Chapter 32 Tears of Happiness, Different from Ordinary Tears

Jiang Ran looked at her mother's heroic expression as she drank the suspicious glass of water in one gulp, and then nothing happened. She just smacked her lips with a strange expression.

He stood there, hesitating for several seconds, his mind flashing back to moments of his mother's tender care for him from childhood to adulthood. Although she often nagged him, she never missed a crucial moment of protection and love.

But this glass of water looks strange no matter how you look at it, but surely his mother wouldn't really harm him?

Jiang Ran took a deep breath, picked up the glass of water in her hand, tilted her head back, and gulped it down.

He put down his cup, his brows furrowed, and couldn't help but complain, "...It tastes awful."

Jiang's mother pushed Jiang Ran's strong arm and headed towards the stairs: "Oh dear, good medicine tastes bitter, how could your mother harm you? Hurry up, go upstairs, open your bedroom door, and open the door to your happiness!"

She remained where she was, even raising her hand to tidy her meticulously styled hair and tugging at her brand-new cheongsam.

Jiang Ran was increasingly confused by her actions, and his sense of unease reached its peak. He stopped, turned around, and looked at his mother: "Mom, what on earth are you two up to? Dad told me to leave work early today, and you gave me this weird stuff to drink."

Jiang's mother simply nodded mysteriously and encouragingly at him, gesturing for him to hurry upstairs: "Go see for yourself, you'll be surprised."

Jiang Ran, filled with suspicion and intrigued curiosity, walked to his bedroom door. He grasped the doorknob, paused for a moment, and then gently pushed it open.

The curtains in the room were drawn open most of the way, and the warm afternoon sunlight streamed in, giving the originally cool-toned room a soft golden edge. Jiang Ran's room had the best lighting.

However, the room was filled with many more flowers.

Instead of large bouquets of roses or lilies, small bunches of flowers are scattered here and there. On the bedside table, on the windowsill, and in the corner of the desk, delicate baby's breath, fresh daisies, or a few sprigs of trimmed eucalyptus leaves are just right.

Several thin, thick yarns were strung up in the air above the room, with photographs neatly arranged on them.

Jiang Ran's gaze was instantly drawn to the photos. He casually picked one from the nearest line.

The photo is from a few years ago. It shows him in college, wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans, holding a bottle of water, and looking somewhat vacantly in a direction outside the camera. The lines of his profile appear particularly clear and sharp in the youthful sunlight.

It was a candid shot taken on an ordinary afternoon during his second semester of sophomore year.

Jiang Ran held the photo, somewhat dazed.

He himself had forgotten some of these photos; where did Su Mu find them?

Only then did Jiang Ran see Su Mu standing in the center of the room.

Su Mu was standing with his back to the door, tiptoeing slightly, trying to clip another photo in his hand to a higher line. He seemed to hear the door open, stopped, and turned around in a fluster.

Seeing Jiang Ran holding a photo at the door with a surprised expression, Su Mu's eyes flashed with nervousness and embarrassment at being caught red-handed: "Why are you back so early?"

Jiang Ran held up the old photos in her hand, her gaze sweeping over the flowers scattered throughout the room and the hanging photos that recorded his appearance at different times, before looking at Su Mu, who was standing in the interplay of light and shadow, his face showing obvious panic and blush: "Hmm, my dad let me leave work early today. So, this is the surprise my mom was talking about."

Su Mu felt he had no talent for creating surprises, or rather, he was quite clumsy. Although it was clear he had put in effort, the overall effect was a bit messy. Jiang's mother originally wanted to help, but Su Mu insisted on doing it himself and refused, resulting in the current situation, which was both warm and a little chaotic.

Jiang Ran reached out and took a photo from another line. The photo showed him sleeping soundly on the bed, his hair a little messy, looking completely unguarded.

In the lower right corner of the photo, the date of the photo is clearly written in ballpoint pen.

Jiang Ran held up the photo, looked up, waved it in his hand, and pointed around: "What are all these?"

When Su Mu was asked this question, all the steps and lines that he had silently rehearsed countless times in his mind instantly fell apart.

Su Mu originally planned to play a soothing, memorable song as background music, but he got so nervous that he forgot all about it.

