The atmosphere in the room froze for a moment. Jian Yunzhao, upon hearing the noise from the doorway, subtly shifted in his seat. He had sensed Jian Yiling's arrival, and his body language betrayed a moment of tension, his facial muscles tightening slightly. However, he kept his head down, stubbornly fixated on his phone, pretending as if Jian Yiling's presence meant nothing to him.
Wen Nuan, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at her daughter. It had been a long time since she had last seen her, and the sight of Jian Yiling's thin, frail frame stirred a torrent of emotions within her. Her eyes moistened, and she had to blink rapidly to prevent the tears from spilling over. Across the room, Jian Shuxian and Jian Yunsheng's expressions grew heavy, their solemn gazes fixed on their sister.
The old madam let out a quiet sigh. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as she took in the strained reunion before her. As a grandmother and matriarch of the family, she had always hoped for harmony and peace among her children and grandchildren. But life rarely worked out according to her wishes, and the discord in the family weighed on her heart, reminding her how helpless she was in the face of it all.
He Yan, who had initially been excited to see how the scene would play out, suddenly found her attention pulled in another direction—toward Zhai Yunsheng. The moment he stepped through the door, her focus shifted entirely. She hadn't expected to run into Shengye, the ever-elusive Zhai Yunsheng, at the Jian family's old estate again. A sudden thought struck her: perhaps sending Jian Yujie to spend more time at the old mansion wasn't such a bad idea after all. At least here, he had a chance to rub shoulders with Zhai Yunsheng during their casual weekend gatherings, which could prove beneficial for Yujie's future prospects. Even just dining and chatting with someone of Zhai Yunsheng's caliber could leave a lasting impression.
Breaking the tension in the room, Jian Yujie strode quickly over to Jian Yiling's side, positioning himself expertly between her and Zhai Yunsheng as if to shield her. He flashed a bright smile and said,
"Xiao Ling, thank you so much for the gift! I love it—really, really love it!" He added a mischievous wink, hinting at some secret only the two of them knew.
"Mm," Jian Yiling acknowledged softly. It was enough for her that he liked it.
Leaning in closer, Jian Yujie whispered in her ear,
"Did you bring your self-defense spray with you?"
"Yes." She had her pepper spray on her.
"Good. Make sure to use it if anyone gets too close," he added, casting a sidelong glance at Zhai Yunsheng as if to make a pointed remark without saying it aloud.
"Mm." Jian Yiling nodded in agreement, unbothered by the implication.
The two of them continued their whispered conversation, the easy rapport between them evident in their relaxed body language. It was clear that Jian Yiling and Jian Yujie had grown closer recently, their sibling bond strengthening. In contrast, her relationship with her biological brothers, Jian Shuxian and Jian Yunsheng, seemed more distant, marked by a tense, lingering awkwardness.
He Yan, recovering from her brief distraction, turned to the household staff and hurriedly instructed,
"Quick, help Mr. Zhai and Mr. Yu with those bags. It's not right to make our guests carry everything themselves."
Upon hearing He Yan's directive, the Jian family's servants rushed forward to relieve Zhai Yunsheng and Yu Xi of the bags they were holding. However, before they could reach him, Zhai Yunsheng had already turned on his heel and headed straight for the kitchen, dragging Jian Yiling along with him as he went.
"Come on, let's handle the food prep," he said simply, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
With just those few words, he whisked Jian Yiling away to the kitchen without any hesitation. There was no reluctance in her either—she followed him without a second thought, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
This was Jian Yiling's first time seeing her parents since she had come to stay at the old mansion. Yet, despite the significance of the moment, she remained quiet. She didn't complain, didn't explain herself. In fact, she didn't say a single word to them. She simply followed Zhai Yunsheng, a man who was still, by most measures, a stranger to her, into the kitchen.
Jian Yujie, seeing them leave, quickly followed suit, clearly unwilling to leave his sister alone with Zhai Yunsheng for too long.
Meanwhile, He Yan stood frozen in place, watching the entire scene unfold. Zhai Yunsheng's actions—completely bypassing her offer of help—were a clear refusal, a subtle but undeniable brush-off that left her standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Had it been anyone else who snubbed her so openly, she might have been offended. But Zhai Yunsheng was no ordinary person, and instead of feeling slighted, she almost expected this kind of treatment from him. In fact, she didn't even mind; it was simply the way he operated, and she knew better than to take it personally.
What did bother her, though, was the apparent familiarity between Zhai Yunsheng and Jian Yiling. Watching them together, He Yan couldn't shake the feeling of unease creeping up on her. There was something unsettling about how at ease they seemed with one another, something that made her feel... uneasy.