Chapter 170: Su Ruan, All I Want in This Life Is You

Su Ruan saw his cheeks flushed, his gaze a little hazy, and knew he was happy today and had drunk a bit too much.

She quietly handed him the glass of juice in front of her: "Drink some of this, settle down."

Jiang Ran took a sip with her hand, sweet and sugary, and felt even sweeter inside.

Using the table as cover, he slipped his hand beneath to grasp Su Ruan's, his fingertips teasingly brushed her palm, and his eyes looked at her, wet.

"My daughter‑in‑law is still the best… When we get back, you have to treat me well…"

Su Ruan's face flushed; she tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tightly.

She glared at him in a petulant way, yet didn't pull away, letting him keep holding.

The warmth from his palm, mingling with the joyous atmosphere of the hall, made her heart feel warm.

The wedding continued until the lanterns first lit up.

After seeing off most of the guests, Gu Yanshen and Jiang Jiaojiao were escorted by relatives into the newly prepared bridal chamber.

On the Jiang Family side, everything was tidied up, and they prepared to set off home.

On the way back, the two children were already sleeping soundly in the adults' arms.

Jiang Ran had drunk a bit too much, his steps wobbling, yet he insisted on holding Jinjin, while his other hand tightly clasped Su Ruan's waist, leaning most of his weight onto her.

"Daughter‑in‑law…" he whispered into her ear, his breath scented with alcohol, "I'm happy today… really happy…"

"Hmm, I'm happy too." Su Ruan supported him, bearing his weight, and felt unusually grounded.

"Sister married well… our shop is good… the children are good…"

Jiang Ran muttered as he counted, then suddenly stopped, looking at Su Ruan under the hazy moonlight, his gaze blazing.

"The best… is that I married you…"

Su Ruan felt a jolt in her heart, lifted her gaze into his eyes, brimming with drunkenness and deep affection.

The night breeze was gentle, as if it settled all the day's clamor and blessings, leaving only the clearest reflections in each other's eyes.

"Silly words." she said softly, but the corners of her mouth lifted high.

"Not silly at all…"

Jiang Ran lowered his head, trying to kiss her, but clumsy from the alcohol and holding the child, he bumped into her forehead.

Both were stunned for a moment, then laughed softly.

The laughter spread across the quiet street, startling the sparrows perched under the eaves.

"Go home…"

Jiang Ran muttered, hugging her again, continuing with uneven steps forward.

After returning to the Jiang Family, Jiang Ran's drunkenness hadn't faded, and still elated for his sister, he entered the house, shoved the half‑asleep Jinjin into Li Huijuan's arms, then turned to pick up Nian An from Su Ruan's embrace.

"Come! Good little girl, Daddy will take you out to see the moon! Tonight the moon is big and round!"

His voice was loud, tinged with drunken excitement, and he walked toward the courtyard holding Nian An.

Nian An was roused a bit by the sudden motion, her little mouth pursed, eyes about to cry.

"Jiang Ran! What are you doing!" Su Ruan hurried after him, both angry and amused, "What time is it! The child needs to sleep! It's windy outside, what if they catch a cold?"

Li Huijuan also came out, holding the awakened, frowning Jinjin, and hurried, "Ranran! Quickly bring An'an back! After a bit of wine you lose sense of direction! Can a child mess around with you?"

Grandma Jiang sat at the Main Hall entrance, smiling, watching without stopping, just murmuring, "Let him go crazy for a while, he's happy."

Jiang Ran ignored that, spinning in circles in the courtyard with Nian An, humming an off‑key lullaby, "When the moon walks, I walk too, I'm good friends with the moon… Good little girl, look, Moon Grandpa is smiling!"

At first Nian An was a bit dazed, but after being spun twice by her father, the night wind on her face, seeing his beaming smile and the bright moon above, she even forgot to cry, waved her little hand, and made "ah, oh" sounds, as if responding.

Jiang Ran got even more enthusiastic: "Look! My little girl likes it! RuanRuan, Mom, look! An'an likes the moon!"

He reached again toward the Jinjin in Li Huijuan's arms.

"Son! Come! Daddy will hold you too! Let's greet Moon Grandpa together!"

Jinjin seemed a bit put off by Dad's drunken yet overly enthusiastic demeanor, her little brows furrowing tighter, twisting her small body into Grandma's lap, muttering "hm, hm" in protest.

