162: Chapter 162: A Real Gem Among People 162: Chapter 162: A Real Gem Among People Midnight.
Outside the window, the pitter-patter of rain continued.
The rain brought with it a cool air that pervaded everything.
But inside the master bedroom, warmth abounded.
Jiang Yan had not been home long before he headed to the study, busying himself until he finally returned now.
He walked to the bedside on tiptoe and looked down at the big and the small one on the bed, the dim yellow light spilling over the faces of the sleeping mother and son.
He leaned slightly forward and planted a kiss on the woman’s smooth forehead.
However, just as the kiss landed, the woman who had been sound asleep suddenly stirred.
She opened her eyes and looked at him, her face full of sleepiness.
Caught off guard, Jiang Yan apologized, “Sorry, did I wake you?”
Su He gazed at him for a few seconds and then asked groggily, “What time is it?”
The man lightly stroked the top of her head and whispered, “It’s twelve.”
Upon hearing this, Su He responded with a nonchalant “Oh.”
Then, she added, “Happy birthday, husband.”
After that, without waiting for the man to say anything, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
As if she had awakened just to say that one thing.
The man’s heart felt as if it was coated with a jar of honey.
Jiang Yan’s deep black eyes stared intently at her, as if harboring an infinite universe of stars.
His cool, thin lips curved with an indulgent and helpless smile, and then he kissed her cheek.
“Sleep then.”
Su He murmured hazily in response, “Mm, you should sleep early too.”
Ten minutes later.
After taking a shower, the man lifted the covers and lay down beside Su He.
Still carrying a hint of coolness on his body, he did not immediately embrace her.
But in the next second, she turned around and burrowed into his arms.
He helplessly curled his lips into a smile.
Before sleeping, he stretched out a long arm to pull up his son’s blanket, then peacefully embraced his wife to sleep.
A night of good sleep.
The next day, dawn broke with a faint light.
The morning in November, coupled with last night’s rain, filled the air with a chill.
Su He, who was sensitive to both heat and cold, didn’t want to leave the embrace that was as warm as a furnace.
At this moment, the little one rolled around in bed wrapped in the blanket, crawling up like a caterpillar.
He sat up on the bed, yawned, and raised his small hand to rub his sleepy eyes.
He looked at the two figures embraced together, blinking.
Jiang Yan had already woken up when he sat up.
Su He was also awake, just too lazy to move.
The man beckoned to him, and the little one deftly climbed over.
The couple made room in the middle for him.
After Su Baobao lay back down, he glanced back and forth at the two and then, looking at Su He who still had her eyes closed, asked, “Mommy, am I going to have a little sister soon?”
Su He, who was planning to snooze a bit longer, heard her son’s innocent and endearing voice.
Too lazy to even open her eyes, she raised her hand and rubbed his little head, her voice crisp with a just-awakened nasal sound, “Don’t you already have Paomian and Xuanxuan?
Why do you need another little sister?”
“But baby wants his own little sister~”
Su He: “…”
This little guy hadn’t mentioned it for a while, why had he started again after sleeping just one night?
She could only say, “Xuanxuan is family too, she’s also like your little sister.”
The little one was somewhat puzzled, blinking his already clear big eyes.
Uncle Zhong had taken the little one to the kindergarten, and soon after, Su He had breakfast and was also ready to go to work.
Before leaving, Jiang Yan grabbed her hand and said, “Are you sure you won’t stay to keep me company?”
Su He stared at the handsome face in front of her for a few seconds, then flashed a smile: “Nope, I’ve got a surgery scheduled for a patient at noon, I need to be there.”
“That heartless towards me?”
“I call this being responsible to my patients.”
“Your husband is down with a ‘terminal illness’, and you’re still in the mood to work?”
“Wasn’t this your idea?
Told me to go about my work as usual, not to bother with this and not to act too sad.”
Jiang Yan: “…”
Did he just dig his own grave?
–
As soon as Su He got out of the car, she bumped into Tang Sirou.
