The other cup of milk tea was finally drunk by Shen Yunqing.
After finishing tonight’s two episodes of "Yuan Zhao Empress," the family got up, said goodnight to each other, and went to their rooms to rest.
Early the next morning, just after breakfast.
Jiang Lingxu hesitantly approached Jiang Lingxi, who was getting up and preparing to go sunbathe in the yard.
"Sister, I heard from our mom that An’an and her grandma are coming over today to celebrate the New Year with us?"
Jiang Lingxi glanced at him, "When did you become so familiar with An’an?"
Jiang Lingxu scratched the back of his head and gave a silly laugh.
Just then, she heard her phone, casually placed on the table, vibrating. He eagerly ran over, took a look, and got excited, "Sister, it’s An’an’s call!"
Jiang Lingxi raised her hand, signaling him to pass the phone over.
"An’an, are you and grandma ready to leave?"
"You’re almost here already, so early, I’ll let..."
Jiang Lingxu, who had been waiting on the side, suddenly perked up, "Sister, sister, I’ll go, I have nothing to do anyway, I can go to the gate to pick up An’an and her grandma."
After Jiang Lingxi hung up the phone, she first gave her younger brother a thorough look, making him so nervous that he didn’t know where to put his hands. Only then did she wave her hand to let him go, "Go ahead."
Then she watched as he dashed away, disappearing in seconds.
"Yunqing," Jiang Lingxi withdrew her gaze and looked at Shen Yunqing, who had walked up next to her, "don’t you think Lingxu is acting a bit strange?"
Shen Yunqing hit the nail on the head, "Young crush."
"Ha," Jiang Lingxi squinted, "he sure is daring!"
They sunbathed at the garden gate for a little while longer, then saw a gracefully sleek white sedan slowly driving toward them from the path’s end, eventually stopping in front of them.
The car door on the driver’s side opened, and Xu Ling’an stepped out, wearing a matte white down vest.
"Sister, brother-in-law."
"Did you get your driver’s license?"
"Yes, I passed the last test just before the driving school’s holiday a couple of days ago. Grandma and I prepared some New Year goods, and we thought taking a taxi would be inconvenient, so we just drove over."
"A gift from my grandpa," Xu Ling’an’s expression darkened a bit, but she quickly adjusted when she met her sister’s gaze, "he knew I got my license, so he gave me this car as a New Year present."
Jiang Lingxi now knows a bit about cars, after all, she has also done car advertisements.
She understands some differences between cars.
Xu Ling’an’s car looks simple but is among high-end brands. Even just a standard configuration would cost tens of thousands.
If Xu Ling’an had to buy it herself, ten thousand might be her limit. The rightful source is novᴇlfire.net
This old man really spares no effort in finding ways to make amends to his granddaughter!
"Old Master Zhang he..."
Xu Ling’an knew what her sister wanted to ask, "It was grandpa who said grandma and I should come to your place for the New Year."
Jiang Lingxi couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
The first New Year after acknowledging his granddaughter, Zhang Nachuan is being so generous?
Before she could ask further, she saw Gao Lan getting out of the passenger seat and Jiang Lingxu diligently helping to bring over the New Year goods. She first invited them into the yard.
After settling the grandmother and granddaughter, and greeting Jiang Wenhu and Jiang Runcheng who lived in the same yard, Jiang Lingxi then pulled Xu Ling’an aside to sit on the corridor lounge chair.
"Did Old Master Zhang really suggest you come here for the New Year?"
"Yes," Xu Ling’an nodded and pursed her lips, "grandpa said this year might be a bit chaotic on his end."
"Grandpa wasn’t very clear, but I heard Uncle Ye, that’s Zhang Ye, grandpa’s aide, hint a bit. Zhang Anfeng seems to want to take this New Year opportunity to bring another son of his from outside to formally introduce him to grandpa."
Before the person is brought over, Lin Yi might still force herself to turn a blind eye. At least with the person not around, she could deceive herself. But once formally acknowledged, probably only Zhang Anfeng would be happy in that family.
Lin Yi and Zhang Lingzhou, this mother and son pair, would probably hate him and his younger son to death.
Now she can confirm again that even if she doesn’t intervene after the New Year, this family might just tear themselves apart.
"That New Year at your grandpa’s place is going to be quite chaotic."
Jiang Lingxi said as she gently touched Xu Ling’an’s hair, "But this has nothing to do with you. If Lin Yi finds out about this, she might go crazy. Old Master Zhang is also afraid you might get hurt by mistake."
With the illegitimate son blatantly standing in front, not only does she become a joke, but there’s also someone new competing with her son for inheritance. If someone loses control and truly goes mad, it would be easy to attack indiscriminately just to vent.
"This won’t affect your grandpa much. He has long been aware of it. By not letting you go over, it shows he’s mentally prepared. After this matter passes, I’ll take you to visit your grandpa for the New Year."
Under her sister’s palm, Xu Ling’an gently nodded.
"Alright, let’s not think about these irritating things anymore. It’s rare to get together for the New Year, let’s be happy and not let other people’s matters affect our good mood."
Jiang Lingxu approached carrying a plate of sliced fruit in one hand and a box of dried fruits in the other, placing them on the small mobile tea table next to the two of them, "Sister, An’an, have some fruits and nuts. When you’ve finished, let me know, and I’ll bring more."
Xu Ling’an immediately sat up straight and thanked him.
"No, no need to be polite, we’re family."
At the sound of his words, Jiang Lingxi looked up with a hint of a smile and swept her gaze over him.
Jiang Lingxu shivered, originally intending to sit down and sunbathe some more, but now he didn’t dare move.
"If you need anything, just call me!"
With that, he turned and slipped away.
Xu Ling’an, after taking a bite of the fruit he brought over, started chatting about Jiang Lingxu, "Sister, Xiao Xu has changed quite a lot."
Although she wasn’t really sure whether she was older or younger than Jiang Lingxu, as her birthday was calculated from the day she was found. But now she was already a university student, and Jiang Lingxu was still preparing for the college entrance exam, so being the elder sister shouldn’t be a problem.
"He is indeed more mature than before." Jiang Lingxi nodded in agreement, "And he also shares some of the burdens for the elders."
Regarding Jiang Lingxu’s growth over the past six months, although she never said it out loud and even teased him from time to time, she was quite satisfied with the changes in her younger brother.
"Next early summer, is sister going to take the college entrance exam with Xiao Xu?"
"That’s the plan, I still have a lot of confidence in myself."
With last year’s top scorer from the Imperial City personally tutoring her, and Shen Yunqing, who was the top in humanities, guiding her hands-on, if she still couldn’t perform well, she might as well just find a piece of tofu and hit her head against it.