Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The three-day heat cycle concluded perfectly.

It ended just the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Jiang Jining looked like a flower thoroughly soaked with water, glowing and dewy, his fair skin flushed with a delicate pink. He seemed surrounded by an almost visible, faintly fragrant aura, rich and sweet. When he came downstairs alone, wrapped in a blanket to sunbathe, Aunt Tao could only stare in amazement.

She hadn't seen him around the house for two or three days.

He looked even more beautiful.

After autumn arrived, the scenery of Xie Ting changed accordingly. The temperature became much more pleasant, and whether it was a sunny day or a rainy one, each offered its own unique charm.

Fu Yuze was in the study catching up on work he'd delayed over the past few days.

Jiang Jining had truly been indulged to the point of being *overfed* by him and needed a brief separation to adjust. He lay on the recliner in front of the tea room reading, the recliner gently swaying in the sunlight, his long hair cascading to his waist—a picture of serene beauty.

Aunt Tao brewed his favorite Biluochun tea.

Jiang Jining picked up the teacup from the side table beside him, took a sip, and focused on his book. Just as he was becoming engrossed, he heard footsteps but didn't pay it much mind.

It was Aunt Tao who approached.

"Xiao Ning. I saw your watch had no battery, so I helped you charge it. There happened to be a call; see if it's from your family..."

The name on the caller ID wasn't one that appeared often—

Xi Wang.

"It's a friend's call." Seeing it, Jiang Jining felt a special kind of delight. His current life felt more tangible, his connections to this world growing ever stronger.

Hearing this, Aunt Tao said, "Really? Then should we invite them over for a visit? Mr. Fu would surely welcome them too."

After his illness, Jiang Jining rarely even left his room; he probably got bored occasionally.

In fact, Xi Wang hadn't called on a whim. Over the past few days, whenever he remembered he would start his new job at Shishu after the holiday and participate in employee training, he hesitated all morning before finally making the call.

"Hello, Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Jining had only just started using his electronic devices again in the last couple of days and hadn't yet had time to call Bian Han. Xi Wang's call happened to coincide with Aunt Tao charging his phone for him—what a coincidence. "You can call me A Ning."

Xi Wang felt warmed by his gentle tone and said with a smile, "A Ning. Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. I baked some mooncakes at home, but I don't know how to get them to you..."

Xi Wang was aware of his own standing. But it was all too coincidental; he wasn't entirely sure if the job he'd dreamed of was due to Jiang Jining's kindness.

He didn't dare get too close to Jiang Jining.

Especially with that formidable boss on the other side, impossible to ignore.

Xi Wang had been a top-ranking, well-behaved student since childhood, the proverbial 'child from next door.' Unfortunately, his mother passed away early, and his father showed signs of Alzheimer's during his university years. He took on the responsibility early and had always been upstanding and diligent, rarely finding himself in such 'gift-giving' situations. Even if it came from sincerity, he worried it might not be seen as sincere, always afraid his gesture might seem insufficiently generous or even fawning.

"What fillings?" Jiang Jining's first question was about this.

Xi Wang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly opened a box he had set aside for his father. "I didn't know your taste, so I made several kinds. Lava custard, fresh meat, pineapple, and pork floss with salted egg yolk."

*Mooncakes could have so many variations?*

Jiang Jining's appetite had returned to normal after his heat, and hearing this, he quite wanted to try them. He was being delightfully naive: "Alright, I'll send you the address. I'll have the butler meet you at the gate shortly."

Xi Wang was flattered and flustered. "No need, no need..."

After their chat, they hung up.

After sending the address, Jiang Jining called for Uncle Lu, saying a friend was coming and to be on the lookout for a guest. He then quickly put away the book and teacup in his hands.

Uncle Lu exclaimed, "Oh, let me get that!"

Jiang Jining intended to change his clothes. Upon entering his own room, he discovered Aunt Tao had already given it a thorough cleaning. With a sense of disbelief, he opened the wardrobe—sure enough, it had been emptied.

"..."

Jiang Jining had no choice but to go to the "new bedroom" in the main building and find the walk-in closet, where he saw someone in the midst of reorganizing.

Aunt Tao had already sorted through most of Fu Yuze's clothes. Seeing him arrive, she accurately found the piece he wanted from a row of white garment bags in the glass wardrobe and added, "Sir also ordered two new display cabinets for you. Xiao Ning, do you have a favorite color for bedding? We can buy the same brand as spares later."

Jiang Jining: "..."

He felt his ears and face grow warm.

He strongly suspected that Fu Yuze, who could read his mind at any time, was deliberately not hiding it in front of Aunt Tao and Uncle Lu.

Speak of the devil.

After tidying up and going downstairs, Jiang Jining saw Uncle Lu just leaving Fu Yuze's side to go to the front courtyard. The latter, upon seeing him, stuck to him like syrup bubbling in a pot. "Invited Xi Wang over?"

"He said he made mooncakes for me."

Jiang Jining's voice softened whenever he shared something interesting.

Fu Yuze didn't mind if Xi Wang was expressing gratitude this way. Jiang Jining was happy making his first formal friend in the modern era, that was what mattered. He just didn't forget to solidify his own position: "I can make them too. I was actually thinking of teaching you hands-on later."

The house was too big; walking around wasn't easy either. Jiang Jining didn't stand for long before starting to feel lazy.

Fu Yuze led him to the sofa.

Perhaps because they had been intimate in even more intense ways, Jiang Jining's acceptance level had clearly risen significantly. He habitually nestled into Fu Yuze's embrace, lifting a strand of his own hair to examine the changes. "Is making mooncakes fun?"

