Chapter 77
After a full day of practice, Jiang Mu collapsed into Jin Chao’s arms, unwilling to move. He held her and asked, “Still want to go buy groceries?”
Jiang Mu glanced at the setting sun. “Yes.”
She felt it was better for Jin Chao’s health to eat out less, so even though she was exhausted, she insisted on making a trip to the market. Yet after circling around and coming back out, they hadn’t really saved any money.
On the way home with their groceries, they passed by the café. Jin Chao tugged her inside. The bell above the door jingled, and Xiao Ke immediately looked up. She began with her usual “Welcome…” but, recognizing the boss and Miss Jiang, she abruptly cut herself off and smiled. “Business has been great today. The manager said maybe we could run that promotion again.”
Jin Chao paused in thought before replying, “I’ll find time next week to discuss it with her.”
Just as Xiao Ke was about to greet Jiang Mu, her gaze dropped to Jin Chao holding Jiang Mu’s hand. Then she noticed the groceries dangling from their other hands, looking every bit like a young couple out shopping. She froze for a moment, as if she’d just uncovered some monumental secret, and stammered, “Miss Jiang, you haven’t been coming by much lately?”
Jiang Mu answered, “Been busy with driving lessons, no time.”
Jin Chao’s eyes flicked sideways at her. “‘Miss Jiang?’”
Gu Tao, who had already half-guessed the situation when he saw them moving in together the other day, nearly burst out laughing. This time, he couldn’t resist and teased, “Boss Lady, how about a cup of coffee?”
Jin Chao answered for her, “No need. We’re heading home for dinner soon, just stopped by to take a look.”
He pulled Jiang Mu behind the counter, pointed out where the accounts were kept, and how to check the store’s performance. Worried she might be hungry, he didn’t go into detail, just gave a brief explanation before taking her away.
Once outside, Jiang Mu asked, “Why are you telling me all this?”
Jin Chao said seriously, “It’s your own shop. You can’t be completely clueless about how it’s run, can you?”
Jiang Mu glanced sideways at him. “And when exactly did it become mine?”
The corner of Jin Chao’s lips curved. “Do you think I opened a café just for fun because I was bored?”
Jiang Mu asked, “I heard the place was losing money the first two years?”
Holding her hand, Jin Chao replied evenly, “Every trade has its own hurdles. I took some wrong turns.”
“Then why keep pouring money into it?”
Jin Chao turned his gaze to her. “Because many years ago, a naïve little girl suggested it to me. I’m an honest man; once I decide on something, I see it through. I figured if I walked enough detours, I’d eventually find the right path. Even if one day I had to close it, it wouldn’t be because of mismanagement.”
Jiang Mu burst out laughing. “You, calling yourself an honest man? If you’re so honest, why did you pin me against the wall back when I was a senior in high school?”
Jin Chao acted as if he had amnesia. “When did I ever pin you against a wall?”
Jiang Mu reminded him, “At the car shop. You told me to stop coming around so much, saying it looked bad for me to keep coming to find you, and then you asked if I wanted something to happen between us.”
A flicker of recognition passed through Jin Chao’s eyes. He gave a soft “oh” and curved his gaze at her. “Just a casual question.” Then he tilted his head at her. “What? Did it hit a nerve?”
There was no way Jiang Mu would ever admit how shaken she’d been that day after leaving the car shop. Truthfully, her feelings for him must have begun shifting quietly from that moment. Even her dreams during that time were filled with his intense gaze and that teasing tone of his. Of course, she would firmly never confess such embarrassing, adolescent fantasies to him.
……
As soon as they left, Xiao Ke clapped a hand over her mouth, her single eyelid practically widening into a double. “They’re together?!”
Gu Tao remained calm. “Remember last Valentine’s Day when we asked the boss if he had a girlfriend? He said yes, but she wasn’t around. I’m starting to think it was the Boss Lady all along.”
Xiao Ke thought of the way Lightning had fawned over Jiang Mu, and suddenly it all made perfect sense.
