Ning Wenying led Jiang Yi downstairs and they sat on the sofa on the second-floor balcony.
It was early winter, and the wind howled incessantly outside, sounding slightly eerie. Inside, however, separated by a floor-to-ceiling glass window, it was warm and cozy.
Jiang Yi, casually wrapped in a jacket, sat upright on the sofa, looking nervously at Ning Wenying. “Auntie Ning, what did you want to talk about?”
Ning Wenying, dressed in a silk nightgown and a knitted shawl, sat opposite her. A tea set was placed on the table before her, the water gently simmering.
Ning Wenying leaned forward, using small tongs to take about ten grams of flower tea from a porcelain canister and placing it in an open glass bottle. She waited for the water to boil, then lifted the kettle and slowly poured it over the tea leaves.
Amidst the gentle sound of pouring water, Ning Wenying looked up at Jiang Yi and said calmly, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Let’s have some tea first.”
Even though Ning Wenying hadn’t said anything specific, Jiang Yi felt inexplicably guilty and apprehensive. She placed her hands on her knees and said anxiously, “Auntie Ning… just tell me directly what’s going on. You’re making me nervous…”
Ning Wenying, having finished brewing the tea, chuckled at her words. Smiling, she looked at Jiang Yi and asked, “What are you nervous about? Have you done something bad recently?”
In front of her beloved elder, Jiang Yi knew the rule was “Honesty is the best policy.” For her own safety, she decided to confess.
Looking at Ning Wenying, she said sincerely, “I haven’t done anything too bad, but I might have caused you a little trouble.”
“That Jiang Duobao incident… I did it. I couldn’t stand him, so I just gave him a taste of his own medicine.”
Seeing Jiang Yi’s honest confession, Ning Wenying wasn’t surprised at all. She poured Jiang Yi a cup of tea and said with a smile, “I know. Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Yi, for venting my anger.”
Hearing her tone, Jiang Yi finally relaxed. She looked at Ning Wenying and said, slightly exasperated, “As expected… you already knew.”
Ning Wenying nodded. “It was trending. It was hard for me not to know. Don’t worry about it anymore. That child is unpleasant; someone will deal with him.”
Jiang Yi looked slightly anxious. “So… you’re not angry?”
Ning Wenying smiled. “There’s nothing to be angry about. I don’t like bullying people, and I won’t be bullied. But if someone upsets me, I’ll make them uncomfortable too. Xiao Yi, you know how to make people uncomfortable, don’t you?”
Ning Wenying winked at Jiang Yi, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, I’ll get someone to recover the damage to my reputation.” Since she had the time, she might as well have someone snatch a project from the Songshan Jiang family. Otherwise, Jiang Liuyun, living too comfortably, would forget to discipline his mistress and their brat, and then some other random cat or dog would come and bother her again.
Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you’re not angry. I was worried that person would upset you! That would make him even more unforgivable!”
Jiang Yi spoke righteously, and Ning Wenying couldn’t help but chuckle, finding her utterly adorable.
Ning Wenying smiled. “I’m a very open-minded person. I won’t let insignificant things ruin my mood.”
She poured Jiang Yi another cup of tea, pushed it towards her, rested her chin on her hand, and said gently, “Did you think I came here to scold you about this?”
Jiang Yi quickly shook her head. “No, no, Auntie Ning is so gentle and kind, how could you scold me?” She hadn’t thought that at all. She just felt embarrassed about making things so public!
Ning Wenying nodded knowingly. “Oh… so you did think that.”
Jiang Yi frantically waved her hands in denial. “No… I really didn’t think that.”
Ning Wenying smiled. “Alright, alright, I told you not to be so nervous. I’m not blaming you. On the contrary, I’m very happy.”
“Xiao Yi, you worked so hard and so diligently on this, it shows you care about me and Xianxian. I’m really happy you consider us close.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yi blushed. She scratched her face and said shyly, “Because to me, Auntie Ning, you’re like family, very special, very important.”
She finished, then looked up at Ning Wenying, her eyes full of sincerity.
Looking at her expression, Ning Wenying’s heart softened. She reached out and ruffled Jiang Yi’s hair, saying warmly, “Xiao Yi, you’re truly a good child. I should dote on you even more.”
Jiang Yi smiled shyly. “It’s already good enough. You already dote on me a lot.”
Ning Wenying ruffled her hair again, then withdrew her hand and looked at her with a gentle smile. “Alright, I didn’t call you here just for this. I wanted to talk to you about something else.”
Jiang Yi lifted her teacup, blew on it gently, and asked curiously, “What is it?” Besides that incident, she hadn’t done anything else recently, had she?
Ning Wenying rested her chin on her hand and looked at her tenderly. “Aren’t you almost sixteen? Your birthday is on Christmas Day, right?”
“Your mother wants to throw you a birthday party, mainly to introduce you to her friends and some relatives.”
“She didn’t dare ask you directly, so she begged me to sound you out first. It’ll be a big party, with many people you don’t know, and she’s afraid you won’t be comfortable, so she didn’t want to just make the decision herself this time.”
Of course, the truth was Jiang Qionghua had unilaterally come up with a birthday party plan. Ning Wenying, worried Jiang Yi might have other ideas, had stopped her from making the decision alone and decided to ask Jiang Yi’s opinion first.
Jiang Yi looked surprised. “You came to ask me, right? My mother… she’s probably already planned everything, all arranged, just waiting for me to show up.”
Ning Wenying chuckled. After all, anyone who spent a little time with Jiang Qionghua knew her overbearing CEO tendencies.
For so many years, only Ning Wenying could rein her in.
