◎The Coffin Lid Can't Hold Back◎
Jiang Suizhi was utterly baffled. He hadn’t even managed to make this blockhead understand romance, so where had she picked up all these twisted theories?
Glancing at the two figures of indeterminate relationship status, who were still pretending to kiss each other’s foreheads even with a child between them, he couldn’t help but feel bitter.
Comparison truly was the thief of joy.
After a few seconds of silence, he decided that shamelessness was the path to invincibility—prioritize getting a wife over saving face.
"It’s my first time being in love. It’s okay if I’m not mature yet," he said.
Le Qing frowned slightly, her gaze disapproving. "Then you still have a lot to learn."
Jiang Suizhi: "..."
Learn what? How to keep things platonic?
Wait a minute—her concern wasn’t about whether they should be together, but about physical affection and emotional maturity.
Brother Jiang’s previously gloomy eyes suddenly brightened. "So, if we don’t touch, does that mean we can still have love?"
"No," Le Qing was stunned by his logic. "I just—"
Just what?
She just wanted to correct Jiang Suizhi’s bad habit of constantly seeking physical contact!
Jiang Suizhi’s eyes curved with amusement. "Take your time."
He was happy to listen.
Le Qing wished she could crack open his skull to see what went on in his mind all day. How did he always manage to latch onto the most frustrating points? Just as she was about to explain, Little Sister Treasure, who had been waiting below to see her uncle and aunt kiss, suddenly spoke up.
"Auntie~"
"Hmm?"
"Don’t reason with unreasonable people," An'an sighed, mimicking her aunt’s usual tone. "It’s pointless!"
Uncle clearly had no intention of being reasonable.
The little snuggle bug remained a snuggle bug. Jiang Suizhi chuckled, but his gaze lingered on Le Qing’s slightly reddened ears. "Uncle doesn’t want to be reasonable right now."
"An'an," he said slowly, his eyes shifting forward. Though he was speaking to the child, his attention was fixed on Le Qing’s eyes. "Love isn’t about reason, understand?"
An'an had an epiphany. "Got it!"
Just like how she and her brother loved the twisty ride at the fair, even though Auntie always avoided it!
She just thought the twisty ride was amazing!
The two of them were ganging up on her. Le Qing turned and covered An'an’s mouth. "If you say ‘got it’ again, you’re sleeping with Uncle tonight."
The once-loyal snuggle bug had now become full of holes in Auntie’s arms.
An'an peeked at her aunt’s eyes, utterly confused as to why adults got embarrassed but refused to admit it.
Guess her brother was right—adults cared too much about face. She had made Auntie lose face!
But she still wanted to sleep with Auntie and Mommy. Uncle probably didn’t know how to tell bedtime stories. He was too stiff, not soft and sweet like Auntie and Mommy.
"Sorry, Uncle," An'an retreated, prying open Auntie’s fingers just enough to free her mouth. "An'an has no mouth today~ Uncle, grow your own mouth, okay?"
Couldn’t be Uncle’s mouthpiece anymore!
Le Qing straightened up and shot a warning glance at the man behind her. "You don’t get a mouth either."
The corners of his lips quirked up as he nodded faintly, a teasing glint in his eyes.
As they all walked toward the elevator, Le Qing’s phone buzzed a few times.
Because there were children at home, and after Jiang Suizhi had chased her all the way to England only to fall ill when he couldn’t reach her, she had kept her phone notifications on ever since.
She glanced at the screen.
It was a message from Jiang Suizhi’s private account. To this day, he still hadn’t changed the generic "Brother Jiang" profile picture and name, as if he’d grown accustomed to the persona.
"Don’t worry."
Le Qing glanced at the man beside her. The glow of his phone screen illuminated his face, his lips curled in a faint smile as his fingers danced lightly across the screen.
Her phone vibrated again.
"Only children make choices."
"But I want both—affection and love."
Her heart skipped a beat. When she looked up again, she met Jiang Suizhi’s gaze. Unlike the playful teasing from earlier in the garage, his dark eyes now held nothing but her reflection in the confined space of the elevator.
Unbidden, Le Qing recalled what Annie had once told her in England—love must be felt to be real.
From the moment Jiang Suizhi confessed his feelings, he had never stopped showing her, through words and actions, what that meant. He never hid it, not even when she rejected him—more than once.
Le Qing averted her eyes, distractedly watching the blinking elevator buttons.
She didn’t know how to love, nor had she ever imagined loving anyone.
In the past, she couldn’t even manage the simple act of loving herself. If someone truly loved her, they’d have a hard road ahead.
She once thought she’d live a quiet, uneventful life—alone.
No grand pursuits, no lingering attachments.
Not like now, crammed into a tiny elevator with the noisy, lively presence of people she cared about.
And they were heading toward others who cared for them in return.
What a strange, wonderful feeling.
It made her look forward—to a future where she might shine brighter, and to the person she loved.
The two little ones took turns being the guides and the elevator operators, keeping a close eye on the floor numbers. The moment the doors opened, they shouted, "We’re here!"
Snapped out of her thoughts, Le Qing took their hands, ready to step out and make room for Annie.
But she froze at the sight outside the elevator.
