Master Lin was momentarily stunned, almost unable to believe his ears.
What did this girl just say?!
No right?!
"You—" Master Lin raised his hand, pointing at Xue Jiao, his face a picture of disbelief.
Master Lin was furious. He had come here to warn Gu Xue Jiao.
Knowing his grandson was no longer under his control, he had decided to target this girl instead.
What he hadn’t expected was to run into Gu Xue Jiao right at the school gate—and to find his grandson there as well.
He hadn’t wanted to confront his grandson directly, but seeing his usually composed grandson waiting at the school gate for some girl only fueled his anger.
But what infuriated him even more was—how dare this girl speak to him like that?!
Xue Jiao lifted her chin, her expression unwavering.
"How dare you! I am his grandfather—why wouldn’t I have the right?!" Master Lin stomped his foot in anger, his face twisted with indignation.
Xue Jiao looked at him and said earnestly, "I don’t think you’ve earned the right to be called a grandfather. When you stop treating your own grandson as family, you cease to be his grandfather. Naturally, you have no right to interfere in his life."
"Outrageous—" Master Lin struck his cane against the ground, breathing heavily. "How dare you!"
Xue Jiao watched him coldly. In her past life, she had never known her relatives or experienced familial love. But there had been an elderly man who raised her, cared for her, and showed her kindness. Looking back now, she realized that had been familial love—love without blood ties.
An unrelated old man had given her family, while her biological parents in that life had brought her into the world but refused to raise her. Xue Jiao hadn’t understood familial love before; she had thought it could only exist between blood relatives.
But in this life, she had learned that those without blood ties could still share familial bonds, while those with blood ties might not.
This man had denied Lin Zhihua familial love, yet he still expected Lin Zhihua to respect him as family?
What kind of logic was that!
"You raised Lin Zhihua, so even after your grave mistakes, he still ensures you live comfortably, with all your needs met. He has already shown you more kindness than you deserve. Yet you remain unsatisfied and still try to meddle in his life."
Xue Jiao’s gaze was icy. "Who he loves, who he chooses to marry—none of that concerns you. Stop using the excuse of ‘what’s best for him’ to interfere. It’s unnecessary."
Master Lin was panting with rage, one hand clutching his chest, his eyes wide.
"You—you—"
"I’m speaking the truth. Have you ever truly cared for Lin Zhihua? Have you ever considered his life? You even abetted wrongdoing—did you ever think about the uncontrollable consequences of that car accident back then?!" Xue Jiao’s voice rose sharply as she spat out each word.
If she hadn’t transmigrated into this world, that car accident would have ended the life of the most remarkable, most extraordinary man she knew—cutting short his brilliance before the world could witness it.
No one would have known just how incredible he was or what heights he could have reached.
The mere thought of that possibility made Xue Jiao sick to her stomach.
He still thought of himself as Lin Zhihua’s grandfather, but he was also the man who had nearly killed him!"You haven't fulfilled your obligations, so don't delude yourself into thinking you can exercise your rights!" Xue Jiao's voice turned sharp and angry, a stark contrast to her usual tone.
Lin Zhihua stood behind Xue Jiao, staring at her in astonishment.
Was Jiao Jiao... defending him?
This wasn't the first or second time something like this had happened. Master Lin would get angry, issue commands, lose his temper...
Even his own parents would just stand by, sometimes yielding to Master Lin and joining in lecturing him.
Lin Zhihua had always found it too bothersome to argue with them, preferring to simply avoid the nuisance.
Locking Master Lin away and sending his parents abroad—that had been his way of handling things, his solution.
But today, a petite young girl, the very girl he wanted to shield with open arms...
This girl suddenly stood before him, speaking words that ached for his sake.
She confronted Master Lin—for him.
Even in such a situation, a faint smile tugged at Lin Zhihua's lips, his eyes filling with tenderness.
His Jiao Jiao.
Master Lin was so furious he nearly blacked out. A middle-aged man immediately steadied him, but the old man pushed him away.
With eyes that seemed ready to devour them, Master Lin trembled as he spoke: "Lin Zhihua, are you just going to let her talk to your grandfather like that?!"
His accusatory glare bore into them.
Lin Zhihua's lips curved slightly. "I think she's right..."
"You—"
Xue Jiao tugged at Lin Zhihua's sleeve, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."
Lin Zhihua smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Alright."
Xue Jiao pulled him away, not wanting to see the old man anymore.
