“Who is it?”
“It’s me.” The man’s voice was clear and pleasant in the night breeze.
Jiang Rou’s heart gave a sudden tremor. She quickly rose to open the door, and with a soft creak, it swung wide.
Their eyes met, and both broke into gentle smiles.
Looking at the travel-worn man before her, Jiang Rou restrained the surge of excitement in her chest and asked softly, “You’re back?”
“Mm, I’m back!” Shen Chengdong wanted to embrace her, but his hands were full of luggage. Afraid of bumping into her, his wrist instinctively curled backward.
Jiang Rou opened the door wider to let him in. Seeing the many bags in his hands, she couldn’t help but wonder, “You only took two changes of clothes when you left. Are all these things what you bought?”
“Yes. Come take a look.” His tone carried a hint of joy as he set the heavy bags on the table. They looked packed with all sorts of things.
Curious, Jiang Rou stepped closer, leaning in to peek. A faint floral fragrance clung to her, drifting into the man’s breath.
Shen Chengdong’s hand faltered as he opened the bag. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and after a brief pause, he finally lifted the flap.
Inside was a bundle of southern specialties, packed full. In another bag lay clothes—some he had taken before his trip, and on top, neatly folded, a pale yellow dress. Carefully, he lifted the dress and held it out to her, eyes full of anticipation. “I bought this for you. Do you like it?”
Jiang Rou accepted the dress, her heart delighted, though the joy quickly gave way to a pang of concern. She guessed softly, “Where did you get the money for this? Did you save it by skipping meals?”
Shen Chengdong stayed silent for a moment, which was an answer enough.
Seeing it was true, her lips pressed together, and the happiness drained away. “If you don’t eat properly, you’ll ruin your stomach. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do?”
Her words were gentle, yet they stung him like a bee’s light sting to the heart.
Mentioning food reminded Jiang Rou suddenly: “There are still buns at home. You haven’t eaten dinner yet, have you?”
“Mm, I’ll eat later.”
Knowing her cooking wasn’t great, she felt too shy to heat them up for him.
Shen Chengdong unpacked everything from his bags and arranged them neatly. Then his gaze fell on the paper boxes stacked on the round table, and he frowned. “You’ve been pasting these all this time?”
“No, just today, to pass the time.” She knew he disliked her working on paper boxes at night, so she tried to sound casual.
He walked over to the boxes, tidying them as he spoke. “Doing this at night will strain your eyes. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do?”
He had taken her own words and turned them back on her, with a touch of exaggeration.
Jiang Rou couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you like this? Don’t mimic me.”
Just then, she noticed another unopened carton on the table. Curious, she asked, “What’s inside this one?”
“Open it and see.” His lips curved in a teasing smile, feigning mystery, which only made her more curious. She untied the hemp rope bit by bit.
Inside were items wrapped in newspaper. She glanced up at Shen Chengdong, who was still smiling at her, then lowered her head again and tore open one bundle—out rolled a golden-yellow fruit.
“What’s this?” Jiang Rou had never left Jing City, and she had never seen such a thing before.
Shen Chengdong finished tidying the boxes and came over, smiling as he explained, “The locals call it mango. I tried one—it was delicious. I thought you should taste it too.”
Afraid she might worry about the expense, he quickly added, “It was a gift from the locals. I didn’t spend any money.”
“How do you eat it?” Jiang Rou lifted the mango to her nose. A faint fragrance drifted up, making her mouth water.
“Wait a moment, I’ll wash my hands and peel it for you.”
A few minutes later, the young couple sat together at the round table. Shen Chengdong carefully peeled the mango, while Jiang Rou rested her chin in her hands, quietly watching him—time seemed peaceful and still.
Ripe mangoes were easy to peel. Soon he handed the fruit to her, and she took a small bite. Sweet and fragrant—it was delicious. One bite led to another, and in less than two minutes, the palm-sized mango was gone.
Shen Chengdong reached for another, but she stopped him. “Tomorrow I’ll bring two for Mother and Aunt to try, and save two more for when we go back to Wangshui Village, so Father and Mother can taste them too. What do you think?”
They had already agreed to visit the village once his wages came in, and payday was near. Shen Chengdong nodded—he missed his parents as well.
As the saying goes, a short parting makes reunion sweeter than a wedding night. In the quiet of the night, the long-separated pair had endless words to share.
Nestled in his arms, Jiang Rou softly recounted the little happenings of the days he’d been away. Listening, Shen Chengdong pressed gentle kisses to her forehead, the warmth between them flaring brighter and brighter. At some point her stories trailed off, and in the hushed room only her soft plea remained.
Just as the moment threatened to tip over, Jiang Rou suddenly remembered something. She pressed her hands against his chest, looked up at him, and whispered, “Wait—I need to ask you something.”
