Chapter 414 - 236: Jiang Guoqiang Senses Something Amiss! He Discovered Lu Fan’s Secret?

Chapter 414: Chapter 236: Jiang Guoqiang Senses Something Amiss! He Discovered Lu Fan’s Secret?

Pan Lanfang sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the photograph. She looked at it over and over, more than a dozen times.

With every glance, her heart grew more troubled.

The two people in the photo were smiling so sweetly, their heads touching, their eyes curved into crescents.

She thought about all the things Lu Fan had done since he started coming to the village.

Fixing the irrigation ditch, catching fish, selling fish, keeping her company, bringing tea for Jiang Guoqiang, running around helping at the hospital.

Every single act had been genuine.

She remembered how she’d praised him to Jiang Yixia every time, saying what a good and reliable kid he was, the kind you couldn’t find even if you searched with a lantern.

She remembered the evasive look in Jiang Yixia’s eyes whenever she said those things. Now, it all made sense.

Pan Lanfang flipped the photo over and read the words on the back again: "Yixia and Lu Fan, the tenth day of being together."

Lu Fan.

Not Lu Xiaofan, but Lu Fan.

She suddenly recalled the question Jiang Yixia had asked at the hospital.

"If Silu and Sifan’s biological father were as good a person as Lu Xiaofan, could you accept him?"

At the time, she had said it was impossible. Not in this lifetime.

Jiang Guoqiang had also said that man wasn’t worthy of setting foot in the Jiang Family’s home.

But now? That man was Lu Fan.

The very same Lu Fan she hoped every day would be her son-in-law.

She tucked the photo back into the book, put the book back in the box, and pushed the box back under the bed.

She stood up, took two steps across the room, and sat back down.

Then she stood up again, walked to the door, and walked back.

She picked up the feather duster, flicked away nonexistent dust from the table, and put it down again.

She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the box, her mind a complete blank.

Jiang Guoqiang came back from the fields, pushed open the door, and saw her sitting dazed on the edge of the bed. He asked, "Honey, what’s wrong? You look so pale."

Pan Lanfang jumped, startled, and quickly stood up. "N-nothing... I was just tidying up the room. I’m a little tired."

Jiang Guoqiang glanced at her but didn’t think much of it. He turned and went to the kitchen to pour some water.

Pan Lanfang followed behind him, wanting to say something, but she opened her mouth and swallowed the words back down.

Watching Jiang Guoqiang’s back, her heart felt as heavy as a stone.

She’d been with him for decades; she knew him too well.

If he found out that Lu Fan was that man from all those years ago, he would absolutely raise hell.

That thorn had been stuck in his heart for nineteen years, impossible to remove.

During dinner, Pan Lanfang was distracted. Her chopsticks held a piece of braised pork, hovering for a long time without bringing it to her mouth.

Jiang Guoqiang glanced at her several times, then put down his bowl and asked, "What is really wrong with you? You’ve been out of it all day."

"It’s nothing. I was just thinking about Yixia being all alone in Yangcheng, wondering if she’s eating well," Pan Lanfang said, shaking her head.

Jiang Guoqiang chuckled. "She’s a grown woman. Does she still need you to worry about her?"

Pan Lanfang didn’t reply, just lowered her head and shoveled rice into her mouth.

A moment later, she put down her bowl and suggested, "I’m going to Yangcheng tomorrow to see her."

"To Yangcheng? I’ll go too," Jiang Guoqiang said, taken aback for a second.

"What would you go for? There’s still work to be done in the fields," Pan Lanfang said quickly, her voice a little too loud. "I can go by myself."

Jiang Guoqiang wanted to say more, but Pan Lanfang had already stood up to wash the dishes.

He watched her hurried retreat, feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

「The next morning」

Pan Lanfang was packing when a car horn blared from the courtyard gate.

She poked her head out to look. A black Mercedes-Benz was parked at the gate, brand-new and gleaming in the sunlight.

The car door opened, and Jiang Ming got out of the driver’s seat. He was wearing a new jacket, his hair neatly combed.

"Mom!" he called out with a smile, a hint of pride on his face.

Pan Lanfang was stunned. She looked the car up and down. "Wh-whose car is this?"

Jiang Ming patted the car door, unable to hide the joy in his voice. "Mine! President Lu bought it for me."

"Xiaolu bought it for you?" Pan Lanfang’s voice changed. She circled the car, musing, "This car can’t have been cheap, right?"

Jiang Ming scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "Over five hundred thousand."

Pan Lanfang sucked in a sharp breath. ’Over five hundred thousand?’

She had never seen so much money in her entire life.

She reached out and touched the car door. The paint was smooth and slick, like a mirror.

Just as she was about to say something, a few neighbors had already gathered at the courtyard gate.

Aunt Li was the first to come closer, her eyes wide. "My, whose car is this? It’s beautiful!"

Jiang Ming replied with a smile, "It’s mine, Auntie."

"Yours?" Aunt Li’s jaw dropped. "Jiang Ming, did you strike it rich? Driving such a nice car!"

Uncle Zhang, who was nearby, also came over. He circled the car and praised, "A Mercedes-Benz! This must’ve cost hundreds of thousands, right? Jiang Ming, you’ve really made something of yourself!"

Jiang Ming felt awkward from all the praise and waved his hands dismissively. "No, no, my brother-in-law bought it for me."

"Brother-in-law?" Aunt Li paused, then it clicked. "You mean that Xiaolu who’s always coming to the village? Oh my, he’s really something! Look how well he treats your family."

Pan Lanfang stood to the side, listening to their words, her heart a whirlwind of complicated emotions.

’He’s good to them, truly good.’

But the better he was, the more unsettling she felt.

Jiang Guoqiang came out of the house and was taken aback by the scene at the gate.

He walked over, looked at the car, then at Jiang Ming, and asked, "Whose car is this?"

"President Lu bought it for me," Jiang Ming explained.

Jiang Guoqiang’s brow furrowed. "He bought you a car? How much did it cost?"

"F-five... over five hundred thousand," Jiang Ming stammered.

Jiang Guoqiang’s expression changed instantly. He looked exasperated. "Over five hundred thousand? You let him spend over five hundred thousand to buy you a car? How could you accept that?"

"He’s already bought it, what’s the use of saying all this now..." Pan Lanfang chimed in from the side, trying to smooth things over.