Jian Sheng acted like a stubborn little beast, blocking Jian Junruo protectively, refusing to budge no matter how much her uncle tried to persuade her.
“Why is she so hard to coax?”
Jian Junyu felt a headache coming on. Yet, facing such a delicately carved little dumpling, he had to speak with extreme caution, as if raising his voice even slightly to her would be a sin.
Her daughter knew how to protect her mommy. Jian Junruo smiled happily, “Little Uncle, I’m doing very well here. You don’t need to persuade me anymore.”
As she was speaking, Jian Junruo’s phone suddenly rang. The moment she saw the name on the screen, her smile vanished.
It was Gu Jiangyan.
Jian Junruo’s voice was cold, “Hello, what do you want with me?”
Gu Jiangyan’s voice was suppressed with anger, “Is Sheng Sheng with you? Where are you right now?”
Jian Junruo sneered, “None of your business?”
She had only entrusted Sheng Sheng to Gu Jiangyan’s care alone twice. The first time, Gu Jiangyan had left unexpectedly, causing Sheng Sheng to fall into the water and almost drown. The second time, Sheng Sheng had called crying and run out. It was no wonder Jian Junruo couldn't have a pleasant demeanor towards Gu Jiangyan.
One was a hateful man she vaguely liked, and the other was her own sweet, caring little darling. She would naturally stand with her precious Sheng Sheng.
Gu Jiangyan stood in the apartment Jian Junruo had rented, but the room was now empty.
Gu Jiangyan’s voice was as cold as if it had just been quenched in ice water, his tone dangerously low, “So, you really ran off with another man?”
Jian Junruo simply hung up the phone, “Are you crazy?”
Only the busy tone remained on the line.
“Jian Junruo, do you think you have the confidence to challenge me by clinging to another man?”
“Keep investigating. I need to know where that car went in the end!”
Gu Jiangyan’s face was dark. He had lost count of how many times his calls had been hung up on him today.
Qin Wen and the bodyguards who had followed him kept their heads buried extremely low, not daring to breathe, afraid of becoming targets for their boss’s frustration if they knew his secrets.
Gu Jiangyan walked to the balcony alone and lit a cigarette, the lighter's flame casting flickering shadows on his face.
The following bodyguard couldn't help but mutter, “I really didn’t expect our boss to be the one who gets cuckolded. Those two scum are as good as dead.”
Qin Wen glanced at him, “Go back and submit your resignation. The boss doesn’t need people who gossip behind his back.”
-
After listening to Gu Jiangyan’s conversation with his little sister, Jian Junyu’s expression also turned icy.
“Little sister, are you really going to hang yourself on this kind of man? Come back with me. I will stand by you and persuade Mom and Dad to give up the arranged marriage, but I will never support you being with this man.”
Jian Sheng’s little face was almost creased into a bun.
Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes. His father and mommy’s new round of misunderstandings had arrived.
It was just that in the original plot, the misunderstanding was triggered when her little uncle found mommy and was seen by her father. This misunderstanding caused her father to lose the only person in the Jian family who might support him and mommy getting together, and caused her little uncle’s good impression of her father to plummet.
Jian Junruo crouched down and lovingly smoothed Jian Sheng’s furrowed brow, “Does Sheng Sheng want to be with Daddy?”
Jian Sheng’s delicate face rubbed against Jian Junruo’s palm, like a well-behaved little kitten. She just wanted to experience what it felt like to have family. Now, she felt it.
However, the outcome was not as good as she had imagined.
Jian Sheng’s expression dimmed. She buried her little face in her mommy’s palm and said in a muffled voice, “I don’t want Daddy. Sheng Sheng only wants to be with Mommy.”
Seeing her dejected appearance, Jian Junruo mistakenly thought she was sad about leaving her father and felt even more heartbroken. At this moment, Jian Junruo wished her little darling was a bit more willful, rather than bottling up all her grievances and sadness to bear alone.
“Gu Jiangyan is truly a scumbag! How could he bear to abandon such a cute child like Sheng Sheng.” Jian Junyu cursed angrily, then gently coaxed, “If Sheng Sheng wants a daddy, you can treat little uncle as your daddy. Daddy can be Sheng Sheng’s daddy too~”
Jian Sheng looked at him, still somewhat wary. She hadn’t forgotten that her little uncle had just been preparing to drag her mommy into the Jian family’s pit of despair.
Meeting Jian Sheng’s suspicious gaze, Jian Junyu gave a bitter smile.
He didn’t know where the little fellow got such great animosity towards the Jian family. But there were some things he had to say. Since he couldn’t handle things directly with Sheng Sheng, he had to take a roundabout approach.
“Little sister, let’s talk alone.”
After instructing Jian Sheng a few times, Jian Junruo bypassed the little dumpling and walked aside with her brother.
“Little sister, come back with little uncle. Mom and Dad miss you very much. Our mom has regretted your absence all these years. She just wants to see you and Sheng Sheng now.”
“It was wrong of the family to arrange the marriage without your consent back then. After so many years, those people’s intentions have faded, and there’s no need to sacrifice your love for status. Come back, at least your brothers have always been on your side.”
“You left home when you were young, and were forced into an arranged marriage after returning. I can understand if you don’t have much affection for the family.”
“But you and Sheng Sheng are drifting alone in Jiangcheng, a widowed mother and daughter with no background support. You know clearly how much psychological pressure you have to bear. Even if you don’t worry about yourself, you must think about Sheng Sheng. Sheng Sheng is almost starting elementary school.”
“This concerns your future and Sheng Sheng’s. Think about it carefully.”
After speaking earnestly, Jian Junyu quietly waited for Jian Junruo’s answer.
Jian Junruo’s expression changed several times, but she remained silent.
Jian Junyu patted her shoulder, “Take your time to think, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I might be away often these next couple of days to meet friends in Jiangcheng. This is my friend’s manor. You can stay here with peace of mind. If you need anything, call me, and I will rush over immediately.”
“There’s a painting exhibition in the capital in five days. I have to go and support it. You can bring Sheng Sheng along to have some fun.”
“Is it little uncle’s painting exhibition?” Jian Junruo perked up, looking a little expectant, “I will definitely go to see little uncle’s painting exhibition!”
Not far away, the gentle breeze carried the low conversation of the two into Jian Sheng’s ears, which were far more sensitive than ordinary people’s.
Jian Sheng’s round face was filled with sadness. She knew that this trip to the capital was unavoidable.
She could forcefully prevent her mommy from going, but she just wanted to protect her mommy from harm, not to make her mommy constantly compromise for her.
Jian Sheng clenched her little fists. If absolutely necessary, she would have to expose a bit of her special abilities!
No matter what, she would absolutely not let her mommy be harmed!
Never!
The brother and sister walked back and were both charmed by the sight of the little dumpling waving her fists.
Putting aside her worries, Jian Junruo squatted down and asked with a smile, “What is Sheng Sheng baby thinking about that you’re so excited~”
Jian Sheng looked at her mommy and said seriously in her tender, childlike voice, “Sheng Sheng is thinking about how to protect Mommy.”
Jian Junyu, feeling like an excluded and lonely third party, couldn’t help but feel a pang in his heart: Damn it, you’re making me want a daughter again!
Just as the three were enjoying their time together, loud arguments suddenly erupted from the manor gate.
“Sir! This is a private manor, please do not force your way in!”