Chapter 24 Jiang Ran cried from pleasure last night.
Jiang's parents were incredibly hospitable.
Su Mu instinctively grabbed Jiang Ran's arm beside him.
Jiang Ran steadily supported him.
However, the big moves on the other side of the screen didn't stop there; after Jiang's father, it was Jiang's mother's turn.
"And also, Mumu," Jiang's mother's voice was still gentle and warm, "After hearing about it, Grandma specially went to the old temple to make a pure gold peace lock for you and the baby. It is said that it was blessed by a master. As for you, Grandma has also prepared a gift, a pair of jade ruyi with very good water content, with a good meaning. I will give them to you together with the gift."
Su Mu nodded: "...Mhm."
She felt that wasn't enough: "You don't need to worry about anything after the baby is born. Mom will take care of everything. As for the child's schooling, whether to choose a bilingual kindergarten or go directly to an international private school, Mom has already started looking at school district housing. Jiangzhou and City B are both fine, it depends on where you prefer, you don't need to worry at all."
Su Mu: "...Mmm."
With each word she spoke, Su Mu's fingers tightened around Jiang Ran's arm.
Jiang Ran: "Mom and Dad, don't scare Su Mu."
Jiang's mother smiled apologetically and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mumu. Look at me, have I said too much? We were just too excited. After we found out about this, your father and I have been doing our homework like crazy, afraid that we might not have prepared well enough and neglect you and the baby."
Su Mu: "...No, nothing."
Not at all.
Doing homework? Su Mu felt like Jiang's parents were testing him, their son-in-law—or rather, their daughter-in-law, whatever—as if they were afraid he wouldn't pass muster and be rejected.
Su Mu sighed: With parents like these, even if Jiang Ran really grows up to be a lump of... well, you know, there will probably be people who think she's delicious and fight over her, right?
Jiang's father cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses: "Well, your mother is just impatient and thinks too far ahead. But if you want to have a wedding, you can let me know in advance."
He raised his hand and touched his slightly protruding belly, which was a result of his age, with a hint of embarrassment: "I need to lose some weight in advance so that I look better on camera."
When Jiang's mother heard her husband say he wanted to lose weight in advance, she seemed to have found a new direction for his "homework": "Yes, yes, before the wedding, I will also get a facial and take good care of myself. Mumu, you can come with me if you want. Who says men can't take care of themselves? I heard that there is a kind of youthful face injection recently. After getting it, your skin will be tight and bright, and you will look ten years younger."
Jiang's father, who was listening nearby, disagreed: "Don't believe in that nonsense. All that needles and injections are just chemical agents injected into the face. How risky is that? What if your face doesn't turn out well and instead becomes stiff, unable to smile or even cry? And then there's the risk of drug poisoning. It's not worth it."
Jiang's mother was dampened by the cold water, glared at Jiang's father, and curled her lip: "How could that be? So many people are doing it, you're just afraid that I'll be too young then, and standing next to you will make you seem unworthy of me."
Jiang's father was clearly immune to such accusations. He pushed up his glasses and even put on a smug look: "How could he not be good enough? Most of my son's good qualities are like mine, have you forgotten?"
These words successfully made Jiang's mother choke.
After all, it was Jiang's mother who was attracted to Jiang's father's good looks.
She looked Jiang's father up and down on the screen a few times, and bluntly exposed him: "Look at yourself now, your belly is almost showing, and you still have a long face all the time. Where is your youthful appearance? And you still have the nerve to say that your son looks like you?"
Seeing that the conversation was about to veer into the usual bickering between the couple, Jiang Ran spoke up in time: "Stop, Mom and Dad, is there anything else you want to talk about? Mu Mu is a little tired."
Jiang's mother quickly composed herself, abandoning her bickering with her husband. She looked at Su Mu with an incredibly warm smile: "Mu Mu, from now on, we'll be entrusting our Jiang Ran directly to you."
Su Mu responded almost instinctively: "...Mmm."
Wait... what did he just promise?
"I'm handing my Jiang Ran over to you now."
He nodded.
Su Mu turned his head and saw Jiang Ran's face, which was full of "I'm yours now," and he actually saw a bit of shyness in it.
Su Mu: "…………"
Jiang's mother: "Mumu, although our Jiang Ran has a bit of a strange temper, sometimes she can be so stubborn that nothing could pull her back. She's also quite picky, picky about what she eats, picky about what she wears, and picky about where she sleeps. She's also a bit petty, holds grudges, and sometimes she's extremely proud..."
Jiang Ran, on the other side of the screen, couldn't help but speak up: "Mom..."
In fact, Su Mu didn't notice these shortcomings at all, because Jiang Ran seemed even less particular than him now. If it weren't for her face, she would have completely become a member of Phoenix Village.
