Chapter 71.2

By the time they got back home, it was already 4:30 am, and their neighbors were already setting off firecrackers.

Li Xiao simply set off some firecrackers too, and then the family of four went back to sleep. This time, they slept until 12:00 pm when Shi Yi pointed to the clock. They had breakfast at home while others were having lunch. Jiang Rou cooked a big pot of soup dumplings.

Li Xiao and Li Xin ate soup dumplings, while An An followed Jiang Rou to eat water dumplings. She loved eating soup dumplings and ate them all up. Only then did the family of four go to Wang’s house to watch the Spring Festival Gala.

On the second day of the Chinese New Year, the Wang family’s daughter returned with her husband and child.

Jiang Rou saw Aunt Wang’s son-in-law, who was of average height and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He wasn’t fat, but his belly was slightly protruding.

Jiang Rou wasn’t sure if married men typically gained weight, but she had noticed that a few of them had, including Zhou Jian, Zhu Qiang, and even her university professor.

Aunt Wang had shared quite a bit about her son-in-law with Jiang Rou, though she didn’t seem very pleased with him. She felt that he had won over her daughter, Wang Minjun, with sweet talk; otherwise, she believed her daughter could have married someone better.

However, in Jiang Rou’s eyes, things didn’t seem as dramatic as Aunt Wang had described. The couple appeared ordinary—not exceptionally good, but not bad either. Perhaps Jiang Rou’s perspective was shaped by her experience of witnessing and hearing about many family conflicts, whether between mothers- and daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, or over dowries and gifts.

Take her own parents, for instance. They had a solid relationship, where one would carefully tend to the other when ill. They got along well enough. But compared to her brother and sister-in-law, who had fallen in love freely, there was still a difference. Her brother and his wife had their share of disagreements, but they would compromise. Meanwhile, her parents’ relationship felt more like it was her mother who was being patient with her father.

That’s why Jiang Rou especially valued Li Xiao’s kindness. He was different from both her father and her brother.

Li Xiao was a man of action rather than words. He always took care of her feelings and instinctively stepped in to protect her when something went wrong.

Truthfully, ever since she had traveled through time, she hadn’t faced many hardships because of him. Except for the first two years, when she was busy studying for exams and taking care of An An, everything had been smooth sailing.

Maybe Aunt Wang had noticed all of this. Over time, she had come to appreciate Li Xiao just as much as she had once looked down on him. She couldn’t help but compare her own son-in-law to Li Xiao—feeling uneasy with the difference.

It was true—since Li Xiao had returned, Aunt Wang had repeatedly praised his competence. She commented on how capable he was, pointing out that the TV at her house could only receive two channels before, but after Li Xiao returned with some tools, it suddenly had access to over a dozen.

Aunt Wang’s praise was like a free gift, flattering Li Xiao and telling Jiang Rou to keep an eye on him. “I heard that there are girls outside who specifically target rich people. This child is good-looking and can earn money, so it’s easy for people to be attracted to him. Not only him, but even my son-in-law has been pursued. When she was in the hospital after giving birth, a school teacher would always go to him. If I hadn’t reminded my daughter, she would have thought that the teacher was really in trouble and he was only trying to help her.”

Jiang Rou remained calm and said, “There’s nothing to worry about. He has people who like him, and I also have people who like me.”

Back when she was an intern, not only had she been approached by young doctors in the hospital, but several patients had also asked for her phone number. When Li Xiao found out, he sulked for several days and told her not to wear makeup when she went out.

But Jiang Rou didn’t listen. Instead, she dressed up even more and told him outright, “If I don’t stay attractive, how will I stop you from liking someone else? I need to make sure I’m always ready to find another partner as soon as we divorce.”

Li Xiao had been so upset that he started checking her phone daily from then on.

Aunt Wang looked at Jiang Rou’s beautiful face and long black hair.

When Jiang Rou walked outside, people often mistook her for a teenager, around seventeen or eighteen years old. Aunt Wang paused, reflecting for a moment, and suddenly realized that Jiang Rou had a point. Li Xiao was indeed handsome and wealthy, but Jiang Rou was impressive in her own right. In fact, she was quite capable—she had been accepted into a university just as prestigious as her daughter’s. What was even more remarkable was that Jiang Rou had dropped out for a year and taught herself, and now she was preparing to take the postgraduate entrance exams.

What stood out even more was Jiang Rou’s striking appearance. The more one looked at her, the more beautiful she seemed to become. Aunt Wang couldn’t help but feel a little emotional. She used to think that Jiang Rou was so in love with Li Xiao that she dropped out of school and had a child just for him. But now it seemed that Jiang Rou wasn’t worried about losing him. Was this confidence rooted in her own strength?

Unlike her daughter, Wang Minjun, who had been easily coaxed by others. Wang Minjun seemed to believe that she couldn’t assert herself with her mother-in-law because she had given birth to a daughter. She quietly tolerated everything.

