CHAPTER 366: 351

How am I supposed to win the handsome guy like this?

Tian Sangsang grabbed the hem of her long white down jacket and ran toward him. She ran, he ran, but it seemed she could never catch up. They ran out of the courtyard, into the vast snowy field outside. Running so much warmed her whole body, and she dropped to her knees, drenched in sweat.

A pair of army boots entered her view, and a hand reached out in front of her. His teasing voice came from above: "Look at you, Sangsang. Exhausted already?"

She raised her hand, his warm, broad palm wrapped around hers, pulling her up.

She leaned into his arms, deliberately hugging him tightly, her delicate face pressed against his chest.

"Show some restraint, Sangsang. Everyone in the courtyard is watching." Jiang Jinghuai’s sharp face showed a faint hint of helplessness. If this kept going, his aloof image would be ruined.

Her grip on his waist didn’t relax one bit, and she muttered softly, "Let them watch. I’m showing off my love on purpose."

He sighed, stroking her smooth hair, "Let go of me."

"If you don’t forgive me, I won’t let go."

"When have I ever not forgiven you?" Holding her soft body, he sighed deeply, "In the end, I always forgive you like an indulgent father."

Tian Sangsang smiled, raised her head from his arms, and gave him a playful punch with a sweet complaint: "You’re so funny. You might as well switch careers and start doing stand-up comedy."

Jiang Jinghuai remained unmoved, slowly raising one eyebrow: "What did I just hear you say?"

"I’ve been putting up with you for a long time now. Can’t take it anymore." Tian Sangsang was instantly fired up, one hand on her hip, irritated by his perpetual seriousness. He dared to hold grudges too!

"No." He declared firmly.

It was a single sentence asserting dominance.

He grabbed her small hand again, "Come on, let’s head back. You’ll catch cold."

"I can’t walk." Tian Sangsang stood there like a tree rooted to the ground, her feet refusing to budge, her eyes glistening with a hint of mist.

Jiang Jinghuai saw through her little game immediately: "I’ll carry you."

Climbing onto his back, she secretly curled her lips into a smile. Staring at the vast snowy plains, Tian Sangsang couldn’t help feeling moved, "Suddenly, I understand the feeling of poetry and the distance."

He lowered his head slightly, his expression serious: "What do you mean?"

"You know, that overused phrase. Life isn’t just about survival right now, but also about poetry and the distance." She sighed, "But the reality is, life isn’t just about survival right now, but also terrible stuff waiting in the distance."

"Last time it was foreign theories, and now poems and the distance. Who have you been learning from, hmm?"

Oops, she almost slipped. Tian Sangsang quickly looked at him and said, "I’m self-taught, okay? I’m someone with the whole world in my heart, the universe in my mind."

"I’m curious," Jiang Jinghuai’s lips curved slightly, "How does a place I can hold in the palm of my hand contain the universe?"

What a rogue! Tian Sangsang’s cheeks flushed red. Quickly, she covered his mouth with her hand. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck and asked thoughtfully, "You must have been to a lot of places, right? When you’re on missions."

He stayed silent.

"Forget it. I already know — you won’t say anything, it’s classified." She gave up.

He suddenly spoke: "I’ve been to a few, but they’re usually anonymous spots. Sometimes they’re famous places, but I never have time to enjoy them."

"Like that time at Mount Lu?" She leaned on his shoulder, stealing glances at his side profile.

He responded softly with a "hmm."

Tian Sangsang wanted to say more but remembered that Mount Lu wasn’t a pleasant experience. She decided not to bring it up and risk ruining the mood. But then she thought of the item stuffed into her backpack — she hadn’t had time to look at it yet.

**

Tian Sangsang was setting out the dishes when she suddenly heard heavy footsteps.

Jiang Jinghuai returned through the snowstorm, his tall and straight figure wrapped in a military-green coat. Against the flying snowflakes, he looked solemn and somber.

She rarely saw him like this, the same as when he heard news of his grandfather’s passing.

It was still that handsome face, but it bore a cold and distant expression.

"You’re back." Tian Sangsang walked over naturally, intimately linking her arm with his, sneaking glances at his face, hesitating whether to ask about his mood.

"Sangsang." He called her first, his deep eyes fixed on her.

"Hmm?" She instinctively tilted her head to listen.

Jiang Jinghuai said quietly, "Start packing up these next few days. I just received a transfer order. In three days, you and Yanyan will come with me to Beijing."

"You’re transferring to work in Beijing?" Tian Sangsang instantly thought of the call she’d received from Beijing earlier. Could it be his family arranging for him to move back?

"My mother’s illness flared up, and she wishes for me to return." Jiang Jinghuai explained, "This way I can also introduce you to my relatives and let Yanyan officially recognize his family roots. He’ll be attending school in Beijing moving forward."

So that’s how it is. Tian Sangsang listened and nodded obediently, "Your... your mother’s illness flared up? Is it serious?" She stumbled over her words awkwardly, still getting used to addressing his mother as "mom," but she cared deeply about her condition.

"She has heart disease, an old ailment. As long as she doesn’t get too upset, everything will be fine." Jiang Jinghuai held her hand, offering comfort, "Don’t worry, it’s not too severe."

Tian Sangsang quietly committed this important information to memory — his mother had heart disease and needed to avoid anger. Heart disease, huh? That’s serious. She decided to read up on how to care for someone with heart disease, to avoid embarrassing herself and aim to be a thoughtful and considerate wife and mother.

Elderly folks appreciate maturity and sensibility; this much Tian Sangsang understood. Especially when it came to Jiang Jinghuai’s parents — she couldn’t afford to act carelessly. She wanted to earn their approval, as she and Jiang Jinghuai were legally married and had a long journey ahead together.

But the thought of settling into family life, with its burdens and constraints, left her feeling melancholy. She dreaded becoming someone shaped by life’s pressures and obligations.

Tian Sangsang sat down in a chair, exhaling softly.

Jiang Jinghuai saw her furrowed brow. "Sangsang?"

She hesitated, deep in thought: "Does your family know about how we sort of... got married first and shared the news later?" It wasn’t an honorable situation, especially considering... her original role in this. Was she expected to shoulder the blame forever?

Jiang Jinghuai answered with a faint "hmm." "Once Hua Jun returns, everything they need to know will be known." As for the things they didn’t need to know... perhaps they knew those too.

Tian Sangsang immediately grew jealous, pursing her lips slightly: "You sure seem familiar with Hua Jun."

"The elders in the family have a lot of interactions. Saying we’re unfamiliar wouldn’t be realistic," Jiang Jinghuai said matter-of-factly.

"Childhood friends, innocent companions, right?" She raised a questioning brow.

"Childhood friends are common; innocent companionship is rare." He leaned in, brushing her lips lightly: "But the person who knows me best is you."