No matter how heated the discussions were online, Jiang Fuyue, who was at the center of the topic, paid no attention.
Even with three CNS papers already in hand, she still kept to her usual routine: laboratory, dormitory, cafeteria, the same three-point line.
She did not relax the slightest bit or become the least bit complacent because of what she had achieved.
Anyway, Xu Kaiqing told himself that if he had managed to publish three international authoritative journal papers before the age of twenty, he absolutely would not be able to do what Jiang Fuyue was doing now.
He wouldn’t necessarily get carried away, but feeling a bit smug was inevitable.
After all, youthful spirit.
But Jiang Fuyue…
Forget spirit, she didn’t even have an extra facial expression.
Every day, whenever he saw her, she was either doing experiments or processing data.
As if she were racing someone.
But clearly, there were no opponents in front of her anymore.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that among her peers, no one could even see her dust.
“Time.” Jiang Fuyue lifted her eyes and looked at him lightly. “If you run against people, your finish line is just a finish line; but if you race against time, there is no finish line.”
With no finish line, one can keep moving forward.
Xu Kaiqing was stunned, and he remained dazed the entire afternoon.
Old Peter came out of the lab next door and, seeing him, looked puzzled: “What’s wrong with him?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Maybe… contemplating life?”
Old Peter: “?”
Jiang Fuyue continued staying in the lab mainly to finish the collaborative project.
Honestly, she found Xu Kaiqing and Old Peter a bit too slow.
If she handled it herself, the time would be cut in half.
But cautiousness had its benefits. Slow was slow, but it was stable.
Xu Kaiqing could see it clearly and even joked about himself: “Getting old. Lost my drive, don’t dare to take risks.”
Old Peter nodded: “The future belongs to you young people.”
Then the two of them, in perfect agreement, increased Jiang Fuyue’s workload.
Xu Kaiqing: “The capable should work more.”
Peter: “The world is yours.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
During this time, Han Qishan and Shi Qingzhi both called, asking her to come home for a few days.
Yes, counting the days, Jiang Fuyue had almost not been home for two months.
Once the two collaborative projects were done, the weather gradually turned cold, and winter arrived without her noticing.
T-shirts became coats. The only thing that didn’t change was the white lab coat on her body.
After finally finishing the projects, Jiang Fuyue temporarily ended her laboratory-dwelling lifestyle.
Han Qishan: “My good girl, when are you coming home?”
That nickname…
The old man was getting more and more sentimental.
Second Uncle Han Ke also called: “It’s been so long. Even the dog at home misses you.”
Little Uncle Han Heng: “Yueyue, I heard from the old man that you’re coming home?! Wait for me, I’ll push my schedule here and come back to keep you company!”
Jiang Fuyue: “……” Not sure who’s keeping who company.
After all, only when she was home could Han Heng openly touch stuffed toys.
Otherwise, he only dared to sneak around like a thief.
Han Shen was even more direct. Right on time, he had the driver pull the car up to the school gate, then called her—
“Come out. Uncle will take you home.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……”
As soon as she walked into the villa, a dog bark sounded.
Little Mang charged down from the second floor, rushed out the front door, crossed the lawn, and threw itself straight at Jiang Fuyue’s feet.
Then it lifted half its body and pawed at her chest: “Woof woof——woof woof woof——”
You’re back! Hug! I want a hug!
Jiang Fuyue reached out and patted its broad, solid back, producing muffled slaps: “You got fatter.”
“Woof woof——” I’m not fat, I’m strong! It complained with its mouth, but its tail wagged wildly.
“Sister, you’re back.” Han Ting was also home and came out following Little Mang.
“Come on, Yueyue, let’s talk inside.”
“Okay.”
…
Dinner was another full table, with meat and vegetables, almost all dishes Jiang Fuyue liked.
Han Qishan: “I tried it already. This rib dish is good. Here… and this pickled-pepper beef strips, it’s a new dish. See if you like it…”
This level of treatment, even Han Shen and his two brothers hadn’t enjoyed it, not to mention Han Ting, the eldest grandson.
