Jian Yunzhao glanced up briefly and noticed the sweater Jian Yujie was wearing. It looked oddly familiar. Following his gaze, he turned toward his elder brother, Jian Yunchen, who was also wearing a similar sweater, only in a different color. Matching sweaters weren't unusual, but the one his brother was wearing had been hand-knit by Shi Yun, their mother. Jian Yunzhao thought it odd that Jian Yujie, of all people, would own a similar sweater.
Jian Yujie, for his part, caught a glimpse of Jian Yunzhao's hands and expression but didn't greet him. He had recently learned from Ji Ming that Jian Yunzhao had claimed to others that it was Jian Yiling who had pushed him down the stairs, resulting in his hand injury. Either Ji Ming was lying, or Jian Yunzhao was. Regardless, this revelation had left Jian Yujie with mixed feelings toward his cousin.
He couldn't help but notice Jian Yunchen's sweater, identical to his own except for the color. Undoubtedly, it had also been a gift from Jian Yiling. For a brief moment, a pang of jealousy flickered in Jian Yujie's heart—his sweater wasn't as unique as he'd thought. Yet that feeling was fleeting, overshadowed by the joy of having received a hand-knitted gift from his dear younger sister.
The group of six entered the ancestral home together. Upon seeing so many family members arriving all at once, the old madam of the house, Jian Yiling's grandmother, chuckled and teased them,
"What's the occasion today? What sort of wind blew all of you here at the same time?"
He Yan was the first to step forward, her face beaming with enthusiasm.
"Looks like my brother and sister-in-law had the same idea as me today. We all wanted to come visit and spend some time with you."
The old madam smiled warmly,
"It's good that you're all so thoughtful."
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Jian Shuxian and Wen Nuan, who had remained unusually quiet. The couple's expressions betrayed unease, as if they had something to say but were hesitant to speak up. Wen Nuan couldn't help herself from glancing around the large hall, her eyes searching for someone.
The old madam, however, said nothing about their odd behavior, choosing instead to signal one of the household staff to serve tea to the guests. After all, there wasn't much an old woman like her could do to entertain visitors beyond offering tea, conversation, and the simple pleasures of admiring the flowers in the garden.
Deliberately, she refrained from mentioning Jian Yiling's whereabouts. Jian Shuxian and Wen Nuan were left in an awkward position, uncertain how to bring up the subject themselves. Reluctantly, they joined the others, sitting down for tea without addressing the real reason for their visit.
Six people sat down on the traditional redwood sofas in the sitting room, each lost in their own thoughts. Jian Yunzhao kept his head lowered the entire time, fiddling with his phone using his uninjured hand. He didn't speak to anyone or even look up. He had made a promise to his brother before they left the house—not to lose his temper in front of their grandparents, no matter what happened.
He Yan, on the other hand, could barely contain her glee. The smile in her eyes was unmistakable, though she was careful to keep it from spreading too obviously across her face. She knew better than to let her satisfaction show too plainly.
It was Jian Yujie who finally broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Grandma, where's Yiling? I haven't seen her since we arrived."
At this, Wen Nuan's head snapped up. Jian Yujie had voiced the very question that she and Jian Shuxian had been dying to ask. Jian Yunzhao, who had been sitting quietly with his head down, visibly tensed at the mention of Jian Yiling. However, he quickly forced himself to act indifferent, pretending not to care. He had promised his brother that he would behave.
"She's out," the old madam replied leisurely, her tone calm and unhurried. She took a sip from her teacup, savoring the tea as if she had all the time in the world.
Her relaxed demeanor stood in stark contrast to the anxious expressions of Jian Shuxian and Wen Nuan, who were seated across from her.
"Where did she go?" Jian Yujie pressed, his concern for his sister evident.
"She went to meet some friends," the old madam answered, her words slow and deliberate, as though she were rationing each piece of information.
"What friends?" Jian Yujie asked, his protective instincts kicking in. "Since when did Yiling make friends? Are they male or female? Are they from her school?"
At once, Jian Yujie's alarm bells started ringing. He had never known Jian Yiling to have many close friends outside the family. Could it be that she had started hanging out with new people? Were they trustworthy? What if they were boys?
Jian Yunchen, sitting quietly beside him, also frowned at this. Though he didn't say anything, his discontent was clear in his furrowed brow. Unlike Jian Yujie, he chose not to show his displeasure so openly, but it was there all the same. The idea of their precious little sister meeting with people outside the family, particularly boys, didn't sit well with either of them.