Chapter 24 Ge Totti stood at the door, soaking wet.
Half an hour later, the housekeeper came upstairs and asked the couple, "Sir, Madam, what dishes do you need to prepare today?"
In the afternoon, He Yan mentioned that Shen Cen's mother was coming to visit them. It was the first time her mother-in-law would be visiting in person, and she knew Jiang Shiyu would naturally take it seriously. However, she didn't know what Shen Cen's mother's tastes were, and wasn't sure what to prepare.
Jiang Shiyu, who had been looking at Shen Cen, looked up and stood up, saying, "Auntie, please leave work early today. Leave dinner to me."
After hearing this, the aunt took off her apron and said happily, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, sir."
"Your injury hasn't fully healed yet, can you cook now?" After the aunt left, Shen Cen was a little worried. Although Jiang Shiyu's arm was fine when he raised it, cooking was not an easy task. Flipping the wok and stirring the pan required strength, and she was afraid that Jiang Shiyu's injury had not yet healed and that something else might happen.
Jiang Shiyu indicated that it wasn't a big problem, so Shen Cen could only say, "Alright, then I'll help you out."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shiyu smiled, but remained silent, indicating his tacit agreement.
"Oh, by the way, your cooking... is it good?"
Fu Meihua was very strict with everything, and had scolded Shen Cen several times for her poor cooking. She was afraid that Jiang Shiyu, a child who had been pampered since childhood and had everything done for him, would also be bad at cooking, which would leave a bad impression on Fu Meihua.
She still hoped that her "fake husband" would satisfy Fu Meihua, which would save her a lot of trouble.
Jiang Shiyu was clearly confident in his cooking skills, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Don't worry, I guarantee Mom will be satisfied."
The two went downstairs to the kitchen. Jiang Shiyu's family had groceries delivered to their door every day, and they had eaten a simple lunch today, so there was still quite a bit of food left. Jiang Shiyu took several large bags of vegetables out of the refrigerator and then started picking out the vegetables one by one by hand.
He was very efficient in his work. Shen Cen wanted to help, but seeing that he had his own rhythm, she didn't know how to intervene.
"What kind of dishes does Mom like to eat?" Jiang Shiyu suddenly asked.
This question stumped Shen Cen. Since her mother's position had risen higher and higher, she had spent less and less time eating with her mother. Therefore, she couldn't say what Fu Meihua liked to eat, but she could recall two dishes that her mother often cooked when she was a child, and told Jiang Shiyu about them.
"Oh, right." Shen Cen remembered that Fu Meihua had sent her an article on a public WeChat account before, so she took out her phone and found it.
The article was titled "These dishes are a must-eat for your health," and several of them were given to Jiang Shiyu.
Jiang Shiyu nodded: "Understood, leave it to me."
"Then... what do you need me to do?" She drew circles helplessly on the kitchen sink with two fingers.
Jiang Shiyu thought for a moment, "Can you help me wash the vegetables?"
"Can."
Washing vegetables isn't difficult, but it can still help Jiang Shiyu a little.
Shen Cen took the vegetables that Jiang Shiyu had just picked out to the sink and turned on the tap. With a "whoosh," water gushed out. She washed the vegetables one by one and handed them to Jiang Shiyu, who was chopping vegetables on his right.
The whole process didn't actually take long, but Shen Cen felt that time was passing very slowly. She was washing vegetables, and he took the vegetables she had washed, looking like they were enjoying a peaceful moment.
She stole a glance at Jiang Shiyu, only to see the setting sun streaming through the window, casting a golden glow on the man's hair. He was intently chopping vegetables, his knife moving with practiced skill.
Unlike his previous carefree and unrestrained manner, Jiang Shiyu now seemed to have a bit more... a married man's air about him?
Shen Cen was so stunned that he momentarily forgot he was still washing vegetables.
Then, Jiang Shiyu reached out his hand again and found the woman staring at him intently. A smug smile crept across his lips: "What's wrong, Teacher Shen? Are you watching so intently?"
Feeling embarrassed at being caught, Shen Cen immediately looked away, washed the last vegetable in her hand, and handed it over.
