Desperate Love of a Broken City 14
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Huo Ling was stiffened. He didn’t know why Jiang Nian suddenly hugged him, as if he didn’t understand her well.
But his heart was beating very fast, and he didn’t push Jiang Nian away immediately. The answer seemed to be coming to his mind, but it seemed to be his illusion. He was tight all over, and his throat was dry and tight: “……Why say, sorry for your dad?”
Jiang Nian frowned, her jaw resting on his chest:” Because I grabbed my dad’s good brother, but for Uncle Huo, I can compete fairly with my dad.”
Huo Ling:”……………!!!”
Cough.
He smiled helplessly: “Uncle Jiang’s just playing, don’t take it seriously.”
His hands on his legs were tightened and loosened and he hesitated to lift them, until he finally circled gently around the girl’s soft waist. Jiang Dad was not the focus of his concern. He asked what he was more concerned about, “Why rob me from him?”
Jiang Nian asked, “Why didn’t Uncle Huo push me away and hugged me instead?”
Huo Ling looked at her and laughed, his voice was full of joy, the loosely looped arms tightened slightly, he wrapped her spine in one hand, stroked her soft long hair with the other, and gathered her into his arms with a full embrace.
Her head was lowered, her cheeks were arched against his chest, they hugged tightly, and she said nothing.
Huo Ling put her head down in her ears: “Niannian.”
“Yes.”
“I like you too.”
His voice was calm and serious.
“I wanted to wait for you to accept me slowly…”
“And now?”
“Thank you for being so brave.”
Jiang Nian didn’t agree with him. She looked up and corrected him, “I’m not brave, I’m confident!”
Huo Ling couldn’t help crying: “……………Ok.”
He rubbed the little girl’s head. Although there was some helplessness, he was filled with infinite joy. He was originally worried that his crush would end in no time, but he didn’t expect to get such a surprise.
Jiang Nian found that the gentle man who was originally so gentle was really uncontrollable. The unpredictable eyes in the past were now full of her shadow, so affectionate, so tempting, making Jiang Nian’s heart leap. She couldn’t hold back and jumped up and kissed Huo Ling’s face.
He only felt a kiss with a faint smell of medicine falling on his cheek.
She smacked her mouth: “Uncle Huo, we are hugging and kissing now, and you will be my person from now on!”
Huo Ling: “…………”
Wasn’t this girl too underestimating him as a man?
He took Jiang Nian’s waist, turned her around, and pressed her against the wall. He was tall and she was petite. This tightly enveloped posture brought a trace of danger and vague ambiguity.
He leaned over, raised his eyebrows as if ridiculing and with a little bit of bad, Jiang Nian hooked his neck and looked up at him. Huo Ling said, “I told you, be careful of bad guys, and be careful of me. Forgot so quickly?”
Jiang Nian shook her head: “Not forgotten. Then, Uncle Huo, how should I be careful of you?”
Huo Ling stared at her, squinting. The next moment, a warm kiss fell on her forehead. After a while, he backed away, and Jiang Nian thought it was over. Somehow, the hand around her waist suddenly held her cheek. His palm was thick and warm, and there was a thin layer of calluses due to perennial training. He stroked her cheek, inserted his fingers into her soft hair, and printed another kiss on her lips.
The man’s kiss was inherently gentle and warm.
Jiang Nian’s cheeks became redder, and her closed eyelashes quivered gently.
Their foreheads rested against each other, their eyes faced each other, and their breaths were intertwined.
He caressed her red face with his thumb and his voice was hoarse and sexy: “Do you know how to be careful with me?”
Jiang Nian was confused: “……Yes.”
He hugged her into his arms.
From today, this is his girl.
****
Jiang Nian stayed at home after her heatstroke. After taking medicine and resting for one night, the symptoms were relieved a lot, but she actually got a fever again. Fortunately, the fever was not high, and the medicine stabilized her quickly. This was also considered a lucky break.
Xiao Tong and Chen Chen called her and asked her how sick she was.
Needless to say, Jiang Nian was famous again. All the freshmen knew that Genius Jiang, who was watching their military training on the side, fainted from heatstroke.
When her family heard that her fever receded quickly, they were particularly relieved. Mom Jiang secretly wiped her tears a few times, because she was worried, and her spirit was not good. Grandpa Jiang also noticed that something was wrong, and, after repeated inquiries, there was no way but for Mama Jiang to tell the truth. This was good; the two were too anxious.
Jiang mother tried to convince them not to worry: “Niannian has someone around to take care of her and Xiao Huo will look at her as well. Everything should be fine.”
Grandma Jiang was worried: “Where can others’ care be as detailed as our own?”
