Chapter 146: Jun Qingmeng Is Taken

"Okay, then. I’ll be back soon. You have to wait for me, Daddy..."

"Mhm! I’ll wait for you."

Jiang Liu gently patted Tongtong’s head.

The little girl happily closed her eyes.

She loved it when her daddy patted her head.

Lin Qiu noticed Jun Qingmeng standing off to the side, being ignored. She quickly smiled and said, "Qingmeng, you should come with us. A girl as beautiful as you needs to buy lots of clothes to dress up in."

When going to the mall, of course you had to bring your future daughter-in-law.

Whatever she wanted, they’d buy it!

Lin Qiu thought she had to help her son keep Qingmeng happy.

Hearing this, Jun Qingmeng glanced at Jiang Liu, then said shyly, "No, thank you, Aunt Lin. I have clothes. I’ll just stay in the shop and keep Jiang Liu company. There’s no need to buy any."

"Come on, let’s go together, just the two of us. I have no taste when it comes to picking out clothes."

As she spoke, Lin Qiu enthusiastically took Jun Qingmeng’s hand.

Tongtong also hugged Jun Qingmeng’s long legs. "Teacher Qingmeng, come with us! Tongtong wants you to come. Let’s buy matching family shoes and wear them with Daddy, okay?"

The last time she was with Yang Yixue, she’d spotted a set of matching family shoes.

She’d really liked them.

But her daddy never had the time, so Tongtong could only let this little wish take root and sprout in her heart.

Matching family shoes? Jun Qingmeng was tempted. She looked at Jiang Liu. "Is that okay?"

She was asking for his opinion.

She was afraid of making Jiang Liu unhappy.

"Whatever. You should go with them." Jiang Liu didn’t give a direct answer.

Jun Qingmeng smiled. "Okay! Then I’ll go take a look with Aunt Lin and Uncle Jiang. If you need any help, I’ll come back right away."

"Whatever works."

Jiang Liu smiled and nodded, then took out his keys and handed them to the silent Jiang Dahai. "Dad, it’s hot out. You drive the car."

Jiang Dahai didn’t refuse and took the keys without another word.

The four of them left. Jiang Dahai drove, heading for Wanda Plaza.

It was hot outside the car window.

Tongtong was sprawled out on the back seat, her little legs dangling.

"Teacher Qingmeng, do you like Crab Boss?"

"Crab Boss? Who’s that?"

"He’s SpongeBob’s boss! The matching shoes Tongtong saw last time had SpongeBob, Patrick, Brother Octopus, and Crab Boss on them."

Tongtong bent her little fingers as she looked down and counted.

She remembered it very clearly.

Jun Qingmeng was delighted and asked, "Can I pick SpongeBob then?"

Tongtong pouted and shook her head. "No way! SpongeBob is for Tongtong, and Patrick is for Daddy. Teacher Qingmeng, you can only choose between Brother Octopus and Crab Boss. But Brother Octopus is so ugly."

"If that’s the case, would you still want to, Teacher Qingmeng?"

"Pfft!" Jiang Dahai, who was driving, almost burst out laughing.

His own granddaughter was just hilarious.

Jun Qingmeng chuckled.

"Of course. As long as the three of us are wearing the same thing, I don’t mind what I wear."

"Hehe, then I’ll call you Teacher Crab from now on."

"And I’ll call you Sponge-Tongtong?"

"No, it’s Baby Jiang! Silly."

"In your dreams," Jun Qingmeng said, rolling her eyes.

As she said this, Tongtong hesitated and fidgeted with her hands. "But the price was three digits. It must be really expensive. It’s not easy for Daddy to make money. Maybe we should just buy T-shirts instead? T-shirts are cheaper."

"Tongtong was just saying."

She couldn’t bear to spend her daddy’s hard-earned money. Making money was very difficult for him.

If they were just buying them for her daddy, she wouldn’t feel so bad.

Before Jun Qingmeng could say anything, Lin Qiu was the first to speak, her tone firm. "Tongtong, don’t you worry. Your grandma has a secret stash of money, with lots saved up. Whatever you like, we’ll buy it!"

"Really?" Tongtong’s little eyes lit up.

’Am I going to be Patrick’s Baby Jiang?’

Jiang Dahai also nodded cheerfully. "Your grandma has plenty of money. Spend as much as you want, Tongtong. Don’t worry."

The old couple had saved over four hundred thousand for Jiang Liu and Tongtong; they really weren’t afraid of buying a few articles of clothing.

Since Tongtong liked it, and their daughter-in-law liked it too, there was nothing more to say.

Buy them!

Lin Qiu nodded along with Jiang Dahai’s words. "Your grandpa and grandma are rich. Whatever Tongtong wants, we’ll buy it directly. We won’t hesitate!"

