Chapter 12: Bringing a Small Gift

Jiang Lixuan instantly became alert, scrutinizing Nan Yuanman from head to toe. “Why are you agreeing so readily this time? Don’t tell me you’re trying to use this to make me lower my guard so you can run away on the way back to the Jiang family?”

It wasn’t surprising he thought this way. No matter how dull he was, after what happened with Zhou Ying, he knew Nan Yuanman was not an ordinary child.

If she truly harbored any ill intentions, as an ordinary person, he wouldn’t be able to handle her.

Nan Yuanman blinked her big, starkly black-and-white eyes with an innocent look. “Am I that kind of bad kid?”

Jiang Lixuan snorted. “What do you think?”

“But I’ll keep a close watch on you on the road. I won’t give you any chance to run away,” Jiang Lixuan said, then glanced at the dilapidated courtyard with a frown. “Where’s Grandfather Nan? If I’m taking you away, I need to greet him first.”

Nan Yuanman instinctively touched the small coffin she had placed in her cloth bag and answered calmly, “He’s gone up the mountain to chop firewood. You can just leave him a message; there’s no need to greet him.”

Jiang Lixuan felt something was off, but time was tight. The journey back from Batang Village to S City wasn’t short.

Reluctantly, he left a letter with Aunt Zheng for safekeeping. Inside the envelope, he also slipped a bank card, instructing her to hand it over to Grandfather Nan upon seeing him.

After completing these tasks, as he turned back, he happened to see Nan Yuanman directing the driver to load the coffin in the courtyard onto the trunk.

The driver stood before the coffin, utterly bewildered, as if facing a formidable enemy.

When he saw Jiang Lixuan return, he cast a pleading look at him.

“Young master! Please manage the young lady!”

Jiang Lixuan rubbed his temple, gritting his teeth as he growled, “Nan Yuanman! What are you doing with the coffin?”

“To give as gifts to Grandma, Grandpa, and the other little uncles!” Nan Yuanman looked at him as if he was clueless. “This is my first time visiting. According to etiquette, I have to bring some gifts, right?”

“Grandpa isn’t here, and no one prepared any local specialties for me. I thought for a long time and finally decided to pick a few coffins to give to Grandma and Grandpa.”

“Don’t underestimate these coffins. They’re made of top-quality wood, meticulously crafted by my grandfather’s hands, and carved with flowers! They’re so beautiful!”

If it weren’t for the earnestness filling her little face, Jiang Lixuan would have suspected she was doing it on purpose. He took a deep breath. “They don’t want them!”

He rubbed his forehead in frustration. “Put the coffin boards down! You just need to go to the Jiang family. No gifts are necessary!”

Nan Yuanman pouted. “Alright.”

She muttered softly, “Such unappreciative people. These coffins can’t be bought with money anywhere else…”

Jiang Lixuan was speechless.

He began to doubt whether bringing Nan Yuanman back to the Jiang family was the right decision.

Even before arriving, he could already foresee that life in the Jiang household would hardly be peaceful from now on...

She hopped off the trunk and told the driver to unload the coffin boards she had just had placed there.

Jiang Lixuan pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at Nan Yuanman, dressed in a gray cloth outfit with only a small crossbody bag on her tiny frame, and asked, “Your clothes? Are they all packed?”

Nan Yuanman patted the crossbody bag. “All packed, everything’s in here.”

Jiang Lixuan was momentarily stunned, suddenly recalling the large wardrobes full of clothes belonging to Jiang Xinxin, which starkly contrasted with Nan Yuanman’s tiny bag.

He felt a pang in his heart. “...Never mind. We’ll go back first. I’ll buy you some clothes later.”

Zhang Shimian shook his head, opened the car door, and carried Nan Yuanman inside, buckling her seatbelt. “I’m going to pick up my master. I’ll come to the Jiang family to see you tomorrow. Behave yourself and don’t cause trouble.”

Nan Yuanman nodded obediently. “Got it.”

Jiang Lixuan politely asked, “Master Zhang, do you want us to give you a ride?”

“No need. I still have to finish some things with the Zheng family,” Zhang Shimian replied, shaking his head.

Nan Yuanman patted her little head, suddenly remembering something she had forgotten. She grabbed Zhang Shimian’s hand and said, “Tell Brother Feiyu to have Aunt Zheng personally go to the Liu family to retrieve Sister Zhou Ying’s hair, nails, and bones.”

