Chapter 369: Like a New Bride Just Through the Door

The sunlit winter day saw the end of final exams and students leaving the school in the thinly fogged morning, their footsteps scattered thickly over the night’s snowfall, all pointed towards distant hometowns.

There’s a meal, a meeting, vacation work to arrange and merchant gang documents to approve while seeing off the little rich girl for eighteen miles and entrusting Fugui to Professor Yan.

By the time Jiang Qin gradually wrapped up his work, the school was already deserted.

He didn’t return to the dorm, instead, he stayed in Room 207 overnight and the next day, he went to Linchuan merchant gang, busy until four in the afternoon before he returned to Linchu to pack.

Guo Zihang hadn’t left yet, so he lugged his luggage and shamelessly asked for a ride.

Joining them were three old high school friends from Chengnan High, Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao.

Duan Yan was in senior year class two, the same as Jiang Qin and Guo Zihang; Shao Xianghao and Kong Sisi were from class one, sharing three years as classmates.

College is a complex environment where everyone comes from different corners of the country with varied habits and customs, making high school friendships even more precious.

The four of them were this way; although their high school relationship was average, they became good friends in college.

Jiang Qin also found traveling back alone too boring, so he agreed to their request for a ride as it was more fun with company for the two-hour drive from Linchuan to Jizhou.

“Jiang bro, I heard Chengnan High is changing campuses, did you know?”

Jiang Qin nodded, “The whole city center might move eastward, with East City becoming the new district.”

Guo Zihang opened his mouth, “What will they do with the old Chengnan High site?”

“Depends on the government’s plan for the old district; they’ll probably demolish and rebuild, maybe a technical school or something. There’s a new policy encouraging middle school students to enroll in technical schools to boost talent reserves in various industries.”

“So when we go back, we won’t even have a place to reminisce?”

Jiang Qin laughed hearing that, “Even if it’s not rebuilt, you can’t find your memories; damn it, they won’t even let us in. When we graduated, the principal said you’ll always be the pride of Chengnan High, yet the next day, they posted a notice banning graduates from loitering in the campus.”

Hearing this, everyone in the car couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It wasn’t purely to save money that Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao decided to hitch a ride.

Lately, the news about Jiang Qin was overwhelming and rumors were flying—being old schoolmates, it’s natural they were curious.

But since they weren’t close with Jiang Qin in high school and there was a gap in status after college, they hesitated to talk much after getting in the car.

However, as high school topics arose, they also relaxed and started joining in the conversation.

“Do you guys know Qin Xiu from class three? She dated our classmate Chen Song for three years, and now they’ve split. Apparently, Chen Song even made a scene at her school.”

“Fan Wenli from class five took a break from school, heard it was some ovarian cancer issue she’s had since birth that she can’t control now.”

“Tiaozi and Cao Juan have been together since junior high, and they’ve broken up now.”

“Yuan Peng from class eight and Wang Xing from class seven also broke up…”

On the freeway from Jizhou to Linchuan, everyone chattered about their high school classmates and their lives after graduation.

These pieces of news were mixed; mostly bad, as they say, good news doesn’t go far, but bad news spreads wide.

Jiang Qin was also somewhat sentimental, as many of the names mentioned were faces he could no longer match; it was like that saying, years have passed since we last met, apparently, all good times were just illusory.

However, for Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao, there was another rumor they were too curious about but hadn’t dared to discuss—that about Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu.

In their memory, Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu barely interacted in high school, probably never even spoke; how did they end up together right after graduation?

One, always cold to everyone, a rich heiress, and the other, just a regular high school student focused on studies—they were completely mismatched yet somehow paired up. It made no sense at all.

When did they meet?

What exactly happened between them after graduation?

What was so special about Jiang Qin that moved the always aloof Feng Nanshu?

Was Feng Nanshu always so distant to him?

What’s a celestial beauty in love truly like?

All of this curiosity had been building for a year, utterly baffling.

Just then, the phone in the storage box suddenly vibrated, breaking their chat and thoughts.

“It’s my mom’s call, probably asking when we’ll be back. Zihang, can you take it and say we’ll be home by six?”

“Oh, okay.”

Guo Zihang took out the phone to answer, then turned to Jiang Qin, “Auntie invited us to have dinner at your place, said she made a bit too much.”

Jiang Qin nodded, “Call Shu’an as well, ask him to come too.”

“…”

At six in the evening of the winter day, it had already darkened as Jiang Qin returned to Hongrong Homes and parked the car downstairs.

Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao were initially reluctant to go, saying they’d head home, but hearing Yang Shu’an and Guo Zihang were coming, they hesitated before agreeing.

College students are easy to persuade, and they were indeed hungry.

Walking into the house, the scent of stewed ribs wafted through the air, filling Jiang Qin with an immediate sense of peace and ease.

Honestly, having tasted exotic delicacies outside, this simple home-cooked aroma could easily evoke profound emotions.

“Mom, I’m back!”

“Rest for a bit; the meal will be ready soon.”

“Got it.”

Jiang Qin changed into slippers and entered, turning back to tell them to relax and not be apprehensive.

Guo Zihang, having mooched meals here several times, was quite at ease, but the other three were still somewhat reluctant, not sure where to seat themselves until Yang Shu’an arrived, lightening the atmosphere.

After a while, Yuan Youqin spoke up, telling everyone to wash their hands in preparation for dinner, which got everyone lining up in the washroom.