She merely glanced at her indifferently and did not plan to pay her any attention, heading straight for the elevator.
But Tang Sirou was blocking the parking lot early in the morning just to wait for her.
As Su He walked past her, Tang Sirou raised her hand to stop her.
“Su He, I have something to tell you.”
Forced to halt, Su He turned her body slightly, lifting her eyelid to give her a sidelong glance.
Then she raised her wrist to check the time on her watch, her cool voice wrapped in a languid tone: “Speak, I’ll give you two minutes.
Otherwise, if I’m late and get docked pay, Miss Tang will have to reimburse me.”
Tang Sirou was taken aback, “You…”
“Stop ‘you-ing’ me, you’ve got a minute and a half left.”
Tang Sirou took a deep breath from the bottom of her heart and started, “How is Mr.
Yan?
I want to see him, and you’re not going to block that too, are you?
No matter how you look at it, Mr.
Yan and I have been friends, and seeing him at this time isn’t too much, right?
Surely Dr.
Su isn’t going to be that petty?
Whatever happened between me and Mr.
Yan is in the past and poses no threat to your position as Mrs.
Jiang.”
While she spoke, she paid attention to any changes in Su He’s expression.
Unfortunately, Su He’s beautiful face remained inscrutable, and there was no clue to be seen.
Su He said with a smile, “I actually am quite petty.”
Tang Sirou: “…”
“Miss Tang, did you not wake up fully this morning?
Whether in the past or now, your existence poses no threat to me,” Su He said with a smile, looking at her.
The smile did not reach her eyes as she pursed her red lips, “After all, you and I are not on the same level; there is no threat to speak of, right?”
“If you’re still sleepy, take advantage of the fact it’s still early, go home and catch up on some sleep.
Time’s up, I have to go to work, and I’m not as idle as Miss Tang.”
She did not mention Jiang Yan in her words.
With that, she turned around and left.
Tang Sirou called out from behind her, “Su He, Mr.
Yan is lying in the hospital right now, do you still have the heart to work?
Are you sure you really love him?”
Su He originally did not want to pay her any attention, but the last sentence made her stop.
Turning around, her charming, peach-blossom eyes carried a hint of playfulness and scrutiny as she looked at her, “Miss Tang wants to say that I’m after his money, right?”
Tang Sirou frowned, silent, but her words were more than clear.
Su He didn’t mind; instead, she smiled and said, “It seems Miss Tang understands women pretty well.
After all, who doesn’t like money, right?
Marrying a billionaire and not having to worry about food and clothing for a lifetime – which woman doesn’t want that?
Miss Tang must want it too, right?
Especially for someone with such a strong vanity like Miss Tang, you’d hope to marry a rich husband.”
Tang Sirou didn’t expect her to admit it so frankly.
She gritted her teeth and said, “Su He, aren’t you afraid Mr.
Yan will find out what you said?”
Su He’s gaze was distant as she spoke with a half-smile, “Miss Tang, there’s nothing shameful about liking money.
Just say it boldly, why hide it?
No one’s going to laugh at you, no need to pretend so high and mighty.
This is a realistic society, and besides, I’m not stealing or robbing, I’m marrying bright and upright, so why can’t I speak these words?”
She had seen Su He’s sharp wit before, but this time she was still somewhat shocked.
It’s as if saying these things was perfectly normal for her, unafraid to care about anyone’s opinion, speaking her mind.
After Su He finished speaking, she was about to leave when she suddenly recalled what the man had said in the car last night.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, a chilling light gleamed at the bottom, and her voice also dropped a few degrees colder in an instant.
“Miss Tang, please relay a message to Mrs.
Lou, if she’s brimming with maternal love, then she should visit the orphanage more often.
She should accumulate some good karma herself, instead of always showing up in front of us.
Some things, if you don’t want others to know, you shouldn’t do it yourself.
And while you’re at it, ask her if she can sleep peacefully at night with all that she’s done?”
