"Ha…"
Jiang Huai suddenly let out a soft laugh from the side, clearly amused by how Guan Xuxu had shot back at them.
Jiang Han's face darkened. "You're just being unreasonable! How can that be possible?!"
Guan Xuxu merely looked at him coolly. "Isn't that your own logic? I'm simply using your logic to set conditions. What's wrong with that?"
"How can something in the National Museum be equivalent to a room?" Jiang Han was nearly laughing in anger.
Even Jiang Su couldn't help but chime in, "Guan Xuxu, why are you so petty? It's just one room. It's not like you're being locked out—what's the fuss about?"
Guan Xuxu only smiled.
Really, with so many rooms available, why must it be this one?
Jiang Cheng from the third branch also stepped forward. "Jiang Han isn't wrong. That dreamy, princess-style room was originally meant for a child. You don't even like it that much; why must you fight with a kid over it? If it comes to it, I'll give you my room and let that room be for Yingying. Let's not bicker any longer. To fight over one room from yesterday until today is simply laughable."
Jiang Su mumbled in discontent, "And it's all because of someone—ever since she came back, the house hasn't been the same."
Between the lines, they all blamed Guan Xuxu for stirring up trouble.
Even though the room had been arranged by Yao Lin from the very start, everyone seemed to think it was Guan Xuxu's fault.
Jiang Huai listened as the others traded words; the smile on his face slowly faded. Before he could speak, Jiang Han impatiently said, "Anyway, you just don't want to let—"
"Yes, I just don't want to let."
Guan Xuxu's clear, crisp voice rang out, and none of them expected her to refuse so assertively.
Yet, she had spoken. She simply stared at the group, her apricot eyes clear, calm, and indifferent.
After all, she had heard similar accusations all her life.
"Ruirui is your little sister; as her elder, you should yield to her!"
"How can you keep that fox at home? What if it scares Ruirui? Get rid of it immediately!"
"You've been freeloading at home, and now you're keeping a beast too. Guan Xuxu, are you deliberately trying to make the family miserable?"
She had long grown accustomed to such "accusations."
But being accustomed did not mean she accepted them.
It was the first time for everyone to be treated like this—why should she have to yield simply because she was younger?
Moreover, that room was arranged by her parents, set up by their own hands with the expectation of her birth.
Someone had waited eagerly for her arrival, and she only learned of it yesterday.
…
Jiang Ying had thought that with a few of her brothers stepping in, that room would surely be hers today.
But she never expected that in the end, that wicked woman Guan Xuxu would refuse to give it up!
Sure enough, Sister Xuexi had been right: once she returned, she was no longer the only girl in the family. Everyone would no longer dote on her like before.
See, even Brother Jiang Huai wasn't taking her side anymore.
The more Jiang Ying thought about it, the angrier she became, and she began to cry even louder.
"Waa waa, I hate you! Get out of my house! Get out!"
At those words, the corridor fell into a brief silence.
Guan Xuxu's eyelashes trembled slightly as she stood there, her expression unreadable.
Even Jiang Su and the others were momentarily stunned.
Trouble or not, even the most impulsive Jiang Su knew that some things should not be said lightly.
Sure enough, the next moment was punctuated by a cold, warning shout.
"Jiang Ying!"
Jiang Huai looked at Jiang Ying with a severity he'd never shown before, his icy tone causing her to shudder all over, and in an instant, she forgot to cry.
At that moment, two figures came up from downstairs—Jiang Yucheng and Jiang Yutong, the two brothers who had just returned from the office. Jiang Yucheng's face was as stern and imposing as ever.
"What's all this commotion about?"
Yao Lin's heart sank. Before anyone could speak, she hurried over to Jiang Ying, trying to force a smile as she explained,
"It's just a spat among the kids. It's all my fault—the room prepared for Xuxu wasn't thought through enough. Yingying insisted that her sister exchange rooms with her, but Xuxu refused…"
In just a couple of sentences, the matter of her brothers pressuring Guan Xuxu over the room was brushed aside, leaving the impression that it was Xuxu who was being unyielding.
