“Father, I’m only concerned about Chengbei’s reputation.”
Old Man Jiang wouldn’t be easily swayed. He snorted.
“If you were really thinking of Chengbei, you wouldn’t blindly listen to one side. With a mother who can’t see clearly like you, no wonder Jiang Yanyan is so spoiled.”
His words struck the mother and daughter like a hammer.
Tian Guilan lowered her head in shame.
Jiang Yanyan didn’t dare speak again.
Old Man Jiang then glanced at Cao Xinrou.
This girl had grown up before his eyes. The person was the same, but her heart had changed.
He said nothing, just stared heavily. Facing the old man’s authoritative, all-seeing gaze, Cao Xinrou’s heart thumped nervously.
But there was nowhere left to retreat.
Summoning her courage, she looked at Jiang Yanyan.
“Yanyan, could you help me find a book Chengbei used?”
She already had Jiang Chengbei’s handwriting memorized; a simple comparison would prove she wasn’t lying.
Before Jiang Yanyan could respond, Ning Xi came out with the letters Jiang Yanyan had given her that morning, along with Jiang Chengbei’s old workbook, and handed them to Old Man Jiang. She also had Jiang Chengbei write a short note on a separate piece of paper.
“Grandfather, look.”
Old Man Jiang examined it carefully.
It was obvious the handwriting on the letters matched the workbook perfectly.
He nodded. “The handwriting on the letters does indeed match Chengbei’s.”
Hearing this, Cao Xinrou’s eyes lit up with joy.
Jiang Yanyan jumped up, overjoyed, grabbing Cao Xinrou’s hand.
“Xinrou, that’s wonderful! You can marry my second brother!”
“Yes!”
Cao Xinrou looked at Jiang Chengbei shyly and called softly,
“Chengbei…”
But Jiang Chengbei didn’t look at her. He kept a stern face, staring at Old Man Jiang, unsure of what the old man was planning.
Next, Old Man Jiang raised the sheet of paper slowly.
The writing on it was what Jiang Chengbei had just penned.
“The handwriting on the letters matches Chengbei’s from school, but nine years have passed. His handwriting would not remain completely unchanged. Xinrou, take a look do these two handwritings really match?”
The old man took a deep breath.
Cao Xinrou’s smile froze instantly.
She understood the implication of Old Man Jiang’s words.
The letters only matched the handwriting from Chengbei’s school days. That didn’t prove the person who wrote them to her was him. His handwriting had changed over the years…
Just like he himself had changed.
He had become unrecognizable.
He no longer saw her, no longer held her in his heart.
Maybe… he never did.
Stiffly, Cao Xinrou stepped forward and took the piece of paper from Old Man Jiang, reading each character carefully. The strokes were strong and firm, sharper than those on the letters she had treasured.
It carried the weight of maturity gained over time.
And those letters she had cherished…
Her face burned red as if on fire.
She felt like the person who had written to her in secret had toyed with her like a fool.
Using Jiang Chengbei’s name to lure her step by step, until she had become a laughingstock.
“I… I…”
She couldn’t say a word.
If she stayed any longer, her pride would be trampled completely. Eyes red, Cao Xinrou staggered to leave.
Ning Xi wouldn’t let her go so easily.
The matter needed to be clarified spoken clearly so Cao Xinrou wouldn’t leave with a reason to speak ill of Jiang Chengbei.
“Wait.”
Cao Xinrou froze, swaying slightly, as Ning Xi’s calm voice rang out.
“The letters weren’t written by Chengbei, but it’s best to find the person who did write them. Otherwise, I’m afraid Chengbei’s reputation will be dragged down in the future. Grandfather, I think this person must be someone who knows Chengbei well and also knows Cao Xinrou.”
“He likes Cao Xinrou and knows she likes Chengbei, which is why he dared to write letters under Chengbei’s name.”
She had suddenly thought of someone.
The book briefly mentioned several men who liked Cao Xinrou, including Jiang Chengbei’s younger brother, Jiang Chengnan. His feelings for Cao Xinrou had been subtle, barely noted in a few words.
