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After Jiang Jinsang finished speaking, the atmosphere among the old men in the small courtyard turned bizarre in an instant. Only Hua Mei under the porch called out, "Coo, coo—"
"Hey—people are chatting, what are you calling for, little thing!" Old Tang laughed as he walked over to the porch.
"Old Tang, your Hua Mei's tail is wagging like it's trying to find a mate," someone joked.
"This little guy is smart, probably saw people falling in love and wants a partner too."
Tang Wan said, "Who's falling in love!"
The old men weren't fools. Hearing this, their eyes wandered between Jiang Jinsang and Tang Wan, smiling subtly.
After they left, Zhang Liyun wanted to find a chance to chat alone with Jiang Jinsang. However, he barely lifted his eyelids and didn't give her a glance. She had just met a dead end with the old men and, biting her lip, had no choice but to leave first.
Tang Wan pulled her grandfather aside, "Grandpa, can you watch what you say? I have nothing going on with Fifth Grandpa!"
"Then why did you go to his room last night?" The old man held a small porcelain dish, rubbing bird food between his fingers, ready to feed Hua Mei.
"I was just getting something."
"What was so urgent that you had to get it in the middle of the night?"
"..." Tang Wan took a deep breath, "It wasn't even the middle of the night, and we just talked for a while."
"A lone man and a lone woman, alone in a room in the dead of night, and you're telling me it was just chatting?" Old Tang glanced at her with a strange look, clearly saying,
Do you think I'd believe such nonsense?
"Anyway, we are not in a relationship." Tang Wan, exasperated, decided not to explain further.
"I never said you two were dating, did I?" Old Tang smirked, "Some people just have to come forward and explain themselves, which just makes it seem like a guilty cover-up."
"..."
"Alright, don't keep staring at me. I understand that your relationship is pure, okay?" The old man handed the bird food to Tang Wan, "Standing tired me out, you feed the bird."
"Then stop saying things that make people misunderstand!" Tang Wan held the small porcelain dish, having no way to deal with him.
"Then you stop staring at Xiaowu all the time too."
"I..."
"I may have presbyopia but I'm not blind. Ever since he came over from the East Courtyard, your eyes haven't left him."
Tang Wan was left speechless and blushing. She was just worried about Jiang Jinsang's adjustment, that's why she paid extra attention.
"Wow, young people these days are so stubborn. They ask for a phone number during the day, go to someone's room at night, watch someone intently, and still claim to be just ordinary friends!"
"..."
After speaking, the old man hummed an opera tune, deliberately singing a line: "You have a matchmaker and a betrothal, why can't you be husband and wife—"
He altered the lyrics, clearly hinting at her and Jiang Jinsang.
Tang Wan felt stifled inside, yet she had no choice, so she put down the porcelain dish and turned into the kitchen.
Hua Mei stood on the perch in the cage, flapping its wings: Everyone's gone, who's going to feed me now!
When they sat down for lunch, the old man's brow furrowed upon seeing the dishes. Although he wasn't a picky eater, everyone has their particular likes or dislikes.
Jiang Jinsang's gaze fell on the beef carrot soup, his expression unchanged.
Yet Tang Wan thoughtfully served a bowl of soup to both him and Old Tang. He stared at the carrots without saying a word.
"The soup's been stewed for a long time, the beef is tender and flavorful, Fifth Grandpa, give it a try," Tang Wan said with a smile. At this moment, she genuinely didn't know Jiang Jinsang didn't like carrots.
The Jiang Family stood to the side, holding back their laughter:
This is what you get for being shameless and showing off, now you're in over your head in trouble!
"Okay." Jiang Jinsang scooped up a spoonful, ate a few bites, didn't chew, almost swallowing it whole, his expression somewhat stoic.
"How does it taste?" Tang Wan asked with a smile.
"Pretty good." Jiang Jinsang's face showed little emotion.
"Then have some more, there's plenty."
"..."
Jiang Jinsang ate more carrots that day than he had all year!
The Jiang Family looked up at the sky: Today's weather is really damn great, even the birdsong is so pleasant.
"The Hua Mei is singing so cheerfully today."
Hua Mei: I haven't eaten yet, I want food!
*
Speaking of the hospital, Zhang Liyun hurried over to deliver lunch to Tang Mo, only to discover she wasn't there, "Where is she?"
"She got a phone call and went out, seemed like it was someone's birthday," the nurse said helplessly. If she had to leave, there was nothing she could do.
Zhang Liyun frowned, roughly guessing who might have called her out, always these spoiled brats, gathering either for overeating or drinking, not one serious among them.
In anger, she dumped the packed meal on the table.
A rotten stick that's hopeless.
*
Back at the Tang Family
After lunch, Old Tang went for a nap. Last night, Tang Wan and Jiang Jinsang indeed just chatted, and it was all proper topics. Jiang Jinsang had recommended her a few books, so she went to the bookstore in the morning.
"Miss Tang, shall we move these books for you?" The Jiang Family had sharp minds, knowing she might be their future ally, they had to cater to her.
"Thank you then." There were a lot of books, and Tang Wan probably would have had to make two or three trips by herself, so she didn't decline the help.
After moving the books to her room, Tang Wan politely thanked everyone and naturally had to thank Jiang Jinsang too, "Thanks for the book list you recommended."
"Was Grandfather Tang chatting with you today because of something I said that made him misunderstand?" Jiang Jinsang asked directly.
"He's just like that, don't take it to heart."
"I don't mind, as long as you don't take it to heart."
"What do I have to mind? We didn't do anything shady..."
"Do you have any plans tonight?"
"Nothing much, just reading," Tang Wan honestly replied, thinking Jiang Jinsang had plans and wanted help with something. She didn't expect he meant going to his room.
After she said she didn't mind other people's gossip and had no plans tonight, she couldn't outright refuse, "Well, let's see what happens then."
She was racking her brains on how to decline.
Jiang Jinsang just smiled and said, "Then... tonight, I'll wait for you to come over."
He looked handsome, and when he smiled, she found it even more pleasing, leaving Tang Wan a bit dazed, her heart pounding, with a slight blush on her ear tips.
*
Tang Wan sat in a chair, staring blankly at the mint on the table. The phone vibrated, and she glanced at the caller ID, immediately sitting up straight, "Hello, Auntie—"
"Wanwan, am I disturbing you?" It was Mrs. Jiang on the phone.
"No."
Ever since she got Tang Wan's number, they'd been in frequent contact.
"Did you make the beef carrot soup I told you about yesterday?"
"Yes, Fifth Grandpa drank two bowls."
"I told you so, he just loves that."
Tang Wan didn't know Jiang Jinsang's preferences, and since he was a patient, she asked Mrs. Jiang.
After hanging up, Mrs. Jiang couldn't stop laughing:
"That boy is so arrogant at home, who would've thought he's just a paper tiger. At the Tang Family, even his picky eating habits were cured."
An elder brother merely raised an eyebrow, as if he had already figured out everything:
It's probably not the Tang Family that cured his pickiness, but a certain someone.
Jiang Jinsang had no clue, it wasn't Tang Wan that set him up, but his own mother!
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