Chapter 57: Sunday Tutoring
After the party ended, Jian Yujie personally escorted Jian Yiling back home. He made sure to hand her over safely to Old Madam Jian before feeling relieved enough to leave. With a cheerful wave, he smiled and said, "Yiling, I'm heading out now. If you need anything, just message me on WeChat!"
Once Yujie left, Jian Yiling headed to her room, only to be met with an unexpected sight. The hallway outside her door was packed with boxes and various items.
Confused, she turned to one of the servants following her. The servant quickly explained, "Miss, the pile on the left, all those cute, pink-colored items, were brought over by Young Master Yujie. As for the neatly packed boxes on the right, they were delivered by the First Young Master. Since we weren't sure how you'd like to handle these, we've left them here for you to sort through. You can decide what should be taken into your bedroom and what should go into the walk-in closet."
Jian Yiling's walk-in closet at the old family home had originally been quite empty. However, thanks to Old Madam Jian's "efforts" over the past few days, it had already become half full. Now, with this new delivery, it seemed the closet would soon be overflowing.
Jian Yuncheng, her eldest brother, had been by earlier to drop off several items. The things Yujie had brought were easy to identify—plush toys and cute figurines, all in line with his usual style of gift-giving.
However, the boxes from Yuncheng were a mystery. Curious, Jian Yiling opened them to take a closer look. Inside, she found neatly folded clothes, shoes, and various practical items one might need in everyday life. The way they were organized, with everything sorted and labeled, was a clear sign that Wen Nuan, Yuncheng's wife, had been involved. There was no way her brother, a busy and serious man, would have folded and categorized these things so meticulously.
One box contained a wide array of nutritional supplements, also neatly organized. On top of the supplements was a handwritten note in an elegant script, providing detailed instructions on how to take each item. The note included thoughtful reminders and instructions for Yiling, covering almost every situation she might encounter in her day-to-day life.
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On Sunday, Qin Chuan arrived at the Jian family's old residence right on time. However, instead of being taken directly to Jian Yiling, the butler escorted him to meet Old Madam Jian first.
The old lady had a simple request for Qin Chuan: today's tutoring session shouldn't be too intense. She wanted her precious granddaughter to have ample time to relax and enjoy herself. The old madam's intentions were clear—she simply wanted Yiling to be happy. There was no need to stress her only granddaughter by making her study nonstop.
Jian Yuncheng had hired Qin Chuan as a tutor with the hope of helping Yiling become more disciplined and focused, to direct her energy toward productive pursuits. But Old Madam Jian believed that as long as Yiling toned down her temperament and showed more self-restraint, there was no need to pressure her with heavy academics. Pushing too hard might do more harm than good.
Qin Chuan didn't object to the old lady's wishes. When he first accepted the tutoring job from Jian Yuncheng, he had been told that there was no need for dramatic improvements in Yiling's academic performance. The main goal was to keep her occupied, prevent her from overthinking or getting into trouble, and to gently guide her toward a calmer disposition.
In Qin Chuan's eyes, Jian Yiling was a quiet, introverted girl. She wasn't the type to cause trouble, so he wasn't entirely sure what kind of activities she might enjoy. In response to the old madam's request, the butler led both Qin Chuan and Jian Yiling to the family courtyard, beneath the grapevines. The servants had already prepared refreshments, including tea, snacks, and fresh fruit. The books and study materials they had brought along were left sitting idly in a corner, overshadowed by the cozy atmosphere.
Despite the relaxed setting, Qin Chuan couldn't help but notice how their previous interactions had gone. Though they had always been polite to each other, Jian Yiling seemed uncomfortable around him. She avoided talking whenever possible, and even when she did speak, her responses were clipped and minimal. It wasn't that she was outright rude; it was as if she simply didn't want to engage.
Qin Chuan didn't understand why he made her uneasy, but he could feel her reluctance. Still, she never complained or openly resisted their tutoring sessions. To Qin Chuan, it seemed as though she might be a bit shy or intimidated by him. What he didn't know was that Yiling wasn't actually afraid of him. She just had no interest in engaging with him and wanted to maintain as much distance as possible.
For Jian Yiling, having any unfamiliar man too close made her uncomfortable. Qin Chuan's presence, in particular, heightened this discomfort, making her feel even more distant and withdrawn.
As they sat beneath the vines, surrounded by a peaceful afternoon breeze, Qin Chuan began to wonder if perhaps a lighter, more conversational approach would help Yiling open up, even just a little.