HBWMA -Chapter 333 The Warmth of Mutual Running Towards Each Other

Shen Guiling and Shen Lanxi exchanged a glance, casually moving a chess piece to advance a soldier across the river as if nothing had happened.

“Right now, the Su family and the Fu family are in a fierce struggle. Su Miao suddenly appears in the Shen family’s territory. By reason and courtesy, I should at least inform the Su family.”

Shen Lanxi naturally picked up his teacup. “There are many entanglements behind the Su family matter. There might even be a larger conspiracy. It’s not that you can’t help Su Miao, but you can’t avoid the eyes of both families. That’s also for your safety—and Su Miao’s.”

Jiang Huashan looked back and forth between them and realized something: these two only ever reached high levels of agreement when dealing with her.

“Ding dong—”

At that moment, the doorbell rang again.

Jiang Huashan glanced back, then looked at the two of them warily. “Did you two big-mouths tell someone else?”

Gao Zhi immediately ran to the entrance hall.

A moment later, Shen Mianzhi poked her head in, smiling a little shyly.

Jiang Huashan brightened instantly. Her sharp tone disappeared as she walked up smiling. “Zhizhi, why is it you?”

“I heard from Dad that you all came to Nanwan, so I followed.” Shen Mianzhi held Jiang Huashan’s hand. “Brother Lanxi, Brother A-Ling, I’m not disturbing you, right?”

“No disturbance, no disturbance. They’re just playing chess. I was bored anyway.”

Without waiting for the others to respond, Jiang Huashan pulled Shen Mianzhi straight into the bedroom.

Only later did she learn, after returning to the Shen residence, that it was Shen Mianzhi who had handled Fu Xiaoxiao for her—and the method was so brilliant it was astonishing.

Shen Guiling glanced over, moved his rook across the river. “Looks like more and more people are coming. Since it’s getting lively, why don’t we all have hot pot together tonight?”

Shen Lanxi frowned slightly. He had mild germaphobia and wasn’t very comfortable eating from a shared pot.

“Brother Lanxi doesn’t like it?”

Shen Lanxi used his knight to capture Shen Guiling’s chariot. “It’s fine. I’ll go with the flow.”

“This is outrageous! You guys are too unloyal! You actually left me alone in Jinggang!”

Jiang Huashan and Shen Mianzhi sat on the edge of the bed while Fu Sui’er on the video call looked like an enraged, screaming frog.

“I was only hospitalized for a month and you already dared to go solo against some outlaw criminals, Jiang Huashan? What’s this? Is Su Miao your long-lost twin sister from a past life? I risked my life to save you and you used it to save her? Are you trying to anger me to death?”

“Have you forgotten who your official best friend is? So now you’re not besties with me anymore? Something this big and you didn’t tell me, you went to Nanwan and didn’t tell me either!”

Jiang Huashan covered her buzzing ears and looked awkwardly at Shen Mianzhi. “Did you tell her?”

Shen Mianzhi also looked a bit embarrassed. “If I didn’t, she would’ve escaped the hospital last night.”

Fu Sui’er continued, “So now I’m just a useless cripple, not even worthy of knowing anything, not worthy of coming to Nanwan with you all?”

This tone sounded strangely familiar.

Jiang Huashan cleared her throat. “Worthy, worthy, worthy! From now on whatever we do, we’ll video call you. Okay?”

Fu Sui’er instantly calmed down, pouting. “That’s more like it.”

“And remember, don’t try to brush me off. If you don’t bring me along, I’ll take off my bandages tomorrow and come to Nanwan myself.”

She kept chattering nonstop until a nurse came in to remind her that it was rest time, and only then did she reluctantly hang up.

Shen Mianzhi felt a bit envious. She could see it very clearly—although Jiang Huashan seemed to be bickering, every single thing she said was actually coaxing Fu Sui’er.

She was so used to Jiang Huashan’s domineering, unforgiving attitude that she couldn’t help wondering which version of her was the real one.

“Phew! Finally hung up.”

Jiang Huashan tossed her phone aside and leaned back on the sofa, glancing at Shen Mianzhi before taking the initiative to ask, “Did you come to see me for something?”

Shen Mianzhi nodded and carefully explained everything that had happened between the Su family and the Fu family over the past few days.

“The Su and Fu families have basically completely fallen out now. I heard the Fu family is trying to win over the Zhou family. Old Master Zhou is best at sitting back and watching the tigers fight. If the Fu family wants to persuade the Zhou family, they’ll probably have to pay a heavy price.”

Logically, Shen Mianzhi shouldn’t have been able to know all this. She would’ve had to deliberately investigate it—but why would she go that far?

Jiang Huashan already had an answer in her heart. After a brief pause, she said, “I haven’t properly thanked you for what you did about Fu Xiaoxiao yet.”

Shen Mianzhi waved it off. “What’s there to thank? Compared to what you’ve done for me, this is nothing.”

A strange feeling rose in Jiang Huashan’s heart.

Shen Mianzhi looked at her sincerely. “I know you might not be able to trust me the way you trust Sui’er, and I understand that. But whether you believe me or not, what I said to you in Chrysanthemum Garden that day came from the heart. I really do consider you a life-and-death friend.”

“I think I understand you at least a little. With something as big as what happened to Su Miao, you didn’t go back to your family for help—you handled it yourself. There must be a reason for that.”

“Since you can’t act directly, I thought I could help in your place. Su Miao’s situation is tied to the Su family, so I figured if I could figure out the Su family’s connections, I might be able to help you.”

“Of course, my abilities are limited. Even though my father doesn’t guard against me, I still can’t access core information easily. To be honest, most of this was pieced together by me through scattered clues and my own analysis.”

Worried her credibility might drop, Shen Mianzhi quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’m confident in my analysis. You can trust me.”

At that moment, Jiang Huashan finally understood what the strange feeling in her heart was.

Warmth.

She looked at the label above Shen Mianzhi’s head and said very seriously, “Mianzhi, thank you.”

Shen Mianzhi smiled. “No need to thank me. Just tell me—was it useful?”

Jiang Huashan nodded. “Yes. Very useful.”

Meanwhile, in the study, the conversation between the two siblings was not going smoothly.

Su Zhuo had talked until his mouth was dry, but he still couldn’t change Su Miao’s decision. For some reason, he felt like the Su Miao in front of him was different from before.

“Miao Miao… do you also hate your brother now?”

Su Miao shook her head. “Of course not. I’ve just come to understand some things. Brother, you really don’t need to worry. I can take care of myself now. I have friends too—they will take care of me.”

Before, she had valued her family too much and never thought about seeing the world beyond the Su family. For sixteen years, aside from Zhou Qishan, she had never actively made friends.

But now, she wanted to live differently. That way, it would be better for the Su family, for Grandpa, for her parents—and even for herself.

The conversation ended there. Su Miao pushed open the study door and walked out.

Su Zhuo watched her light, almost relieved steps, his heart filled with mixed emotions. The little girl had finally grown up.

He felt reluctant to let go, but Old Master Su was still waiting for his report.

Su Zhuo walked into the living room to say goodbye to everyone. “I…”

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

“Can I stay and have a meal with everyone?”