Everyone in Peach Village knew that Chen Hongmei’s family was planning to move out. Many people came by daily to ask, “Why are you heading to the big city?”
“What big city?” Chen Hongmei replied, embarrassed. “Our family is just taking advantage of Xiaomo’s summer vacation, with one month left, to go on a trip and travel around.”
To see the great rivers and mountains.
The old lady next door beamed like a flower and, after glancing around to make sure no one else was nearby, leaned in to whisper to Chen Hongmei, “That boy from the Jiang family, is he interested in your Xiaomo?”
He’s been visiting their house often and now they’re all going on a trip together. Chen Hongmei couldn’t possibly have splurged on something like this, so it must have been the Jiang boy’s idea. Tsk tsk tsk, it’s incredible. The son is so charming that the village girls dream of him at night and the daughter has snagged herself a golden catch.
Chen Hongmei denied it outright, “No such thing.”
The old lady clearly didn’t believe her but didn’t argue either. “Hahaha, well, be sure to take lots of photos so we can see them when you get back. I’ve lived most of my life and still haven’t ventured beyond the town.”
Chen Hongmei chuckled, “Listen to you, I haven’t been out either. That’s why my old heart is a bit anxious and scared.”
“Both of your kids are with you, what’s there to fear? Just relax and enjoy yourselves.”
She then looked down the road, “Ah, your son is back.”
Zong Yuan walked up, pants half rolled, soaked, and keeping a full meter’s distance from Jiang Shengyan. “Stay away from me.”
Jiang Shengyan was also half-soaked and looked guilty. “I didn’t know you were that scared.”
Zong Yuan had stepped one foot into the river and his face had been dark ever since, angry for the entire walk back.
He had almost been brushed by those slippery, wriggling fish. His whole body had stiffened at the close encounter, and even now, just thinking about the fish’s eyes and scales gave him goosebumps.
Some people fear mice, some fear sharks, and some fear snakes. His fear of fish was worse than facing those fierce predators.
Jiang Shengyan scratched his nose, “I was just trying to help you conquer your fear.”
“No need, thanks,” Zong Yuan flatly refused, walking faster. “Just leave it be.”
Jiang Shengyan looked at his retreating back. “You were calling me ‘my darling’ last night, but now you’re walking so fast you won’t even turn around to look at me.”
Zong Yuan took a deep breath and turned his head to glare at him.
Jiang Shengyan chuckled and Zong Yuan casually flipped him off.
Jiang Shengyan stormed over angrily, staring at the offending finger. “Did you just flip me off?”
Zong Yuan felt much better seeing him like this. This idiot had almost thrown a fish at him earlier. “No. Do you have proof?”
Jiang Shengyan was still holding onto Zong Yuan’s finger. “This one right here, you didn’t see it?”
Zong Yuan stayed calm, “You misunderstood, Boss Jiang.”
He slowly raised his ring finger next to it, calm and deliberate. “How about this one?”
His hand was that of someone who had worked hard since childhood—long, rough, with thick calluses. Despite its roughness, it looked surprisingly good. When touched, it was both itchy and painful, a strangely pleasant sensation. Jiang Shengyan stared at it for a while, thinking something was up. “Could it be?”
Zong Yuan hummed, “Hmm?”
“Could it be that tonight you want to use this to…”
Before Jiang Shengyan could finish, Zong Yuan smacked him on the head, cutting off his last word. Speechless, he said, “Boss Jiang, is that all your brain can think of?”
Jiang Shengyan replied, “And you.”
This sudden tease left Zong Yuan’s waist aching. He scoffed, “I’ll give you one last chance.”
Jiang Shengyan frowned, thinking it over. From a distance, Chen Hongmei saw them standing there, chattering away. Worried they might forget to mind their behavior, she quickly called out, “A’Yuan! Shengyan!”
Zong Yuan spread his hands. “Let’s go, Boss Jiang. Your time is up.”
Jiang Shengyan felt like a cat clawing at his heart. “You’re really not going to tell me the answer?”
Zong Yuan was easygoing. “If you say we won’t do anything tonight, I’ll tell you right now.”
Jiang Shengyan glared at him. “I don’t need to know the answer anymore. I’m not interested. Hmph, big dumb jerk.”
An hour or two of nighttime exercise is good for your health, but you don’t get that, do you?
Zong Xiaomo was on cloud nine these past few days. Since this was her first trip ever, Jiang Shengyan had thrown a pile of money her way, assigning her the task of buying anything she liked, as long as she didn’t hang around Zong Yuan. In Zong Xiaomo’s mind, Jiang Shengyan was now a paragon of a great elder and perfect sister-in-law. Of course, her brother was just that great—he had managed to snag Jiang Shengyan.
Brother Shengyan looked at her brother with such affection that there was no need for words—anyone could tell that he was deeply in love with him.
Perhaps it was because of this that Zong Xiaomo accepted it more easily than she had imagined. There was even a sense of “it was meant to be”.
Er Ya, walking beside her and watching her shop with a worried expression, couldn’t hold back any longer. “Xiaomo, does Brother Yuan have someone he likes?”
Though she wasn’t sure who it was, she had a strong feeling, and it made her uneasy. Clearly, Brother Yuan hadn’t been particularly close to any girl, so why had he fallen for someone else?
Zong Xiaomo was surprised. “You know?”
As expected, Er Ya’s heart sank. Seeing Zong Xiaomo’s expression, she knew she wasn’t going to tell her who it was. She was dazed for a while but couldn’t let it go. “Xiaomo, what exactly do I lack compared to the person Brother A Yuan likes?”
