Before her was a small face no bigger than a palm, slightly thin and delicate. Her pointed chin was tilted up, making those limpid, autumn water eyes look even more pitiful and lovable.
Throughout Zhou Hanzhang’s twenty eight years of life, aside from women he had to interact with for work or other necessary matters, most of the women he knew were the girls in his own family. They were all his younger relatives, connected to him by blood. Other than that, it could be said that Zhou Hanzhang had never really interacted with any young woman.
Meng Jixue was the exception.
When she was three years old, she had suddenly barged into Zhou Hanzhang’s world just like that.
At the time, Zhou Hanzhang was only thirteen.
Meng Jixue had been an adorable little girl from the moment she was born, with delicate, doll like features and a soft, round beauty. On top of that, she was always serious about whatever she did, and the way she spoke was especially endearing. The moment she arrived at the Zhou family, Meng Jixue became everyone’s favorite.
Really, who wouldn’t like such a little girl?
Her voice was soft and sweet, and she would blink her big, dark eyes like black grapes, as if she could melt your heart with just one look.
It was the first time Zhou Hanzhang had discovered that there could be such an adorable little creature in this world.
At three years old, she could already remember some things. Whenever she stayed overnight at the Zhou residence, she would cry out for her mother in her sleep. Back then, Zhou Hanzhang would wonder how anyone could bear to abandon such an adorable daughter.
The little girl’s arrival brought some laughter and sunshine into Zhou Hanzhang’s otherwise dull life.
Perhaps Meng Jixue no longer remembered any of those memories at all.
He left home at sixteen. By the time he returned, Meng Jixue had already grown up. Compared with the little girl in his memories, her small face now carried more resilience. Day after day, she studied the Meng family’s unique painting techniques, painting again and again as though she were completely immersed in the world within her paintings. And around her, there were also many more people following and admiring her.
Zhou Hanzhang thought that the little girl must be living a very good life now.
Later on, Zhou Hanzhang became even busier. He could barely return home once a year, and even when he did, he might not necessarily get the chance to see Meng Jixue.
He learned many things about Meng Jixue from the other elders in the family.
He merely smiled and let them pass.
It was not until recently that he learned from his father that something had happened to the Meng family.
Now, seeing Meng Jixue again with the corners of her eyes reddened and looking so pitiful, Zhou Hanzhang was reminded of the little girl she had once been, and his eyes flickered slightly.
Unfortunately, he had no experience dealing with girls and had no idea how to comfort the young woman before him.
Zhou Hanzhang pursed his lips and tried his best to soften his tone. “Jixue, I know what happened to the Meng family has affected your mood to some extent. I’m sure Uncle Meng doesn’t want to see you like this either. Right now, protecting you is the most important thing. If you marry into the Zhou family, with your Grandpa Zhou and me here, you definitely won’t be mistreated.”
He paused before adding, “If there’s anything you’re afraid of, you can tell your Uncle. But I still have to criticize you for suddenly running off like this. You absolutely cannot do it again next time.”
Zhou Hanzhang really wasn’t suited for heart-to-heart talks with young women.
Although he was handsome, there was too much severity about him. Years of military service had immersed his entire presence in a stern, intimidating aura. After all, no matter how handsome and young he was, if he wasn’t imposing enough, he wouldn’t be able to command the people under him.
Even though Zhou Hanzhang was speaking as gently as he could now, his brows remained slightly drawn, and when his dark eyes looked at her, they seemed to see straight through her. Anyone with a weaker constitution would probably have been frightened to tears.
Meng Jixue had experienced quite a lot in her previous life, and she knew very well what she wanted now. The vulnerability she was showing was merely to arouse Zhou Hanzhang’s sympathy. Nothing more.
That was why she could still calmly analyze that Zhou Hanzhang was trying to comfort her.
Meng Jixue lowered her eyes, her voice still soft. “Uncle, my mind is a mess right now. Grandpa Zhou means well and wants to protect me. My father also doesn’t want me to be sent away with him and suffer hardship. I know everyone is doing this for my sake, but I still feel terrible inside. I used to see those men as nothing more than older brothers. Now you want me to choose one of them, and I honestly don’t know who I should choose.”
