Chapter 417 – Who’s Taking Advantage of Whom?

Jiang Hong looked at his son’s fearful expression, a smug smile spreading across his face. Looks like this brat is finally learning his lesson.

“Nope, I want you to run two laps with me every day for half a month. That’s final. Alright, go eat breakfast now. Aunt Huang and the others made a lot of good food—eat more.” He patted his kids on the head and coaxed them gently.

Jiang Yueyue nodded and said to him, “Then, Dad, we’ll go eat first.”

“Mm, go on.” Jiang Hong grinned as he looked at his dejected son and sent the two siblings off.

Only after watching them head into the living room to eat did Jiang Hong turn around and walk toward the room behind him.

He pushed open the door to see his wife, not fully awake yet, sitting on the bed and nodding off like a little chicken pecking at rice.

He smiled to himself and walked over just as her body began to tilt. He reached out just in time to catch her and keep her from falling over.

Still in a daze, Li Yiyi sensed someone supporting her shoulders. She blinked her eyes open slightly, and the first thing she saw was his handsome face.

“Morning,” she said with a sweet smile, greeting him.

Seeing her greet him while still half-asleep, Jiang Hong felt a pang of tenderness. He sat behind her, letting her lean into his chest as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Still sleepy?”

Hearing his deep voice, Li Yiyi gave a small smile and shook her head lightly. “I was, but after hearing your voice, it was like I got powered up. Now I’m not sleepy at all.”

Jiang Hong chuckled softly at her sweet words and bent down to kiss her lips gently. “Let me taste if you smeared honey on your lips this morning. How else would you be so sweet right out of bed?”

Hearing his teasing, Li Yiyi blushed and smacked his arm twice, embarrassed and annoyed. “Stop taking advantage of me so early in the morning!”

Jiang Hong laughed again at her accusing tone and stole another quick kiss. “How am I taking advantage of you? If anything, it’s you who’s taking advantage of me.”

Li Yiyi rolled her eyes dramatically. After chatting with him for a bit, the sleepiness she’d felt earlier had completely vanished. Now, she was full of energy.

“Enough talking. I need to get up. Go grab me some clothes to change into,” she said with a smile as she crawled out of his arms.

Jiang Hong happily agreed, “Right away,” and got up with a smile to fetch clothes from the wardrobe.

When Li Yiyi took the clothes from him and saw he was still standing there, she put her hands on her hips and ordered, “Out.”

Feeling a bit guilty, Jiang Hong rubbed his nose and asked softly, “Wife, are you sure you don’t want me to help?”

Her cheeks flushed as she glared at him. But in Jiang Hong’s eyes, her puffed-up expression only made her look even more lively and adorable.

“No need! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Out! I’m changing!” She jumped out of bed and pushed him toward the door.

At the doorway, she gave him one last glare before closing the door in his face.

Outside, Jiang Hong sighed in mock regret and called out through the door, “Wife, come eat breakfast after you’re done changing. I’ll be waiting in the dining room.”

When there was no reply, he chuckled and turned to head toward the living room.

Inside, Li Yiyi listened to the sound of him walking away, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile as she sped up her changing.

After all, today was her first day back at work after her business trip—she couldn’t be late!

When she finished changing and walked into the living room, she happened to catch her two kids in the middle of a heated debate.

“I already told you that guy was a bad person! I’m not lying! Sis, you haven’t even met him. How would you know he’s not bad?” Jiang Zhanpeng argued furiously with his older sister.

Jiang Yueyue, seeing how worked up her little brother was, took a rare step back and said, “I didn’t say he wasn’t a bad guy. I just said you don’t have any proof that he is.”

“Well, I know he’s not a good person! Dad always taught us to stand up for what’s right and fight evil. That’s what I was doing!” Zhanpeng insisted, puffing up with righteous indignation.

Off to the side, Jiang Hong was speechless. Because… his son was right. He had said that to the kids many times.

He just didn’t expect his son to one day turn those very words back on him.

The three elders at the breakfast table noticed Jiang Hong looking like he’d eaten a lemon, and they all chuckled behind their hands.

At the doorway, Li Yiyi had been listening for a while and only caught some bits about “bad guys.” Curious, she walked over and sat down, asking the kids about it.

“What was that about a bad guy? Did something happen? Did one of you run into trouble?” she asked with concern.

“It wasn’t me, I didn’t run into a bad guy—it was him. But we don’t even know for sure if that guy is bad. Still, he threw a rock at the guy,” Jiang Yueyue said, pointing at her brother.

Jiang Zhanpeng slammed his chopsticks down and insisted, “I know that guy’s bad! He was asking the kids in the compound about the pharmaceutical factory. Why would he do that unless he’s up to no good?”

Li Yiyi had only asked casually at first. After all, she and Jiang Hong had been teaching the kids about stranger danger and how to protect themselves since they were little.

They never really worried about their kids getting tricked or taken.

But now, after hearing what her son said, Li Yiyi’s expression grew serious.

“Son, tell me exactly what happened with this man—everything, in detail,” she said, looking at him intently.

Jiang Zhanpeng, who had been sulking, perked up immediately. “Mom! Do you also think that guy’s a bad person?”

Li Yiyi nodded. “Yes, I suspect so too. Now, tell me everything that happened—don’t leave anything out.”

Overjoyed, Jiang Zhanpeng nodded eagerly and, before he began, shot a triumphant look at his big sister.

Jiang Yueyue looked at her brother’s childish smug face, completely speechless. She shook her head and went back to eating her breakfast.