Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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“Old Ji, what are you thinking about so seriously?” Dong Li patted Ji Yan on the shoulder and sat down next to him.
Ji Yan looked into the distance silently.
Dong Li smiled, lit a cigarette for himself, and took out another one to hand to him. “You’ve been preoccupied these past few days…”
Ji Yan reached out and took the cigarette, put it in his mouth, took the lighter from Dong Li’s hand, lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a smoke ring.
“Old Ji, I haven’t seen you smoke in a long time. You used to smoke every time because you were worried about Xiao Zhuo, but ever since Xiao Zhuo and Tang Tang came to join the army, you haven’t smoked at all. I almost thought you’d quit.”
Perhaps no one would have guessed that Ji Yan, the academically outstanding and self-disciplined ‘model child,’ had actually been smoking since he was fifteen, and quite heavily at that, downing two packs a day. This continued until Ji Xiaozhuo was born. For the sake of his child’s health, Ji Yan reduced his smoking, only occasionally smoking when he was away on missions and worried about Ji Xiaozhuo. After Tang Tang and her son joined him at the military base, Ji Yan had almost completely quit smoking. This was the first time he had smoked in so many days, which showed that something was really on his mind.
Ji Yan tapped off the ash, ‘Nothing.’ Dong Li didn’t quite believe him. Seeing that he wouldn’t say anything, he guessed, ‘Did you and Tang Tang have a fight? Did you two have a disagreement?’ Ji Yan took a deep drag on his cigarette.
It seems he guessed right. Dong Li couldn’t help but wonder, “They really had a falling out? Logically speaking, that shouldn’t be the case. Tang Tang is so well-behaved now, she spoils you like a treasure, would she really have the heart to argue with you? I think you’re the one who’s giving her a cold shoulder.”
Dong Li couldn’t say much about the Tang Tang of the past, but the Tang Tang of now was as soft as dough, obedient and virtuous, spoiling Ji Yan and his son rotten. Would she really have the heart to have a conflict with Ji Yan? Impossible.
Ji Yan glanced at him and said calmly, “Don’t guess wildly, it’s not what you think, we’re fine.”
Dong Li didn’t believe him, thinking that Ji Yan probably hadn’t truly forgiven Tang Tang’s past actions. He earnestly advised, “Old Ji, the past is the past. The present and the future are what matter most. Since she has amnesia, don’t dwell on the past. She’s doing great now, putting her heart into you and Xiao Zhuo. Be more forgiving. Why should we, as grown men, hold grudges against a woman?”
Ji Yan gave him a dismissive look. “Where did you see that I’m holding grudges?”
Dong Li thought about it and realized that Ji Yan wasn’t the type to hold grudges against women. It was just that he didn’t know how to interact with women, always wearing a cool expression. Even if he didn’t hold grudges, Tang Tang might think he did.
“Since you’re not going to hold it against her, then live a good life with Tang Tang. Be nice to her; women need to be pampered. If you’re not good to her, how can she keep opening her heart to you?” Although Dong Li wasn’t married, he had a lot of experience in dating and really understood how men and women interacted, so Ji Yan didn’t take his words as nonsense.
After silently taking a few puffs of his cigarette, just when Dong Li thought he wouldn’t speak, he finally spoke, “…I didn’t treat her badly because of what happened before.”
Dong Li wanted to roll his eyes. “Not treating her badly and treating her well are two different things. Forget it, you’re a man who’s never even been in a relationship, you probably don’t understand. Let me put it this way, when it comes to treating your wife well, we all have to pay tribute to Zhang Cheng. Look how good Zhang Cheng is to Fang Yuwei! He gives her all his money, does all the housework, showers her with care and attention, and always gives her birthday and Valentine’s Day gifts. I bet this guy even washes his wife’s feet at night!”
As Dong Li spoke, he got goosebumps himself and shrugged his shoulders. “Forget it, forget it, most men can’t spoil their wives like Zhang Cheng does. It’s like losing all their dignity as men. We should only try to do a third of that, that’s enough to make our wives devoted to us.”
Ji Yan silently took the cigarette out of his mouth and looked into the distance, lost in thought.
