Chapter 31 shows that it was he who decided to have this relationship.

Jiang Ran adapted to the new style extremely quickly, and could be described as thriving and handling it with ease.

On the contrary, Su Mu was finding it difficult to cope.

Jiang Ran's portrayal of a psychopath is surprisingly convincing.

There was none of that superficial sleazy. Those words, those highly private and suggestive remarks that he would never have said before, now flowed out of his mouth effortlessly, and he said them as if it were perfectly natural.

Su Mu covered his mouth to stop him from talking.

Jiang Ran also became fixated on a particular form of address.

The morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting warm golden dappled patterns on the floor. Jiang Ran was already up, dressed in a crisp white shirt and well-tailored dark trousers, and was tying her tie in front of the mirror.

The morning light accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, highlighting his well-defined profile and sharp jawline. He was undeniably handsome, making it hard to look away.

Su Mu was still wrapped in the blanket, with only half of his face and messy hair showing.

Jiang Ran straightened his tie and adjusted his cuffs, then turned around and walked a few steps to the bedside. He leaned down, propped his arm on the pillow beside Su Mu, and half-encircled the still drowsy man, along with the blanket, in his arms. He lowered his head, leaned close to Su Mu's ear, and spoke in a tone that was both intimate and wicked.

"Mumu, your husband is going to work now. Don't you have anything to say?"

Su Mu looked at him sleepily, her ears burning from his sudden approach and the word "husband," and most of her remaining sleepiness vanished.

He glanced at Jiang Ran, who was standing close by. The collar of his white shirt was buttoned up meticulously, which only made him look more ascetic. His suit trousers hugged his long, powerful legs, and he exuded a kind of mature, aggressive handsomeness that was rarely seen in his daily life.

Su Mu pulled the blanket up so high it almost covered his eyes: "Work hard and strive for excellence every day."

Jiang Ran was clearly very dissatisfied with this perfunctory response. He reached out and gently pulled the blanket that Su Mu had pulled up a little further down, revealing Su Mu's cheeks, which were slightly flushed with embarrassment, and persistently asked, "What's your name?"

Su Mu felt her face burning even hotter under his gaze, so she simply closed her eyes, buried her face in the pillow, and protested in a muffled voice, her voice filled with embarrassment and anger: "Jiang Ran, don't go too far."

Seeing his ostrich-like appearance, Jiang Ran didn't press him any further. Instead, she placed several warm and loud kisses on Su Mu's forehead, nose, and exposed cheeks through the soft blanket, while he remained in that position.

"Fine, if you don't want to call me that, then don't."

Jiang Ran straightened up and straightened her tie one last time: "Husband, I'm going to go and earn money to support the family."

He walked to the door, then turned back to look at Su Mu, whose face had reappeared on the bed and whose eyes were still a little dazed. He instructed, "Get up when you've had enough sleep. If you're hungry, come downstairs to eat. Mom won't rush you. Sleep soundly."

After saying that, he gently closed the door and left.

Su Mu didn't really want to stay in bed, especially since it was her first time staying at Jiang Ran's house, and she was afraid of leaving a bad impression on her elders. But her body just wouldn't listen to her; a heavy weariness washed over her like a tide, and her eyelids were so heavy she couldn't lift them. In her drowsy state, she thought she would just lie there for another five minutes.

As a result, when I closed my eyes and woke up again, the sunlight outside the window was already shining brightly in, and judging from the angle, it was obviously close to noon.

He threw back the covers and sat up, rubbing his eyes. It was his first time visiting, and he was already asleep. That was just too much.

He quickly washed up, changed his clothes, and went downstairs somewhat nervously.

Downstairs in the living room, Jiang's mother and one of the family's housekeepers were arranging flowers at a low table by the French windows.

A table was covered with fresh flowers of various colors. Jiang's mother held a pale purple iris in her hand, gesturing to the spot, a relaxed smile on her face. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, she looked up, saw Su Mu, immediately put down the flower, and greeted her with a beaming smile: "Mu Mu is awake? Did you sleep well? Are you hungry? Let Aunt Liu heat up your breakfast."

