Chapter 188 - 187 Jiang Jingxian, Mother and Daughter

Seeing Aunty Chen disappear into the house in a puff of smoke, Li Jing was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head in silence.

With Chen Yuran leaning against his chest, she was just looking up.

Their eyes met.

There was no shyness, no discomfort.

Instead, there was only profundity that words could not express.

Chen Yuran was not the type who blushes easily, and Li Jing was not that "innocent."

After a staring contest, Li Jing wordlessly removed his arms wrapped around Chen Yuran’s waist.

Chen Yuran took the opportunity to withdraw herself and whispered.

"Let’s go inside the house. And remember to think on your feet later, don’t let yourself be led by the nose."

"I’ll do my best."

Li Jing chuckled awkwardly, then asked softly.

"I don’t even know your mother’s name."

"Jiang Jingxian."

Chen Yuran responded, adding.

"Don’t take what just happened too personally. My mum always acts like this."

As she spoke, she bit her lip slightly.

"But don’t get me wrong. She’s not a unreasonable drama queen. That she pushed me into your arms only proves one thing—she is very fond of you."

Li Jing was dumbfounded.

He didn’t know how to respond to that.

He was not sure about Jiang Jingxian’s character.

But through her immediate conclusion that Chen Yuran had put on weight from a quick hug, it was clear that this mother knows every detail about her daughter’s condition.

She was indeed a birth mother.

Just now, Li Jing subconsciously hugged Chen Yuran’s waist.

And he found, there was not even a pinch of excess fat.

When one puts on weight, the waist is the first to thicken.

Chen Yuran’s waist was slender like a snake’s. How could that be called fat?

But Chen Yuran did not deny, admitting that she had put on a little weight.

Of course.

All these were minor issues.

The important thing was, Jiang Jingxian liked him.

While he was figuring out what to say next, Chen Yuran coughed lightly to change the subject.

"You really are generous. That gift box just now looked expensive. How much did it cost?"

"Not much, about twenty million."

Li Jing answered.

Chen Yuran stopped in her tracks, questioning.

"You call twenty million ’not much’?"

"Well, it’s reasonable."

Li Jing shrugged, adding.

"The supercomputer your uncle ordered from Xiaoli cost more than five million, but he paid two hundred million for it. If you do the math, I’ve profited quite a bit."

"..."

Chen Yuran was speechless.

She knew the value of a supercomputer.

That Xiaoli could assemble one for over five million was a testament to her skills.

The amount Uncle Chen paid was indeed a small fortune.

"I almost forgot, you’re no longer the poor kid you used to be. Now, not only are you capable, but you also have plenty of money."

Uttering this somewhat awkwardly, Chen Yuran exhaled softly.

"Time passes so quickly. It feels like we’ve known each other for several months now. Now that you’ve achieved the Fifth Boundary, you could aim higher. Do you have any plans for the future?"

"I quite like Jiang Hai, I don’t plan on leaving here."

Li Jing continued.

"Those ’greater heights’ you’re talking about, I’m not particularly interested in them. I’m not a person with lofty goals. For now, I just want to be an unrecognized patroller. As for my cultivation level, I don’t intend to disclose it just yet."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuran nodded lightly.

"Staying low-key is good. Climbing higher has its benefits and drawbacks. With your talent, you really shouldn’t be distracted by other things. Worldly wealth and power are illusions. Focusing on your cultivation to improve yourself is the right path, as long as it meets your living needs."

As they spoke, the two arrived in front of the villa’s door.

Jiang Jingxian, who had entered the house a step ahead, was waiting at the interior door.

Seeing Li Jing and Chen Yuran casually chatting and coming over without any sign of discomfort from the previous incident, Jiang Jingxian cast an unusual glance at the former and smiled at the corners of her mouth.

"Xiaoli, come in and sit down. No need to be polite, make yourself at home."

"Ah, okay."

Li Jing replied subconsciously.

Chen Yuran noticed her mother suddenly acting like a different person and wondered what plot she had in mind, slightly furrowing her brows.

"Mom, enough is enough. Li Jing and I are just friends, and he has a girlfriend, you..."

Before she could finish, Jiang Jingxian gave her a disapproving look.

"I know all that. I also know that his girlfriend is Liu Shi’s daughter. I’m just inviting you to sit down, do you have to be so tense? You act as if I’m a man-eater."

Saying this, she cast a teasing glance at Li Jing.

"Xiaoli, you may not believe this, but Liu Shi and I were old schoolmates. We’ve known each other for decades. Moreover, I held her daughter when she was a baby."

?

Li Jing.

???

Chen Yuran.

Liu Sisi comes from the Liu family in the capital, and Chen Jing had already informed her about it.

But she didn’t know that her mother had ever held Liu Sisi.

However, it’s only natural that she didn’t know.

Jiang Jingxian had long cut off relations with the Jiang family and rarely mentioned any matters related to The Seven Great Families, taking great care to avoid them.

