The Golden Cane and the Wild Rose - Chapter 34.2

Chapter 34.2

“Clouds and mud both stand on the same solid ground. Ah Ran, there’s no fundamental difference between us.”

Yun Ran looked into Jiang Musheng’s eyes. She had to look up slightly. At this moment, it really seemed like what Jiang Musheng said was true: they were people from the same world, standing on the same solid ground. She just had to look up because Jiang Musheng was almost a head taller than her. That was all.

She still had one question she couldn’t figure out.

“Why did you send Chen Hong to Mr. Zheng’s place, Mr. Jiang?” Yun Ran asked.

Jiang Musheng smiled. “Ah Ran, you and Hangyi both have biases against each other. He thinks if I keep you by my side, you’ll harm me one day. You think Hangyi is too much of a playboy, with many women at home. But his place is the best for Chen Hong.”

Yun Ran was even more confused. “Why?”

“Even though he switches women quickly, even when he’s done with them, he’s still willing to help them. That’s why those women get along very well.”

Yun Ran said, “I think I get it. You’re saying that there’s no competition between those women, so they can get along and Chen Hong won’t be bullied when she goes there?”

“Yes.”

Yun Ran was greatly surprised. She hadn’t known that Zheng Hangyi had such a tender side.

Even though those women couldn’t have Zheng Hangyi’s love forever, how many of them truly loved him anyway? They were just looking for a place to rely on. Zheng Hangyi gave them what they lacked most in this era and place where even the strongest women struggled to stand on their own and protect themselves.

But

Even if Zheng Hangyi was good, who could guarantee that he would continue to be good forever?

She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if women didn’t need men’s protection at all?

What if there was no significant physiological difference between men and women?

Unfortunately, God was unfair from the beginning when He created the human species, giving men strength while making women thin and fragile.

She wanted to be a steel rod that no one could break. That way, even if Jiang Musheng didn’t descend like a god, she could still fight against those unreasonable, forceful, and evil forces that tried to strip her of her subjectivity as a person.

However, she couldn’t yet.

Physiologically, one woman could hardly resist a man, let alone a group of men.

She needed to work harder in other areas. Maybe she had Jiang Musheng protecting her now, but she must not lose her sense of crisis.

If one day, she still had to leave Jiang Musheng, she must defend herself and be her own most loyal protector.

Yun Ran’s gaze became more and more determined.

She finally understood why she felt insecure even when she had someone to rely on.

When she was in Gu Hongfei’s apartment, she thought it was just because she couldn’t fall for him and felt guilty, thinking that the relationship had no solid foundation and would not last.

But that wasn’t it. Subconsciously, she still believed that relying on others wouldn’t work.

Gaining stability by relying on others was, at most, a temporary means and a stepping stone.

Her old dad had protected her for over ten years, but he still left her.

Yun Ran kept thinking about this problem on the way back to the villa with Jiang Musheng.

The big environment was not good. She couldn’t change the environment where the British ruled and rich Chinese people could do whatever they wanted with their money on her own. So could she leave this place?

Leave here and go to a better place.

When the car was about to reach the Jiang family villa, Yun Ran came to her senses and stopped thinking about those difficult questions.

She looked at the scenery outside the car window to relax her eyes and her tightly wound nerves.

The driver honked the horn twice. Soon, Xue Yu and Alan ran out of the gate. Zheng Hangyi was also there, and with the bodyguards who were already standing at the villa entrance, there was a large group of people, almost as if they were waiting to welcome her.

Yun Ran was a little excited. However, she saw Ah Biao’s annoyed face in the crowd and froze for a moment. She knew Ah Biao didn’t like her at all.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve finally decided to come back with brother!” Xueyu happily ran up to her. She was as warm as before and didn’t change her attitude toward her because of her coldness last time.

Yun Ran’s lips trembled a little. She said, “I’m sorry, Xueyu.”

“It’s okay. I know everything you said last time was just out of anger. Sometimes I say things to make brother mad too.”

As she spoke, Xueyu took her arm. Zheng Hangyi said with a teasing smile, “So Miss Yun wasn’t unwilling to come back. It’s just that it’s better for Musheng to come get you than for me to.”

Yun Ran smiled back at him and said, “It’s good that you know that, Mr. Zheng.”

Zheng Hangyi stopped smiling, his lips pulled into a straight line.

The bodyguards surrounding them all said, “Welcome back, Miss Yun.”

Yun Ran smiled and said, “Thank you.”

Surrounded by the bodyguards, Yun Ran and Xueyu walked into the villa arm in arm first. Jiang Musheng and Zheng Hangyi walked behind them.

As they passed Ah Biao, Jiang Musheng patted his shoulder.

Ah Biao bowed his head and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Jiang. I will try my best not to show my dislike toward Miss Yun in the future.”

“Musheng, you really care about Miss Yun,” Zheng Hangyi said with a sigh.

Jiang Musheng said, “Then I’ve finally found a use for this heart of mine. By the way, why are you here?”

“I came to find you this morning. Xueyu said you went to get Miss Yun, so I’ve been waiting here to watch the show. I was really curious to see if Miss Yun would come back to the Jiang family.”

“And she really did. My judgment was right.” Zheng Hangyi bent his elbow, wanting to nudge Jiang Musheng, but Jiang Musheng moved to the side.

