Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot

Chapter 364: 238 members of the Jiang Family gathered, Fourth Master is overly arrogant

To reach Beijing early, the Jiang Family set off at the crack of dawn, catching the earliest flight back to Beijing. Tang Wan had been busy organizing work-related items the previous night and only slept in the early morning. Once on the plane, she was unable to hide her exhaustion.

After the plane took off, Fan Mingyu turned back, intending to ask Tang Wan if she was hungry, as everyone had gotten up so early that they had skipped breakfast. But what she saw was her son, tenderly pulling Tang Wan into his embrace.

Tang Wan had originally been sitting by the window, sleeping against it, but Jiang Jinsang slowly and gently shifted her onto his shoulder.

He raised his hand to pull the thin blanket on her knees up a few inches. His movements and expression were full of a tenderness that Fan Mingyu had never seen from him before.

She hurriedly turned back, leaning close to Jiang Zhenhuan and lowered her voice, "Falling in love really changes a person. I’ve never seen Xiaowu like this."

Jiang Zhenhuan was flipping through the airline magazine, "Was I not good to you back in the day?"

"You?" Fan Mingyu chuckled, "When you were pursuing me, I really didn’t feel much..."

"If you wanted to date me, you should’ve just asked clearly. Why all those coincidental meetings? And you were so stubborn. If I didn’t have an ardent admirer back then, would you have publicly confessed to me?"

Jiang Zhenhuan coughed softly, "Why compare us to those times? Back then, everything was simpler. Holding hands was a big deal. It’s different from today’s environment."

"After we started dating, you were anything but simple. I thought you had several relationships before me."

"..."

Jiang Zhenhuan put the magazine aside, closed his eyes to rest, and activated his "playing dead" mode.

...

The flight arrived in Beijing shortly after nine in the morning, reaching the Jiang Family home by ten.

Xie Jing felt like he was driven mad, traveling from the Tang Family to the Jiang Family. He had a rough journey, but fortunately, he arrived when Zhou Zhongqing was checking the elderly lady’s health, and Jiang Cuo arranged for him to stay, leaving him unattended.

"Xiaowu, perfect timing, I’ll check on you too." Zhou Zhongqing assessed him, "Any discomfort during the trip to Pingjiang?"

"The usual discomfort for the first two days there." When seeing a doctor, one naturally recounts everything truthfully.

"Let’s go to the room. I’ll give you a thorough checkup."

Zhou Zhongqing and Jiang Jinsang went directly to the third floor, while Tang Wan was held up by the elderly lady talking about family matters. She didn’t follow until after carrying her luggage to the third floor. The rooms were not soundproof, so she could hear the ongoing conversation between the two men next door intermittently.

"...After the onset of spring, the temperature rises, but there’s still a large difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, so you must keep warm!"

"I know." Jiang Jinsang coughed and then pointed next door as he heard the door open, suspecting Tang Wan had come, and he didn’t want Zhou Zhongqing to continue.

However, Zhou Zhongqing completely ignored the hint, "Regarding the surgery I mentioned before, you really need to give it some thought. You can’t go on like this and get married, not like this. With your condition, don’t even think about going on a honeymoon abroad. Not to be harsh, but with your weak constitution, it’s hard to say how long you can live."

"Uncle Zhou!" Jiang Jinsang raised his voice.

"Don’t think I’ll stop mentioning it just because you get upset. The surgery may be tough, but it could cure most of your issues. Don’t think I’m joking."

"Didn’t you say before that I could only manage with care?"

"Medical technology is advancing. Was it the same twenty years ago as it is now? Consider it yourself and give me an answer as soon as possible."

After finishing his sentence, Zhou Zhongqing packed up and left, but on the second floor, Tang Wan, who had hurried down the stairs, called out, "Uncle Zhou, wait a moment..."

"What’s up?"

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that these rooms aren’t soundproof. Regarding the surgery you mentioned, what’s that about?"

"This surgery should have been done two or three years ago, but his constant physical weakness made it unfitting for surgery. He has been looking better recently, so I told him to consider going for it."

"What would happen if he doesn’t undergo the surgery?"

"He has had a congenital condition. It’s tough to cure completely. You’ve seen him during his attacks. It used to be worse, and he would be rushed to the hospital immediately. If he gets the surgery, it’s less likely to reoccur."

"He said his health isn’t that bad," Tang Wan spoke softly.

"You believe a sick person’s words?"

"..."

"If you can, try to persuade him. It’s for both of your sakes. You wouldn’t want to live with a ticking time bomb, right? Imagine if you two have kids in the future and his condition remains unpredictable—instant trips to the hospital, wouldn’t it be terrifying...?"

Zhou Zhongqing was good at instilling fear, listing a host of medical terms she didn’t understand. Simply put, without surgery, Jiang Jinsang could fall ill at any moment, not live a full life, and could die young...

"I understand. I’ll talk to him. Let me walk you downstairs." Tang Wan trusted Zhou Zhongqing, his words sending chills down her spine.

