In the Jiang family’s old mansion, the living room.
Amidst the rich aroma of tea, there sat an ebony tea table with two cups of white-glazed teacups. The elderly lady had been pruning branches, but when a guest arrived, she invited her to sit, went to wash her hands, and had just returned to pick up her cup when she heard the sound of an engine from outside.
"This heartless kid, still rembers to visit ?" Although the old lady grumbled, she nonetheless turned and directed the servant to bring out his favorite tea snacks.
"Grandma—"
Before seeing him, his voice was heard.
Everyone was drawn to the sound, and as they looked in its direction, they saw a dashing and handso man stride in with a motorcycle jacket of black and red hues that highlighted his tall stature and long legs. He placed his helt at the vestibule and casually ran his fingers through his hair...
Smiling towards the room, it was as if he brought in a sprig of spring, brightening the whole space.
"Making such a racket, we have guests." The old lady said with a smile.
Jiang Chengsi was never a rebellious or excessively arrogant person, but rather a sunny and carefree young man with a blatant exuberance that seed ingrained in his very bones.
"I didn’t notice." Jiang Chengsi said, smiling.
"This is Miss You, Wanwan’s client, and also Xiaowu’s classmate."
"Fourth Master." The woman stood up, wearing a simple and elegant light-colored long dress, her makeup and hair arranged impeccably to the last detail. Jiang Chengsi usually wasn’t interested in matters unrelated to himself, but since Tang Wan had been in the news that morning, he had taken special note and thus recognized her.
He had even discussed the truth of the matter with Jiang Shiyi over breakfast.
After he talked for a long ti, Jiang Shiyi threw out two words: "Fake."
Jiang Chengsi laughed, "How can you know the details of the collaboration are faux without knowing the truth?"
Jiang Shiyi gave him a penetrating look, "Chengsi, do you know why, from childhood to now, your academic achievents have never been good?"
"I’m just not interested in studying!"
"The brain is a wonderful thing."
...
Jiang Chengsi was imdiately fuming; this was a discussion, not personal attacks.
"I may not know the ins and outs of the entertainnt industry, but if there’re truly plans for collaboration, Tang Wan isn’t the type to engage in promotional stunts with this actress." If Tang Wan cared solely for fa and fortune, she could use the Tang family na in Pingjiang to make plenty of money.
"That’s true." Jiang Chengsi nodded.
"To release a joint jewelry line isn’t the sa as a celebrity romance, there’s no need to test public opinion; no need for these deceiving acts. Probably the collaboration failed, and they want to ride on the wave of publicity to suck so blood, wouldn’t be surprised if they use public opinion to make Tang Wan reconsider."
Jiang Chengsi looked at the man opposite him, "Brother, I always thought Jiang Xiaowu was the odd one out in our family, but now I realize you share so similarities with him in certain aspects."
"Such as...?"
"Heartlessness."
Jiang Shiyi responded with a quiet smile.
"Bro, be honest, did you date anyone while you were abroad?" Jiang Chengsi had long been curious about his private life, "What’s your type?"
Jiang Chengsi had once thought about setting his brother up with a girlfriend, so he wouldn’t have so much ti and energy to keep managing him at ho.
"Chengsi..." Suddenly, Jiang Shiyi called his na, his expression tranquil but his lips curving in an amused smile that sent shivers down Chengsi’s spine, "Don’t concern yourself too much with , especially my private life, knowing too much..."
"Isn’t it better to be a naive and sweet fool?"
Jiang Chengsi humd, "So you’ve always seen as a naive sweet fool?"
"A naive sweet simpleton?"
Just shut up!
...
So Jiang Chengsi at this mont looked upon the person in front of him.
She was undoubtedly beautiful, but seemingly soulless, which naturally did not intrigue Jiang Chengsi in the slightest. He nodded at her as a greeting, then sat down next to the old lady.
"You little rascal, still rember to visit ?" The old lady huffed.
"Grandma, my brother’s been driving crazy lately, you have no idea what kind of days I’ve been having."
"It’s good that Shiyi keeps you in check, so you don’t run wild and cause trouble for ."
"When have I ever caused trouble?"
"The issue with Taotao."
"..."
No wonder their grandfather always told them never to argue with won; they could take things from eight hundred years ago and repeatedly jab you in the heart with them. Seems like Grandpa had suffered his fair share back in his day.
"Did Miss You co here on business today?" Jiang Chengsi quickly changed the subject.
"I just wanted to talk to Teacher Tang about a collaboration," she said.
Jiang Chengsi narrowed his eyes at her, "If you want to et my sister-in-law, go to her studio. What are you doing here?"
"I had my staff discuss with her before. There are so discrepancies in the details of the collaboration, and today I wanted to talk to her in person. Given my status, it’s not really convenient to visit the studio, so I took the liberty of coming here."
Her voice was soft and gentle, coupled with that pretty face, it would be hard to find her disagreeable.
Jiang Chengsi rely smiled, "Status is sothing given by others; brandishing one’s own social worth doesn’t guarantee others will value it."
