Chapter 60: I was unexpectedly fed a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

Chapter 60

Are you satisfied?

Jin Ran could only say that she was extremely satisfied.

She ended up wearing the string of iridescent white aurora pearls around her neck.

For this reason, she specially asked Mrs. Lin to customize several cheongsams.

Mrs. Lin's clothing store is still under renovation. In addition to its function as a clothing store, it also serves as a daily design office. Jin Ran visited it once in between. Although it was not yet completed, the exquisite and ingenious overall layout was already evident.

Upon hearing that Jin Ran wanted a cheongsam, Mrs. Lin asked her for her measurements.

For garments like cheongsams, even the slightest error can lead to disastrous results. Jin Ran understood this, so after inquiring about the required size, she asked the housekeeper for a measuring tape.

But when she actually started doing it, she found that it was still quite difficult for her to do it alone. For example, although she could wrap a soft measuring tape around herself, she couldn't guarantee that the tape measure on the back was flat, and the measured bust size was 92.

Well, although she has a pretty good figure, it's definitely not that exaggerated.

After busying himself in the dressing room for half a day without getting anywhere, Jiang Mingxu, who was passing by, stopped in his tracks.

Perhaps he was too tired, because Jiang Mingxu had been resting at home for the past few days since returning from his business trip to Z country. He stood at the door and asked, "Do you need my help?"

Jin Ran quickly shook her head; she was too embarrassed to let Jiang Mingxu measure her bust size: "No need, but could you call Xiao Chen for me?"

Jiang Mingxu's gaze swept over her flushed cheeks, he nodded, and then went downstairs to call Xiao Chen over.

After Jin Ran, with Xiao Chen's help, finally took all the measurements Mrs. Lin needed, she came out of the dressing room, her fair face no longer flushed.

Jiang Xuli's somewhat anxious voice came from the study next door.

"You were the one who promised to let me go back to my hometown!"

Compared to the boy's exasperation, Jiang Mingxu's tone remained relatively calm: "Is the premise that you have to get into the top ten in your class, or do you already think you can't do it before the results are even out?"

Jiang Xuli choked. He wasn't really confident about getting into the top ten. He had thought his father would relax the requirements because he had been studying diligently during this time, but now it seemed that his plan had fallen through.

"Who said I can't do it? I just came to remind you because I was afraid you'd forget," he stubbornly retorted.

Jiang Mingxu glanced at his son, who was almost as tall as him, and could easily see through his thoughts. Perhaps he was recalling his own childhood, or perhaps he was feeling a rare sense of responsibility as a father. He softened his tone and said, "Even if you don't believe in yourself, you should believe in the people who are helping you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuli was stunned.

For a long time, the relationship between father and son was tense and on the verge of conflict. He was used to arguing with his father, and when he suddenly heard his father say something that sounded like encouragement, he didn't know how to react.

But Jiang Xuli immediately guessed who the person Jiang Mingxu was referring to was the one who helped him.

Then, his expression became quite uncomfortable.

Jin Ran could have stayed out of this bet between the father and son, just like when she first came to the house, complaining and then watching the fun from the sidelines. But this time, she went to great lengths to tutor him, sending him materials and finding him a teacher.

Although she always said it was an equal exchange, Jiang Xu Liming said it that way on purpose to save face for him.

Thinking of the woman's smiling eyes, he looked away and said, "I understand."

At the door, Jin Ran tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb the time the father and son spent together.

The rift between father and son is not formed overnight; it has been there for a long time and cannot be eliminated overnight. But at least for now, they have both reached out and tried to touch that long-frozen temperature.

In the evening, the family of three enjoyed a seafood feast.

The ingredients were air-freighted from Country Z: salmon, king crab, Arctic cod, and deep-sea lobster. Under Chef Wang's masterful hands, they were transformed into plates of delicious, visually appealing, and fragrant dishes.

Jin Ran loves to eat shrimp, but she doesn't like peeling them. Looking at the table full of fragrant grilled prawns, her hands, which had just been manicured, were itching to peel them, but in the end she sighed and reluctantly gave up.

