Chapter 43: Braiding Hair

The wind was strong by the seaside at night; it was not the sea breeze but a land breeze.

Wen Shuyu stood in front of Jiang Huaiyu, tilting her head to observe the changes in his expression.

Just like that time when they spoke their true feelings, neither of them said a word.

“So is it?” Wen Shuyu stepped forward, pressing her foot against Jiang Huaiyu’s toe.

She asked again, even though she already had the answer in her heart.

In this relationship, she had always held the initiative in questioning.

Noisy voices filled her ears, along with the sound of a returning ship’s whistle.

The rest of the noise was completely blocked out, and Wen Shuyu could only hear her heart pounding like thunder.

In the silent wait, Jiang Huaiyu lifted his eyelashes, “Yes.”

His eyes were dark, like the distant, endless sea.

The man continued to explain, “That year you told your mother you were going out to clear your mind, and she was worried, so she asked me to look after you. You… you hated me, so I could only quietly follow you.”

Under the warm yellow light, his gaze darkened, and his tone was calm, as if recounting something very ordinary.

When he mentioned “hated,” there was a slight pause, his voice trembling for a fraction of a second.

On the surface, Jiang Huaiyu was acting on Wen’s mother’s request, but it was actually his own thought.

He was worried about her.

Jiang Huaiyu still remembered that it was early summer, and the seaside felt somewhat cool in the evening. After receiving a call from Wen’s mother, he went to ask Shen Ruoying what was going on.

In those years, he deliberately avoided paying attention to Wen Shuyu’s affairs, not wanting to hear news about her and Lu Yunheng. Their interactions were limited to gatherings during holidays.

Shen Ruoying told him that Lu Yunheng was going abroad, and everyone at their college knew about it. He hadn’t told Shuyu; she was the last to find out.

She didn’t know the other details, but Shuyu had only told her that she was fine, that she was going out to clear her mind and would be back soon.

As for the fact that she and Lu Yunheng were not in a relationship, Shen Ruoying didn’t mention it to Jiang Huaiyu. She knew that Wen Shuyu hated Jiang Huaiyu.

And the last thing Jiang Huaiyu had said to Shen Ruoying was, “I’m going to find her.”

He didn’t know where to start looking, but fortunately, Wen Shuyu had shared her plans with her mother and reassured her not to worry.

The coastline stretched for several kilometers. Jiang Huaiyu searched from the north to the south and finally saw Wen Shuyu sitting on a rock in front of a boulder.

She was all alone, facing the shimmering golden sea.

It seemed as if she had been abandoned by the whole world.

A small figure hugged her knees, softly sobbing, suppressing her inner sadness.

She cried, and he watched her cry.

Jiang Huaiyu really wanted to go over and hold her, but he couldn’t. He restrained his emotions with great effort, refusing to take a step forward.

The setting sun sank into the sea as Wen Shuyu stood up to call her mother, informing her that she had bought a high-speed train ticket and would be home by evening.

Yet that smile grew increasingly bitter the more he looked at it.

Afterward, Lu Yunheng seemed to have vanished from Wen Shuyu’s world.

The two of them pulled back from their tangled thoughts.

Wen Shuyu reached out her arms, wrapping them around Jiang Huaiyu’s waist, and accused him in his embrace, “It’s hard on you. Clearly, you dislike me, yet you still have to take orders from my mom.”

Jiang Huaiyu felt wronged and patted the back of her head. “I swear, I don’t dislike you.”

“I heard it, several times,” Wen Shuyu tilted her head up to confront him.

Jiang Huaiyu asked, “When did I say that?”

Wen Shuyu shook her head. “I don’t want to say. Otherwise, it’ll make me look petty for remembering it for so long.”

Jiang Huaiyu laughed, “You’re not petty; my wife is the most magnanimous.”

“Fine, I won’t say. You can figure it out yourself.”

Wen Shuyu released him, made a funny face, and ran into the shallow sea.

The water just barely covered her ankles, chilly and refreshing, quite comfortable.

