Chapter 71
Although Jiang Mu had only been joking when she said she would take responsibility for Jin Chao, there was still a hint of truth in her words. But Jin Chao gave her no reply, and instead, he asked, “What do you want to drink?”
He walked over to the cabinet. Jiang Mu glanced at it and said, “Let’s have some red wine.”
Out of habit, Jin Chao still subconsciously regarded her as a little girl. He turned his eyes to look at her, only until Jiang Mu lifted her gaze and asked, “Can’t I?”
It was then that he suddenly realized she hadn’t been that little girl for a long time.
Jiang Mu drank a little red wine, her complexion turning more radiant. Jin Chao asked her, “How’s your mother’s health?”
Since he had brought it up, Jiang Mu began to speak in bits and pieces about the past years, about living with Chris and his children. Jin Chao listened quietly, tasting the dishes she had made. The flavors were surprisingly decent, even pleasant to look at. Later, he noticed she no longer picked at her food. She didn’t seem to mind scallions, ginger, or garlic anymore. Once, he had always wished she could change her picky eating habits. But now that she truly had, a complicated feeling welled up in his chest.
Jiang Mu struggled through half a crab, working hard for every bite, and finally commented, “Crab tastes great, but it’s such a hassle to eat.”
Jin Chao stood and fetched a full set of crab-eating tools. Jiang Mu sighed, “You’re really particular, aren’t you?”
Jin Chao cast her a glance without replying. But after Jiang Mu had downed a glass of wine, when Jin Chao placed before her the neatly picked crab meat and roe, Jiang Mu’s emotions suddenly surged. She remembered that the crab was cooling, and he never ate it. All this trouble had been only for her. A full bowl, with a few drops of vinegar, one big spoonful, and the satisfaction was indescribable.
She thought… in this lifetime, she might never again meet a man willing to pick crab meat for her.
Jiang Mu finally quieted down for a moment. When she lifted her head again, she raised her empty wine glass toward Jin Chao. “A little more.”
Jin Chao said to her, “If you get drunk, don’t expect me to take care of you.”
Jiang Mu fixed her eyes on him with a smile, and Jin Chao still indulged her by pouring some.
She raised her glass to him. “Chao Chao… Brother, no, Chao Chao…”
Her words tumbled out incoherently, and Jin Chao laughed along, half suspecting she was already tipsy.
But Jiang Mu spoke to him with sudden seriousness. “Since you refused to tell me about such a major thing that happened to you, I’ve decided to sever our sibling relationship. From now on, I won’t recognize you as my brother anymore.”
Jin Chao was taken aback. He raised an eyebrow and studied her for a few seconds. When he didn’t react, Jiang Mu picked up his glass and handed it to him. He accepted it without resistance, and she clinked her glass against his before downing hers in one go..
Jin Chao continued to watch her calmly, his own glass untouched, before he set it back down.
Jiang Mu lowered her glass and said to him, “You know I’m still an intern right now, right?”
Jin Chao gave a quiet “Mm.” Jiang Mu muttered, “My salary isn’t much. Rent is a few thousand a month, plus utilities. Back in school, my mom supported me. But now that I’m working, I can’t keep asking her for money. I don’t want her to think I’m struggling here. The cost of living is so high these days. Just the other day, my roommate called and asked me to cover next year’s internet fees upfront. At this rate, I feel like I might not even be able to afford food.”
Her sudden, rambling complaint left Jin Chao silent for a while. Then he lifted his gaze and asked, “Do you want to borrow money?”
Jiang Mu instantly broke into a grin and said, “Can I not pay it back?”
Jin Chao’s expression relaxed, his tone lazy yet firm. “No.”
Jiang Mu pouted, cheeks slightly sucked in. Jin Chao stood up, walked into the kitchen, and brought out a bowl of hot soup, placing it in front of her. Then he asked, “How much do you need?”
Jiang Mu cupped the bowl, trying to suppress a smile.
Jin Chao sat back down and looked at her: “Most people at least try to butter someone up before borrowing money. You, on the other hand, cut off our sibling ties right before asking. Truly one of a kind.”