Behind them, Master Lin's furious roar echoed—
"Stop right there!"
No one paid him any attention.
Xue Jiao was seething. She couldn't tell anyone that Lin Zhihua had nearly been killed—and that in his past life, he had been.
She wasn't even sure if that stubborn old man would care if she told him he'd truly caused his own grandson's death.
Lin Zhihua no longer cared about Master Lin. After today, he wouldn't let him cause any more trouble.
But because... Xue Jiao had defended him, even Master Lin's antics seemed almost endearing.
"Jiao Jiao..." Lin Zhihua murmured, looking at the sleeve she was holding.
His voice carried a complexity Xue Jiao couldn't decipher. Right now, she was too consumed by anger to dwell on it.
She let go and stopped walking.
Lin Zhihua felt a pang of disappointment as her hand slipped away.
Xue Jiao turned to face him, her eyes filled with concern. "You... don't be sad..."
Lin Zhihua paused, then shook his head with a soft smile. "I'm not sad."
Something he was used to—why would he be sad?
But Xue Jiao's heart still ached for him. She took a deep breath and said, "Lin Zhihua, you taught me this—those who don't care about us don't deserve our care in return. For people you don't care about, don't let them dictate your life. Whether or not you want to marry, or when you marry—that's your decision alone. It has nothing to do with relatives who hurt you."
Lin Zhihua gazed at the girl's earnest face and nodded gently. "Alright."
He savored this moment of her concern—it would become a memory he'd never forget.
This warmth, spreading from deep within, was comforting and joyous."Let's not be troubled or hindered by these words. You're so outstanding, you should live the life you want to live," Xue Jiao said firmly, her eyes filled with encouragement as she looked at him.
Lin Zhihua chuckled lightly and nodded. "Alright."
After a moment, he added, "Jiao Jiao, you've grown up."
Xue Jiao was taken aback and stared at him blankly. "Huh?"
"Thank you for what you just said," Lin Zhihua continued with a smile.
Xue Jiao smiled sheepishly, a bit shy. "What's there to thank? We're friends. You've always been good to me, so of course I should be good to you too!"
Lin Zhihua: "..."
He fell silent for a moment before letting out a helpless laugh.
He had just said she'd grown up, but she was still the same—completely oblivious when it came to matters of the heart.
His repayment of kindness and friendship would never go to such lengths with careful planning.
This was love.
——
Lin Zhihua escorted Xue Jiao back to the Cheng residence, where Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong were sitting on the sofa, discussing something while holding a list.
Xue Jiao, changing her shoes, asked curiously, "Mom? Dad?"
"Jiao Jiao, you're back," Cheng Shuo smiled. "We're looking at the guest list for your college celebration."
Xue Jiao paused, suddenly remembering that her college celebration and coming-of-age ceremony were being held together.
Her eighteenth birthday in her previous life had passed quietly, but this time, she was actually having a coming-of-age ceremony. The thought made her feel a bit embarrassed.
"Oh..."
Cheng Shuo waved her over. "Your mom and I drafted a list, mostly business associates."
Xue Jiao walked over and nodded obediently.
Cheng Shuo had mentioned before that this was an opportunity to reconnect with business partners in the capital, and Li Sitong could also use this chance to socialize with other wives.
"Your mom and I just wanted to ask if there are any friends you'd like to invite. We originally planned to hold your coming-of-age ceremony and college celebration separately..."
Xue Jiao shook her head and smiled nonchalantly. "It's fine. Doing them together saves trouble. I don't have many friends anyway."
Cheng Shuo sighed helplessly.
Xue Jiao thought carefully, running through her list of friends...
"I'd like to invite Jiaxue, Chu Sheng, Xi Junyang, and Lin Zhihua..." She hesitated, not mentioning Yi Tianyu.
She shouldn't appear before him.
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong exchanged glances, clearly also thinking of Yi Tianyu, but they didn't press further.
Cheng Shuo simply smiled. "Are there any other friends you'd like to invite?"
Xue Jiao thought seriously again before shaking her head.
It seemed apart from these four, she didn't have any other friends she could invite to a birthday celebration in the capital.
Cheng Shuo also realized her circle was quite small and said with a smile, "Once you're in university, you'll have much more free time, Jiao Jiao. You can try to make more friends."
Xue Jiao nodded and replied softly, "Okay."
"Actually..."
"Hmm?"
Xue Jiao looked puzzled.