Jiang's mother changed the subject: "However, Jiang Ran still has many good qualities. For example, he is very obedient and filial. He remembers everything we say. He is tall, has a good figure, and is strong. He gives people a sense of security. As for his appearance, you can see for yourself. He will definitely not embarrass you if you take him out."
Jiang Ran: "…………"
Su Mu thought, "Isn't this a good way to save face?"
After Jiang's mother finished speaking, Jiang's father solemnly concluded: "Mumu, although today's video meeting is indeed not very formal and a bit rushed, apart from not achieving much in his career and being barely able to support himself, we have taught and given him everything we could."
"From now on, the two of you should live a good life together. Support each other and be considerate of each other."
That's a simple statement.
Su Mu nodded, moved.
Jiang Ran listened from the side, and he reasonably suspected that his parents had come specifically to expose his shortcomings: "...Mom and Dad, if there's nothing else, we'll hang up now."
Jiang's mother: "Mumu, get some rest and take care of yourself. We'll talk again next time."
After a reluctant farewell, the video call finally ended.
Jiang Ran had just breathed a sigh of relief and was about to complain to Su Mu about his parents' behavior today when he heard Su Mu say with a mix of emotion and gratitude, "Jiang Ran, your parents are so wonderful. No wonder they raised you so well."
Jiang Ran reached out and pulled Su Mu into her arms: "It's only right that I treat you well."
He gently placed his hand on Su Mu's lower abdomen through her clothes: "I will only treat you better, you are carrying our baby now."
Su Mu was held in his arms, and the hand covering his lower abdomen was warm and present, soothing his skin through the thin fabric.
A strange warmth, a mixture of shyness and a sense of being cherished, spread along that point of contact, causing his ears to uncontrollably begin to heat up.
Su Mu instinctively wanted to avoid such intimate touching and protested softly, "...Don't touch me."
Jiang Ran was indignant upon hearing this: "Why? Why can't I touch the baby? Didn't you just tell my mom that you wanted me?"
Su Mu's face turned completely red. From his ears to his neck and cheeks, a blush like rouge spread across his cheeks. He conceded, "...Okay, then touch me."
Jiang Ran looked at his face, which was flushed red, and he was both embarrassed and ashamed, yet he obediently gave in. The sense of pride and satisfaction in her heart was almost overflowing.
Su Mu could actually sense that Jiang Ran was holding back.
Sometimes when we sleep at night, even through two layers of pajamas, we can feel each other's physical changes; their presence is so strong that it's impossible to ignore.
In addition, Jiang Ran is indeed the type who looks slim in clothes but has muscles when undressed. She usually looks thin, but the muscle lines in her arms and abdomen are very clear. She has a figure that shows she has maintained a good exercise habit for many years, and her physical strength is also amazing.
……………………
He remembered one time, about half a month ago, he woke up in the middle of the night and heard that Jiang Ran's breathing next to him was strange.
It wasn't the long, steady sleep one experiences.
You could imagine what Jiang Ran was doing even with just a hair's breadth of vision.
Su Mu froze, not daring to move, and pretended to be asleep with his eyes closed, but his cheeks burned uncontrollably.
He could guess what Jiang Ran was doing.
Perhaps it's because she's been enduring so much hardship. But Jiang Ran is indeed quite good at pretending; her cheerful and optimistic demeanor during the day completely belies her true nature, and this is only possible under these circumstances...
Su Mu felt that she should be more understanding of him, and besides, she also really wanted to.
Thinking of this, Su Mu's face flushed even more, and he stammered, "...Well, after the last check-up, didn't the doctor say that it would be fine after four months if things stabilized?"
His words came out of nowhere, and his voice was so soft that Jiang Ran didn't react for a moment. She subconsciously asked, "Huh? What's okay?"
Su Mu was practically driven mad with anger, or perhaps mortified, by Jiang Ran's slow reaction. Wasn't this person usually quite shrewd? How could she be so incredibly stupid about something like this!
Su Mu uttered those three tongue-twisting words: "...It can be done."
Jiang Ran stopped moving her hand that was covering Su Mu's lower abdomen. Her mind went blank, as if countless fireworks were exploding at the same time, making her dizzy and her blood rush to her head and then rush to her limbs.
Can it be done?
Su Mu said...it can be done?
"Is...is it really possible?"
Su Mu: "...Gently."
Jiang Ran nodded: "Yes, yes, I know, I will, I will be gentle, I promise."
Jiang Ran felt as if he were floating on clouds, enveloped in an immense, unreal happiness, and he was dizzy.
