Seeing his expression darken, Jiang Yu said, “Either you be the driver, or I be the driver. You choose.”
“You want to drive?”
Through the rearview mirror, Shen Chengyan glanced at her with obvious disdain. “Can you even tell east from west?”
Jiang Yu’s face flushed red.
From anger.
She knew he was mocking her poor sense of direction.
Because of it, there had once been a ridiculous incident during their dating period.
Before marriage, they had actually dated many times.
Back then, he was very busy, but he still kept his weekends free for her.
And every time they met, he would pick her up personally—always gentlemanly.
Once, they had planned to watch a movie, but he suddenly had work to handle. By the time he finished, going together would make them late.
So they went separately.
The cinema was newly opened, and Jiang Yu had never been there before and wasn’t familiar with the area.
After getting off the car, she got lost in the commercial district.
On the phone, Shen Chengyan patiently guided her step by step, but she wandered in circles for half an hour, like she was trapped in a maze, unable to find either the cinema entrance or him.
In the end, even he broke down. It was the first time during their half-year of dating that he lost his temper.
He said, “Can you be any dumber? Forget it, I can’t deal with you anymore. Turn on your navigation and follow it.”
Jiang Yu was also close to breaking down. It was winter, and she was so anxious she broke into a sweat. “I did turn it on! This stupid navigation keeps telling me to go straight, then when I go straight it tells me to turn around, and when I turn around it says I deviated from the route!”
He went silent for a long time, then finally said helplessly, “Stop wandering. I’ll come find you. Don’t move. Tell me what’s east of you.”
Jiang Yu said, “Which side is east?”
“You don’t even know east?”
“I only know left and right.”
He seemed to sigh heavily. “The direction where the sun rises is east.”
Jiang Yu said, “But there’s no sun today.”
He laughed in frustration. “Jiang Yu, you’re really something.”
In the end, they didn’t watch the movie.
Because he found her in another commercial area across the street.
When he arrived, Jiang Yu was squatting by the roadside, holding a cup of milk tea and sipping it slowly.
Seeing him, she immediately stood up and ran over, stuffing another warm cup into his hands, smiling brightly as she said, “Why are you wearing so little? Aren’t you cold? Drink something warm. I know you don’t like sweet things, so I asked for less sugar.”
It was winter. The cold was biting. She wasn’t wearing much either. Her pale face was flushed red from the wind, and she stood trembling in front of him, eyes full of clear joy.
She didn’t seem upset at all about his anger over the phone.
She had always been like that in front of him—well-behaved, gentle, tolerant, never arguing or causing trouble.
Even when he was wrong, she would always be the one to step back first.
At that moment, looking at her bright eyes, all his anger instantly disappeared.
He thought: let her be a little dumb, as long as one of them is smart enough.
**
The Shen family estate was located in the suburbs, peaceful and picturesque.
Jiang Yu wore an oversized T-shirt, beach shorts, and a pair of flip-flops.
She looked like a landlady from a cheap rental house, only missing a bunch of keys hanging from her waist. Hands in pockets, she swaggered straight into the Shen family estate.
The courtyard was lively.
All the people she disliked were there.
Jiang Yu ignored them completely, walked into the living room, found a sofa, and slumped down to play games.
Outside the courtyard, Shen Zhaolin, who was standing under a tree on the phone, asked in confusion, “What just flashed past?”
The housekeeper playing with Shen Mo using a toy excavator replied, “It looked like the Eldest Young Madam.”
Shen Zhaolin was stunned. “Jiang Yu? Why was she dressed like a beggar?”
Shen Chengyan, who had just parked the car, walked in.
Under the sunshade, Hu Youyue lifted her gaze slightly, her eyes landing on his tall figure.
Shen Zhaolin mocked him without restraint. “President Shen, are you so broke you can’t even afford decent clothes for your wife anymore?”
Shen Chengyan waved at his chubby son in the corner.
Shen Mo reluctantly walked over and called out, “Dad.”
“Go inside and accompany your mother. I need to talk to your uncle.”
The housekeeper led Shen Mo inside. They did not acknowledge Jiang Yu on the sofa and went straight to the kitchen.
In the Shen family, favoritism dictated behavior. Over the years, Jiang Yu had become increasingly unwelcome, and even the housekeepers’ disrespect had gradually become obvious.
Halfway through her game, Jiang Yu suddenly felt something cold on her neck.
She looked up.
Shen Mo was pointing a toy water gun at her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m fighting a monster,” Shen Mo said, baring his teeth.
“I’m your mother.”
“You’re a monster! Old monster!”
Shen Mo made Ultraman-style shooting poses, spraying water at her face. “Diga, please give me the power of light to defeat this monster!”
Jiang Yu wiped the water off her face, put down her phone, and smiled gently. “I have light right here. Want to see it?”
“You’re a liar. You’re not Ultraman.”
“Slaps are also a kind of light.”
With a cold laugh, she stood up, grabbed his collar like lifting a small piglet, and dragged him outside. She seized the water gun, held him in place, and pressed the trigger, spraying his face wildly while scolding, “You little beast. If I’m the old monster, then you’re the little monster.”
Shen Mo screamed, “Help! Help me! Somebody help me!”
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned.
Shen Zhaolin’s jaw nearly dropped along with his cigarette. “Your wife has lost her mind.”
Shen Chengyan looked slightly complicated. “She’s been like this for several days already.”
Hu Youyue hurriedly said, “Mo Mo, come to godmother—”
Shen Mo seized the chance, broke free, and tried to run toward her.
But Jiang Yu caught the back of his collar again and dragged him back.
Shen Mo let out a howl, flailing like a crab with its neck pinched.
Jiang Yu glanced at Hu Youyue. “I’m disciplining my son. What’s an outsider interfering for?”
Hu Youyue froze.
“Yueyue grew up in the Shen family. She’s basically part of the family. Who are you calling an outsider?”
Tang Yun’s voice rang out from the entrance. She walked in with a driver carrying bags behind her.
Seeing her precious grandson nearly tormented half to death, Tang Yun said angrily, “He’s just a child being a little naughty. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
Whoosh—
A stream of water hit Tang Yun.
Tang Yun widened her eyes in disbelief. “Jiang Yu, what are you doing?!”
Jiang Yu said lightly, “Mom, I’m still a child. I’m just a little naughty. Why are you making a big deal out of it?”
Shen Mo, flailing like a crab: “Hahaha!”
Shen Chengyan turned his face away.
This brainless troublemaker—who did he take after?
Tang Yun gritted her teeth. “Don’t call me mom. I don’t have a daughter-in-law like you.”
Jiang Yu: “Okay, auntie.”
Tang Yun: “……”