CH 21

Han Xiao made a deep impression on Jiang Nian. She’d just come to the Han family her eyes red and swollen from crying, hiding behind Grandfather Han like a poor child. Her shy and nervous stuttering coupled with her soft and delicate appearance made one’s heart ache over her innocence.

Han Xiao is not a cold and ruthless man. He pities Jiang Nian whenever he thinks of her life, not to mention that her grandfather saved his grandfather’s life. All of this is enough for her to get his protection, respect, and care. The only thing that wasn’t good was that the old man asked him to marry her.

He can protect her for a lifetime, but he can’t marry a woman he doesn’t like. Besides, in his opinion, Jiang Nian was a little girl, innocent like a plain white daisy. Unfortunately, his preference was for passionate roses.

Han Xiao had tried to persuade Jiang Nian to refuse as the old man wouldn’t dare to force her. Although she’d agreed at the time, he could feel she didn’t exclude the idea as much as he did. After that, Han Xiao became alienated from Jiang Nian.

The marriage was indeed out of desperation.

After marriage, he was not as close to Jiang Nian as before, and maintained quite a distance from her such that his memory of her became blurred and one-sided. He only remembered she seemed to peep at him often and, when found out, she would quickly avoid it. She sometimes tried to approach him, but was dismissed by his cold face. At times, she spoke carefully with him but shied away due to his busyness…

Jiang Nian was still a little girl who didn’t understand the world. But who would have expected her to say those words personally to the old man now. Not only did she untie the old man’s heart, she proposed to divorce him!

Han Xiao was relieved. If the old man agreed this time, he could end the marriage.

He looked at the angry old man in the restaurant and Jiang Nian, who comforted the old man carefully. He raised his eyebrows, raised his momentum, lifted his feet, and walked over.

“What’s wrong? Grandpa, who annoyed you again?”

It was Han Xiao who angered the old man! He stared at Han Xiao with unhappiness.

“You still have face to come back!”

Jiang Nian glanced at Han Xiao and took in his white shirt and black trousers, handsome outline, smiling eyes ready to seduce at a moment’s notice, set off further by the dazzling stud in his right ear.(T/N: Almost 30-year-old man with an earring. Am I the only one who finds that unattractive?)

Han Xiao touched his nose sheepishly.

“Grandpa, I’ve been so obedient recently, I couldn’t have done anything to annoy you?”

“Didn’t you make me angry?”

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s all my fault. Grandpa, don’t be mad at me; you can’t hurt your body just because of me.”

The old man snorted heavily and looked at the silent Jiang Nian, who smiled at him with bright eyes, and then looked at his jerk grandson. The brat hadn’t acknowledged Jiang Nian since he came in. He hadn’t even said hello!

The old man was really distressed to death and looked at Han Xiao until he looked away.

“You can’t see Niannian next to me?”

Han Xiao looked at Jiang Nian and she blinked and made eye contact with him.

Han Xiao gave her a quick nod.

His arrogance was ingrained.

“Pa–!”

The old man gave him a slap immediately.

“Did I teach you like this? No politeness!”

The old man was a bit older, but his strength was not small. Han Xiao jumped back in place. Holding his arms, he said, “Grandpa, how can you hit me again?”

Anyway, Grandfather Han is now angry when he sees Han Xiao. If he was young, he could hang him! The old man favored him, but he also had a bottom line. So Han Xiao was spoiled, but didn’t become a real second ancestor. He was talented and capable, and barely could be considered a personal talent.

Jiang Nian urged the father not to get angry, saying that Brother Han Xiao was not malicious.

“He meant no harm? I don’t think he means it, he doesn’t take my words seriously. Every day he only knows to perfuse and deceive me! See what he looks like now?”

“No, Brother Han Xiao’s most respected person is you.”

“Niannian, you’re a good girl, but don’t talk for this jerk. I know he’s not human!”

“Okay, I know, Grandpa. Don’t be mad.”

Han Xiao: “…………”

……Maybe he shouldn’t have appeared from the beginning. 

