Chapter 11: Time for the Jiang family Banquet
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Is there anyone you like?
No one had ever talked to Shi Yan about this topic. Like many of her peers, she went to school step by step. However, in school, she did not take the initiative to get close to anyone. After all these years, she had been living alone. She did not have any friends or family around her, so there was even anyone to talk to her about this. Therefore, when she heard Jiang Rui ask her this, she felt that it was a little new.
She smiled and shook her head, "No."
"No? Actually, I don't have anyone either." After that, she chuckled and asked again, "Then, Xiao Yan, what type do you like? Let me introduce you to someone. I know quite a number of young talents."
Before Shi Yan could answer, she shook her head and said, "Forget it, forget it. It's better not to introduce you. Although I know quite a number of young talents, when I look at you, I feel that those people don't seem to be worthy of you. Sigh, I really don't know which man you will benefit from in the future."
The two of them chatted and laughed as they slowly walked back to their respective courtyards.
Shi Yan washed up as usual and went to the study to read. She went back to her room to sleep around 11 o'clock.
Meanwhile, Jiang Rui returned to her own courtyard. As soon as she entered the door, she saw that the living room's lights were on. She grinned in surprise.
However, she quickly thought of something and adjusted her facial expression to hide her smile. Only then did she walk in with a straight face.
"What are you doing here?" she snorted proudly.
A person was sitting on the sofa in the living room. There was a laptop on his lap. Before Jiang Rui entered the door, he had been busy, his head lowered. When he heard the sound, he put down the laptop and looked at her.
"Are you still angry?"
There was a slight smile on his lips.
It was the young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Rui snorted arrogantly again. She lifted her chin and did not look at him.
The smile on Jiang Sheng's lips deepened, "I don't know how you developed your temper. You were clearly the one who slandered me in front of outsiders first. I wasn't angry, but you got angry instead."
"How did I slander you?"Jiang Rui put her hands on her hips and pouted, looking spoiled and arrogant.
"You said I was cold to you, but isn't that slander? When have I ever been cold to you? I can't wait to hold you in my hands, you heartless little thing.
"Come here," Jiang Sheng patted the seat beside him. "I made you a cup of milk. Come here and drink it."
Jiang Rui raised her chin again and turned her face away, not looking at him.
Jiang Sheng sighed softly and said, "Rui'er, we haven't seen each other for so many days. Are you going to quarrel with your brother the moment you come back? Don't you miss your brother at all?"
Seeing that Jiang Rui still did not want to talk to him, he did not feel angry. Instead, he continued, "I took time out of my busy schedule to chat with you every day. As soon as I heard that you and Grandma were back, I rushed back from the company. Only a heartless person like you would not even inform me in advance that you were going to accompany Grandma on a long trip. I learned about it from someone else, after you left."
Jiang Rui's face stiffened.
It was indeed unreasonable for her to accompany grandmother on a long trip without telling him in advance.
She then turned her gaze to him with a look of unwillingness.
"Alright, seeing that you're so sincere, I won't argue with you."
Jiang Sheng couldn't help but laugh.
Who was the one who didn't argue with whom?
He picked up the milk on the wooden tea table in front of him and handed it to her, "Drink this first."
Jiang Rui took the milk, sat down beside him, and took a sip. She glanced at the computer in front of her and frowned, "Brother, you didn't finish your work? Can't you rest properly even when you are home?"
Jiang Sheng closed the computer.
"I'm going to rest now."
His hand landed on Jiang Rui's head and rubbed it twice. His tone was gentle, like no one had ever heard before.
"Don't frown. It's so ugly."
Jiang Rui glared at him.
Jiang Sheng was not angry. Instead, he laughed.
"Why are you only back now? Did you get along well with Miss Shi?"
Jiang Rui held the milk in both hands and drank it. When she heard that, she blinked her eyes and nodded frantically, "Yes, we got along very well."
"How many times have I told you not to shake your head while drinking? It's easy to choke."
He pulled out a tissue and wiped the milk off of the corner of Jiang Rui's lips. His movements were skillful.
"It was only your first time meeting today. How did you hit it off? I haven't seen you with many good friends in so many years. It's not easy for you to fall in love with someone."
"I can't really say. It's just that Little Yan has a very special temperament that makes people feel very comfortable around her."
Jiang Sheng raised his chin and pointed at her face, "There's still milk on your face. I didn't get it."
Jiang Sheng carefully wiped her face clean with a tissue. His movements and eyes were gentle.
"Isn't it because she's grandmother's guest that she forced herself to be polite?"
"Of course not. When I hadn't seen her, I thought that Little Yan was grandmother's savior and that grandmother had invited her as a guest. As the eldest daughter of the Jiang family and someone who is the same age as Little Yan, I should do my best to take good care of her as the host. I followed grandmother's instructions and brought her to familiarize herself with the new environment. However, when I saw Little Yan in person, I changed my mind. I want to be friends with her."
"Based on intuition? Regardless of the other party's background?" Jiang Sheng asked, but his tone was not firm.