Tang Sirou was utterly confused, not knowing what she was talking about, but the sarcasm in her words was clear.
After returning to the Lou Family, she relayed Su He’s words exactly as they were told to her to Lou Ruozhi.
Tang Sirou found that after she finished speaking, Lou Ruozhi started to space out, with a flicker of panic flashing in the depths of her eyes.
Was there something wrong with the sentence?
“Aunt Lou, are you all right?”
Lou Ruozhi came back to her senses and looked at her, “Are you sure she said this?”
Tang Sirou nodded.
She saw that Lou Ruozhi’s face was somewhat pale and didn’t understand why.
If Su He was talking about the child from four years ago, it shouldn’t cause such panic.
Four years ago, when Lou Ruozhi had asked her to find Jiang Yan, she accidentally discovered a text message from Su He.
She actually didn’t want to bother with it at the time and thought to just delete the message.
But Lou Ruozhi had her reply to Su He in Jiang Yan’s tone, telling her to abort the child.
Later on, she had someone check, and indeed, Su He did have the abortion in the week that followed.
She was shocked at the time; Su He was so obedient, Jiang Yan asked her to abort the child and she did so, without any hesitation.
After all, bearing Jiang Yan’s child was tantamount to holding half of the Jiang Family in her hands.
But her words this morning were completely opposite to her previous actions.
For a moment, she really couldn’t understand Su He.
Or rather, she never really understood this woman.
–
Back in the office, just as Su He had changed her clothes, her phone started ringing.
She glanced at the caller ID.
Although there was no contact name saved, she knew who it was.
She didn’t hurry to answer, instead, she picked up her water glass, filled it with water and came back before she picked up her phone without haste.
As soon as she answered, the person on the other side spoke in a particularly taunting and mocking tone: “Is he really dead?”
Su He snorted coldly through her nose and threw four words back at him: “No comment!”
“Don’t be angry.” The man on the phone let out a deep chuckle, “I didn’t say anything, just asking, that’s all.
If he really kicked the bucket, don’t be sad.
I am still here, aren’t I?
I don’t mind that it’s your second marriage, you know that.”
Su He raised her eyebrows slightly, and a touch of indistinct coldness tinted her clear eyes.
“Ye Jiuqing, did my words last time feed the dogs?”
After that encounter in the hotel, it was the last time they met, and that night he returned to Country F.
Ye Jiuqing, still not afraid to die, spoke in a nonchalant manner: “You say yours, I hear mine, but as for what I do, you can’t control my heart, and neither can I, so what can be done?”
Su He quirked her lips with a cold laugh: “If you don’t want this heart of yours anymore, then I don’t mind letting Ella arrange a little something and take it out for someone in need, after all, it’s not even your original one!”
“Tsks, such a cruel heart?
To take my second one too.”
Su He couldn’t be bothered to talk nonsense with him, just about to hang up, the person on the other side seemed to have sensed it, and immediately said: “Wait, I have something to tell you.”
Su He was patient, and said in a deep voice: “Speak!”
Ye Jiuqing frowned his good-looking brows, his handsome face turned so dark it could drip ink.
Imagine, the father of the mafia, respected and dreaded by all in both Country F and Y, yet this woman has never taken him seriously.
And yet, she could not be beaten or scolded.
Su He waited a while but he didn’t speak, “You’ve gone mute?”
Ye Jiuqing thought for a moment, then decided not to argue with her about these things, and his deep voice started to speak slowly and deliberately: “I’ve discovered something interesting, do you know who the leader of the Xuanqing Organization is?”
Keeping the suspense, he teased, “It’s someone you’d never think of.”
Su He’s brow twisted.
“Then stop wasting my time, I don’t have time to play childish guessing games with you.”
“Tsks, not a bit of fun.”
“You call this fun?”
If he were standing in front of her at this moment, she would definitely kick him.
“Ye Jiuqing, you should be thankful that you are not in front of me right now.”
Ye Jiuqing could certainly discern the implied meaning in her words, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.
