The Golden Cane and the Wild Rose - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“I know.”

Yun Ran hadn’t expected Jiang Musheng to show kindness to someone as insignificant as her anyway.

Jiang Musheng’s lips curled slightly, seemingly pleased that she had such a clear self-awareness.

The two continued down the stairs. Yun Ran allowed her hand to remain tightly clasped in his.

Gu Hongfei stood in the lobby on the first floor, looking up at them in a daze.

“Ah Ran,” Gu Hongfei tried to step forward, but his parents, who had just unloaded hundreds of roasted geese from the car, were afraid their son would offend the person they couldn’t afford to, and they rushed forward to grab him.

“Hongfei, don’t cause trouble. Have you forgotten what you promised your mom and dad?”

“I haven’t,” Gu Hongfei said, grinding his teeth in agony.

He had insisted on coming to personally confirm Yun Ran’s relationship with Jiang Musheng. He had promised not to cause any trouble, and only then did his parents agree to bring him to deliver the roasted geese—a day’s worth of sales from one of their family’s chain restaurants—as an apology.

He absolutely couldn’t cause any trouble.

He just stared in disbelief at Yun Ran, who was holding hands with Jiang Musheng, a girl he had believed was about to become his girlfriend.

He had felt so close to success.

He couldn’t believe everything before had just been an illusion.

His parents suddenly moved to stand behind him, guarding him like a baby chick, and from their voices alone, Yun Ran knew their faces were filled with fawning smiles.

“Mr. Jiang, we are deeply sorry for the offense. We’ve brought roasted geese as an apology. They’re homemade, clean, and delicious. We hope you can be magnanimous and forgive a small offense.”

Several large boxes of roasted geese were unloaded and placed at the entrance.

Jiang Musheng glanced at them indifferently, and Yun Ran followed his gaze.

She knew her senior’s family had a roasted goose business with multiple branches. The amount of geese here was probably everything from one of their shops.

Yun Ran looked at the senior’s parents. In their eyes, there was a fear of Jiang Musheng that was far greater than hers.

And her senior, with reddened eyes, was only looking at her.

Yun Ran averted her gaze.

Jiang Musheng suddenly asked her, “Does Ah Ran like to eat roasted goose?”

“…Huh?”

Yun Ran, so nervous her scalp was tingling, looked up at Jiang Musheng in surprise.

What the hell, Jiang Musheng actually smiled at her, a smile with a bit of warmth.

But her intuition told her it was a dangerous question.

Jiang Musheng’s smile was also dangerous.

“You don’t like it?” Jiang Musheng changed his question, his smile fading as he looked at the Gu family, who were waiting for the verdict.

She couldn’t ignore the two terrified, pleading looks directed at her, which clearly said, ” Yun Ran, help us!”

It was her senior’s family. Could she really just turn a blind eye?

“It seems Ah Ran doesn’t really like it…”

“I like roasted goose! I like it very much!”

Interrupting Jiang Musheng in her haste, Yun Ran’s breathing became a bit ragged after she spoke.

The hand holding hers tightened its grip. Now they were the same temperature.

“Since Ah Ran likes it, then leave it.”

Jiang Musheng gave his verdict.

“You can go back now. No one will go looking for trouble with you.”

The senior’s parents looked as if they had been granted a general amnesty. They visibly relaxed and thanked Jiang Musheng excitedly, then thanked Yun Ran as well.

Yun Ran watched them turn and drag away her senior, who was unwilling to leave.

Her senior’s eyes were red, filled with resentment and an emotion she couldn’t understand. No matter how much he resisted, his parents dragged him away.

Now, she and her senior were even, right?

A faint sadness spread through her heart.

The peaceful, happy, and secure life she had once yearned for seemed to be drifting away from her at this moment.

“Was that your boyfriend?”

Jiang Musheng’s voice suddenly rang out again. Yun Ran’s body jolted, and she shook her head vehemently.

“It seems that little boy has a one-sided crush.”

Yun Ran didn’t respond.

Jiang Musheng finally let go of her hand. He stepped over the threshold and went outside to grab a beautifully packaged, pre-sliced portion of roasted goose.

Then he said to his subordinate, “Send half to Mr. Zheng’s house. As for the rest, anyone who wants some can take it. Throw away what’s not eaten.”

“Yes, Mr. Jiang.”

Jiang Musheng only took one portion and returned the way he came. Yun Ran didn’t take any. She followed him cautiously back to the dining room.

She wondered if she would have to pay a price for that one sentence about liking roasted goose.

“Brother, sister-in-law, you’re finally back.”

Jiang Xueyu stood up. Alan stepped back, silently retreating to the dining room entrance to continue his guard.

“Why are you just waiting and not eating?”

“We were waiting to eat with Brother and Sister-in-law. Didn’t you say there was roasted goose? I’m saving room to try it.”

“Your stomach can’t handle very greasy food.”

“I’ll just have a little bit, please, please~” Jiang Xueyu naturally started to act spoiled with her brother.