Su Mu walked closer and said in a low voice, embarrassed, "Auntie, I got up too late."

“What’s the big deal?” Jiang’s mother waved her hand, her tone relaxed and natural. “At home, you can get up whenever you want. What’s late or not? Besides, Jiang Ran specifically told me this morning that you might have had trouble sleeping in your new bed last night, and asked us not to disturb you so that you could wake up naturally.”

Seeing Su Mu's somewhat awkward expression, she simply pulled his hand and made him sit on the sofa next to her: "Mu Mu, don't feel uncomfortable. From now on, this is your home, do whatever you want. You should learn from that brat Jiang Ran, he's got a really thick skin."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but laugh: "You have no idea, when he first went to your house, if Jiang Ran's dad and I hadn't repeatedly told him to be more reserved and polite, he probably would have called your parents 'Mom and Dad' the first time he saw them, without any embarrassment at all."

Su Mu also found it a bit funny.

Aunt Liu, who was arranging the flowers nearby, looked up, smiled kindly, and chimed in, "Yes, Mr. Su, please don't be so polite. Mr. Jiang and his wife are both very easy to get along with."

After saying that, Aunt Liu quickly went to the kitchen, reheated the breakfast that had been kept warm, and brought it over. It was a bowl of soft and fragrant millet porridge, a few refreshing side dishes, and two warm, small crystal shrimp dumplings, all steaming hot.

Su Mu slowly finished his breakfast, feeling a warm glow in his stomach, which made him feel relaxed all over. When Jiang's mother saw him put down his chopsticks, her smile deepened. She immediately stood up and said to him mysteriously, "Come, come, Mu Mu, I'll show you something good."

She led Su Mu to the display shelf on the other side of the living room and carefully took out two simple and elegant mahogany boxes from the drawer below.

When you open it, you'll find it lined with soft red velvet, and several items lying quietly on it.

“Look,” Jiang’s mother pointed to the items in one of the boxes, “this is a pair of jade ruyi with exceptionally good quality that Grandpa and Grandma specially sent over. They said it was a gift for their future great-grandson, and also for you.”

She then pointed to another box: "This is from my maternal grandparents' side, a small gold lock, a pair of white jade safety buckles, and a small gold bracelet engraved with the character '福' (fortune)."

Su Mu leaned closer to take a look. The gold lock was small and exquisite, with intricate patterns. The jade ruyi was entirely emerald green, warm and translucent, the white jade safety buckle was perfectly round and flawless, gleaming with an oily luster, and the small gold bracelet was even more endearingly simple.

Although he didn't quite understand the specific value of these jewels and jade artifacts, their heavy weight and exquisite craftsmanship clearly demonstrated the solemn intentions of his elders.

Looking at these gifts that carried blessings and expectations, he felt a warm glow in his heart and truly felt that he had been gently accepted by this family.

Jiang's mother closed the box and carefully put it away. She then said to Su Mu, "In a few days, after Jiang Ran finishes dealing with his urgent matters, I'll open an account for you. Some jewelry that you don't usually need can be deposited in your name. When we have some free time, I'll take you to our elders' house for a formal meal so you can get acquainted with them. Your grandparents and maternal grandparents all want to meet you."

Su Mu nodded.

Jiang's mother said, "If you feel bored staying at home with this old woman, go out for a walk and visit your friends. You went to university in Jiangzhou, right? You should still have friends here, right? Get in touch, have some tea and chat together."

Her gaze gently fell on Su Mu's lower abdomen: "It's mainly because of your special physical condition right now. Otherwise, Jiang Ran would have taken you around to relax. But it's okay, right now, the most important thing is that you're in a good mood."

Su Mu said embarrassedly, "Jiang Ran even asked me to come to the company for lunch with him, but I overslept and didn't see his message."

Upon hearing this, Jiang's mother said, "Don't spoil him too much. If he wants you to have dinner with him, can't he arrange his own time to come back and pick you up? Why do you have to make the trip? His domineering temper is all because he's been spoiled."

Su Mu smiled and said, "Auntie, do you have any photos of Jiang Ran when she was little? Can I see them?"