"You can knead the dough for the pastry skin." Fu Yuze told him.

Jiang Jining graciously nodded.

Soon, the guest alert chime sounded.

Just as Jiang Jining left Fu Yuze's embrace, he saw Uncle Lu leading someone in. Bian Jiacheng, wearing a black leather trench coat over a red base, walked ahead into the living room. "Little A Ning, the holiday is tomorrow."

Bian Han was catching up with Aunt Tao.

It was true she needed to pick up her child tomorrow for the holiday, but with the month almost over, what concerned her most and couldn't be ignored was how Jiang Jining planned to spend his upcoming heat cycle this time.

Aunt Tao chatted with her for a bit and also prepared a coffee table full of treats for the guests, all freshly handmade in the kitchen.

"Come home with us later."

After uttering such rebellious words, Bian Jiacheng naturally helped himself to the food, thinking that having a chef with top-tier culinary skills and taste at home was indeed a pleasure.

Aunt Tao thoughtfully provided gloves and gold forks.

"Will you stay for dinner?" Fu Yuze let Jiang Jining go enjoy the treats with Bian Jiacheng, while asking Uncle Lu to pour wine for Bian Han separately, thus perfectly catering to everyone's preferences.

Bian Han accepted the offered wine but was firm: "No, thanks. My parents are coming over to see Ning Zai later, and Auntie is preparing dinner. Bian Jiacheng is also flying out after tomorrow."

Jiang Jining was only partly in the know.

He knew Bian Han had told her family about him a while ago, and meeting them was inevitable. But he quickly turned to Bian Jiacheng and asked, "You're leaving?"

Bian Jiacheng raised the corner of his mouth: "Gonna miss me?"

"A little." Jiang Jining said whatever came to mind and began asking about what life abroad was like.

Bian Han had already sampled the quality of Fu Yuze's private wine collection last time—it was top-notch. She downed her glass in one go. "You don’t have plans to take Ningning home this time, do you? Otherwise, your plans might fall through."

She was certain he didn’t.

A person like Fu Yuze operated with too much forethought; if he had arrangements, he’d probably have given notice a week in advance.

"No. I originally planned to take him home tomorrow morning." Of course, Fu Yuze wanted Jiang Jining to stay for as long as he could. He leaned over and pulled out a tissue. "Your mouth."

Jiang Jining tilted his head up without a second thought.

Bian Jiacheng was largely immune to this scene.

But Bian Han silently noticed the dynamic between the two—Fu Yuze wiped the corner of Jiang Jining’s mouth and the potato cake sauce from his fingers. When they sat close, their thighs pressed together without any regard for personal space, completely natural.

Though it only lasted a few seconds...

A lightbulb went off for Bian Han, and she began observing Jiang Jining’s complexion and state. The more she looked, the more convinced she became that her suspicions were correct. She quietly opened the memo on her phone related to Jiang Jining’s heat cycle, and her guess fully took shape.

"Ning Zai, go pack your things." She set down her wine glass and met Jiang Jining’s obedient, beautiful eyes, feeling a bit uneasy inside. "Where’s your backpack?"

Jiang Jining was still thinking about what he needed to bring home.

"Forget it, I’ll pack for you." Bian Han stood up directly and walked out of the living room. "I know where your room is."

This well-behaved child had never experienced this kind of situation before.

Before Jiang Jining could even panic, he was soothed. Fu Yuze seemed like a steadying presence: "Go ahead."

Voluntarily confessing and being caught red-handed were entirely different.

With Bian Jiacheng still present, both of them pretended nothing had happened.

Jiang Jining walked out, and moments later, Fu Yuze followed, finding Aunt Tao and instructing her to pack the luggage.

Jiang Jining had a tacit understanding that he was helping clean up the aftermath.

Once the luggage was packed, it would be handed over from Aunt Tao to him, and the biggest loudmouth, Bian Jiacheng, naturally wouldn’t have time to pay attention.

Jiang Jining felt much more at ease.

Before he could even reach his old room, he found Bian Han leaning against the wall near the staircase, waiting for him. She didn’t give him a chance to speak and blinked: "Baby, you’ve lost your virginity."

Jiang Jining genuinely didn’t understand. "Huh?"

Bian Han, having had a bit to drink, was even more alluring. Her platinum enamel earrings swayed slightly as she chuckled, leaning in to ask, "Your heat cycle ended this month, right? Does Fu Yuze know what he's doing?"

She was quite concerned.

With Jiang Jining’s personality, he’d never make someone lose face.

Whether Fu Yuze was gentle and considerate in bed was another matter, but since both of them were experiencing this for the first time, she hoped the kid hadn’t silently suffered any hardships.

Jiang Jining’s face flushed red and hot under her gaze. "...Much better than before."

He didn’t seem like he had anything terrible to say. Bian Han took Jiang Jining’s hand and gave it a gentle shake, testing the waters: "You didn’t go bare, right? Did he use a condom?"

Jiang Jining could no longer pretend to deceive himself.

He felt like a crab in a steamer, about to turn red and cooked through in the next second, never to return to its original state. After a long pause, under Bian Han’s somewhat anxious gaze, he quietly admitted that he had.

Alright, so they’d used protection.

Bian Han instantly lost her temper.

The fact that Fu Yuze knew Jiang Jining could get pregnant and still took the initiative to take extra precautions was particularly commendable. Really impressive—even his conduct in bed was this reliable.

Perfect score!