The spacious reception hall was decked out like a festival—colorful fairy lights, a path lined with flowers and baskets, each adorned with a paper banner: "Warmest welcome to our two precious girls!"
Even Uncle Jiang from the northwest had sent his regards remotely.
At the end of the floral path stood Uncle Jiang and Grandpa Jiang, beneath a massive banner that read: "An Apology and Gratitude Banquet for Our Beloved Annie and Le Qing."
With a click, the bright overhead lights dimmed, leaving only the twinkling fairy lights on the flowers—and the two elders now holding up illuminated signs, one reading "Annie," the other "Le Qing."
On the wall, surrounded by fairy lights, was a black-and-white portrait of Jiang Yan, his face glowing in multicolored splendor.
Le Qing: "..."
"Auntie! Mommy!" The two children held the elevator door open, bouncing excitedly. "Come on! It’s so pretty!"
This was the surprise Grandpa and Uncle had prepared for ages!
Le Qing released their hands, unable to move.
Every step forward felt like wading through lead.
Annie, still oblivious, asked, "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing," Le Qing replied, her eyebrow twitching as she debated whether to force herself forward.
Before she could decide, Jiang Suizhi pushed the kids’ waving hands aside and expressionlessly hit the elevator’s close button, shutting out the bizarre spectacle—and the bewildered elders.
Jiang Hechang.
The biggest stumbling block on his path to winning her over.
Fortunately, the house had stairs. Seeing the elevator doors close abruptly, Jiang Hechang paled.
No way—they’d agreed to this! Why were they leaving now?
He hurriedly ordered the lights back on and, clutching the sign, dashed down the stairs. Relief washed over him when he found them waiting in the first-floor lounge instead.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Don't you like it?"
He had put quite a bit of thought into it. With no women in the household and a bunch of men who usually paid little attention to such things, this was the most formal and elaborate welcome he could come up with. Wasn’t this how company annual dinners used to be?
Jiang Suizhi plucked the light-up sign bearing Le Qing’s name from his hand and said coolly, "If those things aren’t cleared away, forget about this meal."
For the first time, Le Qing felt the urge to side with Jiang Suizhi—even if it was impolite.
But this was even more embarrassing than celebrating a birthday in the middle of a Haidilao hotpot restaurant.
"Why?" Little Le Jia stood firmly on Grandpa Jiang’s side. "I think it’s pretty!"
Eating inside was absolutely awesome.
Jiang Suizhi shot him a sidelong glance. "Go sit at your dad’s table."
Little Le Jia widened his eyes. What was his uncle talking about?
He didn’t even have a dad!
"Ignore him," Jiang Yan comforted his child. "He doesn’t understand anything. No wonder he can’t get himself a wife."
"Hmph."
The system uncle was right!
Le Qing glanced at the two enthusiastic kids, then at Uncle Jiang, who still hadn’t figured out what was wrong. In that moment, it all clicked.
They all shared the Jiang family bloodline—it made sense.
Jiang Suizhi was practically the genetic anomaly here.
As long as it wasn’t about not wanting to see him, Jiang Hechang didn’t consider it a big deal. The house had plenty of staff; they could clear everything away in no time. "It’s fine. If you don’t like it, I’ll have them take it down."
Well, it was the thought that counted.
Le Qing turned to Annie and described the spectacle upstairs, only to find her completely unfazed. "Makes sense."
Jiang Yan was the same way.
Thankfully, Jiang Yan spent most of his time at work, so his peculiar tastes only showed up in small personal items. She didn’t mind much.
Respect, but secretly throw them away.
In the end, everyone returned to the bizarrely decorated dining room upstairs.
At least the lights stayed on this time, so aside from the odd ambiance, everything else was tolerable.
Jiang Hechang had even considered placing his eldest son’s portrait on a chair but thought better of it—it would be rude, and he didn’t want Annie to misunderstand. She was still young; he couldn’t hold her back from living her life.
But he never expected to see Annie place the small portrait he’d given her on the seat beside her.
Jiang Hechang: "This…"
Annie’s expression was perfectly natural, as if she hadn’t just done something utterly shocking. "So he can feel included too."
Jiang Yan, still lingering near his son, teared up.
This was love.
His wife knew what he liked, what he wanted, and she didn’t hold it against him.
Unlike that cocky brat who couldn’t even spare a little courtesy.
Le Qing lowered her head, suppressing a quiet laugh.
She wondered what Jiang Yan would think if he saw this now. Probably the same reaction as Jiang Suizhi.
Noticing her amusement, Jiang Suizhi leaned in slightly and whispered, "What’s so funny?"
"Your brother," Le Qing murmured back.
Jiang Suizhi scoffed. "He’s loving it."
Everything here was perfectly aligned with his aesthetic.
Hearing this, Le Qing grew genuinely curious. "What kind of person was your brother?"
"Talkative," Jiang Suizhi replied lazily, not even lifting his eyes. "A naive idiot who thought he was hot stuff."
But in reality, he was softer than anyone.
Le Qing thought about it and decided that someone like that paired with Annie wasn’t so strange—they complemented each other.