Even if someone asked, she would usually choose to avoid answering in order to avoid any unnecessary entanglements.

Over there, Jiang Jingxian looked at the two with questioning faces, and said playfully.

"What’s the matter? The two of you don’t believe it?"

"..."

Li Jing was silent.

He didn’t think Jiang Jingxian would joke about such things.

The circle of The Seven Great Families in the capital isn’t that big.

If Jiang Jingxian and Liu Shi were the same age, there was a high probability that they were schoolmates.

With their relationship as schoolmates, and both being offspring of The Seven Great Families, it wouldn’t be strange for Jiang Jingxian to have held a young Liu Sisi.

"So, Mom, you actually know Sisi’s mom?"

Chen Yuran looked puzzled.

"I wouldn’t say that I know her."

Jiang Jingxian shook her head and answered.

"Liu Shi is much more capable than me. She stepped into the Fifth Boundary long ago. When she was single-handedly supporting the declining Liu family, I was still in a power struggle with the elders in my family. She married before I did, and I only held her daughter once when she was a month old. I left shortly after that, met your father, never went back, and then you were born."

After saying this, she sat down on the sofa and gave a meaningful smile.

"If I hadn’t run away, considering my relationship with Liu Shi, you would probably have grown up together with Liu Sisi and called her sister."

Hearing this, Chen Yuran and Li Jing exchanged glances, then both sat down on the sofa across from her.

Jiang Jingxian looked at them arrayed in front of her, and stared at Li Jing.

"After I married Elder Chen, I not only cut off relations with the Jiang family, I severed all ties with The Seven Great Families of the capital. My husband, Elder Chen, can be a bit stubborn. The Chen family is an obscure and small family, only seeing a Six Realm cultivator in his generation. Since I married him, of course I wouldn’t want to hurt him. He has offended many people while serving in public office, so I can’t just break ties with the Jiang family. I have to cut off all the ties, or it would cause trouble for him."

After saying this, she spoke briefly.

"I haven’t been in contact with Liu Shi for over twenty years, so you’d be better off asking Elder Chen about certain things. Before you were born, Elder Chen had battled a few Six Realm cultivators from all The Seven Great Families. The Liu family only has one Six Realm cultivator, Liu Shi, so you understand."

"..."

Li Jing’s lips moved slightly.

Before Chen Yuran was born, Chen Jing had fought with several Six Realm cultivators from The Seven Great Families?

Did this include Liu Sisi’s mother?

The information was rather overwhelming.

Chen Yuran also found Jiang Jingxian’s recount strange.

She knew her father was brave and had many enemies when he was young.

But she didn’t know how brave he really was.

Chen Jing didn’t like to talk about these things.

"To be honest, when I heard from Elder Chen that Liu Shi’s daughter had set up a Chicken Shop in Jianghai, I couldn’t believe it at first."

Jiang Jingxian continued.

"She has a really good nature, but she takes the responsibility of the family too seriously. In the world of the wealthy, relationships are superficial. She did so much for the Liu family, but what did they give her in return? They couldn’t even keep her own daughter by her side. It’s just as well she’s not staying with the Liu family anymore."

After a sigh, she added.

"But I can understand Liu Shi. If Liu Sisi hadn’t left the Liu family, nobody would dare to bully her openly, but she would inevitably be wronged in the shadows. The world nowadays upholds equality, but in reality, the weak are still condemned. Only if one’s personal strength is sufficient, one can have a foothold in the society. Including the Jiang family, isn’t every single one of the seven great families in the capital supported by the Six Realm? The choice Liu Shi made to let Liu Sisi leave was the correct one."

After her lengthy chat, Jiang Jingxian turned to Chen Yuran with a smile.

"Remember, you’re like a little sister, so get along well with your big sister."

"..."

Chen Yuran pulled a face, not responding. She looked down in thought then turned her head.

"Li Jing, why don’t you invite Sisi over for dinner?"

"Um..."

Li Jing hesitates.

"Just invite her."

Jiang Jingxian stepped in.

"After dinner, Xiaoli, don’t you have to assemble the supercomputer? Just invite Liu Sisi. I’ll have someone to talk to. I’m quite curious about how she looks now. Worst case scenario, I promise you, I’ll tone it down a bit."

Li Jing looked at her, took out his phone and said.

"I’ll ask if Sisi wants to come. If she’s willing, I’ll go pick her up later."

"Deal."

Jiang Jingxian nodded.

Upon her responses, Li Jing stepped outside the villa to make a call.

Jiang Jingxian and Liu Sisi share a certain family relationship, much like that of an elder to Liu Sisi.

Li Jing felt, at the very least, Liu Sisi should be informed.

Whether she wanted to come was up to her.

The call connected quickly and was picked up.

Then, the voice of a puzzled Liu Sisi came on.

"Li Jing? Aren’t you having dinner at Yuran’s? Why suddenly..."

"Well, there’s something I need to talk to you about."

Li Jing started, not rushing into details, he asked.