Jiang's mother: "Yes, of course, there are plenty."

“Jiang Ran told me that when you went for your check-up last time, the doctor said the baby might look like Jiang Ran, right? Perfect, I’ll show you what he looked like when he was little, so you can be mentally prepared in advance.”

Jiang's mother excitedly brought out a thick stack of photo albums from the study, each with a different cover but all in excellent condition, and placed them on the large coffee table in the living room.

Aunt Liu also came over to help.

“When Jiang Ran was first born, he was so handsome,” Jiang’s mother said, opening the top leather-covered photo album. “He hadn’t grown into the annoying person he is now, so I took every opportunity to take him to take lots and lots of photos, almost eight hundred a day.”

On the title page of the album, written in neat handwriting, is the title "0-3 Years Old: Baby's Growth Diary".

Su Mu took the book from Jiang's mother. The first page contained several photos taken in the hospital shortly after the baby's birth. The tiny infant was wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, with only a rosy little face showing.

Even in the old photos with not-so-clear pixels, the facial features were clearly defined, the bridge of the nose was already showing signs of being straight, and the long eyelashes covered the tightly closed eyelids. It was indeed much more beautiful than the newborn Su Mu had imagined.

Turning the page, we see Jiang Ran, a few months old. The rosy cheeks of newborn have faded, and his skin has become fair and translucent. His eyes have opened, large and bright like black grapes, gazing curiously at the camera. He's started to smile, grinning with his toothless little mouth, revealing his pink gums. The way his eyebrows and eyes crinkle is enough to melt anyone's heart.

As she grew older, she began to sit and crawl, wearing cute little clothes. Sometimes she would play with toys with a serious expression, and other times she would look in a certain direction with a blank look. Every photo recorded a small, soft Jiang Ran, almost unrecognizable from the tall and aloof man she is now.

Jiang's mother leaned over and pointed to one of the photos: "Mumu, look at this one. This is when he was almost one year old. I took him to participate in a competition for the cutest baby. The judges all said he was good-looking."

Su Mu looked at the photo. In the photo, little Jiang Ran had probably been dressed up, wearing a festive red Tang suit and a matching melon-shaped hat. The hat was a bit big and tilted slightly, which made her little face look even more beautiful.

He was held in his mother's arms, clutching a gleaming gold medal tightly in his hand. He tilted his head, curiously biting the edge of the medal, his bright black eyes reflecting the flash of the camera, looking innocent and bewildered.

“Look, he won first place in this competition,” Jiang’s mother pointed to the medal. “I was so happy then.”

As she spoke, a hint of emotion crept into her voice: "But this is probably the easiest first place he's ever gotten in his life."

“His father has always been very strict with him. He wants him to excel in everything: academics, abilities, and character. As for me, I don’t have as many strict requirements for my child. I always think that it’s enough for him to grow up healthy and happy. But sometimes, I can’t go against his father’s wishes.”

Su Mu couldn't help but gently tap that little face with his finger again, and sincerely exclaimed, "So cute."

Upon hearing this, Jiang's mother's smile deepened, and her loving gaze fell on Su Mu: "Our Mu Mu must have been especially adorable when she was little. You two are both treasures of the family, and now, there will be a new little darling."

Su Mu: "Jiang Ran is also very good."

Jiang's mother said with the affectionate disdain typical of an elder: "It's good that he looks like him, but it would be best if he didn't have the same personality. Don't be fooled by how he acts in front of you. To outsiders, he's always been aloof and cold. He's never liked to talk and is indifferent to everyone, except for relatives he likes. His father has scolded him a lot for this, thinking he's impolite and unfriendly. That's not good at all."

"And he's also incredibly domineering. If you want something, you have to get it to him right away. You have no idea how much his relatives were driven crazy by his pursuit of you."

As Su Mu listened to Jiang's mother's scolding, he thought of Jiang Ran's almost obsessive passion and clumsy gentleness hidden beneath her cold exterior: "Jiang Ran's personality is alright, isn't it?"

Su Mu remembered something she had been planning and asked somewhat shyly, "By the way, Auntie, do you know any good places in Jiangzhou that sell rings? I mean, wedding rings."

