Chapter 77 "Can you handle it?"
On New Year's Eve, a heavy snow fell. The car that Wen Lingshuang sent to pick up Anne from the airport got stuck in traffic for two hours before it was cleared. When Anne and the others were brought back, the first thing they saw was a large red lantern hanging from the eaves of the villa. The Spring Festival couplets at the door were also very distinctive, with strong and powerful characters and gold-painted imprints, which showed that the owner of the house had a deep cultural background.
The courtyard was filled with fresh flowers such as roses, lilies, and silver willows to enhance the festive atmosphere. A red carpet stretched from the entrance to the hall, much like the extravagance of Wen Lingshuang's wedding. Several people entered carrying gifts, and Ashui was the first to offer them steaming hot glutinous rice balls. This is a tradition of the Wen family; they must eat glutinous rice balls on New Year's Eve and the Lantern Festival, especially guests who have come from afar, who must eat two bowls.
After finishing her steaming bowl of glutinous rice balls, Wen Lingshuang, dressed in her finest attire, descended the stairs. Her beautiful and delicate makeup, coupled with her dignified and elegant attire, made her look like a princess. Every smile and gesture was captivating.
Happy Chinese New Year, my little Ling Shuang!
Happy Chinese New Year! Happy Chinese New Year!
Everyone shouted in unison.
Wen Lingshuang smiled and said, "Happy New Year! We welcome guests as soon as we enter. Come on, let's give out red envelopes!"
She took out a generous red envelope from her pocket and distributed it to her friends one by one. Anne opened the envelope without any hesitation and saw that it contained a full ten thousand yuan. She smiled and said, "Your Highness, may I ask who gave us the money in these red envelopes?"
“My husband,” she laughed, “all his money is with me. What I’m giving you now is his secret stash. After that, he’ll be starving this month.”
Wow.
Everyone asked in unison, "Should we thank Chairman Jiang?"
It's no secret among Wen Lingshuang's close friends that she controls the family finances. But to say that Jiang An is so poor that he only has tens of thousands left is just a joke. Just the shares and dividends of the dozens of companies under his name can bring him a 'secret stash' of money every year.
Anne looked left and right but couldn't see Jiang An. She asked, "Where's Chairman Jiang? We gave him a red envelope, why isn't he here?"
“He has some business at his company, he’ll be back later.” Wen Lingshuang put her arm around Anne’s shoulder and lowered her voice, “Let’s keep a low profile today. My husband had some trouble at home and is in a bad mood, so let’s not drink too much, just a little bit.” After saying that, she turned to look at Fang Pei next to her, “And you, don’t try to get close to me, my husband is very jealous.”
Fang Pei could tell from Wen Lingshuang's repeated use of "my husband" that Jiang An was taking good care of her; otherwise, given her spoiled and domineering personality, how could he be so biased?
Fang Pei put down the gift in her hand and sighed, "Should I not have come?"
Fang Pei: "..."
So, instead of receiving good fortune, they have to give it away as a favor.
No wonder they're 'good friends'.
The snow was thick and white, and the wind and snow outside the window grew stronger.
Jiang An took the private elevator to the vice chairman's office. In previous years, he would either spend New Year's Eve at the company or on a business trip. This habit had been maintained for many years. This year, he was able to spend it at home, which made him feel a little uncomfortable. He took off his coat and walked to his desk to sit down. There were thick files and data stacked next to him. He looked through the files and data one by one, and then his phone on the table lit up.
These are New Year greetings sent by several senior executives of the group.
Very close.
They all wished him a smooth and successful year ahead.
After thinking for a moment, he put down his phone, opened the drawer on the right, and found a small stack of red and white letter paper with openwork design. He then picked up a pen and wrote New Year's greetings on the paper, and signed his name at the end: Jiang An & Wen Lingshuang.
Lon then delivered personally signed New Year's greetings to several retired group veterans and key business partners.
He has an 'old-fashioned' obsession with this kind of ritual.
Just like blessings should be handwritten and gifts should be given in person.
Finally, the honorary document was signed, approving the special award for "Outstanding Employee of the Year." Several of these outstanding employees have been promoted consecutively within three years, and it is only a matter of time before they turn thirty and enter the middle management level.
After finishing everything, he got up, picked up his coat, and walked towards the door. On the next floor, he ran into the core team members of the strategy department. They were the last batch of employees to leave. He gave them red envelopes that he had prepared in advance, wished them "Happy New Year," and watched through the glass window as the administration department affixed a festive seal to the company door, symbolizing a successful end to the year.
As the snowstorm intensified, he drove back to the Jiang family's old house alone.