Even though Jiang Mu was exhausted after a full day of driving practice, she still wanted to take advantage of the evening to cook a proper meal for Jin Chao.
But after dinner, once she had showered, she crawled straight into bed. Jin Chao had originally planned to discuss driving techniques with her, but seeing how worn out she was, he couldn’t bear to disturb her. Jiang Mu rolled over into his arms, and as he stroked her hair, he murmured, “I have to go on a business trip tomorrow.”
“Mm…”
“Remember to take the access card and register with property management. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get in.”
“Mm…”
“If anything comes up, call me. I should be back the day after tomorrow.”
“Mm…”
Jin Chao looked down, listening to her soft, cat-like murmurs of acknowledgment. Finally, he said, “There’s a reward when you get your driver’s license.”
This time, there was truly no sound from her.
Jiang Mu had just moved into Jin Chao’s place and wasn’t fully settled yet. On Monday morning, she dawdled for half the time, until Jin Chao glanced at the clock and reminded her, “If you don’t leave now, you’ll be late.”
She grabbed her high heels and dashed for the door. Jin Chao frowned. “You’re taking the subway in high heels?”
Slipping into her shoes, Jiang Mu replied, “I’ve got an important meeting today. I have to dress formally.”
Just as she was about to open the door, Jin Chao stopped her. “Hold on.”
He handed her a warm glass of milk. “Xiao Wen’s downstairs. Let him drive you and take the ring road, it’ll be faster.”
Jiang Mu took the milk and said hurriedly, “But aren’t you leaving for your business trip soon?”
Jin Chao straightened her collar, then smoothly pulled her into his arms. “Whether I’m late or not doesn’t matter much. I’ll just use the time to get my things ready. Go on.”
With that, he pressed a kiss to her lips. But the thought of not seeing her for two days made his chest itch, and in the next instant, he captured her soft tongue in a deep kiss, pinning her against the door. The experiences of their short weekend had made Jiang Mu’s body exceptionally sensitive. Jin Chao’s clean, intoxicating scent teased her willpower until her breathing turned quick and shallow. Helplessly, she murmured, “Chao Chao…”
That one call snapped him back to reason. Glancing at the time, he opened the door and walked her to the elevator.
At first, Jiang Mu hadn’t thought the separation would be that hard. After all, it was only two days apart. But after being kissed like that, she found herself reluctant to leave. Even inside the elevator, her hand clung to his, her face full of grievance as she coquettishly complained, “Bad man.”
Jin Chao could tell she didn’t want to go. Holding the elevator door for her, he watched her with a teasing smile. “What if… You called in sick?”
Jiang Mu let out a soft snort. “And what, you’ll support me?”
“…Not impossible.”
She released him and lifted her chin proudly. “I’m a modern, independent woman. I don’t need a man to support me. Goodbye.”
But Jin Chao’s gaze slowly drifted downward, his attention clearly caught by something else. Just as Jiang Mu noticed and was about to scold him, the elevator doors slid shut, leaving her to stew in flustered indignation.
Jin Chao watched the elevator doors close, imagining the look on her face inside. His lips curved into a faint smile.
He had already sent Jiang Mu’s office address to Xiao Wen, so the moment she got in the car, the navigation was ready.
On the road, Jiang Mu sipped her warm milk and casually asked how long the drive for their upcoming trip would be. Xiao Wen told her it wasn’t far, just over two hours.
Then he suddenly asked her, “How old is your child this year? Already in kindergarten, right?”
Jiang Mu was taken aback, turning her head with a puzzled “Hm? What?”
Xiao Wen continued, “I mean the kid. You came back to China, and your child came back with you, too, right?”
Jiang Mu had no idea what he was talking about, but she sensed something unusual. She played along and asked, “Did Jin Chao tell you that?”
Xiao Wen said, “He mentioned it once during a meal.”
Jiang Mu pretended to be calm and continued fishing for information. “Did he mention me?”
“Everyone knows that Engineer Jin’s wife and child live abroad. He said the kid’s pretty lazy, likes to sleep in, right? That kind of child’s easy to handle. My sister’s kid gets up at five in the morning every day, and that’s the real headache; no adult can get any rest.”
