Chapter 491 - 261: Rounds of Persuasion, Finally Forgiving?

Chapter 491: Chapter 261: Rounds of Persuasion, Finally Forgiving?

The next morning, Jiang Silu finished breakfast and started packing.

She placed the gifts for her grandpa and grandma into bags, one by one.

There were cured sausages from Yangcheng, pastries, and tea, as well as two scarves she had knitted herself at school. It had taken her over a month, and she’d pricked her fingers several times.

"Brother, are you ready?" she shouted downstairs.

Jiang Sifan came out of his room wearing a dark blue jacket and carrying two bags. One held nutritional supplements for their grandma, and the other held liquor for their grandpa.

He stood in the living room, glanced at the two bags, then looked at Jiang Silu and asked, "Where’s Wen Wan?"

Jiang Silu laughed. "I knew you were going to ask. I’ll go get her."

She ran to Wen Wan’s door and knocked.

Wen Wan opened the door. She was fully dressed, but she didn’t move from the doorway, her hand gripping the doorknob in hesitation.

"Sister Wen Wan, let’s go," Jiang Silu said, pulling her hand.

Wen Wan looked at her, then at Jiang Sifan at the other end of the hall, and said softly, "Silu, maybe I shouldn’t go. It’s your grandparents’ house. It doesn’t feel appropriate for me to be there."

"What’s not appropriate about it?" Jiang Silu refused to let go, explaining, "You’re my brother’s girlfriend, which makes you part of the family. It’s perfectly natural for you to meet his grandparents. Let’s go, let’s go."

Wen Wan let herself be pulled out the door, her face slightly flushed as she glanced at Jiang Sifan.

Jiang Sifan smiled at her without a word, but that smile put her much more at ease.

Lu Fan stood at the door, watching the three of them get into the car.

Chen He was already waiting in the driver’s seat.

"Call home when you get there," Lu Fan reminded them.

"We know, Dad," Jiang Silu said, sticking her head out the window and waving at him.

The car drove out of the villa complex and onto the highway.

Wen Wan sat in the back, leaning against the window and watching the scenery pass by.

Winters in Yangcheng weren’t cold. The trees lining the road were still green, and a few bauhinia trees were blooming, their pink flowers looking beautiful in the sunlight.

Jiang Silu sat beside her, looking up directions from the county town to Qingshan Village on her phone.

Jiang Sifan sat in the front, quiet the whole time, but he would occasionally glance at the back seat in the rearview mirror.

"Brother, are you nervous?" Jiang Silu suddenly asked.

"Not nervous," Jiang Sifan replied quickly.

"Liar," Jiang Silu laughed. "Every time you say you’re not nervous, your voice gets higher than usual."

Jiang Sifan didn’t answer, but his ears turned red.

Wen Wan watched the siblings bicker and couldn’t help but smile.

After driving for over three hours, they reached the county town.

Chen He parked at the entrance of a shopping mall, and Jiang Silu dragged the other two inside to buy a few more bags of things, saying they couldn’t show up for a first visit empty-handed.

Wen Wan picked out a case of milk and a bag of fruit, but Jiang Silu said she hadn’t chosen enough and bought a box of health supplements for her to give as well.

"Sister Wen Wan, you take this. Just say you bought it," Jiang Silu said with a smile.

"I couldn’t..." Wen Wan demurred.

"What’s wrong with it? It’s your first visit; you have to make a good impression on Grandpa and Grandma."

Unable to refuse her, Wen Wan had no choice but to take it.

The car left the county town, drove for another forty-some minutes, and turned onto a country road.

The road was flanked by farmland. The rice had already been harvested, leaving the fields bare except for some weeds growing on the ridges.

A few chickens occasionally pecked for food by the roadside, not even bothering to move for the approaching car.

Wen Wan gazed out the window, her heart beating faster and faster.

She clutched the box of health supplements, her palms growing sweaty.

"Sister Wen Wan, don’t be nervous," Jiang Silu said, patting her hand. "Grandpa and Grandma are really nice and easy to talk to."

Wen Wan nodded and took a deep breath.

The car stopped at the village entrance.

From a distance, they could see Pan Lanfang standing at the courtyard gate. She was wearing a dark red, padded cotton jacket, her hair neatly combed, peering in their direction.

Jiang Silu was the first to jump out of the car, running over to hug her. "Grandma!"

Pan Lanfang hugged her back, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she patted her on the back. "You’ve gotten thinner! You haven’t been eating properly at school, have you?"

"I have, I have! The cafeteria food is just gross," Jiang Silu whined playfully.

Pan Lanfang then looked behind her.

Jiang Sifan got out of the car, carrying bags big and small, and walked over. "Grandma," he called out.

Pan Lanfang took his hand, looking him up and down as her eyes grew a little red. "You’ve grown taller and stronger. Good, good."

Jiang Sifan just smiled without saying anything.

Jiang Guoqiang came out of the house, wearing an old padded cotton jacket and holding a long-stemmed pipe.

He broke into a rare smile upon seeing his grandson and granddaughter, but the smile faltered when he saw an unfamiliar young woman following them.

"This is..." he began, looking at Jiang Silu.

Jiang Silu quickly pulled Wen Wan forward and introduced her. "Grandpa, this is Wen Wan, my brother’s girlfriend."

Blushing, Wen Wan bowed and said, "Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Grandma."

Pan Lanfang’s eyes lit up at the news. She took Wen Wan’s hand, looking her over from head to toe with a grin that wouldn’t quit. "Oh my, what a beautiful girl! Come inside, quickly! It’s cold out here."

Jiang Guoqiang also nodded but didn’t say much more before turning and heading back into the house.

Wen Wan followed Pan Lanfang, her heart in a flutter.

Pan Lanfang’s hand was warm, and she held on tight, asking as they walked, "How old are you? Where do you go to school? What are you studying?"

Wen Wan answered each question. Her voice was quiet but clear.

"I’m nineteen. I go to Jinling Institute of Technology. I’m studying finance, and I’m in the same class as Sifan."

"Finance is good, finance is good! It’s good for a girl to study finance." Pan Lanfang beamed, her face creased with wrinkles from her broad smile.

When they entered the main hall, Jiang Guoqiang was already seated at the square, eight-person table.

Pan Lanfang bustled about, preparing to pour tea. Jiang Silu rushed to help, while Jiang Sifan began setting the gifts they’d brought onto the table, one by one.