Xu Xinning patted her aunt's hand to reassure her, then looked up and met Jiang Jueyi's envious gaze.
Xu Xinning knew the Jiang family's affairs better than anyone else, but it was their family matter, so what could an outsider like her say?
Lin Ying would always stay at the Mu family's house whenever she returned to the compound, saying that out of sight, out of mind. But Jiang Jueyi was different; she was the daughter of the Jiang family. Where could she possibly hide?
Xu Xinning felt quite sorry for Jiang Jueyi; the young girl looked delicate and frail, and her eyes always carried a hint of unease.
Grandpa Jiang and Jiang Juecheng were too busy with their work to imagine that their only daughter, who was with her biological mother, would be having a bad time.
Xu Xinning stood up and waved to Jiang Jueyi, who cautiously stepped forward.
Xu Xinning took her hand and said with a smile, "I rarely see you go out. Last time your sister-in-law came to visit, I asked her why she didn't bring you along. She said you were in your room and didn't want to go out. Come on in, let your sister-in-law peel an apple for you."
Mu Jingshu immediately said, "Second sister-in-law, I want to eat an apple too."
Xu Xinning pinched her nose and laughed, "You'll get your share."
As the three of them walked away, the aunt smiled and said, "Ningning has such a good personality. I used to think she was hard to get along with because she didn't talk much and seemed aloof. But after spending time with her, I realized that she has the kindest heart of all."
Grandma Xu smiled and replied, "This child is kind and considerate. Whose daughter is she? She seems quite timid."
Aunt: "You two might know his brother, Jiang Juecheng from the Jiang family. I heard he also went to your area as an educated youth."
Grandma Xu exclaimed in surprise, "This child is Juecheng's sister?"
The aunt nodded.
Grandma Xu strongly disapproved, saying, "How could they raise their child like this? This child looks like the kind who's used to being bullied."
The aunt shook her head repeatedly: "It can't be that bad, can it? Her grandfather, Chief Jiang, holds a high position and has great power. Now, only the eldest son's family lives with Chief Jiang. The eldest son's family has a son and a daughter. The son is Jiang Juecheng, and the daughter is this one. With her own parents by her side, how could she be bullied?"
Grandma Xu: "This child looks very different from Juecheng."
The aunt smiled and said, "Elder sister, you have a sharp eye. Jiang Juecheng was raised by Old Jiang himself. He is not under the care of his parents. The old leader is going to train him to be his successor. His aptitude is definitely not bad. As for this girl, she lives with her parents. Her father is also a soldier. He is busy and often not at home, so she has always lived with her mother."
Grandma Xu sighed, "Every family has its own problems."
Auntie: "Who says otherwise? Her mother is clueless; she'd rather be nice to a complete stranger than pay any attention to this child."
There are no secrets in the compound, and besides, the Jiang family also has aunts. There are small groups among the aunts. The Jiang family and the Mu family have a good relationship, so the two aunts naturally visit each other frequently. Therefore, the aunt knows a lot about the Jiang family's affairs.
Grandma Xu: "She's confused. She doesn't treat such a good child well. There will be a day when she'll cry."
Grandpa Xu fiddled with the chess set he had just learned, listening intently to the conversation between Grandma Xu and Aunt Xu.
Xu Xinning took out all the food and put it on the coffee table, and also asked Mu Jingshu to pour water for Jiang Jueyi.
The little girl skipped and hopped off to the kitchen to get some water.
This child has really gone wild in Xujia Village; I haven't seen her walk properly since.
Xu Xinning pulled Jiang Jueyi to sit down and then helped her peel an apple.
Xu Xinning: "Your sister-in-law hasn't come back?"
Jiang Jueyi: "Yeah! My brother said he'll be back a little later."
Xu Xinning knew that Jiang Juecheng had probably taken Lin Ying to find some good food again.
Lin Ying's palate has become quite spoiled lately thanks to Jiang Juecheng. Knowing that she doesn't really want to run into her mother, Jiang Juecheng takes her around looking for delicious food whenever he has free time.
Lin Ying always complained to Xu Xinning that she was being treated like a pig.
Xu Xinning scolded her for deliberately showing off in front of her.
Mu Jingheng thought Xu Xinning was envious, so he followed Jiang Juecheng's example and took Xu Xinning to find delicious food. After a few times, Xu Xinning became unhappy. What delicious food didn't they have in their space? It was a complete waste of time. It would be more interesting to study new drugs.
Mu Jingheng was busy himself. Not only did he have a lot of work to do at his unit, but he also had to keep accumulating wealth to prepare for the future. He wished he could split himself in two and be used as two people.
Xu Xinning smiled and said, "Next time, you should ask them to take you along. Young girls should go out and explore more."
Jiang Jueyi's face flushed red instantly, and she whispered, "That's not good."
Hsu Hsin-ning: "How do you know it's bad if you haven't tried it? Maybe they'd be happy to take you along?"
Mu Jingshu came over with a thermos and chimed in, "That's right, my second brother and sister-in-law are especially willing to take me along."
Xu Xinning joked, "Who said we wanted to bring you along?"
Mu Jingshu put down the thermos, hugged Xu Xinning's arm and said coquettishly, "I'm willing, I'm willing, I know you love me the most."
Xu Xinning held a fruit knife in one hand and an apple in the other, afraid that she would cut her hand because of Mu Jingshu's antics.
Xu Xinning: "Little darling, didn't you see I have a knife in my hand?"
Mu Jingshu patted Xu Xinning on the back with a serious expression and said earnestly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we're not afraid."
Xu Xinning was so angry she laughed.
Jiang Jueyi looked at Xu Xinning and Mu Jingshu with envy, as if no one had ever been so affectionate with her before.
When she was little, she saw other children acting cute with their mothers, so she tried to do the same when she got home. But all she got in return was her mother pinching her hard and calling her a nuisance.
That day, she realized that her mother was different from other people's mothers.
Xu Xinning peeled the apple, then cut it into slices, and served it to the two of them with a fork.
Xu Xinning knew that Li Youxuan might be visiting the Jiang family again today, so she said to Jiang Jueyi, "Why don't you stay for dinner today? My grandparents brought a lot of food from their hometown, so you should try some. Your brother will definitely bring your sister-in-law over when he finds out my grandparents are here. If you're bored, you can go to my room to read. You'll be graduating from high school soon, right? It won't hurt to solidify your knowledge."
Jiang Jueyi has excellent grades, but what's the use of good grades now? She still can't get into university.
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Xu Xinning said, "Opportunity favors the prepared. What if the college entrance examination is reinstated?"
Xu Xinning had heard Mu Jingheng say that the college entrance examination would be reinstated soon. Although she didn't have to take it, she hoped that the school could recruit more students with better abilities.
Her students' levels vary greatly, and sometimes it feels like they're talking past each other. It's exhausting and quite disheartening.
If the college entrance examination were to be reinstated, this situation would likely cease to exist. If one were to encounter a talented individual, taking them on as an apprentice wouldn't be out of the question.
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