He froze, nearly undone. “What is it?” His lips brushed hers, his breath hot.
Jiang Rou tried not to lose herself in the moment and voiced the question that had long troubled her. “Do you like children?”
Thinking she was eager for a child, Shen Chengdong’s brow dampened with sweat. He nipped lightly at her lip. “I do. As long as they’re yours, I’ll love them.”
But instead of joy, Jiang Rou’s heart sank. She turned her head away from his kiss and asked, “Then, what if I can’t have any?”
Shen Chengdong only paused for a heartbeat. Meeting her watery gaze, he answered earnestly, “Then that’s fine too—it’ll spare you the pain. We’ll raise two dogs instead, be dog dad and dog mom. Much easier.”
His rough words made her laugh, and she leaned in to kiss him first—gentle as flowing water.
When word spread that Shen Chengdong had returned, Chen Aihe invited them over for a reunion dinner the next day.
Jiang Rou brought southern specialties and mangoes, wanting her parents to try something new.
Since Jiang Qiuyu had left home last time, she had never come back. Jiang Deshan had once gone to look for her at Han Laosan’s place, but she refused to return. The Han family’s meddling only made things worse, and that visit left Jiang Deshan furious. Afterward, he never went again.
To welcome Shen Chengdong home, the family specially bought a big rooster.
Jiang Deshan handled the slaughter, while Shen Chengdong took charge of steaming the fish. Once the chicken soup was ready, Chen Aihe ladled out a bowl and asked Jiang Rou to deliver it to the Meng household.
After the last incident, Meng Shuge’s blood pressure often spiked. Originally, Meng Wen had planned to live on campus after starting university, but now she could only commute, weighed down by guilt. Seeing Jiang Rou arrive with the chicken soup, her heart filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Xiao Rou.”
Jiang Rou smiled shyly, not daring to take credit. “My mother asked me to bring it. How’s Uncle’s health these days?”
Meng Wen shared the latest news, reassuring her not to worry. Then she asked Jiang Rou to wait a moment, went inside, and returned with a key in hand. “I ran into your eldest brother on the street last time. This fell from his pocket. I meant to give it back, but he disappeared before I could. Could you pass it on to him?”
Jiang Rou immediately recognized it as Han Yuanshang’s bicycle key. Her mind turned, and she didn’t reach out to take it. “Sister Wen, our factory’s been busy these days. Better if you give it to him yourself. He hasn’t returned to the army yet—he should be at home.”
Meng Wen’s eyes flickered as she withdrew her hand, never guessing at Jiang Rou’s careful thought.
Before dinner, Shi Lan quietly asked Chen Aihe, “Mom, should we invite Xiao Yu back to eat?” She asked in hopes of easing the tension between them.
Chen Aihe’s face remained expressionless. “No need. When she wants to come back, she’ll come back on her own.”
Seeing her mother-in-law so firm, Shi Lan said no more.
Not far away, Jiang Rou overheard the exchange. She could guess the reason—surely it was because she hadn’t shown Jiang Qiuyu the jewelry box that day, which led her to move out and stay at Han Laosan’s place.
As for why her family hadn’t mentioned it to her, Jiang Rou chose not to ask.
Meanwhile, at the Zhong household in the compound—
Jiang Qiuyu stood pitifully before everyone, hands pressed tightly against her belly, head lowered, silent.
Zhong Fang stared at her in disbelief, unable to accept what he’d just heard. “You said you’re pregnant? How is that possible?! Are you lying to me?”
Seeing his doubt, Jiang Qiuyu pulled out a medical report in front of them all, her eyes brimming with tears. “I have no reason to lie. If you don’t believe me, look for yourself—it’s already been more than two months.”
Zhong Fang snatched the report from her hand. It was genuine. He was left speechless.
Old Madam Zhong, watching from the side, remained calm. She asked Zhong Le to bring a chair and gestured for Jiang Qiuyu to sit.
“Thank you, Grandma.” Jiang Qiuyu looked at the elder with gratitude, knowing she had taken an important step forward.
The old lady said nothing more, but turned to Zhong Fang. “Tell me honestly—when you were down in the countryside, did you take advantage of this girl?”
Zhong Fang scratched his head irritably, reluctant, but admitted, “Yes.”
At that, the old lady frowned, while Zhong Fang’s father and mother turned livid with anger.
“You fool—no matter how much you liked her, you shouldn’t have done such a thing!” Now that she had him tangled up, there was no shaking her off.
Zhong Fang wanted to defend himself, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, Jiang Qiuyu stepped in to ease the tension. “At the time we were engaged, we thought we’d be married soon, so we were together. I never imagined things would turn out like this. The child is innocent.”
