Chapter 80 Chapter 80 I thought you knew

It's snowing in Xunning.

At first, there were only a few scattered drops, occasionally landing on the window. The heat from inside the room quickly turned them into meandering water streaks that dripped down, drawing messy thin lines on the glass.

Half an hour later, the sky turned gray, and the snowflakes began to fall in denser quantities, thousands upon thousands of them. In no time, the entire Xunning was as if it were wrapped in a layer of white gauze.

[@#$%^: It's snowing outside, let's build a snowman together tomorrow. [Big dog playing happily.gif]]

[jsdxb: No, it's too cold. [Politely declined.gif]]

[Gu Ci: Tsk, your names together sound like a couple's name.]

[I don't want to talk nonsense: I'm warning you, don't talk nonsense! If I get beaten up, you're responsible!]

[Gu Ci: Who are we warning?]

[Unwilling to admit Jiang Daoli: I'm sorry, I was wrong. [Big dog bowing.gif]]

[Fanfan is annoyed: That depends on how long the snow lasts, otherwise we won't be able to build a snowman at all.]

"It seems Gu Ci didn't manage to appease Fanfan." Jiang Sui glanced at her phone during a break from her busy schedule. "Fanfan is still feeling down."

"Maybe." Ji Jingyu handed the corrected workbook to Jiang Sui. "You got the last big question wrong. I wrote down the solution here. Try to solve it again."

“Okay.” Jiang Sui obediently did the calculations while complaining, “Hmph, he’s too busy taking care of himself to care about other people’s nicknames. I don’t know whether to say he has a good attitude or he doesn’t care about Fanfan at all.”

After Jiang Sui finished complaining, Ji Jingyu asked, "Are you thirsty?"

He shouldn't have mentioned it, because once he did, Jiang Sui really did feel thirsty.

"I made some rock sugar pear soup, shall I go pour you some?"

Jiang Sui looked up, feigning ignorance, "Why did you decide to cook this? Was it because you heard me cough?"

She really liked the rock sugar pear soup that Grandma Ji made, but gradually, the person who made the soup for her became Ji Jingyu.

It has a sweet and refreshing taste, even better than what Grandma Ji cooks.

Even if Ji Jingyu didn't say anything, Jiang Sui knew that he had learned it specifically for her.

He told Jiang Sui not to like him, but in reality, Ji Jingyu did everything he could to make Jiang Sui's heart flutter.

How can a person be so contradictory?

Jiang Sui couldn't understand it.

Ji Jingyu never answered Jiang Sui's questions directly. He gently moved his chair back and stood up to prepare rock sugar pear water for Jiang Sui.

Jiang Sui stopped there, saying, "Brother."

Ji Jingyu paused, feeling unusually lost, and unconsciously tugged at her trouser leg with her slender, pale fingers.

Since New Year's Eve, whenever they are alone together, Jiang Sui calls him "brother".

"Um?"

"Give me more pears." Jiang Sui smiled at him. "I like them."

"Know."

He said "I know" instead of "I understand".

Even if Jiang Sui hadn't reminded him, Ji Jingyu would have done it anyway.

A hazy warmth wafted out, carrying the sweet scent of pears, and Jiang Sui could feel a wave of warmth just from smelling it.

Several pieces of stewed pear floated in the white porcelain bowl, glistening with translucent amber-colored sugar crystals.

The cooking time was perfect; the pear flesh was so tender it melted in your mouth. A sip of the sweet broth warmed you from the tip of your tongue to your stomach, easily relieving the dryness in Jiang Sui's heart.

While drinking pear juice, Jiang Sui glanced at the group chat again and found that Jiang Deyu had sent many messages as if talking to himself.

[I don't want to talk about Jiang Daoli: I glanced at the weather forecast, it says it's going to rain all night.]

[Unwilling to believe Jiang's logic: Holy crap, I feel like there's some noise coming from the apartment upstairs.]

The family living upstairs from Jiang Deyu had become infamous in the area after a series of farces, including the husband's infidelity, the mistress's pregnancy and subsequent attempts to force the wife to remarry, the couple's divorce proceedings, the wife's suicide attempt, and her family members coming to their door to cause trouble.

So one night, the family sheepishly moved away from the Nianhuali residential area.

[I don't want to talk about logic: I was playing games with my headphones on when I vaguely heard a "bang," and I thought I was imagining things. But when I took off my headphones and listened again, there really were footsteps upstairs!]

