Chapter 27 You must give birth to me so that I can't live without you

Su Mu didn't want to directly tell Jiang Ran to stop crying. He knew Jiang Ran was shy, and pointing it out directly would only make him more embarrassed.

So Su Mu could only tell him to drink more water on the way to stay hydrated, as the air conditioning on the high-speed train is dry and can easily cause internal heat.

Throughout the rest of the journey, Jiang Ran kept busy, sending photos every now and then. Sometimes it was fields and distant mountains rushing past the window, blurred into a patch of color; other times it was mineral water bottles and snacks neatly arranged on the high-speed train's tray table.

The car finally arrived in Jiangzhou. Jiang Ran got off the car with her luggage and immediately made a video call to Su Mu.

Over in Su Mu's area, it was dinnertime. Su's mother had prepared a few home-style dishes, and the family was sitting around the table.

It really feels a bit strange without Jiang Ran.

Holding her chopsticks, Su's mother looked at the extra plate of pork ribs that Jiang Ran loved, which she had specially prepared, and couldn't help but mutter, "I wonder if Xiao Jiang has arrived yet."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Mu's phone beeped with a video call notification. The screen lit up, displaying Jiang Ran's profile picture.

Su Mu answered the video call. Jiang Ran's face immediately appeared on the screen. The background was the bright lights of the high-speed rail station and the blurry crowd. Sure enough, he was wearing Su Mu's old sunglasses again.

Su Mu asked, "Don't wear sunglasses indoors, or you might fall."

Jiang Ran tried to cover up her lie: "It's okay, I just think your sunglasses are pretty nice and comfortable to wear, I like them."

Su Mu: "...Okay, then watch your step."

Don't fall.

Jiang Ran: "Are you eating?"

Su Mu hummed in agreement, took out his phone, and slowly panned the camera across the dining table: steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, and pork rib soup.

Jiang Ran said dejectedly, "...And I can't eat any of my favorite dishes anymore. The instant noodles I ate when I got back today were not good at all."

Su Mugang wanted to comfort him.

Hearing this from the side, Su's mother quickly came closer to the camera: "Xiao Jiang, have you arrived yet? Was the journey smooth?"

Jiang Ran: "Auntie, I've arrived. I just got to the station. Everything went smoothly. Don't worry."

Mother Su nodded repeatedly: "It's good that you've arrived. Now hurry up and find a car to go home. Don't linger outside, and be careful."

Su Mu checked the time and said to the screen, "Okay, I'll hang up now. You wait for the car, and text me when you get home."

"No." Jiang Ran refused. "You guys eat, don't hang it up. Just put me next to you and I'll watch you eat."

Su Mu: "...Okay."

He got up, found a phone stand, and fixed his phone on the dining table, in the spot where Jiang Ran used to sit. He adjusted the angle so that the camera could roughly capture the dining table and the family members eating.

However, as they ate, the Su family of three felt something was off and stopped talking. Jiang Ran just watched them silently.

When a car finally arrived to pick Jiang Ran up, she looked at the screen and said somewhat reluctantly, "Uncle, Auntie, I'll hang up now. You can continue eating."

Su's mother quickly said into the phone, "Okay, Xiao Jiang, be careful on the road, and let me know when you get home!"

Su's father nodded as well.

Su Mu waved at the screen.

The video call finally ended, and the screen went dark.

Almost at the same instant the video call ended, the somewhat subtle, performative atmosphere that had been maintaining at the dining table instantly relaxed. The three family members simultaneously let out a soft sigh of relief.

Su's mother put down her chopsticks, with a slightly guilty expression: "Oh dear, why do I feel so guilty eating with Xiao Jiang? It's like we're eating alone behind his back."

Father Su: "...I feel the same way."

Su Mu: "It feels like leaving your dog outside while the dog suffers and works hard, while the three of us are enjoying a life of luxury here."

Mr. and Mrs. Su nodded.

His analogy was a bit crude, but it struck a chord with the subtle sense of guilt that the three of them were feeling at that moment. It was just a normal dinner, and Jiang Ran had already arrived at her destination safely, but she felt like something was missing, a void in her heart, and she didn't even enjoy her meal.

I have to say, it's really hard to get used to without Jiang Ran. They say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit, and Jiang Ran has been at their house for over a month now, all in all, from the beginning to the end.

In the past month or so, he has become an integral part of this family. Even the little meatball has gotten used to his daily feeding and play, and now it wants to escape to find him.

