Hong Xiaoduo was sitting in the direction that Manager Wu had left. Without even trying, she could see that after walking a certain distance, he stopped but didn't turn around. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing on his way.
Manager Wu's reaction showed that he felt that even if Hong Xiaoduo told Master Jiang about being prevented from entering the mansion, Master Jiang would at most just talk to him and wouldn't do anything to him.
"Master Jiang, your steward has worked in the manor for many years. You must trust him a lot, right?" Hong Xiaoduo asked, turning her gaze away and putting down the half-eaten pastry in her hand.
Jiang An paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "He worked for me before I got married. He was hardworking and reliable. After the younger generation in our family got married, they were given shops and businesses to manage on their own, so I promoted him to be the manager."
He felt that Hong Xiaoduo had something on her mind, or that she had encountered some difficulties. He had dismissed all the irrelevant people and asked her if she had encountered any problems.
But how come she has the mind to talk about other things right now?
"Mr. Jiang, how is your health? I mean, if you hear something that is extremely exciting or tragic, can you handle it?"
"I've heard that wealthy families also have physicians. Do you have one in your household?" Hong Xiaoduo asked.
Huh? What does that mean? Jiang An was even more confused, thinking to himself, "Xiao Duo, what exactly is the trouble you're facing? How could it possibly affect me?"
Surely it's not some kind of enemy from the martial arts world who's been chasing you all the way here!
"My health has always been good, but there's no doctor in the manor. However, don't worry, Xiaoduo, no matter what terrible things you say later, I can handle it and I won't faint," Jiang An assured him.
Upon hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo nodded and asked, "In your eyes, Mr. Jiang, what kind of person am I, Hong Xiaoduo? Am I trustworthy?"
Jiang An replied without thinking, "Xiao Duo, your question is unnecessary. Although I met you because of that good-for-nothing scoundrel, I hit it off with you at first sight and we get along very well."
I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me for saying this, but when you asked me to call you Xiaoduo, I really wanted you to change how you address me. Not "Master Jiang," "Uncle Jiang," or "Uncle" would be fine too, but then I thought it wouldn't be appropriate.
Although we are quite different in age, we really get along well. You could call us friends despite the age gap, right? In my eyes, Xiaoduo, you are definitely someone I can trust.
So, please feel free to speak your mind. Although I'm just a businessman, if I can't handle it, I can always find someone else.
Hearing Jiang An's reply, Hong Xiaoduo felt very comfortable. She smiled, picked up the teacup beside her, took a sip to moisten her throat, and then put the teacup down, looking at the other person: "Yes, we are kindred spirits despite our age difference. In that case, I would like to hear if you have any regrets or wishes, Mr. Jiang. Tell me, and perhaps I can help you fulfill them."
Why are we talking about me again? Jiang An looked at Hong Xiaoduo in confusion, thinking, maybe this girl just can't bring herself to say it?
"Me? The biggest regret in my life is the death of my wife and the fact that I didn't raise the son she gave birth to with her life. My wish for many years has been that Cheng'er, this good-for-nothing, will turn over a new leaf and become an upright person."
But, Xiaoduo, as you can see, this is simply impossible.
"I've already thought it all out. After I die, I will not be buried with my wife, nor will I be buried in the ancestral graveyard, because I will be ashamed before the ancestors of the Jiang family, and I will have no face to see my wife." Jiang An said self-deprecatingly, picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. The tea made him feel like he was drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
Seeing this, Hong Xiaoduo picked up the teapot and refilled his teacup. After putting the teapot down, she looked at him and said, word by word, "I am powerless to help you with your wife's matter, but I can help you with your son's matter."
"Xiao Duo, you mean you're willing to take him as your apprentice and teach him by your side? That's great! You can beat him, scold him, cripple him, it doesn't matter, I absolutely won't blame you," Jiang An said happily.
“Master Jiang, how old am I? Is it appropriate for me to take on a disciple who is more than ten years older than me?” Hong Xiaoduo said with a smile.
Even if she really intended to take on a disciple, she wouldn't take on such a scoundrel with such bad genes. Why bother disciplining him? If he's not taught properly, he'll bring shame to the family and she'll have to clean house. She doesn't want that kind of trouble!
“What’s wrong with that? Who says a disciple has to be younger than his master?” Jiang An quickly said.
There's still a glimmer of hope if we entrust that bastard to Xiaoduo for discipline.
Hong Xiaoduo waved her hand while laughing and said, "It's absolutely impossible to take him in. With my temper, he probably wouldn't even last three days by my side before I whipped him and sent him to the King of Hell."
Besides, he's not an immature child; he's in his mid-twenties, and he's beyond redemption.
Although what Hong Xiaoduo said was all true, Jiang An still felt a little uncomfortable listening to it, and his old face became a little hot as he said, "So, Xiaoduo, do you mean that you can help send him to the military camp so that he can suffer some hardships and experience life and death, so that he can be reborn as a person?"
“No, no, Mr. Jiang, there’s an old saying you’ve probably heard: ‘Like begets like.’ So, what’s the meaning of this saying?” Hong Xiaoduo asked with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Jiang An's face grew even hotter. He knew that Xiao Duo wasn't deliberately making sarcastic remarks or mocking him: "You mean, what kind of parents you have determines what kind of child you have."
It must be because I neglected to discipline him that he behaved this way!
"Mr. Jiang, don't blame yourself. Haven't you considered the possibility that this good-for-nothing son isn't actually your biological son at all?" Hong Xiaoduo felt that she had laid the groundwork enough and it was time to get to the point.
Upon hearing this, Jiang An's expression immediately changed, and his tone turned serious: "Xiao Duo, we get along well, you can say whatever you want about me, but you can't insult my wife."
Hong Xiaoduo wasn't angry when she heard this, after all, she hadn't expressed herself clearly enough, causing the other person to misunderstand: "You misunderstood. Even if I'm young and outspoken, I would never insult your wife. But I really didn't express myself clearly just now. What I mean is, is it possible that Jiang Baicheng, who grew up in this mansion with you, is not your and your wife's biological son, not the one your wife carried for ten months?"
These words softened Jiang An's expression, and he said with a wry smile, "How could that be? Xiao Duo, do you mean that the child I had with my wife was switched? How could that be? That's absolutely impossible."
Over the years, no matter how unruly his son was, besides blaming himself for not disciplining him well, he believed that he owed this rebellious son something in his past life, and that this son had come to collect his debt in this life.
Jiang An genuinely hadn't considered that this son wasn't his biological child. He thought the reason Xiao Duo said that was because she was young and had a vivid imagination...
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