Jiang Mian just wanted him to come home early, but she didn't expect that with her casual remark, Ji Zhixiu would actually be home in half an hour.
She hadn't seen him in a long time, so Jiang Mian threw herself into his arms. Looking up into his eyes, Ji Zhixiu pinched her earlobe with his fingertips, his voice full of affection, "You seem to have lost some weight."
Jiang Mian hadn't been eating much lately, and upon hearing this, she straightened up and said happily, "I really lost weight? That's great."
"No need to pursue an overly slender look, you're not fat. Besides, you're perfect just the way you are now, comfortable to hold." He added a hint of teasing to his tone at the end.
Jiang Mian hummed softly a couple of times and, nestled in his arms, remembered the important matter. "I want to go back to... Jiangnan for a while."
She slightly raised her eyelids. After being with Ji Zhixiu for so long, she realized she had never really spoken about herself, just as she didn't know much about Ji Zhixiu's family.
Without waiting for Ji Zhixiu to ask, she began to speak on her own. "I'm from Jiangnan, you probably don't know that, do you? I grew up in the water towns of Jiangnan with my maternal grandmother. Later, when Grandma passed away, I came to Kyoto alone to make my way."
She lightly brushed over her own painful years, and Ji Zhixiu's heart tightened, filled with immense tenderness. How could he not know? He knew everything about her.
"What about your parents?" Ji Zhixiu couldn't help but ask.
Jiang Mian fell into thought, then shook her head. "I don't know. I've never met my father, and my grandmother never mentioned him. As for my mother, I saw her a few times when I was little. Later, my grandmother said she left on her own and wouldn't come back."
"I must be a child abandoned by my parents, and only my grandmother took me in," Jiang Mian said softly, a hint of sadness on her face.
"Don't overthink things," Ji Zhixiu interrupted her.
Jiang Mian snapped back to attention, trying to recall. "Actually, after so many years, I think I've forgotten what she looked like. Even if she stood in front of me now, I might not recognize her."
"I've gone off on a tangent. I want to go back to see Grandma," Jiang Mian said, shaking his arm.
Ji Zhixiu looked down, his fingertips gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her temple. "I'll go with you."
He also wanted to visit that kind old lady and tell her that he would take good care of Jiang Mian.
Jiang Mian hadn't expected him to go with her. Her lips curved upwards. "Okay, I'll take you back to meet the parents."
"From now on, you have me, Mianmian. I'll always be with you," Ji Zhixiu said, seeing how sad the young girl still was when she mentioned her grandmother.
Jiang Mian rested her head on his shoulder. "Ji Zhixiu, sometimes I feel so unfilial. You know, after Grandma was buried, I haven't visited her once in these past few years. I don't dare to think about it. The moment I think of her being gone, and all those memories, I just feel so sad."
Memories were the most devastating.
Ji Zhixiu gently stroked her back and patted her. "I know, Grandma is always here. She will bless Mianmian with good fortune and well-being."
Ji Zhixiu's voice had never been so gentle. He dared not speak too loudly, for fear of disturbing Jiang Mian.
Jiang Mian's heart was filled to bursting. She was an orphan, her grandmother had passed away early, and she had walked alone for so long, until she met Ji Zhixiu.
The seemingly unattainable wish in her dreams could also come true; she was cherished by this man's gentleness.
Ji Zhixiu changed the subject. "I'll take you out to eat tomorrow. Shen Tingyu invited us for a meal."
Jiang Mian blinked. "Is it just you, or are there others?"
Ji Zhixiu flicked her nose with his finger. "Of course, Lu Cong and the others will be there too."
"For no particular reason, why is she inviting you to dinner?"
"You'll know when the time comes."
Jiang Mian nodded. "I'll go upstairs to pick out some clothes."
She got up and walked upstairs. Back in the master bedroom, she opened the drawer and found the bracelet she had dropped last time.
Fortunately, it was still in the corner.
Jiang Mian picked it up, wiped it clean carefully, and put it back on her wrist.
...
The next day, Jiang Mian and Ji Zhixiu went to the agreed-upon location together.
In the private room, Lu Cong and the Chang Qin couple had already arrived.
As the door was pushed open, Shen Tingyu smiled, about to speak. Seeing Jiang Mian, her expression stiffened again, but she still said to Ji Zhixiu, "You've arrived."
Lu Cong waved at Jiang Mian. "Brother Xiu, Little Sister-in-law! Sit with me!"
Jiang Mian said, "Let Axu sit with you. I want to sit with Qingqing."
Shen Tingyu was secretly pleased that she wasn't sitting with Zhixiu.
Just as she was about to insert herself between the two of them, she saw Lu Cong plop down and say, "Then I'll sit between you two."
Shen Tingyu gritted her teeth, inwardly cursing Lu Cong for her lack of tact.
She stood up and poured tea for Ji Zhixiu. She had dressed up meticulously today, hoping to make a good impression on Ji Zhixiu. Yet, she hadn't expected that Jiang Mian's simple attire would be more eye-catching.
Jiang Mian raised her lips and lifted her cup. "Miss Shen, you wouldn't mind pouring a cup for me too, would you?"
Shen Tingyu smiled, showing no reluctance. "Of course, I wouldn't mind."
Chang Qin looked up. "Everyone's here. Let's start serving the food."
Shen Tingyu nodded. "I'll have them arrange it immediately."
The meal was more peaceful than expected, at least Shen Tingyu behaved herself. Jiang Mian was relieved.
Admittedly, the location Shen Tingyu had chosen was quite good. The dishes were delicious and the flavors were just right. Even Qingqing, a pregnant woman with a poor appetite, found it good, and she even managed to eat two bowls of white fungus soup.
