Chapter 82 All he knew was that he wanted her.

--like.

The word "love" echoed in the room, swirled in my mind, and danced in my heart.

I can't prove I love you right now, so I'll tell you in the simplest way that I love you.

I'll tell you again and again, to make you sure that I truly love you.

Jiang Qingying felt a surge of warmth rise in her heart. It was hard to describe her feelings at that moment. There was a surging joy, because her love was reciprocal. There was a sudden sense of relief, because the mystery that had puzzled her for so long had finally been solved. There was a resolute sense of accomplishment, because when the answer to the mystery was given, it was no longer just a matter of "briefly".

The last feeling is a growing sense of shame.

Actually, when Jiang Qingying suggested that the two of them think separately that day, it wasn't just about Lu Jinyuan; she needed to think too. After calming down, she reflected on herself and felt ashamed; she hadn't done much better.

Jiang Qingying looked up at him, licking her slightly dry lips with her tongue, and said softly, "I've been reflecting on our marriage lately, and I haven't been much better. I seem to have been a bit hypocritical with you..."

Lu Jinyuan listened attentively.

Jiang Qingying paused and opened her mouth again, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Lu Jinyuan raised his voice: "What is it?"

The person outside replied, "The doctor reminded that your wife can go for an ultrasound now."

Lu Jinyuan and Jiang Qingying looked at each other, and Lu Jinyuan said softly, "Let's go get checked out first."

Jiang Qingying nodded.

In the ultrasound room, Lu Jinyuan helped her lie down on the examination bed. The slightly cool coupling gel was applied to her lower abdomen. Even though it wasn't the first time she had experienced such a sticky feeling, she still felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

Lu Jinyuan noticed her slightly twitching eyebrows, and held her hand with his large hand, offering silent comfort.

"The baby is developing very well." The doctor took a screenshot, then moved the instrument to a different position and said with a smile, "Come on, take a look."

Jiang Qingying glanced sideways at the black and gray screen. It was easy to see the baby's shape, but you had to look closely to see the baby's limbs. The little guy on the screen seemed to be swimming.

"Is she moving?" Lu Jinyuan asked.

Doctor: "The baby will make some small movements, like a little fish swimming. However, pregnant women usually can't feel them. Stronger fetal movements will gradually appear after 16 weeks, so pregnant women can pay attention to them."

Jiang Qingxiang seemed to remember something, "I felt a little bit yesterday, but I thought it was just my imagination because it felt like an itch inside my stomach."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter.

Jiang Qingying accidentally made eye contact with Lu Jinyuan for a moment, and seemed to see a hint of regret, or perhaps some kind of longing, in his eyes.

She took it in and lowered her gaze.

After the examination, Lu Jinyuan asked her if she wanted to go back to the Lu residence to visit Su Xi.

Jiang Qingying looked at him quietly without responding.

He explained, "Grandma hasn't been feeling well lately."

Jiang Qingying remained silent.

He compromised, admitting frankly, "Okay, I admit my motives weren't pure."

Jiang Qingying thought for a while, then said, "Go."

She wanted to hear what Su Xi would say to her.

Lu Jinyuan smiled and said to the driver, "To the old house."

-

We arrived at the old house half an hour later.

Jiang Qingying went upstairs to find Su Xi. She had just taken her medicine and couldn't be exposed to the wind, so she sat on the chaise lounge in front of the balcony, basking in the rare sunlight streaming in from outside.

"grandmother."

Su Xi turned her head, saw her, and smiled kindly, waving to her: "Hey, Qingying's here."

Lu Jinyuan moved a stool next to Su Xi and said to Jiang Qingying, "You stay here and talk to Grandma for a while. I have something to do."

Jiang Qingying nodded.

Su Xi held Jiang Qingying's hand, rubbed it a few times, and asked, "How have you been lately? Has the baby in your belly been bothering you?"

Jiang Qingying subconsciously touched her stomach. "No, she's been very well-behaved lately. She just had a check-up today, and the doctor said everything is fine."

Su Xi stared at her barely noticeable belly, unable to look away, and suddenly sighed, "I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to hold her."

Jiang Qingying frowned, her tone of dissatisfaction tinged with coquettishness: "Why can't I!"

"Okay, okay." Su Xi comforted her, touching her little face with the back of her hand. "Grandma will persevere for your sake."

Jiang Qingying: "That's right, Grandma, just eat and drink well, and wait to hold your great-grandson in a while."

Su Xi looked at her closely, then changed the subject slightly: "I heard you've been staying at your mother's house recently?"

Jiang Qingying smiled, her eyes crinkling as she looked at her.