Suddenly, the man's hand, holding the vegetables, touched her fingertips. Actually, their hands had touched unintentionally several times before, but it was just a fleeting touch, like a dragonfly skimming the water, before they were separated.
This time, however, the time spent together was significantly longer. Their fingers, like two small snakes, attracted to each other and intertwined, carrying a hint of probing and tenderness.
Whether it was Jiang Shiyu's desensitization theory or not, Shen Cen found that she no longer had such a strong reaction to this kind of skin touch.
Even so, ripples still stirred within my heart, breaking the calm surface of the lake.
But she knew that the turmoil in her heart wouldn't subside just because they had more intimate contact. It would persist because it was a physiological reaction, proof that she was starting to feel a little bit of attraction towards the person in front of her.
The man suddenly released his grip.
The touch on her fingertips was taken away, and Shen Cen didn't react for a moment. Her hand was still in mid-air. Two seconds later, she quickly pulled her hand back, curled her fingers, and clenched them into a loose fist.
After washing the vegetables, Jiang Shiyu didn't ask Shen Cen to do anything else for him.
Shen Cen sat back down on the sofa in the living room and sent Fu Meihua a voice message: "Mom, have you arrived yet?"
Just as the voice message was sent, a white Mercedes-Benz drove into Jiang Shiyu's yard and parked in the garage.
When Jiang Shiyu heard that Shen Cen's mother had arrived, he put the lid on the pot, turned the heat down to low, and strode to the door. He and Shen Cen went to help her with her things.
Fu Meihua had short, curly hair and wore thin-rimmed gold glasses, giving her an imposing yet dignified appearance. She brought quite a few things, mostly supplements for the two young people.
Jiang Shiyu took all the items and said with a smile, "Mom, I'll take them."
Fu Meihua silently scrutinized her son-in-law through her glasses. Jiang Shiyu gave off a refreshing and handsome first impression; he was a gentleman in both his attire and his manners.
Fu Meihua noticed that even the rolled-up cuffs of his white shirt were neatly rolled up, without a single wrinkle. As a doctor who usually pays great attention to details and hygiene, she was very satisfied, and a smile finally appeared on her face.
However, she also felt that Jiang Shiyu looked somewhat familiar. She had a vague sense of familiarity with the wedding photo that Shen Cen had sent her before, but seeing him in person and hearing his voice suddenly seemed to touch the depths of her memory.
However, after thinking about it, she couldn't quite recall it.
Upon entering, Jiang Shiyu served a fruit platter. Knowing that middle-aged and elderly people are more concerned about blood sugar, he specially prepared fruits that are not too high in sugar.
Fu Meihua ate one without worry and thought it tasted quite good: "Xiao Jiang, this fruit is very fresh, where did you buy it?"
"Mom, these were picked from the orchard this morning and brought over. If you like them, I can have some delivered to your home too," Jiang Shiyu said patiently, sitting on the other side of the sofa with his hands obediently placed on his knees.
Seeing him like this, Shen Cen suddenly realized that Jiang Shiyu in front of Fu Meihua was very different from usual. If someone didn't know him, they would think that he was usually a gentle and quiet person.
Thinking of this, she covered her mouth and chuckled secretly.
From the moment Fu Meihua entered until she heard Jiang Shiyu say a few words, she could sense that Jiang Shiyu's family was well-off and that he was a very cultured person. Previously, when she asked Shen Cen about Jiang Shiyu's family, Shen Cen refused to say anything, and Fu Meihua only knew that Jiang Shiyu owned a high-end bar; she knew nothing else.
So she asked Jiang Shiyu, "Xiao Jiang, what does your family do?"
Fu Meihua's question raised Shen Cen's concerns. Aside from his grandmother, Jiang Shiyu rarely mentioned other family members. However, it wouldn't be appropriate for Shen Cen to ask directly, but Fu Meihua, as an elder, wouldn't seem abrupt in asking such a question.
Fu Meihua and Shen Cen both turned their gazes toward Jiang Shiyu.