"Have you ever heard of the name Jiang Jingxian?"

"Jiang Jingxian?"

On the other end of the phone, Liu Sisi pondered as she said.

"I have some impression. I think I’ve heard it somewhere."

On hearing this response, Li Jing relayed all the details he knew.

Liu Sisi listened to the whole story, then after a long silence, she said,

"I... I remember some of it now. When I was a child, I often heard my mother mention this name. I can’t remember the specifics, it was too long ago, but my mother and Aunt Jiang must have had a good relationship."

She then said, sounding a little perplexed.

"Aunt Jiang, is she Chen Yuran’s biological mother?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing turned to look at the house and said,

"Yes, her biological mother."

"..."

Liu Sisi.

If Li Jing had responded in a different way, she wouldn’t think much of it.

But the emphasis on "biological" imparted some unusual implications over the phone.

Of course.

Without meeting in person, she could only guess.

"Aunt Jiang would like you to come over for dinner, what do you think?"

Li Jing asked.

"Dinner?"

Liu Sisi at the other end of the phone, hesitated, then said,

"Sure, I’m about to finish work. You can come and pick me up."

"Alright, I’ll let Aunt Jiang know."

After hanging up the phone, Li Jing returned to his room to greet Jiang Jingxian, then set off for the Management Bureau.

Just as he left, Chen Jing, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen.

Looking up and seeing only Jiang Jingxian and her daughter, Chen Yuran, left in the living room, he frowned.

He was sure he heard Li Jing talking when he was in the kitchen, but where did he disappear to after he came out?

He glanced suspiciously at Jiang Jingxian and Chen Jing asked.

"Where is Li Jing?"

"I sent him to pick up his girlfriend."

Jiang Jingxian smiled.

"Liu Sisi?"

Chen Jing was slightly startled, then asked in a strange tone.

"You’re bringing Liu’s girl here? Are you trying to embarrass me?"

"We’re bound to meet her sooner or later, so why bother about feeling embarrassed? When you laid hands on Liu Shi back then, did you consider how I would feel?"

Jiang Jingxian spoke nonchalantly.

"Besides, Liu Shi’s cultivation level is no worse than yours now. Who knows, she might pick a fight someday. Meeting Liu’s girl might serve as a plea for mercy when you get beaten up."

With that, she waved her hand impatiently.

"You better start cooking. When the guests arrive, it’ll be time to eat."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jing blinked and returned to the kitchen.

After all these years, Liu Shi’s cultivation level was indeed not inferior to his.

But to say that he would get beaten up, that was not likely.

However, he couldn’t argue over this matter.

No one was more aware than him of Jiang Jingxian’s temperament.

Speaking less made for a more harmonious family and an easier life.

Chen Yuran watched her dad getting scolded by her mom and couldn’t help looking into the kitchen a few extra times.

She was used to such situations.

What intrigued her more was that, judging by their previous conversation, Chen Jing not only fought with Liu Sisi’s mother back then but the attack was quite ruthless.

While she was trying to imagine it, Jiang Jingxian looked over at her.

Meeting her gaze, Chen Yuran shivered and said with a stiff face.

"Mom, you said you wouldn’t interfere with me."

"Tsk!"

Jiang Jingxian clicked her tongue, then spoke.

"I didn’t say I was going to interfere. Look at how nervous you are, always acting like I’m going to force you into marriage. On this matter, your father and I stand the same ground, who you choose is up to you."

She then winked and went on.

"When your father mentioned your thing with Li Jing, I was worried for you, but now I’m not worried at all."

"What does that mean?"

Chen Yuran frowned.

"Time will tell, you will understand it naturally when you should."

Jiang Jingxian smiled and after scrutinizing her for a while, she continued.

"But there’s one thing I have to point out. When will you learn to dress yourself up properly? You’re a young woman in your twenties, bare-faced every day without even a touch of makeup, and your sense of fashion is sketchy. If our family’s genetic material wasn’t good, no average man would even look at you, regardless of cultivation level!"

Jiang Jingxian kept on complaining.

"Nowadays, these young girls outside are all glammed up, showing off their long legs in short shorts and mini skirts. No matter how good your bare face is or how fit your body is, you can’t compete with those who know how to dress and apply makeup. A capable man will outperform you in minutes. You’re still young, you don’t think much about these things, I understand, but you have to think about the future, right?"

Listening to this long lecture, Chen Yuran silently responded.

"We’ll talk about the future when it comes."

"You say that so lightly."

Jiang Jingxian shook her head and said.

"Some things you should start learning earlier, because by the time you need them, will you have time to learn from scratch? Back then, I was just like you, do you know how much effort it took me to win your father over? If it weren’t for..."

Mid-sentence, Chen Jing coughed loudly from the kitchen.

Jiang Jingxian turned her head to look and a faint smile appeared on her face. She turned back and changed her words.

"Whether you’re willing or not, I’m doing this for your own good. Just listen to my advice this time and do some research later."

...