When Jiang Xiaogou was six months old, Jiang Shiyan mentioned that there was a nice revolving hot pot restaurant near the Civil Affairs Bureau and asked Tang Yang if she wanted to give it a try.
Tang Yang readily agreed.
The two of them naturally took the opportunity to register their marriage.
When Jiang Xiaogou was seven months old, Jiang Shiyan finished decorating the small villa that belonged to him and Tang Yang.
The design was in the style that Tang Yang liked, with a swing on the balcony that she adored. Although Tang Yang didn’t cook, she preferred an open kitchen. Jiang Shiyan personally drew the plans, and the final result matched exactly what Tang Yang had described.
Tang Mama felt that Jiang Shiyan spoiled Tang Yang too much, and Tang Yang frowned, not daring to refute her.
Jiang Shiyan deflected the blame onto Jiang Xiaogou: “Yang Yang is pregnant, and I heard that if she’s in a good mood, the baby will be prettier.”
In truth, he felt a bit regretful for not having controlled the situation earlier. Their world of two had been so good, but he had accidentally disrupted it.
But once a child is on the way… it’s just meant to be.
He had never seen Tang Yang as a child, but if their little princess looked anything like Tang Yang did when she was young—fair, soft, with a round face, calling out “Daddy, hug me” in a sweet voice—just the thought made Jiang Shiyan’s heart melt.
———
Tang Papa was a civil engineering project manager, often working on projects deep in the mountains.
It wasn’t until the day before Tang Yang’s wedding that Tang Papa hurried back on an evening flight.
In the past, during the New Year, Jiang Shiyan and Tang Yang would take turns visiting each other’s families to celebrate, but Tang Papa was busy during the holidays, so Jiang Shiyan had only met him once or twice.
In Jiang Shiyan’s memory, Tang Papa resembled the textbook image of a railway expert with metal-rimmed glasses—quiet, stern, and exuding the typical seriousness of an engineering man.
When Jiang Shiyan was a student, he was somewhat intimidated by Tang Papa. Now, in a high position and with the identities of husband and soon-to-be father, he had matured and become more composed.
Tang Mama had an urgent matter and was called to a meeting at school. After dinner, Jiang Shiyan’s parents and the young couple took a walk together to the street corner to meet Tang Papa.
At seven in the evening, many people were out for a stroll. Jiang Shiyan sat on a bench with Tang Yang.
Occasionally, acquaintances would greet them, but Jiang Shiyan nodded absentmindedly.
Tang Papa sent a message saying he was almost there.
Seeing Jiang Shiyan’s distracted gaze, Tang Mama reminded him, “It’s your first time meeting your father-in-law. You should be careful about what to say and what not to say, especially since Yang Yang is pregnant before marriage.” Tang Mama frowned, feeling that her son letting Yang Yang wear a wedding dress while heavily pregnant was rather inconsiderate.
Tang Yang half-teased, half-defended her husband: “He’s just being cautious, worried that I might have complications since I’m over thirty and considered a high-risk pregnancy,” Tang Yang laughed, “It’s better to give birth early and recover quickly.”
That was how Tang Yang was; regardless of the depth of her feelings for Jiang Shiyan, she always defended him in front of others.
The more Tang Mama looked at Tang Yang, the more affectionate her gaze became.
Tang Yang patted Jiang Dage’s shoulder, comforting him: “My dad is a bit cold and aloof, but he’s not as scary as you might think. Just interact with him as you normally would.”
Jiang Shiyan leaned closer to Tang Yang: “Are you saying I should be reserved and charming?”
Tang Yang smiled and pushed Jiang Shiyan’s face away.
Jiang Shiyan practiced several opening lines in front of Tang Yang and his parents when he met Tang Papa.
In a commanding tone, he thought, “Uncle Tang, it’s been a while. How long will you be staying? I’ll send you the schedule for tomorrow for your confirmation later?”
More formally, he considered, “Uncle Tang, I’m Jiang Shiyan. Have I changed? You look younger. I heard the project you’re working on this time is…”
“…”
As for the form of address, Jiang Shiyan felt that calling him “Uncle Tang” was too distant; after all, he and Yang Yang were legally married now.
“You don’t understand,” Tang Mama educated her son, “You haven’t earned Tang Tang’s father’s approval yet. You need to let him correct you and allow you to call him ‘Dad.’ You need to be reserved, understand?”
Jiang Shiyan promised his mother he would be careful, but when the black business car pulled up, and Tang Papa stepped out of the back seat, Jiang Shiyan settled Tang Yang and then couldn’t help but stride over, his handsome face beaming with a smile: “Dad, is your luggage in the trunk? Let me help you with it.”
“Dad, this suitcase is just like the one from the last time I came to your house; you haven’t changed it. Our marketing team says that nostalgic people have good hearts.”