It was clear she meant to use the pregnancy to force her way into the Zhong family, and everyone saw through her plan. But there was no way around it. What was done had to be acknowledged. Even if the pregnancy were false, the family would still have to take her in as a daughter-in-law.
After all, the Zhong family had a reputation in the capital. They couldn’t afford scandal. The blame lay with Zhong Fang—poor judge of character, proving himself a fool.
Old Madam Zhong had three sons and six grandsons. She didn’t expect much from him anyway. But she wasn’t about to let this little girl get her way so easily. She lifted her teacup, took a slow sip, and spoke deliberately. “Since you’re carrying a child, then the marriage must be settled. Go tell your parents. Let the two families meet, and we’ll fix a wedding date.”
Seeing how readily she agreed, Jiang Qiuyu was overjoyed. “Grandmother, on behalf of the child in my belly, thank you.”
“No need for thanks. From now on, we’ll be family.” The old lady smiled kindly, her true thoughts hidden.
Zhong Fang wanted to protest, but his father silenced him with a glare. Once Jiang Qiuyu had left, satisfied, Father Zhong turned to the old lady. “Mother, are we really letting him marry her?”
She shot him a look and said bluntly, “What else can we do? Would you rather let outsiders seize on this stain against our family and use it against us? Sometimes, for the sake of the bigger picture, sacrifices must be made.”
Father Zhong was a shrewd man. He sighed inwardly, knowing his son’s future was now ruined.
Elsewhere—
Jiang Qiuyu hummed a tune as she walked into the crowded courtyard. But the moment she crossed the threshold, her expression shifted, her face clouded with sorrow.
Chen Aihe saw her return, raised her brows slightly, but said nothing.
Ignoring her mother’s coolness, Jiang Qiuyu suddenly burst into tears, her voice plaintive. “Mom, I’m pregnant.”
Those words struck Chen Aihe like a bolt from the blue. She froze in place.“What did you say? Pregnant?!”
In those days, being pregnant before marriage was enough to make people point fingers. She couldn’t understand—her daughter had always been clever and sensible. How could she do something so foolish?
“Does Zhong Fang know? What did he say?”
Jiang Qiuyu recounted everything that had happened at the Zhong household, then pleaded tearfully: “Mom, now I can only marry Zhong Fang. It’s our fault for being young and ignorant. Please, for the child’s sake, meet with his family.”
This was not a decision Chen Aihe could make alone. She agreed to wait until Jiang Deshan returned so they could discuss it together.
In the end, both families arranged to meet on Sunday at a state-run restaurant. By coincidence, it was the same roast duck place as before.
As members of the Jiang family, Jiang Rou and Shen Chengdong also had to attend. Thinking it would be a chance to eat for free and watch the drama, Jiang Rou agreed without hesitation.
When the Jiangs arrived at the private room, the Zhongs were already there. It was their first meeting. After a few polite greetings, the atmosphere quickly grew awkward.
Mother Zhong kept glaring at Jiang Qiuyu, as if she wanted to peel her skin off. Zhong Fang sat listlessly, showing little warmth.
Watching all this, Chen Aihe felt deeply unsettled. Then Old Madam Zhong spoke: “In-laws, here’s what we think. Let the children register their marriage first. Once they’ve settled into university life, we’ll hold the wedding banquet. Does that sound acceptable?”
“This…” Chen Aihe wanted to protest. What kind of marriage was this? Were they planning to wait until her belly was showing before holding a banquet? Was this meant to humiliate them—or did they not intend to hold a banquet at all? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her expression growing grave.
But Jiang Qiuyu kept signaling frantically with her eyes, begging her mother to agree. Chen Aihe pressed her lips together and finally nodded. “If the children have no objections, then neither do we.”
After that, the two families continued discussing the marriage, but the Zhongs never once mentioned a bride price.
Taking advantage of a trip to the restroom, Chen Aihe pulled Jiang Qiuyu aside and asked in a quiet corner: “What does his family mean by this? No banquet, no bride price—do you still want to marry into such a household? Even if you’re pregnant, you can’t let them treat you like this!”
But Jiang Qiuyu, thinking of Zhong Fang’s future as a billionaire, brushed it off. “Mom, I truly love him. I don’t care about any of that. Even if his family made us sleep on the streets, I’d still be willing! Please, you and Dad mustn’t be angry—just let us be together!”
Ever since their last quarrel, Chen Aihe had felt a subtle estrangement from this daughter. Seeing her so determined, she could only agree to stop interfering. Otherwise, she and Jiang Deshan would be branded as cruel parents tearing lovers apart.