Jiang Mu took a sip of soup. “Who said I’m borrowing money from you? Considering my long-term survival, I can still tell the difference between one full meal and regular meals. Think about it, you live here alone anyway, and if I move in, wouldn’t I be sharing the living costs with you? Even though I’m not permanent staff yet and my salary isn’t high, once I get a raise after confirmation, I can scrimp and save to help support you.”
A smile played at the corner of Jin Chao’s lips. “Thanks for the offer, but it’s not certain who’d be supporting whom.”
After finishing her soup, Jiang Mu stood up and said, “Let me do the dishes.”
Jin Chao glanced at her: “There’s a dishwasher.”
Later, when she saw Lightning had made a mess all over the floor while eating, she was just about to find something to help clean it up. But Jin Chao walked out of the kitchen at that moment, pressed a button, and the robot vacuum swept past Jiang Mu, leaving her with nothing to do.
Jin Chao carried a plate of freshly cut mooncakes and asked, “Want to admire the moon?”
Jiang Mu mumbled under her breath, “Admire me instead?”
Jin Chao let out a questioning “Hm?”
Jiang Mu chuckled, “Never mind. Sure, let’s admire the moon.”
So the two of them sat on the balcony facing the full moon. In truth, when they were little, they had watched the moon together, too. But Jiang Mu’s memory of it was blurry, while Jin Chao, being five years older, remembered it all quite clearly.
He told her how they had to climb up to the rooftop back then. She was too young to manage it on her own. Every time, while Jin Qiang was busy eating pineapple-filled mooncakes, Jin Chao would point out the moon to her, but she’d be entirely focused on devouring her own treats. He’d recount the tale of Chang’e flying to the moon, yet all she remembered was the Jade Rabbit, pestering him afterward to buy her a rabbit plushie.
Nowadays, Jiang Mu didn’t care much for such overly sweet things, but she loved listening to Jin Chao reminisce about her silly childhood antics.
Eventually, as they chatted, Jiang Mu circled back to the earlier topic. “So, that roommate of mine, honestly, I was in such a rush to find a place, and I didn’t even pay attention to the roommate’s gender. But that’s not the point. In three months of living there, I’ve only seen him twice. He’s like a ghost—here one moment, gone the next. I’m starting to suspect he’s on some kind of ghost-hunting squad. He vanishes every night, and his room always has these eerie songs playing. Do you think I should find another place to live?”
Her long lashes fluttered with an almost pitiable charm. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but her fair face carried a rosy glow, and leaning half against the cushioned chair, she radiated a gentle warmth that words could not capture. Jin Chao didn’t bother circling around, cutting straight to the point. “Still the same old habit? The moment you show up, you just plant yourself here and refuse to leave?”
Jiang Mu laughed and emphasized, “It’s not like I’m imposing on just anyone.”
Jin Chao gazed at the brilliant full moon for a long moment before asking her, “Let me ask you something. This time, when you went back to Tonggang… your father didn’t give you my contact information, did he?”
Jiang Mu nodded. “He said you hadn’t been back for years. Did you two conspire together to lie to me?”
Jin Chao’s eyes slowly lowered, and he fell silent. After a while, he lifted his gaze once more to the full moon and said, “Chao is the sun, Mu is the moon. Sun and moon alternate, never to meet again.”
Jiang Mu’s brows gradually furrowed. “What does that mean?”
The dishwasher stopped with a click. Jin Chao rose and walked back inside. As he passed by her, his voice fell lightly. “It was a promise I made to your father.”
In an instant, Jiang Mu felt as if she had been plunged into an icy chill, a heavy stone crashing straight through her heart. Back when she returned to China during her freshman year, Jin Qiang had already hidden the truth about Jin Chao from her. At the time, she thought it was simply because Jin Chao hadn’t yet settled down that he would eventually reach out to her. But this time, Jin Qiang had given her the same excuse. Though she had sensed something wasn’t right, she still believed it was Jin Chao’s choice. Never had she imagined that Jin Qiang’s true intention was to cut off her connection with Jin Chao altogether.