Her manicure costs five thousand!

This scene was noticed by Jiang Xuli, who was sitting next to him.

Remembering what his father had said, Jiang Xuli silently put on disposable gloves and then peeled all the shrimp in front of him without saying a word.

Don't let his dislike of shrimp fool you; he's incredibly skilled at peeling shrimp, and soon a small mountain of shrimp shells piled up in front of him.

Without saying a word, he simply pushed the peeled shrimp meat aside. Jin Ran, who was regretting not being able to enjoy the food, looked at the suddenly appearing plate full of shrimp meat with a surprised expression and blurted out, "You peeled this for me?"

Jiang Xuli kept a straight face and said, "Actually, I peeled it for myself."

Jin Ran chuckled and decisively pulled the item in front of her, like a bird guarding its food: "I don't care, it's mine now."

She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, then suddenly frowned: "It tastes good, but it seems to have a slightly strange flavor."

Jiang Xuli's heart tightened, and she quickly asked, "What does it taste like?"

"Hmm, it smells like someone's concern."

Jiang Xuli: "..."

Unsurprisingly, Jin Ran noticed the boy's bright red ear tips. She had long since discovered that this seemingly cool high school student actually had the softest heart and was particularly prone to blushing.

Just as she was about to say something to tease him, another whole piece of shrimp appeared on the plate. Looking up, she saw Jiang Mingxu calmly withdrawing his hand: "I don't like it either."

Jin Ran: "?"

What's going on? My luck is just too good today!

Believing that she shouldn't refuse free food, she smiled modestly, looking quite embarrassed: "In that case, I'll reluctantly share the burden with you."

After saying that, Jiang Mingxu, sitting across the table, didn't look away. Instead, after she ate the shrimp, he casually asked, "Does it taste good?"

Taste? What tastes like?

Jin Ran seemed a little confused by the question.

It wasn't until she saw Jiang Xuli's speechless expression that she suddenly realized what was going on, and then she praised him without reservation: "Hmm, the shrimp you peeled also had a strange taste."

Jiang Mingxu finally looked away with satisfaction and continued peeling shrimp.

Seeing this scene, Jin Ran secretly smiled to herself.

I never expected that the father would be so competitive with the son.

In any case, with two free helpers, the meal went very well, and Jin Ran even took a touching photo and posted it on her WeChat Moments.

The caption was particularly irritating: "I just learned today that shrimp are born without shells!"

Before long, Xu Zhen came running, drawn by the scent.

【Huh? Why do all the shrimp I eat have shells?!】

Jin Ran replied to Xu Zhen: [I guess I have two certified shrimp peelers working for me (laughs while covering mouth)]

Xu Zhen: […I was suddenly forced to eat a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection)]

Looking at the delicious-looking seafood in the photo, even though she had never seen many of the dishes before, she knew without a doubt that they must be fresh seafood that had just been caught from the sea and airlifted by helicopter. Compared to that, what was she, who compared prices at three different stores when buying ice cream? Was she poor?

She couldn't help but exclaim: "I never imagined that President Jiang is such a doting husband in private, oh and little Jiang too, he's definitely a doting mom-lover!"

Jiang Xuli replied to Xu Zhen: [...]

Unfortunately, the two adults ignored the underage child.

Jin Ran questioned her friend: "What, am I not worthy of being pampered?"

Xu Zhen: [It's absolutely worth it! If I could marry such an outstanding and beautiful wife, I'd spoil her rotten too!]

In the eyes of a best friend, even if her friend marries the only fairy in the sky, it would still be a case of the friend being lucky to be married!

[Haha, by the way, there's still a lot of seafood left from Jiang Mingxu's trip. Send me your address and I'll send you a box.]

What else could Xu Zhen say?

She could only shed tears of emotion while eagerly sending her address, afraid of missing out on her best friend's treat.

During dinner, Jiang Xuli received a notification in the class group chat, requiring students to return to school the next day to collect their report cards.

Upon receiving this news, he performed a live-death act.