Back in the private room, Old Madam Zhong spoke again: “Once they’ve registered the marriage, let them move out and live on their own. After all, they’re not that young anymore—it’s time they learned to support themselves.”
At those words, Jiang Qiuyu finally grew restless. Though she had just claimed she wouldn’t mind sleeping on the streets, she had never truly imagined such a thing. She and Zhong Fang were still students—how could they possibly afford to live independently? She looked to Zhong Fang for help, but the man kept his head down, silently accepting the decision. He neither protested nor comforted her, obedient as ever.
In the corner by the wall, Jiang Rou munched on roast duck, watching the drama unfold. She never expected that the supposed heroine, once treated like a family darling, would become so despised. The novel’s plot had collapsed beyond recognition!
Shen Chengdong, seeing her eat with such relish, quietly rolled his own duck pancake and placed it on her plate. Focused on the spectacle, she didn’t even notice.
Once she was full and satisfied, the lopsided meeting ended. The Zhong family left first, leaving Zhong Fang behind to accompany them. Because Jiang Qiuyu had agreed to every unreasonable condition, Jiang Deshan’s temper finally snapped—he stormed off without another word.
Chen Aihe sighed helplessly and called Zhong Fang over, hoping to ask what his family truly intended. But Zhong Fang, already harboring some resentment toward the Jiangs because of Jiang Qiuyu, shoved his hands in his pockets and answered guardedly: “I don’t really know. The marriage isn’t up to me. Maybe you should talk to my family again?”
Realizing he was not the one in charge, Chen Aihe was left speechless. Passing by the private room where Chen Ailan had once hosted them, she suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, nephew, let me ask you—how much did that wool coat you bought for Qiuyu cost? Where did you buy it?”
Zhong Fang froze, then replied honestly: “I never bought her any clothes. Wasn’t that coat a gift from you?”
“…” In that instant, Chen Aihe understood everything. She stopped in her tracks, dazed and silent for a long while.
June’s weather turned hot overnight. Just days ago, people still wore long sleeves, but now everyone had switched to summer clothes.
In the stifling kitchen, the heat was enough to suffocate. Jiang Rou fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, growing drowsy.
Han Yuanzhi passed by and flicked her smooth forehead with his finger. “No slacking off during work hours, you hear?”
Startled awake, Jiang Rou frowned, rubbing her sore forehead, teeth grinding in irritation. “Say what you need to say. If you flick me again, I’ll tell your mother.”
“Heh? So you’ve learned how to tattle now?”
Han Yuanzhi rarely smiled, and even then, it vanished like a fleeting blossom. Lately, he had been weighed down with gloom, all because of Zhao Xiaolu. The girl had made it clear: if he refused to become a live-in son-in-law, she would find someone else immediately. After all, men were plentiful—grab a handful and surely one would agree to marry into her family. They had been together for less than half a year, and the feelings were real. Hearing her threaten to marry another, Han Yuanzhi was naturally heartbroken. But to become a son-in-law against his will—that was something he simply could not accept.
Jiang Rou could guess why he was unhappy, though she had no idea how to comfort him. Every family had its own difficulties. Take her aunt’s household, for example: three sons. The eldest cousin served in the army and rarely came home. The youngest lived in the southern countryside and couldn’t return to the city anytime soon. If the second cousin were to marry into another family, her aunt would truly be left alone.
Han Yuanzhi sat down beside her with a sigh. “Why is my fate so bitter? I’m already in my twenties—finally managed to find a girlfriend, and it turns out like this.”
“Why does she insist on having a son-in-law, anyway?”
The question stumped him. “Then why did your family take in a son-in-law?”
Jiang Rou thought carefully before answering. “Because I’m soft-tempered. My parents feared I’d be bullied if I married out.”
“Do you think Zhao Xiaolu is soft-tempered? Definitely not. So it can’t be for that reason.”
The true cause, perhaps, only she herself knew.
“I’ll be heading to Old Third’s place in a few days. Before I go, I need to settle things with Zhao Xiaolu. Sis, could you help me tomorrow? Go to the broadcasting room for me? She throws things whenever she sees me now—there’s no way to talk properly. Please deliver a letter to her.”
“Of course, no problem.” Jiang Rou agreed readily, so much so that Han Yuanzhi ended up finishing all her work before the end of the shift.
After work, the two walked out of the canteen together. Han Yuanzhi wanted to remind her of a few things to watch out for when meeting Zhao Xiaolu the next day.
But before he could say a word, Jiang Rou was whisked away by Chen Aihe.
“Mom? What are you doing here?”
Meeting her daughter’s puzzled gaze, Chen Aihe’s heart swelled with both sourness and pride. “I’m taking you shopping for clothes. We’re going to the department store—and we’ll buy only the finest!”