My Wife is a Hidden Big Shot-Chapter 64 - 61: Impoverished Country Bumpkin

"Aurora, hurry up and say yes to him—"

When Leigh Miles saw the message, she was like a kitten that had just spotted a fish. Her eyes went wide and round, gleaming with impatience.

Aurora Sinclair sent Alvin Morgan a simple "Okay" in reply.

A reply came back almost instantly.

[Morgan: Then you can start after the college entrance exams.]

Aurora Sinclair was about to reply with another "Okay," but Leigh Miles stopped her.

"Aurora, you haven’t talked to him about the pay yet!" Leigh Miles held a small ledger, scribbling in it.

Aurora Sinclair nodded and texted Alvin Morgan back:

[What’s the daily pay?]

He sent back a smiling emoji along with a question:

[How much does your junior want?]

Leigh was so shocked that the tip of her pen nearly tore through the page. She stared up at Aurora Sinclair, asking in bewilderment, "Can he see me?"

Aurora Sinclair curiously picked up her phone, turning it over and examining it for a long moment before shaking her head. "I don’t know."

Another message came from Alvin Morgan.

[Morgan: (smile) Aurora wouldn’t ask about pay. So, Junior, how much do you want?]

"Aurora, this guy is so creepy!" Leigh Miles rubbed her arms, a shiver running down her spine.

"He’s very smart."

"Aurora, his family is huge, they must be rich. Let’s ask for a bit more. How about 100 a day?" Leigh picked her pen back up and started doing the math in her little ledger.

Aurora Sinclair thought for a moment and nodded. Just as she was about to reply to Alvin Morgan, another message arrived.

[Morgan: Let’s go with the market rate. 200 a day for your junior, 300 a day for Aurora. Three meals a day are included. How does that sound?]

Leigh’s jaw dropped, her mouth forming a perfect O. The pen in her hand fell to the table with a CLATTER. "Aurora..." she stammered, "Quick... quick, say yes!"

Meanwhile, Beta Morgan watched his boss put down his phone and stand up, clearly in a good mood. A thought crossed his mind. "Boss, did she agree?"

Alvin Morgan glanced at him without a word, but that was enough to make Beta Morgan grin from ear to ear.

’Looks like the plan to recruit the junior is a success.’

After all, most of the best pharmaceutical researchers in Veridia were from the Warner Family, and getting them to analyze anything was as painstaking as squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste.

They would either make excuses about not having time or claim the formula was too similar to one of their own and required approval from the Family Head—as if every single medicine in Veridia was their family’s personal patent.

’So tyrannical and unreasonable!’

’But now that we have the junior, hmph hmph hmph...’

’The boss doesn’t need you anymore!’

Alvin Morgan glanced again at his foolish subordinate, who was smiling so hard his eyes had all but disappeared, and said lightly, "Give Leigh Miles 200 a day, cover her three meals, and get her a phone."

"Yes, sir! I’ll get on it right away!" Beta Morgan beamed, looking so giddy he was one step away from humming and spinning in a circle.

Dean Morgan, standing in the corner like he was invisible, silently swallowed the "50" he had been about to suggest.

「The next day.」

Leigh Miles received a brand-new smartphone from Morgan Technologies. It was the same model as Aurora Sinclair’s, only hers was white.

Leigh hugged the phone, squealing with delight. "Aurora, Mr. Beta’s family must be loaded! They even give phones to their employees."

Aurora Sinclair glanced at the note Beta Morgan had left in the phone box and nodded.

She then sent a message to Beta Morgan to thank him.

Beta Morgan quickly replied with a smug, laughing emoji.

In just half a day, Leigh Miles had mastered most of the phone’s features. She even took a selfie with Aurora Sinclair and posted it to her Moments, which earned likes from Beta Morgan and Dean Morgan.

***

Ever since Leigh Miles got her phone, Alvin Morgan was able to see more and more of Aurora Sinclair’s daily life. From major outings like shopping trips and game sessions to minor details like meals and homework, Aurora’s entire life was on display in that little social media feed.

One morning, Alvin Morgan opened his feed as usual.

He was greeted by a daily complaint from Leigh Miles.

[Little Junior Sister: I’m doomed! Tiger’s started bawling again. I’m going to be late for school!]

[Little Junior Sister: Of course, only Aurora knows how to soothe him. I hope Grandpa Butler and Tiger can become friends soon so Aurora can be free. (frown)]

That evening, Leigh Miles tried to leave Titus with Butler Sinclair, but not even five minutes passed before the boy started looking for her. When he couldn’t find her, he burst into tears.

Leigh was so frustrated she wanted to spank him, but instead, she was the one who got a disciplinary flick on the forehead from Aurora Sinclair.

Leigh grumbled, "Aurora, do you think the school would let me apply to bring Tiger with me?"

’She was living with the Sinclairs now; she didn’t want her brother to cause trouble and leave a bad impression on Aurora’s family.’

But Aurora Sinclair just patted her on the head reassuringly. "Mr. Dixon is coming to get him tomorrow."

"Really?" Leigh’s eyes lit up.

Aurora Sinclair nodded and showed her the chat history with Alvin Morgan.

