Chapter 68

Chapter 68

When Maomao was two months old, You Nan finally received Mrs. Jiang's approval to leave the maternity center.

The moment he stepped out, he took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling as if the sky was brilliantly blue.

Jiang Songen had specifically taken time off from work to help his wife with everything. He tidied up, handled payments, and after finishing a mountain of chores, he supported his wife with one hand and carried their little rascal with the other, helping them into the car.

No one could catch a break.

"Where’s your assistant?"

You Nan felt sorry seeing Jiang Songen so busy; having an assistant along would have made things easier.

Jiang Songen drove with a beaming smile, "He’s helping me with work. Too busy to come out."

"The project is on a tight deadline these days, so he’s working extra hard to oversee the process. Once the project is done, I’ll give him a big bonus."

Since joining his father’s company, Jiang Songen had been worked to the bone by his dad.

Mr. Jiang was polite and considerate of other employees’ stress levels, but when it came to his own son, he assigned him every task imaginable.

Jiang Songen was working around the clock, but he quickly learned to work efficiently and developed procedures for handling various matters.

He was dedicated, focused on making money, and his skills improved rapidly. Although many projects were given the final approval by his father, directly handed to him, making others jealous and eager for a share, Jiang Songen successfully completed every collaboration.

This made many people who had initially looked down on him as a "nepotism hire" change their views.

Now, Jiang Songen had been promoted several times in just one year, and his status in the company was like a rising star.

Jiang Songen kept busy, and his assistant was equally swamped.

Jiang Songen was responsible for brainstorming, setting processes, and negotiating, while the assistant handled the follow-up tasks and various minor details.

Sometimes, the assistant would even bring things to You Nan for Jiang Songen when it was convenient. Juggling multiple tasks, he was a rare talent.

Mr. Jiang even had his eye on his son’s capable assistant and had asked Jiang Songen several times if he could transfer him.

Jiang Songen refused every time.

Instead, he personally raised the assistant’s salary, gave out various bonuses, and reimbursed expenses promptly and generously.

Even if the assistant occasionally made mistakes or overlooked details, Jiang Songen would step in to fix the issue without blaming him.

Afterward, Jiang Songen would comfort the assistant, telling him not to stress too much. These matters remained between the two of them.

The assistant was deeply moved and willing to stay loyal to Jiang Songen.

You Nan nodded after hearing Jiang Songen’s explanation, "That’s only right."

He added, "Mom visited me today and brought a cake. I didn’t eat it, and the nanny brought it out with us. The weather’s cool lately, so it’s stored in an insulated box and won’t melt. Since you’re heading to the company later, why not take it to your assistant?"

Jiang Songen agreed, smiling as he said, "Honey, you’re so kind to my assistant. That sensitive soul will definitely remember this."

You Nan also thought of the assistant’s habit of crying secretly when under pressure and couldn’t help but chuckle.

As they chatted, they arrived home.

Jiang Songen helped his wife out of the car and carried their son inside. Without staying long, he hurried back to work.

Jiang Songen rushed, carrying the cake to the office and placing it on his assistant’s busy desk.

"My wife gave this to you. Have some to boost your energy and sugar levels. Get ready to keep working."

Hearing his boss’s voice, the assistant looked up, but Jiang Songen had already turned to leave.

The assistant recognized the logo on the cake box—a high-end local cake brand.

He had bought cakes from this brand for Jiang Songen before, with prices starting at over six hundred yuan.

Opening the insulated box, he estimated that this particular cake, given its size and design, probably cost more than seven hundred yuan.

The cake was perfectly preserved inside, with a cool layer of frost and no signs of melting.

Deeply touched, the assistant took a knife and plate, cut a slice, and as he ate, he vowed to himself that he would work hard for the young master!

The young master and young madam were truly too good to him.

As he ate, the assistant’s sentimental tears began to flow.

With You Nan out of the maternity center, the long-prepared wedding plans were finally moving forward.

Mrs. Jiang was now bustling about, barely having time to dote on her precious grandson as she busied herself outside.

After finalizing the plans earlier, Mrs. Jiang had spent about half a year leisurely accompanying You Nan. But now, with the wedding date approaching, she couldn’t sit still.

She wanted to host a grand, dazzling wedding, giving her son and Xiao Nan a sweet and dreamy celebration!

After You Nan returned home with Maomao, the happiest person was Xiao Youruan.

Since his brother started university and rarely came home, Xiao Youruan saw him less and less—only three or four times a year.

The little boy missed his brother almost every day.

Sometimes he would even cry from missing him so much, and only when he was extremely overwhelmed would he tell Mrs. Jiang that he wanted to call his brother.

It wasn’t until his brother returned home for maternity care that the little boy grew close to him again and became happy.

