Jiang Li bid farewell politely at the entrance of the Yin family's residence. Jun Jiuli also saw him off with a radiant smile.
Su Yunmo's mouth had been slightly agape since entering the Yin family's villa.
High fences were adorned with countless beautiful hydrangeas from country H. Vast expanses of green lawn stretched as far as the eye could see, and the garden boasted various meticulously cultivated rare flowers and exotic plants. A servant pushed open the villa's grand doors.
The magnificent hall came into view, its design simple yet elegant, decorated with expensive ornaments that left Su Yunmo somewhat dazzled.
Before she could finish admiring it, Jun Jiuli said, "Aunt Chen, put my things back in the room. Take your daughter downstairs to get settled first."
"Alright, thank you, Miss," Aunt Chen replied, efficiently carrying the luggage upstairs.
Jun Jiuli sat gracefully on the luxurious and comfortable sofa, playing on her phone. Su Yunmo, standing in the living room with her suitcase, felt an immense torment.
Everything here had nothing to do with her; she was merely an interloper, a clown.
She watched several servants busily attend to Jun Jiuli, bringing her fruit, milk, and snacks.
She felt that heaven was unfair, questioning why some people were born at the finish line. Endless jealousy ignited within her.
She resented Jun Jiuli in her heart for not offering her a seat, leaving her standing awkwardly. She felt that everyone around was looking at her with strange eyes.
Just as her inner turmoil reached its peak, Aunt Chen came downstairs and led her out of the villa's main gate.
"Mom, aren't we living inside?"
"Silly child, what are you thinking? This is the main family's villa. We live in the small building behind it."
"Mom, can I live here forever?"
Aunt Chen stopped, looking earnestly at her face and saying, "Mo Mo, don't covet things that don't belong to you, or you'll only lose more than you gain."
Aunt Chen's shrewd eyes seemed to see through her inner machinations.
"Mom, why are you so serious? I meant, can I live with you always? Mom, I miss you so much."
"It would be inconvenient for you to commute to school if you live here with me. There are no bus stops, and it's hard to get a taxi. Listen to your mother and live in the dormitory after school starts."
"Mom, I can go to school with Miss Yin," Su Yunmo said with feigned innocence.
Aunt Chen said sternly, "Your mother is just a nanny in the Yin family; I don't have that much status. You'd better live obediently in the dormitory."
"Oh, I understand."
"Hurry up. Go back and pack your things; I still need to prepare dinner."
Su Yunmo sat alone on the single iron bed in Aunt Chen's dormitory. She had already organized all her belongings. Aunt Chen had returned to the villa's kitchen to help.
She surveyed the approximately 50-square-meter room. It had a small bathroom and a small kitchen. Small as it was, it had everything one needed.
A room like this in the center of A City would cost at least two thousand yuan to rent. If she hadn't experienced the grandeur of the Yin family's hall, she might have found this place quite satisfactory.
After all, her old home didn't even have tiled floors, and the environment was messy and chaotic. Such an extreme contrast fueled her desire to climb higher.
After settling into the villa area, she seized opportunities to wander around the complex. She also ran into Jiang Li a few times, subtly smearing Jun Jiuli's reputation.
For instance, she claimed Jun Jiuli deliberately embarrassed her, making her eat only in the kitchen, forbidding her from touching the fruit in the refrigerator, and not allowing her to sit on the living room sofa.
Yin Yuebai was truly detestable and malicious, unworthy of the exceptional Jiang Li in her eyes.
This time, unlike her previous life, it did not stir Jiang Li's protective instincts towards her. Instead, it earned her several dismissive eye rolls from Jiang Li.
"You're not part of the Yin family, and as a nanny's daughter, isn't it natural for you not to touch the main family's belongings?"
"You're staying here as a guest without being charged. What are you complaining about?"
Su Yunmo felt that Jiang Li was obtuse and uncomprehending. She stamped her foot and ran off, secretly complaining about Jiang Li's lack of sympathy and empathy.
The reason Su Yunmo had managed to capture Jiang Li's interest last time was that she had consistently acted ingratiatingly before Yin Yuebai.
Yin Yuebai felt pity for her, teaching her how to match clothes and accessories, skincare tips, and makeup advice.
Later, she hinted that her family was too poor to afford skincare products and clothes, suggesting it would be great if the original host could give her her unused items.
The original host felt it was inappropriate to let others wear her old clothes, possibly hurting their dignity. Thus, she gave those clothes that were bought but didn't fit well or weren't suitable, which she hadn't worn, to Su Yunmo.
Therefore, when Jiang Li first met Su Yunmo, she was already quite a delicate beauty, and her attire was not ordinary. This led Jiang Li to believe she was a relative of the Yin family, undoubtedly from a considerable family background. That's why he had treated her gently from the beginning.
Later, upon learning the truth, he was captivated by her "virtuous" character. He established a deep bond with her through a dog's body, so he didn't care much about her family background.
However, now, Jiang Li knew from the start that she was the daughter of the Yin family's nanny, and his heart held a three-point disdain for her.
She was clad in shabby clothes, her features were unremarkable, and her skin was somewhat dark. There was no need for him to lower himself from his young master status to associate with her.
Thus, in the month before school started, Su Yunmo tried every possible method but still failed to connect with Jiang Li. Jun Jiuli, meanwhile, spent her days with Shui Wa, enjoying the show.