Chapter 305: So I Was Just a Tool

Jiang Muye howled, "Have mercy, heroine! I just thought it was fun. Who told you to never notice me? I definitely had to get your attention."

As Leng Ruoli pummeled Jiang Muye the whole way, she was worried that being too rough would give Father Jiang a bad impression of her, so she tried her best to hold back and maintain a reserved appearance.

Seeing Leng Ruoli suddenly turn into a docile little white rabbit, Jiang Muye chuckled and rubbed her shoulder, then asked, "Why'd you stop hitting me?"

Faced with Jiang Muye's teasing, Leng Ruoli secretly gave the flesh at his waist a light pinch and said quietly, "You know full well, yet you still ask."

Jiang Muye's grin widened. He caught her mischief-making little hand and gave the soft flesh of her palm a gentle squeeze. "Babe, is this how you run wild?"

Without the slightest restraint, right in front of his own father, he gave Leng Ruoli's fair, beautiful hand a proper kiss.

When Leng Ruoli saw what Jiang Muye had done, her little face turned redder than red.

The corners of Jiang Muye's lips curved into an arc. He gently tucked a lock of Leng Ruoli's long hair behind her ear and whispered secretly by her ear, "Relax, there's no need to hold anything back in front of my dad. Even if we were shamelessly showing off our love, my dad wouldn't be able to tell. He's a diehard straight man, I'm telling you."

"It's not as exaggerated as you say. Is that any way to talk about your own dad?" Leng Ruoli gave Jiang Muye a coquettish glare.

Jiang Muye chuckled.

It was Father Jiang who asked, "You two are whispering sweet nothings right in front of me. What's being said that I'm not allowed to hear?"

"Haha, plenty of things you're not allowed to hear," Jiang Muye replied carelessly.

"You little brat, you looking to get a beating?" Father Jiang laughed heartily.

Jiang Muye bantered with a grin, "Dad, you might not even be able to beat me in front of me."

Father Jiang wanted to teach Jiang Muye a lesson, but Jiang Muye hid behind Leng Ruoli and begged for protection. Father Jiang forced himself to hold back, coughed once, and said, "Ahem, don't air the family's dirty laundry in public."

Jiang Muye hid behind Leng Ruoli—no, he was already hanging off Leng Ruoli's back, both hands resting on her shoulders, his face pressed against her pretty pearl-white neck, and he praised with a grin, "My babe really is my lucky charm."

Leng Ruoli's little face turned even redder than an azalea.

Jiang Muye pinched her soft little cheek and said, "How come you got up so early today?"

Leng Ruoli glanced at Father Jiang, who was off to the side practicing tai chi and pretending to be calm. Father Jiang had just been pricking up his ears to listen, but now he pretended to hear nothing of the outside world and walked a bit further away to continue his tai chi. "Just treat me like I'm invisible."

Leng Ruoli burst out laughing. "Your dad is so cute."

"Alright, don't change the subject. How come you didn't sleep in a while longer with me today?" Jiang Muye asked domineeringly.

She took Jiang Muye's little hand and answered bashfully, "It's my first day at your house, after all. I couldn't very well stay in bed for ages, could I?"

"So you were looking to serve tea to your mother-in-law?" Jiang Muye teased with a smile.

Leng Ruoli's little face flushed a deep red, and she shook her head. "It's not that exaggerated. I got up in the morning and saw Uncle practicing tai chi. I thought it was interesting, so I learned a few moves."

"Seeing you is like seeing a big white… clumsily cute." Jiang Muye's eyes were smiling.

A sweet smile spread across Leng Ruoli's face, and she replied in a honeyed voice, "I'm cute to begin with."

"Alright, cute, super cute! This is my home, and it's your home too. Even though you haven't officially joined the family yet, there aren't so many rules and restrictions here to constrain you. However I act, you act the same way. No need to watch anyone's expressions, understand?" Jiang Muye lowered his head, gazing at Leng Ruoli with bright, piercing eyes.

Leng Ruoli answered sweetly, "Okay."

"You got up so early, and I didn't see you. How lonely, how forlorn I was." Jiang Muye sighed, his whole body practically hanging off Leng Ruoli like a koala. "I don't even want to stay in bed anymore. It feels like my essence, qi, and spirit for the whole day are gone."

"Is it that exaggerated?" Leng Ruoli looked at Jiang Muye with a smile.

Jiang Muye nodded. "Of course it is."

"Then you must not have eaten breakfast. Be good, go eat breakfast." Leng Ruoli gently stroked Jiang Muye's head.

Jiang Muye chuckled. "I haven't eaten. You eat with me."

"I ate a little this morning," Leng Ruoli answered honestly.

Jiang Muye clung to her and wouldn't let go. "I don't care, you come eat with me."

Seeing Jiang Muye's domineering attitude, Leng Ruoli was helpless.

Her heart was sweet too, so she just let Jiang Muye run wild. "Fine, I'll go eat with you."

Jiang Muye was overjoyed and, taking Leng Ruoli's hand, headed outside.

Leng Ruoli was puzzled. "Where are we going? Aren't we eating back in the room?"

"No, we're going out to eat. It wasn't easy coming back to A City, so naturally we've got to have a taste of childhood." Jiang Muye explained, then casually called out to Father Jiang, "Dad, she and I are going out to play!"

"Alright!" Father Jiang replied briskly.

Jiang Muye then took Leng Ruoli out the door.

"Not driving?" Seeing Jiang Muye take her straight outside, Leng Ruoli looked confused.

Jiang Muye broke into a smile. "We don't need that in A City."

Leng Ruoli had her doubts at first, but she soon understood what kind of transportation Jiang Muye was using.

Fluffy white clouds dotted a clear, bright blue sky that formed a distinctly different contrast with the rippling emerald waves, blending together in a kind of gradient.

A black-awning boat drifted leisurely past a bridge steeped in verdant charm, gliding by wooden houses brimming with an air of antiquity.

On the bridge, people came and went. The peddlers' cries and the people's chatter wove together into a melody that stirred longing in the heart.

The morning mist had just begun to rise, and the emerald-green river water and the boats brought out the best in each other.

She sat at the front of the black-awning boat, looking around curiously. The lake water reflected her delicate, lovely face.

Then a nimble figure leaped out from the cabin.

He was handsome and bright, with a comely face, facing the young girl.

His eyes lifted slightly, and he crouched right down beside Leng Ruoli. "How about it? As our future A City daughter-in-law, are you used to this place yet? A City is famous for its water, you know. Back in the day, I could even row a little boat to school."

"I like it. I've always been fond of Jiangnan water towns. They're so beautiful. Strange, it's clearly my first time here, but I feel so familiar, so very familiar. It's like it's not my first time…" Leng Ruoli murmured.

Jiang Muye put his arm around Leng Ruoli's waist and said with a grin, "A City isn't exactly some remote backwater. Plenty of people advertise it. You've probably seen ads for A City."

"Maybe." Leng Ruoli gave a radiant smile and asked Jiang Muye with great interest, "So then, you must be a really good swimmer?"

Jiang Muye grew proud. "My swimming is of course…" Suddenly he realized something and froze, his mind a bit muddled.