30. Uninvited Guests
Mr. Chen put down his teacup with a crisp sound, and the entire hall fell silent. His eyes swept across Li Li's smiling face, and finally landed on Jiang Nan, who looked a little embarrassed, and Chen Yunsheng, who looked calm.
"Alright," the old man said in a steady voice, "what to call them and when to call them is up to the children. What's most important is that they feel comfortable. We in the Chen family don't care about those empty formalities."
He looked at Jiang Nan, his expression having softened considerably: "Nan Nan, follow your heart and don't worry about what others say."
Li Li's smile froze for a moment. She wanted to say something, but Su Wanrong gave her a cold glance. In the end, she didn't say anything. She had to pick up the teacup and take another sip to cover up.
Chen Yunsheng tilted his head slightly. He moved closer to Jiang Nan and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't mind it."
Jiang Nan nodded, the awkwardness and embarrassment she felt gradually easing. She glanced at Old Man Chen gratefully and nodded softly to Chen Yunsheng.
The atmosphere seemed to calm down again. The conversation returned to trivial matters. Chen Mingyuan asked about Chen Yunsheng's company's recent progress, while Su Wanrong expressed concern for the newly raised koi in the lotus pond at the old house. The two of them tacitly avoided the previous unpleasantness.
After a while, the housekeeper Qian Yuan came in and said hesitantly, "Master, sir, madam, the second master is back, and he brought Miss Liang Yue with him..."
Before he finished speaking, Chen Minghui walked in with a smile. Behind him followed a young woman wearing an exquisite suit and bright makeup.
"Dad, big brother and sister-in-law, Yunsheng," Chen Minghui said in a loud voice, "Look who's here? I just happened to run into Yueyue on the way. She heard we were having a family dinner today, and she insisted on coming over to visit old man. She said she hadn't seen him in a while and missed him a lot."
Liang Yue immediately took a few steps forward, smiling sweetly and speaking in a delicate voice: "Hello, Grandpa Chen, hello, uncle and aunt, brother Yunsheng—" Her gaze fell on Chen Yunsheng, and she paused deliberately, her eyes eager. Then she glanced at Jiang Nan twice as if she had just discovered her, a trace of inquiry and pickiness in her eyes, "Who is this?"
Jiang Nan blinked, clearly sensing the change in atmosphere. She bowed slightly and replied, "Jiang Nan."
"My wife." Chen Yunsheng added.
"Oh." Liang Yue responded coldly.
Old Master Chen frowned, Chen Mingyuan became serious, the polite smile on Su Wanrong's lips completely disappeared, and Chen Yunsheng, who was next to Jiang Nan, had no expression on his face, but the air pressure around him dropped instantly.
Li Li, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She stood up and greeted them warmly: "Oh, Yueyue is here! Come and sit down! What a coincidence! Everyone is here today, so it's so lively." She personally pulled Liang Yue and let her sit not far from Chen Yunsheng.
Liang Yue sat down gracefully, her eyes almost glued to Chen Yunsheng: "Brother Yunsheng, long time no see, have you been busy recently?"
Chen Yunsheng's attitude was polite and calm: "Not bad."
Liang Yue didn't seem to feel left out. She turned to Old Man Chen with a smile and said, "Grandpa Chen, you're still in good health! My father got a piece of Laokeng Duan inkstone a few days ago. I thought you would like it. I'll bring it to you next time."
"Thank you for your kindness." Old Master Chen agreed calmly, his expression unremarkable.
Jiang Nan sat quietly, feeling like an outsider who had stumbled into the place by mistake. Liang Yue's presence clearly made the Chen family uncomfortable, especially Chen Yunsheng. Furthermore, she could sense the unconcealed comparison and hostility as Liang Yue sized her up.
Li Li looked at the silent Jiang Nan with satisfaction and continued to fan the flames: "Yueyue is sensible, unlike some children who don't know any rules at all."