His words spoke the truth but caused You Congrong’s smile to stiffen ever so slightly. Everyone said Jiang Chengsi was the odd one in the Jiang Family, extrely unorthodox in his speech and actions. At school, she had only heard of him, and this was her first encounter with him up close.
The grandmother sat at the side, remaining silent throughout.
It was not long before Jiang Jinsang ca down from upstairs.
"Grandma, Fourth Brother," Jiang Jinsang greeted the two before turning to the woman who had risen from the sofa, "Miss You."
"Lord Five—" Her voice seed pinched, its sickly sweetness making both Jiang Chengsi and the grandmother frown slightly, "we et again."
Jiang Jinsang’s speech naturally carried a hint of mirth; he rely nodded and found a seat on a single-seat sofa.
Ever since Jiang Jinsang’s arrival, though You Congrong’s eyes didn’t continuously follow him, her gaze kept landing on him intermittently.
Jiang Chengsi amused himself by watching the two of them.
"Xiaowu, Miss You said you were classmates?" The grandmother sipped her tea.
"We were classmates for a brief period, Lord Five might not rember," You Congrong said with a smile, "we didn’t really talk much back then..."
She looked as if she had co for a nostalgic visit.
"I’m going for a walk." After speaking, Jiang Jinsang intended to leave, but the grandmother stopped him at the door, "Put on an extra layer of clothes."
The grandmother handed him a coat, her voice low, "Is Miss You here for Wanwan, or is she after you?"
"What do you an?"
"I notice she looks at you quite uniquely, and she ntioned being your classmate."
"Why did you let her in?"
"She introduced herself, claiming to be Wanwan’s client and your classmate. I didn’t think much of it and let her in. I thought she was here for Wanwan, but now it seems she might be here for you. Why are you running off without solving the problem?"
"I’m just normally going out for a walk," Jiang Jinsang said as he put on his coat.
"This is probably one of your pesky love entanglents."
"But the peach blossom was let in by you, whoever caused the problem should solve it."
"You little—"
"Grandma, I’ll head out now."
The grandmother was frustrated no end; turning her head, she saw Jiang Chengsi also standing up, "Grandma, I’ll go accompany Xiaowu for a bit. He’s frail; I’m worried he might stumble and fall..."
Once the two of them had left, only the grandmother and You Congrong remained in the living room. The grandmother frowned—what kind of grandsons had she raised, leaving such a ss for an old woman to deal with?
Originally occupied with pruning branches, the grandmother picked up the shears again and started on a potted plant.
"Miss You, what do you think of this flower?" You Congrong certainly wasn’t here for Tang Wan, but was vexed that Jiang Jinsang had left just after sitting down. Seeing the grandmother beckoning her, she promptly walked over with a smile, "It’s beautiful."
"Pruning branches is an art form, you see this..." the grandmother said, cradling a bunch of branches.
"It was growing well on its own when suddenly a rogue branch sprouted, seeking to disrupt the existing harmony..."
"When faced with this situation, do you know the best redy?"
You Congrong hesitated, and before she could speak, she saw the grandmother snap off the stray branch near its base...
"It erged brazenly; you can’t just trim the tip. From where it sprouted, that’s where you need to sever it. Otherwise, it’ll keep growing back each spring, causing endless trouble. Eradicating it completely is the cleanest solution."
You Congrong, having mixed in entertainnt circles for years, clearly understood what the grandmother ant. Her fingers tightened slightly, her smile perfunctory, "So, that’s how you prune branches."
"The plant was growing perfectly well, but it tried to interfere unsolicitedly. Who else should be dealt with, if not it? Isn’t that right?"
"It’s the sa with people; any inappropriate thoughts should be nipped early, especially those who care about status. So falls, they can’t afford to take, right?" The grandmother said, snipping with the shears "snip, snip," pruning a few more branches.
Inspecting the potted plant and frowning slightly, she mused, "With spring’s arrival, these branches have grown too quickly; I hadn’t noticed, and now there’s a bunch of unsightly growth, spoiling the original beauty. After pruning..."
"It looks much better."
"Miss You, look at this potted plant, isn’t it much lovelier now?" the grandmother said with a smile.
You Congrong managed to squeeze a faint smile from the corner of her mouth, "Yes, it’s lovely."
...
anwhile, behind the house, Jiang Jinsang and Jiang Chengsi were strolling in the courtyard.
"That Miss You likes you," Jiang Chengsi stated bluntly.
Jiang Jinsang kept silent.
"I see she’s cooperating with your sister-in-law because she’s after you. All these years since high school graduation, and she’s still hung up on you. Looks like it’s true love for you," Jiang Chengsi teased, "She even ca all the way to your ho. It’s good your sister-in-law isn’t here, otherwise..."
"People online say you and Zeyan are true love too. Are you?"
"Co on, I haven’t seen him in a long ti; why do people keep saying such nonsense..."
It was affecting his dating prospects!
"The netizens say, if there’s nothing, there’s no need to avoid each other deliberately. The more you do, the more suspicion it raises."
Jiang Chengsi was dumbfounded. He was close with Qi Zeyan, so they said there was an affair; he kept his distance, and they still suspected sothing. Couldn’t a person get so peace!
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