The Golden Cane and the Wild Rose - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When Jiang Musheng let go of the hand he had around her waist, Yun Ran could barely stand.

Her legs were terribly weak, and she instinctively looked for support.

Yun Ran’s hand, moving before her conscious mind, clutched Jiang Musheng’s broad shoulder.

Jiang Musheng didn’t move, letting her use him to steady herself.

Her heels slowly returned to the ground, and Yun Ran, her face flushed, pulled her hand back.

Her subconscious action just now made it seem as if the heart-stopping kiss wasn’t enough for her.

Her heart was pounding, a chaotic, rapid rhythm.

Yun Ran was nervous, unsure how to face Jiang Musheng next.

Jiang Musheng glanced indifferently at her pale neck, which was now tinged with pink, and his gaze drifted away.

A few meters away, Zheng Hangyi, who had been holding his tongue for a long time, could no longer contain himself. As he walked towards Jiang Musheng and Yun Ran, he spoke, “Musheng, I know what you’re plotting.”

Jiang Musheng didn’t react. Yun Ran looked up at the sound of his voice.

When Zheng Hangyi saw her, he hesitated, his gaze shifting towards the direction where the paparazzi had run off.

Yes, that made sense.

It wasn’t a sudden whim of passion that made Jiang Musheng kiss her because he liked her.

It was a pre-planned move.

Jiang Musheng was going to make use of her for his own purposes.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even a real kiss.

It was more like a one-sided intimidation and a hunt from Jiang Musheng, and she was the lamb to be slaughtered, unable to move a muscle.

Yun Ran’s chaotic heartbeat slowly calmed down.

“Time to go home,” Jiang Musheng said in a cold voice.

Zheng Hangyi grinned and followed Jiang Musheng, and as he tried to put his arm around him, his hand was predictably pushed away again.

“Musheng, just let me do it once, okay?”

Jiang Musheng’s only reply was silence.

Zheng Hangyi sighed in defeat, turned around, and said to Yun Ran, “Miss Yun, let’s go home.”

Home?

Yun Ran looked at Zheng Hangyi with a blank expression, then at Jiang Musheng.

Jiang Musheng stood by the car, watching her.

The look fixed on her clearly showed he was waiting for her to come over.

Yun Ran steeled herself and walked forward.

The three of them got into the same car. Zheng Hangyi was smart and got into the front passenger seat, leaving the back for Jiang Musheng and Yun Ran.

He thoughtfully believed that as Musheng’s good brother, he needed to give the young couple room to develop their relationship.

Even though Musheng’s affection towards Yun Ran just now was likely for the reporters, it was possible some genuine emotion had slipped out.

He wasn’t very well-read, but he knew of a famous line from a foreign classic that went something like this:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

A wealthy single man, a young and beautiful wife—the two in the back seat fit the description perfectly, Zheng Hangyi thought.

However, on the way back to the Jiang family’s villa, the two in the back seat didn’t say a single word.

Zheng Hangyi turned back several times, seeing them look completely unfamiliar with each other.

Yun Ran had her head turned, looking out the window at the scenery.

Jiang Musheng was leaning back against the seat, his eyes slightly closed, as if napping.

Musheng hadn’t slept much these past few days, searching for his sister, and neither had he, helping with the search.

Sleepiness came over him, and Zheng Hangyi turned back, sat properly, and quickly fell asleep.

When the car arrived at the Jiang family’s villa, Zheng Hangyi was still asleep. Jiang Musheng simply told the driver to take him back to his own home.

Yun Ran stood quietly to the side.

She found it very strange.

The Jiang family’s villa was so big; there must be plenty of rooms. Why wouldn’t he let Zheng Hangyi just sleep here?

“What are you thinking about?”

Jiang Musheng suddenly asked.

Yun Ran shook her head gently. She didn’t dare to speak her mind in front of him.

To her surprise, Jiang Musheng just watched her, as if patiently waiting for her answer.

He had a golden cane with a snake’s head under his hand.