Borrowing Han Ting’s private complaint: “If you saw how attentive the old man is to my sister, you’d know. He practically wants to hold her in his hands and place her on his heart.”
After dinner, Jiang Fuyue accompanied the old man for a walk and a chess game.
Then she prepared food for Little Mang.
At night, when she returned to her pink room, she hadn’t even closed the door when Han Heng squeezed in like a slippery eel.
“Little Yueyue~ I’m here!”
Jiang Fuyue’s mouth twitched as she watched him dive into the pile of stuffed toys like a baby bird returning to its nest.
“Ah——my teddy bear! Little Katie! Pikachu!”
He rolled and rubbed, face full of satisfaction, eyes narrowing into slits from happiness.
Jiang Fuyue sat on the bed and watched him roll around like a wild donkey. She clicked her tongue lightly: “Why did you move so many stuffed toys into my room again?”
“Aren’t they cute? I bought these new. All limited editions! Super fluffy and thick.”
“……”
“Don’t believe me? Touch them yourself.”
Jiang Fuyue leaned back strategically: “No need. You play on your own.”
“…Oh.”
Such cute and adorable things, even he, a grown man, liked them. How could a girl feel nothing?
He truly didn’t understand! But on second thought, his little niece who published three CNS papers probably didn’t need his understanding. Ahem… and he couldn’t understand anyway.
“Older Sister——” At that moment, Han Ting came running.
Seeing the door wasn’t fully closed, he pushed it open directly.
The next second, he saw Han Heng still half-buried in stuffed animals, face full of bliss, too late to pull back.
“Little Uncle, what are you doing?”
Han Heng calmly patted imaginary dust off his sleeve and stood up: “Suddenly remembered I have something to do. You siblings talk.”
After speaking, he walked out.
Only after stepping into the hallway did his footsteps show a hint of panic.
Fortunately, Han Ting didn’t notice.
“Older Sister…” The boy now stood before Jiang Fuyue, hesitating with embarrassment.
“What is it?” Jiang Fuyue raised a brow. “Just say it.”
“Ahem… can I ask you for some autographs?”
“Autographs? Whose?”
“Yours!”
Jiang Fuyue was surprised: “I’m not a celebrity. What do you want my autograph for?”
“Older Sister, don’t you know you’re more popular than celebrities right now?”
Jiang Fuyue knew people online were talking about her, but…
“Is it that exaggerated?” More popular than celebrities?
Han Ting immediately became animated: “Right now, you’re like a goddess to us students! The highest benchmark in the world of academic elites! Oh, and the lucky charm of every exam! Lots of classmates refresh your videos before entering the exam hall to get good luck.”
Jiang Fuyue’s expression was complicated: “……Does it work?”
“Of course! It’s psychological comfort. Good mindset means the grades won’t be too bad.”
Surprisingly, it made sense.
Han Ting scratched his head: “A few of my good buddies know you’re my sister, so they forced me to get autographs.”
And so he came.
Jiang Fuyue agreed readily and told him to bring paper and pen. She would sign immediately.
“Hehe… I’m already prepared!” As he spoke, he pulled things out from behind him like performing a magic trick.
When Jiang Fuyue saw them, none of it was plain paper.
There were photos, posters, photobooks, and even the magazines she recently participated in for a fashion shoot.
She signed more than twenty, and there were still more afterward.
Jiang Fuyue: “Your buddies are that many?”
Han Ting: “No, actually just six or seven. But each of them wants at least five autographs, and adding them up…” the number grew.
Jiang Fuyue: “……” Fine.
After signing and sending Han Ting away, she closed her bedroom door.
After showering, she called Han Yunru, with Jiang Da occasionally chiming in from the side.
After hanging up, she specially called her younger brother Jiang.
“Older Sister!”
“You’re still awake?”
“I was waiting to talk to you before sleeping.”
So he was waiting for her on purpose.
“Have you been tired lately?”
Little Brother Jiang: “Not tired.”
“Do you exercise?”
“Yes! Long-distance running and swimming!”
“Keep it up.”
