Chapter 393 - 230: Lu Fan Takes Sifan to Yixia’s Hometown

Chapter 393: Chapter 230: Lu Fan Takes Sifan to Yixia’s Hometown

In the days that followed, life gradually returned to normal.

Pan Lanfang rested at home, while Jiang Guoqiang spent most of his time outside doing farm work like tending the vegetable garden.

Pan Lanfang would also ask Jiang Yixia about Lu Fan from time to time, wanting to know how their relationship was progressing.

Although Jiang Yixia was still worried about what her parents would do if they found out Lu Fan was Silu and Sifan’s biological father, his increasingly frequent presence was starting to change her mind.

’Maybe I just won’t tell them for now. If I can keep it a secret, then I’ll keep it a secret forever.’

Besides, she had no idea if her son would ever forgive Lu Fan.

As for Jiang Sifan.

He happened to have no classes today, so he was at his studio going over the accounts.

But the more he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed.

Over the past few days, he’d noticed that payments from several long-term clients were being delayed again and again.

Jiang Sifan flipped through the ledger, then opened his laptop to look at recent client feedback, his expression darkening.

Just as he was puzzling over it, Wen Wan came in from outside and held her phone out to him, her face flushing. "Class President, look at this."

On the screen was a WhatsApp group for local businesses.

Someone in the group was recommending an accounting service, and someone else had replied below: "Don’t go with Fanxing anymore. Their bookkeeping has been a total mess lately, and several business owners have already switched."

Jiang Sifan stared at the message, momentarily speechless. "What the hell is this?"

Wen Wan said in a low voice, "I asked around. A new accounting firm that opened in the south of the city is poaching clients. Their rates are thirty percent lower than ours, and they’re spreading bad rumors about us everywhere."

Jiang Sifan asked, puzzled, "What’s the story with that company?"

"I’m not sure. All I know is the owner’s surname is Qian, he used to be in finance, and he has some capital." Wen Wan shook her head.

Jiang Sifan didn’t say anything, leaning back in his chair and thinking for a long time.

A while ago, when he was first starting his business, Xu Junjie had used low prices to steal clients and had spread rumors everywhere.

That time, Sister Jiali had stepped in to sort it out for him.

But this was different. This wasn’t some petty squabble like with Xu Junjie; this was a legitimate company competing with him.

He couldn’t rely on others anymore.

"Wen Wan, let’s make a list of our long-term clients." He sat up straight, his tone becoming serious. "We’ll visit them one by one. We need to perfect our service and build our reputation. If we can’t compete on price, we’ll compete on service."

Wen Wan nodded and sat down to start compiling the list.

Jiang Sifan stood by the window, looking out at the campus, his thoughts in a jumble.

He knew starting a business wasn’t easy, but he hadn’t expected the competition to come so quickly.

He also recalled what Lu Fan had said at the symposium.

’Starting a business isn’t about who runs the fastest, but who survives the longest.’

Before, he had thought most of what Lu Fan said was superficial, but now he saw there was some truth to it.

After taking a deep breath, he turned back to his desk and started writing out a visitation plan.

In the afternoon, Jiang Sifan received a call from Jiang Silu.

"Brother, have you been busy lately?" Jiang Silu’s voice came from the other end of the line, sounding a little cautious.

Jiang Sifan replied, "It’s been okay. What’s up?"

Jiang Silu hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice slightly. "Dad said he wants to invite you and Sister Wen Wan to the manor for dinner. Are you free?"

Jiang Sifan was a bit surprised. "Why the sudden dinner invitation? Didn’t we just go last time?"

"It’s not sudden, he just wants to treat you. He was happy for days after you came to the manor last time. He told Old Luo that the kitchen’s cooking was to your liking and had them write down the recipes so they could make those dishes for you in the future," Jiang Silu said, laughing, her tone light and cheerful.

Jiang Sifan was silent for a moment before explaining, "The studio’s been a bit busy lately. We’ll see."

Jiang Silu didn’t press him, her tone understanding. "Okay, well, let me know when you’re not busy. By the way, Brother, how has Sister Wen Wan been lately?"

Jiang Sifan glanced at Wen Wan. She had her head down, organizing the list, bathed in the quiet sunlight streaming through the window.

She looked so focused as she wrote, the tip of her pen rustling against the paper.

"She’s doing great," he said, looking away with a sense of relief.

Jiang Silu laughed on the other end of the line, her voice sweet. "That’s good. Keep it up, Brother."

After hanging up, Jiang Sifan returned to his desk and continued writing his plan.

Wen Wan looked up at him for a second, didn’t ask anything, and then lowered her head to get back to work.

In the evening, Wen Wan’s phone rang.

She picked it up and saw it was a call from Mrs. Wen.

She hesitated for a moment, but answered it anyway.

"Wan’Er, your grandfather’s sick. It’s very serious." Mrs. Wen’s voice, choked with tears, came quickly from the other end. "The doctor said he might not make it this time. You need to come back, quickly."

The pen in Wen Wan’s hand fell onto the desk with a CLACK, rolled twice, and dropped to the floor.

Her voice trembled. "What happened to Grandpa? Wasn’t he fine last time?"

Mrs. Wen said anxiously, "He had a fall. He hasn’t woken up since we got him to the hospital. The doctor said because of his age and poor health, he’s afraid... he’s afraid he won’t pull through. Come back quickly. The sooner, the better."

Tears instantly welled up in Wen Wan’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

She remembered her childhood, how everyone in the family doted on her younger brother.

Only her grandfather would secretly save treats for her.

A piece of candy, an apple, sometimes a small handful of sunflower seeds, pressed into her palm as he said, "For Wan’Er to eat. Don’t tell your mom."

The year she got into university, her grandfather had stuffed a red envelope into her hands. Inside were five hundred yuan in crumpled bills, and his hands had been shaking.

He had said, "Wan’Er has a bright future. Grandpa is so happy."

"Mom, I’m coming back right now." She hung up, her hands trembling so badly she almost dropped her phone.