The rumor that Jiang Musheng had a slight limp in his left foot must be true.

Perhaps noticing where her gaze had landed, Jiang Musheng stopped waiting for her answer and walked into the house, leaning on the golden cane.

Yun Ran felt as though she must have a death wish, daring to stare so openly at someone’s weakness.

Everyone is sensitive about their flaws, and a legendary figure like Jiang Musheng would be even more so.

However, Jiang Musheng’s reaction was much more tolerant than she had imagined, which was why she was so bold.

The limp was not very noticeable. If someone who didn’t know about his left leg’s condition saw him walk, even with the golden cane, they wouldn’t be able to tell.

They would only think the cane was a decorative symbol of power and wealth.

Jiang Musheng’s figure grew smaller, about to disappear, and Yun Ran’s heart suddenly panicked.

With a determination, she quickly chased after him.

She had nowhere else to go now.

“Brother, why did you come back alone?”

“What about sister-in-law and Brother Hangyi?” Jiang Xueyu asked, sitting on the carpet playing Ludo with Alan, when she heard the sound of the golden cane tapping the floor getting closer.

“Hangyi went home.”

“Mr. Jiang,” Alan rose from the carpet and bowed respectfully.

“You keep playing with Xueyu.”

“Where’s sister-in-law?” Jiang Xueyu persisted.

Just then, Yun Ran trotted in.

Jiang Musheng gave his sister a faint smile. “Behind me.”

A small point of snow on the mountaintop had melted.

Yun Ran was slightly startled and touched.

Jiang Xueyu turned around.

Sure enough, it was her sister-in-law!

What surprised her even more was that her sister-in-law was wearing her brother’s gray suit jacket. Progress!

“Sister-in-law, come here and play Ludo with me!” Jiang Xueyu beckoned with a smile.

Yun Ran hesitated and walked over, pulled by her skirt by Xueyu, and sat down on the carpet.

“Brother, you come too,” Jiang Xueyu pleaded, looking up.

Jiang Musheng didn’t answer right away. He looked down at his watch and said, “It’s almost noon. I’m going to make lunch.”

“Okay~” Jiang Xueyu said reluctantly.

Jiang Musheng went into the kitchen alone, and Yun Ran was so surprised she stood frozen in place.

Even a small fry like her rarely cooked. She ate at the school cafeteria, and during vacations, she ate at small street stalls, rotating between fish balls, cart noodles, and wonton noodles. Sometimes her dad would bring home some barbecue and seafood, which was a big meal for her.

“Sister-in-law? Do you think it’s awesome that my brother can cook?”

“Ah…yes…it is.”

Jiang Musheng had no need to cook for himself.

“I’ll tell you a little secret, sister-in-law.”

Jiang Xueyu leaned towards her. Yun Ran supported her with half of her body.

Yun Ran didn’t want to know any secrets related to the Jiang family. The more she knew, the sooner she’d die.

“Miss Jiang, it’s better if you don’t tell me.”

“You’re calling me Miss Jiang again, I’m going to get mad,” Jiang Xueyu puffed out her cheeks.

Yun Ran surrendered. “Alright, Little Sister Xueyu.”

The storm passed, and Jiang Xueyu’s smile bloomed like a sunflower again. “I’m only telling you, no one else.”

Yun Ran’s nerves tightened.

She had a terrible premonition that once she was on this pirate ship, she would never be able to get off.

“Even though my brother can cook, he didn’t usually do it himself before. But two years ago, someone poisoned our food, and another time I bit into a piece of metal. After that, my brother became very serious about our food. Whenever he has time, he cooks himself.”

This was like something out of a novel about imperial succession and palace intrigue, Yun Ran thought, terrified.

“Wait, was this morning’s breakfast also made by Mr. Jiang himself?”

“Bingo!” Jiang Xueyu made a gun with her hand and “shot” Yun Ran in the heart.

“Isn’t that romantic?”

“It was delicious,” Yun Ran answered honestly.

The breakfast was only simple porridge and small dishes, but it was the best-tasting porridge Yun Ran had ever had in her life.

