The Heiress Acts Mischievously, But Her Family Can Read Her Mind

Chapter 463: Chapter 460 Special Spin-off: Zhou Yanxu x Jiang Nanshu Part 3

Jiang Nanshu had just moved into the manor and was very restrained, but surprisingly diligent.

Even when the housekeeper told her there was no need to do any chores, as the servants would take care of it, she would still grab a cloth to clean the windows, wipe down the tables, and if there was no dust on the floor, she would sweep it anyway, always looking busy.

Zhou Yanxu knew she was afraid he would send her away; to little Nanshu, his offer of help depended on her usefulness.

Zhou Yanxu only wanted her to live happily.

He had never really taken care of a child before, so he went online to do some research and was reminded by the housekeeper to enrol Jiang Nanshu in school, asking for her opinions and signing her up for interest classes she liked.

Jiang Nanshu was very obedient, never fussy or noisy, just too well-behaved. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

So Zhou Yanxu encouraged her to speak her mind and be her most authentic self.

As Winter turned to Summer, two years quickly passed by.

Jiang Nanshu transformed from a timid young girl into a lively and cheerful one.

With proper nutrition, she grew tall like a sprout.

Dressed in a button-up shirt and pleated skirt, her feet in small leather shoes, she would run into the house, calling out non-stop, "Yanxu, Yanxu, I’m back, Yanxu."

Standing at the second-floor staircase landing, Zhou Yanxu sparked a light in her eyes the moment she saw him, rushing towards him like a bird returning to its nest, "Yanxu!"

Hearing her footsteps squeak up the stairs, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly, "Slow down, Nannan."

Jiang Nanshu looked up at him; seeing him smile, she couldn’t help but laugh too. She liked to see Zhou Yanxu smile; it felt as if with him around, she could be forever free from troubles.

"Yanxu, I missed you at school today too."

Zhou Yanxu tapped her forehead with his finger, "You should call me ’brother’, you can’t call me Yanxu."

Jiang Nanshu pouted; she didn’t want that, she wanted to be the most special one.

She reached out and hugged Zhou Yanxu’s waist tightly, "No, I just want to call you Yanxu, I don’t want you to be my brother."

Zhou Yanxu looked at her helplessly. Perhaps it was the meticulous care he had given her over the past two years, care so abundant it made Jiang Nanshu especially clingy to him. He only wanted to unlock the knots in her heart and let her run and jump about, laughing and playing like a normal child.

He laughed, "If you don’t want me to be your brother, then I can be your uncle."

Jiang Nanshu looked up at him; without a word, she pushed him away and left.

Zhou Yanxu looked after her, puzzled. What was going on with the child? She was overjoyed one moment, and the next her mood had flipped.

According to his online research, when a child is angry, you have to coax them.

He suggested they go out for cake, and she immediately cheered up.

He found that taking care of a child could actually be quite fun.

Because Jiang Nanshu was beautiful, she had always been the center of attention since she was young, and her natural charm never faded, no matter which time or place she was in.

From the moment he determinedly took her hand at the age of eight, Zhou Yanxu vowed in his heart to protect her as she grew up.

That vow lasted seven years.

For seven years, they were inseparable, until Jiang Nanshu suddenly confessed to him, and it dawned on him that the child he’d raised had ultimately fallen for him.

He started to avoid her.

Seeing her gaze dull, he stopped meeting with her altogether.

How could this be?

He was a god, sent to protect her, with a lifespan only until she turned eighteen, at which point he would die. He couldn’t accept Jiang Nanshu’s affection; it was akin to harming her.

But the fifteen-year-old child was stubbornly fixated on him.

She said that when she grew up, she would marry him.

Zhou Yanxu was amused by her words, but also felt a twinge of sorrow.

Because she could never know.

He couldn’t wait for her to grow up.

He could only accompany her until she was eighteen, so her straightforward and passionate feelings were something he couldn’t reciprocate, despite repeatedly telling her that her affection for him was merely dependence, not love. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t listen and continued in her own way.

Perhaps coming down to help her was just a whim, but the years they spent inseparable were real. He had slumbered for ten thousand years, and his once vacant and desolate heart slowly filled with life because of Jiang Nanshu.

He began to waver, this fiery and beautiful little sun he had personally raised.

"Main God, don’t forget your task. You are a god, she’s just an ordinary human. If you waver, the only one you’ll kill is her."

Zhou Yanxu turned his head to look at the mirror, where a white-haired and white-bearded Divine Envoy floated, staring at Zhou Yanxu with a stern face, "Main God, if this continues, you really will harm her. Only by leaving can you use the time reversal to send her home. It might be better to leave early. If her obsession grows deeper, it will be bad for her."

