Chapter 20 Could it be her boyfriend?

Su's mother looked at Jiang Ran with surprise and doubt, her tone full of concern: "Xiao Jiang, your eyes were fine just now, how come they suddenly became allergic? Is it that serious? Does it hurt?"

Su Mu, listening from the side, felt uneasy.

He couldn't very well expose Jiang Ran's secret, saying that she had just had an allergic reaction in her room because she was so emotionally overwhelmed by the news of her pregnancy.

If this reason is given, will Young Master Jiang still have any face left?

Su Mu: "Mom, it's nothing. He probably just accidentally touched something outside, like pollen or some grass sap. His skin is quite sensitive, so it reacted. He's already taken medicine, and it should go away in a bit."

Su's mother was skeptical, her gaze shifting back and forth between Su Mu and Jiang Ran, who was wearing sunglasses.

Although Jiang Ran had half her face covered, she did look quite uncomfortable. After thinking for a moment, she suggested, "How about... we go to the clinic at the village entrance and have Dr. Zhang take a look? Dr. Zhang in our village may not be old, but his medical skills are excellent, and it's close by, just a short walk away."

Upon hearing that she was going to the clinic, Jiang Ran quickly waved her hand, "Really, there's no need, Auntie. This is an old problem of mine, and I always carry my medicine with me. I've already taken it. It looks scary, but it's nothing serious. It will get better on its own in a while."

Seeing his insistence and Su Mu's support, Su's mother reluctantly gave up: "Alright then, take good care of yourself, and don't force yourself if you feel unwell."

At this moment, Su Mu's uncle, who had been curiously observing Jiang Ran, interjected.

"Xiao Jiang, right?" The uncle smiled, pulled up a chair, and started chatting with Jiang Ran. "I heard from Xiao Mu that you two were classmates in college? You studied in Jiangzhou? Jiangzhou is great, a big city. How was your college? Was it big? Was the food in the cafeteria good?"

His question was casual, but it opened up a floodgate of conversation.

Although Jiang Ran's eyes were uncomfortable, she handled the situation quite well, answering her uncle's questions briefly and politely, her tone sincere, without the slightest airs of a rich kid.

As they chatted, the uncle revealed an undisguised look of pride: "Our family has been in this area for generations. If we're talking about the most successful one, it's Xiao Mu. He's the first proper college student from our Su family, and he went to a prestigious university like Jiangzhou University. Isn't that amazing?"

As he said this, his eyes shone brightly, and he straightened his back a bit, his sense of pride almost overflowing.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran nodded earnestly: "Yes, impressive."

This is more than just politeness.

He genuinely believed it. Su Mu's ability to gain admission to Jiangzhou University from such a small place through his own efforts was truly admirable, a testament to his perseverance and competence.

Moreover, Jiang Ran did indeed discover something.

From Su's mother's meticulous care, to Su's father's silent yet supportive attitude, and now to the uncle's undisguised pride in Su Mu.

Almost all of Su Mu's relatives, when they mention him, have a similar light in their eyes—a genuine, heartfelt light of pride in him.

They may not fully understand the path Su Mu has chosen, and they may have worried about him working hard alone in a foreign land, but their recognition and pride in their child's success and achievements are pure and unadulterated.

This kind of pure recognition and support from family is extremely rare and incredibly heartwarming in the kind of environment Jiang Ran is familiar with, one filled with expectations, pressure, and even cold standards.

The "wood" in Sumu does not refer to a small piece of wood, but rather to the wood of a tree.

The trees rooted in this warm soil, though they have weathered storms, have always faced the sun, nourished by love and pride.

Seeing Jiang Ran wearing sunglasses, her uncle's curiosity grew even stronger.

"Xiao Jiang, you're wearing sunglasses so thickly that I have no idea what you look like. Why don't you take them off and let your uncle see you? Otherwise, I have no idea what you look like."

Jiang Ran's face showed obvious embarrassment. The redness and swelling from her allergy had not yet subsided, and her disfigured appearance was really not suitable for seeing anyone, especially Su Mu's elders.

It's really ugly.

Su Mu: "Uncle, stop messing around. Jiang Ran didn't wear sunglasses to look cool on purpose. His eyes are swollen like two walnuts, it's scary."

"What about the photos? Don't you young people all love taking pictures? Xiao Mu, do you have any photos of Xiao Jiang on your phone? Let your uncle take a look."

Su Mu took out his phone, unlocked it, and swiped his finger across the screen a few times to bring up his photo album. It contained many old photos, mostly from his university days.