Jiang Shiyu paused, then smiled and said, "My parents went abroad to do business a long time ago and don't come back to China often. I also have a younger sister who is studying abroad and will graduate this year."
It turned out that Jiang Shiyu's family was mostly overseas. Shen Cen suddenly realized why she had never met Jiang Shiyu's parents and could see that Jiang Shiyu and his grandmother were the closest to each other.
-
Jiang Shiyu chatted with the two for a while, then got up and went to the kitchen to finish up.
After Jiang Shiyu left, Fu Meihua quietly shared her thoughts with Shen Cen:
"I'm quite satisfied with your new partner."
Shen Cen let out a long sigh of relief, "Yes, thank you, Mom."
"I heard you say before that you knew each other back in college?" Fu Meihua changed the subject abruptly, and Shen Cen tensed up, thinking that Fu Meihua had discovered the flaw and knew that he had made it up. His palms were sweating profusely. After all, people unconsciously feel guilty when they lie.
She didn't look directly into Fu Meihua's eyes, and nodded, saying, "Mm."
"Why weren't you together back then? Your previous boyfriend, what was his name... I've forgotten, never mind, I knew he wouldn't do. That kid had no ambition, just like your dad, all he did was sweet talk to you, he never did anything practical."
Speaking of Chen Zhao, Fu Meihua's face was full of disgust. She had met Chen Zhao a few times when Shen Cen was a graduate student and they were together. Fu Meihua had seen countless young people, but she could still see through Chen Zhao's glib tongue at a glance.
However, since Shen Cen kept saying that Chen Zhao treated her quite well, she could only say that she would see how things went.
Later, I heard that Shen Cen and Chen Zhao broke up, and the reason for the breakup was exactly the same as the reason I had divorced Shen Cen's father back then.
Back then, Fu Meihua was promoted quickly at the hospital because of her outstanding work ability and proficiency in writing and publishing papers. Shen Cen's father was already very dissatisfied with her for neglecting her family while always being busy with work. When he heard that she was about to be promoted again, he asked her whether her career or family was more important.
Fu Meihua said that of course her career was important. Shen Cen's father then said that since that was the case, they should get a divorce so as not to delay her career. He originally just wanted to scare her, but he didn't expect Fu Meihua to be so decisive and straightforward, saying that she would get a divorce, but the child had to stay with her.
After she remarried into the Lu family with Shen Cen, she finally understood that those men who told women to take care of their families and give up their careers were actually just incompetent and afraid that women would be better than them, which completely humiliated them.
Uncle Lu's first wife passed away from illness in his early years. Later, he also entered the medical machinery industry and quickly became very successful. He was very supportive of Fu Meihua in pursuing her own career.
"Is Xiao Jiang doing alright in this regard?" Fu Meihua asked.
"Yes, he is quite supportive of me pursuing my career."
She remembered that whenever she was reading a history book on the sofa, Jiang Shiyu would always come over and take a look, and sometimes he would suddenly ask her a few questions in a very serious manner.
When she mentioned Guangyi before, Jiang Shiyu also said in a serious tone that she should do whatever she wanted and not leave any regrets.
Seeing this, Fu Meihua felt even more at ease and looked at Jiang Shiyu in the kitchen. She saw him steadily lift the pot and scoop the food inside onto a plate, his movements swift and efficient.
"In that case, then you should get along well with Xiao Jiang. It's not easy for the two of you to reunite; it's all fate. By the way..."
She paused, then suddenly asked, "You really didn't know each other before university?"
Shen Cen was completely bewildered: "I don't know him."
"Oh, then maybe I'm mistaken."
"What's wrong, Mom?"
"It's nothing. I just felt that Xiao Jiang looked familiar. I've seen him before, but I must be mistaken. I'm getting old, and my memory isn't what it used to be."
-
The dishes were quickly served, a large table full of food that looked very abundant and had a wonderful color, aroma, and taste.
Shen Cen picked up a shrimp in tomato sauce; it tasted surprisingly good, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so delicious!"
Jiang Shiyu smiled, picked up the serving chopsticks and gave one to Shen Cen, then gave another to Shen Cen's mother.