Jiang Huaiyu watched her play in the water, clearly not intending to speak.

He followed closely behind her, his long arms wrapping around her. His right hand clasped her slim waist, and his broad palm pressed against her lower back, the warmth of his palm searing against her skin.

“There’s someone.” By instinct, Wen Shuyu anticipated his move.

Jiang Huaiyu chuckled softly from his throat, “Yuyu, when did you say to stop kissing?”

He lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Wen Shuyu followed her heart, closing her eyes, and everything in front of her went completely dark.

Amidst the bustling crowd, shrouded by the night, Jiang Huaiyu held her tightly in his arms.

From the back, he could hardly see her.

Jiang Huaiyu deliberately bit her lip, a punishment for not telling the truth.

“Yuyu, have you thought it through?” His fingertips pinched the soft flesh at her waist, teasing her again and again.

“Or do you want to stay up late tonight?”

Wen Shuyu was momentarily stunned for a split second. “Jiang Huaiyu, you’re being a rogue! I’ll tell my mom that you’re bullying me.”

She believed he would threaten her with things on the bed.

“Really? I haven’t bullied you yet, my wife. For example, when you’re on top, or maybe a game of Ludo, or role-playing, and then…” Jiang Huaiyu leaned closer to her ear to finish the sentence.

Handcuffs, inside the car.

Wen Shuyu reached out to cover his mouth, preventing him from saying anything nonsensical again.

“Okay, okay, I’ll say it.”

He rubbed his forehead, thinking about how to start; he felt a bit embarrassed. “The first time was during the summer after the high school entrance exam when we went to the amusement park. You and Zhou Hangyue said you didn’t like me and only saw me as a little sister. Then there was another time in high school when someone asked you why you were so nice to me, whether you liked me, and you emphasized again that you didn’t like me, just that you were fulfilling a promise to your parents.”

She didn’t embellish anything; she just recounted it exactly as it happened.

Wen Shuyu didn’t tell Jiang Huaiyu that she had once had feelings for him, so the fact that he only saw her as a little sister had such a huge impact on her.

Jiang Huaiyu couldn’t believe it. “So you’ve hated me all these years.”

It turned out that the rocky road of feelings he had faced over the years was all his own doing.

It was a cliché misunderstanding; thinking about it, someone as proud as her would never confront him about it.

Especially since she had heard it with her own ears.

Wen Shuyu replied, “Yeah, that’s right. I’ve said all I needed to say.”

In her youth, she stubbornly equated not liking someone with hating them.

“I didn’t even know what liking someone meant back then. Our families were so close, and I didn’t want other people spreading rumors. You’re a girl, and it wouldn’t be good for you.”

Jiang Huaiyu didn’t tell the whole truth; while he really didn’t want rumors to spread, he also didn’t want others to speculate about Wen Shuyu.

But it was a lie that he didn’t like her.

Boys are generally more slow to mature, but he wasn’t; from the moment Wen Shuyu argued with Jiang’s father for him, she had already entered his heart.

He just didn’t realize it until later.

Wen Shuyu fastened and unfastened the button he had given her, “How could I think so much? Anyway, it’s your fault.”

“It’s my fault.” He felt like he was eating bitter herbs without being able to express his grievances.

Today, they had at least cleared up some misunderstandings.

Wen Shuyu quietly broke free from his embrace, walking backward with her back to him, a smile on her face. “It’s true that I liked Lu Yunheng later, and it wasn’t just to spite you.”

“Be careful.” A child ran by from behind, and Jiang Huaiyu quickly grabbed her wrist, pretending to be angry. “Wen Yuyu, you’re just trying to irritate me, aren’t you?”

“You didn’t like me back then. Now that you do, isn’t that enough?” Wen Shuyu’s eyes flickered, mumbling, and her last words became quieter and quieter.

Just then, nearby on the beach, someone proposed, covering up Wen Shuyu’s voice.

Jiang Huaiyu uncertainly asked, “What did you say?”

He couldn’t be sure he had heard her say she liked him, and he didn’t dare to confirm it.