As Jiang Ran approached step by step, Su Mu couldn't care less about any romantic formalities. He picked up a square velvet box that had been prepared beforehand and simply tied with a bow on a dark blue ribbon from the small round table next to him, and practically stuffed it into Jiang Ran's arms.

Jiang Ran was taken aback by his sudden action and instinctively hugged the box. The box wasn't big, but it was quite heavy. He looked down at the contents of his arms, then looked up at Su Mu: "For me?"

Su Mu nodded, not even daring to look Jiang Ran in the eye. He felt a little annoyed; he realized he wasn't very good at these romantic gestures and seemed both flustered and clumsy.

Jiang Ran looked at his nervous, almost clumsy expression, and a soft, inexplicable feeling welled up in her chest. He didn't ask any more questions, lowered his head, gently untied the not-so-perfectly tied ribbon bow, and then opened the box.

The first thing that caught his eye was a camera he knew all too well. It was a birthday gift he had given to Su Mu a long time ago. The camera was spotless and lay quietly in its box. On the camera body was a small, handwritten sticky note with Su Mu's neat handwriting: Please turn to this page.

Jiang Ran picked up the camera, pressed the power button, and the screen lit up. He flipped through the photo folders, and soon his eyes locked onto a folder named "Jiang Ran".

Click to open.

It was filled to the brim with his photos.

Jiang Ran's finger paused on the touchscreen, and then slowly swiped through the images, one by one.

Jump to the first picture on the first page. The background is a university dormitory, somewhat messy, and the lighting isn't great. In the photo, he's wearing a simple gray hoodie, sitting in a chair in front of a desk. Jiang Ran doesn't know how she remembers him so clearly.

This was after Su Mu had just handed the camera to him to try it out. He turned his head to look at the camera, his face showing a slight awkwardness at being suddenly photographed, yet he still made a slightly stiff peace sign for the camera.

That was the first photo taken by this camera, and it's also the starting point of this folder.

Turn the page. The photos span a wide period of time and depict various scenes. There's a profile shot of him in the library, a moment of him leaping to shoot a basketball, because he occasionally agreed to play basketball with Su Mu, and even a few that are clearly candid shots, taken from strange angles and blurry, yet they clearly capture a fleeting moment of his life.

Jiang Ran couldn't even remember when some of the photos were taken.

Each one of them records a moment when Jiang Ran was so carefully, for so long, and so preciously preserved in the sight of another person, frozen in a small space.

Su Mu looked at Jiang Ran, who was looking down, clutching the camera tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly. He had recently come to understand Jiang Ran's true nature quite well. She appeared calm and composed, but in some ways, she was surprisingly sensitive to emotions, though she hid it very well.

If this trend continues, Jiang Ran will probably lose control of her emotions before I can even finish speaking. At that point, forget about being surprised; Su Mu might even have to frantically try to comfort her, unable to speak coherently at all.

No, we must finish this quickly.

Su Mu took two steps forward and stopped in front of Jiang Ran. He raised his hand and gently pressed down on the back of Jiang Ran's hand.

“Jiang Ran, I’ve never told you this. Actually, compared to the baby in my belly, I like the baby’s other father more, and I fell in love with him much earlier.”

Jiang Ran looked up at him in disbelief.

Su Mu spoke a little faster than usual: "When I first met you, I thought you were really nice. You're unlike anyone I've ever met before."

“You have such a good family background and such outstanding abilities, but in front of me you have never been arrogant at all. You are always so patient and caring for me so attentively. I never even dared to dream of such kindness before.”

“During college, there were many opportunities for me to feel that you treated me differently. But I never had the courage. I was afraid that if things didn’t turn out the way I thought, it would hurt you and ruin the precious relationship we had.”

At this point, Su Mu's voice lowered slightly, tinged with lingering fear and relief: "After graduation, I went to work in City B. For a long time, I was extremely unhappy. I was under a lot of pressure, felt very tired, and very lonely. But every time I thought of you and of what happened in college, I felt a little better, and it didn't seem so unbearable anymore."

"Later, I rushed back to Jiangzhou from City B on a business trip because I heard that you were getting married."

Jiang Ran: "...I didn't."

Su Mu: "I know, I didn't really think that much back then. I just had one thought: to sleep with you once. It was a way to put an end to things for myself. But when the time came, I regretted it and felt I couldn't do it this way. In the end, by some twist of fate, I still slept with you."

