Chapter 43 I Just Love Hearing You Praise Me
Do you want to see my father?
Jiang Sui leaned closer to Ji Jingyu, asking for his opinion as if she were acting first and asking for his consent later.
They are now standing where they can see the entrance to the residential area.
A halo of orange light spilled from the slightly open window of the guardhouse, casting an irregular outline on the dark ground, like a monstrous maw lurking in the corner, waiting to devour every passerby.
A rare, chaotic ripple appeared on Ji Jingyu's usually indifferent and calm face.
His thin lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.
The sudden silence made Jiang Sui belatedly realize that her autocratic approach might have been too presumptuous for Ji Jingyu.
“You’re my best friend, and you’ve taken such good care of me, so I wanted to let Dad meet you.” Jiang Sui tugged at his sleeve and shook it slightly. “I’m sorry, Brother Ji, I’ll definitely ask for your opinion first next time.”
After a few seconds of pause, she said somewhat dejectedly, "Then you can go up first. Thank you for coming down with me. If my mother asks, I'll still need you to cover for me."
"I'm not angry with you." Ji Jingyu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he looked at Jiang Sui's porcelain-white wrist with a dark expression. "I'm just a little surprised."
Jiang Sui stared intently at him with her clear, bright eyes, as if trying to determine whether what he said was true.
"I'm really not angry."
Ji Jingyu lowered her eyes to meet her gaze, and gave a reassuring smile.
The curve of his lips was very slight, a very faint smile, but he was handsome, and even the slightest smile gave him a clear and outstanding charm.
Jiang Sui breathed a sigh of relief and said half-jokingly, "You know what? Jiang Deyu said he's afraid you'll get angry, but I don't like seeing you angry."
A question that seemed to come out of nowhere prompted Ji Jingyu to instinctively ask, "Why don't you like it?"
Jiang Sui stared at him for a long time with her big, dark, clear eyes, then suddenly smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes, "I don't know, I just don't like it."
Ji Jingyu is not Jiang Deyu.
He could read the unspoken meaning in Jiang Sui's words.
Her hands, hanging by her sides, suddenly clenched into fists. Ji Jingyu asked her, "Are you sure your father wants to see me too?"
"I'm sure. You're so good to me. If things weren't so difficult today, he would definitely have treated you to dinner."
"Then let's meet."
Ji Jingyu couldn't help but be curious about the person who raised Jiang Sui and was her closest blood relative.
A gentle evening breeze swept by, and the rustling sound of branches swaying and colliding masked the unease in his words.
—
Xunning is not a city with dazzling lights at night.
Once a certain point in time has passed, the entire town seems to have been brought to a standstill.
Even if there is any noise, it will quickly return to silence.
If fate hadn't taken a wrong turn, someone like Jiang Yunzhao might never have set foot in such a place in his entire life.
But at this moment, Jiang Yunzhao was eager to return home.
Because the two most important people in his life were there.
A black car was parked next to the bus stop at the entrance of the residential area, and a tall and slender figure was leaning against the car.
The surroundings were empty; there wasn't a single person in sight.
Ji Jingyu heard Jiang Sui's breathing gradually become more rapid.
She walked faster and faster, and eventually even started jogging.
Completely unaware that the distance between herself and Ji Jingyu was widening.
The person standing next to the car opened his arms to her from a distance.
Soon, Jiang Sui was gently pulled into someone's arms.
Jiang Sui couldn't help but whine to Jiang Yunzhao, "Daddy, I miss you so much."
"Daddy misses our babies very much too."
If it weren't for his trip abroad to discuss cooperation, Jiang Yunzhao would have come to see Jiang Sui long ago.
This is the first time in all these years that they have been separated for such a long time.
Standing under the dim streetlights, Jiang Yunzhao's gaze never left Jiang Sui.
Jiang Sui even turned around halfway through so that he could see more clearly.
To outsiders, President Jiang is cold-hearted and ruthless, but at this moment he is just an ordinary father, whose heart and eyes are full of his daughter.
As he looked at her, Jiang Yunzhao felt a lump in his throat. "Does Sui Sui not sleep well at night? Why does she have dark circles under her eyes?"
Jiang Sui resembles him and Su Yinian; their skin is fair and thin, making even the slightest trace of a mark stand out.
"No," Jiang Sui shook her head, her fair fingertips lightly tracing her lower eyelid as she spoke. "It must be from staying up late reading these past few nights."
Jiang Yunzhao silently swallowed back the question, "Is it because you miss your father?" He missed the slight smugness in Jiang Sui's tone amidst his disappointment.
He almost pleaded with her, "No matter how good the extracurricular books are, you have to take care of your health. Listen to your father, Sui Sui. From now on, we'll save these books for the daytime, okay?"
As for whether Jiang Sui plans to watch it during class or after class, Jiang Yunzhao will not interfere with her.
As long as she's happy.
Jiang Sui: "..."
"The books I'm referring to are textbooks."