“……”
Jiang Mu listened with a darkening expression as Xiao Wen continued chattering, “But my sister’s daughter is just like yours, a picky eater. Won’t eat this, won’t eat that. It’s really worrying. My aunt said the child has a weak spleen, so they took her for a pediatric massage. You could try that too.”
“…” You’re the one with the weak stomach.
After getting out of the car, Jiang Mu immediately sent a message to Jin Chao:
[Wife? Child? You seem to have quite the situation going on.]
A moment later, Jin Chao replied with a single emoji: [Smile.jpg].
After a busy day at work, on her way back, Jiang Mu remembered what Xiao Wen had said that morning. She realized Jin Chao still hadn’t given her a proper explanation. She had no idea how, in his accounts, she had somehow become both a mother and a daughter? Could she really play two roles at once? She also had no clue what other nonsense he might have been spouting out there.
So, she shot off another message: [Your lazy, picky-eater little baby is angry. Don’t you think you need to explain yourself?]
Jin Chao replied quickly: [Busy. Talk later.]
Jiang Mu had no choice but to put her phone away and not disturb him.
Back at the residential complex, she took the access card to the property management office to register her information. After returning home, she played with Lightning for a while, took care of its food and water, pulled out the groceries bought yesterday from the fridge to make a simple meal for herself, and then took Lightning out for a walk.
That night, after her shower, she climbed into the big bed and started missing Jin Chao. Even though they had only been together for two days, she already felt unaccustomed to sleeping alone. Wrapped in the blanket, she stared blankly at her phone. It was almost 10 p.m., and Jin Chao still hadn’t replied. Jiang Mu scrolled through her phone for a bit longer, but eventually couldn’t keep her eyes open.
She didn’t know how long she had been asleep when a wave of warmth suddenly enveloped her. Half-asleep, Jiang Mu only felt herself being pulled into someone’s arms. Instinctively, she rubbed against him with a soft little whimper.
Her silky pajamas were ruffled and slipped down from her shoulders, leaving the skin below her collarbone exposed to the cool air, only to be quickly covered again by a warm, broad hand. Jiang Mu shifted her body slightly. Deep in her subconscious, she still remembered that Jin Chao was on a business trip and wouldn’t be back tonight. So, in her drowsy haze, she believed she was dreaming. Obediently, she gave in to the phantom version of him in her dream, even going so far as to throw herself into his arms actively.
The sharp rush of reality broke through her daze, and Jiang Mu gasped, eyes flying open. Jin Chao’s dark, smoldering gaze was right in front of her. Startled, she shrank upward and blurted, “Why are you back?”
His hand tightened around her waist, tugging her down as his breath grew heavier. “Heard a little kid was angry,” he murmured, “so I came back to comfort her properly.”
His words might have sounded teasing, but his movements didn’t pause for an instant. Jiang Mu’s body went taut like a bowstring, her eyes welling with moisture, her voice trembling helplessly, “Is this what you call comforting?”
Jin Chao caught her restless hands, pinned them together above her head with one of his own, and held them there. “Then how do you want to be comforted?”
“Like this?”
“Or like this?”
With each question came an even more overwhelming movement, the pleasure so intense it shattered Jiang Mu’s limits.
Later, as the night grew still and Jiang Mu lay curled once more in Jin Chao’s arms, her body continued to tremble in small aftershocks. She beat her fist weakly against his chest, her entire body devoid of strength, soft as cotton. Jin Chao propped himself up on an elbow, looked down at her, his eyes holding a devastating, rakish charm. “Looks like I didn’t comfort you well enough. Still angry? Should I try a little longer?”
Jiang Mu hastily shielded herself with her hands, burying her face against his chest, her muffled voice hidden beneath the quilt. “You tell me.”
Jin Chao deliberately played dumb. “Tell what?”
Jiang Mu lifted her head and glared at him, but there wasn’t a trace of fierceness in it, only a softness like flowing water. The blush on her face hadn’t yet faded, as delicate as blooming peach petals, enough to make one’s heart ache with tenderness.