Jiang's mother paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up: "A ring? Are you buying it for Jiang Ran?"

Su Mu nodded, his ears feeling a little hot.

Jiang's mother looked at his slightly flushed cheeks and said, "This kind of thing should be done by that brat, how can you be the one to think about it? Jiang Ran is so stupid, he doesn't get it at all."

Su Mu was amused by her exaggerated tone and felt a little embarrassed, but after thinking for a moment, he still explained seriously: "Auntie, actually our situation may be a little different from that of ordinary people."

"It's because of this baby that our relationship suddenly took this step. I always felt that Jiang Ran might be a little insecure about our relationship."

That's why he spends all day thinking about this and that.

Su Mu raised his eyes and looked at Jiang's mother: "So, I want to put his mind at ease. I want to tell him that it wasn't because of the child, but because of him that he decided to have this relationship."

Hearing Su Mu's honest and sincere words, and seeing the mixture of shyness and determination on his face, Jiang's mother was first stunned, and then her eyes became slightly hot.

"Oh dear," Jiang's mother said with a nasal tone, filled with emotion, "You kids, each one of you, are much more thoughtful and romantic than we were back then. It reminds me of my own youth."

"I know why Jiang Ran is so devoted to you. You're such a lovable child."

Jiang's mother said, "This afternoon, my daughter and I will go and choose. Once we've chosen, we'll come back and think about how to arrange it."

Su Mu: "Huh? So fast?"

“No, no,” Jiang’s mother stood up excitedly. “These kinds of things, once you think of them, you have to get them done quickly. Come on, I know a shop. Although it’s not a particularly famous brand, the men’s rings they make have a very elegant and timeless design, and the quality is also good.”

"Come on, I'll show you!"

In the afternoon, as expected, Jiang's mother led Su Mu to a jewelry store located in a quiet neighborhood, a place she knew exactly where to go. The store wasn't large, and the decor was a simple black and white style, exuding an understated taste.

The jewelry displayed in the glass case wasn't a dazzling array, but each piece showed signs of meticulous design.

Mrs. Jiang was clearly a regular customer here. As soon as she entered, the sales assistant greeted her with a smile and said familiarly, "Mrs. Jiang, you've arrived."

"Hmm, come and look at the rings, men's rings, a pair." Jiang's mother took Su Mu's arm, her eyes scanning the display case.

As soon as Su Mu entered the room, his eyes were drawn to a pair of rings under the glass in the corner.

The rings were extremely simple in design, with a smooth band and only a very fine, almost imperceptible brushed texture on the edge. The material appeared to be some kind of understated platinum-metal blend, which shone with a warm and restrained luster under the soft light, perfectly matching Jiang Ran's temperament.

He pointed and said, "Can I take a look at that pair?"

The sales assistant immediately understood, put on white gloves, carefully took out the pair of rings, placed them on a black velvet tray, and handed them to Su Mu.

Jiang's mother also came over to take a look and nodded with satisfaction: "Hmm, this is good. It's simple, elegant, and not flashy. Mumu, try it on."

Su Mu picked up one of the slightly narrower rings and hesitantly slipped it onto the ring finger of his left hand. His fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles and fair skin. The plain ring was slowly pushed down to the base of his finger, and the size was surprisingly suitable.

The cool sheen of platinum reflected off his clean nails, their simple lines complementing his well-proportioned fingers.

The sales assistant sincerely praised, "Sir, it looks really good on you, and it really suits your hand shape."

Jiang's mother: "It's beautiful, this is the one, you have great taste."

Su Mu himself thought it looked great, and the moment he put the ring on his finger, a strange sense of satisfaction and anticipation welled up inside him. He gently turned the ring and looked up at the sales assistant, asking, "Can this be engraved?"

"Yes, sir," the sales assistant replied with a smile. "However, engraving takes a little time, about two days."

Jiang's mother gave an address: "Okay, then send it to this address."

With everything settled, Su Mu paid the bill. Originally, Jiang's mother wanted to pay as a gift for the two of them, but Su Mu insisted on paying herself, so Jiang's mother didn't insist anymore.

