Chapter 420 - 238: Lu Fan’s Confession, Jiang Yixia’s Choice

Chapter 420: Chapter 238: Lu Fan’s Confession, Jiang Yixia’s Choice

She could feel all of it.

But she didn’t know if it was affection, pity, or just a sense of responsibility.

She didn’t dare to ask.

Jiang Silu saw her expression and didn’t press the matter.

She stood up and made an excuse. "I’ll go see where my brother is in line."

With that, she scurried off.

She ran over and saw Jiang Sifan standing in the middle of the line, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

The north wind howled, and his ears were red from the cold.

"Brother, are you cold?" Jiang Silu asked.

Jiang Sifan feigned composure and shook his head. "I’m not cold. Take Wen Wan inside to sit down, it’s cold out here."

"Brother, I think Sister Wen Wan really likes you," Jiang Silu said suddenly, looking at him.

Jiang Sifan froze for a moment, then turned to look at her. "What did you say?"

Jiang Silu started laughing. "I said, I think Sister Wen Wan really likes you. Can’t you tell?"

Jiang Sifan stammered.

’Of course, he could tell.’

’He just didn’t know if he could accept this affection.’

’He thought of Huang Hui, of everything that had happened, of how he once thought *that* was love.’

’He was afraid of getting it wrong again.’

’He was afraid of hurting Wen Wan.’

’Even more, he was afraid that the him Wen Wan liked wasn’t the real him.’

The line inched forward slowly.

Jiang Sifan stood there, his mind a complete mess.

After waiting in line for almost an hour, it was finally their turn.

Jiang Sifan ordered a small portion of pickled vegetable fish and a few side dishes.

The three of them sat by the window. Jiang Silu ate with gusto, getting grease all over her mouth, while Wen Wan ate in small, delicate bites. Jiang Sifan placed a piece of fish on her plate.

"Try this. It’s boneless."

Wen Wan blushed and said shyly, "Thank you, Class Monitor."

Jiang Silu watched from the side, snickering to herself.

It was almost nine by the time they finished dinner and left.

Jiang Silu glanced at her phone and gestured. "I have to get back, I have an early class tomorrow. Brother, you walk Sister Wen Wan home."

Jiang Sifan nodded, reminding her, "Be careful on your way."

Jiang Silu waved at them and turned to run toward her dorm.

After a few steps, she glanced back and gave Wen Wan a "go for it" gesture.

Wen Wan saw it, and her face turned red again.

The two of them walked toward the bus stop.

The streets were much less crowded now, and the streetlights cast a dim, yellow glow on the road.

The north wind HOWLED. Wen Wan shrank her neck into her collar, pulling her scarf up higher.

Jiang Sifan glanced at her, then unwrapped his own scarf and handed it to her. "Wear this."

Wen Wan quickly waved her hands. "No, no, it’s fine. I’m not cold."

Without taking no for an answer, Jiang Sifan wrapped the scarf around her neck, loop by loop, with great care.

The scarf was dark gray and very long, carrying the warmth of his body.

Wen Wan buried her face in the scarf and smelled a faint scent of lavender.

"Thank you, Class Monitor." Her voice was tinged with shyness.

Jiang Sifan smiled. "Let’s go, the bus is coming soon."

The two of them stood at the bus stop, neither saying a word.

Wen Wan kept her head down, her fingers twisting the tassels of the scarf, coiling them again and again.

Just as Jiang Sifan was trying to think of something to talk about, he suddenly noticed a bookstore across the street.

So he spoke up, "Wen Wan."

"Hm?"

Jiang Sifan suggested, "Why don’t you come with me to the bookstore? I want to buy a few books on finance."

Wen Wan nodded. "Okay."

At the bookstore, Jiang Sifan picked out a few books in the finance section.

Wen Wan stood beside him, occasionally flipping through a book, then putting it back.

She stopped in front of a row of literature shelves, picked up a book of poetry, flipped through a few pages, and put it back.

Jiang Sifan walked over. Seeing that she liked it, he suggested, "If you like it, you should buy it."

"No, it’s too expensive." Wen Wan shook her head after seeing the price.

Jiang Sifan glanced at the price tag: fifty-eight yuan.

He picked up the book, walked to the counter, and paid for it along with his own.

When they came out, he handed the book to her.

"It’s for you."

Wen Wan was stunned, quickly waving her hands. "No, no, Class Monitor, I can’t accept this..."

Jiang Sifan pushed the book into her hands. "Just take it. It’s not like it’s anything valuable. You’ve helped me so much before, what’s wrong with me giving you a book?"

