The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Jian Xi gave Tao Xinglai a meaningful glance, and he immediately understood. He placed his hand on his forehead and began to moan. “Brother-in-law, feel this—can we cook eggs on it?”

He Ran half-heartedly touched it with the back of his hand and grunted, “It’s hot enough to fry dough sticks.”

With a new topic at hand, they managed to gloss over the awkward moment.

He Zheng’an’s private doctor came fully equipped, even bringing an IV stand. Tao Xinglai returned to his room and lay in bed, looking frail.

“What is your esteemed surname, Doctor?”

“Just call me Wang.”

Tao Xinglai exclaimed, “Prince Wang, can you be gentle when inserting the needle? I’m a bit afraid of pain.”

The doctor’s laugh lines crinkled upwards, “Don’t worry, I’m quite skilled.”

“You must have won scholarships.” Tao Xinglai said, “Just like my sister. By the way, do you eat strawberries? I have a whole bowl here; don’t be polite. I love making friends with good students.”

This doctor might never have encountered someone who put on so much drama just for a shot.

Clearly, Tao Xinglai was genuinely afraid of needles.

At the moment of applying iodine, he was already shaking uncontrollably, “Gently, gently, it hurts!”

The doctor, wearing a large mask, said, “I haven’t even started yet.”

Tao Xinglai turned his head to look, “Really?”

In that instant, the needle was pushed into his flesh.

Tao Xinglai let out a loud roar, “Damn, I’m flying to heaven!”

Standing at the door, He Ran timely covered his ears to protect his eardrums.

After finishing his dramatic performance, Tao Xinglai looked at He Ran, “Why are you standing here, Brother-in-law?”

He Ran’s face clearly showed obvious evasion. He said uncomfortably, “I’ll help you watch the IV.”

“No need. I never sleep when I’m sick; I love counting the drips for fun.”

He Ran coughed twice, “That’s quite a unique hobby.”

“Isn’t it? Everyone has their little quirks.” Tao Xinglai winked at him, “Brother-in-law, your braised pig trotters are so delicious. Without some passion for legs, you wouldn’t reach that level.”

He Ran absent-mindedly grunted, “Your sister’s legs are very beautiful.”

Tao Xinglai snorted, “You’re not bantering with me anymore, how boring. Stop watching over me and go see my sister.”

He Ran rubbed the floor with his shoe, hesitating, but eventually reluctantly walked away.

Tao Xinglai shook his head, “The minds of mature men are truly hard to fathom.”

He Zheng’an held Mengmeng and chatted with Jian Xi, laughing and having a harmonious atmosphere.

When He Ran appeared, the scene paused momentarily.

He Zheng’an lowered his head to look at Mengmeng, pretending not to see him, “It’s late; I should get going.”

Jian Xi quickly said, “Thank you for your concern.”

“You’re clever to seek my help.” He Zheng’an handed Mengmeng back to Jian Xi, “People always need a helping hand when they’re in trouble.”

His last words were pointed, carrying hidden meanings.

He Ran stood stiffly by the door, not moving.

Jian Xi took Mengmeng, “Then let me see you off.”

“No need. Take care of the child. I’ll drive myself.” He Zheng’an took a step towards the door.

He Ran avoided him, quickly stepping aside, his eyes darting around, staring at the mural on the wall as if admiring a world-famous masterpiece.

Seizing the opportunity, Jian Xi came over and pushed He Ran out, loudly saying, “Let him drive you.”

He Ran’s scalp tingled as he silently glared at Jian Xi.

Ignoring him, Jian Xi pushed him, “Go quick.”

He Zheng’an stopped, didn’t turn around or say anything, and after a few seconds, left a silent back towards the elevator.

This meant tacit approval.

He Ran was caught between a rock and a hard place, hesitation and confusion gnawing at his heart. Jian Xi softly scolded, “He Ran!”

As if needing just one push, the decision hidden in his heart suddenly surfaced, prompting He Ran to take a step forward and follow closely.

Before the elevator reached the floor, the two stood side by side in silence.

He Zheng’an’s face was even more serious than before, as if about to break apart any second.

He Ran thought, how old are you, does it matter?

Both entered the elevator, one standing in the left corner, the other in the right, as far apart as possible.

He Ran shoved his hands into his pockets, coughed, stepped forward, and pressed the button for the first floor.

Getting closer, he could smell the medicinal scent on He Zheng’an.

After all, he was getting older, his body no longer as robust as in his youth. Having built his empire from scratch, each sprout bore fruit in old age, leading to minor health issues requiring medication.

