Chapter 118: Midnight Whispers  

Zhou Zhongshan had just spent last night indulging in Jiang Rou, experiencing a long and passionate night.  

Tonight, he dared not torment Jiang Rou again.  

He understood the principle of not draining the pond to catch the fish.  

His delicate and tender little wife—how could she withstand such exhaustion?  

So, even though his mind was somewhat restless, he suppressed his impulses with restraint.  

Inside the bedroom, everything was peaceful.  

Zhou Zhongshan held Jiang Rou in his arms, his arm wrapped around her slender waist, his fingers gently rubbing the fabric of her nightgown.  

It was pure cotton, very soft.  

A mere act of self-restraint, as if he were caressing Jiang Rou’s skin.  

“Alright. Have you been getting along well with the children lately?”  

Though Zhou Zhongshan was somewhat reserved, he knew he should show concern for Jiang Rou’s well-being.  

In a household with children, conversations between husband and wife would inevitably involve them.  

The moment the topic turned to the children, Jiang Rou squinted her eyes and smiled silently.  

“Very well! Today, I taught Xiaohua a new tune on the flute…”  

As soon as Jiang Rou started speaking, she became unstoppable, with endless things to share.  

Her relationship with Zhou Xiaohua had always been quite good.  

What was even more gratifying was that her relationship with Zhou Xiaochuan had also unknowingly softened.  

That arrogant little wolf cub usually acted as if he didn’t care much for people, but every time Jiang Rou turned her back, those dark, glistening eyes would always sneak glances at her.  

Even though Jiang Rou didn’t have eyes on her back, she could still feel it.  

“You wouldn’t believe it—yesterday, when I was cooking, I started sweating, and Xiaohua actually took the initiative to fetch water and wipe my face. She’s so tiny—her whole body isn’t even as big as a washbasin—but she tried so hard to carry that heavy basin, wobbling as she walked over. She looked just like a little penguin. It was the cutest thing ever.”  

As Jiang Rou spoke, she smiled blissfully.  

Zhou Zhongshan could feel the joy radiating from her chest, transmitting through their closely pressed bodies, spreading to him.  

But…  

“Penguin?”  

Zhou Zhongshan furrowed his brows slightly. This was the first time he had heard of such a thing.  

Was it… an animal?

Jiang Rou explained: “A penguin is an animal that only lives in Antarctica, in icy and snowy environments. Its whole body is only black and white, chubby, and when it walks, it waddles—just like… like a little duck.”  

“Duck, huh…” Zhou Zhongshan imagined the creature based on Jiang Rou’s description. “Then it must be quite cute.”  

“Exactly! Penguins are cute, and Xiaohua is cute too. At that moment, I even asked her if she would like to call me ‘Mom.’”  

In the dim light, their vision was not very clear.  

Zhou Zhongshan couldn’t see the subtle expressions on Jiang Rou’s face, but he could imagine her eyes sparkling with anticipation and excitement.  

She must have looked even cuter than Zhou Xiaohua.  

This old father’s heart silently leaned toward his wife.  

Following Jiang Rou’s expectant words, Zhou Zhongshan asked,  

“What did Xiaohua say?”  

“She nodded! Xiaohua nodded!” Jiang Rou got so excited that she wrapped her arms tightly around Zhou Zhongshan’s neck, rubbing her face against his shoulder. “Zhongshan, Xiaohua said she’s willing to call me ‘Mom’!  

She called me ‘Mom’!”  

At the beginning, Jiang Rou had indeed said that there was no need to call her ‘Mom’ or even ‘Stepmom.’ Just calling her ‘Auntie’ was enough.  

She had already regarded Zhou Xiaohua and Zhou Xiaochuan as the only children she would ever have in her life.  

Her love for them came from the depths of her heart.  

Love could be given without expecting anything in return.  

But that didn’t mean there was no anticipation.  

