Chapter 199: A Fondness Known to All

With the Spring Festival approaching, another snowfall arrived in the twelfth lunar month.

Outside the window, snowflakes danced and fluttered down. In less than half a day, the world had turned into a vast expanse of white, a silver-clad landscape. The red lanterns hung by the municipal department became embellishments in this snowfall, looking exceptionally enchanting.

Jiang Qin had been accompanying the little rich girl on strolls recently and felt a bit fatigued. He wrapped himself tightly in his quilt, planning to sleep in.

But before he could meet the Sandman, he was pulled up by his parents to prepare for a big cleanup to welcome the new year.

Jiang Qin was responsible for tidying up the living room, while the bedrooms and bathroom were taken care of by Jiang Zhenghong.

Madam Yuan Youqin also had her own task, which was to prepare the dumplings from New Year’s Eve to the second day of the lunar new year.

“Jiang Qin, hurry up and find me a daughter-in-law when you start school. Then I won’t have to make dumplings alone until it’s dark.”

“Why bother? How about this, I’ll tighten my belt from now on and eat two fewer bowls.” Jiang Qin’s mind was incredibly agile.

Yuan Youqin was so angry she swung her rolling pin. “You’d better not eat a single bowl!”

“Why are you getting angry as we talk? I’m only eighteen. Aren’t you urging a bit too early?”

“I don’t care. I just want a daughter-in-law. Look, every New Year’s I have to prepare dumplings for the whole family by myself. It has to last for at least three days. Do you think this is an easy job?”

Jizhou had a custom of not using knives from New Year’s Eve to the third day of the lunar new year. During these three days, dumplings were both the staple food and vegetable dishes. They could be said to be very important.

In a family with many members, just making dumplings took a whole day’s effort.

Every year, Yuan Youqin’s hands would get sore from making dumplings. At times like this, she especially wanted a daughter-in-law.

When Jiang Qin was in high school, this idea was unrealistic. But now that he was in university, she increasingly wanted someone who could make dumplings with her. Even if they didn’t know how to make them, just having someone to chat with would make her happy.

Jiang Qin pursed his lips and diligently worked, mopping the floor until it was gleaming. But he refused to respond, lest he provoke her further.

Just then, there was a series of knocks on the door. The neighbor from across the hall came over for a chat, holding a chubby baby in her arms and smiling from ear to ear.

“Oh, Youqin, making dumplings alone?”

“Sister Li, why are you here?”

“My eldest grandson was crying at home. No choice, I had to take him out for a stroll. Seeing people stops his crying.”

Neighbor Granny Li cooed “oh oh oh”, making her grandson in her arms laugh uncontrollably, drool spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this scene, Yuan Youqin’s mood was quite complex. She couldn’t help but glare at Jiang Qin several times.

Jiang Qin instantly understood. No wonder his mom always had daughter-in-law on the tip of her tongue. The root of the problem was right across the hall.

That’s right. With his mom’s temperament, being pursued every day by someone showing off would definitely fill her with resentment. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been urging him to hurry up and find a girlfriend since his first year of university.

“Jiang Qin, didn’t bring a girlfriend home for the new year?”

“No, Granny. I’m awkward with words, can’t find one.” Jiang Qin looked humble.

Granny Li pouted. “Look at you. Going out to school and not bringing back a daughter-in-law. Your mom has to make dumplings alone for the new year. So tiring.”

“But I think my mom works hard all year, letting her have a relaxing new year isn’t bad either. What if I bring back someone who angers her to death? Wouldn’t that be worse than not bringing anyone? Don’t you think so?”

“…”

The residents of Jiang Qin’s building all knew that Sister Li across the hall didn’t get along with her daughter-in-law. They fought all day, even over trivial matters they could argue all night.

But because she just had her eldest grandson, Sister Li didn’t dare say anything. In the second half of this year, she held back a belly full of anger, almost making herself sick.

Jiang Qin’s words truly stabbed her in the heart.

So Granny Li didn’t stay long before leaving with an awkward smile, leaving behind a victorious Jiang Qin grinning from ear to ear.

“That daughter-in-law of Sister Li’s is truly a formidable character. When cursing people, she never repeats herself. In the future, you must find someone more obedient. Your mom isn’t good at arguing.”

After closing the door, Yuan Youqin couldn’t help but say,

“No daughter-in-law means no arguments. Solves all problems at the root!”

Jiang Qin propped his mop in his hands and said.

“Jiang Qin, if you keep talking nonsense, go spend the new year on the streets.”

Yuan Youqin hated when people said such inauspicious things during the new year.

“Don’t worry, Mom. There definitely won’t be any arguments.”

Jiang Qin casually replied. For some reason, he was inexplicably very confident.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The temple fair continued to its end, and the mutton soup restaurant’s business results were remarkable. Many customers said it was pretty good after drinking it, and even specifically looked at the advertising board to see if there was a branch store closer to their homes.

As the old saying goes, good wine is afraid of deep alleys. This time taking advantage of the lively atmosphere also sent the restaurant’s reputation out.

Jiang Qin only went to take a look at the situation on the first day and didn’t go again for the next few days.

