Chapter 297 - 283 Return of the King Seven (To Please)
Tian Sangsang descended the stairs with a cheerful smile on her face—she had no intention of letting those eager to witness drama see her looking glum.
"Sangsang." The glowing You Huixixi caught sight of her and turned to the elder behind her, saying, "Mom, you head upstairs first. I want to speak with my friend."
"Alright, take care of yourself. Don’t chat too long, and make sure to come up soon," her mother-in-law reminded her.
"Huihui." Pregnant women are always given special treatment wherever they go. Tian Sangsang hastened her pace to walk over, not daring to let her walk too much.
You Huixixi was less than three months pregnant, so her belly hadn’t yet begun to show. However, since she took this pregnancy very seriously, she instinctively supported her belly with her hand whenever she walked. Tian Sangsang thought she was unlike other pregnant women—she seemed entirely untroubled, radiating energy and vitality.
When it came to Tian Sangsang, You Huixixi genuinely liked her. She wasn’t as gossip-prone or loose-tongued as others, making her an easy person to get along with.
"I saw Jinghuai around lunchtime; he looked icy as ever," You Huixixi remarked.
Just hearing his name made Tian Sangsang bristle, and she couldn’t help but let her annoyance seep into her tone, "Sister-in-law, it’s not like you don’t know; isn’t he cold all the time?"
You Huixixi smiled faintly, "What’s wrong? Feeling upset? Did the rumors outside create trouble between you two?"
"Huihui, you saw through it." Tian Sangsang hung her head, burdened with grievances she had no one to share with. Taking the chance, she confided, "It’s not really because of that; we just quarreled."
"If you’ve quarreled, someone has to bow their head first. Men, after all, need to be cajoled~" As a bored pregnant woman, You Huixixi was more than happy to help someone vent their frustrations while also offering advice.
"Cajole?" Tian Sangsang rubbed her arm, feeling goosebumps sprouting.
She wasn’t skilled at coddling anyone—her only talent in that regard was reserved for her son.
Looking at the knowing glint in You Huixixi’s gaze, Tian Sangsang asked, "Huihui, so how does one cajole?"
"What else is there? Couples fight at the head of the bed and reconcile at the foot. All part of daily married life."
A married woman, disregarding any filters when speaking. Especially when it came to matters of the bedroom, she always spoke with relish. Tian Sangsang suddenly realized You Huixixi had a playful side—and that she herself had already joined the ranks of married women.
But she couldn’t bear to tell her—in her marriage with Jiang Jinghuai, they had never once shared the same bed. How could there be head-of-bed fights and foot-of-bed reconciliations?
Besides, was this advice asking her to sell herself?
No, she wouldn’t do it.
She still considered herself a pure maiden—selling herself was definitely off the table.
Tian Sangsang: "Sister-in-law, don’t you have any fresher ideas?"
"I’m afraid I’ve forgotten," You Huixixi shook her head lightly. "You and Jinghuai go through this so often." Always relying on the same tricks to cajole someone can get tiresome—it’s good to change things up now and then.
Tian Sangsang: "..."
"Just think about what he likes—appeal to his preferences, and it’ll work," said You Huixixi.
Tian Sangsang’s eyes lit up. "Yes, how did I not think of that?" Appealing to his likes—even if it counted as an apology.
You Huixixi looked at her, admiring her fair skin and delicate beauty. When she gazed at someone expectantly, her eyes seemed to hold two sparkling springs. Even as a woman, the sight moved her—there was no way any man could grow tired of her. Why bother with alternative methods? Sigh...
"Isn’t that Nini? Why’s she carrying a trash bag by herself?" They were not far from the stairwell; Nini was emerging from the exit, holding onto a trash bag.
You Huixixi glanced casually behind her and said indifferently, "That child is so diligent—always eager to help out at home. She wants to do this, wants to do that. Just leave her be. She’s a girl; it’s good for her to practice more. One day, she’ll be an elder sister, and she’ll need to take care of her little brother."
But she’s still a child. Tian Sangsang gazed at Nini’s frail and tiny figure with concern. However, given that the girl’s mother didn’t object, it wasn’t her place to intervene. She remembered how kind You Huixixi used to be to Nini—caring for her as if she were her own daughter. When had things changed?
That afternoon, Jiang Jinghuai and Meng Shuyan returned, carrying some items.
Jiang Jinghuai placed the items on the table without a glance at anyone else and silently headed toward the study.
Tian Sangsang looked at the table: one prepared crucian carp, two blocks of tofu, some candied fruit, and some vegetables.
Good heavens—Jiang Jinghuai actually bought groceries!
"Yanyan." Tian Sangsang beckoned to him sneakily, "Where did you two go to play this afternoon?"
Meng Shuyan answered earnestly, "Dad took me to the park for a stroll."
Oh. Tian Sangsang carried the items into the kitchen. No need to shop for groceries today—adding a few ingredients from her stash would complete the meal.
She prepared some braised meat, stir-fried a few side dishes, cooked rice, and made crucian carp soup. Tian Sangsang also whipped up a couple of types of desserts.
In the Minnan and Guangdong region, water chestnut cakes are a specialty—they come in countless variations. Within the two regions, every little locale had its distinct take.
Tian Sangsang made coconut milk layered water chestnut cakes and jade green bean cakes—two desserts she particularly loved. She cut them into small square pieces, arranged them on a porcelain plate adorned with fish motifs. The gray-green bean cake and ash-white layered rice cake lay delicately, awaiting their owner’s attention.
"Mom, you made desserts today too," Meng Shuyan looked at the desserts on the table, almost losing his appetite for his meal.
"That’s right. Think of it as a sweet treat after dinner. You can try it later," she said with a smile, her eyes secretly darting to Jiang Jinghuai. From their time together, she knew Jiang Jinghuai had a sweet tooth. Especially since he often brought candied fruit and desserts for their son—half of which he ate himself.
Jiang Jinghuai’s eyelashes trembled slightly, his deep eyes drifted toward Tian Sangsang, taking a fleeting glance at the desserts before slowly looking away. Calmly, he said, "Yanyan, let’s eat."
!!! No reaction.
Fine, let him be.
She’d only meant the desserts as an apology for misunderstanding him about wandering off. As for the Shui Lian incident, she wouldn’t apologize for that.
Anyway, her intention was clear; whether he appreciated it didn’t matter to her. Tian Sangsang sulked inwardly.
Autumn had arrived, and darkness came early while daylight lingered late. The next morning, faint light filled the sky as Tian Sangsang woke to prepare breakfast. She heard rustling sounds.
"Hey, son?" She drowsily sat up, placing her hand on his head of soft curls and asked gently, "Why are you up so early today? Why not sleep a bit more?"
Meng Shuyan, with a somber yet adorable face, leaned into her touch before saying seriously, "I promised Dad I’d go jogging with him moving forward."
Oh my, a morning son is unbearably cute! Tian Sangsang barely processed what he said before planting a kiss on his cheek. Watching his clumsy attempts to dress himself as if he were truly getting ready, she instinctively helped him.
Who would’ve thought, as soon as he was dressed, her son wobbled off the bed, hopping cheerfully toward Jiang Jinghuai.