Chapter 459 - 252: The Winter Vacation Battlefield Is Here?

Chapter 459: Chapter 252: The Winter Vacation Battlefield Is Here?

Xiaoya: [Got it.]

Jiali added: [Remember, don’t let her realize it was all arranged.]

Xiaoya sent a "Don’t worry" emoji.

Jiali leaned back in her chair and smiled.

’President Lu is really going to great lengths for his son.’

「Meanwhile.」

「At Jinling Institute of Technology.」

Dawn was just breaking.

Jiang Sifan’s phone alarm went off, and he immediately silenced it.

The dorm was pitch-black. His three roommates were still asleep, their snores rising and falling in succession.

He quietly climbed down from the top bunk and got dressed in the dark.

He and Wen Wan had made plans last night to go work at the manor today, Saturday.

Once dressed, he picked up his phone and sent Wen Wan a message: [Wen Wan, are you up?]

After sending the text, he carried his washbasin to the balcony to wash up.

He squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush and began to brush, checking his phone as he did.

Wen Wan had replied: [I’m up. Getting dressed.]

The corners of Jiang Sifan’s mouth curved up as he replied: [No rush. I’ll wait for you downstairs.]

The morning air was cool and crisp. The campus was nearly empty, the streetlights still on. A thin layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, rustling underfoot.

He walked to the girls’ dormitory, found a spot sheltered from the wind, and clutched a plastic bag to his chest to keep it warm.

After five or six minutes, Wen Wan emerged.

She wore an old T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, her hair tied back in a ponytail. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but her eyes were bright.

"Class Rep, have you been waiting long?" Wen Wan walked over and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Not long." Jiang Sifan handed her the breakfast. "Here, eat up. The buns are still warm; I was keeping them warm for you."

Wen Wan took the bag, pulled out a bun, and took a bite.

She took out another, handed it to Jiang Sifan, and said, "You have one, too."

The two walked side by side toward the campus gate, eating as they went.

Soon, the bus arrived. They boarded and sat in the back row.

Wen Wan leaned against his shoulder with her eyes closed, not saying a word.

Jiang Sifan held her hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb.

An hour later, the bus reached the stop near the manor.

The two got off and walked down the familiar path.

The manor’s main gate was open. Old Luo was sweeping by the entrance, and when he saw them, he grinned. "You’re here! Nice and early today. Have you eaten?"

"We’ve eaten, Uncle Luo," Jiang Sifan said with a smile as he walked through the gate.

The manor was even tidier than the last time they’d visited. The lawn had been mowed and the flowerbeds weeded. It was clear Old Luo had done some tidying up in advance.

Wen Wan looked around and asked awkwardly, "Uncle Luo, have you been doing our work for us? Who mowed the lawn?"

Old Luo rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "Oh, I was just doing a little here and there. You young folks have your studies to worry about. Don’t waste your time on cleaning. I’ll explain it to President Lu..."

"Uncle Luo," Jiang Sifan interrupted, smiling but with a serious tone. "You don’t have to help us. We’ll do the work we’re supposed to. If you do it for us, then what’s the point of us coming here?"

Old Luo opened his mouth, about to say more, but Jiang Sifan was already leading Wen Wan toward the tool shed.

The tool shed was next to the garage. Inside were brooms, mops, rags, buckets, and other cleaning supplies, along with several pairs of neatly arranged gloves.

Jiang Sifan grabbed two pairs of gloves, handing one to Wen Wan and putting on the other. He then took a mop and a broom from the wall.

"Today, let’s start by cleaning the living room and kitchen on the first floor of the main house. Then we’ll check the lawn and sweep up any fallen leaves," Jiang Sifan assigned the tasks.

Wen Wan put on her gloves, took the broom, and nodded. "Alright, I’ll follow your lead, Foreman Jiang."

Since making things official with Jiang Sifan, Wen Wan had become more cheerful and had even started to joke around.

The two started with the living room.

The manor’s main building was a three-story villa. The first-floor living room was spacious, with light gray tiled floors. A leather sofa set sat in the middle of the room, and on the coffee table was a pot of Devil’s Ivy, its lush leaves a vibrant green.

Wen Wan wiped down the coffee table and TV stand with a rag while Jiang Sifan mopped the floor.

"Wen Wan, do you think your mom will come looking for you again?" Jiang Sifan suddenly asked.

Wen Wan’s hands paused for a moment. She then resumed wiping the kitchen counter, her tone flat. "I don’t know. In any case, she signed the agreement."

Jiang Sifan said nothing. He wrung out his rag and draped it over the faucet.

"Don’t worry about me. I’m fine." Wen Wan turned to him and smiled.

Jiang Sifan walked over to her side and put his arm around her shoulders. "From now on, my home is your home. My mom is your mom, and my dad... uh..."

Even now, Jiang Sifan was still too embarrassed to admit to others that Lu Fan was his father.

Wen Wan leaned against his shoulder and let out a soft, muffled "Mmm."

They stood in the kitchen for a moment before getting back to work.

By the time they finished cleaning the living room and kitchen, it was nearly ten o’clock.

The two came out with buckets and rags, ready to check on the lawn in the yard.

As they walked onto the lawn, Old Luo, who was trimming the holly bushes by the flowerbed, saw them and hurried over, a pained look on his face. "You two should take a break! I’ll get you some water. I can sweep the lawn later. You kids shouldn’t wear yourselves out..."

"Uncle Luo," Jiang Sifan interrupted again with a smile. "If you keep this up, we won’t come back next time. You can explain that to President Lu yourself."

Old Luo was left speechless. He opened his mouth, then sighed. "You kid... just as stubborn as your father."

Shaking his head, he walked away, shears in hand.

Wen Wan watched Old Luo’s retreating back and stifled a laugh. "You’ve scared Uncle Luo off."

Jiang Sifan laughed too. "I had to. If he keeps helping, how are we ever going to pay off this debt? When President Lu told us to come work at the manor to pay him back, he meant for us to actually work, not to come here and act like supervisors."