Chapter 83: The Sweet Aftermath
Zhou Sanjiang didn't take Su Jiaojiao to any high-end places.
Instead, he took her back to his old house.
The courtyard of the old house was filled with gardenias, which were in full bloom and exuded a wonderful fragrance.
Jiang Yi put on an apron, went into the kitchen, and soon brought out a table full of dishes, all of which were Su Jiaojiao's favorites: sweet and sour pork ribs, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, strawberry daifuku, mango sago pudding...
Su Jiaojiao's eyes widened in amazement. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of pork rib, and put it in her mouth. The sweet and savory sauce melted in her mouth, so delicious that her eyes narrowed.
"Is it good?" Jiang Yi sat across from her, looking at her tenderly.
Su Jiaojiao nodded, her mouth stuffed full:
"Delicious! Chef Jiang's cooking skills are getting better and better!"
Jiang Yi smiled, reached out to wipe the sauce from the corner of her mouth, and spoke gently.
"I'm glad you like it. I'll cook it for you every Wednesday from now on."
After dinner, Jiang Yi sat with Su Jiaojiao on the swing in the yard. He gently pushed the swing, holding a book in his hand, and read to her softly. A warm breeze blew by, and the fragrance of gardenias filled the air. Su Jiaojiao leaned against the swing, listening to Jiang Yi's gentle voice, and gradually fell asleep.
Jiang Yi gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, his eyes filled with doting affection. He gently stopped the swing, took off his coat, and draped it over her.
Gu Yanchen has the most free time.
He would take Su Jiaojiao to his studio.
She sat beside him and watched him paint.
Su Jiaojiao would lean on the table, chin in hand, watching Gu Yanchen's hand holding the paintbrush, sketching her likeness stroke by stroke. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the drawing paper and on them, creating a warm and beautiful scene.
Sometimes, Gu Yanchen would put down his paintbrush, walk to her side, hug her from behind, rest his chin on the top of her head, and speak gently:
"Jiaojiao, look, this is how you are in my heart."
Su Jiaojiao looked at the drawing of herself on the paper, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
My heart is filled with sweetness.
Sometimes, they would snuggle on the sofa together and watch an old movie. Gu Yanchen would hold her, peel sunflower seeds for her, and feed her fruit, his eyes full of love.
On Fridays, Lin Xingche is always full of energy.
He would take Su Jiaojiao to the amusement park, ride the roller coaster with her, ride the carousel with her, and eat cotton candy with her. Su Jiaojiao sat on the carousel, watching Lin Xingche stand below, waving at her, smiling like a child. Sunlight shone on him, outlining his young and handsome features. Su Jiaojiao's heart was filled with youthful joy.
In the evenings, they would go to eat at roadside stalls together—barbecued skewers, spicy hot pot, stinky tofu…
Lin Xingche would hold the charred, fragrant meat skewers to her lips, watching her eat with glistening oil on her face and her eyes sparkling.
"Sister, is it delicious? I'll bring you again next time!"
Su Jiaojiao nodded, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Delicious!"
Friday night's dinner for four is the liveliest time of the week.
Lu Jinyuan will bring top-quality red wine, Jiang Yi will cook for them, Gu Yanchen will bring his newly painted paintings, and Lin Xingche will bring his newly bought trinkets.
The four of them sat around the dining table. Although they occasionally bickered over whose food Su Jiaojiao picked up, the atmosphere was mostly warm and cozy.
Su Jiaojiao looked at them, her heart filled with happiness.
She never imagined she would have this kind of life.
She was cherished by four outstanding men, loved, pampered, and protected by them.
Perhaps, this model is not absurd.
This is her own unique sweetness.
After dinner, Lu Jinyuan would hold her hand and stroll around the manor; Jiang Yi would make her a cup of honey water and watch her drink it; Gu Yanchen would sit with her in the courtyard and watch the stars; Lin Xingche would tell her funny stories from school, making her laugh out loud.
It was late at night. Su Jiaojiao lay on her soft bed, listening to the wind outside the window, a sweet smile on her lips.
She knew that these days would continue indefinitely.
Because she loved them, and they loved her too.
This love, absurd yet sweet, obsessive yet tender, is the most precious treasure belonging to the five of them.
…
But beautiful moments are always fleeting. The warm lingering feeling among the five of them hadn't even had time to dissipate when a call from an unknown number, like an icy dagger, instantly shattered this sweet illusion.
The moment the call connected, instead of a familiar voice, a rough, harsh male voice came from the other end, accompanied by a faint sob:
"Su Jiaojiao, if you want to save your best friend Li Meng, come to the abandoned steel factory in the west of the city alone. Don't call the police, and don't tell anyone. If you dare to try anything funny, you can just wait to collect her corpse!"
…
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