The day ended earlier than expected, leaving Ding Yawen with no plans for the afternoon. In fact, a colleague had messaged her earlier about covering a news story, but Ding Yawen deliberately wanted to provoke Old Liu and refused to go.
While journalists’ working hours were flexible, Ding Yawen rarely had any real time off. If it weren’t for her desire to successfully transfer to a new position, she would have loved to take a long vacation just to annoy Old Liu.
In the afternoon, she went for a spa treatment. Being an anchor was different from working behind the scenes—appearance was essential. Despite her busy schedule, Ding Yawen never neglected her looks. Regular beauty treatments and maintenance were part of her routine. Today, without a prior appointment, she opted for a basic skincare session.
Lying on the treatment bed, Ding Yawen tried to clear her mind, but she couldn’t stop thinking about what Lu Jiaping had said. Lu Jiaping had expressed envy toward her, but in truth, it was Ding Yawen who felt envious.
During her freshman year, she had visited Lu Jiaping’s home and met her parents. She was genuinely envious. Grandpa Lu had such a gentle temperament—after work, he would go grocery shopping and cook dinner. It was the first time Ding Yawen realized that men could cook too.
When she asked Lu Jiaping about it, Lu Jiaping was surprised: “Both my parents work. Whoever gets off earlier buys groceries and cooks.”
Grandpa Lu hummed songs while cooking, and Grandma Lu would return home to wash clothes and tidy up. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, completely different from Ding Yawen’s own home.
Back then, Ding Yawen thought to herself that she would definitely find a good man like Grandpa Lu in the future.
Lost in her thoughts, Ding Yawen didn’t even realize she was crying. The familiar esthetician gently wiped her face without disturbing her, but a trainee nearby couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
“Was I too rough? Does it hurt, Miss Ding?”
The esthetician used a disposable cleansing cloth to wipe away Ding Yawen’s tears and smiled. “It’s been a while since your last visit. This mask is a bit stimulating.”
“But…” the trainee tried to say more, but the esthetician shot her a sharp look.
When Jiang Cheng returned home after a busy day, he was surprised to find his mother there.
“Mom, when did you arrive?”
Grandma Jiang was hanging laundry. Seeing her son, she immediately came over and looked him up and down. “Oh dear, you’ve been working too hard. Look how thin you’ve gotten. Have you not been eating well?”
As she spoke, she glanced toward the kitchen, clearly dissatisfied.
Jiang Cheng frowned. His mother and Jiaping had never gotten along. When Yuxin was born, his mother had constantly belittled Jiaping. After things became unbearable, he sent his mother away as soon as Jiaping finished her postpartum recovery. Since then, they had only lived together during the New Year holidays.
He pulled his mother aside. “Mom, what are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Grandma Jiang gave him a reproachful look. “What are you afraid of? Worried Jiaping will argue with you? Don’t worry, Jiaping invited me.”
Confused, Jiang Cheng wanted to ask more, but Jiang Yuchen ran over, tugging at his grandmother to show her his latest drawing.
Grandma Jiang happily hugged Jiang Yuchen. “Oh, my precious grandson, Grandma missed you so much! Come, let’s go look at your drawing.”
Jiang Cheng hurried to the kitchen and asked, “Jiaping, why did you invite my mother over?”
Just over two months ago, during the New Year, Lu Jiaping had complained to him about how his mother treated Yuxin and Yuchen differently, even mentioning how she had looked down on Yuxin for being a girl when she was born.
Lu Jiaping was stir-frying without looking up: “I need to go back to Nantong the day after tomorrow, and I’ll have to stay at least one night before returning. Yuxin and Yucheng won’t have anyone to pick them up. I’ve thought about it, and I think it’s best to ask Mom to come over and take care of them for a couple of days.”
Jiang Cheng initially wanted to ask why she didn’t ask her own mother, but hearing this, he quickly inquired: “Why are you suddenly going back to Nantong? Is something going on with your parents?”
Lu Jiaping turned her head and glared at him: “Don’t talk nonsense, my parents are perfectly fine. I told my cousin I’m going to visit her, and I’ll also ask if she has any classmates who are middle school teachers here in Shanghai.”
Jiang Cheng frowned: “It’s been over ten years since your cousin graduated.”
“What’s there to worry about? Since she’s in the education field, she must have some connections. Even if they’re not classmates, she must have met people later on, right? As long as we can get a lead, it’s fine. Oh, and you should also arrange your schedule—don’t work overtime those two days. Mom can pick up the kids and cook, but she won’t be able to handle their homework or extracurricular classes.”
Jiang Cheng turned and left unhappily.
“Did you hear me?” Lu Jiaping leaned out, “Don’t forget, I won’t be home on Wednesday and Thursday. If something unexpected comes up, I might not be back until Friday, okay?”
Jiang Cheng stormed into Jiang Yuchen’s room: “Mom, do you know why Jiaping asked you to come?”
Grandma Jiang cheerfully held her grandson: “I know, I know. She’s going to visit your cousin, right? I’ve already spoken to your aunt. She can just go.”
Jiang Cheng grew even more irritated: “Mom, you haven’t been in touch with Aunt, have you?”
“We’ll get in touch once we do, won’t we?” Grandma Jiang was very pleased. “Look how thin you’ve gotten, carrying all the burden alone. Just look—the kids are already this big, and she still doesn’t know to find a job, just spending your money and using your things…”
“Mom!” Jiang Cheng really disliked his mother acting like this, especially in front of Jiang Yuchen.
“Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore, okay? You just protect your wife, forgetting your mother once you have a wife.” Grandma Jiang tapped Jiang Yuchen’s nose. “I don’t count on you; I count on my grandson to be filial to me in the future.”
Jiang Yuchen immediately looked up and gave his grandmother a loud kiss on the cheek: “I’ll be filial to Grandma in the future.”
Jiang Cheng felt like he couldn’t talk to anyone, so he simply went to Jiang Yuxin’s room.
The door was pushed open, startling Jiang Yuxin, who quickly tore off the pink letter paper in her hand and stuffed it under her bottom.
Jiang Cheng closed the door before asking: “Whose letter is that?”
Jiang Yuxin relaxed when she saw it was her father and shook her head: “No one’s…”
Jiang Cheng didn’t insist on seeing it, just asked quietly: “Is it from a boy or a girl?”
Jiang Yuxin blushed: “Dad, it’s just a friend.”
She took the initiative to take out the letter, unfolded it, and handed it to Jiang Cheng. “They were asking me when I can return to the basketball team. I’m the main player on the team, and they said that without me in last Friday’s school league, they only came in fourth.”
Jiang Cheng was taken aback, picked up the letter paper, and asked: “Do boys at your school use this kind of stationery too?”
Jiang Yuxin asked in surprise: “Isn’t it pretty, Dad? I have a lot of this kind of stationery, in all sorts of colors. Some are scented, and there are envelopes too.”
She pulled out the stationery from the very back of her drawer—colorful and quite interesting, each type with its own name.
Jiang Cheng felt a bit dizzy listening to this.
After counting them all, Jiang Yuxin whispered: “Dad, don’t tell Mom, okay? Mom doesn’t like me playing with these things. And she especially doesn’t like me keeping in touch with my basketball team friends.”
Jiang Cheng felt a pang of sadness. He patted his daughter’s head and said, “Study hard, focus on your studies. I’ll go talk to your mother again.”