Kong Sisi was the first to finish washing, casually drying her hands before heading out, followed closely by Duan Yan, who came out to find Kong Sisi frozen, standing dazed in the hallway between the dining room and living room.

“What’s up?”

“Look…”

Duan Yan moved past her, following the direction of her pointing finger, and her expression also froze.

The heated Jizhou winter had Feng Nanshu with a high ponytail dressed in a short-sleeved top and a pair of black and white checkered long pants, moving in and out of the kitchen, bringing steaming hot dishes to the table.

After setting the plates, Feng Nanshu noticed someone staring at her from across, donned a chilly expression, then clattered back to the kitchen.

“Jiang Qin’s house has a lot of girls over.”

Little rich girl said sternly, her delicate nose slightly wrinkled.

At that moment in the hallway, Duan Yan and Kong Sisi exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a jolt of emotion.

Feng Nanshu serving dishes, domestic Feng Nanshu, Feng Nanshu who shone like a gem through three years of high school…

Yes, everyone knew Feng Nanshu was together with Jiang Qin now, but being together and bringing her home weren’t the same—how come she was at Jiang Qin’s house helping with the dishes too?

Throughout high school, every time she appeared, she had this aloof, rich, beautiful aura, so cold that people dared not approach, but now she seemed like a newly-wed bride bustling about with the dishes.

“What’s this? Aren’t we just here to eat?”

“This meal suddenly feels like something I can’t afford…”

“?”

Shao Xianghao, wiping his hands, walked over with a puzzled expression, just in time to see Feng Nanshu bringing out the braised ribs; the paper towel in his hand instantly fell to the floor.

He and Kong Sisi were also classmates with Feng Nanshu, which means they attended class with Feng Nanshu and hung out during breaks.

Even though Feng Nanshu didn’t participate in group activities, she was often the center of conversation, with everyone gathering to speculate what Feng might be like outside school.

People said a rich heiress would surely be immersed in elite education, learning ballet, piano, violin, and during breaks would lie on her massive over 100 square meter bed reading classic literature, pondering which restaurant to dine at next.

Who could have imagined she’d be serving dishes back and forth like a little housewife in an ordinary home?

At this moment, Jiang Qin also came out, seeing Feng Nanshu and narrowing his eyes, “Here again at my place?”

Mimicking him, Feng Nanshu narrowed her eyes too, “Welcome back.”

“Why the dopey look again?”

“I’ve never been smart.”

The little rich girl tossed her ponytail and continued to serve dishes in the kitchen, enjoying herself immensely.

Jiang Qin wiped his hands and urged everyone to sit down, just like being at home, not like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

Hearing this, Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao sat down, fell silent for quite a while until Guo Zihang and Yang Shu’an finished washing their hands and came over, which eased the situation a bit.

Later, Jiang Zhenghong also came back from work; nine people crowded around the dining table, a bit cramped but radiating happiness.

Yang Shu’an and Guo Zihang sat at each end, with Duan Yan, Kong Sisi, and Shao Xianghao on one side and a harmonious family of four—Jiang Zhenghong, Yuan Youqin, Feng Nanshu, and Jiang Qin—on the other.

Honestly, although Kong Sisi and Shao Xianghao were classmates with Feng Nanshu, this was the first time they were this close to her.

It was also the first time they realized just how much more beautiful Feng Nanshu was than many imagined.

“Hey, why is the little rich girl wearing a bracelet?”

During the meal, Jiang Qin suddenly noticed a jade bracelet on Feng Nanshu’s wrist, clearly too large for her slender wrist.

Sipping his drink, Jiang Zhenghong spoke, “Nanshu gave me a belt worth thirty thousand, and I couldn’t just ignore that. I wouldn’t feel right keeping it without returning the gesture, so I gave her a bracelet.”

Jiang Qin’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wow, dad, you sure do have a lot of private money.”

Jiang Zhenghong immediately held his breath, “I don’t have any private money, don’t start spouting nonsense as soon as you come back!”

“Then where did you get the money for the bracelet? It’s not a cheap fake one, is it?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Our old Jiang family was wealthy three generations back, though it’s gone now, but your grandma kept two bangles, one passed to your aunt and one to your mom.”

Yuan Youqin nodded, “I don’t wear it, so I passed it on to Nanshu.”

Jiang Qin quietly nibbled on a rib, whispering to the little rich girl, “Do you know what passing on an heirloom means?”

Feng Nanshu nodded softly, “Yes, it means once our friendship reaches a certain level, I get your family heirloom.”

“Right, it’s friendship, a lifetime of friendship, wow, you’re so smart to even know this.”

Jiang Qin’s tone was full of encouragement, like one would use with a child, casually picking up a rib.

He knew all too well what his mom was thinking—she was trying to secure Feng Nanshu as his wife, but fortunately, the little rich girl was naive enough to think the bracelet really symbolized friendship.

Jiang Qin chewed on the ribs, glanced at the bracelet on Feng Nanshu’s wrist, then back at the ribs, suddenly feeling something was off.

The little rich girl could raid my house, but how could she get her hands on my mom’s heirloom so easily?

Did she really understand nothing?

The more Jiang Qin thought, the more uneasy he became, looking at the little rich girl again, “Did you really mean what you said just now?”

Feng Nanshu spoke seriously, “Jiang Qin, I’ve never lied to you.”