When Guan Xuxu's words fell, Jiang Yucheng's usually steady, mountain-like expression turned momentarily baffled.
Hadn't he just understood that she was talking about exchanging rooms?
Why, then, would she move out?
Those around—Jiang Su and the others—wore expressions of disbelief, thinking Guan Xuxu was simply making a mountain out of a molehill.
"What's the big deal?" they asked.
"It's not like you're a child anymore. Running away from home doesn't work in the Jiang family," Jiang Han remarked with an air of nonchalance.
He believed Guan Xuxu's words were just empty talk. After all, unlike the Guan family, the Jiang family was among Haishi's top business dynasties, and he didn't believe Guan Xuxu could truly bear to leave.
Yao Lin also offered insincere counsel, "Xuxu, you did something wrong—Big Brother already scolded you. Why make such a fuss that you have to run away? You're acting so childish."
It wasn't until this moment that Jiang Yucheng began to sense something was off.
He had noticed Jiang Su's attitude toward Xuxu yesterday, but had assumed it was simply because Jiang Su, with his youthful nature, wasn't used to suddenly having an older sister. Now, however, not only Jiang Han but also Jiang Cheng and even Yao Lin were far from friendly in their treatment of Xuxu.
If they spoke this way to her in his presence, what would they say when he wasn't around?
"Xuxu, you…"
Jiang Yucheng frowned, trying to ask for clarification, but Guan Xuxu showed no interest in continuing the conversation.
She turned abruptly and called out toward the room. In an instant, a small, perfectly round, snow-white fox bolted into her arms.
Seizing it naturally, she then grabbed the bag she had just brought from the rental apartment—as if nothing had changed—and headed straight downstairs.
Only then did Jiang Yucheng realize that he must have made a mistake. He hurriedly reached out to stop her, "Xuxu, if you're feeling wronged, you can tell me. Don't…"
"Don't act on impulse."
Guan Xuxu met his gaze, her eyes completely calm.
"I have no grievances."
She was simply giving up.
Guan Xuxu had long known that her familial ties were shallow.
For the past eighteen years, she had never possessed what the Guan family had, so how could she ever hope to receive it in the Jiang family?
Perhaps Jiang Huai truly accepted her, but the Jiang family was not solely his to command.
If things couldn't be smooth, then so be it.
Having finally broken free of the Guan family's shackles, she intended to live freely according to her own wishes.
Carrying the little fox, she bypassed Jiang Yucheng without looking back and left without hesitation.
"This… running off after causing a mess is so irresponsible," muttered Jiang Su as he watched her leave for real. He couldn't help whispering, but before he could continue, Jiang Yutong smacked his head.
"What's it to you? You babble on every day—shut your mouth!"
Under their father's violent suppression, Jiang Su obediently fell silent.
Jiang Huai, who had remained silent until now, finally set off in pursuit.
Guan Xuxu thought he was coming to detain her, but instead, Jiang Huai turned and ordered the butler to arrange a car to send her out.
Looking at her, his handsome face softened with a gentle warmth that belonged solely to him, "You did nothing wrong."
Guan Xuxu: ??
"You just came home, and if you keep yielding, people will think you're a pushover. Only by showing your stance from the start will they have some restraint," Jiang Huai said, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction.
Guan Xuxu: …
So Jiang Huai took her saying she'd move out as setting a firm attitude?
But she really intended to leave.
Just as she opened her mouth to explain, "It's not that…"
Jiang Huai interrupted in a gentle voice,
"I have an apartment in Qingjiang Bay. You go live there for a few days. I'll have the maid go over every day to clean and cook so you can stay there in peace."
Squinting slightly, he added, "I promise your brother will give you an explanation for today's events."
Meeting Jiang Huai's earnest gaze, Guan Xuxu was momentarily at a loss for words.
If a template for a caring brother existed, it would be Jiang Huai.
She liked this brother.
Lowering her gaze slightly, she felt a pair of large hands gently resting on the top of her head, radiating a comforting warmth.
"You are my sister. Since they can't see that, then we'll set their minds straight—until every last bit of foolishness is drained away, they'll come to recognize it."
Jiang Huai said this with his characteristically gentle, slight smile, yet there was a dangerous coolness in his peach-blossom eyes.
Guan Xuxu could almost see him, smiling as he playfully mimicked twisting a cabbage against the heads of several cousins, one little head at a time.
Swallowing hard, Guan Xuxu softly agreed, "Alright."
Well, he sure is entertaining to watch.
After a moment's thought, Guan Xuxu placed the little fox into the car and then rummaged in her backpack for two "fortune bags," which she handed to him.
"They are protective talismans I carved by hand. I had planned to give one to you and one to him."
He, of course, referring to Jiang Yucheng.
But given what had just happened, she was too tired to deliver them in person and had asked Jiang Huai to pass them along.
Hearing that they were handcrafted by her, Jiang Huai's beautiful peach-blossom eyes sparkled, and he smiled as he accepted, "I'll keep them close."
Guan Xuxu nodded and said no more before turning and climbing into the car.
Jiang Huai stood there watching the car drive away. After a long while, he slowly turned around. The gentle smile that had once graced his lips vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling frost.
Inside the villa's living room, Jiang Yucheng and the others waited. When they saw Jiang Huai return alone, they knew he had not detained her.
Jiang Yucheng's face darkened slightly, "Xuxu wouldn't stay?"
Jiang Huai didn't answer his question. Instead, he walked straight over and said in a low voice, "Father, regarding the specifics of today's events, I think it's necessary for me to explain in detail."
For some reason, upon hearing Jiang Huai's calm tone, Jiang Su and the others all felt a tingling sensation on their scalps.
…
In the car, Guan Xuxu no longer paid attention to the Jiang family behind her. Instead, she pulled a yellow talisman from her bag.
She hadn't expected that her affiliation with the Jiang family would be discovered so quickly, but it was only because she had gone to blabber nonsense at the Song family's door that things escalated—there was no way the Song family would neglect the face-saving concerns between the two families.
The Song family's reaction was that extreme.
Song Yuli must be in trouble.