Chapter 48.2

Jiang Rou went home and shared the situation with Li Xiao, feeling unsure about what to do.

Li Xiao directly asked, “Do you want to tell her?”

Jiang Rou hesitated before nodding, “I’ve thought about it from her perspective. If I were in her shoes, I’d prefer a brief period of pain over a lifetime of deception and being kept in the dark.”

Li Xiao looked at her and said lightly, “Then tell her. If you’re going to say it, it’s best to do it early. Who knows what might happen? If you’re not comfortable saying it face-to-face, you could write a note and slip it into her book or secretly tuck it into her pocket.”

Jiang Rou nodded, thinking that was indeed a good approach.

She then furrowed her brows and said, “What do you think her father is thinking? Dong Mingming and her mother are so good, they were completely devoted to him.”

Li Xiao shrugged indifferently, “Who knows? I’m not her father. Everyone is different. Don’t compare me with him.”

He then picked up their little daughter’s hand and kissed it, finding her adorable. An An was sitting in his lap, drinking milk obediently. When interrupted, she lifted her tiny feet to step on his face.

Children’s bones are soft enough to lift their feet right up to their heads.

Li Xiao wasn’t upset and bent his head down a little, allowing her to step as she pleased.

The little girl’s eyes curved with amusement, seemingly enjoying the game.

Jiang Rou smiled at the sight.

Worried that her handwriting might be recognized, Jiang Rou asked Li Xiao to help her write the note, explaining that her father had a son outside, who was six years old this year.

She also suggested that Dong Mingming should not act impulsively. The situation had already occurred, so it was best to handle it calmly and think things through after she had calmed down.

—o—o—o—

The next morning, during the last class break, Jiang Rou, like everyone else, went to the third floor to secure seats for the afternoon classes. Dong Mingming was ahead of her, so Jiang Rou placed her book behind Dong Mingming’s seat.

Afterward, she went to the restroom and then returned to the classroom to leave the note before heading to the cafeteria for lunch.

At 1:30 in the afternoon, Jiang Rou returned to the classroom.

Dong Mingming came back a bit later, around 1:50, and handed Jiang Rou a piece of chocolate. Jiang Rou accepted it with a complex mood, saying, “Thank you.”

Dong Mingming waved it off and, after sitting down, rested her head on the desk with her eyes closed. When the bell rang, she propped her head up with one hand and idly flipped through her book. She noticed a piece of paper tucked inside, frowned, and picked it up. After reading it, her body stiffened and her face turned pale.

Her hand trembled as she held the note. Suddenly, she stood up abruptly, attracting the attention of the entire class.

The teacher had just walked onto the podium and frowned at her, asking, “What’s wrong, student?”

Jiang Rou watched anxiously.

Dong Mingming didn’t say a word and ran out of the classroom.

The teacher pointed at her retreating figure and said, “Hey, what’s the matter?”

Jiang Rou quickly stood up, “Teacher, she seems unwell. I’m going to check on her.”

The teacher, understanding the situation, glanced at Jiang Rou and nodded, “Alright, go ahead.”

Jiang Rou went out but couldn’t find Dong Mingming. She didn’t return for the rest of the afternoon classes, and she wasn’t seen in the following days either.

On Friday, during the last class, there was a small test, with questions entirely based on the lecture content. Jiang Rou found the test easy and finished it smoothly.

Halfway through the exam, it suddenly started raining outside.

By the end of the test, the rain had intensified. Jiang Rou packed up her things and went downstairs, standing in the first-floor corridor. Students with umbrellas had already left, leaving only those without umbrellas waiting in the corridor.

Jiang Rou looked at the heavy rain outside and remembered that Li Xiao had reminded her to bring an umbrella that morning, but she had forgotten to bring one.

Jiang Rou waited for a while, but the rain showed no signs of letting up. Some students, unable to wait any longer, took off their jackets and used them as makeshift umbrellas, running outside. As the number of people dwindled, Jiang Rou debated whether she should do the same.

At that moment, a bothersome voice came from nearby. “Jiang Rou, I heard your husband is just a street vendor?”