"You little brat, still not giving face!" Jiang Ran pretended to be angry, shoving Nian An toward him, rubbing his stubbly chin against his son's little cheek, "Come on, Daddy smells good!"

Jinjin, pricked, darted away, her little hand flailing at Jiang Ran's face, her expression dead serious, making everyone laugh.

Su Ruan watched her husband in the courtyard, holding their daughter and trying to tease their son, moonlight spilling over him; his usual unruly vigor turned into pure, goofy happiness.

The irritation in her heart had long faded, leaving only resignation and softness.

She walked over, took the now‑excited Nian An from Jiang Ran's arms, and whispered, "An'an be good, the moon has looked at us, we should go to sleep now, we'll watch again tomorrow, okay?"

Then she glared at Jiang Ran, "You, you can go crazy yourself, but also bring the child. Get inside quickly, you reek of alcohol."

Jiang Ran chuckled, didn't argue, obediently followed Su Ruan inside; passing Li Huijuan, he quickly pinched Jinjin's foot, earning a more disgruntled whimper from his son.

Inside, Su Ruan and Li Huijuan busied themselves changing the two children's diapers, feeding them warm water, and coaxing them to sleep.

Jiang Ran hovered nearby, his eyes sparkling, interjecting now and then, "Daughter‑in‑law, look how Jinjin's little brows are furrowed, just like me! … Mom, An'an's feet are really tiny, not even as long as my fingers…"

"Enough, enough, stop making trouble here." Li Huijuan scolded with a smile, pushing him away, "You reek of alcohol, stay away from the kids, you're smoking them out. Go wash your face, sober up!"

Jiang Ran finally slipped on his slippers and staggered off to wash up.

When he returned fresh and clean, Jinjin and An'an were already asleep again in their own little beds, their tiny chests rising evenly.

In the Main Hall, only Su Ruan remained, tidying the children's little clothes, the light gentle.

Jiang Ran walked over, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and inhaled deeply the pleasant scent of her.

"Daughter‑in‑law…" his voice, fresh from washing, still a bit sticky, "I'm really happy today."

"I can tell." Su Ruan, still being held, kept folding clothes in her hands, but her mouth curved, "Almost lifted the roof."

"Hehe." Jiang Ran chuckled low, pulling his arm tighter, his lips against her ear, his breath warm, "Sister got married, married well. Our shop is becoming steadier… My heart is bright."

Su Ruan felt something stir inside, set the clothes down, turned around, facing him.

In the light, the drunken haze in his eyes faded a bit, leaving clear joy and hope for the future.

"Hmm, bright." she raised her hand, gently smoothing his slightly rumpled collar, "Everything will be fine from now on."

Jiang Ran grabbed her hand, pressed it to his face, his gaze deep and focused: "RuanRuan, thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for, back then… being willing to marry this good‑for‑nothing kid." Jiang Ran's voice was low but sincere, "Thank you for giving me Jinjin and An'an, thank you for staying by my side, for building Chongsu little by little…"

"Without you, I, Jiang Ran, would still be somewhere in a corner, wasting my days."

These sudden, blunt, heartfelt words made Su Ruan's heart burn, her nose tip slightly sour.

She looked at him, the once unruly man who now held up the sky for her, a thousand words stuck in her throat, finally turning into a single sentence: "Fool."

She rose onto her tiptoes and proactively kissed his lips.

The kiss was gentle and lingering, without lust, only endless warmth, understanding, and the gratefulness of mutual reliance.

Jiang Ran was slightly startled, then responded even more gently, his hand around her waist tightening as if to meld her into his flesh and bone.

When the kiss ended, their foreheads pressed together, breaths intermingling.

"Jiang Ran."

"Hm?"

"From now on… drink less." Su Ruan whispered, "Otherwise, if you ever want to hold the children at midnight to watch the moon again, I really won't let you back in."

Jiang Ran let out a low laugh, his chest vibrating: "As you command, Mrs Jiang."

He paused, his voice taking on a slightly mischievous tone.

"But… skipping the moon, doing something else should be fine, right?"

Su Ruan's face flushed, she pushed him away: "You pervert! Go to sleep!"

The two tiptoed back to their own room.

They closed the door, cutting off the outside world.

"Su Ruan… in this life, I only want you, only this family of ours."