The two walked out of the store in high spirits. Just as they reached the door, they ran into a well-dressed woman who looked to be about the same age as Jiang's mother.

The woman clearly recognized Jiang's mother. She stopped in surprise, her gaze first falling on Jiang's mother, then turning curiously to Su Mu beside her, a familiar smile on her face: "Mrs. Jiang, what a coincidence! This is..."

Her gaze lingered on Su Mu's young and handsome face.

Jiang's mother's smile instantly brightened, even carrying a hint of smug pride. She reached out and affectionately put her arm around Su Mu's shoulder, introducing him in an incredibly natural yet proud tone: "This is my son's boyfriend. What do you think, handsome, right?"

The woman, whom Jiang's mother called Mrs. Xu, immediately showed a mixture of surprise and curiosity upon hearing this, and exclaimed in a low voice, "Really? How come I've never heard you mention this before? Jiang Ran likes boys? No wonder he always made excuses and ignored me when I tried to introduce him to girls before."

Jiang's mother: "That's right. I've liked him for a long time, and I finally mustered up the courage to pursue him not long ago."

Su Mu listened from the side, his face flushed, but he still nodded politely to Mrs. Xu as a greeting.

Mrs. Xu clearly wanted to gossip a bit more, her eyes constantly scanning Su Mu's face and body, but Jiang's mother had already glanced at her watch and cut the conversation off in a slightly apologetic yet very polite tone: "Mrs. Xu, I'm so sorry, look at the time, I have an appointment with Mu Mu to have dinner, next time, next time we can have a proper chat."

Seeing this, Mrs. Xu smiled and replied, "Alright, alright, you two go quickly, don't delay the important business."

Jiang's mother then pulled Su Mu away.

After walking a distance, Su Mu said, "Auntie, was it inappropriate to say what you just said?"

Jiang's mother didn't care at all: "Mumu, who cares what they think? As long as we are happy, that's better than anything else. In this world, as long as you are strong enough, even if some people gossip about you behind your back, they will still be polite to you when they meet you in person. If they have something to ask for, our Jiang family doesn't have to live by anyone else's approval."

The two strolled around casually for a while. Jiang's mother clearly enjoyed shopping with Su Mu, chattering away as she showed him this and that, clearly in high spirits.

She couldn't help but whisper to Su Mu, "Going shopping with that Jiang Ran is so boring. He either goes straight to his target, buys it, and leaves, or he's distracted and doesn't offer any emotional value. Mu Mu is so much better."

As they strolled past a cozy home decor store, Jiang's mother looked at the warm yellow lighting and exquisite ornaments inside and said, "Mumu, what do you think? Should I invite all our relatives and friends over to make it a big celebration and give you two a proper ceremony? I've seen those surprise proposals on TV, and they always have a huge crowd cheering them on."

Upon hearing this, Su Mu said, "No need, Auntie, really no need."

He imagined the scene of being surrounded by many familiar or unfamiliar faces, and felt his scalp tingle: "I actually just planned to have Jiang Ran and me, quietly."

Although Jiang's mother felt it was a bit of a pity, she didn't insist any further: "So when are you planning to go? Give me a heads-up so I can prepare myself mentally and make room for you. I definitely won't bother you."

Su Mu thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait until the ring is engraved and delivered."

However, Su Mu was a little confused about what kind of mental preparation Jiang's mother should make.

All afternoon, Su Mu's phone kept vibrating in his pocket. It was messages from Jiang Ran, constantly trying to get his attention. Su Mu only replied occasionally, without saying what he was doing.

By evening, carrying large and small bags, mainly various things that Jiang's mother bought for Su Mu and the unborn baby, Jiang Ran also returned home from get off work not long after they got home.

As soon as he entered the room, he took off his coat and went straight to Su Mu, who was sitting on the sofa. He stretched out his long arm and pulled Su Mu, along with a cushion, into his arms, resting his chin on Su Mu's head, and said with dissatisfaction: "I've been sending you messages all day, but you haven't been paying much attention to me. Turns out you were out shopping with my mom."