He Ran had a vivid memory of He Zheng’an’s fragile appearance during gout episodes, nearly twenty years ago.

Thinking of this, he clenched his teeth tightly, swallowed hard, and gathered his thoughts.

Stepping out of the elevator, He Zheng’an’s pace noticeably slowed. He Ran went ahead and dropped a line, “Wait, I’ll fetch the car.”

He Zheng’an didn’t respond, standing still, taking his words.

He Ran jogged quickly to the parking lot and brought the car out. Sitting inside, he rolled down the window and honked once.

He Zheng’an glanced casually, pretending not to hear, and turned around again.

“Ho! The old man is putting on airs.” He Ran raised his chin, not annoyed, patiently honking twice more.

This time, He Zheng’an finally walked satisfactorily towards the car.

The flowing silk clothes exuded elegance, the proud face of decades unchanged, arrogant as ever.

He Ran chuckled faintly, “Saying I haven’t changed, isn’t this old man the same?”

He raised an eyebrow, closed the car window, and locked the door.

He Zheng’an walked to the passenger side, pulled the handle twice, but nothing happened.

He pulled again, locked.

He Ran lounged with his arms behind his head, whistling, thinking, “I don’t believe you won’t talk to me proactively.”

He Zheng’an pulled three times, then folded his arms across his chest, standing outside the car, unmoving.

He Ran’s mood instantly improved, whistling even louder.

“Knock knock knock.” The sound of knuckles tapping against the glass; He Zheng’an’s back straight as a robot, mechanically knocking on the window, unwillingly saying, “Open the door.”

He Ran felt relieved, unlocked the door, and let him in.

He Zheng’an held his chin high, displaying his coldest expression ever.

He Ran turned the steering wheel, speaking stiffly, “Which way?”

“Brat, you don’t even remember home, damn it.” He Zheng’an cursed his son thoroughly in his mind, coldly saying, “Turn right, Chunxi Road.”

The radio played a midnight song, the only sound in the car.

Driving onto Chunxi Road, He Ran asked, “And then?”

He Zheng’an dryly replied, “Left.”

Being stingy with words, He Ran sneered, “Do you really not want to talk to me?”

More than ten words together were too rare.

He Zheng’an remained expressionless, “With your attitude, I don’t want to argue with you.”

“Do you think I want to argue with you?”

“Then shut up.”

He Ran felt a small frustration. He rolled down half the window, letting the wind wake him up.

Silence fell again.

He Zheng’an, feeling slightly irritable, took out a cigarette and lit one. But searching through his pockets, he couldn’t find a lighter.

A glance revealed one lying on the dashboard. Just as He Zheng’an was about to reach for it, He Ran beat him to it, grabbing it with a swift “swish.”

“Haven’t decades of bronchitis been enough? Want to try a more serious disease?”

He Ran’s tone wasn’t kind, his words sharp and unpleasant. Unexpectedly, He Zheng’an was slightly stunned, not expecting him to remember. Assuming they would never meet again, he thought this worthless brat was expressing twisted care in a harsh manner.

The definition of “care” was He Zheng’an’s wishful thinking.

This silence made He Ran extremely restless. He tossed the lighter back, “Smoke away!”

He Zheng’an sneered, nonchalantly picked it up, threw it back on the dashboard, and quietly put the cigarette back in its box.

This action paved a broad avenue. He Ran’s mood cleared up.

He Zheng’an coughed, looking out the window for a while, then turned back.

“What does that girl do?”

This sudden initiative surprised He Ran. Referring to Jian Xi, he said, “She’s an obstetrician.”

“A doctor? At least she has a decent job.”

He Ran clenched the steering wheel, remaining silent.

“What does her family do?”

“Good people.”

“And her younger brother?”

“He acts.”

He Zheng’an slightly frowned, “That profession is not good, frivolous.”

There he goes again with his stubborn opinions.

But He Ran had grown wiser, no longer confronting him head-on as in his youth. He pretended not to hear, automatically ignoring.

He Zheng’an was pleased with this peacemaking attitude. Opening up, he continued asking, “Are you still messing around out there?”

He Ran replied, “Transportation business.”

He Zheng’an’s tone softened a bit more, “How’s business?”

“Manageable, we won’t starve.”

He Zheng’an guided the conversation back on track, resuming his usual lecture, “If it’s just you, not starving is fine. But now you have a family; don’t mess up and make foolish mistakes.”