****

The old man is old and, after fishing all morning and being shocked at noon, he’s hesitating over what to do about Jiang Nian. After all, divorce is such a big thing. For the time being, he is hesitant to make a decision and, after wasting his energy scolding, his spirit was a little bad. He returned to the room with a cane to rest, refusing to be accompanied by Han Xiao.

“Go away, I don’t need you to control me. Niannian, come. Let’s go.”

Jiang Nian took a look at Han Xiao’s cheeky face and ran after Grandfather Han.

She helped him to return to the room and watched him fall asleep before leaving.

As soon as she left his room, she saw Han Xiao leaning on the wall with a cigarette in his mouth.

Han Xiao: “Grandpa fell asleep?”

Jiang Nian looked at him and hummed.

She stood there like a tender flower.

Han Xiao glanced at her.

“You’ve worked hard taking care of grandpa.”

Jiang Nian raised her eyes.

“It’s not hard. I like Grandpa Han.”

He smiled.

“Go out when you have the time. Being cooped up at home all day isn’t too boring?”

She hummed.

“…”

Quiet for a while, Jiang Nian went downstairs. Han Xiao spat out a smoke ring and looked at the girl’s thin and petite figure. In her small green skirt, she looked just like a willow branch by the river, fluttering, as if the slightest force could break her.

He pursed his lips and shook his head. She was so obedient and talkative in front of his grandfather, how could she be mute in front of him? Did he really do too much this time and hurt the little girl’s heart?

But wasn’t it because he was so charming that he couldn’t get close out of fear that she would fall deeper and deeper until she couldn’t extricate herself? Wouldn’t she be more miserable then?

Han Xiao didn’t think about it anymore, and walked down the stairs while smoking. However, he didn’t see Jiang Nian’s figure.

He asked Wang Aunt just to learn she went back. Han Xiao raised his eyebrows. He really didn’t understand what Jiang Nian meant.

****

After that, he returned to the company. At night, he was called by his group of brothers to play games. Perhaps he was unlucky, but he lost the entire night. His assets leaked through his fingers, including two villas in his newly developed real estate complex.

Although he lost a lot, he didn’t frown and just kept playing.

Liu Zhengyang glanced at Han Xiao who was lazily leaning in his chair and smoking and said, “Wuge, have you made the Grandfather angry again today?”

Han Xiao glanced at him: “Have you ever seen my grandfather not angry?”

Li Fei laughed and said, “If you want me to say, your grandfather is also anxious for your children and grandchildren. Who asked you to keep your little wife cold1?

Han Xiao’s marriage to the pure little girl caused a sensation at the time, shocking a large number of people. Everyone knew Han Xiao’s taste was rather heavy. Not to mention that for him, the world’s most domineering man, to finally compromise…sure enough, old ginger was spiciest1.

Han Xiao kicked Li Fei.

Li Zhengyang coaxed, “Don’t say. My grandfather likes your little one. Most of the fish we eat is from your family.”

Li Fei pouted his lips: “I don’t know if Jiang Nian is a fishing expert of what. I eat fish every day until I want to vomit!”

Han Xiao: “I didn’t let you eat until you vomit!”

Li Fei replied sadly, “What can be done? I still have to eat.”

Speaking of Jiang Nian, Han Xiao lit a cigarette and tilted his long legs, his eyes were out of focus and his thoughts were a bit loose.

When he came back to focus, a plump and beautiful woman sat on his lap and leaned on him, shouting softly and coyly, “Wushao.”

Although she smiled, she was still a little nervous and afraid. It was rumored Han Xiao’d had a bad temper for the last year. There were many young women who approached him and were thrown out; no one knew if it was because of his marriage. In short, there was very little lace news about him. So, at this moment, the beautiful woman was also a bit nervous. If she were to be thrown out, she’d be teased for a long time.

Han Xiao’s nose was met with a strong perfume with a slight seductive aroma.