He looked down, his fingers swiping rapidly, searching for a suitable photo. After flipping through a few pages, his fingertips suddenly stopped. The screen displayed a photo of the two of them together.

The backdrop is the ancient gate of Jiangzhou University, bathed in bright sunlight that falls on the two young people.

They were both dressed in simple white shirts. Su Mu held a small bunch of sunflowers in full bloom, a gift from someone, and wore a youthful and innocent smile with his eyes crinkling. Jiang Ran, standing beside him, casually draped one hand over Su Mu's shoulder, tilting his head slightly to look at the camera, a faint but incredibly natural smile playing on his lips. His relaxed expression exuded a youthful and untroubled handsomeness, untouched by the hardships of life.

Because there happened to be a red exhibition stand in the background, the overall tone and composition of the photo had a strangely harmonious feel.

Su Mu remembered this photo. It was taken on graduation day. Jiang Ran had dragged him around the school gate, trying different angles, and finally this was the last one they took.

After the photo was taken, Skinny Monkey said, "Wow, it really looks like a wedding photo! Young Master Jiang, don't you think it looks like one?"

Jiang Ran said at the time, "It looks quite similar."

Skinny Monkey even suggested that they take a wedding photo with him, but Jiang Ran and Su Mu almost simultaneously said no, they'd taken enough. Fatty Dao ended up taking one with him instead.

Every time Su Mu looks at this photo, he feels his face burning. For some inexplicable reason, he keeps the photo on his phone.

Su Mu turned the phone screen towards his uncle: "Look, Uncle, here it is."

My uncle leaned closer, squinting as he examined me closely.

Jiang Ran in the photo has sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a handsome and noble appearance with clear features. Although he still has a bit of youthful naiveté, his outstanding good looks and clean temperament are already evident.

After looking at him for a while, his uncle exclaimed, "Wow, Xiao Jiang, you really are handsome! With that look and that physique, it's a shame you're not a movie star! You're much more energetic than those young men on TV!"

Hearing her uncle's straightforward and sincere praise, Jiang Ran replied earnestly, "Uncle, you're very handsome too."

That wasn't just a polite remark.

Although Uncle Su Mu is middle-aged and slightly overweight, you can still see the handsome features he had when he was young in his eyes and brows. He has a cheerful personality and his smile is very infectious.

The uncle was overjoyed by the praise, and even touched his face, which showed some signs of age. With a nostalgic tone, he said without any modesty, "Hey, Xiao Jiang, to tell you the truth, when I was young, I was one of the most handsome men in our village, and even in the surrounding area. I'm not bragging, but the matchmakers who came to propose to me practically wore down our doorstep!"

"It was Xiao Mu's aunt who met me once, and oh my, she couldn't stop thinking about me! She went back and asked around to find out about me and our family. And then, well, that's how we got together!"

Su's father was fiddling with his water pipe cart at the other end of the yard when he heard his brother-in-law start bragging about his past glories again.

"Oh dear, so you're already talking about it?" He put down the wrench in his hand and wiped the water off his hands. "I wonder who it was. They saw Xiaofen once at the village entrance, and ever since they came back, they've been obsessed with her, pestering your sister to find you a husband. They talked about her in such a wonderful way, as if she were a fairy descended from heaven."

"Xiao Fen" is Su Mu's aunt's nickname.

The uncle was exposed by his brother-in-law on the spot: "Brother-in-law! Don't expose my secrets in front of the children!"

Father Su waved to him: "Alright, alright, that's enough. Come here and help me take a look at this. I don't know what's wrong with my water pipe truck today, it won't pump water. I've been fiddling with it for ages but still can't get it working."

"Hey, I'm here!" The uncle was overjoyed and quickly responded, getting up and walking towards Su's father, while turning back to wink at Su Mu and Jiang Ran as he walked.

The two middle-aged men quickly squatted down in front of the water pipe truck, huddled together, one pointing and the other working, whispering amongst themselves as they studied it.

Jiang Ran watched the two elders walk away, then quietly went behind Su Mu, opened his arms, gently wrapped them around Su Mu's waist from behind, and rested his chin on Su Mu's shoulder.

Su Mu was looking at her phone when he was startled by the sudden hug, and let him hold her.

He could feel Jiang Ran's warm breath brushing against his ear, carrying a faint scent of shampoo and her unique fragrance.

Jiang Ran leaned close to his ear, a hint of undisguised pride and sweetness in her voice, and brought up the old topic again: "That photo really looks like a wedding photo, doesn't it?"