For someone who had long been thirsty for affection, he needed to rebuild his sense of security.

Wen Shuyu, feeling shy, didn’t dare to say it a second time and changed the subject. “I didn’t say anything. I’m going back to sleep now.”

As they passed the proposal site, Wen Shuyu stopped in her tracks to watch. The simple proposal setup featured heart-shaped candles, a white rose arch, and a “Marry Me” sign.

It was unlike the grand proposals with drone footage from short videos, nor was it as overwhelming as the towering rose walls.

At the moment the cold flames rose, and the fireworks bloomed in the sky, showering down like a rain of sparks, Wen Shuyu exclaimed in awe, “Wow.”

Romantic to the point of being unwavering.

As they cruised along the coastal highway, Wen Shuyu tilted her head and said, “Jiang Huaiyu, you didn’t pursue me or propose, yet you still got a wife so easily.”

The image of the underground parking lot flashed through his mind; at the time, he hadn’t thought too much about it. He didn’t act because he feared that one day Wen Shuyu would marry someone else.

“I’ll make it up to you. What others have, you’ll have too.”

She was just saying this casually, and Wen Shuyu waved her hand dismissively. “No need, after all, we weren’t aiming for a lifetime together back then.”

Jiang Huaiyu rested his hands on her shoulders, his gaze heavy. “I was.”

He wanted a lifetime, never to part.

Wen Shuyu gasped, “You’ve liked me all along, haven’t you?”

Jiang Huaiyu denied it. “No, if it’s about your first love, then maybe.”

He didn’t want to burden her with the feelings of unrequited love; he wished those feelings could dissipate like fireworks, scattering into the clouds and carried away by the wind.

The rings on their fourth fingers made a faint clink, gleaming with silver light.

As they wobbled along, making a noisy commotion, Wen Shuyu grasped Jiang Huaiyu’s hand and looked at him with bright, clear eyes. “Jiang Huaiyu, carry me.”

She broke through the boundaries of their relationship, directly commanding him.

“Hey, you could at least sweet-talk me a bit, call me ‘hubby’ or something.” Jiang Huaiyu obediently bent down, and Wen Shuyu climbed onto his back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath brushing against his neck.

The last time he carried her, he didn’t dare touch her legs; this time, he squeezed them directly.

Her skin was soft and smooth, and his thoughts began to wander, recalling how she had squeezed his waist with her legs the other day.

The warmth of his palm was burning, and Wen Shuyu felt ticklish from his rubbing. She leaned in to kiss his neck and then pulled back.

Jiang Huaiyu’s body stiffened, and he slowed his pace. Wen Shuyu intentionally asked, “President Jiang, what’s wrong?”

Her hair brushed against his neck as she nibbled on the mole on his neck.

She could feel his subtle reactions.

Deliberately teasing him, she didn’t call him ‘hubby’ or ‘Brother Huaiyu.’

Jiang Huaiyu chuckled, “I got bitten by a little demon.”

A demon that was once a fish, nonetheless.

Wen Shuyu’s almond-shaped eyes curved slightly. “President Jiang, being a family man, you should control yourself.”

“I only love my wife, love Yu Yu, love Wen Shuyu.”

His clear voice dissolved into the dense night, while the moonlight above cast a gentle glow.

As he sweet-talked her, Wen Shuyu’s ears suddenly flushed red.

After the teasing, he didn’t hold back at all.

At the entrance of the guesthouse, Jiang Huaiyu spotted two familiar figures—Song Jinnan and Fu Qingzi—and quickly stopped in his tracks.

Wen Shuyu noticed them too. “The address you leaked?”

Jiang Huaiyu replied, “He asked me where I was, so I gave it to him.”

Wen Shuyu got off Jiang Huaiyu’s back, intending to find Fu Qingzi, but Jiang Huaiyu pulled her back.

“Let me go! Song Jinnan clearly wants to go through a wife-chasing funeral. I have to tell Xiaozizi not to forgive him easily.”