After the meal, Shen Tingyu said, "My car is at the car wash. Could Zhixiu give me a ride?"
Before Ji Zhixiu could answer, Lu Cong interjected, "I'll give you a ride, okay, Sister Tingyu?"
Shen Tingyu felt her smile was about to break. Looking at the man's impassive expression, she nodded heavily. "Yes, why not?"
"Come on, then, get in my car."
Before she could say goodbye, she was dragged away by Lu Cong. Before leaving, she cast a longing glance at Ji Zhixiu, but the man received none of it.
Back at the villa, Jiang Mian hugged the man fiercely and kissed him. "Honey, you were amazing today!"
"What for?"
"Good performance, a reward."
Ji Zhixiu's eyebrows twitched slightly. "I hope next time you praise me like this is in bed."
Jiang Mian was used to his naughtiness. She grabbed a nearby pillow. "If anyone saw you like this, who would believe it?"
Ji Zhixiu chuckled softly. "Besides you, who else gets to see it?"
Just as Jiang Mian was about to speak, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She unconsciously grabbed Ji Zhixiu's wrist. "My head hurts..."
Ji Zhixiu frowned and massaged her temples with his fingertips. "Have you been taking any medication recently?"
"The last time I took it was when we argued."
This wasn't a solution. Taking too many painkillers could lead to dependency. Ji Zhixiu looked down at her. "How about we go see a Chinese medicine doctor?"
Jiang Mian refused outright without thinking. "No."
She closed her eyes, trying to distract herself. "Chinese medicine is too bitter, I don't want to drink it."
Ji Zhixiu coaxed her. "Let's just go and see. We can decide whether to prescribe medicine later."
Jiang Mian hesitated. Ji Zhixiu was very concerned about her headaches. Not wanting to worry him, Jiang Mian reluctantly agreed. "Okay, let's go and see first."
Ji Zhixiu immediately called Fan Cheng to arrange it.
After the call, he scooped Jiang Mian up and walked steadily towards the second floor. "You go upstairs and rest for a bit."
...
When Mother Ji called Ji Zhixiu, Jiang Mian was just falling asleep.
He glanced at his phone, hung up, then rolled out of bed and went to the living room before calling her back.
Mother Ji didn't say anything, only asked him to come to the hospital immediately.
Ji Zhixiu's eyebrows furrowed. "Understood."
At the hospital, in the obstetrics and gynecology department.
Ji Zhilan lay pale on the bed, still unconscious.
Mother Ji accompanied her. Ji Zhixiu had already guessed most of it with a glance. He said calmly, "Where is Jiang Cheng?"
Mentioning Jiang Cheng, Mother Ji's anger flared. "I also want to know where this husband is, with Zhilan lying in the hospital like this?"
Ji Zhixiu nodded slightly. "I understand, Mom, don't get angry. I'll make him come over."
He gave Xiang Long a meaningful look. Xiang Long understood and immediately turned and walked out.
When Xiang Long caught Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng was packing his bags to flee with his mother. He knew this matter couldn't be resolved easily. He had accidentally pushed Ji Zhilan down the stairs!
It was just a moment of panic and confusion. It was all Ji Zhilan's fault for clinging to him when she knew she was pregnant. Jiang Cheng closed his eyes. The moment Ji Zhilan fell down the stairs, there was a lot of blood. He wondered if his son would survive...
"Son, are we really going to run back to the countryside?" Mother Jiang's trembling voice interrupted his thoughts.
Jiang Cheng's eyes changed, and he said resolutely, "Mom, we have to go. If we offend the Ji family, we won't have a good life. If Ji Zhilan wakes up, will her family let us off?"
Mother Jiang was almost in tears. "What a disaster! I haven't finished my senior university classes yet. What will my classmates do if I leave..."
"That's enough, Mom, stop talking! At a time like this, you're still thinking about that. Hurry, see what's valuable and let's take Ji Zhilan's jewelry!"
Jiang Cheng rummaged through the boxes and drawers looking for valuables. Just as he reached for the jewelry, Xiang Long appeared and grabbed his hand. "Where do you think you're going?"
Mother Jiang watched helplessly as Xiang Long took Jiang Cheng away. No matter how much she cried and screamed, it was no use. The nanny had only gone out to buy groceries, and when she returned, she found that the world had turned upside down in this house...
The moment he was caught by Xiang Long, Jiang Cheng knew it was over... He hadn't expected the Ji family to act so quickly. He racked his brain for all sorts of sweet talk along the way, trying to get Xiang Long to let him go, but Xiang Long was unmoved.
Finally, they arrived at the hospital entrance. Jiang Cheng instinctively resisted, standing at the door and refusing to move. Xiang Long said expressionlessly, "I advise you to come up with me obediently. If not, I'll knock you out and carry you up."
His tone was as cold as ice shards.
Jiang Cheng shivered. "B-Brother... I'll go up with you. But what do I say now? I'm still the Ji family's son-in-law, can you be a little more polite to me?"
Xiang Long remained silent, giving him a look.
Jiang Cheng understood the meaning behind the look and immediately walked forward obediently.
At the door of the ward, Jiang Cheng was also a little uneasy. Of course, he hoped Ji Zhilan was alright, but if she was really alright, he felt somewhat resentful.
If it weren't for this damned woman, how would he have ended up in this state!
He stood at the door, hesitating, and Xiang Long's patience ran out. He grabbed him and dragged him in.
Mother Ji turned and saw him. She strode forward and delivered two resounding slaps, making Jiang Cheng's eyes spin.