Chapter 496 - 262: Jiang Sifan Speaks Up for Lu Fan in Public for the First Time

Chapter 496: Chapter 262: Jiang Sifan Speaks Up for Lu Fan in Public for the First Time

Jiang Mei said nothing. She stared at the ground, lost in thought.

"Sis, I know you’re angry," Pan Lanfang said, taking her hand. "I’m angry too. But he really is trying to change, and the kids have accepted him. As their elders, we can’t make things difficult for them."

Jiang Mei looked up in the direction of the main room.

Silu was standing in the doorway, looking their way with worry in her eyes.

Jiang Mei shook her head and sighed. "Fine. As long as you know what you’re doing. But I’ll say it again: don’t be so quick to forgive him. With a man like that, who knows what he’s really after?"

Pan Lanfang didn’t reply and led her back toward the house.

Inside the main room, Jiang Guoqiang was still sitting by the door, smoking.

Jiang Mei sat down beside him. She glanced at him but said nothing.

Jiang Guoqiang said nothing either.

The two of them just sat there, one smoking and the other staring into space.

Silu brought a cup of tea over and offered it to Jiang Mei. "Great-Aunt, please have some tea."

Jiang Mei took the cup and had a sip. Her eyes reddened as she looked at her. "Silu, it’s not that I have anything against you children. My heart just aches for your mother and for you. You all suffered so much over the years."

"I know, Great-Aunt." Silu knelt beside her and took her hand. "But he’s really changed so much. If you were to meet him now, you’d see how different he is."

Jiang Mei didn’t answer. She set the teacup on the ground and reached out to stroke Silu’s hair.

"Fine, I won’t say any more. You can decide for yourselves."

At noon, Pan Lanfang prepared a table laden with food.

Jiang Mei stayed for lunch. During the meal, she didn’t mention Lu Fan again. She only asked about Silu and Sifan’s school life and about Wen Wan’s family.

Wen Wan answered each question, and Jiang Mei simply nodded without saying much else.

After lunch, Jiang Mei stood up, picked up her cloth bag, and said she had to be heading home.

"Great-Aunt, why don’t you stay a little longer?" Silu urged.

"I can’t, I have things to do at home." Jiang Mei walked to the door, then glanced back at Sifan. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Sifan, I was too harsh earlier. Don’t take it to heart."

Sifan shook his head. "It’s alright, Great-Aunt."

Jiang Mei nodded, then gave Wen Wan another look. "This is a good girl. Treat her well."

Wen Wan blushed and called out, "Great-Aunt."

Jiang Mei smiled, turned, and left.

Pan Lanfang walked her to the village entrance. When she returned, she saw Silu and Wen Wan in the courtyard, helping Jiang Guoqiang organize the firewood.

Sifan stood nearby, wanting to help but unable to find a way to join in.

A little after three in the afternoon, Chen He’s car pulled up to the courtyard gate.

Silu loaded their things into the car one by one, while Pan Lanfang followed behind her, stuffing eggs into her bag.

"Grandma, that’s enough! There’s no more room," Silu said with a laugh.

"Just come back for more when you run out," Pan Lanfang said, patting her on the back.

Jiang Guoqiang stood at the courtyard gate, his long-stemmed pipe in hand, and watched them.

Silu walked over and hugged him. "Grandpa, we’re leaving now. Please take care of yourself."

Jiang Guoqiang patted her back but said nothing.

Sifan came over, stood in front of Jiang Guoqiang, and said, "Grandpa."

Jiang Guoqiang looked at him and nodded. "Take care of yourself out there."

"Yeah."

Wen Wan also came over and bowed. "Grandpa, Grandma, we’re leaving now."

Jiang Guoqiang glanced at her. The corner of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile but held it back. "Travel safely."

The car started up.

Silu leaned out the car window, waving to Pan Lanfang and Jiang Guoqiang.

Pan Lanfang stood at the courtyard gate, waving back with one hand while wiping her eyes with the other.

The car rounded the corner at the village entrance and disappeared from view.

Pan Lanfang remained standing there, her gaze still fixed on the road.

Jiang Guoqiang turned and went back into the courtyard. He sat down in the old rattan chair, smoking his pipe and gazing at the osmanthus tree by the gate.

In the car, Silu leaned against the window, watching the fields recede into the distance.

Sifan sat in the front seat, silent the entire time.

Wen Wan sat beside Silu, clutching a red envelope that Pan Lanfang had pressed into her hands. Her grandmother had insisted she take it just before they left, and Wen Wan hadn’t been able to refuse.

"Brother," Silu said suddenly.

Sifan glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Yeah?"

"You defended Dad today."

Sifan didn’t answer, just stared out the window.

Silu leaned forward to get a better look at him. "You’ve never said a good word about him before."

Sifan was silent for a moment before speaking, his voice low. "I wasn’t defending him. I just didn’t want Great-Aunt to talk about him like that. She’s never met him, she doesn’t know what he’s done. For her to bad-mouth him like that... it’s not fair."

"So, do you think he’s doing a good job?" Silu pressed.

Sifan fell silent again for a moment, then said, "He... has been good to us."

Silu broke into a smile. "Brother, you finally admit it."

Sifan didn’t say anything, but his ears turned red.

"So when are you going to start calling him ’Dad’ like I do?" Silu asked with a grin.

Sifan glanced at her, then quickly turned back. "We’ll see," he said awkwardly.

"What do you mean, ’we’ll see’?" Silu wouldn’t let it go. "He’s done so much for you, and you still won’t call him Dad even once?"

Sifan didn’t answer, just kept his eyes on the window.

The trees on either side of the road blurred as they flew past.

Wen Wan gently tugged on Silu’s sleeve and whispered, "Silu, don’t force him."

Silu glanced at her brother, sighed, and dropped the subject.

The car drove on.

After a long while, Sifan suddenly spoke, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper to himself. ’It’s not that I don’t want to call him that... it’s just embarrassing. I haven’t called anyone ’Dad’ in nineteen years. Now I’m supposed to just start? I can’t bring myself to say it.’

Silu looked at him but said nothing.