When Su Mu went to sleep at night, he was used to having a warm source next to him, used to bumping into another person when he turned over, and used to the childish or tender whispers before he fell asleep.

Su Mu was staring blankly at the ceiling when his phone screen lit up again. It was a video call invitation from Jiang Ran.

He answered the call. On the other end of the screen, Jiang Ran seemed to have arrived home. The background was familiar to Su Mu—Jiang Ran's bedroom in Jiangzhou, with warm lighting and simple furnishings. He couldn't see her face.

"Mumu, it's time to start prenatal education for the baby."

This was a task Jiang Ran had been doing every day. Every night before going to sleep, she would diligently read a story to Su Mu's belly or play a soothing song. However, Su Mu usually couldn't even stay awake for half of it before Jiang Ran's reading lulled him into a drowsy state, his eyelids drooping. As for how far Jiang Ran's prenatal education had progressed, Su Mu wasn't quite sure.

Su Mu cooperatively turned the phone towards her slightly protruding belly and said, "Okay, let's continue."

Jiang Ran, on the other side of the screen, did not immediately begin his prenatal education course.

Su Mu fell asleep quickly, oblivious to Jiang Ran's voice: "Don't you miss me at all?"

The weather has cooled down without us realizing it. A few days ago, I could still wear a light shirt, but now it's a bit chilly when I wake up in the morning. Su Mu pulled out a thin coat, made of soft cashmere, with a loose fit. When she put it on, it covered her slightly protruding belly perfectly. From the outside, she only looked a little thicker than before, and it wasn't very noticeable.

The timber processing plant in Fenghuang Village has also entered its off-season with the changing seasons. Orders have decreased. Su Mu goes to the factory less and less, spending more time at home, reading books, and playing with his succulents.

That day, it was a WeChat message sent by Jiang's mother.

Clicking on it revealed a photo. In the photo, Jiang Ran, dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark suit trousers, sat in a spacious, bright, and obviously expensive office. The background featured huge floor-to-ceiling windows and the bustling skyline of Jiangzhou. He tilted his head slightly, seemingly listening to someone next to him. His profile was sharp, and his expression was focused and composed, completely unlike his clingy self at home. He exuded the air of a promising young elite.

Below the photo were Jiang's mother's smiling words: "Mumu, look, Xiaoran went to work, didn't miss a single day, she's so hardworking! Yesterday she came back and told me she wanted to work hard to earn money for baby formula! [Thumbs up][Thumbs up]"

The text was followed by two bright thumbs-up emojis, revealing undisguised pride and satisfaction.

Looking at the photo and Jiang's mother's message, Su Mu felt a slight emptiness in his heart, which had been there since Jiang Ran left, as if something had gently filled it.

He felt that letting Jiang Ran go back was indeed the right decision.

No parent in this world truly wants to see their child stop what they're doing, give up their career, indulge in romance, and do nothing for another person.

It's okay to love someone, and you should love passionately and wholeheartedly, but that doesn't mean losing yourself or giving up on growth and striving.

Su Mu didn't want Jiang Ran's parents to think that their son was a love-obsessed person who would abandon everything for love.

Putting himself in Jiang Ran's shoes, if he were to give up everything for her and revolve around her all day, his parents would definitely worry and feel uneasy.

Putting himself in their shoes, he felt he should also understand how Jiang's parents felt.

Jiang Ran also sent him photos of herself at work.

Su Mu thought for a moment, tapped his fingers on the screen, and replied with a few of the system's built-in "kiss" emojis with flying kisses and heart symbols. Then he added: Jiang Ran, you're awesome.

From the bottom of my heart.

However, Su Mu never expected that Jiang Ran, who still harbored resentment and insecurity about parting, would interpret something else entirely in her eyes.

Jiang Ran, far away in Jiangzhou, held her phone, her lips pursed, and she thought bitterly: See, it was just as she thought. Su Mu just disliked that he was unemployed and idle before, like a good-for-nothing playboy, which is why she so readily let him come back.

Of course, Su Mu didn't think that way at all. He just felt that his days were very fulfilling, turning forward like a gear.

One of them is hardworking and reliable, while the other is intelligent and ambitious. Their future days will surely be harmonious and happy, like two tightly twisted ropes, making them a blissful family.

That ID 6653365985 has reappeared.

This string of numbers had actually disappeared for quite some time, so long that Su Mu had almost forgotten about it. But then one day, the ID associated with this string of numbers started sending out valuable virtual gifts. Su Mu thought to himself, "This guy is really persistent."