Despite having made solemn promises to his father, he couldn't help but feel nervous at this moment. Jin Ran comforted him, "You've been studying so hard, you're bound to improve."

Despite saying that, Jiang Xuli was still a bit listless. After finishing her meal and saying goodbye, she went up to the third floor with a droopy head.

Jiang Mingxu remained in the living room without moving. Seeing Jin Ran put down her chopsticks, he invited, "Want to go for a walk?"

Jin Ran thought for a moment, and since she didn't seem to have anything else to do, she readily agreed: "Okay, it'll help with digestion."

The two changed their clothes and went out.

Tonight will be a bright and sunny night.

Looking up, there were no clouds in the sky, and the stars twinkled. The Jiang family villa was very large, with a large lawn in front of it, which shimmered softly in the moonlight. After walking around for a while, the two returned to their starting point and sat down directly on the grass without taking any cushions.

In today's society, amidst the daily hustle and bustle, such tranquil moments are truly rare. The evening breeze and the chirping of cicadas fill the air, and unknown insects hum and sing. As Jin Ran listens, her eyelids gradually grow heavy. Just as she is about to doze off, Jiang Mingxu's deep voice suddenly comes from beside her.

“In recent years, Xiao Li has actually wanted to go back to W City.”

Jin Ran suddenly came to her senses.

When she came out of the villa, she noticed that Jiang Mingxu seemed to be preoccupied. She thought he would remain silent as usual, so no matter how curious she was, Jin Ran did not speak.

Everyone in this world has their own secrets, just like her, just like the original owner, just like the strangers you pass by on the street.

Jiang Mingxu may have guessed it, but she never pressed for details, and she respected his opinion in return.

However, he wanted to say that she was also willing to sit down and act as a perfect confidante.

Following the direction from which the sound came, Jin Ran slowly moved around with small steps, wrapped her arms around her legs from the front, rested her chin on her knees, and made a listening gesture.

She gazed at the man's blurred figure in the wind, then asked, "But you haven't agreed yet, is it... because of your ex-wife?"

This was the first time the two had discussed their relationship. There was curiosity involved, and there was also a sense of testing. Jin Ran didn't know why she asked the question, and she was even slightly worried that the other person's answer would not satisfy her.

Especially when Jiang Mingxu didn't speak, but instead looked down at him.

Those eyes were silent and calm, yet they held emotions that were impossible to decipher.

She probably didn't realize that her eyes were sparkling with excitement as she asked the question, almost as if she were wearing gossip on her sleeve, but she was also a little cautious for fear of touching on other people's sore spots.

Jiang Mingxu smiled faintly.

The two gazed at each other as if time had stretched out infinitely.

After a long pause, Jiang Mingxu finally answered, "Yes, but not entirely."

He took a cigarette out of his pocket, but didn't light it. He just held it between his fingers, the faint smell of tobacco mixed with the coolness of mint.

“My parents died early. I moved around to several relatives’ homes when I was young. When I was ten, I moved out and lived alone. They were probably happy about it, and the relationship between the two sides gradually faded. Later… we had some conflicts, and the relationship got even worse. They were mostly afraid of me.”

Fear, dread, and also disgust, contempt, and hatred.

Thinking of this, Jiang Mingxu's expression revealed a hint of mockery.

Jin Ran didn't notice the man's expression, but she understood the subtext: "Are you afraid that Xiao Li will be bullied when she goes back?"

"Um."

This time, Jiang Mingxu admitted it.

One painful memory after another churned in my throat, but I finally swallowed it down whole, as if my bones were being crushed.

What he didn't say was that in the years after he first left W City, those people had actually used children as bait on several occasions. If it weren't for what happened later, and him rushing back overnight to take the children away, those people might have actually succeeded.

Of course, with bodyguards around, Jiang Mingxu wasn't worried about Jiang Xuli's safety, but rather about something else.

"So, if possible, I'd like to ask you to come along this time."

In the darkness, Jiang Mingxu turned to the side, moonlight casting dappled patterns of light under his lowered eyelashes, his voice deep and hoarse: "Xiao Li... trusts you very much."