The wind whistled past her ears, and the horse’s speed surged once more. Without Jiang Ci’s command, Su Yue instinctively clung tighter to him. “Slow down, not so fast, it’s dangerous!” she cried, her arms wrapped around his lean waist, her whole body pressed against his broad, firm back. She was scared, truly terrified.
Jiang Ci’s hand, holding the reins, tightened. So soft. When he’d first hugged her, he knew Su Yue was delicate and tender. Now, feeling her pressed against him, he realized she was even softer, like a precious, yielding bloom.
“Jiang Ci, don’t mess around! Stop quickly! I won’t ride anymore,” Su Yue pleaded, her face pressed against his back, her voice laced with anxiety. As the horse galloped faster, Su Yue grew increasingly agitated. In a fit of frustration, she pinched his waist. “I want to get off!”
“What are you afraid of?” Jiang Ci’s breath was a little ragged, perhaps from the horse’s speed. The usual coolness in his eyes softened, and his thin lips curved. “I’m blind, but the horse isn’t. Hold tight. I’ll never let you fall.” The wind whipping past his ears couldn’t cool the strange heat that spread through his body. The soft, unfamiliar touch was incredibly comfortable. He thought, it would be better if Su Yue hugged him a little tighter.
Su Yue gritted her teeth, her fingers digging into Jiang Ci’s waist. She twisted, unsure if it caused him pain. Jiang Ci’s face darkened, his voice hoarse. “Su Yue, try pinching again, and I’ll throw you down.”
Believing she had hurt him, Su Yue immediately pulled her hand away, her voice soft with apology. “Then stop now.”
Jiang Ci’s grip on the reins tightened, and the horse gradually slowed its frantic pace. Only then did Su Yue’s wildly beating heart begin to calm.
“Dad is amazing! Daddy is great!” At that moment, Jiang Haoyan, who had been sitting obediently on a long wooden chair with the cat, Coriander, in his arms, clapped his hands, beaming with excitement.
With a sigh of relief, Su Yue finally released Jiang Ci. She playfully patted the back of his hand. “What were you doing, acting so crazy?”
“Wasn’t it fun?” Jiang Ci’s lips twitched. His back still tingled, and he resisted the urge to reach back and touch the spot where she had pinched him.
“It was not fun!” Su Yue glared at him, genuinely upset.
At this time Wu Qiming appeared, his face etched with astonishment. “Student Su Yue, your husband is truly remarkable! This horse is boarded here by a friend of my father’s, and it seems gentle enough to ride with care, but if you want it to run, it simply refuses!” Even the horse’s owner had been thrown off several times, which is why it was sent here.
Hearing this, Su Yue felt a tremor of fear. She turned to look at Jiang Ci, standing there with an unreadable expression, then at the seemingly docile white horse. They said animals had a spirit. This man wasn’t even afraid of a horse. Of course, she wouldn’t voice her thoughts. Su Yue simply smiled. “Maybe he has a special connection with this horse.”
Wu Qiming didn’t dwell on it. He asked a staff member to tie the horse. “By the way, we’re having a barbecue tonight. I still need to check on the food preparations. You two have fun.”
“Okay,” Su Yue replied.
After Wu Qiming left, Su Yue, Jiang Ci, and Jiang Haoyan also left the racecourse.
“Aren’t you riding the horse anymore?” Little Haohao asked, a hint of reluctance in his voice.
“No more riding.” With Jiang Ci around, it was too dangerous. Su Yue checked her map. “Can I take you to fish for shrimp?”
“Are they edible shrimp?” Little Haohao hugged Coriander. Both child and cat looked at her with bright, eager eyes, incredibly cute.
“Yes, after we catch them, we’ll barbecue them tonight.”
At that moment, Jiang Ci, whose arm Su Yue was holding, suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Su Yue turned to look at him.
“Su Yue, my back is itchy. Can you scratch it for me?” Jiang Ci frowned, as if genuinely uncomfortable.
Su Yue didn’t move. “Scratch it yourself, Jiang Ci. I’m still mad at you.”
“I can’t reach it,” Jiang Ci stated, his voice firm, as if stating an undeniable truth.
“Haohao will help Dad tickle!” Little Haohao volunteered automatically.
Su Yue pursed her lips. “I don’t need you, Little Dwarf.” She stretched out her hand to Jiang Ci’s back, no longer angry. “Where is it?”
Her soft, small hand lightly scratched his back, making Jiang Ci feel even more uncomfortable. He frowned, his tone a little impatient. “No need.”
Su Yue’s hand paused, finding him rather inexplicable.
In the evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky blazed a fiery red, casting an extraordinarily beautiful glow against the green grass. In front of the colorful tents, everyone had divided into teams to prepare for the barbecue.
Little Haohao carefully placed a small bucket beside his tiny stool. These were the shrimp he had caught himself, and he wanted to barbecue them.