[Morgan: I heard you didn’t go to school today. Did something happen?]

[Aurora: Taking care of my junior brother.]

[Morgan: Dean Morgan will go over to pick him up tomorrow. You should focus on school.]

Leigh was thrilled.

"Aurora, Morgan is such a great guy! I’ve decided to treat him as my number one patron..."

She quickly whipped out her little ledger and solemnly jotted down a note.

The next day, Titus Miles went with Dean Morgan without a fuss. He was so well-behaved that Butler Sinclair could hardly believe his eyes.

Leigh explained, "Mr. Dixon is the second person who’s ever been able to calm Tiger down after one of his crying fits."

The last time at the Morgan residence, it was Dean Morgan who had managed to soothe Titus, a feat that took three hours of painstaking effort and earned him the collective admiration of the Morgan brothers.

***

The next day at school, Aurora Sinclair walked Leigh Miles to the entrance of the junior high building before turning to leave.

A classmate Leigh knew ran up to her, asking excitedly, "Leigh, you actually know the school beauty?"

"School beauty? I don’t see one!" Leigh even turned to look over at the lawn.

The classmate was speechless. They pulled out their phone and brought up the Kingsford No. 1 High School forum for Leigh. "The school beauty is the prettiest girl in school. Aurora Sinclair is our school’s official beauty. I can’t believe you actually know her!"

After reading the "School Beauty Contest" post, Leigh said with a wide smile, "She’s my senior."

"S... Senior? You guys went to the same school before?" Leigh’s classmate asked, stunned.

Leigh Miles nodded.

That same morning, a new post went viral on the school forum.

[BREAKING! Junior High Transfer Student is the School Beauty’s Junior! Pics for Proof!]

The post featured a large photo of Aurora Sinclair walking Leigh Miles right up to the junior high building.

Students who followed Aurora Sinclair flocked to the thread, leaving a flood of comments.

[The junior’s here! Welcome, welcome...]

[The junior is so cute! Guess small towns produce some real lookers!]

[I heard the junior got perfect scores on all her entrance exams. She’s a legit genius. One school beauty and one genius... that small town is full of talent!]

...

Thanks to Aurora Sinclair and her perfect entrance exam scores, Leigh Miles’s popularity skyrocketed. The comment thread on the post grew longer and longer.

During lunch break, tons of students from other classes flocked to Experimental Class A to sneak a peek at her.

Leigh’s deskmate showed her the forum post, their face full of envy. "Leigh, you’re famous! I can’t believe you got perfect scores on the entrance exams! Scholar Miles, I’m not worthy!"

Leigh just laughed and offered a few modest replies.

Just then, a snide voice suddenly piped up from nearby.

"Tch, some genius. Isn’t she just some broke country bumpkin? Shamelessly scuttling off to Kingsford to mooch food and a place to stay. The nerve on her is something else!"

Leigh frowned and turned to see a girl in a ponytail staring at her with utter contempt.

Her eyes weren’t large; with sharp inner corners and downturned outer corners, they gave her a vicious look.

’Master always said people who look like that are usually trouble.’

Seeing all the other students looking her way, Lynn Gordon continued her tirade. "I bet you all don’t know, do you? She’s just a peasant girl from the mountains, and she has a retarded little brother. She knew the Sinclair family was rich, so she came crawling all the way to Kingsford to depend on Aurora. She’s living and eating at the Sinclair’s place right now."

Hearing this, Leigh’s anger flared. She slammed her hand on the desk and shot to her feet. "You’re the one who’s retarded!"

Lynn Gordon was taken aback, not expecting Leigh to talk back. After a brief pause, she also stood up, tilting her chin up and sneering arrogantly, "You all know why she was late yesterday? It’s because her retarded little brother wouldn’t let her leave... Hahaha..."

"You...!" Leigh couldn’t hold back any longer. She strode forward, grabbed the girl by her uniform collar, and snarled through gritted teeth, "I dare you to say that again—"

Lynn Gordon flinched reflexively. Nearby classmates immediately rushed over to pull the two apart.

"Let’s talk this out. Lynn, just drop it."

Seeing that Leigh was being held back, Lynn quickly took a few steps back. Suppressing the fear in her heart, she shouted sharply:

"You filthy beggar, I dare you to hit me! I’m from the Gordon Family! My aunt is Aurora Sinclair’s aunt, and my uncle is the next head of the Sinclair Family. You touch me, and I’ll have my aunt throw you both out of the Sinclair house!"

Leigh was so furious her fists were clenched bone-white. Her eyes began to redden as she fought to hold back her rage.

Seeing that Leigh didn’t dare to make a move, Lynn Gordon grew even more arrogant. "Hmph... some genius? The sight of your pathetic, broke-ass face is enough to make me lose my appetite. Get lost and go crawl back to your mountains!"

Leigh forcefully suppressed the "Power" raging inside her. She spun around abruptly and strode out of the classroom. The other students scrambled out of her way, terrified by the look in her eyes.

Lynn Gordon watched her back as she left, a triumphant glint in her eye. "Hmph... a bumpkin will always be a bumpkin. She’d better learn her place!"