He was referring to the university group photo he had just shown his uncle.

Su Mu: "You did it on purpose."

"Yes, of course."

He did it on purpose.

After speaking, Jiang Ran turned her head and gently touched Su Mu's slightly red earlobe with her lips, a tender tickle. Then, following the lines of her earlobe, she slowly slid her lips toward Su Mu's cheek, about to kiss him.

"Xiao Mu, help Mom peel a few cloves of garlic!"

As luck would have it, Su's mother's voice came from the kitchen doorway. She was holding a bunch of garlic and was about to step into the main room when she looked up and saw her son being hugged from behind by Jiang Ran. The two were very intimate, their faces close together, and it looked like they were about to kiss.

Su's mother retreated back into the kitchen with a "thump thump thump," leaving only the words, "Never mind, you guys play, Mom will peel them herself."

Jiang Ran froze in mid-air, just inches away from Su Mu's cheek.

Su Mu froze completely, his cheeks turning red rapidly at a visible speed.

The two remained in that almost kissing position for several seconds before abruptly separating as if they had been burned.

For the rest of the time, until dinner was served, Jiang Ran behaved exceptionally well.

He sat upright at the dining table, his back straight, his eyes fixed straight ahead, and even the way he picked up food with his chopsticks was much more proper than usual.

Exceptionally well-behaved, answering every question with sincerity and proper attitude.

Su Mu found his feigned innocence amusing.

After dinner, Uncle went home and invited Xiao Jiang to visit them sometime. Su Mu found a moment to sneak into the kitchen and helped his mother wash the dishes. Usually, Jiang Ran would help with the dishes, but today he was really embarrassed to see Su Mu's mother.

Su Mu: "Mom, I've told Jiang Ran."

Su's mother: "How is it? He wasn't scared, was he?"

Su Mu truthfully replied, "I cried, I cried terribly, my eyes were swollen like walnuts."

Upon hearing this, Su's mother commented, "Xiao Jiang is quite sentimental."

Su Mu: "Mom, just keep this to yourself. Don't mention his swollen eyes or that he's been crying in front of him. He's very concerned about his image."

Su's mother said not to mention it.

“However,” Su Mu said with a hint of embarrassment, “his mother already knows. Jiang Ran got excited and called his mother to tell her.”

Su's mother asked with concern, "What did he tell his parents?"

Su Mu really didn't know how to repeat it, so he could only vaguely say, "I don't know either. You know, I'm the worst at dealing with these kinds of things, communicating with elders."

Seeing the obvious evasion and embarrassment on her son's face, Su's mother understood seven or eight parts of the situation. She sighed and put the last washed bowl into the drainer: "That's right, these things are indeed hard to say. I also dislike dealing with people who are particular about social status. I've only met Xiao Jiang, and his parents raised him to be like this, so they shouldn't be difficult to get along with."

"It's best for you young people to handle your own affairs. If he really likes you and genuinely wants to spend his life with you, he won't put you in such a difficult position and will find a way to deal with his family."

Just then, Su's father's clearly mocking laughter came from the main room.

It turned out that Su's father insisted on teasing Jiang Ran by making her take off her sunglasses so he could see them.

Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, Su's mother chuckled and said, "Old Su, that's enough! You're a grown man, why are you still teasing the child? Come on, come on, let's go for a walk to digest our food!"

As his wife pulled him away, Su's father turned back and called out to Jiang Ran with resentment, "Xiao Jiang, wait until your uncle comes back to see it!"

Jiang Ran: "…………"

Su Mu looked at Jiang Ran, who was hugging his arms and looking pitiful and helpless, and patted his head.

Before going to bed, Jiang Ran took out his phone and called his parents.

In his room, Su Mu could faintly hear Jiang Ran's voice from next door, sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes urgent, sometimes serious. The phone call lasted for almost an hour, and it seemed to include Jiang Ran's helpless explanations and occasional raised voices trying to emphasize something.

Before the call started, Jiang Ran came over and said to Su Mu, "I'll talk to my parents first. Mu Mu, don't get involved, and don't worry."

He meant that this was a matter between the two of them, but he would take responsibility for the initial backlash and explanations.

He didn't want Su Mu to directly confront the shock, doubt, or any unpleasant emotions his parents might have.

Su Mu began to sort out this unexpected incident.

He certainly bears responsibility.

Moreover, according to some physical facts, the condom that he ultimately didn't need because of the price increase and which he had to give up buying in his budget at the time seems to be the culprit.

