When the Heartthrob Meets the Cold-Hearted Ex - Chapter 42

Tang Yeran returned to the passenger seat first, pretending to be nonchalant as she adjusted her seatbelt.

Her movements weren’t particularly fast, and by the time she had meticulously fastened the entire belt, there was still no movement from the person beside her.

Puzzled, she looked up and saw Su Yang not even holding the steering wheel, just staring at her unblinkingly.

“Aren’t we leaving?” Tang Yeran glanced out the car window, hinting that it was time to hit the road.

“There’s no one else around now,” Su Yang replied, dodging the question.

Tang Yeran: ?

“You can continue what you didn’t finish earlier.”

“Huh?”

Before Tang Yeran could react, Su Yang straightened her expression and cleared her throat with an air of restraint.

“I can let you hug me a little longer.”

Tang Yeran: …

“Who wants to hug you?”

She was utterly speechless at the sudden burst of narcissism.

Su Yang fell silent for two seconds, then suddenly leaned in, wrapping her arms around Tang Yeran’s shoulders and whispering close to her ear, “Then I’ll hug you instead.”

“What’s gotten into you?” Tang Yeran chided, but her hands naturally settled on the other’s waist.

The car was parked by the gas station, its windows tinted one-way, shielding them from outside eyes. At that moment, it was as if they were on an isolated island, undisturbed by anyone.

This sudden moment of tenderness might have lasted ten seconds, or maybe longer until…

“Meow!”

Yuanbao, who had been tied up in the back seat, must have woken up. The little cat poked its head through the gap between the seats, its round eyes darting back and forth between their arms.

Tang Yeran, who had been somewhat lost in thought, suddenly met Yuanbao’s curious gaze and instantly felt a guilty pang, as if caught doing something wrong.

She wriggled out of Su Yang’s embrace and covered Yuanbao’s eyes with one hand. “Curiosity killed the cat.”

“Meow!” Yuanbao, displeased at having its view blocked, flopped onto its back and used its fluffy front paws to push at Tang Yeran’s hand.

The childish tussle between human and cat played out in the car. Tang Yeran didn’t put up much resistance, and soon her entire hand was captured by the kitten, who treated it like a chew toy.

Though the kitten was just playing, its tiny sharp teeth still pinched a little.

“Ouch, bad cat.” Tang Yeran flicked Yuanbao’s head in mock annoyance, then shot Su Yang a reproachful look. “Bad cat’s owner.”

Su Yang had witnessed this childish game between the two countless times, and it always ended with her, the bystander, taking the blame.

But far from being upset, she reveled in it. “Then I’ll discipline it for you.”

She made a show of reaching for the cat, only to have her hand swatted away the next second.

“Bullying a tiny kitten at your age, how shameless.”

See? She knew it. Someone might call Yuanbao a “bad cat,” but in reality, she spoiled it more than anyone.

Sometimes, Su Yang thought it was a good thing they didn’t have kids. Who knew how spoiled their child would turn out otherwise?

…Huh. That line of thinking might have gone a little too far.

Unaware of Su Yang’s musings, Tang Yeran noticed her distraction and used a cat paw to pat her. “Why the sudden daze?”

Su Yang snapped back to reality and, almost impulsively, asked, “Ranran, do you like kids?”

Tang Yeran: Huh?

The topic shift was too abrupt. Tang Yeran looked at her as if she’d grown a second head.

Su Yang realized her slip of the tongue and quickly tried to make amends. “I just noticed how affectionate you are with Yuanbao, like some mothers are with their own babies.”

So that’s what she meant.

Tang Yeran lifted Yuanbao onto her lap, stroking the kitten while sighing.

“That’s not quite the same. Human children aren’t as adorable or easygoing as little kittens.

“I have a younger cousin who was quite the troublemaker growing up wherever he went, mischief followed. Digging holes in the ground, hanging buckets of water above doors, arranging mops into some kind of formation.

“My aunt would always end up chasing him around with a feather duster, fuming. Even though she and my mom are the same age, she looked a good ten years older.

“For the longest time, I had a bit of a phobia about kids because of him.”

Seeing Tang Yeran’s genuinely distressed expression, Su Yang felt somewhat relieved and cautiously pressed further.

“But not all children are mischievous. Some are well-behaved and easy to handle like you and your mom, for instance. You two seem to have a great relationship.”

Tang Yeran couldn’t help but scoff. “Pfft, me? Easy to handle? You’ve got the wrong idea.

“I didn’t finish the story about my cousin. Later, I ended up dumping that bucket of water on his head, kicking him into the hole he dug, and beating him up with the mop.”

