Chapter 45

Although Mother Jiang pretended to complain, when she saw that Jiang Yu had packed many thin clothes, she handed the baby to Father Jiang and started packing Jiang Yu’s clothes. While putting the thicker clothes into the suitcase, she reminded Jiang Zhe, “Xiao Zhe, keep an eye on her and make sure she wears enough layers. Don’t let her catch a cold.”

“Mom, I think that when I go to the north, I might be able to handle the cold even better than the locals.”

Mother Jiang rolled her eyes, “Does being able to handle the cold prevent you from catching a cold?”

“…No, it doesn’t.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“Okay, Mom, I’ll shut up.” Jiang Yu learned to behave and decided not to argue with her mom.

Jiang Zhe watched her being scolded and patted her head sympathetically, then said, “I will make sure of it.”

Mother Jiang threw out clothes she deemed unsuitable and continued to scold Jiang Yu, “What were you thinking, bringing this thin jacket? Are you trying to catch a cold?”

Jiang Yu looked over at Jiang Zhe with a deadpan expression, shrugging her shoulders. Jiang Zhe held her hand and gently tickled her palm with his finger.

After signing the rental agreement, they set off for H Province to have fun.

Jiang Yu had traveled to the north several times for work before and had thought of the northern weather as dry and cold—sometimes not even as cold as the south. So she set off confidently. However, as soon as she got off the plane and stepped out of the airport into the icy, snowy, and windy weather, she felt as if she was about to freeze.

Jiang Zhe held her jacket in his hands. She had been complaining of heat on the plane and had taken off a sweater, so he knew she would feel cold and had prepared a jacket in advance.

When Jiang Yu had come to the north before, she had worn even less clothing than now and hadn’t felt cold, but now she was feeling chilly? Jiang Yu thought it must be due to her having changed bodies, and she quickly defended herself, “I really wasn’t afraid of the cold before. I never thought it was this cold.”

Jiang Zhe nodded, agreeing with her, “That means your body has become weaker. Once we return and the weather warms up, let’s exercise together.”

Jiang Yu loved to have fun but absolutely hated exercising. As soon as she heard Jiang Zhe’s words, she immediately waved her hand, “No, let’s skip the exercise. I don’t like to move around. I’ll just wear more clothes; that’s fine.”

Jiang Zhe: …

He never realized that Jiang Yu was so averse to exercising!

It really made him worry.

But Jiang Zhe felt content with it.

After exiting the airport, they quickly arrived at the hotel they had booked. With only ten days left until the New Year, many people had already taken their vacations to have fun, so there were quite a few people around.

Jiang Zhe had booked a suite with two bedrooms.

When Jiang Yu saw that there were two rooms, she was a bit surprised and said, “I thought you only booked one room.”

After all, since she had been sick, they had both been sleeping in the same bed.

Jiang Zhe remained calm and composed: “I didn’t know whether you wanted to share a room or not. Since we’re out to have fun, I obviously want you to be happier.”

Jiang Yu responded, “Well, why didn’t you ask? Is your mouth just for eating?”

After finishing her meal, Jiang Yu realized that he wasn’t as fond of food as she was.

Jiang Zhe put on a remorseful expression and said good-naturedly, “Okay, next time I’ll definitely ask you. If you’re not satisfied, we can change to another room.”

Jiang Yu was reluctant again: “Forget it, this is fine. I haven’t stayed in a suite much; let’s try it once.”

Then she turned to go into the other room, clearly wanting to sleep separately from Jiang Zhe.

Jiang Zhe didn’t mind her and took out his laptop to get busy.

Jiang Yu slept until two o’clock, and when she woke up, Jiang Zhe went out with her to explore.

This H Province was not exactly like the H Province Jiang Yu had been to before; they were identical, but it was strange this year because there were so many people. As she looked at the world of ice and snow filled with long lines, she suddenly lost the desire to play.

She exclaimed, “Why are there so many people this year?”

A girl in line next to her said, “Didn’t you check the travel guides? This year, tourism in H Province has exploded; there are a lot more people than in previous years.”

Jiang Yu took out her phone and searched for the news, and sure enough, it was true.

Then she saw something interesting.

“Wow, you can slide down the slide with a cute guy holding you? That’s amazing!”

Jiang Zhe immediately became vigilant. Seeing that she was teasing him, Jiang Yu showed him her phone: “You need to be at least 1.5 meters; I don’t meet the requirement.”

Only then did Jiang Zhe relax.

There were just too many people. Jiang Yu had only come to see the ice sculptures, so she wasn’t too interested in playing and just followed Jiang Zhe around aimlessly. Halfway through, she saw something shaped like a snowflake and exclaimed, “So beautiful!”

She took out her phone and handed it to Jiang Zhe: “Come on, take a picture of me!”

Jiang Zhe took out his phone: “I’ll take it with my phone.”

They were the same.

Jiang Yu found her position, posed with her peace sign, and started snapping photos.

