Chapter 208: One Family, One Heart

The two walked, and Jiang Siqian couldn't help staring at his ever-uglier glasses, newly replaced last month. "Brother, when will you get new glasses? They're hideous—I feel like your eyes have shrunk, as if they're being squeezed."

Jiang Ji ignored her.

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Huan and Cheng Siqing walked out of the room.

One wore a grim expression, the other a gentle smile; together they looked strangely odd.

Jiang Siqian instinctively shrank her neck, grabbed Jiang Ji's arm, and whispered, "What's wrong with Mom and Dad? They're acting weird."

Jiang Ji said nothing, merely glanced briefly at the two, then pulled Jiang Siqian out of the old residence in quick steps.

As they neared the gate, Jiang Siqian still turned back curiously, "Brother, do you think Mom and Dad are discussing something good?"

That "good thing" goes without saying.

Jiang Ji stopped, gazing at the outer courtyard, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

He of course knew what Mom and Dad were discussing; over the past few weeks he'd often overheard them whispering and plotting in the room, the door not even shut tight!

If they spoke any louder, the servants near the door could hear! Really, afraid Grandfather wouldn't hear!

But he never expected they'd still not give up, still wanting to act against Jiang Liangjin.

A cold smile curled Jiang Ji's lips, his eyes full of contempt.

Jiang Huan and Jiang Yun being foolish is bad enough, but now Mom's joining in too!

Do they really think Jiang Liangjin is that easy to deal with?

That kid looks nonchalant, but the ruthlessness in his bones far surpasses theirs.

Back at the hospital...

Sigh.

He stopped thinking further, let out a light sigh, a flicker of weariness crossing his eyes.

Forget it; I'll find a chance later to persuade Mom not to meddle anymore.

Jiang Ji turned to look at Jiang Siqian, tone flat: "Don't worry about them; let's go to school."

Although curious, Jiang Siqian saw her brother didn't want to say more, so she just nodded and followed him toward school.

The sunlight grew ever stronger, stretching their shadows long and long.

Inside the old residence, Jiang Huan and Cheng Siqing were still whispering; the former's voice carried resentment that quietly shrouded the Business Competition.

Noon.

Jiang Yun sat listlessly on a bench in the old residence's courtyard, irritably swiping at his phone screen.

The signal came and went; no matter how he scrolled, he couldn't find anything fresh.

His inner frustration built up, and he suddenly flung the phone aside, slamming his palm hard onto the stone table.

He didn't vent his anger; instead, the shock left his palm numb.

He stood, kicked the stone table hard with his foot; the hard surface made his toes ache.

"Damn annoying!" he muttered, his eyes brimming with hostility.

This old residence is the Jiang family's ancestral home, its rules far more numerous than those of the detached villa they previously lived in!

One must rise before dawn, meals must follow the rule of no talking while eating, even phone use is time‑limited—split into three sessions a day, each only twenty minutes!

Such a life is harder than prison, nothing like the carefree comfort of home!

Not far away, Cheng Siqing was keeping Jiang Ye Ye company over tea.

Hearing the movement, she merely lifted her eyes slightly, then lowered them again, her fingertips twisting the tea lid, slowly scraping off the foam, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Jiang Ji had just returned from school at noon, backpack on, passing by when he saw Jiang Yun's state; his steps paused, he said nothing, only wanting to slip quietly back to his room.

"Stop." Jiang Yun called out coldly.

Jiang Ji's body stiffened; he slowly turned, head lowered, and called, "Brother."

What's wrong with him again?

Didn't putting him in the hospital for so long suffice?

Jiang Yun lifted his chin, tone arrogant: "Come over a bit."

Jiang Ji answered with an "oh," walked about two meters toward him, far enough from Jiang Ye Ye and Cheng Siqing that their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

Seeing Jiang Ji stop there, Jiang Yun nodded in satisfaction.

"Anything new at school?" He stepped forward a few paces, looking down at him, "Have you heard about the Business Competition? The one involving Lan Lin and Nan Feng."

Jiang Ji silently slipped his hand into his pocket for his phone, took it out after a few seconds, and replied quietly, "I've heard; the prize is high."

He's in the final class at Lan Lin, not in the same building as Jiang Liangjin.

"Hmph, I heard it from my dad."

Jiang Yun snorted, voice tinged with sour jealousy: "Isn't this just a great chance for that Jiang Liangjin kid to show off? The Mu family's young miss is also in the mix—they're a perfect pair, appearing everywhere, an eyesore!"

He recalled how he'd been confined in the old residence for over a month, while Jiang Liangjin roamed free outside—scoring full marks in the physics contest, taking over the Jiang-Shen company, and now even entering the Business Competition for prize money.

By comparison, he felt like a pet trapped in a cage, his inner fire rising higher and higher.

Jiang Ji paused, hesitated, then whispered, "Brother, we really can't… Grandfather's watching so closely; don't stir up trouble."

"No way?"

Jiang Yun's eyes turned sinister; he slapped Jiang Ji's shoulder hard enough to make it ring, "Solutions are thought up by people—you're at school, you can surely contact outsiders, right?"

Jiang Ji blinked, lifted his gaze to Jiang Yun; the eyes behind his glasses were full of bewilderment, as if he didn't grasp the meaning.

Jiang Yun leaned close to Jiang Ji, lowered his voice, a hint of seduction in his tone: "The Business Competition requires teams, doesn't it? Jiang Liangjin and Mu Youyu are on one team; even if we can't act directly, we could cause a hiccup in their project—what do you think?"

Jiang Ji instinctively shrank back, "Brother… if Grandfather finds out…"

"What's there to fear?" Jiang Yun snorted coldly. "Do it cleanly, and no one will know. Just pass me a message; I'll handle the rest."

He'd long been seething; the smoother Jiang Liangjin's sailing, the more unwilling he felt.

This Business Competition is the perfect chance; even if we can't ruin them completely, we'll make their project fail and let them taste defeat.

Jiang Ji looked at the hatred in Jiang Yun's eyes, seemed to hesitate, and finally still nodded, "... Okay, I know."

Jiang Yun satisfiedly patted his shoulder, the force lighter than before, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile of certainty, "That's more like it, family should be of one mind."

After Jiang Yun left, Jiang Ji watched his back, the corner of his mouth twitching into a cold smile.

As for the car accident he and Yu Cheng had at the hospital, grandfather had already investigated it clearly, and only told him.

It was his father and his half-brother Jiang Yun who had people tamper with things.

After failing to frame Jiang Liangjin, the two still pushed all the blame onto the scapegoat.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ji felt that he and Jiang Liangjin were pitiful to an extreme.