She nodded halfway, only for Jiang Suizhi to raise his gaze. "You’re that interested in him?"
The question sent a flicker of alarm through her. One wrong answer, and it felt like he might just lose it right then and there.
"I was just curious about the kind of person Annie would fall for," she said.
Jiang Suizhi smirked. "Why not be curious about the kind of person who’d fall for you?"
Le Qing answered without thinking, "I can see you right here."
The moment the words left her mouth, the air between them grew still.
Faced with the sudden intensity in his gaze, she quickly backpedaled. "I mean, you’ve already told me."
From the very first moment they met, she had seen the real Jiang Suizhi. He had laid himself bare before her, leaving no room for doubt. She trusted him completely.
But Jiang Suizhi didn’t press her on the answer. Instead, he asked, "So? Are you curious?"
Her heart leapt into her throat. The answer suddenly felt scalding.
Was she curious?
She was. She was curious about everyone who treated her well.
But while she could answer Annie or anyone else with ease, Jiang Suizhi was different.
Ever since he confessed his feelings, she had deliberately avoided these questions—even though the same answer would apply to a friend.
Yet Jiang Suizhi never gave her room to escape. Every question was a reminder.
He wasn’t just a friend.
Just as she struggled to respond, Jiang Suizhi suddenly smiled. "Alright."
"Huh?"
"I won’t ask anymore," he said.
Le Qing stared at him blankly, unsure why he was giving her breathing room now. But she had a feeling something bigger was coming.
Sure enough, the next second, he reached over and tapped lightly on her wrist, right where her bracelet rested. "Your hesitation is answer enough."
"As long as you’re seriously considering this, then I’m making progress," he murmured.
The sheer confidence in his eyes burned her. She yanked her hand back and scooted her chair away.
Instinct told her that staying too close right now would be dangerous.
Jiang Suizhi didn’t follow. Instead, he took a sip of his wine, lips curling slightly.
"Uncle," An'an whispered as she crept closer, "did you make Auntie mad again? She won’t talk to you."
"Who said that?" Jiang Suizhi flicked her forehead lightly, in high spirits. "This is called tension. What do you know?"
An'an rubbed her forehead. "An'an doesn’t get it, but Auntie would never sit so far from me."
Whatever. No point arguing with a kid.
Jiang Suizhi was certain of his place in Le Qing’s heart. She was always composed, always calculating her next move.
Even when she realized his feelings had changed, she hadn’t erased their past. She was weighing things in her mind.
As a friend, of course she’d be curious about him.
But if she only saw him as a friend, she wouldn’t have hesitated when he asked. She would’ve known the answer.
Yet she had faltered—because even she didn’t know if this curiosity was purely platonic.
What did Jiang Yan know?
A doctor could heal himself, and Jiang Suizhi was a master at analyzing emotions.
Brother Jiang was brimming with confidence now.
She’s got me in her heart.
Although things had been cleared up at the camp earlier that day, Jiang Hechang hadn’t forgotten the purpose of this dinner. Noticing how harmonious the atmosphere was, he raised his wine glass and cleared his throat lightly. "Annie."
Hearing this, Annie lifted her gaze toward him.
"I’ve been preparing for this dinner for a long time, and I still want to apologize to you," Jiang Hechang sighed. "No matter what, you and the child have suffered a lot, and that’s our family’s responsibility."
Annie’s fingertips brushed against her glass.
She wasn’t particularly fond of such solemn atmospheres, nor did she enjoy the back-and-forth formalities of social interactions. But this was Jiang Yan’s father, and his words were genuinely considerate of her. She knew better than to disregard such gestures.
Just as she brought the glass to her lips, Jiang Hechang continued, "In the future, no matter where you choose to live with the child or if you pursue other relationships, we won’t have any objections."
Annie: "..."
Jiang Yan, who had just started to believe his old man had matured: "?"
Jiang Hechang: "Our family doesn’t have any younger female members right now, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to formally adopt you as my goddaughter. Or, if you prefer, you could be Grandpa Jiang’s god-granddaughter. Jiang Yan may not have that fortune, but we’ll treat you as one of our own—just like family."
Jiang Yan snapped: "Who says I don’t have that fortune?!"
That’s my wife! How can she be your goddaughter?!
Little Le Jia, startled by the system uncle’s outburst, covered her head. "Uncle, what’s wrong with you?!"
Jiang Suizhi glanced sideways, resting his chin on his hand as he watched the scene unfold with amusement. "The coffin lid’s about to blow off."
"Ahem."
Le Qing choked on her drink at the remark.
Unexpectedly, this drew the attention of Jiang Hechang, who was still in the midst of his emotional speech. "And Le Qing, you’re a good girl too."
He shot a glance at Jiang Suizhi, his expression pained, as if reluctant to let such a fine young woman be dragged into chaos. "Uncle knows your difficulties. If you and your sister would like to—"
Clink.
Jiang Suizhi set his glass down sharply, cutting off the unfinished sentence.
He leaned back, staring coldly at his father—a man he neither got along with on the surface nor in heart—and said in a frosty tone, "You’d better rethink your words."
"If you take in a goddaughter," he added with a quiet threat, "I’ll have my own household register by tomorrow."