Zhou Xiaohua’s answer was the best response Jiang Rou could have received.  

That one word—”Mom”—firmly cemented their mother-daughter bond.  

Even though Jiang Rou was merely recounting what had happened, she was still as thrilled as she had been at the moment Zhou Xiaohua nodded.  

Zhou Zhongshan was happy for Jiang Rou as well.  

In a low voice, he said: “Wife, Xiaohua and Xiaochuan can both feel your kindness. You have already been their mother for a long time.”  

“Of course.”  

Jiang Rou was not the least bit modest. Instead, she lifted her chin proudly and admitted it.  

Not only did she want Zhou Xiaohua to call her “Mom.” but one day, she would make sure Zhou Xiaochuan would, too.  

They would truly become mother and son.  

Jiang Rou did not hide her ambitions in the slightest.  

Her burning and unwavering emotions made Zhou Zhongshan’s heart pound wildly in his chest.  

The two of them continued talking about many things.  

Most of the time, it was Jiang Rou speaking while Zhou Zhongshan listened quietly.  

But Zhou Zhongshan was not just listening absentmindedly—he was genuinely paying attention, occasionally responding to her words.  

As their conversation went on…  

Inevitably, they touched upon what had happened today.  

This was also the main reason why Jiang Rou wanted to “talk” to Zhou Zhongshan.  

“Zhongshan, I went to Company Commander He’s house today.”

“Hmm?”  

“I went to see someone. It was Company Commander He’s wife. Her name is Song Qingqian.”  

“Hmm?”  

Zhou Zhongshan responded with confusion.  

It wasn’t the content of Jiang Rou’s words that puzzled him, but rather the way she spoke about it—cautiously, with an unusual sense of seriousness and careful deliberation.  

Visiting a neighbor in the compound was an ordinary affair.  

Wasn’t it just like dropping by Zhao Guifen’s house next door?  

Why was Jiang Rou speaking in such a solemn and serious tone?  

Zhou Zhongshan asked: “Is there something special about this?”  

“It’s Song Qingqian. Company Commander He’s wife, Song Qingqian.”  

Jiang Rou deliberately emphasized her words, repeating the name with extra weight.  

Yet Zhou Zhongshan still didn’t get it. His deep, dark eyes remained filled with confusion. He had no idea why this was significant.  

Using his straightforward, male logic, he tried to make a guess.  

“Wife, did you… have an argument with her? And lose?”  

“How could that be?! I’m articulate, sharp-minded, and have a strong sense of logic. How could I possibly lose an argument?”  

Jiang Rou had immense confidence in her debating skills.  

However, in Zhou Zhongshan’s mind, his delicate wife was so slender and fragile that she must have been bullied.  

This misunderstanding in their thinking left the couple staring at each other in the dim light.  

The scene was quite amusing.  

Jiang Rou glared at him for a while until her eyes felt dry.

Jiang Rou blinked and had no choice but to recount everything that had happened today in full detail—especially the argument in front of Song Qingqian’s house.  

“I admit, I was a bit impulsive when I did this. I considered Song Qingqian’s feelings, but I forgot to consider yours. In the end, it was Sister Guifen who reminded me. Zhongshan, what I did… it won’t affect you, will it?”  

After circling around the topic for so long, it still ultimately landed on Zhou Zhongshan.  

A warm current slowly flowed through the man’s heart.  

This was his wife—like a little sun, always radiating warmth.  

Zhou Zhongshan tightened his arm around Jiang Rou’s slender waist, holding her even closer.  

Instead of directly addressing her concerns, he responded with a question.  

“Wife, what do you think of my relationship with Company Commander He?”  

Jiang Rou replied: “It should be quite good. When we built our new house, Company Commander He came to help—and he put in a lot of effort. From what I see, your relationship with him is better than that of ordinary comrades. You’re good friends.”  

Zhou Zhongshan asked again: “Then do you think my interactions with Company Commander He will affect me?”