CHAPTER 377: 362 CRIED (PART 3)

Speaking of that report, Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but think of what happened a few months ago. A small, seemingly insignificant letter of complaint had ended Ji Yao’er’s life. It seemed like these days, rumors spread far and wide—better to be cautious.

Tian Sangsang said seriously, "Since you won’t let me clean it up, I’ll take it as you accepting my apology. My cake ended up on the ground because of you. We’re even now."

Hua Zifeng chuckled, flashing his bright white teeth. "Little lady, which school are you from? You’ve really got a knack for twisting the facts. Tell me, so I can visit your school and learn from you. It was obviously you being blind bumping into me, yet you claim I bumped into you. How fascinating..."

"Force always operates in pairs." Tian Sangsang smiled faintly at him, her tone bland. "If you weren’t standing in my way, do you think my cake would’ve flown onto you all by itself?"

Knowing this man wasn’t one to be serious, Tian Sangsang didn’t bother being polite. She had endured enough frustration for one day. Turning around, she looked at the mess on the road—the beautifully crafted cake completely crushed under car wheels. She wanted to clean it up because leaving a mess wasn’t right, but the constant flow of traffic made it impossible.

She sighed helplessly. Forget it, there are sanitation workers for that.

But ultimately, she was still late. The effort she put into queuing up to buy the cake had gone to waste. What had been crushed wasn’t just the cake, but her heartfelt intentions too. Sorrow welled up inside her, and she nearly burst into tears. In her mind, she suddenly thought of someone—the only person who’d ever been as understanding as Jiang Jinghuai.

Should she be grateful for that? After all, it’s only through comparison that differences are made clear.

Hua Zifeng, noticing her crying and laughing by turns, couldn’t help but speak up. "I was the one who pulled you away just now, or else you’d probably be lying there on the ground, just like that cake, flattened to bits."

"Thank you." Tian Sangsang straightened her expression and bowed deeply. Without waiting for his amused reaction, she turned and walked away.

Going back to buy more would mean an endless wait in line again. Finding a quiet spot, Tian Sangsang entered her personal space, replaced the ruined cake and pastries with identical ones. She just hoped the taste wouldn’t differ too much—her mother-in-law couldn’t find out.

However, it turned out her worries were unnecessary. By the time she returned, Ye Binyi and the elder aunt-in-law were chatting happily. Laughter filled the room. There were already plenty of snacks on the table, and even the milk her mother-in-law had been drinking was almost finished.

"Mom, I brought the things back," Tian Sangsang said as she stood beside her. "The line was long, so I got back late."

Without so much as a glance her way, Ye Binyi replied indifferently, "It’s too late. I’ve already had something to tide me over. You can give the snacks to Yanyan and the others."

"Alright." Tian Sangsang responded, watching Ye Binyi’s face. There was no expression there, as if she’d never even intended to eat what she bought. Her heart sank to the bottom, hollow and empty.

When she got home, Jiang Jinghuai wasn’t there. Apparently, he’d gone out with some cousins and would be back late. Sitting in the car, Meng Shuyan was visibly excited, chirping away about how awesome his cousins were—some spoke English, others had skipped grades. He said he wanted to go to school too.

Jiang’s father smiled gently. "Yanyan, it’s still early for you to start school. You’ve got another year or two, but since you like learning, Grandpa can give you some books to read."

"Thank you, Grandpa. I’m going to study hard and improve every day!" In such a nurturing environment, Meng Shuyan felt even more motivated.

Ye Binyi laughed. "I think Yanyan has what it takes to excel academically. Let him study in the future, but don’t let him follow in his father’s footsteps and insist on going to a military academy."

Jiang’s father said, "Every child has their own path and blessings. It’s still too early to decide."

But Ye Binyi didn’t seem to hear him, continuing to cuddle her grandson with a big smile.

**

That evening, Jiang Jinghuai finally came home.

Opening the bedroom door, he saw his little wife sitting by the bed. The lighting in the room was warm and soft, casting a calm atmosphere.

Her expression, however, was surprisingly composed—too composed, even unnervingly so.

"Sangbao?" He walked over, sat down beside her, and gently cupped her face. "Did everything go alright at home today?"

"It was fine." She said lightly.

"Did someone upset you?" he asked.

"Nothing much." Tian Sangsang blinked her dry eyes, raised her hands toward his face, and said with a hint of grievance, "Look at my hands."

Her beautiful, fair hands had scraped palms with broken skin that looked painful.

Jiang Jinghuai carefully took one of her hands, placing it in his own. His eyes darkened. "What happened? How did you end up like this?"

"I tripped and fell while walking." Thinking about everything that had happened that day, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She threw herself into his arms, crying uncontrollably, her voice choked with sobs. "Why am I so unlucky? I even managed to fall flat on my face for no reason. This year isn’t even my zodiac year. My luck is just horrible. It’s all because you weren’t with me..."

"Alright, alright, it’s my fault." Jiang Jinghuai gently patted her back, then pulled her slightly away from his embrace. Staring deeply into her eyes, he said, "Let me take a look and see if there are other injuries. Did you hurt anywhere else?"

"No," Tian Sangsang said, wiping her tears and shaking her head. "It’s just that it’s so cold, and I wasn’t wearing gloves."

He furrowed his brows, staring intently at her as he spoke in a low tone. "Sangbao, tell me the truth. What’s really going on? Was it because of me..." He didn’t finish the sentence.

"Of course it’s because of you!" Tian Sangsang feigned annoyance, her almond-shaped eyes widening. "I’ve been waiting for you to come back before treating it. And as soon as you’re back, all you do is get all paranoid, saying ridiculous things. Don’t you even care about my hands?!"

Seeing her return to her usual feisty self, Jiang Jinghuai figured she really might’ve just tripped accidentally and didn’t think further. He fetched the first-aid kit, gently took her hands, and carefully applied ointment with a cotton swab.

Tian Sangsang’s gaze fell on his focused brow, then slid down to his thin, tightly pressed lips. Tilting her head as she watched him, she mused, "I was just thinking—you weren’t in the military, what would you have been instead?"

Jiang Jinghuai continued tending to her hands as he replied in a low voice, "Probably a carpenter on the street, poorly dressed. You’d walk past me and not even spare me a glance."

"Nonsense." Tian Sangsang furrowed her delicate brows, biting her lip. "Don’t make me sound so shallow. I openly admit I judge people by appearances. With how handsome you are, how could I ever let you go?!"

Jiang Jinghuai chuckled softly, calmly closing the first-aid kit. Slowly lifting his obsidian eyes, he asked, "And how wouldn’t you let me go?"

"Of course, I’d have my ways!" Tian Sangsang sniffed, her eyes heating up though she tried hard not to cry. "At least if you were on the street and not in the army, I could see you any time I wanted... Can’t you just not leave? I don’t want you to go."

Though she knew it was impossible, she couldn’t stop herself from asking. In this unfamiliar place, in this unfamiliar home, she didn’t have the strength to carry on. It was all too overwhelming.

He pulled her into his arms, sighing softly. "You know that’s impossible."

"Then can I come with you?"

"Why would you want to follow me into military life?"