Lin Qiu said with a concerned look, "Son, you’ve been busy all day, you should rest. My cooking isn’t as good as yours, but I want to make you so of your favorite dishes."
She was a little upset that Jiang Liu had rejected such a wonderful prospective daughter-in-law, but her heart still ached for her son.
Jiang Liu smiled and suggested, "How about this? I’ll go buy so groceries. When I get ho, I’ll make two dishes and you can make two dishes, okay?"
He wanted his parents to taste his cooking.
Lin Qiu looked like she wanted to say sothing, but she held back and simply nodded.
"Then rember to buy tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, and green peppers. I rember those were your two favorite dishes when you were little!"
Jiang Liu nodded, a warm feeling spreading through him.
’Mom will always rember my favorite foods.’
"I’ll head out to buy groceries then. You all can stay here in the shop and enjoy the air conditioning."
Jiang Dahai couldn’t sit still and hurried over. "I’ll go with you. The two of us can have a chat."
"Daddy, aren’t you taking Tongtong with you?"
"Are we not getting along anymore?"
Jiang Tongtong pouted and glared at Jiang Liu.
’If we’re splitting up, I’d much rather go with Daddy.’
’Daddy is the best grown-up in the world.’
"Alright, let’s go."
Jun Qingng wanted to go along too, but before she could say anything, Lin Qiu grabbed her arm. "Let’s you and I continue our chat. Don’t mind them."
’I have to keep this future daughter-in-law happy for my son’s sake, in case he regrets his decision later.’
"Mhm!"
Jiang Liu walked out the door.
It was already 8:10 PM.
The sky had darkened, though a faint glimr of light remained. Sumr days were long and the nights short.
Every single one of the seniors out for an evening stroll or walking their dogs knew Jiang Liu.
"Boss Jiang, out for a stroll with your dad?"
"Can you open a little earlier tomorrow? My grandson has to get to school early."
"Tongtong, co here. Grandpa just got his hands on so mangoes. Take a few ho with you."
They hadn’t walked far.
More than ten people had already greeted Jiang Liu warmly.
Tongtong even received snacks and fruit from the neighboring shopkeepers.
She was so happy she couldn’t stop beaming.
"Daddy, are you envious of Tongtong?"
"Nope."
"Yes, you are!"
"Alright, I’m envious! Happy now?"
The three of them walked to their parking spot.
Tongtong’s little face lit up with excitent. She trotted over to their blue BYD, patted a tire, and asked proudly, "Grandpa, isn’t our Uncle Che handso?"
Jiang Dahai chuckled, running a hand over the car’s finish. "Not bad, not bad at all. It’s gorgeous! A car like this is fuel-efficient and comfortable—perfect for a family."
"Hehe."
Once they were in the car, Jiang Dahai proactively took the front passenger seat.
’He had sothing he needed to say.’
In the back seat, Tongtong happily counted her snacks several tis over.
Then she put them in the storage bin, which was already full of other little treats.
She was just like a squirrel hoarding nuts for the winter.
The car started.
Jiang Dahai sighed and said, "Liu’er, don’t be upset with us. I know we made this decision on your behalf, but we were thinking of you, and of a good girl like Qingng."
"Your mother and I know this is hard on you, and we understand your concerns. But Qingng is a wonderful girl. Don’t go and break her heart. So things, once they’re broken, can never be put back together."
"Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Jiang Dahai knew his son had his own thoughts on the matter, and he was willing to support him.
But more than anything, he wanted his son to be happy.
He and his wife truly adored that girl, Jun Qingng.
If their son rejected her and broke that sweet girl’s heart, Jiang Dahai would be absolutely furious.
Jiang Liu nodded, his feelings in a complicated tangle.
’It’s not that hard to accept anymore,’ he thought. ’But I’ve only known Jun Qingng for a few days. I’ll just have to wait and see.’
Jiang Dahai tugged at his seatbelt and probed, "Son, what do you really think of Qingng now? Do you like her at all?"
In the back, Tongtong pretended to be counting her snacks, but she leaned forward, her little ears pricked up to listen.
There was a little secret agent in the car!
Jiang Liu thought for a mont, then answered frankly, "She’s great. Qingng is beautiful and kind. It’d be a lie to say I’m not moved at all. I guess you could say I’m starting to care about her a little."