This was also the reason Mama Jiang couldn’t rest assured; how could she be relieved without taking care of Niannian herself? She wondered whether she should go to the imperial capital, and wait until Jiang Nian got better, and then come back. Otherwise, could she stay here so upset?
Jiang Laifu said, “My Huo brother is there, and also said that Niannian took the medicine and got better. Do you want to go see it in person? How about we go in the future?”
So, Grandpa Jiang said with emotion, “Brother Huo is really a good person.”
Now it was Jiang Laifu who wanted to worship the ancestors in thanks. Their whole family also raised their hands and feet in favor. It was also fate’s luck to meet such a good brother!
Because they couldn’t take a close look, they could only connect to the video.
When this video connected, Jiang Nian was still lying in her uncle Huo’s arms watching TV. Huo Ling would come to accompany her after military training and take care of her. She was afraid that she couldn’t hold back and pounced on him again. Originally, she was still immersed in the beauty of Uncle Huo when the call interrupted her. At first sight, it was from Jiang mother. She hurried to sit up and Huo Ling looked at her with anxiety on his face: “Uncle Huo, you can rest assured, I will give you a name.1 But give me time to prepare; I haven’t figured out how to face my dad.”
Huo Ling: “……………”:)
This girl.
He gently tapped Jiang Nian’s forehead: “I said that you shouldn’t think about it. Uncle Jiang and I are not brothers, and the things you thought would not happen. If you dare not, then should I tell Uncle Jiang our relationship?”
Jiang Nian said seriously, “You don’t understand, I can’t hurt my dad’s most sincere brotherhood!”
………Huo Ling also felt what was called brain pain.
Jiang Nian coughed twice and connected the video. First, she accepted the concern and condolences of the whole family and comforted the worried grandma. When that was over, the video was handed over to Huo Ling. Compared to the family’s concern for Jiang Nian, they were full of thanks for Huo Ling. Even Grandpa and Grandma Jiang’s name for Huo Ling from “Xiao Huo” became “Xiao Huo ge”2, and even Jiang’s mother was no exception!
Huo Ling’s face was a little dark: “Aunt Jiang, Uncle Jiang, grandpa and grandma, you can rest assured. I will take care of Jiang Nian.”
Father Jiang over there was grateful and said, “Then trouble you, Brother Huo. Our whole family is very grateful to you!”
Huo Ling:”…………”
Waiting for the video to disconnect, Jiang Nian said with a sigh, “I didn’t expect that we were together for only a few days and encountered such a big obstacle.”
Huo Ling also felt that he had to make it clear with the Jiang family, otherwise he would be Jiang Nian’s uncle Huo later, and he would really have no way out.
He pulled Jiang Nian into his arms and hugged. Jiang Nian saw him frowning, then patted him on the shoulder and said, “Uncle Huo, don’t worry; I will never abandon you!”
Huo Ling’s mouth pumped, squeezing her face, and he bit his teeth: “Still call me Uncle Huo?”
“I’m used to it.”
“Oh? But I am now your man, is it appropriate to call me uncle?”
Jiang Nian immediately compromised, holding him and rubbing a few times: “Okay, listen to my baby!”
“…………”
****
Jiang Nian rested at home for a week until her body finally recovered. Freshman military training was also almost over. She heard from Chen Chen that when everyone sat to rest on the last afternoon of military training, many people asked Instructor Huo for a phone number or his WeChat and confessed to him boldly, but Instructor Huo particularly calmly said, “I’m sorry, I have a girlfriend.”
Naturally, they were heartbroken, wailing. Before he said he was single, but now he had a girlfriend. Was he deceiving?
Chen Chen continued, “Instructor Huo said again: ‘This is the fifth day of our relationship.'”
Jiang Nian’s heart was beautiful while Jiang Yun wailed, “Which woman is so powerful that she can get the best quality man like Instructor Huo?”
Jiang Nian immediately said, “I, I, I have taken Instructor Huo!”
Jiang Yun didn’t believe her; although she also had a small crush on Instructor Huo, there was an idiot nearby who spoke her dreams aloud: “How is your body, when can you come back to school? ”
Jiang Nian thought for a while:” Although I’m almost fine, but I’m afraid of recurrence, so I’ll come back the day after tomorrow.”
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Nian thought about it; this was wrong, why did no one respond when she said she captured Instructor Huo? This was too calm.
Later in the day, Huo Ling called to pick her up for dinner. This was the first date after their relationship started. Jiang Nian paid great attention to it, changing into a beautiful little dress, and gave herself a light makeup. Of course, her favorite Big Gold was also put on; such an important moment requires it to accompany her all the time.
