Сhарtеr 18: Whаt Аbout Minе?
Не Yаng trеated the littlе rоbot as Zhеngzheng.
She nаmеd thе rоbоt “Нe Zhеng.”
Неr Zhеngzheng.
Hе Yang bought three sеts оf clоthеs fоr Не Zheng аt thе mаll, trying eасh onе on carеfully tо ensure theу fit cоmfortаblу and werе soft.
She nevеr bоught suсh еxpеnsivе сlоthes for hеrself.
Тhen she hаd He Zhеng lie in her аrms, holding him carеfullу аs she рrеpared tо takе him tо her aunt’s hоuse.
Jiang Siуe саllеd in betwеen, but afrаid he would disсоvеr He Zheng’s existence, Не Yang didn’t answer.
Hе Zhеng occаsiоnally called her “Mommy.”
He Yang kissed his cold little face.
From behind, no one would have guessed that what she was holding was just a lifeless robot.
Just as she was about to leave the mall, He Yang ran into Chi Dandan and the others.
Chi Dandan was carrying that black and gold bag.
“Fourth Sister-in-law.”
It had been a while since they last met. Chi Dandan’s face looked slightly haggard, but not severely so—there was a fragile beauty about her, like a delicate, sickly beauty.
No one in this circle looked up to He Yang.
Chi Dandan’s friend Cai Lu was very indignant on her behalf: “What are you holding?”
He Yang didn’t want to engage with them and tried to sidestep them.
Cai Lu stretched out her arm, blocking her path: “Do you know that Dandan and Fourth Young Master are childhood sweethearts? Da Ke’s name was given by Fourth Young Master. Because Dandan’s English name is Coco, he used a homophone…”
“Cai Lu,” Chi Dandan said calmly, “don’t talk nonsense. Fourth Brother and I are just like siblings.”
“What siblings?” Cai Lu said indignantly. “What kind of sibling gives a bag as a birthday gift?”
He Yang’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.
She pretended not to know: “This bag was given by my husband?”
“Yes,” Cai Lu said smugly. “A Hermès Birkin.”
He Yang: “The Marriage Law stipulates that property acquired after marriage belongs jointly to both parties. For such a large expense, if he didn’t obtain my consent, I have the right to take it back.”
“……”
Both of them were stunned.
After a long pause, Cai Lu said disdainfully, “For Fourth Young Master, it’s just a drop in the bucket. Only someone like you would care so much…”
He Yang: “Whether I care or not, it’s still joint marital property. Either you return it yourself, or wait for the lawyer to come knocking.”
Chi Dandan’s expression darkened.
If word got out, it would be laughable.
If the bag were really returned, the one being mocked wouldn’t be Chi Dandan.
It would be Jiang Siye.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand,” Chi Dandan said calmly. “Fourth Brother gives me a bag every year. It’s a tradition, nothing special.”
He Yang: “Then you’ll have to return two. I can’t control what happened before the marriage, but for the two years after, that’s two bags.”
“……”
“Send the bags back to the Jiang residence,” He Yang said, unwilling to stay any longer. “We’ve been staying at the Jiang residence recently.”
Watching her leave, Cai Lu cursed angrily: “Pah! Who does she think she is? Dandan, just return it. Let’s see how others laugh at her, and see if Fourth Young Master doesn’t get angry with her!”
Chi Dandan curved her lips.
“I’ll personally make a trip to the Jiang residence.”
He Yang carried He Zheng to her aunt’s house.
Both Gu Hui and Lin Ting were stunned.
“This is Zhengzheng,” He Yang introduced him to them. “My son.”
“……”
Gu Hui hesitated, wanting to say something.
Lin Ting’s eyes turned red: “Sis! What are you doing!”
“Jiang Siye won’t let me bring him back,” He Yang said seriously. “Please help me take care of him for a while. I’ll come see him every day.”
Lin Ting said anxiously, “He’s not real!”
He Yang froze.
Gu Hui quickly hit Lin Ting and coaxed, “Alright, we’ll keep him here. Auntie will help you look after him.”
After settling He Zheng, He Yang suddenly felt reluctant to leave.