“Dad, did you fly with Air China? Their in-flight meals aren’t great. I bought a lot of ingredients and stocked them at home. I’ll show you my cooking skills later,” Jiang Shiyan said enthusiastically, “I’m not bad at cooking. Yang Yang complained about the restaurant Yuyuan a while back but praised my sweet and sour ribs. I heard you like sweet and sour ribs too…”
Tang Papa noticed Jiang Shiyan’s small gestures of helping Tang Yang and saw her trying to get up. Jiang Shiyan’s gaze immediately shot over in response.
Tang Papa was satisfied with Jiang Shiyan, though he didn’t show it on his face.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shiyan’s parents and Tang Yang were already dumbfounded. Wasn’t this supposed to be the calm and composed chairman of the board? Who was this shameless sycophant in front of them?
Tang Papa went over to chat with the two families, while Tang Yang gently tugged on Tang Papa’s arm to stand up. Jiang Shiyan wanted to help Tang Yang adjust the bow tie at her waist.
Tang Papa paused and turned to Jiang Shiyan: “Are you nervous?”
“No, no, Dad, not at all.” Jiang Shiyan’s tongue stumbled as he tried to appear calm.
Tang Papa responded with a flat “Oh,” his expression unreadable: “Your hand is resting on my waist.”
“!!!”
Jiang Shiyan wished he could find a block of tofu to bury himself in.
Everyone else was stunned for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.
Tang Papa also secretly curled the corners of his lips.
It seemed that the son-in-law loved his daughter, loving her so much that he was careful even with her father… as if he were cradling a pregnant woman.
———
Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan’s wedding was held downstairs.
The wedding was small in scale, with a warm setup. Pink roses, ribbons, and balloons filled the entire venue.
The sky was a clear blue, and the gentle sunlight fell on the evergreen grass mat.
Tang Yang linked arms with Tang Papa as they entered. Tang Papa placed Tang Yang’s hand into Jiang Shiyan’s. Tang Yang’s wedding dress had a long train, and as she turned, both Tang Papa and Jiang Shiyan bent down to help her adjust the hem. The two men exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with understanding and camaraderie.
The probability of Tang Yang meeting Jiang Shiyan in her lifetime, of encountering him in high school, of becoming friends, of supporting each other for ten years, of realizing she loved him, and of Jiang Shiyan loving her back with unwavering intensity was one in a billion.
And for Jiang Shiyan, the same was true for Tang Yang.
As they recited their vows, both newlyweds were so excited that they could hardly contain themselves.
When it came time to kiss, everyone anticipated that the domineering Jiang Shiyan would dramatically lift Tang Yang’s veil.
However, in front of everyone, Jiang Shiyan knelt on one knee before Tang Yang. He first kissed her belly, then took her hand and kissed the back of it. Slowly, he rose, his lips brushing against Tang Yang’s neck, his face hidden beneath the veil.
Jiang Shiyan cradled Tang Yang’s waist with one hand and held her face with the other, tracing the elegant curve of her neck as he gazed at her with a smile in his deep eyes. Then, with tenderness, he pressed his lips to hers…
Song Jing, dressed in a navy blue groomsman suit, stood tall and handsome, exuding the refined aura of a distinguished gentleman from the Republic of China with every gesture.
Qin Yue and Cheng Siran bet fifty cents that Song Jing would dazzle the crowd, but in the end, the stylishly slicked-back Jiang Dage stole the show.
After the ceremony, Jiang Shiyan was beaming with joy.
Song Jing teased him: “Rounding up, I can say I’ve stepped into the hall of marriage with Yang Ge too.”
Originally, it was Jiang Shiyan who invited Song Jing to be his groomsman, but now Jiang Shiyan felt a pang of jealousy.
Tang Yang paused at the table, swallowing her food, and said to Song Jing, “Rounding up, you’ve also stepped into the hall of marriage with Jiang Shiyan.”
Tang Yang was effortlessly witty.
Jiang Shiyan shot a glance at Song Jing, proudly calling out, “Yang Yang,” and Tang Yang waved back at him.
Song Jing found himself at a loss with these two. In public, they appeared dignified, but behind closed doors, they were like… one throwing a tantrum intermittently and the other indulging him endlessly.
Later, everyone took photos with the newlyweds.
When it was Song Jing’s turn, he stood on one side of Tang Yang, with Jiang Shiyan on the other.
Qin Yue squinted through the long-focus camera and shouted, “One, two, three, cheese—”
As Song Jing leaned toward Tang Yang, Jiang Shiyan thought he was going to kiss her and quickly reached out to block Song Jing’s face. Song Jing, who was just playing a prank, decided to go all out and kissed Jiang Shiyan’s hand instead. Jiang Shiyan was startled and stepped back, only to bump into a waiter, who accidentally knocked over a three-tiered cake!
The cake hit the ground before the person did, landing with a splat.
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
Jiang Shiyan couldn’t believe it himself: “I’m the groom! I’m the groom today! Is fate this cruel to me?” Jiang Shiyan stood up in a daze, wiping cream from his hair while casting a glance at Tang Yang.
