“There’s always tomorrow, so don’t think you can brush me off. It’s settled, then. I’ll drive to the Jiang residence at one tomorrow afternoon and take you to the hospital.”
Zhou Suisui sat in the car with the window rolled down. Her cheeks were round and soft, but her eyes held an unprecedented determination.
She really did know Mrs. Jiang well.
What Mrs. Jiang had said just now was indeed an excuse.
She knew she wasn’t feeling well and ought to see a doctor. But sometimes people were just like that—even when they had the means, they still hated the trouble.
Especially the hospital’s pungent disinfectant smell. It was enough to put anyone off.
A trace of discomfort flashed across Mrs. Jiang’s face at being seen through. In the end, she couldn’t win against Suisui and nodded helplessly. “Fine. I’ll listen to you. I’ll go tomorrow.”
Jiang Ruitian hurriedly added, “I want to go with you, too.”
“Then it’s settled. I’m leaving. Bye!”
Only then did Zhou Suisui relax. She started the car and drove away.
Before leaving, she turned her head and glanced into the living room almost without thinking.
The man had changed into a black formal suit and happened to be walking down the spiral staircase. Tall, long-legged, and carrying an imposing aura, he looked like he took up eight feet of space.
Zhou Suisui quickly looked away, stepped on the accelerator, and sped off.
“Slow down! Be careful!”
Mrs. Jiang was so frightened that she shouted after the car.
She watched until it disappeared around the corner before reluctantly withdrawing her gaze.
Yet she couldn’t help wondering: It had only been a few days since she’d last seen that girl… Had she grown up? She seemed much more mature now, and somehow different. She even knew to care about her health.
When she thought of the way Suisui had called her “Mom” just now, the corners of her mouth refused to come down.
It had gone straight to her heart. This daughter-in-law was as good as secured.
Just as she was thinking this, Jiang Zongyan’s tall, straight figure appeared at the entrance. He was taking his car keys from the foyer and looked as though he was about to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“To the office.”
Jiang Zongyan answered without expression.
There was still a mountain of work waiting for him at the company. Ever since noon, Lin Zhou’s reminder texts had been coming nonstop.
“Stop right there!”
Seeing that he was about to step out the door, Mrs. Jiang hurriedly called him back.
Her expression was solemn, as though she were interrogating a suspect.
“What is it?”
“You have the nerve to ask me what it is? Suisui just called me Mom, and you’re still claiming the two of you aren’t dating?”
She had to get to the bottom of this today.
If her son was being irresponsible, then as his mother, she had a duty to correct his misguided thinking.
At that, Jiang Zongyan raised his eyes and glanced at her, his tone calm.
“We’re really not dating. You’ve misunderstood.”
Mrs. Jiang clicked her tongue. “Zongyan, it’s not that your mother looks down on you, but our Jiang family doesn’t have cowards like you.”
Daring to do something but not daring to admit it—that wasn’t like him at all.
That child had been sensible and mature from a young age. Whether it was his studies or his work, he had never given her the slightest cause for worry. He was practically a child sent to repay a debt of gratitude from a past life.
But now that she thought about it, perhaps she had reached that conclusion a little too soon.
Jiang Zongyan’s brows drew together slightly. The moment his mother’s eyes shifted, he knew exactly what she was thinking.
He let out a faint sigh.
What a nuisance.
The thing he hated most was trouble.
At that moment, a trace of compromise flickered in his resolute black eyes.
He was just about to explain when Jiang Ruitian came running over.
“Brother, Suisui has already taken a liking to you. What are you still hesitating for? My best friend is in high demand. If you don’t seize the opportunity, you’ll regret it.”
Jiang Zongyan gave a scoff. “She told you she likes me?”
Jiang Ruitian nodded. “Absolutely.”
Remembering how Zhou Suisui had recoiled from him earlier as though he were a snake or a scorpion, a shadow passed between his brows.
“She was lying to you.”