Give her all his money and do all the housework? Tang Tang did all the housework; he didn’t have to do anything, and the money was all in his hands.
Caring and attentive service? That seemed to be Tang Tang’s doing too. She’d come to pick him up every day, and she’d worry for ages if he sneezed.
Birthday and Valentine’s Day gifts? He didn’t think he’d ever given her anything, only money, and he didn’t even know when her birthday was.
Washing her feet? That was Tang Tang’s doing too; he’d never done that.
Thinking about it, it seemed he really hadn’t done anything for her, not even bought her a single piece of clothing. All the clothes she wore were handmade by her. She spent all the money he gave her on household expenses, never spending a penny on herself.
Could it be that she felt he hadn’t treated her well and was unhappy, hence her recent behavior?
Dong Li genuinely wanted his old friend to be happy. He could see the change in him since Tang Tang and Xiao Zhuo arrived; he seemed radiating happiness, though he himself might not realize it. Therefore, he didn’t want his old friend to miss out on this happiness because of his lack of romantic understanding.
“Old Ji, I used to advise you to divorce Tang Tang, but things are different now. Tang Tang has forgotten the past. Now she’s kind and virtuous, and she spoils you and Xiao Zhuo so much that every man is jealous. Plus, she’s Xiao Zhuo’s biological mother. If you can live a good life together, forget about the past. It’s better for Xiao Zhuo. Besides, anyone can see that Tang Tang genuinely likes you now. Whenever you’re around, her eyes are always on you. That look is really stimulating for us single guys. So, give her a chance, be nice to her, and don’t let her get cold-hearted.”
Ji Yan stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and patted Dong Li on the shoulder. “I’m leaving.”
“Hey, why are you leaving so early? Did you even hear what I said?”
Ji Yan came home much earlier than usual that day. Tang Tang was sitting on the sofa sewing when she saw him return so early, and she was quite surprised. “You’re back so early? I haven’t made dinner yet. I’ll go make it now.”
Ji Yan pressed her shoulder. “It’s still early. You can do your work later.”
Tang Tang saw that it was indeed still early, and she could make dinner later. She glanced at him and continued sewing.
Ji Yan silently sat down on the sofa and watched her swiftly stitching for a while before shifting his gaze from her hands to the dress she was making. It was a dress.
“This dress is different from the one you made a while ago,” Ji Yan suddenly said.
Tang Tang nodded. “The dress I made a while ago was for Wen Wen, and I’ve already sent it to her. Now I’m making one for Ji Yue. She said she wanted a padded jacket and skirt for Grandma Zhuo’s birthday banquet, and I promised her.”
Ji Yan pursed his lips, his eyes deepening. He remembered that when she first bought fabric, she said she’d bought fabric for both him and Xiao Zhuo, and that she was going to make him a shirt. Xiao Zhuo’s overalls were already finished, but his shirt was nowhere to be seen.
Did she not want to make one for him?
Ji Yan suddenly felt very uncomfortable, but he couldn’t express it. This made him a little irritable, so he stood up to find something to do, but after looking around, he couldn’t find anything. Tang Tang had kept the house very tidy, and there was nothing he could do. Helpless, he went into his room and picked up his military books to read.
But after reading for a long time, he couldn’t concentrate on anything. Ji Yan simply put down the book, closed his eyes, and pondered. A few seconds later, he took out his phone and called Gu Chang’an.
Gu Chang’an was quite surprised that Ji Yan was calling him at this time, but when Ji Yan spoke his first words, his jaw almost dropped.
“What do you usually do when Ji Yue is unhappy?”
Gu Chang’an almost thought he’d misheard. “What did you say?”
Ji Yan repeated, his face full of surprise, “What do you usually do when Ji Yue is unhappy?”
Gu Chang’an finally confirmed he hadn’t misheard, raised his chin slightly, and after a long pause said, “Tang Tang is unhappy, so you want to coax her?”
Ji Yan remained silent.
Gu Chang’an suddenly wanted to laugh. He never expected that Ji Yan, who was always the one being chased by women but never noticed, would actually want to coax a woman. He suddenly wanted to share his thoughts on how to do it.