But now, the book had become reality.
Even the supporting characters had come to life.
As her younger brother, Jiang Chengnan knew Jiang Chengbei’s handwriting best and could most easily imitate it.
Of course, Ning Xi wouldn’t directly accuse him without proof—the Jiang family wouldn’t believe it.
Hearing Ning Xi’s reasoning, Old Man Jiang gave her an approving look.
The little girl who was about to marry now cared about his grandson.
“How do you think we can find this person?” he asked.
Ning Xi thought for a few seconds. Just as she was about to speak, a tall, thin young man entered the doorway, wearing glasses, his hair neatly combed, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit with a pen in his breast pocket.
Refined and handsome.
It was Jiang Chengnan.
Tian Guilan saw her youngest son and immediately went to meet him.
“Chengnan, you’re back.”
Jiang Chengnan was a rare technical school graduate for the time, assigned to work in the county textile factory in an office position. He usually stayed in the dormitory, only coming home on weekends.
Seeing the family gathered outside, he raised his brows in confusion.
“What happened?”
And why did Xinrou have red eyes, as if she had been crying?
After this chaotic scene and scolding from the patriarch, Tian Guilan couldn’t help venting loudly to her youngest son, cursing the person who had forged the letters.
“That bastard! When I catch him, I’ll pluck every hair out!”
Jiang Chengnan’s face showed slight discomfort.
“Mom, stop cursing. How do we solve this now?”
“How else to solve it?”
Tian Guilan looked regretful Cao Xinrou had almost become her daughter-in-law.
“The letters weren’t written by your second brother, so he bears no responsibility. But poor Xinrou… she’s just unlucky to get caught in this mess. The scoundrel who played with her heart deserves a thousand cuts!”
Followed by a stream of expletives.
Ning Xi watched Jiang Chengnan carefully, noting the guilt flickering in his expression.
His own mother was cursing him fiercely.
Ah, things were getting interesting.
“Aunt, you can’t say it like that. What if the person who wrote the letters just liked Xinrou too much? If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t have written so many letters. Even as a bystander, I’m moved. It’s a pity Xinrou is going to marry someone else.”
Ning Xi exaggeratedly sighed.
“Xinrou, I heard your parents are already looking for a husband for you. Honestly, you’re not young anymore. Men your age have children already; you’ll probably only find a divorced man.”
“You!”
Cao Xinrou trembled with anger.
But Ning Xi was speaking the truth.
If she couldn’t marry Jiang Chengbei, she could only marry a divorced man, an old bachelor.
She couldn’t help it and crouched down, crying into her hands.
Jiang Chengnan watched, pained and shocked.
He had only been away a week, and her parents were already trying to marry her off to a divorced old bachelor?
Too much!
Amid his anger, a spark of joy flared.
Even if he couldn’t compare to his second brother, he was at least a hundred times better than a divorced old man. If she was willing to marry such a man, she should be willing to marry him too.
Previously, he had held back because he knew she liked his brother.
Now, seeing her in distress, he could rescue her there was no reason she wouldn’t accept him.
Excited, Jiang Chengnan grabbed Cao Xinrou and, in front of the whole family, blurted out his feelings.
“Xinrou, don’t cry I’ll marry you!”
Cao Xinrou, still dazed by heartbreak, stared at Jiang Chengnan.
The rest of the Jiang family was stunned.
What on earth was happening?
Ning Xi smirked. This move luring the snake out of the hole, or forcing a confession?
She added fuel to the fire.
“Chengnan, don’t be ridiculous. Xinrou is older than you. She has always seen you as a little brother, and you have no emotional foundation…”
Before she could finish, Jiang Chengnan interrupted loudly.
Overcome with excitement, his refined features twisted, and his voice soared.
“I’ve corresponded with Xinrou for two years. I know her, I like her. In our letters, we’ve expressed our love and longing. Our emotional foundation is solid perfectly suited for each other.”
As he finished, Jiang Yanyan suddenly shouted.
“Third Brother, you’re the impostor!”