nucmednet Chapter 1067 But what will he do all by himself?
Chapter 1067 But what will he do all by himself?
Long, slender fingers pressed on the access control device, and with a soft "beep," the door opened.
However, the sight that came into view made him stop in his tracks—the living room was completely white.
Jiang Chengyu took a deep breath and walked steadily inside. The light tapping of his leather shoes on the floor echoed in the large living room.
Looking around, the furnishings remained the same, only now they were covered by white cloth.
He reached out and pulled off the white sheet from the sofa, tossing it casually on the floor to reveal the familiar leather texture.
He then took off his coat and draped it over the sofa armrest, and began to peel off the dusty coverings one by one, as if to peel away the cocoon of time.
He turned and went into the bathroom, took out his apron and tied it on, then put on cleaning gloves.
Looking in the mirror, the person's features had lost their youthful innocence, replaced by a more somber and melancholic look.
He breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the thin layer of dust off the mirror with a cloth, walked out of the living room, and began to clean carefully.
The home decorations were wiped until they shone, and in a daze, it was as if I could hear that familiar voice saying, "Little monster, you've worked hard. Here, have a cup of tea."
Jiang Chengyu abruptly withdrew his disappointed gaze. The coffee table was empty; Mu Xiaoji's shadow had long since vanished.
He walked up the stairs, his fingertips brushing against the cold handrail, and the image in his memory resurfaced—Mu Xiaoji was curled up at the top of the stairs, asleep against the carved iron railing.
In her sleep, a bright smile bloomed on her face, as if she were immersed in an incredibly blissful dream.
"Xiao Ji, go back to your room and sleep. You'll catch a cold if you sleep here," he said softly.
The person in the dream subconsciously turned around, reached out and wrapped their arms around his neck, quietly waiting to be picked up.
But the panic he felt when he was sober was even clearer: "I'm sorry, Mr. Jiang, I didn't mean to offend you."
The books, half of his prosthetic limb, and a shoe that had fallen in the chaos seemed to still be lying at the bottom of the stairs, piercing his heart with a bitter taste.
"Xiao Ji, when did you become so humble in front of me?" Jiang Chengyu muttered to himself.
The pain of the past washed over him like a tide, forcing him to reflect little by little in his solitude.
Pushing open the master bedroom door, layers of white cloth seemed to conceal all of Mu Xiaoji's hidden pain.
"Dad...Dad..."
Jiang Shuo's clear, childlike voice seemed to echo in his ears as Jiang Chengyu hurried upstairs. Looking at the covered bed and furniture, a sharp pain welled up in his eyes.
"Young Master has left? He hasn't had breakfast yet!" Xiao Yue's heartbroken whisper still seemed to linger, unable to conceal the sorrow that Mu Xiaoji had felt.
Stepping onto the balcony and pushing open the glass door, a salty, briny sea breeze rushed in.
He tore off all the white cloths, opened the dressing room, and found that the two people's clothes were still neatly arranged, retaining a trace of the past.
Without thinking, she picked up one of Mu Xiaoji's shirts and gently sniffed it.
The sweetness of their embraces and the playful bickering instantly unfolded in my mind.
The sea breeze made the curtains flutter wildly, "Little Ji..."
In a daze, she thought Mu Xiaoji had returned, and hurriedly came out of the bedroom, only to see Mu Xiaoji standing on the balcony.
I opened my arms to the sea, closed my eyes and took a deep breath, as if I wanted to inhale the breath of the sea into my lungs.
Jiang Chengyu wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, his voice so gentle it could melt water: "Thank you, Xiao Ji, I really like it."
He couldn't help but kiss his cheek, and Mu Xiaoji turned around coquettishly, wrapping her arms around his neck like a clingy child.
Their laughter was so clear and bright, their kisses so passionate and fiery. They stumbled and fell all the way, their coats scattering on the floor, until finally they collapsed onto the big bed in each other's arms...
Mu Xiaoji lay on Jiang Chengyu's body, frantically trying to take off his clothes.
"Little monster, I want you, just bear with it."
Jiang Chengyu looked at the pristine white bed, the lingering warmth of happiness still seeming to remain in the bedding. His eyes welled up, and a tear uncontrollably slid down his cheek.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, reached out and pulled open the bedside table, where the property certificate lay quietly.
With trembling hands, he took it out and opened it. A slip of paper fell out, with handwriting he recognized:
"My beloved Xiao Ji, it's like seeing you in person as I read this."
In the past, you gave me stars and moonlight, warmth and hope. Those memories are the most dazzling treasures in my life. With you by my side, I have no regrets in this life.
But fate is unpredictable. Now we are like two lines that intersected and then drifted apart. You have your direction, and I have my journey.
I no longer have the right to possess your generous gifts. This is all you have, and I hope it can return to you and continue to witness your happiness.
Handwritten by: Jiang Chengyu.
The handwriting is so powerful it seems to penetrate the paper, yet the struggle and reluctance with which it was written feel like needles piercing the heart when read now.
Jiang Chengyu pressed the property certificate to his chest, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the words "lover."
A heavy sob welled up in my throat, sounding especially clear in the empty room.
The sea-view villa was a house that Mu Xiaoji bought for him, and it only has his name on it.
The shopping mall was bustling with people, and warm yellow lights shone on the dazzling array of goods on the shelves.
Jiang Chengyu pushed his shopping cart and strolled leisurely through the fresh produce section.
He picked some bright purple eggplants, carrots with the fresh scent of earth, and lush green spinach and tender bamboo shoots.
I also selected a black-boned chicken in a vacuum-sealed bag, as well as fresh fish and large chunks of beef from the meat counter.
