Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Pure Love
After Jiang Nanshu left, he pooled money to get his leg treated.
He always felt it was his fault; if he had obediently sought treatment, his Nannan wouldn’t have left.
Seeing the elderly couple’s silence, Jiang Nanshu continued, “Let me introduce you, this is my third brother Jian Hemian, and this one is my fiancé Lu Qingyan.”
Father Ji hurriedly greeted them, “Hello.”
His gaze lingered on Lu Qingyan, who looked handsome like a deity, with a noble demeanor, obviously from a prestigious family. What was most captivating was his clear-eyed gaze. Father Ji was quite satisfied with Lu Qingyan, thinking that Jiang Nanshu would have a good future with him.
Lu Qingyan had a smile on his lips, and he nodded politely, “Hello, Uncle Ji.”
Jian Hemian responded similarly, “Hello.”
Father Ji felt slightly relieved.
He then looked at Jiang Nanshu, “Jiang…” He paused, tentatively adding, “Nannan?”
“Yes, Dad, is there something?”
The middle-aged man, with graying hair, teared up at Jiang Nanshu’s address of “Dad.”
He quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve, “Ah, I just wanted to ask if you’re here to pick up some things? Your mother and I have kept all your things safe in your room.”
Seeing Father Ji, a grown man, cry because she called him “Dad” made Jiang Nanshu feel very uncomfortable.
The idea of cutting ties that she initially contemplated suddenly waned.
Jiang Nanshu mocked herself inwardly.
[I never thought someone like me could be loved, but the Ji Family’s affection for Jiang Nanshu is so pure, I envy that.]
At that moment, she envied the original soul of the body she inhabited.
She owned the pure love she could not obtain and yet was unsatisfied, wanting to climb the social ladder to marry into affluence, even at the cost of hurting this family.
[Forget it, I’ll just enjoy the familial love that belongs to this original body for a moment.]
Thus, she didn’t mention the severance fee.
Instead, she smiled and nodded, “Yes, sure, I’ll go and see it in a bit.”
Father Ji continued, his tone somewhat cautious, “Then, will you stay here for dinner today…”
Jiang Nanshu hesitated for a moment.
Jian Hemian, sipping the inferior tea made by the Ji Family without any discomfort, leisurely said, “Sister, staying here for a night is fine too. You must be tired from the long car ride.”
Lu Qingyan set down his teacup, showing no sign of disdain, “I’ll listen to Nannan.”
Jiang Nanshu’s lips curled into a smile, “Okay.”
Mother Ji immediately got up excitedly, “I—I’ll go tidy up your room.”
Ji Ze sighed in relief, his young face relaxing into a smile appropriate for his age, “Mom, take it easy, sister isn’t leaving tonight.”
“Don’t faint again, I’ll come help you,” muttered Ji Ze as he followed upstairs.
Father Ji’s demeanor changed from dejection to a full smile, “Sit down for a while. I’ll go slaughter a pig.”
Jiang Nanshu’s forehead creased as she instinctively blurted out, “Dad, no need to slaughter a pig, a simple meal will do. You should save the pigs to sell.”
Father Ji was momentarily stunned, then turned around, his voice slightly choked, “I’ll listen to you…whatever you say, if you say no pig, then I’ll slaughter a chicken instead.”
Jiang Nanshu was momentarily startled as she watched his receding figure.
For a moment, only the three of them were left in the living room.
Shang Xu had gone out to the front door.
Holding his transformer toy, he boasted to the local kids, and a few mud-clad children led Shang Xu to play with mud on the ground, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
“I’m going out for some fresh air. You guys stay here,” said Jiang Nanshu before leaving.
Jian Hemian looked around, “I actually think it’s quite nice here, it’s good for conducting research experiments, no distractions.”
Lu Qingyan, about five minutes after Jiang Nanshu had left, stood up too, “I’ll go check out Mingyue Mountain over there.”
Jian Hemian pointed at Shang Xu happily playing in the mud, “What about this little radish head?”
Lu Qingyan didn’t look back, “You watch him for me.”
Jian Hemian: “…”
He walked out the front door, where the village road was lined with trees, providing ample shade.
At this time, the fragrance of osmanthus flowers was drifting through the air. Shang Xu squatted on the ground, passing his toys to several children his age, himself engrossed in playing with mud-wrapped beads.
Jiang Hemian saw his hands were dirty, a look of disdain flashing across his eyes, “Heh, really, dumping your nephew on me.”
Shang Xu was still young, and Jiang Hemian couldn’t leave him alone there, so he resigned himself to standing beside the children and watched them play.
Jiang Nanshu was walking on a rural road.
In the past, the uncles who would have greeted her warmly now stayed three meters away, afraid of touching her.
Jiang Nanshu didn’t mind. Following her memory, she came upon a clear stream with a small bridge, two meters in length.
Without minding the dirt, she sat directly on the bridge surface.
She took off her shoes and stepped into the water.
The stream water was very cool, clear enough to see the swimming fish.
The downstream part of this stream was used for irrigating rice fields. The rice had been harvested, leaving only wild grass on the ridges green; the paddies were bare with only mud remaining.
Jiang Nanshu shook her foot, creating ripples in the water. The glaring sun hung overhead. She looked down into the water, knowing that tonight she must resolve the issue of her foster mother’s illness and figure out a way to make them accept the money.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice when another shadow overlaid her own in the water.
Jiang Nanshu looked up at the sky, which was free of clouds, and when she looked down again, the shadow had disappeared.
A chill ran through her, goosebumps covered her arms, and her head began to feel heavy.
Jiang Nanshu quickly withdrew her foot. Her vision blurred, and she swayed towards the water.
A hand tightly pulled her back, its warm palm dispelling the cold in her body.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Qingyan’s voice resounded.
Jiang Nanshu, with his help, stood up, rubbing her head, “Maybe I caught a cold from the chill water?”
Only then did Lu Qingyan place his hand on Jiang Nanshu’s forehead, “You’re a bit hot. Should I take you back?”
Jiang Nanshu’s eyes flicked around.
[What an opportunity to flirt, how could I possibly go back!]
So she immediately pretended to faint into his arms, “Ahhh, I don’t want to go back. How about you give me a kiss? A kiss will stop the dizziness.”
Jiang Nanshu looked up at him, her eyes watery and beguiling.
The warmth from Lu Qingyan’s body dispelled the chill creeping up her bones.
[Ah, how nice to hold.]
She wriggled about, searching for the most comfortable position.
“Stop moving.”
Lu Qingyan’s arms tightly wrapped around Jiang Nanshu’s waist, stopping her movements.
[Why should I listen to you? I want to move!]
“Jiang Nanshu!”
He suddenly inhaled sharply.
[Eh? What’s that pressing against my waist? Let me check.]
Jiang Nanshu tried to push him away to look down, but in the next second, Lu Qingyan lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips.
“Mmm.”
His force was strong, yet tinged with tenderness.
Jiang Nanshu had no interest in paying attention to anything else.
“Bang.”
A sound of pots and pans hitting the ground sounded not far away.
Startled, Jiang Nanshu pressed her hand against Lu Qingyan’s chest, turning her face away to end the kiss.
Lu Qingyan took a deep breath, trying to suppress the heat in his lower belly.
He turned his head, looking unhappily toward the source of the sound.
Jiang Nanshu peeked out, her eyes wide with surprise.
[Who can tell me why Su Ran is here!]