Chapter 23 You Don't Need to Change for Anyone

The Jiang family's black Maybach slowly stopped downstairs of the Shen Group.

Jiang Tingwan looked through the car window and instantly caught sight of Ruan Yue's figure.

I saw her changing from her small steps to a jog and walking briskly out of the revolving door.

"elder sister!"

Ruan Yue opened the car door, her cheeks flushed slightly from the jogging just now, her eyes were full of surprise and confusion, "Why did you come to pick me up today..."

Jiang Tingwan smiled and stretched out her hand, gently tidying up her slightly messy bangs, and said softly: "Jiang Shixu just came back today, and my parents want to have a meal together as a family."

"Ah? Jiang... Jiang Shixu? The one..."

Ruan Yue was shocked when he heard this.

"Yes, your biological brother." Jiang Tingwan nodded slightly and gave her an affirmative answer.

"I, I've only heard of him in financial magazines..."

Ruan Yue's fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt, and this subtle movement revealed her inner uneasiness.

Her voice trailed off, a hint of worry evident in it.

"And I haven't prepared anything..." As she said this, she looked down at the simple dress she was wearing and felt more and more that she was dressed too casually.

"Don't be nervous." Jiang Tingwan gently pinched her face, trying to calm her down. "I'll take you home to change clothes. There's still time."

The car started slowly and drove towards Ruan Yue's apartment.

Along the way, the little girl kept asking questions: "What kind of person is my brother?" "Should I pay attention to any etiquette?" "What topics does he like?"

Jiang Tingwan quietly looked at the flowing street scene outside the window, with the corners of her lips slightly raised.

"He's very quiet, but a very nice person." She paused for a moment, as if thinking about how to express herself, then turned her head and looked at Ruan Yue seriously, her eyes firm and warm, "You just need to be yourself."

“You are already good enough to deserve others to change for you, but you don’t need to change for anyone else.”

After hearing this, Ruan Yue was stunned.

For some reason, a warm feeling surged in my heart and my eyes suddenly became red.

She hurriedly lowered her head, pretended to adjust her skirt, and whispered "hmm", trying to hide her current mood.

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After entering the apartment, Ruan Yue paced back and forth in front of the closet, her eyes full of confusion.

She kept picking up pieces of clothing, holding them in front of her, and muttering to herself, "How about this one? Is it too fancy?" "How about this one? Is it too serious?"

Jiang Tingwan sat leisurely beside the bed, quietly watching the cute and busy little girl, and couldn't help laughing: "They all look good. You look good in anything you wear."

"This one!" Ruan Yue's eyes lit up.

She finally chose a light green dress. The refreshing color just matched the light green long skirt Jiang Tingwan was wearing today.

They stood side by side in front of the dressing mirror, and the picture in the mirror looked like a beautiful painting.

One is gentle and elegant, with a temperament like orchid, and is calm in her every move; the other is fresh and lively.

When they stood together, they seemed strangely well-matched, as if this was how they were supposed to look.

Jiang Tingwan stared at the shadows standing side by side in the mirror, and a warm and gentle feeling slowly came over her. At this moment, she felt that they were truly sisters connected by blood, not strangers who met by chance under the fickle arrangement of fate.

"Let's go." Jiang Tingwan lowered her head slightly and gently took Ruan Yue's hand. Her movements were gentle but firm. "Let's go meet our brother."

At this moment, the afterglow of the setting sun shines through the window, gently lengthening the shadows of the two people, and finally blending into one on the wall, making it impossible to distinguish between them.

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In the courtyard of Jiang's house, the twilight was like a veil, gently covering everything.

Low-key and luxurious vehicles were parked in an orderly manner, exuding a restrained elegance in the dim light. Among them, the three-city license plate of the Huo family's Red Flag car was particularly eye-catching in the twilight.

As soon as Jiang Tingwan stepped into the entrance hall, she heard Mr. Huo's powerful questioning voice coming from the living room.

"Over twenty years! How are you going to compensate this child?"

When Ruan Yue heard the voice, she clenched Jiang Tingwan's sleeves with her fingers, obviously frightened by the momentum.

Jiang Tingwan sensed her nervousness, patted the back of her hand soothingly, and said softly, "Don't be afraid, Grandpa is very kind to the younger generation."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but recall the scene when she first met Mr. Huo.

At that time, the old man was wearing a neat Zhongshan suit and sitting majestically in the main seat. When his hawk-like sharp eyes swept over her, they were full of scrutiny and consideration.

She called out "Grandpa" politely, but was met with a long silence. The atmosphere was so depressing that it made her feel suffocated.

Perhaps in Mr. Huo's mind, he thought that she would act in a flattering or fawning manner, but Jiang Tingwan was just like her mother, always remaining calm and composed.

Over time, Mr. Huo's attitude gradually softened.

At this moment, in the living room, Mr. Huo was sitting steadily on the armchair.