He Ran remained silent.

“Provide a good living environment for your wife and daughter—that’s what being a man is about. Frankly, what’s your petty money worth? It won’t withstand trouble.”

Though his tone was still stern, his earnest expectations were evident.

He said, “This family business, if you...”

“I won’t come back.” He Ran interrupted, firm and decisive.

He Zheng’an’s wishful thinking was completely blocked, leaving no room for sentimentality.

His anger surged, “You brat, arrogant to the point of addiction, you don’t know your limits!”

He Ran’s voice was calm, “I’ve always been like this. Shouldn’t you have known by now?”

He Zheng’an raised his voice, “All I know is that a dog can’t change its habit of eating shit!”

He Ran slammed on the brakes abruptly, his face as frosty as if it had just experienced a frost.

The little bit of reconciliation between father and son was erased in just a few words.

Having held a high position for many years, He Zheng’an had a stubborn temperament, with a somewhat obsessive revolutionary spirit. He Ran was also an unruly person, and the suppressed fierceness of recent years now surged to his head.

He turned his head, cockily saying, “Do you still want to hit me? With an iron rod or your leather shoe?”

He Zheng’an pointed at him, “You!”

“Are you going to call me a beast again?” He Ran sneered, “Then you’d better hurry up; don’t waste a single second. Because after tonight, I’m never coming back.”

He Zheng’an was furious, “Open the door, I want to get out!”

“On the main road? Are you sure?” He Ran asked icily.

“Open the door!”

This angry shout was genuine fury from He Zheng’an.

The joints of He Ran’s hand gripping the steering wheel turned bluish-white. After much internal struggle akin to being fried alive, he managed to retain some rationality, ignored him, and continued driving.

He Zheng’an continued yelling, “You little brat, did you hear me? I want you—”

“Bang!” He Ran suddenly raised his fist and pounded the car window, creating a muffled sound.

He turned his head, grinding his teeth, “Shut up!”

Late at night, an old man wandering on the road, still thinking he was young.

He Ran didn’t say what he was thinking but continued driving with a grim face, dropping He Zheng’an off at He’s residence.

As soon as He Zheng’an got out, the car shot away like it was powered by gunpowder, spraying exhaust fumes in his face.

Though angry, He Zheng’an thought about it: wasn’t this kid supposed to not know the way home? Why didn’t he ask me earlier when he already knew how to drive?

On the way back, He Ran felt like a deflated ball, utterly drained. It wasn’t that he didn’t know the way; he just wanted an awkward excuse to talk to his father.

The streetlights were awake through the night, one after another, turning He Ran’s raging inner fire into a complete chill.

Back at the hotel, Mengmeng was already asleep, and Jian Xi sat on the bed, leaving a light on for him.

Hearing the door open, she quickly sat up, “You’re back? Did Dad get home alright?”

He Ran lowered his voice so as not to wake their daughter, “Mm. How’s your brother?”

Jian Xi said, “He had three bottles of IV fluid; the fever has subsided.”

He Ran nodded, “I’ll go take a shower.”

He bent down to find clean clothes from the suitcase, very silent.

Jian Xi came over, squatting down as well, softly asking, “Husband?”

He Ran sniffed, looking up at her with a smile, “I’m fine.”

Jian Xi kept her gaze fixed, just looking at him.

As he smiled, He Ran’s lips tightened. He slightly lowered his head, holding a T-shirt in his hand, “I’m sorry. I can’t do it.”

Jian Xi understood immediately without hesitation, pulling He Ran into her arms, “Be a good husband, don’t be sad anymore.”

Smelling her subtle fragrance, He Ran buried his head deeper, “It’s not sadness. I just feel powerless. There really isn’t any deep-seated hatred between us.”

“I know,” Jian Xi rhythmically patted his back lightly, “It’s just a personality clash. You were too rebellious in your youth, and Dad is used to being domineering. Neither of you did anything wrong; you just didn’t find the right communication points.”

He Ran grunted, feeling low, “I let you down.”

Jian Xi hugged him tighter, “Don’t rush. We’ll take it slowly.”

“I won’t come again.” He Ran was mentally exhausted, “Such unpleasant interactions… Jian Xi, let’s give up.”

After a night of silent embraces, the next day, the trio set off to return home.

Tao Xinglai had recovered from his fever and boastfully wanted to drive himself, “Handsome people have great bodies too.”

Jian Xi, holding Mengmeng, waited for He Ran who was getting the luggage, “What are you going to do when you get back?”