He looked at Jiang Ran with clear and open eyes, without the slightest hint of evasion: "So, Jiang Ran, keeping this child isn't because I really like children, but because I really, really like this child's other father. I've liked him for a very, very long time."

After saying that, Su Mu stopped looking at Jiang Ran's reaction and quickly pulled out a small, dark blue ring box from under the box containing the camera.

He held the ring box between them, still trembling slightly from nervousness.

Jiang Ran quickly helped him open the lid of the ring box.

Two simple, sleek platinum band wedding rings lay quietly on a black velvet cushion, reflecting a warm and understated luster.

Su Mu's voice was more solemn and expectant than ever before: "Jiang Ran, are you willing to stay with me forever and take care of our child together?"

Jiang Ran looked at the two rings lying quietly on the velvet cushion, then looked up and met Su Mu's eyes, which were filled with tension and anticipation. The emotions that had been surging in her chest for so long finally broke through all the barriers.

He almost immediately reached out and pulled Su Mu, along with the small ring box, into a tight, forceful embrace.

“…Of course I’m willing.” Jiang Ran’s voice rang in his ear, thick with nasal tone and choked with sobs, “Fool.”

He felt that he and Su Mu were two complete fools.

Otherwise, why would they have wasted so much time that could have been spent together? They clearly had so many opportunities, such a deep bond; they should have been together long ago, much, much sooner.

Su Mu said he lacked courage in college. And wasn't Jiang Ran the same?

He also had countless opportunities to speak up and break through that ambiguous and dangerous barrier.

But Jiang Ran was also afraid. She was afraid that her intense thoughts might frighten Su Mu.

After graduation, Su Mu went to City B, like a brave yet bewildered little bird, flying into an unfamiliar sky.

Jiang Ran stayed in Jiangzhou and followed the established path, joining one of her family's small branch companies and starting from the most basic position.

He also needed to socialize, to smile obsequiously at unfamiliar clients, and to shield his superiors from one spicy drink after another amidst the clinking of glasses. Those tiring and unfamiliar rules of the adult world made him miss the simple and pure days of his university days even more, and he missed Su Mu, who always followed behind him with a clean and warm smile.

When his longing reached its peak, he would act impulsively. Once, after finishing a difficult project, he was exhausted both physically and mentally, and his longing for Su Mu grew wildly like vines, almost suffocating him.

He said nothing, not even to anyone, and drove for several hours alone, heading north from Jiangzhou to City B.

Upon arriving near Su Mu Company, he neither got out of the car nor made a phone call. He simply drove aimlessly around and around that unfamiliar neighborhood. Hurried figures flashed by, but his gaze unconsciously searched, hoping to catch a glimpse of that familiar figure at some corner or intersection.

He didn't even dare to actually go to Su Mu.

Jiang Ran was afraid that once she saw him, all the long-suppressed and surging longing in her heart would burst forth like a flood, and she would be unable to control it anymore.

Jiang Ran was afraid that her presence would disrupt Su Mu's hard-won new life and cause him distress.

So, he could only wander alone like a timid voyeur, in the place closest to and farthest from Su Mu, and then, with a heart full of bitterness and emptiness, he would drive back alone in silence.

All those longings swallowed alone and the careful restraint, the impulses repeatedly chewed over and forcibly suppressed in the dead of night, those seemingly calm days that were actually turbulent undercurrents—at this moment, all of them have transformed into the force that embraces the person in my arms, a force that almost melts us together.

Jiang Ran lowered her head, buried her face deeply in Su Mu's neck, and rubbed against him forcefully, her voice muffled: "We're such fools."

Jiang Ran felt that today was a lucky, fulfilling, and memorable day. The person she was holding in her arms, the ring on her wrist—everything felt like a beautiful, almost unreal dream.

Su Mu was held tightly in his arms. He thought he wouldn't cry, but his eyes still welled up uncontrollably, and his vision became a little blurry.

He sniffed, raised his hand, and gently patted Jiang Ran's back. His voice was slightly nasal, but he tried to sound relaxed as he said, "You haven't cried yet, have you? Come on, let's take our first family photo together."