In front of the live stream camera, Su Mu said that he probably wouldn't be able to drive the forklift for much longer, as he had to go back to the city. He said this experience was quite magical, and that every skill one learns in life can come in handy at some unexpected juncture.

Before the words were even finished, id6653365985 sent another message: "Master, have some water."

Just then, a comment appeared on the screen asking, "Where's that handsome guy from before?"

Su Mu glanced at him and replied naturally, "Oh, handsome guy, he's not here right now."

ID6653365985 followed up and repeated: "Main package, have some water."

Su Mu nodded at the camera: "Okay, have some water."

It was Jiao Jiao's birthday, and Su Mu was invited to the children's birthday party. The room was filled with colorful ribbons, balloons, and the sweet aroma of cake. All the guests were Jiao Jiao's classmates, and the room was noisy with children's voices. His phone was in his pocket, vibrating several times, but he didn't bother to check it.

After the cake was cut, the candles blown out, and the noise subsided a bit, he finally took out his phone. Several unread messages from Jiang Ran were displayed, and the last one was a record of an incoming call he hadn't answered, probably because it was too noisy.

Su Mu tapped the screen with his fingers: I was delayed for a while, it wasn't intentional that I didn't reply to you.

Jiang Ran replied quickly, but the content surprised Su Mu: "Don't eat too much cake. The doctor said you can't eat too much cream."

Su Mu: ? ? How did you know I was eating cake?

At the top of the screen, a notification flashed briefly, "The other party is typing...", then stopped. A few seconds later, the notification disappeared.

No further news came from Jiang Ran's side.

Su Mu frowned. Jiang Ran did have Meng Lingxuan's WeChat, but Meng Lingxuan was busy entertaining guests and hadn't touched his phone much, nor had he posted anything on his Moments. So how did Jiang Ran know he was eating cake?

Without much thought, Su Mu sent out the message: "Did you plant a spy next to me?"

At the top of the chat box, the small text "The other party is typing..." immediately popped up, repeating over and over for a full minute, but in the end no message popped up.

Su Mu waited for a while: Why are you just typing and not saying anything?

Jiang Ran was feeling guilty.

Did he have to confess to Su Mu that he was like a rat in the gutter, using a fake account to secretly follow Su Mu and all the accounts that could be found near Su Mu, the shopkeeper at the village store who loved to post pictures of her child, the old man next door who occasionally took pictures of the scenery, and even Meng Lingxuan's wife and Jiao Jiao's mother who occasionally posted snippets of their lives? He scrolled through those trivial updates every day, like a paranoid puzzle collector, just to piece together Su Mu's movements from the scraps.

What would Su Mu think? Would he accept his lover's almost pathological behavior?

Jiang Ran: My aunt told me that.

Su Mu stared at the words, even more puzzled. His mother had gone to the market early this morning and had no idea Su Mu would be attending Jiao Jiao's birthday party this afternoon. If Jiang Ran had said Meng Lingxuan had suggested it, Su Mu wouldn't have doubted him at all, but he had specifically brought up his mother.

Indeed, lies are like a snowball; they only get bigger and bigger.

Su Mu: My mom left early this morning; she didn't know I was here.

Su Mu: Jiang Ran, are you here again?

As Su Mu spoke, he looked outside.

Jiang Ran: ...I didn't.

Su Mu felt that Jiang Ran was a bit strange, but he didn't think too much about it. While scrolling through his phone, he happened to see a video updated by Jiao Jiao's mother, a nine-grid photo collage showing the lively birthday party, and he was even in the video. Su Mu casually liked it, thinking that Jiang Ran probably followed Jiao Jiao's mother back when they were in Phoenix Village.

In the internet age, it's perfectly normal to have a winding, complicated following list.

With a flick of his finger, the screen content changed, and the matter was quickly put aside.

What Su Mu didn't expect was that while things were calm on his side, Jiang Ran was like she had been thrown into a boiling oil pot.

The period of silence during which Su Mu didn't immediately reply to the message was like a silent trial and torment for Jiang Ran.

Before Su Mu could even finish his odd jobs, Jiang Ran couldn't withstand the pangs of conscience and confessed everything.

It wasn't just a few words; it was a long, densely packed essay. Su Mu read it line by line, squinted, and extracted a few key points.

Jiang Ran discovered his alternate account and then saw his forklift livestream, which is how she learned about his activities and decided to contact him.

What made Su Mu's throat tighten was the story of the top fan with ID 6653365985, who spent money like water, talked nonsense, and was stubbornly the number one fan in the live stream. It turned out to be Jiang Ran.