All these years, Jin Qiang had cared for Jin Chao as though he were his own son. He hoped Jin Chao’s life would go smoothly, that he could live well.
But Jiang Mu was Jin Qiang’s flesh and blood. He wanted her, too, to find a husband with a whole, healthy body, to live an easier life.
Everyone has their selfish side. He didn’t want both children to suffer, especially since he knew all too well how deeply Jiang Yinghan rejected Jin Chao. No matter whom Jin Chao married, he never wished that person to be Mu Mu. Otherwise, the relationship between everyone would be thrust into an unbearably awkward place.
“It isn’t because of your condition. Even without this accident, I would still have advised you not to see Mu Mu again. Consider this as my failing you.”
That evening, when Jin Qiang came to see him, these were the words he spoke. He had brought many things, said many things. Jin Chao never uttered a word. Only when he was leaving, Jin Chao, watching the back bowed under the weight of life, finally clenched his fists and spoke, “Dad, I promise you…”
Six years had passed since then, and he never once reached out to Jiang Mu. Every year, he returned to Tonggang, reporting his situation to Jin Qiang, sending money back regularly, letting him gradually see that he had the ability not to burden those around him.
And yet, even so, when Jiang Mu came back to the country this time, Jin Qiang still would not relent.
Chao is the sun, Mu is the moon – day and night alternate, never to meet again.
Suddenly, Jiang Mu realized that her words just now had been like an invisible dagger to Jin Chao. Jin Qiang acknowledged him as a son, but his concealment also meant he still could not acknowledge Jin Chao as Jiang Mu’s husband. That was why, after hearing her words, Jin Chao had lowered his eyes and remained silent for so long.
Jiang Mu suddenly stood up, her heart trembling as she went to find him. Jin Chao was taking the cleaned dishes out of the dishwasher. She stared at his back, and in that instant, a rush of emotion overflowed in her chest. She ran toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around him from behind. Jin Chao’s movements froze. Lowering his head, he looked at Jiang Mu’s arms locked firmly around his waist, and heard her ask, “You said you’d wait for me to grow up. Does that still count?”
It had been nearly seven years since she last asked him this question. Waves surged in Jin Chao’s eyes, but he still stood there without moving.
Jiang Mu’s voice rose and fell with her emotions. “I’m 26 now. I don’t need anyone else making decisions for me anymore. So what if everyone else objects?”
Hearing the tremor of tears in her voice, Jin Chao patted her arm. She only held him tighter. “You said that the next time we met, you’d let me hug you as much as I wanted. The last few times I saw you, I’ve been polite enough.”
Tenderness flickered in Jin Chao’s eyes. “I never refused to let you hug me. Just let me turn around and look at you. Don’t cry.”
Only then did Jiang Mu let go. But when Jin Chao finally turned to face her, his deep, intense gaze was so overwhelming that Jiang Mu’s heart clenched, and she suddenly felt too embarrassed to hug him again.
She lowered her head and heard Jin Chao say to her, “Mu Mu, listen to me. You’ve only just learned the truth about me. I know it hurts. But there are still many things I haven’t had time to tell you.”
Jiang Mu looked up at him, her eyes burning. “Is there anything more important than you standing here in front of me? You know I’m not a child anymore. If I turn around and marry someone else now, would you be okay with that? I want the truth from you.”
Her emotions grew more intense with each word. When Jin Chao reached out, trying to steady her, Jiang Mu stepped back and glared at him, indignation written all over her face. “I’m not as rational as you. I can’t think overthink every single problem. Yes, you always have everything under control, but I don’t. All I know is that when the boat reaches the bridge, it’ll naturally find a way across, and I’ve lived this far with that.”
“What if I marry a man who treats me poorly? What if he really does what I said—spends our money on gadgets and other women, or even worse, becomes physically or emotionally abusive? Even if he’s perfectly healthy, do you think that means I’ll have a good life?”
“Have you ever thought about this? That by giving me up, you’re also forcing me to gamble my future?”