Zhang Yan3 didn’t need to accompany her—such a light bulb would interfere with her and Uncle Huo developing their affair.4
The location of this appointment was the same restaurant as before— even the location of the private room had not changed. Jiang Nian made a realization after arriving; it turned out that it was not a two-person world, and there were three or four or five light bulbs…
Zhang Xing was one, and there were two others— a man or a woman Jiang Nian had never seen.
As soon as they entered the room, the couple laughed and waved their hands to say hello, and their burning eyes fell on Huo Ling’s hand holding Jiang Nian, with a raised eyebrow and a heartless smile.
Zhang Xing said, “Niannian girl, I haven’t seen you for a long time. Come in and sit down!”
Jiang Nian looked at Huo Ling and Huo Ling rubbed his eyebrows with a headache; these few must have heard that he had booked a room, so they sneaked in to watch the show, and now definitely wouldn’t leave.
“Niannian, these are my childhood friends— we grew up together in a large courtyard. Let’s eat first, and they’ll leave after eating.”
Jiang Nian nodded obediently: “All listen to baby.”
Huo Ling: “………” Cough cough.
He was still calm, and the next few almost collapsed, and couldn’t hold back their ear to ear grins.
……Baby? Baby?! This must be a hallucination!!
Zhang Xing coughed a few times and couldn’t help but smile again. Last time it was Uncle Huo, this time it was directly baby! Not only Zhang Xing, but the other two could not help but laugh endlessly, motioning with their eyes for others to see. This 10,000-year-old bachelor was blushed by a soft girl in one sentence. So unpromising!
Wasn’t the reason they came here because Zhang Xing said that Huo Wu brought a little girl to dinner with him last time. Not only was he tender and considerate, he also attentively peeled shrimp and picked vegetables! These days were even more shocking. He even chased to her school to train freshmen and worked as an instructor. Could they miss such a rare and shocking thing? Naturally, they wanted to see the legendary genius Jiang.
It was a pity that Huo Ling didn’t tell them anything after asking a few times, but, no matter, they came by themselves when they heard the news.
Then not only did their eyes fall to the ground this night, even their chins fell to the ground. They thoroughly understood what it meant to be ‘heavy color, light friend’, and ‘see color forget friends’!5
The dishes ordered were all light and they couldn’t smoke, or drink. Even if they said two more words, they would be glared at. Jiang Nian’s treatment was completely different— constant catering, adding tea and pouring water, peeling shrimp and sharing soup……Anyway, he was the busiest. When had they ever seen him like this?
Although Huo Ling did not seem to be very gentle in doing this— he was used to being cold, and he even looked rusty, his serious attitude was enough to let people see Jiang Nian’s importance to him.
“Niannian girl, how did this Lao Huo chase you? Why did you easily agree?!”
“No, it was me who chased Uncle Huo.”
Everyone: “…………?” No?!
Huo Ling: “……You haven’t chased me.”
Jiang Nian: “I have confessed voluntarily. Doesn’t that count as chasing you?”
………That seemed a bit true.
Zhang Xing was so angry that Huo Wu was too ambitious: “He took advantage of you too much. You should let him take the initiative to chase you, did you confess?”
“That is, this kind of thing is definitely Huo Wu should take the initiative!”
Huo Ling glanced at them: “Eating can’t stop your mouth?”
Jiang Nian smiled and patted Huo Ling’s hand back, and said to Zhang Xing,” No loss, no loss. Baby is so good; I should be chasing him!”
Cough?!
Zhang Xing congregation: “…………Ah???”
Huo Ling: “…………!!!”
*****
Zhang wiped the tears of bitterness: “Well, I won’t say anything more. I believe in love, ah.”
When he was kicked by Huo Ling, tears really fell.
After the lively dinner was over, they said they would go to sing, but Huo Ling refused and said that Jiang Nian would be sent home to sleep without giving them the opportunity to refute. He took the person and left without looking back. Jiang Nian was pretty good and waved back at them while saying goodbye. Compared with the cold Huo Wu, she was really a little angel.
“I think Huo Wu was really planted this time.”6
“Planted is planted, but I think Jiang Nian is too young. Don’t look at Huo Wu in the imperial capital these days; it’s only because there is no task. Wait a few days for him to return to the army, the two break up, what should we do then?”
“Huo Wu is so powerful. Are you afraid he’ll be dumped?”
“……I’m not afraid, I’m not expecting him to be dumped. But try to recall the taste of heartbreak?”
“……I seem to remember a bit.”
