"Dad, what do you mean by that? Jiang Cheng is younger than me. Besides, didn't you just say his family isn't some ordinary family? We..." Qiu Yihe's voice grew smaller and smaller, and the blush on her face deepened.
Hearing this, Qiu Zheng's expression immediately dimmed.
He couldn't help but sigh once more.
"What you said is true. It's all my fault for being young and ignorant. If I had known, I would have taken the Tsinghua University entrance exam with your Uncle Jiang and followed the political route. With your Cousin-Uncle's ability, he could have at least arranged a decent position for me, which would be much better than my current post. When it came time for you to discuss marriage, you wouldn't..."
"Dad, why are you suddenly bringing this up? How old am I even..."
Seeing his daughter suddenly become shy, Qiu Zheng laughed, his smile full of affection.
"What's there to be shy about? Your Uncle Jiang's family is indeed excellent. Although our family can't quite climb up to their level right now, if you and Jiang Cheng could make it work, I wouldn't have to worry for the rest of my life."
Qiu Yihe asked curiously again, "Even though Cousin-Uncle's position isn't considered very high, he is still a veteran who has made contributions. Uncle Jiang's family couldn't be one of the Eight Elders, could they?"
Seeing that his daughter still hadn't made the connection, Qiu Zheng stopped talking about it.
"Currently, the eight families are all serving in various branches of the military. Your Uncle Jiang's family is currently on the civil path. Forget it, don't worry about it. You should go back to your room and keep researching those clues..."
On the other side, after Jiang Cheng sent his parents back to the villa, he found an excuse about working overtime to handle some business and hurried toward Xiao Xia's residence.
At this moment, he was leaning against the door panel, teasing this honest Little Girl.
His arms were tightly wrapped around Xiao Xia.
Her body trembled slightly.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xia's face turned red with shyness. She leaned against his shoulder, making soft, whimpering sounds.
Half an hour later, Xiao Xia shyly walked out of the bathroom.
Her hair still carried a hint of moisture, and her cheeks were even more pink and tender due to the steam from the hot water, like peach blossoms blooming in spring.
Seeing Jiang Cheng lying on the bed, Xiao Xia immediately poured a glass of water with light steps and shyly handed it to him.
She said in a soft, sweet voice, "Brother Cheng, have some water."
Sure enough, once a woman has been 'nourished' by something, her complexion becomes exceptionally radiant.
At this moment, Xiao Xia's bright eyes carried a trace of post-intimacy charm.
This appearance actually gave a man more of a sense of achievement than those Girls who were normally flirtatious and charming.
After all, when a usually pure and timid Girl is personally 'nourished' by you like this, how could one not feel protective and affectionate?
Taking the water Xiao Xia handed him, Jiang Cheng drank it all in one go.
Immediately after, he impatiently pulled Xiao Xia over.
He pressed her down directly, and his lips began to kiss her.
Seeing Jiang Cheng "bullying" her like this again.
Xiao Xia lightly bit her lower lip and said with eyes full of playful reproach.
"Brother Cheng, didn't you say just now that you had to go home later?"
Jiang Cheng was currently checking what the 'Giant Panda' tasted like.
He had already thrown the words 'going home late' to the back of his mind.
Even if he didn't go back, his parents would likely just remain silent.
There was no way they would call him in the middle of the night to urge him to come home.
Although Xiao Xia verbally urged Jiang Cheng to go home,
Soon, Jiang Cheng couldn't even speak anymore.
Soon, Jiang Cheng couldn't even speak anymore.
He even lay flat, accepting Xiao Xia's counterattack.
Another half hour passed, and the two finally quieted down, huddling tightly together, leaning against the bed.
Jiang Cheng reached out a hand, gently stroking Xiao Xia's silk-smooth shoulder.
"Winter break has already started. When are you going home?"
Hearing this, Xiao Xia's originally flushed, shy, and lovely face suddenly turned stiff.
She slowly shook her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz as she whispered, "I... I don't want to go back."
Seeing this, a hint of doubt couldn't help but rise in Jiang Cheng's heart. His deep and bright eyes stared fixedly at Xiao Xia.
He followed up, "Why?"
Jiang Cheng was well aware of Xiao Xia's family situation.
That was why he had requested to give her money the first time he saw her.
Adding the previous several hundred thousand to the over one million he transferred to her during New Year's Day,
Reasonably speaking, Xiao Xia shouldn't be short on money.
Xiao Xia's lips trembled slightly as if she wanted to say something, but she seemed somewhat hesitant.
After a long silence, she replied softly, "It's my mother... she told me not to come back."
"Why?" Jiang Cheng asked again, his tone full of shock this time.
Xiao Xia lowered her head, her voice carrying a bit of sadness as she said, "I didn't tell them I was studying. They think I'm still working..."
"So, you can't go back because of work?" Jiang Cheng continued to press.
Xiao Xia sighed slightly and continued, "They heard that there's triple pay during the New Year, so they told me to find a way to get some part-time jobs with overtime. If I go back, not only will there be no wages, but even the travel expenses would be an added cost."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.
When he watched 'Lost on Journey' before, he had lamented the hardships of the Spring Festival travel rush. After all, there was an old saying: 'Whether you have money or not, go home for the New Year.'
But he hadn't expected the reason Xiao Xia's family wouldn't let her come home was actually this.
From Xiao Xia's previous fragments of conversation, Jiang Cheng knew her parents were somewhat cold toward her.
At this moment, his heart was full of heartache for Xiao Xia, and he held her even tighter.
He said, "I have to go to Kyoto in a few days, so I might not be able to spend the Spring Festival with you. However, I'll come back as soon as possible to accompany you then."
Xiao Xia nodded obediently and said softly, "Don't worry. I've worked for others in town during New Year's before, so I... Brother Cheng, don't worry. I actually have quite a lot of winter break homework too."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng reached out and stroked Xiao Xia's head, as if comforting a wounded little deer.
He then added, "I'll have someone find a driving school for you later. You can go learn to drive during the winter break so you won't be bored."
Hearing this, a look of lack of confidence appeared on Xiao Xia's face.
She said in a low voice, "Learn to drive?"
Given her personality, she was actually very unaccustomed to trying new things.
Rather than saying she lacked confidence, it was more that she carried an inferiority complex in her bones.
Even though she now possessed over a million yuan,
And wore the designer clothes and bags Jiang Cheng gave her, these external things still couldn't change the deep-seated inferiority in her heart.
Jiang Cheng saw Xiao Xia's predicament and looked seriously into her eyes.
He said firmly, "That's right, learn to drive. I'll have a female Bodyguard accompany you then, so you can learn with peace of mind. Although it's very convenient to get around now, knowing how to drive yourself is different. In the future, whether you go out to play or do anything else, you'll have more freedom."