CHAPTER 299: CHAPTER 288: WHEREVER YOU WANT TO GO, I’LL TAKE YOU

"Oh." Jian Liangtong pursed her lips, slowly withdrew her hands, and nodded seriously, "That’s right, Hanhan is already four years old, not a three-year-old child."

In Jin Jumo’s embrace, Xixi pretended not to understand, refusing to come down while clutching her mommy.

"Where’s Hao Di?" Hanhan asked as she walked in.

Jian Liangtong paused, then said, "He should be in his own room."

Should?

Jin Jumo looked at her slightly speechless, carrying Xixi inside.

"Ju Zi, why did you suddenly come?" Jian Liangtong asked, watching Xixi and Hanhan go to the children’s room to find Jian Chenghao, pulling Jin Jumo to sit on the sofa.

"Tomorrow is Hao Hao’s fourth birthday, I came to celebrate it with him." Jin Jumo said.

Jian Liangtong bit her lip, looking moved at Jin Jumo.

Jin Jumo raised an eyebrow and laughed lightly, "Don’t look at me with such mushy, sentimental eyes, I can’t handle it."

"Hmph." Jian Liangtong chuckled, patting Jin Jumo on his arm.

"Aunt..." Hao Hao came running from the room, his little white face full of surprise.

Jin Jumo quickly opened his arms.

As Hao Hao pounced over, Jin Jumo picked him up, seating him on her lap, lovingly kissed his little forehead.

Jian Chenghao, with his face flushed, reached out his small hand to touch Jin Jumo’s face, his bright black eyes shining like gems out of excitement, "Aunt, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back, so I could pick you up."

"Because Aunt wanted to surprise Hao Hao, so didn’t tell him beforehand." Jin Jumo said softly.

Jian Chenghao’s beautiful, glass-like black eyes stared at Jin Jumo, "Is Aunt leaving again after this visit?"

Seeing the expectation in Hao Hao’s eyes, Jin Jumo felt a sudden tug at her heart.

Jian Liangtong timely pulled Hao Hao out of Jin Jumo’s arms, patting his little head, "Go play with brother and sister."

Hao Hao’s long black eyelashes drooped slightly, glanced at Jin Jumo, and walked towards Xixi and Hanhan, "Brother, Sister Xixi."

Jin Jumo frowned tightly, looking at Jian Liangtong.

Jian Liangtong watched Hao Hao, her apricot eyes seemingly filled with mist, some confusion mixed with a touch of gray.

Jin Jumo sorrowfully squeezed her hand that was resting on the sofa.

Jian Liangtong’s eyelids lightly twitched, she withdrew her gaze from Hao Hao, and when she looked at Jin Jumo, she feigned casualness, blinking.

Jin Jumo squinted slightly, sighing quietly.

At noon, Jin Jumo and Jian Liangtong went to the supermarket to buy fresh ingredients, preparing to cook at home.

Jian Liangtong is hailed as the "pioneer of dark cuisine," once resolving to hone her culinary skills for Hao Hao, but unfortunately, cooking requires some talent; after burning two pots, nearly wrecking the kitchen, her resolve was brutally crushed by reality, so she gave up.

So usually when cooking with Jin Jumo, she would just assist, like peeling garlic, washing vegetables, and such.

During her initial time in the UK, Jin Jumo worried most about her and Hao Hao’s eating issues, fearing she could starve herself with her ability.

But luckily, what she was concerned about did not happen.

An hour later, the two adults and three little ones were sitting at the dining table ready to eat.

But before they could move their chopsticks, the doorbell rang.

Jin Jumo looked questioningly at Jian Liangtong.

Jian Liangtong shrugged, "Maybe it’s a delivery."

Saying that, Jian Liangtong got up and walked to the door.

Jin Jumo tilted her head to watch Jian Liangtong.

Jian Liangtong uncovered the peephole cover and looked outside.

When she saw the man standing at the door, Jian Liangtong widened her eyes in amazement and turned to look at Jin Jumo.

Jin Jumo’s eyebrows twitched, "Who is it?"

Jian Liangtong gave Jin Jumo a helpless look, "See for yourself."

"Uh..."

Jin Jumo frowned tightly, got up and walked over, her peach blossom eyes fixed on Jian Liangtong.

Jian Liangtong shook her head at her, "Good luck."

With that, Jian Liangtong quickly left the doorway, walking to sit at the dining table, her bright apricot eyes firmly fixed on Jin Jumo’s direction.

Jin Jumo was made nervously uneasy by her, swallowed slightly, and looked out through the peephole.

The man standing at the door, in a simple white shirt and black trousers, clean, handsome, and dignified, appeared before her without any hint.

Jin Jumo’s eyes suddenly tightened.

And just then, the man who had been slightly lowering his eyelashes suddenly lifted his eyelids, his clear and tranquil eyes directly looking over.

Jin Jumo’s back slightly trembled, and her eyes couldn’t stop shaking either.

Jian Liangtong watched as Jin Jumo’s hand by her side slowly clenched tighter. Dressed in a brown, form-fitting, turtleneck sweater, her slender body trembled almost imperceptibly. After all, he couldn’t bear to let her face it alone.