Jiang Ran, having received approval, was as if he had been injected with a powerful stimulant. He first hugged Su Mu, incoherently confirming several times, "Is it really okay?" "Are you sure?" After receiving Su Mu's embarrassed and annoyed nod and a low scolding of "Aren't you annoying?", he suddenly let go, sprang up from the bed, and his movements were so fast that they created a gust of wind.
"I'll go get ready!"
Su Mu knew exactly what he was preparing and sent him a message reminding him to remember to buy...condoms.
The body also has needs during pregnancy.
Just thinking about what might happen fills me with a strange, shameful, subtle flutter and longing.
That evening, Su's mother specially prepared several of her signature dishes for dinner. At the dinner table, Su's parents talked the whole time, discussing Grandma's birthday in a few days, the arrangements for the temple fair, and some interesting things happening in the village.
Su Mu picked at the rice in his bowl, keeping his head down the whole time, not daring to look at Jiang Ran sitting opposite him.
Occasionally, when their fingers accidentally touched while picking up food, even if it was just a very brief, fleeting touch, it felt like a tiny electric current was running through Su Mu's body, making her tremble all over, her cheeks uncontrollably burning, and she quickly pulled her hand back, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
That's so disappointing.
As he listened to his parents' rambling everyday chatter, he silently counted down the time in his mind, feeling both nervous and secretly expectant.
The meal left Su Mu feeling uneasy, and each second felt like an eternity.
After finally getting through the meal, Su Mu helped clean up the dishes and watched TV with her parents for a while before making an excuse that she was a little tired and wanted to rest early. She then pulled Jiang Ran, who was also restless and had a wandering gaze, back to her room.
Upon entering the room, Su Mu went straight to the bathroom.
The scent of shower gel filled the small space. He looked at his face, which was damp and flushed, in the mirror, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm himself down.
When he finally finished showering, dried himself off, changed into clean, soft pajamas that he had specially chosen, and mustered up the courage to open the bathroom door, he saw Jiang Ran sitting at the desk by the bed, looking unusually serious.
Su Mu's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.
Jiang Ran saw him come out and said, "Mu Mu, I've made up my mind. I must turn over a new leaf. I was wrong before. I was too rough and inexperienced. All my steps were wrong. So, until my skills improve, I can't do 'that' with you for the time being."
Su Mu: "…………"
Jiang Ran seemed oblivious to his stiff expression. She turned and picked up her tablet from the bed. The screen was still lit, displaying several open web pages and PDF documents with titles such as "Pregnancy Safety Guide (Intimate Relationship Edition)," "Beginner's Guide: How to Make Your Partner More Comfortable," and "Detailed Explanation and Precautions for Sex Positions"...
It was colorful, illustrated, and even included notes and highlighted annotations.
Jiang Ran pointed to the study materials: "Look, I'm studying now. These are all authoritative materials I found. I need to thoroughly understand the theory first, then combine it with practice, uh, do some simulation exercises... before I can..."
Su Mu asked incredulously, "...How long will it take you to study?"
Jiang Ran thought about it seriously for a moment, counting on her fingers: "I feel like it'll take at least a few days, right? I need to read through all this material, repeatedly understand the key parts, and also, um, practice the techniques and rhythm in private..."
His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, and his cheeks became increasingly red.
Su Mu looked at him, at the tablet in his hand with its screen still lit up, filled with all sorts of embarrassing headlines, and then thought back to her own tense and secretive anticipation in the bathroom just now.
He silently turned around, walked to the bedside, lifted the blanket, and buried himself completely under it.
"Mumu? What's wrong? Are you tired?"
Su Mu buried his face in the blanket and mumbled, "...You go study."
Jiang Ran, however, seemed to have received a top-level order. She immediately perked up, nodding vigorously, her voice filled with excitement and determination at being entrusted with such a great responsibility: "Yes, Mu Mu, don't worry, I will definitely not let you down. I will study hard, and once I've mastered my studies, I will definitely..."
He was too embarrassed to continue.
Su Mu pulled the blanket up even higher; she really had found a stupid husband.
That night, Jiang Ran actually held the tablet computer and "studied" it under the desk lamp until midnight.
He looked even more serious than when he was preparing for the college entrance exam.
Two days later.
During the day, everything was as usual. Jiang Ran continued to study with his tablet. When his parents saw him occasionally, they would praise him with satisfaction: "Little Jiang is really diligent. He still doesn't forget to work and study now."
Su Mu listened from the side, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
He can't exactly explain to his parents that their future son-in-law is working day and night on something other than a business plan or financial statements, but rather "A Guide to Safe Intimate Relationships During Pregnancy" and "100 Questions on Enhancing Partner Comfort," can he?
Jiang Ran's enthusiasm for learning was at an all-time high, and she would often want to share her insights with Su Mu. She would send Su Mu a text or diagram and say, "Mu Mu, look at this part. It says... Shall we try this? Or, baby, look at this posture. It is said to put the least pressure on the waist and abdomen. What do you think?"