“Once they have them, bring those items to me. I’ll break the curse.”

Since she had already involved herself in Zhou Ying’s matter, she was determined to see it through.

“Also, tell Brother Feiyu to prepare the payment. Don’t forget to pay me just because I’m young!”

Zhang Shimian ruffled her hair. “Got it.”

Jiang Lixuan watched their close interaction, hearing her call him “Brother Feiyu” repeatedly. He couldn’t help but click his tongue with a hint of bitterness. “Brother Feiyu... why haven’t I heard you call me ‘Uncle’ even once?”

Nan Yuanman completely ignored him. After repeatedly reminding Zhang Shimian, she finally sat down obediently.

Jiang Lixuan climbed into the car with a heavy heart, sitting beside Nan Yuanman.

The black sedan slowly started and drove away from the village where she had lived for five years.

Nan Yuanman twisted her body and leaned against the car window, watching the scenery outside gradually recede. She touched the small coffin inside her cloth bag.

It didn’t matter. As long as Grandfather was by her side.

Wherever Grandfather was, that was home.

—

Meanwhile, the Liu family in S City felt inexplicably uneasy these past two days.

Liu Hanfei’s elder brother, Liu Taiyu, couldn’t hold back and kept calling him, but no matter how many times he tried, there was no answer.

His wife, Yue Qinya, wearing lipstick, asked, “Has Hanfei still not answered?”

Liu Taiyu grunted irritably and continued dialing.

Yue Qinya comforted him, “Don’t worry too much. Hanfei is over thirty years old; he won’t get into any danger.”

“What do you know?” Liu Taiyu shot her a sharp glance. The current stature of the Liu family was all thanks to Hanfei’s efforts.

Liu Hanfei was the pillar of their family!

With their pillar unreachable, how could he not be anxious?

“Alright, alright, I know nothing. I’m going out to play mahjong. I have an appointment with Mrs. Zhao today,” Yue Qinya snapped, gathering her things to leave.

For some reason, her luck had been extraordinarily good lately.

Every game of mahjong ended in a win, she even won scratch cards casually, found money on the street, and had the fortune of meeting the wife of a potential business partner.

It was as if her life had suddenly entered a cheat mode.

So she was determined to seize this chance and get Mrs. Zhao to agree to cooperate with them.

Before leaving, Yue Qinya slipped the protective talisman Liu Taiyu had asked her to carry—kept in a red embroidered pouch—into her bag.

Liu Taiyu glanced quickly at the pouch going into her bag, unease flickering across his face. “I’ll see you off and then go look for Hanfei.”

Yue Qinya responded, and as they opened the door, they locked eyes with two tall policemen standing outside.

Yue Qinya was taken aback. “What is this...?”

Liu Taiyu’s face suddenly went pale. He instinctively turned and ran into the room.

The young policemen immediately chased after him, pressing him to the ground with a shout, “Don’t move! We are the police. You’re suspected of intentional homicide. Come with us!”

Sweat poured from Liu Taiyu as he lay on the ground, his mind filled with only two words—

It’s over!

The arrival of the police threw the Liu household into chaos; the peaceful days were gone forever.

—

On the car to S City, Nan Yuanman was sound asleep.

Her entire body was tilted, her chubby little face resting on Jiang Lixuan’s arm, with sparkling droplets at the corner of her lips.

Seeing her so peaceful, Jiang Lixuan softened and couldn’t help but gently pinch her cheek, whispering, “You’re much better when you’re asleep.”

This was far better than when she was awake and talking back.

Nan Yuanman frowned slightly, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering. She slowly opened her eyes.

She licked the corner of her mouth sleepily and asked, “Are we there yet?”

Jiang Lixuan glanced outside. The car had entered the S City area and was heading toward Taigu Estate.

He nodded. “Almost there.”

At that moment, outside the famous Taigu Villa district.

Several people stood at the gate of Villa No. 109.

Jiang Xinxin wore a pink princess dress, her hair tied in a high ponytail adorned with diamond hairpins, looking like a doll—pretty and adorable.

She held a bouquet of flowers, standing on tiptoe, anxiously looking ahead. Nervously, she grasped the hand of the woman beside her and asked, “Has Uncle brought Sister here yet? Mom, do you think Sister will not like me?”