But thinking about it more deeply, he had already made up his mind that night to give up the impulsive idea of ​​sleeping with Jiang Ran. Jiang Ran, well, anyway, the process was complicated and the result was bizarre. If we really talk about responsibility, they both deserve it. Neither of them can escape responsibility.

So Jiang Ran won over his parents.

Su Mu won over his parents.

That's quite fair.

Although the process was somewhat more peaceful on Su Mu's side due to special circumstances.

Just as Su Mu's eyelids began to droop and she was drifting off to sleep, the door was gently pushed open.

Jiang Ran walked in, looking slightly tired after a long battle, yet exuding an air of relief as if a mission had been accomplished. He walked to the bedside, reached out and touched Su Mu's somewhat disheveled hair, but his tone was relaxed: "All done."

Su Mu was woken up by him, rubbed his eyes, and subconsciously asked, "What was your parents' reaction?"

Jiang Ran recalled the long phone call and organized her thoughts: "They were silent at first, probably processing this, well, information that's a bit beyond common sense."

"Then came doubt, repeatedly confirming whether it was true, whether there was a mistake, whether I was drunk or possessed by a ghost."

"In the end, I guess they accepted it. After all, what's done is done, and for them, it doesn't seem like it's all bad."

Jiang Ran said, "He asked us if we wanted them to come to your house to visit you, see you, and meet your parents formally."

In fact, Jiang's father remarked that the Su family hadn't kicked him out directly, which showed their good manners, but Jiang Ran would never tell Su Mu that.

Su Mu was instantly jolted awake by those words, his eyes wide with surprise: "No, please."

“It’s too conspicuous. This place is small, and even a stranger can cause a lot of gossip, let alone someone like your parents who are obviously different. What will we say when the villagers ask? And even though my parents know about it, this formal visit…”

The thought of that scene sent chills down his spine.

Two families, with different backgrounds and different views, are coming together for such a special reason. Just imagining it is enough to make him nervous and give him a stomachache.

Seeing his sudden tension, Jiang Ran quickly patted his back reassuringly: "Okay, okay, no rush, no rush. I was just asking to see what you think. If you don't want them to come, then we won't let them. My mom also said it was just a suggestion, and it mainly depends on what you and your family think."

He paused, then remembered another important matter: "But my mother also said that having a baby is a big deal, and she suggested that we go back to Jiangzhou. The medical conditions there are better, and she knows many top obstetricians and neonatologists, so we can make arrangements in advance, which will be more reliable in all aspects."

He looked into Su Mu's eyes: "Of course, this is just a suggestion. The final decision is up to you. You can give birth wherever you want; we'll listen to you."

Returning to Jiangzhou? Top-tier hospitals and Jiang's mother's connections—it certainly sounds like a safe and secure option.

The curtains weren't fully drawn, and a sliver of moonlight shone in, casting a hazy shadow on the floor. Su Mu rolled over, buried her face in the pillow, and said in a muffled voice, "We'll see. I'm so sleepy, let's go to sleep."

Jiang Ran agreed, reached out and turned off the bedside lamp. With a click, the room was completely plunged into the night.

A few seconds later, he heard Jiang Ran's voice again, very close, her warm breath brushing against the stray hairs on the back of Su Mu's neck: "I hope my eyes will be less swollen by tomorrow, otherwise I'll look really silly."

Su Mu didn't respond, but just snuggled closer to him.

Jiang Ran's arm naturally wrapped around his abdomen, her palm resting on his lower abdomen. Jiang Ran's knuckles were a little stiff, and she didn't dare to exert any force, just resting her hand lightly.

The last veil between the two was finally lifted. Jiang Ran buried her face in Su Mu's neck and took a deep breath. He remembered those vague and unfounded pregnancy dreams from before, and now they finally made sense. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down with a thud, leaving a safe and secure feeling.

I slept very soundly, as if I had fallen into warm honey.

The next day, Su Mu was going to the factory, and Jiang Ran insisted on going with him.

“I have to go with you. I didn’t know you were pregnant, but now that I know, how can I let you go alone? Besides, the safety facilities where you are aren’t very good, and I’m not comfortable with that.”

Su Mu was bending down to put on his socks when he heard this and looked up: "Huh? How come you've seen me before?"

Jiang Ran squatted down and put Su Mu's feet on her lap to help him put on his shoes: "Last time, when my uncle took me there, I took a closer look, and the environment wasn't very nice."

Jiang Ran couldn't reveal his ID, otherwise Su Mu would know he was a peeping tom.