Su Xi felt slightly embarrassed.

“Jin Yuan bribed me beforehand,” Su Xi suddenly confessed. “He said that if I said a good word for him, he would secretly bring me walnut pastries. Qi Cheng wouldn’t let me eat them, otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to him.”

“I saw through his trick long ago,” Jiang Qingying said with a smile. “Go ahead and tell me, I’m listening.”

"When I first met you, I thought you were a smart and intelligent child." Su Xi's expression changed, becoming gossipy. "Has Jin Yuan confessed to you yet?"

Jiang Qingying was taken aback, recalling Lu Jinyuan's words. She looked up and met Su Xi's meaningful gaze. She immediately felt a little embarrassed and stammered a reply.

Su Xi chuckled softly, "Are you happy now?"

Jiang Qingying curled the corners of her lips proudly, "It's alright."

Su Xi saw through it but didn't say anything. "Those words were definitely his own idea. I just gave him some guidance. I heard he even made a draft and memorized it several times."

Jiang Qingying was surprised, "A draft? You even memorized it?"

“Otherwise,” Su Xi said. “He’s meticulous in his work, and when it comes to his wife, he’s even more nervous.”

Jiang Qingying shyly looked away, her heart filled with sweet sweetness.

“Jin Yuan has been a pitiful child since he was young. His parents passed away when he was too young to remember anything, and he was raised by his grandfather. You should know why his grandfather raised him, so you can imagine what kind of upbringing he received.”

“He didn’t experience much love growing up, so naturally he doesn’t really know what love is or how to love others. When he said he wanted to marry you, he tried to persuade his grandfather to cancel the original arranged marriage. But think about it carefully, could you really persuade him so easily just by using your family’s influence and your abilities?”

A question appeared between Jiang Qingying's brows.

Su Xi smiled gently and continued, "It's because he has leverage. He has enough power to contend with his grandfather. Before, his grandfather controlled him, but now his grandfather is actually relying on him. His grandfather has no way to stop him from marrying you."

She explained, "I overheard Shu Yun let it slip before, you and Jin Yuan have known each other for many years, haven't you?"

Jiang Qingxiang, whose prank had been discovered, smiled somewhat awkwardly and nodded, saying, "Yes. So Grandma was trying to say that everything he prepared was for me."

Su Xi thought for a moment, "I'm not really sure either. This child keeps a lot of his emotions and feelings to himself. His emotional detachment is a result of his upbringing, but he's not heartless. He has feelings too, but he doesn't know how to express them or how to understand them. He probably doesn't even know when he started to like you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qingying recalled what he had said that morning.

—It has to be you, no one else will do.

All he knew was that he wanted her.

Jiang Qingying looked up at the kind and gentle old woman, and then thought of the other members of the Lu family—cunning, hypocritical, and scheming—these were practically their defining characteristics. The only kindness Lu Jinyuan could sense likely came from Su Xi.

She tilted her head and smiled, her tone light and cheerful: "Grandma, he made me angry, can't I just ignore him for a while?" Then she added in a coquettish tone: "You don't even speak up for me."

"Why isn't Grandma speaking up for you?" Su Xi glanced at her affectionately. "Grandma has already reprimanded him. Of course, he should be left out in the cold. I just hope you don't misunderstand him too much."

Su Xi patted her head and said, "Don't overthink it. Your health is the most important thing. I believe he will think things through and come back to you. He's an excellent kid, and there's nothing he can't do if he sets his mind to it."

“You should only forgive him when he does something right,” she said. “As a grown man, it’s only right that he tries to please his wife.”

Jiang Qingying laughed out loud, and just as she was about to speak, someone entered through the door and beat her to it.

"Grandma, are you helping me or her?" Lu Jinyuan came in with a fruit platter, placed it on the coffee table, squatted down in front of Su Xi, but turned his head to look at Jiang Qingying. "With your words, my wife will be even harder to appease."

Jiang Qingying narrowed her eyes and said to him in a teasing tone, "If you're hard to coax, then you won't coax me at all?"

“You’re indeed hard to coax, but also easy to coax…” Lu Jinyuan pretended to think for a moment, then said meaningfully, “Do you remember how I usually coax you most effectively?”

Jiang Qingying was stunned for a moment, but quickly remembered that this person had flirted with her in front of her elders!

Jiang Qingying didn't know if Su Xi understood, but she saw out of the corner of her eye that Su Xi was covering her mouth and laughing. The soft sunlight shone on her gray hair, making her look like a young girl experiencing her first love.

She whispered a single word in a very low voice: "Get out!"