Chapter 25: Hardly a Guardian

Attending a meeting with the parents of one’s ex-fiancé is, to put it mildly, a situation bordering on dark comedy.

Jiang Mian toyed with her fingers, her gaze unfocused as she looked down. Last night, she had been struck by a spark of inspiration, but for some reason, she couldn't quite capture it on canvas. She mused that perhaps she needed to return to her studio to find the peace of mind required for her work.

"Ms. Jiang, is there anything you would like to add to the order?"

The glass turntable in front of her suddenly rotated, and within seconds, the menu stopped right before her. She looked up to find everyone staring at her. Jiang Zhixuan gritted her teeth, finally forcing herself to stop glaring at Jiang Mian; after all, Wen Yan was right beside her, and she didn't want to cause any trouble at this stage.

Wen Jinhuai simply observed her, his expression unreadable. Beside him, Jiang Zhouyi gave a dry, awkward laugh. "Mr. Wen, Jiang Mian eats whatever we order. You really don't need to go out of your way to ask her."

She glanced at the menu and pulled her hands from beneath the table. Juyuan Pavilion offered a wide variety of dishes, and the others had already ordered plenty before she arrived. She didn't actually want to add anything, but Jiang Zhouyi’s comment left a sour taste in her mouth. She flipped through the menu, picked two dishes, and added them anyway; since Wen Jinhuai had offered the opportunity, she might as well take it.

When the waiter came to confirm the order, Jiang Zhouyi offered a strained smile. This meal was his initiative, so naturally, he was the one footing the bill.

"Thank you, Mr. Wen." She gave a faint smile, doing her best to ignore the intense gaze she felt from her peripheral vision.

Even someone as dense as Wen Yan could sense that something was off. He glanced at Jiang Mian, then turned to Wen Jinhuai, his tone hesitant. "Big Brother, are you two very close?"

"Not particularly." He lowered his eyes, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips.

Wen Yan swallowed hard, not daring to press further. While his older brother rarely got angry, crossing his boundaries was never a good idea. Jiang Zhixuan tugged gently on Wen Yan’s sleeve and leaned in to whisper in his ear, smiling all the while. Jiang Mian caught the motion but quickly looked away. His answer earlier—while not claiming closeness—hadn't exactly denied it either.

She smiled and returned to her phone. A moment later, Wen Yan spoke up again. "Big Brother, now that Xuanxuan and I are getting engaged, shouldn't you exchange contact information with Uncle Jiang?"

Jiang Zhouyi looked up, his eyes brightening. Previously, when Wen Jinhuai had visited, it was Wen Yan who brought him; to this day, Jiang Zhouyi still had no way to contact him directly—at least, not privately, outside of business channels.

Wen Jinhuai looked up. Across the table, Jiang Zhouyi seemed ready to leap into action, practically itching to pull out his phone and display his QR code. Jiang Mian, however, remained as still as if she hadn't heard a word. Her slender fingers tapped lightly on her screen, the light reflecting off her cheeks and highlighting the faint, fine fuzz on her skin. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering. His right hand rested on the table, index finger tapping rhythmically and silently against the surface.

Then, a single sentence dropped, light as a feather: "You’re the one getting married; why do you need to add me?"

Jiang Zhixuan’s smile froze for a moment, and she blinked in confusion, but she quickly gathered herself and nudged Wen Yan under the table. "Big Brother, you’re part of my family now, after all..."

Wen Yan felt at a loss for how to explain. He knew Jiang Zhixuan hoped the Wen family would provide support to the Jiang family. As her future husband, he had agreed to help, but if his brother wasn't willing...

At these words, Wen Jinhuai’s gaze turned icy, fixed firmly on him for a long, uncomfortable moment. Just as Wen Yan was about to crumble, the man finally looked away. Taking a sip of tea, Wen Jinhuai’s expression softened slightly.

"If it is a matter of business, I suggest Mr. Jiang contact my assistant. As for private matters, Wen Yan has been an adult for a long time; I hardly qualify as a 'parent' or guardian at this stage."

With just a few words, he had cleanly severed the connection. Jiang Mian finally looked up. So, Wen Jinhuai disliked people adding his contact information? Did that make her lucky, then?

Jiang Zhouyi gave a dry laugh, struggling to maintain his composure. "It’s quite alright, Mr. Wen, I understand. It’s just the children being thoughtful."

Jiang Mian blinked, barely holding back a comment. Wen Jinhuai was only a few years older than Wen Yan; referring to him as a "parent" sounded as if he were trying to elevate Wen Jinhuai to his own generation. She really wanted to tell him that if he didn't know what to say, it would be better to say nothing at all.

However, the other party didn't seem to mind; he simply nodded and lowered his eyes, falling silent. The atmosphere in the private room dropped to freezing point. Fortunately, the waiter began serving the dishes, or the father and daughter might have felt the urge to crawl into a hole.

It was none of her business, and she was happy to stay out of it, focusing quietly on her meal. Jiang Zhouyi had forced her to attend only to save face in front of Wen Jinhuai, ensuring no one would think he was taking advantage of the situation while mistreating his own niece.

"Big Brother, are you free next week? I really hope you can attend our engagement banquet." Wen Yan didn't dare hope that the old master of the Wen family would show up, but surely his brother would? After all, he shared the Wen surname, and as long as he hadn't been completely discarded, he was still a member of the family; his presence carried the weight of the Wen name.

"I will make time." He spoke calmly, using his chopsticks to pick up a dish that had just rotated into reach. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he last dined at Juyuan Pavilion.

"Sister, you must come to my engagement banquet too!" Jiang Zhixuan tilted her head and smiled, her eyes bright and expectant, looking every bit like an innocent, naive younger sister. A pity, really.

"Mm." She was always good at putting on an act in front of others.

Jiang Mian thought that would be the end of it, but then she heard Jiang Zhixuan add, "Sister, I heard your studio hasn't been doing well lately. Could you come over early to help me with my makeup or something? I’m going to be so nervous."

Jiang Mian paused, slowly looking up. She swallowed the food in her mouth and reached for a napkin to wipe her lips. Beside her, Jiang Zhouyi wore an expression of feigned indifference, though he was secretly watching her while sipping his soup. Was he worried she would snap and ruin the occasion? She considered herself a person of dignity; she wouldn't stoop to such self-defeating behavior just to cause a scene.

"If you can't afford a professional makeup artist, I can help you."

Jiang Zhixuan gritted her teeth. The thing she had hated most about Jiang Mian since childhood was that detached, indifferent air. Even back when Jiang Zhouyi had used force to seize her villa, Jiang Mian had only glared at them, fiercely warning them to be careful of karma. The most extreme thing she had ever done was throw a milk carton at Jiang Zhouyi’s face.

Jiang Zhixuan forced a smile, her hands clenched together. "It’s not the same as a professional makeup artist, is it, Sister?"