During the two months You Nan stayed at the maternity center, Xiao Youruan was the most worried about him and Maomao at home.

But Xiao Youruan had school, homework, weekend extracurricular classes, and interest clubs—he was busy every day and couldn’t often visit the maternity center to see his brother.

Now that his brother was finally back and they were all living together, Xiao Youruan was beaming with excitement. As soon as he got home, he took off his coat, washed his hands, and rushed to his brother and nephew’s room.

He would first cling to his brother for a while, talking about how much he missed him, what he learned at school that day, and any fun stories… After chattering nonstop, Xiao Youruan would reluctantly get up and move to Maomao’s crib to keep him company.

You Nan sat by the bed, watching his younger brother, who had grown taller, standing beside the crib, and felt a warmth in his heart.

The little boy then dashed back to his room, grabbed his homework, and sat next to Maomao to start working.

Having spent so much time studying with You Nan and Jiang Songen, the child had grown accustomed to it.

You Ruan strongly believed in the saying, "Stay close to good influences, and you’ll become better."

He aimed to inspire and cultivate Maomao’s love for learning from a young age through his own example.

You Nan and Mrs. Jiang couldn’t help but laugh every time they saw this.

They thought the little boy was truly a delightful treasure.

However, they all indulged the child's whims.

They all spoke earnestly to Maomao as if it were a serious matter, telling him to learn well from his little uncle now.

Maomao lay in bed, his round eyes wide open, showing no particular reaction.

Meanwhile, the child who was being praised couldn't handle it.

You Ruan's fair and clear-complexioned face uncontrollably turned red, clearly showing extreme shyness.

This once again made You Nan and Mrs. Jiang couldn't stop laughing.

.

Children always seem to grow up in the blink of an eye.

Maomao, now three months old, had already outgrown the clothes bought for him earlier, changing day by day.

Sucking on a pacifier, he was carried by his grandmother to attend his parents' wedding.

You Nan had recovered well during his recovery period, and the clothes prepared last year now fit him perfectly.

Perhaps because he had become a parent, You Nan now carried an ineffable charm that he didn’t have before.

He was like a ripe honey peach, yet with a softness that embraced everything.

You Nan’s fair skin and the tenderness in his eyes seemed to glisten with moisture, exuding an undeniable matrimonial air.

Anyone who saw him would find it hard to forget him.

On the day of You Nan and Jiang Songen's wedding, Cheng Mi and Li Qiutian arrived.

Accompanying them were Cheng Mi’s husband and Jiang Songen’s close buddies.

As soon as Cheng Mi entered, he caught sight of the child being happily held by Jiang Songen’s mother.

So similar—truly so similar.

Though the child was very young, his petite features were almost an exact copy of Jiang Songen’s.

Only the shape of his face and the look in his eyes resembled You Nan.

At a glance, Cheng Mi could tell the child took more after his father.

Lost in thought, Cheng Mi couldn’t take his eyes off the child.

The man accompanying Cheng Mi followed his gaze, and after a clear look, his gaze wavered.

He bent down, close to his wife’s ear, and asked slowly, "He's good-looking, isn’t he?"

Cheng Mi remained silent.

That was a tacit agreement.

"If you like him, we could have a child of our own."

The man added.

As soon as he spoke, Cheng Mi’s face fell.

His gaze immediately shifted from the fair, soft, and adorable child to the man, even carrying a hint of pleading.

"Please, don’t do this."

Cheng Mi’s voice was very low, his tone softened.

His demeanor showed he had been thoroughly molded by the other, though he was unaware of it.

The man stared at him, his Adam's apple bobbing repeatedly.

Since the day Cheng Mi met Jiang Songen at his wedding, his life had been genuinely hard over the past six months.

A few words from Jiang Songen had caused him much suffering in bed.

Cheng Mi still remembered that before marriage, he had muscles and strength.

But after marriage, he became as weak as a plucked chicken, all his energy drained from nightly sexual struggles with the man.

Now, the other controlled every aspect of his life, including his basic needs, with an almost pervasive, cloying voyeuristic desire.

Even the Cheng family behind him had to act according to the man’s whims.

Given the family’s situation, Cheng Mi had even less power to defy him.

Cheng Mi knew the man’s nature—whatever he said he would do, he would do.

If he truly wanted Cheng Mi to have a child, it was likely that in a few days, Cheng Mi would be lying on an operating table, passively receiving an artificial uterus transplant.

The mere thought of the pain of childbirth terrified Cheng Mi to the point of wishing for death.

Noticing his trembling, the man beside him sighed involuntarily.

His strong, sturdy arms wrapped around Cheng Mi, and he murmured regretfully, "What a pity. I’ve consulted specialized institutions, and they said your current age is ideal for it, with a quick recovery. If you’re willing, we can go anytime."