Jin Chao couldn’t bring himself to tease her any further. He rubbed the tip of her little nose and said, “There was once a design release engineer I used to know. We worked together a few times. Maybe she thought she was showing concern for the disabled, but she pulled strings to be assigned to my projects, always dropping hints. With my ‘incomplete’ body, how could I possibly handle that kind of trouble? I was afraid she’d try to force herself on me, so I let slip a bit of news on purpose.”
“…If you hadn’t just tormented me, I might’ve actually believed that.”
Jin Chao lowered his head, whispering in her ear, “Truth comes from practice. And my ‘little brother’ only ever stands tall for you.”
Until this moment, Jiang Mu had never imagined that Jin Chao would one day hold her and say such shameless things. This was the same man who, back when she was little, used to scold her for kissing Detective Conan trading cards, telling her she ought to keep her mind on her studies.
Living together, Jin Chao still indulged her as he always had. The difference was that, in the past, his indulgence came with principles. He never hesitated to be strict where he needed to be. But now, his spoiling her seemed to have no principles at all.
Regarding this, Jiang Mu had once asked him about it. Jin Chao gave a serious reply,
“Back then, your values weren’t fully formed yet, and I was a few years older. I couldn’t just lead you astray. I had to carry a bit of responsibility as an older brother figure. But now? You’re more than capable of standing on your own. Do I still need to be strict with you?”
Jiang Mu looked at him, her smile carrying a deeper meaning, her gaze lightly sweeping over him. “Stop with the formal talk.”
“I can’t resist the way you are in bed.”
“…”
Though Jiang Mu and Jin Chao had lived under the same roof for nine years as children, sharing every moment and once believing that was the closest they could ever be, cohabiting now had brought them into a different kind of intimacy, one they had never known before.
Every day at lunch, Jiang Mu would call him for a quick chat. At night, they ate together, walked the dog together, and fell asleep in each other’s arms. On weekends, they went to the café to review the week’s business, where she learned how to help manage things by following Jin Chao around, even offering her own ideas and suggestions.
When Jin Chao was on business trips, Jiang Mu would stay home waiting for him. No matter how cold it was or if it was raining, if there was any chance he could return the same day, Jin Chao would push himself to make it back by night. Even though the day’s work and the travel left him physically exhausted, just knowing that the little woman at home would be unable to sleep without him made him restless until he could return to her side.
Since moving in together, Jiang Mu had become fascinated with cooking. She used to be afraid of the kitchen, couldn’t even properly stir-fry shredded potatoes, and would hide from splattering oil. But now, she could confidently take charge as the chef. She downloaded several cooking apps and would study them in her free time. While ensuring Jin Chao’s daily nutrition, she also firmly captured his stomach. After just two months of living together, even the usually reserved Jin Chao seemed increasingly vibrant and full of vigor.
By the end of the year, two pieces of news brought Jiang Mu double joy. The first was that she finally received her confirmation notice: she was now officially a professional astronomer. After years of study, her career finally had a real foothold, and for Jiang Mu, this was a milestone worth celebrating.
The other piece of news that thrilled her was that she had finally passed all the driving tests and earned her license. Though it hadn’t taken long, she felt as if she had endured ninety-nine trials and eighty-one tribulations. That small booklet in her hand represented a journey paved with pitfalls and hard-won persistence.
Her employment formalities and collecting her driver’s license were scheduled for the same day. Her supervisor even gave her the day off to handle these matters.
When Jiang Mu walked out of the vehicle management office holding the little booklet, her mood was absolutely splendid. She called Jin Chao. As soon as he answered, her voice carried an irrepressible smile as she asked, “Where are you?”
Hearing her joyful tone, Jin Chao knew she had gotten her license. He smiled too and replied, “At the university.”
“I’m free now. Can I come find you? Didn’t you say you’d give me a reward when I got my license?”
Jin Chao chuckled. “I thought you’d forgotten about that.”
“My memory is excellent!”
“Come on then. I’ll be waiting.”