Jiang Rou was taken aback and looked in the direction of the voice. Coming down the stairs were a man and a woman she recognized. The man was Xu Xiaowen, with whom she had had a conflict over a pulse-checking incident. Since then, they had not gotten along. The woman was Wang Xiao, who was in the same dorm as Ning Xin.

Xu Xiaowen had his arm around Wang Xiao’s shoulders and was smiling at Jiang Rou with a malicious grin.

Jiang Rou had heard recently that Wang Xiao was now with Xu Xiaowen. She hadn’t paid much attention at the time, thinking it was none of her business, and only felt that Wang Xiao had poor taste.

Looking at Wang Xiao beside Xu Xiaowen, Jiang Rou realized that no one in the class knew her husband was a street vendor except for Ning Xin and a few others from when she had admitted it during a visit to a boutique. Ning Xin had later asked her why Li Xiao had stopped selling on the street, but they had done so discreetly and hadn’t mentioned it to others.

Wang Xiao turned her head away, looking uncomfortable.

Jiang Rou countered, “What’s the problem? So what if he’s a street vendor? Are we eating your family’s rice?”

Xu Xiaowen gave a smirk and shrugged, “Oh, it’s nothing. I just think it’s a shame. You’re a college student, and you’re not bad-looking. I don’t understand why you’d marry a street vendor. I feel embarrassed for you.”

Jiang Rou’s face darkened at his words. She shot back angrily, “Xu Xiaowen, do you live by the seaside? Why are you so nosy? Who I marry is none of your business. I love my husband. He’s hardworking, smart, caring, handsome, and capable. In my eyes, he’s worth more than you could ever be.”

Jiang Rou was still fuming and added, “What right do you have to mock him? You’re not as good-looking, not as tall, and not as capable as he is. Who do you think you are?”

Xu Xiaowen’s face grew darker with each insult. His grip on Wang Xiao’s shoulder tightened involuntarily, causing Wang Xiao to wince in pain.

At that moment, Jiang Rou heard a familiar childish voice call out, “Mommy—”

She immediately turned her head and saw a familiar figure standing not far away in the rain. The man was holding a large black umbrella in one hand and carrying a child in the other.

The man had apparently been standing there for a while. As soon as Jiang Rou turned around, he began walking towards her, step by step.

An An in his arms was excitedly wriggling, reaching out for her.

Jiang Rou ignored everything else and shielded her head with her hand as she ran into the rain.

Li Xiao hurried forward and covered her with the umbrella. “I’m here now. You’re all wet.”

An An leaned heavily towards Jiang Rou, wanting to be held.

Jiang Rou reached out and took the child into her arms. Li Xiao then took her shoulder bag from her.

An An snuggled against Jiang Rou and, with a garbled voice, said, “I miss you, Mommy.”

Jiang Rou’s heart melted, and she kissed the child’s little face.

The child smiled happily.

Seeing that Li Xiao had not moved, Jiang Rou reminded him, “Let’s go.”

Li Xiao looked at her with gentle eyes and softly agreed. He adjusted the umbrella to cover her better.

As they turned to leave, Li Xiao glanced back coldly at Xu Xiaowen, who was still standing in the corridor.

Li Xiao’s eyes were cold and sharp as he glanced back at Xu Xiaowen and Wang Xiao’s retreating figures. Xu Xiaowen had been caught off guard by the appearance of Jiang Rou’s family, and the mocking comments he had made earlier felt misplaced in light of the reality before him.

Noticing the curious glances from the students who were waiting for the rain to stop, Xu Xiaowen felt embarrassed and frustrated. He turned to Wang Xiao beside him and asked sharply, “Is this the person you said was just a street vendor?”

He cursed under his breath, “Damn, I’ve made a fool of myself.”

With that, he left, holding the umbrella and walking away.

Wang Xiao bit her lip, standing in place, clearly embarrassed.

As a few roommates walked past her with their umbrellas, they ignored her. Once they were a bit farther away, one of them commented, “I don’t get why she’s with Xu Xiaowen. What was she thinking?”