[I don't want to talk about reason: Could the upstairs apartment be haunted?]

[I don't want to talk to Jiang: Do you think I should go up and take a look? @jsdxb@[Fish] How about you two go downstairs, and I'll go upstairs. Let's meet on the fourth floor.]

"You're the one who's a ghost," Jiang Sui muttered, refusing even to drink the pear juice, and quickly replied in the group chat: [Is it possible that someone bought that apartment and just moved in today?]

[Unwilling to reason: That's impossible! Everyone says the upstairs apartment has bad feng shui, who would be so foolish as to buy it!]

[jsdxb: You really match your nickname now.]

[Don't want to reason with me: Are you saying I'm unreasonable? [Big dog frowning.gif]]

[jsdxb: The person who did wrong is clearly a person, but you insist on blaming it on the house. Don't you find that ridiculous?]

[I don't want to talk about Jiang's logic: It seems to make sense, but I still have to go up there.]

[jsdxb: Why?]

[I don't want to reason with them: The noise upstairs is too loud, all that banging and clanging. Even if I don't go now, my parents will go up and argue with me when they get back.]

[jsdxb: Don't go. I just need to go downstairs for something, and I'm just reminding you.]

Jiang Deyu hesitated. After all, Jiang Sui was a girl, and what if she wasn't a reasonable person?

[Fish]: I'll go with her.

Jiang Deyu was completely relieved.

Okay, then I'll leave it to you two.

—

"Is that your uncle who moved in downstairs?"

Although her tone seemed questioning, Ji Jingyu clearly already had the answer in her heart.

"Hmm." Jiang Sui hadn't intended to hide this from Ji Jingyu, since she would need his help to cover it up later. "My dad moved here secretly; my mom didn't know."

With the two most important people in his life staying in Xunning for the New Year, Jiang Yunzhao naturally had to come along.

Even if he could only steal a few glances in the end, he would be happy with it.

"I'll call my dad."

Jiang Yunzhao came to Xunning alone.

On the one hand, it's almost Chinese New Year, and Xu has been busy with him all year, so he needs to take a break.

On the other hand, Su Yinian disliked his spoiled attitude when they were dating. If she knew that he came to Xunning with a group of servants with him, she would definitely be angry.

More importantly, Jiang Yunzhao wanted to clean their home himself.

He disliked the mess in the house and was worried that Su Yinian would find out, so he forbade Jiang Sui from going over, saying that he could handle it by himself.

But judging from the current situation, it seems unlikely that it can be resolved.

The call was answered quickly.

Jiang Yunzhao's voice sounded a little hoarse, "What's wrong, baby?"

"Dad, please be quiet, you're disturbing the neighbors downstairs."

"Okay, Dad got it."

"How's the room being prepared? Can I come over now?"

"Well……"

Three large, open suitcases lay across the living room, their contents scattered all over the floor, looking chaotic and messy, as if even the air itself felt cramped.

He overestimated his efficiency. What he thought was one thing, but what he actually did was another. After all this time, he had only finished half of it.

“Honey, come over tomorrow.” As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yunzhao couldn’t help but cough a few times, his voice becoming increasingly hoarse, “Daddy hasn’t finished packing yet.”

Jiang Sui frowned. "Why are you coughing?"

"It's nothing, it's probably just because of the cold wind," Jiang Yunzhao muttered softly on the other end of the phone. "Xunning is colder than I imagined."

The wind made his head buzz, and he still feels a chill down his back.

"I guess I was thinking I might run into my mom, so I deliberately dressed too lightly to look cool."

Jiang Yunzhao understands Jiang Sui, and Jiang Sui understands him in return.

It's obvious that the peacock's display of its feathers failed. After all, before Jiang Yunzhao came to Xunning, Jiang Sui had reminded him many times to wear more clothes.

Jiang Yunzhao glanced guiltily at the crisp, peak-lapel suit and overcoat hanging on the coat rack, cleared his throat, and feigned composure. "I didn't, I didn't, don't talk nonsense."

“What’s so hard to admit? I was the same way back then,” Jiang Sui comforted her naive father. “Who wouldn’t want to leave a good impression on their mother?”

However, both father and daughter were frail and delicate.

Jiang Yunzhao's symptoms of acclimatization seemed more pronounced than Jiang Sui's; he started coughing again before he could even finish a few words.