Cheng Shuo swallowed his words and only said, "Never mind."
Lin Zhihua was one of the few friends in Xue Jiao's heart. He couldn't stop him from attending her coming-of-age ceremony just because of his own concerns.
"By the way, Jiao Jiao, the dress I bought for you—come on, let me show you!" Li Sitong suddenly stood up excitedly.
Xue Jiao was startled but followed her into the room with a resigned smile.
——
Xue Jiao's coming-of-age ceremony was held half a month after she received her Tsinghua University admission letter.
It was her eighteenth birthday.In her past life, Xue Jiao never knew her actual birthday. The old man had noted down the day he found her, and every year on that day, he would close his stall early and buy her a small cake.
Under his helpless gaze, she would always share half with him.
A child’s happiness was so simple—just that tiny, sweet cake.
For her schooling, both the old man and Xue Jiao lived frugally. The small cake was a luxury reserved only for her birthday.
As for the old man’s birthday… Xue Jiao never knew it, and he never celebrated it.
Later, when the old man passed away, no one bought Xue Jiao that little cake anymore, and she never bothered to buy one for herself.
In her past life, she only lived to eighteen, about a month earlier than now. That day, she spent it working—no different from any other day.
But in this life, as Gu Xue Jiao, she celebrated a grand and magnificent eighteenth birthday.
That morning, she and Li Sitong went to get her hair and makeup done. In the afternoon, she put on a beautiful dress early and arrived at the hotel ahead of time.
As the hosts, they had to be there early to greet the arriving guests.
Jiaxue, Chu Sheng, and Xi Junyang were all in City C, quite far away, so they would arrive early.
Cheng Shuo and the others assumed they would be the first to arrive, but shortly after they reached the hotel, the first guest to appear was—Lin Zhihua.
Cheng Shuo: "..."
Lin Zhihua smiled first at Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong. "Uncle Cheng, Aunt Li."
"Ah!" Li Sitong responded warmly.
Cheng Shuo, however, snorted and said nothing.
"Why are you here so early?" Xue Jiao’s eyes widened slightly. "The banquet doesn’t start until seven!"
"I wanted to come early." Lin Zhihua smiled. His smile was striking—his handsome face seemed to draw all the light, as if he were the only one under the spotlight.
Xue Jiao shook her head helplessly. "Then have a seat for now."
Lin Zhihua nodded, his gaze lingering on Xue Jiao without blinking.
Today, Xue Jiao was wearing makeup. Due to past memories, Li Sitong had always disliked her wearing makeup, and Xue Jiao herself wasn’t fond of it either.
But today was different. Li Sitong said she was now an adult, marking the end of her youth. On such an important day, she had to appear in her most beautiful form.
Thus, for the first time, Xue Jiao stood before Lin Zhihua with makeup on.
She was already beautiful—like a stubborn white rose. With makeup, she became a dazzling red rose.
The teardrop mole at the corner of her eye was delicately highlighted, like a cinnabar mark pressed upon the heart.
Every flutter of her thick lashes sent ripples through his chest.
Her white chiffon gown accentuated her slender waist and graceful figure.
The back of the dress was largely bare, but her cascading hair covered it, revealing glimpses here and there.
Ahem. Cheng Shuo coughed pointedly.
Lin Zhihua withdrew his gaze and smiled softly. "Jiao Jiao, happy birthday. Congratulations on turning eighteen."
He had been waiting for this day for over a year.
Gently, he reached out and embraced her, his touch light.
Xue Jiao froze for a moment before smiling. Lin Zhihua quickly let go.
His heart raced. Silently, he steadied his breathing.
Then, he took out a small box from his bag and handed it to Xue Jiao.
For a brief moment, Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong thought he was about to propose.
But when the box opened, inside was a delicate and exquisite necklace.Hanging above was a pair of small silver-white wings, which slightly surprised Xue Jiao.
Lin Zhihua's voice sounded beside her—
"Jiao Jiao, this is your eighteenth birthday gift. May your future be like having a pair of wings, soaring freely."
Xue Jiao's eyes lit up as she looked up at him in pleasant surprise.
A moment later, she reached out and hugged Lin Zhihua on her own initiative. "Thank you... I love it..."
Her voice was filled with joy—this was the gift that satisfied her the most.
Standing nearby, Cheng Shuo's expression darkened slightly.
For some reason, he felt that Lin Zhihua seemed more like Xue Jiao's... father than he did at this moment.
