Meng Shuyan snorted angrily. That Aunt Qin Lan is so annoying.
Jiang Jinghuai patted his head gently and asked in a low voice, "Yanyan, you don’t like her?"
"No, I don’t!" Meng Shuyan nodded vigorously, fuming. "She always bullies Mom, they all do."
"That won’t happen anymore. How badly was your mom bullied?"
"Not too badly. Mom fought back." Meng Shuyan propped up his chin, thinking for a moment. "Even though she fought back, she was still really mad."
He knew his mom never seemed like someone who could be easily bullied, but when she was, she tended to sulk by herself. Jiang Jinghuai let out an "oh" before suddenly asking, "Have you been staying somewhere else these past few days?"
"Yeah, we’ve been staying with Aunt Guan." Meng Shuyan’s big eyes brightened as his lips curved upward. "Aunt Guan gave me a little wooden sword. Dad, I’ll show you later."
The little guy could barely wait to show off the Peach Wood Sword.
"Alright." Jiang Jinghuai’s deep eyes flickered as he asked again, "You’ve been staying with Aunt Guan all this time?"
"No. Mom went to film something recently. She brought back lots of photos—so pretty~~!" Meng Shuyan felt a bit resentful; he really wanted to take photos too. But Mom had promised him she’d take him along next time and have the photos developed.
Is that so. Jiang Jinghuai’s gaze darkened.
Tian Sangsang was reading a book in the study when she heard the sound of knocking. She placed the book on the desk.
After taking just two steps, she heard Meng Shuyan’s excited voice from outside the door: "Mom!"
The gloom cleared away instantly, and a radiant smile spread across her face. She opened the door. "Yan..."
But as soon as she saw who was standing outside, her voice abruptly cut off, and a trace of coldness flickered in her eyes.
"Mom, Dad’s back!" The little guy’s eyes were sparkling brightly.
"You’re back." For her son’s sake, Tian Sangsang forced a smile as she carried Meng Shuyan from Jiang Jinghuai’s arms.
"Mm." Jiang Jinghuai was sparse with his words.
Tian Sangsang quietly walked ahead, silently placing her son on the sofa. She turned back and said to Jiang Jinghuai, "I’ll go make dinner."
Before Jiang Jinghuai could say anything, her figure had already vanished from the living room. He pressed his thin lips together, picked up his backpack, and went into the room.
After nearly a month of being away, the house seemed to have changed.
The people had changed, the items had changed, but their son had not.
Yet nothing had really changed, and at the same time, everything seemed different.
There were more bottles and jars on her vanity table.
When he went to take out some clean clothes from the wardrobe, he saw rows of fashionable, eye-catching garments hanging inside.
There were even some unconventional lingerie pieces. Is this something a proper woman would wear?
She had changed a lot—not just her appearance, but also her behavior and everyday style.
Dust-weary from his travels, Jiang Jinghuai didn’t even bother to heat water and instead took a cold shower.
Closing his eyes, he poured a ladle of icy water over his head. Though the water was freezing, it failed to extinguish the fire raging in his chest.
All he could think about was the scene he had witnessed in Lushan, etched deeply into his mind—a mix of shock, rage, and humiliation!
He couldn’t let it go.
Tian Sangsang had imagined their reunion upon Jiang Jinghuai’s return—it surely would have been filled with joy after time apart.
But now, there wasn’t a trace of joy to be found. She thought to herself this was probably how it was meant to be: the silence of a lamb.
At the dinner table, it was only Jiang Jinghuai and Meng Shuyan talking, just some simple father-son chit-chat. Tian Sangsang stayed silent the entire time.
Meng Shuyan felt that something was off today, but caught up in his happiness, he didn’t notice exactly what.
After dinner, Tian Sangsang voluntarily went to wash the dishes, while Jiang Jinghuai headed to the study for who knows what.
She couldn’t be bothered. Hugging her son, she took an afternoon nap.
As soon as Meng Shuyan woke up, he insisted on going downstairs to find Nini and tell her that his dad had come home~~
Once her son was gone, the house was left with only Tian Sangsang and Jiang Jinghuai.
She glanced at the study door—it was firmly shut. Acting all deep and brooding the moment he got back, as if someone had wronged him.
Tian Sangsang busied herself for a while, having no desire to stay under the same roof as Jiang Jinghuai.
She washed her face and changed clothes, planning to head over to Guan Kunling’s to let off some steam and casually mention Jiang Jinghuai’s return.
Jiang Jinghuai opened the door just in time to witness the scene.
She was sitting at the vanity, adjusting her slightly curled hair. Checking herself in the mirror, she reached for a pair of pearl earrings and put them on.
The soft, lustrous pearls made her face look even more refined and delicate, like jade.
From behind, her smooth, bare neck was visible. The vintage-style buttons on the shoulder straps of her dress were particularly charming.
Tian Sangsang stood up and noticed him standing in the room.
She spoke calmly, "I’m stepping out for a bit. Dinner’s already prepared. If I get back late, just reheat the food and eat with Yanyan. Don’t wait up."
"Where are you going?" Jiang Jinghuai’s gaze lifted slightly.
Seeing his cold, stern expression, the words she had intended to say morphed into something else. She smirked. "Does it really have anything to do with you?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ noᴠelfire.net
Jiang Jinghuai’s face darkened as he sized her up. "You’re going out dressed like that?"
Tian Sangsang looked down at her outfit. She was dressed in a contemporary, stylish manner—nothing too flashy.
It was one of her older dresses, a light brown, fishtail-style gown that nearly reached her ankles. A matching belt cinched her waist, giving her an elegant, slim appearance.
Tian Sangsang always had a fondness for stylish clothing. She even threw a white silk scarf around her neck and brought along a lightweight jacket to guard against the unpredictable weather.
She tugged at the corner of her lips in a sarcastic smirk, saying nothing.
"Go and change," Jiang Jinghuai said blandly.
This time, Tian Sangsang truly got angry. "I don’t recall anything in our agreement about dictating what I can or cannot wear, do you?"
"Don’t you think you’re dressed a bit... frivolously?" He stepped closer, his tone warning. "Tian Sangsang, you’re a married woman."
"Oh, that sounds so reasonable. But don’t you already know whether this marriage is real or fake?!" Tian Sangsang let out a series of cold laughs, staring him straight in the eye. "Frivolous, am I? How exactly am I being frivolous? If you’re so afraid of frivolity, fine—go find someone like Shui Lian. Isn’t she unassuming, gentle, and respectable? A teacher too! An educated woman! Unlike me—a rustic nobody, no matter what I do, it’s ’frivolous,’ right?!"
"What nonsense are you spewing?" Jiang Jinghuai sighed. "I was merely asking you to change your clothes."
"Why should I? I haven’t done anything wrong, so why would I change? I haven’t been sneaky or underhanded, so why would I change? Oh, or is it because you listened to their absurd gossip and are now here to accuse me? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time!!!"
"Is that how you see me?" Jiang Jinghuai lowered his gaze in disappointment, a self-mocking smile playing on his lips. "Yes, of course. You’re not sneaky at all. Everything you do is out in the open. Even kissing another man—you make sure to do that openly too."