Chapter 45: Father and Son Reunited

Jiang Banyue gently hugged her son, her tone slow and tender.

“Mommy loves you very much, and Daddy loves you too. You are Mommy and Daddy’s precious little treasure.”

Jiang Huaijin lay in his mother’s arms, looking up at the round moon above.

“I love Daddy and Mommy too, very, very much.”

Jiang Banyue lifted her son down from the swing. “Baby, it’s late; it’s time to go to bed.”

“Okay.” Jiang Huaijin took his mother’s warm hand as they walked back to the room, glancing back at the doll on the swing, swaying back and forth all alone.

In the morning, Jiang Banyue got up early to prepare breakfast. Afterward, she would take the children to school and then check on her store. Two years ago, she had hired a manager specifically to handle the store’s affairs. This manager had been trained in cake-making and was very responsible, so Jiang Banyue trusted her greatly.

After finishing breakfast, Jiang Banyue called the three children.

“Hurry up and wash up; it’s time to eat!”

Jiang Huairou groaned and refused to get out of bed, while Jiang Huaiyu rubbed his eyes sleepily and headed to the bathroom. Only Jiang Huaijin was already dressed and sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast.

Jiang Banyue skillfully picked up her daughter and wiped her face with a wet towel. Jiang Huairou opened her eyes.

“Hmph, Mommy is wiping my face with a wet towel again!”

“That’s what you get for not getting up. Hurry up; your brother has already finished eating!” Jiang Banyue pulled her up from the bed and handed her some clothes to put on. After dressing her daughter, Jiang Banyue dragged her to wash her face and brush her teeth.

Her daughter was particularly lazy, needing to be urged for everything. A little nudge would get her moving, which was quite exhausting. Jiang Banyue had tried several times to change this habit, but it just wouldn’t improve.

After finishing breakfast, Jiang Banyue drove the children to school and then turned around to head to the store. The changes over the past few years were remarkable; the once run-down county town now had tall buildings, and her store had been relocated, giving her a clean and bright shop.

Upon arriving at the store, the manager, Lin Qi, came up to her.

“Boss, you’re here.”

“How’s business lately?”

“Pretty good. We’ve already received several calls this morning for cake orders.”

“Mm.” Jiang Banyue went to the counter and took out the ledger to start checking the accounts.

Lin Qi said, “Boss, yesterday a strange man came looking for you. He asked me where you live now. I didn’t recognize him, so I was hesitant to give him your address.”

“Mm? Looking for me?” Jiang Banyue asked, puzzled.

“What did he look like?”

Lin Qi thought for a moment. “He has a buzz cut, is very tall, and looks to be around thirty years old.”

As Jiang Banyue listened to Lin Qi’s description, she suddenly thought of someone. Could it be Shen Yunhe? Since he left, there had been no news from him. Sometimes she wondered if something had happened to him.

“Next time he comes looking for me, just give me a call.”

“Okay.” Lin Qi nodded.

After checking the accounts, Jiang Banyue picked up her bag and walked outside, getting into her car to leave. This year, she had just bought a car and learned to drive. An Xiuxiu watched her drive with envy and signed up for driving lessons, though she didn’t know how well she was doing. After buying groceries, she happened to pass by the driving school and decided to go in and see her.

As soon as Jiang Banyue entered, she saw a pickup truck swerving towards her, startling her into quickly stepping aside. She heard the instructor in the truck shouting loudly.

“Turn the steering wheel all the way, turn the steering wheel all the way, quickly!”

The student in the car was almost in tears, frantically turning the steering wheel until his hands turned red.

“What are you doing! Ah!! I told you to turn the steering wheel all the way, not just to turn the steering wheel!”

The instructor shouted angrily, his voice loud enough for the entire driving school to hear. Jiang Banyue chuckled and shook her head, turning to look for An Xiuxiu.

Under the big tree, she found An Xiuxiu waiting to practice driving.

“Jiang Jie, come over here!”

When An Xiuxiu saw her, she waved her hand happily, and Jiang Banyue walked over with a smile.

“How’s your driving practice going?”

An Xiuxiu sighed, “It’s so frustrating; I just can’t get it. I still can’t tell the clutch, brake, and gas pedal apart.”

“Don’t rush it, take your time. You’ll get the hang of it!”

An Xiuxiu looked distressed. “Look at how dark I’ve gotten now.”

Jiang Banyue chuckled lightly, “Being tanned is good; after all, life shouldn’t be lived in vain, haha!”

“You’re still teasing me!” An Xiuxiu pouted, holding her sunburned face.

“When will I ever get that elusive driver’s license?”

“Don’t worry, practice driving requires a calm mind. The more anxious you are, the worse it gets.”

After chatting with An Xiuxiu for a while, Jiang Banyue drove to the Jiang family home to see her parents. The old tenement building had been demolished, and her parents had moved into a new apartment.

As soon as she entered, she heard a commotion inside and hurried in.

“What’s going on? Why all the noise?”

Seeing her daughter, Jiang’s mother began to nag her.

“I sent your elder brother on a blind date, but he refuses to go. He used to use the kids as an excuse, but now that they’re so big, he doesn’t have to take care of them anymore, yet he still won’t go on a date. He wants to drive me crazy!”

Jiang Banyue knew that after her grandfather’s mourning period was over, her mother had been eager for her elder brother to go on blind dates. As his younger sister, she felt it wasn’t her place to say anything and kept quiet.

In the afternoon, Jiang Banyue rushed to the school to pick up the children. Not far away, a dark green SUV was parked by the roadside. Inside, Shen Yunhe stared unblinkingly at the four of them, watching as she drove away. Shen Yunhe started the car and slowly followed behind.

In the car, Jiang Huaijin leaned back in his seat and looked out the window, smiling happily.

“Brother, what are you looking at?”

Jiang Huairou and Jiang Huaiyu leaned over to look as well, and Jiang Huaijin pointed at the SUV behind them.

“Look at that car, it looks nice!”

Jiang Huaiyu nodded, “It really does! When I grow up, I want to drive such a cool car!”

Jiang Banyue glanced at the three kids in the rearview mirror.

“Sit properly, no messing around.”

In the SUV, Shen Yunhe saw the three kids leaning against the car window, his expression softening. His little treasures had all grown up, living healthily and happily.

Jiang Banyue parked in front of the villa, opened the car door, and the three kids, each with a big backpack, jumped out one after another. Shen Yunhe parked behind and got out of the car.

“Banban, I’m back!”