Chapter 16: Jiang Yuan Was Frightened by His Actions

Jiang Yuan originally thought the man with the fleshy mole had been scared off, but she never expected to see his obese figure at the convenience store downstairs from the residential complex.

She frowned in dissatisfaction. "That bastard hasn't left yet?"

The man with the fleshy mole stood at the entrance of the convenience store, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, staring at them with ill intent.

Jiang Yuan’s hand hanging at her side clenched into a tight fist. "Sis, I think this is too dangerous. Why don't you take Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo and go stay at home?"

It took several seconds for Jiang Die to snap out of her trance before she said softly, "Don't worry, he probably wouldn't dare do anything. Going home would cause too much trouble for Mom and Dad, so let's forget it."

She desperately wanted to go home, but she knew that home did not welcome her.

Jiang Yuan opened her mouth, suddenly at a loss for words.

It was she who had cried and made a scene back then, demanding that their parents kick the pregnant Jiang Die out of the house.

Later, when Jiang Die missed home and her parents, she didn't dare to return; every time, she would simply stand far below their building, watching them from a distance.

"Sis," Jiang Yuan said softly, "I'm sorry."

The two had already reached the building where Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo's childcare center was located. Hearing her sister's apology, Jiang Die froze.

"Silly girl, why are you saying sorry out of the blue?" She smiled to change the subject. "By the way, what do you want for dinner?"

Jiang Yuan furrowed her slender brows, her reddened eyes shimmering with crystalline tears as her voice choked up. "Sis, I am truly sorry to you."

Sensing something was wrong with her voice, Jiang Die turned her head to look and asked nervously, "Why are you crying?"

She hurriedly searched her bag for tissues to wipe Jiang Yuan's tears.

"Sis." Jiang Yuan reached out and pulled her into a hug, crying pitifully.

Feeling both heartbroken and amused, Jiang Die raised her hand to gently pat her back, coaxing her, "If you're feeling wronged, tell me. I'll stand up for you."

"I'm not the one who's wronged, you are." At this moment, Jiang Yuan felt as though she were consumed by sin.

Hearing this, Jiang Die couldn't help but laugh. "How could I be wronged?"

"You have been wronged so, so many times." Jiang Yuan sniffled, her voice trembling slightly. "But you never say anything."

Jiang Die's gaze tightened, and her body trembled slightly.

Noticing the suspicious glances from passersby, Jiang Yuan quickly wiped away her tears and composed herself. "Sis, hurry up and go up to pick up Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo."

Jiang Die wanted to ask her to go up together, but she worried that if others saw her crying, they would ask too many questions. She reached up to fix Jiang Yuan's hat. "Alright, then wait for us."

"I know," Jiang Yuan nodded.

After Jiang Die left, Jiang Yuan looked down at her toes, lost in thought.

The next second, a taro-flavored ice cream cone suddenly appeared before her eyes.

She froze for a few seconds before slowly lifting her head.

"Sis..."

Jiang Die looked at her with a smile. "I thought you might be bored, so I got you an ice cream first."

Jiang Yuan felt a warmth in her heart and a heat in her eyes.

"Thanks, Sis." She reached out and took the cone.

Jiang Die: "Then I'm going up."

Jiang Yuan watched her enter the elevator, then looked down at the ice cream in her hand, feeling so moved she was on the verge of tears again.

She must have accumulated immense blessings over many lifetimes to have such a wonderful sister.

Jiang Yuan pursed her lips, standing by the roadside eating her ice cream while tears streamed down her face.

But she never imagined that this scene would be witnessed by Si Heng.

The man was standing at the entrance of the fruit shop across the street, holding a bag of fruit, presumably having just finished paying and stepping out.

With tear-blurred eyes, Jiang Yuan watched his figure grow larger until his facial features became clear.

Jiang Yuan: "..."

This is killing me!

Si Heng saw that her long eyelashes were laden with teardrops, her eyes and the tip of her nose were red, and her expression was dazed—a look of innocence tinged with sadness.

Jiang Yuan pursed her lips, momentarily unsure of how to react; she even forgot to eat the ice cream in her hand, causing it to begin melting.

Si Heng pulled a pack of tissues from his pocket.

He took out a tissue, but hesitated.

Should he wipe her tears first, or wipe the melting ice cream off her hand?

After a few seconds of brief deliberation, Si Heng wrapped the tissue around the ice cream cone, then took out another tissue to gently wipe the tears from the girl's cheeks.

Startled by his actions, Jiang Yuan instinctively stepped back.

Si Heng froze for two seconds before handing the tissue to her.

The last few times he had seen Jiang Yuan, she had been dressed elegantly and beautifully, speaking with a cool detachment that gave off an impression of emotional stability and maturity.

But today, she was wearing a pink down jacket and a fluffy white rabbit hat, crying while eating ice cream like a little girl who hadn't grown up.

It was as if she were a different person.

"Th-thanks." Jiang Yuan took the tissue sluggishly, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

She wiped her tears haphazardly, cleared her throat, and explained, "Don't misunderstand. I just thought this ice cream was so delicious that my eyes started watering from the excitement."

"I see," Si Heng replied, a restrained smile playing in his deep eyes.

Jiang Yuan: "..."

Si Heng took two bright red apples from the bag and handed them to her.

Jiang Yuan opened her reddened eyes, looking from the apples to him. "What?"

"I'm treating you to apples," Si Heng said with a light laugh. "Thanks to your tip, the Gu Lingling case was resolved."

Jiang Yuan puffed out her cheeks and said deliberately, "Even though it was just a coincidence, Captain Si, two apples are too few."

"Not enough?" Si Heng raised an eyebrow. "Then should I take two more? Or would you rather exchange them for ice cream?"

Jiang Yuan: "..."

"I don't want either." She took a deep breath, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Si Heng put the two apples back into the bag.

Thinking he wasn't going to give her even the two apples, Jiang Yuan grumbled inwardly: *So stingy, so stingy!*

Si Heng placed the entire bag of fruit at Jiang Yuan's feet. "It's all yours."

Jiang Yuan's eyebrows twitched slightly as she silently retracted her previous complaints.

It turned out she had misread the situation.

Seeing Jiang Die walking toward them with the two children, Si Heng said his goodbyes, left the fruit, and turned to leave.

"Yuanyuan."

Jiang Die's voice came from behind.

Jiang Yuan turned around, her gaze falling on the two little ones holding hands on either side of her sister.

Meeting the gaze of their "wicked aunt," Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo greeted her obediently.

"Auntie."

"Hello, Auntie."

"Hello, you two." Jiang Yuan put on a gentle smile and asked, "How about we have hotpot for dinner?"

Naturally, Jiang Die had no objection. "What kind of hotpot do you want? Coconut chicken, mutton, or beef?"

Jiang Yuan blinked. "What do Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo want to eat?"

Hearing the words of their "wicked aunt," Zhan Zhan and Mo Mo were both overwhelmed by the sudden favor, staring at her with wide, round eyes in surprise.

Although their aunt usually pretended to be caring and kind in front of their mother, she had never once asked them what they liked or if they wanted to eat something.

What was wrong with Auntie today?

Seeing that the two children remained silent, Jiang Die repeated softly, "Zhan Zhan, Mo Mo, have you decided what you want to eat?"