Pampered by Short-Lived Bigshot
Chapter 240 - 175: From archenemy to uncle? The world is in great chaos (3 updates)_2

Chapter 240: 175: From archenemy to uncle? The world is in great chaos (3 updates)_2

**

At the stairwell of the hospital

Xie Duo reached out to remove his glasses, hooking the frame, seemingly blowing off some lingering dust, "About last night, thank you."

"It’s what I should do," Jiang Yanting leaned against the wall, having not slept all night, his eyes were red-rimmed, but when he squinted, there was an added depth to his gaze.

"Then you probably know what disease she has."

Since it was Jiang Yanting who brought the person, some things, the doctor would certainly have told him, so Xie Duo was very direct in his speech.

"Yes." Mentioning this, Jiang Yanting felt as if his heart was being clenched, aching inch by inch.

"She’s had a child, and with her illness, she likely can’t have children anymore. You already have a son, and it’s possible you may not want more kids in the future, especially since having another might not be accepted well by Jiangjiang. The grandfather wants to find her a support, and doesn’t want her to be pitied. Looking around Beijing, after a long search, he’s set his sights on you."

Xie Duo laid things clear.

"The old man didn’t want us to speak of this, fearing your family would find out and wouldn’t even agree to meet for the arranged date. It’s like we’ve deceived your family, we will personally come to your door to make our apologies."

"The old man really..." Xie Duo chuckled lightly, "How could this kind of thing be kept secret?"

"Now that the situation is this, if you have any thoughts, you can tell me directly, and I will relay them to the grandfather. But there is one thing I need to ask of you, for which I’m really pleading..."

Xie Duo asking him for a favor?

Jiang Yanting raised an eyebrow and looked at him, "What’s the matter?"

"Please keep this a secret, don’t mention it to anyone."

Jiang Yanting nodded.

"Thank you, I owe you a favor. If there’s anything you need, within my power, you can come to me directly."

Jiang Yanting snickered lightly, "You care about her that much?"

"Our family owes her." Xie Duo laughed self-deprecatingly, thinking of how these large clans always looked splendid on the surface, the hundred-year-old legacies, which family doesn’t have its shabby secrets.

"So that’s how things are. Since you’re clear about everything, the marriage can’t be forced. If you’re not determined to be with her, then don’t bother her."

"The incident at the hospital bed today, I’ll pretend I saw nothing..."

Jiang Yanting sighed softly, "What if I say, I want to be with her?"

"You’ve heard a bit about our family matters, actually..."

"I don’t care! I want her as a person, it has nothing to do with your Xie family!"

His voice was resolute, leaving Xie Duo stunned for a few seconds, staring intently at him, their eyes locking as if trying to gauge the sincerity in the depths of his eyes.

Adjusting his glasses on, as if trying to see through him, yet Jiang Yanting’s gaze was firm, carrying an unstoppable determination, which genuinely startled him.

A sworn enemy, yet they understood each other best.

Jiang Yanting’s character, he knew it well. For him to say such things was enough to make his heart race because the words he said, he would inevitably see through to the end.

"Jiang Yanting?" Xie Duo had sensed his anomaly earlier, but he had never expected that knowing her health condition, he could still say such things, with no hesitation at all, "Even if you don’t care, your family..."

Even if Jiang Yanting had a child, not being able to procreate would be unacceptable to most elders.

"This is my matter to handle, you don’t need to worry about it."

Xie Duo eyed him, seemingly trying to discern some hint of hesitation in his face.

"Even if she can’t have children, you really don’t care?" Xie Duo probed once more.

"Yes."

Having a son already, it truly didn’t matter.

"What if she comes with a child, would you still find it acceptable?" His tone was indecipherable, one couldn’t tell if it was genuine or if he was purposely making a hypothetical test.

"What do I need to do to prove that I don’t care about these things, and that I’d marry her right away?"

"Alright, I understand... it’s just..." Xie Duo bit his lip, "Do you know what relation she has to me? Do you know what our relationship would become if you two were together?"