Jiang Sui couldn't sit still any longer. She hastily covered the documents and was about to leave.

"Wait a minute." Ji Jingyu called out to Jiang Sui, went into the kitchen and poured the remaining rock sugar pear water into a thermos. "Take this to Uncle Jiang."

"Sometimes I really suspect you've installed a surveillance camera on me. How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"Uncle Jiang is new here and may not be able to prepare medicine."

As Ji Jingyu spoke, she took out several medicines from the medicine box, then marked the dosage and frequency on sticky notes. After confirming that everything was correct, she put the medicines in a bag and handed them to Jiang Sui.

—

"This is a cold medicine powder. Do you have hot water at home?"

"I think so."

The father and daughter's eyes fell simultaneously on the electric kettle not far away. Jiang Yunzhao rubbed his nose and said, "I'll boil it right now."

Jiang Sui took out the medicines that Ji Jingyu had prepared one by one, "These are cold medicines and fever reducers. If you really catch a cold, take them according to the instructions on the packaging."

Watching Jiang Sui calmly fetch his medicine, Jiang Yunzhao felt both gratified and moved, saying, "Our Sui Sui has really grown up; she can take care of people now."

"Oh, right, I also brought some rock sugar pear water." Jiang Sui opened the thermos, and steam rose from it.

Looking at Jiang Sui's overjoyed face, Jiang Yunzhao felt a lump in his throat and his eyes reddened for some reason. "This...you cooked this?"

"No, this is..."

Jiang Yunzhao's eyes widened in surprise, and he stammered, "Could it be...?"

He dared not utter the answer, the name, for fear that everything before him was merely a mirage.

Jiang Yunzhao carefully scooped up a spoonful of pear juice and put it into his mouth with great care, almost reluctant to swallow it.

After all these years, he finally tasted it again...

"Brother Ji cooked it especially for me."

After Jiang Yunzhao swallowed the pear juice in his mouth, Jiang Sui calmly gave the answer, "Isn't it super delicious?"

Jiang Yunzhao: "..."

Okay, okay, all that excitement for nothing.

The poor kid was speaking in such a breathless manner that it made him dizzy with anger.

Did Ji Jingyu make it?

He clearly has ill intentions, so he won't eat it!

Jiang Yunzhao pushed the thermos away and sneered, "Heh, it tastes awful!"

“It’s just the two of us here, so please stop being hypocritical.” Jiang Sui put the spoon back into Jiang Yunzhao’s hand. “Drink up, it won’t taste good when it’s cold.”

Well, even the medicine was prepared by Ji Jingyu.

Recalling his comical state of almost crying with emotion just now, Jiang Yunzhao felt his head throb even more.

However, the calligraphy is quite good, with a strong sense of style.

It must be admitted that Ji Jingyu's cooking skills are indeed quite good.

After drinking the rock sugar pear water, Jiang Yunzhao felt much better.

The pear juice, carrying the fragrance of pears, seeped from my throat into my chest and abdomen, spreading to every part of my body, finally warming my body after being chilled by the cold wind.

—

The snow continued to fall.

A layer of snow, not thin, was piled on the branches directly opposite the window, rustling in the howling north wind.

The father and daughter sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the mess on the floor.

For a moment, I had absolutely no idea where to begin.

"Why don't you go back first? Dad can pack up the rest later."

"Two people are always faster than one person, right?"

Sitting idly wasn't a solution, so Jiang Sui stood up and decided to unpack one of the suitcases first.

Just then, her phone, which was on the coffee table, suddenly lit up.

[Fish]: Do you need any help?

This person definitely installed a surveillance camera on her.

Jiang Sui held up her phone, her eyebrows curving into a beautiful smile, "Dad, my savior has arrived."

Jiang Yunzhao's mind went blank for a moment. "Why did I call him here? I can't get along with this kid."

Jiang Sui pretended not to hear.

"Wait, how did he know I was here? Did you tell him?"

"Brother Ji is so smart, I don't need to tell him. He figured it out himself."

“Okay,” Jiang Yunzhao changed his mind, “let him come.”

Ji Jingyu is about to kidnap his precious daughter, so what's wrong with asking him to help clean the house?

Jiang Yunzhao was self-righteous and at ease.

A few minutes later, someone rang the doorbell.