Jiang Huaiyu wrapped his arms around her. “Respect other people’s destinies. You should worry about me instead, your husband.”

Some things shouldn’t be meddled in.

Wen Shuyu huffed a couple of times. “My husband? There’s a little demon keeping an eye on you.”

They went around to the side entrance and up the stairs, but Wen Shuyu rejected the invitation Jiang Huaiyu extended.

Bathing together? Was that really bathing?

She had deliberately put on long sleeves and pants.

Seeing this, Jiang Huaiyu held his forehead. “Wife, are you trying to protect yourself from me?”

Wen Shuyu lay down in bed, her head peeking out. “Yeah, President Jiang’s self-control is long gone.”

“Wife, you can’t really protect yourself from me.”

Jiang Huaiyu held her close, wanting to be together without parting for even a moment, occasionally giving her gentle kisses.

Only this—no overstepping boundaries.

Wen Shuyu looked up and bumped into his chin; his stubble felt a bit prickly. “Should we tell my parents that we’re together?”

She thought about it and dismissed the idea. “No, it doesn’t count yet; you haven’t pursued me.”

Finally, she concluded, “Maybe we should tell them, so they don’t worry.”

Tangled up and tossing around in his embrace, Wen Shuyu felt frustrated.

“Listen to Yu Yu,” Jiang Huaiyu lowered his eyes and asked her, “Are you still feeling uncomfortable?”

Wen Shuyu pointed at his head. “A little. It’s all your fault; who opens two boxes at once?”

Although the second box wasn’t finished, it had been used a lot.

Jiang Huaiyu unbuttoned her sleepwear. “Blame me. My self-control is in the negative when I’m in front of you.”

Wen Shuyu quickly shielded herself. “What are you doing?”

“You’re the one who hates the heat the most, so this will cool you down.” Jiang Huaiyu said seriously, if only his hands weren’t causing trouble.

“Wife, let’s try a different method.”

“What method?”

Jiang Huaiyu leaned close to her ear and whispered two words.

As the moon disappeared, everything fell silent, and only countless stars hung in the night sky, the Milky Way flowing like silver across the expanse.

Suddenly, a soft and alluring female voice broke the quiet in the room. “Jiang Huaiyu, are you okay yet?”

“Almost, wife. You should change how you address me.”

“Husband, Huaiyu Gege.”

Wen Shuyu couldn’t bear to look at herself anymore; how could she have agreed to Jiang Huaiyu’s unreasonable request?

“Yu Yu is so easily embarrassed. What will you do in the future?” Jiang Huaiyu held her and went to tidy up.

Wen Shuyu refused to answer his question about this perverted man.

He had so many tricks up his sleeve, and this was just the beginning.

Men had a natural talent for this kind of thing.

“Pervert.” After cursing Jiang Huaiyu, Wen Shuyu snuggled up to her pillow and fell asleep.

Is this really perverted? He still has many methods yet to try.

Since their marriage, they hadn’t really gone on many dates and weren’t in a hurry to return, heading instead to a famous Huizhou ancient town in Xizhu City.

For them, it was a return to familiar ground.

Wen Shuyu wore a light blue dress, while Jiang Huaiyu was in a light blue shirt.

It was a casually coordinated couple’s outfit.

Walking hand in hand on the cobblestone path of the narrow alley, the tire tracks beneath their feet were like amber preserving the traces of time.

The ancient buildings with white walls and black tiles were witnesses to the passage of years.

Wen Shuyu turned back to look, the wooden window frames casting mottled shadows in the sunlight, while an elderly man dozed quietly in a bamboo rocking chair.

The gently flowing stream accompanied generation after generation of people.

The ginkgo tree in the center of the ancient town reminded Wen Shuyu of the time she waited for Jiang Huaiyu under a tree in high school.

That dashing young man was never absent, regardless of the seasons, rain, or thunder.

He always insisted on waiting for her to go home together.

Wen Shuyu tilted her head to glance at the man beside her. “We first came here when we were seven or eight. I even wrote a postcard to my future self, and you did too.”

