Chapter 483: Yixia, Silu, and Sifan’s Family Moves Into the Villa

Chapter 483 -259: Yixia, Silu, and Sifan’s Family Moves Into the Villa

Jiang Sifan was awake before the sky had fully brightened.

He lay on the hotel sofa, his coat draped over him, staring at the ceiling.

A thin sliver of light peeked through the gap in the curtains.

He turned over. The sofa was too small for him to straighten his legs, and his knees dug painfully into the armrest.

He had barely slept last night.

He Lingyi was sleeping soundly on the bed, her breathing even. Occasionally, she would turn over, kicking the blanket off a bit before pulling it back up.

Jiang Sifan closed his eyes, his mind a mess.

Wen Wan’s face and He Lingyi’s face appeared in alternation, flipping one after another in his mind like a slideshow.

He tossed and turned, making the sofa creak. Afraid of waking He Lingyi, he stopped moving and just lay there with his eyes open, waiting for dawn.

His phone vibrated.

He picked it up and looked. ‘A message from He Lingyi?’

No, it was his alarm.

It was seven o’clock.

He sat up and rubbed his neck, which was as stiff as a board.

A rustle came from the bed. He Lingyi had turned over, and the blanket had slipped down, revealing one of her shoulders.

She was wearing a slip nightgown with thin straps that rested on her collarbones. Her skin was so fair it seemed to glow.

Jiang Sifan quickly averted his gaze, stood up, and walked to the window.

“Brother Sifan, you’re up so early?” He Lingyi’s voice was soft and raspy from sleep, like cotton candy.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep,” Jiang Sifan replied without turning around.

“Was the sofa uncomfortable?” He Lingyi sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a messy tangle, making her look like a little lion cub. “I told you that you should have taken the bed.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” Jiang Sifan turned, glanced at her, then turned back again. “Go get washed up. I’ll take you to Shamian Island today.”

“Okay!” He Lingyi jumped out of bed, her bare feet landing on the carpet, and ran into the bathroom.

The sound of running water started up, and her hazy silhouette once again became visible through the frosted glass.

Jiang Sifan quickly walked over to the window, forcing himself to focus all his attention on the Guangzhou Tower outside.

The lights on the tower were out, leaving it a dull gray, like a giant concrete pillar.

When He Lingyi came out, she had changed into a white T-shirt and light-blue jeans. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, and she wore light makeup with a hint of pale pink on her lips.

“Let’s go!” She walked over and naturally looped her arm through Jiang Sifan’s.

The two left the hotel and had bowls of wonton noodles at a small roadside shop.

He Lingyi ate with gusto, praising the food and saying the wonton noodles in Yangcheng were much more delicious than the ones in Jinling.

Jiang Sifan watched her eat, a small smile on his face, but said nothing.

After breakfast, the two of them went to Shamian Island.

Shamian Island was a small island in Yangcheng filled with old, European-style architecture. It was quiet and shaded by lush green trees.

With her arm linked through Jiang Sifan’s, He Lingyi strolled slowly along the stone-paved roads. Whenever she saw a beautiful building, she would stop to take a picture. Then she would take a selfie, and after that, she would pull Jiang Sifan in for a photo together.

“Brother Sifan, come on, smile,” He Lingyi said, holding up her phone with a frown.

Jiang Sifan pulled at the corners of his mouth, forcing a smile.

“That smile looks worse than if you were crying,” He Lingyi said with a laugh as she snapped the photo.

In the photo, Jiang Sifan stood under a large banyan tree. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling his face in light and shadow. His expression was, indeed, rather stiff.

He Lingyi laughed as she looked at the picture, then held the phone up for him to see. “Look, don’t you look just like a robot?”

Jiang Sifan glanced at it and laughed as well. “I do.”

After leaving Shamian Island, the two headed to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street.

The street was packed with people, and everyone was jostling about. He Lingyi held tightly to Jiang Sifan’s arm, afraid they would get separated in the crowd.

She spotted a roadside vendor selling tanghulu and pulled Jiang Sifan over to buy a stick. She took one bite, and the sourness made her eyes squint shut.

“So sour!” she exclaimed, sticking out her tongue.

Jiang Sifan laughed. “Well, you’re the one who wanted it.”

“But it looked delicious,” He Lingyi pouted, holding the tanghulu up to his mouth. “Here, you try it.”

Jiang Sifan hesitated for a moment before biting into one of the fruits. It was indeed sour, making him furrow his brow.

Seeing his expression, He Lingyi doubled over with laughter.

After spending the morning wandering around, the two had lunch on Shangxiajiu Street.

Jiang Sifan ordered a few of Yangcheng’s specialty dishes.

Qingyuan chicken, char siu, and choy sum, along with the soup of the day.

He Lingyi ate with great satisfaction. Leaning back in her chair, she rubbed her stomach and declared she was stuffed.

“Where are we going this afternoon?” He Lingyi asked.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Hmm…” He Lingyi thought for a moment. “Where did you live when you were a kid? Can you take me to see it?”

Jiang Sifan froze for a moment. He put down his chopsticks and just looked at her.

“What’s wrong?” He Lingyi asked, tilting her head.

“It’s nothing.” Jiang Sifan shook his head. “The place where I lived as a kid was torn down long ago. It’s a shopping mall now.”

“Oh.” He Lingyi nodded. Then she asked, “Well, where do your parents live? Maybe I could visit them at your home.”

Jiang Sifan’s expression flickered. He twirled the chopsticks in his hand and didn’t respond.

Seeing his expression, He Lingyi seemed to realize something. She quickly waved her hands and said with a nervous laugh, “I was just kidding! Don’t take it seriously, Brother Sifan. I was just talking.”

“It would be so awkward to go to your house. I don’t even know your parents. Never mind, never mind.”

After she said that, she lowered her head and took a few sips of her soup. Then she looked up again and said with a smile, “I was just thinking, since I’m already here, it would be nice to meet your parents. But I know it’s not appropriate. A high school student like me, suddenly showing up at their home… how weird would that be? So forget it, just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Jiang Sifan watched her, a complicated feeling welling up inside him.

The smile was still on her face, but there was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.