"Mom, you should try some too."
Fu Meihua's gaze fell on the obvious scar on Jiang Shiyu's arm, and she asked, "Xiao Jiang, what happened to the scar on your arm?"
"Mom, he..."
"Mom, I accidentally cut myself, it's nothing serious now," Jiang Shiyu answered before Chen Cen could.
“It looks pretty serious, Xiao Cen. Why didn’t you tell your mother? I could have gotten some ointment from the hospital for Xiao Jiang.”
Shen Cen lowered her eyes and said, "Mom, I asked my brother to send me some. Jiang Shiyu has been using them these past two days."
Fu Meihua felt a lump in her throat. She noticed that when her daughter encountered problems, she always turned to Lu Baichuan, who was far away in Germany, instead of her, who was also in Jingjia. She gave a soft "hmm" and nodded, "That's fine too."
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Jiang Shiyu said, "Thank you, Mom. Xiao Cen just thought you were busy with work and didn't want to cause you any trouble."
Although she knew Jiang Shiyu was just trying to comfort her, Fu Meihua felt somewhat relieved after hearing it. However, since Lu Baichuan was mentioned, Fu Meihua remembered something.
"Your brother is going back to China next month, did you know?"
"Really?" Shen Cen hurriedly put down his chopsticks and looked at Fu Meihua with a face full of surprise.
Why would I lie to you?
"What are your plans after you get back, brother? Go to the hospital? Or go to the company?"
"Aren't you two very close? Why don't you just ask him directly?" Fu Meihua said sarcastically, still not letting go of what had just happened.
Despite her sarcastic tone, she still answered Shen Cen's question, "Your Uncle Lu is planning to let him take over the company."
"So that means staying in Jingjia?" Shen Cen's voice was filled with barely suppressed surprise.
"yes."
Jiang Shiyu remained silent, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them.
From their conversation, he deduced two points:
First, Shen Cen is very close to this half-brother.
Secondly, Shen Cen was looking forward to the return of his half-brother.
He coughed lightly, "Mom, Xiao Cen, the soup in the kitchen is almost ready, I'll go get it."
The two of them didn't mention Lu Baichuan again. After dinner, Jiang Shiyu neatly cleared the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them. Shen Cen offered to help him, but he said no, having more people would only limit his ability to perform.
After washing the dishes, he glanced at the time; it was already past eight. He sat back down on the sofa and asked Fu Meihua, "Mom, how many rooms are there in the house? Shall Xiao Cen and I help you choose one?"
Fu Meihua waved her hand: "I won't disturb your time together."
Jiang Shiyu's attitude was firm: "Mom, how can we feel at ease letting you go back so late at night? There are spare rooms in the house, and they've all been cleaned. Why don't you stay here for the night?"
Shen Cen was also worried about Fu Meihua driving back. She had worked a full day at the hospital and must be very tired now: "Yes, Mom, let's go tomorrow."
"Alright, Mom will go upstairs with you and take a look."
The three went upstairs, and Fu Meihua asked the two of them, "Which room are you two staying in?"
Jiang Shiyu pointed to the innermost room: "Mom, the two of us will stay in this room."
Fu Meihua stood at the door and glanced around. The first thing she noticed was the wedding photo on the table. She said half-jokingly, "Why are all the family photos in the house wedding photos? You two only have this one picture?"
Both of them fell silent.
Jiang Shiyu was the first to react: "Mom, we think this one has the most sentimental value."
"Too."
Fu Meihua finally chose the room furthest from theirs, the one Jiang Shiyu had previously stayed in.
After washing up, it was already past nine o'clock. Fu Meihua said she was going back to her room to read a few articles and that the two of them should also get some rest.
Seeing that Jiang Shiyu was busy working in the study, Shen Cen went back to the bedroom first. After taking a shower, she went to bed and casually picked up a book to flip through.
However, her mind wasn't on the book.
About twenty minutes later, Jiang Shiyu walked in with a "click" as the door opened.
The air was instantly filled with a fresh, pleasant scent of shower gel, mixed with a hint of male hormones.