They say the simplest dishes are the ones that test a chef’s skills the most.

The three of them played about two rounds of Ludo, and then Jiang Musheng came out of the kitchen and told them that lunch was ready.

“I’ll clean up the Ludo board. Miss Jiang and  Yun Ran, please go eat,” Ah Ran said.

Jiang Xueyu hopped up, and Yun Ran said, “Thank you for your trouble,” and also got up.

She wasn’t used to sitting cross-legged, so her legs were a bit numb. She managed to keep up with the lively Xueyu and went to the kitchen to wash her hands, ready to help carry the dishes.

Jiang Xueyu came to her brother’s side to help him untie his apron. She undid one knot, then, remembering something, tied it back up.

She turned her head and called out, “Sister-in-law, come and help brother untie his apron.”

After saying that, she smiled and walked away to carry the dishes.

Jiang Musheng waited where he was, not showing any signs of rejecting his sister’s suggestion.

Yun Ran walked over with a bit of awkwardness in her heart.

It’s just untying an apron. Yun Ran came in front of Jiang Musheng.

She smelled the faint sandalwood scent on him. The apron was pure black.

The pure black apron rubbed against his gray suit jacket.

It was as if sparks were flying. Yun Ran, with the speed of lightning, helped Jiang Musheng untie the apron.

Then, she realized she wasn’t tall enough to take the apron off him.

“Mr. Jiang, could you please bend down?”

Jiang Musheng didn’t say a word, but he cooperated perfectly.

A towering mountain leaned towards her, and the faint, woody scent of his breath spread at the tip of her nose.

A strand of his black hair brushed her nose.

A slight itch appeared on her nose.

She held her breath and took the black apron off Jiang Musheng’s head. Jiang Musheng also straightened up, without a hint of delay or hesitation.

Yun Ran turned around, pretending to straighten the apron while allowing herself to breathe normally.

“Just hang it back on the wall.”

Jiang Musheng said this in a soft voice and walked out of the kitchen.

It took Yun Ran a while to find where the apron was supposed to be hung. After she hung it back on the wall, she composed herself before walking out.

Jiang Musheng and his sister Xueyu were already seated, waiting for her to eat.

“Sister-in-law, come sit down,” Xueyu said warmly, again leaving her the seat next to Jiang Musheng.

She walked over quickly. Just as she was about to sit down, Alan’s voice was heard.

“Mr. Jiang, the Gu family has personally brought a batch of roasted geese as an apology.”

Yun Ran immediately realized it was her senior’s family.

Anxiety instantly rose in her heart.

Jiang Musheng first looked at his sister, then noticed Yun Ran’s face had turned pale.

“Ah Ran, come with me to take a look. Jiang Xueyu, you eat first.”

Jiang Xueyu protested, “Brother, you’re leaving me alone again!”

“Ah Ran will keep you company.”

Ah Ran walked directly to the dining table. She knew why Mr. Jiang didn’t want his sister to go out. She had seen that person outside, or rather, someone who looked somewhat like that person, so his sister couldn’t see them.

Jiang Xueyu tried to follow, but Ah Ran gently and firmly held her back.

Yun Ran followed Jiang Musheng out, feeling very unsure.

But on the bright side, maybe her senior didn’t come, and only his parents were here to deliver the geese. They would surely be respectful, and Jiang Musheng wouldn’t hold them accountable for no reason.

When she reached the living room on the first floor, Yun Ran was stunned to see her senior, covered in bandages.

Just then, the person beside her forcefully threaded their fingers through hers, locking their hands tightly together.

It felt like a lock without a key had been put on her.

Yun Ran stopped and grabbed Jiang Musheng’s arm with her other hand. Jiang Musheng also stopped and turned to look at her.

Yun Ran’s eyes pleaded with him, begging him to spare her senior no matter what he said or did next.

Jiang Musheng seemed to understand her silent plea. He leaned in and whispered close to her ear.

“Ah Ran, I’m not a great saint who helps others without expecting a return.”

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