Little Brother Jiang knew she couldn’t see, but still nodded heavily: “Sister, I know!”
By the time the call ended, it was already eleven at night.
Jiang Fuyue turned off the lights and lay down, gradually sinking into sleep.
The next day she slept until naturally waking, and when she went downstairs, the old man and Han Shen, Han Ke were already in the dining room eating breakfast.
Han Heng wasn’t seen, probably still sleeping like a log in his room.
The old man smiled cheerfully, his tone gentle: “Good girl, why not sleep a bit more?”
Han Shen: “……” You weren’t like this just now when you were complaining about the third child.
Han Ke: “……” You’ll get used to it.
“I’m already awake.” Jiang Fuyue walked to Han Shen’s side. Just as she was about to sit down, the old man waved her over.
“?”
“Come, sit next to Grandpa.”
Jiang Fuyue: “……Oh.”
Han Shen: “……” Truly speechless.
After she sat down, a servant quickly brought milk and a sandwich, placing them in front of her.
During the meal, everyone ate quietly. Only the faint clinking of utensils could be heard.
Suddenly—
“Yueyue, this Saturday is your nineteenth birthday. I plan to throw you a birthday party, and also introduce you to everyone, let everyone get familiar with you. What do you think?”
Had Han Qishan not mentioned it, even Jiang Fuyue had forgotten that her birthday was December 6th. Counting the days, it was indeed this Saturday.
Although news of the Han family’s youngest daughter being found had long been widely known in their circle, Han Yunru had never appeared publicly. After twenty years, no one knew what this mysteriously missing and suddenly returned daughter of the Han family looked like.
They only knew she had already built a family in Linhuai, ran a business with her husband, and had a daughter.
And this much-cherished granddaughter of the Han family was Jiang Fuyue!
This had already been confirmed by many netizens earlier when Han Heng caused that scandal misunderstanding.
People in the circle had vaguely heard of it, but had never seen Jiang Fuyue in person.
So, Han Qishan planned to take this opportunity to officially announce to the world Jiang Fuyue’s identity.
And let her make an appearance in the circle.
All of her current research projects had temporarily wrapped up. Jiang Fuyue had no other arrangements this Saturday. After a slight pause, she nodded and agreed.
“You arrange it.”
“Eh!” The old man immediately beamed with joy.
Because Jiang Fuyue had returned home, the Han brothers also rarely went out.
Han Shen finished breakfast, made a few work calls, and was completely free afterward.
Han Ke watched the market on his iPad for a while, then put it aside.
Only Han Heng was still upstairs snoring away.
“Send a few more people to call him up! A grown man in his thirties still lazing in bed, what nonsense!”
The servants didn’t dare disobey and all went upstairs.
But the third young master’s morning temper was no joke. In the end, they could only shrink back outside the door, calling his name symbolically twice.
As for whether he heard or not, whether he responded or not, no one knew.
Anyway, after half an hour, the three generations downstairs had already started playing mahjong, and Han Heng still hadn’t come down.
Playing mahjong was Han Ke’s suggestion.
“……Bored anyway, might as well find something fun to pass the time.”
At first, Han Qishan said: “Of all the good things to learn, you teach the two younger ones gambling, are you proud of yourself?”
Han Ke silently shut his mouth.
Han Ting glanced at his second uncle, he looked so pitiful, and helped by saying: “Playing mahjong can train the mind and prevent Alzheimer’s.”
Han Qishan widened his eyes: “Who are you saying has Alzheimer’s? I’m the only elder here!”
Han Ting: “……” Ugh, should’ve kept quiet.
Han Shen looked at his nose, his nose at his heart, with no intention of speaking.
At this time, whoever spoke up would get scolded.
Except…
Jiang Fuyue: “Mahjong is also a form of activity. Playing occasionally should be fine, right?”
Han Qishan immediately: “It’s fine! Of course it’s fine! Yueyue, you like it? Then let’s begin. What are you all standing around for?”
Han Shen: “……”
Han Ke: “……”
Han Ting: “……”
As expected of you, double standards delivered with confidence.