Jiang Shiyu had just finished showering and stood at the door, still wet. Water droplets, not yet dried, slid down his chin and dripped onto his chest. His white short-sleeved shirt was so wet that it was almost transparent, and the outline of his bulging abdominal muscles could be vaguely seen.
Very alluring.
Shen Cen wanted to touch it.
This idea didn't just pop into her head suddenly. Actually, whenever she saw Jiang Shiyu's abs before, her eyes would be unconsciously drawn to them; those abs were so well-developed and looked great to the touch.
Today, this thought is particularly strong because last night, while playing through the storyline of "Summer Echoes," she managed to touch the male protagonist's abs in the game.
Watching his in-game self trace the male protagonist's V-line with his fingertips, circling and kneading his abs, Shen Cen suddenly wanted to try the feel of abs himself.
Of course, it was just a thought. She wouldn't be bold enough to say to Jiang Shiyu, "Let me touch your abs," that would be too out of character for her!
However, Jiang Shiyu was unaware of Shen Cen's thoughts at that moment. From the moment he entered until now, neither he nor Shen Cen had uttered a single word; the two seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding.
Then, Jiang Shiyu walked straight to the bedside, his gaze lingered on Shen Cen for a second, and suddenly reached out his right hand to touch her fair neck and shoulder.
Shen Cen panicked and immediately snapped out of his reverie about touching his abs.
Things like holding hands and kissing are still within her acceptable range. In fact, she even felt that the passionate kiss they shared in the car today was an exceptionally good experience.
However, she was not psychologically prepared for more intimate actions.
Her heart pounded, her eyelashes trembled violently, and her voice quivered with nervousness:
"Jiang Shiyu, I think..."
"Don't move, there's something on your head."
Jiang Shiyu's hand did not touch her neck as expected, but instead landed on the end of her hair in front of her collarbone, and removed a small, barely noticeable tuft of hair from her hair.
"Ah... thank you."
The heat on Shen Cen's face instantly spread from his cheeks to his ears.
Jiang Shiyu noticed the woman's subtle reaction. He toyed with the fluffy tuft he had just picked, a handsome smile playing on his lips, and lowered his voice to say:
"What does Teacher Shen think I should do?"
As if afraid she wouldn't hear him clearly, Jiang Shiyu spoke slowly and deliberately, enunciating each word distinctly.
"I……"
Shen Cen racked his brains for various excuses, but they were all full of flaws and very clumsy.
She simply stopped talking to Jiang Shiyu, reached out and turned off the bedside lamp on her side, lay down in bed, and covered her head with a corner of the blanket.
"I go to sleep."
To Jiang Shiyu, this series of reactions sounded like Shen Cen was being coquettish. Thinking of this, a gentle smile spread across Jiang Shiyu's face.
About two minutes later, Shen Cen heard a "snap" sound, and the bedside lamp on the other side was also turned off.
The entire room fell dark, making it feel even quieter.
Shen Cen's back was to the other side, so she couldn't see whether Jiang Shiyu was already in bed, whether they were sharing the same blanket, or whether he was leaning against her or facing her.
Unable to calm down for a long time, she turned around gently, only to find that Jiang Shiyu had not gone to bed at all.
She propped herself up and saw Jiang Shiyu sleeping on the sofa in the room.
This is a single sofa, and Jiang Shiyu, who is over 1.8 meters tall, is lying on it, which is obviously cramped.
His two long legs were bent and crossed on the sofa, and his injured arm, perhaps to avoid pressing on it while sleeping, could only be stretched out and rested on the armrest of the sofa.
He kept adjusting his posture, and it was obvious he was sleeping very uncomfortable.
Although he voluntarily chose to sleep on the sofa, giving himself ample space to respect and adapt, Shen Cen still felt a pang of guilt seeing him sleeping so crampedly on the sofa.
"Jiang Shiyu," she called his name softly.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Shiyu turned his face. The bright moonlight shone through the window, as if casting a soft light on the man, making his originally angular face even softer.
She gripped the bed sheet and slowly began to speak:
"Would you like to sleep in the bed?"
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