It crossed her mind that no matter how much he rebelled on the surface, Jiang Xuli ultimately cared deeply about his father, Jiang Mingzuo.
This was quite normal.
After all, after Jiang Mingzuo divorced his ex-wife, the child had lived with him. For so many years, it had just been the father and son relying on each other. Naturally, Jiang Xuli held a deep-seated dependence on his father.
But Chinese-style parents are often shy about expressing love. They replace tenderness with sternness, concern with criticism. In the end, the children they raise become awkward and stiff even in expressing attachment.
Moreover, Jin Ran felt Jiang Mingzuo truly didn’t know how to raise a child.
At the very least, even as a formerly unmarried person, she knew that when a child was sick, what they needed was care, not blame.
Thinking this, Jin Ran suddenly realized a question.
Jiang Mingzuo was thirty-five this year, and Jiang Xuli was fifteen. Didn’t that mean the former had a child at twenty?
Twenty years old, an age when one is still in university…
Taking a sharp breath, Jin Ran couldn’t help but recall her own life at twenty.
She had just entered university. Compared to the prison-like high-pressure studying of the three high school years, the beautiful and free university life was like a paradise of rebirth. She dived in like a fish into water, feeling carefree and joyful all day long.
That year, she actively participated in club activities, met many friends, and even had a few passionate love affairs.
In her view, all of these were normal life experiences. But when the person in this scenario became Jiang Mingzuo, Jin Ran found her imagination lacking. She simply couldn’t picture Jiang Mingzuo chasing after a girl.
Presenting milk tea with a cold face?
She was briefly amused by her own humor, then caught herself and immediately shook her head.
Stop right there!
Past experience told Jin Ran that being curious about a man was not a good thing, because the genes embedded in human nature would unconsciously drive her to unravel the secret.
Deciphering a secret requires getting close, requires understanding. And when one person gets closer and closer to another, things often tend to develop in a different direction.
Jin Ran had been in love before and wasn’t averse to it, but that was limited to before transmigrating into the book.
Right now, she just wanted to focus on her career.
A stable job with excellent benefits—the teacher’s position clearly stirred her heart more than any man. After all, in her eyes, civil servants and various government positions were even better careers than a domineering CEO!
She quickly calmed down. On the other hand, upon learning Jiang Mingzuo was injured, Jiang Xuli desperately wanted to go back immediately.
But Jin Ran dared not let him ride his motorcycle anymore. She practically dragged him off the bike and, before the young man could get angry, quickly said, “You don’t even know where your dad is, right? Rather than running around like a headless fly, it’s better to let Xiao Sun drive us there.”
Jiang Xuli’s brows were tightly knotted, but in the end, he compromised.
During the journey, neither of them was in the mood to talk.
The car sped along with the traffic. Jin Ran originally thought they were heading to the hospital or perhaps some clinic. Unexpectedly, Xiao Sun actually drove them back home.
As soon as the car stopped, Jiang Xuli swiftly jumped out and ran towards the villa. Influenced by him, Jin Ran also grew nervous. Although she had seen Jiang Mingzuo’s wound before and it didn’t seem serious, what if it was?
Remembering his help towards her, Jin Ran unconsciously quickened her pace.
When the two of them breathlessly pushed open the door, they saw Jiang Mingzuo sitting in the living room, flipping through a magazine.
The man wore a dark gray shirt, the collar half open, revealing a solid chest. His wheat-toned skin seemed to have a layer of light condensed on it under the natural light. His slender fingers tapped the magazine page, fingertips like segments of bamboo bone piercing the paper. If one sniffed carefully, there was also a faint scent of smoke in the air.
“Back?”
He turned his head slightly, his voice deep and steady.
Jin Ran examined him carefully.
Aside from looking a bit pale, he seemed otherwise fine.
Jiang Xuli realized the same thing.
He had run in a hurry, and now his chest heaved violently from lack of oxygen. With each breath, a metallic taste rose in his throat.
Upon confirming his father was physically unharmed, the tension that had gripped the young man throughout the journey finally relaxed.
But while he was fine now, Jiang Mingzuo, seeing his state, frowned.
“Why did you run so fast?”
It was another reprimand without even asking first. Jiang Xuli found he had actually grown accustomed to it. He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said expressionlessly, “No reason.”
Utterly indifferent, and seemingly with no intention to explain. This made Jin Ran, who had followed behind, widen her eyes in disbelief.
Hold on, she didn’t have the mentality to let good deeds go unspoken…
Whether you call her smart or selfish, Jin Ran had known since childhood that heroines in novels who silently sacrifice and give often had to endure various misunderstandings, hardships, heartbreaks, and physical torment before achieving a happy ending.