Wen Wan lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking the book cover.

On the cover was a pale blue flower, very similar in color to the dress she had worn on her first visit to the manor.

She blushed as she thanked him, "Thank you, Class Monitor."

Soon, they boarded the bus.

The bus jolted along. Wen Wan lost her footing and swayed, and Jiang Sifan reached out to steady her by the arm.

"Careful."

Wen Wan regained her balance, her face flushed. "Thank you, Class Monitor."

Jiang Sifan let go of her arm but didn’t move too far away.

His arm brushed against hers, and he could feel her warmth through their clothes.

Wen Wan kept her head down and said nothing.

Before long, they were back at school, and Jiang Sifan walked Wen Wan to her dorm.

The whole way, both of them were blushing because of what Jiang Silu had said earlier.

When they reached the dorm, Wen Wan waved and said, "Well, see you tomorrow, Class Monitor..."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Wen Wan turned to walk into the dorm. After a few steps, she glanced back at him.

He was standing under the streetlight, watching her.

She waved, then turned and ran into the dormitory building.

Jiang Sifan remained where he was, watching her back disappear through the door, and stood there for a long while.

He looked down at his hand. When he had passed her the scarf earlier, his fingers had brushed against hers. They were cool and soft.

He smiled, shoved his hands in his pockets, and turned to walk back.

...

Chapter 250: Secrets and Worries

In a flower shop in Yangcheng, Jiang Yixia was tidying up, getting ready to close.

Lu Fan: [Are you closed yet?]

Jiang Yixia: [Not yet.]

Jiang Yixia: [What’s up?]

There was silence from Lu Fan’s side for a moment, and then he sent a long voice message.

Jiang Yixia hesitated for a second, then played it.

His voice came from the phone, carrying a serious tone. "Your mom called me yesterday."

Jiang Yixia’s fingers froze over the screen.

Lu Fan sent another voice message. "She found a photo of the two of us from when we were young. She asked me who I really was, so I told her the truth."

Jiang Yixia stared at the screen, not replying.

Lu Fan continued sending messages. "She cried for a while and cussed me out. Called me a piece of shit, said I was a bastard back then. Went on for about ten minutes."

Jiang Yixia read the transcribed text from the voice message, her heart feeling both sore and soft.

She remembered when her mother had seen her, her tone had been so calm. She had only said she "found an old photo" and "take good care of yourself."

’So she had cried and cursed him, then swallowed all those words and only told me to ’take good care of yourself’.’

She took a deep breath and typed.

Jiang Yixia: [What did she call you?]

Lu Fan: [Called me a bastard, a piece of shit. Said I made life miserable for you and the kids. Also said if I don’t treat you right, she’ll be the first one to come after me.]

Reading those words, Jiang Yixia couldn’t help but smile.

But as she smiled, her eyes began to redden.

Jiang Yixia: [Well, you’re honest, admitting to everything.]

Lu Fan: [I have to. It was my fault to begin with.]

Lu Fan: [Your mom said she’ll give me one more chance, on account of everything I’ve done these past few months.]

Jiang Yixia stared at the message for a long time.

Finally, she replied: [Then you’d better make the most of it.]

Lu Fan: [I will. As for your dad, your mom said to keep it from him for now. We’ll tell him when the time is right.]

Jiang Yixia sighed.

Jiang Yixia: [With my dad’s temper, he’ll definitely cause a scene if he finds out.]

Lu Fan: [Let him cause a scene. At worst, he can yell at me, or even hit me. As long as it helps him blow off some steam, I’m fine with whatever.]

Reading that message, Jiang Yixia let out a small, secret smile.

Jiang Yixia: [You’re taking it well.]

Lu Fan: [I have to, whether I like it or not. Who’s to blame but me for what I did back then?]

Jiang Yixia didn’t reply.

She put down her phone and looked at the messages.

She thought of the photograph, of the young Lu Fan, his smile flamboyant, his eyes shining, one arm wrapped around her shoulder.

Back then, she had leaned on his shoulder, her face flushed, her smile especially beautiful.

Back then, she thought she would spend the rest of her life with him.

Then he left, and she hated him for many years.

Hated him so much she thought she could never forgive him in this lifetime.

But over these last few months, he had done so much.

He had been good to Silu, good to Sifan, and good to her, too.

She couldn’t bring herself to hate him anymore.

Hiding this from her father wasn’t a long-term solution, but for now, Jiang Yixia could only take things one step at a time.