"What's so fun about hanging out with her? She's always getting facials or haircuts, it's so boring. If you're bored, why don't you come find me?"

Su Mu was held quite tightly by him. She struggled for a moment but couldn't break free, so she could only lean against him and say, "I don't want to go to work with you."

Jiang Ran: "Why? Mu Mu, you're so cruel."

Su Mu was amused by his aggrieved look and looked up at him: "Because I haven't completely gotten over the shadow of my last job yet, and I don't really want to see anything related to work for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ran said generously, "That's perfect! You won't need to go to work anymore. Your husband will take care of you and make you plump and healthy."

That's actually quite a nice thing to say.

Jiang Ran was in a great mood. She hugged him and shook him, then began to dream about the future: "In a few days, we'll go back to my apartment. Just the two of us, no, the three of us, quiet and peaceful, with no one to bother us."

Just then, there was a noise at the door; Jiang's father had returned. Su Mu quickly pulled away from Jiang Ran's embrace and respectfully greeted him, "Uncle."

Jiang's father nodded to Su Mu with a kind smile, but when his gaze fell on Jiang Ran, his face immediately hardened: "You didn't even wait for me after work; you just ran back on your own."

Jiang Ran retorted, "Don't you have a chauffeur-driven car? It's much more comfortable than my beat-up car. You should ride in your own car."

The atmosphere during the meal was quite harmonious.

But Jiang's mother's eyes kept involuntarily glancing at Jiang Ran. Her gaze was a mixture of affection, emotion, and "you've really had eight lifetimes of good luck," making Jiang Ran feel uncomfortable. He wondered to himself: What's wrong with my mother today? Is she possessed?

Two days later, the ring arrived as scheduled. That day, unusually, Jiang's father called Jiang Ran in the afternoon, telling him to leave work early.

Jiang Ran was a little dazed when she received the call. She looked into the phone to confirm, "Dad? You finally realized I'm your biological son today? Has the sun risen in the west?"

Jiang's father seemed to choke for a moment on the other end of the phone: "Why are you talking so much nonsense? It's your mother who wants you to go home early. I'm hanging up."

Although Jiang Ran found it a little strange, he was naturally happy to be able to leave work early. This meant he could have several more hours to go back and spend with Su Mu.

He returned home in a cheerful mood. As soon as he entered, he saw that Jiang's mother had clearly dressed up specially for the day, wearing a well-fitting new cheongsam and her hair was neatly combed. Upon seeing him return, she immediately came to greet him with an overly bright, even slightly nervous, smile, holding a glass of water in her hand.

"Jiang Ran is back? Here, have some water." Jiang's mother handed him a water glass. "Today, your father and I are going out for some alone time. You two can take care of dinner yourselves. Don't worry about us, just enjoy your time together."

Jiang Ran took the water glass, his strange feeling growing stronger. He glanced at the glass in his hand and said, "Mom, now that you have a grandson, you're planning to abandon me, your son, and dump my medicine and sell me off?"

Jiang's mother: "…………"

Jiang Ran held the water glass up to her mother's eyes. Sure enough, on the inside of the rim of the glass, near the water's surface, there were traces of powder that had not yet completely dissolved.

Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow and looked at her own mother.

Jiang's mother: "…………"

She was worried that her son, who usually seemed calm but was actually extremely emotional in some ways, might lose control in a moment of excitement and burst into tears on the spot, which would be embarrassing and lead to Su Mu returning him. That's why she thought of giving him some anti-allergy medication in advance as a precaution.

But we can't reveal the surprise beforehand.

Jiang's mother then turned around, grabbed a cup, poured some water for herself, and then raised it to clink with Jiang Ran's cup: "I'll drink this, and you drink this too. Being a mother is truly great."

Jiang Ran watched his mother drink it all in one gulp: "…………"

-

A note from the author:

Jiang's mother, who was a killer for the first time, was like a belike.

Young Master Jiang: ...This is really weird.

Little Wood: Country folks just can't be romantic; we're more down-to-earth.

In the next chapter, our young master Jiang is truly going to be happy! [Dog head with rose in hand][Dog head with rose in hand]