“Didn’t you notice? Wang Xiao started dressing like Jiang Rou after Xu Xiaowen started pursuing her.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying Xu Xiaowen liked Jiang Rou? He’s always been so hostile towards her.”

“Who knows? Maybe he’s just being petty.”

Ning Xin, unable to listen any longer, interjected, “Jiang Rou is married and has a child. Talking about her like this isn’t right.”

“True, Jiang Rou’s husband is so good-looking, and their child is adorable. If it were me, I’d like him even if he was just a street vendor.”

“Haha.”

—o—o—o—

On Saturday, Li Xiao was busy and left early in the morning.

While Jiang Rou was playing with An An at home, the phone suddenly rang. An An, being playful, held her right hand up to her ear, mimicking how her father would answer the phone. Tilting her head, she said in a sweet voice, “Hello?”

Jiang Rou smiled and picked her up, taking her to the room where the phone was placed on the desk. This phone had been installed recently by Li Xiao. Although Jiang Rou felt it was unnecessary, Li Xiao insisted it was good to have, considering how close the school was to their home; he wanted to be reachable.

Thinking it was Li Xiao calling, she put the call on speaker and said, “Hello?”

After a moment of silence on the other end of the line, Dong Mingming’s weak voice came through, “Jiang Rou, it’s me. I think I have a fever. Can you buy some medicine and bring it over?”

“Mingming?”

Jiang Rou quickly asked, “Where are you?”

Dong Mingming seemed a bit disoriented, “Where am I? Let me think… I think I’m at your new house, yes, on the fifteenth floor.”

Her breathing was noticeably labored as she spoke.

Jiang Rou said, “I’ll come right away.”

“Okay.”

From the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was on the verge of falling asleep.

Jiang Rou hurriedly grabbed some money and left with An An. Instead of waiting for the bus, she called for a minivan and bought some fever-reducing medicine from a nearby pharmacy.

When she arrived on the fifteenth floor, there was only one door. She knocked, and after a long wait, someone finally came to open it. Dong Mingming, with a flushed face and unsteady on her feet, leaned against the door frame.

Jiang Rou reached out and touched her forehead, finding it extremely hot. “You’re burning up. We need to go to the hospital.”

Dong Mingming shook her head in resistance, “I’m not going to the hospital, no.”

As she spoke, she started to slide down.

Jiang Rou quickly supported her, helped her steady, and then carried An An inside. She placed the child down and turned back to assist Dong Mingming to the sofa, covering her with a blanket.

Dong Mingming kept mumbling, “I’m not going to the hospital, I don’t want to go. There are people my dad knows at the hospital. I don’t want him to find out.”

Jiang Rou comforted her: “We don’t need to go to the hospital. Just lie down and rest. I’ll get you some water and medicine.”

She then turned to An An and instructed, “Don’t run around. Stay here and wait for Mommy.”

Jiang Rou took a cup from the coffee table and went to the kitchen.

An An held onto the back of the sofa, tilting her head curiously at Dong Mingming. Hearing her mother’s instructions, she obediently responded, “Not running.”

In the kitchen, Jiang Rou prepared some water, and when she returned, she found An An leaning over Dong Mingming, imitating Jiang Rou’s earlier gesture of checking Dong Mingming’s forehead. An An even said in her small, clear voice, “Need a needle.”

She remembered that Li Xiao had said that when someone is sick, they need a needle.

Jiang Rou patted An An’s head and gently woke Dong Mingming, encouraging her to take the medicine. Dong Mingming, barely awake, recognized Jiang Rou and slightly propped herself up to drink the water and take the fever-reducing medicine.

After Dong Mingming lay back down, Jiang Rou took out a bottle of alcohol and dampened a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe Dong Mingming’s forehead, neck, and hands.

Dong Mingming lay back on the sofa, and the cool handkerchief seemed to clear her mind a bit. Her eyes grew red as she choked up, saying, “Do you know? Last night was my parents’ twentieth wedding anniversary. He said he was busy, but I didn’t believe him. I secretly called that woman, and I heard a boy on the phone call him ‘Daddy.’ He laughed and answered.”

