At the Jiang family villa.
After seeing off the Song family couple, Third Aunt Jiang brought up the banquet originally planned for the next day.
It was supposed to be a welcome banquet for Xuxu's return home, meant to formally introduce her to people in their social circle.
But now that she had left, they weren't sure if the banquet should still be held.
Everyone quietly turned their gaze toward Old Master Jiang, waiting for him to make a decision.
Old Master Jiang merely narrowed his eyes slightly before speaking.
"The banquet will go on as planned."
Then, he turned to Jiang Suo and the others. "The four of you, go personally tomorrow and bring your sister back. If you can't bring Xuxu back, then don't bother coming back yourselves."
Jiang Suo and the others all widened their eyes in disbelief.
Was this granddaughter they had barely met really more important than the three grandsons who had been with the family all along?
Jiang Suo could still understand, but Jiang Han was the same age as Guan Xuxu, and Jiang Cheng was even older. Asking them to apologize to her? What about their dignity?
They still didn't think they had done anything wrong.
She left home over a couple of words. If that wasn't making a big deal out of nothing, what was?
Although they thought this way, they didn't dare say it out loud. Just as they were about to speak, Jiang Yucheng interjected.
"Tomorrow, I'll go with them to find Xuxu."
Jiang Yucheng still remembered the look in Xuxu's eyes when she said she wanted to move out.
Especially after Jiang Huai specifically reminded him that the room he and his wife had prepared for Xuxu was the very one they had asked her to vacate.
At that moment, she must have been truly disappointed.
For years, he had been focused on his work. Since Jiang Huai had always been outstanding and never caused trouble, he never had to worry about raising a child.
Now that Xuxu had returned home, he hadn't put much thought into her living arrangements.
Until Jiang Huai pointed it out, he realized—he actually had no idea how to raise a child.
This time, he had to make it right.
Luckily, Jiang Yucheng wasn't the type of rigid, old-fashioned man who thought elders should never apologize to their juniors.
To him, if you did something wrong, you admitted it and made amends.
Especially when it was his daughter—one he had already let down for eighteen years.
The next morning, as soon as Guan Xuxu woke up, she saw four men standing outside her door.
Tall and imposing, they looked like a mountain blocking her entrance.
It was only then that she realized why Jiang Huai had insisted on dropping her off at her rented apartment last night.
He had known they would come.
"Xuxu… You… You live here?"
Jiang Yucheng looked at the address Jiang Huai had given him in disbelief.
He had assumed that even if Jiang Huai let Xuxu move out, he would have arranged a comfortable place for her.
But this?
Guan Xuxu glanced at Jiang Yucheng and the three men behind him, who all had complicated expressions. She pursed her lips slightly before stepping aside.
"Come in."
Her living room was small, and when the four tall men stepped in, it almost felt cramped.
Jiang Suo and the others looked even more uncomfortable.
The apartment complex Xuxu lived in was a mid-range one, mostly rented by fresh graduates and young professionals. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't high-end either.
To ordinary people, it was a decent place.
To Jiang Suo and the others, who had been raised in luxury, it was as bad as it could get.
This living room wasn't even as big as their bedrooms at home.
How could Guan Xuxu live in a place like this?
"You—Even if you had to find a place on short notice, you didn't have to pick somewhere so shabby. It's not like the family has no money…"
Jiang Han frowned, convinced that she was playing a trick on them.
Trying to make them feel guilty? No way.
Guan Xuxu shot him a cold glance and ignored him.
Just as Jiang Han was about to say more, a snow-white fox suddenly darted out from the corner, rushing to Xuxu's side.
Only then did they notice the pet house and toys in the corner of the living room. Judging by the wear and tear, it was clear the place had been lived in for a while.
They instantly understood—this wasn't a temporary place.
This was where Guan Xuxu had been living.
Jiang Suo, always blunt, spoke up immediately.
"Weren't you always living at the Guan family home? Why did you end up renting a place on your own? Did they kick you out?!"
His voice was full of anger.
Even though he had rejected this so-called cousin from returning home, that was his choice.
This was still a Jiang family member.
It wasn't up to outsiders to mistreat her.
Jiang Han and Jiang Cheng's expressions also darkened.
The Guan family had just insulted the Jiang family.
Guan Xuxu found their sudden change in attitude strange.
Yesterday, they had treated her like an eyesore.
Now they were acting all righteously on her behalf?
"I rented this place to raise my fox," she finally said, her voice calm.
"The Guan family doesn't allow pets."
Her last three words were drawn out, and her gaze stayed on Jiang Suo and the others.
The three of them instantly remembered how they had refused to let her keep a fox at home just the day before.
Their expressions turned awkward.
Jiang Yucheng had heard about this from Jiang Huai as well.
He immediately reassured her.
"The pet house Jiang Huai prepared is all set up. You can keep it at home. I guarantee no one will have any objections."
"No need," Guan Xuxu replied without hesitation.
"It's fine here."
She paused briefly, her tone indifferent.
"It's already used to this place."
The "it" she referred to was the little fox, but somehow, it felt like she was talking about herself.
Jiang Yucheng felt a sharp pang in his chest.
Having seen Bai Shuqin's attitude, he should have realized that Xuxu hadn't lived as well as they had imagined in the Guan family.
They had assumed that since the Guans were wealthy, she had been raised comfortably.
But they had forgotten—she was not truly one of them.
Why would the Guan family ever treat her as their own?
Thinking of this, Jiang Yucheng regretted his words from yesterday even more.
"Xuxu," he said seriously, "I was wrong yesterday. I apologize. Can you forgive me?"
Guan Xuxu was momentarily stunned.
She had expected Jiang Huai to send them here to make her look pitiful.
She wasn't the type to silently endure everything.
But she hadn't even started "selling" her misery yet.
Why was he apologizing already?
Seeing this man—so powerful outside—lower his head and admit his mistake to her, Guan Xuxu felt no joy.
Everyone thought she had spoken out of anger yesterday.
But she knew—she had meant every word.
She let out an inaudible sigh and said plainly,
"I was never angry with you, so there's no need for forgiveness.
You don't need to apologize."
She paused before adding,
"I'm already an adult. I can live independently. There's no need to worry about me.
I moved out simply because I wanted to."
The implication was clear.
She wasn't going back.
Jiang Yucheng frowned slightly, about to speak again, when Jiang Han muttered under his breath,
"So, I'm an adult too, huh?
Does that mean I don't live on my own because I don't want to?
It's just because the family won't let me…"