“Bus tickets are a family benefit, not a tool for personal profit. Some people line their own pockets and still act so arrogant—it’s truly disgusting.”
She raised her hand and flung the ticket scraps right into Auntie Liu’s face.
Auntie Liu’s scheme had been exposed, and her broad face turned the color of pig’s liver.
She charged forward, grabbing Han Jiaojiao’s arm and cursing: “You stupid idiot, who asked for your opinion? Get off this bus!”
“Let go! How dare you hit people!”
“Sister Liu, let go quickly. Jiaojiao is simple-minded—if she hurts you, she won’t be held responsible!”
“You’re the one in the wrong, and you still hit people? Wait until your husband finds out—he’ll come back and beat you!”
Han Jiaojiao was pulled from the left by the people inside the bus and from the right by Auntie Liu. In the chaos, someone tripped her, and she tumbled out of the bus door.
Just as she thought she was about to hit the ground, a pair of large hands caught her steadily from behind.
Before Han Jiaojiao could react, a hand reached out from behind her, grabbed Auntie Liu by the collar, and lifted her off the ground.
Shen Junshan’s cold face was filled with murderous intent in his icy eyes.
He narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “Just now, what did you call my wife? Say it again.”
Shen Junshan tightened his grip, and Auntie Liu struggled to breathe.
No one had ever seen Shen Junshan like this before—they were all too frightened to speak.
Shen Junshan showed no sign of letting go. He lifted her even higher with one hand: “What did you call my wife just now?”
“I… I didn’t…”
“Husband.”
Han Jiaojiao nestled against his chest and pressed down on his arm.
Shen Junshan paused.
He lowered his gaze to look at Han Jiaojiao’s small face. She shook her head, and Shen Junshan slowly set the woman down.
Han Jiaojiao let out a sigh of relief.
Auntie Liu’s build couldn’t withstand a single punch from Shen Junshan. If he hurt her, it would be Han Jiaojiao who suffered the consequences.
Han Jiaojiao pointed at Auntie Liu, playing dumb: “Price gouging, shame shame, no shame!”
“Brother Junshan, don’t listen to her nonsense. No one is price gouging.”
Chen Amin quickly explained.
She hadn’t expected to be so unlucky today—buying tickets from his family, and even more unexpectedly, running into the simpleton out and about.
If she’d known, she would rather have woken up an hour earlier and walked.
“Hmph, the ugly one squeezed me. She squeezed me.”
“Han Jiaojiao, stop talking nonsense! Brother Junshan, you have to believe me. I didn’t squeeze her.”
Shen Junshan said coldly, “My sister is Xiaoniu.”
Chen Amin was left speechless.
His words were harsher than any insult…
Shen Junshan looked down at Auntie Liu once more: “There won’t be a next time.”
After saying this, Shen Junshan quickly shielded Han Jiaojiao and helped her onto the bus.
Jiaojiao’s mind wasn’t right, but he didn’t like others calling her stupid.
Jiaojiao was a good person—the best person in the whole world.
Whoever dared to curse Jiaojiao would face his wrath.
No one had expected that Shen Junshan, usually cold on the surface but warm at heart with an excellent temper, would fly into such a rage over his simple-minded wife.
They no longer dared to speak ill of Han Jiaojiao behind her back.
Chen Amin glanced at her watch. Half the month had already passed, and she’d been late three times. If she was late again, she might not be able to become a permanent employee.
So she decisively abandoned her companion and got on the bus, leaving Xiao Feng standing below with tears in her eyes.
Shen Junshan let Han Jiaojiao sit by the window. She was excitedly looking at the scenery outside when the elastic band in her hair was pulled loose.
Shen Junshan gathered her hair with both hands and said, “It came loose. Let me tie it up for you.”
“If it hurts, you’ll have to compensate me.”
“Mm, don’t move.”
He tied the braid in a few quick moves, pulling it a bit too tight and tugging at her scalp.
Han Jiaojiao turned to glare at him: “It hurts!”
“It’ll come loose.”
“You’re so clumsy.”
Han Jiaojiao quickly twisted the ponytail into a bun, loosening it slightly—playful and adorable.
Shen Junshan nodded: “Jiaojiao is the smartest.”
“Mm, from now on my nickname will be Big Genius, haha.”
Han Jiaojiao’s clear, bright laughter filled the car.
Everyone was stuffed full of dog food, especially Chen Amin, who was about to choke on it.
Shen Junshan got off after two stops. Just as he stepped down, Han Jiaojiao’s little head poked out the window, beckoning him with a finger: “Junshan, come here a second.”
“Mm?”
Shen Junshan walked over suspiciously. The bus wasn’t tall, so his head was right at window level.
Han Jiaojiao quickly planted a kiss on his forehead.
Shen Junshan’s eyes flickered with surprise as he stared at her.
Two patches of fiery clouds rose on his cheeks…
Han Jiaojiao caressed his eyes and urged: “Don’t spend too much time outdoors, come back early tonight—I’ll wait for you to eat dinner.”
“…Mm, got it.”
Shen Junshan tried hard to suppress it, but Han Jiaojiao still caught the tremor in his voice.
Zhao Yunxia in the front row heard it too. She turned around and teased: “Not throwing a tantrum at Junshan anymore? What’s with the change of heart?”
Han Jiaojiao remembered she lived in the unit by the stairwell.
When the whole building treated her like the plague, only Zhao Yunxia never treated her like a fool.
Even when she was making unreasonable scenes with Shen Junshan, Zhao Yunxia would scold her a bit.
In the original owner’s memory, she was a neighbor, but also like an older sister or elder figure.
Today she was also the one who led the charge in shutting down Auntie Liu.
Han Jiaojiao shrugged and snickered: “We slept together last night.”
Normally, no one would dare say such a thing out loud.
But everyone knew Han Jiaojiao was simple-minded—a fool says whatever she wants, who could hold it against her?
Everyone found it amusing instead, except Chen Amin, whose face was dark as thunder, glaring at Han Jiaojiao like she wanted to cry or kill someone.
“Oh, really? How wonderful! I always said if you spent more time with him, you’d understand how good Junshan is! Those young educated kids can’t compare to him—no comparison at all!”
Zhao Yunxia, heavily pregnant, waddled over to her side: “Junshan is capable and responsible, and he treasures you. Look, he even knows how to braid hair—which other man would do that!”
“He also cooked meat for me.”
“If I’d known a few pieces of meat would change your tune, he should’ve cooked a whole pot ages ago.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Han Jiaojiao laughed along sheepishly.
These neighbors knew her inside and out—if she didn’t drop some juicy news, they’d definitely keep harping on what just happened.
Besides, her and Shen Junshan suddenly being this close needed an explanation.
Luckily, no one ever knew why she’d been fighting with Shen Junshan in the first place. The more absurd the reason, the more it fit a fool’s style.
Zhao Yunxia held her hand, beaming with joy, chattering away.
“Earlier you were running around the courtyard yelling ‘divorce’ left and right—you nearly scared my baby right out of me. No more of that from now on.”
“Junshan is truly a good man. Plenty of young girls have their eyes on him, so don’t take your own life lightly.”
“Look, A Fang and Niuniu like him too—that proves he’s good with kids. These days, not many people treat their spouse’s family like their own.”
“You stick with him properly, and in a year or two, give my little one a little brother or sister to keep company. Wouldn’t that be lovely.”
“Alright, two at once—overfulfilling the production quota.”
Han Jiaojiao pretended to be shy and lowered her head, which drew another round of laughter from everyone.