“Suisui, come inside—quickly!”
A warm, enthusiastic voice drifted in from the doorway, interrupting her thoughts.
“…”
Upstairs, Jiang Zongyan had been absorbed in his book. The shout startled him, and he set the book down before lifting his eyes toward the girl standing beside the rosebushes below.
Bathed in sunlight, she looked delicate and graceful.
When Zhou Suisui met his indifferent gaze, an unfamiliar emotion stirred in her heart, rippling outward in waves.
“I’m coming!”
She looked away and walked toward the beautiful woman at the door, who was waving her over.
Mrs. Jiang had been cooking and was covered in the smell of smoke and grease. After learning that Zhou Suisui had arrived, she had deliberately gone upstairs to change into a qipao before coming down to welcome her.
The plain-colored qipao made her look dignified and elegant. Her hair was casually twisted into a bun, her skin was fair, and her smile was warm and kind.
Suisui stared blankly at Mrs. Jiang, suddenly feeling a stinging sensation in her nose.
The emotion came too quickly, surging through her heart like waves before she even had time to prepare herself.
In her previous life, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang had taken Jiang Ruitian out of town a month before her brother’s accident.
When they heard the news, Mrs. Jiang had hurried back overnight. But because she was too anxious, and because the journey of several thousand kilometers had exhausted her, she fell ill as soon as she returned to Tangcheng and was rushed to the hospital.
The doctor said she had late-stage lung cancer and that there was nothing more they could do. Less than half a month later, she was issued a critical-condition notice.
Zhou Suisui had gone to the hospital to visit her once.
Mrs. Jiang had clutched her hand as tears streamed down her face and soaked the back of Suisui’s hand.
She blamed herself for falling ill at such a time and being unable to help Suisui more.
But Suisui was already deeply grateful. She owed the Jiang family far too much. Even her brother’s funeral had been handled by Jiang Zongyan and Uncle Jiang, who had arranged everything with dignity and honor.
Illness had ravaged Mrs. Jiang. In just one month, she had become emaciated beyond recognition.
But at the time, Suisui had been planning her revenge against Su Wan. On top of that, Su Wan’s fans had been following her around twenty-four hours a day. She had gone to the hospital disguised and dared not make her visit known, afraid that those people would disturb Mrs. Jiang.
She had stayed in the hospital room for less than half an hour before leaving.
She could not even remember whether she had hugged Mrs. Jiang before she left.
That had been the last time they saw each other.
And now, Mrs. Jiang was standing right in front of her, smiling brightly as she waved her over.
“Suisui, come here! What are you standing there for? Isn’t the sun hot?”
Suddenly, Zhou Suisui remembered something from her childhood.
She had been six years old then. Her brother had gone out for the night, and thunder and lightning had filled the sky. Too frightened to close her eyes, she had clutched the stuffed rabbit her mother had left her and secretly crept out of the villa barefoot.
Rain had poured down, and a bitter wind had howled. She had not known where to look for her brother.
Crying as she walked, she had unknowingly made her way to the Jiang family’s house.
Mrs. Jiang had seen her from the bedroom on the second floor. Without even taking an umbrella, she had run outside and scooped Suisui into her arms.
She had bathed her, changed her into a clean dress, and treated the many cuts on the soles of her feet from her journey.
As she applied the medicine, Mrs. Jiang had secretly wiped away her tears.
“Poor child… My poor child… From now on, Auntie will be your mother…”
The memory had long since become hazy, but at this moment, it suddenly came back with astonishing clarity.
Holding back her tears, Zhou Suisui abruptly opened her arms and threw them around Mrs. Jiang.
“Mom!”
The force of the impact made Mrs. Jiang stagger backward twice. Then she was held tightly in Suisui’s embrace.
What had this child just called her?
Mom?
An immense surprise struck Mrs. Jiang. Shock and delight left her completely flustered.
“Y-yes, yes, good girl!”
She answered twice in quick succession, just as Jiang Zongyan came down from the second floor.
Hearing that cry of “Mom,” the usually unflappable man—who would not change expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before him—stumbled.
This little brat! His mother had already been trying to bring the two of them together, and now she actually dared to call her “Mom”!
“Zhou Suisui, what are you yelling for?”
His face darkened as he grabbed her by the back of the neck and forcibly pulled her out of Mrs. Jiang’s arms.