These words were suggestive, and he glanced at Jiang Nan.
Liang Yue immediately responded, her tone innocent yet a little aggrieved: "Aunt Lili, don't say that. Maybe it's just that each family has different customs. For example, we were taught from a young age to be respectful to our elders. We can't miss any proper etiquette."
As she spoke, she looked at Chen Yunsheng again: "Brother Yunsheng, aren't you right?"
Chen Yunsheng didn't respond, but just picked up the sour plum soup and took a sip.
The scene was a bit quiet for a moment. Chen Minghui laughed out loud: "Young people have their own way of getting along with each other. We, the older generation, should stay out of it."
Li Li snorted, but continued to drink her tea leisurely.
Jiang Nan turned slightly sideways uncomfortably and spoke to Mr. Chen.
She saw that Liang Yue's main target was Chen Yunsheng. However, she was unsure of Chen Yunsheng's attitude and was not in a position to speak, so she focused on talking to the old man.
The old man looked at Jiang Nan and suddenly said, "Nannan, play a game of chess with grandpa, okay?"
"Of course," Jiang Nan said with a smile, "You can also see if my chess skills have improved during this period."
Old Master Chen stood up, holding Qian Yuan's hand, and said in a teasing tone, "I still remember those bad moves you made."
"I promise I won't make any bad moves this time." Jiang Nan stood up and echoed what Mr. Chen said.
Chen Yunsheng suddenly stood up as well. He walked over to Jiang Nan and said briskly, "Grandpa, do you mind me being around?"
Old Master Chen glared at him and pretended to complain: "Humph, let me make it clear first, you are not allowed to take sides with Nan Nan."
"Even if I want to help, Nan Nan won't listen," said Chen Yunsheng.
Jiang Nan was silent for a few seconds, then chose a safe answer: "As the saying goes, a true gentleman watches a chess game without saying a word. He is a gentleman, so he won't speak."
Old Master Chen laughed heartily and casually told Chen Mingyuan, "Keep an eye on the guests."
"Yes." Chen Mingyuan agreed.
Liang Yue looked at them and was about to stand up, but Su Wanrong suddenly asked, "Didn't Miss Liang go abroad to study? Why are you back so soon?"
Liang Yue had no choice but to sit down and answer Su Wanrong's question: "Well, the school is on vacation now, so I came back."
After she finished speaking, she wanted to chase after him, but Su Wanrong kept asking her a few questions, so she missed the opportunity and could only stay in the hall and talk to Su Wanrong.
——
While playing chess, Jiang Nan didn't ask anything, but just wholeheartedly accompanied the old man to play chess and chat, until Qian Yuan came over to ask if it was time to eat.
Mr. Chen was silent for a moment before he nodded, took Chen Yunsheng's hand and stood up: "Let's eat first."
Jiang Nan lowered his head to pack up the chess pieces, reluctant to go over. Judging from what had just happened, even if this meal wasn't bloody, it was bound to be restless.
She didn't want to face it, but that was what she was hired to do. In other words, she had no right to escape.
Jiang Nan sighed inwardly, closed the chess box, and followed Chen Yunsheng and Old Man Chen in silence.
Chen Yunsheng glanced at her and opened his mouth to say something, but because the old man was present, he said nothing.
Jiang Nan noticed that he was hesitant to speak, so he smiled and pretended to be indifferent.
Seeing her smile, Chen Yunsheng's eyes dimmed slightly, then he turned his head and continued talking to Mr. Chen.
As soon as his gaze shifted away, Jiang Nan's expression returned to calm. The momentary warmth of the morning had indeed rekindled her lust for Chen Yunsheng, but by this point, her heart was like a mirror beneath the Bodhi tree, free of dust.
Entering the side hall, the atmosphere is still subtle.