Jiang Sui spoke to Jiang Yunzhao word by word, her tone filled with shame and anger.
Now it was Jiang Yunzhao's turn to fall silent.
He wouldn't have believed it at all if Jiang Sui hadn't said it herself.
Jiang Sui looked at Jiang Yunzhao and said, "I've made up my mind. I'm going to study hard and try to get into a good university."
She spoke with such seriousness that she could have been the one leading the oath at the 100-day countdown rally.
Any parent who heard this would be moved to tears.
But Jiang Yunzhao's expression suddenly turned panicked as he remembered the phone call filled with Su Yinian's anger.
Did your mother say something to you?
Jiang Sui was spoiled by Jiang Yunzhao.
From childhood to adulthood, he never said a harsh word to her.
Even though Jiang Sui was careless and casual in his studies, Jiang Yunzhao didn't think it was a big problem. He was no longer the Jiang Yunzhao who was always controlled by others.
His daughter doesn't have to follow in his footsteps and can do whatever she wants.
Before Jiang Sui could speak, Jiang Yunzhao seemed to have already concluded that Su Yinian had said something to her.
“Sui Sui, don’t take what your mother says too seriously. She’s just being strict because she loves you so much. Your mother just wants Sui Sui to grow up to be a better person.”
Finally, as if he had made up his mind, he said, "Dad will have a good talk with Mom. You don't need to force yourself to do things you don't like."
Jiang Sui was not unaware of the outside world's evaluation of Jiang Yunzhao.
He has become increasingly ruthless and decisive in his actions, showing no mercy, even surpassing his father Jiang Zhenkai in his prime.
But in Jiang Sui's heart, he has always been the best father in the world.
She took Jiang Yunzhao's arm and said, "My mother didn't say anything to me; it was my own decision to change."
Hearing her say that, Jiang Yunzhao was stunned at first, and after two seconds he rubbed his face hard with his hands. "Sure enough, children can only grow up better with their mothers."
Looking at Jiang Sui, who seemed to have been reborn, he almost burst into tears again, "If only Dad could have found Mom sooner..."
"Don't overthink it, I've just suddenly started to have a brain."
Jiang Yunzhao was taken aback by Jiang Sui's seemingly nonsensical words, and his melancholy mood came to an abrupt halt.
"By the way, where's Mom?"
Even though he knew it was impossible, his gaze still involuntarily drifted behind Jiang Sui.
There was nothing there.
As expected.
“Mom is preparing lessons at home.” Jiang Sui blinked, her voice brimming with excitement. “Although Mom didn’t come, I brought a friend.”
—
When Ji Jingyu saw the father and daughter looking at her simultaneously in the distance, her Adam's apple bobbed nervously.
Afraid of disturbing their conversation, Ji Jingyu deliberately chose to stand in a quiet corner.
Jiang Sui waved to him and called out, "Brother Ji."
The intimate and natural tone made Jiang Yunzhao raise an eyebrow slightly.
Perhaps feeling that such a greeting was too casual, Jiang Sui let go of Jiang Yunzhao's arm and jogged back to Ji Jingyu's side.
Her eyebrows and eyes were filled with an irrepressible smile. As she did countless times before, she took Ji Jingyu's sleeve and led him forward.
"I'll take you to see my father."
Ji Jingyu has already met him.
He guessed that Jiang Yunzhao had just come from a meeting.
Dressed in a suit and tie, with his hair combed back, revealing sharp and angular features, coupled with his tall and slender figure, he exuded an air of nobility and arrogance.
Ji Jingyu had always thought Jiang Sui looked like Su Yinian, until he saw Jiang Yunzhao and realized that Jiang Sui actually looked more like her father.
It's not just their appearance; both father and daughter possess an inherent pride and arrogance.
The father, who was originally gentle and loving, immediately changed his demeanor after discovering that there were outsiders present.
Jiang Yunzhao's gaze toward Ji Jingyu contained a sense of oppression and aggression typical of someone in a superior position.
—
Jiang Yunzhao calmly observed the approaching young man.
They had never met before, but Jiang Yunzhao knew him very well.
She has excellent grades, is good-looking, and is a popular figure at school.
Su Yinian and Jiang Sui both liked him very much.
Jiang Yunzhao even knew that he had a fan support group, which was full of girls who liked him.
This is all thanks to Jiang Sui.
It's unclear when it started, but other names besides Su Yinian gradually began to appear in what was originally the father-daughter time.
The one who appears most frequently is the boy standing in front of him at this moment.
Even though Jiang Yunzhao has a very discerning eye, he has to admit that the boy in front of him is indeed very good-looking and has a clean and unrestrained temperament.
What's most remarkable is that she didn't show the slightest fear even when he was scrutinizing her like that.
It's important to understand that many middle-aged people don't necessarily have this kind of courage.
Intelligent, composed, and neither arrogant nor humble.
This is the impression Ji Jingyu left on Jiang Yunzhao.