After all, whether they could attract customers depended on the taste, not who was watching the stall. He wasn’t some kind of celebrity endorsement. Whether he went or not really made no difference.

It’s just that without Uncle and Auntie’s help, Yang Shuan felt that the temple fair lacked a lot of fun compared to the first day.

But he wasn’t bored, because many old classmates ran to his stall to drink mutton soup, then pretended to get close to him and inquired whether Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu were dating.

Yang Shuan said, I already took the damn New Year’s money, can it be fake?

So, with eyewitnesses and an informant, this rumor became the truth, causing a huge shock to the entire high school circle.

South City High’s cold moonlight, that dazzling celestial girl, was really in a relationship.

Thinking of this, many people were having a sleepless night. Some even changed their QQ Space background music to Ah Du’s “He Must Love You So Much”.

I should be under the car

Not inside the car

Watching how sweet you two are

Yang Shuan took out his phone and shared with Jiang Qin today’s casualty count.

“Uncle, seven or eight more people came today, asking if you and Auntie are dating.”

Jiang Qin was accompanying the little rich girl to read at the Jizhou Library. When bored, he took out his phone and glanced at it. After reading, he couldn’t help but raise his head to look at the little rich girl.

In high school, he hadn’t seen many people surrounding Feng Nanshu.

But that wasn’t because her popularity wasn’t high, it was just because she was too unapproachable.

But seeing countless boys shouting their dreams were shattered on QQ Space, Jiang Qin more clearly realized just how sacred and perfect Feng Nanshu’s name was to the boys of South City High, and more clearly realized how great the little rich girl’s charm was.

Perhaps in everyone’s hearts, no one was worthy of such a girl.

“Hm?”

“Which bastard misspelled my name as Jiang Qin!”

Jiang Qin was furious. He reached out, peeled a pistachio, and fed it to the little rich girl’s mouth. His fingertips were still stained with a bit of her saliva.

“Jiang Qin, more.” Feng Nanshu opened her red, moist little mouth, waiting for him to feed her.

“Eat one more and no more. My hands are sore from peeling.”

“Eat three more.”

Jiang Qin had no choice. He reached out, peeled three more, and fed them to her, conveniently wiping the corner of her mouth.

Afterwards, most of Jizhou’s small shops began to suspend business. Only the rural markets and the big shopping malls holding events became more and more lively.

Promotional vehicles decorated with colored balls ran back and forth on the main street, broadcasting advertisements for discounts and special offers, attracting quite a few people to join in the excitement.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, seeing the advertising vehicles outside the window, Jiang Qin had a sudden impulse and took the little rich girl to buy a bunch of New Year’s goods.

Some for his parents, some for his grandparents on both sides, and also for his uncles’, aunts’, and cousins’ families.

After much picking and choosing, two small shopping carts were gradually filled.

As luck would have it, on the way to the checkout, Jiang Qin ran into Chu Siqi and Wang Huiru.

Jizhou was a small place with only this one big mall. Running into old classmates wasn’t surprising.

The four of them looked at each other. The atmosphere was a bit awkward until Wang Huiru said long time no see, and the deadlock was slightly broken.

“Our class is having a reunion on the sixth day of the lunar new year. Jiang Qin, do you want to go?”

“Let’s talk about it later. If there’s a chance, I’ll go.”

“Alright then.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu towards the checkout. After walking just a few steps, the little rich girl stuffed her hand into his pocket.

Seeing this scene, Wang Huiru felt a bit sentimental.

Feng Nanshu was truly too beautiful, her delicate features flawless.

And Jiang Qin was equally dazzling. They matched very well walking together.

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but look back at Chu Siqi and found that her best friend was staring blankly at the two, her eyes revealing a trace of disbelief.

She thought her best friend was feeling down again and was about to say a few words of consolation, but saw Chu Siqi take out a milk tea card from her bag. With trembling hands, she held it up in front of her, comparing the two silhouettes on the milk tea card with the two people’s backs in front of her.

“So the two people on this milk tea card are them…”

Wang Huiru was also surprised. “It really is. How did this happen?”

Chu Siqi shook her head, holding the milk tea card in her hand, her expression complex and hard to describe.

People at Linchuan University all knew that Xitian and Zhihu were strategic partners, but not many knew that the owner of this milk tea shop was Feng Nanshu.

Why?

Because this was a trade secret.

If this matter was made public, wouldn’t the previous hype about advertising fees be exposed?

Everyone knew Feng Nanshu was the recognized boss’s wife of Room 208. Using the boss’s wife’s milk tea shop to hype up the boss’s advertising fees was purely self-promotion.

So, Chu Siqi hadn’t thought too much about who the two figures were. She just felt the two people under a tree on the card gave a special feeling.

But until just now, the image of Feng Nanshu and Jiang Qin walking side by side gave her a very familiar sense of déjà vu. She realized what the image on this milk tea card meant.

It turned out Jiang Qin’s fondness had long ago secretly become dazzling to the point of being known to all.

And this kind of romance, no one else could do it. Only he could.

What on earth… had I missed.

Chu Siqi’s face turned pale. The huge emptiness in her heart became even more hollow.