As he spoke, Su Mu stepped back slightly from Jiang Ran's embrace, picked up the camera that Jiang Ran had just put down, skillfully set the timer to take a picture, and then quickly ran to a nearby spot, found a suitable angle, and placed the camera securely on the windowsill.

Su Mu adjusted his and Jiang Ran's positions, so that they both stood in front of the hanging photos and flower backdrop. Jiang Ran's hand naturally rested on his shoulder, while her other hand intertwined with his, their two brand-new rings gleaming in the sunlight.

"Crack".

The crisp click of the shutter captured the moment.

This is their first official photo together, and also the first photo of the family of three.

After taking the photos, Jiang Ran seemed to remember something, raised her hand to touch her face, and blinked: "Strange, why don't I seem to have any allergic reactions today?"

Su Mu also felt a little strange, but the two of them were quickly overwhelmed by the overwhelming feeling of happiness, which dispelled their small doubts.

Jiang Ran raised their clasped hands, examining the simple band ring on his ring finger repeatedly. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it, his heart bubbling with joy. He couldn't help but lean in and gently touch Su Mu's cheek with his ring-wearing hand, his voice filled with undisguised pride and curiosity: "Mu Mu, how did you know my size? So accurate?"

Su Mu muttered to himself, "I'll secretly take your measurements while you're asleep tonight."

Jiang Ran imagined the scene and couldn't help but give Su Mu a loud kiss on the cheek: "I'm so happy I can hardly breathe."

Su Mu: "Do you need me to give you CPR?"

Jiang Ran nodded immediately: "Yes, we need to."

Jiang's parents, who had gone out to enjoy some time alone, knew that their two children were indeed happy.

Because their family group chat was full of photos sent by Jiang Ran.

There were close-ups of the two of them holding hands with rings on their fingers, and photos of the flowers and photo wall in the room from various angles and under different lighting. There were at least a hundred photos, as if he couldn't express even a fraction of his excitement without showing the ring and his happiness at that moment from all angles.

The family group chat was bombarded with photos, and Jiang Ran was about to face public judgment. Fortunately, the next moment, Jiang Ran wisely sent out a series of generous red envelopes, which were scattered like flowers from the sky. The accompanying message was simple and direct: "Receive red envelopes, share the joy, and stop talking nonsense."

The relatives, who had initially intended to condemn the couple, were immediately flooded with blessings such as "Thank you, boss!" and "Wishing you and your wife a long and happy marriage!" The atmosphere instantly shifted from condemnation to universal celebration.

Aunt Jiang Ran: Our young master Jiang has returned from the countryside! He finally has a proper status!

Jiang Ran was in a good mood and didn't mind her aunt's teasing. Instead, she followed up on the conversation and formally sent a message in the group chat, her tone serious.

"Dear elders, brothers and sisters, I will be visiting you all soon, accompanied by my beloved Su Mu. To avoid any intrusion, I have included a set of visiting tips. Please take a look when you have time."

The list included Su Mu's preferences, precautions such as not being overly enthusiastic or preparing spicy food, and a general schedule for the visit.

Immediately, the four eldest members of the family—grandparents and maternal grandparents—replied succinctly in their characteristically mature and steady tone.

Grandpa: Received.

Grandma: I know, I'll definitely take care of myself.

Grandpa: Hmm.

Grandma: Okay, we'll be waiting for you.

Once the elders expressed their opinions, there was naturally a chorus of agreement and anticipation from below.

That evening, when Jiang's parents returned home right on time after their romantic getaway, Jiang Ran was still basking in the afterglow of immense happiness.

Jiang Ran asked in surprise, "Mom, I don't think I had much of an allergic reaction today. Do you think it's because these are tears of happiness, and they're different from regular tears? They don't trigger allergies?"

Jiang's mother: "…………"

Jiang's father and mother exchanged a glance. Jiang's father said, "Sometimes I really suspect that he was switched at birth."

Jiang's mother shook her head: "I won't talk about it, I won't talk about it."

Ever since Jiang Ran was confessed to and given the ring, Su Mu noticed that she was no longer as insecure as before.

He is now in a different state, an almost inflated, unwavering confidence emanating from within.

As if overnight, his latent possessiveness and desire for control found the most reasonable and legitimate outlet, and were amplified infinitely.

Confidence is a good thing, but along with it, Jiang Ran started thinking more and more recklessly.

