Chapter 11: Can I Hug You Now?
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
“So, I think we can give it a try?” When Ji Lianxing said this, her throat burned, as if a flame was igniting at the tip of her tongue.
“That’s surprising.” Jiang Shu obviously paused for a moment. “I was prepared for you to refuse me.”
She extended a hand, her fingers slender and pale, giving a sense of being untouched by the common world.
This invitation made it hard for Ji Lianxing to refuse. She reached out her hand and placed it in Jiang Shu’s palm.
The palm was warm, the heat transmitted to Ji Lianxing's fingertips, making her suddenly feel a bit hot.
Jiang Shu held Ji Lianxing's hand and pulled her up.
“Since you've already agreed, can I hug you now?” As she spoke, a smile spread across her lips, reminding Ji Lianxing of the spring breeze, gentle and pleasant.
Ji Lianxing didn’t refuse.
Jiang Shu wrapped her arms around Ji Lianxing's waist, pulling her into an embrace.
Jiang Shu buried her head in Ji Lianxing's hair, closed her eyes, and quietly felt it. Yes, this was the feeling. It was warm to hold a little hedgehog.
Maybe Li Xiangyan was right that she should have symptoms similar to skin hunger.
She liked to be close to girls, and when they touched, it brought her a sense of pleasure. Ji Lianxing was the one who satisfied her the most, filling the gap in her heart completely.
At that moment, Jiang Shu was quite happy, and she held Ji Lianxing for a long time without letting go.
Ji Lianxing, on the other hand, was held tightly and felt her whole body stiffen, not daring to move.
They were very close, and she was surrounded by the scents of roses and cedar. Tiny molecules slowly dispersed and entered her nostrils, like a cat encountering catnip, making her feel quite high.
Ji Lianxing's head became dizzy, and the closeness reminded her of that kiss from that night…
Beep, beep, beep…
The alarm on the phone on the desk rang, and Jiang Shu and Ji Lianxing opened their eyes at the same time.
Jiang Shu released her and went to turn off the alarm. It was six-thirty.
“Little hedgehog, I have to go. I’m having dinner with my niece today.”
“Okay, President Jiang.” Ji Lianxing let out a sigh of relief.
Jiang Shu smiled and said, “You could consider using a different title.”
“Ah…” Ji Lianxing, whose face was pinched, stumbled over her words. “Okay, President Jiang. I’ll think about it when I get back.”
Jiang Shu’s smile became even brighter. She thought Ji Lianxing was too cute. How did she not notice her sooner?
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
“Alright, I’ll be waiting~” Jiang Shu picked up her handbag, looking ready to leave work.
The two left together, one going to the first floor and the other to the basement floor, so they parted ways in the elevator.
After retrieving her car from the parking lot, Jiang Shu drove off alone, and the car slowly wound out of the city, heading towards the suburbs.
Her niece, Jiang Xiaotan, insisted on seeing her. She had just entered first grade and had been quite the handful lately, calling Jiang Shu every day, urging her to come home for dinner.
Dinner was fine, Jiang Shu thought, as she could also visit her parents. She went home about once a week, sometimes staying overnight.
Her father was a successful businessman, and her mother was a university teacher with an artistic flair.
Logically speaking, a businessman with a smell of copper and an aloof literary woman shouldn't get along, but Jiang Shu’s parents had a surprisingly good relationship.
As Jiang Yidong put it, he saw the elegance of a scholar in Zhou Xuelan and found a sanctuary for his soul.
After retiring, they found the city center too noisy, so they moved to the outskirts of the city. The transportation was convenient, and if there was no traffic, the commute wouldn't take long.
Half an hour later.
Jiang Shu’s car stopped in front of a small villa. Even at the end of summer, many plants in the yard were still full of life.
Pure white peonies stood at the door, dressed like little girls, waiting for the homeowner to return. There were also light blue dove flowers, purple bellflowers, and chrome yellow wild daisies. It was clear the homeowner took great care of them.
Jiang Shu’s mother, Zhou Xuelan, loved flowers, and her father loved everything related to her. After retiring, he spent his leisure time filling the yard with flowers.
Every time she returned home, she noticed new things, and this time, the new additions seemed to be—
Jiang Shu pushed the door open and found a few pots of cacti and gem flowers in the corner beside the door frame.
“Shushu! You’re back!!!” A tender voice came from the corner. A chubby girl with little braids ran out, her face beaming with a smile that revealed her missing front tooth. She opened her chubby hands and ran towards Jiang Shu.
Before Jiang Shu could react, Jiang Xiaotan tightly wrapped her arms around her thigh.
“Shushu, you finally came back~ I missed you~” Jiang Xiaotan looked up, her doe-like eyes sparkling with water, pleading for a hug.
Jiang Shu picked her up and noticed that Jiang Xiaotan had gained weight again. This child ate too much. “Call me ‘Auntie,’ not ‘Shushu.’”
Jiang Xiaotan poked Jiang Shu's cheek with her chubby hand, leaving a little muddy mark, and giggled, “Jiang Shu, you are Shushu!”
Jiang Shu replied, “......You’re already in first grade. Why are you still playing with mud?”
Jiang Xiaotan’s face radiated innocence as she said, “Grandma and Grandpa are planting peanuts in the backyard! It’s so fun!”
Well, this new addition was not just the few pots of cacti and gem flowers, but also the peanuts in the backyard. Jiang Shu found it a bit hard to carry Jiang Xiaotan, so she set her down and took her little hand, saying, “Take me to see Grandma and Grandpa.”
Just as they were about to head to the backyard, they ran into the elderly couple returning from planting peanuts.
