get a warning, those who don't get replaced." Jiang Liangjin reached out to rub the still-damp crown of her head.

Mu Youyu dodged his hand. "Don't touch, I just finished blow-drying."

Jiang Liangjin lowered his hand, smiling at the corners of his mouth, and asked again, "Will you come with me tomorrow?"

"What would I do there? I don't know anything about the company." Mu Youyu tapped her forehead, looking at him, half-joking, "Give you courage?"

His tone indulgent: "Give me your backing."

Mu Youyu laughed at the words. "I don't have that much influence."

Jiang Liangjin said solemnly, "Just the little princess showing up is the biggest face."

Mu Youyu pondered, "It really does seem quite intimidating."

Jiang Liangjin gave her a light blink.

"All right, I'll go with you." Mu Youyu felt pleased inside; having already asked the school for leave, being idle was just idle, "What time should we set out tomorrow?"

"Nine." Jiang Liangjin glanced at the time, "It's almost one now; we can still get eight hours of sleep."

Mu Youyu jumped off the sofa, walked toward the small door, turned back and waved at him, "I'm going back to sleep now, A Jin good night!"

"Good night."

The next morning, Mu Youyu fumbled for her phone in a daze, glanced at the time, didn't linger in bed, and got up right away to wash up.

Seeing her come down, Jiang Liangjin pushed the plate in front of him toward her and said, "Have something to eat first."

Mu Youyu sat down opposite him, picked up a sandwich, took a bite, and asked, "Have you eaten?"

"I have."

"That fast?"

"I got up at seven."

Mu Youyu silently closed her mouth and focused on eating breakfast.

After finishing breakfast and heading out, a car was already waiting at the door; two men in their early twenties in suits stood beside it.

"Young master." One of them, a steady‑demeanor man, stepped forward respectfully and said, "The car is ready; we can depart anytime. Today is your first day reporting to the company."

After saying that, he turned his head to greet Mu Youyu, adding a touch of earnestness: "Miss, good morning!"

Jiang Liangjin, with a casual expression, said, "Let's go now."

The other young man beside him, whose hair was slightly curled, also stepped forward and said, "Miss."