At her words, something powerful flickered in Jin Chao’s eyes, and his brows slowly knitted. Jiang Mu’s voice caught in a sob, but her gaze remained clear and unwavering on him. “Chao Chao, today I ended our sibling relationship. From now on, we’re no longer siblings. Whether we keep in touch or not, you need to decide. If you truly think being with me would be too much of a burden, then… just forget it.”
Jin Chao stared at her, stunned, his eyes fixed on her. Jiang Mu turned to leave. But Jin Chao’s eyes tightened sharply, and in a few quick steps, he reached out, grabbed her arm, and said, “My leg isn’t what it used to be. Please don’t run. I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch up.”
Even though the harsh words had come from her own lips, hearing Jin Chao say this made Jiang Mu’s eyes blur with tears. Her heart clenching with such pain it felt like it might tear apart. Even her glasses began to fog, a mist forming on the bridge of her nose. She could no longer bear to step even half a pace away from him.
Jin Chao looked at her and asked softly, “Can you still see?”
With a heavy nasal tone, Jiang Mu answered, “No.”
Jin Chao pulled her back in front of him, raised a hand to remove her glasses, and in the same motion lowered his head to capture her lips. Before her vision cleared, his warm breath was already upon her. The familiarity of it made her heart swell as if it were about to burst.
There was no gradual teasing, no slow buildup. Years of pent-up longing surged forth like a flood. Jin Chao wrapped an arm around her waist, crushing her against him, folding her entirely into his embrace. In that moment, Jiang Mu’s thoughts ground to a complete halt, her soul seeming to evaporate from her body. It wasn’t until her back was pressed against the wall behind her, his fingers laced tightly with hers, that she felt again the heat of his kiss searing her like fire.
Jiang Mu only cried harder. All those long-buried emotions of resentment, unwillingness, and grievance finally burst out. Jin Chao cupped her face, his voice carrying a soft coaxing, “Don’t cry. When you cry, I’m at a complete loss.”
His eyes shimmered with an intoxicating light. Jiang Mu lifted her damp lashes, her hearing muffled as her heartbeat thrummed against her eardrums, hazy and disorienting. The red wine she had drunk earlier had truly gone to her head now, leaving her cheeks flushed, her beauty tinged with intoxicated allure.
Jin Chao simply scooped her into his arms. Suspended in the air, Jiang Mu clung to him with both hands. The shadows of the living room lights swayed in her eyes as he set her down on the soft sofa. Her arms still looped around his neck. Jin Chao bent close, gazing down at her, his Adam’s apple moving almost imperceptibly, his whole body steeped in desire yet tempered with restraint. He told her, “You still don’t fully understand my condition. I had planned to give you some time, let you accept the reality before telling you everything.”
Leaning weakly in his arms, Jiang Mu raised her head, anxiety flickering in her eyes. “Your body… does it mean you can’t have children anymore?”
Jin Chao froze briefly, then narrowed his eyes. “What are you thinking about?”
Jiang Mu admitted to herself that her thoughts had gone astray. But in such a moment, in such intimacy, what else could she think of?
She averted her gaze, awkward, but Jin Chao leaned down, his breath brushing her ear. “Do you want me to prove it?”
His hand settled firmly on her waist, a presence both dominant and scorching. As he kissed her on the sofa, Jiang Mu’s breath grew thin, her entire body melting under his touch. Teetering on the edge of losing control, he pulled her tightly against him and said, “Don’t come back to me out of pity or a sense of obligation. Go back and get some rest. I’ll send my latest medical reports to your email. Read them first. Once you decide, you need to know it may mean facing many inconveniences in the future. I may not have the ability to do all the things you want to do. Think also about what the people around you will say, your parents’ views… think it all over, then give me your answer.”
Jiang Mu clutched tightly at his shirt, her head spinning, her voice hoarse as she asked, “If I refuse… will you go back to being my brother, or will we part ways completely?”
She began to withdraw her arms from around his neck, but as her hands fell, Jin Chao caught her soft hand in time. His fingers stroked across the back of her hand, and he smiled with a quiet, refined tenderness, never letting go again.