Jiang Shu's mother was 55 years old this year, but she looked very young, likely due to her healthy lifestyle; she had very few wrinkles on her face.
She was slim and elegant, exuding an artistic vibe. Wearing a simple blue long dress, she held a watering can and greeted Jiang Shu with a peaceful smile when she saw her.
Jiang Shu's father, on the other hand, had gained a bit of weight and his hair had started to turn slightly gray. However, because he was tall, he didn't look very fat. Coupled with his vitality, he appeared quite healthy.
“Daughter, you’re back!” Jiang Yidong put down the hoe and walked over to Jiang Shu. When he reached her, he bent down and picked up Jiang Xiaotan, saying, “Oh, our Xiaotan is getting rounder!”
“Dad, Mom, you should feed her less. Look at how chubby the child has become!”
Jiang Xiaotan frowned when she heard this. She turned to Jiang Shu and said, “Shushu is talking nonsense! I'm not chubby!”
Jiang Shu could only nod and speak in a tone to comfort the child, “Alright, alright, you’re not chubby, you’re not chubby…”
Zhou Xuelan put down the watering can and pulled Jiang Shu aside to whisper, “She wants to eat. If you don’t let her eat, she’ll get angry. Don’t mention her weight in front of her; she’ll throw a fit.”
Jiang Shu frowned, “Mom, please adjust her diet. I don’t want her to be unhealthy.”
“We're adjusting it, we're adjusting it…”
Dinner consisted of five dishes and two soups, which was what they referred to as adjusting the diet.
“Braised lion's head meatballs, boiled sliced pork, smooth meat soup, and some young greens, these are all Xiaotan's favorites,” Jiang Yidong turned and pointed to the other three dishes, saying, “Stir-fried okra, squid with green peppers, and tomato and rib soup, these are your favorites, Jiang Shu.”
“Let’s eat,” Zhou Xuelan said.
Jiang Xiaotan picked up her chopsticks and started eating. She was enjoying it so much that Jiang Shu wanted her to eat less but couldn't bring herself to say it.
This little niece of hers had an incredible appetite; it felt like her intake surpassed that of an adult. Other children were coaxed to eat, but that was not the case with Jiang Xiaotan.
However, there had to be moderation in eating; overeating was not good. Jiang Shu kept a close watch on Jiang Xiaotan, and in no time, the little girl finished an entire bowl of rice.
“Grandma! Can I have another bowl of rice?”
“Sure~” Zhou Xuelan squinted and smiled, showing a senior's smile. “Of course.”
Elderly people, like grandparents, cannot refuse the requests of their grandchildren. Even someone as rational as Zhou Xuelan could not do so. Perhaps that is why indulgence easily occurs across generations.
Zhou Xuelan had already taken the bowl and filled it to the brim with rice for Jiang Xiaotan. In the meantime, Jiang Shu took the bowl, scooped out half of the rice, and then handed it back to Jiang Xiaotan.
“Mom.” Jiang Shu glanced at Zhou Xuelan, signaling her to control Xiaotan's portion. “How about letting her stay with me for a while?”
“No!” Jiang Xiaotan immediately refused. “I won't have food to eat if I live with you!”
Jiang Shu stared at Jiang Xiaotan, her gaze sharpened, and her tone turned cold. “Whatever you want to eat, I will cook it for you. You can live in the city with me and come back here to visit Grandpa and Grandma on weekends.”
“This—” Jiang Yidong grew anxious. “This won't do.”
“Dad, Mom, if Xiaotan keeps eating like this, it won't be healthy for her. You can't manage her, but I can.”
“I don't care! I want to live with Grandpa and Grandma! I won't live with you!” Jiang Xiaotan began to throw a tantrum. Before she could escalate her protest, she saw Jiang Shu's icy face, as if she were on the verge of being punished, and she immediately lost her bravado.
The little girl was quite clever. She knew her grandparents could be swayed, but Jiang Shu was not someone to be trifled with.
Moreover, from childhood to adulthood, Grandpa and Grandma never hit her. Instead, Jiang Shu had hit her a few times, so Jiang Xiaotan feared Jiang Shu the most. If being strict did not work, then it was time for a softer approach.
"Shushu, I am not eating anymore." Jiang Xiaotan put down her bowl.
"I did not say you should stop eating. I said you should eat less, got it?"
Jiang Xiaotan obediently nodded. "Got it."
After all, she was just a child and could not be treated too harshly. Since Jiang Xiaotan did not cause a fuss, Jiang Shu said nothing more.
Zhou Xuelan stepped in to mediate, "Alright, then let Xiaotan have a bowl of soup. This tomato and pork rib soup won’t make her gain weight..."
For the rest of the meal, Jiang Xiaotan behaved well and drank the soup before putting down her bowl and running off to watch cartoons.
After dinner, Jiang Yidong and Zhou Xuelan mentioned going for a walk, and Jiang Xiaotan insisted on going with them.
"I won't go. I need to head back for a bit," Jiang Shu said.
Zhou Xuelan was surprised. "You are not staying tonight?"
Jiang Shu naturally declined, "I have something to do. Maybe next week."
The elderly couple did not insist or ask further, allowing her to leave.
She had a bit of a back-and-forth with Jiang Xiaotan, who wanted hugs and was reluctant to let her go. Although she said such things, she was eventually coaxed away by the lollipops from Grandpa and Grandma.
At eight-thirty in the evening, Jiang Shu came out of the small villa, finally gaining some peace. She opened the car door, climbed inside, and took out her phone to check WeChat messages.
There were no messages from Ji Lianxing.
Jiang Shu stared at her phone and contemplated for a moment. In the end, she started the engine and opened the navigation.
The entered location is: Song Homes 3rd Courtyard.