The shopping cart was quickly filled to the brim. These ingredients were all some of Mu Xiaoji's favorite foods.
As he queued at the checkout, watching the customer in front of him scan their code to pay, a vague memory suddenly flashed through his mind—
In a similar scene, he held his phone in his hand and bought Jiang Shuo a shopping cart full of milk powder, diapers, and baby clothes.
That day, he had just walked out of the square carrying large and small bags when suddenly he felt dizzy and collapsed uncontrollably on the steps.
When they were woken up, the first thing they saw was Mu Xiaoji's anxious face. Both of them were stunned, their eyes filled with unexpected surprise.
"Sir, would you like to pay? There are people in line behind you!" The cashier's voice interrupted his past sorrow.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I apologize." Jiang Chengyu snapped out of his daze and quickly moved the items from the shopping cart to the checkout counter one by one.
The cashier quickly scanned the code, and the "beep beep" notification sounded one after another.
Jiang Chengyu pulled up his phone's payment code, paid, and walked out of the shopping mall carrying several heavy bags.
Sunlight fell on the plastic bag, illuminating the fresh ingredients inside. He looked down, his eyes filled with confusion.
She walked briskly to the roadside, hailed a taxi, got in, and sped away.
Back at the seaside villa, Jiang Chengyu first sorted the groceries he bought and put them in the refrigerator, then carried the black-boned chicken and spinach into the kitchen.
The tap gushed out clear water, and water droplets from washing vegetables splashed onto the tiles.
Accompanied by the "thump-thump" of chopping vegetables and the "click" of lighting the stove, pots and pans collided with a series of crisp sounds.
A faint aroma of cooking oil, mixed with the fragrance of ingredients, gradually filled the kitchen, carrying a comforting, homey feeling.
The restaurant's warm lights were on, casting a soft glow across the table.
Jiang Chengyu carried out a bubbling clay pot, the bottom of which made a slight knocking sound when it touched the table.
He placed the casserole dish securely, then brought over a plate of spinach and scrambled eggs; the tender yellow eggs were coated with vibrant green spinach.
Next to it was a glistening braised eggplant, the sauce still swaying slightly.
Finally, he placed two bowls of steaming rice on the table and sat down in the chair opposite him.
Reaching out to lift the lid of the clay pot, a rich and mellow aroma instantly wafts out. A thin layer of golden oil floats on the surface of the black chicken soup, looking incredibly tempting.
"Xiao Ji, it's still the flavor you like."
Jiang Chengyu picked up the small bowl, carefully scooped out a bowlful, and gently placed it in front of Mu Xiaoji.
Her eyes were brimming with smiles, as warm as the light in the room. "Xiao Ji, try it. Is it to your liking?"
In the dining room of Jinyang Villa in G City, warm yellow light falls on a corner of the dining table.
Xiao Yue scooped a bowl of mushroom soup and gently placed it in front of Mu Xiaoji. A thin layer of oil floated on the surface of the soup, emitting a fresh and mellow aroma.
Mu Xiaoji held her chopsticks and ate the rice in her bowl one bite at a time, her face revealing little emotion, as if it were just an ordinary meal.
Jiang Shuo held the soup bowl, sipping the mushroom soup, but his gaze kept falling on Mu Xiaoji.
Sitting next to him, Mu Huiying had already figured out his personality—whenever he was unhappy, he liked to pretend that nothing was wrong, eating and drinking as usual, but there was always a hint of melancholy hidden between his brows.
She didn't ask many questions, but silently put the dishes that Mu Xiaoji liked into his bowl. When she saw that he had almost finished eating the rice, she added another half bowl.
Suddenly, the baby's cries came from the crib in the living room, clear yet tinged with grievance.
Just as Xiao Yue put down her chopsticks and was about to get up, Mu Xiaoji quickly said, "Sister Xiao Yue, I'll go. You continue eating." With that, he picked up his cane and slowly walked out of the restaurant.
Jiang Chengyu had just finished drinking the soup in his bowl, took a tissue to wipe his mouth, and then got up and walked towards the living room.
On the living room sofa, Mu Xiaoji was gently rocking Dabao in his arms. The little guy's crying gradually stopped, but he lowered his head, his eyes slightly red.
Jiang Shuo followed him over, stood beside the sofa, and looked up at him: "Dad, where's Little Uncle? Why didn't he come back with you?"
"Uncle Fan Wei's project in Kuncheng has been completed, and he has to go back to inspect it, so he went straight back to Kuncheng."
Mu Xiaoji's voice was a little muffled, with traces of deliberate concealment.
Jiang Shuo blinked, keenly noticing the odd tone in his voice: "Does he know about the twins?"
Mu Xiaoji looked up at him with a hint of reproach: "Jiang Shuo, can you not be so clever?"
As soon as she finished speaking, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face, dripping onto Da Bao's soft swaddling clothes.
"Doesn't he like Da Bao and Pang Ya?"
Jiang Shuo asked again, her brows furrowing slightly, and reached out to wipe away the tears from Mu Xiaoji's eyes with heartache.
Mu Xiaoji shook her head, her voice low as a sigh: "Am I particularly useless?"
Jiang Shuo thought for a moment, then added with the maturity of a little adult, "It's okay, we'll take care of him. Even if... even if he doesn't come back, we can still afford to take care of him."
"But what will he do all by himself?" Mu Xiaoji murmured, her voice full of concern.
The baby in his arms seemed to sense his emotions and hummed softly twice.
He lowered his head and kissed the child's soft forehead, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window, as if asking Jiang Shuo, or perhaps asking the silent night itself.