“I ran out in the pouring rain and found that woman’s house. I saw through the window. He was hugging and kissing her, wuwuwu…”

“How could he do this to my mom?”

Jiang Rou wasn’t sure what to say. “Mingming?”

Dong Mingming’s voice was filled with bitterness. “I really hate him! Jiang Rou, do you know? That child is already six years old, and I only found out now. This big liar, I’m not finished with him!”

“He wanted a son. My mom could have had another child. She said she wanted another child before, but he refused, using me as an excuse.”

“What does he mean? Does he only want that woman to bear him a son? Is he worried that if my mom gave birth to a son, he would fight for the inheritance? How could he be so cruel?”

Jiang Rou re-wet the handkerchief and placed it back on Dong Mingming’s forehead.

Dong Mingming looked up at her. “Jiang Rou, thank you. Was that paper note from you?”

She guessed that Jiang Rou must have known about it for a while, otherwise, Jiang Rou wouldn’t have said those probing words in the elevator a few days ago.

Jiang Rou didn’t deny it, simply nodding, “My husband told me. I thought you knew already, but during our conversation that day, it seemed like you didn’t. So I…”

Dong Mingming’s voice was hoarse as she said, “Thank you, really. If I had found out any later, I might have listened to my dad and ended up in an arranged marriage. By then, my mom and I would have had nothing.”

“Just don’t blame me for meddling,” Jiang Rou replied.

Dong Mingming shook her head. “No, I’m very grateful to you. Really. I’ve never had many good friends growing up. From now on, you’ll be my only friend.”

She wasn’t foolish. She knew that most of those who fawned over her were only interested because of her family’s wealth, hoping to gain something from her. Only Jiang Rou was different. If Jiang Rou had wanted something, she would have asked directly instead of using secretly written notes.

The note wasn’t written by Jiang Rou, but she immediately guessed it was her.

Jiang Rou, worried, asked, “What will you do next?”

Dong Mingming was silent for a moment before responding, “I’ll change my major. I want to study financial management and then join the company.”

“It’s just a pity for my mom. I don’t plan to tell her about this for now.”

Jiang Rou squeezed her hand. “Don’t think too much about it. Get a good night’s sleep.”

Having said so much, Dong Mingming was indeed exhausted. With Jiang Rou there, she closed her eyes peacefully.

Jiang Rou got up and went to the room to get a blanket for her.

Dong Mingming’s house was very large. It appeared that two rooms had been bought and combined into one. The décor was luxurious, with opulent touches everywhere.

Jiang Rou took An An to the dining area to play. The dining area was also spacious, with bookshelves nearby. Jiang Rou picked out a few illustrated books and read them to An An.

After a while, Jiang Rou checked on Dong Mingming again. Seeing that her fever had subsided somewhat, she felt relieved.

At noon, Jiang Rou cooked a pot of porridge and fried two dishes with some vegetables from the fridge.

She and An An ate, not calling Dong Mingming. Dong Mingming slept until after three in the afternoon before waking up. Jiang Rou fed her a bowl of porridge and gave her some fever-reducing medicine.

After finishing these tasks, Jiang Rou prepared to leave with An An. “I’ll come to see you again tomorrow,” she said.

Dong Mingming, leaning on the sofa, looked touched. “Thank you, Jiang Rou.”

Jiang Rou smiled and shook her head, asking An An to say goodbye. An An waved her hand and said, “Goodbye.”

Dong Mingming couldn’t help but smile as she watched them leave.

On her way back, Jiang Rou took the bus, so she arrived home a bit late. Li Xiao had also just arrived home, and they bumped into each other at the front door. Li Xiao immediately said, “Don’t cook tonight. Let’s go out to eat.”

He then asked, “Where have you been? Why are you only coming back now?”

He had returned at noon but hadn’t seen her.

Jiang Rou explained about Dong Mingming’s situation. “I saw that she was quite ill and was a bit worried. I only left after her fever had come down a bit and she had fallen asleep.”