“Mm!”
Zhou Suisui had not realized that he had already come downstairs. Startled by his voice, she flinched, looking as though she had been frightened.
Mrs. Jiang ground her teeth and shot her son a cold look.
“Try raising your voice at Suisui again!”
This was her own daughter-in-law. Whoever dared to upset her would have to answer to Mrs. Jiang. Even if it was her own son, she would not let it go!
“…”
Jiang Zongyan pressed a hand to his forehead, his face filled with helplessness.
Honestly… one of them dared to call her that, and the other dared to accept it.
Mrs. Jiang turned to Zhou Suisui. Her expression changed instantly, and she spoke in a gentle voice.
“Suisui, don’t listen to him. I like hearing it. If you want to, you can call me Mom from now on. It makes me happy.”
“Ah, no, no. I was just carried away by my emotions…”
Zhou Suisui was overwhelmed with embarrassment.
Tiantian had been generous enough to share half of her mother with her, but Jiang Zongyan clearly was not happy about it.
Forget it, forget it. She really had lost control just now.
But she did not regret it.
One of the regrets she had carried from her previous life had finally been made up for in this one.
She turned her head and looked at the man beside her.
He was so tall that she had to tilt her head back.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches, and the shifting shadows swayed gently in the breeze. The hard line of the man’s lips was tightly drawn, his features sharp and well-defined.
He really was handsome.
It was just a pity that he looked so sour.
Mrs. Jiang lowered her eyes, secretly delighted.
The two children clearly seemed to be dating. And yet they had actually kept it hidden from their own mother?
But since they wanted to keep it a secret, she would pretend not to know.
She slipped the bracelet from her wrist and put it on Zhou Suisui’s.
“Suisui, this is for you.”
Feeling the warmth of the bracelet against her skin, Suisui realized that it was not cold like ordinary jewelry. Instead, it carried a delicate, smooth warmth. It was clearly a priceless treasure.
Her expression changed, and she hurriedly tried to take it off.
“Auntie, this is your favorite piece of jewelry. I can’t accept it.”
“Put it on. It’s nothing special. It’s an emerald bracelet that once belonged to Empress Dowager Cixi. Our Jiang family doesn’t believe in passing down heirlooms. If you like it, wear it. If you don’t, you can keep it as a collectible—or sell it for spending money.”
This was her future daughter-in-law. Mrs. Jiang would be willing to give her anything.
“No, I really can’t take it!”
Mrs. Jiang had given her plenty of things over the years and treated her like her own daughter, but Suisui did not want to take something so precious from her.
Mrs. Jiang pressed down on her hand and leaned closer, whispering, “If you don’t like this bracelet, I’ll take you to my private safe later. Pick whichever one you like. You can take them all if you want. I’ll even have someone move the entire safe over.”
“What?!”
Zhou Suisui’s jaw dropped. She waved her hands repeatedly.
“No, no, this bracelet is more than enough.”
“Mom, don’t scare her.”
Jiang Zongyan had excellent hearing. After hearing his mother trying to fool Zhou Suisui like that, he could not help shaking his head.
“What do you know?”
Mrs. Jiang narrowed her eyes dangerously.
She was in such a good mood today, and this brat insisted on ruining it. Was he asking for trouble?
“My Suisui is such a good girl!”
Mrs. Jiang took Zhou Suisui’s hand, her smile overflowing with affection.
“Let’s go inside. Auntie made lots of delicious food.”
“Mmm, Auntie is still the best.”
Zhou Suisui clung to Mrs. Jiang’s arm and spoke coquettishly.
“…”
Jiang Zongyan’s indifferent gaze swept over the smile on Zhou Suisui’s face. She was so intimate with his mother, like they were mother and daughter, that he found it utterly absurd.
Did she even know why his mother had asked her over for dinner today?
She knew nothing at all, yet she had the nerve to call her “Mom”?
But when he met that wounded (foolish), pitiful (stupid), guileless (clear-eyed) look in Zhou Suisui’s eyes, his temples began to throb.
He felt utterly helpless, as though he had dug the pit himself and then jumped right into it.
Suddenly, the corners of his thin lips curved faintly.
It was almost as if he had been angered into a laugh.
You’re the one who walked right into this. Don’t regret it later.
