The Jiang family couple had driven to the school gate early, eagerly waiting for their three children to come home for the October Golden Week holiday.
The first one to skip out was Jiang Yan. As soon as her dorm room door opened, she ran out without even waiting for Jiang Zhi. Jiangâs Mom quickly took out the breakfast she had brought - a thermal mug filled with freshly warmed milk, a lunchbox with juicy pork and mushroom steamed buns, another lunchbox with sweet corn and shrimp dumplings, as well as fluffy apple-yam cakes still steaming hot.
âEat something first to line your stomach. When we get home, Mom will make your favorites - spicy cumin chicken and tomato stewed beef brisket. Iâve had the ingredients all prepared and just waiting for you to come back!â Jiangâs Mom said repeatedly.
Jiangâs Dad also coaxed his daughter from the driverâs seat: âIn a few days, after youâve had your fill of your momâs cooking, Dad will take you all to Jiuxian Residence for a meal.â
âYay!â Jiang Yan responded happily, mouth still full of the juicy corn shrimp dumplings.
After a few minutes, Jiang Zhi strolled up with his long legs. Seeing the boxes and containers in Jiangâs Momâs hands, he quickly declined: âMom, Iâve eaten breakfast already.â
Jiangâs Mom shot him a look and said, âWell I didnât prepare any for you, go sit in the front and donât crowd us.â
Jiang Zhi was silent for two seconds before pulling open the door and sitting in the passenger seat. âSo Iâm the outsider now, and itâs just the three of you who are family huh.â
Jiangâs Dad snorted disdainfully, âItâs about time you realized that.â
Jiang Zhi: ...
Soon after, Jiang Xian appeared outside the car. Jiangâs Mom sat in the back with her two daughters, while Jiang Zhi boredly looked at his phone in the front and Jiangâs Dad even provoked him, âHavenât you gotten your driverâs license yet? Why donât you drive, so I can chat with my daughter for a bit.â
Jiang Zhi really had nothing left to say. He stretched out his long legs and started acting up, âAh, I canât do that Dad. You drive slower so I can learn from you, since Iâm still a newbie without your experience.â
Jiangâs Dad couldnât retort so he just scowled at Jiang Zhi and jerked the steering wheel.
The family sat closely together in the car, happily on the way home.
However, the Systemâs existence dictated that this holiday could not remain peaceful.
[Task: Work with He Xingyi at the banquet to sabotage Jiang Xian and have embarrassing photos taken of you.]
Jiang Yan perfunctorily agreed, and couldnât help but headache over countermeasures in her mind. Still, her expression was a little glum.
Jiang Zhiâs sharp eyes noticed and his brows furrowed in concern as he asked, âWhatâs wrong Jiangjiang? Are you carsick?â
The car became alert in worry. Jiang Xian looked over anxiously while Jiangâs Dad also turned back to look.
âOh dear!â Jiangâs Mom clapped her hand and said, âI shouldnât have let you eat so much, carsickness is awful. I forgot to bring you medicine for motion sickness! Jiangjiang, switch spots with Jiang Zhi, that should help!â
âCanât stop here!â Jiangâs Dad said anxiously.
âItâs fine, let her come over.â Jiang Zhi responded swiftly.
So before Jiang Yan even registered what was happening, she was already pushed by Jiangâs Mom and pulled by Jiang Zhi to the front.
Then Jiang Zhi slowly moved back to sit in the rear.
Jiangâs Dad opened the car window for some fresh air. Jiang Zhi leaned over the front passenger seat, peeled an orange and held it under Jiang Yanâs nose for her to smell.
The cool breeze blowing in lifted everyoneâs mood. Jiang Yan suddenly felt much better.
The System was utterly confused by this scene. âWhat is this situation?!â it exclaimed in the wind.
Jiang Yanâs tone was innocent, like a mischievous little fox. âAh? I donât know how this happened either, I didnât do anything!â
The System couldnât detect her sarcasm, but was still very agitated. âLooks like Iâll have to speed things up.â
Jiang Yanâs expression was unchanged. This was inevitable, sooner or later the System would realize something was off, it was only a matter of time.
Jiang Zhi saw her look sideways and couldnât help asking, âWhat other bad ideas are you thinking of now?â
Jiang Yan paused. She had to admit, after all this time together, Jiang Zhi still understood her very well. Jiang Yan turned her head, a naughty smile on her lips, but spoke contradictory pampered words. âIâm not...â
The girlâs soft clean hair brushed past his palm, bringing a ticklish sensation. Jiang Zhi was tall with long legs, and couldnât help but see her neck which was slender and elegant like a baby swanâs, the type dancers loved.
Jiang Zhi unconsciously stared blankly for a while, and was even worried his pounding heart might disturb Jiang Yanâs rest.
A lifelong bachelor in his twenties, Jiang Zhi had always looked down on things like relationships. Yet now he was suddenly enlightened, and in a rather pathetic way, afraid Jiangâs Dad would see and beat him to death in the car if he wasn't careful.
Meanwhile, the heartless girl leaned comfortably against the seat, sighing contentedly as she found a nice position and closed her eyes.
When they arrived and got out of the car, Jiang Zhi staggered after Jiang Yan as if in a daze, even following her into the bedroom.
Jiang Yan didnât understand him, and the hacked System was even more confused, only able to suspect sinister intentions. âDid he find out that you bullied Jiang Xian?â
Jiang Yan didnât believe that one bit. Putting aside whether that could be considered bullying, even if it was as the System imagined, Jiang Zhi would probably ask her to admit her mistake, then guide her to apologize and make amends, not stare at her silently like he was stumped by some cosmic riddle.
âWhatâs wrong with you?â the little girl looked up, eyes filled with puzzlement and confusion.
Jiang Zhiâs throat went dry. Looking into her eyes, his adamâs apple bobbed uncontrollably. Then he suddenly fled in panic.
Jiang Yan didnât know what was going on in his mind. While communicating with the System just now, she suddenly realized Jiang Zhi was actually a great brother. Habitually heartless Jiang Yan dredged up some conscience and took the initiative to care for her good brother.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhi avoided her like the plague. He rarely even left his room, having meals brought up to eat alone. This left Jiangâs Mom, who didnât know what was going on, to question if he had done something wrong and didnât dare face anyone.
Indeed he had done something wrong. Jiang Zhi thought.
Jiang Yan tried but got no results, so she gave up. What took up most of her energy was the upcoming banquet.
Jiang Xianâs birthday banquet. The Jiang family had not yet formally announced having accepted their biological daughter back, so they planned to take this chance to invite everyone and cement the news.
However, Jiang Yan as the fake heiress would surely sabotage things and act out the role of the vicious villainess.