So, Jiang Mu hailed a taxi, clutching her brand-new license. It was actually her first time visiting Jin Chao’s university. Stepping onto the campus, the atmosphere felt familiarly nostalgic.
After asking for directions, she found the graduate school building. She called Jin Chao, who told her he still had a little while to go and asked her to come to the classroom to find him first.
When Jiang Mu finally found the classroom Jin Chao had mentioned, she peered through the glass and immediately spotted him. He was wearing a deep forest-green knit sweater, seated a bit farther from the window. In front of him were several tables pushed together, and two classmates surrounded him, engaged in what seemed to be a heated discussion, one seated on his right, the other standing across from him.
Not wanting to interrupt, Jiang Mu lingered under the pear blossom tree just outside the door.
After a while, it seemed they had come to an agreement. Both of the classmates turned to look at Jin Chao, who picked up a pen and a drafting ruler, marking and annotating for a while. Just then, a short-haired girl came in with a bag of coffee. She made a point of walking directly up to Jin Chao and handing him a cup.
Jin Chao lifted his gaze to her and said something Jiang Mu couldn’t hear from outside. All she saw was the short-haired girl dragging over a chair and plopping down right beside him.
Jiang Mu couldn’t figure it out. Why, among three guys, was a girl buying coffee for Jin Chao? And not only that, she sat close, leaning in so much it looked like her face was practically brushing his shoulder. Lowering her eyelids, Jiang Mu fixed her gaze on the window.
Perhaps it was her seething annoyance radiating through the glass that caught Jin Chao’s attention. His hand, still holding the pen, suddenly paused. He turned his head toward the window, and when his eyes landed on Jiang Mu, who was standing under the pear blossoms in her soft camel-colored coat, his lips curved into a smile at once.
The few people around him followed his gaze and turned to look. Jiang Mu, who had just been feeling jealous, suddenly felt a bit self-conscious under their collective stare. She turned her head nonchalantly, pretending to admire the cloudless sky.
Jin Chao didn’t linger inside. After exchanging a few more words with the others, he pushed back his chair, casually slid the untouched coffee toward the man beside him, and walked out. Jiang Mu withdrew her gaze and looked at him sideways. Jin Chao, with his hands tucked into his coat pockets, asked, “Where’s the license? Let me see it.”
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow. “Not showing you.”
Then she added, “Unless I get a hug.”
The light in Jin Chao’s eyes softened. He tapped her head. “Look where we are.”
But Jiang Mu lifted her chin. “What, does your school have a rule against dating?”
Jin Chao didn’t reply. Instead, he grabbed her arm and pulled her directly into an embrace. Looking down at her, he said, “You’re acting strange.”
Jiang Mu’s slender waist was held by Jin Chao. She blinked her sparkling eyes. “How am I strange?”
Jin Chao’s gaze slowly swept over her face. “You were laughing so happily on the phone just now. And now, why…”
Before he could finish, the people from the classroom came out. One of the men clapped Jin Chao on the shoulder and asked, “Your girlfriend? Haven’t seen her before.”
Seeing his classmates approaching, Jiang Mu felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to continue hugging in front of others, so she slipped out of Jin Chao’s embrace. Although Jin Chao released her waist, his hand didn’t move away entirely, instead shifting to rest casually on her shoulder as he turned to introduce her to the group.
“Yes, she’s usually busy with work. We have some things to attend to later. I’ll bring her out to have a meal with you all another day.”
The group smiled and greeted Jiang Mu. Another man joked, “Jin Chao, you’re not being honest. Didn’t you say last time you liked girls with short hair?”
Jin Chao responded nonchalantly, “She grew it out. I had to adjust my preferences.”
Everyone understood the implication and laughed.
Jiang Mu instinctively glanced toward the short-haired woman standing further back. The woman, catching Jiang Mu’s gaze, quickly looked away.
After saying goodbye to his classmates, Jiang Mu looked up at Jin Chao from within the circle of his arm and said, “That short-haired woman likes you.”
Jin Chao simply replied, “Oh?” So what?”