Zhou Zhongqing knew Jiang Jinsang all too well—stubborn and unyielding. It was easier to handle him when he was a child, but treating him as an adult was like a battle of wits. He was indifferent about everything, but now that he had feelings for Tang Wan, he had a weakness. Zhou had deliberately let Tang Wan overhear the conversation.

If Jiang Jinsang wouldn’t listen to him, perhaps he would listen to his future wife—at least then, why else would they even consider marriage?

Jiang Jinsang was aware this was intentional, yet there was nothing he could do. Tang Wan was right next door, and he couldn’t just grab Zhou by the neck and cover his mouth.

**

Tang Wan and Zhou Zhongqing stood at the door chatting for a while until a black sedan slowly drove up and parked at the Jiang family’s gate. It was Jiang Zhaolin and Jiang Shuyan getting out of the car.

When Mr. Tang was hospitalized, a prior medical dispute had caused bad blood between them. Although their reunion wasn’t overtly hostile, the underlying tension sparked invisible fireworks.

"Mr. Jiang, Miss Jiang." Tang Wan greeted them, excessively polite.

"Sister Tang, Doctor Zhou." After the last incident, Jiang Shuyan had significantly toned down even her dress and mannerisms.

"Mr. Jiang." Zhou Zhongqing spoke formally.

"Are you here to see Xiaowu for his illness? He just returned to Beijing and..." Jiang Zhaolin probed.

Zhou Zhongqing smiled, "No, just here for a routine check-up for the old lady, Xiaowu is quite healthy."

"Is that so, then..."

Jiang Zhaolin’s words were cut off by a sudden roar of an engine, growing louder as it approached, bombarding people’s ears. Today, he arrived riding a bright red heavy motorcycle, zooming like a gust of wind, with the brakes screeching as the bike steadily halted on the Jiang Family’s lawn.

Removing the helmet, kicking the stand, dismounting...

A sequence of actions, free and unconstrained, the motorcycle rider seemed to have wind coursing through his veins, unrestrained and free-spirited.

"Uncle Xiaosi!" Jiangjiang, who was inside the house, ran out upon hearing the noise.

Jiang Chengsi took off his gloves, bent down to embrace him, his large palm supporting the child’s backside, lifting him into his arms, "Have you been eating a lot recently? You’ve gained quite a bit."

"I haven’t!" The child was self-conscious about his figure.

"Sister-in-law." Jiang Chengsi greeted Tang Wan and turned his head towards Zhou Zhongqing, "Uncle Zhou."

"I’ll take my leave then." Upon seeing Jiang Chengsi’s arrival, Zhou Zhongqing decided it was best to leave. The father and son duo rarely appeared together, and when they did...

It must be something major!

Better to stay out of it.

...

After Zhou Zhongqing drove away, the group entered the house.

Jiang Shuyan and Tang Wan had some unresolved issues; walking together was always a bit awkward. She cleared her throat, seemingly trying to strike up a conversation, but Jiang Chengsi slowed down to walk next to Tang Wan.

She paused and obediently stepped back!

Although he was her brother, their relationship was indeed strained...

She couldn’t afford to provoke him!

"The engagement date is set, congratulations," Jiang Chengsi commented casually.

"Thank you, I hope you can make time to come to Pingjiang for the engagement party." noveldrama

"I will certainly be there."

**

As the group entered the house, the old lady spoke up, and Tang Wan learned that she had invited Jiang Zhaolin for dinner.

"...Why just the three of you? Chengsi, where’s your mother?"

Jiang Chengsi was playing with Jiangjiang and just about to speak when Jiang Zhaolin cut him off, "She’s feeling a bit unwell."

"Unwell? Did she see a doctor?"

"No."

"Why didn’t she go to the doctor? What happened?" Jiang Zhenhuan and his wife came out from another room, even Jiang Jinsang came down from upstairs, except for Jiang Yanting who was still at the company, all the Jiang Family members in Beijing seemed to be present.

"It’s an old problem," Jiang Zhaolin said with a wry smile, "She often gets angina around the holidays."

The expressions of the Jiang Family members all turned somber.

Usually, Tang Wan wouldn’t have grasped the significance of his words, but having heard Jiang Jinsang talk about his elder cousin’s issues, she quite understood.

He clearly knew that this visit wasn’t just about a simple meal. Taking the initiative, he mentioned his wife’s angina due to their deceased son, which instantly turned the atmosphere heavy.

The old lady cherished her eldest grandson dearly, and his early death held a significant place in her heart...

She would probably soften her stance because of her deceased grandson.

The atmosphere suddenly turned oppressive, a sore point in everyone’s hearts, and nobody dared to speak, even Jiangjiang, sitting on the side, kept his lips tightly sealed, too young to understand what was happening, innocent yet confused.

Just then, Jiang Chengsi suddenly laughed, "Is it really her angina, or do you want to give her angina?"

Tang Wan knew about the discord between father and son, but she hadn’t expected such sharp confrontation.

Jiang Chengsi’s remark was virtually a slap in his father’s face.

Outrageously arrogant.

Calling him the black sheep of the Jiang Family was truly an understatement; at this moment, he was the only one who dared to speak up.