MGASC -Chapter 194 I’m Driving—Don’t Tease Me

“It’s not that.” Zhang Ling felt a little unsettled. “They’re shameless. I was afraid if you hit him, they’d try to extort you. They’re like chewing gum—once they stick to you, you can’t shake them off.”

“He’d have to dare first!” Jin Quan waved his hand dismissively. “Relax. I already sent him packing.”

Zhang Ling’s heart tightened. “How did you send him off? You didn’t give him money, did you?”

Jin Quan folded his arms and thought for a moment. “No.”

“That’s good.” Zhang Ling let out a sigh of relief. “In my mom and his eyes, there’s only money. They never pass up a chance to take advantage. If they get benefits this time, they’ll shamelessly come back again next time.”

“What if I already gave it to him?”

Zhang Ling grew anxious. “You—”

Whenever she got flustered, her face would turn red. Seeing this, Jin Quan quickly denied it. “I’m messing with you. As if I’d spoil him like that!”

The reason he had given the money was because Lin Tianyue had instructed him to.

After all, they were Zhang Qiao’s family. No matter how much Lin Tianyue disliked them, he didn’t want Zhang Qiao to be criticized as unfilial because of it.

Besides, he didn’t lack that bit of money.

Originally, Lin Tianyue had planned to give both sides’ parents a monthly allowance even if they didn’t come asking. But if they went too far, that would be a different matter.

Zhang Ling glared at Jin Quan’s unruly look. “Jin Quan, I’m worried sick, and you’re still joking with me. Am I that fun to tease?”

She turned and walked away. After two steps, she realized Jin Quan was still following behind her.

She spun around angrily. “Why are you still following me?”

“Is this road owned by your family? If you can walk, why can’t I?”

Zhang Ling bit her lip and was about to leave again. Seeing she was truly angry, Jin Quan hurriedly grabbed her.

Comforting women was not his strong suit.

Yet every time he saw her upset, his heart softened.

“Alright. Aren’t you in a bad mood? I’ll walk around with you.”

Hearing his softened tone, Zhang Ling sniffed, a little unwillingly.

Truthfully, she should thank Jin Quan. He always showed up when she was at her most embarrassed. Though he seemed rough around the edges, how many of those polite, pretentious people were truly decent?

Why couldn’t she just follow her heart once?

Zhang Ling tacitly accepted his company, and the two of them silently headed toward the market.

She bought some vegetables, and Jin Quan carried all the bags.

Farther ahead were clothing stalls, packed tightly along the street, though none of them were particularly high-end.

Deeper inside was a stall selling underwear.

Zhang Ling stood to the side and glanced at it. She really should buy a few pairs of underwear.

But with Jin Quan there, she felt too embarrassed.

“Want to buy something?” Jin Quan looked toward the colorful display.

Zhang Ling quickly shook her head.

“That thing of yours is already pilling. It’s time to replace it.”

Thinking of that awkward night, Zhang Ling’s scalp tingled. She shot him an indignant glare.

How annoying—why did he have to bring that up?

Jin Quan grinned wickedly. “Better buy it in the city. The quality here isn’t good enough for your figure.”

“None of your business!”

Zhang Ling quickened her pace, eager to leave this mortifying place behind.

Jin Quan had come by motorcycle and rode her back to her residence.

After handing the vegetables to Zhang Ling, he turned to leave, but she called out, “Wait a moment…”

The woman hurried upstairs and then back down again, handing him something wrapped in brown paper.

“What’s this?”

Zhang Ling’s face flushed slightly. “I baked some bread. I… made too much. Help me finish it, or it’ll go bad.”

Jin Quan took it and casually hooked it on his finger. “Can you make dumplings next time?”

“Huh?”

“I like dumplings. Not this foreign stuff.”

Zhang Ling choked up. “Then give it back.”

Of course, Jin Quan had no intention of returning it. With a carefree grin, he was already walking away.

Zhang Ling didn’t tell Zhang Qiao what had happened that day. She remembered one thing clearly: a woman in confinement must not get angry. No matter what happened, she would hold it in until Zhang Qiao finished her month.

Perhaps Jin Quan’s intimidation had worked—over the following period, that family didn’t come to cause trouble again.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed, which meant Zhang Qiao’s confinement period was over.

On the day she finished confinement, she took a long, satisfying hot shower. Because she had been breastfeeding, most of the weight she gained during pregnancy had already dropped. Her previously loose belly had tightened significantly after repeated massages.

Lin Tianyue was afraid she’d been cooped up for a month and would feel stifled. He specifically took a day off to accompany her out for a stroll.

“Can we bring Xia Xia with us?” Zhang Qiao had spent a month with her daughter and felt reluctant to be apart from her.

Xia Xia now weighed over eight pounds. She had delicate elf-like ears, round, bright eyes, and at just one month old, she looked like a little porcelain doll. Everyone who saw her praised her beauty.

It wasn’t just Zhang Qiao who couldn’t bear to part with her. Whenever Lin Tianyue was home, he carried the baby everywhere—his daughter had practically become his human accessory.

But today, Lin Tianyue pulled Zhang Qiao gently away from their daughter. “Next time. Today is your rare day off.”

“Alright then. Let’s go to Jiang City and check the renovation progress.”

“Sounds good.”

Before leaving, Zhang Qiao took one last reluctant look at her daughter.

Fortunately, Xia Xia was mixed-fed. If Zhang Qiao wasn’t around, formula would do just fine. She was, in short, an easy baby.

“Xia Xia, Mommy and Daddy are heading out. Mwah, give me a kiss!”

Zhang Qiao kissed her daughter’s little forehead and waved goodbye. As if she understood, Xia Xia wiggled her tiny hand in response.

Lin Tianyue said, “Bye-bye, sweetheart. Daddy will be back soon!”

The little girl turned her face away, as if offended, not giving him any face.

Even after stepping out the door, Lin Tianyue grumbled, “Qiao Qiao, our daughter is biased. She waved at you but not at me. All that doting for nothing.”

Zhang Qiao fastened her seatbelt in their newly purchased car. “Who told you to whisk her mommy away? You spoil her all the time—of course her temper’s getting worse. You’ll have to coax her plenty in the future.”

Lin Tianyue got into the driver’s seat. “It’s fine. I’m willing to coax her. Better she has a bit of a temper—so some silly boy won’t lure her away with a few pieces of candy.”

Zhang Qiao shot him a sideways glance. “My daughter won’t be as naïve as her mother.”

Lin Tianyue looked slightly embarrassed. “Qiao Qiao, you’re getting better at scolding people.”

Thinking of his background and their absurd first meeting, he soon laughed it off. “That’s right—her dad was a clueless fool. But I got lucky. I married the best wife. Thanks to her, I’ve gained a bit of sense and I’m not that foolish anymore. Right?”

Zhang Qiao lowered her gaze, pretending to contemplate deeply. When had Lin Tianyue become so good at responding like this?

Back then, this blunt, straightforward man had nearly driven her crazy.

She felt a little emotional. In less than a year, everything had changed.

“You big rough guy, don’t put yourself down. You’re actually pretty good at learning,” she said, reaching out to ruffle his short, bristly hair.

Her soft, smooth hand brushed over the back of his neck, sending a current from his neck down his spine, leaving him tingling.

“Qiao Qiao, I’m driving—don’t tease me.”