Cheng Shuo: "..."
The thought made him chuckle. He looked at Lin Zhihua and said, "President Lin, let’s go sit over there for a while."
"Alright." Lin Zhihua didn’t hesitate and followed Cheng Shuo to chat.
They appeared harmonious and friendly, but their conversation was anything but—
"President Lin, you certainly care for my daughter more than I do—almost like a father."
"Uncle Cheng, don’t worry. I’ll cherish Jiao Jiao like my own daughter for the rest of my life."
"...That doesn’t reassure me."
"You can rest assured."
"President Lin, I heard your family is urging you to marry? My daughter is still young."
"I can wait. Ten or eight years—I can afford to wait."
"..."
——
"Happy birthday!" Liu Jiaxue reached out and hugged Xue Jiao tightly.
Xue Jiao smiled. This was her friend. Though they might not meet often in the future, true friendship wouldn’t fade with distance.
The strongest bonds are those where, even without constant contact, reuniting feels just like old times—you’re still someone I care about.
Chu Sheng also arrived, dressed in a suit and carrying a gift box.
"Classmate, happy birthday."
He called her "classmate" because, in the future, they would still be classmates.
"Classmate, thank you," Xue Jiao replied with a teasing smile.
"I heard you’ve already been to Professor Tan’s office?" Chu Sheng gave a thumbs-up. "You’re really ahead of the game."
Xue Jiao rolled her eyes. "As if you won’t catch up. Do you have a goal in mind yet?"
Chu Sheng feigned exaggeration. "You could tell?"
Xue Jiao shook her head with a laugh. After settling Chu Sheng and Liu Jiaxue, she was taken by Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong to greet the arriving guests—mostly Cheng Shuo’s business associates.
"President Xu! Welcome, welcome!" Cheng Shuo beamed, looking genuinely happy and enthusiastic.
President Xu’s attitude was more reserved. His business standing was higher than Cheng Shuo’s, and his attendance at this banquet was purely a courtesy.
"Haha, congratulations, Boss Cheng. You’ve raised two outstanding children—a son and a daughter!"
It had to be said that even those who came out of courtesy—despite their higher status—had to admit that Cheng Shuo’s children were exceptionally well-raised.
Good looks, strong capabilities, and refined temperaments.
Because of such children, even strangers would regard Cheng Shuo with higher esteem.
"Not at all, they’re just bookworms."
"Your children..." President Xu’s voice trailed off as his gaze fixed on a corner of the hall.
A moment later, he rubbed his eyes in surprise.
"Is that... Lin Zhihua?"
Cheng Shuo’s smile stiffened.
But President Xu suddenly became enthusiastic, gripping Cheng Shuo’s hand with fervor.
"President Cheng, you’re being too modest. You’re acquainted with President Lin, yet you never mentioned a word."
Cheng Shuo smiled faintly. "We’re not that close."Mr. Xu wore an expression that clearly said "don't try to fool me" as he said, "If you weren't close, would he have come? Everyone in the industry knows how difficult it is to get Lin Zhihua to attend anything. Brother, I consider you a brother, so you should be honest with me!"
Cheng Shuo smiled faintly, his expression unreadable.
Mr. Xu continued enthusiastically exchanging pleasantries for a long while, acting as though they were the best of friends, before finally leaving with a smile and heading straight for Lin Zhihua.
And he wasn't the only one like this.
None of them could have imagined they'd see Lin Zhihua at the event of such a small company's owner.
This was precisely why Cheng Shuo hadn't wanted Lin Zhihua to come. If they weren't actually close, he would have been happy to bask in Lin Zhihua's reflected glory.
That's just how business works—those who care too much about face don't last long.
But now, with Lin Zhihua having designs on his daughter, taking advantage of this connection left a bad taste in his mouth.
It was Cheng Mingze who comforted him: "Dad, don't be so conflicted. If Lin Zhihua wants to come, we can't stop him. As for him and Jiao Jiao... we certainly won't give our approval so easily."
Cheng Shuo looked at Jiao Jiao, who was being pulled into polite conversation by other business owners' wives nearby, and nodded. That was true.
No matter what!
He wouldn't give his approval easily—unless Jiao Jiao was truly willing!
And so, Cheng Shuo, who had originally wanted to establish his business in the capital, found all doors opening for him simply because of Lin Zhihua's presence.