But sharing this would probably ruin their brotherhood, so Gu Chang’an suppressed a laugh and tried to act normal, saying, “That’s easy. If Ji Yue is unhappy, I’ll just cater to her tastes and give her something. Ji Yue loves beauty, so I’ll buy her pretty clothes, jewelry, skincare products, and cosmetics. That’ll make her happy.”
Gu Chang’an’s tone suddenly shifted, his voice becoming slightly lewd, “But brother, these aren’t actually the best methods. The best and most effective way is to give her a romantic candlelight dinner, followed by some romantic sex, making her feel incredibly comfortable and blissful. I guarantee she’ll be fine the next day. Let me tell you a truth: there’s nothing that can’t be solved in bed.”
Ji Yan: “…Have Ji Yue buy me the best skincare products and send them to me. I’ll transfer the money to her.”
Gu Chang’an clicked his tongue twice on the other end, quite regretfully, “Really not going to consider the best solution? It’s guaranteed to work.”
Ji Yan decisively hung up the phone.
As a husband, he seemed to have indeed neglected his duties. She had always been the one making sacrifices, while he hadn’t done anything for her. He seemed to have indeed stopped treating her as a wife because of what had happened before. Perhaps Dong Li was right; he shouldn’t dwell on the past. The future was the most important thing. She was really doing well now, and this kind of family was exactly what he needed.
Wasn’t she thinking about becoming more beautiful? Buying her skincare products would surely be something she’d like.
Ji Yue acted quickly, sending a set of the world’s best skincare products to Ji Yan the next day.
Returning home that day, Ji Yan carried a skincare set that seemed quite out of place with his tough-guy image, attracting many stares along the way. Ji Yan could only walk quickly into his house without looking at anyone.
Ji Xiaozhuo was the first to notice what his father was holding. Not recognizing it, he curiously examined it, initially thinking it was food, but realizing it wasn’t, he looked up at his father with a hint of disappointment and asked, “What’s this? Is it for me?”
Ji Yan tapped his forehead and gestured towards the kitchen, “You’re overthinking it. This is for Mom. Take it to her for Dad.”
Upon hearing it was for Mom, Ji Xiaozhuo’s eyes lit up, and he immediately covered his mouth, asking excitedly in a low voice, “Dad, are you trying to woo Mom?”
Ji Yan: “…Do you even know what ‘wooing’ means?”
Feeling underestimated, Ji Xiaozhuo immediately raised his chin and answered, “Of course I know! ‘Wooing’ means a boy gives a girl a gift, and if she’s happy, she becomes his girlfriend.”
“…” This three-year-old actually knew that! Ji Yan was slightly surprised, but wondered where he’d learned it from; most likely from television.
However, he wasn’t pursuing her; he was simply maintaining family harmony and providing Ji Xiaozhuo with a good environment to grow up in.
“Dad doesn’t need to pursue Mom because Mom is already Dad’s wife, so giving Mom a gift is meaningless, you know?”
Ji Xiaozhuo’s eyes darted around, and he secretly glanced at Tang Tang in the kitchen before whispering in his father’s ear, “But Dad, giving a girl a gift yourself shows sincerity, otherwise she won’t like you. So Dad, you have to give it to Mom yourself!”
“…” Suddenly, he realized he really couldn’t let Ji Xiaozhuo watch TV anymore; if he kept watching, he was afraid the kid would bring home a little wife from kindergarten.
Ji Xiaozhuo resolutely refused to help his father give the gift, leaving Ji Yan with no choice but to deliver it himself. But he had only ever received gifts from girls before, and had never given a gift to a girl before. He felt extremely awkward and couldn’t utter a single word.
And so, Ji Yan still hadn’t managed to give the gift by the time he finished eating, had showered, and was ready for bed. Ji Xiaozhuo, anxious and winking at him, was practically squeezing his chubby face into a bun.
Tang Tang looked at Ji Xiaozhuo curiously, “Baby, what’s wrong with your face? Are you feeling unwell?”