Jian Liangtong stood up and walked over again, reaching out to hold Jin Jumo’s slightly cool hand by her side, and softly said, "What must come will always come. Avoiding it won’t solve any problems."

"Uh..." Jin Jumo’s long eyelashes fluttered lightly as she looked at her.

Jian Liangtong nodded to her, "I believe you can handle it well."

Jin Jumo forced a smile, took a deep breath, and reached out to open the door.

With the door barrier gone, after months of separation, the two stood face-to-face, their eyes reflecting each other’s slightly pale faces. Yet, even after a while, neither of them spoke.

Jian Liangtong sighed lightly, looking at the man whose gaze was persistently fixed on Jin Jumo, "Don’t just stand there, come in."

The man’s Adam’s apple moved slightly. He glanced at Jian Liangtong, nodded gently, and then focused his gaze back on Jin Jumo.

Jin Jumo’s cheeks stiffened, and her lips parted slightly, her voice so low it was almost inaudible, "Jingyao."

However, Ying Jingyao was shaken to the core, his moist eyes quickly filled with a red glow, as longing and yearning surged violently in his gaze.

By the dining table, Ying Jingyao sat between Xixi and Hanhan. After months apart, not only did the two little ones not grow distant, but instead grew closer, perhaps because they hadn’t seen him for a long time.

Xixi looked at Ying Jingyao with delight, her voice sweet as honey, "Brother Ying, Xixi missed you so much, did you miss Xixi?"

Ying Jingyao affectionately patted Xixi’s little face and said softly, "I did, I missed you a lot."

Xixi’s little face turned red, sweetly looking at Ying Jingyao.

"Uncle Ying, is your injury better?" Hanhan asked concernedly, studying Ying Jingyao.

Ying Jingyao still had a gentle expression and looked at Hanhan, "Uncle Ying is actively working with the doctors. I believe I’ll get better soon."

"So you’re not better yet?" Hanhan frowned, his big, bright eyes full of worry moved Ying Jingyao.

"I will get better." Ying Jingyao gently patted the little one’s head, speaking softly.

From the moment Hanhan asked about his injury, Jin Jumo had been staring at Ying Jingyao’s right hand.

She noticed that he kept his right arm drooping, with a deep groove on the back of his hand, his long, clean fingers slightly curled, but it didn’t move at all, like a flawlessly crafted prosthetic.

Jian Liangtong handed the rice to Ying Jingyao.

Ying Jingyao took it with his left hand, placing it on the dining table before him, glancing at the chopsticks by the bowl. Instead of picking them up immediately, he slowly raised his head to look at Jin Jumo.

The redness in Jin Jumo’s eyes was unmistakable, clearly captured by him.

Ying Jingyao slightly furrowed his brows, compressed his lips, and awkwardly picked up the chopsticks with his left hand.

Both Jin Jumo and Jian Liangtong noticed Ying Jingyao’s left hand trembling slightly, their hearts filled with an indescribable bitterness.

Jian Liangtong averted her gaze, worriedly looking at Jin Jumo.

Jin Jumo clenched her hand tightly, trying hard to control herself from getting up to help him.

Because she knew that if she did, for the proud Ying Jingyao, it would be akin to stepping harshly on his dignity.

This meal was only enjoyed by the three naive children, while the three adults hardly touched their utensils.

After lunch, Jian Liangtong secretly instructed Hao Hao to take his brother and sister to play in the room, while she cleared the tableware to wash in the kitchen, leaving the living room space for Jin Jumo and Ying Jingyao.

Jin Jumo and Ying Jingyao still sat at opposite ends of the dining table, the air between them inexplicably oppressive and heavy.

As if trying to break this heaviness, Ying Jingyao tugged at the corners of his mouth, "Momo, can you come over?"

Jin Jumo looked at him, "You didn’t go to the UK?"

Ying Jingyao pursed his lips, got up, walked around the dining table, and sat beside Jin Jumo.

The clean and crisp scent of the man wafted from the side, causing Jin Jumo’s back to tense slightly. She lightly lifted her long eyelashes to look at him.

Ying Jingyao glanced at Jin Jumo’s lightly clasped hands resting on her lap. When he met her gaze, he reached out and took her hand, "Mhmm."

In Jin Jumo’s memory, his hands were warm, but now, being held by him, she only felt a bone-chilling coldness.

Slightly drawing a breath, Jin Jumo stared at him, "Why didn’t you go? Didn’t Ruan Chen say that there are extremely authoritative experts in the UK for this?"

"No need to go."

Ying Jingyao’s tone was emotionless, very flat.

Jin Jumo felt her throat tighten, staring at his gently handsome face, "How can it be unnecessary? If your right hand heals, you can stand on your beloved surgical stage again..."

"What I love most is not the surgery table."

Ying Jingyao slowly interrupted Jin Jumo, his eyes intensely fixed on her, "It’s you."

The guilt in Jin Jumo’s heart was indescribably intense at this moment, almost ready to destroy her.

Her voice choked slightly, "Jingyao, you should have gone to the UK."

Yet Ying Jingyao just smiled at her, still looking like the warm and handsome figure in Jin Jumo’s memory, "Even going to the UK doesn’t guarantee my hand will get better, and staying in the country doesn’t mean my hand won’t heal. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."