Jiang Rui glanced at him. "Isn't making friends based on Intuition? Who makes friends depending on the other party's background? Brother, even though Xiao Yan has many behaviors that don't fit her status as an orphan girl from the countryside, I really don't think she is the kind of person with evil intentions."
Seeing that Jiang Sheng did not speak, she said, "Even if you don't believe my judgment, you should at least trust Grandma. Xiao Yan is someone that Grandma invited over many times to stay at home.
"But Brother, you're the one who's in charge of the family. You can't see things as simply as me and Grandma. You can't have the intention to harm others, but you can't be unwary of others. After all, the old residence is… Different from the past. We won't deliberately target Xiao Yan, but if she really... Has other intentions, Brother, you don't have to worry about me just because we're friends. In my mind, nothing is more important than you and the Jiang family."
Jiang Sheng stroked her long hair, "Yes, I know."
"So, you really intend to make her your friend?"
"Yes!"
"Since you want to make this friend, make it a good one. You can only make a true friend if you treat each other with sincerity. As for the rest, I'm here for you. You don't have to think too much about it."
Jiang Rui raised her eyebrows proudly, "I know, I'm just reminding you. I don't intend to make this friend without sincerity."
Suddenly, she moved closer to Jiang Sheng, "But Brother, when I was on my way back, I heard the servants whispering to each other. They said that grandmother brought Little Yan to the old residence to set you up. Is that true?"
Jiang Sheng's eyes darkened visibly.
"It's not true! I've already asked Uncle Hai to pass down the order. There won't be such messy discussions in the old residence in the future!"
"If there's no such thing, then there's nothing to worry about. Why are you being so fierce?"
Jiang Rui's tone was reproachful, but her eyes were curved.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Cheng's arrogance disappeared in an instant.
"Finish the milk, then go upstairs to take a bath and sleep. I'm sure you haven't had a good rest in other people's houses in the past few days. I'll leave after you fall asleep."
*
"Xiao Yan, is there anywhere else you want to go next?"
Half a month later, in the living room of Shi Yan's small building, Jiang Rui was flipping through the interesting places in Sea City with a tablet, talking to Shi Yan beside her.
In the past half month, Jiang Rui had taken Shi Yan out to play every day and went to many interesting places in Sea City. Jiang Rui did not call anyone else, so it was just the two of them.
Shi Yan was very satisfied that Jiang Rui did not call anyone else when she went out to play. She did not have a lively personality to begin with, and she just wanted to go out and play quietly. She did not like a noisy group of people.
"Didn't you say that today is your family's once-a-month meal time? If your family is not very busy, will they come back at night? We won't go out today."
Chapter 12: Who Had She Bewitched
Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
"Oh right, I would have forgotten if you didn't mention it. Then we'd better not go out today. Otherwise, if we're too happy and forget to come back late, we'll be scolded by my mother again."
Putting the tablet to the side, Jiang Rui asked Shi Yan, "Then Xiao Yan, how are we going to kill time today? I definitely can't stand to stay in the house all day."
Shi Yan put down the silent black screen of her phone and asked her with a chuckle, "How did you kill time before I came?"
Seeing that Shi Yan did not hold the phone in her hand for a few minutes and that she did not open any apps during these few minutes, she casually tapped on the screen and put it down again.
Jiang Rui sighed once again. Xiao Yan's self-control was really not something she could compare to.
"When I go to school, I go to school. When I don't go to school and don't have any homework to do, I either go to my brother's office to accompany him to work, or I invite a few girls to go shopping. However, before the college entrance examination, my studies were heavier. I spent most of my time studying, so I didn't have so much free time.
"Humans are really strange creatures. When I'm busy, I look forward to being free. It's fine if I have a few days of free time, but if I have too much free time, I'll get bored. I've been free for more than two months, and I feel like I've played with everything I need to play, and I don't seem to be interested in anything. It's fortunate that I have had you to accompany me during this half month. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to spend these few days."
"Don't have any hobbies?"
Jiang Rui thought for a moment and shook her head, "No. I don't seem to have anything particularly annoying, but I also don't have anything that I particularly like."
She glanced at the book beside Shi Yan and said, "Unlike you, who likes reading. As long as you have books to read, you won't feel bored even if you stay in for an entire day."
Shi Yan smiled faintly and did not say anything.
"We've been outside these few days. The last time I accompanied you around the old house was at night. Why don't I accompany you around the old house today? I heard from Xiao Zhao that before Grandma and I came back, you liked to take books to the pavilion by the lotus pond and read. After a while, I'll accompany you there to read," Jiang Rui suddenly suggested.
"I can read, but what about you? Won't you feel bored?"Shi Yan asked with a smile.
"I'll get someone to find a fishing rod. You read, and I'll fish. I can't stay in one place for too long, but fishing is an exception. I can stay still for a long time when I'm fishing."
Shi Yan smiled at her. Jiang Rui felt a little guilty under her gaze.