Tongtong’s eyes instantly lit up.
She was beyond excited.
’I have to tell Teacher Qingng the good news right away!’
Jiang Dahai was very pleased. "That’s good. As long as you’re not resistant to the idea, you can take things slow. Feelings can be nurtured over ti."
"You need to take the initiative sotis. You can’t just let a girl do all the work, fawning over you day in and day out."
"That Qingng... she doesn’t seem like she’s from an ordinary family. You’d better handle this with care."
"Alright," Jiang Liu said, shaking his head with a sigh.
Tongtong was still straining her ears, eavesdropping.
’Right now, she wished she could magically produce a little notebook, write everything down, and present it to Teacher Qingng!’
After that, Jiang Liu went to the market and bought about eight pounds of green chilies, five pounds of potatoes, and four pounds of tomatoes. He didn’t need to buy eggs, but he picked up another three pounds of bell peppers.
「Back on Yangzhai Street」
Jiang Liu parked the car in front of the shop.
Seeing the car pull up, Xue Guang ca out holding a large bag of fruit. "Jiang Liu, take this. It’s for your parents. It’s good for older folks to eat more fruit."
"Alright, I’ll accept it then."
Jiang Liu didn’t try to refuse.
’One shouldn’t refuse a gesture of pure, simple kindness.’
’Accepting it actually makes the other person happier.’
Xue Guang bead, grinning from ear to ear. "Go on, go spend ti with your parents."
Jiang Liu turned around, went back into the shop, and ca out with four bottles of fruit juice for Xue Guang.
This made Xue Guang even happier. He presented one to his wife to drink first, as if it were a precious treasure.
In the back kitchen,
Tongtong excitedly pulled Lin Qiu and Jun Qingng aside. "Tongtong has a secret to tell you! Daddy said he’s a little bit moved by Teacher Qingng! But don’t you dare say Tongtong told you, okay?"
Jun Qingng’s mood instantly soared. She quickly asked, "Are you sure that’s what your daddy said?"
’Happiness had co so suddenly.’
’She could hardly believe it.’
"I’m sure! Very, very sure!" Tongtong said, looking at Jun Qingng’s anxious expression and nodding her little head emphatically.
"Teacher Qingng, can Tongtong trade this piece of information for a bottle of Coke?"
Tongtong cupped her cheeks, her face lit up with joy.
’Coke, here I co!’
"You little rascal!"
Jun Qingng and Lin Qiu couldn’t hold back their laughter.
"Jiang Tongtong, what was that you were saying? Daddy didn’t quite catch it."
Jiang Liu had appeared just at that mont, right behind a certain soone.
’So there really was a little secret agent in the family. And he’d finally caught her in the act!’
The expectant smile on Tongtong’s face froze.
She scrambled to hide behind Lin Qiu, grabbing onto her clothes like a shield.
"SOB... Tongtong was wrong! I’ll never do it again! Daddy, can I give myself a little flick on the head as punishnt?"
As she spoke, she gritted her teeth, stuck out a pale, delicate finger, and gently tapped her own forehead.
"Ouch! That hurt Tongtong so much! I used all my strength!"
Jiang Liu shot her a glare.
’His own daughter, acting like a little secret agent all day long, reporting back to Jun Qingng at every opportunity.’
Lin Qiu nudged Jun Qingng, then said pointedly, "Son, your father, Tongtong, and I have sothing to discuss. Why don’t you and Qingng stay here and chat for a bit?"
Before Jiang Liu could even open his mouth,
Lin Qiu had already whisked a reluctant Tongtong and Jiang Dahai away, leaving the "set."
And just like that,
the shop fell silent.
Only the man and woman remained.
Jiang Liu felt the atmosphere grow thick and quickly ca up with an excuse. "The glass on the counter needs wiping. I’ll go take care of it."
"Let’s do it together!"
Jun Qingng, ever the opportunist, eagerly trotted after him.
The two of them were squeezed together behind the small counter.
They even brushed against each other from ti to ti.
Jun Qingng asked casually, "Jiang Liu, when you said you were a little moved by ... was that true?"
"Mhm, it’s true."
The corners of Jun Qingng’s mouth curled up involuntarily. "Then... how moved are you? Like a cool breeze on a sumr day, or like hot pot in the middle of winter?"
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