Early the next morning, Jiang Xun booked a car and headed home without telling anyone else in the Jiang Family.
He hadn't been back in half a month. It was time to remind them he existed, and he still had his side mission to complete.
Halfway through the drive, Jiang Xun leaned against the car window, idly watching the streets slide past. Suddenly, he spotted a little white creature rummaging through a black garbage bag beside a trash can up ahead.
It was a filthy little puppy.
Jiang Xun had kept two dogs in his previous life and couldn't bear the sight. He immediately asked the driver to pull over.
The weather had already turned cool by mid-October. He took off his jacket, wrapped the puppy in it, and asked the driver to take them to a nearby veterinary clinic.
By the time he finally reached the Jiang Family home after all that, it was noon.
Liu Ma, who was cleaning the front courtyard, was the first to see him. Her expression changed instantly before she approached with a beaming smile. "Second Young Master, what brings you home?"
Jiang Xun gently stroked the puppy nestled in his arms. "Are my parents home?"
"Everyone's here."
Liu Ma spotted the puppy too and let out an exaggerated cry, raising her voice. "Second Young Master, where did you get that puppy? You can't take it inside."
"The youngest young master is allergic to cat and dog fur. We've never allowed pets like these in the house."
Still playing with the puppy, Jiang Xun gave an indifferent "Oh" and walked past her toward the house.
Liu Ma immediately grew anxious. She hurried after him and stepped into his path, her upturned eyes taking on a look of self-righteous reproach.
"Second Young Master, give me the puppy. You really can't take it inside."
Jiang Xun stopped and smiled faintly at her. "Liu Ma, a good dog stays out of the way."
Liu Ma's face instantly darkened. She opened her mouth to say more, but remembering how this second young master had nearly gotten her fired by the madam, she felt a twinge of fear.
She stepped aside with a stiff smile. "I was only reminding you. Take care, Second Young Master."
If anything really happens to the youngest young master, the master and madam will blame this country bumpkin first. Let's see how arrogant he is then.
Jiang Xun carried the puppy through the front courtyard and into the house.
The living room was lively. All four of them were there, sitting on the sofa and chatting over fruit after finishing lunch.
They looked like one happy family.
Deng Shu sighed softly. "Xiao Xun hasn't been home in half a month. I wonder if he's settled in at Yanli's."
Jiang Shiyuan gave a cold snort. "He seems to be doing just fine to me. He's probably already forgotten he has a home here. Just as well. Saves him coming back to make me angry."
An idea occurred to Jiang Zixing beside him. He speared a piece of fruit and offered it to Jiang Shiyuan, speaking gently. "Dad, don't be angry."
"Why don't we go to Uncle Fu's place to see Xun? It's not that far."
"That sounds good," Deng Shu said. "We can bring some gifts to thank Yanli for looking after Xiao Xun."
"What's there to visit for?" Jiang Huaijin lounged against the sofa with his long legs crossed, his tone disapproving. "Mom, stop indulging him all the time."
No sooner had he spoken than he happened to look up and see Jiang Xun himself walking in from outside, smiling and waving at him. "Hey, big brother. Long time no see."
"Talking about me? Did you miss me?"
Jiang Huaijin was immediately silenced. We haven't seen him in a while, and this annoying little brother has only gotten more shameless.
The four of them reacted differently to Jiang Xun's return.
Deng Shu was delighted, while Jiang Shiyuan wore his usual stern expression. When he noticed the puppy in Jiang Xun's arms, his face darkened further.
"Where did you get that dog? Zixing is allergic to animal fur. We can't keep cats and dogs in this house."
Deng Shu looked torn too. After hesitating for a moment, she gently tried to persuade him. "That's right, Xiao Xun. If you want a pet, why not keep something without fur? A turtle, perhaps."
"Mom, Dad, I'll just keep my distance." Jiang Zixing lowered his eyes sheepishly, a hint of embarrassment on his delicate face. He sounded exceedingly considerate. "If Xun likes it, let him keep it."
The moment he finished speaking, Jiang Huaijin shot the suggestion down.
He had just told them to stop indulging Jiang Xun.
Jiang Xun watched the four of them chime in one after another, unable to get a word in.
The puppy in his arms was only a little over a month old. Now clean and white after its bath, it was whimpering softly as though asking for affection.
Jiang Xun looked at them, an unreadable smile curling his lips.
Still playing favorites, as expected.
"I never said I was keeping it. What's the rush? I'll find it a new owner in a couple of days."
Jiang Xun stroked the puppy's head fondly. "It'll stay in my room and won't go anywhere else. It won't harm my dear little brother."
With that, he carried the puppy toward the stairs. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned to Jiang Shiyuan. "Dad, that's the watch I gave you on your wrist, isn't it? Looks pretty good."
Jiang Shiyuan flushed and instinctively covered the watch.
Jiang Xun chuckled and headed up the stairs.
The other four watched his retreating figure, silent for a moment.
Jiang Zixing squeezed his fingers together and pressed his lips shut before saying softly, "Mom, Dad, Huaijin, it's really all right."
"My allergy isn't that bad. At worst, I can just take some medicine."
Jiang Huaijin patted his head. "Zixing, we know you mean well."
"You're just as much a member of the Jiang Family as Jiang Xun. You don't need to go out of your way to please him at your own expense."
Jiang Zixing's eyes quietly reddened. "Mm. I know."
In his room upstairs, Jiang Xun found a cardboard box to serve as a temporary bed for the puppy and carefully lined it with thick clothes.
The door was open. Deng Shu came silently to the doorway and watched her son focus on playing with the puppy.
"Xiao Xun, I'm sorry. I can tell you really like this puppy, but Zixing..."
"Mom, I understand. You don't need to explain." Jiang Xun held the puppy up in both hands, smiling without a trace of resentment. "Would you like to come play with it for a while?"
Deng Shu couldn't help smiling too. "Oh, all right."
That evening, several relatives from Deng Shu's side came to visit, and everyone went out for dinner.
They took two cars. The first was full, leaving Jiang Xun and Jiang Huaijin to share the other.
The driver drove up front while the two of them sat in the back.
The car was quiet. Jiang Huaijin had a laptop in front of him and was handling work with an expressionless face.
Jiang Xun glanced at his brother in name and, bored out of his mind, started playing a game on his phone.
The driver was heading straight through an intersection with traffic lights when the accident happened.
A sedan suddenly ran the red light from the left at considerable speed, heading straight for the Jiang Family's car.
Jiang Xun happened to catch the scene out of the corner of his eye, and his pupils abruptly contracted.
He didn't know what had come over him. In the instant before the sedan struck, he lunged toward Jiang Huaijin and shielded him with his own body.