Chapter Sixty-Three: Warning
Seeing this, Ji Xia scoffed, "Today is Old Master Si's birthday banquet, and you're publicly speaking ill of his family. What if this gets back to him..."
Upon hearing her threat, everyone's expression changed.
"You're ruthless!" The woman who had been so arrogant just moments before could only utter harsh words now. After saying that, she and the people around her gradually dispersed.
Jiang Ran watched them leave in a disheveled state, then looked up at Ji Xia and chuckled softly, "Thank you."
Ji Xia pursed her lips, looking somewhat displeased: "Do friends really need to be so polite?"
Jiang Ran smiled slightly. The farce had just ended, and before she could even exchange a few pleasantries with Ji Xia, Old Master Si summoned her to check on the cake-making process.
Since she agreed to treat the old man's illness, the relationship between the two has become much closer.
"What brings you here?" The kitchen staff were slightly taken aback when they saw Jiang Ran and quickly asked.
Jiang Ran smiled slightly. After explaining her purpose, the kitchen staff relaxed and replied, "The pastry chef is doing the final step, decorating the cakes. It should be done soon."
"Okay." She nodded slightly and was about to leave when she suddenly saw a familiar figure flash past the door. She quickly followed.
"Si Jiliang?" Jiang Ran called out softly from behind.
Si Jiliang stopped and turned to look at her.
"What are you doing here?" Jiang Ran asked.
Logically speaking, his identity, which is so secretive, should not be revealed to the public at this time.
Si Jiliang saw her and raised an eyebrow slightly: "I was just looking for you."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran looked puzzled: "What do you want with me?"
Si Jiliang glanced at the servants hurrying around and replied in a low voice, "Follow me."
Jiang Ran didn't understand why, but she still followed him to the backyard.
A hint of doubt flashed through his mind; it seemed he was quite familiar with the terrain here.
"I heard you were the one who treated that person's illness?" Si Jiliang suddenly stopped and looked at her directly, asking.
Jiang Ran reacted quickly and knew what he was referring to. A hint of surprise flashed across her face: "How did you know? Are you so well-informed?"
Si Jiliang's expression changed, and he pursed his lips.
He had something urgent to attend to, so he rushed over to the banquet as soon as possible after finishing what he was doing.
He had just arrived when he heard that Old Master Si's old illness had relapsed and that the family doctor had been called in. Others might not know, but he was well aware of it.
Judging from the illness in Mr. Si's body, even if the doctor comes, it won't be of much use. As usual, he can only relieve his cough with medication.
Upon hearing the news, he rushed to the study, only to be stopped by the butler, who informed him that the situation had been temporarily suppressed.
He wanted to ask more questions, but the butler dismissed him with a few words, simply because his status was illegitimate...
Recalling the conversation just now, a cold glint flashed in Si Jiliang's eyes.
"Hmm?" Seeing that he remained silent, Jiang Ranfu asked again.
Si Jiliang's eyes darkened, and he explained, "I overheard your child talking about this earlier."
Hearing his words, Jiang Ran reached up and rubbed her forehead, looking helpless, and said with a self-deprecating laugh, "They must be talking bad about me behind my back again."
Si Jiliang glanced at her sideways and said coldly, "You know that too? Looks like you're quite self-aware."
Jiang Ran ignored his sarcasm and chuckled softly, "You came here just to ask me this?"
Si Jiliang shook his head slightly, lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "I'm just very surprised that you would do this."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of confusion flashing across her face: "What? Do you think I'm meddling?"
“Heh…” Si Jiliang suddenly scoffed, then said, “I advise you to save your trouble. This is none of your business.”
"I don't care what you did before, but if you set your sights on the wrong people, don't blame me for being impolite."
Jiang Ran's expression remained unchanged as she looked up at him calmly: "Are you warning me?"
She then chuckled softly, stroking the ring on her hand: "I'm quite curious about what your relationship with the old man really is?"
"Relatives?" He paused slightly, then continued, "Or perhaps enemies?"
"What's it to you?" Si Jiliang replied coldly, a hint of hostility flashing in his eyes.
