Chapter 499 - 263: Jiang Guoqiang: You and Yixia, I Won’t Stand in Your Way Anymore

Chapter 499: Chapter 263: Jiang Guoqiang: You and Yixia, I Won’t Stand in Your Way Anymore

「Elsewhere.」

At Zijin Manor.

Lu Fan didn’t actually have that many meetings to attend.

He had long since entrusted the corporation’s affairs to his subordinates. The big year-end meeting just required him to show up, say a few words, and sign a few documents.

He had stayed in Jinling for two days, taking care of everything that needed to be handled. The rest of the time, he just sat alone in his room.

Standing by the window with a cup of tea, he gazed at the distant city lights, but his mind was on the people back at the villa.

’Silu is probably jumping on the sofa again.

Wen Wan would be sitting quietly nearby, reading a book.

Sifan has likely locked herself in the study, poring over account books.

And Jiang Yixia?

She might be busy in the kitchen, or maybe she is sitting in a corner of the living room, holding a book she’d flip through for two pages before putting it down, only to pick it up again.’

He chuckled and took a sip of his tea. It had already gone cold.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go back; he just felt he should give them some space.

They had just moved into the house, and with him wandering around every day, Jiang Yixia was uncomfortable, and so was Jiang Sifan.

Silu, on the other hand, welcomed him. But that’s just how the child was—she was kind to anyone who was kind to her, soft-hearted to a fault.

He’d leave for a week to let them get used to things, to feel the difference between when he was there and when he wasn’t.

It was a push-and-pull, and he knew it.

With someone like Jiang Yixia, if you were in her face every day, she’d find it annoying.

But if you suddenly disappeared, she would feel like something was missing. ℴℴ𝘮

And that "something was missing" feeling was exactly what he wanted.

On the evening of the third day, he called Pan Lanfang.

The phone rang a few times before she answered, her voice hushed. "Xiaolu? It’s so late. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing’s wrong, Auntie. I just wanted to ask how you and Uncle have been," Lu Fan said, his tone relaxed as he leaned against the headboard.

"We’re fine, just fine. Eating well, sleeping well, don’t you worry," Pan Lanfang said with a laugh, her voice still low.

Lu Fan could tell it was quiet on her end and asked, "Auntie, is Uncle asleep?"

"No, he’s watching TV next to me. I was afraid he’d hear," Pan Lanfang whispered. "You know your uncle—he’s stubborn. If he heard me on the phone with you, he’d start nagging again."

Lu Fan laughed. "How has Uncle’s health been lately?"

"Pretty good. Except the other day he went to the pond to catch fish. Spent half the day at it and barely caught any, so he stood on the bank cursing at the fish," Pan Lanfang said, laughing as well.

"Are there still a lot of fish in the pond?"

"Plenty. Those fry you stocked last time have all grown up. Your uncle talks about it every day, saying he’ll catch a few to give as gifts for the New Year." Pan Lanfang paused, her voice dropping even lower. "Xiaolu, when are you going to come visit again? Your uncle never says anything, but I can tell. Sometimes he looks toward the door."

This piqued Lu Fan’s curiosity. "Uncle... he looks toward the door?"

"Of course he does. After you left last time, he sat in the yard and smoked several cigarettes without saying a word. Just sat there." Pan Lanfang sighed. "That’s just his temperament. He keeps his worries to himself."

Lu Fan seized the opportunity. "In that case, Auntie, I’ll come see Uncle tomorrow."

Pan Lanfang hesitated. "You can come, but if your uncle gives you a cold shoulder, don’t take it to heart."

"I won’t, Auntie."

"Alright then, you should come. Your uncle is planning to go fishing in the pond tomorrow, so you can lend him a hand," Pan Lanfang replied.

After hanging up, Lu Fan recalled his last visit to Qingshan Village, when Jiang Guoqiang had chased him out.

He couldn’t forget the look in the old man’s eyes—there was hatred, resentment, and something else he couldn’t quite place.

The next morning, Lu Fan set out from Jinling.

It was almost noon by the time he reached the entrance to the village.

He parked his car at the entrance, not driving in. He got out and walked down the familiar path into the village.

On both sides of the path were farmlands, bare in the winter.

From a distance, he spotted a figure by the fishpond.

Jiang Guoqiang was wearing an old army greatcoat and a knit cap. He stood at the edge of the pond, holding a long-handled net, scooping it into the water.

He was struggling. The net sank, and when he dragged it back up, it held only a few strands of waterweed and some mud.

He cast the net again, but still came up with nothing.

Lu Fan watched from the path for a moment before walking over.

Hearing footsteps, Jiang Guoqiang looked up. When he saw it was Lu Fan, his expression instantly darkened.

He said nothing, just lowered his head and continued netting.

Lu Fan also remained silent. He stood on the bank for a moment, then took off his coat and hung it on a nearby tree branch. He rolled up his pants, took off his shoes, and stepped barefoot into the water.

The water was ice-cold, making him shiver.

Jiang Guoqiang glanced at him but didn’t stop him or say a word.

Lu Fan walked up beside him, grabbed the other end of the net from the water, and helped him pull.

With one on each side, the two men hauled up the net. Inside were several crucian carp, flopping about energetically, their silvery scales glinting in the sunlight.

Jiang Guoqiang bent down, picked out the fish, and threw them into a bucket. Lu Fan cast the net back into the water.

The two of them worked like that, one in front of the other, without either of them saying a word.

Jiang Guoqiang scooped from the front while Lu Fan helped pull the net from behind.

Water splashed up, soaking Lu Fan’s pant legs. His feet were red with cold, but he didn’t make a sound.

After more than half an hour of this, the bucket began to fill with fish.

Jiang Guoqiang straightened up, pounded his lower back, and glanced at Lu Fan. Still, he said nothing.

Lu Fan didn’t speak either. He pulled the net from the water, catching a few more fish.

The sun slowly climbed to its zenith.

Jiang Guoqiang caught his breath and sat down on a rock by the bank. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and lit it.