Zhang Xing’s eyes twitched. He really didn’t know this group of bastards: “Aunt Zhang doesn’t seem to know that Huo Wu has a girlfriend, I’m afraid before they even get a chance to start a long-distance relationship, someone will cause a fuss here first.”
“How do you say that?”
“Did you not hear that Aunt Zhang has been setting up blind dates for Huo Wu? She’s been wanting him to marry early and give her a grandson, Huo Wu hasn’t agreed. Say nothing about Jiang Nian, her body is really bad. Maybe Aunt Zhang won’t agree.”
Yes, this seemed a little difficult.
This was really exciting! They rubbed their hands and looked forward to it.
****
Liu Yingying also came out to dinner. Since the last time she came, she would come every other week. First, the food here was delicious, and second, maybe she could meet Huo Ling. Last time Jiang Nian could meet him, she didn’t believe she couldn’t touch him. She had calculated. At this time, Jiang Nian had already finished her military training. Maybe she and Huo Ling already…
But this life was different from the previous life. Huo Ling in the previous life was directly recognized by the Jiang family as Jiang Nian’s boyfriend. In this life, the Jiang family clearly regarded Huo Ling as a relative. Jiang Nian also called him Uncle Huo. Different generations would cause different feelings, and the results would naturally be changed.
She was thinking about it. Where did she expect to really see Huo Ling coming out of the restaurant, but there was a Jiang Nian beside him!
He led her, guarded her, and they held each other intimately.
This was very different from their previous behavior. Anyone with a brain would know that this was a small couple.
Liu Yingying was furious and hated in her heart. She stepped forward to say hello, but soon she changed her mind. Instead, she took out her phone and secretly took two photos of Huo Ling and Jiang Nian. If these phones were seen by her aunt and uncle, what would they think of Huo Ling? The best result was that Jiang Nian was not allowed to approach Huo Ling again.
Huo Ling sharply noticed Liu Yingying’s existence almost immediately. He looked sideways, causing Liu Yingying’s hands to shake with his indifferent scrutiny, and her phone almost fell to the ground!
She immediately put away her phone and pretended that nothing happened. She stepped forward and said with a smile, “Cousin, Huo Ling ge, I did not expect to meet you here. Have you already eaten?”
Huo Ling lowered his eyebrows: “We are not familiar, don’t call me brother.”
Liu Yingying was pale, and her expression of grievance looked really pitiful.
Jiang Nian discovered Liu Yingying here: “Cousin, did you come to dinner too?”
There was a female classmate with her, but she was not from the last dinner.
Liu Yingying nodded and said, “Yeah, if I knew that my cousin would be here too, then I would come together. Just when I arrive, you have to leave. It’s really a coincidence.”
Jiang Nian smiled and said, “No, it’s just a coincidence, because even if I knew that my cousin was coming, we wouldn’t eat together. I don’t eat any of the things you eat. We are not suitable to share a table, and I still want to have a two-person world with my boyfriend. Don’t call him Huo Ling ge, it’s not suitable. Just call him cousin-in-law! ”
“…………!!!!!!” Liu Yingying was choking again. So shameless?!
Huo Ling took Jiang Nian’s hand and said coldly, “Miss Liu, you just took a photo of us. Please delete the photo immediately.”
Liu Yingying was embarrassed and wanted to deny it, but, in front of Huo Ling’s strong and determined momentum, she didn’t even have the power to resist. She could only find out her phone and delete the photos, while explaining that she didn’t want to take their photo intentionally, but just took a photo and caught them in it……Naturally, no one believed it. Jiang Nian laughed and said, “Wouldn’t the cousin want to tattle?”
“……Why? I am that kind of person?”
“Yes.”
“Cousin, you misunderstand me like this, I will be sad.”
“Really? Then show me your sadness!”
“……Cousin, you will really joke.”
Liu Yingying wanted to pretend to be a good person. Even if she were annoyed, she could not show it, let alone say anything excessive. Naturally, Jiang Nian choked her with three words.
She watched Jiang Nian and Huo Ling leave with fists clenched.
This Jiang Nian was indeed the nemesis of her life. She didn’t understand what was so good about her for Huo Ling to actually chose her and fall in love with her. Liu Yingying snorted; although she didn’t have any photos, she could still tell with words. She didn’t believe Jiang Nian’s family wouldn’t react a little!
“Yingying, was that your cousin just now? Her boyfriend is so handsome, and the car he drives is expensive, but he looks so cold! Are you not in a good relationship?”
“Yes, because the study is too busy, we don’t have much contact normally. Later, when her family developed, she didn’t want to be close to people like us.”
“Oh, is that so…”
****
Huo Ling was driving and stopped until at a red light and looked at the little girl sitting in the co-pilot.
