Chapter 10

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

That night, they had dinner in the main building.

After dinner, Jiang Rui took Shi Yan for a walk, saying that she would personally help her to familiarize herself with the Jiang family’s old mansion. Shi Yan did not refuse.

Therefore, only Grandma Jiang and Jiang Cheng were left in the main hall of the main building.

Looking at the backs of the two leaving girls, Grandma Jiang revealed a loving and gratified smile. 

“It seems that Rui’er and Xiao Yan get along very well.”

“Indeed. It’s rare to see Rui’er get along so well with someone she just met,” Jiang Cheng said as he took a sip of tea.

Grandma Jiang stroked the Buddhist beads on her wrist and asked Jiang Cheng, “Ah Cheng, what do you think of Little Yan?”

The Buddhist beads were Shi Yan’s greeting gift to her, so she put them on.

Jiang Cheng’s hand which was holding the teacup paused, and he frowned slightly. 

“What do you mean?”

Little Zhao had heard the private discussions of the servants in the old house. As the current head of the Jiang family in Sea City, how could Jiang Sheng hide it from his ears?

He didn’t want to hear these discussions anymore. He had originally planned to come back tonight and ask Jiang Hai to warn them. The old lady and Jiang Rui would be back soon, so he didn’t have time to order Jiang Hai to do this.

“I’m just asking what you think of this child, Xiao Yan? Why are you reacting so strongly? Are you worried that I’ll set you up?” Grandma Jiang glared at him.

“I do want to set you up, but I think that child, Xiao Yan, doesn’t have any interest in you at all.”

Jiang Sheng’s brows furrowed deeper and deeper. 

“Grandmother!”

“Alright, your grandmother isn’t the kind of person who would randomly pick a couple. What’s the rush? If you’re not willing to let grandmother set you up now, don’t regret it in the future.”

“I won’t!” Jiang Cheng’s tone was extremely firm.

“Fine, fine, fine. If you don’t want to do it, then don’t do it. Why are you speaking so loudly? Your grandmother isn’t deaf. Grandmother is asking you very seriously. What do you think of this child, Xiao Yan?”

Seeing Jiang Cheng’s face darken, it seemed as if he wanted to immediately get up and leave, so Grandma Jiang quickly said, “I’m not asking you to answer me in the way a man looks at a woman. I’m simply asking you to evaluate Xiao Yan based on your impression of this child. I don’t know who you take after with that temper of yours.”

Seeing that Grandma Jiang didn’t seem to have any other intentions, Jiang Sheng said, “She doesn’t look like a child from the countryside at all.”

“But Xiao Yan is really a child from the countryside. I stayed at Xiao Yan’s house for more than half a month. Although I didn’t specifically ask around, I’ve heard many things about Xiaoyan from my neighbors. She’s a sensible child that’s had a tough life.”

Jiang Sheng’s gaze fell on the Buddhist beads on Grandma Jiang’s wrist.

At this time, Grandma Jiang was still stroking the string of Buddhist beads.

Jiang Sheng frowned slightly. He knew that this was a gift from Shi Yan to Grandma Jiang, as he had seen it in Grandma Jiang’s Courtyard just now.

“What does grandmother want to say?”

“I just want to say that Xiaoyan is a child from the countryside.”

“Grandmother wants to remind me not to investigate her?”

Grandma Jiang smiled at him, “I didn’t say that. You said it yourself.”

Jiang Cheng said, “Don’t worry, grandmother. I don’t plan to investigate her. As long as she doesn’t do anything harmful to the Jiang family in Sea City, she’s just an honored guest invited here by grandmother.”

“Xiao Yan saved my life. I’ve long treated her as my own granddaughter. Since she’s an orphan and has no relatives, I plan to let her live in the old house from now on. I especially prepared the courtyard for her. Although the layout of the courtyard is different from Rui’er’s, the size is equivalent.”

In other words, Shi Yan’s status in this family was similar to Jiang Rui’s.

“The Jiang family doesn’t lack the money to raise a granddaughter,” Jiang Sheng said.

In other words, this matter was up to Grandma Jiang, and he would not interfere.

Grandma Jiang looked at him and said, “Send me back to the courtyard. It’s tiring for an old skeleton to sit in one place for such a long time.”

Jiang Sheng put down the teacup and got up to help her.

*

Jiang Rui skipped in front and turned to Shi Yan with a smile, “Little Yan, the scenery of the old house is not bad, right?”

The two of them walked in the garden of the Jiang family’s old house. There were many flowers blooming this season, and they gave off a pleasant smell at night.

Shi Yan’s eyes curved slightly, “Yes.”

Jiang Rui slowed down her pace. “Grandmother and I haven’t been home for the past two days. It must have been boring for you to stay at home alone, right? I heard that you and my brother had one meal together and haven’t seen each other since. My brother really doesn’t know how to entertain guests at all.”

“It’s not boring. With Sister Zhao accompanying me, it’s much livelier than when I’m at home. I’m always alone at home.”

That’s right, she was an orphan.

Jiang Rui did not pick up her pace anymore. She just walked beside Shi Yan. 

“Xiao Yan, I heard from grandmother that the environment at your home is very good. There are natural mountains, forests, and streams, and the scenery is picturesque. I’ve wanted to go there for a long time, so if there’s a chance, please bring me there.”

“Sure. If you don’t mind the long journey and the difficulty of taking a plane or a car, you can come back with me during winter vacation.”

“If you don’t mind, then it’s a deal.”

Shi Yan smiled faintly, “Okay.”

“By the way, I heard from grandmother that you like reading?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any other hobbies other than reading?”

When she met Shi Yan’s slightly puzzled gaze, Jiang Rui scratched her head in embarrassment and explained, “Although my academic results are not bad, to be honest, I don’t really like reading. It’s all because of my brother, who forced me to. If my brother hadn’t watched me review every day, I might not have been able to get such good results in the college entrance examination.

“I want to ask you if you have any other hobbies besides reading so that I can take you to play. Grandma gave me a task. She asked me to make sure that I help familiarize you with Sea City before school starts.”

Familiarizing her with Sea City was an exaggeration, of course. A first-tier city took up a large area, and even people who were born and raised here did not dare to say that they were familiar with it.

“I don’t have any other hobbies, but I don’t particularly hate doing things. If you are familiar with Sea City, you can make the arrangements.” 

Grandma Jiang was full of good intentions, and she had already agreed to live in the Jiang family’s old residence, so Shi Yan naturally wouldn’t reject Grandma Jiang’s request for Jiang Rui to entertain her.

After all, Jiang Rui had just finished her college entrance exam and was bored.

“Then I’ll make the arrangements myself?”

“Okay,” Shi Yan’s eyes were curved.

Under the streetlamp, Jiang Rui was stunned by her smile.

She came back to her senses and sighed, “Xiao Yan, I’ve seen so many girls, but none of them are as beautiful as you.”

Shi Yan was a little confused. Why did the topic suddenly change to her appearance?

“You forgot to include yourself.”

Jiang Rui waved her hand. “No, no, no. Although I’m also beautiful, I’m still a little less beautiful than you. Please believe in a good-looking dog’s judgment of beauty.”

Shi Yan laughed.

“Xiao Yan, although I haven’t spent much time with you, I can already tell that you have a very good personality, and you’re so good-looking. I don’t know which man will benefit from you in the future.”

Shi Yan didn’t know what to say.

She suddenly did not know whether she should tell Jiang Rui that her personality was better or which man would benefit from her in the future.

What Man? There was no such creature in her life plan.

Although she did not seem to have any life plan now.

“Xiao Yan, do you have someone you like?”