Jiang Qi was brought back yesterday for the Chinese New Year. His legs were still not fully recovered, so a chartered plane and medical staff were needed to pick him up. He had lost a lot of weight when he returned, saying that life abroad was not easy. Yao Fei deliberately made a big show of it, thinking that she could use the Chinese New Year to get Grandpa Jiang to speak up. As long as he spoke up, even though most of the group's employees were Jiang An's people, they could bring Jiang Qi back smoothly and without any problems.
Jiang An had no intention of letting her succeed.
He drove Jiang Qi away and never intended for him to come back.
After the car came to a stop, the alley was filled with the aroma of food. Spring Festival couplets and lanterns were pasted on the door, and the laughter of children could be heard from inside. The festive atmosphere was strong. He stepped into the hall and saw a small stretcher on the right side of the hall. Jiang Qi was lying on the stretcher, coaxing Grandpa Jiang as he did every year.
Grandpa Jiang laughed heartily at his antics. Yao Fei, sitting next to him, served him tea and said, "Jiang Qi kept saying he missed Grandpa when he was abroad. He was always worried about Grandpa's health even though he worked so late every day. Now that he's back for the New Year, don't worry."
Mr. Jiang had surgery in the middle of the year and is recovering well.
He took the teacup and said, "Little Qi, you're very thoughtful."
"It's good that Grandpa is alright," Jiang Qi said with a smile. "I'm currently working hard to build my business overseas, and I'll come back to China after I've achieved some success!"
"When will you finally achieve something?" Yao Fei glared at him sideways. "You're in your thirties. If your grandfather were your age, he would have already taken over the group."
Jiang Qi lay on the stretcher and sighed, "Mom, what are you thinking? I'm definitely not as capable as Grandpa in this life, but I'm his grandson, so I'm not bad either! Right, Grandpa?"
“You’re not bad at all.” Yao Fei stuffed a freshly peeled grape into his mouth. “Why don’t you talk about how tough it is abroad? When I visited you last time, the bed you were sleeping on was just a wooden plank, and the place you lived in was no different from a slum. In such harsh conditions, even if you worked your whole life, the best you could do was become a regional manager.”
After saying this, Yao Fei glanced at Grandpa Jiang and softened her tone, "Dad, you know Jiang Qi has been spoiled since he was a child. When I went to see him last time, I was really heartbroken. I can forget about the place he lives in; what I'm most worried about is the lack of medical care. His leg..."
“His leg can’t be delayed.” Jiang Xu chimed in from the side, “Why don’t we bring him back? There are so many vacant positions in the company, it doesn’t matter who gets them, is it really necessary to send him to such a faraway place to suffer?”
Listening to the mother and son's words, Jiang An's face remained expressionless. He walked to the left and sat down. Jiang Ting, who was not far away, saw him and called out, "Third Brother!"
Then she ran over excitedly and hugged him tightly, exclaiming, "You actually came back for the New Year this year!"
Jiang Ting's words drew everyone's attention, and only then did everyone realize that Jiang An, who never went home for the New Year, had actually returned.
Yao Fei's eyes instantly darkened.
Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi also looked grim.
The atmosphere turned somewhat cold.
Jiang An picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip of tea.
Such good tea tasted rather ordinary to him.
He put down his teacup and said, "I heard that Jiang Qi is back for the New Year, so I made a special trip here."
His tone was serious and cold, leaving no room for argument, and his eyes were incredibly penetrating. "Then let him take my place, and I'll leave the Xining Group."
Jiang An's business empire has expanded tremendously over the years, with involvement in almost every industry to the point that it's indistinguishable from that of a professional. Such a multi-talented individual is not only rare in the industry, but also extremely rare in major families. In other words, it's not that Jiang An needs the Jiang family now, but that the Jiang family needs Jiang An.
Jiang An can leave the Jiang family and start his own business, rise to prominence quickly, and then brothers will fight each other in the arena. Wouldn't that be interesting?
Grandpa Jiang frowned slightly and remained silent.
Jiang An looked at the expressions on each of their faces. There was contemplation, hatred, and disgust... but none of the familiarity and tenderness between family members.
Indeed, coming back during the New Year, instead of being friendly, he was so ruthless. No one would give him a good look, but Jiang An didn't care.
He slowly stood up, his words sharp for the first time: "I'm here today for just one sentence: you decide how to choose."
After saying that, he walked out the door without lingering any longer.
His coldness, sharpness, and ruthlessness were unprecedented. At least in front of so many relatives of the Jiang family, he would hide his emotions to the greatest extent possible; he would act out the roles of brotherly love, self-discipline, and propriety, as long as they wanted to see it.
As Yao Fei watched his departing figure, she felt inexplicably flustered.
Jiang An's words were harsh, but that was an undeniable fact; Jiang Qi was now essentially a discarded pawn.
