Chapter 344
“When have I ever been so stingy?” Mr. Su tried to argue.
However, under Mrs. Su’s unwavering gaze, he quickly gave in after just a few seconds. He lowered his head, mourning the loss of his precious tea leaves.
Seeing him like this, Mrs. Su sighed, “Alright, alright. You can buy new ones, and I’ll reimburse you.”
“Really? I can buy as much as I want?” Mr. Su’s eyes instantly lit up, his disappointment vanishing.
“Just enough for three months. Don’t buy too much; I don’t want them to go bad again,” Mrs. Su emphasized, not entirely trusting him.
Mr. Su nodded enthusiastically, “My wife really knows how to treat me well.”
Mrs. Su’s ears turned red from his affectionate tone. “We’re an old married couple. Speak properly,” she chided, feigning annoyance.
Su Xiaoxiao, leaning on the back of the sofa, watched her parents, her lips curling into a smile. The days when her parents were alive, teasing each other like this, were truly precious.
Su Hongchen entered, clutching his stomach, only to be greeted by the warm and loving scene. He couldn’t help but smile as well.
When Mr. Su noticed him, Su Hongchen said, “Dad, you really should get rid of that tea. It’s already spoiled.”
“What’s spoiled? I think it’s just your young stomachs that can’t handle it. Look at me—I just drank a cup, and I’m perfectly fine,” Mr. Su insisted, standing tall and speaking with confidence.
But before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed. Clutching his stomach, he bolted out of the room.
Su Xiaoxiao, feeling guilty, rubbed her nose and avoided everyone’s gaze.
Downstairs, Mr. Su nearly ran into Jiang Yexun, who was returning from the restroom.
“Mr. Su,” Jiang Yexun greeted politely.
But with his stomach in turmoil and on the verge of an emergency, Mr. Su couldn’t spare the energy to respond. He quickened his pace, passing by Jiang Yexun like a gust of wind.
So Mr. Su, not believing it, tried the tea too? Jiang Yexun was puzzled by Mr. Su’s behavior.
Earlier, while in the public restroom, he and Su Hongchen had discussed the situation and concluded that the tea leaves had likely gone bad, rather than attributing it to Su Xiaoxiao.
Back at the Su family home, Jiang Yexun pushed open the half-closed door and heard Su Hongchen’s nagging voice coming from inside.
“Little sister, it’s a good thing you found someone who can cook; otherwise, I’d worry about having to bail you out of trouble at the police station.”
“You’re exaggerating. Didn’t you just say it was the spoiled tea?” Su Xiaoxiao retorted in a small voice.
Moreover, she’d filled two thermoses with the enchanted spring water, so they’d likely have stomach troubles again when they drank it later tonight.
The more Su Hongchen looked at her, the more he wanted to tease her. But before he could, Jiang Yexun chimed in, “Even though it upset my stomach, my body actually feels pretty good.”
Hearing this, Su Hongchen’s attitude softened. Thinking about it, he realized that since this morning, his body had felt particularly light.
Even though his internal injuries had fully healed, the two bullet wounds had always caused him lingering pain. Normally, such injuries would take at least six months to completely heal, but now it seemed they had fully recovered.
To confirm, Su Hongchen moved his shoulders, and the comfortable sensation made him raise his eyebrows in surprise.
Both men instinctively looked at Su Xiaoxiao. But Su Xiaoxiao had become quite adept at playing innocent. With those wide, curious, doe-like eyes, no one would suspect she’d done anything unusual.
“Do you want to spar with me?” Su Hongchen nodded toward Jiang Yexun.
But Jiang Yexun frowned slightly and shook his head, suppressing his irritation. “No, I haven’t spent much time with Xiaoxiao recently, and it’s almost time for dinner.”
Tch, how clingy! Su Hongchen scoffed but held his tongue, pleased that his future brother-in-law cared so much for his sister. Still, he mentally planned to drag Jiang Yexun into a fight later. The last time they sparred, it had been quite exhilarating.
However, Jiang Yexun paid no attention to what Su Hongchen was thinking. His eyes were glued to Su Xiaoxiao, his gaze so intense it was almost scorching.
Su Xiaoxiao’s long eyelashes fluttered as she met his gaze, her eyes sparkling with a gentle warmth that made Jiang Yexun’s breath hitch.
Su Hongchen, growing increasingly envious, nudged Jiang Yexun’s calf with his foot. “Alright, enough with the staring. Save it for after you’re married.”
Su Xiaoxiao’s face flushed a deep red, as if on fire.
Jiang Yexun turned to look at Su Hongchen, meeting his challenging gaze. But considering that Su Hongchen was his future brother-in-law, Jiang Yexun held back any retort.
The two men washed their hands, and He Xingzhi also emerged from the restroom, supporting himself against the wall. Worried that he might smell bad, he stood in the hallway outside the apartment.
Once Aunt Guo returned, the two finally came inside to wash up.
With all the commotion, their dinner, originally planned for 6:00 p.m., was delayed until 7:00 p.m.
Su Xiaoxiao, worried she might not be able to resist clinging to Jiang Yexun, chose not to sit next to him. However, sitting across from each other, they could still keep each other in view.
Tonight, Mrs. Su had prepared crab, and Jiang Yexun sat patiently peeling the crab for Su Xiaoxiao.
Seeing that Mrs. Su was almost done eating, Aunt Guo gently asked, “When you went to the hospital this morning, what did the doctor say about Xiaoxiao’s health? Has her blood deficiency improved?”
“It’s all better now. In fact, she’s even healthier than before she went to the countryside,” Mrs. Su replied, unable to suppress the smile that spread across her face as she recalled the morning’s check-up results.
These days, every household had children who were sent to the countryside, and those who managed to return and find work were considered lucky. But many returned emaciated and clearly unwell, their health compromised.
But her daughter was different—well-nourished and even healthier than before. This was proof that the Jiang family had taken exceptionally good care of her.
However, Mrs. Su’s smile faltered as she suddenly remembered something. She quickly added, “The doctor also said that Xiaoxiao is still young. Even if she gets married now, it would be best to wait a few years before having children. It’s better to wait until she’s twenty-one or twenty-two, so her body can fully mature. Otherwise, pregnancy could strain her health.”
Aunt Guo nodded quickly in agreement. “Absolutely! Don’t worry, since the doctor said so, we won’t rush Xiaoxiao into having children.”
“That’s a relief,” Mrs. Su said with a satisfied smile.
Jiang Yexun also glanced at Su Xiaoxiao, but she deliberately ignored his gaze, burying her face in her bowl. She didn’t want to hear any of this. She had no intention of waiting three or four years to have children.
By then, the one-child policy would be in full swing. If she waited until twenty-one or twenty-two to get pregnant, and then took at least a year to recover before trying for a second child, she’d definitely fall under the one-child policy. How could she possibly fulfill her dream of having both a son and a daughter?