Su Mu said to Jiang Ran, "I saw the news. If you send me these things again next year, the cyber police will trace it back to your IP address, and I'll have to go to the station to bail you out."
Jiang Ran: "…………"
The initial mix of immense anticipation and shy nervousness was diluted and neutralized after Jiang Ran's serious, tech-geek-like academic research.
Su Mu's mindset also strangely shifted from initial embarrassment and helplessness to a more indifferent and composed demeanor.
Anyway, judging from Jiang Ran's attitude, she definitely won't move on to the practical stage until she has thoroughly mastered the theoretical knowledge.
So, two days later, on the evening of the same day, Jiang Ran finally ended her immersive learning session and invited Su Mu to put it into practice.
"Have you finished learning?" he asked.
Jiang Ran nodded.
Seeing his expression, Su Mu yawned slightly and lay down on his side: "Alright, then, you can do whatever you want."
The tone was just like a professor telling a student who has just finished their thesis proposal: Go ahead and try it, see what you can come up with.
Jiang Ran's eyes lit up even more after receiving approval.
Following the first step in the tutorial, I kissed Su Mu's forehead and the tip of his nose very gently before finally placing my kiss on his lips.
…………
Su Mu was initially somewhat nonchalant, but as the kiss deepened, he gradually felt that something was amiss.
Jiang Ran's movements were unexpectedly gentle, patient, and highly methodical.
He could sense that the other person was deliberately controlling their strength, avoiding any potentially uncomfortable areas.
…………
…………
Su Mu's original ease and fearlessness gradually became somewhat hurried.
Then, with that just-right comforting touch, she softened little by little.
The warm yellow light from the desk lamp outlined Jiang Ran's focused profile, with fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead. Her eyes, however, were filled with intense concentration and an almost clumsy, devout obsession.
………………
He was indeed playing freely, but he performed far beyond Su Mu's expectations.
A complex mix of surprise, embarrassment, and a hint of secret pleasure quietly crept into Su Mu's heart.
It seems... Jiang Ran has actually learned something?
This realization was further confirmed by the fact that, in the long nights that followed, as Jiang Ran meticulously put her learning into practice, Su Mu's body and consciousness gradually fell into a strange, gentle, and almost out-of-control vortex of pleasure.
The sense of superiority has long since vanished, leaving only an overwhelming sense of awe and uncontrollable indulgence.
Jiang Ran's learning results are indeed... quite amazing.
Su Mu gave him a passing grade.
It wasn't excellent because a small, unexpected incident happened.
The next day was a sunny morning. Su Mu slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up. His whole body felt like it had been soaked in warm water, soft and pliable, exuding a lazy, satisfied weariness.
He changed his clothes and walked out of the room, his face still flushed from a good night's sleep, his eyelashes moist, and his lips fuller than usual. He exuded a delicate, peach-pink hue, as if he had been carefully watered, like a ripe, juicy peach, radiating an indescribable, languid, and sweet aura.
As soon as he entered the main room, he saw that Jiang Ran had already gotten up and was sitting at the dining table with the breakfast that Su's mother had specially left for him in front of her.
However, what is striking is that Jiang Ran has once again put on those sunglasses that cover half of her face.
Su's mother pulled Su Mu into the kitchen, leaving Jiang Ran alone. She said with a reproachful expression, "Xiao Mu, what's wrong with you? Did you bully Xiao Jiang? Xiao Jiang has a good temper, can't you be more tolerant of him? Look at you, you made him cry again."
Su Mu tried to explain guiltily, her voice barely audible, "I didn't bully him, Mom, don't talk nonsense..."
Su's mother clearly didn't believe it: "You didn't bully her? Then why are you wearing sunglasses? You weren't wearing them yesterday, so you must have been crying again."
Su Mu quickly came up with a solution: "He was watching a melodrama last night and got so moved that he cried. His eyes are swollen, and then he had an allergic reaction and is too embarrassed to see anyone."
Upon hearing this, Su's mother believed it: "Oh dear, is that so? This child is so kind-hearted. She can be so moved by watching a TV series. She must have something in common with your grandmother."
Su Mu: "...Yes, I'll have him have a good talk with Grandma about this topic later."
Actually, the truth is...
Jiang Ran cried from pleasure last night.
Su Mu was also dizzy at the time, and he reached out and groped around, trying to wipe Jiang Ran's tears.
But it didn't work.
Jiang Ran kept saying how comfortable it felt.
-
A note from the author:
Young Master Jiang: A life betrayed by allergies. [Sunglasses][Sunglasses][Sunglasses]
Little Wood: My academically stupid husband.
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