As they reached the slow-mail shop, the wooden sign and the wall full of postcards made it feel as if time had stopped.

Wen Shuyu found the postcard from that year, one that she and Jiang Huaiyu had both written.

She took a glance and stifled a laugh. What she had written was: “Jiang Huaiyu, don’t compete with her for first place anymore.”

She had painstakingly deciphered what the words were.

Jiang Huaiyu’s writing was much more formal: “Dad, Mom, Uncle Wen, Aunt Lin, wishing you all good health, and I will never make Yuyu unhappy again.”

He even replaced “aunt” with pinyin.

Wen Shuyu showed it to Jiang Huaiyu. “Jiang Huaiyu, you competed with me for first place all the way to high school. One of the reasons I disliked you was because of this. Why didn’t you just let me win?”

Jiang Huaiyu replied, “Would letting you win make you happy?”

“No, it would feel undeserved.” She knew that if Jiang Huaiyu let her win, it would probably end up worse for her.

Wen Shuyu took a new postcard and wrote another message, not letting Jiang Huaiyu see it. “It’s my secret.”

Jiang Huaiyu asked, “Is it related to me?”

He caught a glimpse of his name.

“I won’t tell you. Let’s look at it again in ten years.”

Suddenly, Wen Shuyu spotted a photo—amazingly, their group photo was still there, preserved in plastic and retaining its original colors.

“The photo is still here! Let’s take another one.”

The shop offered instant photo services.

Across time and space, Wen Shuyu pressed the shutter under the ginkgo tree, and at the same moment, Jiang Huaiyu kissed her cheek.

The photo paper slowly ejected from the instant camera, a little blurry.

The two silly grinning children and a pair of loving couples were placed side by side on the wall.

They both took out their phones to capture the moment.

The photo was like a time capsule, taking them back and forth between the past and the present.

Most of the shops remained, seemingly unchanged.

Wen Shuyu posted on her social media, “Revisiting old places.”

She didn’t dare to attach the kissing photo, instead pairing it with another, more normal picture taken with her phone.

Jiang Huaiyu also posted a photo, captioning it “Date Day.”

His accompanying image was the kissing photo.

Zhou Hangyue was the first to comment, “Dog, such a dog.”

Song Jinnan was the second, commenting, “The joys and sorrows of humanity are not connected. I just find you noisy.”

Wen Shuyu stopped in front of a shop selling hairpins and saw many girls dressed in hanfu; she wanted to give it a try.

The variety of hairpins on display was dazzling, with all sorts of flowers and butterflies, stunning to behold.

Wen Shuyu browsed the stall and was drawn to a central fish hairpin.

It was made of real silk, shaped like a blue koi, with golden and silver threads woven into a net and adorned with silver sequins, resembling a flying fish in the air.

Radiant and colorful,

Little goldfish, dazzling and brilliant, sparkling with flowing colors; the tassels gently swayed.

She liked them all, despite their different styles.

Having a hard time choosing, she thought, why not get them all? Just as Wen Shuyu prepared to pay, she heard Jiang Huaiyu say, “Can I give it a try?”

In ancient times, when a man gifted a woman a hairpin, it symbolized a wish for marriage.

He wanted to style Wen Shuyu’s hair.

The shopkeeper was momentarily taken aback, “Sure!”

Under the shopkeeper’s guidance, Jiang Huaiyu skillfully twisted her long brown hair, finishing it in just a few moments.

Finally, the day had come for him to style her hair.

The blue koi hairpin matched their outfits for the day, lively and graceful, swaying with her every step.

Wen Shuyu touched the bun at the back of her head, smiling sweetly. “Jiang Zong, you could start a side business doing hair for people.”

Jiang Huaiyu took her hand. “Only for Wen Shuyu.”

There would be no second person.

“I don’t like scallions, I don’t like ginger, I don’t eat cilantro, I don’t love carrots, and I don’t eat any leafy green vegetables,” Wen Shuyu declared.

She kicked him playfully. “What, you find me annoying?”