She said it so nonchalantly that it completely reshaped Su Yang’s perception of her. “I… I never knew you had that side to you.”

Tang Yeran caught Su Yang’s reaction and smirked. “Scared?”

Back when she had pursued Su Yang in school, she had always tried her best to present herself as sunny and refined.

After reuniting, as a professional woman, she had maintained an image of maturity and composure.

But deep down, she had a mischievous side too, one she usually kept well-hidden. Yet, in this moment, she couldn’t resist letting Su Yang catch a glimpse of it.

Meeting Tang Yeran’s slightly challenging smile, Su Yang instantly understood her intent.

At first, she was genuinely surprised, but once the initial shock wore off, she felt nothing but delight.

She wrapped Tang Yeran’s hand and the kitten’s paw together in her palm, curling her lips into a smile.

“Why would I be scared? I just regret not meeting you sooner.

“If I had been there, I could’ve helped you carry the bucket, handed you the shovel for digging the hole, stood guard to keep him from climbing out, and even taken the hits from your mom if she tried to scold you.”

Even though she knew it was just sweet talk, Tang Yeran was still thoroughly charmed. She narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue.

“Too bad I didn’t record that just now. If people heard President Su saying things like this, they’d be shocked.

“But you’ve got one thing wrong, my mom never actually hit me. She’d just nag a little, and then my dad would swoop in to calm her down before long.”

“Oh, so your parents are really easygoing, huh?” Su Yang accidentally blurted out her honest thoughts, then quickly backpedaled when Tang Yeran shot her a glare.

“No wonder Ranran has such a good temper too.”

President Su had been acting very differently lately. She used to either stay silent or snap at people when she spoke, but recently, her words had been dripping with honey.

Tang Yeran was thoroughly pleased, and her chatter flowed freely.

“My parents really are easygoing. My dad’s always been known as the nicest guy around. My mom was supposedly a bit fiery in her youth, but after having me, she became more and more nurturing, always putting me first in everything she did.”

“I often think that if my mother hadn’t given birth to me, she could have lived a freer and happier life, with far fewer worries. But she says she’s never regretted having me.”

“So even though I sometimes talk back to my mom, deep down I’ve always thought maternal love is truly remarkable it’s a pure, selfless kind of love. A mother can temper her edges or become indestructible for her child.”

“But I’m not that noble. I can’t devote everything to another person. I still love myself more and don’t want a child to come along and add to my burdens.”

Tang Yeran’s mouth raced ahead of her thoughts as she blurted out what was on her mind, then immediately felt a twinge of regret. She ventured cautiously, “Do you think I’m selfish for saying that just now?”

Su Yang noticed the caution and concern in Tang Yeran’s eyes, and her heart softened. She replied earnestly, “To love others, you must first love yourself. I don’t think loving yourself more is selfish.”

“Loving yourself and being good to others are never in conflict, and being kind to others shouldn’t come at the expense of your own well-being.”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean selfless love is inherently bad. Maybe some people find emotional fulfillment in the act of giving.”

“It’s just that different people seek different things, so their choices differ too.”

“Actually, when I first found out Ranran didn’t like children, I was quite happy. Otherwise, if we had a kid later and you cared more about them than me, I’d get jealous.”

Tang Yeran was moved by the earlier part of the speech, but the last sentence struck her as odd. She pulled her hand free now slightly sweaty and stared at Su Yang. “What did you just say? Say it again.”

“To love others, you must first love yourself.”

“No, the next part.”

“Loving yourself and being good to others aren’t in conflict.”

“That’s not the one either.”

“Different people seek different things, so their choices differ.”

Su Yang knew exactly which line Tang Yeran meant but was feigning ignorance.

Tang Yeran finally realized she was being teased. Grabbing Su Yang’s mischievous hand, she gave it a sharp bite. “Su Yang!”

Su Yang waited until she was done before reclaiming her hand and placing it on the steering wheel, laughing it off. “Alright, alright, it’s getting late. We should hit the road.”

“Explain yourself properly!”

“We’re about to get on the highway, don’t get worked up. Safety first.”

Tang Yeran: “…”

The two arrived at Tang Yeran’s hometown just before evening.

Tang Yeran had deliberately given her parents a later arrival time to spare them the wait, but as luck would have it, they ran into Wang Shuran right outside the apartment building.

Though past fifty, Wang Shuran had sharp eyesight and spotted Tang Yeran and Su Yang from a distance, laden with bags. She approached, leading a large white fluffball, and deftly tied the leash around her daughter’s wrist.