"I promised the factory manager that I would work for at least two more months. I can't break my promise. Besides, a lot of people have seen me drive a forklift, and a forklift company has asked me to advertise for them, but I thought it would be too much trouble, so I declined."

Su Mu is now called the "Forklift God" online, which makes him a little embarrassed.

Jiang Ran said, "I just watched without saying anything. I'm so bored at home."

"Alright, then you can come with me. I know my own body."

Jiang Ran's swelling had subsided, but there were still faint red marks around his eyes, so he still took out his sunglasses and put them on.

At the factory gate, the gatekeeper was drinking tea from an enamel mug when he noticed Su Mu arriving for work with an extra person behind him. His gaze swept over Jiang Ran several times: "Little Su, who's this?"

“My friend.” Su Mu stepped aside. “Uncle, he came to work with me today. Please let him in.”

Jiang Ran doesn't really like the word "friend".

The uncle pushed the register over and said, "Let's register this." Jiang Ran took the pen and then wrote down the reason for joining the factory in elegant handwriting—four words.

Employees' family members.

The reasons are quite valid.

The factory is indeed small, and the work on Sumu is not heavy; it can be completed in about two hours.

Recently, because Jiang Ran came over, he hasn't taught his online fans how to drive a forklift for a long time.

Jiang Ran was just three meters away. Every time Su Mu made a slightly larger movement, he would watch Su Mu's stomach like a guard dog ready to pounce.

The middle-aged man sauntered over, twirling an enamel mug in his hand, and leaned closer to Jiang Ran: "Are you Brother Su? Or Brother Su?"

Jiang Ran didn't turn her head, her voice muffled as it came through her sunglasses: "Actually, I'm his bodyguard."

Uncle: "Little Su isn't even that famous yet, and she's already hired bodyguards? Isn't this just a small star trying to act tough?"

The middle-aged man looked Jiang Ran up and down and said, "You're not really afraid that some pervert will come knocking on your door, are you? Hmm, your physique is not bad for a bodyguard. How much does Xiao Su pay you?"

Jiang Ran said, "Five hundred, including food and lodging."

The security guard hesitated for a moment before saying, "Young man, do you eat a lot?"

Jiang Ran nodded, then swiped open the gift list and tapped it ten times. She then noticed that she had probably exceeded the gift limit for today, but Su Mu didn't seem to have noticed.

He put away his phone, picked up his thermos, and walked behind Su Mu as Su Mu came down to talk. The camera happened to pan over at that moment, first showing the hand holding the thermos, with its distinct knuckles and protruding wrist bones, then a clean-cut jawline, and further up, tightly pursed lips and the cold, hard curve of the edge of his sunglasses.

Jiang Ran didn't look at the camera and said to Su Mu, "Take a sip of water. You've already said so much."

Su Mu said, "I'm not thirsty."

"Have a sip," Jiang Ran said again. This time, she dragged out the last syllable, adding a touch of cloying sweetness, like coaxing a child, and pushed the thermos forward a little further.

So Su Mu had no choice but to obediently drink several mouthfuls from Jiang Ran's hand.

The barrage of comments exploded at this moment; after a few seconds, the right side of the screen began scrolling wildly:

Who was that who just flashed by?

—Hands! Those fingers! I'm gone, how could they grow so long?

—His jawline is clearer than my life plan; he's probably a handsome guy.

—As expected, handsome men are always surrounded by other handsome men.

Su Mu said, "...Yes, just friends."

The comments scrolled even faster.

—Friends? ? ? You're telling me you're friends with someone based on that tone?

—Who coaxes someone to drink water? Do you think I'm deaf?

—Could it be her boyfriend? After all, the main character really looks like she has a boyfriend.

—Is the main character about to announce his relationship now that his career is on the rise?

Su Mu chuckled: "What are you talking about? It's... family."

The last few words were slightly unclear, and then Su Mu said goodbye.

Jiang Ran liked the comment "Could it be her boyfriend?". A little red heart popped up, only to be quickly drowned out by new comments.

On the way home, Jiang Ran was riding the electric scooter. Su Mu sat behind him, hugging his waist, and said, "Don't come over to me while I'm working next time. As soon as you show up, even just half of your face is visible, and the comments section explodes. I don't know how to explain it."

Jiang Ran said sourly, "It's okay. I'll tell everyone I'm your bodyguard. Even without a formal title, it's fine. I'll understand you, after all, you're in the prime of your career right now."

Su Mu: "…………"

-

A note from the author:

The significance of a forklift truck heartthrob announcing his relationship during the peak of his career.

Young Master Jiang has that sister-in-law's problem.