spring bite mark

Chapter 67 The Call from the Kindergarten
"From Gangdu?" Jiang Manman was a little surprised. "Then it's fate that she and her father are thousands of miles apart and can be together."

“My mother ran away from an arranged marriage. Arranged marriages between wealthy families have always been common, but my mother was unwilling, so she fled Hong Kong and came to the capital.”

Yan Changye explained softly, "The situation was complicated at that time. My grandfather sent people to search for a long time, but they couldn't find it, so they had to give up. My mother never contacted Gangdu again. She just stayed with an old man who was more than ten years older than her, and gave birth to me two years later."

"Did you go back to Hong Kong to check it out afterwards?"

Yan Changye was silent for a moment: "My mother's health was always poor after she gave birth to me. She was thinking that when she got better, she would take me back to the port, but who knew that she would pass away a few years later. I was only eleven years old when she passed away."

Jiang Manman hugged his waist: "From now on, I'll stay with you."

Yan Changye hugged her tightly and said slowly, "Although I lost my mother when I was young, I was the only son of my father. Later, he had health problems and could not have any more children, so I have actually lived a very good life all these years."

Jiang Manman hummed in agreement, a little curious: "Does Dad know that Mom is from Hong Kong?"

"I don't know." Yan Changye chuckled. "Back then, my mother was a refugee who ended up in the capital. At that time, Hong Kong hadn't returned to China yet, and my father never even considered that possibility. I only heard her mention it when she was on her deathbed. Later, my father found a new love and paid even less attention to my mother's affairs."

Jiang Manman didn't know what to say, so she just hugged Yan Changye even tighter.

“But you can’t say he doesn’t care. He bought a fishpond near my mother’s grave and comes here whenever he has time to fish and keep her company.” Yan Changye looked at the old man Yan, who was like a wooden stake in the distance. “If it weren’t for the fact that he still has some conscience, I wouldn’t even bother to attend the monthly family dinner.”

Jiang Manman's gaze also fell on Old Master Yan. The butler was holding an umbrella for him, but in the rain and mist, his body had a somewhat lonely and desolate feel.

On the way back, Jiang Manman asked Yan Changye:
"You go to Gangdu often now, do you visit your maternal grandparents? I think Mom must miss her family home a lot."

Yan Changye activated the autopilot mode and placed his hand on Jiang Manman's waist:
"Yes, we see each other often, but we're not close."

Jiang Manman then said no more.

Instead, Yan Changye sighed softly, "My maternal grandfather still harbors resentment towards my mother. And because she set a precedent by running away from an engagement, my... uncle also resorted to all sorts of tricks to break off the engagement, which displeased the entire family. So I rarely go there to avoid having to deal with my maternal grandfather's attitude."

"You have a younger uncle?"

“It’s a big family, with a lot of relatives.” Yan Changye chuckled slowly, “but ultimately none of them are important people.”

After saying that, he stopped the conversation.

Both of them were busy with work in the afternoon, so they had lunch together outside. Yan Changye then took Jiang Manman to Muchen Studio and hurriedly went to the company.

In the afternoon, Jiang Manman arranged for Han Yi, an artist from Shengshi Entertainment, to come and discuss a contract.

While the other person was trying on clothes, Xie Yunxi's video popped up on Jiang Manman's phone again.

Jiang Manman hesitated for two seconds, then got up and went to the lounge to answer the call.

Sure enough, it was Xie Jian over there again.

The chubby little child blinked his big eyes and asked, "Manman, did he give you any of the food I brought you?"

Jiang Manman softly hummed in agreement: "Yes, it's delicious."

Xie Jian squinted and smiled: "I'll send you a bunch of vegetables every day using my dad's private jet."

Jiang Manman was taken aback by this extravagant idea: "Airplanes are too expensive. Next time your Uncle Yan goes to Hong Kong, just have him bring one."

"It's not expensive! It didn't cost me any money," Xie Jian said in a childish voice. "My daddy is rich, so he doesn't mind spending money on you!"

What do you mean, Xie Yunxi spends his money on himself and doesn't feel bad about it?

Jiang Manman couldn't understand Xie Jian's thought process, so she could only say gently, "The more precious something is, the less you should eat it every day, or you'll get tired of it. How about you send it once a week, and while you're at it, give all your handicrafts to Auntie to admire?"

"Okay!" Xie Jian's eyes sparkled. "I'll pick vegetables after school tonight and start bringing them to you tomorrow." Jiang Manman then realized it wasn't the weekend: "Are you at kindergarten?"

"You can use your phone during lunch break." Xie turned the phone camera around. "I'll be in the stairwell, I won't disturb anyone."

Jiang Manman nodded: "But you can't play on your phone for too long. Children's eyes are still developing, and it's not cool for them to wear glasses so early."

"Okay, Manman. I'll hang up now." Xie Jian's face showed a hint of reluctance, but he hung up the phone very proactively.

Jiang Manman silenced her phone and returned to the meeting room. There, Jiang Rong and Ayla had already given their scores for Han Yi's fitting, and the scores were pretty good.

"Ms. Han doesn't have any other clothing brand endorsements, does she?" Jiang Rong asked.

The agent immediately replied, "We were in talks with another agent, but we still prefer Mu Chan. Han Yi's image is a better fit than Zhou Momo's. Mr. Jiang, when would you like to arrange the signing?"

Jiang Manman glanced at the schedule: "Next Wednesday, perhaps. After the contract is signed, we'll arrange a professional photography studio. Ms. Han, please avoid spicy food recently and keep your skin in top condition."

The agent couldn't hide her delight: "Then, it'll be a pleasure working with you, Ms. Jiang."

Port city.

As soon as Xie Jian hung up the phone, a rather intimidating shadow fell over him.

Three sturdy children surrounded him, and one of them said, "Xie Jian, could you please stop eating Mengmeng's chocolate in the future? I gave it to her."

Xie Jian's exquisitely handsome face froze for a moment: "I'm good-looking, so it's normal for Mengmeng to try to please me with chocolate!"

“No way.” The other person spoke again, “Besides being good-looking, you have no father or mother to love you, so Mengmeng won’t try to please you.”

Xie Jian's dark eyes held a hint of anger: "Say that again!"

"I'm telling you, you have neither a father nor a mother to love you—"

The next moment, Xie Jian threw his phone straight at the other person!

After a scream, three burly children started fighting with Xie Jian!

The second-year class next door.

In the corner of the classroom, an extremely meticulous boy was scribbling with his head down.

"Brother!" A voice tinged with anger and embarrassment rang out as Xie Jian rushed over from next door, covered in bruises. "Help me beat someone up."

The boy slowly raised his peach blossom eyes, his voice lazy and slightly reproachful: "You've caused trouble again."

Xie's eyes reddened: "They were the ones who first insulted me, saying I didn't have a mother's love!"

The boy's eyes were slightly cold.

Then, he put down the crayon in his hand and slowly rolled up his sleeves:

"name."

Yanjing Group.

Yan Changye was reviewing several important documents when Shen Zongqian walked in with a complicated expression.

"Boss, the kindergarten in the port city called and said that those two little devils, cough, got into a fight."

(End of this chapter)