So that's how it is.

He asked why the IP address of that numerical ID is now showing up in Jiangzhou? And why did that account always post strange anti-fertility comments before? No wonder it was always causing trouble in the live stream.

It turns out it was the same person from beginning to end.

Su Mu suddenly remembered the money Jiang Ran had tipped him and got a little angry. Couldn't she just give him the money directly? Why did she have to go through all this trouble, letting the platform take half of it? What kind of nonsense is this? Having money but nowhere to spend it.

Su Mu's tone was more serious than ever before: You should reflect on your actions.

The other end immediately replied with a pitiful emoji.

Su Mu glanced at it but ignored it. Jiang Ran had really gone too far this time. No, it wasn't just excessive. Su Mu slowly realized that Jiang Ran, who usually seemed gentle, cheerful, and handsome, actually had this cunning side.

What kind of mentality is this? Su Mu was genuinely puzzled. Is it liking or caring? Or is it a terrifying desire for control?

In the middle of the night, at some unknown time, his phone beside his pillow suddenly started vibrating incessantly. It was Jiang Ran calling. He answered groggily, and Jiang Ran's voice on the other end was harsh and hoarse, completely unlike her usual gentle tone: "How could you be so cruel to me? I knew I shouldn't have come back. You just didn't want to see me, did you?"

Su Mu, supporting his back, sat up: "...Jiang Ran, have you had too much to drink?"

"Can't you even handle such a small grievance?" Su Mu thought. Besides, Jiang Ran had done something wrong, which was why he made her reflect on her actions.

How long has it been since he started reflecting? Su Mu checked the time—not even six hours had passed!

Jiang Ran completely ignored his question. Her breathing on the other end of the line was heavy and deep, and she bombarded him with complaints: "The best thing I ever did was get you pregnant. Otherwise, you would never have looked back at me. You even had the idea of ​​raising a child alone without me knowing. If it weren't for the child, would you have let me get close to you?"

He paused, his breathing becoming heavier, as if he were lost in some kind of obsessive delusion: "If I had known, I should have... you in college, so you could have gotten pregnant with my child."

Holding his phone, Su Mu was now 100% certain that Jiang Ran was extremely drunk.

But these words are really too dark and perverse, like the silt churning up from the bottom of a deep pool, carrying a sticky possessiveness and a twisted sense of control.

It was precisely these almost offensive, undisguised words that, somehow, unexpectedly and irritated Su Mu's unusually sensitive body during her pregnancy.

A subtle yet distinct tingling sensation rose from his lower abdomen, crawled up his spine, and sent shivers down his spine.

Su Mu felt that she was probably sick too. At this moment, her mind uncontrollably conjured up a picture based on Jiang Ran's words: a university classroom, sunlight streaming in through the sycamore leaves, surrounded by young and vibrant faces, a teacher giving a lesson on the podium, a sacred and solemn classroom, and herself heavily pregnant, her shirt probably too big to button up, carrying Jiang Ran's child.

Hold.

A surge of heat rushed to her cheeks, burning her ears. She touched her stomach, her throat bobbing, her voice tight: "...You...how could you be so..."

He wanted to curse, to say that Jiang Ran had gone mad, but the words stuck in his throat, and he was rendered incoherent by that absurd yet real shame and secret thrill.

Jiang Ran didn't give Su Mu a chance to organize his thoughts. Her voice carried a sense of despair and self-destructive ruthlessness: "Yes, I am a bastard."

He was panting heavily, his voice laced with a pent-up, fermenting pain that had been building up for who knows how long: "Do you know how much I longed for you back when we were roommates? You were just an arm's length away from me, sleeping so innocently every day, within my reach... Do you know how much pain I endured every day? You have no idea. You just flaunted yourself in front of me, so innocent, so carefree, smiling so sweetly at everyone... I wanted to hide you away, lock you up, and never let anyone see you. But you are mine, you were meant to be mine from the very beginning!"

"Su Mu, you're in big trouble. One child isn't enough; you have to have so many that you can't live without me. Let's see how you manage to run away with the kids then..."

Su Mu was startled, and his breathing became heavy.

-

A note from the author:

The cheerful puppy instantly turns into a gloomy puppy; in fact, Young Master Jiang is very insecure and suffers from separation anxiety.

Little Wooden Head: ...My husband is really sick. He hasn't contacted me for six hours. [crying emoji]

The next day, after sobering up, Young Master Jiang slapped himself in the face, saying all sorts of inappropriate things.

Happy New Year, friends!