Chapter 428 - 241: Yixia: Next year, will I celebrate New Year’s at the manor too?

Chapter 428: Chapter 241: Yixia: Next year, will I celebrate New Year’s at the manor too?

Old Luo had already arranged the guest rooms.

One for each person, all on the second floor.

Wen Wan’s room was at the very end of the hall, next to Liu Shiting’s.

Jiang Sifan’s room was on the first floor, the same one he’d stayed in last time.

Jiang Silu had wanted to pull him aside to talk, but Lu Fan came out of the study and said, "It’s late. Everyone, go to bed."

The girls all went back to their respective rooms.

Jiang Silu winked at Wen Wan. Wen Wan lowered her head, pretended not to see, and quickly walked into her room, closing the door.

Jiang Sifan went to the first floor and pushed open the door to his room.

The lights were voice-activated and turned on.

The room was huge. It felt even bigger than the last time he was here.

The bed was in the center of the room, the quilt folded neatly.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window was a lawn and a lake in the distance. The moonlight shimmered on the water’s surface.

He stood by the window for a moment before drawing the curtains.

He came out of the shower with his hair still wet.

Towel-drying his hair, he walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and glanced outside.

The moonlight was beautiful, and the lawn was quiet.

Just as he was about to close the curtains again, he suddenly saw someone sitting on the lawn.

She was wearing a white down jacket, her long hair draped over her shoulders, hugging her knees. She looked all alone.

He took a closer look. It was Liu Shiting.

He slid open the window, and a chilly night breeze instantly rushed in.

He lowered his voice and called out, "Shiting?"

Liu Shiting looked up and saw him. She seemed startled for a moment, then stood up, brushed the grass clippings from her dress, and smiled at him. "I didn’t realize you were at the window. Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you."

With that, she turned to leave.

Jiang Sifan called out to her, "What’s wrong? Is something on your mind? You can talk to me about it."

Liu Shiting stopped and turned to face him.

The light from a path lamp fell on her face, making her expression hard to read, but her voice was calm, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her. "It’s nothing. I just feel like I’m too much of a pushover."

Jiang Sifan was taken aback. "Why the sudden thought?"

Liu Shiting smiled faintly. "It just came to mind. Sifan, what... what do you think of me as a person?"

Her question caught him by surprise. He thought for a moment before answering, "You’re great. You’re sensible, know your boundaries, and you’re good to people. You also helped me a lot when I was starting my business."

"Then... do you like me?" Liu Shiting nodded and asked again.

Jiang Sifan’s fingers tightened on the window frame. He didn’t know how to answer.

He hesitated, then gave an awkward laugh. "Yes. You’ve helped me so much, of course I like you."

"I see. So, in other words, you just ’like’ me, but you’re not ’in like’ with me, right?" Liu Shiting smiled, but it was a faint one.

Jiang Sifan opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

’I can’t just come out and say, "I don’t like you."’

’But I just held Wen Wan’s hand, and not more than an hour ago, He Lingyi kissed me.’

’My mind is a complete mess.’

"To be honest... I haven’t really thought about being in a relationship. My head is still buzzing. You might laugh, but my last relationship ended before it even started. The feeling of being betrayed is awful, so I don’t want to go through that again," Jiang Sifan explained awkwardly.

Liu Shiting watched him, silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Then do I have a chance to be your girlfriend?"

Jiang Sifan froze, not knowing how to respond.

Liu Shiting smiled again, this time a little more brightly. "You didn’t reject me right away, so that must mean you still like me, right? If that’s the case, then I have a chance."

Jiang Sifan opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but he didn’t know what to say.

Liu Shiting covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes crinkling. "Okay, okay, I’m just teasing you. But you really are an amazing person. You have to believe in yourself. Even if I don’t get the chance to be your girlfriend, I still admire you a lot. I’ll always be right here, waiting for you."

After saying that, she waved at him and turned to walk toward the main house.

After a few steps, she glanced back at him one more time, smiled, then quickened her pace and disappeared through the main doors.

Jiang Sifan stood at the window, watching her back disappear, and remained there for a long while.

A cool night breeze blew in, making him shiver. He closed the window.

He leaned against the window, his mind a jumble.

Liu Shiting’s words replayed in his head, one by one.

’Do you like me?’