She wasn’t that noble. So if she was good to someone, she would definitely find a way to let them know.
Therefore, she decisively spoke up: “Xiao Sun said your wound reopened. We were worried about you, that’s why we ran back.”
Jiang Xuli, who had just been instantly contradicted: “?”
The young man’s face flushed bright red. He turned to glare at her. “What nonsense are you talking? I wasn’t!”
Jin Ran helplessly spread her hands, looking as if she couldn’t do anything with him. “Alright, alright, you weren’t worried. You also didn’t almost run your shoes off.”
It must have been her eyes playing tricks, inexplicably seeing shoes flying through the air, right?
Jiang Xuli: “…”
Across from them, Jiang Mingzuo watched the two bickering. His expression shifted from surprise to oddness, and finally gradually turned pensive.
When had the two of them become so familiar?
He put down the magazine, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. “Xiao Sun exaggerated. It’s really nothing.”
He paused slightly. “Next time, if something like this happens, run a bit slower. Or contact Assistant Wang.”
Assistant Wang was responsible for everything except butler duties, which naturally included reimbursing the boss for a pair of shoes lost during a run.
Jin Ran mentally filled in the man’s implied meaning and chuckled.
This time, Jiang Xuli snorted in response, flustered and exasperated as he stormed upstairs.
Only, no matter how you looked at it, his retreating back seemed a bit like a fleeing escape.
Only after the sound of the young man’s footsteps disappeared at the top of the stairs did Jin Ran turn back to Jiang Mingzuo. “Are you really okay? I remember the doctor said when you were discharged that you shouldn’t engage in strenuous activity.”
She took a few steps closer, her gaze falling on the man’s arm resting on the sofa back. In truth, ever since just now, she had noticed the faint scent of blood hidden beneath the smell of smoke. And the man was still wearing the clothes he had gone to the company in earlier.
Putting that together with what Xiao Sun said, Jin Ran made a bold guess—he had probably just returned from the company, maybe only a few minutes before they arrived.
Jiang Xuli was young and easily provoked into acting without thinking. Though she didn’t know what had happened, out of gratitude for the ride, she suggested, “Why don’t I take a look for you?”
Jiang Mingzuo’s hand paused, and he lifted his gaze.
For some reason today, not a single servant was in sight in the living room. Outside the window, the sun had set. In the dim twilight, the man seemed enveloped in a fuzzy, layered silhouette.
His half-lowered eyes opened fully. At this moment, he finally looked at her directly.
“Look at what?”
“Look at your wound, of course. If it’s bleeding, I can help you with some simple first aid. We can’t just leave it, right?” Jin Ran gestured with her hands a few times.
Jiang Mingzuo fell silent again.
Jin Ran was quite speechless. She didn’t have any ill intentions; was such wariness really necessary? She looked at him inexplicably, then met a pair of pitch-black pupils.
Here it comes, that oppressive feeling of being scrutinized!
Jin Ran forced herself not to look away. Finally, she had a flash of inspiration and deliberately put on a deeply affectionate look, blinking a wink at him.
Jiang Mingzuo: “.”
He averted his gaze with an inexpressible expression.
The atmosphere was abruptly broken. Just as Jin Ran, waiting a long time without a response, was starting to regret her unnecessary move, Jiang Mingzuo lowered his eyelids and raised his hand to undo the buttons of his shirt.
“Ahem, do we have bandages at home?”
Seeing this, Jin Ran hastily averted her eyes, looking busy yet unsure of what exactly she was busy with.
Jiang Mingzuo wasn’t clear, so he called for the butler.
Hearing Jin Ran needed bandages, Butler Cheng was quite surprised, instinctively looking at Jiang Mingzuo. The latter nodded. “Give the things to her.”
Soon, the ever-capable Butler Cheng brought bandages, along with a full set of medical supplies including alcohol, iodine, gauze, and cotton pads.
Everything was ready.
Thanks to Jin Ran’s middle school homeroom teacher, who had studied medicine and placed great emphasis on safety education, teaching students various first-aid knowledge from a young age.
So even though it was a distant memory, at this moment, Jin Ran could smoothly pick out what she needed from the array of medical supplies. She carefully cut open the old bandage on Jiang Mingzuo’s arm, revealing the wound hidden beneath.
It was a long, narrow abrasion. It had already scabbed over, but now it had been forcefully torn open again. The crimson flesh beneath the centipede-like scar was somewhat alarming to see.
Just looking at it made Jin Ran feel pain. Yet Jiang Mingzuo showed no reaction at all, as if he felt nothing.