Startled, Ji Xiaozhuo immediately regained his composure and obediently shook his head, “No, Mommy, they said on TV that this helps slim the face. I have too much fat on my face; I need to lose some to look more handsome.”
Really? She didn’t seem to have heard of that. Tang Tang nodded, seemingly understanding.
Ji Yan glanced at the quick-witted Ji Xiaozhuo without saying a word, giving him an approving look.
Ji Xiaozhuo helplessly shrugged at his father, “You’ll have to figure it out yourself; I can’t help you.”
Ji Yan stared at Tang Tang, who was soaking his feet. Seeing that she hadn’t looked up at him much during the process, not even offering a sweet smile, he felt this couldn’t continue. At the last minute, he took out the gift and silently handed it to Tang Tang.
Tang Tang blinked, puzzled. “What’s this?”
Ji Yan cleared his throat and said expressionlessly, “It’s skincare products. Someone gave them to me. I don’t need them, so you can use them.”
Tang Tang wondered who would give this to a grown man like Ji Yan, but after thinking for a moment, she didn’t press the matter. She took the gift and thanked Ji Yan, “Thank you, I’ll use it carefully.”
Ji Yan had expected her to excitedly open it and sweetly say, “Thank you, honey, I love it!” as before. But she simply thanked him and put it in the bathroom.
She didn’t seem excited at all. Did she not like it?
Even after Ji Xiaozhuo was already snoring softly, Ji Yan still couldn’t figure it out. He turned his head to look over, but couldn’t tell if Tang Tang was asleep or not in the darkness. So he tentatively called out, “Tang Tang?”
“Hmm, what’s wrong, honey?” Tang Tang wasn’t asleep either.
Ji Yan hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Um… don’t you like it?”
“Hmm? What?”
“I mean those skincare products? Don’t you like it?”
Tang Tang was taken aback, wondering why he was acting so strangely tonight, but she still told the truth, “No, I really like it. My skin needs it. The one you gave me looks really good.”
“That’s good. Then… go to sleep.”
“Oh, okay, I’m going to sleep now.”
Ji Yan waited for a while but didn’t hear Tang Tang’s usual “Goodnight, honey.” All he heard was the sound of her breathing as she slept.
Ji Yan suddenly wanted to smoke a cigarette, but with his wife and child there, he forced himself to resist.
The next evening, Ji Yan called Gu Chang’an again. Before he could even speak, Gu Chang’an asked, “Is it the same problem again?”
Despite the schadenfreude in his tone, Ji Yan had to say, “She doesn’t like it. Have Ji Yue buy me something that women would like.”
Gu Chang’an really wanted to say that maybe it wasn’t the item, but rather that they needed to find out why she was unhappy and address the root cause. However, he swallowed the words, a mischievous thought popping into his head.
He decided not to give him any pointers and let Ji Yan figure it out himself, letting him experience the feeling of being frustrated with a woman. After all, this guy had always been so aloof towards women. Heh heh, karma was catching up with him now.
So, the mischievous brother Gu Chang’an said, “Okay, I’ll have Ji Yue buy it for you. But you can’t just give her things; sometimes actions speak louder than words. Women are emotional creatures. Giving her a massage or washing her feet might make her happier than receiving a gift.”
Ji Yan remained silent for a long time on the other end of the phone before hanging up.
After hanging up the phone, Gu Chang’an lay back in his chair and laughed heartily. He was already imagining Ji Yan, the tough, cool guy, washing his wife’s feet in his mind. But then he thought he was overthinking it; given Ji Yan’s personality, he definitely wouldn’t do such a thing.
Ji Yue, seeing her husband acting crazy, kicked him, “What are you doing, acting like a lunatic?”
Gu Chang’an pulled Ji Yue onto his lap and shared the story with her, concluding, “I originally wanted to see Ji Yan get embarrassed washing his wife’s feet, but unfortunately, that’s impossible. That guy has always been incredibly cold towards women; he would never do something like that.”
Ji Yue disagreed, smiling meaningfully, “That’s not necessarily true. Tough guys usually melt when they meet someone as gentle as Tang Tang. Just you wait and see.”
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