Cheng Mi began to tremble upon hearing this.

His hands and feet turned cold, and he lost all interest in greeting other acquaintances.

Li Qiutian noticed him but, after recognizing the identity of the man beside Cheng Mi, merely stepped forward to politely greet him on behalf of his family before tactfully leaving.

Only after turning away did surprise show on Li Qiutian’s face.

He never expected that the hidden school bully from high school would end up with such a fate.

Cheng Mi, seeing Li Qiutian alone and still aimlessly drifting through life, initially wanted to tease him, but he was still shaken by the man’s words and lacked the energy or will. He could only lean against the man, pretending to be asleep and uninterested in everything.

It wasn’t until You Nan and Jiang Songen made their entrance from backstage that he finally brightened somewhat.

You Nan and Jiang Songen’s wedding was meticulously planned.

Mrs. Jiang had worked on it for a full year.

Anyone stepping into the venue could clearly feel Mrs. Jiang’s love for Jiang Songen and You Nan.

You Nan and Jiang Songen stood side by side on the stage, wearing similar custom-tailored suits without labels. A single glance was enough to tell they had cost a fortune.

The bouquet and rings were delivered by You Nan’s younger brother, You Ruan.

The once small child had grown much taller, standing straight like a poplar tree. His face resembled You Nan’s, but compared to his brother’s delicate beauty, You Ruan had a more resilient and bright demeanor.

The wedding continued until the end, when Jiang Songen’s parents were invited onto the stage by the host. It was only then that everyone noticed, to their surprise, that they were still holding the child who had been “greeting guests” at the entrance.

Mrs. Jiang was at the doorway, holding the child and chatting with guests. Pretty much everyone had seen the child by then.

Knowing that the Jiang family was celebrating a same-sex marriage and couldn't have kids, most assumed the cute happy baby belonged to a relative of the Jiangs.

“Whose kid is that? I’ve never seen him before.”

“Not sure, but he’s really cute—and he looks a lot like one of the grooms.”

“Hey, I think he resembles the other groom too.”

“Could it be that, to continue the family line, they had their son have a kid with another woman?”

People started whispering and guessing from the crowd, with all sorts of theories floating around.

Cheng Mi sat among them and heard everything, but he kept quiet.

Very few people knew the truth—that the child had actually come from You Nan.

The idea of a man giving birth was just too weird. The Jiang family was protecting You Nan, keeping it totally secret.

The entire Jiang family stood together on the stage, and though the murmurs from below were hushed, they could still hear them clearly.

Both Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Jiang couldn’t help but check how their daughter-in-law was taking it.

They were worried that You Nan might get upset by the comments and didn’t want him to feel hurt.

Surprisingly, instead of getting angry, You Nan found the crazy guesses kind of funny.

He couldn't believe what people were thinking.

Unlike You Nan, who remained calm and even amused, Jiang Songen’s face tightened up.

That little one was truly his and his wife’s child! Not a child with someone else!

These people really had no filter.

Even on such a joyous occasion, they couldn’t let him just enjoy his day.

Jiang Songen’s eyelids twitched, and the smile kind of froze.

The host Mrs. Jiang had hired was the same one who had done the wedding for Cheng Mi and his husband.

Mrs. Jiang didn't want to find someone else—since this host had experience, she thought it best to invite him again.

The fact that this host had been chosen by Cheng Mi’s husband showed how good his professionalism and skill were.

Noticing the tension on stage, the host smoothly redirected the audience’s attention, shifting their focus away from the little guy.

From the child’s appearance and the way Mrs. Jiang held him as the family stood together, the host could tell the boy was definitely the real son of the Jiang family’s young master.

Unfortunately, even he didn’t guess that the child was biologically Jiang Songen and You Nan’s.

The wedding of You Nan and Jiang Songen lasted a long time, starting in the afternoon and finally concluding in the evening.

Jiang Songen took You Nan to the lounge. “Rest well here. I’ll help my parents say goodbye to everyone.”

You Nan said okay.

Their son, Maomao, was brought in by Mrs. Jiang herself.

The little one’s face was flushed, and his small body was shaking from crying in the adult’s arms—so sad to see. Clearly, he had been crying after failing to find his mother.

You Nan immediately took him into his arms.

The moment the child was in his embrace, his sobbing stopped right away.

Mrs. Jiang laughed a little and gently tapped the boy on the nose, which looked exactly like her son’s.

She told You Nan with a sigh, “This little stinker only wants his mom. Doesn’t even want his grandma anymore.”

You Nan said with a smile. “That’s not true. Maomao just isn’t too fond of his dad.”

Mrs. Jiang started laughing at that.

