Chapter 503: Lu Fan Gives Everyone a Precious Gift! Incredibly Touching

It was three days until New Year’s Eve.

The spring couplets were already up on the flower shop’s door. Jiang Silu had written them herself; her calligraphy wasn’t the best, but every stroke was done with great care.

Jiang Yixia stood at the entrance watching for a moment. She didn’t say whether they were good or bad before turning to go inside and close the door.

“The New Year is early this year, so the shop will stay closed. We’ll see about opening after the seventh day,” she said, untying her apron and hanging it on a hook behind the door. She glanced back at the remaining flowers in the shop. “Let’s take these home. They’ll make the house feel festive.”

Jiang Silu agreed, and she and Wen Wan began moving the flowers to the car, pot by pot.

Wen Wan had grown familiar with everyone over the past few days. She no longer spoke as softly as she did when she first arrived and would even occasionally initiate a joke.

“Sister Wen Wan, you can take that pot of moth orchids. It’s lighter,” Jiang Silu said, pointing to a pot of vibrant, purplish-red moth orchids in full bloom.

Wen Wan bent down to pick it up. The petals brushed against her face, tickling her, and she smiled.

Jiang Sifan stood by the car, taking the flower pots one by one and arranging them inside.

He was wearing a dark down jacket today. His hair had grown a bit longer, hanging over his forehead and fluttering whenever the wind blew.

Once everything was loaded, the car headed for the villa.

Jiang Yixia sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window.

The winters in Yangcheng weren’t cold. The trees on both sides of the road were still green, with the occasional pink bauhinia flower in bloom.

Inside the villa, Jiang Silu was already directing everyone to start decorating.

“Bro, hang that string of lanterns by the entrance. One on the left, one on the right. Make it symmetrical.” She stood in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips, like a general.

Jiang Sifan brought over a chair and stood on it by the door to hang the lanterns.

As he hung the one on the left, Wen Wan stood below, steadying the chair for him. Her hands rested on the back of the chair as she looked up at him.

“It’s crooked. A little to the left,” Wen Wan said.

Jiang Sifan shifted it to the left.

“A tiny bit more to the left.”

He shifted it again.

“Perfect.”

Jiang Sifan hopped off the chair and took two steps back to look. The two bright red lanterns, one on the left and one on the right, did indeed look good.

Jiang Silu then dug a string of small decorative lights out of a box and wound them around the living room’s floor-to-ceiling window.

The lights were a warm yellow. When plugged in, they twinkled, filling the entire living room with a cozy, bright glow.

Wen Wan was in the kitchen, helping Jiang Yixia put things away.

Jiang Yixia placed the New Year’s groceries into the refrigerator one by one: chicken, pork, beef, fish, and a large bag of dumpling wrappers.

“Wen Wan, you’re not going home for the New Year. What did your parents say?” Jiang Yixia asked as she organized the items.

Wen Wan’s hands paused for a moment. She said softly, “I called them. My mom didn’t say much.”

Jiang Yixia glanced at her but didn’t ask any more questions.

She knew about Wen Wan’s family situation—about the mother who had signed the promissory note, and the matter of the four hundred thousand.

‘This girl has had it rough,’ she thought. ‘But with Sifan, I can rest easy.’

“What do you want to eat tonight?” Jiang Yixia asked, changing the subject.

“Whatever you make is fine, Auntie. I’m not picky,” Wen Wan said with a smile.

Jiang Yixia thought for a moment and replied, “Then I’ll make stuffed tofu. You’ve probably never had authentic Guangdong-style stuffed tofu.”

“Okay, I’ll help you.”

Jiang Silu ran in from the living room, holding a Fu character in her hand. “Mom, where does this go?”

“On the main door. Put it up right side up, don’t hang it upside down,” Jiang Yixia said without looking up.

“I know, I’m not a kid anymore,” Jiang Silu said before turning and running back out.

Jiang Yixia watched her go, smiling and shaking her head.

By the afternoon, the villa was mostly decorated.

Red lanterns hung by the entrance, the Fu character was on the main door, paper-cuts adorned the floor-to-ceiling windows, and a pot of narcissus sat on the living room coffee table. It hadn’t bloomed yet, but its leaves were a glossy green.

Jiang Silu sat on the sofa, scrolling through her phone.

She scrolled to her chat with Lu Fan. The last message was from yesterday. She had asked, “Dad, have you eaten?” and Lu Fan had replied, “I have.”

She thought for a moment, then typed a few words.

Jiang Silu: [Dad, we closed the flower shop, and the villa is all decorated. It’s so pretty! When are you coming back?]

After sending it, she stared at the screen.

About ten seconds later, Lu Fan replied.

Lu Fan: [When do you want me to come back?]

Jiang Silu broke into a smile, her fingers flying across the screen.

Jiang Silu: [I want you to come back today, of course!]

Lu Fan sent a smiley face, followed by: [Okay.]

Just one word.

Jiang Silu stared at the word “Okay,” stunned for a second. Then she leaped up from the sofa and ran into the kitchen. “Mom! Dad said he’s coming back!”

Jiang Yixia was kneading dough. Her hands paused for a moment before she resumed her work. “So he’s coming back. What are you shouting for?”

“He said he’s coming back today!” Jiang Silu was so excited her face flushed.

Jiang Yixia didn’t say anything, lowering her head to continue kneading the dough.

Her ears turned a little red, but Jiang Silu didn’t notice.

Jiang Sifan was sitting on the living room sofa with a magazine in his hands. He flipped through two pages without reading them.

Hearing Jiang Silu’s words, he put the magazine down, stood up, and walked to the window, looking at the plumeria tree in the yard.

Most of its leaves had fallen, its bare branches reaching toward the sky.

He stood there for a while before turning and going back to his room.

A little after three in the afternoon, a black Maybach pulled up to the villa’s entrance.

Jiang Silu was the first to dash out. She ran to the car, shouting, “Dad!” before the door even opened.

The car door opened, and Lu Fan got out. He was wearing a thin, dark gray jacket, his hair neatly combed.

He saw Jiang Silu running toward him and opened his arms with a smile. Jiang Silu threw herself into his arms for a brief hug, then let go, took a step back, and looked him up and down.

“Dad, you’ve lost weight,” she said, frowning.

“I’ve only been gone for a few days, and I’ve already lost weight?” Lu Fan said with a laugh, reaching out to ruffle her hair.