“She didn’t buy coffee for anyone else, just for you.”
Jin Chao pinched her slim waist and replied, “That’s because they asked me to come over to discuss a fluid mechanics problem, and they wanted me to share some inside news about our spring recruitment.”
Then he gave a wry smile. “Besides, I own a coffee shop myself. Isn’t the coffee at home good enough? Why would I bother drinking someone else’s?”
Jiang Mu couldn’t help laughing at his words. Tilting her head up to look at him, she was promptly pulled in by Jin Chao, who bent down and brushed a quick kiss across her lips. Startled, Jiang Mu glanced around and whispered a reminder, “Behave yourself. Look at where we are.”
Jin Chao answered lazily, “Our school doesn’t have a rule against dating on campus.”
Jiang Mu chuckled and pulled out her precious little booklet, handing it over to him. Jin Chao let go of her waist to take it, flipping it open. Inside was her ID photo with her lips pressed into a faint smile, eyes curved like crescents. She looked so cheerful, so endearing, that his own lips curved in response.
Then Jiang Mu leaned closer, batting her eyes as she asked, “My license is new, right?”
“…What kind of question is that?”
Jiang Mu snatched the license back, carefully tucking it into her bag before tilting her chin proudly. “From this day on, I’m officially a licensed driver.”
Suddenly, she turned her head, as if recalling something. “Oh, right. Where’s my reward?”
Jin Chao told her, “No rush. Let’s get home first.”
Suspicion flickered in Jiang Mu’s eyes. “You hid it at home?”
Jin Chao only smiled without answering. All the way back, Jiang Mu tried every trick she knew—pouting, teasing, coaxing—to pry it out of him. But Jin Chao kept his lips sealed, leaving her burning with curiosity.
At long last, they reached the ground floor, but instead of pressing the button for the 8th floor, Jin Chao sent the elevator straight down to the basement garage.
From the moment they stepped out of the elevator, Jiang Mu was already a little confused. Jin Chao led her by the hand all the way to a parking spot, where a car sat beneath a silver cover. He pointed and said, The number plate hanging at the back is the unit number. Do you know whose parking space this is?”
Jiang Mu stammered, “Yours… right?”
Jin Chao corrected her, “Ours.”
“So, this car…”
With a swift tug, Jin Chao pulled the cover away, revealing a brand-new white C260. He himself had never cared much for these kinds of cars, but he knew women couldn’t resist the sleek look. Sure enough, Jiang Mu’s eyes lit up with delight, sparkling as she pointed at it in shock. “This is… ours too?”
Jin Chao told her, “This is your reward. Get in and give it a try.”
Jiang Mu might not know cars well, but she definitely recognized the Mercedes logo. Even as her hands gripped the steering wheel, she still felt dazed. Before starting the engine, she nervously asked, “How much does this cost? I don’t think I dare drive it… what if I crash?”
Jin Chao leaned over, started the car for her, and said lightly, “Try not to crash. If you must, just make sure it’s not into a person.”
She was already a little intimidated, and his words made her even more so.
Both hands gripped the wheel as she tried to summon her courage. Five minutes passed, and they were still sitting in the garage. Jin Chao chuckled as he looked at her. “Where’s that confidence you had just now, showing off your license to me? Did you really think the government gave you that booklet just to add to your stamp collection?”
Jiang Mu swallowed hard and gently pressed the accelerator, inching the car out of the underground garage at a snail’s pace.
This was Jiang Mu’s first time driving on the road since leaving the driving school, and even a stray cat crossing the street felt like a major threat. She barely dared to take her foot off the brake the entire way. Jin Chao directed her onto a wide, empty road and said, “Step on the gas. You see that black dog over there? It’s already running ahead of you.”
“…I can’t. My foot feels like it’s cramping.”
“…”
After cruising down several streets, Jiang Mu relaxed a little and wasn’t as stiff as before. However, her attention was completely focused on controlling the car, leaving no room for judging direction. She asked Jin Chao where to go.
He tapped the navigation a few times and told her, “Head here. Just follow the directions.”