Seeing Jiang Tingwan and Ruan Yue sisters walking in side by side, the old man's sharp gaze lingered on Ruan Yue for a moment.

"This child looks a bit like Yun Shu when he was a child."

He pointed at Ruan Yue, turned around and said to Uncle Huo beside him, with a hint of reminiscence in his eyes, "Your sister was so well-behaved back then."

Jiang's mother's maiden name was Huo Yunshu.

At this moment, she was sitting on a single sofa in the corner. Hearing this, she just raised her eyes lightly, her expression still as calm as water.

Ruan Yue was so nervous that her palms kept sweating, but she still tried to calm down and bowed obediently: "Hello, Grandpa, hello, uncle."

Mr. Huo suddenly stood up, and this action scared Ruan Yue so much that she subconsciously shrank back.

However, the old man took out a sandalwood box with gold thread from his pocket. The box was exquisitely crafted and it was obvious at first glance that it was worth a lot of money.

"Here! It was your grandmother's favorite bracelet back then." said the old man.

Back then, grandma and Mr. Huo had a deep relationship, which was known to everyone in the circle. Unfortunately, she died of illness just a few years after giving birth to Jiang's mother.

When the box was opened, a pair of jade bracelets with excellent water content were revealed. Under the light, they glowed with a soft and lustrous luster, as if the essence of the years had been condensed here.

"Dad." Jiang's mother finally spoke, "It's too expensive."

"I gave it to my granddaughter. What does it have to do with you?"

Mr. Huo glanced at her with a hint of reproach in his eyes. When he turned to Ruan Yue, his voice softened instantly, full of kindness, "Come, try it on and see."

Seeing this, Jiang Tingwan quietly pushed Ruan Yue's back, motioning her to come forward.

The little girl walked forward timidly and put on the bracelet. The jadeite set off her fair wrist, making it look even more slender.

"good."

Mr. Huo nodded with satisfaction, his eyes full of relief. He looked up and saw the sisters wearing the same color skirts, a smile flashed in his eyes, and asked, "Are the two sisters getting along well?"

Jiang Tingwan naturally took Ruan Yue's arm and said, "Ruan Yue is very well behaved."

Jiang Shixu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up: "Let's eat."

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In the restaurant, warm yellow light shines softly.

Old Master Huo enthusiastically gestured for Ruan Yue to sit next to him, his eyes full of love, and he would pick up food for her from time to time, fully demonstrating the care that an elder has for a younger generation.

Jiang Shixu noticed it keenly.

Although Ruan Yue had a polite smile on her face and accepted the care of Mr. Huo, her eyes always drifted towards Jiang Tingwan involuntarily, as if Jiang Tingwan was her backbone in this unfamiliar environment.

Dinner progressed slowly in this almost silent atmosphere.

During this time, only the occasional voice of Mr. Huo asking about Jiang's father's recent situation and a few words of concern for Ruan Yue's studies and work echoed softly in the quiet restaurant.

After dinner, Mr. Huo took Jiang's father and mother to the study, leaving only a few young people in the living room.

For a moment, everyone looked at each other, and a subtle silence filled the air.

Ruan Yue raised her eyes quietly and glanced secretly at Jiang Shixu.

The man was sitting upright on the sofa, his slender fingers casually resting on his knees, his expression was cold, and he exuded an aura that made it difficult for people to get close to him.

Noticing her gaze, Jiang Shixu turned his head slightly and said calmly: "I'm back. Come to me if you need anything."

Ruan Yue opened her mouth slightly, but something seemed to be choking her throat, and she didn't know how to respond for a moment.

This person always speaks so briefly and to the point that it makes people feel a little overwhelmed.

Jiang Tingwan looked at the slightly odd atmosphere between the two and couldn't help but laugh softly. She blinked her eyes and said with a hint of teasing, "Brother, how can she find you if you don't even give her your contact information?"

She tilted her head and said, "Does he want me, his adopted sister, to share his biological brother's WeChat with him?"

Seeing Jiang Tingwan's relaxed teasing, Ruan Yue seemed to have gained some courage, and she also echoed in a low voice: "Yes, yes..."

The two of them sang in unison and cooperated very well.

Jiang Shixu raised his eyes and met Jiang Tingwan's smiling eyes. At that moment, he seemed to be hit by something and for a moment he forgot what he wanted to say.

It turns out that the real her in front of Ruan Yue is so lively and playful.

He was silent for two seconds, as if he was organizing his thoughts, and finally slowly took out his mobile phone from his suit pocket. He tapped a few times with his slender fingers, brought up the QR code, and handed it to Ruan Yue.

"Add it."

His tone was still calm, but it was slightly less distant than before.

Upon seeing this, Ruan Yue quickly took out his mobile phone to scan the QR code to add the person. Because he was nervous, he finally completed the operation.