Even someone as all-powerful as Grandpa Jiang wouldn't trade Jiang Qi for Jiang An.
She clenched her fists, stood up, and chased after him.
The wind was strong and the snow was heavy in the courtyard. The biting wind chilled people to the bone, making them shiver. Yao Fei caught up with Jiang An and blocked his way, saying in a low voice, "Jiang An, it's the New Year, are you trying to make your grandfather unhappy?"
Yao Fei is still sharp-tongued; with just one sentence, she made it seem like he had upset Old Master Jiang.
Jiang An smiled and said, "I don't think Grandpa will be unhappy. He will only be clearer about what decisions he should make."
"Jiang An!" Yao Fei called his name through gritted teeth, "Don't go too far! Jiang Qi broke his leg because of Wen Lingshuang, and now you want him to stay abroad for the rest of his life? Do you want to drive him to his death?"
Was Jiang Qi's leg broken because of Wen Lingshuang?
Jiang An's dark eyes flashed, "If it can force him to his death, why wouldn't I do it?"
Seeing the fleeting panic on Yao Fei's face, he bent down slightly. "You don't expect me to have any brotherly feelings for him, do you?"
"You've been acting so much, you're taking it all seriously?"
Jiang An's words pierced Yao Fei's heart, leaving her bleeding. "I never thought you would take it seriously, but I never thought you would be so ruthless."
Jiang An smiled as if he had heard a joke, "What does my ruthlessness mean to someone who almost became a murderer?"
He leaned close to her ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Yao Fei, don't think I don't know. On my first night at the Jiang family, you sent someone with a knife to kill me."
Yao Fei's face remained expressionless, but her hands, hidden in her sleeves, were trembling slightly.
"You're not reconciled to the fact that I didn't die, are you?" He slowly straightened up, reached out and patted the snowflakes off her shoulder, instantly regaining his self-restrained and courteous demeanor. "Aunt Yao, it's very cold. Come inside quickly, don't get cold."
After saying that, he strode towards the door.
After a moment of distraction, Yao Fei regained her senses and caught up with Jiang An. This time, she no longer put on airs or acted like an elder.
She realized that if she didn't back down, she would lose more than just Jiang Qi.
“Jiang An, Jiang An…” She grabbed his hand, her words muffled by the mist, “I can apologize for what happened before, but Jiang Xu and Jiang Qi did nothing to wrong you. Even if they did…” She paused slightly, gathering her thoughts, “I have no relation to you, but they are your brothers.”
Jiang An looked down at her tightly clenched hand.
"So what?" he asked softly. "Aren't brothers just used as stepping stones?"
He slowly broke free from Yao Fei's grasp. "The closer you are, the higher you should cushion it. That's what Jiang Xu taught me."
Hearing these words, Yao Fei's throat went dry. She never imagined that the boomerang from so many years ago would be so deeply embedded in her at this moment.
She pursed her lips. "Jiang An... what do you want from Jiang Qi? He really can't stay abroad any longer; his body can't take it."
Jiang An didn't say anything, but he found Yao Fei, who was struggling in the vortex, particularly ridiculous.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Two things. First, that Ms. Zhao Tinghe is probably some kind of relative of yours. She made me unhappy, so you should deal with her. Second, don't bother me anymore, or your other son will only suffer more than Jiang Qi."
Jiang An didn't deal with Zhao Tinghe himself, but instead let Yao Fei handle it. This was clearly handing her the knife and asking her to kill him herself.
Yao Fei stared blankly at Jiang An and said, "Does Wen Lingshuang know about this cruel and ruthless side of you?"
"I don't think she knows," Yao Fei sneered. "If that spoiled young lady knew, would she still love you?"
Jiang An's dark eyes narrowed, and he strode forward.
Yao Fei watched his retreating figure. "She won't love you, Jiang An. Even if you get everything, she still won't love you."
Yao Fei's voice gradually blended with the sound of wind and snow, fading into the distance.
Jiang An quickly got into the car and closed the door to block out all sound, but the sound still echoed like a haunting melody.
He sat in his seat, watching the snow fall heavily, and didn't know how long he watched before starting the car and driving home.
When he arrived home, the lights in the living room were on, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see many figures. Among them, he spotted Wen Lingshuang. She was wearing a beautiful and delicate dress, dancing with a wine glass in her hand. Her bright and flamboyant appearance was like a spring breeze, dispelling the gloom in Jiang An's heart.
He slowed his pace and walked towards her.
Upon seeing him, everyone tacitly refrained from reminding Wen Lingshuang.
When those large hands embraced her slender waist, Wen Lingshuang noticed that Jiang An had returned.