“Liu Yingying knows our relationship. Although the photo was deleted, she will talk to Uncle Jiang.”
Jiang Nian made a sound. It would be strange for Liu Yingying not to say anything: “Don’t be afraid, baby, there is me.”7
Huo Ling couldn’t help but pinch Jiang Nian’s face: “Don’t call me baby. Who is the baby?”
Jiang Nian grabbed Huo Ling’s hand took a bit: “Okay, don’t be angry.”
He raised his eyebrows and squeezed her small chin. “You……you are…”
“Hmm?”
“…”
Forget it. Who made him like such a baby?
After arriving home, Jiang Nian received a text message from Liu Yingying, saying: “Cousin, does your family at home know the matter of Huo Ling? You are in a relationship; I think I should tell my uncle. If you dare not say it, I will help you say.”
Wasn’t this a threat in disguise?
It may be that she had suffered too much from her, and she wanted to find a place to fight back. Jiang Nian really had no way to satisfy her.
Jiang Nian laughed, but didn’t even bother to reply. She opened a video with her family as usual, but it was a little different this evening. Jiang Nian felt that she had to fire at her dad.
The battle had already started; she could not be timid.
And she couldn’t keep her dad dreaming all the time. His dream was destined to be broken. If she hadn’t known that her dad really valued Huo Ling and regarded him as a brother, perhaps she could have been more direct.
As for now, in order to be fair, she still had to give her dad a little hope. Otherwise, it would be too inhumane for his dream to be broken directly.
Father Jiang also felt that today’s daughter was a bit wrong, no, she had been wrong for several days, looking at him with strange eyes. It seemed like she had done something sorry for him, but how could she be sorry for him? Did she secretly go out to eat hot pot? impossible! Secretly ran out to play? Absolutely impossible! Then…
He really couldn’t think of anything else.
Today, Jiang Nian finally spoke, and said to her dad very cautiously, “Dad, I want to tell you something: I have a boyfriend!”
Dad Jiang was shocked, and his face was almost pressed to the screen: “………Who? Who? Who is your boyfriend?! Your classmate? My brother Huo, does brother Huo know?”
Jiang Nian nodded her head: “He knows. My boyfriend is your brother.”
Dad Jiang shook: “…………? What do you mean?!”
Jiang Nian held the selfie stick and turned the camera. She leaned against the shoulder of the man next to her. Huo Ling straightened: “Uncle Jiang, I like Niannian; we are now dating.”
Dad Jiang: “………?!”
He had been fake crying before, and now when he looked at his daughter and brother sitting together, he was really crying.
Because Father Jiang was crying, Mother Jiang came, and Grandpa Jiang and Grandma Jiang chased behind her. What’s wrong? Why are you crying? It couldn’t be that Niannian had an accident…
Niannian did not have an accident, but her dad had an accident!
Jiang Nian was afraid that her dad was upset, so he separated from Huo Ling a little bit, causing Huo Ling to look at her sideways. Jiang Nian said, “Dad, you do not be sad, ah. I think we can compete fairly; let’s let Uncle Huo choose?”
Jiang father: “…………???”
Huo Ling stunned: “…………!!!”
This was good, everyone stared at Huo Ling.
Huo Ling didn’t think about it, grabbed Jiang Nian’s hand: “I’m sorry Uncle Jiang, I chose Niannian.”
Dad Jiang: “…………!!!!!!”
Why did he get hurt twice??? QAQ
Footnotes
1. Declare their relationship officially. ^
2. Lit. little big brother Huo ^
3. Her assistant ^
4. ‘light bulb’ is the Chinese equivalent of 3rd/4th/nth wheels aka someone who gets in the way of a couple spending time together. I thought of translating it to the English version, but there are often puns based on the term light bulb, so I figured I’d just keep the original for any possible jokes later on. ^
5. Both are idioms that mean you ignore your friends for love. Color = beauty/lover. Basically the reverse of ‘bros before hoes’/’sistas before mistas’. Bros before hoes didn’t really seem appropriate here with me needing to reverse them and call the MC and hoe and all (plus, it needed 2 idioms) so I kept the original. ^
6. Head over heels ^
7. As in ‘leave it to me’/’I’ll take care of it’ etc. ^
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14/23
Chocolate Otaku 
Huo Ling didn’t think about it, grabbed Jiang Nian’s hand: “I’m sorry Uncle Jiang, I chose Niannian.”
Dad Jiang: “…………!!!!!!”
Why did he get hurt twice??? QAQ
🤣🤣🤣 this family
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phew that cousin Li didn’t break her third phone now, nobody noticed that?
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Noooo Dad Jiang 😂😂😂
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