Sometimes it works like that—even if people don't know the exact nature of your relationship with someone influential, the mere fact that a connection exists means they won't make things difficult for you.
They might not go out of their way to help, but simply not creating obstacles is already the greatest assistance one could ask for.
From this day onward, Pengcheng was officially rooted in the capital.
That evening, Xue Jiao officially came of age, and the banquet was a great success. Thanks to Lin Zhihua, all of Cheng Shuo's business associates were overflowing with enthusiasm.
As for Xue Jiao's few friends in attendance, they were all genuinely sincere people.
The lively event continued until past 9 PM before finally concluding.
"...Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my daughter's celebration banquet. Thank you!"
Cheng Shuo gave his final speech, then personally saw off each of his "enthusiastic" business associates with a smile.
Xue Jiao arranged accommodations at the hotel for Jiaxue and Chu Sheng. Xi Junyang hadn't been able to attend due to prior commitments but had sent his congratulations.
That's just how it is after graduation—there will always be various commitments causing people to miss this gathering or that meeting.
Over time, relationships that weren't particularly deep to begin with gradually fade, until only polite formality remains.
After everyone had left, Cheng Shuo turned with satisfaction: "Jiao Jiao—"
His gaze fell on Lin Zhihua, who was still standing there. Cheng Shuo raised an eyebrow: "Why are you still here?"
If you don't leave, how can we give her the surprise we prepared?!
Lin Zhihua straightened his clothes and stepped closer: "No hurry."
You may not be in a hurry, but we are!
Cheng Shuo choked for a moment before saying, "Our family has some matters to attend to, so you..."
Hearing the word "family," Lin Zhihua became even more determined to stay.
Li Sitong, however, was quite pleased. She felt Lin Zhihua perfectly matched all her expectations for a son-in-law.
Now she was... growing more satisfied the more she saw him.
"It's fine, Zhihua can stay," Li Sitong said, and Cheng Shuo didn't press the matter further.
Cheng Mingze also shot Lin Zhihua a somewhat dissatisfied look.
Xue Jiao was completely baffled: "What kind of riddle are you all talking in?"Cheng Shuo immediately ignored Lin Zhihua and smiled at Xue Jiao: "Jiao Jiao, turn around."
"Huh?" Xue Jiao was startled. Turn around?
She turned in confusion.
"Bang—" Flowers and confetti burst out as the lights dimmed. The red curtain that had been covering something all along fell away, revealing a grand floral arrangement forming large characters:
Happy Birthday, Jiao Jiao.
Xue Jiao froze, then stiffly turned her head back in shock.
Only to be stunned once again.
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong pushed the cake forward, while Cheng Mingze held a pair of large wings.
"Jiao Jiao, today is your eighteenth birthday. Our family..." Cheng Shuo paused for a moment, thinking of Lin Zhihua, who wasn't part of the family yet stubbornly refused to leave...
After just a brief hesitation, he continued: "Our whole family wishes our precious girl eternal happiness and an unforgettable eighteenth birthday."
Li Sitong's eyes reddened slightly. The tiny baby she once cradled in her arms had now grown so big.
"Jiao Jiao, Mom... wishes you'd never grow up, always staying happy."
Cheng Mingze handed her the wings: "But time won't stop just because we want it to. You'll gradually grow up, start having your own worries and troubles, and begin pursuing your own dreams. We are your relatives, your family, and we'll always be your support."
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong had now reached Xue Jiao: "Jiao Jiao, you're eighteen now. From now on, you'll be like a little bird leaving the nest where you grew up, spreading your wings to soar. Dad doesn't ask for you to achieve greatness or accomplish extraordinary things. As long as you're happy every day, that's enough..."
By the end, Cheng Shuo's voice choked up, and Xue Jiao's eyes also reddened.
"Dad... Mom... Brother..." Xue Jiao's eyes welled with tears.
Having such family was the fortune of her lifetime.
Gu Xue Jiao, I don't know where you are now, but I also wish you happiness.
Thank you for giving me all this, thank you.
I'm truly happy.
"Come on, Jiao Jiao, put on these big wings!" Seeing Xue Jiao crying, Cheng Mingze shook the wings playfully, smiling to cheer her up.
But Lin Zhihua interjected: "Such large wings might be hard to fly with. Why not use the small wings I gave you instead?"
"Pfft—" Xue Jiao couldn't help but laugh.
Cheng Shuo: "..."
That certain someone... why do you have to be everywhere?!
OpenNovel