Chapter 9: He's Just a Teacher, What Is There to Regret?

But when it comes to the most powerful families, the Jiang and Tang families are definitely at the top, followed by the Shen family. The Fu family can only barely squeeze into this circle.

Among these families, the Jiang family leads.

This is because the Jiang family has intricate ties to Beijing, and Elder Jiang was a remarkable and influential figure in Raocheng when he was young.

It was only later, as he aged and his health declined, that he moved to Beijing ten years ago for medical care, rarely returning since.

The younger generation has heard his name, but few have seen him in person.

Seeing the group, Elder Jiang was in high spirits, his voice booming as he laughed, "I've come back to pick up my granddaughter."

"Granddaughter?" Tang Wei looked at Qiao Nian, who was silently pushing his wheelchair behind him.

With skin like ice and bones like jade, and striking features.

"So this is the young lady? She looks truly wonderful!" She wasn't exaggerating; the Jiang family members were all good-looking, but the appearance of this girl before her... how to put it, it was stunning!

Elder Jiang couldn't help but laugh: "Haha, she's just a child, looks aren't important."

Though he said that, he couldn't hide the pride on his face as he introduced her to Qiao Nian: "Nian Nian, this is Grandma Tang."

Qiao Nian’s brows flickered slightly, and she obediently called out, "Grandma Tang."

Tang Wei immediately took the prayer beads off her wrist and insisted on stuffing them into Qiao Nian’s hand, saying apologetically, "Oh my, Nian Nian is so well-behaved. I didn't know your grandfather was bringing you here to eat today; if I had, I definitely would have prepared a proper gift for our first meeting. I’ve worn these beads for a few years; they were blessed by Master Wuming at Puzhao Temple a few years ago. Please don't mind them."

Qiao Nian tried to decline several times, but she couldn't refuse, and with Elder Jiang speaking up as well, she reluctantly accepted the gift.

Having given the gift, Tang Wei was satisfied and began chatting with the old man about daily life.

The Qiao family, including Mrs. Fu, watched in stunned silence.

He Yujuan and Qiao Weimin, in particular, had faces turning shades of blue and purple. Qiao Weimin stood there, not knowing whether to interject or stay silent.

Qiao Chen felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her delicate face was as pale as paper.

She clenched her fingers, whispering in disbelief, audible only to herself: "Aren't her parents from Luohe County? How could Grandma Tang know them?"

Moreover, judging by Tang Wei’s attitude, it wasn't just that she knew them—she even showed a hint of deliberate closeness to the old man beside Qiao Nian!

How could Qiao Nian know someone like that?

...

After chatting with Elder Jiang for a while, Tang Wei asked about Qiao Nian: "Looking at Nian Nian's age, she must be in high school, right?"

"She's about to start her third year," Elder Jiang replied with a smile.

Tang Wei looked at Qiao Nian and asked, "Where is she studying?"

Elder Jiang didn't hide it, answering casually, "Raocheng No. 1 High School, I suppose. She took a year off, so she had to choose a new school. I asked her, and she felt Raocheng No. 1 was alright, so I’m letting her stay here for school for the time being."

Distracted, Qiao Chen and the Qiao family all heard the name "Raocheng No. 1 High School." The last bit of color drained from Qiao Chen’s lips, and she nearly lost her footing.

Raocheng No. 1 High School?

Qiao Nian is going to study at Raocheng No. 1 High School?!

Back when she was applying for high school, her family had exhausted every effort to secure her a spot at Raocheng No. 1, yet the other party had secured it with a single, lighthearted sentence. The massive disparity left her feeling dazed.

She didn't hear a word of what Tang Wei said afterward.

It wasn't until Qiao Nian left with Elder Jiang’s group that she finally snapped out of her trance, hearing her grandmother asking about that distinguished Grandma Tang and Aunt Tang.

"Who was that old man just now?"

Tang Wei didn't know their relationship with Qiao Nian and replied casually, "Oh, you mean Elder Jiang? An old friend."

He Yujuan asked suspiciously, "What kind of friend? Why haven't you mentioned him before?"

"We don't see each other often, so I never brought it up." Tang Wei had a good relationship with He Yujuan, but the Qiao family couldn't reach the true top-tier social circle of Raocheng. Since Elder Jiang had connections to the higher-ups and even she had to be cautious, she didn't want to reveal his identity to outsiders. She just smiled and said, "Technically, Elder Jiang is half a teacher to me."

She loved traditional Chinese painting, and Elder Jiang was a master-level figure in that field; she had sought his guidance a few times.

Calling him "half a teacher" was not an exaggeration.

"Oh." He Yujuan understood upon hearing this.

Qiao Nian’s poor relatives were from Luohe County; the man must just be a decent teacher with some local fame.

She knew her friend was obsessed with traditional Chinese painting, and given the old man's age, perhaps he had some skill in that area!

Don't TV dramas often feature experts appearing from the countryside? It’s a pity he’s not a famous teacher.

"I heard before that he had a granddaughter who went missing and was never found. I didn't expect that after all this time, he finally found her!"

"When a child in the family goes missing for so long, now that she's finally back, they’ll surely cherish her like the apple of their eye."

"That girl is so lucky. I heard Elder Jiang found her information online. The fact that she had to post her information online shows that the family who adopted her didn't treat her very well... I wonder if that family will regret it later?"

The Qiao family felt their faces burning with embarrassment; they were so awkward they couldn't say a word!

Qiao Weimin thought about how he had just assumed Qiao Nian was chasing after them for money, and his face burned with shame. He felt so uncomfortable he couldn't bring himself to join the conversation.

He Yujuan, however, watched Qiao Nian’s retreating back with a cold, dismissive expression: "...It’s just a teacher, what’s there to regret."

"..." A teacher? Did she misunderstand something?

The people were already far away, and Tang Wei said nothing more.