“The movie is entering its promotional phase. Li Xiaoqiang texted me this morning saying post-production is complete.” Tao Xinglai looked worried, “Who knows what Qiao Shu will do to make things difficult for me.”

Jian Xi was very interested, “So, is there something real between you two? Little brother, tell me sincerely, what do you think of Qiao Shu?”

“Look what you’re implying, as if I’ve ever lied.” Tao Xinglai snorted, “I got red flowers every day in kindergarten. Ask my mom if you don’t believe me. In first grade, I voluntarily joined the Young Pioneers, washing the corner of the national flag with soap every day. Find another boy like me in the municipal compound, and I’ll let you pluck my leg hair.”

Jian Xi: “...”

After bragging about himself, Tao Xinglai finally answered the question, “Qiao Shu is beautiful, famous, and a best actress.”

Jian Xi nodded, agreeing.

Tao Xinglai stroked his chin, matter-of-factly, “It’s quite normal for her to like me. After all, someone as handsome as me, apart from Brother He Ran, oh, Brother Hanxiao counts too, but you really can’t find a fourth one.”

Jian Xi: “Hey, get to the point.”

“This is the point.” Tao Xinglai raised an eyebrow, “A housewife gossiping all day, what kind of talk is that? Don’t worry, there’s nothing between Qiao Shu and me. No matter how famous she is, she needs topics for publicity. After this movie promotion period, everything will settle down.”

Jian Xi spoke earnestly, “Actually, if you find someone within the industry, Mom and Dad wouldn’t object either.”

Tao Xinglai: “I won’t look. I’m practically twenty, and I haven’t won Best Actor yet.”

Jian Xi laughed, “Alright, I wish you success soon.”

“Big sis, I love you so much.” Tao Xinglai sat in the driver’s seat, wearing his flashy sunglasses, seeing He Ran pushing the luggage out of the hotel, quickly sticking his head out to wave, “Wow, Brother He, those sunglasses are so unique. They make you look like a fortune-teller.”

Jian Xi playfully smacked his head, “Stop talking nonsense. Drive carefully.”

This journey ended on an unpleasant note, full of regrets. Next week was Mengmeng’s first birthday, and Jian Xi was worried whether Grandpa would come.

After returning, He Ran and Jian Xi first went to Jian’s family. Tao Xihong had mentioned a few days ago that they should leave Mengmeng to play for a while.

Being close to home made it convenient to visit the child. After dropping Mengmeng off, the couple returned to their apartment.

He Ran had been busy loading goods at the company all afternoon, covered in dust. Just as he was about to take a shower and had taken off his clothes, a client called. He answered while taking off his pants, struggling with one hand, moving extremely slowly.

Jian Xi approached from behind, her hand slipping under his arm to reach for his belt.

He Ran’s body froze, hearing her whisper in his ear, “Let me help you take them off.”

Jian Xi’s hands were soft, unbuttoning it in just a few moves. The waistband loosened, revealing faint ab lines. Jian Xi’s finger slipped in, circling gently along the curly hairs.

He Ran was still on the phone, acting serious, but his heart was ablaze.

He told the client, “Yes, departing from Jingshan District, we can pass by your store. How much material do you have? Do you need packaging?”

Jian Xi moved her hand further down, nibbling gently on He Ran’s broad bare shoulder with her teeth, then started moving her hand slowly.

He Ran’s breathing quickened, forgetting what he was saying.

Jian Xi hummed in his other ear, “Go on, the client is waiting.”

He Ran glared at her fiercely, desire blazing.

Jian Xi’s lips curved, innocent yet sincere, licking his earlobe with her tongue, “Ran Ge, your tent is so high.”

He Ran’s body stiffened, damn, even higher.

He hastily ended the call, hung up the phone, turned around, and lifted her into the air, flames flickering, “If I don’t make you cry tonight, I’ll take your surname.”

Jian Xi pressed her forehead against his, provocatively calling out, “Ran Ge.”

“It’s no use begging.”

“No.” Jian Xi wrapped her arms around his neck, blushing, and asked, “When did you... download so many videos on the computer?”

He Ran chuckled softly, deliberately asking, “What videos?”

Jian Xi looked genuinely sincere, “Those kinds, videos of two people fighting naked.”

He Ran burst out laughing, his abs quivering, then lifted her up by her hips, embracing her fully, excitedly saying, “Let’s go.”

Jian Xi: “What for?”

He Ran: “Watch and do it at the same time…”