The Jiang family couple had driven to the school gate early, eagerly waiting for their three children to come home for the October Golden Week holiday.
The first one to skip out was Jiang Yan. As soon as her dorm room door opened, she ran out without even waiting for Jiang Zhi. Jiang’s Mom quickly took out the breakfast she had brought - a thermal mug filled with freshly warmed milk, a lunchbox with juicy pork and mushroom steamed buns, another lunchbox with sweet corn and shrimp dumplings, as well as fluffy apple-yam cakes still steaming hot.
“Eat something first to line your stomach. When we get home, Mom will make your favorites - spicy cumin chicken and tomato stewed beef brisket. I’ve had the ingredients all prepared and just waiting for you to come back!” Jiang’s Mom said repeatedly.
Jiang’s Dad also coaxed his daughter from the driver’s seat: “In a few days, after you’ve had your fill of your mom’s cooking, Dad will take you all to Jiuxian Residence for a meal.”
“Yay!” Jiang Yan responded happily, mouth still full of the juicy corn shrimp dumplings.
After a few minutes, Jiang Zhi strolled up with his long legs. Seeing the boxes and containers in Jiang’s Mom’s hands, he quickly declined: “Mom, I’ve eaten breakfast already.”
Jiang’s Mom shot him a look and said, “Well I didn’t prepare any for you, go sit in the front and don’t crowd us.”
Jiang Zhi was silent for two seconds before pulling open the door and sitting in the passenger seat. “So I’m the outsider now, and it’s just the three of you who are family huh.”
Jiang’s Dad snorted disdainfully, “It’s about time you realized that.”
Jiang Zhi: ...
Soon after, Jiang Xian appeared outside the car. Jiang’s Mom sat in the back with her two daughters, while Jiang Zhi boredly looked at his phone in the front and Jiang’s Dad even provoked him, “Haven’t you gotten your driver’s license yet? Why don’t you drive, so I can chat with my daughter for a bit.”
Jiang Zhi really had nothing left to say. He stretched out his long legs and started acting up, “Ah, I can’t do that Dad. You drive slower so I can learn from you, since I’m still a newbie without your experience.”
Jiang’s Dad couldn’t retort so he just scowled at Jiang Zhi and jerked the steering wheel.
The family sat closely together in the car, happily on the way home.
However, the System’s existence dictated that this holiday could not remain peaceful.
[Task: Work with He Xingyi at the banquet to sabotage Jiang Xian and have embarrassing photos taken of you.]
Jiang Yan perfunctorily agreed, and couldn’t help but headache over countermeasures in her mind. Still, her expression was a little glum.
Jiang Zhi’s sharp eyes noticed and his brows furrowed in concern as he asked, “What’s wrong Jiangjiang? Are you carsick?”
The car became alert in worry. Jiang Xian looked over anxiously while Jiang’s Dad also turned back to look.
“Oh dear!” Jiang’s Mom clapped her hand and said, “I shouldn’t have let you eat so much, carsickness is awful. I forgot to bring you medicine for motion sickness! Jiangjiang, switch spots with Jiang Zhi, that should help!”
“Can’t stop here!” Jiang’s Dad said anxiously.
“It’s fine, let her come over.” Jiang Zhi responded swiftly.
So before Jiang Yan even registered what was happening, she was already pushed by Jiang’s Mom and pulled by Jiang Zhi to the front.
Then Jiang Zhi slowly moved back to sit in the rear.
Jiang’s Dad opened the car window for some fresh air. Jiang Zhi leaned over the front passenger seat, peeled an orange and held it under Jiang Yan’s nose for her to smell.
The cool breeze blowing in lifted everyone’s mood. Jiang Yan suddenly felt much better.
The System was utterly confused by this scene. “What is this situation?!” it exclaimed in the wind.
Jiang Yan’s tone was innocent, like a mischievous little fox. “Ah? I don’t know how this happened either, I didn’t do anything!”
The System couldn’t detect her sarcasm, but was still very agitated. “Looks like I’ll have to speed things up.”
Jiang Yan’s expression was unchanged. This was inevitable, sooner or later the System would realize something was off, it was only a matter of time.
Jiang Zhi saw her look sideways and couldn’t help asking, “What other bad ideas are you thinking of now?”
Jiang Yan paused. She had to admit, after all this time together, Jiang Zhi still understood her very well. Jiang Yan turned her head, a naughty smile on her lips, but spoke contradictory pampered words. “I’m not...”
The girl’s soft clean hair brushed past his palm, bringing a ticklish sensation. Jiang Zhi was tall with long legs, and couldn’t help but see her neck which was slender and elegant like a baby swan’s, the type dancers loved.
Jiang Zhi unconsciously stared blankly for a while, and was even worried his pounding heart might disturb Jiang Yan’s rest.
A lifelong bachelor in his twenties, Jiang Zhi had always looked down on things like relationships. Yet now he was suddenly enlightened, and in a rather pathetic way, afraid Jiang’s Dad would see and beat him to death in the car if he wasn't careful.
Meanwhile, the heartless girl leaned comfortably against the seat, sighing contentedly as she found a nice position and closed her eyes.
When they arrived and got out of the car, Jiang Zhi staggered after Jiang Yan as if in a daze, even following her into the bedroom.
Jiang Yan didn’t understand him, and the hacked System was even more confused, only able to suspect sinister intentions. “Did he find out that you bullied Jiang Xian?”
Jiang Yan didn’t believe that one bit. Putting aside whether that could be considered bullying, even if it was as the System imagined, Jiang Zhi would probably ask her to admit her mistake, then guide her to apologize and make amends, not stare at her silently like he was stumped by some cosmic riddle.
“What’s wrong with you?” the little girl looked up, eyes filled with puzzlement and confusion.
Jiang Zhi’s throat went dry. Looking into her eyes, his adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably. Then he suddenly fled in panic.
Jiang Yan didn’t know what was going on in his mind. While communicating with the System just now, she suddenly realized Jiang Zhi was actually a great brother. Habitually heartless Jiang Yan dredged up some conscience and took the initiative to care for her good brother.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhi avoided her like the plague. He rarely even left his room, having meals brought up to eat alone. This left Jiang’s Mom, who didn’t know what was going on, to question if he had done something wrong and didn’t dare face anyone.
Indeed he had done something wrong. Jiang Zhi thought.
Jiang Yan tried but got no results, so she gave up. What took up most of her energy was the upcoming banquet.
Jiang Xian’s birthday banquet. The Jiang family had not yet formally announced having accepted their biological daughter back, so they planned to take this chance to invite everyone and cement the news.
However, Jiang Yan as the fake heiress would surely sabotage things and act out the role of the vicious villainess.
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