Old Master Chen sat in the main seat, Chen Mingyuan and Su Wanrong sat on his left, Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng sat on his right, Chen Minghui sat next to Chen Yunsheng, Li Li sat next to Su Wanrong, and as for Liang Yue, she was arranged next to Li Li, diagonally facing Chen Yunsheng.
Liang Yue was determined to attract Chen Yunsheng's attention, so she kept finding topics to talk about, from the recent concert to the jewelry at the auction, and her words revealed her wealthy family background and elegant taste.
"This pair of pearls is actually just average quality, but my dad said I liked them, so I bought them." Liang Yue brushed her hair aside, revealing small pearl earrings. "Brother Yunsheng, are you knowledgeable about jewelry? Could you give me some advice next time?"
Chen Yunsheng picked up a dish with chopsticks without looking up: "Sorry, I haven't done any research on this."
Li Li quickly responded, "Yunsheng is busy with important matters, so he doesn't have time to study these things. But Yueyue, you have good vision, so just make your own decision."
Liang Yue pouted and said coquettishly, "How can that be? Other people's opinions are also important. Especially Brother Yunsheng's opinion."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted towards Jiang Nan again, with a hint of provocation in her tone: "Miss Jiang, what kind of jewelry do you like to wear? I don't seem to see you wearing anything... Oh, except this bracelet on your hand." She stared at the jade bracelet on Jiang Nan's wrist, and a trace of resentment flashed in her eyes.
Jiang Nan looked down at his wrist and said calmly, "I don't really know much about these things. It's just that it's comfortable to wear."
"That's right," Liang Yue chuckled. "Everyone has different preferences. For example, I value design and brand heritage. After all, jewelry is a reflection of one's status."
Jiang Nan's heart moved slightly, and he thought of Summer Pulse.
But no matter what Jiang Nan thought, the disparagement in these words was so obvious that even Chen Mingyuan coughed lightly. Su Wanrong put down her chopsticks and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. Her movements were elegant, but also revealed a sense of dissatisfaction.
Li Li smiled proudly and agreed, "But for some people, even if they wear gold and adorn themselves with jade, it's useless. They still look poor."
Jiang Nan was very aware that Li Li was insulting her in a veiled way.
She was really angry, but when she thought about the monthly salary Chen Yunsheng offered, she was no longer angry. She ignored the barking and continued eating as if nothing had happened.
At this moment, Chen Yunsheng suddenly spoke, his words unusually unfriendly: "Don't talk while eating, and don't talk while sleeping. Miss Liang is an outsider and doesn't understand the rules. Don't you understand them either, Second Aunt?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the smug smiles on Li Li and Liang Yue's faces vanished. Liang Yue's cheeks flushed slightly, and she felt a little embarrassed. Li Li was furious and annoyed. She opened her mouth to argue with Chen Yunsheng, but Chen Minghui gently kicked her under the table. Li Li was indignant, but she had no choice but to give up.
After Li Li and Liang Yue fell silent, the side hall finally became quiet.
After dinner, the group moved to the flower hall to enjoy some fruit. Old Man Chen looked tired and listless. Chen Mingyuan and Su Wanrong accompanied him, but they didn't say much.
Li Li, Chen Mingyuan, and Liang Yue were all very interested and kept talking. Liang Yue seemed to be looking for an opportunity to talk to Chen Yunsheng, but Chen Yunsheng walked straight to Jiang Nan and whispered, "Are you tired? Do you want to go back to your room and rest?"
Jiang Nan did feel that the atmosphere was tiring, so he nodded.
So, Chen Yunsheng led Jiang Nan to Old Man Chen and the others: "Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Nan Nan is a little tired from working overtime recently, let's go upstairs and rest first."
Mr. Chen waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, have a good rest."
Chen Mingyuan and Su Wanrong nodded and said nothing.
Liang Yue looked at the two people who were about to leave and couldn't help but stand up: "Brother Yunsheng..."
Chen Yunsheng did not stop, just stroking Jiang Nan's back and leading her out of the flower hall.
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