“I want to stay here.””……” Lin Ting was utterly heartbroken. “Then stay, this is our home…”
Before she could finish, the doorbell rang.
As if guessing who it was, He Yang grew nervous, quickly closing the bedroom door first, afraid that He Zheng inside might be discovered.
Gu Hui opened the door.
It was indeed Jiang Siye.
The man stood against the sunset glow, his tall nose casting a sharp contrast of light and shadow, leading into eyes that seemed like an abyss.
“Aunt, is Yangyang here?”
He carried gifts.
He never visited empty-handed.
Those gifts were far too extravagant for Gu Hui—jewelry and ornaments she couldn’t reciprocate, expensive tonics she didn’t know how to prepare. Each time, she accepted them with embarrassment.
It wasn’t that he did it intentionally.
This was just his way.
A casual gesture, nothing more.
“She’s here,” Gu Hui took charge of the situation. “My back is hurting again, and Lin Ting doesn’t know how to use the new massager I bought. I asked Yangyang to come back and teach her.”
He Yang nodded calmly:
“I’ll return after dinner.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Jiang Siye looked at her. “I thought something had happened to you.”
He Yang didn’t even blink, lying smoothly: “Did you call? I didn’t hear it. My phone was on silent.”
Jiang Siye’s lips curved slightly, neither light nor heavy.
As if he didn’t believe her.
He Yang didn’t care what he thought.
“Sis,” Lin Ting played along, helping her act. “What’s wrong with this button?”
He Yang leaned over to explain it to her.
The atmosphere was awkward, so Gu Hui made small talk: “Yangyang bought this for me. I told her not to waste money and to focus on building her own little family.”
“It’s fine,” He Yang said softly. “It wasn’t expensive.”
Lin Ting dragged out her words, coquettishly: “My colleagues all praised the perfume you gave me for smelling so nice…”
The chair creaked abruptly as Jiang Siye sat down, his expression unreadable.
As soon as he arrived, her aunt grew tense. He Yang casually taught a few things, then stood up: “I should go now. I’ll come back tomorrow to teach you.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Siye remained seated, unmoving.
He Yang: “Let’s go.”
Jiang Siye lifted his gaze, his dark eyes suddenly intensifying with pressure.
He Yang urged him again.
Jiang Siye’s expression was inscrutable as he bid farewell to Gu Hui.
As soon as they sat in the car.
“You used your salary to buy your aunt a massager,” Jiang Siye said, word by word. “And bought your cousin perfume.”
It was her first official paycheck.
Jiang Siye hated acting this way, but his heart ached unbearably.
Ached so much it drove him mad.
Mad enough to want to make an issue of it.
“What about mine?”
“……”
“He Yang,” Jiang Siye couldn’t control himself. “Where’s my gift?”
He Yang told the truth: “There isn’t one.”
Jiang Siye: “Why isn’t there one for me?”
He Yang: “Are you blaming me for spending money on my family?”
Jiang Siye found it utterly absurd: “Is that what I meant?”
“My aunt raised me,” He Yang, as if not understanding, stubbornly stuck to this line of reasoning. “She had no obligation to raise me. I’ve bought things for her before, I buy them now, and I’ll buy them in the future. If you have a problem with it, keep it to yourself…”
The car suddenly shot forward.
The seatbelt held He Yang securely in place.
Jiang Siye pressed the accelerator to the floor, the engine roaring with furious noise.
He Yang fell silent.
She pondered making a few pieces of children’s clothing for He Zheng. The ones from the mall were good, but she wasn’t entirely satisfied with some of the finer design details.
Once the car left the neighborhood, Jiang Siye’s foul temper, provoked by her, seemed to ease slightly as he slowed down.
The early autumn scenery was beautiful, the air pleasant.
He wanted to spend a little more time with her.
He Yang kept her gaze fixed out the window.Until they passed by a fabric shop, He Yang spoke up, “Can we stop for a moment? I need to buy something.”
Jiang Siye pulled over to the side. “What are you buying?”
“Fabric,” He Yang said. “To make two sets of pajamas for Auntie and Lin Ting.”
Jiang Siye: “What about mine?”
He Yang: “No.”
Jiang Siye: “…”