—
Jiang Sui had run away from Su Yinian without his knowledge, and even with Ji Jingyu covering for her, she couldn't stay outside for too long.
Jiang Yunzhao didn't slowly open the car door and get in until the two children were completely out of sight.
"Let's go back."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Xu Ze nodded. "Okay, Mr. Jiang."
The Maybach sped along the highway back to Licheng, with lush trees and dappled sunlight streaming through the windows.
The scene was exactly the same as when they arrived, but Jiang Yunzhao's delicate brows were instantly filled with coldness and ferocity.
He had no desire to return to that cold, impersonal home in Licheng.
His home is wherever Jiang Sui and Su Yinian are.
"Xu Ze." Jiang Yunzhao leaned back in the back seat, his eyes slightly closed, and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "What do you think of that child?"
He asked the question as if it were a casual remark, without any hint of bias.
Xu Ze was sitting in the car at the time, so he naturally saw Ji Jingyu.
“With a friend as clever and shrewd as her, it’s no surprise that she makes good friends,” Xu Ze replied flawlessly. “However…”
Jiang Yunzhao paused, his voice low and hoarse, "But what?"
"Didn't you notice that this child looks a lot like someone?"
Like a person?
Jiang Yunzhao opened his dark eyes, his fingers interlaced against his legs. Their gazes met in the rearview mirror. "Who?"
Xu Ze naturally wouldn't beat around the bush with his boss, "Like Miss's former classmate, Yu Chen."
Before Jiang Sui went to Xunning, Xu Ze often saw this classmate Yu Chen.
So when he first saw Ji Jingyu, he felt that the other person looked very familiar.
Jiang Sui doesn't have many friends.
Yu Chen was one of them.
Jiang Yunzhao was worried that Jiang Suichu might not adapt well to Xunning, so he specifically asked her if she needed her friends to transfer to Xunning No. 2 Middle School to accompany her.
Jiang Sui refused.
Moreover, during this period, Jiang Yunzhao never heard Jiang Sui mention this person again.
He thought it was just a squabble between children.
The faces of Ji Jingyu and Yu Chen appeared in Jiang Yunzhao's mind at the same time.
"They do look quite alike." He gave a cold snort with an ambiguous meaning. "Rather than saying Ji Jingyu resembles Yu Chen, it would be more accurate to say he resembles Yu Juncheng."
Yu Juncheng is Yu Chen's father.
This man made his fortune through his father-in-law. Although his abilities were average, he was honest and upright.
Otherwise, Jiang Yunzhao wouldn't have allowed Yu Chen to get close to Jiang Sui.
Ji Jingyu.
Yu Chen.
Yu Juncheng.
Is it a coincidence?
Jiang Sui and Su Yinian both trust Ji Jingyu so much. If he's alright, that's fine, but if he is...
"Go check."
Jiang Yunzhao's face appeared somewhat gloomy and dark in the dimly lit car.
"Understood," Xu replied in a low voice.
—
The neighborhood was quiet under the cover of night; only the footsteps of Jiang Sui and Ji Jingyu could be heard on the path.
"A lot of people at my previous school actually disliked me."
Perhaps because she had just broken up with Jiang Yunzhao, Jiang Sui was feeling down, which also brought back some unpleasant memories.
Ji Jingyu didn't speak, but Jiang Sui knew he was listening.
Everyone knows that Jiang Sui doesn't like studying and acts arrogantly and unreliably, but whenever there are any outstanding awards or important competitions at school, she is always the first to be chosen.
It was as if as long as Jiang Sui nodded, the school could fabricate an impeccable resume for her out of thin air.
Jiang Sui doesn't want that.
She never covets things that aren't hers.
But some people are still not satisfied.
"Pah! What's so great about Jiang Sui? If it weren't for her powerful father, who would take her seriously!"
"I really hope her family goes bankrupt tomorrow, then let's see how she can still be so arrogant?"
Jiang Sui remembered clearly that this was the person who had just advised her to give it a try. After hearing her refuse, he looked regretful, but then turned around and changed his attitude completely.
But right after she said that, everyone around her agreed with her.
At the time, Qin Beibei comforted her, saying that these people were just jealous of her excellence.
Looking back now, Qin Beibei said comforting words to her, but in reality, she was just like those people.
Jiang Sui thought she had long forgotten about these things.
On such an ordinary evening, she found herself remembering everything.
Ji Jingyu stopped and met Jiang Sui's gaze. Her dark eyes, as bright as cold stars, were lowered, and there was a unique gentleness in the darkness. "Forget those words. You are fine."
"Brother Ji, you're actually terrible at praising people."
If it were someone trying to curry favor with her, they wouldn't be so poor in their vocabulary.
“But,” Jiang Sui winked at him and smiled brightly, “I just love hearing you praise me.”
The author's note: The group is full of girls who like him.
Father Jiang: [Shocked!] My dear son, why were you in there too?
Sui Sui: ... [Looking up at the sky]
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