Suddenly, Su Yue understood what Jiang Ci was asking for—he wanted candy.
She opened another packet, this one with peach-flavored fondant. Holding the soft, pink candy delicately between her fingertips, she leaned in and fed it to him with a soft whisper, “Here.”
The sweet peach flavor blossomed across his tongue, yet Jiang Ci frowned, displeased. “This isn’t the one,” he murmured.
Only then did Su Yue realize—he hadn’t been asking for just any candy. He wanted the one from earlier, the soft, creamy milk-flavored fudge. Without hesitation, she stuffed the whole bag of it into Jiang Ci’s large palm. “This one’s delicious. I’ll give it all to you.”
She thought he might laugh at her exaggerated gesture. But instead, Jiang Ci picked out a piece and popped it into his mouth. His furrowed brows relaxed, and a rare smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Not bad,” he said softly.
The faint taste of milk lingered as he licked his teeth, slowly chewing the springy fudge like a satisfied child.
Just then, the car came to a halt. Uncle Fang had driven them to the gates of the farm.
As Su Yue stepped out of the black luxury car, she noticed that many people had already arrived—and were waiting.
Eyes turned toward the sleek black vehicle. At first, everyone froze in surprise. And then, as Su Yue emerged, a ripple of astonishment spread through the crowd.
But what truly caught their attention next was the child stepping out with a chubby white cat in his arms. The crowd stared, a bit confused. Was this… Su Yue’s little brother?
So cute!
Just as people were beginning to recover from that shock, another figure stepped out of the car—a tall man with a powerful presence.
The moment their eyes landed on his face, a collective gasp escaped the crowd.
This… this was Su Yue’s rumored husband?
Not long ago, gossip had spread around campus claiming that Su Yue was married—and married to the blind, disfigured eldest son of the Jiang family. Most had brushed it off as a wild, ridiculous tale. Back then, Su Yue rarely showed up to class and was seen as little more than a spoiled rich girl. She was hardly taken seriously, despite her family’s wealth.
But things were different now.
Ever since Su Yue’s stunning appearance at school a few days ago, all eyes had been on her. If the campus beauty contest on the forums hadn’t already ended, her dazzling presence alone could have won her the crown.
And now, seeing the man by her side—tall, enigmatic, and scarred—the gossip that once seemed like a joke suddenly turned into reality, leaving everyone completely dumbfounded.
“I can’t believe this…” Jin Mingyuan quickly rushed over and pulled Su Yue to the side. Her eyes flitted nervously to Jiang Ci, and she whispered in a hushed voice, “You said you didn’t need anyone to pick you up. You said you’d give me a surprise! This—this isn’t a surprise, it’s a shock! You brought Jiang Ci… and his son? Su Yue, are you crazy?!”
Su Yue herself was still a little stunned. “Didn’t you say friends were welcome? I thought bringing my family was fine.”
“I give up…” Jin Mingyuan muttered, flabbergasted.
She snuck another glance at Jiang Ci, only to find his dark, fathomless eyes looking straight at her. Her gaze then drifted to the large scar marring the left side of his face. Oh… that scar. It was striking—harsh, even—and she finally understood why Su Yue used to complain about him so much.
But that was the past.
Su Yue had changed. Her looks, her temperament, her whole aura was different now. She used to grumble about Jiang Ci, yet now… she’d brought him here? To a social event?
Jin Mingyuan reached out and touched Su Yue’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever…”
Rolling her eyes, Su Yue slapped her hand away. “You have a fever. I couldn’t leave him and Haohao at home alone. I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy myself anyway. So… here we are.” Her explanation was vague, but sincere. Truthfully, she was more afraid of making Jiang Ci upset. And poor little Haohao had never even been out to play properly.
“I’m done talking to you.” Su Yue turned away, walking back to Jiang Ci.
Jin Mingyuan turned to the quiet girl beside her, Xu Xue, and sighed. “Xuexue, I think we’ve been abandoned by our little Yueyue. Aren’t you scared stiff after seeing Jiang Ci?”
She assumed the soft-spoken Xu Xue must be terrified—after all, the man did look imposing with his scarred face and cold presence.
But Xu Xue gently shook her head, her eyes following Su Yue and the tall man. Her voice was as warm and delicate as ever, “I’m not scared. He’s not a monster.” Then she added quietly, “Sometimes… the heart can be more frightening than the face.”
Jin Mingyuan could only sigh. “You’re right.”
Around them, others were gathering in groups. Most had brought friends or significant others—after all, a camping trip was more fun in pairs. But Su Yue had brought an entire family. And what a striking trio they made—an ethereal beauty, a tall, scarred man, and a soft, adorable little boy. The contrast between them was sharp, yet harmonious, and they stood out without even trying.
Class monitor Wu Qiming hadn’t expected so many people to bring guests. Still, only about half the class had shown up, so the crowd was manageable.
“Alright, everyone’s here!” Wu Qiming called out, clapping his hands for attention. “I’ll lead the way. You’ll get a map shortly. First, we’ll set up tents, and then you’re free to explore. There’s fishing, a real-life CS battlefield, and more. Lunch is a seafood buffet, and we’ll be barbecuing tonight!”
He was using this class event to promote his family’s farm and sincerely hoped everyone would enjoy themselves—and hopefully spread the word. After all, many of his classmates came from powerful, well-connected families.
As soon as he finished speaking, excited cheers broke out. The atmosphere quickly became lively and cheerful.
Jiang Haoyan followed closely behind Su Yue, hugging his little coriander tightly. He couldn’t understand much of what the adults were saying, but he understood the words “catching fish” and “grass slide.” His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Haohao wants to play!
Su Yue held Jiang Ci’s arm as they walked with the group. Her brows furrowed in thought. With Jiang Ci’s blindness, only a few of the activities would suit him. After considering it, she thought sitting by the water to catch shrimp might be best.
