“……”
Though finding it awkward and the task of carrying things ill-suited for him, Zhan Bei Jue still took the bags.
Holding a little in each hand, Jiang Nan Fang immediately, skillfully, and naturally reached out and linked her arm through his.
“What are you pretending not to understand for? Didn't you just look for me? At Peninsula International, no less. Have you forgotten so quickly?”
Had this woman gone truly mad?
When he went to the hotel to find her earlier, she had looked as if she were at death's door. Then, she wanted to fight him to the death on the street.
Now, she was suspecting others of harming her personal safety, and then acting all cheerful and winking at him…
He truly couldn't figure out what this woman of his intended.
Jiang Nan Fang affectionately linked her arm through his as they walked, pointing at the shops on either side and chatting with him in high spirits.
“The clothes here are really quite nice. This is my first time at this mall.”
“This one is pretty, ah, the one on that model is pretty too, and that one as well.”
“I want to go into this shop. The clothes inside look so good too!”
As they spoke, the two arrived at the entrance of the clothing store where Mrs. Zhan was.
Jiang Nan Fang pulled Zhan Bei Jue’s arm, urging him inside.
“I like that red one. Didn't you say I don't look good in black? Then I'll wear red for you to see!”
“Let’s go, let’s take a look!”
Mrs. Zhan was sitting on the sofa in the middle of the clothing store, asking a sales assistant to adjust the hem of her trousers.
Hearing a familiar voice, she instinctively turned her head to look over.
As a result, the sight nearly made her eyeballs pop out.
What… what was going on?!
Wasn't this Jiang Nan Fang?
This damned woman, hadn’t she already left? Hadn't she cut ties with Zhan Bei Jue? How had she ended up with him again?
That day, Mrs. Zhan had been dragged away from the hospital by Zhan Bei Jue in her fury. Upon returning, she had expected a major confrontation between mother and son.
Instead, Zhan Bei Jue had calmly told her that he would no longer associate with Jiang Nan Fang.
To make her give up and have no reason to pester him further, he planned to send the child abroad, creating a false impression that they had died in an accident.
Soon after, he published news of a car accident on television.
Mrs. Zhan was overjoyed, believing she had won the battle for her son.
After all, she was the one who gave birth to him, and at a crucial moment, he still sided with his mother.
Who would have thought that after only two months of peace, this damned woman would end up with Zhan Bei Jue again?
Thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her, she blinked them hard, then opened them again.
It was true!
That venomous face, that detestable smile – she remembered them too well. She was absolutely sure, it was Jiang Nan Fang!
What on earth was going on?
Could it be that Zhan Bei Jue had been lying to her for the past two months?
Seeing them with their arms linked, Jiang Nan Fang wearing an expression of such blissful oblivion, Mrs. Zhan was enraged.
Without waiting for the sales assistant to retract her hand, she stepped on her fingers and stood up abruptly.
“Zhan Bei Jue!”
Zhan Bei Jue, with Jiang Nan Fang’s arm linked through his, was about to scold her for her endless antics and wonder what trick she was up to now, when he heard his mother’s familiar voice.
Then, with a glance, he instantly understood why Jiang Nan Fang’s mood had suddenly improved so much.
This damned woman must have discovered his mother was in this shop earlier!
“Didn’t you say you two had no relationship anymore, and that this damned woman had left Nan City?”
Mrs. Zhan walked over, her voice sharp and piercing, “Explain yourself. What is going on now?”
In the elegant shop, transactions were conducted with grace and quiet.
Suddenly interrupted by her loud shout, all eyes turned towards them.
Jiang Nan Fang appeared as if she had just noticed, blinking her innocent, wide eyes.
“Auntie, what a coincidence? I didn’t expect you to be shopping here at this hour.”
“I thought this brand’s clothing was targeted at young people like us, I didn’t realize you liked it too.”
“Have you chosen? Which style do you like? It just so happens that Ah Jue is taking me in to buy clothes, we can have him swipe his card for you too~”
“……”
Zhan Bei Jue was certain that Jiang Nan Fang, this damned woman, had set up all the preceding events specifically to lure him here to meet his mother.
She was truly petty and vengeful. All his affection for her had been wasted!
“Shameless! You brazen woman, who gave you the right to call me Auntie?”
Mrs. Zhan, consumed by rage, rushed forward, grabbing both their hands to separate them.
“Let go of my son! How many times have I told you, the Zhan family looks down on you, and you will never be allowed into this family. Yet you cling to my son like a leech, are you that cheap?”
“Let go! Even if you slept with my son ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times for free, you would never enter the Zhan family’s door! Stop dreaming!”
Jiang Nan Fang put on an innocent and pitiful expression.
She clasped her hands together, interlocking one hand with Zhan Bei Jue’s, and covering it tightly with the other.
No matter how hard the old woman tried to pry them apart, she couldn't.
“Auntie, I haven’t provoked you or offended you. In front of so many people, why are you so fierce?”
“I know my family is poor and unworthy of your Zhan family’s status, so I never expected him to marry me.”
“I truly love Ah Jue. I just hope to spend as much time with him as I can while I’m still useful. I don’t crave wealth or status, you can’t speak to me like that~”
“……”
What was she saying?
What did she mean by spending as much time with him as she could while she was still useful?
What did she mean by Zhan Bei Jue never intending to marry her?
What did she mean by not craving status or position?
Was this damned woman publicly ruining his reputation?
Zhan Bei Jue tried to pull his hand away.
“Jiang Nan Fang, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Jiang Nan Fang looked up at him, forcefully keeping his hand from moving while looking pitifully.
“What’s wrong, Ah Jue? Are you scared after seeing Auntie? Do you want to dump me here like this?”
“Sob… Haven’t I done enough? Haven’t I been obedient enough, sensible enough, and considerate enough for you? And you’re just going to discard me?”
“We just had an intimate moment. In the fitting room of that shop just now. You didn’t want to use protection, and you gently told me you’d accompany me to buy medicine later.”
“Sob… Ah Jue, it’s only been a few minutes, and I’ve given you everything. You can’t treat me like this~”
“……”
The other people in the shop, hearing such scandalous gossip, were so shocked their eyes didn’t know where to look.
Zhan Bei Jue and his mother were almost simultaneously infuriated to death by Jiang Nan Fang’s “accusations.”
Hearing such disgusting things, Mrs. Zhan’s hands trembled. Pointing at Zhan Bei Jue’s nose, she could barely speak coherently.
“You… Zhan Bei Jue, you useless thing, you! You’re deliberately trying to anger me to death!”
For the first time in his life, Zhan Bei Jue experienced the feeling of being falsely accused, and in front of so many people.
If he were another man, he would have kicked her away long ago.
Swallowing twice, he suppressed his anger.
“Are you done talking? When you’re finished, I’ll take you to buy medicine.”