Jiang Ruitian froze, then retorted, “Brother, are you really willing to say anything just to stay single? Suisui told me herself. How could it be fake?”
“She was just teasing you.” Jiang Zongyan remained unmoved.
“Teasing me?”
Jiang Ruitian was so angry that her voice changed. “She wasn’t!”
Mrs. Jiang sat there as well, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. “Zongyan, this is where you’re in the wrong. You’re dating Suisui and you’re even hiding it from your mother?”
Jiang Zongyan was eager to leave, but the mother and daughter had backed him into a corner. With no other choice, he simply threw caution to the wind and said, “Fine. You can go persuade her.”
“Persuade her to do what?”
The corners of Jiang Zongyan’s lips curled into a slightly roguish smile. “Persuade her to become your sister-in-law. As long as she’s willing to marry me.”
With that, he didn’t bother to wait for their reactions and strode out the door.
Silence fell behind him for three seconds.
It was as though a bomb had been dropped into the water.
Mrs. Jiang shot to her feet and grabbed her daughter by the arm.
“Tiantian, what did your brother just say?”
“My brother agreed to marry Suisui!” Jiang Ruitian jumped up and down excitedly.
Mrs. Jiang could hardly believe it. Her son had actually agreed to get married?
Only a few days ago, he had gotten angry because she arranged a blind date for him and had refused to come home, choosing to stay at a hotel instead.
She pinched her thigh hard. It hurt.
Tears of joy welled in her eyes. She picked up her phone and called Jiang Xingming.
“Honey, the old iron tree of the Jiang family is finally blooming…”
—
When Zhou Suisui returned home, Cui Wu was in the greenhouse with several servants, transplanting new plants.
After an entire cold winter, spring had arrived. It was the perfect time to turn over the soil and sow new seeds.
“Miss, why are you back so early? Didn’t you want to spend more time with Mrs. Jiang?”
“Sis Cui, come here! I have something to show you.”
Zhou Suisui tossed her little handbag onto the sofa, then climbed up and sat cross-legged on it. Pointing at the rows of yellowed old photographs in the album, she laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. Her whole body was about to roll right off the sofa.
“What are you looking at that’s so funny?”
Cui Wu walked over curiously. The next second, she froze completely.
Oh, no. Was she still safe?
Would Young Master Jiang kill her to silence her?
“When Jiang Zongyan was little, Auntie actually tied his hair into pigtails and put him in a princess dress! Look at his face—it’s puffed up with anger! Doesn’t he look exactly like a spoiled little princess?”
“And look at this one. He’s staring at the camera with that dazed expression, his little face covered in tears and snot, with a snot bubble coming out of his nose… And this one—look at that little butt sticking up! He was just too adorable!”
“Young Master Jiang really was adorable when he was little. He’s completely different from the aloof, cool way he acts now.”
Watching her young mistress laugh so hard she was practically swaying like a flower in the breeze, Cui Wu’s eyes filled with relief.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Miss laugh this happily.”
But after saying that, an absurd thought crept into her mind.
Oh, no. Had Miss fallen in love?
Could it be that she hadn’t gone after Young Master Jiang just to spite Young Master Zhou? Was she serious?
Just then, the familiar, powerful sound of footsteps came from outside.
“What’s my sister looking at? Why are you laughing so happily?”
Zhou Sui’an’s clear voice rang out from the doorway. By the time Zhou Suisui looked up, he had already reached the entrance.
“Let your brother take a look, too.”
Zhou Suisui’s laughter came to an abrupt halt. In a fluster, she closed the album and stuffed it behind the sofa cushion at her back.
“They’re embarrassing childhood photos of Tiantian. If I showed them to you, wouldn’t she come crying to me afterward?”
Her gaze dropped. Seeing that her brother was carrying quite a few things in his hands, Zhou Suisui quickly changed the subject.
“Brother, why did you get off work so early today? Did something good happen?”
Sure enough, Zhou Sui’an looked away from her, her face lighting up as she held up the things in her hand.
“Guess what these are—and who sent them?”