For example, right now, the two of them are snuggled in bed, Jiang Ran is holding him, her fingers lightly stroking his obviously protruding belly, when she suddenly leans close to his ear: "Mu Mu, when you liked me in college, did you ever fantasize about me? You said you slept with me before, how did you want to sleep with me?"

Su Mu: "…………"

Su Mu refused to answer and tried to push Jiang Ran's face away from where she was too close.

Jiang Ran wasn't annoyed. She just smiled and hugged him tighter, looking smug as if she knew the answer even without him saying it. Then she started to gossip about the details without any restraint.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Su Mu's baby is already over six months old. As the pregnancy progresses, the changes in her body become more obvious. If she wears slightly thinner, more fitted clothing, her protruding belly forms a rounded arc when she bends down, even somewhat obstructing her vision, making it difficult to see even her toes.

Therefore, Su Mu usually tries to choose loose and comfortable clothes.

Over the weekend, as planned, Jiang Ran, along with Su Mu, her parents, and Jiang Ran's parents, first visited Jiang Ran's grandparents' home.

Before retiring, Grandpa Jiang was a soldier. He is still in good health and has a vigorous spirit. He speaks with a strong voice and his eyes are sharp yet kind.

Grandma was a gentle and elegant retired teacher. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes were covered with fine wrinkles, making her look especially kind.

Jiang's father is the eldest son in the family, with a younger brother, Jiang Ran's second uncle, and a younger sister, Jiang Ran's aunt. Today is a family gathering, and in addition to Jiang Ran's family, her second uncle's family is also here, making it a very lively occasion.

Jiang's mother had discussed Su Mu's pregnancy with her grandparents beforehand. Although the two elders were somewhat surprised, they were mostly delighted and accepting, and their attitude towards Su Mu was very kind and friendly from the beginning.

Jiang Ran is the eldest among his grandchildren. He has a cousin named Jiang Hu from his second uncle's family. Jiang Hu has just started working this year. He also has a cousin named Jiang Mo, who is at a lively and playful age and will be graduating from university this year.

Jiang Mo's eyes lit up as soon as he saw Su Mu, and he grabbed Jiang Ran's arm, saying, "Brother, we really are siblings. Our eye for people is exactly the same! Perfect sniping."

She turned to Su Mu with a grin and asked, "Brother Su, do you have any brothers or sisters as good-looking as you? Can you introduce me to them?"

Jiang Ran immediately shielded Su Mu behind her, raised an eyebrow, and said with a hint of warning and smugness, "Don't be delusional. Su Mu is an only child, the only one in the world. He's already mine. If you say you have another one, where do you put your older brother? You won't be blessed like this."

Jiang Mo scoffed and made a face.

Before lunch, Grandpa Jiang told his young and strong grandchildren to go to their vegetable garden behind the house and pick some fresh vegetables. Although Jiang Ran was reluctant to leave Su Mu's side, she obediently went with him.

Because of his physical limitations, Su Mu was kept in the house by his grandmother for a chat. She pulled him to sit in a sun-drenched wicker chair and talked on and on, asking about his health and his preferences, her tone full of concern.

After chatting for a while, Grandma took out her phone and handed it to Su Mu: "Mu Mu, save your phone number for Grandma. In the future, if you need anything or want to chat with Grandma, you can call Grandma anytime. It's always convenient for Grandma."

Su Mu quickly took the phone: "Okay."

He skillfully entered his phone number, saved it, and even dialed it to check the caller ID on his phone.

But the phone lay quietly in his pocket.

Su Mu paused for a moment, thinking it was a signal problem, and then redialed using his grandmother's phone.

There was still no response.

A bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart. He asked his grandmother to give him her number.

Grandma read it aloud slowly.

Su Mu took out his phone, opened the call log and blacklist, and sure enough, in that long list of blocked numbers, he saw the string of numbers that his grandmother had just read out.

Su Mu: "…………" He wondered why Jiang Ran had so many phone numbers before. It turned out that Jiang Ran had even borrowed his grandparents' phone numbers.

-

A note from the author:

Next chapter: Relatives line up to be pulled out of Xiao Mu's phone blacklist.

Jiang's father: ...He only inherited my good looks, but he didn't have a single bit of wisdom.