Jiang Zhe took pictures without any worry; all the photos turned out beautifully, and Jiang Yu was very satisfied, saying, “Remember to send them to me tonight.”

Then they got in line to ride the Ferris wheel.

At first, she didn’t want to play any games, but the Ferris wheel was just too pretty for her to resist.

By the time they reached their turn, the sun was setting. As the Ferris wheel slowly ascended, the sky was filled with evening glow, resembling a golden painting, which was incredibly beautiful.

Jiang Yu felt that in such a beautiful scene, they should do something to make the moment memorable. So, she began to hint at Jiang Zhe, “Jiang Zhe, do you know what’s perfect to do when the Ferris wheel reaches the top?”

Jiang Zhe naturally didn’t understand her hint and shook his head: “What should we do?”

Once they reached the top, Jiang Yu thought that by the time she explained, the Ferris wheel would have already started going down. Without caring to explain, she simply leaned in and pressed her soft lips gently against his.

This was Jiang Yu’s first time being so proactive, and Jiang Zhe was momentarily stunned, feeling as if his heart was about to jump out. Inside, it felt like a fire was igniting.

After kissing Jiang Zhe, Jiang Yu felt as if the surrounding air had become still and frozen. She looked up and saw Jiang Zhe gazing at her quietly, his eyes shimmering with emotions she couldn’t decipher. Realizing what she had done, she quickly covered her mouth. Seeing Jiang Zhe look as if he had been taken advantage of, she said, “What’s wrong? You’re my husband; what’s wrong with giving me a kiss? Isn’t it allowed?”

Jiang Zhe replied, “It is.”

He leaned in, becoming the one taking the initiative.

Just before the Ferris wheel stopped, he pulled away.

At that moment, Jiang Yu’s lips felt numb, her legs weak, and she felt utterly drained. She looked at him for a long time before finally saying, “You really are annoying.”

Jiang Zhe smiled, holding her hand as they walked away.

As night fell, the surrounding ice sculptures lit up, transforming into a world of lights that was completely different from the daytime. The ice castles, ice sculptures of animals, towers, and various sculptures were all illuminated by different colored lights, creating a stunning sight.

In addition to the ice lanterns, there were fireworks too.

When the fireworks soared, the entire night became lively and beautiful.

After wandering around the ice and snow world for about an hour, they headed to Central Avenue. The streets here were filled with snacks, and Jiang Yu ate as she walked, quickly filling her stomach.

At that moment, Jiang Yu noticed a crowd gathered nearby, seeming quite interesting. She squeezed over to take a look, and to her surprise, she saw a group of people holding white foxes. It was her first time seeing a white fox in real life, and seeing their snowy white, soft appearance made her heart melt. She reached out to call Jiang Zhe, saying, “Jiang Zhe, look! We can hold white foxes!”

Realizing that Jiang Zhe was standing so far from the crowd, she quickly understood that he didn’t like crowded places. Although he was making an effort to overcome it, he still instinctively resisted.

She said, “If you don’t like crowded places, you can just wait over there.”

Jiang Zhe refused: “No need.”

Even though he still instinctively resisted, he was doing alright.

Jiang Yu was currently in high spirits. Hearing Jiang Zhe’s words, she didn’t think too much about it and saw that there were still people in line waiting to hold the white fox, so she obediently got in line. Midway, she glanced at Jiang Zhe and saw him waiting nearby, so she called out to him, saying, “Jiang Zhe, can you help me take pictures later?”

Jiang Zhe nodded while holding his phone: “Sure.”

Each person could hold the white fox for only five minutes, and soon it was Jiang Yu’s turn. The white fox felt soft in her arms, and Jiang Yu felt her heart melt. She exclaimed, “Wow, so cute! Jiang Zhe, hurry up and take our picture.”

“It really feels so soft.”

Jiang Yu had an impulse to take this adorable little creature home with her.

Jiang Zhe quickly captured several beautiful pictures of her. In the photos, she looked a bit silly while smiling, which made Jiang Zhe unable to help but laugh.

Jiang Yu thought the white fox was so soft that Jiang Zhe would like it too, so she handed it to him, saying, “Jiang Zhe, let me have you hold it too.”

“Doesn’t it feel great?”

Jiang Zhe didn’t expect her to pass the white fox to him. After a moment of surprise, he handed it back, saying, “It’s okay.”

“Go ahead and hold it.”

After Jiang Yu had her fill, as they were leaving together, she curiously asked Jiang Zhe, “You seem like you don’t really like small animals?”

Jiang Zhe nodded: “Yeah.”

Jiang Yu pondered for a moment: “That shouldn’t be the case.”

Jiang Zhe looked at her in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yu explained her analysis: “You said you don’t like crowds, so logically, you should like small animals more. I didn’t expect you not to like them at all.”

Jiang Zhe wasn’t clear about how not liking small animals would change her perception of him, but he honestly replied, “I don’t like them.”