She quickly promised, "Really, I can stay still if I'm fishing!"
Shi Yan smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll go to the study room to find two books. Get someone to prepare the fishing equipment and send them to the pavilion first. We'll walk around the courtyard for a while, then go there directly."
Staring at Shi Yan's back as she got up and went upstairs, Jiang Rui asked Xiao Zhao, who was sitting on another sofa and using her phone to study a new cooking method, "Xiao Zhao, what did Xiao Yan mean by that smile just now? Does she not believe me?"
Although Xiao Zhao was studying the new cooking method, he had heard their conversation.
Hearing this, she smiled and asked, "Miss, do you think you can stay here just because you believe that you can fish?"
"Humph! If you don't believe that I can stay still, then I'll stay here and show you! Today, I'll fish for as long as Little Yan reads in the Lotus Pond Pavilion!"
*
"Little Yan, are you almost done reading your book?"
The two of them strolled around the courtyard for about an hour before they went to the pavilion. Shi Yan read while Jiang Rui fished. In less than an hour, Jiang Rui couldn't sit still anymore.
Shi Yan shifted her gaze away from the books and looked at her in amusement.
Jiang Rui's face immediately turned red.
She was embarrassed for overestimating herself.
"I took two books. I was only halfway through the first one," Shi Yan said.
Shi Yan was sitting at the Stone Table in the pavilion, reading. At that time, she was holding a book, and there was another book on the Stone Table beside her.
Jiang Rui was even more embarrassed.
Just as she was thinking of an excuse to leave first, Shi Yan found an excuse for her.
Shi Yan smiled and asked, "Do you have other things to do? If you have something to do, just go and do it. You don't have to stay here with me. I'm focused on reading, so it doesn't matter if I'm alone."
"Yes, yes, yes… I have other things to do. But Xiao Yan, is it okay for you to be here alone?"
"It's okay. Before you and Grandma Jiang came back, I often came here alone to read."
Her gaze fell on the pile of fishing equipment.
"As for your things, do you need someone to help you pack them up?"
"No, no, I can pack them up myself."
What a joke. She did not want others to know how embarrassing it had been for her to not be able to hold on for long.
Seeing that Shi Yan was about to stand up to help, Jiang Rui quickly waved her hand and said, "Read your book, don't worry about me. I can clean it up myself."
She could clean it up, but Jiang Rui's hair was scattered. Although her slightly curly hair was not as long as Shi Yan's, it was not short either. It almost reached her waist. With her hair scattered like this, she had to pack up a lot of things to take back. In fact, it was a bit of a hindrance.
Her gaze suddenly landed on Shi Yan's rubber band and her high ponytail. Her eyes lit up. "Xiao Yan, lend me the rubber band on your head to tie up my hair. My hair is too much of a hindrance."
Shi Yan glanced at her.
It was indeed quite a hindrance.
She took off the rubber band and walked over to pass it to her.
However, she did not know who was mesmerized by the scene of her getting up and walking over while taking off the rubber band.
Two people happened to pass by not far away, and one of them happened to see this scene.
He stopped in his tracks, his eyes flashing with amazement.
"That is…"
The person next to him also stopped and followed his line of sight. When he saw the girl in the gazebo, he frowned slightly.
"My sister."
"Of course I know your precious sister. I'm asking who the other girl is."
Jiang Cheng's brows relaxed slightly.
His gaze then turned to Shi Yan, who was beside Jiang Rui.
"She's my grandmother's guest."
"Your Grandmother's guest? Is she the girl who recently saved your grandmother's life and was brought over by your grandmother from the countryside to live in your house?"
Shi Yan had already been in Sea City for more than half a month. Not only had she stayed in the Jiang family's old residence, but she had also been personally receiving Jiang Rui, the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, for the past half a month. It was impossible for the outside world to not hear about it.
After all, the Jiang family's status in Sea City was extraordinary. The young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Cheng, was the most popular person in the family.
Many people were guessing the reason why Old Madame Jiang had brought an orphan girl from the countryside to stay at her home. Most of them thought that Old Madame Jiang had taken a fancy to her and intended to let her live as her granddaughter-in-law.
Therefore, many people in the outside world knew about Shi Yan's existence, but very few people knew her name and what she looked like.
"So it's her! Didn't you say that she grew up in the countryside? Why don't I look like her?"
None of the socialites he had met could compare to her looks and temperament.
Jiang Cheng glanced at him and did not reply. He simply walked towards the pavilion.
The man behind him rolled his eyes and quickly followed.
"Ah Cheng, I heard that people outside are saying that Grandma Jiang brought this girl over to your house. Is she trying to set you up with her?"
Jiang Cheng stopped in his tracks. He frowned and looked at him sharply.
"No! I don't want to hear such things again!"
The man was not frightened by his gaze. He smiled lazily, "Fine, fine. I won't say it. I heard it from the outside."
Then, he whispered something behind him. Jiang Cheng did not hear it clearly, or maybe he did, but he did not care.
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