"She’s your younger aunt, and I would become your uncle by marriage."

At that moment, Xie Duo swore inwardly:

Go to hell, nn legs!

After battling it out for most of a lifetime, the result is he’s about to become his own uncle; what a messed-up situation!

That was also why he kept reminding Jiang Yanting that he didn’t want to become related to the Jiang Family; it would awkwardly lower his generational standing.

Whenever Xie Duo sparred with him, it had always been tit for tat; neither gained an absolute advantage!

But now...

It’s a complete mess!

Though the Xie Family’s affairs were tightly sealed, everyone in Beijing had heard something. Shen Zhixian, by generation, is precisely Xie Duo’s first cousin once removed, not the biological daughter of old Mr. Xie.

Jiang Yanting wasn’t clear on the specifics, as it had been a long time, and it was probably not something to be proud of, so the elders seldom mentioned it.

Jiang Yanting squinted at him, "I know it’s hard for you to accept at the moment, and I feel the same. Suddenly having such a big nephew, I can’t accept it either."

Xie Duo clenched his teeth:

The typical act of playing dumb after gaining an advantage!

Why don’t you just ascend to heaven?

Right now, he couldn’t hope more than for Shen Zhixian to look down on him, to turn down this marriage, so he wouldn’t have to endure Jiang Yanting lording over him and giving orders in the future.

**

In the hospital room

Shen Zhixian hadn’t been in Beijing for long. Although she got along quite well with the siblings from the Xie Family, Xie Duo, who had previously worked out of town, wasn’t seen often. Even if they did interact, it couldn’t have included personal relationships.

She had no idea that Xie Duo and Jiang Yanting were actually archenemies, and with Jiang Jinsang’s embellishment, she feared what might happen if they went out together.

Anxiously on pins and needles.

Jiang Jinsang saw her nervous gaze and whispered, "Don’t worry, they’re both adults, they surely wouldn’t come to blows anyway."

Shen Zhixian smiled ruefully and remained silent.

Time passed, and Jiang Cuo helped her get her bag; she took out her phone and saw many missed calls, bit her lip, and said, "Uncle Wu, I apologize, but I need to make a call. Could you please give me some privacy?"

"Sure." Jiang Jinsang said and walked out, closing the door behind him.

The hospital’s soundproofing wasn’t great, but she kept her voice down, making it hard to decipher her words; she merely sounded soothing like she was calming a child.

It wasn’t until the nurse knocked on the door to administer an IV that Shen Zhixian hung up hastily. Jiang Jinsang followed the nurse in, ready to lend a hand if needed.

After the IV was set up, Jiang Jinsang sat to one side, head down fiddling with his phone, communicating with Tang Wan via text.

Shen Zhixian then called the old Mr. Xie, seemingly with something to say but hesitated.

"Is there something wrong?" Jiang Jinsang scrutinized her.

"I..." Shen Zhixian hesitated before finally whispering tentatively, "Your brother’s child..."

"What about him?"

"Nothing." Shen Zhixian pursed her lips and turned to look out the window, lost in thought.

This only made Jiang Jinsang more puzzled, and he decided not to pry further. What on earth had happened back then?

When Jiang Yanting and Xie Duo returned, not only did they bring back breakfast, but the earlier tension was also gone; surprisingly, they were getting along peacefully.

**

After Xie Duo arrived, Xie Tongtong soon followed. Although Jiang Yanting had wanted to stay, he was still "chased" away by Xie Duo.

On the way home in the car, Jiang Yanting glanced at the person beside him, "Why are you looking at me?"

"I thought you and Xie Duo might get into a fight when you went out; seeing you getting along peacefully now is a bit unsettling."

"Always hoping for chaos." Jiang Yanting chuckled softly.

"Life would be so boring without chaos," Jiang Jinsang laughed as he looked out the window. "With the New Year approaching, visiting family and friends, how is the Xie Family going to introduce her identity? Does everyone truly want her back home?"

"Add to that your relationship with her, this New Year, Beijing is likely to be incredibly lively..."