She was one of the prettiest girls in the village, with a decent figure and a gentle, hardworking personality. Even Aunt Chen liked her. She had thought that in a few years, she’d be the best choice for the Zong family’s future daughter-in-law. How could someone she didn’t even know have come between them? “Is she really that great?”
Zong Xiaomo spoke the truth. “He can’t cook and his temper isn’t as good as yours. He scolds me for no reason and is only sweet to my brother. No, even with my brother, he gets angry.”
“How can that be?” Er Ya, who had been ready to give up, felt her hope rekindling. “Brother Yuan likes that kind of person?”
Zong Xiaomo steeled herself. “Er Ya, even though my sister-in-law can’t do housework and isn’t as easy to get along with as you are, my brother really loves him.” It was rare to see her brother smile like that these days.
“My mom likes him too.” Shengyan even nearly called her “Mom” already.
“And as for me, I’ve already accepted him as my real sister-in-law.”
Er Ya wilted completely.
There’s nothing worse than leaving a sentence half-finished. It itches at the mind. Jiang Shengyan, while eating, kept turning his head to look at Zong Yuan, twisting his neck almost 180 degrees. Zong Yuan, uninterested, said, “Focus on your food.”
Chen Hongmei also chimed in, “Shengyan, finish eating before you look around. A’Yuan’s not going to run away.”
Zong Xiaomo giggled with a sly grin. “Mom, Shengyan is just like a ‘waiting wife stone’.”
Waiting my foot, thought Jiang Shengyan. “I’m just looking at the bird’s nest in the tree.”
Chen Hongmei watched them, laughing, but then sighed, remembering her late husband. She had pampered and indulged her son all these years, letting him take this path. She didn’t know if her husband would be upset, but she didn’t want to pressure her son into giving her a grandchild either.
Zong Xiaomo seemed to know what she was thinking. She quietly held her mother’s hand and cheerfully said, “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll marry a husband and have four or five kids, then I’ll give half of them to my brother.”
Chen Hongmei chuckled and ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Silly girl.”
Zong Xiaomo wasn’t foolish. She had noticed all the new appliances and furniture in their home recently and it was obvious whose doing it was. She remembered Shengyan’s kindness in her heart but didn’t know what to do to repay him. The only thing she could think of was to pass on a child to her brother and his partner, so they’d have someone to rely on in their old age.
Step one: find a husband willing to marry into her family—hahaha.
Their flight was scheduled for two days later and their first stop was a beautiful southern coastal city. Chen Hongmei and Zong Xiaomo had never flown before and were incredibly nervous. Jiang Shengyan thought Zong Yuan would be the same, but before he could make fun of him, Zong Yuan had already calmly and expertly gone through the whole process.
Jiang Shengyan, disappointed, asked, “You’ve flown before?”
Zong Yuan, pretending to be casual, replied, “Yeah, I’ve even piloted one.”
Damn, my man is amazing!
Jiang Shengyan looked at him in admiration.
Zong Yuan thought, He really believed it.
The city was by the sea. Jiang Shengyan had made sure the secretary booked one double room and one couple’s room, thinking it would make Chen Hongmei and Zong Xiaomo more comfortable.
The best part? The hotel was right by the beach. From the balcony, they could see the blue sky, clear ocean, and golden sands bathed in sunlight. Even the air smelled like the sea—it was perfect.
Chen Hongmei and Zong Xiaomo were tired after the flight, but as soon as they entered the hotel, their excitement took over. “Mom, it’s the sea!”
“It’s my first time seeing the sea too. It’s so vast and beautiful.”
Zong Yuan noticed they seemed energetic again. “Mom, it’s only a short walk to the beach. Why don’t you and Xiaomo take a stroll and we’ll go into the water tomorrow?”
Chen Hongmei and Zong Xiaomo nodded enthusiastically. “Good, good, we’ll go take a look first. You two rest up.”
Resting wasn’t possible, though—not with the atmosphere and a very eager Jiang Shengyan.
After some messy fun, Jiang Shengyan finally caught his breath enough to ask quietly, “What was the deal with the finger, anyway?”
He hadn’t seen anything weird about Zong Yuan’s finger these past few days.
Zong Yuan lazily raised his ring finger, puffing on a cigarette with half-closed eyes. “Boss Jiang, don’t you think it’s missing something? Like… a ring?”
Jiang Shengyan froze for a moment before his eyes lit up. In a flash, he jumped on top of Zong Yuan, excited. “A ring?”
“Yeah, a ring.” Zong Yuan smiled, taking Jiang Shengyan’s hand and planting a kiss on his ring finger. “Boss Jiang, I don’t have any money, so I’ll probably have to rely on you to support me. The only thing I can offer in return is my… physical labor.”
He kissed his way from Jiang Shengyan’s hand to his face, his voice low, “And my love for you.”
Jiang Shengyan was stunned for a full five minutes before he snapped out of it. He suddenly jumped out of bed, his aches and soreness gone. He tossed a set of clothes at Zong Yuan, urging him fiercely, “Get up! We’re going to buy a ring!”
He was terrified of giving Zong Yuan even one more minute to change his mind.
Once they had a small silver ring securely on his finger, the voice of 0046 chimed in, filled with joy. “Zong Yuan, you did it!”
Zong Yuan looked at Jiang Shengyan, who was busy taking photos of the ring, ready to flaunt it to the world.
“Jiang Shengyan,” Zong Yuan called out, as the sea breeze lifted the edges of his shirt. His expression softened. “Come here and let your man kiss you.”
Jiang Shengyan eagerly dashed toward him, like a moth drawn to a flame.
How could there be such a man?
Jiang Shengyan thought to himself, He’s exactly what my soul craves.
Really.
He was madly, madly, madly in love with him.
