Chapter 430 - 242: Jiang Guoqiang Learns the Truth! Lu Fan Personally Goes to Ask for Forgiveness

Chapter 430: Chapter 242: Jiang Guoqiang Learns the Truth! Lu Fan Personally Goes to Ask for Forgiveness

Lu Fan came out of the study, a teacup in his hand. Seeing the girls preparing to leave, he smiled and said, "Leaving already?"

Jiang Silu ran over and looped her arm through his. "Dad, we’re heading back. We have class this afternoon."

Lu Fan nodded. His gaze fell on Wen Wan, and seeing that she was still looking toward the top of the stairs, he said with a smile, "Wen Wan, you should head back with them. As for Sifan, I’ll have a few words with him."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Lu." Wen Wan’s face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head.

The girls got into the car, and it slowly drove out of the manor.

Lu Fan stood at the door, watching the taillights disappear around the corner before turning and going back inside.

Jiang Sifan was woken by the bright sunlight.

He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for a long while before remembering where he was.

The manor. His room.

He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and glanced at his phone.

It was almost ten o’clock.

There were a few unread messages, all from Wen Wan.

Wen Wan: We’re heading back now, Class President. Let Uncle Lu know when you wake up.

Wen Wan: Breakfast is on the table. Just ask Uncle Luo to heat it up for you.

Jiang Sifan looked at the messages, and a sudden warmth spread through his heart.

He washed his face, changed his clothes, and headed out.

In the living room, Lu Fan was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. He looked up at the sound of footsteps and said with a smile, "You’re awake?"

Jiang Sifan was a little embarrassed. "Yeah. Have they all left?"

Lu Fan nodded, chuckling. "They’re gone. We didn’t want to wake you. Wen Wan left you breakfast on the table before she went. That girl is truly kind, but honestly, did she think I was going to let you starve here?"

As he spoke, Old Luo had the kitchen staff immediately bring out a full breakfast spread.

All sorts of breakfast dishes were laid out before Jiang Sifan.

Jiang Sifan walked over, sat down, and began to eat slowly.

Lu Fan got up from the sofa, walked over to the dining table, and sat down across from him, watching him eat.

Jiang Sifan felt a little uncomfortable being watched like that, so he looked up. "What is it?"

"The way you eat reminds me of your mom." Lu Fan chuckled.

Jiang Sifan paused for a moment, then lowered his head and continued to eat.

When he was finished, he started to clear the dishes.

But Old Luo immediately interjected, "Young Master, you don’t need to do that. We servants will take care of it."

"Thank you!" Jiang Sifan still wasn’t quite used to being called "Young Master."

He then went to wash his hands before returning to the living room.

Lu Fan patted the spot on the sofa next to him. "Sit. Let’s talk for a bit."

Jiang Sifan sat down near him, leaving an empty space between them.

The fire in the fireplace had gone out, but the heat was still on, making the room pleasantly warm.

Lu Fan was the first to speak, his tone casual, as if they were just making small talk. "Sifan, let me ask you something."

Jiang Sifan turned to look at him. "What is it?"

Lu Fan looked at him and said seriously, "Are you and Wen Wan together?"

Jiang Sifan’s fingers tightened on his knees. He didn’t speak.

He remembered last night on the lawn, holding Wen Wan’s hand, their fingers intertwined.

She hadn’t pulled away, and he hadn’t let go.

He remembered how she had lowered her head, her face burning hot, and asked him, "Will you still hold my hand like this in the future?"

He’d said he would. He remembered the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile before she quickly suppressed it, as if afraid he would see.

He nodded. "Yeah."

Lu Fan smiled, his expression filled with gratification. "She’s a good kid. Shy, but sensible, and her feelings for you are genuine."

Jiang Sifan didn’t say anything.

The face of He Lingyi suddenly appeared in his mind.

She was standing in the plaza, shouting at the sky, "Brother Sifan, I like you!"

She had stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, her lips soft and warm.

She had asked him, "After the college entrance exams are over, can I be your girlfriend?" and he had said yes.

His fingers clenched the fabric on his knees, so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Lu Fan saw his expression but didn’t press the issue.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down, and said slowly, "That student you’re tutoring... her name is He Lingyi, isn’t it?"

Jiang Sifan looked up, surprised. "How did you know?"

"I generally know what’s going on with you. That girl’s interested in you, you can’t tell?" Lu Fan chuckled.

Jiang Sifan lowered his head and said nothing.

Lu Fan leaned back against the sofa, his tone light. "When I was young, I ran into similar situations."

Jiang Sifan turned his head to look at him.

Lu Fan continued, his voice even, as if he were telling someone else’s story. "Back then, when I was with your mom, other girls had crushes on me too. But my heart never wavered; I only had eyes for your mom. So if you’re asking me for advice, I don’t have much experience to offer you."

"I, on the other hand, just wanted to indulge myself after I got rich. So in a way, I’m the bigger asshole. It’s completely normal for you to have hated me all these years. Your mom had every right to hate me, too."

He paused, looked at Jiang Sifan, and said earnestly, "But you’re different from me. You have feelings for both of those girls. When it comes to matters of the heart, there’s no right or wrong. It’s perfectly normal that you can’t bear to part with one and can’t let go of the other."

Jiang Sifan opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed his words.

Lu Fan patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "I’m not trying to teach you to be a bad guy. I’m just saying, if you truly can’t let go of either of them, then don’t let either of them down. But there’s a condition: they have to agree. You can’t lie to them, and you can’t hide it from them. When the time is right, you have to explain everything clearly. If they’re willing to accept it, then you’re a lucky man. If they’re not, you have to accept that, too."

Jiang Sifan kept his head down, his voice laced with awkwardness. "Don’t you think I’m a scumbag?"

"If you can treat both of them well from beginning to end, then no, I don’t think so. But if you’re just playing around, then yes, you are." Lu Fan paused for a second, then broke into a laugh.