Jiang Huai frowned and was about to speak when Jiang Yutong interjected in confusion, "It's just about a room. Didn't we rearrange things yesterday?"
Jiang Yucheng then frowned, directing his gaze at Guan Xuxu, and said, "Let's set aside the room issue for now. Xuxu, I need to ask you something."
Hearing Jiang Yucheng's inquiry, Guan Xuxu instinctively looked his way. He then asked in a deep, steady tone,
"Did you go to the Song family today?"
Guan Xuxu's eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly returned to her usual composure and nodded, "Yes."
Jiang Yucheng's brow furrowed slightly, and his expression grew even more grave,
"Didn't I tell you yesterday not to meddle in Song family affairs? I'll handle things over there."
Jiang Huai, sensing that their father's attitude was off, stepped forward and placed himself in front of Guan Xuxu. "Did something happen?"
Jiang Yutong explained, "The Song family called my eldest brother. They said that Xuxu spoke some strange words to Mrs. Song this afternoon and asked him what was going on."
At those words, everyone's gaze snapped toward Guan Xuxu.
Their expressions ranged from shock to reproach—clearly blaming her for causing trouble.
Because of what she had said earlier about "restoring wisdom," the Jiang family had to handle the matter with the Song family delicately. Yet, she had gone to Song family's place and blurted out all sorts of nonsense. Was she afraid that the relationship between the Song and Jiang families might become too close?!
"What exactly are you trying to do? It's one thing to spout that sort of mystic nonsense at home, but to go to the Song family's place—did you not take Uncle's words to heart yesterday?!"
"Xuxu, you're so immature! The Song family is working on a project with us."
Jiang Su added to stoke the fire, "Look at you—back home for such a short time, and already you've stirred up so much trouble!"
Guan Xuxu just stood there, ignoring the ridicule around her, and looked steadily at Jiang Yucheng. "I never said that I was a member of the Jiang family."
Jiang Yutong said, "The Song family is investigating someone. It wouldn't be possible if you hadn't taken Chu's car over there."
Guan Xuxu pressed her lips together. She knew that was a misstep on her part.
Jiang Yucheng then asked what she had said at the Song family's place, for the voice on the phone from Song General had sounded as if it was holding something back, even a bit angry.
Guan Xuxu briefly explained what she had said at the Song family, including her observation that Song Yuli might be in trouble.
Everyone looked at Guan Xuxu in even greater shock.
Going to someone's door and warning them that they might be in trouble—it was practically a curse!
Guan Xuxu was being outrageously reckless!
Jiang Yucheng fixed his gaze on her, his expression growing stern, and after a moment said,
"This matter is reckless on your part. Even if you truly understand, you shouldn't have gone there and said such things rashly. I'll handle the explanation with the Song family, but you must not interfere with Miss Song's affairs again."
Jiang Yucheng did not want his daughter, whom he had so painstakingly regained, to get embroiled in trouble.
Guan Xuxu opened her mouth as if to speak, but then heard Jiang Yucheng continue,
"As for the room, since Yingying likes it, give it to her. I'll have the butler pick another room for you. You can remodel it as you like."
To Jiang Yucheng, a room was nothing special. The room they were talking about was once a token of his longing for his daughter, but now that she had returned, a single room was trivial.
More importantly, he did not wish for Guan Xuxu to sour relations with the other children in the family right from her return.
What Jiang Yucheng did not realize was that his offhand remark made Guan Xuxu suddenly pause.
For a long moment, it seemed as though the light in her apricot eyes gradually dimmed—
Like a fleeting spark in a dark forest at midnight, flashing for an instant before slowly disappearing into the darkness.
Jiang Huai, hearing this, quickly called out, "Dad!"
He was just about to explain that the matter was not as simple as he thought when Guan Xuxu already spoke, her voice soft and calm,
"It's unnecessary."
Her tone was light, but compared to yesterday, inexplicably, it carried a hint of distance.
She looked steadily at Jiang Yucheng and said quietly,
"I will move out."