Chapter 86: Tongtong Runs Away from Home

Jiang Liu slowed down as they passed pedestrians.

The road was covered in deep puddles from the downpour.

Jun Qingmeng opened her camera app and snapped a few pictures of the heavy rain outside, documenting her wonderful life with Jiang Liu.

"Jiang Liu, can we take a selfie together?"

Jun Qingmeng looked at Jiang Liu expectantly.

"Sure."

Jiang Liu didn’t mind.

Hearing the word "photo," Tongtong got excited in the back. She clambered up and said, "What about me, Teacher Qingmeng? You’re not going to forget about your little darling, are you?"

"All together, come on."

"Yay! Tongtong wants to be in the middle."

Jun Qingmeng held her phone up high.

She aimed it at Jiang Liu, who was driving, and at Tongtong, who was leaning over the center console, and took a few quick snaps. CLICK, CLICK.

"Are you done yet?"

Tongtong held a placid smile, not moving a muscle.

She was trying her best to imitate Jiang Liu’s cool demeanor.

"All done, Tongtong."

Jun Qingmeng quickly uploaded the photos to her online album to make sure she didn’t lose them.

They were precious because this was her first picture with Jiang Liu.

"Can I see?"

Tongtong tugged on Jun Qingmeng’s dress.

Her fair thighs were exposed.

Jun Qingmeng didn’t mind.

She handed the phone to Tongtong.

"Wow, all three of us are so good-looking!"

Tongtong swiped across the screen with her index finger.

Jiang Liu found this adorable and asked with a smile, "Then tell me, who’s the best-looking?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Tongtong said, "Tongtong is first, Teacher Qingmeng is second, and Daddy is fourth."

"Fourth? Then who’s third?"

Jiang Liu was baffled.

"Third is Uncle Che, of course."

’So I’m not even as good as a car?’

"Hm, I see. There goes your cola for a year."

"Ah! Daddy, I was wrong! Please, please don’t take away my cola! I was wrong, I was wrong!"

"Daddy is number one, always number one, okay?"

Tongtong surrendered with practiced ease.

It was obvious she’d gotten on Jiang Liu’s nerves plenty of times before.

Tongtong sighed.

A little girl’s sigh. It wasn’t easy to placate her dad.

Her tiny body was shouldering immense family pressure.

Watching from the side, Jun Qingmeng was doubled over with laughter.

The two of them were just too funny.

She wanted to join in, too.

The wonderful moment was fleeting.

The brand-new SUV stopped at the entrance of Brocade District.

Jun Qingmeng was reluctant to leave.

"You take the umbrella. Tongtong and I won’t need it."

"Okay!"

"I’m heading in, Jiang Liu. It’s raining, so you have to drive safely."

"I know. Hurry on inside."

"See you tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Bye-bye, Teacher Tongtong~"

Holding the umbrella, Jun Qingmeng carefully stepped over the puddles.

"Getting off work, Teacher Jun?" the security guard greeted her with a friendly smile.

"Mhm."

"I saw a private car drop you off just now. Have you got a boyfriend?"

Jun Qingmeng just smiled and didn’t say anything.

It was a silent admission.

A few young office workers who lived in the same complex as Jun Qingmeng were passing by the gate. Naturally, they paid a lot of attention to the resident super-beauty.

When they overheard that Jun Qingmeng had a boyfriend, their hearts shattered.

They usually didn’t even have the courage to say hello to her.

They waited until Jun Qingmeng was out of earshot before whispering among themselves:

"I wonder which bastard managed to snag that prize."

"I told you we should’ve made a move sooner. Now our chance is gone, right?"

"Forget it. Someone that beautiful would never be interested in regular guys like us."

...

Jiang Liu waited until Jun Qingmeng had entered the complex before starting the car.

Suddenly, he stopped again and turned his head to ask:

"Tongtong, want to sit up front with me?"

Tongtong was lying back in her seat, her little feet propped up on the window.

"No thanks, Daddy. Tongtong’s tired."

"Okay, let’s go home and sleep."

"Okay~"

「Soon.」

Jiang Liu arrived back at his own residential complex.

He drove the car into the underground parking garage.

After circling a few times, he finally found his parking spot.

When the landlord bought this apartment, he had also purchased a parking spot to go with it.

