“No. It’s because Aunt Jiang will be my family in the future, so her background needs to be clean.”
“Ah, Jingchuan, you’ve finally come around. Chief Xiao really hasn’t had it easy.”
Xiao Jingchuan tacitly agreed. “It needs to be done quickly.”
“Alright.”
Hanghang slapped the table. After giving a final instruction, Xiao Jingchuan quickly hung up the phone.
He took Hanghang downstairs and called out to Aunt Liu. Hearing Xiao Jingchuan’s voice, Aunt Liu immediately came over enthusiastically. “Young Master.”
That fox-like mother and daughter had finally left her mood couldn’t have been better, and she was unusually diligent in her work.
Xiao Jingchuan glanced at her, his tone flat. “Starting tomorrow, you don’t need to come anymore. I’ll pay you an extra half year’s wages.”
Aunt Liu’s face turned deathly pale at once. “Young Master, did I do something wrong?”
Xiao Jingchuan gave her a sideways look. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that you’re no longer suitable for the Xiao household.”
No point arguing with fools.
Aunt Liu stood there, stunned, unable to react for a long while.
Xiao Jingchuan said nothing more and took Hanghang back to his grandmother’s house. His cousin, Chen Tinghui, came over to greet him, leaning in with a mysterious grin.
“Cousin, I’ve got good news to tell you.”
“What good news?”
“Wanwan has returned from studying abroad.”
Xiao Jingchuan’s expression remained calm. “Mm. Congratulations.”
Chen Tinghui glanced at her cousin, who drew attention wherever he stood, and smacked her lips.
“No way that’s it? Last year, you and my uncle were running everywhere for Hanghang’s condition and got nowhere. In the end, didn’t you call Wanwan? You’ve forgotten already?”
“I didn’t make the call.”
“My uncle did.”
Xiao Jingchuan sighed helplessly. “My dad really was grasping at straws. She studied surgery.”
“But in order to understand Hanghang’s condition, she looked up a lot of materials overseas and visited many renowned doctors. She even brought back plenty of related materials and notes.”
Xiao Jingchuan lowered his eyes. “She put in a lot of effort.”
Seeing his reaction, Chen Tinghui grew anxious.
“No, Cousin. Such a good girl don’t you have any thoughts at all? Today, when Grandma mentioned it, several families with marriageable daughters came over to sound things out.”
Marrying her cousin would mean no mother-in-law issues; his father was in his prime and held a high-ranking position; he himself had boundless prospects; and his looks were exceptional. Any two of these qualities combined would already make him top-tier.
Yet her cousin had all four. Looking across the entire capital, there wasn’t a second man like him. How could people not flock to him?
Xiao Jingchuan smiled lightly. “That’s not something you need to worry about. If there’s someone suitable, Grandma will naturally talk to me.”
“No, I just think none of those girls are as good as Wanwan.”
Xiao Jingchuan frowned at her. “Did Wanwan ask you to come say this to me?”
“No. It’s just what I think.”
Xiao Jingchuan fell silent for a moment.
“This afternoon, help take care of Hanghang. While you’re with him, he’s not allowed to watch TV, not allowed to fall, not allowed to cry or make a fuss, and not allowed to get dirty. And you must make him happily learn one skill any instruction he can understand counts as a skill. If you can do that, I’ll consider what you just said.”
Chen Tinghui’s eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding, Cousin. You’re deliberately making things difficult for me.”
“How is that making things difficult? Since you want to help Wanwan, you should at least show some sincerity.”
“I might manage the earlier requirements if I really try, but as for Hanghang understanding instructions or learning skills he’s still a fool there’s simply no way anyone can teach him.”
“There is.”
“Who?”
“Aunt Jiang’s daughter, Fu Yunzhu.”
Chen Tinghui narrowed her eyes at Xiao Jingchuan. “Cousin, what are you trying to say?”
“You all bring Hanghang over and then just leave him in front of the TV, never paying attention to his changes.” After saying that, he called out, “Hanghang.”
Hanghang immediately lifted his head and looked at Xiao Jingchuan. Xiao Jingchuan smiled, squatted down, and asked him,
“Do you like Sister Yunzhu? If you do, nod your head.”
Hanghang obediently nodded.
As he spoke, Xiao Jingchuan took two items from his pocket a piece of candy and a peanut.
“Which one do you want?”
Hanghang held out one finger and chose the candy.
Chen Tinghui stared at Hanghang in shock, then looked at Xiao Jingchuan.
“Hanghang can understand people now?”
“He can understand a little. Fu Yunzhu taught him.” After a pause, Xiao Jingchuan added, “So you misunderstood her. You should apologize to her.”
When he said this, his expression was serious.
Chen Tinghui froze.
“Cousin, she’s just the daughter of a maid in your household. So what if I misunderstood her? At worst, we can just invite her back.”
Xiao Jingchuan stopped, his expression turning cold.
“Huihui, you grew up in a military family too. Why is your level of ideological awareness so low?”
“No no, Cousin, is it really necessary to be this serious over a rural girl? We were talking about Wanwan how did this turn into ideological awareness?”
“If you think the daughter of a maid is inherently inferior, then you’re creating class opposition. This is the New China we emphasize equality for all.”
Chen Tinghui pouted, looking so aggrieved she couldn’t speak, but Xiao Jingchuan was unmoved.
“Alright. Since you don’t want to apologize, then come to my house less from now on.”
Seeing that he meant it, Chen Tinghui burst into tears.
“We’re cousins. Are you really going to embarrass me for the sake of an outsider?”
“In terms of closeness, she may well become my sister in the future. And besides, in this matter, you were indeed in the wrong.”
Chen Tinghui was so frightened that even her sense of grievance disappeared.
“What did you say?”
Xiao Jingchuan offered no further explanation and left, holding Hanghang’s hand.
Chen Tinghui stood there in a daze for a long time before finally processing it he was preparing to acknowledge Jiang Youqing as part of the family. The sky was falling.
For the entire afternoon after the banquet, Chen Tinghui didn’t come to take care of Hanghang. Xiao Jingchuan didn’t mind; he personally followed the methods written in the notebook from the day before to guide Hanghang.
Only after doing so did he realize just how patient Yunzhu truly was.
After dinner, Xiao Jingchuan held Hanghang’s hand, said goodbye to his grandmother, and then returned with his father.
In the car, seeing his father’s grim expression, Xiao Jingchuan asked,
“Grandma wants to marry off her younger sister’s daughter to you again?”
“Mm.”
Xiao Jingchuan laughed.
“Age-wise she’s suitable, and her family background isn’t bad. If you weren’t so set on Aunt Jiang, you could just accept it and fulfill Grandma’s wish.”
“You little brat you really know how to joke with your father. But I told your grandmother to stop worrying about me and put her energy into you instead. She agreed and asked what kind of girl you like.”
“You decide. As long as she looks agreeable.”
Xiao Tianwen laughed.
“And what does ‘agreeable’ mean?”
Xiao Jingchuan hadn’t really thought about that question, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to answer.
Xiao Tianwen smiled.
“I’ll go see your Aunt Jiang again when we get back.”
“Don’t rush it.”
“Why not?”
Xiao Jingchuan glanced at his father.
“You were clearly rejected last night. If you go again today, the result will be the same. I’ve already arranged things for this tomorrow, I’ll go myself.”