Zhou Yanxu was at a loss for words. His existence was an obstacle for Jiang Nanshu, who would eventually have to return to her own world, where her lover, family, and friends belonged, while he could only be an early death in her life.

If he wanted to insist on existing, the price would be far too great.

But what should he do to ensure the young Jiang Nanshu could survive?

Zhou Yanxu thought for a long time about securing a future for Jiang Nanshu.

So he drafted a will. After his death, he would transfer all his assets to Jiang Nanshu, ensuring she could continue to live a wealthy life, though she could only access the money after she came of age.

Thus, Zhou Yanxu entrusted Uncle Qi with this task. Uncle Qi had been Zhou Yanxu’s butler since he was a child and the person he trusted the most. He requested that after his death, Uncle Qi would look after Jiang Nanshu for three years until she came of age.

Uncle Qi looked at him incredulously.

After Zhou Yanxu spoke of his frequent recent illnesses, Uncle Qi’s eyes reddened.

He looked at Zhou Yanxu’s pale but gentle face, only feeling that the heavens were unfair. Why would they treat his young master so harshly?

Choking back sobs, Uncle Qi agreed. When he learned that Zhou Yanxu intended to leave all his property to Jiang Nanshu and wanted to keep Zhou Yanbai in the dark— even hiding the news of his death— he was so shocked he didn’t know how to respond.

Such a large fortune; he left the part in Port City to Zhou Yanbai, and the rest was what he had earned on his own in Beijing over the past seven years.

Uncle Qi looked at the will, already stamped and signed, stating that once Jiang Nanshu came of age, it should be given to her. Zhou Yanbai locked the agreement in a safe.

After leaving the room, Uncle Qi still felt it wasn’t right.

Even though he had affection for the young girl Jiang Nanshu, she was ultimately an outsider to the Zhou Family.

So, he told Zhou Yanbai about it.

After sending the message, he regretted it.

Because Zhou Yanbai replied with, "My good brother is truly kind-hearted. He never thought of me, not even once. Since he’s dying, I’ll come to Beijing personally to send him off."

Uncle Qi felt uneasy, but thinking that Zhou Yanbai was Zhou Yanxu’s biological brother and had the right to inherit Zhou Yanxu’s wealth after his death, he figured it might be better to give the large sum of money to Zhou Yanbai to help the Zhou Family grow stronger.

Uncle Qi also didn’t forget that he was a member of the Zhou Family.

Before Zhou Yanxu, his loyalty was to the Family Head of the Zhou Family.

...

Having prepared everything, Zhou Yanxu informed the Divine Envoy that he could leave this world at any time; he had arranged everything for Jiang Nanshu’s future.

The longer he delayed, the more obsessive Jiang Nanshu’s feelings for him would become, which would be the worst outcome.

Even if she might hate him, Zhou Yanxu no longer cared.

She had her place, and he had his.

In these last few days, Zhou Yanxu didn’t avoid Jiang Nanshu anymore.

He resumed having meals with her every day, helped her with study problems, and even if Jiang Nanshu made overstepping gestures, he stayed silent, no longer resisting or pushing her away.

He reached out with his broad, warm palm to stroke her black hair, telling her earnestly, "Nannan, if I’m not around one day, you must live well, understand?"

Jiang Nanshu looked at him, puzzled, clinging to his arm anxiously, "Where are you going? Xu Xu, I want to go with you. Wherever you are, I’ll be there too. Don’t leave me behind."

In the end, Zhou Yanxu smiled at her, "I won’t leave you behind."

Only then did Jiang Nanshu show a happy smile. Once again, she proposed, "Can we get married when I turn twenty? I want to marry you, Xu Xu. I’m not a child anymore. I know what I’m saying, and you shouldn’t always treat me like one."

Her tone carried a hint of coquetry and complaints.

Zhou Yanxu exhaled softly, his chest rising and falling as he met Jiang Nanshu’s clear and bright eyes. He smiled at her, "Let’s say twenty-two, okay? When you turn twenty-two, I’ll marry you. So, you have to eat well, grow up quickly, and promise me, Nannan."

Jiang Nanshu nodded eagerly, as if afraid that if she was slow, Zhou Yanxu might change his mind.

Her fair little face flushed with embarrassment, she extended her finger, "Pinky promise."

Zhou Yanxu extended his finger too, "Mhm, pinky promise."

But in the end, he was deceiving her.

He planned to let his heart disease take him, but he never expected to die in a fire set by his own younger brother.

...

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