Jiang Sui cheered and ran to open the door.

"You've finally arrived."

"Hmm." Ji Jingyu stood at the door with a gentle expression, holding cleaning tools in her hand.

"It's cold outside, come in quickly."

Jiang Sui grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house.

"Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Yunzhao sat upright on the sofa and nodded slightly to Ji Jingyu as a greeting.

"He who eats another's food is bound to him," and since Ji Jingyu's thermos was still on the coffee table in front of him, Jiang Yunzhao naturally couldn't bring himself to kick him out. However, he felt rather resentful that this kid had already gotten there before even Su Yinian had set foot in the house.

Jiang Sui had no idea that her father was experiencing a mix of emotions. She looked at Ji Jingyu with trust and said, "Brother Ji, you assign the tasks. Dad and I will listen to you."

"Hey, what are you saying!" Jiang Yunzhao almost jumped up. "Sui Sui, what you said is ambiguous. I am your father, not his father."

Jiang Sui frowned. "Then how should I say it? Chinese is my weakest subject to begin with. Dad, you're just making things difficult for me and nitpicking."

“You should have said ‘me and my dad.’ Of course, I might not listen to him,” Jiang Yunzhao corrected. “Besides, Dad thinks you’re pretty good at Chinese; you just used two idioms.”

Jiang Sui was speechless. She turned to look at Ji Jingyu and pursed her lips somewhat embarrassedly. "I'm sorry, but fatherly love is always blind."

After all, even though she was at the bottom of the class, Jiang Yunzhao still thought she was the smartest kid in the world.

“I agree with what you said, Uncle. You used those two idioms very correctly, both in context and in meaning.”

After saying this, Jiang Yunzhao's gaze towards Ji Jingyu changed, and he inexplicably felt a sense of mutual appreciation.

"Right? That's a great use of the idiom." Jiang Yunzhao said earnestly, "Is it possible that it's not that your Chinese is bad, but rather that those Chinese teachers themselves have limited abilities?"

"..."

Jiang Sui clenched her fists awkwardly, thinking that this was really enough.

This is what you call not being able to connect?

If they keep talking, these two could co-author a book called "The Complete Collection of Jiang Sui's Rainbow Farts".

"Can't we get down to business?"

"Sure, of course."

Jiang Yunzhao and Ji Jingyu spoke in unison.

—

Ji Jingyu suggested tidying up the bedroom first, and Jiang Sui naturally agreed, grabbing a broom and rushing into the bedroom.

Jiang Yunzhao grabbed a mop and followed behind her, shouting, "Dad will sweep it himself, don't do it."

Having witnessed the whole process, Ji Jingyu couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth. He finally knew who Jiang Sui inherited her cuteness from.

"Dad, did you bring the divorce certificate?"

"I brought it."

This is the key to getting in the door; Jiang Yunzhao would rather lose himself than lose it.

“Dad not only brought the divorce certificate, but also picked out a few photo albums of you when you were little. Mom will definitely want to see them.”

There is a room in the Jiang family villa specifically used to store photos and videos of Jiang Sui from childhood to adulthood.

Jiang Yunzhao has been grateful more than once that he recorded every moment of Jiang Sui's growth.

That way, when he reunites with Su Yinian, he can proudly tell her that he has raised their baby very well. And Su Yinian won't have to feel guilty for missing Jiang Sui's growth; she will always be the best mother in the world.

"A photo album?" Jiang Sui darted to Jiang Yunzhao's side, her gaze fixed on Ji Jingyu. "I was so cute and pretty when I was little, do you want to see it?"

Before Ji Jingyu could answer, Jiang Yunzhao quickly hid the photo album deep inside the wardrobe. "This is for your mother. No unauthorized people should touch or look at it."

Jiang Sui pouted, returned to Ji Jingyu's side, and whispered to him, "I know you want to see it, I'll find a chance to sneak it out for you to see."

Jiang Yunzhao: "...Your dad isn't deaf."

Winter days are short and it gets dark early, so Jiang Sui had to go home for dinner.

"Mom is calling me."

"Okay, then you should go back quickly, don't keep your mother waiting."

"And what about you?" Jiang Sui belatedly realized that Jiang Yunzhao had no food at all, and it was probably difficult to even order takeout on a snowy day. "What are you having for dinner?"

Jiang Yunzhao smiled and reassured his daughter, "Don't worry about Dad, I'll go to the restaurant next to the community to eat later."