They passed through a grove of trees, the air fresh and filled with the scent of nature. After a while, the path opened up into a wide, lush grassy slope. The grass stretched endlessly under the bright blue sky, painting a picture of serene beauty.
“Sheep! Sheep!” Xiao Haohao suddenly shouted, eyes wide in amazement. A few sheep were lazily grazing on the grass, and the sight completely mesmerized him.
“We’ll be setting up tents here!” Wu Qiming announced. “You can team up as you like, then go collect your tents. Girls who don’t know how to build them—feel free to ask the boys for help. Once you’re done, you can head to the dining area for the seafood buffet. Everything’s super fresh, and you can even harvest it yourself if you want.”
Jin Mingyuan’s eyes lit up. This was her first time camping. The Jin family usually sent their kids to formal training programs—field drills, physical fitness, that sort of thing—but never anything like this. It was her first brush with real outdoor fun, and she was secretly thrilled.
A whole day of adventure was just beginning. And amidst the laughter and conversations, the family of three—Su Yue, Jiang Ci, and little Haohao—walked side by side, their shadows stretching softly under the golden light.“Xuexue, do you want to share a tent with me, or are you going to camp with your Senior Gu?” Jin Mingyuan leaned over, whispering playfully as she tugged gently at Xu Xue’s sleeve. “Xiao Yueyue is definitely going to share a tent with her family trio. That leaves you with a decision to make. Don’t worry, though—if you choose love over friendship, I promise I won’t be jealous,” she added with a mischievous wink.
Xu Xue’s cheeks turned pink at Jin Mingyuan’s teasing. Her delicate face shyly tilted in the direction of Gu Chengfeng, who stood not far off. With a soft voice as gentle as spring drizzle, she whispered, “Of course I’ll share a tent with you.”
Su Yue glanced at the lush open field, then turned to Jiang Ci. “I’ll go pick up the tent,” she said, a little unsure. “Do you want to come with me?”
Just then, a tall boy approached, carrying a folded tent in his arms. His fair cheeks were tinged with a shy flush as he stood in front of them. “Su Yue… I brought your tent for you,” he said, his voice slightly breathless.
Su Yue was surprised for a moment. “Thank you, classmate Guan,” she said politely.
The boy was Guan Jun—the same student who had invited her and Jin Mingyuan to the event days ago. His gaze briefly landed on Jiang Ci before quickly turning away. He smiled, a warm, sunshine-like smile that hinted at nervousness. “Su Yue, I can help you set it up, too. It’s no trouble at all.”
She blinked. “You’re sure? Won’t it be too much trouble for you?”
Guan Jun shook his head. “No, the class monitor said the boys should help the girls with the tents first.”
“That’s really kind of you. Thank you.” Su Yue smiled sweetly, her voice as soft as a breeze brushing through petals. She had been worrying about how to manage it, and his offer came just in time.
Guan Jun’s face turned even redder. “Y-you’re welcome…”
Turning back to Jiang Ci and the little dumpling beside him, Su Yue said, “You and Haohao stay here for a bit, okay? Classmate Guan and I will get the tent up quickly, and then we can go eat. Sound good?”
The midday sun cast a golden light across the grass, dazzling and warm. That very sunlight hit Jiang Ci’s face, tracing over the scar on his cheek, illuminating the coldness in his eyes.
“Do whatever you want,” he replied with a scoff, his voice flat.
Su Yue frowned slightly. His tone was off. Was he feeling tired?
“Then let’s get started, Classmate Guan,” she said quickly. The sooner the tent was up, the sooner Jiang Ci could rest.
“Okay… okay, Su Yue, just be careful not to hurt yourself,” Guan Jun murmured, voice flustered.
As the two moved to assemble the tent, Jiang Haoyan stayed by Jiang Ci’s side, cradling the coriander in his little arms. He tilted his head up to look at his father with innocent, blinking eyes. For some reason, Daddy’s face looked darker than before… scarier, even.
Jiang Ci lowered himself onto the grass with a casual bend of his knee, stretching out the other leg. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes held a dangerous glint. Resting his cheek against his palm, he asked in a lazy tone, “Did that woman just smile?”
Little Haohao blinked. He didn’t quite understand the question, but he looked in the direction of Su Yue just in time to see her smiling brightly, her expression sweet and vivid as she spoke to the tall boy. He nodded honestly. “She smiled.”
Jiang Ci’s jaw tightened. His expression darkened further, shadows gathering around his brows.
“Was it a happy smile?” he asked, his voice quiet but laced with something sharp beneath the calm.
Haohao blinked again, as if trying to decode his father’s mood. He looked at Su Yue, then back at Jiang Ci, and replied earnestly, “Happy.”
“Oh.”
The soft syllable fell from Jiang Ci’s lips like a pebble dropped in a deep well.
The corners of his mouth curled ever so slightly, but it wasn’t a smile—it was the cold twist of displeasure. He lowered his gaze, and the light in his eyes dimmed with something stormy and unreadable.
“She’s happy,” he murmured to himself, “and I’m not.”
Then, he tilted his head, casting a side glance at his miniature twin who sat obediently beside him, coriander now resting on the grass. “My good son,” he said with a mockingly gentle tone, “tell me—what do we do to the people who make Daddy unhappy?”
Jiang Haoyan thought seriously, puffing his cheeks out as he pondered the question. Then he answered in his soft, milky voice, “Not good… we spank them.”
Jiang Ci raised an eyebrow, lips twitching with a trace of amusement at his son’s solemn response. He let out a low chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Well said.”
He looked ahead, his cold gaze falling again on the two figures setting up the tent.
A storm was brewing in his heart.
And someone—someone was about to be the lightning rod.