“Jiang Ci, hold this for me, and I’ll season the chicken wings.” Su Yue shoved a long fork into Jiang Ci’s hand. She pushed the washed chicken wings onto the fork, then placed them on the barbecue. Turning to Jiang Ci, she instructed, “When I tell you to turn it over, turn it to the other side, otherwise the chicken wings will burn.”
“Su Yue, are you instructing a blind man to work for you?” Jiang Ci’s lips twitched, his voice devoid of emotion.
Su Yue leaned in, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement. “Jiang Ci, I can’t get close to the lampblack.”
“Reason.”
“Because I’m beautiful, and these charcoal fires are so hot, and the smoke is so strong, of course I have to stay away. And the smell of barbecue is strong, and my clothes will absorb the smell. I hate the smell.” She softened her voice, coaxing Jiang Ci. “So, I’m in charge of handing you the ingredients, and you help barbecue.”
Jiang Ci snorted. She implied he was ugly, that he deserved to be smoked by the fire?
“Jiang Ci, you’re the best. When we get back, I’ll make you mango cake,” Su Yue said, full of sincerity.
Jiang Ci held the barbecue fork, one long leg casually extended. He chuckled at Su Yue. “Do you think I’ll agree?”
The sunset glow in the sky reflected in Su Yue’s watery black eyes, like beautiful gems. She smiled. “I’ll make you two.”
Jin Mingyuan had spent the afternoon with another team. She had just changed in her tent and felt much more comfortable. As she walked toward the barbecue, she stared in astonishment at Jiang Ci sitting in front of the grill, while Su Yue sat far away on a small stool, holding a bottle of juice. She looked refreshed, delicate, and utterly relaxed.
“Jiang Ci, the chicken wings can be turned over to the other side,” Su Yue observed, then told Jiang Ci to flip them. “You can also turn the skewer in your left hand.”
Jiang Ci frowned impatiently, but his slender fingers deftly turned the barbecue fork half a circle.
Jin Mingyuan was stunned. She walked over to Su Yue and sat down on the small stool beside her. “Yueyue, why aren’t you watching the food?”
“Jiang Ci is here.”
During lunch, Su Yue had been diligently serving Jiang Ci, peeling shrimp, and picking crab meat for him. At that time, Jin Mingyuan had wondered if Su Yue would spend her life serving a blind man. But now, seeing Su Yue enjoying herself and instructing Jiang Ci, she couldn’t understand it anymore. What Jin Mingyuan didn’t know was that everyone had dined together at noon, and in everyone’s eyes, Su Yue’s intimate service to Jiang Ci was out of care. But now that everyone was preparing their own food, Su Yue had asked Jiang Ci to help. She stood aside, wanting to show others that even if he was blind, Jiang Ci was not inferior to anyone, nor was he a helpless person who could only rely on others.
“What do you want to eat? It’s all here. Jiang Ci is grilling for me. If you want some, do it yourself,” Su Yue winked at Jin Mingyuan, smiling.
“I know, I know. How dare I eat what your Jiang Ci is grilling?” Jin Mingyuan said helplessly. “Don’t laugh at me. It’s fortunate your family’s man is blind.” She looked at Su Yue’s face, which was more dazzling than the sunset in the sky. Her eyes moved down to Su Yue’s upper body. With such a figure, if Jiang Ci wasn’t blind, tsk tsk tsk…
Seeing thatthe chaicken wings was almost done, she took a plate and chopsticks, got up, and walked to Jiang Ci. She brushed barbecue sauce and honey on the chicken wings. “You can eat it now.” A layer of honey made them too tempting.
At that moment, Little Haohao, who had been running around with Coriander, returned with chicken wings and sausages someone had given him. “It’s delicious! Dad is awesome!” He first praised his father.
“Jiang Ci, you’re amazing! The chicken wings are just right!” His little “stinky fart” companion also chimed in.
Jiang Ci raised his eyebrows, his thin lips curving slightly in pride. The unblemished right side of his face became even more handsome and charming under the fading sunlight.
Just then, Guan Jun appeared from nowhere, holding a plate of grilled food. He didn’t know if his handsome face was flushed from the heat of the fire or from shyness. He approached Su Yue. “Su… Student Su, we’ve grilled a lot over there. I brought some for you.”
“Oh? You’re too kind, Classmate Guan,” Su Yue said, a little embarrassed. After all, grilling such a large plate took a lot of time and effort.
Jiang Ci casually tapped the stove with a barbecue fork. “Do you want me to grill for you?”
“Yes, wait a moment. I’ll get you chicken legs and squid.” Su Yue turned around and, with a smile, said to Guan Jun, “Thank you, Classmate Guan, but I’m also grilling here. There are only a few of us, and we can’t finish so much. Please take it back and eat it.”