Wang Minjun’s daughter, Xiaoxiao, was still very young and had just begun speaking, only managing to say one word at a time. An An played with her for a while, but soon realized her little sister couldn’t eat certain things, nor could she run around freely. So An An stopped playing with her and went outside to play with the neighbor’s children behind the house.

Xiaoxiao watched her sister retreating back with longing eyes, waving her hands and calling out for her. When her sister didn’t return, she burst into tears.

Wang Minjun, feeling a headache coming on, tried to soothe her crying child, but after a long time, her efforts didn’t help. Meanwhile, An An had already run off, so Jiang Rou gently took the child from Wang Minjun’s arms.

Having experience from her own motherhood, Jiang Rou skillfully comforted the child. She cradled Xiaoxiao in her arms, gently patting her, and then pulled out a handkerchief, waving it back and forth like a magician.

Xiaoxiao’s crying gradually quieted, her eyes now fixed on the handkerchief in Jiang Rou’s hand.

Wang Minjun let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, this child cries so much sometimes that I feel like throwing her away.”

Jiang Rou reassured her, “All children go through this.”

But inwardly, she couldn’t help but think, An An was much more well-behaved at this age.

That evening, both families sat down to have dinner together. Wang Minjun’s husband, Liu Jiajin, had a slightly scholarly demeanor. Initially, he seemed to look down on Li Xiao and focused solely on asking Jiang Rou about her preparations for the postgraduate entrance exams. He offered advice with the tone of someone speaking from experience, though it felt somewhat condescending. Jiang Rou, not wanting to contradict him in front of Aunt Wang, simply nodded politely, pretending to take his words to heart.

When Li Xiao spoke, Liu Jiajin barely acknowledged him. Li Xiao’s expression remained unchanged, unfazed by the lack of attention. He was used to dealing with all kinds of people in the business world, so Liu Jiajin’s attitude didn’t bother him much.

However, Jiang Rou’s expression darkened. She began to realize that her earlier assessment in the afternoon had been mistaken. Aunt Wang’s son-in-law was indeed a bit problematic.

Sensing the tension, Wang Minjun discreetly tugged at her husband’s sleeve, signaling him to be more careful with his words.

Aunt Wang, worried that the atmosphere might become too awkward, quickly spoke up, praising Li Xiao for his successful career and how he had been making good money in the South.

In response, Liu Jiajin begrudgingly acknowledged Li Xiao and asked about his business. Li Xiao answered modestly, but then Liu Jiajin remarked, “You can’t just focus on making money in business. I had a classmate who went to the South to work in the clothing industry. He made millions every year, but when he came back, he looked down on his old classmates. Recently, he needed help with something and had to come begging to us.”

He continued, “Money isn’t everything. The real key is building relationships and connections. I thought about starting my own business once, but then I realized that having too much money is pointless if you can’t even spend it all. Being a teacher is more fulfilling. You teach many students and develop strong connections. For example, our dean—no matter where he goes, he has students waiting to welcome him.”

Li Xiao smiled faintly and replied, “If Teacher Liu had gone into business, he would surely be far more successful than me. I’ve been working in the South for many years, and I can only make a living. I can’t compare to the real big players.”

Then, as if remembering something, Li Xiao added, “By the way, I heard you’ve bought several houses in City N? How are the housing prices there? I’m thinking of buying more properties. The real estate in Province G is getting too expensive, and I’m quite optimistic about City N.”

Wang Minjun, surprised by the remark, glanced at her mother and quickly clarified, “We haven’t bought several houses—just one three-bedroom apartment, outside the third ring road.”

Li Xiao’s face showed some surprise and said, “Really? I thought you worked hard for many years and would have bought several houses in the city center.”

He then smiled kindly and said, “It’s still good to buy more houses. I heard that the housing market will rise in the future.”

Liu Jianning looked awkward and forced a smile. “Buying so many houses is pointless. No one will live there, and it’s better to publish more papers.”

Li Xiao raised an eyebrow and said, “Is that so? My friend’s wife told me that you can invest in the real estate industry.”

Liu Jianning’s face turned slightly calmer, but then he quickly said, “Then your friend’s wife has a narrow perspective. It’s better to invest in stocks. Look at those developed countries abroad, where people mostly buy stocks and bonds.”

He added, “Since our country has been undergoing market-oriented reforms, it’s best to be cautious. I recommend you invest in stocks.”

Li Xiao chuckled and said, “No, my friend’s wife is actually a graduate of Hong Kong City University. She has a bachelor’s, a master’s, and even a doctorate from a renowned foreign university. She’s a well-known figure in the business investment circle and has founded her own brand. She’s worth hundreds of millions now. If her vision is narrow, then no one has a broad one.”

At that moment, Liu Jiajin realized what was happening. Li Xiao wasn’t just making casual conversation—he was setting a trap, gradually causing him to lose face.

