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On the single-seated sofa at the side of the living room, Jiang Yucheng sat expressionlessly, the ring of water beneath a teacup spreading across the table in front of him.
After a long silence, he slowly turned his eyes toward Jiang Suo. His tone was calm, but his words struck hard:
“Xuxu is my daughter. My daughter—does she not deserve to be your Jiejie?”
The boy, reckless and brash only moments ago, instantly shrank back, visibly intimidated.
“Big Uncle, I—I didn’t mean it like that…”
From the side, Jiang Huai watched with a smile in his eyes. With just one look, his Father had already subdued the younger one. Jiang Huai then turned his gaze toward Lu Xuexi and spoke directly:
“Xuexi, do you feel wronged living here in the Jiang family?”
Being singled out, Lu Xuexi’s face turned pale. She quickly shook her head in denial.
“No, Jiang Huai Gege(Big Brother Jiang Huai), you misunderstand me.”
“If that’s the case, then don’t say things that could cause misunderstanding in the future.” Jiang Huai’s smile lingered at the corners of his eyes, his voice gentle yet carrying a subtle pressure that made one hesitate to contradict him.
Lu Xuexi opened her mouth as if to speak, but after a moment, lowered her head in silence, biting her lip in secret.
Just then, Yao Lin spoke up to ease the tension.
“It was my fault for not arranging things properly. After all, it’s only a room. There’s no need for such fuss.”
“Second Aunt’s arrangements were indeed a little inappropriate.” As the eldest grandson of the Jiang family, Jiang Huai had never been one to mince words, not even with elders. “Xuxu is my Meimei, the eldest young lady of the Jiang family. Having her live in some child’s abandoned room that’s been hastily converted—if word got out, wouldn’t people laugh at us?”
As he said this, he suddenly wrapped an arm around Guan Xuxu’s shoulder, his posture protective, almost possessive.
“My sister has returned home, and she is not here to suffer such grievances.”
With those words, Lu Xuexi’s cheeks flushed red.
She had just implied to everyone that she herself was wronged, yet here Jiang Huai was, declaring that letting Guan Xuxu live in her former room was the real grievance.
Wasn’t this a direct slap in her face?
Meanwhile, Guan Xuxu, suddenly pulled close, froze where she sat.
She didn’t know whether it was Jiang Huai’s sudden action, or his words, that made her stiffen.
But grievance? She couldn’t really say she had felt any.
Compared to the hardships she had endured in the Guan family, a word here or there was nothing at all.
But this was the very first time—someone truly cared whether she felt wronged.
A gentle warmth spread through her heart. It felt as if, for the first time, she understood what it meant to have family.
Yao Lin’s face showed faint embarrassment, though inside she cursed Jiang Huai for being as merciless as ever, never giving her any face. Instinctively, she glanced toward Jiang Yucheng and the Jiang family’s Old Master, yet both men remained silent. With no support, she could only swallow her frustration, forcing herself to maintain a graceful expression.
“Since what Jiang Huai said is true, it means Second Aunt failed to consider things properly. I will have someone rearrange it.”
Jiang Huai immediately smiled and nodded toward her.
“Then I must trouble Second Aunt to see to it as soon as possible.”
Then he turned to the others.
“I’ll take Xuxu for a walk in the garden first.”
With that, he didn’t bother with anyone’s opinion, and simply led Guan Xuxu out toward the garden.
After the two of them left, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy. Yao Lin felt utterly aggrieved. Just as she was about to open her mouth to explain herself, the butler came in from outside, bowed toward the Jiang family’s Old Master, and reported:
“Laoye, the gatehouse just called. A Madam Guan has come to visit.”
At the sound of the surname Guan, everyone instinctively thought of Guan Xuxu.
Wasn’t she just brought over from the Guan family? Why would someone chase after her so quickly?
“She must be here for Xuxu, right? Seems she can’t quite bear to part with the child.” The Jiang family’s Third Aunt spoke with a smile, her words easing the tension in the room.
She had noticed earlier that when Guan Xuxu arrived, she hadn’t brought along any luggage.
Although no one knew the exact reason, the Guan family must have come to deliver Guan Xuxu’s luggage.
That made sense. Now that they knew Xuxu was the Jiang family’s daughter, no matter how foolish they might be, they wouldn’t commit the absurd mistake of not even sending her belongings.
But the butler hesitated for a moment before saying,
“That Madam Guan said… she is here to visit Third Madam.”
The smile at the corners of Jiang Third Madam’s lips froze, confusion flickering across her face.
“Looking for me?”
Why would Madam Guan come to see her instead of the child?
…
Meanwhile.
The Jiang family’s garden carried a classic European style. Along the side of the villa, the vintage iron fence was covered with blooming roses. The carefully tended lawn spread in lush green, glowing even brighter beneath the blazing summer sun.
Guan Xuxu followed behind Jiang Huai, listening to him casually introduce some of the little features of the garden. Yet her thoughts kept drifting back to the scene in the living room, when he had spoken up for her.
It left her with a strange, subtle feeling.
After a long pause, she couldn’t help but whisper,
“Thank you.”
Jiang Huai stopped in his tracks, looked at her, then suddenly reached out and ruffled her hair with a smile.
“With Gege, there’s no need to say thank you.”
Guan Xuxu looked up at him, her hair tousled by his hand, her expression carrying an unintentional hint of innocence and daze. The sight made the smile in Jiang Huai’s eyes deepen all the more.
Just as he was about to say something more, Jiang Huai’s phone rang at the perfect moment. He glanced at the caller ID, then gestured for Guan Xuxu to stroll around on her own before stepping aside to take the call.
Guan Xuxu walked forward on her own, taking about ten steps, when her gaze suddenly fell upon an Maid in the garden pavilion, busily wiping down the tables and chairs.
The woman looked to be in her mid-forties, plain and unremarkable in appearance. Yet from where Guan Xuxu stood, she could clearly see the faint strands of dark, baleful energy coiling around her body—the kind of aura tainted by evil deeds and karma.
Ordinarily, Guan Xuxu disliked meddling in such matters. Getting involved often meant attracting consequences.
But if she ignored this woman now, that baleful aura might very well affect other members of the household.
So she walked toward her.
The Maid held a rag draped over her hand, her motions mechanical as she scrubbed, her face dull and vacant. From time to time, her eyes flicked furtively toward a certain direction. It wasn’t until Guan Xuxu stepped directly in front of her that she suddenly jolted back to awareness, almost startled, and quickly asked in a fluster:
“Y-Young Miss.”
“You recognize me?” Guan Xuxu was a little surprised. After all, she had only just arrived at this house less than half an hour ago and hadn’t even met all the members of the Jiang family yet.
“The butler showed us a photo beforehand so that all the servants would recognize you, Young Miss—so none of us would accidentally offend you.” The Maid smiled ingratiatingly as she explained.
Guan Xuxu hadn’t expected the Jiang family to have made such thoughtful preparations in advance—quietly done, yet attentive in every detail. Truly, it was the mark of a great household.
“Does the Young Miss need something?” the Maid asked again when she saw Xuxu remain silent.
Just as Guan Xuxu was about to speak, she noticed two familiar figures suddenly entering through the garden gate.
It was Bai Shuqin and Guan Ruirui.
Led in by the butler in his suit, the two women immediately spotted Guan Xuxu standing inside the pavilion. The moment their eyes fell on her, both faces froze in shock.
“What are you doing here?!”