By the time the sun was high and Han Heng finally came downstairs, they had already played several rounds.
“Oh, playing mahjong?”
Han Heng’s eyes lit up. He walked behind Jiang Fuyue.
“Wow, Yueyue, that’s a thick stack of money. The cash box can barely close.”
He glanced roughly, nothing but hundred-yuan bills, at least several tens of thousands.
Han Ke lifted his eyes and said quietly: “All of our money went to her. Of course she has a lot.”
“Haha… Second brother, you’re losing that badly? Like a resentful wife, hahaha…”
The old man and Han Shen both looked at him.
Han Heng: “!”
“……Pretend I didn’t say that.”
After watching two rounds, both were won by Jiang Fuyue.
And each time she made big hands, she could even call them successfully!
“Not bad, Yueyue. Whatever you want, you get. Good luck today!” Han Heng smiled like a fool.
“It’s not just luck.” Han Shen said meaningfully.
Then he suddenly stood up: “I’m out of money. Third, you come play.”
“Where are you going?”
Han Shen picked up his phone: “Return a couple of calls.”
Han Heng chuckled and rubbed his hands: “Alright, let me handle a few rounds.”
As he sat down and grabbed the tiles, he kept talking nonsense: “Yueyue, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Be careful, your little uncle is the ‘Mahjong God of the Entertainment Circle’!”
Jiang Fuyue smiled and nodded.
The old man’s look toward him instantly became complicated.
Han Ke even felt a tiny bit of sympathy.
Half an hour later—
Han Heng looked at the 2 Dot he had just discarded, then at Jiang Fuyue’s hand, incredulous: “I… lost again?”
Han Ke answered: “Yes.”
Han Heng looked dazed: “Am I really that unlucky?”
From the moment he sat down, not only had he not won a single hand, he kept discarding tiles that let others win, mostly letting Jiang Fuyue win.
Even when he didn’t deal into someone’s win, he would end up surviving to the end only to see the other three make huge hands.
From starting the game full of confidence to now slumping like a wilted plant, Han Heng perfectly demonstrated: the brighter the beginning, the worse the end.
Jiang Fuyue: “Little uncle, I won again.”
“But… you didn’t want the 2 Dot that Second Brother discarded earlier. Why did you want mine? And last hand, Grandpa also threw a 3 Character, but you didn’t take his and only took mine?”
“Because when Second Uncle and Grandpa played, I couldn’t take the tile.”
Han Heng: “?” But when I play, you can take it?!
Jiang Fuyue nodded: “Yes.”
“……”
They played until the sun went down, and only then stopped to prepare for dinner.
Needless to say, Jiang Fuyue won the most.
Second place was the old man.
Midway, Han Shen returned and Han Ke gave him his seat. Taking advantage of that stretch, he dominated the field.
Actually, he didn’t need to dominate “the field.” He only needed to target one fat sheep, Han Heng, and he recovered everything he had lost earlier.
So in the end—
Everyone won, except Han Heng.
He: “?” He had some words starting with “mmp” but didn’t know if he should say them.
Han Ke: “Thank you, big brother, for giving your seat to the third.”
Han Shen: “No need to thank me. Sacrificing one to fulfill everyone, it’s my honor.”
Han Heng: “……” Your honor, my *ss! Easy for you to say when you’re not the one being sacrificed!
When everyone dispersed, Han Ting walked up to Han Heng. He had watched everything, and as an observer, he saw clearly. He sighed: “Little uncle, you shouldn’t play mahjong with them anymore. Especially not with my older sister.”
She could remember tiles and calculate probabilities. You cannot win.
The old man pouted, “Mahjong God of the Entertainment Circle? More like Mahjong Cr*p.”
Han Heng: “?” I lose money to all of you and this is how you treat me? D*mn!
……
Jiang Fuyue stayed at the Han house for two days. When she returned to school, Shi Qingzhi and Qin Yuancheng came to pick her up.
Han Qishan could not stand the sight of the two of them showing up together. Even though there was no intimate behavior at all, it still annoyed him.
But he wasn’t upset for long. Very soon, he found something else to do…
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