Today, when she had touched up Zhou Hanzhang’s painting, she had originally intended to directly express her feelings. She had never expected Zhou Hanzhang to suddenly return.
On top of what she had learned from Guo Huixiu, Meng Jixue guessed that if Zhou Hanzhang found out she intended to choose him, he would surely keep his distance from her.
She couldn’t let Zhou Hanzhang realize it so quickly.
Otherwise, if Zhou Hanzhang didn’t want to have anything to do with her, she would have no way of getting close to him.
For now, she could only take things slowly.
At the very least, she couldn’t let Zhou Hanzhang distance himself from her. Ideally, she wanted him to take the initiative to approach her.
With the difference in their generations and their relationship as uncle and niece, acting vulnerable toward him would naturally seem perfectly reasonable.
At the same time, she could get rid of Zhou Zhishu, and Zheng Yanyan as well.
However, trying to scheme against someone like Zhou Hanzhang still left Meng Jixue without much confidence. At this moment, she was actually panicking inside.
Just then, Zhou Hanzhang’s voice came from above her. “This is your lifelong marriage, so in the end, you’re the only one who can make the choice. But according to what your Grandpa Zhou said, there are still two months. There’s no need to rush. During this time, Zhishu and the others will all be here. If you don’t like Zhishu, then choose someone else you find pleasant and spend some time getting to know him.”
Meng Jixue sighed. “So I’m supposed to take a different man to the movies and the park every day?”
Zhou Hanzhang had no experience with this either, so he couldn’t offer Meng Jixue any useful advice. However, he glanced at Meng Jixue and thought about it.
Switching between different men might be fine for the Zhou family, but it wasn’t necessarily a good thing for Meng Jixue.
If outsiders saw her doing this, they would only gossip about the Meng family. After all, Meng Jixue was a young woman, and she would inevitably be the one at a disadvantage. It really wasn’t a good arrangement.
After thinking for a moment, Zhou Hanzhang asked, “Jixue, isn’t there anyone you particularly like?”
Meng Jixue lifted her little face and looked at the man before her. After thinking for a while, she said, “Uncle, do you want me to tell you the truth?”
Zhou Hanzhang nodded. “Of course.”
Meng Jixue gathered her courage and said, “I think none of them is as pleasing to me as you are, Uncle.”
Zhou Hanzhang: “……”
Through the headlights, he looked at Meng Jixue expressionlessly. “Stop talking nonsense.”
Meng Jixue replied, “Then I won’t say anything.”
She closed her mouth and really didn’t say another word.
Zhou Hanzhang felt that this young girl really did whatever she said she would do, yet he had no idea what to do with her. He pursed his lips and could only say, “Let’s go back first. The movie has already started. We can’t keep Zhishu waiting. He was scared out of his wits when you disappeared.”
Meng Jixue didn’t want to go back at all. She deliberately asked, “Uncle, is it because you don’t want Zhishu to keep waiting, or because you don’t want your blind date to keep waiting?”
Zhou Hanzhang frowned as he looked at her.
There was something intimidating about his gaze. Meng Jixue didn’t dare meet his eyes and could only lower her head and play with her fingers.
Zhou Hanzhang wondered if girls around seventeen or eighteen really were entering their rebellious phase. Why did she always speak so sharply and confrontationally?
After a long silence, he finally spoke. “Jixue, I’ll find a way to handle your marriage prospects. If you really don’t want to watch the movie, I’ll take you home first.”
As he spoke, Zhou Hanzhang subtly glanced at Meng Jixue. Her entire outfit was carefully coordinated and looked very refined, making her slender, graceful figure even more striking.
He tactfully reminded her, “Actually, you’d still look good even if you wore a military overcoat.”
How could Meng Jixue not understand what Zhou Hanzhang meant?
Was he complaining that she wasn’t wearing enough?
She had deliberately dressed up beautifully so that she could attract Zhou Hanzhang’s attention. She never expected that this man wouldn’t notice it at all, and instead, he was criticizing her for wearing too little.
It really felt like she was trying to flirt with a blind man.
This old man was truly boring!
Meng Jixue was someone who cared about her dignity. Once he had unintentionally exposed what she was trying to do, she became embarrassed and annoyed.
All those flirtatious and seductive thoughts disappeared without a trace.