“I will cherish the wife I fought for, and I’ll spoil her for a lifetime.”

Fate had its own plans, having favored her since childhood.

After taking the high-speed train from Xizhu City to Nancheng, night had fallen, and the two headed straight to Lin Yu’s villa to confess everything.

Facing Jiang’s mother and Wen’s mother, Wen Shuyu smiled charmingly. “Dear moms, just as you wished, he confessed his feelings for me.”

Not admitting they were together meant she didn’t back down, so it didn’t count.

Wen’s mother looked at their entwined hands and sighed, “Avoid your father. Ever since he caught you two in the yard last time, he’s been grumbling about you getting married so early.”

Wen Shuyu pulled her hand away from Jiang Huaiyu. “I’m going to find my dad.”

She hurried up the stairs, and sure enough, he was sitting on the sofa in the study, smoking.

“Dad, you’re smoking again.” Wen Shuyu frowned and took away his cigarette.

Wen’s father replied, “I’m not smoking; I’m just smelling it.”

Usually, Wen’s mother was strict, and if he had the urge, he could take it out to smell.

Wen Shuyu sat on the armrest of the sofa. “Aren’t you supposed to go for a check-up tomorrow?”

Wen’s father said, “I’m surprised you remember. I thought the only thing on your mind these days was that brat from the Jiang family.”

His complaints were obvious; he no longer called Jiang Huaiyu by name.

The more he looked at him, the less he liked him.

Wen Shuyu leaned on her father’s arm and acted cute. “Of course not! Dad and Mom are tied for first place, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jun are tied for second, and Jiang Huaiyu is third.”

Uncle Jiang patted her on the head. “Is he good to you?”

“Very good! You saw him grow up; are you still worried?” No matter how satisfactory a son-in-law was, taking away his precious daughter would always be a sore spot.

Uncle Jiang snorted. “I’m not reassured. Men change after marriage.”

Wen Shuyu replied, “Dad, don’t worry; I’m the only one who bullies him.”

“He wouldn’t dare.” Anyone who dared to bully his precious daughter would have their legs broken.

Wen Shuyu asked, “Did you make an appointment with Zhou Hangyue’s senior? Is it Lu Jin’an?”

She had noted the check-up date in her memo and wouldn’t forget it, no matter how busy she was.

Wen’s father confirmed, “Yes, get some rest early.”

“I know! I’ll go with you, okay? Goodnight, Dad, love you!” Wen Shuyu stretched out her arms and made a big heart shape.

This completely cheered up Wen’s father.

The Wen family was never stingy with compliments or expressions of love; however, Wen Shuyu felt a little shy in front of the person she liked.

Downstairs, both sets of parents had already left. Wen Shuyu returned to her room to sleep, while Jiang Huaiyu sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her. “You talked with Dad for so long.”

Wen Shuyu replied, “Yeah, he said if you’re not good to me, he’ll break your legs.”

“I love you too much to bully you,” Jiang Huaiyu said with a smirk. “Except in bed, the study, or the car…”

Wen Shuyu quickly covered his mouth. “Jiang Huaiyu, you’re so annoying.”

She didn’t want to hear his raunchy words; right now, his mouth was just infuriating.

A muffled voice came from her palm. “If it’s annoying, then so be it. What matters is that I like you.”

It was like playing a lute to a cow.

In Wen Shuyu’s home, her father-in-law now looked at Jiang Huaiyu with disdain, so he didn’t dare be reckless.

The next day was the check-up day. Wen Shuyu asked her mother to stay home to rest, while she and Jiang Huaiyu accompanied Wen’s father to the hospital.

After the surgery, he paid extra attention to his health and never missed a check-up.

They had made an appointment in advance, and Jiang Huaiyu knocked on the door of the attending physician Lu Jin’an’s office.

There was another doctor inside.

When they clearly saw the face of the doctor, aside from Lu Jin’an, Jiang Huaiyu, Wen Shuyu, and Wen’s father were all stunned in place.

It was Lu Yunheng.

He was back.