Everyone walked into the house one after another.
As soon as she entered, Cecilia Gu felt a wave of warmth.
Soon, someone brought her a bowl of warming soup to help drive away the chill.
Cecilia lowered her head and took a sip of the soup, immediately praising, "Auntie's warming soup always has a unique flavor. Yesterday at Grandma's, I tasted the tea Uncle brought back from South Africa, and it was especially delicious. Mom saw how much I liked it and said she'd bring me to Uncle's house to indulge myself. Auntie, you won't be stingy and not let me try some, will you?"
After she finished speaking, Cecilia deliberately blinked playfully at Mrs. Jiang.
Her words instantly dispelled the awkwardness among the family.
Mrs. Jiang nodded secretly to herself, no wonder Charles likes this girl—she really is sensible and gracious.
"Look at this clever girl. Now that you've asked, how could I, as your aunt, refuse? Yihai, go and pack another batch of the tea your father brought from South Africa. We can't have your cousin saying our Jiang family is stingy, not even willing to share some tea." Mrs. Jiang said with a smile.
"Okay, Mom." Jiang Yihai cheerfully went to do it himself.
Seeing how sensible Cecilia was, Mrs. Yin finally showed a hint of a smile in her eyes.
Looks like this daughter-in-law isn't completely useless after all.
"I heard from Charles that Uncle took on a big project in South Africa. How are things over there? Is Uncle adapting well?" Cecilia proactively started the conversation, her tone full of concern.
Even though it was Mr. Jiang's first time meeting Cecilia, seeing how naturally she interacted with the Jiang family, he couldn't help but like her a little.
"The Jiang family's business in South Africa isn't new. Something like this is no trouble for me." Mr. Jiang said with a smile. "Since you like the tea from there so much, I'll bring you some next time."
"Great! Then I won't be polite, Uncle!" Cecilia giggled. "Charles always says he learned everything about tea from you. If you want real, authentic tea, you have to learn from Uncle. And if you want the best tea leaves, you have to butter up Uncle! I didn't believe it before, but after tasting Grandma's tea yesterday, I have to admit it's true! Auntie is really lucky—she gets to drink the world's best tea every day!"
With just a few words, Cecilia had Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang beaming with joy.
"Xiaoxue, your daughter-in-law is really something!" Mrs. Jiang said to Mrs. Yin. "She's so sweet—don't be too harsh on her."
Mrs. Yin's eyes twinkled with amusement. "How could I be harsh on her? You have no idea, Charles treats her like she's made of sugar—he's afraid she'll melt in his mouth or break in his hands."
Cecilia quickly said, "That's not true! Charles is always worried about Mom. Just last night, he told me that now it's colder, Mom should switch up her herbal recipes. She's getting older, so she can't risk catching a chill."
Whether Charles ever actually said that or not, Mrs. Yin's expression softened completely when she heard Cecilia say it.
Helen Jiang sat on the side, watching her parents chat so happily with Cecilia, and felt even more resentful.
What was so great about Cecilia Gu, anyway?
Why were Mom and Dad so warm and friendly to her, too?
Just because she looked exactly like Nora Yun, did she really think she was the Yun family's heiress?
"Mom, Dad, Auntie, I'm suddenly feeling a bit tired. I'll go rest in my room." Helen said, turning away in a huff.
Mrs. Yin watched Helen's back as she left, then said to her brother and sister-in-law, "Helen's in her twenties now, right? Is it true that grown daughters can't be kept at home?"
Mr. and Mrs. Jiang exchanged glances, their expressions a bit strained.
Mrs. Jiang said, "Don't mention it. This child's thoughts... they're impossible to figure out. We've arranged several blind dates for her, but she hasn't gone to a single one. She clings to her brother all the time, and lately she's been even more unreasonable. Cecilia, for my sake, please don't take it to heart."
Cecilia smiled and shook her head, "Of course not."
Cecilia still hadn't forgotten what happened that day.
But that incident couldn't be casually mentioned, so today she acted completely normal.
Mr. Jiang only hosted at home for a short while before leaving.
Since Mrs. Yin wasn't an outsider, having just Mrs. Jiang host was enough.
It was Cecilia's first visit to the Jiang Estate, so of course she was full of curiosity.
The Jiang Estate was laid out differently from the Yin Mansion and the Yun Family home.
The Jiang Estate had a more modern vibe—not as deep and mysterious as the Yin Mansion, nor as classical and elegant as the Yun Family home. Everything was ultra-modern and ahead of its time.
Different architectural styles naturally had their own unique beauty.
Just as Cecilia was admiring the place, Eric Jiang walked over. "Are you getting used to this style, cousin-in-law?"