Ning Wenying didn’t answer directly, instead asking, “So, Xiao Yi, what do you think? Are you okay with it, or not? Or would you prefer just a small celebration at home with your mother and me?”
Jiang Yi hesitated, then asked, “What do you think, Auntie Ning? I’d like to hear your opinion.”
Ning Wenying considered this, then said, “Well… take Xianxian, for example. For her 100th day celebration and her sixteenth birthday, I threw her huge parties.”
“I think this is something your mother should do. If you’re willing, I believe she can do it very well.”
Children born into such families were raised with silver spoons in their mouths, showered with love and affection. Even though Jiang Yi was born out of wedlock, given her circumstances, she deserved a grand entrance.
Especially since, after Ning Wenying had miscarried due to her husband’s betrayal and subsequently struggled to conceive, Jiang Qionghua had given up on having children, focusing on raising Jiang Sixian as her own.
Then Jiang Yi appeared, and it took Jiang Qionghua several days to accept this reality.
Ning Wenying understood Jiang Qionghua. She knew that, barring unforeseen circumstances, Jiang Yi would be Jiang Qionghua’s only child.
As the sole heir to Yun City’s wealthiest person, Jiang Yi deserved a grand introduction at sixteen.
Jiang Yi thought about it and decided there was no reason to refuse the birthday party. Appearing before so many people would further solidify her relationship with Jiang Sixian. Perhaps, in the eyes of others, they, as sisters whose mothers weren’t yet married, would simply be seen as “sisters.”
This way, subtly, Jiang Sixian might actually start treating her like a younger sister. After all, Jiang Sixian had been quite caring towards her and hadn’t shown any signs of early teenage romance. With careful nurturing, it might work.
Countless thoughts flashed through Jiang Yi’s mind. She looked up at Ning Wenying and asked tentatively, “If I have the party… can I bring my friends?”
Ning Wenying smiled. “Of course. Even if you brought the entire school, I think your mother would find a way to make sure you all had fun.”
Jiang Yi figured since she was already here, she might as well embrace it. At most, she’d be paraded around by Jiang Qionghua on her birthday, and then she could hang out with her friends afterwards.
Plus, she’d promised the little monitor a big meal. Inviting them to the birthday party could count as fulfilling that promise!
Jiang Yi, feeling quite pleased with herself, chatted with Ning Wenying for a bit longer before heading upstairs to her room.
She’d just reached the third-floor landing when Jiang Sixian’s door creaked open.
Jiang Yi instinctively turned towards the sound.
Jiang Sixian, sitting in her wheelchair, opened the door and looked up at her, hesitantly calling out, “Jiang Yi…”
Jiang Yi, slightly puzzled, asked, “What’s up?”
Jiang Sixian beckoned her over. Jiang Yi, as if compelled, walked to her door and leaned against the frame, looking down at her. “What is it?”
Jiang Sixian looked up at her and smiled slightly. “That Jiang Duobao incident… you did it, right?”
Jiang Yi thought their mother and daughter were truly in sync. The mother had just approached her, and now the daughter was asking too.
Jiang Yi nodded. “Yeah, I did it.” After admitting it, she added, “But I did it for Auntie Ning. Jiang Sixian… your mother has been very good to me.”
“To say something that might upset you, I’ve always felt like she’s another mother to me. I love her very much.”
Jiang Sixian pursed her lips, feeling a twinge of discomfort. She felt both happy and unhappy at the same time.
After a moment’s thought, she said to Jiang Yi, “Jiang Yi… I’m very happy you value my mother so much. If it were you, I could accept… you receiving my mother’s care and love.”
Jiang Sixian looked up, her gaze firm. “You becoming her other child.”
Jiang Yi was stunned. She felt Jiang Sixian’s reaction was unexpected. What did she mean by “becoming her other child”? Did Jiang Sixian have some kind of “older sister” awakening?
Jiang Yi paused, then said to Jiang Sixian, “If that could happen, it would be for the best. For Auntie Ning’s sake, I’ll also try my best to care for you, to overcome my awkwardness, and treat you like my older sister.”
Jiang Sixian’s hands tightened on her wheelchair. She repeated Jiang Yi’s words softly, “Like… an older sister?”
Jiang Yi nodded. “Yes.”
Jiang Sixian thought for a moment, then said thoughtfully, “But… if you’re treating me like an older sister, shouldn’t you call me Xianxian-jie? Because calling me that sounds awkward. No real sisters would address each other like that.”
Jiang Yi was taken aback, thinking Jiang Sixian was truly demanding. She thought for a moment, then asked, “What’s wrong with Xianxian-jie? In families with multiple siblings, don’t they usually add ‘jie’ to a nickname?”
Jiang Sixian said softly, “But you don’t have any other older sisters, right? Can’t you just call me ‘jiejie’?”
“‘Jiejie’?” Jiang Yi frowned, goosebumps rising on her arms. She shuddered involuntarily and shook her head. “No way, you’re not that much older than me. Calling you that… feels too awkward!”
Jiang Sixian compromised. “Alright, since you don’t want to, forget it. But… are we reconciled now? If so, can I call you Xiao Yi, like my mother does?”
Jiang Yi ruthlessly rejected her. “No, I’m not used to it.”
Jiang Sixian bit her lip, looking at Jiang Yi with disappointment. Jiang Yi felt a pang of guilt and looked down at her. “I’m used to you calling me by my name. I don’t like other nicknames.”
Jiang Sixian paused, then, thinking Jiang Yi’s response probably meant “I like you calling me by my name,” she smiled slightly and replied, “Okay.”
TN: Moving forward, chapters will be released daily. Plus, there’s one more update coming. I hope you have a pleasant reading experience.
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