Li Xiao nodded. “What you did was right. Your classmate is a smart person. Don’t worry. She’s much older than her brother, and by the time her brother grows up, the company will be under her control.”

Jiang Rou felt much better after hearing this.

Li Xiao went inside to change his clothes. When he saw Jiang Rou hadn’t moved, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to change clothes?”

Jiang Rou was changing the TV channel and glanced down when she heard him. “No need. I think it’s fine.”

Outside, Jiang Rou was wearing a black coat and denim jeans.

It was just a meal out; she didn’t think it needed to be so elaborate. She had expected a casual roadside stall.

However, Li Xiao insisted this time. “Change into something nicer. Didn’t you buy a dress last year? Why aren’t you wearing it?”

Jiang Rou gave him a puzzled look, thinking he was overly concerned about appearances. She rolled her eyes and said, “So troublesome.”

But she still changed into the black wool dress she had bought last year, paired with a beige loose-knit sweater.

Li Xiao was satisfied with her appearance and then drove her to a high-rise building for a Western meal.

The building was dozens of floors high, and they sat by the window, able to see the entire city below.

Li Xiao, familiar with the place, ordered a variety of dishes: salad, smoked salmon, steak, cheese tofu, salt and pepper shrimp, and foie gras with caramelized apple.

He ordered quite a lot, and while waiting for the food, he complained, “Foreigners are so stingy—expensive and scarce portions.”

Jiang Rou found it amusing and asked, “Why come here for Western food then?”

Li Xiao opened a bottle of red wine and replied casually, “I came here a few days ago and liked the taste, so I thought I’d bring you to try it.”

Jiang Rou felt touched by his gesture and cut a small piece of apple to feed An An.

An An ate with great relish and then pointed at the steak, signaling that she wanted some meat.

Jiang Rou cut the steak for her, and Li Xiao glanced over and said, “Give the child to me. You should eat yourself.”

Jiang Rou looked up at him, feeling warmth in her heart. She handed the child over to him and began eating herself.

Li Xiao was very attentive while taking care of the child. To avoid choking, he cut the meat into very small pieces—about the size of half a fingernail.

An An grew impatient watching the tiny pieces and couldn’t help but say, “Daddy… you’re so silly…”

Jiang Rou found it both amusing and endearing.

Even though the pieces were small, she understood the value of food and eagerly opened her mouth when it was offered.

After finishing a piece, she opened her mouth to show him and then pointed to the next piece of meat.

This was likely a habit Li Xiao had cultivated while feeding her, and it was quite effective in preventing choking.

Li Xiao ignored her request and fed her a small piece of fruit instead. “Chew well and swallow only after it’s thoroughly chewed.”

An An obediently ate, not being as fussy as she was with Jiang Rou. She ate whatever was given to her by her father.

The fruit had some salad dressing and cheese on it, which dripped down An An’s mouth. Li Xiao grabbed a napkin, wiped her mouth, and then cleaned her whole face, pinching her little nose and saying, “Hmph.”

An An had a slight cold, which wasn’t very serious but still caused a runny nose. Hearing what Li Xiao said, she swallowed what was in her mouth and then adeptly blew her nose.

“…”

Jiang Rou was at a loss for words as she watched the father and daughter interact so well together.

After finishing the Western meal, the family of three strolled down the street. When they reached a barbecue stall, they sat down and ordered a large plate of food.

Li Xiao held the child in one arm and ate skewers with the other, saying, “This food is really satisfying.”

He then ordered a bottle of beer.

Jiang Rou propped her chin on her hand and smiled at him. “Didn’t you say earlier that you ate too much at lunch?”

He had claimed he was too full to eat, even giving her half of the steak that An An hadn’t finished.

Li Xiao smiled but didn’t respond.

An An, sitting on his right leg, reached out to grab some of the food as she watched her father eat. Li Xiao moved his leg slightly and said, “Don’t eat anymore. Your belly is already so round. I’ve never seen a child who can eat so much like you.”