Chapter 2353

Chapter 2353: Chapter 2353

It’s the New Year, and with Feng Nianian greeting them so warmly, even if Duan Qianyang really disliked that they came over without saying anything in advance, he couldn’t very well make a scene about it. Seeing that she was at least somewhat sensible, his expression eased a little.

His gaze moved to Duan Xin on the other side. Duan Xin stood up and went over to the dining area to fetch some stools.

After he’d carried them over and set them down in front of the three, Feng Nianian thanked him sweetly, "Thank you, Cousin Xin."

Duan Xin glanced at her big belly, then turned to Duan Sishu at the side and said, "Have a seat, Aunt."

It was like he’d given her a way to step down. Only then did Duan Sishu’s expression improve a bit; she nodded with reserved dignity, her gaze sweeping to Duan Xi, who was silently sitting on the other side. She snorted through her nose and said in a neither-light-nor-heavy tone, "You’re the sensible one, still remember how to address people. Unlike some people..."

Duan Sishu had married young, and married out of town besides. To Duan Xin, this aunt was really only a little more familiar than a stranger.

He’d originally been thinking that it was the New Year and they shouldn’t let things get too ugly, which was why he’d handed her that step down. He hadn’t expected her to be so lacking in restraint, unable to say a single pleasant word once she opened her mouth.

His younger brother and his aunt were like the two ends of a scale: one end tilted up to the sky, the other sank down into the dust.

He set the stool down at once, the corner of his mouth quirking in a half-smile, half-not, as he said, "You came over without giving us any notice, and the family hasn’t prepared much. Just sit wherever, don’t stand on ceremony."

He almost spelled it out directly: you’ve really picked the worst time to come!

Duan Sishu was stunned and hadn’t yet reacted when Jiang Xun’s face had already darkened. He turned and headed straight for the door.

"Honey!" Feng Nianian was startled, and couldn’t even care about her big belly as she hurried after him, only just managing to grab hold of the black-faced Jiang Xun at the entryway by the front door.

Jiang Xun was truly furious. He knew Feng Nianian didn’t have a good relationship with the Duan Family, but he hadn’t expected to be treated this coldly himself after coming here. It was simply a terrible humiliation.

"Honey..." Feng Nianian called out softly, her voice tinged with a slight choke.

Jiang Xun’s face was turned toward the outside, so it was hard to see his expression, but the chill radiating off him made it clear it wasn’t a good one.

Duan Sishu had also followed them out. The three of them stood by the door, voices lowered, no one knew what they were saying.

Ruan Jiaojiao craned her neck to look, genuinely a bit curious, because if it were her, she would definitely have walked out without looking back by now.

But the three of them didn’t. After a few minutes, Feng Nianian actually managed to talk Jiang Xun into coming back.

The two of them walked back in with their fingers interlaced, and as they approached, Feng Nianian explained to Duan Qianyang, "Uncle, my husband just had something urgent come up that he was going to take care of, but it’s fine now. After all, compared to urgent business, paying New Year’s greetings to you is more important."

Her face was earnest as she said this, and she even chuckled to herself, as if it were really true.

Ruan Jiaojiao only found it a bit embarrassing to listen to. Once the three had come back and sat down on the stools one by one, Ruan Jiaojiao stood up and walked over to Duan Xi’s side. "Brother Xi, let’s go outside and walk around. It’s my first time here, I want to look around."

"Sure, I don’t want to stay here either. I’ll take you all out for a walk," Duan Xin immediately chimed in when he heard that.

"That’s good. You all go have a stroll, I’ll call you when the food’s done," Duan Qianyang said in a mild tone. He really couldn’t bear to make them stay in the same room with people they didn’t like.