89: Make it clear

Jiang Xun stood at the foot of the Su Residence's steps, holding Long Ninger's hand.

"Remember," Jiang Xun crouched down and looked Long Ninger levelly in the eyes. "In front of outsiders, you must keep your tail hidden."

Long Ninger tugged at his sleeve and nodded sensibly. "Ninger remembers, but Jiang Xun must also remember to pick me up and take me home."

"Alright," Jiang Xun promised.

If he weren't all alone, Jiang Xun wouldn't have wanted to entrust Long Ninger to someone else's care.

But what Su Qinghe said also made a lot of sense.

If he spent all day watching Long Ninger, Jiang Xun would truly be unable to attend to anything else.

He needed to work hard to earn money and raise the child.

Otherwise, Long Ninger would have to suffer through irregular meals along with him.

"You can't lie," Long Ninger said.

Jiang Xun's hand rested on the top of her head, pressing down gently. "I won't lie to you."

The door opened.

A maid leading the way brought them through the front courtyard.

Long Ninger walked closely beside Jiang Xun, her eyes curiously looking all around.

This was her first time entering a Human Race residence.

In the front hall, Su Qinghe was already waiting there.

Seeing them enter, a smile spread from the corners of her eyes. "Has the Young Master made up his mind?"

Jiang Xun cupped his hands. "I indeed cannot look after Ninger on my own. I will have to trouble Second Miss Su."

If he really had to entrust Long Ninger to someone, it seemed it could only be the Su Family.

Aside from them, there was no one else he could trust.

"The Young Master is being too polite."

Su Qinghe walked over to Long Ninger and crouched down to look her in the eye. "Ninger, just treat this place as your own home. If there's anything you want to eat or play with, just say the word."

Long Ninger didn't say a word, only hiding slightly behind Jiang Xun.

She hated this woman.

Jiang Xun felt his sleeve being gripped even tighter.

He gently patted the back of Long Ninger's hand and said to Su Qinghe, "I'll be troubling the Second Miss during this time."

"The Young Master is a Guest Elder of my Su Family; there's no need for such formality."

Su Qinghe stood up, her smile bright and beautiful.

She turned and signaled the maid to serve tea.

Jiang Xun took a cup of hot tea and asked:

"By the way, why don't I see Miss Jinhe?"

Su Qinghe's eyes rippled. "Does the Young Master want to see my Elder sister that much?"

The teacup stopped in mid-air.

Jiang Xun looked up, meeting Su Qinghe's smiling eyes. He paused for a moment before saying, "It was just a casual question."

He was somewhat speechless.

It was just a casual polite inquiry.

How did it end up being interpreted like this?

"Sister is at the shop checking the accounts; she isn't at the residence today," Su Qinghe said with a smile.

Jiang Xun nodded and gave an "Oh."

But Su Qinghe suddenly leaned in closer, her voice playful. "Why does the Young Master seem a bit disappointed?"

The sudden proximity didn't cause any change in Jiang Xun's expression.

Jiang Xun set down the teacup and stood up to leave.

"Since Miss Jinhe isn't here, I'll take Ninger back first and tomorrow..."

"Why is the Young Master in such a hurry?"

Su Qinghe reached out and gently caught his sleeve.

Her strength wasn't great, but it was enough to make Jiang Xun stop.

She tilted her head, a hint of dejection on her face. "Does Young Master Jiang like my sister and not me?"

Jiang Xun turned to look at her.

Your sister is at least normal; you're far too abnormal.

If there were any other way, he really wouldn't want to have anything to do with Su Qinghe.

Beside him, Long Ninger's cheeks were puffed out, her small face flushed red as her eyes glared intensely at Su Qinghe's hand grabbing Jiang Xun's sleeve.

"Second Miss Su."

Jiang Xun spoke, his voice calm. "You should know clearly that I, Jiang Xun, am a devoted person."

"I don't want to waste any more mental energy on matters of the heart."