He frowned slightly and raised his hand to push the woman away. He sat indifferently and didn’t say a word. The woman also understood his meaning. She embarrassedly raised her long hair and wanted to get closer again, but was frightened by Han Xiao’s expressionless face and didn’t dare be too presumptuous. After hearing that Li Shao was ready to play again, she took the opportunity to hide her shame and move aside.

No one saw, she wasn’t here.

Han Xiao never thought he was a good man. At least, he wouldn’t have pushed her away before marriage since her looks and body were in line with his taste. But, now that he was married, it made him uncomfortable. He wasn’t a good man, but he’d seen his grandparents’ love for decades. He had also seen his father’s pain after his mother died. He had high expectations of marriage but had only been surrounded by people who approached him for fame and fortune.

All of this likely caused him to reject the idea of getting married, even if the other party wasn’t Jiang Nian.

Of course, the most important thing was that he must be a qualified husband, and couldn’t derail in his marriage.

Han Xiao flicked the cigarette and stood up.

“I’ll go back first. Close the account for me.”

Li Fei said, “Are you going already?”

Han Xiao waved his hand and left.

He arrived home at midnight. At this time, Jiang Nian was almost asleep. He went to the shower first then returned to the bedroom as usual. Sure enough, Jiang Nian was lying quietly in bed and seemed to be asleep.

He lay down and reached for his quilt. But, as soon as he lay down, he felt Jiang Nian turn over and knew that she must have been awake and pretending to sleep.

In fact, when they had just married, he didn’t sleep in the bedroom. But then the old man chased him for three days and nights, saying that he had to be responsible after marrying someone. After some frustration, he finally took the quilt to the master bedroom. Naturally, he got used to it after a long time.

At this moment, he closed his eyes and felt the light breathing beside him, and there was a familiar sweet smell on the nose.

“Is what you said during the day true?”

After a while, her husky voice came.

“…Did you hear all of it?”

“Hmm.”

Jiang Nian was dull. As if she had rounded up all of her determination, she said, “Han Xiaoge, I really like you, but I don’t think you’ve had a good time this year, and you’ve always been hiding from me…I think it’s better to separate and set you free.”

Han Xiao felt it wasn’t easy for Jiang Nian to be able to figure it out. It wasn’t too late to remedy things.

“Don’t worry, the Han family is still your shelter after the divorce. You are my sister. You can come to me no matter what difficulties and I will help you. Have you really understood things now?”

“Yes, because my mother told me that love is not everything in life. There is still family, friendship, life, and career. If you meet someone you like, go after him boldly. If it doesn’t work, let go. There are so many fun and interesting things in this world; a man is nothing.”

Inexplicably, Han Xiao’s heart ached a bit.

“…Your mother makes some sense.”

“Yeah. So, in the past year, I feel that my love for you has been consumed. I asked myself, and found it is not so difficult to give up on you. Actually, it’s very simple.”

“…………”

Han Xiao felt that he was often speechless when facing Jiang Nian. Although what she said was very reasonable, and her voice is very pure and sweet, and he even felt a vague sense of relief, why did it also feel strange?

He turned on the bedside lamp and sat up. He rubbed his forehead, looked down beside him and found that she also sat up and held her quilt, hair scattered randomly.

…Still a little girl.

“After the divorce, I will give you half of my property so you don’t have to worry about life.”

Jiang Nian smiled and said, “Han Xiaoge, you are kind, but I don’t want your property. Just give me a small house.”

Han Xiao was surprised a moment and wondered aloud, “a small house?”

Jiang Nian replied carefully, “Ah. I listen to my college classmate say she and her boyfriend were going to get married but ended up breaking up because they couldn’t find a place to live. I still want to fall in love after I divorce you. I don’t want to be unable to marry again just because I don’t have a house.”

Han Xiao: “………”

Very good. A little girl who can plan ahead. 

Jiang Nian saw Han Xiao seemed to be shocked. He should be very moved. She wasn’t greedy at all, just a small house was enough.

1. Cold = unaccompanied and ignored. ^

2. The older a person is, the more crafty.