Jiang Yunzhao didn't close the door until he could no longer hear the two children's footsteps.

Upon hearing the door close, Jiang Sui seemed to have all her strength drained away as she crashed into Ji Jingyu's arms, her forehead pressed against his warm chest, her fingers gripping his clothes tightly at her sides, so tightly that her knuckles turned slightly white.

"elder brother."

"Hmm?" For the first time ever, Ji Jingyu didn't push her away, but listened to her speak patiently and gently.

"I feel so sad right now." Jiang Sui sniffled and snuggled closer to him, trying to get more warmth.

When she spoke again, her voice was choked with sobs, and her words trembled at the end. "I was so happy because my dad came to Xunning to be with my mom and me. But what's the use? I still can't take him home. I felt so sad and heartbroken seeing him standing alone at the door as I left. But I also feel sorry for my mom."

Jiang Sui's sadness was hidden in her incoherent words, "Why is that? We've clearly not done anything wrong, so why can everyone else have a family reunion, but I can't? Why is that?"

Ji Jingyu placed her hand on Jiang Sui's back and gently patted her, as if comforting a young baby.

"Sui Sui, you have to trust your uncle. Your uncle will handle everything."

"Really?"

"Really, this situation is only temporary."

Much later.

"Okay, I'll trust you this time."

"Um."

Jiang Sui straightened up and looked up at Ji Jingyu with her beautiful face, "Are my eyes red?"

"A little."

Jiang Sui rubbed her eyes, but the more she rubbed, the redder they became. She took a deep breath and said, "Never mind, if Mom asks later, I'll just say that you made me cry."

"..."

"Could you call me 'Sui Sui' one more time?"

"..."

Jiang Sui pouted, as if she was about to cry again.

"Okay." Ji Jingyu finally gave in, his deep, gentle voice revealing a hidden affection and doting. "Sui Sui."

As if hooked, Jiang Sui pinched her tingling earlobe, then went a step further, "Call me that when no one's around."

—

After sending Jiang Sui back, Ji Jingyu returned to Jiang Yunzhao's house again.

When Jiang Yunzhao opened the door and saw it was him, he didn't seem very surprised. He stepped aside and gestured for Ji Jingyu to come in.

Holding two boxes of wrapped dumplings, Ji Jingyu got straight to the point, "Beef dumplings, you should eat these, right?"

Jiang Sui loves beef dumplings so much, he guessed Jiang Yunzhao must like them too.

Jiang Yunzhao didn't answer, but instead raised an eyebrow at the other person, "What do you mean?"

"Jiang Sui is afraid of the cold and doesn't go out much, so she didn't know that the owner of the restaurant outside the community went back to his hometown for the Chinese New Year yesterday."

In other words, Jiang Yunzhao's previous statement was a lie to Jiang Sui.

"Surely there's somewhere in Xunning where there isn't a place to eat."

As Jiang Yunzhao said this, he was actually not sure himself, since this was not Licheng after all.

But that was all he could say, otherwise Jiang Sui would definitely be upset.

"Has she already cried?"

"Um."

"Have you appeased them?"

"You've calmed her down."

"That's more like it." Jiang Yunzhao's gaze toward Ji Jingyu was no longer as critical as before.

Jiang Yunzhao knew better than anyone how difficult it was to coax Jiang Sui, and Ji Jingyu's ability to do so was considered a mere beginner's skill.

Do you know how to cook dumplings?

Jiang Yunzhao: "..."

Ji Jingyu took his silence as a sign of no, and without saying anything more, he turned to walk towards the kitchen.

He organized the kitchen and knew exactly where all the kitchen utensils were.

"I will," Jiang Yunzhao said, enunciating each word clearly.

Do you really think he's a good-for-nothing who doesn't do manual labor and knows nothing about farming?

Two tall and slender figures stood in the kitchen.

Jiang Yunzhao poured the dumplings into the boiling water and stirred them gently with chopsticks. "I heard from Sui Sui that you rejected her confession. Why?"

His voice was casual and relaxed, not like he was there to settle scores with Ji Jingyu.

"I thought you knew."

Ji Jingyu slowly raised her eyes, her gaze filled with an unyielding, dark depth.

Author's Note: Here I am! [heart emoji]

Thank you so much for the nutritional supplements, babies! [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see]