Chapter 64: Young Uncle Wen Yanshu

This was Jiang Mian's first time visiting the Wen family's ancestral residence.

Situated halfway up the mountain, calling it a villa felt somewhat inadequate; it was a sprawling estate.

Past the front gates lay a spacious courtyard with parking areas on both sides and a circular fountain right in the middle.

Only after climbing a dozen stone steps did one reach the main entrance of the indoor living space.

Flanking the bottom of the stairs on either side were stone lions. Had she not known this was a private estate, she truly would have mistaken it for some kind of open-air public museum.

She had only heard rumors previously that the Wen family estate featured a private swimming pool and hot springs, but now it appeared those rumors were entirely true.

Suppressing her astonishment within mere seconds, Jiang Mian's facial expression was already indistinguishable from her usual calm by the time she stepped out of the car.

As Wen Jinghuai emerged from the vehicle, she turned to look at him, holding her handbag as she stood in place waiting for him to approach.

Only then did the two of them walk toward the stairs together.

Entering the estate gates required license plate recognition or facial scanning for unlocking, so the villa's front doors were left unlatched, knowing guests were expected today.

Through the doorway lay a massive foyer.

Before Wen Jinghuai could turn to speak with Jiang Mian, someone hurried over toward them.

Stooping down, the person retrieved a pair of brand-new shoes from the shoe cabinet, still covered in their protective dust bags.

Placing the slippers right at Jiang Mian's feet, the person slowly stood up and stepped back slightly. "Please change into these new slippers."

Wen Jinghuai bent down, pulled a pair of black-and-gray checkered cotton slippers from the top compartment, and changed his shoes at a leisurely pace.

Noticing out of the corner of his eye that Jiang Mian's movements were somewhat hesitant, he turned his head toward the person who had just assisted them. "This is Aunt Zhou, the household manager. You can just call her Aunt Zhou."

"Aunt Zhou, this is my wife, Jiang Mian."

His introduction was effortless. Jiang Mian followed his gaze and gave a slight nod to the woman.

Aunt Zhou remained composed, her face betraying no excess emotion as she offered Jiang Mian a warm smile before turning her attention back to Wen Jinghuai.

"The Elder Master and Master Yan are in the courtyard playing chess. You and Madam may go right over."

With that, she nodded to them both and turned away to resume her duties.

Having changed her shoes, Wen Jinghuai glanced sideways at Jiang Mian. She had already put on the slippers and was standing obediently beside him, waiting.

Yet the slight furrow of her brow seemed to betray whatever thoughts were running through her mind.

Wen Jinghuai curved his lips in a faint smile, remaining silent as he led her further inside.

The living room was immense—so vast that calling it merely a living room fell short; the majority of the space was wide open, large enough to play badminton indoors.

The sofa was exceptionally long and broad, looking instantly inviting and comfortable.

The television wall was carved with varying depths of texture, making the eighty-five-inch screen appear remarkably grand and majestic.

Walking toward the backyard, they passed a tearoom, its transparent glass walls offering a clear view of the interior.

At the center lay a shallow pond, encircled by low tables and meditation cushions. Piles of ornamental stones were arranged within the pond as decorative features.

The lighting in the tearoom was subdued, dominated by dark gray tones that made one feel as though the faint fragrance of tea could already be smelled the moment they stepped inside, inspiring an almost sleepy sense of tranquility.

Upon reaching the backyard, the landscaping and pavilions complemented one another perfectly.

Looking to the right, there indeed lay a sizable swimming pool, its blue waters shimmering with ripples.

Following the small stone path to the left brought them beneath a pavilion, where newly styled neo-Chinese drapes filtered the sunlight, and the occupants within were engrossed in a game of chess.

Wen Jinghuai led Jiang Mian closer, and as they stepped inside, Elder Wen turned his head to look.

Catching sight of Jiang Mian trailing behind him, the expression on the old man's face instantly softened. He smiled and beckoned to her. "Mianmian, come sit."

There were still seats available on either side of the chessboard.

"Grandfather." She paused for a moment, realizing this was the appropriate title to use now.

Wen Jinghuai glanced at her, gesturing for her to take a seat. Only then did she step forward, settling down on the elder's right-hand side. She held her small clutch purse in her hands, resting it in her lap as she sat up straight.

On a table to the left of the pavilion sat various tea-brewing utensils, and Wen Jinghuai conveniently picked up two cups to pour tea.

The tea had presumably been brewed when the chess match began, and it was no longer scalding hot.

He poured two cups, and as he turned around, he slid one across the table to place it in front of Jiang Mian, while holding the other to take a small sip himself, not rushing to take his seat just yet.

The person sitting opposite Elder Wen raised his eyes to appraise her, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Why aren't you introducing her, Jinghuai?"

Wen Jinghuai lifted his gaze, his eyes carrying an understated emotion as he looked at the man across the table.

Jiang Mian cast a quick glance, not quite recognizing him and having never really seen this man before. Still, he clearly belonged to the Wen family, bearing a distinct resemblance to the Elder Master.

Pausing briefly, Wen Jinghuai offered a subtle, faint smile. "Little Uncle can introduce himself just fine. This is my wife, Jiang Mian."

"Married so suddenly?" The man looked slightly surprised, then glanced at Elder Wen's expression. Seeing the old man's face remain unchanged, he understood that this had the elder's full backing.

With that, he turned back to Jiang Mian with a friendly smile and extended a hand.

"Hello, I am Wen Yanshu, Jinghuai's little uncle. You should address me accordingly."

Jiang Mian lowered her gaze, reached out to shake his hand briefly, and then quickly withdrew it. "Hello, Little Uncle."

Come to think of it, she didn't recall ever seeing him in any news related to the Wen family, nor had she heard this name mentioned when she accompanied her parents to visit the Wen estate years ago.

However, in such a massive family, remaining unaware of certain family members was probably just a result of him keeping a low profile.

With that thought, she couldn't help but steal another glance at Wen Yanshu.

He wore a very faint, somewhat artificial smile, with gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. At that moment, he raised a hand to gently push the frames upward.

Wen Jinghuai still held his teacup in his left hand. As he walked over to Jiang Mian's side, he draped his right arm over her shoulder, pressing down gently to pull her closer toward him.

"Little Uncle, if you don't pay attention to the game, you're going to lose."

Elder Wen chuckled heartily, lifting his eyes to glance at the man opposite him while taking a leisurely sip of his tea.

Acting as though he cared little for the chessboard, he turned his attention back to Jiang Mian.

Her gaze had long since withdrawn from Wen Yanshu, her eyes lowered slightly without any particular focus.

"Mianmian, if you aren't busy tomorrow, why don't you and Jinghuai stay the night at the old residence and head back after breakfast tomorrow morning?"

A jolt of surprise rippled through Jiang Mian. Staying over at the elder's home meant...?

An instinctive urge to refuse rose within her, but the hand Wen Jinghuai had resting on her shoulder pressed down slightly. The words poised on the tip of her tongue took an abrupt turn, delivered with a smile.

"I'm not busy at all, Grandfather." It was tacit consent.

She gritted her back teeth, fighting to keep her expression from looking strained as she tilted her head and smiled.

The old man nodded with satisfaction and turned his attention back to the chessboard. They were playing international chess.