Chapter 45: Bai Yan’s Goat Leap
Because there was still no news about the little gray puppy, that night Bai Yan clung to Jiang Chengyan, refusing to let him go home. Pestered to the point of exasperation, Jiang Chengyan had no choice but to stay with her in the west wing, which was originally his room.
“Husband, I can’t sleep.” Bai Yan tossed and turned several times, unable to fall asleep—no doubt because she had worries on her mind. Madam Zhao’s tofu-selling had gone badly that day, and there was no movement from the little gray puppy.
“Can’t sleep?” In the darkness, the man’s deep, pleasant voice floated over.
Bai Yan gave a heavy “mm.”
The next moment, a swift hand chop struck the back of her neck, and she went silent.
How utterly… simple and crude.
…
Madam Zhao had not closed her eyes the whole night. She sat there quietly, holding the little gray puppy as if it were her own child, watching over it all night. Several times, Father Jiang tried to take the puppy from her arms, but she refused to let go.
Because Madam Zhao held it all night, Father Jiang, in fact, stayed up all night as well.
When dawn broke, Father Jiang glanced at Madam Zhao and said, “I’ll go make breakfast.”
Day had come, but Madam Zhao’s heart felt nearly lifeless. Looking at the tiny puppy still lying quietly in her arms, she let out a long sigh.
“Why won’t you wake up?” Madam Zhao rubbed her red, sleepless eyes. But just then, a tiny tail weakly moved.
As it shifted, the little tail brushed lightly over the back of Madam Zhao’s hand.
…
Thus, at the break of day, Bai Yan was roused from her sleep by Madam Zhao’s piercing scream.
Still under the covers, she struggled to turn over, and Jiang Chengyan reached out to cover her ears, shielding her from the noise.
But a rabbit’s ears are keen, so before long, Bai Yan shot upright on the heated bed.
Her delicate jade-like ears twitched, and her voice came out soft and sweet: “Did the puppy wake up?”
Jiang Chengyan remained unimpressed.
Bai Yan hurriedly urged him to get up and have a look.
What followed was a lively scene in the courtyard.
Jiang Chengyan, forced into action, was busy in the yard hammering together a nest for the just-awakened little gray puppy, while Bai Yan leaned close to Madam Zhao, watching over the puppy.
When Bai Yan looked up, she saw Jiang Chengyan crouched down, diligently at work.
Some mysterious urge seized her, and in the next instant, she leapt to her feet, hopped a few times in place, then dashed forward, planting both hands on Jiang Chengyan’s back, launching herself in a perfect goat jump.
Jiang Chengyan: “???”
Jiang Cheng’an, cane in hand, had just stepped out of the house when he witnessed his sister-in-law vaulting high off the back of his fearsome elder brother.
In his shock, he nearly dropped his cane…
…
“What are you up to, little one?” Jiang Chengyan rose to his full height, his tall figure looming as he looked at the young woman bouncing not far from him.
Bai Yan’s big eyes sparkled as she glanced up at him.
Jiang Chengyan saw right through her—she clearly wanted to try it again.
“Breakfast! Breakfast! Your father’s made breakfast,” Madam Zhao called out, cradling the puppy, her spirits revived by its recovery despite an entire sleepless night.
At the table, perhaps because she was in such fine spirits, Madam Zhao’s face was all smiles—none of her usual sternness remained.
“Mother, do you just love, love, love cute things?” Bai Yan asked hopefully, holding her bowl of porridge.
Madam Zhao pressed her lips together, her face returning to its impassive look as she stared at Bai Yan—but the shine in her eyes could not be concealed.
Seeing that Madam Zhao had basically acknowledged it, Bai Yan glanced at the piece of pork clutched between her chopsticks and posed a deadly question: “But pigs are cute too. Why do you love eating pork so much?”
Madam Zhao barked, “Out!”