Chapter 449 - 249: Son Forgave Dad?

Chapter 449: Chapter 249: Son Forgave Dad?

After Wen Wan’s situation was settled, Lu Fan wasn’t in a hurry to return to Yangcheng.

He stayed at the manor for a night and called Jiang Sifan first thing the next morning.

The call was answered after just two rings.

Jiang Sifan’s voice sounded a little tired, but he was alert enough. "What’s up?"

’Even now, Jiang Sifan couldn’t bring himself to call him "Dad."’

Lu Fan leaned back on the sofa, a cup of tea in his hand. His tone was as casual as if he were just making small talk. "Sifan, I have an idea. Why don’t you discuss it with Wen Wan?"

"What’s the idea?"

"You two can come to the manor once a week to clean. No heavy lifting—just sweeping the floors, wiping down tables, watering the flowers. I’ll pay you for it."

The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds.

Jiang Sifan sounded a little awkward. "There’s no need for that. We already owe you the four hundred thousand. We can’t possibly..."

"I’m not just giving you a handout," Lu Fan cut in, his tone light and tinged with a smile. "You get paid for the work you do—it’s only fair. Besides, the manor is huge. Old Luo can’t manage it all by himself. If you two come help, I’ll save money on hiring a cleaner."

Jiang Sifan didn’t say anything.

Lu Fan added, "Just mention it to Wen Wan. If she’s willing, you can come this Saturday. If not, no pressure. And you young people shouldn’t always be so caught up on who owes what."

With that, he hung up the phone. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, but the tea had already gone cold.

In the studio, Jiang Sifan put down his phone and looked at Wen Wan.

She was organizing the ledgers, her head bowed, the tip of her pen scratching softly across the paper.

She had lost a lot of weight in the past two days. Her chin was sharp and her complexion wasn’t great, but her spirits were much higher than before.

At least she was no longer just sitting and staring into space.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling upon her. Her profile was softened by the light, highlighting her long eyelashes and the straight bridge of her nose.

"Wen Wan," Jiang Sifan called out.

Wen Wan looked up. "Hmm?"

"My dad said he wants us to go to the manor once a week to clean, and he’ll pay us."

Wen Wan paused, her pen stopping in her hand.

She looked at Jiang Sifan for a few seconds, then lowered her head and continued to write.

"Uncle Lu is trying to help us," she explained as she wrote.

Jiang Sifan nodded. "I know, but I don’t want to be even more in his debt."

Wen Wan put down her pen and looked up at him, speaking earnestly. "Class President, this isn’t about owing him more. Uncle Lu is giving us a way to pay him back. Four hundred thousand is no small sum. Who knows how long it would take to repay it with just the studio’s income. If we go and help, he’ll feel better, and we’ll have peace of mind, too."

"Besides," she added after a pause, "the manor is huge. Uncle Luo really can’t manage it all by himself. We’d be helping, not accepting a handout."

Jiang Sifan looked at her and suddenly smiled. "You’ve certainly thought this through."

"It’s not that I’ve just thought it through. It’s that I understand now," Wen Wan said, lowering her head in embarrassment.

After a long moment, she finally spoke again, her voice even softer, so quiet it seemed a gust of wind could carry it away. "Class President... that four hundred thousand... let’s just consider it the betrothal gift."

Jiang Sifan froze.

He stared at her. A blush crept up her face, spreading from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.

But she didn’t shy away or lower her head. She just met his gaze, her eyes shining brightly, full of light.

"I’ve taken the money, so from now on, I’m part of the Jiang Family." Her voice was quiet, but every word was crystal clear. "No matter how you treat me in the future, I will always be good to you. Even in death, I will be a ghost of the Jiang Family."

Jiang Sifan stared at her, feeling as if something had struck him squarely in the chest.

He reached out and took her hand. It was cold, but not trembling.

He squeezed it a little tighter, feeling the warmth of her palm slowly spreading to his.

"Hey, hey, none of that talk about death," Jiang Sifan said, his voice as solemn as if he were making a vow. "I will be good to you."

Wen Wan looked at him. She didn’t cry, but simply gazed at him for a long time.

Then she smiled, nodding blissfully. "I know."

「Meanwhile.」

After Jiang Silu submitted her entry for the landscape design competition, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

The entire process, from choosing a topic to finalizing the draft, had taken over two months. She’d gone through more than a dozen revisions and pulled countless all-nighters.

It was finally submitted.

She stretched, leaned back in her chair, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The dorm room was quiet. Song Miaomiao was at the library, Lu Yao was at rehearsal, and Liu Shiting was in class.

She was all alone.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time, her mind a complete blank.

But after a while, the gears in her mind started turning again.

Her thoughts kept circling back to Wen Wan.

’Four hundred thousand.’

’Her brother’s girlfriend. She’d met her a few times—a quiet, soft-spoken girl who was incredibly kind to everyone.’

’Her brother was lucky to have found a girl like that.’

’But that luck came with a price tag: four hundred thousand.’

She sat up straight, grabbed her phone, scrolled to Jiang Sifan’s contact, and sent him a message.

Jiang Silu: [Bro, I heard about what happened with Sister Wen Wan. Are you two okay?]

A moment later, Jiang Sifan replied.

Jiang Sifan: [We’re okay. Don’t worry.]

Jiang Silu stared at the message, her heart aching a little.

’Her brother was always like this, insisting everything was fine no matter what.’

After a moment’s thought, she sent another message.

Jiang Silu: [Bro, I want to start a business.]

The moment she sent it, she froze, surprising even herself.

’Start a business?’

’The thought had certainly flashed through her mind a moment ago, but she hadn’t expected to just blurt it out like that.’

Her phone buzzed.

Jiang Sifan: [What kind of business?]

Jiang Silu: [A design studio. I’m studying landscape design, so I can do landscape proposals, renderings, and construction drawings. I know some classmates who could work with me.]