"Yay! Grandma is the best!"

Tongtong wrapped her arms around Lin Qiu’s neck and snuggled her soft cheek against her.

"Grandma, Tongtong likes you even more now. Super-duper likes you."

’It hurts to spend Daddy’s money, but it doesn’t hurt to spend Grandma’s secret stash.’

The family atmosphere was very harmonious.

Still, Jun Qingmeng felt a little restless.

She hadn’t naturally integrated into this family yet; after all, Jiang Liu still hadn’t agreed...

Lin Qiu noticed Jun Qingmeng’s unease.

She lovingly stroked Jun Qingmeng’s smooth hair. "You poor child. It mustn’t be easy for you, being out here all by yourself, right?"

Jun Qingmeng bit her lip. "It’s alright. I’m fine."

Lin Qiu sighed.

"Seeing you look so pitiful every day, it breaks my heart.

"From now on, when we’re together as a family, don’t be so formal. Just relax. I truly see you as my future daughter. That boy, Jiang Liu, has a mind of his own, so don’t you mind him. Our family is very happy with you, and we’ll be sure to have a good talk with him. So don’t you worry, okay?"

"Mhm!"

Soothed by Lin Qiu’s words, Jun Qingmeng’s tense nerves slowly began to relax.

She had always been afraid of not doing well enough, whether in front of Jiang Liu, or in front of Aunt Lin and Uncle Jiang.

She was even afraid of falling short in front of Tongtong.

"I understand, Auntie. Thank you!"

Jiang Dahai took over. "It’s not you who should be thanking us; it’s us who should be thanking you. Your care and companionship for Tongtong, and how good you are to Liu’er—we’ve seen it all, and it warms our hearts. You’re a good girl. If Liu’er ever breaks your heart, you just tell me. Your Uncle Jiang doesn’t have many skills, but he’s pretty good at tanning Jiang Liu’s hide, hehe."

Jun Qingmeng had been listening with a moved heart, but when she heard the last sentence, she suddenly couldn’t hold it in anymore.

"Pfft! Hahaha."

"Uncle Jiang, you’re so funny!"

Clear, pleasant laughter escaped from Jun Qingmeng’s lips.

If the Jun Qingmeng from a moment ago was a flower bud, shrunken into a ball to escape the scorching sun, then now, she was a gorgeous rose blooming in the sunlight.

After laughing a few times, she said seriously, "Uncle Jiang, I might have to disappoint you. I believe that day will never come."

Lin Qiu and Jiang Dahai were stunned for a moment, not understanding what she meant.

Jiang Tongtong understood. "Teacher Qingmeng would never tattle! She’ll just share with Tongtong, you know."

The two elders exchanged a glance, incredibly pleased.

The family chattered and laughed in the car.

「Half an hour later.」

Tongtong, holding Jun Qingmeng’s hand, walked into the first basement level of Wanda Plaza with the other two.

The entire floor was filled with all kinds of clothes.

"If we walk a little further, we’ll see a little green sign."

Tongtong pulled the others along to the shop that sold the matching family shoes she’d seen last time.

(Kiosk.)

"Hello, valued customers. What can I help you with today?"

The young man behind the counter greeted them kindly.

The moment he saw Jun Qingmeng, he grew secretly excited.

’A perfect ten, absolutely the best of the best.’

Unfortunately, Jun Qingmeng only swept a single glance over him.

Because she was so small, Tongtong wasn’t noticed below the counter.

Tongtong jumped up with all her might. "I want the SpongeBob shoes!"

Only then did the young man at the counter notice Tongtong.

"The SpongeBob shoes... is that the matching family shoe set?"

"Yes, yes."

Tongtong nodded impatiently, her little eyes shining with excitement.

’Daddy is Patrick, Tongtong is Baby Jiang, and there’s also a Crab Boss to be in charge!’

"Alright, come this way. I’ll get them for you."

Along the way, the young salesman tried to chat with Jun Qingmeng.

But he was vigilantly blocked by Tongtong.

’Teacher Qingmeng belongs to Daddy. I have to guard her for him!’

The young man brought out four styles.

"Little one, who are you going to wear them with?"

Tongtong said, "With my mommy."

Jun Qingmeng just smiled. "Could I get a pair to try on here?"

The young man felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.

’She... she’s already a mother!?’

’DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!’

’My spirit is shattered.’

’Such a beautiful, gentle, and lovely girl had already been taken.’

’It’s simply...’

’That guy must have saved the world in his past life...’

The young man’s heart was filled with bitter despair.

In the short two seconds he was stunned, the movie playing out in his mind was already enough to be a blockbuster.

"Right, no problem. What size do you wear?"

"Um... a 38."

"Tongtong wants a 38, too."