Earlier at noon, Guan Jun had seen Su Yue caring for the blind Jiang Ci and the child, so busy she couldn’t even eat properly. He thought that now, with the barbecue, in other groups, the boys were grilling for the girls. He assumed Su Yue must be rushing or in an awkward state, and would definitely not be able to eat. That’s why he had grilled a lot in advance, intending to bring it to her. Unexpectedly, the one grilling now was Jiang Ci, while Su Yue was fresh, delicate, and standing aside, watching without needing to intervene.
Guan Jun was shocked at first, then a little disappointed. “Okay… Then I won’t bother you.”
After Guan Jun left, feeling embarrassed, Jiang Ci snorted coldly. “Why didn’t you accept free delicious food from a fool?”
Su Yue blew on the freshly grilled chicken wings a few times until they were no longer hot. She picked one up and fed it into Jiang Ci’s “abominable mouth.” “He scorched the chicken wings. You can tell at first glance they’re not delicious. You should be the one to grill.”
Jiang Ci’s eyelids lifted, and the darkening sky reflected the sunset in his dark eyes, as if he were smiling.
As night gradually fell, the barbecue fire was extinguished. Many people still gathered around, chatting and drinking wine. Some walked up the grassy slope, enjoying the evening breeze and gazing at the stars. In a farm far from the city, there was a comforting tranquility.
Originally, Su Yue hadn’t expected the blind Jiang Ci to be able to grill so well. At first, she would remind him to flip the food. Later, Jiang Ci seemed to have mastered the timing, rhythmically flipping the food. The heat was just right, the meat fresh and tender, with a slightly charred skin—the perfect way to eat it.
Su Yue couldn’t stop eating, and she ate so much her stomach felt uncomfortable. She didn’t feel better until she had walked up and down the grassy slope almost ten times to aid digestion.
The night deepened, and occasional voices and laughter from around the tents made the surroundings seem even quieter. At this time, Jiang Haoyan unzipped the tent and walked in first. “We’ve finished showering .” He was wearing soft, comfortable clothes for sleeping.
“Come here, I’ll wipe your hair,” Su Yue said, picking up a dry towel. Behind him, Jiang Ci, dressed in black with half-wet hair, also entered, radiating a cool aura.
Little Haohao sat cross-legged in front of Su Yue obediently, letting Su Yue wipe his hair. His big eyes flickered a few times, so comfortable that he wanted to close his eyes and sleep. The child’s hair was the softest and thinnest. After a few wipes, it was almost dry. “Okay,” Su Yue said, smoothing the little boy’s hair.
“Su Yue, I want one too,” Jiang Ci, sitting lazily cross-legged, requested.
Su Yue walked over with the towel and touched Jiang Ci’s hair with her fingertips. Although it wasn’t as soft as Little Haohao’s, it was still soft and fine, not rough at all. Soft hair, but a stubborn temper, she thought. Jiang Ci’s words are definitely accurate. After wiping the water droplets from the ends of his hair, Su Yue tucked the half-wet towel into Jiang Ci’s hand, a smile in her eyes. “Okay, it’s your turn to wipe mine.”
She didn’t know how long it took, but the surroundings grew utterly silent, save for the chirping of summer insects.
Little Haohao slept between Jiang Ci and Su Yue. He twisted his fleshy little body, looked at Su Yue, then turned his head again. Jiang Ci had a stern face, his big eyes bright. Little Haohao was very happy. He glanced at Jiang Ci and Su Yue again, his small mouth curving upwards. He had seen children on TV whose parents slept with them.
“If you move around again, if you don’t sleep, I’ll throw you outside the tent!” The little bug next to him wriggled. Jiang Ci closed his eyes, his tone fierce. He was in a bad mood, knowing Su Yue was on the other side, just out of his reach.
Little Haohao was so frightened that he quickly closed his eyes, his small body frozen, though his little mouth still curved upwards. Su Yue gently touched his little head and whispered, “Go to sleep.”
When a child is tired from playing all day, they fall asleep quickly. In less than five minutes, Jiang Haoyan was fast asleep.
In the dark night sky, the moon was veiled by clouds, only a sliver of sharp crescent exposed. The surroundings were quiet. Jiang Ci got up and gently moved Jiang Haoyan, who was lying in the middle, to his designated sleeping position. Then, he slowly lay down in the center and naturally pulled Su Yue into his embrace. Her soft body nestled into his arms, and his slightly furrowed brows relaxed. He lowered his head, his fingertips brushing her soft lips. His finger pad rolled over them. Jiang Ci’s lips curved. He released his fingertips, then leaned closer. A light bite. Soft, moist, like the fudge from the car earlier in the day. Raising his brows with satisfaction, Jiang Ci’s tongue flickered. He realized his previous thoughts were wrong. Su Yue’s small mouth was better than mango cake. He hummed with satisfaction. In the dark night, he was like a child who had stolen candy, secretly savoring his favorite toffee.