Liu Jiajin claimed that having connections was more valuable than wealth and that investing in stocks was better than buying property. But Li Xiao subtly revealed that he not only had wealth and connections but also compared him to the top graduates from Hong Kong City University.

Although Liu Jiajin was a university professor, he couldn’t measure up to the prestige of Hong Kong City University. What made it worse was that Li Xiao hadn’t uttered a single insult. It felt as though he had been criticizing himself the entire time.

Liu Jiajin’s face turned pale, and he found himself speechless.

Aunt Wang noticed the awkward atmosphere and smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “Come on, eat your food. Don’t just talk and forget to eat—it’ll all go to waste.”

She then stepped in to support Li Xiao, addressing her son-in-law, “Don’t underestimate Xiao Xiao. I’m not sure if your friend really makes millions a year, but if he does, why would he need your help? Xiao Xiao has been on the Spring Festival Gala—you know what that is, right? He made millions in just five seconds. No matter how much your friend earns, he can’t compare to that. After he came back, even the county leaders called him, inviting him to dinner. How can your friend compete with Xiao Xiao? Next year, Xiao Xiao’s starting his own company.”

Li Xin, sitting nearby, nodded in agreement. “Our teacher also mentioned that domestic housing prices are bound to rise.”

Aunt Wang quickly chimed in, “Xinxin studies at Peking University. You can trust what their professors say—it’s bound to be reliable.”

Liu Jiajin’s face grew increasingly uncomfortable.

Li Xiao was eating his meal calmly, with a smile on his face. He even gave Jiang Rou a forkful of food.

Jiang Rou looked at him sideways and smiled.

Until they finished eating, Liu Jianning didn’t say another word.

As Li Xiao and Jiang Rou prepared to leave, Wang Minjun carried the child to see them out. Wang Minjun and Jiang Rou walked side by side behind them, with apologetic expressions on their faces. “Please don’t take what my husband said to heart,” Wang Minjun said. “He means no harm; it’s just that he’s used to lecturing students and it’s become a habit. In reality, he’s a good person.”

Since Wang Minjun had spoken up, Jiang Rou didn’t feel the need to add much. In her view, Wang Minjun was great in many ways but had been overly sheltered by Aunt Wang and her husband. She had never had to worry about anything since childhood and had always been in a clean environment, like school, where she met only good people.

She was a typical good girl and a model student. Her husband, on the other hand, was the type of teacher who was very confident and liked to preach. Naturally, when a good student encounters such a teacher, the teacher’s influence grows.

Jiang Rou echoed Wang Minjun’s sentiment, “Please tell your husband not to worry too much. Li Xiao can be quite straightforward, sometimes unintentionally offending people, but he means well.”

Wang Minjun, not fully hearing her response, nodded and reminded them to be careful as they left.

Li Xiao, who was walking ahead, overheard and realized that Jiang Rou was defending him. He smiled slightly and waited by the door.

When Jiang Rou caught up, he reached out and placed his hand around her waist. Turning his head, he leaned in slightly and whispered, “Did I do well just now?”

Jiang Rou laughed, “You’re the best, okay?”

Li Xiao smiled lightly.

From Wang Minjun’s perspective, she saw two figures—one tall and one short—walking closely together in an intimate manner. The sight was heartwarming and brought a sense of happiness.

She was momentarily stunned and realized that she and her husband had never shared such closeness. This sudden realization filled her with a tinge of regret.

Jiang Rou and Li Xiao returned home, where An An had already snuck into their bed. The little girl was especially sneaky, knowing that her parents didn’t want her to sleep with them, so she ran to the bed and hid under the covers.

After washing up, Jiang Rou and Li Xiao returned to the room. Jiang Rou washed up first, and after washing her face, she stood in front of the desk, applying moisturizer while waiting for Li Xiao to finish.

They thought the room was empty, and Li Xiao locked the door before embracing Jiang Rou from behind and kissing her neck. He also helped her take off her outerwear.

Jiang Rou didn’t stop him, and she followed his movements to remove her outerwear. When she finished applying her moisturizer, Li Xiao picked her up—like a princess-carry and carried her to the bed.

The bed creaked as they fell onto it.

Jiang Rou grasped his shoulders with both hands and whispered, “Be quiet.”

Li Xiao shrugged, “It’s okay, the door is closed, and no one can hear us.”

But little did they know that someone was indeed listening.

Just as they were about to continue, Li Xiao removed his outerwear and threw it aside, then started to take off his inner shirt.

His physique was very good, with no signs of getting fat. He had six-pack abs, and his body was well-proportioned. After taking off his inner shirt, he leaned down to kiss Jiang Rou, with his hands slightly mischievous.

Jiang Rou panted for breath, closed her eyes, and was about to remind him to turn off the lights.

Just then, a small head poked out from under the blanket next to them. The little girl rubbed her eyes, which were still sleepy, and saw that her parents hadn’t noticed her yet. She couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What are you doing?”

“…?”