Jiang Dage looked confused and aggrieved, a bright red strawberry stuck firmly to his slicked-back hair.
Tang Yang couldn’t help but burst into laughter first.
As winter arrived, time seemed to slow down. The past turmoil and storms were settled in the kitchen and between day and night.
Marriage and love are two completely different states.
Although Jiang Shiyan’s cooking skills and Tang Yang’s pursuit as an amateur foodie minimized their conflicts compared to others, disagreements were still inevitable.
For example—
Tang Yang firmly believed that the baby in her belly, Jiang Xiaogou, was a little boy and insisted that prenatal education content should be related to scientific exploration.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shiyan kept rambling about how fathers and daughters had a spiritual connection, convinced that Yang Yang was carrying a soft and adorable little princess, but he didn’t dare to contradict her.
As the couple occasionally bickered, Jiang Xiaogou grew bigger in Tang Yang’s belly, and their prenatal education evolved from music and simple sentences to bedtime story reading.
Jiang Shiyan enjoyed reading “Andersen’s Fairy Tales” and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” while Tang Yang preferred “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and “Insect Life.” One night, Jiang Shiyan started reading “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” by the bedside, but Tang Yang, exhausted from work, dozed off, her eyelids growing heavy. Seeing her about to fall asleep, Jiang Shiyan quickly swapped “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” for a fairy tale book with a pink cover featuring a fluffy princess dress.
He pulled this trick for several nights until Tang Yang finally caught on.
What is the most important thing between a couple? Trust!
What was Jiang Dage’s behavior? Deception!
Tang Yang was furious. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she tried to maintain a serious expression despite her drowsiness.
“Jiang Shiyan, we need to fight!” she said, enunciating each word.
Jiang Shiyan had had enough too.
“Okay,” he replied, tossing the fairy tale book onto the corner of the sofa. Then he leaped forward, one hand propping himself up beside Yang Yang, the other gently lifting her chin. He pressed his lips against her soft ones, rubbing them lightly before sliding his moist tongue between her lips.
Tang Yang refused to let him in, her attitude resolute: “We’re supposed to argue, not kiss.”
“Arguing involves talking, and kissing involves talking too. Is there a difference?” Jiang Shiyan replied patiently, his voice low.
His deep, smoky eyes seemed to envelop her in a maze, and Tang Yang felt a tingling sensation in her ears, losing herself in his gaze.
“Seems like… there’s no difference,” Tang Yang said softly.
To express her apology, she gently brushed her tongue against his, and Jiang Shiyan’s tongue explored her mouth, swirling and savoring. As Tang Yang found herself lost in the kiss, she thought that Jiang Dage hadn’t lied to her; arguing involved using tongues, and kissing did too. Was this what they called equivalent indistinguishability?
After that night of “arguing,” Jiang Shiyan was secretly delighted. It seemed that Yang Yang had finally entered a state of pregnancy-induced silliness.
Jiang Shiyan always found various reasons to end up on the sofa while reading, where he would kiss Tang Yang’s cheeks, and her collarbone, and occasionally engage in more intimate activities, all while covering her belly with a complex mix of emotions.
One night, as Jiang Dage took advantage of Tang Yang, she sleepily wrapped her arms around his neck.
Half of the fairy tale book lay on the sofa, while the other half dangled in the air. The night breeze rustled the pages, and the bed creaked softly.
After becoming pregnant, Tang Yang’s skin glowed even more beautifully. Her ears were flushed, and her small face, with its strikingly clear eyes, seemed to shimmer with light. Her voice was like a bamboo flute in early spring, soft and melodious, each gentle murmur making one blush and their heart race.
However, Jiang Xiaogou was already over eight months along, and Jiang Shiyan didn’t dare to act recklessly.
Tang Yang was particularly clingy to him as if he were repaying a debt for the previous days of teasing. He was flustered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he gasped for breath. After exploring her body with his hands, he hurriedly got off her, wrapping himself in a robe.
The man’s muscular physique was beautifully defined, casting a slender silhouette in the light.
Tang Yang chuckled softly, her little finger teasingly gliding over his back: “Do you know what I thought when I first came to your room?”
Before Jiang Shiyan could respond, Tang Yang continued softly, “I was wondering if this bed is soft…”
Her voice trailed off enticingly.
Jiang Shiyan felt as if he were about to explode; he finally understood: she was doing this on purpose!
In a panic, Jiang Shiyan hurriedly tried to escape Tang Yang’s grasp, not even bothering to tie his robe properly.
He dashed toward the bathroom, nearly fleeing, and as he reached the bathroom door, he caught a glimpse of Tang Yang raising her hand in a victory pose, gritting her teeth and threatening, “Just wait… and see how I’ll deal with you later.”
He was so fierce!
She was so scared!
Tang Yang buried herself under the covers, her face still flushed, giggling nervously.