Looking at this warm family scene, Yun Ran felt like an outsider who had stumbled in by mistake. Standing on the side felt awkward, and she couldn’t help but wish she could also retreat outside the dining room like Alan.

But Jiang Musheng deliberately brought the conversation to her.

“This one is for Ah Ran. If you want to eat, ask her for some yourself.”

Jiang Xueyu immediately changed her target of pleading. “Sister-in-law, can you give me a small piece? Just a tiny bit so I can taste it.”

Yun Ran glanced at Jiang Musheng to make sure he wasn’t going to stop her before nodding.

Returning to her seat, Yun Ran opened the box. Jiang Xueyu couldn’t wait and picked up a piece of roasted goose, saying, “It smells so good.”

“Mr. Jiang, would you like a piece?” Yun Ran asked.

Jiang Musheng said, “No need,” and continued to eat the very light-looking dishes on the table.

They were normal home-cooked meals, but because they had so little oil, they looked very different. Yun Ran remembered that breakfast had been the same.

The food was light and delicious, and you could taste the fresh, sweet flavor of the ingredients themselves, but it made you hungry easily.

Yun Ran, who was used to eating street food, didn’t have a big appetite, but she liked strong flavors. Now, she particularly craved the glistening roasted goose.

She started eating.

The skin was a reddish golden color. With one bite, the skin was crispy, the meat was tender, and it was oily without being greasy.

The meal box also came with plum sauce. Yun Ran dipped her second piece in the sauce, which made it even more refreshing.

After eating two pieces, Yun Ran looked up and found that both Jiang Musheng and Jiang Xueyu were watching her.

Yun Ran licked her lips nervously and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Xueyu’s eyes curved into a smile. “It’s just that watching sister-in-law eat makes it look so delicious. Brother, isn’t that right?”

Yun Ran looked at Jiang Musheng.

Jiang Musheng didn’t react.

Jiang Xueyu winked at him. “Brother~”

“Hmm,” Jiang Musheng gave a reluctant affirmative.

Jiang Xueyu was happy. “I’ll definitely be able to finish a whole bowl of rice for lunch.”

Wasn’t it normal to eat a whole bowl of rice? Yun Ran wondered.

Jiang Xueyu offered an explanation on her own. “I have nervous gastritis and often lose my appetite.”

Yun Ran’s face showed an apologetic expression.

She secretly glanced at the corner of her eye at Jiang Musheng. He was also eating light food. Did he have a stomach problem too?

Little Sister Xueyu seemed to know what she was thinking and was about to explain, “My brother…”

“Xueyu,” Jiang Musheng interrupted in a cold voice.

Jiang Xueyu stopped talking, and Yun Ran lowered her head to continue eating.

After the meal, a maid came to clear the dishes. Jiang Musheng went to his study alone, saying he had work to handle.

Yun Ran was pulled by Xueyu to her room to take a nap together. Alan stood guard at the door.

Entering Xueyu’s room, which was so dreamy it seemed to be filled with pink bubbles, Yun Ran was completely shocked.

Little Sister Xueyu liked to wear pure white long dresses, but almost everything in her room was pink, except for the row of photos on the wall.

She looked up and saw a photo of Jiang Musheng in black equestrian gear, holding the reins and sitting on a horse.

Another showed him in a gray tracksuit, standing perfectly straight, holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other, aiming seriously with one eye closed.

And another photo showed him in a pink suit and black leather shoes, half-crouching by a swimming pool, extending a hand, looking helplessly at his sister who was making a face at him in the water.

Seeing Yun Ran notice the photos on the wall, Jiang Xueyu introduced them. “This one is at the horse stables, where my brother taught me to ride. This one is at the archery range, and this one is when I was learning to swim. My brother didn’t teach me himself, but as compensation, he wore the pink suit I gave him.”

“Sister-in-law, my brother looks handsome in anything, right?”

Yun Ran stared intently at the photos in the frames and didn’t answer.

She didn’t dare to look directly at Jiang Musheng’s face when he was in front of her, but these were just photos.

She couldn’t deny what Xueyu had said. She considered herself to have a good appearance, but the superior face of Jiang Musheng in the photos made her feel a little inferior.

“Sister-in-law, can you swim?” Jiang Xueyu asked, secretly delighted that she was so engrossed in the photos.

“No,” Yun Ran shook her head.

This was another area where she felt inferior. Compared to them, she didn’t have any skills.

“That’s okay, my brother can’t either. I’ve already learned, so I’ll teach both of you next time.”

Yun Ran gave a faint smile and didn’t take it seriously.

Jiang Xueyu continued, “But my brother doesn’t want to get in the water, so next time, I’ll have to trouble sister-in-law to drag my brother in.”

Even though it was just a suggestion for something that hadn’t happened yet, Yun Ran was startled.

Looking at the third photo of Jiang Musheng, she unconsciously took a step back.

How could she possibly dare?

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