When she thought about Jiang Yijun's gift to her back then, Jiang Ruolan immediately opened her eyes with a smile. She spun around in front of the mirror and pulled up her hair.
At 4 PM, her cell phone rang. When she answered the call, she found out it was from Xian Zihao. He had just finished a brief meeting at his company. He parked his car outside the gate and waited for her.
Jiang Ruolan hurried to pack her things and left the room. She remembered the last time Old Man Xian had sent a car to take her secretly to Xian Residence.
Jiang Ruolan took a deep breath and prepared herself to face Xian's Family members.
***
Two hours later, a black Land Rover drove straight out of town and through a long road to the outskirts of H City.
Mountains and fine waters hundreds of miles around surrounded this place. In terms of Feng Shui, this was a prosperous and profitable place and was the most popular place for the older generation to live. The car moved along a winding mountain road for nearly half an hour before finally arriving at the Xian Residence.
When Jiang Ruolan got out of the car, she saw a very luxurious house. After walking past the garden estate, she saw a few simples yet luxurious buildings. In the middle, there was a three-storey building with a Chinese-style villa.
Romantic and solemn temperament, high hall and elegant door, round-arched windows and cornerstone, all appear elegant.
The lush bamboo stood in two neat rows along the egg-stone path that divided the lawn into two, while the green leaves at the top gradually curled, forming a round curved roof that blocked the scorching sun and scorching heat of the day.
When she was young, the first time she went to the Jiang Family, she had looked up to the big house in a daze.
But the Xian Family villa has surpassed her expectations. The scenery in front of her was exquisite and it was full of trees and flowers.
Although Old Man Xian deliberately maintained a low profile, he cannot hide the greatness of the Xian Family that had been a legend for the past hundred years.
Surrounded by the beautiful flowers and the shadow of the artificial mountain under the willow tree not far away, Jiang Ruolan could see the green mountains and water in front of her.
A stream that was flowing down from the peak of the mountain had formed a different kind of beautiful scenery in this place.
"I heard that a few years ago, a certain high-ranking official from within the country personally visited the Xian Family and stayed here for a few days before leaving." Jiang Ruolan turned her body to looked at a statue of a soldier in the shade of a willow tree not far from her.
Xian Zihao laughed without care. "Xian Residence was once just a very ordinary small building in this courtyard. Then, the city changed, and after twenty years of rapid change, many families moved out but the Old Man was not willing to live in the city, and insisted on living in this old place for the rest of his life. So my father bought all the houses nearby. Although this place is quite far from the city, the air is fresher and the environment is more comfortable. Since the Old Man has a quiet personality, it would be perfect for this place to be Xian Residence. "
Jiang Ruolan nodded. As they spoke, the two of them were already walking to a three-story Chinese villa in the middle of the area. She suddenly looked down at the gift box in her hand and asked worriedly, "They won't be happy with such a small gift, will they?"
"What else do you think they need?"
Xian Zihao suddenly grabbed her hand. He gently pulled her in front of him. Jiang Ruolan was stunned for a moment. She almost bumped into him and stood beside him in a hurry.
"But I feel this gift is not appropriate …" Although their marriage was not based on love, but she still needs to respect Xian's Family members.
Jiang Ruolan looked at the gift box in her hand. "Why don't we buy a more appropriate gift."
"Gifts are just gifts. It doesn't matter if it's more or less." Xian Zihao spoke indifferently, no longer paying attention to the anxiety in Jiang Ruolan's eyes.
Xian Zihao knew she was feeling restless but they had already arrived at Xian's Residence, no matter how much she wanted to retreat, where else could she retreat?
Therefore, he pulled her in through the door of the Chinese villa.
As soon as Xian Zihao opened the door, Jiang Ruolan could smell the fragrance coming from inside.
It was dinner time, and there seemed to be a servant preparing a sumptuous dinner. The glazed lights shone on Jiang Ruolan's face, and she was dragged slowly by Xian Zihao.
'Damn it! He couldn't give her more time to get ready! He dragged her just like that!'
Jiang Ruolan silently cursed in her heart.
When she raised her head, she saw an old man with a cane, standing upright against the wall in front of the hall. Behind him was the sandalwood coloured staircase, and two elegant ink and water paintings.
Old Man Xian had just walked down the stairs and did not expect that he would see Xian Zihao with Jian Ruolan.
"Grandfather." Xian Zihao opened his mouth first. Although his voice was neither loud nor low, Jiang Ruolan nearly lost her grip on the gift box due to her shock.
"Humph, you still know how to come back!" Old Man Xian suddenly hit the ground with his cane. Although he was old, his eyes that were still filled with spirit quickly swept past Jiang Ruolan's face and stopped on her face.
A trace of displeasure flashed across his eyes.
Jiang Ruolan quickly bowed respectfully to Old Man Xian, who was in his eighties. "Greetings, grandpa."
Old Man Xian acted as if he heard nothing and walked towards them without expression. Suddenly, he raised the cane in his hand and hit Xian Zihao's body.
Jiang Ruolan was startled. Did the Xian Family always greet family members with violence?
Seeing Xian Zihao didn't seem to be in pain, Jiang Ruolan laughed every time he was beaten. "Every time I come back, I will be hit by your cane. I'm used to it but please don't scare your granddaughter-in-law."
"Granddaughter-in-law? Where did this granddaughter-in-law come from?!" Old Man Xian looked at Xian Zihao disapprovingly.
He didn't even bother to look at Jiang Ruolan. He treated her as air. "Stop hiding! Come down here quickly!"
Jiang Ruolan, who was treated like air, immediately stared at Old Man Xian, who was still holding his cane. She silently took a small step back.
Sensing her movements, Xian Zihao tilted his head and looked at her with a smile. In a voice she could only hear, he said, "Don't be afraid. Even if I am beaten, only I will be beaten."
Jiang Ruolan glared at him quietly, but she didn't dare to say anything at the moment. She raised her head and looked up when she heard footsteps on the second floor.
When Cui Liuxian's eyes met her from the second floor, Jiang Ruolan's expression froze.
Cui Liuxian walked towards them calmly and quietly walked over to Old Man Xian's side. She raised her hand to support the Old Man's arm and said softly, "Grandpa, didn't I already say that you don't have to worry about me anymore?"
As she said this, Cui Liuxian lowered her eyes and behaved as someone wronged her. Jiang Ruolan wanted to laugh.
Xian Zihao held her hand tightly as if he was telling her that she didn't have to be afraid with him here.
Jiang Ruolan turned her head to look at the handsome man next to her. She calmed down a bit but she didn't cower. Of course, since she was already here, she wouldn't cower.
It didn't matter if she retreated or not. After all, she didn't have the foundation of emotions and she didn't need to care about Xian Zihao's feelings or opinions. If she was willful enough, she wouldn't come today.
She agreed to come here today because Xian Zihao had protected her self-esteem and taken care of her feelings before. Even if she was about to face the blame and humiliation from the entire Xian Family, she would not cower.
"How can I not worry? I know you are hiding because you didn't want me to worry. With grandpa here, who dares to snatch my good grandson away?!"
The Old Man put down his cane and suddenly turned his head to look at Jiang Ruolan from head to toe. The dissatisfaction in his eyes became even more intense.
Jiang Ruolan wanted to open her mouth and explain but she did not know how to explain it.
Xian Zihao scoffed, "Grandfather, are you are making fun of your grandson? Snatched? Could it be that I am still an object to you?"