His words were mild, but the meaning was clear.

No matter what Su Qinghe's goal was, he didn't want to play along with her.

The smile on Su Qinghe's face remained.

She slowly withdrew her hand and then looked up. "Actually, I don't have those kinds of thoughts toward the Young Master either."

These words made Jiang Xun turn serious.

"So, what are your true intentions?"

"Let's take Ninger to see Tianyu first," she said.

"Getting to know each other early will be better for the two children's relationship."

...In the inner residence, there was a small pond.

The water wasn't deep; one could see the pebbles lining the bottom and several red carp swimming leisurely.

Beside the pond stood a pavilion with a stone table inside, where two people were sitting.

One was a young girl about eight or nine years old, leaning over the table reading.

The other was an old gentleman with a grizzled beard, holding a ruler in his hand, eyes closed and head swaying as he listened.

"Tianyu," Su Qinghe called out softly.

Su Tianyu looked up, and seeing who it was, she immediately set down her book and stood up. "Aunt."

Her eyes curiously glanced toward Jiang Xun and Long Ninger.

Su Qinghe pointed to the two in the pavilion and said to Long Ninger, "That is Tianyu, and that is the teacher who will instruct you."

Long Ninger didn't speak, only nodding.

But her gaze fell upon the ruler in the old gentleman's hand.

Su Qinghe introduced the new student to the teacher.

"This is the daughter of our residence's Guest Elder," Su Qinghe said with a smile. "I'll have to trouble the teacher to look after her from now on."

The old gentleman looked Long Ninger up and down, stroking his beard.

"How old are you?"

"Six years old," Jiang Xun answered for her.

The old gentleman nodded and turned to Tianyu. "Take your new friend over there to look at some books and learn some characters."

Su Tianyu obediently complied and walked over to take Long Ninger's hand.

The Little Dragon Girl hesitated for a moment, glanced back at Jiang Xun, and whispered.

"Don't go too far."

Jiang Xun nodded to her, and only then did she slowly offer her hand.

Su Qinghe then turned to Jiang Xun. "Young Master, care to take a walk with me?"

Jiang Xun glanced at Long Ninger's back. "Alright."

...The two walked slowly along the corridor bridge by the pond.

The wooden floorboards of the bridge let out a faint creak under their feet.

Neither of them brought up a topic first.

Just as they reached the other end of the bridge.

Su Qinghe walked half a step ahead. Without turning back, her voice was airy. "Young Master Jiang, do you have... any plans to remarry?"

This question was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, stirring up ripples that circled out before sinking to the bottom, waiting for an echo.

"No."

Jiang Xun answered curtly.

Su Qinghe turned around and said, "The Young Master really is unlike any Cultivators I've seen before."

Jiang Xun looked at her.

In Su Qinghe's eyes, there was eagerness, probing, and a certain kind of calculation familiar to him—the kind belonging to a merchant.

Although it was hidden deeply, he could see it.

Su Changfeng had also said once that both of his younger sisters had minds for business.

Although Su Qinghe seemed more flighty, her mind was actually no less sharp than Su Jinhe's.

"Second Miss Su."

Jiang Xun had actually wanted to make things clear for a while. "This enthusiasm you show toward me... it probably isn't out of romantic interest, is it?"

Su Qinghe nodded slightly.

"Even if I said it was, the Young Master probably wouldn't believe me."

She spoke very candidly.

"Then we might as well make things clear," Jiang Xun said.

"What do you want? Or rather, what does the Su Family want?"

Su Qinghe looked at Jiang Xun.

She took half a step back, leaning against the railing, her fingers rubbing the texture of the wood.

After a long while, she softly uttered a sentence.

"Does the Young Master know why I said you were unlike any Cultivator I've seen before?"

...On the other side, Su Tianyu looked at her new friend and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Shut up."

At that moment, Long Ninger was turned to the side with her eyes closed, as if she were listening to something.