Jiang Baiyuan returned home with his daughter, and upon entering, Jiang Qiuyue pointed towards the bedroom, saying, “Xiangying is back. She’s in her room.” Overwhelmed with excitement, he momentarily forgot his daughter and rushed to the bedroom. Jiang Ruyi also wanted to see her mother but, considering it was a reunion for the couple, she decided to keep her distance. She caught a glimpse of her mother in the bedroom, being held by her father, and adhering to the principle of not intruding where she wasn’t welcome, she smiled and returned to her room. She was happy for her father and called Zhou Linchuan to share the good news: “Brother, my mom is back.” Zhou Linchuan played along with a laugh: “Really? That’s great. Our little Ruyi has her mom back. The family is reunited.” Their joy contrasted with his loneliness. Jiang Ruyi realized this, and her happiness waned slightly: “Brother—” “Hmm?” “Dad has found his happiness; you should hurry up too.” “Haha, alright.” He laughed it off, not particularly fond of the topic, and quickly changed it: “Little Ruyi, since your mom is back, let’s celebrate. I’ve booked a feast for you all to have a reunion dinner.” “Auntie is already on it. Her cooking isn’t bad.” Jiang Qiuyue had been taking her auntly responsibilities seriously these days. Perhaps aware of her past mistakes and the trouble she had caused, she was now very cautious in her actions and words, maintaining a low profile, almost like a housekeeper, keeping the house tidy and clean, hoping to prolong this state and not revert to old habits.
Zhou Linchuan, upon hearing this, asked with a smile, “Is she treating you well?” “Yes, she has to.” She was now entirely dependent on her brother. It seemed the scare had affected her health; she complained of chest pains all the time, and Feng Mingzhu showed signs of becoming reclusive, seeing a psychologist. Now, the mother and daughter seemed quite pitiful. Zhou Linchuan was close to them and knew these things, but he didn’t take it to heart. He was cold-hearted, deeply caring for those he valued but indifferent to others. Jiang Ruyi was still too young to notice these nuances. They continued chatting.
Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Jiang Baiyuan held his beloved wife, his face flushed with embarrassment: “I was looking for those documents. I thought once I found them, I’d burn them. Unfortunately, I haven’t found them yet.” Xu Xiangying nestled in his arms, softly responding, “Hmm.” “Am I very useless?” “A bit.” He fell silent, even more embarrassed, his arms tightening around her. Xu Xiangying was teasing him; seeing his discomfort, she consoled him with a smile: “But I like you this way.” She wasn’t particularly fond of overly intelligent people. Jiang Baiyuan was brilliant in academia but seemed to have used up all his smarts there, appearing somewhat naive in daily life and social interactions. She liked this about him; it made their relationship effortless and secure.