Jiang Yu didn’t understand: “Why?”

“When I was a kid, I was bullied, and small animals bullied me too. I was chased by dogs and scratched by wild cats that passed by.”

Jiang Yu: “…” This was something she hadn’t expected at all, and she suddenly felt a bit sympathetic toward Jiang Zhe.

“So, were you actually afraid that the white fox might scratch you?”

“Not anymore. That was when I was a child. Now I can protect myself and can also protect you and our child.”

Fearing that he might seem useless in Jiang Yu’s eyes, Jiang Zhe eagerly explained.

Since there wasn’t anything around that interested him, Jiang Yu continued asking, “So, do you like gardening?”

Jiang Zhe shook his head.

Jiang Yu recalled the flowers he had taken care of on the balcony and said, “But you take good care of my flowers.”

“Taking care of them well doesn’t mean I like them.”

Jiang Yu was left speechless: “So, if that’s the case, you have to help me take care of my flowers everyday. Wouldn’t that be painful for you?”

Jiang Yu was a bit worried; if Jiang Zhe said it was painful, she wouldn’t know what to do with her flowers.

Jiang Zhe denied it: “No, it wouldn’t.”

Jiang Yu felt relieved but was also a little curious: “So with so many things you don’t like, what do you actually like?”

Jiang Zhe looked at her, his raven-black eyelashes fluttering slightly as he said one word.

“You.”

At that moment, Jiang Yu’s attention was suddenly caught by a vendor slicing frozen pears at the roadside, and she exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, they can slice frozen pears now!”

Jiang Zhe had just seen some news online stating that frozen pears could not only be sliced but also plated beautifully.

After being surprised, Jiang Yu remembered the question she had asked Jiang Zhe earlier and asked, “What did you just say?”

The man replied, “You. I like you.”

Jiang Yu was not surprised and continued to ask, “What about Luo Luo?”

“Less than before, but still like her.”

“What about your grandmother?”

“Also like her.”

“What about your mom?”

Jiang Zhe fell silent.

Jiang Yu felt that Jiang Zhe’s mother seemed nice, and he also took care of her, so his silence surprised her: “Don’t you like your mom?”

Jiang Zhe replied, “Not really. It’s just that our relationship isn’t very close. When I needed love the most, she was also absent.”

Fearing that Jiang Yu might think he was a heartless person, Jiang Zhe explained: “Can you understand? It’s just that when I needed her, she wasn’t there. Now, although she treats me well, I might not need it as much.”

Jiang Yu nodded: “I understand.”

This year, H City had really surprised Jiang Yu. She opened her phone, searched for frozen pears, and saw comments saying that tofu pudding had even turned sweet. Having lived here for about a year, she found it unbelievable that the sweet tofu pudding had transformed into a savory flavor, and she said in disbelief, “Even tofu pudding can become sweet now? This world has really turned upside down.”

However, Jiang Yu also felt warm; a tourist-friendly city deserved such popularity.

Later, after Jiang Yu had eaten her fill, she and Jiang Zhe returned to the hotel.

There were still many activities to enjoy. Today was just the first day, and there was plenty of time to have fun slowly.

Once they returned to the hotel, after Jiang Yu finished her shower, Jiang Zhe went in to wash up.

The hotel’s bathroom was separated by frosted glass, and as the sound of water came from inside, shadows could be seen through the glass. Even though nothing was visible, Jiang Yu felt her face heat up.

They had already gone through their adjustments, and it was just a step away from being fully comfortable with each other. Jiang Yu buried her face in her blanket, feeling so shy.

But at the same time, she felt excited.

She wondered what Jiang Zhe’s skills were like.

This guy seemed to be in decent shape. Although he didn’t love going out, he actually got up early every day to go for a run.

Jiang Yu, although a novice with no practical experience, had read a lot of novels. She was curious if the descriptions in the novels were truly accurate. However, it was said that many authors were women, so she remained skeptical.

But this world is also a world from a novel.

Could Jiang Zhe be like the characters in the novels, having seven encounters in one night?

As Jiang Yu indulged in her wild thoughts and clutched the blanket, a figure leaned over her. She looked up and saw Jiang Zhe beside her. His voice was a bit deep as he asked, “What are you doing?”

What am I doing?

Jiang Yu’s face instantly flushed, and she smiled sheepishly: “Nothing, just tired.”

“I thought you were thinking of something happy; you look really joyful.”

Jiang Yu felt that he was probably implying she was blushing with excitement.

She denied it and pretended to rub her eyes: “No, I’m really tired.”

“Then you’re going to sleep by yourself tonight?”

Jiang Yu replied, “Yeah, I’ll sleep by myself.”

“Then, good night.”

“Good night.”

Once Jiang Zhe really went back to rest, Jiang Yu realized what she had done. Had this night just passed like that? Has such a beautiful time been wasted?

Ah, what was she even saying just now?