Zheng Hangyi said, “You’re so quick to dodge me. How did you not dodge Jiang Jiaming’s bullet last time?”

“I let him hit me on purpose. Otherwise, how do you think he only hit my shoulder?”

“On purpose?” Zheng Hangyi’s eyes widened. He quickly figured out why Jiang Musheng did that, but he still thought it wasn’t worth it. “Musheng, you’re gambling with your life? Even if Jiang Jiaming gets out of prison and is exiled again and kicked out of the family, as long as he has money, he can still hire assassins.”

“What assassin would dare to take on a contract to kill me?”

“…” Zheng Hangyi was silent for a while. “That’s true. But as your brother, I still advise you to be careful. After all, you have people by your side now, Miss Yun and Xueyu. You can’t make any mistakes.”

“Also, take good care of your injuries and recover well. Otherwise, you won’t even be able to hug Miss Yun.”

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

“That’s the best.” Zheng Hangyi felt a little more at ease. He subconsciously raised his hand again to put his arm around Jiang Musheng’s shoulder.

Jiang Musheng quickened his pace and walked ahead, leaving Zheng Hangyi behind to stew over the same old question he had been stewing over for many years: Why was Musheng so against having normal physical contact with him as a good brother?

It was after 2 p.m. when Yun Ran and Jiang Musheng arrived home. Xueyu and Zheng Hangyi had already had lunch, but they joined them at the dining table again.

Yun Ran had eaten too much roast goose these past few days and felt tired of it. She didn’t have much of an appetite and just ate a little.

Jiang Musheng, however, had a good appetite. Besides the light dishes, he also ate some meat.

Zheng Hangyi was very surprised. He couldn’t help but joke, “Musheng almost never touched those dishes before. Now he’s willing to, it’s as if he’s preparing for something.”

“What is it?” Xueyu asked curiously, holding two chopsticks in one hand, propped up in a small white porcelain bowl.

Zheng Hangyi didn’t speak, just looked at Jiang Musheng and smiled.

Jiang Musheng knew what he meant. He frowned and silently ordered him not to say anything inappropriate in front of the two ladies.

Zheng Hangyi received his friend’s signal of slight anger and obediently tucked his lips in, curling them so that not even his lip line was visible.

“What is it?” Xueyu was even more curious.

Yun Ran also looked up at Zheng Hangyi. Zheng Hangyi was struggling to hold it in, and Yun Ran looked away.

“Sister-in-law, aren’t you curious?” Xueyu asked.

Yun Ran shook her head. Her intuition told her that nothing good would come out of Zheng Hangyi’s mouth. Otherwise, why was he smiling so smugly?

In the end, Zheng Hangyi didn’t say it.

After eating, Xueyu couldn’t be bothered to investigate further. She couldn’t wait to go out. She had a date to go to today. After her brother agreed that she could go out twice a week, she could finally go to a gathering with her classmates.

Xueyu happily went upstairs to change and get ready. Jiang Musheng said to Zheng Hangyi, “I rescued a poor child with Ah Ran today. I had the bodyguards take her to your place. Go back and check on her. Help me take care of her. Don’t get any wrong ideas.”

Zheng Hangyi was about to reply and could finally let his curled-up lips out. “You’re afraid I’ll get wrong ideas, so why don’t you take care of her yourself? Is it because Miss Yun can’t have the child stay here?”

“She’s still a student and has to go to school. Down the hill is more convenient. It’s no trouble for you to help with one more person. I can double the expenses for you.”

Zheng Hangyi still didn’t believe him. He didn’t know the specifics, but he thought Musheng was afraid of bringing another girl home and making Yun Ran jealous since he had just won her back.

Yun Ran saw what Zheng Hangyi was thinking at a glance. She walked up to him and whispered, “Mr. Zheng, you don’t have to worry too much. That child won’t cause you any trouble and won’t fall for you either.”

“Why?” Zheng Hangyi was incredulous. It was one thing for Cecilia to say she didn’t like him, but for a normal girl not to like him, who was gentle, handsome, and rich, and generous?

Yun Ran smiled and said, “Because some things can’t be bought with good conditions. Mr. Zheng, think about it.”

After Zheng Hangyi left, Jiang Musheng asked, “Ah Ran, what did you say to Hangyi just now? He looked so crestfallen when he left.”

“I just bluffed and hit your friend’s confidence, Mr. Jiang. You’re not mad at me, are you?” Yun Ran asked tentatively.

Jiang Musheng smiled. “Hangyi has always had an excess of confidence. If you can dent his confidence, then you’re very impressive.”

Yun Ran was a little surprised. “What you said, Mr. Jiang, is different from what I thought. It turns out you’re a person who prioritizes your girlfriend over your friends.”

Jiang Musheng didn’t argue. Instead, he bent down and picked Yun Ran up in a princess carry. Yun Ran was so scared that she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jiang Musheng’s shoulder ached, but he still held Yun Ran very steadily.

“Ah Ran, I think sometimes it’s okay for a person to prioritize their girlfriend over their friends.”

Yun Ran’s face was beet red. “What does that have to do with you suddenly picking me up?”

“Hangyi also dented my confidence just now. He said that if I don’t take good care of my body, I won’t even be able to pick you up. So, you don’t have to feel guilty. If there’s anything, I’ll pay for it.”

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