You know of Si Jinchuan, don’t you?”
Su He raised her delicate eyebrows, “Are you saying, the leader of the Xuanqing Organization is Si Jinchuan?”
Is it the one she knew, or just a namesake?
And the next sentence Ye Jiuqing said gave her the answer.
“I specifically investigated him; recently, he has been staying in Yue City all the time, and often met with you.”
She was shocked, at the same time, it made her think of the last time in Country Y when she met him; indeed, there were not that many coincidences in the world, but coincidentally there were.
No wonder that after she met him that day, it wasn’t long before Ye Jiuqing got stood up.
It turned out everything had traceable leads.
Regarding what Ye Jiuqing said, she had no reason to doubt, if she had to believe someone, she would choose to believe Ye Jiuqing because Ye Jiuqing had no reason to lie to her.
But she also had a question, “How did you find out about him?”
Logically speaking, if Si Jinchuan was part of Xuanqing, he would naturally not easily expose his own identity.
Ye Jiuqing answered every question, albeit with an indifferent tone.
“After returning, he took the initiative to ask me out.
He seemed to not know that I’m acquainted with you, so…
it naturally came to light.
Am I not incredible?”
Su He smiled and gave him a phrase: “You’re more like a blind cat running into a dead rat.”
Ye Jiuqing: “…”
“Will you die if you compliment me?”
“Sorry, I can’t find the words.”
“…”
–
Jiang’s Mansion.
Inside the study.
Jiang Chao sat on the chair in front of the desk with a carefree demeanor.
Then he looked at Jiang Zhongzhen, who was calmly writing with a brush across the desk.
“Dad, you’re actually in the mood to write at home?”
Ever since Jiang Zhongzhen was dismissed, he had been staying at home all the time and hadn’t gone anywhere.
At first, Jiang Chao thought his father would rage, but he realized later on that ever since his father sought Grandma in vain, he became like a different person.
He spent his days either practicing calligraphy in the study or watering the flowers in the backyard, as if living a retired life, with an indifferent expression of being above worldly concerns.
Just like now, even after hearing of Jiang Yan’s hospitalization, he remained unfazed.
Jiang Chao glanced at the character ‘Zen’ written on the white paper, curved his lips, and chuckled coldly: “Dad, you’re not thinking of joining a Buddhist temple, are you?”
Jiang Zhongzhen finished writing, paused his brush, then heard his eldest son’s cold chuckle, looked up at him with a frosty gaze.
He glowered at him with disappointment, “With your frivolous and restless demeanor, no wonder you can’t compare to Jiang Yan, not even worth one of his fingers.
If I were your grandfather, I wouldn’t care for you either!”
Jiang Zhongzhen was undoubtedly disappointed with his two sons.
Previously, he thought it didn’t matter as long as he was around.
But ever since Jiang Yan and Su He put one over on him, he realized how horribly wrong he was.
His younger son only had one child, who was already exceptional.
He had two sons, both more useless than the other, mere wastrels unable to stand on their own.
Jiang Chao didn’t expect to be rebuffed like this, and his whole person was momentarily dumbfounded.
In the past, his dad wouldn’t care about such things.
Scolded, Jiang Chao straightened up his sitting posture and weakly asked, “Dad, about Jiang Yan’s matter…”
A hint of slyness crossed Jiang Zhongzhen’s solemn face, he then said in a stern and incisive tone: “You had better not interfere in this matter on your own accord!
Don’t forget, he’s Jiang Yan, Jiang Family’s youngest heir, the one personally cultivated and picked by your grandfather.
He wouldn’t have achieved what he has today by using means that someone like you, lacking foresight and with a simple mind and developed limbs, could understand.
Just stay in the company and do what you’re supposed to do, don’t meddle in other people’s business, don’t snoop around, and keep your eyes and mouth shut!”
During this period, he had come to understand one thing.
Rumors are not necessarily true.
As for what his clever nephew was planning to do, he could probably guess a little.