The whole family knew about the funny relationship between Jiang Songen and Maomao.

It was as if they were enemies in a past life—always something going on between them, and a constant source of amusement.

Li Qiutian and a few close friends had stayed until the very end, hoping to hang out with Jiang Songen.

Jiang Songen didn’t make them wait long and joined them in the guest room after a short while.

The group reunited after many years, with a lot to catch up on.

They chatted about everything—love lives, careers—but most expressed regret that Jiang Songen had married so young.

After all, Jiang Songen wasn’t even twenty-five yet, making him the first among them to get married.

“I remember how popular Jiang Songen was back in school! So many people liked him.”

“I’m so jealous. If I had a face like Jiang Songen’s, I’d probably be married by now too.”

Jiang Songen laughed at their jokes. “What’s past is past. True love is hard to find—I was just lucky enough to find mine and didn’t want to let it go.”

“I’m sure you’ll all find yours soon. Maybe in a couple of years, You Nan and I will be attending your weddings.”

Everyone shared a good laugh.

“Songen,” one friend suddenly asked, asking curiously, “where did that child your mom was holding today come from?”

“He looks so much like you. If I didn’t know you and You Nan are both men, I’d think he was your own.”

Jiang Songen didn't change expression; he kept smiling. “You’re not the first to ask that.”

“If you’re all so curious about having kids, maybe you should find girlfriends, get married, and have your own.”

He pointed teasingly at one friend. “I heard you and your partner are getting pretty serious, right?”

“Whoa! What’s going on? You’re all getting together without telling me!”

“Hey! I thought we agreed to all stay single!”

The others, stirred by the revelation, began jokingly scolding the friend who’d broke our single agreement.

Jiang Songen kept smiling and quickly changed the subject.

Once everyone settled down, he checked the time on his phone and got serious.

"Alright, it's getting late now, time to call it a night! Today's my big day, so I need to get back early to be with Xiao Nan. Next time there's a chance, let's all get together again!"

The others didn't want to call it a night so soon; now living all over the country, it was rare for them to have a chance to reunite.

But they all knew Jiang Songen had a point.

How could someone leave their partner alone on their wedding day just to go out drinking all night with friends?

"Alright then, we'll get going," they said, picking up their phones and standing to say goodbye to Jiang Songen.

"Great! Remember to text in the group chat once you get back."

Jiang Songen stood up to walk them out.

All his old buddies agreed.

It wasn’t until after they’d left that someone realized Jiang Songen hadn’t answered their question at all.

He couldn’t help scratching his head, frustrated.

Was that child really Jiang Songen’s?

But he didn’t dwell on it long; after a night, he put the question out of his mind.

.

Maomao was a clever child. One day, You Nan realized his son could actually pick up on social cues.

When Maomao was still small and couldn’t sit up on his own, he needed someone to hold him.

Not wanting You Nan to get tired, Maomao would find someone else to pick him up.

His target was always clear and consistent.

His first choice was always his dad, Jiang Songen, then Grandpa Mr. Jiang, followed by Grandma, and last of all, Mom.

Jiang Songen young and energetic; even if work drained him, he bounced back quickly and then came home to bother You Nan, who had already recovered.

To avoid disturbing the couple,

Maomao would always be taken away by Grandma to sleep with his grandparents when this happened.

But Maomao loved clinging to You Nan, so he’d only sleep for a short while before crying his heart out.

He used body language to fully express his desire to be close to You Nan.

Jiang Songen, in the middle of everything, would be interrupted by his son’s crying outside, his forehead vein bulging.

Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Jiang would initially anxiously bring Maomao over.

But when their son answered the door with his pants on, shirt open, and a clear look of irritation on his face, the old couple couldn’t help but blush.

Without another word, the grandparents just took Maomao and left.

Once back, Maomao’s crying was ear-splitting; Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang couldn’t stop his tears from flowing like a fountain.

The couple tried every kind of sweet talk and promises, but nothing worked.

In the end, the child just cried until he fell asleep out of exhaustion.

Perhaps because he cried so hard that day, Maomao’s little brain remembered it.

From then on, the distance between Maomao and his father grew deeper.

His goal was clear: he wanted to separate Dad and Mom.

So every time he saw Jiang Songen return, he’d instinctively reach out his chubby little arms, silently asking Dad to hold him.

Jiang Songen was surprised and somewhat flattered by his son’s sudden affection.

After it happened a few times, he started to think his son actually was fond of him.

He even told You Nan that he had a knack for fatherhood.

You Nan would always laugh hearing this, but he wouldn’t tell Jiang Songen, he was being played by his son.

After all, however much Jiang Songen might wonder, he’d never guess that his son simply wanted to sacrifice his own comfort to protect You Nan.