Cecilia looked at Eric Jiang in surprise. "Why do you ask?"
"I thought you'd prefer the Yun Family's layout," Eric Jiang said, his lips curving in a faint smile and a trace of longing on his handsome face. "I've visited the Yun Family's courtyard before—the layered hills and scenery are breathtaking."
Cecilia nodded seriously and said, "You're right—the Yun Family home is actually much more livable! The air there is especially fresh."
"Exactly! I felt the same way. Oh, by the way, even though my house is modern, I do have a garden. Want to check it out?" Eric Jiang finally invited Cecilia.
"Right now?" Cecilia looked at Eric in surprise. "It's winter!"
"Yep! Since my house is modern, my greenhouse is modern too! Want to see it?" Eric Jiang winked at Cecilia.
Eric's words made Cecilia genuinely curious, so she nodded right away. "Sure! Now you've got me wondering how your greenhouse compares to the Yun Family's."
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"This way, please." Eric Jiang led Cecilia toward the greenhouse.
Cecilia's assistant, Xiao Wang, loyally followed behind, ready to help her at any moment.
They hadn't walked far when Cecilia saw a huge, completely transparent greenhouse appear before her eyes.
As soon as she entered the greenhouse, she was greeted by a wave of warmth.
Countless flowers were blooming in competition.
The greenhouse had three floors, each built in layers, staggered and harmonious.
Cecilia gazed at the winding stone path, with flowers climbing on both sides step by step. It was so beautiful, like a fairyland, that she couldn't help but show a look of amazement.
Eric Jiang kept his head down, carefully observing Cecilia's expression.
The moment Cecilia showed her surprise, Eric Jiang's heart trembled ever so slightly.
He had waited for this day for a long, long time...
Too bad, Nora, you can't see this!
But heaven has eyes—Cecilia saw it all for you, Nora. Do you still like it?
Nora Yun's image gradually overlapped with Cecilia's. Eric didn't even realize how entranced his gaze had become as he looked at Cecilia.
From outside the greenhouse, Helen Jiang took in the scene, grabbed the window frame in anger, her eyes blazing as she glared at the two inside.
"Cecilia Gu... Cecilia Gu... Heaven has a path but you refuse to take it, hell has no gate and you barge right in! I will never let you stay by my brother's side!" The fury in Helen Jiang's eyes completely overtook her reason as she turned and left, shrouded in gloom.
"It's unbelievably beautiful," Cecilia sighed. "Even in the Yun Family, it's impossible to make a garden this stunning. You know, Nora Yun was frail and allergic to pollen, so their home was always lush but never full of vibrant flowers. You must've put a lot of effort into this, right?"
Hearing Cecilia's voice snapped Eric Jiang back to reality, and he replied in a fluster, "Yeah."
Cecilia walked slowly up the steps, each step revealing a different view.
Cecilia didn't notice anything odd about Eric, admiring and praising as she went, "Cousin, I never expected you to be so talented! This greenhouse is absolutely amazing—it's the most beautiful indoor garden I've ever seen."
"As long as you like it." Eric Jiang gazed deeply at Cecilia's back, speaking softly.
Cecilia didn't pick up on any hidden meaning and nodded, "It really is beautiful. Xiao Wang, hand me my phone."
Xiao Wang immediately handed Cecilia her phone. Cecilia opened the camera and started taking photos seriously.
Cecilia picked a few photos and posted them on Weibo, adding an amazed emoji.
Charles Yin saw the notification and immediately opened Cecilia's Weibo. Seeing how much she liked the Jiang family's greenhouse, a smile appeared on his lips.
"Xiao A, doesn't it seem like we don't have enough flowers at home?" Charles Yin thought for a moment and instructed, "Go pick out some pretty flowers to decorate the house. Ah, check with the doctor first to see which kinds are suitable for our home."
"Yes, President." Xiao A glanced at Cecilia's Weibo and couldn't help but smile.
Whenever it came to the young madam, the president was always the first to pay attention.
Looking at those photos, Charles Yin mused to himself, "Looks like we should build a greenhouse at home too. I remember Cecilia really loves flowers. That morning, she was singing happily while watering the plants on the balcony. Hmm, let's make it a greenhouse with a music room. And put a piano in there—playing while surrounded by flowers sounds nice. Maybe I should just renovate the whole garden so you can walk straight there from the house, even in winter."
Hearing how quickly Charles made all these decisions, Xiao A sighed inwardly.
Young madam, please stop posting photos so casually!
Last time you posted someone else's kitchen, and the president remodeled our kitchen!
Now you've posted a photo of a greenhouse, and our little garden is turning into a greenhouse!
If you post a photo of antiques next time, our home might turn into an antique exhibition!