’Then do I have a chance to be your girlfriend?’

’I’ll always be right here, waiting for you.’

He ran a hand through his hair and sat down on the bed.

The mattress was so soft he sank right into it.

He stared at the ceiling, his mind drifting to He Lingyi shouting in the plaza, to the soft, warm feeling of her lips when she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Then he thought of Wen Wan’s hand, cool and small, feeling like a ball of cotton in his grasp.

And then he pictured Liu Shiting on the lawn, hugging her knees, looking so alone.

He buried his face in his pillow and cursed himself under his breath. "Jiang Sifan, what is wrong with you?"

He tossed and turned.

The bed was too big. He couldn’t sleep.

He got up, went into the bathroom, turned on the cold tap, and stood under the GUSHING water.

The water was frigid. He shuddered as it hit him, but his mind was still clear.

He turned off the water, dried himself, put on a bathrobe, and lay back down on the bed.

This time, he closed his eyes and forced himself not to think.

At some point, in the midst of his thoughts, he drifted off to sleep.

Lu Fan was leaning against the headboard in his bedroom, phone in hand. On the screen was his chat with Jiang Yixia.

He had just sent her several videos of the fireworks, each one dozens of seconds long.

He waited a moment, and a message came back from Jiang Yixia.

Jiang Yixia: [Why’d you record for so long? Is your phone’s storage free?]

Lu Fan laughed and typed back.

Lu Fan: [I only record the good parts. I don’t bother with the ugly ones.]

Jiang Yixia: [The fireworks are really pretty. Are the kids happy?]

Lu Fan: [Very. Silu was so moved her eyes turned red.]

Jiang Yixia: [That’s just how she is. Easily moved.]

Lu Fan: [Like you.]

Lu Fan: [Happy New Year!]

He opened the red envelope function and transferred 99,999.

After sending it, he waited for her to accept it.

A few seconds later, the red envelope was returned.

Jiang Yixia hadn’t accepted it.

Jiang Yixia: [Happy New Year]

Lu Fan didn’t mind. He sent a voice message.

His voice was low and deep, tinged with a smile, as if he were reciting a poem: "I hear your slender legs are wrapped in light silk, a dark gleam that reflects the sunset clouds. One strand of soft thread hides an elegant form, its subtle curves more lovely than a peach blossom."

After listening, Jiang Yixia paused for a second, then sent a text reply.

Jiang Yixia: [Speak in plain English.]

Lu Fan sent another voice message. This time, it was just one phrase, spoken with a laugh: "Let me see the black stockings."

Jiang Yixia’s face instantly turned red.

His voice, echoing in the quiet bedroom, was tinged with teasing and a hint of roguishness.

She took a deep breath and sent a voice message back, her tone a mix of annoyance and a suppressed laugh. "I don’t want to curse you out on the first day of the new year! I’m going to sleep!"

After sending it, she placed her phone face down by her pillow and rolled over.

She closed her eyes, but her mind was filled with his voice.

’Let me see the black stockings.’ She couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, then quickly stifled it.

She cursed at herself, rolled over again, and pulled the covers over her head.

A moment later, her phone vibrated again.

She picked it up and saw a message from Jiang Silu.

Jiang Silu: [Mom, Happy New Year! The fireworks tonight were super beautiful! Dad said he spent a lot of money! I wish you were here too!]

Below the message was a video of the most beautiful part of the fireworks show, with the glittering golden numbers "2026" shining in the sky for a long time.

Jiang Yixia looked at the message, the corners of her mouth twitching into a smile.

Just as she was about to reply, her phone vibrated again.

It was from Jiang Sifan.

Jiang Sifan: [Mom, Happy New Year.]

Looking at the two messages, Jiang Yixia’s heart suddenly softened.

’Both of my children are there, at the manor, by his side.’

She thought for a moment, then replied to Jiang Silu.

Jiang Yixia: [The fireworks are beautiful. I’m glad you’re having fun.]

Then she replied to Jiang Sifan.

Jiang Yixia: [Okay. You get some sleep too.]

After sending the replies, she placed her phone by her pillow and rolled over.

She closed her eyes, her thoughts adrift.

’Will I be there next year, too?’

’I don’t know.’

But she knew her children were there, and they were happy.

And that was enough.