She reminded him, “I’m going to help you clean and re-dress it. I might need to apply some pressure. If it hurts, let me know.”
Jiang Mingzuo gave an “Mm” in response.
As for whether he would actually say anything, only he knew.
Because she needed to tend to the wound, the two of them stood unusually close—so close that they were almost brushing ears and temples, so close that when Jiang Mingzuo lowered his head slightly, he could catch the pomegranate scent in the woman’s hair.
He held his breath for a moment, thinking he would feel disgusted, but he didn’t seem to.
Jin Ran’s movements were very gentle. Occasionally, her fingers brushed against his arm, and the sensation of skin contact spread through tiny points—warm yet cool, like a piece of well-nurtured jade.
“It’s warm,” he said suddenly.
“What warmth?”
Jin Ran hadn’t heard him clearly. She hadn’t bandaged anyone in a long time and was a little out of practice, but something was better than nothing. When she finally finished wrapping it up, she subconsciously wanted to tie a bow, then restrained herself at the last second.
“All done.”
Looking at her handiwork in front of her, she felt quite satisfied and couldn’t help saying, “You’re the first customer to ever enjoy my service.”
Jiang Mingzuo lowered his head and looked at the crookedly wrapped gauze on his arm, his expression calm. “Then shouldn’t I pay some compensation?”
“Huh?”
Was this an unexpected windfall? The compensation from a domineering CEO of a wealthy family surely wouldn’t be ordinary.
Jin Ran really wanted to agree right away, but for the sake of her persona, she could only painfully refuse. “Oh, no need. Helping each other is only right between husband and wife.”
Wuwuwu—her heart hurt so much it felt like it was bleeding.
Jiang Mingzuo noticed her small movements, a trace of amusement flashing through his eyes. “Since we’re husband and wife, giving you a gift is only natural. You can think about it carefully—are you really sure there’s nothing you want?”
His low, magnetic voice was like the song of the Sirens in Greek mythology, filled with temptation and magic.
Jin Ran thought to herself: of course she had things she wanted.
She wanted money, wanted power, wanted to secure a teaching position.
But reason told her she couldn’t say any of that.
Jiang Mingzuo wasn’t a fool, nor was he some philanthropist who casually threw money around out of kindness. Some things he could give on his own initiative, but she couldn’t ask for them directly.
So Jin Ran racked her brains, thinking of what could replace those desires.
And she really did think of something.
Something that wouldn’t break her persona and would also conveniently satisfy her own needs.
“You really want to give me compensation?” she asked cautiously.
“Of course. Unless you don’t want it,” Jiang Mingzuo said after a moment’s thought. “If you truly don’t want it, then—”
“I want it, I want it.” Jin Ran immediately cut him off, putting on a sweet, charming smile. “Alright, but you said it yourself. You can’t think I’m asking for too much once I say it.”
Jiang Mingzuo looked at her with interest. “Go ahead.”
“I want to apply to put a desk and a chair in your study, as a workspace that belongs exclusively to me!”
Ever since Jiang Mingzuo returned from his business trip, her study area had been forced to move from the study to the bedroom. As everyone knew, once a person got close to a bed, they’d get sleepy. Her study efficiency had dropped drastically these past few days!
Jin Ran had been troubled by this for a long time, and now she finally had a solution. Moreover, this request didn’t involve money or vested interests and could even be packaged as her wanting to be closer to him.
She had thought it through well, but she was still afraid Jiang Mingzuo would object. She started out confident, but her momentum unconsciously weakened toward the end. “Is that okay?”
She looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes, like a little deer in the forest—bright and clear.
Jiang Mingzuo deliberately frowned. Seeing the other party’s uneasy expression, his already not-so-wonderful mood strangely improved. He finally nodded.
“Okay.”
Hearing that, Jin Ran immediately broke into a smile, joy bursting in her heart. She was the type who would bloom with just a bit of sunshine. Just as she was thinking that her request was simple and maybe she could even “push her luck” a little more, the butler led someone in.
“I heard you got hurt again—let me take a look.” Wei Mo swept in like a gust of wind. As soon as he got close, he saw the crooked bandage on Jiang Mingzuo’s arm and couldn’t help exclaiming, “Who wrapped this? It’s so ugly?!”
Jin Ran: “……”
???
She looked at the person sitting on the sofa, then at Wei Mo in a white coat, and fell into an awkward silence.
So it turned out they hadn’t been neglecting it—he had called in a family doctor.
Then what did it mean for her to rush over to bandage him herself? Was she just being ridiculous?
🙂
Seeing this, Jiang Mingzuo finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. He turned his head to the side and coughed softly, trying to suppress his laughter.