Chapter 1088: You Can Live However You Like

"Qiyun Mansion."

Following "Wanjia Denghuo," this was the latest high-end villa complex to open in the city center.

The marital home was registered solely in Shen Jingjing's name, a gift the old master had insisted on giving before their wedding.

The old man had been waiting outside the main gate for a long time, occasionally craning his neck to look toward the end of the main road, muttering, "It's already noon, why aren't they here yet?"

Feng Shu, accompanying him, couldn't help but advise, "Why don't you go back inside and wait? We can just come out to greet them when the cars arrive. It's freezing out here; you'll catch a cold."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not made of paper. Besides, the temperature in the city is much warmer than up on the mountain; I don't feel cold at all." The old master waved his hand, his tone stubborn.

Feng Shu silently pursed his lips, thinking to himself that the old master didn't feel cold because his heart was warm, but he himself was freezing to the bone—his shoes were soaked through.

Fortunately, the cars arrived shortly after. The old master was overjoyed. "They're here, they're here! Hurry and open the main gate."

The gate was fully automated and slowly opened. The old master couldn't wait to walk to the side of the road to direct them. "Drive in, drive all the way inside. The courtyard is spacious."

Shen Jingjing rolled down the window, looked at the old master, and exclaimed, "Oh, Dad, your face is frozen red. Why were you waiting outside?"

"I'm not cold. Is my face red? I'm hot!" The old master lied.

Jiang Yuanliang understood the old master's temperament; the older he got, the more willful he became. If you tried to manage him, he wouldn't be happy.

So now, as long as it wasn't anything too outrageous, the three brothers didn't interfere. Only the eldest sister-in-law could occasionally manage him; he would actually listen to her.

"Dad is just happy. He's probably been in and out all morning."

As soon as the car stopped, the old master personally stepped forward to open the door for Shen Jingjing, carefully helping her out. "Take it slow. We swept the snow early this morning, but there's still frost on the ground. You have to be careful."

Shen Jingjing got out of the car and urged him, "Dad, hurry and go inside with me. Look at Feng Shu, his face is frozen white."

Feng Shu felt helpless. Seeing that Shen Jingjing had noticed he was freezing, he was deeply moved, but he still had to put on a brave face. "I'm not cold, Madam. I just have naturally pale skin."

"What do you mean you're not cold? Your lips are purple. Hurry and go inside."

Shen Jingjing was already heading inside. The old master and Feng Shu followed her. The old master glanced back and couldn't help but ask, "Where's Ci?"

"She's right behind. I'll have Yuanliang direct the workers to move things in a while. Don't worry about it."

Once inside, the warmth instantly enveloped them. Feng Shu let out a long sigh—wonderful, he had survived another day!

The decoration style and layout of the new house were completely different from their previous one, and Shen Jingjing hadn't been back since they bought it.

It felt quite fresh, almost like entering someone else's home.

"This house was a good choice. It's airy and must be comfortable to live in," the old master said.

Shen Jingjing smiled at his words, then looked at the old master and asked, "Dad, have all your things been moved over?"

"How could I move everything over?" The old master glared. "I've lived on the mountain for decades; I have so much stuff. Moving it all would be a massive project."

Feng Shu took the initiative to explain, "Most of the things here are newly purchased. The old master only brought some winter clothes. We still have servants and housekeepers taking care of the manor; who knows when the old master might want to go back."

The old master nodded in agreement.

Hearing this, Shen Jingjing couldn't help but say, "If you want to go back, it's fine to stay there for a day or two occasionally, but you should stay in the city most of the time. Dad, you're getting on in years; we'll only be at ease if you stay by our side."

Hearing this, the old master felt happy. In fact, he had been very stubborn about where he lived for many years, but now he was wavering.

For instance, he had taken the initiative to move down this time, and he had even secretly bought the house next door.

"I know. I won't let you worry. At my age, I should spend more time with my grandchildren."

Hearing him say this, Shen Jingjing smiled with relief.

In the courtyard, Shen Ci and Xingxing had also arrived. This was Xingxing's first time here.

As soon as he got out of the car, he saw the spacious garden and the magnificent villa and couldn't help but exclaim, "Whoa, Sister, it's not any smaller than our place!"

Shen Ci nodded and gestured to the left with her chin. "That one is mine. I'll find someone to clean it up in a few days and then buy some daily necessities."

Xingxing's eyes lit up. "Then we can move in when we're done, right? It's closer to our school."

Shen Ci said casually, "Sure. Winter break is coming up anyway, so you can live however you like."

Xingxing looked at the two villas, his mind drifting back two years to a winter just like this one, when his sister had brought him to Longcheng from Shengang.

That day, it was as if he had opened a Pandora's box of his own, stepping through a door into a new world that had never belonged to him, embarking on a new life he had never imagined.

Even now, he would often feel a sense of unreality.

"Ci, take Xingxing inside. It's cold out here," their father called out from behind the moving truck.

"Okay," Shen Ci replied. Seeing Xingxing lost in thought, she put a hand on his shoulder. "What are you spacing out for? Let's go inside."

Shen Xing slowly came back to his senses, and another thought suddenly popped into his head.

"Sister!" He grabbed his sister and whispered, blinking, "Can you help me with something?"

Shen Ci frowned. "What is it?"

"I want to buy a gift for a friend," Shen Xing said directly.

Shen Ci's eyes instantly narrowed with scrutiny. "A friend? What kind of friend? A girlfriend?"

"N-no..." he denied immediately.

Shen Ci looked at her brother inquisitively. "Not a girl, or not a girlfriend?"

"It's a girl, but not a girlfriend."

Seeing that her brother didn't seem to be hiding anything, Shen Ci's expression softened. "For a girl, the most important thing is the thought behind it. But, it can't *just* be the thought."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Xingxing blinked, confused. "Why does it have to be the thought, but not *just* the thought?"

Shen Ci explained bluntly, "It means the gift should have some actual value, otherwise your 'thought' will look cheap."

Shen Xing nodded slightly, as if he understood, but he still didn't know what to buy.

Seeing this, Shen Ci pinched her brother's cheek. "Sister can't tell you directly what to buy, because I don't know your friend, so you have to think about what's appropriate yourself."

"But just remember: thought plus value, and you basically can't go wrong—unless you manage to buy something expensive and ugly, in which case, even I can't save you."