“You’re back! Honestly, you didn’t need to bring so much stuff. Nannan, you hold onto Mao Qiu, I’ll carry the bags for you.”

Tang Yeran, suddenly burdened with the leash, glanced at Su Yang, now empty-handed, and thought in bewilderment: Somehow, your “help” has left me with more to handle.

Wang Shuran moved with surprising agility. Before Su Yang could react, the heavy embroidery and tea set weighing over ten pounds were all in Wang Shuran’s hands.

It was impolite to let elders carry things, but with the neighborhood bustling with people, making a scene by pulling and tugging wouldn’t look good either.

Fortunately, those items were originally gifts for Father Tang and his wife, so it was just an early presentation.

Su Yang took the dog leash from Tang Yeran’s hand and walked in small steps beside Wang Shuran, speaking sweetly.

“Auntie, these are gifts Yeran and I picked for you and Uncle. We hope you like them.”

“Like them? Of course!” Wang Shuran was never one to sit idle. Even if Su Yang hadn’t spoken, she had already started unwrapping the gifts as soon as she recognized the packaging.

“Pinjia embroidery and Master Huo’s work at that! Yangyang, your taste is impeccable!”

If the first half of her “like them” was mostly politeness, the latter half’s enthusiastic tone was genuine delight.

It even made Tang Yeran a little jealous. “Mom, why are you only praising Su Yang? Don’t you think I could’ve picked these too?”

Rarely did the usually self-proclaimed mature Editor Tang show such a coquettish side. Su Yang chuckled and secretly hooked her pinky with Tang Yeran’s.

Wang Shuran, however, didn’t indulge her daughter at all. “You’ve bought me things before, I know your taste. Yangyang’s got style. Look at this stitching, this texture just perfect, tsk tsk.”

Tang Yeran watched her mother’s barely contained glee and thought to herself: It’s not that she has taste she just bought out the entire store.

But teasing aside, seeing Su Yang win Wang Shuran’s favor filled her with genuine happiness.

Even though Wang Shuran had said over the phone that she’d be happy as long as Tang Yeran brought home a living person, she couldn’t help but worry a little given Su Yang’s usual standoffishness and her mother’s blunt, fiery personality.

She wasn’t even sure what she was worried about. Even if Su Yang rubbed her mom the wrong way, it wouldn’t affect their mother-daughter bond.

But as it turned out, Su Yang wasn’t just not annoying—she was downright charming. So charming, in fact…

That it was affecting their mother-daughter bond. = =

Su Yang and Wang Shuran had barely met before. The former was either tongue-tied or sharp-tongued, yet here she was, effortlessly winning over elders.

Wang Shuran had a naturally loud voice, and within a few steps, she had attracted a few of her old friends to come see the commotion.

“Is that the Tang family’s daughter back? Oh my, look at her even prettier than before!”

Tang Yeran, lagging a few steps behind, watched helplessly as the neighbor addressed Su Yang as “even prettier” and weakly piped up, “Auntie Chen, I’m over here.”

Auntie Chen, unfazed by her mistake, said cheerfully, “Oh, Tangtang’s here! I was wondering who this lovely girl was. Then who’s the one next to Shuran?”

The Tang and Chen families had been neighbors for over twenty years. Auntie Chen was great in every way except for her face blindness and her habit of enthusiastically greeting the wrong people.

Wang Shuran didn’t mind, smoothly covering, “This is Yangyang also my daughter. See these embroideries? My daughter got them for me. Aren’t they lovely?”

As it turned out, these flashy embroideries weren’t just Wang Shuran’s taste, her friends were equally enamored.

Their attention was easily diverted, and they marveled at the H City specialty embroidery.

Wang Shuran, basking in the praise, beamed. “See? My daughter’s got great taste. If you like these handkerchiefs, I’ll give you one!”

After speaking, she realized Su Yang was still nearby and discreetly glanced at her reaction.

Su Yang, ever the smooth talker, chimed in, “Aunties, pick whichever one you like. Ranran mentioned how well you treated her before just a small token of appreciation.”

Tang Yeran: ?

When did I ever say that?

With gifts in hand, the aunties close to Wang Shuran each chose an embroidery they liked, not finding it the least bit odd that she had suddenly gained an extra “daughter.” They simply praised Wang Shuran for her good fortune.

In just a few steps, Tang Yeran had acquired a sister from another father and mother.

And this “sister” was getting along so well with her own mother that, even after entering the house together, neither noticed there was still one more person trailing behind.

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