Chapter 11
Time for the Jiang family Banquet
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.”