She turned around, nestled sweetly into his arms, and said, "Why are you back so late?"
Jiang An said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, there's a lot going on at the company."
"It's alright." Wen Lingshuang took out the last red envelope from her pocket and stuffed it into his coat pocket. "Everyone has one, so you have one too."
"Wow, Chairman Jiang's letter is especially thick, unlike ours!"
"Yes, Wen Lingshuang, you're being unfair!"
Everyone started to jeer, but Wen Lingshuang put her hands on her hips and glared at them. "Are you kidding me? This is my husband. Of course he's different from you guys!"
Jiang An looked at her and smiled slightly. He opened the side of the red envelope and looked inside. There was a thick stack of cash and a box of condoms. The words on the side of the condoms included descriptions such as "protruding nipples" and "lemon flavor".
He put his arm around her slender waist again and whispered, "Thank you, my wife. I love this New Year's gift."
With so many people around, neither of them felt comfortable kissing, so they simply hugged each other.
*
After the New Year's Eve dinner, a group of people went to the backyard to set off fireworks. The fireworks had been bought in advance, filling an entire storage room.
Wen Lingshuang held sparklers in both hands, playing and running around with her friends in the yard, while Jiang An sat in the semi-open coffee shop watching her play, his dark eyes filled with gentle and doting love.
This lively atmosphere and festive spirit are exactly what I imagined when I was a child.
Perhaps it's better than I imagined.
After bravely setting off a few large fireworks, Wen Lingshuang was a little tired and went into the coffee shop to drink hot coffee.
Upon entering, I saw Jiang An sitting alone on a wooden chair, his legs crossed. The colorful fireworks light from outside the window shone in, casting a long shadow of him.
I feel inexplicably lonely.
Wen Lingshuang guessed that he was thinking about the times he spent the New Year alone in the past, so she quietly walked up to him and hugged his neck from behind. "Why don't you come out and play with us?"
Jiang An turned his head to look at her, and easily kissed her red lips, stealing her fragrance.
Wen Lingshuang opened her red lips, letting him conquer her.
His technique was mature yet gentle, his kisses making her breath quicken and her chest heave violently. As their lips and tongues intertwined, he held her little tongue in his mouth, gently caressing every inch of her softness.
Wen Lingshuang squinted, and soon slumped down, leaning on his shoulder. "Ugh, don't do this."
"Don't want that?" Jiang An loosened the distance slightly, pressing his nose against hers. "Is it uncomfortable to kiss you like this?"
Wen Lingshuang blushed deeply. "It feels good."
"Then why won't you let me continue?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice hoarse. "Is it because kissing, like that kind of thing, is either you don't want it or you do?"
"You're going too far," Wen Lingshuang said, punching his shoulder. "You're saying this about me like that."
Jiang An grasped her slender wrist, kissed it, and asked, "Can we continue?"
Wen Lingshuang shook her head.
Jiang An lowered his voice, "Wife, do you want it? Are you worried that if I continue, you won't be able to play with them anymore?"
That hit the nail on the head.
Wen Lingshuang blushed to her neck and punched his shoulder, "Don't say it!"
"So I was right."
He carried her to the hall.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the hall offered a clear view of the fireworks display in the courtyard, as well as the scenes of friends playing. The only difference was that this place was completely enclosed, with heating and sofas. After he sat down with her in his arms, he sat sideways and looked at the scenery outside, saying, "The view is completely different here."
Wen Lingshuang was already moved and couldn't tell the difference between watching the fireworks here and watching them from a semi-open coffee shop.
His gaze fell on Jiang An's hiding place. He was even more moved than she was, and he was afraid of being impolite if he didn't go into the hall.
Because of the high indoor temperature, Wen Lingshuang took off her coat and wore a pale yellow strapless short dress, which made her look charming and graceful. She sat there in deep thought for a long time, as if she had made a decision. She grabbed Jiang An's hand and got up to walk towards the tea room, which had better soundproofing. After entering, she closed the door, turned her back to him, bit her lip and said, "Just five minutes, hurry up."
Jiang An had been hinting for so long, and he had indeed considered that Wen Lingshuang might cancel the party that night and go upstairs with him.
But to his surprise, she chose a compromise, managing to quickly extinguish the flames without having to go upstairs.
She couldn't stand being in that position with her back to him.
Jiang An swallowed hard. "Yangyang, if you keep doing this... I'll continue for a long time."
They hadn't taken off their clothes, nor had they moved their skirts; their slender high heels were enough to keep them balanced, and all that could be heard was the sound of a zipper being pulled open.
Wen Lingshuang couldn't help but tilt her head back, revealing her snow-white skin.
"Five minutes at a stretch," he whispered in her ear, "can you handle it?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