Jiang Ran seemed not to hear, and continued to voice her suspicions: "If you two have a good relationship, why is it that your identity has not been known to the outside world until now?"
"Logically speaking, having illegitimate children in wealthy families is not something shameful."
"But if you say your relationship is bad, then why are you here now, showing such concern for his health and not forgetting to warn me?"
Having said that, he took two steps closer to him, raised an eyebrow, and said meaningfully, "Si Jiliang, you are becoming more and more unfathomable to me."
Seeing the scrutiny in Jiang Ran's eyes, Si Jiliang didn't shy away at all, instead meeting her gaze directly: "I feel the same way."
He had previously thought Jiang Ran was brainless, but ever since she proposed buying back the shares, she has started to act strangely.
After that, almost every step she took was beyond her expectations.
"You don't need to speculate about our relationship. Just mind your own business first!"
After saying this, Si Jiliang turned and left.
Jiang Ran watched his retreating figure, lowered her eyes slightly, and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
————
The birthday banquet came to a perfect end, and Ji Xia bid her a reluctant farewell before leaving.
"In short, you need to consider this matter carefully. Just like you said before, you should always put yourself first."
Knowing that she was kind-hearted, Jiang Ran couldn't help but remind her, after all, her mother-in-law was no pushover either.
Ji Xia nodded and responded softly.
Jiang Ran glanced around and, sure enough, did not see Si Jiliang's figure.
On the way back to the villa, Jiang Ran drove, with Si Zuochen and Si Youlin sitting in the back. The air was silent, with a faint sense of awkwardness permeating the atmosphere.
Jiang Ran looked in the rearview mirror and found herself making eye contact with Si Zuochen. Being caught red-handed was inevitably a bit embarrassing.
"Ahem..." Jiang Ran coughed twice to break the silence, then asked, "It's still early. Are you planning to go home to sleep or should I take you to play games?"
She had also secretly investigated the two of them and inadvertently discovered that Si Zuochen was actually a gaming expert, consistently ranking among the top three in the national rankings at such a young age, truly a gifted individual.
Upon hearing this, Si Youlin looked up in surprise, not expecting her to offer to take them to play games.
Isn't this kind of behavior generally considered bad behavior in the eyes of elders?
Si Zuochen scoffed, mocking, "You'd be so kind? You're just trying to curry favor with us, or you want to find something to use against us for playing games."
Then he said coldly, "Let me tell you, you'd better give up on this idea, it's useless!"
Hearing his suspicions about her, Jiang Ran couldn't help but chuckle, then shook her head, somewhat speechless: "Is that really what you think?"
Si Zuochen frowned slightly: "That's the truth."
Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow, her eyes darkening slightly, and said sarcastically, "If I really wanted to do that, would I have waited until now?"
"Do you really think I'm completely unaware every time you go out? Playing games is nothing, if I really wanted to report you, I would just expose your attempted kidnapping, wouldn't that be enough?"
"I wonder if Old Master Si would faint from anger if he knew about this."
Hearing Jiang Ran's veiled sarcasm, Si Zuochen shouted angrily, "How dare you!"
Jiang Ran replied coldly, "What wouldn't I dare to do?"
Si Youlin suddenly spoke up from the side: "We also have dirt on you..."
"Threatening me?" Jiang Ran said nonchalantly, "That's true, anyway, you guys have taken quite a few photos, haven't you?"
“You can tell the old man about this. I’ve already thought of a reason for you: I’m dishonest and I’m having an affair.”
Seeing her nonchalant attitude, Si Zuochen frowned, and a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes as he looked at her.
"Shameless!"
She knew they wouldn't want to worry her grandfather, which is why she dared to be so reckless.
Jiang Ran ignored his sarcasm and silently stepped on the gas, increasing the car's speed.
I just asked a question out of kindness, and I got mocked like this. If it weren't for their young age, I would have to teach them a lesson about how treacherous society can be!
Upon arriving at the villa, as soon as the car came to a stop, Si Zuochen eagerly opened the car door, with Si Youlin following closely behind, as if a demon were chasing them.
Jiang Ran watched their retreating figures, chuckled helplessly, and turned to walk towards the villa.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com