Since the apartment was rented to Jiang Liu, the parking spot was naturally his to use as well.

Jiang Liu took out his key, unlocked, and lowered the yellow, tripod-shaped parking lock on the ground.

It was a barrier to prevent others from taking his private spot.

He backed into the space.

Once the car was parked,

Jiang Liu carried Tongtong into the elevator.

Tongtong wrapped her arms around Jiang Liu’s neck. "Daddy, does this mean Tongtong won’t have to worry about getting wet anymore?"

"Mhm. From now on, Daddy will drive you every day. How about you just sleep in the back?"

"Yay!"

"You’re the best, Daddy. Tongtong loves you."

Jiang Liu gently pinched her soft cheek.

「Back at home.」

The moment Jiang Liu walked through the door,

Tongtong pushed him down onto a small stool.

"You worked hard, Daddy. I’ll help you with your shoes, so just sit still."

She wanted to be extra nice to her dad.

"Alright. Tongtong’s all grown up now, knowing how to take care of her dad."

Jiang Liu ruffled Tongtong’s hair, gratified.

Her hair was now a total mess.

After changing his shoes, Jiang Liu collapsed wearily onto the sofa and turned on the air conditioner and the TV.

Tongtong scampered over.

"Daddy, here, drink some warm water. It’s good for your tummy."

"Okay, just leave it there. I’ll drink it in a bit."

「A moment later.」

Tongtong carried over a basin of warm water for a foot bath and placed it on the floor by the sofa.

She tugged on Jiang Liu’s leg.

"Come on, Daddy, stick your stinkies out. Tongtong will wash your feet."

Jiang Liu was surprised. "Tongtong, why are you being so helpful today?"

"Something’s not right with you."

"I... I... WAAAH."

Tongtong squeezed out some tears.

’What’s going on?’

Jiang Liu was baffled and quickly sat up.

"What’s wrong?"

’I didn’t do anything to you.’

Tongtong said with earnest grievance, "Daddy! From now on, Tongtong will be very, very good to you! I won’t let you suffer anymore!"

"Today, Teacher Qingmeng asked Tongtong what you like to eat, but Tongtong couldn’t answer. Tongtong was so, so sad. Daddy, I’ll be better to you from now on. Can you forgive Tongtong this time?"

"Waaah."

As she spoke, she threw herself into Jiang Liu’s arms, sobbing pitifully.

Jiang Liu was dumbfounded.

’Shouldn’t I be the one feeling wronged here? Why are you the one acting so hurt?’

Jiang Liu patted Tongtong’s back.

"It’s okay, Tongtong. You’re already doing a great job. Daddy couldn’t love you more, why would I ever blame you?"

"Be good now, stop crying, okay?"

Tongtong stopped crying and looked up with her red eyes. "Then tell me, Daddy. What do you like to eat? What do you like to do? Tongtong wants to remember it in her head forever and ever."

Jiang Liu thought for a moment.

He honestly didn’t know what he liked. He’d probably never thought about it or paid it any mind.

"Um... for example, Daddy likes spicy and savory things, I guess."

Jiang Liu gave a vague answer.

"What do you like to play, Daddy? Tell me quick, Tongtong’s little mental notebook is already recording."

"I like... traveling, and playing League of Legends?"

Jiang Liu recalled the happy memories of playing games with his roommates in college.

He said, uncertainly.

It had been a long time since he’d last played.

Tongtong nodded seriously. "Roger, got it. Just you wait, Daddy. When Tongtong grows up, I’ll take you out to eat and have fun, but you have to remember to pay."

She imagined sitting in the car, directing with a map, while her dad drove, brought the money, and they went to lots of fun places.

Jiang Liu chuckled. "Alright. In the future, you’ll take Daddy to eat good food and have lots of fun, and Daddy will pay."

"And Mommy Qingmeng, too! The three of us have to go together."

Jiang Liu pinched her cheek. "If you keep spouting nonsense, I’m not letting you watch cartoons."

"Hmph! If you don’t let me, Tongtong will run away from home. There are plenty of bad guys who would let Tongtong watch cartoons."

Tongtong huffed indignantly.

She looked exactly like Jiang Liu did when he was a child.

Jiang Liu chuckled.

"Daddy, the water’s getting cold. Let’s wash your feet."